Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	knowledge_n	peter_n	temperance_n	1,450	5	11.4189	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55754	Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1. A heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome. 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession. 4. Christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Two treatises, viz. The Christian freedome, and The deformed forme of a formall profession.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Plenitudo fontis, or, Christ's fulnesse and man's emptinesse.	1644 (1644)	Wing P3307A; ESTC R219005	93,300	192

take paines in good duties and goe through them not to omit or slight the least of them in the least measure that may be or to lie in knowne sinnes and farther it requires a man should doe this from day to day and that when it crosses the flesh most this is an hard saying and caused many that they would no longer abide with Christ they were willing to obey the forme but not the power Secondly because this power breeds hatred and opposition in the world and the world will crosse it againe now then when a man may retaine the forme and hold in with the world a man may be of the world still and the world will love his own whereas the power makes men Antipodes to all the world this makes many care for no more but the forme Fit for this purpose is that place Wisd. 2. 12. where the ungodly say of the righteous on this wise These mens lives are contrary to ours and their doings reprove our thoughts therefore let us oppresse them and Christ tells us we must look for no other saying We shall be hated of all men for his names sake and it is no easie matter to have all men in contention with us this then is another reason hereof Thirdly because it is enough to serve a mans turne for his unregenerate ends for men having a naturall conscience whereof they must stop the mouth and it being injudicious and not able to judge of the power of godliness they are satisfied with the forme as when Children are wayward and wrangling because wee know they are not judicious we give them Nutts not gold or silver to still them and it serves their turnes as well so is it here in the naturall conscience it doth judge the forme to be enough to carry a man to heaven and who would doe more than he needs must Fourthly because if men have but the forme of godliness Satan troubles them not nor the flesh but when men labour for the power of godlinesse and goe on any further than the forme then Satan knowing this will bring them to heaven hath the power of hell against them and hee keepes a great busseling with them to hinder them what hee can and so doth the flesh too but it will not resist the forme for that will stand with a mans lusts but if hee be divided against himselfe hee cannot endure it as to denie a friend or a stranger if he be importunate is a hard matter but to denie a mans wife that lyes in his bosome if shee be earnest is more difficult but to denie a mans selfe when he is importunate with himselfe is most difficult and yet this you must doe if you have the power of it Now to denie the power of it is when it is laid open to men and offered and they with stubbornnesse of will resist and denie it And so much for the opening of the words now for the folding of them up againe and first from the first what godliness is Let us learne not to deceive our selves for it is not as I told you naturall or morall vertues only no nor the doing of the actions of religion a man making himselfe his utmost ends thereof content not your selves therefore with any thing that is not godlinesse let mee speake unto you as Peter to the dispersed brethren where after that he had reckoned up many vertues patience knowledge temperance c. he bids them add to all these godliness as if hee had said all the rest are not availeable unlesse you have godliness also see therefore that all these be godliness that is that they all come from God and looke to him for this is the nature of godliness to come to the Wells head and to search higher than nature to have another Alpha and Omega of all that is within us or that comes from us than what is within us of our selves And then againe if we be to preach to others wee should learne to preach Christ and God that is to enforce all as from them and to them not only to exhort to morall vertues with such instructions as may be taken out of Seneca or Plutarch though these have their use and place but as out of the Scriptures let Christ and God come in and shew you how all doe come from God and looke to God and so all you that are hearers be sure all you doe be godliness that is comming From God and tending to him for motions have their denominations from their terminus à quo and from their ends as that is called calefaction that tends to heat so is that truly godlinesse that tends to God and hath respect unto him Art thou a Student when thou studiest and takest paines in thy books see whether thou do'st it for thy selfe or for thy credit or doest thou make God thy utmost end examine thy heart and examine it narrowly and so likewise you that are exercised in other Callings doe you doe them that you may doe good to mankinde in them as a servant that uses his talent to his masters service then is this godliness so if you eat or drink or recreate your selves doe you doe it that you may doe good better as men whet their sythes that they may mowe the better then this is also godliness for it tends to God and godlinesse But you will say Doe you altogether condemne naturall and morall vertues must they doe nothing yes you shall have this use of them that they will help as winde to drive the ship only it is godliness is the rudder that guides it and aymes at the right haven as for example you are commanded to love your children and your wives you are bound to doe this if you had no naturall affections in you only having these affections in you you doe it with more ease else you must drive the ship with oares whereas now the winde fills the sailes and you doe it with more facility and ease and so likewise you are bound to be patient and meeke and you must be so though your natures be not so but if your natures be so you may the more easily be so yet so as godliness must set the Compasse and steere the ship Morall vertues are like good horses that draw the Chariot but godliness is the Auriga the Coachman without which take the most excellent things that nature is capable of if it be not guided by it the Lord regards them not for God regards nothing but that which drawes the creatures unto him but now moraell vertues makes us rest upon our owne bottomes and so likewise all things whatsoever they be that beautifie the flesh for God will have no flesh to glory in it selfe but let him that glories glory in the Lord. Nay I add more take the graces of the spirit wherewith God adornes his Saints as an husband doth his wife with Jewels if you magnifie them you doe so much withdraw your hearts from God