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	receive_v	truth_n	1,611	5	5.9464	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77132	The description and confutation of mysticall Anti-Christ, the Familists; or, An information drawn up and published for the confirmation and comfort of the faithfull, against many Antichristian Familisticall doctrines which are frequently preached and printed in England: particularly in those dangerous books called Theologia Germanica, the Bright Star, Divinity and Philosophy dissected. / Written by Benjamin Bourne. Published according to order.	Bourne, Benjamin, fl. 1646.	1646 (1646)	Wing B3844; Thomason E349_21; STC 672; ESTC R201037	116,136	151

in grace nor nature that will or can uphold this for all Rivers that are swallowed up by the fulnesse of the Sea were before they were thus gathered one element together with it But all creatures are not of one and the same nature or divine spirituall substance together with God therefore it s impossible that ever all creatures should thus be gathered up in too and by being thus gathered should become one fulnesse with God If this were true then as some affirm every thing were the word of God and so the knowledge of every thing and of any thing whatsoever were the onely knowledge of the Word of God St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 2. that no man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit that is within him so no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God It is impossible for that light that is belowe God to know that light which is God No man can know the light of the Sun by the light of a candle the light of Reason is but Moon or candle light it is too dark weak and waterish to discover the light of the Sun by it nothing belowe God can discover any thing of God but all creatures in all respects consider them as creatures are belowe God considering of God in reference to himself therefore all creatures cannot discover God nor thus be made one with him Again whatsoever is infinite to that nothing can be added but God was the same fulnes before the creature was that he is now the creature is therefore no creature nor all creatures can not be so gathered up in to God as to be made one fulnesse with God who is not nor cannot be no other now now all creatures are then he was eternally before any creature had a being Secondly if a carnall spirit could understand the minde of God in the Word then could it no longer continue to be a Christians center that that flows from Christ to that Christ must be a center But all Christianity flows from Christ therefore it must needs be centered in him Now if the written Word could be known in the letter and in the spirit by one who hath not the spirit then darknesse would be turned into light and light into darknesse the Word of God would then be not heavenly but earthly But as nothing can change the being of God into that which is not God Rom. 1. though many seek to do it So nothing can change the Word of truth into that that is not truth that is into a lie this the power of men and devils shall never accomplish If the Word of truth in the letter and in the spirit could be discerned by a lie then consider what a great losse all the people of God would then have and that for these Reasons First the Word of God is the foundation that a Christian hath or ever shall have to all eternity 1 Pet. 2.7 1 Cor. 3.11 Christ is a Christians foundation in these foure respects First the foundation of our election this the letter declares and as that declares it so we know it and are able to prove it Ephes 1.4 5 6. A Christian was chosen and beloved of God in Jesus Christ from eternity Christ is the Word Joh. 1. the Word bears up all things Hebr. 1. A Christians election is born up and kept from being abolished by the glorious person of our Lord and Saviour Secondly Jesus Christ is the foundation of our Redemption too 1 Pet. 2. Joh. 10.9.18 He was the Lambe slain from the foundation of the world and he is that person also consider of him in his Godhead that ordained and set apart himself to be a sacrifice and an atonement for the world Thirdly Christ is the foundation of a Christians conversion also Ephes 3.17 1 Cor. 8.6 Lastly Christ is the foundation of a Christians everlasting glory Rom. 8.34 Joh. 17. Perswade me if you can whosoever you are that would race and blot out the Gospel of Christ both in the letter and spirit that I have no other Father Redeemer Governor and Creator then that spirit which is within thee which thou didst receive in the wombe and then I shall beleeve this that you have said concerning the Scripture therefore to consider you as you in truth are the more you speak against the Word of God the more cause I have to beleeve it for the devil will never speak well of Christ unlesse it be for some devillish end or other Gal. 5.17 Thirdly no man ever would write such a word that is so much against him and altogether contrary to him as the two testimonies of our Lord Jesus are for then man would make a law against himself which is against all Law and Reason Who is the man that will accuse himself and betray himself to death through his own accusation man instead of making spirituall Laws is the onely breaker of them Rom. 2.13 and 3.10 11. Doth not our daily practises continually declare the truth of this unto us But some will object that I do all this while prove the Word to be true from it self which is a contrary thing and gives no satisfaction at all To this I answer That I do thus I acknowledge and that for this Reason Because I have no other way to prove the truth that it is true but by the truth No man can know the Sun that is the Sun but by the light thereof Secondly the testimonie of the Word is of it self a sufficient testimony for it self 1 Joh. 5. There are three that bear record in heaven the Father Word and Spirit and these three are one they are one God one Spirit one Truth and one Testimony The Lord saith that there is no other God besides me Isa 45.6 Now by the same rule men may say how shall we know thee to be the true God we have no witnesse or testimony but thy own I answer The record and testimony which God bears of himself is true and sufficient because he doth not onely say that he is God and so leave men there but he acts according to his Word sending forth an Almighty power causing men to acknowledge him to be in truth that he is and causing all creatures to discover and reveal his power and Godhead to the world A man may say that he is God as many do but they cannot prove what they say for their saying that they are so doth not cause them to be so unlesse they could come forth with an infinite Almighty power to act as God doth Thirdly Whatsoever is besides the Word in comparison of the Word is not a truth but a lie and then what is it besides the truth that can come in really to iustifie and bear record to the truth the testimony of the truth is a sufficient witnesse for it self because there is no other truth besides it The Word in the Spirit bears witnesse to the truth of the Word in the letter and

