Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bring_v	let_v	see_v	1,452	5	2.8237	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85950	Vindiciæ voti. Or a vindication of the true sense of the nationall covenant, in a briefe and moderate answere to the Protestation Protested discovering the unsoundnesse of that interpretation of the covenant, and the weaknesse of the grounds there suggested for separate and independant churches. By Iohn Geree, master of arts, and preacher of Gods word in Tewkesbury. Published by the authority of the House of Commons.	Geree, John, 1601?-1649.	1641 (1641)	Wing G605; ESTC R230274	21,085	38

Sardis by Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Prophet and that is to repent of what hath beene amisse publik humiliation may fit publike transgression which the Parliament may be intreated to apply to this malady and then not separate from but labour to strengthen and rectifie that which is ready to die The Parliament are about a great and good worke of removing erroneous and scandalous Ministers and seting up godly and learned lights every where and withall giving or confirming rather power to the godly Pastors to keepe off those that are unfit for the Sacrament by grosse ignorance or scandalous life by which meanes Parishes that are already taught may be quickly brought into for better order and those that are not may by teaching be brought to some good measure of understanding and desire of the Sacrament and some at least outward Reformation before they be required or admitted to Communion in the Sacramēt But here we have another Quaere what we shall doe where prophane and ignorant persons are permitted Pell Mell to which he Answers that if Gods Ordinance be Prophane as they are by ignorant and prophaned persons coming to the Lords Table then others also that Communicate with them are guilty of the same prophanation What is this so without any exception prophane and ignorant persons prophane the Word and Prayer and Fasting and these are Gods Ordinances cannot we performe this with them but bee guilty this is new doctrine In the Church of Sardis to which he did compare us were the few names guilty of that prophanation which the rest must needes doe doe not the Scriptures shew the contrary Revel 3 4. their Garments were undefiled is there no other way to keep our selves free from pollution but separation what if we endeavor to remove the prophane is not that a better course and that which was the burthen still layd upon the god●y but never that in this case they should separate themselves or if they cannot separate the wicked but do their part discovering them desiring their ejection will not that free them from guilt I thinke it will and if not I beleeve he must not long keepe in any of his new Churches But the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5 6. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump so those that are corrupt will leaven all A. That is If they be accessory to the corru●tions of others not else againe how doth leaven leaven the lump but by diffusing a reall quality into it now there being two things in sinne the guilt which is a relation and in this case must come by imputation and the staine or vitiousnesse which is a quality and in this respect the corrupt will leaven only thus when he is suffered and countenanced he is apt to infect others with his ill qualities Thus this sentence must be expounded Gal. 5 9. in regard of infection with the same evils from which they shall be safe enough that bewaile and distast his ill qualities though they be at the Sacrament with him yet if they can get assistance one effect of their distast should be excommunication But the Apostle applies it to mixt Communion ver 8 but he misapplies that Text which others more suitably interpret of leading our lives not eating the Sacrament And for that verse the 9. not to company with fornicators it s meant of familiarity not of the Sacrament For you may see by the two following verses such an accompanying is there forbidden to a Brother which is allowed with an heathen and therefore cannot be meant of Communion in the Sacrament But I hope by the pietie of our Parliament every godly Minister wil be enabled to keepe off all that be guilty of such crimes if that will serve the turne and remove that objection The place Ephes 5 5 7. Be not partakers with them is clearely meant in regard of their sinnes not the Sacrament as appeares by the following verse In Answering the next objection he brings two places to prove that the holy thing of God should not be prophaned but against what adversary whosoever taught so but that the prophaning of them by one should prophane then to others it s denyed his place Isa 1 1● will only prove that God rejected their service whose hands were full of blood not the sacrificers of the good else how will he excuse Isaiahs Communion with that Church or Christ Iesus after him when they were as bad or where is his inference made or practised by the Prophets or Christ from this place of necessity of separation where the prophane be In answering his next quaere he tells us that to Communicate with evill doers is to partake of their evill deeds This is affirmed but not proved nor doe I thinke it ever will that my doing a good action well upon command of God with one that doth the same good Action will make me guilty of his sinne sure I am then Christ and his Prophets and Apostles were all sorely defiled His proofe 2 Thes 3 6. is quite misapplied for it s spoken of withdrawing from him in regard of company and respect which is free and Arbitrary not of the Sacrament wherein they were not to withdraw from him but if the quality of the offence did require it were to put him away In his next Answere he affirmes that no Communion can be had in our Parish Assemblies possibly without setting up new Churches But I hope in this he is much deceived as in the rest He compares us to Sardis formerly yet I hope there Communion might be had without this medicine of new Churches Nay let there be shown any example or any precept in the Scripture that in our case new Churches should be erected and not the old repaired and brought back to the rule from which they have swerved and we will yeeld the cause but if there be no such precept nor example then in vaine are all such pleas as he useth for things which Christ hath neither left precept nor patterne of And when we see God hath heard the Prayers and blest the Nation for the prayers of the godly in our Churches as now they stand and hath made us a people saved by the Lord who is the shield of our helpe and the sword of our excellency more we shal not expect by his new Churches unlesse he convince the necessity of them by better evidence out of the word which when he hath proved we will never put him to trouble to answere inconveniences but will with him buckle our selves to digest them but we will not cast our selves nor will the wisdom of the state suffer it to be cast on inconveniencies for good mens fansies without Christs command Nor wil we ever object it to be too strickt pure or perfect if the rule for it be convinced but we will affirme that being its strayter then the counsell which Christ gave to Sardis and different from it too the pretence of purity and perfection is

