Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	exercise_v	good_a	great_a	252	4	2.0921	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25280	An analyticall exposition of both the epistles of the Apostle Peter illustrated by doctrines out of every text and applyed by their uses for a further progresse in holinesse / by ... William Ames ...	Ames, William, 1576-1633.	1641 (1641)	Wing A2994; ESTC R23196	182,068	257

a moderation and governement of the affections 2. Because knowledge it selfe cannot subsist without this moderation For unlesse the affections are directed by knowledge knowledge it selfe is corrupted by the affections hence it is that many errours and heresies oftentimes take their rise and beginning from evill manners and affections Ephes. 4. 18. Vse 1. This may serve to reprove those that are puffed up with knowledge when in the meane time they shew by their intemperance that they know nothing yet as they ought to know 1 Co● 8. 12. 2. To exhort us to use all our knowledge to the governement of our aff●ctions and manners Doct. 8. Patience must be joyned with continence to the perfection of vertue By patience we meane that grace whereby we continue and persist in well-doing although we are crossed by many grievous things Therefore it includes in it patience constancy and stablenesse of minde or Christian fortitude Continence strengthens vertue against alluring intisements and patience against all adversity so that vertue is quite perfected if it be grounded on faith directed by knowledge and strengthened on the one side by continence and on the other side by patience Vse 1. This may serve to reprove the lightnesse and inconstancy of men who indeed professe themselves to be studious of vertue and yet can beare no thing to keepe vertue whole and intire 2. To exhort all good men to prepare themselves to beare all afflictions for vertue sake and a good conscience Doct 9. Godlinesse is the chiefe and most necessary of all vertues By godlinesse we meane true religion towards God and a minde wholly given to the true worship of God Reason 1. Because it hath the noblest object that is God himselfe 2. Because it doth most of all perfect all other vertues whiles it refers them and all their acts to a divine beginning and a divine end For godlinesse subjects the minde to God in all things so that it acknowledgeth God to be the author of all good from whom every good and perfect gift commeth and makes him the chiefest good and the last end to whom all our actions are to be directed Vse 1. This may serve to reprove those that attribute so much to some morall and humane vertues that they preferre them before godlinesse 2. To exhort us continually to exercise our selves both in publick and in private to increase this godlinesse in our mindes Doct. 10. With Godlinesse towards God we should joyne love towards our neighbour Reason Because godlinesse it selfe commands and begets this love For we love our neighbour with Christian love when we love him for Gods sake not for our own or any worldly respect Now godlinesse produceth this love towards our neighbour 1 Because it teacheth us to obey Gods Commandement who hath commanded us to love our neighbour 2 Because it teacheth us to love the image of God and every gift of God in our neighbour 3 Because it brings us to imitate God himselfe in the communicating of good Therefore godlinesse which is separated from charity is not true godlinesse and that charity which is separated from godlinesse is not true charity but either hypocrisie or some humane civility Vse 1. This may serve to exhort us to shew and adorne our godlinesse towards God by our love towards our neighbour 2. To reprove those that make shew of much godlinesse towards God when in the meane time they take all occasions to wrong their neighbours if so be they might by any means advantage themselves thereby Doct. 11. This love should be extended unto all men but chiefly to be used towards the brethren For so they are distinctly set downe verse 7. Brotherly kindnesse and charity Both of these is proper and peculiar to Christians For the Christian alone loves all even his enemies and he alone also loves the brethren that is the household of faith We should love all 1. As they are partakers of the same naturall good with us 2. As they are capable also of the same spirituall good And we should love the faithfull also as they are partakers of the same spirituall good with us Vse This may serve to exhort us to edifie our selves in this charity which is the character of Christianity Verse 8. For if these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. The Analysis HEre the Apostle begins to confirme the exhortation which he had before made to adde vertue to faith and knowledge c. And he confirmes it by a twofold argument 1. The first is taken from the benefit which is joyned to these vertues whereunto he exhorte them 2. The second from the disprofit which followes the privation or absence of them The first is laid downe verse 8. the second verse 9. The benefit proposed is contained in these words they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull where by a negation is meant the contrary affirmation namely that by these vertues they shall be quick and active and also fruitfull which benefits are explained by the primary efficient cause which is the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and the secondary cause which are the vertues themselves whereunto he exhorts them And these vertues he explaines according to that way which he had intimated before in the exhortation touching the manner and touching the degree touching the manner that they be in you touching the degree that they abound The Doctrines arising herehence Doct. 1. There are spirituall benefits arising from vertues whereby the faithfull are stirred up to labour for vertue This is gathered from the scope of this verse and from the connexion which it hath with the former exhortation These benefits are such that they cannot be understood by carnall and worldly men but the faithfull do not only understand them but also seeke for them with great and continuall diligence Otherwise this argument which the Apostle useth to the faithfull would have beene altogether uneffectuall But these benefits are such that they make men rich not in this world but in the Lord 1 Tim 6. 18. Luke 12. 21. Vse This may serve to reprove those earthly men which are not moved with such arguments but covet the gaine profits and pleasures of this life and savour not those things that belong to the kingdome of God Doct. 2 It is a great benefit to the faithfull and so they esteeme it if they can be ready to do good works This is gathered from that they make you that ye shall not be barren that is not idle or slothfull in the profession of religion Reason 1. Because it is the greatest misery for men to be reprobate unto good workes 2. Because by this readinesse to do good the faithfull come to obtaine their desires 3. Because by this meanes the life spirituall is exercised and increased For as all life is the beginning of operation and tends unto operation so also

