Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	king_n	people_n	5,231	5	4.6713	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96470	Plain truth vvithout feare or flattery: or a true discovery of the unlawfulnes of the Presbyterian government, it being inconsistent with monarchy, and the peoples liberties; and contrary both to the Protestation and Covenant. The end of establishing the militia of London in such hands as it is now put into by the new ordinance. The betraying votes, and destructive practises, of a trayterous party in the House of Commons, concerning certain pettions [sic] for liberty and justice. Also a vindication of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax concerning certain scurrulous words uttered by some of the said faction. VVith the meanes and wayes that must be used to obtain reliefe against the said tyrannous usurpers; and for reducing the Parliament to its due rights, power and priviledges, in the preservation of the kingdomes lawes and liberties / VVritten by Amon VVilbee.	Wilbee, Amon.; Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.	1647 (1647)	Wing W2112; Thomason E516_7; ESTC R204095	30,871	22

standing of the Bishops were antichristian what is theirs who stand by their ordination and power antichristian Ministery and to establish Church-government whose fruites and effects are nothing but impiety and hipocrisie a Religion which consists more in outward formes and Rites after the manner of Moses then in power and piety according to the Gospell which conduceth as appears more to tyranny then Christianity And so I will pretermit their Vowes and Oaths and come to some of their speeches and sayings and here I will shew you another truth by the discovery of another falshood and tracherous vanting act of the same traiterous party or faction which serves as a patterne representation or Image of the forme of the yoake of bondage which it may be suspected they study and intend to put upon all the Counties and Corporations in the Kingdome and by which with the helpe of their determined new Army of Horse it is probable they purpose if they can to subjugate the whole Land and to conforme the People to their arbitrary wils 〈◊〉 to pay and beare ●●e and suffer whatsoever they shall thinke for to enjoyne them or exact upon them as well in respect of things spirituall as civill In the Parliaments Remonstrance of the 2● of November 1642. Booke Decl. page 700. they tell us That all Rights or interest of publicke trust be only for the publicke good and not for private advantages nor to the prejudice of any 〈◊〉 particular interest much less of the publicke And in May 1642. Booke Decla 172. They call God to witness that the safety of the Kingdome and peace of the people is their only aime and because the King would not believe them therein and well had it been for us if we had never so done not trust them wholly therewith great grew the contestation as yee may well remember between the King and the Parliament about the setling of the Militia of the Kingdome and indeed it was one unhappy cause of the quarrell between them The Parilament then pretending that the King ought not to settle it without them that it behoved them to have the nomination of such persons as were to be intrusted therewith in whome they might confide the Kings affirmes and they afterwards grant that the whole power thereof was intrusted by Law in him for the preservation and defence of the Kingdome yet because the King would not pass the Ordinance in Febn 1641. for the setling it in such forme as they desired though the persons they nominated were not refused they presently protest I wish they were as quicke to doe justice as they are to take exceptions to dispose of it without him and accordingly resolve Rebus sit stantibus ●● nolenti Regi that is they express In extreame distraction when forreigne forces are probably invited and a malignant popish party offended c. the ordering it to be in them for the observe preservation of the Republick and to prevent the turning the Armes of the Kingdome upon it selfe see the Parliaments answer to their own question page hundred and fifty of the Booke of Decl. But I hope the case is now altered for although our distractions be still continued by the destructive Councels of a pernitious factious party in both Houses the heads of which were and are the cause both of those distractious and these who like katchers of Eeles love to fish in troubled waters here is now no feare of invited forreigne forces and as for that malignant popish party then so much condemned it is utterly subdued and suppressed and therefore in all reason rebus nunc sic stantibus that is the so much feared publicke adversary being long since conquered all visible danger removed and the King recovered out of the hands of evill Counsellors and at present with themselves and not legally divested of his Regall power and right of trust in a word all just pretext and colour of extremity being taken away they take too much upon them and abuse both King and People who in this opportunity wherein the royall assent may be had doe dispose of the Militia without him neither requiring his consent therein nor admitting the people according to the Law to the election of a thing the King allowed them