Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	death_n	mercy_n	sin_n	3,579	5	4.7173	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04486	The golden cabinet of true treasure: containing the summe of morall philosophie. Translated out of French & enlarged, by W. Ievvel, Mr of Arts, of Exeter Colledge in Oxford	Jewell, William, b. 1585 or 6.	1612 (1612)	STC 14618; ESTC S119329	81,649	276

●he precious ornamēts of grace which ●●e receiued from God in his Creation ●nd all manner of iniquity and sen●●all vncleannes haue entred into his ●ule and dispossessed Iustice and San●tity For the which earie-tingling nay ●ule slaying trespasse hee forth-with ●ecame a slaue to sinne death from ●hose tyrannous bondage hee can ne●er be freed by any other meanes but ●y the world sauing satisfaction of ●im who is made vnto vs through the ●race mercy of the euer liuing God Wisedome Iustice Sanctification and Redēption An incomparable treasure such as neyther flesh nor bloude could euer haue coniectured For it was not reuealed vnto any sauing vnto the members of the mysticall body of this Redeemer whom the Philosophers of the ancient time did neuer knowe But if it haue beene discerned at any time by some who in the erroneous opinion of the world haue bene accoūted wise or to haue liued vertuously in regard of other men it cannot be said that God hath regenerated them to speake properly that beeing the gifte onely peculiar vnto his children but it hath beene so because it hath pleased God to represse and quell the fruites of their vitious nature without tearing vp the very roots themselues that they might serue for the conseruation of estates and families in the world euen as it hath beene best pleasing to his will And againe wee cannot any way imagine that there hath bene any age so monstrously wicked that hath not brought forth some men of very eminent vertues which might serue to be a shining light a day-starre in their times Yea there hath bene founde a greater number of those which haue attained vnto the perfection of a vertuous life then of those which haue benewicked in the highest measure God alwaies making heerein his bounty and power to appeare to haue the vpper hand aboue his enemies also without the same the world could neuer haue indured long But wee may say that all these commendable and worthy vertues are nothing else but certaine ruinous re●iques of the image of God in man which are left there behind to no other end and purpose but to make vs vtterly inexcuseable in all things and which produce none other effects in vs besides the performing the office of a glasse which healeth not at all but onely makes vs to vnderstand and know our blots and blemishes our reprochfull disgraces and disreputations with the God of heauen so much the better by how much they are more Crystal●●e more cleare Certainly then it is a thing much to be deplored that humane vnderstanding should be disunited from a diuine intelligence All her beleeuings are but toyish vanities all her discourses but absurdities She very often contradicts her selfe and being puft vp with vain glory and ouerweening presumption voluntarily forsakes the shining light and burning lampe of the true good to imbrace errour and blinde ignorance For this cause therefore the source and fountaine of infinite mercy ha●● bene pleased to suffer one little twinkling sparkle of light to remaine alwaies in the soule of man which might push it forward to the loue of verity with an earnest desire to follow after it because it often pricketh and spurreth him vp not suffering him to sleepe and slumber in the lap of vice which little weake and scarce liuely sparkle beeing somewhat increased by the wind of motion and ayded also and disposed by the grace vertue and power of the Author of all good doth inuite and allure nay prouoketh and eggeth him being regenerated by the holy spirite hauing truely discerned and vnderstood his owne estate what hee is and that hee ought to displease himselfe to inquire diligent●y and feruently to thirst after that goodnes that Iustice whereof hee was depriued and that glorious liberty which he had lost The same heauenly grace addeth 〈◊〉 blessing to his holy desires making his soule to sucke into it the doctrine of life thereby to represse and chasten all lewde passions and vicious inclinations cleanely purifying it from all turbulent motions Lessoning him also to accept in good part ●he fraile infirmities of the flesh onely ●s louing and fatherly castigations for his sinne and necessary meanes to exercise himselfe in vertuous actions ●eeing held-in therewith as with a ●ridle In such sort that man by the knowledge and vnderstanding of himselfe hath very great meanes and occasion● both of humbling and aduauncing himselfe Of humiliation