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	faith_n	justification_n	3,419	5	9.8335	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28901	A light from Christ leading unto Christ by the star of his word, or, The rich jewel of Christian divinity practically explained in the principles enlightening the children of God how to meet Christ in his ordinances and by strength from Christ to walk comfortably with Christ in the whole course of their lives ... by way of catechism or dialogue, not to answer verbatim or by wrote ... but each one according to his own sence and understanding of the question / by Immanuel Bourn of Ashover in the county of Derby, now preacher of the Gospel to the congregation in Sepulchres C.L.	Bourne, Immanuel, 1590-1672.	1646 (1646)	Wing B3855; ESTC R35779	307,398	743

the spirit of Christ to know believe and feel and be affected in his heart and conscience with his own self guiltinesse of sin original and actual and of bondage under sin and misery due to sin yea of his subjection to the wrath of God to death and damnation eternal for sin Thirdly with the sence of his utter inability to save himself Fourthly of his extreme need of Christ in some sence Eph. i. 16 c. Heb. 4.12 13. 1 Thes 1.4 5 6. 2 Tim. 3.15 c. Ier. 31.34 2 Cor. 5.16 Ps 57 i.2 3. Rom. 3.20 and 7.17 Eph. 16.28 c. Gen. 30. 1 Mar. 5.25 c. Phi. 1.29 Act. 16.14 and 13.48 2 Pet. 1.1 2 3. Eph. 1 i6 17 c. Rom. 10.17 Gen. 18.18 19. Mat. 16.13 c. Eph. 1.19 2 Cor. 3.8 and 4.5 Gal. 4.15 6. and 5.4 5 6. Luk. 24.25 c. Prov. 30.5 Isai 5.20 Ioh. 5.39 Rom. 15.4 act 17.11 12. and 24.14 c. and 2.19 Eph. 1.13 1 Tim. 1.5 c. act 20.24 Rom. 10.10 2 Tim. 1.12 act 15.9 Gal. 5.6 as Rachel did of children give me Christ or else I die then is the soul fit and ready to receive Christ with his precious justifying living Faith Quest 5. Who and what is the principal worker or efficient cause of our Faith Ans The principal efficient cause is God himself the Father Son and blessed Spirit or God the Father in the Son by the Spirit which great God by his Grace and in his free love hath elected and doth call his children to Faith and Glory in the Gospel and worketh Faith in them by the spirit of Faith and working of his mighty power in the world Quest 6. What is the instrumental efficient or working cause of Faith the means by which or by whom we believe Ans This is two fold outward and inward and the outward is ordinarily the Word of God in the preaching of the Gospel and catechizing inwardly the spirit of Christ called the spirit of Faith Quest 7. What is the material cause ground or object of Faith Ans The whole Word of God in general and the rich promises of Grace and Covenant of Gods free love or Gospel of the Grace of God in particular Quest 8. What is the form or nature of this Faith this precious Faith of Gods Elect Ans The form of this Faith First is not onely a light of knowledge in the understanding and assent to the truth of the Word of God as an historical Faith is Secondly Nor some temporary joy in the word as in temporal Faith Thirdly but it is this knowledge and assent joyned with a firm confidence and affiancy in the heart and will to rest on Christ and Christ his merits and righteousnesse and to trust in Christ alone for salvation As the vegetative or growing life and the sensitive or life of sence is joyned with the reasonable faculty or reasonable life in the soul in man which distinguisheth men and women from all brute creatures even so is this confidence and assured rest on Christ in this Faith joyned with knowledge and assent and sweet fruits in Faith which distinguisheth it from all false faith whatsoever Quest 9. But hath this true Faith allwayes joyned with it this confidence and assured rest on Christ Ans This Faith when it is a stronge well grown Faith 1 Cor. 7.5 Mat. 8.26 and 14.31 Isai 42.3 Psal 1.6 Heb. 12.2 it hath this blessed confidence and assured rest on Christ though not alwayes free from temptations to doubt But a weak Faith though it be a true Faith is often subject to fears and doubtings yet so as God in Christ inables the soul to stand and adhere to Christ and preserved from final despaire in greatest times of tryal for the comfort of weak Christians Quest 10. What are the effects and fruits of this true lively Faith Ans The effects of this true lively Faith in a believer or of Christ in the soul Christ thus truely apprehended and rested on by Faith in apprehending of Christs righteousnesse are divers And First justification by Christs righteousnesse and merits Rom. 5.1 act 13.39 Secondly sanctification and purity of heart 1 Cor. 1.1 2 3. Thirdly Christian liberty from the condemning and commanding power of sin Rom. 8.12 Rom. 5.1 Fourthly peace of conscience which passeth all understanding 2 Cor. 5.14 Rom. 8.35 36 37 38. Iohn 8. 5 6. Rom. 5.4.5 and 15.13 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5 6. 