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	sin_n	will_n	3,206	5	6.5361	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33455	A catechism containing the principles of Christian religion together with a preparation sermon before the receiving of the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper, as it was preach'd in Serjeants-Inn Chappel in Fleet-Street, London / by James Clifford.	Clifford, James, 1622-1698.; Clifford, James, 1622-1698. A preparatory sermon for the worthy receiving of the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.	1694 (1694)	Wing C4702; ESTC R27090	66,204	177

not to drink Lev. 10. 10. strong drink that they may put difference between the holy and unholy Q. If the Church be Holy what are we to esteem of Swearers Lyers Whoremongers and such like wretched Persons that live in the Church Are they Members of the Church or no A. They are not so long as they live under the dominion of any notorious Sin but are as Chaff among Wheat whose end is to be burned Christ will come with his fan in his Mat. 3. 12. hand and will gather his wheat into his garner but will burn up the chaff with fire Q. May the Church of God obtain a Perfection of Holiness in this World A. No verily For howsoever the Triumphant Church is perfectly Holy at least in Soul These are they which are not defiled with Rev. 14. 4. women for they are virgins yet the Militant Church is but Holy only in part If we say we have no sin we deceive 1 Joh. 1. 8. our selves Q. By what means may Holiness be encreased A. By the diligent and frequent Use of God's Ordinance Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Joh. 17. 17. word is truth Q. Wherefore is the Church called Catholick A. The word Catholick signifieth Universal and the Church is so called for these Causes 1st In respect of Time because the Church hath been in all Ages is at this Present and shall continue by Succession● unto the World's End For the gates of hell shall not prevail Mat. 16. 18. against it 2dly In respect of the Members of the Church for they are universally gathered out of all Nations and People 3dly In respect of Place for the Church is dispersed in all Nations I beheld and lo a great multitude Rev. 7. 9. which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palms in their hands Q. Whether may any one be saded out of the Church A. No Man can be Saved out of the Church 1st Because without the Church there is no Saviour Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. 2dly Because whomsoever God hath chosen to the End which is Eternal Life he hath chosen to the Means which is the Inward and Outward Calling The Elect therefore though they be not at all times Members of the Visible Church yet they are made such before they die Q. Whether is there any such Counsel of God which hath severed some to be Saved and some to be Damned A. I do believe and am perswaded That there is Predestination which consisteth of these Two Parts Election and Reprobation Q. What is Election A. Election is the Eternal Unchangeable Free and most Just Decree of God whereby he hath decreed to convert some to Christ to preserve and keep them in Faith and Repentance and by them to give them Eternal Life Q. What is Reprobation A. Reprobation is such a Decree of God as whereby he hath decreed to leave some according to his most just Judgment in their Sins to punish them with Blindness and Damnation being not made Partakers of Christ everlastingly Both being God's Decree I know whom I have chosen Joh. 13. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will 2 Tim. 1. 9. His grace was given before the world Rom. 9. 18. was Q. How do you prove That there is Election in God A. It is proved by Testimony of Scripture He chose us in him before the foundation Joh. 15. 16. of the world Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you As many as were ordained to eternal life believed He predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his will Q. How do you prove That there is Reprobation in God A. It is proved also by Scripture God doth shew his justice on the vessels Rom. 9. 22. of wrath Who were before of old ordained to Jud. 4. this condemnation It is given unto you to know the secrets Mat. 13. 11. of the kingdom of heaven but to them it is not Q. What are the Causes of Predestination A. The Efficient and Motive Cause of our Election is the good Pleasure of God who hath not fore-seen any thing in us for which he should chuse us for there can be no good thing in us as of our selves seeing we are by Nature the Children of Wrath as well as others So likewise the Efficient Cause of Reprobation is the most free good Pleasure of God for we being all by Nature the Children of Wrath had all perished if Sin were the Cause of Reprobation wherefore the Cause of Reprobation is not in Men themselves but that is in God's Will in shewing forth his Justice Therefore of particular Men why this Man is elected and he reprobated there can be no other Reason given but the good Pleasure of God only But the Cause of Damnation is altogether in Men which is Sin He hath mercy on whom he will and Rom. 9. 12. whom he will he hardneth Q. Is Predestination Vnchangeable or no A. Predestination is Firm and Unchangeable which may appear by this Reason Because God is Unchangeable and doth not depend on the Interchangeable Course of Things but the same rather dependeth on his Decree What therefore he hath from Everlasting decreed of Saving the Elect and Condemning the Reprobate that hath he unchangeably decreed And therefore both Election and Reprobation is Firm and Unchangeable This is the Father's will That of all Joh. 6. 36. which he hath given me I should lose nothing My counsel shall stand and I will do Isa 46. 10. whatever I will I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. None shall pluck my sheep out of my Joh. 10. 28. hand Q. Whether are the Elect always Members of the Church A. The Elect are not always Members of the Church but then first when they are converted and regenerated by the Holy Ghost If any man have not the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. the same is not his Q. Whether may the Elect fall from the Church or not and the Reprobate always continue A. The Elect cannot fall wholly and finally from the Church as hath been proved by the Unchangeableness of God's Predestination though sometimes they may fall from it but wholly and finally to forsake it they can never None shall pluck my sheep out of my Joh. 10. 23. hands But the Reprobate and Hypocrite do at length finally depart from the Church and fall away from Gospel-Gifts and Graces which they seemed to have They went out from us but they 1 Joh. 2. 19. were not of us for if they had been of us they would have continued with us Q. What is meant by Communion of Saints A. The Communion of Saints is the Society that all they that believe have one with another as Members of one Head Jesus