Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A62109
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Saints like Christ: or, somewhat of truth delivered to the congregation at headly in Hampshire By Jo. Symmonds, M.A.
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Symonds, Joseph.
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1650
(1650)
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Wing S6357; ESTC R222482
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66,641
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157
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over themselves especially when in bad company and as much as possibly they may refraine from their sosciety because many a good soul hath been spotted amongst such I need not bid wise men beware of houses infected with the plague nor good men of sinful places they know as the one is dangerous to the body so the other to the soul Remember it acquits not sinners to say that Adam sinn'd and had not he fallen they had not been thus tainted nor so prone to evil grace is offerd by Christ and they that wil be sav'd must by faith lay hold on his righteousnesse if not they wil be inexcusable at the last day and perish Eternally 1. 'T is not enough for men to say that they are flesh and that the flesh lusteth draweth to evil and over masters them Now wil that which the Devil prompteth into men help them when they must give up their accompt to God that 't is with them as with Paul it is no more we that do it but sin that dwelleth in us or as it fel out of David or Lot c first to Answer that of Paul consider who he was and of what sinnes he spake Paul was a holy and a Godly man a chosen vessel of God can you say you are so can you say Christ is reveald in you that you encounter all temptations to the utmost of your spiritual abilities besides 't is shameful to bring such a speech from Scripture to patronize a course of wickednes which is us'd by the Apostle concerning some secret and privie infirmities Do not deceive your selves God is not mocked Take heed of using Scripture as a stumbling-block and let not that which was left for the good of Saints hasten your damnation 2. As to the sins of David and Lot I shal not speake much now you may by them see how apt the best are to fal and so to take heed do not any of you cast your selves into the Sea because Jonah was not drown'd By them may comfort be spoken to Saints if God should let them be so farre fool'd by Satan as to fal into such faults Much more might be said as concerning them but I forbeare the Lord in mercy hold up our goings that our footsteps slip not 2. 'T is not safe turning our iniquities to the times and to the places where we live and the wickednesse of men with whom we converse this wil not make a passage to glory The worse the times and places are the more careful ought we to be the more cheats are abroad the more should we look to our purses If the aire be generally infected had we not need to be so much the more thisful of using preservatives But of care already 3. There are some that accuse their callings for what they do amiss they cannot reade and pray because of their callings and their callings make them breake the Sabbath Pray lay not the blame upon what deserves it not your callings if honest were never ordain'd for your soules hurt but for their good such that complaine of their callings yet can find time from their callings to eat and drink and sleep visit friends and follow recreations and the like that concernes their bodies 4. Some accuse their poverty saying we have not time to serve God all we can do is to provide for our families know this to be Godly helps towards thy family provision So they cannot shew themselves charitable they have not wherewithal Can you not remember the widdows two mites how accepted Besides these some lay the faultes upon their occasions upon the objects they meet withal upon Satan upon fortune any where rather then on themselves to be humbled Let this reprove you sin no more least God consume you for were you good nothing should draw you to wickednes you would say to all temptations how should I do this or that and sin against my God Would you know Christs people they Vse 2 are such that in bad times are good that owne truth when they must suffer for it that are willing to die clasping truth in their Armes or rather they clasp'd in truths Armes that let multitudes meet them going to hel they wil thorow the throng to heaven let wind and tide be against them they wil forwards that are dismaid with no frownes nor daunted with no sufferings That are no milksops of fearefulnes Oportet aut manentem vincere aut interire Lacedae monii hoc animo praelium inibant ut aut victores redirent domum aut victi occumborent but Champions of courage that wil not desert Christs cause but manfully fight the good fight of faith yea die in the battel rather then yield for so it becomes true Christians to conquer or die to go through in what they have a warrant from Christ to undertake or else for Christs sake and cause to lay down their lives 'T is reported of the Lacedemonians that when they went to wage war and joyn'd battel with any they did it with this resolution that they would go home conquerours or die conquer'd All true and gallant-spirited Christians are of such a spirit in whatsoever they undertake for Christ being cal'd to it by Christ Pons a tergo abruptus est they know there is no flying away without everlasting shame To desert Christs cause is an endangering of the soul to be deserted of Christ Besides to fly from Christ is to go from him that hath al safety from him that is strength from him that the Psalmist speaks highly of Psal 144. yet not as he deserves the words are these My goodnes and my fortress my high tower and my deliverer my shield and he in whom I trust Here are expressions holding out Christ according to what the soul could and as we are capable of hearing and understanding 'T is to shew that God is all in all to Saints he gives in comfort he guards and protects from dangers this is enough to make any man valiant to have divine power encouraging him divine power comforting divine power guarding divine power at all times and upon occasions to help how can such souls be conquer'd 'T is impossible for he that is so divinely accommodated is ready to venture all he hath in the cause of Christ A Christian endued with divine power is ready and able also to live and die with an Almighty Saviour Christ to him is enough Christ alone is all he lookes stil on Christ and observes him what Christ sayes he sayes what Christ does he does let all the world take what course they please do what they wil neglect Christ go contrary to Christ persecute Christ yet stil the Saint that hath God for his strength God for his shield God for his instructer shrinks not is not disheartned but holds on his way for truth in despite of al that oppose truth and though never so much slighted of truths foes it cares not 't is satisfaction and
encouragment enough to him that truth defendeth favours him Christ hath all his affection and he hath from Christ all power to do what Christ cals him to through Christ that strengthens him he can do all things By the power and strengh of Christ he is carried up on high above sense above reason above the world he is raised above feares above frownes his soul like Jehosaphats is lifted up in the wayes of God 2 Chro. 17.6 Christ puts in a holy magnanimity insomuch that in Christs cause it feares neither fire nor sword cross nor loss breaking of bones tearing of members men or Devils so it may be one with Christ In a word a soul that is truly Christs borne of him living to him is one whom neither poverty nor death nor bonds nor any outward Evils can terrifie Oh! souls you that this day heare me what wil you do in bad daies what in persecuting daies in the daies that fiery trials come wil you then owne truth wil love to Christ make you cleave to Christ suffer for Christ die for Christ if it doth then may it be said that you are Christs and that you are no changelings but true bred spirits children of God in bad places and times like Christ The Lord grant that though friends faile riches faile times alter peace should be remov'd yet your faith may not faile but that you may be baptiz'd with the baptisme wherewith Christ was baptiz'd though a bloudy baptisme and so being like Christ in life and death you may be like him in glory Vse 3 Were I in a more publique place I might speak a word to the Parliament the great counsel of the Kingdom exhorting them praying them to have a care of such that are godly of such that are like Christ to deal wel with them to preserve them make provision for them for they shal be sure of the help of them whilst they stick to Christ the Saints wil stick to them We have seen a miserable defection by abundance of men I will not say all but doubtlesse most have fallen off because they were not like Christ and did not cleave to Christ I shal forbear speaking in this place what I might were the auditory sutable Good men are too much slighted many times and bad men over much favoured Equidem Jehova contempum effudit in Principes God hath in a great measure cast them out with shame that were not friends to his precious Saints but rather to the adversaries I trust God wil give the Parliament a heart to cast their eies upon and have respect of such that are the called the faithful and chosen of Christ Whosoever deserts ths Parliament the Saints will never unlesse they forsake Christ which God forbid If the Parliament should be in straits Saints wil go in with them if they should be oppos'd Saints wil help them with body soul estate their purse prayers strength shall help If they should meet with bad times the Saints would stand with them in the storme I fear if the Parliament should have the need of any hereafter they wil finde few closing faithfully with them but what are the faithfully of Christ Methinks I hear a secret muttering amongst many that are ready to say if troubles come the Parliament wil have but few to take their parts few that wil joyn with them to such whisperings I shal give a loud answer if the Parliament follow Christ and take his part as I trust they wil they shal be sure of the Saints all Christs friends and have they these I beleeve they need not care who is against them or what opposition they meet withal no though all the people of the earth be gathered together against them Zach 12.3 Let the Parliament set up Christ and favour those are Christs and then if all the Nations of the world were gathered together against them they need not fear for Christ would help them and take part with them and if he be of their side they need not fear what