Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	find_v	great_a	see_v	3,378	5	2.9618	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76302	The beauty of Godly government in a church reformed or a platforme of government consonant to the word of truth, and the purest reformed churches. Shewing also, the great good that comes thereby, the great evils that it freeth us from. With the two maine objections answered, which are objected by some of the laitie, and some of the clergie. Whereunto is added. A short parrallell betweene the presbyterian and prelatian government. Published for such as are not well acquainted with it.		1642 (1642)	Wing B1640; Thomason E205_5; Thomason E132_34; ESTC R212609	5,186	16

appeales may bee made to the Presbytery II. In every division or circuit sutable to our Deanry That there be a classicall meeting called elsewhere a Presbytery This consists of all the Ministers of Parishes within the Deanry or such a circuit thereof as may conveniently meet to which are sent by consent out of every Parish one of their Elders This meeting is to be once a fortnight In this from among the Pastors must the gravest the wisest the best esteemed for life and godlinesse be chosen moderator for the time of the sitting and meeting Hee is to beginne with prayer and end so after a Psalme and a Sermon here Ministers are to shew their gifts and how they profit and goe on in the Ministry And such as intend the Ministery are here to be tryed and if fit to be ordained if a place bee void these looke into parochial Sessions within their circuit that Pastors Elders and people behave themselves as they ought Here the power of jurisdiction is used the doctrine and lives of Ministers are enquired into and according as they finde they encourage the faithfull dispensers against others they proceed to admonition suspension and deprivation as they shall see just cause so to doe All other sorts of persons of what quality soever which shall be disobedient to their owne Pastors and Elders proceeding in their parochiall meetings lawfully are with great authority censured By this wee see how the parochiall governement is upheld and yet kept within bounds Christs Doctrine and worship kept pure good Ministers honoured and the rest eitheir reformed or cast out III. In every County or shire In this must be a Synod called elsewhere Provinciall It consists of the whole Presbyteries within that Shire or Province with one Elder from every Parish men of ranke and quality Gentlemen Knights and Barons for such in some places are Elders The meeting to be every halfe yeare as our Archdeacons visitations be Here being assembled they beginne with praying and preaching the Sermon being made by the former Moderatour which ended a new Moderatour is then chosen or the same againe confirmed These meete not to call for Synodals or paschall rents nor to gather procurations nor to sweare Church-wardens to make presentments for these assemblies sit not for to gather monies but this Synod meeteth to make enquiry by the records of every Presbyterie into the governing of all the Presbyteries and all the Churches under them and to rectifie what is amisse therein To supply what is wanting and to censure any for faults crimes offences committed All matters with great diligence and speed are here so to be expedited as the time may not bee long nor the staying to become chargeable and burthensome but that the Pastors and Elders may returne home in good time before the Lords day Can we be so happy as to enjoy such Synods wee shall be rid of the vaine and very chargeable visitations of Archdeacons where Ministers and people wastefully lay out yearly some thousands of pounds throughout the whole land IV. In one whole nation This is the generall assembly of the nation or nationall meeting It consists of Pastors and Elders from every Presbytery to which have come sometime the Kings Majesty or a Commissioner for him as also likewise the religious and learned Nobles of the land This meeting is elsewhere once a yeare but with us it may fitly be every Parliament time now appointed to be every third year The first day of this assembly is a day of solemne humiliation to prepare them to so great and holy a worke at the end whereof a Minister is chosen by the voices of all to be President and Moderator in that assembly who prayeth at every sitting downe and when they rise up for a blessing of God upon them The power of this is very great it upholdeth the authority of the other assemblies maketh laws Ecclesiasticall agreeing to holy Scripture for the wel-ordering of all the Churches in spirituall matters but never intermedleth in matters civill belonging to the Magistrates either in judging or inflicting pecuniary or corporall punishment It s now among us a great question Whether is better the Presbyterian government in Scotland or the Prelatian government in England for the Churches spirituall welfare To judge aright herein these considerations are propounded to the wisedome of the wise and religious who would lay a side all partiality in this cause of God 1 Whether of them hath the best proofe either for the whole or for the part from holy Scripture and so Gods approbation 2 Which is agreeing most to all the reformed Churches with which we agree in Doctrine and separation from the Church of Rome 3 Whether of these is most like the governement of the Church of Rome under the Pope that Antichrist and aptest to let in and fittest to keepe out the Ceremonies the superstition and the idolatry of that whore of Rome 4 Whether of them doth tend more to godlinesse then greatnesse 5 Whether of them is the most profitable to advance the powerfull practice of religion and vertue and the suppression of vice that God may receive glory For the better evidencing hereof let them be compared in these few things together The Presbyterian The Prelatian I. This hath for the teaching Elders very certaine testimony from Scripture Tit. 1.5 and strong probability for ruling Elders 1 Tim. 5.17 Rom. 12.8 1 Cor. 12.28 And therefore being allowed of God is fittest to advance the power of godlinesse This hath no probabilitie much lesse any certainty of Scripture for Archbishops Diocesan Bishops Deanors Archdeacons for their lay Chauncellours lay Commissaries and therefore being altogether of man is not so fit as we finde by experience to advance the power of godlinesse   II. This sets up in every parish a Session for the religious ordering thereof This depriveth wholly parochiall assemblies of such an helpe for their spirituall good subjecting them slavishly to their most corrupt courts III. The order of this is framed so as the parts thereof is subordinate one to another as the Session to the Presbytery this to the Provinciall Synod and this to the Nationall to further godlinesse This is so framed as an over-topping power of some may sway over all as they list without any such subordination to uphold onely their greatnesse as their practise proclaime before the world IV. This alloweth nothing in and about Gods publike worship but what is warrantable by Scripture This bringeth in and approveth of many devises of men corrupting Gods worship without warrant of Scripture V. This ordaineth no Ministers for money nor any but such as be apt to teach nor doth it permit any which are not such and do performe their Ministery faithfully This ordaineth for money and many unapt to teach yea and permits thousands of dumbe Ministers which cannot teach and lazie Ministers which will not preach but either seldome or never VI. This alloweth no pluralists nor any Nonresidents nor foule and scandalous Ministers This alloweth many hundreds of Pluralists and Non-residents and not a few of evill life unsufferable in Christs Church VII This upholdeth preaching countenanceth diligent preachers and encourageth them This taketh not much care for preaching never calleth any to account for negligent preaching but some Prelates suppresse it and are vexatious to many faithfull Ministers VIII This suffers without jealousie the people to meet together to talke and conferre about what they have heard and to read good books to sing Psalms and to pray together This is so jealous as people are restrained from such meetings being held Conventicles for which they are called to their courts and censured IX This carefully prevents errours and heresies Papists and papistry and whatsoever may be troublesome to the Church This looketh to nothing but conformity to humane inventions suffering false doctrines to be broached Arminianisme Socinianism Popery popishly affected to increase so they conforme men to their ceremonies If all these considerations to which more may beadded be seriously pondered it may easily be judged whether government is the more pleasing to God and more profitable to his people for spirituall life and salvation FINIS