Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	place_n	see_v	2,893	5	3.1798	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10823	A blovv for the pope, or, A discourse had in S. Giles Church, in Elgen of Murray at a conference with certaine papists, plainely prouing that Peter was neuer head of the Church : with a short register of all the attempts and murthers vpon kings and princes in our time by the persuasion of the Iesuits.	Robertson, Bartholomew, fl. 1620.	1615 (1615)	STC 21096.5; ESTC S3099	24,053	74

I may say that had so mutilate a body seeing the one halfe as it were seperated and seioyned from Peters Apostleship he hauing obliged himselfe by his troth in his right hand to the contrary Againe if Christ would haue Peter to bee an vniuersall Apostle both of Iewes and Gentiles how durst Peter without speciall licence had and obtained of his Author and euident certainties thereof haue brought his calling into such streighths and narrownes so hastily or at any time after that within foure and twenty yeares he should enter in league with Paul to dimit and forgoe the most dificult part and of greater confequence because both that the benefit of calling was not generally offered before but counter-manded which was a mistery as also for the multitude and greatnesse of the Gentiles for there was farre more Gentiles then Iewes whom the Lord suffered to walke in their owne waies while there was light in some measure among the Iewes in particular places and persons although not generally and amongst the greatest and yet such as might make inexcusable and for this cause Peter not vnmindfull of his charge hee had contracted himselfe vnto as hee taught with great liberty and feruency among the Iewes for wheresoeuer he might haue occasion as wee see aboundantly in the Acts of the Apostles so likewise by writing an Epistle hee taught the Iewes Strangers which dwelt heere and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia contayning himselfe alwayes within the limits and bounds of his calling requesting them to be mindfull of the wordes of the prophesies spoken so long time before for vnto Iewes was it that the oracles of God were committed And so did Paul also being seperated to the worke he was called to was sent a faire off to the Gentiles by the Lord by whom hee had receiued Grace and Apostleship to the obedience of Faith among all the Gentils for his name and therefore cals it the exalting and adorning of his Ministerie to bee called the Apostle of the Gentils working in the Euangell of God that the oblation of the Gentils might bee acceptable sanctified by the holy Spirit not but that it behooueth the word of God to bee first expounded to the Iewes but since they did repell it and thought them vnworthy of eternall life he and Barnabas did conuert themselues vnto the Gentiles whose Preacher Apostle Doctor he cals himselfe yet euer desiring to prouoke his Kinsmen that he might saue some of them And to whom I pray you can we better giue credit vnto then to Peter himselfe for surely although once he had dissembled in that deniall of his Maister in three-fold forme And again in that euill example he had giuen to Barnabas and others when hee is precisely challenged by Paul Now would hee not haue hid his Talent in the earth but that which was spoken to him in the eare hee would haue spoken vpon the house tops especiallie since he had promised by Christs Praier his Faith should not faile yea and it was enioyned him not to deny but being cōuerted to confirme his Brethren in the veritie of those things he had heard and seene as hee did also abundantly yet hee cals himselfe no other then Apostle and Seruant not Superior yea hee names himselfe a fellow-elder with them who are Elders And if it be so how can he he iustly said to bee Lord and Prince ouer his Brethren and rest of the Elders shall wee giue him more then either Christ bestowed vpon him or that hee would claime himselfe or any of the rest of the Apostles and Elders would acknowledge him to be And which is more he requests them to feede the Lordes flocke which is amongst them taking diligent heede thereunto not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a readie mind not as though they were Lords ouer Gods Heritage but to be examples to the Flocke that when the cheefe Shepheard shal appear they may receiue an incorruptible Crowne of Glorie he forbids Dominion Lordships ouer the Heritage of God if he had so done himselfe and affected Primacy in the Church which was farre from the mind of this Saint of God hee had wrongfully forbid that whereof he was culpable himselfe Likewise who will not esteeme it a great absurdity to repute all the Apostles which then liued and all the company of the faithfull to be Peters members and all things that appertaine and belong to a spirituall body to be communicated by him to them which must be graunted and that of most necessary consequence followeth if we condiscend Peter to be head of the church but this of Paul onely in place of all that might be brought in is plainly refuted who doth esteeme