Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	religion_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	168	3	9.0891	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A21059	Tvvo treatises the one of Good conscicnce [sic]; shewing the nature, meanes, markes, benefits, and necessitie thereof. The other The mischiefe and misery of scandalls, both taken and given. Both published. by Ier: Dyke, minister of Gods Word at Epping in Essex.	Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639.; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639. Mischiefe and miserie of scandals both taken, and given. aut; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639. Good conscience. aut	1635 (1635)	STC 7428; ESTC S100168	221,877	565

in and prosecute a just case till a bribe come and puts out the very eies of their conscience Their consciences are of so soft a temper that the least touch of silver turnes their edge presently They hold out well till there come a tentation on their left hand that is in their right hand Psal 144. 8. Whose mouth speakes vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood If once the right hand be a right hand of falsehood the mouth will soone speake vanity though before it speake conscience Who would not have thought Balaam to have beene a man of an excellent conscience If Balak would give mee his house full of silver and gold I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more Num. 22. 18. But yet besides that faltering in those words I cannot goe whereas the language of a good conscience would have beene I will not goe besides that I say before hee ends his speech see how the hope of promotions works and works his conscience like wax before the fire ver 19. Now therfore I pray you tarry heere also this night that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more A faltering inference If his conscience had beene good it would have inferred strongly thus Now therefore I pray get you gone and trouble me no longer Hee knew in his conscience the people ought not to be cursed and that he ought not to goe and yet comes in with I pray tarry all night c. Truly Balak needed not to have beene so lavish and so prodigall as to offer an house full one handfull of his silver and gold will frame Balaams conscience to any thing The like triall may be made of mens consciences by their inconstancie in good courses and this will condemne three sorts as guilty of evill consciences 1. Such as sometimes being convinced of the necessity of good courses doe set upon the practice of them and begin to looke towards Religion and religious duties till meeting with some of their supposed wiser neighbours they be advised to take heed they may bring themselves into greater note then they are aware of they will incur sharper censures then they thinke of c. and suddenly all is dasht all is quasht and quencht There is a disease among beasts they call the Staggers and it is a disease too frequent in mens Consciences who sometimes are on sometimes off one day begin and next day cease good courses That may be said of many mens conscices which Iacob speakes of Reuben Gen 49. 4. Vnstable as water The water moues as the winds blow If the wind blow out of the East then it moves one way if out of the west then it moves another the cleane contrary and upon every new winde a new way So many let them heare a convincing and a good perswading Sermon moving to good duties then they will set upon them let them againe heare either some mocks or reproches for those wayes or some sage advise from one they count wise against the way of conscience they are as far off againe as ever These staggering irresolute and watry Consciences are farre from good ones 2. Such as in their youth or when the world was low with them were very zealous and forward But what are they now at this day True downeright Demasses zealous when they were young but now old and cold zealous when they were meane but now the world is come vpon them Demas-like they have forsaken goodnes and embraced the world have gotten now worme-eaten and world-eaten consciences The zeale of Gods house was wont to eat them up but now the world hath eaten up them and all their good conscience 3. Those that have made good the prophane Proverb Young Saints and old Devills whose hatred of Religion and good conscience is greater then ever was their love thereto as Ammon was towards Thamar 2 Sam. 13. 