Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bad_a	good_a	see_v	1,466	5	3.4614	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07610	A mirrour for Christian states: or, A table of politick vertues considerable amongst Christians Divided, into three bookes. Reviewed, and augmented, by E. Molinier, of Tolose priest, and Doctor of Divinitie. And by him dedicated, ro [sic] the most illustrious lord, the Lord Cardinall of Valette, Archbishop of Tolose. Translated into English, by VVilliam Tyrvvhit, Sen. Esquire.; Politiques chrestiennes. English	Molinier, Étienne, d. 1650.; Tyrwhit, William.	1635 (1635)	STC 18003; ESTC S112798	133,530	388

without successe is a faire tree without fruit and it is the fruit not the tree the successe and not the counsell men chiefly desire since counsell is not sought for but in hope of the desired event the way but for the marke the Medium but for the Terminus and the meanes but for the end Now that good Luck whereof I speake proceeds not either from that blinde Fortune which spirits yet more blinde have forged nor from that imaginary destiny of inflexible decrees whereto Heathenish Antiquity hath subjected the Counsels even of Iupiter himselfe nor on the disposition of Celestiall bodies whereto the vanity of Nativity-casters submit the whole order of things happening here on earth whether Naturall voluntary or casuall Fortune is a Fable Destiny a Dreame and that necessitie the judiciall Astrologers pretend to bee imposed by the Starres upon humane and free actions or upon casuall and accidentall events is an evident errour and a manifest impietie For as concerning those effects depending on naturall and necessary causes the order of the World and Nature ranging inferiour bodyes under superiour ones giveth to those Authority to those dependancie and regulateth the actions of elementary Bodies by the Law of the influence of Celestiall Bodies All that God hath made is established with order sayth the Apostle Quae a D●o sunt ordinata sunt But what power would men ascribe to Starres either over humane actions proceeding from the Will or over casuall occurrents which being accidentall effects cannot by consequence have any Naturall certaine or limited cause Nature being appointed to a certaine and infallible end Natura ad unum determinatur according to a Philosophicall Maxim what authority or command can she have eyther over mans will being unbounded free and indifferent to the one or other of two contrary objects or over that which being meerely casuall may eyther happen or not happen The Starres being corporeall what can they imprint upon the soule of man being spirituall unreasonable things upon reasonable ones what is necessitated upon what is free or a thing determined upon an indifferent matter In like manner concerning casuall accidents what subordination can casuall and accidentall things have to the influences of Starres being regulated necessary and infallible things Is not this as much as to strive against all reason and to abuse the weaknesse and credulity of spirits so much as only to dare I will not say maintaine but even to broach such absurd propositions The Starres then O man shall be culpable of thine offences authors of thy good workes causes of thy prosperities instruments of thine infortunities if you doe any good they shall have the merit and consequently the reward shall bee due to them and not to you If you offend they shall beare the blame and you may justly cast the punishment upon them And why are Lawes among you if the Starres impose lawes upon you If the starres be the causes of your good and bad actions and you only the instruments to whom is the penaltic of ill or crowne of good due to the workman or his tooles to the cause or to the instrument See you not plainly that if these propositions were true you offer injury to the Starres to appropriate to your selves the reward of the good which they doe and wrong to your selves to inflict on your selves the punishment of the evill you commit not Who sees not how these propositions overthrow all reason all justice all vertue all order and all policie In like manner if it be the Starres which send good fortunes or fatalties prosperities or adversities to men they then governe the world it is they who raise some and represse others who distribute honours give victories transferre Scepters and dispose of Kingdomes But if this be thus wherefore is merit raised in one time and why at another time doth ambition obtaine all Honours Is it because the Starres one while make use of justice an otherwhile of favours Why in one age doth Industry conferre dignities in another gold or advantage in bloud is it because the Starres alter and accommodate themselves to the abuse of times as well as men doe Why in one Nation doth Election conferre Crownes in another Succession Is it by reason the Starres follow the fashions of Countries and doe diversly distribute their benefits according to the lawes of Kingdomes But they doe well in accommodating themselves to lawes lest they should bee resisted and finde some more compulsive thing then their owne power Of two borne at the same instant and under the same Constellations why is the one prosperous the other miserable and the aspect of Starres beeing so equall in both why should the effect