Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	king_n	law_n	lord_n	4,135	5	3.8427	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19800	The iudgement of that reuerend and Godly lerned man, M. Lambert Danæus, touching certaine points now in controuersie, contained in his preface before his commentary vpon the first Epistle to Timothie, written in Latine, and dedicated by him to the Prince of Orange. But novv translated into Englishe, for the behofe and comfort of all those, who (not vnderstanding the Latine tongue) are desirous to know the trueth in those points; In D. Pauli priorem epistolam ad Timotheum commentarius. English. dedication	Daneau, Lambert, ca. 1530-1595?	1590 (1590)	STC 6228; ESTC S111042	11,315	26

and that euery congregation should haue in it a Senate or company of Elders Al churches therefore are bound to be gouerned by the eldership chose by the church without whom neither the Pastor nor any man els is to deale in the affairs of the church and that in euery congregation there bee some censuring of wickednes and of vnruly manners which censures are not to be administred by the arbitriment of one man but by the deliberation and judgment of the leaders and gouerners and as Ierom saith of the Elders of the church To be short it is essential vnto ecclesiasticall discipline that the sentence of excommunication bee giuen forth against the obstinat and that it be pronounced not according to the minde and judgement of ciuilians and such as giue sentence according vnto the lawes of man but by the direction of the officers of the church which judge acording vnto the lawes of God and that it be giuen forth not in a corner by one man alone but by the consent and in the presence of the Church the same being gathered together for that purpose And therefore wee answere plainly and directly that the substance or essential partes of ecclesiastical discipline ought to be the same in al the churches that professe the Gospel or cary the name of any reformation with them But if the question bee concerning outwarde things which only are accidentary vnto this discipline wherin onely the conuenience or discommodity standeth in the practise or the omitting of some thinges indifferent wee holde that those pointes may bee changeable yea and that often times it is requisite they shoulde bee changed in consideration of the respect that is to be had vnto the diuersitie of times places persons So far are wee in this point from requiring that euery countrey and region shoulde be tyed vnto the same forme of outwarde order For it may fal out that these thinges which in this place and in this countrey is wel and commodiously done As for example the lords supper is administred in France once euery quarter cannot bee so conueniently practised in other regions and countries After this manner it is that the sentence of excommunication in som places is red out of booke which in other Churches is denounced by the Pastor as the Lord directeth him to speake for the present time Euen so also the maner is in this Church of Geneua that he who hath fallen to Idolatry and desireth afterwardes to bee reconciled vnto the Church maketh confession of his fault vpon the Lords day onely whereas in other Churches he might doe it at any other day that the Churche thinketh conuenient Here with vs the penitent readeth his confession in other places he speaketh it as he is moued for the present Al these indifferent things then may haue a diuers forme according to the diuersity of places times c so that alwaies the correction of manners the acknoweledging of the fault the seperation of the goates from the sheepe be retained in the lordes house those thinges done which God requireth to bee put in execution And so this point be euermore practised that the Church and house of God bee orderly gouerned that it may appeare not to be a cadge of vncleane birdes but the well gouerned familie of the liuing God The substance therefore and essential partes of discipline ought to bee one and the selfe same in al the Churches of God in what age or place soeuer they bee but as for such thinges as are accidentary thereunto they may bee changed And therefore in this question wee holde it needefull that men should learne alwaies to make a distinction betweene the accidentall and the essentiall partes of Church discipline Furthermore we account it meerely vnlaweful that any man yea the supreame Magistrate or yet the vniuersal body of the true Church should goe about to change alter remoue diminish or augment any thing that is Essentiall in Ecclesiasticall Discipline For although in ciuil causes the King The gouernment of the church not to bee changed or the chiefe magistrate may by vertue of the authority graunted vnto him by the Lord make newe lawes and abrogate the olde yet notwithstanding he hath not the like authoritie either in abolishing and changing the essential parts of ecclesiastical discipline or yet in adding any thing of his own thereunto The reason whereof is most manifest and cleare For seeing the especial scope and end of Ecclesiastical Discipline is first that the Pastors which take charge of Gods people haue a laweful calling Secondly that the consciences of men bee ruled and by true conuersion and repentance brought vnto the obedience of Gods wil it must needs follow that the ordaining appointing of ecclesiastical discipline is only in the Lords hand because that he alone is the Lord king ruler and lawgiuer of his Church and hee alone the onely true and lawful iudge and gouernour of the consciences of men And therefore hee alone is both to prescribe the rules of the lawfull callings of such as are to beare office in his house and also to set downe the way howe the consciences of men may bee mooued and repentaunce wrought in them In which two points as we haue sayd the chiefe force and drift of Ecclesiasticall discipline is contained And concerning these matters neither king nor yet