Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bear_v	good_a	great_a	1,656	5	2.4302	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28514	An alarme beat vp in Sion, to vvar against Babylon, or, The svmme of a sermon upon Revelation 18 and the 6 preached at Knowle, before the Honourable the Committee of the county of Kent, on the 13 of Iune, anno 1664, and by the said Honourable Committee required to be published / by Joseph Boden ...	Boden, Joseph, b. 1605 or 6.	1644 (1644)	Wing B3390; ESTC R15357	27,628	40

of the like nature any other then so many callings out of the godly and well-affected to take up their Armes draw and use their swords in the Lambs cause against the Babylonian beasts and beastly Babylonians Not that I would encourage any man to Duell it in his owne avengement or for his private honour for that argues basenesse of spirit and begets a blot with all truely noble and generous ones I would hese have every Christian to stand upon his reputation and after and amidst so many and so proud challengings not to discover pusillanimous and ignoble spirits What hath Antichrist done for them they dare be so bold and what hath not Christ done for us that we should now in these dayes of darings be dastardly hen-hearted and effeminate But enough for confirmation the poynt would be applied and may first informe us who and what manner of men they are whom we must looke upon and expect to be most active and instrumentall against the Antichristian partie viz. Those that either have not drunke of or else have vomited up the wine of Romes fornications whether we respect her Cup of first Idolatrie or secondly Libertie for this hath ever beene the policie of that strumpet to hamper men in the bonds of Idolatrous and superstitious worship and to enlarge them in the way of licentious profanenesse it is enough if Satan can make men zealous according to his principles of religion and devotion although they be most remisse and carelesse in the things of Gods commandements these men are so ensnared and fettered as that it is their very death to part with their bands the gyves are so fastened upon their hearts and hands that there is no expecting any thing in way of Sious enlargement from them Wonder not to see men of this world slow to a warre against Antichrist For this were to act against first their owne interest for here they have their portion Psal. 17. 14. the creature is the totall stay and support of their hearts it is not possible that these shall doe any thing in a warre against Antichrist but thoughts presently arise of the givings out and emptyings of their God their good is in the enjoyment of earthly supports let these be called for and taken away and their heart is down they give up all as lost because their goods are called for they instantly conclude their God is gone they know no other and therefore they can doe no better Secondly if these should act it were to move against their owne ends the purposes and determinations of their hearts are to eate drinke and take their ease they are devoted servants of the flesh and therefore may not act against those waies and things that give them full leave and libertie to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of the same If they act against Babylon they can neither grow great nor enjoy pleasures in their sense And hence it is they pity her rather then act against her as in their owne language we read Revel. 18. 19. Alas alas that great Citie wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costlinesse for in one houre she is made desolate Let it not trouble us that great Doctors and profane Proctors with c. doe not act against but for Antichrist their interest engageth them and they must be all true and faithfull to their base and carnall ends Their ships are forth in a voyage for lust and lucre and they would not for a world they should misse of their fraight or perish in their adventure for trading and commerce with Babylon the truth is selfe-seekers are no fit men to act against Babylonians Hence we have a discoverie of the reason why the Antichristian state stands so long and strong in the world And that is because the people of God generally and for the most part have done but one halfe of their dutie if so much against Babylon We should have used the sword and the speare as well as the pen and the pulpit in seeking her demolishment and fall we should have had battels fought as well as bookes written she should have beene disheartened as well as discovered we should have dashed in pieces her carnall as well as her spirituall props We should have overthrowne her towers as well as her tenets We ought to have discharged our cānons as well as our consciences against her We should have used our armes as much nay more then our arguments against her For these would have overcome when those could not perswade We should have dispatched and not disputed her out of the world we have not done all our worke and why should we expect all our wages in the fall of Babylon But is not this a piece of strange and harsh if not false doctrine may some men say Shall we from the pulpit perswade men to use their armes and that to the utter destruction and ruine of others I know it will be thus objected but what of that I matter not the murmurings or mutterings of men so long as I have a warrant from the word to back me and beare me out And therefore here Fourthly the people of God have a commission not onely for a defensive but an offensive Militia and posture of Warre I know many have taken great paines and to good purpose to prove it lawfull in the present cause of God the kingdome and Parliament to take up and make use of Armes in the defence of Religion the Church and the truths of God therein but by the light of my Text and Doctrine I shall make bold to goe one step further and not onely to preach but presse the Saints to put on keepe on and use manfully weapons of offence against the brats of Babylon And I shall hence and here boldly affirme that he who now startles and staggereth delayeth and refuseth with the Parliament and their partie to beare and use Armes against the Prelates Papists and Atheists with all the frie of Antichristian factors and panders is no other then a rebell and traytour against God For let these men cry up as much as they can and with as wide and loud a mouth as they are able the Protestant I am sure they have never knowne or beene acquainted with the Christian Religion For to forbeare or be mercifull to these Babylonians is both injustice and cruelty to the Church our selves and posteritie To the Church of Christ For these are her open enemies who have endevoured and are still a plotting how to withdraw her from her stedfastnesse in the faith that they might estrange her heart from her husband Christ to doate upon and to paramoure it with that grand Idoll of Rome and to make her of the Temple of God the Synagogue of Satan And how such as these should be used read Deut. 13. per totum But you will say we are referred to the doctrine of Moses and the Old

