Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	death_n	grace_n	sin_n	2,826	5	5.1233	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54907	The captive (that hath long been in captivity) visited with the day-spring from on high. Or the prisoner (that hath fitten in the prison-house of woful darkness) freed into the everlasting light and covenant of God, in which perfect peace and satisfaction is Written by way of conference, and sent out into the world for the sake of those who have long groped upon the tops of the dark mountains, where the barrennesse and emptinesse is, without the knowledge of the true light to be their guide, that they (as in a glass) may see themselves, and read what hath been the cause why they have so long sought, and not found that they have sought for. Given forth especially for the sake of the scattered people in America, by one who labors for and waits to see the elect gathered from the four quarters of the earth, known by the name of Richard Pinder.	Pinder, Richard, d. 1695.	1660 (1660)	Wing P2262; ESTC R219448	16,995	45

lead me out of my sin and vain conversation but being perswaded by the aforesaid Teachers that I must not expect such a thing as to be freed from sin in this life this pleased my carnal mind and strengthned me to go on in Rebellion against the light which did condemn me for it that I would have reasoned had not Paul a body of Sin and what must I expect to be freed from sin more then he But indeed in all that time I thus reasoned I never had true peace neither indeed was like to have for now I see that it was the enemy of my Souls rest and peace that thus reasoned and pleaded for sin which is the Devils Kingdome and that they are his Ministers that perswades people that they must not expect to be freed from sin so long as they live which new I see is a Sold-destroying Doctrine and is not received by any but they that be in the unbelief for asI told thee since my understanding was somewhat opened by the true light I see all things possible with God and that faith as a grain of Mustard-feed is able to remove Mountains that though I see the body of sin yet standing I dare not but believe he who by his appearance hath given me to see it is able to destroy it and as thou knows well this is my condition at present that gladly I would be further informed for I find Paul speaks of such a condition and speaks of an overcoming also that I would know whether he witn ssed an overcoming any other way but through the light which gave him to see that sin was grown up to have a body Inform. Being thou art sensible that this seasoning with flesh and blood and following such Teachers as did please the Carnal mind in pleading for sin hath been it that hath caused thee to err from the way of thy Souls rest and peace which was wholly hidden from thine eyes while thou regarded not but stopped thy ear at the cry of the Light which Christ hath enlightened thee withall and while thou framed a faith according to thy own Imaginations which gave thee no victory over Sin but that with thy mind thou served it in fulfilling thy own hearts lusts which led thee a side and warred against thy Soul which now thou art to wait to be delivered from to know Christ thy Souls Saviour to be revealed in his own light the hope of thy glory to destroy and take away thy sin which long hath seperated alienated thy mind from the life of God that thou hast been a stranger unto his Covenant of Promise by reason of the hardness and impudency that thy heart was hardened in by consulting with thy imaginations and by lending an ear to such as perswaded thee that the appearance of the grace of God which did appear to lead thee out of thy sin and vaine conversation was but a restraining grace and not able to save thy Soul Oh blindness and ignorance that ever thou or any should lend an ear to such Is not the grace which is able to restrain from sin saving For what would thou or any be saved from if not from sin For hath not sin been it that hath kept your Souls in death and is not sin the cause of your condemnation And is not the grace saving which the Apostle saith hath appeared unto all men which taught them that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they should live godly and soberly in this present world that so as long as thou rejected the appearance of this grace thou was not like to know Redemption from thy Sin and vain conversation For thou confest thy carnal mind which is at enmity with God was at liberty and strengthened which the grace appeared to mortifie but it having been pleased thou wert not like to please God nor to obtain mercy with him to overcome thy sin but was short of the life the Saints was in that spoke forth the Scripture and so could not measure their conditions nor see into the mystery the Scripture speaks of thou being in the unbelief and reprobated in thy mind in that with it thou served sin in fulfilling the lusts of it that so thou may see there hath been a great difference betwen the condition that Paul speaks of about which thou reasoned and thine For he in that time when he saw the Law of sin which was in his members warring against the Law of his mind and the wretched state he with his mind served the Lord but thou sin as thou coufesseth in that time when thou egarded not but dis-esteemed and rejected the light which appeared shewing thee thy sin but now the