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
A75511	An apology vindicating the Cavaleers from a partiall, or rather a passionate aspersion too rigorously put upon them for making churches prisons and stables. Wherein is discussed, disputed, (although not the lawfulnesse) yet (at this time) the unavoydable necessity of it.		1643 (1643)	Wing A3560; Thomason E102_18; ESTC R11539	17,118	26

Lawes Lastly the Seperatist is frequent in the service of God at home and at Church he will heare Sermons but the Cavalier serves the devill at home and his revenge and his horses at Church and now let my Cavalier who is not drunke or mad if any such may be found judge whether is more prophane and scandalous He or the Seperatist How gladly would I learne what the most profound Cathedrall Doctor in Oxford could Answer to these Reasons what evasions they could excogitate for reconciling the practise of their Patrons with their acknowledged Doctrine But alas what reason hath any man at this time of all times to expect subtilties from Oxford where before the King came thither when Sacke abounded in their Tavernes the height of judgement was but some frothy Nonscence raptures of wit but since God knowes by reason of that long unhappy divorce betweene their braines and the spirit of Sacke nothing hath flow'd above the sad complexion of dull Ale and Colledge Taplash Neverthelesse though I utterly despaire of satisfaction from them I will be so courteous as to lend them a word of Counsell and to wish them capable of it and it is this That since the world is so offended with this beastly fact of their Minions and disappointed of all just and reasonable Apologies for it from themselves they would exhort very earnestly the Cavaliers and others whom it may concerne to play an after-game of Repentance and Reformation so that at least they might skin over that wound which they cannot heale The Church Story not impertinently to this purpose makes mention of a Mor●●ssian Prince as I remember called Cabares who pursuing the Gothes and Vandalls with an huge Army still in his passage as he went cleansed all those Churches which that impure Nation had desir'd and would it not be an exemplary peece of piety and much tending to the honour of your party with posterity First if the Cavaliers would in their hands or mouthes or any other more fitting way carry out the filth of those Churches which by a more than Gothish impiety they have desiled and then secondly if the Lordly Cleargy would humble themselves so low as to come after the Cavaliers and with their Cathedrall Beesome-like Beards sweepe them and so much be spoken touching our first Question the second was Whether Churches thus prophaned and fallen from Grace and holinesse are not by the Bishops to be consecrated Of which Question with all manner of expedition First then the Puritans here so much he is for holinesse would I warrant you goe neare to hold they ought if he thought 1. First That there were no neede of consecrating Churches 2. Secondly that any holinesse were stampt on Churches by the Ministry of Consecration 3. And thirdly that Churches could fall from Grace or holinesse once received but holding neither of these its probable that his iudgement stands for the negative Secondly on the other side the Cathedrall Doctors maintaining with one consent 1. A necessity of Consecrating Churches 2. Undiscernable Characters of holinesse impressed on Churches 3. Falling from Grace in the best Saints of God much more inanimate Churches must in reason be thought to hold the affirmative and that Churches thus desiled ought to be reconsecrated especially considering First That Consecration of Churches is an holy and heavenly Work which begets an high and reverend esteeme in the people for say the people the Bishops must needs be eminently holy men who can make dead Churches holy and therefore at this time when Bishops have beene much vilified all occasions should be catcht at for a reingendring in the people a reverentiall conceit of these holy Fathers and therefore reconsecration not to be past by Secondly Considering that it may chance to be scandalous and to their brethren of the Church of Rome not to have these unhallowed Churches though in pollicie made so at their instigation reconsecrated of whose consciences they ought to be very tender in requitall of their bowells of compassion towards the Bishops cause lately in much ieopardy to have beene consumed by the fiery zeale of the Schismaticks had not that holy man of Rome and his agents bestirred their stumps and brought more than holy water for the extinguishing of that flame 3. Thirdly considering that the Consecration of a Church which is no great labour and brings no benefit at all either to Auditors or spectators which is at length to be thought on least the People by the Bishops meanes grow too Holy and too knowing as of late it sell out both to their shame and smart will save the good Father a Sermon for