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	good_a	see_v	2,875	5	3.5208	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13694	The follovving of Christ Diuided into foure bookes. Written in Latin by the learned and deuout man, Thomas a Kempis, canon-regular of the order of S. Augustine. Whereunto also is added the golden Epistle of S. Bernard. And also certaine rules of a Christian life, made by Iohn Picus the elder, Earle of Mirandula. Translated into English by B.F.; Imitatio Christi. English.	Hoskins, Anthony, 1568-1615.; Elyot, Thomas, Sir, 1490?-1546.; Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 91-1153. Epistola de perfectione vitae. English.; Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni, 1463-1494, Regulae duodecim portim excitantes portim dirigentes hominem in pugna spirituali. English. aut; Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name.; Whitford, Richard, fl. 1495-1555?	1615 (1615)	STC 23988; ESTC S111535	135,170	483

created mee to thy Image and likenesse Genes 1. graunt mee this grace which thou hast shewed to bee so great and so necessary to saluation that I may ouercome my wicked nature which draweth me to sinne and to the losse of my soule For I feele in my flesh the law of sinne contradicting the law of my minde and leading mee captiue to obey sensuality in many things neither can I resist the passions thereof vnlesse thy holy grace feruently infused into my heart doe assist me Rom. 7. 2 Thy grace O Lord and great grace is needfull that nature may be ouercome which is euer prone to euil from her youth For by Adam the first man in falling and being corrupted by sinne the penalty of this staine hath descended vpon all mankind in such sort that Nature it self which by thee was created good and without defect is now accounted for vice and for the infirmitie of a corrupted nature for that the motion thereof left vnto it selfe draweth to euill and abiect things For the little force which remaineth is like a certaine sparke lying hidden in ashes This is naturall reason it self compassed about with great darknesse still retaining power to discerne good and euill and the distance betweene true and false although it be vnable to fulfill all that it approueth and enioyeth not now the full light of truth nor the former integrity of her affections 3 Hence it is my God that according to my inward man I delight in thy law knowing thy Commandements to bee good just and holy reprouing also all euill and sin and doe know that it is to be fled Rom. 7. But in my flesh I serue the law of sin whilest I rather obey sensualitie then reason Hence it is that I haue a will to doe good but know not how to performe it For this cause I often purpose many good things but for that I want grace to helpe my infirmity for a light resistance I go backe and faint I know the way of perfection see clearely enough what I ought to do but pressed with the waight of mine owne corruption I rise not vnto it 4 O Lord how needfull is thy grace for me to beginne any good worke to go forward and to accomplish it Ioh. 13. For without it I can do nothing but in thee I can doe all things when thy grace doth comfort me O heauenly grace without which our owne merits are nothing and no gifts of nature are to bee esteemed Arts riches beautie and strength wit or eloquence are of no worth with thee O Lord without thy grace For gifts of nature are common to good and euill but the peculiar gift of the elect is grace and loue wherewith being marked they are esteemed worthy of euerlasting life This grace so much excelleth that neither the gift of prophesie nor the working of miracles nor any speculation how high soeuer is of any esteeme without it Neyther faith nor hope nor other vertues are acceptable vnto thee without charitie and grace 1. Cor. 13. 5 O most blessed grace that makest the poore in spirit rich with vertues and the rich in many blessings humble in heart come downe vnto me replenish mee in the morning with thy comfort lest my soule should faint with wearines and wither away with drines of mind I beseech the Lord that I may find grace in thy sight for thy grace sufficeth though other things that nature desireth be wanting Psal 22. If I be tempted and vexed with many tribulations I will not feare euils whilest thy grace is with me shee is my strength she giueth aduice and help she is stronger then all enemies and wiser then all the wise 6 Thy grace is the mistresse of truth the teacher of discipline the light of the heart the solace in affliction she driueth away sorrow she expelleth feare she is the nurse of deuotion the bringer foorth of teares What am I without it but a rotten peece of wood and an vnprofitable stalke only meet for the fire Let thy grace therefore Lord alwaies preuent me and follow mee and make mee euer diligent in good workes through Iesus Christ thy Son Amen CHAP. LVI That we ought to deny our selues and imitate Christ by the Crosse OVR LORD SOnne looke how much thou canst goe out of thy selfe so much mayest thou enter into me As to be void of all desire of externall things maketh inward peace so the forsaking of our selues joyneth vs internally to God I will haue thee learne the perfect