Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	king_n	law_n	lord_n	4,135	5	3.8427	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41782	The loyal Baptist, or, An apology for the baptized believers ... occasioned by the great and long continued sufferings of the baptized believers in this nation / by Thomas Grantham ...	Grantham, Thomas, 1634-1692.	1684 (1684)	Wing G1540; ESTC R26748	84,492	109

thus Submit your selves to every humane Creature To this I say The Words Humane Creature are better understood of the Laws made by Humane Authority than of the Magistrates themselves For as the most high God and he only can give Being and Power to a Divine Law insomuch that no Power on Earth can create such a Law so Earthly Gods and none but they can create and give Power to an humane Law and Laws thus made are rightly called Humane Creatures or Ordinances of Men as our English expresses it And when Laws are thus made tho they should happen to be ill Laws as it sometimes happens to be so yet they must be obeyed either actively or passively because the Power Magistratical must not be resisted only the Error of an ill Law must be refused by all faithful Men especially in Matters of Religion as we have shewed before 4. This great Power which God hath given to Kings and Rulers of the Earth to make Laws is as I conceive the chief cause why they are called Gods Psal 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most High That is because of that resemblance which they have to God himself being decked with Power and Majesty to make and execute Laws in this lower World which concern the Children of Men as such 5. And as to the Form of Kingly Government for this is all that I can find in my Text Let us hear what God himself saith By me Kings reign and Princes decree Justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the Earth What can be said more in this case If any shall say 't is not God but Wisdom that speaks these Words Prov. 8. 15 16. I answer it is Folly that makes the Objection for this Wisdom is the Voice of God because it is the Wisdom of God Kings are called the Lords Anointed And not only the Kings of Israel but even Heathen Kings also Isa 45. 1. Thus saith the Lord to his Anointed even to Cirus Now Cirus was King of Persia Ezra 1. 1. 6. If yet it be said that Government but not the Form of Government is of God but of human Choice c. I answer I speak not of a Government to be formed and not yet in being but of one established and therefore I say the distinction is dangerous But how shall it be a Power or Government without its Form Does God make an Ordinance or any thing else without Form If so what can you call it It is the Form that gives every thing to be or at least to be called what it is It 's bad venturing to say that God makes an Ordinance and leaves Man to form it as to the Essentials of it And seeing no Nation can long endure without Government nor that Government subsist without Form It seems necessary that both be acknowledged to be of God and consequently where the Form of Government is Regal or Kingly it is of God and as such to be had in Honour That God does by his Providence order and permit Men to transact order and settle the Mode of Government in Nations which yet are unsetled in that respect does not prove that the Form or Settlement when made is not of God or not to be esteemed so because in such an emergency the Voice of the People together with God's Providence must herein be acknowledged the Voice of God For thus in an ordinary way is that Saying true By me Kings reign and Princes decree Justice By me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the Earth It was the most high God which gave Nebuchadnezzar a Kingdom Majesty Glory and Honour Dan. 5. 18. who then may question his Regal Power to be of God It 's ill murmuring worse disputing worst of all to fight against God Surely if Nebuchadnezzar must have this Honour given to him as King even by Daniel that Servant of God because by the Almighty he was thus exalted altho otherwise he was a sinful Man a great Idolater it must needs resolve all doubts that may arise about the warrantableness of Kingly Government and all Christians Obedience to it with respect to all Kings under whom they live whatsoever If it be objected that some may usurp Kingly Government and some that have it may abuse it I answer Tho this be true yet it is nothing to the purpose for this is incident to all other Forms of Government And when God permits such things it 's usually for the Sins of the People as it is written For the Transgressions of a Land many are the Princes thereof Prov. 28. 2. He gave them a King in his Wrath But this was because Israel had rejected God and his Prophet Samuel Otherwise God had promised to give his People a King Numb 23. 21. Yea the Government of Moses himself was after a sort a Regal or Kingly Government Deut. 33. 4 5. If then it so fall out that Kings or other Rulers do oppress their Subjects I know no remedy for the Subject but Prayers and Tears that God would turn their own Hearts more to his Fear and the Heart of their Prince towards them For the Hearts of Kings are in his Hands And with patient Suffering and humble Supplication to seek for Favour For Rebellion must by no means be admitted For it is as the Sin of Witchcraft being against God as well as against the King because it is against the Ordinance of God And hence Tertullian well said The Christian knows that the Emperor is constituted of God And saith the Prophet I have delivered all these Countries into the Hands of Nebuchadnezzar Who then may take them out of his Hand Sure none but God who sets up one and puts down another as pleases him For he that gives can only rightfully take away and he doth so when Men abuse what he gives Mene Mene Takel Vpharsin God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it and given it to the Medes and Persians Dan. 5. 25 26. If it be objected from that Passage They have set up Kings and not by me that Kingly Government is of Man not of God I answer This rather proves the contrary for here a disorder only is reproved in the way of doing that which they could not do rightly but by him that is God They so set up a King as they rejected God that he should not reign over them 1 Sam. 8. 7. Hence it was that Samuel gave them that Reproof and Exhortation 1 Sam. 12. 20. Ye have done all this Wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your Heart But God did not deny them a King No but he had given them direction how to chuse them a King Deut. 17. 14 15 16. And most certain it is that of all Civil Governments which God hath set up in the World Kingly Government is the most frequent and permanent so far as the Scripture gives

