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
A85737	Svveet and soule-perswading inducements leading unto Christ. Deduced, 1. From the consideration of mans misery, emptinesse, basenesse, and dishonour without Christ. 2. From the meditation of the comforts attending the soules receiving of Christ. 3. From the apprehension of the joy and excellency of Christs living in man: the whole singularly sweetning the meditation of Christ to the soule of man. By Alexander Grosse, minister of Christ.	Grosse, Alexander, 1596?-1654.	1642 (1642)	Wing G2077; Thomason E120_1; ESTC R209830	364,575	490

promising him that a woman should compasse a man contrite and broken hearted sinners are the proper subject of Gods sweetest mercies 3. We must relinquish the world Abner fell out with the house of Saul and then hee entred into Covenant with David Man must first fall out with the world take off his heart from the earth before he can enter into covenant with God because the love of the world as S. James speakes is enmity with God and he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God the first husband must be dead before the woman can joyne her selfe in wedlocke with a second man man must be crucified to the world and the world unto him before he can be married unto Christ enter into Covenant with Christ when Zacheus received Christ into his house he gave the halfe of his goods to the poore and restored foure-fold to them from whom he had wrongfully taken The world is much slighted where Christ is truely received The soule is never filled with Christ unlesse it be emptied of the earth Dagon fals where the Arke is erected the exaltation of Christ is the prostration of the world Mans communion with Christ is sutable to his separation from the world He that will enter this Covenant and associate himselfe with Christ must with Matthew leave the receipt of custome hee must with Salomon looke upon the world as upon a thing of nought he must according to the Apostles rule use the world as if hee did not use it He must forget his owne people and forsake his Fathers house that will have consortship with Christ 4. We must renounce all intimate communion with corrupt and carnall people come out from among them saith the Lord there is the separation and I will be your Father and ye shall be unto me for sonnes and daughters there is Gods receiving them into covenant and communion with him the Prodigall deserted and repented of his fellowship with Harlots and riotous persons and then his Father lovingly received and imbraced him God is very propitious to such as repent of their sinfull fellowship with his enemies God ministers many comfortable expressions of his love to them who withdraw themselves from such as doe not love him when Moses left Pharaohs Court the Lord appeared to him in the wildernesse saying I am the God of thy Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob the declination of fellowship with profane persons is usually attended with a sweet enjoyment of Gods presence and the ministration of many spirituall comforts were we more thoroughly alienated from vaine men wee should be more fully and sweetly acquainted with God could we give a bill of divorce to profane persons we should have a blessed and honourable wedlocke with Christ Jesus 5. We must with all diligence attend the Ministry of the word Encline your eare Come unto me saith the Lord Heare and your soule shall live and J will make an everlasting Covenant with you God by the labours of his Ministers brings men into covenant with himselfe by their labours hee opens the beauties and perfections of Christ he makes them see their necessity of Christ their misery without Christ and their happinesse in the enjoyment of Christ by their labours hee woes and perswades them to come to Christ fils their hearts with earnest longings after Christ with fervent and unfained love to Christ and so espouseth them unto him as Abraham by his Servant brought Rebecca to his son Isaac Thus doth God by his Ministers bring men to his Sonne Christ Jesus Did wee not shamefully undervalue and profanely estrange our selves from the labours of Gods Ministers wee could not be such strangers to Gods Covenant nor so empty of those blessings which Christ ministers to true beleevers Attend therefore Gods Word if ever you meane to enjoy the benefit of Gods Covenant 6. We must readily and fully receive Christ Christ is the foundation of the Covenant the promise is in Christ Josephs Bretheren came nigh to Pharaoh by Joseph man comes nigh to God by Christ findes favour with God and partakes of all the mercies of God through Christ through him we are made the Sonnes of God thorough him wee are accepted of God thorough him we receive of Gods fullnesse grace for grace the receiving of the Lord Jesus is the receipt of all mercies in him we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places without Christ wee are strangers to all Gods mercies in Christ wee have title to all Gods blessings Iosephs bretheren were lovingly entertained of him bringing Beniamin with them without whom they might not looke him in the face bringing Christ with us God will graciously receive us without Christ God will be a consuming fire to us And therefore let us all labour thus to interest our selves in Gods Covenant for hereby shall we have interest in all Gods Promises as in so many pillars