Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bishop_n	church_n	great_a	2,904	5	3.2705	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35043	Fraterna correptio, or, The saints zeale against sinful altars delivered in a sermon preached on a day of humiliation for the error, heresies, & schisms of our times and nations / by Z.C., minister of the word.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1655 (1655)	Wing C6994; ESTC R23793	70,876	177

increasing mercies in after-ages so also did increase this sinne of Altar-building causing the sad complaints of the Prophets in Hos 10.1 according to the multitude of fruit they have increased their Altars Throughout the Old Testament whensoever God by his servants reproves this sin he aggravates the same by the expr●ssions of their pride as in Is ●5 from the 2. to the 7. verse And in the New Testament we finde Apostates Seducers Innovators in to the Lords Word and Worship stigmatized with this brand of pride the Apostle Paul describing such as labour to draw aside silly women and to set up their own Altar saith of them among other properties that apt them for this work that they are proud heady high-minded in 2 Tim. 3.2 4. and in his first Epistle the sixth chapter the third and fourth verses notes that such as teach oth●rwise and consent not to wholesome doctrine are puft up knowing nothing and that he may clearly evidence that this proud propertie produceth a declining of the Altar of God and building others he labours to anticipate this sad effect by a necessary caution concerning the cause in such as take the charge of the Churches of God * Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s●d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pr●hibet apostolus quales etant Cate●humeni Calv. 1 Tim. 3.6 where he adviseth that a Bishop be not a novice ungrounded in the principles of Religion and that for this very cause lest he be proud and so fall into the snare of the devil The Apostle Peter in his se-second Epistle the second chapter sets out seducers with the same characters They speak evil of dignities and of what they know not and speak great swelling words of vanity And Jude omits not this propertie when he asserts them to despise Governments and to speak evil of dignities to speak proud things and analogically asserts their way to be the gain-saying of Corah But to close up what might be more largely spoken to evidence this gracelesse propertie to be the ground of this grand iniquity that might appear grievous in the eyes of the sincerely gracious I will only adde this one general observation viz. the sin of Altar-buildng never was so eminently acted in the Churches of God before or since the Gospel preached Christ come in flesh as when the peace and prosperities of the world had procreated and matured pride In the Church of the Jews it is evident whilest they were beset with wars and troubles though by some men and at some times this sin was acted yet Solomons peace plenty and glory was attended with the eminencie of encreasing various and glorious Altars to Ashteroth and Milcom and the gods of the Nations to which his wives were related And in the Christian Church As Paulus Samosatenus who having unjustly gained riches and puffed up with pride usurp'd secular dignities and made himself a lofty seat and stately throne after the manner of the Princes of the world exacting obeisance from the people by check and reviling termes not much unlike John of Leyden who knowes not that the ten pressing persecutions did generally by the humility of the Churches conserve purity of Word and Ordinances notwithstanding the sometime endeavours of particular hereticks to subvert the same until the Churches peace and prosperity conferred by Constantine the Christian Emperour gave occasion for the proud man of sin to appeare and advance his abominations increasing his Altars to the very casting down of the Altar of God in the greatest part of the Christian world giving the Church on sad experience to complain the truth of that saying reported to be heard from heaven Hodie venenum infunditur in Ecclesiam Now is the poison of pride poured into the bosome of the Church nay my brethren it is well if we finde not on serious observation this sin to be admitted and advanced by such as present prosperity and external glory hath lifted up And so I have done with the second ground of Altar building which must needs evidence it to be exceeding sinful whilest acted from such vile principles I now passe to the third and last ground of this sin and that is Third ground of Altar-building Self-advancement and advantage that cursed principle which is inconsistent with sincere affections to God and his worship which hurrieth a man forward by right or wrong to establish his own glory and possesse himself of creature transitory enjoyments this is that which will make a man active for God and his Altar so long as ambitious self can in that way obtain its object but that once missed or obtained affections abate nay are altogether alienated from the wayes of God this useth Religion on a Machivilian account to establish their own throne and keep up their own glory so that whatsoever is but serviceable