Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	accusation_n	accuse_v	accuser_n	114	3	10.1625	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15013	Prototypes, or, The primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis shewing, the [brace] good and bad things [brace] they did and had practically applied to our information and reformation / by that faithfull and painefull preacher of Gods word William Whately ... ; together with Mr. Whatelyes life and death ; published by Mr. Edward Leigh and Mr. Henry Scudder, who were appointed by the authour to peruse his manuscripts, and printed by his owne coppy.	Whately, William, 1583-1639.; Leigh, Edward, 1602-1671.; Scudder, Henry, d. 1659?	1640 (1640)	STC 25317.5; ESTC S4965	513,587	514

with full beleefe so as to suffer wrath to arise against the person accused untill a man have well weighed the matter and given the man accused leave to use all the good wayes of clearing himselfe And by how much the fault is the greater wherewith any one is charged by so much easinesse to beleeve it and an over-speedy intertaining of the accusation is more blame-worthy because it shewes lesse charity for a common imperfection is very likely to be found in the best men but we must see cause to suspect him of great naughtinesse concerning whom we beleeve a grievous accusation It was Sauls fault also to be open eared unto false accusers indeed the consideration of the person accusing a wife her manner of doing it in such a bold and withall subtill fashion faigning her selfe to be so vexed at the indignity that her servant should offer such a thing to her and then the sight of his coat in her hand left there as others that came in at her cry would witnesse just upon his going out All these mitigated his fault but did not wholly excuse it for hee should have considered how faithfull Ioseph had shew'd himselfe and how vertuous and should not have conceived that he would so soone have turned so desperately evill as to have offered violence to his mistris Be you therefore humbled if any of you have beleeved and beene angry with and punished so much as you could another for a fault wherewith he was wrongfully burdened if the end or issue make it appeare the party was innocent though the person accusing and manner of accusing may extenuate the fault of your credulity yet it cannot utterly take it away And now learne to use both eares afore you credit a report or accusation against any whose course hath beene vertuous and commendable though it come even from a wife or person very neere Indeed a man whose knowne evill carriage doth give it selfe for a very probable argument of his guiltinesse hath no wrong if a probable though not all out true narration be beleeved against him but it is a great fault to credit a lewd tale against a Ioseph Search thorougly into such accusers and accusations and be not angry at first for that will hinder a man from being indifferent in searching out the truth of the matter You see Potiphers faults see his good deedes First hee marked the Faithfulnesse of his servant and his good successe in all things and accordingly both loved trusted and preferred him in his house It is a point of wisdome in any man to shew due love and respect to a faithfull and prosperous servant as after the Governour of the prison did and as Laban did before To see this is a point of discretion but to like and reward it adds justice to discretion vertue would be noted in the meanest condition and where it is seene it is worthy to be honoured especially in a servant by whose vertues a mans estate is so greatly furthered It is a wrong to ones selfe and to all masters not to cherish good behaviour by shewing good liking and giving good reward Therefore God commanded the masters to impart to their servants when they set them free some good part of the substance wherewith God had blessed them under their labours And Salomon saith that as hee that tendeth the fig-tree shall eate of its fruits so hee that attendeth on his master shall come to honour It is a shame for the fig-tree if the gardener doe not fare the better for it and an arrant shame for the master if a diligent servant reape not benefit from him If any of you masters have beene barren fig-trees to your faithfull servants confesse it to be a fault of unjustice and a kind of ingratitude a fruit of niggardize and selfe-love and a just cause to provoke God to give you such wicked servants as may become a plague to such sorry and pinching masters The Holy Ghost bids us doe to servants that which is just and equall and to recompence a man well for his paines and fidelity is a point of equity Hee that will not requite a servant doth but seeke himselfe not exercise vertue if hee seeme ready to requite his equals and superiours he would be as sl●cke towards them as to his servants if he did not either feare some losse or expect some gaine from them learne of Christ to be good masters nay learne of Potiphar And if any of you have beene so much favoured by the divine providence as to be provided of these houshould instruments good and faithfull and every way vertuous let them afford them all encouragements by all good usage You know how much it concernes an Artificer to get a good and strong and fit toole no lesse needfull is a prudent diligent and trusty servant Consider now that which Potiphar could not consider that in Iesus Christ there is neither bond nor free the meaning is that Christ will not respect men more or lesse in respect of grace or salvation because of their being masters or bond-men therefore seeing God will reward a servants graces why should not masters reward their paines Nothing but worldly-mindednesse will oppose this exhortation and none but very worldly minded men will neglect it Another thing to be liked in him is that he did but imprison Ioseph and not take away his life in a rage considering what was the crime and who the accuser It is a good thing even in unjust punishing yet to observe some moderation so as not to proceed to capitall blowes till time of respight have beene taken to take more thorough notice of the matter And it is probable that Potiphar had a little kind of pacification towards Ioseph because he proceeded not after to greater severity Learne you to put some time betwixt the accusing and utmost punishing that truth may have leasure to cleare it selfe and see how monstrously cruell many of ours be that will kill in a rage and not onely be angry for that for which their owne more sober thoughts would account even a blow to be an over-measure of punishment These are the faults and good deedes of Potiphar His benefits were very great but all temporall Hee had an honourable office about the King he had riches and prosperity in his outward estate and that in abundance Hee lighted upon a wise and faithfull and diligent servant who being his Steward ordered all his businesses so well that Gods blessing attended him in all things So he had dignity and wealth and an excellent steward You see that these common benefits are cast upon Heathen men and therefore be exhorted not to set your hearts upon them nor to satisfie yourselves in them but to seeke the Kingdome of God and its righteousnesse and to esteeme of these things but as the vantage not the principall bargaine as most times men doe And seeing the having of these things doth not difference you