Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	good_a	word_n	1,894	5	3.8679	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75800	The spirituall use of an orchard, or garden of fruit-trees. Set forth in divers similitudes betweene naturall and spirituall fruit-trees, in their natures, and ordering, according to Scripture and experience. The second impression; with the addition of many similitudes. By Ra: Austen, author of the first part. By Ra: Austen, author of the first part.	Austen, Ralph, d. 1676.	1657 (1657)	Wing A4236; Thomason E915_8; ESTC R208885	172,355	230

enlarge his Church in the daies of the Apostles Luk. 10.1 how contrary were his waies and dispensations to the judgments of most then In sending forth a few poore plaine men two and two to preach the Gospell and win soules how did the Learned proud Pharisees and most of the people despise them and persecute them from city to city They understood not what God was about no more then the people of this generation O how contrary are the dispensations of God to the apprehensions of most in this age They speake against his waies contradicting and blaspheming Yea the waies of God are contrary to the apprehensions of many of the godly among us some of them directly oppose God and his great designe others doe not cannot put to their hand to further it for they apprehend it not they cannot close with it In their Sermons Prayers Discourses they speak nothing of it to promote it nay being darkned through interests and corruptions they oppose it and speake against it and those who carry it on The reasons hereof are cheifely these As for all naturall men they judge of things according to carnall Principles sence and Reason now when the waies of God are not suted to these they cannot see nor judge of them The naturall man cannot perceive the things of God for they have no spirituall Principles 1 Cor. 2.14 Secondly In the people of God there is much pride and selfe-love carnall ends interests c. which many times sway their affections much and thereby their Iudgments are darkened according to the degrees of these corruptions For as any soule growes in grace and holinesse and gets more of the divine Nature or Image of God so are the things of God more or lesse manifest to such a one Thirdly God will be seene and acknowledged in the world especially in his great dispensations therefore are his waies often so unsuted to the apprehensions of men but when they see at length that God brings about his ends by them which they thought so unlikely then they admire He will get himselfe glory in all his workings by doing his worke his strange worke and bringing to passe his Act his strang act Esay 28 21. Hence we may see the certaine downefall of Antichrist and all his partakers all the Enemies of God because the waies of God are Vse 1 contrary to them and they know them not thence it is that they doe and will oppose God and fight against him to their owne destruction Though the arme of the Lord be made bare and lifted up never so high and apparently in the world in carrying on his designes yet they will not see it nor acknowledg it they will not behold the majesty of the Lord Esay 26.10 When his hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed vers 11. Hardned Pharaohs with all the blind multitude opposers of God his waies and his people shall be at last all cast as a Milstone into the midst of the sea never to rise more Are the waies of God in the sea and his pathes in the deepe waters and his footsteps not knowen and contrary to the Iudgments of most Vse 2 and is it too true that many of Gods owne people stumble at his waies and dispensations and in a sort oppose God or no way help forward his designes O then let us be earnest with God for wisdome from above and his spirit to make out the mind of God to us not only to know the things freely given to us of God but also to know what things are of God in the world to know the designe of God in our generation 1 Cor. 2.21.2 that so we may be so farre from staning out against it as that we may comply with it and help it on with all our might The foure and thirtieth Observation in Nature THe Husbandman having great Plantations in hand calleth none to helpe him in his speciall works about his Fruit-trees but such persons as have skill and experience in the severall works he sets them about for if he should imploy ignorant and unskilfull men about grafting Inoculating setting and ordering of his young trees they would doe more hurt then good therefore it is necessary his servants and under workmen should have some competent skill and experience in the works about which he imployes them This shadowes out unto us That Proposition shadowed Those who have not the sanctifying spirit and grace of God in them are unfit for the worke of the ministry such bring more prejudice then advantage to the Church of God Ministers of the Gospell they who are so indeed are Gods Husbandmen Co-workers fellow-laborers with God in his Orchards and Gardens his Churches about his spirituall fruit-trees We