Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	grace_n	justify_v	work_n	3,127	5	6.4559	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86586	An exercitation concerning the nature of forgivenesse of sin. Very necessary (as the author humbly conceiveth) to a right informaion [sic], and well grounded decision of sundry controversal points in divinity now depending. Directly intended as an antidote for preventing the danger of antinomian doctrine. And consequently subservient for promoting the true faith of Christ and fear of God, in a godly righteous, and sober life. / By Thomas Hotchkis, Master of Arts of C.C.C.C. and minister of Gods word at Stanton by Highworth in the county of Wilts. To which is prefixed Mr. Richard Baxters preface.	Hotchkis, Thomas.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1654 (1654)	Wing H2891; Thomason E1518_1; Thomason E1632_1; ESTC R208563	133,342	405

for Justification and Remission of sin are all one as I shal demonstrate in the sequel of this Exercitation do work in or upon the sinner a real change and as to the reality therefore of a change there seems to me to bee no difference at all and yet there being sundry kinds of real changes or all real changes being not of the same kind this to my seeming is the difference betwixt them viz. That Gods sanctifying a sinner doth work a real change in the sinner from Corruption to Grace from the evil of sin to the good of holinesse which for that cause may not unfitly be stiled a real moral or holy change and Gods justifying or pardoning a sinner doth work in him or upon him a real change from the evil of misery or punishment to the good of happinesse and which for that reason docendi gratiâ I may stile a real physical or political or happy change but why this change should be stiled purely relative and be denied to be real in way of contradiction to that of Sanctification I for my part am not as yet convinced this change being such in reality and in very deed as is wrought in or upon a poor naked and wounded man when of poor he is made rich and of wounded is made whole Thus really as to mee seemeth doth Gods justifying or pardoning a sinner alter or change the sinner from what he was afore as well in person as in relation the subjects of this change as really differing from those who are not justified and pardoned as doth a child of wrath and mercy or as doth a Saint in glory from a Reprobate in hell Solid and judicious Mr. Blake in his Vindiciae Foeàeris in his undertaking to prove Justification to be not an Immanent but a transient act in God doth seem to vary from what hath been commonly taught by our Divines in acknowledging that the Effect which Justification doth work as terminated in a sinner is a * The like also doth Mr. Burges acknowledg in his Book of Justif p. 169. real Effect for otherwise I see no cause why he should parallel Gods grace in justifying a sinner to the grace or favour which Pharaoh did expresse towards Joseph in bringing him out of Prison saying That act of Pharaoh had as real an effect upon Joseph and was terminated in him in his advancement out of Prison for rule in Egypt as though a Physician in case of sicknesse had wrought a cure upon him For my own part I cannot but think that look what real change is wrought in a poor prisoner by his deliverance out of prison or in a wounded man by his cure such a real change is wrought in or upon a sinner by Gods justifying and pardoning him Gods remitting sinners being resembled to or being set forth by healing the broken hearted delivering Captives and setting at liberty them that are bruised And yet notwithstanding the said comparison to illustrate that change which Justification doth work in a sinner Mr. Blake and in that particular I am not satisfied doth expresly deny That Justification doth work any physical change in man and in that saying I cannot but professe my dissent from him The reason why our Divines have commonly denyed that Justification or remission of sin doth work any real change or any change upon the sinner more then relative I humbly conceive to be this viz. Because they do generally look upon remission of sin to be onely a disobligation of the sinner from punishment i. e. from being bound to suffer that punishment which otherwise would have been sooner or later inflicted but seeing remission of sin is as wel Gods taking away of punishment already inflicted upon the sinner as Gods discharge of the sinner from being obliged to suffer that punishment which otherwise according to desert hee would have inflicted at one time or other as in this respect the change is relative so in that respect it is unquestionably real CHAP. XXIV The Description of forgivenesse of sin given by that very learned and godly Divine Dr. Twisse which is by some highly commended as most accurate examined and refuted and the evil consequences of the same detected together with the Authors Apology for his taking upon him in ought to expresse his dissent from men of such prime worth Stars of the first Magnitud as confessedly that Doctor was CONSECT XVII 17. IT followes That that Description of D. Twisse undertaking to acquaint us with the nature or quiddity of Remission of sin is not Vsquequaque quadrant consistent with truth he saying That remission of sin is nothing else but either Gods denying to punish or else his will not to punish His words are Remissio peccatorum si quidditatem inspicias nihil aliud est quam aut punitionis negatio aut volitionis puniendi negatio Lib. 2. pag. 273. It is the latter part of the Doctors description which I do dissent from and shall endeavour to expugne In my entrance hereupon I shal suspect that some will censure my attemps herein as also what I shall in an intended supplement to this Discourse attempt in one point against Mr. Pemble as an act of insolency and unsufferable presumption objecting against mee with such reproach as Mr. Kendal doth against Mr. Baxter for a like attempt against the selfe same renowned Authour saying Sic dama Leonem Insequitur audetque viro concurere virgo Surely Mr. Kendal hath said Satis pro imperio satis pro opprebrio whereby to deter any such as I am from contradicting ought in the said worthy Authours he having concluded his Digression against Mr. Baxter with this Sarcasme Ne tu divinam Iliada tentes Sed longè sequere vestigia semper adora But my Apology is 1. As I do much magnifie the said Authours Dr. Twisse and Mr. Pemble worthily accounted among the most pious and learned Divines that our English Nation hath brought forth so I should abhor my selfe as in dust and ashes should my conscience in the least accuse me of any willingnesse to detract from them or of seeking to magnifie my self in opposing them unto whose inferiours by very many degrees I must ever confesse my selfe inferior not a little 2 An endeavour as in the fear of God with modesty and humility to discover errour in whomsoever and to vindicate the truth specially such Truthes and Errors which are of momentous consequence will be I doubt not acceptable to God however it should prove ungrateful to some men 3. By how much any man is more eminently pious and learned who hath vented and laboured in the support of an Errour by so much the more taking and spreading is the Error like to prove 4. I am verily perswaded that were the foresaid Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now living upon earth they would upon all due occa●ion declare themselves to be men after Davids heart in this particular even as David was a man after Gods