by the apprehension of his owne vanity peruerse frailetye and vile corruption in which estate hee ought to displease his carna●● humours and in some sort despise himselfe when as he shall behold engraue● in his owne conscience his perpetual ruine and vtter desolation And of glorifying himselfe hauing by this mea●● ascended vnto the knowledge of Go● his Creatour and Redeemer which succeedeth the other inseparably an● so most constantly to assure himselfe that millions of his miseries may be salued by the meanest of his mercie● whereof he could neuer finde a remedie no not a lenitiue to redeeme b●● a minutes sadnes in himselfe when by a true and vnfained humility he disposeth himselfe to the receipt of grace which maketh him able to participate of that glorious immortality and endlesse felicity whereof his soule was robbed by sinnes tyranny But because there is nothing in the whole world more full of difficulty ●hen to know our selues because the ●oo too well conceiting selfe-loue which we beare towards our selues and our owne actions blindeth the eyes of our vnderstanding in so strāge a manner that we cannot behold the incumbring vices of our soules and soule imperfections that ouerflowe within vs which so runeth our eares with such 〈◊〉 sense-bereauing flattery that we most wondrously sottish thinke our selues ●o inioy a farre more full fruition of sense tickling pleasure in listning to ●he fawning flatteries of such as wrong ●s then vnto those which without dissembling would fully acquaint vs with ●he trueth it selfe All which things be●ng considered it is thought requisite 〈◊〉 before wee conclude our determined purpose summarily to anatomize the misery of man and to giue a methodicall direction to bee followed whi●● shall teach vs the onely perfect way 〈◊〉 the knowledge of our selues With o●● the which it is a thing most imposs●ble for any to attaine vnto true hum●lity First of al then we ought to be mo●● familiarly acquainted and haue an requisite knowledge of the corruption of our own nature by the remorse a●● feeling which euery one ought to h●●● in his owne conscience to constrai●● him whiles he too forwardly ouer●●●neth with a disdainful sharp cēsu●● eye all the particular actions of o●●● men to return home againe at last 〈◊〉 to himselfe and take a suruaye of 〈◊〉 owne sinnes For as long as wee cha●●● out some pretty pleasant fault fro● our selues saying each one hath 〈◊〉 fault and this is mine and so compa●●●● it with the notorious imperfections 〈◊〉 some vicious man we presently ma●● greate esteeme of our

meanes such affections as are both naturall and necessary Briefly she is the pillar of defence the flesh-subduer against luxury the rasor of wicked thoughts the rebuker and chastiser of vnbridled desires and the seuere mistress of wanton eyes On the other side shee is the nursing mother of cleane continence she mollifies the heart and makes reason attend thee as thy counselling seruant in all thine affaires This ver●ue is diuided into foure principall branches Continence Clemency Modesty and Order Continence appeares as well in the actions of sobriety as of chastity Clemency consisteth principally in pardoning offences euen when it hath fit and conuenient opportunity to reuenge Modesty is the knowledge of a comly demeanor euen in time of prosperitye and of vsing well the gifts of fortune Order consisteth in the disposing of al things in their proper places by suiteable degrees and conuenient proportions to their well being Fortitude being the third Vertue in order is a certain immortall good seated in the power and guidance of the soule fortified and confirmed by the diligent study of Philosophy which importuneth man both to chuse and effect all things by his owne desire onlie for the loue of the things themselues She leadeth a generous and a noble spirit through the hardest things most dangerous and of greatest difficultie to the end that it may augment his honour and giue greater cause of ioy when as he hath triumpht ouer such designes Shee aduanceth our mindes and infuseth into our soules a wondrous desire of aspiring euen to the highest part of that which is most high most excellent most honorable most commendable most profitable Her greatest vndertakings are without feare she stickes not after sound counsell and serious aduice to enterprise actions full of threatning dangers and to perseuere therein with immoueable constancye For Constancy is the diligēt page of manly Fortitude and is neuer from his elbowe though shee tread the crimson paths of warre and march euen vp at knees in a fielde of bloud Moreouer none of the vertues can be consummated and truely accomplished without constancy Hee that hath one vertue hath not alwaies the other but hee that hath this hath all others whatsoeuer