item: #1 of 20 id: A07304 author: Maxwell, James, b. 1581. title: Admirable and notable prophesies vttered in former times by 24. famous Romain-Catholickes, concerning the Church of Rome's defection, tribulation, and reformation / written first in Latine, & now published in the English tongue, both by Iames Maxwell ... date: 1614.0 words: 952 flesch: 60 summary: Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A07304) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 27869) keywords: english; tcp; text cache: A07304.xml plain text: A07304.txt item: #2 of 20 id: A26183 author: Atwood, William, d. 1705? title: A seasonable vindication of the truly catholick doctrine of the Church of England in reply to Dr. Sherlock's answer to Anonymus his three letters concerning church-communion. date: 1683.0 words: 28659 flesch: 67 summary: And tho you do own your self a Member , as perhaps every one will that agrees in Essentials ; yet if you ordinarily withdraw from that sound Church where you are , which must always be the only sound Church on the Place , upon any profest Dislike , or communicate with them that are of a divided , and consequently a Schismatical Communion , you forfeit your Membership , even tho that other Church has nothing sinful in its Communion : Which in one place , you think enough to make any Church sound and Orthodox ; whereas in others , it serves your purpose to have it believed , that it cannot be sound and Orthodox , unless it maintain Communion in Accidentals with every other sound Part. Whatever Church differs from a sound Church in Fundamentals , is certainly ipso facto cut off from Christ's Body , without Excommunication . keywords: answer; authority; body; catholick church; catholick communion; christ; christian; church; churches; communion; god; letter; man; member; men; power; schism; self; sound cache: A26183.xml plain text: A26183.txt item: #3 of 20 id: A26882 author: Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. title: Catholick communion doubly defended by Dr. Owens, vindicator, and Richard Baxter and the state of that communion opened, and the questions discussed, whether there be any displeasure at sin, or repentance for it in Heaven : with a parallel of the case of using a faulty translation of Scripture, and a faulty lyturgy. date: 1684.0 words: 24679 flesch: 70 summary: ] And I maintain that though man hath not put that in our power , God hath put it in our power to joyn in the good part of tolerable Publick Worship , without owning the faults ( or else we must joyn with none ; ) you deny not this , p. 27. but say that he meant it of mans giving us power ( which I never denyed . ) If this Union do render the far greater pollutions , the Idolatry , and Heresy of the Mass infectious to the whole Worship , who can prove that the pollutions of other Worship , when we are likewise commanded not to distinguish or divide , doth not in their kind and degree diffuse the taint alike . ] Ans. God is the Master of his Worship : I do what he bids me , tho man contradict it : If God bid me hear and believe the Scripture , and man say , hear also , and believe the Apocrypha , I will openly profess I obey God , and you , no further than you contradict not God : Rather than not hear the Scripture , I will hear also the Apocrypha , but not believe it to be Gods Word . keywords: cause; christ; church; churches; communion; doth; evil; god; gods; good; hath; heaven; law; love; lyturgy; man; men; publick; repentance; scripture; self; sin; use; words; worship cache: A26882.xml plain text: A26882.txt item: #4 of 20 id: A26897 author: Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. title: Church concord containing I. a disswasive from unnecessary division and separation, and the real concord of the moderate independents with the Presbyterians, instanced in ten seeming differences, II. by Richard Baxter. date: 1691.0 words: 49777 flesch: 61 summary: O what a Mercy is it to me , and the poor Flock that Christ hath committed to my Charge ; what a help to my Labours and to their Souls , that we have not Minister against Minister , nor Church against Ch 〈…〉 any separating Parties to ensnare men ; but that we Serve the Lord ●●● , to ●● Heart and Soul , one Mind and Mouth . And he never gave Power to the Children and Servants to Rule the Master of the Family ; nor to the People to rule the Pastor or Church , nor to the People to Rule the Iustices or Iudges , &c. God made Governours so early , as prevented the Peoples making them in the essential part of the office . keywords: brethren; case; christ; christians; church; church communion; church members; churches; communion; concord; consent; difference; discipline; duty; faith; god; good; government; hath; holy; liberty; love; man; members; men; ministers; office; pastors; peace; people; persons; power; profession; publick; rule; self; sin; things; way; work; worship; ● ● cache: A26897.xml plain text: A26897.txt item: #5 of 20 id: A26909 author: Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. title: The dangerous schismatick clearly detected and fully confuted for the saving of a distracted nation from that which would destroy Christian love and unity : occasioned by a resolver of three cases about church-communion / by Richard Baxter ... date: 1683.0 words: 30906 flesch: 66 summary: At Wal●all in Sta●ford-shire , Mr. Lapthorne ( known to me in his lusty age ) who had been a Non-conformist , but thought it an honour to be converted by a King , and gloried that King James in conference changed him ; but being as rustick a thunderer as Father Latimer and more , he was wont to let fly without much fear ; one Mr. Martin in the Parish accounted the greatest enemy to Puritans , when he heard what he liked not , would goe out of Church ; one day ( in a path way where Mr. Lane had rode a little before ) pelting Crabs with a pole , the ground opened and swallowed him and his pole , that they could never be found ( being a Cole-mine long on fire : ) ever after that , when any one would goe out of Church at a blustering passage , Mr. Lapthorne would call to him , Remember Martin ; Quere , Whether all these were separating Schismaticks ? They unchurch and damn the Churches of Corinth , Gala●ia , La●dicca , Ephesus , Smyrna , &c. in the Apostles dayes : For the Scripture tells us of many guilty of Schism in all these , and yet the rest communicated with them ; for the Scripture speaks more of Schism in a Church , than of Schism or Separation from a Church , Rom. 16. 17. 1 Cor. keywords: bishop; canon; christ; christian; church; churches; city; communion; consent; contrary; covenant; england; excommunicate; god; government; hath; humane; king; kingdom; law; man; men; parts; people; power; schism; schismaticks; separation; things; universal; ● ● cache: A26909.xml plain text: A26909.txt item: #6 of 20 id: A26958 author: Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. title: A moral prognostication I. what shall befall the churches on Earth, till their concord, by the restitution of their primitive purity, simplicity, and charity, II. how that restitution is like to be made, (if ever) and what shall befall them thence-forth unto the end, in that golden-age of love / written by Richard Baxter ... date: 1680.0 words: 19573 flesch: 62 summary: A WORLDLY , Covetous , Proud , Domineering , Malignant , Lazy Clergy , will in most Christian Nations , be the great Plague of the World , and troublers of Princes , and Dividers of Churches ; who , for the Interest of their Grandure , and their Wills , will not give the Sober , and Peaceable , and Godly Ministers , or People , Leave to serve God quietly , and live in Peace . For when they observe that it is the same party of Men , who are thus Reproached , that are the strictest reprovers of their Lewdness , their Fornicatious , Tipling , Gaming , Luxuries , and Ungodliness : they will think that it 's no great matter , what such a defamed giddy sort of People say , and that really they are worse themselves . keywords: christian; church; churches; clergy; communion; god; good; honour; interest; love; man; men; ministers; pastors; peace; people; power; religion; things; work; world; worldly cache: A26958.xml plain text: A26958.txt item: #7 of 20 id: A27028 author: Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. title: Schism detected in both extreams, or, Two sorts of sinful separation the first part detecteth the schismatical principles of a resolver of three cases about church-communion, the second part confuteth the separation pleaded for in a book famed to be written by Mr. Raphson. date: 1684.0 words: 38013 flesch: 65 summary: But as a Moral means ( specially blest by him that instituted it ) to work on man as Man , by informing his Mind , perswading his Will and exciting his Affections , as Men are wrought on in other Cases ; ( which methinks those called Arminians should least deny , who are said to lay more of the Spirits operation on Moral suasion than their Adversaries ; yea and those that account it Fanaticism to expect any other gift of Prayer from the Spirit but what is given morally by use . ) And the contrary Doctrine feigneth God to Work even constantly by Miracle : And as the Papists make every Mass-Priest a Miracle Worker in Transubstantiation , so do they that make the bare saying over the Words and doing the outward Acts in the Sacrament , to save us ex opere operato , and the Pastoral teaching and oversight of an ignorant drunken Lad or Reader to be ( near ) as great a help to Salvation , as the Ministry of a wise skilful , Holy and exemplary Pastor , and the clear affectionate Preaching of Gods word : And that tell us ( as Mr. Dodwell ) how sufficient a man is to administer the Sacramental Covenant that understands