and thing yet had not been continued under some new name e. g. Apollinis tripos Concessus Apostolicus Aarons Brest-plate Vrim and Thummim Englands Oracle The Church Vertual or the like Notio secunda as unto whom all dissenting persons and parties both in our own and in all the Nations throughout the world might have had recourse for resolution in the great things and truthes of God But seeing that it was concluded by themselves that their company so constituted was no longer profitable to the Commonwealth I believe that Mr. Eyre is now convicted that their longer sitting was not like to be profitable for the Church whereupon I shall conclude that it was for want of foresight that Mr. Eyre did so far luxuriate in their high praises as to say That of any company of men on earth they were the fittest to umpire in such Theological Disputes as are betwixt him and his old School fellow Mr. Benjamin Woodbridg Let the second Negative Proposition be this viz. No sin is actually pardoned till a person bee made capable of it or put into a capacity of receiving or enjoying it This Proposition carries its owne evidence in the body or bowels of it for nothing is before it can be I shall therefore immediately apply my self to the resolution of the following Question Quest When is a person capable of receiving the actual pardon of his sins Or When are the Elect capable of receiving or actually enjoying that pardon which was so long since purposed purchased promised to and for them Answ 1. When they need it Quest When do they need it Answ When they are or do become sinners have committed sin or are guilty of sin Till sin be past pardon is to come To pardon sin before it is committed is to pardon sin that is no sin it is to pardon that which is not which is a contradiction and a meere impossibility for where there is no guilt there can be no pardon As a man is not capable of an Almes till he be miserable and indigent so nor of pardon till he be peccant Or as a man is not capable of a cure by Physick and Chyrurgery till he be sick and wounded so nor of pardon till he be sick of sin and wounded by it These similitudes are the rather apt because Gods pardoning sin is said to be his taking compassion on us Mic. 7.19 Luke 18. 13. God compassionate me a sinner saith the Publican and his healing us Isai 53.5 Hos 14.4 This is a remote capacity The next particular doth declare and set forth the sinners proximous or immediate capacity of pardon 2. Then are the Elect capable of actual pardon when they are in Gods way fit or fitted for it Quest When is that Answ When they see their sins I speak of persons adult or of ripe age confesse them repent for them believe in Christ See Act. 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witnesse that whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins Luke 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name among all Nations Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sin observe Repentance is given first and then remission As the ground is not capable of receiving the seed of the Husbandman till it be plowed so nor are the Elect capable of receiving the precious seed of pardon till the fallow ground of their hearts be plowed up by Repentance to speak in the metaphor of the Prophet Jeremy chap. 4.4 In this sense that saying of the Evangelist is most true according as by some it is interpreted John 1.16 Of his fulnesse we receive and grace for grace i. e. by reason of one grace we receive another even as the God of all grace doth give one grace in order to another e g. for or by reason of the grace of faith repentance and conversion all which were merited by Christ God gives us the grace of Remission according to that Proverbial saying among the Jewes and in this case appliable Habenti dabitur As God doth by Grace adapt or make us fit and meet for glory Col. 1.12 Giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet for the inheritance among the Saints in light So by one grace God doth make us meet for receiving of another And as the Wedding Garment did fit and make meet the Guests for the Wedding Supper so doth Faith Repentance and new obedience being as the Wedding Garment fit or make meet the sinner for partaking in the pardon of his sins which is as the Wedding Supper This particular is the rather to be observed because it is useful as otherwise so specially for these two purposes 1. To prevent and redresse the presumption of impenitent and ungodly sinners who are apt to expect to reap where they have not sowed and to gather where they have not strawed I mean who do usually expect an harvest of comfort in the pardon of their sins and to reape in mercy when they have not sowen to themselves one seed the least mustard seed of grace or one graine of righteousnesse to speak in the phrase of the prophet Hos ch 10.12 2. It is useful whereby to obviate or answer the common objection of the Antinomians wherby they would involve us as guilty of impeaching the freedom of Gods grace in the pardon of our sins because we affirme with the Scriptures that pardon of sinne cannot actually be enjoyed without the performance of such and such conditions the performance of which said conditions is notwithstanding of and cannot be without Gods free grace given to us and enabling us for that end and purpose I shall close this particular with the words of that very Learned and godly man Mr. Anthony Burges in his book of justification p. 18. There goe more causes to the pardon of sin besides the meritorious cause faith the instrumental cause which is as necessary in its kind for this great benefit as the meritorious cause is in its kind that though Christ hath born such a mans sins yet they are not pardoned till he doe believe for as the grace of God which is the efficient cause of pardon doth not make a sinne compleatly forgiven without the meritorious cause so neither doth the meritorious without the instrumental but there is a necessity of the presence and the cooperation of all these Caution Though I have not expresly made mention of the merits of Christ through his bloud shed in order to a sinners being made capable of pardon Neverthelesse 1. I doe acknowledg and let it be knowne that the intervention of his merits are necessary to the said sinners capability of pardon Whether his merits be so absolutely necessary hereunto as that God could not have pardoned a sinner without it although that be a question in the resolution whereof Learned and Godly men doe differ Mr. Owen the Learned Deane of