Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	action_n	body_n	soul_n	1,426	5	5.4689	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90902	Nevves for nevvters: or, The check cause cure of halting. With 31 doores of hope for the good successe of the publick cause of the kingdome. / Delivered in a sermon, November 27. 1644: in the Colledge of Glocester, before that valiant and vigilant governour Colonell Massy, being the day of publick humiliation. By Walter Powell, M.A. vicar of Standish. See the contents after the epistle.	Powell, Walter, b. 1590 or 91.	1648 (1648)	Wing P3097; Thomason E474_8; ESTC R204200	56,910	62

us from our own houses Wee cared not for the worth of peace God now shewes the worth by the want of it the price of many things are learn't carendo magis quàm fruendo Wee walked contrary unto him he now walkes contrary unto us Wee brake forth by lying stealing whoring one bloudy sinne touched another and now God hath had a long Controversie against all the Inhabitants of the Land and one bloudy punishment toucheth another Men by their Hell-hastening iniquities warred brake forth against the Lord and now God by Heaven-darting Judgements warreth against and breaketh in upon men Yea this heighteneth mens sinnes that they warre against the Lord yea friends against friends whiles God and man continue their warre against them both God in Justice men in hatred t is good as from God evill as from men I have spoken so much in this point it being a maine cause of halting in the people while they apprehend so much flattery in and contention among Ministers Let all Eliah's labour to preserve people from halting by occasion thereof Let them study to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace if there be any vertue any praise any profit in love in peace Elijah you see was bold and it mightily prevailed Can Ministers write after any fairer Copie can they walke after any more un-erring Rule Be strong and of a good courage was Gods Counsell to Josuah Iosh 1.6 and addes in the next verse onely be strong and the people close up their Counsell with the same Caution to him in the last words of the same Chapter because things last of all spoken Vers 18. commonly are best of all remembred onely be strong and of a good courage vers 18. As if courage boldnesse were the All in All required in the Leaders the Shepheards of Gods flocke as if it were the Quintessence that is most to be seene in the essence of all their ingagements and discharge of duties required by God and Man may they not by this their courage as Hannibal by sire over the Alpes make way over the mountaines of all obstructions all oppositions whatsoever Look what powder is to bullets a clapper to the Bell fire to the wood wings to a Bird sayles to a Ship winde to sayles wine to the spirits an edge to a Razor mettall to a horse the soule to the body vivacitie to any creature the same is Courage to any Christian much more to a Minister for his affection motion action Twelfth and last cause I mention of the Peoples halting 12. Cause between the two maine opinions in these times is The doubt of the successe of the Cause in Question which followes in the last not least place to be answered viz. these Doores of Hope ❧ DOORES OF HOPE WHat ever the issue and successe of these warres be yet Gods people should be of Joabs resolution 2 Sam. 10.12 Let us be valiant for our people and for the Cities of our God and let the Lord do as seemeth him good I am no Prophet nor the son of a Prophet ungainsayably to prognosticate the event his face hath never yet been seene nor tongue heard in a Pulpit that can thus Divine Therefore I will not professe so much ignorance or arrogance peremptorily to avouch These present warres suddenly shall end or that the Parliament side without any possible contradiction shall prevaile But this I affirme that there may be alledged many Arguments of probabilitie that God will shortly deliver this Land from Popery and slavery for the present and future time These Arguments I call Doores of Hope Of which Doores I shall but draw the Latches and set them a little ashoare and give you leave at your more leisure to goe into the severall roomes in your private meditations and view the materialls therein contained The first Doore 1. I bring you to is the Promise of God made to comfort his people 2 Pet. 1.4 Esa 25.8 These promises are said to be Gods gifts many great exceeding precious The Lord will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth Rev. 14.8 for the Lord hath spoken it Babylon is fallen Esa 55.10 is fallen Doubled as Phar dreame for the certainty of the thing Shall the Lord promise and shall he not performe Surely as the raine cometh downe and watereth the earth and makes it bring forth and bud that it may give seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne unto mee voyde but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it It s added in the next verse Vers 11. Ios 21.43 Therefore shall yee goe out with joy and be led forth with