what a Covenant is in matters of Common Conversation . XXXI . Church -- Catholicity. keywords: bishop; canon; christ; christians; church; churches; communion; consent; contrary; covenant; england; excommunicate; general; god; government; hath; law; man; men; ministers; people; power; schism; scripture; separation; sin; things; think; universal; use; worship; yea cache: A27028.xml plain text: A27028.txt item: #8 of 20 id: A31660 author: Chandler, Samuel. title: The country's concurrence with the London united ministers in their late heads of agreement shewing the nature and advantages of a general union among Protestants : in two discourses ... / by Samuel Chandler ... date: 1691.0 words: 15362 flesch: 62 summary: 5. Peace tends to the increase of the Church ; when our Lord repeated his Petitions for Unity , he twice alledgeth one and the same reason , that the World might know that God had sent him ; John 17. 21 , 23 : As if the union and love of his Followers were the strongest proof of the Divinity of their Master , and the powerfullest perswasive to Jews and Heathens to acknowledge and receive him for their Lord and Saviour ; as if his excellent Doctrin ▪ admirable Precepts and extraordinary Miracles would not do without it ; and indeed though Instruction be necessary , and People perish for want of Knowledge ; yet Instruction without Example will do little good , and no Example is more open to observation than that of Peace and Love , and the want thereof in the Preachers of Truth makes the best Doctrin in their Mouths suspected , hardens the Wicked in their sin , and tempts many to Atheism : If you speak with disagreeing Tongues , Unbelievers will say you are Mad , and sit down in the Seat of the Scorner , to allude to 1 Cor. 2. Be much in Contemplation of the Love of God in Christ : This will blow up a holy Flame of Love to him and all his Members ; when we remember how dearly and tenderly Christ loves all his Saints , this will constrain us to lay aside all Wrath and Bitterness , and live in Peace ; such a glorious precedent must needs be a cogent Argument , and can hardly be resisted . keywords: brethren; christ; christian; church; disciples; doth; duty; god; good; grace; hath; lord; love; men; new; peace; religion; selves; text; union cache: A31660.xml plain text: A31660.txt item: #9 of 20 id: A37064 author: Dury, John, 1596-1680. title: A demonstration of the necessity of settling some Gospel-government amongst the churches of Christ in this nation held forth in an answer to a querie whereby Mr. Saltmarch did once endeavour to hinder the settlement of all church-government in the nation : written in the year 1646, and now published for the present use of these times, wherein it may be seasonable to be taken into consideration for the preventing of further confusion and disorder amongst the professors of the Gospell / by John Dury. date: 1654.0 words: 26182 flesch: 52 summary: Mr. Saltmarsh did then stumble at the pretence of Power to settle the Churches of the Presbyterian Way , with Authority over others , which perhaps might be in the thoughts of some Ministers ; but I suppose it is now evident , that none do any more affect any such Dominion over their Neighbours as he apprehended ; yet that there ought to be some Orderly Way of Government in the Societies of Saints , which are the House of God , I suppose will be without all dispute ; and how far that may be settled amongst the Saints , and approved by a State , this Treatise will in some measure I hope manifest . Secondly , I conceive by that which is called Government in General , that is meant the right ordering and guiding of Subjects in the course of their life towards the proper end thereof ; and consequently by Church-Government in particular , I must conceive the right ordering and guiding of mens souls by Christs power in the course of their spirituall life , tending to settle them in a perpetuall communion of happinesse with God the Father and Himself . keywords: christ; church; doth; faith; god; gospell; government; hath; matters; nature; people; power; practise; settlement; settling; state; thing; truth; way; word cache: A37064.xml plain text: A37064.txt item: #10 of 20 id: A37502 author: Dell, William, d. 1664. title: The way of true peace and unity in the true church of Christ in all humility and bowels of love presented to them / by William Dell. date: 1651.0 words: 45400 flesch: 63 summary: And , as Antichrist hath had his mystery of iniquity , in opposition to Christ the Head , in setting up a visible and carnal Head , instead of the invisible and spiritual : so also , he hath had his mystery of iniquity , in opposition to the Church the body ; in erecting a visible and carnal body or Church , instead of an invisible and spiritual : for without all peradventure , the head and the body must be sutable each to other ; and of the same kinde