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
A91367	The vvay to heaven discovered: and, the stumbling-blocks (cast therein by the world, flesh, and devill) removed. Or, The ready way to true happines: leading to the gate of full assurance. With a word of reproof to the scattered, discontented Members of the late Parliament. And a word of advise to the present supreme authority of England. / By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1653 (1653)	Wing P4243; Thomason E1489_2	94,272	222

saith the Lord in the furnace of affliction so that afflictions are a seal of adoption no signe of reprobation for the purest corn is cleanest fanned and the finest gold is oftnest tryed the sweetest grape is hardest pressed and the truest Christian heaviest crossed c. see Heb. 12. 6 7 8. X. The tenth stumbling block that a poor doubting Christian doth many tim●s meet with is this Oh but I have been a blasphemer my self for many years and have caused others to blaspheme also and how do you think that I can expect pardon and mercy from the Lord whose name I have so frequently and fearfully dishonoured Answ Were there not a height and a depth a breadth and a length in Gods pardoning mercy and had he not pardoned others left upon record in Scriptures then there were cause to doubt and fear indeed that he would not pardon thee for thy blasphemies but thou hast no cause to doubt of thy interest in him and pardon from him and that for these two reasons 1. Because he hath promised to pardon thy blasphemies and all other sins Mat. 12. 31. 2. Because he hath left thee an example in his Word of one that blasphemed himself and compelled others to blaspheme and yet he received pardon and became a most glorious Saint see Act. 26. 11. compared with 1 Tim. 1. 13. It is said of Paul in Scripture that he punished the Saints oft in every City and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceeding mad against them persecuted them even unto strange Cities Act. 26. 10 11. and yet the Lord had mercy on him and called him when he was in his course of destroying his Church Act. 9. 1 2 3. 26. 12 13. Nay the persecutors and murtherers of Jesus Christ himself finde mercy and are converted Act. 2. 36 37. Oh let heaven and earth men and Angels admire this mercy he pityed him that was cruell to his Saints yea he pardoned them that crucified his Sonne who would despair when Christ opens to us such a doore of hope c. XI The eleventh stumbling block cast in a weak Christians way either by the World Flesh or Devill is this Oh saith the poor staggering sinner I fear I was never firmly built upon the true foundation Jesus Christ because I have fallen and fallen into one and the same sinne often so did not the Saints or children of God as I can finde I fear my heart is not right with God surely my estate is not good I should but flatter my self If I should think that ever God will eternally own and embrace such a one as I am who complaine against sinne and yet relapse into the same sinne who with tears and groanes confesse my sinne yet ever and anon fall into the same sin c. Answ I must confesse this is a sad condition It doth give Satan an advantage to triumph besides it doth raise such fears and terrours horrours and doubts in the soul that the soul can not be so frequent in duty as formerly nor so confident in duty as formerly nor so bold and familiar and delightfull with God in duty as formerly nor so constant in duty as formerly but for all this the soul hath no cause to distrust much lesse to despair of mercy for though grace doe free from the dominion of sinne and from the damning power of sinne and from the love of sinne yet grace doth not free any man from the seed of any one sinne and therefore it is possible for a soul to fall again and again viz. Lot was twice overcome with wine John twice worshipped the Angell Abraham out of fear did often dissemble and lay his wife open to adultery to save his life see Gen. 20. 13. Gen. 12. David was resolved to kill Naball and all his innocent family and a little after he fell into the foul murther of Vriah Jehoshaphat though a godly man yet joynes affinity with wicked Ahab and though he was saved by a miracle yet soon after he fals into the same sinne 2 Chr. 18. 1 2 3 30 31. and joyned himself with Ahaziah King of Israel who did very wickedly Sampson also fell often into one grosse sinne as is evident Judg. 14 15 and 16. Chapters Again Peter relapsed often and so did Jonah Our falling into sinne then should humble us but not utterly discomfort us for sinne shall never be our bane if it be our burden for those that were borne of God have relaps'd again and again Jacob twice told a lie for compassing the Blessing Gen. 27. 19 21. Lot twice made drunken committeth incest with both his daughters Gen. 19. Peter thrice denies his Master and every time worse then other Mat. 26. c. These are in record to caution them that stand that they fall not and to comfort them that have relapsed that they despaire not XII The twelfth stumbling block is this Sir saith the fearfull timorous drooping soul I have according the Apostles command 2 Cor. 13. 5. examined my self and put my self upon the tryall to see whether I were in the faith or no and whether Christ were in me or no but upon this tryall and examination I can finde no such thing in me and therefore by the Apostles verdict I must needs be a reprobate and so a castaway Answ None of the elect before their conversion can know by any search that they are in the faith or that Christ is in them for that cannot be known which is not yet manifested Again many are not converted untill they be thirty forty fifty years old or upwards and shall we say that such in their younger years were reprobates we might indeed say that they were in the state of damnation but cannot nor dare not say they were reprobates c. Again it is not proper for a man to conclude that he is not in the faith and not to have Christ in him because doth not know so much for many of Gods dear children may have faith and Christ and yet for a season not know so much as we may see by daily experience Again this text 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove your selves whether you be in the faith examine your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates This place is often mistaken for the thing now in question by the Corinthians was this whether Paul were lawfully called to the Apostleship and therefore they require of him to give them a proof of Christs speaking in him to which his answer is this or to this purpose I will goe no further to seek a proof of Christs speaking in me then unto your selves Hath not the Word and Gospell of Christ been powerfull by my Ministry to convert you and to beget faith and to forme Christ in you look into your selves examine whether you be not in the faith for if you finde this it need no other proof of my calling if you finde it not then you have