Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	christian_a	religion_n	true_a	1,509	5	4.7207	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53346	Amsterdam: toleration, or no toleration in a discourse between conformists, non-conformists, papists, Anabaptists, Quakers, &c. In their own words, before a gracious king, about the extent of a Christian indulgence to all dissenters. By J.V.C.O. A friend to men of all religions.	J. V. C. O.	1663 (1663)	Wing O2A; ESTC R207624	19,722	59

or that way but you must faithfully inform me what I may do in Duty and Conscience which by Gods assistance I will do and leave the success to God Politician May it please your Majesty I presumed not to inform or impose upon your Majesty but according to the duty of my place I humbly offer what I think may be subservient to your declared Moderation and Condescention that the Accommodation begun by your gracious Declaration may be entire and perfect and fully settled to a perpetual unity Moderate Men. It is the earnest expectation and hope of the Religious and Well-affected to Publick Peace that as your gracious Disposition doth not suffer you to cleave to any divided Party of your Subjects to the discouragement of others that are alike truely Loyal so as a common Father you will protect cherish all those that are found capable and worthy and be our great Moderator by your Authority and Wisdom to lessen Differences to allay Animosities between dissenting Brethren which already agree in the main points of Religion King What do you advise me to do The Indifferent Truly in these great varieties of Opinions that trouble the world to maintain particular Opinions against others is in the experience of all Ages but to widen Differences and to make Divisions more vehement more lasting and more spreading whiles every one is so addicted to his own way that he cannot allow a charitable thought for any Dissenter nor let fall a good word for him nor acknowledge a truth in him Therefore I have always thought that the onely way of composing the troubles of the world in the matters of Religion were to allow every man his liberty to serve God according to his Light and Conscience provided he live soberly and peaceably B. Sanderson God forbid that every one should do what is good in his own eyes Shall we now cast away the Law of Nature which in all Ages was allowed to help us to judge of good and evil 6 Serm. Shall we leave the Law of God holy just and good Shall we reject the Laws of Order and Government to which all men submit in Reason and all Christians for Conscience sake Shall we fear neither God nor man but walk in the ways of our own hearts live after our own devices be our own Law Shall we live to our selves Shall we die to our selves Shall we who in our Religion profess to deny our selves and our own ways own nothing but our selves and our own ways Is it in man that walketh to direct his steps Shall every man go his own way when all flesh have corrupted their ways B. Reynolds It 's one of our greatest sins to be Self-movers to be a Rule to be a God to our selves Life Christ pag. 425. It 's one of Gods extreamest Judgements to give us over to our selves and leave us to follow our own Rules When he hath wooed us by his Spirit and he is refused he teacheth us by his Prophets and they are reviled governs us by his Magistrates and they are disobeyed when he offers to teach us and we stop our ears to lead us and we pull away the shoulder to restrain us and we break out when we non-plus and pose all the methods and ways appointed of God and observed by men to keep us within the bounds of sobriety piety peace and honesty it 's his last Judgement upon us to let us be a Rule and a Way unto our selves My people would not hearken unto my voice and Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts to walk after their own counsels Psalm 81.11 12. Non ex arbitrio Deo serviendum est sed Imperio B. Gauden p. 143. I acknowledge and allow that just plea which is made by learned and godly men for Christians mutual bearing with and forbearing one another in cases of private and modest Differences either in Opinions or Practices I would willingly yeild to all men much more to all Christians that Liberty Natural Civil and Religious which may consist with Scripture Precept and Right Reason with grounds of Morality and Society which is as much as I desire to use or enjoy my self in point of private Opinion and publick Profession I know Religion is not to be forced but perswaded as matter of choice not of constraint whereunto rational men are not to be compelled but to be convinced with meekness of wisdom yet because experience teacheth us that such is the infirmity and weakness of some people that they cannot finde out of themselves the truths of God which are the grounds of true Religion such is the laziness and indifference of others as to neglect all means that might help them and such is the pride and peevishness of others that they must needs be singular For these and other weighty Reasons Christian Religion ought not to be left loose without any limits or restraints upon their licentiousness who cannot endure any thing solid strict or settled in Religion as to themselves or others whereby they may live in any godly order upon Principles established by publick consent upon most mature Deliberation and impartial advice in order to Gods glory and the common good of humane society Therefore in all humility I offer that we may have some wise and grand Establishment which should be the Rule of the publick Doctrine Worship and Government This in all uprightness ought to be set before all people and not onely propounded and commended to them but so far commanded and enjoyned by Authority as none should neglect it or vary from it without giving account much less should any man publickly scorn or contemn it or the Ministers and Dispensers of it by writing speech or action to the scandal of the whole Church and Nation whose Constitutions ought to be received with all godly fear and reverence entertained with sollicitous diligence maintained with honourable munificence all containing themselves within the bounds of charitable union and humble subjection so as no private fancy upon any pretence whatsoever be permitted rudely and publickly to oppose the universal Constitution Mr. Baxter and Mr. Brinsley God forbid that faln man should be left to himself If poor souls be left without controul to the errour of their own ways they are undone for ever If a bare connivence at these several Opinions hath bred so much misery what do you think will a Toleration do a Toleration of all sorts of Opinions which is by some and those more then a good many under the abused notion of Liberty of Conscience pleaded for For my own part should this be once yeilded which I hope their eyes shall first fail who look for it I should look upon it as the Passing-bell to the Churches peace and glory if not to the true Religion of God in this Kingdom Mr. Vines p. 76. The chiefest apparent Cause and most pregnant outward occasion of our Ecclesiastick mischief and miseries