Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	godliness_n	love_n	temperance_n	1,495	5	11.3666	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19873	Seven sermons on, the wonderfull combate (for Gods glorie and mans saluation) betweene Christ and Sathan Delivered by the Reuerend Father in God, Doct. Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, lately deceased.; Wonderfull combate (for Gods glorie and mans salvation) betweene Christ and Satan	Andrewes, Lancelot, 1555-1626.	1627 (1627)	STC 630; ESTC S119227	63,833	118

15. But when three mighty men had broken into the host of the Philistims and had brought him of it he cared not for it II. FOr the second we are to know that where neede is as the Heathen speaketh there a man may commit himselfe to the prouidence of God and rely vpon him For we haue heard that where the means faile vs God hath yet in store his foure prerogatiues therefore when it comes to a dead lift as wee say then to haue a strong confidence in God is thanke worthy and it is the practise and propertie of faith to say boldly with Abraham when hee saw nothing present that euen on the hill God will prouide Gen. 22 14. When our enemies are behinde vs and the red Sea before vs then to looke for a way through the Sea and to expect Manna out of heauen and water out of the Rocke is much worth So our Sauoiur when he and his company were in the desert where no meat was to be had fed them miraculously but being neere to the Towne where they might haue it he dismissed them When Elias was in distresse and all meates failed him then the Angell brought him meate 1 Kings 19 6. When Hagar and Ismael were in the wildernesse and the water in the bottle spent and she in great heauinesse then God comforted her from heauen Gen. 22 17. When the Israelites were in the desarts then they had an Angel to lead them Exod. 22 20. When Sydrach Meshach and Abednego were cast bound into the fierie Furnace then God sent them an Angel to be their deliuerer Dan. 3 25. And so when Daniel was throwne into the Lyons den not when he put himselfe in God sent his Angel to stop the Lyons mouth Dan. 6 22. When we are deserti in deserto and all meanes faile it is time to trust in God as Iob did Our conuersation therefore must be without couetousnesse and we must be content with those things that wee haue for hee hath said He will not faile vs nor forsake vs Heb. 13 5. This is out of the compasse of tempting God and this is as much as the Psalme could warrant him to looke for Looke vpon it and you shall see that it expresseth such dangers as could not bee preuented by mans care and industrie As from the snare of the hunter ver 3. who vseth to lay it so as wee cannot see it to auoyde it Vers. 5. Thou shalt not feare the arrow that flyeth by day An arrow we know will reach a man far off before he bee aware And so throughout the Psalme they are things out of our defence therefore they had neede Angels helpe but when wee haue meanes to helpe our selues Gods omnipotency is for the time discharged Eutychus that fell out of a window by heauinesse of sleepe was restored to life by Paule Act. 20 9. This then is Christs answer If their were no stayres and he must needs go downe it were a good Scripture to meditate on III. THirdly as it is a point of Gods power to helpe without meanes so hath hee in his wisedome appointed meanes there be degrees whereby wee ascend to the effect they are as a paire of stayres Where these are we must vse them but when hee offereth as a strange signe it is scrupulous and foolish nicenesse to refuse it As when God bad Ahaz aske a signe Esay 7 21. and he would not for tempting God he was too precise he was but an Hypocrite Moses asked a signe and had it and God was well pleased with it And so did Gedeon also to assure him selfe of deliuering Israel by him Iudg. 6. 36. In great weighty and extraordinary callings it was allowable to request a signe but when there is no need or when there bee otherwise sufficient as Mat. 16. 1. where many miracles were daily done before their eyes and where though they had neuer so many more yet they would not haue beleeued on him Such were the Scribes and Pharisies that for euery trifling occasion they must haue a signe from heauen Thus to grate vpon Gods omnipotent prouidence is saucie malepertnesse For ordinary matters there bee ordinary meanes to serue our turnes and for extraordinary there be extraordinary wayes and meanes reserued that we need not let fall our trust in matters corporall We all confesse there be meanes as they which will not worke may not eate 2 Thes. 3 10. In warfare there is no victory to be hoped for without fight building of rampiers and making of darts and shields 2 Chron. 23 5. onely in spirituall matters we thinke to do well enough though we neuer put too our endeauour wee lay all vpon God and trouble not our selues There is but one degree or step in all Christianity it is no more but out of the Font to leape straight into Heaven from Predestination wee leape straight to Glorification it is no matter for Mortification there be no such meane degrees But S. Paul tels vs it is so high that we had need of a ladder in which be many steps insomuch as he puts a How shall to euery step Rom. 10 14. How shall they call on God on whom they haue not beleeued c. There must be calling on God beleeuing on him hearing his word There must be ordinary meanes and there is a ladder of practise aswell as of speculation or contemplation 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 Ioyne vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and so patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and loue If these things be in you you shall not bee idle and fruitlesse in the knowledge of Christ for hee that hath not these things is blinde he goeth blindfold to the wood and may chance hap beside heauen or step besides the ladder A great many say as Balaam did O let my soule dye the death of the Righteous but they care not for liuing the life of the Righteous He wēt but blindfold he knew not the Angel that stood with a sword drawne in the way but would haue gone vpon it if his Asse had beene so foolish A great many thinke that presumption in being secure of their saluation is good Diuinity Balaam thought he went well when hee went on the poynt of a naked sword So one entised by the flattery of a harlot thinkes he goes to a place of great pleasure but hee goeth as one that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes Prou. 7 22. Those whom it pleaseth God to haue partakers of his kingdome he puts them in minde to remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth before the euill dayes come hee giueth them the grace of timely repentance and suffereth them not to deferre it till the last cast and then to thinke that with the turning of a pin as it were they shall with a trice be in heauen with Elias in a whirlewinde Augustine saith We may in some cases aduise men to haue great hope that they