Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bad_a	good_a	reason_n	1,431	5	5.5448	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79892	Golden apples. Or Seaonable and serious counsel from the sanctuary to the rulers of the earth, held forth in the resolution of sundry questions, and cases of conscience about divisions, schisms, heresies, and the tolleration of them. Collected out of the writings of the most orthodox, and judicious divines, both Presbyterians, and Independents. / By Sa. Clarke, pastor in Bennet Fink.	Clarke, Samuel, 1599-1682.; Anthony, Burgess, d. 1644.	1659 (1659)	Wing C4518; Thomason E1881_3; ESTC R209888	84,688	239

as are cross to the word of God punish only such things as men in conscience should avoid and will this make them to dissemble c. Obj. Such coercive power in matters of Religion is the way to bring in persecution for conscience sake Answ 1. Teaching Magistrates their duty to punish things manifestly cross to the Word of God and that after due means used for conviction is rather a way to restraine them from persecuting the Saints for a good cause or conscience and if accidentally Gods enemies take occasion hence to abuse their power this must not take away the due use of it Papists and Prelates abused Church-censures against the godly yet this their sin dischargeth not the Church from its duty 2. It s an absurd argument to reason thus Men may not be persecuted for a good cause and conscience therefore they may not be punished for maintaining a bad cause c. Obj. The exercise of any such power by godly Rulers is crosse to the meek Spirit of Christ and to that merciful spirit which he requires to be in his Saints Rom. 15.1 Gal. 6.1 2. Eph. 4.32 2 Tim. 2.25 Answ Zeal of God in sharp punishing of such corruptions flood well with Christs Dove-like spirit None so meek as he and yet none so zealous this way The zeal of Gods house even consumed him and made him lay on so hard with his scourge upon those who polluted the Temple John 2.16 with 14.15 16 20. Moses was the meekest of men in his own cause Numb 12.3 yet lion-like in that cause of pollution of Gods worship Exod. 32.26 27 c. Hezekiah was a shadow to the Saints Isa 32.2 Yet a fiery flying Serpent against Gods and the Churches enemies Isa 14 29 30. Quest Quest What other reasons may be rendred why the higher Civil powers ought not to grant a Tolleration to their Christian subjects to hold and professe in matters of Religion what themselves may pretend conscience for their so doing when indeed grosly erring and contemptuously and pertinaciously holding the same forth Ans Answ 1 First because they may not give liberty to their Subjects to live in and practice the works of the flesh But Heresies and Schismes are works of the flesh Gal. 5.20 therefore not to be tollerated Secondly that liberty which suffers men ordinarily to draw persons away from God is not to be granted by Christian Magistrates but to tollerate persons under a pretence of Conscience pertinaciously to hold forth corrupt opinions is to suffer them to draw others from God therefore it s not to be allowed Deut. 13.9 Thirdly that liberty which suffers the sheep of the Lord in an ordinary way to wander from their fold and pasture without restraint or effectual care to reduce them is not to be allowed by political shepherds which God placeth over them This the Lord complains of and sharply reproves Ezek. 34.5 6 7 8. There was no Shepherd neither did my Shepherds search for my flock but they wandred and became a prey were driven away and devoured there were Shepherds but they did not execute their office but suffered Gods flock to be seduced and corrupted by false prophets But the liberty aforementioned doth thus therefore it s not to be allowed Fourthly such a liberty carries a brand of Anarchy in the State yea and of a sad judgement of God upon that State for the provoking sins both of rulers and people 1. It s one brand of Anarchy Judg. 17.6 there was no King in Israel every one did what was right in his own eyes 2. It s a sad judgement of God as appears Zach. 11.9 with 15 16 17. where the Lord threatens to leave those of his flock alone to themselves and to killing courses of sinne that which dieth let it die and the judicial means he useth is in judgement to raise up a foolish Idol Shepherd i.e. such Rulers in Church and State into whose hands the flock is delivered to be spoiled as v. 5 6. such as care not what becomes of their souls So 2 Chron. 