Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	brotherly_a	faith_n	temperance_n	2,831	5	11.4227	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91808	The prophesie of Haggai, interpreted and applyed in sundry sermons by the famous and judicious divine, John Rainolds, D.D. Never before printed, beeing very usefull for these times.	Rainolds, John, 1549-1607.	1649 (1649)	Wing R143; Thomason E469_18; ESTC R205465	154,541	186

edisie the Church of Christ which that you may the better do consider with me the points noted in the things whereunto they are exhorted and the reasons although the time will not suffer me indeed to stand on th reasons howbeit I must request that in the meane while you have an eye unto the reasons that are drawne from the rewards proposed to them that performe the commandment that so you may be stirred up with a fervent zeale to performe that to which so glorious a reward is promised And first let us consider who they are that be exhorted It is before said Zerubbabel and Ioshua the Prince and the Priest as they whose helpe and endeavour is most necessary to the building of the Church because they were as guides to direct others yet as it is manifest in the 13 and 14 verses the Prophet was sent to the remnant of the people and the Promise as well made unto them and their hearts likewise stirred up that they came and did the worke of the house of the Lord. They therefore who are to build by Gods Commandment are Zerubbabel and Ioshua with all the remnant of the people principally Zerubbabel and Joshua who are best able for speciall graces and gifts bestowed on them or because of the ministery of the word and authority committed unto them but next all the people likewise not the Prince and high Priest only now for the Princes how the Temple is to be built by them I shewed you when I spake of the former verse at which time I shewed for the generall building that the foundation hereof is as the Apostle to the Hebrewes declareth the doctrine of the beginning of Christ taught and contained in the catachisme the building of the wall the laying of the roof is the perfection of doctrine and encrease of Godlines till it be built in all respectts perfect even such aone pleaseth God himselfe to pourtray out in Scripture Therefore touching the generall building I then spake which must be done by them that are in principall place the Queenes highnesse and the states in Parliament and declared how it was to be done for the increase of true godlinesse by preaching of whol some doctrine and establishing godly discipline through all Churches in the Realme according to the prescription of the Lord revealed in his word A thing though hardly hoped for in these dayes in which so small care is had in Universities to make sufficient persons to furnish the ministery and of Patrons abroad to call them that are sufficient finally so small will in the people to submit themselves to the yoake of Christ yet it is to be prayed for of Gods people according to the example of Daniel who when the temple of God lay waste more then ours did make earnest prayer to God to cause his face toshine on his sanctuary that did lye waste for the Lords sake but leaving this to them that have amongst us the place of Zerubbabel and Ioshua and of whom we are to hope in due time they will have a care that the Church of God in all places be perfectly built up in the wisdome and spirit of Joshua let us remember the next branch namely that this commandment reacheth also to all the rest of the people for that this charge concerneth also all us likewise Saint Jude the Apostle and brother of Iames expresly teacheth when he saith but ye beloved edefie your selves in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost and keeping your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life and have compassion of some in putting difference and others save some with feare pulling them out of the fi●e and hate even the garment spotted with the flesh For whom are they that Jude giveth this charge even they who are called and sanctified of God the Father and saved by Iesus Christ even as the title of the Epistle sheweth in which respect it is also called Generall as written to all faithfull Christians now the foundation that we are to build upon is as the Apostle here saith the most holy Faith For that Iude signifieth when he saith edefie or build up your selves on your most holy Faith the walls and roofe of the house are the exercise of the workes of faith namely the love of God and man breeking out into fruits of righteousnesse so that we hate even the garment spotted by flesh In which speech there is an allusion to the law of Moses wherein the clothes and garments that had touched any unclean things were likewise accounted uncleane as if he would thereby teach them that they were to grow on continually from faith to faith in practise of Godlinesse with such a fervent zeale that they detest all contagion of sin and shew themselves perfect according as the weakenes of men will suffer as their heavenly Father is perfect but alas may I make this exhortation to all that are assembled in this place I may make it to all but would to God there were not in some even a want of the foundation For what is the foundation it is as Iude saith a most holy faith Now S. Paul to the Thessalontans writeth that all have not faith doubtlesse these words were true not onely in his dayes but in ours wherein sure all men have not faith and though all had faith yet have they not this faith which Jude nameth a most holy faith for many have faith which yet have not a most holy faith which is the Essentiall difference whereby the faith of hypocrites and wicked men is distinguished from the faith of Gods true servants For there is a beliefe which is without holinesse whereof Saint James speaketh when he saith The Devils beleeve and tremble But as for you my brethren who by the testimony of your consciences know that Iude speaketh to you who are called and sanctified Remember you that this exhortation is in speciall sort made to you namely that you build up your selves upon your most holy faith keeping your selves in the love of God and man c the exhortation is made to all God grant that all may imbrace it but it shall be imbraced of all to whom S. Iude writeth let us all then that make a profession of this faith Joyne vertue with your faith with vertue knowledg with knowledg temperance with temperance patience with patience godlines with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes love In which words as it were Saint Peter doth interpret the other making faith the foundation as it were of all other vertues willing the rest to be built upon it not as though these were distinct but mentioning so oft the same by divers names as if he would shew he could not satisfie himselfe with any words when he was earnest to exhort such as called upon the name of the Lord to depart from iniquity and to lay the walls of a holy and

