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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	able_a	according_a	account_n	14	3	6.1337	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61651	A rebuke to the informers with a plea for the ministers of the Gospel, called nonconformists, and their meetings and advice to those to whom these informers address themselves for assistance in their undertakings.	Stockton, Owen, 1630-1680.	1675 (1675)	Wing S5699; ESTC R34618	98,356	92

Jesus Christ to be put to Death yet he shewed so much justice in his carriage he would not give sentence against him till he had examined him and his accusers and had heard what he could say for himself Luk. 23.13 And Pilat when he had called together the chief Priests and the Rulers and the People said unto them ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the People and behold I having examined him before you have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof you accuse him Neither the hainousness of the Crime objected against Christ as Blaspheming going about to make himself a King Perverting the People c. Nor the greatness or multitude of his accusers the chief Priests Rulers Elders and the People were combined together nor the impetuousness of his adversaries who Thirsted after his Blood and cryed out with one consent Crucify him Crucify him could prevail with Pilat to give sentence against Christ till he had examined him in the presence of his accusers Let it not be said that any Christian Magistrates come short of the justice Pilat shewed or pretended to shew who was the Condemner of Christ That such inconsiderable Persons as these Informers should prevail with them to Condemn men fearing God and give out Warrants to destrain their goods without examining them before their accusers and hearing what they are able to say for themselves 4. As for the pretence of the Informers that these men transgress the Act made to prevent seditious Conventicles I have answered that Plea chap. 3. Plea 5. whither I refer the Reader Where I have proved that the Meetings of these Ministers called Nonconformists are no transgression of that Act according to that Charitable interpretation that may be put upon it And I quoted a Passage out of Dr. Jeremiah Taylour concerning the interpretation of Laws which was this All Laws do infinitely decline all harsh sense and are ambitious of gentle benign interpretations Which if allowed as true in the interpretation of this Law in my judgment the Meeting of these men are not Punishable by that Law because those Meetings that are Punishable by that Law must be in other manner than according to the Liturgy and the practice of the Church of England which though the informers Swear because they do either not understand or not fear an Oath yet they will not be able to prove For they must be able to prove that they are in other manner than according to the holy Scripture which they cannot do because 1. The holy Scriptures which are read for the first and second Lesson are a great part of The Liturgy of the Church of England and therefore what Meetings are not in other manner than is allowed by those Portions of Scripture prescribed to be read by the Liturgy are not in other manner than according to the Liturgy 2. If these informers will contend and Swear That though these meetings be not in other manner than according to the holy Scriptures yet they are in other manner than according to the Liturgy this would set the Liturgy and the Scripture at variance and such a conclusion would be drawn from hence as might make them Punishable for depraving the Liturgy of the Church of England If it be said these meetings are in other Manner than according to the Scripture These Ministers desire no further favour than to argue this case with the Informers in the presence of the Magistrates And if they cannot Justify whatever they do out of the Word of God they will contentedly suffer what these Magistrates shall see meet to inflict upon them And if all Laws do infinitely decline all harsh sences I would appeal to all Sober men whether this be not an harsh sence to interpret a Law made to suppress seditious Conventicles in such a sence as to Punish men for performing Religious Duties And whether this be not an harsh sence to interpret those Meetings that are not in other manner than according to the Holy Scriptures to be in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of England Suppose some pretenders to Religion have Plotted Insurrections under a colour of religious exercises such practices and principles I abhor as much as other men I speak not one word in their behalf yet this doth not take off the harshness of the interpretation so to interpret a Law made to prevent sedition and insurrection as to Punish such as meet for no other end but to glorify God and work out their own salvation If a strict Law were made to prevent Drunkenness and because many have made themselves drunk with Wine or Strong drink to interpret this Law so as to Punish a man that hath a weakly Stomach and drinks Wine moderately to help his digestion or to Punish a man that goeth to the Tavern upon weighty Business would be judged a harsh interpretation of the Law to Punish sober men for the use of that which others have abused so here because some have abused private Meetings to interpret a Law against seditious Meetings so as to Punish those that use Meetings in an holy and Religious manner seems to me an harsh interpretation of the Law Obj. 2. It may be some will say we cannot we dare not say to the contrary but many of the Non-conformists are righteous and peaceable men and we are not able to prove their Meetings are in other manner than according to the Holy Scriptures and if we could avoid it we would not molest these men or their Meetings for it is against our Consciences to break them up or to fine them But these Informers are busy men and they may possibly make us lose an hundred pounds if we do not answer their desire in disturbing these Meetings and fining those that are present at them If it were not that we feared the loss of an hundred pounds we would not meddle with these men and their Meetings Answ 1. I have not heard of any Magistrate that hath suffered on this account and if any Informer should arise to that Impudence as to Sue any Magistrate for not molesting these Men or their Meetings I have more charitable thoughts of the Law and of those that Execute them than to think that any Magistrate should be Fined for not punishing those Men against whom nothing of Sedition can be proved nor any thing else but that they meet together to pray to God in the Name of Christ for things agreeable to his Will and to Preach and hear his holy Word 2. To such as are under a Temptation of acting contrary to their Consciences for fear of the loss of an hundred pounds I may say as the Prophet said to Amaziah when he asked him But what shall we do for the hundred Talents And the man of God answered The Lord is able to give thee much more than this 2 Chron. 25.9 An hundred Talents is more than an hundred pounds and if God

