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	soul_n	world_n	1,708	5	4.6899	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96372	A treatise of the power of godlinesse: consisting of three parts. 1 wherein it consists. 2 cautions against, and discoveries of, several mistakes and hinderances, most common to the people of God. 3 several means and helps for attaining of it. / By Thomas White, preacher of Gods Word in London.	White, Thomas, Presbyterian minister in London.	1658 (1658)	Wing W1848; Thomason E1848_1; ESTC R209711	168,479	438

and may bee mingled with worldly imployments that they may bee almost innumerable every day and what they want in their magnitude they may have in number an Hair is but a small thing yet because of their multitudes they keep us very warm Misers feasts they say use to bee very great but very seldome but in his daily constant expences hee is very frugal and omits not the smallest gain and it is not such seldome extravigances that impoverish 3. Smaller duties and smaller sins do make way for greater as the point of the needle doth for the rest of it nemo repente fit turpissimus generally wee begin with lesser sins as omissions of duties as friends first begin to bee estranged and then they may easily become enemies for frequent committing of lesser sins harden the heart so that that sin which if it had been propounded at first would have startled one yet the heart being prepared by the omissions of duties and running into the occasions and temptations of the sin they come at last from being so far from abhorring of it that they commit it Davids murther of his friend began with his neglect to fight against his enemies and his adultery began with idleness with sleeping and gazing so you shall see by what degrees hee came to commit murther 1. Hee neglects the duty incumbent upon him at that season and so having little to do hee did nothing went to sleep when hee should have been meditating Gen. 24.63 his unseasonable sleep made him unfit for any thing that was good but fit for any thing that was evil one act of idleness puts him upon another and both of them fits him for adultery and that ingages him to murther to satisfie his lusts he commits adultery to conceale his lusts hee commits murther Sin is modest at first Solomon would not build his Wives house neer the Temple afterwards built an Altar for an Idol Eccles 10.13 4. If the sin bee so little or the duties so small is it not the greater sin for thee to offend God for such trifles If the love of God bee not strong enough to perswade them to do or abstain from that which is small how weak is thy heart towards God 5. Is it not a great sin in thee to offend God in small things It is a great sin for thee to stand out against God in small matters CHAP. XIV The next impediment is our ignorance and senselesnesse of the sins of Omission THe next great impediment is the not considering the sinfulnesse and the mischief that sins of omission do us few there are but make conscience of slandering their neighbour but make not conscience enough of preserving his good name more make conscience of sinful words than of sinful silence more make conscience of doing evil than of doing nothing therefore that you may bee more sensible of the sinfulness and sins of omission consider 1. That the greatest sins in the world except the sin against the Holy Ghost are sins of omission viz. ignorance infidelity impenitency 2. That at the day of Judgement the sins that Christ shall condemn wicked men for are sins of omission 3. Thy sins of omission are far more than thy sins of commission for every sin of commission includes in it sins of omission not è contra Consider how ma-many precious thoughts of God thou mightest have had the last hour which thou hadst not and so many thoughts not had so many sins of omission nay every holy duty has more sins of omission than it hath goodness of performance for there are three kindes of sins of omission one in omitting the duty it self the other in omitting debitas circumstantias and the third in omitting debitos gradus So that though you do perform the duty either you omit doing it for that end c. and so want sincerity or else do it not with such a high degree of love c. CHAP. XV. The next impediment is not to come fully off for God THe eleventh great impediment is that wee do not come off fully and wholly for God wee would fain have both the World and God which will never bee it is impossible to have ones treasures in heaven and in earth too This halting betwixt two opinions betwixt God and Baal and serving two Masters God and Mammon is that which hinders us from doing either effectually for while wee are thinking and endeavouring to enjoy the world the thoughts of heaven make us that wee cannot freely enjoy that and when wee are about to serve God the thoughts of the world take us off from him great mischiefes come by our thus having an heart for God and an heart for the world and the truth of it is 1. It is impossible as it is impossible for any body to have two centers either of magnitude or weight so it is for the soul to have two centers God and the world for as the first cause of all things can bee but one so the last end of all our desires and endeavours can bee but one subordinate end wee may have many but not co-ordinate 2. Hence comes all our mischiefes all our troubles and distractions come from hence For as it is in a Kingdome when it is divided and there are two which would strive for soveraignty there must needs bee continually civil wars so that soul can have no peace but must bee in continual war and disquiet when the world and God strive who shall rule From whence come wars and fightings within you Come they not hence of your lusts that war in your members 't is our lustings after the world that make all our inward perturbations in our services of God 3. This makes us that wee cannot run the Race that is set before us as not with joy as already hath been said so not with speed just as one that halts runs neither with that speed nor ease nor comeliness So hee that halts betwixt God and any thing else goes but slowly on in the waves of God therefore if God bee God follow him if the world bee God follow that Hee that is going from Sodom and looks back must needs make many a stop in his journey 4. Take heed for thy hearkening after the world though for the present it may bee they onely hinder thee in Gods service yet it will come to pass at last that they will hinder thee from Gods service thy sinning and praying will not last long for either thy sin will make thee leave off praying or thy praying will make thee leave off sinning So thy love of the world will either make thee leave off loving of God or the loving of God will make thee leave off loving the world For God will so order it by his providence that thou shalt bee forc'd to chuse one as it befell the young man that would needs know what hee must do to bee saved hee thought hee might love riches and follow Christ but it would not bee 5.

