Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A00452
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The sacrifice of a contrite heart in teares, meditations, and prayers. Penned by Iohn Euans minister of Gods word.
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Evans, John, minister of Gods word.
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1630
(1630)
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STC 10586; ESTC S120845
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111,350
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374
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these present profits and delights of this life and with what vnwearied paines wee prosecute the winning of this worlds vanities that in the end are nothing worth but to pamper the body and make it vpon euery slight occasion most willing to deny thee O Lord when I consider the pleasure of this world and the abundance of content I haue in this life wanting nothing for my bodie Oh what a Coward doth it make mee that with the young man that was most ready to follow thee yet when thou biddest him sell all his worldly riches and follow thee O simple man hee neuer came at thee more So me thinkes I feele Sathan to say vnto me What a foole art thou to leaue father or mâ—ther wife and children houses lands gooâ—s a certainty for an vncertainty to follow thee O Lord how am I tempted by the Papists the Enemies of the Gospell to think this way foolishnesse a Sect and heresie lately risen and seperated from the Church meaning themselues Oh how they doe tempt mee by the examples of my â—ore-fathers that for many genâ—rations time out of minde haue liued and died in the Romish Religion and why should I thinke my selfe wiser then they O heauenly Father see and behold these subtill instruments of Sathan and keepe me that these crafty baytes of Sathan arising from the flesh and the world preuaile not ouer me that like Peter in the water or the young man I let goe my true faith not to beleeue in lyes and errours and so finally forsake thee who hath so dearely loued me and bought me But O God my Sauiour strengthen my faith that I be not moued to let goe my first loue with which I haue been so much comforted in thee O strengthen me that neither Sathan by himselfe nor by his Antichristian Instruments which hee ruleth at his pleasure preuaile against me either to doubt of my faith much lesse to denie thee my Lord and Sauiour but as thou for my sake didst not contemne nor despise the reproach of the wicked nor yet the cursed death of the Cross but for the ioy that was set before thee and which thou hadst with the Father before the world was endured the same and though thou wert reuiled yet thou reuilest not againe but with infinite patience committed thy cause to thy Father So O Lord graunt that by my faith in thy power I may bee no lesse assured of patience in the greatest torment that shall be inflicted vpon my body For I know that although they kill my body yet they cannot touch my soule but that it shall liue with thee for euer And in despight of their malice while they thinke to destroy my soule with death they shall extract my spirit into glorious life with God the Father and his Christ for euermore Sweet Sauiour as Sampson in his death triumphed most gloriously ouer his enemies so graunt to me that they seeing my patience and beholding my vnmoueable hope may be so ashamed and in their conscience so affrighted that they may like Saul at the death of Stephen be conuerted and after their change of minde magnifie as most pretious the death of thy Saints and by preaching the truth strengthen the brethren and stand fast in the Faith vnto the end O Lord strengthen mee that I may not faint vnder the crosse because thou hast appointed vs thereunto that in thy crosse wee should be more then conquerours and by his example whose steps we should onely follow account our selues most happy that thou wilt call vs and grace vs to lay downe our liues for his name sake as thou hast layd downe thy life for our sakes O God if the righteous scarcely be saued as it seemeth vnto the world through these bitter torments with which wee are to be scourged and made cleane vessels to serue thee in thy Kingdome where shall the wicked and sinners which regard not thy crosse appeare O Lord being confident of thy mercy in the merits of thy Sonne doe I submit my selfe in soule and body to doe seruice and sacrifice vnto thee as vnto a faithfull Creatour knowing that a crowne of glory remaineth for mee Father into thy hands doe I commend my spirit Lord Jesus after