Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	election_n	faith_n	foresee_v	1,644	5	11.3276	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11588	A briefe exposition vvith notes, vpon the second epistle to the Thessalonians. By VVilliam Sclater Doctor of Diuinitie, and minister of Pitmister in Summerset.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.	1627 (1627)	STC 21830; ESTC S116803	223,255	316

I meane largely whatsoeuer hath causalitie or is a motiue to induce the Lord to choose Resp Thus I conceiue these gifts and their exercise to fall vnder the same ordinance of God with our saluation as meanes destined and so conducing to that end how then causes moouing to elect He hath chosen vs to bee holy Ephes 1.4 To be faithfull 1. Cor. 7.25 Vt essemus non quia eramus aut futuri erimus is Saint Augustines glosse 2 What sanctitie is that which mooues 1 That of nature It affordes none Quis dabit mundum ex immundo conceptum semine 2 That of grace Whither the measure incident to this life Or that perfect in the life to come 1 That of this life imperfect Isai 64.6 nor could it bee foreseene otherwise then it was to be 2 The holynesse of another life Wee are then extra statum merendi demerendi as being in termino quiescentiae where wee receiue and enioy rewards procure not reward or ought tending thereto 3 These all q Mat. 11.25 Exod. 1.4 flow from election as their cause And for sanctitie Arminians consent it had no causalitie in respect of election yet for faith foreseene are peremptorie that on it rests election and is ex fide praeuisà And why I wonder faith rather then charitie or other sanctitie 1 Is it more excellent Not saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 13.13 2 More perfect as it is in vs Nor that Luke 17.5 Mar. 9.24 3 Next is not it also part of sanctitie A prime ingredient Especially apprehended as they conceit it respected as a qualitie or act in vs and so auailing to election iustification saluation for that it iustifies or saues as an instrument and by vertue of the obiect it apprehends Christs righteousnesse they belieue not 4 Else how pleased it God out of his freedome to respect it more then other gratious qualities and to assigne it motiue to election Audio Indeed in iustification it auailes more then charitie hope penitence any other holy qualitie or action Accordingly its fitted to doe what its appointed vnto more then any other part of sanctitie that is to r Rom. 5.17 receiue the gift of righteousnesse for and by which we stand iust in Gods sight But that the Lord hath assigned it causalitie in respect of election where finde wee Rather an effect and fruit of election therefore no cause or reason or condition of it Take them therefore here mentioned and ment meanes of saluation not merites or so much as conditi●●s of election And thence learne that howsoeuer the decree of election flow not from meanes yet implies it meanes congruent and hath execution thereby See Rom. 8.30 Eph. 1.3 4 5 c. 1 Wherefore obserue necessitie of them absolute to the obtaining saluation Hebr. 12.14 Marke 16.16 Luke 13.3.5 2 The decree is not onely of the end but also the meanes elect to bee holy predestinated to the adoption Eph. 1.4 5. and not onely to the inheritance 3 Knowledge of the decree suspended on the meanes 2 Pet. 1.10 2. Tim. 2.21 4 Vessels of mercie though for the time aliens from the life of God yet in the day of visitation called with a holy calling 2. Tim. 1.9 and so made meet to partake in the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. Vse It wonders me to here the desperate inference Vse if I bee predestinate I shall bee saued though I neglect scoffe at sanctitie Reduce it thou shalt easily see a contradiction in the termes the predestinate vnsanctified or the vnsanctified of the elect shall be saued There are none such finaliter tales it implies to say it God elects to holinesse and not onely to saluation to saluation but by sanctification of the spirit More to see men professing knowledge of the decree and order of it assurance of their owne personall election yet to walke after the flesh By our studie of sanctitie we know our election 2. Tim. 2.21 2. Pet. 1.10 They lie to God and men who professe to know their owne election while they are ſ Tit. 1.16 abominable disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate yea from any good worke abhorrent of any holy gift destitute to any knowne sinne addicted The meanes specified are first sanctification Secondly iustification implied in faith The order seemes inuerted but thus conceiue sanctification