Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	day_n	lord_n	see_v	3,711	5	3.5921	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78621	Faith in Gods promises, the saints best weapon: or, The great use and availableness of faith, both for the support and growth of saints in times most perilous. Plainly discovering that the want of faith in the way of Gods promises, is the great cause of the want of Gods presence. With several considerations for the encrease of faith, tha[t] henceforth the saints may by faith so draw nigh unto God, and in faith so wait upon God, as with certainty of receiving from him. Whereunto is added something concerning the great errour and mistake of many men concerning the true Christ, and how he is said to be in his people; with other things very necessary to be known in order to saints resisting the temptation of the present times. / Set forth as (useful for all people, but) especially intended for the good of such as are returned to the good old way of the Lord, by Matthew Caffyn ...	Caffyn, Matthew, 1628-1714.	1660 (1660)	Wing C207; ESTC R170345	46,339	55

that for men to have long after the practice of Gods Ordinances no other plea nor ground to contend for the same before Adversaries but barely because such Ordinances are spoken of in the Scriptures is that which verily tends to discouragement and Soul-faintings therein yea at length to say with those careless ones of old What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Mal. 3.14 When as men hearing the Gospel of Christ which promiseth rest and peace to the Soul through the Remission of sins with the gift of Gods Spirit have thereupon subjected to the Gospel with such a renewed mind as would not be satisfied with hearing of the good things thereof till they were able to say that as they had heard so they have seen that which was promised our Souls have tasted rest and peace we know the fruits of Gods Spirit we experience c. Whenas I say men thus following hard after the Lord have this knowledge of Gods goodness and powerful presence in his Way as a great Argument together with Scripture Arguments to embolden them to contend for the Way and to establish them against all oppositions 'T is common amongst men to look upon themselves discharged from duty of love to such Beggars who after their asking for Almes shall presently turn their backs and mind other matters of trifle more than their reasonable waiting to receive what they have asked for Now may any so much as once think that God will turn his face in love to such who sometimes shall ask of him Spiritual Almes but presently are found as it were turning their backs to the Throne of Grace and not waiting there as if their receiving of Grace were little minded by them which is onely the Christian mans life but rather other things more meer trifles compared to what they have asked for of God their hearts may be running after covetousness as the hearts of Israel were who neverthelesse would be spreading forth their hands before God but they flattered him with their lips and lied before him with their tongues and he regarded them not Psal 78.36 May any I say once think that God will turn his face in love to and not rather withdraw himself far from such as persons greatly unworthy of his benevolence to whom he is no wayes engaged by promise to do any thing for them since they come not up to the terms of his goodness Surely delay to consider these things is very dangerous even nigh to an irrecoverable estate There hath been indeed much contending for this Principle of Laying on of Hands and great pains taken both by speaking and writing for the same and I bear them record that they therein have had zeal for the Truth for so I do and hope ever shall believe it to be but alas their zeal hath not been according to true knowledge if they have not as well yea and much more too in the mean time endeavoured that the great end of this Ordinance might be obtained to wit the sanctification strengthning guidance of their Souls in the Truth of God without which both their subjection to the Doctrine thereof and also their much pleadings for the same would be of no effect But I hope better things at leastwise of many though I thus speak being perswaded that there are such who knowing themselves in a justified Estate through faith in Christ have a clear sight and deep sence of their souls wants as not knowing how to live nor to work in Gods services without the gracious supplies of Gods Spirit which sight and deep sence of want is seen through their great Heaven-born desires to honour God which desires springs from their Souls great love to God which love in them to God-ward is begotten by Gods great love first to them 1 John 4.19 And that these hereupon have a very high esteem of Gods spiritual presence being the true Bread from above which onely will satisfie their Souls born from above valuing it far above the presence of all things whatsoever seeing more worth and excellency therein than in any thing of the world True it is that most Professors confesse and talk of such things but these experienceth the same in their Souls and so their Righteousness exceedeth the Righteousness of those many lifeless and senseless Professors who as much as others talks of these things but knows it not in themselves And that these hereupon do greatly desire the presence of Gods Spirit and so both frequently and fervently are found praying for the same lifting up holy hands to the Lord and being in Davids sence with all earnestness David-like beseech the Lord to make hast for their help and to make no tarrying Psal 40.17 And that these till the Lord doth visit them with the special Graces of his Holy Spirit are found mourning before the Lord and greatly complaining against themselves as being wonderfully short and low in their own apprehensions as to what God requires and which they know is due to his Name Wherefore their souls like David Psal 77.2 refuseth to be comforted with any thing though the very chiefest of this worlds enjoyments they looking upon themselves as such who want all things while the supplies of Grace is wanting And that these during the time that the Lord withholds the visitations of his Grace are not onely continuing in Prayer but walking therein communing with their own hearts and like David in such a case Psal 77. making diligent search fearing least there should be some secret sin for which cause the Lord may forbear to draw nigh to their Souls And that these while in this capacity think it not much but rather delight to spend dayes in the Closet there to humble themselves with Fasting and Prayer before the Lord not as Pharisees do to be seen of men neither as sluggards do because they read that Saints formerly did and now sometimes doth so but purely and zealously are led out thereunto from that vehemency of desires and Soul-affections which they experience in themselves after the more excellent estate for as God hath graciously opened their understandings to know that there is an excellent estate attainable their satisfaction is not in the knowledge thereof nor in the much talk thereabouts nor in the ready Confession that the same is excellent and of a special goodness as is too much the satisfaction of some but rather in living the life thereof even that their Souls may be spiritually framed nnd wonderfully strengthened with might both to the pure doing what is spiritually good and also to the renouncing of the hidden things of dishonesty 2 Cor. 4.2 Now forasmuch as there are such that are found to some considerable degree thus prizing and so following hard after spiritual Blessings that thereby they having so far tasted of the Lords goodnesse as to know themselves in a justified estate from sin by his Grace might now for the time to come bear much fruit to the honour of his

