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	lord_n	see_v	4,192	5	3.2926	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85688	Vox cœli, containing maxims of pious policy: wherein severall cases of conscience are briefly discussed; as I. In what subject the supream power of a nation doth reside. II. What is the extent of that power, and in what causes it doth appear, with the due restrictions and limitations thereof according to the Gospell. III. What obedience is due unto that power from all persons, superiour and inferiour, with other cases of great weight, very necessary to reconcile our late differences judiciously stated and impartially ballanced in the scale of the sanctuary. / By Enoch Grey minist	Grey, Enoch.	1649 (1649)	Wing G1968; Thomason E565_20; ESTC R202336	50,311	67

of the House to prevent them without honor they being acquainted by certain intelligence with the endeavours of forain Princes the highest resolutions deepest designes secret motions subtill intentions military provisions and martiall preparations of domestick and forain enemies the cabinet-counsell of the enemy being opened to Sir Hen. Mild●●● when to no other beside him who made as wise as faithfull improvement of his intelgence to the good of the whole in apparent perill as any one man in this Republick 2. Concerning Fortitude Resolution and Courage without which the honor of the day and the goodnesse or beauty of the way is lost I shall add a word or two Statesmen under the Gospell have higher precepts better presidents stronger reasons to stand up and ingage for the defence of their liberties then C●riu● S●ipio Cato among the Romans then Themistocles 〈◊〉 Aristi●●es among the Athenians a Roman Lace●em●●ian or Ath●ni●● may be very zealous for civill liberties as wee read in 〈◊〉 in Cicero and other authors what Livius what 〈◊〉 and many others acted and suffered for the obtaining of their civill 〈◊〉 with what resolution courage they resisted those who opposed yea but proposed such rules or counselled to such 〈◊〉 as ●ended to the infringement thereof deposing some banishing others putting others to death and confiscating the goods of all such as they reputed enemies Christians under the Gospell have as much reason having power and opportunity to preserve what God and Nature hath invested them with and being lost to restore those rights a● their native birth right Let prophane Esau's under-value their freedoms Paul a Roman will defend his priviledges and valiant Shammah his field of of ●●ntils who stands his ground when deserted by the people against an Army of the Philistims whom he conquers Joabs argument may put us upon higher Acts our liberties being superlative Be valiant saith he for our people and for the Cities of our God and let the Lord doe what i●. good in his owne sight Be valiant for the Lord and for his truth saith Jeremy When men have more valour for their civill then they have for divine liberties more resolution and courage in those causes which concerne themselves and the outward man then those which concerne the Lords honour their souls eternall welfare they act but at Heathens who did many heroick Acts but what singular thing doe yee the Acts of Christians should be performed with the greatest respect to God We will not lose civil immunities because the price of the bloud of our ancestors the inheritance of our fore-fathers Naboth would not therefore part with his vineyard no not to the King although he would have purchased it and given him to the full value thereof But Gospell liberties are transcendent to take from our children and posterities their glory y●a Gods glory to deprive them of that legacy and deed of gift bequeathed them by Christ in his last testament the price of his precious bloud is such sacriledge as there is no robbery like unto it under heaven and desperate is that State where all men are willing to captivate their souls for the freedome of their bodies to presse their consciences to death to save their goods The Apostle who perswadeth us to seek freedom● a● the hands of the Supreame Power doth also advise us so to use that liberty that it be not a cloak of malitiousness of pride of presumption of selfe-willednesse so to use it as not to abuse authority as not to pervert or inforce the supream power of a State to patronage our private and sinfull interests to own our violent attempts or unwarrantable engagements but to be as the servants of Christ for humility honour and affection towards all who have the Image of God upon them and in the feare of God to give the greatest civill respect to those in authority be they good be they bad Therefore the act of such who would diminish the divine authority of the Magistrate who endeavour to take that from him which God hath given him or would enforce him to give what is not his to give is so full of sinfull presumption and detestable usurpation that such cannot but feare to perish in the gaine-saying of Corah Also such who would perswade the Magistrate to part with his restrictive power in matters of religion invite him to give that sword given him by God into the hands of furious men who would destroy