Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	heart_n	lord_n	see_v	3,172	5	3.4596	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B11881	The signes of the wicked man Together with directions that shew how the seuerall gifts and graces of Gods spirit may be attained. Needfull for such as want those graces, and for such as desire to increase in them. By N. Bifield, preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.	1619 (1619)	STC 4235.5; ESTC S120630	24,700	134

put out of doubt and made to know that they haue yet no right to the kingdome of heauen neuer considering that the knowledge of our misery may be one degree to get out of it 2. In such as see all is 2. They are slothfull not well with them the cause is slothfulnesse mingled with horrible presumption they had rather weare out their daies in danger then bee at the paines to vse the meanes for their owne repentance and reformation They will wretchlesly put it to the venture 3. Others will aduenture 3. They rest vpon the common hope vpon their common hope of mercy They haue certaine generall confused apprehensions of mercy in God vpon which they wilfully engage their hopes without care of reformation or the particular warrant of their hopes from the Word of God and so miserably perish their hopes prouing but as the house of the spider and the imaginarie mercy failing them they die either as stockes without sence or as Iudas in horrible despaire 4. Others rest themselues Or 4. vpon their outward profession of Religion vpon their outward profession of Religion and some generall things wrought in them and the good opinion others haue of them and so being somewhat neere the kingdome of God they are content to rest there as the Israelits did neere Canaan though they neuer possessed it Wee see many thinke there needs no more to be sure they are in a good condition then to heare Sermons and abstaine from grosse outward prophanenesse and to bee well reputed of among the godly c. pleasing themselues with the shew of godlinesse though as yet they deny the power of it as hauing attained no other righteousnesse then the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises 5. In multitudes of Or 5. they haue euill opinions about Assurance men there are seated euill opinions about assurance They thinke either it is impossible to be had or it is needlesse or it is presumption to seeke it 6. All wicked men are hindred by their beloued 6. They are letted by their beloued sinnes sinnes which they are not willing to part with but of purpose forbeare the care of heauen that they may the more securely liue in sinne Thus of wicked men It is true also that many godly Christians haue beene and are extremely Why some that are godly neglect the triall of their estates faulty in neglecting the triall of their estates and their Assurance and the causes of this negligence in them are diuers As 1. Some are so much 1. Euill opinions mis-led by the surmises of their owne hearts that they thinke that Assurance would breed security and that it is a better way to keepe their owne hearts humble to be somewhat doubtfull not knowing that vnbeleefe is the chiefe cause of slothfulnesse and security and that the assurance of faith is the chiefe meanes to purge the heart and quiet the soule and workes effectually in all the duties of loue 2. In the most Ignorance 2. Ignorance of their owne gifts and Gods promises is the cause for if Christians did see distinctly how far the Lord had brought them by his grace and withall did behold the euidences of their faith and hope in Gods promises they could not faile of comfort establishment of heart 3. Smothering of doubts 3. Smothering of doubts and temptations and temptations is a great let in many Diuers Christians are secretly and daily assaulted with certaine strange doubts which if they did propound and get sound answer vnto their hearts would heale within them and the work of faith prosper 4. Some Christians are They are wicked ouermuch kept without Assurance through the ouermuch viewing of their owne daily infirmities in all parts of Gods seruice They are wicked ouermuch whereas if they would study those Scriptures that shew how graciously the Lord stands inclined toward his people notwithstanding their daily wants their hearts would bee much eased and their minds cleerly resolued to trust vpon the euerlasting mercies of their God 5. In some the cause is 5. Melancholy found in the disease of their bodies Melancholy when it is growne to a disease is a most stiffe and pertinacious aduersarie to Comfort and Assurance It doth fill the heart with so many sad conceits and fancies and is a humor so vnteachable that comfort for the most part is as water spilt vpon the ground And the more difficult it is to remoue this let because vsually the parties possest by this humour are so far from seeking helpe that they will not bee perswaded that they are troubled with any such disease 6. Some Christians are 6. Passions hindred by their owne Passions they are so froward and vnquiet in their dispositions that their hearts are daily lifted off from the benefit of settled Assurance by their owne habituall discontents Frowardnesse is a mischieuous distemper that weakens both body and minde and assurance and strength of faith seldome dwels in an vnquiet minde 7. Others want assurance 7 Neglect of the meanes because they neglect the meanes of Assurance they do not try all things and keep that which is good or they call not vpon God daily feruently and constantly to giue them the spirit of reuelation to shew them the hope of their Calling and their glorious Inheritance Ephe. 1. 18 19. 8. A barren life is an 8. A barren life vncomfortable life and contrarywise to abound in 1 Cor. 15. 58. good workes hath stedfastnesse and a secret rest of heart as an vnseparable companion of it 9. The loue of earthly 9. Too much loue of earthly things things is another great impediment many Professors haue their thoughts and cares so eaten vp with worldlinesse that they cannot seriously seek Gods Kingdome nor constantly hold out in any course for the attainement of Assurance This degree of faith requires some degree of the contempt of the world 10. In some there lodgeth 10. Secret sinne some secret sinne which they know and do not iudge themselues for and doth daily preuaile in them and this either keeps out faith or keepes it downe in the cradle that it can get no strength When I say secret sinnes I mean secret from others not from themselues For sinnes of meere ignorance God doth not scourge in his seruants so as to withhold his graces from them CHAP. I. Containing the signes of open wicked men THE tryall of the estates of all sorts of Christians may bee performed by examining themselues by two sorts of signes some are such as describe the wicked man and some such as describe the godly man and of the tryall of the godly man I haue intreated before Wicked men in the Church are not all of a sort for some are manifestly prophane and carelesse of the Kingdome of God and some are in outward shew such as professe the seeking of Gods Kingdome but yet in deed and in heart are without God