are laborers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 Ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building I have planted Apollo watred and God have the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 They are imployed by God to open blind eyes and to turne soules from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God Acts 26.18 God gives them a Command and Commission to preach the Gospell to every creature that is to all mankind to teach all Nations and to Baptize them into the Name of God that is Instrumentally to ingraft soules into Christ to worke grace or holinesse the Nature or Image of God which is baptizing them into the Name of God the Name of God and his Nature being all one Christ and his spirit the efficient cause being in them and with them who sanctifies his people through the washing of water by the word Ephe. 5.26 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4.15 Now whom God calls to this great worke he prepares and fits them in some good measure for it he powres his spirit upon them they have an unction from the holy one who teacheth them all things 1 Ioh. 2.20 Their wisdome is from above Iames. 3.17 By this anointing of the spirit men are fitted for the worke of the Ministry but without they are not fit though they have humane learning and parts which are of speciall use and advantage in the Church of God if sanctified yet without the spirit of Christ men are in darknesse and cannot see the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 They cannot say with the true ministers of Christ who are chosen called and sent the things we have heard and seene declare we unto you 1 Joh. 1.3 Luk 12.3 When God called and sent Moses Samuel Esay Jeremy and the rest of the Prophets he fitted them for the worke The Apostles when called and sent had all a Mouth and wisdome given them Luk. 21.15 That is the spirit this anointing was powred out upon them They were indued with power from on high Luk. 24.49 As Jesus Christ the first Minister of the new Testament was fitted to preach and publish the mind of his father so are his people whom he

bring forth fruits seasonably pag. 161. 81. The godly are profitable not only one to another but the wicked also fare the better for them pag. 163. 82. When men are slow in the duties of obedience God is patient towards them in the use of all good meanes waits for their fruitfulnesse pag. 164. 83. Vnregenerate persons of themselves cannot come to Christ nor bring forth one good fruit pag. 166. 84. Some Christians cheifly pursue some particular duties belonging to them and neglect others pag. 168. 85. While persons remaine in an unregenerate state all the meanes of grace is unprofitable to them pag. 170. 86. Christians by walking holily and fruitfully they bring much honour to God but if otherwise dishonour pag. 171. 87. The same things which are blessings to the Godly are curses to the wicked because of their different Principles pag. 172. 88. The best of Gods Children are guiltie of many sins and infirmities in their conversations pag. 174. 89. Carnall persons are as forward and zealous in the waies of sin as usually the godly are in the waies of holinesse pag. 176. 90. The Conditions of the people of God are much different yet God careth for them all pag. 178. 91. True and faithfull Ministers of the Gospell do diligently looke into the state of their people and deale with them accordingly pag. 179 92. God discovereth a speciall care of and love unto those of his people whose Judgment and waies concurre with his designe in their generation pag. 183. 93. God is a long time in calling the Gentiles and implanting them into Christ according to his purpose and promises pag. 187. 94. Externall Vniformity in the Churches of Christ is of small accompt with him in respect of Vnity and spirituall worship pag. 191. 95. God many times makes use of wicked and unregenerate persons for the preservation and good of his owne children pag. 197. 96. God in his infinite wisdome and goodnesse observes the fittest times in all his dispensations towards his people pag. 199. 97. Jesus Christ gives forth as constant a supply of all grace to the meanest of his people as to those who are most eminent pag. 201. 98. The people of God bring glory to him profit and edification to the body of Christ in divers respects according to the diversity of the Gifts Graces and operations of the spirit of God in them pag. 2●2 99. There is a continuall secret supply of strength from Christ to every believer in time of desertion and temptation to preserve them from totall falling away pag. 205. 100. True Christians do communicate of their good things as freely to the poore as to the rich pag. 207. THE SPIRITUALL USE OF A GARDEN of FRUIT-TREES The first Observation in Nature THE Husbandman makes choice of what wild Plants he pleaseth to bring into his Orchards there to Graft and order to fruit-bearing from yeare to yeare He leaves other plants in the Woods and waste grounds he lets them alone and meddles not with them but takes and leaves these or those as pleaseth himselfe This is a Similitude of the State of Spirituall Fruit-trees and shadowes out unto us this Proposition That God from all eternity made choice of what Spirituall Plants he pleased to plant in his Garden the Church Proposition Shadowed and refused others God in his eternall decree chose some persons and refused others as his word clearely manifests he chose some wild plants here and there a few to plant in his Orchard to order to fruit-bearing and let others alone to grow wild and bring forth their naturall fruits and this upon his own free will and pleasure without any foresight of faith repentance good works or any thing in us This the Apostle shews Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Vers 5. according to the good pleasure of his will before they had done good or evill Rom. 9.13 I have loved Jacob and hated Esau and Jo. 13.18 I know whom I have chosen And our Saviour tells us Joh. 15.16 I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine The Husbandman lets other Plants alone to grow wild without the wall of his Orchard Many wicked men and women in the world which were passed by in his decree and therefore are not brought into his Church nor Ingrafted into Christ who in their generations bring forth sower bitter and poysonous fruits Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth That is He giveth grace to those whom he hath chosen and denies it to others leaving them to themselves Vse Esay 61.3 The Consideration of this should be a strong and continuall motive to all those who have made their Calling and Election sure being perswaded upon good grounds that they are Trees of righteousnesse of the Lords Planting to praise and admire the free grace of God who hath chosen them to be his adopted children ingrafting them into Christ and planting them in his Garden to bring forth pleasant fruits to himselfe We were all of us wild Plants as bad by nature as the worst in the world and God hath made choice of us and left others How should this make us admire his rich and free grace in Christ to us and to shew forth his praise in our Conversations The Apostle tells us this is the very end wherefore we are Chosen 1 Pet. 2.9 Yee are a chosen Generation a Royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvelous light There was no moving Cause why the mysticall Husbandman should make Choice of us rather than of others as there is of materiall Plants The Husbandman looks upon their straightnesse and fitnesse in other respects it may be wherefore he chuseth them before others But the mysticall Husbandman hath all the grounds and Causes of choice within himselfe Eph. 1.5 according to the good pleasure of his will Let this therefore teach us and stirre us up to bring forth all Vse 2 good fruits unto him in abundance who hath so abounded in love and mercy towards us and hath let out his free grace in chusing of us And although we cannot recompence the Husbandman or make him the richer by our fruits yet we may please him and honour him thereby Herein is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit Joh 15.2 The second Observation in Nature THe Husbandman doth order his young fruit-trees with more tendernesse and gentlenesse then such as are strong and well growne trees because such while they are small and tender are in more danger of breaking and brusing and other hurts then they are afterwards So that besides the great Wall or Common fence about the Orchard he makes a more speciall fence with Bushes Stakes or the like about each of them and gives

That grace in the hearts of Believers is not suddenly strong Proposition shadowed but strength is gotten by degrees Grace is compar'd to a Grain of Mustardseede which though it be very small yet by degrees it groweth very great Mark. 4.31 It is like a Graine of Mustardseed which when it is sowen in the Earth is lesse then all the seeds that be in the earth vers 32. but when it is sowen it groweth up and becometh greater then all herbs and shooteth out great Branches c. The inclinations and new dispositions which the spirit of God beginneth to worke in the soule they are then but very weake and slender scarce it may be to be perceived but afterwards they are more sensible it is as Corne sowed in the field our Saviour holds it forth by that Similitude Mark. 4.28 which bringeth forth first the blade then the Eare after that the full corne in the Eare. Corne wee know springs up at first very small and slender and scarcely to be distinguished from Grasse so the first springings of Grace in some are so small that they are scarce to be perceived nor are they easily distinguished from Morall vertues The word of God is compar'd to seede Luk. 8.11 the seed is the word c. Now the spirit of God being the efficient Cause or worker As the husbandman casteth seede into his ground which he has prepar'd for that purpose so does the spirit cast or put the word into the heart he causeth it to fasten to take hold and to make impression in the heart and conscience of believers and there he waters it