Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	life_n	see_v	2,826	5	3.2572	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11603	Sermons experimentall: on Psalmes CXVI. & CXVII. Very vsefull for a vvounded spirit. By William Sclater D.D. sometimes rector of Limsham, and vicar of Pitmister, in Summerset-shire. Published by his son William Sclater Mr. of Arts, late fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge, now a priest, and preacher of the Gospel in the city of Exeter, in Devon-shire.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.; Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1638 (1638)	STC 21844; ESTC S116824	112,358	217

But because it is uncertain This rule walk by First Though simply if we compare state with state it is best to be with Christ for that is the end of our life there is perfection and consummation of holinesse there is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Yet secondly for thee whose service God hath use of on earth it is better to live on earth the yeers of Methuselah doing God service then to be whirried as Elias with chariots of Angels presently into heaven In heaven thou hast thine owne glory on earth thou promotest Gods glory and in the end findest a glorious reward proportioned to thy measures of doing service to God here upon earth What then may we say of them whom God hath taken away in the prime of their life as that peerlesse Iosiah amongst the posterity of David Answ What but what Saint Paul speaks of the Martyrs The world was not worthy of them that people unworthy of such a pearl a Prince so peerlesse as was Iosiah for now the Lord remembred the sinnes of Manasseh and the time of vengeance drew neer upon that rebellious and gainsaying people Secondly Or that God saw their weaknesse and some likelihood of their corruption therefore took them away by death as Henoch by transmutation Ne malitia mutaret intellectum Thirdly Or they had served their generation according to Gods will as is said of David Act. 13.36 therefore fell asleep or as our Saviour Had finished the work which God had assigned them to do and were therefore taken away unto glory Ioh. 17. they had finished their course and kept the faith and were now to receive their crown of their righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.7 8. And yet it is true while God gives ability and opportunity to do him service upon earth while he calls us to do him service upon earth while he hath use of our service of men upon earth it is his great blessing to reserve us to walk before him in the land of the living to be preferred in our choice before the hastening of our salvation and glory in the kingdome of heaven Blessed be thy glorious Name most glorious God Father Sonne and holy Ghost for all thy mercies for thy marvellous loving kindnesse shewen to me in a strange city in rescuing me from the gates of death and from the jaws of the grave in love delivering my soul from the pit of corruption preserving my life to walk before thee in the land of the living Lord God What shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits thou hast done unto me for this unspeakable mercy thou hast vouchsafed unto me It is little too little for so great a favour to praise thy power thy goodnesse thy grace thy mercy thy truth and my heart is too narrow to comprehend the heighth and depth of thy love to me in Christ Iesus even in this one favour vouchsafed unto me Lord enlarge my hea●t and ●ffectio●s fill it with love of thy Majestie zeal of thy glory Take up body and soul what ever I am or have to thine own use Behold Lord truly I am thy servant disi●ing to do thee service upon earth Lord accept my endeavours pardo● mine imperfections give more strength to perform Lord I am willing to do it yea my heart is ready Be pleased Lord to accept these calves of my lips this poor weak morning sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving which goeth not out of fained lips Lord thou knowest it accept it therefore for thy promise sake for thy mercy sake for the merits sake of sonne Iesus the Mediatour of all Grace and mercy to the sonnes of men To him with thee O Father of mercies O holy Spirit Comforter of the Church and chosen children be all honour and glory for this and all other thy mercies towards all Churches of thy Saints for ever and ever Amen That might here be annexed by all good means to cherish life that we may perform the service God expects from us Scripture points us to four causes or means of shortening life First Immoderate sorrow especially for things of this life Prov. 12.25 Heavinesse makes the heart sloope Prov. 15.13 By sorrow of heart the spirit is broken see 2 Cor. 7.10 Secondly Intemperance whether in diet or other luxurie which what tends it unto but the shortening of the dayes Plures gula quam gladias and it is that the Lord foretells to men given to the flesh Prov. 5.11 The flesh and bod● are consumed see Prov. 6.26 and 7.23 Thirdly To this adde those other grosse crimes for which God hath threatened untimely death the blood-thirsty and deceitfull live not out half their dayes either the sword of the Magistrate seizeth on them or else Gods immediate hand taketh them away as we see in Absalon Adonijah c. Fourthly immoderate pining of the body with immoderate fasting watching labour though never so religiously imployed see Col. 2.23 If we follow