Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	church_n	prince_n	1,970	5	6.0780	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64633	The true form of church government first instituted by Christ, novv used and practised in all the reformed churches of Germanie, France, and Scotland: humbly presented to the high and honourable court of Parliament, at this time most happily assembled. Plainly proved by Scripture, rectifide reason, and the testimonie of the Church, some hundreds of yeares after the Apostles time, and the generall consent of the Churches rightly reformed in these latter times, contrary to the Romish, and our archiepiscopall government.	Udall, John, 1560?-1592.	1642 (1642)	Wing U16; ESTC R218880	62,509	79

therein Therefore it is perpetuall 13 Either this government is the best and perpetuall or els there is none and so Christ should be thought to have left his Church without a government which is disproved in the 7 and 8 reasons in the first chap. for this was once established by Christ and so was no other But some government must needs be the best and perpetuall Therefore this is perpetuall 14 No man may justly forbid speaking of the Church-government to returne to the old constitution of the Church of God and to receive it before the custome of men 15 Experience teacheth this order speaking of the Church government was not for one age but necessary to all ages 16 Though the Common-wealth change her government yet the Church must keepe hers still 17 Lamenteth that some were found among them that are esteemed forwardest which would not have the same discipline used now adayes that was in the Apostles times objecting the difference of times and men 18 The Apostles have written these Lawes speaking of Discipline not for a day or for the first age but to endure for all times to come and therefore have ratified them with a most earnest obtestation 1 Tim. 6.14 that these commandements should be kept untill the day of the Lord Therefore if the causes of once ordaining an Eldership be perpetuall if Christ be the Author of it and left it in the Church by the Apostles if it be Gods commandement not yet repealed if the parts of it and gifts for it be perpetuall if it be grounded upon the generall commandements and rules of the Scriptures if it have sufficient power from God to begin continue and confirme a Church if it was agreed upon by the twelve Apostles and Paul before they met together if it have the same grounds with the preaching of the Word if it have as good grounds to be perpetuall as the Apostles c to be for a time if it be the perpetuall remedy against all the diseases of the Church if it was under the Law and inriched by Christ and his Apostles under the Gospell if it be neither alterable in respect of the extraordinary offices ceased nor the Magistrate added to the Church if it be the onely government that challengeth authoritie from God if no man may justly forbid it if it be necessary for all times if the common-wealth may change her government but not the Church if the difference of times and men be nothing against it lastly if the rules that the Apostles gave for it be confirmed with a charge to be kept untill the comming of Christ then must it needs follow that the government of the Church by an Eldership ought to be perpetuall They object that many inconveniences would follow upon this government which are severally to be answered 1 Objection By this every Parish shall follow their Seniors and then there will be so many Elderships so many divers fashions seeing one may not meddle with another Answer The government desired is uniforme for every Church and admitteth no change no not in outward ceremonies without a Synode of the choyce men of severall Elderships 2 Objection If they being all meane men chuse an Earle he may not refuse but be at their bo●k and commandment Answer No man that is chosen is compelled to an office against his will but he that despiseth to consult with others in Gods matters because they be poore reproacheth God that made them Pro. 17.5 3 Objection It overburdeneth the Parish to provide for the nourishment of so many Church-Officers Answer It is not necessary that they should provide for any moe of them saving those that are exercised in the ministery of the Word unlesse any of the rest may need the liberalitie of the Church 4 Objection It bringeth in a new Popedome and tyranny into the Church Answer It is blasphemie to tearme the government of Christ so because we refuse the tyranny of the Pope shall we therefore doe what we list and ●o● yeeld obedience to the Scepter of Christ 5 Objection It is a kinde of Donatisme to challenge such authoritie over Princes Answer And it is flattery to suffer Princes to do what they list this is the objection of Gualter who is a professed enemy to discipline 6 Objection It taketh away Princes authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall Answer No more than it did from David in his time nor so much as the Bb. doe now for the Prince requireth but this to see the Church well ordered which the Eldership alloweth and craveth 7 Objection It transformeth the state of the Common-wealth into a meere popularitie and will alter the