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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	day_n	good_a	great_a	2,831	5	2.5730	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19590	A sermon preached in London before the right honorable the Lord Lavvarre, Lord Gouernour and Captaine Generall of Virginea, and others of his Maiesties Counsell for that kingdome, and the rest of the aduenturers in that plantation At the said Lord Generall his leaue taking of England his natiue countrey, and departure for Virginea, Febr. 21. 1609. By W. Crashaw Bachelar of Diuinitie, and preacher at the Temple. Wherein both the lawfulnesse of that action is maintained, and the necessity thereof is also demonstrated, not so much out of the grounds of policie, as of humanity, equity, and Christianity. Taken from his mouth, and published by direction.	Crashaw, William, 1572-1626.; L. D., fl. 1610.	1610 (1610)	STC 6029; ESTC S109071	50,684	92

eyes If any doe yet further replie and say But it can neuer doe well to send such fellowes such loose leaud licentious riotous and disordered men they that cannot bee kept in compasse at home how can they be ordered there I answere this obiection is much in shew but the least of all in substance for to say nothing that there is not that meanes nor occasions to offend in many kindes that be here in abundance we are further to know that as long as we haue wise couragious and discreete Gouernours together with the preaching of Gods word we much care not what the generalitie is of them that goe in person considering we finde that the most disordered men that can bee raked vp out of the superfluitie or if you will the very excrements of a full and swelling State if they be remoued out of the fat and feeding ground of their natiue countrey and from the licentiousnesse and too much libertie of the States where they haue liued into a more bare and barren soile as euery countrie is at the first and to a harder course of life wanting pleasures and subiect to some pinching miseries and to a strict forme of gouernement and seuere discipline doe often become new men euen as it were cast in a new mould and proue good and worthie instruments and members of a Common-wealth Witnesse the companions of Romulus and Remus that were the founders of the Romane State And if you will haue a more infallible testimonie looke into the Scriptures call to minde the men that came to Dauid qualified as you heard before men in danger of law men in debt and discontented persons Our base churles would roundly answer like Nabal Are these Dauids companions are these his partakers such fellowes as these that bee the scumme and skouring of the streetes and raked vp out of the kennels are like to be the founders of a worthie state But see the shallownes of these mens conceits for when those men had liued a while in Dauids fashion and been trained vp vnder his discipline they were so altered and refined that many of them all being some foure hundred no more then a Virginean fleete became worthie to bee of the honorable order of Dauids Worthies or Mightie men and proued great statesinen in the Common-wealth and all of them did Dauid hold so well to haue deserued that when God gaue him peaceable possession of his owne he brought vp all those men euery man with his household and they dwelt in the Cittes of Hebron where they proued good members nay rather gouernours of the Common-wealth and raised their families to greater honour then euer they had before Now if those men so basely giuen and ill qualified as we heard afore notwithstanding by sharpe and godly discipline proued so well how much rather may wee hope the same of our brethren gone and going to Virginea many of whom are of good descent of noble and generous spirits vertuous and valorous and fearing God and many waies as worthie as many of their ranke that are left behinde them And to conclude it is well enough knowne to them that know any thing that there are good reasons whereupon it comes to passe that such as liue licentiously in a State of long continuance which is ripe and rotten for want of reformation will easily be brought into order in a new gouernment and no lesse good reasons are there why there is and will be better gouernment and better execution of lawes in a little territorie then in a great and populous kingdome and in a new begun rather then in an old and setled State the truth whereof many of you right Honorable and beloued doe better conceiue then I can expresse As to the small number of our aduenturers besides that which was said before let vs further consider how Dauids kingdom began with poore foure hundred men But what saith the text His cause being good and so knowne to be there came more day by day to Dauid to helpe him vntill it was a great host like the host of God Euen so wee doubt not but as God hath alreadie augmented our numbers farre aboue the expectation of many in the beginning so he will also stirre vp the minds of worthie and generous men to assist this blessed businesse in purse and person vntill it be growne as Dauids foure