Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	father_n	ghost_n	holy_a	5,369	5	5.6194	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04930	A fort for the afflicted VVherin are ministred many notable & excellent remedies against the stormes of tribulation. Written chiefly for the comforte of Christes little flocke, which is the final number of the faithfull, by Iohn Knoxe.; Percel of the. vi. Psalme expounded	Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572.; Fleming, Abraham, 1552?-1607.	1580 (1580)	STC 15074.8; ESTC S121924	38,221	112

commeth vnto vs by Christ Iesus his sonne But they are causes by operation of the holy Ghost helping our weaknes to beleeue to trust that God who is the father of mercies wil not be angry for euer at the sore afflicted neither yet that hee wil punishe without mercy suche as cal for his helpe and comforte as also that GOD who hath alwaye declared him selfe enemie to pride wil not suffer the proude and obstinate cōtemners of his poore Saintes long to blaspheme his lenitie gentlenes but that he wil powre foorth his plagues vppon them according to his threatninges and so are our troubles and the tyrannie of our enemies in that behalfe fundaments wherupon our pray●rs may stande as here appeareth Dauid describeth his dolour and the continuance therof in these wordes I am consumed away with sicknesse al my bones are vexed my soule is in horrible feare But how long lord wilt thou thus intreat me I am weeried for sobbing I water my bed with my teares Let vs imagine that Dauid thus speaketh O Lord maiest thou who euer hast taken care for me from my mothers wombe nowe forget mee the woorke manship of thine owne hands Maiest thou that hast declared thy selfe so merciful vnto me in al my tribulatiōs nowe in the ende take thy mercies cleane from me Hast thou no pitie O Lord● Doest thou not beholde that I am pined and consumed by this greeuous torment wherein is not onely my tender flesh but also my verie bones the strōgest parte of my bodie so vexed that neither is there beautie nor strength left vnto mee If thy anguishes occupied the bodie onely yet were the paine almost intollerable but O Lord so horriblie is my soule tormented that albeit it be immortal yet it so quaketh and trēbleth as verie death should deuour it And thus doe I sustaine most grieuous tormentes both in bodie soule of so long continuance that it appeareth vnto me thou hast forgotten to be merciful O Lorde howe long wilt thou intreate me in this maner Hast thou forgotten thy louing mercies Or hast thou lost thy fatherly pitie I haue no lōger strength to cry yea and for sobbes and grones I am so weery that my breath faileth me the teares of mine eyes ● herewith nightly I haue wette my bed haue borne witnesse of my vnfained dolour but nowe my eyes are waxen dimme and my whole strength is dried vp In al these lamentable complaintes Dauid speaketh vnto God as he would speake vnto a man that were ignorant what an other man suffered whereof it may bee vnderstood howe the most prudent and the most spiritual man iudgeth of God in the time of troble assuredly he thoght that God taketh no care for him and therfore doeth hee as it were accuse God of vnmindfulnesse that he loketh not vpon him with the eyes of his accustomed mercie as clearely by these worodes may be espied And yet are Dauids troubles the first ground cause why he maketh his praiers claimeth to be heard not that troubles as before is noted are sufficient by them selues for Gods deliueraunce but in recounting his dolour Dauid hath a secret accesse to Gods mercie which chalengeth clameth of dutie to appertein to al his who in the time of trouble cal for his support help aide And it is the same ground that Iob taketh where he saith is it profitable vnto thee that thou violently oppresse me wilt thou despise the worke of thine own hands thou hast formed made me altogether and wilt thou now deuour me Remēber I beseech thee that thou hast fashioned me as a moulde and that thou shalt bring me to dust thou hast couered me with skin flesh with sinowes bones hast thou ioyned me with life gētlenes hast thou beautified me thy prudence hath kept my spirit Here may be espied vpō what groūd these two stood in this most grieuous paynes Their trouble mooued them to complain and to appeale to the great mercie of God which as they alledge euen so is it most sure he may deny to none that aske it for as the troubles of his creatures is none aduantage vnto God so to denie mercie when it is asked were to deny himself herein dearely beloued I hartily wish you to reioyce For I can be witnesse howe constantly yee haue called for grace in your anguishes and your owne conscience must testifie that oftētimes ye haue found release and comfort in suche measure that you haue bin bold to triumph against your aduersaries in Christ Iesus our sauior Be nothing afraid albeit presently ye feele not your accustomed consolation that shal hurt you no more then the trobles of Dauid Iob did hurt thē who in the time that they spake these former words found no more consolation then you do now in the most extremitie of your troble Neither yet did they hastily obtain cōfort for Dauid saith O Lord