Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	action_n	good_a	sin_n	1,408	5	4.8951	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86524	The covenant of grace opened: wherein these particulars are handled; viz. 1. What the covenant of grace is, 2. what the seales of the covenant are, 3. who are the parties and subjects fit to receive these seales. From all which particulars infants baptisme is fully proved and vindicated. Being severall sermons preached at Hartford in New-England. / By that reverend and faithfull minister of the gospel, Mr Thomas Hooker.	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.	1649 (1649)	Wing H2644; Thomason E562_20; ESTC R11285	85,165	88

infants into the congregation they bring them under the meanes and God ingages himselfe unto them The reason the Gentiles grew wild they wanted meanes Pagans of Pagans God takes no care of them And besides will any say circumcision of infants was the cause to make gracelesse members our baptisme is the same 4 Because it is a ground of ignorance and error to hold people in blindnesse and make people thinke Baptisme is necessary to salvation The Argument is this That which is the cause of ignorance and error and to hold the people in blindnesse that is unlawfull But the baptizing of infants is the cause of all this and therefore it is unlawfull A thing may be said to be a cause of a thing two wayes 1 When out of its own nature or out of the action from it intending or as corrupt counsell to lead them to evill are the cause of sinne thus to doe out of intendment to give bad counsell is the cause of sinne 2 Though of themselves they be good and the intendment be good yet meeting with a corrupt heart it makes him doe contrary this is beyond the scope of the thing it causes evill without a cause the Gospel is the cause of contention thus as Luke 12.51 I came not to send peace but rather debate c. It is a cause of conversion to one but meeting with a corrupt heart it causes contention but that is beyond the scope of the Gospel And so Rom. 7.15 For I allow not of what I do for what I would do I do not but what I would not do that I doe c. And therefore as I have said formerly a wicked servant will be worse in the best family for it inrages corruption because it meets with a corrupt heart so the baptizing of infants may be a cause of stumbling to some because they do not see and so it may be a cause of evill to such 2 Because it is a cause of error and keeps men in blindnee These are meer words if men by ignorance or carelesnes cannot or will not see if the Pastor be carelesse and there be thousands doe not know it the fault is their blindnesse For looke at the nature of this Ordinance where it is taught they shall not be kept in blindnesse that appeares thus The laying forth of the extent of this ordinance is not to keep men from the understanding of it or to keep them in blindnesse but to inform them by this being taught it layes forth the nature of baptisme it containes all that men of years have taught them and no more what they teach men of yeares that are to be baptized they say all that and more then that they teach according to God I may appeale whether the opening of the nature of this Ordinance have not let in light to this ordinance 2 That it keeps them in error and makes them simply perswaded of the necessity of baptisme to salvation it is their own fault if it be so and not in the ordinance that leads them to it Circumcision in the old Law was to be on the eighth day can any body say there lay a necessity of salvation upon circumcision God did enjoyn them to circumcise them then the parents shall see it and the nature of the thing and therefore we should keep from such conceits It is a seale and does suppose the party is in covenant they not having or having does not make it that it cannot be deceived Lastly I know no judicious Divine that teaches of Baptisme but will teach Baptisme is not necessary to salvation if any wilfully mistake his blood be upon his own head 5 It lifts up the state of Antichrist by granting him this so chief a Corner-stone and makes the Church of Rome a true Church for where true Baptisme is there is a true Church This is the substance of the Argument That practice that upholds the state of Antichrist is sinfull But the baptising of infants upholds the state of Antichrist and makes the church of Rome a true church therefore the baptizing of infants is sinfull I answer in the generall this reaches not the cause in hand For our question is not whether baptisme in the church of Rome be true or not but whether it belawfull in a church that is gathered and well ordered according to Christ and therefore that he speakes here reaches not the cause If hee condemn baptizing of Infants upon that ground he must condemne men of yeares also For doe but turn the Tables that practice does uphold Antichrist by the baptizing of men of yeares in Rome for where true baptisme is there is a true church that does confirme Antichrist as well as this for it is equall the one as well as the other if the baptizing of men of yeares then infants one is as well to be looked at as the other and one makes a true Church as well as the other So as if that be an Argument there must be no baptizing at all neither of the one nor the other and so there come in many absurdities 3. The argument prevailes not at all neither for the baptising of men of years nor children for to prove Rome to be a true Church for Rome being a true Church does not depend on this cause but this conclusion is because baptisme in Rome is true whether it be of men of years or Infants for where true baptisme is there is a true Church take it as they use it but whether it be according to God that they should be baptised or not then it does not make that a true Church there is no man can inferre it from that if it be lawfull to baptize Infants in Rome is it therefore a true Church Baptisme may be true in a true Church but it may be so abused that it may not be lawfull after that manner the fault is not that they are baptized but it is done by an heretick or a man not approved Thus imagine a Priest in Rome or Germany should baptize one I the name of the Father and not the Son or Holy Ghost that baptisme is unlawfull And now suppose that it were lawful for any to baptize then it is lawfull for a Midwife to baptize but it is not lawfull for her to baptize although she baptize right for the matter In the name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost because she hath no true call to it she is not in Office so to do but the question is whether it be lawfull to be done in a lawfull manner 4. Many have held one of these opinions and have denyed the other children men of years may be baptized so it be not in an hereticall Church but if it be it is unlawfull say some so says Cyprian and some others were of this opinion that baptisme was lawfull for men of years if it were not done by a Heretick if this be granted that Cyprian faith that it is unlawfull for an Heretick

