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	spirit_n	3,926	5	5.5026	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86524	The covenant of grace opened: wherein these particulars are handled; viz. 1. What the covenant of grace is, 2. what the seales of the covenant are, 3. who are the parties and subjects fit to receive these seales. From all which particulars infants baptisme is fully proved and vindicated. Being severall sermons preached at Hartford in New-England. / By that reverend and faithfull minister of the gospel, Mr Thomas Hooker.	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.	1649 (1649)	Wing H2644; Thomason E562_20; ESTC R11285	85,165	88

unto it by allowance from God 4 According to a right rule from God and right Reason persons may have faith in the course of charity that have not the use of reason they in Abrahams time had grace and that was the grace of Faith if it seale up some may have it but that some children are thus fitted and faith is sealed unto them in circumcision if any will deny it they must deny the Text and that is impudency it selfe If so why not in Baptisme as well as Circumcision for Circumcision must have faith so must they in Baptisme 5 There is more required of some persons then there is of other in receving of the same sacrament in the alowance of God according to right Reason there is more required of men then there is of children Take a man that is to joyn in the covenant of the people he is bound to stoop to the Ordinance Esay 56.67 The strangers that were to joyne they must keep the Sabbath and embrace the Covenant c. This is to make a proselyte Matth. 23.15 they are made of the same profession Men of yeares must approve of the things of God and walk accordingly all this is required of men of yeares and then to offer themselves to the ordinances for they did never force them but in children this is not required if the Father had embraced the Faith So as you may see these things are plain wkich if they be observed it will make you cast away Anabaptisme The third Scripture is in Coloss 2.11 12. if the effects of the Sacraments of the old Testament and the new be the same then they are the same the effect done by the thing shewes the thing if the things wrought be the same then it is alike but the things done are the same The Apostle in the Text shewes it is the same in Circumcision as in Baptisme both seale up the death of Christ there was decaying both were for the mastering or lessening and decaying of sin so doth circumcision by cutting off the fore-skin in the same operation Now there are two objections to be answered from severall Texts it appeares they are the same with ours The first is that in 1 Corinth 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping of the command of God The Apostle speaking to persons to keep in the same Calling God had called them he saith Circumcision is nothing c. The next is Galat 6.13 they make nothing of it Galat. 5.6 For in Christ Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith that worketh by love that is say they it is weake and can doe nothing Galat. 5.2 Christ shall profit them nothing if they be circumcised and the Apostle sayes Beware of Circumcision by way of Irony so as he accounts it as nothing All these places are of the same nature and may receive the same answer to them all God lookes upon all these Sacraments to be attended according to a double time and consideration First in the first institution they had an eye to and did seale up Christ to come in the flesh when they were first ordained by God 2ly God lookes at them as having attained their end and appointment which was Christ to come therefore when he was come they had an end Therefore now they were of no use being out of date and now they could not be used without sinne he appoints now therefore to abrogate them they were to cease because Christ was come though they were alike at the first now they were out of date now they were not to be used To this purpose are all these places of Scripture 1 Cor 7.19 If thou be called being uncircumcised be not circumcised if you were circumcised when it was in date then seek not to be uncircumcised if you be uncircumcised be not circumcised now it is out of date It cannot be taken the Apostle for bad circumcision when it was in date for then he had spoken against the command of God Gen. 17. He commanded them to be circumcised So Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision c. availeth any thing but a new creature For though they were given to the Jewes yet now they were gone out of the world and so now they availed not And besides to set them up now was to set up that which God had destroyed So that now nothing availed but faith and a new creature And Gal 5.4 He is fallen from Grace but now he doth not attend the first institution if he doe hee nullifies the nature of Christ because when Christ is come it is to deny Christ to be come in the flesh This is a heynous thing Christ shall doe him no good Christ will not save him In the last place he speakes this to false Apostles that would have men partly saved by Christ and partly by workes and so they nullifie Christ and the work of grace for he must have all or none you cannot joyne works and grace together Objection 2. From the witnesse of the word Coloss 2.17 Which were but a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And in Heb. 7.18 they are said to be weak And Heb. 9.10 13. called a carnall covenant And if it be so then they are not alike with ours in the new Testament they are of another nature the spirituall work of the soule For answer the Sacraments are apprehended in a double sense as included or as separate from the thing signified but the Apostle lookes at them as carnall now as Heb 7.18 19. he saith The Law was weake and made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope c. that is Christ he accompl●sheth all and brings in a better hope of the pardon of our sinnes So 1 Pet. 3.21 22. it is not the water but the thing signified by the water So the signe is weak but the thing signified is strong So the case is cleare 3 Conclusion The spirituall efficacy of the Sacraments in the old and new Testament proceed not from themselves immediatly used in the working of any good but as they are used by the holy Ghost The consideration whereof will help in the main point to shew the manner of the working of the Sacrament for it is a great secret and the want of the knowledge hereof is the cause persons get so little good by the Sacrament This proposition hath two parts First the spirituall influence the Sacraments put forth is not from themselves immediatly but as they are used by the Spirit For the better understanding of this first part consider it in some things 1 The Sacrament is not a principall but an instrumental cause in any spirituall work they doe not set themselves a work but they worke under the principall agent as a toole in the hand of a man so in the work of the Sacrament it is by the mediation of the Spirit and the meanes of faith Mark 10.16 Hee that beleeves and

