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	grace_n	work_n	1,789	5	5.8920	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20540	Three godlie and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Maister Iohn Dod: the last by Maister Robert Cleauer. Whereunto are annexed, fiue propositions, or points of doctrine, comprehended in three other sermons, by the same author	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625. aut	1610 (1610)	STC 6950; ESTC S117481	100,240	192

Rom. 8. 15. wherby we cry Abba father So that none can confidently call God father but by the helpe of his blessed Spirit If vnregenerate men will pray to their father Christ telleth them who he is when speaking to such kinde of persons he saith You are Ioh. 8. 44. of your father the Diuell And how proueth he that The lusts of your father yee will do As those that are willing to do the workes of God are assuredly the children of God euen so they that are ready to doe the workes of Satan are without doubt the children of Satan and if they wil pray vnto their father they must pray vnto the Diuell Againe in that very place it is sayd that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to Rom. 8. 26 pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed where it is euident that the best of Gods seruants without the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost are ignorant both of the matter and manner of prayer but the Spirit doth informe their mindes what to aske and frame their affections how to aske in an holy and acceptable sort so that albeit sometimes they want words to expresse their meaning yet they are full of inward sighes and heauenly desires But what are they the better for them will some say if they cannot powre them forth before the Lord in an outward forme of prayer They are much the better because as it is in the 27. verse He that searcheth the hearts knoweth the meaning of the spirit and he so knoweth it that he approueth of it and delighteth in it If there be neuer so many good words and those vttered by the very Saints of God themselues yet if they proceede not from the Spirit but from the flesh as sometimes they may they are not pleasing vnto the Lord but abhorred of him And on the other side albeit there be no words at all as many times it fals out when the heart is oppressed through extremity of griefe yet if there bee a multitude of holy desires in the soule stirred vp through the powerfull working of the holy Spirit they are accepted of him and shall bee rewarded by him for as it is added in the place aboue named The Spirit euen at such times maketh requests for the Saints according to the will of God And therefore their suits according with his will he cannot but yeeld vnto the same Againe it is the proper worke of the Spirit to conuince the iudgement of sinne and to humble Iohn 16. 8. the heart therefore without which there can no faithfull prayer be made vnto the Lord. Bring neuer so strong reasons to adulterers or gamesters or Saboth-breakers or any that liue in the continuall practise of such dangerous and damnable sinnes and presse them neuer so forcibly to cause them to forsake their lewd and wretched courses and yet can they not see why they should leaue them but rather imagine that they may lawfully follow the same still And no maruell for till the God of heauen do set downe their carnall reason it can neuer be set downe and till he stop their mouthes they will neuer be silenced but still haue somewhat to say for their wretched and vile behauiour Reasons collected from the former places Seeing then it is euident that Gods Spirit alone can perswade vs of the loue and fauour of our heauenly Father towards vs that so we may be in case to pray vnto him and withall must furnish vs with the matter and helpe vs in the manner of our praiers and humble vs in the sight of our owne miserable wants that so we may bee more earnest and feruent in the requests that we make the point now in hand may hence be strongly concluded to wit that none can make a faithfull prayer without the speciall ayde and direction of the holy Ghost which serueth Vse 1 First for the confutation of those sencelesse people that will be talking and bragging how they pray day and night They that know what it is to lift vp a feruent prayer vnto the heauens doe easily discerne that they are but meere braggers and boasters and that indeede they neuer made one faithful prayer since they were borne because they are and still haue bene sensuall and carnall and vtterly void of any sanctifying grace of Gods spirit and therefore so farre are they from hauing any cause of reioycing in regard of their good prayers as they call them that they haue great cause to be humbled for them as being workes of the flesh and not of the Spirit such as doe rather prouoke the Lords displeasure against them then pacifie his anger or any way procure his fauour towards them Such are the prayers of all blind and ignorant Papists who pray in an vnknowne tong to whom it may be said as it