that weeke of Consecration which is well saved especially since experience hath atught the Church of late that Sermons have done so much mischeese 4. Fourthly considering that at the reconsecrating of every Church there ought to be a consecration Dinner at the charge of the Parish which will be comfortable both to his Lordships old corps and no false Latin in his purse by saving a meale after these hard pinching times which had almost exhausted all and tantum non brought rem ad repem that is brought his good Lordship within a close or two off the Beggar Lastly considering that so few Churches are in these peevish times erected and therfore though there be no great need supposing Churches cleansed and swept as was above advised of reconsecration of them yet least the holy Father should forget the trick of it and so the Country People in case there be at any time an occasion of consecration and the boyes shoud have matter ministred unto them to laugh at his Lordship when possible he should be through disuse to seeke what to doe next Yet notwithstanding all these strong reasons for the reconsecration of Churches it seemes not onely expedient but necessary not to reconsecrate them 1. In case the Kings Maiestie or the Queen or the Privy Councell or the Chiefe Prelate then in highest place do not approve it 2. In case there can be no consecration dinner or a poore one 3. In case the Church of Rome declare to the contrary and Lastly in case his Lordship be decrepit and cannot trample about all the time without danger of having a fit of the gout or stone and then it shall be thought sufficent that his Lordship either omit the duty or conse crate onely the new Boards Poasts or other Utensills which were not before consecrated that so a greater good may be consulted viz his good Lordships ease and indeed were I freely to give my Judgment this much if any thing at all were to be done would be enough for my private opinion it is gentle Reader pardon me that I tell not from whence I had it untill I know my Authors pleasure from whom I had it whether I may reveale it that consecration is a kinde of Baptisme and therefore should not be iterated least wee simbolize too farr with the cursed Anabaptist and therefore onely the new parts of a Church should be conscerated no part reconsecrated and yet in this new way there are new difficulties not a few as if Consecration be a kind of Baptisme why should not a man who hath beene Baptized in his infancy be rebaptized when he is growne a great Lubber and hath gotten much new flesh about him as well as a Church receive consecration in the new parts of it and many more such difficulties I could with more ease conjure up then put them downe againe but I beleeve such are niceties which a man may be ignorant of or else Holy Church will hereafter resolve them if we can have the patience to waite her leasure and so I shake hands with this perplexed Case touching the reconsecration of unhallowed Churches FINIS

for such Atheists for the preseruing Gods house from such unexpiable dishonour Yea but another Reverend beast said that this disuse how finely the man could phrase it of these Churches was onely for some short time he that said so might as well excuse a sonne that ravisheth his Mother by saying he did it onely for a time can the beggarly circumstance of i me excuse that tedious practise which should not so much as lodge in your thoughts the least minute of time Moreover the people of Oxford know for how long time this Sacrieledge was continued and how ready the same men are should God permit them any more to conquer which the base use of their past victories will I doubt not avert to doe the like or a more impious and scandalous act at any time But it hath been gravely answered that the Prisoners good men had their option at least deserved no other place of their restraint then Churches Had these Caytifs knowne so much they had questionlesse found prisons some where else least in any thing these poore Saints should by their meanes have had their desires againe these poore men though they most of all love Gods houses yet know that to love them for such uses had been to have loved the abuses of them which were not to love them Another incarnate Divell said aloud that such Puritans deserved in that house to be purnisht where by their precisenes they had so often offended which is all one as if he had said they deserve there to be punished where God had been by them so devoutly serv'd What reward waites for thee thou Helish tongue similis labra luctueas a blasphemy well beseeming a Court divine neverthelesse the truth is what ever pretences they have sought out for the palliating this unparalel'd piece of Atheisme for so it would have been accounted three yeares since even by the whole rabble of these Cathedrall Sycophants the true cause I say of this vile fact was none other then the base esteeme however they have seem'd to carry it that party hath of Churches of