Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bring_v	great_a	reason_n	1,648	5	4.3830	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87092	Divinity in mortality, or The Gospels excellency and the preachers frailty, represented in a sermon preached at the funerals of Mr Richard Goddard late minister of the parish of St Gregories by Pauls; who died on Thursday the 12th of May 1653. and was buried on Moonday [sic] the 16th day of the same moneth. By Nath. Hardy Master of Arts, and preacher to the parish of St Dyonis Back-Church.	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1653 (1653)	Wing H718; Thomason E708_1; ESTC R202533	26,963	35

are troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not discouraged Though our persons be as earthen vessels in the worlds estimation and so used or rather abused yet let not our spirits like earthen vessels be broken by any affliction nay rather remember what Christ said to his Disciples in the like case Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven and so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you are come in their stead and therefore must expect their usage and it is a comfort you do but pledge them in that cup of which they have drank to you before you do but follow them in that way which they have tracked already so persecuted they the Prophets yea and the Apostles too in which regard they are here called Earthen vessels 3. Lastly This Epithete earthen is annexed to these vessels the Preachers of the Word in reference to their bodies as their mean condition base estimation so their bodily constitution proclaimeth them earthen this is that which is common to Ministers with the people since though in regard of their Calling they are prae aliis far before others yet in this respect they are sicut caeteri such as others 1. Thus their bodies are earthen because formed of the dust of the earth Testacea secundum originem so Tertullian Earthly in their Original upon which ground they are called houses of clay the inhabitant indeed is heavenly but the body earthy Vas fictile nil aliud quam lutum igne coctum as earthen vessels so are our bodies fashioned out of clay 2. Again as earthen vessels are subject to flaws and cracks yea to breaking in pieces so are our bodies liable to sicknesses diseases till at last by death they fall and are broken in pieces In this respect the Apostle Paul calling the body an earthen house addeth presently be dissolved To this purpose is Grotius his Paraphrase In corpore multis malis obnoxio quod facile frangitur we have this Treasure in bodies subject to many evils and at last to a dissolution This construction is that which both the Greek and Latine Fathers generally take it in Among the Greeks St Chrysostome speaketh very fully to this sense {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he useth this term of earthen to denote the mortality of our nature infirmity of our flesh which by diseases and a thousand other accidents is exposed to death and so dissolution Among the Latines St Ambrose speaketh to the same effect Fictilia vasa dicens infirmitatem naturae significat the weakness of our nature is signified by the earthen vessell and therefore St Jerome explaineth it by the term fragilis and Theophylact by the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they are frail mortall bodies we carry about with us and as earthen vessels are easily suddenly broken asunder one fall on the ground in a moment dasheth them in pieces so are the bodies of Gods Ministers subject to a speedy and sudden dissolution whereby they become unserviceable to the Church Indeed in one thi ng there is a difference earthen vessels when they break break irrecoverably so as the pieces cannot be reunited but the bodies of the Saints and faithfull Ministers of Christ though they moulder into dust shall at the last day be repaired refined and made gloriously beautifull They differ then in the consequent of the breaking but in the breaking it self they agree and therefore fitly are our bodies called earthen vessels The Greek word here used {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is derived from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which properly signifieth the shell of a fish and in this sense as criticall Interpreters observe it agrees with the matter in hand it being ordinary to lay up those things we value in shels or boxes and cabinets made of such and withall those shels in regard of ther brittleness are apt resemblances of our bodies The Platonists who fancy two bodies one more spiritual which they call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Chariot that carrieth the soul in it the other more grosse that which we see and feel call this latter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} because it is in their opinion as a shell which hath a finer body within it This being but a fancy I leave it the true reason of this expression whether you render it shels or earthen vessels is because as these so the body is of a frail nature easily and quickly destroyed nor have the bodies of Ministers any greater priviledge then others We that preach eternal life are dying men yea whilest the word of life is in our mouths many times death is in our faces This Wolf will not only worry the sheep but the shepherd This enemy will not only set upon the souldiers but the Captain This Plunderer will seize upon the Crown and the Mitre the Scarlet and the Rochet and as at Chess when the game is done not only the pawns but the Bishops yea King and Queen are tumbled down and put into the bag so not only mean and vulgar persons but Princes and Priests fall down by death into the grave and as Judges though they be shields of the earth are but earthen shields so Ministers though vessels that carry this Treasure yet are but earthen vessels To winde up this in a word of Caution and Exhortation Do not think the worse of or value the Treasure the less because brought in an earthen vessell It is that folly yea wickedness of which too many are guilty who because they are men that speak to them think the message is not Gods measureing the worth of the treasure by the meanness of that which conveyeth it But tell me I beseech you will any man value gold the less because brought to him in a leathern purse or slight a pretious pearl because found on a dirty dunghill and why then should the Gospel be undervalued because they are mortall men that Preach it The truth is we have cause to admire and bless both the power and the goodness of God his power which by such weak means accomplisheth so great a work indeed as the Apostle here tels us for this reason the treasure is in such vessels that the excellency of the power might be of God his goodness which is pleased to lay it up in such vessels that it may be the easier come by to speak to us by men like our selves with whom we familiarly converse he could if he had pleased have put this treasure in heavenly vessels used the Ministry of Angels but we could not have received it so comfortably from them so that in reference to us God is pleased to make men the instruments of publishing the Gospels mysteries and as it is his mercifull condescention that he is pleased to deliver