Selected quad for the lemma: master_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
master_n	child_n	servant_n	wife_n	7,379	5	6.5654	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90750	A platform of church-discipline: Gathered out of the Word of God, and agreed upon by the elders and messengers of the Churches assembled in the Synod at Cambridge in Nevv-England: to be presented to the churches and General Court for their consideration and acceptance in the Lord.	Congregational Churches in New England. Cambridge Synod.; Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.; Winslow, Edward, 1595-1655.	1653 (1653)	Wing P2398; Thomason E692_7; ESTC R206993	39,996	45

with them in all the Doctrinals of Religion we hope it may appear to the world that as we are a remnant of the People of the same Nation with them so we are Professors of the same common Faith and fellow Heirs of the same common Salvation Yea moreover as this our Profession of the same faith with them will exempt us even in their judgments from suspicion of Heresie so we trust it may exempt us in like sort from suspicion of Schism that though we are forced to dessent from them in matters of Church-Discipline yet our dissent is not taken up out of arrogancy of spirit in our selves whom they see willingly condescend to learn of them neither is it carried with uncharitable censoriousness towards them both which are the proper and essential Characters of Schisem but in meekness of wisdom as we walk along with them and follow them as they follow Christ so where we conceive a different apprehension of the mind of Christ as it falleth out in some few points touching Church-order we still reserve due reverence to them whom we judg to be through Christ the glorious Lights of both Nations and only crave leave as in spirit we are bound to follow the Lamb whither soever be goeth and after the Apostles example as we beleeve so we speak And if the example of such poor outcasts as our selves might prevail if not with all for that were too great a blessing to hope for yet with some or other of our Brethren in England so far as they are come to mind and speak the same thing with such as dissent from them we hope in Christ it would not only moderate the harsh judging and condemning of one another in such differences of judgment as may be found in the choycest Saints 3 but also prevent by the mercy of Christ the peril of the distraction and distruction of all the Churches in both Kingdoms Otherwise if Brethren shall go on to bite and devour one another the Apostle fears as we also with sadness of heart do it will tend to the consuming of them and us all which the Lord prevent We are not ignorant that besides these aspersions of Heresie and Schism other exceptions also are taken at our way of Church-Government but as we conceive upon as little ground As 1. That by admitting none into the fellowship of our Church but Saints by calling we rob many Parish-Churches of their best Members to make up one of our Congregations which is not only to gather Churches out of Churches a thing not heard of in Scripture but also to weaken the hearts and hands of the best Ministers in the Parishes by dispoyling them of their best Hearers 2. That we provide no course for the gaining and calling in of ignorant and erronious and scandalous persons whom we refuse to receive into our Churches and so exclude from the wholsom remedy of Church-Discipline 3. That in our way we sow seeds of division and hindrance of edification in every Family whilst admitting into our Churches only Voluntaries the Husband will be of one Church the Wife of another the Parents of one Church the Children of another the Master of one Church the Servants of another and so the Parents and Masters being of different Churches from their Children and Servants they cannot take a just account of their profiting by what they hear yea by this means the Husbands Parents and Masters shall be chargable to the maintenance of many other Churches and Church-Officers besides their own which will prove a charge and burden unsupportable But for Answer as to the first For gathering Churches out of Churches we cannot say that it is a thing unheard of in Scripture The first Christian Church was gathered out of the Jewish Church and out of many Synagogues in that Church and consisted partly of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem partly of the Galileans who though they kept some communion in some parts of publick Worship with the Temple yet neither did they frequent the Sacrifices nor repair to the Sanedrim for the determining of their Church-causes but kept entire and constant communion with the Apostles Church in al the Ordinances of the Gospel And for the first Christian Church of the Gentiles at Antioch it appeareth to have been gathered and constituted partly of the dispersed Brethren of the Church at Jerusalem whereof some were men of Cyprus and Cyren and partly of the beleeving Gentiles Acts 11.20 21. If it be said the first Christian Church at Jerusalem and that at Antioch were gathered not out of any Christian Church but out of the Jewish Temple and Synagogues which were shortly after to be abolished and their gathering to Antioch was upon occasion of dispersion in time of Persecution We desire it may be considered 1. That the Members of the Jewish Church were more strongly and straitly tyed by express holy Covenant to keep fellowship with the Jewish Church till it was abolished than any Members of Christian Parish-churches are wont to be tied to keep fellowship with their Parish-churches The Episcopal Canons which bind them to attend on their Parish Church it is likely they are now abolished with the Episcopacy The common Law of the Land is satisfied as we conceive if they attend upon the Worship of God in any other Church though not within their own Parish But no such like Covenant of God nor any other Religious Tye lieth upon them to attend the Worship of God in their own Parish Church as did lie upon the Jews to attend upon the Worship of God in their Temple and Synagogues 2. Though the Jewish Temple Church at Jerusalem was to be abolished yet that doth not make the desertion of it by the Members to be Lawful till it was abolished Future abolition is no warrant for present desertion unless it be Lawful in some case whilst the Church is yet in present standing to desert it to wit either for avoiding of present polutions or for hope of greater edification and so for better satisfaction to conscience in either future events or foresight of them do not desolve present relation Else Wives Children Servants might desert their Husbands Parents Masters when they be mortally sick 3. What the Members of the Jewish Church did in joyning to the Church at Antioch in time of persecution it may well be conceived the Members of any Christian Church may do the like for satisfaction of conscience Peace of conscience is more desirable than the peace of the outward Man and freedom from scruples of conscience is more comfortable to a sincere heart than freedom from persecution If it be said these Members of the Christian Church at Jerusalem that joyned to the Church at Antioch removed their habitations together with their Relations which if the Brethren of the Congregational way would do it would much abate the grievance of their departure from their Presbyterial Churches We verily could wish them so to do as well approving the like