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	lord_n	1,391	5	3.9699	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00765	A treatise of prayer, and of the fruits and manner of prayer. By the most Reuerend Father in God Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochestre, Preist and most eminent Cardinall of the most holy Catholike Church, of the title of S. Vitalis. Translated into English by R.A.B.; Tractatus de orando Deum. English	Fisher, John, Saint, 1469-1535.; Roe, Alban, 1583-1642, attributed name.; Anderton, Robert, attributed name.; Batt, Antonie.; R. A.	1640 (1640)	STC 10890; ESTC S115046	39,954	190

requisite for euery one that will inioy the benefitt of his prayer that he indeavour by all meanes not to want charitie that is that be be in the state of grace In 105. Which saint Chrisostome vpon the ghospell of saint Iohn doth affirme to be a very easie thing euen for him whoe is laden with great sinns Onely lett him heartily repent him of his finns and resolue to leade a new life in Christ to get his grace Which saying is confirmed by the Prophet Ezechiell whoe from the mouth of God almightie promiseth Ezech. 33. that In what houre soeuer a sinner shal repent all his iniquities shal be forgotten I will not sayth he remember all his iniquities But sinns are not thought to be blotted out of the memorie of God by any other way then by the gift and infusion of grace and charitie By which meanes it comes to passe that a sinner whoe giues ouer sinning that is whoe is truly sorrowfull for his former life and is become obedient to Christ is esteemed to be in the state of grace and charitie And for so much as the leaving of our former sinns and changing our old life depēdeth partly of our owne free will which is free to euery man and life dependeth partly of the helpe of diuine grace which is wanting to no man that is not wanting to himselfe it is not very hard for a sinner in a short time to become a iust man so that he effectuallie desires it and haue a great cōfidence in almightie God Who so then goeing about to pray renewes his fayth in Christ Iesus by a new act and detesteth the impuritie of his former life and resolueth heereafter to absteine from sinne and to doe according to the decrees and ordinances of the Church without all question such an one is in the state of grace and charitie and shal not be frustrated of this fruit of his prayer that is of such meritt to which a reward in the kingdome of heauen belongeth And thus much of the first fruit of prayer Of the second fruit Which is the obtaining of the thing We pray for CHAP. III. THe second fruit we sayd to be the obteining of the thing we aske in prayer This fruit whosoeuer will inioy it is not sufficient for him that he be in charitie also he must stand firmely vpon the foundation of profound humilitie ●evo prayer may be impetratory so that from the bottome of his hart he must thincke himselfe most vnworthie that God should bestow vpon him any grace or benefit or inspire him with any good at all And yet let him not cease still to thanke god for what he hath alreadie receiued attributing nothing to himselfe if any thing be well donne but referring all to God what he hath donne good and to himselfe all that is evill A similitude For so oft as we doe any thing well we are in the hands of God as the mallett is in the hande of the carpenter and as one shold say as the carpenter in working vseth the mallet as an instrument even so doth almightie God vse vs as his instruments so oft as we doe any thing well For whatsoeuer seemes to be well donne by vs it is not wee of our selues but God that worketh in vs. wherefore as the mallet cannot boast it selfe against the carpenter nor ascribe vnto it selfe that it hath framed this or that worke for the hammer or mallet doth nothing of it selfe Ro. ● but the carpenter that worketh with it as his instrument So likewise it is not lawfull for vs to say against God or to thinke that we of our selues or by our owne forces onely haue dōne these good workes but by the assistance of Gods grace by which he moues vs and by vs as by his instruments produceth good workes Wherefore we ought with all the humilitie we can to render thankes vnto God who hath vouchsafed graciously to vse vs as his instruments when if it had so pleased his goodnesse and benignitie he might haue vsed others and perhapps with so much more fruit by how much they should haue better cooperated with his grace then we haue donne And when one by this consideration hath humbled himselfe in the sight of his diuine Majestie yet must he further diligently examine whether that which he is about to pray for be against his souls health or not if it be he must not expect to obteine any such thing att the hands of God For God being of his owne nature most good most bountifull cannot grant vnto his petitiones that which he knowes to be pernitious and hurtfull vnto him And he knoweth long before we demand it whether it will damnifie or proffit vs. Hence it is that we doe not presently obteine that which we aske for be cause God seeth it will be a hinderance to our soule But there is yet a third thing required to the obteining of this fruit of prayer that is Vve obteine not for others as for our selues that it concernes our selues that we pray for For although we be bound to pray for our neighbours yet are we not alwayse heard praying for them especiallie for so much as apparteines to this fruit For perchance eyther they are not worthy to haue that granted vnto them that we pray for or perhapps it is not profitable for theire souls health And in case we doe not obteine the thing for which we pray yet shall not our prayer be in vaine and frustrate of all reward for he whoe prayeth for his neighbour and obteiyneth not for him yet he meriteth for himselfe My prayer saythe the prophet shall be turned into my owne bosome as if he had sayd my prayer when I praye for others Psalm 34. if it profiteth them not yet shall it not want its reward because I know it will be turned to my good the proffitt will redound to me it will be turned into my owne bosome with advantage If therefore the prayer of any one be grounded vpon this profound humilitie Three things requisit that o● prayer be imperator and for himselfe and demanding nothing preiuditiall to his souls health let him proceede in Gods name whosoeuer he be not doubting but that he shall obtein what he prayeth for not doubting I say be cause saint Iames promiseth saying let him aske in fayth nothing doubting and it shal be granted vnto him Iac. 1. And our lord also in the gospell sayth what socuer praying yee shall aske beleiue that yee shall receiue and it shall be donne vnto yee Marc. 11. And let this suffice concerning the second fruit of prayer and how we may atteine vnto it Of the third fruit of prayer which is spirituall sweetnesse CHAP. IIII. THe third fruit of prayer we haue sayd to be a certeine Spirituall sweetnesse with which our soule is marvelously affected and deligheted in praying Of this fruit whosoeuer desireth to tast and to be pertaker off it