Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	new_a	old_a	testament_n	3,965	5	8.0680	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76800	The storming of Antichrist, in his two last and strongest garrisons; of compulsion of conscience, and infants babptisme [sic]. Wherein is set down a way and manner for cburch [sic] constitution; together with markes to know right constituted churches, from all other societies in the world. Also the cruelty inequality and injustice of compulsion for conscience, by 29. arguments is opened; with an answer to 26. objections brought for the same. Also 12. arguments against the baptizing of infants; with an answer to 26. objections brought for the same. Wherein is displayed to the view of all, from the testimonies of Scriptures, Fathers, councels; the mischiefs, uncertainties, novelties, and absudities [sic] that do attend the same. Wherein is answered the most valid arguments brought by St. Martiall, in his sermon preached in the Abbey Church at Westminister, for the defence hereof. With an answer to Mr. Blake his arguments, in his book cald Birth-priviledge; and to the arguments of divers others. As also a catechisme, wherein is cleerely opened the doctrine of baptisme, together with a resolution of divers questions and cases of conscience, about baptisme. Written by Ch. Blackwood, out of his earnest desire he hath to a thorow reformation, having formerly seen the mischiefs of half reformations.	Blackwood, Christopher.	1644 (1644)	Wing B3103; Thomason E22_15; ESTC R7842	101,204	126

good Wheate But they must both grow together in the world Mat. 13.30 which cannot be meant of Hypocrites unlesse the field were the church but the field is the world as Christ expounds it verse 38. where he also expounds what he meanes both by Tares and Wheate the Tares are the children of the wicked one and these must grow in the field of the world till the harvest That is till the end of the World as Christ expounds it God intended many of these should be brought home in future time therefore they should not be banished from their seats and dwellings but let alone if God at any time would give them repen●ance By Tares are meant persons not doctrines as verse 38. and for persons Christ uses a generall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying all those weedes that spring up with the corne to show that all prsons opposite to true worshipers ought to be permited in the field of the World But for as much as God hath appointed the civil sword to take away wicked men as theeves murderers c. And that the children of the Kingdome are the visible Church of Christ Mat. 8.12 21.43 erefore the Tares are Idolaters Will-worshippers which are to remain in the field of the world 7 Persecu●ion for religion makes us uncapeable of amending what is amisse or seeing our own errors yea by this ground the R●formers themselves tha● sit abou● Refo mation would be made uncap●ble of reforming any thing amisse in the churches wer● there such m●gistrates as formerly ●o put the lawes yet standing in execution yet do the be●t see but in part and many glorious truths have been lately revealed a●d more may we expect if the compulsions of conscience which is in most places of the Christian world hinder not 8 It is against all equity for it is unequall for to bid me to see with other mens eyes they have read other books heard other conferences and reasons then I have yet I must see with their eyes 9 Because there is a possibility of error in those that thinke they s●e most yea even Paul said of himselfe and his collegus We know onely in part and prophesie in part 1 Cor. 13.9.12 How oft have the most glorious Fathers of the church erred not one of them that ever I heard of but have erred the fure Generall Councels though many good things concluded yet I suppose in many things have erred Have not Parliaments sometimes erred doing and undoing did not those godly Martyrs who laid down their lives for some truths remain in other things erronious and left the ceremonies the stumbling blocke of the godly for so many yeers Now there being a possibility of error how know you but you in p●rsecuting and compelling may persecute and compell a man who retaines the trurh your selfe mean time retaining the errour 10 Because the Scriptures of the New Testament for what can be alleadged from the old testament we shall hereafter answer God willing never mention any compulsion but the embracement of Christian religion is required form persons willingly When Christ sent out the 70. Luk. 10.6 10.11 They were to wish peace if they were received well if not they were onely to shake off the dust off their feet and not to goe to any violence So Mark ●6 15.16 preach the Gospell to every creature whosoever beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved they were to do no more but onely propound truths and so perswde Act. 2.41 They that gladly received the word were baptized here was nothing but willinesse The