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	lord_n	people_n	4,203	5	4.5705	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61300	The good masters plea, against the evill servants cavill Discovering the vanity of those men, who judge the service of God to be vaine. Delivered in certaine sermons upon Malachi, 3. 14. Being a taste of the labours of that reverend, faith full, and holy servant of God, Nicholas Stanton, M. of Arts; late preacher of the gospel of Christ, at the parish of Margarets in Ipswich, in Suffolk.	Stanton, Nicholas.	1650 (1650)	Wing S5251; ESTC R222417	42,730	188

had the very best that they had knowing that the better any thing is that they offer to God the greater is the reward that God wil give to them for it For this wil make a soule free for God As David who knowing what a bountiful pay-master the Lord was would not offer him sacrifice 2 Sam. 24.24 of that which should cost him nothing Why just thus doe earnal hearts in doing the Lord service as these people did in offering him sacrifice they bring him the torn blind and lame Yea is there no help but I must doe duties heare pray repent give almes and the like wel then I l'e shift as as wel as I can if I must heare I 'le hear at my leisure when I have little else to doe If I must give it shal be of that which I got by usury bribery or the like If I must pray in my family it shal be the last thing I doe immediately before I goe to bed being half asleep and halfe awake If I must repent I wil doe it when I am ready to dye and goe out of the world when I feel the house crack and it be ready to tumble downe about my eares then wil I seeke out for another habitation and so for other duties This is the practice of carnal hearts thus to turn the Lord off with the worst which is a cleare evidence against them that they Judge his service to be but vaine service Thirdly this truth may be evidenced by their wearinesse in their serving the Lord though in a slighty and formal manner as this people in that place before named are charged with this very thing Malac. 1.13 yee have said what a wearinesse is it and yee have snuffed at it c. And thus are carnal hearts soonest weary though in some regard they have by far the least cause Of all men one would thinke that these people should not be weary of serving the Lord that are at so little paines and cost and so formal therein It might rather be thought that the people of God which doe so put out themselves and spend their spirits in the service of the Lord that they should rather be weary then such as are slighty and formal therein turning the Lord off with lip-labour and bodily exercise And it is true indeed if wearinesse in the service of God did arise from the expence of Spirits then the godly should be sooner weary then those that are carnall but indeed this is not the cause of it but rather a dislike of the service it selfe from an indisposition in the heart being carnal to a duty or service that is of a spirituall nature hence it is that the people of God who love the service of God after such time as they have been much with God in the duties of his service and have both wearyed their bodies and wasted their strength and spirits yet delighting in the Law and Service of God after the innerman are not yet weary of the duty or service it selfe but wish that they had fresh strength and Spirits For it is one thing to be weary in the service of God and another thing to be weary of the service of God The first may befall a gratious heart or child of God but the latter is the property of those that are onely carnall And againe there is much difference betweene that wearisomnesse that ariseth from inabilities to hold out any longer in the duty or service and that which springeth from a dislike of the duty or service it selfe both in the affections from that contrariety that is in the heart being carnal to the duty or service as spiritual as also in the judgement from secret feares and thoughts of losing its labour and so being in vaine The earnal heart is weary of the service of God in this last manner as wel as in the first and that upon this last ground also whereby the truth in hand is evidenced Fourthly it is clearly evidenced that they think the service of God in vaine By those base and hard thoughts which they secretly harbour of such as serve God more and better then themselves this is a thing very commonly found in carnal hearts and who wil serve God a little to be bitter in censuring of them that serve him much those that keep their times and go their pace and are of their Last and straine they can like wel enough But such as exceed them they suspect for too much nicenesse what wil not common Prayers please them but they must have conceived Prayer wil not praying with others and in the family suffice but they must Pray alone and in their closets wil not one Sermon a day content them but they must hear all day long and are not Sermons on the Sunday sufficient but they must run to Sermons and Lectures in the week too c. Thus condemning the generation of the righteous and such as are better then themselves These thoughts and speeches proceed from carnal hearts which conceive in themselves that the service of God is altogether in vaine for if they did really beleeve that it were good and profitable to serve God a little then it would follow even by the rule of common reason that it is much better to serve him more and so still the more the better Take a man which beleeveth that such a worke or Trade is gainefull and profitable though he himselfe cannot work or earne that way by reason of age or infirmities yet wil not hee condemne those that can and doe but wil blesse them and their condition wishing that he were in the same himself Alas saith he I am grown old my sight and strength decayes that my work is gone I can make no earnings but lose my time c. Oh but such or such they are happy for they can work and earne I am glad that others can though J cannot but I would I could work for I know it is profitable worke and wil bring in great advantage to him that labours in it whereas another it may be slights that work and trade and condemnes them of folly that follow it most and all out of ignorance and that because they thinke it to be but labour in vaine Thus it is concerning the service of the Lord and the trade of godlinesse those that are truly godly wil rejoyce that others serve God and can do it better then themselves I am a poore ignorant creature a dwarfe and a nurling and grow very slowly but I am glad to see others grow my Spirit is straitned and bound up but others are large hearted for God and God lets out himselfe to others though he be a stranger to my Soule I am hard hearted and cannot mourn for my own or others sins and for the afflictions of Gods Church and people which I ought to doe but cannot Oh but such or such they can doe these things wel blessed be God I am glad that any

