Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	heart_n	lord_n	see_v	3,172	5	3.4596	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A72376	The soules possession of Christ: shewing how a Christian should put on Christ, and bee able to doe all things through his strength. Whereunto in annexed A sermon preached at the funerall of that worthy divine Mr. Wimott, late minister of Clare, in Suffolke. By T.H.	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.; Hooker, Thomas, (1586-1647). Spiritual Munition: a funeral sermon.	1638 (1638)	STC 13734; ESTC S125041	45,018	247

meanes whereby Christ may bee put on 2 is this when the soul is once made naked then Faith takes the Robe this glorious Robe of Gods grace and brings it home to the heart for faith is not onely a hand that layes hold on Christ for justification but it is a shield also that receives vertue from Christ for our farther sanctification Christ is the fountaine of all grace and faith is the Conduit which conveyes grace from Christ to the soule How faith puts on Christ Now faith helpes us in these three particular actions First 1 it is Faith that closes with the spirit of grace in every promise of God there is the spirit of grace truly and constantly accompanying the same My Word and my Spirit both goe together as our Saviour said The words that I speak are spirit and life Now when the soule of a Christian can close with the promise it closeth also with the grace in the promise They that are in Christ are one spirit with him Rom. 8.10 If the Spirit of Christ bee in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake saith the Apostle Wee have most great and precious promises given to us that by them wee should be partakers of the Divine nature Where we see that the Spirit of Christ accompanies the promises therefore laying hold upon the promises we close with the Spirit and hereby come to bee partakers of the Divine nature I compare the Spirit of grace to the Seale and the soule to the Waxe and Faith is the hand which sets on this Seale By faith we cause the spirit to worke and fit its particular aide and reliefe for the leaving of any impression of grace upon the soule The next worke of Faith is this 2 it not onely closeth with Gods Spirit in the promise but it looks at that particular grace in Christ which we stand in need of that it may bee wrought in our hearts as if a man want patience or love wisdome humilitie or the like Faith closeth with the promise and brings the same stampe into the soule which is in the promise as in those two places Iohn 1.16 Of his fulnesse have wee all received grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 that is whatsoever grace is in Christ we doe receive the same from him As hee was patient he makes us so as he was wise and meeke and holy he makes us so as in a Seale looke how many letters be upon the Seale so many stampes will be left upon the waxe Faith lookes at all the particular graces that are in Christ As the same power that is in the head is also in the eare and eye and hand So the same Holy GHOST which wrought grace in the humanity of Christ workes patience in adversity and courage to beare persecution and in ignorance it enlightens a mans eyes and makes him looke to Heaven That is a notable place 2 Cor. 3. where the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.18 We all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. The glory of the Lord is nothing else but the glorious grace of God and beholding it is when we see the glorious grace given to Christ and againe the same Spirit that made Christ meeke and wise and holy the same Spirit makes us poore in spirit and meeke-hearted like to him Therefore looke not onely on Christ for grace in generall but for particular strength and assistance in every performance 3. The last act of Faith is 3 it not onely closeth with the promise and the Spirit in the same it not onely lookes at that particular grace which is in Christ but faith drawes vertue from the Lord Jesus that so grace may be imprinted in and conveyed into the soule therefore saith the Prophet With joy shall yee draw water from the Well of salvation Esay 12.3 He doth not onely say there is water therein but we may draw water from thence and faith doth it thus when a sinner with full perswasion settles himself with what God hath promised it shall be done to the soule for the good therof as in Ezech. 36. A new heart will I give you Ezech. 