Selected quad for the lemma: opinion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
opinion_n	according_a	faith_n	true_a	625	5	4.4497	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95842	An antidote against sorrovv, in order to the obtaining of sanctified joy. An excellent treatise first written in French by N. Vedelius, then translated into Latine by Gallus Pareus, and now into English, by Cadwallader Winne, M.A.	Vedel, Nicolaus, 1596-1642.; Winne, Cadwallader, b. 1622 or 3, translator.	1650 (1650)	Wing V167; Thomason E1421_1; ESTC R209478	59,453	229

my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I will yet praise him who is the helpe of my countenance and my God Psal 42.12 CHAP. VI. The sixth ground or reason is that afflictions themselves yield matter of joy BUt what doe I say not onely the benefits but the evils of this life commonly so called that is to say adversities which thou endurest as long as thou dwellest in these tents of Kedar yield matter of joy which is a riddle which the Philistines of this world cannot resolve The Nazarites and children of God are onely sensible that there is hony in the Lion and sweetnesse in affliction This lesson is very necessary to every one and in it selfe most excellent for thereby wee are taught to look upon afflictions undauntedly and entertaine them not onely with contempt as the Philosophers teach but with a merry countenance with pleasure and gladnesse which without comparison is farre more laudable and excellent than stoicall contempt and prond disdaine which cannot long endure the brunt of greater evils but will in short space be foiled and put to flight with shame Now mans understanding is not capable of this doctrine unlesse it hath first knowledge of the goodnesse lying hid under the deformed vizard of afflictions which con●…sts herein that the affictions which God layeth upon his elect are the meanes whereby they obtaine the possession of eternall happinesse and those unspeakable good things which are prepared for them so that their end is most excellent of inestimable value even heavenly life and glory which neither eye saw nor eare heard nor the heart of man can conceive That thou mayest perfectly understand this doctrine it is necessary that thou consider the divers sorts of afflictions which God sendeth to his children wherof commonly they make two one sort is of those afflictions which are common to the godly with the children of this world as diseases poverty or the like The other sort is of those afflictions that are proper unto such as undergo the crosse of Jesus Christ or persecution where with the faithfull for the profession of the Gospell are assaulted by their enemies but to speak properly if we look upon afflictions as they out wardly appeare unto us there is not any affliction proper all are common but if we consider their intrinsecall forme which gives them their being and essence there is not any common but all are particular and proper for their extrinsecall forme consisteth in that which is grievous and carries with it anguish of heart as poverty as hath beene said diseases banishment imprisonment all which are common to the godly with the children of this world insomuch that there is not any affliction which may not as equally befall them both for what have we not common saith one of the Fathers as long as we are in this world with the children therof and as long as wee are here below wee are joyned with other men by the bonds of this corruptible flesh but in spirit we are separated from them so that till this corruptible shall bee clothed with incorruption and this mortall shall put on immortality we ascend to God the father all the discommodities of the flesh are common to us with them If the earth be barren famine makes no distinction between any if a City or Town be surprised by the enemy all are brought into captivity and when the clouds with-hold their raine all are compelled to endure this drought and when the rocks split the ship asunder all without exception endure the same wrack failing of eyes burning agues and the perfect health of all the members are common to us with them as long as we are clothed with the same common flesh in this world As touching that which gives essence to the afflictions of Gods children it is opinion according to Philosophy But Gods word corrects this opinion teaching us that it cannot give unlesse an imaginary and putative essence thereunto Their true essence then is that which God himselfe gives them who wills that some serve for to chastise his elect correct their vices some serve for to trie their faith and other vertues and others tend to this end that they may beare witnesse to his heavenly truth Now as there is not any affliction of Gods children but hath reference to one of these so they are of that nature that they never befall the wicked since hee is not their father neither trieth hee them in that whereof they are destitute neither honoureth them so faire as to make them witnesses of his truth which they are ignorant of or cannot away with To speak properly then the faithfull man hath not any affliction common with the unregenerate if wee respect as wee ought its true being neither any particular affliction if we consider its outward forme and species And this wee must observe by reason of the fruit and consolation which redound thereby to God's children as shall bee seen hereafter There are three sorts of afflictions wherewith God exerciseth his children chastisement triall and Martyrdome