Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	abound_v	patience_n	temperance_n	1,096	5	11.2533	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B12376	Heauens ioy, for a sinners repentance A sermon preached at VVhite-Hall the 4. of March, 1623. By Iohn Denison, Doctor of Diuinity, one of his Maiesties chaplaines.	Denison, John, d. 1629.	1623 (1623)	STC 6590; ESTC S109579	71,485	186

is our life but a blast Spiramus expiramus we breath and instantly our breath is gone So it is that no man liuing can assure vnto himselfe the least moment of time beyond that which he doth at the very instant inioy Indeed the Deuill to lead vs on in our sinnes would perswade vs that Nature hath sealed vnto vs a long Lease of our liues and that we need not as yet trouble our heads with repentance there will be time enough for that hereafter But the truth is we hold this fading breath but as Gods Tenants at will Hee may and will if it please him without the least warning take it away from vs. But suppose we may liue long and repent time enough hereafter for that poenitentia vera nunquam sera Poenitentia sera raro vera True repentance is neuer too late yet are we sure we can repent when wee please No True repentance is the gift of God and it is iust with him to deny it that man at his death which hath so carelessely neglected it throughout the whole course of his life So that in a word in mora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is but a folly yea extreame madnesse to dally and delay the time of our conuersion considering the imminent wrath of God and our own frailty Sure I am As the tree falleth so it lyeth as Death leaueth vs so Iudgement findeth vs. Let vs therfore euen Now whilst it is called to day begin to worke out our saluation with feare trembling When the night of Death commeth no man can worke Let vs Now whilest the acceptable little time of saluation lasteth vnfainedly repent and call vpon God for mercy Let it suffice that we haue spent the time past vpon the lusts of our own hearts in brining forth the corrupt fruit of the flesh in drunkennesse in swearing in profanenesse in pride in vncleannesse and the like Let vs Now begin to awake out of sin and to walke in newnesse of life lest the Lord do suddenly before we so much as dreame of it hew vs downe and cast vs into the fire Secondly 2. Plentifully we must bring forth good fruit abundanter plentifully It is the Encomium Christ giueth his Spouse the Church Cant. 4.14 that shee is an Orchard full of sweet fruits And Saint Paul affirmeth of the Romans Rom. 1 ● Rom. 15.14 that their faith was published throughout the whole world Rom. 15. I am perswaded saith he that ye are full of goodnes filled with all knowledge and of the Thessalonians he affirmeth that their faith did grow exceedingly 1 Thess 1.3 and their loue did generally abound My beloued th●se the like testimonies of the Saints are recorded for our imitation The plain truth is God cānot away with starueling trees such Professors as are Non-proficients If therfore we mean to auoid the stroke of his axe to be freed frō the tormēts of hel fire thretned in my text we must like good trees thriue in our spiritual estate we must encrease and grow in grace and goodnes we must abound in euery good worke that may make vs perfit mē in Christ Iesus we must bring forth good fruit plētifully And good reason hath God to require it at our hands VV●y God expecteth at our hands bringing forth of good fruit plentifully considering the extraordinary cost care he hath bestowed vpon vs to this end and purpose For first as hath bin said before he hath bin pleased to sowe the pure seed of his Word in no place so plentifully as in this land in no place of this land so plentifully as in this Citie Againe that it might take deep root in our hearts to the bringing forth of good fruit plentifully in our liues hee hath watered and refreshed this his Inheritance with infinite remarkable testimonies of his singular sauour as it were with so many * Tum pater omnipotens faecundis imbrious aether c. Virg. 2. G●org sweete fructifying showers from heauen and to infuse a quicken●ng power into the ground of our hearts he hath caused the Sunne of Peace * Pax al●eit vites suc●os codid● vu● funderet v● nat● tesla paterna merum Ti● lib. 1. leg 1. the Mother of Plenty for these many yeares to shine vpon vs. In a word what medicinall courses hath hee neglected which in the iudgement of man might conduce to the furthering of our fruitfulnes He hath pared off our riotous Twigs and lopped off our luxuriant Branches ript vp our Rind opened our Roots that is he hath scourged vs with sundry kinds of Crosses and Afflictions that thereby hee might call vs backe from wandring abroad after the bewitching pleasures of Sinne to serue Him the onely true and euerliuing God with a sound and vpright heart in all holinesse of life and conuersation All which layd together wee haue no reason to thinke that praying vnto God in the Church once a weeke the hearing of a Sermon once a moneth a strict obseruation of the Saboth once a quarter a Receiuing of the Sacrament once in sixe moneths a Feasting of the poore once a yeare will serue the turne No God will not be satisfied with such a Barren and Dwarfling Obedience he will not bee contented with the Gleanings of Haruest with heere a Bery and