howe long wilt thou so cruelly punish me And yet we know most assuredly that they were heard that they obtained their own harts desire as no dout euery man shal that in time of troble be it spiritual or corporal appeareth only to Gods mercie The second ground and foundation wherupon the prayers of Dauid doe stande is the infinite goodnesse of God for thus hee saieth Saue me O God for thy goodnesse Dauid before had asked mercie and declared his complaintes but now searching reasoning with him selfe secretly in his conscience after this maner Why should God shewe mercie vnto him that so hainously had offended and that iustly was tormented by Gods hande for his transgression sin No other grounde that is alwayes sure permanent findeth he except Gods infinite goodnesse which he espieth to bee onely the staie which neither tempest of windes neither floodes of water are able to ouerthrow nor vndermind And oh how pearcing are the eyes of Faith that in so deepe a dungeon of desperation can yet espie in the midst of those troublesome darknesse goodnes to remaine in God yea and such goodnesse as is sufficient and able to ouercome deuour and swalow vp al the iniquities of his elect so that none of them are able to gainstande or hinder Gods infinite goodnesse to shewe his mercie to his troubled childrē Hereby are we taught beloued mother in the extremitie of our trobles to run to Gods only goodnesse there to seeke comfort by Iesus Christ and no where els I feare nothing the blasphemous voices of such nor their raging against God and against his onely eternal veritie that are not ashamed to affirme that this kinde of doctrine maketh men negligent to doe good workes against whom no otherwise wil I contend then doth the Apostle saying their damnation is iust For my purpose and minde is to edifie those whō God hath called from darknesse to light whose eyes it hath pleased his mercie so to open that euidētly they feele the fl●sh to rebel

vnfained hart we may desire not only an end of our troubles for that shal come to vs by death but also of al the troubles of the churche of God which shal not bee before the comming again of the Lorde Iesus The thirde cause I collect of Moses wordes to the Israelites saying The Lorde thy God shal cast out these nations by little and little before thee Hee wil not cast them out all at once lest perchaunce the wilde beasts be multiplied against thee And also when thou shalt enter into that lande and shalt dwell in the houses that thou neuer buildest and that thou shalt eate and bee filled giue thankes vnto the Lorde thy God and beware that thou forget him not and that thou say not in thy hearte The strength of mine own hand hath brought these great riches vnto mee In these woordes are twoo thinges appertaining vnto our matter most worthie to bee noted First that Moses saieth that the Lorde will not at once but by little and little destroy those nations adding the cause least perchaunce saith hee the wilde beastes bee multiplied and make vp●o are against thee The seconde that when they had abundance that then they shoulde declare themselues mindeful of God his benefites and that they should not thinke that their owne power wisedome nor prouision was any cause that they had the fruition of those commodities By these Presidents the holy Ghost teacheth them that like as they did not possesse nor obtaine the first interest of that lande by their owne strength but that the Lorde God did freelie giue it to them so likewise were they not able to brooke nor enioy the same by any power of themselues For albeeit that God shoulde haue in one moment destroied al their enemies yet if hee shoulde not haue beene their perpetual safegarde the wilde beastes shoulde haue troubled them And if they had demaunded the question why wilt thou not destroy the wild beasts also he answereth least thou forget the Lorde thy God and say in thy heart my strength hath obtained this quietnesse to my selfe Consider deerely beloued that such things as the spirite of God foresawe dangerous and damnable vnto them the same things are to be feared in vs for al things happened vnto them in figures They were in Egypt corporally punished by a cruel tyrant wee were in spirituall bondage of the Deuil by sinne and incredulitie God gaue to them a land that flowed with milke and hony for which they neuer laboured God hath opened to vs the knowledge of Christ Iesus which we neuer deserued nor yet hoped for the same They were not able to defende the land after they were possessed in it wee are not able to retaine our selues in the true knowledge of Christ but by his grace onelie Some enimies were left to exercise thē Sinne is left in vs that we may learne to fight If enemies had not beene wilde beasts should haue multiplied amongest them If such beastes as wee thinke most doe trouble vs were not permitted so to doe worse beastes shoulde haue dominion ouer vs that is to wit Trust in our selfe arrogancie obliuion forgetfulnes of that estate from which GOD hath deliuered vs togither with a light estimation of all Christes merites which sinnes are the beastes that alas do deuour no smal nūber of mē Neither yet let any mā thinke that if al kinde of