Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	effect_n	natural_a	nature_n	4,625	5	5.6875	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26812	The upright Christian discovered by keeping himself from his iniquity, and resignation to the divine will. By way of question and answer. Gathered out of the judicious treatises of William Bates, D.D.	Bates, William, 1625-1699.	1693 (1693)	Wing B1129A; ESTC R215814	5,071	23

THE Upright Christian DISCOVERED By keeping himself from his Iniquity and Resignation to the Divine Will By way of QVESTION and ANSWER Gathered out of the judicious Treatises of William Bates D. D. LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church Yard 1693. The Upright Christian Discovered c. Psal. 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from MINE Iniquity Mat. 26.39 He fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but AS THOU WILT Quest. 1. WHat Sin may be named a Man 's own Answ. Generally every one that he commits may be named his own All are Off-springs of the Lust that St. James calleth his own The Devil can fasten no Guilt upon us without the consent of our Wills But yet some Sins be more peculiarly and more eminently to be called our own Namely such as there is a stronger tendency in us to commit than others such as our Wills and Affections are more engaged unto than unto others These are of different kinds in the several unregenerate Persons in all of whom they do reign The Discovery of them that is most level to the lowest Christians is made by their Causes and by their Effects Their Causes are either Natural or Moral Natural from the different Temperaments of Mens Bodies and Connexion of their Passions These be the secret Springs of special Inclinations and Aversions It is true corrupted Nature includes all Sin But there is not an equal inclination in every person unto all Sin In waste Ground some Weeds be ranker than others from the quality of the Soil And in the Lives of Men some Sins be more predominant than others by reason of peculiar Dispositions For bodily Dispositions incline the Soul We see Men of Sanguine Constitutions are usually light and vain sensual and riotous bold and aspiring Men of Phlegmatick Constitutions be idle and slow cold and careless in things of moment Men of Melancholick ones are suspicious soure and not easie to be sntreated jealous and often revengeful And Cholerick Constitutions of Body make men heady various violent troublesome to themselves and others Moreover vicious Affections run in several Channels according unto the alterations made in Bodies in Mens several Ages The Spring of corrupt Nature is still the same but the Course is different Youth is carnal presumtuous easie to be deceived and refractory to Reason Middle Age is of cooler Passions covetous ambitious turned unto more solemn and less scandalous Follies than those of Youth Old Age has its peculiar Vices it is querelous impatient covetous vainly fearful of contempt or want Now according to our Constitutions and Ages we must make our enquiry for our Own Sin Our Passions be sensitive Cravings for apprehended good or for the removal of apprehended evil Now Sin being the disorder of our desiring Faculty we may discover what is our predominant Sin by considering what Affection is most violent in us and of what others it is productive What is it we do most love and when disappointed of it do most hate such as cause the disappointment c. The Moral Causes of special Sins are to be found in the several Callings wherein Men are engaged In these Satan lays his Snares Secondly In the opposite states of Prosperity and Adversity Both of which have their special Temptations adherent long trains of them Thirdly In the Society that we converse with Company that we chuse discovers us unto others and may discover us unto our selves Fourthly In the Quality of the Times wherein we live There are Days named Evil in respect of Temptations concomitant which will require great circumspection to preserve our innocence And in these our swimming with the Stream or resisting the Torrent will discover much of our hearts It was Jehosaphat's honour that he walked in the Commandments of the Lord and not according to the doings in Israel The Effects of peculiar Sin by which it is made known are now to be considered 1. The Sin that is frequently and easily committed and is difficultly retracted that Sin is a Man 's own peculiar one Frequent Actions are from Dispositions strongly bent And when the power of a Temptation is quick and speedy the sinful inclination must needs be strong Add that it must surely be a Darling-Lust that controlls the efficacy of the Principles of Conscience concerning Good and Evil. 2. That Lust to which others are subservient has the supremacy in the Heart Sins do serve one another Covetousness serves Pride and Pride is his Sin who robs and oppresses for Money wherewith to support his State and Pomp. 3. It is the darling Corruption that ingrosses the Thoughts When the Mind is in continual exercise to compass Riches Covetousness is then the reigning Passion 4. The Sin that you desire to conceal and are apt to defend or to extenuate and are impatient of Reproof for it this is your own special Sin All Sinners dissemble and paint their most beloved Sins with least odious Colours Incontinent men call Lust a humane Frailty Many Men of fair Tempers will recoil upon their Reprovers and sometimes recriminate that they are as bad as themselves 5. The Sin that enlightned Conscience reflects upon with most anguish and remorse is usually the peculiar one It is commonly that by which God has been most dishonoured that the Sinner is then most tormented with 6. The Sin that is your own you must seek out among the several kinds of Sin Is it Omission or Commission Spiritual or Carnal Personal or Relative c. You must search even where you may think there is little reason to expect it Q. 2. What is it to preserve ones self from ones own Sin A. It implies two things 1. Abstaining from the practice of that Sin 2. Mortifying the inward Affection to that Sin He keeps himself from it who together abhorrs the commission of it and watches and prays against the very inclination unto it Q. 3. How appears it that a Man 's so keeping himself from his own special Sin is an undeceiving evidence of Sincerity A. It appears if we consider 1. God approves it Sincere Christians only and accepted ones can appeal to God And this David doth I was upright before him 2. This keeping ones self from ones own Sin is equivalent to Perfection and Integrity and it is opposite unto Guilt 'T is equivalent unto Perfection Psal. 37.37 Mark the perfect Man and behold the Upright the end of that man is peace 'T is opposite to Guile John 1.47 Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Q. 4. What is hence to be learned A. 1. The making this our Rule to judge our selves by 2. The keeping our selves with all diligence from our own iniquity Q. 5. What Motives are unto this A. These Six M. 1. Habitual indulged Lusts are irreconcileable with the state of Grace They render us uncapable