leauing of thy selfe vnto my will without contradiction and complaint Follow me I am the way the truth and the life Ioh. 14. Without the way there is no going without truth there is no knowledge without life there is no liuing I am the way which thou oughtest to follow the truth which thou oughtest to trust the life for which thou oughtest to hope I am the way which cannot lead amisse the truth which cannot erre the life which cannot end I am a most strait way a supreme truth a true life a blessed life an increated life if thou remaine in mee thou shalt know the truth and truth shall deliuer thee and thou shalt apprehend euerlasting life 2 If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements if thou wilt know the truth beleeue me Mat. 19. If thou wilt be perfect sell al. If thou wilt be my disciple deny thy selfe Luk. 9. If thou wilt possesse a blessed life deny this present life Ioh. 12. If thou wilt be exalted in heauen humble thy selfe vpon earth Luk. 14. If thou wilt raigne with me beare the Crosse with mee For onely the seruants of the Crosse finde the way of blisse and true light SER. 3 Lord Iesus for as much as thy way is narrow strait and contemptible vnto the world grant me grace to imitate thee in suffring willingly all worldly contempt For the seruant is not greater then his Lord nor the Disciple aboue his Master Mat. 7. Let thy seruant be exercised in thy holy life for there is the health and the true sanctitie of my soule whatsoeuer I reade or heare besides doth not recreate or delight me fully Luk. 6. LORD 4 Sonne now that thou knowest and hast read these things happie shalt thou be if thou fulfill them Hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them hee it is that loueth me and I will loue him and will manifest my selfe vnto him and wil make him sit with me in the Kingdome of my Father SER. Lord Iesus as thou hast said and promised so giue mee grace to deserue that it be fulfilled I haue receiued the Crosse I haue receiued it from thy hand and I will beare it and beare it till death as thou hast laid it vpon me Truely the life of a good religious person is the Crosse and it is a sure guide to heauen It is now begunne it is not lawfull to go backe neither is it fit to leaue that which I haue vndertaken 5 Let vs then

alwayes before the eyes of thy soule the picture of thy Sauiour crucified Thou hast good cause to be ashamed looking vpon the life of Christ seeing thou hast so slackly endeauoured to conforme thy selfe vnto him though thou hast walked a long time in the way of the seruice of God A religious person that exerciseth himselfe seriously and deuoutly in the most holy life and passion of our Lord shall there abundantly finde whatsoeuer is necessary and profitable for him neither shall hee need to seeke any thing elsewhere but only in Iesus O if Iesus crucified would come into our hearts how quickely and fully should we be instructed in all truth Gal. 2. 6. 7 A feruent religious person taketh and beareth all vvell that is commanded him but he that is negligent and cold hath tribulation vpon tribulation and on all sides is afflicted for he is void of inward consolation and is forbidden to seeke externall comforts A religious person that liueth not according to discipline is in great danger of the ruine of his soule He that seeketh liberty and ease shall euer liue in disquiet for one thing or other will alwaies displease him 8 How doe so many other religious persons vvho liue vnder the strict rule of Monasticall discipline They seldome goe abroad they liue retiredly they feede meanely they are cloathed coursely they labour much speake little watch long rise early spend much time in prayer reade often and keep themselues in all kinde of discipline Consider the Carthusians Cistercians and the Religious men and women of diuers Orders how they rise euery night to sing praises vnto God And how vnseemely then it is for thee to be slouthfull in so holy a worke when as so great multitudes of religious persons doe beginne to glorifie God 9 O that we had nothing else to doe but alwaies with our mouth and whole heart to praise our Lord God! O that thou mightest neuer haue need to eate nor drinke nor sleepe but mightest alwaies praise God and onely imploy thy selfe in the exercises of spirit thou shouldest then be much more happy then now thou art when for so many necessities thou art constrained to serue thy body Would God these necessities were not at all but only the spirituall refections of the soule which alas we taste of too seldome 10 When a man commeth to that estate that he seeketh no comfort of any creature then doth he begin to take perfect contentment and delight in God Then shall he be contented with whatsoeuer doth befall him in this world Then shall he neither reioyce in great matters nor be sorrowfull for small but with great integritie and confidence commit himselfe to God who shall be vnto him al in all to whom nothing doth perish nor die but all things do liue vnto him and serue him at a becke without delay Rom. 11. 