was by our Sauiour vnto the sonnes of Zebedeus Ye know not what yee aske They may speake what they list of their often praying and how readily they can goe through with their stint and taske but they that vnderstand what it is to bring God and their owne soules together in earnest requests and feruent supplications cannot but iudge them to bee bragging Pharises who thinke that the Lord is beholding vnto them and indebted vnto them for such prayers whereas in truth he may iustly condemneth em vnto hell for the same and will do so if they be not humbled for them as well as for the rest of their iniquities And therefore they that haue indeed the Spirit of prayer are of another mind for when they haue vsed the best preparation that possibly they can they finde so many defects in their prayers that they are driuen to make a new prayer for the pardoning of those their wants and are stirred vp heartily to praise the Lord when they can in any poore measure powre out their soules before him as knowing that it is not from any strength that they haue in themselues but from the helpe and furtherance of his good Spirit Secondly let this be an instruction vnto vs that if we would pray aright and speede accordingly we labour as Iude exhorteth to pray in the Iude V. 20. holy Ghost For those be the petitions that pierce the heauens and bring peace comfort vnto the conscience But how shall we know whether our prayers proceed from Gods Spirit or not for our sinfull hearts are apt to deceiue vs on both sides viz. either to make vs thinke through Satans suggestion that we doe not pray in the holy Ghost because we haue so many frailties when in truth we doe or that we pray as we ought to doe because we haue matter and words at will when indeed there is no such thing but onely a naturall gift of vttering that which is in our mindes and memories in apt and fit tearms and in a fluent manner of speech Therefore if wee

on the almighty nor call vpon God at all times For that is a speciall gift of God and peculiar vnto the Saints and as any one maketh more such holy prayers so may he be confidently perswaded that he hath the Spirit of grace in a greater measure And they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced that is vpon Christ and that by the eye of faith setting their heart and hope on him and through him expect to be heard and relieued whence obserue this doctrine that the Spirit of prayer doth alwaies leade men vnto Christ Iesus Doct. 3 It causeth them wholly to go out of themselues The Spirit of prayer doth alwaies direct men vnto Christ Iesus and to offer vp their supplications in and through their Sauiour and redeemer This was figured in the sacrifices that were offered vnder the Leuiticall law at which time if any one were polluted by any occasion or otherwise clogged with sinnes that hee had committed he was to bring his offering vnto the Priest and was to be sprinckled with the bloud thereof which did signifie the bloud of Christ by which all Gods elect were to be cleansed and a reconciliation betwixt God and them was to be procured For this cause Daniel though hee were a man much beloued of God and endued with the Spirit of prayer in an wonderfull measure yet he desireth the Lord to heare him not Dan. 9. 17. for his sake or for his peoples sake but for the Lord Christ Iesus his sake Therefore doth our Sauiour tell his disciples that whatsoeuer they should Ioh. 16. 23. aske the Father in his name hee would giue it vnto them Reason Now the reason why the Spirit of grace doth alwaies direct vs vnto Christ in our prayers is because it maketh vs see our owne vilenesse and wretchednesse and so consequently that we stand in need of the mediation of Christ Iesus Therefore in the couenant of grace after Gods people haue receiued the holy Ghost it is said Then shall Eze. 36. 31. ye remember your owne wicked waies and your deeds that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroyed for your iniquities and for your abhominations This is the first worke of the Spirit euen to set them downe that they should haue nothing to say for thēselues but plainly acknowledge that shame and confusion that destruction and eternall condemnation is due vnto them if the Lord should enter into iudgement with them Now when they are thus abased and humbled in themselues then will they seeke to haue a part in Christ his merites that so both they and their seruices may be accepted of the Lord through his righteousnesse and through his intercession which he doth continually make for them which serueth Vse 1 First for the confutation of the Papists and to shew that they are not led by the Spirit because in their prayers they rest not vpon the mediation and intercession of Iesus Christ but ioyne thereunto their owne merits and the merits of the Saints thinking by that meanes to preuaile in their suites and to obtaine their hearts desire Secondly it maketh also for the confutation of a number of ignorant men and women among vs that wil bragge of their daily stint of prayers