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	work_n	2,826	5	6.4066	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87514	The whole faith of man: being the Gospel declared in plainness, as it is in Jesus, and the way thereof of old confirmed by divers signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the holy ghost. In thirty six heads, setting out mans way & work, from the day of his conversion to the day of his dissolution, and what therein is both to be believed and practised. / By Will. Jeffery, who hath for years been a poor labourer in Christs vineyard.	Jeffery, William, 1616-1693.	1659 (1659)	Wing J524; Thomason E1804_1; ESTC R209929	87,834	192

THE WHOLE FAITH OF MAN Being the Gospel declared in plainness as it is in JESUS and the way thereof of old confirmed by divers Signs Wonders Miracles and Gifts of the holy Ghost In thirty six Heads setting out Mans way work from the day of his Conversion to the day of his Dissolution and what therein is both to be believed and practised The Second Edition much Enlarged By WILL. JEFFERY who hath for years been a poor Labourer in Christs Vineyard So likewise ye when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 London Printed by G. Dawson for Francis Smith in Flying-Horse Court in Fleet-street near Chancery lane end and Stephen Dagnal of Alisbury 1659. TO The Christian READER Loving Reader THis work presented to thy view read I pray with diligence and care imploying thy whole understanding to observe what 〈◊〉 written herein whether it be according to the Scriptures of truth and finding it so lay it up in thy heart and bring it forth in Conversation and in Worship and that thou mayest so do mark well the Scriptures that are brought for the proof of that which is said and for the right understanding of the Scriptures note these five things First who it is that speaketh Secondly the ground or cause of the Word spoken Thirdly what is spoken Fourthly the time when Fifthly to whom it speaketh And labour to understand Prophecies whether they be fulfilled or no and mistake not so as to think that Parables or Comparisons in Scripture prove nothing for they do excellently prove things if rightly understood for the Parable of the unjust Iudge and the Widdow Luk. 18. v. 1. proveth that men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint and that in Rev. 16.15 which saith that Christ will come as a thiefe proveth that Christ will come suddenly and that day of the Lord shall come upon ungodly men unawares yea as a snare shall it take them 2 Thes 5.23 but it doth not prove that Christ will come unrighteously as a thief for that connot be So Parables and Comparisons in the Scriptures prove excellently the things for which they are brought but beware of using them beyond their line and also note that a Commandment or Precept only gives ground to duty for where no Law is there is no transgression mistake not for the manner of the performance of the duty is not alwayes in all things laid down in the Commandment so the primitive examples of the People of God for the manner of the performance of duty is very safe and where there is no example of the People of God in the Scriptures for the manner as aforesaid take heed that the duty be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 James 5.14 But stand in awe in the fear of God and beware that you add not to the Commandment nor diminish therefrom in the performance of duty for he that shall presume to speak a word in the name of the Lord which he hath not commanded him shall die Deut. 18.20 Pro. 30.6 Revel 22.18 19. Mind also that according to the Law and the Prophets and New Testament are to hear Christ in all things yea to give more heed to Christ then Israel was to Moses Heb. 2.1 2. Chap. 12.25 and to labour to understand what the first Testament is and who were the children hereof and what is the new Testament and who are the children thereof and let no man that believeth and is added to the Church according to the Scripture content himself in a child like state but labour with all diligence to come to mans stature being strong in Christ 1 Epistle of John 2.13 14. For in these last dayes will come in all deceiveableness of unrighteousness and so many will fall away the age groweth ripe many run to and fro and knowledge is increased therefore labour to understand the Mysteries of the Scripture walk up purely in all that thou knowest for they shall be revealed and fulfilled in these latter dayes yea whosoever thou art observe more what is declared it being truth then the manner of the declaring it be not offended at the plainness or poverty of the man that speaketh he speaking as the Oracles of God For God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise I have studied brevity for many reasons therefore heed well what is spoken and so have thy heart open for truth but closed up against all errour and try all spirits by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament For if they speak not According to the Law and Testamony it is because there is no light in them Isai 8.20 And so read this Book with a single eye for it very highly concerns thy eternal life for for this end was it written that men might know the good old way of the Gospel and walk therein and so find rest for their souls and that God might have all the Glory and this is the sincere desire of him that is ready to serve thee with all his might in he strength of the Lord in the work of his Generation William Ieffery A TABLE OF The principal Matters spoken to or handled in this Book 1. THe Gospel what it is Page 1 2. That the Gospel is to be preached to all Men. Page 2 3. That Christ dyed for all Men. Page 4 4. That God through Christs death in the ministration of the Gospel sets all men in a way to come to the knowledge of the truth and be eternally saved Page 6 5. How Men in all ages were set in that way Page 9 6. What Adams sin brought upon all the sans of Men. Page 13 7. How Christ redeemed all Men from the first death and all the guilt or punishment of Adams sin Page 18 8. That all Infants dying in Infancie shall be saved Page 17 9. The great cause of condemnation and what it is Page 21 10. How Men are given up to blinded eyes and hardned hearts and wherefore Page 30 11. How Gods Decree takes hold of Men to condemnation Page 27 12. Gods Decree concerning Election to salvation Page 32 13. Why none but Beleevers are chosen to salvation and yet foreseen faith not the cause Page 33 14. The first Testament what it is in the strictest sence and what it is in the largest and who were the children thereof and how is it cast out and its children and the difference between the Law of Faith and the Law of Works and a word of the abolishing of the seventh day Sabbath Page 35 15. What the second Testament in the strictest fence and what in the largest and who are the children thereof and who the Ministers thereof and the vast disproportion between the first Testament and the Second Page 42 16. What Repentance is and what Faith is and the nature thereof Page 52 17. That Bilievers onely are the