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Heb. 11.1 1 Pet. 1.8 Fifthly Love of Christ and a longing desire to walk in the wayes of Grace inseparable against all persecution Sixthly Joy in the love and sight of Christ and in the comfortable assurance of perseverance in grace and lively hope of Heaven Seventhly A kinde of entrance into eternal glory Faith making that as present to the eye of our souls which is not seen or present to the eyes of our bodies and yet affecting a beleevers heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory Q●est 11. What is the end of this true lively justifying faith this precious faith of Saints Ans The end of this faith or Christs benefits received and enjoyed by Faith is Ephes 1.5 6 7. 2 Thes 1.10 Eph. 3.16 c. 1 Thes 5.23 24. 1 Pet. 1.9 Rom. 8.30 First and principally the glory of God in Christ Secondly the preservation comforting and strengthning of our souls in the Kingdom of Grace with our everlasting salvation in the Kingdom of glory for evermore The twenty one Classis or company of Questions Question 1. YOu have made profession of your knowledge concerning the Grace of Faith Now what is you knowledge concerning the Third Grace the Grace of Evangelical Repentance to be examined renewed and enlivened of every Communicant men and women before the approach to the Lords Table What light have we from Christ concerning this Grace Ans By what I have learned from Christ I conceive Evangelical Repentance Renovation Regeneration new Creation and Conversion unto God is a Grace of God reconciled to us in Christ by which a poor soul enlightned by the Spirits working in or by the Word of God First With a true knowledge sight Rom. 3.20 and 7.7 Luke 15.17 and sence of sin original and actual Secondly Of the misery and bondage under sin Thirdly Terrour of the wrath of God due to sin Fourthly With tidings of Christ a Saviour Acts 5.31 Exalted to give Repentance and Remission of sin Iere. 31.18 Acts 2.36 37. Gen. 4.13 1 Sam. 31.4 2 Sam. 17.23 Mat. 27.4 5. Acts 2.37 38. and 16.28 29 30. Iere. 31.19 First Is troubled stinged pricked and wounded in conscience sorrowful broken-hearted and humbled under Gods hand bemoaning himself for sin as Ephraim of old Secondly Brought to a kinde of despair though not final or a despair of Gods mercy in Christ as Cain Saul Achitophel and Judas yet with a despair of themselves or of any power in themselves to save themselves

Paul despairing Quest 10. What is the third comfort Ans Thirdly that though the faith of Gods childe be asleep for a time like Christ in the ship and the life of grace be covered as fire in the Embers not to be seen though like a tree in winter the faithful soul seem dead or as a sick man doth lose his taste of soul-refreshing-meat for a time or a childe of God like the Moon be Ecclipsed and all darknesse who can see no light ready to complain with the Psalmist Isa 50. lo Rom. 70.22 13. Mat. 8.24 Psal 77.7 8 9. Is his mercy clean gone for ever and will he be no more entreated hath God forgotten to be gracious and hath he shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure Yet when Christ is pleased to cast a good look of grace upon their souls then life grace and sense of sin and sorrow for unthankfulnesse and for losse of first love will return as ni Peter noted before and as Christ looks for Rev. 2.4 5. Quest 11. What is a fourth consolation Ans That when the Lord Christ is pleased to draw near with his bright beams of light and love Mal. 4.2 then the soul will be enlightned and be enlivened with longings after Christ and a re-union with him in love and renewed acquaintance as in times past Quest 12. What is a fifth consolation for such a poor Saint Ans That when the spring time of grace returns and showers of Divine love and dews of spiritual refreshments from Christ fall upon the soul then will childe and declare he hath loved her freely that he will be as the dew to his daughter Hos 14.4 c. Isa 61.3 and that she shall grow in grace as the Lilly and the root of grace shall be fastned as the Trees of Lebanon and their beauty shall be as the Olive tree and she shall bring forth fruits as a tree of righteousnesse that the Lord hath planted that God may be glorified Yea she shall greatly rejoyce in the Lord and be joyful in her God she shall finde that he hath clothed her with the garments of salvation and covers her with the robes of his righteousnesse Isa 61.10 Psal 45.13 14. as a Bridegroom decketh himself with his Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels Quest 13. These are comfortable and good encouragements if it please the Lord by the power of his spirit to apply and give strength to apply them to her soul But what if still she finde her faith weak and her holinesse so feeble that she yet is doubtful and fearful to meet Christ in his Ordinances or to come at the invitation to feast with him at his Table Ans Let her know that its not her act of believing or strength of holinesse doth justifie before God or maketh her acceptable in his sight but it is the object of her faith Christ Jesus and his righteousnesse and merits for which God is well-pleased with her Mat. 17.5 As it is not the