Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	faith_n	true_a	word_n	2,531	5	4.4807	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19590	A sermon preached in London before the right honorable the Lord Lavvarre, Lord Gouernour and Captaine Generall of Virginea, and others of his Maiesties Counsell for that kingdome, and the rest of the aduenturers in that plantation At the said Lord Generall his leaue taking of England his natiue countrey, and departure for Virginea, Febr. 21. 1609. By W. Crashaw Bachelar of Diuinitie, and preacher at the Temple. Wherein both the lawfulnesse of that action is maintained, and the necessity thereof is also demonstrated, not so much out of the grounds of policie, as of humanity, equity, and Christianity. Taken from his mouth, and published by direction.	Crashaw, William, 1572-1626.; L. D., fl. 1610.	1610 (1610)	STC 6029; ESTC S109071	50,684	92

state of grace therefore to him this doctrine pertaines not and for him that is sanctified and in Gods fauour this resolution cannot befall him which appeares most euident both in reason and religion In reason we know a gracelesse child will neither be feared from euill by the anger nor wonne to his duty by the loue of his father but contrary is it with the good and gratious child I meane if he haue no more but the grace of a ciuill nature and good education if his father so loue him that though he often offend him yet he will not disinherit him will he therefore be imboldned to offend him the more carelesly Nay he will say to himselfe Haue I so good a father as will not deale with me according to my deseruings but so oft and so mercifully hath forgiuen my offences surely I will endeuour by all the meanes I can to please him and to bee worthy of such a father Much more is it true in religion for when a man is conuerted he is cast in a new mould flesh and bloud no longer beare rule in him and hee bids battell and stands in opposition and defiance with all such carnall resolutions as this is I say not but such thoughts may come into his mind and hee may be tempted to such cogitations but that hee should entertaine such resolutions it is impossible Beleeue not me herein but let God himselfe be Iudge to which end read and marke well a notable place I. Ioh. 3. 3. We shall be like vnto him and shall see him euen as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him doth he therefore sinne the more or take more scope to himselfe No but contrariwise purgeth himselfe euen as Christ is pure He therefore that sinneth the rather it is certaine he hath not this hope in him and he that hath this hope in him is so far from that that he endeuoreth and striueth euery day how he may ouercome his sins and walke more worthy of so louing and mercifull a father So then the true vse of this doctrine is that it serues to bee an excellent incitement to stir vp and prouoke a man vnto holinesse vnlesse he purpose to proclaime to the world that hee hath no hope in him and that he is not in the state of grace In the third place we may here learne what is the true cause of a christian mans standing in the state of grace namely not the excellencie of our strength nor the perfection of our faith or of any thing in vs but the true cause is out of vs euen in God It is the stablenes of his purpose the immutability of his election the truth of his couenant the infallibility of his word and the certainty of his loue wheresoeuer hee bestoweth it and the excellency and all sufficiency of Christs merits in whom we are loued and elected therefore saith the Apostle the gifts and callings of God are without repentance and whom he loueth he loueth vnto the end and the Prophet saith of God I will put my feare into their hearts and they shall not marke he saith not they cannot or will not but they shall not depart from me So here Christ telles Peter sathan desires to sist thee as wheat and such a sister is hee as who can stand by his owne strength but I who so loued thee as I died to saue thee haue also praied for thee that thy faith shall not saile So then had it not beene for the intercession of Christ Peter had faine and failde in that temptation This truth may fitly be illustrated by this comparison A strong man visits his sicke friend and willes him to walke the sicke man would but cannot the strong man lifts him vp he walkes in the hand of the strong man ech hauing hold of other by and by the sicke man faints and lets his hold goe but the strong man holds fast and keeps him from falling and so he stands not by his owne but the strong mans strength So is it in this case A christian conuerted hath hold of God by his faith and loue God hath hold of him by his eternall election and couenant of grace and by the loue he beares him in Christ now we walke with God in the course of our obedience but if temptation come we shrinke and fall away our faith and loue like a sick mans strength are soone spent But then though we let goe the hold we haue of God God will neuer let goe the hold he hath of vs but in that loue he beares vs he still vpholds vs and so we stand not by our own strength but by the grace and mercie of God who like the stronger man holds vs so as we shall not depart from him Then for the vse of this doctrine we may here learne first that the Romish Synagogue in denying this and affirming that a man may fall vtterly from the state of grace doth no wrong at all to vs but the wrong is to God himselfe the certainty of whose couenant and truth of whose purpose is heereby called into question as though God should chuse a man he will forsake and loue him to day whom he will hate the next whereas contrariwise as he loued vs when we loued not him so hee will keepe fast hold on vs when wee in our weaknesse would let goe the hold wee haue of him And for our selues let this teach vs to ascribe the cause where it is due euen to the Lords mercie and Christs mediation If wee slip or fall we may thanke our selues but if we stand and perseuere we must thanke the Lord Let vs therefore crie to God with the Prophet Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but to thy name giue the praise And why to him for thy louing mercics and for thy truths sake for it is his mercie and truth that vpholds vs from falling and perishing eternally Lastly in as much as Christ saith he praied for him that his faith failed not and so vpheld him by the vertue and merit of his holy praier we learne here the excellencie of praier namely that it is the best and pourfullest meanes whereby wee may doe good one to another when Christ would doe the greatest fauour to Peter next to dying for him he praieth for him Praier and preaching are the two comforts of the Church If thou pray saith Augustine thou speakest with God If thou heare or-read God speakes with thee Both are commended to vs by the continuall practise of Christ who spent much time in preaching and much time in praier Let vs therefore religiously embrace both these sacred ordinances as the speciall meanes of our spirituall comfort And by this practise of our Sauiour let vs all be stirred vp to this holy duty Shall Christ pray and not thou Is he tied and wilt thou be free Bee ashamed of thy prophanenesse thou that neuer praiest and say not