Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	think_v	4,338	5	3.9369	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28906	The history of Cang-Hy, the present emperour of China pesented [sic] to the Most Christian King / by Father J. Bouvet, of the Society of Jesus and missionary into China.; Histoire de l'empereur de la Chine. English	Bouvet, Joachim, 1656-1730.; Crull, J. (Jodocus), d. 1713?	1699 (1699)	Wing B3861; ESTC R19507	51,542	114

backward in furnishing them with what new Discoveries are made here for the Benefit of the Chineses which as we hope may be made use of with good Success to meet with the easier an Access among the Learned Men the Great Men of the Court the Princes and Empe our himself and will furnish us with frequent opportunies to enlarge our selves upon the Fundamentals of our Religion which by degrees thro' the Grace of God may dispose them to the embracing of the Faith For it has been sufficiently prov'd by the Experience of this last Age That since God has pleased to make the Missionaries Instrumental in introducing and planting the Christian Religion in China of all other natural Means nothing has contributed so much to the accompllishment of this Great Work than their knowledge of all useful Sciences from whence we may rationally infer that even to this day he would have us have recourse to the same Methods to root out Paganism in this Empire It has been a general Observation That the Chineses whose Genius is much elevated above all other Pagan Nations and who consequently are sooner brought to understand and follow the Dictates of right Reason are commonly sooner prevail'd upon than the rest to be instructed in the fundamental Principles of the Christian Religion and to yield to the Truth of the Gospel provided matters be made perspicuous to them and in a Method agreeable to their Genius by such persons as have before deserved their Esteem and acquired a great Authority among them by their Ability and an exemplary Life God Almighty who upon these Occasions is always very Bountiful in shewing his Mercy and regulating the inward Motions of hearts having extended his Mercy in a peculiar manner to the Chineses so that by the affluence of his Spirit many of the most Learned among them have acknowledged their Error in their mistaken Wisdom and submitted with all Humility to the Doctrine of the Gospel All this duly considered who can reasonably doubt but that when by God's singular Inspiration You resolved some Years ago to send some French Jesuits into China to be employed in the Conversion of the Infidels it was by the same Motive that You gave them Your Instructions concerning the Improvement of Arts and Sciences And that Providence having been pleased to second Your Great and Holy Intentions has raised such a favourable Disposition in the Hearts of the Chineses and of the Emperour of China himself towards these Missionaries that this Prince has thought it convenient to Sollicite Your Majesty for a far greater Number of them What is it we may not hope for from the happy Effects of Your Heroick Zeal to which You put no Bounds for the good of God's Cause If we may presume to presage of the future by what is pass'd especially in respect of what Your Majesty has been pleased to do of late Years in favour of the Missions into the Eastern Countries into Ethopia and the Indies only upon a bare Prospect of introducing our Religion among these Pagans we may promise our selves all the hopes for Success from those sent into China which alone are more valuable than all the rest together because they are likely to bring a greater Number of Infidels to the Church than may be expected from all the other Parts of the World provided there were a proportionable Number of Ministers to the Multitude of those who shew a greater willingness to be instructed sent into those parts The present Emperour of China's Bounty in granting free Liberty to all his Subjects to embrace the Catholick Faith is alone a sufficient Motive to induce us to live in hopes that we may see that vast Empire of China entirely reduced under the Obedience of Christ. But if this Great Prince should lead the way and encourage his Subjects by his own Example we have all the reason in the World to hope that we may see this Great work accomplish'd under the Auspicious Reign of Your Majesty It must be confess'd that without almost a miraculous Providence of God it is not easie to hope for the Conversion of so Great and Potent a Prince who is a Pagan But let us consider on the other hand the extraordinary Esteem he has always shewn for and the powerful Protection he affords to the Christian Religion Let us I say consider that this Prince is free from all these Vices which being contrary to the Rules of our Religion proves frequently the Main stumbling-block to Pagan Princes to embrace the Faith of Christ and that he has made all these Moral Vertues which are so rarely to be met with in a Pagan Prince his constant practice all these things considered together we may not without great reason presume to hope that the same God who has raised such favourable Inclinations towards our Religion in the Heart of this Prince may be prevail'd upon to extend his Boundless Mercy towards him especially if the Faithful in their servent Prayers to him do implore his Mercy in behalf of this Prince and his Subjects I say in behalf of this Prince and all his Subjects For as this Emperour is invested with an absolute Power over all his Subjects as he is most Famous throughout all the Orient by reason of his extraordinary Genius Wisdom Learning and uncommon Probity so we have all the reason in the World to believe that if he should be prevail'd upon to embrace the Christian Religion his Examples would be sufficient to induce all his Subjects to tread in his footsteps who for their number exceeed all Nations in Europe And it is not improbable but that considering the light Esteem those Nations bordering on China have conceiv'd of their extraordinary Wisedom and how much they are inclined to follow their Maxims and Customs this would be prevailing enough with many to be entirely reconciled to our holy Religion The most fortunate Opportunity that could be wish'd for the most advantageous for the Establishment of our Church and the most Glorious to Your Majesty who seems to be chosen by Heaven the happy Instrument of advancing the honour of the Church to Crown all the Actions of Lewis the Great with this the most Glorious of all Your Enterprizes Nothing less can be imagined to be a Recompense bearing the least proportion to that Heroick Zeal and Magnanimity of which Your Majesty has given such ample Demonstrations to all the World within these ten Years last past during which after You had protected the Church both by the force of Your Arms and Your unparallell'd Conduct against the Joynt-power of Europe You were notwithstanding all the Advantages on Your side nevertheless disposed to offer Peace to Your Enemies upon very advantageous Terms on their side out of a Generous Motive for the Publick Good and the universal Benefit of the Church Among those Vows and Prayers which we send without intermission up to Heaven for the Conversion of the present Emperour of China and all his Subjects we are never forgetful to offer our hearty Thanks to God for the Conclusion of the last Peace which in all probability will prove more advantageous to China than Europe it self For by the re-establishing a free Commerce our Ships will not want Opportunity to carry every Year some new Missionaries to the utmost Parts of the East so that we may reasonably expect to be Rejoyced with the most agreeable News of the Conversion of many Thousand Chineses by the Assistance of these Fathers who are to be sent thither under Your Majesty's Protection to labour for the Encrease of the Empire of JESUS CHRIST I live in hopes to hear suddenly that some more of our Fraternity are to be sent by Your Majesty with the first Ships design'd for China where I am sure they will be at least as well received as any other Nation And I hope from Your Majesty's Goodness that I may be thought Worthy to be one of their Company to return with all possible speed into that Part of the World where the Sun has its Rise It shall be my Chief aim there to second Your extraordinary Zeal in propagating the Christian Religion among the Infidels in the most remote Parts of the World And as a particular Acknowledgement of these Favours You have been pleased to heap upon me I shall not neglect the least Opportunity of publishing wherever I come Your Great Actions but especially to give an exact Account of what I have seen during my stay here to the present Emperour of China who of all other Princes takes the greatest Satisfaction in hearing of Your Glorious Enterprizes and is the most worthy of Your Esteem and Friendship To conclude I will join my hearty Prayers with all the Faithful Chineses who look upon Your Majesty as their Chief Supporter for the Preservation of Your Royal Person and Family as an unfeigned Testimony of the most profound Respect and Devotion wherewith I presume to subscribe my self Your Majesty's Most humble most obedient and Most faithful Servant J. BOUVET of the Society of IESUS FINIS An. 1697 for the Month of Febr.