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	grace_n	work_n	1,598	5	6.0605	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01724	Foure sermons vpon the seuen chiefe vertues or principall effectes of faith and the doctrine of election: wherein euerie man may learne, whother he be Gods childe or no. Preached at Malden in Essex by Master George Gifford, penned from his mouth, and corrected and giuen to the Countesse of Sussex, for a Newyeeres gift.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.; Josua, Richard.	1582 (1582)	STC 11858; ESTC S118830	40,121	112

yet you are equal with me with the rest of the Apostles in the chiefe and principall dignitie in that wherein all happines doth cōsist euē our precious faith Here it may bee demaunded howe Saint Peter can ascribe vnto them a faith equall or like precious with his owne seeing he did so farre excell them in giftes and graces as in knowledge strength of faith The answer is easie inough namely that this comparison is not made in the measure quātity of faith for therin some haue excelled others farre because God doth not giue his gifts to all alike but in the effect which is the apprehending of Christ with al his merits which the weak faith doth as wel as the strong and therefore in this respect is equally precious This I speake not to make any slouthfull when as the Scriptures do pricke vs forwarde so much to seeke increase of faith but for the comfort and hartening of the weake which feeling their infirmitie and weaknes of faith if it were not for this which the Apostle speaketh might doubt whether they were partakers of the same happinesse with them now hearing this they may be wel assured al though their faith should be but as a grain of mustard seed yet if it bee true faith it coupleth them to Christe and maketh them partakers of redemption to haue their sinnes washed away in his blood of righteousnes to be couered with his obediēce of life to be heires of the kingdome of glorie as wel as the faith of Peter or any other Vnto this is also ioyned that wherin the stablenes of this their faith doth stande as vpon a sure foundation euē the righteousnesse of God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christe And indeede the building of faith is so waightie and the frame so heauie that it can stande vpon no other foundation but this that is to say the righteousnesse faithfulnesse or truth of God which cannot lie For if we would perswade a man to beleeue by this reason that the thing which wee speake is that which hath been taught by diuers men of great learning singular godlines yet because we know that al men are lyers except wee bee sure that the things which they speak be those which God hath spoken wee shall still wauer and our faith shal be no faith which alone can rest in the authoritie of God and not of men 2 The seconde verse conteineth his salutation euen that which is common to him with Paul the other Apostles wishing grace and peace to those vnto whom they write And this they do because it is the chiefe scope and principal ende of their ministerie to bring men againe into Gods fauour to be reconciled vnto him Of this thing speaketh S. Paul 2. Cor. 5. chap. ver 18. saying All things are of God which hath recōciled vs to himself by Iesus Christ And hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation for God was in Christe and reconciled the worlde to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now thé are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseeche you through vs wee pray you in Christe his steede that you bee reconciled to God This beeing the chiefe end of their trauell causeth them so earnestly to wish it for the people and to bee so serious not only in teaching them this generally but also pointing out as it were with the finger the way to the same and that not onelie in their doctrine but also in their liues Whosoeuer digresseth or casteth his eyes aside from this marke ende of his ministerie ceaseth to bee the Minister of Christe As for example If hee preach the Gospell to purchase renowme estimation wealth of case to himselfe and not to seeke this reconciliation betweene God and men and to haue grace and peace multiplied vppon them he may wel sometimes preach the truth but not truly Likewise those parentes whiche set foorth their children to learning with this minde My sonne shall liue an easie and merie life hee shal get some liuings promotions dignities in the Church do lay a corrupt and rotten foundation haue not learned this doctrine of the Apostle and therefore the building folowes agreeably for the most whē they come to haue learning not forgetting this lesson which they learned of their fathers doe become greedie cathers of benefices and promotions rather then carefull feeders of the flocke of Christ But here it may be obiected how the Apostle can wish that grace which is the free fauour of God should be multiplied vpon them seeing that Gods loue fauor doth not increase nor diminishe but hee loueth and fauoureth alwayes alike being subiect to no alteration or change This may wel be answered that Sainte Peter doeth not speake heere of grace as it is in it selfe in God towardes mē but of their feeling the same which groweth by degrees from lesse to greater and because it is a thing so precious the Apostle wisheth that it may be multiplied vpon them Hee expresseth the meane to be the knowledge acknowledging of God and of Iesus Christ our Lord. 3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs al things that perteine vnto life godlines through the acknowledging of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue This is fitly ioyned to the former verse to shewe that the aboundance of grace and peace is not without cause required at our handes as if the Apostle shoulde say You are not to content nor to satisfie your selues with a scant measure of Gods giftes and graces seeing that there is offred vnto you set forth in Christ vnto whom you may resort as to a storehouse fully furnished with all treasures all things which partain to life and godlinesse Secondly we haue to obserue in this verse when hee saith that all thinges are giuen vnto vs by his diuine power that here is nothing left in the worke of our saluation vnto our selues so that it must needes follow that these which defend free will doe not speake with the same spirite which the Apostle doth here For setting forth a contrary doctrine to this it must needes proceed from a contrary spirite The Apostle doth not say heere that all those thinges which wee want through the weakenesse of our nature shal be supplied but to shewe that there is nothing in vs at all but that wee are quite stript of all things which pertaine to life and godlinesse Hee speaketh not of repairing or helping in some parte but of a whole and free gifte in euerie part when he saith whithout exception that all thinges are giuen vnto vs by the diuine power which pertaine vnto life and godlines and so this doctrine doth chalenge all the praise and glory of our saluation to God alone Thirdly it may be demanded why the Apostle shoulde say that all thinges are giuen vnto vs by the diuine power or Godhead of our

