Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	action_n	good_a	sin_n	1,408	5	4.8951	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96352	A sermon preached at Dorchester in the county of Dorcet, at the generall assizes held the 7. of March, 1632. / By John White of Dorchester, rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity.	White, John, 1575-1648.	1648 (1648)	Wing W1782; Thomason E469_6	33,644	43

downe for a ground of infallible truth that every man by nature is impatient of government and subjection whether by the ungodlinesse which is naturally in all which as the Apostle affirmes carrieth us so farre that wee become haters of God Rom. 1.30 ☜ and consequently of his Image in such as represent his person or by our pride which is now become another nature to all men makes us desire to be above and not below or rather by both it is not easie to say this is cleare which the Apostle tels us that naturall men are so prone unto rebellion that they grow disobedient even unto their owne parents Rom. 1.30 and 2 Tim. 3.2 and consequently much more to other Governours to whom they seeme not to have so neere relation this consideration of all mens naturall Inclination to disobedience cannot but make us jealous of the counsels and thoughts of our owne hearts ☜ fearefull of our owne passions and affections and observant of our words and behaviour every way especially in Meetings and Conferences wherein commonly we take more liberty not only in censuring our equals but our betters then will well stand with Christian Charity a seasonable Item for this present time and occasion wherein authority and the actions thereof being represented as it were upon a stage in publicke view the persons and carriage of Magistrates are diversly censured and too often according to mens private Interests and dispositions so that we shall find just cause at the breaking up of this solemne meeting when our hearts shall smight us that instead of our prayers to God for the execution of Justice charitable Censures upon such passages in Judgement as are Capable of good Constructions and not bewayling of our own sins which is it that causeth the turning of Judgement into wormwood many times we take up swelling thoughts rash censures and bitter speeches against such as we ought to thinke and speak of with reverence we shall find Just cause I say after Jobs example in the feasts of his Children every man a part by himself to offer up a sin offering unto God for his own soul In the 6. place remember the heathen Philosophers maxime of singular use in all duties between man and man much more between man and his God there is more evill in doing then in receiving wrong the latter being at the worst but an outward and temporary evill the former Inwards and perpetuall In a cause therefore of such Importance Let every man offend in the safest part rather trespassing upon his own ease profit or liberty then upon the rights and services due unto Governours rather suffer his own losse then hazard the doing of them wrong rather limite and Crosse his own will then Crosse and withstand theirs so that in the meane time we swerve not from the will of God Seventhly remember that of reciprocall duties that passe between man and man some are founded upon an Ordinance of God and others upon agreement and mutuall stipulation between men themselves the duties of the latter sort are like the Couples of a house as they stand one by another so they fall one with another as if one party refuse to stand to the bargaine the other is at liberty But the duties established by an Ordinance of God cease not by the failing of reciprocall performances as for example I must Love mine enemy though he Love not me and doe him good though he doe me hurt So it is in all duties between Parents and Children Magistrate and Subject Husband and Wife Master and Servant the reason is plaine because the obligation to that duty is more to God that Commands it then to the person to whom it is injoyned to be performed in which respect the obligation to duty which these severall relations casts upon a man by Gods Ordinance may be termed a Covenant of God in some sort as Marriage is called Pro. 2.17 upon this ground Solomon gives a Caveat that if the spirit of the Rulers rise up against a man he must not leave his place Eccles ☞ 10.4 as if he had said although the Magistrate leave his place it is no warrant for thee to leave thine or to neglect thy duty because he hath neglected his it was an Ill speech or that Roman Senator ne ego quidem illum ut Consulam quando neque ille me ut Consularem I did not respect him according to his office because he reguarded not me according to my degree Lastly remember that though the Rulers duty in Governing cease not by the peoples neglect of duty in obeying notwithstanding thereby he ceaseth to be a debtor unto them though his Ingagement unto God continue still to this purpose we must know that reciprocall dutyes which God Injoynes may become due by a double Title First by Gods Command which makes the duty a debt unto God Secondly they may grow further due by the performance of some duty by the one partie which may deserve requitall to him that performes it from him to whom it is performed and so becomes a debt in equity and Justice unto man wherefore where one deserves nothing at anothers hand because he performe not unto him that office and service which he is bound unto there that man can challenge nothing of his neighbours to whom he neglects his duty as his owne debt by desert because nothing can in equity be demanded by him that hath not deserved that which he demands thus where the people fayle in obedience to Rulers there they cannot demand any duty to them from the Rulers hand as their debt though God may demand it as a duty and service of obedience to him and punish the neglect of it if it be not performed Hence it must needs follow that the Conscionable performance of our duty even to undeserving Governours is the only sure foundation of all our prayers and Complaints unto God ☜ as our sutes and requests unto men and of all our hopes and expectations of a better condition in time to come The observation of mens frequent failing in these duties towards such as are in anthority and the Ill consequence which follows thereupon hath occasioned the Inlarging of my meditations upon this argument beyond my Intended purpose a sew words of such reciprocall duties as these high honours and dignities unto which Magistrates are advanced that are called Gods bind them unto that Injoyes them as well by the condition of the places themselves which they possesse as by the will of them that sets him there In the opening whereof I must crave leave to renew my former Intimation that I Intend this exhortation only to this present auditory and therein as many as it may concerne from the reverent Judges that sit on the throne of Judgement even to the lowest Constable In the first place therefore are Magistrates Gods then what manner of persons ought they to be in all manner of Conversation as the Apostle speakes in

