Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	good_a	know_v	2,974	5	4.2147	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97271	A touch-stone to try (by our knowledge, belief, and life) whether we be Christians in name onely, or Christians in deed. Or, The character of a true beleever, that walks in some measure answerable to the gospell, his Christian profession, and the millions of mercies he hath received. / By R.Y. of Roxwell in Essex.	Younge, Richard.	1648 (1648)	Wing Y193B; Thomason E1150_4; ESTC R208624	54,772	52

willingly and premeditately either lye or equivocate much lesse will he allow himselfe in it or seeke to defend it for such as will doe so have not as yet past the second Birth § 49. In bearing witnesse he will speake the whole truth impartially without fearing or favouring either Party that is as well what makes for the Defendant though an enemy as for the Plaintiffe being his friend or Master neither will he conceale a wicked device when by revealing the same it may be prevented § 50 If a Magistrate he will not be partiall in any cause nor will he either for feare or favour doe any thing against the truth or give sentence against his Conscience or use his power in favour of the wicked but be just in shewing mercy severe to the evill cherishing and protecting the good § 51. He is not implacable nor will he revenge himselfe on an enemy though he hath power in his hand to doe it but shut his eares and heart in this and other cases against Satans temptations yea upon the least change he can forgive him as heartily as he defires God should forgive him yea he loves and wishes well and can willingly doe good to them that doe evill to him even desiring his greatest enemies conversion together with his prosperity He rejoyceth not at anothers fall but is grieved both for their sins and miseries nor is he grieved at any ones good especially at his gifts and the graces of Gods Spirit in him § 52. He hath learnt from Gods dealing with him to be mercifull as his heavenly Father is mercifull even to his Beast Nor doe any that resemble God or Christ but Satan and Antichrist as partaking of the Devills nature sport themselves in Beare-baiting Dogge or Cock-fighting hunting of tame Ducks and the like or if so they are not well verst in Christianity as for such as are cruell to their servants I marvaile how they can expect that their master in Heaven should be mercifull to them and certainely should they be deprived from ever having the helpe or benefit of servants as good Queene Elizabeth once served a Butcher and his Wife for their cruelty to a poore Girle they kept they would in a short time learne to be both wiser and better § 53. Whereas many love peace but regard not truth and others are all for truth without caring for peace he together with truth loves and studies and labours to have a lawfull peace with all men and so seekes it that he will suffer rather then doe wrong and to avoyd offence he will be over-ruled in indifferent things As Christ gave him an example when he paid Pole-money § 54. He is not glad of pretences against obeying the Magistrates command but will obey authority as the ordinance of God and be subject more out of conscience then feare as placed by God over him and to all their Lawes if they crosse not Gods Law for otherwise he will lose his liberty part with the right hand of profit and the right eye of pleasure yea lose his life rather then a good conscience and sinne against God for he will not disobey God to obey great ones § 55. He is not the worse or prouder for prosperity or outward blestings but the better and more thankfull for them he is bettered also by affliction and makes a gaine of his losses and being in distresse as he prayes for deliverance so he is accordingly thankfull when delivered yea he will make vowes and so promise amendment that he is as carefull to performe the same when he is delivered which a wicked man never does § 56. He seekes God in all he does and acknowledges him in all he either receives or suffers he observes the severall passages of his Providence ac-acknowledging all things to be ordered thereby and that it extendeth to the least haire on his head hath a comfortable experience of his disposing all to worke for the best unto him admires the same and his goodnesse therein and is accordingly thankfull for it yea he keepes a Record or Register of Gods speciall mercies and deliverances and of his owne often and great provocations and not seldome meditates thereon neither does he murmure when he wants any thing as most of our ignorant poore doe whose whole life language and religion is nought elfe but a continued act of muttering and murmuring perhaps they want many things for their bodies because they slight whatsoever is offered to their soules and because God the Giver is not in all their thoughts except to blaspheame him and to spend his Day in the Devills service for they never minde how God hath appointed it his Market-day for their soules now these brutish Animals are