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	person_n	2,760	5	4.6597	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85418	Theomachia; or The grand imprudence of men running the hazard of fighting against God, in suppressing any way, doctrine, or practice, concerning which they know not certainly whether it be from God or no. Being the substance of two sermons, preached in Colemanstreet, upon occasion of the late disaster sustain'd in the west. With some necessary enlargements thereunto. / By John Goodvvin, pastor of the Church of God there.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1644 (1644)	Wing G1206; Thomason E12_1; ESTC R5086	47,494	57

of God by doing that which is more like to expose others also to the same stroke then any wayes to comfort or relieve them But whatsoever she can reasonably conceive or judge to be a means any wayes likely to save a soul from death to translate men from darknesse unto life she girds her self to minister unto the world both farre and neer in every such thing She cordially prayes for the conversion of the unconverted she mourns over them she causes her light to shine before them she bears their burthens she intreats them gently she feeds their hungry and cloatheth their naked as she is able she recompenceth evill for evill unto none of them with all such exemplatities of life and conversation which are sanctified and appointed by God for the winning of those without the Word who refuse to obey it 1 Pet. 3. 1. And besides all this that which is the first-born means of conversion she preacheth the Gospel with as much diligence and faithfulnesse and power and with as much libertie and freedome unto all to partake with her in this her ministration as any other way whatsoever yea as readie and forward she is as any other to contribute her proportion to the full whether in counsell purse or otherwise for the furnishing of all the candlesticks in the land with burning and shining lights I mean for the erecting and setting up a faithfull preaching Ministery throughout the Land yea if it were possible throughout the whole world Therefore Fifthly and lastly to the main objection whereas this way with the permission and sufferance of it is burthened with this jealousie and fear that it is so highly displeasing unto God that he is not like to turn in mercie unto the Nation untill it be removed and all the factors for it taken away I answer First that this jealousie and fear is of the same inspiration with that wherewith Rabshakeh of old sought to possesse the heart of the good King Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem that so upon the discouragement they might be the more willing to compound for their City But if thou say to me ●● trust in the Lord our God is it not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away and said to Judah and Jerusalem ye shall worship before this altar That which Hezekiah had done in destroying Idolatry with great acceptation in the sight of God and which consequently was in it self a pledge and confirmation unto him and his people that God was and would be with them to save them and their Citie out of Rabshakehs hand this doth this deceived ambitious man contrive into an argument of jealousie and fear unto them that God was offended with them and so represents their hope and confidence in the shape of diffidence and deep discouragement unto them He that perswaded the woman that God knew how that in the day wherein they should eat of the tree i● the mid ●●st of the garden their eyes should be opened and they be like gods c. hath it seems possest many amongst us with this semblable apprehension that from the day wherein they shall destroy that way we speak of out of the Land and suppre●●e all those that walk in it God will be gracious unto them and remember their iniquities no more as if to sacrifice the children in the Fathers sight were the onely means of making atonement with him But Secondly how doth this carrie any shew or shadow of reason or truth in it that God should turn away his face from a State or Nation for not hating his people or for refusi●g to persecute his anointed ones God sometimes said That Nation whom they shall serve I will iudge Gen. 15. 14. Is his mind so far altered in this point that now he should say the Nation who shall give them libertie I will iudge The generall rule of restraint which God hath charged upon States Kingdoms and Nations is this Touch not mine a●●i●ted and do my Prophets no harm and hath he anywhere made Independencie so called an exception from this rule or hath he anywhere made Presbyterie a distinguishing character of such of his anointed ones who must not be touc●'d from others of them who may be crush'd and whose bon●s m●y b● broken Surely circumcision and unci●cumcision differed as much as Presby●erie and Independencie can do yet the Apostle tels us Gal. 6. 