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	work_n	5,591	5	6.3844	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08833	The benefite of Christs death, or the glorious riches of Gods free grace which euery true beleeuer receiues by Iesus Christ, and him crucified. First compiled and printed in the Italian tongue: and afterwards translated and printed in the French tongue: and out of French into English, by A.G.; Beneficio di Christo. English	Benedetto, da Mantova, fl. 1534-1541.; Flaminio, Marco Antonio, 1498-1550.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606, attributed name.; Paleario, Aonio, 1503-1570, attributed name.	1633 (1633)	STC 19117; ESTC S107303	48,174	106

Abraham beleeued God and it was reckoned to him for righteousnes And therfore he saith a little before We beleeue that a man is iustified by faith without the deeds of the Law And in another place he saith So then in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the Galatiaus he saith It is a manifest matter that no man becommeth righteous before God by the Law because the righteous liueth by faith And the Law consisteth not in beliefe but he that performeth the things that the Law commandeth shall liue by that performance And further he saith that a man cannot become righteous by the deeds of the Law but onely by beleeuing in Iesus Christ Againe a little after he saith that if a man can become righteous by the Law Iesus Christ dyed in vaine Moreouer to the Romanes making comparison betweene the righteousnesse of the Law and the righteousnesse of the Gospel he saith that the one consisteth in the doing of workes and the other in beleeuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ with thy mouth and beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beliefe of the heart maketh a man righteous and the confession of the mouth maketh him safe Loe how this good teacher Saint Paul sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man righteous without any workes And not only Saint Paul but also the holy Doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy truth of Iustification by faith among whom Saint Augustine is the chiefe who in his booke of faith and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore and three questions and in his booke which he did write to Boniface and in his Treatise vpon the xxxj Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become righteous by faith without any helpe of good workes howbeit that good workes are the effects of righteousnesse and not the cause of it And he sheweth that the words of Saint Iames being soundly vnderstood are nothing contrary to this article Which thing Origen doth also affirme in his fourth booke vpon the Epistle to the Romans saying that Saint Pauls meaning is that faith onely is sufficient to make men righteous insomuch that a man becommeth righteous onely by beleeuing although he haue not done any good worke at all For so it is that the thiefe became righteous without the workes of the Law forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had done in time past nor waited vntill he had done any after he had beleeued but hauing accepted him for righteous vpon his onely confession tooke him for his companion euen when he should enter into Paradise Likewise that so renowmed a woman in the Gospel of S. Luke while she was at the feete of Iesus Christ heard it said vnto her Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And a little after he saith vnto her Thy faith hath saued thee goe thy way in peace Afterward Origen saith In many places of the Gospel a man may see how our Lord Iesus Christ hath spoken in such wise as he sheweth that faith is the cause of the saluation of the beleeuers Then is a man made righteous by faith and the workes of the Law further him nothing at all On the contrary where faith is not which faith maketh the beleeuer righteous although a man doe the workes which the Law commandeth yet notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vpon the foundation of faith albeit that to outward appearance they seeme good yet can they not iustifie him that doth them because he wanteth faith which is the marke of them that are become righteous before God And who is he that can boast himselfe to be righteous when he heareth God say by his Prophet Esay that all our righteousnesse is as a defiled cloth of a menstruous woman Then can we not iustly glory in our selues but in the onely faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ Saint Basil in his Homily of humility saith that the Christian ought to hold himselfe for righteous through beliefe in Iesus Christ and his words are these The Apostle saith that he which glorieth should glory in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption to the end that he which would glory should glory in the Lord because that the perfect and sound glorying is to glory in the Lord. For in so doing a man presumeth not vpon his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth his want of the true righteousnes that he is made righteous onely by beleeuing