Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	apprehend_v	faith_n	justification_n	2,613	5	9.8731	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01898	A childe of light vvalking in darknesse: or A treatise shewing the causes, by which God leaves his children to distresse of conscience. The cases, wherein [God leaves his children to distresse of conscience.] The ends, for which [God leaves his children to distresse of conscience.] Together vvith directions how to come forth of such a condition: vvith other observations upon Esay 50. 10, and 11. verses. By Tho: Goodwin B.D.	Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1636 (1636)	STC 12037; ESTC S103254	155,960	295

greatest outward darknesse may have yea often use to have most light in their spirits But here is such an estate spoken of such a darknesse as hath no light in it Therefore secondly it is principally to be understood of the want of inward comfort in their spirits But chiefely inward from the want of the sense of Gods favour from something that is betweene God and them and so meant of that darknesse and terrours which accompany the want and the sense of Gods favour And so darknesse is elsewhere taken for inward affliction of spirit and minde and want of sight in point of assurance that God is a mans God and of the pardon of a mans sinnes so Psal 88. 6. Heman useth this word to expresse his distresse and the reasons why it is thus to be understood here are First Proved by 3. reasons The first because the remedy here prescribed is faith to stay himselfe upon God and that as upon His God he puts in His God emphatically because that is the point he is troubled about and concerning which he is in darknesse and that is it which faith which is propounded here as the remedy doth in the first place and principally looke unto as its primary aime and object Secondly The second in the foregoing verses he had spoken of Iustification whereby God pardons our sinnes and accepts our persons The Prophet or Christ in the person of his elect as some having expressed his assurance of this God is neare that justifies me who shall condemne Which words the Apostle Rom. 8. 32 33. doth alleadge in the point of justification and to expresse the triumphing assurance of it and applies them in the name and persons of true beleevers now because there might be some poore soules who though truely fearing God yet might want this assurance and upon the hearing of this might be the more troubled because not able to expresse that confidence which he did therefore he addes who is among you that feareth the Lord c. as if he should have said though you want the comfortable sense and assurance of this be not discouraged but doe you exercise faith goe out of your selves rely upon Christ and that mercy which is to be found in God you may feare God and want it and you are to trust in God in the want of it Thirdly The third these words have a relation also to the fourth verse where he sayes as that God had given him this assurance of his owne justification for his owne particular comfort in the foregoing verses so that God had also given him the tongue of the learned to minister a word of comfort in season to him that is weary and heavy laden and thereupon in this verse he accordingly shewes the blessed condition of such persons as are most weary through long walking in darknesse and withall hee discovereth to them the way of getting out of this darknesse and recovering comfort againe And in all the word of God there is not a more comfortable and seasonable word to one in such a condition to bee found All which argues it is spoken of inward darknesse and trouble of spirit and that in point of applying justification and God to be a mans God CHAP. II. The particulars of the distresse contained in these two phrases Walking in Darknesse Having no Light THe second thing to be enquired into is What is His condition whilest hee walkes in darknesse c. What is the condition of such an one who is thus in darknesse and who hath no light Which I will so farre discover as the phrases used here will give light into by the help of other Scriptures First §. 1. as exprest 1. by having no light he is said to have no light Light saith the Apostle Ephes 5. 13. is that whereby things are made manifest that is to the sense of sight to which light properly belongs and as light and faith are here severed as you see so sight also is in 2 Cor. 5. 7. distinguished from faith Heb. 11. 