himselfe nothing inferior to the highest Apostles here is no exception of Peter or Primacy which Paul such is his modestie wold haue don if Peter had bin superior And who would not contend Paule to be Head of the Church of the Gentiles rather then Peter because it is proued already he is appointed both by Christ as also with consent of those which were thought to bee Pillars of the Church and in price had conditioned to be the Apostle of the Gentiles Now it is certaine wee are not of the Iewes but of the Gentiles if there should bee any of the Apostles Head of our Church it must therefore be Paul who did correct Peters error in Antiochia the first place of his alleaged seat and residence to whom also euen their own great Bulwark Tho Aquinas 2. secunda quest 33. sect 4. Gloss. ad Gal. 2. 11. doth make Paul equal but not superior Besides this Paul was sent to Rome by God that he should testifie of Iesus Christ as he had done already in Ierusalem whom the Lord did encourage to that effect the which also by an Angell of God sent to him by night was reiterate saying Feare not Paul it behooueth thee to be presented to Caesar And further Paul was at Rome and taught there two yeares and the Romans did thereby come to that perfection of Religion that their Faith at that time was spoken of in all the world Here is a speciall designation of Paul to goe thither whither we heare of none to be formerly sent appointed thereto by two seuerall Mandates tending to one Scope who did enter into Rome exercised the Office from morning till euening expounding the Law and Prophets testifying and perswading of the kingdome of God in Iesus Christ and made his aboad there during the space aforesaid in a house hired for himselfe and receiued all that came vnto him teaching with all boldnesse of speech without let what can bee more craued in a good Bishop then which we find in Paul at Rome but in all this time there is no mention made neither by Paul of Peter neither Salutation sent to him in

discharge it to the will of all his mysticall members which did receiue spirituall Sappe and Iuyce of him who is the roote in the which his Church is engrafted by a true liuely and sauing Faith And into whom the Church after a heauenly and vnspeakeable manner yet truely is vnited and encorporated and so become one body with him Flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones And we know it to be accustomably vsed for so did Moses to Iosuah at the Lords owne direction and Dauid to Salomon c. to establish the Successor in the second roome when one is eyther to dimit or giue signification of the succedent to preuent occasions of strife and debate which might arise and are commonly bred for degrees of preferment but Christ remits and sends them to no mans Soueraignty but as it were manumits them and of Seruants chuseth them his free friends and as friends haue most things common cheefelie wils councels and minds so saith hee All that I haue heard from my Father I haue declared vnto you but when said he either first or last that Peter was Head or should be head of the Church which Christ knew to be immortall and Peter then mortall which Christ told him thereafter and the manner of his violent death And that a man no not all the men in the world can viuifie or quicken themselues it is then farre off that one can viuifie another But wee when wee were dead in trespasses and sinnes are quickned together in with and by Christ by whose Grace wee are saued and surely neither Peter nor any of the Apostles can transfuse or deriue any of the spirituall Graces one to another in such sort as Christ by his Spirit saue onely as all the disposers of the ministers of God doe by the liuely preaching of the word c. Therefore if it had been Christs contentment to haue vouchsafed that prerogatiue vpon Peter when that controuersie anent Superioritie did arise surely he would not haue passed it without Decision he is not the God of Debate but will haue all things done in order for hee would haue this scrupple taken out of the way seeing them all as vpon a stumbling block rush vpon it A little before in their gazing vpon the stately building of the Temple and princely Fabrick of that magnificent materiall Church and as they did after the resurrection dreame of the restitution of the Crowne and commonwealth from the vnnaturall tyrannie of the Romanes to whom they were Tributaries for now the Scepter had departed and the lawgiuer from betwixt Iuda his Feete with close mouth neither than nor now did he passe ouer neither the matter purpose it selfe neither themselues vnreproued but forespake the ruine sacking of the Towne of Ierusalem thereby taking occasion to Prophesie the consummation of the whol world with the diuers Incidents at that period of time when it should happen as in that his Sermon most euidently shewes it selfe But in that so high a Question so earnestly tossed among thē nothing the world and Ierusalem both shall perish and they shall wax old as doth a garment and as a vesture shall they bee folden vp and in Ierusalem as was then foretold is not a stone