Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	house_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	50	3	8.9532	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57623	Reliquiæ Raleighanæ being discourses and sermons on several subjects / by the Reverend Dr. Walter Raleigh.	Raleigh, Walter, 1586-1646.	1679 (1679)	Wing R192; ESTC R29256	281,095	422

ways it is true that the obligation of a promissory Oath is naturally dissoved which otherwise in all other cases when the thing sworn is just and good in it self and possible unto him that swears it and accepted and required by him to whom it is sworn though it be unto his own damage and then too though won from him by fraud or enforced by violence it is notwithstanding religiously and inevitably to be observed The example unto this purpose of Joshua and the Gibeonites is most remarkable for though Joshua had a Commission from the Lord to root out and destroy all the Nations that bordered upon the Land of Canaan and to give their Cities and possessions unto the Children of Israel yet having sworn a League with the Gibeonites a neighbour Nation who counterfeiting themselves a strange People that came from far deceived him and by this subtilty obtained Peace he feared for all that ever to violate the Oath which himself and the Princes of the Congregation had made with them And though all the people murmured at the League for the Gibeonites had fair Cities yet he never sought unto the high Priest for Absolution or Dispensation those high Mysteries of Iniquity were not then known neither yet did he plead that Treacherous Axiom That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks and Infidels which were by the Council of Constance against all Faith both Humane and Divine shamefully decided and with the blood of Innocents more barbarously confirmed Such subtilties were too acute for the dull simplicity and honesty of those better times But without all shifts and devices both himself and all the Princes that had taken the Oath resolutely answer the mutinous Congregation We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel now therefore we may not touch them Josh. ix 19. And that you may perceive how precious in Gods sight such sacred Attestations be that are made in his holy Name do but consider with what severity and bitter revenge the Lord persecuted the breach though long time after in the days of Saul even of this very Oath which though it was at the first obtained by the Gibeonites with fraud and imposture and confirmed by Joshua besides if not contrary to his Commission and that without ever consulting the Lord as the Text doth especially mention and at length violated by Saul not without a good and zealous intent for Saul fought to slay them saith the story in his zeal unto the house of Israel and Judah yet for all that because the thing was not unjust in it self so highly did the breach displease and offend the Lord that for this very cause even after the death of Saul in the days of David he sent three years famine upon the whole Land for which no attonement might be made until this sin were particularly revenged and seven of Sauls Sons hung up before the Lord in Gibeon and then the famine ceased as you may read 2. of Sam. xxi In which Chapter there is one thing more observable unto this purpose for it leaves us a double example recording at once unto posterity as Sauls impious breach of this Oath with the Gibeonites so Davids religious observance of his Oath with Jonathan for when he delivered up the posterity of Saul unto the revenge of the Gibeonites he spared Mephibosheth the Grandchild of Saul and Son of Jonathan because saith the Text of the Lords Oath that was between them between David and Jonathan the Son of Saul v. 7. of the same Chapter for Jonathan and David had sworn as you know a league of friendship and though Jonathan were dead and gone yet faithful David far unlike the falseness of this world remembers it in his posterity and fails not to shew that love and kindness to the Son which he had formerly vowed and sworn unto the Father And whence it is also more remarkable that this Oath is not termed Davids Oath or Jonathans Oath but the Lords Oath the Lords Oath that was between David and Jonathan to shew and signify that the Lord is interested in the performance of an Oath wherein his name is assumed and that his truth is dishonoured in the breach unless the falshood be revenged by his justice whereof he will never fail either here or hereafter sometimes yea and often here but ever and for ever hereafter And therefore either make no Oaths or else perform the Oaths which you make either make them in Righteousness or make them not at all and being righteously made be sure they be not unrighteously broken for there is as righteousness in the making so also a righteousness in the observance and if either be wanting God will not fail to shew his righteousness in the avenging of both And so I leave Righteousness and come to Judgment Jurabis in Judicio Thou shalt swear as in truth and righteousness so also in judgment For though we may sometimes affirm a truth and sometimes confirm a lawful and just promise with an Oath yet notwithstanding we may not swear promiscuously every Truth nor yet bind every such promise with the attestation of God whose name is holy and in ordinary and trivial occasions cannot be used without profanation And therefore besides Truth and Righteousness in the thing sworn there is required also judgement and discretion in the swearer that he may discern between cases and causes of moment and not unadvisedly temerate this sacred name when neither the weight of the business nor our brothers weakness doth make it necessary for as St. Austin hath it lib. 1. de Serm. Dom. Qui intelligit non in bonis sed necessariis jurationem esse habendam refraenet se quantum potest nè ea utatur nisi necessitate He that knows that an Oath is not food but physick not to be desired for it self but to be used for anothers necessity let him refrain from swearing till that necessity doth require it and when that is the next immediate words will shew us cum videt pigros esse homines ad credendum quod iis utile est credere nisi juratione firmetur when he sees men otherwise unwilling to believe what he knows is behoofeful for them to believe But Mr. Calvin who doth also allow of a necessary Oath lest we should enlarge the cases of this necessity at our own pleasure gives a fuller rule to prevent it Non alia praetendi potest necessit as quàm ubi vel religioni velcharitati est serviendum We may never pretend necessity saith he but when we may do some good service to Religion or Charity that is to God or our Neighbour So that as the two former properties do restrain us from untrue and unrighteous so this latter from unnecessary swearing They forbid us that we swear not falsly and unjustly and this that we swear not rashly and vainly the one thing specially intended And when the egregious licentiousness of these times doth require a principal labour in