Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	act_n	effect_n	produce_v	2,028	5	8.3546	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35043	Fraterna correptio, or, The saints zeale against sinful altars delivered in a sermon preached on a day of humiliation for the error, heresies, & schisms of our times and nations / by Z.C., minister of the word.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1655 (1655)	Wing C6994; ESTC R23793	70,876	177

wrath to the causing of the earth to open her mouth and swallow them up alive How did Solomons Altars stir up divine displeasure to the rending away ten Trib●● from his Kingdome not to this day restored What sad monuments of divine justice and fury hath it made Jerusalem and Samaria it were easie to evidence the increasing property of this sin but this may suffice to such as do but consider the fiercenesse of the Lords fury which will make the mountaines to melt and hills to shake Mic. i. 4. and Kings of the earth to tremble for who can stand before his frown much more fatal then the frowne of the most cruel Turkish tyrant threatening present death Can this Lion roare and the beasts of the earth not tremble Amos 1.2 If while his wrath is kindled but a little they be happy that trust in Christ what terrour must possesse them that by their Altars-building are naked before it Psal 2.12 Exo. 32.25 so that the sinne must needs be vile to be avoided and seasonably seene to that is so highly displeasing unto God I have now done with the third thing in the discovery of the sinfulnesse of building Altars beside the Altar of God viz. the vile effects which spring from it which tasted by serious contemplation cannot but render it bitter in the mouth and excite sincere worshippers of God against it I shall only adde one thing more to the aggravation of its vilenesse and that very briefly and so passe to the Application of the Point viz. the aggravating properties The first aggravating property that may render Altar-building to be exceeding vile is the singularity of the subjects Singularity is not savoury in any it many times springs from pride and bespeaks an evil disposition this sinne is many times acted by Gods people only who know the true God and have worshipped at the true Altar this sin God himself aggravates with this very property in Jer. 2.11 expostulating with them Hath any Nation changed their gods though they be no gods and yet my people have changed their glory for that which will not profit and Isa 65. v. 5. the rebellious people which follow their owne thoughts and burne incense upon Altars of Brick have their sin aggravated by their singularity they say Stand by thy selfe come not neare me I am holier then thou as that which makes a smoak in Gods nostrils and a fire to burne all the day so that this addes much to this vile sinne The isses of Chittim and coast of Kedar will not afford a parallel or shew such a thing for whilst the Ephesians suspecting any innovation against their Diana run together with great zeal crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians and readily contend for their Idol-goddesse and superstitious worship as resolved not to change though for a better and the Athenians though given to novelty think Paul odious in seeming to set forth new gods the people of the true God are only seene to change sometimes the object but many times the Altar the true God hath prescribed to be worshipped at The second aggravating propertie of Altar-building is that it is committed against standing directions dictated Lawes and Ordinances Gods revealed will and pleasure concerning his Altar and Worship as it is Israels glory that no Nation is so great a Nation that hath such Statutes and Judgements Deut. 7. as all the Law of the Lord their God so it is laid on them as the greater duty to take heed to themselves and to keep their soul diligently that they forget them not but teach them to their sons sons sons and observe to do them it is also their great aggravation Acts 17 13 that they forsake the Covenant of their God go away from his Statutes forget his Lawes cast off his Commandments to create to themselves an Altar and Worship according to their owne inventions and though the Athenian ignorance may extenuate their superstitious worship at the Altar to the unknown God yet now light is come abroad and God calls to repentance they must walk as children of the light for ignorance can now be no plea where prescript rule is proposed now as rebellion against a Kings Proclamation and disobedience against a fathers declared will so is this Altar-building hainous and abominable because against directions exhibited The third aggravating property of this sinne of Altar-building is that it shuts Gods eares against prayer What is spoken of sinnes in general in Isa 59.2 Your sins have hid his face from you that he will not heare is applicable nay applied to this sinne in special where God not only declares that when Israel his Altar-building people did cry to him in their trouble he would not hear them Ier. 11.11 but also prohibits the Prophets praying Thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift up a cry or prayer for them and that is urged with a