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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	free_a	grace_n	love_n	2,934	5	6.6495	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17412	Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Being the last that were preached by the late faithfull and painfull minister of Gods word, Nicolas Byfield. Wherein method, sense, doctrine, and vse, is, with great varietie of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinitie largely discussed. Published since the authors death by William Gouge.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1626 (1626)	STC 4235; ESTC S107153	186,240	252

power of this life and how much it excells naturall life and therefore the fruit of the Spirit should be in them in all goodnesse righteousnesse and truth Eph. 5.9 and they should so hold forth the Word of life that they should thinke on whatsoever things are true honest just pure lovely and of good report and if there be any vertue or any praise they should strive to act that being carefull in all things to maintaine good workes Phil. 4.8 Tit. 3.7.8 Oh what manner of persons should they be in all manner of good conversation 7 They should lift up their heads with joy and bee alwaies comfortable considering the assurance they have of eternall life they have the Spirit of glory resting upon them One would thinke they should be alwaies singing making melody in their hearts though they have crosses and wants in this life yet is not God their portion and is it not enough they are provided for in respect of eternitie and is there any comparison betweene the afflictions in this world and the glory to bee revealed Grace Thus of the matter of their inheritance The cause followes and that is Grace Grace is either a gift in us or an attribute in God Sometimes by Grace is meant the gifts God bestowes upon men and if Grace were so taken then would bee implyed this doctrine That dead men may have the Grace of God There may be grace in men without life yea men may have excellent gifts and yet be not alive spiritually As gifts of government from the Spirit of God as Saul had and gifts for edification in the Church A man may bee an excellent Preacher as Iudas was and may have the gifts of prophecying and working miracles as the Reprobates mentioned Mat. 7.21 a man may have the gift of knowledge of the Scriptures as S. Paul imports 1. Cor. 8.2 Heb. 6.4 a man may confesse his sins as Pharaoh and Saul did a man may be much grieved and sorrow and humbled for his sinnes as Abab and Cain and may repent too as Iudas did and may make a great profession of true religion and be very forward as Demas and Him●neus and Philetus did a man may be veryzealous for the truth as Iohn and the Galathians were a man may pray and cry hard and often to God and be heard of God as the Israelites were in their distresses many times a man may be of an unrebukeable conversation amongst men as Paul was before his conversion and such as have sinned may reforme their lives in many things as Herod did finally a man may have faith to believe Gods word as the Divells doe and to believe Gods promises as they that have a temporary faith doe after a sort and may joy much in the comfort of them as they concerne the godly and yet in all these gifts there was no life Another point in that sense is this That there are gifts of Gods grace bestowed on the Elect which are ever accompanied with life so as their grace is the grace of life And both these points should wonderfully awaken all sorts of Christians to looke about and trye their estates and weake Christians should diligently studie their booke of signes of true grace and marke how the Scripture proveth all those saving graces to be such as can be found in no reprobate But because I thinke Grace in this place cannot bee taken for the gifts of grace in men I passe from these points By Grace then here is meant the glorious attribute of goodnesse that is in God by which he freely sheweth his love mercy to his creature And that it must be taken in this sense I gather from the third of Titus v. 7. where the sentence being like grace is called there His Grace Wee are justified by his grace and made heires of eternall life Now this grace of God as it is in God I consider of two wayes first as it is in relation to this spirituall and eternall life of Gods heyres and then secondly as it is in it selfe generally considered In relation to spirituall life I consider of it both in what it excludes and what it includes Grace excludes both Nature and the workes of the Law It excludes Nature from this life in three respects First in respect of propagation This life cannot be propagated by Naturall generation we are not borne heyres of life and so the sonnes of God we are borne only the sonnes of Adam not of God They that are borne after the flesh are not the seed Rom. 9.8 Secondly in respect of priviledge By nature wee are the children of wrath and therefore cannot be the children of promise Ephes. 