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	love_n	love_v	3,170	5	7.1590	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57544	The disabled debtor discharged: or, Mary Magdalen pardoned Set forth in an exposition on that parable Luke 7. 40.-51. There was a certain creditor, which had two debtors, &c. By Nehemiah Rogers, minister of the gospel.; Mirrour of mercy, and that on Gods part and mans. Part I	Rogers, Nehemiah, 1593-1660.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1821A; ESTC R222102	218,172	327

it and shews that Love was the cause why her many sins were forgiven her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aret. in loc But are they ignorant of this the For is oftentimes a note of Inference or Consequence and as well an argument of the Effect from the Cause as of the Cause from the Effect We say it is Spring-time Why so For or Because the Fig-tree puts forth and buds The putting forth of the Figg-tree argues the Spring-time Dilectio hic nō dicitur esse venia causa sed posterius signum Calv. but the budding and putting forth of the Fig-tree is not the Cause of Spring-time I say this child is alive because it cryes or this man lives because he mooves will any so understand me as if I meant the crying of the one and the mooving of the other is the Cause of life and motion in the one or in the other Our Saviour himselfe useth this kind of arguing as we find Iohn 15.15 I have called you Friends for all things I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you where declaring of those things to them is the Effect not cause of his Love And that our Saviour here reasoneth from the Effect to the Cause is evident enough from the whole discourse the scope wherof is to shew that the forgivenesse of the debt of sinne is a just cause of Love according to the measure and rate of the sins forgiven as is evident in such debters from whom the similitude is taken who beare no speciall love unto their creditours untill they know how they shall bee dealt withall Now if it should be as the Papists would have it that Love and the Fruits therof should be a cause of Remission our Saviours Application should be directly contrary to that which in this Parable he had propounded for then the greater Sinner should have somewhat to satisfie when the Parable saith that not so much as the lesser can doe it And that which in the Parable hee had made the Cause of the Love of the Forgiven Person heere hee should make the Effect of it Besides the other clause immediately following doth evidence it sufficiently that our Saviour argueth from the Effect For to whom little is forgiven saith our Saviour the same loveth little so that according to the proportion of Forgivenesse the proportion of Love followeth S. Ambrose thus understands the plate Bellar. depaenit lib. 2. c 14. resp ad object and Bellarmine himselfe saith that these words of Christ Many sinnes are forgiven her Confirmant absolutionem invisibiliter datam doe confirme the Absolution invisibly before given So then the Absolution which was given before was confirmed by her Love and by it shee might know and rest assured that her sins were remitted according to that of St. Iohn 1 Epist 3.14 Wee know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren This Collection then of theirs you see is but grating upon a word and contrary to the sence of the place a meere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A folly it is to follow them too far we come to such as the Text will naturally afford as first Doct. A Proofe a posteriore from the Effect is a strong Proofe and very Demonstrative Thus the Truth of our Faith is to be prooved Iames 2.18 And of Repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 And of Charity 1 Iohn 3.14 And so Saint Iames prooves Wisedome from above by the Effects Iames 3.17 Still Scripture puts us upon the Tryall of our Graces by these kinde of Proofes Grace is invisible in its Nature it cannot be seene in habitu Therefore as GOD was seene to Moses so is Grace to men by its Backe-parts and as the wind which no man can see in its proper Essence by the full sayles of the Ship is perceived which way it stands Vse Let this be a Direction to us in our Examination and tryall of our selves I deny not but a Proofe or Demonstration a priori from the Cause to the Effect is better and more excellent in its owne nature then the other But for us in the tryall of our spirituall estates it is safer and more demonstrative to proceed from the Effect to the Cause Would I know if the Sun shines there is no climbing up to the Sky to be resolved nor examining what matter it is made off I looke upon the beames shining on the Earth I perceive it is up and shines by the light and heat it gives Would I know if GOD hath elected me to life and to salvation There is no climbing up into Heaven to know his Decrees and hidden Counsell as