Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	death_n	life_n	sin_n	9,880	5	5.5192	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68977	The prodigals teares. With a heavenly new yeeres gift sent to the soule; contayning many most zealous and comfortable prayers, with deuout meditations: both worthie the acceptance of all Christians, and their expence of time to peruse. By H. G. preacher of the most sacred Word of God	Brathwaite, Richard, 1588?-1673.; Goodcole, Henry, 1568-1641.	1620 (1620)	STC 3580; ESTC S114442	53,955	283

rather of voluptuous affections withdraw you from your primarie essence you proceed from the soule and shall any extrinsecall obiect draw you from her alas it were pitie your founder the soule is imprisoned already and one that beares her small good will a domesticall enemy that euer plants her battery to ouerthrow the faire and beautifull structures of the said impudencie it is and shameles boldnes for the handmaide to dominiere ouer her Mistris for the case to bee better esteemed then the instrument is in it alas what harmony would a faire and curious case make without her instrument silent musicke if Arion had played on such hee had neuer inchanted fishes but had beene as mute as any fish But the Body vseth to say to the Soule as our gallant to the simple plaine man He is a good soule seeming to disparage Goodnesse with the Epethite of Simplicitie But these braue cutters are deceiued that disparagement maketh them worthy It is the truest badge of a Christian to walke in Trueth and simplicitie These simple shrubbes will find footing in the narrow wayes when our lofty Cedars shall seeke for broader passages And whence I pray you commeth this haughtinesse of minde but from the corruption of the bodie Alas if man would but consider his composition How weake in his birth how naked in his life how perplexed and in his Death ofte-times how irresolued he would fashion himselfe to an other forme neyther how to imitate the Apish fashions of the Spanyarde or Italian but how to expresse himselfe in the duty of a Christian The Prodigals contempt of the world declared in condemning the multiplicities and varieties of fashions in the same IF GOD were in loue with fashions he could neuer bee better serued then in these our dayes For our World is like a Pageant where euery mans Apparrell is better then himselfe where if our bodyes did chaunge formes so often as our Apparrell changeth fashions they should haue more shapes then fingers or toes Miserable Age when our best parte is dis-valued and the worst of man like Esaps Crow so ridiculously varied with all colours The soule being of more tempered judgmēt cā no way chuse but laugh at the bodies foolery and ask her as the philosopher did Scylla Whereto doe all these tend must these euer be stript off thee Dare death affront one of such eminencie Surely no she will disspence with thee for a time if it be but to instruct the World in new vanities O silly man how much imputation thou aspersest on thy selfe in affecting such trumperies Goe but vnto the first ordinance and how farre are these fashions altered from the letherne coats which God made in Paradise There were none of these vanities but the corruptions of these times haue introduced many errours of no lesse occurrence When in reuolutions of times we euer haue obserued the following age to be worse then the precedent and that of Homer to be true Pauci nunc similes patribus nascuntur bonestis I will wish a better cloathing for my bodie not so obseruant to the eye but better fitting for her state These outward couers ofte times make vs forget our imperfections caring for no more then to garnish the body whilest we all together stand neglectfull of the state and condition of the soule The Ancients that were sequestred from the world and onely meditated of their ends though superstitiously deuoted yet in this respect to be admired They stoode not vpon earthly pompe nor on outward garish vanities their refectory was a Cell their companion a deathshead their remembrancer an hour-glasse and their studie how to dye And death certainely could not bee terrible to such fixing their mindes on nothing heere in this life which might trouble them in departure vnto a better life It is true the pompe of death more terrifieth then Death it selfe Obiects of vanitie make our dissolution heauie and some I haue seene passe away with an indifferencie of life others before representment of death merry but at their approach when Resolution should haue shewne her selfe best prowde recreants to themselues Causes I haue conceyued two-fold eyther for that their minde were seated on Earthly affaires and could not pierce into the excellencie of their future hopes or that oppressed with the heauie remembrāce of their sinnes they trembled to appeare so vnprouided or grieuously loaden before a throane of iustice where they must of necessity answer theyr meditation at the instant of death is all of his Iustice without recourse to his mercie O these if they might would sue a repriue at Deaths hands with many intreaties I obserued this poore soule that I am it hath bin an especial motiue to my conuersion admonishing my selfe