1. which is the evidence of things absent and not seene Light distinct from faith when therefore here he sayes he hath no light the meaning is he wants all present sensible testimonies of Gods favour to him he sees nothing that may give sensible present witnesse of it to him Gods favour and his owne graces and all the sensible tokens and evidences thereof which are apprehended by spirituall sight are become all as absent things as if they were not or never had been that light which ordinarily discovers these as present he is cleane deprived of To understand this A threefold light added to faith to cause assurance wee must know that God to helpe our faith which as I said before is distinguisht from sight as we now speake of it vouchsafeth a threefold light to his people to adde assurance and joy to their faith which is to faith as a backe of steele to a bow to strengthen it and made to be taken off or put on to it at Gods good pleasure First 1. The immediate light of Gods countenance the immediate light of his countenance which is a cleare evident beame and revelation of Gods favour immediately testifying that wee are his which is called the sealing of the Spirit received after beleeving Ephes 1. 13. which David desired and rejoyced in more then in all worldly things Lord lift up the light of thy countenance Psal 4. 6. in which more or lesse in some glimpses of it some of Gods people have the priviledge to walke with joy from day to day Psal 89. 15. They shall walke in the light of thy countenance in thy name shall they rejoyce all day which he may want And this is here utterly withdrawne and it may thus come to passe that the soule in regard of any sense or sight of this may bee left in that case that Saul really was left in 1 Sam. 28. 15. God is departed from me and answers me not neither by Prophets nor by dreames though with this difference that God was really departed from Saul but to these but in their owne apprehensions yet so as for ought they can see of him God is departed cleane from them answers them neither by prayer nor by word proved nor by conference they cannot get one good look from him Jonah 2. 4. Such was Ionahs case I am cast out of thy sight that is he could not get a sight of him not one smile not one glaunce or cast of his countenance not a beame of comfort and so thought himselfe cast out And so hee dealt with David often and sometimes a long time together Psal 13. 1. How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee and Psal 89. 46. How long c. even so long as David puts God in remembrance and pleades how short a time in all he had to live and complaines how in much of that time his

himselfe our righteousnesse make himselfe under the law Gal. 4. 4. and to make up a full righteousnesse fulfill every part of it Rom. 8. 3 4. Is it thy continuance in sinne and the number and iteration of them that amazeth thee All fulnesse dwells in him who is our righteousnesse Col. 1. 19. and hath dwelt in him longer then sinne in thee and the righteousnesse of our Messiah is everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9. 24. The merit of which an eternity of sinning could not expend or make void And is all this righteousnesse laid up for himselfe onely or for any other so as thou mightest never come to have interest in it No the top of our comfort is that Our righteousnesse is one letter of his Name and that our names are put into his For us it is and Ours it is ordained to be as much ours to save us trusting upon it as his owne to glorifie him Ours not for himselfe he had no need of it being God blessed for ever Ours not the Angells neither the good for they are justified by their owne nor the bad they are put out of Gods will for ever But ours who are the sonnes of men and among them theirs especially who are broken lost whose soules draw neere to the grave and their lives to the destroyers that come pray unto God and stay themselves upon it unto them God cannot deny it for it is theirs For he will render to man His righteousnesse Job 33. 22 26. So as his Sonnes Name also is al-sufficient to answer all objections for faith to rest upon So as they that know his name will trust in him Psal 9. 10. A second reason why his name is sufficient Reason 2 though you have and see nothing in you nor any promise made to any grace in you to rest upon is because even all those promises made to cōditions in us which we ordinarily looke unto are Yea and Amen onely in this his Name and his Sonnes Name That is the originall of them all the root the seed of them all his Name is the materia prima the first matter of all those secondary promises ex quo fiunt in quod resolvuntur his Name gives being to them all if it were not for the mercy grace truth kindnesse in him and the righteousnesse which is in his Sonne all the promises which are made what were they worth As the worth of bonds depends upon the sufficiency of the man who makes them so all these promises upon his Name Therefore now when you relye upon his Name having as yet no promise made to any thing in you to relye upon you then relye upon that which is the foundation of all those promises you then have recourse to the originall which is more authenticall then extract copies you relye on that which all those other are resolved into and therefore is sufficient though all the rest faile you in your apprehension Thirdly Reason 3 his meere Name is support enough for faith and may bee so because it is for his Names sake and his Sons Names sake hee doth all he doth and for nothing in us but meerely for what is in himselfe so Esay 48. 