Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	authority_n	church_n	ordain_v	1,218	5	9.9132	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34668	A censure of that reverend and learned man of God, Mr. John Cotton, lately of New-England, upon the way of Mr. Henden of Bennenden in Kent, expressed in some animadversions of his upon a letter of Mr. Henden's sometimes sent to Mr. Elmeston (2) a brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion, by a reverend and learned minister, Mr. Geo[r]ge Petter ... (3) Mr. Henden's animadversions on Mr. Elmestons's epistle revised and chastized.	Elmeston, John.; Cotton, John, 1584-1652. Censure ... upon the way of Mr. Henden.; Petter, George. Brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion.	1656 (1656)	Wing C6415; ESTC R20949	43,719	60

about some mistakes in some words and quotations there is no such wrong done as needs any expâ—stulation on either side For there is no advantage taken upon any such matter to the prejudice of either cause And if it should be done on either side it would prove but a cavill and redound to his discredit who should make it If some places of Scripture by you alledged were omitted by me for hast or by over-sight you know thatyou had an answer to them from another reverend man by my procurement which I sent to you though you pleased to take no notice of it and I shall I trust God assisting give answer to them all in due time But now for a Conclusion There is a capitall crime or some deep plot charged on me Your Book say you is not dated at the beginning according to the usuall manner At the end of your Epistle it beares date August the 18. now it came not out untill December neere four moneths after whether this be double dealing to make the Reader believe that we were â—ardy in our Reply is best knowns to your owne conscience Answ. It is wonder that here you did not make a O yes and as he call our Hearken O people every one of you Here is no doubt a weighty matter to cavill at and to charge upon a mans conscience as if I were by when the book was in printing and gave any order about its dating It is dated as all other books be in the beginning and as your own noting the party for whom it was printed and the yeare when it was printed though not the moneth nor day of the moneth which is is not usually noted 2. The long distance between the date of the Epistle and the Books coming forth may shew indeed and that is the plaine truth that it was long ere I could prevaile with the Stationer to undertake the printing of it and the slow going on of the Press But it seemes that you are very jealous of your credit and would have the world take notice of youâ— ability and readinesse to write and answer In which point I shall not coâ—tend with you I did in my book toward the end acknowledge and still doe that I am but of a dull apprehension and slow motion and now somewhat the slower by reason of my age having fulfilled the 77. yeare of this mortall race You for me shall goe away with the praise of this swiftnesse It shall suffice me if after some pâ—odding and longer deliberation I can at length finde out the truth In which case yet I wish you to take notice of the Proverb that Tardus aliquando celerem assequitur He that is but slow may at length overtake the more swift of foot I will conclude with a story of Melancthâ—n who in a disputation with Errius a Popish Sophister being urged with a subtilâ— argument from him after some demur about it said I will answer it to morrow Oh saith Errius this is not for your credit if you cannot answer extempore out of hand and presently To whom Melancthon did reply O good Doctor I do not seek mine owne credit in this businesse but the truth To morrow you shall heare me Thus I had rather suffer in my credit for dulness than prejudice the truth by my too hasty swiftness Qui dicit quae vult audiet quae non vult Whose humour is to speak what he doth please Shall hear what will afford him little ease A briefe and solid Exercitation concerning the Coercive Power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion by a reverend and learned Minister Mr. George Petter deceased lately of Bread in Sussex Qu. WHether the Civil Magistrate by his authority may compell men to doâ— any thing against their conscience in matters of Religion or in the worship of God as to come to Church and there to heare the Word preached Answ. The Magistrate being ordained of God to be custoâ— utriusque tabulae both may and ought to use his authority in compelling those under his jurisdiction to the due performance of all externall religious duties commanded of God and required in the first table of the morall Law 1. But Rom. 134. He is the Minister of God for the good of his Subjects that is to procure and provide for their good and welfare Now the chief good of his Subjects is their spirituall good the good of their soules and how doth he provide for this if he suffer them to neglect and omit the duties of Gods worship and the ordinary meanes of their salvation and doe not compell them to perform and to use the same 2. But 1 Tim 2. 