Day-spring from on High having visited thee thou plainly sees that faith as a grain of mustard seed is able to remove Mountains that I may answer thee in short the overcomming Paul speaks on and witnessed was obtained through the Law of the Spirit of Life which first discovered the body of sin unto him and the wretched estate which made him cry out who should deliver him how the Law of the spirit of life which was in Christ that delivered him and set him free from the Law of sin and Death which for a time was in his Members Captive What thou hast spoken I clearly see is Truth for I finde the light in my own Conscience bearing witnesse to it which Light also I now see is to be my guide and for the want of the knowledge of it I long have gone astray and erred in judgement in the things pertaining to my souls peace and especially about the appearance of the Light which long I desired to see and though it was near me even in my own Conscience yet being drawn aside by an evil heart of unbeliefe and by such teachers as was in the same unbeliefe I have stumbled at the true light which appeared so near me which the Lord through his visitation hath caused to shine forth of darkness that all the dark wayes in which I have long walked and gone astray in I now clearly see and comprehend that I hope for the time to come the Lord will giude my feet in the way of peace in that he hath shewed and made manifest unto me a measure of his own light to prepare me a way through the wilderness that though I walk through the valley of the shaddow of death yet I will not fear seeing the Lords love hath so largely extended to me that after the time of this long darkness he hath caused Light to shine forth and his day to spring from on High which hath lighted upon me that hath long sitten in darkness and long gone astray as a sheep having no shepherd and that hath been as in a pit where there hath been no water and hath lain long as in a Prison-house of wofull darkness under the chains of which I have long been kept even nigh without hopes of deliverance yet now I see the Lord

The Captive that hath long been in Captivity VISITED with the Day-spring from on high Or the Prisoner that hath sitten in the Prison-house of woful darkness freed into the everlasting light and Covenant of God in which perfect peace and satisfaction is Written by way of Conference and sent out into the World for the sake of those who have long groped upon the tops of the dark mountains where the barrennesse and emptinesse is without the knowledge of the true light to be their guide that they as in a glass may see themselves and read what hath been the cause why they have so long sought and not found that they have sought for Given forth especially for the sake of the scattered people in America by one who labors for and waits to see the Elect gathered from the four Quarters of the earth known by the name of Richard Pinder Isay 9.2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light they that dwell in the Land of the shadow of Death upon them hath the Light shined London Printed for Thomas Simmons at the sign of the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1660. TO THE READER WHat here is written is for the sake of those that long hath been deceived and kept in Captivity by expecting to receive Light and power in those things which are weak and beggarly and so have been tossed too and fro in the night of wofull darkness where the Captivity and bondage is out of which none but the Lord alone can deliver Therefore this is written that such as hath long layne in it expecting freedom through those things which they have been drawn to observe by the cunning devices and slights of men that they may turn their minds and expectations from Gadding abroad to feel and know the appearance of the true Light in themselves which Christ hath enlightened them withall and that by it they may search themselves and see what hath kept them in Captivity that with the Light they may be led from it for to that end doth the true light appear as thou that reads and understands this following discourse will plainly see and that there is no other way whereby thou or any can come out of Captivity but through believing in the Light which shews unto you your sin and darkness Which light is the free gift of God and comes not through any outward means but is freely placed in all to shew them sin and transgression which they are fallen into and to lead out of it all them who believes in it and follows it but is the Condemnation of all who hates it Written in the Island Bermuda the 9th day of the 3d. Mouth 1660. R. P. THE CAPTIVE VISITED c. Captive I That have long sitten in darkness and under the shaddow of death have heard a great Rumor of a light that is broken forth of which I would gladly be informed Informer Unto thee that hath long sitten in darkness and under the shaddow of death is Light now sprung forth and the day from on high visiting of thee to give thee the knowledge of salvation by the remitting of thy sins under which thou long hast been oppressed and groaned to be delivered from and the light of which thou hast heard such a Rumor is the way which thy God hath prepared for thy deliverance Cap. But seeing I am yet in darkness and that death doth yet over-shaddow me where must I come to the knowledge of this Light of which I have heard such a Rumor which thou saith