Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	faith_n	good_a	salvation_n	3,234	5	7.4195	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66816	Eremicus theologus, or, A sequestred divine his aphorisms, or, breviats of speculations, in two centuries / by Theophilus Wodenote ...	Wodenote, Theophilus, d. 1662.	1654 (1654)	Wing W3241; ESTC R39130	60,438	192

off and detested because false Prophets have abused them and do still abuse them to deceive the people of God and lead them into errour to colour and countenance all their crafts and conveiances of corrupt doctrine Then men must abhor their meat and drink because some be drunken and some surfet Then must our witts memories health strength be taken away because every part and the whole man hath been miserably abused by us all through our many and manifold transgressions 17. BE not so unadvised as to malice or utterly mislike any lawfull vocation because the professors or practisers of it demeane themselves unworthily or impiously This or that officer may be hurtfull and yet his office still may be usefull was not Bennaiah the son of Jehoiada put over the Host in Joabs room and in the room of Abiathar Zadock the Priest [m] 1 King 2.35 Did not Eliakim a faithfull and diligent man succeed Shebna the hypocrite in the stewardship of Ezechiahs house [n] Isaiah 22.20 what a monster amongst men was Judas a traitour to his Master a murderer to himself censured by Christ to be no less debauched than a Devill [o] John 6.70 And yet it is not said of him let the Bishoprick be taken away Let there be no more Bishopricks for Judas his sake but let the Bishoprick remain and let another take [p] Acts 1.20 it that deserveth it better who will not onely bear the name but discharge the trust and more rightly perform the imployment 18. DOth the world commonly like earnestnes in any thing rather than religion Is that ancient and heavenly fire which once appeared most worthily in many both in their entrance and progress of their good course of piety and a good conscience now turned to ashes and extinct or doth it burne so closely and feebly that it can hardly be discerned yet keep thy spirit thy forwardnes and heat of heart and be not at any time without zeal in the service of God It well becommeth every Saint to be earnest to stick close to those holy dueties which God hath layd upon him and not to be flitting off and on and unsetled as many are who yet would be taken to be of the forwardest sort It is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing [q] Galar 4.18 in the practice whereof good zeal with small learning is better than great learning with small zeal But as knowledge is not sufficient without zeal so neither zeal without knowlege But let not the most spirituall project be without spirituall prudence but in thy greatest heate let meek discretion in a proportionable rate order thy zeal Least unawares thou purchase Gods displeasure by the miscarriage of thy wel-meaning devotion such as God never appointed never approved and such as he hath often both misliked and severely punished zeal without knowlege is not zeal but stomack not a blessed holiness but a brain-sick giddiness A brutish and savage passion and perturbation such as is in that head-strong part of furious persons whose zeal is to depart from the Church yea even that Church that first brought them to that knowledge and faith that they have if in truth and soundnes they have any at all 19. BE sometimes severe to beat down the sin but commonly kind to winne the sinner Be at all times serving to befriend but at no time soothing to betray 20. MArre not a good cause with ill handling meddle not with evill no not the least that good though the greatest private or publick may come thereof Thou canst not please God more with a good intent than thou mayest displease him by using bad means to effect it 21. OBserve still the dayes worthily set apart to give thanks to God for his Apostles for those benefits which he hath bestowed upon us by their ministery for their eminent graces on earth and now such unspeakable glory in heaven whom though with the Papists we neither do nor dare adore yet well may we admire and imitate and well may we pray God to give us grace to follow them both in their believing living and dying who having now by their faith attained that which they desired are an excellent direction for us how to seek what they have attained 22. NEither habour an ill thought against thy Soveraigne Neither admit any the least depravation of him no not in the whispering of thy conscience No though he give cause to be evill thought of No though thou be wronged or worse thought of than thou deservest It skilleth not much what his person is when most sure it is his power is of God when of what nation or nature soever the Magistrate is Jew or Gentil Christistian or Heathen good or bad he hath his authority from God the Magistrate of all Magistrates not from the Law of Nations as some are not ashamed to aver [r] Bellar. