Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	know_v	lord_n	3,918	5	3.5901	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33474	Vox corvi, or, The voice of a raven that thrice spoke these words distinctly, Look into Colossians the 3d and 15th : the text it self look'd into and opened in a sermon preached at Wigmore in the county of Hereford : to which is added serious addresses to the people of this kingdome, shewing the use we ought to make of this voice from heaven / by Alex. Clogie.	Clogie, Alexander, 1614-1698.	1694 (1694)	Wing C4724; ESTC R26607	70,214	178

end and largely doth he garnish this Similitude in the place I named right now pressing it to divers Duties which shortly to name because they serve to the maintenance of Peace in her Soveraignty are these 1. To rejoyce each at others good If one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12. 26. 2. To suffer Compassionately each with other And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it ibid. 3. To have Care each of another That there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another v. 25. to nourish and cherish them 4. The more weak and base to be compassed with Honour with the more comely Nay much more those members of the body that seem more feeble are necessary and those members of the body which we think to be base upon those we bestow more abundant honour and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness verse 22 23. 5. The worthier not to think they may be without the baser nor the baser think they are not in any place or reckoning because not the worthiest And the Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Hand to the Foot I have no need of you v. 2. 6. If the Foot shall say because I am not the Hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body And if the Ear shall say because I am not the Eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body v. 15. 26. Thus far the Apostle in his excellent Parallel between the Members of the Natural Body and the Members of the Body Mystical These Opinions and Practices befit such as would keep peace such as are Members of one Body which very Consideration that they are found in the Natural Body should draw us into the practice of them in the Spiritual and Mystical Christ our Lord flows into us by his Spirit of Peace and Love and gives us Grace so to do and this will enable us to obey the Apostle in the words before this Text. And above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness This word Bond is taken sometimes for the Sinews and Ligaments of the Joynts as Chap. 2. v. 19. Sometimes for the Band that tieth a thing composed of a great many small parts into one as a Sheaf or Faggot so I think Peace is called Ephes 4. 3. endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace And this Perfectness may be taken 1. For the perfectness of every man in the Gifts of the Spirit which are dissolved and fall one from another without Love Or 2ly For the whole Body of the Church which is dissolved and falls asunder without love of which in the two places last named I will include herein both inward perfectness in private Christians and publick in the body of the Church So the Church Christ's Body it is capable of a kind of perfection even when it is most imperfect in the Eyes of the World as now it was and when the Apostle wrote that Ephesians 4. v. 3. Observat The thing that makes the Perfection of the Church is Love He therefore that loves not is imperfect in Christianity A Child in Grace if he have any yet is Carnal not Spiritual a Babe not a Man as the Apostle concludes of the Corinthians from hence 1 Cor. 3. 1. 3. And those that take no care to maintain Love with their even Christians they do as much as they may maim lame and make imperfect the Body of Christ laying aside his new Commandment That ye love one another as I have loved you John 13. 34. Let Papists and such as rejoyce in bitterness against their Brethren think on this Let us learn by all means to maintain Peace and Love the untimely breaking of some Truth is not worth so much as to break Love As the curing of some Disease not worth the pain of the Cure as of some Wens and Warts c. worth the cutting c. and this is to be followed of us It is more than seasonable that we were put in mind of this Point for we are faulty in it much Now if one be more scrupulous than another in Ceremonies and Matters indifferent Minister or other one sort there is that presently abate their love Again if another take a little liberty in such things the other side bears not that hearty affection which should be unto him Though thus either think of the other they are men that intend to do vertuously yet there is not this equal Communication of the Offices of Kindness which this Form Above all things put on love would require What if men dissent from us in sundry Points of Judgment or of Affection as both may be and justly yet let the Consideration that they are Members of the same Body with us Men reclaimed to God Men which according to that which they know endeavour to Serve and Worship God makes us to strive so much the more that it might not seem to come through our Default that any Strangers should be between us or Differences grow to greater Extremities we shall have the better in the handling of the Cause to say nothing of the Truth whether we have it on our side or no. I would to God that we could be content in Matters of no great Consequence when many Differences be among us to comprise them with that of the Apostle If any man think otherwise the Lord shall reveal this also unto you Phil. 3. 