the persons who are to be intrusted with the dispose and command of their strength and armes and so by consequence of their estates liberties and lives I am certaine in case as God forbid the royall Throne should by exigent become void the Parliament are not their owne Masters not can by the fundamentall Law and constitution of this Kingdome dispose of us the Commons of England and our power armes or interest without our consents how much less at this instant All the Commons of England have more just ground of jealouse from them in now so doing and of complaint and accusation against that malevolent ill-affected party among them by whose power and influence it hath beene effected considering the persons unto whom the Militia and strength of the Kingdome is in divers places of late committed then the Parliament ever had from and against the King for refusing onely to grant it in their way and manner for they chose the persons and he approved them but the Parliament are herein both choosers and approvers as in many things many of them are both Judge and Witness though we neither approve nor 〈…〉 wee as well as the King are in this particular debarred by them of our rights and priviledge but this is not the greatest detriment we sustaine and are likely without prevention to suffer and which this predominant malicious party intends hereby for doe but cast your eye and see and consider what persons are put out of the Militia and what persons are continued admitted and intrusted and yee will presently judge by a little what the whole meanes For example first for an introduction the pretended Lord Major Aldermen and Common Councell must petition in the name of the City though the City never propounded it to them to have the Militia setled in their own hands at they had formerly and why not then to have it by their Charter but by Ordinance for a certain time and this by the power and prevalency of the malevolent party is forthwith obtained because it tends to their predominant tyrannous ends approved Alderman Pennington who stood in the breach when they all were affraid whose fidelity and ability was throughly experimented at such time when as the winds blew highest and the stormes grew strongest a man adjudged by the City worthy to be their Parliament man and by the Parliament worthy to be Lieutennant of the Tower of London is now no longer worthy to be intrusted with the Militia but turned out as a man suspected so are the Aldermen KFoulk Weaver and Kenrick Col. Wilson though a member of the House also Col. Player Tichburn and others And why they are not absolute for the Faction they were oposite to Bunce and

seeke out what the good will of the Lord is concerning his Church and worship what order and rule he hath prescribed and left us by his owne Sonne in the Gospell Doth not God the Father say This is my beloved Sonne heare * not the Scots nor the Priests him Marke 9. 7. And is it not written And Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall ye heare in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you * marke tremble all yee Priests Presbyterians and it shall come to pass that every soule which shall not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people Acts 3. 22 23. And doubtless Christ who was a Sonne was not less faithfull in Gods house then Moses who was a servant And againe Yee have a sure word saith the Apostle unto which yee doe well to take heed 2 Pet. 1. 19. Yet doe these presumptuous men despise this command of God and neglect this sure word hearken to their owne corrupt humours take heed to their owne ambitious covetuous desires and so proceed in dispight of God and his Christ to erect a government after their owne inventions But they will tell you that the Assembly have searched the Scriptures and had respect to the word in framing this government I beleeve they have but as the Devill did to make use of them for his owne ends against Christ for they did not search to find what government it was the Gospell did hold out and warrant and propound and promote that But they first resolve upon and propound such a government as will serve their purpose and then they apply themselves to make it good by Scriptures or to enforce the Scriptures for a warrant thus have they made their forme of Church-government the rule of Gods word and not Gods word a rule to their forme of government having done no otherwise then many Atournies and Clearkes doe who often draw Declarations and writings by another mans president or patterne without examining or consulting the Law in the case which is just as if a Taylor should first make a Suit and then make use of his measure And grant that this Presbyteriall government be according to the word of God is it so in toto Is it so absolute that there is no degree of Reformation above it if so then the Scots have exceedeed that grand planter of Churches Saint Paul for he told the Corinthians That he would yet shew them a more excellent way Cor. 12. 31. And that wee know but in part and prophecy but in part but when that which is perfect is come that which is imperfect shall be abolished 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. And Saint Peter and the Prophets spake of a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Of such a beautifull and perfect Reformation and change as if it was a new world 2 Peter 3. 