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	good_a	sin_n	2,776	5	5.2292	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47599	The marrow of true justification, or, Justification without works containing the substance of two sermons lately preached on Rom. 4:5 ... : wherein the nature of justification is opened, as it hath been formerly asserted by all sound Protestants, and the present prevailing errors against the said doctrine detected / by Benjamin Keach ...	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1692 (1692)	Wing K76; ESTC R18579	45,425	50

Righteousness I have he speaks in the present Tense but as dung that is in comparison of that Righteousness which doth and must justifie him in God's sight in which he would be found now and at Death and Judgment Compare this Text with that in Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us Obj. But perhaps some will object that the Apostle in all these places only excludes the works of the Law Answ 'T is evident he excludes all Works done by the Creature either before Grace or after Grace as well Works of Obedience to the Gospel as to the Law Pray observe not by works of righteousness that we have done We that are Saints we who profess the Gospel nay such Works which God hath prepared or ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2. 9 10. Good Works done by Saints and godly Persons cannot justifie them in God's sight Were not the Galatians Christians and Professors of the Gospel who held without Faith in Christ no doubt that they could not be justified But yet were so far fallen from the true Faith as to look to be justified also by the Law or by their Obedience to it or by an inherent Righteousness which the Apostle 〈◊〉 opposed Works are indifferently mentioned as being excluded He that is said to be justified by faith is said not to work but to have a Righteousness imputed therefore all works are excluded in this respect 2. If all Works were not excluded then there would still be the same cause or reason to glory or to boast be they either Legal or Gospel work● but since all boasting is excluded all Works are excluded It signifies nothing what Works they are if the reason of their Exclusion be but considered which is to take away all manner of boasting and to abase the Creature and wholly to magnifie God and exalt Free Grace 3. Moreover the like Debt would be due to us For to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt What though some of my Works doth not make God a Debtor to me Yet if any Works in this case are not excluded God would still become a Debtor to me which is inconsistent with the Doctrine of Free Grace 4. If Works going before Justification are excluded from being any cause thereof then much more those Works that follow Justification for Causes as one well observes do not use to follow after but go before their Effects at least in order of Nature 5. If Works justifie they must of necessity be good Works but Works done before Faith or without Faith are not good Works for whatsoever is not done of Faith is Sin and are dead Works Neither can the Fruit be good as our Saviour saith while the Tree is bad Every evil Tree bringeth forth evil fruit But every Man before he is justified is like an evil Tree and therefore can bring forth no good Fruit no good Works wherefore all Works 't is evident before Faith and Justification are utterly excluded 6. Furthermore the Apostle speaketh of all Men whether converted or unconverted that 't is not of Works or Works done by them or either of them that they are justified or saved but by grace we are justified by grace and not by Works all Works are opposed by the Apostle to Grace therefore all Works are excluded From hence take this Argument That Doctrine that gives the Holy Scripture the Lie is false and to be rejected But the Doctrine that mixes any Works of Righteousness done by the Creature with Faith or the Free Grace of God in point of Justification gives the Scripture the Lie therefore that Doctrine is false and to be rejected 2 Arg. That all Works done by the Creature are utterly excluded in point of Justification appears from the different Nature of Works and Grace 't is positively said we are justified by Grace Now Grace and Works let Works be of what sort they will are directly contrary the one to the other See Rom. 11. 6. And if it be of Grace then it is not of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise work is no more work There is no mixing Works and Free Grace together but one of these doth and will destroy the Nature of the other and as it holds true in Election so in Justification If Justification was partly of Grace and partly by Works done by the Creature or from foreseen Holiness and sincere Obedience done by us then Grace is no more Grace or Works no more Works For whatsoever proceeds of Grace as our Annotators observe that cometh freely and is not of Debt But whatsoever cometh by Works that cometh by Debt but now Debt and Free Grace or that which is free and absolutely by Grace and that which is by Desert are quite contrary things therefore to say Men are called and justified partly by Grace and partly by Works done by the Creature this were to put such things together as cannot agree for 't is to make Merit no Merit Debt no Debt Work no Work Grace no Grace and so to affirm and deny one and the same thing From hence take this Argument That which is of the Free Grace of God is not by any Works done by the Creature But Justification is of the Free Grace of God therefore not by any Works done by the Creature That being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life Tit. 3. 5. From hence rises all the hopes we have of Salvation 't is by or according to the Free Grace of God through the Merits of Jesus Christ alone 3 Arg. My third Argument to prove all Works done by the Creature are excluded in Justification is this viz. Faith is the way prescribed in the Gospel in order to Justification not Love not Charity not Works of Mercy but Faith Now why is Faith rather than any Grace mentioned as the way to be justified is it not from the Nature of this Grace In respect of the Object it flies unto or takes hold of Faith contrary to any other Grace of the Spirit carries the Soul out of himself to Christ like as those who were stung with the fiery Serpents in the Wilderness were healed by looking up to the Brazen Serpent So by fixing our Eye upon Christ looking by Faith upon Christ we come to be healed and justified Moreover pray wherein doth the Terms of the Gospel differ from the Terms of the Law Do this and live or The Man that doth these things shall live in them Gal. 3. 12. Lev. 18. 5. These are the Terms of the Law Thus runs the Tenour of the Law But the Terms of the Gospel are quite different Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. This was the Doctrine Paul preached to the poor trembling Jailor which agrees with what the

