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	son_n	4,633	5	6.0871	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15445	The delights of the saints A most comfortable treatise, of grace and peace, and many other excellent points. Whereby men may liue like saints on earth, and become true saints in heauen. First deliuered in a sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the second day of December, being the second Sunday of the Parliament. And in other sermons within the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul, London. By Gryffith Williams, Doctor of Diuinity, and Parson of Lhan-Lhechyd. The contents are set downe after the epistle to the reader.	Williams, Gryffith, 1589?-1672.	1622 (1622)	STC 25716; ESTC S102808	185,617	476

do vobis My peace I giue vnto you And so in manie passages of holy writ hee is said to bee the sole procurer of our peace For the discipline of our peace was laid vpon him saith Esayas And S. Paul saith that wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And so it appeares plainely that hee is the author and the giuer both of grace and peace And therefore this doth sufficiently proue the diety of our Sauiour Christ Quia Iehoua dat gratiam gloriam because none but God alone can giue either grace or glory but Iesus Christ giues both grace and glory and therefore Christ must be the true Iehoua And so you see the Apostle by both these clauses of this one sentence and by both these titles and both persons of this one God doth shew that both of them is the onely one ioynt autor and giuer of all goodnesse because grace and peace doth proceed from God our father and from our Lord Iesus Christ And because there be many that are called Gods as 1. Angels God stood in the assembly of Gods That there be many which are called Gods 2. Deuils as Dij gentium Daemonia the gods of the Gentiles are Deuils 3. Priests as offerte Dij let the Priests offer And the Gods of the earth are lifted vp 4 Kings as dixi Dij estis I said you are Gods 5. Iudges as the cause was brought ad Deos vnto the Gods and so of others therefore least we should thinke these blessings proceeded from any of these the Apostle saith they come from God the Father from our Lord Iesus Christ And so he differenceth the true God and autor of these blessings from all other Gods in these 2. especiall respects 1. Of himselfe 2. Of vs. De 1. In respect of himselfe he How the Apostle distinguisheth the true God from others Aug. de ciuit likewise differenceth him from all other Gods two waies 1. From the vnitie of his essence 2. From the trinity of the persons for 1. The Apostle sheweth that the autor of these blessings in respect of his essence is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one God and therefore though the Valentinians had their thirty couples of Gods as Irenaeus witnesseth of them and the heathens thirty thousand Gods as S. Augustine out of Varro hath collected yet doe we beleeue in God and not in Gods or as the Nicene creede hath it in one God and doe pray to this one God that he would giue vs grace and peace for we know he can doe it because he is the God of gods causa causarum extra quam nulla causa and cause of causes besides whom there can be no cause of any goodnesse and therefore if he will not we know all other cannot bestow any good thing vpon vs. 2. He sheweth that in this one God there are diuers persons for that not only the Father but also the Sonne is the autor of these blessings and if the Father and the Sonne be the Holy Ghost must needs be also for he proceedeth from them both and is the ineffable bond of both as S. Augustine speaketh and is the worker and conueyer of all blessings from God to man and therefore wheresoeuer the other two persons are expressed this third personalso must of necessity be included Quia opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa because the works of the trinitie without or in respect of outward operations are indiuisible And therefore we say we haue grace and peace from the Father tanquam a fonte as from the fountaine from the Son as from the procurer thereof and from the Holy Ghost as from the conuayer and worker of the same in our hearts and so we see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin Martyr in expos fidei the vnity is vnderstood in the trinity and the trinitie is acknowledged in the vnity as Iustin Martyr speaketh But against this it may be obiected that of these 2. persons the father only is called God the sonne is called our Lord Iesus Christ Tertullian answereth quia nationes a Tertul. l. contra Praxeam f. 389. Why Christ is called Lord and not God in many places multitudine Idolorum transirent ad vnicum Deum vt differentia constitueretur inter cultores vnius plurimae diuinitatis quamuis ex conscientia scimus Dei nomen domini patri filio spiritui sancto conuenire tamen ad quamlibet occasionem effugiendam Deos omnino ne dicimus nec dominos sed Apostolus nos Apostolum sequentes Deum patrem