Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	work_n	work_v	wrought_v	459	4	8.0041	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09997	Remaines of that reverend and learned divine, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes-Inne Containing three excellent treatises, namely, Iudas's repentance. The saints spirituall strength. Pauls conversion.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1634 (1634)	STC 20249; ESTC S115107	168,230	405

he should say if you would know what will strengthen you it is the Spirit Hence note this point That whatsoever saving or sanctifying grace or strength of grace every man hath it all proceeds from the sanctifying spirit I say all the saving grace all strength of grace comes from the Spirit yet doe not mistake mee as if I did exclude the Father and the Sonne for they worke together in every act the Father workes not without the Sonne the Sonne workes not without the Father the Father and the Sonne worke not without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit worke without the Father and the Sonne for what one doth all doth but I ascribe the worke of sanctification unto the Spirit because it is the proper worke of the Spirit to sanctifie and hee is the strengthner of all grace that is all grace comes from the Father as the first cause of all things and then throùgh Christ by the Spirit Grace is wrought in the Soule Therefore these three distinctions of the Trinity is good the Father is of Himselfe the Sonne is of the Father and the Holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne that is the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne and is sent unto the hearts of his Children to worke Grace and Holinesse in them and it must needs be so that the holy Ghost is the onely Worker and Strengthner of Grace because proceeding from such a Holy Fountaine as the Father and the Sonne is he must needes bee Holy and the way to get Sanctification and Holinesse is to get the holy Spirit For in a thing that is sent to sanctifie two things are required First hee that is sent to sanctifie must proceed from a holy Fountaine but the Spirit doth proceed from a most holy and pure God therefore it cannot chuse but be a holy worke that Hee workes Secondly the second thing required in him that is sent to sanctifie is this that he subsist in sanctification that is that he depend not upon another for sanctification but that he be able to sanctifie himselfe now this is the excellency of the holy Ghost He is sanctification and holinesse it selfe that is subsisting in sanctification and abounding in holinesse and therefore able to strengthen the inward man But that you may more fully understand this point I will show you how the Spirit strengthens the inward man and works holinesse and sanctification and this will appeare in foure things The first way how the spirit strengthens grace in the soule is this by giving unto the soule an effectuall operative and powerfull facultie and that is done by rearing the inward man in the soule and setting up the building of grace and this Hee doth by shedding abroad in the heart the blessed effects of grace unto every facultie as the blood is infused into every veine or as the soule goes through every part of the body and so gives life unto it so doth the Spirit goe through all the parts of the soule by infusing spirituall life and power into them and therefore the Apostle calles it Eph. 1. his effectuall power that is he hath such efficacy in working that he infuseth spirituall life unto the whole soule The second way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when he hath set up the building and swept every corner of the soule then he inables the soule to doe more then it could doe by nature by putting new habits and qualities in the soule as first when a man can doe more then a naturall man can doe by nature then the Spirit hath added new habits as for example any hand can cut with a Chissell or the like instrument but if he can by it make a picture this is a worke above nature because no man can doe it unlesse he hath beene raught it So when the Spirit comes into the heart then it makes a man to doe more then naturally he can doe water you know the nature of it is cold but if you would have it of another quality then you must put a quality of fire into it So the soule is dead and cold by nature but if a quality of the fire of the spirit be added unto it then it will be able to do more then it naturally can doe therefore examine what new habits and qualities be in you whether you have a new habit of patience love hope and experience that is as patience begets experience and experience hope so where the spirit is it doth beget new habits and qualities in the soule by which it is able to doe more then naturally it can doe as I said it first builds the house and sweepes the roomes and then it fits and furnishes the roomes with new habits and qualities of grace The third way how the Spirit strengthens grace is this when it hath given us new habits then it inables and helpes us to use these habits to good And herein appeares the power and excellency of the Spirit not onely to give spirituall life and strength but also to inable us to use that strength for the strengthning of the inward man there may bee qualities and habits in the soule and yet want power to use them as for example a man that is asleepe hee hath habits and qualities but hee wants power to use them or as a man that hath an instrument that will sound well but hee wants skill to use it so many men they have habits and qualities but because they want power to use them therfore they are not strengthned in the inward man but he that hath the Spirit hath withall power to use those habits to good therefore it is said that they spake as the Spirit gave them vtterance that is they had power from the Spirit to speake to doe to use those habits which were in them thus Sampson by the power of the Spirit had power to use his strength Acts 4. 32. It is said that the Apostles spake boldly that is they had power for you must know that there may be common graces in the heart and yet want power but when the Spirit comes then it puts strength in the inward man to worke accordingly Thus it is said that the Spirit came upon Saul and hee prophesied that is hee was able to doe more then before he could doe and yet know that you may have true grace and yet now and then for the present want action you may want a power to doe ought with it and it is then when the Spirit seemes to absent himselfe from the soule and this was that which the Apostle spake of in Heb. 11. Brethren you have forgotten the consolation that is your spirituall strength and power be hid as dead and forgotten but the Spirit will returne and you shall finde your power to good againe The fourth way whereby the Spirit strengthens grace in the soule is by giving efficacy and power unto the meanes of growth which is a

