Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bad_a	good_a	reason_n	1,431	5	5.5448	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86325	The glory and beauty of Gods portion: set forth in a sermon preached before the honourable House of Commons at the publique fast, Iune 26. 1644. / By Gaspar Hickes, Pastour of Lanracke in Cornwall, a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Hickes, Gaspar, 1605-1677.	1644 (1644)	Wing H1838; Thomason E2_10; ESTC R2493	29,927	47

THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION SET FORTH In a SERMON preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS at the Publique Fast Iune 26. 1644. BY GASPAR HICKES Pastour of Lanracke in Cornwall a Member of the Assembly of DIVINES LONDON Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1644. Die Mercurii 26º Iunii 1644. IT is this day ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament That Master Rous Master Salwey and Master Nicoll doe from this House give thanks unto Master Hardwick and Master Hickes for the great paines they tooke in the Sermons they preached this day at the intreatie of this House at St Margarets Westminster it being the day of publike Humiliation and to desire them to print their Sermons And it is ordered that none shall presume to print their Sermons but whom they shall licence under their hands writing H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Christopher Meredith to print my Sermon Gasp Hickes TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSE OF COMMONS now assembled in Parliament IT is the commendation and glory of great works to be carried through difficulties to be borne up and brought to passe in despight of oppositions The street wall of Ierusalem were built in troublous times The Church comonly passeth thorough fire and water to her highest advancements inlargements So it comes to passe partly thorough the malice of adversaries who straine their rage higher according to the Churches risings if we could empty hell and the world of enmity we might perhaps steale quietly to Heaven and injoy spirituall priviledges with outward ease principally thorough the wisdome of God in the dispensation of mercies he raises the value of them by putting them off upon hard termes We should be apt to surfet of priviledges to kick against him that feeds us and lightly to esteeme the rock of our Salvation if the Lord did not diet and physick us if he did not acute our appetites by some sharp mixtures some bitter ingredients in our sweetest and fullest cup if he did not keep our souls in a longing temper by holding forth blessings to us after which we must reach and straine and presse even thorow a piece of hell through a world of dangers and hardships before we attain them And if good things dearly come by are to be highly prized I do not see how we can over-rate those we are now pursuing All our gold in full weight cannot satisfie our enemies their sword is cast into the ballance they hunt after our pretious souls Yea the Lord cals upon us to expend not only teares and cries but bloud and life and all Rich mercies they are which he holds at such a rate indeed more worth then our all The insuing discourse shewes forth a little glimpse of their excellency which in all humility I present to your view It is your high preferment in Gods favour Honourable Patriots that he conveyes our blessings to us through your hands that you are made the chieftaines the leaders among and above your brethren And although the heat the brunt lie mainly upon you yet are your protections strong your reward sure I need not tell you that the eyes of men and Angels are upon you that the Christian world is at agaze filled with expectation of the glorious results of your high and difficult indeavours We all rise or fall in all probability as you stand faithfull united in the work you have in hand Your imployments are eminent your interesses deep the concernment is publike reaching all that have a share in Zions prosperity The Lord fasten you as nailes in a sure place that we may be an habitation of justice and a mountain of holinesse and the blessings of the Lord may be upon us So prayeth Your humble Servant in Soul-affaires GASPAR HICKES THE Glory and Beauty OF GODS PORTION ISAI 28.5 6. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty unto the residue of his people And for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgement and for strength to them that turne the battell in the gate THere is an evill among all things that are done under the Sunne saith Salomon that in respect of outward occurrences Eccles 9.2 3. there is one event to all to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and to the uncleane to the pious and to the prophane whence the hearts of the sonnes of men are filled with evill and madnesse possesses their mindes till it bring them to destruction That which makes desperate ones runne mad in sinning is their presumption of Gods connivence at their courses their damned inference of his approbation of their evils from their present impunity and prospering in them because they have no changes Psal 55.19 therefore they feare not God And that which drives the sager and better tempered sort of Naturalists out of their wits is their conceit of carelesnesse or confusion in the dispensations of providence or of unequall compensations of meedes or punishments to men according to deservings Hence Brutus that wonder of magnanimity and constancie that stour stickler for the libertie of his countrey a great admirer and practitioner of vertue and an able assertour of the divine providence such as he knew when he was finally vanquished by Antonius and saw such bad successe in his cause which he tooke to be so good he disclaimes all his vertues as trifles and derides endeavours to live well as vain and bootlesse But though reason be puzled yea confounded at that which is above its reach yet faith can fathome these depths and so farre satisfie its selfe in them as to see the Lords hand and to justifie his proceedings And that which beares up the beleeving heart from faintings or fluctuations amidst the various and strange vicissitudes of things below is the consideration and assurance of an over-ruling and unerring concurrence discerning directing disposing all in a most free wise and equall course even in those passages and exigents which seeme to be most disordered or uncertaine Then when bad men are crown'd with pride fatted with luxury mounted on horse backe in unworthy advancements whence they over-look with disdaine and trample upon with insolencie Gods humble holy innocent ones or then when the Lord ariseth to shake the earth terribly and to worke dreadfull desolations in the middest thereof he hath alwayes a selected parcell which is his deare charge to whose safety and honour he beares tender and unalterable respects in the most doubtfull or dangerous times In that day whether it be the short day of the wickeds prosperitie or the determined day of vengeance upon them shall the Lord of hosts be for a crowne of glory and for a diademe of beauty for truest advancement and ornament to the residue of his people to that pretious portion which is his owne according to the election of grace He shall be for a