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	life_n	sin_n	2,939	5	4.9686	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86695	A dry rod blooming and fruit-bearing. Or, A treatise of the pain, gain, and use of chastenings. Preached partly in severall sermons, but now compiled more orderly and fully for the direction and support of all Gods chastened that suffer either in Christ, or for Christ in these dayes. By G. Hughes, B.D. pastor of the church in Plymouth.	Hughes, George, 1603-1667.	1644 (1644)	Wing H3308; Thomason E48_9; ESTC R14529	125,445	138

Spirit to bring in the severall vertues of Christ for perfecting our salvation in these speciall wayes 1. In answering the Spirit to his worke of union for as that from Christ takes hold of us so faith in us moved by the Spirit takes hold of him whereby the soule is actually united to him and by this union made partaker of all saving vertue in him therfore of the power of his death Rom. 11.20 Hence it is said that we are ingrafted into Christ by faith and no lesse that Christ dwels in our be arts by faith Ephes 3.17 Now the work whereunto faith moves us in this matter is to yeeld to the Spirits offer and to close with Christ as members whom he reveales as sent of God to be our head and so with him to become one Christ mysticall thus our minds by faith are moved to close with him by apprehending knowing and acknowledging him to be our head our wills by choosing him and yeelding to him as head and our hearts by faith also cleaving to him as head in loving fearing and delighting in him thus by consent of faith are we brought to union with Christ and thereby to communion in all his fulnesse whence we draw from his death that fruit which his death doth yeeld and from his resurrection that good which it carrieth for us and in a word from him thus we have grace for grace as the graft sucks out the juice and fatnesse of the good Olive 2. In answering to the Spirits worke of revelation faith is serviceable which faith doth and indeed onely can doe by making evident and reall to the soule what the Spirit by the word reveals Now indeed the greatest works of the Gospel on mens hearts are effected by revelation the Gospels light hath a mighty influence upon all saving effects Nothing of grace is wrought in a soule but by light this works life and all to men To the present case the Spirit reveales Jesus Christ the compleat salvation to his people his death the plague of their sin his resurrection the cause of their life to God and therefore a necessity of dying and living with him this revelation being made evident reall by faith unto a soule becomes not a Platonicall Idea or vaine speculation but an over-powering truth working it selfe into the heart and moulding it into its owne likenesse of death or life The power of such revelation is eminently averred by a mighty Apostle that was once a bitter enemy to the Gospel yet thus he speaketh Gal. 1.15 When it pleased God to reveale his Sonue in me immediately I conferred not with flesh and bloud It was so powerfull being evidenced by faith that it presently takes him from all carnall considerations knits him so fast to Christ that flesh bloud can never take him off somewhat like that fiery charret that separated Elijah from Elisha and took him unto God indeed such fire there is as well as light in these revelations realized by faith And that this is faiths serviceable worke to the Spirit so to evidence is cleare enough when it is styled the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 faith will convince when no light els can move The Spirit of revelation therefore meeting with faith Eph. 1.17.19 leaves great and mighty works upon that soule no lesse than the might of the power of God revealed to them can effect Such is that in the present instance when the Spirit revealing and faith evidencing the death of Christ to be sinnes destruction the soule is hereby lest dead unto sin Let faith therefore worke upon this revelation to evidence it that the minde may discerne it and heart rest upon it the life of sin will surely fall as the hearts of Israel at the sight of Goliah or as the man dyes at the piercing of the Cockatrices eye 3. Faith serves the Spirit to bring in the vertnes of Christ upon the soule in answering its application and direction concerning this matter by receiving one and obeying the other which being fitted for this instrument none but faith can answer It hath been declared before that the maine worke of bringing christ and his excellencies into the soule is upon the hand of Gods mighty Spirit This unites to him and reveales the force of him and by its spirituall energie gives or applies him intirely for life and every piece of him for the severall effects of grace with command so to receive him and expect the revealed force or vertue from him Now nothing but faith can sute the answer this onely receives what the Spirit gives and obeyes what the Spirit commands and so doing makes the soule have