11 Remember alwaies the end and hovv that time lost neuer returnes Eccles 7. Without care and diligence thou shalt neuer get vertues If thou beginnest to wax cold it will be euill with thee but if thou giue thy selfe to feruour of spirit thou shalt find much peace and feele lesse labour through the assistance of Gods grace and loue of vertue Apocal 3. The feruent and diligent man is ready and prepared for all things It is harder to resist vices and passions then to toile in bodily labours Eccls. 19. He that auoideth not small faults by little and little falleth into greater Thou wilt alwayes reioyce in the euening if thou spend the day profitably Be watchfull ouer thy selfe stirre vp thy selfe warme thy selfe and whatsoeuer becomes of others neglect not thy selfe The greater violence thou vsest against thy selfe the more thou shalt profite THE END OF THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of spirituall conuersation THe Kingdom of God is within you saith our Lord. Luk. 7. Turne thee with thy whole heart vnto our Lord and forsake this miserable world and thy soule shall finde rest Ioel. 2. Learne to despise exteriour things and to giue thy self to the interiour thou shalt perceiue the Kingdome of God to come into thee Ro. 19. For the kingdome of God is peace and joy in the holy Ghost which is not giuen to the wicked Christ will come vnto thee and shew thee his diuine comfort if thou prepare for him a worthy mansion within thee Psal 44. Al his glory and beauty is within and there he pleaseth himselfe The inward man he often visits and hath with him sweet discourses pleasant comfort much peace wonderfull familiarity 2 O faithfull soule make ready thy hart for this Bridegrome that he may vouchsafe to come vnto thee and dwell within thee For he saith If any loue mee hee will keepe my Word and we will come vnto him and will make our aboad with him Ioh. 14. Giue therefore vnto Christ a place in thy heart and deny entrance to all others When thou hast Christ thou art rich and he will suffice thee Hee will be thy faithfull and prouident helper in all things so as thou shalt not need to trust in men For men are soone changed and quickly decay but Christ remaineth for euer and standeth firmely vnto the end Ioh. 12. 3 There is little trust to be put in a fraile and mortall man though hee be profitable and deare vnto thee neither oughtest thou much to bee grieued if sometimes hee crosse and contradict thee Hier. 17. They that to day take thy part to morrow may be against thee and so on the contrary they often turne like vnto the winde Put all thy trust in God and feare and loue him 1. Pet. 5. He wil answere for thee and do in al things what is best Heb. 13. Thou hast not heere a dwelling Citie and wheresoeuer thou bee thou art a stranger and pilgrime neither shalt thou euer haue rest vnlesse thou be perfectly vnited vnto Christ 4 Why doest thou linger and make delayes heere since this is not the place of thy rest Phil. 3. In heauen ought to be thy dwelling and al earthly things are to be regarded as it were in the way Sap. 5. Al things passe away and thou together with them Beware thou cleaue not vnto them lest thou be enthralled and so doest perish Let thy thought be on the highest and thy prayer directed vnto Christ without ceasing If thou canst not contemplate high and heauenly things rest thy selfe in the passion of Ch●●●● and dwell willingly in the wounds of his sacred body For if thou flie deuoutly vnto his holy wounds and to th● 〈◊〉 markes of his passion thou ●hal● feele great comfort in tribulation neither wilt thou much care for being despised of men and wilt easily be●re the words of slanderous tongues 5 Christ was also in the world despised and in great necessity forsaken by his acquaintance friends in the middest of slanders Matth. 1.12.5.26 Ioh. 15. Christ would suffer and be contemned and darest

nor impugne it For faith and loue doe chiefely excell and worke in a hidden manner in this most blessed and excellent Sacrament God who is euerlasting and of infinite power doth great and inscrutable things in heauen and in earth and there is no searching of his wonderfull workes If the workes of God were such as might bee easily comprehended by humane reason they were not to be called wonderfull and vnspeakable Heere endeth the fourth and last booke of the following of Christ the which fourth booke treateth most principally of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar HERE BEGINNETH A GODLY TREAtise and it is called a notable Lesson otherwise it is called the Golden Epistle The exposition of the name of this little booke A Right good and wholesome Lesson profitable vnto al Christians ascribed vnto S. Bernard and put among his Works I thinke by some vertuous man that would it should thereby haue the more authoritie and the rather be read better bee borne away for doubtlesse it is a good matter and edificatiue vnto all them that haue zeale and care to their soules health and desire of saluation It is called in the Title Notabile documentum that is to say A notable Lesson And some doe call it the Golden Epistle It followeth immediatly after a little worke called Formula honestae vitae the forme and manner of an honest life or of honest liuing THE GOLDEN EPISTLE IF you intend to please God and would obtaine grace to fulfill the same two things be