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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	know_v	see_v	1,629	5	3.2042	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78145	Reformed religion, or, Right Christianity described in its excellency, and usefulness in the whole life of man by a Protestant-Christian.	Barker, Matthew, 1619-1698.	1689 (1689)	Wing B777aA; ESTC R42840	61,592	137

Sacrament that she might thereby the better establish her self Hath she not made it too evident that Wealth Grandeur and Dominion hath been more her design than the Glory of God pro●oting true Holiness and the Salvation of Mens Souls Hath she not been guilty of Silencing many ●undreds of able Preachers not for Slothful●ess or Non-residency not for Insufficiency ●ot for Scandal not for Heresie not for ●ebellion to the Civil Authority but only ●on-conformity to some unnecessary Rites in ●eligion which they scrupled out of their zeal ●gainst Popery wherein if they have exceed● I hope it may now be judged a pardon●le Crime but I fear it hath had no good ●fect but hath tended to the hindering the ●ogress of the Gospel and the Salvation of any Souls by rigid imposing of Subscriptions ●d Canonical obedience and Assent and Con●t and stretching Conformity beyond what ● was in the former Age Doth not the in of many Families and the loss of some ●es lie at her door Hath she not debarr'd publick Assemblies for Worship to multitudes in the Nation unles● in such a way as was Offensive to their Consciences and not Edifying to their Souls though such as maintain and profess all th● substantial parts of the Christian and Protestant Religion are blameless in their Live● and profitable in the Nation and thereb● exposing them to the danger of returning t● Popery or of being reduced to Paganism D● the Dissenters differ from her in any of tho● things wherein she differs from the Papist● but rather in those things wherein she agre● with them And what then is that whi● is strictly to be called the Church of Englan● She hath indeed made a strong and honour●ble oppsition to Popery by many Wort● and Learned Men of her Communion b● hath it not been in those things wherein t● Dissenters agree with her and rejoyce ● what they have done and act with her the● in So that the Church of England consid●ed as distinct from the forementioned Diss●ters is made up only of some Additional to ● Christian Religion And if it be Object That such deference ought to be given to ● Laws of the Land as not to have publ● Meetings otherwise than allowed I Answ● Such Laws are only humane and topical ● so cannot supersede the universal Law● Nature which doth dictate to all Nati● publick Assemblies for the solemn worshi● God. And let it be considered whether the imposing of those things which are judged unnecessary can be justified to the hindering of what is necessary both by the Law of Nature and the written Law of God and whether this Liberty hath not been taken against publick Laws both in the times of the Heathen Persecution and here in England in times of Popery Many other things I might mention but these I only lay before her with the words of our Saviour to the Church of Ephesus Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and Repent or else I will come against thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick except thou Repent Rev. 2. 5. And if she thinks her self in danger should not this awaken her to Repentance And is there any Protestant Church but doth solemnly Fast and Pray in threatning Dangers But we see little of this in the Church of England Not that every individual Member of that Ecclesiastick body ought to be charged God forbid I know many of them have been grieved at the sufferings of their Brethren Pleaded ●heir Cause and Lamented to see such a ●pirit of Persecution act in the Church of England and could see a little better than ●thers who they were that pusht on those ●evere Persecutions against them and how ●opery crept in upon the Nation under a Pro●estant Vizard and were ashamed to hear some of her Clergy boast of the Purity of the Church of England when to their great trouble Corruptions both in Doctrine and Worship and in the Conversations of multitudes in it was so visibly seen to prevail not only tolerated but too much countenanced and little Discipline exercised but against Non-conformists though Men of the greatest Sobriety and Piety and usefulness in the Nation But I mention these things not to recriminate but to help on that Repentance which may prevent Gods controversie with that Church and to melt down their Spirits into such a Coalition with their dissenting Brethren that the Nation may be strengthened against our Popish Adversaries and that all hands may be at work to make the Bank strong against the inundation of the Sea ●● mean the See of Rome I fear whilst our publick especially our Cathedral Worship is shaped so like to that which is in Popery the transition will be made more facile to it It will be never the less Decent by being less Ceremonious And I hope the Pulpit-theam of some dignified Clergy-men will be no longer The Necessity of a Publick Conscience The Absoluteness of Kings And Invectives against Dissenters and that Able Orthodox and Learned Preachers will not be starved out of their work for want of Maintenance Nothing is more likely to secure the Protestant Religion than a pious diligent and able Ministry Every body knows the influences a corrupt Clergy hath upon the Laiety and how easily under the name of the Church of England such Men may lead the People blindfold into the Enemies Camp. But now I hope that both sides will be sensible wherein they have failed and the more Sober Pious and Judicious among them both centring in their present Majesties Accession to the Throne it will allay all former Animosities and we shall love and own one another as Christians and fellow Protestants which will disappoint the Hopes of the common Adversaries above any thing that can be imagined who are likely to get no great advantage upon us but by our own Divisions and make no Musick but by our Discords and we may well hope that the Concord that is found in the great Assembly of Parliament for the uniting all Protestants will have a happy influence upon the whole Nation herein but if any will be still grumbling and contentious sure they are such Men who love the fiery Element are the Nations Enemies and are secretly acted by Priests and Jesuits to bring us back again to Popery and Confusion But I hope by this time the body of the Nation is enlightned and awakened to dis●ern their Dangers the Indications of Providence and their own Interest and that the designs wherewith these Men are travelling will prove Abortive or bring forth no other Fruit but Mischief to themselves but it may seem strange that any who have Prayed or Preached for Union and lamented the want of it should run from it when it is now offered to them and they invited to it As we would preserve the Nations Existence and Entity let us study its Unity and follow the instincts of Nature herein Omne ens no● minùs appetit unitatem quam entitatem And as Natural Unity upholds the Universe

