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	lord_n	see_v	5,118	5	3.3465	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47071	Mene tekel, or, The downfal of tyranny a treatise wherein liberty and equity are vindicated, and tyranny condemned by the law of God and right reason, and the peoples power and duty to execute justice without and upon wicked governors, asserted / by Laophilus Misotyrannus.	Laophilus Misotyrannus.	1663 (1663)	Wing J988; ESTC R5466	77,425	86

Pardon Some call it a Lease of Life because it is too gross a thing to say a Pardon for Murder in plain terms O how frequently have I seen that saying of the Philosopher exemplified in this Nation The great Thieves lead the lesser thieves to hanging Publick Thieves who cheat the whole Nation of their Liberties Estates Birth-rights and Gospel-priviledges under the titles of Judges and Justices condemn and sentence to death small thieves for such faults as are not the hundredth part so heinous as their own And yet the poor people believe the great Thieves are God's Ordinance and worthy of all honour but the lesser thieves justly put to death Whereas indeed if Justice had its course there were more reason why the little thieves should condemn and execute the great Thieves For it is the Tyranny and Oppression of the Magistrates which is the principal cause why there are so many Thieves in the Land They lay intolerable Taxations on the People and by their Tyranny destroy Trade so that thousands are constrained to lay down their Callings for want of work they make such intricate tedious and chargeable Laws that are more like Instruments to pick the Peoples Pockets than Rules of Righteousness invented by the subtil Lawyers for Gins to catch the People in where they keep men so long as their money lasts and then let them go so that for the most part it fares with those that seek to the Lawyers and Witches for remedy alike they never thrive after By these and many other Artifices or Mysteries of State the Magistrates rob spoil and impoverish the People and reduce them to such necessity that while the Governours spend their money in pride luxury and all manner of voluptuousness they are forced to beg or steal and many being ashamed to beg fall to stealing for the necessity of their souls but stealing without authority are brought before the company of Rulers who have a Charter to steal by Authority and condemn all others who steal without license from them and sentenced to death by those who much more deserve it than themselves But alas it were endless to recite the particular cases wherein these wicked Rulers violate the Law of God for whereas the Law hath appointed punishment for evil-doers and praise for them that do well what do these but the very contrary turning the Sword against such as fear God and obey his Law So that we have just cause to plead with the Lord as David did Psal 110.126 It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law Brethren you cannot but acknowledge that the Law of God should be put in execution that it is great cause of lamentation yea and holy indignation to see the Law of God thus violated and what wise man could expect any better from such Rulers as these it is impossible the Law of God should be executed where wicked men are exalted Magistrates are entrusted with the execution of God's Law and if they do not understand or affect it they will never execute it Artaxerxes though a Heathen shewed more wisdom and prudence than many eminent Professors among us have lately done for he would have Ezra to make such men as knew the Law of God that is knew it affectionately as understood and loved the Law of God Magistrates and Judges over all the People beyond the River Ezra 7.25 He knew that it was in vain to think of having the Law of God executed by ungodly Rulers If we had the best Laws that ever any Nation under Heaven had and wicked Magistrates to execute them we should have little advantage by them they will find one way or other to wrest and pervert the Law of God in despite of the People I thought to have urged other Arguments for the confirmation of this great and weighty Truth That onely such men as are endowed with the Spirit of Government should be entrusted with it and to have shewn you how the setting up of men void of those qualifications which the Light of Reason and Law of God requires in Magistrates is the way to extirpate Virtue out of the Land and to introduce all manner of Vice and to bring down the Judgments of God upon us but in regard we find it by sad experience that this wicked Generation are no other than a mighty flood of Superstition and Prophaness a sweeping rain of Oppression an Army of Locusts eating up every green thing I shall forbear to enlarge any more upon this Particular but close this Chapter with a word of Exhortation and so proceed to the next You see what Power the Lord hath entrusted the People withal that the Right of making their Governours belongs to them yea that it is not onely their Priviledge but Duty by the Law of God to set Magistrates over them both Supream and Subordinate you see also what Qualifications the Law of God requires the People to look after in such as they entrust with Government they must be Wise Prudent Faithful Persons that have given Proof of their Integrity Men of Truth that understand the Law of God Fearing God and Hating Covetousness O that I might prevail with every one that reads this to resolve that if ever they have an opportunity to give their Suffrage for the Election of Magistrates again they will lay aside all by-respects and carnal interests whatsoever and give their Voice for none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government and with those due Qualifications which the Law of God requires How frequent is it for men to give their Voice for those of their own Judgement or Party though altogether destitute of that Excellent Spirit which makes men meet for the Trust they are chosen to How common to adhere to their Kindred Landlords or Benefactors and improve all their Interest for such a one who hath neither Wisdom Faithfulness Fear of God nor Love to his Country Alas How rare a thing is it to hear of one chosen for his Virtues The sound of a great Name and glittering shew of phantastical Apparel is that which qualifies a man for Government in the judgement of the multitude 'T is not what Virtues but what Titles a man hath When a hundred men better qualified for Magistracy are passed by a Knight or a Lord shall be chosen for his Airy Titles sake which is just as if a man should refuse a Shield of Brass because it were not finely painted and choose a Paper Escutcheon bearing some noble Armes for his shield to defend him for Magistrates are the Shields of the Earth Psal 47.9 O England be not still so froward as to put away prosperity from thy self by choosing such for thy Governours as are void of those Qualifications which the Law of Nature and Scripture doth require Never wilt thou enjoy a solid lasting Peace until thou embrace Righteousness Isa 32.16 to 19. Never will Righteousness be executed unless righteous men be made