Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	good_a	word_n	1,894	5	3.8679	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85987	A pleasant walk to heaven, through the new and living way, which the Lord Jesus consecrated for us, and his sacred Word reveals unto us. Published by Claudius Gilbert, B.D. minister of the Gospel at Limrick.	Gilbert, Claudius, d. 1696?	1658 (1658)	Wing G703; Thomason E939_2; ESTC R202211	58,214	83

usefully 1. BY way of Instruction in vindication of the Ministry and Ministers of Christ They are appointed and blessed of him as a special means towards the foresaid end and therefore most maligned and opposed by the common enemy Christs ordinances are his Charets of state wherein he rides in progress among men to dispense his gifts and graces unto them His Ministerial servants are peculiarly entrusted therewith as Instruments and stewards under him by whom he brings home his people to himself to build them up in himself The many honorary Titles which his Word discribs them by setting forth their office denote their Duty to the effecting thereof The same Engine which is mounted by notional Spirits against Christs Institutions would as easily level the Magistrates civil constitutions When men cease to be weak and sinfull they shall then cease from needing such helps and not till then Evangelical worship must continue in force till every one of Gods Elect be perfectly brought to the full measure of the stature of Christ The Ministry was given for that purpose by the Lord Jesus as the choise Product of his Ascension Both the Office and the Officers are peculiarly set in the Church by God himself that his People may never want sufficient means for effectual quickning in their Christian walk The holy Ghost makes them Overseers who being by him duly qualified are orderly called to rule in the Church after due probation and approbation Such shepheards as come in at his door he blesses to his People the rest he accounts but Thiefs and Robbers who intrude themselves into the Lords flock in an ill manner and to an ill end Confusions in his Church are as distastefull to him as they are destructive to his Himself makes the difference between Rulers and those that are ruled whilst he forbids them Lordly-dominion and arbitrary dictates he commands them to look to their charge with all Authority in his name and strength requiring their flocks to shew their observance and Christian obedience according to his Word If every one were left to his own Will How soon would Anarchie and desolation ruin Church and State All will become slaves whilst all do strive to rule and tyrannize none studying to obey Good Intentions will excuse no man from the sin and Judgement of irregular Usurpations Vzzah and Vzzias met with sad stroaks in their bold invasions of the Sacerdotal Work Corah and his company of pretended Saints Jeroboam and his self called Priests ruined themselves and followers by their illegal Intrusions if any that are called Ministers prove a blot to their Profession by their ignorance sloth or scandall good reason they should be reckoned with as they do deserve but little cause that Christs faithfull servants should suffer for their sake If any thing be found to be unscriptural that hath been used about any Ordinance of his the fault may be mended without imparing of his Institutions If any cannot find benefit by Christs appointmenss let them blame themselves and not him nor his Is the Spirit of the Lord restrained Doth not his Word do good to them that walk uprightly As all Christians need mutual quickning that they may walk worthy of their vocation it becomes them to mind and observe that Gospel-ministration which Christs spirit sanctifies so gloriously to the enlightning and enlievening of all his chosen according to his Word 2 It speaks convinction to all that are careless and unwilling to give or receive this quickning helpfulness This is a common and sad miscarriage among Christians and the best find much cause to blame themselves for their guilt thereof As it s our sin it should be our sorrow that we do so much evil and so little good we receive not friendly Admonitions in a friendly way thereby discouraging those that would help us with seasonable advise Our sores must needs wrankle for want of dressing and our ill humors cannot but increase and distemper us for want of purging We are more ashamed to hear of our faults then to commit them and more ready to neglect our duty then to hear of it Should it not shame us to find self still so prevalent in us against others good and against our own by thus shrivelling up our minds and hearts our tongues and hands that this singular charge cannot be discharged Sinfull bashness makes us still unwilling to offend others by our faithfull dealing and selfish Love makes us as ready to be offended at their faithfull dealing Christ was full of bowels and cloathed with them we are empty and destitute thereof David desired to be smitten by the seasonable reproof of the righteous esteeming it to be a precious Balm that should not hurt his head Why should any of us be of another mind Are not the wounds of a friend more faithfull then the kisses of an enemy Why should any be