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	see_v	4,869	5	3.5371	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77228	A true relation of the strange apparitions seen in the air, on Monday 25. February, in and about the town of Bolton in the Mores, in the county of Lancaster at mid-day, to the amazement of the beholders. / Being a letter sent from Ellis Bradshaw of the same town, to a friend in London, with observations thereupon, what probably they may signifie, and what use may be made thereof.	Bradshaw, Ellis.	1650 (1650)	Wing B4149; Thomason E594_18; ESTC R206924	5,654	8

express Covenant being already bound in duty unto God and each to other before we entred into such Engagements even by the Law of God which is the Law of Love and obligeth deeply unto mutuality in all lawfull things And I hope no man will say that ever any Rainbow was set in the Skie but it something concerned Covenant-Engagement betwixt God and man for there is no other end Recorded in Scripture and therefore I dare conclude that it being always set by the hand of God by way of Memento both to himself and us We ought to consider these visible mementos and admonitions and bethink our selves ere it be too late and not turn our backs each from others for any self-respects or private Interest turning our ends through self-ends to their furthest distance from mutuality in our common cause to wit a throughout Reformation but to draw if possible to a neerer distance in our publike ends and that our Covenant-Engagement might not make us two but unite us together according to its end and make as one That so it might be represented by the sign of the Covenant to wit by one Rain-bow and that also set directly upwards as a supporting arch and not so unnaturally by two parts or pieces of a Rain-bow and those laid aside as writhen about and wrested asunder each from the other at the furthest distance that can be devised by the art of man for just so we are as if time would permit I could shew at large for there is division and that most sad and lamentable even amongst those who are not only brethren in name and profession but in nature also yea even truly spiritual and Christian brethren and that of the very chief and of the most eminent in the Church of God insomuch that it is to be feared if they take not warning by these visible Characters but remain stubborn and obstinate therein it will end in blood and that of one another of which these are warnings to all that will observe There is cause that those divisions of Ruben should cause sad thoughts of heart One cals that perjury and Covenant-breaking which another counteth but the necessary keeping of their Solemn Covenant in bringing Delinquents to condign punishment One cals that murther which another accounts a Judicial execution of a grand murtherer One counts it a breaking off the Parliament which another accounts but a necessary restraint from inslaving of the Kingdom which is their Lord as some affirm One proclaimeth a message as from the Lord of Host which another saith is a cleer inhibition of his express command Numb 35.16 17 18 19. to wit that the revenger of blood himself shall slay the murtherer when he meeteth him see also verse 20.21 and 30 31 32 33. One seemeth zealous for pious Reformation and another thinketh that he doth but fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness One cals that Tyranny Oppression Cruelty Wrong Persecution c. Which another thinks but a necessary loosing of the bands of wickedness and an undoing of the heavy burthens and freeing of the oppressed yea a breaking of every yoke as Isa 58.6 Some are consulting with the Kings of the earth and the Rulers thereof against some men whom they think are plotting to insnare and binde them to their own wils Whereas others think that such consultation is against the Lord and against his anointed saying Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us And that he that sitteth in Heaven doth but laugh at them yea that the Lord himself hath them in derision Expecting confidently that yet ere long he will speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his displeasure seeing he hath set his King upon his holy hill of Sion according to Isa 14.20 to 28. Some advise the Kings and great men upon earth to stand it out stifly in the maintenance of their Cause and not to stoop nor submit their Royal Power and Royal Authority to the wils of men who plead for liberty from all tyrannical oppression or bondage whatsoever either Civil or Ecclesiastical And that all might be forced will they nill they to such form of Government as they themselves in conscience shall think most just and agreeable to the Scriptures But others advise them to be so wise and learned as to kiss the the Son lest he be angry and they perish in his wrath especially now when it is a little kindled yea that they should serve him with fear and rejoyce trembling Least he break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel as Psal 2. Some advise them to serve the Lord and to Govern and Rule over his Church and people in the old manner and form of Government But others advise them to bring their glory and honor to the New Jerusalem and to submit their Scepters to the Scepter of Christ the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness and he the King of kings and Lord of lords One affirms that the oath of Allegiance bindes us chiefly to the defence and maintenance of the persons of Kings more then their authority and rather ought to destroy his authority then not defend his person And another saith that his authority ought chiefly to be maintained yea though directly against both his life and estate and that we were tyed by our oath of Allegiance to his Just Authority and not abstractively to his person only as when acting contrary in a destructive manner to his Just Authority And that our Allegiance is no further lawful then relative to the Kingdom whereunto even he himself was tyed in Allegiance And again that Allegiance if relative bindes no further then according to the Laws of relations and that relations are contractive and the root of all obligations which whether natural or otherwise yet when one party shall seek the destruction of the other the other may justly claime a recess so far at lest as absolute preservation requires One alledgeth our Protestation that part of it especially which is for the defence of the Kings person and for the power and priviledge of Parliament But another alledgeth that the sentences are complex and do take in with them the Kings honor and estate the defence of the power and priviledges of Parliament the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects as well as the person of the King So that if the person of the King be engaged against the Priviledges of Parliament and Liberties of the Subjects yea or the Parliament themselves plead priviledges against the lawfull rights and liberties of the Subjects the protestation cannot be obligatory unto inconsistences The lawful rights and liberties of the subjects being the great end both of the King and Parliament which they ought to seek and therefore must prostrate both King and Parliament they having not so much as their being muchless priviledges against the lawful rights and liberties of the subjects So that by the protestation the greater being of duty to be always preferred before the less If either the person or the King or the priviledges of Parliament stand as a Lyon to devour and destroy the Rights and Liberties of the Subjects we are bound to know neither King nor Parliament but rather the people who are the root of them both so that it were better they both should perish then the whole body and bulk of the people Again one saith that our Covenant bindes us to our old form of Government by Kings Lords and Commons and that by Kings Hereditarily whether they be wise or foolish so that we must have no other but such fool or tyrant or what ever he proves that shall be heir to the crown But another thinks that if we be so bound by our vow and Covenant or Allegiance either we have therein done as rashly and unlawfully as those that bound themselves with an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had kill Paul And therefore such an unlawfull vow is better broken then kept seeing it can never be proved from Scripture ground but that though Kingly Government in it self be lawful yet to oblige a Nation to Hereditary Government be they wise or foolish can never be proved to be either wise or lawful in the sight of God nor any rationall man if men once may chuse and have power in their hands through the providence of God But ought to shake of such necessary bondage when they can get power else they are guilty even of self-destruction through their own counsels And thus our Covenant-Engagment is parted into two like the two Rain-bows and is wrested and turned for every mans ends so that the true ends are removed quite to the greatest distance that possibly can be one from another and will end in blood unless we repent and reconcile these things and study the things that may make for peace and for love and concord as we ought to do Which the Lord grant that we may do in time ere it be to late So he prayeth who is your loving friend and brother in the Lord Tuesday this 26. of Feb. 1649. Ellis Bradshaw FINIS