Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bring_v	good_a	let_v	1,459	5	4.0417	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86356	The good old vvay, Gods vvay, to sovle-refreshing rest: discovered in a sermon preached to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior and court of aldermen of the citie of London, at their anniversary meeting on Wednesday in Easter weeke at Christ-Church, Apr. 24. 1644 being the day of the monethly publike fast. By Thomas Hill B.D. Pastor of Tychmersh in Northampton shire. Imprimatur, Charles Herle.	Hill, Thomas, d. 1653.	1644 (1644)	Wing H2023; Thomason E48_4; ESTC R11496	52,548	61

he observes what converse his soule hath with Jesus Christ therein what God lookes from him what influence from Heaven what holy imp●●s●on upon his spirit by duty Hee knowes that in this good way God brings downe part of Heaven into his people before hee advance them unto Heaven Hee hath happily tasted that a day of Humiliation may prove a soule-melting day a day of Thankesgiving a soule-cheering day a Communion day a healing and healing day a Sabbath a day of blessing and sanctification so directly doth the good way lead unto God Thirdly the good way comming from God leads unto God and that according unto God according to the will of God tending unto his Honour and the magnifying of his Name That is undoubtedly the best way which leads to happinesse by holinesse He●r 12. 14. The soule-saving way will bee a soule-sanctifying way In 2 Thes. 2. 13. God chose the Thessal●nians to salvation through the sanctification of the spirit and ●e●e●●e of the Truth In the execution of his eternall counsels this is the Method No satisfying evidence to us that we were chosen to salvation from eternity unlesse wee have within us this undoubted pledge of his electing love and spirit of sanctification That way which is not a way of sanctification as well as of Justification is not the good Scripture way to Salvation It lies as a great disparagement upon any new way however many may ignorantly cry it up when peoples opinions marre their practises if whilst they contend for justification they weoken the power of sanctification if in their entertaining the Gospel of Christ they turne out the holy love of God from being a rule of life without question that is not the good way wherein peoples spirits grow dry and barren which opens a back-doore to Sabbath-breaking and other licenciousnesse Suspect your selves and wayes I beseech you if by any of your opinions practicall Christanity wither if therby you become formall and loose in the duties of your places and relations The good way is a soul-emproving a spirita●lizing way In the 1 Tim. 6. 3. Paul directs Timothy thus to judge of Teachers and their Doctrines and accordingly to owne or decline them as they teach and consent unto the wholsome words of Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according unto godlinesse clearly holding forth that Christs words are wholsome soule-saving words his doctrine purifies the heart it is according to godlines This age is very fruitfull in multiplicity of opinions If you would know how to judge of them together with your examining of them by the word of Truth observe diligently what influence peoples opinions have upon their spirits and upon their conversation Under the Tyranny of the Prelates many congregations had almost lost the power of Religion in a crowd of needles Ceremonies and now in too many places the vigour of practicall piety is much abated to say no more by multitudes of dispute about some such opinions as might well bee spared This renders the way very suspitious because it is no more according unto godlinesse I confesse if wee should judge of peoples way by their language onely good words are very frequent many mouths are full of Christ Free-grace light liberty c. God forbid that such sweet and precious words should bee abused to countenance either darknesse of error or licenciousnesse of practice Yet alasse how many speake the highest Gospell language who live farre below Gospell priviledges and below Gospel hopes The subtill Devill knowes how to hide his snares under the most speci●us even under Scripture words Try therefore over and over it much concernes you O that it might appeare that the way wherein you walke is the good way being according unto God expressing the reality of godlinesse in the course of your conversation These things being laid downe for the awakening of your vigilancy in enquiring after the good way something must be added concerning your asking for the old paths Herein you shall doe like wise travellers to consult with such as have discovered and trodden the good way before you The good way is an old way Aske then First what is the good old way of Doctrine what is the old patterne of wholsome words 2 Tim. 1. 13. Enquire what Truth Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hebr. 13. 8. did reveale unto his servants and vers. 9. hold that fast and bee not carried about with divers and strange doctrines new and uncouth Doctrines not recommended to us by the Apostles O Timothy saith Paul 1 Tim. 6. 20. keep that which is committed to thy trust Depositum serva that which hath beene committed to thee not what thou hast invented that which thou hast received not that which thou hast found out wherein thou must not bee an Author but whereof thou art a Guardian not an ordainer but a Disciple not a guide but a follower what t●ou hast received in gold re-deliver the same in gold c. Hee had this trust for the Churches use let us diligently enquire after it that wee may bee guided by it Secondly what is the good old way of divine Worship Here you must consult not with the precepts of men but with the word of God revealed of old unto his Church The not minding of this ancient Land-marke hath brought in many superstitious Innovations into Gods service and mis-led thousands of simple soules out of the good way A Statesman of our owne could observe divers causes of superstition 1. Pleasing and sensuall Rites and Ceremonies 2. Excesse of outward and Pharisaicall holinesse 3. Over great reverence of Traditions 4. The Stratagems of the Prelates for their owne ambition and lucre 5. The favouring too much of good Intentions which opens the gate to conceits and novelties 6. The taking an aime at Divine matters by humane which breeds mixture of imaginations In all which there was a neglecting of the holy will of God the onely rule of pure Worship And all this while alasse poore hearts people taking much paines to little purpose In vaine doe they worship mee teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Matth. 15. 9. They over-looke Gods will hee over-lookes their devices so indeed the new way proves a bad and uncomfortable way you must enquire for the good old way if you desire to please God in his Worship Thirdly what is the good old way of practicall piety The beauty of Religion much appeares in the duties of our places and relations to have such a conversation as Paul expressed 2 Cor. 1. 12. in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God would much commend the Gospel and fill us with rejoycing in the testimony of our own conscience much of this practicall godlinesse might bee learned as from Scripture precepts and practices so both from the Doctrine and examples of Ancient Worthies Amongst others there are two