to this base end though but for a season that shall be embraced and advanced In a word this is that cursed principle decried by Christ in such as take upon them the Profession of his Name as that which unsits them for adherencie to his Altar yet this we shall finde clearly to be a ground of this grievous sin of Altar-building if we do but consider how the wages of unrighteousnesse engaged Balaam to go contrary to Gods Will and by building many Altars in different places to attempt the cursing of Israel contrary to Gods declared pleasure as in Numb 22.23 chap. is to be seen in which regard seducing Apostates under the Gospel Altar-builders acted by this principle of self-advantage and advancement are said to follow the way of Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.15 and to be cast away by the deceit of Balaams wages Jude 11. so also we shall finde this principle provoking this sin of Altar-building in Jeroboam when he rebelled against the house of David and made Israel to sin in the same way with himself if we do but observe the Holy Ghost expressely noting his erection of a usurped Ministery to this very end that he might stablish his usurped Magistracie and his setting up his Altars at Dan and Bethel to be grounded on his desire and design to settle the Crown on his rebellious head for saith the text Jeroboam thought in his heart If this people go up and do sacrifice at Jerusalem then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord even to Rehoboam King of Judah so shall they kill me and go again to Rehoboam whereupon the King took counsel c. 1 Kings 12.26 27 28. et ad finem capitis for usurpers know that the sincere Worship of God teacheth due subjection to their lawful Soveraignes this self-establishment is declared to be the cause of Ahaz sinful Altar-building who his faith not fixed in the living God of Israel feared his approaching fall and hoping to establish his throne built Altars to the gods of Damascus as we see 2 Chron. 28.23 2● This cursed principle of self-advancement

was it which did actuate the spirit of Jehu with readinesse and resolution to do the work of the Lord to the demolishing of the house and destruction of the Priests of Baal so as to call Jonadab to see his zeal for the Lord of Htstes so long as this work of the Lord was concurrent with and conducing to his own establishment but when these two may be divided and distinct his zeal abates and himself can follow the way of Jeroboam to own the Altars at Dan and Bethel 2 Kings 10. As under the Law we finde expressely the sin of Altar-building to be the sad fruit of self-advancement so we shall see clearly that from the same root doth it also spring under the Gospel all declinings of the Altar of Gods true worship wayes and doctrine and following after innovated principles and practices those false and opposite Altars spring and get strength if we do but seriously observe the Apostles characterizing deceivers seducing Apostate Altar-builders to be lovers of themselves proud high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.2 4. such as count gaine godlinesse * Quaestum esse pietatem sic resolve pietatem esse quaestum vel artem quaestuosam quia scilicet totum Christianismum lucro metiuntur Calvin loc 1 Tim. 6.5 such as have hearts exercised with might and strength as the Orig. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideo ap●stolus utitur plurali numero ut ostendat seductores illos non uno ava●itiae morbo laborare n c unam duntaxat artem callere divitias p●rfas nefásque congeroudi ac simpliciores pecunia emungendi Ger. in loc with covetousnesse 2 Pet. 2.14 Such as followed the way of Balaam and were cast away with the wages of unrighteousnesse as I noted before nay the Apostle Peter affirmes that through covetousnesse they make merchandise of soules 2 Pet. 23. And St. John in his third Epistle the ninth vetse notes Diotrephes corrupt practice to spring from this that he loved to have the preheminence Should we unto these clear Scripture-instanced-evidences adde examples out of other histories who shall observe the devil exciting his Turkish instruments to crown apostacy from the Christian Religion with the honourable order of (a) Gen. hist of Turks Mamelukes and (b) ● 107. ● 91. the latter set up by Cara Rusthemes a Doctor of the Mah●metane Law Janizaries but must needs conclude advancement to be the proper way to seduce a selfish spirit from the Altar of God This was the very ground which led (c) In p. 337. Mahomet the first Turkish Emperour to faile the hopes of his mother and the expectation of the Christians by embracing the Mahumetane Altar and abhorring the Christian to which he was educated self-establishment in his treacherously obtained Empire was the principle that engaged (d) In p. 144. Michael Paleologus to subject the Christian liberty the Greek Churches did enjoy unto the Antichristian yoke and Papal tyrannie of Gregory the tenth nay we might shew that the desire of being reputed a Saint and shame of being shut out of communion with the Church was that which gave occasion to (e) Euseb Eccl. hist l. 4. c. 11. Marcion his heretical Altar-building and the proud affectation of the dignity of a Bishop