hundred to be as as an host of God and I doubt not to see the day that men shall speake of this plantation as is spoken in another case though thy beginning be small yet thy latter and shall greatly increase The next discouragement is that the Countric is ill reported of by them that haue been there I answere it is not true in all nor in the greater or better part for many there be and men of worth who haue been there and report so well of it that they will not be kept from going thither againe but hold it and call it their home and habitation nor can all the pleasures ease delights and vanities of England allure them from it But that some and it may be many of the vulgar and viler sort who went thither only for ease and idlenesse for profit and pleasure and some such carnall causes and found contrariwise but cold entertainment and that they must labour or else not eate and be tied within the bounds of sharp laws and seuere discipline if such base people as these doe from thence write and here report all euill that can be of that countrie we doe not maruell for they do but like themselues and we haue euer found that all noble exploites haue been so maligned and misreported by the greater part which generally is the worse part of men let vs take but one testimonie but that shall be beyond exception God with his owne voice gaue the Israelites the land of Canaan and in the word of his truth told them it was a good land and they should ouercome the heathen and enioy it Would a man thinke that after this any durst haue affirmed the plaine contrarie Yet marke what followed A little afore they came to take possession God bad them send men to search it and such were sent as were rulers and heads of the people of each tribe one a man would also haue thought that such men would haue spoke truth But see the corruption of mans nature how it is giuen to maligning and deprauing of Gods blessings especiallie if they be commended and aduanced by some whō they affect not for of those twelue men so sent by Gods commandement tenne did directly deny what God had said It is a good land saith God No say they it is a land not worth dwelling in for it eates vp the inhabitants therof You shall ouercome them saith God No say these wee are not able to goe vp against this people Thus you right Honorable and Worshipfull that speake well of Virginea and cannot

Peter neuer forgot all his life long how Christ looked at him for that was the blessed houre of his conuersion so the houre and time of our conuersion is when Christ will vouchsafe to looke vpon vs. Now though his corporall presence be remooued he is present in his spirit in his power and his grace and lookes mercifully vpon vs euery day in his holy word Oh then remember Peter who at the first looke of Christ went out and wept for his sinne and bee ashamed that thou hast had Christ looke so many hundred times vpon thee and all in vaine In the next place wheras Christ bids Peter when he is conuerted strengthen his brethren as though then a man was fitted to doe good to others when he is himselfe conuerted and not till then wee may heere learne the true cause why men are so negligent in performance of duties to others euen because themselues are vnsanctified men for true loue begins at home and how can hee loue another that loues not himselfe or care for anothers good that neglects his owne Seest thou therefore a Magistrate that gouernes not his people carefully but le ts all runne as it will and himselfe takes his ease followes his pleasure or fils his purse The cause is he is a carnall man and vnsanctified Seest thou a Minister that receiues the fleece but feeds not the flocke The cause is he is an vnsanctified man Seest thou a Merchant or tradesman that deceiues a master a father a husband a wife childe or seruant that are negligent or vnfaithfull The cause is they are vnsanctified for if a man were conuerted himselfe his next care will be to doe all good he can to others More particularly wee heere see the cause why no more come in to assist this present purpose of plantation in Virginea euen because the greater part of men are vnconuerted vnsanctified men and seeke meerely the world and themselues and no further They make many excuses and deuise obiections but the fountaine of all is because they may not haue present profit If other voiages be set afoot wherein is certaine and present profit they run and make meanes to get in but this which is of a more noble and excellent nature and of higher and worthier ends because it yeelds not present profit it must seeke them and with much difficultie are some brought in and many will not at all Tell them of getting XX. in the C. oh how they bite at it oh how it stirres them But tell them of planting a Church of conuerting 10000. soules to God they are senslesse as stones they stirre no more then if men spoke of toies and trifles nay they smile at the simplicities and laugh in their sleeues at the sillinesse of such as ingage themselues in such matters But these men proclaime to the world what they bee euen Sowes that still wallow in