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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	church_n	peace_n	unity_n	1,654	5	9.0086	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48289	Eyaggeloigrapha. Or, Some seasonable and modest thoughts, in order to the furtherance and promoting the affairs of religion, and the gospel, especially in Wales Mainly tending to the discovery of the evills of extreams, and the spirit of errour and dissention, that hinders the success, and the begetting of a due temper and moderation of judgement, with an universall love and peace amongst us. All, rationally, materially, and very moderately handled. By J.L. Esquire.	Lewis, John, Esquire.	1659 (1659)	Wing L1840A; ESTC R218109	32,748	45

sense whereof is much feared will be lost among us in Wales without some better course be taken what some of our Preachers alledge to the people that there is no mention in Scripture but only we read our Saviour and others were only buried c. I shall desire humbly and friendly to acquaint them that where only Burying and Burials are only named yet by implication they must understand such Burials were according to the Customs and Rites of such Nations and what they had among all Nations and especially the Jews I refer you to the learned to be informed They had their Cups of Blessing and Consolations their conjugal Sanctifications and sacred Poems And if the Pagan and Blinder Nations wanted not some means to mind them of another future being how much more should Christians have some solemnities at least to affect the common people with the sense of the immortality and Resurrection A pathetick Conclusion to all that bear the name of Christians unto Love Peace and Vnity BY this time wee have perceived what so much hinders our happinesse and the Prosperity of Religion among us That it would please God all set their Thoughts and Endeavours to avoid all means that tends to Strife and Dissentions and every one to pray and strive to have a part of that healing Spir●t his Highnesse in his pious Considerations commended to us alas that we could but consider how Love and Unity concerns the interest of Christianitie in the World There are those that simply imagine like the Donatists of old that think none belong to God and are to be saved but such of their own Judgement and Opinion and those confined to this narrow part of the world doubtlesse his Church and People holds some proportion to his greatnesse and immensitie We read That in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him and the Angels ar to gather the Elect from the four Corners of the Earth and before the Throne were of all Kinreds and Tongues Nations They that make the favorablest computation for the extent of Christianity and dividing the World into 30 parts the Christians part is as 5. the Mahometans 6. and Idolaters 19. And Europe alone the least of the other four Parts can most entirely challenges it and of it the Turke hath his share and consider what a share and portion the Pope holds the Remainder being but share and portion of the Reformed Churches in comparison of which be it considered how little a share and piece our Land and Nation is and consider amongst our selves how few we doe accompt to be true Christians and the Godly and I suppose upon so rigid an Accompt the totum will hardly amount to make it our Saviours Little Flock for the Word Flock doth import a number which upon so severe a reckoning among our selves as Christians will in comparison of so vast a body and masse of men hardly come up to Vnites or Ones so as to make up this flock we must have that Charity to look about into other Quarters and Regions of the World And doubtlesse did we thus consider the fewnesse of Christians even in outward profession it should move us to more charity one towards the other how different someve● in some Matters of Iudgement and forms 2 It would be a great Motive to Love and Unity to consider that the greatest scandall and Reproach the Enemies to Christian Religion hath is to twitt us with our Differences and Dissentions and were it but to stopp their mouthes and to keep off the disparagement and dishonour from our Religion we should incline all to Love and Charity among our selves 3. It is the onely probable means to set up the Kingdom of Christ in the World how to advance it in the World and by what Means I leave others to their guesse But me-thinks with all humble reverence to the Secrets of God the Lord in his good time will banish the Evil Spirit of Error and Dissention that hath so long annoyed his Church and People and breath such a Spirit as that betwixt Joseph and his brethren into them For I conceive it somewhat rational that some such thing may be for let us look up into the former state of the Church and we shall find nothing hath been more banefull and destructive unto it than Dissentions and Errors and therefore Peace Vnity and Charity must necessarily be thought most advantagious for its recovery and advancement and this happiness is most feared should betyde it by its greatest enemies as our ingenious Countryman Mr. Howel observes that the Turkes in their Letanie pray that the Discords and Dissentions of Christendom may continue and when ever it falls out otherwise there are among them very fatal prophesies as in the Turkish History you may see There are those that hold it necessary there should be Heresies and Divisions among us from that Text Opportet esse Hereses c. These words were but occasionally to the Corinths upon the disorder at that time among them concerning the Lords Supper and without doubt not meant by the Apostle as to the tolleration of Errors or Divisions Let us doe what we can Nolens Volens such infelicities we cannot prevent or hinder As we commonly say there must be Sinns Sicknesse and Evils in the world not that we should give way to them but rather because they will needs come upon us we should use the more Care Endeavour and Diligence to avoid and prevent them And that above cited place There must be Heresies sounds alike with that place Matt. 18. v. 7. It must needs be that offences come but woe to that Man by whom the offence comes By the title you see here we may discern how it concerns all who bear the name of Christians to be in the terms of Charity Peace Unity with each other some excelent men I find that hath laid this very much to heart as Sir Ed. Sandies who as the Epistolar saith gave such a blow to Popery that such another would make his Tower fall about his ears writing at least 50 past besides those many passages of state it contains many observable things as to our times and all upon the deep sense of the miseries of Christendom and its distraction and what rare passages he propounds for the remedy upon those 5 sorts of Unities to be considered 1. The Unity of verity 2. The Unity of Perswasion 3. The Unity of Charity 4. The Unity of Authority 5. The Unity of Necessity I leave to the judicious and charitable and refer the knowing Reader and all in authority to ponder I cannot but mention that he there charges all that are in extremes and those in all parties that stand in the termes of scrupulosity stiffnesse and opinionativenesse to be the Authors of the Church its misery and ruine of the glory and grace of Christendom a List of such Worthies we also find and