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 1. cap. 7. paragr praeterea but as from God and his Law By diligent care in good services please thy governour as well as thou mayest and that in most awfull and loyall manner and with all due circūspection beware how thou kindle his anger Be far from those tumultuous and rebellious practices that may give him cause of provocation against thee and keep thy self from those fierce and fiery fellowes those desperate or hypocriticall companions which may stir thee up to stand upon points with him and imbolden thee against him From Church-robbers and traitors it is not pride but a point of wisedom and godly policy to affect alwayes a stern kind of strangegeness aloofe It is Salomons injunction in the giving whereof he was directed by Gods Spirit and be it ever in thy remembrance My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change [s] Prov. 24.21 that are desirous of alteration and changes in the state according to their private and peevish humours 23. HOw ardently are wilful hearts enamoured with worldly greatness How greedily do naturall men affect dominion How mightily do some men long to Lord it over their neighbours in honour and dignity power and authority some are resolved to rise and be in some office or other or it shall cost them a fall yea a fall into hell some had rather be traitours than not Magistrats But let us not be desirous of vain glory saith S. Paul [t] Gal. 5.26 But seek not thou the acclamation of man more than the approbation of God Be thou no Magistrate no officer yea no man rather than a traitour 24. IF cunning rebellion under a shew of religion and vizard of vertue without fear of Gods vengeance or shame of mens reproof cast his fiery darts at thee let faithfull loyalty and loyall faithfulness be ready to quench them if seditious persons and such as love innovations seek with guilefull speeches to steal thy soul from God and thy heart from thy soveraigne let wisedom shape them

thy malignant humour for such suffering can neither merit thanks of God nor praise of men Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake (a) Matth. 5.10 not for superstition self-will and singularity but for righteousness sake our sufferings are no argument of our righteousness but our righteousness an ornament of our sufferings (b) Non ex passione certa est justitia sed ex justitia passio gloriosa est Aug. cont epi. Parmen lib. 1. cap. 7. A red colour is not beautifull if it be not grounded on a fair white The paine hath no grace if the suffering have no truth where the saith is not true there is no true Martyrdom 37 DElight not in brawles and controversies which are easily begun not so soon ended seek no credit by opposition pick no quarrells nor desire to fall out with any man strive not at any time though never so meekly but when a just necessity presseth thee to stir when sin is not to be connived at but contended against when the truth is not to be forsaken but contended for when thou canst not undergo the wrong without great damage to thy estate nor otherwise but by that course in joy thy right 38. IF thou knowest not how to pacify man to bring him to a firm and unfeigned reconciliation to obtain and injoy a sound and well-grounded peace with him seek more and more to be at amity with God to appease and please the Lord by thy holy obedience to his Commandements Hide Gods Word within thy heart that thou mayest not sin against him (c) Psal 119.11 refrain thy feet from every evill way that thou mayest keep his Word (d) Psal 119.101 when a mans wayes please the Lord He maketh even his enemyes to be at peace with him (e) Prov. 16.7 He that hath the hearts of all men in his own hands be they in never so great places or have they never so great spirits He in whose only power it is to turn all hearts which way he will who is not only a searcher of hearts but a worker and changer of them as seemeth best to his godly wisedom He will not only make his friends to be more faithfull unto him but even his enemies to be at peace with him if their favour and friendship be expedient for him He will be sure either to remoove his enemies malice or restrain their mischief either to make them not willing or not able to hurt him 39. BE not to be carryed away with every little puff of vain perswasion be not to be bandyed by the racket of other mens tongues into what Hazard they please be not so unskilfull and unstable as lightly to believe every thing that is idlely or cunningly told thee or unadvisedly to yield to every thing imposed upon thee but use thy best skill and pains in hearing more inquiring further searching and trying before thou give any credit or assent to it yea though a multitude joyn in perswading thee (f) Non statim multitudinis acquiescamus judicio Hieron comment in Isaiah cap. 3. How common is it in these dayes to spread the nets of humility and weave them with the knots of subtilty till men have effected their policy and then they bewray their hypocrisy be not so subtil as to be guile others not so simple as to