Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	good_a	sin_n	1,729	5	4.5767	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77380	Ioabs counsell and King Davids seasonable hearing it. Delivered in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons, at their late solemne fast, Feb. 22. By W. Bridges, preacher of the Gospell at Dunstans in the East, London.	Bridges, Walter.; Bridge, William, 1600?-1670, attributed name.; England and Wales. Parliament. aut	1643 (1643)	Wing B4484A; Thomason E92_21; ESTC R1548	15,640	32

ungodly quarrell Oh the wickednesse of this world No cause so ill or person so untoward that is or shall be without adherents as wickedly desperate as the undertaker can be in a case of mischiefe 3. And these (l) Ahitophel Sh●mei Z●ba A Counsellour a curser a cousener a party good enough for so bad an undertaking counsellers cursers colloguers what not We may see the old complaint too truly verified My Kingdom is not of this world c. John 18.36 All them that doe the Devils businesse shew their faithfulnesse if it may so be called the Lord Jesus hardly findes one to trust Concilium deforme voca● glomerantur in ●nū Innumerae pestes Erebi Quest this I am sure is a very sad spectacle to see a good cause have so few a bad so many friends But let us aske one question What marks or signes may be given for the discovery of and discerning betweene the good and bad cause side or party in such a sad spectacle of confusion 1. Solution Markes to know the best side in a time of warre 1. The M●rcy The best side is ever the mercifull side more sparing lesse cruell ready to say with him 2 Sam. 2.26 Shall the sword devoure for ever ready to doe like him 2 King 6.22 Thou hast taken them but smite them not set meate and drinke before them that they may refresh themselves and goe to their Master Marke this and where you finde it honour that side in times of sadnesse and combustion the worst Religion is ever most cruell Bastardly professions are ever full of bloud 2. The best quarrell is mixt not personall 2. Quarrell so God be not dishonoured sinne maintained they are ever as conscientious in laying downe as couragious in taking up Arms with such men sinne is a greater evill then warre and no shame like that not to defend Gods cause See Joshua 22.12 13. c. 3. Doth God give them victory 3. Clemency other men shall feele their clemency they will cause their enemies praise God they have and pray him they may fall into such hands 2 Sam. 19.23 Davids Cavalliers are under command If God will please to continue us yet under this sad condition as I am afraid he will these few rules I desire to present the people in a desolation publike 1. The Law (m) Jus legionis facile est 1. Non sequi 2. Non fugere bel●●m Veget. lib. 2. cap. 17. of warfare is especially in a good cause Doe not follow doe not flie an onset 2. Every spirituall warre consists in a conflict betweene the reason and the will Does ours so surely it doth 1. It is reason the Militia be in safe hands 2. Reason the Parliament punish grosse offenders 3. Reason men should part with some to defend all 4. * Matth. 13.41 Religion things be taken out of the Church that doe offend 3. God is a Warrier Allegory and continually fighteth against the sinner his enemy How does he defend Oh he is got into a walled Towne called Obstinacy the ditch about it is a great depth of sin the Turrets of those wals are pride and height of spirit but what are his weapons resistance of the holy Ghost and a wilfull extinguishing the light of his owne conscience his Captaine blindnesse and his souldiers in this warre inordinate affections his Counsellour is folly and his conquest hardnesse of heart with the forsaking of God and security Apply this to our present condition and you shall finde it to be Englands Looking-glasse The two next points viz. the battell and the victory yeeld us this That Christians ought in times of sadnesse to contemplate the actions of warre which are severally performed Doctr. 