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	see_v	word_n	2,949	5	3.7576	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17586	The re-examination of two of the articles abridged: to wit, of the communicants gesture in the act of receaving, eating, and drinking: and The observation of festivall dayes	Calderwood, David, 1575-1650.; Cowper, William, 1568-1619. Passage of Master William Cowper pretended bishop of Gallway, his sermon delivered before the estates, anno 1606. at which time hee was minister at Perth.	1636 (1636)	STC 4363.5; ESTC S118315	29,491	64

God that the severall acts of Christ should have bene celebrated with severall solemnities the holy Ghost would have made known the day of his nativitie circumcision presenting to the temple baptisme transfiguration and the like But it is confessed that the day of Christs nativitie and consequently of the rest depending thereupon are hid from mortall men And this is sufficient to declare the will of God concerning other notable acts which were known that not the act or action upō such day maketh a day holy but divine institution No man denieth but the nativitie of Christ should be remembred and so it is whersoever the gospel is preached But we deny that the memorie of it must be celebrated with the solemnitie of a festivall day with cessation from work feasting or forbearance of fasting and a proper service Our fift reason Suppose observing of holy dayes had been at the first a matter indifferent yet seing they have beene abused and polluted with superstition they ought to be abolished And therefore Zanchius approveth them who have abolished all other dayes but the Lords day Sure it is that in former times holie dayes have beene abused not only with licentious ravelling and surfitting but also with the opinion of worship and merit and a Iudaicall conceat that the devil is not so bold to tempt men on these dayes as at other times Suppose observation were free of these abuses yet it may degener after the same manner as before but the observation is not nor can not be free of abuse and superstition They say they esteeme them not holier then other dayes but only keepe them for order and policie that the people may be assembled to religious exercises and instructed in the mysteries of religion But both are false The papist confesse themselves that one day is not holier then an other in the own nature no not the Lords day but in respect of the use and end And so doe our formalists esteeme our festivall dayes holier then other dayes and call them holy daies And as for worship If the observing of a day holie for the honouring of a Saint be a worshipping of the Saint the observing of a day to the honour of Christ cannot bee without opinion of worship They are called mysticall dayes and appointed for the solemnitie of some mysterie of religion and are ordered according to the known and supposed times when such things fell foorth to wit Christs nativitie passion ascension c. If only for order or policie wherefore is there but one day betweene the passion and the resurrection fourtie dayes betweene the resurrection and ascension and then again but ten betwixt the ascension and whitsonday May not and are not Christians instructed in the mysteries of religion without the solemnities of dayes and appropriation of service to them after the Iewish manner Do wee not appropriate to the day of Christs nativitie a peculiar kinde of service of epistles gospels collects hymnes homilies belonging to Christs nativitie and think it absurd to performe the like service upon any other day with cessation from work To observe dayes after this manner is not like the appointing of hours for preaching or prayers on week daies or times for celebrating the comunion according to the policie set down by everie particular congregation Wee use time then only as a circumstance and for order and do not appropriate these divine exercises to these times Howbeit Christ rose upon the Lords day yet was it not appointed to be observed after the Iewish manner of observation of their festivals for then every Lords day the matter of sermons collects hymnes gospels c. should have beene only Christs resurrection But yee see the use and end is morall and generall for the instruction of the people of God in all mysteries of religion FINIS A passage of Master William Covvper pretended bishop of Gallovvay his sermon delivered before the Estates anno 1606. at which time hee was Minister at Perth On 2 Corinth 6.3.4 AS to the giving of offences our Saviour hath forewarned us that there will bee offences but he hath pronounced a fearfull wo upon them by whom offences come It were better sayeth our Saviour that a milestone were put about his neck and hee cast in the midst of the sea And by the law of Moses hee was accursed that laid a stumbling block before the blinde The equitie of that law yet remaineth under the gospel binding the Christian that no man put an occasion to fall or a stumbling block before his brethren but most of al a Christian preacher his office is to edifie others in the most holy faith and to strengthen the brethren hee being converted himself It should therefore be far from him to give any that are weak an occasion to stumble and fall generally hee may do it by his evill life for hardly can weak ones believe that the religion is good where the life is evill yea by it they take occasion to blaspheme the truth of God and to speake evil of his name A preacher is compared by our Saviour to a candle to shine to others and againe to the salt of the earth that should season others A candle once lighted if it dieth out smelleth worse then if it had never beene lighted and salt that is made by concoction of salt matters if againe it returne into water becometh more unsavorie and unpleasant to the taste then any other water so a preacher once separate by God chosen out from the world entered into a holy calling if again he return to be a worldling if in his life he become profane and suffer the light that is in him become darknesse falling away from his first love of all the men in the world hee becometh the greatest offence and the latter end of that man shall bee worse then his beginning These are the words I spake the last time wherewith yee were offended and now I repeat them that others may see no cause of offence is in them More specially a preacher giveth offence by doing any of these two things First when a preacher of greater gifts and knowledge howsoever hee do it of a good intention draweth on a weaker brother to follow him in a cause wherein hee hath not a warrant from God A notable example whereof we have 2 King 13. where a prophet of Iuda being sent to Bethel to denounce the judgements of God against Ieroboam for his idolatrie was commanded neither to eat nor drink in Bethel Ieroboam could not beguile him for hee gave the king this answere If thou would give me the half of thy house I wold not goin with thee nor eat bread nor drink water in this place for so I was charged by the word of the Lord. But an old prophet deceived him saying I am also a prophet as well as thou art and an angel of God commanded me to bring thee into my house and cause thee eat bread Thus the authoritie the age the pretended light of an other prophet draweth either prophets in an evill course whereunto otherwise they would not bee easily induced Heereby wee that are of meane gifts in the ministrie are admonished never to depart from that immediat warrant of doingin our calling we have of the word of God for any mediat warrant brought out of the promptuarie of mans wit suppose it were covered with never so fair pretences yea suppose an angel would come from heaven and bring an other doctrine then that which is delivered us in the word wee are not to credite him far lesse an earthly man that speaketh but contrariwise to hold him accursed The other thing wherein the preacher may give offence is if hee alter or change in any point of his calling either in doctrine or discipline departing from that which once hee maintained This rule is given us by the apostle Gal. 2.18 If I build again these things I have destroyed I make my self a transgressour This is a rule by which ye can not refuse to be tried and which necessarly binds you to stand to that truth of doctrine and discipline yee have once embraced unlesse yee would be found trespassers and such as give just cause of offence that our ministrie should bee reprehended If ye have any new light ye had not before communicat to other brethren that we also may follow you If not I beseech you walk not in that course wherein the light of GOD doth not allow you FINIS