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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	church_n	great_a	2,167	5	3.1621	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63826	A good day vvell improved, or Five sermons upon Acts 9. 31 Two of which were preached at Pauls, and ordered to be printed. To which is annexed a sermon on 2 Tim. 1. 13. Preached at St. Maries in Cambridge, on the Commencement Sabbath, June 30. 1650. By Anthony Tuckney D.D. and Master of St Johns College in Cambridge.	Tuckney, Anthony, 1599-1670.	1656 (1656)	Wing T3216A; ESTC R222406	116,693	318

what Hierom saith that Scripture truth is in medulla non in superficie non in terminorum foliis sed in radice rationis and say with Synesius that the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though every Title and Iota in it is sacred yet it is the kernel of the doctrine and not so much the shell of the words that we so much stand upon And therefore if any shall conceitedly affect and insist upon any formes of words of their own making as are either meerly leaves or that cover some poysonous toad of error and impiety under them we will very readily call them as Nazianzen Orat. 6. de Spir. S. did his Adversary A. B. C. sophysters and wording Sycophants Such empty shells of Formalities we leave to more empty vain hearts like children to play with and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those formed feigned words which the Apostle speaks of 2 Pet. 2. 3. to those deceitfull Huksters to make merchandise with which some of them who now a dayes decry formes most are most notoriously guilty of and in this kind of all others the most affected Formalists who with their new lights have got a set of new-minted words and phrases a strain of high flown canting in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right out those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 18. even swelling words of vanity which Peter observed and noted in the Seducers of his time and Calvin in the Libertines and Instructio adversus libert cap. 7 Quintinists of his and the Shiboleth of many in ours by which although we cannot understand their language yet we may easily come to know them whilest their form of speech bewraieth them 2. Nor to be onely bare Declarations of what we believe An ecce fidem meam or Apologies and Purgations of our selves from the Aspersions and slanders of others who either misconceive or willfully misreport us For this Prefat ad Confess Atque etiam sit Res propria Remonstrantibus qua ab omnibus aliis in tota Christianit●te p●aecisis s●ctis disernuntur Synod Remonstra cap. 3. use the Remonstrants themselvs wil allow of them and no wonder because when they are deservedly taxed they have need to Apologize But this is all that they will allow them because they do so dearly hugg that Helena of theirs their libertas prophetandi as their main interest and on which they have set their property as being their p●c●lium onely and so become impatient of any such restraint though I cannot but wonder that they should say that the Primitive Churches and Christians intended no more by their Creeds Canons and Confessions Prefat ad confess in libro de fide ad Petrum then by them onely to testifie Non quid credendum esset sed quid ipsi crediderint when they read so often in Austin Firmissimè crede nullatenus dubites and when in their Synods and Councils they did so frequently and I fear too too liberally thunder out their Anathemaes Remonstra in exam praefat Censu●ae against those that taught contrary to their determinations and when the Remonstrants themselves do so cry out of Athanasius for pride and in his Quicunque vult salvari c. which he prefixeth before the Articles of his Creed 3. I add therefore in the 3d place that these Formes of sound Words are useful and in some cases are necessary and so have been used as Declarations not onely of what we our selves believe but also of what we judge that all should believe unlesse we could think that others might rightly believe that as true which we in our conscience judge to be false a goodly peece of our ingenuous loving-hearted Arminians charity and also desire and require that all should professe or at least not openly contradict with whom we joyn in nearest Church Communion So it was with the Apostles in their Canons Acts 15. And so it is with particular Churches in their Articles and Confessions to this day and so may it be alwayes Ringantur licet rumpantur Socino-Remonstrantes Notwithstanding all the rage and invectives of Socinians Arminians Libertines and other Sectaries Haec sacra aliter non constant Praefat ad Apologiam who will rather disturb yea and ruine both Churches and States and snap asunder the sacred bond of Peace then be thus hampred 4. They are therefore in the 4th place Communionis Tessarae Judices not onely badges of our Christian Church Communion but also great helps and furtherers of it whereby uncomfortable divisions may be prevented and the peace of the Church the better preserved whilest we all profess the same Truth and speak the same thing being perfectly joyned together in the same minde and the same judgement 1 Cor. 1. 