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	king_n	name_n	1,874	5	5.0780	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39525	A position and testimony against all swearing under the gospel In which may be seen, I. That Christ hath forbidden all sorts of oaths. II. What Christ hath substituted instead of an oath. III. Reasons for that prohibition and substitution. With an answer to all the material objections that are, or may be, alledged from the scriptures.	Fisher, John, fl. 1692.	1692 (1692)	Wing F1009; ESTC R215434	22,333	59

account it an Oath 6. Though the Apostle Paul Called God for a Record upon his Soul to confirm his Assertion of sparing the Brethren being in some divine and religious respect as seems manifest in the next Chapter and therefore might not then be an Oath in the Apostle Yet what good Christians in imitation of these words durst promise or say in any thing relating to common and humane Affairs I call God for a Record upon my Soul that I will do or I will not perform such a thing would not this be as great an Oath as if he had instead thereof used the words As the Lord liveth or the words So help me God 7. Likewise though the Apostle's saying Now the things which I write unto you Behold before God I lie not might not be an Oath in the Apostle because he treated and wrote of religious and divine Things in which respect Gods Name and the appealing to him too may be lawfully used by sincere Christians in many Cases As for Instance one may truly say I speak or do a thing before or in the presence of God if he be then livingly sensible thereof to assist him in the performing it yet if another should speak the same words that was not livingly sensible of his presence at that time he would Speak if not Swear falsly as well as he that said The Lord liveth when he was not sensible thereof Swore falsly though the Lord liveth is as true in it self as that nothing can be spoken or done but it must be so before God as that it cannot be hid from his Presence And further for one to promise or say Before God I will pay thee that Mony or Before God I will not stay here who will not account either of these Expressions to be an Oath And moreover it may be observed that being the Apostle used the word behold before the words before God and which in the Greek is without any Point or Comma after the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for behold and hath also the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying because or that which is omitted in the English as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Expression may be translated or understood in a moderater sense than it is commonly taken in the English as Behold before God that I do not lie or speak false as much as to say I do not speak false in these things I write unto you because I am now sensibly before or in the Presence of God and therefore I cannot mistake or be disappointed in the truth thereof as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may also signifie at such a time And let it be further considered that to use the words before God to promise any humane terrene or earthly Matter by cannot be lawful or safe in any sense however for in the first place altho' a Christian may sometimes say or hath truly used them words in the Present and Preter Tense yet who can appoint a time in the future when he will approach to or be sensibly before God to perform any humane Matter in his presence And if in saying Before God I will perform such a Matter could be only understood in such a common sense as that all things are and must be performed before him because nothing can be hid from his presence it would be superfluous and using his Name in vain because nothing can be done but it must be before him as well the breaking of the Promise as the performing it Or if such a Sense be excluded the possibility of which is not easily to be conceived whereby God is appealed to or invoked to take notice thereof as a Judge and so consequently as a just Revenger in case of non-performance of the Matter promised which is of the nature of an Oath to what purpose would it be for any one to use or require such words for a strengthning or confirming the said Promise So by this Reason also it would be an using or taking God's Name in vain 8. And also though the Apostle Paul in Rom. 9. 3. after having just before mentioned his godly Sorrow and Exercise for the Israelites c. said I could wish my self Accursed from Christ for my Brethren c. Yet what good Christian durst imitate or use these words of the Apostle in such a different sense as he used them as to wish himself Accursed from Christ to confirm the truth of any Affirmation or Promise and most especially when relating to humane and temporal Affairs And if any one should promise or say I wish my self Accursed from Christ if I speak false or if I do not perform such a thing what sort of Oaths would any sincere Christian count worser than such an Expression though the Party should excuse himself by improperly pleading the Apostle's Example for it as before-mentioned So it is plain from what hath been before-mentioned That we are not to imitate the Apostles in any such extraordinary Expressions nor yet in every particular and extraordinary thing they might say or do except upon such like occasion and that we had the same Authority or Permission or a Command or Precept therefore for we are only to imitate and be Followers of them and all Christians one of another in all such general Duties as is plain we are all alike commanded by our and their Lord and Master and not otherwise For because one Christian has a Gift and Command to Preach it doth not therefore follow that all other Christians must imitate him and be Preachers too nor because another may have a Gift of Prophecying it will not follow that all the rest must be Propheciers too by only imitating him But to come closer to the Matter still if possible and to answer the most critical Objections as may or can be If any would yet imitate any of the said Apostles Expressions in their Epistles and use Gods sacred Name for a Witness to or a Confirmation of any thing surely they ought to do it in the like Cases and Sense and by the same Spirit and Authority as the Apostles did and wrote their Epistles in or else it cannot have the same approbation and acceptance seeing Gods Name may be used amiss and in vain but the contrary As for Example Would it not be a presumption for any Man to Call or Summons an earthly King for a Witness or as a Surety to any of the Man 's own particular and trivial Causes Yet if the same King should commissionate or require any of his Subjects to call him for a Witness or to be a Security for a thing wherein the King's Cause is chiefly concerned it would be then no presumption in a Subject so to do And furthermore seeing according to several express Scriptures that none can Worship or Adore or Reverence according to the Greek God aright without his Spirit Joh. 4. 23 24. Nor can any ask or pray as they ought except in Christ's Name or by