Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A05171
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A sermon preached on Munday, the seauenteenth of March, at Westminster at the opening of the Parliament. By the Bishop of Bathe and Welles.
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Laud, William, 1573-1645.
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1628
(1628)
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STC 15305; ESTC S102879
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18,331
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48
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of God which is One and loues nothing but as it tends to One Nay as the Spirit of God is One and cannot dissent from it selfe no more ought they whom the Spirit hath ioyn'd in One and the Spirit hath ioyn'd the Church in One Therefore he that diuides the Vnity of the Church practices against the Vnity of the Spirit Now this vnity of the Spirit so called because it proceeds from the Spirit of Grace continues in Obedience to it and in the end brings vs to the Spirit that gaue it is the cause of all other vnity that is good and the want of it the Cause of all defects in vnity The presence of it is the Cause of all vnity that is good Of all within the Church no man doubts But 't is of all without the Church too For no Heathen men or states did euer agree in any good thing whatsoeuer but their vnity proceeded from this Spirit and was so farre forth at least a vnity of the Spirit And for states that are Christian and haue mutuall relations to the Church that is in them S. Gregories Rule is true The vnity of the state depends much vpon the peace and vnity of the Church therefore vpon the guidance of the same Spirit And as the presence of the vnity of the Spirit is the Cause of all vnity that is good so the want of it is the Cause of all defects in vnity For as in the Body of a man the Spirit holds the members together but if the soule depart the members fall asunder So 't is in theChurch saith Theophilact and so in the state So litle vnity then in Christendome as is is a great Argument that the Spirit is grieued and hath iustly withdrawn much of his influence And how is the Spirit grieued How why sure by our neglect if not contempt of Him as Hee is One. For as He is the Spirit of fortitude Esay 11. there wee 'l haue him he shall defend vs in warr And as hee is the Spirit of Wisedome there wee 'l haue him too he shall gouerne vs in peace But as heis One Spirit and requires that wee keepe his vnity there wee 'l none of him though we know right well that without vnity peace cannot continue nor warre prosper One vnity there is take heed of it 't is a great Enemy to the vnitie of the Spirit both in Church and Common-wealth S Bafil calls it Concors Odium vnity in hatred to persecute the Church And to this worke their 's vnity enough Mentake counsell together Psal. 2. Saint Augustine calls it vnitatem contra vnitatem A vnity against vnity when Pagans Iewes and Hereticks or any profane crew whatsoeuer make a league against the Churches Vnity And about that work that the name of Israel may bee no more in remembrance that there may be no Church or no reformed Church Gebal and Ammon and Amaleck the Philistins and they that dwell at Tyre are Confederates together Psal. 83. S. Hilary will not vouchsafe to call such vnion vnity Indeed it deserues not the name 'T is not vnity saith he be it in Church or be it in state but 't is a Combination And hee giues his Reason For vnity is in faith and Obedience but Combination is Consortium factionis no other no better the consenting in a faction And all Faction is a Fraction too and an Enemie to Vnity euen while it combines in one For while it combines but a part it destroyes the vnitie of the whole Is the spirit in this Out of question No. For a Faction to compasse it's end I will not say when it sees a theefe it consents to him or that it is alwaies partaker with the Adulterers but this it doth It speakes against its owne Brother and slanders its owne Mothers Sonne Psal. 50. Can any man call this the Vnity of the Spirit Or is this the way to Vnity And now I cannot but wonder what words S. Paul were he now aliue would vse to call backe Vnity into dismembred Christendome For my part Death were easier to mee then it is to see and consider the face of the Church of Christ scratched and torne till it bleeds in euery part as it doth this day And the Coat of Christ which was once spared by Souldiers because it was seamlesse S. Ioh. 19. Rent euery way and which is the miserie of it by the hand of the Priest And the Pope which Bellarmine hath put into the Definition of the Church that there might bee one Ministeriall head to keepe all in vnity is as great as any if not the the greatest cause of diuided Christianity Good God what preposterous thrift is this in men to sowe vp euery small rent in their owne Coat and not care what rents they not onely suffer but make in the Coat of Christ What is it Is Christ only thought fit to weare a torne garment Or can wee thinke that the Spirit of Vnity which is one with Christ wil not depart to seeke warmer cloathing Or if he be not gone already why is there not vnity which is where ere he is Or if he be but yet gone from other parts of Christendome in any case for the passion in the bowels of Iesus Christ I beg it make stay of him heere in our parts For so the Apostle goes on Keepe the Vnity of the Spirit This Exhortation requires too things saith S. Ierome the one that they which haue this vnity of the Spirit keepe it the other that they which haue it not labour to get it And certainely nothing can be more beneficial or more honourable either for Church or state then to get it when they haue it not or to keepe it when they haue it And this is implyed in the very word which the Apostle vses Keepe For no wise man wil aduise the treasuring vp keeping of any thing but that which is of vse and benefit And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not barely signifie to Keepe but Tueri to defend too which is the stoutest keeping Now all wise men are for vnity And all good men for the vnity of the Spirit Yes saith Saint Isidore Boni seruant Good men keepe it VVise and good men keepe it why then none but fooles and bad men breake it Slie and cunning men perhaps may haue their hands in Diuisions but wise or good men they are not For are they not all without vnderstanding that worke wickednesse Psal. 53. And a greater wickednesse men can hardly work then to dissolue the vnity of the Spirit in either Church orCommonwealth For they doe as much as in them lies to bring profanenesse into the Church and desolation vpon the state Keepe therefore the vnity of the Spirit Keepe Vnity why but what needs that will not vnity keepe it selfe 'T is true vnity is very apt to hang together It proceeds from Charity which is the glue of the Spirit