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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	word_n	world_n	worship_n	470	4	6.7041	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49252	The naturall mans case stated, or, An exact map of the little world man considered in both his capacities, either in the state of nature or grace / as is laid down in XVII sermons by that late truely orthodox divine, Mr. Christopher Love ... ; whereunto is annexed The saints triumph over death, being his funeral sermon, by that painful labourer in the Lords vineyard, Mr. Tho. Manton ...	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.; Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677. Saints triumph over death.	1652 (1652)	Wing L3169; ESTC R35003	150,068	340

grace and as much difficulty in getting this grace of hope as there is in faith And thus I have done with the 4. branch of an unconverted mans misery that hee is without any well grounded hopes for heaven SERMON XV. EPHES. 2. 12. And without God in the World WE come now to the fifth misery of men by Nature which is this that they are without God in the World and here first I shall give you something from the order of the words and then unfold them and then draw out some Doctrines from them Quest. 1. For the order of the words Why is their being without Christ put in the first place of the Text and their being without God put in the last place Answ Answ Their being without Christ is put in the first place because it was the inlet of all their misery and their being without God is put in the last place because it is the finall upshot of mans misery it is the inlet of a mans misery to bee without Christ and it is his misery to be an alien to the Common-wealth of Israel and a stranger to the Covenant of Promise and to be without hope and it is the upshot of all thy misery to be without God in the World and here I shall shew you that there are multitudes of men and women in the World that are without God though they doe every day worship God yet they may live all their dayes without God but before I speak to this I must unfold two or three things in the words as Object 1. How can it be said here that they were without God in the World when the Apostle says in another place that the wicked cannot be without God the Lord is not farre from every one of us for in him we live and move and have our being here the Apostle sayes that wicked men are not far from God and that they live in God and therefore how can it be said in the Text that wicked men are without God in the World whereas we are all Gods off-spring and come from God how can this be Answ Answ The answer is very easie and that is this that in some sense there is no man nor creature in the World without God and yet in another sense there are multitudes of men that are without God in the World 1. In some sense there is no man can be said to be without God that is by way of creation preservation sustentation and ruling over us every one is in God by way of creation and preservation c. But how in another sense there are multitudes of people without God this is in a way of speciall interest in him without a reconciled God without God as a Father to you in Jesus Christ without a God that you can lay claim to as yours in this sense multitudes of people are without God in the World 2. Another thing that I shall explaine to you is this what it is to be without God and without God in the World I answer that to be without God it includes in it in Scripture phrase these four things 1. To be without the knowledge of the true God 2. To be without the true worship of the true God 3. To be without a true obedience to the true God And 4. To be without a peculiar interest and propriety in God 1. To be without God is to be without the knowledge of the true God then a man is said to be without God when he doth not know the true God Every man in the World hath something or other to be his God as in Jonah 1. 5 6. when there was a great tempest upon the Sea and the ship like to be cast away that Jonah was in it is said that every man prayed to his God and Jonah be prayed to the Lord his God and so in Micah 4. 5. For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we wil walk in the name of our God for ever and ever Every man may have something to worship as a God and yet be without the true God those are said to be without God that are without the knowledg of the true God as you may see in 2 Chr. 15. 3. it is said there that for a long time Israel was without the true God without God how so doth not God rule and governe and preserve the World yes but they are said to be without God because they were without the knowledge of God for if you mark the next words it is said they were without the teaching Priest and without the Law so that all the while they lay in ignorance of the true God they were said to be without God 2. Men may be said to be without God when they are without the true worship of the true God all the while the children of Israel had the Ark among them which was the signe of Gods presence all that while God was among them but when the Ark was taken God was gone too the Lord will be with you while you are with him while you worship God sincerely and uprightly according to his wil so long God will be with you 3. To be without God is to live without true obedience to the true God when men doe so live as that the commands of God bear no sway over them it is a signe they are without God as in Psal 81. 11. My people saith God would not hear my voyce and Israel would have none of me the not obeying of Gods commands is a not having of God thou art without God in the world oh man unto whose conscience the soveraignty and authority of a God cannot give a check and a controll to thy lusts to bring thee into obedience to him 4. To be without God in the world is to be without a peculiar interest and propriety in God as your God when you cannot say that God is your Father Now if you ask me in which of these four senses these Ephesians here in the text were without God I answer that they were without God in all of them for while they were in a state of Gentilism they were without the knowledge of the true God and without the worship of the true God and without any obedience to the true God and without any reall interest and propriety in God but chiefly the two latter are included in this phrase the generall point of Doctrine that I shall observe from this last branch of mans misery shall be this Doctr. That every man during the state of his unregeneracy is without God in the world this only in the generall But here some may enquire what is meant by this expression without God in the World The meaning is that they were without any propriety or interest in God in this world and if they are without God in this world they must of necessity bee without God in another world And thus you have the words explained to you I

