Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	act_n	believe_v	faith_n	1,884	5	5.9965	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77484	A Scotch antidote against the English infection of Arminianism Which little book may be (through Gods blessing) very useful to preserve those that are yet found in the faith, from the infection of Mr John Goodwin's great book. By Robert Bailie, minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.	Baillie, Robert, 1599-1662.	1652 (1652)	Wing B469; Thomason E1401_2; ESTC R209483	23,195	121

the present Scripture but to little purpose for the analogie of the whole Scripture the scope of this Text will not let them expound Predestination Calling and Justification as Socinus would if we admit in this place three of their greatest friends of our greatest foes to be Judges Pelagius Arminius Molina From them all wee have testimonies that this place cannot admit Socinus interpretation but I must haste A fourth Scripture is Our fourth argument from Rom. 9.11 Rom. 9.11 For the Children being not yet born neither yet having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth c. The purpose of God according to Election is understood here of Gods Eternall Predestination as Pelagius and Arminius both in their Commentaries on the place confesse this Election is ascribed only to God who calls all works are excluded because they were none there could be none the persons not yet being borne our Adversaries run here two divers ways from this text Spalato understands works as existing not as future saying that Jacob was elected not for any works which hee had done but for those which hee was to doe which was before God in his prescience This Pelagian subterfuge Augustine treads downe in the first birth f Vestrae ealiginis latebra propter quod profecto â sipitis quia dicente veritate non ex operibus sed ex vocante vos dicitis ex futuris operibus quae Deus illum facturum esse praesciebat Iacobum esse dilectum atque ita contradicitis Apostolo dicenti non ex praesentibus operibus sid ex futuris This is the lurking hole of your darknes wherefore truly you erre for the truth saying not of works but of him that calleth you say Jacob was loved for the works which God foresaw he was to doe and so you contradict the Apostle saying not of works as if he could not have said not of works present but for works to come Arminius flies another way granting that Jacobs Election was not of works yet avowing it was of faith this hole Augustine stopped long agoe when the Semipelagians would have been at it g Numquid dixit non ex operibus sed ex credente prorsus etiam hoc abstulit homini ut totum daret Deo dicens sed ex vocante non quacunque vocatione sed qua vocatione fit credens Did the Apostle say not of works but of him that believeth even this also did the Apostle take from man that hee might give all to God saying but of him that calleth not with every call but by such a call wherewith wee are made to believe One other Scripture Our fift argument from Acts 13.48 Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to life eternall believed Gods Ordination to life eternall goes before faith beliefe is here an effect ascribed to Election as the cause whence it comes To flie this Argument the Aeminians follow Socinus to a worse errour then they would eschew they expound ordained to eternall life those who before all faith and calling by their own free wil were fitted and disposed for faith and salvation This is such an high degree of Pelagianisme that the Lutherans and Papists also for the most part do abhor it Second article stated IN the second Article of Redemption they Second Article stated teach that Christ by his death intended the universall Redemption of all men without distinction of Elect and Reprobate that hee by his death did actually impetrate to all the favour and grace of God that the application of the graces impetrated depends alone on the free-will of man some according to their Liberty making use of that purchased gift Others to whom that grace and salvation was alike purchased and intended on Gods part by their own neglect and contempt according to the same liberty of their will rejecting it We teach that Christ did give his life and bloud alone for those who get good by it only for the faithfull even the Elect his own members Horrible absurdities follow on the Arminian Tenet Absurdities consequent to the Arminian tenet some whereof they acknowledge and others are bound on their back by inevitable consequences to wit that the fruit of Christs death depends absolutely upon the contingent assent of mans free will that notwithstanding his death it was possible and very contingent that all men had perished that no soul had bin freed from hell by his bloud that God should never have had any Church at all that now by the vertue of his death true grace is given to all that all Pagans as well under the Law as Gospell who never heard of Scripture are truly reconciled to God by his death that all Infants even of Pagans are saved by Christ who die before the years of discretion That in no man is any original sinne but every one when hee is born is put in the state of innocency that Baptisme is not necessay for no sin is therein remitted because there is none then to be remitted But how ever see how our doctrine is grounded on Scripture Our first argument that Christ died only for the Elect from Iohn 17.9 Iohn 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for those thou hast given me out of the world for they are thine Christ had no intention to give his life for them for whom hee avows hee would not pray at that same time when hee was going to die shall he give his life for those for whom hee would not open his mouth to pray for his own only for his Fathers proper ones who are given over and recommended to him for these only and not the World hee avows hee does then pray Another Ephes 5.24 Our second argument from Christ is the head of the Church Ephes 5.24 and a Saviour of the body Christ also hath loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it and present it to himselfe a glorious Church Christ here gives himselfe to death not for all but for the Church only he is a Saviour only of the body of these whom hee loves as his spouse whom he sanctifies and presents to God one day glorious without spot such are not the world of the damned A third Scripture Our third argument from John 10.14 Iohn 10.14 I am the good shepheard and know the sheep and am knowne of mine and lay downe my life for my sheep for whom hath Christ laid downe his life Only for his sheep for those that are his for those that know him as their shepheard of whom he taketh notice as of his sheep but for the Goates of the world whom he knows not over whom hee never bare rule who never were in his fold hee layes not downe his life A fourth Scripture Our fourth from Ioh. 15.13 Iohn 15.23 Greater love than this hath no man that

