Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	according_a	faith_n	work_n	1,745	5	6.1448	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69684	The doctrine of particular unconditionate election (before time) asserted and prov'd by God's word against the Quakers, papists, and Arminians : in answer to a challenge given the author (by the Quakers) to make good (by the Scriptures of truth) the abovesaid doctrine ... / by Ja. Barry.	Barry, James, fl. 1650-1702.	1700 (1700)	Wing B969A; ESTC R27208	49,035	128

and the World hath hated them because they are not of the World even as I am not of the World Here are two distinct Partys described by Christ the one is Prayed for the other is not the one is hated the other hates the very Practice of the latter denotes the Persons to be Children of another Father distinct from those they hate There is nothing more discovers Men to be the Children of the Devil than their hating Righteousness and not loving those who appear to be Godly 1 Jo. 3.10 In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil whosoever doeth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother As Love to God his Truth and such as bear his Image is an infallible Character of an Elect Child of God Jo. 13.35 1 Jo. 3.14 1 Jo. 4.7 So to hate God his Truth and such as bear his Holy Image is the indelible Character of a Reprobate designed for Eternal Destruction 1 Jo. 3.10 The second thing in the Proposition to be considered is the End and Design of God in that Act of his in Electing and Choosing which is twofold First as it respects the Creatures Elected viz. that they might partake of the Special Grace of God here on Earth and of Eternal Glory in the Kingdom of Heaven through Christ his Son according to that of Paul Ephes 1.4 According as he hath Chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy and without blame before him in Love 2 Thes 2.13 Because God hath from the beginning Chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth Vers 14. Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 For God hath not appointed us to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Secondly with respect to God Electing viz. That the Glory of his Soveraign Free and rich Grace might be Extolled and Praised for ever according as the Apostle expresseth it in Ephes 1.6 To the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Vers 11 12. In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predestinate according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will that we should be to the Praise of his Glory who first trusted in Christ The third thing in the Proposition to be considered is to take Notice of the Properties in that Act of God Electing Those Properties are in number three First God in Electing and Choosing some Sinners to himself out of the corrupted Mass of fallen Mankind on whom he purposed to shew Mercy He did Elect and Choose them most freely there was nothing at all in the Objects Elected and Chosen that could move God wherefore he should Elect one Sinner more or sooner than another for as fallen into Sin and equally obnoxious to the Curse of the Law and the Wrath to come were all the Sons and Daughters of Adam lookt on by God when he fixed his Electing Love on some and actually rejected and passed others by on whom the most High God as an uncontrolable Soveraign purposed to execute the fierceness of his Wrath for Sin The reason or impulsive cause of this Difference which the tremendous God saw fit to make between Sinners equally guilty and obnoxious to the Curse and Wrath of God is not to be sought out of God himself An Example and lively Instance hereof we have in Rom. 9.11 which the Wise God hath seen sit should be recorded on purpose to stop the mouth of Carnal reason which is so wretchedly prone to Question and Dispute against his Soveraignty over his Creatures The Children being not yet Born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth It was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger As it is Written Jacob have I Loved but Esau have I Hated The Wise God foreseeing the purblind Reasonings and Cavillings of Carnal Mens unsanctified Brains against the Doctrine of Gods absolute Soveraignty in disposing of the Eternal concerns of his rational Creatures fallen by Sin into a state and condition of Misery through their own default hath seen good for the vindication of his own Prerogative to make known to the Sons of Men and that by the unerring Wisdom and unquestionable Authority of so great a Man as Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles the reason of Gods Method in proceeding to Elect some of fallen Mankind to a state of Life and Salvation through a Redeemer and Reprobating others leaving them for ever to perish in that Sin and Misery into which they did without any constraint wilfully plunge themselves to be no other than his own most free and holy Will seeing that he alone is the undoubted Soveraign of the World who hath an indisputable right to determine what to do with or how to dispose of Sinning Rebels without being any way liable to the controulment of any of his Creatures especially such of them as by Sin have forfeited their very Being to the Divine Justice and who while in an unreconciled State are not capable of knowing him or of being subject to his Divine Law The good Will and Pleasure then of the Blessed God is the Source and Fountain whence the great Disparity between the Elect and the Reprobate World doth spring not any thing in the Creatures themselves as Arminian Cavillers dream and conceit it doth This will evidently appear if the Reader will but with a becoming modesty and unprejudic'd judgment read the whole Chapter at length and with fervent Prayer to God for the Wisdom of his Spirit look narrowly into and with sobriety consider the 11th and the 16th Verses where it plainly appears that the two conceited Qualifications of which the Enemies of Election are usually proud and which they hold and teach are the procuring cause of the Difference between the good and the evil Men on Earth viz. the Free Will in Man and the good Works which unregenerate Men do but conceit they do they are both met with and equally discarded by God from having any room or place among the causes which put God either upon Choosing the Elect or rejecting the Reprobate Mark the 11th Vers That the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth With this agrees Ephes 2 8.9 For by Grace are ye Saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Not of Works least any Man should boast And Tit. 3.5 Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he hath Saved us c. Vain unregenerate Man would fain perswade himself that he is worse than Threadbare Rags of his polluted Morality negative and positive is a covering sufficient

Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the Thoughts of his Heart to all Generations What is Gods Election of some to Life Eternal and the means leading thereto but the Birth or Product of his own Counsel Rom. 9.11 The purpose of God according to Election must stand And Oh what an unspeakable cause of rejoycing is this very Consideration to that Man or Woman who find in themselves the Fruits or Effects of the New Birth to think and believe that they in particular are chosen to Life Eternal by him who cannot change that purpose of his wherewith he hath purposed to Save so poor and miserable a Sinner as the effectually called Sinner looks on himself to be Neither is the poor weak Believer to doubt but that those Sins and Backslideings both of his Heart and Life for which he will be but too apt to fear and conclude God will at length cast him off were all perfectly known to God even then when he Elected him to Salvation notwithstanding which God fixt his Love and embraced the poor Sinner in the Bosom of his irreversible Decree when nothing of Loveliness but rather the contrary appeared to the Eye of Gods Praecognition or fore knowledge in the Soul so pitcht on by his Decree Whom God once loves with that Electing Love he loves them to the end Jer. 31.8 Mal. 3.6 Jo. 13.1 Rom. 11.29 And as Gods Act in Electing is without change so in the third place it was from Eternity though the work of effectual Calling and Saving Conversion be in time yet Gods decree and purpose of bestowing that Grace and Mercy on the Elect Sinner was before time So witnesseth the Apostle Acts 15.18 Known unto God are all his Works from the beginning of the World Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World 2 Thes 2.13 From the beginning hath God chosen you Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the Book of Life from the Foundation of the World The Electing Love of God it is from one Eternity to another as it did commence before time so when time shall be swallowed up of endless Eternity this Love of God to his Elect and chosen in Christ will be and continue the same for ever And therefore let that Believer who feels himself inwardly and frequently annoyed with those discouraging Fits of fickleness and unconstancy in walking with God in the way of New Obedience take Sanctuary here by Faith applying to himself the sweet Benefits of these Properties of Gods Electing Love filling both his Head and Heart with the thoughts and fixed perswasion that the Blessed God who is the Infinite Soveraign of the World who Acts all things which pleaseth himself according to the Counsel of his own Will hath of his own good pleasure chosen him a poor unworthy empty nothing Creature to be a Vessel of Mercy through Jesus Christ to the Praise of the Glory of his own Grace And that Love wherewith God hath Loved him it began towards him before he had an actual Being yea before the World was And as that Love of God was set on him before time began so when time it self shall be no more that Love of God to him shall still be endless like God himself Nothing more conduceth under God to Heart Settlement in the ways of God then to be well Verst in Understanding and Believeing with application to ones fels these Fundamental Principles of Gospel Religion And this one thing I desire the Reader to remember and carefully to observe viz. That if there were no other Argument to evince and make good the Truth I have now asserted than the Arduous and Elaborate endeavours of Satan and his busy Agents both in Preaching and Printing against the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation it were sufficient The Devil and the Pope know full well how destructive and pernicious to both their Kingdoms the bringing Sinners to the Scriptural Knowledge and right Believing this Doctrine will be And therefore for preventing hereof the Doctrine it self must be expos'd in the blackest hue as a Doctrine which makes Men proud secure and careless of good Works and which leads Men to loose Living and in the end to final Desperation And as the Doctrine it self is shot at by the Romish and Arminian Archers so the most zealous and bold Assertors and Maintainers of it are set out in the most odious and black colours which Envy and Malice it self can devise but maugre all the Crast and Envy of Devil and his most subtil and industrious Tools the Doctrine of particular Election before time is plainly held forth and asserted in the Writings of Moses the Prophets and the Holy Apostles And in case Divine Providence calls to a suffering Condition for defence of it I do not doubt but God hath a Sealed number in these Kingdoms known to himself who will be enabled to Seal the Truth of it with their dearest Blood An Objection or two lyes in the way to be answered before I can proceed to what remains behind Object 1. The Doctrine of particular Election puffs Men with Pride Answ The contrary to this the Devil himself knows to be true For I doubt not but Satan hath made his Observations that none of all Gods called Children have more abounded with Humility and self Abasement than those who have had the highest assurance of Gods Electing Love None but these can rightly admire and adore the Grace and Love of God in Christ Jesus To me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given c. crys that great Apostle of the Gentiles Ephes 3.8 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am the chief 1 Tim. 1.15 For I am the least of the Apostles that am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I Persecuted the Church of God 1 Cor. 15.9 But by the Grace of God I am what I am Vers 10. It is to be observed that among all the Apostles none was more highly advanced in respect of extraordinary Manifestations and Gospel Revelations than Paul was and yet among all the Apostles none more abased No greater admirer of Free Grace than he was and indeed not only Paul but others also both under the Old Testament and under the New whom Free Grace singled out to be Vessels of Mercy These were still addicted to go out of themselves in a way of self Abasement and crying up the Riches of Gods Grace and Mercy every way free and undeserved by them And herein I appeal most freely to the Personal Experience of every regenerate Believer now Living whether they do not find in themselves that the nearer they come to know and perceive the Love of God to themselves in particular the more vile they are in their own esteem and the more the Sight and Sense of their own Nothingness grows and abounds the more are they