15. They were zealous and forward frequenters of Gods house and Ordinances zealous enemies against Swearing and Sabbath-breaking c. But what are they at this day yesterday indeed zealous professors of holines but what are they to day to day malicious scoffers of godlinesse haters and opposers of goodnes the only swearers and drunkards in a country What kind of cōsciences are these none of Pauls conscience I have lived in all good conscience untill this day What then just the consciences of Hymenaeus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. They once made great profession of conscience but now enemies to Paul and blasphemers men as Paul speaks that had put away good conscience they did not through want of watchfulnesse let it slip or steale away but as if it would never have been gone soone enough they put and drave it away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza translates it Qua expulsa They used their consciences as Ammon did Thamar after his lust satisfied 2 Sam. 13. 15 17. Arise be gone sayes hee to her and when shee pleads for her selfe hee cals his servant and sayes unto him Put out this woman and bolt the doore after her put her out so as shee may be sure not to come againe They dealt with their Consciences as Colleges deale with Rake-hels expelled them without all hope of re-entry Thus many prophane Apostating backsliders cannot be content to lose good conscience unlesse Ammon-like they may put it away with violence and expell it And how can they have good conscience that have put it away Hee hath not his wife that hath put her away and given her a bill of divorce In the dayes of Popery and darknesse the Devill it seemed walked very familiarly amongst them and hence we have so many stories of Fayries and of children taken out of cradles and others laid in their roomes whom they called Changelings Since the light of the Gospell these Devils and Fayries have not beene seene amongst us but yet we are still troubled with Changelings Some Priests and Iesuites have changed some the world hath changed some Good-fellowship and the Ale-house hath changed These have played the Fayries have taken and stolne away goodly forward and fervent Christians and have layd in their roomes Earthlings Worldlings Popelings Swearers Drunkards Malicious scorners of all goodnesse Thus have these Fayries in stead of faire and comely children brought in these lame blind deformed and wrizzled faced Changelings that any one may easily see them to be rather the births of some Hobgoblins then the Children of God If therefore we would evidence our consciences good labour to hold to the last and rest not in youth but labor to have age found in the way of righteousnesse This is a Crowne of glory and this is right good conscience to live therein untill our dying day All the former sixe are nothing without this last CHAP. X. The comfort and benefit of a good conscience in the case of Disgrace and Reproach VVEe are now come to the fift and last point which was propounded

of vitious persons following their lusts There shall come scoffers walking after their owne lusts 2. Pet. 3. 3. A company of Abiect persons Psal 35. 15. Like those enemies Acts 17. 5. Lewd fellowes of the baser sort A rout of prophane godlesse irreligious Atheists that do no more know the Power then Turkes and Heathens know the truth of Godlines The foole hath said in his heart there is no God you haue made a mocke at the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his trust Ps 14. 1. 6. It is a shrewd suspition that he that is a Mocker is an Atheist It well bacomes him to mocke at Religion that denies a God and it is a signe that he denies a God that mockes at Godlinesse And will any wise man stumble at Religion for such mens Mockes and Reproaches What can be expected better from them It was a good answere that that Oratour gaue Salust Neque enim Orat. in Salust qui ita vt tu vixit aliter quam tu loqui potest It cannot be but that he that liues thy life should speake thy language and it is an answere will serue the turne in this case To looke for other language from men of so ill lifes were to expect to gather grapes of thornes Let no man for such mens mockes and reproaches bee stumbled at Religion or thinke euer the worse of it A man would choose his Religion by such mens enmitie and it is the great honour of Religion that it hath such Aduersaries * Consulite commentarios vestros illic reperietis primum Neronem in hanc sectam tum maximae Romae orientem Caesariano gladio f●rocisse Sed tali dedicatore damnationis nostrae gloriamur Qui enim scit illum intelligere potest no nni si aliquod bonum grande à Nerone damnatum Tentauerunt Domitianus c. Tales nobis semper Insecutores Iniusti Impij Turpes quos ipsi damnare consuestis à quibus damnatos restituere soliti estis Tertull. Apol. cap. 5. It was that wherein the Primitiue Christians vsed to glorie that they had Nero their first Persecutor and condemner of their persons and Religion Inasmuch as they that knew him could not but know that it must needs bee some great good which Nero