Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	ghost_n	holy_a	spirit_n	3,926	5	5.5026	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85370	The discoverie of a publique spirit: presented in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons at Margarets Westminster, at their publique fast, March 26. 1645. / By William Goode B.D. pastor of Denton in Norfolk, on of the Assembly of Divines.	Goode, William, b. 1599 or 1600.	1645 (1645)	Wing G1093; Thomason E279_4; ESTC R200027	24,847	37

greatest Monarch in the earth yet when he heard of the desolations of his brethren in the land of Judah sat down wept and fasted prayed certain daies unto God for their deliverance This may speak much comfort unto those that mourned twenty yeers ago for the removall of Germanies calamities but they that never brought water to quench the flames of Christendom till the fire broke out in their own houses may question whether the common cause or their own private interest is the great wheel of their motion Terentius that was Captain of the Guard to Adrian the Emperour gave a remarkable testimony of a publique spirit who putting up a petition to the Emperour that the Orthodox Christians might have a Temple by themselves to worship God in apart from the Arrians the Emperour tore his petition and threw it down and bade him ask somthing for himself and it should be granted but he modestly gathered up the pieces of his petition again and told him If he could not be heard in Gods cause he would never make any request for himself Fourthly this is a signe of a publique spirit when in all our our undertakings we act by the rule of Gods word and that onely equally and fully First Onely when we labour the advancement of the Church or Common-wealth onely in wayes approved by God Peace to as many as walke according to this rule Gal. 6. 16. Thou shalt not doe evill that good may come thereof is a Rule that holds in all actions whatsoever ayming at a right end and using of lawfull meanes are never to be separated in any undertaking Gods glory can never be intended sincerely in that action which is carried on by sinfull meanes though it seem never so much to hold out the advancement or benefit of the Church or Common-wealth First because God is more dishonoured by the commission of one sin then the greatest sufferings of the creature Secondly because the use of sinfull meanes to effect Gods worke is plainly to deny Gods attributes his infinite power wisedome goodnes and faithfulnes as if he were not able in his own way to bring his own ends to passe It was a good worke which Asa did when he endeavoured the defence of his kingdom against the enemies thereof yet because hee called in unlawfull help God tells him he had done foolishy intimated that his heart was not perfect and said that from thenceforth he should have warres 2 Chro. 16. 9. Jeroboam made a more easie and a more cheap religion then God appointed to establish his new erected kingdom but it was because he sought his own honour and not Gods 1 Kings 12. 28. to 31. Secondly as publique spirits act only so likewise equally universally by Gods rule They make conscience of doing one thing as well as another even every thing within the compasse of their calling and abilities that tendeth to the advancement of the Publique Artaxerxes was convinced that Gods work must be throughly done when he gave that command to his Treasurers Ezra 7. 23. whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven for why should there bee wrath against the Realme of the King and his sons Sincere reformers of the Church will not leave the work untill every thing in religion is refined and established according to the patterne Every duty God commands hath the stamp of his glory upon it and he that doth one duty for Gods glory sake will do all that God cals him to If one part of the body sweat and the rest be cold it is a Symptome of unsoundnes as Physicians say To be zealous in one particular of Gods wayes and worship and not in all is a certain signe of an unsound heart The Prophet Ieremy saith of the Israelites Ier. 32. 23. They had done nothing of all that God commanded them to doe Now it is evident they did hear Gods word kept their Fasts offered Sacrifices and many other things but God valueth these as nothing because they did not all things he commanded their partialitie did manifest those things which they did to be done with hypocriticall spirits Iehu his heart was not right and this is given as the reason of it He was very zealous to destroy the posterity of Ahab and the worship of Baal yet he kept up the Calves at Dan and Bethel 2 Kings 10. 29. Saul his heart was not right because his execution of justice wanted its due Latitude when he spared Agag and the chiefe of the spoyle It is a signe of uprightnes in matters of justice when the direction of the Prophet Amos is perfectly observed Amos 5. 24. Let iudgement runne downe like waters and iustice as a mighty streame First let judgement be like water which is pure and cleansing lawes must be good such as may cleanse away all the oppressions of a land Secondly justice the execution of these lawes must be like a mighty streame which admits of no stop in the course of it it must extend to all and neither feare nor favour nor cousin nor brother nor bribe make any diversion of it Thirdly publique spirits act by Gods rule fully that is they come up to the rule in the height of their courage and self-deniall for God They undertake and go thorow with that they are called to notwithstanding any hazards or dangers in the way When S. Paul was called to be the Apostle of the Gentiles to preach Christ unto them he objected not the persecutions he might expect but presently went about his worke without any carnall reasonings against it saying I conferred not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16. This is the Character the holy Ghost sets upon Caleb Numb. 14. 24. And he followed God fully he was a man of another spirit that is a right publike spirit that obeyed every command of God and carried on his cause with any perill to himself the strong walls and the great Anakims in the land of Canaan could not deter him from making war against them when God called his people to this service Those that come up to Gods rule must be willing to sacrifice their dearest worldly comforts for Gods honour A publique spirit will teach us to set light by our ease our wealth our honour our friends our life to manifest our love to God in great undertakings for his glory When there was no other way of deliverance visible for Gods people but for Hester to lay her life at the stake yet she forthwith resolveth to make an adventure saying onely If I perish I perish Hest. 4. 16. Vriah would not own his family comforts or take his ease at home while Ioab and the Arke of God was in the field where he might doe better service though it was with the perill of his life By these examples wee may see what it is to come up to Gods rule fully in publique service I have now in some measure withdrawne