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	reason_n	1,519	5	4.9993	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29130	An husbandmans harrow to pull down the ridges of the presbyteriall government and to smooth, a little, the independent ... containing divers new and unanswerable arguments ... / written by Ellis Bradshavv ...	Bradshaw, Ellis.	1649 (1649)	Wing B4144; ESTC R1233	82,907	112

of goods or claiming of propriety 3. Concerning fasting or eating and drinking 4. Concerning being of the strictest Sect of the true Religion such as was the Pharsees or of one more remiss such as was the Scribes But it will be demanded how these may be applicable to the matter in hand I answer that as the case stands betwixt man and man in these particulars so it doth also betwixt Church and Church for they are all governed by the same Law and by the same Spirit and the case is the same in every respect 1. For such who make themselves chaste for the Kingdom of Heavens sake it is good for such not to touch a Woman as 1 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore they ought to be carefull how they carry themselves in such respects And it is not lawful for such to marry if they so resolve and know they have power over their own wills as hath beer said before Even so a Church being rightly constituted and having Divine power and authority given her through faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ And that desires to be presented as a chaste Virgin onely unto Christ and to be governed by him It is not lawful for such a Church or at least not good for her to binde her selfe to be subject to the Vote or power and Jurisdiction of other Churches that are not constituted as a chaste Virgin onely unto Christ and to be ruled by him and by his Word and Spirit Or if they be not resolved to be as chast as she and as fully subject to the Rules and Laws and waies of Christ but think they ought to consociate with such who are more loose in their Doctrine and Government and ways c. which as yet she cannot resolve to do upon any principles she hath yet received from Christ her head And there is a resemblance nto a little remarkable held forth to us by the Holy Ghost betwixt the Husband and Wife and Christ and his Church Ephes 5. 22. c. both of them being bound to be subject alike though yet in the Lord. And as it is so that there is cause of Jealousie that some Women will not continue chaste So there is cause of Jealousie that some Churches will not be espoused unto one Husband that they may be presented as a chaste Virgin to Christ but their minds will be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ as 2 Cor. 11. 2 3 4. Secondly As it is with a man as hath been said so it is with a Church in the second particular For if a particular Church shall amongst themselves being of one heart and of one minde have all things common and none of them claime propriety of goods as meerly his own but that they may be distributed as every one hath need As so it is lawful if they can so agree and do it freely without grudging or repining yet it were unlawful and a folly and madness to joyne themselves so in community of goods to such in whom they could not expect the like community they being quit of a contrary minde and heart c. like Ananias and Saphirah covetous and hypocritical and only ayming at carnal ends Thirdly And so likewise as it lawful for a particular man to give themselves much unto fasting and prayer as hath been said Even so it is likewise for a particular Church if they so agree amongst themselves to give themselves much unto fasting and payer as in their apprehension they shall think they have cause for the good of their soules in general or particular Where it may be on the contrary some other Churches in their apprehensions have more cause of thankfulness finding for the present that the Bridegroom is with them As so for this reason the Disciples of Christ fasted not whereas the Disciples of John fasted often And why then should Churches of different judgments in these respects be bound by Authority all to rejoyce or all to mourn and fast and pray at the same times and no more frequently but as all can agree so to humble themselves And how should it chuse but ingage men to hypocrisie save only in case of some general judgment of which we are certain that all are sencible and affected with it And fourthly and lastly As it is lawful for a particular man to be of the strictest Sect of the true Religion such as were the Pharisees So it is lawful for a particular Church to be of the strictest way in respect of Government Doctrine and Discipline that can be devised or made good from Scripture as lawful c. And the Magistrate ought not to enforce her to conform unto any Churches that are more remisse and loose or careless or not so strict or careful and conscientious as they ought to be Though I will not deny But the Magistrate ought to tollerate such who think they ought not to be so strict as well as the other For as all good men whose general bent is the glory of God cannot attain such measures or degrees of grace and wisdom as of faith and holiness and of zeal c. one as another Even so all Churches though they be true Churches cannot possibly attain to be so rightly constituted and so severe and strict in Discipline and Government and Doctrine c. as others can though the stricter the better in some respect as I shall hereafter shew though in some things to be over strict is a foule fault The one conceiving that they ought to proceed according to the rule of charity and the other of certainty The one expecting but faith Historical in their admissions But the other searching for Faith Justifying such as appeares by Works in all such whom they doe approve As there is strong Arguments that might easily be produced on both patties even from sacred Scripture that it is not easie to reconcile I hope they will not say that either of them yet have clearly demonstrated from sacred Scriptures their owne resolves concerning Baptisme I shall therefore it may be propose betwixt them something of that But from these precedent grounds First it is clear that these conclusions will justly reprove and I hope convince both the Independents and Presbyterians in that they do not labour to accord and love and strive to live and carry as Bretheren and communicate together in all the Ordinances as Bretheren ought and as occasion serves But the one striving to enforce conformity to their wayes and rules and principles c. to which in conscience they it may be are engaged And the other blaming and condemning them as too remisse and not so upright and conscientious nor walking by so just and strict a rule in constitution government and discipline of the Congregations as they ought to do and as they are resolved to engage themselves and therefore seek for liberty so to do By this means they fall at varience and fall out by the way and about the way though they

