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	nature_n	sin_n	2,557	5	4.8490	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36061	A directory for the publique worship of God, throughout the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland together with an ordinance of Parliament for the taking away of the Book of common-prayer, ... die Jovis, 13. Martii, 1644 / ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that this ordinance and directory bee forthwith printed and published.	England and Wales. Parliament. Ordinance of Parliament for the taking away of the Book of common prayer.; Westminster Assembly (1643-1652)	1644 (1644)	Wing D1545; ESTC R210506	26,872	96

all marriage cares and troubles sanctifying Gods name in a thankefull sober and holy use of all Conjugall comforts praying much with and for one another watching over and provoking each other to love and good works and to live together as the heires of the Grace of life After solemn charging of the persons to be married before the Great God who searcheth all hearts and to whom they must give a strict account at the last Day that if either of them know any cause by praecontract or otherwise why they may not lawfully proceed to marriage that they now discover it The Minister if no impediment be acknowledged shall cause first the man to take the woman by the right hand saying these words I N. doe take thee N. to be my married wife and doe in the presence of God and before this Congregation promise and covenant to be a loving and faithfull husband unto thee untill God shall separate us by death Then the woman shall take the man by his right hand and say these words I N. doe take thee N. to be my maried husband and I doe in the presence of God and before this Congregation promise and covenant to be a loving faithfull and obedient wife unto thee untill God shall separate us by death Then without any further Ceremony the Minister shall in the face of the Congregation pronounce them to be husband and wife according to Gods Ordinance and so conclude the action with Prayer to this effect That the Lord would be pleased to accompany his own Ordinance with his blessing beseeching him to enrich the persons now married as with other pledges of his love so particularly with the comforts and fruits of marriage to the praise of his abundant mercy in and through Christ Jesus A Register is to be carefully kept wherein the names of the parties so married with the time of their marriage are forthwith to be fairly recorded in a Book provided for that purpose for the perusall of all whom it may concern Concerning Visitation of the Sicke IT is the duty of the Minister not onely to teach the People committed to his charge in publique but privatly particularly to admonish exhort reproove cōfort them upon all seasonable occasions so far as his time strength and personall safety will permit He is to admonish them in time of health to prepare for death and for that purpose they are often to confer with their Minister about the estate of their souls and in times of sicknesse to desire his advice and help timely and s●…bly before their strength and under●…ing 〈◊〉 them Times of Sicknesse and affliction are speciall opportunities put into his hand by God to minister a word in season to weary souls because then the Consciences of men are or should be more awakened to bethink themselves of their Spirituall estates for Eternity and Satan also takes advantage then to load them more with sore and heavy temptations Therefore the Minister being sent for and repairing to the sick is to apply himself with all tendernesse and love to administer some Spirituall good to his soul to this effect He may from the consideration of the present sicknesse instruct him out of Scripture that diseases come not by chance or by distempers of body only but by the wise and orderly guidance of the good hand of God to every particular person smitten by them And that whether it be laid upon him out of displeasure for sin for his correction and amendment or for Triall and exercise of his graces or for other speciall and excellent ends all his suffrings shall turn to his profit and work together for his good if he sincerely labour to make a sanctified use of Gods Visitation neither despising his chastening nor waxing weary of his correction If he suspect him of ignorance he shall examine him in the Principles of Religion especially touching Repentance and Faith and as he seeth cause instruct him in the nature use excellency and necessity of those graces as also touching the Covenant of Grace and Christ the Son of God the Mediator of it and concerning Remission of sins by faith in him He shall exhort the sick person to examine himself to search and try his former wayes and his estate towards God And if the sick person shall declare any scruple doubt or temptation th●… are upon him instructions and resolutions shall be given to satisfie and settle him If it appear that he hath not a due sen●e of his sins endeavours ought to be used to convince him of his sins of the guilt and deser● of them of the filth and pollution which the soul contracts by them and of the curse of the Law and wrath of God due to them that he may be truly affected with and humbled for them and withall to make known the danger of deferring Repentance and of neglecting salvation at any time offered to awaken his Conscience and rowze him out of a stupid and secure condition to apprehend the Justice and wrath of God before whom none can stand but he that being lost in himself layeth hold upon Christ by Faith If he have endeavoured to walk in the wayes of holinesse and to serve God in uprightnesse although not without many failings and infirmities or if his spirit be broken with the sense of sin or cast down through want of the sence of Gods favour then it will be fit to raise him up by setting before him the freeness and fulness of Gods grace the sufficiency of righteousnesse in Christ the gracious offers in the Gospel that all who repent and believe with all their heart in Gods mercy through Christ renouncing their own righteousnes shall have life and salvation in him It may be also usefull to shew him that death hath in it no Spirituall evill to be feared by those that are in Christ because sin the sting of death is taken away by Christ who hath delivered all that are his from the bondage of the fear of death triumphed over the grave given us victory is Himself entred into glory to prepare a place for His people So that neither life nor death shall be able to seperate them from Gods love in Christ in whom such are sure though 〈◊〉 they must be laid in the dust to ob●… 〈…〉 ●…rection to 〈…〉 Advice also may be given as to beware of an ill grounded perswasion on mercy or on the goodnesse of his condition for heaven so to disclaime all merit in himself and to cast himself wholly upon God for mercy in the sole Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ who hath engaged himself never to cast off them who in truth and sincerity come unto him Care also must be taken that the sick person be not cast down into dispaire by such a severe representation of the wrath of God due to him for his sins as is not mollified by a seasonable propounding of Christ and his merit for a door of hope to every penitent Believer

