Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	blessing_n	commit_v	good_a	19	3	2.0923	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19493	Three heauenly treatises vpon the eight chapter to the Romanes Viz. 1 Heauen opened. 2 The right way to eternall glory. 3 The glorification of a Christian. VVherein the counsaile of God concerning mans saluation is so manifested, that all men may see the Ancient of dayes, the Iudge of the World, in his generall iustice court, absoluing the Christian from sinne and death. Which is the first benefit wee haue by our lord Iesus Christ. Written by Mr. William Cowper, minister of Gods word.; Heaven opened	Cowper, William, 1568-1619.	1609 (1609)	STC 5919.5; ESTC S108989	320,789	380

perishing things in great vvisedome and loue toward vs as hee seeth may be best for vs. Certainely vve ought so to reioyce in that great gift the Lord Iesus whom the Father hath giuen vs and in vvhom he hath blessed vs vvith all spirituall blessings that vve take no thought for any other thing vvhatsoeuer vvhich hee hath thought expedient to hold from vs. Oh that vve could giue vnto the Lord this glory as to say vvithout grudging O Lord Iesus I can vvant nothing seeing I haue thee to be my portion And further seeing all these things are dispensed and giuen by God let vs as I said in our callings aboue all things seeke his blessing Adam may make himselfe a garment but it shall not couer his nakednesse Ionas may build himselfe a booth but it shall not defend him from the heat of the Sunne Peter fi●hed all night and hee profited nothing till Iesus spake the word Though we rise earely and lye down late and eate the bread of sorrow yet shall we labour in vain vnlesse the Lord giue the blessing Let vs therefore so vse the meanes that with them we ioyne prayer moderating our care let vs commit the successe to the Lord. It is true that Religion allowes not carelesnesse yea by the contrary it commaunds vs to be carefull for those vvhom God hath committed vnto vs If any man care not for his household hee is worse than an infidell This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a moderate foreseeing of things which are needefull but there is an vnlawfull care the daughter of distrust whereby men are carryed either beyond lawfull meanes or else if the meanes be lawfull beyond the measure of a temperate affection as though a man had not a Father in heauen to care for him or were able to compasse things by his owne wit This care is not vnprofitable onely but full of many perturbations for which our Sauiour compares it to thornes which are most easily gouerned when they are most lightly touched where as he who gripes them hardly inuolues them and makes them more perplex and hurts himselfe also Our Sauiour correcting Martha for too much care of the worldly part ioynes these two thou art carefull about many things and art troubled telling vs that which we finde in experience that many worldly cares breedes many troubles Let vs walke therefore in the right way vsing the meanes in sobernesse let vs cast our care on the Lord. Last of all it is to be marked here that the Apostle ●aith that God with Christ giues all things vnto vs so then Iesus Christ is the maine and great gift and all other things are but pendicles annexed vnto it Other gifts without Christ haue a shew of comfort but renders no solide comfort in the end they shall be deceiued at length who glories in other things vvere they neuer so excellent vvhile as they are strangers from Christ. When God said to Abraham feare not I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward not considering vvhat the Lord offered to him he answered in his weaknes O Lord what canst thou giue me seeing I go childlesse Euen he vvho vvas the Father of the faithfull could not conceiue hovv great good God promised to him vvhen he promised himselfe to be his reward And therefore let vs suspecting our vveakenesse that it carry vs not into the like errour vvatch ouer our owne hearts that they be not set vpon Gods secondary gifts more than vpon himselfe Albeit the Lord should giue vs pleasant Canaan for an inheritance and multiply our posteritie as the starres of heauen yet will we say O Lord all these shall not content vs vnlesse thou dost giue vs thy selfe It doth more reioyce vs that thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne Iesus to bee our Sauiour than that thou hast subdued all the workes of thine hands vnder vs. Verse 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifies THe Apostle in his generall triumph contained in the last two Verses hauing proclaimed a defiance to all the enimies of a Christian doth now begin to challenge them perticularly triumphing first against sinne Verse 33. 