Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	according_a	judge_v	law_n	1,465	5	4.9712	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94070	XXXI. select sermons, preached on special occasions; the titles and several texts, on which they were preached, follow. / By William Strong, that godly, able and faithful minister of Christ, lately of the Abby at Westminster. None of them being before made publique.	Strong, William, d. 1654.	1656 (1656)	Wing S6007_pt1; Thomason E874_1; ESTC R203660	309,248	523

wrongeth many a soul and an ignorant Magistracy undoeth many a cause Therefore that is the second It would be very honourable unto the Governors of this honourable and populous City that they would apply themselves much these waies that they may know the rules of their own judgements and not be acted barely by those that plead the cause God will judge by Law my Brethren when he comes to judge and so should you he will judge the secrets of all men according to my Gospel he will not judge by prerogative he will judge by Law Rom. 2.16 That is the second uphold the Laws and you uphold the Common-wealth Thirdly Magistrates are to uphold their own authority and in so doing they uphold the Common-wealth I say you are to uphold your own authority to what purpose is the Legislative power if there be not an executive power the Magistrate is to be the living Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If once the authority of God fall in the heart of a man the authority of his Law will quickly fall down So if once the authority of the Magistracy fall before men truly the authority of the Law executed by it will quickly come to nothing therefore it should be your business to uphold your own authority In Prov. 20.8 it is said that a wise Ruler scattereth the wicked with his eye It is the Magistrates duty to uphold their authority in the highest to scatter the wicked with their eyes There is a generation of men that are enemies to authority and they talk of Levelling all every day I desire that you would be pleased to consider support your authority in the execution of Laws for if you cannot do that if you cannot support your own authority you will hardly be able to support the Law which is in it self a dead letter true indeed it is no wonder that the men of Belial should be willing to be sine jugo without a yoak It is said 1 Sam. 10. there were Sons of Belial that brought him no presents it is no wonder I say for consider seriously this is that which comes to pass sometimes by the Sons of men and sometimes by the just Judgement of God Zach. 11 ult it is said the sword shall be upon the right hand of the Magistrate his ruling power shall be taken away he shall have no authority his authority shall come to nothing the sword shall be upon his right hand my Beloved if the Lord engage your hearts to uphold holiness among you there is nothing will strike that awe into the hearts of offenders of the proudest oppressors as that will when Magistrates bear a double image the image of God in them as men and the image of God upon them as Magistrates Uphold your authority that is the third Fourthly the Magistrate is to uphold the peoples liberty and in so doing he upholds the Common-wealth uphold the peoples liberties the liberties among the Romans were looked upon as sacred things and of very high esteem Acts 22.28 with a great price bought I this freedom but I was free-born saith Paul your liberties my Beloved have cost much more then his could cost what expence both of treasure and blood and therefore how great care what great care should the Magistrate take those that are Custodes libertatis it is your honours to be Keepers of the Liberties of your City it is your honour aliud est obedire aliud servire it is one thing to obey as a subject it is another thing to serve as a slave therefore I say the liberty of the people that in an especial manner should be preserved you must draw them with the cords of a man drawn from Law and Love or otherwise whosoever he be that thinks to ride a people as a Beast that Beast will with the first opportunity cast his rider and this is the true reason why so many stars have fallen from heaven this is the true reason why you see at this very day so many Princes walking like servants upon the earth for surely that Authority which entrenches on the peoples liberty is not lasting nullum violentum est perpetuum it s the liberty of the people that equal Justice be towards all and that all have equal access to it and that it be administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without respect of persons or to servants or friends do not put a difference in the case out of partiality to any man for all men should have the same interest in the Magistrate as a Magistrate and all particular respects in Judgements should be put far away the most upright and wary Magistrates may sometimes distribute unevenly for the Ballances do seldom hang even when some personal respects are put into one end Consider that I beseech you That is the fourth particular In the last place and so I have done with this first Branch I am sorry the time hastneth so The Magistrate must uphold the propriety of the people and in so doing he upholds the Common-wealth he must uphold their propriety that every man may sit down under his own Vine and under his own figg tree Mica 4.4 That men may have something that they may call their own not only their own in reference to the Subjects but their own in reference to the Magistrate for we are to consider universa sunt in Regis imperio non in patrimonio though you come under the Magistrates command yet all is not the Magistrates patrimony he may not dispose of the subjects estates at his pleasure it is a dangerous thing when Magistrates prove Nimrods mighty Hunters before God when they hunt many for the estates of the people it was a sad complaint Hab. 1.14 Lord saith he why hast thou made men like fishes of the Sea that have no Ruler where the great ones shall devoure the less without controul These are sad complaints when they come up before God this is that that hath buried many a State in its own ashes that the propriety of the people hath not been preserved for Augustine complains of old August that mundi regna what were they saith he sed magna latrocinia the governments of the world what be they why truly but great Robberies Now I humbly desire you to consider then is the Nation then is a Common-wealth supported then do Magistrates prove the Corner when the Liberties when the Religion I say the Law the Authorities the Liberties the Proprieties of the people are preserved and remember the promise and we may look out for the time in Ezek. 45.8 My Princes saith God shall oppress my people no more my Princes they shall give unto their people their portion in my Land saith he they shall not take all to themselves but they shall be contented with their own portion they shal be contented that their Brethren shall take their portion My Princes shal oppress my people no more Now my Beloved then shal you that are Magistrates prove the

