Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	holy_a	scripture_n	2,807	5	5.7899	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62873	Saints no smiters, or, Smiting civil powers not the work of saints being a treatise, shewing the doctrine and atempts of Quinto-Monarchians, or, Fifth-Monarchy-Men about smiting powers, to be damnable and antichristian / by John Tombes ...	Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.	1664 (1664)	Wing T1816; ESTC R6979	110,523	126

Judges And yet the evils we have seen are small in comparison of what the Jewes felt by the factions there when Jerusalem was besieged by Titus But the evils which would come on the world by the insurrection of the Quinto-Monarchians if their project did take place would far exceed them their design being an universal destruction of them that oppose them in all the world and when the conscience is perverted there being no stay to mens furious zeal If any say that they would only smite oppressors of the Saints I reply by their own rules they are bound to separate from those Churches which are select and more pure as being seemingly refined which are the gathered in pastoral way reducing things to primitive practise so far as they are corrupted and adulterated and found opposers of the Kingly office of Jesus Christ in and over the whole world and more especial in the administration of this part or dispensation of that Kingdom to wit that of the Stone or War against his enimies for even in this generation there be a sort of people and those we hope godly that do acknowledge wait in the expectation of the later yea and hold forth the personal appearance of our Lord as King yet nevertheless oppose and deny and quite leap over this Stone and its work thereby endeavouring to render the Saints useless and uncapable of destroying Babylon which must make way and without which we cannot attain to the peaceable and more glorious administration of this Kingdom by removing those Mountains Hills and powers of darkness which do oppose and hinder it Banner displayed p. 75. There are no Churches or at leastwise very few of the pastoral way in these Nations or elsewhere but have something of Antichrist in them having forsaken and apostatized from the primitive and first love and have and do in many principle and practises strike hands with the interest of Antichrist and mystery of iniquity 2 Thes. 2. 3 4. p. 79. We accompt it a duty for the Saints to separate from all the forms practises doctrines and spirit of the Antichrist in the world in their brethren in the Churches c. And to be plain we accompt him and that spirit which either in act or deed wilfully and obstinately denies the smiting work of our Lords Kingdom Antichristian inasmuch as that such would alwaies have Christ his Saints his cause in and on the earth a sufferer but the scripture clearly manifests the contrary p. 81 82. now then if men be they never so holy as they hope a sort of people be who oppose deny and quite leap over the Stone and its smiting as they confess there are no Churches or very few of the pastoral way in these Nations and elsewhere but have opposed them yet are Antichristian they by their principles are to smite them and so must oppress Saints as well as others And if any Saints be civil powers Ecclesiastical Rulers Governors in Corporations Graduates in Universities Pastors in Churches as no doubt thousands are who love the Lord Jesus and wait for his appearing and Kingdom yet these must be smitten too And who can secure in such confusions as would arise upon the Quinto-Monarchians smiting work any man yea of their own party from violence and slaughter when there is nothing but rage in private persons whose proceedings are in heat of mad zeal without any distinction by legal trial and just judgment or certain Rule Sure no Tyrants have ever done more mischief than this way of the Fifth-Monarchy-Men would do if it were prosecuted nor is any doctrine more hellish Antichristian and damnable than this that tends to overthrow all the civil powers Lawes Doctrines Forms Degrees Offices in Church and State which these term the spirit of Antichrist in the world And if it were supposed that these furious zelots should accomplish their design after the mixture of hypocrites and the rabble of the worst most foolish men who could hope there would be any peace good order or justice in the world or any remainder of sober men The world would be an Acheldama or field of blood which they impute to the Nations of Europe even the Protestant and the prevailing persons to use their own phrase Blood-Monsters and instead of a visible Kingdom of Christ in the earth a solitude Chaos tohu vebohu as was afore the first creation and the Kingdom of Antichrist or the Devil would be set up under pretence of making Christs enemies his footstool What Lawes Order or Rule tending to further Religion or Righteousness can any expect from men of such cauterized consciences as not to discern the mischievousness of such doctrine and practises as these have vented especially after they have inured themselves to shedding of blood and rapine with extremity § 11. The 9th and 10th arguments against the smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians from the meekness peaceableness and patience of Saints TO these arguments which have been confirmed I shall add a ninth taken from the opposition of spirit and practise which their doctrine begets to the precepts of meekness and peaceablness which the Gospel requires of Christians and to which it assigns blessedness Our Lord Christ in his sermon on the Mount Matth. 