Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	believe_v	faith_n	lord_n	1,391	5	3.9699	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91945	The poore's pension: a sermon preached in Gregories Church in Sudbury in the county of Suffolke, May 12. 1643. Upon occasion of the charitable reliefe that yearly then, and there is given, towards the covering or clothing of a hundred poore people, according to the will of the donour M Martine Cole, late of the towne aforesaid deceased. By Samuel Rogers, Master in Arts, and Minister of Much-Tey in Essex. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford, Aug. 12. 1644.	Rogers, Samuel.	1644 (1644)	Wing R1828; Thomason E10_2; ESTC R15358	44,419	46

otherwise it should not be their portion for the Lord doth not with-hold good things from them because he could not beteame them on them but because he sees they are not good for them but that the want of them is better yea best for them and this are they to be assured of and to rest satisfied with for these outward things the Lord often gives them to the wicked in wrath and with-holds them from his in love But hath not the Lord promised that there shall be no want to them that feare him Object Psal 34.9 and that no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 Resp. 1 There shall be no want to such i.e. of any good thing Psal 34.10 so that thou being such an one to whom the Promise is made if any thing be wanting to thee thou maist be sure it is not good for thee and then better that thou dost want it then if thou didst enjoy it what wise man will complaine of that want which if he had would prove more hurtfull then gainfull to him No good thing will God with-hold c. and therefore not wants which to them are also good things Wants good to the Godly and how as doth appeare in these respects viz. For the present because the lesse thou hast the lesse hast thou to give an account of Poverty is a light burden and a great advantage to us in the way to Heaven whereas the wealthy are so * Hab. 2.6 laden with thick clay and so shackled with fetters of silver and chaines of gold that they come on heavily and staggeringly and oft-times fall short * Matth. 13.22 the cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches are heavie clogs at mens heeles which make many that they cannot once stirre nor take one right step in the way to Heaven hence comes it to passe that it 's so * Matt. 19.23 hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God For they that will be rich saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.9 fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition This advantage have the poore over the rich that their path-way to Heaven lies more plaine and smooth and is not beset with so many thornes and briers they may therefore passe on with a more swift pace A ship of great burthen and heavie laden comes with great labour and difficulty and with much adoe is brought in but a light pinnace comes a long swiftly and is brought in with much ease For the future for thy wants doe but make roome for and make thee fit for a rich supply for the needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poore shall not perish for ever Psal 9.18 My God shall supply all your need saith the Apostle Phil. 4.19 according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus if there be in God and in Christ enough thou thinkst to satisfie the desires of thy heart feare not but thou shalt have enough See then how good it is for Gods people at least sometimes to be in want and yet how afraid are the very best of falling into outward wants as if they thought themselves wiser then God that knowes what is best and fittest for them sense indeed cannot credit it but faith must beleeve it Vse 4 Are not we falne into want though while we live here we shall never be wholly free yet have we great abundance over many others Oh what great cause have we then to blesse God and how carefull should we be to serve this good God * 4 Tim. 6.17 that giveth us all good things richly to enjoy When thou hast eaten and art full saith Moses then thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandements and his judgements and his statutes which I command thee this day Deut. 8.10 11. The more to move us hereto consider what are we above others we altogether undeserving creatures * Gen. 32.10 unworthy of the least of all his mercies deserve not the crummes that fall from his table that the Lord then should deale better with us then with others our betters that he should let them want and yet let us abound that he should cut them short and yet give us our fill we can give no other reason but Gods meere mercy to us above others seeing he might have dealt with us in this kind as with others yea worse then with any seeing that there is none no not the richest and greatest in the world but might have been as little and low as the poorest and meanest on earth * 1 Cor. 4.7 Who hath made thee to differ hast thou not cause to say with David Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto 2 Sam. 7.18 Againe consider Where much is given there will be much required Luke 12.48 this is held but equitable amongst men and therefore as just with God whenas God doth more for us then for others he in justice expects more of us then of others the more cost the more fruit others that have not so much as we have not so much to answer for as we and the more God hath bestowed upon thee the greater is thy debt of thankfulnesse and the greater thy duty of obedience Doe we see others in want Vse 5 Oh how ready should we be to afford them a supply reach forth our helping hands and doe for them even as for our selves considering that as it might have beene so we know not how soon it may be thus with us the same argument doth the Apostle use as a motive Heb. 13.3 Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body as if he should say it stands you in hand to relieve those in want in regard it may be said to be in some respect a * Respecta possibilitatis licèt non certitudini● common case yea it might be thy case put thy selfe therefore into their condition that is by laying it to heart as if it were thine owne and then be hard-hearted and strait-handed if thou canst but of this now but by the way and more at large in the next points Would we not fall into want Vse 6 the best preservatives that I can afford you to keep you out of the danger thereof are these viz. Means to keep from want Make God thy portion as did David Psal 119.57 and then thou hast enough as he saith Psal 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want dost thou thinke God * Psal 50.12 whose is the world and the fulnesse thereof is able to supply thy wants if then thou dost enjoy this God how canst thou feare any want the Lord made

