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
A91988	The picture of the conscience drawne to the life, by the pencell of divine truth. VVherein are set out 1. Its nature. 2. Infirmities. 3. Remedies. 4. Its duties. Consisting first in the truths to be beleived [sic]. 2. The vertues to be practised. 3. The vices to bee avoyded. 4. The heresies to bee rejected. All seasonable for these distracted times. By Alexander Rosse.	Ross, Alexander, 1591-1654.	1648 (1648)	Wing R1980; Thomason E1195_1; ESTC R208720	46,614	212

own interpretation and conceit goeth against his own beleife for he beleeves that he is in the right though indeed he is an error now What is done either against or without Faith is Sinne Rom. 14. For the Egyptian Mid-wives who beleeved that they might with a safe Conscience lye to save the Hebrew infants from drowning had done against their faith and conscience so been guilty of murther formaly though not materialy if they had not lyed But we must note that though we are bound never to resist the erring conscience yet we are not obliged alwayes to follow it for if the error be voluntarily contracted we are not tyed by any obligation to yeeld obedience to it yet we are bound by a simple ligation not to doe any thing against it because the Conscience beleeves this error to be truth remaines as yet not convinced untill which time these actions which in themselves are materially evill yet are not evill formally as when a man lyeth with his neighbours wife beleeving her to be his own he commiteth adultery materially in effect though not formally or in his conscience and intention and for the same reason the Dictates of an erroneous conscience are to be preferred to the precepts of a Superior until the error be removed by the Superior who cannot injoyne us to do that which destroyes the law of nature but to do any thing against our conscience were to thwart and oppose that very law of nature 2 Opinion is the second infirmity to which the conscience is subject in this life by reason we are ignorant of the true causes of things without which there can be no knowledge for Scire est per causas cognoscere but opinion is a bad rule for men to square their actions by seeing we can never give a firme assent unto that which we perfectly know not but by way of probabilitie therefore the assent is timerous cum formidinecontrarij yet it is opinion that for the most part bares rule in the world and causeth men without scruple of Conscience to runne headlong into many errors and absurdities it is opinion that imboldens men to persecute without remorse of conscience al such as dissent from them and in this they think they do GOD good service hence the Arians of old thought they were bound in Conscience to persecute the Orthodox Christians and so the Papists are led by the same opinion at this day in persecuting the Protestants dissonant opinions have as well armed mens Consciences with boldnesse as their hands with fire and sword against each other the opinion of universalitie and antiquity hath kept the world so long in blindnesse of Popery causing them without scruple of Conscience to swallow down their grosse errors which notwithstanding Luther could not disgest neither he of late nor Athanasius of old could satisfie their consciences with the opinion of universalitie the opinion that the scholars have of their teachers worth and integrity make them without any check of Conscience maintaine defend even to their own undoing and of the place where they live their masters errors be they never so absurd and this is the cause that the Church hath been stil pestered with so many Heresies the opinion that the Subject hath of the Princes authority and power as also the necessity of obedience to his commands makes them without any controlement of conscience put in execution what soever he commands be it right or wrong and when they take an evil opinion of the prince though he deserve it not their Conscience sets them on work to rise against him some Physitians think they may kil men with a safe conscience by trying experiments their conscience doth not check them for murther because they have an opinion that what they did was for the furthring of their own knowledge and the benefit of others so from the opinion the Lawyer hath that it is lawfull for him to live by his Profession he makes no scruple to receive his Clients mony and to plead for him in a wrong cause 3. The third infirmity of the Conscience is doubting to which so long as we are subject our actions can neither stand with love nor faith nor goodnesse not with love for how shall we love God when we doe that which wee doubt is not consonant to his will not with faith for faith is an assurance and firm assent but that can be neither assent nor assurance where there is doubting and what is done without faith is sinne saith the Apostle not with goodnesse for that action cannot bee good which is done without knowledge but where doubting is there cannot be knowledge Maximum malae mentis judicinm fluctuatio therfore if the action bee doubtfull which we goe about it were better bee for borne then put in execution for there may be danger in performance there can bee none in forbearance a man that doubts of his impotency and ineptitude for mariage were better abstaine then marry hee that doubts whither the goods or estate which hee enjoyes bee his owne or not were better restore then retaine them if he can find the right owner if he cannot find him then hee were best bestow them on the poore or else retaine them with that intention and resolution to restore them to the right owner and for that cause use his best endeavours to finde him out so when we doubt whither the Princes command imposed upon us be just or not wee ought to bee resolved either by the Prince or by some other wise and religious man of the lawfulnesse of that command If the Vsurer doubt whither hee may lawfully take use or not he were better forbeare then demand it for there may bee sinne hee doubts in taking there can be none in forbearing 4. The fourth infirmity of the Conscience is scrupulositie a disease that gives it no rest for after it hath assented to one part yet it remaines anxious and wavering whither that be the rightest part it hath assented to and is easily removed from its assent which it gave to this part inclined to assent to the contrary being troubled at every smal conceit scruple perplexed with every shaddow imagination of sin sometimes making us feare that we have omitted what should have been done and sometimes that that we have committed what should not have been done this sicknesse is sometimes layd upon us by God as a punishment of our sins and somtimes as a meanes to try our Faith Constancy and patience its a part of our sprituall warfare let us not then be dejected the end of this tryall is not to hurt but to help us not to kill but to save us neither hath Satan any more power to vex our minds with such scruples then he had to afflict Iobs body with soares he doeth it by permission from God for our further weal these scruples like the Angels of Satan are sent to buffet us but let us not despaire

