Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	christian_a	church_n	society_n	2,901	5	9.2764	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85986	The libertine school'd, or A vindication of the magistrates power in religious matters. In ansvver to some fallacious quæries scattered about the city of Limrick, by a nameless author, about the 15th of December, 1656. And for detection of those mysterious designs so vigorously fomented, if not begun among us, by romish engineers, and Jesuitick emissaries, under notionall disguises ... (politicæ uti & ecclesiasticæ. axiom. Arabic.) Published, by Claudus Gilbert, B.D. and minister of the Gospel at Limrick in Ireland.	Gilbert, Claudius, d. 1696?	1657 (1657)	Wing G702; Thomason E923_4; ESTC R202210	61,982	75

Babylonian Captivity The Kingdom of the ten Tribes often called Israel Ephraim Samaria c. by way of distinction revolted from Gods worship under Jeroboam and his successors corrupting the same perverting the Ministry advancing the lowest of the people to the Priesthood joining Idolatry of severall kindes thereto c. yet were they still owned and called the people and spouse of God and communion with them kept by the Prophets till their Captivity So when the Kingdom of the two Tribes called Judah and Benjamin did gradually apostatize from the purity of Gods worship joining often Idolatry and gross evils thereto yet were they still honoured with the Name of Gods people his Portion and Church Jerem. 50. 7. Jerem. 51. 5. Thus in former ages though corruption did increase apace in the Christian Churches beginning in the Apostles daies and successively spreading till the Man of Sin got into Christs Seat being ascended to his Meridian of Supream Power infallible in Ecclesiasticals and temporals yet were the Lords servants in all their vigilant and zealous Vindications of his Truth very carefull still to maintain the Vnity and Peace of the Church to the utmost till the Whore of Rome by separating from Christian Fundamentals had necessitated them to separate utterly from her Communion Truth and Peace are so dear friends to Christ that his friends cannot but be friendly to them both as farre as their power reaches Those faithfull defenders of the Truth who were driven away into the wilderness of America by a turbulent party visibly then complying with the Roman Antichrist did still testifie their care of preserving that Christian unity in all their contentions for verity and purity Though they desired much and prayed earnestly for further Reformation in the Parish Churches of England yet did they still own their Church state and Communion therewith Thus sober Christians will still be manifesting their love to Christian peace in their hottest pursuits after Truth whether in their own or others societies The fire of Christian zeal is of singular use when it keeps within its proper place and season But when it 's scattered and gets into the thatch the mischief thereof is unexpressible What dreadfull Convulsions and Inflammations hath not such a rash zeal caused among us both in Church and State When Christians cannot discover and mend faults without unchristian separations from the Church and unchurching of it it must needs prove the ground of many sad effects It did so in the primitive daies it hath done so in ours In stead of an amicable debate of things controverted bitter contests and wofull ruptures have attended such courses In stead of amending one fault more are created afresh in stead of recovering one Truth many errours are easily let in Romish Engineers are alwaies at hand to blow the bellows and widen differences taking part now with one new with the other under a disguise that their designes may be carried on They fish best in all such troubled waters and improve the opportunities of gaining by our losses This hath been one main cause of so many out-cries for generall tolerations under the fair colours of Liberty of Conscience that every one might follow his own list The Magistrates power hath been so often cried down and exclaimed against lest errour and sinne should be any way curbed or checked in their unlimited unruly power Some well-minded Christians have been that way so extravagant through mis-applications and mis-interpretations of divers Scriptures that they have too often pleaded the devils cause in thinking to plead the godlies interest Some would give too much to the Magistrate and others too little Some would destroy Ecclesiasticall Government by advancing the Civil Others would destroy the Civill by exalting the Ecclesiasticall These two powers which God hath appointed for the Churches good in their respective capacities and motions some would confound others would destroy and others would make them to destroy each other Thus varieties of peccant humours breed still varieties of diseases in all sublunary subjects when they break their bounds limited to them by the Supream Disposer of all To avoid all extreams in this affair we finde our selves obliged by Scripture and reason to own a Magistraticall power authorized by Gods Word to act officially about sacred things in a civil manner either in commanding forbidding or punishing the externall man according to Gods revealed Word for the Lords honour and mans good A power we say authorized not a private charitative act Magistraticall not Ministeriall acting officially not indifferently about sacred things of the first Table in a Civil manner not by Ecclesiasticall censures concerning the externall man expressed in words or deeds not the internall expressed by thoughts according to Gods revealed Word not his own fansie or any mans will for Gods honour and the publique good not for any selfish ends Thus we have the subject and matter the Author and form the manner and Rule the object and end of this Magistraticall power so needfull so usefull How much is said for demonstration hereof by the reason of God and of man is touched at in the following Tract having been fully made out by the Learned in all Ages All godly Princes Jewish and Christian have been rendred famous more or less according as they more or less tendred Gods interest in this eminent charge If any object that the Jewish Princes were Types of Christ therein We answer The Scripture expresses two sorts of Types Some properly for adumbration or representation thus the High priest and Sacrifices typed out Christ Heb. 10. 1 2. Others for imitation and direction thus Gods dealings with Israel were Types {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or examples 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. The former Types were to expire the latter to endure Now that power used by Jewish Magistrates had nothing of a shadow but much for example being so commanded and commended of God therein in performing a Morall not Ceremoniall duty If any object It was part of the Judiciall Law We answer 1. Let it be proved wherein it was peculiar to the state 2. If that were granted yet the equity of those Judicials is still in force and imitable now as occasion serves it s not now unlawfull though all Judicials be not alwaies expedient Gods Law is the best Rule of our Judicials as King Lucius the first Christian Monarch of Brittain learned of Gods Word confirmed to him by Letters from Eleutherius and others in the second age from Christ which he also followed as did Alfred the mirror of Princes and other successors of their valour and vertue As for Christian Emperours History is full of their noble Acts in this way for Christ approved and applauded by all wise Christians in their Synods and Councils Provinciall Nationall and Vniversall The Greek and Latine Fathers agree in this thing very harmoniously The very light of nature taught all sober Heathens to observe this