let the things that are present be sufficient to thee whether I have much or little honour or disgrace it is that that is present Now for a man to subscribe to the dealing of God and to lay his hand upon his mouth and to say This is the disposing of a wise Father it is but in viaticum it is not in praemium it is but for my passage it is not for my reward then I say for a man to say truly Whatsoever I have here if it be but enough to land me sase in an other world it is all I care for O my Brethren this is the pitch that the Saints of God now set to themselves where there is holiness I say these difficult duties the soul propounds unto itself But Further yet Where there is holiness it propounds this To look upon suffering as a gift in Phil. 1.29 to you it is given not only to believe but to suffer for the name of the Lord Jesus Men can look upon imployment as a gift sometimes if God will set them in honorable service O but to look upon sufferings as honorable as if a man by that were to fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ this is that pitch which the Saints set to themselves the mark they aim at is such difficult duties as these are to look upon suffering as a gift to say as in Jam. 1.9 Let the brother of low degree rejoyce that he is exalied I there is reason for that I but shall the brother of high degree rejoyce that he is made low Yes that God hath called thee to any condition to do good O that is a spiritual heart indeed that is a holy heart indeed Besides there is yet another great truth and that is to have such a spirit willing to go alone in duties and not to be turned out of the way that if I am brought to duty though I am left alone yet notwithstanding the duty is mine the special assistance is Gods Man is a sociable Creature indeed and he is in a great measure like a drop emptyed into the Sea he is mightily apt to swim down with the tide O t is a hard matter for a man to be willing in duty to go alone yet so it was with Paul At my first Answer all men for sook me no man stood by me for a man to say One God is sufficient as Mr Calvin I remember hath it upon Zach. 9.12 Go to the strong holds ye prisoners of hope Strong holds they had no strong hold the City was burnt and the Temple destroyed and they had no strong hold to betake themselves to turn to your strong holds Satis praesidii in uno Deo but yet notwithstanding saith he there was succour enough in one God So saith the soul There is society and communion enough in one God if no man stand by me in duty yet notwithstanding the Lord will for a man to go alone and not to balk nor to be turned out of the way because he is deserted by men either by a principle of falshood or Cowardice truly this is one of the difficultest duties of Religion There is one thing more I see I must break off I will but name this one thing and that is To have a mans spirit raised by opposition that the more he doth meet with opposition in a way of duty the more resolute he is for it so far is he from being afraid of the threatnings of men of the frowns of men he shall lose this mans favour incur such a mans displeasure and lose such an advantage and opportunity no his spirit riseth far more for it it is with such a man as it is with the fire in winter the fire burns the hotter because of the coldness of the air so it is with such a soul that is truly inflamed Come to David and tell him O there is a Goliah and he is come out with a spear like a Weavers beam and there is one that bears his target goes before him where is he saith David I will fight with him saith he his spirit doth not fall by difficulties but riseth I am not afraid of any uncircumcised Philistim my Brethren this is a true noble spirit holy greatness of mind lies in this when a mans spirit is born up upon the greatness of his God and the goodness of his Cause it is a base spirit that is born up by the strength of his party I have so many men on my side alass my Brethren that is a base spirit but I say here is a true noble spirit the greatness of his God and the goodness of his Cause and if that will not bear me out saith the soul let me sink in it I am content to perish I remember a godly man the Lord saith he will make Jeremiahs face like an Adamant saith he like an Adamant the hardest of stones truly then let the storm come and the Adamant that shrinks not it fears not it changeth not its hue no not a jot the Adamant is the same Certainly my Beloved this is the Motio of every truly noble spirit Nec spe nec timore it is neither hope nor fear that acts me I can neither hope for any thing ne ther truly am I afraid of any thing that man can do unto me and he doth neither fear nor faint nor flie but the more difficulties rise the more doth his spirit rise I say grounded upon the greatness of his God and the goodness of his cause Now it ye be holy men you do not pick and chuse duties but the more difficult duties are the more you strive to rise to bring up your spirits to them I that is holiness not to bring down the duty to you but to keep up the Law as Paul saith the Law is holy and just and good only labour you to bring up your spirits to the rule of it If you are holy men now it will be thus with you Thirdly a holy man hates every false way and fears it and recovers out of it Psal 119.128 Rom. 12.9 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s to hate it as Hell it self Secondly he fears it Eccl. 9.2 he that fears an oath c. I fear nothing but sin saies the holy man Thridly he recovers himself he doth not lie in his sin Peter sinned but Peter sorrowed for his sin a good man is a living fountain will never be drawn dry grace is a living principle it doth work out the mudd in the heart by degrees as the Sun doth labour for some time with the mist but dispels it at the last the longer any man lies in sin after a fall the more unholy his heart is to sin presently after duty is a sign there hath been little communion with God in the duty and to rise presently after sin is a sign that God hath hold on the man and that the root of the matter is in him Fourthly try

