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	suffer_v	suffering_n	2,047	5	9.4271	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13014	A forme of wholsome words, or, An introduction to the body of divinity in three sermons on 2 Timothy, I.13 / preached by John Stoughton ...	Stoughton, John, 1593-1639.; Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.	1640 (1640)	STC 23307.5; STC 23307A_PARTIAL; ESTC S100140	52,852	122

ground but to perpetuate it and carry it to another generation it is a thing that much commends it is a very great shame when it is not so and a very sweet thing when it is so But all this were nothing if he were descended from a Godly family and himself not so therefore the Apostle commends him to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. of sincere faith of which he was perswaded not only in respect of his relation to the religious family of which he was but for the grace which was in himselfe being assured that it dwelled in him also which is the second circumstance it was a great love and a well grounded love It was a continuing or rather a growing love and therefore the Apostle infers upon this thing this very love of his towards Timothy was the ground of his writing to him and therefore what ever came from him now it arised from his love and was a fruit of it and therefore might make it more welcome and acceptable to him and considerable by him to whom it was written and in that particular is expressed 1. The whole scope of Paul in this Epistle and the sume of it wrote to him for this purpose out of his love knowing his Godlinesse piety he takes occasion to build him up and incourage him more and more in it and therefore to put him in remembrance that he stir up the gift of God that was in him verse 6 2. The reason of it in the 7 v. because that he had not received the Spirit of fear but the spirit of love power It was given him for that purpose to stirre it up God bestowes no grace upon any that it should lye onely sleeping in the ashes that he should suffer it to be stifled but all graces are given as tallents to be imployed and set aworke for our Masters advantage But I feare this is a little to farre off and therefore I passe it Thus farre we have the entrance into the Epistle wherein the Apostle Paul layeth his foundation of his discourse upon his love to make all that ever he should write to be more effectuall with Timothy that it might work more upon him 2. The rest now is the continuation of the materiall passages of the Epistle and I will go no further in it then it reacheth in this chapter and in it the remainder of it hath these two things done by the Apostle 1. We have first of all a double admonition given to Timothy 2. A double provocation for the receiving and practising of this admonition There is a double admonition 1. A Negative Admonition 2. An Affirmative Admonition The Negative Admonition is expressed in the 8 verse and there be some particulars in the Admonition it self besides the prosecution which I will but touch The sum of the Admonition lieth in two things 1. That Timothy should not be ashamed either of the testimony of the Lord the witnesse bearing to the truth of the Gospel nor of Paul that was a prisoner for this the bands of Paul should not make Timothy to blush or be ashamed but rather that he should compose himself and not be unwilling to suffer with Paul and suffer with the Gospel yea to share with him in his sufferings That is the sum of the Admonition and there be three branches of it 1. That he should not be ashamed of the testimony given to the Lord to the truth to the Gospel 2. That he should not be ashamed of it the more because Paul was in disgrace for it was a prisoner for it 3. And lastly that he should take part and share with him even in his sufferings should be partaker of the afflictions that Paul vvas ingaged in for the Gospels sake And as there be these three branches of the Exhortation so there be two Arguments which the Apostle doth presse for the severall branches of this duty proportionable to the difficulties of it 1. He had no reason to be ashamed of the Gospel and the reason is expressed in the 9 and 10 verses From the condition and nature of the Gospel it is the Gospel which contains the treasures of all truths prepared long ago but revealed to the servants of GOD in latter times by which we are made partakers of the high holy and precious calling by which all good and all happinesse is conveighed unto us and therefore in regard of the nature of the Gospel little reason for any man for Timothy to be ashamed of that in which he should glory and in which was contained all the happinesse that ever he or any other was or shall be made partaker of 2. Consider the condition of Paul there was no reason that Timothy should be ashamed of Paul though he were a prisoner for the Gospel under a cloud and under disgrace for it that he should not shrink from him in that respect and be loath to own him and that is expressed 1. If we look upon the cause of his suffering it is not suffering but the cause of suffering that casts disgrace or dirt upon a man that makes him contemptible because he suffers as the saying of old in this case was Non paena sed causa facit martyrem nor 't is not the punishment but the cause that makes a malefactour and so makes a man liable to shame and reproach if a man suffer for a good cause it is honorificall not shamefull and reproachfull if Paul had suffered as a malefactour his friends might have hang'd down their heads and hid their faces and have counted it as a disparagement unto the family of Paul and all his friends and all those that were in relation to him But to suffer in a noble and good cause not as a malefactor but as a martyr for the Gospels sake there was no reason that any followers of his should be ashamed of him and the Apostle expresseth that in the 11 and 12 verses of which I am made a preacher and Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles For the which cause I also suffer these things but I am not ashamed c. as if he should say there is nothing can be cast in my teeth and however I be under a cloud and in disgrace yet there is nothing can be laid against me but that I have brought this upon my selfe by discharging my office faithfully which is so far from being despicable that it is honorable 2. As his cause was good so was his confidence this is the other branch of the incouragement not only not to be ashamed but even to be willing to suffer for the Gospel and to take share and part with him in it and this the Apostle expresseth in the 12 verse as his cause was good so his carriage and confidence his owne temper and disposition in his suffering was such as that no man that well considered it had reason to be ashamed I am not ashamed my self and indeed why should any