36.26 27. and I will put my Spirit into your hearts and cause you to walk in my wayes He doth not onely give grace but quickens that grace and causes men to walke holily and sweetly Nay further if Faith findes the heart dejected and unfit to pray see how it gripes and layes hold on the promises saying Lord I finde my soule dead in the performance of duty and marvellous untoward and awke to a holy life Lord thou hast said thou wilt cause thy people to walke boldly in thy way oh give mee courage and life and quickening As that poore woman by touching the Hemme of Christs garment drew vertue from him so faith layes hold upon the hemme of Christs garment and gaines refreshment 3. The third and last meanes to put on Christ 3 is this having thus denyed our selves our owne lusts and sufficiency and having closed with the promise and the spirit of grace in the same the last meanes is meditation that is when the soule turned it selfe wholly to that grace which is in Christ it pores not altogether upon sinne and corruption for then you goe of from Christ This meditation keepes the soule upon the streame as faith casts it upon the streame As the branch cannot bring forth any fruit Ioh. 15.4 except it abide in the Vine no more can yee except yee abide in me Now wee abide in Christ when the eye is set upon Christ when the tongue talkes of Christ and the minde museth of him and the affections are setled towards him but when the minde is taken off the promise and the comforts that are therein and wholy puzzels it selfe by thinking of temptations or inward corruptions then men are soone prevailed against and overcome If the Devill can pluck your mindes from the promise and cast your thoughts wholy upon your corruptions hee hath enough Suppose there be two fountaines the one full of puddle water and the other full of cleare water and there are two cocks for these fountaines if a man bee alwayes turning the cocke that comes from the puddle fountaine can hee looke for any other than foule water So there is a fountaine of grace in Christ and in the promise and there is a fountaine of corruption in our selves and meditations is as the cockes comming from these Now if we be ever meditating what wee are and what we have and what we doe and what we deserve there is nothing but feare and horror and discouragement and the puddle water comes amaine The nature of meditation is excellent in this kinde and it shewes it selfe in these three particulars First hereby we bring Christ and

upon feare and doubting and discouragement and were all making provision for them and in the meane time faith lay as dead in the soule This is very considerable in reason though faith work in the soule yet it must use the soule and all the affections of it as the memory understanding and desires and cannot worke without these The soule of a man being a finite creature cannot settle its affections upon many objects at once if he bestow his minde upon sin and the occasions thereof hee cannot meditate upon Christ and the promise he cannot have a Streame running fully in two Channels all at once when a man lets out the streame of his desire judgement and endeavour wholy for the flesh and the world there is nothing left for Christ and grace and the cause of God David was a wise man and yet when Nabal had wronged him 1 Sam 25.21 22. see what wronged him see what provision hee made for his anger Surely in vaine have I kept this fellow and all that hee had in the wildernesse saith hee So and more also doe God unto the enemies of David if I leave of all that pertaines to him by the Mornings light any that pisseth against the wall I will requite the old churle and slay him and all his Well Abigal meets him and saith Let not my Lord I pray thee regard this man of Belial even Nabal for as his name is so is hee Nabal is his name and folly is with him And thus shee pacified the King in so much that David said to her Blessed be God and blessed be thou and blessed be thy counsell to me Why may some say Object was not David as able to counsell himselfe as shee was to doe it I answer yes Answ hee was a marvellous wise man and understood the law of God and the Law of Nations but hee had so given over his heart to wrath that hee had no roome for any worke of wisdome or patience to take place and therefore now stood in need of a counsellor And as the worke of grace is dead in the soule because the strength of all is imployed another way 2 so secondly we deprive our selves of the comfort and vertue of the promise that were might enjoy The Spirit and promise of God is that which must helpe a Christian in all his straights Now the work of the Spirit of grace dies in the heart by meditatiō of sinne our forgetting of Gods promise stops the streame of his goodnesse so as we receive not that grace that we might doe for the strengthening of us In common reason we know this GOD doth communicate grace to us from his promise but we must looke up to it and turne our minde and thoughts towards it Now when a man hath turned his meditations upon the world and the occasions thereof hee is gone cleane off from the promise and not meditating upon the promise and the meanes of grace hee can receive no strength nor comfort from the same Heb. 12.3 the Text saith Consider him that endured such contradictions of sinners against himselfe lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes Here are two passages observeable First the Lord Jesus Christ is able to make us strong and resolute in minde that wee shall not faint at the opposition of sinners Secondly