is much alike the one will never convert a soul and truly the other will never subdue a people Nay mark what the Lord saith to convert souls and to subdue hearts is his work David acknowledgeth it Psal 18.47 Thou art he that subdueth the people under me saith he truly if a man in his person neglect Religion he lives without God in the world and if a Magistrate in his Government neglects Religion he rules without God in the world That is the first argument and I never expect to have it answered I look upon it as an unanswerable consideration The second is this and pray mark it for you had need endeavour to strengthen your thoughts against such delusions as these are that are everywhere suggested I wish it were not in men in high places In the second place A Magistrate ought so to rule as that God may not break in in Judgement upon a people Pray mark it you ought to rule so as God may rule with you Secondly you ought so to rule as that God may not in Judgement break in upon the people my beloved you that are Magistrates you are the shields of the earth called so Psal 47. ult the shields of the earth Now consider I humbly pray you a Shield is a defensive weapon that the main protection of the people lies in you are not only to protect them from injuries among men but you are to protect them also from Judgements from God and therefore when wrath goes out from the Lord Moses stands in the gap when a plague is gone forth from the Lord David intercedeth Hezekiah prayes for the people the Magistrate is to be a Shield to them But let the Magistrate in his Government neglect Religion what then the Judgement of God breaks in upon the people immediatly look into Ezek. 10.2 Go saith the Lord take fire from between the Cherubims scatter over the City here is a fire now to burn the City whence comes it out of what Ordinances neglected the fire is taken from between the Cherubims it is taken from off the Incense Altar it will not only serve to offer the sacrifices but the same fire will serve to burn the City too that is a Scripture that I desire you much to observe 2 Chron. 7.19,20 If you forsake my statutes and serve other Gods saith he be negligent in matters of Religion once and what then saith the Lord I will pluck you up by the roots out of the Land that I have given you there be some men now that think to root you by the neglect of godliness and to root you by the neglect of Religion this it not the way to establish you no consider this is the way to pluck you up by the roots even your Common-wealth before it hath scarce taken root In the third place I beseech you consider Magistrates ought so to rule as they destroy not the foundations of their authority You will say he is a foolish man that puls down his own house with his own hands then certainly Magistrates must so rule as that they destroy not the foundations of their own Authority My Beloved if you uphold not Religion you do so Rom. 13.5 you must be subject saith the Apostle not only for fear of wrath but for conscience sake why all Divines give this as a rule conscientia immediate Deo tantum subsicitur Conscience is subjected immediately to God only then we are to obey the Magistrates only because it is an Ordinance of God can any man rationally imagine that men will obey the Magistrate for conscience sake who is an Ordinance of God and to be obeyed immediately that neglects this Ordinance of God in which this authority immediately is can any man rationally imagine I say that men will obey the Magistrate for God that do not obey God for himself my Beloved this is the way to destroy and to pluck up by the roots I say all authority it destroies the foundation of all authority it is the most destructive opinion to Government that ever came into the world and yet notwithstanding it is observable too see how the Jesuites and some others meet in this thing though upon different grounds Mariana he saith Mariana Princeps nihil statuat de Religione Princes and Magistrates have nothing to do with matters of Religion saith he why because there he would establish the authority of the Pope now say some others the Magistrate he hath nothing to do in matters of Religion because though he will cry out against the Pope yet notwithstanding he will make himself one he will take such a licentiousness that he will take to himself the Papal authority thus I intreate you then to Consider this is the first thing wherein the Magistrate should shew himself the corner indeed to support the Common-wealth let him uphold Religion That is the first I shall be more brief in the rest Secondly the Magistrate is to be the corner to support the Common-wealth in upholding the Laws the Laws are the foundations of the earth they be so called Psa 11.3 if the foundations be cast down what can the righteous do the Laws are the foundations it is a note of ignominie set upon Oppressors Dan. 7.25 that they labour to change times and Laws they labour to change the times and Laws the Law is the Rule between the Subject and the Magistrate that the one may know how to rule and the other know how to obey it is the standard between a man and his neighbour by which all differences are to be tryed therefore they that are in supreme authority they ought to take special care to observe the Laws and they that are in subordinate authority they ought to take special care to execute the Laws for this cause Magistrates they ought to be well acquainted make it their business to study the Laws by which they are to rule the truth is my Beloved a Magistrate without the Law and a Minister without the Bible they are equal absurdities a Magistrate unskilful in the Law and a Minister ignorant in the Scripture Job saith I was an eye to the blind and feet to the lame and a father to the poor I diligently searched out the cause saith he Job 29.15 I diligently searched out the cause it may be he had more sense to complain then he had skill to explain but I searched it out saith he he that shall do so must be skilled in the Laws there are in waies of sin many cunning conveyances David tells us Psal 58.2 that there are men that weigh violence in the earth that weigh violence that commit sin by measure they know how far they may go and yet how far they incurr danger by this means an unskilful Magistrate many times justifies the guilty and condemneth the innocent therefore it s your duty I say to preserve the Laws it is your duty to be well skilled in those Laws this is certain an ignorant Ministery