in Iesus Christ And S. Paul gloryeth of the despising of his owne righteousnesse and of his seeking of Christs righteousnesse by faith which commeth of God Saint Hilary in his ninth Canon vpon the exposition of St. Matthew saith these words The Scribes considering Iesus Christ but onely as man were troubled that a man should forgiue sins and pardon that thing which the Law could not doe because that onely faith iustifieth Saint Ambrose in expounding these words of Saint Paul Vnto him that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse according to the purpose of Gods Grace like as David also saith That the man is blessed whom God accounteth righteous without workes writeth thus Saint Paul saith that vnto him which beleeueth in Iesus Christ that is to wit to the Gentile his faith is imputed for righteousnesse as it was vnto Abraham In what wise then thinke the Iewes to become righteous by the workes of the Law and yet to be righteous as Abraham was seeing that Abraham became not righteous by the deeds of the Law but onely by faith Then is not the Law needfull forasmuch as the sinner becommeth righteous before God through only faith according to Gods gracious purpose as David saith The Apostle confirmeth that which he hath said by the Prophets example saying Blessed is the man whom God accepteth for righteous without workes whereby David meaneth that those men are very happy whom GOD hath determined to accept for righteous before him by onely faith without any paines-taking or obseruation of the Law on their behalfe Thus sheweth he the blessednesse of the time wherein Christ was borne insomuch as the Lord himselfe saith Many righteous men and Prophets haue coueted to see the things that you see and to heare the things that you heare and haue not heard them The selfe-same thing saith St. Ambrose in expounding the first Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians affirming openly that whosoeuer beleeueth in Iesus Christ is become righteous without workes and without any desert and receiueth forgiuenasse of his sinnes by faith alone

man to deserue so great a gift and treasure as Iesus Christ is This treasure is giuen only through the grace fauour and mercifulnesse of God and onely faith is the thing that receiueth such a gift as to make vs inioy the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And therefore when S. Paul and other Doctors say that onely faith maketh men righteous without works they meane that it maketh vs to enioy the generall forgiuenesse of our sinnes and to receiue Iesus Christ who as saith S. Paul dwelleth in our hearts by faith and ouercomming and pacifying the troubles of our consciences satisfieth Gods iustice for our sinnes Furthermore it appeaseth Gods wrath iustly moued against vs quencheth the fire of hell whereinto our naturall corruption did throw vs headlong and cheerefully destroyeth and ouerthroweth the diuell together with all his power and tyranny Which things all the workes that all the men in the world can lay together are not able to deserue nor to bring to passe That glory and that prerogatiue is reserued all onely to the Sonne of God that is to wit to the blessed Iesus Christ who hath power aboue all the powers that are in Heauen in Earth and in Hell and giueth himselfe and his merits to all such as distrusting in themselues doe set their whole hope of being saued in him and in his merits And therefore let no man beguile himselfe when he heareth it said that onely faith iustifieth without workes and thinke as false Christians doe who draw all things to liue fleshly that the true faith consisteth in beleeuing the bare story of Iesus Christ after the same manner as men beleeue the story of Caesar or Alexander Such manner of beleefe is but an historicall beleefe grounded meerely vpon the report of men and vpon their writings and lightly imprinted in our conceit by a certaine custome and is like to the faith of the Turks who for the like reasons beleeue the fables of their Alcoran And such a faith is but an imagination of man which neuer renueth the heart of man nor warmeth it with the loue of God neither do any good workes insue or any change of life which faith should bring forth And therefore they falsly hold opinion against the holy Scripture and against the holy Doctors of the Church that onely faith maketh not men righteous but that they must also haue workes Vnto whom I answer That this historicall and fond beliefe and all the workes that insue thereof are not onely vnable to make a man righteous but also doe cast the parties headlong to the bottome of hell like vnto those that haue no oyle in their lamps that is to say no liuely faith in their hearts The faith that maketh men righteous is a worke of God in vs whereby our old man is crucified and we being transformed in Iesus Christ become new creatures and the deare beloued children of God This heauenly faith is it that graffeth vs into the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ and consequently mortifieth our flesh with the effects and lusts thereof For when we by the