Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	eternal_a	good_a	work_n	4,394	5	6.6946	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96425	The doctrines of the Arminians & Pelagians truly stated and clearly answered: or, An examination and confutation of their ancient errors, which by the Church of Christ in former ages were justly abhorred, but of late under the names of Comfortable truths to be embraced are newly published. Concerning I. The universality of Gods free-grace in Christ to mankind. II. Concerning election. III. Redemption. IV. Conversion. V. Perserverance. Wherein the principal arguments brought to maintaine the orthodox faith are propounded, and the principal objections against them answered. / By Thomas Whitfield, minister of the gospel at Bugbrook in Northampton-shire. The Tares of Arminian heresie showed in former times (and by the help of prelatical influence then given to them increasing) and now growing up so much in these; I conceive this book wherein the author doth learnedly state and confute those opinions, is very worthy the publike light. Joseph Caryll.	Whitfield, Thomas, Minister of the Gospel.; Carly, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2006; Thomason E646_7; ESTC R208798	87,011	101

another end in it then they had they did it out of envy to avenge themselves of their brother but he out of love for the advancing of Ioseph and preservation of his father and brethren Ashur was Gods Axe and Saw Esa 10.5 therefore wrought not alone without a hand guiding him yet he aimed at destruction God at correction Therfore it is said that Ashur was Gods rod yet he thought not so but imagineth to destroy and cut off Nations Esa 10.7 God oftentimes punisheth one sin with another thus Arminius himself confesseth that God permitted Ahab to murder Naboth that so he might fulfil the measure of his sins which is the most grievous punishment but to punish is an act of justice Therefore here God did so permit as withall he did work 3. There is no Law to tye God from the permitting of sia and from working with man in the same action which man doth sinfully for if there were then no sin at all should be committed for man is bound not onely not to commit it but not to permit it if it be in his power to hinder it by which law if God himself were bound there should never any sin at all be committed therfore it is no good Argument to reason from man to God in those things which man doth sinfully he not being subject to the same law Object But he is a law to himself the justice and holines of his nature being stronger then any law to keep him from doing evill Answ But he may work in the same action with man and what man doth ill he may do well because as already hath been shewed he works upon other grounds in another manner and to other ends then sinfull man doth He hardned Pharaohs heart but in another manner then Pharaoh did he sent Ioseph into Egypt but to another end then his brethren did he punished Israel by Ashur but to another end then Ashur did it He delivered his Sonne to be crucified but to another end then the wicked Jews did it Object But causa causae est causa causati the cause of a cause is the cause of the effect also which ariseth from that cause removens prohibens c. that which with-holdeth or taketh away a thing which being present wold hinder an event is the cause of that event as he that with-draweth a Pillar from a House that is ready to fall without it is the cause of the fall of that House but the want of supernaturall grace and of that power which being granted would keep men from falling into sin is the cause of their falling into sin and God is the cause of this want who denies to reprobates this supernatural grace and withholds this power whereby they should be kept from falling into sin therefore he is a true and proper cause of their sinne Answ God gave to Adam in the first Creation power wherby he might have stood he gave him posse si vellet as Divines speak for he created him in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 which habituall righteousnesse was a power whereby the faculties of his soul were fitted to work according to the rule of righteousnesse both by abstaining from evill and doing of good and in Adam he gave this to all his posterity who were in the same covenant with him 2. Man did willingly lose this power and habituall righteousnes which God gave him in the first Creation God did not so take it away from him but he himself also cast it away yea God withdrew no thing which he had bestowed on him till man had merited such withdrawing Had God taken away originall righteousnes from man against his will or without his desert then might there have beene some shew of injustice but there was no such matter for God had made man righteous but he found out many inventions Ecclesiastes 7. last Object But Gods will is the only cause why the guilt of Adams sin rests not only on himself but his posterity also and why they are deprived of that originall righteousnesse which was bestowed on him Answ It is a just cause but not the only cause but Adams will which willingly yeelded to that sin which was the meritorious cause of the punishment that came both on himself and his posterity which punishment was justly inflicted not only on himself but his posterity because they being in his loins were to be considered as a part of himself and he being the head of mankind both might and did enter into such a covenant with God as should