Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A90396
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Some few queries and considerations proposed to the Cavaliers, being of weighty importance to them.
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Penington, Isaac, 1616-1679.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing P1194; Thomason E1022_1; ESTC R203315
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6,433
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8
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God which is the spring of all goodness righteousness and equity not to bring men into a formal way of worship that the Lord alwayes loathed but to encourage in the true fear which teacheth that worship of him in heart and Spirit which his soul ever loved Now consider seriously is not iniquity broke loose is not the chain as it were taking off from the wicked and preparing to be laid on the righteous What vanity what excess abuse of the creatures Swearing Drinking Scoffing c. is already broke forth yea and how are those that in truth of heart fear the Lord and apply themselves to meet in his fear to worship him already derided disturbed and threatned as if this should not be lawful for them much longer Alas alas If ye do not take heed your ruin will be writ on the very entrance into your prosperity O Nation of England why do ye thus provoke the Lord against your selves against your King against your Parliament against that part of the Nation who have been so long sufferers will ye throw away the Lords mercy as soon as it is bestowed on you will ye hasten to stir up his anger and jealousie against you O how short will your day be if ye proceed after this manner O remember God and be troubled and deeply humbled for these things and rejoyce with trembling and do not shew vain expressions of joy out of his fear but let your joy be in his fear and then we also shall rejoyce with you and hope that the wrath of the Lord may be diverted from this Nation which these things help to kindle and increase Quer. VII Have ye considered or do ye yet seriously apply your selves duly to consider what the Lords controversie with this Nation and the powers thereof all this while hath been and how it may be ended that there may be no more striving against him neither by the powers nor people of the Nation for what are men that they should contend with God how can they prosper therein had they never so great advantage of gaining or carrying a cause against him yet how certainly would they fall before him Now look back honestly singly faithfully in the simplicity of your hearts search and consider what God hath contended with the powers of the Nation for these many years and if the Lord please to such as thus search after it to discover what it hath been for let the Lord have his pleasure for assuredly he will not fail of recovering and advancing his cause how much fallen soever it seemeth to men how impossible soever it seem to be recovered Let me in the uprightness of my heart propose some few things to you First is not this a likely thing that the Lord would have the reformation from Popery perfected If the Protestants did well to leave Popery then surely the more they leave it and come out of it cannot but be acceptable to God and the same Spirit which drew out of Popery will be drawing out of all the relicks of it and still bringing into a purer and more inward and spiritual worship Now consider seriously of this matter will ye give God leave to draw his people out of what ever is left of Popery in this Nation Will ye forbear forcing of them to such things as they verily believe in their hearts to be a denyal of Christ their Lord and Master If ye suppose such or such a Ministry and way of worship to be good can ye not enjoy it your selves without forcing others who cannot but from their hearts disown it in the sight of God to submit to it and to help to maintain it how can they do this thing and sin against the Lord O do not strive like Jeroboam the Son of Nebat to make Gods Israel to sin The Lord God considers the sufferings of his people for his names-sake O England take heed of this thing and do not hinder any in reforming either their lives or their worships but at length amend this thing which hath been so long amiss in the government of this Nation The government of this Nation hath been gentle to the loose Spirit to the prophane Spirit but hard to the strict Spirit even to that which fears to offend the Lord let it now at length after thus much desolation and distress become gentle to that which fears the Lord and more severe to that which is loose and prophane Surely he that governs under God it becomes him to cherish that which is tender to God And let the laws in this kind be considered of and set strait for the encouragement of the good and for the curbing of the unrighteous loose and prophane spirit that it may no longer thus swim on top and abound in the Nation but be brought under 2. Is not this also likely and a fitting thing that the Lord God should have the leading guidance of those whom he beget by his spirit and who are born thereof Shall not the everlasting father have the ordering and dispose of his own children to whom he gives his spirit to that very end that they may be led by it Rom. 8.14 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the spirit John 3.8 Now he that is begotten and brought forth by a free breath of the spirit shall not the same Spirit guide and lead him out of the world to the Father out of the love of it out of the customes fashion worships and whole course of it They are not of the world saith Christ even as I am not of the world John 17.16 They walk not as men or according to men 1 Cor. 3.3 Indeed he that is Christs is crucified with him the mans part is slain and he can walk no more as a man but as one redeemed out of the earthly nature and Spirit therefore the world hates him John 17.14 and is ready to crush and oppress him Gal. 4.29 but this is not righteous before God that his children and people should be hated hunted and persecuted because of their likeness to God by partaking of his image and because of their obedience to his Spirit which draweth them out of all the unrighteousness of the world yea and out of its righteousness too that they may be found in the righteousness faith and obedience of Gods Spirit in every thing 3. Is it not fitting that the Lord should have and enjoy the worship of such as he teaches and seeks to worship him in Spirit and in truth The worship in spirit and in truth is the Fathers worship that is the worship which he hath appointed and chosen and which he teacheth his Children and such worshippers the Father seeks to worship him John 4.23 men seek such worshippers as will own their form and way of worship but God seeks such as are born of his spirit