Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A23606
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Precious promises the portion of overcomers. / By John Lougher, minister of the Gospel.
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Lougher, John, d. 1686.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing L3093B; ESTC R217742
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97,531
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281
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Father said Luke 15. Son thou art ever with me He that is a Servant to day may be none to morrow but if God be a Father and we his Children by Adoption this relation abides unchangeably he is an everlasting Father and we his Sons and Daughters for ever O what an excellent Priviledge is this new Name here promised To be a Son of God is an old Name for Adam was called the son of God but it was only by Creation The Angels in that sense are also called the Sons of God but to which of all the Angels did ever God say Thou art my Adopted Son This is the new Name here spoken of and is the peculiar Priviledg of true Believers 'T is storied That Alexander the Conquerour was by the flattering Oracle saluted as a Son of Jupiter but the Believer who overcomes the Devil Sin and the World in a more noble Spiritual way is by the true Oracle stiled the Son of God To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name Joh. 1.12 The Believer is no longer a mere Son of Adam but in the instant of his Believing is united to Christ the natural Son of God and so becomes an Adopted one And this is not an empty Title For they are born of God and are of the Seed-royal of Heaven yea this Adoption is Quaedam Similitudo Filiationis aeterni as a Learned man expresses it a Shadow of the Eternal One. The natural son is the Image of Gods nature the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his person Heb. 1.2 The adopted Son is the Image of his will of his own will begat he us by the word of truth James 1.18 And this puts a lustre upon Believers beyond what is to be seen upon the Princes and Potentates of the earth All the great swelling names thrown upon them by men is but fumus seculi a little smoke which quickly is scattered but this divine Adoption is radius coeli a beam of heavenly glory which makes them shine in the eyes of the Angels and continues an indelible character upon them You see by these things somewhat of the new name here promised and is this a little matter in any mans account When Sauls servants told David of the purposes the King had to give him one of his Daughters to wife David said Seemeth it a light thing to any of you to be a Kings Son-in-law seeing I am a poor man and lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18.23 What may Believers then say as to this Divine Adoption Shall it be a light matter to be a Son or Daughter of the most high God the King of Kings That they who may say to corruption Thou art my Father or as 't is said Thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother a Hittite Ezek. 16. should receive the spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father even to God himself This This is that new Name which is here promised to all that overcome I might here add Reasons of this point The love of God to them his chusing-love is the cause of this The Lord loveth the righteous Psal 146.8 Therefore his secret is with the righteous Prov. 3.32 Delilah could not believe Samson's love was so great to her as he pretended because he told her not that great secret where his strength lay It springs also from the purchase of Christ He bought a peculiar people and purchased for them peculiar favours Their common much more their special Mercies are the price of Blood and what Christ hath purchased God will give out unto them To all which add his engagement by Promise as in the Text And faithful is he that hath promised The Vse follows and briefly Vse 1. See here the great mistake of the men of the world who are ready to think none outgo them in their Enjoyments They exceed in outward things and knowing no better conclude themselves the only Favourites of God And others miserable who want them This Errour proceeds from Ignorance of and Inexperience as to higher things Every one is satisfied with what he apprehends most suitable as the Prodigal with his Husks but having a new Nature must have new Food and began to think of the Bread in his Father's house How much are all in a state of Unbelief to be pitied who judge good men have no such Priviledges as to be acquainted with God's Secrets more than themselves They measure a good man by themselves and therefore are ready to say in this case as Eliphaz did to Job in another Hast thou heard the Secret of God What knowest thou that we know not What understandest thou that is not in us Is there any secret thing with thee Job 15.8 9 11. Yet Believers do know and understand what worldly men know not For the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him The Secrets of his Counsel are reserved in his own breast but the Secrets of his Providence are many times revealed to them Surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his Secrets to his Servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 And the Lord himself saith of Abraham Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do Yea the Secrets of his Truth are with Believers for he hath promised his Spirit of Truth shall lead them into all Truth the Secrets of his Love and Grace are with them of which the world knows nothing no more than of the Word of God which the Spirit only can savingly discover which Spirit the world cannot reeeive Joh. 14.16 17. As wicked men have Bread which they eat in secret Prov. 9.17 of which good men desire no knowledg some secret Lust which is as a sweet Morsel under their Tongue as to which good men are ready to say with the Patriarch O my Soul come not thou into their secret or with David Let me not eat of their dainties So they that are truely good have Spiritual Comforts peculiar to themselves which the world knows not of never tasted of Oh pity such and pray if perhaps any may be delivered from their present delusion Vse 2. This Truth and Text is full of Comfort to all true Believers who are victorious in their holy Warfare Set these Divine Refreshments here promis'd against all Discomforts and Discouragements of spirit Are you weak and feeble by the assaults of the enemy here is hidden Manna to strengthen and revive you Are you cast down with the fears of Sins Guilt and Gods Wrath Here is a White-Stone in token of your Election and Absolution which may also relieve against the black coals of Scandal and Reproach with which men are ready to dirty and defile you And if your Names be cast out among men Christ hath given you a new Name that shall be had in everlasting Remembrance when the name of the wicked shall rot And that your Joy may be yet more full from this Text consider