too many would most audaciously but study well the markes of it from the Effects The head of Nilus cannot be found but the sweet Springs issuing from thence are well knowne No surer way to the Sea then by taking a River by the hand Our Vocation and Sanctification will carry us to Election Rom. 8.30 2 Pet. 1 5-10 These are the meanes whereby our Election and Salvation is made certaine not the efficient Causes wherby it comes to be decreed The Sun not the shadow makes the Day yet we know not how the Day goes by the Sunne but by the shadow In a word as the Planets are knowne by their Influence the Diamond by his Lustre and the Soule by her Vitall Operations so Grace is most sensibly knowne to us by the Effects therof Doct. Secondly we observe from hence That a true and unfeined love of Christ is a sure signe that our sins are remitted David thus reasons Psal 18.1 2. I will love thee O Lord my strength he got that lesson by heart yea in his heart now presently he takes forth The Lord is my Rocke and my Fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my Buckler and the horne of my Salvation This Argument our Saviour useth to raise up and comfort Peter after his fall who questionlesse was much cast downe under the sight and sense of his sin Simon thou sonne of Jonah lovest thou me Ioh. 21.15 q. d. If this be in thee be of good comfort know thy sins are remitted and God reconciled to thee So 1 Iohn 4.16 Hee that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him Now as the Prophet speaks Can two walke together except they be agreed Questionlesse God is reconciled to them who truly love him els he would not bee an Inhabitant within them Soe 1 Pet. 1.3 4 8. Reason And it cannot otherwise be in that true Love ariseth and springeth from Faith Therfore in the place of S. Peter before noted 1 Tim. 1.5 after he said they loved the Lord he inferreth presently they also beleeved in him Which as we shall after see vers 50. is the instrumentall Cause of our Iustification It is Faith that brings the holy Fire of Love into our frozen hearts Gal. 5.6 or they would never

dares not be seene So Nicodemus who being a Ruler of the Jewes came to Iesus by night John 3. as being loath to be discovered And the Disciples fled from Christ and left him alone upon his apprehension It stands more in desiring and wishing then action O that I were able that I could undergoe this or that for Christ my Saviour c. This is her language Secondly Love enflamed is still ascending It hath earnest and affectionate longings after God and to enjoy him The Passions of this Love are so great as that it doth overcome a man and make him sick againe Cant. 2.5 Thus was it with S. Paul Phil. 1.23 And so with other of the Saints 2 Cor. 5.2 But where Love is weake and in the sparke only it is otherwise indeed they willingly would enjoy God who truly love him but still they feare they are not yet prepared and therfore cry with David O spare a little Psal 39. stay a while not for that they love not God but for that they are not in that readinesse which they doe desire to come to God So the Bride puts of a while longer not out of a dislike of the Bridegroomes person nor for want of true Love unto him but because this lace is not yet set on nor that garment finished Thirdly Enflamed Love gives great light It is like a fired Beacon on a hill all the Countrey take notice of it Such cannot forbeare but they must be speaking in Gods praise and admiring every thing that is in him Cant. 5.9 The tongue is the Pen of a ready writer Psal 31.23 It runs over with Gods praises Psal 45.2 34. Yea this Love will shine in all the actions of a mans life as well as sayings Mat. 5.16 It may be said of such as have it in respect of Christ as it was said of Christ in respect of Lazarus when he wept at his grave Behold how he loved him But a weake Love is like fire raked up in the ashes it hath some heate but gives little light as you may see in Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea who loved Christ yet kept close till his death Such imprison the Love of God in their hearts and mouthes in their course and Calling too too much which argues their Love to be as Lot said of Zoar but a little one And thus much of the Quaere next followes the Quare or ground of the Demand made Tell mee therefore Therefore Text. The Iewish Rabbins have a saying that great mountaines hang upon the smallest Iods in the Bible And S. Chrysostome will not that a Christian shall let goe any syllable in the Scripture no nor prick nor point without observation This little particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 questionlesse will affoord us something for our learning let it be this viz. Love is Loves Load-stone Doct. Magnes amoris amor Therefore saith Christ seeing both were forgiven and one forgiven a greater debt then the other both loved but one more then the other Vse 1 