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	good_a	work_n	4,641	5	6.8470	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57283	A vindication of the reformed religion, from the reflections of a romanist written for information of all, who will receive the truth in love / by William Rait ...	Rait, William, 1617-1670.	1671 (1671)	Wing R146; ESTC R20760	160,075	338

undoubtedly to believe for it is written We have a more sure word of Prophecie to the which ye do well to take heed as to a light shining in a darke place Besides we believe the authoritie thereof to be above the authority of the Church It is a farr different thing for the h●ly Ghost to speake and the tongue ●f man for the tongue of man may through ignorance erre deceive and be deceived but the Word of GOD neither deceieveth nor is deceived nor can erre but is alwayes infallible and sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the best and greatest GOD hath predestinated his Elect unto glory before the beginning of the world without any respect unto their workes and that there was no other impulsive cause to this election but only the good will and mercy of GOD. In like manner before the world was made he hath rejected whom he would of which act of reprobation if you consider the absolute dealing of GOD his will is the cause but if ye look upon GODS orderly proceeding his justice is the cause for GOD is marciful and ●ust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that one GOD in Trinity the Father Son and holy Ghost to be the Creator of all things visible and invisible Invisible things we call the Angels visible things the Heavens and all things under them And because the Creatour is good by nature he hath created all things good and cannot do any evil and if there be any evil it proceedeth from the Devil and man for it ought to be a certain rule to us that GOD is not the authour of evil neither can any sin by any just reason be imputed to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that all things are governed by GODS Providence which we ought rather to adore then search into sith it is beyond our capacitie neither can we truely understand the reason of it from the things themselves in which matter we suppose it better to embrace silence in humilitie then to speak many things which do not edisie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the first man created by God fell in Paradise because neglecting the Commandment of GOD he yeelded to the deceitful counsel of the Serpent from thence sprung up Original sin to his posteritie so that no man is borne according to the flesh who doth not bear his burthen and feel the fruits of it in his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ hath made himself of no account that is hath assumed mans nature into his own Subsistence that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost that he was made man in the womb of Mary alwayes a Virgin was born and suffered death was buried and glorified by his resurrection that he brought salvation and glorie to all Believers whom we look for to come to judge both quick and dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that our Lord Iesus Christ sitteth a● the right hand of his Father and there maketh intercession for us executing alone the office of a true and lawful Priest and Mediatour and from thence he hath a care of his people and governeth his Church adorning and enriching her with many blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that without Faith no man can be saved but that we call Faith which in Christ Iesus justifieth which the life and death of our Lord Iesus Christ procured the Gospel published and without which no man can please GOD. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Church which it called Catholick containeth all true believers in Christ which being departed are in their Countrey in Heaven or living on earth are yet traveling in the way the Head of which Church because a mortal man by no means can be Iesus Christ is the Head alone and he holdeth the sterue of the Government of the Church in his own hand but because on earth there be particular visible Churches and in order every one of them hath one chief which chief is not properly to be called a head of that particular Church but improperly because he is the principal member therof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Members of the Catholick Church be the Saints chosen unto eternal life from the number fellowship of who Hypocrits are excluded though in particular visible Churches Tares may be found amongst the Wheat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that the Church on earth in the way is sanctified and instructed by the Holy Ghost for he is the true Comforter whom Christ sendeth from the Father to teach the truth and to expel da●kness from the understanding of the Faithful For it is very certaine that the Church of GOD may erre ●●king f●lshood for truth from which errour the light and doctrine of the holy Spirit alone f●eeth us not of mortal man although by Mediation of the labours of the Churches Ministers this may be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We beleeve that a man is justifie by ●ai●h and not by workes but when we say by Faith we understand the correlative or object of Faith which is the righteousness of Christ which Faith apprehends and applyeth unto us for our salvation This may verily be and yet without any prejudice to good workes for Truth it self teacheth us that workes mu●● not be neglected that they be necessary means and testimonies of our Faith for confirmation of our calling but for workes to be sufficient for our salvation and to make a man so to appear before the Tribunal of Christ that of condignity or merit they conferre salvatiō humane frailty witnesseth to be false but the righteousness of Christ being applyed to the penitent doth onely justifie and save the Faithful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that free-will i● dead in the unregenerate because they can do no good thing and whatsoever they do is sin but in the regenerate by the grace of the holy Spirit the will it excited and indeed worketh but not without the assistance of grace to effect that therefore which is good grace goeth before the will which will in the regenerated is wounded as he by the thieves that came from Ierusalem so that of himself without the help of grace he hath no power to do any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We believe that there be Evangelicall Sacraments in the Church which the Lord hath instituted in the Gospel and they be two we have no larger number of Sacraments because the Ordayner thereof delivered no more Further more we believe that they consist of the Word and the Element that they be seals of the promises of GOD and we doubt not but do conferre grace But that the Sacrament be intire and whole it is requisit that an earthly substance and an external action do concurre with the

