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	matter_n	see_v	3,060	5	3.1155	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91796	Plain dealing: or the unvailing of the opposers of the present government and governors. In answer of several things affirmed by Mr. Vavasor Powell and others: shewing, 1. That there is no reason to oppose or finde fault with the present government. 2. That there is not any scripture that doth justifie their opposing the present government. 3. That the word of God is for the present government and governors, and requireth us to own them and to be subject to them. 4. That the holy scriptures are against the opposition that is made against the present government and governors. 5. Reasons to prove that his highnesse Oliver Cromwell and the right honourable his councel ought to execute the legislative power. / By Samuel Richardson.	Richardson, Samuel, fl. 1643-1658.	1653 (1653)	Wing R1412; Thomason E865_3; ESTC R207618	24,991	24

PLAIN DEALING OR The unvailing of the opposers of the Present Government and Governors In Answer of several things affirmed by Mr. Vavasor Powell and others SHEWING 1. That there is no reason to oppose or finde fault with the present Government 2. That there is not any Scripture that doth justifie their opposing the present Government 3. That the Word of God is for the present Government and Governors and requireth us to own them and to be subject to them 4. That the holy Scriptures are against the opposition that is made against the present Government and Governors 5. Reasons to prove that his Highnesse Oliver Cromwell and the Right Honourable his Councel ought to execute the Legislative Power By Samuel Richardson I speak as unto wise men judge what I say 1 Cor. 10. 15. If I have spoken evil bear witnesse of the evil but if well why smitest thou me Joh. 18. 23. He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Prov. 18. 17. Prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thess. 1. 21. London Printed by E. C. and are to be sold by John Clarke at the Entrance into Mercers Chappel at the lower end of Cheapside 1656. PLAIN DEALING OR The unvailing of the opposers c. I Have seen great wickednesse under the title of a Word for God and in a paper called a Testimony on truths behalf I have seen many untruths In former times the Church of Rome covered and carried on all her filthinesse and abominations under the name of holy Mother the Church and seeing now one Church will not do it is carried on under the name of divers Churches and lest that should fail and come short they adde divers Christians It hath been a true proverb In the name of God all evill begin so the Mandates against the Lollards Richard by the grace of God c. in behalf of holy Mother the Church by the Kings authority cause William c. to be arrested and sent to us that they with their pernicious doctrine do not infect the people of God so that the naming the Grace of God holy Mother Church and people of God then they were imboldened to condemn and burn the people of God Mr. Powell and a few others do say that they have neither heart nor hand to the present Government is it not therefore necessary to make it appear that they ought to have both their hearts and hands to it not only for wrath but for conscience sake and that Nature Reason and the Word of God requireth the same and that their opposing the present Government and Governors is not without sinning against God and men and that the cause of their dissatisfaction is grounded upon ignorance and mistake as is evident in the proof of these four particulars following in which the Reasons of their dissatisfaction are answered The first is That there is no Reason to oppose or find fault with the present Government This is proved first from the Government it self 1. In that it is so ballanced and framed that it provides for the good of all there being not any thing in it but that which is for the liberty safety and welfare of the people And 2. That whatsoever good may be done in any Government may be done in this 3. It is not possible for this Nation to enjoy more liberty benefit and freedome in thing civil and religious then we do and may enjoy in the present Government as considered in the Instrument 1. For things civil we enjoy great peace and freedome we quietly sit down under our own vines and eat the fruit thereof and enjoy our relations c. That which some complain of is Excise and Taxes there is no cause to finde fault with the present Government for them seeing they were before this government had any being and greater then now and in as much as this Nation is divided into parties each desiring to suppresse the other no one of them if they had the upper hand could keep it without an Army and an Army cannot be maintained without Taxes or Free-quarter or plunder which is ten times worse yet Mr. Powel and others call it but a pretence of necessity to continue Taxes c. And as things are tell me what civil priviledge can ye have more then ye have and there are evident reasons to make it appear that if the Kings party had the upper hand there would be a greater charge and tax upon the people then now there is and if the Taxes were more then they are if necessity required them there were no reason to complain of the Government or his Highnesse for them because not his Highnesse but the people reap the benefit of the Taxes also the present income by them is