peace This Argument couragious Josuah proposed a little before his death to continue the people in constancy The Lord gave Israel all the land which he had sworne to give to their Fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein Vers 44. Also the Lord gave them rest round about aocording to all that he had sworne unto their Fathers and there stood not a man of all their Enemies before them for the Lord delivered all their Enemies into their hand Vers 45. There failed nothing of all the good things which the Lord had said unto the house of Israel Vers 45. Ch. 23.14 but all came to passe And in the next Chap. 14. verse to the people You know in all your hearts as certainly as if things were in your bosome that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you but all are come to passe unto you nothing hath failed thereof The Lord commands his Prophets Esa 40.1 2 Comfort yee comfort yee my people speake comfortably unto Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished Where you see is a Charge and Commission given not onely by bare affirmation or command to Ministers but by Ingemination Comfort yee comfort yee yea by Triplication speake yee comfortably unto Jerusalem by Quadruplication and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished is i. it shall as certainly be accomplished as if it were already effected These comfortable promises Calvin on Esay must not be whispered softly in their eares saith Calvin but cryed out aloud that they may sinke into their hearts Let us make use of these promises in our prayers Psal 119.49 50. saying with David Remember thy promise made to thy servant wherein thou hast caused mee to trust It is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned mee Gods Providence and Power in the Lands preservation Doore 2. What are the Mightie against the Almightie The Nations of the Earth are as a drop hanging on the Bucket of water What is a drop to the Bucket What the Bucket to all

the first Proposition ayming to apply it to these halting times Doct. 1. It s a great sin and shame to halt between God and Baal truth and errour light and darkenesse the word and the world Christ and Belial Because there is no communion between these Reas 1. 2 Cor. 6.14 yet such halters make a communion and union between them they joyne together what God hath put asunder and they put asunder what God hath in his Word and will joyned together They call evill good Isa 5.20 and good evill they put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse they put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Now such sin greatly because God denounceth woes so sharply against them nay more woes than against other grand workers of iniquity because these are wise in their owne conceite Verse 21. Reas 2. Because these halters will be wiser than God give Christ the lye set the holy Ghost to schoole Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either be will hate the one and love the other or else be will hold to the one and despise the other Te cannot serve God and Mammon Yes we can say these halters we can serve God in the morning and the Devill in the afternoone one Master in the Temple another in the Tavern We can comply with Round heads while we are in their company and with Cavalliers when we are in their company humour and sooth Papists and Puritans and displease neither Because these are most notorious hypocrices they think they can be too hard for Reas 3. and deceive both God and Devill they halt betweene God and Mammon Christ and Belial purity and Popery They have a tongue for the Court cause and a tongue for the Countrey cause God calls for the heart Prov. 23.26 My sonne give me thy heart Satan will be content with halfe the heart 2 King 17.33 34. God is herein more covetous than the Devill he will have all or none the Devill will be contented with halfe because he knowes if he have any God will have none Let such consider if it be good to seeme to be rich it is better to be so if good to seeme to be good better to be so if it be bad to seem to be bad it is worse to be so Either therefore bee as thou seemest to be very good or seem to be as thou art indeed very bad If the Lord be God follow him if Baal follow him If thy own private be to be preferred before the publique prefer it if the publique be to be preferred before the private prefer it else professe thy selfe to be an hypocrite more woes are denounced against such than against any sinners eight severall woes in Mat. 23.13 denounced against them Vse 1. In the first place this may serve to inform us touching the Cause why so many faithfull Preachers are so zealous that they lift up their voyces like Trumpets when Trumpets lift up their voyces like Preachers the glory of God love of Christ care for the Kingdomes lawes liberties constraine them Obadiah disswades Eliah ver 10. Ahab reproveth him ver 17. God commanded him v. 1. Whether it be better to obey God or man judg ye Acts 4.19 Sin labours to destroy the word in the mouths of Ministers Ministers