of God and for the testimony which they hold cryed with a loud voyce saying How long ô Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Revel. 6. 9 10. But what can prayers doe it is confessed they are of great prevalencie with God but for all our prayers enemies are enemies still Babylonians are Babylonians still Antichristians are Antichristians still men are implacable inexorable in their evils still especially those they act against the Church and people of God To our prayers therefore we must joyne and adde our spirits and let it appeare that our prayers have so had power with God as to encourage our hearts and hands to warre against Babylon We make our prayers to God that he would avenge us of our enemies yea saith the Lord I will but you must help to avenge your selves you would have Babylon down you shall it shall be so your desires and prayers are granted onely you must venture and hazard a little blood let us see can you spare a life that Babylonians may die I will doe my part but I will have my people to doe theirs also put your hands to the worke and I will not pull back mine reward her as she hath rewarded you if you will have me to doe your will in heaven doe you my will on earth my people and I are both of a minde we would have Babylon brought down and totally routed and ruined onely here is the difference they would have me to doe all and I will have them to doe some Let them but up and act and it shall soon be seen that the Lord is their help Again lastly I shall clearely confirme the point from the consideration of those engagements that lye upon the people of God to be active in rewarding Babylon as she hath rewarded them in doubling to her according to her works in the cup that she hath filled of filling her double and the obligements are many but these shall serve at present An obligement of profession is upon them they publish to the world that they are the servants and souldiers of the Lambe and therefore they must bestirre themselves that their Lord may overcome they must not onely enter and list themselves take pay we are their colours and live upon the provision of the camp but they must play the men and fight also It is observable Revel. 17. 14. that those who were with the Lambe when he makes warre with the ten horns that receive power as kings at one houre with the Beast were called and chosen and faithfull this is the commendation of a souldier indeed not onely to be called and chosen but that also in all and above all he be found faithfull and our fidelitie to Christ cannot more be seene or better exercised then when not onely as men but Christians also we act valiantly and constantly against the Antichristian brood in the world who wage warre against our King and Generall Christ They have assurance that in the blood of the Lambe they shall overcome Revel. 12. 11. My brethren who dares or can be a coward that hath it ascertained unto him upon unquestionable warrantie that without doubt he shall get the better and overcome in the battell that whether he kill or be killed he shall be looked upon and honoured as a conquerour yea certainly he shall triumph and see his captivitie led captive And this is the condition of all the faithfull souldiers in the Lambs warre against the Beast and his partie For there is that blood already shed that hath overcome them all for us Suppose those we are to encounter be kings their strength is broken crushed and made weake we have our feet upon their necks whiles we goe forth to the warre Our Ioshua hath conquered and we goe after him onely to take the spoile and triumph For he is king of kings and Lord of lords Rev. 17. 14. the field is fought and wonne we onely goe forth to fetch in the trophies of victory We have comfortable and abundant experience of and from the people of God who in this businesse of rewarding Babylon as she hath rewarded them have out of small beginnings come up to great and honourable atchievements Time would faile me to relate many instance of former dayes doe but reade over Gods dealings with his Church in these seven last yeares within the compasse and confines of Great BRITAINE and tell me whether there be not experience upon experience herein even to no lesse then wonders and miracles Scotland weake and poore animated into a Covenant to stand out in this worke against all thwarts plots armies men and devils I had wel-nigh said In England God using meanes that his banished be not expelled from him the righteous brought out of trouble and the wicked coming in their stead Courts full of vexation if not injustice tumbled downe into their first principles of non entitie In warres for the most part the Parliament successefull or not utterly destroyed able still to doe something for God and his cause even to the envie of the adversarie And in the beginnings of reformation more successefull and blessed then in formerly expected periods We would heretofore have thought our selves happy to have ended where we now thinke there is scarce a beginning But to come to Kent for whom and with whom I have to doe in this service how were we unworthy prospered in subduing not over a twelve-moneth since a desperate insurrection without either skill or helpe almost in any but our God who till a considerable number of faithfull ones were gathered and till the heart and strength of the wicked was wel-neare broken and scattered continued his raine of love to his people but of wrath and confusion to his enemies and hath twice since then defended us from the invasions of cruell and bloud-thirstie men Oh that we could never forget these mercies to serve God according to the engagements they lay upon us and that here we could as David from remembrance of the Lion and the Beare gather heart to act further and further against the brood of babylonians because we have cause to beleeve that he who delivered us from so great deaths and doth deliver us will also in Christ Iesus deliver us to and in the end The continued darings challengings and provocations of the Antichristian party For besides their wondering after and worshipping of the beast saying Who is like unto the beast who is able to make warre with him Revel. 13. 4. have they not gathered together in Armes and Armies against the Lord and against his Christ Nay are they not daily more and more mad and desperate in their mischiefe conceived against the Church Doe they not hourely beat up their Alarmes and bid defiance to the people of the most High Do they not rob spoil and plunder all where ever they come and are these things with many more

