Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	believe_v	faith_n	holy_a	1,533	5	5.3032	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08055	Mans actiue obedience, or The power of godlines especially in the commandement of the gospell, which requireth faith in euerie Christian: or A treatise of faith, worthily called precious faith, as being in it selfe a most rare iewell of ioy, and peerelesse pearle, that excelleth in worth the highest price. Wherein is plainly declared what faith in Christ is what properly is the obiect of it, what is the speciall operation of faith, by which it may bee discerned; and the worke about which it is principally imployed, the subiect wherein it is placed; what things are needfull to the making it up, what to the being, and what to the wel-being of it; with the differences that are betweene true beleeuers and fained in all of them, and the vses thereof. By Master William Negus, lately minister of Gods word at Lee in Essex.; Mans active obedience.	Negus, William, 1559?-1616.; Negus, Jonathan, d. 1633.	1619 (1619)	STC 18420; ESTC S113618	278,658	364

time he doth enter into plea with them or hold and maintaine any controuersie against them that then his course is to put this more vpon the triall of such mens liues then vpon the disposition of their hearts more to stand vpon what is seene to come from them then to stand arguing the case whether it bee true that they say they haue or haue not this or that vertue or vice within them Like as it will also be the course that the righteous Iudge of the whole world will take in that great assize according as himselfe in part hath made it knowne afore-hand vnto vs when all men shall be made to appeare and shall bee put vpon their last triall euen the triall of life and of death the triall will passe and the iudgement will bee giuen vpon them either for guilty or guiltlesse not so expressely according to what hath been in their hearts as according to what hath appeared in their liues and what hath been found to haue been the deed and workes of their hands as namely he telleth vs they that haue done Iohn 5. 29. good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill vnto euerlasting fier and it will be said go you cursed Mat. 25. 34. 41. you gaue me no meat you did not visite me come you blessed you fed mee and you clothed mee And this is that which the Apostle also saith wee must giue an account 2. Cor. 5. 10. according to that we haue done in our bodies Hee saith not according to that we haue had dwelling and abiding in our hearts for the plaine manifesting of the one will be sufficient and enough to make the other well enough knowne So that though we are not iustified by our workes yet shall we be iudged by them they being the infallible testimonies of our vnfained faith in Christ Iesus and though workes doe not iustifie vs yet workes doe iustifie that that must iustifie vs euen our faith by which we beleeue to be saued that it is a liuely faith and a faith that is not fained therefore doth Iames bring forth his workes to manifest his faith by as the directest course that can be taken and the most ready to haue faith made knowne by Now if any thinke he can doe otherwise and without workes get his faith to which he trusteth to be manifested and made knowne to bee God hee calles him forth to doe his best in shewing how that can bee performed shew me saith hee thy faith without Iames 2. 18. works and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Which he so speaketh not that any can possibly do it but that their folly may the rather be laid open and the more discouered that so doe thinke it They bee the workes which come from faith that must both shew faith and iustifie it to be true Faith is operatiue and worketh by loue if any will find out faith let him seeke after the measures Gal. 5. 6. of his loue to God and to his Saints If any would know whether hee bee elect or no to eternall life let him gather the knowledge thereof from the effectualnesse of his calling and sanctification of his life for by these Pcter leadeth the Christians as by the hand to the finding it 1. Pet. 12. out We must not soare alost to know whether or no we be elected If any man would know whether the Sunne shineth or no let him looke vpon the ground to see the reflexion of the Sunne-beames from thence and not vpon the body of the Sunne which will but dazle the more his sight As then we gather the cause by the effect the paterne by the picture and by the forme of a seale printed in waxe we easily vnderstand what is the very forme and fashion of the seale it selfe so by the true and proper effects of liuely faith we conclude the existence and being of true faith it selfe and the same effects like seales doe imprint and stampe the image of Gods election in vs. Q. But may not faith as well bee found out by the causes which causeth faith as by the effects which faith worketh and bringeth forth As for example the publication of the promises of the Gospell made to poore sinners calling all that are wearie and heavie laden with the burden of their sinnes to come to Christ promising they shall bee eased and promising that all that doo beleeue in Christ they shall never perish but haue euerlasting life and withall commanding vs that wee doe beleeue in the name of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God 1. Iohn 3. 