we must consider him that is set our hearts and our affections upon him as if he had said You are unable to bee patient and to put up injuries but consider him that did it and then you shall receive strength and power to suffer patiently Thus much of the proofe and reasons of the point now I come to the Uses which are of great waight and therfore read them carefully It is a point of marvellous use Vse and of great power and excellency to reforme us in things that are amisse to guide us in the way to happinesse Is it so that whosoever makes provision for the flesh shall certainly be overcome by it Thē this is a ground of direction whereby a man may perceive what his owne and the practices of other men are and what will become of himselfe and others judge it thus see what provisiō they make and what course commonly they undertake If a man use meanes that tend to his lusts it is a heavy suspition he will be overtaken by his lusts If wee see a man eate ill meats excessively wee use to say questionlesse he will surfet would any man have done so except he did provide for sicknesse So if our meditations doe runne upon any sinfull courses or base lusts a man may almost conclude wee will surfet upon the same If a man will provide for the world the world will overtake him and if hee provide for his pleasures they wil certainly insnare him Doe you finde a man that hath a secret kinde of dislike at the purenesse and truth of God and that doth despise good counsell and the spirit of grace his provision will tell you what guests will come to his house If wee see what provision is in a mans house we may easily conjecture what his guests will bee As it is in house-keeping just so it is in heart-keeping when wee see what provision a man makes for his lusts wee may know what his course will bee Rom. 12 8 The Apostle saith When men did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them to a reprobate mind to doe those things which are good in their owne eyes That soule that sets it selfe against the spirit of grace would if he could pluck God from heaven Oh wretched man what dost thou despight the Spirit if thou hast no spirit then thou art a damned man and as thou dost not like to approve of God in thy knowledge God will ere-long give thee up to a reprobate sense It is a signe that a man is devoted to destruction and even sealed unto condemnation that undervalues the knowledge wayes of God and hath no delight in Jesus Christ but despights the Spirit and the meanes of grace it is just that thou should'st be ridde of this holinesse and blessed presence for ever and therefore God gave them up saith the Text As if hee should say take him a mind that shall never know God that shal never taste grace and goodnesse harden that mans heart hee shall never receive vertue nor comfort thereby provision was made before hand and therefore the Guests come accordingly And so it is Heb. 10.28 If hee that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy of how much sorer punishment is he worthy which treadeth under foot the Sonne of God There are two things to be noted in these words 1. Hee that knowes Gods Law and breakes the same wilfully dies without mercy 2. What will become of him saith the Apostle that opposeth the mercy of J●sus Christ and tramples his blood under his feet and makes a mock at sanctification Brethren for the Lord Christs sake

in God affect and cleave to these Let the rout of drunkards and all gracelesse miscreants incourage one another in their base courses and extoll those that worke most mischiefe among them Never let thy soul enter into these mens secrets but beg of GOD that the Saints which excell may bee the onely excellent ones in thy thoughts and esteeme As this blessed man here did O my father my father Wherein we might further observe That the losse of a faithfull Minister is a matter of great mourning and lamentation But I leave that and come now to the commendation of Elijah The Charrets of Israel and the horsemen thereof These words Charrets and horsemen are spoken by way of similitude and doe figuratively demonstrate the defence and protection of Israel For in ancient times they went to warre with iron Charrets and those were counted most strong that had most of these therefore the hearts of the children of Israel were daunted when they perceived that the Canaanits had iron Charrets Horses are warlike creatures of great strength as both our owne and former times have experienced Some trust in Charrets and some in horse-men saith David The like we may reade Iudg. 4.3 The point that I would commend from hence is Doct. 3. That faithfull Ministers are the defenders of States Churches and Common-wealths God biddeth Elijah 2 Kings 19. 