Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	day_n	king_n	parliament_n	2,801	5	7.2069	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89582	A sermon preached to the two Houses of Parliament, at their solemn meeting to praise God for his infinite mercy in the restoring of the said Houses of Parliament to their honor and freedome with so little effusion of blood: at the Abbey-Church in Westminster, Aug. 12. 1647. / By Stephen Marshall, B.D. Minister of Finchingfield in Essex.	Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655.	1647 (1647)	Wing M779; Thomason E401_29; ESTC R201798	19,695	33

for which God in his righteous judgement gives the Sword a commission to come and devour flesh and to drink blood such as are the fins of Idolatry and superstition Judg. 5. 8. Contempt of the Word and Ordinances and Ministery Mat. 21. 35. neglecting the day of Grace Luk. 19. 42. unprofitablenesse under the meanes of grace and Salvation Esa. 5. 4. living in sins of blood Ezek. 35. 6. Carnall security laying nothing to heart Jer. 5. 12. abuse of Peace and Plenty Deut. 28. 47. trusting in an Arm of flesh 2 Chron. 16. 9. Sabbath breaking 2 Chron. 36. 21. Pride in apparell Esay 3. 16 25. want of Compassion to them who live and lye under the misery of war Amos 6. 67. For these sins and such as these are God hath threatened to send a Sword to avenge himself upon the doers of these things and upon the Nations where these live unpunished and therefore let all such who dare walke in any of these wayes know that however they may goe for good Patriots amongst men when they happen to take the right side in these Publick quarrels yet before God they will one day bee found guilty of the rapine and blood and spoile and plunder and all the miseries that War hath brought upon us and if they repent not of it let them be assur'd it will one day lye at their door and they must answer for it Secondly It speakes more terribly against those that are the Physicall causes of it that directly and properly doe endeavour to widen differences to divide between King and Parliament between Parliament and City between City and Army that they may by all meanes keep our wounds open and all this for their owne private ends and interests These indeed are cursed men whereas good men would be willing to die for their Countrey a generation of men are found amongst us that are willing their Countrey should perish for them or perish with them who are willing to have the lives and blood of poore Innocents sacrificed to their lusts as if the people for whom Jesus Christ thought not his owne blood too precious for their redemption were no more worth then to perish like brut Beasts for their cursed and carnall ends who like the Priests of Mars scatter curses and firebrands betwixt Army and Army to provoke and raise their fury who to their utmost labour that animofities and divisions blood and contests bee kept on foot These Politicians use to take in the differences of Religion which are found among Gods people and weave them into their own designes and pretend to stand for Religion and joyne with this and that party for Religion-sake and thereby ingage the consciences of such as feare God when in the meane time Religion is no part of their care but onely seek to make use of godly men for their own ends and interests God will finde them out and reckon with them in his own time I 'll say no more to them now but as old Jacob said of his two sons Cursed bee their rage the instruments of cruelty are in their hands my glory be not thou associated with them into their lot let my soule never come And let us al pray that when God comes to cal all men to an accompt none of us be ever found among the people that delight in War And as these are cursed so truly there is a third sort are not to bee excused this day I meane Whoever they are who in stead of rejoycing and enlarging their hearts to blesse God for this his late mercy shewed in preventing the misery and ruine that was comming upon us have their hearts even grieved and cannot looke upon the worke of this day as that which deserveth praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God I would not willingly passe a rash sentence upon any I know jealousies and misapprehensions have been many on both sides and Gods administrations have been so dark that the Consciences of many godly men have not been clearly satisfied in the carriage of things but however methinks any man that could look upon the Lords dealing with a single eye must needs say it was an infinite mercy That God should thus unexpectedly turn away that torrent of Blood that was comming in upon us For I beseech you for what end should it have been what good could ever have come of it to say nothing of the misery of them that would have had the worst of it I am certain who ever had been the Conquerors must have taken up the lamentation of the ten Tribes when they had almost destroyed the Tribe of Benjamin in the 21. of Judges And in stead of keeping a day of Thanksgiving must have kept a day of mourning and said Alas alas O Lord God of Israel why is it come to passe this day that there should bee one Tribe lacking in Israel Alas Lord why is it come to passe that either the Parliament is destroyed or alas Lord why is it come to passe that the goodly Citie is destroyed or alas Lord why is it come to passe that the Army that hath done so worthily is destroyed certainly who ever had had the best lamentation and woe would have been written upon every honest heart and therefore why all our soules should not bee enlarged to praise God for it joyne with those who have their hearts inlarged I know not Nulla salus bello our fighting could have produced nothing but ruine The second and maine use I intended is To helpe you this day to give that glory and praise to God which the mercy of this day calls for at all our hands God hath in all our publique troubles watched over us and appeared in the mount of all our difficulties and hath hitherto alwayes found out wayes when we could find none and alwayes come in with seasonable deliverances blessed bee his name for it but to my poore thoughts never did the Lord give a more seasonable deliverance and appeare more mercifully to keep us from utter ruine then in that mercy which wee meet this day to celebrate and I thinke you will judge so if with me you consider these foure things that meet in it First The sad occasion of our danger Secondly The persons some of them through mis-information who were ingaged in the preparation to this new warre Thirdly The propinquitie the neare approach of utterruine by it And fourthly The consequents of it First The occasion of it the Originall was that most horred and abominable rape and violence offered unto the two Houses of Parliament wherein the most loath some filth and durt was throwne in the faces of our Nobles and our Senators that I thinke was ever found in any Nation confident I am the like was never done in England so great a blot and stain cast upon the Parliament as I may truely say is tantum non irreparable when a rude multitude shall by violence