It is thus betwixt man and man as you see in Ionathan and David And it is thus betwixt God and man Psal 18.1 116.1 8. So saith S. Iohn 1 Epist 4.9 Wee love God because he loved us first Learne here the way how to make others Love us Ego tibi monstrabo amatorium sine medicamento sine herbâ si amari vis ama Sen. Epist 9. Arist Rhet. l. 2. Nulla major est ad amorem invitatio quam prevenire amātem nimis durus est animus qui si dilectionem nolebat impendere nolit rependere Iug. de cat without any Love-potion Spell or Witch-craft as Seneca saith Love others sincerely and entirely so adviseth the Poet ut ameris amabilis esto of all men they are most lovely saith Aristotle that are most loving He must needs be of an ill dispo●●tion who if he will not begin love and provoke this affection in another will not yet repay and answer Love with Love Yet such there are as before was noted and for this the Corinthians are blamed 2 Cor. 12.15 Vse 2 And here be directed in a way how to enlarge your love to God-ward Gods kindnesse hath an operative vertue in it and much affecteth those who set their mindes upon it Naturally we have no heate of Love to God in our hearts they are frozen and cold but as yron put into the fire soone becomes red hot so upon a due consideration of Gods mercies towards us our affections cannot but glow with heat and be much inflamed Quest But is God to be thus loved for his benefits Is he not to be loved for himselfe onely What is this other then a mercenary Love Aug. Sup. Iob. Ser. 3. Love not for the rewards sake saith S. Austin but let God be thy reward Resp S. Bernard thus specifies degrees of Loving God First when wee Love him ut bonus sit nobis that hee may doe us good Love of this kind is meerely Concupiscentiall or mercenary Cant. 1.2 This is the love of Harlots not Virgins Secondly when we Love God quia bonus fuit because he hath done us good and heaped his benefits on us This issues from a thankfull heart and is to be found in Gods children Psal 116. Psal 18. Thirdly when we love God quia bonus in se Faelicissimam animam quae Deo sic in Deo meretur affici ut per unitatem Spiritus in Deo nibil amet nisi Deum 2. q 24 Art 3. in respect of his owne amiable excellencies of which kind of love he speaketh thus O thrice happie soule which by God and his grace art so affected with God and his Love that in God in whom all things are to be had thou desirest nothing but God himselfe Thomas answers thus God is to be loved for himselfe although he should give us nothing Iob 13.15 He is ultimus finis and wee may not serve him for an other end For then we should make ultimum finem but medium But when it is said we are to Love God for his benefits For notes not the finall cause but the motive Rom. 12.1 Now Gods benefits and mercies in respect of our infirmities may be motives and in Scriptures are used as motives to stirre us up to love him They may be ordine prima but never quoad dignitatem praecipua for such love is reproachfull and injurious to God as was theirs Ioh. 6.26 The reason is Propter quod unumquodque amatur illud ipsum magis amatur If we love God for these we love them more then God and so cessante beneficio cessat amor when Gods benefits cease our love will likewise cease As for the wicked of the world they measure all their Religion by their profit Mali utuntur Deo ut fruantur mundo Boni utuntur mūdo ut fruantur Deo Aug. and will doe nothing but for gaine they use God that they may enjoy the world

Wee passe from the History to the Mystery And so observe we Doct. God is truly loved of all those whose sinnes are pardoned This is a Truth granted and unquestioned If need were it might be further strengthened from sundry other Texts Psal 116.1 18.1 Cant. 13.2 5. Phil. 3.8 9. Psal 119.132 How can it otherwise be For every Act of Gods speciall favour begets another in the heart of the godly like it He chusing them they chuse him againe He calls them Hos 2.23 Rom. 10. 1 Joh. 4.19 they call on him He loving them they must needs againe love him We love him saith S. Iohn because be loved us first The cold stone cannot cast forth heat as you know till it be warmed by the Sun-beames being warmed by them then it reflecteth back some of the heate which it received Thus is it with our cold hearts What may be thought then of such as love not God Can we think them to be of the number of those debters whose debt is forgiven Ob. But is there any man so wretched Whosoever loves not Christ let him be accursed 1 Cor. 15.22 Resp. Every one will be ready to boast of his owne righteousnesse but where shall wee find a faithfull man saith Salomon so say I in this case And as David speakes Psal 36.1 of the feare of God we may say of loving God Wickednesse saith even in my heart that there is no love of God in him many evident demonstrations there be which may convince every naturall man of the Truth hereof First they love not