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	love_n	love_v	4,903	5	6.7044	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69521	The orthodox foundation of religion long since collected by that iudicious and elegant man, Mr. Henry Ainsworth, for the benefit of his private company, and now divulged for the publike good of all that desire to know that Cornerstone, Christ Jesus crucified / by S.W.	Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?; S. W. (Samuel White)	1641 (1641)	Wing A811; ESTC R8781	48,874	90

most perfect and it being all an understanding needs must this conception of his be most perfect And so a most perfect generation which is a second manner of beeing called the Image or person called the Image of the Sonne of God the Image of his hypostasis And seeing that which God understandeth and his Essence is one and the same needs must the Essence and excellencie of the Father and the Sonne be both one and eternall Thus God cannot be minded to be but with his coeternall Sonne As there is an understanding in the Godhead so needs must there be a will also and the more understanding the more and perfecter is the will and in God there being a perfect understanding there must be also needs a perfect will and as the understanding is active essentially in the Godhead so is the will and as hee understandeth himselfe as the most perfect thing so also hee willeth himselfe as the most perfect good and thus the will reflecteth as did the understanding Gods infinite wil imbracing an infinite willed thing there must needs be infinite love and highest pleasure proceede there-from so whilst the eternall Father conceiveth his Sonne and perfectly willeth it there must needs be full and perfect love from the Father to the Sonne and from the Sonne to the Father so from both proceedeth a third manner of beeing called the third person the Holy Spirit It is called a Spirit for three causes 1 Because love is the inforcing or motive of the Will to the thing loved and as it were a spiring and breathing to it and because the Father breatheth in love to the Sonne and the Sonne againe to the Father therefore the Holy Spirit is right said to proceed from them both 2 It is called a Spirit because the proceeding of the motive betweene the Father and the Sonne is by a hidden way 3 Because Gods children perceive Gods gifts the gifts of love by secret inspiration It is called holy to discerne it from other spirits and because nothing can be more holy than this in God and because it maketh holy and sanctifieth the Church And seeing Gods Will and Essence is one in him the Holy Ghost must needs be one with the Father and the Sonne coequall and eternall Thus by undoubted principles from Gods essence there are three manner of subsistings in God and there can be neither more nor lesse unlesse we will deny God The Holy Spirit is taken as spoken substantially or accidentally substantially it meaneth a thing most simple in essence most active in efficacie Againe that it is taken either essentially and so it comprehendeth God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost as Joh. 4.24 or personally applyed to the third person of the Trinity Accidentally the word is used for a gift or motion of the Holy Spirit Joh. 7.39 but in the 1 Cor. 12. the Spirit and the gifts are plainly distinguished The three persons have one and the same common Essence and common workes of the Essence and of one divine Essence there are three persons The persons are distinguished from the essence as the maner of a thing is from the matter and they are distinguished one from another as the manner of the Essence one from another The difference of the persons is inward and outward the inward difference is the personall propertie which floweth from the manner of beeing The Father is of himselfe not only in respect of Essence but also in respect of being the Father begetteth his Image or Son the Father sendeth the Holy Ghost The Sonne as touching the Essence is of himselfe as touching the manner of being hee is of the Father The Sonne is begotten of the Father the Sonne sendeth the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost in respect of the Essence is of himselfe in respect of the maner of the Essence he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The outward difference is when the persons are distinguished by the effects and operations towards the creatures As is the order of beeing so is the order of doing in the persons the Father doth of himselfe the Son in the Father and the Holy Ghost in both The Father createth conserveth and governeth the world the Sonne Redeemeth the world the Holy Ghost sanctifieth it Gods properties are either absolute or they have relations to the creatures Properties of the Essence generally considered are 1 unchangeablenesse as that the Essence of God is without all corruption alteration or locall motion Jam. 1.17 2 Infinitenesse as that God cannot be measured or determined by any hath no quantity no determination of his power vertue time and place Properties of the Essence specially considered are understanding will and holinesse 1 Gods understanding