10. The Remonstrants indeed tell us that there are Non pauci pii probi many honest godly men Praefat ad Confess they mean their own sweet selves and their dear party for who so honest and godly as they who dislike such Formes and Confessions as derogatory to the Authority Sufficiency and perspicuity of the Scriptures 2. As a wrong to liberty of conscience and of Prophesying 3. As a great cause of Schismes and Factions in the Church For the first They fear where no fear is No fear of taking from the Authority and Perspicuity of the Scriptures by these confessions which are wholly built upon them and for matter wholly and for Words and Phrases in a great part taken out of them not so much as by a single private Ministers confirming and explaining of them in the course of his Ministry which I hope they are not against unlesse they who are so chary and tender of the liberty of Prophesying will quite take away both the office and gift of Prophesying which when Christ instituted in his Church he sure never intended it should be any blemish or prejudice to the Scriptures Authority or Perspicuity For the 2d let the Papists answer Solum pontificium atque Hispanum regnum videte jumenta ibi sunt non homines quicquid imponitur id portat vulgus ut ascenus Isidi Sacra to God and man for their Tyranny over Gods Peoples Consciences and true liberty The Spanish Inquisition when God makes inquisition for blood there shed in this kinde will be sadly accountable We that have been this way pinched our selves I hope should never have imposed upon others the like yoke of slavery Some indeed that their tongues might be as licentious as their practises lavish it at large speak loud as though they had hired a Tertullus to help them with invectives or some mercinary Lawyer to draw up a bill in chancery with a most horrid charge that hath never a word of truth in it General outcries against an intended acted Tyranny but they should instance in particulars and make them good mean while as long as the skin is whole though they pour vinegar on us it

fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost 2. An effectual argument to inforce it because thus doing will be the most effectual way and means to have the Churches of Christ edified and multiplyed I begin with the duty and first with the first part of it in those words walking in the fear of the Lord and the Note thence is this That when God vouchsafeth to Doct. his Churches rest and peace it is their duty then especially to walk in his fear And here I shall not need by way of explication to hint that 1. By walking is meant their diligent and constant practise and course of life 2. And by Gods fear Primarily and most properly is meant that sanctified affection or sanctifying grace both in the habit and act of it whereby out of a filial and ingenuous awfulness we are afraid to offend God by sinning against him And Tropically the whole Eccles 12. 13. Deut. 6. 2. 13. See Cartwright on Prov. 1. 7. worship and service of God of which this fear as it is one great and especial part so also it awfully commandeth and putteth us upon all the rest and withholds us from the contrary So that this their walking in the fear of the Lord was their diligent and constant course of obedience and service out of an awfull and reverential respect to him and an ingenuous and filial fear to offend him This was their practise when God had given them rest and it is the duty incumbent now on us when the like mercy is vouchsafed to us viz. now upon consideration of it to Heb. 12. 28. serve him with reverence and godly fear indeed it must be without unbeleeving and slavish fear of man Luke 1. 74. but with as much nay with more Reverential fear of God then ever for although perfect love casteth out fear 1 John 4. 18. yet in true filial fear there is as much nay more love then fear and so they who are said to fear God Psal 145. 19. are in the 20th verse immediately following styled such as love him To have fear and joy meet is a riddle to a carnal heart yet to rejoyce with Psal 2. 11. trembling is a peece of the mystery of godliness which Grace teacheth and a godly heart is acquainted with And especially upon the receipt of any greater mercy as at the Resurrection of our Saviour it is said of the two Maries that they departed from the Sepulchre with fear and great joy Matth. 28. 8. So in any other kinde of Resurrection wherein God pleaseth to raise us as it were from the grave such a sweet mixture of those seemingly contrary graces should be felt in our hearts and expressed in our carriages so as at the same time to rejoyce in his goodness Nehe. 9. 25. yet to fear him and his goodness Hos 3. 5. Slavish spirits may fear his greatness but a good heart will fear him for his goodness will fear when inlarged Isa 60. 