Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	nature_n	soul_n	2,893	5	5.2542	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11620	The tillage of light· Or, A true discouerie of the philosophicall elixir, commonly called the philosophers stone Seruing, to enrich all true, noble and generous spirits, as will aduenture some few labors in the tillage of such a light, as is worthy the best obseruance of the most wise. By Patrick Scot, Esquire.	Scot, Patrick.	1623 (1623)	STC 21862; ESTC S116882	23,614	62

other things our vnderstanding finde greater difficultie to finde them by resemblance then by contraries It is more hard to discerne white vpon white then blacke vpon white and there is greater wisedome to distinguish good from good then euill from euill because in the confusion of things those that most resemble are least knowne one from an other but in the commixture of diuers things either in quality or substance they are instantly discouered But let vs not trust that one thing may be hote and cold drye and moyst in one posture for two contraries can neuer subsist in one degree therefore if wee know not euery circumstance and gradation of this great worke wee shall neuer bring it to perfection for as diuine prouidence by nature made all things in true number and proportion so euery defect in that number and proportion is imperfect and wrongeth both the first and second cause Wee must then consider wisely of the meanes whereby this worke is compleat and when they are purified in the third degree the purer the meanes bee the neerer to perfection they are and retaines such a part of the vertue of this Art that without their ayde the principall may not giue influence to the finall end neither the effluence answere the expectation of the principall cause As the Soule is tyed to the Body by meanes of a vitall naturall and animall spirit so as long as these meanes keepe the body aliue so long will the soule dwell with the body but when nature or accident take away the meanes the subtile pure immortall soule retyreth from the grosse body to immortalitie for which shee was created According to this say the Phylosophers their Elixar hath corpus animam spiritum all which must haue meanes agreeable to their kinde and must be searched by wisedome least by ignorance or misgouernement the Diuine worke bee quite marred Thus hath my Plough shortly gone through the large field of the Phylosophicall Elixar which by allusion to most pure mettalls is said to conuert and multiply other vnrefined mettals hauing the seed of Gold into pure Gold but as you sowe you shall reape if you sowe sparingly you shall reape sparingly if you sowe darkenesse you shall reape confusion and if you sowe light you shall reape ioy Aurum ab aquilone veniet that is pure ayre of wholesome doctrine duely and seasonably sowen bringeth foorth millions but as this seed is sowen by them who haue their mindes long exercised in vertue so is it increased in none but in those that haue their mindes capable of so holy an impression Threshing winnowing grinding are necessary vses for Wheate yet belong not to the Bakers Craft but sifting mixing and gouernment of fire are workes of greater skill if Reason and holinesse bee the beginning of euery action doubtlesse the visible things will separat from the inuisible that is water and earth from fire and aire for things are corporall because they shall be spirituall which the wheele of the great worke will make manifest when time the Steward and dispensator of euery thing shall one day bring euery thought vpon the Stage But to returne to Philosophy if wee will giue her the due praises which shee deserueth wee shall finde that her refyning of vs in vertue is to a more pure substance then of thrice purified gold if wee would from vice extract vertue quintessence content and true reputation from pouerty and contempt Conuert exile into our natiue Country bonds into liberty want into wealth or would wee multiply some few short earthly crosses into Caelestiall permanent ioyes all these can Philosophy doe Philosophy can make Codrus better content then Cresus Diogenes contemne great Alexanders conquests braue banished Rutilius prefer solitarinesse to the greatnesse and magnificence of his City and affirme that by purchasing the friendship of Philosophy hee hath liued no longer then hee was banished Magnanimous Philosophy will encourage Aristarchus to doe more then all these by teaching him brused in a morter to cry out triumphantly Stampe on you hurt but the case of Arstiarchus but his mind you cannot touch It is Philosophy that in aduersity as steele from flint draweth from vs that sparke of diuine fire left in our soules which kindleth vertue and makes it appeare in its owne colour What other thing shall I call Philosophy then the light of this life Mistres of our affections Tut●ix of our felicity and the vpright couragious gouernment of our selues in all our actions by the rule of reason or may I not name her a stryuing and contention of the soule to repaire the weake mortality of the body by participation of eternall light vnto whose fruition shee draweth vs so much as she can imploying art and industry to procure vs glory and fame for a quiet minde heare and for a happy and glorious hereafter This diuine Philosophy begetteth such pleasure in our soule whilest wee are imployed about braue and generous actions specially when Constancy wrestleth with prosperity or aduersity the habit thereof commeth to such a sweetnesse that none but such as haue tasted it can expresse What greater contentment can come to the soule then the testimonie that Conscience beareth vnto vertue how with vndaunted courage she hath withstood aduerse fortune and hath not yeelded to the Cyrcean cups of honour riches or pleasures then are our ioyes compleat then doth glorie and spendor shine about vs and giue vs preheminence amongst men if it were onely as a torch to lighten vs to faire and glorious actions for if wee owe vnto posterity the most part of our best actions what more earnest wishes should we haue then our liues may be sacrifized to publike good These sweats and labours for generall benefit affoord vs meanes to enrich others by imitation and make our selues illustrious by the commendation of vertue But when we yeeld our selues captiues to the bondage of pleasures then steele we the darts that pearce our owne breasts Base Telegonus begotten on Circe killed his owne Father Vlisses Venus retribution of Helena to Paris for his golden ball was the blazing star that foretold his ruine and the ouerthrow of many worthy Troians beside in one word Great Alexander bewayling the inchantments of effeminat softnesse named the Persian Dames dolores oculorum or bad salues for sore eyes Egesias the Cirenian was so powerfull in a publike Philosophicall discourse of the immortallity of the soule that most of his Auditors hastened their deaths with their owne hands if these Heathen who had onely the gloomy light of nature were so sinisterly zealous to haue the reward of vertue by preuenting nature with vntimely death what ill lucke is it that we who haue the Oracles of eternall truth are so carelesse prodigall of our short time that we doe not freely enioy the happinesse of true diuine light which onely sheweth generous spirits worthy to be the master-peece of that soueraigne worke-master their Creator I can giue no other reason then quos