Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	word_n	world_n	write_v	299	4	5.0221	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93738	The doctrine of the cross, or, The duty of Christian suffering as it is necessary and subservient in order to the obtaining eternal salvation, delivered in a sermon on Matth. 13. 20, 21 / by Richard Stafford.	Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.	1697 (1697)	Wing S5118; ESTC R42710	24,789	39

to be an especial mark of the favour of God But truly herein the people of the world do err not knowing the Scriptures nor the manner of God's dealing towards the Children of Men For indeed if we look into the glass of the Word we shall there see and find that present Impunity and Prosperity are rather signs that such who have them are Bastards than the Children of God That they are men of the world who have their portion in this Life Psal 17. 14. from whom David prays by the Spirit that his Soul may be delivered and not be with them Which is also the desire of those who have Faith and true Understanding in the Things and Dispensations of God Better is afflicted Innocency than prosperous Iniquity and a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked Psal 37. ●6 As for my part when I see or hear of any who have the Name or Character of very religious and honest People and yet they never did nor do lie under Persecution or Reproach if they be not afflicted one way or another nor yet spoken against by some or other verily I do suppose and conclude such to be either Hypocrites or rather partial Christians such as keep some of the Commandments of God and neglect others The reason whereof is this because I know not how to reconcile the State of such People unto the Scriptures of Truth For if any be without Persecution or Reproach Affliction or Chastisement whereof all the Servants of God in all Generations and Countries have been Partakers Either the Scriptures are not true which speak universally of some kind of Affliction or Hatred to all God's people which would be horrid blasphemy to affirm for Heaven and Earth shall pass away rather than one tittle or jota thereof shall fail until all be fulfilled or rather which is the very Truth such people who thus escape scotfree from any Trouble or Vexation from the World are none of the People Saints and Servants of God although they outwardly seem or pretend never so much to be so After that our Saviour Jesus Christ who had the Character from God that he was his beloved Son had with excellent Arguing shewed the unreasonableness thereof that the World should hate Him or his Disciples in John 15. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. He sums up and concludes that whole Discourse with this observable Truth But this cometh to pass that the Word might be fulfilled which is written in their Law they hated me without a cause Ver. 25. And so it comes to pass even now for the Scriptures hold alike true as to all Persons Times and Places That there is no going to Heaven or entring into the Kingdom of God without some tribulation or other Yea it must be of that kind of tribulation also which arises from matters of Duty and from true Serving of and obedience to God For if it were not or should not be so the Scriptures would not be fulfilled and found true Good God! what a strange kind of ignorant and corrupt World do we live in Many of my Countrey Men and Neighbours I was a reproach among all mine Enemies but especially among my Neighbours and a Fear to mine Acquaintance Psal 31. 11. have been and are offended at him who writeth this meerly because he hath gone through a consideraable deal of Trouble as if he was therefore an Hypocrite a Deceiver or deceived in his Religion Which was the very same Surmise and Reproach that those his two called Friends had of and fastened on Job As to which God himself witnesseth on his behalf They have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath Job 42. 5. And so it is as to the aforementioned Imagination and Saying That such an one is an Hypocrite or Deceived or silly and foolish as to the Management of his Religion because his Religion hath occasioned Suffering and Trouble unto him Whereas in deed and in truth this Reproach turns upon themselves For if judgment be made hereof by the sure Word of God This argues yea and demonstrates themselves to be Hypocrites or deceived as certainly all those are who obey but a part thereof and not the whole Law of God Yea and fools in that they lose the future Recompence promised unto Suffering for Well-doing Who so order their Religion that it costs them nothing of Expence Trouble or Inconveniency Whose Religion sits so lose upon them that they fashion and turn and change it according to every wind of Temptation and Trial that they may have it always in their back and to blow with them Who love to swim with the stream although it tends to the bottomless Pit Who are for walking all along or for the most part according to the course of this World and to do as most do altho' as sure as Scripture is true this is the ready way to be condemned with the World True indeed that many times it is most for the present safety and ease of the Flesh To walk in the way of the Multitude and according to the course of this World but only this is not the right way to Heaven Of which they will not be counted worthy by God or by Christ now nor will they be admitted by them hereafter who are afraid or certainly those will not who refuse to Suffer for his Name and for the Testimony of his Word or for the Hearing or Receiving thereof 2dly In that kind of People who when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth for the Word either before or immediately afterwards they are offended there is another wanting in them and so their Souls are not set in order as yet before the time draws nigh that they must die and go out of these Bodies That is they want the Trust on God Now this Word Trust is a relative Term and presupposes some Danger or Difficulty For as the Apostle proves that the Object of Hopes is unseen things by this kind of Arguing For what a man sees what doth he hope for Intimating thereby as if seeing was a kind of Knowledge and Certainty of such things which is somewhat more and another distinct thing from Hope So here in like manner it may be Reasoned if there was no Danger or Difficulty in such a thing How could we trust on God concerning it For the trust on God is not altogether so much to be exercised when we are walking in a Room or when we are at Ease in our House at a full Table or in the midst of Health Plenty and Prosperity or when we are in a whole Skin and have the World at will I wist that most yea all People can trust on God then But herein is the true Excellency and Benefit for only thus the present and future Good thereof are to be had of trusting on God When the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vine the labour of the Olive