in that good estate wherein hee was created righteous had received a power not to sin not to die a power not to fall from his good estate to him was given the helpe of Perseverance not such a gift whereby hee should persevere but such with out the which hee was not able by his free will to persevere But now unto the Saints by the grace of God predestinated unto the Kingdome of God not only such a helpe of perseverance is given but such that perseverance it self is given to them not only so that without that gift they cannot persevere but also that through that gift they cannot but persevere for he has not only said without mee yee can do nothing but hee saith also you have not chosen me but I have chosen you and appointed you that you should goe on and beare fruit and that your fruit should remain in which words he shews that he has not only given righteousnesse but perseverance therein for Christ having so set them that they go and bring forth fruit and their fruit abides who dare say perchance they shal not continue for without repentance are the gifts and calling of God Christ praying for them that their faith fail not without doubt it shall not fail to the end and so shall persevere to the end and the end of their life shall finde it remayning for now a greater liberty is needful against so many and so great temptations which were not in Paradise being guarded with the gift of perseverance that this world with all his lusts terrours errours might be overcome the Saints prevaile against all threats all allurements all power The current of Scripture and Fathers runs so straight against the totall and finall apostacie of the Saints that Arminius for all his boldnesse durst not so long as hee lived set his brest against that stream albeit his Schollers since have mainly set themselves to evert this Article which is the chiefe ground of all the comfort that the soul of man hath in this miserable pilgrimage Of all their contrary argumentations consider All baptized Infants are not regenerate but one Milions of these who were baptized in their infancy fall away finally and totally but all these who were baptized in their infancy were truly regenerate sanctified justified and put in the state of salvation Ergo millions of these who were truly regenerate justified sanctified and put in the state of salvation fall away totally and finally In this Popish argument the Arminians triumphed at the beginning as our men do yet but after a little triall both Papists and Arminians finde it so foolish and impertinent that long ago they have cast it away It is easie to shew the falsity of the Minor that al Baptized Infants are truly regenerate c. Scriptures Fathers Schoolmen are all to the contrary but leaving these I only shew that this assertion is against the Scottish Confession the twenty fifth Article restifies that the Reprobate only doth communicate in the outward benefits of the Sacraments that they get no fruit of Christs death that in this life their sins are not forgiven them that these blessings belong only to the Elect that the Reprobate at their best are but chaff and at no time are good wheate who therefore avow that the Reprobate sometimes to wit in their infancy are truly regene rate justified sanctified who avow that Reprobates get many fruits of Christs death and their Sinnes some times forgiven them they contradict cleerely our confession yea almost al the confessions of the reformed Churches If they will believe their good friend D. Francis White hee will assure them that none but Papists and Lutherans will affirm reprobate infants by baptisme to be regenerate How farr the chiefe Arminian tenets are contrary to Scripture I I have shewn Arminianisme is contrary to the Confession of the Church of Scotland Consider in a few lines how much they are opposite to the Confession of our Kirk and so I close They teach that our Election is of Faith Works Perseverance as antecedent either Causes or Conditions or at least Qualities fore seen in us Our Confession Article 8. sayes that God hath chosen us of meere grace that faith to believe in Christ and all grace we lost in Adam is given us after our Election Again they teach that Christ died for all that in death he stood in the place of all without distinction of elect and reprobate that all have the benefit of his death Our Confession sayes Art 8. that Christ suffered for us that is the elect of whom alone the whole Article speaketh Also that the benefits which the elect have common with the reprobate are but their Creation no ways their Redemption and their Adoption thereby to be the sons of God And in the 25 Article it is said that the Reprobates have no benefit of Christs Death Resurrection or Ascension Lastly they teach that many of Christs faithfull members fall away and lose not only all grace but salvation it selfe Our Confession Art 25. contradicts affirming that all the faithfull continue in the estate of Justification that albeit their sins be great yet they are not imputed but covered with Christs righteousnesse Again it is one of the faithfuls priviledges to goe on constantly to the end till they bee conformed to Christs glorious bodie And in the 21 Article that the faithfull in such a manner become flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone that hee abides in them and they in him for ever no lesse then the God-head abides in the manhood of Christ giving to it life and Immortality Our Confession crosseth their Doctrine of free will justification other their popish errours more cleerly but with those I doe not meddle lest by further prolixity I should lōger with-hold so great an Assembly from their most weighty Affaires FINIS