and nature : And so , as a visible and carnal head , the Pope , was in no measure sutable to an invisible and spiritual body , the true Church ; so likewise a visible and carnal body , or Church , made and constituted by a mixture of Civil and Ecclesiastical laws and power , is in no measure sutable to a spiritual and invisible head : And if every free Society , not subjected to tyranny , hath power in it self to congregate and come together , as conveniency and necessity shall require ; as is evident in all civil Corporations , and in all Fraternities and meetings of love ; much more hath the Church of Christ , which is the freest Society in the world , power to meet together into a communion of Saints , though it be without and against the consent and authority , of the powers of the world . keywords: believers; body; christ; christians; church; church hath; church power; churches; doctrine; faith; faithful; father; god; gospel; government; hath; head; judge; kingdom; lord; man; members; men; officers; peace; people; power; self; spirit; spiritual; things; truth; unity; word cache: A37502.xml plain text: A37502.txt item: #11 of 20 id: A39224 author: Eliot, John, 1604-1690. title: Communion of churches, or, The divine management of gospel-churches by the ordinance of councils constituted in order according to the Scriptures as also the way of bringing all Christian parishes to be particular Reforming Congregationall Churches, humbly proposed as ... a means of uniting those two holy and eminent parties the Presbyterians and the Congregationals ... / written by John Eliot. date: 1665.0 words: 16488 flesch: 64 summary: Our Pattern is , that Great Council , Acts 15. which consisted of two Churches , in an ordinary way expresly agreed , to give and take counsel : and it is le●… as a Standard and Pattern , ●…ow the great Ordinance of Counsel is to be used and managed for the well-being of Churches , to the worlds end . II. They continu●…ct stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine , and sellowship , and in breaking of bread , and in prayers . keywords: acts; care; christ; churches; communion; councils; counsel; doth; elders; god; lord; national; number; order; work cache: A39224.xml plain text: A39224.txt item: #12 of 20 id: A41812 author: Grascome, Samuel, 1641-1708? title: An historical account of the antiquity and unity of the Britanick churches continued from the conversion of these islands to the Christian faith by St. Augustine, to this present time / by a presbyter of the Church of England. date: 1692.0 words: 58875 flesch: 52 summary: But because Other● have Answered them fully in eve●y minute particular , I shall Content my self with two General A●swers ; First , That the Neglect or Oversight , ( if any such were ) of some Circumstances Required by Law , though it may make the Persons obnoxious , yet it doth not invalidate the Ordination ; Our Laws Allow Persons to be Married only betwixt Eight and Twelve in the Forenoon ; Yet if it Happen , that they be Married at Ten at Night , the Marriage is good , though the Persons be punishable . If this little thing should be any whit taken Notice of in the World , I know it will be bitterly Objected , That I seem inclineable to the Exercise of a more severe Discipline , then hath ( at least o● late ) been Exercised amongst us , or then this loose Age will bear , in which perhaps there is too much Truth . keywords: account; answer; apostles; authority; beda; bishop; body; britons; catholick; cause; christian; church; churches; communion; councel; doctrine; doth; faith; general; god; good; gospel; government; hath; irish; jurisdiction; man; matter; means; men; nature; persons; place; pope; power; practice; present; reason; religion; right; roman; romanists; rome; rule; schism; self; separation; set; state; thing; thought; time; tradition; truth; unity; way; world; ● d; ● ● cache: A41812.xml plain text: A41812.txt item: #13 of 20 id: A43183 author: Howe, John, 1630-1705. title: Heads of agreement assented to by the united ministers in and about London, formerly called Presbyterian and Congregational date: 1691.0 words: 3651 flesch: 54 summary: That a visible Professor thus joined to a particular Church , ought to continue stedfastly with the said Church ; and not forsake the Ministry and Ordinances there dispensed , without an orderly seeking a recommendation unto another Church . Which ought to be given , when the case of the person apparently requires it . 4. It may sometimes come to pass , that a Church-Member , not otherwise Scandalous , may sinfully withdraw , and divide himself from the Communion of the Church to which he belongeth : In which case , when all due means for the reducing him , prove ineffectual , he having hereby cut himself off from that Churches Communion ; the Church may justly esteem and declare it self discharged of any further inspection over him . keywords: agreement; christ; church; churches; communion; tcp; text cache: A43183.xml plain text: A43183.txt item: #14 of 20 id: A52054 author: Marshall, Stephen, 1594?