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
A90893	Christ and Moses excellency, or Sion and Sinai's glory. Being a triplex treatise, distinguishing and explaining the two covenants or the gospel and law: and directing to the right understanding applying, and finding of the informing and assuring promises, that belong to both Covenants. By Vavasor Povvell, preacher of the Gospel in Wales.	Powell, Vavasor, 1617-1670.	1650 (1650)	Wing P3080; Thomason E1259_1; ESTC R208890	156,531	581

made with David and his seed i.e. Solomon and not with Christ and his seed A. Jesus Christ is called (w) Esa 22.22 Ezek. 37.24 Hos 3.5 David frequently in Scripture because he was made of the (x) Ro. 1.3 Called the branch of David Jer. 23.6 Mat. 1.1 because he sprang from Dav. seed of David according to the flesh though it be true that God made a Covenant with David and his seed or son Solomon and that this Psalme in the letter of it hath relation thereunto yet Solomons Throne did not endure for ever but was (y) Jer. 22.30 Ez. 21.16 overthrowne therefore sure this is to be applied onely to Christ and his spirituall seed according to the strict and spirituall meaning of the words Quest To what end should the Covenant of Grace be made before man stood in need of grace for till Adam had sinned there was no necessity or misery requiring grace or mercy Answ (z) Act. 15.18 Known to God are all his workes from or before the beginning of the world and hee had all things then as present and as reall before the eyes of his glory as now he hath viz. mans creation fall and recovery and in this sense there was no precedency of time in regard of any of Gods counsells or secret acts Moreover God fore-seeing that man would sinne and thereby stand in need of Grace hee prepared this sovereigne salve Christ or the promise of life and grace to be presently applied and clapped to this wounded dying man as the brazen Serpent was prepared and (a) Num. 21 8 9. set up before-hand for them that should afterwards be stung Q. What was the nature of that Covenant which God the Father made with Jesus Christ A. It was a (b) Joh. 6 39 40. Heb. 10.7 voluntary (c) Eph. 1.5 well-pleasing and (d) Es 53.10 11. mutuall act and agreement betweene the Father and his Son Jesus Christ such as a man makes with his (e) Eph. 1.9 owne minde concerning his owne children or members Q. Who were the parties concerned in this Covenant A. God the Father (f) Esa 42.1 Jesus Christ the Mediator and the (g) Gal. 3.16 called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Church or body of Christ for whom he was to mediate Q. What did God the Father then promise unto Christ on his part A. They were either things that did belong to the worke of his Mediatorship or things to gratifie and satisfie him for his worke of Mediation Q. What were those things that God the Father did promise Christ as belonging to the worke of his Mediation A. That he would (h) Heb. 1.9 annoynt him and (i) Esa 11.2 fill him with the Spirit above all others and (k) Heb. 10.5.10 fit him with a body to sacrifice for sins and (l) Esa 42.1 uphold and (m) Esa 42.6.50.5 strengthen him that he should not be (n) Esa 50 7 confounded nor ashamed by the things he suffered Q. What were those things which God the Father promised Jesus Christ in way of gratification and satisfaction for the worke of his mediation A. That he would (o) Esa 50.8 justifie and glorifie him (p) Joh. 17.22 24. and all (q) Esa 53.11 his seed and that he should (r) Esa 53.10 Heb. 2.7.10 see and (s) Eph 5 25 27. enjoy the travell and purchase of his soule and body and have (t) Mat. 28.18 all power in heaven and in earth given to him till all things be (u) 1 Cor. 15.28 subdued unto him and when God must bee all in all Q. What was the summe of the Covenant promised and to be performed on Christs part A. To become a (w) Heb 8.6 Mediator (x) Heb. 7.22 Surety and (y) Act. 13.23 Saviour for all those that his Father should (z) Joh. 17.11 12. give him and in the Fathers appointed time to become flesh (a) Gal. 4 4. for to (b) Mat. 11.27 manifest and (c) Joh. 17.4 glorifie his Father by (d) Jo. 6.39 revealing and (e) Joh. 15 10 keeping his will Also to (f) Luk. 24.46 suffer and (g) Hos 13.14 satisfie (h) 1 Pet. 2.24 personally and (i) He 10.14 perfectly for the sinnes