Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	good_a	see_v	2,875	5	3.5208	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68302	A most excellent and comfortable treatise, for all such as are any maner of way either troubled in minde or afflicted in bodie, made by Andrew Kingesmyl Gentleman, sometime fellowe of Alsolne Colledge in Oxforde. Whereunto is adioyned a verie godly and learned exhortation to suffer patiently al afflictions for the gospel of Christ Iesus. And also a conference betwixt a godly learned Christian [and] an afflicted conscie[n]ce: wherein, by the holy Scriptures the sleights of Satan are made manifest, and ouerthrowen: with a godly prayer thereunto annexed	Kingsmill, Andrew, 1538-1569.; Mills, Francis.	1577 (1577)	STC 15000; ESTC S107429	44,945	104

likewise the historie sheweth of Ammonarion Mercuria Dionysia and other notable women that were so vnfearefull to suffer most sharpe death that they woulde runne when they heard where the execution was in hande and carie their young children with them such delight had they to suffer for Christes sake in great hast as vnto a ioyfull feast fearing nothing els but that the tormentours would spare them and that they should not be thought worthie to beare witnesse to Christes death with their owne bloud Call to your remembrance that faithfull woman and worthie martyr of Iesus Christ your owne countrie woman Anne Askew her imprisonment moued her not she litle weyed the cruel torture and tearing her bodie on the racke she ioyfully went to the fyer and was of more comfort in feeling the paine and lesse wearie thereof then the lookers on to beholde or the tormētours to do execution The historie sayeth that Theodorus a yong man was so grieuously tormēted with diuers and sundrie kindes of tormentes and at length his bodie so rent and torne that they left him for dead Whome Ruffinus the writer of the Ecclesiasticall storie afterward asked whether he felt not grieuous paines whiles he was in the torments to whom he aunswered that he felt verie litle paine For said he there stood as he thought a yong man by him who always wiped the sweat from him and so much comforted his stomacke that the time of the tormenting seemed to him much more pleasaunt then painefull Who made the yong men walke in the fire and burne not Who hardened these martyrs of men and women that they did not shrinke at paine but ranne thorow fire water and most cruell torments and not be ouercome Certainely euen he who had promised them that neither in fier water no nor yet in the shadowe of death he woulde be from them but woulde be their buckler defendour and shield faithfully performing that no temptation should so assaile them but that he woulde giue a ioyfull ende and deliuerance whereunto they trusted and so by their constant fayth ouercame and had the victorie For this is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth Yea as S. Paul saith the time woulde not serue vs if we would rehearse how the Patriarks prophets Apostles Martyrs through faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sworde out of weaknes were made strōg waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the aliants the women receiued their dead raysed to life againe Other were racked and would not be deliuered that they might inherit a better resurrection Againe other were tried with mockings and scourgings moreouer with bonds and imprisonments were stoned were hewen in sunder were tempted were slaine with sworde And these al through fayth obtayned good report The holy Ghost hath caused these histories to be kept in writing for vs that are now in the latter dayes to this ende that we should not onely behold in them the fierie raging of the world from the beginning against the chosen people of God how stoutly they withstood ouercame by faythfull patience the malice therof but also that by reading of thē we should in our like troubles learne like patience receiue the same cōfort being thorowly tried cōceiue a sure hope of the same victorie which they after many sundrie trials did winne whereof we shal not be disapointed if we to the ende striue lawfully If it be to hard aboue your capacitie to beholde al the histories exāples propounded in the scriptures the Chronicles of Christes church with such cōsideration that you may espie behold in them the order of Gods working with his Church in all ages wherby to perceiue these your grieuous chaunges to be no new and vnwonted work of God If you doe not perceiue see in them the true iust cause which moueth the Lord hereunto and thereby to learne faithful repētance if you doe not vnderstand in diligent perusing them that the end and issue was alwayes ioyfull and glorious victorie deliueraunce wherewith to comfort your selues in the middes of miseries take into your handes the comfortable historie of King Dauid marke his whole life from that time he was taken from his fathers sheepe to his death beholde in him your selues in the people during the time of his rule the church of England and in the wonderfull iudgement of God in ordering his Church then what shal be the ende of his sharpe crosse wherwith