all government violate all bands both sacred and civill and with as much right and some will plead reason too who are against magistratical authority and would levell all into an equality these may desire his restrictive power in naturall and in civill acts yea with as much reason and right also they may abridge parents and masters of their restrictive authority over children and servants H●●●esco referens as they may deprive the Magistrate of his To gaine our owne liberty with the losse of Christs argueth want of resolution for were such willing to subject their wills and consciences to Gods word to obedience to his divine Will a● well by suffering as by acting when called thereunto they would not transgresse the bounds to adventure upon such preposterous courses Because former Representatives presumed too much shall future assume nothing no not a power of restraint v●●orum stupori qui non exhorrescunt True Resolution must be fetched from heaven through God we shall do valiantly that resolution which is accompanied with a dependance on our owne wisdome ●or strength is to rest upon an Arme of flesh is to make a lye our refuge To maintaine the strength of your resolution two considerations are worthy your observance 1 The consideration of the goodnesse of your ●●use every cause is good so farre forth as God is engaged therein Arise O Lord saith the Prophet plead thine owne cause The more you engage for God the more you engage God unto you You know that text and how it is applyed by Rehobeam against Jeroboam we keep the charge of the Lord our God but yee have forsaken him God himself is with us ●ight ye not against him for ye shall not prosper Yee know how H●z●kiah incouraged his Souldiers when they went forth against the Army of Senacherib be not afraid for all the multitude that is with him for there be moe with us with him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to fight our battell● If the Lord be ingaged in a cause who dare appear against him to ingage therein without God procures but war and blood in Kingdom● lasting troubles continual miseries as we see in the cases of Asa Jehosap●at Josia● good Kings yet for some small miscarriages for comparatively they were not great they procured unto themselves and to their Kingdoms wrath The particular acts of publick persons are prejudiciall to the publick State to the whole Nation and when the Lord hath any

speciall controversie with a Nation and some great judgment to in flict he leaveth such persons to the power of such corruptions against the strength of all humble advice and counsell to the contrary that thereby he may make a way to his wrath But now if the Lord ingage with us let enemies consederate let Nations associate their power shall be broken their counsell shall not stand saith the Prophet For the Lord is with us all such as are incensed against us shall be as nothing all that war against us saith the same Prophet shall perish for God is with us The Lord when he gave the charge of Israel to Joshua tells him that he would be with him and would not ●ail him nor forsake him only he chargeth him to be strong and very couragious that he might observe to doe all that is written in the Law for then should he make his way prosperous then should ●e have good successe Gods presence and blessing whithersoever he went in all his actions and undertakings Now 2 That cause is good which is begun by rule 〈◊〉 carried on by the same measure with an uniforme and constant motion to holy and honourable ends if any Act be done to please man out of feare or favour unto any or if it be done out of private selfe or sinister respect to personall ends and interest honour or estate those acts are odious in the sight of God and will be dreadfull against the souls of such men when God awakens conscience The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shal dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings If done with respect to the honour of God only such acts are acceptable Secondly Good if uniforme if our motions he straight without deflectibility constant and permanent without instability The Apostle tells us that such as are like waves rouling and swelling by the motion of the winde such shall never excell never receive wisdome whereby to excell 〈◊〉 the hands of God Such whose mindes are fixed upon severall objects interests and ends whereby their wil● are possessed with an habituall and native flectibility to one object at one time with some deflectibility in respect unto some other at another time divers from what before they intended these are double minded and therefore unstable in all their wayes as we see in Bala●● ●e durst not but obey the command of God and yet inclined to gratifie the humours of B●la●k to obtaine his owne covetous ends and to attaine the same by his sinfull wits ●e undermines the divine will of God It is a fatall simplicity preceding destruction for our owne ends to gratifie to comply with enemies to God such persons must needs be man of uncertain mindes and various resolutions Thirdly I● our eye be upon the Rule upon that w●y wherein the Lord would have us walke to beginne to continue