Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	call_v	church_n	word_n	1,925	5	4.0979	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86000	A form for Church government and ordination of ministers, contained in CXI propositions, propounded to the late Generall Assembly at Edinburgh, 1647. Together with an Act concerning Erastianisme, independencie, and liberty of conscience. Published by authority.; CXI propositions concerning the ministerie and government of the Church.	Gillespie, George, 1613-1648.	1647 (1647)	Wing G749; Thomason E418_3; ESTC R202292	30,071	51

to be cast out from the Church untill being filled with shame and cast downe they shall return again to a more sound minde and by confession of their sinne and amendment of their lives they shall shew tokens of their repentance Matth. 18. 16 17 18. 1 Cor. 5. 13. which places are also alledged in the Confession of Bohemia Art 8. to prove that the Excommunication of the impenitent and stubborn whose wickednesse is known is commanded of the Lord But if stubborn Hereticks or unclean persons be not removed or cast out from the Church therein doe the Governours of the Church sinne and are found guilty Rev. 2. 14 20. 30. But that all abuse and corruption in Ecclesiasticall Government may be either prevented and avoided or taken away or lest the power of the Church either by the ignorance or unskilfulnesse of some Ministers here and there or also by too much heat and fervour of minde should run out beyond measure or bounds or contrariwise being shut up within straiter limits then is fitting should be made unprofitable feeble or of none effect Christ the most wise Law-giver of his Church hath foreseen and made provision to prevent all such evils which he did foresee were to arise and hath prepared and prescribed for them intrinsecall and Ecclesiasticall remedies and those also in their kinde if lawfully and rightly applyed both sufficient and effectuall Some whereof he hath most expresly propounded in his Word and some he hath left to be drawn from thence by necessary consequence 31. Therefore by reason of the danger of that which is called Clavis erra●● or a wrong Key and that it may not be permitted to particular Churches to erre or sin licentiously and lest any mans cause be overthrown and perish who in a particular Church had perhaps the same men both his adversaries and his judges Also that common businesses which doe belong to many Churches together with the more weighty and difficult controversies the deciding whereof in the Consistories of particular Churches is not safe to be adventured upon may be handled and determined by a common councell of Presbyteries Finally that the Governours of particular Churches may impart help mutually one to another against the cunning and subtill enemies of the truth and may joyne their strength together such as it is by an holy combination and that the Church may be as a camp of an Army well ordered lest while every one striveth singly all of them be subdued and overcome or lest by reason of the scarcity of prudent and godly counsellours in the multitude of whom is safety the Affairs of the Church be undone For all those considerations particular Churches must be subordinate to Classicall Presbyteries and Synods 32. Wherefore 't is not lawfull to particular Churches or as commonly they are called Parochiall either to decline the authority of Classes or Synods where they are lawfully setled or may be had much lesse to withdraw themselves from that authority if they have once acknowledged it or to refuse such lawfull Ordinances or Decrees of the Classes or Synodes as being agreeable to the Word of God are with authority imposed upon them Acts 15. 2 6 22 23 24 28 29. and 16. 4. 33. Although Synods assemble more seldome Classes and Consistories of particular Churches more frequently Yet that Synods both Provinciall and Nationall assemble at set and ordinary times as well as Classes and Parochiall consistories is very expedient and for the due preservation of Church Policie and Discipline necessary Sometime indeed it is expedient they be assembled occasionally that the urgent necessity of the Church may be the more speedily provided for namely when such a businesse happeneth which without great danger cannot be put off till the appointed time of the Synod 34. But that besides occasionall Synods ordinary Synods be kept at set times is most profitable not onely that they may discusse and determine the more difficult Ecclesiasticall causes coming before them whether by the appeal of some person agrieved or by the hesitation or doubting of inferiour Assemblies for such businesses very often fall out but also that the state of the Churches whereof they have the care being more certainly and frequently searched and known if there be any thing wanting or amisse in their Doctrine Discipline or Manners or any thing worthy of punishment the slothful Labourers in the Vineyard of the Lord may be made to shake off the spirit of slumber and slothfulnesse and be stirred up to the attending and fulfilling more diligently their calling and not suffered any longer to sleep and snort in their Office the straglers and wanderers may be reduced to the way the untoward and stiffe-necked which scarce or very hardly suffer the yoak of Discipline as also unquiet persons which devise new and hurtfull things may be reduced to order Finally whatsoever doth hinder the more quick and efficacious course of the Gospel may be discovered and removed 35. It is too too manifest alas for it that there are which with unwearied diligence doe most carefully labour that they may oppresse the liberties and rights of Synods and may take away from them all liberty of consulting of things and matters Ecclesiasticall at least of determining thereof for they well know how much the union and harmony of Churches may make against their designes But so much the more it concerneth the orthodox Churches to know defend and preserve this excellent liberty granted to them by divine right and so to use it that imminent dangers approaching evils urging grievances scandals growing up schismes rising heresies creeping in errours spreading and strifes waxing hot may be corrected and taken away to the glory of God the edification and peace of the Church 36. Beside Provinciall and Nationall Synodes an Occumenicall so called from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is from the habitable World or more truely a Generall or if you will an Universall Synode if so be it be free and rightly constituted and no other Commissioners but orthodox Churches bee admitted for what communion is there of light with darknesse of righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse or of the Temple of God with idols Such a Synode is of speciall utility peradventure also such a Synode is to be hoped for surely t is to be wished that for defending the orthodox Faith both against Popery and other Heresies as also for propagating it to those who are without especially the Jews a more strait and more firme consociation may be entred into For the unanimity of all the Churches as in evill t is of all things most hurtfull so on the contrary side in good it is most pleasant most profitable and most effe●●uall 37. Unto the Universall Synode also when it may be had is to be referred the judgement of controversies not of all but of those which are controversia juris controversies of right neither yet of all those but of the chief and most weighty controversies of the orthodox