that they cannot oppose the spirit in working on them then stones are capable for God can raise of stones Children to Abraham but if this be the meaning they are as able to comply with the Spirit I deny it and to affirm that this is the way God uses to bring children to him I oppose it and it argues ignorance to say so To which I answer it is the truth of God and it is Gods way to work so and that Children are as capable as men of years if we eye the operation of the Spirit and the dispensation thereof they are as capable as men much more therefore then stones and that I will open and prove in foure things First The nature of man as it was made fit for grace before the fall so it is capable of grace after the fall of Adam when I say capable I say two things 1. The substance of the soule and body need not be changed from their being when they receive grace the nature of the soule and body being not changed but unfitted for any spirituall work As take a Clock that all the wheels are out of frame you need not make new Wheels but onely rectifie them if they be foule make them clean if they be wrong right them so by the fall of Adam all soule and body is out of frame and out of joynt the minde unfit to know God and the will unfit to close with God before the fall all were in frame but when it jarred against the Law then Originall sinne came upon all his seed and that makes them jarre against the law now when a sinner comes to be renewed there needes not new faculties but those he hath to be set in frame this is the meaning of the Spirit of God Jer. 4.4 Plow up your fallow ground c. so the minde is arrable ground although it be over grown with lusts that as there is no fruit of holines to God or righteousnes to men but the minde of man is over run with distempers and therefore as they say we must give it another tilling by plowing up the weeds and Rom. 6.19 As you have given your members weapons to unrighteousnes so now give your members as servants unto righteousnesse unto holinesse the meaning is as we have given our members in the same proportion as we have given them to sin so we should give them to be at the command of the spirit the same understanding will and affections whereas if God raise them out of stones as he can doe he must first give it to be a man and make it to have a body and a soule and then convert it but he need not doe so when he comes to men or children As if a man would have a crop of Corn upon a rock he must first make it ground and then plow them but if hee have ground although it have thorns and rubbish when he hath removed that he may plow it and expect a crop because ground is capable to bear Corn. Now the proof of the point is plain that the nature of man is capable it appears that which is capable of a privation is capable of the habit of the contrary grace of necessity the in beeing of a thing requires a capablens the eye cannot be said to be blind except it be capable of seeing it is not said a mans hand is blinde because it is not capable of seeing so the body may be said to be dead because it is capable of life so it is in the understanding it is full of blindenesse because it is capable of seeing and so the will is capable of holinesse Ephes 5.8 Once you were darknes now you are light in the Lord c. and 1 Cor. 15.49 As we have born the Image of the earthly so we must beare the image of the heavenly the body is sick and it may have help Secondly Our nature is not nextly fit for grace yet it is capable that is the roome may be made fit though it be not fit for the present as a Vessell that is full of ill liquor it is capable to hold good liquor but it is not fit before the filthy liquor be powred out so our nature is capable of grace we need not change our being but wee must bee made fit 2d Particular The spirit of God does in all men whether young or old first loose the soule of a sinner from sin and self by his Almighty power before he puts a principle of grace into the soule and before he leads the soule to God in Christ this must be done take a childe or a man God does work this it is the nature of Gods dispensation Acts 26.18 To open their eyes that they may turn from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God c. First they are taken from under him and then they are turned to God and John 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the world therfore the world hates you c. you were under the power of sin and I have called you out then I will cal you to my selfe Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son c. We must be cut off from the wilde Olive before we can be planted into the true Olive It was never known an Imp could grow on two stocks at once you cannot serve two Masters you cannot be in Hell Heaven together there cannot be two Gods in one heart it is not possible therefore see how John prepares the way for Christ Luke 3.5 6 7. The mountains must be laid low and the crooked things must be made strait and then they shall see the salvation of God so it is withall the sonnes of Adam nature and reason will constrain the same Thirdly In this double work of the spirit the spirit deposes sin and self and then powers in a principle of grace in both these all men that receive the worke of the spirit are meere patients when it deposes sin and self young and old and are meer patients all men children and infants thus it is in all on whom the great work of conversion is they are meerly patients we have already made it good I will give you two or three reasons of it 1. Aversion cannot bee a cause of salvation a frame to turn from God cannot help a man to turn to God no more then light can cause darknesse sin and self carry the soule from God and therefore it cannot carry the soule to God Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and those are contrary one to another Now that which destroyes the work of the spirit cannot bring it in Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing now that which hath no spirituall good can doe no spirituall good and so it cannot helpe to God 2. That which cannot be subject to

