Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	act_n	sin_n	will_n	1,889	5	6.7849	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19893	Certaine deuout considerations of frequenting the blessed sacrament: written by the reuerent Father Fuluius Androtius of the Societie of Iesus. With sundrie other preceptes and rules of direction, composed for the benefit of such as seeke to attaine to the perfection of vertue. Firste written in Italian: after turned into Latine: and now translated into English; Della frequenza della communione. English	Androzzi, Fulvio, 1523-1575.; I. G., fl. 1606.; Everard, Thomas, 1560-1633.	1606 (1606)	STC 632; ESTC S115242	106,518	327

chiefe remedie therfore is to consider the great goodnes of our Lorde and Sau●our and euer to fix our mindes on the hope of his infinite mercy who hath so abundantly satisfied for our sinnes and for the sinnes of the whole worlde What distrust therfore can we haue vnder the winges of so merciful a redeemer What pennance can we doe or what satisfaction can God receiue from vs greater then the s●tisfaction of his only Sonn● Cōsidering that any sat●s●●ctiō whats●eu●r which lieth in vs to p●rf●rme hath the original and force from th●t ●f his And what are the sinnes of al the worlde compared with Christes meritts but as the least chip in respect of a fire of infinit greatnes An ansvvere to an obiection BVt such an one wil say that he doth daylie fall into diuers defectes and neuer doth truly amend them for which cause he doth much distrust him selfe To which obiection may be answered that he might haue iust cause to feare if Christ had not suffered his passion and died for the sinnes which are daylie committed but considering that he was crucified for al sinnes past and to come there is no cause for such an one to feare or in any sort to distrust in his mercy An ansvver to an other obiection SOme other wil s●y considering they daylie receiue many benefitts from almightie God that they are striken with great feare in regard of their daylie fall into seueral sinnes But this obiection may be answered That as the malice of man is in no one thinge more made manifest then that he receiuing daylie benefitts from almightie God no●withstanding proceedeth to heape sin vpon sinne so in nothing doth the goodnes of God more clearly appeare then that he continually powreth downe new benefitts and graces vpon vs who neuer cease to redouble our offences against him In this case we should behaue our selues like to a certaine seruant who although most faithful and trustie yet not wel experiēced in his chardge hauing a louing and fauourable master and happely committing some offence against him although on the one side he be sorie for his fault and willingly would not for any thinge haue committed the same yet on the other side remembring the mildenes of his masters nature is greatly comforted to consider with him selfe that as before so now againe he shal be pardoned and forgiuen and so humbleth him selfe making a ful purpose and resolutiō neuer after to commit the like euen so we acknowledging our sinnes and offences ought hartely to be sorie and contrite for them resoluing neuer to commit them after And in steed of sorrow rising of this feare we ought to reioyce hauing a firme considence in the mercie of God and so to comfort and content our selues Futhermore as we see that of the most venemous and poysoning Viper a preseruatiue is made against the strongest poyson so of our sinnes considered and thought on as afore saied we ought to make a remedie against al venom of sinne and so to blind and put out the eies of our ghostly enimie with his owne weapons where with he assa●lteth vs taking occasion thereby to loue God the more and with greater dilligence to auoide the occasion of sinne And so shal we gayne two principal vertues to wit profound humility and perfect charity For as our defectes and imperfections wil giue vs occasion to see our owne miserie and thereby also to humble our selues so patience longanimitie and the great willingnes of God to pardon our sinnes rendring vnto vs good for euil giueth vs iust cause the more to loue and worship him An other Remedie WE must knowe that there are two sortes of venial sinnes differing the one from the other For some persons sinne wholy against their willes and purposes other thorough infirmitie or negligence or some euil habitts of the minde which hinder such in the course of vertu who doe not perceiue and note them Others there be that vse a larger libertie of conscience and thinking it sufficient to abstaine from mortal sinne haue no regarde to auoide such as be venial and so in eatinge in drinking in idle discourses doe