the Law of God cannot be a cause of the work of the spirit but sin and self cannot be subject and therefore they cannot be the cause of the working of the spirit nay the nature of man cannot be nay they cannot suffer the work upon them they are not able to bear it Rom. 8.7 It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be 3. That which is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature that corrupt nature cannot bee the cause of but to put off sin and self is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature for nothing can work beyond the power of its own principle and of our selves we are not able to think a good thought So it must be given us so we have gained this that therefore we are all meer patients in the work of conversion both men and children 4. Here lies the life of the answer in these severall works where the hearts are sufferers the soules of Infants are as much fit as the soules of any man and not so much unfit as the soules of many men to receive grace and they have as great a capability as men have and in some measure a greater capabilitic then some men have here is two things to be considered 1. That they are as fit as any but not so unfit as many and therefore all are meet sufferers in the work of the spirit to have sin and self subdued the soules of children are as fit and have as great a capability in the world 1. You must remember heretofore we have made it good that all the sonnes of Adam are tainted with Originall sin equally no man have lesse of Adams sin nor lesse of Originall sin one then another but all men and children are equall here and men of years have contracted many actuall sins nay whatever they doe before they are converted is sin all their thoughts words and deeds so as they grow more proud and more witty to commit sin and to doe wickedly because of actuall transgression some grow more sturdy in their sinfull courses which is drawn and contracted by actuall sin and infants are free from those now those that have acted them are more fit to commit them nay many are habituated in commiting of sin so as they have gotten a habit of drunkennes and a habit of uncleanes c. so as it is plain children are as fit as any and not so unfit as many are for if children have as little opposition as any and lesse then some then it must needes be true For where lesse opposition against a thing is there is lesse trouble to receive it for they are contrary for where lesse opposition is there is a greater disposition to receive it but that children doe as little oppose grace as any man of years all opposition comes from the sinne of Adam and Originall sin came from that and here wee see all are equall in men of years and children and this is the first kinde of opposition 2d Sort of opposition arise from sinfull habits and this comes by actuall sin and by this we come to bee more self-confident and all these infants are free of a man that hath lived many years in sin is come to be habituated in sin as a man that dotes upon the world gets a habit of covetousnes and a man gets a habit of frowardnes these infants are freed from Acts 7.28 Wilt thou kill me c and Acts 18.6 And when they resisted and blasphemed c. Children are dead in sin but some men are twice dead as Jude speaks at the 12th verse Twice dead and plucked up by the roots and as Christ sayd of the Pharisees they made men twofold more the childe of Hell take the most men living and there is Sin and Selfe to be subdued and in regard of Adam sin and originall sin they are all alike But by actuall sin men are full of carnall confidence and therfore the Spirit must have much to do here because men do harden their own hearts and so make themselves twenty times more the child of hell so they are twice dead and pulled up by the root so that they are lesse fit then some naturall men in the world and many men in the world that are but men of the world are more fit then they so that children are more capable then any man The place in Jude is spoken against false Prophets they were twice dead they were dead by originall sin actuall sin there is a sort that hath received a seeming light and get a little of the Word and that he is provoked that a man thinks he is a living man There is another sort that persecute the Word now these are dead again so they are twice dead he is provoked by the work of the Law and now he is more proud and is as athing pulled up by the roots so as nothing can recover him no possibility to come neere him so as it is so farre from being harder for the Spirit to work upon infants that there is an easinesse in this kind The 3d Proposition Beleeving Parents when they enter into a visible covenant to walk in Gods wayes they enter not for themselves alone but for all that come of them and God does ingage himselfe by their meanes to worke grace in their hearts as he sees fit hee counts them to have federall holinesse God accepts of both and he will doe good to them as he sees fit In this Proposition there are foure things to be considered 1 Believing Parents enter into a visible covenant for themselves and their posterity 2 God expects it at the hands of them both 3 God ingages himselfe to use them as instruments to doe good to them as he sees fit God wil give grace to his children he will use them to his own mind God will use them as instruments but he will doe them good as he sees fit not that parents can give grace or worke grace in their children and therefore speak not so for that is as if when God works upon the heart by the preaching of the word you should say the Minister gives grace 4 God accounts children as having federall holinesse 1 When believing Parents enter into a visible covenant they doe enter into it for themselves and children But they must enter into a visible covenant the reason of it is because communication of them that doe so enter into covenant doe in reason belong to them that be in a community of other according to rationall charity because God gives the priviledges of his holy things to a community of men and they must judge according to a rule of charity and passe sentence as things appeare according to that rule For if it be left to every privat man to judge that every man may judge himself fit and be his owne Judge to partake of the ordinances then these two evils will follow 1 An abusing and prophaning Gods holy things for he would carve all

