Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	life_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	48	3	9.1243	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29912	Twenty five sermons. The second volume by the Right Reverend Father in God, Ralph Brownrig, late Lord Bishop of Exeter ; published by William Martyn, M.A., sometimes preacher at the Rolls.; Sermons. Selections	Brownrig, Ralph, 1592-1659.; Martyn, William.; Faithorne, William, 1616-1691.	1664 (1664)	Wing B5212; ESTC R36389	357,894	454

to distinguish the God of the Old Testament from the God of the New They counted them a Carnal people feeding only upon earthly promises No their estate was spiritual and the promise heavenly and all partakers of one glorious Messias 4. Conceive them ut Assessores Iudicii This Transfiguration is a representation of his last Comming in glory Then these Saints Moses and Elias shall assist his Judgment The Law and the Gospel shall then appear against their contemners and give in evidence against prophane sinners Oh! we think to see Christ only all in mercy No know Moses will appear and his Law shall be charged upon thee and the doctrine of the Prophets Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust Ioh. v. 45. That Law of holiness is not abolished but is in full strength yet till Christ shall forgive it thee Moses grew not weak or sickly but continued in full vigor till God buried him so the Law hath an eternal obligation and force upon thee and will accuse thee till Christ dischargeth it As many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. ii 12. 3. These two Moses and Elias appear respectively to the Apostles who were now present at this Transfiguration for three reasons 1. To correct an errour in them They dreamed of Christ's Kingdom to be earthly and temporal The appearance of these Citizens shews the nature of this Kingdom Heavenly Citizens must have an Heavenly King Should Christ raign here what would become of Moses and Elias the Saints departed They are banish'd from this Kingdom No sure they must sit down with Abraham in that Kingdom Ye are come unto the heavenly Ierusalem and to the spirits of just men Heb. xii 22. 23. The consideration of these Citizens must raise us to the acknowledgment of an heavenly Inheritance They sought a City to come 2. To confirm a truth They had made a noble Confession of Christ's Divinity See how Christ confirms them now by the acknowledgment here of two glorious Witnesses As Christ to Nathaniel Believest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree thou shalt see greater things then these Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Ioh. i. 50. 51. They shall have Moses and Elias two great Witnesses to confirm it to them Thus God honours and rewards and confirms the Faith of his servants 3. To enforce a duty Moses and Elias assist him in glory These were the most laborious and faithful servants of Christ and how are they now honoured It urgeth upon them that holy imitation Moses he was Faithful in the house of God Elias he was Zealous and Jealous for his glory Both ventured their lives in God's Cause Moses encountred Pharoah Elias Ahab Both Zealous in God's Worship now they appear in rest and glory These great Zelotes were most eminent Favourites It chalks out to the Apostles the way of getting high into Heaven Those who labour and toyl in his work burn in Zeal for his Glory pledg their lives in his Cause give up the fullest account and improvement of their pains these are his choyse ones these follow the Lamb where ever he goes As David's Worthies they were alwayes about him placed in greatest command stand upon Record so here these who encountred Gyants Pharaoh Ahab Iezabel these are they who are highly honoured 4. These two appear respectively to the people and their judgment of Christ. There were three opinions common among the Jews of Christ 1. A blasphemous opinion 2. A more moderate opinion but yet unworthy of him 3. A partial and superstitious opinion All these are corrected by this Apparition 1. They had a blasphemous opinion of him that he was an Impostor a transgressor of the Law a blasphemer This man blasphemeth Matth. ix 3. See here Moses and Elias justifie him bear witness to him associate and protest their Communion with him Had he been a transgressor a profaner of the Sabbath Moses would not have owned him much less honoured him Had he been a blasphemer as they charged him Elias who burnt in Zeal for God's glory would he have a-dored him Now then that these Saints of such authority among the people do they acknowledg him Surely he is no transgressor no blasphemer 2. The people more moderately yet most unworthily judged him to be but some Prophet Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Some say that thou art Iohn the Baptist some Elias and others Ieremias or one of the Prophets Matth. xvi 13 14. That was the best they thought of him A great Prophet is risen up among us Luc. 7. 16. This was well but yet too low for Christ. The Devil can be content we should yield him thus much if we stay there The Turk's attribute so much to him No here we see the main Prophet Elias he adores him as Lord of the Prophets to whom all Prophets ministred ushered in foretold All the Prophets were enlightned by him all were sent by him Elias and Samuel and all stoop to him 3. The Jews had a superstitious opinion of Moses that none could exceed him They would not allow Christ to be Moses his equal Thou art his Disciple but we are Moses Disciples We know that God spake unto Moses as for this fellow we know not whence he is Ioh. ix 28 29. See here Moses whom they dote upon he gives precedency to Christ he vails and bowes and prostrates to him Thus the Jews superstitiously advance some Saints to prejudice Christ. Abraham Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the Prophets are dead whom makest thou thy self Ioh. viii 53. Whereas Abraham desired to see one day of Christ so did Moses Many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see Luk. x. 24. that is Christ in the flesh As S. Paul of himself What is Paul what is Apollos So what is Moses in compare with Christ So much of the Persons 1. Duo Two 2. Duo homines Two men 3. Hi duo These two Moses and Elias Next is Secondly The Manner of their Presence They appeared in Glory In it two things 1. It is a real Appearance 2. It is a glorious Appearance I. It is a real Appearance not an apparition of fancie or some Vision to the mind but a true real personal Appearance of these two Saints 1. It is propounded and sealed up with a word of certainty and assurance Behold importing not onely admiration but evidence and assurance 2. The eyes of the Apostles give evidence of this Appearance It is said When they were awake they saw his Glory and the two men that stood with him And S. Peter and S. Iohn affirm they were eye-witnesses of all this Glory 3. The Actions ascribed to these men are real and bodily talking speaking all bodily

