Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	better_a	conscience_n	great_a	196	3	2.0927	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10834	A iust and necessarie apologie of certain Christians, no lesse contumeliously then commonly called Brownists or Barrowists. By Mr. Iohn Robinson, pastor of the English Church at Leyden, first published in Latin in his and the churches name over which he was set, after translated into English by himself, and now republished for the speciall and common good of our own countrimen; Apologia justa et necessaria quorundum Christianorum, aeque contumeliose ac communiter, dictorum Brownistarum sive Barrowistarum. English	Robinson, John, 1575?-1625.	1625 (1625)	STC 21108; ESTC S102955	59,722	74

wall as sayth the proverb This balad-maker comparing the receaved religion in the Dutch churches to a tree the Sectaries in the countrie of which he nameth not a few to certayn beasts endeavouring this trees ruine and overthrow likens the Brownists to a litle worme gnawing at the root thereof and not having lesse will but lesse power to hurte then the residue Wee are indeed wormes and not men the reproach of men and despised of the people whom high and low and all that will may without daunger tread and trample under foot But to giue thee satisfaction Christian and indifferent Reader whosoever thou art that chusest rather to take knowledg of mens innocencie then to condemn the same unknown and that it may appear unto thee how alike unhonest our adversaries are in their accusations though of unlike condition in themselus We do professe before God and men that such is our accord in the case of religion with the Duch reformed churches as that we are ready to subscribe to all and everie article of faith in the same church as they are layd down in the Harmonie of Confessions of fayth published in their name one onely particle and the same not of the greatest weight in the sixth Article touching the Scriptures being conveniently interpreted and conformably to it self the generall judgment of the learned amongst them The scope of the Article is as appears in the margent to distinguish between the books Canonicall and Apocriphall as they are called Touching which Apocryphall notwithstanding it is judged and affirmed that they may be read in the Church Which if it be meant of their private reading by the members of the church we willingly assent if of publique pastorall and ecclesiasticall reading we are indeed otherwise mynded neither admit we any other books to that dignitie in the church then such as were penned by the Holy men of God moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1 21. And as the Apostle Iames testified of the Iewes that they had Moses read in the Synagogue everie Sabbath day so we think it sufficient for the Christian assemblyes that with Moses Christ that is the books of the new testament be joyned with the old and they alone be read Neither need we seek further or for other Arguments to confirme our opinion then the Article it self affoardeth us The words thereof are these Moreover we put a difference between the Holy writings and those which they call Apocryphal to wit so as the Apocryphall may indeed 〈◊〉 read in the church that it may be lawfull to take instructions from ●hem so far sorth as they agree with the canonicall books but such 〈…〉 hand is their authoritie or firmnes that upon their testimonie any doctrine of faith and Christian Religion may be founded much lesse that they haue force to infringe or weaken the others authoritie And first if the Apocriphall books be publiquely read in the Church as well as the Canonicall the difference which in word is professed seems indeed by this so reading them to be taken away since the selfe same religious act viz. publique reading is performed about the one and other although not altogether to the same end And if publique reading of the Canonicall Scriptures be commanded of God in his worship either the reading of these Apocripha books is a parte of Gods worship also which the Belgick Churches do not beleiv or els they must be unlawfull to be read publiquely in the Church especially comming together for that onely end of worshipping God Publiquely I say for the private reading of them as of other books comes not under the respect of worship properly but of an act and exercise preparati●● unto worship as both Law●ers and Divines speak Secondly in this verie Article the Canonicall bookes as opposed to the Apocriphall are called holy writeings The Apocriphall then are not holy as not being hallowed to this end that is not commaunded of God in the holy writeings of the Prophets and Apostles Now what haue the holy assemblies to do especially convening and meeting together for the solemn worship of God and exercising themselus in the same with books not holy that is not hallowed or injoyned of God for his most holy service● Thirdly seeing these books are Apocriphall that is hidden and concealed their verie name may put them in minde of their duetie in concealing themselvs within the vaile of privacie And surely no small immodestie it is in them which ought to conteyn themselus in private use and interteynment thus bouldly to presse into publique assemblie They must therefore change either their names or their manners as women by their sex so they by their name well expressing their nature are inhibited all libertie of speaking in the church I●d and conclude out of our countrie-man M. Broughton that those Apocriphall