Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	ordinance_n	power_n	resist_v	4,907	5	10.4011	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25527	An Answer to A letter from a minister to a person of quality, showing some reasons for his non-conformity		1679 (1679)	Wing A3317; ESTC R15207	17,472	9

to conform to what they have prescrib'd Nor doth a Man violate his Conscience who if there be nothing sinful in the thing requir'd shall submit to what is prescrib'd although it may not altogether suit with the measure of his inclination or Judgment No not though he doth this with the most unfeigned assent and consent because unfeign'd Assent and Consent what ever his Paraphrase on these words imply to the contrary doth not suppose every thing so required to be assented and consented to to be in the highest degree of perfection but to be such as for the great Ends aim'd at he can freely and truly comply with such wherein he dares not at least will not advance his private Sentiments above the deliberate Acts and constitutions of those whom God hath set over him and whom 't is his duty to obey in indifferent things And is it any more than this that we profess notwithstanding his cavil at it that 't is our firm persuasion that there is nothing in the whole Book contrary to the Word of God or to sound Doctrine or which a Dodly man may not use or submit unto with a good Conscience Now though this be our persuasion yet saith he 't is not every Man's persuasion and therefore unreasonable to force others to the same profession Upon this Reason no Law can be of force because there is nothing so good so pious so useful but some may not be of the persuasion that 't is so nay 't would be unreasonable to require either the belief of a God or obedience to any moral precept because some may have been found so Atheistical as to deny the one and so profligate as to disown the other But to see then what is the strong Reason he backs this with viz. with those words of St. Paul Rom. 14.22 Hast thou Faith have it to thy self i. e. in his Gloss force it not upon others compel them not to think as thou thinkest believe as thou believest declare as thou declarest study thine own and thy neighbours peace better and the rather because thou are a fallible Creature and mayst be in an Error as well as any other Now I would ask our scrupulous Nonconformist whether that Rule be given to the public Officers in the Church or the private Christian If to the private Christian it concerns not our Case if to the Magistrate or public Officers in the Church why then is there a Rule laid down by him otherwhere to reject the Heretic Titus 3.10 Are any at least do any pretend to be so firmly persuaded of what they hold as the Heretic Is not obstinacy the constant concomitant of all their Opinions Or why is every Soul commanded in the preceding Chapter Rom. 13.1 to be subject unto the higher Powers why are they that resist the Power said to resist the Ordinance of God and told further that they shall receive to themselves Damnation Why v. 5. is it farther continu'd and that upon the Reasons added v. 3 4. that they must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake What I say is the meaning of this with what is farther prest in that whole Chapter if all is to be presently blown away with our having Faith to our selves to our selves too in the sense that those Men too often have it that they will allow it to be no where but in their Conventicles no where but in that Separation which St. Jude tells us v. 19. is sensual having not the Spirit How is the Conscience concern'd in our Obedience if nothing in no sence may be required from us to believe or declare If because the Magistrate is a fallible Creature and may be in an Error as well as any other he must study his and his neighbours Peace better than to force his Faith to what in his Conscience he thinks best for the Subject why are there then any public Sanctions in the World Why is not every thing iniquity that is decreed by Law Men might be asham'd of this Reasoning especially when if they do but remember what they did in their own Trials of the Abilities and Capacities of Ministers to be receiv'd into the Church 't was not then hast thou Faith have it to thy self no 't was necessary the Probationer should be able to give an account of the most secret workings of his Faith of the beginning and progress of his Conversion as though every one who is born of the Spirit be as the Wind that bloweth where it listeth and we may hear the sound thereof but cannot tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth John 3.8 they search'd so deep were so blasphemous and Sacrilegious as to take to themselves the place of God to search the Heart and to try the Reins and be satisfied with none for their Candidates but the Godly and Regenerate nay and when Men came up to all their Marks of Tryal yet if there were not one more of being of their Church and Party they might indeed have their Faith to themselves without any hopes of being approv'd and accepted by their sanctified Triers This was then the Liberty of Conscience they gave This indeed their Tyranny beyond that of Egypt or Babylon And the complaint they now have is that the Laws of the Land all which they then violated in the gross and I fear long for the same happy Toleration and the Governors of the Church in obedience to those Laws require their Compliance to what as to the matter of it as A. B. himself Par. 7. confesses he hath nothing to say against it And Par. 6. I would to God they had requir'd no more in Conformity than Vse and Submission that is that men should use and submit to the Liturgy And what more is required I am very confident did they use the Liturgy in their Meetings did they recommend Conformity to it to their Followers though they had never declar'd their Assent and Consent Authority would never have concern'd it self to repress them Although 't is inexcusable to say There is nothing they can say against the Liturgy of the Church of England that they can use and submit to it and yet not be willing to declare the same Nay is not such a Confession more than any Declaration because whatever man may declare for the outward Peace of the Church yet the confessing of the things to be declar'd is the voice of Conscience and such an Acknowledgment as I doubt they will not find a Salve for when the secrets of all mens thoughts shall be made known I wish they would timely consider what 't is by their Example and Authority to hold back so many poor Souls from doing what they dare not say is unlawful what 't is more than once pray God the Ferment the Nation at present is in do not work it self into it I say more than once to have kindled a Rebellion They may think what they will of Success the Booty and