Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bishop_n	call_v	council_n	1,851	5	6.9164	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15092	Two sermons the former deliuered at Pauls Crosse the foure and twentieth of March, 1615. being the anniuersarie commemoration of the Kings most happie succession in the Crowne of England. The latter at the Spittle on Monday in Easter weeke, 1613. By Iohn VVhite D.D.	White, John, 1570-1615.	1615 (1615)	STC 25392; ESTC S119891	49,617	84

expresse reuelation that he will condemne them Secondly it is vnknowne to all men who in particular are reprobate For albeit a man may discerne violent signes of reprobation in some as in a Turke or a Iew yet speaking precizely the reprobation of this or that man is a secret laid vp in Gods owne bosome and he that guesses at it may be deceiued in as much as Gods works of grace are secret o Ro. 11.23 that he who to day is a wilde oliue to morrow in an instant may be graffed in Yea he that most strongly thinkes himselfe a reprobate as Spira of Padua did may suddenly be preuented by the grace of God and brought to his iustification for any thing that we know Thirdly the commandement of prayer no where distinguisheth betweene elect and reprobate but generally binds to pray for all men There is a distinction and God that made it knowes it but we must do our owne worke and let God alone with his For Deut. 29. Secret things belong to the Lord thy God but things which are reuealed to vs that we may do the words of the Law And to authorize vs to pray for any man it is sufficient that all things considered it is morally possible he may be saued which morall possibilitie may be had touching the saluation of any man aliue if God by reuelation or some other certaine way shew not the contrarie I call it morall possibilitie which in our vnderstanding may be so by reason there are many things which for any thing we know may fall out to effect it albeit absolutely in Gods knowledge it shal neuer be Metaphysicall possibilitie hauing no ingredience into our morall actions is not enough no giue this warrant therfore how vehement soeuer the coniectures likelihoods of any mans reprobation be yet still we haue fiue things that ouercome such coniectures and make the possibilitie of his saluation morall to vs. First the generall promises of the Gospell offred to all Secondly the efficacy of Gods grace when it comes Thirdly the possibility that it may come Fourthly the commandement to pray that it may come Fiftly the examples of diuerse in desperate state to whom it hath come All which being put together and well considered make it morally possible that he may be called and ouercome the most violent coniectures and presumptions to the contrary in as much as when they are at the highest yet they neuer exceede the latitude or dimensions of a coniecture Fourthly though in the sense of my first conclusion we do not pray that all men generally including the reprobate may be saued nor can giue thankes for the saluation of those whom God saues not yet for the temporall good of reprobates and all whether spirituall or concerning their outward state we may both pray and giue thankes The reason is for God giues such temporall things to the reprobate and for his Churches good to glorifie his Name magnifie his liberality make them without excuse and benefite his children which being ends belonging to the sanctification of Gods name in the wicked we iustly pray for all that which may aduance them 9 Touching prayer for our enemies there lies no question our Sauiour so expresly including it in the commandement touching prayer and by his owne blessed example and the example of his dearest seruants commending it to vs. Rom. 12.21 Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with good Philo discoursing of Aarons Ephod which he put on whē he went to pray saith it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A representation of the whole world hauing in it all colours to represent all states of people whatsoeuer And in very deed we erre more grosly in nothing then in bearing malice and wiping mens names out of our prayers as if our priuate affection were the calendar of euery mans saluation when no man can rent himselfe from his brother but first he must rent himselfe from Christ who is the root whereon both he and his brother grow as a branch on a tree cannot separate it selfe from the rest of the branches but first it must depart from the tree it selfe whereupon both it and all the other branches grow And therefore * Ephiph ep ad Ioan. Hierosol the Patriarke of Ierusalem was vnwise to quarrell with Epiphanius because he prayed for him for Ephphanius answered he would neuer be so out of charitie with any man that he would set him at nought whom God had made p Lib. 1. de Cain Abel cap. 9. And Saint Ambrose giues a good reason Quia singuli orant pro omnibus etiam omnes orant pro singulis When euery man prayes for all men by this meanes all men pray for euery man 10 But the speciall persons for whom particularly and namely we must pray are Kings and all in authoritie for Kings are Gods annointed and as Tertullian q Ad Scap. cap. 2. speakes Homines à Deo secundi solo Deo minores Next vnto God and second to none but God The King r Ad pop Antioch hom 1. saith Chrysostome hath no Peere vpon earth but is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head and top of all men that liue Our neighbours of Rome now say otherwise that the Pope is the man and Kings are but his officers and vassals to hold his stirrop to beare his canopie to hold him the bason and ewre when he washes to be vsed or deposed at pleasure as he shall see cause This is that which the late Councell of Lateran in Rome called Regale Pontificium Romanorum genus The roiall race of our Roman Bishops They call him that now is Paulus Quintus Vice-deus Reipub. Christianae Monarcha Pontificiae omnipotentiae assertor inuictissimus The vice-God and Monarch of the Christian world and the inuincible defender of the Papal omnipotencie But let them alone he is Antichrist for his labour whom Saint Paule sayes we shall know by this that he will exalt himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beyond all Augusteïty and them that are called Gods as Kings by Gods owne mouth are S. Paul affirmes that to be the highest power which beares the sword Rom. 12. and therefore himselfe ſ Act. 25.11 appealed to it Optatus against the Donatists t Lib. 3. contr Parmen saith Super Imperatorem non est nisi Deus qui fecit Imperatorem there is none aboue the King but God that made the King And with Kings must be ioyned all that are in authoritie Peeers Iudges Magistrates Councellours of State Captaines of warre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that are eminent or haue any stroke in the gouernment For they also may do good or hurt for u Gen. 41.43 Ioseph was the King of Egypts right hand and they cried in the streetes Abrech for he was Pater patriae A tender father to his countrey and preserued it in time of extremitie Though Achitophel and Shebnah and Symmachus and Stephen Gardiner were not such

