Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	wit_n	world_n	worthy_a	29	3	5.9932	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61107	A discourse concerning prodigies wherein the vanity of presages by them is reprehended, and their true and proper ends asserted and vindicated / by John Spencer.	Spencer, John, 1630-1693.	1663 (1663)	Wing S4947; ESTC R24605	129,689	118

figure_n and_o dimension_n it_o be_v the_o nature_n of_o ignorance_n fingere_fw-la simul_fw-la &_o credere_fw-la 2._o religion_n seem_v much_o concern_v in_o such_o relation_n now_o man_n like_a jacob_n will_v be_v ready_a to_o venture_v upon_o a_o lie_n for_o a_o great_a blessing_n the_o advancement_n of_o religion_n beside_o as_o atheism_n give_v all_o event_n to_o the_o second_o so_o superstition_n religion_n scare_v out_o of_o its_o wit_n give_v all_o sole_o to_o the_o first_o cause_n and_o be_v therefore_o quick_o persuade_v to_o fill_v out_o its_o relation_n with_o all_o the_o example_n of_o wonderful_a and_o extraordinary_a that_o effect_n may_v appear_v the_o more_o worthy_a of_o the_o immediate_a power_n of_o god_n moreover_o blind_a and_o ignorant_a fear_n of_o god_n make_v the_o mind_n impressive_a to_o any_o kind_n of_o religious_a legend_n never_o be_v the_o world_n more_o true_o 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d as_o philo_n style_v it_o a_o region_n of_o lie_n and_o fallacy_n then_o in_o the_o more_o dark_a and_o rude_a time_n of_o gentilism_n and_o popery_n when_o a_o ignorant_a devotion_n towards_o god_n have_v make_v religion_n almost_o nothing_o but_o a_o continue_a history_n of_o prodigy_n apparition_n miracle_n voice_n from_o the_o cloud_n and_o the_o like_a and_o therefore_o the_o lord_n bacon_n advise_v a_o just_a history_n of_o prodiges_fw-la to_o direct_v 29._o to_o the_o true_a interpretation_n of_o nature_n and_o knowledge_n of_o cause_n give_v in_o this_o prudent_a caveat_n maximè_fw-la habenda_fw-la sunt_fw-la pro_fw-la suspectis_fw-la quae_fw-la pendent_fw-la quomodocunque_fw-la à_fw-la religione_fw-la ut_fw-la prodigia_fw-la livii_n etc._n etc._n superstition_n as_o it_o be_v say_v of_o the_o viper_n bite_v off_o that_o head_n weaken_v and_o soften_v that_o faculty_n of_o reason_n by_o which_o it_o do_v at_o first_o conceive_v and_o make_v it_o receptive_a of_o any_o odd_a fancy_n and_o impression_n 3._o the_o strength_n of_o these_o relation_n like_o that_o of_o nisus_n in_o the_o poet_n lie_v general_o in_o the_o weak_a hair_n of_o some_o single_a or_o double_a testimony_n now_o as_o there_o be_v little_a reason_n to_o conceive_v a_o whole_a nation_n concern_v in_o the_o vision_n of_o one_o or_o two_o private_a person_n if_o they_o be_v true_a god_n sign_n and_o wonder_n which_o be_v intend_v as_o lesson_n to_o a_o nation_n or_o posterity_n be_v general_o attest_v by_o number_n so_o as_o little_a reason_n to_o hang_v the_o weight_n of_o so_o serious_a a_o faith_n and_o great_a affection_n in_o religion_n upon_o so_o slender_a a_o wire_n as_o the_o testimony_n of_o one_o perhaps_o two_o or_o three_o man_n in_o such_o matter_n be_v the_o roman_n of_o old_a though_o as_o apt_a to_o swallow_v such_o prodigious_a story_n as_o any_o yet_o use_v to_o chew_v they_o fi●st_v by_o a_o serious_a examination_n sometime_o by_o the_o public_a magistrate_n make_v of_o the_o credit_n of_o the_o attestour_n and_o truth_n of_o the_o relation_n and_o we_o shall_v find_v in_o livy_n prodigious_a accident_n sometime_o past_a by_o without_o any_o religious_a regard_n viz._n where_o the_o testimony_n appear_v incompetent_a and_o this_o lest_o what_o be_v intend_v a_o devotion_n to_o their_o deity_n may_v chance_v to_o prove_v a_o mockery_n 4._o some_o man_n seem_v even_o natural_o fabularum_fw-la proci_fw-la the_o very_a courter_n of_o fable_n and_o legend_n either_o out_o of_o a_o native_a vanity_n and_o emptiness_n of_o mind_n whereby_o like_o the_o chameleon_n they_o be_v better_o please_v with_o 16._o airy_a then_o substantial_a nourishment_n or_o a_o mean_a kind_n of_o ambition_n of_o be_v look_v at_o and_o stare_v upon_o by_o the_o rude_a multitude_n who_o in_o all_o likelihood_n will_v neglect_v they_o if_o their_o book_n and_o discourse_n be_v not_o somewhat_o antic_a and_o extraordinary_a hence_o the_o man_n can_v scarce_o relate_v any_o matter_n especial_o if_o go_v a_o little_a off_o from_o common_a and_o quotidian_a but_o it_o must_v look_v big_a and_o borrow_v somewhat_o of_o a_o romance_n very_o observable_a therefore_o the_o manner_n of_o the_o relation_n of_o any_o great_a wonder_n in_o sacred_a writ_n wherein_o we_o shall_v find_v the_o most_o glorious_a display_v of_o the_o divine_a