5. and with such a Systole and Diastole doth it breathe and live This being a great part of that Tribute which our Soveraign Lord requireth for all his bounty and blessings And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God c. Deut. 10. 12. and which a soul truly subjected to Christ doth most freely pay from mercy takes an argument of fear There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 130. 4. it saith Let us fear the Lord who giveth unto us rain and reserveth to us the appointed weeks of the harvest Jer. 5. 24. fear's him for plenty and fear's him for peace as in a peaceable Solomons reign when the mountains shall bring peace to the people Psal 72. 3. and so you might think to find them most secure it is added that they shall fear him as long as the Sun and Moon indure v. 5. the less that in their peace they fear their enemies the more they fear their peaceable King That in Solomon as a type fore-prophesied what should be under the more peaceable government of Jesus Christ and in this Text that prophecy was fulfilled for when these his best subjects had rest and were still even then they trembled walking in the fear of the Lord. But you will say Is fear consistent Quest with the security of peace or rather is it not an aguish distemper to stand quaking and trembling in the Summers warm Sunshine The Psalmist saith when the Sea-man when he Psal 107. 27. is tossed and reeleth to and fro and staggers in a tempest is like a drunken man but is it not right out drunkenness or rather madness to do so in a calme and when gotten on the shoare To which I answer It is so Answ indeed to do so out of a slavish or unbelieving distraction or despondency which yet the best of Gods servants are sometimes overtaken with yea and that sometimes when both for inward and outward man they have all cause of joy and an holy confidence and security But as the Schoole observeth Biel. there is a double act of a chast and filial fear 1. One when we avoid sin for fear of offending God and so of being in any measure separated or estranged from him and thereby of losing of any either measure or manifestation of that good which we injoy through communion with him And thus Austin Tractat. in Johan defineth fear to be Fuga animi ne perdat quod diligit 2. The other is an awfull Reverence of God not as to any fear in us of our loss of him but onely as in himself he is the most perfect and absolute good and so most worthy of all humble observance The first of these they truly say is only here in via whilest we are here travellers in our way because when we come to our journies end and confirmed in glory there will be no danger and therefore no fear of any such offence and loss and disjunction But the latter abideth yea is perfected in heaven and so is both of in via and in Patria I am sure both of them are or at least should be found in us whilest we are here in the way and that not only in the foulest but even in the fairest plat of it where we should not onely be afraid of Gods judgements Psal 119. 120. but also of his tenderest mercies not only in the time of our danger and trouble but of our greatest rest and security even then we should walk in the fear of the Lord and that upon a twofold ground answerable to that forementioned double act of this godly fear 1. In the time of our rest and peace we have great need to put forth the first A●t of it in taking heed of offending God and so of being estranged from him because Then we are in the greatest danger of it 2. And as great cause we have Then also to put forth that second

Act of a Reverential observance of him as the greatest and chiefest good as having then strongest ingagements layd upon us and we thereby being put upon the strongest trial of our filial awfull ingenuity First in time of peace we have need to walk and to go armed with Gods fear not onely because of fear in the night but also by reason of the danger of the brightest day of prosperity and peace and that danger is double both outward and inward 1. Outward for in that sense we have something to lose and are not out of all danger of losing it It is true that through Go●s mercy with these Churches in the Text we have attained to some measure of rest from some of our former troubles which we conflicted with in the height and heat of our former wars but yet Fortunam reverenter habe me thinks may yet be to us a good Memento For as for your City the very sad fires which have so frequently broken out of late may warn you that all the sparks of Gods displeasure are not quite extinguished and me thinks call loud upon you in way of publick humiliation with Israel to meet together and draw water and poure it out before the Lord in prayers and tears which will be more effectual then all your Engines to quench such skarefires And for the whole land were we more setled then we are we are not as yet arrived at that everlasting rest which shall Heb. 4. 