which as formerly they speak with reverence and entered them with great shew of devotion and at other mens charges adorn'd set them forth with all manner encomioms of holynes so now the tide of things being somewhat turn'd and Policy coming in the room of shewfull Pageantlike devotions as a more helpfull assistant to the present exigences now I say the same men whose thoughts were wholly possess'd with Popish projects of attiring Churches thereby to approve themselves to their 〈◊〉 man Idoll are as well content that the same Churches should be 〈…〉 vilest offices Nay most confident I am and so I beleeve are 〈…〉 who have with discretion lookt into their disseumbled outward 〈…〉 that so their cause may be advanced by it the best of them care not if all the Churches in England were converted into synagogues for Jewes or Mosques for Mahomet nay their height of joy it would be if all our Churches were turned as of late some of them you know have beene into Prisons so Puritans and Roundheads fill'd them and if all manner of service of God were for ever laid aside upon condition the title of their Lordly revennues were chang'd from frank Almoygne to fee simple whereby they might durably entayle their pride and luxury upon their licentious brats and posterity Had not some such christian thoughts and desires as these lodged in the breasts of our Court-Clergy-Parasites at Oxford it is impossible but that upon view or notice of that Publique Profanation of their Churches either some Arch-bishop or Bishop or Doctor especially that Ceremonious Master of Baliol Colledge Do. Laur. who wore the consecrated slippers and spent most of his stock of learning upon that empty discourse of his touching the holinesse of churches should not have made way to his Majestie and after this or the like manner have eas'd his couscience and exprest himself to his sacred person Most gracious Soveraigne defender of the truly anncient Catholique faith and the great protector both of Churches and Churchmen I humbly crave your Matesties gracious pardon that I your Maiesties most unworthy servant yet truly loyall subiect dare adventure to open my mouth before your sacred Matestie having not first received your Maiesties commands for the unloosing my infant tongue Your all knowing Maiestie cannot but exactly know and it hath been a subiect frequently stood upon and gravely pressed in your Maiesties audience by your Maiesties most faithfull subiects and servants the Arch-bishops Bishops and other of your learned Clergy whose happinesse it hath been to performe their duties before your Maiestie in the house of God That the materiall Churches or Temples are places set apart consecrated to Gods peculiar service That God himselfe whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe delights to dwell in these houses made with hands vouchsafes a speciall presence unto them and conferrs at the instance and devout importunity of his pious servants are all though ineffable holinesse upon them and therefore in all ages of the Church more especially in the purest times when the seemly worship of God most flourisht a singular care hath been alwayes taken to preserve these sacred fabricks from common uses especially from Prosanation in imitation whereof for your divine Maiestie cannot fall short in any point of the most renowned Christian Princes there is at least hath been of late yeares under your Maiesties most religious Raigne the beauty of holinesse so farre forth to be found in your Matesties Churches that in despight of these ignorant peevish male-contents who care not or rather desire that Gods houses should be as undecently or sluttishly kept as their shops or Barnes Churches have been to admiration adorned Altars erected Copes Tapers Crucifixes and other comely and holy ornaments brought in use againe and by your Maiesties countenance and the vigilancie of the Reverend Fathers of your Church the antient and soule-ravishing worship of God so setled not onely in your Churches but also in the affections of your subiects that a proportionable reward thereof in this life the choysest blessing of Heaven surrounded your royall throne the maligners of your Maiesties Diadem and the sacred Miter find few at least no considerable advocates Indeed it cannot be dissembl'd that of very late dayes by the mighty working of Setan these coutemptibe mushromes but now touched at discovering a discontented party though from different grounds from them amongst the Nobles and Commons in the late Parliament of your Maiesties own most Gracious calling who envying the happinesse of your Maiesties meniall servants and some select Ministers of state whom the beames of your Maiesties Grace had most instly made glorious or which is nearest of all the truth lowring at your Maiesties royall scepter Prerogative a tribe of Politicks destitute of all deserts or else your omniscious Maiesty had certainly taken notice of them yet highly conceited of an indiscoverable