man be ashamed of another that suffers for that thing of which he rather hath cause to glory than be ashamed Nay he addes I am perswaded and beleeve that he viz. God is able to keep that which I have committed to him that was his soul though it is not expressed yet it is supposed intimating his belief that God would keep his depositum his soul which he had committed to him against that day now in such a case as this as the saying was it is a wrong to a martyr to pity him or to weep for him I will not say as some adde to pray for him It is a wrong to a martyr to be ashamed of him or to mourn for him especially when the martyr himself is couragious and glorious in his cause and God hath so mightily supported his spirits and set them so high that he can feel nothing but bear all easily I say when God hath exalted his spirits and elevated them thus it is an incongruous thing for others to be cast down there is no congruity in it And this is the first of that double precept of Paul verse 2 the Negative precept wherein he commandeth Timothy not to be ashamed which the Apostle propounds in the first place least that should be a rub in the way least the consideration that he was in prison in disgrace in bonds and afflictions might make Timothy cold and shrink away from him 2. He addes another to that and that is an Affirmative one in the verses which I have read and this precept too is double hold fast in verse 13 and keep in the 14 verse In a generality only I shall expresse those things now and reserve particularity till I came to my point But now in the generality either of them both these three things are observable 1. There is the act that is injoyned in one verse hold fast in the other keep the same properly though expressed variously 2. There is the object expressed in one vers a form of wholsome words expressed in the other that good depositum or that worthy thing which was committed to thee which was the very same thing that same form of wholsome Words which was deposited unto him 3. And there is the manner of performance of both these in the former intimated hold fast in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus though I confesse and shall touch afterward that it may admit of another interpretation and that in a very good sence yet I thinke that is part of the Apostles meaning to expresse the manner how he should hold fast a form of sound and wholsome Words verse 2 in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus they are the two hold fasts and the latter is expressed but more deeper and from a higher ground and stronger head and that is by the spirit of God which dwelleth in us he must keep those things that were committed to him by the spirit of God and indeed that is the spring and root our grace doth immediatly lay fast hold on these things that are committed to us from the word of God but it is the spirit of God that breaths in us that grace whereby we lay hold and which supports us and enables us continually and it must be his strength that must enable us to hold stedfast and constant in any good thing There remains now but one thing and so I shall dismisse the generall delineation of the chapter you have heard the double Admomonition there is likewise in the latter end of the chapter from those verses that I have read to the end of the chapter 2. A double provocation by which the Apostle Paul doth labour to presse and inforce Timothy upon this duty and both of them taken from Examples There are 1. Evill Examples and 2. Good Examples By both which the Apostle spurs Timothy on and provokes him to this duty by the indignation of the evill and by the emulation of the good 1. The evill Examples are of inconstant Desertors expressed in the 15 verse Thou knowest saith Paul that all that are in Asia have deserted me declined me turned away from me which is no new thing for a man that comes to suffer for the cause of God though he do it never so discreetly though he do it with never so much constancie nay though he do it never so honorifically for the publike good and the publike cause I say it is no new thing to have many turn their backs upon them then to count a man for a fool and so to leave him it was Pauls case he did meet with such all that were in Asia turned from him and forsook him as they that it may be cryed Hosanna before were ready now to cry out Crucifige crucifie him Now he was under a cloud and under a storm they were afraid of him and now they would not look on him they shrink back from him and the Apostle presseth this consideration on Timothy not to dishearten him or to put him in the same course but to oblige him so much the more to stick close to him in the cause of Christ because of the neglect of it There be so many that fall off from the servants of God when they are in their afflictions that those who are sincere they had need to perform their duty so much the more closely and sweetly to keep to them and recompence all the discomforts and discouragements vvhich they do meet withall from false friends and false professours There is a great necessity and so a great obligation lieth upon godly persons on those that are truely such out of the consideration of the treachery and perfidiousnesse and cowardise of the wicked so much the more to shew themselves to stand by and comfort the Saints of God in their sufferings 2. The good examples are of constant Adhaerers and there is one thing in it which I shall note by the way viz. the great difference of the Apostles propounding of the one example and of the other he propounds the bad example with a meere bare mention all have forsaken me without any passion without any bitter harshnesse or railing against these men he forbears this and passeth by all that and covers it but he cannot forbear when he propounds the good example but doth it with a great mixture of affection and it is very emphaticall home and full omitting no circumstance that might adde any commendation or set any beauty or glosse upon it The good example is that though there were many that forsaked Paul deserted him even all that were in Asia yet there was one that durst own him when all the rest left him and that was Onesiphorus and this example of Onesiphorus he propounds very emphatically 1. With a mixture of prayers to God for him and by way of recompence as it were having ingaged God to be his pay-master 2. With a mixture of praise and commendation in an ingenuous acknowledgment of his fidelity and