9 10. For my Names sake c. So also Ezek. 36. 22 32. For my Names sake and not your sake and Esay 43. 25. I am he that blotteth out thy transgression for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes For it he blotteth out transgression and pardoneth And if it be for his Names sake he doth all he doth and fulfilleth all promises made to us and to what is in us Then when thou seest nothing in thy selfe to which any promise is made nothing which may appeare to be any argument or motive that he will pardon thee then trust thou in that his Name that because he is God and hath mercy in him that therefore he will doe it For that thing which is the onely or maine motive to God himselfe to doe any thing for us must needs be when apprehended and beleeved the strongest and surest ground for our faith also to perswade the heart that he will doe it As it is in knowledge the knowledge of the causes of things causeth the surest knowledge So in faith the knowledge of the maine motive to God the cause of all causeth the greatest certainty of perswasion This then may direct poore soules in distresse what to venture all upon upon what ground to hazard soules labours endeavours faith repentance obedience and all upon his Name when they see nothing in themselves to which any promise belongs as David sayes Psal 73. 26. My heart may faile and my flesh may faile but God will never faile So I may say your comforts in prayers in hearing your joyes your earnest-penies you have laid up may be all spent in a dearth your owne graces and all promises made to them your owne hearts may faile and being creatures they use to faile againe and againe but Gods Name and his Sonnes Name rested on will never faile you Leane on these not by halves in distresse 1 Pet. 1. 13. but trust perfectly as the Apostle sayes on that mercy you heare is in God upon that grace revealed That is throw and cast your whole soules your whole weight upon it he onely hath perfect peace Isa 26. 3. whose minde is staid on thee Psal 61. 2. have not halfe thy soule upon that rock which is higher then thee but creep up and get all upon it and when all faile renew thy faith on his Name Thereon rest there die To this purpose may that of Solomon serve Prov. 18. 10. His Name sayes he is a strong Tower and the righteous flye to it and are safe Now what end is there and use of a Tower in a City but that when all outworkes are taken the walls scaled all fortifications forsaken houses left then a Tower holds out last and is a refuge to flye to So also when the devill and Gods wrath beleaguers thee round and encompasseth thy soul and the comfort of every grace in thee is taken from thee and thou art driven from and art forced to forsake all other thy holds and grounds of comfort then flye to the Name of the Lord as thy City of refuge as Heb. 6. 18. it is compared Say there is mercy in thee Lord and that is thy Name and there is righteousnesse in thy Son and that is his Name and I am directed to trust in thy Name in time of need and here rest and catch hold as on the hornes of the Altar and if thou dyest dye there Direction 8. THe eighth direction is To waite in the use of all meanes to Waite upon God thus trusting in his Name in the constant use of all ordinances and meanes of comfort Waiting is indeed but an act of faith further stretched out As an Allegory is but a continued Metaphor so waiting is but a continuing to beleeve on God and

and more then hee is for himselfe and I can forbeare no longer I will surely have mercy on him And should he have damned him his bowels would have been troubled for him indeed all his dayes Direction 10. THe tenth and last direction is Rest not in ease but healing that having done all this you would not rest in ease but healing not in ease of conscience but in healing of conscience This I ground upon Isa 57. 17 18. What was the true issue of that his trouble there whom God contended with It was healing and guiding I will guide him and I will heale him You that are troubled in minde thinke not your estates to bee good simply because you begin to cease to be troubled but onely then when the issue of your trouble is healing your spirits by some sound ground of comfort and when guidance in Gods wayes and more close walking with God is the issue of it For God may slack the cords and take you off the rack when yet hee hath not pardoned you A traitour who was cast into the dungeon and had many irons on him may be let out of the dungeon and have his irons taken off and have the liberty of the Tower and walke abroad againe with his keeper with him and yet not have his pardon nay usually before execution they use to take their irons off and let them have more freedome Thus it is with many I thanke God sayes one I have had much trouble of minde