Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	king_n	5,512	5	3.6764	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41536	The tryall of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing forth more fruit a treatise handling this case, how to discerne our growth in grace : affording some helps rightly to judge thereof by resolving some tentations, clearing some mistakes, answering some questions, about spiritual growth : together with other observations upon the Parable of the vine, John 15. 1, 2 verses / by Tho. Goodwin.	Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing G1262; ESTC R10593	96,023	122

he that is that it were not regnum in capite in your owne conceits onely and that there were indeed such reall cause to applaud your own conditions We are of the Circumcision sayes the Apostle and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 1. 3. The more the heart is truly circumcised of which he there speakes in opposition to those who rested in outward circumcision it trusteth not nor beareth not it selfe upon outward things priviledges and endowments as riches bloud credit learning righteousnesse these when the heart is not circumcised doe puffe it up but we sayes he have no confidence in the flesh either for comfort or for justification or any thing else but we rejoyce in Christ Jesus Sixtly the more full of envyings and heart-burnings against others and of breakings forth into strife our hearts are and of strivings and contentions to get the credit or riches or victory away from others c. the more unmortified are our hearts the more need of purging These overflowings of the gall and spleen come from a fulnesse of bad humours Whereas there is among you envying and strife are ye not carnall 1 Cor. 3. 3. That is this argues you to be such for envie and strife are not onely lusts in themselves but further they are such lusts as are always the children and fruit of some other they are rooted in and spring from inordinate affections to some things which we contend for and accordingly if this fire of envie or strife prove great it argues the fuell that is the lusts after the things we envie others for to be much more For envie is but an oblique lust founded on some more direct lust these are but the outward flushings that shew the distemper to be much more within Jam. 4. 1. From whence comes wars and fightings amongst you come they not hence even of your lusts which fight in your members There is something the heart would have as it follows in the 2. ver Ye lust and have not c. A contentious spirit is an unmortifyed spirit If ye bite and devour one another Gal. 5. 15. This I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Mark the coherence it comes in upon biting one at another for such walke not in the spirit flesh doth prevaile in them that is his meaning Seventhly the lesse able we are to heare reproofs for the breakings forth of our lusts the more unmortifyed it argues our hearts to be it is a signe we love those much whom we cannot endure to heare spoken against therefore sayes the Apostle Be swift to heare but slow to wrath take heed of raging when you are toucht And it follows a verse after Casting away all superfluity receive the word with meeknesse for it is your lusts uncast out unpurged that cause that wrath and heart-boiling against reproofe That good King was in a great distemper of spirit when he cast the Prophet in prison that reproved him for he oppressed the people also at the same time as is said 2 Chron. 16. 10. he was then taken in the spring-tide and swelling of his lusts of covetousnesse and oppression they brake downe all that withstood and opposed the current of them and if as he in this fit at this time so we be found in such passionate tempers upon such occasions of reproof ordinarily it argues the habituall frame of our hearts to be much unmortifyed as this argued him at this time to have beene actually much distempered Eighthly the more quick and speedy the temptation is in taking the more unmortified the heart is When an object at the first presenting makes the lust to rise and passeth through at the very first presenting of it and soaks into the heart as oile into the bones and runs through all when a man is gunpowder to temptations and it is but touch and take so as there needes not much blowing but the heart is presently on fire as Prov. 7. 22. it is said He went straight-way after her A man will find that when his heart is actually in a good temper a temptation doth not so easily take his heart is then though tinder yet as wet tinder that is more slow in taking As there is a preparednesse to good works so there is a preparednesse to evill when the heart is in a covetous humour and will be rich then a man falls into temptations and a snare 1 Tim. 6. His lusts will nibble at every bait in every thing he deales in they will take presently when the heart is thus bird-limed then it cleaves to every thing it meets with It is a signe that the heart is not awake to righteousnesse as the Apostle speaks but to sin rather when a little occasion awakeneth a lust and rouzeth it as when on the contrary if a great deale of jogging will not awaken a mans grace Ninthly the more our lusts have power to disturb us in holy duties and the more they prevaile with the heart then the more unmortified and profane the heart is as to have uncleane glances in hearing and worldly thoughts then ordinarily to possesse the heart and to take it up much They are prophane sayes God Jer. 23. 11. for in my house I have found their wickednesse If the heart be carryed away and overcome with uncleane and worldly thoughts then this argues much unmortifyednesse and that the flesh is indeed much above the spirit For why then a man is in Gods presence and that should overcome and over-awe the unregenerate part if it were not impudent and outragious and besides then the regenerate part hath the advantage for the Word and the Ordinance is a stirring of it up and provoking it to holynesse And therefore that at such a time a mans lusts should be able to tempt and seduce a mans heart it argues sinne hath a great part in the heart when it affronts God in his throne when grace is in Solio where it would be for the Disciples then to be talking who should be greatest when Christ had made so long a Sermon to them and had administred the Sacrament to them this argued much want of mortification in them even as it were a signe that the orthodox party were but a weak party in a Kingdome if whilst they are at Sermons Papists durst come in and disturb them and put them out Tenthly when the recalling former acts committed by a man prove still to be a snare to him and being suggested by Satan as a means to quicken his lust the thought thereof doth rather stir up his lust afresh it is a signe of an unmortifyed frame Thus is it laid to the charge of that Nation Ezech. 23. 21. That she multiplyed her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt The remembrance of them was a snare to her as appeares by the 8. verse It is a signe a man is