Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	matter_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	61	3	8.9151	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45335	A practical and polemical commentary, or, exposition upon the third and fourth chapters of the latter epistle of Saint Paul to Timothy wherein the text is explained, some controversies discussed, sundry cases of conscience are cleared, many common places are succinctly handled, and divers usefull and seasonable observations raised / by Thomas Hall ...	Hall, Thomas, 1610-1665.	1658 (1658)	Wing H436; ESTC R14473	672,720	512

is the very formalis ratio the quintescence of zeal to be intense and increased to the utmost 'T is not every degree of Affection for a formalist may have some cold Vellieties and Luke-warm desires and a carnal man may have some joy and fear But zeal is another thing 't is a boiling over again with extremity of heat 'T is sacra ebullitio a holy heat and rising of the heart against sin It makes a man fervent or seething hot against sin Rom. 12.11 Water may be hot in some measure and yet not seeth seething hot is the highest degree of heat But the Hypocrite is affraid of being too zealous and active for God whereas we can never be too zealous in that we know to be good in it self and good for us to do We cannot exceed in our love to God nor in our obedience to him No vertue in its formal reason can be too much intended a man cannot be nimis liberalis tho he may be nimius in largitione Keep the horse under the bridle and in the right way and keep the stream within its banks let it run in a right channel and then the stronger the better 3. It will make us sharp and severe against our own sins but pittiful and compassionate to others As charity so zeal begins at home no man can speak so sharply against him as he doth against himself though others may excuse him yet he 'l not excuse himself 2 Sam. 24.10 But the Hypocrite he 's parcus sibi severus aliis High and harsh in his censures of others but indulgent to himself Matth. 7.4 the worst men are usually the greatest censurers Acts 28.4 4. It makes a man more zealous in great matters then in lesser In great causes he sheweth great zeal and in lesser causes lesser zeal He calls not for a Sword to kill a Flea nor for an Axe to crack an Egge He well knows that the same fire is not requisite for the roasting of an Egge as is for the roasting of an Ox. But the Hypocrite he 's magnus in minimis he 's fiery in small matters and cold in weighty ones With Saul he kills the lean but spares the fat And with the Pharises he Tythes Mint and Cummin but neglects obedience in the great things of the Law Matth. 23.23 5. He 's more zealous in Gods cause then in his own Moses how meek and quiet in his own cause Numb 12.3 Yet how hot in Gods Exod. 32.9.19.27 Hezekiah mourns more for Senacherib's blasphemy then for the Sword that was drawn against himself 2 Kings 19.3 4.16 David when himself was persecuted became as a deaf man but when Gods Law is transgressed his zeal consumes him and rivers of tears run down his eyes Christ himself in his own sufferings was as a Sheep before the Shearer dumb but when Gods house is profaned he doth not onely by words but blows drive them out with an holy violence Nehemiah how silent when himself was reproached but when Gods Sabbaths are profaned he contends even with Nobles about it Ioshua 7.8 is more tender over Gods Name then his own he doth not say what shall our names estates and lives do but what wilt thou do for thy own name The Church of Ephesus could bear any suffering but not sin Rev. 2.2 But the hypocrite is hot in his own case and key-cold in Gods let any wrong him or rob him he 's all on a flame but let Gods Name Sabbaths Servants be wronged he cares for no such things 4. True zeal may be known by it's concomitants and companions which are 4.1 'T is ever attended with wisedom and discretion 'T is not a rash ungrounded zeal but a wise sober well-grounded fervour As a good dish may be spoiled in the dressing so a good reproof for want of observing due circumstances of persons time and place may loose it's due operation Hence Solomon commends a word that 's spoken Beophman super rotis suis running on the wheels of all due circumstances Psal. 25.11 Fire on the hearth is good but fire in the top of the house is dangerous Love allows us to be warm and plain but not scalding hot in our reproofs A well-ordred zeal will teach a