Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	ghost_n	holy_a	son_n	5,168	5	5.9174	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09990	The nevv covenant, or the saints portion A treatise vnfolding the all-sufficiencie of God, and mans uprightnes, and the covenant of grace. delivered in fourteene sermons vpon Gen. 17. 1. 2. Wherevnto are adioyned foure sermons vpon Eccles. 9.1. 2. 11. 12. By the late faithfull and worthie minister of Iesus Christ Iohn Preston. Dr. in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiestie, maister of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1629 (1629)	STC 20241; ESTC S101919	353,487	626

are not led into the truth of these poynts because that is proper to the holy Ghost it is he onely that leades vs into them it is he onely that enableth vs so to see them as to be fully convinced so as to resolue vpon the practice of them and therefore you shall finde the Apostle S. Paul Ephes. 1. when he revealeth there those spirituall blessings that we haue in Christ when he had declared many of those glorious priviledges in the 18. verse he prayes that the eyes of their vnderstandings might be opened to see the hope of their Calling and the riches of this glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints the exceeding greatnesse of his power towardes them that beleeue The meaning of it is this when Paul had discovered all this sayth he this labour of mine will be but in vaine except the Lord open the eyes of your vnderstanding So it is when we preach to you of the All-sufficiencie of God when wee discover to you those glorious priviledges that we haue by Christ except the Lord open mens eyes except he send the spirit of revelation into mens hearts to discerne those things except he preach to the heart as well as we doe to the eare it is but lost labour sayth the Apostle if he would open your eyes to see the hope of your Calling to see those great hopes that you haue by reason of your Calling to see the riches of that glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints it is not onely rich but abundant riches Againe sayth he to see the exceeding greatnesse of his power A man is able to see some thing that God is able to doe this and to doe that but to see the exceeding greatnesse of his power how farre it reacheth this none is able to doe vnlesse he haue the spirit of revelation to open his eyes to see it That even as Elisha sayd to Gehasi● there are more with vs them against vs. But how came Gehasie to know that Elisba prayes the Lord to open his eyes and when his eyes were opened he saw it visibly after this manner the Lord deales with his children when such truths as these are propounded to them that God is All-sufficient yet all this is nothing except God will open their eyes except he will be with them as he was with Iob all that his friends said to him would not perswade him till God himselfe spake to him out of the whirlewinde When God himselfe will say to a man as he did to Abraham I am All-sufficient then he perswades him and not before And this Beloved is the office of the holy Ghost it is he that shewes the Father and the Sonne to the sonnes of men it is he that glorifies the Father and the Sonne And in this sence he is said to fill them with Ioy vpon all occasions for the cause why a man rejoyceth is because he is informed of some good newes something he is perswaded of and when he heareth of it there followes sudden Ioy So when the Apostles were in distres●e in prison when they were in danger the holy Ghost brought good newes to them he revealed to them such and such things vpon this revelation vpon this good newes that was brought to them it is oft said they were filled with Ioy which is therefore called the Ioy of the holy Ghost which the holy Ghost workes in men by perswasion by revealing to them the hope of their Calling and the riches of their glorious inheritance and the exceeding greatnesse of his power working in those that beleeue And therefore this you must cōsider that though we preach to you and you heare all these truths of Gods All-sufficiencie yet you are able to practice nothing till Christ reveale it to you If he come to a man when he is in a strait and say to him as he did to Paul vpon severall occasions feare not Paul I will be with thee I say if he himselfe would come thus and speake to the heart of a man that is if he would reveale it by his spirit wee should be able to practice it we should be able to stay our selues vpon him wee should be able to trust him in his All-sufficiencie and would venture vpon any thing we should be able to doe our dutie wee should be able to suffer persecution as the Apo●●le speakes because we trust in the living God It is a certaine and true rule no man is able to guide his life aright his riches his credit his libertie aright except he be able to neglect them and no man is able to neglect them except he haue some thing that is better in