Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	aaron_n	moses_n	unbelief_n	13	3	9.5356	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09376	A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon the 11 chapter to the Hebrewes preached in Cambridge by that godly, and iudicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executours, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.	1607 (1607)	STC 19677.5; ESTC S2273	415,205	614

yet neuer was saued vnlesse therewithall wee haue the couenant of grace belonging vnto vs and the assurance thereof sealed in our consciences by Gods holy spirit Againe consider who spake these words But in Isaac shall thy seed be called Wee shall finde in Genesis 21.12 it was God himselfe Let it not saith God vnto Abraham be grieuous in thy sight for the childe and for the bond-woman in all that Sarah shal say vnto thee heare her voice which was to cast out the bond-woman and her sonne Ismael For saith GOD in Isaac shall thy seede be called Here obserue a notable practice of Abraham as a good direction how we ought to iudge of all those that liue in the Church submitting themselues outwardly to the ministerie and regiment thereof Abraham here hath two sonnes Isaac and Ismael he circumciseth them both and instructs them both for he taught all his houshold to knowe God and to feare and obey him Gen. 18.19 hee iudgeth them both to be in one state in regard of Gods couenant though they were not but that difference is made by God Abraham doth not on his own head and by his own will put Ismael out of the Church which was in his family but God bids him put him out and then he put him out and not before till such time he kept him in and held him to be within the couenant as well as Isaac was Euen so must we deale towards those that liue in the church secret iudgement must bee left to God and till God manifest the contrary in the iudgement of charity wee must holde them all elect This is the practice of Saint Paul in all his Epistles writing to the Corinths 1. Corinth 1.2 he calls them all sanctified and to the Galatians Gal. 1.2 hee calles them all elect speaking so in the iudgement of charitie although he knew that among them there were many profane and wicked men and though hee reprooue many great errors and hainous sinnes amongst them And thus much of the first argumēt wherby Abrahams faith is commended vnto vs namely the great impediments which might hinder the same Now followeth the second Argument or reason wherby his faith is commended to wit Abrahams victory ouer these impediments or the meanes whereby he ouercame them and induced himselfe to obey GOD in these words VERSE 19. For he considered or reasoned that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead HEre is the true cause that made Abraham to offer his sonne and yet beleeue the promise that in him his seed should be called Wee may perswade our selues that Abraham had rather haue died himselfe if it might haue stood with the will of God than to haue sacrificed his sonne How then doth he induce himselfe to offer him vp Ans. By this which is here set downe he reasoned that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead Here are diuers points to be considered of vs First obserue the text saith not that Abraham murmured or reasoned against God but reasoned with himselfe that God was able to raise vp his sonne againe and thereby induced himselfe to sacrifice his sonne vnto God Hence wee learne that when God laies vpon vs any hard commandement wee must not plead the case with God or murmure against him but with all quietnesse and meekenesse obey This is a notable grace of God commended vnto vs by God himselfe In rest and quietnesse saith God Isay 30.15 shall be your strength in quietnesse and confidence shall yee bee saued Many thinke it impossible to endure or doe some things which God imposeth on his children But our spirituall strength stands in these two in silence or rest and in quietnesse by these wee shall be enabled When Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord which hee had not commaunded There went out a fire from the Lord and deuoured them so they died before the Lord. Now when Aaron their father asked Moses a cause hereof Moses saide It was that which the Lord spake he would be glorified in all that came neere him which when Aaron heard the Text saith He heide his peace and said not a word so Dauid behaued himselfe in the case of distresse I helde my peace and saide nothing because thou Lord diddest it And this is a speciall point for vs to learne and practice wee must not grudge or repine at Gods hard commaundements nor pleade the case with him but in all quietnesse and silence obay God in all that he saith vnto vs. Againe whereas it is said that Abraham reasoned that God was able c. Here we learne that it is a necessary thing for a man that beleeues to haue good knowledge in Gods word that when a temptation comes against his faith by knowledge and reasoning out of Gods word hee may be able to put backe the same for all our reasoning in matters of faith must be grounded on the word so doth Abraham in this place against this strong temptation reason out of Gods word to stay himselfe so that knowledge in the word of God is necessary to him that beleeues And therefore that Doctrine of the Church of Rome is erronious and here condemned which saith that if a man become deuout beleeue as the Church beleeueth though he knowe not what the Church beleeueth yet this faith will saue him but this is a meere deuice of their owne and hath no ground in the word of God for as we see heere knowledge in the word is necessary for him that hath true sauing faith But what is Abrahams argument whereby hee moues himselfe to obay God Surely this Hee reasoned that God was able to raise vp Isaac from the dead One part of his reason he takes for graunted which heere hee conceales for this promise was made vnto him In Isaac shall thy seede be called Now this he takes for graunted that God will neuer change his promise From whence hee reasoneth thus God is able to raise vp Isaac my sonne from the dead to life againe and therefore I will sacrifice my sonne according to his commaundement for this I knowe certainly that in Isaac shall my seede be called seeing God hath promised that as well as he commaundeth this other In this example wee see a meanes set downe vnto vs to enduce vs to obey God in all hard and difficult cases imposed by God which is a point to be considered carefully of euery one of vs. For say that any of vs shall be so touched in conscience for our sinnes that we euen despaire of our owne saluation what must we doe in this case wee must take Abrahams course and dispute with our selues for our selues we must drawe our arguments from the promise of God and from the power of God we must ioyne the promise and power of GOD together As for example thus wee must say God hath made this promise this I haue heard and I doe beleeue it