did condemne It was the honour of Christians and their Religion that Nero and such as he was vniust vngodly filthy persons whom the Heathen themselues condemned were the sorest and bitterest enemies they had No wise man would haue stumbled at Christian Religion because it had such an enemie as Nero was A wise man would haue loued it the better The case is the same here It is the honour of Godlinesse and Religion that it hath Hypocrites Drunkards vitious followers of their lusts base and lewd fellowes godlesse Atheists for her scoffing Aduersaries It must needs bee some great good which they hate and scorne I know scarce a better argument to perswade men to loue and embrace it then that such men hate and deride it 2. The Pouertie the meane and homely outside of such for the most part as receiue professe Christ and his Gospel What should you doe looking this way sayes Satan Haue any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleeued on him But this people c. Iohn 7. 48. What a fond thing is it to follow this Christ whom none but a company of the meaner sort of people follow The greater and richer sort of the world they like not nor look not this way but onely a few of the lower ranke and condition of men And how euer many are stumbled at this yet indeed little reason is there that any should in such a case be scandalized So much the lesse reason because our Sauiour hath so fore-armed and fenced vs against this Scandal Math. 11. 5. 6. The poore receiue the Gospel Why then might some say wee will not receiue this Christ and this Gospell which for the most part onely the poorer sort receiue Therefore see what our Sauiour addes to preuent such scandal And blessed is hee that is not offended in mee that is in mee a Christ receiued and professed by the poorer sort How could men like well of Godlines in gay apparell and with a gold ring but the vile rayment makes it vile in their eyes who consider not that God hath chosen the vile things of this world to confound the things that are mighty that God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith heyres of the kingdom which he hath promised Iam. 2. 5. When * Iulianus dixit si Philosophorum ego Senatū aduocau●ro tu continuo sellularios opisices omneque in nos vulgus accēdas Augustinus dixit Contumeliosus es in infirma mundi quae elegit deus vt confunderet fortia Aug contr Iulian Pelag li. 1. Iulian the Pelagian gibed Augustine that he had not the wise sages nor the learned Senate of Philosophers but onely a company of meane tradesmen handicraftes men of the vulgar sort that tooke part with him he sweetly answers Thou reproachest the weake things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the things that are mighty That one thing may suffice to keepe men from stumbling at homely outsides Specially if men had but an eye of faith in their heads Carnal eyes that are dazeled with the glittering outsides of worldly glories are offended at such seeming basenesse but faith blindes it selfe against such fleshly Scandals and will not see them when it sees them but lookes thorough them and sees glory thorough them Ioh. 1. 14. And the word was made flesh and wee beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father though his glory were obscured with the vaile of the flesh yet this vaile hides not glory from the eye of faith faith did looke thorough this vaile and easily discerned him the glorious onely begotten sonne of the father euen in the abasement of his Incarnation The wisemen that came from the East when they saw Herod at Ierusalem happily in all his royall Robes yet fall not downe nor worship him They come to Bethlehem and finde Christ in a poore fashiō happily in little better then rags yet they fall downe worship him Why fall they downe before a meane poore Christ and not before a Magnificent glorious Herod Why rather are they not scandalized at Christs basenesse and pouerty This is the excellency of faith In Christs Infancy it saw Antiquity in his basenesse beauty in his meannesse maiestie and more glory in Christs rags then in Herods Robes So surely if men did liue and walke by faith and not by sight neuer would Christ nor his Truth be stumbled at for the homely and poore outside of those that professe him The purblind eye of flesh cannot pierce through these vayles and cloudes And what wonder is it to see a blinde man stumble 3. But yet the sorest and greatest stumbling blocke of

