Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A01725
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Foure sermons vpon seuerall partes of scripture, preached by George Gyffard, preacher of the worde, at Maudlin in Essex
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Gifford, George, d. 1620.
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1598
(1598)
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STC 11859; ESTC S117695
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68,936
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149
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best that you can finde For are any more holy then the great Patriarks were And from some of Gods elect in al times great offences haue broken forth take heede that for some such particular faultes we iudge them not as men reiected of God or ouer seuerely iudge them wicked and vngodly And on the other part you shall see the very enemies of the Gospell sundrie of them which make a goodly shew in outward deedes they bee prophane as Esau and all the shew of their workes is nothing before God Well now to the seuerity of Gods wrath vpon Esau for that is the principall matter which we haue in hand He vvas reiected hee found no place for repentance though hee sought it with teares What is this Esau had the repulse when he came and vvould haue inherited the blessing and then seeking euen vvith teares to obtaine it Isaake could not bee moued to alter that which he had done there was no place to repent him and so to call it backe againe from Iaakob who had got it by sleight For now was Isaake stricken with an exceeding feare and euen as it were awaked out of the error of his natural affection and saw that the thing came of God for that Isaake cannot alter the thing he had done nor repente it proceedeth from God Marke then the seueritie of God Esau had set light by the birthright so prophane he was that he loued the life present more yet when he doth consider of it more aduisedlie 〈◊〉 iudgeth it to be a great thing and wisheth so earnestlie to haue it that when he saw it taken from him he cried out bitterlie and wept but his crying and his teares doe not moue God 〈◊〉 shew anie pittie or compassion towardes him Therein now lieth the matter For God laide a great terror vpon Isaake and held his minde that although he loued Esau dearely yet he saw now that he might not giue the blessing vnto him What was there in all the world which Isaake loued so tenderly as hee loued his sonne Esau How can it be then but he must needes be moued much with the dolefull crie that hee vttered and with those teares that hee shed Why was not his wrath kindled against Iaakob Why did he not call for him and tell him that as he had no meaning to blesse him so he would now reuoke it and bestowe the same where he did purpose yea and thought he had bestowed it All men may easily perceiue that this did proceede from the seueritie of Gods displeasure Isaak like an holy man as a godly father had carefully instructed his sonnes in the couenant shewed vnto theÌ„ what incoÌ„parable treasures of felicitie were included therein Iaakobs minde was inflamed with a burning desire thereof but Esau though he vnderstood the doctrine yet set little by it and that is the cause why God was so angrie with him If anie shall thinke was this so great a cause to moue the Lorde so to wrath that he would neuer forgiue him Iudge of it thus If a prince offer vnto a subiect great honour and it bee dispised will it not be hardlie taken Now when the king of kings dooth set before miserable sinfull men the high dignitie glorie and felicitie euen to become his sonnes and heires with Christ of the eternall kingdome and they esteeme baselie thereof how can he but be exceedingly displeased at such a prophane contempt Let vs not then maruaile that this prophane man is reiected but rather take heede to our selues least we be like him and so be forsaken of God as he was If he cried and wept and could not be heard surely if wee take not heede we may so highlie offend that when we crie and weepe we shall not be heard There can no heauier iudgement of God light vpon a man then this The summe as it were a botomlesse gulfe of al miseries plagues is contained in it as when a man shal cal and crie out bitterlie with teares for the blessing of God and partaking of life eternall and be reiected Here is a pitte to fall into heere is a daunger vnrecouerable yea heere is a state and condition which may make vs all to tremble and quake to come nigh it For if men will quake when they looke downe from the toppe of an high tower to the ground If when there is daunger of falling how much more are we to feare at this There a man may fall so high that he dashe in peeces vpon the ground and so be depriued of this natural life but here is the losse of life eternall and that with the sustaining of endles sorrowes It may be some will take it to be an hard collection to gather from this example of Esau who cried to his father with bâ—â—ter cryings to haue the blessing and also sought it with teares and was reiected that therefore men may call and crie to God and euen with sobbing teares craue pardon of their sinnes and yet not be heard Esau did not pray to God but sought the blessing at the handes of his father and shall a generall doctrine be drawne from a particular example I haue shewed before that the reiecting came from God farre was it from the naturall affection of Isaake so to haue reiected Esau if it had bene in his own power Also we may see that the holy ghost doth propound this example in one man for a generall doctrine euen this that such men as like Esau prophanely dispise the graces of God shall afterward crie bitterlie and weepe and call for the blessing of God and yet bee reiected of him And to speake the trueth the holy worde of God doth teach vs this onelie by the example of Esau but deliuereth it forth in flatte and plaine tearmes as a generall doctrine In the first Chapter of the Prouerbes Salomon bringeth in wisedome preaching and calling vpon men to receiue her instruction And then shee complaineth that they dispise her counsell so vttereth a terrible threatning that shee will laugh at their destruction and mocke when their feare commeth She saith they shall call vpon her but shee will not answere they shall seeke her earlie but shall not fâ—â—de her With many moe speeches there this matter is set forth Christ is that wisedome of the father which calleth there vnto men to returne vnto him to imbrace his lawes and holy doctrine offering all spirituall blessings in heauenlie thinges but men set light by his counsell they be addicted to the worlde to the vaine pleasures of sinne so with profane mindes dispise the heauenly giftes and graces This doth moue his indignation so farre that he saith he will be so farre from pittying them is their calamitie that he wil laugh at their destruction and mocke them in their feare and distresse Yea he sheweth plainelie that they will call vpon him for helpe but hee will not answere they shall also earlie seeke him but not finde him