therefore viz. because according to the numbers of the streets of Ierusalem they have set up Altars ver 12 13. Let me alone Moses was the angry voice of God produced by the Calf and Altar at Horeb Exod. 32.10 How just is it with God to deny the Petitions of them that deny prescriptions from him in the way of his owne worship Prov. 1.25 to 33. For as children when stubbornly following their own * Si cursum vitae nostrae propriis consiliis regere volumus religionis fideique neg●tium secundum rationem nostram instituere idem nobis accidit quod pueris quos parentes primum docent incedere c. Lav. in Prov. 1.31 wills fall into harme their cries are not compassionated by the tender parent so deales God with his stubborne people that make their wills the way or rule of his divine worship I have now done with the Doctrinal consideration of the Point and shall leave it to the judgements of the sincere worshippers at God● Altar to consider whether a sinne springing from such causes exercised in such acts producing such effects subject to such aggravations be not exceeding sinful and if but suspected to be undertaken sufficient to stir the zeale of the ten tribes to the resistance thereof much to be seene to sorrowed for and soone suppressed where it is really and indeed acted I shall now briefly apply to our more particular instruction The first Use of the point may be of enquiry and humiliation to put us apon the search whether in the midst of us we may not see some of our brethren professing the same and who have worshipped in the same Gospel-worship with our selves to withdraw from the Altar of God and erect Altars after their owne inventions which if we finde our hearts should be heavie in us and our eyes filled with tears as humbling our selves for so grievous a guilt and upon enquiry he that is not wilfully blinde cannot but see beyond the river in the Church of Rome material besides formal Altars built besides the

backsliding from the worship and Altar of God by such as were joyned under the visible administration of his Covenant was with a Spirit of zeal and a strong hand to be restrained Is not this in this very story so very clear that he that runs may read See we not the people of the ten Tribes generally assembled with power in hand and purpose in heart to impede the suspected sinne and so to keep in due order of attendance on Gods Altar Is it not to this end that God hath invested his Church with authority and censures and requires the due execution thereof that by fear men may be forced from sinne Is not the cutting off the troublers of Gods Church rejection of hereticks casting off and delivering up to Satan for the buffetting of the flesh the very act of this resistance Was it not the discharge of this duty that emulated the Apostles in their dayes 1 Cor. 5. and succeeding faithful Ministers of the Gospel by the Authority of Christ to withstand the false Apostles Gal. 5.12 Tit. 3.10 and seducing teachers of their times as sinful Altar-builders that this lies as a duty on the authority of the Church is generally granted by all even by such as deny the same to be a duty in the Magistrate which at this time is not my part or purpose to disp●re having been done by more able men and that very fully that onely which I would dictate is that in general every professed sincere worshipper of God is to approve himself such not onely by cautionating against or counselling from but also in his place and according to his capacity in contending against the sinne of Altar-building as private Christians by friendly objurgations and discountenancing the same even by drawing from communion and otherwise when duly called Ministers of the Church by reproving condemning and censuring nay if thereunto called defending the place of Gods worship against their entrance into the same to correct their sin as did Alexander that famous Bishop of Constantinople and undergoing not onely censures of bitternesse and violence but even banishments and saddest sufferings as did Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in withstanding the Arrians and when I consider Christian Magistrates waiting on the Altar of God by the fulnesse of their power and influence of their authority on the sons of men to be in the sittest capacity to manage to the purpose this resistance I cannot see whatever others say to the contrary how to exempt them from the approving themselves sincere worshippers at Gods Altar by the faithful and zealous discharge of this duty Thus then I have done with the second thing to be illustrated and have shewed you what duties he on the sincere worshippers of God in seeing to the sin of Altar-building and you see they must 1. See it 2. Be sensibly affected with it 3. Speedily cautionate from it 4. Seasonably remove accidental occasions as farre as may be 5. Zealously resist when other means will not availe that so they may not share in their guilt I now come to the confirmation of the Point thus illustrated by giving the reasons of it The reasons why the building of Altars besides the Altar of God is to be so seasonably seene unto by the sincere worshippers of God I shall briefly comprehend under one general head and that is this To build