Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	know_v	let_v	lord_n	3,357	5	3.9065	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60679	Directions for seeker & expectants, or, A guide for weak Christians in these distracted times wherein the language of Sions-builders is confounded : as it was delivered in a sermon at Wickham-Market ... published at the earnest entreatie of many, for a more publique good / by Zeph. Smith, Minister of Wickham-Market in Suffolke.	Smyth, Zeph. (Zephaniah), fl. 1646-1648.	1646 (1646)	Wing S4362; ESTC R37570	24,293	39

professe themselves to be Gods people there is so much divisions and dissentions and strange opinions and that they are so contrary one to another in judgement when we consider this wee cannot conclude that it is such a dignitie to be taught of God Answ It is true amongst professors at this day there is much difference in judgement some are of one opinion and some of another some are falne into strange and corrupt opinions but this comes not to passe because God teacheth his people severall wayes but first because they doe not learne of God for God is not the Author of the errors that abound amongst professors but the Author of truth and that he teacheth the soule is truth and nothing but the truth nothing but that which is agreeable to his will and therefore it is not because God teacheth them corrupt opinions but because they do not learne of God Secondly it comes to passe that amongst professors they hold strange opinions because as God teacheth the truth and nothing but the truth to his people so the Devill sows the seeds of division amongst people where God sows wheate the Devill sowes tares where God makes knowne his truth there the Devill seeks to infect people with errors Thirdly it comes to passe by permittance God is pleased to permit it he permits it for two causes first for the good of his people the Lord lets his owne people many times run into strange opinions for a time that he might bring them back againe and establish them the more firmly in the truth and there are none to such Christians as these when the Lord hath brought them back againe then they will acknowledge their weaknesse and how subject they are to be misled Ah says the poore soule I had like to have miscarried and been carried away with such and such corrupt opinions had not the Lord in mercy brought me back againe now they will walke more humbly and now they will stand up for the truth and defend it more boldly then they did formerly they will advise their friends and bid them take heed of being seduced they will try the spirits for the time to come whether they be of God or no they will be more earnest with God for the time to come to establish them in the truth And thus the Lord doth it for the good of his people Secondly the Lord permits it out of a just judgement to others who though they be glorious professors yet because their hearts are not sound he will discover them by this means when they come to forsake the wayes and truths of Jesus Christ and run into this and that error and then from one thing to another till at the length they come to deny the Scriptures and live prophanely Thus many come to be discovered in these times And secondly he gives them up to their corrupt opinions and this is a great judgement when the Lord says to them as to Ephraim He is joyned to Idols let him alone Hosea 4.17 So when the Lord says to them they are joyned to their corrupt opinions let them alone let them hold Atheisme if they will let them hold Arminianisme Arianisme Marcellianisme Nicolaitanisme Mahometisme Anabaptisme Antinomianisme if they will let them hold that the soule is mortall and dyes with the body and that the Word of God is written traditions and when they have received the Spirit the letter should cease let them alone I will give them over to these opinions because they refuse to be guided by the rule of truth I will give them up to strong delusions 2 Thes 2.11 12. Because they received not the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lyes that they might be damned which beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse But how is it possible you will say that they should fall from one corrupt opinion to another do not their own consciences check them I answer the conscience of an hereticke is a seared conscience their conscience is seared with an hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 Who doth the Apostle meane there you may see in the first verse such as give heed unto spirits of errours and doctrines of devils their consciences are past feeling When God hath once given a man or woman over conscience very seldome troubles them though they fall into horrible blasphemies yet seldome or never their consciences trouble them why so because God hath given them over and this makes the condition of a man or woman miserable the Apostle saith Heb. 10.31 It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God but it is a more fearfull thing to fall out of the hands of God and therefore their condition is very fearfull Use 2 The second Use is for reproofe Seeing God is the best teacher and instructor of his people it reproves them that rest in mans teaching onely thinke it enough if they come to the Word and Sacraments and can cry The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord this is the Temple of the Lord and their rest and thinke all is well with them they shall most certainly goe to heaven but alas poore soule thou must know that the outward Ministry of the Word will doe thee no good without the inward operation of the Spirit it is God that ●auseth his people to profit and if thou be not taught of God as well as of man thy outward teaching will doe ●●ee no good thou thinkest it will carry thee to heaven 〈◊〉 it will make thy condemnation the greater if thou be ●ot bettered by it Our Saviour Christ did many great ●orkes amongst them of Chorazin Bethsaida and Caper●●um they might as well as thou blesse themselves they ●e in a good condition why so because they might say Christ hath preached wrought many miracles amongst 〈◊〉 and walked up and downe in our streets wee have had 〈◊〉 company surely we are a happy people but see what our Saviour Christ saith of them they repented not and what follows Woe to thee Chorazin woe to thee Bethsaida and thou Capernaum that art lifted up to heaven shalt be throwne downe to bell Mat. 11.21 22 23. And it shall be more easie for them of the land of Sodome at the day of Judgement then for you So a people may be lifted up to heaven with meanes and brought downe to hell for not profiting by it and their condemnation will be the greater This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse Joh. 3.19 This is the grand damning sinne this damnes people with a witnesse to live under the meanes of grace unprofitable and unfruitfull Secondly It likewise reproves them that take all their Religion upon trust never with the men of Berea search the Scriptures Acts 17.11 But if one come with one Doctrine and another with another he knows not but that they may all speake truth And

