Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	world_n	young_a	youth_n	71	3	8.0232	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02746	A touch-stone of grace Discouering the differences betweene true and counterfeit grace: laying downe infallible euidences and markes of true grace: seruing for the triall of a mans spirituall estate. By A.H. Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Minister of Gods Word at Cranham in Essex.	Harsnett, Adam, 1579 or 80-1639.	1630 (1630)	STC 12876; ESTC S114563	72,897	335

of carnall security the Lord oft stands by lets Satan loose and layes the reines vpon their owne necks whereby they come oft-times to be ouer-taken with grosse and shamefull sins the Lord in wisdome vsing as bodily Physicians oft doe desperate medicines and remedies for the curing of some desperate disease preuailing in them or growing vpon them Again there is another weed to be plucked vp and that is Insinceritie if I may so call it the want of truth and vprightnesse of heart call it Hypocrisie if you wil that stinking weed which like the wilde Gourd sowred all the Pottage 2 King 4. 40. The Lord loueth truth in the inward parts and loathes the contrary Vprightnesse and sincerity helpes forward the worke of grace as appeares Psal 84. 11. The Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly The want of vprightnesse will make grace to wither It is not possible for that tree to stand long which is rotten at the root it may for a while seeme fresh and greene but as it takes no root downeward so it will not long beare fruit vpward for whē the wind begins to blow hard down it falls Wheras a gracious heart which truly delights in the Law of God and meditates therein alone in the night as well as openly in the day is like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bring forth her fruit in due season whose leafe shall not fade but be greene and neuer cease yeelding fruit As these weeds must be plucked out of the heart or else grace cannot possibly thriue or prosper so there be certain briers and thornes which must bee stubbed vp or else grace will quickly be choked in vs. These thornes are the cares of this world the deceitfulnesse of riches which while some haue lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues thorow with many sorrowes These things sayes Paul 1 Tim. 6. 11. we must fly and follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith c. implying that grace will not thriue if loue of money bee not rooted out of vs. What choaked grace if any was in Demas but the loue of the world Oh the multitude of soules that haue miscarried and for ought we know to the cōtrary might haue done wel if riches had not been not that riches are the cause but an occasion of their miscarrying What parted Christ that hopeful young man in the Gospell Mat. 19. was it not the loue of riches Many haue begunne well in their youth and giuen good hope but in their age haue growne cold through the loue of the world If once mens hearts begin to goe after their eyes and to be set vpon the world twenty to one but grace goes to decay in them for the world wil afford a man little time to exercise those things which hold vp the life of grace as prayer reading hearing c. If the world hath seazed vpō the heart it fumes vp into the head and fills the braine sleeping and waking with restlesse thoughts which way to compasse businesse contriue things and bring ends together so as scarce once in the day a good thought comes to minde but one occasion or other of the world stifles it or shuffles it out so as it comes to nothing Therfore if riches increase set not your heart vpon thē Psal 62. 10. Vse thē as thornes for thy weale to stop a gap withall to fence thee from outward harmes or to warme thee but lie not vpō them hold them not too hard lest they strike into thee and would thee remember alwayes that they are thornes good in their lawfull vse and when they are rightly husbanded but otherwise noxious and hurtful They are thornes they will ouer-grow and choak all good things that grow neere them if they be let alone Againe there be many bad humours foolish and noysome lusts which must be purged out of the heart or else grace will neuer thriue nor prosper in it to wit enuy hatred malice guile dissimulation filthinesse euill speakings the like which corrupt goodnesse Therefore S. Peter exhorting his brethren to whom hee wrote to embrace the sincere milke of the Word that they might grow therby prepares thē to this by aduising thē to lay aside those base distempers for they do much hinder the growth of Grace where they are they take away the glory and beauty of a Christian and make him vnseemely in the eyes of his brethren they darken his lustre and do blot and blemish his holy profession Therefore away with these lay these aside not as a man doth his apparell with a resolution to take it vp againe but as the captiue maid when she was to be maried laid aside the garment of her captiuitie Deut. 21. 13. with a resolution neuer more to put it on Abstaine from all fleshly lusts for they fight against thy soule 1 Pet. 2. 11. As Easterne winds doe nippe herbs and flowers cold stormes doe hinder trees from growing so fleshly lusts nip grace in the bud as it were blast it in the bloome that if it dieth not yet it comes not forward so fast as otherwise it would Last of all take heed beware of the needlesse familiar societie of gracelesse and godlesse persons for they are the quench-coale nay the very bane and poyson of grace vnto many He that is a companion of fooles shal be destroyed or as Iunius hath it He shal be made worse Prou. 13. 20. God hath branded wicked persons for fooles they are fooles in graine therefore come out from amongst thē lest thou partake of their folly They are pitch if thou touch them they wil defile thee There is a kind of poyson and venome in the words and society of the wicked which will fret as the Apostle sayes like a Gangrene and mens soules are more ready to take the cōtagion of sin than their bodies are to take the infection of the plague It would take vp a long time and proue a large discourse to shew how many wayes by what degrees mischiefe doth grow by haunting wicked company By often hearing filthy and obscene speeches zeale in many is quenched and such language growes in-offensiue By often seeing lewd prankes and wicked practices men can look on without dislike Thus the societie of the wicked quells a mans hatred of their wicked courses so inchants him that if he cast not in his lot amongst thē yet he hath no power to gain-say or reproue thē Therefore as you loue your soules loath the company of the wicked Can a man take fire into his bosome not burne liue amongst or delight to be with the wicked and not be vngodly Dost thou not know that a little leauen will sowre the whole lumpe And as the old saying is One scabbed sheepe infects the whole flocke Therefore say as Dauid Away from mee yee