books are so stuffed with trifles fables lyes and superstitions of all sorts that the midle place between the ould and new Testament as ill becomes them as it would do a Turkish slaue and leaper between two the noblest Princes of all Europe But to return whence I dig●essed Seing that as appears in the preface the intention of the Belgick Churches was as in divulging their Confession to render a reason of the hope which is in them and plainly to make known their perswasion in the matter of fayth so also in publishing the Harmony of Confessions to giue all men to understand and take knowledg of that most near conjunction which they haue with the sacred and truely Catholique church of God and all the holy and sound members thereof by what tight or rather injurie could we be excluded from the followship of the same churches who do 〈◊〉 better accorde and have greater congruitie with them in the matter of fayth religion then the greatest part of those whose confessions they do publi●● to the veiw of all men as the congnissance and badges of their Christian consociation And with what conscience of a Christian or rather licentiousnes of a Rhymer could that adversarie traduce us to the world as endeavoring the ruine of the reformed churches But perhaps that which may be is suspected to be by some which also the false accuser doth insinuate in his libell against us and that what in word we professe we denye in deed and what we would seem to build with our tongues we do as it were with our hands pull down If so it be and that in deed we be found to be such I doe freely confesse that no censure upon us can be too severe no hatred more greivous then we do deserv Now the guilt of this evill must cleav unto our fingers if at all one of these two wa●es either in regard of our selvs or of the reformed Churches For our selvs and our course of life for necessitie compelleth as it were foolishly to bable out that wherein modestie perswadeth silence and how we converse with God and men whether

expounded by our adversaries themselvs do willingly condiscend that by it alone judgment be given in this matter Our Saviour Christ doth plainly teach that this feild was sown with good seed alone that after whilst men slept the enemie the divel came sowed ●ares amongst the wheat But on the contrarie in the sowing the English f●●ld whether we respect the nat●onall or parochiall churches together with the wheat the tares that exceeding the other infinitely were at first yet are sown that of purpose under most severe penalt●●s And hence is the first princ●pall pr●judice to our English harvest frō which I conceav all the rest to come For unto this Ch. thus clapped clouted together of all persons of all sorts spirits without difference no man equally prudently weighing things can denie but that the pompous imperious Hierarchicall government together with all its accessories doth right well accorde To the things objected from the parable of the mariage Luke 14. Mat. 22. I onely answer that those servants were the Prophets and Apostles the son Christ himself the compulsion to be made no otherwise then by the preaching of the word by which as Calvin hath it God doth importunately sollicit our slo●thfulnes not onely pricking us with exhortations but cōpelling us with threatnings to come unto him which word of God as it is by some wholly contemned so doth it extort from others onely an externall hypocritical obedience but by manie is receaved through the blessing of God with al holy devout affection Now unto these pa●ables of Christ manie are wont and that very busily to annex one of their own A heap say they of wheat although it have much chaf mixed with it the 〈◊〉 more in quantitie then the wheat is 〈◊〉 notwithstanding truly is rightly termed a heap of wheat according to the Phylo●ophers rule The den●mination to not of the greater but better part I answer first that this axiom is not simply true for if in the church or any other convention popular or in which things passe by voyces the greater part hap to exceed the better the denominat on of that passage or decree and so the whole processe of the matter is according to the greater though the worser part 2. The chaf in that wheat is either of the same wheat or of other brought from els where if of that same then it makes nothing to the present purpose since wicked men appe●●ein not to the persons of the godly no● are their chaf if of other from els where it may easily be added in that quantitie proportion as that neither it may deserv the name of an heap of wheat but of chaf nor he that sels it for wheat of an honest merchant but of a deceiptfull impostour 4. The things objected from the Apostolicall Churches are altogether personall accidentall from which that the churches gathered of men and by men governed should be exempted is ●aither to be desired then hoped for But for us the things which most afflict us in the Ch. of England presse us in the respect fore-mentioned to a secession from the same do concern the verie materiall formall constitution of the ministeriall church together with the essentiall administration of the Church-policie And how different these things are who seeth not Lastly it is objected that in the Ch. of England lively faith true pietie are both begotten and nourished in the hearts of many by the preaching of the gospell there God forbid that we should not acknowledg that withall that infinite thanks for the same are due to Gods great power goodnes both in respect of our selvs