to support us as in so many wel-springs to refresh us in all the creatures as in so many Servants to minister their assistance to us in all the Ordinances of God as in so many Starres to enlighten us as in so many dishes of spirituall dainties to feed us as in so many heavenly Bethesda's to heale us and in all the attributes of God as in so many branches of the tree of life to shelter and shadow us interest in the power of God to uphold us in the wisedome of God to guide us in the mercy of God to pardon us in the presence of God to encourage us in the love of God to solace us and in the All-sufficiency of God every way to satisfie and content us Sweet and sure full and everlasting joyous and honourable are the Prerogatives and comforts which are obtained by interest in Gods Covenant CHAP. XVIII Declaring the misery of naturall Man without Hope THe fourth Alienation declaring naturall and carnall mans misery is an Alienation from Hope Without hope The hope of salvation by Christ from this hope man in his corrupt and carnall estate is estranged Hope is a grace inclining and disposing a regenerate and beleeving soule with assurance and patience to expect and wait for the accomplishment of such good things as God in Christ hath promised and faith apprehendeth Gird up saith Saint Peter the loynes of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ all grace is dispensed through Christ the full communication hereof is reserved till Christs second comming and hope waits for the receiving of it in and through Christ The cause efficient of this hope is God the Author and giver of all good it is not a worke of nature but of grace not of man but of God Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively hope

then all other deliverances a deliverance from Satan the worst of all Tyrants a deliverance from Hell of all prisons the most loathsome of all places of torment the most painefull a deliverance from sinne of all fetters the strongest of all burthens the heaviest of all spots the fowlest and of all diseases the most mortall and dangerous a deliverance from the curse of the Law of all condemning sentences the most terrible and full of soul-anguish a deliverance from death of all the Kings of terrour the most dreadfull all other deliverances are but slender shadowes and representations of this deliverance This is a deliverance restoring man to greater felicity then all the deliverances beside which God ever wrought for man a deliverance by which man is made a living member in Christs body a loyall Subiect in Christs Kingdome a spirituall Free-man of the new Ierusalem a childe of God by Adoption the Spouse of Christ by holy wedlocke a glorious Conquerour over all the enemies of his salvation and an heire to a heavenly and incorruptible Kingdome Mans deliverance out of the estate of corruption comprehends matter and cause of all joy and thanksgiving Looke therefore every gracious and sanctified soule upon this blessed worke of Gods power love and mercy and say with the Psalmist Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies The woman of Shunom receiving her dead sonne restored unto life fell downe at the Prophets feet and bowed her selfe unto the ground Thus receiving thy soule that was dead in sinne restored to the life of grace fall thou downe at the feet of Christ adore and worship him laude and magnifie him prostitute thy selfe and all that is thine by way of gratitude under him The blinde man whose eyes Christ opened beleeved and worshipped him Christ having opened the eyes of thy understanding to know the hope of thy calling the riches of Christ inheritance and the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards thy soule beleeve thou in Christ embrace him cast thy selfe on him have thy whole dependance upon him and worship him by an honourable apprehension of his perfections a sincere and fervent love unto his person a humble submission to his precepts and thankfull celebration of his great and glorious Name for all his mercies The lame mans feet and ankle bones receiving strength he leaped up stood and walked and entred into the Temple walking leaping and praising God Christ having healed thy affections having strengthened thee with all spirituall might rise up from the earth walke in the wayes of holinesse enter into the Temple attend Christ in his Ordinances let thy soule rejoyce in Christ and praise him for thy spirituall abilities Naaman being cleansed from his leprosie returned unto the Prophet and intreated him to take a blessing from him Christ having cleansed thee from the leprosie of thy sinne returne to Christ and render to him the blessing of spirituall and hearty thanksgiving The woman in the Gospell who had a spirit of infirmity bowing her downe being made straight glorified God Christ having raised and rectified thy heart which was altogether bowed downe to the world and the things here below Christ having inabled thee to looke up to seeke the things which are above to mind God to love his truth to hunger and thirst after the gifts and graces of his Spirit glorifie Christ for this his gracious worke The Israelites seeing the Egyptians drowned and themselves delivered from their servitude sang and triumphed Man seeing his sinnes drowned in the teares of godly sorrow and buried in the grave of Christ his soule set free by Christ from the servitude of Satan the