crosses were taken from vs during the time that wee beare the earthly Image of Adam that wee shoulde bee more perfect in vsing the spiritual giftes of God to wit the remission of sinnes his free grace and Christ his iustice for which wee neuer laboured than that people shoulde haue beene in vsing of those corporall giftes And Moyses saith vnto them Beware that thou forget not the Lorde thy God Hee who knoweth the secretes of heartes giueth not his preceptes in vaine if man his hearte had not beene prone and readie to forget God and to glorie in his owne strength God had not giuen this precept and repeated it so diligently For hee neither doeth nor speaketh in vaine but knowing what thinges be most able to blinde and deceiue man the wisedome of God by his contrarie preceptes giueth him warning of the same Experience hath taught vs howe such beastes haue troubled the churche of God to speake nothing of the time of the Prophetes of the Apostles or of the primitiue church What trouble made Pelagius by his heresie affirming that man by natural power and free wil might fulfil the lawe of GOD and deserue for himselfe remission and grace And to come a little neere to our owne age hath it not beene openly preached and affirmed in schooles and set out by writings that onelie faith doeth not iustifie but that workes doe also iustifie Hath it not beene taught that good workes may goe before faith and may prouoke God to giue his graces What hath beene taught of man his merites and of the workes of supererogation some openly affirming that some men haue wrought more good woorkes then were necessarie to their owne saluation I pray you consider if these men saide not our hande and our strength hath giuen these thinges vnto vs. What were these Diuelishe heresies and others that haue infected the whole Papistrie Assuredly they were cruel and rauenous beastes able to deuour the soules of al those vpon whome they get the vpper hande but the mercifull prouidence of our God willing our saluation wil not suffer vs to come to that vnthankefulnesse and obliuion And therefore heere hee permitteth vs of our enemies with his Apostle Paule to be suffered to the ende that wee may mourne for sinne and hate the same that we may knowe the onelie mediatour and the dignitie of his office that we may vnfaynedly thirst the comming of the Lorde Iesus and that wee neither bee presumptuous lightly esteeming Christ his death neither yet vnmindful of out former estate and miseries And so this cuppe is as it were a medicine prepared by the wisedome of our eternal Phisition who onelie knoweth the remedies of our corrupt nature Aduerte and marke deere mother that al commeth to vs for our most singular profite It is a medicine and therefore presently it cannot bee pleasing But howe gladly woulde wee vse and receiue when the bodies were sicke how vnpleasant bitter soeuer it were to drinke that medicine which would remoue sicknesse restore health But Oh how much more ought wee with patience and thanksgiuing to receiue this medicine of our fathers handes that from our soule remoueth many mortal diseases his holy Ghost so working by the same such as is pride presumption contempt of grace and vnthankefulnesse which bee the very mortal diseases that by vnbeliefe doe kil the soule And doeth restore vnto vs lowlinesse feare inuocation of God his name remembrance of our owne weakenesse and of God his infinite benefite by Christ receiued Which bee the very euident signes that Iesus Christ liueth in vs 〈◊〉

flocke within the Realme of Englande this day First I say this is my hope that a iust vengeance shalbee taken vppon those blood-thirstie tyrantes by whome Christes Iesus in his members is nowe crucified amongst you And after that his veritie shall so appeare to the cōfort of those that now do mourne that they shall heare and know the voice of their owne Pastour And this shal our merciful God doe vnto vs to let vs knowe and in practi●e vnderstand that his promises are infallible and that hee wil not intreate vs according to the weakenesse of our corrupt nature which alwaies is readie to fal from God to distrust his promises and to forget that euer wee haue receiued benefite or comforte from Gods hand when trouble lieth vpon vs or when extreeme danger doeth appeare And therefore beloued in the Lord albeit you finde your harts sometimes assaulted with dolour with grudging or with some kinde of desperation yet dispaire not vtterlie neither be ye troubled aboue measure as that Christ Iesus shoulde neuer visite you againe Not so deere brethren not so for such imperfections rested with Christes owne Apostles of a long time and yet did they not hinder his comming againe vnto them No more shal our weakenesse and imperfections hinder or let the brightnesse of his countenance and the comfort of his worde yet once againe to shine before vs. Prouided alwaies that Iudas his obstinacie his impenitencie traiterous hearte bee absent from vs. As I doubte not but it is from al the members of Christes bodie who are permitted sometime to fal so that of the most feruent professors they become fearefull denyers of the most knowen trueth but they are not permitted of any continuance to