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
A45570	Wisdomes character and counterfeit deliniated in two sermons : the one on the epistle of St. James, chap. 3.17 ; the other on the gospel of St. Matth., chap. 2.8 / by Nath. Hardy.	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1656 (1656)	Wing H752; ESTC R30729	44,444	78

wisdome of men is foolishnesse with God nay when they thinke all the crannies are stopped a wide door is left open for Gods providence to evacuate their policies We have a common proverb When men thinke to doe for the best it commonly falls out to be the worst it may fitly be applyed to crafty Machiavelians when they suppose that they have done the wisest they prove themselves starke fools so was it with Herod in sending these Magi without associates to Bethlehem And so I passe from his ready Mission to His crafty Commission Goe and search c. In this part of the Text two things offer themselves to our consideration De quo and quid The person to whom these Magi are directed The errand about which they are sent Whom the Commission concerneth the young childe What it requireth Goe search diligently and bring me word againe 1. The person they are sent to enquire after is the young child And if you please a while let us leave hunting the Foxe and view the lineaments of this childe A young childe indeed he is called by Herod but such a childe as never any was before him nor will be after him like to him Consult the Prophet Isay and you shall finde a glorious description of this childe such a childe as is a Son Maryes childe but Gods Sonne such a childe who is a Father and that of eternity a childe but of no meane ranke no lesse then a Prince of peace a childe indeed in yeares not in understanding for he is a Counsellour in summe a feeble childe and yet a mighty God well may he be called Wonderfull O let us admire with thankfulnesse the gracious condescension of our Redeemer who being so high vouchsafed to stoop so low qui fecit nos quantillus factus pro nobis he that made us how little is he made for us Majesty is cloathed in vilenesse Power appeareth in weaknesse the founder of Heaven is rocked in a cradle and he that swayeth the world is swathed in clouts Was there ever humility like this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great God a little childe the ancient of dayes a tender infant he who is immensè magnus so great as that he fils Heaven and Earth to be palmaris a child of a span long Finally that he who is regens sydera should become sugens ubera the governour of the stars to be nourished by a dug O the depth of this abasement● the height of this lowlinesse Behold and wonder But to return to Herod It is a note not unworthy our observation that whereas the Magi call him a King Herod onely stileth him a childe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he could not bear the thing not brook the title Nec Caesar ferre priorem Pompeiusve parem Royalty cannot endure a partner no more then Love a corrivall No doubt in his heart he conceived him a King else why so perplexed at the newes of his birth why so jealous of the losse of his Crowne had he fancied the wise mens words as fables either that no childe was born or if born not a King he would never have harboured so ill a ghest as feare in his breast But see though he know he will not acknowledge though he strongly imagine he will not expresse his thoughts nor give him the title of a King as fearing no doubt lest by this meanes he should obscure his own Honour And truly I am afraid we are too many of us of Herods temper in this regard backward to acknowledge the dignities and publish the excellencies of others There are two things we are loath to confesse our own Infirmities others eminencies our defects and their worth The truth is our proud natures thinke that others beames darken our light their excellencie staineth our beauty and their vertue eclipseth our splendour hence it is Peacock like we spread our own gay feathers Pharisee like we boast of our own perfections but as for the dignities of others we either speak of them with an undervaluing diminution or bury them in a neglectfull silence Oh beware of inordinate selfe-love which maketh us speak too highly of our selves and exorbitant pride which maketh us speak too meanly of others as Herod here did of Christ affording him no other appellation then this of a young childe 2. The charge he giveth them about this child is double Sedulous Inquisition Goe and search diligently Speedy Information and bring me word again 1. Goe and search diligently the originall words want not a singular emphasis the verbe signifieth such a search as is used Examinibus questionibus by putting interrogatories asking questions the adverbe noteth accuracy in the search going to the utmost of a thing it is as if he had said Let there be no delay in your journey nor default in your inquiry leave no stone unrolled way unassayed meanes unattempted to finde out the young childe How zealous Herod seemeth in a good worke how industrious would he have the Magi in the search when as his end in all this was desperately wicked Thus may hypocrites be very earnest in promoting and performing good actions for bad ends and selfe respects Who more vehement then Jehu in execution of justice on Baals Idols Ahabs posterity but his aime was onely to establish himselfe in the Kingdome Who more forward then Absalom to heare causes doe the people right but his intention was thereby to thrust his Father from his throne Finally who more zealous then the Pharisees in good duties but their end was onely to be seen of men Oh remember non actibus sed finibus pensantur officia our actions are measured by our intentions it is not quid agas but quid quaeras our doing but aime in doing that is regarded If the Eye be single the whole body is full of light saith our Saviour the Father moralizeth it aptly to this purpose Oculum debemus accipere ipsam intentionem quâ rectè agimus quicquid facimus By the Eye we are to understand the intention according to which our performances are either rejected or accepted Before I leave this Branch I cannot omit the significancy of the praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not interrogate puerum but de puero seek the childe but concerning the childe that they should throughly inquire all circumstances about the childe of what Parents in what Family after what manner the reason whereof is rendred by one to be this Ut uno Christo comprehenso reliquae multitudini parceret that he might surprize him and spare the rest Rather then his perplexed minde should not be satisfied all the children of the Messiahs age must be sacrificed to his malice But yet so bloudy a designe could not but startle his conscience Est impiis morsus quidam conscientiae Even wicked men have sometimes secret bitings this sacred Monitor will speak in bad mens eares