2 2. Things in war to be seene viz. on mans part the former for they can fight but on the part of God the latter he ordereth the victory God orders hereby our sight of things Reas 1 so 2 King 6.16 17. we see but halfe if we see man onely We see him taunting vaunting boasting threatning he will doe this and bring to passe that but we see God determining Esa 37.33 He shall not enter into this City nor c. God would hereby guide our affections griefe feare Reas 2 joy c. If a man see nothing but man he sees nothing but feare They enquire in Flanders they aske at Sea Are not all the Round-heads kild yet Cloisters and the whole rabble of the Romanists all contribute heads hearts hands purses and all to this warre yea Antichrist Tua res agitur is thy worke a doing But turne me out one of thy companions that can give the victory no that is out of all your reaches see 1 Sam. 14.20 It is God that giveth victory unto Kings Psal 144.10 God hereby orders his owne acknowledgements No sacrificing to our nets Reas 3 God will have the glory Exod. 15. and Jud. 5. are monumentall chapters for such a purpose The Christians contemplation Vse 1 here is matter for the most excellent understanding whatsoever and as Paul said to Timothy Ep. 2. c. 2. v. 8. Remember that Jesus Christ c. so say I let all be remembred but especially fundamentall truths There is a counsell well given Act. 5.39 yea and well taken too for vers 40. to him they all consented in what in this maine thing that if it be of God there is no resistance lest happily we be found fighters against God If I had such a proffer from the King as sometimes Salomon had from a greater then he To his Majesty 1 King 3.5 Aske what I shall give thee I would first defire the contemplation of my deare Soveraigne fixed on this point We will not remember misled Ahab 1 Reg. 22. for feare the parallel should not be good enough But we will thinke of good Iosia one of the best of Kings 2 Chron. 35.21 22. Leave off to come against God which is with me lest he destroy thee but Iosia hearkened not to the words of Neche which were of the mouth of God Next yee Patriots of our Countrey 2. The Parliament I shall desire your remembrance of this point that you may be called as heretofore in such times and upon such occasions as now be called I say the Parliament working wonders 3. The Kingdome Of you yee Citizens and Countrey-men I desire the reading of Iad 5.6 the high wayes were I say will be unoccupied but observe vers 8. they chose new Gods new Devils rather and then was warre in the gates The Christians consolation Use 2 Nec temerè nec timidè men and Christians too both or neither Hezekiah's method me thinkes is excellent When the Blasphemer brags tell God of him Esa 36.21 with 37.1 Say nothing to that blasphemer but as if they should say Sirra we will complaine of you to one that shall take you to taske an excellent course be you carefull in nothing that is unbeleevingly distrustfully so

bloud Royall besides an infinite number of the commonalty these are sad effects and yet it might be drawne lower yet but I forbeare Such a warre hath dolefull by-standers Doctr. 3 Such are either friends or enemies good or bad 1. The Churches friends as Ieremy in his Alphabeticall Lamentations send forth sad expressions of sorrow for it grieves them to see her in the dust these yeeld bindings (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazi up to the sores they take words * Hosea 14.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil and goe to God pleading with him as if they meant to silence him yea make him blush and shame him these like the Jewes in their Feasts breake their Glasses as Ierusalem was broken and sowe (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian seede in the long furrowes which the ploughers made upon our back 2. But are they bad and our enemies now they rejoyce and cry downe with her even unto the ground Psal 137.7 Now they consult Exod. 1.10 Come let us walke and worke wisely Now they conspire Geball and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines and them of Tyre how they may take the house and the cause yea and Kingdome of God too into their possession Well then Use 1 if warre be such a cause of misery what is the cause of warre Resp 1. You must looke upwards and God sayes he is the cause So Ezek. 14.17 If I bring a sword c. it is Malum poenae therfore not brought amongst us unlesse he doe it Amos 3.6 and Esay 45.7 Warre is amongst the treasury of Gods Judgements in the Magazine of his instruments of vengeance The Church feeles Lam. 1.12 13 14. c. And where it is not so perceived they may feele the smarting of the wound but beleeve it hardly runne right to the cure The people sin and God makes the sinne of the King the sinne of the peoples punishment See an instance for this Hosea 5.13 14. Oh that England might never forget that 2 Sam. 24.1 The wrath of the Lord kindled against