though posteriour in order of nature yet is first in euidence and our knowledge trueth of faith title to iustification being not knowne of vs till wee feele the power of Gods Spirit sanctifying That sanctitie is a meane Scriptures are plentifull See Heb. 12.14 1. Pet. 1.2 Congruitie you will easily discerne if you consider 1 The t 1 Pet. 1.15 16. caller and chooser is holy 2 The habitation so holy that it u Apoc 21.27 admits no vncleane thing to enter 3 To damne deuils for vnholinesse to saue men though vnholy how had it lien open to exception and quarell of damned spirits There is sanctitie first * 1 Cor. 7.14 ciuile So children borne in vnequall wedlocke to Theophylact are called holy id est legitimate not spurious 2 Faederall so x Num. 16.3 all Gods people holy all of the Church visible 3 Sacramentall so Apostataes y Heb. 10.29 sanctified with the blood of Christ the Sacrament of it Baptisme 4 Opinatiue of Phariasicall hypocrites in their owne and other mens opinion holy 5 Reall and true called here the Sanctification of the spirit vnderstand not ours but Gods as Rom. 1.4 This the marke of election meane of saluation The nature of it is in two things 1 Purging our hearts from those vitious propensions naturall z 2 Cor. 7.1 from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit 2 Planting in vs as seedes of vertuous life holy qualities and inclinations a Gal. 5.22 fruites of the spirit as Paul stiles them This habituall holinesse according are their actes and exercise for they b 2 Pet. 1.8 suffer vs not to bee idle and vnfruitfull 1 A constant care and endeuour to c Iac. 1.27 keepe our selues vnspotted of the world 2 d 1 Pet. 1.9 Shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called vs in being zealous of euery good worke or as Paul to Titus expresseth it e Tit. 2 12. denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts walking godly iustly soberly in this present euill world this they call actuall holinesse Beginnings onely are here vouchsafed the f Rom. 8.23 2 Cor. 11 22. first fruites and earnest of the spirit Consummation we expect according to Gods promise in the g 2 Pet. 3.13 new heauens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse its comfortable if wee finde truth though we want perfection of holinesse Notes of it thus number and so make election sure 1 It goes ouer the whole man the h 1 Thes 5.23 whole spirit soule body sanctified throughout else no part truely sanctified As the leprosie deriued from the first Adam hath defiled the whole

Cor. 1.26.27 many mighty not many noble are chosen to eternall life in that choise thou hast preferment 3 And m Mat. 16.26 what shall it profit to win the whole world and loose the soule Oh blessed be God will thy soule say who hath n Ephes 1.3 blessed me in all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus and though in temporalties preferred miscreants before mee yet chosen me to saluation from which Monarches many are reiected 2 The chooser God who alone hath disposer of o Psal 84.11 grace and glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and dominion ouer the Masse to make one vessell to honour another to dishonour Vse 1 Why quarrels the reprobate part of the corrupted lumpe that they also or rather were not chosen Shall q Rom 9 20. the clay say to the potter why hast thou made mee thus That any are chosen is of his grace that thou a sinner reiected is no iniustice 2 And r Rom. 11.35 who hath giuen him first Askest thou why this man rather then thy selfe or another He is an absolute Lord. Friend he doth thee ſ Mar. 20.15 no wrong may hee not doe with his owne what seemeth him best Sayest thou he is partiall Respecter of persons Resp It s gratuitous not debt that is here conferred How dares dust and ashes intromit so farre into this counsell of God as to prescribe to his wisedome to forme to that Maiestie rules of Iustice Why admires it not rather what it comprehends not As Paul t Rom 11.