Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	faith_n	prove_v	3,810	5	6.3590	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34020	Gospel order revived being an answer to a book lately set forth by ... Increase Mather ... entituled, The order of the gospel, &c ... / by sundry ministers of the gospel in New England.	Colman, Benjamin, 1673-1747.; Pemberton, Ebenezer, 1672-1717.; Woodbridge, Timothy, 1656-1732.; Bradstreet, Simon, 1671-1741.	1700 (1700)	Wing C5399; ESTC W13238	38,537	52

relation of the time and manner of their Conversion The Reverend Author answers in the Negative and adds that the Churches of N. E do not impose it ●or ought it to be required or desired He gives four substantial reasons why it ought not And had he stopt here he had done well or had he added more reasons to those four as he could have done it had been an acceptable performance But about he wheels again and seems to plead hard for it or something like it which he calls the Practice of the Churches of New England This he would recommend from a story receiv'd from the Reverend Mr. Eliot but we have heard another story from the same Reverend Person how when one of the Brethren was highly commending his neighbours Relation and prefer●●●g it to others the said Mr. Eliot turned upon him and said A● Brother don 't be so much taken with fine words but look to the mans conversation The Author relates another story from the Reverend Mr. Ho● of one who through importunity was brought to make a relation and made the Congregation weep when he did it but whether for joy or grief we are left in the dark The Author gives us his arguments but they do not reach his end He pleads for them in that they are edifying but we have known some that have been no ways so or granting they were always so can that justifie the instituting and imposing them would it ●ot be edifying if every Sabbath day evening some well disposed talkative Brethren should stand up and relate the experiences of the week past yet shall we make it a law or custom will not some people assure you they have been wonderfully edified by a womans preaching in Publick and yet will our Reverend Author be induced to prostitute his Pulpit to them or part with a Sallary to cherish their zeal Again the Relation of Experiences is pleaded for in that God may be Honoured by them But we have known some to Gods dishonour being in●●pid sensless things to use our Authors own words meer formalities too scandalous and superstitious He saith they are a means to gain love with the Children of God But we have known some that have lost love and credit by them But the Question is Whether they are an instituted means for any of these ends Whether appointed by God to promote his glory edisie the Congregation or gain love If not they are but the Institutions of men and therefore to be rejected as the before quoted Mr. Willard instructs us God has appointed the preaching the Gospel the Sacraments c. for edification and the promoting Christian love among his people but we read nothing of these imposed relations neither when Christ himself nor when his Apostles after him administred this holy Sacrament Nor is there any appearance of such a Custom in the primitive Church Indeed there are some occasions as our Author observes on which a Person who has had a remarkable Conversion may declare it but there 's neither precept nor rule in the Word of God that it should be done at this set time and in publick And with what sace can we impose it when our Fathers fled from the impositions of men whether arbitrary Impositions are insufferable in themselves or not yet certainly they are ●old and insolent in New-England where the greatest out-cry is made against them in others But it would make a man smile were he never so serious or displeased to read the Texts that are brought for this Custom as that Psal ●0 10. I have not concealed thy Truth from the great Congregation And indeed the Royal Prophet had been inexcusable if he had as a Minister would now that should not declare to his flock the whole counsel of God Again Psal 66. 16. he says Come and hear all you that fear God and I will declare what he has done for my soul We imagine the Reverend Author supposes the Psalmist thus calling aloud in some vast religious Concourse and that in order to his partaking of the priviledges of the Jewish Church But should we grant a supposal so ridiculous and extravagant yet this makes nothing for imposing Relations for then it should have been spoken and challenged by the People Do you come and stand forth Sir and tell us what God has done for your soul and then we admit you to all the priviledges of the Temple Another Text strangely perverted to scare some good people is that Mat. 10. 33. Whosoever denyeth me before men him will I also deny before my father which is in Heaven As if there were no confessing Christ without making formal speeches in the Church And as if a credible profession of our faith in Christ the taking his Name upon us in Baptism and the renewal of our Baptismal Vow and a devout attendance on the Ordinances of the Gospel were not the true confession our Lord expects Wo be to the world if all were to be rated denyers of Christ who whether from inability modesty or a just indignation refuse to make a quaint Speech in the Church The last Scripture we shall name which has been equally abused with the rest is that in 1 Pet. 3. 15. That Christians should be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in them to everyone that asketh it to wit in a proper place and time for a fit end and on sufficient Reasons where there is Authority to command or it is desired with modesty The sense indeed is that we should be ready to defend our Faith against the scoffs and cavils of Infidels and Persecutors and that it is a shame to Christians not to be able to argue for their Religion and confute gain-sayers So that if you would infer hence any publick Speech in the Church it must be rather an Apology for the Christian Religion or a Sermon to prove its reasonableness and evidence but neither is it in the least intimated that this should be made a stated term of Communion and we are sure the Church has no more power to debar the resuser from any Christian priviledge then to require Oaths Subscriptions and Conformity to a Thousand more Ceremonies We have but one Remark more to make here and that is the Apostle requires this reason of our hope to be given with meekness fear The true sense whereof is that which we are contending even with Infidels yet we must not argue with an intemperate Passion or Zeal Or if we construe it as in opposition to Pride and Presumption of a mans own g●f●s and abilities It is a severe Rebuke to many of our bold and forward Zealots who have been famed for their promptness to speak in the Church and the first that have fallen under its deserved ●ash We should indeed be better reconciled to this custom of Relations were this prescribed meekness and fear more visible in them But this is the misery the more meek and fearful are hereby kept out of