20.33 where it appears that to be left by authority to take up corruption in religion under pretence of conscience is a sad judgement of God for the sins of a professing people Fifthly such a tolleration makes Rulers not to be for Christ but in that respect against him for it makes them not to be for one chief end of his coming which was to destroy the works of the devil For a tolleration of errours is a tollerating the works of the devil because erroneous doctrines are forged by the devil and are some of those lies whereof he is the Father John 8.44 Those doctrinal lies are doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4.2 unclean frogges that come out of the Dragons mouth Rev. 16.13 14. yea lesser errors about meats and marriage are called doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. therefore they ought not to be tollerated Sixthly Such a Tolleration will wound a State in the very continuity of it It breaks the hedge and walls of a State and so lets in manifold mischiefs For 1. Corrupt Doctrines so allowed do mingle with and wil eat out sound Doctrine pure Religion and the Covenant of God which are the ligaments and bands of a Christian State and made Jerusalem so compacted together Psalm 122.1 2 3. For 2 Tim. 2.16 17. They will encrease to more ungodliness and their words will eat as a Canker or Gangrene 2. Corrupt Doctrines tend to the breaking of the peace of such societies where they are tollerated Hence Gal. 5.10 12. I would they were cut off that trouble you And Acts 20.30 They draw away or rent away as members from the body Disciples after them Where there are Heresies amongst Church-members there will be Schisms and Divisions 1 Co● 11.18 19. Such filthy Dreamers Jude 8. are branded for sedicious persons in Common-wealths They despise Dominions and speak evil of Dignities witness the many breakings of our Parliaments and turning of Governments upside down Such justly perish as did seditious Corah verse 11. Hence Seducers are called Traitors heady high-minded Truce-breakers False-accusers fierce c. 2 Tim. ● 1 2 3 4 5. and that he speaks this of Seducers appeares verse 6 7 8 9 13. And Jude 16. They are branded for Murmurers and Complainers quarrelling against matters in Church and State All ages have declared that persons of corrupt Principles in Religion are frequent Movers and Abettors of civil seditions 3. Corrupt Doctrines break the hedges and walls of a Christian Common-wealth and leave it naked to become a prey to its adversaries So was Israel when they had corrupted Religion Exod. 32.25 till Moses commanded Justice to be executed upon some for the terror of others ver 26 27. False Prophets let alone spoil the vines and break the hedges as is implyed Ezek. 13.4 5. So Ezek. 22.26 27. When such corruptions are let alone a gap is made verse 30. and when none in Authority are found to make it up by punishing them God powers out his indignation upon them verse 31. Solomons connivence at Idolatry in his wives rent his Kingdom in pieces but punishing such corruptions puts away evill Deut. 17.2 3 7. 7. Such a tolleration God accounts to be a kicking at Religion and honoring such Corruptors above God himself as appears 1 Sam. 2.12 to 16. with 23 24 25 29. Elies sons corrupted the worship of God by snatching what came first to hand and the Lord saith not only to them but to Eli too Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and honourest thy sons above me c. therefore it ought not to be granted 8. Such a Tolleration of such evils causes those very evils to be charged on Rulers themselves and bringeth the wrath of God upon them So Elies sons sins were charged upon and punished on Elie himself and Solomons connivence at the Idolatry of his wives And Nehemiah contends with the Rulers for not reforming the prophanations of the Sabbath Nehe. 13.10 11 12 16 17 18. the sin of the people in doing corruptly in the matters of God is charged upon Jotham 2 Chron. 27.2 he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet the people did corruptly 2 Kin. 15.34 35. and that is charged upon him as his sin 9. Such a Tolleration makes men abhor Religion and to speak evil of the way of truth as Elies sons corruptions being connived at made men abhor the Lords offerings 1 Sam. 2.17 So 2 Pet. 2.1.2 3. 10. Such a Tolleration is intollerable because it is an allowing of Foxes to spoil Christs vines Can. 1.2.16 Of Wolves that spare not Christs flock Acts 20.30 with Ezek. 34.8 10. Of Sorcerers that bewitch men 2 Tim. 3.13 Gal. 3.1 Who hath bewiched you c they are also as Jesabel whom God will punish if men neglect their duty in doing of it Rev. 2.20 21 c. Thus you have the Judgement of Mr. Tho. Cobbet of New England against a General Tolleration See more of this in Mr. Cottons answer to Mr. Williams FINIS Errata Typographica PAg. 2. lin 6. pro Nobathaea leg Nabathaea p. 3. l. 21. pro Saphirus leg Sapphirus p. 4. l. 1. pro phorus leg pharus p. 6. l. 13. pro pollysyllaba leg polysyllaba l. 18. pro ped●x leg pedis in margine pro Harpago est faem leg masc p. 7. l. 26. post silex adde et p. 9. l. 20. pro mine leg minae p. 10. l. 4. pro vendiciae leg vindiciae p. 11. l. 11. pro facinum leg fascinum p. 15. l. 10. pro Ligar leg Ligur p. 20. l. 8. pro areo leg aveo p. 23. l. 6. adde distinguo