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plotius thus in what I conceiue I adore him in what I comprehend not I admire him Bee willing to be ignorant of what God secreted God shall lighten things hidden in darkenesse fondly doe we anticipate Much doeth the meditation confirme hope of enioying the happinesse purposed to vs that its God who hath thereto chosen vs. u Num. 23.19 God is not as man that hee should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent The gifts and calling of God are without * Rom. 11.29 repentance 3 The time from the beginning that is say some of the creation but elder by much is that decree This grace giuen before x 2 Tim. 1.9 the worlds were God chose before the y Ephes 1.4 foundation of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though termes properly belonging to time yet are sometimes transsumed to denote what is pertinent to eternitie that which was z 1 Iohn 1.1 from the beginning of the word of life sends vs beyond the beginning to meditate eternitie of Christs existence and generation Idly doth that selfe conceited dunce criticke vrge the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he would prooue reprobation to be ordered in time after the fall Forsooth Iude saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Iude 4. of old fore-ordained to this iudgement 1 And why not election fancied to be in time because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 b Dan. 9.7 Antiquus dierum denotes it not Gods eternitie And why not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old that is from eternitie which is elder then time 3 Is election before time Then reprobation Who so chooseth refuseth also and when his choise is then is his refusall See supra Vse Saint Paul from a like circumstance and farre inferiour concludes that election is not ex operibus but ex vocante For c Rom. 9.11 ere the children were borne before they had done good or euill it was said I haue loued Iacob What when it passeth on vs before the worlds In eternitie May wee not much more inferre Therefore not of workes or faith or good vse of freewill Obiect But some of these fell vnder prescience Resp 1 And why may wee not so clude the Apostles argument in case of Iacob There also had prescience place 2 Prescience is Gods practicke knowledge and presupposeth ordinance the act of his will as being in nature before it according to our manner of apprehending Things are not because foreseene but are foreseene because they shall be 3 From ordinance not from prescience issues existence of all things that deserue the name of things hauing any solid entitie good things especially and more especially things morally good most gratuitous which fit vs to the superexcedent end so that to ascribe causalitie of the ordinance to the foresight of faith sanctitie good vse of free-will is vtterly to inuert right order when from this ordinance as the cause issues faith charitie other sanctitie and not e contra 4 The motiue beloued of God That part of the stile most interpreters conceiue to imply the cause antecedent or inwardly moouing God to choose that is his loue Truth is in the assertion thence said I haue d Rom. 9 13. loued Iacob that is in loue chosen him Hence is election euer ascribed to mercie kindnesse loue grace that is gratuitous free vnmerited fauour and to say trueth what else could mooue him 1 No obligation of the Creatour to the creature whose very being especially in so high a degree as man is meerely from him 2 Goodnes none could be foreseene in the creature that was to bee euill and e Rom. 9.21 was so presented to Gods view what time his election passed vpon it 3 Election findes vs not good f Ephes 1.4 but makes vs so Vse 1 So that I can but wonder at Arminius and others seeking in the vessels of mercie the procatarcticke cause of election my fingers itch at them but the backe akes onely consider how crossing to the whole counsell of God and his proiect in mans saluation that proud dreame is His aime is so to mannage our saluation that 1 man may haue no cause g Rom. 3.27 to glory 2 The h Ephes 1.6 glory of grace and mercy be exalted Therefore decrees hee to permit the fall i Rom 11. 32. to shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe that he may haue mercy vpon all Learne to preserue entire vnto God this glory of his grace labour to comprehend the height and length and breadth of Gods loue in thine election to saluation To this end minde first thy behauiour before calling disobedient c. k Tit 3.3 seruing lusts and diuerse pleasures Secondly in calling how not onely God l Rom. 9.20 21 slightfull and refractary thou mayst remember thy selfe to haue beene in thy calling Thirdly since calling how many haue beene n Iac. 3 1. interruptions of obedience how weake and full of o Isai 64.6 blemishes the best performances And thus thinke First God saw thee such what time he past choise on thee Secondly and if when thou wert nothing but p Tit. 3.4.5 2 Tim. 1.9 loue could mooue God to call how much lesse to elect when thou wert not 5 The meanes of execution ordered to the end through sanctification of the spirit and faith of truth Are these intended merites of election or rather meanes of saluation Merites