23. Now if with the publishing of such promises out of the Gospell preached and declaration of such acommandement giuen the Spirit of God who is the onely efficient cause and worker of this grace shall be pleased to ioyne his owne working with the word of that preaching and so open a doore of faith to the poore sinn●r that heareth such promises as he shall not onely assent vnto them but lay hold of them also and assume them to himselfe and taking God at his wora beleeue indeed that hee shall haue his sinnes pardoned and his soule for euer saued May not a poore sinner so beleeuing find out this way that he hath true faith indeed without any further inquiring or making any more question about the same A Yes doubtles and no way better then thus if so be he Faith knowne by causes can after this manner apprehend and feele that so he doth beleeue for now he hath set his foot vpon that rocke that will neuer faile vnder him but beare vp his whole building and giue him a sure standing for his faith to rest vpon now hath hee come to the very ground worke of his beleeuing and hath laid open to himselfe the foundation to the bottome whereupon his faith is set so firme sure that it is not possible it shall bee moued to the ouerwhelming thereof for euermore And therefore he may comfortably cheare vp his heart as did the Apostle against euery obiect of feare or discomfort that might stand before him at any time to dismay him and say with him I am not ashamed neither doe I passe at all for this for I 2. Tim. 1. 12. know whom I have beleeued and vpon what I haue grounded my so beleeuing and I am perswaded that hee that hath thus promised is both able and faithfull to doe that he hath promised and that hee will also performe it But if it be well marked this faith euen by this search is not found out by the causes alone but by that which is caused by it and by that which it is in hand with to effect and worke in the heart of that beleeuer in whom it is so wrought for it is in hand with this worke to bring the sinner to his Sauiour to ioyne the soule that hath sinned to Christ that hath saued it by an vnseparable vnion

difference to be both betweene the knowledge of one that is vnsanctified and vnsound in the faith and of him that is a true beleeuer whose heart is purified by sound and sauing faith● indeed and in like sort betweene the manner of their apprehending and laying hold of Christ for saluation As also no lesse difference to bee betweene the assurance and perswasion that either of them doe ground themselues vpon for the obtaining of life and saluation in Christ by meanes of such their laying hold vpon him Proceed now to declare what you thinke concerning such difference as may be found betweene the ioy that followeth heereupon and maketh glad the hearts of either of them once truly hauing or supposing themselues to haue good and warrantable assurance of their saluation A. Ioy and gladnesse which is an affection of the Difference in ioy heart that is deriued and springeth out of the loue and liking of a present good or out of an assured hope and expectation of some good that is to come wherby the heart is dilated and set out and the spirits therein stirred to liuelinesse and cheerfulnesse cannot but according to the measure of the apprehending of such a ioyfull obiect as promiseth all good contentment and pleasure to be found therein be more or lesse felt in the heart and follow abundantly when there is a full assurance an abundant and confident perswasion of obtaining so great a good as is indeed the greatest good of all that can be wished or hoped for or possibly may be looked for by any to be enioyed which is the euerlasting good of soule and body for euer whereby they doe not onely know they shall bee deliuered from the wrath that is to come but be made partakers of that glorious inheritance which is prepared for the Saints in light and that for the present their state is so comfortable and they so highly in Gods fauour at least in their owne consciences perswaded as of the children of wrath power is now giuen them to become the sonnes of God yea heires and heires apparant of life and glory with Christ Iesus This cannot but raise vp in their hearts great and abundant ioy yea ioy that is vnutterable and vnspeakable such as will make their hearts to dance in their bellies for ioy and merrines in the good liking they haue of this their so blisse-full an estate and most happie condition that both presently they now stand in and yet hereafter farre more fully doe looke for to enioy Now both these hauing such a perswasion they likewise haue and doe feele ioy in their hearts following therupon And the ioy is answering to the kind of assurance and perswasion that is had of so comfortable an estate and condition that doth cause the same And for so much as it hath been sufficiently cleared and made manifestly to appeare that there is as great odds and difference betweene the assurance of a true beleeuer and of a true beleeuers counterfeit as is betweene the boldnesse of faith and the blindnesse of folly betweene humble obedience in beleeuing what God doth promise and proud presumption in promising to themselues without any word or warrant from God what themselues alone doe fancie the causes being so differing and found to bee so farre at odds betweene themselues the effects rising from such causes must needs be seuered as farre asunder and differ as much the one from the other The deceiueable and vnwarrantable assurance of misbeleeuers False ioy fades cannot produce any better effect then a carnall lying a false and a fading ioy that is not to be trusted vnto but will vanish away and not be found nor felt in times of the greatest need when their beguiled hearts shall then most of all be left void of all sound comfort and contentment when trouble shall be hard at hand the greatest light of their ioyes is soone ecclipsed and ouercast with any sad remembrances and but the very heare-say of any trouble or danger towards them is able to dash all their mirth at once yea to strike them so as was Nabal strooken when his hart died within him and he became 1. Sam. 25. 