2.3 Thirdly in respect of the works of Nature for by Nature wee doe such workes as proclaimes us to be children of disobedience and children of the Divell and therefore cannot be heyres of life by any workes done by Nature since the fall And as it excludes Nature so it excludes the workes of the Law not in respect of the obedience to the Law but in respect of the merit of life so as the inheritance cannot be had by the work es of the Law Rom. 4.4 11.6 nor can our best workes after calling deserve life and salvation Tit. 3.7.4 5. And on the otherside the Grace of God includes all things in life as wholly caused by Gods free favour to us in Christ. For first our election to life is from the meere grace of God Ephes. 1.46 Secondly the meritorious cause of life is by grace Gal. 4.4 5. Thirdly the promise of life is by grace Rom. 4.14 Gal. 3.18 Fourthly the inchoation of life is from grace whether we respect Vocation Gal. 1.15 or Iustification Tit. 3. 7. Gal. 2. ult Lastly in respect of the consummation of it in the perfection of glorie in heaven Rom. 6. ult Thus of Grace in relation to Life In it selfe Grace is a most amiable attribute in God extending his goodnesse unto the creature without respect of deserts And that we may the more admire the glorious grace of God it will be profitable to give a touch of the fruits of it unto man upon whom hee sets his favour for looke what men have interest in the grace of God these things flow upon them from the beames of that grace 1 God knowes them by name Exod. 33.12 2 When God is angry with all the world and about to declare his wrath by terrible judgements yet still they finde favour in his sight Gen. 6.8 19.19 3 When they offend and are sorie for their offences and seeke for mercie he pardons iniquitie and takes them for his inheritance and repents him of the evill Exod. 34.9 Ioel 2. 12 13. 4 He will withhold no good thing from them Psal. 84.12 bestows of his best gifts upon them liberally in all sorts of gifts 1. Cor. 1.4 5. 5 He will give them any thing they aske of him without hitting them in

preserved Object But we are so provoked and have such wrongs as are very great and absurd c. Sol. Else it were no great praise to be quiet a Mastive a Bare a Lyon it may be can bee quiet sometimes if they be not stirred or provoked There is nothing from without us can make us vicious without the working of a vile nature in our soules The use should be first for instruction I may say of meeknesse and quietnesse as Christ said of humility If you beare these things blessed are you if you doe them Iohn 13. Now there are many reasons should move us to be very carefull to expresse a meek quiet spirit in our behaviour at home and abroad as first Gods commandement Hee requireth this at our hands earnestly as appeareth by the places before quoted and other Scriptures Prov. 4.24 Secondly wee have an excellent example for it in Christ and hee chargeth us of all the things which be immitable in him to learne meeknesse and lowlinesse of him Mat. 11.29 Thirdly it will be a signe of our election and true sanctification and that God loves us Col. 3.12 Psal. 147.6 and that wee have attained the wisedome that is from above Iames 3.17 Fourthly it is a great ornament to a man as this Text imports and that both in the sight of God and man A meek behaviour is very lovely and comely Pro. 19.11 5 Hereby we shall bring much rest to our soules Mat. 11.29 Our hearts and consciences will bee at great peace whereas there are many occasions of trouble to our consciences which flow from passion and an unquiet and contentious course of life 6 Meeknesse is uncorruptible It will last for ever both in the habite of it and in the comfort and fruit of it and besides it will keepe the spirit from such putrifaction and corruption as passion and unquietnesse useth to breed in the spirits of other men 7 Meeknesse makes the heart very capable of grace of the Word of God The heart is fit to have the Word graffed upon it when it is meek and quiet Iames 1.21 and the Lord teacheth the humble his way Psal. 25. Pro. 3.32 and he will give more grace to the humble Iam. 4.7 8 God will be the protection of the meek hee will relieve them and make them glorious by deliverance Psal. 76.8.9 147.5.6 149.4 Zeph. 2.3 Yea a meek spirit is a great advantage to a mans outward estate for the meeke shall inherite the earth God loves no Tenants better than such nor grants longer leases to any than to them Mat. 5.6 Secondly this discourse of a meeke and quiet spirit should greatly humble such Christians as are froward and passionate and unquiet and in particular such wives as are guilty of these or the like faults Now that this use may bee more profitable to these Christians I would adde two things first reason to disswade them from frowardnesse and unquietnesse secondly I would shew them remedies how to help themselves against these faults There be many things observed in Scripture and which they may feele in themselves which should move them to hearty repentance for this unquietnesse and frowardness as to consider 1 The causes of frowardnesse unquietnesse which are in generall their ill nature and in particular Pride idlenesse want of love to those with whom