that justifies us from all things and that without any Works done by us either in respect of answering the Rules of Law or Gospel though never so sincerely performed All indeed that I can find he means is this i. e. That Christ's Merits are the Cause of the Gospel Rule and Promise and his Righteousness imputed is the Cause for which we are justified and saved when we have got new Hearts and answer the Rule of the Gospel in Holiness and sincere Obedience And thus though imperfect Obedience to the Law was Dogs meat yet imperfect Obedience to the Rule of the Gospel or Promise thereof if sincere is the Children's Bread nay that which they ought to seek Justification by and to desire to be found in If this Man's Doctrine may be received it should appear by him that Christ's Righteousness imputed and our Gospel-obedience mixt together justifies us But the chief part is our Conformity to the Rule of sincere Obedience and Christ's Righteousness cannot do by Faith alone without this of ours 2. But Soul know and be not deceived this Text hath always been urged by sound Protestant Writers as one of the Pillars of the Doctrine of Justification by the Righteousness of Christ applied by Faith alone St. Paul doth not only disclaim his Righteousness he had before Conversion or his Obedience to the Law in point of Justification but he speaks in the present Tense What things were gain to me those have I counted loss for Christ But that which he adds is more I do count all things loss He speaks as our Divines note of all both past long since and also now present whether Righteousness of his own in Obedience to the Law or Works done by him under the Gospel all he counted as dung in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ and his Righteousness or the Righteousness of God which is by Faith 3. 'T is to be noted how Mr. Williams and Bellarmine do jump together and agree in their Exposition of this Text The latter saith That by Righteousness which is of the Law are meant Works of Obedience done through the Knowledge of the Law by the only strength of natural Abilities before his Conversion To which Chemnitius and other Protestant Writers answer That Paul rejected not only his Works before his Conversion which he signifieth speaking of the time past v. 7. but also the Works of his present Condition yea doubtless and I do count all things but loss Mr. Williams saith They were the Jewish Privileges and that conceited Christless Righteousness which he once valued But saith he a Gospel-holiness is not here intended and that still by speaking in the present Tense Paul means what was past saith he Pray observe they both exclude the Righteousness of the Law done by natural or legal Abilities and they both agree to include an inherent Righteousness performed by gracious Assistance under the Gospel This Man is I hope no Papist though he strives 't is plain to maintain one of the grossest parts of Popery and that part God raised up holy Luther principally to detect Christians look about you for you are greatly concerned 4. Consider that the Apostle positively disclaims all Righteousness of Obedience done by the Creature in Justification before God and did relie on the Righteousness of God For if he sets our Righteousness or the Righteousness of the Creature in direct opposition to the Righteousness of God which is by Faith then that which is the Righteousness of God applied by Faith is not the Righteousness of the Creature though never so sincerely performed but the former is true Ergo 5. 'T is such a Righteousness Paul here intended that he desired to be found in both at Death and Judgment but durst he think you desire to be found in any Righteousness of his own at that Hour or in that great and dreadful Day As to this take what Reverend Downham and others say When a Man shall be summoned to appear before the Judgment-seat of God shall seriously consider with himself what he shall oppose to the Accusations of Satan to the Convictions of the Law to the Testimony of his own Conscience confessing himself to be a most wretched Sinner to the Judgment of God and most righteous Judge if he look back on his own Conversation as having nothing to trust to but his own Righteousness he shall find sufficient Master of Despair He may say with Anselm Terret me vita mea c. My Life doth terrifie me Alas what Man is fully able to say he is perfect or that he sincerely has done all his Duty in respect of that milder Law of Obedience which they talk of Sirs there is no way in order to Peace of Conscience for us but to do as Paul did i. e. renounce all our own inherent Righteousness and Obedience and fly to the Doctrine of Justification by the Grace of God through the compleat Righteousness of Jesus Christ received by Faith only For while a Man saith he retains this Opinion that he can be justified by his own Works or inherent Righteousness he can never be soundly persuaded that his Righteousness is sufficient for that purpose but hath just Cause not only to doubt but also to despair And this is the Cause of that Popish Opinion That no Man without special Revelation can be assured of the Remission of his Sins in this Life Downham●o● Just p. 202. Brethren some of the Papists themselves have on a Death-bed been forc'd to seek relief by renouncing all their own Works and Obedience under distress of Conscience and to fly to the Righteousness of Christ only they kept it close to themselves lest that gap being opened their Trade should fall to the ground as appears by the Answer of Stephen Gardyner to the Bishop of Chichester Foxe's Acts and Mon. Vol. 2. p. 46. Take two or three Arguments further here viz. 1. If that Righteousness which is the Righteousness of God which is by Faith in opposition to the Righteousness of the Creature doth justifie us then all Works done by the Creature are excluded in point of Justification in God's sight But the former is true Ergo all VVorks done by the Creature are excluded c. 2. If Paul nor no other Child of God durst or dare to be found in any Righteousness of their own at Death or Judgment then Works done by us or sincere Obedience justifie us not but the former is true therefore no Works of ours nor sincere Obedience doth justifie us in God's sight 3 Arg. That Doctrine that holds a Christian down under slavish Fear by grounding his Justification on his own Works of Holiness and sincere Obedience is not of God but the Doctrine of Justification by our own Work of Holiness or sincere Obedience holds a Christian down under slavish Fear by grounding his Justification on his Works of Holiness and sincere Obedience therefore that Doctrine is not of God Christians take heed what Books you read if you