Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	case_n	court_n	party_n	1,537	5	7.2644	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96714	Antinomians and familists condemned by the synod of elders in Nevv-England: with the proceedings of the magistrates against them, and their apology for the same. Together with a memorable example of Gods iudgments upon some of those persons so proceeded against.	Winthrop, John, 1588-1649,; Weld, Thomas, 1590?-1662,	1644 (1644)	Wing W3094; Thomason E251_10; ESTC R212499	69,974	70

his followers all the people of God in this Countrey were under the distinction of men under the Covenant of grace and men under a Covenant of workes Mr. Wheelwright alleadged a place in Matth. 21. where Christ speaking against the Scribes and Pharisees no advantage could they take against him because he did not name them but it was answered they did not spare him for that cause for then they would have taken their advantage at other times when he did name them One or two of the Deputies spake in his defence but it was to so little purpose being onely more out of affection to the party then true judgement of the state of the cause that the Court had little regard of it Mr. Wheelwright being demanded if he had ought else to speake said that there was a double Pharisee in the charge laid upon them 1. In that the troubles of the Civill State were imputed to him but as it was by accident as it is usuall in preaching of the Gospel 2. That it was not his Sermon that was the cause of them but the Lord Jesus Christ To which the Court answered that it was apparent he was the instrument of our troubles he must prove them to be by such accident and till then the blame must rest upon himselfe for we know Christ would not owne them being out of his way After these and many other speeches had passed the Court declaring him guilty for troubling the civill peace both for his seditious Sermon and for his corrupt and dangerous opinions and for his contemptuous behaviour in divers Courts formerly and now obstinately maintaining and justifying his said errours and offences and for that he refused to depart voluntarily from us which the Court had now offered him and in a manner perswaded him unto Seeing it was apparent unto him from that of our Saviour Matth. that we could not continue together without the ruine of the whole he was sentenced to be disfranchised and banished our jurisdiction and to be put in safe custody except he should give sufficient security to depart before the end of March Upon this he appealed to the Kings Majesty but the Court told him an appeale did not lie in this case for the King having given us an authority by his graunt under his great Seale of England to heare and determine all causes without any reservation we were not to admit of any such appeales for any such subordinate state either in Ireland or Scotland or other places and if an appeale should lie in one case it might be challenged in all and then there would be no use of government amongst us neither did an appeale lie from any Court in any County or Corporation in England but if a party will remove his cause to any of the Kings higher Courts he must bring the Kings Writ for it neither did he tender any appeale nor call any witnesses nor desired any Act to be entered of it then he was demanded if be would give security for his quiet departure which he refusing to doe he was committed to the custody of the Marshall The next morning he bethought himselfe better and offered to give security alleadging that he did not conceive the day before that a sentence of banishment was pronounced against him he also suffered to relinquish his appeale and said he would accept of a simple banishment The Court answered him that for his appeale he might doe as he pleased and for his departure he should have the liberty the Court had offered him provided he should not preach in the meane time but that he would not yeeld unto so in the end the Court gave him leave to goe home upon his promise that if he were not departed out of his jurisdiction within foureteene dayes he would render himselfe at the house of Mr. Stanton one of the Magistrates there to abide as a prisoner till the Court should dispose of him Mr. Cogshall THe next who was called was Mr. John Cogshall one of the Deacons of Boston upon his appearance the Court declared that the cause why they had sent for him was partly by occasion of his speeches and behaviour in this Court the other day and partly for some light miscarriages at other times and that they did looke at him as one that had a principall hand in all our late disturbances of our publike peace The first thing we doe charge you with is your justfying a writing called a Remonstrance or Petition but indeed a seditious Libell and that when Mr. Asp was questioned by the Court about it you stood up uncalled and justified the same saying to this effect that if the Court meant to dismisse him for that it was best to make but one worke of all for though your selfe had not your hand to the Petition yet you did approve