Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A39884
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The Christian directed in his race to heaven, or, A short account of that knowledge and practice that leads thither by James Forbs.
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J. F. (James Forbs), 1629?-1712.
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1700
(1700)
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Wing F1442; ESTC R29428
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47,247
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90
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as you shall have no occasion afterwards to overturn In these two consists the whole of Gospel Conversion therefore you had the more need see that both be of the right stamp When you set about the work of Repentance and closing with Christ by Faith do it with all your might that you may have no cause to repent of your Repentance or to say Ah! it is a great question whether ever to this day I have truly repented or believed if my Repentance had been real I had not relapsed into such and such Sins I have been but a meer Hypocrite and I must begin anew again as if I had never known or profess'd any thing of God at all Let your Repentance be such that you may say these five things of it 1. There 's no known Sin that ever I have been guilty of but it hath cost me some Tears and my Heart has been even like to break with Sorrow for it Oh! wo is me for what I have brought from the Womb into the World with me and wo is me for what I have added to it since O! what cause of Self-abhorrency is there that I am born with inbred Principles of Enmity and Rebellion against the most High The Seeds and Spawn of all Sins are in my Soul and accordingly what Sin is it but either I have actually committed or would have committed if left to my self and not under some restraint 2. There 's no Sin but I have forsaken at least in Affection and Endeavour the Lord knows there 's no Sin which I love but I do hate every false way it s my Soul's desire to be rid of every thing that offends and my strivings in the stnength of Christ are in some measure suitable to my desires 3. It s Love to the Lord Jesus makes me thus to mourn for Sin and to study Reformation of what is amiss Oh! there 's an infiniteness of Evil in Sin it strikes against the very being of Divine Majesty it robs him of the Glory of all his Attributes it s the transgression of the righteous Law of a great and good God that has loved me so as to send his Son to dye for me Oh! its Sin that crucified the Lord of Glory Zech. 12.10 therefore I cannot any longer continue in it for a thousand Worlds Ah and alass that I have acted so disingenuously against a God of so great Mercies Love Long-suffering and Patience I would not do as I have done if it were to do again for ever so much if there were no Hell to punish Sin nor Heaven to reward Holiness I would forsake the one and follow after the other 4. This Sorrow for and forsaking of Sin is not for a flash when the hand of God is upon me in Sickness or otherwise but it is a continual lasting soaking sorrow Psal 51.2 Mine iniquity is always before me God is the same still and therefore there is reason for me to be a repenting still for Sins committed twenty years ago as if they had been committed but last Hour 5. There 's no Sin but I can freely confess and acknowledge either openly if it has been a publick Sin 1 Tim. 1.13 or secretly to God if it has been only a secret Sin Psal 32.5 1 John 1.9 or to particular Persons if I have injur'd them I am willing to make restitution and reparation for the wrong done Luke 19.8 I am not ashamed to take shame to my self when God's Glory and the Edification of others calls for any such thing at my Hands James 5.16 Josh 7.19 And so for your Faith see that you may say these five things of it 1. It s a Faith of God's working Col. 2.12 it s that that never grew in Nature's Garden it s a thing I was not born with Time was when I had it not but was an Unbeliever it s the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 2. This Faith of mine gives a cordial assent unto and compliance with the whole will of God so so far as it is revealed to me in the Word I close with Divine Precepts to be found in the Practice thereof Psalm 119.66 with threatnings to tremble thereat Isa 66.5 as well as Promises to taste the sweetness and comfort thereof 2 Peter 1.4 Heb. 11.13 3. This Faith of mine closes with Christ in all his Offices I am a poor Ignoramus in the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven I do therefore enter my self a Scholar in Christ's School to be taught and instructed by him who is anointed with an unmeasurable measure of the Spirit to open the Eyes of the Blind and unstop the Ears of the Deaf Isa 61.1 Ps 45.7 this is to close with him in his prophetical Office Sin has caus'd such an estrangement between God and Me that if all the Angels in Heaven and Creatures on Earth would offer up themselves as a Sacrifice for my Sin they could never satisfie Divine Justice nor work Reconciliation for me but there 's virtue enough in the Lamb's Blood for effecting the same this is to close with him in his priestly Office Hitherto my Heart has been greatly at Enmity against Holiness but am now through Grace made willing to submit to the Scepter of Christ's Government and to acknowledge him for my King Lord and Law-giver Isa 26.13 Other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee we will make mention of thy Name this is to close with him in his Kingly Office 4. this Faith of mine is operative and working Gal. 5.6 fruitful James 2.14 I am not a Solifidian but would have Faith and Works go together a Heart-purifying and Soul-sanctifying Acts 15.9 as well as a justifying Faith a Soul-humbling Faith Habak 2.4 Conquering and Victorious 1 John 5.5 a Faith that in some measure fits me for doing and suffering what Christ and his cause calls for See the whole Eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews 5. This Faith of mine is that which highly calls and sublimates my Spirit far beyond what Nature improved to the utmost could ever do that through it I cannot only rejoyce in the hope of Glory but also glory in Tribulation as knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in my Heart by the Holy Ghost which is given me Rom. 5. begin 1. Pet. 1.8 whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing that ye may abound in Hope through the power of the Holy Ghost 6. When once you are clear in this Soul-concerning Business of the soundess of your Conversion and solidity of the Foundation which you have laid let it be your great care ever after to demean your self in all things as it becometh one that 's dignified with so high and holy