be beguiled by others be not taken at the first sight and offer with never so fair words or shewes though they seem to bring an honest meaning along with them be circumspect for thy safety as well as sincere for thy innocency loath the venom and poyson of the Serpent but learn his wisdom follow the harmelesness of the Dove but flie her simplicity 40. SOme carry themselves sincerely but not wisely some order themselves wisely but not sincerely but approove thy self as far as thou art able both before God and men before God in bearing thy self sincerely before men demeaning thy self wisely perhaps for all thy wariness some may be offended with thee which by thee are not offended but such offences being not given of thee but taken of them are not thy faults but their follies woe indeed to that man by whom offences come that is come justly but an offence fondly taken not justly given intangleth no man besides the taker 41. IN this subtill vizard age in these times every day more and more degenerating from the former goodness truth and honest plainess In these dangerous and dissolute intercourses wherein faithfull friends are for the most part gon to God and their return is not to be expected wherein we live amongst so many serpentine and subtill so many malicious and mischievour men with whom we may unawares be compelled to traffique be conscionable but circumspect keep not only lawfull but wise demeanours God requireth wisdom but simple and simplicity but wisedom If thou have wariness mingled with true sincerity having thy spirit without guile and thy actions without dissimulation It is both lawfull and expedient to set wisdom against wisdom and policy against policy and care against care and understanding against understanding that so by the enemies subtilty and thy simplicity thou be not surprized in the cunning traps and crafty wiles which are laid for thee 42. LAbour to have peace always with God and if it be possible with men to the great glory of thy Heavenly Father the profitable example of all beholders and the abundant comfort of thy own heart yea though it cost thee some temporall profit as meek Abraham with worldly loss procured it betwixt his Nephew Lot and himself [g] Gen. 13.11 learn and labour to cut off all occasions of contention even from those that seek occasions but with the World Flesh Devill at no time admit either peace or parley call not Sathan to thy company consult not with flesh and blood contemn familiarity with the world lest they suddenly get some advantage and overcome thee Fight always with all thy courage against all these clad with the whole armour of God and do thy best to vanquish them yea this warr is no warr to the peace thou oughtest to keep but that peace is preserved by this warr and the more painfully thou thus warrest the more peacefully thou still walkest 43. CAre not and yet care for to morrow care not out of distrustfulness but care out of duty care not as relying upon the means without Gods blessing which is an humor that cannot dwell in Gods Children but care as trusting to Gods favour upon thy indeavour labouring both under a tender and heavenly Father whose blessing no Counsell can hinder no curse can take away too little care is want of grace too much care is want of faith too little care is presumption too much care is desperation 44. EXclude not God at any time resting on thy self and second causes neither cast all upon God neglecting the means either in temporall things for the saving of thy body or in spirituall

things for the salvation of thy soul Almighty God hath from everlasting ordained both the ends and the means not the ends without the means nor the means without the ends but both of them All lawfull means may well stand with Gods providence and faith therein yea by not divorcing the means from the end we both declare our sincere obedience in using such weak means as are subordinate thereunto and decline security and presumption two main enemies of our most holy faith 45. BY daily prayer and practice stir up the gifts of the Holy Ghost in thee lest in the end thou lose thy store with stock and all constantly keep on rowing against the stream of thy naturall corruption against which if thou do not strive continually but stand at a stay it will carry thee away and all thy merchandize as a boat standing loose upon the river is carryed backward if it be not wafted forward is by the sway of the water driven downward unless it be stil labouring to go upwards 46. OBserve diligently what adversaries be abroad and warily watch that there be no traitours at home All that hurt thee are not without thee there are enemies too within thee and such as may do thee more harm than all the rest look upon thy outward senses and reflect upon thy inward affections lest by the former evills enter and lest by the later evills conquer 47. TAke heed to thy mouth that thou speak not unadvisedly and to thy hands that they act not unpreparedly but especially and above all things look to the inward affections of thy heart for as the fountain is such is the river that runneth from it If the fountain be sweet the river that floweth from it will not be sowre as the Wood is so the Fire will be unsavoury wood will make unwholsome fire but pure Frankincense or dry Juniper will yield a pleasant perfume so if the soul be sanctified the lips will be seasoned but if the thoughts and affections be ungodly they will bring forth lewd words and wicked actions for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh said the God of Truth who knew the heart [h] Matth. 