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

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62053	The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission wherein is discovered, the nature, causes, and cure of those sins / by Geo. Swinnock.	Swinnock, George, 1627-1673.; Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.	1675 (1675)	Wing S6281; ESTC R21256	184,210	500

rational Creatures may be elected Rom. 8.30 Rom. 11.7 5. If fore-sight of mens Works be the cause of their Election then man hath whereof to glory He is then the cause of his own Salvation Election is the Original of all a spring that runneth under ground for a time first bubleth up and discovers it self in effectual Calling so glideth along in a life of Faith Holiness and at last emptieth it self in the Ocean of Peace and Joy and Happiness So that if man be the Cause of his Election then he may thank himself for his Salvation John is no more beholden to God than Judas for 't is the improvement of the freedom of his Will which brings him to Heaven God did as much for Judas say they as for John But how contrary is this to the word of Truth Rom. 4.2 But if Abraham were justified by Works he had whereof to glory The Scripture speaks in another Dialect By Grace ye are saved through Faith not of Works lest any man should boast Eph. 2.4 5. The Knife with which Adam cut his own Throat and wherewith he murther'd his Posterity was Pride He would hold of himself and not of God The wise and gracious God in the way he hath taken for our Recovery is pleased to lay this Knife as far as may be out of our way lest we be ruin'd by it a second time Though this Pride the Popish Doctrine of Merits and fore-sight of good Works maintains but God tells us Man is nothing and God all in all that no flesh might glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. 6. The Holy Ghost gives us the true ground or motive of Election far differing from this of the Papists and that is the Will and Pleasure Having predestinated us according to the good Pleasure of his Will Ephes 1.5 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him vers 11. Rom. 9.18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Matth. 11.26 Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with a holy Calling not according to our work but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the world begun Again the Particle For enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is counted causal Piscat in Loc. not that always it noteth the Cause but sometimes a Reason or Argument whether taken from the Cause or Effect Matth. 1.18 Matth. 15.14 2 Tim. 2.7 Besides this is sufficient for parity of reason or the resemblance that as some go by the way of good Works to Heaven so others by the way of evil Works to Hell Good Works are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ceu causa salutis sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectu fidei finis ejus vitae aeternae Glass not the cause of reigning but the way to the Kingdom Once more Let the Papists shew the same proportion between a few imperfect defective good Works which men are enabled to do by the help of God and the unconceivable eternal Joys and Glory of Heaven that is between the evil works of men and the endless pains of Hell and then let them plead their merits They may if they please observe that the Saints themselves are so far from pleading their Merits or boasting their deserts that they hardly remember that they ever did those Works which Christ proclaims to their praise and rewards through his own blood with a Kingdom Lord when saw we thee hungry or thirsty c. O what a vast difference is there between an upright humble Christian who acknowledgeth himself less than the least of all Gods mercies and a proud Papist that dares say Coelum gratis non accipiam CHAP. XVI Why Christ will try men at the Great Day by acts of Charity THe second question to be discussed before I proceed to the Doctrine is why Christ tryeth men at that day by the neglect or performance of Charity and not of some other Duty as hearing praying watching c. Or by their Patience Humility Temperance or Heavenly-mindedness c. To this I answer These Works of Charity are by a Synechdoche put for new Obedience and all the good works of a Christians life Though Christ mention those as the test of men at that day yet he doth not hereby exclude others The Scripture abundantly proveth that other Graces and Duties shall be rewarded at that day 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Matth. 10.18 Heb. 6.10 c. and that men shall be condemned for other sins beside the neglect of Charity The want of the Wedding-Garment Matth. 22.12 13. Unprofitableness in the improvement of Talents Matth. 25.30 We have a Bed-Roll of other sins condemning 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.8 Indeed every sin any sin that men have lived in and loved who have died impenitent will be found damnable at that day It cannot rationally be supposed that the performance or neglect of those outward acts of Charity should be the general test I mean of all for how then shall those that die in their Infancy and Childhood or such as are extreamly poor be tried who are rendred wholly uncapable of feeding the Hungry or cloathing the Naked Neither do I judge it shall be the sole test for it 's possible for a man in these outward acts to be bountiful to men who hath no regard or fear of God in him The Apostle supposeth a man may give all his Goods to the poor and yet be void of true love to the poor 1 Cor. 13.3 It 's unquestionable that the Worship of the blessed God is much more excellent than our kindness to the Children of men as Calvin well observeth on the Text yet Christ who knoweth the hearts of all men and from what principles they act will mention the Saints acts of Charity at that day and reward them accordingly and will mention the Sinners omission of Charity at that day and condemn him for it 1. Because acts of Charity are more obvious and apparent to the World Though the Christian usually is close therein and will not let his left hand know what his right hand doth yet Charity like Musk will discover it self The Objects thereof will publish their Benefactors and he himself thinks it needful sometimes to be open and publick in his liberality though not for self-ostentation yet for others imitation Luther tells us That Christ will try men this way because the World shall justifie his Sentence both of reward and punishment If a man be charitable all his Neighbours take notice of it yea commonly love him for it the vilest of them will commend him though by his holy Conversation he condemns them I suppose this is the good man of whom the Apostle speaks when he tells us That for such a one a man will even dare to die Rom. 5. Therefore when Christ shall acknowledge the Charity of his people and then reward them with himself