Altars besides the Altar of God is a sinne exceeding sinful it is sufficient to emulate a sanctified heart against it to assert it simply to be a sin though of the lowest order for saving grace doth militate against sinne as such not as it is more or lesse grievous yet how much more fervently and fully will it bend it self against sinne as it appears aggravated vile and exceeding sinneful more eminently and immediately dishonouring God provoking fury scandalizing religion and sadly dividing the Churches of God of which nature to the emulating of zeal and engaging the strength of sincere worshippers of God against it I shall labour to let the people of God see this sinne of Altar-building to be and that in the consideration of the grounds actings effects and sad aggravations thereof F rst Altar-building besides the Altar of God will appeare a sin exceeding sinful if we consider the sinneful grounds from whence it springs and ariseth amongst others we may specially take notice of these three common causes thereof First shameful novelty that frame Ground 1 of spirit which for its vilenesse is noted to be the effect of idlenesse and want of serious imployment which might six * Variam dant otia mentem the soul this is that frame of Spirit which renders a man weary of every thing though in it self never so good whereby men become Athenians to give up themselves to things as they are new rather then as they are good and enquire after Pauls Doctrine as new Acts 17.19 and so suitable to their curiosities rather then as true and saving to their souls the which although noted as an occasion of Pauls preaching yet is taxed as an evidence of their vanity who minded nothing else but novelties which might be vanities according to the Greek proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Novelties commonly are vanities This is that shameful sinne which brings a distaste on the most pleasont object * Apparet etiam quare tantopere novae res placeant quoniam mens cum primum quippiam nobile ac p●aestans affert se contemplandum acriter attente ipsum int●●etur quo cognito de studio remittit ideo voluptas definit verum si priori objecto aliquid recens supponatur denuo intelligentia contendit studium ea contemplando voluptas redit atque hoc pacto semper rebus novis obiectamus Pet. Mart. loc com p. 330. and placeth affection on that which is more base a disposition more fit for babes and children then men of discretion who should embrace by reason this novelty is the mother of sedition in States and Republicks which a wise Lycurgus will labour to anticipate by his perpetual absence from his Lacedemonian subjects engaged to constancy of obedience till his return and chiefest polliticians by assenting to Plato his directions and seeing that ne quid in rebus ad religionem attinentibus innovetur that novelties in religion be not admitted In a word such is the vilenesse of this novellous temper that Satan cannot endure his wayes and doctrines to be charged with novelty which he therfore cloaks with the plea and brings in with the loud cry of Antiquity whilest he makes the truths and wayes of God distastful with the charge of * Paulus Samosatenus cast the Psalmes out of the Church as new found figments of late Writers Euseb Hist lib. 7. cap. 29. novelty which need no clearer proof then the Papists contention for their shameful absurdities and horrid innovations with the pretence of antiquity whilest their common captious calumniating question against the true Churches doctrine and

at liberty And Astrology it selfe may by this meanes come to be an Altar a religion as it was among the Heathen And lastly it 's enmity to Christian Religion which nature must needs render it very capable of introducing another though directly opposite this enmity is evidenced by that antithesis it hath ever stood in to Religion by the Magical operators and planitary predicters notorious malice and envie in defaming disgracing calumniating deriding contemning opposing the Ministers of the Gospel and predicting frequently the decayes of the encouragements nay and the very falling of their calling promised to be perpetuated till the Church be perfect in heaven Lord Howard in his Defensative against poyson of supposed pr●phecie● ch 22. p. 111. nay not only is their enmity against the instruments which must hold up and continue the Altar of God Christian Religion but by their fatal yet hitherto false predictions against Religion it self for in the first beginning and tender spring of faith the observers of the Planets gave out in their Pamphlets That the Name of Christ should not be had in honour at the uttermost above two hundred yeares which falling out by tract of time to be an egregious lie Albumazar to keep his disciples in life adjourned the destruction of our Religion two hundred years higher supposing undoubtedly this should be the utmost stint and period of our continuance which maugre their malice continueth to this day and shall continue so that we see sufficient in its nature to make it a character being so capable of being a cause of Altar-building But let us passe on to the Observatitions of sincere worshippers of God concerning it and what wise observer is