15. that in Jesus Christ neither circumcision av●ileth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature If Independents be new creatures and born of God their Brethren need not fear any displeasure or anger from their Father for suffering them to dwell in peace by them in the same Land but have cause to rejoyce in such their neighbourhood and societi● as being pillars of the s●me strength with themselves to support the State and Nation wherein they dwell But Thirdly and lastly when mens table becomes a snare unto them and their welfare a trap it is a signe that God is about to bow down their backs if not to make their habitations desolate When the Jews began to reason after this manner and to act accordingly If we let him thus alone all men will beleeve on him and then the Romanes shall come and take away both our place and nation it was a presage that the Romanes indeed would come and take away both which they did not many yeers after Make the heart of this people fat saith the Lord by his Prophet concerning the same people and make their eares heavie and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and be healed I say no more in this but onely pray with all mine heart and with all my soul that the people of this Kingdom may see with their eyes and hear with their eares and understand with their hearts that they may convert and be healed The Heathens were wont to say Jupiter quos vult perdere dementat Another objection leavied against the Way is this If this way be let alone and suffered to take place it will still undermine the credit and comfort of many worthy and conscientious Ministers in the land For as fast as they through the blessing of God upon their faithfull labours in the work of the Ministery shall convert souls unto God this Way will allure them away from them unto it self whereby their hand must needs be enfeebled and discouraged to their work But to this also I answer First that if that way of Government and worship wherein those good Ministers shall walk who are supposed to convert people unto God be indeed and in truth the way of God there is little ground or cause of fear that any other way should separate between them and their converted ones For first the verie grace of conversion being dispensed unto these by their hand is a great and solemne ingagement upon them to love and

first-borne yet was not to be sanctified or offered unto the Lord if it were either lame or blind Deut. 15. 19. 21. Nor was any man though of Aarons seed admitted to serve at the Altar that had any blemish or imperfection of blindnesse on him Levit. 21. 17 18. God regards no mans zeale without knowledge though it should pitch and fasten upon things never so agreeable unto his will nor doth he care that his enemies themselves should be destroyed but upon lawfull triall and conviction Secondly Whatsoever Doctrine or way is recommended and tendered unto men in the Name of God whether either the one or the other be from God or no yet he expects from men as well he may that reverence and regard unto that Great Name of his wherein such things are brought and tendered unto them that they should be diligently considered and due proofe and examination made whether they be from him or no before they be rejected and much more before opposed And certainly men doe but pollute and prophane that ever-blessed Name of God by making refuse yea abomination as many doe of such things as are brought unto them in that Name before they know upon any considerable grounds or terms of knowledge whether the things be indeed from God or no yea though the things thus rejected should at last be found worthy of no better entertainment as having no agreement with God or his Word The event or issue in this case though it should fall out to the best for such men will very little case or qualifie their sin Shall not that wicked tyrant and enemy of God Eglon rise up in judgement and condemne that generation of men we now speak of who when Ehud onely signified that he had a message from God unto him did not presently reject the message before he knew it or fall foule upon the messenger but as the Text saith Judg. 2. 20. arose up from his throne addressing himselfe in that deportment of Reverence to receive it Thirdly and lastly It is extreme madnesse in men to run the hazard we speake of I meane of fighting against God in seeking to suppresse such waies or courses as they are not able to demonstrate but that they are waies of God indeed because in case they be not the waies of God he himselfe will give testimony from Heaven against them in due time he will suppresse and scatter them and bring them to nought and then there will be no danger for men to reject and abhorre them Dearly beloved saith the Apostle Rom. 12. 19. avenge not your selves but give place unto wrath i. unto the wrath of God whose just avenging hand is lift up against those that wrong you and deale unjustly with you and is ready to smite for your sakes as it followeth For it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord It were great folly in any man to expose himselfe to the just offence and displeasure of God by seeking to right himselfe in an angry and revengefull manner upon him whom he certainly knows hath injur'd him God himselfe being ready with his stroke of justice to do him right and to avenge him on his adversary though he himselfe should be patient and ●it still But it would be a point yet of seven-times greater folly then so for a man to fall foule in a way of revenge upon an imaginary adversary and who at most can onely be supposed or suspected to have done him wrong considering that God who is an infallible discerner and judge of injuries and wrongs and withall a just Avenger of all such things will shortly appeare for his full vindication in case he hath been wronged indeed Nor hath any man