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_v	workman_n	wrought_v	12	3	6.8937	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08055	Mans actiue obedience, or The power of godlines especially in the commandement of the gospell, which requireth faith in euerie Christian: or A treatise of faith, worthily called precious faith, as being in it selfe a most rare iewell of ioy, and peerelesse pearle, that excelleth in worth the highest price. Wherein is plainly declared what faith in Christ is what properly is the obiect of it, what is the speciall operation of faith, by which it may bee discerned; and the worke about which it is principally imployed, the subiect wherein it is placed; what things are needfull to the making it up, what to the being, and what to the wel-being of it; with the differences that are betweene true beleeuers and fained in all of them, and the vses thereof. By Master William Negus, lately minister of Gods word at Lee in Essex.; Mans active obedience.	Negus, William, 1559?-1616.; Negus, Jonathan, d. 1633.	1619 (1619)	STC 18420; ESTC S113618	278,658	364

to reioyce alwaies for his goodnesse vnto them who by his gracious and wise prouidence doth so order and dispose of euery thing that doth happen as hee neuer faileth but doth cause all to work together to the good of them that truly doe loue him This is that which the Apostle willeth Phil. 4. 5. 6. and waranteth to euery good Christian that they doe reioyce in the Lord alwaies Now alwaies includeth as all times so all things and all cases that may happen for if there were any thing that might come to passe or any condition might befall a true Christian wherein there could not be found some cause of reioycing in the Lord for some one respect or other then might not a Christian reioyce alwaies but this the Apostle hath said hee may yea and ought also to doe or else he would not so directly haue spoken it and willed the doing of it and lest any should thinke hee had somewhat with the most and granted too large an allowance vnto Christians thus alwaies to reioyce to meete with that doubt and to make it cleare that there is warrant for them so to doe he saith it againe and speaketh it the second time doubling that speech as if he should say I willed you to reioyce in the Contra. 116. 128 Lord alwaies in saying whereof I haue said nothing too much I know what I do● say I say nothing but what I haue warrant for I will therefore say it againe Reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce But it is worthy the marking he doth not will vs to reioyce alwaies in all things that may happen for some things may either be done by vs or be done to vs which are not simply to be ioyed in but to be lamented in and much be wailed by vs for which things themselues alone being considered we are to be greatly sorry as being euill in themselues But because so wonderful is the Lord in counsel and so excellent in working as he knoweth how to bring good out of the greatest euil that can happen to be done for otherwise as wel hath one of the Fathers obserued the Lord would neuer let euill bee vnlesse he knew how to bring good out of euill therefore hee willeth vs whatsoeuer cause we may haue to be humbled in our selues for that which may befall vs or vnto any others yet to reioyce in the Lord alwaies in his mercie and goodnesse iustice and truth in the excellencie of his wisedome and the absolute perfection of his skill as who knoweth without all failing to make all things beautifull in due time for Eccles 3. 11. so perfect a workeman is he as it skilleth not what matter and stuffe he taketh into his hand to worke vpon reffuse and rubbish that none others can tell how to put to any vse he will improue to such a purpose and cause so well to serue his turne as the very perfection of beauty shall bee seene in that passing workmanship of his hands which he will make euident to be done by him and to be wrought vpon the same For perfect is the worke of the mightie God and all his waies are iudgement God is true and without Deut. 32. 4. wickednesse iust and righteous is he as Moses did sing in his Swannes song Now if any doe desire that as the Lord turneth all things to good so hee might get good also out of euery thing that so hee might alwaies reioyce in all things so made profitable vnto him the Apostle giueth him this direction following in the place before cited that in nothing being too mistrustfully carefull he doe make prayers vnto God alwaies and in all things for the same Innumerable be the things that in particular may and doe fall out in our life time which doe much and nearely concerne vs some which of themselues in their owne nature and at the first hand are very ioyfull and comfortable vnto vs sent from God as benefits and blessings to cheare comfort and doe vs good and so they are accounted of by vs and intertained with all gladnesse and reioycing on our parts returning backe againe heartie thanks and praises vnto God for the same In such things it is cleare enough a good Christian may and ought much to reioice but there are many other things happening which may seeme to be as much against vs and about such things is all the question and the greatest doubt made how in those things which first and in their owne nature are heauie things to be heard of to be seene with our eyes or felt by our owne experience which iustly doe bring matter of griefe and heauinesse to our hearts and as iustly may call for much humiliation at our hands a faithfull seruant of God may possibly gather or picke out any kind of true comfort or find how any cause of sound ioy and warrantable reioycing in any respect may be raised from the same that so this may stand true the ioy of a sound Christian is of so large an extent as it may be reached out to euery thing that doth happen and according to that the Apostle willeth that a good Christian may be warranted to reioyce alwaies in the Lord. CHAP. XXII Of the lets of true ioy and first of sinne And how the Lord raiseth thence maater of reioycing to beleeuers OF all the things that are of this nature and kinde the greatest doubt so farre as I conceiue may be made of these two in particular viz. either of such things as doe respect our dealing against God by sinning and disobeying of him or doe respect Gods dealing against vs by chaftising and not sparing of vs and that either by his withdrawing himselfe from vs in hiding his owne countenauce or by his comming neere vnto vs in iudgement to smite vs with his rod laying on heauy chastisements and bringing sore and great troubles vpon vs. For as for all else that doe befall vnto vs by any other meanes of men or diuels or any other the creatures if they were not armed and made strong against vs by our sinnes or were not sent and set on by Gods owne hand his warrant and allowance he being thereunto iustly prouoked by vs to set them vpon vs and to set them against vs wee need not weigh them a rush nor care at all what they al together could possibly do for the doing to vs any hurt or any way to hinder our steady comfort But euen in those things whereof the greatest doubt may be made if there can for the present no manner of cause be found why in any respect a true beleeuer may haue his ioy in the Lord euen then still abiding and some kinde of lawfull reioyeing in the Lord yet allowed vnto him it is not because there is wholly wanting all manner of ground from whence may be raised a true and warrantable kind of reioycing but because we cannot see it till our eyes be opened and the