Godly conversation upon the foundation of an holy and sound faith The Apostle Paul likewise to Titus delivereth the same thing though in fewer words The grace of God saith he that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared and teacheth us that we should deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world which words would God they were so well marked of us as they are continually rehearsed in our Assemblies soberly righteously godly containing the substance of all religion Soberly in respect of our owne vessels righteously in respect of other men godly in respect of God himselfe In the duties touching the which three the whole law and the Prophets consist neither must we only take care to build up our selves in this sort but others also For so Saint Iude also commandeth and have compassion of some and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire Though if Saint Iude taught it not yet we may learne it out of Saint Paul when he willeth us to exhort one another for every one of us is the temple of Gods holy spirit and every one of us is exhorted to build up this temple according to the grace which is given him Not all indeed as the ministers who are specially given for the gathering of the Saints together for the worke of the ministery and for edification of the body of Christ but in some sort by example and word at due times and seasons according to the measure of grace given to them and this do the godly in the prophecy of Esau where they are brought in one exhorting encouraging and calling upon another Come let us go up to the house of the Lord and he will teach us his wayes and we will walke in his paths And David rejoyced when he heard them say Come let us go up to the house of the Lord our feet shall stand in thy Gates O Jerusalem but with us there is so little care had hereof that men take scorne to be advertised of their duty especially by their inferiours yea that they who should advertise others and be advertised themselves too are most carelesse of all men and some there are so wretchlesse and carelesse in this respect of going up and bringing timber and building the house of the Lord that they no whit regard it as though it no whit appertained to them to build others but let us learne that it was the voice of Cain am I my brothers keeper Reuben though none of the best sonnes of Jacob yet when he saw that Ioseph was not in the pit he rent his clothes and returning to his brethren said the childe is not yonder and I alas whither shall I goe This then is the first point that we are to mark that they who are willed to go up and build are not Zerubbabel and Ioshua onely but all the remnant of the people and all faithfull Christians are bound to build up themselves and others For both we are the body of Christ others also both which are noted by the name of the Temple both in the 1 Cor. 6. 19. and 2 Cor. 6. 16. In the former place he speaking to every one saith that their bodyes are the temples of the Holy Ghost and in the latter he speaking to the Congregation saith they are the temple of God The second point to be noted is that we are not onely commanded to build but that with industry also and paines for the Prophet saith go up to the mountaine bring wood and timber and build this house wherin by proposing the particularities of the paines difficulty and labours he telleth them that though indeed it be painefull and hard yet it is the duty which God requireth of them To goe up a hill is not very pleasant but to go up having carriage burthen must needs be troublesome now the Prophet telleth them that they were not onely to go up a hill but to carry up timber thither also and it seemeth the Prophet would mention the hardest thing for what was it to bring timber In the third of Ezra 7. it is declared how they gave mony to the Carpenters and fellers of wood and meat and drinke and oyle unto them of Tyrus and Sidon to bring them Caedar-wood from Libanon to the Sea to Ioppa so that if we consider the difficulties First in felling of the trees at Libanon then of bringing them to the Sea to Ioppa then the carriage of them to Jerusalem and the bringing of them up to the mountaine we shall finde that it was a matter of no smal weight nor importance and yet all this was but little in comparison of that which they are lastly commanded namely to build the house especially considering that Salomon having so many workmen all things ready prepared for the building was yet as we read some seven yeares in building it when therefore he saith Go up bring timber and build the house he teacheth us that if we meane to build this temple of the Lord we must not do as they who take their ease and stretch themselves on their beds and drink wine in bowles killing Oxen and sheep and eating the fattest of the heard anoynting themselves with oyle and singing of songs to the instruments of musick but we are to take paines to fetch timber and to build he that will not do this is no workeman for the house of the Lord a hard speach for us my brethren who are like them that are troubled with the greene sicknesse that we cannot well travell on plaine ground much lesse climbe up mountains with burthens on our backs or like the Roman gentleman who when others were busied in military exercises laid him downe and tumbled in the grasse saying V●inam hoc esset laborare O would that this were to take paines imagining so many difficulties and adversaries to come against us if we should set our selves about it as though we were the persons described by Salomon The slothfull man saith a Lyon is in the way a Lyon in the streets as the door turneth upon his hinges so doth the sluggard on his bed the slothfull man hideth his hand in his bosome and it grieveth him to put it againe to his mouth The sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seven men that can render a reason But these are slothfull men Saint Paul is of another mind of another spirit who fought with beasts at Ephesus and was not afraid to meet a Lyon in the streets of Rome from whose mouth he also saith that the Lord delivered him yea who was contented that he might do this worke to suffer imprisonment stripes hunger nakednesse even death as it were often as he sheweth in the 2 to the Corinthians 11. furnished indeed with a greater measure of grace then all or any of us are to looke for but according to the measure which we have