stead of them except he see these two things An emptinesse in them And a fulnesse some where els But now who is able to perswade men of this Surely he that perswaded Salomon that all was vanitie it is he that must perswade vs without him it cannot be done What was the reason else that Peter Andrew Iohn and the rest of the Apostles were able to forsake all things when others were not Doubtlesle because they were per●waded they should finde it againe in Christ when others were not so perswaded flesh and bloud did not teach them but the holy Ghost revealed it to them that though they had lost all yet they should find all yea they should finde an hundred fold more What was the Reason that Demas and others when they met with persecution and temporall preferments in the world were not able to keepe on their course but turned aside when Paul who had the same temtations did not The reason was because it was not revealed to Demas but it was to Paul A window was opened to him in heaven as it were to looke into Gods All-sufficiencie to see the treasures there to see Gods power and eternitie and blessednes and when he walked in a continuall sight of this All-sufficiencie Paul cared not whither he went nor what became of him it was nothing then for him ot passe from prison to prison from affliction to affliction So as long as a man walkes in a continuall sight of Gods All-sufficiencie as long as he sees him that is invisible so long he is full of comfort so long he is able to doe any thing but when once his sight is taken from him when once he is left in darkenesse that Torches and Candles begin to appeare great lights vnto him as you know it is in the darke night that is a signe that a man is in darkenesse when the feare of men and the favour of men seeme great vnto him So it will be when God doth but leaue vs a little when he doth but cloud vs when he withdrawes from vs that light of his All-sufficiencie then we are readie to sinke and to fayle in our dutie and to turne aside to balke the wayes of righteousnesse And therefore if you would haue the vse of this All-sufficiencie if you would be perswaded that all

would haue it by free grace and not of debt for saith hee If I should giue a Law and rules to men and promise them life vpon it when they had performed the worke they would challenge it of debt no saith the LORD it is an inheritance I doe not vse to deale with my children as men doe with their seruants that I should giue them worke to doe and when they haue done it I should giue them wages then they would come and challenge it a my hands by way of debt no saith the Lord this is an inheritance and you are my sonnes and you shall haue it giuen you freely and giuen you as it becomes a Father to giue it so you shall take it therefore that it might bee of free grace and not of debt therefore it is by faith and not by workes And that is added likewise if it had beene by workes men would haue beene ready to boast and haue said I haue done this I am able to keepe the Law therefore the promise of eternall life shall bee made good to mee I shall receiue it as wages men would boast in themselues No saith the LORD no creature shall boast in it selfe for that puts euery man further from the LORD the more a man reioyceth in himselfe the more he stands vpon his owne bottome the more he is diuorsed from GOD and separated from him but saith he he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the LORD for that fits a man for the LORD and therefore I will haue it by faith it shall not bee by workes So beloued you see now what is the Condition Surely looke how Abraham was made partaker of the Couenant so euery one of vs must bee Abraham was made partaker of it by saith so shall euery man be made partaker of it by faith and no otherwise Abraham beleeued God when hee had a promise and because he beleeued him not that particular act of faith but that grace of faith whereby he beleeued this and the other promises of the Messiah was counted to him for righteousnesse and so for this cause because wee beleeue the promises and the Couenant of Grace therefore the LORD accepts vs and accounts vs righteous and because this seemes strange to the sonnes of men therefore we see with how much adoe Paul labours to make it good what strong obiections were against it in all times I haue shewed the reason Now when you reade Rom. 3. 4. and Gal. 3. 