Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A61433
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Of humiliation, and the effects of it in relation to the present occasion
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Stephens, Edward, d. 1706.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing S5431; ESTC R2507
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8,143
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12
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said very plainly and very truly against Debauchery All was dedicated to the King with a brief Narrative of the causes of the unhappiness of those Kings and the Danger of his involving himself in their Fate and participation in their Judgments and presented to his own Hand March 18. And some time after presented to several of the Lords and many of the Commons But to this day hath not any thing been done to this purpose or so much as mentioned by King Bishop Lord or any one of the Commons nor are we yet awakened to any sence of the Importance of this Matter though we see some things little less than predicted in those Papers already come to pass as particularly the impeding and crossing our Preparations for Ireland and encouraging the Irish pag. 15. of the Caveat And I wish we see not more come to pass as we certainly shall if we go on in this manner Can we think that our verbal Thanksgiving can find acceptance with the Wise and Righteous God without acts of Gratitude when there is occasion It would not with a mortal Man but rather provoke Indignation Nor can we reasonably expect our Fasting and Prayers should ever find favour with him without an actual and speedy Reformation but rather aggravate the fault and provoke some great Cross and Disappointment Sometimes God is pleased in the Government of the World as it were to withdraw himself and wink at the courses of Men and let them go on without check or controul at other times to appear in extraordinary Dispensations of his Providence And this he is now doing not only in these Nations but in a great part of the World. He hath in an admirable manner executed his Judgments against the late King who had filled up the Iniquity of his Fathers by not only courting but espousing the Babylonish Harlot and when we might have expected some severe Judgment gave us a great Deliverance He gave to the Prince an extraordinary Success but withal at the same time led him to a Temptation and Tryal whether after such an Army of Men had stooped to him he would dare in dependance upon that Providence to encounter a Party of Vicious and debauched Nobility and Gentry which had he done all had certainly stooped to him he had kept up his Authority which with a Mixture of Kindness Confidence and such like encouragements would by the Blessing of God have made that Army as debauched as it was entirely at his Service and might have made things go more smoothly in the Parliament than they have done without any Politick Compliance with any Faction whatsoever That he did not do it if it was through Forgetfulness the Fault lies at the Doctor 's Door but if it was upon Politick Considerations he hath stumbled at the very same Stone at which King James the First did and unless he spedily extricate himself will be involved in the Fate of that Family And for the Bishops Lords and Commons the Representatives of the Nation who have been so busie in scuffling for Places and Preferments or carrying on the Interest of some Faction or Party if they neglect to correspond with the present Course of God's Providence in Reformation of the Nation by the Gentle Means of Good Laws and Vigorous Execution by the Civil Sword God will certainly do it by his rougher Ways of the Sword of War and cast out such unprofitable Servants our extraordinary Mercies will aggravate our Crimes may fill up our Measure and the Prophanation of our Fasting and Prayer by neglect of Reformation may seal up our Judgments I am perswaded God will pull down the Pride and Insolence of that wicked Man the French King and great probability there was he would have done it in a great Measure by our Hands had we made our selves fit for his Service but it is now doubtful whether he will not first scourge and purge our wicked Generation by that Rod before he throws it in the Fire For the things which belong to our Peace seem to be hidden from our Eyes as if we were possessed with a Spirit of Slumber and Infatuation Quos perdere vult Jupiter dementat prius If this Solemnity produce no better Effects in our State it remains only that Private Men look to themselves have a care who they associate with and enter into such Courses as 't is probable Almighty God will Bless and Protect them in and perhaps the Condition of Londonderry in their Siege may be more eligible than of the City of London in their Liberty with Licentiousness I am amazed to consider the Supine Negligence and Insensibility of our State in this Respect and the more when I consider that there are some among them who make Profession of Religion and whose sincerity therein I cannot question Possibly some may be of some other Church or Party and look upon all the rest as such as are without and therefore are not concerned for them but this if it be so is a Mistake for they and their Parties being Members of the same Commonwealth may deservedly be involved in the Punishment of those Crimes which they neglect to reform in other Members thereof But for those of the Church of England how they can magnifie this for the best Church in the World and at the same time with Patience see it made a Cage of every Unclean Bird I cannot understand for certain it is That none of the Debauchees do profess themselves to be of any other Church but all of the Church of England and many of them Zealots for it too and reason good for there they are connived at But I cannot mention this Neglect of the Church of England in not reforming its own Members without calling to mind another Neglect by no means to be passed over in Silence upon this Occasion because the Mischiefs thereof do seem very likely to fall heavy upon us And that is of Reclaiming Civilizing and Converting the poor Irish who seem to have been committed to our Care by the Providence of God For we have for a whole Age at least wanted neither Men nor Means nor any thing else but good Hearts sensible of our Duty for that Servicet The Souls of that People and of their Ancestors may cry to Heaven for Vengeance for that Neglect And we may reasonably fear that God in Judgment may make use of that neglected and despised People for a just Scourge and Punishment for it The Wit of Man in his Prosperity may find out Fine Plausible Exccuses but it is time now to consider How far such Excuses are like to pass with Almighty God And certainly it will be more suitable to this Occasion to lay them all aside take the Matter into serious Consideration and make that one of the Motives of our Humiliation Besides the gross Immortalities of the Nation there are many other matters which deserve consideration And among the rest that Root of all Evil Coveteousness and insatiable