world and his owne corruption should sing and triumph in Christ and say the Lord hath triumphed gloriously the horse and the rider Satan and my corruption hath he throwne downe together The Lord having of barren made Hanna fruitfull she said my heart reioyceth in the Lord my horne is exalted in the Lord my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies because I reioyce in thy salvation Christ having opened our hearts and of barren made our soules fruitfull in all heavenly graces our hearts should rejoyce in Christ our mouthes should be enlarged with his praises and our soules should rejoyce in that salvation which Christ hath brought unto us Man hath not greater cause of thanksgiving for any thing then for his Sanctification this worke of Christ makes him a living man puts such a life into him that the second death shall never have power over him This makes him an honourable man one of the royall seed a King and Priest to God This makes him a beautifull and comely man as the Lilly among the thornes as the Sunne Moone and Morning among the clouds This makes him a victorious man a superabundant conquerour over all temptations and afflictions This makes him a rich man the least mite of this grace is better then all the abundance of the earth as the gleanings of Ephraim were better then the vintage of Abiezer This makes him a ioyfull man regeneration is the matter and ground of the soules fullest surest and sweetest rejoycing The Kingdome of God the worke of grace the spirituall reigne of Christ in the heart is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy-Ghost Therfore praise Christ for this above all his favours as Theodosius gave God greater thanks that he had made him a member of the Church then head of the Empire warme thy heart therefore with the frequent and serious thoughts of this worke of Christ and praise him for this as for the brightest Starre shining in the Firmament of thy soule as for the most rich and orient pearle in the store-house of thy heart as for the most beautifull and comely slower adorning the garden of thy inner-man O praise him for this as for the sweetest freedome the noblest crowne the choisest workmanship and liveliest evidence of his love communicable to the soule of man As this is the best and most soule-reviving influence of Christ into the heart of man so for this pursue and follow Christ Jesus with free and frequent cordiall and joyous gracious and everlasting praises for without this we are strangers to Christ to the number of his faithfull servants to all the Prerogatives and priviledges which God ministers to his children even aliens to the common-wealth of Israel CHAP. VIII Shewing how all Gods people are but one THe second Alienation expressing the misery of men in their corrupt and carnall estate an Alienation from the Common-wealth of Israel Israel were once the peculiar people of God set apart by a holy Covenant unto God to be his people above all the people of the

together variety of roomes framed for the entertainment of many guests and other offices belonging to the house and windowes made in fit and convenient places to give light thereunto we all know that some skilfull workman hath been labouring there the house having no power nor wisedome to raise it selfe and thus when we looke upon this great and mighty house of the world and see it composed of severall creatures Heavens Aire Waters Earth c. variety of roomes fitted for men Beasts Birds Fishes and all other guests belonging to this house The Sun Moone and Starres set on high as great lamps and lanthornes to give light thereunto we cannot but acknowledge that some Almighty and All-wise workman hath been the builder thereof none of these being able to create and set themselves in this orderly manner this we must needs acknowledge though we see not the builder When we see the body and branches of a Tree springing we know there is a root though it be hidden in the earth and we see it not When we see as that noble Duplesses observes a river flowing we presently conclude there is some Spring or Fountaine whence it hath Originall though we see not the same and thus from the Creation and the things seen we must of necessity conclude there is a Deity though invisible and not seen otherwise then as we see the cause in the effect 2. Looke upon the order of things moving We discerne many things moving in the world as Sun Moone and Stars in Heaven the Birds in the aire Men and Beasts upon the earth Rivers running Seas ebbing and flowing and every thing that moves must of necessity be moved of some other by the consideration whereof we are necessarily led to acknowledge a first mover which is God giving motion to all himselfe not moved When we see the body moving we know there is a soule within moving it though we see not the soule When we see the wheeles of a watch moving we know there is a spring that sets them all on going Thus the motion of the creature plainly demonstrates a first mover though our eyes behold him not according to the Rule Secunda moventia non movent nisi per hoc quod sunt a primo motu 3. Looke upon the Series and succession of all efficient Causes We see in sensible things there is an order of efficient causes yet among all these there neither is nor can any thing be found which is the cause of it selfe because so it should be before it selfe which is impossible As for