4. you may know the better the meaning of those places Well so you see the Couenant secondly you see the Condition now you heare that there is such a Couenant as this The third thing is the confirmation of the Couenant when a man heares that GOD will vouchsafe so much fauour vnto mankinde a man is ready to say as Gedion did alas my family is poore in Manasses I am the least in all my Fathers house And who am I that I should be raised vp hitherto that such a promise as this should be made to mee that I should goe and saue Israel c. I say after the same manner a man might bee ready to obiect Alas what are wee the sonnes of men that the great GOD of Heauen and Earth should enter into such a Couenant with vs that he should make vs such promises as these that he should make vs heyres of the World that hee should blesse vs in that manner to make vs sonnes to make vs Kings and Priests Saith the LORD I confesse it is a Couenant that needes confirmation therefore the LORD hath confirmed it all these wayes the LORD hath confirmed it first by his promise saith he you haue my sure word for it if that bee not enough I will confirme it by an Oath and because he had no greater to sweare by he saith by my selfe haue I sworne that I will make it good this is not enough but he confirmes it by the blood of Christ himselfe the Mediator shall come and confirme this Testament and when the Testament is confirmed by the death of the Testator there is no more altering of that saith hee Gal. 3. A mans Testament no man changeth after once it is confirmed and when the Testator is dead Heb. 9. then the Testament is confirmed so it is confirmed by the blood by the death of the Testator This is not enough but hee hath added seales vnto it hee hath confirmed it likewise by them saith hee I will adde the seale of Circumcision and of the Passeouer For Circumcision saith the LORD Goe and circumcise your selues and when I see the Circumcision I will remember my Couenant and make it good to you that as hee said of the Bow he set the Bow in the Cloud saith hee I will make my Couenant that I will neuer destroy the Earth againe with raine this Bow shall be the witnesse of the Couenant and when I looke vpon it I will remember my Couenant after this manner are the signes and seales of the Couenant saith he Circumcise your selues and when I see that I will remember my Couenant and will spare you and I will make good to you all the promises of it So likewise the Passeouer saith hee See that ●ou keepe it take the Lambe and sprinkle the blood c. Saith he when I see it I will remember my Couenant Where beloued this is to be obserued that these signes or seales of the Couenant not onely confirme the promises on our part but they signifie that faith that condition which is required on our part for when the LORD comes and lookes into his Church and sees a great company in it sees his House full and he comes and askes What doe you in my House What doe a number of those that professe themselues to be within the compasse of the Couenant there Their answer is LORD we beleeue wee are among those that keepe the Condition If you beleeue where is your Circumcision It may be you haue that outward Circumcision in the flesh but where is the Circumcision of the heart for if you did beleeue indeede it would worke a change in the heart as faith I told you that is indeede a liuely faith workes a cha●ge it c●ts off sinfull lusts it makes a man deny himselfe and cleaue to God and serue him with a perfect heart So againe after that manner doth the second signe of the Couenant which is the Passeouer when the LORD shall aske Doe you beleeue Yes heere is the sprinkling of the blood of the Lambe But where is the true sprinkling vpon the heart and conscience heere is the outward Passeouer the outward profession you come and take the signe and the seale but where is the inward sprinkling Therefore you see what was required in the Passeouer saith hee when you eate the Lambe c. haue you tasted of the sweet of the Lambe haue you euer tasted of the sweetnesse that is in Iesus Christ so that you can loue

concurre with the strength of the horse and of the chariot all this is not able to doe it And therefore I say this is one reason why the battell is not to the strong nor riches to men of vnderstanding because the creature of himselfe is not able to doe it in its owne strength excluding Gods helpe he is not able to bring an enterprise to passe This likewise may bee added to that that though the creature should haue a strength though a man should haue all things readie that he should be furnished with preparations of all sorts so that nothing shuld be wāting to bring an enterprise to passe yet at the very time at the very instant when the thing is to be done it is not in his power to make vse of them because at that very time God often takes wisedome from the wise and courage from them that are otherwise valiant he takes from them their abilities euen at that time hee takes off the chariot wheeles even when they are driuing of them which plainely proveth that the Creature of himselfe is not able to doe it As we see Amos 2. 14. 15. 