they converse ignorance and love of earthly things From these or some of these roots proceeds this vice 2 That the Scripture maketh this fault to bee a signe of a wicked and naughty person Pro. 6.12.14 21.24 especially where one is guilty of it in the power and custome of it and besides reckons it among the faults of which there is little hope of cure Pro. 29.20 3 It causeth many and vile effects for 1 It is a great affliction and vexation to such as converse with them that are guilty of it as these places shew Pro. 17.1 21.9.19 27.3.15 2 It is very hurtfull to the party that is guilty for it makes him runne into many sinnes as these places shew Pro. 17.19 22.8 29.22 Psal. 37.8 and besides it brings upon him great misery for it makes a breach in his spirit within Prov. 15.4 and brings much mischiefe upon him without Pro. 17.20 and further it makes him abominable in the sight of God Pro. 3.32 8 13. 11.20 and shames him almost incurably amongst men Pro. 12.8 25.9 10. and further no body that is wise will make any friendship with them but every body will avoide them asmuch as they can Prov. 22.24 Wives that be so froward and peevish and hard to please and unquiet should much thinke of these things And yet besides it interrupts praier 1 Pet. 3.7 and is a great hinderance to the power of the Word Iames 1.19 20. 21. lastly if it bee not repented of it will bring damnation of body and soule Mat. 5 22. 3 It grieves the spirit of God Eph 4.30 Now Christian men or women that desire to mend this fault of frowardnesse and unquietnesse may attaine unto reformation if they will carefully observe these rules following 1 They must study to be quiet 1 Thes. 4.12 They must not trust their owne conceits of things but with good conscience study how to prevent occasions of unquietnesse and how to carry themselves discreetly and with meeknesse It doth require much study to live quietly 2 They must bee sure they meddle with their owne businesse as it is further added in the same place They must bee sure to place their greatest care in learning how to discharge their owne dueties to others and not allow themselves liberty to suspect or censure the waies of others with whom they converse Such wives as are so diligent to study their husbands dueties and to finde fault with them in their callings seldome or never live quietly with their husbands whereas the Apostle here would have such wives as have ill husbands to lay the ground of a quiet life in the care of sound discharge of their owne dueties to their husbands 3 They must heartily repent for their faults of unquietness frowardnesse past not only humble their soules in secret before God for such sinnes but also shew their repentance to those with whom they coverse by an humble acknowledgement of their vile nature and froward behaviour even in the particulars of it Repentance for known trespasses can never bee sound if it bee secret and not made knowen to the parties grieved 4 It will wonderfully helpe them if they pray constantly to the Lord Iesus that left such a patterne of meeknesse and to entreat him by influence of his grace to quiet and sweeten their natures Beseech the Lord Iesus even by his meeknesse to make us meek and able to expresse his vertue in a quiet conversation 5 They must not give place to wrath but if they perceive their hearts rising and inclined to passion and provoking and censorious words

they doe soe is because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beare crosses when they fell upon them It was this Peter that denied his Master upon the very sight as it were of adversaries and it was this David that gave this advice after himselfe had changed his behaviour before Abimelech as you may see by the title of the Psalme Which should teach us to bee thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy and besides it should warne those unruly froward Christians that live not in quiet either at home or abroad to repent and amend their words and workes They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives and the lives of others If they did but know how much God abhors a froward Christian they would be more affraid than they are Thus of the generall observations The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted and they are described by two formes of speech the one Such as will love life the other Such as would see good daies If any man will love life From this forme of speech three things may be observed Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life and so prone that the most men will breake all bounds and will love life whatsoever bee said to them or done to them This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it that it needs no proofe If any man aske what the reason should bee why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most many things may be answered The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men which came in by sinne To love it selfe is nature but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration and the great abasement of the nature of man that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection Secondly ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it If men did know beleeve those glorious things God speaks of a better life they would loath this present life long to be in heaven Thirdly the cause in many is that their hearts are ●ngaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects about profit or pleasure or greatnesse in the world that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects Fourthly in all sorts of people there is such an incurable inconsideration that no warning from the Word or workes of God no experience of their owne or other mens can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse Fiftly the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner and this unreasonable love of their particular sinnes doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sinnes And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement and to embrace this present life upon any conditions And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections and not to bee so desperately bent to the love of this present life This is a point very profitable to be urged and most men and women have need of it and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any tearmes The first reason may be taken from the commandement of Christ who gives this in charge to all that will bee his Disciples that they must not love life As they must deny themselves in other things so in this particular And hee so gives this in charge as hee seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it so Luk. 17.33 Iob. 12.25 The second reason may bee taken from the example of the godly that have not loved life Iob detested life Iob 3. Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life in his book of Eccles. and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it in laying downe their lives willingly when they have beene called to it Act. 20.24 Phil. 2.20 Heb. 11.35 37. The third reason may bee taken from the consideration of life in it selfe both in the nature of it and in the end of it for the nature of it it is but a winde or a vapour Iam. 4. so meane a thing that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly which is the greater wonder that it should get the love of all the world and yet no body knowes what it is hee loves And for the end of it it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies God hath set an appointed time for every mans death and though they love life never so much they cannot hold it beyond that time Iob 7.1 And besides our times are so hid that a man cannot bee sure of a moneth a weeke a day an houre and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which wee know not how long wee shall enjoy Iob 24.1 and the rather because there are so many waies for life to goe out at though but one way to come in And further we can find no means that hath sufficient power to make a man live God hath so reserved the power of life in his owne hands that none of the meanes we use to preserve life can do it to make it hold out for a moment if God doe not from above give speciall assistance Man liveth not by bread Mat. 4. and if a man had abundance of all worldly things yet a mans life consisteth not in that Luk. 12.15 c. The fourth reason may bee taken from the profession of a Christian or his state or relative calling or condition in this life First we are Christs spirituall souldiers Now men that goe to war intangle not ahemselves with the things of this life that they may please them that have chosen them to bee souldiers 2 Tim. 2.4 Secondly we are pilgrims and strangers in this life and therefore nothing should be more easie to us than to be weary of the present condition and to long to be at home Thus did the Patriarches Heb. 11.13 Thirdly in this life we are but poore cottagers that dwell in poore houses of clay and shall wee love to be here rather than in those eternall mansions 2. Cor. 5.1 Iob. 14.2 The fift reason may be taken from the sinnes of life Even sinne is a disease and a loathsome contagious one Now then see what life

is thou thy selfe hast innumerable sinnes and there is no man alive that sinneth not in the whole world now if every man have innumerable contagious diseases what a loathsome pest-house is this world to live in The thoughts of a man can reach to the depth and length of this argument but inconsideration buries all wholsome counsell motives But besides this respect of sinne a Christian findes from his owne sinnes if there were none else in the world great cause to be weary of life first because sinne argues the imperfection of his nature both in soule and body and so long as he is in this sinfull life he can never have a perfect nature now a a man that loves himselfe for this reason would never love life Rom. 7.23 Secondly because sinne is an offence to God now a child of God should therefore loath life because by sinning he doth injury to God his mercifull father and in the most holy Christians this argument hath extraordinary force The sixth reason may be taken from the crosses of life Hath not every day his griefe Is there any