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	good_a	great_a	1,387	5	2.5396	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07444	The iudge of heresies one God, one faith, one church, out of which there is no saluation. Excluding all infidells, Mahumetans, Iewes, obstinate papists, and other heretikes of all sorts, and consequently all newters, who conforme themselues onely externally to any religion, from hope of participation of the kingdome of heauen. If they finally persist therein, and returne not to the knowledge and zealous profession of the true faith. By Iohn Merideth, Sub-Deane of Chichester.	Meredith, John, b. 1579 or 80.	1624 (1624)	STC 17830; ESTC S112660	68,232	98

reward thou doest expect is beyond the merit of thy Vertues and wilt thou murmurre if thy punishment be proportionable to thy faults Behold thou that boastest of the perfection of thy Vertues doest want Iustice the foundation of all and consequently art v●iust wee who are Christians confesse that wee haue very few vertues which shall bee rewarded aboue measure innumerable vices to receiue their punishment wee say this is iust and yet through mercy are wee saued which mercy is content to accept another to vndergoe the punishment and to giue vs this person his owne Sonne out of the bosome of his Father Iesus Christ the Righteous and hee is the propitiation 〈◊〉 Joh. pri●●a cap. 2. for our sinnes that wee may truly say with the Kingly Prophet In him Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousnes Psal and Peace haue kissed each other Wee sinned hee suffered wee are acquitted wee know our want and our relieuer also our want maketh vs seeke his promise and our confidence maketh vs obtaine that which thou canst not because thou knowest not nor dost acknowledge thy want and therefore dost not seeke nor knowest not where to seeke or whom for an helper and that because thou winkest or stopp●st thine eare vnleast thou shouldst see or heare him who cryeth vnto thee Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you Take my yoake on you and learne of mee that I am meeke and Math. 11. lowly in heart and you shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoake is easie and my burden is light This is hee vnto whom wee cleaue vnto him haue wee bound our selues and that worthily for there is no other name vnder heauen whereby wee Acts. 4. must bee saued but the name of Iesus Whosoeuer therefore doth not wholly relye on him with the Christian must ineuitably perish Wherefore Viues a man otherwise of excellent learning and sound Iudgement is as farre beside the right marke as is distance betweene Heauen and Hell in affirming That Comment in lib. 18 cap. 47. d● Ciuit. Dei those who being borne in the most remote Territories beyond the maine Ocean and neuer heard any thing af Christ but if they keepe those two great cammandements wherein consisteth the Law and the Prophets viz. Louing God and his Neighbour are as acceptable to God as Baptized Christians Quum Spiritum Sanctum non secus quam Apostoli meruerint acceperint Seeing they haue deserned and receiued the holy Ghost as well as the Apostles that because they sought out the righteousnesse of the Lord So great a matter is it saith hee to haue a desire to be good though thou canst not finde a man to teach thee vertue wheras our Sauioursaith That hee that beleeueth not in him is condemned already euen for this cause that hee hath not beleeued in the name of that only Iohn 3. begotten Sonne of God whereas the knowledge of Christ is life 17. eternall And whereas hee pretendeth that they might perfectly performe the Law following nature for their Guide their Conscience being their Law consequently be saued by their vertuous life as many Christians on the contrary hauing the knowledge of he Law do notwithstanding transgresse against th● law and thereby incurre damnation I answer that there are many Christians wicked but there are no Pagans to bee found good for though some of them were accounted to bee good yet they performed all their Actions for vaine-glory But he that is good for vaine glory and not for the loue of Goodnesse it selfe if opportunity second him hee will follow euill desires And therefore I say that as daily slippes of infirmity doe not hinder the true penitent Christian from life ●ternall for without such no man can spend this wretched life So some vertuous Actions of which the most impious man cannot bee wholly destitute cannot further the infidell to euerlasting Saluation because hee doth them to a wrong end as for vaine glory Neither can hee say that God is vniust if hee doe not giue him life eternall for a reward of his vertues for God doth recompence them with temporall blessings at which they most aymed and looked not beyond heare the mystery reuealed by the Author of the imperfect worke vpon Saint Mathewes Gospell where hee saith Si fidelis 〈◊〉 26. fec●rit opus bonum hic ei prodest c. If a Belieuing Christian doth act a good worke it doth profit him in this life to deliuer him from euill and in the next life to receiue the Kingdome of Heauen but rather there then heere But if an Infidell doth a