is such as hee perfectly knoweth all things in himself without discoursing of things or distance of time 2 Gods will is such that hee approveth the good and refuseth the evill himselfe directly is all good and indirectly other things are good as they carry his image and whatsoever hee will that hee can but not whatsoever hee can hee will 3 Holinesse is that high perfection and patterne of all vertue in respect whereof the holinesse and vertues of all men and Angels are but shadowes of this holinesse ariseth high blessednesse and contentation in God Gods properties referred to the creatures are vertues or vertuous acts Gods vertues in respect of his nature is power whereby he can effect what when and howsoever hee will concerning any creature Psalm 145.6 Job 41.2.3 Gods power is onely active and not passive depending on any other Eph. 1.19 20. Gods power is infinite in respect of his Essence of the objects of the effects and of the durance God can do all things that absolutely simply and in nature are possible Job 42.3 Thus things are absolutely possible to be done which are not contradictory to the nature of God nor to the Essence of other things without God he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 Quest Whether can God do a thing against Nature Answ. If against be meant contradictory to Nature so as it repugneth the Essence essentiall properties and definition of things then God cannot doe such as God cannot make a body should be infinite a reasonable creature without reason for the nature of things are subordinate to the nature of God as second causes to the first and things subordinate overthrow not their nature if against be meant above the power of secondary causes as of water to make wine to make water out of stones or if it be meant the hinderance of their naturall actions of things flowing from their particular properties as to let the fire from burning the sunne from moving such things God hath done and can doe daily Gods vertue in respect of understanding is his fore-knowledge whatsoever is or commeth to passe in time be it good or evill with all the effects and events of actions

God foreknew before all eternity for all things are of God and his ordering and hee being infinite his understanding admitteth no distinction of time he hath all objects alwayes present Gods knowledge is certaine and infallible so as it is not possible things should fall out otherwise than he knew for hee hath his knowledge from himselfe not from the creatures Gods fore-knowledge imposeth no necessity upon the events Gods vertues in respect of his will are bounty and justice Bounty is that by which out of love God procureth to every creature the good thereof and it is common and particular common bounty is towards all creatures even such as offend him directing them to their naturall good and sustaining them therein so long as justice suffereth Luk. 6.36 God cannot hate his creatures as his workes for so they carry a similitude of God the first cause and none can hate himselfe or his similitude for a similitude is something of himselfe Gods bounty to his creatures presupposeth not any debt or duty which implyeth imperfection and if God were bound to his creatures he should depend on them and be imperfect Gods bounty which is infinite giveth creatures good things of nature of soule and body and of outward things Such is Gods bounty as the creatures suffer no evill unlesse Gods justice require it or a greater good confirme it of this vertue God is called patient and long suffering Particular or speciall bounty is that whereby God loved some men in Christ fallen into sinne and furthereth them to eternall salvation Gods speciall bounty is the first beginning both of salvation and of the meanes thereto This bounty is no inherent quality in us but wee are the object of it it is a grace making us gratefull not finding us so Gods Justice is a vertue by which he executeth his love to reasonable creatures giving rewards to the obedient and punishment to the obstinate Gen 18.24 Gods Justice is essentiall and unchangeable as hee cannot of his bounty forgive the creatures punishment unlesse his justice be satisfied Gods vertue in respect of his understanding and will together is truth or veracity whereby he so manifesteth himselfe to the reasonable creature both by words signes and workes as indeed hee is Revel. 