Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	believe_v	scripture_n	word_n	1,385	5	4.3491	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85411	A post-script, or appendix to a treatise lately published by authority, intituled, Hagio-Mastix, or the scourge of the saints displaid in his colours of ignorance and blood. Being an explication of the third verse of the thirteenth chapter of the prophecie of Zacharie; (the tenour whereof is this: and it shall come to passe, that when any shall yet prophecie, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, thou shalt not live, for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him, shall thrust him through when he prophecieth.) According to the analogie of the Sriptures [sic], the scope and exigency of the context, and the sence of the best expositors upon the place. / By John Goodwin a servant of God and men, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.; Hagiomastix. Appendix	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1647 (1647)	Wing G1191; Thomason E383_10; ESTC R201432	31,560	34

pregnant Relation wherein they stand unto God as their Father That herein I charge them not but with the royall assent of Truth is evident from hence There is scarce any Divine or Protestant Author having a like occasion to speak of the same subject but have expressed themselves upon the point wherein I am made an offender in terms far more obnoxious to exception then mine a and yet my accusers are all thoughts made for them and as men in whose mouths there are neither complaints nor reproofs Why these Authors either have ordered the Scriptures and High Presbyterie and made them to agree or else they had no occasion to take notice of any disagreement between them But because I have so demonstratively proved that the Scriptures and High Presbyterie point like East and West one diametrally opposite to the other Ergo therefore my saying that it is no foundation of Christian Religion to beleeve that the English Scriptures are the word of God is a deniall of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures simply though another mans saying twice as much would have amounted to no such sum of indignation But that I daily fight with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men what advantageth it me if the Scriptures be not the word of God Or why have I bought so many Scripture Truths at such great rates as I have done as with the losse of Friends credit esteem with men estate yea of all hope that I say not possibility of bettering my portion and condition in the world as low as it is if I beleeve them not to be the word of God Why did I so lately suffer a Sequestration from or ejection out of my free hold the best means I had in the world for the support and livelyhood of my self wife and seven children for none other cause or crime that ever I could hear of but for endeavouring to go before others in an example of a reall Reformation .i. For my conscientious and faithfull observance of the solemn Covenant after by publique Order and injunction from Authority I had taken it if I believe not the Scriptures to be the word of God Certainly if I did not really and cordially beleeve them to be the word of God I would beleeve them as prudently as many others do I would so beleeve them as not to be disturbed by them or any thing in them in my worldly interests I would so believe them as to keep fair quarter with soft raiment great purses full tables and benches of honour notwithstanding nor would I sacrifice the least degree of my hope of rising in the world upon the service of any thing whatsoever contained in them Nay did I not verily believe them to be the word of God I would not for their sakes nor for the vindication of any thing which they say expose my self as now I do to the clamorous and stingling tongues of an ill imployed and I fear a worse spirited generation of informers God forgive them for I hope charitably that they know not what they do I would write no books that should deserve burning by the common Hangman * but such onely which should be welcome to and judged worthy to be sold at the signe of the Bible it self For I confesse that I am neither Stoick nor Cynick I had rather abound then be in want I had rather have the good wills and the good words of my generation then their bad and that the greatnesse of this world should rather smile then frown upon me And for the acquirement and injoyment of my desires in all these I conceive I had as fair and large opportunities as others of my Brethren in the Ministery and had a price in my hand as sufficient I make no question for the purchase as many of those who have bought possesse and injoy whose felicity or advancement by their purchase I God is my witnesse no waies emulate or envy For I judge it in many cases best for the peace and accomodation of the world that they should enjoy the great things of the world who least know how to want them or what to do without them But that which mainly separated between me and the injoyment of my desires in this kinde was nothing else but my believing the Scriptures to be the word of God this principle within me was I confesse too stiffe and stately to bow down at the feet of worldly accomodations and these on the other hand thought themselves too good to subject themselves unto or comport with that my principle and since they thus mutually resented the genius and temper one of another they have been strangers and kept at a distance and by this time scarce know remember or take much care one for the other It was a very irrationall and incongruous imputation which some cast upon Paul that he should preach Circumcision when as he suffered so deeply as he did for non-preaching at least for non-practising of it And I Brethren saith he if I yet preach circumcision why do I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the crosse ceased a And certainly reasonable and considering men being Judges my accusation of denying the divine Authority of the Scriptures is every whit as senselesse and importune when as I suffer and have suffered every waies in my credit name friends estate ease yea and expose my self daily to further sufferings onely for believing and acting this my belief of their Authority My belief in this kinde hath dealt as hardly by me as the Lord did by Balaam in Balaks interpretation I thought saith he to him to promote thee to great honour but so the Lord hath kept thee back from honour b But that belief I speak of which hath reigned in me and over me hitherto and hath blessed me with such an abundance of peace and comfort in sufferings for it will not I hope forsake her throne till either she hath overcome mine enemies and so delivered me from suffering further or else changed the contemptiblenesse of what I am yet capable to suffer further in into that spirit of glory which resteth on those that suffer for the Name of Christ b For I am resolved God assisting not to be ashamed of any of Christs words c nor to forbear upon occasion the freest utterance and asserting of them before what generation soever and hope that neither Name nor Friends nor Estate nor Liberty nor life it self which have not betrayed me hitherto will ever for the future prove any snare of death unto me or hinder me from finishing my course with joy d If I shall miscarry or fall in any of my standings up for the Truth the inconvenience or losse is already cast up by Luthers Arithmetique Malo cum Christo ruere quam cum Caesare stare I had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar I have begun to build a tower and trust I have wherewith to finish it I