the mire of their profit and pleasure and being themselues vnconuerted haue therefore no care to conuert others And in deed no maruell if hauing cast all care of their owne saluation behinde their backes they be insensible of others miseries Thirdly inasmuch as heere Christ commands him that is conuerted to strengthen another it appeares by a necessary implication of what an excellent nature godlinesse and holinesse is namely of a large a liberall a communicating and diffusiue nature and such as will euen compell him that hath it to seeke to make others as good as himselfe It is not so in wealth honour learning wisdome authoritie estimation You shall not heare a carnall man say Oh that euery one were as wealthy as I as wise as I as high as I as learned as I as highly in the Kings fauour as I as well esteemed and as much followed as I no for these are of a base and retractiue nature and doe imprison and close vp the heart of man but grace is of a high and roiall nature and inlargeth his heart that possesseth it Oh saith Mises ●hat all Gods people did prophecie as well as I. And Paul he cricth I wish that all beere present were as I am except these bonds We would rather haue said I would you had my bonds I wish you were in prison in my roome But hee contrariwife wisheth not any man in his bonds but that they were as holy and patient and learned and zealous and as highly in Gods fauour as himselfe And so assuredly as many as are induced with true sauing and sanctifying grace will say with their tongues pray in their hearts and endeuour with their best assistance that the poore Sauages in Virginea were as good Christians as we our selues Lastly out of this commandement of Christ we may further learne a doctrine specially pertinent to the present occasion and the businesse now in hand namely that it is not voluntary or left indifferent to a mans choice but plainly a necessarie dutie for euery christian to labour the conuersion and confirmation of others that are not and this necessity ariseth not only from the excellent nature of religion which desireth euer to propagate and diffuse it selfe as we heard before But especially from the power of Christs commandement which being vnrestrained doth absolutely bind all christians to obedience But here the commandement is generall and vnlimited to euery one that is conuerted to confirmt his brethren therefore it lies vpon all men by an vnauoidable necessity to performe it it being no way in the power of man to dispence with the generall commandement of Christ. Out of which ground appeareth euideutly not only the lawfulnesse but euen the excellencie and goodnesse and indeed the plaine necessity as the case now stands of this present action the principal ends thereof being the plantation of a Church of English christians there and consequently the conuersion of the heathen from the diuel to God which ground being so laid it then followeth that either we are not conuerted or they are not our brethren or els that we being conuerted must labour their conuersion But we by the blessing of God are conuerted lately from Popery and formerly from paganisme Nor can it be denied that they in this case are our brethren for the same God made them as well as vs of as good matter as he made vs gaue them as perfect and good soules and bodies as to vs and the same Messiah sauiour is sent to them as to vs for if a Virginian hauing our language had learned our religion professed our f●ith craued baptisme and challenged saluation by Christ could either man deny him baptisme or would God deny him saluation Surely God would not the one and man may not the other so then they are our brethren wanting not title to Christ but the knowledge of Christ Oh thrice happy then are they that shall carry the knowledge to them and we by the mercy of God are the men to whom God hath offered the

state of grace therefore to him this doctrine pertaines not and for him that is sanctified and in Gods fauour this resolution cannot befall him which appeares most euident both in reason and religion In reason we know a gracelesse child will neither be feared from euill by the anger nor wonne to his duty by the loue of his father but contrary is it with the good and gratious child I meane if he haue no more but the grace of a ciuill nature and good education if his father so loue him that though he often offend him yet he will not disinherit him will he therefore be imboldned to offend him the more carelesly Nay he will say to himselfe Haue I so good a father as will not deale with me according to my deseruings but so oft and so mercifully hath forgiuen my offences surely I will endeuour by all the meanes I can to please him and to bee worthy of such a father Much more is it true in religion for when a man is conuerted he is cast in a new mould flesh and bloud no longer beare rule in him and hee bids battell and stands in opposition and defiance with all such carnall resolutions as this is I say not but such thoughts may come into his mind and hee may be tempted to such cogitations but that hee should entertaine such resolutions it is impossible Beleeue not me herein but let God himselfe be Iudge to which end read and marke well a notable place I. Ioh. 3. 