lay and how confident they were of a liberall reward for their serving of God c. Having also some tast and the first fruits of it already these things make these people begin to doubt and question what before they seemed resolved of that many a man comes away sighing and saying within himselfe well I am affraid that if this were my condition that death were comming for me and I were under the hand of God and so near my end as such a one is I should not be so comfortable as he is but that J should lye like a wild Bul in a net ful of the fury of the Lord and be at my wits end therefore it may be that I have been mistaken all this while and for all this there may be a God and there may be some reward in serving of him c. and hereupon he resolves to do something in Gods service well I will resolve to pray hear c. More then I have done that if there be a God and there be any reward for his service I may have something in the Bank and a comming thus thinking to make sure however things goe Simil. As you shall have some ignorant hide bound Countreyman that having no skil nor experience in Sea-affaires and adventures into forraigne parts and new plantations is quite against such kind of trading when the ship goes out he gives it for lost and all that is ventured in it secretly condemning them for folly at least that have nothing to doe with their moneys but to make such desperate ventures of it as these and yet this man hearing how such a one and such a one by putting in a stock of money and imploying it that way were great gainers and and made men for ever as they say this man at length and in time may be brought to make some venture himselfe that way reasoning thus well though I have no minde that way yet I care not if I venture something at Sea c. It may be the ship may return and some profit may come by it that if it doth prove so I may be the better and save something but he will not venture so much as shall undoe him if it should miscarry but what he can easily spare So it is here carnall hearts though they Judge thus of the service of God as vaine and that labour as lost that is taken therein yet perceiving as before was said what others have got thereby are hereby brought to do something for God thinking that if there be a God and it be not in vain to serve him that something may come in in an evill day being so simple as not to consider that God will be served aright for the manner as well as for the matter neither will they venture much for God to part with all for the Pearle but onely venture so farre as to provide for themselves how they may be happy as they thinke without any thing comming in this way The first use of this Doctrine is for Information Vses and that in many particulars First Vse 1. Of information It informes us of the reason why the Lord hath no more servants to wait upon him and doe his worke The world and sin have abundance but the Lord very few especially of those that will wear an in tire coat without seame or that will venture upon any hot piece of service if they be put upon it here is the true ground of it they doubt whether the service of God be not a vaine service and whether there be as good wages to be had for doing of Gods work as they have from those Masters whom now they serve and whose worke they do Secondly It informs us of the ground of so much lukewarmnesse and indifferency as is in many that are or seeme to be the servants of God why they slubber over the Lords work and are so slighty in his service offering him sacrifice of that which doth cost them little or nothing as in praying hearing and the like as if it were no great matter whether they prayed or not prayed whether they heard or not heard whether they stood and appeared for God or dissembled it especially if it come to this that they cannot follow and serve God but it must cost them dear Indeed many can be content to keep Gods service doe Gods work and professe religion so long as this profession and service will maintaine them but if it comes to this that they must maintaine their service and they cannot professe and follow God but it will cost them their estates credits liberties or lives then they shrinke and here 's the reason they make a question if they should disburse so much for God and in his service whether ever they should see their own again and not be losers by the bargaine This makes them so backward to enter upon some worke that God puts them upon and so slighty in that which they doe Simil. That as they that work for bad pay-Masters when their work is faulted are ready to answer why t is even well enough unlesse I were like to be paid better for it then I am so doe they here suspecting the service of God for a vain service they think the work done in it to bee well enough how slighty soever whereas did they believe otherwise and the truth of those promises of God 1 Cor. 15.58 for his bountifull rewarding of such as are his servants it would make them fruitfull and painfull in his service Thirdly It informes us of the ground of so much Apostacy and backsliding from God why so many of his disciples and servants go away and fall off daily Yea many ancient standing professors that seemed to have been good and faithfull servants and to have done God much good work yet now after a long time they carry the Lord his livery home againe and will weare it no longer nor follow him any further but are now for a new Master and that such a one as the times will serve them to follow and serve without danger The ground hereof is clearly this they thinke to mend themselves and to take a course that will be more profitable then this service would be if they should continue it But as Moses Heb. 11.25 26 27. endured many and great afflictions seeing him by faith who is invisible to sence so had people hearts and faith to beieeve the truth of Gods promises and the profitablenesse of his service all the world could not be able to hire them out of it nor any thing in it beat them off or any whit discourage them But I would earnestly desire these people that are backesliders from God to consider how wonderfully they provoke the Lord to displeasure who thus turne their backs upon him and give over his service and indeed there is just cause that the Lord should be sore displeased For such a one proclaimes to all the world in effect