of men and having (k) Jo. 14.4.19 finished his worke to bring (l) Joh. 10.18 himselfe and those (m) Joh 6.39.40 given to him by the Father unto (n) Heb. 2.10 glory Quest What followed upon the making of this Covenant betweene the Father and Jesus Christ Answ Christ being (o) Esa 42.1 elected (p) Joh. 6.27 sealed and (q) Jo. 10.36 sanctified viz. set apart to his office of Mediatorship and those (r) Joh. 6.39 given him by the Father being also (s) Eph. 1.4 v. 5. so the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies elected and (t) 2 The. 2.13 sealed to obtaine adoption and salvation through Christ The Father (u) Eph. 1.22 Col. 1.18 gave Christ to be the head of that select number and body and the head of all other things for that body and so filled Christ with his (w) Col. 1.19 owne fulnesse that he should let out (x) Ioh. 1.16 grace for grace into that body and so committed them to his (y) Ioh. 17.12 Gen. 43.13.14 care charge and custody as Jacob did Benjamin to Reuben Gen. 43.13 14. having first given them his (z) 2 Tim. 1.9 grace and (a) Eph. 1.3 blessing in Christ Jesus Q What moved God the Father to make such a Covenant A. In respect of himselfe his (b) Eph. 1.5 Rev. 4.11 owne pleasure and (c) Rom. 9.23 2 Cor. 1.20 glory in respect of men (d) Ioh. 3.16 17 23. free love and (e) Rom. 11.5 grace For Gods first and maine end in all his actions is his (f) Ioh. 11.4 Eph. 1.6.12 owne glory and next making out his (g) Ier. 31.3 Eph. 2.7 goodnesse unto his creatures Q. But did not God foresee that those for whom hee covenanted with Christ would beleeve and doe good workes and was not their foreseen faith and workes the cause that moved God to make such a Covenant A. 1. No but rather God did foresee that they could not nor would not of themselves beleeve or doe good works For considering men in themselves and without Christ they were (h) Eph. 2.1.5 1 Tim. 6.5 dead in their sinnes (i) Rom. 5.8 Ioh. 15.8 without strength and having neither (k) Ioh. 6.44 Eph 2.8 will nor power neither in themselves nor of themselves either to beleeve or to (l) Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 3.5 doe any good worke and therefore Gods grace preventeth and prepareth us before wee can bee able and worketh in us that we may be able 2. When the Scriptures speake of predestination and ordination before time to salvation which as I shewed before hath relation to Christ and that

world Ob. But where are the Elect called the world in Scripture A. In severall places as 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing to them their trespasses These cannot be reprobates for he saith their sins are not imputed to them So Ro. 4. 13. for the promise that he should bee heire of the world by the world is here meant the (o) Ro. 4.16 faithfull who are the (p) Gal. 3.29 Luk. 13.16 children of Abraham so Joh. 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved they that Christ intended to save or really saves cannot be Reprobates Also in Joh. 6.33 For the bread of God is that which commeth downe from beaven and giveth life unto the world Sure Christ doth not give life to all Again Christ promiseth that his Spirit should convince the world of sin Sure this must needs be a (q) This is the judgement of most or all godly Interpreters see Ioh 17.21 which expounds it that the world may beleeve i.e. those of the world that are appointed to beleeve saving conviction and they must needs be the Elect and not Reprobates that are convinced for they are convinced of unbeleefe of their owne and Christs Righteousnesse which I think no Reprobate is convinced of So also the Apostle (r) Heb. 2.5 saith That God hath not put in subjection to the Angels the world to come whereof we speake marke that meaning by the world to come the (s) Or the heirs of salvation Chap. 1.14 Church of the New Testament which hath appointed the Angels to be Ministers unto and not to be Rulers over I might instance in other places where the word world is taken for the Elect as Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turne unto the Lord so the Apostle saith He was beleeved on in the world or as the Greeke will beare it (t) Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated by Mat. 5.34 35. by the world So Joh. 1.29 The Lanb of God which taketh away the