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	rome_n	schism_n	1,901	5	10.5828	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85985	The blessed peace-maker and Christian reconciler: intended for the healing of all unatural and unchristian divisions, in all relations: according to the purport of that divine oracle, pronounced by the Prince of Peace himself, Matth. 5.9. By Claudius Gilbert, B.D. minister of the Gospel at Limrick.	Gilbert, Claudius, d. 1696?	1658 (1658)	Wing G701; Thomason E939_3; ESTC R202209	119,212	155

due season order and manner within our respective Relations Thus Gods people are bid to plead with their Mother to contend for the faith to admonish one another with mutual watchfulness c. that they may not be partakers of other mens sins but still keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Christ and his Apostles did so in the Jewish Church though exceedingly corrupt till that ceremonial administration of the Lords gracious Covenant gave way to the Evangelical dispensation thereof 3. The evil that Conscience startles at in the Church is either fundamental or circumstantial as to salvation That evil which destroyes the foundation not holding the Head when obstinately retained after all due convictions renders a Person and Society unfit for Christian Communion deservedly who are to be accordingly dealt with Thus Paul withdrew from the Jews obstinately rejecting Christ and separated the Disciples Thus the reformed Churches did orderly protest against Apostate Rome aad separated from them In this case the Heretical Society is the Schismatick for as in Martyrdom so in Schism it s the cause not the suffering that constitutes it Thus when a rotten member contracts an Heretical Gangrene which makes him fall off or to be cut off from the Church he himself is the Schismatick 4. The circumstantial evil which offends any person in the Church is variously considerable in Doctrine Worship and Discipline according to the weight of that Truth it seems to oppose Some are of far greater moment then others and challenge sutable care and carriage Some circumstantials are Indefinite and indifferent in themselves to be regulated by Christian prudence in every Society and meeting as the gesture of the body length of time spent in the exercise c. where in the general Rules of Order Decency Edification and Expediency are still observable Other Circumstantials are definite and parts of Worship Instituted of the Lord as the keeping of the first day of the week for a Christian Sabbath singing of Psalms solemn Prayer c. which are not indifferent but necessary to be observed according to Scripture Rule He that scruples any thing about such should use the best means of Information private and publike with much humility and sobriety diligence and teachableness If after all he cannot be satisfied he may forbear that particular thing which his conscience cannot meddle with still keeping Communion in the rest This is the Apostles Doctrine as far as we have attained let us walk by the same Rule and mind the same thing if any be otherwise minded the Lord will reveal that unto him also Hast thou faith have it to thy self in such a case that thou maiest give no offence to others 5. If any Christian should find the Church whereof he is a Member growing worse daily and not admitting of any advice help for amendment but obstinately refusing to rectifie what is palpably evil such a man is to be very cautious in that case that in desiring leave to depart to some other society where he may serve God with purity and freedom that all proceedings therein may appear to flow from cordiall Love to Christ to his Ordinances and people with all due respects to those also from whom he departs still owning what ever appears of good in them with hearty grief for what is amiss that he may avoid the stigmatical Brand of a schismatick in the performance of his duty 6. Schism from the Church is either universal or particular Universal when Persons divide from all Christian Societies and People that do not own their particular way Such was the separation of the Donatists besides that of the Arrians Meletians Acesians Circumcellians and many others divers whereof were also heretical Such is the Schism of the Romish Church now apostatized from the very foundations of Christianity which they verbally profess but collaterally and effectively destroy and renounce by their Antichristian additions and Detractions Traditions and Corruptions A particular Schism is a sinfull division from some particular Church whereto a Christian had his Relation or from some Member or Members thereof The former is a Schism from the Body this later in the Body a sad instance whereof appeared in the Church at Corinth which Paul sharply reproves and prescribes a fit cure unto again and again The grudgings and Rudiments of this sad distemper bewrayed themselves by divers Symptoms also in most of the Christian Churches even in Apostolical daies and the succeeding Primitive Times witness the many cautions and hints given in their Epistles and the Relations of Ecclesiastical Records The sad experiences of the Reformed Churches in former and later Seasons especially in these Nations