not enough to defray the charge of the publick 2. For freedome in Religion it is so great it is even unspeakable for under the present Government we enjoy more liberty then we have enjoyed or have heard that ever any of this nation hath enjoyed since it was a nation we enjoy as much liberty as can be expected as much as can be given as much as lawfully may be desired if that which is expressed in the instrument of government be performed 1. Under this Government we may serve God according to our understandings and consciences and be as holy and Religious as we can be we are not forced to be of the opinion and Religion that the Magistrate is of right or wrong and to change when he changeth his or else be persecuted now men are not tempted to sin or play the hypocrites to avoid persecution now men are ready to shew what they are and if evil they may be avoided 2. Ye say ye are Christians and have right to the things of Christ and who hinders ye of them if ye would have liberty protection countenance and assistance of the Magistrate ye have it what would ye have more of the Magistrate for the advancement of Christs Kingdome 3. This government maketh room and giveth place to the Government of Christ in the world because it medleth not with making nor imposing lawes formerly made in matters of Religion therefore it is a great mistake to think this government doth oppose and hinder the government of Christ and untruly said that we were ten thousand times further from our liberty then afore Mr. Powell saith that we are deprived of our freedome more then in the daies of wicked Kings and that the blessed cause and noble principles are altogether laid aside is not Religion a blessed cause and is it not a noble principle to deny the civill Magistrate a coer●ive power in matters meerly Religious and seeing the Magistrate owns this principle how is it denied if you would have greater liberty then we enjoy tell us what is that liberty you would have I know no liberty that is denied except you would have liberty to destroy us and your selves

nor that they will be quiet and even then he dealeth friendly with them in that they are only secured and not put to no torture and that to prevent further danger for that man that hath spoken most against him and much abused him c. though he should not confesse his fault in so doing yet if he stould promise to be quiet and peaceable for the future he would freely forgive him and quickly set him at liberty which sheweth that all that is aimed at is the preservation of the peace and safety of the people this is no hard measure yet for this he is blamed if they say they detest the imprisonment of the Saints they plead it is their conscience to oppose c. and their testimony but that is no argument to exempt any from punishment if it were there should no one be punished for any fault whatsoever though it were insurrections adultery and murder that is some mens conscience and testimony 3. So they say men are committed for they know not what this is also untrue they and others know it is for speaking and indangering the civill peace or for not promising to be peaceable So Mr. Powell complains because they are not brought to their trial it 's well for some of them they are not brought to their triall if they should they might suffer the Bishop of Canterbury petitioned to be brought to his triall they granted his Petition and cut off his head but not without cause 4. One of them said that day the Government was proclaimed that it should not continue a year ye see it hath continued longer therefore it was from a lying spirit or at best from a mistake yet he will go on in opposing it 5. They say the Army fought against the late King because he was King if they did so they did ill but I do not beleeve they were so simple if the being a King is unlawfull why are we required to pray for Kings why should Christ and Saints be Kings he hath made us Kings Rev. 5. 10. I was never against Kingly government but against their coersive power in matters meerly religious 6. They say the King lost his life because he was King no it was for beginning the war and the guilt of the bloud shed in it c. 7. Mr. Powell saith we build again what before we destroyed this is also untrue for they have destroyed corporall punishments in matters religious and that is not built again also I know some call the triets Antichristian but I do not see them prove it So they say it was but a pretended necessity for the doing that his Highnesse hath done So they might say of David eating the shew-bread Mat. 12. So some of them had a hand in breaking up the first Parliament I aske them if they opposed the Parliament upon a pretended necessity there is ground to beleeve he would not have done some things that he hath done if absolute necessity of preventing evill and danger had not occasioned it how can they judge of the greatnesse of the necessity that are ignorant of the designers their designs their causes and their circumstances and tendencies Surely those who frequently judge of the measure of the necessity and so judge unwisely and unjustly of the necessity and censure and condemn others 9. Mr. Powell saith these men who now build what they did once destroy and justifie what they did once condemn witnesse their own writings particularly the Declaration of the Officers and Souldiers of the English Army August 1. 1650. pag. 7. 