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A90720 Sectaries vnmasked and confuted. By the treating upon divers points of doctrine in debate betwixt the Presbyterialists and sectarists, Anabaptists, Independents, and Papists. / By George Palmer wel-wisher to a warrantable uniformity in godly religious exercises. Palmer, George, b. 1596 or 7. 1647 (1647) Wing P229; Thomason E396_27; ESTC R201662 58,190 61

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whatsoever without casting their sins in their teeth for in many things wee sin all The first Text quoted is Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren marke them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple The scope of these Texts is to prevent divisions in the Church of these Romans which in some was already begun and that division was in their not assembling themselves according to the Apostles institution and that in some pretence that all that Paul had taught was not an absolute truth for they divided contrary to the doctrine which they had received saith the Text for in some case a man may divide but he must have some warrantable cause but the end of this their division was not to serve Christ Jesus but their own bellies for so saith the Text and this must be done in or by some faire colourable demeanor viz. good words and fair speeches saith the Text but all this was but to deceive saith the Apostle and because they could not delude the wise therefore they would tamper with the ignorant for so saith the Text they deceive the hearts of the simple from hence I note also that these were false Teachers that did make this division for their own private gain viz. to suck from the poore silly people in way of pretence to teach them the truth for they did it to serve their belly You shal see more of them in some of the next Scriptures following The next Scripture quoted was 1 Cor 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speake the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment In this Scripture the Apostle perswades these Corinthians from division amongst the common hearers there chiefly at least and shewes some cause of it in them and that was for want of a mind and judgement well informed and therefore they did much contend with each other as in the 11 verse you may see And therefore they were partiall in respecting and affecting of their Teachers without just cause for those Preachers were so knowing that they did not differ in their judgements in those things they taught but this was their carnality in affecting the Preacher more for his wisdome in words and phrases c. rather then for the truth of matter as is very likely and cleare in the 17 verse for there hee saith he did not preach the Gospel with wisdome of words that is chiefly lest the Crosse of Christ should be made of none effect But by what hath been observed here chiefly for our purpose is that there ought to have been no divisions amongst them seeing there was no cause and in Chap. 3. ver. 3. he did also forbid divisions and tells them the reason of it viz. they were carnall and lookt upon their Teachers more then to Gods word and working by the Ministery of their Preachers as is to be seen in the fifth verse and truly I must note one thing more from the words of the third verse and that is this The reason why men have not their judgement better informed is because they doe not renounce their carnall corruptions for the more a man desi●eth to renounce his corruptions the better understanding he shall have in the Word of God Yee are carnall said hee But I passe to the two other Scriptures named for they are those which I doe most intend for my chiefe purpose The first of them is Heb. 10. 24 25. these are the words of the Text Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is c. In this verse the Apostle pre-admonisheth them to beware that they bee not drawne away from their publick Assemblies in their godly exercises by the examples or enticing of some that had already forsaken them By the Apostles expression in this verse it seems those that did forsake did not shew forth any notorious evill ayme or end for the present wherefore they did forsake the assembling of themselves together with those that the Apostle here forewarneth therefore those might have some close colourable pretence which as yet did not breake out but some evill ayme they had for the Apostle noteth them and forewarneth the rest Selah Surely it was an evill in them for the Apostles Constitution was good in the government he had established amongst them it seemes here also that amongst the Church of God divisions are naught for the Apostle endeavours the contrary what ever the intent be of those that forsake and divide without some apparent and weighty cause The next place is 1 Cor. 12. 24 25 26. I will name but part of the first verse and then all the rest these are the words God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked that there should bee no schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it the Apostle in these verses excellently alludeth to the body of a man to shew the constitution or frame of Christs mysticall body viz. his Church on earth that as the body of man consists of divers members so doth the Church of Christ and have their severall offices of care and good performances one unto the other and if any member suffer the residue are sensible of its wants of prosperity and if it bee well and healthfull the residue of the members of the body rejoyce with it because the honouring of one member is the honouring of the whole as a gold-ring on the finger is esteemed an ornament to the whole body c. Thus it is with the mysticall body of Christ saith the Apostle in ver. 27 28. they are to take care one of another as the corporall body of man the which it cannot doe if it bee divided member from member therefore saith the Apostle in ver. 24. God hath tempered the body together c. and in ver. 25. he tells us that the end of Gods joyning the members together thus is that there should be no Schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another thus it is with the mysticall body of Christ if the members be divided then is the body spirituall weakned and in great imperfection and danger especially if many members be either lame or quite divided from it Thus you see by all these Texts of holy Scriptures that Schismes Divisions and forsakings the Assemblies of Gods people in the onely way of Religious exercises is utterly forbid and the