take their pleasure and mispend their time To these men so long as they followe so great licentiousnes of life their venial sinnes are neuer remitted althoughte they confesse them as it is wel noted by Henricus Herpius because they haue no purpose to amend them And further they are in great peril thereby to fall also into mortal according to the opinion of S. Thomas But to the former who striue to auoide them such venial sinnes are presently pardoned and forgiuen For seauen times in a day the iust man falleth and riseth againe The Conclusion THerfore our griefe for such venial sinnes ought to be discrete and so to be moderated Pro. 14. that we neuer any wayes distrust of the mercie of God for sorrowe and griefe without the asistance of Gods grace is by so much the worser by how much it is greater for that it bringeth a man into desperation Remedies against particular imperfections 1. FIrst to finde out the cause and grounde of our defectes for commonly some one or two special sinnes raigne in vs from which al other doe take their begininge which first beinge rooted out al other wil easily be subdued a●d ouercome 2. To remember what remedies are prescribed against those sinnes and to vse the same so often as need requireth 3. To labour to ouercome our most principal defect with detestation also of the rest neuer ceasing to fight against it vntil we finde it wholie ouercome or at the least greatly to be weakned 4. Often to renew our good purposes for the ouercoming our defectes and to stir vp in our selues a hatred against them 5. Often to cal to minde by what meanes we haue subdued them and stil as they rise againe to suppresse them by the same 6. To craue of God his especial asistance against that particular sinne wherunto we are most incident 7. To commend our selues to some particular Saint who hath also sometime bene assaulted with the same kinde of sinne and hath by the asistance of Gods grace bene deliuered from it 8. Often to examine our conscience of that particular sinne comparing the estate of our life one day with an other 9. To impose vpon our selues if we fall into it some kinde of pennance which may be most contrarie and opposite to the same 10. To haue a good courage to fight against this sinne for that is a signe that in the end we shal obtaine the victorie 11. Euer to perseuer in fight against it and neuer to deiect our mindes no although we should fall a thousand times in one day for he only is conquered that castinge downe his weapons yeldeth him selfe ouercome 12. Although thou findest thy selfe to profit litle in this conflict yet it is not litle For although we perceiue not the shadow of the dial to moue or goe forward yet are

Hierome aduiseth vs to be verie respectiue of venial sinnes and not to thinke that they be but smale but to remember that God is great and omnipotent whom Rom. 3. 1. First because according to S. Paule we ought not to doe euil that good may ensue thereof 2. Secondly because our Sauiour sayeth in the gospel What doth it profit a man if he gayne the whole worlde and suffer losse of his owne soule As if he had said that he had gayned nothing 3. Thirdly because a man ought to loue his soule aboue al other thinges and therfore ought not to doe the least iniurie vnto it to procure the safetie of al other thinges And we haue declared already how great hurt one venial sinne bringeth to the soule of man 4. Fourthly because the end why man was created was to see and behould God and therfore we ought not to commit one acte to gayne the whole worlde that should hinder vs from that end the which is caused by euery venial sinne 5. Fiftly we ought not to commit any acte where with God may be offended or displeased not only to saue the whole world but not to saue an hundred thousand worldes but a venial sinne doth displease God and so by consequence offend him for which cause we ought not to commit it although there be many that that thinke it lawful to take a false oath to saue a mans life Cardinal Caietan in his Summe saieth that he who regardeth not venial sinnes hath no great care of his soule and defraudeth him selse of many great benefits And further that his Gardian Angel thereby withdraweth his care which he hath of him and refuseth to preserue him from many perrills who is carelesse and negligent to doe him selfe good which is a thinge highly to be considered S. Catherin of Sienna as it is written in hir life vsed to say that a sinne were it neuer so smale did much offend God if it were often committed and done with contempte and especially when a man groweth negligent by contrition and pennance to make satisfaction for it S. Bridget affirmed hauing it reuealed vnto hir