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	separate_v	1,943	5	9.5273	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43343	A brief enquiry into the true nature of schism: or a persuasive to Christian love and charity. Humbly submitted to better judgments; by M.H. Licensed Jan. 8. 1689/90	Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714.	1690 (1690)	Wing H1474; ESTC R216726	13,006	36

be meant of any breach of Communion for it is said expresly v. 20. That they came together into one place and that into the Church too i. e. The place of meeting But the Schisms were Quarrels and Contentions about some little things relating to the circumstances of publick Worship and the quarrel seems to have been about the time of beginning their worship especially when they were to joyn in the Lords Supper or their Love-feasts it see as they did not come exactly at the time therefore the Apostle bids them tarry one for another v. 33. Those that came early quarrel'd with those that came late for coming no sooner and those that came late quarrel'd with the other for beginning before they came Some quarrels of this kind were the Schisms here spoken of 3. The word is us'd 1 Cor. 12. 25. That there be no Schism in the Body The Apostle is there carrying on a Metaphor betwixt the Natural Body and the Church and this clause clearly relates to the Natural Body for he doth not come to the Reddition of the comparison till v. 27. Now what he means by the Schism in the body is plain from the Antithesis in the following words but that the members should have the same care one for another So that when the members care not one for another when the Eye saith to the hand I have no need of thee v. 21. When there is not a sympathy and fellow-feeling among Christians v. 26. here 's Schism That 's Schism which breaks or slackens the bond by which the members are knit together Now that Bond is not an Act of Uniformity in point of Communion in the same Modes and Ceremonies but true Love and Charity in point of affection 'T is Charity that is the bond of perfectness Col. 3. 14. 'T is the Unity of the Spirit that is the bond of peace Eph. 4. 3. And Schism is that which breaks this Bond. Now from all this laid together I draw out this description of Schism which according to my present apprehensions is the true Scripture notion of it Schism is an uncharitable Distance Division or Alienation of Affections among those who are called Christians and agree in the Fundamentals of Religion occasion'd by their different apprehensions about little things This is the Schism which the Scripture makes to be a sin and by Scripture Rules it must be judged Schism as indeed the Root of all other sin we see lies in the Heart and Affections But the Tree is known by his fruits this bitter root bears Gall and Wormwood Let us therefore take a short view of those practices which according to this Description are Schismatical practices 1. Judging censuring and condemning those that differ from us in little things is a Schismatical practice as it evidenceth a great alienation if not enmity of the Affections Charity thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not reason evil doth not study to make sins but cover them and if they be made yet not to make the worst of them it puts the best construction upon words and actions Now to pass a censorious Judgment upon others and to put the worst construction upon what they say and do is certainly uncharitable that is Schismatical It is a practice often condemn'd in holy Writ Mat. 7. 1. Judge not that ye be not judged 't is construed a judging of the Law Jam. 4. 11 12. 'T is especially condemn'd with reference to the present case of different apprehensions about little things in that famous Scripture Rom. 14. 4 5 c. a Scripture which if well studi'd and liv'd up to would heal us all Judging the Heart is in my Eye one of the most uncharitable species of Judging Censuring the Principles and ends of an action which are secret charging those that differ from us with Hypocrisie which is a heart-sin If the shews be good and the outside justifiable when we conclude Hypocrisie is in the heart we step into the Throne of God 2. Laying a greater stress upon small matters of difference than they will bear and widening the breach about them As on the one hand to censure all Prayers by a Form or by this Form in particular assuperstition will-worship formality and the like on the other hand to censure all Extempore praying as babbling caning froth and noise as if God had not accepted his own People in the one as well as in the other The fastening of a Censure and passing of a Judgment upon a whole party and way if it be not very clear and well-grounded indeed will be likely to split us upon the Rock of Schism and Uncharitableness 3. Concluding hardly as to the spiritual state and condition of those that differ from us excluding them out of the Church and from Salvation because they are not just of our mind in every punctilio Witness that notion which excludes out of the Church consequently out of Heaven all those how orthodox and serious soever they are otherwise who are not in Prelatical Communion if no Diocesan Bishops then no Ministers no Sacraments no Church no Salvation Which is certainly the most Schismatical notion that ever was broach'd in the Christian world 4. Reproaching reviling and railing at those who differ from us in little things is another Schismatical practice fastning such nick-names upon them and loading them with such reproaches as carry in them all the odium that malice can infuse into them dressing them up in Bears-Skins and then baiting them doing what we can by calumnies and misrepresentations to alienate the affections of others from them 5. Making consenting to approving or executing of Penal Laws against those who differ from us in little things to punish them for such difference in their Persons Estates or Liberties is another uncharitable or Schismatical practice This is contention with a witness which aims at no less than the ruin of the person contended with in the dearest of his secular interests to beat out his brains because his head is not exactly of our size 6. Separation from Communion with those that we have joyn'd our selves to without cause give me leave to call it Separation for Separation sake without any regard had to any thing amiss in the Church we separate from or any thing better in that we joyn our selves to this is an evidence of an uncharitable alienation of affection and is consequently Schismatical When we quite cast off Communion with our brethren out of ambition animosity ot their persons affectation of Novelty and Singularity or the like This was manifestly the case of the Donatists the infamous Schismaticks of the Primitive Church Their Principles were that the Church of Christ was to be found no where but in their Sect and all other Churches were no Churches that true Baptism was not administred but among them and a great many barbarous outrages they committed in the heat of their separation 7. An affected strangeness or distance