there a Bery as it was with the shaken Oliue Tree Esay 17. No Euery tree must bring forth good fruit plentifully for Vnto whom soeuer much is giuen Luke 12.48 of him shall be much required saith our Sauiour So that it doth stand vs euery one in hand accordingly to endeauour the reall answering of Gods iust expectation lest in the day of his wrath wee haue the d●eper share in his just indignation For Quantò maior gratia Quo clarior lux verbi gratiae off● get 〈◊〉 gra●●iores paenas mundi ingratitud●nem sibi accelerate Chemnit tantò amplior posteà peccantibus poena saith Saint Chrysostome God will at ●he Last day proportion out the punishment of a sinner according to the meanes of grace he hath afforded him in the time of his sinning At the worlds great Sessions it shall go harder with Chorazin and Bethsaida then with Tyrus and Sidon it shall goe harder with Capernaum then with Sodom because God did more abound in the meanes of grace to Chorazim Bethsaida and Capernaum then to Tyrus Sidon and Sodome Seeing therefore it hath pleased God to deale so liberally with vs in the meanes of Grace let vs in the name of God endeauour in some proportion to answer his bountie in our measure of grace Let vs labour to be full of the sweet fruits of the Spirit Let vs labour to bee strong in the Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 c. and as Saint Peter speaketh With our Faith let vs ioyne Vertue with Vertue Knowledge with Knowledge Temperance with Temperance Patience with Patience Godlinesse with Godlinesse Brotherly Kindnesse and with Brotherly

Kindnesse Loue. In a word let vs labour to abound in euery good worke that may make vs pleasing and acceptable vn o God let vs bring forth good fruit Abundanter Plentifully 3 Perseuerantly Thirdly and lastly lest all our labour proue but in vaine we must bring forth good fruit Perseueranter Perseuerantly For to what purpose is it if a Souldier at the first onset couragiously encounter with the Enemy and before he hath obtained the victory throw away his Armes Or what doth it profit a Mariner to commit himselfe to the Sea and to enioy the benefit of a faire gale of Wind euen vnto his desired Ports mouth if then the wind doe turne and so turne him backe againe before hee can thrust into the Port Happily thou hast beene just and hast done that which is lawfull and right as it is in Ezec. 18.5 Ezek. 18. More particularly as the Prophet there expresseth himselfe Thou hast not eaten vpon the Moun●aines nor lift vp thine eyes vnto Idols nor defiled thy neighbours wife nor oppressed any but hast restored to thy Debtour his Pledge thou hast spoyled none by violence thou hast giuen thy Bread to the Hungry and couered the Naked with a Garment thou hast not giuen forth vpon Vsury neither taken any Increase thou hast withdrawen thy hand from iniquitie executed true Judgement betweene man and man thou hast walked in Gods Statutes and kept his Iudgements to deale truely Thus farre hast thou gone and in these good courses thou hast continued a long time and in so doing hast done well But tell mee what will all this thy righteousnesse auaile thee if afterward thou shalt fall away from God 2 Pet. 2.20 and intangle thy selfe againe in the filthinesse of the world like the Dog that returneth to his owne vomit and the Sow that is washed to her wallowin the myre Ezek. 18. If the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie shall hee liue saith the Lord. No All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned In his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee dye Ezek. 18. Yea It had been better for him neuer to haue acknowledged the way of Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 2. as the Apostle speaketh then after hee hath knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement deliuered vnto him For the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning If therefore thou wouldst make sure worke for the good of thy Soule and store vp comfort for thy selfe against the day of death and that great day of wrath then thou must not relye vpon thy former righteousnesse Luke 12.19 as the Rich man in the Gospell did vpon the store he had treasured vp in his Barnes and say Soule take thine ease and freely disport thy selfe hence-forward in the delights of sinne for thou hast already brought forth good fruit plentifully which will serue thee for many yeares No thou must bring forth good fruite Perseuerantly for it is not here said euery tree Quae non fecit which hath not brought forth good fruit but euery tree non faciens not bringing forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire So that fecisse non sufficit it sufficeth not formerly to haue brought forth good fruit vnlesse thou continue in so doeing perseuerantly No man saith Christ Luke 9.62 putting his hand to the Plough and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of Heauen Bernardus Sola perseuerantia singularis summi regis est filia saith a Father ea enim sola est haeres regni Coelorum Perseuerance is the only Daughter of the King of Heauen for she only is H●ire to the Kingdome of Heauen ●herefore saith our Sauiour to his Disciples Matth. 