actuall experience of all that good of Christ ministred by his Spirit So that the obedientiall act of faith in receiving Christ as he is given in eying of him and depending on him as the onely salvation of his people is the onely way of faith to draw salvation from him So the like work of faith upon his death to evidence it the onely baine of sin in our flesh so to receive it in mind and will and heart and rest on it onely for this effect is the way to find the desired issue even the death of sin in our flesh To them therfore who are puzzeld with that question How faith should draw vertue out of Christ or his death I should onely reply premising that union with him and evidence of him forespoken it is by an obedientiall receiving the truth of him and resting on it to be made good by the Spirit of promise upon which reception all the benefits of person death and life are conferred by the arme of God upon that soule If God send this word to Naaman 2 Kings 5.10 Goe wash in Jordan seven times and be cleane though the water in it selfe had no more vertue to heale his leprosi● than anothers yet upon his obedience He that commanded did effect it Or a little more neer the case God commands Moses when the people were bitten with the fiery Serpents Num. 21.8 9. to make a brazen Serpent and set it upon a Pole with expresse word that if any bitten should look up unto it he should be healed and live If any now shall aske how did their looking to the brasse draw vertue for their recovery No satisfaction can be given but this their obedience being therein testified God fell not short of his word he healed while they were looking Our Lord himselfe applieth this to our present case Joh 3 14 15. As Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life As eying the brazen Serpent healed the fiery bite so looking upon Christ lifted up crucified and dying heales the poysonous bite of that old Serpent and the sting of sin that the soule shall not perish by it but live Some difference there is

not only the wounding smart but the healing sweet that still accompanies This will be a cordiall consideration against fainting 〈◊〉 27.5 Adde to this the greatest care of laying hold on Gods strength so shalt thou make and keep peace with him in all estates and nothing shall offend thee Christ is that strength of God given out to poore believers what can they not do in the worst condition through Christ that strengtheneth them In short strive against feares of future evills as well as smart of present cheer up thy heart and stirre up thy selfe to worke together with Christ in striving thou wilt finde greater influence of life from heaven This is thy duty in a carefull performance whereof thou wilt finde the surest cure of feares and answer to thy doubts but to this I must speak in the speciall use of chastenings which the Apostle makes hereafter 4. Case 4. Yet another stop is put in to keep out comfort from the afflicted soule It is the sad complaint of some from the sense of fruitlesnesse under the Rod Alas why should I be comforted in my sorrows when no good comes of all my sufferings I am scourged every day but never the better If the end of Gods chastenings be sharing in his holinesse or the fruit of righteousnesse I am a stranger unto God and these therefore may I conclude vengeance hath seised on me from my Judge not chastening from a father for I am unholy and unrighteous still in the midst of the fires barren and vile under all the prunings of God Poor soule Answ more to be pitied because so severe against thy selfe But is it all true that thou hast said and are there no issues of good from the Rod upon thy heart Give me leave a little to search and try what answer thy spirit in truth can make to some queries Tell mee deare Christian after all thy scourgings how are thy thoughts concerning God and Christ and sin and selfe Truly I think my self the vilest of creatures I have cause to do so even as loathsome as the Devils and sin I judge to be worse then death and hell it selfe and God I know to be that High and holy One O that I were like him and Christ I confesse the only way to God O that I could reach him and by him move unto the Father Now pray tell mee are not these right thoughts Hath not the time been that thou hast had harder thoughts of God and better of thy self harsh of Christ and pleasant concerning sin Hast not thou called sometimes sweet bitter and bitter sweet Is not this the rectitude or righteousnesse of God stampt upon thy minde Is not this a degree of sharing in his holinesse Tell mee then how is thy heart how stands thy affections what doest thou hate what doest thou love what doest thou feare and what doest thou desire where is thy delight Speake Christian and canst thou say otherwise than thus surely I would love God desire after him and delight in him I would feare to grieve I would hate sin and abhor my selfe for ever And is not this rectitude in thy affections and hath not the Rod turned thy heart more this way