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	person_n	supremacy_n	1,601	5	10.6973	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61639	Naphtali, or, The wrestlings of the Church of Scotland for the kingdom of Christ contained in a true and short deduction thereof, from the beginning of the reformation of religion, until the year 1667 : together with the last speeches and testimonies of some who have died for the truth since the year 1660 : whereunto are also subjoyned, a relation of the sufferings and death of Mr. Hew McKail ...	Stewart, James, Sir, 1635-1713.; Stirling, James, 1631-1672?	1667 (1667)	Wing S5683; ESTC R3435	226,444	388

because 1 Chron. 28 1. there were Princes of Tribs Captains of Thousands Hundreds Stewarts and Officers for Civil affairs And 2 Chron. 19 8 c. there are Church Officers Priests Levits chief of the Fathers there are distinct Matters the Matters of the Lord and the Matters of the King Ver. 11. There are distinct Acts or Sentences for Warning not to trespass is more proper to Ecclesiastical then Civil Persons And there are distinct Moderators or Presidents Amariah is over you for the Matt●rs of the Lord and Zebadiah for the Matters of the King Now what should all this mean viz. Distinct causes and Persons set over them to Judge them respectively and what meaneth these distinct Acts Sentences and Penalties if not to hold out the Distinction of Government and of Judica●ories respectively exercing the same Yea ●hat was in the Old Testament we may know by what we read in the New for Matth. 21 ver 23. and 27 ver 1. and 26 v. 3 57 59. Act. 4 v. 5 6 15. and 5 v. 21 27. there are Assemblies Councils which must needs be Ecclesiastical not only because they consisted of Ecclesiastical persons the High Priest Cheef Priests and Elders of the People Cognosced of Ecclesiastical Causes the life Doctrin and Authority of Christ and his Apostles And past Ecclesiastical Sentences about preching in the Name of Christ Act. 4 and 5. But also because the Jewes being subdued the Supreme civil Government was taken out of their hands and little left them but the Ecclesiastical And if at any time in the Old Testament the same persons were members of both Judicatories it was under distinct Notions and considerations as Ecclesiastical in the one and Civil in the Other As now the Ruling Elder under several Considerations and Capacities may be a member of an Ecclesiastical and Civil Iudicatory It is true that the High Priests and some Kings had great hand in both Civil Ecclesiastical affairs but Extraordinary and may be Typicall instances are not an Ordinary and Universal Rule And it may be also that in the New Testament these Councils meddled in Civil Affairs for Matth. 27 ver 1. they take counsel against Iesus to put him to death but that was by Corrupt Abuse of their Power which crept in in the declining State of the Church and when the Civil Government was taken from them by strangers or when wanting a Magistrat they took more upon them then at another time for it was not so from the beginning and was by the like Corrupt and Extravagant Abuse as now the High Commission if it be an Ecclesiastical Courr doth Scourge Stigmatize Fine and Banish or the Prelats now as Members of Parliament Council and Session make themselves Judges of Blood Pleas c. And as this was the Manner Difference of the Jewish Church and State under the Old Testament so under the New Testament there is by Divine Institution a Formal and Specifical Difference between the Government of the Church and Common-wealth For ye will not only find Office-bearers Given unto and Set in the Church Rom. 12 ver 8. 1 Cor. 12 ver 28. Ephes 4 ver 11. Which are as wel Distinct from Office-bearers of the State as from the People for neither Magistrat nor People were ever called Apostles Prophets Evangelists c. especially in the Apostles sense But also RULERS distinct from the Rulers of the Common-wealth who 1 Thess 5 ver 12. are Over the People and Hebr. 13 ver 17. Rule over them Now these Rulers cannot be the Magistrat for in none of the places doth the Apostle Intend or Mention him Besids at that time there was not a Christian Magistrat to Rule the State and how should the Rule of the Church be committed to a Pagan And 1 Tim. 5 ver 17. He that Labours in Word and Doctrin seemeth to have more Honour then He who Ruleth which if either Magistrat or Prelate be the Ruler how they will Relish that the poor preaching Presbyter should be more Honoured then they let any man Iudge Here then are Ecclesiastical Rulers distinct from these of the Common-wealth To these Rulers belongeth the Cognition of Ecclesiastical Offences in Contradistinction to Civil Causes and Iudges Matth. 