24.13 Qui perseuerauerit h● that continueth to the end shall bee saued Reuel 2.10 and to the Church of Smyrna Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of Life And vpon these termes doth Saint Paul assure himselfe and euery faithfull Christian a Crowne of righteousnesse I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Hence forth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but vnto all them also that loue that his appearing The absolute necessity of this Perseuerance for all such as expect the Happinesse of a better life hath so deepely sunke into the thoughts of Gods Children in all ages that they haue constantly resolued to suffer the bitterest torments the pregnant malice of the Diuell and his Factors could inflict vpon them rather then to loose the blessed hope of their Heauenly inheritance If therefore wee respect our Future Ha●pinesse let vs not bee like th● plant Epheme●on which doth spring and flourish and fade in a day but as the Oliue tree flourish●th and fru ifieth all the yeare long so let vs continue in bringing forth good fruit perseuerantly To be short the way to Heauen though it be Narrow yet it is Long and our life at the Longest but Short Let vs therefore that we may the better compasse so great a Iourney get vp betimes out of our beds of Sinne euen in the morning of our age at the first houre of the day and quickly make our selues ready that so we may set forth betimes towards the Celestiall Canaan And when we haue once set our feete in the way of righteousnesse the d●rect and only Rode to that Holy Citie If at the end of our liues when we can trauaile no longer wee would rest in Abrahams bosome let vs labour to imitate him in his iourneying vnto the terrestriall Canaan that is Gen. 12 9. let vs eundo pergere still bee going forward from grace to grace whatsoeuer Remoraes doe encounter vs in the way whatsoeuer afflictions doe befall vs hauing our eies fixt vpon those heauenly ioyes whereof the troubles and afflictions of this life are not worthy The older we grow in yeares the more let vs grow in goodnesse Let our Workes our Loue our Seruice our Faith Reuel 2.19 our Patience be like the Thyatirians more at the last then at the first Thus like good Trees bringing forth good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly wee shall at length bee brought by him who is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending Reuel 1.8 vnto the beginning of that vnspeakable Happinesse which shall haue no ending But happily you will reply in the words of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for these things Is not our Father an Amorite and our Mother a Hittite The best of men by Nature is no better then a Briar Micha 7.4 Math. 7. a Thorne a Thistle And doe men gather Grapes of Thornes and Figges of Thistles Ex Spinis non nascitur Rosa Such as is the Tree such is the Fruite T is true And therefore to bring forth Good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly we must be ingrafted into the true Vine and abide in it I am that Vine saith Christ Iohn 15.5 and yee are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth good fruit For without me ye can doe nothing verse 6. If a man abide not in mee hee is cast forth as a branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned But how are we ingrafted into Christ by Faith How doe wee abide in Him By Loue. How doth He abide in vs by his Holy Spirit through whose gracious opperation we are inabled to bring forth the good fruits of the Spirit Now for asmuch as no Arme of Flesh can command this Faith this Loue this Holy Spirit Therefore O LORD GOD wee doe here in all humilitie addresse our selues vnto thy diuine Maiestie entirely desiring thee in mercy to looke downe from Heauen vpon vs miserable wretches heere on earth Wee acknowledge O Lord and thou knowest that of our selues wee haue no power to order our wayes aright vnto thee for wee are a crooked generation a people by nature the children of wrath so that if thou shouldest leaue vs to our selues we must looke for no lesse then like fruitlesse Trees to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire But good God remember that thou art our Creatour and we thy Creatures that thou art our Father and wee thy children Oh neglect not the work of thine Hand neither suffer vs thy children to perish but looke vpon vs in the sweet compassions of a tender hearted Father for the blood of Christ pardon all our sinnes past throw behinde thy backe those cursed fruits we haue hitherto continually brought foorth to the dishonour of thy Great and Glorious Name that they may neuer be layd vnto our charge and enable vs for the time to come to doe what thou requirest and then require what thou wilt and we will doe it O Lord stretch foorth thine hand and engraft vs by a true and liuely Faith into the Body of thy Sonne Iesus Christ Dwell in vs O heauenly Father and blessed Sonne by thy holy Spirit that by the gracious and powerfull operation thereof like good trees we may bring forth good fruit that we may euery day more and more abound and increase in grace and goodnesse till wee come to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus Graciously heare vs most mercifull Father and graunt vs whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee good for vs and that for thy Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake To whome with thee and the blessed Spirit bee ascribed of vs and of all thy Saints all praise power and Glory for euer Amen FINIS