2. One end for which we are commanded to pray for those that are in authority is this that we may under them and by their meanes lead our lives in all godlinesse Whence it followes that it is the Magistrates duty by his authority to provide that Subjects may live under him in all godliness And how can he be said to do this if he do not by his power take order that they may duly performe the maine duties of piety commanded by God 3. That from the example and practise of some of the religious Kingâ— of Juda 2 Chron. 34. 31. Josiah made a Covenant to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandements c. and he caused all in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it So 2 Chro. 15. the like Covenant by the authority of Asa was made by his people ver. 12. They entred into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers c. and that whosoever would not seek the Lord c. should be put to death c. This was a compulsion in an high degree 4. That If a Master of a Family may and ought to compell his Family yea and Strangers too coming or being in his house to the outward sanctifying of the Sabbath at least to keep them from prophaning it as appeares by the Fourth Commandement then may a Magistrate do the like according as is read of and commanded in Nehemiah cap. 13 15 16 c. 1. Obj. If the Magistrate compell his Subjects to doe things against their conscience or which they in their consciences are perswaded to be unlawfull for them to doe then he compells them to sin Answ. Here it is to be considered from whence this perswasion in the Subjâ—ct doth proceed If from an ignorant and weak conscience as in such as have not had the meanes or no sufficient meanes to teach them and informe their consciences right touching the lawfulnesse of the things enjoyned then I think such persons are not to be compelled to such things till they have beene first conferred withal better instructed informed of the lawfulness of those things injoyned by such as may be presumed better able to informe them than they can inform themselves Yet here this caution is to be added that when such dutyes of Religion are enjoyned by

Why should there be any preaching any writing any praying or disputing against Heresies Christ is potent without such means to prevaile in light Nay may we not also say Why should any Lawes be made against Murder Whoredome Theft Slandering c. for God is as potent to maintaine Righteousnesse Peace Chastity and Truth c. in such a liberty as Satan is to work Unrighteousnesse Uncleannesse Envy Lying c. But if it cannot be expected that Christ should put forth his power to maintaine such Vertues where there is such a neglect of meanes as that no good Lawes are made against the foulest Vices so surely it may be feared that Satan will there more prevail with his delusions in Religion than Christ shew himself powerfull in maintaining truth where no good lawes are in force to represse Heresies or to uphold Divine truth Obj. Truth may thus be shut out and Compulsion hath proved a direct enemy to the Gospel Answ. It is true and so hath Preaching Writing and Church censures helped to shut out Truâ—h and been made direct enemies to the Gospel But that hath been not in the right use of them by preaching and writing for truth and just censuring scandalous and erroneous persons but by the abuse of them in turning them against the truth and professours of it And if this coâ—rcivâ— power which in harsh language you delight to call Compulsion exercised in matters of Religion have obstructed Truth and been an adversary to the Gospel that mischief hath not sprung from the nature of the power which is good and lawfull but from the abuse of it by seduced and ill affected Magistrates who have misimployed it And it is a grosse Paralogisme from the abuse of any thing to blemish or extinguish the right use of it And if you would clear your eyes and look abroad you may see that it hath oft helped to maintain Truth and propâ—gate the Gospel witnesse the godly Kings of Judah who did thereby put down Idolatry in their land and bring their people back to the true worship of God Witnesse the first Christian Emperours who by it banished Pagan Idolatry and promoted Christian Religion Witnesse Protestant Princes of late in England and other Countreys who by it suppressed Popish Idolatry and set up the preaching of the Gospel and countenanced the profession of it Last Compulsion of the Civil Power hath oft been an instrument of Tyranny and exercised to hinder justice and righteousnesse as Solomon sheweth And yet indeed it is not so easily and oft used against Justice and other â—uties of the second Table as it is against the Gospel For that there be more principles of civil righteousnesse and care of preserving peace and mans outward welfare left in mans nature to direct thereto and check unrighteousnesse than of Divine truth in Religion of which there are left but some generall notions that there is a God and that he is to be worshipped but nothing by any such principles doe they know of the particular manner of his worship much lesse any thing of the Gospel And if notwithstanding this abuse of civil power or compulsion against righteousnesse and traâ— quility commanded in the second Table it have its right