13. and Esay 64. 17. I hope no proud Priest or Presbyterian dare affirme that there is yet any such Reformation or change in Scotland righteousness dwelleth not there I am sure and I would it was not almost banished out of England For as much then as there is a Reformation more true and excellent then theirs or else theirs is none at all why may not the Independants so called or some others approach neerer to it then they without controversie there appeares more of God and of Christ in the Independants order and waies then doth in the waies of the Presbyterians unless the Presbyterians will affirm themselves the only wise and that the Spirit of the most high God dwels only in them but then they must give me leave to aske them Saint Pauls question 1 Cor. 14. 36. Came the word of God out from you Or came it unto you only Or did the Bishops seale unto the Presbyterian Priests the holy Spirit when they sealed unto them their Ordination and so they have kept it ever since close up in a box to be brought forth in these times Truly my friends as learned Rabbies as they are they erre not knowing the Scriptures To the Law therefore and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isay 8. 20. The Devill preached truer doctrine when he said that Jesus was the Sonne of God Mat. 8. 29. then these Priests when they say that the Presbyterian government is jus divinum the law and government of Jesus Christ but this is as true as that the Church of Rome is a true Church the which they doe now * Mr. Seymour one of the Assembly affirmes it in a dispute affirme to prove their antichristian standing true And now here by the way I will occasionally put a few queries First Whether in case a forme of Church-government and worship contrary to the word of God be by force put upon us against our consciences by the Parliament and Presbyterian Assembly It be not by the same reason as lawfull for us to refuse and resist it Viet armis by force * And the rather because it is enforced by another Nation and without the Kings approbation as it was for the Scots in like manner to reject and resist the forme of Church-government and worship put violently upon them against their consciences by the King and Bishops Secondly whether the Scots ought or have any more authority or right to prescribe or endeavour an imposition of Church-government and worship upon the People of England then the People of England have to prescribe and endeavour the imposition of the like upon the People of Scotland Thirdly If not Whether the Scots goe not beyond their Last Doe not move out of their sphere and intermedle with what they ought not And now seeing there is as cannot be denyed a more high pitch of Reformation in religion and holy worship then is yet attained or discovered I hope it is no offence nor transgression against the State for any true Christian or servant of Jesus Christ to press hard after it and not to conforme himselfe to fixed formes bounds and limits thereby to confine Gods holy Spirit Yee stiffe necked and rebellious Priests of uncircumcised hearts and eares ye have alwaies resisted the Holy Ghost as your Fathers the Bishops did so doe yee Acts 7. 51. I have insisted the more upon this particular that the truth herein might be cleare be cause of the great delusion put upon the People by many of our pretending Reformers through their grand Oaths and pretexts of expelling all popery and popish innovations even whatsoever should be contrary to sound doctrine for so I understand those words in the Protestation contrary to the same doctrine and to reforme Religion according to the word of God and to establish it in the power and purity of it and yet notwithstanding apply all their interest and power to support an * If the

his actions by his Masters Rule and power of the Recorder who is the Executors friend nothing can be done all passages are blockt up honest men dare not speake and knaves will not so the poore orphans are left altogether remidiless but to proceed the aforesaid Petition being referred to a Committee and the Citizens put off with faire words till this grand Ordinance for the Militia was passed and then presently they thundered as if the Petition had tended to the prejudice of Church and State 4. If they want money or a new Army to secure themselves that old Asse the City must raise men or send out their trained Bands for them and the poore Commons of London must pay and beare or else be plundered and what remedy and whatsoever the Parliament will exact and the Military men execute the Commons of London must obey and submit to though never so unjust a tax or imposition But you will say the trained Bands will not be all of a mind but this Party having prevailed to new Modelling of the Commissioners you shall see them new Model the train Bands also and here is the first piece of the frame of Englands slavery must serve if they can carry it for a leading cast unto the whole Kingdome The effects yee Commons of London which yee may expect hence are the vtter ●●lition of your free elections of your Mayors Aldermen Sheriffs Common-councell men and other publick Officers of your body and Corporation so that now ye may bid all you priviledges