Nay once again tell me O thou afflicted which way is thy face whither bendest thou in wayes and walkings Is not God thy mark yea I would hit that and reach him if I could but alas I do not I cannot it 's but little it 's but little that my heart or wayes are turned to God-ward Yet a little is worth as much as life shall wee deny any because we have not all Doe not so poore soule lest thou wrong God in denying his grace acknowledge this and kisse the rod so will greater grace appeare But suppose the fruit were so little as scarcely visible yet there is hope by exercise waiting and blessing from heaven the dry rod may blossome and bring forth abundantly kill not thy selfe with faithles doubts with those wretched ones that say there is no hope and therefore conclude no farther labour is here usefull no no there is yet hope in the latter end the splitting of an oake by storme may spread the life of it into new sprouts in stead of killing it beleeve beleeve and be established abide in Christ close and yee shall bring forth much fruit to your fathers glory Cast not then away your comfort 5. Yet once more the shaking soule replies and will not be cheered Case 5. Alas grant this some small sparkes of righteousnesse may have a little kindling yet there is no warmth or influence in them if it were righteousnesse indeed it would bring peace but I am sure I have no peace I see frownes in Gods face but no smiles I find troubles within but no ease heart-akings no heart-revivings Were they chastenings of God they would bring peace but they are judgements they are vengeance therefore have I nought but trouble I confesse this case will prove hardest to satisfie Answ not from the weight of reason but from the disposition of the creature that feels nothing but disquietnesse in the flesh and therefore concludes nothing but wrath in its affliction reason will not satisfie sense and sense onely undertakes here to judge of peace no more peace will it grant but what it feels though to the spirit God speake never so much yet to quiet this heart too a little if it will but heare I shall present these considerations to be digested weighed with the case 1. Righteousnesse is the surer and the clearer fruit of chastening bearing witnes of the love of God in it Conscientia bona iniquicta Bernard though peace may seeme the sweeter and yet a conscience may be pure and troubled flight from sin pursuit of holines shall testifie Gods grace in every rod though the powers of hell may rack the soule to torture Psal 119.67.71 keeping word and learning Gods statutes is Davids evidence of the good of his affliction peace is not mention'd If righteousnesse appeare be comforted though peace be not come 2. Though peace be inseparably united unto righteousnesse and given of God together yet are they not alwayes coaetaneous in their existence upon the heart The sprouting out of both is reserved for the afterward of the affliction in the very text and indeed though sometimes they may rise together yet many times long after righteousnesse doth peace appeare in the soule It seemes to be so in that holy man of God who in the height of holy affections wanted the light of Gods countenance and therein peace yet thus he bespeaks himselfe Psal 42.5.11 Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance who is the health of my countenance and my God His face or presence is salvation and that the health and chearefulnesse of mine all my peace

adeoque exan●●e● prorsus quam ●um falsa imaginatione occupati nullum gratiae Dci gustum hebemus in rebus adversis Calv. in Text. Heb. 12.7 it concerning a peculiar piece of Gods speciall providence over his own about their afflictions this generall description may give light enough Gods chastening providence is his speciall care toward his chosen about the rod or afflictions here befalling them to order and dispense them so that they may not hurt but help to bring about all that good which the faithfulnes of God in the Covenant of grace is ingaged to doe for them This is a generall representation of that chastening care which inforceth cheerfulnesse on Gods afflicted so that the Apostle injoyneth therefore or for this cause lift up the hands c. In this combination severall particulars concur all carrying in them reviving vertue that who so suffers in this way hath reason to be cheered 1. The Author of this sharpe discipline it is God as the whole fore-going context declares and he not onely as the Father but as their Father also in Christ he owns the child for his whom he chasteneth he meddles not with bastards It is not a fruitless addition Ver. 8. that in the midst of this work he is called the Father of Spirits These notions of comfort at least are sweetly held forth in this fountaine of providence Ver. 9. 