instance the Sonne is begotten of the Father the Father of the Grandfather the Grandfather of the great Grandfather and so upward yet amongst men no man ever was or can be the begetter of himselfe the branch commeth from the Tree the Tree from the root the root from the kernell the kernell gives not being to it selfe and thus we must of necessity ascend unto and rest in some first cause which is God all second causes working in the vertue of the first cause 4. Looke upon the Consent and agreement betweene things different and disagreeing betweene themselves Fire and water are one contrary to another one fighting against another destroying one another yet these you shall see concurring and agreeing together in the building of the universe and in the body of man and beast which plainly shews the wisedome and power of some supreame Commander making such a sweet harmony betweene disagreeing creatures as betweene dissonant strings upon a musicall instrument we acknowledge the art of a skilfull Musitian in the latter and can we doe lesse then acknowledge an infinite wisedome and power of some supreame commander in the former 5. Looke upon the degrees of excellency and goodnesse among things Some are more good and more excellent some lesse good and lesse excellent the Sunne hath more light then the Starres the Vine is more excellent then the Bramble man hath more noble endowments then the unreasonable creatures and whence is this but as every creature hath more or lesse good communicated to it as it doth more or lesse approach unto some chiefest good so that there must be some chiefe and most excellent good communicating freely more or lesse good to every kinde of creature as hee pleaseth 6. Looke upon the suiting and the fitting of one thing to another As in a building when we see one peece of timber fitted to another we say there hath beene a skilfull Carpenter When we see a garment made up and suited to every Member of mans body we instantly conceive some artificiall Tailer hath had the ordering of it and that neither timber nor cloath did thus sute themselves together Thus in this great workmanship of the world observe how light is suited to the eye the sound unto the ayre meat to the palate water to the fishes the earth to plants and grasse to beasts and so of the rest and when we see this how can wee but acknowledge a divine finger thus suiting and fitting one to another 7. To be short tooke upon the subordination and dependance of one thing upon another one ministring to another the Heavens to the Earth the Earth to the Corne the Corne to man Consider also the operation and working even of creatures void of reason for a certaine end working constantly after the same manner and accomplishing their ends by due and apt meanes producing effects above their owne abilities as the Ant which gathers her meat in Summer for the Winter they working by a rule which they know not and ayming at an end which they understand not declare that a higher understanding directs them what also doe many strange and unexpected events and issues of things beyond the wisdome power and imagination of man argue but an Almighty hand working and disposing all things at his owne pleasure what shall we thinke of the preservation and ministring of provision for so many ages to this great Family of the world but that there is some most wise and able governour over this house what may we conclude from the preservation and continuance of a Church upon the face of the Earth against the fury of all Divels and against the power and malice even of the whole world but that there is a God that standeth in the burning bush and keepes it that the fire doth not consume it a rider that sits upon the flood and restraines it from drowning his Church a great commander whom the windes and waves obey one setting bounds to to men and Divels as to the Sea and let these and such like considerations perswade you and strengthen in the beliefe of this That God is And be assured that the more your hearts are over-powred wrought upon and warmed with the study and meditation and setled in perswasion and beleefe of this truth That God is an eternall omnipotent most wise holy and omnipresent being one that is ever present with you 1. The more humble and

by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Wherein you have the Author of this hope God a gracious and loving Father in Christ the moving cause the mercy of God the antecedent regeneration the foundation prop or pillar of it Christ risen from the dead the full accomplisher of mans welfare the inward instrumentall cause or root of hope is a lively and saving faith Faith is the ground of things hoped for the object of this hope is God in Christ all good things flowing from the grace of God in Christ to the soule of man therefore is Christ called the hope of glory and we are bidden to hope for grace by Christ The Seate or Subject of Christian hope is a regenerate and renewed heart therefore termed the hope of the godly Of this hope carnall men are destitute having no hope no hope of salvation the Gentiles before Christ was preached to them having no promise of life no Mediator between God and them had no hope of salvation Carnall men under the Gospell being no children of God by regeneration no members no partakers of Christ by faith having no interest in Gods covenant of life and peace no title to