power_n deliver_v in_o that_o simplicity_n and_o coolness_n of_o style_n in_o that_o lax_n and_o general_a way_n with_o as_o little_a of_o ecstacy_n and_o emotion_n of_o mind_n appear_v in_o the_o relatour_n as_o if_o some_o vulgar_a and_o quotidian_a occurrence_n have_v fall_v before_o he_o that_o so_o there_o may_v not_o appear_v any_o symptom_n of_o that_o common_a itch_n in_o man_n to_o tell_v strange_a story_n or_o any_o affectation_n of_o strangeness_n and_o the_o common_a wonder_n or_o a_o great_a solicitousness_n to_o raise_v the_o esteem_n of_o that_o cause_n or_o party_n to_o which_o they_o be_v a_o honourable_a testimony_n from_o heaven_n in_o the_o mind_n of_o man_n second_o such_o a_o undertake_n will_v prove_v exceed_v difficult_a it_o be_v much_o more_o easy_a to_o believe_v many_o a_o strange_a story_n then_o to_o attempt_v its_o refute_v especial_o where_o the_o scene_n thereof_o be_v lay_v at_o a_o great_a distance_n off_o beside_o very_o difficult_a it_o be_v to_o make_v any_o steady_a judgement_n of_o some_o prodigy_n without_o a_o actual_a presence_n to_o they_o such_o be_v the_o water_n of_o pond_n or_o fountain_n turn_v as_o it_o be_v pretend_v into_o blout_n the_o interruption_n of_o the_o current_n of_o river_n some_o spot_n as_o of_o blood_n discover_v upon_o stone_n or_o statue_n etc._n etc._n the_o cause_n of_o which_o appearance_n will_v scarce_o be_v ever_o hit_v by_o person_n which_o stand_v at_o a_o great_a distance_n and_o understand_v not_o the_o condition_n of_o the_o season_n climate_n water_n earth_n when_o and_o where_o the_o event_n fall_v out_o 3._o the_o undertake_n will_v have_v prove_v very_o unserviceable_a to_o our_o main_a purpose_n for_o 1._o our_o design_n be_v not_o the_o disparagement_n of_o the_o person_n of_o our_o adversary_n of_o which_o any_o attempt_n upon_o their_o credit_n will_v have_v be_v indict_v but_o of_o their_o cause_n 2._o a_o solicitous_a enquiry_n into_o the_o truth_n of_o the_o relation_n will_v have_v be_v conclude_v a_o tacit_n acknowledgement_n of_o the_o value_n and_o significancy_n of_o they_o if_o they_o shall_v chance_v to_o prove_v truth_n 3._o have_v cut_v off_o the_o neck_n of_o this_o opinion_n those_o precarious_a principle_n it_o hold_v of_o a_o cut_n off_o the_o particular_a head_n monstrous_a relation_n which_o grow_v upon_o it_o will_v be_v needless_a nay_o endless_a for_o other_o will_v quick_o rise_v up_o in_o their_o place_n 4._o we_o have_v as_o t●rquinius_n do_v the_o head_n of_o the_o tall_a poppy_n direct_o strike_v at_o the_o credit_n and_o significancy_n of_o the_o most_o eminent_a and_o pretend_v prodigy_n comet_n and_o apparition_n 5._o i_o conceive_v that_o more_o word_n will_v have_v be_v but_o lose_v upon_o person_n which_o after_o all_o that_o have_v be_v say_v have_v a_o great_a devotion_n for_o this_o ancient_a idol_n the_o opinion_n of_o presage_n by_o prodigy_n speculative_a 2._o error_n general_o scorn_v the_o truth_n practical_a error_n ●ate_z it_o but_o it_o be_v the_o usage_n of_o superstition_n and_o enthusiasm_n to_o fear_v it_o because_o in_o the_o two_o former_a self_n only_o but_o in_o the_o latter_a god_n be_v presume_v especial_o concern_v all_o the_o image_n and_o fiction_n of_o the_o brai●_n like_o those_o in_o the_o fancy_n of_o poet_n be_v translate_v present_o into_o heaven_n and_o god_n honour_n and_o counsel_n think_v to_o stand_v or_o fall_v with_o they_o 6._o because_o as_o for_o person_n of_o more_o free_a and_o unengage_v min●s_n and_o that_o use_v not_o to_o believe_v without_o ask_v themselves_o why_o i_o be_v not_o without_o some_o hope_n that_o what_o have_v be_v already_o discourse_v in_o this_o argument_n may_v suffice_v to_o their_o resolution_n and_o satisfaction_n upon_o all_o which_o account_n i_o do_v not_o conceive_v it_o necessary_a to_o concern_v myself_o in_o any_o solicitous_a inquiry_n into_o the_o truth_n or_o falsehood_n of_o particular_a relation_n or_o a_o tedious_a discovery_n of_o the_o lightness_n and_o insignificancy_n of_o they_o single_o and_o apart_o and_o so_o to_o kill_v this_o superstition_n as_o they_o do_v some_o kind_n of_o vermin_n by_o part_n and_o piece_n after_o all_o that_o have_v be_v already_o say_v before_o i_o conclude_v the_o reader_n task_n and_o my_o own_o i_o conceive_v it_o necessary_a to_o call_v he_o to_o a_o notice_n of_o that_o strong_a and_o almost_o catholic_a propension_n in_o our_o nature_n against_o the_o reproach_n even_o of_o our_o understand_a part_n and_o the_o loud_a voice_n of_o a_o great_a experience_n to_o entertain_v with_o a_o kind_n of_o sacred_a regard_n person_n who_o assume_v to_o themselves_o a_o ability_n to_o