Nathan to catch a David in a parable Caut. Yet must we beware least under pretence of discretion we destroy zeal of which see more in the Objections 2. It keeps the bounds of its calling It dares do nothing without a call from God Simeon and Levi were good men and the cause was good but the prosecution of it was ill for they assumed the Magistrates power without a call Gen. 3.4 Excessive heat or excessive cold is poysen 3. He loves to see and to make others zealous It 's the nature of fire to multiply one living●coal kindles another zealous Abraham will not keep his goodness to himself but he 'l communicate it to his family So Moses Numb 11.29 and Paul Acts 26.29 4. 'T is of a growing nature we must grow in zeal as well as in other graces A grain of mustard seed though it be little yet 't is lively Fire on the Altar might not be suffered to go out Levit. 6.13 As natural strength so this is increased by exercise To him that hath true zeal shall be given more Lastly this must quicken us all to an holy zeal and emulation in well-doing Most men seek to excell their Neighbours in riches fine houses fine fare but who labours to excel in vertue The living God delights not in dead hearts dead spirits become not his servants cold wishes and faint desires please not him we must be active and stirring if we desire that God should be with us for our God is not the God of the dead but of the living Who should be zealous and active for God if we be not as Nehemiah said in another case Neh. 6.11 Should such a one as I fly I that am under such special promises special protection special providences should I dishonour my profession and in a fearful manner fly so should such as we be cold and dead who live upon the bread of life and drink the water of life who have lively Oracles and lively Ordinances and all meanes to make us lively Let us therefore do what we do with all our might as David did when he danced before the Ark. 2 Sam. 6.14 Let us oppose sin with all our might Preach Pray and praise God with all our might Iudge 5.12 Psal. 103.23 Rom. 12.11 We should burn and boyl up in our spirits in duty By this meanes we shall prevent aboundance of dangerous temptations which seise on Luke-warm professors When Honey is cold every Fly and Wasp robs us of it but when 't is boyling and scalding hot they dare not come neer it When men are cold and indifferent in Religion every Sectary and Seducer which are the Devils Flies and Emissaries makes a prey of us but when we are hot

at that great day Matthew 10.32.33 and as you have suffered more for him then others have done so you shall have a higher degree of Glory Matt. 19.28 29. See more Yongs benefit of affliction cap. 1. Sibs Cordials p. 160. Calvins Instit. l. 3. c. 8. S. 7.8 Bifields Mirrour Treat of Promises cap. 8. p. 336. and Gods Treasury c. 28. Objection But I see my persecutors flourish in health wealth prosperity whilest I am poor persecuted and low Answer Fret not your self because of prosperous wicked men for they shall soon come down Psalm 31.1 2.13.35 36. and 73.19 20. 't is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you 2 Thes. 1.6 and though they be many that rise against the Church yet the Lord hath said he 'l make Ierusalem a burthensome stone to All people be they never so many or mighty Zach. 12.3 they shall but wound and cut themselves that meddle with her they shall all have enough of it who ever they be as we see in Pharaoh Saul Senacherib Iesabel Haman Herod the Moabites and the Iewes who persecuted Christ and his Apostles are to this day a cursed dispersed people Be not therefore terrified by your adversaries Phillippians 1.28 though they be great yet there is a greater then they though they plot yet God hath a plot above their plots he sits in Heaven and laughs them to scorn Psalm 2. they are ludibria coeli though terrores mundi Psalm 37.12 the wicked plot Verse 13. God comes between the plot and the execution and mars all He snares the wicked in their own devices Psalm 9.16 Higgaon Selah This is a matter worthy of our chifest meditation God will punish all wicked men but persecutors of his people especially As the Martyrs shall have the highest joy so their persecutor shall have the deepest sorrow There is a neere Union between Christ and his Church he is the Head and and they are his Members he the Vine and they the branches he the husband and they his Spouse Col. 1.18 Eph. 1.22 4.15 16. 