Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	answer_v	speak_v	word_n	767	5	3.9356	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49609	A letter from a minister in the country, to a member of the convocation	N. L., Minister in the country.	1689 (1689)	Wing L46; ESTC R1292	16,508	32

ad Serapion Tom. 1. nor was originally either in the Nicene truly so called or Athanasian Creed Nor lastly is it so thought by our Church which receiving the four first General Councils consequently agrees with the third Concil Ephes Part 2. Art. 6. that of Ephesus which made a peremptory Decree against all Additions to be made hereafter to the Creed From whence it follows that nothing else was then accounted necessary to be believed but what was contained in the Nicene And now this young man's Doubt is further advanced because this is a Creed and to be subscribed to and so seems still less capable of the sense before given of Subscription as a matter of Peace only Now how our Querist about the Commiss did in these matters I know not but I suppose there are others that found it difficult to conform because they found it difficult to satisfie themselves in these and the like things And therefore it 's convenient that the Forms of Subscription and Declaration be explained And it would be worth your while perhaps to consider also whether it will not be requisite to have a Rubrick drawn up and inserted before the Athanasian Creed signifying That this Creed may be read or with an Alias This or the Nicene or that the Condemning Sentences be left out or if continued it may be express'd that they are to be applied only to those that obstinately deny the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith contained in that Creed The want of which doth give occasion of scruple to many of our own People that will not say Amen to it as well as to the Dissenters and trouble to several of the Order that subscribe it 5. I should now proceed to the Government of the Church in which the chief thing desired by the Dissenters is that the Presbytery might be restored to its ancient Priviledge and that the Bishops would consult them and permit them to share in all acts belonging to their station which it's likely would be a great ease to and also be for the honour of the Bishop It would make him more beloved by his Clergy and take off from him what-ever he may suffer when he is alone by any mis-government He would then be as a Cyprian reverenced by all Epist 6. when he doth as he that did nothing without their assistance and concurrence 6. The last thing complained of is the want of due Discipline and especially in the superficial issuing forth of Excommunications A matter indeed highly scandalous and that is complain'd of by the Church as well as those that dissent from it And is a Subject therefore worthy of mature consideration and to that I leave it I have now done with the Case of Dissenters and have shewed how there are Alterations may be made in the Church in favour of them and the Church not be the worse for them Against which I know not what can be reasonably objected but that either what can be hoped for from them though the Church should be disposed to make such Concessions Relaxations and Alterations where are they that will come in Or if they are so disposed and should embrace these Overtures what advantage will this be to the Church To the first I Answer 1. It 's but trying upon such terms as the Church will not be the worse for and if it succeed not the fault will be theirs and not ours We shall thereby stifle their Clamours against the Church and shall shew our selves to be persons of Candour and Charity and I may add Justice and Integrity When the Church having it now in their power do perform what they so lately promised by their Bishops when it was not in their power viz. That they wanted no due Tenderness towards Dissenters but were willing to come to such a Temper as should be thought fit when that matter should be considered and setled in Parliament and Convocation We know not how far such steps may prevail upon the most dissatisfied but we may be certain of their due effect upon those that are sincere and impartial But it may be said what need is there of such or what benefit will it be to the Church to admit those who when kept out are Enemies and when let in will be no Friends To this I answer in the words of the Venerable Prelate before quoted These men The Protestant peace-maker p. 127 128. in behalf of whom I have spoken are in being already and will Preach somewhere or other and 't is better we had them in publick than in corners that so the Church either had Security for their peaceable Doctrine which I verily believe we may have as to most of them or opportunities to convict them of Sedition What he saith further is worthy of perusal and is sufficient to put the Querie out of Countenance viz. But I have other guess Arguments that move me 1. To those who ask What need af more Vnion I return What need of Holiness What need of Godliness Charity Justice Are these Christian Duties and is not Vnion and Peace as much so 2. I am and must be in the mind that the strength of the Protestant Cause both here at home and throughout Christendom lies in the Vnion of Protestants and the Glory Purity and Power of Christianity in this World stand or fall with Protestantism 3. I must be so ingenuous as to acknowledge That though the City and divers particular places flourish with such Preachers as never they had before yet the way of Preaching in many parts of the Country and in some no obscure places too might be much improved and needs supply And it can never be made out to the World but it were better we had too many good Preachers than too few I could tell some men in their ear They also have strangely multiplied Curacies which are too often vacant The Lord forgive them and redress this great evil in his Church Having clear'd this Point I shall proceed to shew 3 General 3. That there are such things in our Church and Constitution which may be altered so that the Church shall be the better for such alterations And this is a case would require our consideration although there was not a Dissenter amongst us And that may be by taking away what may be spared and that sometime is superfluous By supplying what is wanting by clearing what is doubtful by amending what 's amiss and improving what is tolerable and well so as to make it yet more beneficial and solemn 1. By taking away what may be spared And here it may well be queried whether it 's not better both for Minister and People to have the Sunday Service shortned than continued to that length that it has at present For the People who whatever some Devout Persons may conceive or howsoever they may be able to keep up their minds and temper are apt to flag and have their Spirits tired and cloy'd by a tedious