Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	free_a	grace_n	love_n	2,934	5	6.6495	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53685	A discourse of the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer with a brief enquiry into the nature and use of mental prayer and forms / by John Owen ...	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1682 (1682)	Wing O738; ESTC R11815	119,966	289

5. 2. Luk. 2. 52. Acts 4. 33. And sometimes for the free effectual Efficacy of Grace in those in whom it is Acts 14. 26. 1 Cor. 15. 10. 2 Cor. 11. 9. And sometimes for our Justification and Salvation by the free Grace or favour of God in Christ John 1. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 13. For the Gospel it self as the instrument of the declaration and communication of the Grace of God 2 Cor. 6. 1. Eph. 3. 2. Col. 1. 6. Tit. 2. 11. For the free donation of the Grace and gifts of the Spirit John 1. 16. Eph. 4. 7. And many other significations it hath which belong not unto our purpose Three things may be intended in this adjunct of Grace 1. A respect of the Soveraign Cause of his Dispensation which is no other but the mere Grace of God He may be called a Spirit of Grace because his donation is an effect of Grace without the least respect unto any desert in those unto whom he is given This Reason of the Appellation is declared Titus 3 4 5 6. The sole cause and reason in opposition unto our own works or deservings of the pouring out of the Spirit upon us is the Love and Kindness of God in Jesus Christ whence he may be justly called a Spirit of Grace 2. Because he is the Author of all Grace in and unto them on whom he is poured out So God is called the God of all Grace because he is the Fountain and Author of it And that the Holy Spirit is the immediate efficient cause of all Grace in us hath been elsewhere proved both in general and in the principal instances of Regeneration and Sanctification and it shall be yet further confirmed in what doth ensue 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly used for that Grace or Favour which one hath with another Let me find grace in thy sight as in the instances before-quoted And so the Spirit also may be called a Spirit of Grace because those on whom he is poured out have Grace and Favour with God they are gracious with him as being accepted in the beloved Eph. 2. 18. Whereas therefore all these concur where-ever this Spirit is communicated I know no reason why we may not judge them all here included though that in the second place be especially intended The Spirit is promised to work Grace and Holiness in all on whom he is bestowed He is as thus poured out a Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Supplications that is of Prayer for Grace and mercy The word is formed from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the other to be gracious or merciful and expressing our Act towards God it is Prayer for Grace Supplication And the original word is never used but to express vocal prayer either in the Assemblies of the people of God or by private persons Harken to the voice of my Supplications is rendred by the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5. 7. in which place alone in the Scripture that word is used Originally it signifies a Bough or Olive branch wrapt about with Wooll or Bays or something of the like nature which those carried in their hands and lifted up who were Suppliants unto others for the obtaining of Peace or the averting of their Displeasure Hence came the phrase of velamenta praeferre to hold out such covered branches So Livy de Bel. Punic Ramas oleae ac velamenta alia Supplicantium portantes orant ut reciperent sese Holding forth Olive branches and other covered tokens used by Suppliants they prayed that they might be received into Grace and Favour Which custome Virgil declares in his Aeneas addressing himself to Evander Optime Grajugenum cui me fortuna precari Et vitta comptos voluit praetendere Ramos And they called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Branches of Supplication or Prayer And they constantly called those Prayers which they made solemnly unto their gods Supplicia and Supplicationes Liv. lib. 10. Eo anno multa prodigia erant quarum avertendarum causa Supplicationes in biduum Senatus decrevit A form of which kind of Prayer we have in Cato de re rustica cap 13. Mars pater te precor quaesoque ut calamitates Some render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Miserationes or Lamentationes and interpret it of mens bemoaning themselves in their Prayers for Grace and Mercy which in the issue varies not from the sense insisted on But whereas it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be merciful or gracious and expresses an act of ours towards God it can properly signifie nothing but Supplications for Mercy and Grace Nor is it otherwise used in the Scripture See Job 40. 21. Prov. 18. 23. Dan. 9. 3. Jer. 31. 60. 2 Chron. 6. 21. Jer. 3. 21. Psal. 28. 2 6. 31 23. 116. 1. 130. 2. 140. 7. 143. 1. Dan. 9. 18. 25. Psal. 46. 6. which are all the places besides this where the word is used in all which it denotes deprecation of Evil and Supplication for Grace constantly in the plural Number to denote the Earnestness of Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are properly Supplications for Grace and Mercy in freedom and deliverance from Evil but by a Synecdoche for all sorts of Prayer whatever We may therefore enquire in what sense the Holy Spirit of God is called a Spirit of Supplication or what is the Reason of this Attribution unto him And he must be so either formally or efficiently either because he is so in himself or unto us If in the former way then he is a Spirit who himself prayeth and according to the import of those Hebraisms aboundeth in that Duty As a man of wickedness Isaiah 55. 7. or a man of Blood is a man wholly given to wickedness and violence So on the other hand a Spirit of Supplication should be a Spirit abounding in Prayer for Mercy and the diverting of evil as the word imports Now the Holy Ghost cannot be thus a Spirit of Supplication neither for himself nor us No Imagination of any such thing can be admitted with respect unto himself without the highest Blasphemy Nor can he in his own Person make Supplications for us For besides that any such Interposition in Heaven on our behalf is in the Scripture wholly confined unto the Priestly Office of Christ and his Intercession all Prayer whether Oral or Interpretative only is the Act of a nature inferiour unto that which is prayed unto This the Spirit of God hath not he hath no Nature inferiour unto that which is Divine We cannot therefore suppose him to be formally a Spirit of Supplication unless we deny his Deity He is therefore so Efficiently with respect unto us and as such he is promised unto us Our enquiry therefore in General is how or in what sense he is so And there are but two ways conceivable whereby this may be affirmed of him 1. By working Gracious Inclinations and dispositions in us unto this Duty 2. By giving