the second reading which perhaps is here implied it implies the promise or vow of David in thankfulnesse unto God for his marvellous deliverance vouchsafed unto him Wherein are three things considerable First The act Secondly The manner Thirdly The mean First The act is to walk or to serve God Secondly The manner in sincerity Thirdly The meane implyed in the Trope Before him But so see we the generall fruit of all Gods gracious deliverances vouchsafed us the duty we owe him in liew thereof that is to do him service in that rank or station whatsoever it is God hath placed us in so Zacharie speaking of the end of that great deliverance from spirituall enemie it is to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1.74 75. and Psal 50.15 23. hence Davids acknowledgement and protestation Psal 116.16 17 18. To fill up the meaning that must be weighed That the Lord expects in respect of speciall favours speciall service increase of our measures according to the measures of our abilities Ye must understand that there is upon all a generall obligation and duty of service that they owe unto God arising from benefits they enjoy in common with others as Creation Providence Redemption Word c. which bond yet by speciall favours grows more strait especially when they grow towards personall and we become after a sort proprietaries in them for example Israel had a bond of service as heathen from Creation and Providence but much more for the specialty of Gods favour in their deliverance from Aegypt wherefore that is prefixed as a reason of obedience to the Decalogue Exod. 20.2 in shewing his word unto Iacob his statutes and ordinances unto Israel so is the bond yet more increased Psal 147.20 Levi had yet more then Israel God had singled them out of all the Tribes of Israel to minister before him Num. 16.9 therefore he looked to be sanctified by them especially Levit. 10.3 wherefore see this a circumstance of aggravation upon Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.25 that he rendred not unto

God Thirdly Quia bonus in se because he is good in himself and in his own nature most amiable Fourthly When neither our selves nor ought that is ours is loved but Propter Deum so farre as it hath reference to the glory of God not life not * Rom. 9.3 and Exod. 32.32 salvation it self this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amoris Divini and they must be as Saint Paul and Moses extraordinary servants of God who aspire to this measure But the question is of the second of these degrees mentioned and surely if we look to the state of the world this we shall finde that either the favours of God move not because they are not apprehended as his favours but rather as things that betide them by course of nature or fortune or if they work any way it is in Pejus making them the more to * Rom. 2.4 and Iud. ver 4. despise God But if the question be De possibili what nature elevated above it self by grace may ascend unto the solution is more difficult First Nature it self may be directed that there is Debitum that they owe as a Debt love to God for his favours therefore we see Barbarians much affected at Pauls speech Act. 14.17 18. Secondly We read of sundry testimonies of thankfulnesse amongst Heathens after good things received as victory health c. To Apollo who howsoever they erred touching God yet in universality they erred not they meant it to that Numen that they thought Authour of their good successe and surely we cannot be too nice and curious in examining our gracious estate in this particular for it is marvellous difficult to distinguish betwixt the lowest degree of grace and the highest of nature especially in gifts that are made Distinctive and Characteristicall we shall finde the Devill cunning in counterfeiting I am perswaded there is many a Christian thorowly perswaded of his faith and love towards God who yet erres in his perswasion that is an excellent evidence that Salomon give us Cant. 8.7 When many waters cannot quench it no opposition stint it c. But fourthly Is the question of spirituall blessings and of the true God Surely the naturall man hath no rellish of them to wit so far as they are * 1 Cor 2.14 spirituall but as they tend to winne him reputation or honour c. amongst men as Simon * Act. 8.18.19 Magus or as the Persians became * Hest 8.17 see Psal 4.6 Jews or else secondly onely whiles they enjoy the blessings temporall which they prize the onely blessings of God therefore let the Lord turn the course of outward things its true of them what the Devill slanderously imputed to Iob they are ready to * Iob 1.11 curse him at his face see Mal. 3.14 Mat. 13.21 But shew me the man amongst the many millions of naturalists of Iobs minde Cap. 1.21 and 2.10 as Heb. 10.34 as Apostles Act. 5.41 or but as David to see and feelingly to acknowledge a goodnesse in affliction Psal 119.68 71. Because he hath heard my voice and my supplications that is the voice of my supplications Quest What great matter of love is this for doth not the Lord hear the prayers also of wicked men and grant their petitions Psal 78.34 35. Neh. 9.27 What should hinder us to say Answ the Lord hears the prayers grants the requests of wicked men Why not as well as respect the repentance of * 1 Kings 21.29 Ahab so farre as to grant respit of the evill First It is in temporall things onely which come * Eccles. 