A FORME Of Wholsome WORDS OR AN INTRODUCTION to the Body of Divinity In three Sermons on 2 TIMOTHY 1.13 Preached By JOHN STOUGHTON Doctor in Divinity sometimes Fellow of Immanuel College in Cambridge late Preacher of Aldermanbury LONDON ROMANS 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered to you LONDON Printed by J.R. for J. Bellamy H. Overton A. Crook J. Ro●●well R. Sergeir I. Crook D. Frere and Ralph Smith 1640. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir RICHARD YOUNG Knight Barone● the Worshipfull Mr. GILBERT HARRISON Alderman M● ROBERT EDWARDS Deputy of the R● Worshipfull Company of Merchant Adventurers M● H●●H WINDHAM M● EDWARD FOORD Mr. HUMPHR BERINOTON MERCHANTS And the rest of the worthy Inhabitants of the Parish of Aldermanbury LONDON Saving Health true Riches and eternall Happinsse Right Worshipfull Beloved and Christian friends AS it was in the building of the Temple many hands were imployed in the raising of that glorious Structure Solomon did raise a tribute of men for the work and they were all imployed according to their severall abilities some did work in gold in silver in brasse in iron in purple and blew silk some did hew and square others did bear and carry the stones and timber to the raising of that sacred pile so it is in the Church of God of which that materiall house was a cleer representation there is no man so mean but may be some way usefull to the house of God those that cannot work in gold and silver and silk yet may cut and hew and those that can do neither yet may carry burthens This latter is the task that I have undertaken v●z To serve the Church in bringing forth this provision which is here presented to you of another mans cost indeed yet not without some labour and care of my own to prepare the table and set things in order before you I am the rather incouraged in it because I know that God can as well serve himself of my labour in this as of the skill and ability of the learned Author and if in this I may be a helper of the joy of Gods Church I have wherein for to rejoyce These insuing Sermons were first preached unto you they were yours in the delivery and are yours of Right as conceived and brought forth for you and I know not how you should lose your Right in the publishing of them but rather owe Patronage Apology Harbour and Recommendations therefore I have made bold to prefix your Names before them and so to publish them for the good of the Church being well assured that you will not grutch this communication of your own right and interest in them to others For the Author hee needs not my Candle to light his Sun nor my Pen to make new impressions of honour and love in your hearts who have so fully known his Doctrine manner of Life Purpose Faith Long-suffering Charity Patience Humility c. I may say of this posthume Birth that the Author died as Rachel in travell with it and it may well be called Benjamin the son of his Right hand whil'st he was a carrying of you up into the Mount to shew you the land of Promise God took him and by Invisible messengers caried him to the fruition of Eternall Blessednesse he is taken out of your sight and if you desire to finde him you must aspire unto the heavenly Paradise by walking in that tract which he hath in his Doctrine here chalked out unto you and in those steps of his religious and zealous conversation which he hath walked in before you But lest you should let these things slip this booke may be your continuall Remembrancer in this hee being dead yet speaketh But his labour will be lost and my undertaking fruitlesse except you be pleased to make the practise of these things your trade and the meditation of them your Recreation Here you may see wherein true happinesse doth consist the right placing or misplacing of happinesse is the Ruder of a mans life the fountaine of his well or ill doing according to which men take their marks and shoot right or wrong in all the actions of their lives you will be mistaken if you seek it in these outward things it is only to be found in God there is no other independant good neither is there any other good that can be communicated to all the heirs of Blessing but only God that which all must possesse and that together must needs be some infinite thing It will then be worth your while to call off your affections from the world and to abate of your eager pursuit after the things of this life you are not made for Riches but they are made for you the Bee will forsake the Flower that yeelds her no Hony the fruit that the World affords you is but like that which grows upon the banks of the dead Sea a fair apple which under a red side contains nothing but dust it will be your wisdom not to cumber your selves about many things when one thing is needfull the saying of the Roman Generall to the souldier that kept the tents when he should have bin fighting in the field Non Amonimium diligentes will be used of God if when he cals us to seek after true Happinesse yet vve busie our selves onely about things of an inferiour Alloy God will not like such busie-bodies our chiefest care and pains should be bestowed in the attaining of that which is our chiefest Happinesse if you be industrious in this your labour will not be in vain you must think of Religion as of trading which will bring no gain unlesse diligently follovved and practised Arise therfore and be doing and the Lord will be with you Give me leave to tell you first that God hath done much for you exalted you to heaven in regard of the means It is true your eyes have seen worthy Lights shining in their life and Doctrine and by death extinguished and yet your losse hath not been more bitterly lamented than in a good measure graciously supplied the causes of your hope and joy have been in a good proportion equivalent to your grief and losse Secondly GOD looks for much from you viz. an adorning of the Gospel and walking worthy of it in a holy fruitfull and obedient conversation such favours bestowed must needs raise great expectations and this expectation frustrated doubles the judgment But I hope better things of you and such as accompany salvation You did receive the Author with so much love and honour as that you cannot but countenance this Posthume Birth which was first conceived and brought forth for you your selves being witnesses contains no other things than what you have heard and learnt and so though others should deny it yet you must give unto it Harbour and Intertainment Therfore I have in the name of the Widow of the Reverend Author intitled you unto it If it shall be approved usefull to the