Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A34014
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Charity commended, or, A catholick Christian soberly instructed by J.C.
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Collop, John.
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1667
(1667)
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Wing C5391; ESTC R16883
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68,489
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162
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of our sins sting us look up upon him who was lifted up with healing under his wings and have respect to the fruits of the land of promise that blessed Canaan not being discourag'd by the Gyants of our sins but lift up our hands with Moses strengthned by the two Tables the Commandements of God till we overcome them and having the Corner stone Christ Jesus to support us in our weaknesse who will not fail them who rely on him in all their conflicts with the world the flesh and the Devill we may subdue the enemies of our peace who hinder us in our progresse to the promis'd Land Sect. 16. I may believe him conceiv'd of the Holy Ghost yet may safely neither believe the Popes and some Pontificians nor the conceptions of our Enthusiasticks of the holy spirit I can believe Christ born of a Virgin Mary yet need not believe a Virgin Maries Temple born by Angels to Loretto nor doubting the truth of the Virgins milk with which the Popish Priests impose on the vulgar may impose the stigma of infidel on me and deprive me of the milk of the word of truth He who had respect unto her humility will not have respect unto them who too much humble her since the glory of Heaven overshadow'd and the Bridegroom of our souls shined forth from the closet of her womb Nor exalt them who her that was humbled in her own eyes exalt in theirs above their Creator Casheer his name to admit hers in the Psalter while an Ave Mary can bring a Te deum Laudamus out of fashion and Christ himself must stil be in pupillage May we all provide innocent spotlesse and Virgin hearts for a Saviour to be born in so that we all may have by the overshadowing of the holy spirit a right Conception of him whose Conception could not be without it and be accounted for the mother and brethren of the Lord while wee do the will of his Heavenly Father Sect 17. I could wish that Christ still suffer'd not under a Roman Governor but instead of a Pilate he would be a good Pilot no longer steer by the gales of profit or the Whirlewind of ambition which may ingulph the bark of the Church into an Abysse of misery but calming the troubled Sea of his own lusts into moderation the winds of error and waves of false Doctrine may cease and the leaky vessell of the Roman Church by the pump of Faith and sincere repentance may arrive at the Haven of eternall security in vain like Pilat he may seek to wash his hands from the guilt of Christs blood while he can embrue them in the blood of Christians and suffer his Polemicks to plant thorns on Christs brow spinous questions and with the mock pageantry of state make Christian Religion ridiculous to Jew and Gentile Neither the Clergy though their name implies lot should as relative to their name and Christian warfare Souldier-like cast lots for Christs Coat neglecting internall purity quarrell about the supervesture externall ceremonies of Religion while their tongues sharp as spears pierce Christs sides through their brethren who is still crucified by Jews and betwixt theeves who rob Gods word while we apprehend examine accuse condemn shame and crucifie one another when we should rather crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof as pride envy malice and contention conforming our selves to the Image of a crucified Saviour and not to the crucifyers of a Saviour by our vices since some truths though seemingly precious are not so plac'd in competition with Christian-charity peace and communion with all who are fellow-members of Christs body Wee must relinquish that which is valuable rather then him who is above all value while dissention can renew his wounds in his members Dull phlegmatick and Plebeian constitutions are not only subject to paralytique but even apoplectick distemperatures sometimes they tremble and discompose Religion in their jealous furies and sometimes are superstitious and supine and stupid in trivial and ridiculous fooleries Resembling Apes and Dotterells more apt to imitate mops mows and gesticulations then vertues while others are madder then those who are asham'd of humanity because Apes have some resemblance with humane nature Sect 18. Cannot any one be perswaded Christ descended not into Hell since a S. Cyprian averrs this Article neither in the Roman or orientall Symbole and Tertullian takes no notice of it and Shâ—ol and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies the grave without descending thither May I leave the works of Hell pride malice and uncharitablenesse by works of light treat with God where he is in Heaven by believing Christ was in Hell will not much advantage me in the way to Heaven though my uncharitablenesse to a misconceiving brother may warp me toward Hell Hell is described by the valley of Hinnom where sacrific'd children weak ones in Christ while their tongues are kindled at Hell fire who with trifling differences make schisms in the Kingdom of Gods Church and Communion which Saints should have for the service of Christ their King the Lords anointed against the powers of darknesse Sect. 19. May not any one believe in the Holy Ghost though hee should not phancy the picture or the sencelesse story of the Doves want of gall or the holy spirits non-appearance in that shape but onely hovering like a descending Dove Oh doubt the infallible pontificiall and enthustiasticks spirit one being repraesentative of the other where murder revenge Adultery and treasons are Cohabitants and by a necessary illation must passe for the fruits of that all-disposing spirit consecrate impiety and make villany precious while God himself must be introduc'd witnesse to a lie May we have the innocency of Doves in our Conversation the mourning of Turtles in the sorrow for our sins and a delight in the streams of life the holy Scriptures as the Dove in the waters finally all the resemblances with the Dove which imitate the gifts of the holy Ghost that the holy spirit may dwell in us which is pictur'd in the shape of a Dove Sect. 20. Wil it not suffice to believe a holy Church and not to believe in it since a Saint Cyprian informs me God is onely to be believ'd in or believe not a Church or Christian can be out of the Catholick Church since all men and Churches make up but one Catholick and the notion of Catholick introduc'd in opposition to the Jewish Church may not as oppositely be oppos'd to the Roman who like Jews presume a monopoly of Gods mercy the light of ages light of nature supernaturall light of Scripture must onely shine in their dark lanthorns and all blind who believe things not onely above reason but against it while a part must be greater then the whole a particular Church the Catholick resembling the mad-man who lived in a Sea-port town called all ships his own which arived at the haven All Bishops who have either writ appealed or communicated with