very sensible if they want never so little and for that they murmure but they injoy millions of mercies which they never cordially give thankes for and I wish they were often put in minde how many thousand Israelites were destroyed in the Wildernesse onely for that grievous sinne of murmuring though their straites and extreamities were farre greater but as good blow in the dust as speake to these and as they have no reason so they will heare none onely such as truly feare God know that he owes them nothing yea what ever they injoy on this side Hell they thinke themselves unworthy of it § 57. He is not rashly censorious but judgeth of things actions and persons not as they are in the worlds repure but as they are in Gods account and as he in his Word allowes or condemnes them he censures none for things indifferent but you must be able to alleadge the violation of some Law much lesse will he mocke or despise a man for his poverty or any naturall defect as for judging anothers thoughts to be evill when he cannot tax his life or making ill constructions of good actions or sleighting and disparaging them or thinking the vorse of a man for having of a tender conscience he utterly abhorres He is not easily suspicions without just cause neither will he willingly wrest mens words or misconster their meanings but take their sayings and doings in the best sence He will not hearken to tale-beaters nor is he apt to beleeve an evill report without good ground neither will he condemne a man without hearing him speake He never determines of any ones finall estate be he never so wicked well knowing that God may change his heart in a moment neither will he conclude one to be a wicked man or an hypocrite for appearances or moates or some suddaine eruptions or common infirmities or for sinnes before conversion or for this or that single act of grosse impiety when the maine tenor and course of his life besides is a continuall current of honesty and goodnesse though he may suspend his good opinion in case of some unexpected misdemeanour or for lesser evills either affected or oftea repeated He is tender hearted and can beare with the infirmities of the weake

charitable with his Masters goods nor wastfull with his Parents If a Master he useth his servants so as considering that himselfe is a servant to a greater Master To a good servant he is kinde and liberall and having staid long with him and done him good and faithfull service he will at the end of his yeares not onely make him free but give him a bountifull reward answerable to the good service he hath performed and by this he is more inriched He will not bid his servants tell lyes or being at home to say that he is abroad He loves not to raile or speake evill of Magistrates as being sent of God for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well In chousing them he will have respect to their piety and fitnesse and not to wealth favour or any other either private or base ends He is no Neuter when Gods cause is in danger but he will helpe the Lord against the mighty He imployes himselfe in some lawfull calling he lives not idely He will not company with wicked persons for feare of being infected by them nor joyne in Marriage either with Idolaters or prophane persons least he should learn their customes Nor give his Children in marriage to them for the same reason He is carefull to preserve his Childrens chastity and therefore he will in due time provide fit matches for them Be he Parent Master or Magistrate he will thinke it no disparagement to his greatnesse if Christs Ambassadour shall as he is bound require him to give some testimony that he is a Christian before he intrudes himselfe to the Lords Table Yea he will as Christ hath commanded him be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in him though in the presence of others that are not so rich ancient or learned as himselfe though he was never in so many yeares examined and indeed none but proud and ignorant persons will stand upon comparisons in Gods Worship for pretend they what they will the genuine reason is they are ashamed to make knowne their ianorance If a Minister he will not preach to please but to profit nor will he date to serve at the Altar without being holy 10. § He hath low and meane thoughts of himselfe therefore the Lord makes him excell and shewes his strength by him He abhorres to thinke himselfe better then others because God blesseth him more with outward blessings or hath bestowed more inward gifts and graces upon him then upon others well knowing that God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble He is not lifted up nor cast downe with mens flatteries or slanpers He forgets his good deeds and therefore God remembers them he remembers his evill deeds therefore God forgets them He is not envious nor given to strife but of a meeke and quiet spirit peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated He affects rather plainesse then pompe and will rather refuse places of honour then eagerly pursue after