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	zeal_n	zealous_a	103	3	9.0738	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33935	Liberty of conscience asserted, or, A looking-glass for persecutors being a plain deduction from scripture-history of the original grounds & pretences for persecution : the methods taken to put the same in execution : together with the sad consequences thereof, or, the reward that attends persecuting-spirits.	Care, Henry, 1646-1688.	1687 (1687)	Wing C528; ESTC R31288	50,834	33

to thwart it or like to disgrace or disparage it as it was said of Israel of old 2 Chron. 36. v. 14. That the chief of the Priests and the Prophets transgressed very much after all the abominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord c. and they had habituated themselves so to do that this was the effect v. 15. That when God had sent to them by his Messengers because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place They v. 16. mocked the messengers of God despised his word and misused his Prophets Their custom to worship in that false way made them now not able to bear with a reprroof or persuasion to return to worship again after the way which God himself had prescribed so zealous were they for that which they had been used to in those days therefore did they persecute and misuse the Messengers whom God had sent to have turned them from their Heathenish way of worshiping which also the Psalmist noted in his time Psal 2. He prophesied that which should come to pass in Christs time Why saith he there do the heathen rage and the people imagin a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Le ts break their bands assunder and cast away their cords from us When the Lords Anointed should come he would by his Laws alter the Jewish ways of worshiping according to their old Law Traditions and Customs and introduce a new as the Law of God before did contradict and forbid the Heathen Worship which neither the one nor the other could bear with while unconverted therefore would they rage imagin and take counsel against God and Christ how to break their Bands and to cast away their Cords they would none of Christs Government or Laws of which also Christ himself in his days spake to his Disciples John 16. v. 2. that this blind Zeal should put them upon killing of the Opposers thereof The time cometh saith he there that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God good service Their opinion of their own false Way should be so strong that it should prompt them to destroy any who should preach or practice the contrary as for instance it came to pass Such was Pauls Zeal before his Conversion Act. 8. 't is said of him v. 3. That he made havock of the Church entring into every house and haleing men and women and committing them to prison the cause of which was his zeal for his Religion as himself acknowledged Act. 22.3 4. in these words I was zealous towards God as ye all at this day and I persecuted this way unto the death c. All this as the consequent of his mistaken Zeal as he said Acts 26. v. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus which things I also did and the particulars he named in the next verses Being exceeding mad against them I persecuted them c. And again Gal. 1.13 he declared it in these words Ye have heard of my Conversation in times past in the Jews Religion that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it The grounds and reasons stirring him up hereto was his mistaken Zeal as he himself saith in the next verse in these words And profited in the Jews Religion above many of mine equals in mine own Nation being more exceeding zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers Here his blind Zeal he verily thought he ought to do as he did he having been bred up in the strict observation of the Law and of the Jewish Traditions and Customs made him so exceeding mad against all such whose Doctrin or Practice was otherwise could not bear with any alteration or turning out of his accustomed way nor with any who did walk profess or teach otherwise therefore was he so violent in persecuting of Christians and in his endeavors to hinder the spreading of the Gospel till Christ met with him and convinced him to purpose of his mistaken zeal Another instance of this is noted by Daniel in his days Dan. 3. When the King there had set up an Image v. 1. and dedicated it v. 3. and in the following verses proclaimed that all should at such times fall down and worship And the Caldeans great zeal for this Idolatry put them upon accusing Shadrach Meshach and Abednego c. for not worshiping this Image as the Caldeans did worship this also set the King into a great rage too against them such was his zeal also yea to such a degree too that when they had utterly denyed to worship the Image he commanded the Furnace to be heat seventy times hotter and they to be cast in which was executed v. 21. So hot was he for his Image-worship that the Non-complyers must die for it Upon the like ground also did the Scribes and Pharisees quarrel with Christ and his Disciples in those days Mat. 15. Why say they there to Christ do thy Disciples transgress the Traditions of the the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat Bread v. 2. Their Heat and Fervor for their Religion and Traditions put them upon this Cavelling tho Christ had told them that they by their Traditions had made void the Law of God this Tradition and Custom of theirs is set forth in Mark 7.3 4. thus That the Pharisees and the Jews except they wash their hands oft eat not holding the Traditions of the Elders and when they came from the Market except they washed they would not eat and many other things there be which they have received to hold as the washing of Cups and Pots Brasen-vessels and of Tables or Beds Their Heart engagedness to these Ways and Traditions received of their Father made them quarrel at Christ and his Followers for not observing of them So again for not observing the Sabbath Mat. 12. they said Behold thy Disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day v. 2. And this put them upon endeavoring to ensnare Christ by questions and take counsel against him how they might destroy him they could not bear with such who did not as they did in these matters in those days The Philosophers were so addicted to their Idols Act. 17. that they despised Paul and his Doctrin and said v. 14. What will this babler say he seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods and v. 19 20. they said May we know what this new Doctrin whereof thou speakest is For thou bringest certain things we would know therefore what these things mean These could not bear with the preaching up the true God they being worshipers of Idols the true God was a strange God to them and what Paul had preached were strange things because contrary to what they had been bred up in and their zeal was so hot for their false Worship that they despised