Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	child_n	father_n	great_a	1,899	5	3.4004	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50250	An heart-melting exhortation together with a cordiall consolation presented in a letter from New-England to their dear countrymen of Lancashire : which may as well concern all others in these suffering times / by Richard Mather ... and William Tompson ...	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.; Tompson, William, d. 1666.	1650 (1650)	Wing M1273; ESTC R3673	23,412	92

the things that were done to him did turn to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1.12 and the old saying that the bloud of Martyrs hath been the seed of the Church hath been abundantly verified in our land and in Lancashire as well as in other parts For who knows not what a multitude of professors have been brought forth in the Kingdom and in our County by means of the sufferings of the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies Was not blessed Bradford born in Manchester and George Marsh in the Parish of Dean near Bolton and Ieffery Hurst in Leigh and doth not he that knows these places well know that profession of the truth and power of godlinesse hath abounded in these and the places thereabouts much more then in ma●ny other places And why may we not look at this as one part of the precious fruit of the suffering of the Saints afore-mentioned who received their birth and first being in those places And if we should mention reverend Bourn wise Gosnall grave Midgeley both the father and the sonne and should say that Manchester hath no● fared the worse for the first nor Bolton for the second nor Rachdale and Leigh for the two last we should not be vain in so saying For we think it is clear that where these or other of the Lords Prophets have suffered any thing for his sake and in any measure of truth have stood up for reformation there God hath blessed the Countrey round about so that there hath not anywhere been found more profession and power of Religion then in those parts And if your own present sufferings may produce the like effect as why may it not we trust you will not so much sorrow for the bitternesse of the things you suffer as rejoice and be glad for the happy and sweet fruit thereof 5. Rome is now ready to be ruined and the time of her destruction now posteth on apace For the beast now receiving a wound and deadly blow in the downfall of the Prelacy and other corruptions depending thereon doth therefore thus lay about him and bestirre himself in killing the servants of Jesus Rev. 11.7 as it hath been the manner of Satan to shew forth the greatest wrath when he knows he hath the shortest time Revel. 12.12 Therefore dear brethren be patient for a while a very little while for it will not be long afore the storm be over and then we shall have glorious daies For Babylon being once fallen whose fall is not farre off new Ierusalem will then come down from heaven as a Bride prepared for her husband Rev. 19.7 Which times you may be assured will be very glorious for the report and vision of them was so joyfull to Iohn that transported therewith he could not contain himself but fals down to worship the Angel that revealed unto him these things Rev. 19 10. 22.9 which though it was his infirmity yet it argueth the great felicity of those times the tidings whereof did so transport the spirit of so great and holy an Apostle 6. But though the time of your sufferings shall be but short yet your recompence for the same shall be lasting and large For though neither you nor your children should live to see the happy daies that are a coming and drawing on but that you should be taken away in the battel whilest you are fighting for and with the Lamb against the beast and his adherents yet of this you may be assured that so many of you and we hope they are not a few as have known the Lord Jesus in truth and in sincerity shall no sooner end your daies in this world but you shall be taken away to heaven to the fruition of eternall rest and peace where you shall experimentally finde it made good unto your souls that your light affliction which is but for a moment will work for you a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 And in the mean time if God continue your lives he is able the earth being his and the fulnesse thereof Psa. 24.1 to give you an abundant recompence even in outward matters for all the losses that you have or may sustain for his name 2 Chro. 25.9 However that same hundred-fold in spirituall and internall blessings which our Saviour hath promised in such case Mar. 10.30 that same you shall be sure to receive in this life besides eternal life in the world to come And for your children or friends that have already lost their lives in this cause or may lose the same hereafter he would have you besides other considerations to be comforted in this that you shall see them again at the latter day when you and they shall for ever be with the Lord Wherefore to draw to an end sith your war wherein you have been engaged and wherein you have suffered such things hath been meerly defensive and necessary because you could not avoid it and sith the cause for which you contend is not your own but the cause of Jesus Christ sith your sufferings are so precious in the sight of God that he will surely take vengeance on your enemies sith your present pressures and troubles and constancy therein may be profitable to posterity many a day hereafter and that the time of your sufferings must be but short and then be followed with happy times that will ensue in this world and afterwards be rewarded with eternall glory in another We beseech you therefore dear Brethren and friends put away now all base and unworthy sorrows and fears and quit your selves valiantly like men and be strong lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees In nothing fear your adversaries which is unto them a token of perdition and to you of salvation and that of God but sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread If you have been plundered and robbed of your estates or a great part thereof you know the Christian Hebrews took such things not only patiently but also joyfully knowing that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance and your selves shall do well to be like minded to them therein If you have lost your dear friends in these broyls and battels wherewith the kingdom and your Countrey hath been embroiled if any woman have lost her dear husband any husband his dear wife any father his childe any childe his father any friend or brother his brother or friend Consider whether you could ever loose them in a better quarell or for a better cause Christ Jesus and his Gospel and Ordinances are su●e better then a thousand either husbands or wives either fathers or children or other friends and he knows but little the worth of Christ and of the things of Christ that doth not esteem them ten thousand times better then all the world besides and indeed as our Saviour saith He that loves these things better then him is not