part thereof not so much as hose or shooes but like as hee used alwayes to go from his childe-hood that was in a single garment of cloth and bare-foot so went hee to Rome and when at his arrival there were brought to him a Mule and a Chariot to use which hee liked best hee answered that hee was much less than his Master Christ who rode but one day in all his life and that was on a silly Shee-Asse and therefore hee would not ride except hee were sick or decrepid so as his legs might not serve him to go and when hee was brought into the presence of the Emperour and his Mother the Emperour with most gentle countenance imbraced him as hee kneeled and enforced him to stand upon his feet his Mother also saluted him with the like courtesie and rejoyced much to see him The Emperour beholding his native gravity and sterne countenance judged him in his heart to bee a reverend personage then demanded hee of him what hee professed and when hee answered Verity the Emperour asked him what hee meant thereby It is the Word quoth hee of the living God which is infallible The Emperour asked which is the living God and why hee so called him Origen answered that hee did put that distinction for a difference from them whom men being long drowned in errour did call their Gods whom they confess to have been mortal ones and to have died but the God whom he preached was ever living never died and is the life of all things that bee like as hee was the Creator of them And when the Emperour had required him to declare the unity of God the Creator he devoutly lifting up his eyes after a short meditation with an incomparable and compendious eloquence forthwith opened that mystery and in such wise that as well to the Emperour and his Mother as to all the standers by it seemed they were brought out of a long sleep and then began to see things as they were indeed and that which before they honoured and esteemed were but vain dreams and imaginations The Emperour after a little pause said to Origen that hee much marvelled why men of such great wonderful knowledge should honour for God a man that was crucified being but of a poor estate and condition O noble Emperour said Origen consider what honour the wise Athenians at this present do to the name and image of Codrus their last King for that when they had wars with their enemies who had answer made by the Oracle of Apollo that if they slew not the King of Athens they should have the victory Codrus hearing thereof preferring the safeguard of his people before his own life took to him the garments of a slave and bearing upon his shoulder a burthen of sticks hee went to his enemies Camp and there quarrelling of purpose with some of them and in the press hurting one with his knife hee was by him that was hurt stricken through the body and slain which being known to the enemies they being confused raised their Camp and departed and for this cause the Athenians have ever since had the name of Codrus in reverence worthily and not without cause Now then consider most excellent Prince how much more worthily with what greater reason and bounden duty ought wee and all men to honour Christ being the Son of God and God who not only to preserve mankinde from danger of the Devil his ancient enemy but also to deliver man out of his dark and stinking dungeon of errour being sent by God the Father from the highest heavens willingly took on him the servile garment of a mortal body and hiding his Majesty lived under the visage of poverty and finally not of his enemies immediately but much more against reason of his own chosen people the Jewes unto whom hee had extended benefits innumerable and after his temporal Nativity were his natural people and subjects hee quarrelling with them by declaring to them their abuses and pricking them with condigne rebukes at the last hee was not slain with so easie a death as Codrus was but in most cruel fashion was scourged until no place in his body was without wounds and then had long and sharp thorns set and pressed upon his head and after long torments and despights hee was constrained to bear a heavy Cross whereon afterwards both his hands and feet were nailed with long and great nails of iron and the Cross with his naked and bloody body being lift up on high was let fall with violence into a Mortais that his joynts were loosened and notwithstanding all this torment and ingratitude hee never grudged but lifting up his eyes to heaven hee prayed with a loud voice saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do This was the charity most incomparable of the Son of God imployed for the Redemption of mankinde who by the transgression of Adam the first man that ever was created was taken prisoner by the devil that is to say kept in the bondage of errour and sin from actual visage of Gods Majesty until hee were on this wise redeemed according as it was ordained at the beginning At these words of Origen they that were present were wonderfully astonied and therewith the Emperour with a sturdy countenance said to Origen You have wonderfully set forth a lamentable history but yet notwithstanding therein bee things dark and ambiguous which require a more plain declaration for what maketh you bold to affirm that Jesus which in this wife was crucified was the Son of God and God as you have called him Sir said Origen sufficient testimony which of all creatures reasonable ought to bee believed and for most certain proof to bee allowed What testimony is that said the Emperour Truly said Origen it is in divers things First the promise of God by whom this world was made also by his holy Scripture speaking by the mouths of his Prophets as well Hebrewes as Greeks and other whom yee call Vates and Sybillas Also by the Nativity of Jesus of a pure Virgin without carnal company of a man the most pure and clean form of his living without sin his Doctrine divine and celestial his miracles most wonderful and innumerable all grounded on charity only without ostentation his undoubtful and perfect Resurrection the third day after hee was put to death his glorious Ascention up into heaven in the presence and sight of five hundred persons which were vertuous and of credence also the gift of the Holy Ghost in speaking all manner of languages and interpreting the Scripture not only by himself but also afterwards by his Apostles and Disciples and given to other by imposition of their hands and all these ordinarily followed according to the said promises and Prophecies I omit to speak of the confession of Devils which by Jesus and his Apostles in his Name were cast out of people which were possessed the Oracles and answers of them whom yee untruly call