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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	answer_v	prove_v	true_a	4,426	5	4.8087	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97096	The compassionate Samaritane unbinding the conscience, and powring oyle into the wounds which have beene made upon the separation: recommending their future welfare to the serious thoughts, and carefull endeavours of all who love the peace and unity of Commonwealths men, or desire the unanimous prosecution of the common enemie, or who follow our Saviours rule, to doe unto others, what they would have others doe unto them.	Walwyn, William, 1600-1681.; Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665, attributed name.	1644 (1644)	Wing W681B; Thomason E1202_1; ESTC R208770	22,915	91

of reply or vindication in publike is allowed to any though never so much scandalized by them And that men may not vindicate themselves by writing their next interest is to be Masters of the Presle of which they are lately become by an Ordinance for licensing of Bookes which being intended by the Parliament for a good necessary end namely the prohibition of all Bookes dangerous or scandalous to the State is become by meanes of the Licencers who are Divines and intend their owne interest most serviceable to themselves scandalous Books being still disperst in the stopping of honest mens writings that nothing may come to the Worlds view but what they please unlessc men will runne the hazard of imprisonment as I now doe so that in publike they may speake what they will write what they wil they may abuse whom they will and nothing can be said against them well may they presume of making themselves Masters of the people having these foundations laid and the people generally willing to beleive they are good I might proceed to shew what usage wise men expect from their Government being once establisht how rigid and austere some thinke they will prove countenancing no recreations but what themselves are addicted to how covetous others deem them observing that they have more regard to the Benefice then the people and doe usually change and shift upon proffer of a better Parsonage Some say that they are a people sicke of the Pharises disease they love to sit upermost at feafts to be reverenced in publike places that their respects towards men are as they are rich and benef●ciall to them and that a pore man can hardly obtaine a visite though at the time when the world couceives there is greatest necessity of it that they'hover about dying men for their Fee and hope of Legacy many other things are commonly talked of them which because I suspect to be true I will set myself hereafter more narrowly to observe The Objection wereupon all this I hope necessary digression is built was that men may be compelled though again●● conscience to what the Synod or present Ministery shall conclude to be good and agreable to Cods Word because unity and uniformity in the Church is to be endeavoured To which I further Ans Answer That to sorce men against their mind and judgment to belecive what other men conclude to be true would prove such tyranny as the wicked P●oc●us●es mentioned by Plutarch practised who would fit all men to one Bed by stretching them out that were too short and by cutting them shorter that were too long If we beleive as the Synod would have us what is this but to be brought into their miserable condition that must beleive as the Church beleives and so become as said an honest man not the Disciples of Christ but of the Synod 3. Reas The third Reason for Liberty of Conscience is grounded upon these foundations that whatsoever is not of faith is sin and that every man ought to be fully perswaded of the truenesse of that way wherein he servcth the Lord upon which grounds I thus argue To compell me against my conscience is to compell me against what I beleive to be true and so against my faith now whatsoever is not of faith is sin To compell me therefore against my conscience is to compell me to doe that which is sinfull for though the thing may be in it selfe good yet if it doe not appeare to be be so to my conscience the practice thereof in me is sinfull which therefore I ought not to be compelled unto Againe I am counselled by the Apostle to be perswaded in my owne mind of the truth of that way wherin I serve the Lord I am not therefore to be compelled to worship God in such a way of the justnesse whereof I am not yet perswaded much lesse in such a way as is against my mind Ob. Nothing is more dangerous to a State espeacially in these times than division and disturbance by severall wayes of Brethren which have encreased our miseries and therefore to avoyde division they who wil not of their own accords comply are for the quiet of the state to be compelled and punished Ans I Answer that it is verily thought that the harshnesse only of this proposition hinders that it is not yet put in execution till time cunning have fitted it for the people for we are told in the last consideration tending to diswade from further gathering of Churches that suffering is like to be the portion of such as shall judge the right rule not to be delivered to them A man would thinke that those people that so lately were the sufferers the noyse of whose exclamations against such courses is scarce yet on t of the peoples eares that they should not so soone thinke of being the Tyrants But to the Objection I answer that the diversity of mens judgments is not the occasion of division because the word division hath reference to falling off from the Common cause Now though the provocations and incitements against the Brownists and Anabaptists and some of the Independents have beene many yet their affections to the Publike weale are so hearty in them and grounded upon such sound principles of reason that no assay of the Synod can make them cease to love and assist their Countrey and it is more then evident by the prosperity of our neighbours in Holland that the severall wayes of our brethren in matters of Religion hinder not but that they may live peaceably one amongst an other and the Spaniard will witnesse for them that they unite sufficiently in the defence of their common liberties and opposition of their common enemies Besids it s very materiall to consider that it hath ever been the practice of those that are countenanced by Authority to endeavor the suppression of those that are not who is therefore in the fault the quiet Separatist who being perswaded in his conscience of the truth of that way he desires to serve the Lord in peeceably goes on to do his duty as he thinkes himselfe bound to doe or they who out of a lordly disposition care not what injury they doe to others though to the hazard of the Common-wealth to advance themselves and their government they defame the Separation in their writings and Sermons bid their poselites beware of them as of a dangerous and factious people stoppe their mouthes keep the Presse fom them provoake them by all wayes possible and then like the crafty Politian cry out upon them as the causers of division I heare some men say that it concernes the Minister so to doe because his living depending upon his tythes and guifts is the greater the more rich and numerous his audience is and therefore the Separa ists are not to be suffered who they find by experience draw many people after them and though not the devout honourable women nor the cheife men of the

