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	see_v	1,737	5	3.7569	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37042	The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal divided into four parts ... : in each of which there are not a few choice and useful questions, very shortly and satisfyingly discussed and cleared / by ... Mr. James Durham ... who being dead (by this) yet speaketh ; and published by John Carstares ... ; to which is prefixed an excellent preface of famous Mr. Blair ... ; together with a table of the contents of the several chapters of each part.	Durham, James, 1622-1658.; Blair, Robert, 1593-1666.	1659 (1659)	Wing D2810; ESTC R3845	315,038	466

condescending to be upon one side levelled according to the length that another goeth but condescending would be levelled mutually according as expediencie calleth for with respect to the edification of the Church for which end even many infirmities of others are to be for born and things otherwayes unreasonable in respect of these men we have to do with yet respect to the Churches peace ought to make men cede in these for if there ought to be condescending for private peace much more ought it to be for Church-peace and publick edification and though we cannot nor will not now be particular in this yet concerning it we may lay down these considerations 1. In what may involve a man in sin or in the approbation thereof in others there is no condescending but what length may warrantably be gone even to the utmost border of duty men ought to go for this end so that nothing ought to be a stop or march in condescension but this I cannot do this and sin against God otherwayes one ought to be all things to others This consideration will be more clear by comparing it with the former Rules and what afterward may be said 2. This condescension would be mutuall upon both sides that is one party would not expect full submission from the other for that is not union but dominion Hence the Apostle in his pressing of union in such cases doth ordinarily pray and obtest both sides And seing affection is the main ground of union it is fit there should be condescension for mutuall testifying of respect each to other This is also confirmed by an Epistle of Calvines to Mr. Knox afterward cited wherein he presseth that condescension be mutuall for removing of a division that was in his Congregation at Frankford 3. Even that party that seemeth to be rightest in the matter or to have authority on its side or to have countenance from others ought yet to condescend yea in some things to be most condescending because such are in some sort parents and strong they ought therefore the more tenderly to bear and cover the infirmities of the weak and because they are more sober and at themselves they therefore ought to carry the more seriously toward others whom they suppose to be in a distemper and not to be equally groffe in handling the tender things of the Church whereof union is a main one And considering that authority is given for edification it is not unsuitable for it to condescend for attaining its end for which cause we find often Paul laying by his authority in such cases and intreating and wooing as it were even the meanest dissenters in this matter of union as we see him Phil. 4. beseeching Euodias and Synti●…he who were it is like but very private persons to be of one mind And in ancient times we will find 1. sometimes the innocent party ceding and condescending as in the case betwixt Basilius and Eusebius at Cesarea Basilius though having the best side and of greatest account yet did first cede by withdrawing for the peace of the Church and afterward for the good thereof to wit the preventing of its being tainted by the Arian heresie he did return and condescend to be subject to him who was in competition with him which tended exceedingly to the good of that Church to the removing of that Schism and the great praise and commendation of his zeal and singlenesse 2. We find that oftentimes the most tender and sincere and these who were upon the right side have been most condescending and oftentimes these who did the wrong such as it was were most averse from condescension as in all the Schisms that have arisen upon frivolous grounds will appear 3. These who condescended most in such things have ever been thought the greatest friends to the Church even sometimes when they have been deepest in the rise of the Schism and when their side was not so justifiable as the other yet by condescending they have commended themselves more to the Churches friends than their opposites It is marked in that schism at Antioch betwixt Miletius and Paulinus who were both Orthodox yet had they divided governments and Congregations in the Church because of different Ordinations which had keeped them rent for some time and although Miletius his Ordination and entry was not so justifiable according to the Canons as the others was yet the parties tenacious upon either side being strong there was accesse to settle it by no authoritative decision wherefore it came to a treaty by means of these that were appointed Arbiters that so union and communion in the Ordinances might be made up in that Church at which conference Miletius overtured that they might joyn