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	lie_n	truth_n	1,698	5	6.1293	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10324	The discovery of the man of sinne wherein is set forth the changes of Gods church, in her afflictions by his raigne. Consolations by his ruine. First preached in divers sermons to the Vniversitie and cittie of Oxon, by a reverend & iudicious divine IR. D. of Divinity and sometimes of Queenes College. And now published for the farther vse of both, and comfort of all that hate Antichrist and loue the Lord Iesus Christ wheresoever: By W.H.	Rainolds, John, 1549-1607.; Hinde, William, 1569?-1629. aut	1614 (1614)	STC 20609; ESTC S103451	47,096	56

houre others at the last Although they saw not all the errours yet such as overthrew the foundation of Christianitie no doubt they vnderstood and withstood And we are to thinke that vnto them many things were pardonable which now to vs are not And wee boldly say as did the Prophet had not the mercy of the Lord beene great to leaue vs a remnaent we had beene al as Sodome and had beene like to Gomorrha But when we speake of Gods mercy we speake of a thing that is bottomlesse and incomprehensible When they aske of vs. How many or who are they who thus were saued What other answer can they haue but this Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath beene his counsellour We are then to think that God had some which never bowed their knees to Baall many who although partakers of many their errors yet held the foundation Some also who being deepely sunke in their grosse idolatries were notwithstanding saved as brands halfe burnt out of the fire beeing effectually called some sooner others later according to the rich mercy of God There remaine as yet two points of those which haue beene proposed The former the Cause why God sendeth this great punishment Wherin we are to consider how il he taketh the contempt of his worde The later the order and severity of God in condemning of such as refuse the word of truth offered 11 And therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies 12 That all they might be damned which beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse But because the later containing the grievousnes of the punishment doth sufficiently expresse how il the Lord taketh the offence which deserveth it I shall touch the same so far as this giveth occasion Some there are to whom the word of truth was never sent which abide in darknes and ignorance so that no man can expresse the wrath that lyeth on them Howbeit if we compare it with the fircenes of that wrath which is here declared against them to whom the word of truth hath bin revealed but who haue refused it we shall see that it is but very little For here is laid downe the displeasure of God against them to whō bread and water was offered but they as scornefull childrē haue cast it away and insteed thereof haue poison given them whereon they feed and drinke to their vtter destruction Foolish men who when they had the light sent amongst them loued darknes more then light who therefore had a perpetuall night brought on them and so were led from iniquity to iniquity til that punishment of damnation light vpon them The Iudgements here threatned are two 1 One in this life 2 The other in the life to come The former a punishment and sin A sin in that they take pleasure in beleeving lies and delusions a punishment in that they are given over therevnto The later a punishment only In the first men are both doers sufferers in the later they are sufferers only against their will The Pelagians long since the Papists at this day with some others whose names I spare haue so interpreted both this and the like places as having no other meaning but that God suffereth them to be given vp to delusions c least if they say as the Apostle doth that God sendeth them they should make him the author of sin But we may say to them as Iob Is it fit to lie for God We must say that which is the truth notwithstanding the vaine imagination which men haue of false consequents For the Scripture is plaine that God not only is a sufferer but a worker also in these punishments yet without all sin or blame For seeing it is said that he sendeth delusions as his messengers it is plaine that herein he hath his worke After which manner the scripture speaketh in other places The Lord put a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets And in the Prophet I the Lord haue deceived that Prophet The Rhemists in their marginal note on this place send vs to a place in Augustine out of which to learne how to expoūd this and other like places But Augustine sheweth that in these things God is more then a bare sufferer When he calleth it a righteous iudgement which iudgment must needs be his work but to know S. Aug. meaning read the 5. lib. contra Pelag. c. 3. where hee sheweth that herein is not only his sufferance but his power So that God marveilously worketh not only in the bodies but also in the hearts of men And for all wo●ks we are to hold this that if we say that God suffereth any thing which he careth not how or in what fort it falleth out we deny his Providence if he suffer any thing against his will we deny his omnipotent power But we may herein note the exceeding power of God which of the sins of the godly can make comfort to the godly raise glory to his name yea the sins of the faithful to turne to their good as he made the buffetings of Satan means to keep Paul from being prowd through the multitude of revelations If any man be curious in this wil not be satisfied but bring Gods wo●ks to mans tribunal let him looke to be consumed of his glory he that cannot hereof speak with reverence let him hold his tongue altogi●her O that you would hold your tongue that it might be imputed vnto you for wisedome After then that men refuse the loue of the truth God in wrath leaveth them to the rage of Satan who finding the house swept returneth with 7. other worse then himselfe and there taketh vp possession leading them on from one sin to another and at last to perpetuall destruction When that choice was offered David of the three punishments to take one he said he was in a great strait but if he had added for a fourth to haue bin left over to Satan and to haue bin forsaken of God the choice had bin easie Better it is said David to fall into the hands of God then of man but farre better had it bin to haue fallen into all the evils which all the world could do then to be givē vp to be punished by Satan It is a pitifull sight to see children die at the head of every street for want of food or that the sworde should destroy our people or that the pestilence shoulde walke through our citties if it were to slay but one in a house as in Egypt but yet were all this comfortable in comparison to see our friends die before our eies whether famished slain with the sword or destroyed with pestilence if they died thus in the favor of God this I say were comfort in comparison of this to see them like wandring sheep scattered without hope forsaken of God bound with chaines of sin