and others Who notwithstanding the great confusion both of persons and things there to be found vouchsafeth to his elect so plentifull grace covering under the vayl of his superaboundant goodnes mercy by their ●●ncere fayth in Christ Iesus their sins aberrations whether of ignorance or infirmitie What then must be done should we continue in sin that grace might abound or shall we against knowledg go on to walk inordinately because in our ignorance God hath vouchsafed us of his grace in that disordered state of things without the ministerial church of which we speak the preaching of the gospell both may useth to be had by it sayth to be ingenerated except christian churches be to be gathered of infidels unbeleevers Besides what Minos or Rha●amant will deny that even in the bosom of the Romish church some fa●thfull persons may be found how much more in that of England in which the main truths of the gospell the most greatest errours of poperie being banished are taught by so manie godly learned men with such zeal and earnestnes Now what of these things Is it therefore lawfull for a Christian eyther to content himself with himself without joyning to any christian congregation or to continue still in the bosom of the church of Rome as a member under the Pope th● head I therefore conclude out of M. Brightman whose words I had raither use then mine own speaking of the government ministerie of the Church of England The fruit to wit of the word preached doth no more exempt from blame our corruptions then a true child doth adulterie And here thou hast Christian Reader the whole order of our conversation in the work of Christian religion set down both as breifly and plainly as I could If in anie thing we●er advertise us brotherly with desire of our information not as our countrimens manner for the most part is with a minde of reproaching us or grat fying of others and whom thou findest in errour thou shalt not leave in obstinacie nor as having a minde prone to schism E●re we may alasse too easily but heretiques by the grace of God we will not be But if the things which we do seem ●ight in thine eyes as to us certainly they do I do earnestly by the Lord Iesus admonish and exhort thy godly minde that thou wilst neither withould thy due obedience frō his truth no● just succour from thy distressed brethren Neither do thou indure that either the smalnes of the number or meannes of the ●ondition of those that professe it should prejudice with thee the pro●ssion of the truth but have in minde that of Te●tullian Do we measure mens faith by their persons or their persons by their faith as also that of Austin Let matter weigh with matter and cause with cause and rea●●● with reason but especially that of the Apostle My brethren have 〈◊〉 the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons But now it so come to passe which God forbid that the most being eyther forestalled by prejudice or by prosperitie made secure there be few found especially men of learning who will so far vouchsafe to stoop as to look upon so despised

nature of the principall For example Let the principall as they speak be some naturall good thing the verie least accessorie or circumstance by which this principall is rightly and orderly furthered and promoted undergoes also the consideration of a naturall good The same rule houlds in actions civill much more in the things which appertein to religion and Gods worship I therefore conclude that the least ●ite or ceremonie serving rightly and orderly to further the principall act and exercise of religion doth worthily obteyn after a sort the respect and denomination of a religious and ecclesiasticall good thing which principall act if it do not truely and effectually promote and advance it is a vain addition at the best beseeming onely vain purposes and persons which worship God in vain teaching for doctrines mens traditions seeing whatsoever is to be done in the church is also and first to be taught that so it may be done 2. Whatsoever hath being in nature is some certain thing first and properly and to be reduced to some certain and distinct head Now all things whatsoever in use either in or about Gods worship may and must be referred necessarilie to some one of these three heads Eyther they are things naturall and simplie necessarie to the exercise of which sort are the naturall circumstances of time and place without which no finite action can be performed also for the administring of Baptism either a fonte or other vessell to hould water and so for other adjoints absolutely necessarie for the administring of the holy things of the Church or secondly they are things civill and comely as for example A convenient place in which the church may conveniently and comelily meet together not a stable or swynestye also that habit of the minister that coveting of the L. Table those ministring vessels and other accessories and appurt●nances whatsoever without which the holy things of God cannot be dispensed so ●●villy and comely as is meet Or lastly they are properly things sacred and holy and by consequence parts of externall divine worship and the same either commaunded by God and so lawfull or of mans devise therefore superst●t●ous Now if any shall further ask me what power then I ascribe eyther to the civill magistrate or Church-governors for mak●ng lawes about things indifferent I answer touching Church-governers first being to treat by and by of the Magistrate that no such power to speak properly belongs unto them as