34. thereafter against all sort of afflictions that come vpon vs by whatsoeuer instruments visible or inuisible Wee begun first at his triumph against sinne who saith he shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen hee excepts no person neyther is any eyther in heauen in earth or in hell able to doe it hee reserues no sort of sinne seeke what they will there is nothing to be found in the Christian to accuse him and condemne him his interrogation is plaine his answere is supprest his reason is subioyned It is God that iustifies where the supreame Iudge absolues can any inferior iudge whatsoeuer condemne Where first wee haue to consider who is hee that this manner of way triumphs Is it not Paul who before his conuersion was a persecuter a blasphemer and an oppresser who confesseth himselfe to be the chiefe of all sinners and the least of all Saints yea indeed the same is hee but marke such a one hee was indeed but hath gotten mercy and therefore now like a man relieued of a heauy burthen which before oppressed him hee reioyces and triumphes Certainely no greater comfort can come to man than to feele his sins forgiuen him this onely causeth true reioycing See this in Dauid as long as the burden of his sinne lay vpon his conscience it prest out the very naturall moysture of his body hee had no rest night nor day but from the time that once Nathan proclaimed to him remission and that in his owne conscience he felt his sin forgiuen him then hee cryed out O blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and vnto whom the Lord imputes not his iniquitie As hee that lay sicke sixe and thirty yeeres of the palsie arose with great ioy when Iesus relieved him and hee that was a creple when hee found that his feete which had failed him so long did not serue him leaped for ioy and followed the Apostles into the Temple to praise God so that soule which findes it selfe freed from the guiltinesse and seruitude of sinne of all burthens that euer lay vpon man the heauiest to beare will with much more abundant ioy exult and triumph in that mercy of God which hath made it free Secondly let the Apostle here stand vnto vs as an example of the like mercy of God to be shewed vpon our selues how great sinners soeuer wee haue beene if wee follow him in the like faith and repentance The Lord our God is not content by his word to promise mercy vnto penitent ●inners but also confirmes vs by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs when wee looke vpon them let our weakenesse be strengthened let vs not think that the Lord

are the Heyres of God heires annexed with Iesus Christ and the heritage whereunto they are borne is eternall life therefore of necessitie they must liue Here first wee haue to consider what action and operation of the spirit this is which distinguisheth the Sonnes of God from other men The operations of the Spirit are diuers hee hath an vniuersall operation by which he works in all his creatures conseruing leading and directing them to his owne determined ends for in him euery thing that is hath the being liuing and mouing as euery creature is made by God so is it ruled and led by the Spirit according to his appointment Hee hath againe a more speciall operation in man and them backe againe seauen mightie nations of the Canaanits are gathered before them to resist them and hold them out of Canaan but the shepheard and leader of Israell steps ouer all these impediments as if they had not beene in the way and places his people in the mountaine of his inheritance and afterward when he concluded to bring his people from Babell homeward to Canaan he prepared a way for them in the Wildernesse he commaunded the mountaines to bee made low and the vallies to be exalted he commanded the crooked to be straight and the rough places to become plaine and it was done This is for our comfort the Lord who hath taken vs by the hand to lead vs into his holy habitation shall remoue all impediments that are before vs though Sathan like a Lyon spoyled of his pray snatch after vs though he double his tentations vpon vs and with manifold afflictions compasse vs though terrible death and the horrible graue stand before vs threatning to swallow vs by the way yet shall we see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing and ouer all our enimies shall be more than conquerors through him that loued vs and hath taken vs into his owne hand to lead vs to that inheritance which he hath prepared for vs. For it is manifest that both the beginning progresse and perfection of our saluation is ascribed to the spirit of God in holy scriptures when we were dead in sinne he quickned vs when he hath quickned vs he gouernes and leads vs and worketh continually in vs till he perfect vs. Thus is he the author and the finisher of our faith and all the glory of our saluation is his as wee cannot begin to doe well without him so we cannot continue in well doing without him if he lead vs not we wander from him and wearie our selues in the vvay of iniquitie It should serue to humble vs that wee are pointed out here to be but babes and children such as cannot goe by our selues vnlesse we be led by another As that Eunuch answered Phillip when he asked vnderstandest thou what thou readest how can I saith he vnderstand without a guide so may we answere the Lord when he commaunds vs to vvalk in his way how can wee O Lord that are but