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
A43709	The believers duty towards the Spirit, and the Spirits office towards believers, or, A discourse concerning believers not grieving the Spirit, and the Spirits sealing up believers to the day of redemption grounded on Ephes. 4. 30.	Hickman, Henry, d. 1692.	1665 (1665)	Wing H1906; ESTC R2810	113,118	243

by his Comment on the Revelations He was much troubled about that place Rev. 13.5 Where it is said that the Beast had power to continue forty two months after much prayer he had though not a voice yet an impression so strong that a voice from heaven could scarce have made him more confident that he must count these months by Sabbaths as Daniels weeks are counted by Sabbaths he did so by the help of some Merchants and found the years to be Two hundred ninety four just the time of the ten first persecutions Doubtless therefore saith he that was the time of the Beast But who follows him in this who almost though he cannot confirm his own interpretation doth not think himself able to overthrow this 4. The most ordinary and safe way of coming to Assurance is that I before mentioned The discursive way in which a Believer from the fruits and effects of grace inferrs he hath the habit and from the habit concludes his justification and adoption This is proved 1. Because as it is a way least subject to delusion so is it also most suited to a rational creature whose way of acting is by discourse and argumentation If any Probleme be propounded to the Understanding which is not of it self known and evident the Understanding naturally falls to finding out some middle term or argument by which it may prove that the Predicate doth or doth not agree to the Subject let any man whatever try and he 'l find he cannot do otherwise And how little would be the difference betwixt a man and a beast if a man should assent to a thing unknown through an instinct and impression and should to one who asks him a reason of his perswasion be able to return nothing in answer but this I am perswaded because I am perswaded 2. We must also make Christ to have put himself to a very unnecessary expence in inspiring holy men to give unto us so many descriptions of Grace so many characters by which the power of Godlinesse may be known from the form if we were not to come to the knowledge of our grace by making practical Syllogismes before mentioned 3. Nor should we so often and so earnestly be called on to try and examine our selves whether we be in the faith if we were not to come to the knowledge of our faith in a discursive way arguing from the Effect to the Cause Nor can we give a better reason why our good works are called fruits then this Because as the Tree is known by its Fruits for a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit nor a bad tree good fruits so the Heart by what proceeds from it is known whether it be good or evil 4. We find the Saints in Scripture coming to their Assurance this way Our rejoycing is this the testimony of a good conscience that in godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 His joy was founded on the testimony of his Conscience but from what did his Conscience testifie from his sincere conversation 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse How plainly doth he here conclude his right to the Crown of Life from his having fulfilled the terms of the Covenant of Grace Nay in Scripture we do find that men are exhorted to do good works that by them they may ascertain themselves of their Calling Election Salvation 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your calling and election sure by good works so it is in all the Latine copies so in some Greek copies not in those that our English Translators followed which is the reason why they are not in the English Bibles not as the Rhemists do slander us because we do not like them for as Dr. Fulke well replies the circumstance of the place doth of necessity require that good works be understood though they be not expressed in the Text. And the Rich 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. are exhorted not to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God to do good to be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate to what end that they might lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come and lay hold of eternal life The least that can hence be inferred is that good works are a foundation of evidence or if any one dislike the term foundation and shall choose rather with Petit to translate a Bill of contract a Bond or Obligation it comes much to the same for thence it will be easie to inferr That he who is rich in good works receives and layes up an Obligation from God that this mercy of his shall have it's recompence of reward 5. What need we go further then the experience of Christians Do not all find that their Assurance is higher or lower according as they can more or less discern the fruits of holiness When they are dead lumpish doth not Hope then fail or flag And if any after back-sliding be as confident of his estate as ever he was before such back-sliding do we not think that mans Faith was Presumption Now of this that hath been said concerning the way of attaining Assurance several good Uses may be made I. It confutes those who condemn all use of Signs and Marks asserting that we are presently to believe that God loves us with a special love The late times among many other sad effects produced or brought abroad sundry who in their printed Pamphlets did make it a sin to doubt or once to enquire whether we be in Christ saying that we do never find that any in the course of Christ's or his Disciples preaching that did ask the question Whether they believed or whether their faith were sincere But what if none did ask that question then must none ask it now Are all the various conditions of troubled souls set down in particular examples in the New Testament If any one had then doubted of the sincerity of his graces could he unless some one had been present that had the gift of discerning spirits have been cured of his doubts any other way then by examining himself by marks and signs But doubtless there were then some who did doubt or else the Apostle saw they had reason to doubt for when he exhorts 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work none can rationally think his meaning was Let a man take it for granted that his state is good and force himself into a perswasion that his work is acceptable to God he that should so do would neither have rejoycing in himself alone nor in another But this evil spirit of Antinomianisme is pretty well blessed be God laid and I will not dispute against it lest I should raise it again onely I judge it not unmeet to answer one Objection Object It may