Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	rule_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	28	3	9.4011	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50326	A sermon preach'd before the honourable Company of Merchants trading to the Levant-Seas at St. Peter-Poor, Dec. 15. 1695 by Henry Maundrell ...	Maundrell, Henry, 1665-1701.	1696 (1696)	Wing M1356; ESTC R19829	14,143	34

Advancement But from hence results the Excess which men are led into in this point They are not contented to be soberly and temperately zealous and to promote their Religion by such Rules and Measures as that Religion it self prescribes to them but they run mad with an Excess of Zeal and Bigotry for it Their Cause they are confident is the only righteous one and then conclude that they can never be over-righteous in the promotion of it All other Persuasions are very Dagons to them and must fall down at the feet of their Ark. All the Engines of Fury and Persecution must be set on foot for the service of so meritorious a Cause And such Mischiefs and Barbarities must be executed for its sake as are a Reproach not only to Religion but even to Humanity it self These are effects of an inordinate Zeal which have been more or less evidenced in all Parties of men and in all Religions For indeed the very Christian Religion that Mild and Peaceable Institution has not escaped these flames of a mad and outragious Zeal But on the contrary that blessed Instructer of Gentleness and Love has been by the abuse of its Professors perverted into an Incentive of the fiercest Cruelty and Persecution The Prince of Peace has been made a Herald of Contention and too many that pretend to be of Christ's Flock have turn'd themselves into ravening Wolves worrying and devouring one another What Flames what Confusions what Massacres what Devastations have been occasion'd by an over-righteous Zeal for that merciful Religion which disclaims nothing more than such Unchristian Barbarities And we have too many Instances even at our own doors in the several Sects and Divisions of the Reformation it self which if they do not present us with any such Tragical Scenes as those beforementioned yet cannot they be thought on without affording a sad and evident demonstration how possible it is in the Nature of the thing and how pernicious in its Effects for men even in the best of Causes to be over-righteous But How unworthily do men treat the Christian Religion when they make it the occasion of such Rage and Animosity Christianity was never intended to kindle such a fiery and passionate Zeal amongst its Votaries The Spirit which that inspires is a Spirit of mutual Forbearance and Condescension to one another A Spirit which for its visible Representation chose the Shape of a Dove to appear in that Emblem of Love and Meekness and Innocence a Spirit which allows us indeed to join the Serpent's Wisdom to its Dove-like Innocence but in all cases utterly abhors his Sting and his Poyson 'T is such an amicable Spirit which as it is the genuine Fruit and the distinguishing Badge of the Christian Religion so it is the most effectual Preserver of the Disciples and Church of Christ But as for that contrary Spirit of over much Zeal and Bigotry it can tend to nothing but that fatal end which the Wise man here denounces as the just and natural Consequence of it namely That by it we shall destroy our selves For what else can be the product of an Intemperate Zeal and Rigor and Contention amongst Christians It may pull down but it can never edify It can convert neither side it may destroy both It is the healing Spirit of Meekness and Forbearance which best promotes the Happiness and Safety both of Single men and of Societies This has the Blessing both of God and Man attending it Men bless it by rendring back a Reciprocal Love and Favour towards it and God blesses it by his gracious Promises declaring That the Meek shall inherit the Earth the Meek shall find rest to their Souls But on the other hand a Spirit of fierce Zeal and Bigotry subverts the Peace and Safety both of private Persons and of Communities and chiefly of those very men who are most possessed and acted by it For no man can exercise a furious Heat and Rigor in opposition to others without provoking them to mete out the same Measure back again into his own Bosom Thus he kindles a Fire and perishes himself in the same Conflagration the Mischief which he set on foot comes home to his own door and he verifies the Wiseman's Denunciation which he would not take for his Admonition By an Over-righteous Zeal he destroys himself And thus much of the first Caution suggested in my Text Be not Righteous Over-much that is Let not thy Zeal for Religion be Immoderate and Furious And that we may be the better enabled to observe this first Caution Let us proceed to the second the consideration of which will most effectually conduce to that end for the chief ground and occasion of such inordinate Zeal for Religion arises most commonly from an Over-wise and curious search into the Mysteries of it which is the excess forbid by Solomon in these words Make not thy self Over-wise that is Let not thy Enquiry into the Knowledge of Religious Mysteries be too Curious and Presumptuous Wisdom is indeed the Natural desire and thirst of our Souls The Water-Brooks are not so fiercely long'd after by the Panting Hart as this is by the mind of Man nor when tasted do they afford so great a Refreshment and Satisfaction This is that Endowment whereby our Nature exceeds that of the Beasts that perish and imitates in some Measure the Perfection not only of Angels but even of God himself Justly therefore may Men's minds Gasp and Pant after those living Waters and so long as their desires and endeavours to be wise are Moderate and Humble they act according to the Prerogative and Propriety of their reasonable Natures But the desire of Wisdom is oftentimes too strong and imperious to submit to those confinements which Modesty and Sobriety would prescribe to it for where men's thirst is so great they are apt to be intemperate in the Gratification of it They content not themselves with such competent Portions of Knowledge as God allows them and the Edification of their own Souls require but they Launch out into the boundless Ocean of Divine Mysteries striving to make themselves over-wise They pretend to define the Incomprehensible Nature and Properties of the Deity they rifle all the secret Cabinets of his Counsels and Providences they invade the most private Recesses of his inscrutable Wisdom and would leave him no reserve of Knowledge to himself They despise the most useful parts of Religious Wisdom as low and vulgar Contemplations and that Knowledge they account but a poor and contemptible Attainment which is sufficient to make 'em serviceable in their Generation and to direct them safe to Heaven hereafter The Eyes of these Men's Understandings delight not as the Eyes of the Body always do in such Prospects as are Light and Clear and beautifully terminated but on the contrary they love either to be ever looking into such dark Caverns and Abysses of Knowledge where they can discern nothing at all or else to survey such Infinite Spaces where