Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	apostle_n	church_n	doctrine_n	4,033	5	6.2595	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35044	The hard way to heaven explained and applyed in a sermon intended to be preached at Peters-Cornhill, but by reason of the disorderly concourse preached at St. Katherines Creed-Church London, the 27th of July 1662, being the third day after his release / by Z. Crofton.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1662 (1662)	Wing C6995; ESTC R29659	37,927	47

principles and practises of piety to the fund●mental doctrines of faith and ordinances of worship I have with amazement observed deluded souls to have passed from some gross prophaneness Idolatrys and Superstitions and to wander in by paths with the greatest security alacrity confidence joy professing to the Blasphemy of the Gospel Shame of Martyrs and Scandal of Religion the fullest assurance of their interest in and approach unto eternal life that is imaginable and this not onely under the greatest sufferings but also the most grosse errors and grievous sins prid persidie perjury schismes seditions treasons and rebellions which were even perpetrated under the Sun Heb. 6.4 5 and what is more with an heaven daring boldnesse affirming their abominations to be the cause of God I could never conceive other cause thereof then this they having gotten a sight of heaven tasted the good word of God and powers of the world to come giddily to run out without any consideration of the Gate care of entrance regard unto the Foundation knowledge of First principals of Religion but with a blind affection move forward in any estate and it is possible to move toward it and not come into it to keep it in sight in a way which leadeth not into it they deceive themselves defend all their errors and Impieties and will not hear of a deviation because Heaven is in their Eye Life is within their view glory is in their intention as if Balaam were sure to dye the death of the Righteous when and because he and all his conspirations and endeavours to curse Israel saw their glory and the good will of God unto them Beloved friends consider mens Estate is Converted or unconverted as to God Christ and true Religion the unconverted must make sure they enter the Gate the strait Gate learn Principles of faith lay in their Souls the Foundations of Religion the Converted must with care and caution move in the Narrow way without deviation or divertion without going aside or going back If you have not rightly entered talk what you will I cannot but suspect your attainments in grace many of you talk of Religion and seem to be zealous for it forward in it whose confused notions deluded apprehensions and deviating Conversations do witnesse you have not entered the Gate or at least and best are gone aside from the way that leadeth to life Look to Gods order Iob. 18.4 if ever you will live with God in honour whatever Religions humour may act you to invite Gods order you must know the Earth must not be removed for you if you will not exactly minde Gods method you must and will miscarry in your designes 2 Pet. 1.2.20 21 22 23. and intentions for his life and glory for sad is their estate who professe to persue and yet never enter the pathes of peace and more sad is theirs who entered into the way of Righteousnesse turne aside from the holy Comandements The number of the means The third thing which lieth in this Metaphor is the number of the means of Grace It is a Gate a way singular not plurall one not more not many much of the difficulty in the souls passage to life would be discharged by the multiplicity of pathes the danger incident to the one would be avoided by entrance into another whatsoever be the many special acts of holiness the Gate of righteousness is and can be but one The means whereby to get eternal life is one and but one in its general nature it is special it is singular you may observe they are predicated by unites one God one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4.4 5. and indeed the speciality of it is fixed in one Person the Lord Jesus Christ who sayeth of himself I am the Way and well sayeth the Apostle Paul Christ is not divided Iohn 14.10 Christ may be differently dispensed by doctrines of Faith differentent ordinances for worship and directions unto duty differently exhibited in his different natures God Man Offices Prophet 1 Cor. 1.13 Priest and King or different Acts of Med●atorship as his Incarnation Converse among men observation of the Law death resurrection Ascention and intercession or differently administred that is made known and exhibited by different Ministers in respect of their Kinde Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers or in respect of the different individual Persons under any kind as Paul Apollo Cephas and the like but in these all these or any of these Christ is not divided he is and must remain whole and entire the one onely way to life These things of Christ may be dissantin●ae they are not they cannot be opposita for they then would be inconsistent destructive each to other A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand Christ divided doth ce●se to be they that embrace not Christ under all his exhibited acts and Offices under all his dispenced O●dinances Doctrines and directions in all and every of his Ministers enter not the Gate walk not in the way to eternall life nor are these in any contrary wayes but the same one individual way existing in so many distinct and different steps such who dream of many not onely different but directly contrary wayes to Heaven do and will deceive themselves and others For that Gate and Way which admitteth no Tergiversacion nor regresse no diversion deviation or stepping aside on either the right or left hand and is the same to all a●d every Traveller can be but one to divide in the way is ordinarily incident to Saints but to divide the way is inconsistent with salvation I have often admited and must confesse I cannot understand that monstrous charity of our Age that men should turn backs in doctrines of faith and Acts of Worship and yet shake hands with a friendly confidence of meeting one another in Heaven to constitute contrary Churches consecrate a contrary Ministry and so create a contrary worship in the forme and Forma dat essentiam though the matter be Gods and yet expect that men should know them as Saints and call them Heirs of Salvation and conclude them in the Way to heaven is as much as if men should conclude the ten Tribes with their new p●iests worshiping God according to the Law of Moses in their new planted Churches at Dan and Bethell were equally related to interested in and accepted by God as was Judah and those that feared the Lord and fled from this new contrary course of Religion though for matter Gods own institution I am sure the Apostle was a stranger to this Charity when he concluded of the Separating Sects in his time dividing in doctrine and from the Communion of the Church Coll. 2.19 that they held not the head by which the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God I do not deny but Joseph's brethren may too unnaturally strive in the way to their