God Probatio amoris exhibitio operis Greg. in that they will doe nothing for GOD. If a man love mee hee will keepe my Commandements saith Christ Iohn 14.15 24. And againe He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And Iohn 15 14. You are my Friends if you doe whatsoever I command you But he that loveth me not keepeth not my Commandements Ioh. 14 24. And why call you me Lord Lora and doe not the things which I command you Luke 6.46 Secondly it appeares they love not God in that they love not to be where God is Love is like sire congregat homogenea it carries things of a nature one to another A lover of God gets himselfe as neere God as he may he resorts often to the place where he may meet God Iohn 17. Bonus Calus tantummodo malus quod Christianus Terr in Apolog Sicut Rex in imagine sua honoratur sic Deus in homine diligitur oditur Chry in Mat. 22 Quemadmodū siqui● peregrè proficiscens aliquid pignoris ei quem diligit derelinquit ut quotiescunque illud videat possit ejus beneficia amicitias memorare quod ille si perfectè dilexit non potest fine ingenti desiderio videre vel fletu ●c Hierom. Psal 42.1 2. 26.8 2 Cor. 5.8 But these cannot endure Gods house nor presence they have no love to Gods Sanctuary where they may see his Face much lesse any longing desire after the day of Iudgement to see his Person Christs Prayer is little respected by them Father I will that they may be where I am Thirdly they love not God as is evident by this they love not Gods children Every one saith S. Iohn that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of of him 1 Iohn 5.1 If I love my Friend or Father I love his Picture but these hate the godly they mock them and nickname them And for no other cause pretend what they will but for that the Image of God is in them As the Picture of a man doth enrage the Panther so doth the holinesse of the Saints the wicked of the world Fourthly they love not God in that they care not for those Monuments and pledges of his love which hee hath left unto his Church untill his comming againe Where we love truly we love whatsoever may preserve the Monument of the beloved partie But Gods Word Gods Sacraments are nothing set by of many which yet God hath commended to us to be often used in remembrance of him Luk. 22.19 1 Cor 11.25 Fifthly they love not God in that it is evident they love other things more then God And this is expressely averred of such 1 Iohn 2.15 He that truly loves God hath learned to deny himselfe and all things else for his sake His Affections are carryed over hil●s and mountaines through flames and fire for love of him as anon we shall see further Nemo magis diligit quam qui maxime veretur offendere Salvianus Sixthly and lastly they love not God as may appeare by this they feare not to offend him nor have they care to please him David loved God and would not transgresse his Law he grieved to see his righteous Lawes by others broken Psal 119.138 139. Lot loved God and could not but vex from day to day with the unlawfull deeds of the Sodomites 2 Cor. 5 9. 2 Pet. 2.7 8. How then can these say they love God yet heare his name blasphemed behold his worship polluted c. yet not mourne So then as our Saviour said unto the Iewes Iohn 5.42 may wee say to these I know by these and such like signes that you have not the love of God in you How then can you beleeve that you have interest in this great priviledge which yet you professe you have the Remission of sinnes And if such as these are debarred of this mercy so as that they cannot for the present lay claime to it what think you then of those who hate God and are Enemies unto him that there are such in the Church appeares by divers Scriptures as Exod 20.5 Deut. 7.10 Zach. 11.8 Luke 19.14 More particularly these are charged with this horrid impiety First all Idolaters and Superstitious persons who worship God after their owne devices these are said to be haters of God Exod. 20.5 Secondly all Worldlings and Covetous Misers for so we finde that the love of the Father is not in them 1 Iohn 2.15 And that their Friendship with the world is enmity to God Iames 4.4 Thirdly all refractory and unruly Christians who refuse to subeject their soules to Christs Scepter and submit themselves to his Ordinances what ever these pretend yet God takes them for his Enemies Ioh. 5.42 Luke 19.27 Fourthly all naturall and unregenerated Persons these have no love of God in them they hate him in their heart so we find Iohn 15.18 23. Nor is this the state of the Reprobate in the world onely but even of Gods Elect before their conversion Coles 1.21 Fifthly all workers of iniquity such as practise any sin Mich. 7.3 and plie it with both hands to use the Prophets phrase these are haters of God as appeares Psal 37.18 20. 92.9 Ioh. 15.10 Quest But how can God be hated he being the chiefe Good Goodnesse wee know is the proper object of Love Resp Wicked men