therein in a counter motion to the sinnes of the 〈◊〉 with the remotion of such corruptions discovered by the word by the holinesse and righteousnesse of divine 〈◊〉 crossing our corrupt ends 〈◊〉 and interests to which 〈◊〉 our hearts 〈◊〉 ●lu●d such a●●● are good But 〈…〉 of ou● hearts be so strong and 〈…〉 stumble and fal that we take offence displeasure at the truths of God discovered or the works and providence of God administred because unsuitable to our wils to our interests this case is very dangerous God will never owne it nor us therein Secondly the strength of your authority that would bee considered in the next place Potestat juxta necessitatem habitat is a Pythagorian Maxim violent necessities have enforced private persons to publick actions when against all law as w●● see in the cases of Hester and of Jehojadah It is an everlasting Rule in politicks that no State can admit any law or priviledge whatsoever but the same at some times and in cases of necessitie and urgency must be violated Wise men in the consideration of the Acts of States-men should respect the reasons and the ends of their acts more then the acts themselves the reason of State lies in the publicke safety the J●● Reipubl cae is the bond of Parliament and viv● Ratio manifesta equi●as is the very anima legis and the fundamentall of all imperiall lawes in all Kingdom● and Common-wealths This is a maxime in Theologie as well as in morality that the law is good because it is just The affairs of State should not bee managed by custome by the opinions or affections of men by the private ends or interests of any but by Religion by Reason by Conscience the rules of all acts being divine and all humane motions must be sutable to the decrees of God of natures law to the rules of equity and for the welfare of the Republicke and the necessity of law is to be weighed in the scale of preservation of publicke peace of liberty of profit and of the safety of the whole before respect unto any private person honor or advantage The strict and grammaticall construction of Law bindes not a private person in a publick case If my neighbours house be on a fire I may pull down the house next it rather then endanger a City or street a servant may by violence pluck his Master out of doors in case his person be in perill by fire What Jury will condemn a man that steals a loa●e of bread to save his owne and his childrens life if hee could not obtaine it by begging If a Patient be sick and his Physitian forbids him wine or strong water this patient and his friends will be very respective and strict in the due observance of that rule But now in case of a swoone though the Patient desire it not yea deny it refuse it being insensible of his state and of that necessity his friends force him to take quantum sufficit notwithstanding the order to the contrary This Physitian being rationall neither can nor will be offended therewith the necessity of his patient being of more force in this present case then his former prescription was in the other which although it did not expresly except any yet necessarily did imply an exception in this case that inhibition onely respecting this end the life and health of the patient which by no other meanes at this time could be provided for but by such a violation the like may be said in such cases wherein the safety of a State consisteth Never State had more pressing necessities then you now in respect of your own security your persons posterities honours and estates yet more in respect of your friends who have been firm to you hitherto and most of all in respect to the people in generall much dissatisfied to the souldier who is discontented and should thereupon forsake you what dangers must necessarily invade you your wisdomes understand you had need be active

ad exemplum that 't is a corruption in those kingdoms which favour the vices of any person noble o● ignoble that 't is a servill State wherein the nobility is either so timerous or so besotted with affection or favour to a bad King that they will rather indulge him in vice or tyranny then be perswaded to discharge their duty and conscience to God or good men that Princes themselves are very unhappy beyondall men might they be permitted to do what they list and none be admitted to censure them To conclude this Argument where there is a good cause where there is sufficient authority what difficulties should discourage that heart weaken that hand faithfully set skilfully exercised in the Lords service what said Nehemiah whe● his enemies plotted and his friends feared shall such a man as I flee saith hee Who is there that being as I am a publick person called to so publick a work wherein the Lords honour is so much concerned would goe into the Temple to save his life I will not goe in The Lord to encourage Zorobabel in his service against all opposition tells him that he would be a wall of fire round about Jerusalem unwalled and the glory in the midst of her a wall round about for security for protection of fire to the destruction of all her enemies that should rise up against her and in the midst should not only be his glory presence and power to