The parallel places of Scripture confirming the Doctrine are rather to bee plaine and pertinent then many and if need bee somewhat insisted upon and applyed to the purpose in hand The Arguments or Reasons are to bee solid and as much as may bee convincing The illustrations of what kind soever ought to bee full of light and such as may convey the truth into the Hearers heart with spirituall delight If any Doubt obvious from Scripture Reason or Prejudice of the Hearers seem to arise it is very requisite to remove it by reconciling the seeming differences answering the reasons and discovering and taking away the causes of prejudice and mistake Otherwise it is not fit to detain the hearers with propounding or answering vaine or wicked Cavils which as they are endlesse so the propounding and answering of them doth more hinder then promote edification Hee is not to rest in generall Doctrine although never so much cleared and confirmed but to bring it home to speciall Use by application to his hearers Which albeit it prove a worke of great difficulty to himselfe requiring much prudence zeale and meditation and to the naturall and corrupt man will bee very unpleasant yet hee is to endeavour to perform it in such a manner that his Auditors may feele the Word of God to bee quick and powerfull and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and that if any unbeleever or ignorant person bee present hee may have the secrets of his heart made manifest and give glory to God In the Use of Instruction or information in the knowledge of some truth which is a consequence from his Doctrine he may when convenient confirm it by a few firm Arguments from the Text in hand and other places of Scripture or from the nature of that Common place in Divinity whereof that truth is a branch In Confutation of false Doctrines he is neither to raise an old Heresie from the grave nor to mention a blasphemous opinion unnecessarily but if the people be indanger of an Errour he is to confute it soundly and endeavour to satisfie their judgements and consciences against all objections In Exhorting to Duties he is as he seeth cause to teach also the meanes that helpe to the performance of them In Dehortation Reprehension and publique Admonition which require speciall wisedome let him as there shall be cause not only discover the nature and greatnesse of the sin with the misery attending it but also shew the danger his hearers are in to be overtaken and surprized by it together with the Remedies and best way to avoyd it In applying Comfort whether generall against all tentations or particular against some speciall troubles or terrours he is carefully to answer such objections as a troubled heart and afflicted spirit may suggest to the contrary It is also sometimes requisite to give some Notes of tryall which is very profitable especially when performed by able and experienced Ministers with circumspection and prudence and the Signes cleerely grounded on the holy Scripture whereby the Hearers may be able to examine themselves whether they have attained those Graces and performed those duties to which he Exhorteth or be guilty of the sin Reprehended and in danger of the Judgements Threatned or are such to whom the Consolations propounded doe belong that accordingly they may be quickned and excited to Duty humbled for their Wants and Sins affected with their Danger and strengthned with Comfort as their condition upon examination shall require And as he needeth not alwayes to prosecute every Doctrine which lies in his Text so is he wisely to make choice of such Vses as by his residence and conversing with his flock he findeth most needfull and seasonable and amongst these such as may most draw their soules to Christ the fountaine of light holinesse and comfort This Method is not prescribed as necessary for every man or upon every Text but only recommended as being found by experience to be very much blessed of God and very helpfull for the peoples understandings and memories But the Servant of Christ what ever his Method be is to performe his whole Ministery 1. Painfully not doing the work of the Lord negligently 2. Plainly that the meanest may understand delivering the truth not in the entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power least the Crosse of Christ should be made of none effect abstaining also from an unprofitable use of unknowne Tongues strange phrases and cadences of founds and words sparingly citing sentences of Ecclesiasticall or other humane Writers ancient or moderne be they never so elegant 3. Faithfully looking at the honour of Christ the conversion edification and salvation of the people not at his own gaine or glory keeping nothing back which may promote those holy ends giving to every one his own portion and bearing indifferent respect unto all without neglecting the meanest or sparing the greatest in their sins 4. Wisely framing all his Doctrines Exhortations and especially his Reproofs in such a manner as may be most likely to prevaile shewing all due respect to each mans person and place and not mixing his own passion or bitternesse 5. Gravely as becometh the Word of God shunning all such gesture voice and expressions as may occasion the corruptions of men to despise him and his Ministry 6. With loving affection that the people may see all coming from his godly zeale and hearty desire to doe them good And 7. As taught of God and perswaded in his own heart that all that he teacheth is the truth of Christ and walking before his flock as an example to them in it earnestly both in private and publique recommending his labours to the blessing of God and watchfully looking to himselfe and the flock whereof the Lord hath made him overseer So shall the Doctrine of truth be preserved uncorrupt many soules converted and built up and himselfe receive manifold comforts of his labours even in this life and afterward the Crown of Glory laid up for him in the world to come Where there are more Ministers in a Congregation than one and they of different guifts each may more especially apply himselfe to Doctrine or Exhortation according to the guift wherein he most excelleth and as they shall agree between themselves Of Prayer after the Sermon THe Sermon being ended the Minister is To give thanks for the great Love of God in sending his Sonne Jesus Christ unto us For the communication of his Holy Spirit For the light and liberty of the glorious Gospell and the rich and heavenly Blessings revealed therein as namely Election Vocation Adoption Justification Sanctification and hope of Glory For the admirable goodnesse of God in freeing the Land from Antichristian Darknesse and Tyranny and for all other Nationall Deliverances For the Reformation of Religion For the Covenant and for many temporall blessings To pray for the continuance of the Gospell and all Ordinances thereof in their purity power