adue and the free borne Apprentices after seaven yeares hard servitude * Marke yee Apprentices expect a perpetuall vassalage by this meanes the hopes yee had of the recovery of ancient Rights and immunities are srustrate and yee after all your costs and adventures for your liberties become the first absolute slaves in England if God doe not otherwise prevent or raise up some Othniel Ehud Shamger Barak or Gideon to deliver you And in such hands as these this desperate domineering faction by all symptomes and signes purpose to settle the Militia in all the Counties and Corporations of the Kingdome and have already in Durham Cumberland and other places northward put it principally into their hands who are declared Traytors and enemies to the State Malignants and Delinquents some of which have been actually in warre against the Parliament and their Country as Sir George Vane old Sir Henryes Sonne who was in armes with the King and is now made one of the Deputy Lieutenants of the Militia for Durham a Justice of Peace and a Committee-man and yet scarce good commodity for the hang-man S. Wilfrid Lawson of Cumberland such another yet by the prevalency of this party intrusted with the posse-Commitatus whereby he may raise the County and cut all honest mens throats if he imagine cause To tell you of the commands and power wherewith Lieutenant Col. Offeere Cap. Musgrave Story Stoddert and divers others are invested and intrusted in those parts who have beene in armes against the Parliament and their Country to the great trouble hazard and affliction of all the faithfull and wel-affected there besides many others in other places of the Land would be to tedious let these for present suffice for example And all rather then to trust the honest and approved in the Land because they are contrary to their treasonable designes and practices and will not suffer themselves nor the Country to become their vassals and pack-horses I wish those Northern Countries had no just cause of complaint against that deceitfull double dealing Lord Wharton I will for speciall cause not that I fear or regard him or any man farther then he is sincere and vertuously honourable spare him but it it is good both for him and others to repent and doe their first workes lest a worse thing befall them there is nothing hid but it may be made manifest to runne away from a fight for feare is tollerable and is contingent to the greatest * Witnes Generall Leshley Generall but for a professed Souldier of Jesus Christ to turne his back and flee from the truth is to be abhorred Hath not Christ said He will be ashamed of such when he shall come in his Fathers glory with the holy Angels Marke 8. 38. And did Jehosaphat prosper that tooke part with Ahab Or did ever any escape by iniquity And if Meroz was cursed yea bitterly cursed because they would not helpe what are they that doe hurt and are not they also cursed though they be doing that doe Gods worke negligently Consider these things seriously all yee that are sunke and setled upon the lees all ye Neuters and indifferent ones that plead moderation non-season and prudence for your baseness of Spirit negligence and cowardice in the great cause of God and this distressed Kingdome and yee Timidi yee fearefull ones who are more afraid of the face and displeasure of man whose breath is in his nostrels and whose councels perish then of the power and wrath of God Who is a consuming fire and whose councels abide forever That feare more the loosing of your places and profits then the losing of Gods favour and countenance and the peace of a good conscience Read that 21. Rev. 8. and tremble remember your selves rouse up your spirits and shew your selves couragious for truth and justice and zealous for the glory of the Lord of Hosts if yee will not know that deliverance will come to Gods People some other way and yee shall not escape As for M. Hollis and others whose councels and practices tend principally to treason and tyranny injustice and violence I know what I say and doubt not yet but in time to see it proved so who live without Law and act contrary to Law like traytors and Rebels Let such men know that God will render unto them according to their workes and I am confident that they shall never be able to accomplish their wicked enterprize and that the pit they have digged for others they shall fall into themselves God will take them by their own counsels as he did in old time Achitophell and Haman and as he did Strafford and Canterbury in these dayes yea in those two presidents they have prepared a halter for their owne necks and their owne words shall be their Judges Strafford and Canterbury were condemned for treasonable councels and speeches endeavours and intentions of subverting the fundamentall Lawes and frame of government and of setting up an arbitrary power and rule of government And whether Hollis and others his presumptuous complices have not been not only the intenders and indevourers but the reall authors and actours of these things I doe appeale to all inteligent men who have taken any cognizance of their councels and actions So that if the King as it is a question did want just matter of occasion in his charge of treason against M. Hollis and others in 1641. both he and the whole Kingdome may