afford numerous Instances thereof sufficiently deplored Vse 2. This speaks conviction to all persons estranged from Peace Is Peace so blessed a thing then should it not sharply reprove multitudes of men As 1. The Ignorant that know it not and will not learn This is the dreadfull brand of the children of wrath the way of Peace they have not known An evil Peace they are acquainted with but the Peace of God they are strangers to Their Peace in sin is wofull presumption which feeds them with deceitfull hopes Quick-sighted they may be in carnal things but they are quiet blind in spiritual matters Christ wept sorely upon such a people wishing they had known the things of their Peace when alas they were hid from their eyes 2. The Negligent that mind it not but are pleasing themselves on the bed of carnal security laying their head on the devils cushion Such Laish like sleep securely in their sluggish course till they awake in the midst of Hellish flames Like Moab and Edom they settle on their lees till Divine wrath do sweep them away Their sleepy Peace feeds them with specious dreams of pleasure profit and preferment till they be rowzed up by the Messenger of Eternity They embrace a cloud in stead of Juno they are of Gallios spirit not caring for the things of their Peace Their sleepy disease is so much the sadder because so sensless 3. The scornfull that own it not but reject and disdain it such can make a Jea● of war and of Peace and turn all things of the greatest weight into a fond jest Such fools make a mock at Sin and at Peace too Their Pregnancy of Parts serves them for a Racket to toss the Ball of a wanton witt from one to another like the mad fellow that throws fire-brands in his jovial mode saying still am not I in sport such as thus abuse Gods Peace in jest are like to go to Hell in earnest far enough from Peace This is the high road to Satans Kingdom wherein many gallop in a full career The seat of the scornfull is the highest degree of advancement in the devils University whereto many ungodly sinners attain per saltum by a trick of youthfull wit

himself and the whole Creation Sin in every Relation in every condition in every occasion still opposes disturbs and expels Peace Your sins said the Lord to his people of old have made the separation between God and you as among your selves that he will not hear nor shew you mercy Your Iniquities take away all good and keep it from you The blessedness of Peace still aggravates the sinfulness of every sin its Implacable enemy Sin spoils the harmony marres the strings breaks the Instrument and untunes all that should make a peaceable melody It breaks the Bonds of Christian Concord and dissolves that Correspondence that should unite God and good men still It s the breeder of all convulsions ruptures and dislocations in all bodies and Societies as in the souls of men It is that wretched Moth that eats out the very sinews of Peace the Canker that consumes the heart and strength thereof Sin wasts the Cement of every Fabrick Divine and humane and turns unity and order into a Confuse and woful Chaos So far as sin prevails so far it blasts all the Blessings of Peace 2. See hence the wofulness of discord and division that separate from good by separating from the Peace of God Darkness and Death cannot but attend all withdrawings from the Light and Life The Peace of God is the light of our Life spiritual and civil what wretchedness is this that makes a distance between him and us Discord and Division are the genuine fruits of sin and the wofull seeds of wretched sorrow Sin brings them forth and they bring forth death of every kind Division is alwayes wofull but most of all in the Church of Christ sadly known there by the name of Sch sm a Greek word that imports Rending and Tearing Schism is a sinfull dividing from the body of Christ as heresy divides from the Head They both usually end in Apostacy a dividing from the whole by woful Revolt What Woes Convulsions and Wrenches Luxations and Dislocations Fractions and Dismembrings do bring on the Body natural the like doth Schism in the Body Ecclesiastical The Symptoms thereof do sadly appear in its injustice and rashness in its violence and uncharitableness which do properly characterize Schism as the learned well observe 1. Injustice is the Character of Schism a caussess separation it is without sufficient ground breaking the bonds of Justice which require the giving of all both dues to God and Mna Schism rends a member without due cause from t s place and duty bursting all the cords of righteousness in doing wrong and destroying Right 2. Rashness is the next brand of Schism being a heady and hasty separation carried on with inconsideration and peevishness through mistakes and prejudices Schism hearkens not to rational perswasions divine and humane that would argue a Christian into sobriety and submission in the body of Christ according to his proper place and function therein disowning of evil and owning of good Schism is self-conceited and self-willed irrational and imprudent still not minding expediency and equitable conveniency in those things wherein Christian forbearance and moderation are of singular need Schism tears away as a strong-headed