DIRECTIONS FOR Seekers Expectants OR A Guide for weake Christians in these distracted times Wherein the language of Sions-builders is confounded As it was delivered in a Sermon at Wickham-Market Preached on purpose to settle poore weake Christians who are in great danger of miscarrying by reason of seducers in these erroneous times Published at the earnest intreatie of many for a more publique good By ZEPH SMITH Minister of Wickham-Market in Suffolke PSAL. 25.9.12 Who so among you feares the Lord him will he teach the humble will he teach his way May the 16th 1646. Imprimatur John Downame LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons for John Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-head-Alley 1646. TO THE READER weak Christians called Expectants and Seekers who take notice of so many severall opinions that they suppose no body is in the right way and therefore will waite untill God discover some new way to them which was never yet heard of To whom I have given Directions in my Sermon what to doe that they might know the way of God and no longer halt between two opinions These causes moved me to consent to the publishing of it and Christian Reader when thou readest whether thou findest abilitie or weaknesse let God have the glory who giveth to every one as it pleaseth him and if God may have the glory and any poore Christian be by the reading of it the better established in the truth and for the time to come try before he trust the Author shall have his desires who is willing God inabling him to spend and be spent for the same purpose which that it may be the Author will pray and rest Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ ZEPH SMITH DIRECTIONS FOR SEEKERS AND WEAKE CHRISTIANS in these distracted Times PSAL. 119.102 For thou hast taught mee THis Psalme is a Psalme of David and as the whole Booke of Psalmes is full of heavenly matter and soule-ravishing expressions so this Psalme is in a speciall manner The man of God was much taken up with GOD and his Word his Statutes and Judgements in so much that he knew not how to meditate enough and how to speake enough of it the Prophet found such a sweetnesse in Gods Word that notwithstanding he knew much of it yet still he desires to know more and therefore it is his expression very often in the Psalmes Lord teach and Oh teach me thy statutes The Prophet David was not of the minde that proud generation is of that say they know as much as all the Preachers in the Countrey can tell them nay as much as God himselfe can teach them they thinke otherwise what meanes that damnable Doctrine that is broached in these dayes when we have received the Spirit the Letter should cease contrary to Revel 2.25 That which yee have already hold fast untill I come But the Prophet though he knew much yet he desires to know more neither was the Prophet like that sort of hearers which may be compared unto the stony ground Mat. 13. who receive the Word into their heads but not into their hearts that they might bring forth fruit in their lives to the honour of God for in the 11. verse of this Psalme Thy Word saith he have I hid in my heart that I might not sinne against thee The Prophet did not only labour after the knowledge of the Word but he put it into practice Neither can it be said of the Prophet as it may of too too many professors now adayes they are young Saints and old Devils they begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh the uncleane spirit is cast out for a time but it returns againe for the Prophet did persevere in the practicing of those truths which God did teach him and which he did professe as appears in the Text I have not declined from thy Judgements for thou hast taught me In which consider two things First The Person teaching God Secondly The Person taught David From the person teaching we are not onely to consider who it was but what it was which he taught His Judgements From the person taught wee are to consider first his tractablenes to learne that which God did teach him secondly his constancy in the practice of those truths which God did teach him thirdly the ground why he practiced those truths because God taught him Give me leave briefly to open the words and then to come to some point of Doctrine And first what he meaneth when he saith I have not declined that is I have not departed or gone backe from the way of thy Judgements I have not left the wayes of God to walke in the wayes of wickednesse Secondly What is meant by Judgements Answ Gods Lawes by Judgements is meant his Lawes Gods Lawes have severall names in Scripture sometime they are called his wayes as in Psal 119.1 Sometimes his testimonies Psal 119.2 His precepts vers 4. His statutes vers 5. His Commandements vers 6. His Judgements vers 7. and the Text so in vers 13. and vers 20. Sometimes bis Word vers 9. So that by Judgements is meant Gods Statutes Lawes and Commandements as will appeare if we consider the following verses unto the 107. Then thirdly What doth the Prophet meane when he saith For thou hast taught me He doth not say the Ministers my teachers taught me and therefore I profited by them but because God taught him that is God made the outward Ministery of the Word effectuall by the inward operation of his Spirit not that the Prophet did neglect attending on the outward Ministery of the Word and rested altogether upon the teaching of the Spirit without the Word for the Prophet tooke delight in attending upon the Word preached it was the onely thing he desired Psal 27.4 that he panted after Psal 42.1 that he re●oyced in the injoyment of Psal 84. Neither did he prosit by the outward Ministery of the Word onely for Paul ●ay plant and Apollo water but God giveth the increase but God made the outward Ministry of the Word effectuall by the inward operation of the Spirit The Text is the ground and reason why the Prophet ●id profit in Gods Lawes why he kept them and was constant in the practice of them because God taught ●im from whence may arise this poynt of Doctrine That God is the best teacher and instructer of his people And for the method I God assisting will shew you that it is so and how it appeares to be so secondly the means by which God doth teach the soule thirdly the excellency of Gods teaching above mans teaching fourthly the manner fiftly the grounds sixtly application First That it is so appeares in the Text wherein is set out the excellency of Gods teaching above mans so in Job 36.22 Behold God exalteth by his power for none teacheth like him He is more excellent in his teaching then all others so that you see that it is so next I come to shew you that it must needs be