Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	effect_n	faith_n	justification_n	4,667	5	9.6727	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09088	The second part of the booke of Christian exercise, appertayning to resolution. Or a Christian directory, guiding all men vnto their saluation. / VVritten by the former author R.P..; Booke of Christian exercise. Part 2.	Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. Christian directory.; Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610. First booke of the Christian exercise.	1592 (1592)	STC 19382; ESTC S126315	217,410	610

the true Messias doth sufficiently teach vs that we must not only belieue in his name doctrine but conforme our liues actions also to the prescript rule of his commaundements For albeit in Christian Religion faith be the first principall foundation whereupon all the rest is to be staied and grounded Yet as in other materiall buildings after the foundation is layde there remaineth the greatest labour time cost cunning and diligence to be bestowed vpō the framing furnishing of other parts y t must ensue euen so in thys celestiall edifice or building of our soule hauing laid on the foundation and ground of true beleefe the rest of all our life time labor studies is to be imployed in the perfecting of our lyfe and actions and as it were in raysing vp the wals and other parts of our spiritual building by the exercise of all vertues dylligent obseruation of Gods cōmandements without the which it will be to no more purpose for vs to brag of our knowledge in the scriptures or to say we haue fayth looke to be saued as wel as other men then it wil be to purpose to haue a foundation without a building vpon it or a stock or tree y t beareth no fruite Which thing S. Iames speaking of that historical and dead fayth wherby the wicked and the very deuils themselues belieue that there is one GOD expresseth most excellently in thys fit similitude As a bodie without a spirit is dead euen so saith he is fayth without workes Thys poynt of doctrine of vertuous life obseruing of Gods commandements not our sauior Christ alone in hys Sermon most earnestly vrged as hath beene sayde but hys fore-runner also S. Iohn the Baptist and his followers the holy Apostles whereof the one continually called vpō the people to bring forth fruits meete for repentance the other in all theyr wryting no doubt in all theyr Sermons after matter of doctrine and fayth propounded do proceede to exhortation precepts of Christian lyfe In so much as S. Augustine other auncient Fathers are of opinion that the rest of the Apostles S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn and S. Iude perceiuing the loosenes and security of the people in their times directed theyr writings eyther onely or principally to thys ende euen to perswade and enforce the necessitie of good life conuersation among Christians Yea and that Saint Paule himselfe when he concludeth that a man is iustified by fayth without the works of the Law doth not exclude the workes of charitie as effects and fruites of fayth which followe hym that is already iustified in the sight of God but hee excludeth them as causes of saluation which goe before him that is to be iustified Whereby it appeareth that saint Paul handling the causes of our iustification in the sight of God is not repugnant ●r contrary to S. Iames speaking o● the notes and signes whéreby we are iustified that is as the worde is taken els where declared or knowne to be iust or righteous before men The sum is that although good works are not the causes of our saluation yet they are the way as it were the path that leadeth thervnto because by them as by certayne marks we perceiue our selues to haue entered and to haue proceeded in the way of eternal life Yea they are the fruites and effects wherby we testifie and declare both vnto our selues and to others the truth of that fayth which we professe And therefore our Sauiour Christ willeth vs in y e gospel to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good works may take occasion therby to glorifie our heauenly Father And his holy Apostle Saint Iames byddeth those carnall and sensuall Christians that stoode so much vpon the onely name of faith to shew hym theyr fayth by their works that is they should declare testifie vnto men as I haue sayde the fayth which they professed by the fruites thereof To men I say 〈◊〉 cause men which iudge but by 〈◊〉 outwarde appearance onely cannot know the goodnes of a Tree but by the good fruite which it yeeldeth they cannot discerne the inwarde fayth but by the outward workes But as for God that searcheth the secrets of the hart and raynes it needeth not that we should shewe him our fayth by our works nor may we looke for iustification at his hands by the best of them for thē might we haue wherof to boast but there is no boasting with God therfore no iustifying by works in hys sight Yet notwithstanding the Lord requireth good works at our hands to the end that hymselfe myght be glorified our needie bretheren relieued comforted others gained wonne by our example to the embracing of the same fayth and Religion which we professe our owne fayth exercised and strengthened our calling election made sure confirmed And it is very requisite y t the chyldren of God which are bought with so high a price as with the blood of Iesus shold glorify god both in soule body because they are redeemed both in soule body and not lyue vnto thēselues but vnto him which dyed and rose againe for them This is the end of our election before the foundations of the worlde were layde as the Apostle testifieth Ephes 1 4 euen that we should be holie and blamelesse before hym in loue Thys is the ende of our creation as the same Apostle witnesseth Ephesians 2 10. Where he saith that we are Gods workmanshyp created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes wherein he hath ordayned that wee should walke This is the end of our redemption as old Zachary prophecied Luke 1 74 75 that beeing redeemed and deliuered from all our spirituall enemies and from eternall destruction wherunto we were subiect we should serue God without feare in holines and righteousnesse before hym all the daies of our lyfe Finally this is the ende of our vocation For God hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and as he that hath called vs is holy so must we be holy in all maner of cōuersation And it cannot be that they which are truely iustified that is to say made righteous by a liuely faith in Christ should not also in some measure be sanctified that is made holy by a faithfull lyfe in hym Let not men therfore deceiue thēselues with the onely name shadow of faith without the nature and substaunce thereof Let them not promise vnto themselues euerlasting life because they knowe y e true God and whō he hath sent Iesus Christ but let them remember how Christ hys Apostle whom he deerely loued expoundeth that saying when hee wryteth By thys we knowe GOD truly if we keepe his commaundements and whosoeuer sayth that ●e knoweth hym and yet keepeth not his commaundements is a lyar and the trueth is not in hym