12. whereof the Lord Cro●well was Generall the words whereof are as followeth We are perswaded in our consciences that the late King and his Monarchy was one of the ten hornes of the beast spoken of Rev. 17. 13 14 15. and that we were called forth by the Lord to be instrumental to bring about that which was our continuall prayer unto God viz. the destruction of Antichrist and the deliverance of his Church and people and upon this single account we ingaged not knowing the deep policies of worldly states-men and have ever since hazarded our lives in the high places in the field where we have seen many wonders of the Lord against all the opposers of the work of Jesus Christ whom we have all along seen going with us and making our way plain before us and having these things singly in our eye namely the destruction of Antichrist the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ the deliverance of his Church and the establishment thereof in the use of his Ordinances in purity according to his Word and the just civill liberties of English men 1. Observe It saith the late King was one of the ten horns of the beast not as he was King nor as he was chief Governor but because he gave his power viz. his horn his strength to the beast the false Church of Rome may be called a beast for her beastlinesse the Lord Bishops and Popes Priesthood and so became one with Antichrist of whom they were the late King and his Monarchy was a mixt power Civill and Ecclesiasticall together he assume the title of Defender of the Faith which the Pope gave to Henry 8. King of England Supreme in all causes Civill and Ecclesiasticall head of the Church and so assumed the name and office of Jesus Christ to be a law-giver in matters of Religion for what the Bishops did herein was by and under his authority all which is proper only to Jesus Christ he is the head of his Church Col. 1. 18. Ephes. 4. 15. he is the only Law-giver in matters of Religion Jam. 1. 12. therefore it is blasphemy to give the titles of Iesus Christ to the King therefore it is said the names of blasphemy was upon the head of the beast 2. With his horn viz. power the late King pushed and goared the people of God persecuted the Saints for not yeelding subjection to Antichrists lawes he had an imposing spirit in matter of Religion which is the spirit of Antichrist and such a King and Monarchy is not set up nor desired 3. They declare Gods call to endevour the destruction of Antichrist and this they have done in part in destroying him and that wicked Government God requireth his people to make war with Babylon Antichrist the army of the Dragon to shoot at her spare no arrowes Ier. 50. 14. God ordaineth his arrowes against the persecuters Psal. 7. 13. they that are with the Lamb Rev. 14. 1. are to make war with the Dragon and his army and there is great joy in the army of the Lamb to wound a chief officer as a Major Generall as the late King was in the army of the dragon and I saw him wounded and fell I shouted for joy 4. It saith that they sought the destruction of Antichrist this they have done as for the outward part of it in England in separating Civill power and excluding the Ecclesiasticall 5. It saith they

and lives means is to be used to prevent it this being one to inform reclaim and save them and so to discharge our duty to God and man 8. Lest our silence should be a consent or interpreted so and be an incouragement to them in their evill way to bear witnesse against their sin and clear our souls from guilt because these are the present truths we are to own every work being beautifull in its season Reasons to prove that his Highnesse Oliver Cromwell and the Right Honourable his Councell ought to execute the Legislative Power 1. Because his Highnesse and Councell is in a capacity to exercise the said Power which is ground sufficient for them to exercise it he who is able to do good without commission need no commission to do it if I were able to remove all the oppressions under the sun I would not aske neither leave power nor commission to do it power and commission is given to effect that good which cannot be effected without it there is no ground to think the poor man had a commission to deliver the City yet he did do it and was commended for the same Eccles. 9. 15 16. 2. God by his providence setting them in the highest place is Gods call to execute the highest power which is Legislative they are called Gods because they have a power to make and give forth Lawes for civill peace and welfare of the people the exercise of which is a chief part of their duty in that place and the reasons that justifieth their being chief Governors requireth and doth justifie their exercising of this power and that which will justifie and secure his Highnesse and Councell in that they have done will do the same for the exercising of his power 3. The sum and substance of the Law of the Land requireth their exercise of this power The safety of the people is the supreme Law so that whatsoever is for the safety and welfare of the people ought to be done whether it be by taking away bad Lawes or making good Lawes 4. The necessity of these nations is such in generall that it doth daily stand in need of the exercise of the said power also many greatly suffer by reason of the want thereof there being many grievances which cannot be removed without it some seeking relief in their severall causes are informed that it belongs to those that have the Legislative Power to relieve them therefore as great a necessity as there is of relieving the oppressed so great a necessity there is of the exercise of this power for without this their oppression cannot be removed and their necessities are such as cannot admit of any delay much lesse to stay till the next Parliament if they should who knoweth whether they will help or no I beheld the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter on this side of their oppressors there was power but they had no comforter Eccles. 