vnto you very necessary The first you must withdraw your mind from all worldly and transitory things in such maner as though you cared not whether any such things were in this world or no. The second is that you giue and apply your selfe so wholy to God and behaue your self in such sort that you neuer do say or thinke that you know suppose or beleeue should offend or displease God for by this meanes you may soonest and most readily obtaine and winne his fauour and grace In all things esteeme and account your selfe most vile and most simple and as verie nought in respect and regard of vertue and thinke suppose and beleeue that all persons be good and better then you bee for so shall you much please our Lord. Whatsoeuer you see or seeme to perceiue in any person or yet heare of any Christian take you no occasion therein but rather ascribe and apply you all vnto the best and thinke or suppose all is done or said for a good intent or purpose though it seeme contrarie for mans supposition and light judgements bee soone and lightly deceiued or beguiled Despise no person willingly nor euer speake euill of any person though it were neuer so true that you say For it is not lawful to shew in confession the vice or default of any person except you might not otherwise shew and declare your owne offence Speake little or nothing vnto your proper and selfe laude or praise though it were true and vnto your familier fellow or faithfull friend but studie to keepe secret and priuie your vertue rather then your vice yet were it a cruell deed for any persons to defame themselues Be more glad to giue your eare and hearing vnto the praise rather then vnto the dispraise of any person and euer beware as well of hearing as speaking of detraction and when you speake take good deliberation and haue few words and let those bee true and good sadly set and wisely ordered If any words be spoken vnto you of vice or vanity as soone as you may breake off and leaue that talke or communication And euer returne and apply your selfe vnto some appointed good and godly occupation bodily or ghostly If any sodaine chance fall or happen vnto you or vnto any of yours leane not too lightly thereunto or care much therfore If it be of prosperitie reioyce not much therein or bee ouer glad thereof If it be aduersitie bee not ouercome or ouerthrowne therwith or brought to sorrow or sadnesse thanke God for al and set little therby Repute all things transitory as of little price or value Giue euer most thought and care vnto those things that may profite and promote the soule Fly and auoid the persons and the places of much speech for better it is to keepe silence then to speake Keepe the times places of silence precisely so that you speak not without reasonable and vnfained cause The times of silence in religion bee these From Collation vntill Masse be ended after the houre of Tierce from the first Grace in the Fratour vntill the end of the latter Grace And from the beginning of Euensong vntill Grace bee ended after supper or else Benedicite after the common beuer The places of silence be the Church and Cloister the Fratour and the Dortour If you be slandered and doe take occasion at the fault or offence of any person then looke well vpon your selfe whether you be in the same default sometime your selfe and then haue compassion vpon your brother or sister If there be no such default in you think verily and beleeue there may be and then doe as in like case you would bee done vnto And thus as in a glasse you may see and behold your selfe Grudge not neither complaine vpon any person for any manner of cause except you see and perceiue by large coniecture that you may profit and edifie thereby Neither deny nor affirme your minde or opinion stiffely or extremely but that your affirmation denegation or doubt be euer powdred with salt that is to say wisdome discretion and patience Vse not in any wise to mocke check or scorne neither yet to laugh or smile but right seldome And that alway to shew reuerence or louing manner light countenance or loose behauiour becommeth not a sad person Let your communication bee short and with few persons alwaies of vertue learning or good Christian edification and euer with such warinesse that no person in things doubtfull may take any authoritie of your words or sentence Let all your pastime be spent in bodily labours good and profitable or else godly in study or that passeth all in holy and deuout prayer so that the heart and mind be occupied with the same you speake And when you pray for any certaine persons remember their degree estate condition For a forme and order of your prayer this may bee a good and ready way to follow the order of the six Gramaticall cases The nominatiue the genitiue the datiue the accusatiue the vocatiue and the ablatiue The nominatiue that is first to pray for your selfe that you may haue ghostly strength and constancie that you fall not into any deadly offence by frailtie and that you may haue right knowledge of God by faith and of your selfe by due consideration of your estate and condition and of the lawes of God for your conduct and countenance and thirdly that you may haue grace and good will according to the