Preaching God forbid we should be so wicked But the reason why we are so eager in persecuting them is because they break the Laws and are not conformable to the Service and Ceremonies of the Church Ans 1. It hath been an old device of Satan and his instruments to raise up and cast slanders upon men fearing God as though they were rebellious persons and disobedient to Laws when they have been imployed in the Service of God When Nehemiah went about to build the wall of Jerusalem the adversaries of the Jews gave out words that he was about to rebel against the King Neh. 2.19 What is this thing that ye do will ye rebel against the King So when the Ministers Preach for no other end but to convert Souls and build up such as are converted their adversaries give out they are rebels against the King The like accusation was raised against the Apostles when they Preached the Gospel up and down the world their enemies represented them to be such as walked contrary to to the decrees of Caesar Act. 17.6 7. Those that have turned the world upside down are come hither also whom Jason hath received and these all do contrary to the decrees of Casar And more particularly against the Apostle Paul Act. 18.12 13. The Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul and brought him to the judgment-seat saying This fellow perswadeth to worship God contrary to the Law Act. 21.28 Men of Israel help this is the man that teacheth all men every-where against the people and the Law and this place Daniel was a man so eminent for Piety that he is ranked with Noah and Job who had great power with God in Prayer Ezek. 14.14 He had an Angel sent to him from Heaven who told him he was a man greatly beloved of God Dan. 10.11 He was so blameless that his enemies that sought occasion against him could find no fault with him Dan. 6.3 Yet this Daniel was accused for not regarding the King and his Laws v. 13. Daniel regardeth not thee Oh King nor the decree that thou hast signed This was the device Haman made use of against the Jews He accused them to the King for breaking the Laws Est 3.8 Their Laws are diverse from all people neither keep they the King's Laws therefore it is not for the King's profit to suffer them 2. The worst of men have had pretences for their vilest practises The Jews that went about to stone Christ would not own it that they stoned him for a good work but pretended it was for blasphemy Joh. 10.32 33. Jesus answered them many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of these works do you stone me The Jews answered him saying For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God As the Jews ignorantly or maliciously called Christ's preaching blasphemy and pretended they would have stoned him not for a good work but for blasphemy So the Informers either ignorantly or maliciously call these mens preaching rebellion and say they do not persecute them for preaching but for rebellion against the Laws They that cast out their brethren that trembled at God's Word pretended God's glory but the Lord saw that action proceeded from malice and hatred Is 66.5 Hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my name sake said the Lord be glorified But he shall appear to your joy and their shame 3. To represent these Ministers as disobedient to authority and rebellious persons is a grievous calumny and a great wrong to them It is contrary to their professed and declared principles and contrary to their practice For they believe and teach that every Soul ought to be subject to the higher Powers and the Powers that be are ordained of God And therefore they obey Magistrates not only to avoid their wrath but for Conscience sake And for further evidence of the soundness of their judgment in this point of obeying Magistrates they do fully concur with and are ready to subscribe if called to it unto the seven and thirtieth Article of the Church of England which treats of the civil Magistrate And if at any time it so fall out that the command of the Magistrate be contrary to the commands of God if in such a case they choose to obey God rather than men they are not upon this account to be called rebels and contumacious persons For 1. This was the practice of the Apostles to obey God rather than men Act. 14.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to bearken unto you more than unto God judge ye And in so doing they did no more than what was their duty to do Act. 5.29 We ought to obey God rather than men 2. When the Midwives were commanded by Pharaoh to do that which was contrary to the command of God it was not rebellion in them to go against the command of Pharaoh But this action of theirs did proceed from the fear of God Exod. 1.17 But the Midwives feared God and did not as the King commanded 3. The Magistrate is the Minister of God for good Rom. 13.4 He is but the Minister of God and the Minister of God for good that is all that he enjoyns must be for God's honour and for a publick good If he command any thing contrary to the command of Christ and we obey him we exalt him above God we prefer the Servant before the Master 4. These men are more obedient to Authority and truer Subjects than many of their adversaries that reproach them with disloyalty and rebellion For many of those men that cry out against these Ministers for their disobedience to the Laws make no scruple of breaking such Laws of God and men as are contrary to their lusts There are good Laws established in this Nation against Swearing Drunkenness Symony c. yet many that are common Swearers Drunkards and live in other vices condemned by the Laws of God the Laws of the Nation and the light of their own Consciences cry up themselves for obedient Subjects and cry out against Ministers for not conforming to such things as they are not satisfied are lawful for them to do which have been for many years and still are controverted among learned men not only of this but of other Nations and which they profess could they be satisfied in their Consciences of their lawfulness they would yield obedience to them 5. As for those that complain of these Ministers preaching contrary to the command of the Magistrate I would put them in mind of the strict command that God hath given to those whom he hath called to the work and office of the Ministry to Preach the Gospel as they will answer the neglect thereof to himself and his Son Jesus Christ at the day of Judgment 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee therefore before God and the