thereof and your hand was to the Protestation which was to the same effect whereupon you being also dismissed used clamorous and unbeseeming speaches to the Court at your departure whereby we take you to be of the same minde with those who made the Petition and therefore liable to the same punishment upon this the Petition was openly read and liberty was granted to him to answer for himselfe His first answer was that what he then spake he spake as a member of the Court to which it was answered againe that 1. hee was no member of the Court standing upon tryall whether to be allowed or rejected at such time as he uttered most of those speeches 2. Admit he were yet it is no privilege of a member to reproach or affront the whole Court it is licentiousnesse and not liberty when a man may speake what he list for he was reminded of some words he uttered at his going forth of the Court to this effect that we had censured the truth of Christ and that it was the greatest stroke that ever was given to Free-grace To which he answered that his words were mistaken for he said that he would pray that our eyes might be opened to see what we did for he thought it the greatest stroke that ever was given to N. E. for he did beleeve that Master Wheelwright did hold forth the truth He was further charged that at the Court after the day of elections he complained of injury that the Petition which was tendered was not presently read before they went to election To which being answered that it was not then seasonable and against the order of that day but the Court were then ready to heare it if it were tendered whereupon he turned his backe upon the Court and used menacing speeches to this effect That since they could not be heard then they would take another course To which he answered confessing he spake over hastily at that time that his words were onely these then we must doe what God shall direct us He was further charged that he should say that halfe the people that were in Church-covenant in N.E. were

but that having a more cleanly way to lay all that opposed her being neere all the Elders and most of the faithfull Christians in this Countrey under a Covenant of workes shee might with the more credit disclose and advance her master-piece of immediate revelations under the faire pretence of the Covenant of free Grace wherein shee had not failed of her ayme to the utter subversion both of Churches and civill state if the most wise and mercifull providence of the Lord had not prevented it by keeping so many of the Magistrates and Elders free from the infection for upon the countenance which it took from some eminent persons her opinions began to hold up their heads in Church Assemblies and in the Court of Justice so as it was held a matter of offence to speak any thing against them in either Assembly thence sprang all that trouble to the Pastour of Boston for his free and faithfull speech in the Court though required and approved thence took Mr. Wheelwright courage to inveigh in his sermon against men in a Covenant of works as hee placed them and to proclaim them all enemies to Christ Scribes and Pharisees c. whereas before hee was wont to teach in a plaine and gentle stile and though hee would sometimes glaunce upon these opinions yet it was modestly and reservedly not in such a peremptory and censorious manner as hee did then and after for they made full account the day had been theirs But blessed bee the Lord the snare is broken and wee are delivered and this woman who was the root of all these troubles stands now before the seat of Justice to bee rooted out of her station by the hand of authority guided by the finger of divine providence as the sequell will show When shee appeared the Court spake to her to this effect Mistris Hutchison You are called hither as one of those who have had a great share in the causes of our publick disturbances partly by those erroneous opinions which you have broached and divulged amongst us and maintaining them partly by countenancing and incouraging such as have sowed seditions amongst us partly by casting reproach upon the fa●●●full Ministers of this Countrey and upon their Ministery and so weakning their hands in the work of the Lord and raising prejudice against them in the hearts of their people and partly by maintaining weekly and publick meetings in your house to the offence of all the Countrey and the detriment of many families and still upholding the same since such meetings were clearely condemned in the late generall Assembly Now the end of your sending for is that either upon sight of your errors and other offences you may bee brought to acknowledge and reforme the same or otherwise that wee may take such course with you as you may trouble us no further Wee do desire therefore to know of you whether you will Justifie and maintaine what is laid to your charge or not Mistris Hutchison I am called here to answer to such things as are laid to my charge name one of them Court Have you countenanced or will you justifie those seditious practises which have been censured here in this