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	know_v	think_v	3,328	5	3.8263	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96893	Inquiries into the causes of our miseries, whence they issue-forth upon us: and reasons wherefore they have born us down so low; and are like to carrie us yet lower. The Independents and the way of worship, they stand-up for, is renderd clear of this grievous charge... This charge is drawn-up against the Independents, by three worthies, men, I think, of name, all (I) D.P.P.W. Pryn Esquire; but more fully and with more devouring words, if more can be, by Dr. A. Steuart in his last book... In six sections. Whereof the first onely is here; a just vindication of the way of worship very commonly misunderstood; very falsly interpreted; but very truly called Independent... By Hez. Woodward.; Inquiries, into the causes of our miseries. Part 1.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1644 (1644)	Wing W3491; Thomason E22_1; ESTC R21697	22,269	25

my words more than another neede to doe yea and abominate such words also all and every one which have such an Aspect upon my brother but I say again and I say truly I have not yet found any such word in my booke but I can too easily over-looke my own words or actions as an unfit Judge in such matters Yet let me tell you what I ought to doe and what I would doe so I shall the better argue against my three brethren hereaster That if I were to speake to Turker or Jewes Atheists or Papists the most untoward and roughest men in the world yet I would render my words as smooth as oyle and as s●ft as Butter that the men I speake unto might know in their hearts and be perswaded in their soules that I have no war against them in my heart no but that I keowing the terrour of the Lord doe seeke their peace their soules peace that I would perfwade with them for their everlasting good And by this means J would hope to make my words keene in the hearts of our Lords and His Christs chiefest enemies and if J had a word from the Lord by the grace of God that J would fet-on with all my might but with the spirit of meeknesse We have an excellent patterne for this To speak so to my Brother as that my Brother may perceive that I would do● him good with all my Heart and all my soule For so the high God the great Lord of heaven and earth Even so he speaketh to his poore servants I will doe you good sayes He with My whole heart and My wh●le soule Oh the goodnesse of God! His kindenesse to his creatures so he treates with men O! blessed be His name Have these three servauts of the Lord imitated their Master I should not put it to Question for past all Question they have done cleane contrary What the good King said in the Anguish of his Spirit the same these men have said in the tartnesse frowardnesse eagernesse Isa 38. of their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitternesse bitternesse bitternesse in their tongues and that could not be but when there is more in the heart aboundance of bitternesse there whence it is that their pens have beene dipped in vinigar and steeped as in gall bitternesse bitternesse as if they intended not as sure they did not to informe their brethren and recall them from error if in any they are but to inbitter their spirits and give them a bill from their hands in full assurance that they will endeavour without the grace of God to discover and lay open their brethrens nakednesse to all the world with their whole heart and with their whole soule Is this to imitate the Lord God Father of mercies God of all Consolations To put this out of question I le say this more that there is not a man on this side our narrow seas whose hand has appeared for the Presbyterian way of Church Government not one man except that excellent man Mr. Herle it were a notable indignity offered unto him not to except him that has not bent the same hand against his brethren making his words sharp as arrows shot-out against their very faces I had almost said and hearts too so giving all the vvorld to knovv I speak my jealousie at least that their passions are strong but their cause is weak But this I know That we have not so learnt the Lord Christ This is not after our Lords manner nor after the Customes of the Churches of God I have said vvhat I have to say touching this filthy and putred matter vvhich like a box of the vilest and impurest oyntment is suffered to run abroad through Church and State to fill the house there vvith its filthy savour I le close this box vvith this stopple it may be of use to stop the mouth against devouring words Such kind of vvritings or Reasonings savouring so strong of flesh and blood vvill never do the world good to make them knovv they lie in evill Nor the cause good mightie Adversaries thereunto nor the Church good To make them knovv their sins and confesse their errors never do the State or Church good this vvay vvhile the world stands unlesse by accident as the Logicians say i e by the wise disposing and gracious ordering of an Almighty hand so they shall do all good But not per se as vve say not by their own naturall working vvhile the world stands And when the vvorld must fall to peeces and the Things there crumbled all to nothings and the persons there must render an account of all they have said and done then these kind of writings will be bitternesse bitternesse Their Authors shall taste if they repent not of their own Gall and wormwood there vvhich they themselves have put-in and it shall be their drink and portion for ever Then the tongue which was seton fire of hell and repented not shall have Hell and fire long enough as long as eternitie is long for ever and ever It is a sad period I will not put Amen to it my soule deprecates praies against this end But I le pray in prayer if I could in prayer I would pray Lord give the brethren all foure I might say fourescore here and there and every where give them Lord repentance for all their hard words and ungodly deedes against the brethren the faithfull servants of the Lord Amen make them Lord as all the Tribes shall be all one as one stick in Thy hand to beate away the doggs and swine All as one assembly of Saints built-up as a Ciey that is compacted together or as a house founded upon the Rock of Ages fast and sure for ever notwithstanding the fierce windes great rains and water-flouds for this Rock is our Rock He will be our guide even unto the death 1 Pet. 3. 8 9. Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another be as brethren be pitifull be courteous Not rendring evill for evill or rayling for rayling but contrarywise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that you should inherit a blessing FINIS

