Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	death_n	life_n	2,323	5	4.6375	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76131	The doctrine of self-posing, or, a Christians duty of putting cases of difficulty to himself Being the summe of some sermons preached at Upton upon Seavern, in the county of Worcester. By B. Baxter, late minister of the gospel there, but now removed.	Baxter, Benjamin, Preacher of the Gospel.	1666 (1666)	Wing B1170A; ESTC R230135	25,508	101

come to pass and saying what if this should befall me and what if that should overtake me what if this friend should suffer or the other friend be taken from me what if I be cast into poverty or prison or called to bear witness to the Cause of Christ or to suffer death for him And they put such eases only to disquiet and torment themselves and gratifie their mis-giving and distrustfull hearts and not quietly to resolve make their preparation And thus they fill their minds and lives with self-created troubles that are made of nothing but spun out of their own depraved imaginations And if they can but say such an evil is possible or that one of a thousand or ten thousand hath been overtaken by the like they afflict themselvs more about it than they should do if it were probable and if it be probable they are more troubled about it than they should be if it were certain And when experience hath told them that most of their fears are from vaine imagination and few things that they feared come to pass yet take they no warning be not ashamed that they have so long tormented themselves with dreames but goe on as if they had never had experience of their own mistakes This is not the putting of cases that the Reverend Author here inviteth you to But there are too many that err on the contrary more dangerous though less troubling extreame that will not see the snare till they are taken in it nor the trouble till it is upon them nor take the alarme till the enemy is within the Gates nor buy oyl for their lamps till the bridegroom is at the door and so must be taken unprepared and in vain cry Lord open to us when the Door is shut Or in case of temporal afflictions they are to seek for due provisions when its time to use them And thus when a prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself the simple passeth on and is punished Prov. 22.3 27.12 These are the men that are startled at difficulties when they occurre and look so strangely and timorously at the Cross because indeed they never did expect it but gave up their names to Christ upon supposition that he would be better to them than his word They could endure to read or hear of the Crosse but never believed that they should have been put to take it up indeed nor called to the tryal of parting with all if they will have a treasure in Heaven and therefore they goe away sorrowful when they find they cannot serve God and Mammon and secure the world then have heaven as a reserve when they can keep the world no longer Luke 18.22 23. And many of Gods servants were so little serious in their expectations of sufferings personal or common as that they think them strange as if some strange thing happened to them and look on them with a sadder face speak of them with much sadder language than beseemeth believers that by Covenant renounced the World and flesh as expecting to suffer with Christ that they might reigne with him and should rejoyce that they are partakers of the suffering of Christ that when his Glory is revealed they may be glad also with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4.12 13. Matth. 5.11 12. Rom. 8.17 18. But I l'e not anticipate the Discourse which here fullier acquainteth thee with these needful truths but commend it to thy Reading and Obedience as very usefull to man that is born to trouble and to Christians that look through many tribulations to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Acts 14.22 Job 5.6 14.1 The Lord bless it to thy spirituall confirmation which is the end of his recommendation who desireth to be A helper of thy Faith and Joy RICH. BAXTER May 13. 1661. THE CONTENTS Text Hab. 3.17 18. THe Chapter is a Prayer wherein you have 1. The Preface 2. The Prayer it self 3. The Conclusion The Text is part of the Conclusion Where you have 1. A Supposition implyed 2. A Resolution expressed Doct. It is necessary for Christians to put cases of difficulty to themselves and having put them to lay down settled resolutions 1. The Doctrine explicated First What is meant by cases of difficulty 1. Such as concern us as men 2. Such as concern us as Christians 1. As men so evills Privative Positive 2. Such as concern us as Christians they are difficulties Of 1. Faith 2. Hope 3. Joy 4. Sincerity 5. Obedience 6. Patience 7. Dependency Secondly What is meant by putting cases of difficulty to our selves that is shewed 1. In General 2. In particulars Thirdly What is meant by laying down setled resolutions The Doctrine vindicated and an Objection answered The Doctrine confirmed 1. By Scripture 2. By Reason Our preparednesse for sufferings lyeth in 1. Acquaintance with our own strength to bear them 2. Acquaintance with them 3. Preparation for them 4. Acquaintance with those meanes by which others have borne them 5. Taking a true measure of them 6. It prevents our being surprized 7. It will inure us to beare them 5. Applycation First Information of 4 sorts reproveable 1. Some that put no cases of difficulty to themselves 2. Some that resolve without putting cases of difficulty 3. Some that put cases but lay down no resolutions 1. Some remain unresolved 2. Some grow more unresolved 4. Some that lay down resolutions but fall from them Secondly Exhortation Where you have First The Causes why men do it not 1. The Unpleasantness of such thoughts 2. A fancied unchangeableness of their condition 3. Carnal confidence Secondly Directions 1. General 2. Particular 1. General First Put your Cases right Secondly Look your Arguments be above your difficulties 2. Particular 1. Be not over-hasty in your resolutions 2. Be selfe-denying 3. Get safe ground for your resolutions 4. Observe others in their resotions 5. Get answers to those Objections that are most like to hinder Resolution 6. Compare your disadvantages and advantages together 7. Nourish Resolution by Prayer 3. Motives which are Nine 1. Look upon your selves as Men. 2. Look upon your selves as Christians 3. Consider the mutability of Times and Conditions 4. It is your wisdome to do it in respect of Provision Prevention 5. It doth not hasten but fit for difficulties 6. It will helpe perseverance 7. It will keep us humble in Prosperity 8. It will keep us from fretting at crosse providences 9. Not putting cases of difficulty to our selves will make us doubly miserable Habak 3.17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the stock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation THis Chapter is made up of a pithy and powerful prayer composed by the Prophet Habakkuk for the use and comfort