bee so different Who seeth not that the Startes consisting of naturall and necessary causes appearing in all times and places and in all and every where after the same fashion producing so inconstant and various effects according to places moments and circumstances cannot be any constant cause of humaine events but in their conceipts who have neyther rule nor reason Naturall reason clearely sheweth the vanitie of their discourse Insigna coel● nolite m●th●re qui timent gentes quia l●ges populorum vana sunt Ierem. c. 10. Scripture condemneth them as full of Superstition errour and impietie Feare not the signes of Heaven which Idolatrers dread because the Lawes of the Nations are vaine sayth the Prophet Ieremy and the Church rejects and detesteth them Astrologia planetarii damuatur à Christiana vera pietate De Aug. l. 4. Confess as contrary to true pietie Iudiciall Astrologers and the Planetaries sayth Saint Augustine are condemned by the Christian Law And Saint Epiphanius reporteth that Aquila Ponticus who in the Primitive Church De Epiph. l. de som mensuris in the Emperour Adrian his time translated the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke was expelled out of the Church for addicting himselfe to judiciall Astrologie All the Holy Fathers with joynt consent have impugned this errour D. Bas in c. 14. Esay and St. Basil sayth That it confoundeth mans spirit and takes away Gods Providence Yea even the Lawes of well insticuted Republiques among the ancient Pagans have banished these judiciaries and deviners of good events as pernicious to civill societie And we reade in Tacitus of a Decree in Senate made in the Emperour Tiberius his time Factum est Squatus consulium de Mathematicis Italia Pellendis gonus hominum quod in urbe nostra expellotur semper retinebitur Tac. lib. 1. Ann. to expell them out of all Italy Whereupon this grave Authour addeth a very remarkeable observation that this kind of men have at all times beene chased out of Rome and yet have they continually beene retayned and supported Expelled from thence by publick Lawes but fostred by the superstitious foolish credulitie of particulars So as neyther humane actions nor casuall accidents depend at all upon the disposition of

whether Politicke Oeconomicall or particular to be both honest and profitable to all men who have the faculty eyther to argue or discourse though the practicall part of the Politicke appertayneth onely to those who besides knowledge have authority practice and experience Policy affordeth not offices nor offices practice not practice experience but to a few onely But God hath bestowed reason upon all and study acquireth knowledge to divers and what the former put in execution upon casuall occurrents of particular affaires the latter contemplate in immutable principles in primitive causes and universall verities If therefore it be lawfull not onely for Pylots who have stood at the Helme amidst the Winds and tempests to treat of Navigation but for Geographers likewise who never saw Sea but shadowed in Mappes nor Tempests but painted If it be allowed those to speake of Musicke who never have eyther governed nor so much as sung in Quire or Consort And if divers dispute with much approbation both of Phisicke Geometrie Limming and Architecture who never toucht rule to square a stone pensil to suce a colour compasse to trace a line or sicke person to dyer why should any finde it strange for those who live remote from publike affaires in rest and peace to employ their spare time in considering the qualities requisite for the right ordering these severall vocations since of all arts and disciplines liberall and mechanicall though the Action belong but to a few yet may the Contemplation appertaine to all But to enter upon the matter and to use the grave saying of the Angelicall Doctor St. Thomas As man never performed any thing of greater consequence than the erecting of Communal●ies Republiques and Empires so could they not execute any thing of more eminency than rightly to governe the same Now if the establishment of Graces be the Master-peece of humane industry doubtlesse the right and just government thereof may well be accounted the most exact proofe of humane wisdome As Gods providence appearing in the perticular conduct even of least matters shineth yet most gloriously in the universall administration of the Vniverse so humane wisdome shewing it selfe in the right ordering of our private actions is yet more perspicuous in the government of a Family but of greatest luster in the exact direction of the generall body of Civill societie For good is alwayes by so much the more eminent by how much it is more capable to extend and diffuse it selfe Corporall things do sufficiently shew us this ground that the sight ablest to extend it selfe to most objects is the sharpest That hand to be the strongest which throweth the farthest That taste to be the best tempered which can distinctly discover the difference of most relishes That fire to be most active that is able not onely to consume wood and stone but water also though its contrary as it is sayd of the fire of Thunder And that light to be most lively and cleare which doth most communicate it selfe Briefly all corporeall things of greatest extent in their action are likewise of most vigour in