Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	brethren_n	learned_a	reverend_n	3,200	5	16.4442	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48126	A Letter of the Presbyterian ministers in the city of London presented the first of Jan. 1645, to the reverend Assembly of Divines, sitting at Westminster, by authority of Parliament, against toleration : now re-printed with some animadversions thereon.	Westminster Assembly (1643-1652)	1668 (1668)	Wing L1581; ESTC R15039	6,131	15

a_o letter_n of_o the_o presbyterian_a minister_n in_o the_o city_n of_o london_n present_v the_o first_o of_o jan._n 1645._o to_o the_o reverend_a assembly_n of_o divine_n sit_v at_o westminster_n by_o authority_n of_o parliament_n against_o toleration_n now_o reprint_v with_o some_o animadversion_n thereon_o london_n print_v for_o j._n johnson_n 1668._o a_o preface_n to_o the_o reader_n it_o be_v sufficient_o know_v how_o the_o presbyterian_a party_n in_o this_o nation_n have_v by_o the_o help_n of_o the_o covenant_n and_o force_v of_o arm_n root_v out_o as_o they_o think_v episcopal_a or_o prelatical_a government_n establish_v by_o the_o know_a law_n of_o the_o land_n soon_o find_v themselves_o supplant_v in_o their_o new_a intend_a uniformity_n press_v on_o all_o man_n with_o a_o most_o zealous_a rigour_n by_o their_o young_a brother_n independency_n which_o under_o the_o smooth_a pretension_n of_o liberty_n of_o conscience_n and_o toleration_n threaten_a presbytery_n with_o the_o same_o destruction_n hereupon_o the_o presbyterian_a minister_n of_o london_n meet_v at_o zion_n college_n draw_v up_o this_o ensue_a letter_n to_o the_o assembly_n convene_v at_o westminster_n to_o possess_v they_o with_o the_o unlawfulness_n of_o liberty_n of_o conscience_n and_o toleration_n especial_o aim_v at_o independency_n their_o fear_a rival_n but_o the_o intelligent_a reader_n will_v easy_o discern_v how_o their_o own_o argument_n recoil_v upon_o themselves_o how_o dangerous_a and_o wicked_a it_o be_v in_o their_o judgement_n to_o tolerate_v much_o more_o to_o perpetuate_v by_o a_o stand_a law_n schism_n in_o the_o church_n whether_o of_o presbytery_n or_o independency_n of_o which_o they_o be_v so_o equal_o guilty_a that_o it_o will_v be_v very_o difficult_a if_o not_o impossible_a for_o a_o impartial_a understanding_n to_o condemn_v the_o one_o and_o to_o acquit_v the_o other_o yea_o it_o will_v appear_v by_o their_o own_o reason_n here_o allege_v how_o necessary_a it_o be_v to_o the_o preservation_n of_o truth_n and_o peace_n that_o a_o uniform_a obedience_n be_v yield_v to_o one_o and_o the_o same_o establish_a rule_n of_o ecclesiastical_a polity_n lest_o otherwise_o the_o people_n be_v seduce_v and_o draw_v away_o from_o our_o congregation_n the_o godly_a painful_a orthodox_n and_o conformable_a clergy_n be_v discourage_v all_o sort_n of_o sectary_n embolden_v to_o desire_n and_o endeavour_v the_o like_a indulgence_n the_o civil_a state_n by_o endless_a division_n weaken_v and_o the_o church_n first_o distract_v and_o at_o last_o destroy_v the_o god_n of_o peace_n and_o truth_n grant_v we_o a_o right_a understanding_n in_o all_o thing_n amen_n to_o our_o reverend_n learned_a and_o religious_a brethren_n the_o prolocutor_n and_o the_o rest_n of_o the_o divine_n assemble_v and_o now_o sit_v at_o westminster_n by_o authority_n of_o parliament_n these_o present_a reverend_a and_o belove_a brethren_n we_o be_v exceed_o apprehensive_a of_o the_o desireableness_n of_o our_o church_n peace_n and_o of_o the_o pleasantness_n of_o brethren_n unity_n know_v that_o when_o peace_n be_v set_v upon_o its_o proper_a basis_n viz._n righteousness_n and_o truth_n it_o be_v one_o of_o the_o best_a possession_n both_o delectable_a and_o profitable_a like_o aaron_n ointment_n and_o the_o dew_n of_o hermon_n it_o be_v true_a by_o reason_n of_o different_a light_n and_o different_a sight_n among_o brethren_n there_o may_v be_v dissent_v in_o opinion_n yet_o church-communion_n yet_o what_o be_v the_o keep_n conventicle_n or_o private_a meeting_n but_o separate_v from_o our_o church-communion_n why_o shall_v there_o by_o any_o separate_n from_o church-communion_n the_o church_n coat_n may_v be_v of_o divers_a colour_n yet_o why_o shall_v there_o be_v any_o rent_n in_o it_o have_v we_o not_o a_o touchstone_n of_o truth_n the_o good_a word_n of_o god_n and_o when_o all_o thing_n be_v examine_v by_o that_o word_n then_o that_o which_o be_v best_a may_v be_v hold_v fast_o but_o first_o they_o must_v be_v know_v and_o then_o examine_v afterward_o if_o our_o dissent_v brethren_n after_o so_o many_o importunate_a entreaty_n will_v have_v be_v persuade_v either_o in_o zeal_n to_o the_o truth_n or_o in_o sincere_a love_n to_o the_o church_n peace_n and_o unity_n