Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	great_a	time_n	2,037	5	3.3436	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31362	The moderate enquirer resolved in a plain description of several objections which are summed up together and treated upon by way of conference, concerning the contemned [sic] people commonly called Quakers who are the royal seed of God and whose innocency is here cleared in the answers to the many objections that are frequently produced by their opponents : which may be profitable for them to read that have any thing against them, and useful for all such as desire to know the certainty of those things which are most commonly reported of them / written in behalf of the brethren, in vindication of the truth, by VV. C.	Caton, William, 1636-1665.	1658 (1658)	Wing C1515; ESTC R29186	28,001	70

whom the law of the land alloweth tythe whether do they pay them or suffer the penalty of the law the cruelty of such men Res. O alas The covetous hirelings they are so spread over the Nation that scarce either city or parish are free of them and truly volums might be filed of the sufferings of these harmless people which they undergo have undergone in that particular through the cruelty mercilessness of that unreasonable generation of greedy perverse priests whose blessings are cursed whose seed is corrupted for truly they have even made havock of the people who for conscience sake cannot pay tythe therefore have their goods been pitifuly spoiled as hath been pretty largely published to the shame confusion of these merciless cruel men but a book of remembrance is writ and their actions are upon record Enq. But are these people so simple that they will not go to Law with those that wrong them what is not the Law open and the Magistrates will do justice will they not Res. If thou observed Christs words wel thou would not cal them simple for not going to Law with their adversaries for did he not say if any man wil sue thee at the Law and take away thy Coat let him have thy Cloak also now they that walk in his light who spoke these words they abide in his doctrine when their adversary hath sued them recovered treble damage taketh away twice the worth of that which he recovered they resist not but bears it patiently knowing this that there is one that wil plead their cause to vvhom vengeance belongs and he will repay And although that the law be open yet they are not free to go to it For what said Paul to the ●orinthians did he not tell them that there was utterly a fault among them because they did go to law one with another why saith he do you not rather take wrong why do you not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded so that here thou may see it doth not become Saints to go to Law and that especially before them that are out of the truth for such Magistrates will connive at the sufferings of the oppressed not reprove the oppressors who ought by magistrates to be rebuked But there are some prudent understanding men that are much wearied with being so daily incumbred with the beggerly suits of these covetous priests against these harmless innocent people And some of the Magistrates are backvvard enough in doing Justice and too forward in fulfilling the desires of unjust men vvho deals unjustly with these people this is not unknovvn to some in authority whose bovvels are sometime moved with compassion to behold the many greivances and annoyances vvhich are daily renewed upon these that fear the Lord Enq. I suppose that Saints in former ages have suffered much by the untoward generation have they not Res. Yea yea a cloud of vvitnesses might be produced of the sufferings of the Saints some of which had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings of bonds and imprisonments some of them were stoned others sawn assunder others slain with the sword c. he that was a precious Saint a sufferer by the untoward generation he testified and said that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God further he said that they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Enq. But these whom thou mentionest were comforted in the midest of their tribulations and sufferings are these people so Res. Yea they also are comforted in their tribulations that they are able to comfort them which are in trouble by the comfort wherewith they themselves are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in them so their consolation also aboundeth by Christ of which all the opposers and adversaries in the world cannot deprive them of they may be bereaved of their goods separated from their friends and brethren be debarred of their liberty freedom by the power of their adversary but his power extendeth not so far as to deprive them of their peace in him which is their life and of the comfort and consolation which they receive from him and that they prefer above the whole world Enq. and how comes it that so many of them are cast into priso● and some whipped and others banished from some places Is it for misdemeanour or for the truths sake Res. Thus it is many of them have been mov'd of the Lord to go to Steeple-houses wch are call'd churches to speak unto the priest people that which the Lord was pleased to lay upon them to declare it may be somtime before the priest had done and somtime after so some in authority being then present have forthwith sent them to prison for disturbing the congregation as they said it may be have caused them to be whip'd c. for this very particular hundreds have been put in prison several others have been cast into prison because they could not pay Tythe to the hireling Priests others because they could not swear others because they have not put off their Hats before Magistrates others for going to visit their friends that hath been in prison others for riding above five miles upon a first day to a meeting others for speaking a few words in a street or a market to people whom they have exhorted to fear the Lord others for speaking to ●ome upon the high way for such like ●hings as these are the most part of them 〈◊〉 if not all cast into prison and some of ●hem have been fined for standing cover●d before the Judge and hath laid above a ●ear or years in prison for non-paiment of the fine and some of them after they ●ave ●uffered imprisonment a certain time have been banished and sent away like ●agabonds more favour is shewed unto ●alefactors by many in authority then is ●fforded them and all this do they patiently suffer for righteousness sake Enq. It seems by thy relation of them they suffer much wrong do they not petition unto the powers of the earth for relief and make ●heir redress unto them in such causes Res. They cry unto them for Justice but to petition unto them as unto Gods they cannot in the least do it although many petitions have been put up against them but that doth not molest nor troubble them whose trust and confidence is in the Lord by whom they do expect to be delivered not by the arm of flesh their manifold greivances are not hid from the Lord who will arise and plead their cause and rebuke those that afflict them and severely punish those that do oppress them Enq. But in the mean time do they not seek to avenge themselves of their adversaries seei●g they are now become a great body Res. O no they have no such thoughts for they have referred their cause wholly to the Lord to