which they runne ouer and how they make no doubt but the Lord will accept of their requests will grant the same and why because they liue honestly among their neighbours do no body any harme and they hope withall that their good words prayers do deserue somewhat at Gods hands Alas poore simple people they little consider what it is to make a good praier for if they did they would go quite out of themselues vnto Christ Iesus and labour for acceptance onely for his sake And as for these prayers which they so much stand vpon if euer it please the Lord to open their eyes and to waken their drowsie consciences they will be so farre from thinking that they merite any thing thereby as that they will see great cause to be humbled therefore for that they haue dealt so hypocritically and carnally drawing neere vnto God with their lips when their hearts haue bene remoued farre from him Thirdly here is another vse of consolation and of instruction both that if we will haue this testimony vnto our soules that we pray in the Spirit then when we haue the most feeling affections and purest desires let vs offer them vp in Christ Iesus let vs not play the Priests our selues as king Vzziah did lest wee be smitten with a worse leprocie in our soules than he was in his bodie but let vs make Christ our high Priest to present our offerings before the Lord. So also when our prayers and thanksgiuings are most imperfect and weake let vs present them through him that so they may finde acceptance with God being perfumed by the righteousnesse of his deare sonne Obiect Oh but I cannot striue nor wrestle with God in prayer as others do and as I my selfe haue sometimes done Answer What of that did not Christ Iesus offer vp Heb. 5. strong cryes vnto his Father And for whom shall those be effectuall but for such poore Christians as cannot so feruently call vpon God for themselues It is said Hebrewes 12. That the bloud of Christ speaketh Heb. 12. 14. better things then the bloud of Abel Now we can easily beleeue that Caine was in a dangerous case when the bloud of Abel did call for vengeance against him and why should we not as throughly beleeue that they are in an happy case who haue the bloud of the son of God to cal for redemption and saluation acceptation of all holy seruices in their behalfe as all true hearted Christians haue The want of this perswasion is the cause why we omit many excellent praiers thanksgiuings which would be very pleasing vnto the Lord being offered vp as sweet incense by our high Priest Christ Iesus and therefore let vs labour for an encrease of faith in this poynt that so God may not be depriued of seruice nor our selues of those comforts and blessings which are promised to all that call vpon him in truth And they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him c. In that this great lamentation is set downe as an effect of their beholding of Christ whom by their sinnes they had crucified this doctrine may hence be gathered Doct. 4 The due consideration of the death of Christ is The consideration of Christ his sufferings is a forcible meanes to godly sorrow a most forcible means to breake the hearts of Christians with godly sorrow There is no such motiue to make men weepe bitterly for their offences as to weigh with themselues in a serious manner that they by their sinnes haue slaine the Lord of life that his bitterest aduersaries were not the causes of that his shamefull and painfull death which he endured

among vs shall dwell with deuouring fire VVho among vs shall dwell with euerlasting burnings For so they conceiue of God that he is a consuming fire as indeed he is vnto such as they are and that he will not onely torment them presently but euerlastingly We may reade of Saul in what wofull perplexity he was when he must part with his kingdome and his life at once In the time of his prosperity he was a man of great courage and too too boysterous against Dauid yet when newes came vnto him that he must dye the very report of it caused him straight way to fall all along vpon the earth like a beast so that all that were present had much adoe to make him arise and take a little food to refresh him He was strong in body and mighty in Note battle but sinfull in heart and therefore cowardly in heart the like might be shewed concerning Belshazzar king of Ba●el Daniel 5. and the souldiers that kept the sepulcher where Christ was laid Mat. 28. 4. when the Angell appeared in glory But let vs consider of the reasons hereof Reasons 1 One is because all misery commeth vpon them vsually at vnawares For they sooth vp themselues in their naughtinesse and perswade themselues that all shall be peace though they walke on according Deut. 29. to the stubbornnesse of their owne hearts therefore crosses being vnexpected doe finde The suddennesse of their misery them vnprepared and so cast them into greater perplexity and anguish It is said Psal 53. 