hand that receiveth the Plaister and apply eth it to the sore Simile but the Plaister it self and the vertue of that with Gods blessing that healeth the wound So though faith be an instrument or hand to receive Christ and so an instrumental cause of Justification yet it is Christ and his merits and righteousnesse that is the meritorious cause and that which giveth true and full peace to the soul And this rest on Christ will prove a glorious rest in the end Isa 11.10 And therefore if your friend do but see the day light or renewing and requickning grace begin to dawn in the soul if but a wishing for the day as Pauls company in that long and sad night on the Sea of danger Acts 27.29 let her wait on Christ in his Ordinances and take her to the sure word of Gods gracious promises until the day light of grace dawn and the day star of joy appear in her heart 2 Pet. 1.19 If she finde any hunger though but a weak stomack like a man or woman new recovered or recovering from some long and tedious sicknesse yet let her weak soul almost fainting for lack of Christ as sorrowful for her former failings yet hungring after Christ and rejoycing at Christs invitation draw near to Christs Ordinances the Word Preached and Sacraments administred waiting to see the face of her beloved the Lord Iesus Christ Cant. 5.8 that she may tell him she is sick of love and be revived with the light of his countenaunce that she may sit down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit may be sweet to her taste Conclus And thus I have endeavored to satisfie your doubts to heal and help a tender conscience or comfort a drooping soul in time of a spiritual desertion that such a soul may not Excommunicate her self from Christs Ordinance but rather come and finde soul-refreshings of unutterable value 2 Tim. 1.1.2 1 Pet. 1.8 and believing on Christ and trusting Christ with her soul she may rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Quest 14. I will propound but one doubt more What shall a poor soul do if in use of all these helps for comfort he or she still walk in darknesse and can see no light of comfort or peace to their souls What light from Christ to such a poor disconso-spirit late Ans Although the childe of God walk in darknesse Isa 50.10 Hab. 2.3 4. Heb. 10.35 36. Isa 40.29 c. and can see no light of comfort no light of sense of the favour of God in the soul yet the poor weak soul must not despair but labour by the power of Christ to live by faith and dependent upon God in Christ until the Lord Christ Iesus that Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Gal. 2.20 Mal. 5.4 1 Pet. 1.9 and peace and joy be communicated through believing unto the soul to life and salvation the end of faith Quest 15. But how or by what means may a poor weak soul gain strength from Christ to live this life of faith when it walketh in darknesse Is there any light from Christ for this Ans By waiting upon Christ in the means of faith and endeavouring by strength from Christ to make use of those helps and furtherances which are held forth in Scripture Phil. 4.13 2 Cor. 5.7 to stregthen the foul and enable it to live this life of faith when evident sight and sense is absent Qued 16. What are these helps Ans There are divers but you may observe these that follow First to consider the nature of this life of faith First as a life of excellency by which the creature is enabled to glorifie the Creator as Abraham being strong in faith gave glory to God Rom. 4.20 Secondly as a life of suavity delightful and pleasant Mat. 6.25 c to live by dependence upon God in Christ 1 Pet. 5.7 Gal. 2.20 in the

known by names Acts 9.15 whether it be by his proper Names or Titles Exod. 3.15 Exodus 6.3 As Jehovah Jah Lord God 2. Or his Attributes Eternall Invisible Omnipresent All-sufficient Immortall Unchangeable or the like and for the Justice Mercy Goodnesse Truth or any Attribute of that nature 3. Or his word The Scriptures of Truth and Gods Will and Ordinances revealed there Sacraments Prayer c. 4. Or whether it be Gods Worke of Decree Creation or Providence Judgment Mercy or the Glory or Honour of God in these or any way whatsoever Quest 4. What is meant by taking of Gods Name or taking it up as the Hebrew is rendred Ans Thou shalt not take or take up or touch the holy Name of God Psal 16.4 Psal 50.16 either in thoughts of thy heart or in the words of thy mouth or in thy workes of life and conversation Thou shalt not make any use of the Name of God in any respect or of Religion or any part or Gods worship in vaine Quest 5. What is meant by taking or touching this Sacred Name of God in vaine Ans Mat. 5.34 35 36 37 Levit. 19.12 Psalme 111 9. To take or touch Gods Name in any respect unnecessarily without weighty reasons when it may be to God honour or to my own or my neighbours good Secondly irreverently without feare of dishonouring the holy Name of the holy blessed God Thirdly falsely in speaking or swearing falsely or abusing the Name of God erroneously hypocritically or dishonorably in any manner whatsoever in word life or profession Quest 6. Now having thus explained the precept tell mee what is the generall sin forbidden in this generall prohibition Ans That we should not dishonour God in taking up in our mouthes Deut. 28 58. Exo. 3.13 14 15. 1 Cor. 11.17 18. Psal 50.26 Rom. 2.24 Mat. 12.31 using or abusing this holy Name vainly or any his Titles and Attributes Words Ordinances or Workes or whatsoever the Lord is known by as men are known by their names either in our Hearts Words Lives Profession or any manner of way or by any meanes whatsoever knowing we must answer for every idle word at the day of Judgement Quest 7. What is the generall duty required and implied in this Commandement or the affirmative part contrary or opposed to this negative Ans That wee should honour and glorify Gods Name Mat. 6.9 1 Cor. 6.20 Mat. 5.16 Isaia 26.9 10. Psal 14.1 Job 1.5 Psalme 50.23 and seeke his glory in a holy use of his Name Attributes Word Worship Ordinances and Works of Judgement or Mercy or whatsoever the Lord is pleased to manifest himselfe in or by for his own glory or the good of his Church and children and this in all our Thoughts Words and Conversation Quest 8. You have declared the Generall sinne forbidden and the generall duty required Now what J pay you are the particular duties commanded and sinnes contrary to these forbidden in this Commandement Ans There are many but I will observe these few 1 Pet. 3.14 15. 2 Pet. 2.8 Ex. 32.19 Num. 25.9 Psal 69.9 1 Kings 19 10. John 2.14 15 16 17. Revel 3.19 And the first is a holy and reverent and sincere and right ordered zeale of the glory of God in our hearts and lives This zeale of Gods glory is a duty required in this third Commandement and with this holy zeale have the Saints glorified this holy and dreadfull Name the Lord our God Quest 9. What are the contrary sinnes to this true of the honour and glory of God and his Name Ans First a lukewarmenesse Kings 18.22 Revel 3.15 Acts 18.17 1 Sam. 229 1 Sam. 3.13 1 Cor. 5 2 and base nutrality in the cause of God and Religion a halting betweene two opinions without any care or zeale of God or his Truth or of his Honour and Glory Secondly an ignorant superstitious hypocriticall or praeposterous zeale of Evill or of Good in a false manner Quest 10. What is a second particular duty required to set forth the glory of God and honour his sacred Name and what light from Christ for this duty Ans To glorifie God in his glorious Workes of Creation and Providence Psal 19.1 2 observing and speaking of Gods Wisdome Power Goodnesse Justice and Mercy or any other his Attributes giving God the glory of all both in consideration of his Creation and Government of the World Romans 33.34 and his workes of Justice or Mercy to the wicked or to his own children Quest 11. What is the contrary sinne to this honouring of Gods Name in respect of his works ●sal 104 Isaiah 26.9 10. Psal 147.1 2. 26 c. Ans To neglect the glory of God or to dishonour his Name in the observation or disregard of Gods Wisdome Power Justice or Mercy held forth in his great Worke of Creation or Providence Judgements or Mercies Ordinary or extraordinary ungodly men or to the Saints of the most high not learning Righteousnesse or dishonouring Gods Name in any of these Quest 12. What is a third particular duty required for the honouring of Gods Name and what light from Christ for direction in this particular Ans To glorifie Gods name in the sacred use of Gods Word 1 Cor. 10 31. Sacraments Prayer or any of his Ordinances and in our Profession of the faith and service of God in Jesus Christ in the Gospell of grace serving the Lord in spirit and truth 1 Sam 2.30 and exalting the glory of Gods Name in every particular profiting and growing in grace in the use of them by the power of Christ Quest 13. What is the contrary sinne to this particular dutie Answ To dishonour Gods Name in the prophane and sinfull manner of hearing Gods Word Ezek. 44.32.33 partaking of his Sacraments Prayer or any other of Gods Ordinances worship or service 1 Cor. 11.17.29 30. Nehe. 9.5 Act● 9.15 Numbers 6.24 15. Heb. 13.26.21 publike or private or our formall profession or use of them without any preparation for to meete Christ in the spirituall participation of them or heavenly profit by them to Gods glory and good of our selves and others or for our own by ends not Gods glory Quest 14. What is a fourth particular duty required for the honouring of Gods holy Name Ans To Blesse and magnifie the most holy Name of God upon all speciall occasions in himself his Names attributes Word Ordinances or Workes Ezra 3.11 whensoever we are called to defend and beare the Name of God and his Truth Power and Glory before all the World and to blesse in his Name upon what cause so ever the Lord mindeth us to that duty Quest 15. What sinnes are contrary to this duty of glorifying the holy Name of the holy blessed God Ans First to neglect the honouring of Gods Name Nehemias 9.5 or not giving the praises due to his Name which is far above and beyond all thanksgiving and