Selected quad for the lemma: master_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
master_n	good_a	servant_n	show_v	2,833	4	5.4631	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55491	The character of a formall professor in religion preached in two sermons at St. Chads Church in Salop, Jan. 11, 1661, on 2 Tim. 3, 5 / by Tho. Porter ...	Porter, Thomas, d. 1667.	1661 (1661)	Wing P2989; ESTC R12187	26,346	43

and actually not with the lip but with the life not in word but in work when men destroy in practice what they hold out in profession as Tit. 1. 16. but in works they deny him which they dare not do perhaps with their mouths and as he 1 Tim. 5. 8. hath denied the faith that is in not making provision for his family though he still maintain a profession of the Faith Thus an ancient Writer saith that as he is worse then an infidel l that joyns not a good conversation which is a character and badge of a Disciple of Christ to knowledge faith and baptism so it is here nay he sins more grievously because he sins mote knowingly and wilfully 4. Why have some the form of godliness and deny the power For the better understanding I shall shew you 1. Why some have but a Form 2. Why they deny the power 3. Why both together First 1. Why some have but the Form of Religion Because 1. of the Custom of a Religious Education The bringing up of some in commonly-received truths doth so accustom the mind to them that they know not how to deny them See 2 Kin. 12. 2. Jehoash was a hopefull Prince while that good Priest Jehoiadah was alive but when he was dead and his head laid in the grave Jehoash discovered himself what he was thus children servants pupils under a good Parent Master Tutor seem to be Religious But a Swine is a cleanly creature while it grazeth in a fair green meadow or field but if once it get out it shews its Swinish nature by wallowing in the mire so eating doth usually so accustom the palate to some kinde of meat that it cannot but receive that food Hophni and Phinehas had religious education under their good old Father Eli therefore they sacrificed still though all Israel rang of their lewdness See 1 Sam. 2. 13. c. 2. Because of the Clamour of a natural conscience if awake though never so ignorant and injudicious which doth egg on to Religion now conscience must have a bit to stop its month from bawling or ringing a loud peal Psal 78. 34. When he slew them then they sought him c. As Esth 8. 17. The people of the land became Jews for the fear of the Jews fell on them So some take on them a form of Religion because the horrors and fears of conscience fall on them Now being rash indiscreet they imagine forms will bring them to heaven and therefore will do no more being as here ver 8. men of corrupt minds reprobate that is void of judgement concerning the faith as children for want of wit are taken up with rattles gugaws and babies 3. Because of the credit of men out of a desire to be well esteemed among his neighbours Naturally men are desirous to be accounted good and are too well conceited of themselves especially when Religion is in credit some take it up as a fashion The Shechemites are content to be circumcised for the love of Dinah and esteem with her kindred Gen. 34. 24. So did they of whom the Apostle speaks Gal. 6. 12. make a fair shew the word is they set a good face on it especially afore the Jews to ingratiate with them Achitophel will bear David company to the house of God because Religion then was in credit It s thought that David speaks of that grand Politician Psal 55. 14. Some make suit to wear the cloth of a Gentleman or a livery of a Noble man for credits sake So some take on the form of Religion for the sake of credit 2. They deny the power of godliness for these Reasons Because 1. It s attained with difficulty 1 Pet. 4. 18. The righteous are scarcely saved the word signifies hardly and it s used thrice in Act. 27. 7 8 16. in that dangerous voyage of Paul in the Ship The soul of the righteous with much difficultie through winds and waves is brought into the Haven of Heaven Luke 13. 22. strive i. e. as in agony to enter into the strait gate as through a croud and throng of temptations and corruptions so we must deny our selves Matth. 16. 24. If any man will be my disciple in power as well inform in truth as well as in title let him deny himself An hard Lesson It s an hard matter to deny a friend if he be importunate an harder to deny a dear wife that lies in the bosom if she be earnest hardest of all to deny a mans self if self be earnest Now because holiness and happiness are attained with so much difficulty therefore some take on them the form of godliness and are resolved to deny the power of it The Form is easie but the power is hard and difficult 2. It s attended with opposition persecution and hatred Here ver 12. They that will love godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Act. 19. 22. Through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God The way to the Crown lies by the Cross While Paul was a Pharisee a Formal Professor he was quiet but now when he was turned on Christs side every Tavern rings of Paul every tongue talks of him reproachfully There was a man as I have read or heard that was huspled as we say in Court for going to hear Sermons out of his Parish Church While said he I was a drunkard swearer c. I was quiet and if this be the fruit of gadding to Sermons farewell Religion said the poor Wretch But to give you a better instance we read of a Fellow that pretended to be a Disciple of Christ but when Christ told him The Foxes have holes the birds of the ayr have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head we read not one word more of him There was another man that asked Christ the way to eternal life when Christ bad him sell all c. the young man went away sorrowfull at that hard saying which yet was a command of conviction not of obedience Antigonus said If a man knew the Cares that attend a Crown he would not stoop down to take it up though he found it in the way walking Surely some know the hatred that the power of godliness is attended with and therefore are resolved against it Truth it self hath said Mat. 10. 22. Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake therefore they go away and say with those on another account Joh 6. 60. This is an hard saying 3. It is assaulted with Satanical temptations The Devil knows the power of holiness will bring to everlasting happiness and therefore out of pure spite he assaulteth such a soul The gates of hell that is the power and policy of Satan for power and policy were in the gates where the persons in Judicatory were wont to meet and sit may assail though not prevail Pharaoh mustered up his Army when Israel was gone out of Egypt and

