Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	faith_n	word_n	1,876	5	4.4042	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69521	The orthodox foundation of religion long since collected by that iudicious and elegant man, Mr. Henry Ainsworth, for the benefit of his private company, and now divulged for the publike good of all that desire to know that Cornerstone, Christ Jesus crucified / by S.W.	Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?; S. W. (Samuel White)	1641 (1641)	Wing A811; ESTC R8781	48,874	90

his justice must be satisfied first before any legall justice can be established in us which being satisfied by Christ and so wee absolved from our sinnes past the legall justice beginneth in us againe in this life but shall not be perfected till the next life Justification is an act undivided and all at once and so it differeth from Sanctification which is done by degrees and parts Justification of a sinner in this life is done essentially but once though it be often repaired and renued as faith once given to the elect is never quite taken away for the seede of God remaineth in him Justification and Faith are most nearly united The causes of Justification are either Principall Instrumentall Outward Inward The principall outward cause is the merit and satisfaction of Christ Rom. 3.24 25. which in respect of us is the meritorious cause in respect of God it is the cause that is outwardly moving him to pronounce us just Both these are true that we are justified for the satisfaction and merit of Christ as the outward moving cause and yet are justified freely of meere mercy as the inward moving cause Object How can it be said that God freely forgiveth us our sinnes out of his owne grace and mercy freely seeing hee hath required satisfaction to the full of Christ our head and surety and without such satisfaction forgiveth no sinne Answ. Though hee forgive it not freely in respect of his Sonne who was wounded for our iniquities yet in respect of us that were the sinners it is free Object But wee merited it in Christ our head and therefore are not freely forgiven Answ. His merit was not ours by originall possession or cleaving in us as sinne is from Adam but only by relation and application and this meere grace that wee never thinking on any such thing God found this way for our redemption Rom. 5.8 10. and that he applyeth his Sonnes redemption unto us that were by no gift or merit disposed to such a thing Eph. 1.6 9. 2.8 As Christs satisfaction is most sufficient and full so as it is sufficiently and fully to justifie us without any merit of ours or any other creatures Rom. 3.25 26. Our workes being imperfect have no proportion to the justice of God neither are they ours but Gods due unto him and proceeding from him now that which is not ours originally or by possession but is wholly owing unto another by it we can merit nothing to our selves The principall inward cause of our justification is both 1 an effectuall calling 2 the imputation of Christs merits The effectuall calling is the more remote cause of our justification when God by his Spirit effectually moveth the heart the understanding will and affections to the acknowledgement of our owne miseries to seeke deliverance and to beleeve the promise or grace This inward calling of the elect differeth from outward calling by the word whereby God offereth his grace to all in generall to this inward calling a man is meerly passive in respect of the beginning that is hee cannot any more prepare or dispose himselfe by strength of nature unto this calling or justification Herein therefore the Papists erre who ascribe to man a preparation to justification called the fundation of justification as faith that is a certaine generall knowledge and certainty of the truth of Gods Word Secondly an acknowledgement of our sinnes Thirdly feare of hell Fourthly love of God Fifthly repentance Sixthly hope of salvation which sufficiently prepare a man they say to receive justification but the Apostle saith the contrary that our sufficiencie is of God The imputation of Christs merit satisfaction is the neere and next cause of justification and constituteth the essence and definition of it which is when God for union with Christ doth so apply and make proper Christs merit to us as if wee our selves had died and satisfied for our sinnes As from Adam wee draw 1 guilt 2 native evill so from Christ we draw 1 absolution from guilt 2 reparation of Gods Image called Regeneration The instrumentall cause of justification is Faith which is taken sometime largely sometime strictly largely faith is taken for an assent to those things written in the Word called historicall faith strictly faith is justifying or miraculous justifying faith is a trustfull assurance which the Spirit of God stirreth up in the elect firmly to apply the promises of Gods grace This faith presupposeth knowledge Rom. 10.14 but formally it is assertion towards Gods promise Faith justifieth not as it is a quality passion or action in us but as it is a relation and uniteth us to Christ whose satisfaction is imputed for righteousnesse to us Gal. 2.20 Faith applyeth the promise to the particular person and not the generall onely Gal. 2.20 1 Job 4.16 Faith necessarily bringeth forth good workes yet it justifieth not in that respect Rom. 4.5 The proper object of faith is the evangelicall promise of grace in Christ Rom. 1.16 Faith hath degrees increasing and diminishing yet the essence and force of justifying remaineth in the least degree Rom. 12.3 Mark 9.24 Faith once wrought in the elect can never be utterly extinguished for faith is of the elect onely 2 Thess. 