their Minds the Apostle being greatly desirous of their holding out could find no better way it appears then mightily to presse them to a close dependance upon God by Faith and therefore he begins his account from Abel who through faith obtained witnesse that he was Righteous and being dead yet speaketh and so down to Enoch Abraham and the rest of the Fathers and Prophets who through Faith obtained a good report wrought Righteousness obtained Promises mentioning many other also as well extraordinary as ordinary deliverances obtained by Faith and yet he mentions not all he could touching the Power of Faith for himself saith That the time would fail him to tell thereof Heb. 11. Now what less is there to be learned by this so large an account of the Apostle touching Faith then that Faith is somewhat more concerned in the receiving spiritual Power and Divine Light from God in order to their standing and thriving in his way than any other thing on the Creatures part whatsoever As elsewhere the Apostle mentioning divers pieces of Armour wherewith Christians are to be attired not one of which but that is of special concernment yet saith the Apostle Ephes 6.16 Above all things take the s●…ld of Faith wherewith you shall be able through the Grace handed to the Soul by Faith to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked for none of them that trusteth in the Lord shall be left desolate saith the Prophet Psal 34.22 So much doth Faith carry the sence and scope of the Gospel-Covenant as that sometimes the Apostles called it the Faith as you may read Jude 3. Act. 6.7 Gal. 3.23 And it is of Faith mark it I pray that it might be by Grace Rom. 4.16 Now then if it be so that mens prayers to God though never so many or largely performed renders them not happy but that their happinesse consists in their receivings from God what they have prayed for and that the way proposed by God wherein persons may come to receive from him is not onely for them to lift up Holy hands to God but that also they be without doubting that is to say such as believe that they shall receive what they have sought for it remains a weighry work for every Gospel-professing Soul well to consider of what nature and kind their applications have been which they have made to God considering that his grace and goodness is no otherwise engaged for their Souls help but as they shall rely and depend on him to receive the same by Faith which considered and believed as true may well remove all doubts and suspicions concerning the way of God which sometimes arise in the Professors thereof upon the account of so little received from God for undoubtedly the Lords hand is not shortned his way he hath not left his Promises thereunto are Yea and Amen in the Lord but alas How short have men been in coming up to the terms of his goodness That part of Gods Word which consists of Commandments men indeed have been somewhat busied about but as for that part which consisteth of Promises Oh how little hath it been minded they have been indeed often read of and sometimes talked of But how are they that have seriously pondred them and in their hearts magnified them so as to wait in and live upon them counting them all things to them in every condition Hast thou then O thou that out-strippest some others in thy zeal after spiritual things hast thou I say often visited the Throne of Grace as a work most pleasant to thy Soul beseeching the Lord to draw nigh to thee in the large givings forth of his Grace to thy Soul well knowing that without it all thy drawings nigh to him is nothing and hast thou there waited in the sight of the worth and excellency thereof and so in the sence of thy great need of the same thy Soul as it were fainting and thine eyes like the Prophets failing for the Word of God that is the Word of his Promise to be fulfilled to thy Soul saying with him in thy Soul-longings after the desired Bread from above to refresh and strengthen thy Soul born anew from above when Lord wilt thou comfort me Psal 119.81,82 I say hast thou thus waited upon God and art thou yet often with God in thy most solemn and serious Meditations O do but now give the Lord who waiteth to be gracious being as willing to do good as thou art desirous of good give the Lord I say ground to say to thee as once the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15.28 O man great is thy Faith and then O then will the Lord readily say to thee Be it unto thee even as thou wilt according to thy faith be it unto thee But if otherwise the account will be a sad and doleful account even that the Lord could do no mighty work of love for thee because of thy unbelief Matth. 13.58 Mark 6.5,6 O that all were wise that bear the name of Saints even with the Wisdom which is from above So that the bare knowledge of these things or the much talk or preaching of them to others might not be their satisfaction but that all would rather carefully and speedily endeavour to know and be satisfied that they themselves doth so wait upon God by Faith and consequently doth so receive from him which to know and experience within is real cause and ground of peace and Soul-satisfaction In order whereunto even that Faith may grow and flourish in your Souls consider O Friends whether we are not to believe that a Son shall be given when God hath promised it without giving the least heed to what the deadness of body on either hand may say Rom. 4.19,20 Are we not to believe that the promised Seed shall be as the Stars for multitude when God hath spoken it Gen. 15.5,6 notwithstanding all the fleshly opposition arising from the Commandement to slay Isaac the onely promised Seed from whence the multitude should come forth Are we not to believe that the Israel of God shall be brought into the good Land flowing with Milk and Honey when God that cannot lye hath spoken it notwithstanding all the gain-sayings of the red Sea before and the Egyptian Host behind Are we not to believe and confidently to expect a great plenty even a measure of fine Flower for a shekel and two measures of Barly for a shekel and that so soon as to morrow when the Lord God hath spoken it 2 Kings 7.1 notwithstanding the many and great oppositions and contrary speakings of this dayes poverty even that an Asses head is sold for fourscore pieces of Silver and the fourth part of a Cab of Doves dung for five pieces of Silver Chap. 6.25 And was not unbelief in this Promise the cause of sudden Judgement taking hold upon the mighty man upon whom the King leaned Chap. 7.2,19,20 Are we not to believe that the mighty Hosts of the Midianites and Amalekites who for