the young Infants the whole prophecie which he had reade in the verses of Sibylla touching the birth of Christ and of the peace grace and golden world y t shold come with him Vpon which subiect he beginneth thus Vltima Cumaei venit iam temporis aetas Magnus ab integro saeculorum nascitur ordo I am redit Virgo rediunt Saturnia regna That is now is come the last age prophecied by Sibilla called Cumaea now commeth to bee fulfilled the great ordinance and prouidence of GOD appointed from the beginning of the world these were Sibylles words now commeth the Virgine and the first golden daies of Saturnus shall returne againe Thus much translated Virgill out of Sibylla touching the eternall determination of God for Christes comming into this world as also of his Mother the Virgine and of the in●inite blessings that should appeare with him Now ensueth in the same Poet what Sibylla had said for Christes actuall natiuitie I am noua progenies caelo dimittitur alto Chara Deum soboles c. Now a new progenie or of-spring is sent downe from Heauen the deerelie beloued issue or child of the Gods And note heere that Sibylla saith plainlie Chara Dei soboles the deerely beloued Sonne of God and not of Gods but that Virgil would follow the style of his tyme. And thirdly hee setteth downe out of Sibylla the effect and cause of this sonne of Gods natiuitie in this sort Te duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri Irrita perpetuo soluent formidine terra That is thou being our leader or Captaine the remnant of our sinnes shall be made voide or taken away and shall deliuer the world for euer from feare for the same These are Virgils words translated as I said out of Sibylla And now consider you in reason whether these Prophecies might be applied as Virgill applied them to those poore children in Rome or no who died soone after this flatterie of Virgill without dooing good either to themselues or to others Albeit perhaps in this point the Poet be to be excused in that he beeing not able to imagine what the Sibyl shold meane made his aduantage thereof in applying the same to the best pleasing of Augustus These then are the proofes which Constantine vsed for the credite and authoritie of the Sibyll verses And of Sibylla Erithraea in particuler that made the Accrostike Verses before mentioned of Christes death and Passion hee concludeth in these words These are the things that fell from Heauen into the mind of this Virgine to ●ore-tell For which cause I am induced to account her for blessed whom our Sauiour did vouchsafe to chuse for a Prophet to denounce vnto the world his holie prouidence towardes vs. And we may consider in this whole discourse of Constantine for authoritie of these verses First that he vseth onely the testimonie of such Writers as liued before Christ was born or Christians once thought vpon Secondly that he vseth these proofes to no meaner audience then to a Councell and congregation of learned men Thirdly that he vvas an Emperour which vsed them that is one that had meanes to see and examine the originall Copies in the Romaine Treasurie Fourthly for that he had great learned men about him who were skilfull and would be dilligent in the search of such an antiquitie of importance especially Lactantius that was Master to hys sonne Crispus and who most of anie Author reciteth and confirmeth the said Sibyls verses and Eusebius Caesariensis that wrote the Ecclesiasticall historie and recorded this Oration of Constantine therin And finallie we may consider that Constantine was the first publique Christian Emperour and lyued within three hundred yeeres after Christ when the recordes of the Romaines were yet whole to be seene He was a religious wise and graue Emperor and therefore would neuer haue bestowed so much labour to confirme such a thing at such a time to such an audience had not the matter ben of singuler importance And thus much of the second point touching Prophets among the Gentiles ¶ Of the conf●ssion of Oracles concerning Christes comming THere remaineth onelie a word or two to be spoken of the thirde which is of the confession of deuils and Oracles concerning the comming of Christ especiallie when the time of his appearance drew neere and that they began to fore-tell his power and vertue Wherein as I might alledge diuers examples recorded by the Gentiles themselues so for that I haue been some-what long in the former points and shall haue occasion to say more of thys matter in another place heereafter I will touch onelie heere two Oracles of Apollo concerning this matter The one whereof was to a Priest of his owne that demaunded hym of true Religion and of GOD to whom he aunswered thus in Greek O thou vnhappie Priest why doost thou aske me of GOD that is the father of all things and of this most renowmed Kings deere and onelie sonne and of the spirit that containeth all c. Alas that spirit will enforce me shortlie to leaue this habitation and place of Oracles The other Oracles was to Augustus Caesar euen about the verie time that Christ was readie to appeare in flesh For wheras the said Emperour now drawing into age wold needes goe to Delphos and there learne of Apollo who shoulde raigne after him and what should become of things when he was dead to which demaunde Apollo for a great space would make no aunswere notwithstanding Augustus had been verie liberall in making the great Sacrifice called Hecatombe But in the end when the Emperour began to iterate his Sacrifice againe and to be instant for an aunswer Apollo as it were inforced vttered these strange words vnto him An Hebrue childe that ruleth ouer the blessed Gods commaundeth me to leaue this habitation and out of hande to get mee to Hell But yet doe you depart in silence from our Altars Thus much was Apollo inforced to vtter of his owne miserie and of the comming of the Hebrue boy that should put him to banishment But yet the deceitfull spirit to hold still his credite would not haue the matter reuealed to many Wherevpon Augustus falling into a great musing with himselfe what thys aunswer might import returned to Rome and builded there an Altar in the Capitole with this Latine inscription as Nicephorus affirmeth Ara primogeniti Dei The Altar of Gods first begotten Sonne Thus then haue I declared howe that the comming of Gods son into the worlde was fore-tolde both to Iewe and Gentile by all meanes that possibly in reason might be deuised that is by Prophecies signes figures ceremonies tradition and by the confession of deuils themselues Not onelie that his comming was fore-tolde but also why and for what cause he was for to come that is to be the onely Sauiour of the worlde to die for the sinnes of all men to ordaine a newe Law