3.2 as the elect cannot perish neither can their faith Rom. 8.38 39. The immediate effect of justification knowne is Adoption by which the elect do now actually please God as his children and co-heires with Christ Another effect of justification is peace of Conscience when we perceive our selves absolved from the guilt of sinne before Gods judgement and the judgement of our owne conscience Rom. 5.1 Peace of conscience hath degrees sometimes more sometimes lesse Psal. 30.7 and 51.12 and 38.3 From peace of conscience ariseth confidence that our prayers are heard Also assurance that our good workes please God also patient suffering of the crosse ariseth from the feeling of justification Rom. 5.3 Thus much of our deliverance from sinne and the misery thereof also the punishment of sinne which was Christs worke in himselfe Now followeth our Sanctification or reformation into the image of God which is Christs worke in us it is the change of our nature into better that is into the similitude of the perfection of God called also our Glorification 2 Cor. 3.18 Justification and Sanctification differ thus Justification is the imputing of anothers justice to wit Christs Sanctification is the impression of justice that it may be in us in Justification there is the satisfaction of Christ in Sanctification there is the obedience of a Christian Justice is perfect and absolute an undivided act at once Sanctification is a work begun not equall in all Justification is first Sanctification is after Sanctification is a separation from filthinesse of sin from common prophane use and a preparation and application to holy use by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 7.1

most perfect and it being all an understanding needs must this conception of his be most perfect And so a most perfect generation which is a second manner of beeing called the Image or person called the Image of the Sonne of God the Image of his hypostasis And seeing that which God understandeth and his Essence is one and the same needs must the Essence and excellencie of the Father and the Sonne be both one and eternall Thus God cannot be minded to be but with his coeternall Sonne As there is an understanding in the Godhead so needs must there be a will also and the more understanding the more and perfecter is the will and in God there being a perfect understanding there must be also needs a perfect will and as the understanding is active essentially in the Godhead so is the will and as hee understandeth himselfe as the most perfect thing so also hee willeth himselfe as the most perfect good and thus the will reflecteth as did the understanding Gods infinite wil imbracing an infinite willed thing there must needs be infinite love and highest pleasure proceede there-from so whilst the eternall Father conceiveth his Sonne and perfectly willeth it there must needs be full and perfect love from the Father to the Sonne and from the Sonne to the Father so from both proceedeth a third manner of beeing called the third person the Holy Spirit It is called a Spirit for three causes 1 Because love is the inforcing or motive of the Will to the thing loved and as it were a spiring and breathing to it and because the Father breatheth in love to the Sonne and the Sonne againe to the Father therefore the Holy Spirit is right said to proceed from them both 2 It is called a Spirit because the proceeding of the motive betweene the Father and the Sonne is by a hidden way 3 Because Gods children perceive Gods gifts the gifts of love by secret inspiration It is called holy to discerne it from other spirits and because nothing can be more holy than this in God and because it maketh holy and sanctifieth the Church And seeing Gods Will and Essence is one in him the Holy Ghost must needs be one with the Father and the Sonne coequall and eternall Thus by undoubted principles from Gods essence there are three manner of subsistings in God and there can be neither more nor lesse unlesse we will deny God The Holy Spirit is taken as spoken substantially or accidentally substantially it meaneth a thing most simple in essence most active in efficacie Againe that it is taken either essentially and so it comprehendeth God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost as Joh. 4.24 or personally applyed to the third person of the Trinity Accidentally the word is used for a gift or motion of the Holy Spirit Joh. 7.39 but in the 1 Cor. 12. the Spirit and the gifts are plainly distinguished The three persons have one and the same common Essence and common workes of the Essence and of one divine Essence there are three persons The persons are distinguished from the essence as the maner of a thing is from the matter and they are distinguished