15. And in the mean space in our Speeches Countenances Gestures Writings be mindful of this standing Rule That Love belongs to all the Saints as the Apostle describes these Colossians by their Faith in Jesus Christ and their Love to all the Saints Chap. 1. 4. So by letting go vain Clamours we shall find more Truth than we do as being better disposed to seek it which indeed no passionate man is and sure I am we should have more peace and comfort and be freed from much foolish Suspicions among our selves and many slanderous and foul Imputations from our common Enemies God give us Grace to see our Faults put a Remedy thereto in time before by our Dissentions we have weakened our selves that both together we be not matchable to our third and worst Adversary see Psalm 133. And be ye thankful The second Duty we are exhorted unto in this Scripture is the duty of thankfulness what variety is between these two Words Amiable and Thankful every man may at the first view easily conceive But our latest Translation of the Word is the best that for Amiable puts in Thankful whereunto the propriety of the Word and Authority of other Interpreters doth so lead me as Ephes 5. 4. but rather giving of thanks and 1 Thessal 5. 18. In every thing give thanks And although they 〈◊〉 Chrysost Bruno Osiandor refer it to God

encrease of God And the Apostle to the Romans So we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another Rom. 12. v. 5. and 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. There is one body and one spirit and Ephes 4. 4. and v. 12. For the edifying of the body of Christ So Ephes 5. 23. He is the head of the body the Church and Col. 1. 18. and Chap. 2. v. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And be ye thankful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former Translation reads it and be ye the amiable This word is not found any where that I know or can meet with in this sense divers of the same Stock I may say and mark still signifie thankful and so do others beside Chrysostom the Syriack Interpreter referring it to Christ although seeing it is put in rank with Duties pertaining to men I rather take it of thankfulness to men each to other of that after Such then is the sense of the words wherein we are exhorted to two Vertues Peace and Thankfulness There be two parts of the words that concern Peace first the Duty Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Secondly two Reasons 1. God's calling You are called to peace The second Reason is That you are in one body Peace which is the Duty that we are exhorted unto is a Moral or to speak in Christian language a Theological Vertue of that worth and excellency which we are bidden to suffer to marshal us and all our actions to give Peace the preheminence let it rule in God's Name in us and over us It is the Peace of God The Evangelical Observation is this Observ That when there shall be a Conflict in our Thoughts between Anger Swelling Disdain Ambition Revenge and on the other side Meekness Mercy Humility Love yea sometimes Justice then let Peace bear the sway and order all things It is not then tho' still to be desired yet to be hoped for so much to be without Conflict with our Passions as regarded that at least they be well Marshalled a wrestling there will be only beware this Contention be not without a Moderator of the Strife which must be Peace Trem. renders it thus Pax sit moderatrix in cordibus vestris Let Peace be the Moderatrix in your hearts It is not to be expected then but there will be Contentions Discords and thereupon troublesom Affections which will strive for the Mastery and dominion as was amongst the Apostles themselves for by the way they had disputed Who should be greatest saith St. Mark 9. v. 34. but yet let Peace rule let her always in your hearts win and have the upper-hand as Erasmus renders this Phrase in his Paraphrase upon this Epistle This was the case between Abraham and his Nephew Lot when there was a strife between the Herdmen of Abraham's Cattel and the Herdmen of Lot's Cattel and the Canaanite and the Perizite dwelt then in the Land Gen. 13. 