appellamus Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum because the Gentiles from the multitude of Idols which they serued should be drawne to the seruice of the only true God that there might be a difference set betwixt the worshippers of one God and the worshippers of infinite dieties therefore although we certainly know that the name of God and the name of Lord may be fitly and most truly attributed both to the father to the son and to the Holy Ghost yet to auoid all occasions that might breede any suspition or imagination of many Gods we neuer say Gods nor Lords but as the Apostle so we with the Apostle doe call the Father God and our Lord Iesus Christ And Theoph also doth most excellently Theoph. in 1. Cor. 8. f. 966. resolue this question Quum audis vnus est Deus pater vnus Dominus Iesus Christus When thou hearest that there is one God euē the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ lest thou shouldst thinke that the name of God is only to be ascribed to the Father and the name of Lord vnto the sonne thou must know that either of these names and titles are giuen to either person without distinction as Rom. 9. the sonne is called God and Psa 109. the father is called the Lord as the Lord said to my Lord. But he maketh this distinction because he writ to the Gentiles that worshipped many gods that they should not haue any cause of imagination that we haue many gods as they had therefore he doth not call the sonne God least they that were vsed to many Gods should imagine that we had two Gods neither doth he call the father Lord least they should thinke we had two Lords And for this cause saith Theophilact neque spiritus hic vllam fecit mentionē auditorū imbecillitati parcens he makes no mention of the Holy Ghost by reason of the imbecillity and weake capacities of the hearers euen as the Prophets made no direct or plaine mention of the sonne by reason of the weake apprehensions and vnderstanding of the Iewes least they should presently apprehend some carnall natiuity obnoxious to humane affects ad oppositionem igitur vanorum Deorum non filij dixit vnum Deum patrem atque vt opponeret sese mentitis Dominis non patri dixit vnum esse dominum Iesum Christum The Apostle therefore

beareth witnesse vnto our spirits that we are the sonnes of God and haue our sinnes pardoned our diseases cured and the image of God renewed in vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. And in this respect is God most properly called our father and we his children Hereby then we may see the difference betweene this father and all other fathers of men whether it be 1. In the state of nature 2. In the state of grace For in both respects men are said to haue diuers sorts of fathers 1. In respect of our naturall being I finde foure kinds of fathers as 1. God which maketh vs and breatheth in our nostrils the breath of life 2. The Earth element or matter That fathers are so called in diuers respects whereof we are made For I said to rottennesse thou art my fathers and to the wormes you are my mother and my sisters saith Iob and so the earth is called the mother of vs all 3. Men are called our fathers and that as S. Augustine obserueth fiue Aug. de 12. abus grad waies 1. By Nature as they which begetteth vs of their owne seede and are the instruments of our being and are therefore called patres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fathers of our flesh Heb. 12. 9. 2. By Nation as those that are our ancestors and predecessors of the same country and people so God said vnto Moses I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaak and the God of Iaakob 3. By Age as those that are our elders we vse to call them fathers 4. By Admonition whether it be to good or euill For S. Augustine tels vs Aug. in Psal 49. f. 188. that antiqui iniqui patres sunt praesentium qui modo sunt iniqui patres sunt iniquorum posterorum those wicked men that went before vs are the fathers of those wicked men that are Whose councell or example we follow we make our selues their children now and the wicked men that are now are the fathers of them that shall be wicked hereafter and so saith he antiqui iusti patres sunt iustorum qui modo sunt qui modo sunt iusti patres sunt eorum qui futuri erunt the iust men that went before vs are the fathers of those iust men that are now and those iust men that are now are the fathers of them iust men that shall come hereafter And so you see that by following the counsell or example of wicked men we become the children of those wicked men and by following the counsels and examples of good men wee become the children of those good and godly men and therefore they that doe the workes of Abraham are said to be the sonnes of Abraham and so it was taken among the heathens and therefore Mitio saith in Terence Natura tu illi pater es concilijs ego thou art his father by nature and I am his father by aduice and counsell for whosoeuer causeth vs to follow his counsels or examples whether in good or euill we make him our father