Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	according_a	apostle_n	true_a	2,725	5	4.2807	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54470	Persecvtion inconsistant with Christianity, humane society, and the honor of princes from the testimonies of themselves, and approved authors, and martyrs, herein impartially collected : whereunto is added certain solid reasons why no outward force, nor imposition ought to be used in matters of faith, &c. / by those faithfull witnesses who died under suffering for the testimony of Jesus, viz: Richard Hubberthorn, Samuel Fisher, Francis Howgill.	Crook, John, 1617-1699.; Hubberthorn, Richard, 1628-1662.; Fisher, Samuel, 1605-1665.; Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.	1670 (1670)	Wing P1660; ESTC R4070	17,093	32

been and is their condition to be put to death themselves for the Testimony of of the Truth Moreover said he the shedding of Blood about Religion is an evident token of Antichrist Relig. Vris pag. 192. Haywardus said That the best Writers of that time did agree in one opinion and with Tertulliano Lactantio Cassidoro and Iosephus c. That People must inform men to imbrace Religion with Reason and not compel them by violence I have for long season determined said one of the Kings of France to reform the Church which without Peace said he I cannot do and it is impossible to reform or convert people by violence I am King as a Shepherd said he and will not shed the Blood of my Sheep but will gather them through the mildness and goodness of a King and not through the power of Tyranny And I will give them that are of the reformed Religion right Liberty to live and dwell free without being examined perplexed molested or compelled to any thing contrary to their Consciences for they shall have the free exercise of their Religion c. vide Chron. Vande Vnderg 2. deel pag. 1514. Luther said That the Hypocrites Church was to be known by its Manners whose Image and Sign was Esau yet she boasted of God and would be accounted his Church but lived wholly according to the World Further said he the true Church is not defended by a Fleshly Arm which wicked Bishops especially use and cry unto Thesau pag. 622. Calvin said That the Apostle gave to understand That to exercise authority over ones Faith was in no wise just nor tollerable yea said he It is Tyanny in the Church for FAITH ought to be free from all Subjection of men When several of the Priests in the low Countries requested of the Prince and States that they would introduce Ordinances and Discipline according to their Opinions but the Prince and the States rejected their requests esteeming them prejudicial both to Religion and Pollicy when they observed the diverse Opinions that were among the People concluding It was the best way to preserve unity among the People to give Liberty to all and to Compel none Anno 1608. Edict Fol. 27. Areneus affirmed That all forcing of Conscience though it was but a forbiding of the Exercise which is esteemed by one or another to be necessary to Salvation is in no wise right nor fitting He also affirmed That through diversities of Religions the Kingdom should not be brought into any disturbance The Antient Reformed Protestants termed that forcing of Conscience when they were constrained to leave off the exercise of their Religion saying Car nous privant de nostre Religion on nous tiendroit en une continuele mors corporelle spirituelle that is For to deprive us of our Religion is to keep us in a perpetual corporal and spiritual death adding thereunto How that they would rather be put to death then be bereaved of the exercise of their Religion c. And also they testified how that the Religion which was defended with Cruelty was not grounded upon the Word of God Lactantius said If you will with blood with evil and with torments defend the Worship it shall not thereby be defended but polluted Lib. 5. Chap. 20. Constantius the Emperor said That it was enough that he preserved the unity of the FAITH that he might be excusable before the Judgment Seat of God and that he would leave every one to his own understanding according to the account he will give before the Judgment Seat of Christ Hereto may we stir up People said he not compel them beseech them to come into the unity of the Christians but to do VIOLENCE to them we will not in no wise Sabast. Frank. Cron. Fol. 127. Augustinus Said Some disturbed the Peace of the Church while they went about to root out the TARES before the time and through this Error of Blindness said he are they themselves separated so much the more from being united unto Christ. Retnaldus testified That he who with Imprisoning and Persecuting seeketh to spread the Gospel and greaseth his Hands with Blood shall much rather be looked upon for a wild Hunter then a Preacher or a Defender of the Christian Religion The State of Holland testified Dat waer vervolginghen Zijn datter daer al in roere is maer waer geen en sijn al sijdor verscheijden Religion dat dare alle saelren stilder sijn so oelr in onse ijden is bevon den that is Where there was Persecution there was all in disstraction but where there was none though there were several Religions there all things were the quieter as hath been evident in our dayes said they Vide Vrede Handel Van. Col. Fol. 53. Calvin Said That those that are set over us must be obeyed if that the Command of God be not thereby disobeyed but if they lead us from obedience to God and presumptiously strive against the Lord then must they not be regarded said he to the end that God with his Authority may retain the preheminence A Book written in French by N. M. Anno 1576. hath this Sentence in it Those Princes that have ruled by Gentleness and Clemency added to justice and have exercised Moderation and Meekness towards their Subjects alwayes greatly Prospered and Reigned long But on the contrary those Princes that have been Cruel Vnjust Perfidious and Oppressors of their Subjects have soon fallen they and their Estate into danger or total ruin Veritus said Seeing Christ is a LAMB whom you profess to be your Head and Captain then it behoveth you to be Sheep and to use the same WEAPONS which he made use of for he will not be a Shepherd of Wolves and wild Beasts but onely of SHEEP wherefore if you lose the Nature of Sheep said he and be changed into Wolves and wild Beasts and use fleshly Weapons then will you exclude your selves out of his Calling and forsake his Banner and then will he not be your Captain Stephanus King of Poland said It belongeth not to me to reform the Conscience I have alwayes gladly given that over to God which belongeth to him and so shall I do now and also for the future I will suffer the WEEDS to grow until the time of Harvest for I know that the number of Believers are but small therefore said he when some were proceeding in persecution Ego sum Rex Populorum non Conscientiarum that is I am the King of the People not of their Consciences he also affirmed That Religion was not to be planted with FIRE and SWORD Chron. Van. de Rel. Vrijh 2. deel Tindal said The New Testament of Christ suffered no Law of Compelling but alone of Perswading and Exhorting Fox Acts and Mon. page 1338. The Prince of Orange testified Anno 1579. That it was impossible that the Land should be kept in Peace except there was a free Tolleration in the Exercise of Religion Where hast thou ever read