one from another as the manner of the Essence one from another The difference of the persons is inward and outward the inward difference is the personall propertie which floweth from the manner of beeing The Father is of himselfe not only in respect of Essence but also in respect of being the Father begetteth his Image or Son the Father sendeth the Holy Ghost The Sonne as touching the Essence is of himselfe as touching the manner of being hee is of the Father The Sonne is begotten of the Father the Sonne sendeth the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost in respect of the Essence is of himselfe in respect of the maner of the Essence he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The outward difference is when the persons are distinguished by the effects and operations towards the creatures As is the order of beeing so is the order of doing in the persons the Father doth of himselfe the Son in the Father and the Holy Ghost in both The Father createth conserveth and governeth the world the Sonne Redeemeth the world the Holy Ghost sanctifieth it Gods properties are either absolute or they have relations to the creatures Properties of the Essence generally considered are 1 unchangeablenesse as that the Essence of God is without all corruption alteration or locall motion Jam. 1.17 2 Infinitenesse as that God cannot be measured or determined by any hath no quantity no determination of his power vertue time and place Properties of the Essence specially considered are understanding will and holinesse 1 Gods understanding is such as hee perfectly knoweth all things in himself without discoursing of things or distance of time 2 Gods will is such that hee approveth the good and refuseth the evill himselfe directly is all good and indirectly other things are good as they carry his image and whatsoever hee will that hee can but not whatsoever hee can hee will 3 Holinesse is that high perfection and patterne of all vertue in respect whereof the holinesse and vertues of all men and Angels are but shadowes of this holinesse ariseth high blessednesse and contentation in God Gods properties referred to the creatures are vertues or vertuous acts Gods vertues in respect of his nature is power whereby he can effect what when and howsoever hee will concerning any creature Psalm 145.6 Job 41.2.3 Gods power is onely active and not passive depending on any other Eph. 1.19 20. Gods power is infinite in respect of his Essence of the objects of the effects and of the durance God can do all things that absolutely simply and in nature are possible Job 42.3 Thus things are absolutely possible to be done which are not contradictory to the nature of God nor to the Essence of other things without God he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 Quest Whether can God do a thing against Nature Answ. If against be meant contradictory to Nature so as it repugneth the Essence essentiall properties and definition of things then God cannot doe such as God cannot make a body should be infinite a reasonable creature without reason for the nature of things are subordinate to the nature of God as second causes to the first and things subordinate overthrow not their nature if against be meant above the power of secondary causes as of water to make wine to make water out of stones or if it be meant the hinderance of their naturall actions of things flowing from their particular properties as to let the fire from burning the sunne from moving such things God hath done and can doe daily Gods vertue in respect of understanding is his fore-knowledge whatsoever is or commeth to passe in time be it good or evill with all the effects and events of actions

Conditionall Absolute are things absolutely promised or spoken without condition on our part Conditionall when God willeth any thing of us but with condition as hee willeth that all men should be saved namely if they will beleeve in Christ Mat. 28.20 As God hath a determining will concerning his creatures so hee hath an appointing will unto them Heb. 10.5 6 7. Whatsoever God willeth absolutely and of it selfe is good Jam. 1.13 Psal. 119.12 God willeth sinnes not simply but by accident as hee knoweth and meaneth to bring good out of them Gods appointing will is wholly manifested in the law of nature and in the written law Gods appointing will pertaines to all men God would have all to beleeve as beleefe is a point of obedience and honour to him but as beleefe is a grace and a gift of God hee willeth not all men to beleeve but his elect God doth not onely know all things and prescribe his will but also his providence and determinate counsell reacheth unto all his creatures Jer. 10.23 Lam. 3.37 Gods providence extendeth even to the very least things Mat. 20.29 Prov. 16.9 Gods providence consisteth in conserving and governing his creatures which creatures are of foure sorts 1 some that have beeing as heaven and earth 2 some that have beeing and life as plants and herbes 3 some that have beeing life and sense as beasts birds and fishes 4 some that having beeing life sense and reason as men God conserveth in his creatures their existence or beeing and their vertues Gods conservation