Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	good_a	justice_n	temperance_n	1,152	5	10.5078	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01971	An exposition of the Song of Solomon: called Canticles Together with profitable obseruations, collected out of the same. Perused and published by William Gouge, preacher of Gods Word in Black-Friers, London.	Finch, Henry, Sir, d. 1625.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.	1615 (1615)	STC 12113; ESTC S103279	60,898	144

as by the sweete influence of his graces he maketh vs pertakers of it And since he vouc●a●eth to bestow these sweete things vpon vs ●u●n now whilest wee are strangers from him and walke h●●●eby faith and not by sight what and how great things must those needs be which then wee shall enioy when Christ which is our life shall reneale himself● from hea●en Behold th●● art faire ● In the ioyfull expectation of which happy and blessed time that wee faint not nor be discouraged Christ doth still confirme his loue vnto vs and by his Word and the comfort of his spirit assureth vs how pleasing wee are in his sight both thorough our imputed righteousnesse which maketh vs faire all faire before him and for the fruits of holinesse and sanctification in a doue-like chastity and simplicity without any guile Behold thou art c. Wee againe returne the praise of all this vnto him who is our only righteousnesse and through whom alone it is that we bring forth fruit alwaies fresh and flourishing and acceptable vnto God through the communion we haue with Christ dwelling and walking in the middest of vs as in his house and temples The bewty of our houses c. The excellency of Christs glory is to be seen in the publick assemblies we must not look for it in ciuil Courts meetings at faires at markets in pastimes sports in banqu●ting feastings though all these in their time and place be lawfull But if we will see Christ in his bewty we must goe to the Church and congregation of his Saints where the same shineth and shew●th it selfe in the ministery of the Word and Sacraments CHAP. II. VERS 1. I am the Rose c. Al the good wee haue commeth from Christ who is most sweete himselfe and the author of sweetnesse vnto others As a Lillie The Christian thus formed and fashioned by the mighty operation of his spirit excelleth all the world beside for in them onely are all sound vertues to be found Piety Iustice chastity temperance prudence for titude magnanimity which eyther are not at all in the wicked or at the least they haue but a shadowe of them dead and drie stalkes onely the flower and blossomes are in the godlie among th●rnes All men beefore they bee in Christ are but thornes not only vnprofitable and void of good but noxious and hurtful replenished with all euill As the Apletree c. so is my well-beloued The Christian man neuer satisfieth himselfe with the magnifying of Christ vnder his shadow c. The shade of whose bowghs doth so refresh his soule that he delighteth to dwell and haue his aboade vnder it for euer for hee onely it is that with his sweet shadow fenceth vs from the burning wrath of God For sweete is his fruit c. Being renewed by the holy Ghost hee conceiueth an incomparable delight in those good things that are so wrought within him In comparison whereof he despiseth all the gew-gawes that the world so admireth and doateth after He brought me into his banqueting house The author of our vocation regeneration iustification sanctification and saluation is Christ whose owne most sacred hands leade vs to this sweete and delightfull feast ha●ing loue The cause hereof is not in vs but from himselfe first louing vs and by his loue as by a banner set before vs drawing vs to loue him againe and to range our selues vnder his colours Yea keeping vs so neere about him and so fast vnto him by the power of his Spirit that it is impossible any should pull vs out of his hands or that so much as one of those should perish whom God the Father hath giuen vnto Christ Stay me hold me vp The instrumentall cause he vseth is the preaching of the Word by his ministers and seruants with these flagons with these apples The Word I say of reconciliation which is the ioyful and glad tidings of our peace made with God sweeter then the hony and the hony combe and therefore compared here to wine and apples not the doctrine of the Lawe which is the ministery of death and condemnation The assemblies of the Church where this heaue●ly Gospell soundeth are excellent helpes to quicken our dulnesse and to make vs feele a greater measure of the loue of Christ For I am sick of loue For the heart of a faithfull man euen when it is best affected is subiect to many qualmes to much vexation and disquietnesse of minde to bee euen sick as it were for the loue of Christ because he cannot enioy him as hee would And then is the word preached most sweete vnto his soule His left c The whole vertue and power of the ministery commeth from Christ they water and plant but he only giueth the encrease they doe their worthy endeauour to stay and vnderprop our faith but that notwithstanding we shall shall soone fall to the ground if Christ put not to his hand to keepe vs vp Left hand right hand Yea such is our vntow ardnesse the naturall corruption that is in vs so great the worke of our new birth so marueilous so hard to bee brought about and to goe through with that wee had neede of both the hands of Christ to bee about vs to claspe and hold vs fast least we fall away I adiure c. The beleeuer is wrapt with an exceeding ioy and comfort when once hee feeleth himselfe to haue Christ and to lie as it were in his I sought The conferences of Gods children their confession of sinnes one vnto another and mutuall praiers for each other whet one an other as iron whetteth iron and it is a sweete thing to conuerse with such by whom wee may this way receiue comfort The Wath-men c. Especially the holy Ministerie shineth most and is the sanctified meanes to bring vs to Christ Yet God delayeth his comforts manie times euen to those that with vpright hearts and consciences from the bottome of their soule seeke after him That wee may learne nor to depend vpon the meanes but vpon God and to attribute all to his grace and vertue Christ therefore is not alwaies to bee found to our minde nor in our sense and feeling though we vse all good and holy meanes for it Howbeit for all that he is indeed alwaies present with his people did ye see him whom my soule loueth The loue of Christ cannot bee concealed a man may sooner keepe in the winde with his fiste or stay the oyntment of his right hand from bewraying it selfe as it is Prou. 27. 16 then not to vtter his loue to Christ whomsoeuer he meet fitly withall I spake of thy Lawe before Princes sayth Dauid and was not ashamed I found him c. Christ being sought carefully and diligently will at the length bee found according to his promise Seeke and ye shall 〈◊〉 c. he neuer returneth the desires of his seruants emptie When I had past but a little from them This he