he doeth exercise you at this time And to the ende you may the better see how to wade in considering his whole life we haue disclosed and opened for you to beholde a part thereof wherein you shall see plainely that the grieuous afflictions of euery one of you seuerally and of the whole Church of England together is not fallen by chaunce of euill or good fortune but by the mightie hande of God whose good will it is thus to haue you tried for a while also for what cause GOD thus worketh and what shal be the ende of al these dooings After the Lorde had founde out Dauid a man after his owne minde and appointed him King ouer his people who laboured worthily to deliuer and defend Gods people from their enemies the Idolatours that dwelt nere about them he did not graūt to him such quietnes neither to his people but that he was in continuall troubles and no small daungers during the life of Saul and also after his death the Idolatours and also Sauls friends seeking all the wayes that might be to disturbe him forth of his kingdome And not onely was he thus vexed with his foraine enemies but also most grieuously of all by those of his houshold who shoulde haue bin his most deare friends his owne natural sonne Absalom his most priuie Counselours the nobilitie of his Realme the most part of his subiectes Absalom pretending to his father Dauid a great holines as the maner of the hypocrites is desired to haue leaue to go into Hebron there to doe sacrifice for the performance of a vowe which he had made in the time of his being in Syria but his meaning was to obtaine the kingdome from his Father and to stirre all Israel against him which he brought to passe Dauid was banished and pursued vnto the death by his owne sonne who wrought so much vilanie against his father that he did not forbeare in the despite of him to misuse his fathers wiues in the sight of all the people how grieuouse and daungerous this sodaine chaunge was to Dauid to the godly people which were but a very fewe in respect of the great number of the malicious hypocrites which folowed Absalom it appeareth plainly in the storie and you may easely consider The best that was like to come of the matter was that whiles the kingdome of Israel was

without al doubt the mistrust in Gods prouidēce wherewith all fleshe is naturally infected feare of the great painfull bitternes that hunger imprisonment persecution bringeth alwayes obiected and propounded by the delicate fleshe doth moue the heart of man to hate and flye by alwayes the crosse and to inuent and pretende excuses and causes which it should be better to refuse thē to enter into trouble among which this is not the least that the flesh not regarding Gods working in the middes of afflictiō far aboue the capacitie of mans witte pretendeth as though it would gladly for trueths sake enterprise great matter but that it hath not power giuen able to go thorow withal accordingly And this excuse is pretēded euen by them that yet wil not seme to be fleshly but spirituall not flattering the world for feare but fauouring the trueth of loue so deceiue them selues where they vtterly forsake refuse that thing they would seeme most gladly to obtayne Wherein they cōmit double offence of hypocrisie whē they would seeme to be that they are not and of incredulitie for that they declare plainely in this saying that they thinke either that God can not or els that he will not cōfort strengthen and deliuer them forth of all miseries not esteeming his promises wherein he hath declared his will neither marking his wonderous working for his children from time to time in their afflictions wherein his power most manifestly appeareth neyther yet considering his fatherlie care which is more mindfull and tender ouer his then the mother can be ouer her onely beloued childe It sufficeth betwixt man and man specially if they be of honestie credit that things passe by word and writing we persuade our selues that the thing so promised confirmed ought and also shal be performed Vpon this persuasion if the Prince promise to the subiect the noble man to the meane the father to the sonne and among marchants one to another it is accounted so sure that we will make our reckoning thereof as though we had it in possessiō such trust we giue one vnto another and shall we then doubt in Gods promise which hath not only past by words but also by writing sealed confirmed with the bloud and death of his onely Sonne Is there any man so mindfull of his promise or so able to performe the same as our heauēly Father is of that he promiseth to vs It is cōmonly seene among men that leagues couenantes and bargaines can not be so wisely made nor so surely confirmed but that with wyelie falshoode and false vnfaithfulnes they are defeated of none effect But God is so faithful in performing the thing to vs which he promiseth that heauen and earth shal rather come to nothing thē one title of his promise shal be vnperformed Yea they that mistrust or doubt of the suretie of his promise are no lesse in doubt whether there be a God or no. For to doubt or denie his trueth and fidelitie is to mistrust or denie him to be god A Prince