Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	according_a	faith_n	true_a	2,988	5	4.5560	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84001	Englands settlement, upon the two solid foundations of the peoples civil and religious liberties. Collected out of divers petitions, declarations, and remonstrances; wherein is discovered the general genius of the nation. By a well-wisher of the peace and happiness of the three nations.	Well-wisher of the peace and happiness of the three nations.	1659 (1659)	Wing E3051; Thomason E995_17; ESTC R201934	20,652	35

concerned to make provision in worship and to exercise their power in these things And so upon this ground which is common to all every one that has the power will persecute another the Papists may persecute the Protestants the Protestants the Papists and the Protestants one another And consequently 〈◊〉 principle throwes the whole world into confusion which shewes that it does not proceed from Heaven 4ly We finde clearly in Scripture that Christ has committed his Authority in matters relating to worship to his Church and not to the Civill Magistrate Hence he promiseth his presence with the Church unto the end of the world Math. 28. v. 20. And therefore in case of offence directs his to tell it to the Church Math 18.17 there being no higher Appeall on earth for believers in divine things And as the Church so is its Government distinct from the world and the worldly Government and the Government Christ has left in his Church is spiritually to be exercised all Church censures reaching in the highest extent to reject and cast out to the world and Satan not to inflict bodily punishments but to endeavour in all the saving of the Soul Hence Mr. Colier inferrs that the Civill Magistrate who usurps to himself Authority in Divine things robs the Church of that Authority the Lord hath given her and who exerciseth Coercivo power over mens Consciences treacherously invades the Dominion and Kingdom of Jesus Christ the only Lord of the Conscience and so becomes guilty of highest Treason against the King of Kings and Lord of Heaven Thus Mr. Colier Here we may observe that as the first Reason proves Coercive power over the Conscience to be against the security of the state and temporal peace both of the Magistrates and People so this second Reason evinceth that it is against the spirituall good of the Magistrate making him guilty of the most haynous sin of high Treason against the Lord Jesus Now the third Reason which we draw out of that prudent and moderate booke entitled The Vindication of Sir Henry Vane against the lies and calumnies of Mr. Baxter Minister c. shall shew that coercive power is against the spirituall good of the people 3. Nothing can be more against the spirituall good of the people then to make them Hypocrites that is Dissemblers in matters of Religion professing to beleeve what they do not beleeve and so consequently damning their own souls But coercive power over the Conscience in matters of Religion does make men the greater Hypocrites and seven times more the Children of the Devil then they were before as the aforesaid booke affirms and experience shews Therefore coercive power or persecution for Religion is against the spirituall good of the people and consequently ought not to be exercised since it 's certain with all Rationall men that all power is ordained by God and Nature for the good of the people and not for their prejudice But this Reason will be more illustrated by the fourth which we collect out of the booke entitled the Maximes and Principles of the Levellers who are not such men as their Enemies give them out to be 4. Coercive power c. Is against the nature of Faith and true Religion For all true Religion in men is founded upon the inward consent of their Understandings to the truths revealed and Faith it self is an Assent of the Understanding to the said Truths which Assent must proceed from inward illumination of God and externall instruction of men according to those Scriptures No man saith our Saviour can come unto me unlesse my Father draw him John 6.44 and S. Paul saith Faith comes by hearing Now what can be more against an inward consent or Assent of the Understanding proceeding from divine illumination and humane instruction then a violent constraint and rape on the soul to extort an Assent of the Understanding by meer force and compulsion And therefore nothing can be more against the nature of faith and true Religion and against the meanes ordain'd by Christ for propagation of them then coercive power or persecution for Religion Hence the Levellers do wisely inferr that Christ hath ordained the preaching of the Gospell to be the outward means for converting souls and appointed spirituall Ordinances for the instruction and punishment of erronious and hereticall persons the Scripture commanding the erronious to be instructed with the spirit of meekness and Christ never mentioned any penaltie to be inflicted on the Bodies or Purses of Misbeleevers because of their misbeleef 5. Coercive power c. is against our Saviours expresse command in the parable of the Tares as the Author of Sir Henry Vanes Vindication does observe where our Saviour commands that both the Tares and the wheat should remain together in the World Aug. lib. quest evang in Math. c. 13. num 4. and not be pluckt up till the day of harvest which is the end of the World Math. 13. Now by wheat is understood the true beleevers and by Tares the erronious beleevers or hereticks as S. Augustin on this place showes Therefore they who by persecution would pluck up all Misbeleevers goe directly against our Saviours command and may pluck up the wheat with the tares whereof our Saviour forewarneth them They go also against the Apostle who would not have the Servant of God to strive but to be gentle towards all men in meekness instructing those that are contrary minded if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Timoth. 2.24.25 6. Coercive is against the judgment of many of the Ancients Lactant. and against the practise of the primitive Christians Lanctantius saith no man is forced by the Christians against his Will seeing he that wants faith and devotion is unserviceable to God and God not being contentious would not be worshipped of the unwilling Tertullian saith Tertull. ad Scapulam It 's of humane right and naturall liberty that every man worship God uncompelled and beleeve what he will nor doth it beseem any Religion to compell another to be of their Religion which willingly and freely should be embraced and not by constraint forasmuch as God requires a free-will offering See more Testimonies cited in the Vindication of Sir Henry Vane Vindicat. of S. H. V. p. 16. 17. And that it was the practice of the ancient Christians when they became Masters to persecute none for their Religion is acknowledged in a little book lately printed entitled The Common-wealth of Israel where it is said in the Anatomy of Mr. Prins good old cause Primitive Christianity under Christian Emperours allowed and avowed an Vniversall Toleration with a capacity for each not differing in opinions but Religions to be preferred to the highest dignities Ergo this is the Good old cause The same practice of the ancient Christians is acknowledged also in that New book entitled Light shining out of darkness and it 's certain in it self by the History of the