bind not only himself but all those which should arise from him Hence it is that the Apostle saith that by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed over all men for that all bad sinned Rom. 5.12 all men had sinned in that sin of one man and therefore death came justly on all men and further it is said by the offence of one judgment came on all to condemnation Object If Reprobation be without foresight of the fall then God doth destinate or appoint the innocent or guiltlesse Creature to destruction which is such cruelty and injustice as can in no sort agree to God Answ It doth not follow for Reprobation is such a decree wherby God appoints not innocent and guiltlesse but sinfull and wicked creatures to be destroyed for he hath appointed such to be destroyed as are destroyed but none are destroyed that are not sinfull and wicked before they be destroyed and this sin and wickednes is a cause of their destruction yet though this be a cause of their destruction and goes before that it is no cause of the decree whereby they are appointed to destruction neither doth●t go before that because the decree of God is from all eternity whereas mans sin is committed in time As on the other side God doth save none but such as live holily and obey his Commands and doth decree to save onely such as these yet though holines and obedience go before salvation they do not go before Election which is Gods purpose and decree of salvation so it is here though sin goes before the execution yet not before the decree that was from all Eternity That the foresight of sinne is not the cause of reprobation is thus proved 1. No temporall thing can be the cause of that which is Eternall but sin is a temporall thing there being no sin before the world was and the decree of God is Eternall 2. The foresight of sin is no more efficacious to move God to appoint some to be vessels of wrath then the foresight of good works is to move him to appoint others to be vessels of mercy God being in his own nature no lesse prone to shew forth mercy by bestowing reward then to shew his justice by punishing but the foresight of good works is not the cause of Election 3. How can the foresight of sin be the cause of reprobation when as the foresight

Prov. 16.4 and contrary to the course of every artificer who makes not his worke but himselfe the end of his action as the manifestation of his skill ability and the like so as may tend to his praise and commendation No man builds a house for the house sake but for his owne sake The end of every agent in working is his own good in one kinde or other and the desire of this is the moving cause of his worke 2. The conservation of the creature which is a continued creation hath the same end with creation but how can this be said to be done to the praise of his abundant goodnesse to some creatures Are the devils reserved in chaines of darknesse for the praise of his abundant goodnesse toward them 3. If the manifestation of his power and goodnesse be the last end of creation then God hath attained his last end so soon as ever man was created for then he had shewed forth his abundant power and goodnesse and then God had shewed the same goodnesse both in the elect and reprobate both equally partaking of the benefits of Creation 4. If by goodnesse be understood the manifestation of his owne goodnesse as it must needs be this is the manifestation of his glorious attributes so the Lord tels Moses that he would cause all his good to go before him he would proclame his name before him Exod. 33.19 especially the manifestation of those attributes whereby he comes at length to have his greatest glory which are his justice and mercy Lastly If therefore the foresight of sin must go before the decree of reprobation because sin goes before condemnation which seems to be the chief if not the only ground of the necessity of such foresight by the same reason the foresight of repentance and good workes must go before election because these goe before Salvation Objections of the Arminians whereby they seeke to prove that election is out of the foresight of sin and faith Object 1 We are elected in Christ Eph. 1.4 none are in Christ but believers therefore the foresight of believing goes before election Answ 1. To be elected in Christ is no more but to be chosen and appointed to obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ as the Apostle expresseth it 1 Thes 5.9 God hath appointed us not to wrath but to obtaine Salvation by Jesus Christ here Christ is made a cause foregoing our salvation but not our election to salvation 2. We were in Christ when God elected us but not actually but onely virtually because at the same time when God elected us he purposed to set us into Christ for when he elected us to the end he elected us also to the means 3. By this reason it might be proved that not onely faith but our effectuall calling regeneration sanctification and all other spirituall blessings go before our election because we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in Christ Ephes 1.3 Object 2 Election is a purpose of shewing mercy but mercy presupposeth misery therefore the foresight of sin goes before election Answ 1. Election is a purpose of shewing mercy to such as shall be miserable before God executes or shews forth his mercy on them but not such as were miserable before he intended or purposed to make them vessels of mercy so that misery goes before the execution only not the decree 2. This