the more chearfully But saith some some doe regard the melody more then the matter they sing or God to whom they sing To this I answer so without all question doe some that sing without Musicke and have no devotion to God Therefore the Apostles conclusion must bee ours viz. to the pure all good things are pure but to them that are otherwise is no good thing pure Thirdly But the Parliament hath forbid it now and therefore it is unlawfull I doe answer that many things at this time are forborn for divers reasons First it is and especially hath lately been a time of mourning yea to mourne with sorrowfull hearts rather then joyous hearts although wee bee godly disposed at that time for you know in the time of David musick was not used when they fasted to God and were humbled for some punishment that then was upon them Secondly it might be forbid by the Parliament to satisfie the People who are weake in their judgement and thought every thing was Popery or Idolatry because some did begin to leave that way and then it ought to be taken away for the present Thirdly because the People were addicted to Idolatry many of them therefore it ought to bee taken away For the Brasen Serpent that was set up at first for good use was taken downe yea and broken in pieces in way of detestation and called a piece of Brasse when the people had idolatrized to it But this shall be my conclusion it is no great matter whether it be or bee not and so I end this Point with a generall reason why I have treated thus much in it which is this I would gladly learn the Reader hereof to make some distinctions for for want of this many mischiefs are amongst us and the Leaders of the Sectaries either cannot or will not doe it what the Reasons are I leave to you to be guided by some of those I mentioned in my former points viz. policy But now I will set to your view some Scriptures to you to pitch your judgement on more clearely both out of the Old and New Testament first in Exod. 15. 20. Miriam the Prophetesse did praise the Lord with instruments of musick Judg. 11. 34 35. There you may see Jephthah's daughter did it too Chap. 21. 19 20 21. There was a feast at Shiloh yearly a feast of the Lord saith the Text and the daughters of Shiloh did use to dance there at that feast Psal. 149. 3. L●t them praise the Lord in the dance let them sing praises to him with the tymbrell and harpe and Psal. 150. Psal. 33. 2 3 4. Psal. 108. 1 2. And I will end with that in the Revelation of John chap. 14. v. 2 3. and I pray consider of it these are the words I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps and they sung as it were a new song before the Throne c. And Chap. 15. 2. 3. These are the words of those that had gotten the victory over the Beast They had harps of God saith the Text and they sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvailous are thy workes Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints And thus much for this point Some have such tender sculls they 'l dye with little haile As goslings tender be alas what doe they aile And now I desire to know wherein the difference lyeth betwixt those that stand for the Presbyteriall government and those that separate from them by reason of those things contained in those Points thus lately treated of and consequently why we may not joyn together in the Presbyteriall government And now I come to the first of the last three things I promised to touch and that is to answer some of the Sectaries to some things which they affirm of themselves concerning their conversation that they are the most godly people in their lives and conversations and therefore they have the better judgements To this I answer wee may not take your bare word for it neither for if men plead for a confusion it is rather a sign of the contrary Secondly it is is an ill signe in you to be so uncharitable in your censures of us the Presbyterials you account most of us to be uncapable of the Sacraments although you cannot prove us to live in such sins and especially in that degree in those sins which the Word of God doth exclude a man for and is this a good sign think you Thirdly if you say that you are more zealous in your following the Preachers and the exercises of Religion therefore you are better and more godly then the Presbyterials I answer so might the Pharisees have said for which cause they had their name zelotes many of them yea this was the cause that they did separate from the residue of the people and would be called Pharisees the which word commeth of the Hebrew word Phares which signifieth to make a breach by separating from others and is this a commendation alwayes think you you know the Pharisees were worse then the common people were from whom they separated for inwardly they were full of rottennesse yea our Saviour said of them that they were ravening wolves although they were so zealous to pay tithe of mint anise and cummin By all this you see now that your argument therein is stark naught besides I have found that the Presbyterialls are more forward to neighbourly goodwill and to accommodate a man with what they can then you are this I have proved to be true although I have not any thing of any man but what I pay for But the Independents are full of shifts and excuses so many as I have been acquainted with I wish they would not equivocate so much as they doe I hope they will ●eale truly in their shops Fourthly they say they have more knowledge in the Word and will of God then the Presbyterialls have I answer if this were true you are so much the worse if your hearts are not thereby made better for you come much short of the Pharisees in our Saviours time in the literall knowledge of Divine things yet they were the worst of people Besides it is not true neither which you affirm of your selves viz. that you are the most knowing for you are exceeding weak in your judgements for the more part And many of the Presbyterialls which have not the tenth part of literall knowledge have notwithstanding a better understanding in many things in the Word of God and sincere hearted too Fifthly I wish I might not say that there is with you too many mountaines of spirituall pride for there was another sect among the Jews that called themselves Sadduces and would be thought to be more just in their dealings then other men and yet were not such as had saving grace in their hearts they called themselves Sadduces from the hebrew word tsedek
