Selected quad for the lemma: evil_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
evil_n	bitter_a	good_a	light_n	2,289	5	8.2364	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15797	The sincere preacher prouing that in whom is adulation, auarice, or ambition, he cannot be sincere. Deliuered in three sermons in Dartmouth in Deuon, vpon I. Thes. 2. 5.6. By Walter Wylshman, Mr. of Art, and minister of the Word there.	Wylshman, Walter, 1571 or 2-1636.	1616 (1616)	STC 26058; ESTC S114199	31,536	100

that nothing was harder then to know how to rule well for foure or fiue saith he will assemble and make a plot together to deceiue the Emperour after they will say all with one voyce what they will haue him doe The Emperour who is inclosed in his house cannot know the truth of things as they passe but by necessitie is constrained to vnderstand nothing but what pleaseth them to tel him and make him vnderstand so doe they cause him to giue offices to men by themselues in post which merit them not at all and make him cast out such as best deserue them for the good of the Common-wealth What should be said more to make short saith Dioclesian a good wife and a vertuous Prince is bought and sold by such people Behold the words of Vopiscus who euidently sheweth that Dioclesian was discontented to be Emperour because he was gouerned mauger his beard as they say by flattering Courtiers which caused him to abuse his estate And therefore worthily delt Dionysius the tyrant with Damocles his flatterer for his faire words full of perill causing a table to bee spread before him with all kinde of dainties and delicates and withall enioyning him to sit at this table bid him often to eate of these delicates who hauing a sharp sword hanging ouer his head by a small haire with the point downwards durst not taste any of them for the feare of the present danger so said Dionysius are thy faire flatteries howsoeuer in shew very glorious yet I durst not taste of any of them because of the dangers that lay hidden in them Thus you see the danger of flatterers they are the canker and very bane of Church Common-wealth Now I descend to the fourth part of my diuision to wit that the Minister that vseth it is not sincere My reasons are these First it is 1. Cor. 4. 2. required of the disposers of Gods secrets that they should bee found faithfull where faithfulnesse is there is sincerenesse but there is no faithfulnesse at all in them that for fauour or feare sinne on the right hand or on the lest on the right hand by flattering indulgence as counting great sinnes of great men small sinnes and small sinnes no sinnes or common sinnes as vertues or at least preach mercy where is no repentance and therefore are like those that the Prophet speaketh of a Prou. 28. 21. Ezech. 13. 18. Ezech. 22. 28. Icr. 6. 14. that will transgresse for a morsell of bread these are they that sow pillowes vnder mens elbowes and heale the breaches of the people with sweete words Wherein they deale like glosing Chirurgions that meeting with a festred sore or with proud flesh in stead of lancing corrosiuing vse gentle strokings and incarnatiues and so the one makes the sore ten times worse and the other the blemish very much greater and therfore as such patients in the ende curse such daubers so God and man wil at last curse such flatterers For so saith the Prophet Isaiah Woe Isa 5. 20. bee to them that speake good of euill and euill of good which put darknes for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweete and sweete for sower A second reason why the flatterer is not sincere is because that whereas hee being a Minister and messenger of God should speake as God speaketh hee changeth his course and speaketh as man fansieth God speaketh deepely and to the heart hee lanceth the spirit and woundeth the inward parts So should the Minister speake He biddeth Isaiah shew the people their Isa 58. 1. transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes He must shew forth the mercy of God and not hide his iudgements He hath the Lords businesse in hand and therefore must be couragious But a flatterer aimes at mens fauours and feares their displeasures When he seeth a theefe he runneth with him and is partaker Psalm 50. 18. with the adulterers Hee changeth with the times and will not striue against the streames But what do they They denie God betray his truth and deceiue his people Of such the spirit speaketh a Wo Eccles 2. 13. vnto them that haue a double heart and to the wicked lips And a double ●am 1. 18 Luk. 2. 23. minded man is vnconstant in all his waies and he that is not with mee is against me and hee that gathereth ● King 8. 21. not with mee scattereth and how long halt yee betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but ● Cor. 6. 4. 15. if Baal be he then goe after him And againe what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial Cursed is hee that flattereth the people and is vnfaithfull in the Lords worke Thus you haue heard what flatterie is and the kindes and parts of it and the danger thereof and that there is no sincerenesse in the Minister that vseth it Whence we may see the force of our Apostles assertion Receiue our doctrines for wee are no flatterers Obserue the vses The first vse is It teacheth euery Minister to take heed of flattery let them vse gentlenesse but not glosing fairnesse but not fainednesse let them endeauour to please the people but no further then God may bee pleased also It is reported that Alexander the Great had two friends that he much esteemed the one for fairenesse of condition and the other for his faithfulnesse in counsell his pleasant friend was Hephaestion but his faithfull friend was Craterus Hephaestion his pleasant friend would displease him in nothing but Craterus his faithfull friend would not please him but in iust and good things whereupon Craterus was called the friend of the King but Hephaestion the friend of Alexander so that by how much Alexander the King was greater then Alexanders person by so much a faithfull friend is better then a pleasant friend And thus must euery good Minister be in respect of God hee must bee an Hephastion please him in euery thing but in respect of man hee must bee Craterus please him but in good things as our Apostle saith Let euery Rom. 15. 2 man please his neighbor in that which is good to edification but if men will not be pleased in this but looke to bee pleased in their sinnes then it is better to please God then men for as the same Apostle saith Gal. 1. 10. If I should so please men I were not the seruant of Christ. And to this end because men wil not commonly be pleased with that which God is pleased with therfore God commandeth Ieremie his Prophet saying Ier. 1. 7. 8. 9. 10. Thou shalt goe to all that I send thee whatsoeuer I command thee shalt thou speake he saith further feare not their faces lest I destroy thee before them for behold I haue made thee this day a defenced city and an iron pillar walles of brasse against the whole land And againe he saith Let them