together as Bishops to take care of one Flock while they lived and after the death of either he who survived should be only Bishop of the united Flock unto whom one only should succeed to have charge of all for preventing of division for the time to come to which overture Paulinus would not acquiesce but stood to the formality of order without valuing the Churches peace or proposing any just ground of exception against Miletius person or Doctrine he to wit Paulinus was counted unworthy to govern such a Church and removed therefrom and the other as more worthy because of that his condescending was therefore alone invested in the government therof 4. We will find them sometimes yeeld in all particulars that do not involve any consent unto or approbation of what is wrong It is marked by Augustine in his Writings against the Donatists that sometimes Councels that have condemned men have for peace without any satisfaction again restored them upon after thoughts and he marketh it as a great condescension of the Bishops of Spain that they did so in the case of Osiu●… when he was found innocent by the French they did not saith he pertinaciously with animosity defend their former Sentences lest they should fall in the sacriledge of a Schism which doth exceed all wickednesse and with that humility peace was keeped because saith he they had rather be against their own Sentences than the unity of the Church And he doth upbraid that principle of the Donatists in the case of one Primianus who was refused to be restored by an after Councell of theirs because a former pretended Synod of their own had deposed him alleaging and abusing that word of the Apostles for that end Gal. 2. If I again build what I have destroyed then am I found a transgressour and he doth more commend the practice of Pretextatus and Felicianus who being condemned it is like unjustly by three hundreth and eighteen Bishops yet did saith he for concords sake return and joyn with these who did condemn them and by them were without all losse or diminution of their honour received into fellowship And wat ever may be in the justice or injustice of any of these former deeds upon the

length in high attainments than other men can win at or are capable of thus some are outwardly despisers of all pride and of giving respect to men and that as the Apostle saith Col. 2. 18. by a sort of voluntary humility and intruding upon things which they have not seen casting in the mean time at common and plain truths A 4. mean is the pleasing of ears and itching humours with great swelling words new notions and large discourses of non-sense delivered with great confidence when as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1. 7. They know not what they say nor whereof they affirm yet often such discourses are sublime mysteries to the ignorant and such as loath the simple truth 5. They make use of a pretext of good will and advantage to these that they speak unto as it is Rom. 16. 18. by good words and fair speaches they deceive the simple and by pretending to wish their souls well and to pity their blindnesse and hazard they are in they creep into their houses and affections 2 Tim. 3. 6. and lead simple persons captive By this pretext the serpent beguiled Eve at the first promising some advantage by hearkening to him and this way is followed by corrupt teachers still as it is 2 Cor. 11. 3. 6. Sometimes there is much more pretended strictnesse especially in outward things thus some of old added the observation of Moses Law to the Gospel as if that were a more perfect and strict way and upon this ground have so many traditions been brought in into the Church 7. There is a pretending to more Christian liberty and freedom from the bondage of Ordinances of whatever sort so as men must not be tyed to hear preachings keep Sabbaths Pray Praise and such like which are say they but formes and burthens to Saints and unbecoming that freedom and spiritualnesse that grown Believers should have Thus such deceivers and these that are deceived with them are said to promise liberty to whomsoever they propose their delusions while in the mean time all of them are made servants to corruption 8. There is great pretending to know Christs mind and confident alleaging of the writings of His Apostles and that in a seeming convincing way Thus 2. Thess. 2. 2. there are mentioned Spirit Word and Letter as proceeding from Paul whenas he himself is disclaiming such interpretations as they did put on him 9. They use to alleage the authority of men and to oppose such to these who oppose their errours thus the Pharisees alleaged Moses and the Nicolaitans Nicolas and it is like the false apostles that came from Ierusalem did oppose other Apostles authority to Pauls as if they had preached nothing but what they preached in Ierusalem and very often the infirmities of some great men are stumbled upon and made arguments against truth 10. Many are stirred up to vent queries and captitious questions as often the Pharisees did by sending their emissaries to Christ that some advantage may be gotten that way and these that are for truth entangled 11. Sometimes he maketh use of humane reason and cryeth down every thing that seemeth not consonant to it upon which ground the resurrection was denied by the Sadduces and some of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15. and the most fundamentall truths of the Gospel are by the Socinians and others unto this day Sometimes again all use of reason learning or prudence is disclaimed in which respect such men are called unreasonable 2 Thes. 3. and bruit beasts 2 Pet. 2. and Iude 10. 