Againe in Esa. 57. I dwell in the high and mightie place with him also that is of a contrite and broken spirit that is there is but two places that God delights to dwell in the one is in heaven and the other place is in a humbled heart now surely hee will not dwell there where he loves not for to dwell notes a speciall presence with them that is hee will not onely dwell in the heart but hee will make his presence to comfort the heart and againe in Esa. 66. I will bee neere unto them that are humble and that tremble at my words that is I will take a speciall care of them that are humble this readinesse of Christ to receive sinners is excellently set forth in the parable of the Prodigall How readily did the father receive a rebellious childe even so ready and much more ready is Christ to receive sinners that are humbled an example we have in David how ready was God to pardon Davids great sinne when he had humbled himselfe and the same we see in Peter and so here in Paul The reasons of this point are these The first reason is because mercy pleaseth him as it is in Micha I will pardon your transgressions because mercy pleaseth mee that is he delights to shew mercy to sinners and what man will not willingly doe any thing that pleaseth him The second reason is because mercy is naturall unto God that is it is his nature for although mercy be a qualitie in us yet it is a nature in God and what man will not willingly doe any thing that is agreeable unto his nature The third reason is because God is rich in mercy a man that is rich he will not respect the giving of a small gift but he will give liberally bountifully and it is for his credit to doe thus now if it be thus with men then how much more with God because he is the Store-house hath the fountaine in himself and therfore it stands with his honor to give liberally to be rich in mercy to his children The fourth reason is because God is our Father and you know a father hath a tender affection over his children and if it be thus with men then it is much more with God towards his children thou needst not to feare the missing of his mercy if thou be one of Gods children The consideration of this that God is exceeding mercifull should draw us close unto God that is is God mercifull then let us run unto him this hoping of mercy should winne us to come unto him for what is that which makes a Traytor or a Malefactor after Hue and cry to come in and lay downe the armes of Rebellion but the Proclamation of mercy and in hope of this he comes in Therefore when you heare that Christ is exceeding mercifull then come in only lay downe the armes of rebellion and you shall finde mercy Object Oh but saith some I would willingly come unto Christ but alas my sinnes are so many and so great that I feare Christ will not receive mee Answ. To this I answer what if thy sinnes be exceeding great and many yet they are not Infinite that is they doe not exceed the price payed for them But God is Infinite in mercy and therefore exceeds all thy sinnes Againe consider the abilitie and power of God he is able to make thee cleane and purge thee from all iniquitie and therefore feare not the greatnesse of thy sinnes only labour to finde the condition faith in thee and then come and take of Christ freely Secondly if God be exceeding mercifull then let men take heed that they wrong not themselves in regard of salvation by the neglect of those meanes whereby grace is got that is let men be humble and then let them know that Christ is mercifull And that you may not put off repentance and the getting of grace consider these particulars The first thing is this take the time and opportunitie when grace is offered that is it will bee good for you to strike while the Iron is hot and grinde while the winde blowes and saile when there is a faire gale so it is good to follow the spirit in its motion for as there is a time when the spirit is offered so there is a time when the spirit may not be got and therefore it is that this time is so insisted upon so often in Hebr. 3. To day if yee will heare his voyce c. that is there is a time when God will not be found of us though wee would give a world to have but one motion of the spirit againe one moment of repentance one offer of grace but you shall not well then now you have the time and opportunity that is the day of salvation I offer you Christ and salvation and you may have him if you will but receive him that is if you will but suffer him to rule in your hearts if you will but acknowledge him to bee your Lord and King you shall have him whatsoever thou art or hast beene for the time past onely if you will be a new man for the time to come but if you will not receive Christ now but refuse him there shall a time come when thou wouldest receive him but then thou shalt not Remember the five foolish Virgins Matth. 25. They were shut out of the marriage chamber and so maist thou if thou now refuse him Secondly consider that repentance is not in thine owne power that is it is a turning of the heart and casting of a man into a new mould the setting of the heart the right way and withall know that there is a false repentance Cain and Esau and Iudas repented as well as Paul and Peter and David but the one proceeded from the Spirit and the other from the flesh it must be sound repentance if it be acceptable now this no man can doe of his owne power and strength except there bee a supernaturall worke of grace in the soule There are two causes why God doth afflict his children First God afflicts his children because of some scandall I speake now of Gods children and thus David was afflicted because he gave a just occasion of scandall in the matter of Vriah therefore God afflicts him Secondly to weane them from the world because God knowes till they be humble and basely esteeme of themselves and the world they will not prize Christ or grace but when they are throughly humbled then they will come in and take Christ and therefore it is that wee preach Christ generally unto all that whosoever will come and take him may have him and therefore this is the question that wee move and propound unto all men whether they will receive Christ that is whether they will take him above all things for better or worse to bee their Lord Master and King if they will thus receive him they