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	people_n	1,422	5	4.6721	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03409	The Churches authority asserted in a sermon preached at Chelmsford, at the metropoliticall visitation of the most Reverend Father in God, VVilliam, Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Grace, &c. March 1. 1636. By Samuel Hoard B.D. and Parson of Morton in Essex.	Hoard, Samuel, 1599-1658.	1637 (1637)	STC 13533; ESTC S104116	44,865	76

moment for their matter or use as their holy kisses standing while they prayed on the Lords day the tasting of hony and milk by the persons to be baptised ad infantiae signifi cationem to signifie their infancy in Christ as S. Hierome saith alluding to that speech of S. Peter As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of Gods word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 2. Rites of very good use while their equity continued but yet fitted only to the present times Such an one was the abstinence from Idolothytes things strangled and blood imposed on the Gentiles by Apostolique authority Acts 15. For this as it was enjoyned only in favour of the peevish Jews who counted some meats uncleane and were kept off from Christ because those abominable meats as they thought them to be were eaten by the Christians so it was to live no longer than the scandall continued Of this nature was the custome of baptising people that were to be entred into the Church at the two great festivals of Easter and Whitsontide only except in case of present necessity and in the mother Churches of their severall countries and no where else This order was a very good one during those times both in respect of that Sacrament which hereby became the more reverend and sacred and of the persons to be baptized who had liberty by this to prepare the better for their journies to those mother Churches which sometimes were very far from their dwellings and to get themselves sufficiently catechized in the Christian religion that they might be able to give an account of their faith before they received their baptisme Nor was this custome prejudiciall to any of them because being for the most part men and women they were not subject to sudden death as tender infants are and if by sicknesse or any casualty they were brought into danger of death they found the favour to be baptized But the equity of this custome continued no longer than the conversion of Gentiles lasted and therefore extincta gentilitate when Paganisme was almost swallowed up of Christianity and the only persons to receive this badge were children borne in the Church who by reason of their tender infant age were uncapable of instruction and subject to manifold deaths and dangers and so might frequently have ended this life before they had received the Sacrament of another life should they have been deferred and put over to those two times this order began to expire 3. A third sort were such Rites as were chastly used at their first institution but afterward by the licentiousnesse of people did seeme to be accompanied with inseparable abuses of this sort were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned Iude 12. feasts of charity and those meetings together in the night which they called vigills because they were wont to watch together in prayer even till midnight especially in the night before Easter All these the Church hath abolished though in a different way Some were suddenly and in an instant removed as the use of pictures in the Church by the a Elibert Counc Elibertine councill Ne quod colitur in parietibus depingeretur that that which was to be worshiped might not be painted upon walls and the threefold dipping by the fourth Toletane councill because abused by the Arrians Conc● Tolet. 4. c. 5. others were suffered like old buildings to run to ruine by degrees till they fell of themselves Some she hath clean cashiered others she hath only changed into somewhat else not unlike them as vigills into fasting dayes and live feasts into collections for the poore Now though the causes why these have been abrogated were particular yet the ground on which the Church did it and by which she must be justified in so doing was the nature and quality of those Rites being all humane constitutions and her authority over things of that nature either to make or marre as occasion serveth for the hand that gives them life may strike them dead Nor may the Church only alter and abolish old ceremonies but adde new either for the begetting of an honourable respect to Gods ordinances or the stirring up of our dead devotions in his service (b) So● eccl hist●l 6. c. 8. Socrates tells us that the custome of singing Anthems in the Church was brought in by S. Ignatius the Bishop of Antioch because having heard some Angels in a vision chanting out the praises of God with interchangeable notes hee thought it would be a good exercise for Gods earthly Angels in their publique assemblies which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a heaven on earth And S. Ambrose because hee made account that singing had no small efficacy in it ad commovendum ad pictatem animum to move the minde to godlinesse saith S (c) Aug ep 1 ●9 Austin in one place and lest the people being heavily afflicted with the Arrian persecution Moeroris tadio contabesceret should pine away with too much sorow saith the same Father in another (d) Aug conses l. 9 c 7. place appointed singing to be used in the Oh of Milan And from these two Bishops drew that custome of singing in the Easterne and Westerne Churches its originall What was Ignatius and S. Ambrose if we look at their authority more than other Bishops of the Church that liberty therefore which they had to make new orders when they saw cause have all other Prelates in their Churches so far as the laws of the lands in which they are will permit It is an envious outcry therefore which is made among us that Popery is comming in Alteration of ceremonies no argument of Popery and Gods true religion going out because some seeming alterations are made in our ceremonies and some new ones are by the examples of Superiours commended to our use or rather some ancient customes which have been continued in our mother Churches