God though there be many people in it yet they are all subject to the same Laws and are all to walk by the same rule and in this regard it may be compared to a Common-wealth for there is but one rule the word of God that swayes the whole Church 3. In a Commonwealth it is accounted high Treason to subvert or overthrow any Law by which that Commonwealth is governed for if it were not so the Laws of a Commonwealth would be of no force if any man might break them add to them or take from them at his pleasure and therefore a Commonwealth does count the breaking and violation of their Laws to be the greatest injury and dishonour that can be done to them and so it is in the Church the word of God is very severe in this regard that if any man shall adde or diminish any jot or tittle to or from the Word God will blot his name out of the Book of life 4. They may be compared one to another in this regard for as one Common-wealth differeth from another they have not both the same Rulers nor the same Lawes nor the same customes nor Charters but differ in every thing almost so the Church of God is distinguished from all other parts and people of the World Commonwealths are different one from another in four things 1. in Laws 2. in habit 3. in language 4. in Government and so is the Church of God 1. It is different from others in its Lawes Law that rules in a Common-wealth but onely the Word of God rules in the Church 2. As Commonwealths differ from one another in their language so the Church of God has a language different from al the World the Church of God speaks the pure language of Canaan but all the World besides speaks a broken and corrupt language 3. As Commonwealths differ one from another in regard of habits so in this regard does the Church of God differ from all the World the Church of God hath put on the new man when all the World have on their old ragges still the Church hath put on the long robes of Christs righteousnesse which cover all her nakednesse which all the World are without 4. The Church of God is different from all other in regard of their Government all Kingdomes and Commonwealths have men to be their Governours but the Church of God that hath Christ to be her Governour Thus I have shewed you wherein the Church and a commonwealth doe agree now I come to shew you wherein they differ as 1. They are different in their Lawes a commonwealth hath Laws Acts and Ordinances to govern them but the Church hath onely the word of God to be their rule 2. There is a difference in the extent of those Laws the Law of a commonwealth doth onely reach and extend to the outward man that cannot rule the inward man therefore we commonly say our thoughts are free God onely can search the heart and try the reins but now the Law of the Church extends its self to the searching of the soul and spirit every thought and imagination of the heart as the Apostle sayes the Law is spirituall but I am carnall 3. There is a difference in regard of the power and efficacy of these Laws the Laws of a commonwealth doe onely restrain the outward man if you do amiss but the Law of God in the Church that cannot onely restrain in practise but change the heart and alter the affections and make thee a new man 4. They differ in this regard a commonwealth may alter their Laws at pleasure if they see occasion if they find any law grievous or burdensome to the Kingdome they may alter it or take it away and adde a new Law in the room of it but this the Church of God cannot doe the law that the Church hath now it must have to the end of the world God himself gave the Law to his Church and he cannot give a prejudicial or burdensome law whereas Rulers of Commonwealths they are but men and cannot look into the events of things and therefore are ignorant whether this or that law may be good or no and therefore doe change them at their pleasure when they see a necessity but the rule of the Word of God is an unerring and unalterable rule which all must follow and practise to the end of the World 5. They differ in their censure the censure of a Commonwealth may extend so far as to confiscation of goods to banishment imprisonment or death but the censure of the Church extends only to excommunication or throwing the offender out of their society or fellowship they can doe no more and must doe no more the Church of Christ can inflict no censure but onely to excommunicate and therefore their practise that doe imprison and censure and inflict punishment upon their people is not warrantable but does contradict the rule of the Word and those likewise that doe cry out against Church Government as tyrannicall do very much mistake for the Church of God their censure is not corporeall but spirituall But though the Church may not censure any man that is an offender yet she may complain to the Commonwealth and they may restrain and quell them and keep them under and inflict punishments upon them Thus then you see both wherein a Church and a Commonwealth doe agree and wherein they difler and if this be so that the Church of God is a spirituall Commonwealth then give me leave to draw these three Inferences from hence Use 1 1. I may infer from hence the necessity of Church Government in a Church Did you ever see a Commonwealth stand and flourish without rule and Laws and order Order is the staffe of a Common-wealth if every man might doe what he list and what is right in his own eyes nothing but ruine and destruction would presently follow as in Psal 11. 3. If the foundations be destroyed what shall the righteous doe If the Laws and foundations of a Commonwealth be subverted and destroyed there will be nothing but ruine If the Church be a spirituall Common-wealth then there is an absolute necessity of a Government in it therefore those that would either rob the Church of their Government and would have none at all or else would introduce a false Government upon the Church and doe as much as in them lies to overthrow the Government of the Church such as these are to be reproved Government to a common-wealth is like a hedge to a garden now suppose you had a very fair garden and a great many curious flowers and fine slips in it and one should come to you and tell you Sir I see many dainty flowers and slips in your garden but I see none to grow upon your hedge therefore pull it down let it grow there no longer you would say to such a man no by no means for though nothing grows upon the hedg yet

