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	unity_n	1,522	5	9.2638	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85583	Great Brittans ruine plotted by seven sorts of men; discoved [sic] and counter plotted: in which is contained a probable way for the happy and peaceable composing of all the distempers of the time, with articles for the finding out of scandalous ministers. commended in a letter to a friend, and now recommended to the Honourable Parliaments consideration. By a true-hearted well-wisher to great Brittanes happinesse.	True-hearted well-wisher to Great Brittanes happinesse.	1642 (1642)	Wing G1669; Thomason E134_31; ESTC R9186	13,456	33

reformation be eminent and well noted in the World In an assembly or Synod thus constituted me thinkes Sir it would doe well to have the Doctrine of the Church well determined and explaned so that in matter of Doctrine wee might consent with all Protestant Churches and if it were possible that an agreement might bee laboured for betwixt us and the Southern and Eastern Churches and al Churches to be accounted Christian which shall be found to agree in matter of Doctrine who knowes but the singular industry and wisdome of such a well constituted assembly may fetch in the Asian African European and American Churches into greater unitie and brotherly correspondencie and haply to the incredible strength of the Christian party against all the sworne enemies of Christ Jesus Nay who can tell but that such a reconciliation wrought in matter of doctrine may be a speciall meanes to undermine the walls of Babylon to bring under the Mahumetan and to render the Lord Christ as a more acceptable Messias to his old and forsaken people the Jews But now Sir I cannot but pause being transported with such high thoughts and designes but are not wee the tools and instruments to serve divine providence Doth not Creation Redemption the constant benignitie of Gods providence engage us to serve God in his highest and greatest ends Is there any part of the World where God hath ground better furnished with men of parts Learning Tongues Arts Sciences brave and Noble Resolutions Ancient and Renowned Valour and Honourable Atchievements then in these British Isles Hath God so honoured and qualified Great Britain with such sufficiencie and eminencie in all things And shall not Great Britain reach out its Vertues to serve her Lord and Master in his greatest and highest Designes Well Sir Let us not bee discouraged let us do quantum in nobis for our God hath often honoured himselfe by the weakest Instruments Secondly I desire the old boundaries and meeres between actions necessary and indifferent may be searched out well viewed restored and determined the losse of Meere stones oftentimes occasioneth quarrels betwixt neerest Neighbours and dearest Friends for many hundred yeeres by-past the Meer-stones betwixt necessity and indifferency have beene for the most part lost and buried under ground so that necessity hath encroached upon indifferencie or indifferencie upon necessitie Heavens help us in this for in earth wee could never find for many hundred yeers men of such moderate and temperate spirits as would allow necessitie and indifferencie their owne without wrong to the one side Sir I professe I would not have God to lose one foot of his own ground nor the Conscience its Christian privilege neither yet the Magistrate the least due that God allows him only I could wish it well determined in a competent and impartiall Church Assembly First whether the Conscience be tyed to obedience in any thing but what God requires in his Word by way of precept or naturall and necessary inference and whether it be fit to strain an inference too far and too curiously Secondly whether all things be not indifferent wherein the Scripture hath not determined and the Conscience free to use them or refuse Thirdly whether the libertie of Conscience in indifferent things was not purchased by Christ Fourthly If it be the Churches priviledge what man or civill Magistrate hath power to take away my priviledge by Christ without my own consent testified by my selfe or others trusted in my behalfe Fifthly whether a Nationall Synod after the Church is well purged be not a fit way to conclude our libertie in indifferent actions especially there being some to represent the people haply a Committee of the House of Commons assisting in the Worke for the finding out of the bounds of indifferent actions and the prescribing Laws concerning them Sixthly whether any such assembly may make any Law for indifferent actions but with a Protestation of Revocation upon inconveniences observed and generall scandals Seventhly whether charitie be not as necessary together with other generall Rules Phil. 4.8 and as order or subjection to Magistracie and how these can be all managed without crossing or violence to some side But now mee thinks whiles I looke into the Arke I cannot but tremble and cry out with the Apostle O the depth these are arcana Ecclesiae or fitter for a well constituted Synod then for any particular or private person to search into them neither are they fit to be discussed in such a Synod without singular moderation charitie humilitie profound judgement and integritie And now Sir I have done with my second Myne which being well wrought will blow up many of the above-named Conspirators Only Sir Let us encourage the work to the utmost for the reconciliation of all Christians in matter of doctrine who knows but that God Great Britains Lord will account the Indies too mean a recompence for her faithfulnesse in erecting the Kingdome of Christ through the World and making the light of the Gospel more glorious Sure I am the opportunitie for the West Indies is fairer then ever for my part I dare undertake to cleere it and for neerer Kingdomes who knows but they may say to us as those in the Prophecie of Zacharie Wee will goe with you for God is with you Thirdly A good frame of Church-government which may represent the new Jerusalem comming downe from Heaven wherein the Lambe may bee the light and that unerring Truth of Gods Word the only Rule whereby to work this frame of building Sir I am confident wee shall never be free from scandalous Ministers Arminians Innovators and Popish Protestants till a new frame of Government be determined which may more certainly finde out discover and suppresse the Enemies of God and his Church then this of ours Sir my meaning is not to assigne any particular forme or way for Church-government that is fitter for a Nationall Synod then my self only into your bosome I dare vent my conceit in some generals I wish the three severall Governments to be well surveyed the Episcopall the Presbyteriall and the Independent ways in New England to refine them all in a Church Assembly And wherein all or any of them may conforme us more neerly to the Word and sute with the disposition and necessitie of our church so much Sir desire we may follow in any one or all of them but where these severall Governments or any of them do crosse the Word and are inconsistent with the present and distracted condition of our Church I humbly pray to God Almighty they may be reprobate so that Christ only may rule in his Church according to his commission from his Father Sir I believe you will find upon the examination of the three severall Governments some thing worthy of admiration and imitation in every one of them None of the three Governments but may have their severall defects or superfluities one out of all would doe well yet so as nothing be taken but