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
B02276	The spouses hidden glory, and faithfull leaning upon her wellbeloved. Wherein is laid down the soules glory in Christ, and the way by which the soule comes to Christ. Delivered in two lecture sermons in St. Andrewes church in Norwich. / By Iohn Collings Master of Arts, and preacher of Gods word in Saviours parish in Norwich.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1646 (1646)	Wing C5340A; ESTC R174086	70,368	91

after a naturall manner till the quickning grace of God come A man may in a wildernesse conceive himselfe lost look about for the way out call for help be willing to be out yet not be one step in the way that will lead him out and this the soule must doe so far as it can Negamus etenim hanc gratiam regenerantem infundi homnibus mertibus sed animis per verbum Dei erectis subactis per praedictas actiones quodammodo dispositis viz. We deny that regenerating grace is infused into sloathfull men but into soules subdued by Gods word and law and after a manner disposed by the foregoing actions yet wee say that even these forgoing actions have their first motions from God and the question is whither God doth not first work a sight and sense of sinne and an humiliation for it by his exciting grace before he comes with his regenerating quickning and saving grace into the soule we say he doth in his ordinary course of his dispensations Only I must here be safely understood that I speak according to mans apprehension for in respect of God nothing is first or last hee works all in an instant all graces together in the soule but the question lies not whether God works the habit of Repentance before the habit of Faith or no for without question he works together all his works but whether God makes humiliation act before faith which wee say hee doth Esau and Iacob may be in their mothers wombe together but Esau may come out and be seene in the world before Iacob yet not tying up the Almighty to this method who can and will work any way even which way it pleaseth him Nor doe we say that any such previous action can be performed by the Creature ut de merito congrui teneatur Gratiam dare That God is bound for the desert of any such previous action to give his inward and regenerating quickning grace But yet this we say Davenant ibid. that in the church of God where men are dayly stirr'd up by the word and spirit to repent and beleeve savingly God will give though not for any of these previous or dispository actions yet freely regenerating grace to all such as are capable of it unlesse they have resisted the Spirit of God in the preceding operations and rejected his quickning grace but yet we deny that any man can performe these actions so but he will offend and resist the Spirit of God in them Now why when as all resist God should reject some as they have rejected him and leave them to the hardnesse of their own hearts and work irresistibly on others who have resisted their God as much and break open their hearts though lock'd and barr'd against him and fill them with quickning grace and pull a Lot out of Sodom by force and draw a soule out of the wildernesse by head and shoulders I say why he should doe it when two are grinding at the same mill take one and leave the other when two are in the same field why the one should bee taken the other left when two soules are equall in duties fasting mourning in the way that God hath appointed why hee should baulk this and take the other when perhaps that which is taken hath beene the least penitent too I will conclude with Dr. Davenant is Sacrum Misterium divinae voluntati reliquendum A sacred and secret mystery to be left to the divine pleasure and the reason lies in the agents own breast It is because he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he wills he hardeneth God is his own reason and his free grace it s owne cause So then wee conclude that the soule cannot move one foot to a spirituall action spiritually not by any common grace it must be onely by Gods regenerating and saving grace So that to answer yet more distinctly to the Question In respect of Gods exciting and preventing grace if wee looke so farre wee cannot come but that preventeth us Wee are as clay in the hands of the Potter wee are all dead in sinnes But when the Lord hath changed the soule then it commeth The first motion upon the will is from God before there is any motion of the will unto God but when the will is healed of God then the soule commeth then the soule which was meerly passive before is active wil endeavor to do something for that God that hath done so much for her It followes the drawing of God most holy Spirit Draw me saith the Spouse and I will runne after thee First I must be drawne but then I will runne In the same moment God makes us to will and wee will and yet all the efficacy of the Action comes from Gods most holy Spirit It is certaine saith Augustine That wee are willing when wee are willing but he makes us willing certum est no velle quum volumus sed ille facit ut velimus qui operatur in nobis velle that workes in us to will and to performe Phil. 2.13 And so he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God drawes but he drawes the soule that is willing Ay but first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he makes it