were marching towards Canaan Pyrats will not set upon an empty Pinnace but a Merchants Ship laden with gold and silver and rich commodities from the Indies A Thief will not break into an empty barn but into an house furnished with good houshold-stuff and money Now carnal men are told of this and therefore they are resolved against the power of godliness 3. For both together Some have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof Because of 1. The Wofull depravation of mans corrupted nature It is agreeable to mans naughty heart to have a form and to deny the power of godliness He hath in him so much imperfect goodness as that makes him to receive the Form of holiness and yet withall so much predominant badness as makes him to deny the power of holiness Psal 12. 2. a double heart An heart in shew for God and goodness an heart indeed for sin and Satan as that man of sin is rightly called Antichrist the Praeposition signifies pro con In shew he is for Christ in substance against Christ So that it is no more a wonder to see some have a Form and deny the power of Godliness then to see a Crow black 2. The Wily disposition of Satan who is very busie to water and cherish the seeds of Formality of godliness and of enmity against the power of godliness He was a glorious Angel by Creation and is become an ugly Devil by his defection and being fallen from heaven he maligns the happiness of poor souls He is therefore content that men should carry Gods Livery on their backs so that they will wear his favour in their bosoms He is content that men should be Gods servants in shew so that they will be his slaves indeed Thus it was with Ananias and Saphira who seemed to be as forward and charitable Christians as the best but out of base fear and diffidence least they should want in their old age kept back part of the price being said therefore to be filled with Satan this is that spirit Eph. 2. 3. that works effectually in the children of disobedience The heart is the Fort-royall and if he can keep that he cares not much for the outworks 3. The Wise dispensation of God who doth justly punish a number of men that live within the pale of the Church giving them up to Satan and to their own naughty hearts to be deluded with new forms that he might avenge himself on them for neglecting the seasons of grace and rejecting the blood of Christ tendred in the Gospel 2 Thes 2. 11. He gave them up to strong delusion Rom. 1. 18. who hold imprison and impound the truth in unrighteousness God doth this holily and justly but man unholily and unjustly Information 1. There is a godliness not only in words and complements but in deed and in truth There is good coyn though some bad There is a faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. a Love without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. wisdom without hypocrisie Jam. 3. 17. an obedience from the heart Rom. 6. 17. 2. The goodness and excellency of Religion because the worst of men will have the form of it That must needs be good it was wont to be said that Nero persecuted and godliness must be good when vile men assume the form of it There was sure some worth in Samuel in whose mantle and likeness the Devil appeared Gold and silver are pretious things because they are counterfeited Wisdom is the principal thing Prov. 4. 7. and wisdom is good with an inheritance Eccles 7. 11. and it is sad also without it Men may hate in heart to be reformed in their life when yet they take Gods Covenant in their mouths Psal 50. 16 17. 3. Wherein the excellency of Religion lies not in the form but in the power of godliness Religion consists not in profession but in power and practice Jam. 1. 26. 27. If any man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is in vain Pure Religion is to visit the fatherless c. Faith without works is dead Jam. 2. 17. Col. 2. 23. a shew of wisdom But the power of Religion is the substance and sinews as Theoph. calls it 4. Who are Hypocrites Some think the Papists are Dissemblers in Religion that have but a form and shew of Religion and deny and detest the power of it that pray for pureness and holiness of life but their hearts rise up in a secret Antipathy against it 5. Who are Fanatiques our ears are filled with the sound of that word which comes from a Greek word that signifies to appear or seem to be what they are not Now in Gods Name let them be taken for Fanatiques even in the sense of the Irish Dialect who have a Form of godliness but deny the power of it 2. For instruction 1. Let us examine our selves narrowly and impartially Whether we have a form of godliness and deny the power of it To quicken us hereunto consider Mot. 1. There are such in the bosom of the visible Church Of four sorts of ground there was but one good Mat. 13. 8. 23. 7. 47 48. The kingdom of heaven is like a Net that gathers bad as well as good fish Christ floor hath chaff in it as well as wheat his field hath Goats in it as well as Sheep his visible body hath rotten members in it fit to be cut off as well as sound to be cherished There is a Jew outward as well as inward Rom. 2. 28 29. and Rom. 9. 6. They are not all Israel who are of Israel It is good therefore to try whether we be the persons that live in the visible Church having a Form only 2. There are such even in Gospel times if this may be distinguished from the former ver 1. in the last days that is in Gospel-times of the New-Testament Some say when an end of time is meant then the singular number is used as four times in Joh. 6. 39 40 44 54. and I will raise him up at the last day But when continuance of time is meant it s used in the plural number as 2 Pet. 3. 3. there shall come in the last days scoffers which have lasted these 1600. years and shall till Christ come again to Judgement But this is not currant if you read 1 Joh. 2. 18. the last time twice in that verse and Jam. 5. 3. Ye have heaped up treasure together for the last dayes Howsoever without doubt here by the last days are meant Gospel times It is good therefore to examine whether we have but a Form for if there was a Judas among twelve in Christs family who was so good a Master what may we think now 3. Men may be guilty of gross sin and yet have a form of godliness Some conceive these words are to be referred to the 18. particulars aforementioned Men shall be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient