Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	faith_n	good_a	justification_n	4,282	5	9.4615	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85881	The arraignment of pride, or, Pride set forth, with the causes, kinds, and several branches of it: the odiousness and greatness of the sin of pride: the prognosticks of it, together with the cure of it: as also a large description of the excellency and usefulness of the grace of humility: divided into chapters and sections. / By W. Gearing minister of the word at Lymington in Hantshire.	Gearing, William.	1660 (1660)	Wing G430; Thomason E1762_1; ESTC R209642	162,907	286

voluntas cognitae dei voluntati libens acquiescat Beza in Matthew 26. 26.39 that it was not a correction but an explication of his former Petition and a Declaration with what condition he should ask it nor doth it signifie a repugnancy of wills which could not have wanted sin but a diversity which per se is not vitious no not in men if so be the will of man doth willingly assent to and rest in the known Will of God The meaning then briefly may be this Father if it may stand with thy good pleasure Christ was willing to die voluntate rationali though not naturali for our redemption to be obedient to his Father Lumb sent lib. 3. distin 17. and mans redemption may otherwise be wrought let this bitter potion of my passion pass by me but rather then disobey thy decree and not do what I came for I yeeld to any thing submitting my self to thee and my will to thine This confutes the Monothelites a Sect of Hereticks of old that thought and taught Christ to have but one pure Will as Calvin noteth but properly it condemneth such as desire the fulfilling of their own perverse crooked and corrupt wills whatsoever became of the Will of God but if Christ in whom reason never lost his regiment Perdidit vitam ne perderet obedientiam Bern. nor was ever either non resident or non regent yet submitted himself and his Will to his Fathers Will what ever it cost him for as Bernard saith he lost his life that he might not lose his obedience then what arrogancy and Pride were it in us to desire our wills simply to be done no all our prayers petitions deprecations and supplications must be with condition and submission to the Will of God Oramus non ut deus quod vult faciat sed ut nos quod vult faciamus Cyprian when we pray that petition Thy Will be done we pray not that God may do what he Will but that we may do what he willeth saith Cyprian CHAP. 16. Of Pride in the affections PRide in the affections is discovered by a kind of a sinful and fantastical affectation to be like unto God there is a likeness to God in holiness in grace in humility this is commendable and this is the Image of God wherein man was created but Pride is a sinful affecting to be like unto God There are two things wherein a proud person doth affect to be like unto God 1. It is Gods prerogative royal that whatever excellency he hath he hath them in and of himself he is not beholden to any creature It is written of one Timotheus an Athenian that after he had proudly said in a great assembly Haec ego feci non fortuna he never after prospered in any thing Deut. 8.14 15 16 17 18. and the whole glory of all that he hath belongeth to him Now a proud man doth assume to himself the glory of all the excellency that he hath Therefore God gives a caveat to his people Beware when thy herds and flocks multiply and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied c. that then thy heart be not lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage c. Beware lest thou say in thy heart My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me all this wealth But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth c. and Deut. 9. saith he when thou shalt pass over Jordan and possess Nations greater and mightier than thy self Cities great and fenced up to heaven ver 4. speak not thou in thine heart after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee saying Deut. 9.1 4. For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land but for the wickedness of these Nations the Lord doth drive them out before thee Perhaps in word the proud man may make some kind of acknowledgement of God as the proud Pharisee Lord I thank thee I am not as other men are nor even as this Publican yet he assumeth all the glory to himself though in word he seem to honour God Parisiensis Parisiensis saith that a proud man is both an idolater and sets up himself as his own idol and so robs God of his glory The proud man makes himself his own Alpha thanks himself for all makes himself his own Omega seeks himself in all begins and ends at himself Humble Paul cries out In me that is Rom. 7. in my flesh there dwells no good thing and when he speaks of his own labours he saith 1 Cor. 15.10 Rhem. annot in Heb. 5. by the Grace of God I am that I am The Papists here are to be taxed who as the Rhemists do confess affirm Gods election to be because of faith or good works foreseen in us But this is contrary to Scripture and reason for that which is the effect cannot be the cause but good works and faith be the fruits of election as Austin speaks thus on Eph. 1.4 He chose us not because we were holy but that we might be holy he chose none being worthy Elegit nos non quia sancti eramus sed ut sancti essemus Neminem elegit dignum sed eligendo effecit dignum Aug. cont Julian Pelag lib. 5. cap. 3. but by chusing made him worthy you have not chosen me but I have chosen you saith Christ to his Disciples whereas if God should elect for faith and good works foreseen men should first chuse God by believing in him and doing such good works as were acceptable to him It was the errour of the Elders of the Jews when they came to Christ in the behalf of the Centurion to plead his worthiness to him why he should heal his servant Here was their Pride to think that by outward service of God men might merit his favour He loveth our Nation say they and hath built us a Synagogue Luk. 7.2 3 4. wherein they resemble our Papists and divers orders of Monks and Friars who will not stick to promise men heaven if they will be but bountiful Benefactors to their Fraternities and Monasteries Cells and Cloysters But however he could challenge nothing for himself Omnes peregrini ritus externae religiones Senatus consulto damnatae erant Tertul. in apologet cont gentes nor they for him at Gods hand for these his good deeds yet he was a worthy man and a good Christian as appeareth by his love to Religion and care to build a place for the people to assemble themselves to Gods worship No difficulty detaineth him from doing his duty It s like enough that this fact being complained of might procure him Tiberius the Emperours displeasure and cost him the loss of his office for all forreign and strange Religions were hated and might not be admitted

is from this Text to handle this great sin of Pride And first I shall define it though I confess that it is a sin so great that I can hardly give a full definition of it I have read of Apelles Conrad Lycost that excellent Painter that being commanded to pourtray a Giant of a great stature and finding it hard to set him forth so great in that small table he had in hand as was required he painted in the table an hand of huge bigness and two Giants also who with two long sticks measured one finger of the Giants hand that by the greatness of that finger the mighty stature of that Giant might appear So at this present I am compelled to do I am now to set forth to you a mighty Giant that swelling sin of Pride and a little to touch upon that excellent Grace of Humility I can but only paint a hand of either but by observing the Proportion thereof you may the more easily take a true survey of both Quest You may ask What is this sin of Pride Answ Superbia est amor affectus seu appetitus inordinatus propriae excellentiae alios injustè cupiens superare Gerson Superbia est elatio vitiasa quae inferiorem despiciens superioribus paribus satagit dominari Hugo de S. vict Pride is an inordinate desire of a mans own excellency and glory a refusal to be in subjection to those to whom he ought and a sinful affection to be above others Proud men like the Sons of Belial do reject every yoke and like those Citizens that hated Christ and sent a message after him saying We will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19.14 Therefore the Romans painted Pride in the form of a Devil having three Crowns upon his head one upon another in the first was written Transcendo I surpass all others because the proud man thinks he exceeds all other men And therefore saith Hugo Pride is a vitious haughtiness whereby a man despiseth his inferiours and earnestly busieth himself to rule over his equals and those also that are above him In the second Crown was written Non obedio I obey no others because Pride would give Laws to others but obey none himself In the third was written Perturbo I trouble all and we see by experience that the pride of some persons doth trouble a whole Nation Pride then is a swelling desire of a mans own excellency and glory Caera superbia est vitium quo se existimans aliquid vel esse honum quod non est vel à se esse quod est in se non in Domino gloriatur Bern. Epist Melius est in malis factis humilis confessio quam in bonis superba gloriatio August in Luc. 18. whereby a man is pufft up with something that is in him or the conceit of something that is peculiar to him Pride makes a man high in his own esteem it was a proud one that said I am not as other men are Luke 18.11 and he gives God thanks for it that he is no extortioner unjust c. a strange kinde of Prayer Non est ista supplicatio sed superlatio this is no confession of his sins but a commendation of his vertues he cometh not as a beggar to shew his rags to move mercy and compassion but as a proud bragger shewing his robes standing upon his merits Non ostendit vulnera sed potius munera he confesseth not his wants but boasteth of his worth And many in the world there are of his stamp that think all their Geese are Swans holding themselves more wise more holy of better conversation of more pure note and better report then others as if this were a thing most just for a man to justifie himself as Austin speaks against Faustus the Manichee August contrae Faust Manich. lib. 5. cap. 7. The clock of the Pharisees Tongue went truer then the dyal of his Heart Adams But he should have let another have commended him and not his own mouth he should not have been his own Cryer and Trumpeter The Hebrew word Gauoah signifying the high man is by the Greeks rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an appearance not a real thing an appearance more then enough shewing that Pride is a great vanity an appearance of that which is not in reality the counting of a mans self to be something when he is nothing Gal. 6.3 Superbia offuscat oculum mentis Bern. It s natural to men to think too well of themselves and too meanly of others to magnifie yea Deifie themselves and vilifie yea nullifie others For a man looking through the spectacles of self-love thinks every gift that God hath bestowed on him greater then it is imagining shadows to be substances and mole-hills mountains yea even his own blemishes and deformities to be ornaments Narcissus-like Acts 8.9 10. doting upon his own face and as Simon Magus who though he were a wicked wretch and a notorious Witch yet will have it given out that himself was some great one To whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest saying This man is the great power of God Apoc. 3.17 So the Church of Laodicea said I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing So the Scarlet-coloured Strumpet glorified her self Apoc. 18.7 8 9. and thought her self a Queen when she is ready for ruine Yea this corruption prevails upon the very Regenerate and such as are in part sanctified We read that the very Apostles themselves strove for precedency Luke 22.24 and 9.46 Surely the Disciples thought that it was a very small matter for them to think every one his own peny the best silver and to envy Peter James and John for being in more esteem with Christ as they thought then themselves And in all ages since Christs time there have been some in the Church that have had an over-weening conceit of their own righteousness purity and perfection as the Catharists Donatists Jovinianists Pelagians and the Quakers and others of that stamp in these days thinking that a just man hath not sin remaining in him and the Papists and such like who will have a hand in their own conversion CHAP. 3. Of the causes of Pride 1. THe first cause of Pride in us is that bitter root of Pride that was in our first Parents it is an evil that is hereditary to us all that every one of Adams race brings with him into the world it is reigning in every soul in the state of nature and it is abiding in the best and if God leave them but a little they will quickly shew it as Hezekiah did though he was holy sincere and full of faith and confidence in God yet when God left him in the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon his heart was lifted up 2 Chron. 32.25 31. and stufft with pride 2. A second cause of Pride is ignorance

open place as the Publican Luke 18. So a man may pray for ostentation in a secret place even under many locks and with many doors shut upon him if he withdraw himself to the end he may be seen and observed Therefore Austin writing to certain Eremites whom he stileth brethren in the wilderness August Ad fratres in eremo Claude ostium hoc est noli sermone clamare nec diffundere orationem tuam nec jactare per populos sed in secreto tuo ora securus ut te in secreto possit audire quoniam videt audit universa August Ambros Hieron Chemnit bids them come out of those solitary places and come into towns and Cities yea even to the Court rather then be proud of being in a wilderness Object But may not a man glory in the good works done by him doth not the Apostle say Let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another Gal. 6.4 Answ The Apostle layeth down a remedy against self-love and over-weening conceit of our selves and it stands in proving and examining a mans own work by it self without comparing it with another mans Whereof he renders this reason Then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another There is a double ground of glorying one out of a mans self the other in a mans self 1. Out of himself in God alone Jerem. 