willing So I have shewed what proprietie the soule hath in the Action how she commeth and how willing she is to the motion She is drawne but she is willing to be drawne to Jesus Christ But first she is made willing before she is willing ay and in her life after she is come to Christ in her walking with Christ Non suis confidit viribus she trusts not her owne strength she even then commeth leaning which is the next Branch of the Doctrine I have to handle Though she comes up from the wildernesse yet she comes up not of her owne strength but leaning First Let us enquire what the expression holds out to us Secondly What is the soules hand Thirdly Who it is she leanes upon Fourthly What in him she hath to trust to and how in every wildernesse she leanes and out of every wildernesse comes up leaning I conceive here are foure things hinted in this expression leaning which I may terme the foure fingers of the Spouses hand which she layes upon her Saviours shoulders First It doth argue that the soule is weary otherwise she would not leane Secondly It is a willing posture I am not forced to leane I doe it willingly The soule that comes up with Christ is willing Thirdly It is a posture of love Otherwise she would not leane Fourthly It doth argue a confidence that the soule hath in the Lord that he is able to boare her Otherwise she would not trust the weight of her soule upon him First It doth argue wearinesse If she were not weary she would not leane Humiliation is a preface to faith and the way to be found is to be lost It is not a leaning of wantonnesse but a leaning of wearinesse O Lord I

into him and sup with him Revel 20. and he shall sup with him O let mee intreat you to pittie the yerning of your Saviours bowels toward you pittie the groanings of his tender heart for you pittie your selves if not your Christ and O come come out of the wildernesse of sinne into this wildernesse of sorrow that of a drunken profane creature thou mayest be a mourning pious soule of a proud carelesse sinner become a poore humbled poenitent that the world may admire Saul amongst the Prophets and Paul amongst the Apostles and thee amongst the Saints of Christ and say of thee who art now a profane Swearer and Blasphemer Behold hee Prayeth Of thee that wert a filthy Wanton Behold hee Mournes Of thee that wert a filthy Drunkard and Glutton Behold hee Fasts And may in time say of thee Who is this that commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved But Secondly Is there any before the Lord this day that is in any other wildernesse of Sorrow Affliction Temptation Desertion c. O leane Come out of your wildernesse leaning upon your Beloved First Is there any one here to whom the Lord hath shewen their owne sad condition too and yet hath not revealed the fulnesse of his free grace to them O leane upon the Lord Jesus Christ and leaning come out of thy wildernesse Beleeve and thou shalt be saved But here 's the hard taske to perswade such a soule to beleeve Consider but these few things 1. That now thou art in a capacitie of beleeving Povertie of spirit is the nearest capacitie of faith Blessed are th●y that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Now thou art weary Christ hath promised to ease thee now thou art heavie laden he hath promised to helpe thee Secondly Consider that thou hast ground enough to build thy faith upon Christs power and love are two Pillars able to hold up the weakest faith First Beleeve leane upon Christ for he is able to pardon thy sinnes thou shouldest blaspheme in thy thoughts if thou shouldest not thinke this Can infinite mercy be fadomed thinkest thou Can any one plead his undeservings against free grace Were thy burthen farre heavier then it is cast it upon Christ for he is able to beare it Art thou thick darkenesse he is infinite light Art thou all sinne he is all pardon Art thou altogether lovely why Christ is altogether lovely Secondly Beleeve because Christ is as much love as he is power he is not onely able but he is willing to pardon thee free grace thirsts after thee Nay beleeve me thou canst give Christ no greater satisfaction then to receive his mercies Christ is withchild of free grace to speake it with reverence and he desires nothing more then to be delivered in thine heart He is a Sea of mercy and he would rejoyce to emptie himselfe by drops into his peoples hearts But why did I say emptie Can the Sunne loose any light by communicating his light to others When the creature speakes of God he must speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would fill thee and yet continue full himselfe He is satisfied when thou art full He shall see of the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied Thou art not so willing to receive as he is to bestow free grace O then leane upon him Thirdly Consider thou canst not dishonour thy God more then when thou art humbled by him for thy sinnes and cast downe in thine owne thoughts and cal'd to beleeve in his mercies and secured upon his word if thou wilt but trust him If thou wilt not then beleeve in him Surely then thou art of a little faith if not an Infidell Thou couldst not beleeve when thou wert an impaenitent hard-hearted creature Why because thou knewest no need thou hadst of faith Neither couldst thou heare Christs invitation because thou wert not weary and