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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	wit_n	word_n	write_v	142	4	5.0105	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77486	Brightman redivivus: or The post-humian of-spring of Mr. Thomas Brightman, in IIII. sermons. Viz. [brace] 1. Of the two covenants. 2. The danger of scandals. 3. Gods commission to Christ to preach the Gospell. 4. The saints securitie.	Brightman, Thomas, 1562-1607.; Halsted, John.	1647 (1647)	Wing B4691; Thomason E375_16; ESTC R201349	89,168	128

and bound so the Son of a free-woman is free So the worshippers of the Law borne of the law of their Mother a bond-woman are servants But the beleevers in Christ borne of the free-woman are these The first part of this type is fully layd downe in the 22 and 23 verses the tradition or latter part in the 24 25 and 26 verses Doct. 1 The first part containes a double description of the Sons first from their common Parent To wit Abraham it is written Abraham had two Sons Second they are described by their peculiar and differing Parents and this difference is two-fold First from the adjoyning or adherent condition of the Mothers One namely Agar a bond-maid the other to wit Sara a free-woman Second difference is from the procreating or begetting causes the one is of and by the flesh the other is of and by the Promise and thus have you the parts and division of the first part of the Text of which in order It is written I where Ans No where in expresse words but it is gathered out of the 16 Chap. and 21 Chap. of Genesis as if he had said by conference of Scripture it may be gathered Whence ariseth this observation That the sense and collection of the Scripture is rightly called Scripture although the sense is not in expresse intire terms any where and this is oft used in the Epistle to the Hebrews This is to be noted against Arius Sabellius and such Hereticks who when they did impugne the Divinity of CHRIST and the distinction of Persons in the unity of Essence in the blessed Trinity they did condemne the names and words of Essence Consubstantiall Subsistance Unity Trinity which were used of the ancient Fathers to open these mysteries they I say accused them of Novelty and falshood because not found expresly in the Scripture But by this place of Paul we learne that there is no need that every word and syllable be found in the Scripture so that if the reason thereof be manifest out of the true sense of the Scripture it is all one as if it had been written Secondly hence we learne what wee are to judge of the Sermons of Ministers It must needs be that in Preaching while they open the Doctrine and exhort that they utter many words and sentences which in every syllable are not found in Scripture yet while they speake out of the true sense of Scripture all their words are the words of God Neither is there hereby any way made for the Papists to establish their smoakie and reasty traditions who when they heare those termes of Consubstantiall Coessentiall c. Thinke that they may by the like right obtrude upon us their foolish Superstitions as authorized by Scripture for herein as in all other things they erre fondly for though is be lawfull to devise new words the ground and meaning whereof is manifest out of the Scripture yet to coine names repugnant to Piety or such as through their ambiguity may bring the same in danger is wicked and not to bee attempted And thus much out of the words is it not written Doct. 2 Now followes the common description of the Sons They were two and both of Abraham He had also six Sons by Keturah Gen. 25.1 2. But Paul makes mention only of those wherein God did principally shadow forth the condition of the Church Now Paul makes mention of Abraham their common Father that none might boast in the prerogative of the Flesh as it was an usuall thing with the Jewes to boast of their Stock Math. 3. But when Abraham had two Sons of such differing conditions to what purpose is it to boast of kindred Piety is not propagated by birth but infused by Beleeving and therefore least any should ascribe holinesse to nature rather then to grace God permits oft that the Posterity of the godly to become wicked As Cain of Adam C ham of Noah Ismael of Abraham c. So that it s not enough to Piety and Grace that one be borne of godly Parents which thing doth illustrate the grace of God in that hence it is manifest that godlinesse flowes alone from Gods grace and not from any humane endeavour Iohn 1.12 For when as Abraham did so diligently apply and imploy himselfe in instructing his Family Gen. 18.19 It is likely he left no means unattempted whereby his sonne Ismael might be instructed to Piety he loving him so well Gen. 17.18 Whence came it then that Isaac was godly and Ismael prophane Surely hence that God hath mercy on whom hee will neither doth Birth or humane endeavour profit any whit without the grace of God for as in Trees set and planted in the which the Husbandman bestowes equall paines and care yet God gives life and increase as seemes good to him So in distributing his graces God doth