Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	saviour_n	spirit_n	worship_v	2,314	5	9.2452	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29126	The great question concerning things indifferent in religious vvorship briefly stated; and tendred to the consideration of all sober and impartial men.	Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.	1660 (1660)	Wing B413A; ESTC R217206	15,369	23

but likewise its Lawfulness and we may not without Breach of the Apostles Precept submit unto it because we thereby do own that those whose injunctions we obey had a power to i●pose and so by assenting we become abetters and pro●oters of their Vsurpation 4. My last A●gumen● against Impositions shall be taken from the Inconveniences ●hat attend such a practise For though I lay little stress up●n ●uch kind of Arguments because Truth is to be tried by its Evidence and not by its Consequences yet because 1. In Principles on which moral Actions are grounded the Inconveniences do use ●o be weighed and that Doctrin for the most part seems most True at least most Plausible which is attended by fewest Inconveniences and because 2. The Opposers of Liberty have v●ry little else to urge for themselves but by pretending the many inconveniences tha● flow from it Therfore I shall clearly prove that many more Absurd and more Destructive and Fatal Consequences attend the Doctrin of Impositions then the Doctrin of Christian liberty As 1. The first Inconvenience is the Impossibility to fix a point where the Imposer will stop For do but once grant That the Magistrate hath power to impose and then we lie at his mercy how farre he will go For the Marriage of Ministers holy Vnction Consecrating the Host c. are as indifferent in their own nature as Using the Cross or Surplice And if the Magistrate hath indeed lawfull power to Impose he may as well Command those as these especially if he be convinced that they are either Decent or Convenient at which door have entred in all those gross Fooleries which are in the Popish worship any of which take them singly and apart from the Circumstances which determine them so they are Indifferent and may for ought I know be conscientiously observed But put them together and consider the Power which Imposes and the End which continues them so they are the grossest Idolatry and the vilest Tyranny that ever yet was practised For we are for the most part mistaken in the Notion of Popery if we see a Surplice or a Cross or Organs or Bowing we presently cry out Popery wheras I think it a more manifest sign of Popery to forbid these things as we do under Penalties than to practise them with Freedome If I understand any thing of Antichrist his Nature seems to me to consist in this That he Acts in a way contrary to Christ i. e. in stead of a spiritual he brings in a Devised Worship and in stead of Freedome layes a Constraint even upon our Devotion So that as John in his Revelation sayes of him Rev. 13. Men shall neither buy nor sell who have not his mark i. who do not serve God in that outward way which he commands So that whoever doth own the Doctrine of Imposition though in the smallest circumstance of Worship he brings in the Essence though not the Name of Popery and layes down that for his Foundation on which all the Will-worship which this day reigns in the world is bottomed For what ever opinions we have concerning the Necessity of Bowing Kneeling or the like while they stand confined to our private practises they are at worst but Hay and stubble 2 Cor. 3. which will perish at the day of account though he that doth them may very well be saved But when once a man goes further and not content with his Perswasions envies his Brother that Liberty which he himself desires to enjoy and seeks to obtrude his Conce●●s upon others who perhaps are not so well satisfied as he is Whoever doth this becomes Impious to God by invading his Sovereignty and lording it over another mans Conscience and likewise injurious to men by pressing such things as are only Baits to the Carelesse and Traps for the Conscientious I know very well that the Argument is specious and often urged Why should men be so scrupulous Most pleading for Ceremonies as Lot did for Zoar Are not they little things But I answer 1. That a little thing unwarrantably done is a great sinne 2. That a little thing unjustly gained makes way for a greater and therefore we should not let the Serpent get in his Head how beautifull soever it seems lest he brings in his Tail and with that his sting How curious even almost to Superstition our Saviour and his Apostles especially Paul were I have already mentioned by whose Example we are lit●le profited if we do not learn that in Imposi●ions we are not so much to consider how small and inconsiderable the thing imposed is as how lawfull it is Not what it is in it self as whether it tends and what will be the Consequence of its Admission For the smaller the thing imposed is the more is our Christian Liberty invaded and cons●quently the more injurious and sinfull is its imposition 2. The second Inconvenience is that it quite inverts the Nature of Christian Religion not only by taking away its Freedome but likewise its spirituality our Saviour sayes that God will now be worshipped not in show and Ceremony but in spirit and in truth whereas this D ctrine of Impositions places it in such things in the obs●rv●nce of which Superstition will be sure to out-do Devotion But true Religion like the spirits of wine or subtle essences when ev●r it comes to be Opened and Exposed to view runs the ●azard of being presently dispirited and lost In the service of God there is a vast difference between Purity and Pomp between spirit and splendour whereas ●he Imposer only drives at and improves the ●a er but on the former is altogether secure and carelesse as is evid●●t in those places where Vniformity is most strictly practised 3. Thirdly This Doctrine making no provision at all for such as are scrupulous and tender supposes the same measure of Faith in all whereas nothing is more clear than as the Apostle sayes concerning Things offered to Idols so concerning Ceremonies I may say that All have not knowledge But to this day many there are utterly unsatisfied with the Lawfulnesse of any and most are convinced of the Vselesnesse of them all Whose Consciences how erroneous soever yet are to be Tenderly and Gently dealt with least by our Rigid commanding what they can by no means comply with we bring them unto that Dangerous Dilemma either of breaking their Inward Peace and comfort by doing outwardly what they do not inwardly approve of or else of running themselves upon the Rocks of Poverty and prejudice by disobeying what is commanded For though we are upon all occasions to suffer gladly yet let not Reuben smite Ephraim let us not receive our wounds in the house of our friends for then our sufferings will be sharpned from the consideration of the Unkindnesse that our Brethren should put us upon the Trial of our Faith and Patience especially in such things which while the Imposor calls Indifferent he thereby acknowledges that they may