and draw some noted Professour of Religion into some grosse and scandalous sinne And that scandal of his wil be such a stumbling blocke at which they will so stumble that I will warrant them fall farre enough and deepe enough for euer recouering out of the pit And the Lord answeres Thou shalt effect it and preuaile Goe forth and doe so Goe Satan preuaile with such and such a Professour of Religion to bring him into some fowle scandal And let that scandal bee a fatal stumbling blocke to make such fall and assuredly perish that would not bee wrought vpon by the word So that looke what the false prophets were to Ahab that are scandals to the world meanes of their fatall fals and ruines woe to Ahab because of the false prophets and woe to the world because of scandals that make way for their mischiefe as the false prophets did for Ahabs So that by all this wee see that Gods disposall of scandals is an Act of diuine vengeance and Iustice plaguing mens vnprofitablenesse vnder the meanes of grace that by this meanes their righteous damnation might be sealed vp and made sure And therefore this is a point well worth our obseruation That where God sends most preaching and the greatest meanes of grace there commonly fall out the greatest and foulest scandals and where litle or no meanes little or no scandal Now what may the reason of this bee Not that the preaching of the Gospel makes men worse as men of euil spirits are readie to slander and calumniate it in case of such euents but amongst many other reasons that might be giuen of it this is one speciall one Where God giues greatest means of grace and saluation there mens sinne in their vnprofitablenesse impenitencie and vnbeliefe is the greater The greater mens sinnes are the greater is Gods wrath and therefore out of the greatnesse of his wrath against mens great vnprofitablenesse God disposes it that where the greatest meanes of grace are neglected and contemned there shall bee the greatest scandals that so hee may greatly plague great vnprofitablenesse and contempt God will haue such as be vnprofitable vnder great means to haue great fals that they of all others may fall most lethally and most dangerously and fatally Now a little stumbling stone causes but a little an easie fall but the greater the stumbling block is the greater and more wofull must the fal needs bee And therefore where greatest meanes not profited by are there are greatest scandals to bring the greater woe and vengeance vpon so great vnprofitablenesse therefore there the greatest stumbling blockes to fall by where the greatest meanes to rise by that such may not simply fall but so fall that they may be dasht to peeces CHAP. V. How Scandals come to be so woefull and Mischieuous NOw how Scandals make way for mens fals and ruines and so for their woe will appeare in these following particulars 1. In that they make way for their stumbling at Religion and godlinesse the powerfull and sauing profession thereof When men stumble at Religion and are so offended at Godlinesse as to dislike and reiect it and that with a peremptorie resolution of spirit neuer to receiue and embrace it it must needs bee confessed that such persons are in a woefull and miserable case Wee find some that stumbled at Christ 1. Pet. 2. 8. Some that stumbled at the word 1. Pet. 2. 8. Some that stumble at the law Mal. 2. 8. Some that stumble in their wayes from the ancient pathes Iere. 18. 15. Now to stumble at Christ at the word at the Law at the antient wayes at religion this is a woefull thing There is but one true religion in which a man can be saued now therefore woe to him that stumbles at true religion for there is no way but infallible damnation for such a man There is no way of saluation but by Christ There is no other name vnder heauen to be saued by Act. 4. 12. Therefore woe to that man that stumbles at Christ for that man puts himselfe out of possibilitie of saluation The word is the word of grace Act. 20. 32. the word of life Ioh. 6. 68. the word of the kingdome Mat. 13. 19. therfore woe to that man that stumbles at the word for he puts himselfe out of possibility of grace eternal life and the kingdome of God The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting or restoring the soule Psal 19. 7. therefore woe to him that stumbles at the Law for hee is out of possibilitie of being conuerted and restored The old and the Antient wayes are the good wayes wherein a man shall finde rest to his soule Ier. 6. 16. Therefore woe to that man that stumbles at and from the antient wayes because what possibility hath hee of finding rest to his soule Now by scandals and offences stumbling blockes are laide to make men stumble at these and so to bring woe vpon their soules When professours of religion of Christ of the word of the law of the Antient wayes fall into fowle scandals thereupon men of the world take occasion to stumble at that Religion at that Christ at that word at that law at those Antient wayes which they professe and grow to a resolution neuer to make or meddle with these and so make way for their owne woe by refusing and resoluing against the wayes of saluation for looke what the force of holy example and good life is to stop mens mouthes and gaine their hearts to a loue and liking of the truth and religion of that force on the contrary is euill and scandalous life to keepe men of Godly and holy life good conuersation makes euill speakers ashamed 1. Pet. 3. 