and causeth it to grow he makes it take effect and to worke according to the Nature of the word And of this seede the New man is borne 1 Pet. 1.23 being borne againe not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible by the word of God c. A Child newly borne is not presently a Man but he growes up by little and little God hath Children young men and fathers in his great family the Church believers of severall ages some weake and some strong Vse 1 This being so then the sower harsh doctrine that some men often dispence without due ingredients or distinctions is not according to wisdome laying loads and burthens upon weake shoulders and giving strong meate to Babes defining faith to be a full perswasion of the love of God which is onely applicable to some strong well growne Christians and not to the weake In the discoverie of the Characters of Grace such are often held forth as whereto none attaine but the elder and stronger sort of Believers which are stumbling blocks and grounds of Temptations and doubts to the weaker Paul should be made a Patterne in this case 1 Cor. 3.2 I have fed you with milke and not with meate for hitherto ye were not able to beare it Vse 2 Let not any soule be discouraged though Graces are weake at present they will grow stronger and stronger in the diligent use of all good meanes though thou seemest to be even overturned by Sathans Temptations and thy owne Corruptions frequently yet carry this in thy Mind I shall be stronger And be sure to eye Christ all along having once got a sight of him though thy sight be but weake and dim yet take heed of loosing it and strength will come from Christ often acting of faith upon Christ will increase and strengthen the Principle or habit of faith Though thou art not able to lay fast hold upon Christ with the hand of faith yet if thou canst but touch him as it were but with the little finger of faith vertue will come from him to refresh thy soule Daily study the Promises of the New-Covenant and ye may draw Milke out of those Breasts of Consolation which will feede and strengthen all the Graces 1 Pet. 2.2 As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby But some soules Object against themselves that they doe not grow after long use of the meanes they find little or no growth in Grace It may be Answered sure thou art mistaken for those who often complaine of the want of growth which is their greife and burthen certainely such soules doe grow Their clearer sence and sight of Corruptions with bewailing of them is a plaine Evidence of growth compare what thou findest now with what hath beene aforetime and it will be more visible Fruit trees nor Branches cannot be seene to grow yet compare their breadth and bignesse now with what they were aforetime and their growth will be manifest The foure and twentieth Observation in Nature WEe see by Experience that Grafts do sooner and more generally take hold of the stocke receive sap and life from it in a mild spring when there is calme warme weather gentle showers and now and then some warme gleames of the sunne then they do in a cold spring when there are many Frosts dry harsh East winds such a season keeps back most Grafts and hinders their springing and shooting forth as they would do in calme weather This is another Similitude c. and shadowes out unto us this Proposition That Discoveries of the Love of God to soules prepared for Christ does hasten their closing with him When a soule lies under convictions for sin and apprehensions of the wrath of God for it the great thing is then how to make such a soule to close with and lay hold on Christ whereby onely he shall have true peace and so proceede unto growth and bearing fruits Now if such a one live under a harsh Ministry where the Law is frequently thundred out against sinners with little mixture of the Gospell or if he meete with passages in bookes which naturally beget feares or converse with unskilfull friends who through ignorance of such a condition will be apt to censure as Jobs friends lay on more load upon his spirit such a one hereby may be kept a great while from closing with Christ and resting on him by faith Whereas cleare discoveries of the kindnesse and love of God in Christ of readinesse to receive and bid welcome such a one is the most likely meanes to bring the soule to close with Christ When the 3000 were pricked in their hearts at Peters Sermon Acts 2. the Apostle encourages them with good words and assurance of entertainment and acceptance and thereupon they believe and rest on Christ So when the Jayler was struck with terrors Paul immediately encourages him to beleive and he forthwith closeth with Christ Acts 16.31 When a soule is wounded and bruised with the sight of sin and apprehensions of wrath then the soft Oyle or Balme of the Gospell should be powred in Esay 35.4 Say to them that are of a fearefull heart be strong feare not behold your God will come with a Recompence he will come and save you This is the very Office of Christ and his Ministers Esay 61.1 To preach glad tidings to the