being not Lords but servants of the church under Christ the onely Lord thereof exercising as saith Austin from Christ and the Apostles a m●mb●●● not a Lordship and who therefore are to learn if ther will be c●ment with their 〈◊〉 Which 〈◊〉 them that a 〈◊〉 better becomes them then as●pter as Bernard speaketh For to ●●ake lawes by all mens graunt belongs to them and them onely who do swey ●●●pters 〈…〉 Lords 〈…〉 Moreover the holy scriptures everie where teach that the highest Church-officers and governers are but ambassadours of God and interpreters and proclaymers or cryers of his word But neither 〈…〉 nor interpreter nor cryer no nor the herald the most honourable of all proclaimers or publishers of Edicts can commaund any thing 〈◊〉 of the least matter by his own authoritie as lunius sayth rightly It is certain that the governers of Churches do stand in need of wisdom and discretion for the applying determining of the common rules of order and comlynes taken from the Scripture and common sense to certain cases and according to certain circumstances But what makes this for the power of making lawes in the Church which as M. Perkins makes account is a part of Christs prerogative royall considering withall that neyther the Church not the meanest member thereof is further bound unto these their determinations then they apper to agree with order and comlines neither are the ministers in any thing at all as are the magistrates in manie things to be obeyed for the authoritie of the commaunder but for the reason of the commaundment which the ministers are also bound in duetie to manifest approve unto the consciences of h●m over whom they are set CHAP. XI Of civill Magistrates VVE beleev the verie same touching the civill Magistrate with the Belgick reformed Churches and willingly subscribe to their confession and the more because what is by many restreyned to the Christian Magistrate they extend indefinitely and absolutely to the Magistrate whomsoever And that surely upon good ground seeing the magistracie is one the power the same whether the person be christian or heathen neither is there wanting in an heathen magistrate that he might rule as he ought authoritie of order but will of person neither is his power increased by the accession of christianitie but onely sanctified as is first his person The Prince rules over his subjects as he is a Prince and they subjects simply not as faithfull or christian he or they Onely Christ the Lord of our faith hath the faithfull as faithfull for his subjects neither are the subjects of Kings as subjects ●ame part of the church but of the kingdom Besides there is one and the same christian faith of the Prince and subject and all things common unto both which spring from the same seeing that in Christ Iesus there is neither servant nor freeman I ad neither magistrate nor subject but all are one in him As therefore none no not the least power of publique administrat on comes to the subjects by their christianitie to neither is the Princes thereby at all increased And indeed how can it The magistrate though●-Heathen hath power as the minister of God for the good of his subjects to command and procure in and by good and lawfull manner and means whatsoever apperteines either to their naturall or spirituall life so the same be not contrarie to Gods word upon which word of God if it beat God forbid that the christian magistrate should take libertie to use or rather abuse his authoritie for the same which yet if he do eyther the one or other whether by commanding what God forbids or by forbidding what God commaunds seeing it comes by the fault of the person not of the office the subject is not f●●ed from the bond of allegiance but as still tyed to obedience as active for the doing of the thing commanded if it be lawfull so passive if unlawfull by suffering patiently the punishment though unjustly inflicted Lastly if anie civill and coactive power in things whether civill or ecclesiasticall come to the magistrate by his christianity then if it so fall out that he make defection from the same whether by idolatrie or heresie or profanes it must follow that thereupon his kingly power is dim●nished and abridged whereby how wide a window or gate rather would be opened to sed●tions subjects under pretext specially catholick religion to taise tumults in kingdoms no man can be ignorant CHAP. XII Of the

Church of England THere remains one and that a great matter of exception against us and the same the fountain well nigh of all our calamitie to wit that we seem evill-affected towards the church of England and so averse from the same as that we do no lesse then make a plain secession and separation from it I answer First that our fayth is not negative as Papists use to object to the Euangelicall churches nor which consists in the condemning of others and wipeing their names out of the bead-●oul of churches but in the edifying of our selvs neither require we of anie of ours in the confession of their fayth that they either renounce or in one word contest with the church of England whatsoever the world clamours of us this way Our faith is founded upon the writings of the prophets and Apostles in which ●o mention of the church of England is made We deem it our dutie what is found in them to beleev with the heart to righteousnes and to confesse with the tongue to salvation Secondly we accord as far as the Belgick and other Reformed churches with the Church of England in the Articles of faith and heads of Christian