government thereof Answer It neither transformeth nor altereth any thing in it for let it be shewed what damage would come by this discipline to any Magistracy from the Princes throne to the office of the headborough 8 Objection It will breed contention and partialitie in judgement Answer Where can be greater contention than the Bb. maintaine for their kingdome or greater partialitie than in them to their kinsfolks servants Sycophants c. 9 Objection It will be contemned and so good order neglected Answer None ever deserved more contempt than the Bb. and their officers doe for all their pompe but God whose ordinance it is will procure sufficient awe unto it mark how these Objections stand together in the fourth it was tyranny and here it is too contemptible these be contrary 10 Objection All alterations be dangerous Answer Never where we change from the obedience of Antichrist to the service of the living God was it ever dangerous to amend things amisse by that course which is described of God if it were let the particular of it appeare this might well have beene Stephen Gardiners reason for Popery in the time of King Henry the eight The Church must be governed onely by the rules of Gods Word this is in effect the proposition of the first Chapter whereunto all those reasons there alledged may be referred there is advouched generally the certain grounds of the whole discipline against the imagined libertie left to the Church here is affirmed the particular direction of the Church-government by the authoritie of the Eldership to proceed according to the rules of Gods revealed will and not by that cursed and monstrous Cannon Law which is made manifest unto us by these reasons 1. All governours are to execute their authoritie by the same warrant from which they have it But the governours of the Church of God have their warrant to be gove●nours onely from the Word 1 Cor. 12.28 Therefore they must govern● the Church onely by the Word 2. The Church is to be governed by that which the Ministers may teach unto the same for they are taught to the end that they may obey and so be governed by the same But the Ministers may teach nothing but the Word of God 1 Cor. 11.23 Therefore the Church is to be governed onely by

upon you and the h●l●s cover you ●rom the pre●ence of the Lam● and from the presence of h●m that 〈◊〉 upon the throne And I am perswaded that you are 〈◊〉 league with Hell and have made a c●venant with Death yea y●u doe pe●swade yourselves that there is no Go● neither sh●ll 〈◊〉 be any such day of ●●count or it were 〈◊〉 that you 〈◊〉 give you 〈…〉 Disputations by and then shal it easily appeare who hath the Lord on his side and who not The Truth will prevaile in spite of your teeth and all other adversaries unto it for God disdaineth to be crossed by dust and ashes Therefore be not obstinate so long as untill you be found fighters with God but prevent his wrath lest it break forth against you like fire that none can quench because of the wickednesse of your Inventions Venture your Bishopricks upon a Disputation and wee will venture our Lives take the challenge if you dare if the Truth be on your side you may hereby be restored to your dignities and be no more troubled by us but if the Truth be against you what shall it profit you to win the whole world and afterward lose your owne soules If you refuse still our offer then must you needs be guilty either of this That you know your cause will not abide the triall or of this That you will take no paines to confute us that keepe such a stirre in the Church Doe not think that because you have humane Authority on your side therefore you are safe for hee whose authority is on our side is the greatest to whose voice all the Devils in Hell shall stoope much more the silly arme of sinfull flesh Wee have sought to advance this cause of God by humble suit to the Parliament by supplication to your Convocation house by writing in defence of it and by challenging to dispute for it seeing none of these meanes used by us have prevailed If it come in by that meanes which will make all your hearts to ake blame your selves for it must prevaile maugre the malice of all that stand against it or such a Iudgement must overtake this Land as shall cause the eares that heare thereof to ti●gle and make us a by-word to all that passe by us The Lord open your eyes that you may see the confusions whereof you are the cause and give you true Repentance or Confound you in all your purposes that be against Him and the regiment of his Sonne Iesus Christ The same Lord for the love hee beareth to his poore people open the eyes of his Majestie and the Honourable Councellers that they may see your godlesse practises and in pitie to Gods people rid us from you and turne away his Iudgements which the rejecting of his holy yoke hath deserved not punishing them that mourne for the desolation of Sion with those that spoil and make havock of the Lords inheri●ance Amen To the Reader INfinite and unspeakable Christian Reader are the miseries from which Iesus Christ our Saviour hath freed us and the benefits and blessings wherewith in this life he beginneth and for ever will continue to adorne us The consideration whereof if our