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	soul_n	spirit_n	3,520	5	5.4686	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25844	The armies vindication of this last change wherein, is plainly demonstrated, the equity, power and right of the army to settle these nations upon the foundations of righteousnesse and freedome : together, with answers to the most material objections made against them.		1659 (1659)	Wing A3719; ESTC R13587	14,976	25

s beyond question to ask by what law or Authority the Army could dissolve the Parliament they were obedient while they set them in Power over them but when they thought of changing their Masters they might do it without breach of any law where there is no law there is no transgression And had the good People known the bottom of the Parliaments proceedings and how they were about to espouse a National Interest intending to have thrown the Government upon the spirit of the Nation no question but all unbyassed good men in the Nation would have concurred as much with the Army in this last breach as in the former but here one precipitant action draws on another and many mens judgments were surprised in this last action of dissolving the Parliament more than in the former But when good men have their eyes open to see that their Lives and Liberty their safety and security is wrapt up with the Armies Interest as ever the peoples did in King and Parliaments No question but as one piece as one body as one soule and spirit they will agree to such a Government as may best secure their own safety and the good of the whole Nation That which causes men of carnall and earthly minds to rage and fret and to strive like a Bull in a net because we setle not upon a worldly foundation a Constitution that may take in the spirit of the Nation in all its filth and corruption in all its malignity and enmity that we may not make up a Heterogeneall body a mixture of Iron and Clay What were this but to return to Aegypt to the Oynions and Garlick a going back to the house of bondage to be intangled with the customes and manners of Aegypt this were but to be brought to the place where we first begun and so to suffer loss yea all the price of Blood and Treasure the fruit of all the Prayers and Teares that have been spent but the way is to go forward we must to Canaan the Land of peace and truth of righteousness and justice and short of this we must not sit down Object 2. In the second place Some charge the Army of a second Apostacy and back sliding which they seemed of late to repent off and that they confessed they lost the presence of God ever since they first interrupted the Parliament Answ That the Presence of God went a long time with the Actions of the Parliament this is acknowledged by all good people as well as by the Army and this was one of the grounds of the Armies inviting it to sit this last time but that they lost the presence of God by breaking the Parliament or ever since they were broken this was never acknowledged by the Army they must then have been fals to their own experience for all know that the good people did as much rejoyce at the Parliaments first breaking as at any act of Providence that had been done amongst us and the presence of God appeared much more in the time of the Little Assembly than in the latter end of the long Parliament But the Apostasies and backslidings the Army did bewaile was for dancing after the pipe of a single Person and together therewith espousing a worldly Interest and so building up the broken walls of the City Jericho that they made them a Calf in the Wildernesse this was the sin of the then General and the Army though most of the Army were passive as to the setting up of such a Single Power But the last act of Apostacy in the Army was to give a new Resurrection to this Parliament which was so signally disowned of God and his people long before not but there were good things and good men found in it but what was this but to return to Aegypt for help Why doe we speak so high for a Parliament is it not a worldly Constitution a Body sitted for a King the Interest of the Nation not of the people of God and every whit as Babylonish as Kingship it self at best the most of them are men of estates under some prudent qualifications This Constitution hath been excellent in its season and while there was life and power in it we could not but honour it but that having been the hand that brought us out of Aegypt into the Wildernesse it must die at mount Nebo it cannot carry us into the land of Rest and Settlement to strive about it is to raise the body of Moses to honour a dead Carcasse to repair a broken Idoll that can no longer be the Interest of the kingdome of Christ or his people I would not be mistaken as if I had not great respects for those Members in this last Parliament that were worthy I speak not against their Persons but am only shewing the weaknesse of a worldly Constitution I do desire in my heart that those who were Members would come a little beyond that old form of Government and espouse themselves with the Cause they have heretofore managed and to act under such a Form of Government that Providence shall designe which by love and union may prove much more comfortable and safe both for them and us Object 3. Again it s commonly said that the Army is bound to subject to such as raise monies and pay them Answ For Answer hereunto It s well known that this Army for the most part of them took up Arms out of Judgment and Conscience and not as a Mercenary Army but who goeth a warfare at his own charge If the Pay of the Army should make them serve the wils and lusts of men and let go the Interest of good men they could not answer the end of their pay it is rather the end should commen surate the action and will more doe so than the means can direct to the end and it is not so considerable who pays the Army as for the Army to consider wherefore they are paid If they keep their eye to the right end the safety and Liberty of honest men this will more crowne their actions then to serve the humours of such as pay them The Malignant Neuter and malecontent cry out against Taxes excise not so much from the Burthen of them as from their enmity against the Army who are as a girdle of strength to the righteous in the Land and a bank to keep out that sea of misery that an inraged enemy would inflict upon them But when shall we hear any of these men complaine of the corruption of the Courts of Justice or of the oppression of the common Lawyers Who sell the poor for shoos and the needy for silver Little complaint is made of these though I am very confident they pick as much monies out of the pockets of poor people as would in a very great measure maintain the Armies in the three Nations this oppression men love and plead for as being most natural to them as most suitable to an old corrupt interest But I