or ever hath beene in the Church of God to whom it hath not appeared that those Astrological artists ever were more rife in Heathenish then in Christian in Popish then in Protestant in former then in later times that they were alwayes most busie in turbulent distracted times and places where wars domestick or forreigne fitted people for sedition faction or schisme c. that the proper fruits of their Schooles Societies Religion Practice and Profession were the nourishing of Nations in Idolatry Sorcery Superstition and Impiety that men of the greatest learning wisdome vertue conscience and piety have not derided and despised them whilest men of the contrary disposition have feared their Prognostications and believed their Predictions but to close up all of much that might be observed that when and wheresoever their Divinations and Presagings were most received it was not a fearful presage of a decay of Religion and of a declining Church in a word that the Word Church or true Religion of God never flourished or was established in any Kingdome or Nation where Magicians Diviners Sooth-sayers and Astrologers were countenanced or connived at nay where they were not condemned and suppressed Now my brethren these things considered I leave it to every unprejudiced man to consider whether the acting advancing seeking to or suffering in silence Astrology and its Predictions give not just cause to Ministers of the Gospel to complaine of and cry out against superstition innovations Altar-building against Gods Altar as the sad attendant on or effect of Star-gazing and wheresoever we see in divided parties exerc●sing distinct practises this Art to be owned allowed pleaded for and believed there we may conclude a just suspition at the least of their departing from the Lord and his worship to follow their own inventions The third Character as the constant concomitant of Altar-building is dangerous separations from the union of the Saints and body of the Church of God This is that which I have before noted to be the sad effect of this sin whether materially or formally acted as we have instanced in Corahs and his company 's gathering a Congregation and disjoyning themselves from the Camp of Israel Jeroboam and his subjects separation from the Temple not to this day cemented by many evidences and instances under the Gospel Well may I then call that a concomitant which was before proved an effect of the sin and well may that be a character which is both a concomitant and effect of Altar-building and now my brethren I would I could say with the Apostle I rejoyce to see your order and stedfastnesse in the faith your order in orderly union every member keeping its proper place without ambition or murmuration and all keeping close in that one body into which we were all baptized but alas horresco referens I speak it to our shame and sorrow this day in the sight of God What man that can but halfe see seeth not factions schismes and sad divisions to encrease in the midest of us some men not only professing to this Minister and crying him up not only above but against other Ministers and others owning that and adhering to him and his principles making them matters of faith because spoken by him rather then grounded on the Word so that some are of Paul some of Apollo as if neither themselves nor the Ministers were of Christ these contentions strifes divisions the Apostle doth not only not commend whilest he dehorts from such dissensions but expressely condemnes them as carnal and seemees to hint the same to be a setting of them as objects of their faith worship and so Altars against Christ the true Altar of them all whilest he expostulates Is Christ divided was Paul crufied for you either were ye baptized into the name of Paul rejoycing he had baptized few among them lest they should say he baptized in his owne name which expostulations are vehement affirmations that such as denominate themselves by the name of their Teachers as having their persons in admiration though never so eminent Cujus nomine in religione censeri volumus ab eo redēptos ejusque nos proprios esse profitemur baptismus est sacramentum confoederationis cum eo in cujus nomen baptizamur Par. in loc to divide Christ to owne their Teachers as their Saviours and Redeemers and such into whose name and profession they were baptized 1 Cor. 12.13 14. not only are we I say thus divided in our profession of relations to this and to that Minister but also in Church-way some of Independent Church-wayes some of Arminian some of Socinian some of Anabaptistical some of Seekers and it were well if some were not professedly of ranting Churches and Assemblies all which separate from the body of the Church refusing to worship God with thē in way of ministration by him prescribed by it practized and such as do so divide never yet disproved the same either in matter or forme notwithstanding their calumniating charges of all out of their way though baptized and approved pious as in wayes and hedges with the Heathen as the members of the scarlet-coloured whore brats of Babylon subjected to Antichristian Ministery out of the way of Christ and therefore to be gathered into a Church way and exchange their baptismal