thankefulnesse unto his Majestie were any way proportionable to that which wee endevour unto towards men should make us continually to devise and all the dayes of our life to studie how we might shew our selves at least in some sort carefull to glorifie his blessed name above all things that we desire by how much as his love towards us excelleth whatsoever can e●se according to our wish befall unto us but if we doe with equall ballance on the other side looke into the course of mans life how well this dutie is performed we shall see that men declare themselves rather bent to spit in his face and to defie him then any way to honour him as their head and Soveraigne for to say nothing of the prophane life and godlesse conversation wherewith the generall number that professeth Iesus Christ is wholly defiled we see that many Nations people and languages are very willing to receive Iesus Christ as the●r Priest to sacrifice for their sinnes but that he should become their King to prescribe lawes unto them whereby they may be ruled is of all other things the most unsavoury yea if it be offered the most grievous tidings and unreasonable request wherein albeit many Nations that have renounced that where of Rome are heynously sinfull against his glorious Majestie yet is there none in the whole world so farre out of square as England in reteyning that popish Hierarchie first coyned in the midst of the mistery of iniquity and that filthy sink of the Canon law which was invented and patched together for the confirming and increasing of the kingdome of Antichrist· Wherein as great indignity is offered unto Iesus Christ in committing his Church unto the government of the same as can be by meane unde●lings unto a King in committing his beloved Spouse unto the direction of the mistresse of the Stewes and enforcing her to live after the orders of a brothel-house For the reformation whereof while some have w●itten and others according to their Callings c●●efully st●od how heinously it hath beene taken how har●ly they have beene used and what ●hamefull reproches have beene off●red even unto the course of the Gospell for spite that hath been ●●rne unto Ref●●mation almost by all estates and degrees lamentable ex●●●i●nce ●●th ta●g●● many ●f us· but our posterity shall know it more p●●ticularly and the Church th●oughout the world shall discerne and ●udge of it more evidently when their bodyes are rotten in the dust and their ●en●es if they repe●t not in eternall and intollerable torments who have re●ected a request so holy profitable and reasonable yea and handled the intreaters for the same so cruelly unchristianly and unlawfully but th●y would gladly perswade themselves if their conscience would let them that they have onely executed justice upon us as malefactours and they perswade men that we desire a thing not warr●nted by the Word not heard of in the Church of God untill within this few yeares nor tollerable in any Christian Common-weale whatsoever The which monstrous slanders albeit they have beene many wayes and by many men of most worthy gifts detected and made knowne in those severall bookes that have beene published concerning the same 〈◊〉 have I thought it necessary in another course to write also of it The course of my enterprise is first in respect of the favourers of the desired reformation Secondly of the adversaries of the same the favourers of it are also of two sorts ministers of the Word and private persons and both I hope may have profit by it Concerning the former when these wofull troubles that were renewed upon us by that wretched su●scription that was every where urged and begin to incre●●e ● thought it meete to bet●ke my selfe unto that which I had read or might any way by

the word of God 3. That which maketh the Church obedient unto Christ must be the direction whereby it is to be governed Onely the Word of God maketh the Church obedient unto Christ Therfore it is to be governed by the rules of Gods Word 4. Every kingdome or houshold must be governed onely by the Lawes of the King or orders of the housholder The church is the kingdome and house of God and his Word is the onely Law that he hath given for the same Therefore it must be governed onely by the Word of God 5. That which was ordained to destroy the church of God cannot be a good rule to governe the same by But such is the cannon law for it was ordained to strengthen the kingdome of Antichrist Abstract Therefore it cannot be a good rule to direct the Church by and consequently it must be governed by the Word for no other rule is offered unto us but the one of these twaine 6. That which was invented by the Dragon that persecuteth the woman and her childe that same cannot be good for the Church which is that woman But such is the cannon law for it was invented by Antichrist which is that dragon Therefore it cannot be good for the ruling of the Church and consequently c. 7. That which strengtheneth the power of darknesse and ignorance cannot be good to guide them that must walk in light and knowledge But the cannon law strengtheneth the power of darknesse and ignorance for it increaseth Popery as appeareth by this that there is scarce an Officer towards it in these dayes