cause in this case to feare lest whilst the grasse grows the s●eed should starve as the Proverb is I meane that the person injured whether really or in supposition onely should suffer losse by possessing his soule in patience untill the day of divine recompence and vengeance shall come For God certainly will give full and ample consideration for all forbearance and long-suffering of men wherein and whereby the rights of his Throne are tendered and maintained It were no lesse then an exaltation of folly in any man to expose his own life to the stroke of justice by assaulting the life of a malefactor whilst he is going to execution Againe secondly by way of Instruction If to attempt the destruction or suppression of any Doctrine or way which is from God in so high and peremptory a manner as was formerly expressed be a fighting against God take we knowledge from hence also what ●in by name in all likelihood at least and with highest pregnancy of conjecture it is which ever and anon thus separates between God and us which still troubles our proceedings and makes the Sun of our peace to goe so often backwards in the Heavens thereof Is there not a fighting against God amongst us as well as a fighting for him and doe we not pull downe by the one what we build up by the other Are not the hearts and the heads and the hands of farre the greatest part of men amongst us ingaged and that to the highest of all bitternesse hatred and enmity against that Way of ordering the things of God's worship and of governing his Churches and Saints which hath been and still is held forth in his Name unto this Nation by some Embassadors and Messengers of his of a very choice anoynting and indued with strength from on High many of them as it were on purpose to stand by some such way or counsell of God untill it had throughly taken the hearts and judgements and consciences of men besides many thousands more and those for the most part of the best and choicest servants of God amongst us Is not this WAY blasphemed and spoken against yea is not the destruction and ruine of it with the grinding of the faces and breaking of the bones with the suppression and crushing of those that hold it forth unto us consulted studied and attempted by some that would be thought Pillars and prime men in the House and Temple of God And have they not a great vote of the generality of people who know little of God or his Wayes concurring with them to strengthen their hand herein May we not say of this WAY as the Jews sometimes said unto Paul concerning the Doctrine of Christ which he preached with those that professed it We know that this Sect is every where spoken against Act. 28. 22. So then in case it ever shall appeare or be found to be a WAY of God we are in a Praemunire for the present and have forfeited our peace help and comfort in God as touching deliverance from our present dangers and miseries by this our fighting against him I presume you will all readily acknowledge and confesse that if there be such a sin ruling and ●aigning amongst us as fighting against God this of all other is

and love throughout the Nation by exalting one way of Discipline of Church-Government for the treading downe and trampling under foot all others If Ephraim be against Manasseh is it any wayes like but that Manasseh will be against Ephraim And God himselfe prophecying of Ishmael told his mother that he would be a wild man and that his hand should be against every man and every mans hand against him Undoubtedly that way whose hand shall be against every way will find that the hand of every way will be against it and then what manner of peace can reasonably be expected under the predominancy of such a way That way which shall be able to out-reason not that which shall out-clubbe all other wayes will at last exalt unitie and be it selfe exalted by gathering in all other wayes unto it Solomon tells us that all that is taken in hunting is not alwayes roasted and that an inheritance may be hastily gotten and yet the end thereof not be blessed and the Prophet Habakk 〈…〉 denounceth a woe against him that shall build a towne with bloud But 5. I would gladly know what the plaintiffe in the objection means by distractions rents divisions in relations families Congregations c. If he means onely this that the father goes to heare one Minister in one place and the son another Minister in another and that some within the same parochiall line goe to this Minister or are members of this Church others to another Minister and are members of another Church and the like c. I answer That in this case I know no more occasion at least no more necessitie of any distraction rent or division then when the father being free of one company as suppose of Merchant-taylors shall still upon occasion of the meeting of this company repaire to the hall belonging to it and the son being free of another as perhaps of the company of Grocers shall upon the like occasion repaire to the hall appertaining to them Who knows not that the members of all the severall Companies in London dwell scatteringly and promiscuously up and downe the Citie with the greatest irregularitie of intermixture that lightly can be and without any observation of their relations to their respective Companies sundry members of twenty severall Companies it may be inhabiting within one and the same parish and yet