Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bring_v	great_a	people_n	1,907	5	4.2467	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85952	The golden mean: being some serious considerations, together with some cases of conscience resolved; for a more full, and frequent administration of, yet not free admission unto, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. / By Stephen Geree, minister of God's word, and pastor of the Church of Abinger in the county of Surrey.	Geree, Stephen, 1594-1656?	1656 (1656)	Wing G607; Thomason E1667_1; ESTC R208393	36,650	111

none so fit to examine ordinarily as Ministers who are or should be men approved for knowledge judgment and holinesse And hereupon I argue further thus If invincible ignorance doth make children and fooles unfit to be admitted to this holy Supper much more will affected ignorance which makes them not onely incapable but unworthy of admittance because by their negligence they are disabled from discerning the Lord's body and so must neede ●at and drink unworthily 1 Cor. 11.29 Add hereunto that the Prelaticall party who have been most backward in this businesse of examination cannot deny but that confirmation was appointed by our first reformers and that none should be confirmed by the Byshop See the Rubrick about confirmation and before the communion but such as could say the Catechisme and that none should be admitted to the Communion untill such time as they could say the Catechisme and be confirmed and therefore the Minister was appointed to Catechize such as were to be confirmed and all Fathers Mothers Masters and Dames should cause their Children Servants and Apprentices which had not learned their Catechisme to come to the Church at the time appointed and obediently to hear and be ordered by the Curate until such time as they have learned all that was appointed for them to learn Now this being in many places neglected on all sides Ministers not Catechizing or very few of them and likewise Parents and Masters c. being backward to bring their Children and Servants to learn the Catechisme and Bishops as carelesse as any t● see it done and so in a great measure the cause of the neglect of the other whom they had power by their Courts to compell had they not wanted care and conscience hence most sorts of people did still remain very ignorant of the grounds of Religion being altogether uncatechised Wherefore let any man judge what need there is now of more then ordinary examination or catechizing almost of all sorts in regard of knowledge so that a great many that mutter and make much ado against examination as if it were so tyrannical and much worse than Episcopal Government do say they know not what For though Episcopal Government in regard of the execution of that office fell short in this particular yet in regard of the right constitution thereof the Bishops should have caused as much to have been done as is of late required by moderate Presbyterians and it was their sin and shame that they did it not See the Rubrick about confirmation and before the Communion Case 3. But shall the scandalous be admitted to this holy Communion what shall be done with them Sol. 1 I think they should indeed be excommunicated from all publick Communion in holy Ordinances those I mean that are proved scandalous and wil not be admonished nor submit and acknowledge their crimes and hainous offences Secondly seeing that in most congregations there wants sufficient power for authoritative excommunication I think it very difficult what to determine in this business and that because it is hard to judge what is scandal and also who are scandalous learned men being much divided in this particular Therefore I conceive it too great a burden to be put upon the Minister alone unlesse he were more infallible than most can possibly be imagined or unlesse there were publick Lawes to regulate and determine what shall bee accounted a scandall and who and when scandalous Sol. 3 Thirdly I add where no Government is set up as in most places there neither is nor well can be as yet rebus sic stantibus for want of fit Officers If there be any so grossly scandalous that there need no examination or other proof as in case of Bastardy Common-drunkennesse or the like if any such should offer to come to the holy Communion he is to be admonished if hee do openly confesse his sin and professe his hearty sorrow for the same promise by the grace of God to indeavor amendment I know no reason in all the Word of God why he should be put by But if he will not be admonished but seek to justifie himself or excuse the matter and remain obstinate hee deserves to bee excommunicated and cast out of the Congregation But for want of Discipline whereby this might be legally done I suppose the Minister if there be any that will join with him to testifie the scandal and obstinacie may in such a case passe h●m by 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thes 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Pastor Evangel l. 3. c. 5. p. 188. 189. ad 195. Ezek. 3.4 and 9. charging him not to presume to partake at his own peril warning also the rest of the Congregation to withdraw from familiar conversing with such an one more then natural or necessary civil bonds do tie them to the intent that he may be ashamed as if he were juridically excommunicate But now if none will join with the Minister in this case but leav the businesse wholly upon him I do not think it can be safe for him alone to put him away onely he may charge him to abstain till he have given some fatisfaction to the Congregation and not to offer the consecrated elements unto him and if he will take them of himself he hath had sufficient warning his blood shall be upon his own head and shall not be required at the Minister's hands And as for others that are onely suspected the Minister may not meddle with them no nor a Presbytery because De occultis non judicat Ecclesia onely they may admonish such in private to carry themselves so as to take off all suspition Now though this may seem to some very strange as favouring of loosnesse and remissnesse yet let me tell you that it is no more in effect than what some of the chief and choice Independents allow upon the like occasion For Mr Thomas Hooker a man very eminent while he was in Old Vid M. Cawdryes Review of M. Hookers Survey cap. 2. pag. 94. and afterwards in New-England yet in his Survey of Discipline yields as much In declining times saith he a Church being corrupted when diseases grow deadly there is allowed and a toleration of necessity must be so far granted M. Blake on the Covenant Ch. 47. page 437. See also Mr Gillaspy's his Aarons Rod book 3. ch 15. p. 541. until juridicè the evil be examined the parties convinced censures applied for reformation See M. Cawdrey's Review p. 94. M. Blake also quotes another passage to this purpose out of the same M. Hooker We see saith he how much reverend M. Hooker speaking the opinion of his party gives to the Churches conivence or indulgence If the Church saith he either through connivence negligence or indulgence sha tolerate such evills and evill persons in the state of Church-membership they cannot then deny them the priviledge of members thus far he Now this is one speciall priviledge of Church-members that are of years