labour to destroy sin in the hearts of hearers when fire and water meet there is great ratling and hissing Paint a fire on a piece of cloath and cast it into the water and no noise at all nor contraries therefore no combate If ministers come with painted fire with silken sayings flattering words saying all is well no wonder if men halt limp trip and fall into the down-fall of damnation Zac. feele hell before they feare it Is it not therefore lawfull necessary to rescue mens soules as brands out of the fire Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart but reprove him plainly Were not the people here by the zeale of Eliah first convicted then converted crying The Lord is God the Lord is God Can it be bad to be zealous in a cause that is good to preserve a plant from withering a Beast from drowning a sheepe from wandring a house from ●iring a ship from sinking a Citie from sacking and Kingdomes from destroying to save a soule to turne a sinner from the evill of his wayes As cold oft breeds an inflamation so the luke-warme devotion of many Pastors People have enkindled Gods wrath and Gods wrath hath blowne up these sad combustions wherewith the Land is almost consumed should not the Boanerges labour to take out fire with fire the fire of Gods wrath by the fire of the Spirit to preserve from everlasting burnings Jer. 6.29 The lungs and lips of Preachers that are touched with a coale from Gods Altar are powerfull bellowes to blow up the dying fire of zeale Is not this Gods worke and must not they be fervent in Spirit that will serve the Lord Rom. 12.11 Isa 63.15 9.7 2 King 19.31 whose work can never be done while they freeze at it It is Gods zeale that must doe all for us and must not our zeale doe all we can for him Did Christ sweate that the Christian should freeze must not all redeemed ones be zealous of good workes Titus 2.14 Hanniball by fire made way over the Alpes so must Ministers by zeale over the mountaines of oppositions the tops whereof will not be climbed without great strength violence and vivacity Palmes are the Emblemes of victory but they love to grow in a hot soyle All would have Palms heate is the meanes for them Fervency in a Christian is the grace of every action Ministers must perswade to be zealous else people cannot repent and they must repent else Christ will not come in and sup with them Rev. 3.19 And must Ministers perswade others to be zealous and shall they be dull cold luke-warme themselves Wisedome is justified of her children the people place Text and time call for it Thus having with the Cock clapt my wings on my owne breast give me leave to crow unto others also to shew men their present sin to prevent their future shame Christ lookes on all Newterallists as on enemies Vse 2. not as on friends Why halt ye so long seeing it is a great sin and shame Mat. 12.38 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathers not with me scattereth abroad Aut mecum totum tene aut totum amitte saith Greg. Proditor est veritatis qui aut libere non pronuntiat aut non sufficienter eam defendant saith Chrysost Traytors are the very off-spring of Judas shamefully exposing themselves to the scorne and hatred of all men both good and bad It happening to these neutralizing middle-men as to those that dwell in the middle roomes of some high building as they are smoked and smothered by those that dwell under them and polluted with dust

viz. Kingdome Religion Law Libertie and Posteritie I said in actions good and commendable they must not ayme at their own ends The man that was in the Boate where the Kings Crowne was and the Crowne occasionally falling into the water he leaping after it and recovering it to save himselfe and it putting the Crowne upon his own head that so he might swimme the better to the Boate or Shoare though he was thanked for his adventure yet was he blamed for his boldnesse in putting the Crowne upon his own head Christs Crowne is now fallen as it were into the water and is in danger of sinking labour to preserve it but not for thy own praise or profit sake much lesse must his Crowne be set upon the footstoole and Kings Crowne yea private mens reasons and respects set upon the Throne The 24. Elders Revel 4. threw downe their Crownes at the foote of Christ the King of Kings You know Vriah Nehemiah and others denied their own comforts and contentments Court-favours company of wife yea to change their own Cloaths for the Publique sake It is an undeniable truth he that will lift up one that is fallen must stoope himselfe He that loves father or mother more than Christ is not worthy of Christ Christ still called his Mother Woman as one observes Woman what have I to doe with thee Woman not Mother to shew that in matters of Religion wee are to know no relations Were this beleeved and observed the warres by Gods mercy quickly might be ended thinke on it and thou wilt halt no longer between thy private seeming and the publique certain good The eighth Cause of Halting is undesire of change for doubt of dangerous