-1655. title: A sermon preached to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen of the city of London, at their anniversary meeting on Easter Monday April 1652, at the Spittle wherein the unity of the saints with Christ, the head, and especially with the church, the body, with the duties thence arising, are endeavoured to be cleared : tending to heale our rents and divisions / by Stephen Marshal ... date: 1653.0 words: 19158 flesch: 44 summary: You all know there is at this day much disputing , about what things are requisite to make men Church-members ; some very learned men maintain , That to make a man admittable into Christs Church , or to make him a Church-member , no more is in the Scripture required , but only , that he give up his name , and professe , that he is willing to learne the wayes of Christ , and to walke in them ; the Church of Christ being , say they , appointed as a Schoole , to traine Schollars up , into which are admitted not only those that are Learned , but those who are willing to learne . Others say , That is too laxe , if you wil own a man , as a Church-member , he must be able to give you an account of his faith , and a promise of a voluntary subjection to the Gospel of Christ for time to come , and if they come to that , then you may take them in ; and owne them , as Church-members . keywords: body; christ; church; churches; communion; faith; god; hath; jesus; lord; man; members; people; saints; spirit; things; wil cache: A52054.xml plain text: A52054.txt item: #15 of 20 id: A59866 author: Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707. title: A resolution of some cases of conscience which respect church-communion viz. I. whether to communicate with some church, especially in such a divided state of the church, be a necessary duty incumbent on all Christians, II. whether constant communion be a necessary duty where occasional communion is lawful, III. whether it be lawful to communicate with two churches, which are in a state of separation from each other. date: None words: 16220 flesch: 44 summary: God hath not made any Covenant in particular with the Church of Geneva , of France or England , but with the one Body and Church of Christ , all the World over ; and therefore the only thing , that can give us in particular a right to the Blessings of the Covenant , is , that we observe the conditions of this Covenant , and live in Unity and Communion with all true Christian Churches in the World , which makes us members of the Catholick Church , to whom the Promises are made . And this is the only obligation , I know of , to Communion with any particular Church , that as I am a Christian , I am a member of the Body and Church of Christ , and in a State of Communion , and therefore am bound to maintain Actual Communion with the Christian Church , where-ever I find it , and by Communicating with the Church , wherein I live , if it be a found and Orthodox member of the Christian Church , I maintain Communion with the whole Catholick Church , which is but one Body . keywords: body; catholick church; christian; church; church communion; churches; communion; covenant; god; members; men cache: A59866.xml plain text: A59866.txt item: #16 of 20 id: A61119 author: Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647. title: Reasons for vnitie, peace, and love with an answer (called Shadows flying away) to a book of Mr. Gataker, one of the assembly, intituled, A mistake, &c. and the book of the namelesse author called, The plea, both writ against me : and a very short answer, in a word, to a book by another namelesse author called, An after-reckoning with Master Saltmarsh, and to Master Edward his second part called, Gangrena, directed to me ... / by John Saltmarsh ... date: 1646.0 words: 15798 flesch: 66 summary: So as the difference betwixt us is this ; Ye preach Christ and the Gospell , and the graces of the Spirit in the parts as ye find it : we dare not speak the mystery so in peices , so in halfe and quarter revealings ; we see such preaching answers not the fulnesse of the Mystery , the riches of the Gospell , the glory of the New Testament : We find that in the fulnesse of the New Testament , Christ is set up as a Prince , as a King , as a Lord , as a crown and glory to every grace and gift : nay , he is made not only righteousnesse , but sanctification too ; and so we preach him . To the Third , That in saying the Preachers with their qualifications over-heate Free-grace , I doe by that make the Prophets deluders of the people , &c. I answer : That way of preaching the Prophets used , pressing , as you say ▪ Repentance , Reformation , Humiliation , and with Commination , and the Law , &c. was but