15.3 God hath in himself the patterne of all true things so that whatsoever in the creature is true is so because of the first truth in the mind of God Truth in God is essentiall and so unchangeable but truth in man is contingent and so changeable Seeing Gods truth is essentiall his testimony must needs be authenticke Hither of Gods vertue now follow their acts that is the exercise the applications of these vertues to the manifestation of his glory Gods actions are either the decreeing of things or the execution of the decree Gods decree purpose or counsell is his purpose of exercising operations about the creatures and of decreeing them unto their end God worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Act. 4.28 Whatsoever God doth in time that hee did decree to doe from all eternity even as hee doth it The execution of the decree is an act whereby Gods counsell and purpose is shewed forth and applyed to the creatures by an effectuall operation Eph. 1.11 This is either first or arising of the first Gods first operation or execution of the decree is the creation of the world Gen. 1.1 Creation is the first perfect making of all things pure and good so the originall word importeth Gen. 1.1 Creation is of two sorts Immediate Mediate Immediate creation is the making things of meere nothing Heb. 11.3 Mediate creation is the making of things of some former matter but that matter so rude as that it is no better than nothing so God created man of the dust of the earth Gen. 2.7 Creation proceedeth from an infinite power and therefore excludeth all necessary matters for though God made man of the dust of the earth yet did he this not of necessity but could have made him also of nothing If God needed any matter to worke upon his power were not infinite but should depend on another thing and not be absolute The creation of the world was distinguished by the space of sixe dayes in respect of the effects and whole world created and for our better capacity And for as much as God is above all time and of infinite power it is to be thought hee created every thing particular in a moment saying Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1.3 In the first day were created the heavens and the earth and matter mixt together and light Gen. 1.1 2. Angels Job 38.7 minerals and pretious stones In the second day was the out-spread firmament or heaven the division of waters above from the waters beneath Gen. 1.6 7 8. The heavens are threefold 1 The Aire wherein are the clouds and the fowles fly called thereupon the clouds of Heaven Dan. 7.13 and The fowles of Heaven Psal. 88. 2 The higher place wherein are set the Sunne Moone and Starres Gen. 1.17 3 The highest heavens where Gods glory is most manifest and the Angels attend upon his Majesty Mat. 6.9 hereupon Paul mentioneth the third heaven 2 Cor. 11.2 This seemeth to be made the first day and the Angels the inhabitants therein Gen. 1.1 Job 38.6 7. The division of the waters was such that some remained below with the earth some as the watery vapors were lift up above the heavens that is above the lower region of the aire wherein they congeale and after dissolve into raine snow and dew In the third day was a twofold worke first gathering of the nether waters into one place or sea that the dry land might appeare Secondly the bringing forth of herbes and trees Gen. 1.9 10 11 12 13. In the fourth day was made the Sunne Moone and Starres to give light on the earth and to be for signes and seasons Gen. 1.14 In the fifth day was a twofold worke first fishes secondly fowles Gen. 1.22 23. In the sixt day was a twofold worke first beasts of all sorts secondly men Gen. 1.24 25 26. Man as touching his body was made of the dust of the earth to admonish him to humiliation his soule was imbreathed of God The woman as touching her body was made of Adams ribbe to admonish man and wife of their conjunction her soule being also imbreathed Man besides naturall gifts had also superiority and carrieth Gods Image whereof more hereafter This whole creation God hath so compact together as that it is one world environed about with the heavens neither have wee ground in Gods Word nor in reason to thinke there are more Worlds than this one The world is knit together by the severall parts the heavens to the fire the fire to the aire aire to the Water water to the earth so

these 1 Ignorance whereby wee cannot know the truth nay not often with much labour 2 Obscurity and confusion in the understanding 3 Hardnesse to conceive and retaine things in the memory Punishments in respect of the body are 1 Common weaknesse and frailties of all men 2 Speciall disposition to sicknesse and diseases 3 Paine and labour especially in women paine of child-bearing 4 Deformity and want of beauty and comlinesse thorow evill proportion of the members or evill colour 5 Famine withholding or taking away the fruits of our lands chattels c. 6 Want or losse of children 7 Contentions emulations reproaches infamies warres among men 8 Many things against health good name goods and livelihood yea there is the punishment of deaths temporall the separation of soule and body and deaths eternall separation of soule and body from God from all felicity and glory called the second death The second death is to be minded first for the parts and degrees of it secondly for the circumstance of time and place The parts and degrees are these 1 the damned have no communion with God nor participation of grace 2 Thes. 1.9 2 They are united unto Satan and are partakers of his punishments 3 They are ashamed and confounded because their sinnes are manifested Rev. 20.12 4 They are ashamed and fret and envie the felicity of the Saints in Heaven Psalm 112.10 5 They are horribly pained and tormented with feeling Gods wrath and the worme of conscience The circumstances of time and place are these first of place which is hell the bottomlesse deepe the utter darknesse