37. as a stone Their smiles are but faint and heartlesse they may sometimes counterfeit a laughing gesture when yet the heart within taketh no such pleasure as they do make shew for they be but false and durelesse pleasures they vse to make themselues merry with in the middest wherof though they doe what they can yet their hearts for all that will be felt to be in heauinesse they may be full iocund and all on the hoigh for a time and yet by and by the case as much altered with them as euer it was with Belshazzer when he saw the hand-writing against him Dan. 5. 6. 30. what time hee was most merry in his cups and carowsings drinking in that wine which the swords of his enemies did soone draw out of his body againe for euen that night he was slaine then will their merrie Comedies bee turned into sad and heauy Tragedies their pleasantnesse into pensiuenesse their mirth into wofull mourning and they desperately sorrowing as those that haue out-liued all their ioyes they being for euer left in distresse and heauinesse when all ioy and gladnesse shall flie farre away Contrarily the stable firme and good assurance of the True ioy lasting other will beget breed and bring forth a sure solid spirituall and true lasting ioy which with a sweete and heauenly motion v●ill cause their hearts to reioyce in Christ Iesus as in their chiefest good and present good The nature of this ioy is to enlarge and exhilarate the heart and so much to affect him that hath it as it will cause him to exult and leape with reioycing This is not a halfe ioy a giggling from the teeth outward but a thorow and full ioy that affecteth soule and body spirit and flesh to make Psal 84. 2. Iob 35. 10. all reioyce together such ioy as will giue songs to a man in the night season euen such songs to God his people as in the night when a solemne feast is kept and such gladnesse of Psal 77. 6. Psal 30. 29. heart as when one goeth with a pipe as the Prophet speaketh Euen such ioy as is not only unspeakable to them that haue it and doe feele it but it is incredible to them that haue it not and doe but heare of it as who by their owne experience did neuer come yet to taste of the like Many thinke that good Christians are depriued of all comforts they haue no ioy nor gladnesse they know not what a merry life meanes they thinke for any to doe as they do is to liue but a mopish and melancholy life there is no cheare in their course But Gods seruants are allowed to haue their delights in this world to haue ioy and gladnesse of heart in this life as well as any others nay aboue and

were deliuered before euer they could come at them So this sort of people they are deliuered of this kind of faith without any aide of Gods Ministers they are so healthie so lustie and so strong as themselues doe deeme that they neede none of their helpe for they are not acquainted with the pangs of conscience in the new birth whereby others are hazarded there being many a poore weake Christian that is seene to lye trauelling to bring out true sauing faith in such weaknesse as they are ready to faint and giue ouer before euer that can bee brought forth and seeme to bee borne But these of a sudden growing great and swelling bigge with a windie conceit that puffeth them vp make their reckoning that faith is formed in them they trauell indeed about it but as the Prophet speaketh they trauell with the wind and bring out nothing but the Hos 8. 7. Isa 33. 11. Psal 7. 14. whirle-wind they conceiue chaffe and shall bring forth stubble they trauell with falshood and bring forth a lie their surest faith being nothing else but most dangerous presuming There is then great mistaking about this question of faith Some thinking their faith to bee lesse then it is and though it be in them in truth yet that it is not in them at all Others thinking their faith to bee greater then it is and that they are richly stored therewith when they are wholly emptie of it and haue not of it in quantitie so much as is the least graine of mustard-seed Who therefore haue no cause to be so secure as they are and to reckon vpon such safety as they doe for vndoubtedly their faith so failing them they from mistaken grounds deceiuing themselues they cannot but perish in the end and wofully at the length miscarry for altogether Q. This then being a matter of so great importance and case which many times on both sides is so much mistaken as you haue already spoken me thinkes it were worth the labour to haue this thing somewhat better scanned vpon for the clearing of the doubts that may arise about the same And first where you made mention of some who thinke worse of themselues then there is cause in whom though there is true faith indeed they yet feele it not to bee so but are