revived in others A heavy charge it is and had need be well proved by them that thus clamour or else it is a foule slander and so indeed it is For what are ceremonies to doctrine What is the use of the Churches liberty in these things to Popery May not the apparrell alter and the body remaine the same May not ceremonies which are the clothing of the Spouse admit some changes and the doctrine remaine inviolate Must Antichrist needs peep in because our Bishops doe use the liberty which they ever had A rumour it is that argues either ignorance or envy or vain-glory In some perhaps but ignorance 1. Of the difference between substance and ceremony doctrine and discipline 2. Of the Churches power to adde withdraw and make a change in these things if cause be offered And I would wish all such to labour to be better instructed and till they be to hold their peace and neither trouble themselves nor others with things they understand not But Envy I am afraid and ill-affectednesse toward those that are above them in

to obedience and winne them to a reverent respect as of God and his laws so of Gods Vicegerents in the Church and their ordinances It is a hard task I confesse to draw a perverted and prejudging multitude to a love and liking of such things as crosse their Catechisme Some nobler spirits perhaps will be content dediscere benè quod didicerunt non benè as Lyrinensis speakes to unlearne bad lessons which they have been taught but weaker mindes are for the most part too obstinate retainers of the precepts and practises of their first breeders as the (a) Javen ●at 14. V●us al● Forsitan 〈◊〉 spernant juvenes quibus ●e benign● ●t meliore luto sinxit praecordia Titan Sed reliqu●s fugienda patrum vestig●ducunt Et monstrata diu veretis u●hit orbita culpae Poet could see who therefore (b) Id ibid. Nil dictu faedum vis●que haec ●mi●●ng v l●a qu● pu● est and Maxima deb●tur pu●ro ●everent● c. counsells parents to be very carefull of what they say or do in the presence of their children Wee use to say that quartane agues and hypocondriack diseases are ludibria medicorum the reproaches of Physitians because by reason of the stubborn humours that beget them and the firm footing which they have taken in the body they are seldome cured What is said of them may as truly bee said of this evill sicknesse of faction and undutifulnesse for where by the power of bad presidents the poyson of bad principles and its owne congruity to our proud and lawlesse dispositions it hath gotten head it will not easily yeeld up its possession Yet as Physitians give not over such patients but by contemperating Juleps first and by gentle purgatives next lead out that stubborn stuffe which foments these maladies Yet must be attempted so must the servant of the Lord whose duty is with patience and gentlenesse to instruct the refractary and waite if God at any time will give them repentance 2 Tim. 2.24 25. First by perswading more moderate and honourable conceits upon their people of governours and government and then by convincing them with substantiall reasons of the decency of our prescribed Rites and the necessity of using them being enjoyned endeavour to conjure out the evill spirit of presumption and to bring in the meek and good spirit of obedience This is the ready way to bee ill thought of may some peradventure think or say and which is worse to be ill provided for too and therefore Diana must not downe disobedience must be wincked at It is most true indeed witnesse experience that if a man once shew himself in the cause quarrell of the Church and doe but heartily wish for an unity uniformity of opinion practise that friends maintenance respect all forsake him And this is the cause why some cannot see the truth others dissemble their opinions in this particular How can ye beleeve saith Christ who seek for honour one of another Ioh. 5. Implying that popularity is a blinder it makes men unwilling to study such doctrines as are in esteeme with the people lest they should see their falshood be forced to forsake them and it perverts their understandings and makes them judge with favour the Diana's of the people and with rancour the contrary As it puts out the eyes so it ties the tongue as we may see Joh. 12.42 43. Many of the chiefe rulers beleeved on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God As it made these rulers so it makes a great many in our dayes dissemble their judgement and let their people go on in their heady and disobedient practises But God keep filthy avarice and vain-glory from his own Portion If by doing our duties and seeking our peoples good and the Churches peace we can get either name or means let us esteeme it a precious oyntment a blessing of God but if we must lose them except we will dissemble our opinions deny our obedience let our people run to ruine for want of warning and instruction let them goe the interest is too great and he that makes this match will be a loser in the end lucrum in crumenâ this gain in the purse will be damnum in conscientiâ losse in the conscience We are the servants of Iesus Christ by speciall commission must not therefore be guided in our doings sayings by popular humours for Christ and the world are contrary masters if we should yet please men we cannot bee the servants of Christ (a) Gal. 1.10 It is a kinde of martyrdome to lose any thing in a good cause dulce est decorum est pro patria mori it is an honourable thing to die for ones countrey much more noble is it for the good of the Church mori mundo to die to the world and the vanities of it And therefore with the woman in the Revelation trampling Lunā sublunaria the moon all things beneath it under our feet sacrificing credit profit to truth and peace let our best endeavour be to restore our ill-affected brethren people as obedient children to the Church that so wee may serve the Lord as the Prophet phraseth it with one shoulder live together under our present happy government which God of his mercy long continue a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness honesty Which God grant for his Sons sake To whom with thee O Father blessed Spirit three glorious Persons and one eternall God be rendred as is most due all honour praise and glory for Evermore FINIS