was the cause of (f) Lib. 6. c. 42. Novatus sinful separation and uncharitable opinions What shall we say of Cerinthus Samosatenus Manes Arrianus c. those great Altar-builders against Gods Altar is it not easie to see self-advancement to have been the bellowes which did blow their false fire nay will not our own experience of the pride and self-advancement of the Authors or Indulgers of innovated principles and practices clearly evidence this sin of Altar-building to be the fruit of that bitter root and so to be exceeding vile and to be seen unto by the sincere worshippers And thus I have done with the first thing propounded to set forth the vile and sinful nature of Altar-building against Gods Altar which unlesse men may gather grapes of thistles and figs of thornes sincere worshippers of God cannot but conceive to be exceeding vile and sinful whilest the odious and bitter fruit of shameful novelty swelling pride and self-advantage and advancement I now come to shew the second thing that sets forth its vilenesse viz its sinful actings which if we finde but answerable to the grounds of it must needs render it a sin so grievous that it is not only to be difrelished but with all power in their proper places to be resisted by the sincere worshippers of Gods Altar and in this sinful work the Actors contract upon themselves the guilt of a threefold sinful acting 1. A receding from God 2. A rendering our wills the rule of divine Worship And 3. A rebellion against the divine Majesty The first sinful act in building Altars besides the Altar of God is the receding from tht Lord a forsaking of and departing from God not only when we directly and immediately change the object and set up Altars unto strange gods stocks and stones idols which are no gods which must needs be granted to be the effect of a receding from the Lord but when we withdraw from the matter or forme of Gods worship even then we may be and are justly said to depart from the true God To withdraw from God and to embrace another object in his stead are two distinct acts and ever distinctly noted in Scripture with distinguishing termes the one may be done where the other doth not immediately if ever follow for as a wicked wife may depart from her husband most treacherously and yet marrieth not another so may men depart from God and not so much as embrace any divine object in the room thereof but with Atheists say in their heart There is no God nay usually the departing from God in declining his Altar and Worship goes before and is the way to embracing strange gods or entertaining meer Atheisme this the Church wanting the Ordinances Altar and true Worship of the true God was afraid of Brightman Cotton on the place as some note in the dayes of Jeroboam when she prayes and cries earnestly to know where the flocks of God did rest urging the argument of her present danger Why should I turne aside by the flocks of thy companions so calling themselves Cant. 1.7 and the ten tribes of Israel by Jeroboam were drawn from God before they worshipped at Dan and Bethel for the receding from the cause must needs be a refusing of the effect denial of Gods Altar is the declining of communion with God As in the Ordinances and at the Altar of God men are said to draw nigh unto the Lord to appear before him or in his presence as Levit. 10.2 Psal 42.4 so the turning from them may be justly termed a turning from the Lord being a declining of that matter and that forme God hath prescribed himself to be enjoyed

sufficient to evidence its concommitancie with this sin of Altar-building both before and since Christ came in the flesh and to give us cause if we finde the same to shew it selfe in the midest of us as it usually puts up in troublesome times and places as most suitable to their doubtful destinies to suspect Altar-building to attend it but upon serious search and diligent observation we shall easily see to the sadning of pious spirits not only hath Astrology appeared under our confusions and commotions but also not been rebuked but rather indulged and countenanced I and by too many received to the emboldening of its professors with wonted impudency to enter the lists and engage the contests for divining predicting Astrology so often foyled by Civil and Ecclesiastical censures in the Church nay and by Heathens themselves strangers to the Church their raging arguments produced against arguments of reason and Scripture the reviling tearmes against Divines and Ministers of the Gospel not only now living to defend divine providence from their starrie encroachments but even such as are long since rotted in the grave doing what in them is to the killing of their labours which do live and will live to their conviction and confusion their declared enmity to Religion publishing and predicting as the pretended influence of the Starres the variety of confusions and sad divisions concerning it evermore prophesying evil to the Truth according to the wonted practice of its professors and their blazing forth the least of failings nay sometimes imagined in Divines to the rendring of their persons and function vile whilest they sound the trumpet of their owne praise often recollecting those things they