by their conuersion life to preuēt their miserable end I will therfore first desire to liue well before I will wish to die will for hard it is for him that will not liue the life of the righteous to die the death of the righteous life and death beeing in this nature concomitants the cōclusions euer seconding the begining I must obserue S. Ieroms rule who whither he slept or wakt euer thoght that sūmons to be sounding in his eare Arise ye dead and come vnto Iudgement This preparation will addresse me to thinke of my end before I come to it and the more welcome will it be when I come to it I haue wondred at men when they desired one time after an other for it makes me weepe when I see my houre glasse beside mee and see euery drop of sand follow other so speedily How precious is that treasure which can neuer be redeemed and so precious is Time shewing State in himselfe for he will stay for no man but offering his opportunity which accepted yeeldes remedie to any malady if thou be sicke in minde no time so sinister or akward but will shewe in some season a cordiall to thy discomforts if in body euery day is not canicular there be some promising helpes euen in dayes if not to cure yet to allay thy infirmities Change of Fortune the worldlings greatest sickenesse is soone taken away by continuance either by respect to our selues or to others to our selues considering they were but lent vs to others seeing the like accidents common vnto them with vs. The Prodigall condemning the spent thrifts of time O That our worldling would but call to minde the preciousnesse of the Time Hee would not desire so speedyrunning horses for his pleasure to soake the poore grate vpon the bons of the needy making spunges of them to inrich himselfe nor the ambitious wholly exposed to the insatiare desire of honour would abuse so inestimable good with so indefinite an euill in Courtiers applause spending the beauty of the day with the complements of an oylie tongue That holy Father well obserued this who to put himselfe in minde of his dayes taske would euer sommon himselfe in the Euening with this account O my

sensuality briars and brambles of all inordinate affections Serote amaui Deus meus serote amaui pulchritudo mea But now my repentance purchased with much experience my portion of comfort obtained with a great portion of Teares my misereis ended by the sweetnesse of thy mercyes diffused respites my griefe relisheth my distaste and giues me hope as one addressed to conuersion so to taste the fruites of thy ineffable consolations The Prodigals Faith strengthened and ioy expressed in the rembrance of Gods moste louing receyuing and accepting of Sinners into his fauour I Know LORD the greatest Conuerts haue beene grieuons sinners Paul a persecutor Peter a denyer Thomas incredulous litle Zaccheus couetous Magdalene an adultresse yet Paul strucken blinde leaues persecting Peter put in minde by a Cocke bewayles his denying Thomas by his finger becoms a belieuer Zacheus from the figge tree becomes Christs receiuer and Magdalen becomes a conuert by hearing her Sauiour Sinners vse to be touched before they be conuerted Manasses must bee in prison before hee feele himselfe Ionah in the depth before hee find himselfe Dauid must find some discomforts or hee will be aboue himselfe Na●man strucken with leprosie ere hee be conuerted Nabuchadnezzar must feede amongst beasts ere Gods power must be acknowledged Pharaoh must haue many plagues sent him ere Gods people be dismissed Yea Lord and wherefore should sinners murmure or repine at thy Iudgements pronounced against them Should the pot aske the Potter why he breaketh it in peeces Or should man expostulate the cause with GOD Oh farre bee it that I which am but dust and ashes conceiued in nothing but sinne drinking iniquitie like water should spurne at the will and pleasure of GOD No Lord though thou leaue mee at Deaths doore yet know I thou wilt haue mercy vpon me For thou art euer gracious to thy seruants Touch me gently O Lord and let mee feele thy correction as thy childe to saluation not as the reprobate to confusion and though my many transgressions haue deserued thy iust ire and indignation against mee yet Lord intuere filium tuum toto corpore extensum Beholde thy Sonne suffering and consider fot whom hee suffereth not for himselfe for hee was innocent but for me miserable wretch that by my sinnes nayled my Sauiour to the Crosse yet behold I haue re-crucified him adding wound vpon wound by multiplying sinne vpon sinne It was not sufficient for me to crucifie my Sauiour vpon earth but I must moue his indignation in heauen It was not enough for mee to cast lots vpon his garments but I must make large rents in that garment of righteousnesse which hee cloathed mee withall at his passion Hence is it that I haue lost Felicity for which I was created and purchased my selfe misery for which I was not created And how is it possible for mee to redeeme the time I haue so vainely consumed my Talent so carelesly neglected and those comfortable motions of thy diuine Spirit euer moouing and in flaming mee to goodnes and I peruerting those excellent motions prostituting my selfe vnto the sensuall pleasures