among_o brethren_n or_o in_o respect_n to_o their_o own_o reputation_n by_o fair_a and_o ingenuous_a deal_n or_o d●ocesans_n or_o yet_o the_o minister_n of_o this_o persuasion_n make_v as_o little_a conscience_n of_o their_o subscription_n promise_n yea_o oath_n of_o cananical_a obedience_n to_o their_o respective_a d●ocesans_n in_o conscience_n to_o their_o promise_n make_v with_o the_o minister_n of_o london_n now_o five_o year_n since_o or_o any_o such_o like_a reasonable_a consideration_n at_o last_o to_o have_v give_v we_o a_o full_a narrative_n of_o their_o opinion_n and_o ground_n of_o their_o separation_n we_o be_v persuade_v they_o will_v not_o have_v stand_v at_o such_o a_o distance_n from_o we_o as_o now_o they_o do_v but_o they_o choose_v rather_o to_o walk_v by_o their_o own_o private_a light_n than_o to_o unbosom_v themselves_o to_o we_o their_o most_o affectionate_a brethren_n and_o to_o set_v themselves_o in_o a_o untrodden_a way_n of_o their_o own_o rather_o than_o to_o wait_v what_o our_o covenant_v reformation_n according_a to_o the_o word_n of_o god_n and_o ceremony_n and_o show_v we_o the_o example_n of_o one_o reform_a church_n which_o allow_v her_o minister_n liberty_n not_o to_o use_v she_o establish_v rite_n and_o ceremony_n example_n of_o the_o best_a reform_a church_n will_v bring_v forth_o but_o the_o offence_n do_v not_o end_v here_o it_o be_v much_o that_o our_o brethren_n shall_v separate_v from_o the_o church_n but_o that_o they_o shall_v endeavour_v time_n endeavour_v this_o be_v plain_o our_o brethren_n design_n and_o endeavour_n at_o this_o time_n to_o get_v a_o warrant_n to_o authorise_v their_o separation_n from_o it_o and_o to_o have_v liberty_n by_o draw_v member_n out_o of_o it_o to_o weaken_v and_o diminish_v it_o till_o so_o far_o as_o lie_v in_o they_o they_o have_v bring_v it_o to_o nothing_o this_o we_o think_v to_o be_v plain_o unlawful_a yet_o this_o we_o understand_v be_v their_o present_a design_n and_o endeavour_v wherefore_o reverend_a brethren_n have_v have_v such_o large_a experience_n of_o your_o zeal_n of_o god_n glory_n your_o care_n of_o his_o afflict_a church_n your_o earnest_a endeavour_n to_o promote_v the_o complete_a reformation_n of_o it_o and_o of_o your_o ready_a concurrence_n with_o we_o in_o the_o improvement_n of_o any_o mean_n that_o may_v be_v find_v conducible_a to_o this_o end_n we_o be_v bold_a to_o hint_n unto_o you_o these_o our_o ensue_a reason_n against_o the_o toleration_n of_o independency_n in_o this_o church_n 1._o the_o desire_n and_o endeavour_n of_o independent_o for_o a_o toleration_n be_v at_o this_o time_n extreme_o unseasonable_a and_o praeproperous_a for_o 1._o the_o reformation_n of_o religion_n be_v not_o yet_o perfect_v and_o settle_v among_o we_o according_a to_o our_o covenant_n and_o why_o may_v not_o the_o reformation_n be_v raise_v up_o at_o last_o to_o such_o purity_n and_o perfection_n that_o true_o tender_a conscience_n may_v receive_v abundant_a satisfaction_n for_o aught_o that_o yet_o appear_v 2._o it_o be_v not_o yet_o know_v what_o the_o government_n of_o the_o independent_o be_v neither_o will_v they_o ever_o yet_o vouchsafe_v to_o let_v the_o world_n know_v what_o they_o hold_v in_o that_o point_n though_o some_o of_o their_o party_n have_v be_v too_o forward_o to_o challenge_v the_o london_n petitioner_n as_o lead_v with_o blind_a obedience_n and_o pin_v their_o soul_n upon_o the_o priest_n sleeve_n for_o desire_v a_o establishment_n of_o the_o government_n of_o christ_n before_o there_o be_v any_o model_n of_o it_o extant_a 3._o we_o can_v have_v hardly_o be_v persuade_v that_o the_o independent_o themselves_o after_o all_o the_o stir_n they_o have_v make_v among_o we_o condescension_n we_o the_o presbyterian_o although_o often_o press_v thereunto_o will_v not_o declare_v wherewith_o they_o will_v be_v all_o conclude_v how_o far_o they_o mean_v to_o get_v and_o where_o to_o stay_v in_o their_o desire_n of_o toleration_n or_o condescension_n be_v as_o yet_o full_o resolve_v about_o their_o own_o way_n wherewith_o they_o will_v be_v conclude_v see_v they_o publish_v not_o their_o model_n though_o they_o be_v nimble_a enough_o in_o publish_v other_o thing_n and_o they_o profess_v reserve_v and_o new_a light_n for_o which_o they_o will_v no_o doubt_n expect_v the_o like_a toleration_n and_o so_o in_o infinitum_fw-la it_o be_v more_o seasonable_a to_o move_v for_o toleration_n when_o once_o they_o be_v positive_o determine_v how_o far_o they_o mean_v to_o go_v and_o where_o they_o mean_v to_o stay_v ii_o their_o desire_n and_o endeavour_n be_v unreasonable_a and_o unequal_a in_o divers_a regard_n 1._o partly_o because_o no_o such_o toleration_n have_v hitherto_o be_v establish_v so_o far_o as_o we_o