Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	court_n	justice_n	law_n	3,065	5	4.7299	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66062	Sermons preached upon several occasions by the Right Reverend Father in God, John Wilkins ...; Sermons. Selections	Wilkins, John, 1614-1672.; Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.	1682 (1682)	Wing W2215; ESTC R21732	182,840	522

not men their trespasses neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses By which place it appears that he who meditates revenge must curse himself when he prays he must carry in his own bosom the evidence that his sins are unpardoned and likewise a bar and incapacity whereby he is disabled to ask or expect the forgiveness of them To which may be added that Precept of being reconciled to our brother before we bring our gift to the Altar Mat. 5. The thoughts of revenge will render our offerings and services unacceptable As likewise that Parable concerning the wicked servant Mat. 18. who refused to forgive his fellow servant a hundred pence though his Lord had remitted to him ten thousand Talents I might mention several Examples to this purpose that of Ioseph towards his Brethren that of Iob Chap. 31.29 who professed that he rejoiced not at the destruction of him that hated him nor lift up himself when evil found him That of St. Stephen who prayed for those that stoned him saying Lord lay not this sin to their charge Act. 7.60 And above all that of our Saviour himself Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 I proceed to some Reasons or Arguments for the confirmation of this Proposition And shall mention six 1. 'T is a sin against God the supreme Governour of the world to whom this work of vengeance belongeth which is the reason in the Text. And therefore men who intrude upon it without his commission do but invade his office and consequently renounce their subjection to him and put themselves out of his protection We that are poor dependant Creatures earthen vessels worms and no men think our selves highly injured and affronted when those that are in any inferiour relation to us our children or servants shall take upon them to revenge themselves upon one another without appealing to us to do them right Why God is infinitely more just powerful omniscient and therefore hath much more reason to resent it as an high indignity when his creatures and vassals shall so far forget their dependance upon him as to invade his office The Apostle tells us Iam. 1.20 That the wrath of men worketh not the righteousness of God That justice which is done by a wrathful man doth not render him righteous in the sight of God Or God hath not appointed that violent revengeful disposition of men to be the executor of his justice because 't is not like to effect it with such a mixture of mercy as he will approve or accept of 2. 'T is against Government Magistrates Laws those bonds of Societies which are all needless and in vain if every one may take a liberty of righting himself 'T is the very end of Magistracy to prevent this He is made a publick Avenger to distribute rewards and punishments according to stated Laws that private men might not intermeddle with it 'T is true indeed as for such barbarous savage people as live wild without being associated and united by those bonds of justice 't is no wonder if such be continually retaliating of injuries according to the opportunities and advantages they can get over one another there being no other remedy for men who live according to a state of nature amongst whom there is no person or place for appeal And thus likewise is it with such publick persons betwixt whom there is no common Judg to state and vindicate their differences as Soveraign Princes are there being in such cases no other remedy unless they can accommodate things by Treaty but that War must follow and the sword decide their Controversies But when men are once associated under Government and Laws they must then have recourse to such as are deputed to this office of vindicating common justice Have you received an injury saith Quintilian Est lex forum judex nisi vos jure vindicari pudet There are Laws Courts Iudges unless your cause be such as you are ashamed or afraid to bring it unto the trial and determination of Law Though even in this way 't is not for every trivial offence that we are to trouble our neighbour nor for matters of moment till all other ways of accommodation have been first offered and tried Law being a kind of War which must be the last means for Peace 3. 'T is against the very scope and spirit of Christianity which consists in self-denial taking up the Cross meekness loving our enemies forgiving such as trespass against us The great rule of Christianity is not to do to others as they do to us but as we would have them do to us Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do you the same unto them Mat. 7.12 4. 'T is against humanity Inhumanum verbum est ultio saith Seneca 'T is proper enough for wild brute creatures but not for men Nothing becomes humane nature more than gentleness and humanity Laus humanitatis potius quam voluptas ultionis concupiscenda est saith one of the Roman Orators The pleasure of revenge ought not to stand in any competition with the praise of humanity Nothing is more universally necessary for the peace and welfare of humane Societies than mutual pardon and forbearance because every one must frequently stand in need of it for himself and therefore must be ready to extend it to others He that hath any real sense of his own frail condition will find reason enough not to take all advantages he may against others 5. 'T is against our own quiet and welfare which consists in such a serene and be calmed spirit as will not let the Sun go down upon our wrath The study of revenge will be a means to keep wounds green and festering whereas otherwise they might heal Multi leves injurias altius sibi dimisêre dum vindicant This gives impression to a slight injury and makes it wound deep when we resent it with revengeful thoughts Maledicta si irascaris agnita videntur spreta exolescunt He that neglects an injury doth blunt the edge of it Provoking words saith the Son of Syrach Eccles. 28.12 are like a coal of fire which if a man blow upon it will kindle the more but if he spit upon it 't will go out Besides that it will be a means to multiply and renew fresh injuries upon us If we cannot stop at the first blow why should we expect that our adversary should stop at the second He that will strike when he is not provoked will do so much more when he is smitten again and so we shall but help to draw the sawe of contention and multiply sufferings upon our selves by endeavouring to retaliate them upon others 6. Revenge is in it self as great and in many respects a much greater sin than the first injury whereby 't is occasioned Quid refert inter provocantem provocatum nisi quod ille prior in