of them sound in the faith when our Ministers were abominably here●icall touching the Lords Day his worship and service on that day The Consideration whereof if sad and serious and well laid to heart may be of force sufficient to make the best Clergy-men in the Land to walk softly sorrowing under the sence thereof after a godly sort more of this hereafter Now this one thing more I professe heartily I can discerne nothing in this way of Church Governmen which my vain heart the Lord knows I am as far from judging anothers heart as I am from knowing my own yet know that I can except against it but that it is the way of wisedome too high for a fool and that is my foolish exception I were injurious to set down that I see not or to conceal that I see with all mine eyes no thing but Holinesse all along this way such as stands diametrally crosse to a mans own way and therefore man stands so crosse unto it I mean my self still or this self where ever it is It chargeth every man with his Brother to be his keeper Me to wat●h over him and him to watch over me To bear each others burden supply each others lack that there be no lack to any member of the Body An excellent way and must be taken else the Body may swim now and perhaps fink anon It may be so bowed-down with pressing wants that though It lives at present yet may it famish in the house next day or starve in the streets next night if this care be not taken as sure enough it is not But this care is taken even over the Bodies That there be no lack to them The care over the soul exceeds as that exceeds the Body And so they stand charged in their care each over other Oh this and more there is is an hard burden this self will not bring our shoulders to it And yet we owe in point of bearing each the others burden so much as this to our enemies Ox or Asse even his that hateth us how much more to the soul of our Exod. 23. 4● 5. brother But I say we fly-off from this duty we stand naturally crosse centered to it all our way for indeed there is to my discerning nothing but God in the way with whom the heart would not close Whereas in the way we call Praesbyterian As it has been ordered understand me so for as it is ordering It will be Independent sure this being granted That a strict Presbyterian is a True Independent And a Rigid Presbyterian is as high as was a Lord Bishop and but a little below a Pope In that way there is much of man to say no more but too much of mans Institution with which the heart can close but too well And this confirmeth me That the way we call Independent is the True way of Worship Because it is so spirituall so crosse to mans way and will-worship as they do find it to be who walk in it with a right foot And this was the very Argument whereby Luther confirmed himself and all his friends touching the prosecution of a great cause the Truth and Prosperity of the same It is of God saies he and it shall prosper Why prosper or how proves he that for it exalts the Lord and depresseth man It renders God All to His people and mens devices how specious soever of small account or nothing at all And so much Sir to resolve you which way my judgement goes and yet why I keep my standing I desire now heartily to give you satisfaction in the second place 2 Touching that heavy charge against the Independents That they open a flood-gate c. It is true I read it here and there under three and more mens hands And if to accuse be enough these 3. men not to name the fourth have done enough To stir-up the Inhabitants of the Land to come-out against these their Brethren as we ought now every mothers child to come-out against grievous woulves Surely as these mens words are hard so are their Deeds ungodly against their Brethren the Messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ They have set them forth as the Apostle saies he and his companions in the Gospel were set-out the last men exposed to the most open and extremest shame and paine both as it were appointed to death by the teeth of the most Ravening Beasts the last upon the Theater to be made a gazing-stock there-on to Angels and Men. So it is now for they have set-forth their Brethren the last as the most execrable and accursed persons and accordingly to be dealt-with sitto be cast-out and more but I le say no more but this said before They have set them forth the last as it were appointed to Death And the way of Independency they make the people beleeve It is as a gulfe which receives all-I know not what to call that all but they say That all the filth or corruption of Manners and Doctrines emptieth it self-in thither into that gulfe as into a Common-shoare These are hard and Devouring words and if so be their Deeds are not ungodly yet they have done enough by their words to stir-up all the Inhabitants of the Land to put-forth a rough-hand against them who have lived at peace by them and spake good things for them before their God touching their everlasting peace That I may not seem to render their words harder then they are and more devouring we will hear what their tongues say in print 1 D. P. P. puts down six secundary Causes of our Plagues the continuance of them And the Independents he ranks them with the first of these six The other whom I need not name being a man of such Renowne and name and for high Desert I heartily acknowledge that his name onely has rendered his subitane Apprehensions in deed and truth such to seem good and solid Reasons and so to passe through the City as having Truth and Reason in them when as indeed and Truth they have neither the one nor the other but as subitane Apprehensions use to be the weakest and sleightest as ever came from so solid a man upon so weighty a businesse as is Church Government yet they take with the people This man of Name seemes to make a question and resolved all the world That Independencie is a Seminary of Schifmes A floud gate to let in an inundation c. So the Querist The third person Doctor A Steward renders the Independents as abominable and pernicious both to Church and State as are Altars and Orgon-pipes Crosses and Crucifixes Papists and Atheists yea Sodomites in Israels Land as odious and pernicious as are these accursed persons and Things There is the charge full-out as Ponderous as man can render it and it renders the Brethren as odious to the world as man can make them I should tell you here how they have drawn-up to this conclusion I mean from what