of the flesh altogether respectlesse of my soules health so presently I may satisfie the inordinate lusts and affections of the flesh The prodigall soules pennance or mourning weede WEepe weepe disconsolate soule let those many houres which thou hast spent in feasting be redeemed by fasting let thy sensuall meetings nightly carowsings and thy daily rioting bee now supplied with incessant praying continuall weeping and charitable distributing First render what thou hast taken by violence from any man Oppression is a crying sinne and will be heard Make restitution with good Zacheus diuide thy goods and giue vnto the poore For` better is one pennie in the life time then an hundred on thy death-bed Large testaments little auaile the giuer they proceede from a miserable spirit that hee cannot vse it is content to giue it But wee are taught to doe all things hartily not to delay our charitie to our end lest we be preuented of our purpose before our end It is little to giue vnto the poore whē it is not in our power to detain it frō them And why be good wills since they proceede not frō good wil so highly cōmended The best of our rich worldlings giue but a part and they bee praysed The worst worldling that euer was the Traytour Iudas gaue all and he is condemned The Prodigals conclusion I Will distribute to the poore For who can indure ro see CHRITS Image contemned I am but Gods Almoner I will then make vse of mine owne and get Friendes by mine vnrighteous Mammon A Christian like conclusion fitting the obseruance of the greatest mannager of States who oftentimes heare the crie of the poor obturatis Auribus not imitating that excellent vse of Phillip Prince of Macedon Qui alteram semper seruat aurem A good Eare that is applied in the hearing of Iustice emploied in the discussion of Trueth and exercised in performing due Iudgement Sylambris his skinne was a good Caueat to temporizing justices it was the onely memorable acte that euer Cambyses did and more worthie in him because worthlesse in all Actes saue it May that Princesse of all Vertues long sit as President ouer the Princes of all Iles. So may Albyon as her name is deriued from Whitenesse receyue a greater luster by the colour of Iustice This Vertue is resembled by the Phylosopher vnto the Euening-Starre and rightly so shee may Shee shynes the brightest when the Sable clowdes of all vices crawle the thickest shee expelleth darknes makes the intellectuall parte more piercing giues vs now to distinguish betwixt the Cymerian cloudes of errour and the true portraiture of Honour teaching vs to descend ere we ascend and that Scala Iacobi is Hnmilitas Animi The Poet in the description of Tideus who in the right of Polynices discomfited Etecles and many valiant Thebes to his immortall glorie wryteth that on the right hand of his Shielde hee had the Image of Iustice and a paire of Scales in her Hand with this Motto Et causa pensare iuuat And on the lefte hand a Lyon fierce and couragious with this imprease Vincere qui nescit pereat Heere was one to discusse the cause an other to manage it Equity poising Fortitude vanquishing auspicious attendants for the brauest Champions The Prodigall condemning his Iudgement BVt alas poore Prodigall thou art me thinkes running as farre from thy wit as thou rannest before from grace what hast thou to doe with cardinall vertues that canst truly distinguish of nothing but vices These bee fitter obiects for Statists and best guardians of Thrones I will discend into my selfe and vnrip mine owne vanities that the source dried from whence they were deryued the Characters of Vertue may bee imprinted where vice was cockered Nothing easeth a melancholy soule bteter then comfort Let the Physician but say his bodie is strong and he is

reuiued the state of himselfe depends on anothers word hee is not his owne for why hee is slaued to his owne indigested passions But my disease hath bin much otherwise I was sicke and knewe it not had Vlceres running and felt them not For I was obdurate and became as one that heard not Custome in sinne tooke away from mee all sence of sinne Oft hearde I the Lord inuiting and his holy spirit inducing me to returne with the Shunamite But beholde I cryed with the Sluggard Yet a little and then a little presuming on mercie and deferring my returne There was no portion of sacred Scripture mentioning mercie but I had it no sentence of Iustice but I would turne from it making the arme of his mercie longer then the arme of his justice I delayd from this day till tomorow and I found my selfe more vnapt too morrow then today For I was bound to the yoke of seruile affections and turned my minde from correction pampering my selfe with Sure God will bee mercifull Am not I his Image And will hee see his owne similitude defaced Did he not creatc mee and framed hee mee to destroy me Though I haue worthily incensed my Creator I can be no lesse then his creature Tush tush God hath forgotten it Let vs eate and drinke and be merry Miserable foode that famisheth the eater vncomfortable drinke that poysons the taster and harsh melodie that confounds the hearer The prodigals Resolution NOw Father will I change my diet it shall be meate and