good worke his worke doth profit him heere in this life and God will render him good things heere for his worke but it will not profit him in the life to come neither is hee placed among the faithfull because of his worke and iustly too Quia naturali bono motus fecit bonum non propter Deum because hee did act that good deed by the meere motion of nature and not for the loue of God And I say though a man should performe true vertues and yet bee destitute of the knowledge and faith of Christ hee could not be saued for what good had it beene vnto Saint Paul to haue kept the righteousnesse which is of the Law if hee had not knowne Christ Seeing our Sauiour saith v●to the Iewes Except yee belieue that I am hee yee shall dye in your sinnes In consideration whereof Saint Paul ●enounceth Io● 8. all confidence in his righteousnesse which is in the Law touching which he was vnblameable that he might gaine the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus accounting all Philip. 3. things to be dung that hee might win●e Christ that hee might be found in him that is not hauing his own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith But these workes in a Beleeuing Christian are profitabl because they are done by them of loue toward God i● whom they beleeue and that with great hu●ility o which loue Infidels being destitute th●ir workes are meer● vanity for it may bee That some may belieue ther● is a God and yet not loue him as the Diuels doe Who beleeue Iacob Cap. 2. and tr●mb●e but it cannot be that any one should loue God who doth not beleeue in him because euery one may beleeue a thing to be which he doth not loue but no man doth loue that which hee doth not beleeue to bee but the Apostle saith that All good workes cannot pr●fit if loue of God be wanting yet though a man haue a true knowle●ge 1 Cor. 19. of God Historicall and that faith which could worke miracles and yet bee void of the true faith which worketh by Charity they could not profit If therefore those workes which are acted by him who hath that faith of working

prouing them to be traitors to Christ and no better then Atheists who communicate outwardly with the Papists in their Religious Rites and seeme also to bee Protestants in heart and affection with St. Augustine his Censure of the forenamed for a conclusion THere is a God and the same is the most Omnipotent Lord of hea●en and earth and all things therein contained and therefore he will be worshiped by man though Atheists deny him He is a Spirit and therefore he requireth true and vnfeigned deuotion though Hipocrites dissemble it Hee is holy and requir●th Sanct●ty in his seruants though Epicures neglect it He is Truth and therefore he will be Worshipped in truth though Hereti●ks depraue it Hee only is God and there is No other God beside him though Pagans doe multiply And therefore he claimeth all worship to be done vnto him alone though Idolaters translate it He is the Law-giuer and hath prescribed what worship he requireth of vs From which he will not haue vs to decline either to the right hand or to the left though Libertines Newters or to giue them their proper denomination Nullisidians doe diuersty vary who thinke God is satisfied with any kinde of worship and that man for this cause is safe in what Religion soeuer he liueth or dyeth and might shape himselfe vnto seuerall Religions though neuer so different if they did not directly deny God The which damnable opinion proceedeth from palpable and grosse ignorance in the true faith and is like vnto that error of the Pagans who by Symachus their Ambassadour required of Valeatinian the Emperour that their Idolatry might bee restored and maintained as well as Christ●anity for that worshiping of many Gods saith he is the best meanes to finde out the true God Thus he speaketh in the Christian Poet Secretum sed grande nequit rationis opertae Prudent lib. 2. contra Symachi●n Qu●ri aliter quam si sparsis via multiplicetur Tramitibus centenos terat orbita calles Qu● situra deum variata indage latentem The great secret of the hidden Mistery of the truth cannot be otherwise sought out then by diuiding the way into diuers pathes and without wheeling about seuerall courses thus is God best sought who lyeth hidden in variety of Mazes For as those Pagans not knowing the only true God did therefore addict themselues to worship many Gods that therby they might attaine to the knowledge of the great secret Mystery of the true Religion as they supposed So Newters being ignorant of the true saith betake themselues to sundry Sects and Religions and thinke that to be the safest meanes to become secure of Saluation But as the prudent Poet saith Longe aliud verum est c. The contrary is true for diuersity of wayes hath diuers creckes and causeth to goe astray more dangerously the plaine way only is without error being without turnings and doubtfull vnknowne by-wayes for as there is but one Maker and Gouernour of this world which is God and but one Truth So there can be but one simple Religion because whatsoeuer is true and good cannot be perfect vnlesse it be singular And in vaine doe Newters hope by their