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
A96362	A true relation of the conversion and baptism of Isuf the Turkish chaous, named Richard Christophilus In the presence of a full congregation, Jan. 30. 1658. in Covent-Garden, where Mr. Manton is minister. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy.	White, Thomas, 1628-1698.; Dury, John, 1596-1680.	1659 (1659)	Wing W1807; Thomason E2141_1; ESTC R204020	32,885	117

more than that which John saith Math. 3. 11. the Holy Ghost and fire that is the Holy Ghost working in the nature of fire so the Spirit and water is the Spirit working in the nature of water It is a figure of speech called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is one thing by two expressions Fire and Water are purging Elements their operation is in one spirit and the Prophet Isai. joyneth them together in one effect Cap. 4. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughters of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of Burning here the Spirit doth wash and burn to purge away sin This then is a gross mistake of the phrase but as to the thing it self that salvation doth not depend upon the use of outward Water is clear from 1 Pet. 3. 21. where the Apostle telling us that Baptism doth save us doth immediately to prevent a mistake explain himself and saith that he meaneth not the putting away the filth of the Flesh viz. by outward water but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ that is the Baptism which saveth the Soul and therefore Christ Mar. 16. 16. saith he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned he saith not he that is not Baptized shall be damned intimating that there is no such necessity of water-Baptism that without it a Soul cannot be saved for the promise is to faith alone whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have life everlasting Joh. 3. 16. and the Apostle Gal. 5. 6. assures us that in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but Faith which worketh by Love The saving vertue is in the washing of Regeneration renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. which words are a clear exposition of Christs words except ye be born of the Spirit and water ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. 5. for the washing of Regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which is shed on us is to be born of the Spirit and Water and without this none is saved that is none enters into Gods Kingdom Yet although the saving of Souls doth not depend upon the outward washing nevertheless we say there is some necessity for the use of Baptism namely the necessitas praecepti that is a necessity to obey Gods command for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. 19. of Circumcision that neither it nor uncircumcision is any thing but the obeying of Gods Commandement so we say that to be baptised is nothing and to want Baptism is nothing but the keeping of the Commandements of God the meaning is that the outward work or the opus operatum whether you have it or want it is not to be regarded but the keeping of Gods commandement is that which is necessarie therefore we say that Christs Command to administer Baptism is necessary to be observed in his Church according to his end for which he did appoint it which is not to make Salvation to depend upon material Water but to Characterize and separate Disciples from the rest of the World and to conveigh as an outward testimony the manifestation of the inward work of Grace exhibited in the word of the institution and to these ends it is a means appointed by God and by reason of his appointment it is necessary to be used as a means to shew forth the Relation which is between Christ and his members it is a means necessary to signifie and seal their ingraffing into one body by one Spirit with him as their head 1 Cor. 12. 13. So far then as God will have a publick visibility of the profession to be owned and our Relation to Christ in the Covenant to be held forth so far is publick Baptism necessarie now this is not otherwise necessary than as circumstances will permit it to be done Regularly that is by a Lawfull Minister in Christs way for the Baptism of Women is not Lawful nor of any other who hath not a Call to administer the Ordinance Nor is it the want but the contempt or wilfull neglect of Baptism that brings guilt Saint Ambrose saith of Valentinian the Emperor that though he dyed without Water-Baptism yet he had the Grace of Baptism because he earnestly did desire it Hitherto the use of Instruction The use of Comfort is two-fold 1. That God doth condescend to our weakness to give us a visible and sensible Word to make us feel in the outward man that which he doth in the inward this is a great support of our faith and a real ground of Comfort which God makes use of to conveigh by the word of promise the increase of Grace unto our Souls 2. That God doth mark us outunto himself and by a visible token of his Covenant in our outward Man will seal a Relation between him and us as Gen. 17. 11 13. This is a special Confirmation of his free Grace and Love and that he by this means will separate us from the World as a peculiar people and a chosen generation 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is a ground of Confidence to us that he will have a special care of us in evil times for the causes bind up the Testimony and Seal the Law among his Disciples Isa. 8. 16. His Church which is made up of these Disciples are his Vineyard which he doth keep and water every moment lest any thing hurt it Isa. 27. 2 3. It is his Garden enclosed a Spring shut up and a Fountain sealed Cant. 4. 12. This gives us a ground in time of trouble and temptation to fly unto him to mind him of his Covenant with us in Baptism and to tell him as David doth Psal. 22. 10. I was cast upon thee from the womb thou art my God from my Mothers belly be not far from me for trouble is neer The use of Admonition and exhortation is 1. That we should mind our Covenant with God in Baptism what the tenor of it is what our Relation is to him what it is to be his Disciple how we should be under his Discipline how separate from the world the Devil and the Flesh how carefull as good Souldiers to war faithfully under his Banner the Ancients called it Sacramentum to be mindfull of the oath which Souldiers took to be faithfull unto their General and Tessera Militaris a token of their Warfar to war against the lusts of the Flesh 1 Pet. 2. 11. 2. To remember that we are redeemed by Christ and Adopted and regenerated and made a peculiar people to live to him and to be zealous of good works Tit. 3. 14. and to walk worthy of his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes. 2. 12. 3. To consider that by Baptism we are both dead and made alive again with Christ Rom. 6. 3 4. and that

