Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	action_n	good_a	will_n	1,601	5	6.4879	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03694	The Christian gouernour, in the common-wealth, and priuate families described by Dauid, in his 101. Psalme. Guiding all men in a right course to heauen. Herewith also a part of the parable of the lost sonne. Luke 15. Both expounded and opened by Robert Horn. With the doctrines and vses thence arising. The more particular contents see on the page following.	Horne, Robert, 1565-1640.	1614 (1614)	STC 13821; ESTC S121133	164,903	442

not punished if then thou be any of these or all of these repent or expect thy deserued punishment here or in hell The like may be spoken of other euils and euill doers But heere the Prophet speaketh of a froward that is sinfull or peruerse heart because when men doe euill they commonly doe so by the wickednes of the heart From whence this doctrine may be gathered that the Fountaine and root of sinne is in the corruption of the soule which wee call the heart that is euill from our youth Gen. 8.21 For the heart is not heere taken for that fleshly part that is in the middle of the body which wee call the Fountaine of vitall bloud but for the soule in the corruption of it or faculties corrupted And so our Sauiour is to be vnderstood when he sayth that out of the heart that is out of the powers of the heart corrupted proceede euill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies slaunders Mat. 15.19 for all these spawne in the heart Lust in the heart begetteth and the heart by lust beareth and bringeth to forme and shape all these filthy sinnes It is a prouerbe of Salomons that the heart imagigineth destruction and the lippes speake mischiefe Pro. 24.2 For of the abundance of the heart saith our Sauiour the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 I may adde further the eye seeth the eare heareth the palate tasteth the foote walketh the hand worketh therefore saith the Wise King Keepe thy heart with all diligence as with many locks for thereout proceede the actions of life to wit by good regard but of death by negligence without regard Pro. 4.23 Other things may occasion sinne but our hearts cause it Ioseph saw as well as Dauid and with more opportunitie but Ioseph looked to his heart Dauid in part regenerate neglected it therefore Ioseph though tempted by the tongue and eare had a good issue of his temptation Dauid in a like temptation not considering his weaknes and careles of his heart was foiled and did yeeld Now if an vnregenerate heart in one trulie renued did so soone and dangerously yeeld to euill what may the best iudge of his heart at this day and how will it riot if he doe not set a guard of diligence about it and keepe it vnder many tutor But not to speake of a froward heart in which sinne is Crowned King and ruleth by sundry lusts what shall wee say of a heart such as Dauid had how quickly may euen that for the corruption dwelling in it be allured to wickednes in the best if it be not watched And then how true is it that though the occasion of euill may come from others yet the cause of euill is all in our selues The Reasons First if we speake of actuall sinne the roote of it is in the soule as the branches of it are in the outward parts for there is no sinne actuall but the will is in it Now the body is not the seat of our will but our reasonable soule which is sayd to haue in it two principall faculties the will and vnderstanding Secondly the heart doth carry with it euery way all our outward senses and as the Heathen man could say it is not the eye that seeth but the heart nor the eare that heareth but the heart and so of the other senses which doth further appeare For let there be great sounds and much noyse in a place yet if our heart be earnestly set vpon some other matter our eares that attend the heart neither heare the sound nor listen to the noyse yea sometime we stumble in the playne ground and our feete fayle vs in faire places because our feet are carryed with our hearts that minde some other matter Thirdly it is the heart that maketh or marreth all our actions which proueth that the Fountaine of goodnesse or vice is in the heart and the streame of them in the outward senses for as the heart is in an action so it is accepted both of God and man Giue a small thing with a good heart and it is well taken but offer a better thing vnwillingly and it is not regarded and wherefore not regarded but because not the gift but the minde of the giuer is wont to be considered So a man may leaue a sinne and not be innocent for example he may refrayne Adulterie and yet be an Adulterer and forbeare to steale and yet be a Thiefe for the heart may loue Adulterie though the body be cleane and a Thiefe without the hatred of theft not dare to robbe lest the lawe proceede against him Shame or want of opportunitie may make an Adulterer in heart no Adulterer in act and feare of the law may keepe a Thiefe true when his heart before God and by the verdict of his owne conscience is a shamelesse Thiefe Vses This may serue to humble vs seeing the cause of all sinne is in our selues and cannot be layd vpon any other It is our owne heart that causeth vs to sinne whiles through the corruption that is in it it yeeldeth to the suggestions of Satan to the perswasions of euill men and to the treason of our owne flesh for if this corruption were not in vs no temptation could ouercome vs and wee should ouercome euill through goodnes Christ was voyd and free from sinne therefore Sathan in temptation could doe nothing against him Ioh. 14.30 no nor yet against our first Father till his heart was corrupted through vnbeliefe We vse to say Woe be to such a Man and to such a Woman that euer I knew them for if I had neuer knowne them I had neuer knowne woe Indeede euill fellowship is a strong occasion of falling in companie we meete with great temptations which should make vs to take good heede what company wee aduenture vpon yet our owne corruption is it that maketh vs to be ouercome with euill and by meanes of it the euill examples of Men doe wound vs to a following in badnesse and therfore the cause of sinne is still in our selues because our owne heart that is the corruption in it hath deceiued vs. A reproofe to those who content themselues to haue done some good outwardly and outwardly to haue left some euill vndone and yet neuer care to plant true goodnesse in the heart or to purge it from euill which is as foolish a part as if one desiring to haue all weedes taken out of his Garden should cut the toppes onely and let the roote grow or willing to haue wholsome hearbs and flowers should onely plant the leaues of them neyther the roote nor slips So to toppe the weedes of sinne and to leaue the roote of them growing in the heart and to plant some leaues of goodnesse that may shew for a day or two and not the roote or some part thereof what follie is it entending to haue and preserue well cleansed from ●inne and stored with grace the fayre Garden of a pure and cleane heart