Gen. 16. Luk. 13.21 2 Pet. 2. Secondly of time and that will ever breake the heart of the damned which is eternity that hee is past hope of ever going out or having end of his paines Mat. 25.46 All sinne of its owne nature requireth punishment Rom. 6.23 Punishment is evill in respect of the sufferer good in respect of God that afflicteth it justly for sinne As sinne hath taken away the agreement with the nature of God so punishment hath taken away the communion with the felicity of God Mans misery is remediable through the mercy of God though God spared not the Angels that sinned yet the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared The remedy of our misery consisteth of two things 1 A deliverance from sin Secondly our reformation to the Image of God Psal. 32.1 2 Cor. 3.18 Our deliverance from sinne containeth foure things 1 Election to life eternall by God the Father 2 Redemption by God the Sonne Psal. 130.8 3 Justification Rom. 5.1 4 Sanctification and reformation into the Image of God by the Holy Ghost In our first estate wee had two things Gods favour and Image In our fall and misery wee have two things Satans Image and Gods displeasure In our restauration are had two things reconciliation to Gods favour and restoring of his Image God from all eternity did predestinate appoint and elect some Angels and some men to be for ever heires of the riches of his grace and glory 1 Tim. 5.2 1 Pet. 2.8 God keepeth the Angels that they cannot fall conserving and increasing their happinesse Joh. 13. Jer. 22.40 Mat. 24.24 Election is of God the Father Eph. 1.2 3. and onely some few men are elected unto life and they out of all sorts Jewes and Gentiles Matt. 20.16 Rom. 9.24 Rev. 7.9 Election hath two acts and degrees concerning the end which is eternall glory the first of God then of the creature Secondly the meanes to the end Rom. 9.11 The first act touching the end is Gods purpose to take some men which were to be created to eternall grace and glory leaving other some The second act is his purpose whereby hee ordaineth these men being to fall in Adam unto eternall glory through Christ Joh. 3.16 6.47 The signes testimonies and benefits of our election in Christ are an effectuall calling the gifts of lively faith Act. 13.4 5. 2 Thess. 2.13 14. Justification Rom. 8.30 and glorification begun in this life by holinesse being predestinated thereunto Eph. 1.4 That unto which God hath elected us is first Adoption of sonnes Secondly Sanctification Thirdly Eternall life The first and onely moving cause of Election is the good-pleasure and love of God Eph. 1.5 Rom. 9.18 Eph. 1.11 Christ being the ground-worke hereof This is further confirmed thus God is the beginning of his actions Rom. 11.35 The first beginning dependeth upon no other outward beginning but God should depend upon an other outward beginning if he could not elect whom he would without having respect of their faith faith is the effect of election Act. 13.48 therefore it cannot be the cause or before election The meanes whereby wee are predestinated is Jesus Christ Eph. 1.5 Christ is not the first moving cause but the meane for hee is onely Gods Sonne and we being predestinated to the adoption of Sonnes have the Sonne-ship by communion with Christ Gods election is firme and immutable Esay 46.10 2 Tim. 2.19 The meanes whereby wee come to be assured that wee are elected are these First the Gospell teaching that all truly beleeving shall be saved Tit. 1.2 and wee knowing wee beleeve assure our selves by the effects of election found in our selves as effectuall calling faith justification sanctification and good workes Secondly by the testimony of Gods Spirit in us Rom. 8.9.16 17. 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12. 2 Cor. 1.21.23 We judge our selves elect by the judgement of faith which is infallible 1 Thes. 1.4 Adoption is the first and proper thing whereunto we are predestinated and there is no exceeding benefit whereof it should not be the effect as in the Trinity the Father is first then the Sonne and the Holy Ghost In the order of working our salvation the first is the Father predestinating the second is the Son redeeming the third is the Holy Ghost sanctifying That the Father is first in working see Joh. 5.19.30 16.13 14. Adoption being then the worke of the Father it is before Redemption and so before Justification and Sanctification The first worke of Grace in bringing us to Christ is given by the Father Joh. 6.65 44 37 39. Opposite to Election is Reprobation which is Gods decree to leave some in their sinne and misery and for sinne to damne them or reprobation is Gods decree to passe by some and not elect them and to permit those to fall into sinne and to punish them eternally for sin Herein are two acts 1 Negative 2 Positive Negative to refuse or not elect positive to punish for sinne for that from which they are reprobate is from grace and glory and that whereto they are appointed is damnation the cause of not electing Gods just pleasure and will Mat. 11. Rom. 9. without respect of good or evill in the creature the cause of the second act damnation is mans sinne God is hee that