noble man for his owne honour sake a Father for his father like affection to his childe a Marchaunt for his credit sake will kepe their promise would not our heauenly Prince who as he hath made all things to serue to his owne glorie so will not giue the same to any creature haue his honour herein aduanced and most highly regarded that he is most sure iuste and true of promise Would not our heauenly Father we should persuade our selues that his loue towardes vs doth farre surmount the affection of a carnal father to his childe Can any man so much esteeme his owne credite and estimation of trustines as he who is faithful trueth it selfe regardeth so to be knowen to his creatures It is the greatest dishonestie among men to be so vnthankfull to suspect or mistrust him whose friendlie fidelitie and faithfull friendship we haue bene sure of at al times whensoeuer we haue bene in distresse much more shame is it to suspect mistrust or doubt of Gods faythful assistance whēsoeuer we shal haue need for so much as his faithful friendship friendly loue is farre aboue the trustines of man as heauē aboue the earth fine golde aboue filthie drosse precious pearles aboue dirtie doung Yea there is no engine wherwith the deuil worketh so forcibly mans destructiō which draweth so many frō god doth wring forth of Gods iustice his fearfull vengeance as mistrust in gods promise incredulity On the other part nothing attaineth saluation bringeth men nere to Gods presence draweth forth of gods mercie his fauourable loue but only fayth constant affiance in his most sure faithfull promises The losse of riches landes earthly possessions is a sore grief but is not the winning of an hundred fould so much and the obtaining of an euerlasting kingdome a good salue for this sore If we gaine with the losse of transitorie things heauenly treasures with the forsaking of worldly friēds Christ to be our deare sure friend and with refusing father mother brother sister wife childrē purchase God to be our most mercifull Father Christ our most louing brother to be loued of the Sōne of God as his deare dearlings only beloued spouse what haue wee lost what greater gain can we haue or what more profitable exchāge can be made This bargaine and profite hath our heauenly Father promised vnto vs by a byl of his owne hand sealed with the bloud of his only Sōne testified by the witnes of his Apostles and left with vs in our owne custodie to be paide at the sight whensoeuer we shall require it whereof this is the content Who so hath forsaken house brother sister father mother wife children or landes for my Names sake he shall receiue an hundreth folde and the inheritance of euerlasting life Who will denie but that hunger colde nakednes extreme pouertie want of things partly necessarie are an heauie burden for man to beare but the weight hereof is lightned and made easie to thē that with right eye vnfainedly do beleue Gods promise and cast their care on him Cast thy care vpō the Lord for he hath care ouer thee Your heauenly Father knoweth that you haue neede of all these things meate drinke and clothes he ministreth these things in due time to the beastes of the earth the fouls of the aire the fishes in the sea he clotheth and decketh with beautifull apparell the flowers of the fielde according to his promise and wil he not keepe his promise vnto vs for whose sakes he hath made these creatures and hath made vs lords ouer them What cause haue we rather to mistrust his promise thē the birde that flieth forth in the morning vpon this natural persuasion that she shal finde foode not douting but he who made her wil not suffer her to sterue with hūger Haue we seene such as haue put their

thus deuided Gods enemies the Philistims who had lyen long in wayte therfore shoulde snatche vp from both the parties the kingdome of Israel and not onely vtterly banishe Gods true religion from among the Israelites but also bring thē their countrey and their posteritie into most miserable bondage and thraldome and that to Gods enemies the most vile people and hated of all the world Dauid in all these perilous daungers of his owne lyfe losse of his kingdome vtter destruction of Gods people did not discourage himself but vnderstāding all this to be the worke of Gods owne hande acknowledging the true cause vnfainedly did perswade him self that the Lord after a time when his good wil should be woulde giue a cōfortable end to al these stormes and bitter pāgs His whole behauiour he himself describeth in a Psalme which is left in writing for vs to learne therafter how to behaue our selues in the like persecutions Whē he was fled from Ierusalem the priestes were departed frō him with the Arke of the Lords Couenaunt he went vpon mount Oliuet barefoote wept as he went and had his head couered and so did all the people that were with him And he made his mone vnto the Lord saying O Iehoua how are they encreased that trouble me how many are they that rise against me howe many are there that saye of my soule There is no helpe for him in his God Selah Wonder not though this good King with an heauie hearte and sorowfull cheare doeth lament and bewaile his