7 8. And Abraham said unto Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my herdmen and thy herdmen for we are brethren Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are men-brethren and so Peace and Love decided the Controversie and prevented all future occasions of difference between the two Families The Reasons of Dissentions are either inward or outward 1. Inward are many first Defects of Understanding when men are not rightly informed and acquainted with all matters Abimelec pleads thus and justifies himself to Abraham who had reproved him because of a Well of Water which Abimelec's Servants had violently taken away Gen. 21. 25. And Abimelec said I wot not who hath done this thing neither didst thou tell me neither yet heard I of it but to day A right understanding prevented a sad falling out and danger of War between the Israelites and the men of Gilead about the Altar of memorial that was reared up at the Banks of Jordan till the true meaning thereof was known Josh 22 12. The whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shilo to go up to war against them 2. Weakness of Judgment is a second Reason of Dissention for though in general we may discern what is good or evil as that no man is to be wronged and that we must do unto others as we would be done unto yet when we come to the particulars we resolve far otherwise Deteriora sequor 3. Stifness in Opinions once received and entertained is an occasion of continued Differences even amongst men of the same Profession as between the Pharisees and Saduces there arose a Dissention and the Multitude was divided Acts 23. v. 7. 4. Pride is a great Makebate only by Pride cometh contention saith Solomon Prov. 13. 10. Men have forgotten that exhortation of the Apostle Peter Yea all of you be subject to one another and be clothed with humility for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. 5. Envy is a cause of deadly Dissentions insomuch that Solomon asks the Question Prov. 27. 4. Who is able to stand before envy before this Son of Anak The ground of the first Quarrel between Cain and Abel that ended in innocent blood Gen. 4. 5. The Lord had respect to Abel and his Offering but to Cain and his Offering he had no respect and Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell Moses tells us That Jacob heard Laban's Sons say Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's hath he gotten all this glory and Jacob heheld the countenance of Laban and behold it was not towards him as before This occasioned Jacob's stealing away from Laban secretly with all that he had as ye read Gen. 31. 1 2. 27. 31. See also Gen. 27. 41. where it is recorded That Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him and Esau said in his heart the days of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob. Again Genes 37. 4. 8. When Joseph'd brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him and his brethren said unto him Shalt thou indeed reign over us and shalt thou indeed have dominion over us and they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words Stephen the Proto-martyr quotes this Scripture in his last Speech before the Jewish Sanhedrim and the Patriarchs moved with envy sold Joseph into Egypt but God was with him Acts 7. v. 9. Enviest thou for my sake saith Moses to Joshua that would have him forbid Eldad and Medad to prophecy in the camp would God all the people of the Land were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Numb 11. v. 29. What a dreadful Judgment did Envy bring upon Corah and his Confederates when they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said

upon their Consciences by Jotham to the mutual destruction of them and Abimelech whom they had advanced over them upon th● ruins of the 70 Sons of Jerubb●al For saith Jotham My Father fought for you and adventured his Life for you and delivered you out of the hand of Midian and ye are risen up against my Father's House this day and have slain his Sons threescore and ten persons upon one Stone and have made Abimelech the Son of his Maid-Servant King over the Men of Sechem because he is your brother c. Judg. 9. 17. Then God sent an evil Spirit between the men of Sechem and Abimelech to punish their cruel ingratitude v. 23. Which is the Substance of that whole Chapter of Judges 9. And after they had destroyed one another that sad History as any in the Book of God is concluded thus Thus God rendred the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto his Father in staying his seventy brethren and all the evil of the men of Sechem did God render upon their heads and upon them came the curse of Jotham the Son of Jerubbaal v. 56 57. So that now you see this horrible sin of Ingratitude that is punished by God in so high a degree must needs be an accursed and destructive thing Another said instance of the like sin and punishment we have recorded concerning Joash King of Judah who was marvelously preserved in the Massacre of the Royal Family from Athaliah's bloody Fingers by Jehoiada the High Priest and his Wife Jehoshabea and kept safe in the House of the Lord six Years under the tyrannous Usurpation of that wicked Idolatress 2 Chron. 