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
A66758	Meditations upon the Lords prayer with a preparatory preamble to the right understanding, and true use of this pattern : contemplated by the author during the time wherein his house was visited by the pestilence 1665 and is dedicated to them, by whose charity God preserved him and his family, from perishing in their late troubles / ... by ... Geo. Withers.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1655 (1655)	Wing W3169; ESTC R11913	123,479	218

as might neither be unacceptable to God nor an offensive stumbling-block to the weak Converts of those times wherein they were composed And if this be granted Why should we not likewise think that all those Forms of Prayer and Praise whatsoever which were at any time Originally inspired by the Spirit of God whether suddenly or by premeditation will always be effectual for them who shall pray in the same Form with the same integrity of heart and with the same intentions when the necessities or occasions are the same especially when upon well weighing the words they shall and may if need be tacitely or explicitely wave such of them or their commonly received sence as the mutability of events or the practice of the times or their misunderstanding of them hath made offensive to them or the consciences of their weak Brethren to whom offence may be thereby given For this is no more then we do if we do as we should when we pray in the words of Davids Psalms the literal sence whereof may be in some places retained and must be waved in some other lest we pervert the meaning of the Holy Ghost 10. In thus using our Christian Liberty and Prudence if we become offensive to any against our wills it is an offence rather taken then given yea such an offence as will of necessity be and cannot be totally avoided whether we joyn with others in their Forms of Prayer and Praise or absent our selves from them because whether we communicate or not we shall offend some weak Brethren on one hand or the other unless we will exclude all from being our Brethren in Christ who are not altogether one with us in our judgement and practice in each circumstance which I shall never do in regard in such things at we differ upon it fares with us as with such as paint the similitude of a City or Castle which may much differ in the portraicture yet each several resemblance be true because the several stations in which the Artists take view of the place will occasion a great dissimilitude of that which is represented We therefore in such things as I now treat of can by no means be preserved blameless or excused but by taking heed that we sin not against our own Consciences or knowledge in what we do nor judge uncharitably of those who in like manner believe and act as they are perswaded in their hearts and in prosecuting that whereby if it be offensive greater offences may be avoided This being well considered as also that there is no publick Liturgy or private set Form of Prayer extant to my knowledge in the Christian world so absolutely perfected of all occasions persons times places but that it may justly admit of some additions or alterations except onely this which was recommended to his Church by our Saviour and is therefore commonly called The LORDS PRAYER this we ought to adhere unto as the onely standing Form and Pattern to be Vniversally received by all Christians as it hath been by all true Believers ever since the first institution thereof and wherein they ought unanimously to joyn without scruple until the Kingdom comes to perfection on earth which we thereby pray for Herein we may all together joyn in words comprehending every particular Member of Christ Jesus and his whole Mystical Body speaking as it were with one mouth for and in the name of all And it contracts a common treasure of Mercies though not in the Popish sence or to be disposable as that Church fancies out of which every Individual Member of the true Catholick Church is relieved and provided for both to his temporary and spiritual well-being yea many millions before they had any more then a potential Being as also many after they had a visible Being were and are benefited thereby and reduced from being despisers or heedless of that gracious Provision which was made for them and to the enjoyment whereof their own prayers whilst they were in that minde could not else have brought them no nor any other Mediator but the Author of this Prayer Nevertheless this excellent Form ought neither to be superstitiously used as it is by some or compulsively imposed upon any who is conscienciously scrupulous of using it until he shall be fully convinced of that whereof he doubteth The Christian Liberty which I take unto my self and allow to all other men in things relating to God and their Consciences I have as occasions were from time to time offered declared in several Tracts heretofore written intending nothing in a disrespective way of opposition to any National Churches or Particular Congregations or Persons except to the malignant Conventicle of Antichrist onely but that all they who have protested against it may agree together in that Truth to the glory of God and to the mutual edifying of each other in love For The Spouse of Christ hath Daughters many a one But so fair as their Mother she hath none However to the blackest fair befal For I have an affection for them all 11. I have made this Preamble larger then I thought it would have been when I began but it is not material whether I preach in the Porch or in the Church so I teach true Doctrine and may respectively be heard Many Precautions appearing necessary to prevent such Objections as might probably obstruct my good purpose have occasioned the spinning of so long a thread yet I shall presume to make a little longer to clear the way to a right understanding and use of that which Christ hath left to his Church both for a Pattern of Prayer and Praise and to make that more plain which I have touched upon before The Romanists will have that and all Publick Prayers made in the Latine Tongue as being now the holy Catholick Language and as if the Vnity of the Church in Prayer consisted in speaking the same words though not understood which is an Antichristian Principle wherein lieth a grand cheat Some who joyn in words that they understand not moved in Conscience toward God to do as they are taught and knowing no other way of serving and worshipping may as I believe pray in and by the Spirit helping them in their ignorance as Paul seems to imply but the Doctrine and practice of their Teachers is directly contradictory to that Apostles practice and demonstrates by what spirit they are guided We ought to pray both in the Spirit and with our understanding also as far as it will extend This Prayer may be used in the Original words or in any other Language by them who understand it and in our Mother-tongue translated into such words as contain the true sense thereof It comprehends as is aforesaid explicitely or implicitely all things whatsoever essentially pertinent to the glory of God and the well-being of his people in general and in particular throughout all times and upon all occasions insomuch that by conforming to that Pattern or the sense thereof though in