mercy which at last God shews on the elect is such a mercy as whereby not only originall but also all actuall sins are pardoned therefore by this reason the foresight of all actuall sin must go before election as well as the foresight of originall sin 3. Faith repentance and good works go before the executing of mercy and bestowing of salvation therefore by this reason the foresight of these also must goe before the purpose of shewing mercy Object 3 Look in what order God doth save men in that order he decreed to save them but sin and faith go before salvation therefore the foresight of these must go before the decree to salvation Answ This is a false forme of reasoning and by the like many absurdities may be concluded as thus 1. Look in what order God doth save men in that order he decreed to save them but repentance and good works go before salvation therefore they go before the decree to salvation 2. Or thus Look in what order a man builds a house for habitatition in that order he purposed to build it but the providing of timber and stone go before the building of his house therefore the cousideration of these went before his purpose and intent of making a house for his habitation Let the argument be put into a right forme and it will conclude nothing contrary to the question for then it will run in this manner Look in what order God brings men to salvation in that order he purposed to bring them to salvation but in bringing them to salvation he causeth faith to go before their salvation therefore in his decree of salvation he purposed that faith should go before their salvation Here all may be granted without prejudice to the Question Object 4 Every act is in nature after his object but man is the object of predestination and man is that he is by creation therefore predestination cannot goe before the foresight of the fall and of mans Creation Answ A possible being not an actuall onely is sufficient to make man a fit object of Gods predestination otherwise we may reason in this manner man is the object of Gods decree of creation the object is in nature before the act therefore man is before the decee of creation and so God should consider man as having being before ever he purposed to create him and give him being therefore that rule non entis nulla est confideratio must be understood of such things as have neither actuall nor possible being Object 5 If the fall of man in Gods foresight doth not go before but follow the decree then is his fall decreed then is the liberty of his will taken away for what God hath decreed must necessarily come to passe Answ Gods decree doth not take away the libe●●y of the second cause as appears 1. No man can deny that the death of Christ was decreed of God for Saint Peter saith that he was delivered to death by the determinate counsell of God Act. 2.23 yet Christ dyed freely for he saith of himselfe that he layd downe his life yea he laid it down freely when no man had power to take it from him Joh. 10.17 18. besides if Christs death were not voluntary it could not be meritorious not being an act of obedience 2. Our faith repentance obedience and such good works as by grace we are enabled to performe are voluntary actions such as we are not carried unto either by any natural or violent necessity yet these are decreed of God who hath elected us unto faith and sanctification as well as unto life 2 Thess 2.13 as

properly but figuratively because to will and not to will cannot both agree to God being taken in the same sense for no man dies but God inflicts this death upon him and he cannot be said to do this either besides or against his will Object 8 If the decree of Reprobation be not out of the foresight of the fall then God decrees to destroy men before he decrees to make them yea the end of the Creation of these should be to destruction Answ It doth not follow for the last end of all is the manifestation of the glory of his justice in these for he did not create men that he might suffer them to fall or permit them to fall that he might destroy them but by creation and permission of the fall and damnation are all co-ordinate means joyned together for bringing about that last end namely the manifestation of the glory of Gods punishing justice in some men but although in proper acception the end of Creation be not destruction yet such kind of expressions are not unusuall in Scripture as when it is said the Lord hath made the wicked for the day of evill Prov. 16.4 and S. Peter calls wicked men brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed 2. Pet. 2.12 Object 9 But in what manner or to what end soever God wils these things yet still it remains as granted that God willed and decreed mans destruction and mans fall that made way for it and that before man himself had either willed or done any thing which if it be so how can man be blamed for how can he help it who can resist Gods will or how can God be just in doing this Answ It hath been already shewed that God neither doth nor decrees to bring destruction upon any man but for sinne and that sin which he himself commits freely and willingly without any necessity naturall or violent which is sufficient to cleare Gods justice But because this objection is the same in effect which is made against the Apostle Rom. 9.19 it will be fittest to answer in his words What art thou O man that disputest with God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus If we should not be able in some things to give a