Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	apostle_n	faith_n	grace_n	1,407	5	5.8253	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07445	The sinne of blasphemie against the Holy Ghost, scholastically examined the reasons of the absolute irremissibility thereof displayed; an admonition to all reuolting apostataes [sic] annexed. By Iohn Meredyth, sub-deane of Chichester.	Meredith, John, b. 1579 or 80.	1622 (1622)	STC 17831; ESTC S120673	51,984	80

Faith to Iudge rightly of the Articles of Religion which Faith otherwise cannot doe because it hath but vnperfectly participated of the Diuine light For though there bee an Irradiation from the Eternall Truth yet is it not Plenary because as yet Manet Speculum aeuigma the vayle is not remoued 1. Cor. 13. Therefore in this darkenes wee must ioyne the other Instrument which God hath assigned viz. the Vnderstanding which though it bee but as a Candle compared to Faith ioyned to the Sunne yet it is certaine that a man seeth better by the light of a Candle then of the Sunne if the same be ecclipsed Therefore what Faith entertaineth the Vnderstanding admireth examineth and often discouereth and maketh knowne For there are some things * Lumbard lib. 3. Sent. dist 24. Que creduntur nunquam Intelliguntur which are Beleeued but neuer vnderstood As the Mystery of the Trinity and the Incarnation and such like and those * Aquin. 2● 2. quaest 8. art 2. Directè cadunt sub fide are apprehended by Faith onely but the vnderstanding cannot comprize them and therefore admireth them And there are other * Quae prius creduntur postea Intelliguntur Lbmb. vbi sap which are first beleeued and after vnderstood as are some principles of Faith gotten by hearing reading and meditation And these belong vnto Faith * Aquin. vbi sup Vt ordinata ad fidem as Instruments to build Faith in man as the Contents of holy Scripture Of the first wee cannot haue * Bonauen Sap. 3. S●nt dist 24. Cognitionem a parte comprahensionis a totall and perfect knowledge while wee are heere in Via Pilgrims as God shall be knowne by vs hereafter In Patria in our heauenly Mansion But of the Second in many pointes wee may haue such knowledge heere yea the first may Imperfectè intelligi in part bee vnderstood and that * Aquin. vbi supra Intellectu Negatiuo as farre forth as the vnderstanding findeth no Obstacle to impaire * Caictan in Cō ad cundum locum the verity of them yea both may bee beleeued and vnderstood in some sort Manu ductione ratiocinationis by the Inuestigation * Bonauent vbi su ra Rom. 1. of Naturall reason as the Heathen Phylosophers thus knew God And an antient Diuine saith that to make the Faith manifest * Rich. de Scto vict lib. 1. de Trinit cap. 4. Non tantum possunt heberirationes probabiles sed etiam necessariae wee may finde both probable and necessary reasons also though sometime wee cannot espy them Thus these holy Fathers assembled in the Councell of Nice did by Naturall reasons seeke to demonstrate vnto Cyzicen in com Act. Conc. Nic. pt 22. Phaedo and other Phylosophers whome Arr●us had conducted thither to defend his Blasphemy the whole Mysterie of the Trinity For suppose one beleeuing one GOD and the same to bee the vniuersall Creator should after by necessary reasons begin to know the fame hee should become neuer the more faithlesse and therefore the Schoole man saith well that howsoeuer * Aquin. 2.2 qu. 2. art 10. Rationes praecedentis fidem doe Minueremeritum fidei yet Subsequentes augent Not to beleeue without reasons doth impaire the worth of Faith yet to Illustrate the Faith after wee haue already Beleeued with reasons dignifieth the same for it maketh a man more firmely and with greater delight to cleane vnto the Truth and to teach and conuict other But wee vse Reason onely * Admanifestationem fidei to Idem pt 12. q. 1. art 8. Bonauent super 3. Sent. dist 25. quest vlt. make the Faith knowne that thereby it may receiue a greater growth * Non a parte veritatis dictantis not in respect of the Diuine Truth it selfe but in respect Intellectus assentientis of the weakenes of our vnderstanding which is best led by the Senses Therefore the Schoole-men say that Knowledge is more Idem ibid. dist 23. quest 4. certaine then Faith in respect of the certainty of Speculation because a man may know a thing so certainly by knowledge that hee can by no meanes doubt of it disclaime it as false or any way contradict it in his heart as it appeareth in the knowledge of first principles though Faith bee more certaine in regard of the firmity of Adhaesion for Faith will maintaine what knowledge cannot conceiue And in this