and our selues his children by imitation Nam ille recte pater tuus quem tu Aug. ser 14. de verb●● Apostoli fueris imitatus For he may rightly be tearmed thy father whom thou doest imitate saith S. Augustine 5. By aid and assistance as when a man doth helpe and further vs in our wants and necessities we may truly say he hath beene a Father vnto vs. 4. We find that not only men but also the Deuils are said to be the fathers of all wicked men for you are of your father Idemibid We are the children of the deuill by imitation the deuill saith our Sauiour vnto the rebellious Iewes but you must vnderstand this in respect of imitation and not of their creation saith S. Augustine Quia constat in Catholica fide quod diabolus nec condidit nec creauit naturam for it is certaine saith he and by our catholike faith we beleeue that the deuill neuer made any nature or being all his drift and desire was to corrupt euery being but because we doe the workes of the deuill Ioh. 8. therefore our Sauiour saith we are the children of our father the deuill And so it appeares that before we haue the grace of Christ to doe the will of God we are all the children of the deuill and so the Apostle sheweth that by nature we are all filij irae the sonnes of wrath this was the miserable estate of vs all before Christ and is still the state and condition of all the wicked men that are voide of the grace of Christ to be the sonnes of their father the deuill And thus you see that God is our father Men are our fathers and the Deuill is our father also But herein is the difference The deuill makes vs his children by imitation our naturall fathers by propagation as being the instruments of the making of our bodies onely and therefore are called the fathers of our flesh but God is the chiefe agent and principall maker not only of the soule which he formeth and maketh without any hand of our naturall fathers and therefore is he only called the father of spirits but also of our bodies For he fashioneth the same beneath in the wombe saith the Psalmist and therefore in respect of our naturall being God is the only chiefe principall father both of body and soule 2. In respect of our spirituall being Diuers are our fathers in respect of regeneration I finde diuers sorts of fathers as 1. And principally God himselfe for of his owne will begat he vs with the word of truth and therefore as he alone is the chiefe and principall father of our generation so he is alone the chiefe and principall father of our regeneration 2. The Ministers of the Gospell are likewise called our fathers so S. Paul sheweth I warne you as my deare children nam ego vos genui I haue begotten Aug. in Psal 78. f. 351. ● 1. you with the seede of the word of God For as the naturall fathers are the instruments of our first birth so are the Ministers the instruments that God vseth for our second birth 3. Kings and Queenes are called our Nurcing fathers and our nursing mothers because they be custodes vtriusque tabulae the preseruers both of Law and Gospell and doe by their power and authority defend and cherish all those children that the Ministers by the preaching of the Gospell haue begotten and brought forth into the Church of God And thus you see that in respect of The difference betwixt our heauenly father and all other fathers spirituall being God is our Father the Ministers are our Fathers and the Magistrates are our Fathers also But herein is the difference these are but the instruments of our regeneration or of our preseruation God himselfe is the chiefe and efficient cause of both And so both in respect of our naturall

God onely is our father in all respects being and in respect of our spirituall being all others that are called fathers are but fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some respects as instruments only and not as the efficient cause of any being but God in both respects is our father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply and absolutely because he is the efficient and principall cause both of our first and second birth And therefore in regard of this our Sauiour saith call no man father vpon earth vnus enim pater vester Deus For one is your father euen God i. principally and properly in all respects you can finde none that can be said to be your father vpon earth either in respect of generation or regeneration and therefore you should not ascribe that vnto them which is proper vnto God For this is not spoken to shew that in no respect they be our fathers which haue begotten vs either in our first or second birth but to shew that properly or principally in all respects they are not our fathers of either being And so S. Augustine saith that our Sauiour spake not this Vt hoc vocabulum honoris humani de loquendi consuetudine tolleretur sed ne gratia Dei qua in hanc vitam generamur in aeternam vitam regeneramur naturae vel potestati vel sanctitati cuiusquam hominis tribueretur That this world of humane honour should be taken away from vse but that this