Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	cause_v	disease_n	humour_n	1,824	5	8.2513	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85988	A soveraign antidote against sinful errors, the epidemical plague of these latter dayes. Extracted out of divine records, the dispensatory of Christianity: for the prevention and cure of our spiritual distempers. By Claudius Gilbert, B.D. and minister of the Gospel at Limrick in Ireland.	Gilbert, Claudius, d. 1696?	1658 (1658)	Wing G704; Thomason E939_4; ESTC R202212	152,383	185

Latitude according to the variation of its aggravations As diseases do vary in their gradual recess from health being either simple or compound either more or less malignant hurtfull Thus Errors admit of many adjuncts which render them more or less sinful and injurious In every Error there is a sinfulness an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a defect of Truth privative a disposition to falshood positive As in every disease there is an evil deflection from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sound disposition of the body so in Error from that of the mind But this deflection is not alike in all but is cloathed with numerical differences and personal aggravations Some Errors are more and others less rooted Some are more single and others complicate Some are more submissively held and others more pertinaciously some are kept close others published some have more of the Will and Affections attending them others less some are more and others less pernicious some are more quiet others more turbulent As the malignity of infectious diseases admits of a great Latitude as the variety of venomous Creatures whether Plants Minerals or Sensitives is multipliciously diversified by the variations of their clime intentions of degrees c. some being cold as Hemlock others hot as Euphorbium some in the first or second others in the third or fourth degree some working more slowly others more quickly some by their Tail as the Scorpion some by their Teeth as the Viper and Rattle-snake some by their Tongue others by their Excrements some more sensibly as a mad Dog some more insensibly as the Asp So do Errors appear under variety of offensive qualities and adjuncts 5. The Cause of Error also as of every disease is multipliciously observable especially in a three-fold Division of Evident Antecedent and Continent 1. An Evident Cause among Physicians is much from Externals if not altogether whereby a Distemper is occasioned in the body So in mans soul this sickness of Error may be occasioned by external Causes as by infection ill company bad books various Temptations c. 2. An Antecedent Cause of sickness bodily is from some thing within whether vapor humor or Spirit distempering any part disabling it from its proper Action Thus the foregoing Cause of this spiritual disease lies in some flatuous humorous or spiritual evil that disorders the mind from its right discerning of the Truth causing it to deviate into the way of falshood Habitual Corruption within flowing from Adams first sin which is ours by Imputation attended with the want of original Righteousness and often called original sin because the womb of all sin in us is the chief cause from which all other evils flow that breed and increase these sad distempers This Corruption acts variously in the way of Pride and Self-seeking Security and Worldliness c. 3. The Continent Cause of a corporal distemper is that immediate thing which cherishes it being cherished from the remote cause whether corrupt blood wind water gravel c. So the continent Cause of Error is that peculiar Corruption whether Ignorance or Pride self-conceitedness or worldliness c. which sticks close to the mind to breed and cherish its several dyscrasies and distempers Thence such clouding of mens Iudgements and disorders in their Reasonings hence perverse Disputings of men that are reprobate concerning the Faith as Ambition and Pride carried Simon and Menander Nestorius and Macedonius away Discontent and Envy prevailed with Arrius Covetousness carried on Demetrius and his Comrads There is a Complication of such causes in most 6. The Effects of Error as of every corporal disease are likewise variously numerous according to the variations of its numerical Idea of its specifical nature of its descent gradations causes This spiritual sickness is a Tendency to further sin eternal Death as every bodily sickness is the beginning of corporal death The wages of sin is death sin deserves it it binds ever it leads to it it fits for it it begins it As much as there is of sinfulness so much is there of death attending it Corporal civil spiritual and Eternal Grace indeed doth restrain and limit it pardons and subdues it purges out gradually and at last exterminates all sin in Gods Elect yet it changes not the Nature or desert of sin though it chances the sinners nature and relation Providence limits and over-rules this sinfulness also in the Reprobate As the wise Physitian corrects his Opium in a Confection so doth God correct sin remaining in his Children As the same Physitian appoints fit means against infection to all indefinitely so doth our Soveraign Physician by shewing the dangerous effects of Error As the effects of Poisons are very various yet always sad so are sin and sorrrw inseparable Twins Error was set forth to the Life by that Leprosiy of the head which had a peculiar mark of Ignominy Infection and danger It s like to those poisonous Minerals and Vegetables which strike first ai the head and thence at all other parts It s a spiritual Plague which cannot but be mischievous still though not in all alike All sorts of men in all relations are made to feel the sad Consequents thereof It s a fruitfull womb a breeding dung hill a poisoned spring Lerna malorum It engages and leads insensibly to more evil notional and practical It disgraces God opposes his Truth distempers mens souls endangers their families blasts their Profession stains their Repute scandalizes many ensnares divers troubles Church and State and complies with Satan in his various designes by nursing of his brood This Age gives sad demonstations thereof As Cephalical diseases are on many accounts the most dangerous of all in the Body so are these heady distempers in the soul which are easily communicated to all the vital inferior parts The poison of some works in a stupifying way as Opium Henbane Hemlock c. others venom acts by an enraging quality as Elaterium Euphorbium Scammony The effect of some is more speedily mortal as in the Touches of a Basilisk and Asp of the Viper and rattle Snake if not very timely look'd to others are more slow and less dangerous as in the operations of various simples appears The Parallel of spiritual Poisons therewith is easily drawn by an observing Christian 7. The Symptoms or Signs of Error as of Corporal deseases are of divers sorts some more Common others more Proper 1. The common signs are such as attend divers distempers in a general way as enfeebling of the parts change of complexion Indiposition to action c. Thus Errors have their Common signs wherein many of them agree appearing much in their sad effects against Gods Honor and mans good though often under far Colors like that Indian Apple in the Western Islands which seems beautifull and yet is rank poison 2. There are proper Tokens and characteristical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and notes of each

