Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	reason_n	sin_n	2,514	5	4.6493	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93746	The nature of God's kingdom and dominion over men clearly laid open and explained, as the same relates to these following particulars ... in a discourse on Deut. 8.2. wherein is likewise shewed, what influence these things ought to have upon our life and conversation / by Richard Stafford.	Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.	1697 (1697)	Wing S5125; ESTC R42792	28,272	40

Visible as our Governours after the Flesh are then there could be no such thing as Faith at all there could be no Trial of Obedience from the Heart for it might be done only with outward Act How could he then so effectually Prove us to know what is in our Heart whither we will keep his Commandments or no. Though God is not Visible yet his Works are By the greatness and vastness whereof we may very well Apprehend and Ascribe greatness unto our God for it must needs be a Great God who hath Created such great things So although he is Invisible yet his exceeding Greatness should make us more afraid and keep us more in Subjection then all visible Terrors or Temptations which are but little as also his Eternal Promises and Threatnings should weigh more with us then all present things which are but momentary and s●dden Here is the Revelation of the Mystery which was kept secret since the World began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God made known to all Nations for the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 25 26. This thing an Obedience of Faith to Obey God whom we have not seen and to Obey for unseen things all which is Apprehended by Faith whose Object is an unseen God and unseen Things Though it is made known and manifest enough by the Scriptures and by the Gospel and though it hath been Preached and Declared to the World yet it is a Mystery to them at this Day But his Children and Servants his Elect and Chosen One● do understand as well what it is to Obey and Serve an unseen God for unseen Things as the Labourers in the Vineyard did when they worked for a Peny a Day o● as Servants and Labourers know for whom and or what they Labour when they do work for their ●asters according to the Flesh for Yearly Wages o● or so much a Day An Obedience of Faith doth aprehend things Future all one as things present for ●ith is the Substance of things hoped for Now thing hoped for are not as yet And though some may 〈◊〉 apt to Imagine that things not yet are not Substanc yet the Holy Ghost knew better when he expressed it after that manner then Scoffers and Unbelievers who are apt to Object and say on this wise For I pray you ●udge ye in your own Reason is there not as much Substance in things distant as in things near Is there not the ●ame Substance in things to come as in things presen● For even things present were once to come Is ●ere not as much Substance in Heaven as in Earth 〈◊〉 believe that whosoever shall be counted worthy to encer therein he will find Ten Thousand times more But the People of this World are Ignorant and Puzzled at this Mystery of an Obedience of Faith because the Promises and Threatnings of God are future and to come therefore People do not Regard nor Fear them Whereas Faith would here receive and embrace those Promises and also be Overawed by the Threatnings notwithstanding they are future and Distant all one as if they were present and sensible before them But the Generality of the World are a very froward Generation Children in whom is no Faith There is little or no true Faith amongst Men. And hereupon Because Sentence against an Evil Work is not executed speedily therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully set in them to do Evil Eccles 8. 11. There is a great deal in this I had almost said that this is the Cause and Reason of all the Irreligion and Ungodliness Sin a●d Wickedness that is abroad in the Earth because God doth not presently Punish Men and Women for the same It is this which makes the● Armour-Proof and Hardned against the Ministry of is Wor● and our Denunciation of the Terrors of the ord against them And so it is of that Evil People whi● refuse to hear my Words which walk in the Imaginat●n of their Hearts Jer. 13. 10. For both sorts think in the Hearts although the Word the Ministry thereof do● speak Evil and Misery to us yet nothing comes of it ●or we are as Healthful in Body as Prosperous in outwa●d Estate and seem as Merry and contented in Mind as other People The Tabernacles of Robbers Prosper and they that provoke God are secure into whose Ha●●●s God bringeth abundantly Job 12. 6. Wherefore do the Wicked Live become old yea mighty in Power Their Seed is ●stablished in their sight with them and their Off-spring before their Eyes Their Houses are safe from Fear neither is the Rod of God upon them Their Bull Gendereth and faileth not their Cow Calveth and Casteth not ●er Calf Job 21. 7 8 9 10. So their Ground bringeth forth Corn and Grass all one as that of other People God is kind to the Vnthankful and to the Evil Luke 3. 37. For he maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and Good and sendeth Rain on the Just and Vnjust Mat. 6. 35. There is a Just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness and there is a Wicked Man that prolongeth his Life in his Wickedness Eccles 7. 15. There be Just Men unto whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Wicked again there be Wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Righteous Eccles 8. 14. No Man knoweth Love or Hatred that is of God by all that is before him All things come alike to all There is one event to the Righteous and the Wicked to the Good to the Clean and the Vnclean to him that Sacrificeth and to him that Sacrificeth not as is the Good so is the Sinn●r and he that Swear●th as he that Feareth an Oath Eccles 9. 1 2. Though God hath been Pleased to ordain and suffer it so to be yet it is before said that the Righteous and the Wise and their Works are in the Hand of God And so it follows by the same Consequence of things that the Works and Doings of Sinners and the Wicked are in the memorial and Register of God even for him to bring forth the same unto future Judgment and make a several Distribution thereupon For since the Fathers fell asleep All things continue as they were since the beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3. 4. And so People are Born Marry and Die Promiscuously and Indifferently without any odds between Righteous and Wicked Godliness or Ungodliness Obedience or Disobedience of one Man between another The Scriptures do speak fully and abundantly hereof in many places and also they mention particularly in 2 Pet. 3. how the Sinners and Wicked who walk after their own Lusts do hereupon Sin yet more and more and go on securely and without fear because of their present Prosperity and Impunity in this Life Whereas I profess Solemnly and Seriously as I see and observe these things to me it is the greatest Argument Demonstration and full