Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	body_n	church_n	union_n	1,510	5	9.6741	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48863	The harmony between the old and present non-conformists principles in relation to the terms of conformity, with respect both to the clergie, and the people : wherein a short history of the original of the English liturgy, and some reasons why several truly conscientious Christians cannot joyn with the church in it : humbly presented to publick consideration in order to the obtaining some necessary relaxation and indulgence : to which are added some letters that pass'd between the Lord Cecil, and Arch-bishop Whitgift.	Lobb, Stephen, d. 1699.; Whitgift, John, 1530?-1604.; Burghley, William Cecil, Baron, 1520-1598.	1682 (1682)	Wing L2726; ESTC R23045	77,527	105

THE HARMONY Between the Old and Present Non-Conformists PRINCIPLES In Relation to the TERMS of Conformity With Respect both to the CLERGIE and the PEOPLE Wherein A short History of the Original of the English LITURGY and some Reasons why several truly Conscientious Christians cannot joyn with the Church in it Humbly Presented to Publick Consideration in order to the obtaining some necessary Relaxation and Indulgence To which are added some Letters that pass'd between the Lord Cecil and Arch-Bishop Whitgift The Fault is on both sides and on neither side For the Godly wise on both sides bear with each other and concenter in the main But then there be selfish peevish Spirits on both sides some and these make the Quarrel Greenham's Answer to the Lord Cecil's Question Who is the Faulty Causer of the Division in the Church LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Joseph Collier on London-Bridge 1682. To the Right Reverend Edward Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross in Ireland MY LORD ON a perusal of your late Treatise Entituled The Protestant Peace Maker I find your Lordship so very much dispos'd to pursue Charity Peace and Vnion the only necessary mean left us for the preservation of the Reformed Protestant Religion that though I am a perfect stranger to you I cannot choose but make and hope that you will Candidly receive this present Dedication There is now as your Lordship expresses it p. 29. an argument for Vnity which must be heard and is uncontroulable We must Unite or be destroyed At all times Christian duty obliges us thereto now necessity or self-preservation too or more parties may ballance one when any single other cannot Thus 't is evident we must Vnite The strength of the Protestant Cause both here at home and throughout Christendom lies in the Vnion of Protestants and the glory purity and power of Christianity in this world stand or falls with Protestantism But the only question is upon what Termes must the Church of England come over to the Dissenters or the Dissenters go over to the Church The right stating the true Termes of Vnion is a work of extraordinary difficulty a work that requires the heads and hearts of the greatest the most judicious and Holy men on earth to contribute all they can towards it Government in the Church must be secur'd tender Consciences reliev'd Where there is no government all things will run into confusion where there is no relief for tender Consciences there can be no union The government of a National Church must be National and such as is most exactly suited to the civil constitution of the Natiou The former must not interferr with the later But of this though your Lordship speakes nothing yet may your Lordship see something God permitting it in good time that some Dissenters have to offer towards the healing our breaches and that also in a way consistent with an establishment of such a National Church government as agrees with the antient constitution of this Kingdom That which your Lordship's wisdom hath insisted on is a point of moment and importance namely the Liturgy and Ceremonies concerning which you propose mutual concessions and approaches as the only probable uniting expedient Now if complyance be likelyest to do the business you say let us relax a little on both hands in the fear of God and fall upon it Let us Candidly consult what good Conscience what prudence will bear towards an accommodation To this you add Page 118. 119. I do not conceive the alteration of an expression or perhaps here and there of an whole Prayer or two by Law or the dispensing still by Law with some ceremony in Law for the sake of some unsatisfied but otherwise regular Christians who are not suppos'd of the Cathedral Body I say I do not conceive such concession or relaxation as this would break the harmony and beauty of our worship or disturb the Vnion or Peace of our Church I will therefore freely publish my thoughts to be that whither we Consider the Nature of the thing it self or with regard to the Apostle's Rule Rom. 15. 1 2. Not to please our selves but every one of us to please his Neighbour for his good to Edification In either regard I say there are some Collects and perhaps Rubricks too which with all Duty and Submission I humbly conceive may be alter'd for the better And farther that in some Seasons and in some private places If the Obligation to a Ceremony or two were taken off the benefit which would hence redound to the Church would be very Considerable And I seem to my self herein to follow the sense and guidance of our Church for even at present the Injunction of the Ceremonies does not appear to me to extend it self to all places and seasons There are also divers other points which when once the design of a fair Accommodation shall be on foot will be fit to be mentioned and indeed will both of Course offer themselves and be I judge as easily granted such as the Liberty of exchanging Apocriphal Lessons for Canonical ones any Amendment of such Defects as can be prov'd in the Calendar The Use of the most Correct Translation of the Psalms A better Metrical Version also and perhaps some like matters which we may account small some Diffenters do not My Lord May the expedient you propose be attended unto the desired Vnion would soon be obtained for thereby all those Arguments mentioned in the ensuing Treatise which press hard on the Consciences of some Dissenters concerning the present Terms of Communion would be answered their Consciences relieved and they be of the same external Communion with the Church of England I do therefore humbly presume to beseech your Lordship to do your utmost for the furthering this peaceable and uniting Design for certainly you have hit on what if closely followed will reconcile us and as your Lordship will express it this is the only probable expedient for 't is an undoubted Truth That there are among the Dissenters a considerable Number who are under the most powerful and plain Convictions of Conscience about the Vnlawfulness of the present Liturgy as Ordered by the Canon and Rubrick to be used and of the Ceremonies that they cannot but by sinning against God to the wounding of their own Consciences conform That the World may be assured of this much and see how necessary some Relaxations are in Order unto Vnion I have shewn what are the Sentiments of some of the most Judicious and more moderate Dissenters why 't is yet they conform not to the Terms of Lay-Communion impos'd by the Church and why 't is they erect seperate Congregations Some are so fully Convinced of the unlawfulness of the present Liturgy and Ceremonies that they refuse to Conform because they think their Conformity to be sinful but other do not so much insist on the sinfulness as on the Inexpediency of their Conformity They cannot Conform without Scandal By Scandal they