select out of men in every respect equall such as on whom hee bestowes his mercy passing by others Vse 1 To godly Parents when they have discharged their duty and yet see great difference in their Children they must with humility submit their wills to God reverencing his works adoring his Soveraignty and so stay themselves from too much afflicting themselves Vse 2 Second this must make more sweet the grace of God to those that are partakers of it the more gratuitall it is the more gratefull it should be A singular grace and extraordinary requires a singular and extraordinary praise as God of his peculiar people expects peculiar service especiall to be earnest in Prayer and frequent in Praises Vse 3 Third it must teach all Parents to run oft to God for their Children not for worldly things but to bee partakers of the heavenly Grace and as the conference of Davids fault made him more humble himself for that Child so though Parents beget not Children in sin in that behalf yet all are conceived and borne in sin received from Parents which must make them sue to God that Grace may correct Nature And thus much of the generall description In the particular description of Sons the first difference is of the Mothers and their conditions For one of the Sons was born of a Maid subject to the authority of her Mistresse for hee is a Servant that may not live after his owne will but doth serve at the appointment and pleasure of another And hence note that when in Abrahams time and family there were such Servants It must needs be that this condition and outward difference is both ancient and lawfull otherewise this holy man would not have suffered it in his Family Now who and what manner of Servant this was here mentioned nothing is mentioned in this place but Gen. 16.1 shee is described by her Nation and name She was an Egyptian for it is likely that while Abraham was driven by the famine into Egypt Gen. 12.8.9 hee did with his money purchase this Maid for men for the most part delight in servants of strange Countries as is

are not his brethren with us Mark 6. But if we shall consider That Christ is King or Priest to none to whom he is not a Prophet and he is not a Prophet to those that contemn his Ordinance of Preaching then men shall he made to give due respect to the same Vse Third as touching the Ministers they ought not to be daunted if they see the proue contemn their Ministery for let them remember that they as Christ were sent to the poore so that if one or two poore embrace our Doctrine we have wherein to rejoyce Ezech. 2.5 Doct. Out of these words may be raised another profitable observation to wit What was the matter of Christs Doctrine to wit the Gospell and not the Law For this cause came he out of the bosome of his Father Iohn 1. The Law was given by M●ses c. So that this doth ●ichly commend the Office and benefit of Christ for the Gospell farre surmounts the Law Object But it may be said Did not Christ teach the Law Math. 5. and other places as to the young-man Luke 29. Answ To this answer is made Hee did it ●●t as his chiefe Office but as a preparing of men thereby to the Gospell for as the proper office of a Carpenter is ●o build not to pull downe Simile and of a Physitian to heale not to make sicke yet they are forced oft to doe both Even so was CHRIST Simile He saw that the Law was so taught as that men were made to trust in it to looke for Salvation by it as being possible to bee kept and so to exclude all helpe and necessity of any other Saviour So that most needfull it was that Christ should shew that the Law rightly understood was impossible to bee kept that so they might seeke Salvation else-where This being remembred to returne to the Point to wit The excellency of the Gospell it will soone appeare by the riches and benefits it brings with it As first Pardon of Sins Secondly gift of Righteousnesse Thirdly adop●ion of Sons Fourthly acceptance into the favour of God yea unto life everlasting Fiftly gift of the Spirit Faith Hope Patience Love Holinesse c. Sixtly freedome from the Curse of the Law Hell Death and dominion of Sin Seventhly Communion with the blessed Trinity 1 Joh. 1. at the beginning Eightly accesse unto the throne of Grace Ninthly Peace of Conscience Perseverance Sanctification of all afflictions with all other riches of Christ all which are wrought by the Gospell which how great they are may be seene by the contrary or the want of them as to bee under the gui●t of Sin wrath of God Children of Satan Curse and Death bondage sting and wo me of Conscience debarred Gods presence and reserved for the fearefull soci●ty of Satan And as the excellency of the Gospell doth partly appeare hereby so will it further by considering how it differs from the Law For the Law first is Naturall second the Gospell is Supernaturall both for matter and the manner of Revealing Ioh. 1.18 Colos 2.16 1 Cor. 2.7 Had not he wi●dome of God found out this meanes of Salvation and published the same all the wits of Men and Angels had not been able to have devised such a way whereby Gods justice might bee fully satisfied and yet infinite Mercy extended to miserable Man Secondly The Law and Gospell differ in the way that leads to Righteousnesse and Salvation For the Law sayes by Doing The Gospell ☞ by Beleeving The Law teaches it must be done by our Selves The Gospell admits and sets forth Another Philip. 