3.30 and therefore he must needs be sensible of the wrongs which are done to them Acts 9.4 5. Isay 63.9 Zach. 2.8 Christ and his people have common friends and common foes Francis the first after he had commanded the destruction of the Protestants was never his own man after Winceslaus King of the Bohemians within 18. dayes after he had marked out the names of some Christians to death was smitten himself Though wicked men may forget their wickedness yet God will not Amos 8.7 he can tell Amilek 400. years after what he did against Israel and punisheth him for it 1 Sam. 15.2 3. God will destroy the destroyers of his people If Pharaoh persue Israel God will pursue Phara●h If Mount Seir slay Israel God will destroy Mount Seir Ezek. 45. per totum If Pashur smite Ieremy God will smite Pashur If Ieroboam stretch forth his hand against the Prophet that hand shall wither If Herod vex the Church Vermin shall vexe him And however persecutors may escape in this life yet they are sure to pay for it in the next Phillippians 1.28 2. Thessalonians 1.6 7.9 Rev. 19.20 and 20.10 let us comfort our selves with the remembrance of that great day Here many times they live longest who deserve not to live at all Here the Israelites make brick whilest the Egyptians dwell at ease David is in want whilest Nabal abounds Here Sion oft'times is Babylons captive and they that deserve nothing are Lords of all yet this is our comfort the day of the Lord will come and then we shall be above and our enemies shall be beneath Now they cite us to their bar and we cite them as Ierom of Prague did his adversaries to Gods Bar. I summon you all to answer me shortly before the great and just Judge of all the world They prepare evils for the Church and God prepares rods for them God is jealous over Ierusalem for the wrong that is done to her Zach. 1.4 and though he bear long yet he will not alwaies bear Tempus erit Turno There 's a time when they shall pay full dearly for medling with such holy things Ier. 2.3 God hath prepared arrowes for to shoot at persecutors Psalm 7.13 and rather then fail he will make their own arrowes to wound themselves and fall on their own pates Psal. 37.14.13 The fire that should have burnt the 3 young men Daniel 3. burnt those that threw them in and the Lions which should have devoured Daniel devoured his enemies Daniel 6. Lastly Prepare for trials look for storms as sure as now we live so sure a change will come how soon we know not We should therefore with Ioseph in those years of plenty prepare for years of scarcity and in the highest prosperity remember the dayes of adversity for they may be many so did Iob. 3.23 Rules That we may be Real Martyrs and suffer rightly 1. The man must be good The person must please before the suffering can please Uprightnesse breeds boldnesse and the Holiest men have ever proved the happiest Martyrs as we see in Paul Latimer Bradford c. 2. The End must be good 'T is that which denominates the Action a man may seem to die for the Truth yet not in Truth nor out of love to Christ and his Truth but for ambition and vain glory 1 Cor. 13.7 such suffer Iactatione magis quàm delectatione for selfe ends and not out of love to Christ and so loose all 3. The matter and cause for which we suffer must be good for 't is not the suffering but the cause which we suffer for which makes a Martyr We are never blest unlesse we suffer for Righteousnesse sake Matth. 5.11 When men suffer as murtherers malefactors blasphemers and disturbers of the Peace of the Nation as the Quakers do this is cause of shame but if a man suffer as a Christian its cause of rejoycing 1 Peter 3.14 and 4.15 16. When men hate and persecute us not for any evil that we have done but because we will not do evil but study to please God and serve him in sincerity when 't is for Christs sake that we are killed Rom. 8.36 then our sufferings are the sufferings of Christ and reflect upon him so that he takes them as done to himself Matt. 25.45 Acts 9.4 Heb. 11 26. 4. The manner of our sufferings must be right 1. It must be patiently without murmuring or repineing loose this and you loose the reward of all your sufferings 1 Peter 2.19 20. if when ye do well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God or as the Original renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will thank you for this This is stupenda condescentio a wonderful condescension that God should account himselfe gratified and as it were beholding to such sufferers To make you Patient