time now is the day of Salvation Therefore O Sinner Agree with thine Adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him lest at any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing Matth. 5.25 26. But having written largely of this in another Treatise and intending to speak of it here only by way of Preface to what I mainly intend and now come to discourse of and that is the Nature Danger Cause and Curse of Sins of Omission in the reasons of this severe Sentence I shall speak no more thereof but proceed to the third general part of the Text and that is the reason CHAP. XV. The reason of Christs severe Sentence and a question resolved whether the Righteous by their Acts of Charity do not deserve Heaven as well as the Wicked by their Omission thereof deserve Hell Thirdly THe reason of Christ's severe Sentence against them vers 40 43. For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not The words have nothing of difficulty in them and therefore I shall not wast time in the explication of them Every one knows what it is not to give meat to the Hungry or drink to the Thirsty or Raiment to the Naked c. That it is the omission of a Duty viz. Charity which God commands and also that Believers are the Members of Christ Ephes 1. ult Christ mystical 1 Cor. 12.12 And therefore what injuries are done to them are done to Christ Acts 9. Only it may be needful to speak to these two particulars before I raise the Doctrine 1. Whether there be not the like ground of the Salvation of the blessed that there is of the damnation of the wicked namely the merit of their works Both seem to speak it Come ye blessed c. For I was hungry and ye gave me meat Again Go ye cursed c. For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. 2. Why Christ will try men at the great day by the performance or neglect of this Duty of Charity and not rather by their performance or neglect of Prayer Hearing Watchfulness or some other Duty or by their Humility Heavenly-mindedness Patience Temperance c. In answer to the first though Bellarmine affirms There is the same reason in each and Cornel. A Lapide with the rest of the Papists concur therein yet if they were not wilfully blind they might see enough in the Text to disprove them 1. In that Christ calls to the blessed to inherit the Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth Haereditatis jure possidere to enjoy a thing by right of Inheritance from Parents and Ancestors and not by right of Purchase or deserving therefore Heaven is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inheritance Col. 1.12 Ephes 1.14 1 Pet. 1.3 So the Type of it the Land of Canaan is often called by the 70 probably from the division or distribution of the Land by lot to them A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lexceu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Distribuo quia hereditates olim per sortem distribul solebant Josh 14.2 which to a word is the import of the word Now they who enjoy an Estate by right of Sonship do not possess it by Merit What can a Child who may inherit his deceased Fathers Estate in his Child-hood or Infancy do to deserve that Estate 2. In that Christ tells them That this Kingdom was prepared for them before the foundation of the World Now what could they do before they had a Being to deserve this Inheritance And the Apostle is positive that all is to be referred to the Purpose of God not to the piety of any men For saith he the Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand mark not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her The Elder shall serve the younger Rom. 9.11 12. Eph. 1.4 Rev. 13.8 If it be Objected That God foresaw that they would improve their Free will unto the performance of such good Works whereby they would deserve Heaven and therefore chose them to Heaven which the Papists stand much upon I answer 1. The fore-sight of their Faith and good Works cannot be the cause of their Election because their Election is by God himself declared to be the cause of their Faith and good Works If their Faith and Obedience be the effect of Election they cannot be the cause of it but so they are Joh. 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come to me i. e. believe on me Again As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Act. 13.48 So for good Works Joh. 15.13 Eph. 1.4 Rom. 8.30 2. Then mans will must be the ground of God's Actions not his own Will The Scripture tells us That God worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 But say the Papists in Election God worketh according to the imp●●vement of mans will 3. Then the accomplishment of Go●… Decree depends upon the mutable and uncertain will of man so that there is a possibility that God may be disappointed of his Choice and his Elect of that Happiness to which they are chosen if both depend on a changeable Creature But the word of God speaks the contrary that God cannot be frustrated of his Choice Psal 33.10 The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all Generations His Decrees are sure 2 Tim. 2.19 though his sentence may be alter'd Jer. 18.7 8 9 10. Nor can the Elect be disappointed Matth. 24.24 If it were possible they would deceive the very Elect. Here the impossibility of their seduction is grounded on the stability of their Election 4. Then there can be no Election of Infants to everlasting life I mean of such as God fore-seeth or ordaineth to die in their infancy because God cannot fore-see that these will improve the liberty of their wills unto Faith and Repentance That Infants may be saved is clear Matth. 19.14 Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Matthew calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first word signifieth Puerulus a little Child one say the Criticks that is in the first seven years of his Age. But the latter Luke 18.15 signifieth Infants newly born or sucking Babes Now if of such is the Kingdom of Heaven then they may be saved But none are saved save such as are elected therefore without any fore-sight of Faith or good Works