sins of the world this must be of the Elect and Beleevers for how doth he take away the sins of Reprobates when they are damned for them Ob. But is it not said God loved the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. Yes God is said to love the world and that shewes that by the world is not meant all the world for other Scriptures say that God (u) Ps 5.5 11.5 hateth the wicked or reprobate wicked and that God (w) Mal. 1.3 Ro. 9.13 hated Esau God is not capable of loving and hating the same person for that would argue both weaknesse and change which far be it from us to think that either should be in God Ob. But doth God hate any of his creatures A. God doth not hate them as they are his creatures no not the Devils themselves for their being but not their sin is from him but as now by their fall and degenerated condition they have enmity in their natures against him it is just for him to hate them also Ob. But doth not God hate the Elect also before and untill they beleeve A. Oh no he loved them with an (a) Jer. 31.3.2 Tim. 1.9 everlasting love and this love of his was the (b) Eph. 1.4 Ro. 9.11 12 13. cause of their election Ob. Doubtlesse Christ hath taken away the sins of all for be is said to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 A. 1. The whole world is oft-times in Scripture taken either for a great part and number of the world or for the nations of the world the Gentiles as the Apostle (c) Rom. 1.8 saith The faith of the Romans was spoken of throughout the whole world So (d) Rev. 13.3 all the world wondered after the Beast (e) Mat. 24.14 This Gospell of the Kingdome saith Christ shall be preached in all the world So the Jewes said the whole world is gone after him And the Evangelist saith (f) Luk. 2.1 All the world came to be taxed The Apostle John also saith (g) 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lyeth in wickednesse and the (h) Rev. 12.9 devill deceiveth the whole world The whole world in these and such places cannot be understood of all and every one in the world But Secondly That text may be expounded by another which (i) Ro. 3.25 saith That propitiation is through faith in his i.e. in Christs blood And according to these Objectors (k) Vid. A book called The fountaine of Free-grace p. 4. own opinions their sins are not done away nor they pardoned or justified till they doe believe and yet they say all the sinnes of all the world yea the sinne of unbeliefe are washed away in the bloud of Christ This is a Riddle and Paradox how they are done away and yet imputed to men how unbeleefe is washed away and yet men are damned for it Sure they must either be done away (l) Heb. 10.12 perfectly and for ever or not at all And if they be once pardoned they are so far from being imputed againe to men that the Lord (m) Heb. 8.12 saith He will not remember them any more Ob. But some are said to be purged from their old sins which shews that their sinnes were done away and yet they were blinde still A. Purging must here be taken one of these three wayes as it s taken in Scripture 1. For Justification and forgivenesse of sins as Heb. 1.3 and 10.2 Psal 79.9 and 51.7 Or 2. For true and reall Sanctification as Job 15.3 Esa 1.25 Heb. 9.25 Tit. 2.14 Or 3. For an outward and seeming sanctification as Ezek. 24.13 Lev. 12.7 Or as the Apostle (n) Heb. 9.13 speaks a purifying of the flesh If you take purging in either of the two former senses then you must either conclude that those who are truly and really justified and sanctified may be blinde i.e. miserable againe (o) Ro. ● 30 Act. 20.32 contrary to the Scriptures or else that these were not quite blinde or without the knowledge of Christ altogether but that they were Christians who could not see afareff as the Apostles expression is and so this text is understood by some that are most knowing and spirituall But this purging here may rather be understood of an outward and seeming sanctification and holinesse which the Apostle seemes to relate to in the (p) 2 Pet. 2.2 20. next Chapter If saith he after they have escaped the pollutions of the world c. they are againe intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the begining These men had indeed a sanctification in shew and they seemed to be made holy by the bloud of Jesus and through the knowledge of him to escape the pollutions of the world but yet