counted our enemy for telling us the Truth as Paul was among the foolish Galathians Why should we be backward to receive and and give that Christian help by mutual reciprocations which our abilities annd opportunities challenge clearly from us Let it grieve us that we have so often grieved the Lords Spirit in grieving his friends by sinfull silence neglects and offences Le ts be ashamed that Heathens and Turks Jews and Papists should out-strip us in the demonstrations of mutual helpfulness What Bunglers are we at this noble Trade How untowardly and unskilfully do we go about it Are not we often like foolish Chirurgions mistaking the Case and wronging the Cure Do not we usually run into extreams of fond pitty or cruel Austerity Are not we found too indulgent or too impatient too mild or too harsh Should we not be humbled for our imprudence and ignorance our rashness and unhandsomness our passion and pride our sloath and frowardness about this choice work 3. It may prompt us to a serious Examination in our Capacity Religious and Civil 1. IN our Religious Capacity Do we act as becomes true Christians both in doing and receiving spiritual Good in preventing and removing spiritual evil Is it our desire to be found still in a readiness for Christian helpfulness Do we delight in all officious reciprocations of faithfull reproofs and exhortations supports and helps for mutual quickning Is it our design and resolution to take nothing ill but all in good part at the hand of others purposing to be as friendly to them in all due ways of Christian freedom and assistance Do we actually endeavour to manifest it in the most effectual means that may best conduce to the mutual quickning of each other in all the ways of Christ that we may jointly walk worthy of our Calling Do we to that end prize and improve every Ordinance of his publique and private with diligent care and spiritual observance Do we so seek his face and attend his word study our duty and consider others case that we may still be enabled and directed excited and supported in this

Divine Oracles in every branch of Gods Word All the expressions that describe it testifie so much being equivalent with regeneration and conversion the new Creature and new man the translation of men from Darkness to Light and from Death to Life their bearing of his Image and partaking of the Divine nature their coming out of Bondage into Liberty by Redemption from Satans Kingdom into Christs own Kingdom c. Instances might be given of the excellency of every part hereof with relation to this Christian Vocation The Precepts requiring it the Promises assuring of it the prefigurations typifying it the Presidents performing it are all eminent All Instructions and Incouragements thereto all Threats and Punishments for the neglect and abuse thereof do eminently ratifie the same The Reason of it is as remarkable if we consider the Cause and Terms the Properties and Effects thereof 1. THE Cause is eminent It s God himself that calls thus by the Spirit of Christ internally and externally His Divine Excellencies shine here in their Brightness This is his Work-man-ship in the product whereof all his glorious Attributes concur harmoniously He is the fountain and the final Cause whence it flows and wherein its terminates He is the Prime and choise Agent who appoints and over-rules all Means in tendency thereto His Voice gives the formal Impression of it upon that matter which his Spirit disposes orderly according to his eternal purpose to be a fit subject for the Reception and Improvement thereof He speaks actively and effectively calling things that are not that they may be according to the good pleasure of his Will God thus considered both Essentially and personally is the eminent Cause of this Vocation not any meer Creature nor any thing considerable in it either in Gods purpose or execution Reason 2. The Terms of it are eminent Ones both the terminus à quo whence they are called and terminus ad quem to which they are called It s from slavery to freedom from a sinfull to a gracious state from the Power of Satan to God from misery to felicity from the drudgery of Hell to the glorious Grace of Heaven Is not this call then a most eminent One Reason 3. The Properties of it do further ground its Eminency it is a high calling a holy heavenly Vocation free and full sure and singular Nothing excellent in any creature but it sets out the choise qualities of this noble Vocation It s the highest Preferment which the most high can afford in his Kingdom to his best friends Children and Spouse It s the conforming of them in holiness to that which is the Top of Divine Excellency It comes from Heaven leads to Heaven and trains up for Heaven gradually efficaciously It s of his free gift to sinfull unworthy Wretches to fill them with the fulness of Christ It s surely made out and made good in a singular manner to all the Vessels of Mercy prepared for Glory through Grace Here are eminently fulfilled the fathers purpose and the sons purchase in proper applications of every Covenant-promise through the operations of his holy Spirit freely and fully surely and singularly in an high holy and heavenly manner All the Properties thereof are most eminent