publike persons who euen tempt vnto sinne by giuing countenance and matter to notorious offenders and when they should imitate the Highest whose soule delighteth not in the death of a sinner but that he may turne and be saued put on corrupt affections eyther of soothing men in their sinnes or of winking at faults in pernitious sinners Also heere we haue a confutation of that speech which seemeth to giue commendation of sufficiencie to publike persons because they are good priuate men though naughty Common-wealths men and Church-men liuing as a body diuided from the publike body and publike good for wee shall many times heare such speeches as these concerning the Magistrate as that he is a good gentle man and one that keepeth a good house and concerning the Minister● that he is an honest man and liueth well● and yet the one punisheth no faults as a Magistrate neither doth the other teach diligently or at all as a Minister But as it will not discharge him that hath the charge of the Chamber Kitchin or Stable in a Noble-mans house to busie himselfe in other matters and to neglect the duties of his proper place So to shew some zeale in the common duties of our Christian places will not aquite vs before God if wee be not sufficient or be carelesse if wee be sufficient in the discharge of our particular callings We must know no euill or if wee know any the Minister must reprooue it and the Magistrate punish it and hee that hath charge in a familie proceede against it A fault then in Ministers who dawbe the sinnes of a Parish with the vntempred morter of flattery and of saying all is well where nothing is well Ezech. 13.10 A fault in doting Fathers and cockering Mothers who are not displeased with sinne in their tender children whom they carnally loue that is honour aboue God A fault in Magistrates and Ouerseers who rather by vngodly indulgence giue men authoritie to doe euill then restraine euill with timely discipline And a fault in all Men who instead of reprouing sinne in their Neighbours and brother set them on by an vncharitable delight to see them to doe euill For as Cham saw his Fathers nakednes with pleasure Gen. 9.22 so they behold their their brethrens naughtinesse with ioy yea they are so pleased with sinne in others that they laugh till they be sore with laughing to perceiue men to break the Commaundements of God to discourse filthily in common talke and to runne ryot into all manner sinne with greadynesse foaming out their owne-shame Iude. 13. which what is it else but to professe that they are glad to see and helpe forward the perdition of their brother to whom they should wish saluation in Christ But the Prophet will know no euill in himselfe as he will not alow any euill in others And so as he vowed in the verse before to doe no euill so in this he protesteth with an affection answereable to his outward practise that his heart should like no euill From whence the doctrine is As we outwardly leaue sinne so 〈◊〉 heart we must abhorre it if we will be innocent Many outwardly forbeare a thing who inwardly affect and loue that thing In such sinne is rather restrained then mortified as in the faithfull Rom. 8.13 For hope of benefit or feare of punishment may make men to leaue some enormitie without true mortification or some by-respect may restraine it A●imelechs adulterie was kept in of God but not vanquished Gen. 20.6 And Ham●n full of wrath without conscience of being wroth refrayned himselfe in a policie Hest. 5.10 And many haue abstayned from euill when their heart hath beene set vpon mischiefe The Reasons As in good things the will is taken for the deede and what we would be that we are by acceptation so in euill not somuch what we doe as what wee haue a minde to doe is respected by God Secondly he that is restrayned from euill ●s not innocent but hee that will not offend though he might may be accoun●ed righteous for the mind is the trespasser the tongue and hands are but instruments Thirdly the veryest hypocrite may outwardly leaue that sinne which in heart he is commanded of and there is nothing more ordinary what if I had sayd generall then to seeme religious and to be a worldling and to professe Religion and to minde earthly things Vses An admonition in leauing of sinne not onely to take the euill of it out of our hands but the loue of it out of our hearts for what wee loue not to doe that we will doe vnwillingly though we doe it necessarily If we loue goodnesse we will doe good gladly and euill against our willes but if we loue to doe euill we may forbeare it for purposes but vvill not forgoe it for any thing The children of God finde such a strife in them betweene regeneration and vnregeneration as was betweene Iacob and Esau in their Mothers wombe Gen. 25.22 And why such a strife but because the good which they would doe they cannot doe and because they doe the euill which they would not Rom. 7.19 For they commit euill vnwillingly and though when it is conceiued they bring it forth necessarily yet they beare such an enemies heart vnto it that they would smoother it if they could while it is yet young in thought and conception or because they cannot so doe destroy it in the birth and before it be growne by custome of sinning to a habite of wickednes The cause is the will so farre forth as it is regenerate resisteth and draweth backe yea when the naturall man is thrust forward vnto euill by the sinne dwelling in him the spirituall man reuiued by the holy Ghost in part meetes with diuers contrary windes against that Barke of his vnder sayle striuing in him to destroy the good worke of regenerate conscience And from hence commeth that warre of lust that the Apostle speaketh of Gal. 5.17 which hee calleth the lusting of the flesh against the spirit and the like lusting of the spirit against it They that meete with no such spirituall throwes in the trauell of new birth are still in their filthynes as it were olde nature and doe still loue sinne though sometime and for some causes they do not practise it by open sinfulnes A comfort to those who dislike the euill which they doe for they are neerer to innocencie then they who eyther would sinne but cannot or can would but dare not lest they should suffer discredit or punishment And which is better to sinne greedily and willingly or of infirmitie and partly against our will Gods children mislike sinne as it is sinne yea though by nature they be inclined to it and because sinne displeaseth God it displeaseth them though it be their owne sinne and not any sinne in a stranger or enemie But the wicked mislike some sinne eyther because they are past it by course of yeeres or because they feare