condition at all in them yet when God hath taken a man into Covenant with himself and sowne his owne seed in the field of mans heart and so sprung up light life and faith in the soule then the soule is to say as Christ said My Father worketh hitherto and I work or as the Apostle said We are co-workers together with him yet herein we must also know that it is not enough for God to tune the Instrument of the soule but he must also play thereon himselfe otherwise the Musicke cannot be melodious I meane it is not enough for God to give as they are tearmed the habits of grace or to worke grace at first in mens hearts but he must also incite exercise and act those infused or created habits And therefore it s said to be an act of Gods (a) Phil. 2.13 good pleasure and an act of his (b) Eph. 1 19-3.20 Col. 1.11 power to quicken put forth increase and act that grace he hath wrought in his Saints Ob. I grant that faith is the gift of God and that man cannot beleeve of himselfe but then God must give it to men before he enters into Covenant with them that so they may have it as a hand to take hold upon the Covenant A. Faith is not given before the Covenant but in with and through the Covenant And the Author of faith which (c) Heb. 12.2 is Christ must be present in the soule either before or at the first minute and instant of beleeving for its impossible that the effect should bee before the cause as light before the Sunne or heat before the fire or the fruit of the tree before the tree it self Faith therefore being a beam ray of Christ the Son of righteousnesse and a (a) Gal. 5.2 fruit of the Spirit of Christ it cannot possibly be in the soule before Christs spirituall presence Christ first layes himselfe a foundation and laies then or builds men upon that foundation Mat. 18.16 So then its Christ in us that brings us to Christ out of us or the Spirit of Christ leads a sinfull soule to the person merits and righteousnesse of Christ Ob. If the Covenant be altogether free then hath not Christ purchased a right for men to the Covenant and so his merits is no ground of the Covenant A. Though it be altogether free in respect of men yet as you heard before it was founded upon Christ and his merits yea doubtlesse all the (b) Gal. 4.5 Eph. 1 5-2.14 mercies and legacies of the Covenant were really purchased by him yea (c) 2 Pet. 1.1 faith it selfe which you call the condition of the Covenant And though God the Father was inclinable and propense to be at peace with and to be reconciled unto men yet his Justice put a barre to his Mercy till it had a promise of satisfaction from Christ yea till it was satisfied by him For though there was love in God to men from eternity which cannot be said to be purchased by Christ for this is not properly and strictly a legacy of the Covenant but rather the first and efficient cause thereof yet this love lay hid so in the bosome of God that Christ brought it to light and gained us the enjoyment and possession of it Fourthly this Covenant appeares to be free by the persons that are taken into it and by the time they are taken into it 1. As for the persons commonly they are the (a) 1 Cor. 1.27 28. foolishest (b) Jam. 1.5 meanest worst vilest and wretchedst that God doth choose to enter into Covenant with witnesse the (c) 1 Cor. 6.9 1.1 prophane Corinthians the (d) Act. 19.27.35 Eph. 2.11 Idolatrous Ephesians the (e) Act 17.22 superstitious Athenians the (f) Mat. 10.3 Luk. 19.2 Mat. 21 31 32. scandalous and ungodly Publicans and the (g) Joh. 4.8.39 8.3.4.11 Luk. 82. Heb. 11 31. luk 15 13.30 abominable and filthy harlots whoremongers and the like 2. Then secondly for the time God enters into Covenant with them Is it not even them when they are highest and vilest in sin as for example Paul in the (h) Act. 9.2.3 height and heat of his persecution when he was even (*) Act. 26.11 desperately mad raging raving and hastily running to hale and drag the Saints into prison also the scurrilous scoffing Jewes at that (i) Act. 2.13 37. instant were taken into Covenant the Thiefe or (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a praeda vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 latca he was one that lay hid for the prey high-way Robber even at