Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bad_a	good_a	reason_n	1,431	5	5.5448	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12210	Yea and amen: or, pretious promises, and priviledges Spiritually unfolded in their nature and vse. Driving at the assurance and establishing of weak beleevers. By R. Sibbs D.D. master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and preacher of Grayes Inne London. Reviewed by himselfe in his life time, and since perused by T.G. and P.N.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1638 (1638)	STC 22521; ESTC S102402	91,199	446

wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of Gods just judgement which one day shall ceaze upon them Because hee doth not speedily execute his displeasure therefore they grow worse worse Never considering the lamentable condition that sinne brings men into which did they throughly weigh they would give the whole world if they were possessours of it to have their spirits at freedome from this bondage and feare God will take a course that his grace shall not bee turned into wantonnesse First or last thou shalt find who ever thou art at what rare thou buyest the pleasure of sin Those that have enjoyed long the sweet of sinne may expect the bitterest sorrow and heart-breaking sor it Nay the greater good things they have the greater evill they receive thereby by abuse of the same the more they are illuminated by the Word their hearts become more rebellious against it and the greater authority wealth and health they enjoy the more mischiefe they do with them Those heavenly Doctrines which should build up a good heart unto holinesse doe they abuse to bring their soules deeper into wickednesse shewing themselves like to their Father the Devill whose children they indeed are God hath said Hee would give his Angels charge over thee which is a most comfortable place to a good heart But how doth Sathan abuse this to Christ That he should fling himselfe headlong from the Pinnacle of the Temple and as the Devill so every wicked man by all instructions of the Word takes occasion to tempt God the more turning both grace it selfe and the Doctrine of Grace into wantonnesse Are there not many ●hat heare the Word and know Gods mind who yet profit nothing to amendment of life were it not better for these never to enjoy such meanes of heavenly wisedome Than now having the light still to live in darknesse their knowledge onely makes their damnation the greater if they continue in sin what a lamentable condition is that man in whose knowledge is only sufficient to damne his owne soule But let us see further how all evill things work together for the worst to ungodly persons And to begin with spirituall ill things as Heresies and errours they serve but to ensnare the wicked for instead of making them cautelous and diligent to search out the truth they are carried away with every wind of Doctrine So for the ill of good men their fals and sins the wicked of the world reap no benefit there by but incourage and hearten themselves the more in a sinfull way rejoycing thereat and making it their daily talke neither doe their owne daily sinnings any whit better them but are as so many punishments of their former transgressions God in his justice suffering them still to runne on to the fulfilling of the measure of their iniquities And for outward evils in this life those that doe turn to a good mans happinesse fall out continually to their destruction Pharaohs tenne Plagues which might have humbled his soule made him but worse and worse therfore saith God Why should I smite you any more for even since I punished you ye revolted still The wicked are like to the Smiths-Anvill which by often beating is made harder and harder so the more they are corrected the stubborner and stiffer in sinne they grow Their crosses are laid upon them from an angry God and are sorerunners of his eternall wrath which shall seaze upon their soules in hell where the more they are tormented the more they shall blaspheme and the more they shall blaspheme and the more they shall blaspheme the more they shall be tormented without cessation The cause of all this evil upon the wicked is first Gods infinite justice which will not be unsatisfied Secondly their owne vile hearts which like a sick man having an ill stomack digests nothing but turnes all to poyson Therfore saith the Apostle To the uncleane all things are uncleane As poysonsome Plants put into a fertile place doe invenome the ground whereinto they are removed So the same crosses that turne unto a good mans welfare prove a bad mans ruine by reason of the corruption within him Another cause is the Devils malicious working by it He makes wicked men abuse all their parts both inward and outward to Gods dishonour and their own confusion endeavouring to conforme them to himselfe None hath greater knowledge and understanding in the Word of God than the Devill Yet he turnes all his knowledge unto the sin against the Holy Ghost but yet the Devill cannot sorce men to wickednesse it is their owne sinfull hearts which betray them into his hands Whence we learne that all wicked men in the midst of their happinesse are most unhappy because they turne the sweetest blessings into bitter poyson for all the gifts of God without his speciall gift of using them well are turned into a curse As Balaam had good parts but they not being sanctified proved his bane We see further that outward prosperity is no mark of the true Church Abundance of temporall blessings is no signe that we are in Gods favour neither are learning and knowledge evidences of spirituall grace for the Devill hath greater understanding and parts than any man howbeit sight of sin preserves us from falling into it and such as shut their eyes against the light plunge themselves into deeper the misery Now to proceed to further instructions doe all things work together for the best to Gods servants then hence we may learne the certainty of the salvation of Gods elect I take my reason from the Text it selfe after this manner That which nothing can hinder that is certaine but the salvation of Gods children cannot be hindred therefore the salvation of Gods children is most certaine If any thing do or can hinder the Saints recovery or perseverance it is sin but to such as are united unto Christ by faith sinne is so farre from hindring their happinesse that by Gods over-ruling providence it turnes to their best good The second thing which wee may ground here for the information of our judgement is this That as we know the providence of God is the cause why all things work together for the best to his children so wee should eye this very particular providence in all that we enjoy turning the same to our good there is a working hand of God in every thing towards us as wee may see in the examples of Iob Ioseph and David with other of his servants whose present sorrow and humiliation was but a meanes of their future glory exaltation There is nothing so bad but hee can draw good out of it when any evill is intended God either puts barres and lets to the execution of it against us or else limiteth and boundeth the same both in regard of time and measure The God of spirits hath an influence into the spirits of all men knowes how to take them off