estate or degree of men free from them Are not those whom God loves corrected yea and perhaps more than other men Seriously thinke of what thou dost suffer in thy particular What diseases or infirmities are in thy body What unquietnesse and vexation doest thou suffer in the house where thou livest What crosses doe follow or feare thee in thy calling Yea doth not thy religion breed thee trouble If the reproaches and oppositions be considered of which godly men somtimes suffer we might say with the Apostle Of all men they are most miserable 1. Cor. 15.19 Paul saith he was a man crucified while he lived Gal. 2.20 and did alwaies in his body carry about the dying of the Lord Iesus 2. Cor. 4.10 Besides consider of the danger of what may come upon thee in life What if war come or the pestilence or sudden poverty that cannot be cured or fearefull diseases that will fill thee with horrible paine Nay what if thou shouldest fall into some shamefull fault Oh what were the misery would follow upon it The seaventh reason may bee taken from the extreame vanity of those things that seeme to be felicities in life all the things in life that with any colour of reason can be made objects of thy love are either the people of the world or the commodtties of the world Now for the first of these thou hast no reason to be in love with life for the people of the world with whom thou livest for 1 Amongst all the thousands of men and women thou seest in the world it may bee there is scarce one that loveth thee entirely scarce one from whom thou maiest enjoy delight or comfort They are poore things thou canst have from the rest whether they be neighbours or strangers More then thou givest thou shalt not receive unlesse it be in poore complements of salutations and ceremonies of life 2 If thou didst excell in the priviledge of being loved by friends kindred wife or children yet reckon how smal a portion of thy life is refreshed from them there is sometimes more delight in one poore dreame than will be had this way in a long time 3 Thinke of it what changes and losses thou doest or maiest suffer if there were any thing worthy thy love in friendship or acquaintance thy friends may be daily lost either by the change of their mindes from thee or by distance in habitation or by death and the pleasure is had by thy acquaintance is made not worth the having either by interruption or by discord and taking of offence or want of power or will to helpe when thou hast most need 4 Who would not hate life for this very reason which I now give Let a man consider by experience in all others how little the world cares for him If thou wert to dye what would the world care or almost any in the world let it bee thy wife children neighbours hearers dearest friends yea thy religious friends what would any of these care for thy death Looke not at their words but note it in their deeds How few will be sorry for thee or for how short a time and how soone wilt thou bee cleane forgotten or how poore a thing is the greatest memory any man hath when he is dead Doest thou live to heare this and yet wilt be so mad as to love life for the love thou bearest to any other 5 The evill thou sufferest from the world is greater than the good thou canst get by it thinke of the reproaches injuries oppositions contempts persecutions infections thou maiest finde from unreasonable men How many thousand would triumph over thy poore fame if thy feete doe but slippe Lastly the company thou shalt have of Angells and spirits of just men in another world should make thee loath all these things in this life whether thou respect number or power or dearnesse in friends even in such as must be companions of thy life and therefore for the company that is in the world thou hast no reason to love life The commodities of the world are lands houses money honour credit beauty pleasure and the like now men have no cause to be so in love with these if they consider 1 How small a portion they have of these If a man had won the whole world and the glorie of it yet it were not worth the having if he must lose his owne soule Nay if it were all had upon the best conditions yet it would not make a man truely happy and therefore much lesse these silly parcells of the world wee can attaine to Eccles. 1.3 2 These are all common things and that in two respects first there is nothing new now to be had which hath not been had heeretofore ordinarily What is now hath beene before and will be afterwards Thou canst enjoy no felicity of life that can be proper to thy selfe Eccles. 1.9 10. 3.15 And then further all these things a fool may enjoy as well as a wise man and a wicked man as well as a godly man A man shall never know love or hatred by these things for they fall alike to all sorts of men Eccles. 2.14 3 All things are full of labour who can utter it If men doe reckon the paines and care and unquietnesse and wearinesse they are put to about the getting or keeping or using of these things they would finde little cause to love them especially considering that unto the use of the most of these is required a daily labour with toile that men that possesse these things cannot possesse themselves they are so overburthened with the cares and labours of life Eccles. 1.8 4 If a man had never so much of these things yet they cannot satisfie him his soule will not bee filled with good The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing Hee that loveth silver shall