Israel and he moved David c. How shall we be perswaded Oh I thinke it is impossible impossible I say though not in it selfe yet at least by accident for we knocke at deafe mens doores our people are deceived and God hath said Let them alone Hearing they shal heare and not understand c. Esa 6.9 10. First Hypocrisie hath overcome us We are like those Micah 6.6 7 8 9 10. like them in the question we would seeme to aske not like them in the Answer for wee cannot heare the rod nor who hath appointed it and indeed it is because the treasures of wickednesse are in the house of the wicked no power no will to be reformed Alas the sinne and punishment are Nationall so must the amendment be It was the old rule (g) Si veniam reus speret petat cum lachrymis petat fletibus totius Ecclesiae Amb. de poeniten l. 1. c. 16. If the private man in case of publique sinne desire pardon let him aske it with his owne yea and the teares of the whole Church also Secondly Deceit hath overcome us 2 Thess 2.10 God hath given them up to beleeve a lye the Note upon that Text is (h) Infatuati seducemur seducti judical untur Aug. that being infatuate they shall be seduced and being seduced they shall be punished There is the fearefull malignant the wilfull malignant the ignorant malignant and every one of these covers himselfe under falsehood making a lye his refuge Esay 28.15 The Sanctuary these men have in these sad times is like the covering under Jonahs Gourd or Adams Figge-leaves Oh that they could know that first under God there is no hiding place for in the time of trouble he c. Psal 27.5 secondly that upon God who casts himselfe (i) Nulla vis nulla fraus nullae jam illecebrae poterunt vel stantem dejicere vel subjicere dominantem Bern. no force no fraud can reach him Thirdly Schisme and division hath overcome us Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses but what shall I say so it hath beene will be must be Christ foretold it and we have found it true which is said Matth. 10.34 35. But what is this Schisme I le give three rules in answer First (k) Quando doct●inae seu praecepta in consetentias hominum obtendentur quae non dubitative sed directe contra verbum Dei aut legem humanam c. When things are thrust upon the conscience which are not doubtfully but directly against the Word of God schisme in this case is not active but passive a due separation from the errour not the body for to that we are united by the Spirit and love so farre forth as it is united to the truth of Jesus Christ the head thereof Apply this rule to the present state of our times Schisina 1 activum 2 passivum and then tell me what is Schisme or what Rebellion Secondly Schisme or Division likewise is cadent First Upon bad men in whom it is either 1. Through too much faith or 2. Through too little Charity Secondly Upon good men in whom it is either 1. Through errour of Judgement 2. Or scruple of conscience Apply this also and you shall finde the rash and heady malignant so to be divided First he beleeves all every promise every protestation And secondly which is worse he would cut the throat of him that will not so doe too The ignorant and better malignant he is divided otherwise he hath a little * Non est conscientia quae obligat sed lex illa quam intellectui conscientia praesentat revera conscientia semper praesumer●● scientiam conscience and that scruples almost the very word King or Parliament he hath lesse judgement and that is the reason his conscience is no better informed 3 Rule is for the Judges of what is Trouble Schisme Division Rebellion c. where you have 1. The greater part these say Judicium 1. Majoris 2. Melioris partis Elias troubles Israel 1 King 18.18 and the Apostles the world 2. The better part and they can tell you that this must be retorted out of the same Text. We have all this while looked upwards to finde out a cause of warre amongst us Now downewards and there we shall finde our sinne the cause of this so sad an effect Nihil in poenaquod non prius erat in pecate and there we will put a parallel betweene Davids time and ours in point of sorrow-bringing sinnes thus 1. Davids indulgence Is Absolom such a man a proper man a goodly head of haire but not a dram of grace no * Psal 45.13 14. inward beauty at all and yet the King cannot pull his heart from him although in the danger of the losse of a Kingdome 2. This Absolom hath a party and that in Israel too that will venture their lives in such a desperate