sense * Lib. 14. de Tr. n. Cap. 1. Augustine expounding these wordes of the Apostle To another is giuen the word of knowledge 1. Cor. 13. ascribeth to this knowledge the Generation Nutrition maintenance and strengthning of Faith And for this cause * Hugo de Scto lib. 1. de sacram pt 8. cap. 1. Hugo rightly placed these two differences in the Definition of Faith viz. that it is A certainty of the Soule placed Supraopinionem infra Scientiam aboue Opinion and beneath Knowledge Because the one is but a bare estimation Cum formidine oppositi alway vncertaine of the Truth Now Faith is a doubtles approbation Aquin. by way of assertion But the accesse of knowledge giueth a Reall poss●ssion of the Truth So that it is more profitable to man in respect of attaining and retaining the perfection of Truth as it is more secure to stand by Faith then to wauer by Opinion and to see a thing present then to beleeue it absent Yea the Habite of Faith cannot fully bee had without knowledge for the vnderstanding must bee instructed in the Articles of Faith before it can consider them This is the Materiall part of Faith Id quod creditur saith * Lib. 3. Sent. dist 23. Lumbard the Articles of our Beleefe and in this respect Faith is rightly said to be Acquisita or suasa gotten by outward meanes because no man knoweth how many or what Hales pt 1. quest 1. Memb. 10. Articles of the Faith there are vntill hee hath learned them by reading or hearing let him gape as long as hee please after Anabaptisticall reuelations and thus the Apostle saith Rom. 10. Fides ex audito Faith commeth by hearing And this Knowledge is earnestly to bee sought after least it vnhappily fall out * Origen lib. 8 in Epist ad Romo cap. 10. Vt in fide positi frustremur a fide that wee hauing once beleeued should fall away from the Faith for they who are careles to vnderstand by knowledge the truth of that they Beleeue they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeue in vaine and may Euanescere in fide fall from the 1. Cor. 1. Orig. ibid. Faith Hereupon the Apostles desired our Sauior to Encrease their Faith by imparting knowledge vnto them for this Luk. 17. knowledge maketh vs to feele as it were with the Hand of Experience the Truth and therefore maketh vs more confident to build on it and more firmely to adhaere vnto it Therfore to make the Israelites more constantly to persist

the mercy of God and it would not be grieuous vnto me to be tormented in the pit of Hell many Millions of yeares so that I might haue any hope of deliuerance Whereupon Doctor Gribaldus said Oh Francis I am not desperate of thy deliuerance Happily it pleaseth God to make thee feele his wrath in this life and in the life to come to shew thee his mercy Hee answered I doe certainly know that I am a Reprobate Gribaldus asked him whither he would kill himselfe if a knife were deliuered vnto him seeing he desired so earnestly to die he said lend me one and you shall see what I will doe Notso said Gribaldus but declare thy minde wholy vnto vs He answered I know not the reason of my will or minde Vergerius the Bishop spent much labour in vaine to comfort him and could hardly draw him to call vpon God in the Lords prayer wherein though at length he assented vnto him yet it was not done with the like earnest zeale as before but he confessed that his minde was so alienated from God that he could not call him Father Hee entreated all that were present that they would no longer spend their labour in vaine in comforting him for that all hope of obtayning Faith and Mercy at Gods hands was cut off So that it was more likely that a Craine of Mustardseed should fill vp the whole world then that God should giue him Faith and Grace As hee was carried into a Horselitter to be transported to Citadell casting about his eyes in a furious manner by chance he espied a knife whereon he laid hold and had slaine himselfe therewith had not two of his Sonnes who were about him wrested it perforce out of his hands Soone after he died at Citadella This is the fearefull History of Francis Spiera which I present to the consideration of all such who thinke it a small matter to dally with Religion I doe not say that hee was damned neither doe I say that he was saued howsoeuer hee standeth or hath fallen to his Rom. 14. owne Master I will not presume to iudge another mans seruant But I will take heede to my selfe and aduise all my brethren to the same least that while wee thinke that wee stand we should fall Let vs not be high minded but feare 1. Cor. 11. Rom. 11. If he perished through vnbeliefe was hee broken off Tu autem fide sta Stand thou