death receiue my soule as thou hast all those braue champions that were slaine with the sword that wandered about in Sheepe-skins and Goat-skins and thought it better to liue with beasts in woods and dennes to enioy thee then to liue among men Gentiles and Antichristians and denie thee being destitute afflicted and tormented wandering in Desarts mountaines and dens and holes of the earth to auoyde the beastly and cruell enemies of thy word O Lord as thou hast made thy wrath smoke against the Heathens the Assirians the Egyptians the Moabites the Ammonites that first trampled vnder foote the blood of thy Saints by labouring an vtter consuming of them So O Lord either graunt the conuersion or else let thine indignation appeare in these our dayes against the Turkes Heretikes Athiests and all Antichristian enemies that like Herod and Iulian obstinately persecute and scorne thy name And this though a most vnworthy Suppliant I beseech thee to graunt and that for the honour of thy great name in which thy true Church doth onely trust Amen Amen A thanksgiuing for Gods temporall and spirituall blessings O Most bountifull and kinde Creatour vnto thee in Christ Iesus doe I come and returne most humble and heartie thankes not onely for the generall goodnesse which thou hast extended vnto all mankinde but for that especiall part which thou hadst diuided vnto mee in more speciall manner O Lord I giue thee most humble thankes and praise for that portion of thy blessings set forth vnto mee to my present vse and comfort in this life as for thy daily preseruations of mee not onely in the wombe of my parents but for my safety in my birth that I was not mishapen in breeding nor in comming forth into this world and that after my birth in the time of my swadling bands infancie childhood and youth no mishap nor mishape befell me to the defacing of that perfect shape in which at first thou broughtest me forth O Lord how many children and youth haue beene maymed at nurse and through the carelesnesse of those vnto whom they haue beene committed vnto trust how many haue fallen into the fire and beene burned noâ— onely in some part but in thâ— whole body vnto death and by other chances whereof thiâ— world is full as drowned bruised broken in the body armes backe legges thighes feet in the eyes nose and face O Lord how innumerable arâ— the perils and dangers of this life vnto which euery man is subiect and doth continually run througâ— in euery state and degree of thiâ— present age and life and yet re ceiue no dammage O Lord foâ— these deliuerances from dangers through which I haue passed anâ— receiued no hurt and for whicâ— I haue neuer giuen thee thanks 〈◊〉
amongst the deuills The world for disobedience didst punish and thou moughtest subuert But chiefely me for negligence mayest plague with all plagues 't is desert I am not worthy to breathe in ayre nor haue the vse of any creature Much lesse to thee to make my prayer cause 'gainst my God I am a traytour Thou worthily me do'st afflict at me thou takest iust offence All punishments thou doest inflict because thy wrath I did incense My trespasses doe more offend then I can please with my best zeale The worthinesse I best intend I not performe my soule Lord heale I shame at mine vnworthinesse yet faine would be at one with thee Thou art a ioy in heauinesse a succour in necessity To them that doe their liues reforme and rightly frame their penitence Sincerely follow and performe thy will without all negligence All this to doe I doe desire and what thou sayest I doe beleeue Thy pardon graunt me I require release and pardon Lord me giue O be with them that doe thee seeke and yeeld them helpe that hold by thee Instructing humble men and meeke that wisedome seeke by thy mercy Sith I so long to thee haue cried so long thee sought yet hope I will Though my sad soule in silence bide in constant Patience I wayte still Thou rightly hear'st my inward groanes my sorrowes fighes wants and desire And doest respect the outward moanes of men distrest that feare the fire Though in their lips they mute doe seeme and doe speake nothing with their tongues What they conspire thou doest it deeme and present art to right my wrongs But loe the time is not expir'd of mine ordained punishment Nor of that freedome I desir'd I le waite by hope in languishment My helpe my comfort and my life saluation mine depends on thee Within my conscience stint the striâ—e and giue me grace and liberty My life my comfort helpe and all saluation on Christ dependeth 'T is he doth raise me when I fall he all begins and he all endeth I will not murmure neither