various practise to be saued for Dubius in fide Infidelis est Vacillation argueth Extrade Haeret cap. Dubi●s Symbol Infidelity Whosoeuer doth not beleeue the Catholike faith Fir●iter fideliterque saith Athanasius faithfully and constantly he cannot be saued The state of such persons who through doubt being perplexed in case of Religion and therefore embrace all and consequently are voyd of ●ny faith is most elegantly described by Vinc●ntiu● Lyrineusis as followeth Et rev●r● cum quaequ● Nouita● ebullit statim cernitur frumentorum gravitas Leuita● palearum c. Lib. cont h●r● cap. 25. And in very deed when any Nouelty ariseth the solid weighty corne is presently discerned from the light Chaffe then that is cast from the floore without any great labour which had no weighty substance to keepe it within the floore for some flye away wholly out of hand some are shooke off only and feare to perish and are ashamed to returne being wounded halfe dead and halfe aliue like those who haue dranke such a quantity of poyson which doth neither kill nor will be digested nor cause death nor suffer to liue O miserable condition with how great and furious stormes of cares are they touzed Sometimes they are rapt by an headlong error whither the winde will driue them sometime returning vnto themselues they slide backe againe like contrary waues one while through rash presumption they approue things vncertaine another while through foolish feare they are afraid at those things which are certaine They doubting which way to goe whither to returne what to desire what to shun what to hold what to let goe Hitherto Vincentius Such as these are too many who carry the Title of Christians in most Churches they will not approue the Religion of the Reformed Church nor that of the Papists neither will they reiect them but as a learned and religious Diuine of our Church Mr. White Epla dedica● ad lib. said They being ignorant and vnderstanding nothing but liuing voide of the knowledge and conscience of all Relgion are possible of his minde that Turonensis writeth of who said that it was best of all if both the one and the other were followed neither were it any hurt Si inter Gentilium aras Dei Ecclesiam quis transiens vtraque veneretur if going betweene the Alters of the Pagans and the Church of God a man should giue honour vnto both Whereas the saying of an Antient is most true concluding the contrary in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoder Pr●sbi●er lib. de Incar●●● Do● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For it is not possible that a meane betweene Truth and falsehood should be found or conceipted for the truth is alwaies in the middest and neuer declineth from thence and therefore is firme and euen on all sides and straite and doth not suffer any thing that is diuerse which may make it crooked or thrust it out of its owne state or constancy Such wauexers are no Bel●euers for Faith is Certitudo quaedam H●go de Sarcto Vict lib. 1. de Sa●r●●● art 8. ca● 1. an●m c. A kinde of certainty of the minde of things ab●ent about Opinion and b●neath Knowledg● it is called a Certainty Quia vbi est adbuc d●bitatio sides non est Becaus● where doubting remaineth there is no faith for Faith consisteth in two things Knowledge and Affection or Constancy or stability of beliefe The Substance o● Faith is in the Affection the matter is in Knowledge which knowledge may be wholly without Faith But ●aith cannot bee without some Knowledge because he that heareth any thing and doth not vnderstand doth not alwaies beleeue but he that doth vnderstand nothi●g doth beleeue nothing although he may sometime b●l●eue that which he doth not vnderstand

ther●fore there must alwaies be Knowledge with Faith which may direct faith in her Intention But yet that faith is safest and most lawdable which is greater in affection then knowledge as our Lord plainely sheweth where he compareth Faith to a Graine of Mustard-seed M●t. 13. which is very small in quantity but mighty in heate hereupon he ●aid to the woman of Canaan who then knew little but beleeued much O●woman great is thy faith 1● If one of these be awanting but especially the latter there is no faith but euery one that will be a Christian must bee able truly to say Nos credimus cognouimus c. W● beleeue Ioh. 6. and know One sparke of Gods grace moucth vs to seeke after the truth t●e which when wee haue found wee doe cleaue vnto it vnseperably when we haue once tasted How sweete 1 Pet. 2. the Lord is th●n nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord whereas Ignot● nu●●s c●spido where there is no knowledge there can be Rom. 8. no Affection F●ith and Knowledge are vnseparable in euery true beleeuer i● one of these be awanting in a man such a one is no● a Christian if thou diddest beleeue it is impossible that thou shouldest be negligent to attaine to the knowledge of the Reasons of that thou doest beleeue vnlesse thou shouldest entertaine Opinion for Truth which how dangerous it is in case of Saluation or damnation I referre me to those who haue hope of the life to come of which hope they are wholly destitute who are carelesse to