religion published in the name of that church and to be found in the Harmonie of the Confessions of fayth Thirdly if by the Church be understood the Catholick Church dispersed upon the face of the whole earth we do willingly acknowledg that a singular part thereof and the same visible and conspicuous is to be found in the land and with it do professe and practise what in us layes communion in all things in themselvs lawfull and done in right order But and if by the word Church be understood a spirituall politick body such as was in her time the Church of Israell and in hers the church of Rome Corinth the seven churches of Asia and others with them partaking of the same Apostolicall constitution and as unto which do apperteyn the Oracles of God Sacraments Censures Government and ministerie ecclesiasticall with other sacred institutions of Christ I cannot but confesse and professe though with great greif that it is to us matter of scruple which we cannot overcome to give that honour unto it which is due from the servants of Christ to the Church of Christ rightly collected and constituted And that there may be place left in the eyes of the prudent Reader for our defence in this case so far forth as equitie and reason will permit he must once and again be intreated by me seriously to weigh with himself and in his heart this one advertizement following That a man may do a thing truely pleasing and acceptable to God it sufficeth not that both the door in his person be accepted of God the thing done commaunded by God and that he do it with good and holy affection before God except withall and first he be possessed of that state condition of life which may affoard him a lawfull calling to that work That a man though never so good with never so good a minde should exercise the office or do though the best works of a Magistrate father of famillie housband steward citizen or messenger except he were first lawfully called and preferred to the state of a Magistrate maister of sam●lie housband or the like so far were he from deserving anie praise for so doing as on the contrarie he most justly incur●ed the censure of great rashnes and violation of all order in familie and common wealth as taking unto himself that honour unto which he was not called of God The same houldeth and that specially in course of Religion which is the specially state of mans life so as if anie either as a Pastour dispence the holy things of the ministeriall Church without a lawfull pastorall calling going before or participate in the same out of a just and lawfull Church-state neither that dispensation nor this participation can be warranted but both the one and other are usurpations and in which is seen not the use but abuse of holy things and confusion of order And as it behoveth everie person first to beleev and know that he is truly a Christian and partaker of the grace of Christ before he can hope to please God in the performance of this or that particular Christian work so doth it also concern everie Christian to provide that he be first possessed of a just and lawfull Church-order before he so much as touch with his least finger the holy things of the Church thereunto proper and peculiar Proper I say peculiar amongst which I do not simpl●e reckon the hearing of the word which both lawfullie may and necessarily ought to be done not onely of Christians though members of no particular church but even of Infidels prophane persons excommunicates and any others as being that in which no communion spirituall passeth either ecclesiasticall or personall between the teacher heater but according to some union ecclesiasticall or personall going before seeing that Christian saith comes by hearing the gospell by faith union from union communion This thus prem sed I will speak a few things of the Church of England not by way of accusation of it but for our own purgation in the eyes of the godly and equall Reader of the imputed c●ime of Schism so far as truth and equitie will bear And first seeing that the people of God is materially as they speak the church of God it is required to the constitution of a holy Church of God that the people be holy or saints and sanctified i● Christ Iesus truely and internally in regard of God and their own consciences externally and in appearance in respect of others whom it concerns to discern and judg of them according to the word of God and rule of charitie And considering that our question is about the Church externall and visible as it is called we are not so fond or raitha● frant●ck as to require in respect of others other holynes in the members thereof then that which is visible and externall Now how marvaylous a thing is it and lamentable withall that amongst Christians anie should be found so far at ods with Christian holines as to think that others then apparently holy at the least deserved admittance into the fellowship of Christs church and therewith of Christ Do or can the grat●ous promises of God made to the Church the heavenly blessings due to the Church the seales of divine grace given to the Church apperteyn to others then such Are others to be admitted into the familie of God the kingdom of Christ and as it were the suburbs of heaven The Church of God is by him called and destinated to advance his glorie in the holynes of their lives and conversations what then have those to do with it or it with those who as Calvin saith live not but with Gods dishonour For they as the same author both truly and holily affirmeth