Disciples when such a Spirit appeared in them And have we not seen a refined Generation as they would be thought peeping forth with the Name of Blood or the smiting Principle written on their Forehead with direction to their Proselites to pray that God would destroy all Oppressior and Oppressors from off the face of the Earth Lord what is this The greatest part of Mankind peradventure are Oppressors in one thing or other and must a Christian pray for their Destruction or for their Conversion Sure the latter is the Duty of all Christians 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. They cannot desire such a woful Day but that Mercy may be extended knowing that themselves were sometimes foolish disobedient living in Malice hateful and hating one another Tit. 3. But alas do not these Men pray for their own Destruction Who sees not that such a Principle is pregnant with Oppression O let all Christians beware of it And let us pray for them that hate us persecute us and speak all manner of Evil against us falsly for his Names sake who hath called us not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake Thus leaving all Men of bloody violent and treacherous Principles to consider what Spirit they are of how unlike our Lord Christ how different from the Primitive Christians how contrary to Humanity it self which teaches all to do to others not as they do but as we would they should do to us We shall proceed to the next Point of Doctrine grounded upon the second Direction in the Text Love the Brotherhood Doct. II. Brotherly Fellowship Love and Vnity is carefully to be endeavoured and maintained by all Christians This Brotherhood being not natural but spiritual and mystical admits of a twofold Consideration 1. In the largest Sence the Word and Use of it in Scripture will bear 2. In a more strict and special Sence In the first we must comprehend all that own the holy Scriptures for the Rule of Faith believing in the only true God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost for these three are one that Christ died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification that live soberly according to the general Rules of Christianity tho they may be diversly persuaded in the Methods of Christian Worship Or I could be content if the State of Christianity would bear it in these Days to express my self in this Case in the Words of St. Paul 1 Cor. 1. 2. All that in every place call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ among whom he found Diversities of Opinions as well as Disorders in practice of Ordinances Not that he allows either but labours to reform both yet so as he would preserve Amity among them as they were Brethren tho some of them were carnal 1 Cor. 3. others allowing themselves a very dangerous Liberty in religious Matters even to eat Things sacrificed to Idols some doubting of the Resurrection others very loose in their Devotion at the Lord's Table they were some tumultuous others otherwise vicious 2 Cor. 13. Now whether the Apostle in his Exhortations to Unity intends that notwithstanding these Errors they should hold ample Communion with the Erroneous or whether upon adhering to Reproof by him given and their obeying the Epistles which he sent to them he obliges them to maintain and uphold their Communion is the Business to be considered The first it is not like to be for then few Errors either in Doctrine or Life could break this brotherly Fellowship among Christians And then to what purpose are these Rules given Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Withdraw your selves from every Brother which walks disorderly c. 2 Thess 3. 6. Surely all that can be required as to Unity with these Christians is a brotherly Compassion to encourage what we can the Truth they hold or the Good they do to hold with them in the common Cause of Christianity against the common Enemy of it I conceive the latter to be the only safe way viz. That notwithstanding their great Carnality Weakness of Judgment or Frowardness in their erroneous Opinions c. if now they would receive the Counsel of the Lord's Messenger or which the Lord by his Messenger had sent unto them that then the Brotherhood once found among them should still continue tho they had too evidently forfeited their Privileges Thus to take the Apostle's meaning is to make him harmonize with himself 2 Thess 3. 14. If any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not an Enemy but admonish him as a Brother But to take the Apostle in the first Sence would make him irreconcileable to or with himself So then Paul did not advise the Faithful at Corinth to hold ample Communion with those of ill Life and erroneous Principles in the necessary parts of Religion such as the Resurrection and Separation from Idolatry doubtless are for he that denies the first denies Christ to be risen makes the Apostles false Witnesses and the Faith of Christians vain 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3. And the second makes Men uncapable to serve God Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Idols or Devils 1 Cor. 1. 10. Let us then consider the second or more strict Sence of the Word Brotherhood in our Text. And here we must take it as it pertains to truly constituted and well-governed Societies of Christians For undoubtedly God intended to have the Christian Religion stated and maintained in all Nations according to the pristine Simplicity of the Gospel without the mixtures of Legal Ceremonies or humane Innovations For when Jesus gave commission to his Apostles to teach all Nations baptizing them and then to teach them to observe all Things whatsoever he commanded them Mat. 28. 19 20. and gave being to this Order to continue to the end of the World it must needs be highly rational on the part of all such as do piously stand to this Form of Doctrine as explicated and delivered to the Churches Rom. 6. 17. Heb. 6. 1 2. And consequently it must needs be very pleasing to God and commendable in the Church that his Institutes be kept with the greatest exactness as they were delivered at first 1 Cor. 11. 2. For if once Variations in either the Doctrinal or Practical Parts of the Christian Religion be admitted there can be no certain duration of any Truth A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump Gal. 5. 7. And this the Apostle speaks too with relation to the Imposition of some Legal Rites which once had a Divine Original and Use in the Church of God and yet now could not consist with obedience to the Truth Gal. 5. 7. Ye did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the Truth Hence Saint Paul would not give place to St. Peter himself when too much