By his Spirit he draws home his Elect from among the rest to a conjugal acquaintance with himself This gracious knowledge is to be improved for a singular Antidote against sinfull Errors It hath appeared to be so in all ages and will still be so upon solid grounds which divine Reason suggests to us Reason 1. Because it removes and prevents the causes thereof External and Internal The cause removed the Effect will cease 1. THE External Causes called evident among Physicians are all such as from without endanger men as ill Company Disorders Infection Wounds c. from Sin and Satan thus spiritually many external causes do still assault us which the knowledge of Christ prevents and removes A well grown Christian hath his senses exercised to discern aright between good and evil The spiritual man judges of all things comparing of them spiritually He is not easily caught into the snare but wisely foresees it and escapes He believes not every Spirit but tries them all by the Lords Touch-stone He is forewarned and forearmed still against Infectious Temptations of all sorts 2. Internal Causes are either Antecedent and remote or continent and proxime which are bred within by congestion and defluxion of several ill humors putrifying gradually and variously to the distempering of the several parts and of the whole also Thus sinfull Corruption doth spiritually disorder mens souls Spiritual Growth affords Christs own help to the purging out of such ill Humors Vapors and Spirits It kils the worms takes away stoppages cleanses the parts by all convenient helps internal and external It purges the whole and then the parts in a due Method using revulsions and derivations with all sort of evacuations So far as Grace is grown up within by the knowledge of Christ so far is corruption purged out gradually He that knows him purifies himself even as he is pure Christs own Physick dispenced daily in his Word and Providence is through his Spirit improved that way He that is born of God doth not so sin as he did before neither can he so sin either totally or finally because the seed of God abides in him As he finds corruption breeding afresh within it s his desire and design his delight and labor to crush the Cockatrice in the shell and suppress the first beginnings He hath a tender heart sensible of the first stirs of the least vain thoughts and keeps himself that the ev●l one touch him not as before Reason 2. Because it corroborates and fortifies the noble parts and thereby all the rest against all internal Corruptions and outward Temptations Thus health and strength are procured and improved against the malignity of all spiritual distempers Corroboration is a singular help as in the bodies so in the Souls of men against all diseases Ill Humors do leave in the parts affected an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Discomposure which enfeebles it and by a ferment and a sickly Spawn makes it prone to new disorders Error and Sin work in the like manner upon mens souls striking chiefly at the Vitals and Chief The knowledge of Christ duly improved doth orderly eradicate and extirpate it by Communication of his divine strength to vivification of every Grace and Mortification of the old man in all its Members The more a soul lives in him and by him the more of his renewed Supports and supplies come in which compose the Christian into spiritual health rectifying every part All the faculties are secured and fortified thereby against Relapses and struglings of sin Such can do all things through Christ strengthning them The sense of their own insufficiency drives them still to his Al-sufficiency that his Grace may be sufficient for them and his Vertue perfected in weakness Reason 3. Because it derives still a specifick Vertue out of Christ himself whose Soveraign Property mingled with all due means of his appointing affords still a sure Preservative Physicians observe the specifick Vertue of natural Medicines simple and compound which renders the whole effectual towards bodily cures Such a signally peculiar force is found in the Lords choice Antidote dispensed to his Patients The knowledge of Christ duly improved fetches out of him that wonderfull Grace which he mingles with all the Medicines appointed for their good His Blood is that Aurum potabile and Panpharmacum that Catholicon and Elixer of Life which sanctifies all things effectually to his Peoples good The more any soul grows up into acquaintance with him the more use is made of that Soveraign Balm of Gilead flowing from the Physicians very heart The Pelican is said to cure his little ones with his own blood Christ to be sure makes this good to his His Grace is the Basis of every Dose of every Topick of every means appointed by him The strongest poison is quelled thereby the stoutest humors are subdued the sorest obstructions are removed and the worst Maladies cured by the same He healed all manner of diseases and sicknesses among the people in their bodies and souls in his progress on earth and he doth so still by his Spirit from heaven His Word and Ordinances are the proper means used by him for application thereof He employes his servants of the Magistracy and Ministry to observe his will in the right use thereof by all fit helps Spiritual and Civil His Providence points out the case to be dealt with all spiritual skil Our Antidote improved affords every Christian to manage all aright His special Blessing he affords in all according to Promise The Reason is good make good use of it Vse 1. Corollar 1. Hence may we view the Ground and Cure of our spiritual Distempers in all Relations 1. THE Ground is much from want of spiritual Growth in the best as from want of Life in most Were Christ known to better purpose both Church and State would not be so sickly But the most are ignorant of him and the best much too blame Thence so many diseases and sores in all Relations and Societies Every Person every Family finds cause to complain because the Lord Christ is so much slighted No wonder if the sickness increase and the venom spreads when such a Physician with his Antidote are so basely used Wise men easily see whence this evil comes and is aggravated Gross wilfull unbelief is the forest disease that aggravates the case making it desperate This was the case of Gods people of old in the wilderness and Canaan again and again They slighted Christ and his Messengers till they were grown beyond all Remedy It may give us warning 2. The Cure and Method of Relief is hence observable the Lord hath not left us yet remediless There is Balm in Gilead and a Physician there with Soveraign Vertue to cure