tumults or of changing for the worse 8. Cause The wicked feare and flie when no man pursueth but the righteous is bold as a Lyon The feare for the present touching what will be for the future is moe than the hurt it selfe that shall be Many will be content to abide in darknesse and slavish conditions for feare of shadowes they may meet with in an altered estate Like the Israelites punished a little with want towards Canaan they wished themselves in Aegypt againe to enjoy their Leeks and Onions instead of their Manna Angels food Men are now on their march towards spirituall and heavenly Canaan and will they desire to returne unto Aegypt againe It is then just that they should never enter into Gods rest Will not men endure change of Masters and change of servants so it be for their profit change of horses change of dogges so it further their pleasure change of aire change of dyet so it tends to their health May men desire new Masters new servants new Ministers new Magistrates change of apparell dyet houses and shall they onely dreame of danger in new reformation in change of manners The Apostle commands Fashion not your selves like to this world Rom. 12.2 but be you changed inwardly in minde and outwardly in manners else you cannot prove or approve what is the acceptable will of God or what is the reasonable service required in man towards God who is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit and in truth Are those obstinate Jewes Ier. 44. thinke you to be followed who said The Word that thou hast spoken unto us wee will not heare but will doe whatsoever is good in our own eyes for then wee had peace and plenty of all things but since wee lest off to worship the Queene of Heaven wee have had troubles warres dearth and scarcitie of all things Many desired our little great Will I meane Bishop Laud to be changed and taken out of the way and will they desire many great little Wills to be Hierarched and set up in the place thereof such a change may be from bad to worse You have heard of the old Woman I beleeve when all other people prayed for the removall of a Tyrannicall Prince shee onely prayed for his continuation being asked the reason thereof why shee prayed for his continuing when all others prayed for his removall Shee replyed such a Prince was bad and people desired his exchange and the next was worse and the next worse than he and this worse than that and if this be changed quoth shee I thinke the next will be the Devill himselfe So prone naturally are people to imagine that all changes shall be for the worse Men know not what may be in and after therefore desire an abode in the present condition Which have occasioned many mens halting stumbling falling which might have been preventable by a change Is it not better to change from bad to good than from bad to worse Seeing every man by every action steps neerer to Heaven or to Hell I beleeve one of the Causes of so many sad changes in our outward condition hath been new fangled conceits touching changeablenesse in Religion For when they chose new Gods Iudg. 5.8 then warre was in the Gates Therefore a change from new Gods to the true God will procure peace in our gates Can it be imagined any danger to have unprofitable Trees dregges of Popery which God did never plant to be removed out of his Orchard and his own Plants to be set in the place thereof What hurt hath been by the change of Monkes and Fryers Abbots and Pryors Hermits and Nunnes Shall their persons be removed and their profession be retained If there hath been no occasion of repentance in the Land for casting out those Locuster what repentance should be feared by inacting new reformation and abolishing old Traditions Aske all the Reformed Churches whether ever they grieved but rather daily rejoyced to have their Religion of Idolatry and Superstition to be banished out of their Coasts I know the thoughts of the change of Episcopacy is a great trouble and a cause of halting to many men but let them remember the high Commission Bishops Courts in Counties and the strange monstrous Concomitances attending the same they will scarce desire or plead for the reintertainment of them againe It cannot be denied but that Episcopacy hath been a great supporter of Papacie where the one falls the other cannot long stand Pluck up but this one weed in the Antichristian Kingdomes over Sea let Bishops onely be removed from Italy and Spaine Germany and France as they are likely to be from Britaine the Pope can no more stand there hereafter than a head can without his body The Maxime was false No Bishop no King but its certain No Bishop no Pope The Bulles from Rome bred so many Calves in Britaine that there was a necessitie of Cessation or sacrifice of them before Gods wrath can be expected to be pacified toward the Nation Was not a Reformation desired long in the Land by the Record of the very Common-Prayer-Booke as wee reade in the Presace before the Commination appointed to be read in the beginning of Lent Brethren in the Primitive Church there was a