9.1 alike to all but do they pray pardon of sinnes salvation of souls Then see Mat. 7.22 23. Mat. 25.11 12. Pro. 1.28 Secondly It cannot be denyed but that God in his love and approbation of things that are good in their kinde though evill by accident in the doers grants some such rewards to evill men It s Austins opinion that the Lord therefore prospered the Romans during their strict observance of temperance justice and such like morall vertues gave them amplitude of Dominion the just Lord loveth righteousnesse yea so loves it that he rewards the shadow of it as in Achab. Thirdly this would be weighed that the Lord is ever * Psal 111.5 mindfull of his covenant and for it made with the fathers sometimes doth good to the children see Neh. 9. Fourthy Amongst the congregations of wicked men in the Church especially are some who intreat for the sinnes of the people David tells of Moses standing in the gap our Saviour Lu. 13.8 Fiftly It is for his own Names sake Deut. 32.26 27. Exod. 32.12 13 14. Quest How then and in what respect is it true that it is a speciall favour of God to hear the prayers of his Saints Answ First So generally in all things that they call upon him for Deut. 4.7 Secondly To gratifie them and to be inclined by their prayers to grant so God hears not the wickeds prayers but onely the prayers of his Saints Others First For generall mercy they are his creatures Secondly His Church to whom promises many are made Thirdly To prevent blasphemy c. Object What say we to those places Isa 1.15 Ioh. 9.31 Pro. 15.8 in which the like places it is said That God wil not hear the prayers of the wicked They are to be understood First Of some exorbitants amongst sinners Answ as * Gen. 13.13 Sodomites Secondly Or of their prayers in * Prov. 1.26 27 28. extremity Thirdly Or of the blessings which concerne life and * 2 Pet. 3.3 4. godlinesse But what when yeelded a common blessing Is therein no cause of love see Mat. 5.45 and Act. 14.17 But therefore is Davids heart inflamed to the love of God Vse because he had heard his prayers Oh that there were such hearts in us How many praiers of ours hath the Lord heard We have prayed for the continuance of the Gospel yet it continues removall of the Plague in part he hath heard us mitigating the extremity of it that should follow God grant it may Therefore our love of God is more increased my meaning is We are First more carefull to please him Secondly More fearfull to offend him Thirdly More zealous for his glory Fourthly More fill our mouthes with his praise Fiftly And make straiter steps to our feet or else how shall we be able to say that we now fear not some greater evill that way or shall betide us Ioh. 5.14 else how shall we be able to say the Lord in favour of us hath heard our prayers With me this goes for a rule to judge whether God in mercy grant me things I pray for doth it tend to my spirituall good advancing Gods grace in my heart Then say I God in mercy and of speciall favour hath heard my prayers But am I the worse for what I obtain or not the better how do I fear lest the Lord hath heard me

as * Psal 106.15 Israelites desiring flesh when leannesse was withall sent into their souls There are three things that hinder such motions of love to our God First That many scarcely acknowledge any work of providence in swaying these outward things supposing all guided by nature or fortune Secondly That we look not through second causes to the chief and principall sender whose but instruments these are Hab. 1.16 17. And we in part the like as if the vigour of the disease because of Nature stayed or as if the cold of the time were the onely cause of mitigation whereas if we would speak or think as Christians we should see God in the means Thirdly The proud opinion of merit if any thing in the world overthrows it I shall never beleeve any Merit-monger doth or can think himself beholding to God for any his favours bestowed on him for while he thinks he hath obliged God unto him by his devotion how doth he not rather think God ows him thanks rather then himself any way indebted unto him But that our hearts may the better be stirred up to the Duty Consider we First our no-merits our Merita malae yea how stained the very prayers we made were with manifold blemishes as doubtings of obtaining coldnesse of affection c. Secondly See misery of the want Thirdly Preferment God hath given thee in it Fourthly The sweetnesse in enjoyment passeth all treasures Cant. 8.8 The whole substance given for love would be contemned surely it is something that * Numb 22.18 Balaam said if Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord yet said the Apostle of him he * 2 Pet. 2.15 loved the wages of unrighteousnesse and ran greedily after the * Iud. ver 11. reward power of providence restrained but when Will restrains and we so highly prize Gods favour that for no thing never so precious we will adventure his offence this is supernaturall Lastly All things work together for the good of them that * Rom. 8.28 love God VERSE II. Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live THis Verse containeth another part of that fruit that the mercy of God brought forth in him A Vow of limiting his Devotions to God wherein are two things observable First The matter of it Secondly The incentive or motive In the first take notice of the thing resolved of Invocation of Gods name Secondly The time In diebus meis in my dayes as the Hebrew bears it or as it is rendred in our last best Translation As long as I live Secondly The motive is because he hath inclined his ear unto me Because he hath inclined his ear Take heed ye here conceive nothing grosly of the Godhead as if he had any such fleshly or bodily member as eye or ear c. God is a * Ioh. 4.24 Spirit a substance * Luke 24.39 incorporall immateriall but as David teacheth to interpret hereby he signifies not the instrument but the faculty and ability to do what by these bodily organs we perform Psal 94.9 The inclining of the ear signifies the bending of our best attention to take notice of what is spoken for such gesture we use when we desire thorowly to understand what is said to us see Psal 45.10 Pro. 22.17 Psal 86.1 it is that with Psal 130.2 he calls attentivenesse of the ear yet withall somewhat else is imported namely the Lords demitting and humbling himself so low as to take notice of his petitions Prov. 22.17 and Ier. 7.26 and 25.4 Pro. 5.13 As if he had said Sith the Lord hath pleased so low to demit humble himself as to attend to my prayer therefore c. And certainly it is a matter of marvell as to me it seemes that the great God of heaven and earth should stoop so low as to regard the prayers of the sonnes of men so every where it is accounted by Saints and they are a little astonished at the wonderfulnesse of it so David * Psal 103.5.6 who is like the Lord our God who dwelleth on high and yet humbleth himself to behold the things in heaven and earth And observe Davids stile of this mercy of God to men expressing ever matter of wonder as Psal 107.6 8. and 19.21 and 28.31 compare Psal 102.17 18 19 20. and 17.6 7. shew thy marvellous loving kindnesse Ps 31.21 22. he hath shewed me his marvellous loving kingdnesse because he heard the voice of my supplications And certainly if ye please to compare the greatnesse of Gods Majestie First with the infirmity of man in his best estate Secondly With his quality as it is now depraved Thirdly Considering the quality of our prayers Fourthly The preferment we have in it above Angels ye will see in it mercy no lesse then marvellous See Salomon admiring it 1 Kings 8.27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth Vox admirantis non dubitantis behold Heaven of heavens cannot contain thee yet wilt thou here manifest thy presence by hearing prayers What is * Psal 8.4 and 1 Chron. 29.14 man and who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer c. confer v. 12. but consider him as depraved the wonder grows yet more marvellous as it is amplified Ps 107.6 8 19 21. that the Lord should humble himself so low as to hear prayers of sinfull man provoking him daily with his sins And what prayers full of doubtings wanderings coldnesse of affection c. and see our preferment First Above Angels as Heb. 2.14 for hither also may that amplification be referred Secondly To other men not of the Church Deut. 4.7 what nation so great to whom God comes so nigh as the Lord our God to us in all that we call unto him for Do we enquire reason of it None can be given save this onely Deut. 10.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.4 the love of God to man and there is no marvell if that love of God to man amongst all Gods loves hath its speciall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. are not read but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his specialty of favour is this Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse Vse and declare the wonders that he doth for the sonnes of Adam How can we amplifie the kindnesse of great men of Kings as * Hest 5.11.12 Haman nay if it be a farre meaner man a Basket-justice or a petty Gentleman that vouchsafeth us a greeting or grants a request how pride we our selves in it How do we never satisfie our selves in praising their courtesie their affability their humility And yet they do but duty are men of our own mould subject to * Iam. 5.17 like passions as we Oh that there were such hearts in us towards our God who is so ready to hear us that King of kings and

afflictions work upon gracious dispositions even to the disturbance of the tranquillity of the soul It is little Paul saith Heb. 12.11 no affliction joyous therefore addes it is grievous Psal 42.5 11. and 43.5 we read of dejecting the soul of tumults in his soul Psal 6.3 of vexation and Psal 38.8 he roared for the very disquietnesse of his heart And you may observe the same to issue out of foure causes usually First Violent Passions whether grief or fear or wrath c. when they grow immoderate towards violent what a cumbustion fill they the whole man withall Iam. 4.1 See envious grief and desire of revenge in Haeman what disquiet it worketh Hest 5.13 and 6.12 So Ahabs covetousnesse 1 Kings 21.4 Secondly Conflict First Twixt sanctified reason and appetite when reason perswades one way affection draws another and each strives for victory Secondly Twixt rectified conscience and affection when affection would carry to evill and conscience would restrain from evill Thirdly Twixt corruption and grace Rom. 7.23 the law of the members rebelling against the law of the minde Thirdly Guiltinesse as Psal 32. and 38. and 51. This is piercing above measure Psal 38.3 4. I mean when either new sinnes are unrepented of and for which we have not yet received assurance of pardon into the conscience c. or when the Lord