as much dismayed as though they had no faith at all I desire to heare what you conceiue of the estate of such and what you thinke may be the reason why faith being giuen vnto them they yet should not haue giuen vnto them the feeling of the same A. When God the onely author and finisher of pretious Faith without feeling and sauing faith in all his elect hath begun to put his hand to this blessed worke of giuing life and being to this indeleble and neuer-failing grace till the last end thereof be attained vnto which is the eternall saluation of euery soule that hath it when I say God hath once infused this grace into vs and planted it in our hearts that it hath a true being there though wee be not aware thereof for God who can worke without vs without our merit and desart without all manner of helpe and aide from vs can also worke within vs without our discerning of his worke or his making vs priuie to that hee is in hand with or any way acquainting vs with what he is a doing and a working for vs till in his wisedome hee seeth it fit and meet to haue this made knowne vnto vs for our greater comfort then and from thenceforth for euer may it be said of that soule which was said of Zacheus Luk. 19. 9. house after Christ Iesus once set his foot within the doores thereof this day is saluation come into this house so that day and houre that instant time wherein faith had any entrance way made for it to be planted to haue being in the soule that once hath it wrought therin it may bee said of that soule this day is saluation come to this soule and that saluation that will be euerlasting so as it is thenceforth safe for euer from finally perishing or euer miscarrying And the safety of such a soule is as sure by the true being of it without the sensible seeling and discerning of such a being as euer it shall be safe either by the most liuely and comfortable feeling of the being of faith Yea or of the hauing of that for which faith euer had such being namely saluation it selfe when wee shall be most surely and fully possessed of it in Gods kingdome We are I say from that very instant of time as sure to be saued as if wee were saued alreadie and were euen now in heauen It is therefore no small fauour from God vnto vs when our estate is thus most certainly in it selfe become an estate of saluation and most euidently many times discernable so to bee by others to whom a spirit of discerning is giuen though in like manner not so beleeued so felt or perceiued to be by our selues And though the Lord for good respects and causes best knowne to himselfe doth see it meete not to exempt vs from staggering and doubting and still calling into question the state of our owne saluation yea letting vs abide vnder great feare and much trembling lest that wee should not at all belong vnto him that so wee may giue the better diligence to make our election which is euer sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. in it selfe to be also sure to vs yet ought wee herein to submit our selues And if it shall please him lest wee should become lasie and idle and carnally secure by knowing too soone before we are fitted to vse well that which in this behalfe we so should know euen the certaintie of our saluation to keepe vs from knowing for a time that which is and hath been knowne to himselfe before 2. Tim. 2. 19. all beginnings to the end hee may set vs a worke about the more diligent vsing of all such meanes and carefull endeuouring to doe all such things as are needfull to be vsed and done by euery one for the attainment of saluation and that not without great feare and trembling also lest especially if we should in any respect herein be found wanting we should misse of our desired saluation in the end And if he will that by such our painfull endeuours in the discharge of all Christian duties we shall so worke out our owne saluation as with our owne hands Phil. 2. 12. that is to say labour that our owne selues may at the length come to know that which alwaies was knowne to God before which is that wee with the rest of Gods elect shall vndoubtedly also be saued that so that saluation may after a sort by such our endeuours be wrought out by vs which yet was fully accomplished wrought out before for vs by him which was thereunto appointed before the world had a beginning and who

others that place is most pregnant and cleere for this purpose where the Apostle writing to the Romans saith that being iustified by faith we not onely are at peace with God but also reioyce euen in tribulation Rom. 5. 3. knowing how many waies tribulation bringeth benefit and profit vnto vs as he there sheweth the particulars Indeed tribulations in themselues are troublesome and doe much trouble Gods children being as needles in the flesh which make men restlesse but if they were rightly considered of vs and the great benefit well valued that might be reaped by the same we should not need to be so troubled with them as wee are but should finde and perceiue that when they doe befall vs they bring no hurt at all vnto vs though a number as if they were venome are seene to flie from them if things were rightly taken as they ought to be we should soone see that the hand of God when it were so laid vpon vs were not a destroying but a deliuering hand not put forth to thrust vs frō him but a hand reached out to draw and pull vs more neerer vnto him and that as Gods iudgements are iust vnto all so vnto vs in particular it is of very faithfulnesse that he Psal 119. 