the dead See the Bright Starr That reall suffering which we taste in our selves presents a far more excellent Image of the passion of Christ then that which hovers in imagination alone and that that we feel inwar●ly then th●t which is speculated outwardly pag 200. is such a work as cannot be beleeved or apprehended by the eye of sence and reason and indeed this is one main cause why many men do so peremptorily deny the truth of the Gospel and set up their own imaginations in the roome thereof for when they cannot apprehend all things by the light of Reason then they do condemne all things although never so contrary to all Reason The light of Reason that God hath set up in the hearts of men is very usefull necessarie and commendable all the while that it keeps it self within its own compasse and center but when once it begins to make any attempt for the finding out apprehending and discerning of that which is not within its reach it then comes to be lost and destroyed a man by this light cannot discern the things that be of God 1 Cor. 3.14 The light of Reason is the wisdom and glory of this world Isa 29.14 1 Cor. 1.20 and the wisdom and glory of this world is darknesse and foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 1.19 20. A Familist is in this like unto a Papist who saith that the Popes unwritten verities are of equall value with the Word of God so say they that the outgoings of Reason in them are the outgoings of God in his highest and greatest glory Now the conclusions of their Reason are infallible theologicall and heavenly this is the mystery of Divinity the reall divine substance the true light and the perfect infinite and onely good the Bible is a shadow a confusion and a meer lie and all that ever any man can say from thence and all that which they themselves have said formerly which is contrary to their judgements now this is so also a reall shadow a lie a lowe light and vanity For how is it possible say they that ever there should be any resurrection either of Christ or the dead how is it possible that that blood which was trampled upon and spilt under the feet of the Jews should be by the power of God gathered up again and put into the body of our Saviour A second objection is this How can any man prove the resurrection of the dead when men are so scattered and divided by death sometimes men are drowned and so become food to many hundred of creatures that are in the sea and those are afterward eaten by men and those men consumed by creatures again and so many thousand times over one creature is devoured by another now how is it possible that these men should ever receive the same bodies again that are thus destroyed and consumed These Objections are not worth the answering yet if I should not speak something to them in particular they would say that they were such divine mysteries that we could not tell what to say to them a fool may put forth such a question and cause more trouble to come thereby then seven wise men that can render a reason Now the Resurrection is such a thing as that it cannot be received by any for a truth but such as have the truth therof made manifest in their spirits by the power of that eternall Spirit that raised up the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6.14 Now that which I have to say is this O fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare corn as it falleth of wheat or some other but God giveth it a body at his pleasure to every seed his own body If thou wilt but look upon this world in its creation and generation thou mayest continually in the large book thereof read many excellent stories of the Resurrection is not the world in its creation as wonderful in many respects as it is in its Resurrection Doest thou beleeve that man was made of the dust of the earth consider of the work of God in that respect and what was the dust made of we say of nothing Thou sayest that of nothing can come nothing Then it must needs be of the essence of God for nothing is without beginning but God that I think you will grant Is God such a being as that any thing can be made of him Did God make all things of himself Is the essence compounded the bodies of men and all creatures are Is it possible for the infinite immutable and unmoveable Godhead to be divided but men are divided in their limbes and lives too yea divided in all things in his Spirit and in most of the imployments and out-goings thereof what work is it that the heart of man can undertake to manage in all respects without division how are the spirits of some men set at distance from others by reason of pride malice hatred and envie Do not you yourselves sometimes meet with some kinde of men that are of such a spirit as this is that would be glad to see you stoned murthered and destroyed And would not they themselves if it might be suffered quietly be your executioners Now what is the spirits and bodies of these men made of is it eternall without beginning is it a being of it self and doth it perform all its actions by its own power Is this the true God and is there no other Gods besides it If this Spirit be God then what is that spirit or life that thou hast within thee that is God too so then there is but one God which is one in all creatures Now if life be one and the same in all creatures in this sence that now we speak of then tell me one thing Is not the tree in the root and fruit thereof both one and the same is it possible for a corrupt fountain at one and the same time to send forth sweet waters and bitter Doth not the words and works of a mans heart continually declare the frame thereof Now how comes it to passe if God be one and the same in all spirits that there is such a vaste difference between them if they be all one and the same power good life and glory how then comes in those mightie differences contradictions and direct oppositions that are amongst them if every creature be a branch or an out-going of divine glory then is it not possible that it should in the least measure be contrary to its originall and so there could not be any of that unhumane crueltie that unreasonable oppression those grievous bloudy wars and slaughters that doth produce so many sorrows and cause so many spirits to droop and lie a languishing as do continually this is not the bodies of men for that without the spirit is dead that doth cause and act all this When a mans life is gone all wounds