which hath placed his affiance and safety on the Lord. For when wee shall thinke that the earth is the Lords and all therein at his appointment so that nothing can comfort and profit vs without his blessing wee will never bee brought to seeke after any vnlawfull or vngodly meanes In the description of this adversarie which was to come before the comming of Christ there were fiue things proposed to be considered 1 The properties of this adversarie 2 The time of his appearing 3 His overthrow of which hitherto hath beene spoken 4 The Instruments which he shall vse to deceaue the world 5 A description of the persons whom he shall deceaue 4 Of the Instruments he saith that his comming shall bee by the working of Satan with all power c. In the sonnes of Beliall Satan worketh mightily but as it is said of Abraham that hee gaue all the goods vnto Isaac though hee gaue gifts also to the sonnes of his Concubines And as it is said that Elkanah gaue to Peninnah his wife and all her sonnes and daughters portions but vnto Hannah he gaue a worthy portion And as the first borne in the law was to haue twise so much as any other even so though Satan impart much subtiltie to other of his children yet this being his first borne shal come with a double measure of his gifts and a full power to deceaue The meaning therefore is that such as are to encounter with this adversarie shall finde him to be no common enimie For though he shall bee a man and therefore shall also die as the sonnes of men yet so great power shal be given him to deceaue the world that such as haue to deale with him shall finde that they are to striue with more then flesh bloud Whereas therefore the Church hath been alwaies in afflictions yet those which she shal suffer vnder Antichrist shall be so great that whereas these were but rods these shall be scourges his finger shall be heavier then other enimies loynes Where it is said that he shall come with all power it is not meant that such might should be given him that he should doe what he will for such power is not given to Satan himselfe it being a prerogatiue peculiar to Christ himselfe To me is al power givē for were it so meant then indeed should there no flesh be saved But the generall signe is to be restrained to the matter in hand that it be meant of the power of working miracles so as that if I had all faith so that I could moue mountaines Even so here after he had said all power it followeth signes lying wonders For he would hereby shew how that as Christ in the daies of his flesh wrought such workes as declared him to be the son of God as for the confirmation of the doctrine which they were to teach the Lord gaue to the Apostles the gift of working miracles And so Christ answered Iohns disciples Even so in the end of the world Antichrist comming to teach a new doctrine contrary to the gospel of Christ should labour to confirme the same by miracles Wherevpon must needes rise a double griefe to the Saints both for that they should be persecuted and suffer tribulation and that for resisting the doctrine which the world should see confirmed by strange and wonderfull m iracles Augustine moveth a question whether these should be wōders indeed or els only appeare so which he saith shall then be known when they appeare But that Satan worketh somtimes wonders indeed may appeare Deut. 13.2 As Satan had the windes at commandment Iob. 1.19 The Beast in Apoc. 13.13 made fire come down from heaven The question is more doubtfull of the Enchanters in Egypt whether the rods were turned indeed Psal. 58. Inchanters haue serpents at commandement as Ierome and Cassiodore expound Wherfore if Satan hath power to worke miracles indeed it is like seeing that Antichrist is to come with the full power of Satan that he shal worke such wonders as are indeed and not only appeare to be as Rev. 13. fire from heaven And they are al called lying whether they be false indeed appearing to be that which they are not or for that they serue for the proofe and confirmation of a ly Of vnrigteousnes hereby may be meant al offences cōmitted against the first table which concerne faith or calling vpon the name of the Lord as Rom. 1. which withhold the truth in righteousnes Where he sheweth what is therby meant they do not receiue the loue of the truth but belieue lies All deceaueablenes whereby is signified that he shal lack no meanes to deceiue the world Toward such as are simply minded he shall come with a shew of godlines towards the fearefull he shal shew strength and force to the ambitious he shall pretend power to dispose of kingdomes to them which looke for wonders he shall worke them c. In the description of the persons who shal be deceived wee may note 3 things 1 Who they are 2 The cause why they shall be deceived 3 The double punishment 1 The persons are said to be such as perish whence is gathered a speciall comfort that notwithstanding the power of Antichrist shal be so great and mighty yet shal it not be able to prevaile any whit with the elect Christ saith They shall deceaue the very elect if it were possible thē is it indeed impossible In thē therefore onely shal all his deceits be effectuall which pertake with him c. 2 The Cause laid downe is for that they received not the loue of the truth that they might be saved Some expoūd it of the holy Ghost but it seemeth to signifie the doctrine of the truth which they refuse as it is said they received not Christ Ioh. 1.11.12 which beleeved not in him When it is said that they received not c. Thereby is meant not a bare negligence in them for thē he would haue said for that they sought not after but a wilful despising of grace offered As they who being called to the supper refused to come Which point is amplified further whē it is said that they might be saved In that they neglect the doctrine of truth confirmed by Christs works and that wherein life and salvation consisteth to follow after lies and death 3 The Punishment is double 1 Secret in this life which is away to the other 2 Open in the world to come God will send them On which words the Rhemists note out of Aug. Deus mittet i. permittet Whereby they gather that God permitteth wherein they speak the truth but not all the truth For in these things God is not only a sufferer for he that sendeth as it is said here doth more them permit which they might haue gathered out of the words following those which they alleadge