use and that to bâ— a lowâ—d about civil matters of that table there may be a right and lawfull use of it in matters of Religion though by the abuse thereof it shut out Truth and be oft an enemy to the Gospell Obj. To what way doe you so eagerly labour to engage the Sword of the Magistrate to your own or to some other Answ. This is nothing but the spâ—tting of your rancour For where doe I mention the Sword of the Magistrate in my Epistle What are the words that I use to engage the Sword of the Migistrate against any Religion All that I doe is but briefly to decipher and complaine of that mischief that hath come of an universall toleration of all Religions that not as avowed and allowed by the State but by you and others cryed up and usurped 2. We take not upon uâ— to prescrâ—be to the Magistrate any way in Religion which he should establâ—sh but advise him specially to have recourse to the Word of God which is a sure and cleare rule out of which he may learnâ— by diligent search and prayer taking also the advice of godly and learned Ministers what is the good and right way which he himselfe should embrace and also commend yea and command unto his Subjects 3. Aâ— under the Bishops there was a power practised which was tyrannicall whereof you also aâ— well as other did complain so now also in this multiplicity of religious wayes set on foot some courses must needs be erroneous and schismaticall in which company you and your party march with the foremost Obj. Neither you nor any other sit in the Chaire of Infallibility and so have no power over the conscience which none can have but an unerring Law Answ. 1. Whence are these loud words concerning our Infallibility Our speech is not of our power but of the power of the Magistrate 2. If the Magistrate may not make lawes in matters of Religion because he is not infallible in his determinations upon that account you may as weâ—l abolish his power about Lawes in civil matters For in those he may mistake though not so oft and foulely as in matters of Religion and enact things not onely heavy and burthâ—nsome unto his people but also unjust and unrighteouâ— 3. There is an infallible and unerring rule viz the Word of God by which the Magistrate iâ— to be directâ—d in making Lawes And so farre as he keepeâ— close to that his determinations are infallible and to be observed 4. The matters that he commands in Religion ought to be the manifest precepts of God or evidently consonant to his Word and then though as being the command of the Magistrate they doe not absolutely binde the conscience yet as Godâ— Lâ—wes they have power so to doe It is then a vaine surmise to imagine that the Magistrate in making such Lawes doth encroach upon mens consciences as binding men by his meere authority unto the observance of them and that under pâ—ine of damnation when as he doth onely command externall duties of Religion to which men by Gods Law are bound in conscience Aâ— for example the sanctifying of the Lords day publique attendance upon the Word and other natural worshâ—p of God and forbidding what is manifestly forbidden by the Word the open professing and publishing of Error and Heresies and making unwarrantable Schismâ— in the Church and that onely under some temporal penalties and rewards Obj. Suppose you and others were infallible yet neither you nor any can create beliefe in the hearts of any that are contrary-mindâ—d Answ. This Argument proceeds upon a false supposition â—â— if it were affiâ—med that Magistrates should compell men to believe and repent and in case they do not were to punish

authority of the Magistrate such ignorant or weak persons are not rashly or of their owne heads to withdraw their obedience by refusing to conforme to the dutyes enjoyned but they are first in all modest and humble manner and that speedily to propound their doubts and reasons of their refusall and to desire satisfaction therein from such as are in authority 2. If on the other side the foresaid perswasion doe proceed from an obstinate conscience as those that have had the meanes of teaching and have been sufficiently convinced of the lawfulnesse of the things enjoyned by authority of the Magistrate and yet doe obstinately persist in refusing to doe them then the Magistrate compelling them to outward conformity in doing the dutyes enjoyned doth not compell them to sin but useth the meanes to reforme sin in them by punishing them for their obstinacy thereby to reclaime them from it and from their contempt and neglect of Gods ordinances Now this the Magistrate may and ought to doe For Rom. 13. it is said He beareth not the sword in vaine and is therewith to punish evil doers but surely they are evil doers who do wilfully even against the light of their Conscienceâ— refuse to be conformable in such dutyes of Relâ—gion and Gods worship as are enjoyned by the Magistrate These are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} selfe-condemned persons Titus 3. 