18. Tell the Church Now the Civil Magistrat cannot be this Church where is He ever so termed Or how will He being himself a Heathen accompt another man so Here then is a Church distinct from the Common-wealth here are Church-Offences distinct from Breaches of Civil or Municipall Lawes here is Church-Delation or Complaint distinct from any complaint to the Magistrat tell the Church and consequently here is a Church-power of Cognition of these Offences distinct from that which resids in the Magistrat else it were in vain to tell the Church and as good or better to tell the Magistrat And here is a Church-Sentence Let him be unto thee as a Heathen which the Magistrat being then Heathen himself would never pronounce against or inflict as a Punishment upon another man To these Church-Rulers also is committed not only the Power of Order or Pastorall Administration of Word and Sacraments but also the Power of Jurisdiction whether Dogmatical Diatacticall Critical or Exusiastical and not to the Civil Magistrat And accordingly Jesus Christ giveth the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven to Peter and not to Cesar Mat. 16.19 Ye will find Church-Assemblies distinct from Parliaments Convention of Est●ts Senats c. yea when the Magistrat was an Enemy determining questioned Matters of Faith and Practice Act. 15 The Apostle Paul enjoineth the Church of Corinth and not the Magistrat both to Excommunicat and Absolve the Incestuous man 1 Cor. 5.4.5 and 2 Cor. 2.7.8 The same Apostle leaveth Titus and not the Magistrat to Ordain Elders in Every City Tit. 1. v. 5 and accordingly it is performed by the Presbytery and not by the Magistrat 1 Tim. 4.14 The Apostle Iohn thereateneth by Himself and not by the civil Magistrat to Censure Diotrephes 3. Iohn 10. And as the Power it self and the several Acts thereof are Committed to Church-Officers So to them and not to the Civil Magistrat are all the Directions given for Regulation of the Exercise thereof distinct from the Directions given to the Magistat for Regulation of the affairs of the Common-wealth and so in the case of Offence there must be private rebuke before Publick delation Mat. 18 15 16 17. In the case of Publick Scandal there must be a Rebuking before all 1 Tim. 5 20 In the case of Publick Censure there must be Notoriety of the Fault 1 Cor. 5.1 or sufficient conviction of the Person by Confession or Probation Mat. 18.15 In the case of Excommunication it must be when the Church is gathered together 1 Cor. 5.4 and not after the Prelatical fashion in a corner In the case of Absolution there must be sufficient evidence of Repentance 2 Cor. 2.7 In the case of Ordination of Ministers there must be the

other from the Lord Redeemer Head and King of his Church nor yet are they of the same but different Natures as is said before Again if it were properly Subordinat to the civil Power then the Magistrat himself might Exerce all Ecclesiasticall Acts in the Administration of Word and Sacraments as well as of Jurisdiction for as nor ason can be adduced why He may Institute or Alter Church Government or Officers or Exerce the External Regulation thereof which will not by parity of strength infer his Exercing Acts of Order So every Superior Power including all the Inferior He may as well Exerce all Ecclesiastical Power as civil if the One be Subordinat to the Other And further the Magistrat himself as a Christian is but a Member of the Church and Subject to Church-Government and Discipline though it should not be practised except for most weighty Causes in great necessity and with singular Prudence and all due Respect and Reverence to Civil Authority and the Person therewith vest●d and accordingly many Magistrats have been censured Yea in some cases as if the Magistrat should unjustly forbid to Preach Baptise Ordain Deprive Excommunicat c. the Church may Exerce Church Power without and against His consent which She could not do if it were Subordinat to him I know there are many clamours of the Absurdity and Inconsistency of two Collateral and Co-Ordinat Supream Powers and Governments in one Kingdom And indeed that Absurdity and Inconsistency may hold true of two Supream Collaterall and Co-Ordinat Powers ejusdem Generis but not in this case where they are diversi generis Yea of their own Natures they are so far from being hurtful that being rightly mannaged they are singularly helpfull to one another Neither can these two Powers and Governments in a Land import now under the New Testament greater absurdity and Inconsistancy then under the Old when the Jewes had their Ecclesiastical Sanedrin as well as civil Courts for the affairs of the Commoun-wealth Hence also it followeth that as Ecclesiastical Power is not Subject to the civil So in matters Ecclesiastical there should be no Appellation from the Church to the civil Magistrat For though when Church Judicatories without their sphere meddle in civil Causes as such or for Ecclesiastical offences inflict civil Punishments they may be Declined as Judges Incompetent in the one case complaint of an unjust or Heterogeneous Sentence is lawful in the other though the Magistrat before He adde his Ratification may require a Reason of Ecclesiasticall proceedings or in case of an injust Sentence may desire the Church to consider the matter again the Church i● bound thus to give a Reason or Consider the matter especially in a degenerat or declining time of the Church when more is permitted to the Faithful Magistrat then otherwise Yet there can be no Appellation from the Church to the Magistrat in Ecclesiastical Causes Sentences Not only because all Appellations are from the Inferior to the Superior in Eodem genere but the Church and State are not such as is cleared before but also because the Church is indued with Compleat Power of Cognoscing Final determining Ecclesiastical