Court Hutch Do you ask mee upon point of conscience Court No your conscience you may keep to your self but if in this cause you shall countenance and incourage those that thus transgresse the Law you must bee called in question for it and that is not for your conscience but for your practise Hutch What Law have they transgressed the Law of God Court Yes the fifth Commandement which commands us to honour Father and Mother which includes all in authority but these seditious practises of theirs have cast reproach and dishonour upon the Fathers of the Common-wealth Hutch Do I intertaine or maintaine them in their actions wherein they stand against any thing that God hath appointed Court Yes you have justified Mr. Wheelwright his Sermon for which you know hee was convict of sedition and you have likewise countenanced and encouraged those that had their hands to the Petition Hutch I deny it I am to obey you only in the Lord. Court You cannot deny but you had your hand in the Petition Hutch Put case I do feare the Lord and my Parent doe not may not I entertain one that feares the Lord because my Father will not let mee I may put honour upon him as a childe of God Court That 's nothing to the purpose but wee cannot stand to dispute causes with you now what say you to your weekly publick meetings can you shew a warrant for them Hutch I will shew you how I took it up there were such meetings in use before I came and because I went to none of them this was the speciall reason of my taking up this course wee began it but with five or six and though it grew to more in future time yet being tolerated at the first I knew not why it might not continue Court There were private meetings indeed and are still in many places of some few neighbours but not so publick and frequent as yours and are of use for increase of love and mutuall edification but yours are of another nature if they had been such as yours they had been evill and therfore no good warrant to justifie yours but answer by what authority or rule you uphold them Hutch By Tit. 2. where the elder women are to teach the younger Court So wee allow you to do as the Apostle there meanes privately and upon occasion but that gives no warrant of such set meetings for that purpose and besides you take upon you to teach many that are elder then your selfe neither do you teach them that which the Apostle commands viz. to keep at home Hutch Will you please to give mee a rule against is and I will yeeld Court You must have a rule for it or else you cannot do it in faith yet you have a plaine rule against it I permit not a woman to teach Hutch That is meant of teaching men Court If a man in distresse of conscience or other temptation c. should come and ask your counsell in private might you not teach him Hutch Yes Court Then it is cleare that it is not meant of teaching men but of teaching in publick Hutch It is said I will poure my Spirit upon your Daughters and they shall prophesie c. If God give mee a gift of Prophecy I may use it Court First the Apostle applies that prophecy unto those extraordinary times and the gifts of miracles and tongues were common to many as well as the gift of Prophecy Secondly in teaching your children you exercise your gift of prophecy and that within your calling Hutch I teach not in a publick congregation The men of Berea are commended for examining Pauls Doctrine wee do no more but read the notes of our teachers Sermons and then reason of them by searching the Scriptures Court You are gone from the

eares which were like an Apes grew upon the shoulders The eyes stood farre out so did the mouth the nose was hooking upward the brest and back was full of sharp prickles like a Thornback the navell and all the belly with the distinction of the sex were where the lower part of the back and hips should have been and those back parts were on the side the face stood The arms and hands with the thighs and legges were as other childrens but in stead of toes it had upon each foot three claws with talons like a young fowle Upon the back above the belly it had two great holes like mouthes and in each of them stuck out a piece of flesh It had no forehead but in the place thereof above the eyes foure hornes whereof two were above an inch long hard and sharpe the other two were somewhat shorter Many things were observable in the birth and discovery of this Monster 1. The Father and Mother were of the highest forme of our refined Familists and very active in maintaining their party and in reproaching some of the Elders and others who did oppose those errors 2. The Midwife one Hawkins wife of St. Ives was notorious for familiarity with the devill and now a prime Familist 3. This Monster was concealed by three persons above five moneths 4. The occasion of concealing it was very strange for most of the women who were present at the womans travaile were suddenly taken with such a violent vomiting and purging without eating or drinking of any thing as they were forced to goe home others had their children taken with convulsions which they had not before nor since and