that they cannot oppose the spirit in working on them then stones are capable for God can raise of stones Children to Abraham but if this be the meaning they are as able to comply with the Spirit I deny it and to affirm that this is the way God uses to bring children to him I oppose it and it argues ignorance to say so To which I answer it is the truth of God and it is Gods way to work so and that Children are as capable as men of years if we eye the operation of the Spirit and the dispensation thereof they are as capable as men much more therefore then stones and that I will open and prove in foure things First The nature of man as it was made fit for grace before the fall so it is capable of grace after the fall of Adam when I say capable I say two things 1. The substance of the soule and body need not be changed from their being when they receive grace the nature of the soule and body being not changed but unfitted for any spirituall work As take a Clock that all the wheels are out of frame you need not make new Wheels but onely rectifie them if they be foule make them clean if they be wrong right them so by the fall of Adam all soule and body is out of frame and out of joynt the minde unfit to know God and the will unfit to close with God before the fall all were in frame but when it jarred against the Law then Originall sinne came upon all his seed and that makes them jarre against the law now when a sinner comes to be renewed there needes not new faculties but those he hath to be set in frame this is the meaning of the Spirit of God Jer. 4.4 Plow up your fallow ground c. so the minde is arrable ground although it be over grown with lusts that as there is no fruit of holines to God or righteousnes to men but the minde of man is over run with distempers and therefore as they say we must give it another tilling by plowing up the weeds and Rom. 6.19 As you have given your members weapons to unrighteousnes so now give your members as servants unto righteousnesse unto holinesse the meaning is as we have given our members in the same proportion as we have given them to sin so we should give them to be at the command of the spirit the same understanding will and affections whereas if God raise them out of stones as he can doe he must first give it to be a man and make it to have a body and a soule and then convert it but he need not doe so when he comes to men or children As if a man would have a crop of Corn upon a rock he must first make it ground and then plow them but if hee have ground although it have thorns and rubbish when he hath removed that he may plow it and expect a crop because ground is capable to bear Corn. Now the proof of the point is plain that the nature of man is capable it appears that which is capable of a privation is capable of the habit of the contrary grace of necessity the in beeing of a thing requires a capablens the eye cannot be said to be blind except it be capable of seeing it is not said a mans hand is blinde because it is not capable of seeing so the body may be said to be dead because it is capable of life so it is in the understanding it is full of blindenesse because it is capable of seeing and so the will is capable of holinesse Ephes 5.8 Once you were darknes now you are light in the Lord c. and 1 Cor. 15.49 As we have born the Image of the earthly so we must beare the image of the heavenly the body is sick and it may have help Secondly Our nature is not nextly fit for grace yet it is capable that is the roome may be made fit though it be not fit for the present as a Vessell that is full of ill liquor it is capable to hold good liquor but it is not fit before the filthy liquor be powred out so our nature is capable of grace we need not change our being but wee must bee made fit 2d Particular The spirit of God does in all men whether young or old first loose the soule of a sinner from sin and self by his Almighty power before he puts a principle of grace into the soule and before he leads the soule to God in Christ this must be done take a childe or a man God does work this it is the nature of Gods dispensation Acts 26.18 To open their eyes that they may turn from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God c. First they are taken from under him and then they are turned to God and John 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the world therfore the world hates you c. you were under the power of sin and I have called you out then I will cal you to my selfe Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son c. We must be cut off from the wilde Olive before we can be planted into the true Olive It was never known an Imp could grow on two stocks at once you cannot serve two Masters you cannot be in Hell Heaven together there cannot be two Gods in one heart it is not possible therefore see how John prepares the way for Christ Luke 3.5 6 7. The mountains must be laid low and the crooked things must be made strait and then they shall see the salvation of God so it is withall the sonnes of Adam nature and reason will constrain the same Thirdly In this double work of the spirit the spirit deposes sin and self and then powers in a principle of grace in both these all men that receive the worke of the spirit are meere patients when it deposes sin and self young and old and are meer patients all men children and infants thus it is in all on whom the great work of conversion is they are meerly patients we have already made it good I will give you two or three reasons of it 1. Aversion cannot bee a cause of salvation a frame to turn from God cannot help a man to turn to God no more then light can cause darknesse sin and self carry the soule from God and therefore it cannot carry the soule to God Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and those are contrary one to another Now that which destroyes the work of the spirit cannot bring it in Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing now that which hath no spirituall good can doe no spirituall good and so it cannot helpe to God 2. That which cannot be subject to