vnderstand the mysteries of Faith which are so full of vnspeakeable comfort vnto man At the best they are but like to the Samaritanes who worshiped they knew not what But in whomsoeuer there is a true knowledge of Christ and Ioh. 4. his Gospell there must follow incredible zeale in cleauing vnto him and his truth We see in the Primitiue Church how when they once knew Christ they ran after him they forsooke kingdomes treasures pleasures parents wiues children kindred and their liues also they left and forsooke all for the loue of Christ Emperours and Kings Philosophers and Orators Noble and Ignoble young men and maidens old men and children and cleaue so fast vnto Christ that the presence of the greatest honour state and riches could not withdraw them from Christ Iouianus being elected Emperour by the Souldiers after the death of Iulian the Apostata refused it vntill they cryed out Socrat. lib. 3. Eccle. hist cap 19. that they would be Christians also Valens and Valentinian with the same Iouian being commanded Cap. 11. to sacrifice vnto Idols and to leaue Christ or their offices put off their belts and resigned their Offices protesting that they would vndergoe all torments rather then deny Christ Torments could not amaze them but that they insulted ouer their tortures The terror of death could not affright them nor any other meanes whatsoeuer drawe them from Christ yea so zealous were they that they would not beare the defacing of the faith so much as in the adding of one letter no not in the altering of one letter They would not suffer ● to be added to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gratifie that monster A●rius Russia lib. 1. Eccl. hist cap. 5. Conci● 1 phes Exem●●a Ci●il ad Yestor nor change τ into to please blasphemous Nestorius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The defect of the like zeale in the Newters of this age sheweth them to be none of Christs Disciples Tepidum Discipulum non ama● Christus Nature hath as it were sowed this i●stinct into all men that children if they be good cannot dissemble the iniuries done vnto their parents and so likewise faithfull s●ruants cannot but defend the causes of their Lords So is it common that euery one who hath receiued a benefit from another man should vse all meanes to requite vnlesse he would incurre the title of Ingratitude With how much greater debt and more iust law then that of Nature are we bound to maintaine the honour of our Sauiour not only in words but if need so require with the effusion of our blood And seeing the honour he requireth at our hands consisteth in our true and reasonable seruice of him according to his prescript what shall we thinke of such who are so faire from seruing him that they mocke him for what else doe all dissemblers He is not Christs seruant saith Augustine Sed subsannator Irrisor qui eius se servum dicit cui servire dissimulat But a scoff●r and mocker that saith he is his seruant whom he doth dissemblingly serue Doe they not mocke him who professe Christianity with the Protestants and yet are as ready to entertaine Popish Id●latry and approue likewise euery heresie and yet are so impudent to say that there is no euill in such abhomination These men well deserue that their seruants should perswade them to beleeue that they haue an carnest desire to doe them seruice whereas they spend their whole time in sleeping drunkennesse and sporting and doe not moue so much as one finger to performe any kinde of worke or businesse Though the mighty God doth not stand in need of our thankfulnesse for what Patronage can this mortall tongue of ours vndertake for the eternall glory of our Creator what can the small drops of our praises adde vnto the boundles bottomles sea of that infinite Maiesty what will it hurt God if the sacrilegious mouthes of impious Atheists shal blaspheme him conspire as the Giants did at the building of the tower of Babel to tumble him out of heauen yet is it a matter most beseeming euery Christian most acceptable vnto God to shew a token of loue and reuerence toward his Maiesty and to oppose our tongues against their tongues who blaspheme God to persecute false Religion with word writ and sword to defend the Gospell against Papisme and so to professe the true faith that we openly renounce all kinde of heresie God requireth that we loue him with all our heart with all our soule and with all our minde for God will not haue Aluim quenquam s●cium amoris in anima hominis Any corriuall Apon lib. 1 ●n Cauti● of loue in the soule of man hee desireth to rule alone in his whole strength in all his heart and in all his bowels hee requireth thee to loue him with thy vnderstanding So that thou doest giue no way vnto error in the confession of his name thou must will nothing contrary thereunto nor giue way vnto any such thought which may alienate thy affection from this truth Then doest thou loue God truly wherein consisteth the perfection of thy faith which vn●teth thee vnto God without which thou canst not truly say that thou doest beleeue in God Now if thou diddest loue God thou couldest not keepe silence when thou diddest heare or see thy