heavie loaden but now that the Lord hath humbled thee now the promises belong unto thee what darest thou not take Christs word Suppose a Traytour were condemned to dye and the King should send a Pardon by the hand of his owne Sonne to this forlorne wretch and hee should refuse it saying The King cannot pardon me what hath hee to doe to send me a Pardon I know hee doth but mocke mee he meanes nothing lesse c. Were not this a piece of unworthinesse by which he should dishonour his Prince as much as with his Treason before O take heed of provoking the Lord still it is enough that thou hast provoked him once yet he will pardon thee And on the contrary thou canst not honour Christ more then in beleeving for thou acknowledgest the unfadomable depth of his free love and mercy Thou proclaimest God to be a God gracious long-suffering a God that may bee trusted by the creature which hath deserved nothing at his hand that he is so pure an Essence of love that he will create himselfe a cause of love where is none And though he could find nothing in thee to pardon thee for thy sake yet he would pardon thee for his owne Name sake So likewise you that are in any wildernesse or shall be of Affliction Desertion Temptation c. O leane leane 'T is that which God requires at your hand 't is that which will ease you when you are weary helpe you when you are heavie laden Beleeving will ease you when complaining will not 't is that which honours God and honours Christ It gives him the glory of his Power and Providence and Dominion and free Grace and mercy Christ beleeve me will take it kindly at your hands that you will try him in need and trust him even in despaire though he kills you yet you will trust in him Those that venture upon Death with such a faith cannot dye Those that have such a Spirit must live eternally The way to live is to dye beleeving and the way to stand is to leane falling O come all yee that love the Lord ● and trust in his mercies I have done only I conclude with my Text. O you that are falling as you thinke into the pit of despaire that are lost in the wildernesse of sorrow Beleeve beleeve and you shall be saved Come out trusting upon God resting upon the fulnesse of his mercy and the freenesse of his grace come out come out leaning upon your Beloved O you that are in a wildernesse of afflictions leane upon Gods staffe let his rod comfort you beleeve that he smileth while he smiteth thee beleeve in affliction you shall have no more then you are able to beare he will let his grace bee sufficient for you all shall worke for your good And come you out of your wildernesse leaning upon your Beloved O you that are in the wildernesse of temptations in the snare of the Divell beleeve and leane your Christ was tempted and he knowes how to succour those that are tempted leane upon him to beare you up in and to give you an happy issue out of your temptations in which you are in for the triall of your faith and come you out likewise leaning upon your Beloved You that are in the sad wildernesse of Desertion cry My God! though you be forsaken keepe your faith retaine your Interest O leane loose not your hold you have upon the Almighty leane in and come out of this your wildernesse leaning upon your Beloved Finally All you that are in the wildernesse of sin the worst wildernesse of all Let me conclude with you And once more as the Emba●●adour of Jesus Christ in my Masters name as if he himselfe were here I beseech you by the many and tender mercies of him whose bowels yerne towards you by his precious bloud which was powred out upon the Crosse for sinners and who knowes whether not for you as well as others as you tender the life and happinesse of your owne soules the joy of your faithfull pastours nay which is most of all as you tender the honour of God come out ô come out of your sad wildernesse be humbled and mourne sit down in dust and ashes that you may rise up adorned with grace and be crowned with glory that you may leane upon your Beloved and O that my first or last words might prevaile with some great sinner this day for whom we might all rejoyce concerning whom we might all say who is this that comes out of the wildernesse leaning upon her welbeloved FINIS

thing in partem amoris to share with her husband in his love she will keepe her honour in being the wife of one husband And so I have shewed you how she leanes what is her hand who it is she leanes upon what title she hath to him what rules she observeth in her leaning I have but one thing more and that is to shew you what strength there is in the Lord Christs shoulders to beare her how she leanes even in every wildernesse and what fulnesse of strength there is in her husbands arme to keepe her up from falling The first wildernesse you may remember was the wildernesse of sin Here the Spouse cannot be said properly to leane upon her beloved for she wants the hand of faith to lay hold upon Christ and indeed she is not weary yet I do not know why in some sense even in this estate the elect soule is not beholding to free grace he is her Christ here though he hath not yet manifested himselfe to be her Iesus her saviour The elect soule in sin is elect decreed to be saved though she be not declared to be elect she is beloved in decree though God hath not actullay manifested his love unto her he is not her