Sacraments and that the Preaching of the word be generally corrupted then it wants a third marke of a Visible Church for answere I conceive a distinction suggested by the assertor of the Scotch Discipline to be very true and here pertinent P. 196. A Visible Church may be considered either Metaphysically or politically It is one thing to consider men as living Creatures indued with reason another thing to consider them as Magistrates Masters Fathers servants c. So it is one thing to consider a Visible Church in her essentialls as a Society of men and women separated from the blind world by divine vocation and professing together the Gospell of Iesus Christ another thing to consider it as a compleate politicall body in which the power of Spirituall government and jurisdiction is exercised som governing some governed Now a Church that wants government or hath one that is corrupt may be a true Church in the former sense though not in the latter being a tru Church in the former sense her mēbers may communicat together in these holy things which fall under the power of order which may be called Sacra mystica as word prayer Sacraments though not insuch things as are under the power of jurisdiction For his objections about Sacraments the first I hope hath received already sufficient answere For his second objection of Pell mell admission to the Sacrament if he dispute against the Church of England in generall he must consider what her Lawes are not what the practise of some is It s true the Law enjoynes all to come but it s as true that the same Law forbids those that are in contention or are otherwise offensive to the Congregation to be admitted till satisfaction given So the command is generall that men may not be let alone in prophanenes and the admission is restrained that men may not be suffered to be prophaners And for his Third The Preaching of the word generally corrupted that shewes a mind to cavill rather then any cause seeing that corrupting of the Word was against the Churches Lawes by particular persons and all such decrees against Laws are declared invalid But in this he hath an if at the ministery which he further proposeth in his Fourth particular in these words And to these Curates consideration I refer it whether they be able truely out of good premisses to conclude themselves the Ministers of Christ lawfully called when all of them doe immediatly derive their Ministry from the Antichristian Hierarchy as the sole foundation thereof and under the name of Curates he comprehends all the Godly and learned Pastors in the Church and dare he say that the sole foundation of their Ministry is the Antichristian Hierarchy Are the precious guifts and graces that Christ Jesus hath bestowed upon them and blessed and honoured with the conversion of many soules no part of the foundation of their Ministry Is the free choice of their people desiring them to take the oversight of them no part of the foundation of their Calling Will not these in some mens judgments and it may be of this disputers serve the turne without any thing else Have they any thing from the Bishops but as it were an externall authorising to exercise their guifts in a publique way amongst their people which if it be in som respects corrupt shall this corrupt complement make void the call of God of the people God forbid undoubtedly Christ would never so ordinarily worke by them as he doth were they not his Ministers but Antichrists Besides I beleeve this disputer knowes that by Law the Bishop ought to have divers grave Presbyters with him and then the imposition of hands is by the Presbytery as was Timothies not of Episcopacy only But having answered his Objections Printed its needfull I answere some others occasioned by him Object Oh but say some if these things be not included in the Protestation of what use then is the Protestation Ans Very great Is it not a great matter to fulfill that great charge laid upon the Church of Thyatira Rev. 14. Hold fast that which thou hast God hath given this Church some light whereby almost all the erroneous Doctrines and superstitions of Popery are removed which light by the audaciousnesse and corruption of some Innovators hath beene greatly obscured our Churches Doctrine in matter of Iustification Free-will Free Grace Gods eternall decrees c. hath beene almost utterly overthrowne Altars Images c. brought in and the adversaries were as great as nought and had proceeded far to worke disturbance in the present proceedings whereupon it pleased God to move our wise and Religious Parliament ever blessed be his name for it to make this Protestation to maintaine the truths and purity by Law established which was an excellent meanes to hold fast that they had and prevent apostacy give me leave to illustrate this by an homely comparison When men are lifting up a thing of great weight or Horses are drawing some great burthen up a steep hill when either are at a stand wisdome teacheth them to under-prop the burthen and stay it where it is till breath is taken or more help added to raise it to a desired pitch So was it with our worthy Reformers they were tugging to heave an heavy weight and were at a dead lift This Protestation to defend our Doctrine that is pure was an underpropping that things might not goe backwards till they could add more strength to raise things higher which God be blest they are busily indeavoring and if men will but waite I hope they shall see the Reformation raised as high as the Doctrines of Scriptures which ought to be the only rule and I doubt not but is theirs Q. But if they were in the Protestation ought we not with violence to pull them downe and so deale with all superstitious Pictures c. A. To the consideration of the matters Protested against we must joyne the manner how we protest to oppose them and that is lawfully This Protestation gives men no leave to breake their Ranks it puts not a sword of authority into every private mans hand but every thing is to be don in a lawfull way without breach of that order that God hath appointed in the world or our Laws have ordered in our Land To answere this then distinctly Things Protested against are either private things or publique as for instance some Crucifixes and other inperstitious Pictures are our owne at our own full dispose some are in publique places and as it were of publique interest things that are private in a private mans power this Protestation doth bind him to a present Reformation of without further leave from any But for things that are publique private persons are to make their addresse to Magistracy and intreat them to proceed and then the private persons may follow as Assistants Againe Some corruptions are in our owne persons as our owne bowing to or before the Altar some are in