22. 10 11 12. Jehoiada set the Crown on his head put down the Usurper restored the Kingdom to their former freedom and raised the Royal Family to their former Splendor and Dignity and left it flourishing in Peace and Plenty But after the death of his 〈◊〉 Tutor Governour Gua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protector 't is recorded Th●● this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and turned 〈◊〉 and Murderer two i●separable Companions and commanded Zachariah the Priest the Son of Jeho●a●a to be stoned even in the Court of the House of the Lord for reproving his Idolatry and saying Because ye have forsaken the Lord He also hath forsaken you Thus Joash the King remembred not the kindness which Jehoiada his Father had done unto him but flew his Son and when he died he said The Lord look upon it and require it Which Prayer of this dying Martyr the Lord heard and recompensed this cruel ingratitude of Joash towards God and Man speedily upon his own head to the ruine of himself and of all his Princes that seduced him and of all his Armies in which he trusted by an inconsiderable party For the Army of the Syrians came with a small company of Men and the Lord delivered a very great Host into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers so they executed Judgment against Joash And besides all this The Lord smote him with grievous torments in his body by incurable diseases as in the case of Jehoram that murdered his Brothers 2 Chron. 21. 18. And at last to put an end to the miserable life of this godless Wretch his own Servants conspired against him for the Blood of the Sons of Jehoiada the Priest and flew him on his Bed and he died But they buried him not in the Sepulchres of the Kings 2 Chron. 24. 18 20 21 22. an honour that was bestowed upon Jehoiada the High Priest his Preserver and Restorer v. 16. though out of indignation denied him as to Jehoram before him that lived undesired and died unlamented 2 Chron. 21. 20. Thus did God plentifully reward this proud Doer as the Psalmist speaks Measuring to him again with the same measure that he had meted withal a just measure of Wrath pressed down and shaken together and running over into his Bosome as our Lord speaks Luke 6. v. 38. Obj. Some will say My Will is good but I want means and abilitiy to requite any henefit received hy me Answ 1. Profess and acknowledge always the good Turn it is a part of an ingenuous Disposition to profess who hath done thee any pleasure yea half a requital Eph. 5. 20. Secondly Use Prayer to God for their good Estate if thou be poor he is rich to requite and doubtless as the cry of the poor can awake His Justice as Himself speaks For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal 12. 5. So can the joyful Thanksgiving by the mouth of them that are partakers of the benefit and withal their Prayers for the means of it awake His Liberality as Paul undertakes My God shall supply all your necessities according to his Riches in glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 19. Here I cannot but put the Poor in mind of their duty which receiving good at the hands of them that relieve them are very unjust if they give not again this Duty back to them to Pray for them So Ministers which in that very Name as one part of their Ministerial Duty for the whole is the Word and Prayer as the Apostles speak But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word Acts 6. 4. receive temporal things Lastly Before I close up this place of Thankfulness to Men we must not pass by our Thankfulness to God For if to Men we must be Thankful How much more to GOD And the ground of Unthankfulness to Men is from their Unthankfulness to GOD. There is not any other fault more generally blamed even by those that have but the Light of Nature than ingratitude as I have largely shewed nor any Ingratitude greater than towards God because of none we receive more or greater Benefits than from him to say nothing that it being impossible that we should attain to that degree of Thankfulness which should be in requiting the Benefits we daily and hourly receive of him he is contented to take the Acknowledgement of them for Payment so as it must be the effect of a most Villa●nous Injustice to deny him that For which cause in the Scriptures we have the Invitations of Holy Men to Thankfulness the praise of this Duty and the Precedents of good Men performing it In special the Book of the Psalms hath his name in the Hebrew Tongue as ye would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Book of Praises not as if the whole Book had nothing else but because it is the chief part and most principally intended And for this cause doth the Church use in the beginning of her solemn Service the 95 Psalm as a means to invite us to that Duty so good and come●● yea so just and necessary as the Psalm for the Sabbath Day begins 'T is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to thy