them He never stands so secure but he will take heed least he fall and preferres an humble feare before a presumptuous confidence He makes conscience of small sins least they should prove wedges to greater When he is tempted to evill the feare of God keepes him innocent And it is alwaies in his minde that God seeth all things and is ever beholding him He will neither deny nor deminish nor justitie his sinne nor shift it off to others If he have falne into an evill he will beware of doing it the second time well knowing that there is no laying hold of the Promises without making conscience and obeying the Precepts He will not mock his admonisher scoffe at the meanes to be saved nor make himselfe merry with his owne Damnation as the desperately wicked doe He turnes not his back upon any truth nor flyes from any instruction he hateth not the light yea he loves that Minister best that most makes manifest the secrets of his heart as knowing that God is in him of a truth He will not refuse a Pardon because he dislikes the Messenger Indeed he least regards those Ministers that the world admires as well weighing what St. John saith 1 John 4. They are of the world therefore speake they of the world and the world heareth them we are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of errour ver 5.6 He is faithfull to his friend for his love extends to his soule he will speake of his faults to his face of his vertues behinde his back The deep and devillish plots of wicked Polliticians never enter into his thoughts because the feare of God keeps them out Or if they offer to intrude themselves they have not the least admittance for he so sarre forth as he can refraines all dispute with sinne Satan or his instruments He is no Health-drinker for he abhors Drunkennesse as the root of all evill and rot of all good and scornes the reputation of good fellowship He is none of those that Peter speakes of who have eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease to sinne that gaze upon every faire face and lust after every beautifull woman He will not be caught nor yeeld to the imbraces of an Harlot though her lips drop like an Hony-combe and her mouth be smoother then Oyle though she offereth her selfe in the streets and lyeth in wait for him at every corner Yea he is wise enough to consider that it may not be a woman but the Devill in the likenesse of a woman as some have thus been cheated 11. § So you have in part seene how he loves and seares and serves the Lord and seekes his glory and the good of others but which is very observeable shall I shew you how the Lord blesseth him in every thing he takes in hand or that does befall him I pray observe the severalls and then if you be not yet a Beleever you will neglect no meanes indeavour or opportunity to obtaine such a blessed condition the particulars are many I le mention a few only First if he be in prosperity as he shall be sure to have plenty of all outward things if God sees it would be good for him so that he shall lend to others but shall not borrow himselfe He will be accordingly thankfull and as God blesseth him more or lesse so will he doe good and the more rich the more rich will he be in good workes and the more ready to distribute and communicate For he is pittifull and ready to shew mercy where is need and to defend rescue and deliver the oppressed out of the hands of their enemies and oppressors if he have power and opportunity to doe it And by reason of his bountifulnesse to the poore he becommeth more rich so that he is not more ready to pray for blessings in his want then he is to give thankes for them

in the day of Jesus Christ And the like of old age his soule waxeth as his body waineth and he is wisest to prescribe when his bones and sinewes are weakest to execute 18. § Sixthly suppose he is in distresse of conscience and at the very brinke of despaire expecting nothing but Hell and Damnation suppose God hides his face and seemes to have utterly forsaken him and to reject his prayers yea suppose the terrours of God fight against him and the Arrowes of the Almighty stick so fast in him that the venome thereof hath drunke up his spirit so that in his owne apprehension God is become his mortall enemy as it fared with Job yet all this is for his good and shall doe him good yea this extreame severity of God argues favour for nothing more usuall then for God to worke joy out of feare light out of darknesse and to bring to the Kingdome of Heaven by the gates of Hell and thus he deales with his dearest darlings When he meant to blesse Jacob he wrestles with him as an adversary even till he lamed him when he meant to preferre Joseph to the Throne he threw him downe into the Dungeon and to the Golden chaine about his neck he laded him with Iron ones about his leggs Nor would Christ cure Lazarus till after he was dead buried and stunke againe no question to teach us that we must be cast downe by the Law before we can be raised up by the Gospell and become fooles before we can be truly wise Nor