grace and goodnesse of God whereby we are brought into this life and begotten againe vnto eternall life should not be ascribed to nature or to any power or sanctitie of any man whatsoeuer but onely vnto God to whom it properly belongeth And thus you see how God is our Father and what is the difference betwixt this our heauenly father and all other fathers whatsoeuer And this may serue to teach vs many excellent lessons and that two wayes 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of our selues 1. In respect of God it sheweth these two especiall things 1. The greatnesse of Gods loue 2. The immutabilitie of his loue 1. The greatnesse of Gods loue is hereby sufficiently shewed in that he expresseth the same by no lesse title of loue then the name of a father Quia nomen patris plenissimum est amoris for the name of a father is a word full of loue And so S. Iohn sheweth Behold 1 Ioh. 3. 1. what loue the father hath shewed on vs that we should be called the sonnes of God And therefore it is apparant Quanta Domini indulgentia quanta circa nos dignationis etus bonitatis vbertas qui sic nos docuit scire eum patrem esse nostrū nos esse filios eius What indulgencie and plentie of goodnes respect the Lord sheweth vnto vs in that he hath taught Cyprian in lib. de orat dominica The loue of God is vnchangeable vs to know him to be our father and our selues his children saith S. Cyprian 2. The immutabilitie of Gods loue is likewise shewed in the name of father Nam pater etiamsi offensus est tamen pater filius etiamsi nequam est tamen filius for a father though hee be offended is still a father and a sonne though he be wicked is still a sonne A master indeed can cease to be a master but a father can neuer cease to be a father and therefore in the verie depth of sinne we may be bold to cry to God for pardon Nam et si peccator amisit ingenuitatem filij creator tamen non amisit pietatem patris for though the sinner may lose the dutie of a sonne yet the Creator cannot lose the loue and pietie of a father and therefore is hee alwayes gracious and readie to receiue vs if we had anie grace to turne and seeke vnto him 2. In respect of our selues this doctrine that God is our father may teach vs many excellent lessons 1. By way of comparison of our selues with others 2. By way of collection of certaine profitable instructions both for our selues and others 1. It sheweth the excellencie of men The exceeding prerogatiue of Christians aboue all creatures aboue the Angels aboue all other creatures in the world and the excellencie of Christians aboue all other men in the world For men alone are created in Gods image and so his sonnes alone of the same image and likenesse and Christians alone are his sonnes by adoption and grace and therefore herein the Christians haue a preheminence aboue the Angels for to which of the Angels said hee at any time thou art my sonne and I am thy father in a double sense i. both by creation and regeneration And in this we that are after Christs manifestation in the flesh vnder the Gospell haue a prerogatiue aboue the Patriarks that were before the Law and the Prophets themselues that were vnder the Law for before the Law was giuen Abraham saith vnto God Shall Gen. 18. I speake vnto the Lord that am but dust and ashes and in the Law God saith I am the Lord thy God but now he saith Exod. 20. I am your father and you are my children And therefore Tertullian S. Cyprian Athan. li. 2. de side Christi Aug. tract 106. in Johan fol. 209. b. 2. S. Athanasius S. Augustine and others vpon those words of our Sauiour Christ I haue declared thy name vnto my brethren doe vnderstand it of the name Father for that say they the name of father was not known vnto the Iewes Quia veteris Testamenti status erat seruorum for that the state of them which were vnder the Law was the state of seruants The beleeuers only vnder the Gospell are in the state of children Or if it was knowne vnto them I am sure it was not and could not be so fully knowen or so confidently vsed by them as it is by vs. For considering the Maiestie of God before whom Esay 6. the hils doe tremble and the Angels of heauen couer their faces and seeing our owne basenesse being but dust and ashes full of vncleannesse the slaues of sinne and the children of the deuill who durst saith S. Cyprian call God by the name of father if Christ himselfe our aduocate had not first put these words in our mouths but now seeing he which best knoweth his fathers loue and affection towards vs hath declared God vnto vs by the name of father wee doe most humbly desire him agnoscere stylum aduocati nostri filij sui to take notice of that stile which our Sauiour and his sonne hath taught vnto vs. 2. From this doctrine that God is our Father we may collect 1. Quid sperandum what we may hope from him 2. Quid praestandum what is our dutie vnto him 1. From his fatherly loue and affection wee may hope for a fourefold fruit Viz. 1. Of Instruction 2. Of Correction 3. Of Indulgence 4. Of Prouidence 1.