16. Well doing puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1. Pet. 2. 15. that they cannot speake euill of Godlines and Religion Religious conuersation winnes and gaines those that are witbout and brings them to a loue of religion 1. Pet. 3. 1. So contrarily scandalous carriages embolden the faces and open the mouthes of enemies stumbles and offends them and workes in them such a disallowance of religion and dislike of the profession of Godlines that they vtterly resolue against it And that scandals doe make men thus stumble at Religion the word c. how plaine doth dayly experience make it let such an one as professes Christ his word his truth fall into any scandal and what followes Oh! Say men this is their religion this is their profession doe ye not see what persons they are that are of this same holy religion and profession Are there any worse then these more dishonest and deceifull If this be their religion God blesse mee from their religion I am resolued neuer to be of such a religiō I now plainely see that it is nothing but errant hypocrisie lying coozening dissembling And thus through diuine vengeance punishing thē for their vnprofitablenes vnder the word they so stumble at these scandals as to fal

their hearts so as they may fall into mischeife and be put out of possibilitie and the reach of mercie These bee great dangers and heauie woes for I see now they be but stumbling blockes at which some men shall breake their neckes into Hell I confesse I did neuer conceiue them to bee halfe so dangerous euents I neuer apprehended them such dangerous traps and snares as now vpon the opening of this point I see they are Belieue it I see it is good wisdome in such euents to looke about mee and to take heed how I come within the reach of these snares Since Diuine Prouidence sets them to make way for Diuine vengeance though such a man professing religion haue committed a foule scandal c Iuxta semitas scandalum posuerunt mihi nō in semitis sed iuxta semitas Semitae tuae praecepta Dei sunt Illi scandala iuxta semitas posuerunt tu noli recedere à semitis non irrues in scandala permisit Deus ponere scandala iuxta semitas vt tu non recedas à semitis Iuxta semitas scandala posuerunt mihi quid restat Quid remedium inter tanta mala in istis tentationibus in istis periculis Dixi Domino Deus meus es tu Aug. Psal 139. Ergo cum audis vae mundo à scandalis noli terreri dilige legem Dei non tibi erit scandalum teneamus indeclinabilem confessionem diligamus legem Dei vt euadamus quod dictum est vae mundo à scandalis Aug. yet I will by Gods grace take heede for all that of stumbling at Godlines or thinking ere the worse of the profession of Religion Nay I will be so farre from flying off that I will cleaue the closer and the faster to God and the wayes of Truth I will hold my profession so much the faster and loue that Word so much the more that so I may auoide this heauie woe Doe in this case when scandals fall out and so snares bee set as Dauid did when wicked men hid a Snare for him and laid Nets to catch him Psal 140. 5. The proud haue hid a snare for mee and cordes they haue spread a net by the way side they haue set grinnes for me And what doth Dauid now doe in this case See Verse 6. Isaid vnto the Lord Thou art my God So when scandals fall out Snares and Nets and Grinnes are laid What shall we doe then Shall we distate and dislike Godlinesse and Religion No by no meanes that is the way to bee ensnared and caught But then specially say vnto the Lord Thou art my God I will cleaue close to thee and to thy Truth these euents shall not cause mee to dislike of Godlinesse and Religion Say of wisdome notwithstanding such euents that she is shall be thy sister Though d Illa scilicet Iobi vxor scandalum erat sed illi non erat Aug. in Psal 141. these persons be scandals yet shall they be none to me e Non egrediar à Christo non incidam in muscipulam Ibid. I will not for all this goe from Christ Godlinesse and Religion for then am I caught in the trap I will take heed for all this of blaspheming God and his Truth I will for all this take heed of iustifying my selfe in any euil wayes and how I harden my selfe in my sinnes for if I doe thus then am I in the trap then I stumble at the stumbling blocke then hath the woe of the scandal light vpon and taken hold of me God giue mee grace and warinesse to looke to one Because scandalous euents are dangerous euents this should bee therefore our wisdome warinesse and caution when they happen Surely the more dangerous they are the more cautelous should we be and in their euents be so far from being staggered as to sticke closer to religion and to perseuere the more resolutely f Scandala non defutura praedixit quibus fidem nostram exerceri porbari oporteret Aitenim quoniam abundauit iniquitas refrigescit charitas multorum sed continuo subijcit Quiautem perseuerauit vsque in finem saluus erit August Epist 136. Because Iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall waxe cold Math. 24. 