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	king_n	see_v	1,770	5	3.2429	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57197	The vanitie of man, in his best estate a sermon preached at St. Maries in Nottingham, March 18. 1657. at the funeral of the honourable Francis Pierepont, Esq; third son to the right honourable Robert late Earl of Kingston. By William Reynolds, M.A. minister of the Gospel at St. Maries in Nottingham.	Reynolds, William, 1625-1698.; Whitlock, John, 1625-1709.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1323A; ESTC R217985	20,473	35

the result of all that his search and enquiry which by Wisdome that is by his very best skill he made into the causes and effects of all things that have a being and are done under the Heaven I the Preacher was King over Israel in Jerusalem and I gave my heart to seek and to search out by Wisdome concerning all things that are done under Heaven and I have seen all the workes that are done under the Sun and behold all is vanity and vexation of Spirit Eccles 1.12 13 14. Thus you have heard what Solomon saith but they are not his words but Davids which we are now to insist upon the difference indeed that is between them is but little what David saith in the Text is included in what Solomon hath delivered as each particular is comprehended in the general and each part and parcel in the whole Solomon tels us that all the works that are wrought under the Sun are vanity and David singles out one of the works but indeed the chiefest and topmost of all the rest and instanceth in this when considered and beheld by us in the compleatest outward form and natural perfection of it and he saith that it is altogether vanity Surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanity Selah The Text may not be unfitly stiled fallen mans Portraiture and lively image and representation and this is such a curious and exact peece of workmanship as cannot be paralleld it far exceeds whatever art in the highest perfection brought any of its Scholars unto the most exquisite Limners that ever we heard or read of could never give us the draught and portraiture of the Mind and Soul of man in its inward motions and operations some have drawn the Pictures and representations of mens bodies to the life but they could never so draw any as in their draught to represent together with the outward form and feature of their bodies also the inward complexion frame and full endowments of their minds But you may in our Text behold man represented to us perfectly both inside and outside both in his soul and body Surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanity Selah The words are an intire proposition The parts of Text 1. The subject containing the Subject and Predicate The Subject that is Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam this though it was the proper name of the first man yet it is frequently used appellatively In this subject here is first the note of universality Every every man none excepted secondly the qualification of this Subject here spoken of viz when he is best constituted when in his prime when in his greatest beauty and bravery Every man in his best Estate The word translated here * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best estate the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivens living so also the Ethiopick and Arabik version and indeed natural life is one of the choycest richest and most pretious Jewel in all natures treasury and cabinet Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job 2.4 and saith Solomon a living dog is better than a dead Lion Eccles 9.4 We read of a woman in the Gospel how that she spent all she had on the Physicians and what was it for only to have her health restored which is a degree below life but though this translation of the word doth express somewhat that is very choyce yet this of Life is implyed and all the comforts conveniences and accomodations yea perfections of life natural are carried in the Hebrew word the word properly signifies Stans it commeth from the Hebrew root which signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stetit and it is rendered by sundry constitutus as Piscator Tremelius and others Tremelius renders the words thus Profecto omnimodae vanitas omnis homo quantumvis constitutus maxime Surely every man is all manner of vanity albeit he be never so well setled and constituted The second thing observable is the Predicate 2 The Predicate or that which is spoken and affirmed of this Subject and that is that he is vanity yea altogether vanity and that surely all this belongs to the Predicate He is vanity The Hebrew word here used was the proper name of the second Son born to Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom his Brother Kain killed and the name or word properly signifies as translated here in the Text namely vanity which Pagnin describes to be a most vain or light thing such as is a bubble on the water Res est quae non est quidpiä aut qua cito desinit ut flatus qui exit abore Pagnin or the breath of a mans mouth The Syriack version render the words thus quoniam omnes homines ut vapor consistunt the consistency of all men is no better than that of a vapor which Saint James saith appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away Cap. 4.14 He is altogether vanity Kol Hebel Kol Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universae vanitas omnis homo all men are all vanity so it is word for word the Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad omnia vanitas the version of the Arabick thus quicquid pertinet ad hominem viventem est vanum whatsoever belongeth unto living man is vanity Bithner he expounds it thus Every man is altogether vanity Hoe est omni ex parte ita ut vanitas miseria quae per alias creaturas frustatim spargitur in uno homine aggregata videatur sicque homo evadit compendium omnium vanitatum quae in creaturis extant c. * Cum inanimis subjecit matationi corruptioni Cum animatis alterationi morti Cum sensibilibus laetitiae maerori Cum Angelis qui reliquerunt suum-domicilium inconstantiae Bithner in locum that is he is the sinck and center of all the vanities in the world he is as it were the * Vniversa vanitas universe of vanity Surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanity surely it is as if he had said this is most true most certain none need to question it And as the word surely begins the Text so the note Selah concludes it which if in any place it be more than a bare Musical Note and pointeth at some extraordinary matter calling for more than ordinary attention it may be looked upon as so used here The matter whereunto it is affixed being of such unquestionable certainty of such great importance and there be such a natural unaptness in every of us to give Credit to or take notice of it so that we had need to be called upon to attend heedfully to it Thus we have for brevity sake given you both the parts of the Text and sense of the terms together you see that every word in the Text hath its weight the Text may be thus paraphrased Man Paraphrased who is the glory of the Creation Gods

