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	know_v	soul_n	2,162	5	5.1925	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90094	Observations upon the instructions for the taking the vovv and covenant throughout England.	England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons.	1643 (1643)	Wing O119; Thomason E64_9; ESTC R11387	9,396	17

will plunge themselves in or make themselves liable unto no tongue can expresse though there is enough expressed in a few words by two of the Prophets Malacie and Zacharie to make any takers of this new oath to tremble at the very reading of it consult the words I beseech you Mal. 3. 5. and Zac. 5. 2 3 4. Into what a sad condition then will the imposing this new Covenant cast thousands and ten thousands of poore soules throughout rhis miserable Kingdome Fear and the pit and the snare as once the Prophet Esay spake are upon thee O inhabitant of this Nation He that flyeth from the noise of the feare shall fall into pit and he that commeth up out of the middest of the pit shall bee taken in the snare If men doe not take this oath the feare of being plundered imprisoned and utterly ruined in their estates will seise upon them there is the feare if they do take this oath the guilt of Gods displeasure against rebellion treason and perjury that swallowes them up there is the pit and whether they take it or take it not they themselves are taken there is the snare Now hee that flyeth from the noise of that feare so as to rush into the new covenant as multitudes are likely to doe he cannot but fall into the pit of Gods displeasure and if then through Gods mercy one deep calling upon another he chance to recover out of that pit by confessing his sin and humbling his soule for it and so returne to his former duty towards God and his Vicegerent then he is sure to be maligned and persecuted perhaps more then if he had never taken this oath by them that persist in their iniquity and whatsoever he doth he is sure to be undone Oh the matchlesse cruelty of this mercilesse Oath In all former Orders and Ordinances they did but angle for us as the Prophet complained of some Hab. 1. 15. my meaning is they caught but here and there one of us but by this order they intend to catch us all as in a net and to gather us together as in a drag All the heavy impositions taxes plunderings rapines and other grievous oppressions whereby mens estates have been exhausted all the lies slanders and false accusations whereby mens good names have been blasted and all the restraints imprisonments and other illegall and unchristian pursutes wherewith mens bodies have been vexed are not to be named the same age with this one act of cruelty to mens soules so much the more cruell because the cruelty is the lesse discernable being maskt with the pretence of Religion like those poysons that looke fairest and kill soonest and surest How fitly may that pious wish of Hilary against Constantius be now taken up by every sufferer in this cause O that thou who art the Omnipotent God Creator of all things and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ wouldst have been pleased to have ordered my age and time that I might have fulfilled this office of making this my confession of thee and thine only Son for this truth which I suffer for is thine and thy Sons as well as any truth whats●ever in the times of Nero or Decius for then my happy fight or combat had beene against such absolute enemies that no doubt would have been made but that they were persecutors which would with tortures sword and fire compell mee to deny thee neither needed we then to do more to approve our selves to thee then to suffer death for thee We Christians were wont to fight openly and boldly against those that openly deny thee and torment and slay those that are thine and if our case were such now thy people would accompany us as their Captaines and leaders in making the like religious confession with us but we fight against a close deceitfull persecuter against a fawning enemy against an enemy that doth not openly threaten fire and fagget but privately kindle hell fire against us that doth not intend to overcome but to domineere that confesseth thy Christ that he may deny him that pretends to procure unity or association that there may be peace that suppresseth Heresies that there may be no Christians that honours Priests that there may be no Bishops c. And how well may others be admonished in this case as the wise man counselleth his son Proverb 1. My son if sinners entice thee consent thou not If they say Come with us let us lay wait for bloud let us lurke privily for the innocent without cause let us swallow them alive as the grave and whole as those that goe downe into the pit We shall finde all pretious substance wee shall fill our houses with spoyle c. And high time it is for all honest men to take up that prayer of David Psal 17. Here the right O Lord attend unto my cry c. And till God shall heare this prayer let all wait with patience suffer with courage let us neither be over carefull for the things fo this life nor over fearfull to part with them and life and all for truth and righteousnesse sake Let us remember that when men revile us and persecute us and speake all manner of evill against us falsely for Christ then we are blessed and therefore have cause to rejoyce and be exceeding glad knowing that great is our reward which is in heaven Let us in a word not feare them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but let us fear him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell From whence and from all things leading thereunto especially from this new Oath Vow and Covenant Good Lord deliver us Finis