dolorouse estate Woulde it not grieue a King when he thinketh of no such matter sodainly to be cast out of his Royall seate and brought in daunger of his lyfe and that by his owne naturall Sonne Can the displeasure of any enemie so much pearce the heart of a kinde father as the vnnaturall crueltie of the sonne to seeke his death of whom he himselfe had his life It grieued him no small deale to perceiue such as had bin his wise Counsailours whom he much trusted whose duetie it had bin with the spending of their owne liues to haue defended the common weale brought to good and quiet order both in matters of policie of Gods true religion to be the supporters and mainteiners of an hypocrite who had neither respect to Gods true honour nor yet consideration of duetie to his most honourable Father neither yet regarde to the prosperous weale of his natiue countrey But nothing of all these grieued him so much as this one thing the remembrance and true acknowledging in himselfe that he himselfe was the only cause of all these euils He called to his remembrance that these plagues fell vpon him sent from God whose worke it was and that for his sinnes which were the cause thereof and this made him weepe and mourne For so soone as the Prophet Nathan had warned him of his offence he cryed peccaui I haue sinned and afterward when hee sawe this grieuous and sodaine chaunge folowe he perceiued it came partly for his sinne by the worke of God and therefore submitted him self wholy to Gods will saying If I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde he will bring me againe and shew me both his Arke and the Tabernacle thereof but and the Lorde thus saye I haue no lust vnto thee behold here am I let him doe with mee what seemeth good in his eyes Thus the worthie man of God acknowledgeth his troubles to be of Gods hande his sinnes to be the cause and therefore humbly and faithfully submitteth himselfe to Gods ordering wel content to receiue whatsoeuer should be layd vpon him He assured himselfe that when he himselfe were most weakest then God would declare his strength for his owne glories sake and after he were reduced to a faithfull repentaunce by the correction of his mercifull Father then the rod should be cast into the fire This consideration of plagues both to priuate men particularly and also of Realmes whole common Wealthes is diligently to be weyed that as they come from God so haue they this ende that they tende partly to his owne glorie partly to our profit and amendement For although sinne is the generall cause wherefore all mankinde generally was is shal be molested with many and sundrie kindes of troubles and calamities yet the calamities afflictions are not to all kinde of men alike nor yet for one end and purpose For the wicked and reprobate are punished whipped of God to a farre other end and meaning then the godly and chosen children who are the true church of God the liuely mēbers of Christ such as shal be neuer separated frō God and his louing fauour in Christ Iesu These although they be neuer without trouble in this world but alwayes exercised vnder the crosse yet the cause and cōsideration why God will haue them thus exercised is either for the glorie and honour of his owne Name or the profite commoditie and exceeding benefit of them whom he thus afflicteth either els for both these considerations together for that there is no trouble that cōmeth to Christes church or any mēber therof which appeareth not plainly to redound to Gods glorie the profit of the afflicted if it be wel iustly cōsidered These two causes considerations doth the Scripture teach in all calamities of the church whether they be generall or particular which being wel marked will easily put out of the way this stūbling block wherat many stumble fal marueyling wherfore God wil suffer his word his chosen childrē thus to be vsed euil dealt withall The childrē of Israel were in Egypt most cruelly dealt withal 400. yeeres oppressed with most painfull labours most seruile exactions their infants slaine they cried vnto the Lord their griefs encreased for God had hardened Pharao his heart that he shoulde not ease or deliuer his people Wherefore did God thus afflict his people and stirred this cruell tyrant so grieuously to vexe thē truely for his own glorie their profit God rehearseth this cause and cōsideratiō in the scripture of the hard cruel hearts of the Egyptians towards his people The Egyptians shal know that I am the Lord and that I will deliuer my people by strong hand frō among thē For this purpose saith God to Pharao haue I raysed thee vp that in thee I may declare my power thorowout the whole world This profit they receiued the exercise of their faith the triall of their patience and the confirming of their hope for deliueraunce which was not deceyued Thus S. Paul noteth and collecteth of this historie the one end to be Gods glorie for the honourable fame and renowme of his Name throughout the whole world and also the profit that the afflicted receiue which is the exercise of faith as he noteth of Moses and his parents to the Hebrues But much more plainly doth S. Paul note teach these two