c. A man may demand what maner of order is here vsed in willing vs to ioyne godlines to patience then to godlines brotherly kindnesse is not godlines the whole or the general these brāches are members of it True it is that this worde is often vsed generally to comprehende al goodnesse but in this place it comprehendeth but the first table of the lawe wherein wee are willed to bee deuout or zealous a very necessarie caueat to beware that we doe not become so patient that we forget to be zealous in the Lords quarrel it is as if Saint Peter should haue said I woulde not haue you so meeke as to beare and put vp al I woulde haue you withal to bee hotte in Gods quarrell forget not that For many vnder a colour of a meeke patience doe couer the want of religion for if God bee dishonored his trueth defaced his seruants slaundered they can heare and see and yet bee as meeke as a Lambe but if themselues bee touched yee shal see them playe the Lions and of luke warme to become fire hot this therefore is no patience which wanteth godlinesse Wee must learne then both with patience and meeknes to deale in the Lords matters also with feruent zeale least in steed of this excellent vertue of patience which was commended vnto vs there be nothing but a prophane vngodlines an irreligious mildnesse in which at this day moe do offend then through impatience for these Athiests haue this as an excuse very readily Are we not cōmanded to be gentle and soft Is it not our duetie to maintaine loue and charitie with our neighbours Indeede they bee great swearers and somtime they vse to speake against gods worde if they be awry I think they shal answere for themselues if we should gainesay or seeme to reprooue them they woulde not take it wel therefore I thinke good not to disquiet them Heere is nowe wonderfull patience these are verye godlye and charitable persons yea euen a treacherie towardes GOD and men For is there any of them which being slaundered with some foule crime whereby they should receiue great iniurie or bee spitefully rayled vppon if some of their neere friendes sitte by and holde their tongues when they know they be iniuried that cannot by and by feele say this was cold friendship that they could not haue dealt so vnlouingly towardes their friendes by whome soeuer they should haue heard them so abused they could not haue held their tongues Thē belike God nor his truth are none of their deare friends that they can put vp such iniurie done towards him There is plentie of this patience in all places but godlinesse cannot bee suffered to come neere for he is a breake peace and a very vnpleasant felow hee is ouer rough and precise and ouer captious there was good neighbourhood and friendshippe before he came they could be merie together and bee in vnitie without anye iarre had it not bene better to vse gentlenesse and patience then to haue this broyle for there is nothing better then loue and where that is not there is nothing good O miserable daies this is the good loue now amōg mē that they cannot loue one another but they must hate God to haue peace and concorde with men to bee at ods with God for mens sake to put vp the dishonoring of his name not to continue in patience vnlesse godlinesse bee wanting The vngodly world and lewde nature that is in men taketh occasion to accuse godly zeale vnder this pretence and to finde fault with the preaching of the worde because say they it setteth men at strife But we must learne in this place to ioine godlinesse with our patience for otherwise we shal be found to be nothing els but irreligious and prophane dogges although wee pretende loue neuer somuch The time wil not suffer to handle the rest which remaineth in this text Let vs remember that which hath beene said giue all diligence to pursue these excellent vertues that so wee may approue our selues to be right Christians and looke for the blessed hope promised in Iesu Christ The third Sermon 7 And with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue 8 For if these things be with you and abound they will make you that ye shal not be idle nor vnfruitful in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ 9 For he that hath not these thinges it blind and seeth not a farre of and hath forgottē that he was purged from his olde sinnes ANd with godlinesse brotherly kindnes c. Wee haue heard already that with our faith must be ioyned vertue or godly deedes which it cannot be without if it be a true faith with vertue wee are commaunded to ioyne knowledge which may bee a guide thereunto our knowledge must goe with temperance with this must come patience therevnto must be ioined godlines There remaine yet two branches of these special vertues about which wee are to trauell the first of these is brotherly loue or kindenesse which must be yoked with godlines as I said that this godlines he speaketh of is referred to the first table of the law respecting God and his religion that wee bee sound and zelous in the same and not as those which are for al times and al religions and therefore care not what bee saide against religion beeing very belliegods and Atheists so this is referred to the seconde table shewing what wee owe vnto men This is very fitly and necessarily added for as there bee many which regarding men onely howe to please and not to grieue or offende them altogether forgetting their dutie towards the Lord God and wholy shutting him out as thogh their chief care should be of men let pas godlines so there bee some that offend on the other side which looking alwaies so high as to haue respect to the Lord and his trueth to bee earnest and firie in that ouerlooke men forgetting the dueties which they owe vnto them the holye Apostle meeteth with this mischief and telleth vs that we must so loue God that we also loue men ioyne saith hee to your godlinesse brotherly kindnesse for vnlesse this be ioyned and goe with our zeale of Gods worde it is no true godlinesse although wee bee neuer so sounde in iudgement and seeme to be as hotte as Moyses or Elias yea euen to be swallowed vp with burning zeale for it doeth not proceede from Gods spirite who doeth also worke the loue towardes men wheresoeuer hee goeth but it doeth proceede of some corrupt cause as of vaineglorie or selfe loue and such like and deserueth not indeede tobee called godly deuotion no more then the true faith can be without vertue or deserueth to be called ought saue a shadowe or Image of faith if it bee without good workes but it is a bitternesse which resembleth the true zeale which doth euermore carrie with it a loue and care towardes men True it is that to be