of this trusting in God Helpes to attaine this grace of trusting in God Rules to be observed in our right trusting in God Vid. 1. Tim. 5.5 Ier. 49.11 Note Doct. Godly women daughters of Sarah three waies What things marre a good action How we are said to do well Reasons why we ought alwayes to be doing well Causes of amazement in wives Why Husbands duties are noted in the last place Motives to perswade Husbands to be carefull of their duties What things cohabitation doth import Reasons why husbands ought thus to dwell with their wives In what cases it is lawfull for the husband to be absent Whether separation from bed and boord be lawfull Cases of Nullitie Concerning Divorce what rule is to be observed Excellency of divine knowledge in many respects Meanes to give power to our knowledge What this dwelling with knowledge imports How many waies husbands honour their wives In what things women are more frayle than men How godly men come to be heires Wherein the greatnesse and glory of our Adoption appeareth What kinde of persons we must be to attaine this Adoption Marks of Gods heyres and adopted children How Gods heirs must carry themsel●es Naturall life but a meane thing in divers respects Degrees of spirituall life The originall of this life It hath its originall from God three waies The nature of it consists in a saving knowledge or celestiall light Which knowledge must haue these properties and effects in it Divers things nourish this life This life differs from eternall life many waies 1 In respect of place 2 In respect of the meanes that preserve this life 3 In respect of the company 4 In respect of the quality of the life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life in each degree as to instance 1. For righteousnesse 2. for peace 3. for joy What men must doe to attaine this life A Christian hath many helpes to attain it Signes of this life are six Properties of this life are five What duties this doctrine should compell godly men to practise Grace manifold What is meant here by grace Two wayes considered What is excludes What it includes What priviledges follow on such as enjoy Gods grace Men transgresse against the grace of God many waies Godly men and women are heyres together many waies The excellency of prayer appeares in many respects From whence the sorts and difference of Prayer doth arise Prayer may be hindred seven waies in the bearing of it How it is interrupted in the making of it Five things of singular use to keepe us quiet in trouble Note For what reason we ought to be all of one minde Helpes unto unity of minde 2 Pet. 1. ult Aggravations against discord in opinion Many are the ill causes of dissenting In what things we may not be of one minde with the Church of Rome Wherein we expresse our compassion The motives or reasons to perswade us to it Who are brethren Reasons to perswade us to love as brethren With what kind of love we are to love the brethren Rules to be observed that brotherly love may continue Either such things we are to avoid Or such things wee are to pra●lise How to order ourselves towards our brethren in case of sinne against God or trespasse against us Three caveats to be looked unto in our loving of them What things bowells of compassion or mercy import When our bowels of mercy are right Motives to bee pittifull What things are comprehended under courtesie Divers kindes of blessing When wee blesse in deed Wherein particularly For what reasons a Christian should bee much affected with the consideration of his calling Reasons pro●ng the necessity of knowing our calling and assurance By what means a christian comes to know his calling Divert sorts of Christians Carnall Christians know not their calling and why Causes why many weake Christians know not their calling Note Godly men doe inherit blessings many waies 1. From men 2. From their owne consciences 3. From God and that divers waies In this life godly men have Gods blessing three waies What we must doe to get Gods blessing How godly men may grow in the comforts of Gods blessing Note Note For what reasons men ought to take off their affections from the love of this life In what respects the vanity of earthly things appeare Men have no reason to bee in love with earthly commodities and that for divers causes In what cases it may be lawfull for some persons to be in love with this life What such must doe to prolong their life What daies are evill in respect of wicked men Wherein godly mens daies are evill Great difference betweene the evill daies of wicked and godly men Evill daies common to wicked and godly men What are good daies in generall In particular there are divers sorts of good daies to the godly Mans life is short In what respect it is short Causes why most mens lives are so short Vses