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	power_n	3,921	5	4.7466	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66765	Paralellogrammation an epistle to the three nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, whereby their sins being parallel'd with those of Judah and Israel, they are forewarned, and exhorted to a timely repentance, lest they incur the like condempation : to render it the more effectual, some considerable notions are therein expressed touching ceremonies, and things indifferent, the Lords supper, the civil government, the taking of oaths, the mark of the beast, the library of conscience, the great Sabbath, and the two witnesses, with other particulars of concernment interwoven / written by Geo. Wither.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1662 (1662)	Wing W3176; ESTC R11575	78,735	140

Locusts presignified that innumerable company of Locust-like unprofitable Cardinals Abbots Prelates Monks Fryars Jesuites and such-like devouring Animals as were afterward bred and brought forth in that smoke and now swarm into every part of the World to the devouring not only of the Fruits of the Earth but to the destroying of the Fruits of Grace likewise in the bud and blossome The seven Heads signified their usurping old Romes claim of Supremacy over all Kings and Nations in the Earth when her seven Hills wore the Imperial Crown The ten Horns may betoken that addition of temporal Power which it would acquire by subjecting and enslaving Kings Kingdoms and Republicks to the throne of Antichrist and by joyning the temporal Sword to the imaginary Keyes of St. Peter until the gross Impostures of that man of Sin or mystical Whore should be by them discovered as they will be ere long provoking the Kings of the Earth rather out of self respects then in any regard of Christs Kingdom to begin to hate the Strumpet and prey upon her flesh I am suspitious that I may be suddenly deprived of the Means and Liberty which I yet have to express my mind in publick Therefore being unwilling to leave unmentioned any Notion coming at this time to my Remembrance whereby Repentance may be hastened Concord increased and things prevented which may be destructive to common Peace And in regard teeming Transgressions are or may be at this time occasioned by the Imposing and Refusing of Oaths to the multiplying of troubles and Imprisonments not only upon persons who are thought unpeaceably affected but to the oppressing and total ruining also of many innocent Families whose Masters are conscientiously afraid of all Oaths I am resolved notwithstanding it may be to my personal disadvantage to declare my Judgment concerning that and some other Particlars which I conceive may conduce to the dis-insnaring of many whose misunderstandings have exposed themselves and others to great hazards My personal refusing or taking of such Oaths as I hear are tendred cannot bring either outward detriment or profit unto me because I have neither Estate or Liberty which will be thereby lost or saved nor so much as hope of any future Preferment in the World therefore without self-ends I do voluntarily declare for the sake of others only not judging the Consciences of any who are of another opinion that I think if the Supream Power or Person be doubtful upon probable grounds of any Subjects Loyalty they or he may for their own or the Publick security and safety require it by an Oath so far forth as the Laws of GOD Nature and the Nation do oblige or permit For Allegiance and Fealty are due from all Subjects to the Power and Persons whom GOD hath set over them so long as he continues a visible possessionary Power able to Protect them out of an Usurpers hands yea so long as he is present with them to encourage them in their Loyalty by his Righteous actings or Sufferings therefore I know no reason why an Engagement by Oath should be denied to him or them who have bound themselves by the like Obligation to be their Leige Lords and to Govern them according to the Laws of GOD and their Country Upon this consideration I never refused the Oath of Allegiance to any possessionary Power or Person claiming or exercising a Soveraign Authority without opposition and I conceive I deserved as little blame in so doing as is usually imputed to the Inhabitants of a besieged City submitting to their Conquerors when they are over-powred by an Enemy and disserted by their Officer in Chief for who is bound to resist when the LORD of Hosts appears against them Of the Oath of Supremacy I made as little scruple For as I understand it and as King James expounded the same it intends no more than the other except only an exclusion of all Forreign Powers if as I think it is it be the same Oath which was heretofore tendred to me when I was a Commissioner of the Peace That Oath as I remember enjoyned an acknowledgement of the King's Power over all Persons within his own Dominions as head Governor subordinate to Christ only in all Causes whatsoever whether Ecclesiastical or Civil and not as many fancy that he hath a Power over the Causes or a Co-headship with Christ for these were ridiculous Claims and Acknowledgements in regard no Natural or Politick-head can suit with the Spiritual and Mystical Body of Christ Jesus nor the Power of any Earthly King make a Righteous Cause to be unjust or an unjust Cause to be righteous though it be too often made so to appear by an abused Authority of which abuse there is at this present great likelihood and jealousie touching a Cause now depending and relating to Persons in this Jayl wherein I am a Prisoner and I am suspitious that somewhat is endeavouring which may redound to the dishonour of GOD and the King All Oaths given or taken contrary to Law being void ipso facto as soon as they are taken ought to be repented of by those who took them either ignorantly or through fear and make them to be the greater offenders who Impose them though that doth not totally excuse the Takers of such Oaths upon compulsion Indeed so little regard is made of Oaths in these dayes in many Cases especially by Witnesses and Jurors in Courts of Judicature that it was never more truly averred of any Land than now of this that it mourneth because of Oaths For every man's Estate Life and Credit is in hazard by Suborners and false Witnesses insomuch that it were well with us if the severity of Tennes and Tenedia Bipermis were here revived to terrifie Forswearers and false-Witnesses lest impudent perjur'd Persons swear honest men out of all they have An Oath though it be abused is the usual and lawful medium both by divine and humane Authority to evidence Truths in Controversie between man and man and relating to the Common Peace and in my Judgment not unlawful in private Differences when in Charity and Reason it is needful to ascertain matters of Consequence the doubting whereof may be hurtful to him who is incredulous of what is affirmed or else of what may be injurious to another person For though our Saviour said that whatsoever in our Communication to which his words are to be restrained is more than YEA and NAY cometh of evil yet a further Asseveration may not be absolutely evil being necessitated either by an evil Custom in him who Swears when there is no need of an Oath or else by an evil causless distrust in the Hearers and therefore in serious Matters as it appears by Christ's own practice in such cases more is sometimes requisite than a bare Asseveration The word Verily double which is equivalent with Infaith and Introth in our language was often added by him in his Affirmations to confirm them and the former may without just blame