beloved but the soule is his beloved not actually but decretally he hath thoughts of good to her but his thoughts are kept within himselfe till he is pleased to reveale them to her at his best time she is his Beloved though there be no correlation she is in his thoughts his Spouse aye and positively not conditionally The Arminians falsely dreame of Gods conditionall decrees because they comprehend not the wayes of God Beleeving is necessarily required yet it was not a condition in Gods decree The soule is his beloved though yet there be no correlation though she be not his wife yet yet she is intended for his wife To speake according to the wayes of men I may intend to make a woman my wife before I actually declare my intentions to her she is my wife in my determinations and thoughts before I wooe her though not actually my wife before I have wooed her and she hath yeelded too there lyes onely this difference my determination must be but conditionally if she will accept of my proffer'd love There lyes a power in her to refuse Wee may therefore make the simile a little higher A great Emperour buyeth a woman that is a slave which he intends to marry and will whither she will or no yet he will wooe her and if it be possible marry her will as well as her person yet whither she will or no he will and may marry her for she is his purchase she is his wife in his determination before he hath married her But yet even this simile is lame Every simile comparing the wayes of God with the wayes of man must at least halt of one foot for though this Emperour hath power to force the womans body to the action yet he hath no power to force her will to be willing to the action The will is alwayes independent sui juris but God hath power not onely to marry the soule which he hath bought from being a slave to the Divell but to make her willing to marry him yet she is in Christs decree his Spouse before he hath actually revealed his decree unto her So though strictly and properly the soule cannot be said to lean upon Christ in the wildernesse of sinne yet she may be said to be beholden unto the Lord Christ and that thus Every soule hath the like principles of corruption and would act to the full of it's depraved operations were it not for Gods preventing and restraining grace Shee is beholding unto God for his preventing and restraining grace though here she is meerly passive Secondly She is beholden unto God for his exciting grace The foule heares and fasts and prayes meditates of her owne sad condition though for the substance of the action it is her owne yet it is Gods exciting grace makes her willing to hear fast pray though not his speciall saving-grace yet his common grace But this is not a leaning meant in the Text shee leanes here upon Christ but not upon Jesus a Saviour upon God but not as her Beloved And here the soule is brought into a second wildernesse The wildernesse of Sorrow Contrition Repentance call it what you please though I know the latter terme Repentance be controverted by some new Opinionists Yet I know not why wee may not say That a man may repent without saving-grace And for that Repentance which they say must be the effect of faith if I were a Schoole-man I should rather call it Godly Sorrow but I desire not to play upon termes And for their defining Repentance To be a sorrow for sinne out of the sense of the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ it is a definition they have devised for their owne purpose And give them their premises according as they please they would be poore Logicians if they made the conclusion to displease them For from hence they argue If the love of God be the ground and cause of Repentance viz. the love of God manifested and sensible to us wee having apprehended it by faith the speciall love of God then faith must goe before repentance viz. an apprehension of Gods saving love and reliance upon it But I answer the definition which they give us of Repentance is deceitfull it is a definition of a Species in steed of a Genus as wee say in Logick As some unwary Divines define Faith to be an assurane of Gods love in Iesus Christ This is true but this is a faith of the highest stamp and many a precious soule is without this faith to his dying day Faith of adherence is another thing as if I should goe to define a man to be a reasonable creature skil'd in all sorts of Learning Any man would understand me that I did not goe about to describe a man in generall but this or that particular man And I say once againe If I were a Schoole-man I should rather call this A godly sorrow and define Repentance in generall to be A sorrow for sinne there is the genus and differentia Or if there be required a fuller definition with the ground though I conceive such a definition would be more proper to give of Repentance in it's severall kinds then of Repentance in generall yet wee may give it thus It is a sorrow for sinne arising out of the feare of Gods wrath or apprehensions of Gods love And I know not why we may not say That a man may repent without saving grace Bishop Davenant sayes A man by exciting the grace of God may Peccata propria considerare ad sensum corundem expavescere liberationem ab hoc metu exoptare tremble for his sinnes Mark 1.15 Luk. 17.3 4. Ezek 14 6. and mourne for them and desire deliverance out of them and if