compell the honorable Houses of Parliament to passe what they pleased shall reproach them revile them shall thereaten their lives shall enter the House and order what the Speaker must propound to the question what the Glerke must write and after eight houres keeping them prisoners and using them at their pleasure when night was comming on the Members hardly to escape with their lives such an indignitie it was that I am perswaded if rightly understood many hundred thousands in this Kingdome of England would not count their dearest blood too great a price to vindicate or expiate and as if this were not enough against the next Friday Printed Bills set up to call all the company together againe and hereby the Speakers and many of the Noble Lords and Gentlemen compelled to flie so that they could not with safetie of their lives attend the publique serieve this you know was the Originall Secondly Consider the persons that were ingaged in preparation for a new warre First the Honorable Houses tooke both conscience and honour engaged to have this vindicated and their safety provided for The Generall and Officers of the Army hearing of the violence that was offered to the Parliament resolved to enable the Parliament to call it to an accompt or they would perish in it and thereupon the Army that was scattered almost 200. Miles within the space of one weeke was brought together to a Randezvouz which was within a few houres march of the Citie of London The Citie of London not to patronize or protect the insolencie offered against the Parliament for multitudes of them professe and protest an abhorrencie of it but apprehending that the Army would come and either plunder them or give Lawes to them are presently upon their preparation for defence the Army on the other side looking upon the Cities preparation judge that the Citie was resolved to protect this Insolency and Villany that was committed thus both make all possible preparations Thirdly take in the propinquitie of it how neere this was to execution so neere that I am perswaded most men that looked upon it did as to the judgement of man conclude it unavoydable wee must now dash one upon another so neere that the very night before the day wherein we might have been embrewitg our hands in one anothers blood there appeared no probability of right understanding between the two differing parties so neer that I thinke there was never any destructive worke so neere the execution unlesse it were the Gun-pouder plot And lo now in this nicke of time the Lord appeares in the Mount the cloud breakes the Citie will trust the Army they will open their works their gates to them the Army will trust the Citie they will march in peace quite thorough it from end to end no word or act of hostilitie betweene them both The Speakers and the Honorable Lords and Gentlemen who were driven away returne backe the Parliament fits in peace and safety and all this preparation for war and destruction ends in a calme all this hath God done but this will yet appeare more wonderfull if you take in the fourth consideration and that is The Consequents of it First What would have beene and must have been if God had not appeared And Secondly The Consequents that are and I hope shall bee upon this his mercifull appearing for us The Consequents that would have beene my tongue cannot expresse my heart cannot conceive how sad our condition would have beene if the Lord had suffered this neare engagement to have been brought to execution if he had permitted this child of blood to have been borne certainly either the Parliament that hath so dilligently and constantly consulted the good of the Kingdome Citie and Army must have been destroyed or the Army that hath fought so faithfully resolutely and successefully for Parliament for Kingdome and Citie must have been destroyed or the Citie which in the worst of our times hath so cordially with their state and blood adhered to Parliament and Army must have been destroyed and in the destruction of any one of these I am able to apprehend nothing but the ruine and destruction of them all wee should have seene a sad Catastrophy an end of all the expected hopes even the giving up the ghost of what wee have fought and contended for hitherto wee had seene the Embryo of Reformation strangled and made an end of we had seene all delivered up into the hands of that partie that was full with the expectation of such a day and now doubted not but all must be in their hands who hoped soone to give Lawes both to Parliament and Army Citie and Ministers to all godly people by what names or titles soever they bee called each should bee carved out what they would have alotted unto them In a word actum esset there had been an end of England for any good dayes that we should have hoped for but the Lord appearing hath prevented this and given us hopes of better things for already wee have that wch Phinehas took as a blessed fruit of his Embassage here in my Text We perceive this day that God is with us This day have we a further pledge that God is not wearie of the Parliament of England not weary of the Citie of London not weary of the Army but his interposing thus seasonably to take weapons out of their hands shews us new evidence of his watchfull eye of his carefull heart to doe good to us all gives us a further proof that he hath waies of deliverance when wee have none and is not that a blessed consequence and this likewise we see already that the Parliament not only sits in peace and safety but hath an opportunity put into their hands to send some timely succors to Ireland that our Brethren there may have cause to blesse God with us and for us and to settle and make a comfortable close of the long calamities of England and the King and Parliament City and Army come to a better understanding each of other there may be such consequences and fruit of it if God please to blesse and guide the Parliament to improve it that the generations to come shall have great cause to praise God for appearing upon that day when he kept his people from imbruing in one anothers blood Now Honourable and Beloved is not this a mercy worthy of acknowledgments have we not cause to say this day Loe This is our God and we have waited for him and he will save us this is our God we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation hath not the Lord done very mercifully when as beyond our expectation hee hath put this song of Praise into our mouths whereas this day we might have all been flying into caves or deserts or seeing our dearest friends blood pouring out and our selves given up for a spoil O if you understand these things aright give