reason of Gods Justice in doing them shall we deny that which the whole course of Scripture the nature of God and the things themselves do plainly evince to be so namely that nothing comes to passe especially the greatest things such as are the eternall salvation and destruction of men wherby God receives his greatest glory but God hath a hand in it and what he doth in time he hath determined and decreed before all times and that this decree being actio ad intra an action within himself and so not really differing from his Essence is so absolute independant and eternall that it can have no causes motives respects considerations or any other-like going before it that as God himself is absolute primum so are all his coun sels and decrees so that he cannot take or borrow as it were the idaea and plot of these from any other thing but they all arise immediatly from himselfe If the doctrine of the absolute decree seems not so plausible to humane sense or carnall reason yet in the deepest mysteries of Religion as these are we are not to measure things by our naturall apprehensions and seek to square them to our carnall conceits but to follow only the sacred rule of Truth laid down in Scripture which when there is mention of these things cries out O altitude O the depth of wisedome and knowledge of God! his wisdome is unsearchable and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 What we cannot apprehend we ought with reverence to admire and adore An Examination and Confutation of the Arminian erronious Tenets concerning REDEMPTION IN the Article of Redemption these two things principally are questioned 1. Whether the proper effect of Christs death and passion be mans redemption as pardon of sin reconciliation with God c. so that Christ died to purchase these things actually for those for whom he died or only to purchase a possibility or liberty for God to save sinfull man 2. Whether Christ by his death hath purchased or obtained these things for every particular man or not or there be some for whom Christ hath not died in this sense For the first it is denyed by the Arminians who affirme that actuall redemption remission of sinne justification of such or such men Immediata mortis Christi effectio non est actualis peccaorum remissio horum aut illorum redemptio sed redemptionis apud Deum impetratio qua factum est ut Deusiam possit utpote iustitia cui satisfactum est non obstante homnibus peccatoribus peccata remittere et spititum sanctum largiri Armin. in Perk. pag. 75.76 was not the proper and immediate effect of Christs death but only such an obtaining of redemption at the hands of God whereby he may notwithstanding his justice which is now satisfyed bestow remission of sinne and the spirit of grace upon sinfull men by which it appeares that they would have the effect of Christs death to be not the actuall redemption of any man but onely the purchase of a liberty or possibility for God to redeeme and save whom he pleased but how unsound this is may appeare by these things 1. Hence it follows that the eternall damnation of all mankinde may stand with the death of Christ and that though Christ hath dyed for mans salvation yet it may so fall out as no man shall be saved for he hath purchased not an actuall but only a possible redemption and it is not necessary that a thing onely possible should ever come to be effected besides as some reject Christ so may all men do notwithstanding this possible redemption and so none be saved which how injurious it is to the infinite merit and excellency of Christs death all may easily see 2. Hence it follows that Christ hath no more redeemed man in one kinde then God himselfe in another for as he hath redeemed man no otherway then that by the vertue of his death he hath procured that they may be redeemed so in like manner thus farre he may be said to have redeemed God himselfe because by the vertue of his death he hath procured that God may redeem them which is wholy contrary to the phrase of Scripture which every where tels us that we are redeemed not with corruptible things but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 that while we were enemies Christ dyed for us Rom. 5.9 that he was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our transgressions Esa 53.4 but saith no where that God was redeemed or that Christ dyed for him 3. If the immediate and proper essect of Christs death was only a possible redemption or reconciliation then Christ did by his death very little advance

and repent if he will and accordingly as he seeth him to use the liberty of his will so is ready to concurre or not concurre● if he seeth him to use it well then to concurre with him and to cause the act of believing also if otherwise then to withhold then it is in him that willeth and runneth which contradicts the Apostle for as God sees man to will so he is ready to worke If it be said it is not in him that willeth and runneth because it is not the worke of mans will alone without Gods shewing mercy then the Apostle might as well have said it is not of God that sheweth mercy but of him that willeth c. because Gods grace works not conversion alone without the concurrence of mans free-will yea according to Arminians is led by it for as man wills so God workes if mans will moveth then God joynes his worke if man be unwilling then Gods worke is stopped 6. If all the imaginations of mans heart be onely evill and that continually Gen. 6.5 if that light that is in him be