of Gordius the Martyr It is the Custom of the world said he when they would praise a man to speak of his Family to derive his Pedigree through many descents to open unto all his Education parts and learning and such other accomplishments sed Ecclesiahaec tanquam supervacua dimittit the Church looks only at such things which may glorifie God in his Saints and thereby do good to them that remain alive The brief Character I shall give of him for I must be brief in all that I have to deliver shall be only in such things which my personal knowledge and the great honour I do and shall ever bear to his memory doth both warrant and provoke me to deliver To begin first with things relating to Religion a due regard to which is the most radiant and sparkling Stone in the whole Ring of any ones virtues There were these several particulars highly commendable in him First his constant attendance upon the publick Ordinances and that not only on the Lords-day both Morning and Evening but also on the Week-dayes at both the Lectures Secondly his constant frequenting the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper in its monethly administration amongst us I may safely say that for these six years last past wherein we of this Congregation have been privileged with the enjoyment of this Ordinance I do not remember that when he was in Town and in perfect health he ever omitted three Sacraments Thirdly his care and cost to set up and his constant attendance upon the worship of God in his Family wherein the Scripture was read and Prayer made Morning and Evening Fourthly his not only complying with endeavours after Reformation in the due administration of Gospel-Ordinances amongst us but his forwardness unto and activity about the setling of Order in the Church of God in this place of which he was not only an useful and honourable member but was pleased also to act as an officer humbly condescending herein to joyn himself with persons far inferiour to himself in rank and quality Fifthly the great respect he bore to the Ministers and Messengers of Jesus Christ Surely he accounted well of them as the hearty welcome he gave them to his own house his friendly going to their houses his constant attendance upon free and bountiful encouraging of them in their labours doth abundantly testifie And that this respect he shewed was not so much to the persons of the Ministers of the Gospel but unto the faithful and conscientious discharge of their work and office that worthy speech of his which was oft heard uttered by him bears witness namely That it much pleased him to hear such searching Sermons as ript up the heart and discovered sin to the full And as I have thus glanced at some commendable practices in him relating to Religion so should I speak distinctly to each moral virtue that was resplendent in him I should exceed the limits of the time which is allotted to this part of the Solemnity I must remember I am yet to begin my Sermon and that after it another at some distance hence is to be preached to sum up therefore all in a very few words This truly Honourable person whom we now commemorate was most punctually and exactly righteous in all his civil transactions tenderly mercifull and compastionate towards decayed Debtors and Tenants humble affable and curteous towards all and grievous to none And in the last place I must not forget his Charitie to the poor Indeed by Will and Testament there is little done he being surprized with the suddenness of his sickness and death yet whilest he was living he did some things very exemplary Besides the constant relief the poor had at his Gate and his liberal annual pension to a poor Scholar in the Vniversity and to some others that had been in the relation of Servants to himself and Noble Father he did some years before his death settle by Deed 12. pound per Annum for ever upon the Almeshouses founded by Mr. Hanly These things being so well known have we not great cause to mourn over the loss we have susteined in and by his death The honourable Widdow hath lost a most tender Husband the Orphan'd Children a loving and indulgent Father the Servants of the Family a mild prudent and most righteous Master the Tenants a just and compassionate Land-lord we Ministers a noble Friend and faithfull Patriot We especially whom God hath called to this place who came hither upon his together with some others of the chief of the Parish special invitation set down here after mutual knowlege obtained one of another upon the publick declaration of his and the whole Parishes earnest desire and call of us so to do and have chearfully and comfortably and through grace we hope we can say in some measure profitably continued our Ministerial imployment and been succesfully carryed through the many difficulties that usually attend endeavors after Reformation in the administration of Gospel-Ordinances through his under God special countenance encouragement and active concurrence with us The sense and experience of which mercy from God to us and choice Service which this great and publick good Man did the Gospel hath caused many thanksgivings unto God much heightned the deserved honourable esteem which we with the whole Church of God amongst us had of him made us highly to prize and earnestly to pray for his life and now we reflecting upon the greatness of our loss sadly to bewail his death but I must proceed no farther on this Text to come to the other Surely Every man Text at his best estate is altogether vanity Selah WE may fitly begin our discourse upon this Text with that gracious Apophethegm a● rather divine Oracle wherewith Solomon that Kingly and royal Preacher begun his sacred retractations so some have styled his book of Ecclesiastes saying vanity of vanities vanity of vanities all is vanity This is an Hebrew Form or Phrase of speech they expressing the Comparative often by a preposition and the superlative by doubling the same word which noteth excellency and perfection by the ingemination and redoubling of the same word and Phrase the Preacher doth at once both confirm the judgement in the certainty of the fundamental truth he layeth down and also vehemently move the assections a good coppy for all Preachers to write after namely to speak such words as may be both instructive and affective As to the import of this concise speech of Solomons in brief it is this That all things here below are most vain or extreme vanity and that no true felicity can be enjoyed in the freest and largest possession of them In the fourteenth verse he tells us that they are not only vanity that is as our Annotators gloss ineffectual to confer happiness but which is worse they are vexation of Spirit apt to bring much affliction and trouble upon the heart of him who is too earnestly conversant about them And this he delivers as