1. In this Father must needs be conceived the spring or rise of the childes beeing Psal 68.26 the fountaines of Israel gave beeing to their issuing streames even their children and can there issue from that same spring any thing to hurt or destroy the beeing it gives out Surely not but all for maintenance and perfection of it God that made his Children will have mercy on them not by rods destroy the works of his own hands Isa 57.16 Nay eye this he is Father of their Spirits soules had beeing from him therefore to their comfort and sustenance he will surely look when he afflicts the flesh and spirits are the fittest receptacles of joy and griefe the father of them must therefore look unto them to perfect not impaire to save and not destroy them by chastenings 2. In this Father onely is the power of chastening over the child this power carrieth in it two significats Right unto the correcting of a child and Strength to manage it both are in God this Father whence these reviving considerations arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potestas 1. God will not part with his right nor give the beloved of his soule into the hands of the Enemy that he should have right to punish or afflict what he doth against Gods children shall be counted greatest injury and oppression of Gods people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pote●●●a Ps 17.13 14. 2. God keeps all the power of chastening in his own hand none can doe as he pleaseth but God Now however the wicked may be Gods sword he leaves not the sword to hew and slay where it pleaseth but gives it the charge beyond which it cannot goe now will God use his power and strength to destroy his children It is incredible 3. In this Father is tendernes of bowells eminent toward his chastised ones and can a mans bowells be hardned against the fruit of them Psal 103.23 It cannot be unles sin make unnaturall Now no Father can pitie his child so as the Lord pitieth them that feare him Let these notions specifie the spring or Author of all chastening sorrows how will desperate complaints and repinings dye how will vertue spring and issue out to the great reviving of Gods humbled and chastened ones This is one thing that inforceth the Apostles Wherefore c. 2. The Mediator of this providence 2. Mediator of rod. 1 Cor. 8.6 for as God hath committed all judgement now unto his Son and governs the world by a Mediator so especially all things towards his Church his rod as well as his staffe is ordered by the hand of Christ unto them By one Lord Jesus Christ are all things that is for beeing preservation of all events and we by him that is the Church in all its conditions Now a Mediator is a notion full of grace and what ever passage of providence comes through him it must savour of grace as the water of the sulphareous veines of the earth or the wine of the perfumed bottle No rod but gracious can passe through the hand of Christ Now to this yet the respect which this Mediator hath to the sufferings of his Clients carrieth much life for us and it is three-fold 1. He himselfe is their leader or foregoing patterne in this hard way thus is he set before us to incourage in our following Look unto Jesus Heb. 12.2 c. who for the joy that was set before him c. He eyed the end and made no stop in the way but indured Crosse and despised shame and then sate downe at the right hand of the throne of God Its comfort to have a leader in an uncouth way but excellent such a one whose footsteps we may tread safely and so reach the desired end 2. He is a guide as well as leader he takes us by the hand as well as goes before us He is therefore knowne by those helpfull expressions Eves to the blind Eares to the deafe feet to the lame hiding place from the heate refuge from the storme and guide to such as walke in darknesse in sad and disconsolate wayes This is a reviving notion no darknes falls upon us but by the Mediator and he is surely a guide in it 3. He is a Conqueror over these harsh paths as well as a guide and leader in them It is his word to his Disciples Joh. 16.33 In the world yee shall have tribulations but be of good cheare I have overcome the world yea and all the tribulations of it therefore Gods children suffer under nothing but conquer'd afflictions and vanquish'd tribulations who would be dejected for these this also makes the wherefore strong 3. 3. Care of rod. The Providence or care it selfe dispensing and managing these rods is one thing more considerable in this combination to make the inference strong upon us for the following dutie and it is eminently carried in all those acts of chastening mention'd before the Text Now these cordiall notions are hence arising 1. The perfection of this speciall care of God over his children set out sweetly in that Embleme of seven eyes of the Lord Zech. 4.10 the eye states the providence it is a seeing and a foreseeing care for good the number argues it's perfection not one eye but seven a perfect number in the Spirits use which it pleaseth the Son of God to demonstrate by it's effects upon Gods little ones Mat. 10.30 the very haires of your head are all numbred See the exact care of our heavenly Father over his afflicted he tels their haires he