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	reason_n	see_v	3,316	5	3.1434	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34187	The Bishop of London's ninth conference with his clergy upon the fifth and tenth injunctions given by the King, February the 15th, 1694/5 held in the years 1695 and 1696.	Compton, Henry, 1632-1713.	1699 (1699)	Wing C5671; ESTC R8647	11,725	20

ahundans cautela non nocet to warn those that serve at the Altar to be cautious in having to do with such things as oftentimes causes so great Offence and Scandal Especially since the duty of our Abstinence should carry us far beyond these considerations even by denying ourselves upon occasion those things which may be both Lawful and Useful for us Thus we find S. Paul governing himself All things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient all things are lawful for me but all things edifie not And what he prescribes to himself in the following part of the Chapter he gives as a Rule to all Christians under the particular case of Meats offered to Idols If what has been said seems to bear too hard upon this point to be sure it is an Error on the safest-side and will easily be pardoned by all that are worthy to have it asked at their hands For Liberty especially in things of this kind is like an edged tool which if not skilfully managed cuts the Fingers if not the Throat of him that uses it II. The other Prohibition is conditional because the thing forbid is only so occasionally For Publick-Houses are necessary for Travellers and Way-Faring People and convenient many times for meeting upon common Business But as many things appointed for good Ends are abused so none more shamefully than these That which was appointed for Refreshment is made the receptacle of Idleness and Debauchery and that which is allowed for honest Purposes is too frequently made use of to contrive Mischief However the design of the Canon in this particular is to warn us of two Dangers the one relating to our Selves and the other to our Neighbour Both nicely to be observed and subjected to that caution of Tully There are some things which ought not to be done tho they be Lawful I. In relation to our Selves we should consider very well what sort of Company we are like to meet with in those Publick-Houses before we go to them Whether we may not be drawn into a complaisance that may go beyond Discretion For if your Company be given to Excess it is the Interest of those places to promote it and by consequence they will be sure to do it Besides there is another reason should make us wary how we comply with invitations to such Houses lest by an over-easiness in yielding to importunities of this kind we insensibly steal into an Idle Habit and instead of a Modest Complyance when we are asked the question become at last forward to attack others Nemo repentè fit turpissimus but it is so natural to advance in Folly that unless a Man keep a strict hand upon himself the Clowd which seem'd but as a Hand at first may in a little time draw such a Storm after it as may Overwhelm those that come in its way Now the ready course for a Man to avoid the Danger of these Temptations is to take up a firm Resolution never to go into any of those Houses when it may reasonably be avoided For such a Resolution once well fix'd will keep him always upon his Guard and he will never do the thing till he sees a very good or necessary reason for it II. The care we ought to have upon this account in respect to our Neighbour is neither to set him an ill Example nor give him Offence by abusing our Liberty It gives too just a cause of suspition to be seen in disorderly Company tho' we be ever so Sober our selves and it is never to be excused from setting a very Ill Example if we unduly or too frequently haunt these places Indeed the Abuses committed in them are so Scandalous and Infamous that I should think no consideration likelier to make us wise in this regard For it must be confessed that Idleness and Tipling are Faults wherever they are found but in Publick-Houses they are doubly Scandalous and Shameful because they are lyable so much more to expose to the View and Censure of all the World Therefore it is no new thing to see such matters animadverted upon Claudius Caesar put down all Tipling-Houses And if our Antient Laws take no notice of these matters it is because England generally speaking was a Sober Nation till the Fashion was brought over from Forein Parts where better things might have been learnt But when once this evil Practice took place amongst us the Inconveniencies were so many the Scandals so gross and the Mischief to the Publick so apparent that you will find from that date nothing more strictly directed to be look'd after nor attended with quicker Penalties upon the Offender nor oftner repeated than the Laws which animadvert upon those that unnecessarily haunt such Publick-Houses or that are the keepers of them as well as those that are taken in actual disorder The Sum of all is this It is justly expected that the Honour of God the Service of his Church and Good of Mens Souls should be always upon our Minds when we give Testimonials for those that are to serve in Gods House that neither for Fear nor Favour but as in Conscience we may answer before God and Man for the Truth of what we certifie As being well assured if through Negligence or Easiness we Subscribe to what we are not well apprised of from our own experience whatever harm comes by the unfitness or Scandal of the Persons so recommended we shall be deeply partakers of the Guilt of it besides the great blame of Rashness in a matter of that Importance And as for avoiding offence we are to abstain from all appearance of Evil so especially are we obliged not to engage our selves in those things which are of Ill Report For it would be inexcusable in us to abuse our Liberty in those things which are of ill Fame when it is our Duty to Abstain even from things of common use and convenience so oft as it may give offence All things indeed are pure but it is Evil for that Man who eateth with offence The pretence of giving a greater lustre to Chastity by taking in Young Women to cohabit purely for Religious Conversation would not pass upon the World The Council of Nice ye know as did afterwards several Imperial Laws and Provincial Councils forbid all such practice as Scandalous because it has an ill Aspect and would therefore make him have so too that should take it upon him For as it is a Datum in Mathematicks that if you put unequal things to equal the whole will be unequal so it is in Morality likewise if a Vertuous Man will be so unequally yoaked as to venture upon an action that gives Scandal himself shall thereby become scandalous For the prevention of which these words of St. Paul may most fitly be applied That no Man put a Stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way Thus have I endeavoured to set down the substance of our Conference