operation of faith doe know our selues to be dead with Iesus Christ wee are at a full point with our selues and with the world and are throughly resolued how it is meet that they which are dead with Iesus Christ should mortifie their earthly members that is to wit the sinfull affections of their minde and the lusts of the flesh and forasmuch as wee know wee bee raised againe with Christ we bend our selues to the leading of a spirituall and holy life like vnto that which we shall liue in heauen after the last resurrection This holy faith making vs to inioy the generall pardon that is published by the Gospell bringeth vs into the kingdome of our good God and pacifieth our consciences maintaining vs in continuall ioy and holy and spirituall sweetnesse This selfe-same faith knitteth vs vnto God and maketh him to dwell in our hearts and clotheth our soule with himselfe so as thenceforth the holy Ghost mooueth vs to doe the same things whereunto hee mooued Iesus Christ while he was in the world and was conuersant among men that is to wit vnto lowlinesse meekenesse obedientnesse vnto God louingnesse and other perfections where-through wee recouer the image of God For these selfe-same causes Iesus Christ did rightly attribute blessednesse vnto this inspired faith which blessednesse cannot bee without good workes and holinesse of life And how can it be that a Christian should not become holy seeing that Iesus Christ is become his holinesse through faith Therefore by faith we be iustified and saued and therefore S. Paul doth in a manner alwaies call those Saints whom we call now Christians who if they haue not Christs Spirit are none of Christs and consequently no Christians at all But if they haue the Spirit of Iesus Christ to rule and gouerne them we must not doubt but that although they know well that they bee made righteous through faith onely yet for all that they will become neuer the more slothfull to do good works For Christs Spirit is the Spirit of loue and loue cannot be idle nor cease from the doing of good works But if wee will say the truth a man can doe no good works except he first know himselfe to be become righteous by faith for before he knoweth that his doing of good works is rather to make himselfe righteous then for the loue and glory of God and so he defileth all his works with selfe-loue for the loue of himselfe and for his owne profit But hee that knoweth himselfe to be become righteous by the merits and righteousnesse of Christ which hee maketh his owne by faith laboureth happily and doth good works all only for the loue and glory of Christ and not for loue of himselfe nor to make himselfe righteous And thereupon it commeth that the true Christian that is to wit he that accounteth himselfe righteous by reason of Christs righteousnesse asketh not whether good works be commanded or not but being wholly moued and prouoked with a certaine violence of godly loue he offereth himselfe willingly to doe all the works that are holy and Christian-like and neuer ceaseth to doe well Hee therefore which feeleth not the marueilous effects by his faith which we haue heretofore declared that the inspired faith works in the heart of the Christian Let him assure himselfe that he hath not the Christian faith and let him pray earnestly vnto God to giue it him saying Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe And when he heareth it said that only faith maketh men righteous let him not deceiue himselfe and say What need I to weary my selfe in doing good works faith is inough to send mee to Paradise To such an one I answer that only faith sendeth vs to Paradise but yet let him take good heed for the diuels doe also beleeue and tremble as saith Saint Iames O miserable man wilt thou goe with them

to Paradise By this false conclusion thou mayest know my brother in what an errour thou art for thou weenest to haue the faith that maketh men righteous and thou hast it not Thou sayest thou art rich and hast no need of any thing and thou seest not how thou art poore wretched blind and naked I counsell to buy gold of God that is throughly fixed with fire that is to say true faith set on fire with good works to the intent thou mayest become rich and to cloath thy selfe with white rayment that is to wit with Christs innocency to the end that the shame of thy nakednesse which is the great filthinesse of thy sins be not seene to the whole world Then is the iustifying faith as it were a flame of fire which cannot but cast forth brightnesse And like as the flame burneth the wood without the helpe of the light and yet the flame cannot be without the light so is it assuredly true that faith alone consumeth and burneth away sinne without the helpe of workes and yet that the same faith cannot be without good workes Wherefore like as if we see a flame of fire that giueth no light we know by and by that it is but vaine and painted euen so when we see not some light of good workes in a man it is a token that he hath not the true inspired faith which God giueth to his chosen to iustifie and glorifie them withall And hold