Corinthians 2 Cor. 8 5. gave their owo s●lues to the Lord and to us by the will of God there was no compulsion And so Mat. 11.12 From the dayes of ●ohn the Baptist untill now the Kingdome ●f Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force there was no violence offered to persons to embrace it for persons did willingly embrace it of themselves 1 Cor. 14.25 The unbeleever that comes into the Churches assemblie having the secrets of his heart discovered he fa●ls down to worship that God that they preacht and report when hee was gone that God was in them of a truth And therefore to force Papists and prophane multitudes whether they will or no to joyne in one worship one word Baptisme Supper and Identity of communion is not according to the word but though it carry the specious show of a glorious uniformity yet doth it b●get nothing but a politick hypocriticall faith which changes according to the vicissitude of Armies in time of warre and the multitude of Princes States and humane Lawes in times of Peace 11 Compulsion is unlawfull because it produceth many mischiefs As first it exposes Protestan●s to compulsion in Popish countries I have heard ●t related that when sundry Protestants in France complained against persecution the Pap●sts made this answer that wee doe no otherwise then your owne Doctor Calvin allowes 2 It is a great mischiefe to your posterity yea to the posterity of the whole Kingdom for though your selfe were so full resolved that you should never stand need nor see more light yet how know you but your son or daughter or father or mother may see more light then your self do and would you willingly loose the society of so many friends by banishm●nt imprisonment d●a●h when it may be you have none of your kinred so conscientious as they for indeed conscientious persons only or mostly suffer in point of compulsion other men by Scholastick-distinctions and fleshly devices being able to turn themselves any way 3 It hardens Papists in their inquisitory practises for they reason thus the Protestants as well as we doe all agree in this point as well as in the doctrine of the Trinity Resurrection c. therefore that wherein all agree is undoubted And so long as t ey goe in these inquisitory wayes there is little likely-hood that the Gospell should once take footing in Spaine or Italy c. S●● M. S. Ans to A. S p. 24. Bloody Tenent of pers● for cons p 6 4 It causes many hypocrites and time-s●rvers or else cause State-insurrections as in Holland Scotland 5 It takes away possibility from comming to the light of any new truth 12 Compulsion is unlawfull in Religion from universall practise both of Nations and Churches till the t me of Antichrist the Sichemites suffer●p Iacob and his sonnes to dwell among them though of a different Religion Gen. 4.7 When the Israelites were in captivity yet did they injoy their consciences The Romans bore with the Jews in their Religion t●ough a tributary Na●ion yea among the Jewes there were divers Sects as Pharis●es Saduc●s Herodians There were divers errors in the Churches of Corinth Galatia seven Churches of Asia yet are none blamed for not forcing but for not Excommunicating the Hereticall for the first 300. yeers after Christ though wee finde the sword of Excommunication drawn out too rashly yet did wee never hear that

can he be guilded with a spirit of infallibilitie that such a thing is an heresie and much more that he hath infallible grounds for the violence or compulsion he exerciseth towards such persons that he may do it in faith 2 the civil Magistrate is absolutely forbid all such violence and rooting up Mat. 13.30 Let both grow together untill the harvest but in what field is it vers 38. Truely in the field of the World and that by this Command of let both grow together is meant Heretickes Schismatikes appeares because if the Magistrate be busie about plucking up these he will be in danger of plucking up the good wheate that is many a childe of God who is thus stigmatized and who thinks in conscience he is bound to doe that which he doth 5 If Heresie and Truth may have a like permission Truth will get the victory in the understandings of many yea most Object But we see the contrary in popish countries Ans But the cause is not because truth and error are left to fight in mens understanding but because men by inquisitions suppresse the truth from passage in some places where truth and errour have been alike permitted truth hath eaten out errour witnesse Amsterdam not long since most Papists now almost all Protestants Obiect But would you have all sorts of Sects and Scismes tolerated in Christian churches as Iewes Papists or all sorts of Protestants differing in Judgement as Lutherans Arminians c. This would tend to confusion both in Church and state Answ For the Jewes they are tolerable for else how should they ever be taken into us Gentil●s it is not prisons and fines will bring them in but a victory of Evangelicall truths in their understanding for all sorts