Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	world_n	write_v	writer_n	76	3	7.8517	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96361	Pantheologia or the summe of practical divinity practiz'd in the wilderness, and delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount. Being observations upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of St Matthew. To which is prefixed a prolegomena or preface by way of dialogue, wherein the perfection and perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the calumnies of Anabaptists and Papists. By Tho. White B.L. minister of Gods word at Anne Aldersgate, London.	White, Thomas, minister of St. Anne's, Aldersgate.	1653 (1653)	Wing W1806; Thomason E1466_1; ESTC R208673	167,277	207

Gods providence that we enjoy them 4. It shews the continual concurrence and power of God with natural causes it is not like a clock which when it is once wound up will go it self by the weight of the plummers but like a pen which writes not a letter nor a tittle without the continual guidance of the writer So God did not at first create the world Sunne c. and so without his actual concurrence to every particular and enable them to do it So that the Sunne did not arise at the first moment of its Creation more immediately by the power and providence of God then it does now This advances Gods goodnesse for as one that hath setled maintenance upon an Hospital for the poor there it argues not so much patience in him to suffer the men there if they abuse him to receive their setled stipend as it does for him daily to feed them with his own hand and to put money into one of their hands while the other is lifted up against him 5. Or may not he makes be taken in this sense that all the creatures of God are enemies to the wicked the earth will not bear him but open her mouth and swallow him the fire would not warm him but consume him the Sunne would not rise upon him as it did not once in Egypt while they had light in Goshen but God as it were renuente sole doth make it arise upon the good and the bad 6. It shews the great power of God that not onely the things on earth but all the creatures in heaven and earth obey him he that can make the Sunne arise what can he not do Nehem. 9.6 His Sun to arise 1. A fortiori is a motive to us to do good to our enemies 1. Because that which we give or bestow on them in respect of God we have no right to we are but his stewards and what have we that we have not received we have the possession of all those things we have but not the disposing for that God who is the Lord of them hath given us rules for the disposing of them in respect of the poor to give them alms is charity but in respect of God it is justice but you see here the Sun is called his Sun he hath a full title to it if he therefore gives that which is his own he is Lord of much more should we give that of which we are onely stewards when he that is the Lord commands us 2. Consider what he gives it is his Sun the greatest of all temporal blessings in the world for we might longer live without food or raiment then without the benefit of the Sun for without his heat all things that are would immediately freeze nay not onely by giving the wicked the benefit of the Sun they enjoy that heat which is necessary for life but they enjoy the light of the Sun which is a thing of ornament and pleasure to make their life comfortable Eccles 11.7 therefore if God gives the wicked things of ornament much more give your enemy bread c. Rom. 12.20 2. No man not onely cannot but doth not offer to lay claim to the Sunne Vpon the good and the bad 1. Some may say How can it be otherwise for if the Sun shines upon the good how can it but shine upon the bad also since they are in one Kingdom in one Town in one house But God is not necessitated to bestow this mercy upon the bad though he bestows it upon the good for de facto God did make it dark in Egypt when it was light for three dayes in Goshen though they were of the same Kingdome and so the cloud gave light to the Israelites in their march and at the same time was darknesse to the Egyptians Exod. 14.19 20. Besides God can strike all wicked men with blindenesse so that the Sunne shall be in respect of its light as if it was not to them and he might strike them with such a burning feaver as he threatens Deut. 28.22 that for its heat the Sunne should be worse to them then if it was not and thousand other wayes known to the Lord. 2. We see that by common and temporal blessings the good are not distinguished from the bad 3. It follows that wicked and unjust men are Gods enemies and curse God and hate God and persecute God and despitefully use him or else it would not follow from this example of Gods dealing with wicked men that we should love our enemies c. for one might say it is true God makes his Sunne to shine upon the bad and unjust but they though they are Gods enemies do not hate him curse c. as mine do me 4. That God may be said to blesse and do good to those that are bad and unjust Deut. 10.17 Act. 14.17 And he sendeth rain 1. God bestows not only one but many blessings upon the wicked he doth not only make the Sunne to arise but sends also the rain upon them nay by bestowing this second blessing he takes off that inconvenience that otherwise would follow upon the enjoyment of the first nay they do help mutually one another for the rain cools the heat of the Sunne and the Sunne warms the coolnesse of the rain and both together make the earth fruitful from hence we may learn 1. To do great and many benefits to our enemies 2. Not to do them such courtesies that we know will bring mischiefs on them and to do them good in one thing on purpose to do them hurt in another 3. We should do good to those that do not onely not thank us for courtesies but attribute it to others for God does so He makes his Sunne to shine and his rain to fall not onely upon those that are so bad as not to be thankfull for them but are so exceeding unjust as not to account God the authour of them The observations concerning Gods making the Sunne to arise c. mutatis mutandis may agree to this latter part of the verse Upon the just and unjust 1. It is not set down here as contradistinguished as if there were some bad that were not unjust and so unjust that were not bad nor is it to be meant God makes his Sunne to arise on the bad and sends his rain upon the unjust bestows some kinde of these blessings upon some wicked and the other kinde upon other wicked men but he bestows both upon all as before it is not meant We should love our enemies but not love those that cursed us or blesse those that cursed us but not blesse those that hate us but as when God commands us to blesse them that curse us and does not say Do good to them that curse you it is because blessing is directly opposed to cursing and so it is more likely to make him that curses see his errour because contraries being placed one by another make each other more apparent 2. As