for this dealing of theirs and for their eager minde to help forward their affliction which he counts a going beyond their Commission Zach. 1.15 6. The power of the malignant enemies of Gods servants is so limited by the Lord that not the most malicious of men nor yet any of all the devils in hell can go one jot beyond his leave and commission who as he hath set bounds to the sea saying thus far shalt thou go but no further and here shall stay thy proud waves Job 38.11 Even so in like sort doth he restrain the rage and tumult of the wicked against his servants Psa 65.7 7. The afflictions of the godly are alwaies so ordered by the Lord that for measure they shall not be immoderate nor more then they are able to bear Jerem. 30.11 1 Cor. 10 13. nor shall they in the issue do them any hurt but great good both in purging out their sinne and corruption that they may be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.10 Isa. 1 25. Joh. 15 2. and in conforming them to Christ Rom. 8.29 and to the blessed Prophets Apostles and Martyrs that have been before them 8. The Lord doth not love his children ever a whit the lesse because they are afflicted Heb. 12.6 7. Rev. 3.19 but on the contrary is many times then nearest unto you when they are in greatest tribulation and then affords unto them the most of his gracious presence the most mighty support most rich supply of patience and long-sufferance and other graces and the sweetest glimpses and apprehensions of heavenly glory with the most lively expectations of future blessednesse 2 Cor. 1.5 4.16 God was never nearer to the three Princes Dan. 3. then when they were in the furnace nor to Daniel and Ezechiel and Iohn in glorious vision of God then when they were in captivity and banishment nor unto Steven then when the stones came thickest about his head 9. This is the common way in which all have gone that have gone to heaven and why should we expect to be singularly priviledged above all the rest of the Saints and not rather be content to bear these things with patience the same afflictions being accomplished in our brethren that are in the world 1 Pet. 5 9. 10. All the sufferings of this life are but for a moment for yet a little while and he that shall come to work our perfect deliverance he will surely come and will not tarry 2 Cor. 4.17 Heb. 10.37 And sure it is that if our lives were the longest that ever any were and that of all this time we should never see good day yet all this in respect of eternity were such a nothing that that eternall weight of glory will abundantly recompense us for the same Rom. 8.18 These and such like Arguments of consolation against all the sufferings of the Saints in this world we doubt not but many amongst you have been long ago taught of God to consider Neverthelesse our unfeigned love to your souls hath moved us in this manner to revive the remembrance of them at this time though you doe already know them and be established in the present truth And besides these considerations afore-mentioned which are more generall and appliable to all afflictions and troubles whatsoever the Saints may be exercised withall in this life there are sundry things in the ground and cause of your present sufferings as also in respect of the condition of your enemies by whom you suffer that may also be grounds of consolation to every sincere and Christian heart As first of all because the war wherein you have been engaged and by means whereof you have suffered so great things was not as we conceive offensive and voluntary but meerly defensive and taken up upon necessity because otherwise it could not have been avoided but your estates your wives your children your liberty your laws yea your very lives and that which ought to be dearer then your lives the true Religion of Christ Jesus these must all have been prostituted to the pleasure of Papists and other prophane and impious people the sworn servants of Antichrist and bloudy enemies of God and of the Kingdome And therefore if Nehemiah spake to good purpose when he bad the rulers and people of Iudah to remember the Lord which is great and terrible and to fight for their brethren their sonnes and their daughters their wives and their houses Neh. 4.14 your selves we doubt not may have comfort in your fightings whatever you may hazard or loose therein because you have as many relations and interests to fight for and of as precious importance and concernment as any that Nehemiah doth there mention and some of a great deal more so that if any ask why you would engage your selves in this war the events whereof have been to many so sad such may satisfie themselves if they will but consider what matters you had lying as it were at stake and you may well answer in the words of David for the satisfaction of your own and others consciences Was there not a cause 1 Sam. 17.29 2. And doubtless it is a great comfort in sufferings when they that suffer can say unto God for thy sake O God these things are come upon us In which case the Church Psal. 44.22 doth greatly comfort themselves and our Saviour in this respect doth comfort his disciples both pronouncing them to be blessed when they so suffer and commanding them thereupon to rejoice and to be exceeding glad Matth. 5.11 12. Now inasmuch as your sufferings are sufferings for that doctrine that worship and that government of the Church which is prescribed in the Scripture against Popery and Prelacy and other corrupt inventions of men we therefore doe esteem the cause of them to be no other but the very cause of God and of his Christ and so you may well claim a share in those consolations which belong to those who suffer for the cause of God and for righteousnesse sake 3. Nor is that nothing which is so often mentioned in the Scripture that the bloud of Gods servants doth cry for vengeance against their enemies Gen. 4.10 Rev. 6.10 In which respect you may be assured that he that saith the death of the Saints is precious in his sight Psal. 116.15 will not suffer the bloud which you or yours have shed or shall shed for his cause the cause you have now in hand to be alwaies unrevenged but will surely finde a time to render tribulation to them that trouble you in his waies 2 Thes. 1.6 For their tumult and outrage and blasphemy is already come up into his ears Isa. 37.29 so that he will doubtlesse avenge your cause yea and avenge it speedily Luk. 18.7 8. 4. Your brethrens bloud that is already poured out in this cause you cannot tell how much good it may have done and will doe nor what good your selves may doe by your constancy But this you know how the Apostle saith