Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
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A50752
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Reason an essay / by Sir George Mackenzie.
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Mackenzie, George, Sir, 1636-1691.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing M193; ESTC R20171
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47,708
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168
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this_o can_v be_v for_o if_o we_o know_v not_o that_o we_o be_v mask_a it_o be_v no_o hypocrisy_n and_o on_o the_o contrary_a hypocrisy_n require_v great_a reflection_n because_o it_o needs_o much_o precaution_n the_o reason_n then_o of_o the_o first_o must_v be_v that_o as_o to_o god_n we_o trust_v our_o repentance_n and_o to_o his_o mercy_n as_o if_o forsooth_o we_o do_v he_o little_a wrong_n by_o make_v his_o creature_n appear_v more_o excellent_a than_o it_o be_v and_o as_o if_o it_o may_v prejudge_v his_o service_n to_o let_v other_o see_v that_o we_o be_v many_o time_n more_o wicked_a than_o they_o or_o that_o we_o do_v god_n good_a service_n in_o encourage_v other_o to_o be_v pious_a by_o our_o good_a example_n and_o that_o we_o by_o hypocrisy_n do_v only_o raise_v a_o esteem_n or_o come_v to_o a_o employment_n by_o which_o we_o may_v be_v true_o serviceable_a to_o god_n in_o our_o other_o action_n but_o i_o real_o think_v that_o the_o heart_n of_o man_n be_v so_o narrow_a that_o it_o can_v hold_v only_o one_o scheme_n of_o thought_n at_o once_o and_o therefore_o this_o little_a soul_n be_v fill_v with_o a_o desire_n of_o applause_n and_o with_o the_o shame_n of_o be_v silly_a and_o undeserving_a it_o reflect_v indeed_o but_o all_o its_o reflection_n look_v that_o way_n the_o man_n be_v full_a of_o this_o and_o intent_n upon_o it_o and_o so_o he_o see_v not_o the_o contradiction_n how_o palpable_a soever_o it_o be_v but_o yet_o it_o be_v so_o notorious_a and_o discernible_a that_o i_o may_v just_o conclude_v his_o reason_n weak_a if_o not_o blind_a who_o do_v not_o discern_v it_o the_o cure_n then_o of_o this_o subtle_a cheat_n must_v be_v by_o pursue_v this_o imposture_n into_o its_o secret_a recess_n by_o see_v this_o player_n before_o he_o put_v on_o his_o fine_a clothes_n and_o disguise_n by_o turn_v all_o our_o thought_n to_o god_n and_o from_o ourselves_o advert_v serious_o and_o impartial_o to_o every_o little_a circumstance_n in_o the_o design_n that_o be_v to_o be_v consider_v i_o have_v ofttimes_o admire_v the_o prevalency_n of_o custom_n above_o reason_n and_o though_o brute_n who_o want_v reason_n or_o child_n in_o who_o it_o be_v yet_o scarce_o ripen_v be_v lead_v by_o it_o yet_o what_o a_o strange_a thing_n be_v it_o that_o in_o man_n who_o have_v reason_n in_o maturity_n custom_n become_v not_o only_o a_o second_o nature_n but_o overcome_v nature_n and_o be_v a_o second_o nature_n because_o it_o almost_o extirpate_v reason_n which_o be_v our_o first_o nature_n for_o though_o the_o old_a we_o grow_v our_o reason_n shall_v grow_v the_o strong_a yet_o it_o fall_v still_o weak_a and_o melt_v so_o before_o custom_n that_o even_o the_o virtuous_a and_o dutiful_a action_n we_o do_v seem_v rather_o the_o effect_n of_o custom_n than_o of_o reason_n for_o if_o they_o proceed_v from_o reason_n the_o same_o reason_n which_o prompt_v we_o to_o do_v they_o will_v oblige_v we_o to_o act_v virtuous_o on_o all_o other_o occasion_n and_o we_o see_v that_o we_o alter_v our_o virtue_n as_o the_o fashion_n and_o custom_n of_o our_o country_n change_v but_o to_o conclude_v this_o expostulation_n i_o can_v but_o wonder_v that_o a_o man_n shall_v be_v call_v reasonable_a after_o he_o have_v trust_v the_o make_v law_n and_o mould_v for_o live_v happy_o and_o dutiful_o to_o the_o multitude_n or_o crowd_n the_o worst_a of_o all_o judge_n and_o which_o we_o ourselves_o contemn_v as_o a_o ignorant_a giddy_a and_o capricious_a rabble_n of_o which_o influence_n of_o custom_n over_o reason_n many_o different_a cause_n occur_v to_o i_o for_o sometime_o i_o think_v that_o custom_n establish_v and_o fix_v themselves_o in_o we_o whilst_o we_o be_v yet_o young_a that_o reason_n can_v neither_o defend_v itself_o nor_o we_o especial_o as_o to_o unusual_a pleasure_n which_o be_v the_o proper_a and_o natural_a object_n of_o our_o first_o year_n and_o like_o weed_n that_o have_v overgrow_v the_o ground_n though_o never_o so_o fertile_a they_o hinder_v the_o better_a plant_n from_o grow_v up_o to_o prevent_v which_o it_o be_v necessary_a that_o we_o teach_v young_a one_o to_o reason_n very_o