my God hath prepared for my deliverance Inform. Seeing thou seemest to make such diligent enquiry concerning the Light a Rumor of which thou saiest thou hast heard and which I told thee thy God hath prepared for thy deliverance it therefore appeareth plainly unto me thou hast some desires to come out of the darkness in which thou long hast sitten and been over-shaddowed by Therefore hearken and give ear for the words of my mouth shall be words of truth and easie to be understood as thou enclines unto the fear of the Lord. The Light which thou enquires after and of which thou hast heard a Rumor and which I told thee thy God had prepared for thy deliverance to give thee the knowledge of salvation through the remiting of thy sins under which thou hast long been oppressed that is it which shines into thy own Conscience and lets thee see how darkness hath prevailed over thee and how thou by it hast been subjected unto vanity and how sin by the Power of it hath been brought forth which hath brought forth death which doth yet over-shaddow thee that if ever thou can come to the knowledge of the Light so as to lead thee out of darkness which hath been the cause of all thy misery thou must own it in its appearance which is in giving thee to see sin and in reproving thee for it to the end that thy heart might be broken off from it and by the Light joyned unto God who hath immortallity and dwelleth in the Light with whom thy Souls peace is Captive But what nearer am I for this seeing that I am in darkness and that death still over-shaddoweth me and that my sins still prevaile over me though indeed as thou saist I find some small desires to be freed from this my darkness but that which should enable me and give me Power over it that I find not And also thou saiest that that is the Light which shines into my own Conscience which shews me my own sin and darkness which the Lord hath prepared for my deliverance which thing as yet I am not fully satisfied in for the Light which shewed me my own sin and reproved me for it that I have neglected and not regarded because those whom I follow for teaching told me that it was but the Light of nature or a Created Light or natural conscience and told me it was not sufficient to lead out of sin and to give Power over it but told me of a greater Light and power that should come by hearing them preach and using them things which they call Ordinances and that that light and power which should come that way should free me from the condemning power of sin though not from that power by which it is brought forth That as for this Light in my own Conscience which thou tells me of I have not at all regarded but have altogether rejected it and dis-esteemed of it because those whom I looked upon to be Christs Ministers told me that is was but natural and not sufficient to guid me unto God neither withall could I comprehend it my self with all my wisdom that I have looked upon it to be no more then the Light of nature though indeed I found it present at all times namely the light in my own Conscience checking and reproving me for many sins that were commited in secret which no mortal eye saw me commit that if thou or

faith comes by hearing them speak their imaginations of the Scriptures so reproach it and call it natural to wit the light which convinces of sin which is the free gift of God and cannot be bought and sold for money as those that calls this light natural do their meanings which they give of the Scriptures which were spoken forth freely from the gift of God and are of no private interpretation ne ther came by the will of man but are to be read and fulfilled in the same spirit by which they were spoken forth though such as deny the light which Christ hath enlightned every one withall sell their meanings and interpretations which they give of them and calls so doing preaching of the word and tells people light and faith must come by hearing of them but the Lord is discovering of their whoredom and redeeming his flock out of their mouths and the Scriptures also that they shall deceive the simple no longer by their false interpreting of them and by their false meanings which they have given of them for the Lord is bringing his out of Captivity and freeing them into his own Covenant of light where they shall be taught of him and shall not need to say every man to his neighbour and to his Brother know the Lord for they shall all know him from the greatest to the least So thou that hast adhered to such teachers as told thee that the light which convinced thee of sin and shewed thee thy own darkness was not sufficient to lead unto Salvation but told thee of a greater light which must come by hearing them which must free thee from the condemning power of sin though not from that power by which it is brought forth I say unto thee by such thou hast been kept in captivity that thy sin hath still ruled and had power over thee and thou still by the light in thy Conscience art condemned for it that the King of peace thou wast not like to know nor his Salvation which thou saiest thy Soul longed for in that thou hast rejected his light which appeared in thee to convert thy heart unto himself but thou not believing in it but adhering unto such as told thee it was but natural thou still hast remained a stranger unto him though thou wast diligent in observing those things which the Kingdome of God comes