love upon your belly you make your belly your God or if upon pleasures then you make pleasures your God and so of any thing else And therefore beloved I beseech you look to it and examine your selves is not God undervalued sometimes when your lusts are set in the throne is not God sometimes very low in your estimation and other things set above him if it be so it is meer Atheisme in your hearts 7. That man is an Atheist that makes no conscience of keeping those vowes and covenants he hath made with God The Scripture looks upon that man as an Atheist that does not make conscience of performing those covenants which he hath made with God in Josh 24. 25 26. there Joshua made a covenant with the people and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem and he wrote these words in the book of the Law of God and took a great stone and set it up there under an oake that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord and Joshua said unto all the people Behold this stone shall be a witnesse unto us for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us it shall be there for a witnesse unto you lest ye deny your God and therefore those men that do call the covenant that we have made with hands lifted up to the high God an old Almanack out of date and do scorn and despise the oath they have taken and make no conscience of keeping the vowes and covenants they have made with God the Scripture looks upon such men as very Atheists and beloved in this regard there are more Atheists now in England then ever there were since the world stood But the Lord will manifest himself to be a just God though wicked men do despise his covenant and count it as an unholy thing 8. That man is a very Atheist whose conscience does never trouble him nor check him for the commission of any sinne That man that can be drunk to day and swear to morrow and cheat the next day and commit one sin after another and yet his conscience never give him any controll that man is a very Atheist Those that can live in the world and commit grosse sins every day and their consciences never check them for their sinnes it is a sad sign that such men are practicall Atheists If you have the fear of God in you and the thoughts of a God upon you it will make you reflect upon sins past and be grieved for sinnes and miscarriages of twenty years standing thus did Josephs brethren call to minde their former sins Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another We have verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear him and therefore is this evill come upon us and so Job Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth and so David prays that God would not remember the sins of his youth But now you that can be drunk one day after another and belch out one oath after another and commit one sinne after another and thy conscience never controll thee the Lord be mercifull to thee for thou art plunged into a depth of Atheisme One compares an Atheist to a duck in a pond if a man throwes a stone into the water where she is she will presently dive under but let it thunder or lighten never so much in the heavens she takes no notice of it so an Atheist he cannot endure that men should take notice of him or discover his wickednesse to reprove him or speak against him but let God thunder upon him never so much he will not be troubled at it did you live under the apprehensions of a Deity it is impossible your consciences should be so long and so frequently out of its office 9. Those men are very Atheists that do yeeld to a detestable indifferency in matters of Religion that man that will sleep in a whole skin and not dare to do any thing to the hazarding of his estate or person for the advancement of true religion such a man is a very Atheist I will give you a strange place for this in 1 King 18. 21. sayes Elijah the Prophet to the people How long will you halt between two opinions if the Lord be God then follow him but if Baal be God then follow him and the text saies the people held their peace and answered him not a word they neither said they would follow after God neither did they say they would follow after Baal if God were too strong for Baal they would be for God but if Baal did prevail they would follow after him which did manifest their Atheisme and that God was not their God that man that takes God to be his God must follow him through whatsoever troubles or afflictions hee meets withall in the world and indifferency in matters of religion does argue men to be very Atheists And therefore all time servers that live according to the times that are men of indifferent tempers any religion rather then fail will serve their turns such men are practical Atheists 10. Men do then shew themselves to be very Atheists when their practises shall palpably thwart and contradict their professions when they are such as those spoken of in Tit. 2. 16. that in their words do professe to know Christ but in their works they deny him Those that do professe themselves to be Christians and yet live like heathens that professe themselves to have an inheritance with the Saints in light and yet walk here as Children of darknesse such men are very Atheists And thus I have done with these 10. discoveries of a practicall Atheist I have given you thirteen in all three of them out of the Scripture and ten more deduced from the Scripture Use 1 Now the use that I shall make of this shall be by way of counsell and advice if this be so as you have heart that all unregenerate men are practicall Atheists they live as if there were no God in the world Oh then that you would bewaile this practical Atheism that is among you Doest thou favour thy self in the practise of secret sinnes or dost thou make no conscience of the performance of secret duties Doest thou make impunity to be a provocation to impiety and doest thou carry in thy minde a forgetfulnesse of the day of Judgement or doest thou distrust the providence of God in times of trouble and distresse Doest thou place thy affections upon any thing in the world more then upon God And doest thou make no conscience of performing the vowes and covenants thou hast made with God Does thy conscience never trouble thee after the commission of sinnes Art thou a luke warm and indifferent man in matters of Religion Doest thou professe to know God and in thy works deny him Doest thou any of these

