Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	know_v	5,049	5	3.5427	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93152	A brief testimony against tale-bearers, whisperers, and back- biters shewing that where they are given ear unto amongst friends, neighbors, and relations, or in any Christian society, such can never live in peace, concord and unity / by William Shewen.	Shewen, William, 1631?-1695.	1686 (1686)	Wing S3418; ESTC R42470	8,434	31

hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother if he will not take one or two more with thee if he will not hear them then tell the Church or Congregation if he will not hear the Congregation let him be as an Heathen or Publican Secondly VVhatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do so unto them likewise The true Observation of these two Precepts cuts off all VVhisperings evil Speakings Back-bitings Tale-bearings and the uncovering the nakedness and weakness of any Friend Brother and Neighbour before he hath performed his Duty as is set forth in the first Precept which indeed tends to the preservation of Love and Unity among Brethren and the contrary tends to Strife Division and Destruction No better Method can be laid down in a Christian Society to prevent a Breach and to maintain Love and Brotherly kindness than what is contained in this Precept the neglect and Non-observance of this by many Persons and Societies professing Christianity hath let in Animosities Strifes Debates Division Disorders and Confusion among them so that they have been scattered as with a VVhirlwind and have received the fruit of their own doings in their own bosoms as might be demonstrated at large throughout most of the Sects and gatherings of People in Christendom who only talk of and profess good words and good things but the Jews Turks and Indians may compare with them for good VVorks yea they have caused the name of God and the Christian Religion to be blasphemed scorned and slighted amongst them even because while they are talking of God Christ Love Light Holiness Righteousness and Religion they are envying hating biting and devouring one another and sheathing their Swords in one anothers Bowels having turned that Royal Law Do as you would be done by behind their backs whereas indeed the obeying these seven words is more than the Reading Hearing and Professing seven times seven thousand words There is no Society of People upon the face of the Earth though under the Profession of Christianity it self that have can do or ever shall live together in Love and Unity as true Friends and Brethren further then they Obey and Observe these two divine and Heavenly Precepts And as they do have or shall degenerate from the true Observance thereof they do have and shall fall into Strife Enmity and Division the High-way to Destruction And many have been Destroyed thereby even after they have attained to a good Degree in the Spirit of Love Simplicity and Heavenly Unity and all through Disobedience or neglect of those Precepts of Christ which he once taught and now Teacheth those who are his Disciples indeed to Observe and keep by the Asistance of his holy Spirit of Love which is the Bond of Peace and true Foundation of all Heavenly Concord and Agreement And this Spirit teacheth all that have it and obey it to be Circumspect and take heed of Letting in evil Thoughts evil Reports Whisperings and evil Surmises against any Friend Brother or Neighbour for it will eat like a Canker and if thy Brother Friend or Neighbour hath Trespassed against thee thou must not tell it first to others if thou doest thou art in some degree a Tale-bearer and a Back-biter and Transgresser of this Command of Christ which reacheth all manner of Trespasses and Offences that are private and relating to a particular Person offended or trespassed against which the Church or Congregation knows not of nor ought not except thy Brother refuse to hear thee But if any that is called a Brother Sin openly or is a Fornicator is a profane Person is an Idolator Drunkard or Extortioner c. thou needs not go to such a one and tell him his Fault betwixt thee and him nor to take others with thee nor to tell the Congregation this Precept doth not concern him his Trespass is not only against thee but against all he pretened to be in Fellowship with his wickedness being open and Manifest to all he is to be denied and judged of all and it is no Back-biting to speak the Truth of such a Man to others concerned though behind his back Every Member of a true Society who are gathered by the Spirit of Truth and lives in the Fellowship of it they are furnished with Courage and strength to defend each other to Believe well and Hope well of each other against all evil Reports Tales and Storys that may be raised and will let nothing in but upon good Proof or clear Manifestation and then tho it may bring Sorrow yet a Judgment is raised with Severity against the doing of Evil by such who are under the Profession of good such Hypocrites God will Judge to the uttermost their Damnation slumbers not yet such there have been are and will be under the highest Professions outward that ever were are or shall be among men until the Universal destruction of that grand Enemy of mankind It is an excellent degree in Christianity to attain to that state in Love which thinks no ill such can speak no ill nor do no ill against their Friend or Neighbour nor against any man the Tale-carrier Whisperer nor Flatteter can have no place with such a one his very Countenance drives them away having no part in him can give no entertainment to them He that seeth a Thief and consenteth to him is Guilty with him Tale-bearers Whisperers and Back-biters and their entertainers who defame and Rob a man of his good Name Credit and Reputation are greater Thieves than those that Rob a man of a little Money and Goods as it is written A good Name is better than precious Oyntment Eccles 7.3 A good Name is rather to be chosen than great Riches Prov. 22.1 He that raiseth a false Report and gets Tale-carriers to carry it abroad and these Tell-tales finds entertainers and receivers Who knows the extent of such things And who can measure the evil fruit of such doings Such evil Seed meeting with ground suitable thereunto grows and increaseth amain and according to the Phrase a man's Back is bitten his Credit wounded his good Name stained and defiled his Reputation impaired if not destroyed among such as are credulous of false Reports and all this is done as it were insensibly sometimes before he knows any thing thereof It hath not been without great cause that both God and men hath given forth Laws against such things He that professeth and obeyeth that Royal Law or Precept of Christ Do as thou wouldst be done unto cannot touch with these things nor shew any favour or countenance to any that are found therein I shall now Answer one Question and conclude this my Caution Warning and Testimony against raysing false Reports Tale-bearing and Tale-hearing having an aim for general Good therein hoping what I have said may be of some service for the stopping and preventing of such things which tend to the dividing and destroying all true Friendship and Soeiety The Question is this If a False Report be