so were sent for home so as none were left at the time of the birth but the Midwife and two other whereof one fell asleepe 5. At such time as the child dyed which was about two houres before the birth the bed wherein the mother lay shook so violently as all which were in the roome perceived it 6. The after birth wherein the childe was had prickles on the inside like those on the childes brest 7. The manner of the discovery was very strange also for it was that very day Mistris Hutchison was cast out of the Church for her monstrous errours and notorious falschood for being commanded to depart the Assembly Mistris Dyer accompanied her which a stranger observing asked another what woman that was the other answered it was the woman who had the Monster which one of the Church of Boston hearing enquired about it from one to another and at length came to Mistris Hutchison with one of the Elders of the Church to whom shee revealed the truth of the thing in generall onely this comming to the Governours eare hee called another of the Magistrates and sent for the Midwife and in the presence of the Elder to whom Mistris Hutchison had revealed it they examined her who at first confessed it was a monstrous birth but concealed the horns and claws and some other parts till being straitly charged and told it should bee taken up and viewed then shee confessed all yet for further assurance the childe was taken up and though it were much corrupted yet the horns and claws and holes in the back and some scales c. were found and seen of above a hundred persons 8. The Father of this Monster having been forth of the Town about a Moneth and comming home just at this time was upon the Lords day by an unexpected occasion called before the Church for some of his monstrous opinions as the Christ and the Church together are the new creature there is no inherent righteousnesse in Christians Adam was not made after Gods Image c. which hee openly maintained yet with such shuffling and equivacating as hee came under admonition c. A briefe Apologie in defence of the generall proceedings of the Court holden at Boston the ninth day of the first moneth 1626. against Mr. J. VVheelwright a member there by occasion of a Sermon delivered there in the same Congregation FOrasmuch as some of the Members of the Court both of the Magistrates and Deputies did dissent from the major part in the judgement of the cause of Mr. Wheelwright and divers others have since censured the proceedings against him as unjust or at best over hasty for maintaining of which censures many untruths are like to be spread abroad whereby the most equall Judges may be in danger of prejudice and so the honour not of the Court onely but also of the tryall and justice it selfe may be blemished It is thought needfull to make this publike Declaration of all the proceedings with the reasons and grounds thereof so farre as concerneth the clearing of the justice of the Court. As for such passages as fell by occasion and are too large to be here inserted such as desire to know them may receive satisfaction from three or foure of Boston being Mr. Wheelwright his speciall friends who tooke all by Characters we doubt not will give a true report thereof As for such as have taken offence that the cause was not first referred to the Church we desire them to consider these reasons 1. This case was not matter of conscience but of a civill nature and therefore most proper for this Court to take Cognizance of and the rather for the speciall contempt which had beene offered to the Court therein and which the Church could not judge of 2. In some cases of religious nature as manifest heresie notorious blasphemy c. the Civill power may proceed Ecclesia inconsulta and that by the judgement of all the Ministers 3. It had beene a vaine thing to referre a cause to the judgement of those who had openly declared their prejudice therein both in the Court and otherwise as by two Petitions under the hands of most of them delivered into the Court on his behalfe did plainely appeare 4. The heat of contention and uncharitable censures which began to over-spread the Countrey and that chiefely by occasion of that Sermon and the like miscarriages did require that the Civill power should speedily allay that heat and beare witnesse against all seditious courses tending to the overthrow of truth and peace amongst us this onely by way of entrance to the matter which now followeth In the beginning of the Court the Deputies upon the same of a Sermon delivered by Mr. Wheelwright upon the first day which was supposed to tend to sedition and disturbance of the publike peace desired that he might be sent for which the Court assenting unto one of the Magistrates his speciall friend undertooke to give him notice thereof and accordingly at the next meeting he was in the Towne ready to appeare when he should be called for which was not till two or three dayes after and then he was sent for not by the Marshall as the usuall manner is but by one of the Deputies his intimate friend upon his appearance he was made acquainted with the