Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	efficient_a	faith_n	instrumental_a	2,644	5	11.5403	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39375	A vindication of the doctrine concerning the light within, against the objections of George Keith, in his book, entituled, The deism of W. Penn, and his brethren expos'd by Edmvnd Elys.	Elys, Edmund, ca. 1634-ca. 1707.	1699 (1699)	Wing E698; ESTC R19149	4,033	9

A VINDICATION OF The DOCTRINE Concerning the Light Within Against the OBJECTIONS OF George Keith In his Book Entituled The Deism of W. PENN and his Brethren Expos'd By EDMVND ELYS London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street and at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-Street 1699. A VINDICATION OF THE DOCTRINE Concerning the Light Within c. I Desire that G. Keith for his own Souls sake would give me some Publick Satisfaction for the Publick Injury he has done me in endeavouring to make the World believe that I am one of that sort of Men who call themselves Deists It is my Resolution by the Grace of GOD to shew All Meekness to G. K. and to All Men. But I wou'd have it observ'd that it is not inconsistent with Christian Meekness to express our selves with the greatest Severity in our Authoritative Reflections on any thing most grosly and notoriously Impious I shall say no more to induce the Candid Reader to such Respects towards Me as are requisite for a due Reception of what I shall here deliver in Defence of that most important Truth which G. K. p. 3. plainly declares that he hath Renounced viz. that The Inward Evidence of the Spirit as touching the great Matters of the Christian Faith is the PRINCIPAL Rule of Faith and Life By the Inward Evidence of the Spirit I understand that TRUTH which the Spirit of TRUTH has Written in the Hearts of All Men together with all the Influences of the Spirit upon the Hearts of Men Exciting them to a due Reflection on the Law of GOD Written in their Hearts Thou shalt Love the Lord thy GOD with All thy Heart and with all thy Soul and thy Neighbour as thy Self The Inward Evidence of the Spirit in this Sence I Aver to be the PRINCIPAL Rule of Faith and Life All External Revelations Teachings and Instructions are to be Receiv'd in a way of Subordination thereunto This is the Rule or Measure which we Ought Chiefly and Principally to Follow or be Led by in all our Inquiries what we Ought to believe for our Soul's Health for the Improvement of our Sanctification The Cause that any Man Refuses to yield his Assent to any Sanctifying Truth is that he Acteth Contrary to this Rule G. K. discovers his gross Ignorance of the Truth I here Assert in that he affirms in his Narrative that the Jews and the Pagan Philosophers who Blasphem'd against the Man Jesus of Nazareth did own and confess to the Light Within To which in my Publish'd Reflections on that Narrative I gave this Answer The Jews and Pagans wou'd most certainly have Believ'd the Gospel Preach'd unto them if they had Own'd the Light within that is to say if they had been Ready to yield their Assent to any Doctrine Preached unto them to which they could have no Reason to Deny their Assent These words of W. Penn which G. Keith Recites p. 9 12. I highly Approve By General Rule we understand that constant Measure by which Men in all Ages have been enabled to judge of the Truth and Error of Doctrines and the Good or Evil of Thoughts Words or Actions By Faith we understand an Assent of the Mind in such manner to the Discoveries made of God thereto as to resign up to God and have dependence upon him as the great Creator and Saviour of his People But says G. K. p. 10. This General Rule did not extend nor doth to be the Rule or a Rule of the Faith of Remission of Sin by the Blood of the promised Seed of the Woman the Lamb of God that was to be Slain and should take away the Sin of the World To this I Answer That whosoever Observes this Rule does Virtually or Implicitly Believe all the Truth Delivered in the Holy Scriptures in that he is in a Readiness to Receive it whenever it shall be Proposed unto him in Terms which he clearly understands P. 25. Seeing the Light Within says G. K. gives them not this Faith the Faith of Christ the great Sacrifice nor teacheth it them it evidently follows that the Light Within every Man is not the Rule of the Christian Faith To this I Answer That the Light Within every Man gives to every Man that does not Rebel against it the Faith of Christ the great Sacrifice so that when any thing Relating to our Saviour shall be duly Proposed to him as the Object of his Faith he will most certainly embrace it or yield a sincere Assent unto it P. 48. Nothing can be a Rule of Christian Faith as in respect of the peculiar Doctrines of the Christian Religion but that Doctrine which sets before our Minds certain Propositions of Truth to which the Mind can and ought to Assent from sufficient Motives of Credibility Answ We ought not to Assent to any Affirmations Externally Proposed as Objects of the Christian Faith unless we can Apprehend in them a Suitableness or Correspondence with That which the Spirit of TRUTH has Written in the Hearts of All Men. The Quakers Acknowledge that upon this Account they are Obliged to Believe all the Doctrine Contain'd in that Form of sound Words which we call The NICENE CREED B. C. one of W. Penn's Brethren in his Book Entituled The Quakers clear'd from being Apostates hath these Words The Quakers Believe the Substance of the Nicene Creed I earnestly Request all Persons who Profess themselves to be True Members of the Church of England to observe these words in the same Book p. 57. I say He would have as truly represented the Presbyterians as he hath done the Quakers If he had said of them that they held Universal Grace and that there was never any such Thing in the World as the Solemn League and Covenant and no such Man as the Bishop of St. Andrews Murdered or that King Charles the First cut off his own Head or that they never Hanged Men only for being Quakers or that their Brethren in SCOTLAND were for Univresal Liberty notwithstanding their Barbarity to the EPISCOPAL Clergy and their Design to Excommunicate all Persons that should Buy or Sell with or Entertain a Quaker which had took effect had not the Clemency of the King Interposed to break their Mischievous Designs P. 59. G. K. exclaims against W. Penn for calling The Spirit The Rule of Faith The Spirit being the Principal Efficient of Faith and not the Instrumental Cause of it To this I Answer That 't is Evident when W. Penn calls The Spirit the Rule he understands our Participations of the Divine Spirit the Impressions of Truth that The Spirit of TRUTH has made upon our Hearts That this is W. Penn's Meaning appears most evidently in that he allow'd his Son who was a Wonderful Ingenious Young Man to Publish a short Treatise of mine Entituled Vindiciae Quorundam R. Barclaij Noematum c. with His own Translation in which are these words If we by the Holy Ghost understand GOD viz. the Third