Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	free_a	grace_n	love_n	2,934	5	6.6495	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35421	Spiritual opticks, or, A glasse discovering the weaknesse and imperfection of a Christians knowledge in this life by Nathanael Culvervvell ...	Culverwel, Nathanael, d. 1651?; Dillingham, William, 1617?-1689.	1651 (1651)	Wing C7573; ESTC R8817	20,121	36

of the Creature in speculo mundi This is a common and obvious glasse presented to every ones view and there are some glimmerings of common light a lumen naturae diffused among all by which they may see into it Our Apostle shews us this glasse in 1. Rom. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen The words in the fountain run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deserve to be cleared from an unjust interpretation for some would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be à creatura mundi others à creatione mundi ex creatione mundi so Beza But all these are farre enough from the meaning of the place for their sense is That the invisible things of God are seen by the creatures or by the creation It is true our Apostle saith so much in this verse but not in these very words for then it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as I doubt not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à mundo condito Piscator and Drusius both meet in this and the Syriack translation is cleare for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à jactis mundi fundamentis And then the words speak thus much From the first infancy of the world ever since it was created the eternall power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the former verse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of this verse the eternal power and Godhead have manifested themselves and the Prime cause hath been very apparent in those effects of his which are here styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and could not possibly be produced by any inseriour being And as for that which we render is clearly seen in the Originall it is no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know not how it comes to denote so cleare a vision sure it may well consist with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet withall they are so clearely seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though some would have the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet here I shall easily yield to the learned interpreter and grant that it includes somewhat more This vast volume of the creatures set out by God himself without any errata in it was printed in so fair a character as he that ran might read it and the least letter in it made shew of a most Divine impression But alas sinne besides weakening of the souls eye hath soyled and defaced the book and hence we come to see in it so darkly And yet still the letters are visible and carry with them the print of a Deity The world is as one calls it Aenigma Dei And it is full of looking-glasses for God hath communicated severall resemblances of himself to the creature as the face sheds that image or species upon the glasse whereby it self is represented I need not speak of the blessed Angels those pure and crystall mirrours what glorious representations they give of their Creatour look but into your selves and you will find immortall souls shewing forth that image according to which they were made or if you will look up to that vast and polished looking-glasse you will see The heavens declaring the glory of God and the firmament shewing his handy work Or cast but an eye upon the poorest and most abject being and even there you will find some faint resemblances of a Deity For as in the most glorious creature as a creature there is aliquid nihili so in the most contemptible creature as a creature there is aliquid Dei I but the Atheist he shuts his eyes quid caeco cum speculo what should a blind man do with a looking-glasse And yet sometimes there are lightening flashes of terrour darted into him and he begins with the Devils to believe and tremble The Papists as if there were not glasses enough of Gods making they must have images of their own to put them in mind of God their painted glasses but surely they see through these very darkly The Heathens they shall be judged for not ordering their lives and dressing themselves according to this glasse for resisting those reliques of primitive light that shined out so strongly upon them Well here are glasses but we see in them very darkly and that by reason of a double defect 1. Ex parte speculi T is true some of Gods attributes here clearly shew themselves his power and sovereigntie I and his wisdome and goodnesse too but those sweetest manifestations of his love the treasures of free grace and infinite mercy the whole plot of the Gospel not the least shadow of these to be found Now for this very cause the Gentiles in 2. Eph. 12. are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were without the knowledge of God in Christ You know they had a goodly company of gods an whole troop of deities I but they were without God in Christ and hence they are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world 2. Ex parte oculi 1. Adam in innocencie had a glorious soul full of light bright and sparkling eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He could read the smallest print the least jot and tittle in the book of nature See how quickly he tumbles o're the vast volume and in a name gives a brief glosse upon every creature a concise epitome of their naturall histories He had a fair portion of knowledge if he could have been contented with it I but he would fain have more he must needs be tasting of the tree of knowledge and hence springs our ignorance we have ever since had an unhappy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul hath been darkened and dim-sighted Perhaps it can see some goodly capitall letters some fair flourisht character I but there are multitudes of beings in a smaller print that it takes no notice of 2. The soul might see more if it would imploy it self more and look oftner into this glasse of the creatures Meditation would raise the creature higher and distill sweetnesse out of every object T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the elegant Moralist The soul is busie with every thing it sees as busie as a Bee it goes from flower to flower and extracts most precious sweetnesse 3. Some eyes have been dazled too much with the glitterings of the creatures so as to take the servant for the Master and have been so much in admiring the glasse as they forgot the glorious beauty that it represented What worship and adoration hath the sunne had even almost as much as the great Creatour of heaven and earth himself strange that they should see so darkly as not to discern the face from the vail that covers it For the sunne is at best but umbra Dei and nubecula citò transitura a mere spot a cloud if compared with so bright an essence and as he saith notably