forasmuch as shee is neuer found but euen in the full perfection both of the will and power And therefore she magnifieth her possessour making him to disdeigne eyther the pinch of sorrow or the feare of death making him to account nothing eyther intolerable or troublesome which is possible to befall a mortall wight nor any thing bad which is eyther necessary or ineuitable Briefly it is the knowledge of that which ought to bee sustained when as we fight for the maintenāce of Iustice This vertue is also diuided into foure principal branches to wit magnificence Confidence Patience and Perseuerance Magnificence is shewed in the atchieuing of great and excellent things Confidence appeares when as a generous mind is indued with an assured hope of the happy successe of his vndertakings Patience appares in the voluntary and continuall sufferance which is sustained for the meere loue of honesty and vertue Perseuerance is seene in the perpetuall Constancy and firme continuance of dessignes and resolutions enterprised vpon good considerations by the perswasions of reason The fourth and more eminent vertue is Iustice which we define to bee a constant and perpetuall willingnes of doing right and reason vnto all with an equall and proportionate distribution according to euery ones merite and desert Wherefore this vertue comprehendeth within itselfe all others whatsoeuer forasmuch as man should not be able to discerne iust from vniust thereby to embrace the one and eschew the other were hee not also indued with prudence for as much as this is a peculiar property solely depending on that vertue In like manner also hee would hardly be able to put in practise the preceps of Iustice that is not indued with temperance wherewith hee might moderate all the passions and particular affections of his owne minde Furthermore hee cannot fully performe one of the chiefest and diuinest parts of Iustice which is to giue helpe and succour vnto the afflicted persecuted soule when there is need therof be it in what danger soeuer if by reson of manly courage and true fortitude he doe not contemne death sorrowe griefe and whatsoeuer else the world containes and so to be as neare as flesh and blood will permit a perfect imitatour of Diuinity In such sort that hee alone is to bee stiled Iust which rendreth good vnto as many as he can without offering iniurie vnto any one hauing no striuing contentions within his owne breast remaining a louing seruant to his God and a gentle friend vnto his neighbour This vertue is twofold Distributa Cōmutatiue The Distributiue cōsisteth in giuing vnto euery one according to his merit whether it bee honour dignity or punishment The Commutatiue consisteth in obseruing our faith and credit in our promises couenants and neuer doing vnto any that which wee would not haue others doe vnto vs. From this generall fountaine issue forth these foure riuers which by an Allegory haue bene termed the riuers of the terrestriall Paradise which alwaies water the little worlde Prudence Temperance Fortitude and Iustice which are as necessary to be conioynd and vnited in him which desireth to be perfectly vertuous as the separation of them would bee preiudiciall to his estate For no man can bee temperate if hee bee not formerly prudent forasmuch as euery vertuous action proceedeth from knowledge and vnderstanding In like manner man can neuer bee truely valiant and magnanimous if formerly he be not temperate forasmuch as such a one that is indued with a generous and an vndaunted spirit without moderation would in a short season become desperate and he that should be temperate and not courageous would in a short time become a coward In like manner Iustice without Prudence and Temperance would shortly bee transformed into bloudy Tyranny In such sort the vertues being vnited and knit together are all absolutely perfect but beeing disioyned once and separated they become feeble are ouerborn by the strength of vice Wherefore these fower vertues being ordained as a sure basis and firm foundation vnto euery one that earnestly desireth to bee perfectly vertuous they ought to serue him as an obiect and mirrour of his contemplatiō wherein he shall not onely behold the vgly deformities and defects of nature but also remedies against the same to attaine vnto the which three thinges are to be obserued by him which shall be declared in the Chapter following Of such things as are requisite in the acquist of vertue and which concurre to the perfect accomplishment of a vertuous man CHAP. III. THREE things ought to bee vnited and conioyned together in the acquist of Vertue and full accomplishment of a vertuous Man Nature Reason and Vse It is the office of Nature to incline vs Reason to direct vs and Vse and Custome to conforme and confirme vs.