3. Gal. 3. Rom. 10.5 6 7. Thirdly they differ in the manner and nature of the Promises annexed to either For the Legall requires the condition of our Righteousnesse and that every way perfit But the Evangelicall requires not our own but accepts anothers nor exacts Perfection in us but only Syncerity Rom. 4. By debt and freely distinguishing the Law and the Gospell Fourthly They differ in their effects for the Law causes wrath Increases sin gives not strength to doe the things Commanded But the Gospell brings Peace Righteousnesse and 〈◊〉 the Ministery of the Spirit This is largely and excellently taught 2 Corinth 3. Vse The knowledge of these things are most necessary First they shew the excellency of the Ministery of the new Testament 2 Cor. 4.1 2 3. So that the Ministers thereof need not to be ashamed Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God to Salvation Ephes 3.7.8 9. And hereby the meanest Preacher of the Gospell is become greater then Iohn Baptist namely in regard of his Office Because they are publishers of these glad-tydings accomplished by Christ Vse Second this shewes the happy condition of the faithfull now Math 13. Luke 10. Blessed are the eyes that see those things which you see c. Heb. 12.17 18 19. Vse Third it admonishes all Christians of their duty and that they take heed they neglect not the same Heb. 2.1 2 3. If they escaped not that transgressed the Law much lesse shall they that offend against the Gospell For Christ is the Prophet whom who so will not heare must be destroyed Acts 3. at the end God suffered evill entreaty of his Servants but after he had sent his Son and they had despised him presently he tooke away the Vineyard Woes were denounced against Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum wherein is shewed that their state should be worse at the day of Iudgement then Sodome and Gomorrha Vse Fourth this teaches the simple to distinguish the Law and the Gospell the knowledge whereof is the key of the whole Scripture as whereby all the wiles of the Papists may be discovered and avoided They commonly teach that the Gospell is the new Law and a more perfit Law whence they inferred their Doctrines of Counsell and works of Supererogations But alas if the Gospell were a more perfit Law it were wofull tydings to all mankind Hereby also may appeare that the Law and Gospell cannot be joyned in the point of Iustification for as these two are quite contrary To to do a thing by our selves and to do it by another to have a thing by desert and to have it of free gift and such are the Law and Gospell in the justification of a sinner To Preach deliverance to the Captives That which before was set down in generall only both in regard of the Benefit as also of the Misery of man this same after the usuall manner of Scripture is described more particularly and as opposites set together doe make each other more conspicuous so is it here a Misery and a mercy a defect and a supply And as the disease is before the remedy so it must first be handled and it is expressed in the word Captives wherein as before the outward and bodily Captivity is used to expresse and declare our inward miserable Captivity and bondage Captives As God sold his people into their Enemies hands suffered their houses to be pulled down the

false Doctrines to arise to seduce many So that the Romish Antichrist arose who challenged the authority of God to himself in abrogating divine Ordinances and making new in binding Conscience in pardoning Sin and in making a God of the Bread and how many follow this worship Now whence is it but that by the just Judgement of God they dash against this Rock which have not received a love of the truth And the same Iudgement of God is among us for when the love of Religion hath long since begun to decay God hath sent such as shall embrace the same in shew onely Hath not this Scandall caused that many who began to professe Religion long since have made yet so small progresse Many that had gone well on are gone backward and few that increasing persevere hence it comes by Gods just judgement that the evill wee see in others we follow as a Banner displayed This is the first Reason of this necessity which teaches that men are farre off from that happinesse they dreaming feyne to themselves while they injoy occasions and liberty of Sin without controlement for then are they carried with the heaviest judgement of God if they had eyes to see it as the Prophets above did bewayle the peoples case in this behalf and such as Christ in justice left the Pharises unto saying Let them alone and the Scripture Hee that is filthy let him bee filthy Dan. 12.10 The second Reason of this necessity is the Depravation of man for it must needs be to wit Mans wicked nature being such as it is confirmed by evill custome As it must needs be that Fire