12. It so commonly fals out that when iniquities scandalous iniquities of such as professe the truth fall out that many that it may be had some good affection to and liking of goodnes are started and stumbled at religion and their loue growes cold But how should it bee with vs in such cases But he that endures to the end shal be saued Verse 13. As much as to say that euen great and foule scandalous inquities abounding mens loue and liking to religion should not be abated but they should for all that cleaue close to it and hold out and endure to the end and not bee started and stumbled by scandals Are scandalous euents then wofull euents And when scandals come doth woe come Then bee so wise though thou couldest not preuent the scandal yet to preuent the woe that the woe it brings with it may none of it light vpon thine head In euery scandal there is a guilt and a woe a sinne and a curse The guilt and the sinne is the persons that offends but the woe and the curse fals vpon others Now when scandals doe come so looke to thy selfe that thou mayest haue as little share in the curse and the woe as thou hast in the guilt and the sinne Adders Snakes Serpents how shie are men in medling with them and all because they are venemous and haue a sting Euery scandal caries a sting with it a woe with it and when they come they come to sting some men mortally to the very death Scandals to many proue as those fierie Serpents to the Israelites Numb 21. 6. And the Lord sent fierie Serpents amongst the people and they bit the people and much people of Israel died Therefore concernes it men to carrie themselues as warily when they meet with scandals as if they met with Serpents and bee as much afraid of a Scandals wo as of a Serpents sting Amongst the extraordinarie signes the should follow them that belieue this is one that they shall take vp Serpents and they shall not hurt them Marke 16. 18. Now such should our wisdome and warines be that when these fierie Serpents come we might so take them vp as they might so not hurt vs that we might see the Serpent but not feele the sting Scandals are like Ezekiels roll Ezek. 2. 10. There was written therin lamentations and mourning and woe Ezekiel hee was commanded to eat the roule Had it beene a matter left to his owne choice like enough hee would scarce haue medled with it See how it fared with him when he had eaten it Ezek. 3. 14. I went in bitternesse in the heat of my spirit All Scandals when they come are roules of woe it is great wisedome for a man to

cutting of this foote caused the stumbler the fall One chop had saued and preuented all for if he had but denied himselfe and thus thought with himselfe If it bee Gods will that I shall bee low and meane in the world if he will haue mee come downe and be in an inferiour estate his will bee done I will humbly submit to his pleasure and I will not to vphold my credit in the world for a time hazard and wound the credit of the Gospell and religion I will tread my credit vnder foote rather then bring any discredit vpon the Gospell If thus by selfe-deniall a man could haue submitted to Gods wisdome and administration could haue mortified his self-selfe-loue so as to haue laid his credit and respect in the world at Gods foote how happily might a fowle scandal haue beene preuented Euery vnmortified lust is a scandal that will cause a man to offend so many lusts so many tares Therefore burne and fire those tares gather out and cast out those scandals that will breed scandals and cause offences Math. 13. 40. 41. 3. Labour for sincerity and fruitfulnes in the wayes of God I dare not say that all that fall into scandal are Hypocrites barren But yet sure it is that God many times punishes these two things with scandalous fals When men are not so sincere and so fruitfull as they should bee God leaues them to themselues that by such scandalous fals they may be humbled for not walking so sincerely and so fruitfully as they should haue done and as their profession required at their hands Therefore the more sincere and fruitfull wee are the more are we out of danger of scandals See Phi. 1. 