darkenesse Eph. 5.8 If the naturall man doth not nor cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 if he hath not sufficiency of himselfe to thinke any good 2 Cor. 5.3 if the wisedome of the flesh be enmity with God Rom. 8.7 if the wisedome of God seems foolishnesse to it 1 Cor. 2.14 then there needs more then gentle perswading to take away this blindnesse and darknesse this impotency and weaknesse this enmity and opposition against God and the worke of his grace then it is vaine to say that God stands ready to concurre with man when he sees him moving his owne will to what is good when he knowes that he hath neither will nor power for any good till himselfe hath put it into him by the grace of true conversion 7. If God gives only power to men to repent and believe if they will and leaves the acting of these things to the liberty of their owne wills dispensing his co-operating grace as they call it according as he sees the will of man carrying it selfe in receiving or not receiving the preventing grace then man separates himselfe when he is converted and makes himselfe to differ from another man contrary to that of the Apostle who hath made thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 3.7 yes may some man say I have something which I have not received namely the right motion of mine owne will in not resisting grace offered for according to this doctrine when two men have the same power inwardly and the same means outwardly grace being offered to both at the same time by the same person and in the same manner the reason why one receives and the other doth not that one repents and beleeves and the other doth not is because the one wills and the other wills not the one useth his liberty well the other ill it being equally in the power of both to receive grace offered or to refuse it and so by this reason not God but man should separate himselfe 8. According to this doctrine man should be the principall agent in the worke of conversion and beare a better part therein then God and his grace for act is more excellent then power and it is better to will the doing of good then onely to be able to doe it God gives onely power but man by putting forth his will causeth this to come into act mans will first moves and this motion leads the way to Gods grace to move and concurre in the act of conversion and so is made the more excellent worker 9. From both these it follows that man hath cause of glorying or boasting in himselfe because he hath separated himselfe and his will hath borne the better part in the worke of conversion contrary to that of the Apostle why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received 1 Cor. 3.7 of grace not of workes lest any man should boast Eph. 2.8 may not a man justly glory in himselfe when the reason why he is converted and another is not both having the like means and helpe from God is because he used his liberty of willing well when another used it ill he applyed himselfe to receive that which another rejected the motion of his owne will hath as it were led the way to Gods will in the worke of conversion 10 If Gods worke in conversion should be onely by way of swasion and propounding objects then he and his grace should be no more powerfull and efficacious in converting men then the devill is in perverting and seducing for he workes in propounding objects and that in the most congruous time and manner that may bee contrary to that of the Apostle greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 which he brings as an argument to prove that they had and should overcome temptations and seducings because the spirit of grace which was in them was greater in regard of his powerfull manner of working then he which was in the world that spirit of Antichrist which went about to seduce and pervert men vers 3. yea there should be no difference betwixt God and the Ministers in the worke of conversion for the kinde and manner of working though there may be for the measure and degree for the Minister workes by perswading and propounding objects and God workes no otherwise though he may perswade more strongly yea upon this ground it differs not in measure and degree because in an ordinary course God perswades no man by his owne voice immediately but doth this by the mouths of his Messengers and Ministers who are Gods Embassadours beseeching men in Christs stead to be reconciled to Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 and he saves men by the foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 Can it be fitly said of the Minister that he opens mens eyes or hearts that he takes away the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh that he creates a new heart in men that he writes Gods lawes in their hearts and causeth them to walke in his statutes c. which might be both truly and fitly sayd of him if he did worke after the same manner that God doth 11. If God workes mans conversion onely by way of swasion and by such a grace as ofttimes is resisted and alwayes may be then as one man doth resist this grace and make it ineffectuall so may another and another yea so may all men do and so it is possible that all men may partake of the grace of conversion and yet never a man in the world be converted which is contrary to the excellency and efficacy of the grace of God and to that of the Prophet convert thou me and I shall be converted Jer. 31.18 If nature doth nothing in vaine much lesse doth grace How can faith be the gift of God and