them in the Congregation Give them awfull thoughts as well as honourable Titles speake as well of them behind their backs as to their faces Let not feare but Conscience urge us to the reverence of their persons execution of their Commands and rendring them due respects Let Conscience Inquire into our failings and taxe us for our neglect occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum with sincerity Joyne heartinesse and good will as the Apostle calls it Let not so much feare Compell us as Love Constraine us as it did the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 to performe all service willingly without gaine-saying or disputing cheerfully without murmuring or grudging and fully without scanting or defaulting ☞ Undertaking it out of desire and free choice performing it with pleasure and delight and recounting what we have done with Comfort and content Let it be bound up in a due relation and respect unto God all that we doe remembring and representing unto our selves the Infinitenesse of his Love absolutenesse of his Soveraignty and omnipresence of his Majesty holinesse of his nature overflowing of his bounty in rewards to those that feare and love him and of his Indignation in plagues and vengeance on those that hate him and Rebell against him I make no question if men could be perswaded to Judge themselves Impartially according to all these rules concerning the kinds and manner of performing of duties to Governours the Consideration of mens Infinite defects either in totall neglects or in Insufficient and lame performances must needs affect the heart or cast shame upon the faces of the most To speake nothing of such Sonnes of Beliall who have cast off both the yoake of Gods feare and obedience to men nor much of some formall observers who under colour of advancing authority further their own ends Lifting up Magistrates unto heaven that they may mount upon their wings and strengthning their power in show but Indeed establish their owne But to come to our own Soules Let the Consideration of all these circumstances laid together move every one of us unto a thorow examination of our actions and Carriage thereby and I make no question but it will seriously affect the hearts of all Godly persons as for want of attending to these rules in the Course of their practice may easily discover their own slips into many Irreverent thoughts of the persons of men in authority more frequent observation of their failings and defects then of their deserts and abilities Censures of their errors ☞ then Commendation of their uprightnesse Indignation at their evills then Compassionate bearing of their Infirmities Complaints for their pressures then thankfulnesse for their protection agravation of their misgovernance then bewayling of the sins that cause it and a more ready Inclination to desire their removall then to pray for their reformation Let the knowledge of all these failings Lead us further into the Consideration of the dangerous Consequence of such evills which provoke many times distast and Jealousie in Governours perhaps Incouragements and Countenance to rebellious spirits and occasion scandall to Religion ☜ Let it quicken us to watchfulnesse for time to come and be a bridell to all our thoughts that whensoever the pride of our Rebellious spirits begin to lift up our hearts we may keep them down with that serious restraint of Solomon Curse not the King no not in thy thoughts Ecclesiastes 10.20 And if any man reply in his heart that he easily approves the yielding of all due respect to all wel deserving Governours but Cannot prevaile upon his own spirit to stoop unto the evill Let him answer his own soul with that of our Saviour Ma. 5.46 What singular thing doth he in this and Consquently what reward hath he do not the Publicans likwise This reason nature teacheth wherin doth grace prevaile thus farre selfe respect carries us to entertaine them kindly that doth us good what doth Love and reverence to God win at our hands The Apostle tells us it is never thanke worthy till for Conscience sake towards God we indure griefe submitting our selves not only to the gentle but also to the froward 1 Peter 2.18.19 And although men are conceived to draw on new wrongs by bearing the old ☜ yet the Apostle tells us on the other side that doing of good is away to overcome and not to Increase evill so it be done in singlenesse of heart with such rules of Christian wisedome and direction as Religion it selfe admits Rom. 12.21 If any man seeme to be Jealous of hardning another man in sin conceiving that his patient bearing of wrongs Justifies the evill in the eyes of the wrong doer ☜ who may perhaps Imagine he doth nothing amisse in that which no man opposeth or revengeth he may be Informed that the ill use of our patience by such as doe what we can shall wax worse and worse should no more turne us back from our way then it doth God from his when men by occasion of his forbearance treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4.5 we must indeed tremble to be the Cause of sin in any person but to such as turne all things to their destruction our well doing may be an occasion of sin without any fault of ours Lastly it may be objected that the oppression of Governours may Infringe publike liberty which men by bearing and submitting unto them may betray and so not only suffer their owne wrongs but occasion publike Injuries to the State the welfare whereof should be dearer to them then their owne lives To this exception let me crave leave to answer First that no man denyes unto any one liberty out of true zeale and affection to publike good within the respective limits of his place modestly to pleade his own and the publike right yea a further too so he Infringe not publike peace or deny or withold due respects and undoubled duties to authority Constantly to oppose himselfe to such Injuryes as may wound the State through his sides Secondly no man can or will Justifie the mixture of Carnall affections as too often thrust in with Godly zeale in such Commendable Indeavours and carry on even good men sometimes in over earnest prosecutions beyond the bounds of Christian duty and moderation and thereby draw on Jealousies and ill Constructions upon Justifiable actions and Intentions from such as want either will or knowledge to distinguish betwixt the body of an action and the Circumstances that accompanie the performances Thirdly I utterly abhorre the hypocrisie of such as like the Jews adversaries Ezra 4.2 Closing in with zealous and Godly Patriots in their Indeavours for publike State notwithstanding Indeed seedeth the humours of their own turbulent spirits by factious oppositions or at the best further their own private ends under colour of advancing the publike good Of this by respect I cannot acquit some of our Merchants who taking advantage of the Contestation concerning payment of Custome under the