36.15 16. Zech. 7.11 12 13. Mat. 13.13 Rom. 1.19 20 21 26. 2 Thes 2.11 12. These things I lay before you because the question is wherefore God hardens mens hearts and not whether he doth harden mens hearts yea or nay For I do and alwayes did grant that and the cause thereof is as aforesaid namely the creatures nelgecting and putting from them so great salvation as is freely tendered in Jesus when as they ought to receive it with love thereunto For This Cause saith the Apostle God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleive a lye that so they might be damned Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 11. according to which all Nations are in the hand of God as clay in the hand of the Potter and so at what instant soever God speaketh unto a people shewing them through the Gospel that his pleasure is to build and plant them and so make them vessels for honour if that people do evill in his sight that they obey not his voice of good-will towards them and so Marr themselves 1 Sam. 6.6 in the hand of God he then repenteth of the good wherewith he said he would benefit them Ier. 18.4 9 10. so he gives them up to hardness of heart so they become vessels for dishonour when as others of the same lump turning from the evil of their wayes God maketh them vessels for honour and so of the same lump one vessell for honour and another for dishonour But if not withstanding you shall yet turn the body of these Scriptures otherways then behold its face namely That God did before time hate the greatest part of the world without respect unto foreseen wickedness as the caus therof and that in time he gives them up to hardness of heart without grace at any time wherby to be saved and at the day of Judgement will cast them into everlasting Torments because of their wickedness and hardness of heart and yet declare in his Word which you say is a word of truth that he is good to all and that his tender mercies are over all his works that he is slow to anger and of great mercy Psa 145.8 9. Patient long-suffering c. Exod. 34.6 7. Not willing that Any should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 swearing by himself that he desireth not the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 but would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 24. Forty years long grieving for the iniquity of his people Heb. 3.17 Bemoaning their undone estate Psal 81.13 yea even weeping for them Luke 19.41 saying What could I have done more for your good that I have not done Isa 5.4 when as he knew according to your Tenent that himself had shut them up from all possibilities of believing unto Salvation and that by his own unresistible Decree and purpose of Reprobation Judge ye friends in this cause and judge righteous judgement and with fear and trembling weigh these things To return a little to the objection again sider further that though Thave proved that Esau's wickedness and so the wickedness of all wicked men was and is the cause for which the Decree of Reprobation took hold of them yet mistake not for I do not say that 't was foreseen wickedness in them that was the moving cause in God to Make the Decree of Reprobation but rather the unutterable purity and unwordable holiness dwelling in himself which possibly could not admit of any wicked creature in his presence This I say moved him to Make the Decree that all wickedness might be excluded from happiness in his presence So having spoken of Esau and how he and all other wicked men are reprobated to Condemnation it remains that I now speak of Jacob and how he and all other righteous men are elected to Salvation First therefore I beleeve that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to die for the world whenas there was nothing in the world that did or could move him thereunto Secondly the world being gone all out of the way and coming short of Gods glory God did purpose a gracious purpose of Election in Christ namely to chuse or set apart beleeving men for glory Psal 4.3 Eph. 1.4 2 Thes 2.13 And so Jacob with all other beleeving men being found in Christ Gods gracious purpose and decree of Election takes hold of them being such as are Elected from the foundation of the world to eternal Salvation but by this take notice I do not say that God foreseeing faith in Jacob or in any other was thereby moved to Make that decree of Election as if the works of righteousness which we have done first moved him so graciously to purpose and decree for the good of beleeving men I say not so but rather the meer love and compassion dwelling in God himself moved him to purpose and Elect beleevers in Christ to Salvation agreeable to the Apostles words Ephes 1.5 Having predestinated us c. according to the good pleasure of his will ver 9. purposed in himself and of himself Rom. 9.11 nothing of worth in man first or last moving him thereunto and so our Salvation is of God that sheweth mercy upon them that beleeve And whereas this purpose reacheth in the beleever in Christ only 't is not because God saw such a worth or moving excellency in the creatures beleeving but that he might in shewing mercy unto men not destroy his attributes as of honour and justice which would have been blemished had he chosen the unbeleeving sinful man for himself having before cast man out of his presence for sin so though the beleever only hath interest in Gods purpose of Election yet the cause of his happiness is the tender love and compassions of God dwelling originally in himself Where then is bosting It is excluded by what law by the law of Faith for as much as Christ who is the object of faith is the meer gift of God who also hath from of old decreed from the meer grace dwelling in himself and not from foreseen faith in the creature to Elect and chuse men unto Salvation through not for the belief of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 whose belief also cometh by hearing the Gospel of Christ which is to be preached to every creature for the obedience of faith Rom. 16.26 So then all being of him and through him not unto us not unto us in the least but to the Lord alone be glory for ever The next thing which I purpose is somewhat touching the two Covenants because I find that some stumble for want of a right understanding the old and other some for want of a right understanding of the new Covenant wherefore for the good of each this I declare head it well I pray you You I mean that stumble about the Covenants for have you not read that Abraham had two Sons the one by a Bond-maid the