are kindled yea and the flames of affection are much dulled in whom they are best excited Psal 119. 115. 6. Such as finde some 6. And of neglect of the increase hereof beginnings of desire after the Word and liking to it must take heed that they estrange not themselues from the exercises thereof For if they heare or reade but now then either the heart will neuer be throughly heated or if it bee it will easily waxe cold againe and yet herein Or excesse some are to be warned to take heed of disordered excesse for that will breed dulnesse as well as neglect As when they will reade daily for diuers houres or when they prouide vnto themselues a heape of Teachers as some that liue in great Cities thinke it Religion to heare all sorts of men and all the Sermons can bee come vnto As if the power of godlinesse lay onely in the vse of the meanes of godlinesse 7. Wee must practise 7. Practise what thou hearest what we heare and labour to shew forth the fruit of the doctrine Hee that would be in loue with husbandry must sow his seed in his ground and then the gaine of the Haruest will still allure him to like the Trade If we be fruitlesse hearers of the Word we cannot loue it or if we doe it will bee but for a flash or small time Thus of the loue to the Word Hee that would learne To attain the gift of prayer to pray must follow these directions 1. Hee must go to God 1. Pray God to teach thee in the name of Christ and beseech him to giue him words and by his Spirit to teach him to pray It is God onely can make a man speak a pure language for hee onely can instruct the heart of man and indue it with this heauenly gift Rom. 8. 26. Ephes 3. 9. 2. It will much helpe 2. Ioyne with such as can pray him to ioyne himselfe to such as call vpon the name of the Lord with a pure heart especially in the daies of their humiliation 2. Tim. 2. 22. 3. There are three distinct 3. How he may furnish himselfe in euery part of prayer things which a man may with singular profite propound vnto himselfe in his prayers Confession of sinnes Petition for grace and thankesgiuing for mercies receiued Now the weakest Christian may be through Gods blessing comfortably furnished for his own particular if hee take such a course as this To go aside and with all 3. Questions secresie and attention of heart before the Lord aske himselfe these three Questions 1. What sinnes haue I committed which either now do trouble me or if I were to die would make me afraide Let him set them downe in a paper or in his memory distinctly till hee can bethinke himselfe of no more It is no great matter for the order how he sets them down so hee bee sure hee haue the chiefe sinnes in which hee daily offends or hath offended 2. What would I haue the Lord do for mee if I might haue what I wish Let him set the particulars downe till he can remember no more As for example I would haue him forgiue me my sinnes and I would haue him giue me knowledge and I would haue him giue me strength against such and such sins I would haue him giue me faith and assurance and I would haue him giue me heauen when I die and so go on with all the things he feeles a desire in his heart to seek of God till he can remember no more and if at any other time hee remember some speciall thing which he would further haue which hee hath not in his Catalogue let him set it down as from time to time hee sees cause 3. What speciall fauours hath God shewed to me which I see I ought to take speciall notice of Let him set them downe distinctly whether they be deliuerances or such and such spirituall or outward mercies preseruing the memorie principally of the chiefest of them Now when hee hath thus furnished these three heads with things that in particular concerne himselfe they being all matters of weight hee must now carry these things or the chiefe of them in his minde and frame his heart to speake to God in the best words hee can get to signifie his detestation of those sinnes his humble requests for those graces and his vnfaigned thankefulnesse for those blessings Howsoeuer hee may bee rude or vnperfect in his language about these at the first yet exercise will bring him to a ripenesse and by this course he shall be sure to speak of things that concerne himselfe neerely and that God which hath taught parents to regard the vnperfect language of their little children when they begin to speake vnto them will himselfe much more delight to heare the desires of his seruants that are grieued that they cannot speake in a better sort vnto him The profite and comfort of this course will appeare by experience to bee exceeding great Besides it is an easie way when there is in any a true desire to bee at the paines to learne this language of speaking to God by prayer and Gods Spirit will helpe and teach the poore Christian and draw his Petitions for him and prompt him both with words and affections and the Christian must know this that when hee hath confessed his sinnes and shewed what hee would haue God doe for him with the best words hee could in the truth of his heart hee hath made a most effectuall prayer to God Thus of Prayer The awfull feare of God How the feare of God may be begotten in vs. and the reuerent dreading of God may be begotten and increased in vs if wee throughly remember and deeply ponder vpon 1. The surpassing glory and transcendent excellencie and perfection of his Nature his absolute Purity and exact Iustice and Holinesse 2. The wonderfull works of God especially those standing miracles shewed in the hanging of this mighty earth and those huge heapes of water in the clouds and the bounding of these mighty feas and such like 3. His fearefull threatnings of all sorts of woes against the transgressions of men 4. The terrour of the last Day and the dreadfulnesse of death and Iudgement 5. The fearefull and sudden iudgements which haue falne vpon wicked men either recorded in Scripture or reported in Histories or obserued in experience 6. Especially if wee thinke much and seriously of the great goodnesse of God to vs how hee hath striuen with vs to ouercome vs with his mercies Thus of the feare of God Wee should striue to stir vp in vs affection and loue to our very enemies by such considerations as these 1. Because Christ to whom wee are infinitely bound hath expresly charged vs to look to this that wee do loue our enemies and therefore for his sake we should deny our selues and our owne corrupt desires and affections and striue to shew the truth