seuding them a strong Reserve of the Magistratical power duly dispensed * We have likewise ground to hope that the followers of Truth in this season also may obtain a favourable success against the recruits which that old enemy hath rallied again under new Colours Yet dare we not limit our General Christ in the time or manner of relieving us Possibly our hour of Temptation is not yet over we may haply undergo yet longer the contradictions of many sinners as our former Worthies did in their opposing the Romish Invasions Our incouragement is that Truth will prevail to Gods honour and to the shame of errour It becomes therefore all Christians to be more zealous and faithfull in their several places for Truth against Errour Magistrates and Ministers being Officers of note under the Lord of Hoasts should be most forward therein as becomes their several Functions that Satans suggestions may be hindred and the vain imaginations of mens hearts That darkness may be expelled thence and light set is stead thereof That great God who hath promised to bring this about eminently in the later daies by the powerfull Word of his holy Spirit that the Purchase of his Son may be compleatly applied to all his Elect according to the eternal purpose of his glorious grace hath also promised to bless the labours of his servants in subordination thereto within their several capacities Blessed are those servants of his whether Superiour or inferiours whom their Master coming shall find so doing It concerns every one to begin at our own hearts that Satans suggestions may not be yielded to but that Christ may garrison them effectually against all the black Regiments of hell We must look therefore more watchfully to the suppressing of those vain imaginations in our hearts which are still acting against the Crown of Christ by corresponding treacherously with the common enemy We are naturally darkness and retain too much of it at the best the more need have we to attend the light of his Truth and Grace that we being made light in the Lord may walk as children of light The sensible experience of that gracious work will render us more capable of furthering it in others To effect such a cure all impediments must be removed former causes prevented and sutable means used as in Ecclesiasticall so in Political relations by the Lords peculiar servants appointed to that work If Seducers be active for evil we have much more cause to be active for good Up therefore and be doing for this work will be rewarded The Lord teach and enable our Magistrates thereto who are entrusted with so much of Christs interest in these three Nations that their comfort in the blessed issue may be answerable to their trust All mountains shall casily become plain before our Zerubbabels when their hearts heads and hands do harmoniously concur in this great enterprize Let 's pray and beleeve wait and labour for it and the Lord shall be with the good Postscript IN the close of our Querists Paper we meet with a Postscript written with another hand which was thought fit to be inserted here that they might not miss of their own nor complain of suppressing any part It runs thus The main end of the Proposer in these modest Questions is to assert Christ to be the sole Lord and Ruler in and over the Conscience who obtained the same by vertue of his Death and Resurrection for to this end saith the Scripture Christ died rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living and that every one might give an account unto God and Christ alone as their own Master unto whom they stand or fall in judgement and are not in these things to be oppressed and brought before the Judgement seats of men for why shouldst thou set at naught thy brother in matters of his faith and Conscience and herein intrude into the proper Office of Christ since we are all to stand before the Judgement seat of Christ whether Governours or governed and with his Decision only are capable of being declared either in the right or in the wrong This specious Conclusion deserves a few Animadversions 1. He would insinuate thereby whoever be the Author that all this labour tends to the Vindication and advance of Christs Prerogative whereas their desire if obtained would prove most destructive thereto as we have demonstrated sufficiently in the preceding Answers 2. He proposes his desires so generally for Universal Toleration in all matters of Worship that the vilest Blasphemies the grossest Idloatry and most desperate Heresies are not to be excluded from it 3. He would perswade that the Scripture is altogether for it whereas it 's as diametrally opposite thereto as heaven is to hell as hath been cleared 4. He strives to strip the Magistrate of the best Jewel of his Crown and the chiefest part of his Authority wherewith he is entrusted by Christ in his stead the preservation and promoting of his Worship according to his own written Word 5. He opens a gap thereby to the greatest flood of Infidelity and wickedness that ever can be imagined to the swift and desperate overwhelming of Truth and Peace both in Church and State 6. He sweetens this poysoned Cup with a handfull of Scripture quotations and plausible expressions of Gods Word but miserably wrested and misapplied as will appear to the Judicious peruser thereof for instance the words of Scripture he uses we find them in Pauls Epistle to the Corinthians whereas as its most clear by comparing them with the context and scope of that Chapter that there is no discourse of the Magistrates power there sufficiently cleared elsewhere but of every Christians liberty in indifferent circumstantials and particularly about Jewish meats drinks and daies wherein he would not have them to offend nor take offence by rashness of judging nor remain unsetled in their conscience about the same shewing that the Kingdom of God consists not in meats drinks or any such externals but in righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost That therefore they should use Christian wisdom tenderness and diligence towards each other for their mutual edification There was then a special ground moving thereto because the Jewish Worship having been so long in force and being but lately removed many of the Christian converts the Jews especially thought themselves bound still to the observance thereof which offended others who were better informed Therefore the Apostle who became all things to all in such indifferent matters did use much compllance and forbearance in this case towards weak Christians pressing others to do the like as in other places also yea himself made use sometimes of those Jewish Ceremonials having circumcised Timothy shaven his head made vows c. to win the more upon the Jews his Countrymen who were so desperatly incensed against him for his leaving their way Thus the Ceremonial Rites were gradually to