A Post-script or Appendix TO A TREATISE Lately published by Authority Intituled HAGIO-MASTIX OR The Scourge of the Saints displaid in his colours of Ignorance and Blood Being an Explication of the third verse of the thirteenth Chapter of the Prophecie of Zacharie the tenour whereof is this And it shall come to passe that when any shall yet prophecie then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lies in the Name of the Lord and his Father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophecieth According to the analogie of the Sriptures the scope and exigency of the context and the sence of the best Expositors upon the place By John Goodwin a servant of God and men in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Ioh. 7. 24. Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement Quidam Christianae ac fraternae charitatis obliti in tantum existimationem nostram quoquo modo student laedere ut suam se evertere nocendi cupiditate non videant Aug. in Resp. ad Artic. Sibi false impositos Prophetae fuerunt viri eloquentes crebróque sunt usi tropis in scribendo quibus multa obtexerunt Aug. de Doctr. Christ l. 4. c. 7. Mira profunditas eloquiorum tuorum quorum ecce ante nos superficies blandiens parvulis sed mira profunditas Deus meus mira profunditas Horror est intendere in eam horror honoris tremor amoris Aug. Confess l. 12. c. 14. Quod est gladius ad vaginam granum ad aristam anima ad corpus hoc est sensus genuinus ad ipsa verba Sacrae Scripturae Corn à Lapide In Argumento super 12. Prophetas London Printed for H Overton and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Ally A Preface to the Reader GOOD READER I Have almost daily occasion as well to reverence as remember this gracious dispensation of God which elsewhere I have taken knowledge of in some of my writings that whereas his Saints and Servants commonly lie under the sorrow and shame of many infirmities and some unworthy doings yet he so governs and orders the ill will of their adversaries that they seldom in their defamations or hard speakings against them hit upon these but commonly lay the burden upon the whole shoulder where the Saints are strongest and best able to bear it charging them with such crimes and matters of disparagement not onely whereof they are altogether innocent and free but which are most contrary to their choicest vertues and to the tenour of such practises which are their chiefest honour and commendation Joseph as great a pattern of chastity as Abraham was of faith was yet defamed and accused as an Adulterer and a violent attempter of the chastitie of others a Moses who was meek above all the men on earth b was yet charged to take too much upon him and to lift up himself above the congregation of the Lord c The Prophet Elijah who was indeed the chariot and horsemen of Israel d i. a speciall means and noble instrument of the safety of Israel was neverthelesse arrested by Ahab as he that is as the onely man that troubled Israel e To passe by for the present many more instances of like consideration the Lord Christ himself was represented and accused as an enemy unto Caesar f who yet was Caesars best friend being he by whom Kings reign and Princes rule g For my self I know my self to be compassed about with as many infirmities as the weakest of men and my great unworthinesse in many things is daily before me yet it hath pleased my God whom I serve in the Gospel of his dear Son still to hide my nakednesse from mine enemies though many in number and diligent inquirers after it and so to dispose of their hatred and ill will against me that the fiery darts of their accusations have still hit where my brest-plate of righteousnesse is and hath been most firme and of best proof It is too much for me to say of my self nor will I say it but it would be a truth comely enough in the mouths of some others to say that I am if not the best yet none of the worst Friends which the Divine Authority of the Scriptures hath amongst men and that I have been as diligent as faithfull as laborious an Assertor thereof as any of those who think themselves more worthy of the crown All that I shall say of my self in this behalf is that if I have done any service for the world since my entrance into it or if the souls and consciences of men have any cause at all to blesse me it is because I have cloathed them with strength and confidence of the royall parentage and descent of the Scriptures and subdued their fears and jealousies of any subornation in that kinde under their feet or rather that I have attempted with all my heart and all my soul to do them Notwithstanding with what importune clamour and virulency of spirit I have been of late traduced not onely to vulgar cognizance but to Authority it self as an enemy unto and opposer of the heavenly Originall of the Scriptures by some who out of zeal to God for so they glosse the practise neglect their own Trades and Imployments to follow Satans in accusing the Brethren h is so well known throughout the City that any farther information from me would be an impertinency But though Joseph was accused as an enemy to the chastity of his mistresse yet the true reason and ground of his accusation as the Scripture informeth us was not his enmity but his faithfulnesse thereunto in like manner though the matter of my accusation from the mouths of men he opposition to the Scriptures yet I make little question but that the reall and true cause hereof was not my opposing but my avouching the Scriptures as the Oracles or word of God by a strong and pregnant eviction from them of a notorious unworthinesse in those practises and proceedings against the Saints wherein these men with their fellows were to the reproach not of Christian Religion onely but of humanity it self engaged But all things saith the Apostle that are to be reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light i. is by this act of manifestation or discovery clearly evinced to be light Eph. 5. 13. And as Joseph's Mistresse accused him to his Lord for an adulterous attempt upon her because he refused to be adulterous with her so because I have constantly refused to misfigure the face of the Scriptures and destroy the character of the Divine glory which is stamped upon them by compelling them to serve in the wars of High Presbyterie against both themselves the Saints and the Truth therefore have these men accused me before Authority as if I had blasphemed their honour and contradicted that manifest and