Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	lord_n	sin_n	3,005	5	4.4939	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41142	Wilfull impenitency, the grossest selfe-murder all they who are guilty of it, apprehended, tryed and condemned in these sermons, preached at Rochford in Essex not long before his death / by ... Mr. William Fenner ...	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.	1648 (1648)	Wing F712; ESTC R14613	82,808	158

the feare of the Lord They did not use any liberty of will to choose that which was good What was it because they could not no for albeit they could not yet that was not the cause No they would none of my counsell they despised all my reproofe v. 30. Marke the reason why they did not choose was not because they could not choose but because they would not It s true God doth not give them power to believe and to be renewed but can they say though I wouldse riously God would not were they able to say thus though I desired it heartily God would not give me grace then they had some colour to cast it upon God I would but God would not But they cannot cast it upon him How often would I have gathered thee together even as the Hen gathereth her chickens but thou wouldest not I would sayd God but you would not nay how often would I but you would not Mat. 23.37 Though God be not so willing as to give them all power to believe and be saved yet he is aforehand with them It s true if the wicked should will as far as they are able to will yet their will were not able full out but this doth not excuse them because God alwayes resolved to be aforehand with them Indeed as in Mat. 25.29 God gives his servants this rule by which he ever goes towards them unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance speaking of things in eodem genere But to apply it to a man in the state of nature is to say grace is given according to workes which is the very dreggs of Pelagianisme Yet how ever all this is a most encouraging intimation Let any man use the power that God gives him and he shall have more As he that takes paines for learning As he that useth meanes to increase his estate may find in ordinary providence the hand of the diligent makes rich He that useth a penny well makes it two-pence hee that useth two pennies very well makes it a groat So that though there be not such an Infallibilis nexus that God hath bound himselfe in the use of our naturall abilities to adde supernatural graces yet undoubtedly he will never be wanting to promote any good worke till men neglect or contemne And this leaves men wholly without excuse and shewes it is not their cannot but their will not which betrayes them to their spirituall losses namely their wilfull rejecting of Gods gracious offers It s true God gives the wicked but one Talent when he giveth his children foure two at the least but they cannot say he is austere reaping where he sowed not gathering where he strewed not No There 's the same proportion between one Talent and gathering one more as there is betweene two and the gathering of two others c. You know that they are ready to complain as Christ shewes it in the Parable Lord I know that thou wast a bard man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strowed But ye remember also the Lords answer Thou wicked and sloathfull servant c. Mat. 25.26 Marke he casts the blame upon his wilfulnesse that he would not take paines for to trade So the wicked complain alas God hath not sowen any power of conversion in my heart and will hee looke for to reape it This is austerenesse and hardnesse of dealing Oh thou wicked and sloathfull servant c. Why didst thou not trade with the Talent that J gave thee One Talent should beget one as well as two beget two c. But I gave thee wit and thou buriedst it in the earth and hast bin earthly with it I gave thee knowledge and thou hast hid it in the earth and not traded for reformation according to it c. Alas thou canst not pleade a cannot but only a will not It s true that if one wicked mans will be more willing then another it is not from himselfe but from God For what hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4.7 It s God that maketh one wicked man to differ from another in goodnesse and to be better then another One wicked man is a drunkard and another is better c. One wicked man is more wilfull another is lesse It s God that makes this difference yet notwithstanding it s his own fault that he is not so good as his neighbour especicially when he sits under better helpes then his neighbour The men of Nineveh shall rise up against this generation and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold a greater then Jonah is here See this generation was worse then Nineveh Nineveh repented a great way even in sackeloth and ashes but this generation doth not I grant it was God that did make them do more then this generation doth do For all would be alike wilfull if it were not for him But yet this generation cannot plead in judgement Lord thou wast not so gratious unto us as to Nineveh No Jesus Christ expresly telleth them Nineveh shall rise up in judgement against them q. d. Nineveh was not so wilfull as you Nineveh would but you would not Our Saviour Christ ascribes it to their wilfullnesse that they were not so willing as Nineveh Nineveh would but you would not Thus you see the suppositions which I beseech you remember as we go least perhaps you mistake us The reason why the wicked do not repent nor come out of their sinnes is not because they cannot though they cannot but because they will not Peter saith to Ananias why hath Satan filled thy heart to ly to the holy Ghost to keepe back part of the price of the Land was it not once in thy power Before thou didst promise 't was in thy power whether thou wouldst promise or no did any force thee to promise and when thou hadst promised did any squeeze the lie out of thy tongue that thou shouldest tell a lie to the Holy Ghost did any drag thy fingers to the money and force thee to handle it no thou wouldst lie and thou wouldst finger it 7 Demonstrations to prove this 1. The wicked thinke they have power and yet they will not doe according to their thoughts What 's the reason they presume to repent another time but because they thinke they have power what 's the reason they hope to repent on their death beds but because they thinke they have power or at least that they are able to beg power of Christ Jesus Now by their own thoughts God will convince them that they do not give over their sinnes because they will not like the sluggard yet a little more sleepe yet a little more slumber yet a little more folding of the hands to sleepe the sluggard he thinks he can rise time enough and do all his businesse e're night though

