Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bring_v	good_a	work_n	2,437	5	5.8344	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69685	The Case of the Earl of Argyle, or, An Exact and full account of his trial, escape, and sentence wherein are insert the act of Parliament injoining the test, the confession of faith, the old act of the king's oath to be given at his coronation : with several other old acts, made for establishing the Protestant religion : as also several explications made of the test by the conformed clergy : with the secret councils explanation thereof : together with several papers of objections against the test, all framed and emitted by conformists : with the Bishop of Edinburgh's Vindication of the test, in answer thereunto : as likewise a relation of several matters of fact for better clearing of the said case : whereunto is added an appendix in answer to a late pamphlet called A vindication of His Majestie's government and judicatories in Scotland, especially with relation to the Earl of Argyle's process, in so far as concerns the Earl's trial.	Stewart, James, Sir, 1635-1713.; Mackenzie, George, Sir, 1636-1691. Vindication of His Majesties government, and judicatories in Scotland.	1683 (1683)	Wing C1066; ESTC R15874	208,604	158

him so also do we confess that the Holy Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate us without all respect of any merit proceeding from us be it before or be it after our Regeneration To speak this one thing yet in more plain words As we willingly spoil our selves of all honour and glory of our own Creation and Redemption so do we also of our Regeneration and Sanctification For of our selves we are not sufficient to think one good thought but he who has begun the work in us is only he that continues us in the same to the praise and glory of his undeserved Grace XIII Of The cause of good works SO that the cause of good works we confess to be not our free will but the Spirit of the Lord Iesus who dwelling in our hearts by true faith brings forth such works as God has prepared for us to walk in For this we most boldly affirm that blasphemy it is to say that Christ abides in the hearts of such as in whom there is no Spirit of Sanctification And therefore we fear not to affirm that Murtherers Oppressors cruel Persecutors Adulterers Whoremongers filthy Persons Idolaters Drunkards Thieves and all workers of Iniquity have neither true Faith neither any portion of the Spirit of the Lord Iesus so long as obstinately they continue in their wickedness For how soon that ever the Spirit of the Lord Iesus which Gods elect children receive by true Faith takes possession in the heart of any man so soon does he regenerate and renew the same man So that he begins to hate that which before he loved and begins to love that which before he hated and from thence comes that continual battel which is betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit in Gods Children still the flesh and natural man according to its own corruption lusts for things pleasant and delectable unto it self and grudges in adversity is lifted up in prosperity and at every moment is prone and ready to offend the Majesty of God But the Spirit of God which gives witnessing to our Spirit that we are the Sons of God makes us to resist filthy pleasures and to groan in Gods presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption And finally to triumph over sin that it reign not in our mortal bodies This battel hath not the carnal man being destitute of Gods Spirit but does follow and obey sin with greediness and without repentance even as the Devil and their corrupt Lusts do prick them But the Sons of God as before was said do fight against sin do sob and mourn when they perceive themselves tempted in iniquity and if they fall they rise again with earnest and unfeigned repentance and these things they do not by their own power but by the power of the Lord Iesus without whom they were able to do nothing XIV What works are reputed good before God WE confess and acknowledg that God has given to man his holy Law in which not only are forbidden all such work as displease and offend his godly Majesty but also are commanded all such as please him and as he has promised to reward And these works be of two sorts The one is done to the honour of God the other to the profit of our Nighbours and both have the revealed will of God for their assurance To have one God to worship and honour him to call upon him in all our troubles to reverence his holy Name to hear his word to beleeve the same to communicate with his holy Sacraments are the works of the first Table To honour Father Mother Princes Rulers and Superior Powers to love them to support them yea to obey their charges not repugning to the commandment of God to save the lives of Innocents to repress Tyranny to defend the oppressed to keep our bodies clean and holie to live in soberness and temperance to deal justly with all men both in word and deed And finally to repress all appetite of our Neighbours hurt are the good works of the second Table which are most pleasing and acceptable unto God as those works that are commanded by himself The contrary whereof is sin most odious which always displeases him and provokes him to anger As not to call upon him alone when we have need nor to hear his word with reverence to contemn and despise it to have or to worship Idols to maintain defend Idolatry lightly to esteem the reverend name of God to prophane abuse or contemn the Sacraments of Christ Jesus to disobey or resist any that God has placed in Authority while they pass not over the bounds of their Office to murther or to consent thereto to bear hatred or to let Innocent blood be shed if we may withstand it And finally the trangression of any other commandment in the first or second Table we confess and affirm to be sin by the which Gods anger and displeasure is kindled against the proud unthankful world So that good works we affirm to be those only that are done in Faith and at Gods commandment who in his Law has expressed what the things be that please him And evil works we affirm to be not only those that expresly are done against Gods commandment but those also that in matters of Religion and worshipping of God has no other assurance but the invention and opinion of man which God from the beginning has ever rejected as by the Prophet Esay and by our Master Christ Jesus we are taught in these words Invain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the precepts of men XV. Of The perfection of the Law and the imperfection of Man THe Law of God we confesse and acknowledge most just most equal most holy and most perfect commanding those things which being wrought in perfection were able to give life and able to bring man to eternal felicity But our nature is so corrupt so weak and so imperfect that we are never able to fulfil the works of the Law in perfection Yea if we say we have no sin even after we are regenerated we deceive our selves and the verity of God is not in us And therefore it behoves us to apprehend Christ Jesus with his Justice and Satisfaction who is the end and accomplishment of the Law by whom we are set at this liberty that the Curse and Malediction of God fall not upon us albeit we fulfil not the same in all points For God the Father beholding us in the body of his Son Christ Jesus accepts our imperfect obedience as it were perfect and covers our works which are defiled with many spots with the Justice of his Son We do not mean that we are so let at liberty that we owe no obedience to the Law for that before we have plainly confessed but this we affirm that no man in earth Christ Jesus only except has given gives or shall give in work that obedience to the Law which the Law requires But when we have done all