all must say Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight no flesh living ●●n be justified Psalm 143. 2. And the Church must confess that all her righteousness is ragged and as a menstruous cloath Reply In your thirteenth Section you denying Papists Reply that we are justified by faith and works do both contradict scripture and your self It in the Epistle of St. James chap. 2. verse 20. 24. You see then how by works a man is justified and not by faith only No wonder after this ye contradict your self when you grant that faith is justifying or made justified by works For what is it to say that works justify faith But that faith without works is not justifying And so that faith justifyeth not all or no other way then as it is decompanied with good workes as two conjunct causes For as the Philosopher saith causa causae est causa causati But what needeth any reasoning if this place be not clear to a Minister what it clear to ignorants in all the scripture Wherefore ye had done better to reject the Epistle of James with Luther then to acknowledge it for scripture to deny that we are justified by faith and works the two parts of Christian dutie being belief and life Yet to shew that the place of St. James is not to be taken according to the letter you cite three passag●● excluding workes of the written law from justifying but not excluding workes of grace and the Gospel The first whereof expoundeth the rest and St. Augustin them all de fide operib cap. 14. saying St. Paul speaketh of the workes of Abraham in so much as they proceed from the law excluding the spirit and grace of Christ Then you say neither can any good work be wrought by us till we are justified for how can an evil tree bring forth good fruit To which Question I answer with our Saviour in the Gospel asking how a good tree can bring forth evil fruit as David committing adulterie For if you understood the one you may easilie understand the other Which if you do not go to the school and learn the distinction betwixt simpliciter and secundum quid betwixt good and evil simplie and in part For as there be few so good but they do some evil so there be few so bad but they do some good being assisted by GODS actual grace albeit they want sanctifying grace Yea very good actions may be done with some little imperfection which maketh the Prophet compare our righteousness to a menstruous cloath Duply You are like to your self all along in this reflection for I cannot call it a return Prote ∣ stants Duply seeing you have a flourish of fectless words for catching women and children but do not touch the arguments proposed for justification by faith without the workes of the law My first argument was this That the Apostle Paul saith we are justified by faith without the workes of law therefore not by them You say he meaneth not of workes of grace What then Of sinful workes before Coversion And is it indeed like that sinful workes can be called by the Apostle worke● of the law seeing these are transgressions of the law Or that the justitiaries amongst the Romans in the dayes of the Apostle were so gross as to assert that sinful workes justifie a man which condemn him Secondly you say that justification by faith contradicteth scripture James 2. 24. which place I explained and reconciled with the 4. of the Romanes and all you say to that is that I contradict my self I said workes justifie faith for my faith is known by my works to my self and others But that will nor say that workes and faith justifie the man So I clash not with my self here And for your Maxime causa causae est causa causati If I understand this you contradict your self in the application of it for faith being the cause of workes and justifying the man workes are the effect of justificat●on not the cause of it Hence the Apostle James saith shew me thy faith by thy workes O man For it cannot be showen without workes v. 18. Albeit we say that faith alone justifieth yet that Fides sola in approhendendo non est solitaria My next argument was that a man must be justified before he can work well therefore workes are not the cause of justification I hope you will not say that the effect is antecedent to its cause if you have read Ramus Logick And that a man must be justified before he can work well I prove thus He must be sanctified Ergo c. a corrupt tret cannot bring forth good fruit Matth. 7. 18. Ere you have not something to say to this you close with Pelagius for a defence and speak non-sense For you say that you answer with our Saviour by a distinction of that which is simply such and secundum quid In what part of the Gospel is this Logick to be found For it is clear from the verse above cited that our Saviour denyeth simply the thing so he granteth it not secundum quid Some good acts you say may be done by evil men being assisted by actual grace I would know if actual grace can be in exercise where habitual grace is not at all then if men habitually evil in an unconverted state can do any thing well That something materially good may be done by them as well as sin may be committed by the regenerated I doubt not but that they can do ought upon a good principle for a good end by a good morive I deny it simply Now if they be not such they cannot justifie a m●n For nullum agens potest agere extra Sphar●m suae activitatis Till he be sanctified he cannot be be such till he be justified he cannot be sanctified Workes justifie no more the man then the fruit maketh the tree good My third Reason you leave untouched which was this that the present time requireth all our work Ergo it cannot justifie us for bygones or the future What is now debituns cannot pay my bygone debt nor free me for the time to come And you grant all I have said in the fourth that our best workes are unperfect and so cannot hold water before the Tribunal of GOD. I am glade to hear you grant so much for then where will workes of supererogation and merit appear For further clearing of our Doctrine of Justification take notice the Papists and we thus differ First They say there is a two fold justification one whereby a m●n unjust is made just for attaining this there must be previous dispositions by the acts of faith fear hope love whch fit the man for his justification some of them terme this Meritum congrui others say t●at this is the free gift of GOD not deserved by workes The second Justification is that whereby ● man being just is made more just this they say is merited by their workes and proceedeth