Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	ecclesiastical_a	governor_n	supreme_a	3,829	5	8.9454	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49110	The character of a separatist, or, Sensuality the ground of separation to which is added The pharisees lesson, on Matth. IX, XIII, and an examination of Mr. Hales Treatise of schisme / by Thomas Long ...	Long, Thomas, 1621-1707.	1677 (1677)	Wing L2962; ESTC R33489	102,111	240

THE CHARACTER OF A SEPARATIST OR Sensuality the Ground OF SEPARATION To which is Added THE PHARISEES LESSON On Matth. IX xiii AND AN EXAMINATION OF Mr. HALES TREATISE of SCHISME By THOMAS LONG B. D. and Prebendary of St. PETER'S EXON I differ from my Brethren in many things of considerable moment yet if I should zealously press my judgment on others so as to disturb the Peace of the Church and separate from my Brethren I should fear I should prove a Fire-brand in Hell for being a Fire brand in the Church I charge you if God should give me up to any factious Church-rending course that you forsake me and follow me not a step Mr. Baxter's Epistle Dedicatory to the Saints Rest LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishops Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1677. To the Worshipful Sir THOMAS CARY Kt. RECORDER of the CITY OF EXETER AND JUDGE of the SESSIONS FOR THE COVNTY of DEVON THE Design of this Treatise being to prove that Schisme is a work of the flesh it cannot be improper to submit it to the cognizance of a Magistrate the Peace of the State being equally violated thereby as the unity of the Church and when the Veil of the Temple is rent there usually followeth an Earth-quake through the whole Land Turn tua res agitur the same persons that despise Aaron do affront Moses And indeed in a Church and Kingdom so knit and consolidated as ours are Where the King is through God's good providence a Nursing-father to the Church and not only professeth himself to be of its communion but hath graciously obliged himself by Oath to defend the rights and priviledges thereof and to that end hath established many good Laws not only by Statute but by Canons Ecclesiastical which are also the King's Laws and where the Church on her part as to external peace and order intirely acknowledgeth her dependance on the King as Defender of the faith which she professeth and in all causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil supreme Moderator and Governor and by the indispensable Laws of God is so obliged to the duty of Allegiance that neither she nor any of her children ever did nor can deny that without denying their own Doctrine and Profession and long and certain experience hath taught us that whoever retained themselves in the communion of the Church did yield due obedience to the King and contrariwise as many as withdrew from the communion of the Church were professed enemies to the King It is impossible I say to conceive how a Schisme should be maintained in such a Church without actual Sedition in the State In this Tertullus the Orator was right when he called the Authors of a new Sect Ring-leaders of Sedition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very pest for Schisme like the Plague of Leprosie eats into the Walls and Timber of the House and as Optatus observes of the Schisme of the Donatists what Family is there where either the Wife is not withdrawn from her Husband or Children from their Parents or Servants from their Masters And the Divisions of private Families produce publick mischiefs for as a Family which consists of divers persons being divided cannot stand so a Kingdom which consists of divers Families being divided will come to ruine as when the several twists of a Cable which holds the Ship at Anchor is by little Vermin eaten through the ship is exposed to the violence of every wind and storm When the Church loseth a Member the King doth not only lose a subject but gaineth an enemy when either Lay-men make use of schismatical Meetings or Religious men of seditiòus tumults the peace of the Church and State are equally indangered Secondly It cannot be denied that the very act of separation is a bidding * Pertinaciae Schismatis non est alia ratio quam odium fraternum S. August contr Parm. l. 1. c. 4. farewell to all charitable Opinions and amicable conversation towards those from whom the separation is made And when they who first separated from the Church of England did on the very same grounds dissent from the brethren of that separation and withdrew into new Sects they were professed enemies unto all but that Faction to which they adhered For no separation is held justifiable but from such in whose communion the dissenters do apprehend at least that they cannot serve God as they ought but that they should sin in doing as the rules of that communion do require And if so how should they scruple to disobey the King's Laws when they think them contrary to God's Laws or how should they care to be at peace with them who are in their apprehensions enemies to truth Their hatred will rather increase and become implacable and they will call it Zeal how bitter and fierce soever it be For when Men think their opinions and passions warranted by Religion they also think themselves bound by their greatest hopes and fears to prosecute them to the utmost of their power and as the mistaken Disciples did to call for fire from Heaven on all those that dissent from them and that they should do God good service in slaying of them The differences that have been raised among us about things indifferent have caused the loss of more of the bloud and spirits of this Nation as well as of true piety than the persecution of all its professed enemies Long have we languished under that issue of bloud which was opened by punctilio's of Religion for our controversies did not concern the fundamentals of Religion but only the dress and garments of external worship and yet how great a matter did a little fire kindle when it was blown from a coal taken from the Altar for they who as the Priests of God should weep between the Porch and the Altar Joel 2.17 and not only by their tears but by their bloud too endeavour to extinguish the flame did as the Priests of Mars scatter fire in every corner of the Temple and warmed themselves at the flames which they had kindled What if the matters contended for were vile and inconsiderable they had the Art to set them off by glorious Names The Cause and Covenant of God the Kingdome and Scepter of Christ and in such a cause they are bound as they think not only to leave but in a literal sense to hate Father and Mother All moderation is lukewarmness and they will be cruel that they may not be accounted cold as the Royal Martyr foretold p. 69. of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many persons do at this day look upon The Covenant as a holy and harmless Instrument for Reformation but who among all the Covenanters was there that did not think himself bound to oppose the King in reforming the Church But I am sure says that Royal Person The right method of reforming the Church cannot consist with that of disturbing the State nor can Religion be justly advanced by depressing