must needes be corrupt fruite as cōming from them For an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit The heart is the fountain of euery action now their hearts were corrupt being destitute of faith which purifies the heart and therefore their workes must needes be sinfull Againe they did not their workes in obedience for they were guided onely by the light of nature and knew not God aright nor his commaundements And lastly they propounded not the glory of GOD as the end of their workes but the praise of men their owne profit or some such end But these worthy persons doe not onely such things as were iust in themselues but they doe them in faith in obedience and for Gods glory and so please God Now seeing these renowned Princes and Iudges haue their faith commended vnto vs by their practicing of righteousnesse we must learne to follow them within the compasse of our calling doing Iustice and righteousnesse in such things as cōcerne vs. There be many reasons set down in Gods word to perswade vs heereunto As first for this end hath God caused the Gospell to be published Tit. 2.12 The sauing grace of God hath appeared but to what end To teach vs that we should denie vngodlinesse and liue soberly and righteously that is that wee might doe Iustice. Vnlesse therefore we worke righteousnesse we make the Gospel a vaine word vnto vs. Secondly we desire to be counted iust before God and men and it would grieue vs if we should be otherwise thought of but if wee would be iust indeede both before God and man then we must work righteousnesse for as S. Iohn saith He that doth righteousnesse is righteous Thirdly there is no man set ouer a family but he either doth or ought to endeuour to bring a blessing vpon his family But this he cannot doe vnlesse he worke righteousnesse and doe Iustice for Salomon saith He that walketh in his integrity is iust and blessed shall his children be after him Lastly we doe all of vs desire to escape hell well then we must remēber to practice righteousnes for the Apostle saith no vnrighteous mā that is none practicing vnrighteousnes shall enter into the kingdom of heauen So that within the compasse of our calling we must all endeuour to do Iustice. Here some will aske How shall I do Iustice and worke righteousnesse Answer For the doing of it wee must remember to practice these rules that follow 1. That which is both the word of God and the rule of Nature We must do to all men as we would they should do vnto vs this is the Law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour Christ Now the square for all our actions must be the word of God and Gods word giues this directiō Do thou to thy neighbor as thou in thy reason cōscience thinkest he should do to thee if thou wert in his case and he in thine The 2. rule is that which Paul teacheth vs saying Giue vnto euery man that which is their duty tribute to whom tribute belongeth c. That which Gods word our cōscience the wholesome lawes of the realme binde vs vnto that wee must giue vnto euery man The 3. rule is this Euery man within the compasse of his calling must not onely intend and labour for his owne good but for the common good in that Church and common wealth wherein he liueth The blinde would out of their carnall mindes haue learned this for a rule Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all and this is many a mans practice hee will labour diligently in his calling but all is for himselfe But he that propoundeth onely this end in his calling to benefit himself alone dealeth vniustly both towards the Church and common wealth in which he liueth who ought to haue a part of his care with himselfe The 4. rule is taught vs also by S. Paul Defraud or oppress no man in any matter This rule concerneth our manner of dealing in cōmon affairs In all our traffick bargains as we would benefit our selues so wee must seeke to benefit those with whom wee deale This rule is very necessary to be learned for this is the cōmon practice of men in their traffique To vse all meanes whereby they may defraud others so that they get vnto themselues they care not how it come But in the feare of God let vs remember that the practice of iustice to which wee are all bound standeth in this that we defraud or oppresse no man in any thing And thus much of this second fruit of their faith The third fruit effect of these mens faith is this They obtained the promises By promises we must not vnderstand the maine promise cōcerning the Messias comming for that they obtained not as yet for as it appears v. 39 they receiued not that promise for Christ was not incarnate in their time But by Promises are here meant certaine speciall particular promises made vnto them alone and not common to all so that the meaning of these words is this They obtained the benefit and accomplishment of those particular promises that God made vnto them This effect is specially to be vnderstood of Cale● and Dauid for Cale● entred into the land of Canaan and there enioyed his possession according to Gods promise made vnto him Ios. 14. So Dauid had a particular promise made vnto him that he should be king ouer Israel this he long waited for and resting herein he was not onely anointed King but in due time actually made King ouerall Israell Whereas these worthy men by faith obtained these promises Hereby wee may bee directed to see the true cause why after so long preaching of the word and often receiuing of the sacraments men reape so little profit especialally considering that God hath made a promise of grace and saluation by meanes of his word and sacraments Hence therefore wee must learne that the word of God preached and the sacraments receiued are vnprofitable not because God altereth his will having promised his blessing in these meanes for herein the will of God is vnchangeable but the cause is the great measure of vnbeleefe in those which heare and receiue They therefore profit not because they receiue them without faith For howsoeuer men say they haue faith yet the workes of their lyues and their estate in sinne after long hearing shew plainely they haue none at all Take a vessell that is close stopped and cast it into a riuer or into the sea yet it receiues no water because it hath no place of entrance Euen so bring a man that wants faith to the word and sacraments wherein God hath promised the fulnesse of his grace yet he receiues none because his heart is closed vp through vnbeleefe This is it which makes the heart like a stopped vessell which hath no entrance for Gods grace Wee therfore in the feare of God must labour to haue our hearts purged from this vnbeleefe