FOVRE SERMONS VPON SEVErall partes of Scripture Preached by GEORGE GYFFARD Preacher of the worde at Mauldin in Essex AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Iudson for Tobie Cooke and Robert Walker 1598. The Textes of the foure Sermons THE FIRST SERMON 1. Tim. 6. Chap. ver 17.18.19 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs abundantly all thinges to inioye c. THE SECOND SERMON 1. Ioh. chap. 5. ver 7.8.9.10.11.12.13 For there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the worde and the holy ghost and these three are one c. THE THIRD SERMON Hebrewes 12. ver 16.17 Let there be no fornicator or prophane person as Esawe which for one portion of meate solde his birthright c. THE FOVRTH SERMON Rom. 6. ver 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 12.13.14 What shall we saye then shall we continue still in sin that grace may abound God forbid c. TO THE RIGHT worshipfull Master Edward Lewkenor esquire one of her Maiesties Iustices of the peace in the countie of Suff. and to the right vertuous and christian Gentlewoman Mistris Susan Lewken or his wife grace with all aboundant blessings of this life and the life to come THe complaint of many both learned and verie godlie persons that the Church is burthened and incoÌ„bred with too great a multitude of bookes is not made without cause being grounded vpon the most holy worde of God as also confirmed by experieÌ„ce in that good houres are vnprofitablie spent pietie with true holynes not a little hindred and impaired Howbeit it seemeth rather to be directed against vaine friuolous and trifling pamphlets wherein lewde and ignorante persons haue onely taste and delight but especially against moÌ„strous inuentions vncleane and impure writings which doe infect and defile both doctrine manors thereby deseruing as a most contagious and pestilent ayre to be consumed and dissolued with fire from amongst the people of God and not against the wise and learned trauailes of godly men whose whole purpose and indeuour is to profite the Church and to further the knowledge and religion of the Lorde For varietie of good and profitable bookes seemeth to be necessarie and therefore would not be wanting both for the increase of knowledge and learning because one man or a fewe see not all thinges as also for that euery man writeth not in one forme and maner and therefore cannot answere the capasitie of euerie one for some fitte themselues sor smale and meane capacities and some for learned and great vnderstanding Besides one hath neede of one speciall instruction and one of another this man delighteth in one comforte and remedie against his temptation and an other in that which best aunswereth his infirmitie Furthermore Sathan hath daylie newe deuises to assaile the faith of Gods elect and to drawe theÌ„ into sinne neuer heard of before which the Lorde by his spirite doth not onely reueale to some of his seruants aboue others but prouideth remedies accordinglie which because they cannot be ministred alwayes by worde of mouth they are to be made knowne by writing to them that stand in neede And surely the bountie riches of Gods mercie are so large and his care of mans saluation and happines so great that euen as he hath prouided variety of creatures for euery mans tast and vse so hath he prouided varietie of spiritual graces for euery mans benefite delight to the end that euery man might profit with coÌ„fort pleasure or else be left without all excuse The consideration of which reasons and some others Right worshipfull caused me after I had obtained at the handes of that worthie Minister of Iesus Christ Master Gyffard these fewe Sermons whereof he is the Author to publish them in print to the view of the world Not therein respecting so much mine owne gaine and commoditie as the good and benefite of the Church of God Whereof J conceiue no little hope both by reason of the fruite and benifite which haue redouÌ„ded to the comfort of many by his former workes as also for the excelleÌ„cie of the doctrine conteined herein the which I rather commit to the iudgemeÌ„t of the learned and wise Christian reader then to commend them my selfe least in praysing them for want of iudgement wisedome J should in stead of beautie bring disgrace vpon them Whatsoeuer they be J thought it meete to Dedicate them to your worshippes moued thereto with many respectes And first of all that J might publikely testifie my dutie and thankefull heart for your great kindenes and manifold courtesies bestowed not only vpon me but vpon them that are as neerly linked vnto me as my selfe Of the which if I should be vnmindfull J were worthie of the reward which the Lacedemonians appointed for vnthankefull persons But especiallie the great accompt and honour that you haue obtained in the hearts of many of the best and wisest ChristiaÌ„s for your singular godlines rare Christian vertues do turne mine eyes froÌ„ many others vpon you as comfortahle lightes shining in the midst of this crooked generatioÌ„ as liuely examples to your brethren and worthie ornameÌ„ts to the profession of the Gospel And J haue ioyned you together in this dedicatioÌ„ not only for the neer band wherewith you are so nighly ioyned together in mariage but also for that you do not only striue together in one course to obteine the high price of your calling and that euerlasting crowne of glory reserued for you in the heauens but also for that you are mutual helpers one to another to the performaÌ„ce of all ChristiaÌ„ duties but speciallie in the wel gouerning and trayning vp of your housholde which thereby as a fruite of your rare and holy labours the Lord hath so blessed as that the heauenly estate behauiour thereof may be a presideÌ„t to many families if it would please the Lorde to giue them heartes to confirme themselues thereunto But I cease to say so much as I knowe least in speaking the truth might procure enuie and seeme to flatter you whoe of all other haue least delight in that veine The onlie thing which I ought in dutie may safely do is first to pray vnto God that he would saue preserue you yours from the manifolde subtilties of Sathan and the dangerous baites alluremeÌ„ts of this world and to finish the good work that he hath begunne in you vnto the day of Iesus Christ SecoÌ„dly most huÌ„bly to request you that you would take in good parte this simple gifte that J offer vnto you interpreting all thinges both in regarde of it and my selfe in the best parte and with that affection J offer it to you And thus once againe beseeching almightie God to blesse and coâ—tinue you many happie yeeres 〈◊〉 your owne comfort and the gooâ— of the Church as also to be fauourable vnto the holy Ministrie which hath many yeeres continued