the whole body of the Church haue authority to prescribe any other lawes then those which Christ himselfe hath set downe For the Church it selfe is no other then a seruaunt to be ruled by the commaundements of God hir soueraigne Lorde and not a Queene or a Lady to prescribe vnto her selfe what lawe she likes best and as for Kings and Princes they are members and not heads of the Church members indeede that are to be reuerenced aboue the rest in respect of their calling yet members in such sort as in the gouerning of the Churche they are not to commaund as they list but their duety is onely to be carefull that the commaundements of the Lord may bee put in execution by and amongest their subiectes For out of all controuersie the Lorde alone is to appoint and ordaine Ecclesiasticall vocations and callinges as hee is the onely searcher and ruler of the soule and conscience And therefore seeing the ruling of the consciences of men and the subduing of them vnto the obedience of God is the end wherefore Ecclesiasticall Discipline is ordained The way and the means wherby that worke is to be effected can be shewed by none saue onely by the Lorde alone because hee only made and formed the conscience and mind of man he only knoweth how they may be ruled turned and changed and he onely is the Lord of them Whence it is that to seeke any where els especially from the mouth of natural man saue only at the word of God the laws to rule and guide the conscience is nothing els but to hunt after errours and delusions and

wisedome and strength the Churches of Zealand Holland and the whole coast therabouts haue obtained peace I thinke nothing more profitable and more necessarie for the establishing and preseruing of a right gouernement in them then are the things which I haue handled in this Commentarie For euen as the contempt and neglect of the Churche Discipline hath brought ruine vnto the Churche so the carefull obseruation thereof beeing ordayned according vnto the rule of the Apostles hath not onelie maintained the soundnes and puritie of the heauenly doctrine amongest men but also hath amended and retained in the obedience of GOD the manners and behauiour of those that professed the name of Christ if at any time they seemed to decline from the sinceritie of their profession To bee shorte this selfe same Discipline is both a most strong fortresse against heresies and Schismes that are comming vppe and a most excellent preseruatiue and counterpoyson against those that are alreadie growen And although I knowe that your excellencye wants not the meanes to come vnto the knowledge of these thinges by the learned conferences which you may haue with diuers of great knowledge and learning and especially with that honorable and worthie man Phillip Marnixus the Lord of the mount of Saint Aldegond with that faithfull Minister of God M. Taffinne yet notwithstanding I thought it not amisse for me to bestow this my talent according vnto mine abilitie vnto the common behoofe and profite of your Churches that they may vnderstand both what great good will I beare vnto them from my heart euen in respect of your excellencie and also howe vncessantly I pray vnto the Lord to vouchsafe them all peace and prosperity To come vnder your selfe most noble Prince it is not vnknowen how well you haue deserued both at the handes of all men professing religion and especially of our Countrey men in Fraunce Of whose safety preseruation both your selfe and that noble Earle your brother Count Lodowick whose famous and happy memory I hope will neuer decay in Gods Church haue bene alwaies especiallye carefull For by the force and counsell of you two the French Churches haue bene a long time protected from the most barbarous crueltie which by their enemies haue bene offered vnto them contrary to the lawes of their Countrey and the custome of all antiquity In conclusion your renown the commendacions of those exploytes that you haue atchieued for the defence of gods glory is so rife in the mouths of all men in Christendome that your match in the constant defending of the good cause is not euery where to be found amongst men For you haue deliuered the Countrey committed vnto your gouernment from the tyrannie of the Spaniards and all forraine enemies you haue by vnexpected waies and almost after an extraordinarie manner healed the breaches of the Lowe-countrey that was lamentablie torne in sunder by inward broiles and discord and haue restored them to their former ancient liberty and honor You haue put the enemies to flight being nowe ready to deuide the spoil and carrying before you the ensigne of Christes cause gotten the victorie and triumphed ouer them You are renowned by all men as a patrone of godlines and pietie the most valiant vphoulder of publike iustice and peace So that you which haue done so great and so excellent things for the enlarging of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ and the defence of the liberties of your Countrey doe also iustly deserue to bee well spoken of by all men For as Euripides saith mens good deedes doe alwaies procure good speches to be vttered in their praise and commendacions As to my selfe right excellent Prince seing I doe vnderstand that so many of your admirable and worthy actions are euerie where commended through the world I thought it my duty to leaue this worke as a testimonie of my dutifull good will towards your excellencie and of my poore endeuour to publish abroad the commendacion of your deserued praise and renowne The which labour of mine I earnestly entreat your excellencie to accept in good part The Lord who is God alone eternal wise good just and mercifull strengthen and confirme you as hee did Daniell with his holy spirite and preserue you among vs and especially in the Lowe-countries for the support defence of his church in quietnes and prosperitie many yeares Geneua the calends of August 1577. Your excellencies most bounden LAMBERT DANAEVS