Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	brazen_a	look_v	serpent_n	839	5	9.9901	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18052	A plaine and compendious exposition of Christs Sermon in the Mount contayned in the 5.6.7. chapters of Saint Matthew. Being the substance of sundry sermons. By Iohn Carter minister at Belstead neare Ipswych	Carter, John, 1554-1635.	1627 (1627)	STC 4695; ESTC S116220	101,087	134

willeth vs in all our instructions admonitions and reproofes to haue an eye to our owne safetie that we bring not an old house vpon our heads when like sleeping Curres so awakened by vs they turne againe and all to rend vs by railing and reprochfull speeches and other cruell handlings which vsually commeth from such companions Of this also wee are forewarned by that wise Salomon i Prou. 9. 7. Hee that rebuketh a Scorner purchaseth to himselfe shame and hee that rebuketh the wicked getteth himselfe a blot Be yee wise as Serpents saith our Sauiour now heerein consisteth this wisdome in great part that when we speake the words or k 1. Pet. 4. 11. oracles of GOD which wee stand bound to doe euery where vpon euery iust occasion wee obserue carefully to whom we speake that they bee teachable and not doggish Carpers or swinish Despisers Againe what wee speake euen the most holy words and oracles of God the rather to stirre vp reuerence and admiration in our selues and others Lastly what issue or fruit is to bee hoped for whether it stand with our owne safetie and comfort For why should we not beware of men according to Christs caueat but expose our selues with our most holy and precious treasures to needlesse and forbidden dangers and disgrace Hauing thus forewarned and so fore-armed vs against the hinderances of Righteousnesse to wit worldlinesse rash iudgement and indiscretion he commeth now at the length to the l Handled from Verse 6. to 15. parts of it which are Pietie toward● God Charitie towards our Ne●ghbour and Mortification of our owne corrupt n●tu●e Pietie towards God according to the vsuall manner in the holy Scriptures is expressed m Vers 7. to 12 by the principall part of it which is inuocation of the Name of God or Prayer to the true and due performance whereof all other parts of Pietie must needes concurre as the knowledge of God Faith vnfained the feare and loue of God with obedience to all his Commandements Thansgiuing for his manifold benefits and what not without which there can be none acceptable Prayer offered vp vnto God This aboue others is enioyned and vrged as the onely meanes to fetch in grace and ablenesle for the performance of all those great duties before required as also of those which shall yet further bee commended and commanded vnto vs. Withour helpe from Heauen wee can doe nothing and Prayer assid●ous and feruent by diuine ordination is the hand to reach to vs that helpe In all this passage it is to be obserued that he doth not so much call for the thing to be done as for the due manner of performance that Prayer bee made in sence and feeling of our owne wants in assurance of Faith with seruencie also and perse●erance and finally in holy reuerence and sobrietie not presuming to open our mouthes about that which we haue no warrant to aske and is not fitting for vs to receiue For all these and such like matters are implyed in the vehemencie of his exhortation and his most patheticall Reason adioyned drawne from vs earthly Parents by a comparison of the lesse For a man had need to bee deeply touched with the sence of his owne wants haue much assurance of Faith be very feruent in Prayer very submisse also and sober-minded that rightly turneth himselfe into the practice of this most worthy and comfortable exhortation and Reason For obserue heere with me how he is not content to bid vs aske but withall assureth vs that it shall bee giuen vs and what maketh more for the assurance of Faith yet not resting there he biddeth vs seeke those things which we haue not at the hands of God whereof wee feele our extreame want and see no meanes in the World how to come by them he warranteth vs that wee shall find them And as if that were not enough hee vrgeth vs to knocke to vse all earnestnesse and violence as it were rapping and pealing at Heauen-gates without intermission when the doore of Gods bountie seemeth to be shut against vs euen in this case he layeth the weight of his Word and Promise vpon it which neuer failed nor euer shall that it shall bee opened vnto vs. Our Prayers made in such feeling assurance feruencie and reuerence will breake open all locks and barres Iacob wrestled with God and was too hard for him because his good pleasure was to be ouercome by the importunitie of his poore afflicted and infirme Seruant Neither hath he any more power to resist vs setting vpon him with that humble resolution and courage which was in Iaakob and the Cananitish woman who extorted this from our Sauiour n Mat. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith bee it as thou desirest And this is yet further made good in the next Verse where it is admirable to consider that not contenting with what he had said hauing spoken so comfortably and fully knowing the certaintie and infallibilitie of this great truth and our extreame propensitie to distrust and so to waxe faint in Prayer he yet fetcheth it about againe and auoucheth it as confidently as before that not onely his Disciples or neere and deere Fauourites but generally whosoeuer man or woman learned or vnlearned strong or weake Christian asked receiued sought found knocked had the doore opened As the Sunne shineth indifferently vpon all who could open the eye of Faith to behold it As none at Gods bidding did looke vpon the Brazen Serpent which by vertue of the promise were not cured so assuredly none at Christs bidding doe thus flie vnto the Throne of Grace by Prayer casting the eyes of their Faith vpon him lifted vp vpon the Crosse now ascended into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of his Father to make request for them which by vertue of this and many such like promises receiue not that they pray for so farre forth as is any way expedient for them Heereunto serueth the comparison before mentioned o Vers 9 10 11 What man is there of you which if his Sonne aske him bread c. The summe is You Parents that are naturally euill yet when your children aske good things at your hands cannot find in your hearts to giue them any thing which you know to be naught or noysome nay you would withhold it from them and looke out such things as you thought best and wholsomest for them shall not then your heauenly Father who is good and gracious abundant in kindnesse and truth that setteth you on worke to aske and hath so often and earnestly promised to grant your requests much more in due time giue you good things indeed and withold the contrarie though hee exercise your Faith and Patience with neuer so long delayes And our Lord Iesus by this notable comparison further teacheth vs to descend into our selues and seriously to consider of those few drops of Fatherly kindnesse which hee hath instilled into vs that when our Faith in Prayer fainteth