subjects of Ahab were accessory to Ahabs sparing of Benhad●d and see what they were to receive of God for that sin as in 1 King 20. 42. they must die for it Here followeth certain Scriptures shewing what was to be done to the places where the Idolaters worshipped their false Gods viz. the places that were built for that purpose and so used publickly and the reason rendred by God himself viz. to take away or destroy the name of Idolatry and Idolaters out of that place c. Neverthelesse their Cities Vineyards and dwelling Houses were to stand still for their habitations except those places where they publickly or usually wove hangings for their Groves c. 2 Kin. 23. 7. as you may see in Deut. 6. 10. and Chap. 19. 1. Idolatry it seemes is too easily entertained into the hearts of men by small occasions and we have had wofull experience of it with us in not watching to prevent it before it was entertained into many hearts so prevalent is this sin with the sons of men How soon were the Asian Churches be-pestered with corruption in this sin as others also but that God out of his infinite mercy forewarned them before they were utterly faln away and so have we now been warned from God by many instruments which hee hath stirred up in his Cause to set us in a right way again contrary to the expectation of the Roman frogs which have troubled us with Baalzebubs sulphur When some did wink and closely think To leave us in their lurches God did provide with Pen and Ink His Johns to save his Churches FINIS THE VOICE of INFANTS BY INFANTS DEFENDER LUKE 9. 50. Forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us Is there not a cause 1 Sam. 17. 29. Behold the Babe wept Exod. 2. 6. And I Brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdome declaring to you the testimony of God 1 Cor. 2. 1. But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sins Micah 3. 8. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Matth. 11. 25. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 17 18. London Printed by R. Cotes 1647. An Advertisement to the Reader for the better understanding of the Subject in the ensuing Discourse as a preparative 1. I Pray you note the occasion of this Discourse it was upon a challenge to dispute the case of Baptisme at which time I found the party so weak that I was both ashamed to observe his imbecillity and grieved to observe people so misled therefore out of pity I have thought good to shew the chief heads of the discourse though it bee not so exquisite as perhaps you all could wish it but I did not intend any more should see it then himself and some few of his followers but perceiving the importunity of some of my acquaintance I supposed they would cause it to bee somewhat more publike But had my thoughts stretched so farre at first I would have inlarged the matter and drawn the Discourse into more particulars and more orderly whereas now you have but the substantialls summarily and somewhat confusedly 2. Observe I have shewed the institution of Circumcision and that it was an outward sign or token of inward Circumcision in the party to whom it was first given he being a man namely Abraham 3. That his seed were to receive the same signe in their Infancy whether they had inherent holinesse yea or nay as having a right to the ordinance they being children of the faithfull or at least children of the Professors of the faith of Abraham 4. That this sign of Circumcision was belonging to those that were not of Abrahams naturall seed also if they would joyn to Abraham and his seed in the profession of the same faith and that then the children of those strangers were to receive the same signe of Circumcision also and to the same end that Abraham and his seed were untill the comming of Christ at which time the sign of faith was changed from Circumcision to Baptism to the beleeving Jewes or those of Abrahams naturall seed as well as to the Gentiles which then did beleeve 5. That the signe being changed from Circumcision to Baptisme them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse And loe thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voyce c. Ezek. 33. 31 32. And ●ee that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a pray and the Lord saw it and it displeased him c. Esay 57. 16. I will make thy tongue cleave to the roofe of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumb and shalt not bee to them a reprover for they are a rebellious house Ezek. 3. 26. By men of other tongues and stammering lips will I speake to this people c. Isay 28. 11. If a man walking in the spirit of falsehood doe lie saying I will prophesie of wine and strong drinke even hee shall bee the prophet of this people Micah 2. 11. Oh Ephraim what shall I doe unto thee Oh Judah what shall I doe unto thee for your goodnesse is as a morning cloude and as the early dew it goeth away Hosea 6. 4. Repent and turne your selves from all your transgressions so iniquitie shall not bee your ruine Ezek. 18. 30. Come and let us returne unto the Lord for hee hath torne and hee will heale us hee hath smitten and hee will bind us up Hosea 6. 1. Turne yee Oh turne yee for why will yee die O yee people of England Ezek. 33. 11. Let us search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 40 41. To the Law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this rule it is because there is no light in them Esay 8. 20. If any man will doe his will hee shall know the doctrine whether it bee of God or whether I speake of my selfe John 7. 17. When the heart shall bee turned to the Lord the vaile shall bee taken away 2 Cor. 3. 16. To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal. 50 2● If yee bee willing and obedient yee shall ●ate the good of the land but if yee bee wicked and rebell yee shall bee consumed with the sword c. Esay 1. 19