without any complaint or inconvenience of rents distractions or divisions Or if by rents distractions and divisions he means distances or alienations in affections nor can these with any face of reason be charged upon that way whose cause we plead because it is a maine principle and maxime in this way to hold terms of love and Christian correspondence with all persons of what judgement soever in point of Government if they be godly as well as with her owne children as hath in effect been argued formerly But in this case the Roman proverb it seems must be verified Aemilius fecit plectitur Rutilius Or 3. and lastly if by rents distractions ● he means the shaking or troubling of mens judgements raising doubts or scruples in mens consciences concerning the way they went peaceably in before I answer 1. That if they were built upon sure and cleere foundations in their former way there is not the least ground or reason why they should be troubled or shaken in their judgements because they see another way acted and practised by others or 2. if they were but at peradventure in their former way and it was not the knowledge but the ignorance of the truth that both put them into it and kept them in it they have no cause to complaine of being awakened out of so sinfull and dangerous a sleep though it were never so sweet and pleasing to them But 6. and lastly S 〈…〉 pose that all which the objection chargeth upon the way we speake for be granted for truth that where this Way comes and is entertained Congregations are torne families rent relations distanced c. Yet this maketh much more for it then against it because such figures and characters as these are the knowne impressions of the Gospel upon the world where it comes in power and is entertained in truth Thinke yee saith our Saviour that I am come to give peace on earth I tell you nay but rather debate For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided three against two and two against three The father shall be divided against the son and the son against the father the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother the mother in law against her daughter in law and the daughter in law against her mother in law Nor is it to be conceived that these divisions in relations and families foretold by Christ as the common and ordinary effects and consequents of the Gospel for in different respects they may be either are to be limited onely to such either relations or families wherein the ground or occasion of the division should be the receiving of the Gospel in the maine truth and substance of it by the one partie the other partie absolutely rejecting it as if they were onely to take place in such cases as this but they are to be extended to such both families and relations also where some particular and speciall points or truths of the Gospel are intertained by one partie and rejected by another though both agree as well in the beliefe as in the Profession of the Gospel in the generall Experience shews that rents divisions take place in both as well yea and that with as much heate and distemper of affection in the latter case and upon the latter occasion as in the former Now if the question in this latter case be Whether the occasion of the division be rather to be imputed to the truth held and practised by the one partie or to the error held and practised in opposition to the truth by the other The answer is that where all were before bound up in unitie and peace by a common band of error there the occasion of the division must needs be imputed unto the truth comming amongst them Therefore were it granted that the way so much contested against did indeed occasion rents divisions distractions in relations in families in Congregations where it comes this would rather turne unto it for a testimony and assert its originall from God then otherwise The Gospel 〈…〉 elfe works no otherwise then thus where it is preached and intertained And as Aristotle supposeth that in case any piece or fragment were broken off from the maine body of the Heavens it would move circularly according to the naturall motion of the maine body in like manner any particular opinion or practise which moves acts and works according to the manner and tenor of that motion acting and working which are genuine and proper to the Gospel is so much the more likely to be a parcell or branch of the Gospel

honour them above others Secondly the person being dearly lov'd and highly honour'd gives credit and interest both in the judgements and affections of those who do so love and honour to all his matters as well of opinion as practise at least is compleat armour of proof against any prejudice in respect of either Thirdly when men and women are converted unto God they are endued with a principle of a neerer and more inward sympathie and compliance with all the wayes of God then they had before So that there is more cause for Ministers to fear the withdrawing of their people from them before their conversion then after in case the way of worship and government which they imbrace be of God For in this case and supposition unconverted ones have no inward sutablenesse of soul to incline them to love or delight in this way and consequently their hearts must needs sit loose if they stand not in opposition ●o it but those that are converted are baptized into such a spirit which is apt