12. They endeavour by all means to carry the favour of the civil Magistrates and to have Ministers especially such as are zealous against them made hatefull and suspected unto them and the gaining of this hath a double advantage with it to their cause as it strengtheneth it and weakeneth the truth this we see the false Prophets did of old 1 King 22. Ier. 26. Amos 7. 10. and so endeavoured the Scribes and Pharisees to engage the Romans against Christ and against His Apostles So also did the Arrians and other Hereticks and so hath Antichrists emissaries ever endeavoured to stir up civil Magistrates against faithfull Ministers as most hatefull persons This they carry on by such like means 1. They pretend to give the Magistrates more submission and charge faithfull Ministers with sleighting of their authority for they know this to be a thing well pleasing to Magistrates Thus the faithfuln●…sse of honest Ministers is accounted disobedience and hatred and the lying flattery of such is given out for re●…pect and obedience so was it in the case of Mica●…ah 2. They cry out upon faithfull Ministers as factious and turners of the world upside-down sowers of sedition as Acts 24. 5. troublers of the peace who do keep the people in a continuall stir and crosse their designs and mar the absolutenesse of M●…gistracy So Elijah is counted an enemy to Ahab and a troubler of Israel 3. They vent many groundlesse calumnies against them as if they were guilty of many grosse evils Thus Athanasius and many others were charged by the Arians as murderers and adulterers and some pretended proofs made thereof Yea it was alleaged to Constantine that Athanasius had medled with civil matters which was derogatory to his authority by inhibiting all Corns to be exported from Egypt 4. They bring the Magistrates in tops with them by appellations from Church-judicatories to them and seeming to plead an absolutenesse to Magistrates in things Ecclesiastick Thus Hereticks in all times have sheltered themselves under this pretext till Magistrates declared against them and then they cast them off also as of late in the practices of the Socinians and Arminians hath been made out 5. They represent them to Magistrates as unsufferable in respect of their plain threatnings and that such are not to be endured so to affront Authority and to weaken these that professe so much to respect the same thus Amos is represented chap 7. 10. by Am●…ziah Priest of Bethel and often Ieremiah is so by the false Prophets in his time 6. They propose faithfull Ministers as unwarrantably arrogating a kind of infallibility to themselves and thereby derogating from all others so is that word 1 King 22. What way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to you and by a certain audacious confidence seek as it were to put out faithfull Ministers as despicable men not worthy to be cre●…ited as in the case cited and Ier. 28. and elsewhere and often by such means their insinuations and flatteries do exceedingly prevail for promoving their designs Augustine chargeth the Donatists with this that in their application to Iulian they used this phrase quoniam apud ●…e solum justitia habet locum and this was saith he when they knew he was an apostat Epist. 48. The last thing in this is the manner how this design is carried on by such corrupt teachers which is not alway the same in all and may in part be collected from what

betwixt them upon very mean grounds Origen not being come to his grossenesse he did most vehemently object that to him in his Writings 6. Often in hath come that length that they have imprecated evil to one another as in the instance of Chrysostom and Epiphanius sometimes they have informed and most vehemently instigated civil Powers against one another that they might procure their deposition banishment and such like as Ruffinus did against Ierome the Clergie at Antioch against Flavianus and some at Constinople particularly Severianus did stir up the Emperour against Chrysostom 7. Also it hath been followed in Councels and Synods by the Sentences of Deposition and Excommunication as was frequent in the case of that debate about Easter and in that debate betwixt Stephanus and Cyprian Tertullian also was Sentenced upon a prejudice without just ground so was Chrysostome deposed even by Bishops that were not heterodox and many others 8. It hath extended to divide Churches although it began amongst Ministers and hath come to that height that they have withdrawn from the communion of one another and have chosen different Bishops and Ministers without communion one with another or without dependence one upon another and yet neither of them have been Hereticks nor professed Schismaticks but because of some dissatisfaction it may be with the person or ordination of such a Minister or upon some mistake of a particular act of a Councell even when both did acknowledge the same as particularly is marked to have