conquered by the glorious excellencies of God for God is not only above our words but above our silence not only above our understanding but admiration But take heed that in the actings of your understanding you do not offer to make a thought of the essence of God for we cannot know him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Joh. 2.18 Exod. 33.20 2. You must take heed of under pretence of honouring God in one Attribute to dishonour him in another the high thoughts that you have of his excellencies must not lessen the thoughts that you have of his goodnesse knowing that the Majesty of God doth not put bounds to his goodnesse be sure that his goodnesse is as incomprehensible as any of the rest of his Attributes Secondly Thou honourest God in thy thoughts when there is such an holy dread of the Majesty presence and holinesse of God that thy thoughts are kept in one so that thou darest no more think an impure thought then do an impure action in the open street 2. In respect of words thou dost hallow the name of God 1. In respect of thy words themselves 2. In respect of thy pronunciation also when both thy words and pronunciation are such as are sutable to those high good and holy thoughts thou hast or oughtest to have of God and fit to raise the same thoughts in others when thou speakest of God speak with as much reverence and feeling as if thou spokest to God and when thou speakest to God let the awe and dread of his Majesty be as much upon thy spirit as thou verily believest would be if God immediately spoke to thee from heaven 3. By thy life and conversation thou dost hallow the name of God when thou dost live sutably to the truths promises mercies and the rest of the attributes of God so that it may be said of thee that thou art a living Bible as Paul said of the Corinthians You are the epistle of Christ not writ with ink but with the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.3 2. From the order of the Petition observe The glory of God being the first and chiefest thing that we are to desire it follows 1. That the glory of God is to be preferred before all things even our own and the salvation of all men c. For certainly if any thing were to be preferred above it it ought to be desired before it 2. Because God hath made all things for his own glory Pro. 6.16 Now the means are servants to the end and the Servant is not above his master 3. God hath taken away all that glory happinesse and excellencies which he had bestowed upon the fallen angels because they dishonoured him Now if their excellencies were better then the glory of God God should take more for his glory then 't is worth 2. From the order observe That we ought to desire all other things not only lesser but in reference to the glory of God 3. That since the glory of God is better then all the world it is a greater sinne to rob God of his glory then if it were possible to rob the whole world so much for the order for the Petition it self 1. We do tacitly acknowledge that we are not able sufficiently to glorifie God for first by reason of our ignorance we cannot tell what are the best means and by reason of our impotence we cannot put in execution those means we do know we know that the way to glorifie God is to have the Gospel of Christ preached in power and purity thorowout the whole world 3. By reason of our wickednesse we will not use the means that we can but are very prone to dishonour God 2. Not only not we but not all the creatures in heaven and earth are able sufficiently to glorifie God So that not only David Psal 148. 150 c. but even the Angels Revel 5. call for help Nay even Christ himself as man findes it too hard a task sufficiently to glorifie his Father John 12.28 2. We desire in this Petition that God would bestow upon us all means whatsoever whether outward or inward temporal or spiritual whereby we and others are made able and willing to glorifie him as that he would enlighten our understanding affect our hearts by manifesting himself and his truths in his works Word Ordinances c. and that he would do this at all times and in all places and that he would prevent or remove all things that might either in whole or in part hinder his glory whether it be ignorance atheism idolatry superstition c. and that he would enable and encline us and others to the utmost to glorifie his name in our thoughts affections words and deeds Vers 10. Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Thy kingdom come 1. Three things are presupposed 1. That every man by nature is under the dominion of sinne and Satan 2. That it is not in the power of any creature or of all to govern the world or to cause the kingdom of grace to come where it is not or increase where it is or to be the cause of the coming of the kingdom of glory● Secondly The kingdome of God is three-fold The kingdom 1. Of power and providence whereby he rules over all creatures even reprobates senslesse and irrational creatures yea even devils themselves 2. The kingdom of grace whereby he rules in the hearts of his people here in this world 3. The kingdom of glory is the reigning of his people with him after the dissolution of soul from body and at the reunition Thirdly In the Petition the things we pray for are 1. That the Gospel might be propagated through the world and by consequence that the Jews may be called and the fulness of the Gentiles may be brought in and that the kingdom of grace may be set up in the hearts of men uncoverted and that it may be established and increased where it is 2. That he would hasten the coming of his kingdom of glory and our reigning with him for ever Now the means for this end First The removing of those things that hinder and therefore we desire 1. The destroying of the kingdom of sin and Satan 2. The downfall of Antichrist and the frustrating of the power and plots of all other enemies of the Church of God Secondly The positive means are 1. Outward as 1. That the Church may be furnished with all Gospel-officers and Ordinances and they furnished with gifts and both purged from corruption and countenanced and maintained by the civil Magistrate 2. That the Ordinances may be purely dispensed 2. The positive inward means is The powerful and effectual cooperation of his Spirit with the outward means Lastly That God would be pleased so to exercise his kingdom of power in the world as may best conduce to these ends Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Three things are presupposed 1. We are unable of our selves to