affairs without dependance upon the State and these Determinations being Just the Lord hath promised to Ratify Mat. 18 18. And the Magistrat having no Formal Church Power cannot pronounce Ecclesiastical Sentence or make Redress by Himself so the Appellation is in vain Pauls Appealing to Caesar Act. 25 11. will not help this weak cause For He did not appeal in an Ecclesiastical cause from an Ecclesiastical Court to a Court of another Nature but in a matter of alleaged Sedition from Festus an Inferior Magistrat to Caesar the Supream Neither is the Instance of Ieremy stronger then the former Ier. 26 8.9 c for there is no mention of His appealing from the Priests to the Magistrat but of his Apology before the Princes who came to hear the matter and their Voluntary delivering him from the Uniust persecution of the Priests and Prophets who were not competent Judges of Life and Death Neither is the Exception of the Difference betwixt a Heathen and Christian Magistrat more Valid in this matter for besids all that is before said in the old Testament the Government of the Church was Committed to Church-Officers even when the Magistrat was Religious and why not in the New The Government of the Church is not committed to them because the Magistrat is Heathen or upon Temporary but upon other Moral and Immutable grounds therefore should not be taken from them when he becometh Christian It is sure that the Church had power given unto Her to Govern Herself when the Magistrat was Heathen now when and where is that Power Repealed If Church-Govenment belong to the Christian Magistrat then it is either as Magistrat or as Christian if as Magistrat or as Christian then according to the known maxime it belongeth to Every Magistrat and so to the Heathen and to Every Christian both which are false Was the Magistrat no Magistrat or Incompleat when being Heathen he did not meddle with Church Government or did the Church Usurp and Rob the Heathen Magistrat of that Power in the Apostles dayes and 2 or 300 years after Shall the Church by the promise of Nursing Fathers have less Power and Priviledge or be in worse Condition by a Christian then Heathen Magistrat And how vain i● the Distinction of Outward Regulation of the Church and Inward for that must be the other terme for the Inward Regulation thereof belongs incontrovertibly to Jesus Christ and if the Magistrat hath the Outward what is left to the Church These things which had they been formally digested would have been more clear and convincing are only thus confusedly and abruptly hi●ted nor should I have said so much if besids the Erastian Spirit which more then ever doth now rage some Parliamentary and Council-Expressions and aggreeable practices had not given occasion Whether it be Primitive or not let the Reader Judge but sure I am the Kings Government of the Church and State Charles c. Supream Governor in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Civil The Bishops serving the King in the Church is neither Scriptural nor Safe Dialect Him they may serve and Whether or How Time will tell but well know I whom they do not ser●e in the Church and indeed it is proper that they who are there only by the Will of Man should only serve Man His Commissioners they are and accordingly Sharp hath deposed some Ministers by Vertue of the Power which he hath from his Majesty and therefore they can expect no greater Assistance Blessing or Reward then he can give But yet there is a great●r to whom they must give an Accompt Having beyond my first intention detained Thee longer then perhaps was Necessary or will be Profitable or Pleasant Thow may'st now speak with the Deduction which is of age able to

blessing of Mr John L●vings●on his Ministry who being banished the Kingdom for no other cause then his eminency and stedfastness in the Work of God and refusing the Oath of Supremacy there is obtruded by the Bishop upon them in his place one Scot an old excommunicate ●urate continuing under that sentence and in his wickedness that procured the same for which cause mainly he is now complemented and rewarded with the accession of this Kirk and Benefice to two others which he still brooks enjoyes though very far distant from this place This man coming amongst them such as feared the Lord and remembered his Work and Covenant are stirred up in the Zeal of God to testify against his Intrusion whom being a Person excommunicate entering by gross Perjury without their consent and only seeking after the fleece and Benefice all that love our Lord Jesus and the prospering of his pleasure were bound to abhor and detest We do not justify any excess of human passion that might here have been admixed with the sincere zeal of God which we are certain in it's worst appearance all men ought rather to excuse then therefore condemn that duty to which not only the People of that Parish but the whole Church of Scotland were and are in a higher measure indispensibly obliged in opposition to the present course of Apostacy and for extirpation of the Apostat Prelates However four men of the Parish are conveened before the High Commission where being examined they acknowledge that Mr Scot being to preach at Ancrum as their Minister they found themselves pressed in conscience to declare to him