Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	church_n	communion_n	separation_n	1,256	5	10.3360	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59564	A sermon preached on the 28th of June, at St. Giles in the Fields by John Sharp ... ; at his leaving ye parish ...	Sharp, John, 1645-1714.	1691 (1691)	Wing S2992; ESTC R15037	14,490	31

those that are now in Authority as we could for those that were heretofore But how unreasonable is this when S. Paul has bid us to put up prayers and supplications and intercessions for all men especially for Kings and all that are in Authority Doth he make any restriction any distinction what Kings or what persons in Authority we are to pray for and what not Doth he not expresly say we must pray for all men and for all that are in authority And doth not the reason of his exhortation imply as much if his words did not Namely that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty But I pray consider what this Doctrine leads to If this principle be admitted to be good Divinity then farewel all the obligations to Ecclesiastical Communion among Christians For what Government is there in the World that will not meet with such Subjects as are not satisfied with it and if that dissatisfaction be a just reason to break Communion with the Established Church what Ligaments have we to tye Christians together What will become of holding the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace What is the consequence of this but endless Schisms and Separations But further I wish these Persons would consider what an unaccountable humour it is to make a Rent and Schism in the Church upon a meer point of State Great Revolutions have happen'd in all Ages and in all Countries and we have frequent instances of them in story But I believe it will not be easily found that ever any Christians separated from the Church upon account of them Still they kept unanimously to their Doctrine and their Worship and never concerned themselves farther in the Turns of State how great soever they were than peaceably to submit to the Powers in being and heartily to pray to God so to prosper their Government and direct all their affairs that all their Subjects might lead quiet and peaceable lives under them in all Godliness and Honesty But when in a Revolution a Prince was advanced to the Throne that they looked upon to be a good man and an encourager of the True Religion in that case they did not only readily submit to him but acknowledged it as the great blessing of God to them that he had raised up such a Man to rule over them This was the Notion and this was the Practice of the Primitive Christians as to this matter I may indeed say of the Christians in all Ages And whatever you may have heard to the contrary I doubt not to say that this is the very Doctrine of the Church of England Let me therefore exhort all of you to be followers of Peace to promote publick Unity and Concord as much as is possible to study to be quiet and mind your own business to be more concerned for your Country and Nation than the Interest of any single man in it heartily to submit to the Government and not only so but to thank God for the Blessings you enjoy under it and most earnestly to pray for the Continuance of them Lastly never to espouse any party or faction against the Government nor ever to be driven away from the Communion of the Church of which you have always professed your selves members by any of the pretences which some warm men may suggest to you This I dare venture to say how uneasie soever some of you now may be in joyning with our prayers you will at last be ten times more uneasie in separating from us For Faction has no bounds and God knows whither it will lead a man at last Were there nothing else but the Heat and Turbulency the Passion and Peevishness the bitter Zeal and Uncharitableness that the being of a Party doth naturally ingage men in I say were there nothing else but this No man that consults the peace of his own mind would for any consideration leave the publick Communion and espouse the cause of a separate Interest But there are worse Consequences than these and I pray God we may never feel them And now I have done with my Exhortation I have spoke my thoughts very freely to you And I hope you will receive what I have said with the same kindness that I meant it And truely I have no reason to doubt of it after so long an experience as I have had of your Civility and Candor Indeed during all the time I have been among you which hath been now near Sixteen years I have been so kindly treated by you and have received so many Testimonies of your Good-will that I cannot but take this Opportunity of publickly acknowledging my Obligations to you and returning you my Solemn Thanks for Them I cannot indeed say that I have done my duty as I ought and I heartily beg of God to forgive all my defects But I have this satisfaction that I have sincerely endeavoured in all my Preaching to instruct you in the true doctrine of the Gospel and to teach you the right way that leads to Salvation And I am so certain that I have not been mistaken my self nor mis-led you in that matter that I dare with Confidence address my self to you in some of the words of the Apostle which do immediately follow after my Text Viz. Those things which you have learned and received and heard from me do and the God of peace shall be with you I shall ever bless God for that Providence of his which placed me among you and as I shall always and do earnestly desire all your prayers for me so I shall always heartily pray for you That God would guide and prosper you that his good Providence would always watch over you for Good that he would bestow upon you and your Children after you all sorts of Blessings needful and convenient for you and especially that he would deliver you from every evil work and preserve you to his Heavenly Kingdom This God of his infinite mercy grant c. FINIS