of base Pleas and Pretences 1. This same pleading is the cause why you are lazy and idle in the use of the meanes viz. because you suffer your hearts to plead oh we cannot do it p. 104 2. This same pleading brings up an evill report upon piety and godlinesse p. 105 3. This same pleading is a murmuring against God q. d. why does God give me such commandements that I cannot observe ibid. 4. This is the sawsiest excuse of all excuses p. 107 Nay fifthly here lies the reason why Divines say that the conversion of a sinner is an harder work then the creation of heaven and earth first because p. 108 Here is the same difficultie that was in creation for God makes a Convert of nothing ibid. As there was nothing praeexistent in the creation t● helpe so there was nothing to resist but here is something to resist the will it resisteth ibid. The danger of sticking at a will-not is further cleared 1. If you will not Gods Ministers have discharged their duties and have left your blood on your own hands p. 100 2. If you will not the Gospel hath delivered its errand ye are guilty of your own everlasting perdition p. 111 Nay thirdly if you will not The blood of Jesus Christ hath done that it came for p. 112 4. If you will not you murder your own soules ibid. A seasonable Item to the redeemed of the Lord that they take heede of will-nots for p. 114 1. We never sin against Gospel but onely upon wil-nots p. 115. 2. We never despise God but only upon wilnots ibid. 3. Conscience can never condemne us but only upon will-nots p. 116 4. God can never be angry with us but only upon wil-nots ibid. The end of the Table Wilfull Impenitency the grossest Selfe-Murder EZECH. 18.31 32. For why will yee dye O yee house of Israel THe wicked in this Chapter dispute against God the Fathers have eaten sower Grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge Our Fathers have sinned and we are punished a common cavill in every naturall mans heart when it s urged Adam fell and his poor posterity smart for it if God will needs damne us he may we have no power for to help it for who hath resisted his Will this is mans Syllogisme God who might send man to hell for an answer answers calmly 1. By abjuration as J live sayth the Lord ye shall not have occasion to use this proverbe any more as Israel v. 3. 2. By an assertion the soule that sinneth it shall dye v. 4. no soule shall dye but only the same that doth sin 3. By explication of himselfe if a man do that which is right he shall live vers. 5 6. if he have bin never so wicked yet if he returned he shall not dye v. 21. 4. By appealing to their consciences have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should dye saith the Lord and not that he should returne and live vers. 23. have I any pleasure I appeale to all your consciences have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should dye 5. By retorting heare now O house of Jsrael is not my way equall or are not your wayes rathere unquall v. 25. 6. By a conclusion therefore I will judge you O house of Jsrael every one according to his wayes vers. 30. 7. By a finall decision of the whole controversie repent and turne your selves c. so iniquity shall not be your ruine cast away from you all c for why will ye die c. Where we have these foure things 1. God disclaimes all cause of their damnation from his secret will I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth 2. He removes all cause of their destruction from his revealed will repent and turn your selves c. so iniquity shall not be your ruine cast away c. 3. He disavowes all cause of their destruction from his permissive will as though that were gilty accessary to it they can have no colour why they are not wrought upon make you a new heart and a new spirit Make the fault lie not at his dore no it lies at your dore make you a new heart 4. He casts all the cause of their destruction upon their own rebellious wills Why will ye dye O house of Jsrael 1. What is the cause yee live in your sinnes and die and perish in your sinnes is it because I am not mercifull you know I am gracious and full of mercy and ready to forgive why then why will ye die O house of Israel 2. Is it because I am swift to revenge you know I am slow to anger and give you a warning before I consume you why then will ye die O house of Jsrael 3. Is it because I will destroy you for Ahaz or Manasses or Zedekiahs or Adams sinne quasi canis peccatum sus dependeret you know that if the sonne walke not in the fathers sinne I use to receive him you can beare me witnesse I call you to a new covenant why then will ye die O house of Jsrael 4. Is it because ye have no Saviour you know that the Lambe of God Christ Iesus was slaine for you from the beginning of the World that you may be saved upon faith 5. Is it because ye have no power ye know I offer you grace and power and ye will not have it why then will ye die c. 6. Some Authors alleadge five whies more why will ye c. Is it for this cause or that cause or that or what cause is it no cause on Gods side no ye may thanke your own wils if you perish this this only accuseth you you will not be ruled you are carelesse of God Christ grace and you will be so ye are vaine and carnall and obstinate and ye will bee so woe unto thee O Ierusalem wilt thou not be made cleane when shall it once be Jer. 13.27 he does not say woe unto thee Jerusalem canst thou not be made clean but wilt thou not be made clean Presuppositions not to be mistaken 1. It s true that a wicked man cannot repent nor be converted of himselfe but this cannot only do's not hinder him if a wicked mans cannot only did hinder him he might excuse himself before the tribunall of Christ Lord thou knowest I did my best I would have bin ruled by thy word but I could not I would have bin bumbled and reformed better then I was but J could not If a wicked mans cannot did hinder him he might excuse himselfe thus But alas he is not able to say thus without peremptory lying Lord I could not chuse but do wickedly I acted most wretchedly but I could not otherwise chuse though it was not in thy power not to be born in originall sinne yet who necessitated thee to commit such grosse actuall sins In Prov. 1.29 they hated knowledge they did not chuse