SERMON preached on a speciall occasion On 1 COR. 15. 57. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ THese words are a part of Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Triumphant Song In the Song there are two parts and this is the last 1. A confident Challenge 2. A solemne Thanksgiving The one is directed to the enemies the other to the giver of victory 1. A confident Challenge in which he outbraveth Death and all the powers of the Grave O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory the words allude to Ilos 13. 14. where Christ is brought in speaking I will ransome them from the power of Death and redeem them from the Grave O Death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction there is Christs ingagement and undertaking for a full conquest of Death Christ threatneth Death and the Apostle insulteth over it the form of the words is altered because the enemy was now faln and Paul proclaimeth the victory hitherto Death and the Grave had insulted over the misery and frailty of mankinde all the tombes and charnels of the World were but so many Monuments of Deaths conquests Golgotha the place of skuls seemed to be designed on purpose to upbraid and discourage our Redeemer so many skuls and rotten reliques of humane frailty as there were in that place so many Trophies and Monuments of triumph did Death produce before the eyes of Christ as if it were said to him Canst thou darest thou grapple and enter into the lists with such an enemy But our Lord was not discouraged when he ascended upon the Crosse he did as it were answer these bravings of Death thus O Death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction and because he was as good as his word and every way performed his ingagement the Apostle as one of Christs followers cometh and insulteth over this proud adversary that was now faln O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory This challenge is illustrated by a Prolepsis or an Anticipation of an objection some might ask What is this sting of Death What is this power of the Grave The Apostle answereth The sting of Death is sin the strength of sin is the Law Death cometh to have this power by sin and sin to have this power by the Law The sting of Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prick it implyeth both the stroke of Death and the anguish of it as in the sting of a Serpent there is the deadly touch and the pain and torment of the wound and so it noteth the power of Death over us the prick or weapon by which it striketh is sin Rom. 5. 12. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and the terrours and horrours of it which also doe arise from sin now by horrours I mean not onely the naturall aversation retirement or flight of the spirits but the bondage torment and despair that is upon the conscience as Death is a penall evill inflicted by the justice of God guilt maketh Death terrible so that a sinner is all his life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. and kept under an awe of judgement to come 't is not alwayes felt but soon awakened especially in sicknesse and approaches of Death when we feel the cold hands of it ready to pluck out our hearts conscience is whipped with a scourge of six strings fear horrour distrust grief rage and shame The strength of sin is the Law How is that to be understood The Law giveth strength to sin ratione cognitionis obligationis augmentationis they are the words of a German Divine and will yeeld us a fit method wherein to open the matter 1. The Law discovereth sin and maketh it appear in its owne colours the more light and knowledge of the Law the more sense of sin as in transparent vessels dregs are soon discerned Rom. 6. 9. I was alive without the Law but when the Law came sin revived and I dyed When by a sound conviction all disguises are taken off from the conscience we finde sin to be sin indeed Paul was alive before that is in his owne hopes as many a stupid soul maketh full account he shall goe to heaven till conscience be opened and then they finde themselves in the mouth of Death and Hell 2. The Law giveth strength to sin in regard of the obligation of it it bindeth over a sinner to the curse and wrath of God God hath made a righteous Law which must have satisfaction and till the Law be satisfied we hear no news but of a curse and that maketh Death to be full of horrours there remaineth nothing but a fearfull expectation of the fiery indignation of the Lord. 3 It augmenteth and increaseth sin by forbidding it lusts are exasperated and rage upon a restraint as the yoke maketh the young bullock more unrulely Now put all together and you will understand the force of the expression The strength of sin is the Law the Discovery of the Law stoppeth the sinners mouth and the curse of the Law shutteth him up and holdeth him fast unto the judgement of the great day by which restraint sin groweth the more raging and furious all which put together make Death terrible not an end of misery but a door to open into Hell Now this being the case of every man what shall we do and how shall we extricate our souls from such a labyrinth of endlesse horrour You have an answer of that in the next verse in the Apostles Thanksgiving where he acquainteth you not onely with grounds of Hope but Triumph Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ In this thanksgiving you may observe 1. The Author of the mercy God by Jesus Christ 2. The manner how we come to be interested in it He giveth us victory Or rather you may observe 1 The Act of the Father as to Jesus Christ in that he appointed him to get the victory 2 The Act of the Father as to us in that hee applyeth this victory to our souls Christs victory and the application of it are the two grounds of this thanksgiving 1. Christs victory over Sin Death and the Law for it must be extended to all the things mentioned in the context they are enemies by combination and knit together in a fast league the Law giveth strength to sin and sin giveth a sting to Death as long as the Law hath power sin will be strong and as long as sin hath strength Death will bee terrible But Christ hath overcome Death he foyled it in his own person as I shall shew you anon fully and for Sin he hath taken away the guilt of it by his own merit and will destroy it more and more by the power of the Holy Ghost when he stood before the tribunall of God he stood there as a