9. never be disturbed or interrupted And besides our present peace is but very tender and in a crazy condition At best whilest we are here in this lower Region clouds may Eccles 〈…〉 return after rain one misery and mischief after another yea after the brightest Sunshine A lightsome and calm day may and in a gloomy and stormy evening Isa 21. 12. Yea our Sun may go down at Noon Amos 8. 9. when we think it 's gotten up to its full height Nay in the morning Jer. 20. 16. when it's now but newly up for at that time of the day God rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah Gen. 19. 23 24. And all this may be the more possible if not probable Because 1. So unstable and inconstant are mens mindes and all our best outward injoyments a very shadow Psal 39. 6. 1 Cor. 7. 31. a Scheme a vain show that passeth away like the Sea which although it may be calm now yet may suddenly prove boisterous and tempestuous as soon as it shal be again blown upon But I shall not here inlarge on this Argument 2. So provoking may our sins prove that as they disquiet God so they may easily disturb and discompose our peace when we may think it best settled Hic Davus perturbat omnia as it is well observed Quo tempore maximè florueere Tribus decem eodem Hoseas praedicat horum internecionem Anonymi Annotat. in v. T. Cantabrig by one upon Hos 1. 1. that in the time of Jeroboam the second when Israel or the ten Tribes were then in the most flourishing outward condition even then for His and Their sins the Lord by that his Prophet threatens their utter destruction That first verse telleth you that he prophesied in his dayes and how sad and heavy that Prophesie was you may read in the sequel of it and yet how outwardly prosperous for the present he and his times were their story will inform you 2 Kin. 14. 23. ad finem And shall we as the Scriptures phrase is forsake Iob 6. 14. the fear of the Lord Upon it the Lord may yet so forsake us that our awlesse fearlesse miscarriages may produce most fearful miscarriages in our greatest concernments 3. And this the rather because God is wont to be very observant how we intertain newly vouchsafed or restored mercies and then proveth more than ordinarily severe in punishing our unworthy and unthankful receiving or abuse of them Partly the better to remember us of our former sins which before deprived us of them And partly to make us the more wary for the future that we do not in the like kinde abuse them Instances of which we have in his dreadfull proceeding against Achan at Israels first entrance Iosh 7. into Canaan Against the Bethshemites at the 1 Sam. 6. 19. return of the Ark. And against Ananias and Saphira in the first preaching of the Act. 51. to 12. Gospel The Lord in mercy grant that it may not be exemplified in us upon our unworthy returns for mercies newly either vouchsafed or restored to us However for the present it may be with us yet let us not say with Agag that the bitternesse of death is past and then take heart the more bitterly 1 Sam. 15. 32. to provoke God for the bitterest of the cup may yet be behind in the bottom And therefore let the man that is now recovering out of a sicknesse look well to himself that he fall not into a relapse and so quite overthrow himself which in that crazy condition of his is soon done whilest we stand let us not be high minded but fear Rom. 11. 20. even when we rest in peace let us walk in fear and trembling in our greatest security let us fear God for even then we lye at his mercy Outward and temporall danger then may be great But inward and spirituall is then especially far greater and therefore calleth for our more watchfull fear and circumspection Because if we shall be then so disingenuous and ingratefull as to provoke God by our sins our danger because Gods indignation will be very great And yet which is our both sin and misery then we are most subject to do so then as much nay more then ever to forget both our selves and him and so by our sins most bitterly to provoke him As the man after a vein opened at the turning of the blood is most subject to sink down into a swoon so we into sin upon the return and our injoyment of a lost mercy The thorny ground is choaked with riches and pleasures which could not with the stony ground be beaten off by persecutions and therefore our Saviours last and Mat. 4. greatest temptation was with the glory of the world and Joseph Gen. 39. was most put to it by the charmes of fleshly allurements who as to imprisonments and all other miseries was impregnable When peace and plenty is restored and continued God doth and we may know how prone we are to grow Loose upon liberty When the prison door is set open and we got out of the deep miry lane between the inclosures of the thorn hedges which kept us from starting out into the open Common how apt are we to run out of the way and so to lose our God and our selves together Job feared it Job 1. 5. in his children lest in their feasts they should blaspheme God and Agur feared it in himself lest in Prov. 30. 9