not by for it comes not by observation neither stands in Words but in Power of which thou daily wilt partake as the light which thou so long has rejected comes to be thy guide in which thou wilt feel life glory and vertue spring forth and then thou wilt clearly see they that told thee the light which shewed thee thy own sin was naturall are enemies unto thy Soules rest and peace Captive According to my promise and thy desirent I have lent a diligent ear and taken good notice of thy words that I do plainly see the cause of this my so much darkness and long travell and running from Mountain to Hill hath been because I have not been informed to this light of the appearance and of the operation of which thou hast spoken that gladly I would be further informed concerning it how I may discern the appearance of it in my self seeing thou saith that I and all men have a measure of it given unto us Inform Seeing thou art sensible that the cause of thy great darkness and wandring astray hath been because thou hath not been informed to this light of the appearance operation of which I have spoken therefore I shall endeavour to inform thee how thou maiest know the appearance of it in thy self by its nature and quality for its contrary to all uncleanness either of flesh or spirit and stands a witness in thee for the Lord bearing Testimony in thy own Conscience that he is against all unrighteousness impurity and unholiness that when thou goes into these things he by his light reproves thee and shews thee thou ought not to give thy strength nor yeild thy members servants to such things but that thou ought to give thy strength and yield thy members Servants unto him who by his light calls for purity Righteousnesse Equity and Justice in all things and this is that which thy God requires of thee to love mercy and to do justly and to walk humbly with him Cap. Thou say'st I may discern the appearance of this light to which thou dost inform me by its nature and quality in that its contrary to all unrighteousnesse and reproves me when I go into it which thing I do plainly see and am very sensible of that it doth condemn me and trouble me when I act any unrighteousness but the thing I desire to know whether if I take heed unto it it will keep me out of the unrighteousness which it is so ready to reprove and condemn me for Inform. Thou being sensible as thou saith thou art that the light to which I inform thee to wit that in thy own conscience that it is very ready to reprove and trouble thee when thou acts any unrighteousness well according to thy Querie I shall answer thee The light to which I inform thee is that which shews thee when thou hast an evil intent or purpose in thy heart to wrong any or to do any injustice in what sort soever now if thou take heed unto that wch shews thee how these things would conceive in thy heart then thou wilt learn true judgment within thy self whereby the evil and self that would joyn with it will be judged that when the evil before mentioned would appear to operate it by the true light wil be condemned and so thou having thy mind exercised in the Principle of light thou wilt feel the sufficencie and ability that is in it to destroy the evil in its appearance and as thou comes to feel this indeed and in truth then thou wilt know the light which was so ready to condemn and trouble thee when unrighteousness was committed as ready to give peace and preserve thee out of all the snares and temptations of the wicked one who hath long led thee Captive at his will in that thy mind hath not been informed directed nor guided by the true eternal light Cap. Truly I see and am very sensible of this also the cause why my sin hath so prevailed over me is because I have not taken heed unto this light which shewed me when temptations did arise in my own heart but that I have given way unto them that sin hath been brought forth and it hath brought forth death under the shaddow of which as I told thee at first I yet sit but me thinks I am some-what encouraged for the time to come to take heed unto this light thou informs me unto in that thou saith sufficency and ability is in it to overcome the evil in its appearance and in that also thou saith as by it am kept out of the evil it will be as ready

to give peace as ever it was to trouble and condemn me when I had committed unrighteousness and as I remember thou told me it is able to keep and preserve me out of all the snares and temptations of the wicked one which thing hath not been counted credible by either Teachers or people among whom I have walked but we have rather cryed out as heresy and blasphemy that any should say they are free from sin in this life but indeed since I fell into conference with thee and that thou hast informed me to this light within and that by it I feel my understanding somewhat opened I dare not judge it as a thing unpossible but that people may be throughly washed and cleansed by the blood of Jesus from all sin and unrighteousness while hear upon Earth that if it should please the Lord to open thy mouth to inform me any further I should gladly lend an eare Inform. Well being thou seest the cause why thy sin hath so prevailed against thee hath been because thou hast not taken heed to the light which shewed thee when temptations did arise in thy own heart and seeing thou hast received some incouragement for the time to come to take