blaspheme neither to remaine in vnbeliefe and desperation to the ende as in Christes Apostles plainely may be seene And that more cleerely wee may vnderstande our time and estate within the Realme of Englande this day to agree with the time and estate of Christes disciples immediately after his death let vs consider what chaunced to them before and after the same Before Christes passion as they were instructed by Christes owne mouth of many things appertaining to that kingdome of God which they neither perfectly vnderstoode neither worthily then regarded so were they aduertised and ofte admonished that Christ their Maister shoulde suffer a cruel death that they shoulde bee ashamed slandered and offended in him that they shoulde flye from him And finally that persecution and trouble from time to time should apprehende them With these most dolorous tydinges hee also promised that hee shoulde rise vppon the thirde day that he shoulde rise for them againe to their comfo●ce and consolation and that he shoulde mightily deliuer them from al troubles and aduersities But what auailed al these admo●●tions to Christes 〈◊〉 before his death or in that extremi●ie of their anguishes shortly after the same did they feare and verily looke for trouble before it came Or did they looke for any comforte when the forespoken trouble was come It is most euident that no such thing did enter into their heartes For before Christes death their greatest minde was vppon worldly honour for which sometimes they debated and contended amongest themselues yea euen when Christe was most earnestly preaching of his crosse And after his death they were so oppressed with anguishe with care with dolour and desperation that neither coulde the witnessing of the women affirming that they had seene Christ neither the graue left emptie voide neither the Angels who did appeare to certifie his resurrection neither yet the very voice and presence of Christ Iesus himselfe remoue al doubtes from their afflicted heartes but from time to time their mindes wa●ered and fully coulde not be established that their Lord and Maister was verily risen to their comforte according to his former promises In this case consider I the true professours of Christes holie Euangelie to be this day in the Realme of Englande For these dayes of our present dolour and tribulation haue beene before spoken and blowen in our eares long time before they came Our weakenesse and fraile infirmitie was also painted foorth before our eyes but who woulde haue beleeued that those dayes of our trouble had beene so nigh Or that so shorte a tempest shoulde haue ouerthrowen so greate a multitude I thinke no man within the whole Realme for al men appeared to liue in such carelesse securitie as that the immutable sentence of God pronouncing that whosoeuer wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution had nothing appertained to our age And such a bolde confidence or rather a vaine persuasion had a greate number of their owne strength that if they had continued without any backe slyding they might haue beene iudged rather Angels then men But beloued in the Lorde the sworde of anguishe and of dolour hath nowe pearced the tender hearte of Christes mother that is of his very church● that the cogitations of many heartes are sufficiently reuealed The fire is come which as it hath burnt awaye with a blast the stubble Haye and Wood so in trying the golde siluer and precious stones it hath founde such drosse and duste that the whole masse may appeare to bee confused For who nowe calleth to minde that the same voice which forespake our dolours forespake also our euerlasting comforte with Christ Iesus Who delighted nowe in his amiable promises Who reioiceth vnder the crosse yea who rather doeth not feare tremble grudge and lament as that there were no helpe in God or as that hee regardeth not the trouble which wee suffer These are the imperfections that continually remaine in this our corrupt nature the knowledge whereof ought to moue vs earnestly to crye O Lorde increase our fayth bee merciful vnto vs and let vs not drowne in the deepe for euer Which if we doe with vnfained hearts ●hen yet shall Christ Iesus appeare to our comforte his power shalbee knowne to the praise and glorie of his owne name in despite of al his coniured enemies And this is the chiefe and principal cause of my comforte and consolation in these most dolorous dayes that neither can our infirmities nor dayly desperation hinder or let Christ Iesus to returne to vs againe The other cause of my comforte and consolation is that I am assured that the iudgement of these Tyrantes that nowe oppresse vs shall not slippe but the vengeance shal fal vppon them without prouision For they haue sufficiently declared the malice of their mindes They haue violated the lawe and holy ordinances of the Lorde our God They haue opened their mouthes against his eternal veritie They haue exiled his trueth and established their owne lyes They dayly persecute the innocentes and stoutly maintaine open murthers their heartes are obdurate and their faces are become shamelesse like harlottes so that no hope of repentance nor amendement is to bee had of them And