Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	appear_v	great_a	see_v	1,485	5	2.9490	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96223	The ansvver of the Assembly of Divines by authority of Parliament now sitting at Westminster. Unto the reasons given in to this Assembly by the Dissenting Brethren, of their not bringing in a model of their way. And since published in print, under the title of A copy of a remonstrance. Which answer was humbly presented to the Right Honorable the House of Peers assembled in Parliament. Ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled, that this answer be forthwith printed and published. Joh. Brown, cler. Parliamentorum.	Westminster Assembly; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Lords.	1646 (1646)	Wing W1423; Thomason E506_11; ESTC R204058	29,750	24

were often hinted to them both then and at other times to use it they still declined it in their whole dispute and likewise in their Reasons exhibited to both the Honourable Houses of Parliament insisting mean while upon Arguments from Incongruities and Inconveniences And when moved to use this Argument from the Institution of such intire Independent power in single Congregations which had been the fairest way of disputing against that Proposition it was replyed That the Assembly was not to prescribe them their Arguments but while they were Opponents they might use what medium they thought fit We might Instance in many other points which we all know to be great and Fundamental questions in reference to that way of Church-Government which the Brethren practise as 1. Whether their gathering of Churches here in England was just necessary seasonable 2. How far every particular man and woman may go according to their own judgement in separating from those Congregations wherein they have orderly Communicated 3 What power single men and women have of Congregating themselves together to become a Church as their own discretion leads them without the guidance of able Ministers and Authority of the Magistrate 4. Whether people so congregated of their own accord have all power within themselves for admitting or refusing Members chusing or ordaining Officers 5. Whether people are to rule over their Officers 6. Whether every Congregation ought to have a distinct Presbytery or whether many may not lawfully have one common Presbytery ruling immediately over them These and the like questions we know to be some of the greatest and most Fundamental points as to their way but we do not remember that ever they did earnestly contend to have these questions fairly disputed and debated Neither do themselves we think remember it IX To the two particulars they insist upon for they mention no more as questions which they contended to be debated and which they say is a sufficient Testimony of this their willingnesse to make known what ever they hold in Church Government We Answer particularly To the first of these That there is a Platform of Government for the Churches under the Gospel laid down in the Scriptures We Answer 1. That it is a Fundamental point in reference to Church Government we acknowledge but deny that it is a Fundamental point of difference between these our Brethren and the Presbyterians For our Brethren may well know that those of the Reformed Churches who practise a Presbyterian Government pleaded a Jus Divinum for their Government long before this way of our Brethren was thought upon and therefore neither is their conteding for this question any such Argument of their willingnesse to declare themselves in Tenents that are peculiarly their own 2. That this question or some other to this purpose was contended for to be debated in the Assembly at the beginning of their debates about Church-Government we do remember But our Brethren may as well remember that this motion was not onely theirs but was as well contended for by the Commissioners from Scotland and many others in the Assembly as by themselves who did not yet finde themselves agrieved that the major part of the Assembly were not of their mindes in point of method 3. That this question was then for the present after some debate laid aside we grant but say withal That the Assembly conceived themselves to have good reason so to do it being so often urged as Immethodical to Vote a Platform to be laid down in Scripture before we had ever inquired Where it was so laid down or knew Whether we should finde such a Platform there But that if upon search after particulars we could finde them in Scripture the Resolution of this question Whether there be any such Platform there would be an easie result from the whole but would at first entrance be found exceeding intricate and difficult Which considerations together with many others then alleaged perswaded the Assembly to lay aside that question at present 4. But that this question was so laid aside as never to be taken up or renewed in the subsequent debates we think our Brethren have no cause to affirm For that they may well remember That after the Assembly had concluded a Soveraign power of Government in Christ the Head and King of his Church And that the Apostles had received the Keyes from the hand of Christ immediately and did exercise them in all Churches of the world upon all occasions which Method the Assembly conceived was a fair way of proceeding they proceeded to inquire Whether there were any such Government now in the Church And did not onely debate it but resolved upon the question nomine contradicente That Christ hath instituted a Government and Governours Ecclesiastical in the Church And that he hath furnished some from time to time with Gifts for Government and Commission to exercise the same when called thereunto And this Antecedent to the main debates of Government having not then Resolved of any other ordinary Church-Officers save onely Ministers of the Word much lesse of the Body of Government which hath been twice sent up amongst others to the Honourable Houses of Parliament 5. Whereas they adde That they desired it to be discussed What are the sure and certain wayes to finde out what of Government is held forth jure divino in Scripture We know no other way of finding what of Government is held forth in Scripture then by examining the several Arguments drawn from Scripture for the several parts of Government as they came in order to be considered and this way we have used all along 6. Neither do we see any Reason for that Complaint of theirs that by laying aside this question at that time their Arguments were cut off For 1. That this was not wholly laid aside appears we conceive from what is said already 2. Others who contended for that question as well as themselves have found no such cause to complain of their Arguments being cut off who might for ought we see have made as good use of Arguments drawn from such a head as these our Brethren 3. We cannot see how this principle though granted on both sides is such a great and necessary medium by which the particulars should have been confirmed and in a manner the whole controversie decided as they affirm The Controversie between our Brethren and the Presbyterians not being so much Whether there be a Government jure divino as Whether it be this or that Whether that which our Brethren pretend to and we deny or that which the Reformed Churches have so long practised and pleaded for and they deny 4. But if this were so great and necessary a medium for their Cause the laying aside the Resolution of the question in the Assembly at that time was no hinderance but that they might have used it For our Brethren very well know that they have used other mediums then what have been resolved in the