have seemingly foretold and have accidentally come to passe but burying in oblivion their never accomplished predictions which may set Mercury on work as Seneca once wittily fancied to intreat the gods to abridge the life of Claudius if for no other cause yet of very pitie and compassion to the poore Astrologers as the great Plague threatened to be in London 1652. who had already beene taken with so many lies from year to year that if the destinies were not more favourable then their ground was sure the credit of Astrology would decay for ever of which if a man should as it is reported of the Lord of Arundel note but their yearly Almanacks with repugnant notes at the beginning they would oftentimes prove more true then such predictions These things I say are not to be past without observation as the evidence of that height of their existence and countenance in the midest of us which may create our jealousie if I may not say conclude the sin of Altar-building to be on foot among us Astrological impositions upon the peoples faith lately started up with peremptorinesse and impudence with the peoples apt reception thereof as more infallible Prognostications of the government of the world and Church then either Scripture-prophecie or promise provoked a reverend Divine to redeeme time from his more serious studies to the posing and puzling of the Magical-Astrological-Diviner Mr. John Gaule his Magastro-mancer posed and puzled see his Epist to the Reader induced by this very reason conscience of duty to use his owne words to stand up to speak a word for God Christ the holy Ghost Church and Saints against a presse and pest of Magical magephemerical magnastrological c. of books of late crept nay crouded in amongst us to the dishonour of God denying of Christ despighting the Spirit cauponizing of the Word disturbing the Church subverting of Religion distracting of the State scandalizing weak Christians and seducing of common people yea to the promotion of Idolatry Superstition Heresie Schisme c. We see then my brethren this sinful Art of Starre-divining as a concomitant of the sin after which we are enquiring to be too evident in the midest of us I shall a little and very briefly note to you the fitnesse of this sinful Art to characterize the sin of Altar-building that to the quickening of your affections you may more seriously heed it though it hath beene but seldome hinted and that in noting its nature and the Churches observation concerning it First as for its nature not to stand upon it as erroneous and heretical as it is in it selfe the rules of it and inferences from the same became directly contrary to the doctrine of faith not its aptitude to engage needlesse scrupulosities and superstitious observations of this as ominous and that as lucky to the enslaving a mans will in every action to the observation of every circumstance and subjection to the Starres nor yet of its uncertainty whereby the event sometimes falls contrary to the prediction as Firminus a friend to Saint Augustine found in observation of the fate of two children borne in his house at one and the same moment which yet was calculated by the starres to be the same but by the Law and custome of the Countrey proved quite contrary I shall only note its nature in relation to this sin and we shall finde it of a suitable nature to receive and propagate innovations and false will-worship not only as it is Skeptical certaine in nothing but the uncertainty of their owne assertions but also as it disposeth the Stars and Celestial bodies into the chaire of divine providence whilest as was before noted it placeth all even secrets and supreme happinesse in the power of the Planets which doctrine must needs set them as objects of admiration and so of adoration a very natural way to build Altars objectively by giving the worship and honour of the Creator and disposer of all things to the creatures without doubt this was to the Jewes as to other Nations the leading principle to worship the Queene and the hoast of Heaven nay further dictates a doctrine of universal Toleration of all religions never in the least admitting any limitation or restraint which might be of too sad a reflection upon it self Hence Ptolomy saith that the disposition or inclination which divers Countries have to worship one God before another cometh from the constellation of the Planets as Jupiter and Saturne make a Jew Mars a Persian to worship the fire Mercury a Christian and with the Moon an Antichrist so that whilest this sinful Prognosticating Art makes the Planets the authors it must needs make them indulgers and approvers of the exercise of all religions or religious formes though never so repugnant and inconsistent each to other this is sure the reason why Astrologers have in our late dayes Prognosticated very often the liberty of all religions to be exercised and no Discipline for the restraint thereof ever spoken for by them and is a fit foundation to build many Altars upon as observed experience hath too clearly evidenced for as an every dayes Sabbath is no Sabbath so an every way of worship without confinement to divine prescription is no way of true worship unto God for novelty will be building when