grudge nor seare nor faint but alwayes waite He is my Sauiour and my Judge his grace decreed who can retrait Is there not an appointed time for all things that by God be wrought Iob was brought low at last did clime to wealth and honour he was brought And Ioseph was afflicted long by brethren and by false accuse He was shut vp in prison strong didst all his cause and wrongs peruse At length brought'st him to honour great and Dauid was at fiâ—st cast downe And then inthroan'd in Princely seate and long enioyed the royall Crowne Poore widdowe of Sarepta shee and hers were ready for to pine Her barrell and her Cruse by thee were blest and that Prophet thine Her meale and oyle did neuer faile thou send'st that Saint euen to that end That they in dearth should neuer quaile so didst from famine her defend Wherefore a little while I le waite I know the appointed time will come I shall be freed from sinnes deâ—eite wilt mercies send in miseries roome Thou art my portion and my strength my defence and saluation Thou seest my troubles and at length wilt giue me consolation Thou sena'st them not as ignorant of them thou know'st thou didst me make Therefore what 's needfull God me graunt good Lord dâ—â— neuer me forsake I am brought to the very pit of all confusion men suppose Thou hast decreed the time most sit of my deliuery from my foes To me vnknowne that being seene I may attribute to thee then The praise who praised ere hast beene without the ayde of mortall men Which I haue sought so long in vaine yea while I called thee vpon Let me acknowledge helpe againe to come from thee or else from none And all that the world can afford be but the effects of thy deare Loue Thy power thy prouidence thy word doe send me comfort from aboue O blessed man whom thou doest chuse and callest by crosses vnto thee Whom thou by death seem'st to refuse by secret sweetnesse liues by thee With inward consolation fed with the Manna of thy loue Who dwells in thy protection with liuely hope can neuer moue He fainteth not at mightiest frowne so I O Lord assured rest Thou art my portion and my crowne to dignifie those loue thee best Thou tendrest me as a deare sonne though thou me visite with thy rod Yet suffâ—rest not me for to runne with sinners and to fall from God Although I seeme of hope depriâ—'d and that my wented comforts past Yet I O Lord shall be reuiu'd by thee and by thy grace at last For all my long and instant cries I will not shrinke though knowing this Thy wonderous power and great mercies most infinite thy mercy is If thou mad'st the rocke a water spring thy thirsty people to refresh From mine hard hearted foes canst wring some comfort for my woes reâ—resse If thou rain'dst Manna from aboue and Rauen sent thy Saint to feede Thousands of men didst feede with loue when there was little shew of bread If to thy people thou sendest Quailes in desert where all foode was scant And since thy goodnesse neuer failes should I suppose that I should want Confirme my faith for euermore that I most constantly beleeue Thou canst and wilt encrease my store and all good things thou wilt me giue All power belongeth vnto thee who can imagine or will say Thou canst not in my neede helpe me or that thy loue is tane away Sith thou hast done such mighty things so freely for men in distresse Should not I flye with swiftest wings to thee in time of heauinesse But loe O Lord all things are thine the heauens are thine the earth also The cattell fowles the shrubs the vines all things in heauen and earth belowe All things aboue all things beneath is thine who truly then can say Thou canst not giue or them bequeath to whom thou wilt who can say nay Thou mak'st the corne to spring and grow and waterst the earth with thy sweet showres Thou causest beasts with thanks to lowe with dewes thou water'st frâ—grant flowres Since then thou art the Lord of all sith thou command'st and doest forbid The rich and poore makest proud men fall that downe canst throwe and raise at neede Sith that thou try'st and wilt reward sith thou doest what shall please thy will And in what manner wilt regard and whom thou wilt canst saue or spill No liuing man commandeth thee not all the world can thee controle O Lord I still will pray to thee for health of body and of soule Let it be thus O Father deare for Christ his sake thy dearest Sonne That dy'd and rose my soule to cleare in all things Lord thy will be done All glory to the Trinity to Father Sonne and holy Ghost Combin'd in holy vnity of power and might and glory most A Prayer for loue and charity O Almighty God the Author and giuer of all things of