man can do unto them for Christ wil make their enemies fall before them God wil make our Parliament-worthies such to all their enemies Isti incredibili ardore atque successu gentes omes de bell aâ—unt subjicient vel potius stirpitus cacindeut Zach. 12.6 as is spoken of the Governor of Judah they shal be like a hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf And they shall devour al the people round about on the right hand and on the left All that oppose them shall be but as a little wood laid on fire or straw put upon fire coales which would soon be consumed God grant the Saints may be favoured they that are truly godly be respected and car'd for by the Parliament then I doubt not of their flourishing and having friends to side with them for they shal have all the faithful and they are through Gods blessing many If this come to any of those worthies sights I pray God it may be a means to advise them to have a care of Christs people and then let them be sure those people of Christ wil have a care of them And though they must venture all nay die they wil stand with them God grant our Parliament-worthies may consid er that though they have not the most with them yet they have the best though the Saints be least for numebr yet they are the strongest for might and such that can though but a few subdue many five shall chase an hundred Lev. 26.8 and an hundred shall put ten thousand to flight Great hath been the experience that this Kingdome hath had of the Saints victories of those that went against their enemies 1 Sam 17.45 as David against Goliah in the name of the Lord of hoasts Keep close together Saints keep with the Parliament Deus favet justis piis consiliis and then I doubt not but all wil be wel for God wil blesse the proceedings of good-men in a good cause and what better cause can be taken in hand then what is now in hand in England the bringing Christ to his Throne Let me conclude all with a word of consolation to such that fear bad times and that have spirits troubled with the various tossings in the world and defections of men from truth and other molestations that are all ready in the world and that they fear wil come on to the further grief and suffering of Saints Indeed there are troubles the dayes are evil times bad and 't is likely may be worse yet be sure of this they that are Christs people wil continue his people they that are gracious there will be some good still in sad times in the worst times some that in assured hope and confidence of Gods mercy in all necessities and tribulations cleave to the truth knowing that Gods power is Allmighty his promises most true his mercies infinite and that 't is for their souls everlasting happinesse to follow Christ let what sufferings soever come yea though they loose their lives There are a remnant that are enlightened and from that enlightening they know what is best to be embraced they know that whatsoever of troubles come now yet to al that are in Christ that are like Christ that love his appearing there will berest there will be peace there wil be blessednesse there wil be glory Those that are engrafted really into Christ wil by vertue receiv'd from Christ flourish Bad times make not them bad they will be good in any times in any company in any place If exalted good if abased good if rich good if poor good if in distresse good if in prosperity good Christ was a precious Christ in every condition and they precious Saints in every condition I know not what the times may be but I know what they that are Christs will be they wil be like Christ As some trees continue green in every season of the year in winter and summer in heat and cold so some men good in all times they are no changelings they are stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord. Immobiles sunt super solido fundamento Christo Dominum in ipsum sincera fide perfecta recumbertes Let others totter they stand others shake they are unmoveable others fal they rise others be idle they Labour others be against God they are for him Consider of this I pray and let it cheer up your spirits I know you are apt to say times are so bad you know not whom to trust al ready men are so deceitful wicked and if they should be worse you know not what to do nor what wil become of you Christ comfort you and encourage you and let what wil happen in the world and let whose wil desert you if he never leave you nor forsake you you wil do well enough you wil be brought at the last to glory You may receive comfort in hopes of meeting with some friendly souls some Saints in the most naughty times but suppose you be left alone and there be none to be found yet in this be glad in this rejoyce in this be comforted that you shall find Christ and he will be to you insteed of friends and helpers and companions he wil be all to you The Lord grant that none of you be disheartned nor fal backe nor asham'd of the Gospel of the Lord but that you may beare witnesse to the testimony of Jesus and of this be confident your labour wil not be in vaine nor any suffering unrewarded that is undergone for Christ and his truth Christian friends whatsoever may make for your comfort I pray God give it you let it be peace within good company without the benefit of ordinances any mercy that so you may be Christs and continue like Christ let places times men the world with what is therein be never so bad FINIS