distresse of conscience such and such sinnes terrified me and I could not sleep for them but now I am well again and now they do not trouble me Yea but is this all Thou hast cause to feare that thy irons are but taken off against execution It is with men in point of trouble of minde in the guilt of sinne as in the power of it in justification as in sanctification A man who hath had a strong lust stirring in him if he hath gone a yeare or two and findeth it not to stirre he therefore thinkes hee is utterly freed from it which yet may be but a restraint of it not killing of it a cessation not mortification So it is often in this trouble of minde which ariseth from the guilt of sinne because a man findes not those doubts and feares and terrours in his heart which he had wont therefore presently he thinkes all is well when as it may be but meerly a truce not a peace a laying downe of armes onely for a while to make greater preparation against the soule afterwards a reprivall and a little enlargement in prison not a pardon if this be all the issue of it That you may further conceive the meaning of this in one that is Gods child and in a wicked man though both may be and are troubled in minde and conscience yet there is a maine difference both in the maine cause of their trouble and also in the issue and removall of their trouble A wicked mans trouble is for the anguish and present smart he feeles in sinne and in Gods wrath lashing his conscience and out of feares that his sinne will not be pardoned but that he shal endure these tortures for ever in hell So it was in Iudas Cain and many others but a godly mans trouble though it hath often all this in it yet the chiefest of his trouble is a further thing it is not onely the smart the sting of sinne but also the filth the fowlnesse the offence of it done to God that wounds him for he hath an heart after Gods heart and therefore lookes on sin with the same kinde of eye that God doth and as God accounts the offence done to him the greatest evill in sinne so doth a godly heart also It is not the sting of this serpent only but the poison of it that disquiets him neither is it onely the want of pardon of sinne and the feare of Gods everlasting wrath which mainly troubleth him but the want of Gods favour the parting with him whom he sees so excellent and glorious the want of seeing his face his desire is to live in his sight and to have God to be his God Now such as the woūd is such also is the remedy Therfore the one being but troubled with the sting the smart of sin pull but that sting out take that loade off and he is well enough as jocund as pleasant as ever it being present ease that he seekes and to that end confesseth his sinne and doth any thing for the present to come out of it As Pharaoh Exod. 10. 17. Take away this death onely or at the utmost his aime is but pardon of sinne and peace with God that hee may be freed from the feares of undergoing that for ever the earnest whereof he feeles in his conscience now And hence therfore the remedies they often have recourse unto are suitable they are but like rattles to still childrē with they run to merry company and to musick c. as Cain fell a building Cities and so they put off the terrours of their consciences It is ease they seeke and no more or they runne to a formall performance of duties even as poore soules under Popery when they were stung by the Friars Sermons they set them penances and good deeds to be done which stilled them awhile for them they thought they should have pardon So men run now to holy duties but with the same opinion that they did then as bribes for a pardon what shall I give sayes he in Micah for the sinne of my soule Micah 6. 7. But now the wound of Gods childe being deeper not the sting of sinne onely but the poison of it not the smart but the offence done to God nor the feare of his wrath but want of his favour therfore accordingly ease from those terrours pacifie not him no not simply peace with God will content him or a pardon He sayes not onely Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this death onely but who shall deliver me from this body of death If newes were brought him that God would pardon him and not call him to reckoning for any sinne and no more were spoken to his conscience he would still be troubled till hee had assurance of his good will also if it were said God will indeed pardon thee but he will never love thee as hee did he will not looke on thee thou must not come into his sight This would grieve the soule more then the other would content it and he would be everlastingly troubled I may allude to that which Absolom said in cōplement of his Father when he was banished from him to expresse the true desire greatest trouble of a soul in this case as you have it 2 Sam. 14. 32. Absolom was pardoned the fault but it contented him not Let mee see his face or let him kill me So it is with a poore soule ease pardon knocking off