5. 5. saith Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth v. 9. Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God v. 22. He forbids rash anger contemptuous speech and opprobrious language v. 23 24 25. requires speedy endeavours of reconciliation with adversaries nor is it any thing against this precept of Christ that he tels us Luke 12. 49. 51. I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth I tell you nay but rather division For these expressions do not shew his approbation of division but his foresight of it not as a thing which he affected or as a thing desirable of it self or which he studied to promote but as a thing which he knew was unavoidable in the event that while he endeavoured to promote the truth of the Gospel by accident divisions would follow not from his doctrine which was the Gospel of peace but through the perversness of mens spirits who would oppose it But that it was the will of Christ that all Christian Saints should be meek and peaceable appears from the many precepts injoyning them in the Apostles writings Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Rom. 14. 17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost v. 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace Gal. 5. 19 20. The workes of the flesh are hatred enmities variance wrath strise seditions divisions or factions v. 22. 23. The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace meekness Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with

and qualifying a man how carnal soever to be a Preacher of the Gospel as they say And this together with the Offer of some large stipend or yearly salary and fat benefice is their call to Preach therefore we disown and abominate their qualifications and their call as an accursed thing Yet mistake us not we are not against humane learning and the knowledge of the languages but do repute it honourable good and commendable yet when it is abused and the plea of necessity put upon it in that habit we utterly declaim against it as a derogation to the holy spirit and its Office who gave out the Scripture and imprints them in the hearts of the godly for all scripture is given by the inspiration of God and cannot be convincingly and profitably expounded by mans Art and Learning p. 77. Separation is to be from the parochial Church and Hireling Ministry of England their Ordination and Institution After they have for some time been trained up in the Arts and Sciences of Egypt in the Universities they take their several degrees and commencements Masters of Art Batchelors of Divinity or godliness and in case they sit long under the skirts of the great Whore she makes them Doctors in Divinity Men skilful and perfect in Heavenly Mysteries These are those that during the defection and apostacy are the Rabbies which look more after the Fleece than the Sheep Lording it over Gods heritage We therefore are against those degrees Offices Places and their vain which are indeed Blasphemous Titles which they arrogate from God and Jesus Christ the great Prophet and Teacher of his People Gal. 1. 1. Matth. 23. 8. Joh. 3 9 10. Rev. 1. 9. p 79. The enlightened Saints or the more pure and holy part of those called the gathered and which are corrupted Churches in these Nations or elsewhere ought to separate and withdraw from the more grosse dark defiled and corrupted part of the said Churches because there are no Churches or at leastwise very few of the pastoral way in these Nations or elsewhere but have something of Antichrist in them having forsaken apostatized from the primative and first love and have and do in many principles practise strike hands with the interest of Antichrist and mystery of iniquity 2 Thes. 2 3 4. p. 83. Our position we give thus that in this ending time of the mystical numbers wherein the Stone shall arise the Saints must disown and in the strength of God separate from and according to that power which God shall give unto them by his Spirit engage against all and all manner of Civil power of what quality soever now lift up over the whole Earth or any part Kingdom Nation or Corner thereof together with all its dependents Upholders Lawes and Appurtenances whatsoever whose derivation has been from Satan ruling in all the several Parts Powers and Forms of the devouring fourth Beast And which are of and belonging to that Beast though descended into the very lowest last and most refined and pretended Christian-like power of that Beast As having their root and foundation upon Satan the great Dragon p. 81 82. We accompt it a duty