Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	faith_n	tradition_n	4,048	5	9.0072	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58926	A seasonable discourse shewing the necessity of union amongst Protestants, in opposition to popery, as the only means (under God) to preserve the reformed religion also, the charge of persecution, lately maintained against the established religion, by W.P., H.C. and other insignificant scriblers, detected : proving it to be the ministers of state, and not the church, that prosecuted the penal laws on Protestant dissenters.		1688 (1688)	Wing S2228; ESTC R14748	13,863	17

A Seasonable Discourse SHEWING The Necessity of UNION AMONGST PROTESTANTS In Opposition to POPERY As the only Means under God to preserve the Reformed Religion ALSO The Charge of Persecution lately maintained against the Established Religion by W. P. H. C. and other Insignificant Scriblers detected Proving it to be the Ministers of State and not the Church tha● Prosecuted the Penal Laws on Protestan● Dissenters PRINTED in the Year 1688. THE known saying in the New-Testament That a Kingdom divided can't stand is very seasonable at this Juncture by all Protestants to be seriously considered And if ever Vnity if not in Worship yet in Love and Affections will be necessary it must certainly be Now when the Common Enemy is seeking by all means imaginable to correct such Divisions amongst Protestants as if possible to tender them irreconcileable One to the Other And though the Differences are not extraornary yet it has been the Polity of those that delight in the Division and Destruction of Hereticks as they call them to widen the Breaches and as much as possible divide the Interest of Protestants To effect this Design how often have we heard of the many Disguises and Shapes they have appeared in among all sorts of Protestants none excepted and it is lamentable to think how great an effect they have had on Passionate Men of all Perswasions But now considering the circumstances of Things and how darkly they appear to Judicious and discerning Eyes it 's high time for all Parties to lay aside Pride Passion or Division and as far as possible agree to Love and Serve each Other The doing of which is the only effectual Means to establish a lasting Vnion among Protestants and to subvert the Designs of Plotting-Men who would gladly over-turn our Religion and Laws The Considerations above-mentioned caused me to give the best Advice I could I must confess not only my inability but also my engagement in Business very much prevented my Design But however what I here offer comes from a sincere Desire for allaying the Heats and uniting the Interests and Affections of Protestants in general I hope I shall not offer any think contrary to Reason and the Publick Good of Mankind I shall begin with the Church of England Worthy Sirs The former Passion and Violence of some few Rash Men amongst you together with their Zeal to serve an ungrateful sort of Men rendred almost the whole Body obnoxious to the hard Opinion and Censure of many Worthy Men insomuch that those who were really Members of the Church as by Law establish'd were at a stand and did not know what to think of the strange and unaccountable Speeches and Actions of many both Clergy and Laiety But as this Fault can be imputed to but a small part of you so I have that Charity to hope they are by this time fully convinced of their Error and will act more Prudently for the future The heat of a few Rash Men ought not to bring so Venerable a Body of Men into contempt for by that Rule the most Innocent would be lyable to answer for the most Guilty the Injustice of which can't be sufficiently declared with Abhorrence My humble Advice is As you have always manifested your Loyalty to the King so continue Obedient Subjects as far as the Laws of God and the Land warrant your Obedience and no farther are you actively obliged to Obey as to your Passive Obedience ye are no Strangers to the meaning of it therefore I wave it Let your Obedience to the Divine and Human Laws thereto agreeing be without the least Hesitation or Reluctancy But if any thing be commanded by Man you must always remember your prime Obedience is due to God and no Commands Threats or Allurements ought to Influence you so as to violate the Laws of God or the Land always have an Eye to the Divine which infinitely supercedes any Command or Human Law. For Instance if at any time you are required to renounce your Sence and Reason and believe Transubstantiation or to Worship Images Invocate Saints and Angels or any other thing contrary to Scripture or to change your Holy Pure and Sound Religion to embrace another abounding with Novelties full of Human Inventions and Absurdities and that has little or no foundation on Scripture or Reason You are not on any pretence whatsoever to forsake your certain Religion for the embracing of One not only dubious but dangerous And let me assure all wavering Christians who for Worldly Interests and Preferments care not what Religion they are of That they cannot Answer it to God if they make Shipwrack of a good Conscience by turning from a safe and rational Religion to that which is not only unreasonable but very ridiculous in the judgment of all Good Christians Since the Protestant Religion is founded on Reason and Truth consonant to the Holy Scriptures the practice of the Apostles and Primitive Christians in all Ages you and all that desire to approve themselves sincere Protestants ought to continue stedfast in that Divine Faith you profess your selves Members of If your Religion was built only on the Sandy Foundations of Tradition Infallibility c. you might have some tollerable Plea for altering your Opinion but as long as your Religion teaches you Obedience in all Things to God and likewise to your Soveraign in which you have sound Expositions of the Divine Truths the Sacraments duly and truly administred in both kinds according to Christ's Institution the Scriptures no ways Lock'd up from Clergy or Laiety Because all these and what-ever more is necessary for the ordering of a Christian's Conversation is to be found in the Protestant Religion I can't conceive why any one should change his Profession Worldly Interests Troubles or Temptations ought to have no sway or force with us when they come in competition with our pure Religion I have enlarged the more on this Head by reason now is a time of greater tryal than formerly and that some who not long since esteemed themselves Pillars of the Protestant Faith have now for sinister Ends without Reason departed from it But let them seriously consider there is a God above who will not be Mocked Such unstable Souls I shall leave to that God who judgeth all Men and rewardoth All according to their Deeds whether Good or Evil. In the next place Let the Laws of the Land be your Rule Be sure give no advantage to the Common Enemy either by a partial Execution of them or by doing less than the Laws allow neither strain them too high nor let them be as a Cypher which will signifie nothing without the Figure of Execution As the publick Good and Welfare of Mankind was the design of all Laws so the Conformity to and Execution of them ought to have the same tendency To strain any Law beyond the designed Good or Intent of the Legislators is a most severe and unjust Oppression and to suspend or let wholesome and beneficial