children and new borne babes walke in thy way without a guide It is a point of good religion to turne the Lords precepts into prayers Send out Lord thy light and thy truth let them lead mee let them bring mee into thine holy mountaine and to thy tabernacles Let thy good spirit lead mee vnto the land of righteousnesse When the Lord threatned that hee would no more goe before the Children of Israel to lead them as hee had done Moses tooke it so deepely to heart that he protested he would not goe one foote further except the Lord went with him and certainely if wee knew the manifold inconueniences whereunto wee shall fall if the Lord forsake vs wee would neuer enter our feete into that way wherein wee saw not the Lord going before vs in mercy to lead vs. Our life on earth should be ordered as was the life of Israell in the wildernesse the Lord went before them by day in a cloud by night in a pillar of fire when the cloud remoued they remoued what way so euer it went they followed where the cloud stood they camped thus the Lord led them by two and fortie stations fortie yeeres in the Wildernesse though Canaan was not farre from them yet they entred not into it till the Lord directed them The Lord hath in like manner praysed be his name for it brought vs out of the land of our bondage he might if he had pleased long ere now haue entred vs into our Canaan but it pleaseth him for a time to exercise vs and to haue vs walking vp and downe this Wildernesse Let vs possesse our harts with patience and reuerence the Lords dispensation in the meane time take heed that the Lord goe before vs that his word shine vnto vs as a lanthorne to our feete and that his holy spirit be our guide to lead vs in his righteousnesse then shall we be sure of a happy end of our iourney when wee liue not as wee list but vnder the gouerment of the holy spirit when our rising and lying downe our Verse 15. For yee haue not receiued the Spirit of bondage to feare againe but the Spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father THe Apostle to strengthen his former argument sets downe a short discription in this and the subsequent verse of a threefold operation which the spirit maketh in them whom he leadeth for first he is vnto them a spirit of bondage working feare Secondly he is a Spirit of Adoption working loue through the sense of Gods mercy for hee not onely makes them whom hee leades the Sonnes of God but intimates vnto their spirits Gods loue towards them which otherwise was vnknowne vnto them and thirdly hee is a Spirit of intercession making vs to goe with boldnesse to the throne of grace and call vpon God as vpon our Father Of the which the first part of his argument is made cleare that they who are led by the spirit of God are the Sonnes of God yea by the testimonie of the Spirit they themselues know that it is so and therefore in most homely and humble manner acknowledge him for their Father This the Apostle propones in such a manner that hee applyes it particularly to the Godly Romaines vnto whom hee writeth Yee haue not saith he receiued againe the Spirit of bondage vnto feare as yee did in the time of your first conuersion yee haue proceeded further and haue experience of his other operations then yee felt him casting you downe with the sight of your sinnes but now ye feele him comforting you and raising you vp with the sense of Gods loue and mercy toward you in Iesus Christ. The spirit of God is called a Spirit of bondage vnto feare not as if hee made them in whom hee worketh slaues or bond-men but because in his first operation hee rebukes them of sinne in whom hee worketh and lets them see that bondage

but that the workes of God may be made manifest which our Sauiour plainely teacheth vs when being demaunded concerning him that was borne blind whether it was for his owne sinnes or the sinnes of his Parents aunswered it was for neyther of them but that the workes of God might be made manifest in him And these workes of God manifested by affliction are of two sorts for not onely his meruailous power and constant truth in preseruing and deliuering his owne Church in all troubles against the power falshoode and malice of the world are manifested that all men may see it is not by the arme of man but by the power of God that his Church is continued vpon earth but likewise these manifold graces of God wrought secretly by his holy Spirit in the hearts of his children are made manifest to the world such as their constant faith their inuincible loue toward God their patience in the hardest sort of crosses And vnto these kindes of afflictions doe wee referre that which here is spoken These afflictions which are for Gods sake require these two things comprised by the Apostle in these words Faith and a good Conscience that is a good Religion and a good conuersation though thy life be so good that it be vnreproueable in the eyes of man yet if thou be not found in the faith thy suffering is not suffering for Gods cause and albeit the Religion thou professest be good if thy conuersation be euill though thou