left vpon a stone but the Church endureth for euer and such an euerlasting and eternall head should it haue which Peter in no wise could bee This was I say the meetest time for remouing of the doubs yet our Sauiour did not command to acknowledge Peter for head which without all contradiction he would haue done if he had appointed him chiefe and principall ouer the rest if so it had beene his intention that the other Apostles should haue acknowledged Peter for their Lord and Master Yet so it is that flat contrarily he deliuers and giues his Decree and Sentence that there should be no principalitie nor primacie among them but the greatest as the smallest c. For so saith he the Kings of the Nations doe raigne c. but so it shall not be among you In the which words he doth not onely recall them from such gouernment and regencie as is amongst the Gentils or Nations but also hee disswades and dehorts them from all manner of Primacie for Christ answered to no other interrogation heere but such as they propounded but they did not enquire of the gouernment and Lordsh. of the kings of nations for what was that forme of Regiment appertaining or belōging to them out of a primacy which euery one of them affected among themselues and vnto the which they would haue climbed for they did chide among themselues and were diuided as it is said there And forsooth if any might haue looked for a high place and promotion the sonnes of Zebedeus Iames and Iohn Christs Cozens concerning the flesh wherevpon they did ground their petition by appearance But there is no acceptation of persons with God Their mother as meaning to finde greatest fauour both in regard of her kindred with the Virgine Mary Christs Mother as also for her Sexe and humble behauiour but all their suites were cast ouer barre and they simply denied for the causes there alledged which are not necessary here to repeat and besides those reasons there set downe they should haue remembred that Christ before had closed their mouth from such a subiect and therefore taught them that their desire proceeded from ignorance and obiuion But it would seem Peter should haue his ordination if not immediatly from Christ in the daies of his Flesh yet by the authoritie of the rest of the Apostles who had receiued the holy Spirit on the Pentecost in great aboundance but they neuer acknowledged such place in Peter whose preheminence if any had been they would not haue neglected yet so it is they tooke vpon them boldnes to send both Peter and Iohn from Ierusalem to the Samaritans whom they heard to haue receiued the word of God for whom also the rest did pray and giue imposition of hands Now he who sends and directs another is aboue him that is sent else how dare he vsurpe that title and right as to command either how can he look for obedience or perfecting any point of dutie at the hands of him who is sent if hee be not subiect to the senders command will for it is not said the Apostles requested or entreated or besought Peter but that they sent the other Apostles hauing from their meeting and present assembly enioined to Peter and his Colleague Iohn equall with him in that charge to vndertake that iourney for the benefit of the Samarirans If euer at any time surely heere Peter might haue stood vpon his estimation and might haue reiected their ordinance as arrogant and presumptuous in extending their power too much if he had beene head of the Church It may be that Peter as hee was euer very willing and prone to vndertake so heere hee would

yeeld to his Brethrens desire but who can excuse the Apostles yea and the other Brethren which were of Iudea which could not haue a like place and authoritie with the Disciples of Christ in many and divers respects which are not here to be reckoned to haue accused and caused Peter to giue a reason of his conuersation and Doctrine among the vncircumcized in that he had entered vnto them and eater with them after the receipt of the word of God if hee had been constituted head of the Church either in Christs time here vpon earth or yet after his resurrection by Christ or his Apostles or by any other means whatsoeuer remarkeable who can say but that the Apostles haue done greatly amisse in challenging their Superior and not rendring that simple and humble submission as in such matters is requisite and suppose it were tollerable in the Apostles who were in like rank and estate with him yet if Peter had been mounted to that degree he could not haue comported to heare himselfe so disgraced as it were and contended against by those farre inferiour to the Apostles and adacted to giue in his Apologie clearely expounding and dilating the whol matter vnto them with all the circumstances thereof Peter if hee had been their Master and head might haue put them to silence for their sudden strife with him or else haue said I haue done no wrong I haue reason for my actions and that may suffice that I haue commandement by Reuelation from aboue wherevnto I am priuie my selfe Peter yet might haue deliuered in defence of his proceedings to the Apostles and Brethren of