therefore they cannot they will not lift up thier hands and draw their swords to evenge Sion upon Babylon their onely trouble in these times is that trading is obstructed and that their incomes are so few and disproportionable to their imbounded greedings and gripings after perishing substances here it sticks they cannot act for heaven because their minds are onely set upon things earthly and below An obstinate shutting of mens eyes against the plaine and cleare discoveries of the truth most men speake themselves wilfully obstinate and that they will not heare with both eares they cannot be perswaded to reade on both sides God hath in justice blinded their eyes that they should beleeve alye because they receive neither the knowledge nor love of the truth many have onely looked upon Declarations and Protestations from Oxford though possibly penned with the cheating spirit of some dissembling Priest or Prelate with a purpose onely to deceive some poore and unstable souls that by giving them faire words as the proverbe hath it they may make fooles faine untill they have drawn them into some bloody acts of desperate mischiefe and villany but as for those Remonstrances and Declaration of Parliament holding forth the right of things to the view of heaven and earth these men have lived in an other world they have never heard of them but the truth is though they have heard of them yet they would not read them and so by obstinacie and stiffenesse have preoccupated thier own enlightning and conversion yea their hearts tell them they have been afraid of conviction and coming over to the truth and if this be not a tricke of Popery and the grand policie of the panders for the Babylonish strumpet to keepe men doting upon her painted deformities while they can keepe them hoodwineked from beholding true and reall beauties let the world judge Oh how are we here also striking in with Rome Romanisme who would be thought the onely Protestants of the world No marvell if he will not act for the truth that is resolved and hath determined with himselfe not to know it Personall guilt that lies upon the soule unexpiated When sinne rests upon the heart unpardoned oh how it makes the knees to smite the joynts to tremble and the hands to be feeble in such service as this of rewarding Babylon as she hath rewardedus Oh saith one I would goe forth in these warres and fight too but sinne within fights against me Oh if I should be killed in the battell I should everlastingly perish I have my wherecome drunkennesse Sabbath breaking blasphemies scoffings at the power of godlinesse and a numberlesse number of other transgressions upon my conscience they are unpardoned I have not got them washed away in the blood of Christ and if I should goe forth and be slaine all these would follow me to hell and therefore I conclude it is best to stay at home and make up the measure of my sinnes in this wickednesse also that I dare not act in Gods cause because I am wicked I deny not but some yea too many sinners are too desperate and doe least feare hell though they have most cause to dread it yet this also I am confident of that guilt and the terrour that attends it is a great obstacle in the way of many for how shall be dare to fight for God who considers that there is no reason that God should right with him and for him but against him if souldiers were lesse guiltie our warres would be more successefull it is not how many men but how many good men we send forth to the warre that we 〈◊〉 say of our warriours as David of Ahimaaz he is a good man and cometh with good 2 Sam. 18. 27. guilty men will never be godly souldiers but such as these godly ones we looke for and require in this warfare against Babylon He will fight best against Baal abroad who hath overcome Belial at home subdue thy lust and thy enemies cannot be unsbdued Deut. 28. 7. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thoe to be smitten before thy face They shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seven wayes A pretence of the cause of the King when the truth is men are false hearted to the cause of God And here I shall make bold since I am fallen upon this rocke not in any way of disloyaltie but if it be possible for satisfaction of those who want or will not use more learned helps to deale with oru staggerers and stumblers in way of querie and that which I shall now propose to them you may call it if you please the Malignants Catechisme First therefore I demand and require them upon their consciences as they will answer before God and his elect Angels to give in replies according to the truth of the light that is in them Is not our King or at least wise should he not be sworn and bound to governe according to the Law of the Land Did not all good people generally before the sitting of this Parliament groane and grieve for want of that Government Wherein hath the Parliament denied the King the benefit of any old established Law In making or proposing new Lawes wherein have they gone contrary to the Kings will but according to the Vote of both Houses for his and the Kingdoms good both spirituall and corporall It is reasonable in our State that the will of the King should be preferred before the Vote of the Kingdome In all overtures hath not the Parliament faithfully counselled and humbly petitioned Have not Parliament and people most grievously groaned under breach of p 〈…〉 edges and promises during this Session of Parliament It is not reason that all other Counsels should cease and give place to the Votes Results and Bils of Parliament Were ever publike offenders against the State so protected by force from the justice of a Parliament Might not the Parliament if they should deal as treacherously with us as many have dealt with them undoe us and all ours for after times both in point of Religion and Libertie in Vote and by one Law even in a moment without either the care cost or feare that they are daily put unto What good thing can the faithfull members of Parliament expect to themselves and their posteritie if the Parliament were dissolved or destroyed since to the sinne and shame of the English Nation they have beene deserted and abused during their Session Is it possible they should have any plot or designe but for the maintenance of true Religion and Libertie Is it utterly impossible that our King should be one of those tenne of whom we read Revel. 17. 13. that have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the beast Have we not seene the same designe driven forwards under diversitie of Agents and meanes Was not the