Jade that will not hearken to either snafle or bit The Asse is observed by Naturalists to be of all Brutes the most brutish and heady thence rash and obstinate sinners are expressed by the wild Asse snuffing the wind at pleasure and the Asses colt traversing its wayes in a perverse headiness Thus Schism acts with brutish rashness like the fool that will not be convinced by the best reason 3. Violence is another Mark of Schism carrying the person with impetuousness and fool-hardiness like a stubborn horse rending all to pieces that would keep him within Christian bounds Ignorance breeds confidence in such which begets Impudence and violence As in strong convulsions the limbs are forcibly snatched and racked out of their proper seat in the body natural by the strength of malignant humors or vapors so doth Schism boisterously rend many a member from the body of Christ as those poor wretches mentioned in the Gospel that were possessed with unclean spirits were violently tormented by them and hurried away from their place and work through fire and water into woful Extreams So deals Schism with many often The raging fierceness of a phrenetick distracted Patient sadly represents the turbulent state and stormy carriage of this dreadful evil 4. Uncharitableness is also the note of this wofull Schism As it opposes Justice Prudence and Modesty so doth it deal with Love Schism will not be kept by the strength of Divine or Christian Love within due bounds of Christian Communion such are sowr and rigid towards all that cannot jump with them in their conceited way They will unchurch and unchristian others though godly wise humble sober and meek Schism knows not how to bear with the weak and manifest the bowels of Christian sympathy towards the sickly children of Gods house It s still in Solomons sense over-righteous and over-wise through self-deceit and selfl-love Schism doth still pick straws in other wayes leaping over the blocks in its own course Such are troubled at others for trifles and mind not their own greater evils The moats in others eyes trouble them still but the Beams in their own affect them little if at all They press much on circumstantials in the neglect of the most substantials Schism is a Pharisee a sad Separatist as the Hebrew word elegantly denotes that is exactly accurate about Mints Annise and Cummin whilst he disregards the great commands of Christian Love and Peace in all orderly Union and Communion Object But is all separation sinfull are we not directed often in Scripture to separate our selves from evil persons and evil things still Answer 1. There is a good separation from evil and an evil Separation from good The former is commanded and commended of God the later forbidden and threatned Christians are bid and bound to separate themselves from the man of sin and from the sin of man They must withdraw from every Brother who walks disorderly much more from that Anti-christian Church where the Roman Prelacy hath cast out Christ to set up his pretended Vicar in his stead We must be still at the swords point with sin no Truth no Peace is to be made therewith Every person every Society is bound to keep themselves pure yea to be still purifying themselves even as God is pure We must cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2. A Christian must beware of separating from good whilst he labours to separate from evil We may not divide from the Church or Members of Christ nor from his Ordinances though we ought to disown what ever evil may have crept into the same Sin is not to be approved or countenanced but to be declared and opposed therein with prudent Zeal in

good his Christian Profession How many Unities doth the Apostle press upon the Ephesians that he might powerfully quicken them to use all diligence towards this peaceable way Should not each of them have a strong Impulse upon our Spirits in these unpeaceable Times 2. Order is the next Essential requisite unto Peace-making What Unity doth constitute and strengthen Order manages governs and preserves Such as the Peace is such is the Unity and such the Order that lead thereto and act about it Peace with God requires an orderly way of agreement with him through Jesus Christ The Lords Spirit works methodically about that great matter as also about Peace of conscience He convinces the world of sin of Righteousness and of Judgement in order to comfort when he comes to be their Paraclete The God of order will be observed orderly by every Christain in his and their wayes Thus towards a civil and Oeconomical Peace doth he proceed orderly and requires his people to do the like His Providence sets every man in his proper station and his word gives exact directions how they should act therein His Spirit qualifies all his people for every motion sutable to their Sphere by continual supplies out of Christs fulness That Almighty God who tels the number of the stars calling them by their names calls all Persons and sublunary Things to their proper work Whist they keep his Orders they further that Peace whereon depends the Blessedness of the Universe and of it several parts Superiors have most influence herein moving in their places as Superior Planets in their higher