their nature The like may be observed in spirituall matters since that Vnderstanding which pierceth the pith of most truthes is most solid That Memory strongest which conserveth most species That Iudgement of most capacity which is most universall That Wisedome greatest which apprehendeth most reasons And that Prudence most divine which can dexteriously manage greatest affaires The vertue therefore which employeth it selfe in the conduct of a private life onely is inferiour to that which reflects upon the Government of many but that which undertaketh publique rule ought to exceed all the rest and to have so much the more abilities as it ought the farther to extend it's actions But to handle this subject with more order and perspicuity before I proceed I intend to frame and lay for a Basis and foundation of all this discourse a generall division of Politicall vertue divided into three members or parts which as with three severall stages shall perfect this little fabrick Those three members are three rankes or orders of qualities requisite to perfectionate Politicall vertue The first affordeth sufficiency and capacity the second a good disposition and honesty the third vigour and gracefulnesse Those of the first ranke instruct the Vnderstanding to know what is convenient for the publike good Those of the second dispose the will to desire love and search the knowne good Those of the last adde force and efficacy to be able to execute and produce to the Worlds eye the good we know will and love To know to will and to effect good are the three perfections of God the worlds moover and governour so as among men who so hath the greatest share in these three perfections commeth nearest God and is most worthy as most capable to afford by his counsels motion to the authority which swayeth Empires Wisedome Prudence and the vertues thereon depending making a man sufficient and capable thereby acquireth to him the first of these three perfections Iustice and her assistant vertues making him good and upright affordeth him the second Authoritie successe fortitude courage and eloquence arming and adorning him both for perswading and executing good addeth the last These three sorts of qualities shall make up the three bookes of this Treatise Let us begin with those of the first ranke and first with Wisedome CHAP. 2. Of Politick Wisedome THe Antients have long disputed whether or no a wise man ought to intermeddle in publique affaires But I see not the ground of their doubt for necessarily either wise men must manage the same or fooles must misgovern all either must the eye conduct the body or the feet misguide it The Sunne must lighten the earth or darkenesse over cloud it What the Sunne is to the world and the eye to the body the like is the wise man in Civill Societies having received from God both more wisdome to govern Wisdome and Reason move govern all in this world in man the works of men in assistance and in art It is therefore a great confusion and against nature when ignorance rashnesse rule in Policies and more dexterity to conduct than other men since it appertayneth to knowledge to direct and to ignorance to follow prescripts See we not in Nature how God being the primary reason is likewise the principall Rule Law and Resort of the motions in all things which being in their order so well disposed in their course so regulated in their tranquillity so constant in their relation and connexion so admirable cause even the blindest to see and the most insensible to perceive that a soveraign wisdome guideth them See we not how under this primary increated Vnderstanding namely the First Mover the created Intelligencies move the Heavens and are as Soules not united but assisting directing giving as it were life to these great bodyes who regulate their revolutions who circle their courses and cause the braull of their

namely amongst Christians who acknowledge whence they come where they are and whither they tend as knowing their originall their estate and end The whole world is made for man and man for God now though he hath two distinct parts the body and soule two different motions one of reason the other of appetite and consequently two severall estates spirituall and temporall yet so it is that he hath but one onely finall end which is the enjoyment of God He is therefore obliged to cause all to ayme at God body and soule reason and appetite the spirituall and temporall As the Prophet David who sayd unto God Both my soule and my flesh thirst after thee All within mee aspireth to thee O Lord my soule and the powers therof my flesh with its dependencies these two parts composing my all though different in nature unite themselves by affection and having but one end have likewise but one desire causing their divers motions to tend to the same Center See here that not onely the soule but the body likewise ought to ayme at Almighty God who is the finall end and will be the crowne of both when after the resurrection the soule faelicitated by the vision of the God-head shall make the body happy by the redundance of her beatitude so as both of them shall enjoy God the soule by vision the body in its manner by the sensibility of these sweets the soule by union the flesh by participation and society the soule by the intermise of the light of glory the