Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	catholic_n	church_n	member_n	1,642	5	8.9783	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35047	Reformation not separation, or, Mr. Crofton's plea for communion with the church ... in a letter, written July 20, 1661 ... / by the said R.S. to whom it was written ; unto which, is added the copy of another letter, written on the same occasion and subject.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.; P. E., Reverend.; R. S.	1662 (1662)	Wing C7000; ESTC R12168	52,912	78

Why is my now attendance on solemn publick worship branded to be renewed communion with you know not whom if you mean this of persons individual truly as to the most I know not whom nor can I think you judge it necessary I cannot in my first communion know it in any Congregation is Church gathering become a Presbyterial principle is it the work of every age is seven not seventy years an age is non knowledge of Members a cause of non communion would not common charity make me know them to be a society of Christians worshippers of the true God in Jesus Christ and are they not hereby members of the Church Catholick visible particularly divided by local circumscription or have we renounced this principle is not the Liberty of the Tower a particular Church in a Presbyterial sence as well as Christ Church or Alhallows Breads street If I communicate in these must I not communicate with I know not whom may I not hear the Gospel preached and in calling on God in the name of Christ for things agreeable to his will communicate with I know not whom But why is my communion r●newed I never denied I never ceased from I never was cut off from communion with the English Reformed Church and its particular Assemblies must Independents be verified in the false reproach viz. Presbyterial Churches w●re gathered Churches Presbytery interrupted was the Church dissolved and Communion abandoned Cave We have disowned denied determined sin and danger in these Notions I have more charity than to think my self out of Communion because violently debarred from Convention with the particular Assemblies of the Reformed English Church God having at length opened me a door of liberty to attend his solemn publick worship in this place with this Assemb●y why is my acceptance and use thereof clamorously condemned as an act not only impoliti k but impious do not you know this is the execution of a resolution neither new nor rash not new for I thus determined and thus practised in my youth when piety was reproached by profane men as Puritanism and by the Brownists as corrupt Communion I thus determined and declared in my publick Ministery and preaching for Reformation I thus determined in all my late disputes and writings whilest I was at liberty I thus practised on accidental occasions I herein convinced and hereof perswaded prayed the liberty I now enjoy the first day I was committed prisoner to this place and have ever since petitioned to enjoy it this act you know is not rash but the result of mature and deliberate thoughts besides what hath passed between God and mine own soul I have heard and weighed the objections of separating as well as reforming brethren and after many expostulations I have you know it stated my Case of Conscience drawn up my reasons communicated them to Brethren and Christian Friends craved a Confutation from more than one prayed fraternal Correption by solid and serious Argumentation and professed a readiness to hear and obey Conviction I wonder after all this and Nine Months time to have corrected convinced my Judgment I shall be censured for bringing it to Act and you should now call for an Apology Dear Brother How long shall I complain when shall I be known and dealt with as a Brother Is it fair Play to revile and not reprove To condemn and not confute Will you neither convince my Conscience nor be content without Censures to see me obey it Are you angry to be imposed on and yet expect I should live by an implicite Faith and forbear what is to me a positive Duty on this bare Reason The Brethren will be displeased Let me say it without Prophaneness or Levity Be not wise overmuch The Offence of Brethren hath its place and weight in my Soul but must be well grounded before it counterpoize Conscience of positive indispensable Duty I well understand not the Epithites which vilifie my present Act because they are general and without Reason That it is Impolitick I may not deny I have ever been estranged to and at enmity with the Brethrens Policies and Fancy If they had in some things been as foolish as silly I God might have had more Glory Truth more Strength the Church more Purity and Order my self more Liberty their Comforts I know not nor will adventure to judge What Policies this Act must relate unto I know not unless it be the strengthning and so justifying those Schisms which supplanted subverted our Reformation by those Seditions Rebellions Treasons which have made it Odious and scandalized the endeavours thereof that the most Upright and Innocent among us are pressed under it If Brethren were sensible That my Zeal for Reformation is reproached repelled and my self thus oppressed by these Schisms they would not sure think it Policy to strike hands with them or Impolitick to appear really as well as verbally against them God knoweth I may not long speak let me speak freely Truly Brother foolish I think it aque and aequaliter politick for serious sober Reformers to unite with Non-communicating Separating Congregational Brethren in the Church-confounding nullifying principles and practises As for our late King-Killers to cry up the COVENANT and confound the Quarrel of the Parliament with the Good Old Cause Confound 62. with 52. and you may reconcile 48. to 43. and soon return to 48. again Agree these in Ecclesiasticks and divide them in Civils if you can I wish I could not scent some Brethren offended at my Act as tainted already in their Civils But I am a Fool be it so yet a Fools Bolt is soon shot If Presbyters will wisely serve Gods providence and do his Church proper Service Now it is their Time and Business to witness Corruptions circa cultum publicum will not warrant Non-communion with secession or separation from a true Church and such I yet deem England Correct this folly and I may become wise till then I will through Grace joy in my folly I have observed indeed Gods and the Kings Fools were never many But truly foolish I could never judge it good Policy That Non-communion Separation and the Sectarian Spawn should shroud themselves and be sheltered by Non-conformity and Reformation Hath not our dear-bought Experience taught us That the Repute of being the Parent of these hath been the Remora and Retroversion of that Can we forget how these when in Power did divide divert and destroy Reformation Paganize all England and plant One hundred and twenty gathered Churches and thereby proclaim Entity not Purity of the Churches was their Quarrel And shall we not now be so wise as to disown and deny them as a Bastard brood Now they are taken as Vagrants and whip't up to Non-conformists as their reputed Parents Can we ever witness Relation more than by these affectionate embraces in this day of Discrimination O! that my Brethrens Policy were so wise as to consider the Duty and Necessity of differing Reformation and