City yet many whose number might much encrease the yearly revennue of the Minister and therefore you must thinke it has concerned them to meet together and to say amongst themselves Sirs you know that by this our craft we have our wealth moreover ye se hear that not alone at London but in most parts of the Kingdom these Separatists have perswaded turnd away much peo ple saying that our Ministry is no true Ministry our Church no true Church our Doctrine in many things erronious that our succession from the Apostles is but a pretended thing as we our selves do derive it descended for many 100. yeares through the detestable Papacy mish Ministry so that if these men be suffered our gaine and the magnificence of the Ministery wich not England only but all Christendome doth highly magnificence of the Ministery wich not England only but all Christendome doth highly magnifie and reverence would quickly downe For what other reason then this can be imagined why the Separati on should bee the eye-sore of our Ministers It cannot be instanced in one particular whereby the Common-wealth receives prejudice from them And then for the charge of Separating for their maknig a Scisme which is endeavoured to be cast so heavily upon them I answer That by reason of the Church of Romes corruptions the Church of England did long since make a Scisme from the Church of Rome for which cause likewise many of the present Ministers in lieve of the Antichristian domineering Bishops thought it no robbery to make scisme from England and even this Idolizing Synod which though not yet upon her Throne sticks not to let her clients see she sayes in her heart Behold I s●t a queen I am no widdow and shall see no sorrow Rev. 18. 7. May not I say this Reverend Synod if to be proceeded against by such carnall sandy principles such humane ordinances by which the Separatists stand prejudiced be legally found to have made the greatest and most transcendent scisme which England ever knew or heard of since the Papistrie was discarded If then the Separation have gon a little further and not only with the Bishops separated from Rome with the Ministers from the Bishops but by reason of some corruptions still remaining among the Ministers are by their consciences necssitated to separate from them likewise In all these separations there was difference in judgment the Bishops differ in some things from Rome our Ministers from the Bishops and amongst themselves too which differecnes by the Scriptures they cannot determine as appeareth both by their writings and preachings wherein with nuch vehemency they urge the same against other of little force then will the major vote of a Synod be for the determining thereof having so lately most notoriously discovered themselves to be men-pleasers and temporisers by crying downe the things which but yesterday they so highly magnified in their Pulpits and also practised with much devotion at least seemingly and having withall their owne interests so much concerned therein as is before in Part declared And further knowing that the same persons themselves and their Tenets as well as the opinions of Independents Brownists and Anababtists whom they oppose doe stand condemned not by the major vote of divers Synods only but by many generall Counsells also who are accounted to represent the whole Church upon Earth no whit inferiour to them either in Arts or Learning or any other qualification Let it be then no wonder nor so much as seem blameable hereafter that the Separatists should differ in some Opinions from this present Synod since the Ministers therein no little differ amongst them selves much more than ye● appeares and will do so while Sun and Moon endures untill we have courage and strength enough to abandon all private interests and advantages All times have produced men of severall wayes and I beleive no man thinkes there will be an agreement of judgement as longe as this World lasts If ever there be in all probability it must proceed from the power and efficacie of Truth not from constraint Objection An Assembly of Divines men that have imployed all their time in the study of Religion are more likely to find out the truth then other men that have not so spent their time who being now consulting what Doctrines and what Discipline is most agreeable to the Word of God it is but meet that all men should waite their leasure till it be manifest what they shall produce Answ To this objection I say first That they being now in consultation not for themselves but as they say for the whole people it is but reasonable that they should publish to the world whatsoever is in debate amongst them and invite every man to give them their best light and information that so they may heare all voyces and not conclude ought against mens judgments before it be heard what they can say for themselves This might peradventure be a meanes to find out all truth and settle things so as that every man might be satisfied You will say that they consider of all objections amongst themselves I reply that is not sufficient for 't is a knowne case men are generally partiall to themselves and their owne judgments urging the weakest objections and that but slightly and it can give no satisfaction to men to have their causes pleaded by their Adversaries Secondly how palpable soever it appeare that an Assembly of Divines are more likely to find out truth then other men yet it is to be considered that it will puzzle any man to instance when they did so Besides grant it be more probable yet it may be otherwise and 't is well knowne hath proved so The Liturgie was by universall consent approved and by the Parliaments Authority authorised particular men being for these many yeares averse to it and separating from the publike Congregations because of it it now appeares who were in the right How confident soever therefore the Divines as they style them selves are that they shall find out the right rule yet since it may be and hitherto hath been otherwise it is but meet that they should decree only for themselves and such as are of their owne mind and allow Christian Liberty to all their Brethren to follow that way which shall seem to them most agreable to truth Ob. But we are told in the Divines Considerations that all men must wait otherwise the Parliament are like to be provoaked Answ J marry Sir this is a good strongue Argument and speakes home to us I cannot blame the Separatists now for crying out they feare your Club more then your Reason I see what they might expect if the sword and authority were in your hand your nine Considerations informes me wherin are these two suppositions First that the right rule may not be delivered us And secondly that then men may be called to s●ffer It is a wonder to observe the wrethed condition of man and his