A TRUE RELATION OF THE Conversion and Baptism OF ISUF THE Turkish Chaous NAMED Richard Christophilus In the presence of a full Congregation Jan. 30. 1658. in Covent-Garden where Mr. Manton is Minister Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY LONDON Printed by S. Griffin and are to be sold by John Rothwel at the Fountain in Cheap side and Thomas Vnderhil at the Bible in Pauls Church-yard 1658. ERRATA PAge 12. lin. 17. for surely read sincerely P. 14. l. 15. f. sicerity r. sincerity P. 22. l. 16. f. is be r. is to be P. 30. l. 15. after inclusively add and cumulatively P. 41. l. 4. f. the r. he P. 46. l. 22. f. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} r. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} P. 48. l. 22. f. heed r. need P. 58. l. 6. f. 29th r. 30th P. 82. l. 3. f. sollice r. sollicit P. 83. l. 11. f. Hid r. did To the Christian Reader A PREFACE CHristian and Ingenuous Reader for to such I would only make this address thou wilt find in this Relation a rare Example of Christianity and Ingenuity which I wish it may affect thee as it hath done me at several times for I must confess that by the zeal and ingenuity of this Proselyte in the profession of Christianity I have been oft-times awakened to many affections and paroxysms of love towards Jesus Christ and been reproved and ashamed within my self that he should in his first beginning of acquaintance with the Lord Jesus outstrip me in many things who have had so long acquaintance with him and manifold experiences of his goodness and providences towards me But as this on the one hand hath convinced me of my failing so on the other hand it hath moved me to a loving admiration and adoration of the free grace and work of the Spirit of God who bloweth where he listeth and sheweth mercy on whom he will have mercy and hath compassion on whom he will have compassion For here we have a clear example of this way of Gods dealing in causing one who lived in the greatness and splendor of the world to renounce all for the love of Jesus Christ to come amongst Christians to live unto him in obedience to his will and being come amongst those first who under the name of Christianity were found by him to be Idolaters although they used all ways of industry and allurements to invite him to live amongst them yet he rather chose to forsake all the enjoyments which he might have had amongst them to embrace the Society of poor Prostants where he could have no hopes of preferment than to be deprived of the meanes of being perfectly joyned unto the Lord by saving knowledge and the conversation of those that are truly Godly wherein we may observe another act of special grace that he was taught by the Spirit to discern the falshood of the by way before he was fully instructed in the Truth and now since he is come to the knowledge of the Truth I find his great grievance and trouble to be this that he can meet with very few who are sincere in their walking answerable to the Rule for of this he doth with much passion sometimes complain that it is a wonder to him and a cause of much affliction that such as have the knowledge of the great love of Jesus Christ towards their soules and have received from him so rich promises and so perfect a Law should have no more respect unto him and his wayes so that oft-times when he hath fallen upon these complaints with some passionate expressions as if his heart were ready to break he hath brought into my mind with more life than ever I formerly could represent unto my self the passions which the Psalmist in the 119. Psalm saith he was in by reason of the wicked who transgressed the Law of God As when he saith v. 53. ror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy Law And again v. 158. I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word I say that I never understood the nature of this grief and horror so lively within my self as I have perceived it in him by which evidence of grace in him I confess to the glory of God that I have been much edified and many times have had cause to condemn mine own soul for the sluggish disposition under which I am found when I have perceived so much life and vigorous zeal and sincerity in a new Convert who hath quit all and doth count every thing but dung to win Christ and to find the life of his Holiness amongst Christians For the truth is that in all his Converse with others this is his business to discern who hath this life of love to Christ who it is that walks without worldly interests and is unbyassed in the profession And because he doth meet with so few in whom he can perceive the sincerity and ingenuity of the Spirit of Christ therefore he is oft-times troubled and offended and I am made partaker of his grief and made more sensible of it than at any time heretofore when I have had no such object to converse withall but chiefly I find him in the extremit of passion with anger and grief when he perceives and truly he is very discerning that under any pretence of Religion or of Righteousness men drive on some self-interest when he perceives this he knows not almost with what words of indignation to detest that hypocrisie So that to conclude I must truly say to the glory of God that wch is upon my heart that whiles I have been imployed to instruct and comfort him I have profited more by his conversation than by any that I have been acquainted withall in England and if this man should not prove sincere and upright in the way of Godliness I shall confess that I know no evidence to discern the uprightness of any man henceforth in this world And if thou that art ingenuous and sincere in thy love to Christ wilt converse with him I make no doubt but thou wilt find this to be a Truth which in simplicity of heart to encourage thee to look to thy wayes as in the presence of God is freely attested by Thy servant in Christ JOHN DURIE To the Reader Christian Reader HAving had several conferences with this Noble Convert and being desired to give some short account thereof I thought good to add this to the subsequent Narrative being several passages of private conference between him my self whereof an account could not so well be given by the Author Some of them are these viz. I asked him among other Questions what he thought to be the meaning of these words If thy right eye offend thee pull it out and cast it from thee and if thy right hand offend thee cut it off His Answer was as near as I can remember thus That our Lord Jesus Christ did not intend us any harm