the wicked notwithstanding all their wealth This among other is one note of him that here shall soiourne in Gods tabernacle and hereafter dwell in his holy hill Psal 15. CHAP. VIII VERS 1 We haue a sister c. and what shall wee doe to our sister c. THe loue of God towards vs his mercy in hiding and couering our offences should make vs to loue not only him againe but our bretheren for his sake and by all meanes to seeke their good The Church of the Iewes so carefull for the calling of the Gentiles teacheth how earnest wee should bee to commend their conuersion vnto God whereof wee haue heere a promise and all the Prophets Apostles so gloriously doe speak Esay Chap. 4. 26. c. Dan. 12. Ezech. 37. c. Hosh 3. 13. Zach. 12. c. Paul Rom. 11. and 2. Cor. 3. Iohn in the Reuelation Chap. 20 c. and our Sauiour Mathew 24. a little one and she hath no brests The Church of God before the comming of Christ was shut vp within narrowe bounds the Gentiles beeing then aliens and strangers from the couenant in the day when God hath the moments of time seasons numbred before him a certaine day prefixed when he wil accomplish his counsels she shall be talked of Faith onely maketh men famous The Gentiles before their calling were neuer talked of amongst Gods people though for learning arts valour they were the men of name in the world and accounted the worthies of the earth but it is indeed more honourable to be famous in Gods Church then to haue al the fame and estimation in the world beside True fame is in piety and the feare of God only Men must beate their heads and cast about how to performe the worke of God in the best manner Gods children must bend their speeches to extoll and set forth those that truely feare God and to make them famous to honour and prefer them before worldlings howsoeuer they glitter and shine in the eies of men So did Elisha set light by the King of Israell notwithstanding all his greatnesse in comparison of the good and godly King Iehoshaphat 2. King 3. What haue I to doe with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy Father c. Againe As Iehoush of hoasts liueth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of the King of Iuda I would not haue looked towards thee nor haue seen thee When a wall is to be built when a gate is to be fenced Wisdome is required in the builders of Gods house to frame euery thing for the greatest bewty and ornament vnto it of siluer boord of Cedre But all for any substance of religion or necessarie part of Gods seruice must be according to the rule of the Word that it may be as siluer and as the choice Cedre precious in his sight See thou make all things according to the paterne was shewed thee in the Mount A pallace The Church of God is the Pallace of the great King There he doth dwell and hath his residence and aboade for euer Psal 132. 13 14 a wall a gate The discipline of the Church is as a wall and a gate to keepe that no vncleane person or execrable enter in to hold in those that are entred the free burgesses and Citise●s of that Citi● I being as a wall and my brests as towers There is in the Church a communion of Saints whereby the graces of God bestowed vpon one member turne to the generall good of the whole body then shall I be Thereof it is that a true Christian is so farre from enuying the blessings of God in other that he reioyceth in them as in his owne happinesse and perfection as one that findeth peace When the heart of the Iewes shall turne vnto the Lord in the generall call of that whole nation then come the daies of peace ioy happinesse and comfort as much as can be vpon earth through the bright beames of the glorious Gospell shining most cleere Solomon had a vine-yard Christianity and prouidence in worldly matters stand well together in a fruitfull place It is a good duty of a Christian to forecast to haue things most beneficiall and cōmodious for him His vines in fruitful places c. he hired out his viney ards to keepers And when hee is so sitted well to occupie and manure them to his most aduantage That which hee cannot keepe in his owne hands yet to prouide it be so let out as may be for his profit euery one bringeth for the fruit of it a thousand peeces of siluer It is not onely the rule of charity but true christianity to consider in reasonable sort of those that trauaile for vs that they labour not nor sweate for nothing but taking part of that gaine which commeth by their seruice it may giue them cause to blesse vs. We may with good conscience obserue a due proportion and are not to be bl●med though the best morsels fall into our owne mouth Solomon may well purse a thousand shekels and leaue two hundred only to come to his lessees share The Anabaptistical communion hereby falleth to the ground My vineyard is still before my face God is iealous of his Church and letteth it not forth to others but himselfe taketh the care of it for though it be said in the parable that a man planted a vineyard and let it forth to husband men c. that is an other kinde of letting then that which Solomon heere speaketh of For by it is meant the ministers whom God raiseth vp from time to time for the good of his people commendeth them to their care Among whom hee himselfe is not idle but walking in the middest of those golden candlesticks and euermore present by the assistance of his Spirit so as all commeth from his vertue and power and he doth not rule his Church by deputies or farmours I receiue both these 1000 of thine O Solomon and also the 200 pieces of those that keepe the fruite of it Nothing for substance of religion must bee done in the house of God but by his owne expresse pleasure all is his not the least farthing or dodkin in this kinde is to goe an other way O thou shee Christ giueth to his Church Pastours and Teachers as it were Husband-men to dresse his Vine That settest Himselfe being the Arch-shepheard that taketh care of all the Vines euery such Minister hath a chair which ought to be the chaire of truth for so our Sauiour reasoneth In the chaire of Moses sit the Scribes and Pharisees therefore whatsoeuer they teach according to the law and doctrine of Moses which onely is to sound in that chaire do c. To these God himselfe reacheth a cushion and placeth them in the chaire of authoritie in his Church as the Scribes and Pharises are sayd to sit in Moses chaire and Paul that he sate at Corinth a yeere and sixe