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	king_n	see_v	3,249	5	3.3976	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26303	Ahitophel's policy defeated a sermon preached on the 9th of September, being the day appointed by His Majesty for a publick thanksgiving for his kingdoms great deliverance from the late treasonable conspiracy against his sacred person and government.		1683 (1683)	Wing A439A; ESTC R19991	19,330	32

and Austerities he falls upon his Business and Robs the Poor Widows house which he pretends to have Sanctify'd by his Religious Performances IV. By these and such like Arts as I have mention'd the Conspiracy waxed Strong and the People Encreased Continually with Absalom * His Majesties Declaration c. p. 4. And as their Numbers Encreased so did their Boldness Now they thought that all was sure and therefore * Ib. 6. Trusting no longer to the slow Methods of Sedition they betook themselves to Arms. And if Ahitophel's Counsel had been taken He with his 12000 Men wou'd have Master'd those Souldiers which attended the King and not onely have Seiz'd but have Kill'd the King Himself Things being come to this height there was no looking back or thinking of a Reconcilement Those who are engag'd in ways of Wickedness especially in this Bewitching sin of Rebellion endeavour to secure themselves by adding one sin unto another hopeing for no Protection for their smaller Crimes but by the Commission of greater The first Beginnings of Treason are carefully nourish'd 'till they break out into open defiance and what at first perhaps deserved only the more gentle name of Ingratitude by degrees encreases into a most horrid Conspiracy When the House is thus swept and garnished and this one Devil hath taken possession seven Devils greater than the first soon joyn themselves to his Company Rebels seldom have the Grace to Repent but proceed from one Iniquity to another till Treason grows big with Revenge and the Cloud which at first could scarcely be discern'd swells 'till it fall upon the Earth in the Showers Whirle-winds and Tempests of a Civil-War When men have once cast off that Allegiance which they owe unto God and the King they hold it Ignoble to Retreat but to persevere in their Sin they account a Sign of a generous Disposition Such an Anti-christian Policy is that by which Rebellious Counsels are manag'd and such false Apprehensions have they of Shame and Honour who seem so much Concern'd lest they should incur the one or lose the other Ahitophel who has so long been the Grand Contriver scorns at last to become a puisney Penitent but proceeds to Execute that Fatal Mischief which before he had projected I will suddenly said he fall upon David while he is Weary and Weak-handed Ch. XVII 2. David and his Men it might well be supposed were tyred with their long and hasty March and particularly He being afflicted with the Thoughts of his Son's Vileness and the Guilt which he thereby had Contracted was it might be presumed unfit for any Action as 't is said that the hands of Saul's Son became feeble when he heard of Abner's Death Ch. IV. 1. So that in all Probability this sudden and unexpected Assault would have put a Period unto the King's Life and Government For what Resistance could Languishing and Disconsolate Weakness have made against Confident and well Appointed Strength And it may be further observ'd That his Counsel was as Malicious as it was Cunning and favour'd as much of Transcendent Wickedness as it did of Compleat Subtlety What greater baseness is there than to take advantage of mens Misfortunes and to Persecute those whom God hath Smitten But we must not expect to find either honesty or ingenuity in Ahitophel's Counsels especially when his case seems desperate and requires an immediate Execution He was Fearful lest delays might have brought him into danger He fear'd time wou'd have discover'd the Fallacies of Absalom's Cause and have reduc'd the discontented Commons to their former Allegiance Therefore according to the Rules of his Policy he will not let slip this Critical Opportunity Upon Mature Deliberation the People might have seen and been Convinc'd of their Errour And he who Plotted against the life of Good King David by a legal Tryal might have lost his own He Foresaw that the Verdict of an Honest Jury wou'd have pronounc'd him Guilty so that he could not be safe but by the present Destruction of the Lords Anointed V. But the Divine Providence which had hitherto preserved David through the whole course of his life did at this time in an Extraordinary Manner shew it self in the wonderful and gracious Deliverance of him and his dearest Relations and all his loving Subjects from this horrid and damnable Conspiracy David all this while meditates no Revenge against his Enemies He uses no other Weapons but his Prayers and Tears He incessantly beseeches God that he would forgive his Persecutors and Slanderers and that he would turn their Hearts And God who accepts the Sacrifice of an Humble and a Contrite Heart hear'd his Prayers and had respect unto the Sorrows of his Broken Spirit for presently after he had put up his Earnest Petition unto the Lord that he would Turn the Counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness Hushai the Wise Archite meets him with his Clothes rent and Ashes upon his head as the Manner of Mourners was in those days Here God began to answer David's Prayer provideing a man whose Wisdom qualify'd him to confound Ahitophel and turn his Stratagems into his own ruin Hushai prompted by his Loyalty and Dutiful Affections would have Waited upon the King in his Afflictions But David knew his Abilities and thought he might do him more Service at this time in Absalom's Court than his own Wherefore he orders him to return to the City and to behave himself so as to gain Absalom's Favour that having his Countenance he might be able to defeat the Counsel of Ahitophel Accordingly Hushai salutes Absalom as King tenders his service unto him and is admtted into his Secrets And now he and Ahitophel are the two Grand-Counsellours and the whole business is to be Transacted by their directions After other lewd and damnable Advice Ahitophel gives that most pernicious Counsel before mention'd which was that he with 12000 men should pursue after David that very Night But God who Over-rules the Hearts of all men did move Absalom not to resolve till he had also Consulted Hushai about this Weighty Affair Call now for Hushai says he and let us hear what he saith And when he was come he propounded the Question to him Shall we do after this Manner If not speak thou Ch. XVII 5 6. Absalom seems to have been very well satisfy'd with what Ahitophel had propounded and to have Consulted Hushai rather as one whom he was unwilling to make his Enemy than to trust as a Friend and therefore 't is likely did put no great Confidence in him Let us however hear saith he slightly likewise what he saith But when Hushai had deliver'd his Opinion he was strangely pleas'd with it insomuch that he resolves to Act according to his Direction He representeth the danger which might have arisen from a sudden Surprise Davids men he tells him would fight it out to the last That to be sure David lay in Ambush was hid in some Pit or safe place and would certainly