10 11. That yee may bee sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Being filled with the fruites of righteousnesse So then the way to bee without offence is to be sincere and to be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse So long as we adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all thing wee shall keepe our selfes from giuing offence Now sincerity fidelity and fruitfulnes doe adorne the Doctrine of God Tit. 2. 9. 10. 4. Thinke alwayes vpon those two texts First that Neh. 4. 9. It is not good that yee doe ought yee not to walke in the feare of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies Are wee by Sathan tempted to any sinfull course that specially may prooue scandalous thinke wee thus with our selues It is not good that wee are about to doe the thing is naught and sinful If we doe thus how will enemies of godlinesse and religion tryumph how will they reproach and scorne religion and therefore to preuent their reproach and to preuent the opening of their mouthes how ought wee to walke in the feare of God I will rather die then giue them iust occasion to reproach If they will needes bee reproaching let them doe it at their q Abundet hospitalitas vestra abundent bona opera vestra Quod iubet Christus faciant Christiani tantum suo malo blasphement pagani Aug. Hom. 10 in append serm owne perill they shall haue no cause from mee to open their mouthes in reproachfull wise And this is the very argument the Apostle vses to perswade women to a godly discreete chaste and obedient carriage That the word of God bee not blasphemed Tit. 2. 4 5. Secondly consider the text Neh. 6. 11. Should such a man as I flee And who is there that being as I am would goe into the Temple to saue his life I will not goe in It were an happie thing in these cases if men would know themselues what they are and would stand vpon it with Satan Should such a man as I doe thus Nehemiah we see would not goe into the temple to saue his life when he considered what hee was Such a man as I Being as I am It is no pride in these cases to stand vpon what we are but much safety were in it Should such a man as I Why what a man is hee that professes religion He is one that hath the Name of God called vpon him If my people on whom my name is called 2. Chron. 7. 14. Hee is one that is called with an high calling Phil. 3. 14. Hee is one that is called to Holinesse 1. Thes 4. 7. Hee is one that is pretious and honorable Isa 43. 4. Hee is one of the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 18. 22. Hee is one of the Sonnes of God 1. Ioh. 3. 1. And now shall such a man as he run into fowle and base actions Who being as hee is vvould not rather loose his life then dishonour such a profession then disgrace such and so many dignities Why did Ieremy so willingly subiect to Gods word For thy name is called vpon mee O Lord God of hostes Ier. 15. 16. And should such a man as he not giue all obedience to God Why was Ezra ashamed to require of the King a band of Souldiers and horsemen to helpe against the enemy Because it would not stand with that profession hee had made before the King Because wee had spoken vnto the King saying The hand of our God is for good vpon all them that seeke him but his power his wrath against all them that forsake him 1. Ezra 8. 22. Hee had made this profession before the King and should such a man as hee that had made such a profession doe a thing so contrary thereunto What a fowle shame had that beene No wonder hauing made such a profession that he was ashamed to doe it If men would but seriously consider what kind of persons they are and what kind of profession they make oh how would they for shame not meddle with base actions What was the reason that Mordecay would not bow to Haman They spake to him daily and hee hearkened not vnto them And what was his reason Reason good enough He told them that he was a Iew. It would not stand with the religion hee profest to bow to Haman as they bowed to him He was a Iew one of the people of God that professed the worship of the true God alone and should such an one as he bow downe to Haman not onely a mortall man but an accursed Amalekite Who would being as hee was if it had beene to haue saued his life haue wronged not so much his nation as his religion and profession as to haue bowed to him What made Abraham that hee would not take any thing that was the King of Sodoms from a threed euen vnto a shooe latchet but because the King of Sodom should not say I haue made Abraham rich Gen. 54. 23. Like enough Abraham had vpon all occasions and in all places professed that God whose name he professed had made him so rich therefore would hee doe nothing that might be any preiudice to that his profession hee had a care so to carry himselfe that the enemies of God