wee have such a Keeper as is omnipotent wee have no cause to feare that any thing present or to come should ever frustrate our hope or deprive us of our expected salvation 3. To exhort us to depend upon that power of God by true faith as it is in the text Doct. 8. These spirituall blessings of God should never bee mentioned or thought upon by us without a pious desire to blesse God for them This is gathered from that word Blessed So Eph. 1. 3. 12 2 Cor. 1. 3. Vse This may serve to reprove that sluggishnesse and Luke-warmnesse of ours which is oftentimes so great that wee are no otherwise affected when we speak heare or thinke of these things then when we are talking of common things yea we are scarce so much moved as we use to be then when we speak of any worldly profit which doth delight us Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations 7. That the triall of your faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might bee found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. 8. Whom having not seene ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet beleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your Soules GRace is here set forth by the effect and adjunct thereof which he makes to consist in the greatest joy in those words wherein ye rejoyce Now this joy is amplified by those manifold afflictions and temptations which usually mak men sad rather then joyfull in the other part of the 6. verse where the amplification per discretum axioma by a discret axiom is to be conceived after this manner Although by reason of manifold afflictions and temptations ye are exceeding heavy yet so great is the excellency of this grace wherein yee stand that these afflictions are no hinderance to you because ye rejoyce in that grace with great joy Now that afflictions should not take away spirituall joy from the faithfull he shewes first from the nature of those afflictions wherewith the faithfull are wont to be vexed 2. From the nature of that grace which produceth spirituall joy The heavinesse of afflictions is diminished 1. By the adjunct of duration that they are but for a season 2. By the adjunct of profit that they bring fruit utility and for no other cause doe they befall them in these words if need be 3. By the singular end and use of afflictions by which also their profit is shewed to wit that they serve for the triall of their faith which triall of faith is set forth by a similie and that of a lesser the triall of Gold 4. By the effect of it which is praise honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. The nature of grace he shewes to be such as that it can overcome all afflictions the reason whereof he makes to be this because it joynes us with Christ without the helpe of the outward senses and so both against and above sense it lifts up the mind to the greatest joy verse 8. of which joy hee declareth first the adjuncts of it unspeakable and full of glory and afterwards the cause or argument that moves or stirres up such joy in the faithfull to wit that by their faith they are made surer of the salvation of their Souls which is the end and scope of the 9 verse The Doctrines drawne hence Doct. 1. Ioy and spirituall rejoycing ariseth from the sense and participation of spirituall grace This is gathered from those words Wherein ye reioyce For exultatio rejoycing is a vehement act of joy as t is intimated in the end of the 8. verse Reason 1. Because it is the nature of joy for the mind to delight it selfe with the possession of some solid good now there is noe good that can be Compared cum Summo bono with that chiefe good and eternall happines this we begin to have possession of in having possession of saving grace and the compleat and full possession of it is laid hold on and made sure by faith and hope and hence it is that spirituall joy is properly the fruit of hope Heb. 3. 6. Rom. 5. 2. Yet notwithstanding this is so to be understood as that wee must not exclude all those from the state of grace which have not this joy sometimes because this joy d●pends upon the sence of grace now sometimes they have not the sence of grace that are either hindered by ignorance or some grievous temptation that they cannot be sensible of that which they have Vse 1. This may serve to refute those carnall men who suppose the practice of religion to bee full of sadnesse and heavinesse without any joy or delight when indeed the joy of these men is nothing else but madnesse Eccles. 2. 2. and is changed at length into the greatest sorrow but true and solid joy is the priviledge of all the godly because they alone have true cause of joy and that joy shall never be taken from them 2. To exhort us to raise up our mindes to the exercise of this joy for thereunto we are called that we should alwayes rejoyce in the Lord Phil. 4. 4. An example hereof we have in the Eunuch who went forward in his way with joy after that by baptisme he was made sure of the grace of God Acts 8. 39. Doct. 2. Manifold afflictions may well stand with this joy Reason 1. Because although afflictions may makes us somewhat heavie yet that heavinesse is not in the highest degree that it should wholly possesse and overwhelme our mindes but it is mitigated and overcome by spirituall joy 2. Because the afflictions themselves are turned into matter of joy and rejoycing Iames 1. 2. Rom. 5. 3. Vse This may serve to admonish us not so much to feare the afflictions of this world or at any time so to lye downe them as to cast off all our joy Doct. 3. Afflictions are turned into matter of rejoycing when there is such use made of them as that our faith and every grace is stirred up and increased by them This is gathered from the seventh Verse Reason 1. Because we make great gaine by the triall of our faith much more then can be gotten by the triall of gold as it is in the Text. 2. Because faith by this triall becomes the stronger by reason of afflictions and doth more firmely expect praise honour and glory in Christ as it is in the Text. Vse This may serve to admonish us to make it our primary and chiefest care not to faint in our faith and other graces when we are in the midst of afflictions as those that have but a temporary faith are wont to do but to labour to profit by them Doct. 4. This joy doth not depend upon the sight or visible presence