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	matter_n	1,900	5	5.4286	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29925	Vlastēma ex hypsous, or, The best vvisdome propounded to the gentry of Suffolk in a sermon at Ipswich : prepared for the 9th of April, 1660, the day of election of Knights of the shire for the afore-said county, but preached the morning after / by Benjamin Bruning ...	Bruning, Benjamin, 1623?-1688.	1660 (1660)	Wing B5231; ESTC R2801	32,130	63

ancient Nor is it inconsiderable in this matter that we have so uncertain and imperfect notice of the customes and practises of the Church for the first 300 years after Christ and especially of the times that more immediately succeeded the Apostolical age As if the Lord foreseeing an abuse resolved by such a providence to admonish us that we cleave the closer to our Bibles And for the multitude of Ceremonies that were in St. Austin's time they that will please to read his 119 Epistle may find his thoughts of them and what complaint he makes of the burthen that lay upon the Church by that meanes That I may not be thought to wrong him I shall give you some of his words Omnia itaque talia quae neque sanctarum Scripturatum autoritatibus continentur nec in consiliis Episcoporum Statuta inveniuntur nec consuetudine Universae Ecclesiae roborata sunt sed diversorum locorum diversis moribus innumerabiliter variantur ita aut vix aut omnino nunquam inveniri possint causae quas in iis instituendis homines sequuti sunt ubi facultas tribuiter 〈◊〉 omni dubitatione resecanda existimo All such things as are neither authorised by holy Scripture nor found to be the injunctions of the Councils of the Bishops nor are confirmed by the custome and practice of the universal Church but are varied according to the divers manners of divers places so that the causes of their institution can scarcely be found out I am not at all doubtfull but that they are to be abolished by authority if there be opportunity for it By the Councils of the Bishops I humbly conceive the Father intends only such as were general and Oecumenical and not particular Councils convened upon the account of some particular Church or Churches This I collect from that which follows concerning the confirmation that he speaks of by the custome and practice of the Universal Church which comprises the whole body of the Christian Church in the several ages and places of its being Now whether there be any religious Rites thus enjoyned for Gods worship by the concurring votes of Oecumenical Councils and thus confirmed by the custome and practice of the Universal Church but what are likewise warranted by the authority of the holy Scripture I leave it to consideration The Church of England long since affirmed the negative in a passage before cited out of the 34 Article where it is plainly declared that Traditions and Ceremonies meerly Ecclesiastical have at all times been divers and changed according to the diversity of Countreys Times and Mens manners Now for ceremonies of this nature let but Austins judgment sine omni dubitatione resecanda existimo take place and the controversie is at an end But to follow the Father who concerning Ceremonies proceeds thus Quamvis enim neque hoc inveniri possit commodo contra fidem sint ipsam tamen religionem quam paucissimis manifestissimis celebrationum sacramentis miserecordia Dei esse liberam voluit servilibus oneribus premunt ut tolerabilior sit conditio Judaeor●m qui etiamfi tempus libertatis non agnoverint legalibus tamen sarcinis non humanis praesumptionibus subjiciuntur Though it cannot be found how they are contrary to the faith yet Beligion which the mercy of God would have at freedome with very few and very manifest religious Rites in the celebrations of it this they load with such servile burdens that the condition of the Jews may be lookt upon as more tolerable for though the Jews understood not the time of their liberty yet they are subjected to such heavy carriages as were of legal appointment and not to humane presumptions And here by the way Bellarmines evasion is to no purpose he would have us believe that Austin aimes at such Ceremonies as were practised by private persons and especially women without the warrant of Ecclesiastical Authority I marvail what coloured Spectacles Bellarmine used whilst he read Austins words to such a sense Is it not plain enough that the Father speakes of such Ceremonies as oppressed Religion and made it subject to humane presumptions and doth he not plainly compare these burdens with the heavy carriages that lay upon the back of the Jewish Church and were not these publick and not private Ceremonies As for what the Father saith concerning very few and very manifest Religious Rites or Ceremonies which God would have used in the Celebrations of Religion I freely assent to it What are the Sacramental elements and actions in Baptism and the Supper of the Lord but Sacred Ceremonies These are Christ's appointments and with all reverence to be attended and concerning these there hath ever been the harmonious concurrence of general Councils in the true Christian Church to provide for their due observation and the universal Church in all times and places hath commended them to us by its practise But Austin proceeds yet further in such words as these Sed Ecclesia Dei inter multam paleam multaque zizania constituta multa tolerat● tamen quae sunt contra fidem vel bonam vitam non approbat nec tacet nec facit The Church of God among a great deal of chaff and cockle tolerateth many constitutions whilst it approves not of nor connives at any thing that overthroweth the faith 〈◊〉 is contrary to a good life If Ceremonies that were ●sed in the Church in Austins Time were not the things that he intends by chaffe and cockle I freely confess myself unable to understand him But to say no more in this matter if there be any meer humane ceremony contended for upon the account of the authority of any of the Fathers o● the practise of the ancient Church I humbly conceive I may without presumption undertake to produce some other thing every whit as ancient which I take for granted that all of us would be unwilling with but if any desired to be further resolved in the truth concerning the authority of the Ancients let them read the truly learned tractate of Daille a French Divine concerning the right use of the Fathers you will find that Author a true reverencer of them and throughly acquainted with their writings The proper intent of his work is to prove that the Authority of the Fathers is not decisive in points of controverted Doctrine but if we weigh his Arguments with reflections upon the matter of worship we shall find them for the most part not beside the purpose for which I mentioned him But no longer to presume upon your patience that which hath been spoken in order to the purity of Divine Worship my aime in it I hope hath been at the Honour of God and the peace of the Church England hath tried extreams already and hath felt to some purpose the mischiefs that have attended them 't is not a politick but if I mistake not a scriptural moderation that hath been pleaded for I am encouraged to hope that it will find acceptance as a word in season The Lord give us a right understanding in all things and teach our Senators such Wisdome as is first pure then peaceable FINIS