dare say that no honest man interested in the cause of God and of his people of an unbyassed judgment of a publick spirit truly minding his own welfare and the lives and liberties of his brethren can be against convenient pay for the Army Considering they carry themselves with love and tenderness not Robing nor Plundering those under their power but defending the rights and properties of all being under a severe discipline they are civill and of good behavour I say no man that is in his right minde can be against their pay except he be an enemy It 's well known they grounded great necessities to save the purses of the people there is the same reason of their pay as of their continuance and both are of an indispensable necessity Object 4. In the next place it 's said that be the intentions of the Army never so good yet they must not doe the least evill that the greatest good should come thereby Ans It 's true we must not chuse the least evill yet howere evill may cleave to our actions so there may appear to be much weaknesse and darknesse in some actions of the Army their work being to destroy and pull downe as those that pull down old houses cannot but trouble the eyes of the stander by so that some of their wayes may be accompanied with precipitancy and rashnesse but who is it that doth not plough with an Ox and an Asse in his best services and doth not blemish his best duties with some notable defects Moses smote the rock twice Numb 20.11 And Rahab concealed the two spies by telling an untruth yea and she seemed to do it with unfaithfullness to her owne country But the Author to the Hebrews tells us she did it by faith that is she by warrant of some particular revelation received from God did this believing that the Lord was the author of the War was with his people in the Wildernesse and would give them their Land and therefore God doth cover her defects and declares it an Act of faith So I believe many in the Army act by faith believing the Lord will shake all Nations untill the desire of Nations come and hence the Lord will overlook all irregularityes and weaknesses that mhy cleave to theer actions in pulling down worldly powers The men of the world are chiefly offended because the kingdome of Christ is at the very door it s so conspicuous and bright that it makes men rage and fume they know not how to resist it because its unresistable and they cannot own it because it suits not with the Worlds wisdome and policy It s likely to be much rejected of this generation to whom its first offered Men are pleased to view Christs kingdome at a distance as the Jews could converse with Christ in types and shadows but when he comes indeed they reject him so will it be with this Generation 5. Object It is farther urged that we must be subject to eivil powers as to the Ordinance of God the powers that be ordained of God Rom 13.1 The usurp'd powers of the Roman Emperour was ordained of God Answ The answer for this is at hand A Military power is us truly an Ordinance of God as any other and superior to it The antient Government being irrecoverably lost the Army with the good People in the condition of Conquerors being an Army cloathed with the peace freedom and privileges of the good people this is as rational and as just as any other Government and much better and most suitable then any other for us at this day as I shall shew hereafter It 's therefore necessary for us to know that a Military power is as much an Ordinance of God as the Civil if not more and the Lord doth as usually delight to appear in this form of Government as in any other he is stiled the Lord of Hosts very often he doth also manifest it in the Creation casting his work into the mould of an Army when he had finished the heaven and earth and the Host of them Gen. 2.1 In his Providence he is said to pitch his Tent about them that fear him when he redeems he comes as a man of War with his garments dipt in blood Isu 9. When he comes to destroy Antichrist comes with his Arm es in heaven when he comes to judge he comes with thousands of Angells And thus the Lord rejorceth to come forth in a Military cloathing And therefore know that an Army is an Ordinance of God appointed by him as the most absolute perfect power on earth having the substance of all Governments contajned in it This was Rubens portion and 't is called the Excellencie of Dignitie the Excellency of Strength Hence all Governments are called powers and in Scripture called the Sword The Apostle speaking of the Civil Magistrate saith He bears not the sword in vain By this we see the Sword is an Ordinance of God and must be subjected unto as well as Civil power 6. Objection In the next place it is often demanded How it was such a hainous crime in the King to demand but five Members and no breach at all in the Army to dissolve the whole Parlament Answ It is answered thus When the King came to pluck out the Five Members out of the House he came in a hostile manner in a time of Peace when the Government of the Nation was whole and intire standing in its full strength and luster But now the Act of the Army is quite another thing the Government being broken and shattered and that remaining part of the Parkament was very lame and defective and this standing onely by the Armies power this lessens the Crime if not wholly obleterated 7. Object Another Objection to be removed is this Did not Essex and Waller disband at the command of the Parlament and why not this Army Answer The Earle of Essex with others were called in by the Self-denying Ordinance as they were Members of Parlament and the Government was in the same condition as whole as intire as when they were first sent out Besides they were not crowned with such victories and success as the Army since was and moreover there had been never such a breach of Trust committed by the Parlament as after all those victories they were about giving all up to the King again as by the personal Treaty was like to be done and so those that had ventured their lives should have been left to the mercy of an inraged enemy Upon this the people make their Appeals to the Army to interpose in those concernments Now if the Army had disbanded at such a time it would have been to subjected their lives and liberties so dearly purchased to the lusts and designs of evill men all which in conscience and duty to God and man they were bound to preserve Besides the case of the Nine Officers that made the breach now was quite another thing then that of disbanding it