5. concerning vngodly men There they were afraid for feare where no feare was Not but there was perill and so cause of feare but they had no expectation thereof they mistrusted nothing but went on as boldly in sinning as a man would doe in the workes of his calling therefore were their hearts so distracted with feares when troubles did light vpon them A second reason why presumptuous offenders Their iudgment● are very grieuous are so tormented with horrour is because many times the iudgements that God layeth vpon them are very grieuous as they haue pressed downe others with heauy burdens so the Lord pursueth them with heauy plagues Those that offend onely through infirmity shall haue more milde and gentle corrections but as for them that transgresse with an high hand the Lord will visite them with sharper scourges and as they haue bene more bitter against their neighbours so the Lord will haue them to drink more deeply of that cup which they prepared for others Thirdly God in his iustice will haue his hand to Gods terrible iustice is apparant in their afflictions be seene against those that make warre against him and against his people he will appeare in his anger against such and that must needes be terrible vnto them There is no blessing so small but if it come with Gods fauour it is made very great neither is there any crosse so small but if it come with Note Gods displeasure it is made exceeding grieuous and that made them so afraid Isa 33. 14. of whom mention was made before A fourth cause of their great terrour is the The guiltinesse of their consciences guiltinesse of their consciences They haue imposed vpon them grieuous burdens which when the world went well with them they scarse euer felt but in time of distresse they are made sensible thereof and then they haue as it were a hell within them and are continually vpon the racke But that we may not mistake the meaning of this point we must vnderstand that this faint-heartednesse and cowardlinesse doth not alwaies come vpon presumptuous sinners when they behold imminent dangers for though none of them haue true courage fortitude yet many of them haue Note a kind of desperate stoutnesse and resolution when they doe as it were see death present before their faces which proceedeth from a kind of deadnesse that is vpon their hearts and a brawninesse that hath ouergrowne their consciences to their greater condemnation But when it pleaseth he Lord to waken them out of the dead slumber and to set the worme of conscience aworke within them then this doctrine holdeth true without any exception that the boldest sinners proue at length the basest cowards they that haue bene most audacious in aduenturing vpon the most mischieuous euils do become of all others most timorous when Gods reuenging hand seazeth vpon them for the same Vse 1 First therefore let vs hence learne not to embolden our selues to sinne in confidence of any outward helps for there is nothing in the world that can procure vs safety if we by our inquities do set the Lord against vs. Obiect 1 Yet many are so foolish that they will trust in lying vanities for their safegard and protection Some will say Tush none of their threatnings shall fright me for if the worst come to the worst I can haue twenty deuices to helpe my selfe Ans But was not Achitophel as deepe a polititian as the best of vs yet when Gods terrible stroake was vpon his heart all his cunning could not keepe him from hanging himselfe Obiect 2 Others there are that rest vpon the multitude and thinke themselues sufficiently sheltred from Gods plagues if they haue a great many to ioyne with them Why should should we not sport and game and take our full pleasure vpon the Sabboth say they doth not all the country so If it be so dangerous many others shal feele the smart of it as well as we Ans They shall so indeed for in the beginning of this Psalme it is said They are all corrupt all gone out of the way there is none that doth good no not one so that there was as it were an vniuersall conspiracy in euill yet is it said of them all There were they taken with feare And at the last day at the beholding of the terrible signes that shall appeare and at the hearing of the roaring of the sea all nations shall quake and tremble so that the multitude of offenders doth no whit better their case nay that rather maketh it worse for sometimes euen where there is no perill the very hearing of many sending foorth bitter cryes and lamentable complaints is a sufficient terrour how much more then would it be if we were plunged in misery with them It is a cold comfort vnto vs to be told You may safely goe to such a towne for there all the houses are generally infected with the pestilence and as small an incouragement is it for men to rush vpon the committing of any sinne because almost all the world is addicted thereunto and corrupted therewith For as the more are infected with the pestilence the more are likely to die and those that go vnto them are sure of more discomfort among them and in danger to perish with them so by how much the number of them is greater that are tainted with grosse sinnes the more are likely to