the Lord knows we are not purged what if God should throw England off and give us up to Popery and Slavery and leave us as a prey to blood-thirsty men What if God should cause his fury to rest upon us O still wee should justifie him in these sad tokens of his displeasure for we have peremptorily out of proud rebellious selfwill denied to submit to God to stoop to him to come into the good way when he hath called us This City hath been an Arke to this poor Kingdome and many of his faithfull Servants have been sheltred in this Arke You have sent out it 's true your Doves you have sent out Regiment after Regiment and one Messenger after another and though God hath brought them back againe with Songs of preservation and victory and deliverance yet they have not brought an Olive branch of peace yet we cannot heare that welcome newes Me thinks we may take up the sad complaint in Psal. 74. 9. We know not how long there is no Prophet amongst us that can tel us how long It would pose all the Prophets in England to tell you when these unnaturall sparkes shall bee quenched and when God will call backe the Commission hee hath given to this Sword to doe that execution in severall parts still there are abroad Nimrods Sons of violence that drive apace even after Hannibals cruelty That when he saw a pit filled with mans blood he cryed O formosum spectaculum O beautifull sight The Lord if it be his will put a check on those that are so barbarously cruell yet howsoever the malice and the fury of men may bee let out we must still justifie God in all this and let us begin at home and let you and I now lay our hands on our hearts in particular O my self-will my rebellion against my God and my checking the motions of his Spirit and my slighting Gods gracious offers I have gathered some sticks to kindle this fire That fire that is in the North and that fire that is in the West and that fire that hath been in severall parts of the Kingdome and there 's not a man nor woman here present but hath given in some fuell to those fires by their self-will O now let us abase humble our selves and honour our God in justifying him and let us accept of the punishment of our iniquities that the Lord may remember his Covenant and remember the Land It is tree the Lord hath been pleased to shew various dispensations towards us he● hath been calling upon us wooing and soliciting England to come into this good way Sometimes he hath given us Physicke many potions we have had a great deale of strong Physick he hath made us sicke at heart many great shakings there have been he hath not only given us strong potions but he hath likewise let us blood and he hath opened many vei●●● we have lost Noble blood and precious blood a great deale of blood of the Gentry and a great deale of precious City blood too and a great de●● of blood in the Country Yea and as God hath given us potions and strong Physick and let us blood so he hath given us Cordials we have had good successe witnesse our solemn dayes of Thankesgiving God hath visibly owned his cause in time of need and though wee bee not ripe for mercy God will not suffer us to be ruined he giveth such and such Victorier that shall at least be preservations of us O let us take heed that we provoke not our God to withdraw his loving kindnesse from us and if he let ou● more blood that City and Country both should swim in blood let us rather stir up ourselves and one another That we may get into such a● Humiliation into such a Reforming posture this day for our particulars and beg the like mercy for all the Congregations in England that wee may find God turning his gracious hand on us and making good that place of Scripture to us Isa. 1. 25. I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge all thy drosse and take away all thy tinne and will restore thy Judges ●●● the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards thou shalt be called the Citie of righteousnes the faithfull Citie Sion shall bee redeemed with judgement and her converts with righteousnesse Were not this worth rivers of teares worth many more dayes of humiliation and seeking of our God That the Lord would be merciful to the Countrey and mercifull to ou● Armies and mercifull to our Counsellors and mercifull to this City that the Lord would grant us to bee so purged that it might bee an evidence to us that we should be redeemed that this City of London migh● become a City of righteousnesse a faithfull City that being a righteous City and a faithfull City it might bee a City of Peace both within her selfe and towards all others that seek it of her that shee may be alwayes a terrour to the Churches enemies and their adherents but a friend and support to all those that love the truth as the truth is in Jesus And to this I hope you will all say Amen FINIS Many mists of new opinions which much puzzle Travellers Ezek 33. 7. Matth. 5. 14 Joh. 5. 35. Psal. 119. 105. Ez●a 8. 21. Zach 3. 1. See Mr. Well● Preface to a short Story of the rise and reigne and ruine of the Antinomians Familists and Libertines which infected New-England p. 4. Isa. 9. 6. Zach. 3. 2. S●ul●et Annal. p. 384. 474. Post tenebras lux Deus noster pugnat pron●●is Zach. 2. 5. Three generall parts 1. 2. 3. First generall part 1. E●●k 36. 2. Eccles. 2. 14 Luke 1● 4 3. Second generall part J●vere●unde responden● Sanct. Vide quo Divina provehatu● Clementia Sanct. Third generall pa●t Peccata quo●um isti pe●aguntur rei sen●en●●●m meam lun Je● 2. 12. Jer. ● 1● Volu●… sert a nobis v●l de nob●s 1 Observat. Quest Answ 1. Stand in your owne wayes Stand in your Fore fathe●s wayes In●et●oga●dum de semins antiquis ●ive sempiternis quae multo●um sancto●um tritae sunt vestigiis Hieron. I●m 2. 23. H●sea 12. 4. Numb 14. 24. Acts 13. 22. Stand in the Lords wayes discovered by his Prophets Standum in Prophetis diligentissime contemplandum Hieron. Multae quidem v●ae sunt sancti Prophetae via au●em ve●e bona est Dominus noster V●ae plures sunt plura Dei mandata {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Pervias patriarcha●um prophetarum tendendum ad unam evangelii viam Hieron. 1 Reas. 1 There are many by-waies Psal. 12● ● Breerwards enquiry Cap. 14. Rev. 17. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Matth. 13. 3 Reas. 2. ● There are many false guides 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} praeter sanam Evangelii doctrinam Pisc. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Verse 2. As Eph. 4. 14 3.