presents to the soul old sinnes without manifestation of favour in the pardon of them as Iob 13.26 Who can expresse the terrour of that unrest the soul is then possessed withall Fourthly Apprehension whether true or fained it matters not to the disquiet of the soul It was a false apprehension of Iob 13.24 that God counted him as an enemy he meant his good as his triall his humiliation his justifying against all the slanderous imputations of Satan Yet how perplexed is that holy soul False that of David that God had * Psal 77.8 9. forgotten to be gracious or had shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure yet is he troubled overwhelmed breaks sleep yea is astonished Psal 77.3 4. But is the apprehension true then no marvell if the soul can finde no rest It was true that God had taken from him the joy of his salvation Psal 51. inhibited lively operation of his sanctifyng spirit Psal 32 c. Here if he roar for the disquietnesse of his heart who marvells Who I mean that ever tasted how gracious the Lord is Vse 1 Take heed how ye censure lest ye mis-censure those to whom these things betide What if through passion or conflict or consciousnesse of evill or apprehension of wrath they finde for present happily no rest in their souls What when through sinfull infirmity they bewray impatience murmuring c. Therefore are they none of Gods Et quidni Davidem Jobum Jeremiam quicquid sol unquam vidit renatissimum ex renatorum albo expungimus Then condemn we the whole generation of the just Pity compassionate comfort such perplexities for either thou mayest in like sort be * Gal. 6.1 tempted thou art yet in the * Heb. 13.3 body Hodie mihi cras tibi and God is often moved to * Pro. 24.18 turn his hand from them to thee that he may teach thee more compassion and Iobs friends for this fault are sharply rebuked Iob 38.2 and sacrifices expiatory for that sinne prescribed Iob 42.7 8. Flatter not thy self by mis-understanding the Vse 2 promise as if without interruptions the performance were intended Mercy and peace shall be upon them that walk after the rule Gal. 6.16 But think you without interruption Where is that promise Hath not God reserved to himself power to chasten to try to prevent c. Though favour be not lost yet sense is often interrupted and though God never hate Ioh. 13.1 yet is oft angry with his dearest servants c. Beware how we provoke the Lord to remove Vse 3 from us this blessednesse of our soul or through our own indiscretion interrupt or disturb the rest of our souls the happinesse of a Christian upon earth stands in it Occasions of the souls disquietnesse I will minde you of the occasions how Gods own servants have fallen into it First Giving liberty to their reason to exact Gods justice and to quarrell the unequall distribution of the good things of this life see Psal 37. and 73. Ier. 12. Hab. 1.13 c. Thus curb it First He is an absolute Lord Matth. 20. Secondly Yeeld that there must be difference betwixt him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Must this difference needs be in outward things Eccles 9.1 Sufficeth it not that we have our preferment in spirituall blessings Ephes 1.3 And is he bound presently to manifest it see Mal. 3.18 Secondly Our over-prizing some speciall blessings and too much contentment found in them I finde many have faulted in that kinde Abraham in Ishmael Iacob in Ioseph David in Absalon None but God hath chastened read the stories Thirdly But above all beware of presumptuous sins sins against conscience committed out of perswasion of the graciousnesse and mercy of God Doth thy experience of Gods favour the pledges of his love encourage thee to evill Trust me no more if thou loose not till thy repentance renewed that former fervour thou hast tasted in his grace and so pierce thy selfe thorow with perplexed sorrows see David Psal 51. And so is the Effect of Davids Pressures Follows now the check David gives his soul for such causlesse disquiet Return unto thy rest O my soul Enjoy thy old tranquillity solace thy self in God so doth grace check its own passions the storm of violence once overblown especially for what disturbance riseth from outward pressures see Psal 42.5 ●1 and Psal 43.5 and Psa 77.10 It is mine infirmity and Psal 73.22 he be-fools be-sots be-beasts himself for it What a fool What an ignaro What a beast am I to be thus vexed and disquieted for what Gods provident hand disposeth And weigh it well ye shall see reasons enough of controuling our selves in this behalfe that we suffer either passion or mis-apprehension to rob us of so great a benefit as is the quiet of the soul First Where have we learnt to equall to over-value any outward blessing to the peace of the soul which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 Secondly Where to advantage the devill against us to work upon our passions till perhaps we be swallowed up of sorrow 2 Cor. 7 11. We are not ignorant saith Paul of Satans wiles Thirdly Is it just with God to afflict us Have we sinned against him Why then do we not willingly bear his wrath Mic. 7.9 Fourthly Have we forgotten the consolation that God offers himself unto us as unto children Heb. 12.5 His promise that he will do us good for this evill 2 Sam. 16. and in the issue make us partakers of the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Heb. 12.11 Bear we not our selves in these unavoidable passions which