the last houre l lu 23.43 when he could not serve nor glorifie God so much as one day or houre on earth yea the whorish woman when but newly taken in the Act of Adultery was (m) Ioh. 8.4.9 10 11. pitied and tendred by Christ These and many other examples verifie that (n) Ez. 16.8 Scripture where God saith when they were in their filthinesse and nakednesse he sware unto them and entred into a Covenant with them and they became his But to come to the second property of the Covenant Secondly It is a full and compleat Covenant (a) 1 Tim. 6 17. riehly and plentifully stored with all suitable promises both for (b) 1 Tim. 4.8 this life and that which is to come like that (c) Psal 65.9 River of God which is said to be full of water or the (d) Ps 104.24 earth full of Gods riches There is in God and in his Covenant (e) Rom. 2.4 riches of goodnesse to pardon and passe by mens sinfulnesse (f) Eph. 1.7 riches of grace to cover mens nakednesse and shamefulnesse and (g) Rom. 9.23 Eph. 3.16 riches of glory to satisfie mens soules for ever Note this That a soule cannot not want the good thing but it is in Christ and the Covenant nor seeke the good thing either for soule or body but it is promised in the Covenant For the Lords promises are altogether as (h) The number of the promises by Mr. Leighs computation are about 1540. and there bee many more large as his commands and larger then his threatnings therefore soule thou canst not be in that condition whether thou beest (i) Ps 84.11 Phil. 4.19 a Saint or a Sinner but there is somewhat in the Covenant which suits with that condition and tends to answer relieve and redresse thee be it for soule body or both Thirdly It is an (k) 1 Sam. 23.5 ordered or well-ordered Covenant 1. In respect of the persons with whom it is made as first and primarily with Christ then with men as you heard before Secondly In respect of the promises and parts of the Covenant as first (a) Jer. 32.38 God becomes our God and then makes us his people and afterwards (b) Ezek. 16 8 9. washes and sanctifies us from our sins Thirdly In respect of manifestation God first reveals it by

in time and in order before the Law Object But how doth it appeare that the Gospel is to be preached before the Law Answ 1. By the practice of Christ and his Apostles who preached the Gospel first As for example our Saviour he pronounced [k] Mat. 5.3 to 12. See Mat. 4.23 Mat. 1.4 nine blessings of the Gospel in his Sermon on the Mount before he spake one word of the Law So Paul [l] 1 Cor. 15.3 when he came to the Corinthians he delivered unto them first of all that which he also received how that Jesus Christ dyed for their sinnes according to the Scriptures which was plaine and pure Gospel So Paul and Silas upon the first question propounded unto them by the Keeper of the Prison they exhort [m] Acts 16.31 and teach him to beleeve in the Lord Jesus And this was also the constant practice of the Apostles where-ever they came Gredere facere 2. Because that beleeving is to be taught before doing for [n] Heb. 11 6. without faith it is impossible to please God And that the preaching of the Law doth not teach men to beleeve i. e. in Christ as a Mediator I have shewed before Perkins on Gal. 3.11 See Gall. 2.20 for as that worthy man Mr. Perkins saith The Gospel requires faith in Christ the Mediator God-Man and this faith the Law never knew 3. Because that the Gospel is the word that doth inlighten and beget men againe 2 Cor. 4.3 4. 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Cor. 4.15 And to what end is it to teach any thing of duty unto men before they have either light or life to perform the same Observe what and how our Saviour spake to the sinfull woman thy sinnes are forgiven therefore sinne no more here was more Gospel then Law Many more reasons might be given but to answer some Objections that are brought against this truth Object But the Lord taught Adam and Eve in Paradice the Law before he did deliver the Promise unto them Gen. 3.11 13.16 Ergo the Law should be preach'd before the Gospel Answ For God to ask Adam hast thou eaten of the tree c. and Eve What is this that thou hast done is not at all to preach the Law Withall before he threatens Adam or Eve for their disobedience he declares the promise of Christ see v. 15 16 17. But put