Charity who spilt his own blood to prevent the effusion of ours Neither was a hudler of reformations tongue lesse cruell to his brethren then the Papists sword with an Ego Sacramentarios haereticos omnes aeterna paenà afficiendos duco That which was given to unite into Christs body should not divide from it we must not dispute about Seals while we lose the Covenant it shall content mee it is an Eucharist not Axapist May Christs body bee present to all by a worthy communication and none forget him who commands it to be done in commemoration he dyed for them and so crucifie him again by crucifying one the other Whatsoever the consequences be of subtile brains the consequences of worthy receiving will be salvation may wee all have sursum corda since a Saint Austine believes nemo dâ—gne manducat nisi â—prius adoraverit and a Saint Ambrose wee must worship Christ in the mysteries as the Apostles him in the flesh He who injoins a worthy Communion under penalty of damnation will not damn me sure for believing too worthily of what I receive Transubstantiation nor Consubstantiation monopolize the reall presence which no worthy communicant can be without May all show he is really present and communicated while we receiving praise God and have charity with all do become one with him though not uniform with all if we agree not in the way of serving him yet all agree that serving is the way to him I may be troubled that a brother shall refuse to put on the robâ— of Christs righteousnesse but never be angry with him for not putting it on after my fashion but could wish all would use that which is least offensive to them without a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quando Christiani adorant quod edunt fit anâ—ma cum Philosophis may be opinion of not a single Averroes Sect. 56. Most inflated with the opinion of their own knowledge swell into controversies others with the impostumations of their own malice are tumid and angry open the one and you shall find nothing but flatulency and launch the other and there will issue forth corruption justification whether by faith or works or both hath lenâ— such occasion to contention as men have renounc'd him who can onely justifie Christ who is Love when justification is an acception of our persons and a remission of our sins it is an Enigma deserves an Oed pus to unmask how we accept our own persons and remit our offences May wee all like the wise Virgins provide our selves with the light of Faith and oyl of good works being call'd into Gods Vineyard consider wee are to work not talk none suppose the finer threads spun from the Cobwebs of subtiler imaginations can hold Salvation but all provide that triple cord twisted by faith hope and charity which cannot be easily broken Sect. 57. It hath been the phancy of not a few that Christ came to fulfill the Law and nothing hath been reserv'd for Christian duty but a Crede and in via salutis ambulas a magicall Faith may oblige Heaven and produce no lesse then miracles Christs Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we may believe the Fathers a new discipline a spiritual Law accomplishing extending painting to the life the sciagraphy or imperfect draught of Mosaical perfection that forbids the fires of illegall concupiscences this to fly even the very smoak by avoiding the occasion that inhibits the ablation of our brothers blood this the commotions of our own the strictest of judaical observance or phylacter'd Romanists who fringe Christian Religion with ceremonies may be silenc'd with an except your righteousnes exceed that of the Phaâ—â—sees You cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Those which who say Christ hath fulfilled the Law and think that the crying a Lord Lord may intitle them to Heaven may be dismis'd with I know you not if they will not cover their brothers nakednesse cloth their imperfections give an Alms as well of their knowledge as fortunes can break a commandement or teach others to break though they give up their names to factions May misse their names in the book of life Christ hath not done so much that wee need do nothing There is a treasury in the Church to deâ—ray humble and penitent sinners but not to cast away upon Prodigalls whatsoever the Keys of the Church are of this I am confident every man hath the power of binding and loofing sins bind and repentance looses yet though every Christian is intrusted with the keies Christ must be the Door through which they must enter into salvation they must unload themselves of iniquity and knock by a spirituall fervency before they enter the narrow gate Peters Keyes without this and the confidence of a Lord Lord encounter with a discedite nescio vos and meet with the punishment of the idle servant while they hide their Talent and accuse their master of hardnesse weak and unstable souls who wrest the Scriptures to their own damnation that I do not speak in the person of a Carnall man by Saint Paul must be tentred to a Saint Paul could not that they have Saint Patroâ— to impiety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if to live according to nature is the part of one that hath not believ'd not to arive so high is below a Pagan Sect. 58. The poverty of Franciscans abstinence of Carthusians zeal of some Recollects chastity of Nuns devotion of Pilgrims Anchorets c. Support the papall dignity beyond Jesuiticall Scâ—omachies Homonyma's Logomachies and circulations and while these ignès fatuì seduce and are seduc'd into precipices by the Phanatick fires of ther own imaginations these seal'd Doves may take occasion by their blindnesse to mount toward Heaven for I cannot be so uncharitable as not to think these empty instruments may make a pleasing sound in the ears of the Almighty I cannot look on them so with blear-ey'd prejudice as I can not discern an Hilarâ—on Antonius Paulus Eustochium Marcella Paula exercis'd with watchings cloth'd with Sackcloth and fed by fastings with the bread of life a Sain Hieron Saint Basil Saint Chrysostom Saint Austin sounding an Alarm to the battail and encouraging to take up these arms of Christian warfare Emperors Kings Princes and Potentates casting down Crowns and honors at the feet of the Lamb following Christ in the high way of the Cross Myriads concomitating who preferring Christian humility before mundan complacencies in Gales of sighes and Seas of tears have been transported to an Haven of eternall security the partial phancy of the prejudice byass'd centuriators that Monachisms antichristian or the petticoat zeal of some rash reformers who intitle the Locusts of the infernall pit shall not teach my pen a sally out into scurrility or dash in strains of pollutions marriage fills the Earth and if virginity fills not Heaven I may boldly affirme it prejudices not the way thither I am neither of Vigilantius or Jovinians mind that