Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	father_n	jesus_n	lord_n	2,568	5	3.7300	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54719	The holy choice, or, Faith's triumph over all worldly pomp & glory a sermon preached in St. Maries in Scilly, Oct. 14, 1677 / by Nich. Phillips, twice chaplain to His Majesties garrison there ; and tendred at the council-table, Jan. 23, 1679.	Phillips, Nicholas.	1679 (1679)	Wing P2035A_VARIANT; ESTC R36675	17,484	30

and that there is Sca●… a man to be found in those bright Sun shine Days of the Gospel that is able to give such an evident Demonstration of his Faith as Moses did here under the Law In thusing tother c. Though we talk much in this Age of Faith of Faith and of our Dependance on Future good things yet t is on Sight on Sight and in the Enjoyment of the good things that are present that all 〈◊〉 Felicity is Plac'd and rather then we will suffer a light and Momentary Affliction here to be made partakets of an exceeding weight of Glory hereafter we will chuse rather on the Wing of a Short-liv'd Pleasure and Pro●● to be carried into the Infernal Pit of Everlasting Torments And though we boast much of the goodness of our fight and opened eyes yet that we are blind and cannot see a far of even beyond this present World we plainly manifest by our Loathness to part with our Earthly Goods and Possessions for the gaining of a Heavenly Crown and Kingdom So far are we from manifesting our Faith as did Moses by Choosing rather c. that we esteem no man to be a Child of God that is Afflicted and Persecuted We usually measure mens goodness now a days by their greatness their Saintship by their success and faithlesly think that God loves none but such as he suffers to flourish here in all Worldly wealth and felicity Surely did we believe the Holy Scriptures which for the main are nothing else but a History of the Churches Persecution but a Martyrology of the Saints Sufferings And had we hope as we profess to be Saved by a Poor Despised Mocked Scorned Scourged Crucified Saviour We would encertain a more Honourable Esteem of the Cross a Nobler Opinion of those whom he is pleased so far to Honour as to make them his fellow Sufferers and would not with those Barbarians Acts 27.4 Condemn all those for wicked Men on whose hands we see the Viper of danger to fasten Did we believe indeed that there is another World and were throughly perswaded that after the Dissolution of our Earthly Tabernacles there is a House not made with hands prepared for us in Heaven we would not by balking the Cross by complying with the Times humouring of Men and making our Religion a State one seek to prolong our Life and Liberty here on Earth but would be ready with St. Paul to run through Persecution of all sorts yea to die daily in expectation of that great Reward which is promised Matth. 5.10 to all that suffer for Righteousness save and would esteem the Reproaches and Scorns that are cast on us for Christs sake and his Gospel the greatest Honour that can be done us Did we make Gods Word our dayly study read and remember how it is written there That Gods People the Jews were after a long and hard Servitude in Egypt set at Liberty and brought into the Promised Land and how Pharaoh and his Jovial Courtiers that afflicted and kept them in Bondage were all either consumed by those heavy Plagues which God sout on their Nation or drown'd in the Red Sea we would wish rather with poor naked and pained Lazarus to be carried into Aaraham's Bosom than with rich dainty and delicate Dives to be cast into Hell-Fire yea would chuse with Moses rather c. Were we indeed true believing Christians we would not only rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God but would also with our brave Leaders the Blessed Apostles glory in our Tribulatious esteem our Sufferings for Christ's Cause to be the very Marks of the Lord Jesus as termed Gal. 6.17 our Persecutions for Righteousness sake the Earnest of the Heavenly Crown and Kingdom Matth. 5.10 our Chastisements for our Sins to be the very tokens of our Heavenly Fathers Love and Affection towards us Heb. 12.6 Though he be esteemed a happy man unto whom God gives Riches and Honour and gives him also power to eat thereof and Comfortably to Enjoy them yet he is indeed a happy man unto whom God gives Trouble and Afflictions and gives them withall Grace to make good use of them and to improve them to his Spiritual advantage And what ever men think of worldly felicity there is assuredly no Life so profitable as that which is a little sprinkled with the Salt of Crosses and though Egypt and the House of Bondage be no place for Gods Israel to dwell in and inhabit yet will the serving of an hard Apprenticeship here make them more highly to prize and esteem the promised Canaan I know not what cause others may have to hate and hurt their Task-masters and Oppressors but I find that I have great cause to love and pray for them yea in in some sort to prefer them before my Friends My Friends oft entice me out of the Heavenly Rode into the slippery path of Pleasure but mine Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers make me careful to keep the right way to Heaven and to take heed that I suffer not my feet to turn either to the right hand or the left from the Path of Gods Holy Commands for if I do I shall be sure to hear of it from them Though to flow in wordly wealth to be pointed at with the finger and to be croucht to by every one be an estate which flesh rebellious flesh would sometimes make me ambitious of yet when in my Mid-Night thoughts and secret retirements I seriously consider the deadly poison that lies in the honied Cup of Prosperitie and the wholsom healthful Potion that is contained in the aloed one of Adversity it makes me earnestly beseech God rather to give me a bitter Pill and to purge me with Hysop that I may clean than to give me a sugred Potion and to suffer me to roull in all wordly Felicity till with Jesurun I grow wanton and kick against him humbly to beg of him rather to restrain and keep me from future presumptions and sins by his gentle Chastisements and Corrections than to let me run headlong into all licentiousness by his seeming sweet but cruel Indulgence yea it makes me wish rather with poor naked and pained Lazarus to be carried into Abraham's Bosom than the rich dainty and delicate Dives to be cast into Hell-Torments and makes me to chuse rather with the faithful Moses to suffer affliction c. Credit me my Beloved Brethren the Love and Favour of God is infinitely better than the love and favour of the world and the Joys of Heaven are as far above those of Earth in worth as they are in height And all truly faithful Men such as have their eyes enlightned to see things afar off have esteemed it much better to be chastned of the Lord here and spared hereafter than spared here and reserved unto the day of Judgment to be punished hereafter halt and maimed to enter into Life than whole and sound to be cast into Hell To swim through a boiling River of Brimstone to be eternally happy than to dwell in a Paradise now and after death to be damned It was the Prayer of St. August Lord here cut massacre and burn me so thou wilt hereafter spare and save me And it was the Opinion of our late Glorious Kingly Martyr Ch. I. That our afflictions were infinitely better with Gods Grace to sanctifie and improve them than our prosperity with an unlimited appetite and the Reins let loose to all Licentiousness And it was the choice of the faithful Moses here rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season amongst the vicious Egyptians And thus to do like true Sons of Faith whenever occasion shall be offered us God give us his Grace and to him be all Glory now and for ever Amen HALLELVJAH FINIS