Gods promise of grace by Christ they have no hope Whence you see That Corrupt and carnall man hath no true and assured hope of salvation There is no hope of that mans salvation that continues corrupt and carnall there is no salvation in that estate In Pauls shipping towards Rome when neither Sunne nor Starres for many dayes appeared and no small tempest lay on them all hope that they should be saved was then taken away When neither Sun nor Star neither Christ nor any saving grace appeare in the soule of man and when the conscience of carnall man works like a tempest within him then however he flattered himselfe in the houre of his spirituall slumber and promised salvation to himselfe yet now all hope of being saved is taken away now he sees he is in the state of damnation now he sees as Peter told Simon Magus that he is in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity and that he hath no part nor lot in Christ but is as the Psalmist saith farre from salvation farre from the knowledge faith hope and sence of salvation they looke not to the holy One of Israel they looke not unto God as to their King to command them as to their Counsellor to guide them as to their Physician to heale them as their rocke to support them their hope is not in him their expectation is not from him their estate who live under the power of corruption is no estate of Christian hope but of desperation having no ground to hope or look for salvation by Christ For 1. The carnall man is uncapable of Christian hope Hope is a heavenly guest and dwels not in an uncleane and unregenerate heart the carnall soule is an empty house wherein dwelleth no good thing no saying gift and grace of God He that is not of God cannot hope in God he that is not in Christ cannot expect and wait for salvation by Christ the carnall man is dead in sinne the corporally dead have no more any humane hope their breath goeth out of their nostrils and as their thoughts so their hopes perish the spiritually dead have no spirituall hopes where there is no life of grace there is no hope in Christ the carnall man is blinde and cannot discerne Christ he is ignorant of Christ he knowes not the things belonging to his peace and how can he hope in Christ whom he knowes not the carnall man is proud he trusts in himselfe in his owne abilities in his owne worth in his owne duties and therefore cannot hope in Christ No man hath or can have a lively hope in Christ but he that is begotten againe by the resurrection of Christ. 2. The carnall man wants the instrumentall cause and root of hope Faith is the mother and hope the daughter Faith is the root and hope the branch Faith is the cause and hope the effect Faith apprehends the promise and hope expects and waits for the thing promised therefore the Apostle termeth Faith the ground of hope Now the carnall man beleeves not he builds upon the sand and not upon the rocke he is wedded to the world and not to Christ he confines himselfe within himselfe and commeth not out of himselfe to Christ he bringeth forth his fruit unto himselfe and not unto Christ he resteth in the creature in himselfe in some gift or duty of his owne he takes not up his full and everlasting rest in Christ and therefore beleeves not and as where is no root there is no branch so where there is no faith there is no hope 3. The carnall man is alienated from the props pillars and supporters of Christian hope that is to say the promise of God the grace of God in Christ and the merit of Christ These three support and beare up the hoping and waiting soule as the three pillars bore up the hangings in the Tabernacle These three are like three Cities of Refuge appointed by Moses to which the pursued malefactor betooke himselfe to these doth the guilty beleeving soule pursued with the sence of Gods displeasure the noise of his sinne and cry of his conscience betake himselfe hoping and expecting consolation from them Now to all these the carnall man is a stranger they belong not to him they are childrens bread dogs may not taste them they are Doves wings Owles and Ravens have no hiding place under them He that hateth to be reformed hath nothing to doe with Gods covenant carnall men receive the grace of God in vaine they embrace not the mercy of God in Christ tendred to them in the Gospell they reject it they are no more changed nor bettered by it then the rocke by the raine or the blinde by the Sunne not being mingled with faith it doth not profit them the merit of Christ doth not advantage them his righteousnesse doth not justifie them his death doth not mortifie their lusts his resurrection doth not quicken their soules his intercession doth not reconcile them unto God his ransome restores no spirituall freedome to them and therefore they have no hope of salvation 4. The carnall man is a stranger to the way to salvation There is a way of faith in Christ Christ is the way the truth and the life him the carnall man knowes not he never studied never learned Christ as the truth is in him he knowes not Christ living in his soule as he knows his soule living in his body he knowes not Christ enlightening him as the eye knowes the Sun whose light is sweet unto the eye he knowes not Christ ruling and raigning within him as the souldiers knew the Centurion commanding them and they yeelding ready subjection to him he knowes not Christ conquering and subduing Satan