time he doth enter into plea with them or hold and maintaine any controuersie against them that then his course is to put this more vpon the triall of such mens liues then vpon the disposition of their hearts more to stand vpon what is seene to come from them then to stand arguing the case whether it bee true that they say they haue or haue not this or that vertue or vice within them Like as it will also be the course that the righteous Iudge of the whole world will take in that great assize according as himselfe in part hath made it knowne afore-hand vnto vs when all men shall be made to appeare and shall bee put vpon their last triall euen the triall of life and of death the triall will passe and the iudgement will bee giuen vpon them either for guilty or guiltlesse not so expressely according to what hath been in their hearts as according to what hath appeared in their liues and what hath been found to haue been the deed and workes of their hands as namely he telleth vs they that haue done Iohn 5. 29. good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill vnto euerlasting fier and it will be said go you cursed Mat. 25. 34. 41. you gaue me no meat you did not visite me come you blessed you fed mee and you clothed mee And this is that which the Apostle also saith wee must giue an account 2. Cor. 5. 10. according to that we haue done in our bodies Hee saith not according to that we haue had dwelling and abiding in our hearts for the plaine manifesting of the one will be sufficient and enough to make the other well enough knowne So that though we are not iustified by our workes yet shall we be iudged by them they being the infallible testimonies of our vnfained faith in Christ Iesus and though workes doe not iustifie vs yet workes doe iustifie that that must iustifie vs euen our faith by which we beleeue to be saued that it is a liuely faith and a faith that is not fained therefore doth Iames bring forth his workes to manifest his faith by as the directest course that can be taken and the most ready to haue faith made knowne by Now if any thinke he can doe otherwise and without workes get his faith to which he trusteth to be manifested and made knowne to bee God hee calles him forth to doe his best in shewing how that can bee performed shew me saith hee thy faith without Iames 2. 18. works and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Which he so speaketh not that any can possibly do it but that their folly may the rather be laid open and the more discouered that so doe thinke it They bee the workes which come from faith that must both shew faith and iustifie it to be true Faith is operatiue and worketh by loue if any will find out faith let him seeke after the measures Gal. 5. 6. of his loue to God and to his Saints If any would know whether hee bee elect or no to eternall life let him gather the knowledge thereof from the effectualnesse of his calling and sanctification of his life for by these Pcter leadeth the Christians as by the hand to the finding it 1. Pet. 12. out We must not soare alost to know whether or no we be elected If any man would know whether the Sunne shineth or no let him looke vpon the ground to see the reflexion of the Sunne-beames from thence and not vpon the body of the Sunne which will but dazle the more his sight As then we gather the cause by the effect the paterne by the picture and by the forme of a seale printed in waxe we easily vnderstand what is the very forme and fashion of the seale it selfe so by the true and proper effects of liuely faith we conclude the existence and being of true faith it selfe and the same effects like seales doe imprint and stampe the image of Gods election in vs. Q. But may not faith as well bee found out by the causes which causeth faith as by the effects which faith worketh and bringeth forth As for example the publication of the promises of the Gospell made to poore sinners calling all that are wearie and heavie laden with the burden of their sinnes to come to Christ promising they shall bee eased and promising that all that doo beleeue in Christ they shall never perish but haue euerlasting life and withall commanding vs that wee doe beleeue in the name of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God 1. Iohn 3. 23. Now if with the publishing of such promises out of the Gospell preached and declaration of such acommandement giuen the Spirit of God who is the onely efficient cause and worker of this grace shall be pleased to ioyne his owne working with the word of that preaching and so open a doore of faith to the poore sinn●r that heareth such promises as he shall not onely assent vnto them but lay hold of them also and assume them to himselfe and taking God at his wora beleeue indeed that hee shall haue his sinnes pardoned and his soule for euer saued May not a poore sinner so beleeuing find out this way that he hath true faith indeed without any further inquiring or making any more question about the same A Yes doubtles and no way better then thus if so be he Faith knowne by causes can after this manner apprehend and feele that so he doth beleeue for now he hath set his foot vpon that rocke that will neuer faile vnder him but beare vp his whole building and giue him a sure standing for his faith to rest vpon now hath hee come to the very ground worke of his beleeuing and hath laid open to himselfe the foundation to the bottome whereupon his faith is set so firme sure that it is not possible it shall bee moued to the ouerwhelming thereof for euermore And therefore he may comfortably cheare vp his heart as did the Apostle against euery obiect of feare or discomfort that might stand before him at any time to dismay him and say with him I am not ashamed neither doe I passe at all for this for I 2. Tim. 1. 12. know whom I have beleeued and vpon what I haue grounded my so beleeuing and I am perswaded that hee that hath thus promised is both able and faithfull to doe that he hath promised and that hee will also performe it But if it be well marked this faith euen by this search is not found out by the causes alone but by that which is caused by it and by that which it is in hand with to effect and worke in the heart of that beleeuer in whom it is so wrought for it is in hand with this worke to bring the sinner to his Sauiour to ioyne the soule that hath sinned to Christ that hath saued it by an vnseparable vnion