their dis-satisfaction with his entry and that they were present with the rest of the People which were there at that time This the Commission contrary the opinion of the more sober most knowing amongst them take for a confession of guilt and immediatly proceed to sentence them as c●ntemners of the Ordinances to be scourged through the Town sugmatized with the ●●tter T at the Cross of Edinburgh and thereafter imprisoned and with the first Ship to be carried to the Barb●●oes Islands All which was accordingly performed upon them Thus judgement is turned into gail and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock But God who sustained his servants with that constancy courage that neither the shame nor pain of scourging and burning hindered them openly and audibly to rejoice in the Lord who counted them wo●thy to suffer for his Name beholdeth also mischief and spite to requite it with his hand For the same alleaged crime shortly thereafter they sentence two Brothers married men to be carried to Barbadoes and their siste● a young woman to be scourged through the Town of Jedburgh As for alleaged conventi●ling there is one Mr Smit● a Minister seised upon and imprisoned for no other c●ime then preaching to and praying with a few secretly assembled for fear of the P●elates in the Name of the Lord without the least offence objected from any thing there spoken who being brought before the Commission and in his examination and answers to the Bishop of St Andrewes calling him only Sir without Lord or Grace he is therefore taxed by the Commissioner to whom he answered very respectfully giving him his accustomed titles that he knew he was speaking to Mr James Sharp once a Minister as he himself is Whereupon there is so great offence conceaved that the Commissioner did immediatly ordain him to be carried by the Town-Hangman to the Thieves Hole and there laid in the Irons in company with a Fu●ious Fatuous person who was there loose An Indignity so great unusual and insolent that although He had behaved himself not only rudely in his demeanor which is the worst that his Adversaries can charge him with but had been most flagitious in his life yet nothing but that Spirit of Spite and Rebellion that rageth Apostats could prompt Christians to inflict upon one who had ever carried so much as the Title of a Minister But because the open Iron-grate whereby this Hole is shut gave too great access to the charity and compassion of many persons who came to visit him he is therefore upon the third day thereafter carried up to the Iron-house within the T●lbooth continued in his irons and fetters and thereafter in close Prison until by sentence of the same Commission he was banished and confined to Shetland the coldest and wildest of all the Scots Islands where he was to expect no other comfort then the company of some other faithful men who for not owning and submitting to the Curats had been carried there by sentence of the same Court. And as they did thus sentence a Minister for Exercising so the same Court having conveened before them an honest private man ... Black for being present at an alleaged Conventicle but in effect at the meeting of a few Christians for praying and hearing the Lord's Word without so much as any other offence pretended because according to the example and warrant of the Primitive Christians he refused to give His Oath thereupon to delate the names of such as he knew to have been present and because he was not liberall in giving St Andrewes his titles the Commissioner ordaineth him to be scourged thorow the Town although it was well known to the Court that his information could give very small evidence and they were convinced that his refusal did not flow from contempt of the King's Authority but meerly and purely from scruple of Conscience These are a few instances of many particulars of this kind which might be alleaged whereof there is no corner in the whole Countrey nor Parish almost in the West which cannot give evidence and therefore we do remitt any more ample confirmation of these things until we have noted a few moe particulars for clearing thereof 7. As we have observed the Wickedness of these Ecclesiastick Laws and the iniquity and irregularity of the Act of Fining and the introducing of Execution by Military Force a servitude unheard of and intolerable in any free Nation so the evils and oppressions thereof can scarcely be numbered For 1. Upon pretence of that Proclamation commanding People to keep their Parish-Churches and prohibiting the repairing to any other except in case of vacancy under the pain of 20 shillings Scots toties quoties the souldiours being disposed upon to such places which are known to be most averse from this course of Apostacy lying at catch for their own advantage have often taken the opportunity where there was but one Church in the bounds still enjoying a faithfull Minister and many vacancies about to go and beset that Church in the time of Divine Worship to the profane disturbance thereof And thereafter either to cause call some old roll of the Parishioners and exact the Fine of twenty shillings Scots of all others without exception or respect even to the licence contained in the Proclamation it self in case of vacancy or to require an Oath of