Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	evil_n	sin_n	4,011	5	5.5536	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96329	The danger of greatnesse: or Uzziah his exaltation and destruction: set forth in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and the reverend Assembly of Divines, in the church of Martins in the Fields, the 14th day of January, 1645. being a speciall day of humiliation set apart to seek God, for his direction in the setling of the great worke of church-government. / By Jeremiah Whitaker, a member of the Assembly of Divines.	Whittaker, Jeremiah, 1599-1654.	1646 (1646)	Wing W1711; Thomason E316_1; ESTC R200519	42,588	49

look well and swell in upper parts but shrinke downwards It was the reproach of the Church of Rome that it was all head let that abide still the character of the man of sin that there be no cause justly to apply it to any that professe godlinesse It is a common complaint in the bodies of many that in their disease which some call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viscerum they finde their stomacks to be cold and their liver to be hot but a her head and a cold heart is the worst temper or distemper rather that can befall a Christian What sight can be sadder then to see all our strength of Christianity in opinion and nothing in conversation Surely it is good that the heart be established with grace not with meats and drinks which have not profited them that have been occupied therein * Pari passu a●●●●tlare posssunt omnis religro rulla●e ligio Gerhard de Magist pag. 60● Diascorus Augustin Epist 55. Tune O Dias core c. Scire tua●●ibit est ●●si te scire boc sciat alter E●a doctus pruder us nescias R●mpublicam exparvâ magnan facere Respondere pos sit ●e ista nescire nosse quomodo s●●e ist is bono potest esse bea●us Aug. Diascoro Epist 56. It is observed by learned men that when Scepticisme comes in upon Christians as a stood it hath been the next doore to let in Epicurisme and Atheisme to overflow and cover the earth as waters do the sea When Diascorus propounded some curious questions to Augustine and sollicited him earnestly for a present answer Augustine rebukes him sharpely and refutes that desire strongly tells him there is a knowledge that puffeth up when we desire to know that we may be known that there are many speculations whereof there may be a learned and prudent ignorance That Themistocles being at a feast entreated to sing and play on an instrument answered he knew not how to do the one or the other and when it was demanded of him what knowest thou he then replyed to make the Common-wealth of little to become great If he could say so why shouldst thou doubt to answer in these speculations I confesse my ignorance But though I know not them yet this I know that without them a man may be happy When men are sick it is their wisedom to seek out not those things that may please the phansie but those medicines that may purge out the disease You tell us there are difficulties in determining Quaery and dangers in delaying which way soever you turn dangers and difficulties are round about us It is a kinde of contradiction to presse men to forbear delaying and yet to tell them sin lyes at the door in determining Would you have us determine in the darke Here is the strait ●and we cry out this day as Jehoshaphat did Sol. We know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee And blessed be the God of Heaven that hath put such a thing as this into your hearts most Noble Senatours to seek to the God of your fathers in this extremity let your eyes be ever towards the Lord and he shall bring you out of your distresses for the patient expectation of his people shall not perish for ever And when he prepares their heart to prayer he causes his own ear to hear Are there no directions which might be some way usefull to expedite this great difficulty Quest. Give me leave to lay down some generall Rules at your feet Sol. which may in some degree be as a lampe shining in a darke place 1. Be afraid rather to mistake your duty in this great cause Rule 1. then to grapple with any difficulty It s a great argument of sincerity when the soul is more afraid of the evil of sin whereby we displease God then of any evil of misery whereby God and man may displease us and therefore pray Lord teach us the way wherein thou wouldst have us to walke make us to know what is our evil and what is our sin search us and try us and if there be any wickednesse in us lead us in the way everlasting that in this cause of Christ you may prefer godly simplicity above all carnall policie and let no man defraud or go beyond another for God is an avenger of such things so shall you partake of that great promise that integrity and uprightnesse shall preserve you in his way and your steps shall be ordered by the Lord and he will delight in your goings Although the heart be upright and hath Gods promise to instruct them with his eye and to guide them with his counsel yet the way may be darke and slippery Therefore observe this That when the way wherein you should walke is darke Rule 2. yet the end that is to be aimed at may be clear and the cleernesse of the end gives a great deal of light unto the way that in it self is full of darknesse Now the Gospel holds out the ends we should aim at very clear As 1. Christs end is that the purity of Ordinances may be exalted that profanenesse might be suppressed that the old leaven may be purged out that offences may be removed that the power of godlinesse may be countenanced what ever power Christ has given to his Church he gave it to that end for which also he gave himself Ephes 3 26. that he might sanctifie and cleanse it till the day come wherein he presents it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle that so it may be holy and without blemish 2. Christs end is that mutuall love may be enoreased that beleevers may purifie their souls 1 Pet. 1.12 in the obeying of the truth through the Spirit unto the unfeigned love of the brethren that they may love one another with a pure heart fervently All light without love is obscure darknesse that is the great end Christ aimed at Joh. 15 12. These things I command you that you love one another this is the old and new command the character whereby Christ and his Disciples shall be discerned without this it is not possible to attain the great end propounded in the Gospel Can any building stand when one stone will not lye upon nor neer another Is not the whole naturall body join'd by bands and ligaments and are there no ligaments whereby Christ hath join'd together the members of his mysticall body Is not the Scripture expresse that the end why God gave Officers to his Church was that the whole body might be fitly joyned together and compacted Ephes 4 16. by that which every joynt supplies might make increase in the same body to the edifying of it self in love And the end also why Christ gives grace effectually to call them that are chosen and visibly to build them upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Ephes