CHRISTIANITY DESCRIBED c. ALL Religion in the World hath Respect to a Deity and was there no God there need to be no Religion and they cast off a Deity and may be termed Atheists who cast off all Religion But there are such bright Characters of a Deity in the Works of Creation and in every Mans Conscience as that there are but few who embrace not some Religion or other And tho some Men seem to live as though there was no God yet when they are in distress or in the approaches of Death the sense of a Deity returns upon them as motions against Nature will at some time or other recurr And therefore such as promote Impiety under pretexts of Religion are likely to do more mischief and have greater success then those who seek to do it by disputing against a Deity I know some have endeavoured to make themselves and others Atheists as Lucretius boasts of Epicurus that he was the first that sought to deliver the World from the burthensome Yoke of Religion but he had not many Followers Yet I fear the notion of a Deity may be much stifled in many for when they see all things come to pass by second causes when they see Vice and Wickedness rampant in the world and true Piety and Virtue under Contempt and when they observe so many Sects in the World and differences about Religion and how the generality of Men though they have no fear of God yet they fare as well as those that fear him and when they see the Apostacy and Hypocrisie of many that have made great Profession and the simpleness and weakness of others they begin to think all that is discoursed about a Deity Providence Judgment to come Heaven and Hell or any Religion are but fanatick Fancies superstitious Conceits or politick Inventions either of Princes to keep the People under Government or of Priests to make Markets of Peoples Consciences But my business at present is not with these but such as own and acknowledge a Deity profess Religion yea the best and only true Religion the Reformed Christian Religion a Religion founded first in Gods Eternal Councels for the highest Manifestation of his own Glory and formed for the good of Mankind in this World and for conducting them to the Eternal Felicity of the World to come And was it not defaced by the vicious practices of false Christians it would either convince or convert the World to it and vindicate it self from the Reproaches under which it lies with many at this day most Men looking more at the Actions of Men than the Rules of the Religion they profess to judge it by though some look upon it as some vindication of the Name of Christ against the Impostor Mahomet in the great success of the Christians so called against the Turks yet we may fear that the unjust Practices gross Idolatries inhumane Persecutions and scandalous Lives of many called Christians may keep them from embracing Christianity But because my design is general I shall not make it my business now to consider any one Party or Denomination of Christians distinct from another but shall briefly treat of Christianity it self in the Principles Rules Mysteries and Designs of it that all may here as in a Glass see their own face and as most I fear may have cause to blush so it may tend to reduce the Christian world to a better Temper especially our own English Nation I find all Parties ready to reflect one upon another whereas all may be guilty And whilst each are contending for some particular Opinions and Circumstances in Religion they may evidently transgress the Rules of common Christianity And while some are called Papists others Protestants some Lutherans some Calvenists some Conformists others Nonconformists all are apt to forget they are called Christians And while we are contending for that which is Primitive in Church order and in the Externals of Religion we regard not that which is primitive in the right Temperament of our Hearts and Lives which if we could arrive at or did studiously endeavour it might prevent the mischiefs which have befallen us for time to come and allay our late contentions in Religion more than all the wrangling disputes which have been among us and though in doubtful things it is commendable to search out Truth and plead for it yet not with minds possest with Passion or Prejudice which blind the Judgment and break the bonds of Unity Love and Peace As the two Men mentioned by Anselm who disputing and then falling to blows in the Morning about the place where the Sun would rise beat out one anothers Eyes and so neither of them could see it It 's no great advantage to a Man to be a Papist Lutheran Calvinist Episcopal Presbyterian c. if he be not a right Christian Our greatest zeal is about those things for the most part that are not necessary to Salvation and which may leave us short of Heaven So that we may take up the complaint of the Historian about the Divisions of the Eastern Western and Lybian Churches among themselves Tanta confusio Niceph. cap. 25. lib. 16. mentiumque Caligo orbem universum incessit Opinions get into Mens lusts and are twisted with Interest which make Men furious and violent who are altogether Strangers to Christianity in the life and power of it And though I have not told the World my Name either who I am or what I am yet I think I need not care who knows it for I suppose no man will be angry with me for wishing all Men well and as for praise of Men as I deserve none so neither can I expect it from a work of this Nature this I shall only say I have lived now the full Age of a Man have been an Observer of the Contests of the late Times and have seen little good fruit upon the Spirits of most Men many have changed their Opinions their particular Professions and Parties but still have retained the same Hearts and Religion in the Power of it hath been manifestly declining either by being rarified into airy Ceremonies or condensed into stupid Formality or refined into speculative Notions or rent asunder by manifold Opinions and perverse Disputes or abused to unwarrantable Designs and Men have made it their work to trample others down and their Conquests have proved their Snare and then their Ruine wherein the saying of Solomon is fulfilled There is a time when one man ruleth over another to his own hurt Eccl. 8. v. 9. I fear most Men know not or forget what it is to be a right Christian And what that worthy Name doth oblige them to which was the Name whereby all Christs Disciples were called before all those Names were known in the World whereby since they have been distinguished or reproached And as it was the first Name given on Earth so it may probably continue for ever in Heaven For of Christ the whole Family of Heaven