thee good at thy latter end Mark that phrase well at thy latter end which imports the time of Gods shewing mercy to many even of his own people that they shall not have the good of Gods present dealings with them till their latter end It may be before this Message came from the Lord to this people they began to repent them in part of what they had done in following of Moses and putting themselves upon so many hardships and think all to be but labour lost and their service in obeying the Lords commands to be in vaine but now they are answered and taken off from this hearing that the time of their reward was not yet come but that verily it would come and that without faile to wit in the latter end So then it 's clear that a soul in obeying God and in doing him service may bee led through a wildernesse where it may meet with serpents scorpions drought and a great deale of hardship and be much disappointed in its expectation and desires And yet the Lord may intend it good at the last and plentifully reward it for all the service it doth for him And therefore let not any complaine till they have cause Ps 9.18 The patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever And Ps 58.11 verily there is a reward for the righteous And Yet a little while Heb. ● 37 and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Have you never heard it rumor'd and reported very commonly and confidently that such or such a ship hath been quite cast away and lost and yet that ship hath come home afterwards richly laden So t is oft' in Prayer and other duties and therefore be not overmuch discouraged though you enjoy not the present fruit of your labours in due time Gal. 6.9 you shall reap if you faint And thus far in answer to these thoughts and objections that are in the people of God from the first ground in themselves Obj. 2 The second ground of this Feare followes to be answered Namely That indiscernable difference that is in themselves betweene their serving and not serving of God The Soul saith surely I cannot perceive that I am any whit the better for all the service that I have done to the Lord For all my Prayers hearing christian communion and the like I am as well when I omit serving of him or when I am slighty in his service as when I serve him most and best of all I prosper as well in my businesse and returne as safe home from my journey when I set forth without seeking direction from the Lord as when I do seek him before I goe out I sleepe as sweetly when I goe to bed without Prayer as when I do pray and so for other particulars Therefore this serving of the Lord seemes to be vaine To this also I answer divers wayes Answ 1 First That it is a sad thing that any of Gods people should Try and Tempt him in this manner to doe as if they should say I le see what the Lord will doe for me without asking and the like that any who have tasted how gracious the Lord hath beene unto them in a duty or ordinance that they should in the least degree willingly omit such a duty againe and that they should to speak after the manner of men disappoint the Lord thus That when the Lord shall goe into thy Chamber or Closet at the usuall time of Prayer with his eare open to the Prayer that thou hadst need to make him that then thou shouldest not be there but he must be forced to turne himselfe away missing whom hee looked for That when the Lord bringeth mercy in his hand as it were to bestow upon thee that thou shouldst not be there to receive it but he must be forced to carry his mercy back againe with him and when he bringeth his bottle to put up thy tears thou sendest him empty away This I say is a very sad thing Answer 2 But secondly I answer that if there be no difference in thine outward man in thy estate body name and the like yet there may be great difference in thine inner man and soul and I dare say there is so Doth not thy neglect of duty beget a dislike of duty doth no disuse in Gods service breed an auknesse and an indisposition thereto I doubt not but if the heart be well observed it will be acknowledged that this is true that it is thus And is this nothing Answer 3 Thirdly I would demand of those that say they can find no difference in themselves between the time when they serve the Lord and when they do not serve him whether they doe never at no time find any difference Sometimes it may be you find little or no difference the Lord meets you not in duties but you go away empty with hardnesse in your hearts and blacknesse in your bosomes and the like as you conceive But is it alwayes thus are you never answered in the joy of your soules does the Lord never give you a good look nor shew you a pleased face If you have any Joh. 15.11 slight them not are the consolations of God small unto you Or if you have none yet that thou art upheld in the way and in the work of the Lord to go on in his service even this very thing is a great mercy and is very like to be the fruit and wages for the former work and service thou hast done him And it is all one whether the Lord doth give the soul what it would have presently or strength to persevere in his wayes till he doth meet and answer it Of the two the last is rather the best because the soule honours God most by this Answer 4 Lastly consider if thou hast such and such things gifts or parts in as full a measure when thou dost not serve God as when thou dost serve him most exactly yet thou canst not look upon them as such speciall mercies if they come not in the way of seeking and serving God Psal 69.22 The very table of wicked men is made their snare Prov. 1.32 the prosperity of fooles shall slay them 2. There be also thoughts in the hearts of Gods people about the vanity of Gods service arising from some ground in others for thus they reason Obj. Those that have no care at all to serve God or to attend upon the duties of his worship yet they seeme to spred and to fare as well as those that serve him most and best of all and therefore the serving of God seemes to be in vaine To this also divers answers may be made Ans 1 As first that there is much difference in the maine and in that which ought most to be regarded Though they may seeme to be as well in their outward condition and for their body yet not with their soules for they are not in Gods wayes nor