Reason 4. The Effects demonstrate its Excellency also This Vocation renders men truly noble and eminent It raises up their spirits to the best pitch of generous magnanimity to the scorning of all sinfull baseness It stamps the characters of Divine Nobleness upon their souls giving them so large an Interest in the royal blood of the King of Saints They are hereby qualified with that Princely Spirit which enobled Caleb to act so eminently for God and the publique So far as Christians harken to this Call it works on them and by them in a choise manner to the promoting of the Lords Interest and the publique Weal against all internal and external enemies of both This is it that duly improved makes all sorts of Christians eminently usefull in their respective places whether superior or Inferior The Application may 1. Inform our Judgement in two Corollaries 1. Of the Excellency of Grace which cals Christians thus eminently Car●●… hearts cannot see any beauty nor comliness therein no more then in Christs own person who was accounted a Worm and no Man Yet is the Kings Daughter all glorious within in the beauties of Holiness though blind eyes cannot discern it The natural man understands not the things of Gods Spirit neither indeed can he because they are spiritually discerned but the spiritual man judges of all things spirituall by due comparing thereof The Kingdom of God said Christ comes not with ostentation and observation but is within you and among you like the Curtains of Solomon whose out side appears like the Tents of Kedar What if God do not thus call many noble nor many wise nor many rich after the flesh that his Grace may appear to be free Doth not he make them truly noble rich and wise whom he thus effectually calls Have not the famous Worthies of all Nations in all ages learned in Christs school with Theodosius to account their Relation to Christ the choisest flower of their honor and happiness Coroll 2. Observe hence also the baseness of every sin Original Habitual Actual It is sin that so notoriously opposes maligns and hinders this eminent Vocation Sin is that unworthy Varlet that cheating Mountebank who dares v●e it with the Lord and give a counter-call to millions of Souls Sin is that impudent Strumpet that bewitches the simple with flattering Charms of seeming pleasure profit and credit thereby to keep off Customers from hearkening to Christ Sin like the Hyena counterfeits often the shepheards voice in many disguised Seducers to draw in silly sheep into her snares Sin is that Monster which Panther-like draws brutish sensualists by plausable allurements into her cruell clutches This is the Dalilab that inveigles and captivates so many Sampsons by her juggling Tricks Sin is that cunning Rook which draws out of Christs road so many Travellers into the crooked wayes of error and baseness by misperswasions Is it not sin that debased the glorious Angels and the first Adam and hath made them Maps of w●●tchedness that were at first Mirrors of happiness Is it not baser then Hell it self being the cause and founder thereof Nothing vile enough in the worst of Creatures to express this unworthiness of sin The poison and bane the venome and pest the excrements and filthiness of the very worst kind are mentioned in Scripture to point at the inexpressible baseness of sin This dung and dirt this puddle and vomit this filthiness and excess of naughtiness is the inveterate and desperate enemy of our eminent Vocation Vse 2. This should convince every Christian nominal and real of their unanswerableness 1. NOminal Christians that have

we should obtain favour who sinned so Ignorantly so Unbelievingly so hainously this is mercy indeed That we should be called into his house and Kingdom that were by nature Children of wrath and the slaves of Hell this is Grace indeed Should not this provoke us to Improve it faithfully in our respective Employments towards God and Man and therefore to observe the next Conclusion Conclus Christians are eminently obliged to walk worthy of their Vocation Two words explained will clear the sense Walking Worthy 1. WAlking {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} imports a constant and pleasing Exercise by a Metaphor borrowed from bodily motion to signifie Emphatically the spiritual motion of the whole Man in all the ways of God with continued progress from Truth to Truth from Grace to Grace from Strength to Strength It holds forth the circling and compassing of the full period of Gods Will and mans duty in the review and observance of all particulars by an exact and accurate inspection thereof as a man about his Garden a Commander about his charge Thus it implies a multiplicious Act of every power and part of a Christian 2. Worthy {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} digne This Adverb doth express fitness but not meritoriousness it betokens here a comely sutableness and honourable preheminence which becomes such a Vocation as the learned observe from the due compare of numerous Scriptures The Calling of a Christian requires from him such an answerable walk wherein ●ne {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and Decorum of all things orderly proportioned should reflect