the Law of God cannot be a cause of the work of the spirit but sin and self cannot be subject and therefore they cannot be the cause of the working of the spirit nay the nature of man cannot be nay they cannot suffer the work upon them they are not able to bear it Rom. 8.7 It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be 3. That which is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature that corrupt nature cannot bee the cause of but to put off sin and self is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature for nothing can work beyond the power of its own principle and of our selves we are not able to think a good thought So it must be given us so we have gained this that therefore we are all meer patients in the work of conversion both men and children 4. Here lies the life of the answer in these severall works where the hearts are sufferers the soules of Infants are as much fit as the soules of any man and not so much unfit as the soules of many men to receive grace and they have as great a capability as men have and in some measure a greater capabilitic then some men have here is two things to be considered 1. That they are as fit as any but not so unfit as many and therefore all are meet sufferers in the work of the spirit to have sin and self subdued the soules of children are as fit and have as great a capability in the world 1. You must remember heretofore we have made it good that all the sonnes of Adam are tainted with Originall sin equally no man have lesse of Adams sin nor lesse of Originall sin one then another but all men and children are equall here and men of years have contracted many actuall sins nay whatever they doe before they are converted is sin all their thoughts words and deeds so as they grow more proud and more witty to commit sin and to doe wickedly because of actuall transgression some grow more sturdy in their sinfull courses which is drawn and contracted by actuall sin and infants are free from those now those that have acted them are more fit to commit them nay many are habituated in commiting of sin so as they have gotten a habit of drunkennes and a habit of uncleanes c. so as it is plain children are as fit as any and not so unfit as many are for if children have as little opposition as any and lesse then some then it must needes be true For where lesse opposition against a thing is there is lesse trouble to receive it for they are contrary for where lesse opposition is there is a greater disposition to receive it but that children doe as little oppose grace as any man of years all opposition comes from the sinne of Adam and Originall sin came from that and here wee see all are equall in men of years and children and this is the first kinde of opposition 2d Sort of opposition arise from sinfull habits and this comes by actuall sin and by this we come to bee more self-confident and all these infants are free of a man that hath lived many years in sin is come to be habituated in sin as a man that dotes upon the world gets a habit of covetousnes and a man gets a habit of frowardnes these infants are freed from Acts 7.28 Wilt thou kill me c and Acts 18.6 And when they resisted and blasphemed c. Children are dead in sin but some men are twice dead as Jude speaks at the 12th verse Twice dead and plucked up by the roots and as Christ sayd of the Pharisees they made men twofold more the childe of Hell take the most men living and there is Sin and Selfe to be subdued and in regard of Adam sin and originall sin they are all alike But by actuall sin men are full of carnall confidence and therfore the Spirit must have much to do here because men do harden their own hearts and so make themselves twenty times more the child of hell so they are twice dead and pulled up by the root so that they are lesse fit then some naturall men in the world and many men in the world that are but men of the world are more fit then they so that children are more capable then any man The place in Jude is spoken against false Prophets they were twice dead they were dead by originall sin actuall sin there is a sort that hath received a seeming light and get a little of the Word and that he is provoked that a man thinks he is a living man There is another sort that persecute the Word now these are dead again so they are twice dead he is provoked by the work of the Law and now he is more proud and is as athing pulled up by the roots so as nothing can recover him no possibility to come neere him so as it is so farre from being harder for the Spirit to work upon infants that there is an easinesse in this kind The 3d Proposition Beleeving Parents when they enter into a visible covenant to walk in Gods wayes they enter not for themselves alone but for all that come of them and God does ingage himselfe by their meanes to worke grace in their hearts as he sees fit hee counts them to have federall holinesse God accepts of both and he will doe good to them as he sees fit In this Proposition there are foure things to be considered 1 Believing Parents enter into a visible covenant for themselves and their posterity 2 God expects it at the hands of them both 3 God ingages himselfe to use them as instruments to doe good to them as he sees fit God wil give grace to his children he will use them to his own mind God will use them as instruments but he will doe them good as he sees fit not that parents can give grace or worke grace in their children and therefore speak not so for that is as if when God works upon the heart by the preaching of the word you should say the Minister gives grace 4 God accounts children as having federall holinesse 1 When believing Parents enter into a visible covenant they doe enter into it for themselves and children But they must enter into a visible covenant the reason of it is because communication of them that doe so enter into covenant doe in reason belong to them that be in a community of other according to rationall charity because God gives the priviledges of his holy things to a community of men and they must judge according to a rule of charity and passe sentence as things appeare according to that rule For if it be left to every privat man to judge that every man may judge himself fit and be his owne Judge to partake of the ordinances then these two evils will follow 1 An abusing and prophaning Gods holy things for he would carve all