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	power_n	rome_n	1,714	5	6.7340	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53717	A peace-offering in an apology and humble plea for indulgence and liberty of conscience by sundry Protestants differing in some things from the present establishment about the worship of God.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1667 (1667)	Wing O790; ESTC R21637	31,968	40

that they disturbed the Union Peace and Love that ought to be maintained among Mankind that they proceeded upon Principles of Pride Singularity Faction and Disobedience unto Superiors was from the first entrance of Christianity into the World charged on the Professors of it The same Arguments and Considerations are constantly still made use of and insisted on by all men that intend Severity towards them that differ from them And they are such as will evidently serve alike any Party or Perswasion that in any place at any time shall be accompanied with Power And so have been oftner managed in the hands of Error Superstition and Heresie than of Truth and Sobriety Wherefore the Bishop of Rome observing the unreasonableness of destroying Mankind upon such loose Principles and Pretences as are indifferently suited unto the Interest and Cause of all who have Power to make use of them because they all suppose the thing in question namely That they who enjoyed Power did also enjoy the Truth found out a way to appropriate the whole advantage of them to himself as having attained the ascription of an INFALLIBILITY unto him in determining what is the Truth in all things wherein Men do or may differ about Religion or the Worship of God This being once admitted and established there seems great force in the foregoing pleas and reasonings and no great danger in acting suitably unto them but that the admission of it is more pernicious unto Religion than all the consequents which it pretends to obviate But where this infallible determination is disclaimed to proceed unto outward punishment for such conceptions of mens minds and consciences in the things of God as he is pleased to impart unto them which may be true and according to his will upon reasons and pretences invented originally for the service of error and made use of for the most part unto that purpose being more fit for that work than for a contribution of any assistance unto truth is that which we know not how men can commend their Consciences unto God in Besides what is it that is aimed at by this external coercion and punishment that all men may be of one mind in the matter of the Worship of God a thing that never was nor ever will be by that means affected in this world for neither is it absolutely possible in itself neither is the means suited to the procurement of it so far as it is possible But whom neither the reason of the thing it self will convince nor the constant experience of so many ages it is in vain for any to contend withall In the mean time we know that the most of them who agree together to press for severity against us for dissenting from them do differ among themselves in things of far greater importance in the Doctrine of the Gospel than those are wherein we differ from them whence it must needs be evident to all what is the ground of their Zeal in reference unto us and others But all these considerations are quickly in the thoughts of some removed out of the way by pretences that the indulgence and liberty desired will certainly produce all sorts of evils both in Religion it self and in the Civil state which being mentioned before in general shall now be a little further considered For this is principally if not solely pleaded for the refusal and the rejection of them Neither doth this course of procedure seem to be unwisely fixed upon by those who suppose it to be their interest to manage their opposition unto such an indulgence wherein yet we hope they will at length discover their mistake For whereas the arguments to be in this case insisted on consist meerly in conjectures jealousies and suppositions of what may come to pass none knows when or where it is easie for any to dilate upon them at their pleasure nor is it possible for any to give satisfaction to all that men may conjecture or pretend to fear Suppose all things that are evil horrid pernicious to truth and mankind and when they are sufficiently aggravated affirm that they will ensue upon this forbearance which that all or any of them will so do no man can tell and this design is satisfied But it is sufficiently evident that they are all false or mistaken suppositions that can give countenance unto these pretences For either it must be pretended that truth and order which those who make use of those reasonings suppose themselves possest of have lost the power and efficacy of preserving themselves and of preventing the evils summoned up to be represented as the consequents of indulgence without external force and coercion which they have had sometimes and elsewhere or that indeed they have all actually followed and ensued upon such indulgence in all times and places The latter of these is so notoriously contradicted by the experience of the whole world especially of sundry Kingdoms and Dominions in Europe as France Germany Poland and others that it may not hope for admittance with the most obnoxious credulity For the former it is most certain that the truth of the Gospel did never so prevail in the world as when there was a full liberty as unto civil punishments granted unto persons to dissent in it and about it And if that which is now so called continueth not to have the same effect it may justly be feared that it is not indeed what it is called or that it is not managed in a due manner It is then altogether uncertain that upon the indulgence desired such variety of opinions will ensue as is pretended and unquestionably certain that all such as produce practices contrary to civil Society moral honesty or the light of nature ought in all instances of them to be restrained For the conscience of a man can dictate no such thing unto him there being an inconsistency in them with that supreme light which rules in Conscience whilst it may be so called And it is a hard thing to ruine multitudes at present sober and honest lest by not doing so some one or other may prove brainsick frantick or vicious who also may be easily restrained when they appear so to be And moderate liberty will certainly appear to be Religious security in this matter if the power of it as well as the profession be regarded For it is the interest of them who plead for indulgence to watch and contend against errour and heresie no less than theirs by whom it is opposed For professing all material truths with them they are not to be supposed to value or esteem them less than they And it may be it will appear that they have endeavoured as much their suppression in the way warranted by the Gospel as those who profess such fears of their increase They are Protestants only of whom we speak and to suppose that they will not do their utmost for the opposing of the rise growth or progress of what ever is contrary to that Religion