Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	action_n	motive_n	virtuous_a	803	5	11.1195	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61806	The lay-Christian's obligation to read the Holy Scriptures	Stratford, Nicholas, 1633-1707.	1687 (1687)	Wing S5934; ESTC R20560	25,603	42

of S. Paul And yet he tells us That all Scripture is profitable not only for Doctrine and Reproof but for Correction too and Instruction in 2 Tim. 3. 16. righteousness Yea do not the Scriptures themselves frequently give this testimony of themselves That they are a Sovereign Preservative against Vice and that this was one great end to which God design'd them Even young Men who are most obnoxious to the pollution of Sin by attending to the Scriptures may cleanse themselves from it For wherewithal says David shall a young Man cleanse his way by taking Psal 119. 9. heed thereto according to thy word But suppose these evil examples are of such dangerous consequence why are they so to the Laity only Are all the Clergy of such approved virtue that a Temptation hath no power over them This is an attainment above the Vulgar which I presume the Roman Clergy do not yet pretend to But for a direct Answer to the objection I propose these two things in the general 1. That the Scripture it self hath prescribed a remedy against the evil of these Examples 2. That the examples themselves are many ways advantageous to our good for the prevention or cure of Sin and for the promoting of Virtue in us 1. The Scripture it self hath prescribed a Remedy against the evil of these examples and that several ways 1. By furnishing us with the most eminent examples of the contrary Virtues 2. By forbidding those very sins under the severest penalties 3. By telling us how severely God hath punished the sins of many of those good Men. 4. By setting before us many dreadful examples of God's judgment upon others for the like sins 1. By furnishing us with the most eminent examples of the contrary virtues which may be as powerful a motive to Good as the other can be to Evil. If we impartially read the Scriptures we shall find that the vicious actions of good Men are but few in comparison of their vertuous actions there recorded and whatsoever the sins be that some of them were sometimes overtaken with we shall also find that not only others but even they themselves for the most part were at other times exemplary for the contrary Duties I shall not stay to instance in particulars It may suffice That the holy Jesus is in Scripture set before us as such an illustrious Pattern not only of this or that but of all kinds of Moral Goodness as will to every attentive considering person be of greater force to excite to virtue than the sins of all good Men there registred taken together can be to provoke to the contrary 2. By forbidding those very sins under the severest penalties What though in telling the Story of the evil actions of good Men it does not always pass a censure upon them It was not needful it should do so because God hath expresly condemn'd them by his Law. It is the Law of God that is our only Rule Examples therefore are to be judg'd by Precepts and all Examples to be concluded bad so far as they do not agree with the Rule 3. The Scriptures also tell us how severely God has punished the sins of many of those good Men. He will have no encouragement to imitate David in his Murther and Adultery who considers that dismal train of punishments that follow'd at the heels of them For though God upon his Repentance forgave the eternal punishment yet he visited his iniquity with rods and his sin with scourges he punished him even to example in this World to the end that others might see and fear and do no more so presumptuously Nor can that Man be encouraged to fraud and lying by Jacob's example in getting the blessing who duly considers how very dear those sins afterward cost him 4. We find in Scripture many dreadful examples of God's Judgments upon others for the like sins on purpose to deter us from them S. Paul says thus of the Plagues God brought upon the Israelites in the Wilderness These things were our examples to the intent that we should 1 Corinth 10. 7 8 9 19. not lust after evil things as they also lusted neither be ye Idolaters as were some of them neither let us commit Fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty Thousand Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them tempted and were destroyed of Serpents neither murmur as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the Destroyer Now all these things happened to them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come Let Men but carefully read and seriously lay to heart these and other such terrible examples we find in Scripture of God's vengeance upon Men for their sins and this doubtless will be a powerful Antidote against the infection of bad Example Thus you see that whatsoever ill use some Men may be enclin'd to make of the sins of good Men recorded in Scripture the Scripture it self hath provided a sufficient Remedy against it But this is not all 2. The sins of good Men recorded in Scripture may be highly beneficial to us both for the preserving us from sin and the promoting of Holiness in us And that several ways 1. As they are a confirmation of the truth of the Sacred History and by consequence more fully assure us that those dreadful punishments there recorded as inflicted by God upon sinners are not cunningly devised fables but the most indubitable Truths For can we think that the Penmen of these Books were not Men of the greatest sincerity such as would report nothing but what they knew to be true when we find that they did not conceal those things that were most disgraceful to themselves Thus Moses relates his own Exod. 4. 10 13 14 24 25. Faults viz. his neglect to circumcise his Son his great backwardness to go upon that errand upon which God sent him his not sanctifying the name of God at Numb 20. 12 13. the Waters of Meribah and how the anger of God was kindled against him for these sins David hath left a memorial to all Posterity of such enormous sins committed by himself which the more ingenuous sort of Psal 51. Heathens abhorr'd the very thoughts of S. Peter hath given a more particular account than any of the other Evangelists of his own denial and abjuration of his Master in the Gospel written by S. Mark for that Gospel was dictated by S. Peter S. Mark was only the Amanuensis 2. As they serve to beat down spiritual Pride and to make us more humble by representing to us our own vileness in the foul sins of others who were better than our selves And by how much the more humble by so much the more holy we are Humility being not only a Grace it self but the Parent and Nurse of many other excellent Graces 3. As they quicken us to greater watchfulness against sin make