I should deal by a man that had often ventured his life to save mine and to requite his love I should adventure my life unjustly and without cause to take away his The life of a friend ought to be very dear unto me but the truth of God more dearer The Word of God is the life and glory of the Lord Jesus the cause of life in every Christian is the life that is in Jesus Christ because I live saith our Saviour ye shall live also then how grievous and lamentable a thing is it for a man that knows this life to crucifie and make a mock of it the secret thoughts and intents of all hearts are discerned and made manifest by the Word of God Matth. 12.25 Saint Paul saith that the whole Scripture is given by the inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 this is expounded by St. Peter 2 Pet. 1.20 21. where he saith that no prophecie of Scripture is of any private interpretation that is it is not the writings of men consider them as men the Prophets and Apostles that writ the Scriptures did not write down their own private meditations for the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit that is they spake by the inspiration of God by a Spirit that was infallible and could not lie Tit. 1.2 But some may say that though they were infallible in writing yet they were no more then you are for you say that you are infallible also Answ First so far as I cleave close to this truth and do not derogate in the least so far I am infallible Object But how do you know when you write such and such truths that you do not in the least measure adde to nor diminish from the Word of God Ans When I write from such as need no interpretation I am then infallible And that there are such Scriptures I prove 3 Job 16.17.27.31 Hebr. 2.14 1 Joh. 4.1 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 2.20 21 22. so on This is a truth that I write and an infallible one that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh it is Christ that is dead yea or rather that is risen again who fitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us Rom. 8. Another is that there is but one God but one eternity and not two Isa 64.4 Again that every man shall be raised up with his own body 1 Cor. 15.38 Matth. 25.32 to receive a reward according to his works Revel 22. That perfection of spirit and body cannot be obtained in this life Rom. 7. 1 Cor. 13.15 2 Tim. 4.7 8. with many others of the like nature Now when I write this and say that I am infallible it is not my word nor another particular infallable truth besides the Scripture but I write the same truth which was written by the inspiration of God I know that I write infallibly because I write the infallible truth and I know the infallible truth by the light of that Word that I write from both in the letter and in the Spirit I know there are many nice curious questions abroad which are not worth the answering because they do not tend to edifying for if a man as St. Paul saith 1 Tim. 1. would give heed to them they would be endlesse and to no purpose but to stir men up to contention and vain jangling Sixthly there is no book whatsoever that is so full of truth and so free from errour and contradiction within it self as this Word of God is although the eye of sence and reason cannot see it Joh. 17.17 1 Cor. 2.13 All the writings of men are subordinate to this and all the truth that is in all creatures did flow from this and is a dependance upon this Now I prove this by these arguments that that is a divine truth cannot contradict itself for then God would be divided and light would be at enmity with it self but the Scripture was written by a divine Spirit and so must needs be a spirituall truth and therefore free from all opposition and errour within it self Secondly that that by one Almighty power causeth all to be holy and spirituall that in it self must needs be so for it is impossible but that the stream should be according to the fountain and every effect according to its originall But the Word of God when it changeth the heart causeth all the parts of it so far as it works to be holy and spirituall therefore in it self it can be no other then according to its workings The Word of God is the originall cause and fountain of all holinesse Joh. 15.3 Ephes 1.13 Col. 1.5 Jam. 1.18 all that infinite holinesse and purity which are in and flow from men and Angels are but as so many streams flowing from this fountain A seventh reason to prove the truth and sufficiency of the Scriptures is this because no word hath inabled poore simple illiterate men to understand the minde of God and to suffer reproaches and persecutions in the defence thereof as this Word of God hath Ephes 6.17 Joh. 17.33 2 Cor. 6.7 He'r 11. whole Chapter The letter onely cannot do it the letter is no help to the Spirit for the Spirit is the same truth that is revealed in the letter and was before it and now is no more then it was for the letter doth not adde to the Spirit but is onely a relation which is absolutely usefull to man and without which nothing can be But the Word in the Spirit is the same truth which will remain when the letter shall be abolished Many times when men could not enjoy the Bible they have been enabled by the powerfull injoyment of the Word in the spirit to suffer in the defence of the Word Last of all they that do deny the Word yet notwithstanding do make the Scriptures to be the ground of all their Sermons and writings now if their Sermons and writings have any truth in them and they draw that truth from the Word then the word must be a truth also for it is as impossible for them to draw a truth from the Word if the Word were not the truth as it is for any man to draw a reall substance from that which is but a meer shadow The mad mans divinity is called the mystery of the History yet he will not acknowledge that to be a truth all his writing will sufficiently prove that there is little of the Word of God to be seen in it being nothing else but a compounded confusion of Logick Philosophy and Astrology altogether which in truth is no better then Familisticall Atheisme and although they father these confused heresies upon the Word yet the Word of God doth remain intirely pure in it self without mixture and so will continue for ever CHAP. VI. Proving the Coming Death Resurrection Ascension and Intersession of our Lord Jesus which is absolutely denyed by all the principall