of protestants they may be ●olerated because no side dare affirme that there adversaries tenents are destructive unto their soules that hold them And for Papists though they are least to be borne of all others because of the uncertainty of their keeping faith with hereticks as they call us and because they may be absolved of securements that can arise from the just solemne oathes and because of their cruelty against the Protestants in divers countries where they get the upper hand and because they are profest Idolaters yet may they be borne with as I suppose with submission to better judgements in Protestant governments in point of religion 1 Because we have no command to root out any for conscience and lesse then a command will not serve nor have wee any example in the New testament for the same 2 Violent compulsions of them will rather exasperate them against the Protestant religion then win them to a liking thereof 3 In the violent compulsion of Papists nothing but mischief ariseth either to the partie compelled who against his conscience complies to the protestant religion for the saving his estate and so it is made twofold more the childe of hell or else if he do not complie but suffers his innocent children are punished herein 4 It would be a good patterne to Papists in popish countries to bear with protestants and to remove inquisitions But yet with these two cautions may they be borne 1 If the number be so many that they are like to overtop the Protestants or to come neer them in number then the Magistrare giving them leave to sell their estates may command some of them out of the Kingdome because the safety of the people is the highest law and this is according to that principle Every being preserves it selfe 2 For the remaining party to take such securement of them in point of Armes that they may be sure never to make any head In all this I meddle not with delinquent Papists who answering respectively for their acts of hostility against the state the number of Papists will be much fewer and may the more easily be borne if the state see fit 5 Object Why may wee not cut off Heretickes by death or Punish them by banishment imprisont being they go about to destroy other mens soules Answer 1 Because you have no command for it nor no example and lesse then a plaine comand will not serve herein Why do you not cut off persons infected with the Pox Leprosie Pestilence being they hazard other mens lives And why do Princes let them live in their common-weale being they are so destructive to mankind the reason is at hand because they have no command to do it and the persons may recover in time to come so it is here the Magistrate hath no command to cut off the Heretike and also he may recover in time to come Object But the similitude holds not because there is no voluntarinesse in him that is infected with a bodily disease Answ No more is there any voluntarinesse in the Heretickes in the seducing of others for he thinkes that to be truth whereto he perswades the other 2 It s nor possible for the Elect to be seduced so far as to be taken off from their foundation Christ Mat. 24. But it s possible for Heretikes to to come off from the foundation of their Heresie therefore they are to be let alone 3 Few of the controversies among us if any will amount to heresie if we count heresie to be election of a faith by our selves they can at most be called schisme and therefore the persons that hold the tenents cannot come under the forsaid penallties of Banishment impisonment c. 4 It much concurs to murther that there be a murtherous intention but Heretikes have no murtherous but a saving intention in drawing others to their way He that should goe about to destroy other mens soules with an intention to destroy them might be cut off as a murderer But he that doth it accidentally against his will is to have a city of refuge from temporall death as he under the Law had that slew a man against his will which Law was no other then the Law of Nations Objection 6. But if there should be any such toleration we should have a wonderfull confusion parents would go one way children another husbands one way wives another master one way servant another which would be great confusion in Church and State Answer 1 The confusion will not be such as is imagined when every man and woman have joyned themselves with such as are of their owne judgement 2 I answer with the saying of one viz. Whether is it not a greater confusion both before God and men for a hundred men and women of ten severall religions or opinions to assemble together every Sunday in a Parish for fear of imprisonment or fines or else that the same hundred being permitted freely to meet in a peaceable manner at ten severall places according to their different opinions worshipping God according to their light 3 This is no other confusion then is in an Army wherein many that were together in a tumultuous manner repair to their severall Companies and Colours or Citie societies