much Glory and Lustre thereon in preferring the same before all lesser matters and worldly Bables That all Christians are thus obliged to walk appears clearly from all Divine expressions and Administrations This is the Scope of Gods Mercy and the sum of mans Duty so eminently inculcated in holy writ The first part of the Lords gracious Covenant is expressed by the many precious Promises of putting his Spirit within men that they may walk in his Statutes and effectually keep his Judgements of renewing their heart that they may not depart from him c. The second part thereof is held out in answerable precepts of of walking before him after him eminently as becomes his Call This was the Character of Honor put upon all the Lords Worthies whose Presidents give us such famous Memorials from the Pen of the Holy Ghost Thus Abel and Enoch Noah and Abraham David and Asa all the Patriarchs all the friends of Christ are remarkably described The Apostolical Instances do pregnantly abound with Directions and Motives Prayers and Practises of the like Comport Thus Zecharias and Elizabeth walked in all the Commands of the Lord blamless Thus Caleb followed him fully and the Churches were edifyingly multiplied walking in the fear of God This Sun-light needs no further proof A three fold ground moves efficaciously thereto Ingenuity Congruity and Expediency Ground 1. INgeuuity is a powerfull Principle a spiritual Instinct in the new Creature All things are moved by their peculiar Instinct to their proper work for matter and manner answerable to their Being The true Christian is ennobled with a generous Spirit that makes him willing in the day of Christs power to fulfill after him as Caleb did This Ingenuous Spirit cannot but a●● them energetically to Ingenuous motions So far as they live in the Spirit they must needs walk after the Spirit It s for want of Grace that any are found to walk unworthily The best know and act graciously but in part Regeneration is indeed universal in every part but not total in any part The Lords Spirit gradually renews the Spirits of all his that they may walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the Lusts of the flesh The natural Principle of all things moves secretly and sweetly strongly and sutably successively and successfully So doth a Christians Spirit by ingenuous Instincts in each relation and occasion Ground 2. Congruity presses thereto also that there may be a due Correspondence in a Christians walk answering his Call All Bodies natural artificial and Political subsist orderly by a congruous disposal and composure of all parts in their harmonious Symmetry towards their proper actions The like appears in the Body of Christ in his house and Kingdom It s most congruous that his own members should move in their place answerably to their Call that his Children and friends his servants and Spouse should duly observe their respective Relations It s most rational just and equitable that such a Decorum should be duly maintained in a Christian walk Disorderly Christians are most absurd and irrational in their unworthy Walkings They are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} without rank and reason most incongruous in their unsutable uncomely motions about good and evil Sin is the Ataxie and Dyscrasie the Disorderer and Distemperer of all things So far as any walk sinfully they walk unworthily Incongruously The sweet Harmony and sure stability of things depend upon their congruity and due composure in station and motion Is it not congruous that every Member should walk worthy of his Head that every part should keep its due proportion and respect to the whole He that saith that he abides in him ought also to walk even as he walked The Apostle would have Christians therefore to be his Followers as far as he was a follower of Christ It s most congruous that Christs Disciples should learn of their Master and write after him that his Souldiers should keep close to him and march after his steps Ground 3. Expediency hath a strong influence into the same with Reference both to God and Man 1. WIth Reference to God a Christians worthy Walk is most expedient for his honor and service Unworthy walking is most disgracefull and disadvantagious to his name and cause to his Truth and Grace to his friends and ways The Glory of all his Attributes is deeply concern'd in his Peoples walking He minds them of it still in his Word and Providence Christiani sancte vixissent said the Heathen in Dirision Si Christus sancte docuisset These are the People of the Lord that are gone forth out of his Land said the reproaching Gentiles of the Jews unworthy carriage in their transplantations Gods honor should be dearer unto us then our best comforts We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good woks which he before ordained for us to walk in His Interest requires that all his Children Servants and Subjects should walk like him and with him before and after him from him and for him 2. With Reference to man a Christians worthy walk conduces wonderfully to the publique Good and his own Credit and Comfort very many wayes Christians should be studious to maintain good works as things most profitable to men They are redeemed by