eare from hearing and obeying the word euen his prayer shall be abominable Next we must perseuere without wearinesse praying daily and waiting patiently if any thing be amisse and daily giuing thankes So the Scripture teacheth i Col. 4.2 Continue in prayer and watch thereunto For the State hath her daily charge and daily enemies and daily dangers as a ship by sea in a long voyage where perseuerance euery man in his charge is it that makes a prosperous iourney Thirdly the mind must be lift vp to God by the puritie and the deuotion thereof there must be faith and confidence that God will heare vs reuerence of his Name meekensse of spirit loue to one another and as our Apostle saith in the eight verse holy hands without wrath or doubting And in the point of Thanksgiuing there must not onely be in the vnderstanding an apprehension of the mercies of God receiued but in the will such a spirituall ioy therein and loue to God therefore that the mind thereby be reuoked from reioycing in any thing else but onely in God that saues vs. This is the prayer that pierceth heauen Praeteruolat montes nubes penetrat coelum implet mundum ecce quousque volat vox clamantis animae It flies higher then mountaines or the cloudes it filleth the world and pierceth heauen when the soule cries to God with an earnest voice When Arius infested the Church the saying was that Athanasius resisted him with his learning but Alexander the deuout Bishop vanquisht him with his prayers Socrates telleth that when a terrible fire in Constantinople fastened on a great part of the citie and tooke hold of the Church the Bishop thereof went to the altar and falling downe vpon his knees would not rise from thence till the fire blasing in the windowes and flashing at euery dore to come in was vanquisht the Church preserued with the flouds of his deuotion he slaked the furie of the threatning element The same shal be the force of our prayers for his Maiestie and the State if we be faithfull therein heresie may rage treason conspire and enemies cast fire-brands but we will trust in him that neuer forsaketh such as cal vpon his name 8 The next thing mentioned in the text is the matter of our prayers containing the Persons the thing to be prayed for touching the Persons he enioynes that we pray first generally for all men and then particularly for Kings and all in authoritie First for all men the reason whereof is yeelded verse the fourth because God wills that all men be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth and Christ the Redeemer in some true manner or other gaue himselfe a ransome for all Our deuotion must attend Gods will that what he willes we pray for that so his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen There were no difficultie in this point if by ALL MEN no more were meant thē All the elect or All that professe Christ and are true members of the Church For in these the mercie of God and the effect of our prayers infallibly and apparantly shew themselues for Rom. 8. Whom he predestinated them he calles and whom he calles those he iustifies and whom he iustifies them he also glorifies But when we see with our eies innumerable companies and whole nations to be Barbarians Infidels Iewes Idolaters Heretickes Atheists Profane Excommunicate Enemies and when we certainly know by the Scripture and without controuersie beleeue no small part of mankind in Gods decree and eternall purpose to stand reprobate and reiected from saluation and all the effects of election whether in the masse of sinne or not and whether vpon the foresight of their vnbeleefe or otherwise all is one to the point of this difficultie when I say it is of all hands yeelded that there be so many reprobates denied the grace of election and from all eternitie prepared or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 9.22 fitted made vp finished finished as the Scripture speaketh to destruction for what God executes in time he willes in eternity what shall we say to Prayer and Thanksgiuing for these or what benefite can either they or we receiue thereby Marke my answer Touching the former the case is not difficult such being the extent of the grace of God that there is k Act. 10.34 no respect of person with him but either Iew or Gentile or Barbarian or Scythian or idolater or hereticke may reape the benefite of our prayers if it be no more but the outward comforts of this life which God by his owne example l Mat. 5.45 making the Sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust will haue vs vow and wish them And abstracting from reprobation which is hid from vs and considering no more in them but what we can infalliblie see God can or may also giue the meanes that they may be called to the truth and be saued For so we see the riches of Gods mercie to extend it selfe to the sinfullest and wofullest persons that euer were Gentiles in some ages haue bin conuerted idolaters Atheists heretickes in all ages haue bene reclaimed and ioyned to the Church and if they be not yet we to whom God hath no imparted his secret purposes see nothing in them but we may desire it Nay the more miserie and infidelitie we see them drowned in the more doth Christian pietie bind vs to pitie their state desire their conuersion Therefore m Liturg. Iacob aliorū in the ancient Liturgies of the Church we often reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord remember and haue mercy vpon All men And Celestin a godly Bishop of the ancient Church n Ep. ad epise Gall. Apud diuinam clementiam sanctarum sedium praesides humani generis aguntcausam vt legem credendi lex statuat supplicandi The Bishops of the Church saith he commend to God the cause of all mankind and * Not that as we pray for all men so God will saue all men but that as we pray for All so we beleeue it to be his will we pray for all and that God in all estates of men will saue whom he pleaseth by their prayers shew what we are to beleeue They intreate God to giue Infidels faith Idolaters truth Iewes light heretickes repentance Schismatickes humilitie But touching the reprobate there is more to be added For albeit no man pray God to saue them whom he in his secret counsell knowes to be reprobate that is to say to change or abrogate his eternall decree yet foure things are certaine touching them which I will lay downe in so many conclusions First We pray not God to SAVE those whom we beleeue he hath reprobated from all eternitie the reason is for no man prayes for that which God hath made no promise to grant as there is no promise that he will saue him or those whom he hath reiected from election but the contrarie an