of all and each of which we say that they procure to the godly inestimable good things glory especially and eternall life That the verity hereof may the better be perceived let us first as to what concerne chastisement compare prosperity and adversity Who knoweth not that whereas prosperity should be a spurre to excite and hasten us with more alacrity to the marke of our high calling and to render thankes unto God in such sort as is meet that is to worship and love him with more affection and to glorifie him in all our thoughts words and actions who knoweth not I say what it doth instead of all this It corrupteth us the blame is ours and brings forth such effects as it ought not to produce It is true the godly man offends God in his adversity through murmurings diffidence and other sinnes but hee recollects and returnes unto himselfe assoone as with David hee entreth the sanctuary but this is little or nothing to that he doth in the time of prosperity for if adversity hath kill'd her thousand certainly prosperity hath kill'd her ten thousand It is prosperity that breedeth carnall security forgetfulnesse of God confidence in humane affaires pride prophanation love to this world contempt of Gods word and sacraments It suffocates godly zeale and extinguisheth fervency of prayers it burieth and hideth the fire of faith under the ashes of carnall concupiscences and affections In a word the summer of prosperity engendreth a numerous swarme of flies that is to say vices which waste and make desolate the garden of the Lord This point needs no proofe the Scripture being plentifull herein and every mans experience witnessing it to be the way to eternall condemnation and not to life wherfore that God may bring into the right way one that is as a miserable wandring sheep hee takes him his pastorall staffe not smiting him on this side otherwhile on

and rubs the mosse there-from to see whether that which Bernard speaks of according to the vulgar opinion be true that there be so many branches upon a tree as there be roots and look with how many boughes it is beautified and adorned with so many roots it is fastned in the earth And after hee hath for a long time bestowed his labour in vaine upon this experiment he applies himselfe to his journey againe and by chance there is a greater noise of the leaves than wonted thereupon supposing a knot of theeves to bee at hand hee takes him his heeles and runnes away leaving all his things behind him and for this turne forgetteth his journey and returnes to the place whence he came at first and howsoever he be dispossessed of that feare yet hee ceaseth not to be childish for seeing a stone in the midst of the way which he might passe by he turnes not aside but endeavours to break it into shivers and thereupon fals headlong to the ground Being in this posture hee makes a piteous moane and yet striveth not to get up and if perchance one passe by moved with compassion endeavours to lift him up hee is froward testy and complaines of him who reacheth a helping hand yea reviles him with reproaches And if it happens he be wet with raine hee steeres his course to a place distant thence ten dayes journey onely upon this designe to drie his cloathes And when hee comes to the Inne if all the rooms besides that which is alotted him bee not handsome richly adorned and furnished with hangings or if the beds be not soft enough and he be not entertained with an over-delicate feast being unmindfull of his journey hee stayes there to raile with his hoast menacing to bring him before the Judge But being in some sort reconciled with him he bestowes much cost and paines in repairing that Inne that he may the next time that hee comes thither which will be at latter Lammas be better entertained but if the structure and building corresponds not with his mind with a broken and despairing spirit hee goes even the same way backe againe and returnes to the place whence he came at first In fine hee disquiets himself in a thousand turmoiles and troubles and all to no purpose whereof hee might have been dispossessed had hee not applied his mind unto such things as were obvious in his way and been not unmindfull of his duty Countrey and condition The condition of the child of this world is of the same straine hee forgets his journey and spirituall course which hee is bound to performe hee interrupts and breaks off in the midst of his pilgrimage beginning it againe and againe so that in the latter end of his life he is a strange guest to true Christianity as hee was at the beginning The sinner being an hundred yeares old shall bee accused Esay 65.20 he is so foolish that though he hath now and then purposed with himselfe to renounce the world yet never brings his intention to perfection but beginning in the spirit he endeth in the flesh Gal. 3.3 The reason whereof is because he insteed of meditating upon his heavenly countrey involves himselfe in the things of this world whereupon his affection is so fixt that nothing besides most grievous miseries can reconcile him unto God and bring him into the right way to his heavenly Countrey Thou devout soule behave thy self otherwise and be like a wise traveller go from strength to strength till thou appeare before God in Sion Psal 84.8 so that thou mayest have this testimony and consolation with the Apostle St. Paul in thy selfe and mayest say But this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I presse toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Amen Phil. 3.13,14 FINIS