tranquillitie of mind which we receive by our contentation and lastly if we consider the miserable condition tentations unquietnesse and anxieties of those that want this gift of contentation 58 We are bound to exercise our selves in doing good because we are commanded because good works are the way to heaven in which we must walk they are testimonies of our faith and profession the fruits of every good tree the meanes whereby our heavenly father is glorified by them we are made conformable to CHRIST our head who went about doing good they are the end of our election and calling and this exercise must be constant fervent sincere and with delight and readinesse with a true hatred of sinne with prayer and meditation yet we must not confide in our workes but lay hold on CHRISTS merits by faith acknowledging our own imperfection and inabilitie 59 We are bound to search for that true wisdome which consisteth in seeking out and useing the meanes of advanceing Gods glory and our own salvation and in avoyding all hindrances thereof especially the wisdome of this world which is an enemy to God and by him accounted foolishnesse because it will not be subject to the wisdome of God nor doth it comprehend the things of Gods spirit 60 We are bound to be vigillant over our selves for we have watchfull enemies and we are in danger every howre to be devoured by them the time place and manner of our death is uncertaine we know not at what howre our Master will returne or our Bridegroome will come the eye of the Almighty which runs through all the world and is still observing all our actions neither slumbers nor sleepes and that we may be the more watchfull let us take heed least at any time we be overcome with surfeiting and drunknesse let us be sober and watch unto prayer 61 We may with a safe Conscience make use of worldly policy as Joshua Gideon David Paul and other holy men have done if so be that this policiy is not beyond or against our private calling nor repugnant to justice nor injurious to religion nor opposite to Gods glory 62 We are bound to forgive the wrongs done unto us for so Christ hath taught us both by his example and precept the Lords Prayer teacheth the same God is ready at all times to forgive us it is the glory of a man to passe by an injurie revenge belongs to God and he will repay therefore we must remit both the revenge and the punishment yet we may take notice of the wrong and require satisfaction without the breach of Christian clemency 63 We may with a safe Conscience right our selves by Law when we are wronged as Paul when he appealed to Caesars Tribunall for the Law is Gods ordinance and Iudges are his Ministers to end controversies but we must take heede of anger and malice in our law suits and that we goe not to Law upon every light occasion or for every trifle rashly but to use all meanes of reconciliation rather then law and to beare as much as we can with patience shewing our Christian moderation and acknowledging Gods providence in this our tr●all and with all our love to our adversaries 64 We may with a safe Conscience kill another to save our selves if so be we are injuriously and suddenly set upon and have no other meanes of escape nor any intent of revenge for to defend our selves and to preserve our lives though by the death of another we may by the law of nature vim vi repellere licet and likewayes by the Law of God Exod. 22. 2. so we may defend our innocent brother by killing the theife that invades him for we must love our neighbour as our selfe and a woman may thus defend her chastity by killing him that would ravish her for chastity is no lesse precious then life it selfe Abraham sinned not when he rescued his kinsman Lot with the slaughter of many men nor had Lucretia sinned had she killed Tarquinius 65 Though we must not upon any pretence kill our selves because such a murther is contrary to Gods Law the law of nature Iustice and Charitie yet we may with a safe Conscience suffer our selves to be killed for a publique good for the maintainance of innocency justice and religion for the advanceing of Gods glory 66 One nation may lawfully make war against another because they may lawfully repell force by force because God commanded it neither the Baptist nor Christ do absolutely forbid it the Magistrate beareth not the sword in vaine and nationall injuries can not be otherwayes many times repelled or vindicated but by wars but care must be had that all meanes be first used befo●● war be undertaken that the authority of the undertakers be lawfull that the cause be just the meanes and wayes be honest or honorable and that the end be good to wit Gods glory and future tranquillity and that the innocent be not oppressed with the guilty as it is in storming and direption of Townes Castles and Shipps except it be upon unavoydable necessity 67 Inferior Souldiers whither they be subjects of or strangers to the Prince that imploys them ought to be sure of the justice of the cause before they fight otherwayes they fight against their Conscience if they know the cause to be evill and if they doubt they ●●●ht without faith which is sin for though they are bound to obey yet they are not bound to a blind or to an unconscionable obedience 68 We are bound with a Christian courage and fortitude to undergoe all hazards and difficulties for CHRIST because he hath suffered somuch for us and hath redeemed us because this is the end of our election and calling because God hath promised to be with us in all our extremities because we shall be more then Conquerers through him that loved us and we know that all things shall worke together for the good of them that love GOD and that great is our reward in Heaven even the Crown of righteousnesse which is layd up for us this courage will not faile us if we call upon God if we love him and if we put our trust in Him 69 We are bound to labour for patience in beareing of crosses and in waiting for releife fot without patience we cannot possesse our soules nor without patience can we run the race set before us therefore we have great need of patience that after we have done the good will of God we may receive the promise thus the Apostle laboured to approve himselfe in much patience in afflictions c. 70 We are bound to be sober and temperate moderating our affections concerning profit and delight by making a covenant with our eyes eares and mouth by considering the vanities and instabilitie of sublunary things and the latter end of unlawfull pleasures and how all wise and good men have despised them and that there is only content satisfaction and delight in heavenly things 71 We are bound to