Advertisement THe Reader is desired to take Notice that the Press in Boston is so much under the aw of the Reverend Author whom we answer and his Friends that we could not obtain of the Printer there to print the following Sheets which is the only true Reason why we have sent the Copy so far for its impression GOSPEL ORDER Revived Being an Answer to a Book lately set forth by the Reverend Mr Increase Mather President of Harvard Colledge c. ENTITULED The Order of the Gospel c. Dedicated to the Churches of Christ in New-England By sundry Ministers of the Gospel in New-England Prov. 18. 17. He that is first in his own Cause seemeth just but his Neighbour cometh and searcheth him Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Printed in the Year 1700. ERRATA ADvert l. ult r. it is Printed Ep. Ded. side 3 l. 29. r. ground S. 4 l. 7 r. wills l. 10. r. impose one l. 19. r. Anti-Synodalia S. 5 l. 3. r. voluminous S. 6 l. 6 r. banner S. 7 l. 5. r. sell l. 22 r. inartificial S. 8 l. 13. r. publickly Preached Gosp Ord. p. 9 l. 3 r that when p. 9 l. 16. r. invention p. 10 l. 9. r. notions p. 15 l. 33. r. stumble p. 17 l. 14. r altogether l. 32 that at p. 21 l. 11 r. of their ways p. 22 l. 14. r. Synodical l. 33. r. we leave the Author to be chastized p. 23 l. 10. r. without this p. 28 l. 27. r. Apostolical l. 28. r. one only excepted p. 29 l. 25. r. their persons p. 32 l. ult r. we 'l for once give our p. 34 l. 14 r. his book l. 16. r. were greater p. 37 l. antep r. ferre p. 40 l. 10. r. ●● Exemplary The Epistle Dedicatory To the Churches of Christ in N. England IT can incur no just Censure that we address our selves to the Churches of Christ here in the following Sheets inasmuch as they are but a Reply to a Book lately dedicated unto them Nor does our zeal we hope for Truth the Honour of God the Safety Peace Flourishing of these Churches come short of what our Reverend Author may be inspired with in his performance We make the same glorious Pretence with him to maintain defend the Order of the Gospel altho' we cannot allow what is suggested in the Title page That every Principle so strenuously contended for in that Treatise is either professed or practised by the Churches of Christ in New-England One part at least therefore of his Book the Reverend Author ought to have published in his own Name and not have obtruded it on the Churches here whose Practise never gave grounds to suspect them leavened with so gross thoughts as particularly his Doctrine of the Ordination of Ministers is We will not guess at the Authors secret aim or whom in particular he raises his Batteries against We'd charitably hope he has no private Interest to bribe him in this Affair and we hope for a like favourable and candid Construction of this Reply Indeed the Name prefix't to that faulty Treatise may be presumed with a multitude of prejudiced People to weigh down all the Reasons and Arguments which can possibly be brought for their Conviction And we have no such advantage to boast of yet are happy in this that we are not over-awed by any Name and the Truth we know is greater and more venerable than all things It s well known how liberal some men are of the odious brand of Apostates for every one who cannot digest the late published Orders but without arrogance 〈…〉 sume as more due the Title of Proficients and doubt not to make it out that our dissent from many of them is so far from a going back from any Gospel Truth or Order that it is rather a making progress and advancing in the Evangelical Discipline It is a groundless Calumny which is suggested That a latitude beyond what our Author contends for is but a betraying the liberties and priviledges which our Lord Jesus Christ has given to his Church or the Brethren of the Church These we profess to prize and stand for and would by no means lose But wherein do they consist not in the Brethrens challenging any part of the Ministerial Work Not in imposing upon others any thing which Christ has not imposed which is but a debarring Christians of the Priviledges they have a right to But they consist as we conceive in such things as these That our Consciences be not imposed on by Men or their Traditions Christ being the alone Lord of the Conscience 1 Cor. 7. 23. That Believers are through Christ freed from the guilt and dominion of Sin from the curse of the Law and from the sting and terror of Death That we have the liberties of Gods House and Ordinances therein communion with God That we may have the benefit of the gifts of his Ministers for edification and such like according to the Apostles Doctrine 1 Cor. 3. 22. Nor is that Objection less frivolous when if we appear less Rigid than others of the Reverend Authors severity we are reflected on as casting dishonour on our Parents their pious design in the first settlement of this Land No we reverence our Ancestors and the Memory of their divine Zeal and Constancy and would derive it as a Truth sacred to our Posterity that it was a religious Interest which carried them through all the amazing Difficulties Discouragements in that Undertaking But yet the particular design or end has been some-what differently conveyed unto us Some have carried it as if the great end were the Conversion of the Heathen and there have been great Complaints by some of late how this has been neglected and contradicted and another course taken up whereby instead of bringing the Heathen into the Church of God many whose Fathers and themselves were once of the visible Church are now strangely left out scarce any face of Religion remaining among them As for this we bewail it and look upon it as a Reproach to the Land and would therefore countenance no such Principles or Practices as have any tendency to such Apostacy Again some have made this the great Design to be freed from the Impositions of Men in the Worship of God wherewith they were sometimes burthened and as they sought freedom for themselves we cannot suppose they design'd to impose upon others In this we are risen up to make good their grounds The Reverend Mr. Willard in his Sermon of the sinfulness of Worshipping God with Mens Institutions p. 27. gives this as the errand of our fore-Fathers into this Wilderness namely to sequester themselves into a quiet corner of the World where they might enjoy Christs unmixt Institutions and leave them uncorrupted to Posterity and the gain-saying or counter working this is as he intimates to cast