a man should lay downe his life for his friend Christ lays downe his life for his friends not for those who live and die strangers enemies to him for whom hee dies to them hee shews the highest degree of love but to numbers of the Reprobates hee never sends his Word much lesse his saving grace how then have they the fruit of his greatest affection even to die for them See also that of the 53 of Isaiah Our fift argument from Esay 53. c. By his stripes are we healed and that of the Apostle He was made sin for us that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him those for whom Christ was slain are healed by his stripes are made righteous and absolved from sin by his bloud which hee as their pledge shed for them It is the justice of God that for whose sin he hath received an infinite satisfaction To these should not be imputed their sins for a second satisfaction in their own eternall torments but so it is that numbers of people are never freed from their sin never healed but perish Against all this their prime Objection The Arminian objection answered in these Scriptures wherein Christ is said to have died for all the Answer is easie that no man can deny but divers Scriptures which are conceived in universall terms must bee expounded with restrictions for example Christ is all in all when I am risen I will draw all men to mee I will poure my spirit on all flesh they shall be all taught of God will any man have these universall Scriptures absolute and illimited So doth Augustine answer and beat off the Pelagians when they press these Scriptures of Christs dying for all every one his words I passe for the time when the Semipelagians rested not content with his Answers to them he replyes de Correp Gratia c. 14. in these words well worthy the reciting Omnes homines omne hominum genus intelligimus per quascunque differentias distributum Reges privatos nobiles ignobiles sublimes humiles doctos indoctos integri corporis debiles ingeniosos tardicordes fatuos divites pauperes mediocres mares foeminas infantes pueros adolescentes Juvenes seniores senes in linguis omnibus in moribus omnibus in artibus omnibus in professionibus omnibus in voluntatum consciont tarum innumerabili varietate constitutos si quid aliud differentiarum est in hominibus By all men we understand all kindes of men divided by whatsoever distinctions Kings or private persons noble or ignoble high or low learned or unlearned whole or sick wise simple foolish rich poore indifferent men women babes children youths old men of all languages of al dispositions of al trades of all professions and according to their divers inclinations innumerable ways diversified Third and fourth article stated Cōcerning the third and fourth Article of Grace and Free-will The third and fourth Article stated consider that Free-will doth denote formally the naturall faculty of mans will alone yet because the light of understanding must direct the will which of it selfe is blinde and the will illightned does command the affections and the other powers of sense and motion as her servants for this connexion and dependance which is betwixt the will and all the naturall powers of the soule the question about the power of all the naturall faculties of man in furthering his owne salvation goes usually under the title of Free will alone The question of Free will or of the power of nature I mean of all the naturall faculties in the soule of man whether understanding will affections or any other in the matter of salvation This question hath many branches but for shortnes we only touch two heads therein First how far nature can further grace salvation next how far it can hinder it In the first head sandry teach that nature alone without grace can save that numbers without the knowledge of Christ by their obedience to the Law of Nature through the direction of right reason have been saved Others ascribe not salvation directly to nature alone without grace yet they make saving grace to depend upon nature so that the right use of nature doth draw by way of merit at least by way of infallible dependance the grace of Regeneration Others goe not thus far in Pelagianisme yet they give too much to nature in the matter of salvation they teach that sin hath not taken away the power of the understanding and of the will of man to believe and obey God but only the exercise of that power that the power of mans Soul to all gracious works is not dead but bound in fetters farder that in the very first act of our cōversion not only in all posterior acts of grace God and Man Nature and Grace doe concurre as two partiall causes so that the whole effect of Conversion doth depend not only from Gods grace but also the whole of it does flow from Man Nature yea that which maketh Grace efficacious to Conversion and Salvation is not Grace but Nature alone for the concurrence of Grace is oft say they alike in these who are converted and those who are never converted in these who are saved and those who are damned in both they put a degree of grace simply equall so that the only difference which casts the ballance the only reason why the same degree of grace which is efficacious to convert and save one yet is not efficacious for these effects in another is alone in nature even in the free will of the one accepting and yielding to that degree of grace which the free will of the other made inefficacious by its own resisting and rejection thereof In the second head of natures power to hinder Grace and Salvation the most common and infamous conclusion is that the free wil of man not only hath power to reject and refuse to repell and frustrate to overcome and make of none effect the most efficacious motions of the regenerating Spirit of God but also very oft does put this power in practice hindring God when he intends to convert and save by its invincible perversnesse to obtaine that his gracious end and mercifull intention The errours of the first head the Arminians oft in word doe cast them from themselves upon the Papists yet in very deed they stumble too often upon them all The errours of the second head they deny not to be their Tenets however for confutation of all errours in both the heads let us confirme these two propositions First neither free wil nor any other naturall faculty in man hath any power at all to purchase either the beginning or midst of perfection either of grace or salvation but both grace and glory commeth alone from God that quickens nature dead in sin and makes it to worke not in the strength of it self but alone of grace Secondly that as Nature cannot further grace nor salvation so