drinke to mee to doe thy will The melody which I make shall be in my heart vnto the Lord and if I daunce it shall be as Dauid did before the Arke and if I sing in this strang land in this place of my pilgrimage it shall be the Lords Song Thus will I conuert my selfe vnto the Lord and regaine my inheritance with many teares I will weepe and weepe bitterly iudicium enim est quod ille teneat qui pro amissione tui amare flebit Is it a light thing for thee O my Soule to be bereft of that soueraigne Good which ruleth thee and conducteth thy feete in the wayes of Peace O no Sell all thou hast heere is a gemme of an incomparable valew loose this and thou makest shipwracke of thy Soule depriues thee of all hope the tempest is great nor can the Port be attained except the Anker be fixed Rise then poore disconsolate spirit and meete thy Sauiour that is walking vpon the Sea as vpon drie places meete him and entertain him for both Seas and winds obey him hee is the best Pilote though thy shippe sincke he will preserue thee For hee came not to wound but to heale to saue not to kill Hee it is that is protection to the fatherlesse a Castle of defence to the desolate For who euer trusted in him and was left succourlesse though my friends forsake mee yet the Lord taketh mee vp Hence it is that my soule reapeth comfort It is not the high-towring Cedar of this world that expresseth his minde by his looke his spirt by his gate shall depriue me of this prerogatiue he was ambitious heere hee will be as despicable there Humility is the best step and directest path to this honour she thinkes none worse then her selfe and in that shewes her owne eminency she neuer entertaines comparison confessing herselfe the miserablest of all creatures without comparison The prodigall desireth Humility to accompany him in his way to God SOueraignesse of Vertues let me haue thy company I shall more delight in thy aspect then the obiect of Beautie Thou hast perfection in thee and not knowing thy selfe thou knowest farre aboue thy selfe Blessed Attendant may thou liue in the Court free without a writ of Protection at Princes instalments may thou euer bee in their Election may thou be as thou shouldest be worne but not out worne by greatnes Thou art the best seruitour of Honour elated mindes can not possesse thee because their sphere is farre aboue thee I wish admiration of ages that thou might ride on thy foote-cloth but I doubt it thou wouldst change thy nature with thy honour it is dangerous sitting in a poysoned saddle Humility can ride without stirrops Thou it was presented thy selfe when I was not my selfe Ambition had puffed me vp Wantonnesse brought me on my knees Selfe-conceit made mee admire my selfe Emulation not in vertue for seldome appeares it in the vitious but in the corriualship possest me of a phrensie aloue-sicke fancy I was made a Cage of vncleane Birdes no impiety to which I was not slaued Humility I thanke thee thou readst a Lecture of Mortification vnto mee before I knew not what Mortality meaned Thou Anatomizedst to me my Constitution keepe me but company a little while longer and I will answere thy hopes But let mee rip vp mine owne errors a little further I know he deserues not Humilities conuoy that Apologizeth his sinnes Two causes I haue of inward sorrow one of outward The two inward haue relation to my selfe onely the outward to others generally The first in my selfe instanced the second to others traduced The inward motiue causes of sorrow of sinnes committed vertuous workes omitted Many come into my remembrance which I am ashamed to expresse yet because maladies concealed are most augmented I will augment my shame that the Lord may couer my sinne The Prodigals hearty suite vnto God to pardon the sinnes of his youth FOrgiue O Lord my secret sinnes and race out of thy memorie the exorbitances of my youth Spare the sprigge O Lord for it was tender soone wreasted from the primarie seedes of goodnes and drawne into the mazie labyrinth of all errours May not my crooked wayes be once made streight that the oblation that I offer might be accepted with Abel and I find fauour in thy sight Yes Lord these penitent teares I offer will be able to appease thy wrath It is recorded that Antipater on a time charging in a Letter which hee wrote to Alexander his mother Olympias with great crimes was answered againe by Alexander One mothers teare will race out many of these Letters Though the mother should forgether childe or the child the mother that bare him yet Lord wilt thou be mindfull of our teares and cancell that great Bill thou hast against vs if we returne vnfainedly to thee and in the sorrow of our heart make confession of all our sinnes Behold Lord I haue committed great folly and from the bortome of my heart confesse that I haue worthily deserued thy displeasure My commissions and omissions like two heauy poises weigh me downe Erect my hope O Lord for I haue none to flie vnto but thee Woe is me what excellent works of mercy haue I ommitted and what shall I answere O Lord when thou shalt aske me where is the naked thou clothed the afflicted which thou visited the succourlesse which thou releiued the hungar-starued which thou fed