75. causeth vs to be troubled who otherwise had been like to haue perished in our sinnes if troubles had not medicined vs to pull vs out of them againe If God will euer recouer a people that haue falsified their faith and broken couenant with him hee must take that course which he told his Prophet he would take with the backsliding people of the Iewes namely cause them to passe Ezech. 20. 37. vnder the rod and so bring them into the bond of the couenant againe The Lord by manifold afflictions vseth to nurture and schoole his children partly to preuent sins 1. Cor. 11. 32. Icr. 31. 18. to come and partly to humble them for that which is past The Lord is faine sometimes to put his children into the salt brine of afflictions and long troubles thereby to season them and to sweeten them and to sucke out from them the most stinking and rotten corruptions that doe breede in them that he may the better preserue them safe vntill his last comming It is well obserued by one that the euils which men call euils are helpers vnto good men to doe good withall and furtherers of them in the exercise of vertue As pouertie serues well to bridle Basil their lusts basenesse serues to humble their pride sicknesse to meeken their stoutnes and all manner of incumbrances to driue them vnto God Sicknesse and disease doth many times proue to be wholesome medicine vnto life for the making of it to be led much better when soundnes of health doth contrarily proue often the greatest sicknesse to the soule to make it much worse and to bring it at the length to eternall death Men vse to gather acquaintance of other neighbours and familiars by liuing long and conuersing much together with them but how long soeuer wee haue liued with our selues wee hardly can gather any good acquaintance with our selues or come to know our selues till wee haue been taught it in the schoole of affliction the rod of God is that which sendeth vs home to the house lodging and priuie chamber of our own heart example in Manasseth 2. Chron. 33. 12 who learned the way into his owne heart out of the dark cold prison lying in fetters and chaines which he could neuer learne sitting in his throne and glorious palace So the prodigall sonne being at home in his fathers house hauing the companie of ciuill men knew not himselfe but when all was spent hauing the companie of swine and beasts he was led into himselfe and began to know himselfe and to know then that hee was not at home Luk. 15. 15. 16. 17. when hee was at home but his troubles brought and made him to come to himselfe againe as the Scripture speaketh and so to be in his right minde for before hee was one besides himselfe Which things and the like being well considered may iustly cause vs not onely to bee comfortable and chearefull vnder our troubles but much thankfull for them as being true tokens of Gods fatherly loue for if wee should want them we were bastards and Heb. 12. 6. 8. not sonnes and as needfull promoters of our holinesse and better sanctification for God in chastening of vs aimeth at our profit that hee might make vs pertakers of his holinesse that wee might be holy euen as himselfe Heb. 12. 10. is To conclude then this point also as touching troubles befalling a good Christian which seeme euer to bring with them causes enough to hinder their holy reioycing and not to descend to any more perticulars but to muster all troubles together manifold and after a sort infinit and innumerable though they be and for an ouerplus of store for the making the heape the greater to put and to ioyne vnto them all other things also that may happen and befall to a true Christian during his whole life time I doubt not but a wise and vnderstanding Christian may be borne out if hee in some one or other respect should finde cause of some ioy in euery thing and of his holy reioycing in the Lord for his most gracious and most wise dispensation of all things that any way doe concerne him My ground and warrant for so saying is in that remarkable place and speech of the Apostle in his writing to the Romanes which for the great light and comfort in this behalfe that it doth giue foorth shining gloriously vnto vs out of the firmament of the Scriptures seemeth among other places of Scripture to be as the morning starre shining out of the midst of a cloud yea as the passing brightnes of the Sunne it selfe that lighteneth all things when the full and perfect day is come which to bee but remembred by vs is as the sweete smell of perfume and of the most aromaticall spices which haue power in them to comfort both heart and braine and which to be spoken vnto vs is as the sweetnes of hony in the mouthes of all men namely we know saith the Apostle there that all things worke together for good to them that Rom. 8. 28. loue God As if all things did conspire together in one to lend their common helpe to further this one and onely worke to see and take heed together that nothing more or lesse be done by any thing but that which may be for the most certaine and vndoubted good of a sound and true Christian as if they were all sworne to be true vnto him herein and were in such perfect league and friendship with him as could not be broken at any time yea and as if euery thing were so willing hereunto as al might be seene prest so chearefully to bestow their labour and take paines about this