strengthen to encourage their spirits but to present and render their persons and actions amiable and honorable to the world to Angells and to good men Oh that the spirit of life from God may enter into the body of this State that this Parliament once so interested in the affections of the people generally whose hearts were pinned upon their lips whose purses and lives freely were engaged for them may by their last actions recover their lost honors It was said of Br●tus Nemo primum contemptior Romae suit Nemo minus postea It was a pretious speech of his who being demanded by a Prince the yeers of his age hee answered but forty five when he was indeed seventy five from the time of his naturall birth because saith he Annos m●●tis nunquam vit● nominabo those yeers spent in the service of the world the flesh and the lusts of his own heart wherein hee was a slave to sin to self and lived without Christ hee esteemed not in the number of the yeers of his life hee called them the yeers of death wee should not account our selves really alive untill wee live to the honour and for the service of the Lord Jesus Christ Oh that every member of this House did act his part faithfully sincerely as member of a new elected Parliament as a member of the body of Christ as a new man Non sumus noti nisi ●enati such as act conscionably for God shall bee had by him and his Saints in everlasting honour h●● will not forget their labours not their hazards nor their love yea the posterities and families of such as stand in the breach who repair the wasts of former ages who restore the foundations of future generations shall bee had in precious esteem as a blot of eternall infamy will remain upon those noble or ignoble who disowne the Lords service and pluck their shoulders from his yoak To encourage you therefore in this honourable service for God and the Cities of our God let the eye of your faith bee intent upon these four considerations as grounds of present and future confidence 1. Those State-miracles and great wonders which the Lord of Hoasts hath done in and for this Nation and by this Parliament the mercies wee have received although the fruits of faith and prayer yet have exceeded infinitely our thoughts imaginations but the greatest mercies are yet to receive precious was the faith and strong was the argument of that woman If the Lord would have destroyed us would hee at this time note that have shewed us all these things It 's my argument I think 't is invincible one mercy is an engagement unto another in falling thou shalt surely fall it was a Divine prediction 2. Though the sins of the Land be many yet the Lords controversie is not at this time with his Saints but with the inhabitants of Babylon whatever the sins of the Saints be he will pardon will save his servants but ruine his enemies Israel hath not been forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord of Hoasts though the Land was filled with sin against the holy one of Israel this is the time of the Lords vengeance but he wil render unto Babylon her recompence Wee live in that period of time wherein time shall have end or be no more in that sense that John meant it the time of the rage of the enemies the reign of Antichrist The Kingdomes of this world shall be the Lords and his Christs his enemies shall be his foot-stool and the pride of all opposite glory shall be stained the heavens and the earth shaken that the Lord may overthrow the thrones of Kingdoms and destroy the strength thereof The most high God rules 〈◊〉 the Kingdoms of men and times thrones and Dominions are his prerogative they have their periods unto a time or times the dividing of time and then the judgement sits this time is at hand 3. Should the Lord prosper his enemies himself should be the greatest loser and suffer most in his own honour For 1. These enemies would blaspheme his name and tyrannize the more over his Saints who should be as sheep appointed for the slaughter they would reproach the footsteps of the Lords anointed and in derision say Where is now their God they would with despightfull heart confederate to their ruine and conspire to cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance their sword wil make no distinction between a Presbyterian and an Independent if the image of God bee in either it is his grace which they despise but the Lord who hath reproved Kings will also Princes for the sakes of his servants 2. The Lord should lose the honor of the high praise of the Saints how can they sing the Lords song under captive enemies The Lords sacrifice is an abomination to an Aegyptian for a time he may suffer Aegyptians to oppresse and Assyrians to rule with rigour but when the Lord by these afflictions hath humbled their hearts refined them and fitted them for deliverance ingaged their spirits in his service what men or powers now stand in opposition to interrupt the motion of his grace even the greatest mountains shall melt before him his name shall be then known unto his adversaries and the Nations tremble at his presence 4. And lastly The Lord hath prepared a remedy to administer proportionable and sutable to our disease hee hath