been betwixt Eustachius of Antioch and Eusebius of Pamphilia and again at Antioch in the case of Miletus and Paulinus and again betwixt Flavianus and others which is marked to be in the fourth Century 9. It hath extended to great heat and furie even amongst the followers of each other whereby much jealousie heat and dissention hath been occasioned 10. In both those there hath been such a fervour and as it were fury that there hath been no uptaking nor removing of the same And although we find difference to have arisen from little even amongst good men yet often we will find that most difficultly it hath been removed but for many generations it hath continued when the first authors have been away and that with very great heat as almost in all the instances given so that that sweet and moderate Divine Melancthon did usually call the difference of Divines rabies Theologorum and at his death did blesse himself that amongst other sins and miseries he was to be fred from this rabies or furie of Divines which was evermore sadder to him than any opposition of open adversaries 11. Usually it hath diverted most serious Divines both from the pressing of piety and reproving of vice as also from maintaining of truth against open adversaries and the pursuing of their errours Augustine doth complain of this to Ierome and doth for this end as it were crave a cessation and it cannot be otherwayes for ●…uch debates do not profit these that are occupied therein Heb. 13. ver 9. and when mens edge is hot and sharp against others in such particular differences it cannot but cool and blunt them in more weighty things and is no little part of the devils subtilty to make way for errour and profanitie thus to entangle Ministers Which occasion he hath ever taken to sow tares which that great Father and Divine Basilius doth condole to this purpose That while there was concord in every occupation only in the Church and amongst Ministers there was dissention and that so hot that no commiseration of the Flock which was set upon and drawn away by perverse men was prevalent with them to abstain from such differences 12. Hence it hath followed that though there hath been no considerable difference upon the matter at the first yet notwithstanding it hath grown and come to a height and that in respect both of Schism and heresie And it is rare to find in History that a division hath continued long but it hath turned to separation in communion and a Schism and again Schism hath not continued long but it hath brought forth heresie for divided practices lead men to lay down and maintain such principles as may defend them and the band of unity being broken there is no stay or hold because as that forenamed Father Basilius saith men take on them then to speak write and do as they please 13. Although sometimes the fault of division may be more on one side than another yet seldom is any side free at least in the manner of prosecution and therefore often it turneth in the close to the hurt of both and the one side becomes more schismaticall and erroneous at least in many of their members as fell out in the case of the Novatians and Donatists The other side again have often become more cold and secure in the practice of holinesse carnall and formall in pursuing ceremonies and externall things with lesse affection and life in the main because the edge of their zeal was bended toward these differences and generally people have been stumbled and offended by them and by the miscarriage of some affectionate persons men more formall and not very zealous in the main thing have come to have more weight and sway in the Government of the Church and thus we see that after these hot debates that were in the Church about lesser things schisms and heresies grew up on the one side luke warmnesse formality and inclination to ceremonies and a formall lazie way of worship did grow up and increase in the Church upon the other side 14. Though we find men sadly regrate these yet was there alwayes a difficulty to get them removed there being often a kind of inconsideratnesse whereby the publick good hath been overlooked and men have walked too much by particular inclination and affection and so have come to hate whom formerly they praised and to praise whom formerly they hated by which the Ordinances have become weightlesse to all and the Ministers who sometimes were counted a gazing a reproach and the off-scouring of all men because of afflictions have become much more despicable because of their own intestine divisions as one of the Fathers doth pathetically expostulate for the dissentions of his time writing to Nazeanzen CHAP. IIII. The causes why Division usually cometh to so great an height WE may now enquire what be the causes why Divisions usually come to such a height and are so difficulty removed even amongst men that are affectioned in the work of Christ and otherwayes sound zealous and sober which is indeed strange especially considering that they do often see the evil regrate it and professe their desire of a remedy themselves In answering to this we are to look 1. to the Lords soveraign hand even in this 2. To what accession there is to it from those that differ 3. To some occasionall accidentall causes that concur therein 4. We may consider the