according to the way , and method , and straine the Spirit taught them under the Old Testament : but if the Prophets should have held forth Jesus Christ under the New Testament , and when Christ was manifested in the flesh , with such vails over him , and so much Law over him , as they did before , they had sinned against the glory of that ministration , as well as some of you , who bring Christ back againe under the cool shadow of the Law , and make that Sun of Righteousnesse that he warmes not so many with the love of him as he would doe , if ye would let them behold with open face as in a glasse the glory of the Lord , and if you would give his beams more liberty to shine upon them ; doth not the ministration of the Spirit exceed in glory ? Nor were the Prophets deluders of the people then , because it was the peoples time of Pupillage , and being under Bondage ; they were shut up under the Law till faith came ; they were under Tutors and Governors till the time appointed : So as that was truth , and right dispensation in them to preach so much of the Law , of curse , and judgement , &c. as they did ; and of Repentance and Reformation in that straine they did : keywords: beleeve; christ; faith; glory; god; grace; love; men; peace; power; repentance; spirit; things; truth cache: A61119.xml plain text: A61119.txt item: #17 of 20 id: A62715 author: Tanner, Thomas, 1630-1682. title: A call to the Shulamite, or to the scattered and divided members of the church delivered and published upon occasion by Thomas Tanner. date: 1674.0 words: 11962 flesch: 60 summary: We would see , and be partakers of your knowledge , and of your gifts of understanding in the Scriptures : We would see your zeal for God , and for his Sabbaths , and for his Ordinances : We would see your charity towards your neighbour , whom you would not have seen heretofore to sin ( at least to commit a sin unto death ) but you would have aided , and admonished him , howsoever you think your selves to be excused ( since ) of being your Brothers keepers : We would see the strictness of your lives , and of those of your families : We would hear your Readings , Prayers , Instructions , Catechisings , and other good Conferences that were wont to be there , fit to edifie , and to minister grace unto the hearers : We would over-hear your private prayers and devotions in your Closets , where you were wont to strive with God for the pardon of your sins , and for the obtaining of his holy Spirit , to sanctifie you throughout in body , soul , and mind : We would see your first love again ( if it be possible ) and those fruits , which you then brought forth , worthy of amendment of life . Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. keywords: body; christ; church; churches; doth; god; hath; lord; members; power; return; self; shulamite; spirit; thou; unity; way cache: A62715.xml plain text: A62715.txt item: #18 of 20 id: A64647 author: Ussher, James, 1581-1656. title: The great necessity of unity and peace among all Protestants, and the bloody principles of the papists made manifest by the most eminently pious and learned Bishop Usher ... date: 1688.0 words: 14719 flesch: 62 summary: That which toucheth the Heathen , is in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans : where the Apostle having said , that God had shewed unto them that which might be known of him ; and that the invisible things of him , that is , his eternal Power and Godhead , was manifested unto them by the Creation of the World , and the contemplation of the Creatures : he addeth presently , that God was sorely displeased with them , and therefore gave them up unto vile affections , because , they changed the glory of that uncorruptible God , into an Image made like to corruptible Men , and to Birds , and Four-footed Beasts , and creeping Things . Let them therefore that walk in darkness , brag as much as they list of their good-fellowship : This blessed Apostle assureth us , that such only as do walk in the light , have fellowship one with another , 1 Joh. 1. 6 , 7. even as they have fellowship with God , and Jesus Christ his Son , whose blood shall cleanse them from all sin . keywords: body; bread; christ; church; doth; faith; god; hath; head; idolatry; images; joh; lord; man; spirit; thing; worship cache: A64647.xml plain text: A64647.txt item: #19 of 20 id: A65829 author: Elson, Mary, 1623 or 4-1707. title: An epistle for true love, unity, and order in the Church of Christ, against the spirit of discord, disorder and confusion &c. recommended to friends in truth, chiefly for the sake of the weak and unstable minded ... / by Anne Whitehead, Mary Elson. date: 1680.0 words: 6439 flesch: 36 summary: Pray Friends , let us in this consider whether these in this Blindness , which God hath suffered through their prejudiced Mind , justly to happen in them , by which are they not