of the scraps and fragments that were given to their hounds and hawkes * Luke 16.21 yea faine would they have been refreshed with the very crummes that fell from their tables Item such a treasure wasted in needlesse and unnecessary buildings so many Walkes and Galleries Turrets and Pyramides such setting up pulling downe transposing transplacing to make gay houses which were very mock-beggers and so much yearely cast away in costly furniture with which their houses were well-stuft and fill'd whenas multitudes of poore people were driven to wander about and had no certaine dwelling place had no other house then the wide world no other bed then the hard ground and no other canopie then the open Heaven Item so many hundreds spent in law-suits for the satisfying of a selfe-will and as much more in sports and pastimes for the pleasing of a carnall minde whenas never a poore creature was one penny the better for all this what answer can such make to these things will they not then be either speechlesse or selfe-condemned if men did but beleeve this that for the want of this duty they should be called to so strict an account one would thinke they would not be so wanting therein but the cause is they account it not a dutie That doe not practise it as their duty 2 Sort. they will peradventure in words acknowledge what they ought to doe in this kind but little or nothing is done like as many especially in these dayes taking the advantage of the times by reason of the present obstruction of justice and meaning to shew more knavery then honestie being demanded of those to whom they are endebted such summes of money that have been for a long time due still confesse the debt and acknowledge it hath been a great while due and more then time it were paid but put off still with good words from time to time and indeed means not to pay at all if they can possibly shift it and except they be enforced thus deale many people with the poore to whom they owe much but will part with nothing but faire * Vox praeterea nihil words at the most * Gen. 49.21 like Naphtali they give good words as if the poore as * Hos 12.1 Ephraim could be fed with wind alas poore creatures their case is to be pittied it is fit they should be relieved the Lord help them God comfort them it is a work of charity for good people to do for them and many such like speeches which are the expressions onely of a complementall charity Luke 16.21 such like Dives his dogges all they can doe is but to licke a poore man with their tongues Matt. 17.27 or like Peters fish that had money in the mouth but not a hand to give it bare words what are they but wind and such verball charity what is it but as clouds and wind without raine it is but of an airy substance and hath not the solidity scarce of a penny weight for if all the good words well-wishings of such were worth but a two pence or three pence they would by no meanes part with them these are those exploded by the Apostle Jam. 2.15 16. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food And one of you say unto them Depart in peace be you warmed and filled in n withstanding yee give them not those things which are needfull to the body what doth it profit Vse 2 If it be our duty how carefull how conscionable should we be in the performance of this our duty The more to move hereto consider God lookes for it to be done Motive 1. we have a word of command to oblige us to the duty as was shewed in the proofe of the point and how can we approve our selves upright in the sight of God unlesse we have * Psal 119.6 respect to all his Commandements he hath made us his Almners and therefore expects we should Give to whom he would have us viz. to the poore Deut. 15.11 As much as he would have us viz. according to that we have 2 Cor. 8.12 As often as he would have us viz. when there is need Gal. 6.10 In that manner that he would have us viz. for conscience sake in obedience to God and out of love to our poore brethren God looks upon what is done God knowes our charity Motive 2. and takes especiall notice of our giving to the poore for his sake * Rev. 2.19 I know thy works saith Christ to his Church in Thyatira and charity and service and faith and patience c. these chiefe things remarkable in her he is said to know that is in a speciall manner with the knowledge of approbation so to know as richly to reward this he makes knowne that the least thing that is given though but * Matt. 10.41 a cup of cold water for his sake shall not be forgotten and it is observable that in that place charitie that is of the right kind that doth appeare in deed and is seen in service is * And the same in 1 Thes 3.6 joyned with faith for without this there is no faith and so * Heb. 11.6 no pleasing of God forasmuch as faith is dead and no faith without works now to releeve the poore is a principall worke of faith excellent fruit that doth spring from a lively faith without which it cannot profit all which the Apostle doth make to appeare at large Jam. 2.14 c. Now forasmuch as a man may * 1 Cor. 13.1 bestow all his goods to feed the poore and yet want charity and so it may profit him nothing that we may the better discharge our duty herein let us consider how or in what manner it is to be done for that purpose th se directions will not be amisse viz. Give justly i. e. of goods rightly got otherwise thou givest not that is thine owne to give In what manner to give Almes viz. 1. and canst thou thinke to do or to get any good by stolne goods if thou scrapest together earthly goods by wicked and indirect meanes and afterwards dost give out of these to the poore if the curse doth leave them yet will it still haunt thee * Eccl. 11.1 Cast thy bread saith Salomon upon the waters let it be thine owne and not other mens for that will be no advantage but every way * Lucrum ex injus●ittà damaum losse to thee Give wisely the good man considers * Psal 41 1. vet Tra●sl wisely of the poore now wisedome herein must be seen both in respect of the giver it must be according to his ability as Act. 11.29 and of the receivers it must be according to their necessity as Act. 4.35 Give sincerely He that giveth saith the Apostle Rom. 12.8 let him doe it with simplicitie i.e. with singlenesse of heart looking for no reward at the hands of man