circumstances this to be sure is a due exercise of Church-authority aye and a great work to see this well done but that the Church hath power to contrive a decency of worship by mingling with it Religious Rites that Christ never instituted here I must confess my self unsatisfied Salmeron the Jesuite grants that every rite or ceremony used as religious in God's Worship must have a divine authority for it or it is unlawfull but withall affirms that the ceremonies of their Church are of divine authority being appointed by the authority of the Holy Ghost in the Church Concerning the latter assertion all Protestants will fall out with the Jesuite let us be but as honest as the Jesuite in the former and I hope we are all agreed in the matter of God's Worship And truly it cannot enter my thoughts that any Church or Church-members will fare ever the worse at last for keeping close to their Bibles in the Worship of God That sort of persons that formerly were called non-conformists such as had due loyalty to their Prince respect to Superiours and withall kept clear of seperation they are a sort of persons I shall for ever reverence and possibly their cause will be found as good as theirs who most despise them when causes shall be tryed in that Court where the Word of God shall be the rule of Judgment I have done with this though I am sensible I have been too short upon it it being a matter so much in controversy yet I wish I could have been shorter as I must be upon the rest 2. In the second place take this as another dictate of wisdome from above in order to purity The pure rule of Gods revealed Will is as much violated by substraction in matter of worship as by addition as much by impure Doctrine as by impure Worship Deutr. 4.2 The Spirit of God doth not say rather of the two substract then add no but ye shall not add to the Word which I Command you neither shall ye diminish from it And as inclinations to false worship is called a spirit of Whordom so the Apostle bid the Corinthians to beware of false Doctrine That he might present them to Christ as a chaste Virgine 2 Cor. 11. at the beginning Now look upon the carriage of many persons you shall find them very angry with the Papists for their seven Sacraments and in the mean time they are for none at all Some cannot endure one that useth the cross in Baptisme but can very contentedly bear another that useth no Baptisme Singing of Service how will they cry out of it But the not singing of Psalmes that 's so farr from being a fault that 't is rather a piece of Religion with them Should they hear one plead for Preaching in a Surplice they would think him little better then a heathen and can have no reserve of charity for him But let an other cry down all publick Preaching and Ministry yea possibly if into the bargaine he denieth the Deity and Satisfaction of Christ yet they think it fit he should have favour and be countenanced with Toleration Now with such men as these 't is worse to pin a bauble upon the sleeve of Religion then to cut off an arm of it yea it may be then to chop off the head of it Where is the wisdom of these Men Have they any from above If they have let them labour to awaken it and to use it better 3. The purest Worship and purest Doctrin are of no availe to impure Worshippers and impure Practisers that 's an other dictate of wisdom from above as pure To them that are defiled Saith the Appostle is nothing pure 1 Tit. 15. Gods pure institutions in Isaiah by means of impure worshipers were reckoned upon as vain oblations as swines bloud as the cutting off a dogs head There are many souls now in Hell amongst unclean Devils that went thither from under pure ordinances Nor is it meer outward purity that will salve the buisiness Jam. 4.8 the Apostle telling what must be done in order to drawing nigh to God Cleanse your hands ye sinners saith he that must be done but that 's not all Purifie your hearts ye double-minded that must not be forgotten Meer Formalities and outside sanctities come to no more then if men should say in complement doth God call for worship wee 'l wash our hands and waite uppon it but let us not think that God will be so put off Nor will pure doctrine avail any thing to an impure Practiser No real benefit by the Mystery of Faith unless it be kept in a pure Conscience Some are of this humour that if they conceit that their practise be good they don't much regard what their Opinions be Others againe if they apprehend that they are Orthodox in judgment they think themselve good Christians whatever their lives be But wisdome from above will teach us that a Heterodox conversation will carry an Orthodox judgment to hell Judas was once an Orthodox preacher and we don't find that ever he turn'd heretick If ye know these things saith Christ what then are ye happy Yes if ye do them but not upon other termes John 13.17 4. Pure Religion in its fullest latitude and strictest severities is to be taken up and embraced and that for Religions sake This is an other dictate of wisdome from above in order to purity Such wisdome taught David to have respect to all Gods Commandments Psal 119.6 And St. James to say he that offends in one point i. e. that lives in the wilful breach and neglect of any one Commandment he is guilty of all James 2.10 One part of Gods Law cometh from above as well as another and it would be strange if wisdome from above should not embrace all when Religion ends with the first table or begins with the second that man is a fool in his Religion When God delivered the Tables of the Law to Moses did he put one Table into one hand and the other into an other hand and bid him carry them unto the people that they might take their choise which of them they would keep No such thing I am sure Is Christ divided saith the Apostle And is the Law of God divided may I say The woman that was for the dividing the child was not the true mother of it And they that are for a mangled divided Law 't is a sign they never had any thing of Gods Law in their hearts Oh! how happy were it if the blustring zeal of this age for the tenent of universal redemption were turn'd into a Godly zeal for the practise of universal holiness I say a godly zeal for it t is not a complemental correspondency with all the parts of Religion that will serve the turn wisdome for above aimeth at the strictest severities of it what is it to walk as wise and not as fools but to walk circumspectly Ephes 5.15 The life of a Christian should not be