of their existence is the continuing of the substance of the creatures In him wee live move and have our beeing moving being not only locall bul the moving of the heart spirit reason will c. Gods government is the ordering and ruling and disposing of his creatures to his owne pleasure and glory Psal. 104. Esay 45.7 Job 12.10 Gods government in speciall is towards Angels and Men for in them first hee determineth and ordereth their actions secondly hee giveth them lawes thirdly hee executeth justice God determineth and ordereth the actions and inclinations of men moving them and directing them to their end Mans actions and inclinations hee moveth and ruleth effectually God ordereth them to the good of this life and of the life to come which is the chiefest good God ordereth sinne two wayes first by limitation and binding it that it shall goe no further than hee please Secondly by turning it against the nature and will of the sinner into good Gods providence is double mediate and immediate mediate is when he conserveth and governeth one creature by another as by instruments immediate is when he useth no meanes or worketh against means God useth not meanes of necessity but of pleasure these meanes are not to be excluded from Gods providence but included God can use evill instruments for good against their power and will The chiefe meanes to governe the world are Angels The end of all is Gods glory Deus vult gloriam suam necessitate naturae suae non libere The foundation of true glory is vertue or goodnesse Gods glory is spoken of two wayes 1 As an essentiall property of his 2 As the glorifying of himselfe so Gods glory consisteth in the knowledge of himselfe God when he had created the world saw all that he had made and lo it was very good but after God looked upon the earth and loe it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth It is then now to be minded how corruption and evill came into the world The corruption of the world is set forth by divers names in respect of truth it is called lying or falshood in respect of good it is called evill in respect of righteousnesse it is called iniquity or unrighteousnesse in respect of Gods law it is called unlaw sunesse or transgression of the law generally it is called sinne that is aberration or missing of the scope or marke in respect of duty it is called disobedience rebellion defection or apostasie disloyalty perfidiousnesse in respect of our first estate it is called a fault or ruine Evill hath no efficient cause but a deficient evill hath neither nature nor substance for all such are of God but so is not evill all such are good but so is not sinne Evill is an accident cleaving unto natures substance actions Rom. 7.21 The creatures were made of nothing and being of themselves not able to sustaine themselves have an inclination to come to nothing if God do not uphold them so evill is caused of nothing Evill began in Heaven amongst the Angels and so spread into other reasonable creatures as men is called sinne their fall and is the privation of Gods Image in them God himselfe cannot do evill or be tempted thereto and he onely hath this priviledge men and Angels want it The Angels therefore being subject to temptation were tempted of their owne motions and willingly gave place to their evill thoughts and being not sustained of God did fall Jud. 5 6. Though wee know not how many yet there were many that fell from their heavenly estate of those many that fell one seemeth to be the chiefe and others drawne by or accompanying him called therefore his Angels Mat. 25.4 Being falne they could not of themselves rise againe neither did God minister any grace or helpe unto them therefore they added sinne unto sinne and so doe continue sinning still extremely untill the appointed time of their damnation The Angels that are falne have divers names to denote their evill condition sometime they are called evill Spirits lying Spirits uncleane Spirits Devill that is a calumniator Mat. 25.41 Sathan that is adversary or fiend Job 1.6 demons of their knowledge Mat. 9.34 wasters or destroyers Deut. 32.17 rugged satyrs of their horrible hew Lev. 17.7 dragon and serpent of their craft and venemous nature Rev. 12.9 the Tempter Mat. 4.3 the Malitious one 1 Joh. 3. the Enemie Mat. 13.28 Roaring Lyon 2 Pet. 5.8 the Strong-armed one Mat. 12.29 Prince of the World Job 12.31 that ruleth in the aire Eph. 6.12 2.2 Beliall the unruly or without yoke Mans first sinne is fitly called disobedience or fall for the Law was significatively given to testifie man to be subject to Gods Law and his obedience And whereas before man walked with a steady foote in Gods ordinance by this fact hee stumbled and fell from the seat of integrity The efficient immediate cause was man himselfe of his owne free will without any necessity inward or outward transgressing the Law The efficient cause remote and mediate was the Devill tempting man to sinne The instrumentall cause was the serpent whose tongue the Devill abused to frame arguments to beguile with The arguments or causes to move inwardly were first directly perswading for good that they should be as Gods Secondly perswading from feare of punishment Adde to