fast by faith if thou doest stand fast it is Gods mercy not thy merit for thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee Lastly I will conclude with a consolation to all such tender consciences who are rapt into despaire by giuing ouermuch eare to the Soule slaughtering Doctrine of the austere Nouatians and furious brainsicke Anabaptists of our time Who would perswade that Repentance is not auaileable to those who fall into any notorious Sinne after Baptisme Aepin Sup. Psal 9. and hearty conuersion vnto GOD as if hee would by no meanes pardon the Repentant Soule when as the Scriptures confirme in Doctrine and examples the contrary As is manifest in Dauid notwithstanding his Adulterie 1. Sam. 12. Math. 9. Luk. 19. Gal. 1. Math. 26. 2. Chron. 33. and Murther in Mathew and Zacheus though Vsurers and Extortioners In St. Paul though he persecuted the Church In St. Peter though he denied Christ with Imprecations and Oathes and aboue all in Manasses though he fell away from God and followed all the abominations of the Heathen and vsed Witchcraft and Charming and Sorcerie and familiar Spirits and Southsayers Yet when hee humbled himselfe and prayed vnto the Lord The Lord was entreated by him and heard his prayer and forgaue him his sinne Heare the Lord himselfe As I liue saith hee I desire not the death of the wicked but that hee turne from his way Ezech. 33. and liue If thy Sinne be Great his Mercie and Goodnesse is Greater If thy Sinnes be Many according to the Multitude of Psal 51. his mercies he will doe away thine affences Were thy Sin more weighty thē the heauē thē the earth then the Sea hee who created these can peize thy Sinne and Rom. 5. where Sin hath abounded cause grace much more to abound Though thou fall backe neuer so often through infirmity yet he is Almighty and both can will raise thee vp againe if thou put thy trust in him For who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth him on euery side Psal 31. Excellently spake Chrysostome against the Nouatians Apud Chytr Sup cap. 2. Apccalyps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though thou fall backe neuer so often through Infirmity yet vpon hearty Repentance thou shalt be receiued and no lesse comfortably St. Augustine Toties apparet opus Dei Ibid. miserentis quoties fit confessio poenitentis God doth as often take compassion as the penitent Sinner maketh his confession Magnitudinem morbi vides Medici potentiam non vides If thou art terrified by the greatnesse of thy Sinne yet August Sup. Psal 55. be comforted by the power of the Physitian When thou art in greatest despaire Grata superueriet quae Psal 68. non sperabitur hora God will come vnto thee in an houre when thou lookest not for him hee will bring thee from the deepe of the Sea Hee calleth as well in the last houre as in the first I will iudge no man I will despaire of no man I will pray for all men while Gods patience in this life leadeth them to repentance A man saith Augustine may be a Pagan to day an vnbeleeuing Iew to day an Haereticke to day a Schismaticke to day Quid si cras amplectatur Catholicam fidem c. What if the next day hee doth embrace the Catholick faith Aug. apud Lumb 1. Sent. dist 43. and follow the Catholicke truth What if so be those whom thou doest see tainted with any kinde of Error and doest condemne them as most desperate fellowes should repent before they end this life and finde true rest and life in the world to come Iudge no man before the time therefore I know not why any man should despaire seeing God is louing true and powerfull but that we may be confident in him with the holy Father because of the Truth of his promise Bernard the loue of his Adoption and the Ability of his performance Pater eligit filius diligit Spiritus Sanctus coniungit et vnit The Father hath chosen vs the Sonne loueth vs the Cyprian Ser. de Baptisma Christi tom 2. Holy Ghost ioyneth and knitteth vs vnto God who then shall be able to separate vs from the loue of Christ I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities Rom. 8. nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. I conclude the whole with the words of our Sauiour All sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men and Blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme But he that blasphemeth Mark 3. against the Holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse but is culpable of eternall damnation from the which Sinne God keepe vs in Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed praise and glory and wisedome and thankes and honor and power and might for euermore Amen FINIS