wouldest giue thy body to be burnt for Religion yet shall not thy suffering be suffering for Chists cause Let none of you suffer as euill doers but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Non suppliciū facit martyrem sed causa it is not the crosse makes the Martyr but the cause There hath beene no Heresie so grosse but some men haue beene bold to dye for it which is not Christian fortitude but miserable hardnesse of heart As the Lord Iesus hath his Apostles and Martyres so Sathan hath his false Apostles and Martyrs Martires Satanicae virtutis and therefore wee will conclude with Augustine Non est ex passione certa Iustitia it is not suffering that makes sure a cause to be righteous Sed ex Iustitia gloriosa passio but it is righteousnesse which makes suffering glorious For thy sake It is common to all the Godly to suffer with Christ as yee heard before but to suffer for Christ is not a honour communicated to them all the rarer that it is the more heartely should wee welcome it when God sends it The Apostle reioyced in the bonds wherewith hee was bound for Christs cause the golden chaines of earthly ambassadours are nothing so honourable as chaines of yron which are worne for Christs cause The Emperour Constantine honoured all the Fathers of the Counsell of Nice but made most of those who had suffered for the cause of Christ as in perticular hee kissed the hole of Paphnutius eye which had beene put out in time of trouble for Christs sake yet did hee reuerence it as the most honourable and precious part of his body no face so beautifull as that which is deformed no man so rich as hee who hath sustained spoliation of his goods if it be for Christs sake neyther is any death so glorious as that which is sustained for his cause Si enim beati qui moriuntur in Domino multo magis qui pro Domino for if they be blessed which dye in the Lord much more blessed are they w●o dye for the Lord. But now because no Christian is persecuted without some cause alleadged against him by his persecuters and that also in euery trouble his owne conscience saith that hee hath most iustly deserued it how can hee haue this comfort that he suffers for Christs sake The first is easily answered if we put a difference betweene the pretended and the true cause for which the wicked doe persecute vs. If Haman beare malice to Mordecay for his sake hee will forge a crime against all the people of the Iewes if Amazia can couer his hatred against Amos by pretending that Amos hath conspired against the King If the Princes of Darius enuy Daniels preferment they can delate him as a rebell to the kings proclamation If Ieremie exhort the Iewes to goe out to the King of Babell hee shall be accused as a confederate with the Chaldean It is a common stratagem of Sathans to staine the glory of Gods Children in their sufferings with false pretended crimes Vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt f●lsis rumoribus sordidentur that they who are cleared by the light of their owne conscience may be defiled with false reports Sed bene sibi conscius non debet falsis moueri nec putare plus esse ponderis in alieno conuitio quam in suo testimonio but hee● who hath a good conscience ought not to be moued with false things nor to thinke there is more waight in any other mans traducing than is in his owne testimonie Our comfort doth stand sure if wee can say with Dauid They hate me without a cause And againe They are gathered together against mee not for mine offence not for my sinne O Lord. As for the other the accusation of our conscience in trouble charging vs with sinnes which no man can lay to our charge if wee will distinguish betweene the quarrell which conscience hath against vs and that wherewith the wicked doe charge vs it shall be manifest that the cause of our persecution is our disagreement with them in an euill course and not any sinne committed by vs against God and so shall our comfort still remaine that vvee are sufferers for Christs sake We are killed How farre forth this killing extends our Sauiour doth teach vs when hee sayes they are able to kill the body and doe no more Qui pro Christo moriuntur aliquid mortis accipiunt ne tot a contingat they may cast downe this earthly tabernacle but cannot hurt the man of God But here it is enquired seeing these godly ones were aliue when they sent vp this complaint vnto God how is it said they were slaine To this I answere that two manner of wayes are the godly pertakers of Christs afflictions euen when they are not troubled in their owne persons first by lympathie with others that are troubled for as the head of the misticall body accounts himselfe persecuted when his members are persecuted so among the liuely members therof the griefe and trouble of one is the griefe and trouble of the rest If we mourne with them that mournes and remember them who are in bonds as if wee were in bonds with them we are pertakers of their sufferings but now the want of this compassion in many who resting in their y●orie beds sorrowes not for Iosephs affliction proues them to be but dead