Orbs. As their motion proves regular or irregular so is their Aspect benign or malign Christ the King of all the Sun of Righteousness moves still orderly and regularly Wh lst by him Kings reign and Princes execute Judgement spiritually as well as providentially those mountains of his Kingdom then bring forth Peace and the little Hils by Righteousness Inferiors also are taught their Duty in orderly working towards Peace-making There is none so poor and despicable but hath somewhat to do towards it Their Faith and Prayer their Gifts and Graces are alwayes of use in each Relation civil and Spiritual Often they that think meanest of themselves have most influx into this great work It s sometimes the poor unregarded Person that saves the City from eminent dangers The feet are helpfull to the whole Body and the smallest Toe doth not want its work nor could it be spared Propriety and Subordination are the Appointments of the God of Heaven That whimsey of men that would level all to bring confusion appears to come from confused Spirits not from the God of Order Though men often mistake and miscarry both in higher and in lower places yet doth the Lord still over-rule all their disorders to his orderly ends What we cannot redress in mens ill Motions he would have us bewail and look to him for help with all orderly motions in our own places towards Peace-making As for Civil Peace so likewise for Ecclesiastical Accord due Order is specially observable He is in this case very peculiarly the God of Order not of Confusion All things would he have to be done decently in Order and to Edification in every Church of his He hath therefore left upon Record all Instructions necessary thereto to be applyed as there shall be cause He leaves more to humane Prudence in civil Affairs then in Ecclesiastical matters There he leaves men to more general Rules about the kinds and means of Government but here he gives more pnnctual directions in those the external man is chiefly concerned but here the internal The matter and manner of Civil Government he doth often providentially alter but the dispensations of Ecclesiastical Rule are fixed by him Though he formerly spoke sundry times and manners to the Fathers yet having once spoken to us by his Son he alters no more this Evangelical Administration but curses any that pretends to bring an other Gospel The Matter and Substance abides still the same though some Circumstantials may admit of change pro hic nunc according to Rule still and in Order to Peace New Officers and a new Power may be by men constituted in the State not so in the Church In that Christ rules chiefly as King of Nations but here as King of Saints In both he would have all ordered to his Glory according to his Word which appoints every one the proper limits of their general and particular Calling As in the Body natural whilst all the parts move orderly in their proper place there is harmonious Peace in a healthfull Temper so is it in the Body Politick and Ecclesiastical As the strings of a Lute being orderly set wound up and touched make a sweet Musick of different Accords so doth it appear in the right tuning of the several strings in each Instrument Civil and Spiritual A confused heap of stones and rubbish is unseemly useless and weak It s the orderly fitting of materials both to each other and to the foundation that makes a building strong and durable pleasant and usefull It must needs appear so in Ecclesiastical as in Civil Fabricks It should then be the care of all Church-Officers and of Church-members to study and observe the Orders of Christ appointed for his family and Kingdom in their respective capacities that Peace may be had and the blessings thereof Warning the unruly supporting the weak watching over each other mutual sympathy comforts and supplies are frequently inculcated on us and therefore to be as carefully performed Rulers and ruled must walk exactly with accurateness as upon Tip-toes both in Doctrine Worship and Discipline All differences of lesser moment are to be soberly humbly prudently prevented and cured as far as may be What good may be done or evil redressed by any gentler means must not be handled in a rougher way It were absurd to struggle and sweat about a feather or any light matter All means must still be proportioned to our designed end according to the various cases in hand Thus wise men act in all their affairs of temporal Import much more should they in heavenly things All have special need to beware of their Lusts which are still unteachable and disorderly The seed of the Serpent reigning in the most remaining in the best will still bear a mortal fewd against the seed of the woman both personal and spiritual That Antipathy is a dreadfull enmity natural and constant universal and perpetual whence the breach of Peace both in Church and State 'T is therefore most needfull that all sorts should study and attend that excellent Order which our Soveraign doth proportion out to every Person in each relation Lustre and vigor will still attend it and render thereby the fellow-members of each Society singularly helpfull to each other singly and jointly Whilst all the wheels and weights of this Clock or Watch keep their due