flesh by the communication of the soules glory So as if God be the end the Crowne and the soveraigne good not of the soule onely but likewise of the body And if these two parts composing man ought equally to ayme at God is it not altogether necessarie that Politicke power having charge to direct whatsoever belongeth to the body should propose God both for object and end as well as the spirituall power which governeth these things touching the soule If the flesh cause man to perish can the spirit save him If the temporall make him slip from God the spirituall desiring to conduct him to God shall it not see it selfe frustrated of the desired end To undoe ones selfe on the one side is no lesse than to be lost on both sides since the soule followes the body the one part the other and the whole the parts CHAP. 9. Of the care of a good renowne being the first duty of Politicke Iustice towards our selves AFter we have given to God our sincere Intentions we after owe to our selves the care of a good name which is necessary in a Magistrate for profiting the publike as the communication of the Suns light is for illuminating the world Moses in Deuteronomy required this quality for those he intended to place over the people Cap. 2. and this point dependeth on the other for as a straight body casteth an upright shadow and a counterfeit one a crooked so commonly a good conscience casteth the shadow of a singular reputation a wicked one the shadow of a bad fame And though the intention be a secret of the heart not comming to sight before the eyes of men yet doth shee shout forth as a hidden root the fruits of such actions as discover the treee Yee shall know them by their fruits saith truth it selfe It was no unfitting resemblance when the Ancients compared vertue to the body and a good name to the shadow following the same For as the body perspicuated by the light casts a shadow which may be called the daughter of light and of the body of light causing it by encountring the body and of the body producing it by being reflected upon by the light So vertue lightened by publike acknowledgement produceth reputation which may be termed Ioynt-daughter to vertue and acknowledgement of acknowledgement which seeing vertue takes notice thereof and of vertue which encountred by acknowledgement produceth it So that as the shadow is the production of the body lightened so honour is the childe of vertue acknowledged But it happeneth that in the morning the Sunne reflecting a farre off upon the body the shadow goes before towards noone beating plumme upon it the shadow walkes aside by it towards evening leaving it behind the shadow followes it The like it is in rare and eminent persons the first view of springing vertue beginneth betimes to cast before them the reputation which precedeth them levelling the way for them to great actions In the midst of their course being exposed perpendicularly to the eyes of all men glory marcheth along by them and afterward in the evening of their age the certaine proofes they have shewed of their vertue and goodnesse goe before them as a cleare Sunne to prepare for them a renown which shall follow them eternally in the memory of after-ages Observe all the Ancients who have appeared upon the Theater of the most famous States honour hath gone before them at their entry accompanied them in their course and followed them after their death honour hath beene the Herald which marching before them hath opened the way for them to great designes honour hath beene their inseparable convoy in the execution of their famous exploits honour hath moreover beene their immortall crowne after their decease And it is a touch of Gods divine Providence in the conduct of sublunary States so to governe those whom he pleaseth to make choice of as instruments of his favours and for the safety of Empires as he causeth the glory of their vertue betimes to appeare amidst the darknesse of most corrupted ages putting them into credit in the midst of disorder raysing them in the middle of ingratitude maintaining them in the throng of envies illustrating them among calumnies affording them this honour not for a subject of ambition and vanity but for occasion and obligation to imploy the vertue afforded them for publike utility and after they have shewed themselves worthy cooperators with his Providence in so great a worke hee for ever conserveth the memory of theirnames to the end their vertue having beene usefull for the age they lived in their example may serve for future times Good fame therefore is the inseparable shadow of vertue in publike persons and as Mathematicians measure the height of the body by the length of the shadow and as the Ancients have discovered by the extent of the shadow of Mount Athos the sublimity of its eminent top so shall we seldome be deceived in taking the modell of the vertues in eminent persons from the measure of their reputation For it is a maxime verified by experience that most men following the tide of naturall inclination are more subject to scandalise than praise and if they erre in their judgements concerning those who govern them they are sooner transported to rash censures than to waine praises The very shadow of one single vice sufficeth to procure publike blame a thousand vertues being no more than necessary to