12.34 what the heart readeth the mouth repeateth 48. COnsider thy proper and personall sins whereunto by the corruption of thy nature thou art most inclined from which thou can'st hardliest abstain as beeing more strong and more working in thee than some others are and against them make thy spiritual compacts and barricadoes most durable and most guard thy walls with Redoubts and outworks where the hedge is lowest every beast will seek to enter and where we are weakest Sathan that beast will be strongest his temptations will be thickest where our defence is slenderest 49. STand to thy watch looke to thy wayes keep a continuall guard over thy self in all occurrences and not only beware of personall sins towards which thy nature most bends but of those also which are incident to thy present estate whatsoever it is In wealth beware of high-mindedness in health of wantoness in mirth of forgetfulnes in want to distrustfulness in loss of pensiveness and in death of fearfulness 50. ABstain as farr as thou canst not only from every sin but also from every baite that may be a means to bring thee unto it Look not thou upon the wine saith the Holy Ghost by the mouth of Salomon when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it mooveth it self aright [i] Prov. 23.31 and accordingly look not upon the meat that may betray thy appetite and then thy affections young Daniel refused the meat that was allotted unto him by Nebuchadnezzar which of it self was lawfull to be received with thanksgiving because the King should not intice him thereby to forsake his own God or to leane to the others Religion [k] Dan. 1.8 51. CHeck not Gods Word with the licentious Antinomian give not Gods Spirit the lie who in every place warneth us that the Morall Law is not abolished by the Law of faith but established [l] Marth 5.17 18 19 20. In the uprightness integrity of thy heart endeavour to walk still in the old way of Gods Commandements if ever thou mean to come to Heaven by the new and living way Christ Jesus For every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure [m] 1 Joh. 3.3 Examin and proove thou still and fashion thy works by the Law as by a right levell which God hath left to be a rule of righteousnes to remain in full strength power and vertue for ever Although thou canst not fulfill it yet put it not out of thy sight or care stray from it as little as thou canst though thou canst not obey it so fully as thou wouldst 52. HOwsoever thou fall through infirmity or human frailty into sin as who is free from falling It is not possible for any meer man to be without all offence [n] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom Howsoever being surprized by Sathan inveigled by slights inticed by sinners thou be taken and upon a sudden overtaken in a fault for it were a proud perswasion above mans state and against-Gods Truth to think thy self safe from sin yet be not so insolent and impudent stand not in justification of it for that sheweth less grace and more corruption while men though otherwise badly disposed blush and are touched with some bashfulness though they cannot contain themselves yet there is hope of them some signe of salvation is the acknowledgment of sin [o] Signum salut is agnitio peccati Bern. but when they justify their bad doings and boldly defend what they have done they are almost desperate and give small hope of amendment without speciall grace To sin is human weakness but to plead for it wilfull wickednes Defence of a fault doubles it and is a forerunner of obduration Thy sin perhaps was small as thou didst commit it but surely 't will be great if thou strive to maintain it for that cuts off all repentance Nay it makes thy sin grow up into a wicked height of scandall and so it may be not only a snare to thy selfe but an unhappy seducement to other warranting many more to be sinfull 53. THere are many things evill in themselves of which thou mayest speak without any evill as of stealing killing which are wicked to be practized not wicked to be published but there are other things lawfull to be done which are non dicendas unlawfull and unhonest to be plainly spoken of and therefore forbear unless it be upon good cause and with great modestie so much as to mention them Let no corrupt communication proceed out of thy mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers grieve not the Holy Spirit of God [p] Ephes 4.29 30. Neither give him occasion touching his comfortable and defensive presence to depart