hath he cause to feare be his case never so desperate for God will measure his patience and make it proportionable to his suffering and equall his strength to his temptations his grace shall be sufficient for him at the least 2 Cor. 12.9 Phil. 1.29 and he that made the Vessell knowes her burden and how to ballast her The Bush which was a tipe of the Church consumed not all the while it burned with fire because God was in the midst of it The Anchor lyeth deepe and is not seene yet is the stay of all The Bladder blowne may float upon the floud but cannot sinke nor stick in filthy mud Sinne Satan and the world may disturbe him but they can never destroy him his head Christ being above he cannot be drowned there can be no disjunction unlesse he could be pluckt from his armes that is Almighty for his life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 Besides if he suffers much it shall not be long if he suffers long it shall not be much if his sorrowes be skarpe they are the shorter Grievous and sore trialls last but for a season 1 Pet. 1.6 a little while John 16.16 yea but a moment 2 Cor. 4.17 For a moment in mine anger saith God I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee Isay 54.8 weeping may abide for a night but joy commeth in the morning Psal 30.5 And it is ever seene that his joy both succeeds and exceeds his sorrow that his sadnesse ends in gladnesse and his sorrow in singing And the more greivous his exigent the more glorious his advancement But the last which is the best gaine of all he growes more holy then ever for like the Vine he bringeth forth the more and better fruit for paring and proyning and bleeding and though his outward man perish yet his inward man is renewed daily even as a Lambe is much more lively and nimble for shearing these very tempestuous showers bring forth Spirituall flowers and herbs in abundance 19. § Seventhly let Judgements be inflicted upon the whole Land they shall not touch him nor his family he shall be singled out for mercy Or if they doe they shall be so sanctified that they shall rather pleasure then hurt him As if the Corn be cut down with the weeds the one shall be carried into Gods Barne as Lazarus was the other cast into the fire like Dives yea every stroake in the Judgement shall be as a Monitor and serve as a Sermon to him when he sees another struck he takes warning For he will be put unto duty even by the shadow of the wande 20. § Eighthly the strictest and severest Lawes if they be not contrary to Gods Law have not power to smite him for he does those things unbidden which others can scarse doe being compelled Yea the Law protects him against his enemies who feare the Jayle more then they feare Hell and stand more upon their silver or their sides smarting then upon their soules Good Magistratas also are the breath of his nostrills and protect him while they take vengeance on them that doe ill Yea they are the Ministers of God for his welth and bound to see him righted when he receives wrong in his person goods or good name 21. § Ninthly his very sinnes and infirmities by Gods grace doe worke his good and he is by much the better for them for he will from hence grow more holy Yea he gaines strength by every fall for hence issues deeper humiliation stronger hatred of sinne fresh indignation against himselfe more experience of his hearts deceitfulnesse renewed resolutions untill sinne be brought under it makes him more earnest with God by prayer to keepe a more carefull watch over himselfe to pitty others more and censure them lesse when they offend or are over-taken to rest wholly upon the assistance of Gods Spirit and to ascribe all glory to him of whom whatsoever he hath he holds True his offending God brings much misery upon him and God seemes to have left him and to reject his prayers and humiliation but at length and so soone as the poore soule ceaseth to doe evill and learnes to doe well the Lord repenteth him of the evill and not only delivers him but returnes with the greater interest of joy and felicity Indeed the Lord lets him know what it is to lose his favour and makes him tugg hard by prayer and to persevere a long time in knocking and asking but at length he will be sure to give him what he desires or that which is better for him for the prayer of faith from the knees of humility and a broken heart will conquer even the Conqueror Indeed the case may be such that he cannot pray or not to purpose as in time of sicknesse by reason of the extremity of paine but then he can send to the Congregations and intreat them to pray for him Besides all his former prayers and meditations doe serve to ayde him in his last straits and meet together in the center of his extremity yeelding though not sensible reliefe yet secret benefit to his soule Yea which is best of all he hath the benefit of Christs intercession in Heaven and of the prayers of all the Saints on earth 22. § Tenthly the malice of Satan shall make much for his good for if Satan be sent to buffet him as he did Paul or to