4. 1. So that his Highnesse and Councell knowing the necessity of this power should be convinced in conscience that it is their duty to exercise it God requireth to do as they would be done unto and to love their neighbour as themselves the argument for the exercising of the said power is the extreme necessities of others requireth it and there is not any thing that doth more tempt those that are for this power to be against it then the the not exercising the said power to relieve these grievances 5. The Law of God requireth the exercise of this power for it requireth that oppressions and things hurtful and grievous be removed that so the oppressed be relieved but this cannot be done without this power therefore the exercise of the said power is necessary and required by the Law of God 6. There is iniquity by a law there be some lawes unjust others ill framed there be tricks in the Law which cause great sufferings and iniquity in the officers that iniquity in stead of justice runneth down like a mighty stream and hath so continued a long time and there is no way to stop it but in the exercise of the said power in making a new Law to help the one and hinder the other 7. The end of power is to prevent evill and do good the exercise of this power would both prevent much evill and do much good and as this is the greatest among men so the exercise of it is able to effect the greatest good and in as much as there is not any great excellent and singular good thing can be effected without it so much the greater necessity there is that his Highnesse and Councell should exercise the said power 8. There is not any unwilling that his Highnesss and Councell should exercise the said power but those that are unwilling that they should exercise any power at all and also evill doers desire it not lest it should hinder their evill proceedings those that are for the having any power desire to have it in its greatest perfection 9. His Highnesse Oath expressed in the instrument is so far from hindring their exercise of the said power that it ingageth them thereunto for his Highnesse is ingaged to cause justice to be equally administred then he must of necessity exercise this power else justice will not be equally administred the 8. Article in the instrument refers to Article 30. his Highnesse is to make Lawes and Ordinances for the peace and welfare of these Nations where it shall be necessary which shall be binding and in force untill the Parliament meet and order shall be taken concerning the same therefore although the Parliament hath met yet in asmuch as they have not taken order concerning the same his Highnesse and Councell is to exercise the said power untill order be taken for the same also some say they were no Parliament because they made no Sessions 10. A course in it self singular and unjustifiable by reason of some circumstances falling in may not only become lawfull but a duty So Phinchas act was an exercise of power though he was no Magistrate Numb. 25. 7. 8. God commended it and rewarded it 11 12 13. Psal. 106. 30. 31. So David eat the shew bread which was not lawfull for him to eat Mat. 12. Necessity made it lawfull Some say the Law is against it and that it is not good to alter a law but to alter a bad law and make a new Law for the peace and welfare of the Nation is not ill but well God is pleased to alter and change some things in his own Law and make new ones and must the lawes of men admit of no change men and their lawes are not perfect times persons and cases alter and require alteration the late dispensations of God in these Nations have been carried on contrary to the letter of the Law the safety of the people of God hath lain in crossing the letter of the Law which hath occasioned his Highnesse to do that he hath done for the welfare of the people of God A serious and solemn Protestation I Samuel Richardson do take God to witnesse that I have not written any thing herein but that which I beleeve with all my heart is true and if I knew that this should be the last hour that I should live in this world and so were to have no more benefit by this Government nor of any thing in this world I do beleeve I should witnesse to the truth of these things and rejoyce that I had left this witnesse against the opposition that is made against the present Government and Governors and I beleeve that which I have written is just and necessary and that which is my duty to God and man to write of his Highnesse and Government as I have done I have the evidence and testimony of my conscience grounded upon the Word of God as I have expressed I am satisfied let men think and say of me and do to me what they please the will of God be done and that I speak the truth from my heart herein I appeal to him that knoweth all things that searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins and weigheth the spirits and actions of men So be it