to comport and correspond with it Again Secondly if the hearts of men and women upon their conversion unto God are so generally found for otherwise there is no place for the jealo●●ie which is the ground of the objection to stand in propension to this way is not this an argument if not demonstrative yet of a very high importance to evince that this way is of a truth the Way of God I will wait on thy Name saith David for it is good before thy Saints or because thy Saints like it well as another translation reads So that this great Prophet and King thought the generall approbation and concurrence of the Saints sufficiently assertive of the acceptablenes of a way or practise in the sight of God Thirdly those Ministers who have the spirit of this glory cast upon them by God to beget sons and daughters unto him by the Gospel have no cause to envie the line and measure of those who receive them from their hand upon such terms That which our Saviour spake in another case is every what as considerably true in this viz. that it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive And the Apostle Paul makes no other account but that his relation of a spirituall Father unto the Corinths his begetting of them by the Gospel was much more honourable unto him then the relation of an Instructor or builder up was or would be unto others For though you have ten thousand Instructors i● Christ saith he yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel And else-where he counts it a master-piece in the spirituall building to lay the foundation According to the grace of God which is given to me as a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon So then planting being more Apostolicall then watering it was Paul that planted and but Apollos that watered 1 Cor. 3. 6. and laying the foundations of life and immortalitie in men of a more honourable interpretation then the building of them up in their Faith the Ministers so much tendered in the objection have not the least colour for any such grievance or complaint as is there presented on their behalf indeed and in realitie of truth no more then the Apostles themselves had for complaining against such Ministers and Pastors who feed those flock● of Christ which they had first converted unto him And without all contradiction saith the Apostle the lesser is blessed but never envied of the greater Fourthly and lastly the gracious and bountifull God hath so laid it in his counsell and decree that though the saying be true which our Saviour taketh notice of Job 4. 37. That one soweth and another reapeth yet both he that soweth and he that reapeth should reioyce together ver. 36. So that as Abigail told David that when the Lord should have done unto him all the good which he had promised him it would be no grief unto him nor offence of mind that he had not shed blood causlesse or avenged himself no more will it be the least occasion of uncomfortablenesse or complaint unto Ministers who have been faithfull unto God and brought home souls unto him when they shall shine like stars in the firmament of Heaven that some of the children of their labours departed from under their hand when time was to seek pasture and soulaccommodations else-where Another objection seeming to war with an high hand against the way hitherto protected is this Can that in reason be thought to be the way of God which seemeth so onely in the eyes of a few inconsiderable and for the most part illiterate persons and not rather that which triumpheth in the vote and suffrage of a Reverend learned pious and frequent Assembly yea and further hath the approbation of many wise and worthy persons in full concurrence with it Do not wise men see more then those that are weak and many then few I answer First that Solomon returned and saw under the Sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill but that time a●d chance happeneth unto them all meaning that God still reserves a liberty to himself to interpose and to carry the issues and events of things against all advantages and likelihoods of second causes when and where and as oft as he pleaseth And therefore as King As● in his cry unto the Lord his God said It is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power in like manner it is but of one and the same consideration with God to blesse the world with the Revelation of truth whether it be by few or by many by those that are learned or those that are look'd upon as men of small understanding Nay Secondly if we consult with the tenor of Gods providence and dispensations in this kind our information or answer will be according to the tenor of our Saviours gratulation being now in a kind of rapture or exultation of spiri● unto his Father I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that th●● h●st hid th●se things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Though God be at libertie to make the first discovery or communication of the light of his Truth unto the world by greater numbers of men and those learned and in high esteeme for wisdome as by Councels Synods and Conventions of men eminent in their qualifications as well as by one or fewer and these under no great observation for either ●et by the more frequent experience of all ages it appeareth that he taketh pleasure in this latter way rather then in the former Doubtlesse it was not without some very