Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	fruit_n	good_a	tree_n	4,830	5	9.4106	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73882	The Christian's theorico-practicon: or, His whole duty consisting of knowledge and practice. Expressed in two sermons or discourses at S. Maryes in Oxon. By Robert Dyer, Mr. of Arts, late of Lincolne Colledge and Hart-hall in Oxon, now lecturer at the Devizes in Wiltshire.	Dyer, Robert, b. 1602 or 3.	1633 (1633)	STC 7393.5; ESTC S125218	27,164	126

fruitlesse speculation Simil. this being as a Shippe without a Pilot in danger every moment to bee gravel'd in the sands of superstition or split on the rocke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as an expert Nauticke but in such a torne vessell that hee dares not commit himselfe to the Sea or make use of his faculty This as an untamed Horse without a Rider that as a faire Steed but unserviceable for warre or travell Each therefore must bee link't to other and become such inseparable mates that nothing may divorce them but the dissolution of the subject Alterius sic Alteraposcit opem res Horat. in Art Poet. conjurat amicè What Poets Mariners and Naturalists have observed of those two Meteors Castor and Pollux is no lesse usefull for us all if either appeare single they presage a tempest or shipwracke but it both together serenity and safety So if both these concurre in the life of a Christian they are an infallible Symptome of his eternall happinesse but if sever'd they foreshew his ruine and destruction Hippocrates twinnes were never so nearely united either in birth naturall disposition or affection as these two ought to bee to make up a perfect man of GOD wise unto salvation Yet I know not how it comes to passe but so it is and 't is a truth no lesse lamentable then strange that these two which ought to bee so individually united are such Strangers each to other and they which should bee such intire brethren stand at such distance that they proove like Eteocles and Polynices living and dying in perpetuall enmity as if they had shaken hands and tooke a perpetuall farewell at the Fall of Adam vowing never afterwards to see one anothers face For see wee not the most unlearned or at farthest not very expert in any kinde of learning most imployed in the practise of morall good duties and as they suppose the true worship of GOD whereas the greatest Clarkes are so fill'd up with with aëry speculations that they have little or no roome left for practicall obedience This made Saint Austin exclaime against himselfe and his Complices Aug. lib. 8. Confess Cap. 8. a little before his Conversion with a Surgunt indocti caelum rapiunt nos cum doctrinis nostris ecce vbi volutamur carne sanguine The unlearned presse into Heaven by violence but wee for all our learning continue in the filth of our sinnes and wallow in the bloud of our iniquity I would this gravamen were not too apposite for these times when Schoole nicities verball difficulties and perplexed Logomachia ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrust out all serious meditation of practicall duties Dum in verbis pugnd est Hilar. ad Constant. dum in no vitatibus quaestio dum in ambiguis occasio litis dum in consensu difficult as est jam nemo Christiest was the complaint of another Father fitted I feare of purpose for us of these times who are more nominall then reall superficiall then Solid Christians and with Aesop's Curre catching at the shadow wee lose the substance of Religion 'T was the observation of his late learned Majestie K. Iames in Aphor. and beyond exception true that the Divell where hee cannot have the whole seekes ever to have one part of the soule which hee may come easyest by in Protestants the Will in Papists the Vnderstanding they being ignorantly practicall wee sciently idle or perverse neither perfect Christians while we want an essentiall part of our profession The like may we observe in the infant age of the world After the true worship of GOD by Caine's wicked seede long suppressed was restored by Seth and Enosh Gen. Gen. 4. vlt. 4. vlt. Corruption of life crept in and brought a Deluge on the Primitive world Chap. 6. So after the truth of Christianitie was by lawes established under Christian Emperours open persecution ceasing Depravation of manners crept in and brought a Deluge of miseries on the Visible Church as the Centuryes may more fully informe you And now even now to our griefe and shame bee it spoken when the light of the Gospell shines at the highest in it's full glory and splendor how great a Defection is there in the Course of our lives as if wee endeavoured of purpose to talke in darkenesse in the midst of light and affected to grope at noone-day when wee rather might and ought to runne the way of his Commandements So truly may that Complaint of Tertullian bee taken up by us Iuel Apol. ex Tertul. O miseros nos qui Christiani dicimur hoc tempore Gentes agimus sub nomine Christi Wee professe Christianity but live like Heathens wee would seeme Saints but our actions beseeme Divels 'T is not unworthy your notice to observe the triple plea of the most part of men among us and those of different professions the meere formall and ignorant Protestant pretends his good meaning the stricter and preciser his good Faith and the Papist his good workes But till all these concurre they are not sufficient severally to make a good Christian. A true and lively faith is that on which the most of us build the assurance of our salvation but if this bee as true and lively as supposed it cannot bee but operative good workes and actions proceeding as necessarily from it as heate from the fire light from the Sunne or wholesome fruit from a good tree and so much doth the very Etymologie of the word import Fiat quod dictum est dicitur inde Fides True it is wee put neither merit of Condignitie nor Congruitie in good workes nor make them the Cause either of Iustification or Salvation as we shall anone manifest yet doe wee maintaine contrary to the no lesse impudent then unjust calumniation of our adversaries their Necessity both to Sanctification and eternall happinesse so the subject bee capable of and disposed for the performance and affirme that though by good workes causative no man is or shall bee yet without good workes consequutivè no man can bee justified Wee willingly imbrace the wholesome advise of their primesupposed founder in his 2. Epistle Chap. 1. verse 10. 2. Pet. 1.10 to make our Calling and Election sure and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by good workes So farre are we from teaching the people a licencious course of life or rejecting workes of Piety and Religion that wee make it the sole testimony of the livelie-hood of our faith and the assurance of our calling and eternall inheritance If they require a more particular view of those reasons which we● alleage for the necessity of workes I referre them to any of our Neotericks where they may both see and blush at their as false as malicious scandall Briefely that I may at once stoppe all their clamorous mouthes wee affirme the necessity and injoyne the performance of good works both in respect of GOD our selves and others 1. In respect of GOD