it for certaine that S. Iames meant so when hee said Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes For his meaning was that he which is plunged in ambitiousnesse and worldly pleasures beleeueth not though he say he beleeue forasmuch as he sheweth not in himselfe the effects of faith Also we may liken this holy faith to the Godhead which is in Iesus Christ who being very man but without sin did wonderfull things healing the sicke giuing sight to the blind walking vpon the water and raising vp the dead vnto life againe and yet these marueilous workes were not the cause that he was God For before he did any of those things he was God and the lawfull and onely begotten Son of God and he need not to worke those miracles to make himselfe God by them but forasmuch as he was God therefore he did them And so the miracles that Christ wrought made him not to be God but shewed openly that he was God In like wise true faith is as it were a Godhead in the soule of a Christian which doth wondrous workes and is neuer weary of well-doing and yet those workes are not the cause that a Christian is a Christian that is to wit that he is righteous good holy and acceptable vnto God neither needeth he to worke all those good workes to become such a one But forasmuch as hee is a Christian by faith like as Iesus Christ being a man was also God by his Godhead he doth all those good workes which make not the Christian to be righteous and good but shew him to bee good righteous and holy So then like as Christs Godhead was the cause that he wrought miracies euen so faith working through loue is the cause of the good workes that a Christian man doth And like as a man may say of Iesus Christ that he hath done this miracle or that and that those miracles besides that they glorified God were also a great honor vnto Iesus Christ as he was man who for his obedience euen vnto death was recompenced at Gods hand in his resurrection and had giuen vnto him all power both in heauen and earth which he had not afore as in respect of his manhood but deserued it by the vnion which is betwixt the Word of God and the manhood of Christ So doth faith in a Christian which faith by reason of the vnion that it hath with the soule attributeth that thing to the one which is proper to the other whereupon it commeth that the holy Scripture promiseth the Christian euerlasting life for his good works because good works are the fruits and testimonies of liuely faith and proceed of it as light proceedeth from a flame of fire according as I haue said heretofore And by this holy faith which imbraceth Iesus Christ it comes to passe that our soule is ioyned with Christ and is so vnited and knit to him that whatsoeuer Christ hath merited and deserued the same is imputed vnto the soule as though it had merited and deserued it And therefore S. Austin saith that God crowneth his owne gifts in vs. Of this vnion of the soule with Iesus Christ Christ himselfe beareth good record where hee prayeth to his Father for his Apostles and for such as should beleeue in him by their preaching I pray not saith he for them onely but also for all those that shall beleeue in me through their word to the end they may be all one thing that like as thou my Father art in me and I in thee so they also may be one in vs and that the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me and that I haue giuen them the glory which thou hast giuen me so as they should be one selfe-fame thing like as thou and I are one Whereby it appeareth euidently that if we beleeue the word of the Apostles who preached that Iesus Christ dyed for our sins rose againe for our iustification we become all one thing with him and forasmuch as he is all one with God we also become all one with God by the meane of Iesus Christ O wonderfull glory of the Christian to whom it is granted through faith to possesse the vnspeakeable benefits which the Angels long to behold By this present discourse a man may plainely perceiue the difference that is betwixt vs them that defend the iustification by faith and workes together Herein we agree with thē that we stablish works affirming that the faith which iustifieth cannot be without good workes and that those which are become righteous are they that doe the good workes that may rightly be called good workes But we differ from them in this that we say that faith maketh men righteous without the helpe of workes And the reason is ready namely because that by faith we put on Christ make his holinesse and righteousnesse to be ours And seeing the case so standeth that Christs righteousnesse is giuen vs by faith We cannot be so thanklesse blind and vnhappy as not to beleeue that he is of sufficient ability to make vs acceptable and right before God Let vs say with the Apostle If the bloud of Oxen and Goats and the Ashes of a Cow sprinkled cleanseth the vncleane as touching the cleansing of the flesh how much more shall that bloud of Iesus Christ who by the euerlasting spirit offered himselfe vndefiled vnto God to cleanse our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God