heed unto it namely the light which I did inform thee unto which hath shewed thee thy own darkness now that thou may mind thy own condition I perceive that is safe for thee and not to seek to comprehend things in thy own wisdome but wait to feel thy self comprehended into the light which thou told me at our first entring into conference thou hadst a desire to be freed into for consider darkness is that which thou hast been captivated by and light is that which hath been hidden from thine eyes but now thou finding it somewhat opening thy understanding it is safe for thee to abide in it and not to reach at things above thy measure least thou be beguiled and deceived again for as I told thee before thy strength sufficiency and ability in the measure of light which thou saith in some measure hath opened thy understanding that if thou go before it thou goes from thy strength and stay and then the enemie which thou hast been so long captivated by he can toss thy mind and lead thee what way it pleaseth him so in short thy profiting unto God stands in thy own measure of light received from Christ for abiding in it thou wilt see more light and witness the Day-star arise in thy heart which will be more joy gladness comfort and satisfaction unto thy soul then ever thou tasted of while thou followed such Teachers and walked amongst such people that cryed heresie and blasphemy that any should expect to be freed from sin in this life For thou mayest remember while thou walked among such that thou was wholly in darkness for thy ear was stopped at the cry of the light which now in some measure hath opened thy understanding that thou dare not judge that is impossible but that they which believe may be Cleansed throughly by the blood of Jesus Therefore it is none but such teachers and people that calls the light natural such thou told me thou did adhere unto in the time when thou was so tossed from Mountain to Hill that cryes heresie and blasphemy that any should say they are freed from sin in this life but now thy understanding being somewhat opened by the true light thou sees all things possible with God but while thou stood wholy in that nature which hated the light thou was in the unbelief and so judged according to thy blindness and as thou saw it was in thy self and measured the Saints conditions by thy own as Paul and others that thou knows full well those teachers and people that hates the light which Christ hath enlightned every one withal and calls it natural that they cannot believe any such thing that any should be wholly cleansed from sin while here upon Earth but accounts it as delusion that any should have such a faith in them that they may be wholy clensed but little I hope I need to say unto thee concerning them for thou knows well thy self upon what a bad Foundation thy faith stood while thou followed such Teachers and walked among such people Videlicet such as cryed Heresie and blasphemy that any should say they witness freedome from sin while here upon Earth Captive I hope the Lord will further shew me the things which long I have sought after for this now I plainly see that my profiting unto God stands onely in the measure of Light which Christ hath enlightened me withall and also the Lord through his tender mercyes with the day from on high by which he hath visited me hath letten me see that the cause of all this my want hath been that I have not minded my own Condition but hath rather sought to comprehend things in my Earthly wisdom which now I see is foolishness with God and hath separated me from the knowledge of his wayes that I was not like to see into those things which do pertain unto life eternal neither into the Saints Conditions which I read on in the Scriptures because I knew not a measure of this Light within to be my guide which now I see the Scriptures were spoken forth from and remains as dark sayings unto me and all men untill our understandings comes to be opened by the true light which leads to the fulfilling of them For as thou sayest while my ear was stopped against the cry of the true light then I measured the Saints Conditions and judged of them according to my own darkness for the faith I was in or rather unbelief gave me no victory over my sin in that I did not believe in the Light which Christ had enlightned me withall though I professed faith in him and did strive many times within my self to believe that all my sins past and to come were done away in him yet still this light which came from him namely Christ and shined into my own Conscience did shew me that my sins were standing and was unblotted out and that I was an enemy in my mind unto his life in that sin was brought forth and that with my mind I served it and as thou said my faith stood upon an unsound Foundation as I now plainly see for it was gathered from without me and not from any knowledge of Christ made manifest within me the hope of my glory but was wholly built upon my own Imaginations which did arise out of that ground which did hate the appearance of Gods grace that when it at any time did appear reproving me for the vanity my mind was run into it was rejected in that the teachers whom I followed told me it was but a restraining grace and not saving and by their perswading of me I was strengthned in my Imaginations that I went on in rebellion not taking heed to the appearance of Gods grace which did appear to