burne and an evill Tree brings evill fruit So it can not be that our corruption should bring forth any thing but evill Not that this depravation was planted in us by our Maker but that wee voluntarily have contracted the same to us in the fall of Adam for if it were in us by Creation it could not bee put off by no meanes nor in no measure As by no meanes the Fire can be made to coole or the Stone to flye and therefore seeing many holy men doe in part put of this Corruption it is apparent it is not Essentiall to mans nature Now the particular Corruptions which in men are the procuring causes and instruments of Scandall are these First a want of the love of God and his Truth Second the want of the Love of our Neighbour Hatred against some private persons love of our estimation profits pleasures honours and in generall the whole corruption of man whereby the tongue is made a Scandall by evill speaking the members of the body by being weapons of iniquity Blindnesse of mind frowardnesse of will perversenesse of affections selfe-love naughty Conscience conceit of ones own wit holinesse and righteousnesse and an aptnesse to receive any evill from another as one body receives infection from another These are the subserving causes to which the Divell insinuates himselfe Vse This consideration doth serve lively to decipher to us the greatnesse of the evill of sinne and naturall Corruption seeing it is a sin and a cause of sin and much woe and misery and in all these takes away all excuse from man as will appeare below The third reason is the finall cause of Scandall which in regard of the Elect is their tryall for it is the will of the Father that the elect be tryed that the chaff may be severed from the wheat that his gold might be purged his power in preserving might shine in our weaknesse and his mercy in our misery And the truth and power of Gods graces might be knowne to be greater while thereby the godly are preserved from the common infection As we admire those constitutions on those receits of Art whereby men living in the midst of an infected ayre and persons are yet free from the infection this consideration affords a double use Vse First It is a singular comfort to the godly in this necessity of so great misery that these Scandals are onely for their tryals and not for their confusion it may be their feet may trip against these blocks so that for a while they may goe slowly forward in the wayes of Piety but they shall never so fall as to depart from God and his truth Math. 24.24 There should be such strange delusions that if it were possible the Elect should be seduced thereby inferring to their endlesse comfort that it is not possible This is the priviledge of Gods children and the staffe of comfort in all miseries Vse Second this may serve to admonish unstable persons as Brownists who if they be the children of God as they perswade themselves they shall not be prejudiced in their Salvation It shall be only for their tryall therefore considering this end why God permits these Scandals it should be an effectuall meanes to strengthen them against them it shall turn to our further praise and glory if we can will and without offence in the midst of a froward and crooked generation And thus much of the Necessity In the fourth place a secret objection offers it self to be satisfied which is this Object That if a necessity be on these Scandals then the Authors thereof are not faulty and this Doctrine may seeme to make men desperate since these cannot be avoided Answ To this Christ answers that this necessity doth not ex●●●pt the Authors of Scandall from bla●● and punishment for there is a double Necessity The first is of Coaction or constraint when by some outward force and not of any internall and voluntary motion one is compelled to the doing of a thing As a stone by force is made to fly upward If such a necessity lay on man as whereby he were made to sin against his will then he were free from all fault But when as this necessity do adde no violence to the will but it is carryed wholly by its owne swing to wickednesse as loving the same this Necessity hath no excuse because it takes not away freedome This is briefly set down but excellently by that learned and judicious writer Doctor Abbot out of Barnard It is a voluntary and miserable free Necessity wherein neither can necessity Note ☞ excuse the Will because it is voluntary nor the will exclude necessity because it is intangled with delight therein Wherein Will takes from man all matter of defence and necessity bereaves him of possibility of amendment of himselfe So that the Will in a strange wise causes this Necessity to her self for there is one way Necessity by the habit of corruption and another way liberty by the free motion of the Will Vse Hence we learne that excuse that men make pleading Necessity is a false plea and unsufficient seeing this Necessity is such as was voluntary and was also contracted and procured by our own default The Philosophers could say That hee that offended by Drunkennesse was worthy of double punishment First for his fault Secondly for his