Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	communion_n	schism_n	2,198	5	10.4367	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B10080	An expedient to extricate one's self out of the guilt of schism, and enter effectually into a virtual catholick communion, without participation in any corruptions, notwithstanding any unreasonable terms of communion, which might otherwise keep him out. In a letter to a friend.	Stephens, Edward, d. 1706.	1700 (1700)	Wing S5426A; ESTC N65783	3,798	4

AN EXPEDIENT To extricate one's self out of the Guilt of Schism and enter effectually into a virtual Catholick Communion without Participation in any Corruptions Notwithstanding any Unreasonable Terms of Communion Which might otherwise keep him out In a LETTER to a Friend SIR WHAT I Yesterday gave you in words as few as I could upon your mention of some Censures vulgarly pass'd upon me I think fit to repeat to you now at a little more leisure in Writing which is not so subject to be mistaken that is according to what you have formerly desir'd a true and plain Declaration of my Principles and Communion in respect to the Differences between the Church of Rome and the present Church of England constituted by Act of Parliament It was to this Effect 1. That I had some years since agreed with some serious Christians to enter into a Religious Society upon three Principles whereof one was to follow the Example of the Antient Christians as near as we could 2. That the Antient Christians are to be consider'd not as Persons of some Sect but as Members of One Great Body of Persons selected out of all Nations and united and formed into a well constituted Society under a Spiritual Regiment or Theocrasy and subject to the Orders thereof 3. That as the Nation of the Jews continued the Peculiar People of God notwithstanding all their Corruptions so that our Saviour and his Apostles continued Communion with them till by the Judgment of God their Polity and City were destroyed and this Society and one Body of Christians were formed and succeeded in that Priviledge So this great Society of Christians called One Holy Catholick Church and all the particular Churches whereof it is Composed continue the Church of Christ and Parts of that Catholick Church notwithstanding as great Corruptions as those of the Jews unless any of them be justly cut off or unjustly separate themselves from the Unity of that One Body contrary to the Example of our Saviour himself and his Apostles after him till by the like Judgment of God any of them be destroyed as some have been or the Time of the Gentiles be fulfilled 4. That such Separation from the Unity of this One Body called Schism is a great Sin and agreed ●o 〈◊〉 on all hands 5. That upon a Review of the pretend●d Reformation and more particularly in this Nation I perceived plainly divers Abuses and Usurpations of the Bishops and 〈◊〉 ●f Rome very justly cast out but yet that that was done with so much injustice in other respects Sacriledge and pernicious Heresy and by an incompetent Authority in other Matters as instead of Reformation made an undeniable Schismatical Separation and the Nation is to this day under Excommunication for just Cause by Competent Authority and hath no proper Ecclesiastical Communion with any part of the Catholick Church 6. That to extricate my self out of all this Guilt and Mischief I have according to antient Usage drawn up a Profession of my Faith with a Renunciation of all the Sacrilege Heresy and Schism of this Church and Declaration of my desire of Communion with the whole Catholick Church and all truly Catholick Churches as there may be occasion and made a particular offer of it to the two Roman Catholick Bishops who were then here in Town But they were tied up and could not admit me upon other Terms than those of Pius 4 and to those I could not subscribe And this is my Case at this time Singular in some respects I confess it is and such as is no ones besides that I know of except those who are in Communion with me but such as I would not change with any one till I be better informed being well satisfied that I have been conducted into it by unforeseen steps by a Gracious Providence over me much more than by any Humane Prudence of my own and that I have these considerable Advantages by it 1. That I am virtually in the most Catholick Communion that can be by my Publick Declaration and special Offers and Request though I cannot actually Communicate with any for want of Opportunity at present For if I be unjustly kept out my Case is no worse than if I were unjustly cast out and my Renunciation of the Sacrilege c. is all that I can or am concern'd to do 2. That all who Communicate with me are Partakers in the same Advantage which no others are except they do as I have done or Communicate with such as have done so 3. That as to Matters of Faith and Doctrine there is not any Point wherein I differ from this Church of England but I have the whole Catholick Church East and West and all Antiquity on my side as in that of Prayers for the Dead c. nor any wherein I differ from the Church of Rome but I have all the rest and all the Protestants besides if not some of them too 4. That as to Matters of Practice in Worship and Discipline there is nothing that I do which either the Greek or Latin or any Catholick Church or this of England do or can disallow upon any truly Catholick Principle 5. That as to the Government there is nothing in my Notions but what is approved by most Learned Men of all these Churches and if I live not under such a Government 'tis my Unhappiness not my Fault As for my not Communicating with the Church of Rome actually it is for such Reasons as not only all Protestants but all Churches in the World but themselves that is all Catholicks but Roman Catholicks which is a factious distinction do allow Yet I acknowledge the Preeminence of the Bishop and Church of Rome and by the Grace of God will assert and maintain that and whatever is truly Catholick amongst them But the Corruptions and Usurpations of the Papacy and all Popery I utterly disown and detest as Injurious and Scandalous to the most Holy Christian Religion and heartily desire the Reformation of that but without the Destruction of the Church or least diminution of the just Rights or Authority thereof And for my not Communicating with this present Church of England at present it is 1. For such Reasons as all Catholicks in the World approve as just and necessary 2. It is not as an Adversary but as a Friend but first as the Servant of God to bear my Testimony to the Truths of Christianity against their Corruptions and Unfaithfulness which I have briefly noted in my Profession of Faith and other Writings in Print And secondly by way of Admonition to them that they may be moved to remove the Causes of all our Dissensions and of the Secret Curse that is upon it that it may become a Glorious Church indeed And that you may not think as you are very apt to do that I am too blunt and use hard words without sufficient Cause I will give you an instance or two of what I here say The Corruption of the