11. The Magistrate in this case doth not cause such to sin Nisi per accidens vide Pet. Mart. loc. com clas. 2. c. 2. Obj. Faith and Religion are not to be forced but to be freely and voluntarily taken up and embraced according to that of Tertullian ad Scap. cap. 2. Nec religionis est cogere religionem quae sponte suscipi debet non vi It is not according to Religion to compell men to Religion which ought freely to be taken up and not per force And that of Lactant. Institut lib. 5. cap. 20. Religio cogi non potest verbis potius quam verberibus res agenda est Religion cannot be forced the matter is to be effected by words rather than by stripes To such purpose Amb. lib. 5. Ep. 30. Answ. To compell men to conformity in outward exâ—rcises of Relâ—gion and of Gods worship is not to force them to believe or embrace Religion but onely to compell them to the externall use of Gods Ordinances which are the meanes to work Faith and Religion in them and to move them in time if it be possible voluntarily to believe and embrace true Religion 2. As for those places of Tertullian Ambrose and Lactantius That Compulsion that they speak of is of Christians toward Heathen or of Heathen toward Christians as may plainly appeare by perusing the places and not of the Christian Magistrates compelling of Christians under his Dominion to the outward exercise of Religion and Gods worship established It is one thing for the Heathen Emperours or their Deputies to compell Christians to embrace Paganism or for Christian Magistrates to compell the â—eathen who have been brought up in Paganism and never had yet the meanes to instruct them in Christian Religion to believe and embrace Christianity before they have had sufficient instruction therein And another thing for Christian Magistrates to urge and compell such subjects â—t have been brought up and instrucâ—ed in the Christian Religion to outward conformity in the publick worship of God established by lawfull Authority Obj. This is the way to make men Hypocrites when they are compelled to the outward worship of God wanting in the meane time inward Piety Answ. The scope of the Christian Magistrate in using such compulsion is not to make men Hypocrites but by this meanes to move them to doe that afterward willingly which for the present they doe by compuâ—sion as Austin saith of the Christianâ— in Hippâ— where he was Bishop That they at first taking part with Donatus and his Fâ—ction were after moved by the severe Lawes of Christian Emperours reigning in those times against the Donâ—tists to forsake Donatus and his followers and to embrace the Catholique Doctrine of the Church and so in other cities also Seâ—Aug Tom. 2. Epist. 48. where he doth at large â—andle this question touching the Mâ—gistrates power in punishing Hereticks Of which Epistle of Austin Zanchy sayes that it is Insigniâ— epistola sed prolixa a notable Epâ—stle but very long See also the same Austin Tom. 7. Operum contra epistolas Petiliâ—â—i Donatista lib. 2. câ—p 28. c. 84. and also in his 50 Epistle in which places he treats of this question touching the Magistrates power in punishing Hereticks In the former of those places whereas Pâ—tilian complainâ— of the Emperours forcing the Donatists to the Catholick Faith by persecution Austin makes this answer to him Non persequimuâ— vos nisi quemadmodum veritas persequitur falsitatem c. We persecute you no otherwise but as Truth doth persecutâ— Falsehood And againe whereas Petilian boasted that the Donatists did not compell any to the Faith Austin answers thus Ad fidem quidem nullus est cogâ—ndus invitus sed perseveritateÌ„ imoâ—er misericâ—rdiam Dei tribulationum flagellis solet perâ—idia castigari Num quid quia morâ—s optimi libertate voluntatis â—liguntuâ— idâ—o mores pessiâ—i non legis integritate puniuntur Sâ—d tamen maâ—e vivendi ultrix disciplina prâ—postera est nisi quum prâ—cedens belle vivendâ— doctrina contemnitur that is No man truly is to be compelled to the Faith against his will but through the severity yea through the mercy of God perfidiousnesse is wont to be chastized with the scourge of tribulation What I pray because good manners are chosen by a free good-will shall not therefore bad manners be punished by sound and wholsome lawes Notwithstanding that Discipline which is the revenger of evill living is preposterous unless when the precedent instruction of well-living is despised To which may be added that of Austin contra epist. Gaudentii Donatistae lib. 2. cap. 17. Quod vobis Donatistis videtur invites ad veritatem non esse cogendâ—s erratis nesâ—ientes scripturâ—â— virtutem Dâ—i qui eos volentes facit dum coguntur inviti Whereas it seems to you Donatists that none are to be compelled to the truth against their will you erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God who maketh men willing while they be enforced against their will Zanchy in 2 praeceptum cap. 15. de imaginibus Thes. 4. handles this question where thus he expresseth the sum of what he holds concerning it Augustini sententiam sequor Piuâ— magistratum posse pro authoritate sibi a Deo traditâ— verâ— etiam si viderit se posse suÃ¢ authoritate ad ecclesiâ— adificationem uti ex officio debere subditos suos a malo ad bonum a superstitionibus ad verum cultum cogere tempore tamen commodo â—edo ad â—inem consequendum utili prudenter observato that iâ— I follow the

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