Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	day_n	law_n	sabbath_n	2,914	5	9.8028	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62129	A gentleman's religion in three parts : the 1st contains the principles of natural religion, the 2d. and 3d. the doctrins of Christianity both as to faith and practice : with an appendix wherein it is proved that nothing contrary to our reason can possibly be the object of our belief, but that it is no just exception against some of the doctrins of Christianity that they are above our reason.	Synge, Edward, 1659-1741.	1698 (1698)	Wing S6380; ESTC R24078	100,488	452

of necessity be outwardly expressed in Words because there is no other way of keeping their Thoughts wherein their Worship does consist united and joyned together And since Words not understood are in effect the same with no Words at all I conclude that the Language wherein the Worship of any Church or Congregation is offered up to God must always be such as is well understood by the Assembly of the People who meet together Nor does even the Doctrine of Transubstantiation amaze me more than that the Church of Rome should own the 14th Chapter of St. Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians to be the Word of God and yet have all their publick Services every where performed in the Latine Tongue only which is not now understood by the generality of any Nation in the World 61. As Peace and Vnity mutual Love and good Agreement amongst the Members of every Society together with Order and Decency in all that is transacted amongst them absolutely necessary to the being and continuance or at least to the well-being of the Society it self so are they carefully prescribed and inculcated by Christ and his Apostles as things to be always preserved and maintained in the Christian Church And as he who first occasions the violation of any of them is plainly guilty of a very great sin so in all Matters that are not particularly and clearly determined by God's Law we cannot propose a better and safer Rule to our selves than always to do that which tends most to the advancement and preservation of them 62. If some certain time be not determined for Christians to meet together for God's Worship which every Man may know of before it comes and accordingly prepare himself for it by laying aside for that time his worldly Business Disorder and Confusion which is the natural Consequence of Uncertainty must needs follow That one Day at least in seven was expressly required by God under the Mosaick Law to be sanctified and set a part for his Service is beyond dispute That the Observation of the Jewish Sabbath or the last Day of the Week is not required from the Christian Church to me seems very evident from St. Paul's reckoning it amongst the transitory Shadows of the old Law Col. 2. 17. But that we Christians ought not to be behind-hand with the Jews in setting apart a proportion of our time for God's Service I think will follow as well from the great Mercies which we have received from him for which we no less than they ought to shew and express our Thankfulness as also from that general Rule which our Saviour has given us that our Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees And that accordingly one Day in seven namely the First Day of the Week which in Scripture is therefore called the Lord's Day Rev. 1. 10. has ever been so set apart for the Service of God in all Christian Churches I presume will be denied by none As also that the Reason of the Apostles making choice of this particular Day was in remembrance of our Saviour's glorious Resurrection which on that Day was performed and whereby their Faith in him which began to waver was confirmed and raised above all doubt or diffidence Now since no Reason can be given or so much as imagined why this Day should be changed for any other Day of the Week I do from what has been said conclude that the Lord's Day or First Day of the Week ought for ever to be kept holy in the Christian Church and particularly dedicated to the Service of God And where either the Church universal or any particular Church has set aside any other days to be kept holy in remembrance either of any of God's Mercies to us or of the Martyrdom of any of his chosen Saints who sealed the Truth of the Gospel with their Lives and transmitted it so confirmed down unto us or as Days of Fasting or Abstinence in order to humble our selves before God for our Sins since in all this there is nothing contrary to God's Law nor any thing but what may be well consistent with and serviceable to true Piety It will follow from what I have said § 61. That every Member of such a Church is obliged to keep and observe these same other Holy Days so far as no way to give Scandal disturb the Order or break the Peace of the Church which has established them 63. Order and Decency necessarily require that all the outward circumstances of Worship which God himself has not determined by his own Law should be so setled by the Church as that all Confusion and Unseemliness therein may as much as is possible be avoided But care on the other side ought ever to be taken that Modes and Ceremonies be not so multiplied as to become uneasy and burdensome or distract the Devotion of the People Now there being no such fixed and demonstrable Rules of Decency and Order but what will have a different relish with different Men according to their several Educations and Customs to which they may have been used it will be very difficult if not impossible for any Church so to regulate these external matters as to please every Mans Fancy and give disgust to none For what some may think to be but decent others may take to be too formal or pompous and what these may apprehend to be suitable to the Simplicity of Christianity another sort may look on as mean and jejune As therefore the Church in this case can do no more but act according to the best of her Prudence so since every Man cannot expect to have his particular Fancy in these things pleased and gratified It will evidently appear to be the Duty of each private Christian so far to comply with every such constitution of the Church where he dwells provided there be nothing in it which is sinful as not to break the Peace and Unity or disturb the Order of the Church on that account But if any Church shall offer to impose any Ceremonies or practices whatsoever which God has not prescribed and which therefore are in themselves indifferent not for Decency and Order but as things in themselves Holy or absolutely necessary to Salvation as some of old would have done by the Jewish Ceremonies with such Impositions as these no Christian ought at all to comply nor suffer his Religion or Conscience to be thus burthened But every Man must stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free tho at the same time he must be very careful not to pretend or use this Liberty as a Cloke of Maliciousness 64. Since different Opinions in matters of Religion are generally apt to beget Dissensions and Animosities between those who entertain them as our dayly Experience does abundantly testifie It ought to be the Church's and every private Christian's endeavour that all Men may become of one and the same Judgment or at least that there may be as few Differences amongst them as