Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A35011
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The second part of Babel's-builders unmask't in an answer to a false charge against W.R. and T.C. in a book entituled, John Penington's complaint, &c.; Babel's-builders unmask't. Part 2
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Crisp, Thomas, 17th cent.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing C6953; ESTC R10391
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17,688
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16
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for shewing Charity to some honest Men that differed from them in some things And I. S. and I. W. said They would not have People over driven And this Christian Charity which Is P's and E. B's antient Testimonies accord with and so ought all in Truth G. F's Party are so Apostatised from rendring them such Evil Facts that they make them Heads of Articles nay for differing about Manner or Form of Marriages shall condemn out of Unity which is out of the Church of Christ with them as by their Principle afore Cited must be all of one Mind cannot be otherwise but the Testimonies cited of I. P's and E. B.'s say contrary And therefore who cannot adore G. F. and his Laws as C. T. c. have done From the Oracle of Divine Breath and S. E. The great and good Ordinancer of Jesus Christ and if not of one Mind with them and will not give up to his Womens Meetings c. Then Rebels against the Lord and Cursed from God from all Eternity to all Eternity as some of G. F's Men of War have said because some will not bow to G. F's Will And he himself hath said those that be of I. S's Party be of the Devils Party then out of the Truth and not safe to be left to their Freedom or as G.F. says to the Barbadoes Church Those that have not Vnity with Mens and Womens Meetings are erred from their Measures but the Vniversal Spirit hath Vnity with the least Measure So that they that are not of one Mind with them have not the least Measure for if they had they should have Unity with them Which Doctrine is also confirmed in their Brief Examination pag. 2. and 3. If thou are such an one that can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth then mayest thou safely be left to thy Freedom in the things of God which words do imply that it is not for others to expect it or have right to it as confirmed a littel farther where having spoke of some good things then say That if thou plead thy Freedom against such things c. thy Freedom is nought and out of Truth Now with those and many more such good Names and Rich Attire do they dress G. F's Laws with and who cannot as C. T. and S. E. adore him and them as they have then Your Freedom's nought and out of Truth and by the Consequence of the above cited Doctrine It is not fit for you to be left to your Freedom in the things of God unless you be arrived to that heigth of Hypocritical and Pharisaical Righteousness as C.T. c. who in his Epistle of Caution is of the same mind with Exam. He would have it Believed they cannot appoint any thing against but for the Truth whereby it is manifest that their Charity for Freedom in the Things of God i. e. Liberty of Conscience extends to such as can own G. F. for the best of Gods Servants and his Laws from the Oracle of Divine Breath but those who cannot so believe their Freedom is nought and they out of Truth although never so Conscientious to God otherwise But Adâ— to Prâ—t p. 104 saith Faith in that day was an intire Resignation and Dependence on God and not a Subscription to Verbal Propositions and Articles although never so true P. 105 Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and thy Neighbour as thy self is the perfection Christian Religion and certain Token of a Disciple These Qualifications may be and yet not of one Mind in some Forms neither are all the Members of Christs Church arrived to that State or not to that height of Presumption as G. T. c. but on the contrary may through unwatchfulness and weakness do some things displeasing to God therefore not for but against the Truth yet ought to be left to their Freedom in the Things of God And that Position That them which be left with the one Spirit of Truth must be of one Mind cannot be otherwise I take to be false For Peter and Paul differed and were not of one Mind in some things yet I hope you will not deny them to be Members of Christs Church and to be left to their Freedom c. seeing you have so much Christian Charity for Moral Men to admit they may be Christians It is said p. 7. of Brief Exam. The difference between Peter and Paul testifies the weakness of Peter and Justifies Pauls Reproof of his too great Complyance with the Jews Which makes against Liberty of various Practices in the ' Church But I take him to mistake for Peter not only complyed to the Jews himself but he Would constrain the Gentils to do like the Jews Gal 2. v. 14. Therefore Paul withstood him and it was not the believing or practising one or'tother for he said Circumcision or Uncircumcision avail not also he caused Timothy to be Circumcised but it was the Preaching of Forms or Ceremonies of necessity to Salvation that he terms Compelling Act. 15. Certain Men taught the Gentiles that except they were Circumcised and kept the Law of Moses they could not be Saved This Paul withstood Also it is said Br. Exam. page 7. That Passage about Eating hath nothing in it for which it is alledged for it related not to Church Order or Communion But I think it did for in the Qu. before it is said The Persons differing were Peter and Paul and Peter eat with the Gentils as Gal. 2.12 also 1. Cor. 8.10 If any see thee which hast Knowledge sit at Table in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him that is weak be imboldned to eat those things sacrificed to Idols Also Rom. 14. The Apostle speaks of observing Days to the Lord as well as eating and about offending one another which could not so properly be in what any eats in private as his Nourishment but related to some Differences about Meats which some would have oblieged the Believing Gentiles to observe the Jews Ceremonies therein on account of Salvation as in Act. 15. which Paul was against and they had Disputes about Rom. 14. Him that is weak receive not to doubtful Disputations and in the next words the Apostle saith One believeth he may eat all things another that is weakeateth Herbs and in Vers 5. Let Every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind and Vers 12. Every one shall give account of himself to God let us not therefore judge one another These Scriptures and Citations clearly manifest that Christians ought to be left to their Freedom i. e. Liberty of Conscience although not so strong or at least not so confident as C. T. c. But if it be as said in page 7. Br. Exam. It related only to what they would Eat as private Persons in respect to Appetite although they had therein Power yet the Apostle advises to the consideration of others as Rom. 14.14 I know and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self Yet in 1 Cor. 10.13 If Meat offend my Brother I will eat no Flesh while the World standeth Now if Paul would thus deny himself in condescension to a weak Brother surely he was far from compelling him to be of his Mind or saying They cannot be otherwise Therefore if that Instance about Meats related only to private Freedoms that makes much more against a necessity of all being of one Mind but rather according to Is Ps c. Testimonies for leaving them to their Freedom walking in Love and Unity in Diversity of Practices Wherefore that astonishing Affirmation of I. P. That he never saw nor heard any thing contradictory to the present Sense and Practice of Friends i. e. G. F. and his Party from his Father seemed to me so remote from Truth that I wonder to use their own words they have the Face to assert it I recommend you all to the word of Gods Grace nigh in your Hearts which is able to give you an Inheritance among the Sanctified Ones which neither G. F. c. nor conforming to his Orders can do Tho. Crisp