16. sayth he The flight shall perish from the swift and the strong shall not strengthen his forces neither shall the mightie saue his life he that handleth the B●w shall not stand and he that is swift of foote shall not deliuer himselfe neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himselfe and he of mightie courage among the strong men shall flie away naked in that day That is Be they never so strong be they never so swift never so full of courage at the very time when they haue occasion to vse it the Lord will take away that swiftnes he will take away that courage he will take away that wisedome and suggest it it may be to the adversarie and how then shall they prevaile So that though a man were never so well prepared to bring an enterprise to passe as when a man purposeth in his heart and hath laid all things readie this will I speake yet the answer of the mouth comes from God whatsoever his preparations and purposes be So in the actions and affayres of men though he make his preparations never so strong yet at the very instant God often takes courage from those that are most valiant and suggesteth it to those that are most cowardly he takes away wisedome when they haue most occasion to vse it and giues it to the adversaries that otherwise are more foolish then they This is the first Cause of it A second Cause is this because there is a certaine time and opportunitie that a man must take to bring an enterprise to passe and though a man be never so strong and never so wise yet he may misse of those opportunities and so he looseth the battaile he looseth the bringing to passe of his enterprise And this we see is the Reason that is rendred Eccles. 8. 5. 6. The heart of the wise is to know the time Iudgement because to every purpose there is a time and a Iudgement therefore the miserie of man is great vpon him That is to every action and to every purpose there is a certaine opportunitie be a man never so well fitted yet if he misse of that opportunitie he shall not bring his enterprise to passe therefore sayth he the miserie of man is great vpon him for he neither knowes himselfe what that opportunitie is neither can any man tell him as it is in the seaventh verse And because it is not within the power of man it is not within his compasse to finde out these seasons and opportunities for every purpose and action hence it is that though they be never so well prepared though they haue never so much sufficiencie and abilitie to bring such an enterprise to passe yet they misse of it because they discerne not of the times Thirdly this comes to passe because God hath appointed a certaine varietie and change of condition to the sonnes of men and there is no mans wisedome riches or strength that is able to defend him from Gods appointment I say God hath appointed a certaine change of condition to all the sonnes of men he hath appointed such crosses and afflictions he hath appointed such times as the holy Ghost speakes to passe over their heads and all the wisedome and strength that a man hath is not able to turne God from his purpose it is not able to evacuate to frustrate his decrees but they shall come to passe And that is the meaning of this in the text for I take this reason out of the text The translation is but time and chance commeth to all it were I suppose better translated and agrees with the originall for time and chance comes to all Now by time in the text is meant that varietie of condition that God hath appointed to euery man vnder the Sunne as David vseth the word Psal. 31. 15. My times are in thy hands My times that is the varietie of conditions the changes of my life the good and evill the prosperitie and adversitie that befals me sayth he they are not in the hands of my enemies nor in mine own hands but they are in thy hands I say there the word is so vsed and so we are to vnderstand it in this place for time comes to all sayth he that is when God hath appointed such changes to the states of men if riches if strength if wisedome diligence or skill were able to turne the counsels of God another way if it were able to anticipate them or to diuert them then the battaile might be to the strong c. but sayth he it is not so What God hath appointed they cannot alter You shall see it in many examples Saul was well established but when God had appointed a change of his Kingdome that it should go from him to David you see he brought it to passe Though he were as strong as a Lyon as David testifieth of him though hee had many children to inherit the Crowne though the people claue fast to him you doe not finde that ever they rose vp in rebellion against him yet when God had appointed such a time to passe over him and his house all that strength all that fitnes and preparation that was in him and his familie to continue the Kingdome to his posteritie it could not turne aside Gods Counsell but it came to passe Ely had a great familie there were many Priests of his line yet when God had said he would cut off from Ely his whole familie and would turne the Priesthood to another you see how he found out meanes to bring it to passe how many Priests were killed in one day by Dveg in the time of Saul and afterwards when Abiathar one of that posteritie was tooke in by David yet he was cast out by Salomon through an accident that fell out in his