putting Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness , while they are striving in the ●●●●ness of their Wills to rule , placing their own Wills for Conscience , and would have a Liberty therein , which Christ never set free to any that are in a Perverse , Gain-saying , Opting , Willful spirit , void of the Reason of Truth , and the Fellowship that is in it and so are led by a Misguided Conscience ; for we never understood that Conscience to be rightly guided , that was not renewed and regulated by the light of Christ Iesus , which is one in all Consciences , and leads into the S●●●ness of Mind , not only in faith , but also in sound Judgment and Practice ( and in the Testimony of Christ Jesus hath been confirmed in us ) the true Re●●●●●er and Guide of the Conscience void of Offence ; but now where Self-will is put for Conscience , 't is sensibly felt to be a gross Mistake . And such are ( in Christian Charity ) to be pitied and better informed , and indeed much Travel hath been for that , so that the Mis-led in a contrary Judgment might be helped and reduced back into Unity and our peaceable Fellowship , in our wholesome Practices , in the outward Affairs of Truth ; but that which adds to our Sorrow , that though they still ery , The tender Consciences , yet woful Experience demonstrates it far otherwise , where Prejudice hath so hardned , that there is not so much softness left for the Reason of Truth to take Impression , or to receive that which pertains to Love and good Works , which is one end and product of our Meetings , distinctly and respectively the Men Friends , who discharge their places , to whom the Godly Women always give the Pre-eminence , as Brethren and Women Friends in their places , not seeking Rule over one another , but that we may be Furtherers of one anothers Joy , and be each others Crown of rejoycing in the Lord , meets in the Fear of the Lord , as in the Light of Christ Jesus in our Consciences , we received , so to walk and do according to the Order of his Spirit , in which Christ is Present in our so meeting together ; and the faithful can feal to the Testimony of it , to the Glory of his Name forever . For I hope all will conclude , that if the weak , in their little measure of Light , be kept Conformable to the Truth , that by the Light they cannot be led in their little measure to oppose the strong in their greater measure ; and may see further , that 't is not reasonable in Truth ; for the Light cannot contradict it self , and 't is the same in the strong as in the weak ; But 't is greatly to be lamented at this day , that to any that have known the Lord , and at any time fellowship among his People , the Cross of Christ should become so ineffectual , that such Blindness is happened , that they should put Self-opposing-will for a tender Conscience : I do not say , they know it ; but whether they do or no , I pray God open their Understandings , and subdue that perverse wilful Spirit and cross Selfish-humor , that works in opposition to a General Good and Peaceable Subjection amongst the People of the Lord and Church of Christ . keywords: christ; god; lord; meeting; power; spirit; truth; unity cache: A65829.xml plain text: A65829.txt item: #20 of 20 id: A68833 author: Ussher, James, 1581-1656. title: A briefe declaration of the universalitie of the Church of Christ, and the unitie of the Catholike faith professed therein delivered in a sermon before His Maiestie the 20th. of Iune 1624. at Wansted. By Iames Ussher, Bishop of Meath. date: 1629.0 words: 14413 flesch: 68 summary: And it is well observed by a learned man , who hath written a full discourse of this argument ; that q whatsoever the Father of lies either hath attempted or shall attempt , yet neither hath he hitherto effected , nor shall ever bring it to passe hereafter , that this Catholick doctrine , ratified by the common consent of Christians alwayes and every where , should be abolished ; but that in the thickest mist rather of the most perplexed troubles , it still obtained victorie , both in the mindes and in the open confession of all Christians , no wayes overturned in the foundation thereof : and that in this veritie that one Church of Christ was preserved in the midst of the tempests of the most cruell winter , or in the thickest darknes of her waynings . In all places of the world , where the ancient foundations were retained , and those common principles of faith , upon the profession whereof men have ever beene wont to be admitted , by Baptisme , into the Church of Christ : there we doubt not but our Lord had his subjects , and wee our fellow-servants . keywords: apostle; body; catholick; christ; christians; church; doe; faith; foundation; god; hath; heb; himselfe; iesus; knowledge; lord; man; measure; men; non; people; place; principles; sonne; text; things; unitie; wee; world cache: A68833.xml plain text: A68833.txt