of knowledge but he is a Papist Therefore it cannot be good to guide the Church of God 8. That which destroyeth the Church of God cannot be good to rule the same But the cannot law destroyeth it for it crosseth every faithfull Minister in the discharge of his dutie and every go●d Christian walking in the wayes of godlinesse and nippeth in the head every good action as experience teacheth us Therefore it cannot be a good rule to governe the Church by 9. That which hath bred moe trayterous Papists in England than the Seminaries at Rom● and Rhemes that same cannot be good to governe the Church of God But such is the cannon law for it hath kept out discipline nourished ignorance and fostered superstition and popery in all estates of people that never came at those Seminaries Therefore it cannot be a good rule to governe the Church of God by 10. That which nourisheth the hope of Antichrist to returne hither againe cannot be good to direct in the government of the Church But such is the cannon law for it keepeth the cages for those uncleane birds as Archb. and L. Bb. seas arches cathedrall Churches c. Therefore it cannot be a good rule for the direction of the Church 11. That which all the Churches have cast off as unfit for the government of the Church cannot be good for the same But all the Churches that have forsaken the Pope yea they that have not received the discipline of Christ wholly have cast off the cannon law Therefore it cannot be good for the same 12. Yea we our selves mislike it as appeareth by a statute made under Edw. 6. Therefore if Governours are to rule by the same authoritie whereby they are governours if the Church must be governed by that which the Ministers may teach if the Word of God onely make the Church obedient unto Christ if every Kingdome must be ruled by the lawes of their King and if the cannon law be ordained to destroy the Church if it was invented to persecute the Church if it strengthen the power of darknesse and ignorance if it kill the Church of God if it breed moe traiterous Papists than the Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes if it nourish the hope of Antichrists returne lastly if all the Churches that have forsaken the Pope have cast it off also yea if we our selves doe mislike it then must it needs follow that the Church ought to be governed onely by that golden rule of Gods Word not by that leaden lump of the cannon law CHAP. XV THe office of the Church-government is meere Ecclesiasticall and therefore the Governours of the Church may not meddle but onely in Church-matters as for example vocation and abdication deciding of controversies in doctrine and manners so far as appertaineth to conscience and the Church censures T.C. book 1. pag. 206. Discip. Eccle. 126. but they thinke that Church-governours may also meddle in civill causes Whitegift pag. 749. and their practice that take upon them to be Councellers of state to judge civilly as punish with imprisonment c. But this is disproved and so the former proved by these reasons 1. That which our Saviour Christ refused because it belonged not unto him ruling and teaching the Church that same is not lawfull for any Ecclesiast person to doe But Christ refused to divide the inheritance Luk. 12.14 onely because he came to build a spirituall kingdome for otherwise he being God had authoritie over all things Therefore it is not lawfull for Ecclesiasticall persons to be Judges of civill causes 2. That which was forbidden the Apostles is unlawfull for every Ecclesiasticall Officer for they were the chiefe under Christ and had after a sort all offices in themselves untill they could plant them in others But such dominion was forbidden them as the Kings of the nations and other civill Magistrates have Luk. 22.28 which is to rule civilly Therefore they may not exercise any civill authoritie 3. If necessary duties are to be left rather than our duties to the Church should not be thorowly discharged then may not a Church Officer deale in civill jurisdiction which is lesse necessary unto him But the former is true as appeareth by the words of Christ to him that would have buried his father Luke 9.59.60 Therefore they may not exercise any civill authoritie 4 If he that hath an office must attend upon it then may he not meddle in another for he cannot attend them both at once But the former is true Rom. 12.7 Therefore may no Church-officer meddle with temporall jurisdiction 5 As the Souldier is in his warfare so are Church officers in the ruling of Gods Church But the Souldier entangleth not himself in the things of this life because they are of another nature to his warfare which place Cyprian alledgeth against a Minister that became an Executor to his friends Will Therefore Church-officers may not meddle with Civill-officers because they are of another nature then his calling 6 Those things that in themselves are of contrarie qualitie cannot concur in one subject But the governments of the Church and common-wealth be such not onely in this that they are the next speciall members of one generall but also in that the one is spirituall and the other temporall the one respecteth the soul and the other the body Therefore they cannot be in one man