too upon men though they put no great trust there neither stay nor staffe God knows yet dependent upon man for his advice and counsell And accountable for their actions unto men also who shall in the name of Christ require an account of them or of their repentance and faith towards God They will Appeal to men also that is the great question so be they will Appeal to the Scriptures thereunto is their great Appeal to the Rule and Judge there So Dependent these men are whom we call I would we had a fitter name sith it is so ill understood and construed but sure we have not a fitter name then Independant for herein they are content and desire rather to be accounted and called by that name because they have concluded from their Lords own mouth and from the practise of His Disciples in the best times purely primative That every particular Congregation hath from Christ absolute power to exercise of and in it selfe every Ordinance of God No Dependencie in Government or direction in worship from any other than from Christ their Lord and Law-giver made unto His Church their wisdome their righteousnesse their Justification and their Glory Sir There are the premises Now marke what these three men infer how they draw-up rheir charge from hence 1 Ergo These Independents are the prime and chiefe causes of our plagues and miseries sayes the first scribe 2 Ergo These Independents are the Seminary of c. and open a floud-gate to all c. saith the Lawyer this once and I thinke never but this once cleane besides the case doubtlesse God has forgiven him so have his good brethren too 3 Ergo Those Independents are as abominable as were Altars High-places the Brazen serpent when made an Idol so abominable are these men and to be dealt with by the Rulers hands as those Dunghill gods were dealt withall when they were throwne-out as an abomination and accursed things so these men should be dealt withall sayes the Doctor and so concludes And yet has set downe no premises taken out of the Word of God whence he concludes so though by his conclusion he has rendred the brethren the most odious men and abominable that are in the world the causes of all the miseries and distractions here Well let him go on so will I and by the grace of Almighty God I will contest against this conclusion with all the power God will be pleased to vouchsafe unto me And though I shall conclude nothing yet I shall make such inqairies into our miseries the causes thereof as that these inquiries onely shall serve to make a full discovery to all the world touching those matters and with the same labour I shall render the Independents and the way of worship I have not called it their way or mans way as white from those blacks cast upon them and the way as is the cloath that hath gone through seven la●ers I shall have free leave for this sure a licence I meane to enquire what may be the cause of our woes and sighes That every one may put it to question in his own heart set-up the Inquisition court there and so resolve the Question But this is the subject matter of the Third Section Here Sir I have given forth the premises touching the Independents and their Doctrines as the good word of God gives-themforth to me and I have set down the Conclusion which three men one after another as if all had one and the same Spirit have drawn from premises of their own deducible neither from Scripture nor from Reason no nor from sense neither unlesse their own and that darkened with prejudice all along Surely the man that has so much Logick should not have so done I suppose the other two have as my selfe and other men have very little or none at all in comparison with him But he should not have so concluded against his brethren That they are as plagues and pests in Judah Land even as were Altars High-places the vilest Idols there And yet has set downe no premises and so forth as aforesaid It is replyed A That the two brethren plead for a Toleration And that pleading carries more danger in it to Church and State than does the pleading for the Service-Booke Arch-Bishops and Bishops Altars and Organs Crosses and Crucifixes that these may stand in their full force power and vertue And from hence the Doctor has so concluded against his Brethren for the casting-of them all forth B. I Answer and grant That the two Brethren doe plead for a Toleration not of all Religions sure no nor of any which withdraws from God surely no sober man can plead for such a Religion They plead for a Toleration of that Religion or way of worship which they are perswaded in their soule drawes-neerest to God And for Toleration of these men amongst us who have ever lived peaceably with us have spoken good things for us before the Throne of God whose Doctrines have come-up fully to the good word of God and their conversation also as becommeth the Gospel Now God forbid that any rough-hand should be put-forth against these men Yea God forgive our hard words and unchristian thoughts that way A. But surely many whom we call and they call themselves Independent do think themselves exempt from all Laws except that law which rules in their members And think as the Nimrods and Giants of the world do think themselves accountable for their Actions to none but God B. It were well if they could bethink themselves seriously That they are accountable to God but so they do not think But this I know That many walk disorderly loose from their God the Gospel and way of His worship But if there be any who understand Independency so let them be as odious and abominable in mans eye as the Giants and Nimrods of the world mightie hunters before the Lord are in Gods eye and let all men come out against them as they should do against such mighty oppressors To thrust them out of the Land Now let us hear also what is commonly said A. That more have fallen off from that way we call Independent walking their own way following their own fancies than from the other way of Church Government We know not how many have gone-out from us unto them been received there and then have turned away from them again unto abominable wayes of errors not to be remembred here I answer B. This may be and yet the way good and Holy yea an Argument all this of the goodnesse and Holinesse of the way because so many have turned to it and then quickly away from it They went-out from us but they were not of us saies the Apostle And lightly come lightly gone saies the Proverbe These entred upon the way without due consideration upon very light motions before they weighed and pondered their own way or the way they were entring upon And so they are like a ship