for the Saints to separate from all the forms practises Doctrines and spirit of the Antichrist in the world in their Bretheren in the Churches c. And to be plain we accompt him and that spirit which either in act or deed wilfully and obstinately denies the smiting work of our Lords Kingdom Antichristian inasmuch as that such would alwaies have Christ his Saints his cause in and on the earth a sufferer But the Scripture clearly manifests the contrary Agreeably to these positions or rather exceeding them are the speeches of some whether Levellers or Quinto-Monarchians in the first and second part of Pamphlets printed 1648 1649. p. 1. The creature man was priviledged with being Lord over other inferior creatures but not over his own kind for all men being alike Priviledged by birth so all men were to enjoy the creatures alike without propriety one more than another p. 3. The Beast hath its power from the Dragon Revel 13. 4. And the Dragon Revel 20. 2. is the Devil so that it is plain that Kings are of the Beast and the Beast is of the Devil and it is as plain they that worship the King worship the Beast and they that worship the Beast worship the Devil Revel 13. 4. Now let us a little behold our English powers all that which is called Magistracy is from the Kings Patent and his is from the Devil for the Kings Predecessors the outlandish Bastard William came to be King by conquest and murther now murtherers are saith Jesus the Devils Children for saith he the Devil was a murtherer from the beginning and he abode not in the truth Now Kings are utterly against the truth and persecutors of the Saints for saith Jesus they shall bring you before Kings so that Kings are enemies unto the Kingdom of Christ taking licenses and grants patents and Charters from the King is taking the Beasts mark p. 8. We take this power of William the Conqueror to be that little horn in Dan. 7. 24. p. 13. Kings Lords and Commons the little Horn. Part. 2. p. 5. Titles of honour are termed vain titles forbidden by our Saviour as heathenish although some good men were Kings yet it was not in regard to their Office but persons for in that they were Kings they were Tyrants p. 6. It was wickedness in the Israelites in advancing a man one of their own kind in the place of a God and so to Idolize their own flesh above God p. 7. Kings are the worst of men p. 8. Lawyers being worse than the Devil who scorns to take a penny Fees to torment any but will do it freely p. 9. Pharaoh-like they have their Juglers who can play the Hocus Pocus and invent a thing they call Religion like Jereboams Calves who the first invented state worship p. 10. All those oppressors before named do live altogether out of Gods way and in Rebellion to his Lawes first because they live without a calling and so are idle being Vagabonds and wasters of the creatures by drunkenness pride gluttony and so but vermin in a Commonwealth and by their own Law ought to be put into a house of Correction and to be made work Jesus Christ alone is Lord and King over man and all men are equals p. 11. All men are to enjoy alike freedoms and none more than another so that they are equal and none have to do to command another no more than another him but in a joynt union and agreement that any be set up it is but a trusted humane power and they but servants to the whole and may be removed at pleasure p. 13. There are Vice-Kings viz. Those that are Deputies as Mayors in Cities and Towns Corporate that are Kings of patents which patents are meer monopolies and serve to inhance Trading and Commodities in a

18 19. would have Christians to be subject to them for conscience towards God therefore they had a right of Government over them who were infidels even by Gods appointment Yea the Fifth-Monarchy-Men themselves in the Banner displayd p. 51. acknowledge that the powers of old Rome the a bloody persecutor were ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. and therefore even infidel powers have right and priviledge of Government by their own concession And indeed the Apostles determinations 1 Cor. 7. 17 18 20 21 22 24. are plain resolutions that the Christian calling doth neither make men free nor servants nor alter their civil relations but that the Christian is as he was neither better nor worse in that regard 2. If infidels were usurpers of Government then what ever sentence they past it was unjust though it were never so right in respect of the cause it being done by him that was no Judge whereas the scripture makes even the infidel powers Gods Ministers revengers or doers of right unto wrath unto him that doth evil Rom. 13. 4. 3. If they were usurpers then did Christ ill to bid to pay tribute to Caesar to acknowledge Pilates power given him from above John 19. 11. Paul to appeal to Caesar and to say he stood before Caesars judgment Seat where he ought to be judged Acts 25. 10 11. he should not have said I think my self happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for my self before thee this day Acts 26. 2. nor to Felix Acts 24. 10. Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a Judge unto this Nation I do the more chearfully answer for my self he should have declined his audience or sentence as being coram non judice or have termed him a man without any shew of reverence or respect as the Quakers are wont to do or have termed him Antichristian or Babylon as the Quinto-Monarchians do the civil powers now extant In a word no honour should be due to an unblieving Prince though St. Peter bids honour the King 1 Pet. 3. 17. and the arguments urged before Sect 3. should be evacuated 4. If all right and privledges in respect of Government in the first Adam were lost among infidels so as that all infidel judges were usurpers then among them Judges were not unjust though they did not right to the wronged because they had no power and so the Judge who feared not God nor regarded man had not been rightly termed by our Lord Christ an unjust Judge Luke 18. 6. for not avenging the Widdow Nor Pharoah or Abimelech justly punished for not restoring Abrams Wife nor any just War between the King of Sodom and other Kings nor had Ephron the Hittite any just possession of the Cave Abraham bought nor any just contract between Isaac and Abimelech nor did David justly defend Toi against Hadadezer nor is there any justice in contracts or comerce with infidels to be observed nor they capable of doing right or wrong if there be no just legislative power or power of judicatory among them but they bear the sword if not in vain yet unjustly and therefore are ill charged by St. Paul Rom. 1. 28. To be filled with all unrighteousness A third position which with inconsiderate men takes as being in shew agreeable with scripture and tending to Christs honour though as they mean and use it it is both false and pernicious is that Jesus Christ is the only lawful and true begotten Heir and lawful King and potentate of these three Nations and of all the Nations of the Earth and as he is the seed of Abraham shall possess the Earth Yea and the very gates of his enemies and that the sole legislative power of the Nations is and doth of right appertain and belong to him and shall be exercised by him Dan. 7. 27. Jerem. 10. 7. Isai. 9. 6 7. Gal. 3. 16. c. From whence it hath been usual with the men of this persuasion not only to style Christ King Jesus which is his right but also to disavow any other King but King Jesus as if the owning of any other as King in these Nations were indeed a renouncing Christ from being their King Now it is to be granted 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ not only as he is the Son of God but also as man is of right and is to be acknowledged the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Revel 1. 5. To whom all power in Heaven and Earth is given Matth. 28. 18. God hath made him Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. He is Lord of all Acts 10. 36. Nor is it denyed that the texts quoted do belong to him or that he is the Heir of all the Nations of the Earth as he is the seed of Abraham to whom the promises were spoken Yet the words Daniel 7. 27. mention his Kingdom not till the judgment sit and they shall take away the Dominion of the little Horn to consume and to destroy it unto the end and therefore assert not the exercise of the Kingdom there meant as yet The words Jerem. 10. 7. are impertinently alledged concerning Christs being King of Nations as the seed of Abraham sich they are spoken only of the Divine nature in opposition to the Idols of the Nations The words Isai. 9. 6 7. foretold Christs Kingdom in the daies of his flesh which Christ himself saith was not of this world but such as belonged to him as the Child born of the increase of whose Government there should be no end The words Gal. 3. 16. are true of Christ personal but so also as that they have respect to all believers as Abrahams seed by faith v. 7. 29. and that they are not to be understood of a visible Monarchy acquired by fighting of which the Quinto-Monarchians dream but of the inheritance of the righteousness by faith which should be to all Nations v. 28. in which respect Abraham also is said to be the Heir of the world Rom. 4. 13. 2. It is not to be denied that all Kings ought to acknowledge Christ their superiour and themselves to be subordinate to him and that those who will not acknowledge the holding of their power Crownes and Scepters under this great Monarch and for him shall be deemed and adjudged by Christ as Traitors to him and proceeded against accordingly by him according to his Lawes and the threatning Luke 19. 27. But 1. this will be done by him in such way as he thinks good he hath not made any Saints on earth Judges over Kings whether they be Traitors to Christ or not nor allowed them to proceed against them nor hath he assigned any time wherein he will proceed against them afore the great day of judgment in which he will judge the Saints as well as Kings and will damn them that pretending themselves Saints shall take upon them Christs peculiar Office to judge their Kings and execute judgment that is outrage and murder on their Governours to whom Christ requires