early_o and_o accustom_v they_o to_o a_o christian_a logic_n that_o be_v better_a than_o what_o they_o can_v learn_v in_o the_o school_n thus_o we_o may_v make_v custom_n itself_o useful_a rather_o than_o hurtful_a to_o reason_n and_o teach_v it_o to_o serve_v whereas_o now_o it_o govern_v and_o i_o know_v one_o who_o cure_v his_o habitual_a swear_v by_o argue_v with_o himself_o that_o since_o even_o the_o king_n enemy_n be_v able_a to_o restrain_v themselves_o from_o speak_v treason_n by_o reflect_v on_o its_o dangerous_a consequence_n it_o be_v strange_a that_o he_o who_o be_v convince_v that_o swear_v do_v draw_v on_o more_o dangerous_a consequence_n can_v not_o abstain_v from_o a_o custom_n that_o be_v altogether_o hateful_a without_o the_o least_o allay_n of_o pleasure_n or_o advantage_n to_o which_o the_o other_o may_v pretend_v sometime_o i_o think_v that_o custom_n have_v the_o force_n of_o the_o multitude_n which_o support_v it_o they_o all_o concur_v to_o pull_v back_o a_o well_o resolve_v man_n from_o his_o virtuous_a resolution_n and_o custom_n prevail_v rather_o by_o number_n than_o by_o strength_n and_o to_o prevent_v this_o it_o be_v necessary_a for_o a_o man_n who_o resolve_v to_o reason_n just_o to_o withdraw_v for_o some_o time_n from_o the_o crowd_n prov._n 18._o 1._o a_o man_n say_v solomon_n have_v separate_v himself_o meddle_v with_o all_o wisdom_n and_o seneca_n tell_v we_o that_o sanabimur_fw-la modo_fw-la à _fw-la caetu_fw-la separemur_fw-la jesus_n christ_n also_o who_o have_v triumph_v over_o the_o world_n be_v by_o strong_a intercession_n to_o be_v call_v in_o against_o this_o potent_a enemy_n who_o have_v show_v we_o that_o he_o can_v throw_v out_o and_o dispossess_v that_o devil_n who_o name_n be_v legion_n but_o the_o multitude_n be_v never_o so_o corrupt_a but_o that_o still_o some_o be_v to_o be_v find_v who_o can_v assist_v we_o in_o reason_v just_o upon_o thing_n and_o we_o shall_v also_o remember_v that_o we_o value_v so_o little_a the_o multitude_n that_o we_o stand_v not_o in_o awe_n of_o what_o they_o say_v of_o we_o when_o we_o be_v gain_v money_n or_o satisfy_v our_o pleasure_n why_o then_o shall_v we_o still_o spend_v all_o we_o have_v and_o deny_v ourselves_o all_o pleasure_n in_o follow_v custom_n or_o court_v fame_n since_o custom_n and_o fame_n be_v but_o the_o dictate_v of_o the_o multitude_n a_o homage_n which_o unthinking_a man_n be_v force_v to_o pay_v the_o rabble_n because_o they_o dare_v not_o serious_o reflect_v on_o what_o they_o do_v or_o which_o design_v man_n pay_v they_o in_o hope_n to_o make_v they_o first_o tool_n to_o their_o ambition_n and_o thereafter_o slave_n to_o their_o tyranny_n but_o at_o other_o time_n the_o strength_n of_o custom_n flow_v from_o our_o laziness_n who_o love_v the_o way_n that_o be_v chalk_v out_o to_o we_o and_o think_v it_o safe_a to_o follow_v rather_o than_o lead_v the_o crowd_n cheat_v to_o this_o by_o a_o cowardly_a humility_n which_o prove_v our_o never_o have_v consider_v the_o nobleness_n of_o our_o own_o origine_fw-la which_o be_v to_o be_v cure_v by_o a_o generous_a resolution_n of_o despise_v difficulty_n and_o of_o be_v slave_n as_o all_o person_n be_v who_o love_v better_a to_o obey_v than_o to_o examine_v the_o dictate_v of_o other_o and_o we_o be_v most_o unreasonable_a when_o we_o have_v so_o strong_a desire_n to_o lead_v the_o multitude_n to_o our_o ruin_n as_o in_o seditious_a tumult_n and_o faction_n and_o yet_o will_v be_v content_a to_o be_v tame_o lead_v by_o they_o in_o what_o be_v much_o noble_a and_o of_o great_a consequence_n how_o much_o more_o do_v we_o praise_v those_o great_a legislator_n who_o govern_v the_o multitude_n by_o their_o virtue_n than_o those_o sycophant_n who_o adore_v they_o by_o submission_n there_o be_v light_n in_o virtue_n and_o religion_n and_o there_o be_v none_o dare_v resist_v it_o it_o be_v able_a to_o astonish_v as_o well_o as_o convince_v nor_o be_v man_n so_o wicked_a as_o not_o to_o desire_v to_o be_v assist_v by_o some_o happy_a genius_n in_o what_o they_o be_v convince_v be_v best_o and_o every_o man_n almost_o stand_v only_o in_o awe_n of_o another_o expect_v and_o wish_v some_o moses_n to_o undertake_v their_o delivery_n general_o self-love_n seem_v to_o lead_v into_o these_o sentiment_n as_o think_v the_o multitude_n will_v cry_v up_o their_o own_o inclination_n and_o be_v unwilling_a to_o check_v that_o multitude_n from_o which_o it_o expect_v applause_n and_o who_o many_o suffrage_n it_o need_v to_o maintain_v it_o against_o that_o inward_a sense_n it_o have_v of_o its_o own_o weakness_n and_o silliness_n and_o this_o be_v to_o be_v cure_v by_o a_o