2 King 19.16 to anoint Iehu King over Israel and Elisha to bee Prophet in his roome and it is observable that when the sword of Iehu and his Army did not hit then the sword of Elisha prevailed his prayers wrought a greater slaughter among the enemies then all their weapons of warre could doe The Reasons hereof are foure Faithfull Ministers Reas 1. by their fervent prayers and supplications stop the wrath and indignation of the Lord and so keepe back judgement from us Numb 16.48 as Moses stood in the gappe Nay they doe not onely turne away Gods anger and displeasure from a land or people but are a meanes oftentimes of bringing it upon the adversaries of goodnesse 2 King 1.10 Take heed therefore of wronging a praying Minister You know David besought the Lord that hee would confound the policy of Achitophel 2 Sam. 15.31 and his request was granted Prayer is of great force It will bring punishment upon a man and hee shall not know who hurt him Againe 2. Faithfull Ministers reveale the sinnes of the people with whom they live and labour to worke them to humiliation and godly repentance that they may turn unto the Lord which is the ready course to turne away judgements O brethren wee feare the sword we may justly doe so But let mee tell you It is not the weaknesse of our Land nor the power of the enemy that can so much hurt us as our treacherous hearts at home These swarmes of unruly lusts and corruptions which wee carry about in our breasts and harbour in our bosomes daily doe us more hurt then all the world besides Our sins are they which lay us open to Gods judgements more than any thing else Now a faithfull Minister indeavours to turne away sinne and so by consequence the wrath of God incensed thereby from a place It is a great deale of good that a Samuel may doe 1 Sam. 7.3 By this the hearts of men are made willing to yeeld obedience to the Governours that are set over them 3. it makes men studious of Gods honour faithfull to their Religion and Countrey industrious in doing good in their places and strict with their GOD in all conditions and relations whatsoever This brings men to be blessings in the Stations wherein GOD hath set them to live desired and die lamented 2 Chron. 20.20 Whilest Iehoiada lived wee reade how all things prospered the Gospell that flourished and piety was advanced thorowout the Kingdome but when hee died his sonne fell quickly to abominable and wicked courses and the Lord soone overthrew him his Kingdome and all So that that which makes men loyall and true hearted and hinders the overflowing scourge from seazing upon a Nation that must needs bee the defence of that Nation for it is a certaine truth hee that is disloyall to the King of heaven can never bee loyall to the king of earth This putteth courage into the hearts of people 4. sinfull and base courses fill a man with continuall feares and discouragements 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with us whilest wee cleave to him but if we forsake him hee will for sake us It is wonderful to see what a good Minister can do in a good warre how he can fight against Principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses in high places not fearing the face of man The clear knowledge of this that the battell hee fights is the Lords assures him that the Lord will fight for him Any coward will fight when hee is assured of victory beforehand A good cause will make men spend their dearest blood When a man hath God to goe before him and the word to warrant him in what he doth he goes through thicke and thin we see with what joy and cheerefulnesse the Martyrs sacrificed their lives to the flames This shews Vse 1. that those which are enemies to Gods faithfull Ministers are the greatest adversaries that the Church or State hath for they spoile the Munition of the Land If a man should take away all the Munition of England and transport it into Spaine every man will say he is a Traitour So if thou hast set thy selfe to oppose and secretly undermine any that is a true faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ know thou art a Traitour to thy King and Countrey because thou persecutest him who labours in his place to keepe back wrath from seazing upon the Land Bee humbled therefore take notice of this crying sinne and let it not bee once named amongst you as becommeth Christians So much for the Text now a word or two Of the Occasion If I should say no more nay if I had said nothing at all the Example here present would bee a visible interpretation of this Text the very Carcase standing before you makes good the truth that I have now delivered Hee is dead we shall be so let us live as he did that we may enjoy the end of our hope as no doubt hee fully doth Brethren while he lived here hee was a Father in our Israel not for yeares but for grace It is not continuance of time but ripenes of parts that makes a man Ancient And though hee be departed yet that dead trunck speaketh unto us and the dead body saith Though the inhabitant bee gone it once caried about it a holy life a sincere heart an unspotted conversation Nay I may adde further hee was a Charret and Horse-man of Israel Hee was in the forefront of the battell a maine defender of the faith of Christ Witnesse brethren the heart-breaking sighes and earnest prayers