3. We shall be like vnto him and shall see him euen as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him doth he therefore sinne the more or take more scope to himselfe No but contrariwise purgeth himselfe euen as Christ is pure He therefore that sinneth the rather it is certaine he hath not this hope in him and he that hath this hope in him is so far from that that he endeuoreth and striueth euery day how he may ouercome his sins and walke more worthy of so louing and mercifull a father So then the true vse of this doctrine is that it serues to bee an excellent incitement to stir vp and prouoke a man vnto holinesse vnlesse he purpose to proclaime to the world that hee hath no hope in him and that he is not in the state of grace In the third place we may here learne what is the true cause of a christian mans standing in the state of grace namely not the excellencie of our strength nor the perfection of our faith or of any thing in vs but the true cause is out of vs euen in God It is the stablenes of his purpose the immutability of his election the truth of his couenant the infallibility of his word and the certainty of his loue wheresoeuer hee bestoweth it and the excellency and all sufficiency of Christs merits in whom we are loued and elected therefore saith the Apostle the gifts and callings of God are without repentance and whom he loueth he loueth vnto the end and the Prophet saith of God I will put my feare into their hearts and they shall not marke he saith not they cannot or will not but they shall not depart from me So here Christ telles Peter sathan desires to sist thee as wheat and such a sister is hee as who can stand by his owne strength but I who so loued thee as I died to saue thee haue also praied for thee that thy faith shall not saile So then had it not beene for the intercession of Christ Peter had faine and failde in that temptation This truth may fitly be illustrated by this comparison A strong man visits his sicke friend and willes him to walke the sicke man would but cannot the strong man lifts him vp he walkes in the hand of the strong man ech hauing hold of other by and by the sicke man faints and lets his hold goe but the strong man holds fast and keeps him from falling and so he stands not by his owne but the strong mans strength So is it in this case A christian conuerted hath hold of God by his faith and loue God hath hold of him by his eternall election and couenant of grace and by the loue he beares him in Christ now we walke with God in the course of our obedience but if temptation come we shrinke and fall away our faith and loue like a sick mans strength are soone spent But then though we let goe the hold we haue of God God will neuer let goe the hold he hath of vs but in that loue he beares vs he still vpholds vs and so we stand not by our own strength but by the grace and mercie of God who like the stronger man holds vs so as we shall not depart from him Then for the vse of this doctrine we may here learne first that the Romish Synagogue in denying this and affirming that a man may fall vtterly from the state of grace doth no wrong at all to vs but the wrong is to God himselfe the certainty of whose couenant and truth of whose purpose is heereby called into question as though God should chuse a man he will forsake and loue him to day whom he will hate the next whereas contrariwise as he loued vs when we loued not him so hee will keepe fast hold on vs when wee in our weaknesse would let goe the hold wee haue of him And for our selues let this teach vs to ascribe the cause where it is due euen to the Lords mercie and Christs mediation If wee slip or fall we may thanke our selues but if we stand and perseuere we must thanke the Lord Let vs therefore crie to God with the Prophet Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name giue the praise And why to him for thy louing mercics and for thy truths sake for it is his mercie and truth that vpholds vs from falling and perishing eternally Lastly in as much as Christ saith he praied for him that his faith failed not and so vpheld him by the vertue and merit of his holy praier we learne here the excellencie of praier namely that it is the best and pourfullest meanes whereby wee may doe good one to another when Christ would doe the greatest fauour to Peter next to dying for him he praieth for him Praier and preaching are the two comforts of the Church If thou pray saith Augustine thou speakest with God If thou heare or-read God speakes with thee Both are commended to vs by the continuall practise of Christ who spent much time in preaching and much time in praier Let vs therefore religiously embrace both these sacred ordinances as the speciall meanes of our spirituall comfort And by this practise of our Sauiour let vs all be stirred vp to this holy duty Shall Christ pray and not thou Is he tied and wilt thou be free Bee ashamed of thy prophanenesse thou that neuer praiest and say not