Knife of the Laws Curse was even at the Creatures throat as Abraham's at the throat of Isaac Thy Redeemer call'd to his Father O Father Father hold thine hand slay not those poor Creatures I have provided a Sacrifice such as thou wilt accept I know that Beeves and Goats and Lambs are not the Sacrifices for Sin which thou wouldst have what proportion hath the blood of Beasts to the infinite demerit of Sin but I know what Sacrifice thou wouldst have thou wouldst have me to offer my self upon the Cross as a Sacrifice to thy Justice that the whole World might know the Holiness of thy Nature the Righteousness of thy Law and thine infinite kindness to thine Elect Well I come to do thy Will O God Though the Task be so great and the Work so grievous that no other dares so much as touch it and though I am wholly free and none can oblige or compel me to it yet I will undertake it Now Reader was Christ so forward so willing to obey such a Command of dying a cursed painful shameful death that he tells his Father I delight to do thy Will O God and art thou so backward to obey his Commands and to walk in his ways When his ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Psal 40.6 Heb. 10.5 Prov. 3.17 Was Christ so careful and tender of thee that he would not omit any thing needful for thy good and art thou so careless and forgetful of him as to omit that which is of such concernment to his Glory Friend bethink thy self doth not thy Redeemer deserve fairer dealings at thy hands Heathens and Publicans would not be so base and unworthy to their Friends and Benefactors CHAP. XXXIX Arguments against sins of Omssion The new Nature in Believers inclines them to positive as well as negative Holiness and the profit will answer the pains 11. COnsider if thou art a Believer thy predominant new Nature inclines thee to positive as well as negative Holiness And shall this be given thee in vain shall God be at such cost and charge as to infuse a principle of life into thee to no purpose Pray observe what end God hath in this regenerating Work Of his own Will begat he us again by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of First-Fruits of his Creatures Jam. 1.18 Where we have the causes of Regeneration 1. The efficient Principal He. 2. The moving His alone Will. 3. The formal Begat us again 4. The instrumental The Word of Truth 5. The final That we should be a kind of First-Fruits God begets us again that we should be devoted to him as the First-Fruits of all the sheaves were consecrated to God and that out of thankfulness to him for his innumerable blessings Prov. 3.9 Rom. 12.1 The First-Fruits were holy to the Lord and so should all Christians be Again he tells us his design in giving a new Spirit and putting his Spirit into them That they may walk in his Statutes and do them Ezek. 36.26 27. So that 't is Sacriledge and God-robbery for a Christian to imploy himself to the use of any but God because he is devoted to God and it 's also below a Christian as for a man to live as doth 〈◊〉 Beast for him that hath a noble Di●ine Principle to live as other men As all the Children of the first Adam derive from him a depraved Nature which inclines them not only to omit what is good but also to do what is evil therefore his Seed 〈◊〉 known by both those signs Psal 36.3 4. Hos 4.1 2 3. So all the Children of the second Adam derive from him a renewed Nature For they are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 which doth not only take them off from what is evil but also put them forward to that which is good Rom. 6.11 As the Branches derive from the Root that sap and moisture which enableth them to fruitfulness so the Christian draweth that Virtue from Christ even in his first Conversion that inclines him whilst he lives to bring forth fruit to God Ephes 2.10 We are his Workmanship created in Jesus Christ unto good Works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them Mark this new piece that is indeed Gods Master-piece for the New Creation doth far excel the old Heavens and Earth is formed in Christ as the efficient Cause unto good Works unto such Works as flow from the Spirit of God as the Principle as are according to the Will of God as the Rule and for the Glory of God as the end Gal. 5.20 Gal. 6.16 Phil. 1.11 Each Convert hath ●●●munion with Christ in his Death and also in his Life He knoweth Christ and hath fellowship with him in his Death whereby he dieth to Sin Hence he is said to be dead and buried with Christ Rom. 6.6 knowing this that our old man so Sin is called because it 's nigh as old as man is full of subtilty and craft and should be always decaying and dying is crucified with him i. e. Christ whom Sin crucified and whose Death crucifieth Sin that the body of sin sin is said to have a body because it consisteth of many members Col. 3.5 might be destroyed for as the life of Sin gave Christ his deaths-wound so the death of Christ gave Sin its deaths wound that henceforth we should not willingly chearfully customarily serve sin as our Lord and Master And as the Convert hath fellowship with Christ in his Death so also in his Resurrection That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 i. e. Have experience for 't is such a knowledge he speaks of of the power and energy of the Life of Christ to quicken me unto new Obedience Besides the true Convert hath the Law of God written in his Heart which cannot but move him to the observation of the Law in his Life Psal 37. Heb. 8. According to the predominant principles that are in every mans nature such are his inclinations whether to God or evil and such are ordinarily his practices As a bowl moves this way or that way according as the Byass inclines Now Reader Consider either thou art a Believer or not If thou art not it concerns thee speedily to look about thee lest thou die in this estate and be damned for ever Joh. 3. ult If thou art a Believer it would be very strange for thee to continue in any Omission for all this while thou actest against thy nature It 's very much easier to sin with thy nature than against it A wicked man that hath knowledge cannot sin with such pleasure and easiness as another because he doth in sinning oppose and fight with Conscience within him but it seems harder for thee for thou dost not only offer violence to thine enlightned Conscience but also to the new Nature that is implanted in thee By thy Omissions thou dost not only sin against thy natural Light