all may erre and every one hath erred and it may be doth erre in some thing or other Then all and every particular man ought to fear himself lest he also do erre and that in such particulars wherein he thinketh that he justly opposeth and condemneth others And ought to search the Scriptures and to search the meaning of the Spirit even in the Scripture it self and to be sure of that before he be too confident and surious in opposition or judging of others as Hereticks c. He that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall He that thinketh he knoweth any thing knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know saith the Spirit of God Then we ought therefore to put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness and not to break off Love but upon sure grounds that they are enemies of God whom we so judge and censure c. But for more punctuall applycation of these precedent conclusions unto both Parties to wit to the Independents and Presbyterians I shall briefly assert these cleare consequences from the aforesaid grounds first to the one and then to the other And first then to the Presbyterians I assert as followeth in behalf of the Independents 1. That it is lawful yea and the bounden duty of some men to binde themselves to a stricter discipline then others need or ought to do The one being quallified through the grace of God and fitted for it and so manifestly ingaged and called of God so to do for the time present whiles they think they ought 2. To the Independents that the Presbyterians not being so qualified or disposed or called through the grace of God but manifestly ingaged to the quite contrary And as is it were bound in spirit within their own sphere or place or calling or way c. ought so to continue whiles they think they ought till they be convinced from Scripture grounds that it is their duty and that they are called of God to a stricter Rule and way of Discipline then they yet do practise or can freely embrace or engage to indure as witness the foure precedent examples Consiqu And therefore it followes That a stricter Discipline ought to be tollerated by the Civil State that such who please and can freely accord to engage themselves to the exercise thereof amongst themselves may have liberty to do it provided alwaies that they do not offer to inforce others unto their way but only the freedom and liberty of themselves and of their own c. then ought to be imposed and made as a general and binding rule and way of Government to which all must necessarily be ingaged in or bound unto as hath been said before Object But it will be Objected seeing I propose this Assertion to the Presbyterians in behalf of Independents that it will be necessary that I shew wherein the Independents rules and ways of discipline are stricter then theirs for they are generally accounted by the Presbyterians more remiss and loose in many respects giving way for libertie of all Religions without controule by the Civil State as so they speak of them Answ I answer that their rules and principles according to which they engage to act are manfestly stricter and lawfully too in divers particulars wherein I shall briefly instance And wherein I thinke they are likewise ingaged in duty and conscience so to do though I will not deny but many Presbyterians are ingaged in conscience to do the contrary and are fully perswaded that they ought so to do for the time present 1. And first they are stricter with whom they incorporate and joyn themselves in Church policy And so far forth as any particular Church is politically joyned for the government thereof and for the good of the body in every respect A Church can never be too strict but the stricter the better and the more likely it is to be well ordered and governed and built both in faith and love and all other graces and vertues whatsoever that may tend for the benefit and good of the whole And therefore their principles are to admit none to be incorporated with them but men of approved fidelity Because according to their princples they having liberty and power in all Church affairs that are of joynt concernment and that respect them all as in Elections or Ejections Admissions or deprivations Receptions or Rejections Receiving in or casting out from amongst themselves they all having interest as members of the body have liberty and power for vote or sufferage as they are bound in conscience and can see just cause and render a reason of their faith hope or desires therein grounded upon Scripture evidence as so they ought to have They I say according to their principles having this power and liberty c. are bound to be strict with whom they incorporate and joyn themselves Lest by sway of vote things should be carryed Antichristian-wise to the dishonour of God and of the Church c. by male administration of all the Ordinances that concern them all to be carefull of in the sight of God For if men be admitted to have vote in Election of Ministers and Elders and Deacons c. that are not approved for ficelity and fitness to discern in some good measure whether they be men of good and honest report and full of the holy Ghost and of wisdom suitable for such a place they may cause the Election and Approbation of such as will defile the Church with corrupt doctrine and unsound principles and ways and manners to their own destruction And therefore all that are accounted to be truly religious are not fit to be incorporated as members of the body to have liberty and power in such respects till they come to ripeness and maturity of judgment in spiritual respects In like case as the Levites though they all were given as a gift unto Aaron and to his sons to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation yet they were not to administer and wait on the service of the Tabernacle but from twenty and five years old and up wards And from the age of fifty years they were to cease waiting on the service thereof and should serve no more as Numb 8. 24 25 26. Clearly implying That onely in case of ripeness of judgment and ableness and fitness for such a business they ought to be used and admitted c. but not otherwise least they spoyl the Government of Discipline and Service that belongs unto them However notwithstanding all that are accounted to be truly religious ought to be admitted unto all the Ordinaces yea even to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper though never so weak in understanding and knowledg as all the Levites even during their minority yet Aaron was appointed to bring them with him for they might be present though they did no service And through they might not administer and do the service of the Tabernacle yet they might be admitted to come neer with