Iudea offended at him for Peters primacie had not been divulged and made manifest to the Church if any had or for persecution and iniurie of the time it was suppressed and holden vnder vntill more conuenient time while it should break vp either truely in Antioch or at Rome But it is exceeding maruellous that Paul should not many yeares after haue got intelligence of the same seeing it was such a necessary Head in the Church as tending to calme tranquill all controuersies when refuge and appeale should be made to him as vnto an Oracle for whom God sendeth in his worke whatsoeuer him hee furnisheth fit and meet for the discharge thereof and being aduanced to bee head his graces should haue surpassed the other Apostles especially Paul who cals himselfe an abortiue issue and borne out of time and it is credible that Paul would not take that arrogancy vppon him by sundry arguments to contend himselfe no wise inferior to Peter if Peter was head of the church that hee receiued no point of doctrine from him or any other of the brethren at Ierusalem to which hee did ascend by reuelation to know his conformity with them Moreouer in recompting certaine disciples as Iohn and Iames he placeth not Peter in the first order and roome this is farre from his accustomed manner who was so meeke as a nurse to her children and who requireth his Galathians to bee as he was for he was as they were and to giue to all men their duty scare to whom feare and honor to whom wee owe honor but in Gods cause when hee did see Peter that he went not the right way to the truth of the Ghospell hee did withstand him to his face before all men because hee was to bee rebuked what can bee more euident We know when Paul was rauished in the third heauen and receiued vasions and reuelations fourteene yeares before hee manifested the same and heard words vnutterable but of this preferment of Peter there is not one siyllable yea Paul was his contradictor in this place where hee bringeth his warrant for in that matter and combate with Peter hee did nothing without expresse command as not purposing one foot in that voyage without speciall reuelation yea and if the subscription and date bee true hee wrote the same Epistle to the Galathians from Rome Now in many other placees he comes to intimate by the spirit of Prophesie the condition of the world and the state of the Church vnder Antichrist but of this prerogatiue of Peter at any time hee hath not one word but that three yeares after his conuersion hee came vp to Ierusalem to see Peter and staid with him fifteene dayes where Paul might haue beene taught of others or of Peter himselfe and beene perswaded of this his Primacy after soe many yeares since Christs ascention and so many dayes conference and society with Peter himselfe who doubtles would haue imparted to Paul whom hee cal'd his beloued brother all speciall comfort aud heauenly grace particularly this point of the head of the Church if any other then Christ had beene land so much the more for that Paul of all the Apostles makes oftenest mention in all his Epistles almost thereof euer deferring that honor to Christ onely the Sauiour of the Church which is his body for Paul is farre off from grudging and disceptation but his zeale must shew it selfe when Christs truth is peruerted as hee himselfe witnesseth Besides this three yeares after God had reuealed his sonne in him that hee might preach him among the Gentiles because hee did foresee that this verity should bee called in question by them who would establish another head of the Church then Christ hee conceites a graue atestation saying in these things which I write vnto you behold before God I lye not as also more plainely in another place whose preacher and Apostle saith he I am constituted I speake the truth in Christ and lye not euen a Teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity Moreouer three yeares after his conuersion he passed to Ierusalem and fourteene yeares after hee ascended to Ierusalem the second time now in this seauenteenth yeare after his calling to the Apostleship which fell in the yeare of Christ Anno 6. Paul testifies the Ghospell of vncircumcision was committed vnto him as that of the Circumcision to Peter and the Lord blessed and made both their Ministeries effectuall So that it came to passe that Paul and Barnabas did couenant and giue their right hands of fellowship that they among the Gentiles Iames Peter and Iohn for so hee rankes them among the Iewes should discharge their Apostleship now it must be of necessity that if Peter was head of the Church then hee was constituted head both ouer Iew and Gentile vnles they would say that hee was but halfe a head but Paul affirmes and that by their owne motiue and voluntary will that the Ghospell of the Gentiles was committed to him and Barnabas and not vnto Peter how can we say then that he was or apoynted to bee head of the Church seeing he was bound and tyed by his owne faithfull promise beside his Commission not to meddle with the Gentiles in his Ministery or was not that an vnfirme head of the Church if so