doubtless in these Ages of the Church it concerns Ministers especially to be more knowing than others In the primitive times when the State of the Church did not seem so much to require it as now how learned were they is well known insomuch that Iulian the grand enemie of Christianity thought it as his only Engine against it to forbid Christians the means of learning c. and in this so knowing an Age that even many women are held learned to have the Ministers simple and illiterate is as great a scandall to Religion as I can Imagine I deny not but learning as all good things else have been abused but to have hard thoughts against it especially upon pretence of Scripture I beseech all men of any Judgement and godlinesse to consider and that with the Apostle that the Spirit of the Lord hath diversitie of opperations in some after this manner in others after that but is the same God which worketh all in all THE CONTENTS of the First Part. 1. SOme modest Advertisements touching the Author with a short view of the progresse in the affaires of Religion and Propagation hitherto in Wales 2 Errors and Dissention the hinderance of the successe and discovery where this spirit of Dissention doth lye which is shewed to be in meer words with rules for the right understanding of words 3 Some principall words as Propagation Gospel Preaching Saints Church explicated with observations the use of the Law of Nature and right Reason as to the affaires of Religion concluding with a remarkable passage out of Sir W. Rawleigh 4 Some Texts and places of Scripture as mistaken to foment Dissention cleared and the words Superstition and Prophanenesse somewhat explained THE SECOND PART THe helps and means to advance Religion among us next to the Ministery whereof in its proper place is some face of Order and Government to be maintained up as to keep the Generality in some sense and awe of God as formerly mentioned never till these dayes did I imagine any could be against it Mr. Calvin accompts it barbarism and there reckons the Benefits of it c. And the Apostle no marvell accompts Helps Governments among the Gifts of the Spirit For the Ministers I will not for brevity sake enter into their several Qualifications and Gifts those styles and titles given them throughout the Scriptures speak their dignity as saith Calvin Quid dici possit Magnificentius and the Apostle upon the consideration of it concludes Who is sufficient for these things And without question the state and condition of Religion in these ages of the Church requires more gifts and endowments than in the Primitive Times as the knowledge of the State and History of the Church the writings and monuments of the Pillars of Religion the antient Fathers the skill in the Original Tongues and other Sciences without which I confess one may be a good Christian yet hardly can I conceive one to be an able or accomplished Minister without at least a competent Measure of them and to admit of others meerly illiterate and upon the accompt of some spiritual Notions and well-meaning men without endeavoring they should be qualified in some measure as mentioned is the high-way to disfurnish the Church of able and knowing Ministers and to bring utter scorn and contempt upon the Calling and all Religion Neither is it so in Wales as many would make believe that we are such Ignoramuses Praise be to God we have I dare say an able and knowing Gentry as ever and therefore we are to wish such a Ministery as will be able substantially to inform the judgement as with some easie similes to tickle the affections if the honour and reputation of the Ministery will be resolved to be maintained else I know who will best gain the stile of Teachers Let none hence inferre that I seem to make a gap for any unworthy scandalous Ministers to come in Those that were ejected doubtless many of them did but well deserve it yet of those I accompt some more tolerable than others as those of some lighter blemishes and dissents in judgement yet of good Abilities whereof there is store such they kissing the Rod and humbled in the sense of their former failings I could hartily wish they should be restored at least to some incouragements to exercise their Gifts and Talents in and because the Harvest is great and labourers few and that for want of a supply Gods worship and service is in hazard to suffer among us In such an exigence we should not so much stand for whom we could wish but accept of such we needs must have and give place to a Rule wise Men have sometimes to admit of an Evil rather than an Inconvenience And though haply they may want the way and gift of Preaching yet they may have those gifts that may be of other special uses to Religion If they may not be so good for the Pulpit they may be for the Presse and such services of Religion I might here start a Question whether the Tongue or Hand hath done most service to God in his Church The Apostle sayth his speech was contemptible and his letters powerfull I will not enter into the bowels of this Question but leave it to the judicious only I suppose with submission that had it not been the Pen and Writings next the Providence of God of the former ages of the Church I can hardly imagin against such strength of opposition and errors how Christian Religion and the pure truths of it could have devolved and arrived to our hands and those that have done signal services in the Church was by their pens as anciently St. Aug. c. who makes it his excuse to withdraw himself from his former profession of Rhetorick because he spent so much his breath and lungs and amongst our Moderns famous Dr. Reynolds who was held not to be so well gifted for utterance and preaching said Evangelizo manu scriptione what he could not so well with his Tongue and voiec he preached with his hand and pen So I say for such as cannot with us passe so well for preaching may at least for their other parts and abilities be at least accompted of us as the Gibeonites of old to be Hewers of wood and Drawers of water for the house of God especially such as may be very usefull to us in Wales for the Controversaries and for the translation of ancient and modern Books into the language which is something wanting of things in that kind and hath but its meer antiquity to credit it For which pains I humbly conceive they might well be accompted Members of the Ministery and be accordingly incouraged and cherished and not leave us altogether uselesse to droop and languish away in sad melancholy and penury as they doe c. neither would but that others that pretend to gifts of another accompt be but incouraged But with these one or two