Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	cold_a	extreme_a	zone_n	18	3	14.0010	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41670	A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...	Gouge, William, 1578-1653.; Gouge, Thomas, 1605-1681.	1655 (1655)	Wing G1391; ESTC R34210	2,433,641	1,664

willingly take bitter pils and fulsome potions and patiently endure corrosives lanchings seerings cutting off of members Let judgement and faith help us in Gods dealing with us Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Prov. 9. 8. Hear yee the rod and who hath appointed it Mic. 6. 9. §. 38. Of avoiding extremes in reference to crosses THe expression of two extreams namely excesse by despising and defect by fainting giveth us to understand that both the extremes are conscionably to be avoided It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this yea also from this withdraw not thine hand Eccles. 7. 18. This is implied under this phrase You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left Deut. 5. 32. Both extremes fail of that end which God aimeth at in chastising his children which is to better them by afflictions to raise up their heart to him and to draw them unto him Both the one and the other extream draweth men from God and depriveth them of the true comfort and profit of afflictions We ought hereupon to be well instructed in that golden mean that lieth betwixt these extreames that we may not like fooles avoid one extream so farr as we fall into the other Vertue is placed in the midst betwixt two extreames as the temperate Zones which are habitable betwixt the extream cold and extream hot Zones both which are inhabitable The Philosopher discerned by the light of nature the aberrations of both the extreames the excesse and the defect and thereupon defined vertue to be the middle of two evils Gods Word doth plainly set out that middle way which lyeth betwixt two extreames wherein and whereby we may be brought to eternall life The first extream is in the excesse it is to despise Gods fatherly dealing with us Of the notation of the Greek and Hebrew word See § 36. This is a great fault God by his Prophets much complaineth against it Ier. 2. 30. and 5. 3. Ahaz is set out as a fearfull instance hereof 2 Chron. 28. 22. Hereupon he is branded with this black marke This is that King Ahaz 1. Great dishonour is hereby don to God His authority and soveraignity is herein trampled upon Great wrong is hereby don to man himself It doth not only deprive him of the benefit of afflictions but also turnes mercy into wrath Lev. 26. 18. Amos 4. 5. The other extream is in the defect here translated faint Of the notation hereof See § 35. Hereby it appears that it is a fault to faint under Crosses I confess it is not so blame-worthy as the excesse in despising affliction The worse and the wickeder sort of people fall into the former The weaker and many times the better sort yea Gods dear Saints oft fall into this latter yet a fault and blame-worthy it is Of these two extremes Of directions to keep men from them See the whole Armour of God On Eph. 6. 15. Treat 2. part 5. § 18 19. c. §. 39. Of afflictions convincing men of sin THe affliction of the Lord is set out in this word rebuked and that the rather to aggravate the latter extream which may seem to be the lighter The word is used of convincing one of a sin Thus the very word is translated convicted Ioh. 8. 9. And a noun comming from thence is translated evidence Heb. 11. 1. § 4. The H●…brew word in the derivation thereof signifieth as much This word is here used in two r●…spects 1. In regard of the order which the Lord useth in rebuking He first convinceth and 〈◊〉 rebuketh them 2. In regard of the effect that followeth By Gods rebuke men are convinced of 〈◊〉 And because by afflictions men use to be rebuked and convinced Rebuke is put for afflictions Rev. 3. 19. Afflictions then convince men of somewhat that God would have them to take notice of This may be well exemplified in Iosephs Brethren Gen. 42. 21. The case of Israel about Achan may also be an instance thereof and about the fiery serpents Numb 21. 7. And in their undertakings against the Benja●… Iudg. 20. 26. Prosperity as dust flieth in the eyes of mens understandings so as they cannot well see discerne their disposition It is like a fawning flatterer who speaketh nothing but well according to the mind of him with whom he speaketh As Ahabs false Prophets 1 King 22. 13. 1. Hereby we have an instance of the necessity of afflictions we should be exceedingly bewitched if it were not for them They are rebukers in the gate Amos. 5. 10. And we have great need of such rebukers 2. This also sheweth the utility and benefit of afflictions It is very usefull to be convinced and rebuked Prov. 9. 8 9. 3. This is a good ground of patience Things so needfull and usefull ought to be patiently borne 4. This teacheth us well to observe in all afflictions what it is for which the Lord rebuketh Lam. 3. 40 41. Iosh. 7 13. Want of this search makes many crosses to faile of their kindly work Men have two helps about searching out their sins One is Gods word which is a declaration of Gods mind and sheweth why he doth so and so afflict men The other is their own conscience whereby they may know how to apply such generalls as are revealed in Gods word to themselves in particular Of searching out sins See A Plaister for the Plague On Numb 16. 44. § 4 5 c. And Dearths Death On 2 Sam. 21. 1. § 18. §. 40. Of the meaning of Heb. 12. 6. Heb. 12. 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth THe more to keep us from the forementioned extreams of despising afflictions or fainting under them the Apostle produceth the procuring cause whereby God is moved to afflict his Children and this is his own love towards them The first particle being causall FOR giveth proof hereof Of this affection of Love in generall See the Saints sacrifice on Psal. 116. 1. § 4. God by assuming to himself this affection of Love in referance to Saints sheweth that his heart is knit to them and that they may be made the sitter for him be chasteneth them Of the word chastening as it setteth out a Parents correcting of his child See § 36. To this he addeth another verb which implieth a severe kind of correction For to scourge importeth more then to chastise A child is ordinarily chastised with a rod but scourged with a whip and they are so dealt withall when they prove stubborn The root from whence this Greek word commeth signifieth a scourge or a whip Of this word scourging See more Chap. 11. v. 36. § 252. See an exemplification of the difference betwixt Christs Chastning and Scourging 2 Sam. 7. 14. Psal. 89. 32. Though the latter of these two do intend more severity then the former yet both of them being here applied to