he cheats others the worst cheate is of himselfe and therefore in the end he must needs appeare to be a foole when his counierfeit devotion affection shall meet with a reall hell of torment And thus I have shewed you Wisdome in the abstract whence and what she is but alas where shall we finde it in the concrete It is our Apostles question at the thirteenth verse of this chapter Who is a wise man and indued with knowledge among you and the questionary proposall argueth that such men are very rare Indeed St●ltorum numerus innumerus the world is peopled with fooles but truly wise men are Vix totidem quot Thebarum portae rarely to be found Wisdome is said in the Text to be from above I would there were no cause to bewaile that she is gone whence she came and as he said of Justice terras Astraea reliquit she hath forsaken the earth If we may conclude the absence of wisdome by the want of her hand-maids I am sure there will too just cause appeare of this complaint for tell me I beseech you When we see prophanenesse in the Church wantonnesse in the Chambers cozenage in the Shops drunkennesse in the Streets when we heare the vaine and cursed Oathes which are belched from the black mouthes of common swearers the da●nable positions and horrid Blasphemies which are uttered by the poysonous lips of false teachers may we not conclude there is none of that wisdome which is first pure Againe when we observe what a spirit of division is gone forth into the Christian world how many not troubled would God there were more of them but troublous spirits there are among us who would be accounted Angells though it be but for troubling the waters what betraying backbiting slandering and devouring there is one of another so that Men are not Men but Wolves Tygers and Dragons each to other may we not infer there is none of that wisdome which is first pure and then peaceable and gentle Againe when we take notice how presumptuous and selfe-willed the most are how tenacious some of erroneous opinions and others of vitious practices those shutting their eyes against cleare convictions and these stopping their eares against moving disswasions so that you may as well speak to a deafe adder or a dead man it is not manifest there is none of that wisdome which is easie to be intreated Further is there not a great want of that wisdome which is full of mercy among us when men are so severe to those whom they account offenders and heard harted to them whom they cannot but see necessitous yea I would to God there were not many to whom it is a ●oyfull spectacle to behold men of their owne nation religion function exposed to misery and ruine Yet further is there not a sad decay of that wisdome which is full of good fruits when as there are so few good works either of Piety or Charity visible among us Nay I would to God that the good fruits which our ancestors planted were not plucked up and made sweet ●●●sels for greedy mouthes to devour Finally is there not an evident dearth of that wisdome which is without partiality and hypocrisie when as indeed these are become Epidemicall diseases and the predominant sins of the age we live in It was the charge Almighty God once layed against Israel When I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wilde grapes for indeed the question is but a more vehement accusation and therefore it is both properly and positively expressed afterwards He looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a cry May not God take up the same complaint against the Inhabitants of this land I looked for purity but behold uncleannesse for peaceablenesse but behold contention for gentlenesse but behold fiercenesse for tractablenesse but loe obstinacy for mercy but loe cruelty for good fruits but loe barrennesse for equity and sincerity but behold partiality and hypocrisie so that there is little or no true wisdome and knowledge of God in the Land True it is there are in this age many never more pretenders to this wisdome these talke much nay brag and boast of it yea they would confine it to themselves and their own fraternity as if all others were but fools in spirituall matters but their impure contentious obstinate cruell unjust and hypocriticall lives proclaime them strangers to it to whom I may justly say in the words of our Apostle to the arrogant believer Shew us your wisdome by your workes What then remaineth but that every one of us according to Solomons counsell Cry after this wisdome and lift up our voice for understanding that we seek her as silver and search for her as for bid treasure and having found her let us according to our Apostles advice shew out of a good conversation our works even those workes which may testifie that our wisdome is of the right stampe ever remembring that of Gregory Nazianzen As that Beauty is best not which is painted with Speech but seen with the Eyes and those Riches not which our dreames fancy but our hands hold so that wisdome not which glittereth in smooth words but is evidenced by our good works I end all with a more particular and suitable application of this Scripture to the present occasion Justice and Clemency are as it were the Judges two lips by which he is to pronounce Sentence his two hands by which he executes judgement indeed then he is in his robes when he is clad with the rich scarlet of equity and the white fur of pitty On the one hand a Judge must be impartiall in his distributions having no respect of persons saying with Levi to the greatest the richest the nearest the dearest nescio vos I know you not on the other hand a Judge must be compassionate mitigating the severity of the Law putting a difference between offenders being unwilling to punish where he may spare without injurie May but wisdome stand at the Judges right hand and it will prompt him to both these as being full of mercy and without partiality The great imployments of inferiour Justices of the Peace is to incourage godlinesse and virtue discountenance vice and wickednesse suppresse riots and tumults compose differences among neighbours take care that the Lords day may be observed his house frequented his name not blasphemed the poor fed and imployed and that houses of disorder the Springs of those filthy waters which defile the land may be either wholly stopped up or throughly purged to all this doth the wisdome in my Text engage as being pure and peaceable Let the Lawyers make this wisdome which is without Hypocrisie their Counsellor and then I am sure they will not dare either to put a soule glosse upon a fair Text or a fair glove upon a foule hand by calling good evill or evill good putting darknesse for light and light for darknesse bitter for sweet