glory to God who hath vouchsafed this Mercy to us Since the Lord hath appeared thus mercifully given us such a pledge as he hath done let us all endeavour to improve this mercy What shall I render to the Lord is the constant question of a thankfull heart so is this also How shall I use this mercy aright We must study therfore how to improve this great deliverance For our help herein I humbly commend two Directions one in generall which concerns all of us the other more particular which properly concerns you the Honourable Lords and Gentlemen of the two Houses of Parliament For all of us Besides all those Uses which should be made of every deliverance which are to teach us to turn to God to beleeve in him to trust him for time to come to tell abroad his wonderfull works which he hath done Besides all these methinks this mercy doth hint to all Gods people that God is very willing they should study to bee reconciled one to another for truly Brethren if we had gone to War now whatever might have been the pretended cause the reall truth had bin Gods people had gone to destroy one another They that have fought together against their common Enemies who have pray'd together mourn'd together lov'd one another liv'd as brethren contributed borne burthens done all with one heart and one spirit now under the pretence of I know not what must have sheathed their swords in one anothers bowells And when they were so neare it and their Father would not permit them Is it not a voice from heaven Children you must be reconciled Doth it not speak to them as Moses to the two Israelites Sirs you are brethren doe not fall out one with another Do not wrong one another Had God for our sins left us under this judgement to help to destroy each other and then the remainder of us given up into the hands of other adversaries they would have taught us to be at peace one with another wee should have agreed in prisons or in banishment or in the shadow of death O that the Lord would fix it upon the hearts of all that feare him to make this collection from this great Mercy that the people of God must study to be reconciled and united together and to bear one with another every one to indeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace More especially my Lords and Gentlemen this dealing of God toward you seems to call for some notable duties at your hands Let me freely speak a few things unto you 1 That God hath oftentimes cast reproach upon you and humbled you heretofore but in this last abasement the Lord hath set such a stigma such a mark of scorne suffering you to bee spit in the face after that manner suffering the young to beare themselves insolently against the Ancient and the base against the Honorable that I cannot but say there was some high displeasure of God either to your persons or to the Kingdome whom you represent or both I doe therefore most humbly pray you that you would search your own hearts and enquire whether there be not some cause why our gracious God did thus abase you certainly a Father uses not to spit in the face of his Childe if there bee not some speciall cause for it And I cannot think that the Lord would ever have let such an ignominious act that carryes so much abomination in the face of it to bee offer'd to a Parliament if he would not thereby put them to search for somewhat for which they ought to lay themselves low in secret before him When Shimei did curse and revile David David presently reflected upon himself So-let him curse since God bids him curse David hee presently remembred how hee had dishonored God in the matter of Uriah and therefore looked at this reproach as righteously inflicted by the hand of God how culpable-soever Shimei was in it I commend it to your serious thoughts whether as men or Parliament-men or whether as Houses of Parliament the honour and glory of God have not been slighted by you and therefore the Lord hath suffered this slight and scorn to bee cast upon you enquire whether there bee not as much cause why the God of heaven let this reproach bee cast upon you as you have to appoint a Committee to enquire who they were that have done it I blame not your care in that but I humbly pray that you would be carefull of this As I would fain have you learn somewhat from the disgrace which God cast upon you So Principally I desire you to improve the deliverance that now God hath afforded he hath now vouchsafed in his mercy to bring you to sit in Parliament in safety that you may consult the welfare of this Kingdome my most humble suit unto your Lordships and you Noble Gentlemen is consider more seriously then ever heretofore what a task lies upon you you have a very sick Patient of the Kingdome of England to cure it is almost ready to give up the ghost at your doore and in your hand now for the Lords sake if ever any of you have before-time thought of any private interest of your own lay it a side and now attend wholly to the publick now God hath given you one opportunity more try whether possibly you can save the Kingdome or no and in your endeavours I commend onely these two Heads to your serious consideration First Know for certain you can never save this Land without God If the Lord will not work with you you can work nothing Except the Lord build the House they labour but in vaine who build it But if you will work for Gods interest the Lord will work with you and carry on your own interests so far as yours is good Now the Lords interest in the Kingdome is Religion his Worship his Truth his Saints his People let them have the deepest part of your care you will but set up a wall without morter Arena sine calse Sand without lime if you do not take God along with you preserve Gods Truth in the first place buy not Peace with the selling of the Truth of God 2 Look to Gods Worship let that be set up and preserved in purity and take all rubbish and filth from it 3 Let the Ministers be encouraged with countenance maintenance provide that every Flock may have a Shepheard and that they may be helped forward look to Universities those Schools of the Prophets out of which may be sent laborers into the Lords vineyard you have begun many good things in this kind but you have bin hindred by many intervening accidents and the work still hangs the Reformation still sticks in the birth now make it your great work be faithful in building Gods house God wil build your house but if you shall be slight in it know for certain you shal never be able