the case this had been a preaching of the Law to them yet this was an extraordinary manner of speaking and not an ordinary way and therefore the Argument is not good for by the same reason we may say that the Gospel must now be accompanied with miracles because Christs preaching and his Apostles was so 2. Object You say the Apostles preached the Gospel first but it is evident to the contrary for they discovered unto men their sins as Peter said Acts 2. Ye have crucified the Lord of Glory Answ 1. I have proved before that the Apostles did preach the Gospel before the Law and it is evident that Peter in that second of the Acts before he spake of the Jewes crucifying Christ did preach the free and blessed Gospel as concerning the powring out of the Spirit v. 17. and being saved by calling upon the name of the Lord v. 21. And those words of Peter spoken to the Jewes v. 36. which you have crucified were not cheifly intended by him to declare to them their sin but his aime and scope was to prove that that Jesus whom they had crucified was risen from the dead and was both Lord and Christ For mark the text Let all the house of Israel saith he know assuredly that God made that same Jesus both Lord and Christ But what if it were granted that this was Law yet what is this one occasionall word in a whole Sermon is no ground to preach whole Sermons yea many Sermons of the Law to fit men for Christ as too many doe Object But how can men come to see the want and need of Christ if the Law be not first preached unto them Answ The Scripture doth not command Ministers to shew men the need of Christ first but rather to shew the love of God in giving Christ and to shew and set forth the [o] John 3.1 Rom. 5.9 riches of Christs grace to sinners in generall and it is supposed that all men doe looke upon themselves as sinners and acknowledge themselves to be sinners although they have not such a particular and sensible conviction thereof Object But doth not Christ say that the whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick importing that they must first know their sins and be sick with the sence thereof Answ I have in a printed Sermon elsewhere answered that Objection and cleared that and such Scriptures yet observe this that our Saviour doth not intend there So that blessed Gospel Preacher Mr. Bridges expounds the place sinners that did see themselves lost but those that were so also the gentile Sinners with the Jewes so called and accounted Object But is it not the first worke of the Spirit to convince men of sin John 16.8 Answ by sinne in that place is meant the sinne of unbeliefe as our Saviour expounds it of sinne saith he because they beleeved not on me v. 9. and this sinne is not convinced by the Law as I have before declared For that which doth not command faith cannot discover that sin which is contrary to it even unbeliefe Object But repentance is the doctrine of the Law and this was the first thing that was taught by the Apostles and is also mentioned as the first principle or first thing to be taught Answ Though repentance be sometimes placed before beleeving and set down as the first principle in Heb. 6. Yet understand what this word repentance signifies this word in the Greek signifies as much as alter or change your mindes and being spoken to the Iewes doubtlesse is meant as much as this have other thoughts of Christ then you have and beleeve his Gospel and doe no more conceive of him as you have done as not to be the true Christ And Mr. Perkins on Gal. 3.11 in answer to an Objection saith Indeed the Law doth not teach true repentance neither is it any cause of it but onely anoccasion the Gospel only prescribes repentance and the practice thereof And when the Apostle cals it a principle yet he also there cals it a principle of the doctrine of Christ including it in the Gospel and doubtlesse a meere legall repentance is no way available to salvation Object If the Law be not to be preached first when and to whom is the Law to be preached Answ 1. The Law is to be preached after the Gospel and unto justiciaries or such as doe justifie themselves as the Jewes did and that thinke by misunderstanding the Law that they keep the Law and worke the righteousnesse that the Law requireth Thus Christ did preach the Law Matth. 5. And thus