Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	will_n	wit_n	work_v	3,308	5	10.7542	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40102	A vindication of the Friendly conference, between a minister and a parishioner of his inclining unto Quakerism, &c. from the exceptions of Thomas Ellwood, in his pretended answer to the said conference / by the same author.	Fowler, Edward, 1632-1714.; Ellwood, Thomas, 1639-1713.	1678 (1678)	Wing F1729; ESTC R20275	188,159	354

command of God they would do it as of the ability which God giveth but this Divine Ability they rely not on nor indeed expect but School-learning and humane Ability acquired by study and much reading these they trust to these they depend on c. p. 7. Min. Whether this impudent charge against a whole Order of Reverend Divines be more foul or false is beyond my skill to determine while so great a number of them have by their humility and devotion made the contrary apparent I am sure he can charge no such thing upon the Doctrine of our Church Where do's he find any such self-confidence taught or encouraged in our Articles and Homilies or practised in our publick and solemn Forms of Devotion No where I am sure but the quite contrary 'T is the healthful Spirit of God's grace that we daily pray for And these are as great assurance as men whose lives are not openly scandalous can give one another of the integrity of their hearts This Quaker therefore accuses us of a Crime visible to God only and thereby strikes at his Prerogative who alone is the searcher of hearts But if there be any of the Clergy guilty of too great a measure of Confidence in their own Abilities yet as this is best known to God and hard for us to judge so you are also to consider that after they are Lawfully Ordained it is not some personal faults of theirs that can make void their Ministry much less justifie the accusation this Reviler brings against the whole Ministry of the Church And as for human Learning which he says we trust to Is not he himself a Pretender to it in his Book and equally lyable to the same censure But more of this in its proper place Par. But he tells us of another great reason why the People are not profited viz. the disagreeableness of the present Ministry to Divine Institution p. 9. which Institution he tells us in the foregoing page is generally urged to be the words of Christ to his Apostles Mat. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations c. Min. It concern'd the credit of his party to leave out the later clause in that Commission instituting the holy Ordinance of Baptism for had he not so done he would have faln foul upon his Brethren who most impiously reject it contrary to the Universal practice of the Church in all Ages since its first Institution But wherein do's our Ministry disagree with the Divine Institution Par. Before the Apostles were to go forth to teach they were to receive the Promise of the Father and to tarry in the City of Ierusalem till they were endued with Power from on high p. 8. Min. That this Promise related to the extraordinary effusion of the Holy Ghost is very manifest from the visible effects of that effusion which were miraculous and did not continue in the Church but are actually ceased long ago and therefore cannot without presumption be expected in these latter Ages of the Church by virtue of this or any other promise in holy Scripture But if the Quakers expect the Spirit in that manner as the Apostles had it then according to the condition of that Promise why go they not to the City of Ierusalem to receive it in the mean time we shall be happily rid of them However if they lay claim to the whole Promise why do they not make it evident as the Apostles did that they are endued with Power from on high by working miracles healing all diseases raising the dead and the like When do these new Lights speak with new Tongues for according to Ellwood similar causes should have similar effects But for as much as the contrary is evident that the Quakers are not endued with this Power with what confidence can they lay claim to this Promise Par. You told me that the strong grown Christian measures the goodness of the Ministry from its tendency to Conscentious obedience that is the performance of all duty in its latitude both to God to man and to our selves Now if the performance of all duty to God to man and our selves be the tendency of a good Ministry how can that Ministry be good which denies that all duty to God to man and our selves can be performed in this life p. 10. Min. The words immediately subjoyn'd do show that by latitude there I meant not the Perfection of an unsinning State but the Universality of our Obedience to God and Man together with our selves as it there follows that is a sincere respect to all the Commandments of God which Zacharias and Elizabeth were commended for Luk. 1. 6. Though Zacharias ' his imperfection was plainly discover'd in ver 20 22. Where you may read he was struck dumb for his unbeleif but more of this subject when we come to his Chapter of Perfection Par. But he tells us the poople may plainly see the reason of their not-profiting under your Ministry because it designs to seat the Religion even of the grown Christian in the rational Powers p. 12. Min. The rational Powers are the Understanding and the Will as any smatterer in ordilearning could inform him For these are they which distinguish a man from a beast And Religion being the most Rational thing where can it be more properly seated than in the rational Powers That Religion which is not seated there is but a zeal without knowledg such as seduced the Iews to reject Christ and the Samaritans to worship they knew not what So that Ellwood's Religion it seems by his own confession hath no seat in his understanding Here he has discover'd the true ground of the Fanaticism of himself and his party and has shew'd in this frantick passage of his that whoever will be a right Quaker must in the concerns of Religion lay aside his Understanding Reason Wits and Judgment Rational Arguments are the proper Mediums by which the word of God works upon our Wills and Affections Therefore saith God by his Prophet Isa. 1. 18. come let us Reason together and the Apostle prays Phil. 1. 13. that the Philippians love may abound more and more in all Iudgment and Christ saith Ioh. 17. 3. this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Par. But take his reason The people of God says he in Ages past had their Religion seated in their hearts and this he proves from the good Ground in the Parable of the sower which by our Saviour is delared to be Them which not in a wise and knowing head not in the rational powers as you speak but in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it ibid. Min. The Quaker here has brought an instance directly against himself For by honest heart in that Parable is not meant the Passions and sensible Consolations which is plain from vers 13. where 't is said some received the word with Ioy and wanting root