unseasonable Infirmities and to set it in just and due circumstances and then it is a speech of admirable Piety The words are a Suit and request made by the Prophet for his death and dissolution he made request for himself that he might dye In it observe two Particulars 1. The Suit it self O Lord take away my life 2. A double Meditation that works him to this desire and request for death 1. Is a full contentation and present satiety Satis est It is enough 2. Is an apprehension of his natural condition and frailty I am no better then my fathers First for his forwardness to dye and motion he makes for it Conceive it in three Particulars 1. Optat Here is an holy Wish 2. Orat That 's more he makes an holy Supplication 3. Resignat He yields himself up to God in an holy Resignation I. Optat He expresses his willingness he wishes to dye For fuller understanding of this willingness to dye let us consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Grounds and Occasions of it 3. The Evidences and Strength and Power of it 1. The Nature of it To flesh and bloud it is a strange paradox that death should come within the compass of a Wish whereas Nature and Reason and Religion too all seem to lead us to the preservation and maintenance of our Life and Being 'T is true and yet Elias his case is here allowable and of ordinary use and practice too The Saints of God may and are willing to dye and wish for it but yet with these Caveats 1. Caveat In these wishes for Death they apprehend Death in a limited Consideration 1. In the apprehension of Nature as it is a state and condition of Separation and Destruction so we all shrink at it and flee from it 'T is that impression that God hath planted in us a care to preserve and maintain our Being Death thus apprehended makes David beg respit Psal. xxxix 13. O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more Psal. vi 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee This makes S. Paul sigh and groan We would not be uncloath'd of this garment of our flesh but enter immediately into immortality Nay amongst others even this apprehension made Christ wish escapal and deliverance He fear'd and wish'd and begg'd escapal 2. In the apprehension of Religion as Death comes with a malediction that makes it dreadful Were Death onely a consequent of Nature or a contingency of Fortune or a contrivance of Man some more manly resolutions may willingly undergo it But as it is the stroke of Gods anger and indignation that heads the arrow and dart of Death and as it is attended with that train of evils and curses that follow Death that 's matter of horror To see Death on a pale Horse is dismal Rev. vi 8. but to see Hell following after him that 's dreadful To look into the Grave and see the Worm of Corruption 't is sad but to look lower and to see that never-dying Worm gnawing and consuming that 's unsufferable Thus it is not desirable But then 3. In the apprehension of Faith we find Death altered and changed nay sanctified and sweetned to us made useful and advantageous and so it is acceptable and desirable Death in its own nature is Gods Serjeant and Officer the appearance of such an one to a debtor or malefactor is fearful and they run from him but to a friend or acquaintance he is as a messenger of love and we willingly admit of him This Officer comes to a Christian not to arrest or attach him but lovingly to invite him 'T is made an in-lett into heaven a passage to eternity Oh When shall I come and appear before God! 2. Caveat The Saints desires of Death are alwayes conceiv'd with a limitation of submission to Gods will and appointment In this case S. Bernard gives us a good rule of conformity to Gods will and pleasure He makes a threefold subjection of these desires to God 1. Is Quod certum est Deum nolle execremur nos When Gods negative is clear and express he rejects our desires we must yield and give over As it was with Moses he begg'd often of God to go into Canaan at last God gives his peremptory denial Speak no more to me of this matter and Moses gave over 2. Is Quod certum est Deum velle velimus nos When Gods will is express and absolute then we must absolutely desire it When God did definitively appoint Moses to dye Go up to the Mount and dye Moses yields presently He dyed according to the word of the Lord Deut. xxxiv 5. 3. Is Quod incertum est utrum velit an nolit neque velimus ex toto nequc non velimus neutri parti nimis inhaereamus When his will for Life or Death is hidden and secret then we must bring down our desires from an absolute Petition to an humble and submissive Subordination Thus that good Bishop in S. Bernard tempers his desires and prayers for Death Domine si adhuc populo tuo sum necessarius non recuso laborem fiat voluntas tua desidero requiem non recuso laborem 3. Caveat The Saints desires of Death are limited and stinted with an holy moderation In this case what the School-men resolve of Christs desire of Life we may conclude of the Saints desire of Death it was an act of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was a moderate willingness not a resolute will As S. Paul expresses it 2 Cor. v. 8. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had rather Phil. i. 23. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is better to dye These desires of Death are not so much an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they purpose and fix upon as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is pleasing and acceptable As Gerson expresses it they have mortem in desiderio but yet they have vitam in pätientia they desire death but they will with patience endure life Ask Saint Paul what he wishes what is his choice and longing Oh! 't is to die it is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ask him what he wills that 's to abide still as God sees cause You have seen the nature of Elias his willingness to die See now 2. What occasions this willingness in Elias to die Besides those main grounds that work the hearts of Gods children to desire death and to wish it with comfort as 1. That the power and sting of death is vanquish'd and swallowed up in victory 2. That Christ's death hath freed us from the fear of it 3. That death puts a blessed end to all sin and corruption 4. That it opens unto us a blessed entrance into glory Besides these the spirit of Elias is wrought to this willingness and desire of death upon these Occasions 1. Taedio afflictionum Elias his life was beset with many vexations and afflictions