9.23 He that gloryeth let him glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.31 2. In himself viz. in the comfortable testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 The one is glorying before God the other before men the one of justification the other of holy conversation for the time past and constant resolution for the time to come the one in the testimony of our own conscience the other in the testimony of Gods Spirit witnessing with our spirits that we are the sons of God Rom. 8.16 the first not here meant 1 Cor. 1.29 Object This glorying in a mans self is vain-glory and a branch of pride Answ It differs from vain-glory in two things In the Foundation In the End 1. Vain-glory hath for its ground and foundation our own vertues gifts works considered as they come from our selves not from God whereas this true glorying is grounded upon them as they are fruits of regeneration and proceeding from justification by Christ and reconciliation with God 2. They differ in the end vain-glory tending to the advancing of our selves in an opinion of our own proper desert this true glorying aimeth at Gods glory alone acknowledging that all the good that we have and all the good that we do to come from God alone rejoycing in our good works not as causes but as fruits of our justification so that if the question be whether we be justified by them or not we must then disclaim them and tread them under our feet and account them as dung as Paul did Phil. 3.7 8 9 10. SECT 3. 6. PRide will make a man unfit for society with others Pride is a great enemy to union therefore it is that there are so many sad separations of men one from another in these divided times It is very hard for men of proud spirits long to accord and unite together Melanct. Comment in Prov. 13.10 Melancton compareth proud men to mountains and saith concerning such men there was wont to be this Proverb Duo montes non miscentur Two mountains will not mix together Humble persons are very sociable they can converse together with an unequal respect of age parts sex or degree Humble men like the Bees love a sociable life who as Ambrose observeth are included and inclosed in one hive and shut up with one door Proud persons cannot cope together a proud man envieth his superiors because they be above him he scorneth his inferiors because they be beneath him and labours to keep them down lest they over-take him and he studieth to supplant and undermine his equals lest they out-strip and excell him therefore that our Saviour might correct this humour among his own Disciples he took a little child and set him in the midst of them Matth. 18.2 3. saying Vnless ye become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God Children are humble and meek-spirited they envy not they disdain not they exalt not themselves one above another the children of a Prince will be familiar and play with the child of a peasant they equal themselves one to another till they be told their places and made proud by being observed So must not Christians strive for precedency and superiority above their brethren Thus David saith that his heart was not haughty c. nor walked in matters too high for him but saith he I have behaved and quieted my self as a child Psal 131.1 2. Servus servorum dei as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned child The Pope indeed is stiled by a most lowly title The servant of the servants of God though he be nothing less but had we hearts truly humble we should learn the Apostles lesson and serve one another in love The Romans therefore painted humility in the form of a serving-man wearing black garments his head hanging down and a staffe in his hand to represent the several good conditions of humility and of the humble man 1. He thinks meanly of himself albeit most noble and excellent 2. He ever thinks himself bound to run the way of Gods Commandments this is expressed by the staffe in his hand 3. The black-garments express him to be one of Sions mourners like the poor Publican lamenting his sins standing afar off as not worthy to lift up his eyes to heaven 4. To signifie that himself was created to serve God and others and this the picture expressed by being in the form of a serving-man 7. Pride threatens ruine and destruction to to a mans children house and family The Hebrews call the generation of children the building up the house and Pride throws down this building The Lord will destroy the house of the proud saith Solomon Prov. 15.25 though like Lucifer he set his nest among the stars yet pride will unnest him and throw him down Thus God brought ruine upon the house of Valois those proud persecutors of the French Protestants So likewise Maximinus the Roman Emperour having made a decree against the Christians and being in the act of persecuting them he perished in an insurrection and mutiny of his souldiers who hated him for his pride and cruelty and killed not only himself but his son also crying out That there should not a whelp escape of so bad a breed Proud Parents are the greatest enemies to their children that possibly can be making them liable to Gods wrath and curse When good Hezekiah grew proud of his treasures Quae servare poterat occultata praedae reddidit obnoxia ostentata M S. Isa 39.6 7.