that venial sinnes being oft committed contemned did greueously offend almightie God and that oftentimes he punisheth them seuerely who offend in this maner Why vve ought to auoide venial sinnes WE haue shewed before out of Taulerus seauen seueral causes why we we should auoide venial sinnes to which we may adioyne these sixe that followe 1. First for that they hinder the deuotion of mental prayer 2. They keepe vs back from profiting in spiritual perfection 3. They displease and offend almightie God and debarre vs from perfect fulfilling his diuine pleasure 4. They depriue vs of many spiritual giftes with the which otherwise we had bene indued if they had not hindred for they are like litle theeues who by degrees steale from vs many thinges whose theft although we finde it not at the first by reason that they take from vs but litle at once yet the end sheweth their theft when we finde in time that we haue lost much So we not refrayning from venial sinnes although at the first we perceiue no losse yet in time shal we finde our domage not smale being made thereby destitute of many spiritual benefitts 5. They infect our soules and make them subiect to many infirmities They are also like smale woundes which we receiue in our bodies which although they be not deadly yet doe they annoye vs and hinder our health As therfore we would be careful to heale such woundes so ought we no lesse to be mindful to cure our soules of such offences 6. They hinder vs that we cannot perfectly behould and loue almightie God as dust cast into our eies doth hinder our corporal sight That venial sinnes are most dangerous to those that frequent the B. Sacrament THe Doctors and chiefly Tabiena in his Summe doe teach that when a man wil not refrayne from litle sinnes or cometh to receiue the B. Sacrament with an actual intention or affection to some venial sinne that he is depriued of an effect of sacramental grace which is the proper and peculiar s●●ite of this Sacrament For sacramental grace is a certaine spiritual sweetnes which increaseth deuotion and weakneth our inclination to vice and this sweetnes is learned rather by experience then by any other science which thing ought highly to be estemed to the ēd that thereby we may preserue our deuotion And hēce it procedeth that many although they frequent the B. Sacrament yet doe not attaine to this spiritual sweetnes That some vvhich are giuen to spiritual exercises doe yet neuertheles not profit therein because they litle account of venial sinnes A Certaine learned man demanding why men doe not profit in spiritual exercises answereth that one principal reason is for that they account not of venial sinnes And S. Bernard saying that spiritual men ought to haue great regard of venial sinnes addeth that such men ought as carefully to auoide them as other men ought to refraine from mortal That the reason vvhy vve neglect venial sinnes proceedeth of vvant of the feare of God Eccl. 19. THe holie Scripture sayeth He that regardeth not smale thinges shal by degrees fall Eccl. 7. And againe He that feareth God neglecteth nothing He therfore that feareth God must not neglect his venial sinnes And God speaketh of such as want this feare in the Scripture saying If thou keepe not thy selfe stedfastly in the feare of God thy house shal soone be subuerted which is thy soule That the Holie Ghost is contristated by venial sinnes SAinct Paule writing to the Ephesians sayeth Doe not contristate the Holie Ghost And what doth contristate the Holie Ghost but not to account of our venial sinnes whereby the Holie Ghost is as it were debarred that he cannot worke in vs according as he would For euen as mortal sinne doth absolu●ely driue him from vs so doth venial sinne contristate and offend him The opinion of Ludouicus Granatensis concerning venial sinne LVdouicus Granatensis doth account one principal impediment of prayer to be the litle reckoning that we make of venial sinnes For that as Enamel wil not stick to brasse but to goulde so the most pretious Enamel of deuotion towardes God cannot harbour or dwel but in a hart pure and free from al kinde of sinne He addeth further that as mortal sinne is the perdition of the soule so venial sinne to be as a feuer or dangerous sicknes of the soule For which cause as a man doth noth feare only death but also the least distemper that may happen to his bodie as colde or any other litle disease so ought he also greatly to feare least he fall into any venial sinne Further he compareth mortal sinne as if we should kill a litle birde and venial sinne as if we should clip hir winges that she could not flye or mount aloft as before she was accustomed and then adioyneth that as an