Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	christian_a	church_n	world_n	5,052	5	4.5521	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33970	A modest plea for the Lords Day or rather the summe of the plea made by divines for the Lords Day as the Christian Sabbath, against those who contend for the old Sabbath of the seventh day, in order from the creation / by J.C., D.D.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1669 (1669)	Wing C5327; ESTC R43109	56,915	142

Printed Papers it will be no small satisfaction to me if not y● my work is with the Lord an● my judgement is with my God I think scarce any of you think I have any prejudice against you many of you may believe I have a great kindness for you The good Lord bring us all in this point to think and speak the same thing and to walk in the same Way Your Friend and Servant in the Gospel of our Lord Iesus John Collenges CHAP. I. The occasion of the Discourse and what moved the Author to it IF in the following Discourse I had designed to have advantaged my Name in a printed Book I had certainly made choice of another Subject or handled this in another manner than I have I know nothing left for an Author on this subject it hath been so variously and learnedly handled by eminent Authors Nothing is to be added to what Mr. Ley hath said to justifie the application of the Name Sabbath to the Lords day Nor to what Dr. Twiss Mr. Sheppard Mr. Caudry and Mr. Warren have said for the Morality of it for the repeal or expiration of the Jewish Sabbath for the change of it to the first day of the Week Mr. Sheppard and Mr. Caudry have not lef● Oc●fo●d or Brabourn nor Mr. Warren left Mr. Tilham a rag to cover the nakedness of their faireyes nor is ought to be added to wha● Dr. Young hath said to the primitive observation of it For the practical sanctification of it all the Authors aforesaid have spoke● fully to which may be added Dr. Bound Mr. Bernard and lately Mr. Wells To say nothing of the controversial part handled by the aforesaid Authors against Heylin Primrose Ironside and all of that party who would make our Sabbath but an ordinary Church-holiday so that indeed there is not room left for a new Author to croud in bringing any thing new in this case Nor shall this discourse pretend to any thing of that nature I look upon it as our great disadvantage in reference to most of our brethren who contend for the Jewish Sabbath to be still in force that what is already said in the case which is abundantl● enough is either spoken so learnedly as they cannot understand it or else hidden in large volumes of considerable price which either ordinary people want money to buy or time to●●ad or judgement to finde out All therefore I shall pretend to is in a plain familiar Discourse to present our brethren with the summe of what hath been far more fully and learnedly discoursed by others To which that which hath been the next occasion is my present leisure and the Providence of God casting me in a place where I observe very many and those whose hearts I would charitably think God had touched with a sense of Religion and who I trust truely fear God and love the Lord Jesus have received impressions leading them to a great zeal for the old Sabbath The consequents of which opinion I look upon as very sad these Christians breaking communion with all Christian Churches in the World and depriving themselves of the advantage they might have from communion with us on the Lords day For though I have known some of that opinion who yet on the Lords day would come to hear the Word preached and joyn in Prayer with other Congregations yet I perceive another spirit in many of my present Neighbours And besides if being possessed of that opinion they did come it would not be with such preparation nor in such a Conscience of what they did as were requisite for such as expect a blessing from or in such dutyes God hath pleased at present to call me to sit down in silence as to my publick Ministry that I might in something serve my generation and be usefull to the Souls of others I have put my pen to Paper in this cause nor have I had any other motive whatsoever but if it might be to do good to some Soul or other or if I cannot cure yet at least through the strength of God to stop the spreading of this disease amongst Christians CHAP. II. The first Consideration That God hath no more glory nor the Souls of Christians any more reall advantage from the observation of the Seventh day from the Creation than from the observation of the Lords Day as the Christian Sabbath nor can be any pretence of this nature but that of stricter Obedience to the Commandment I Take it to be an excellent notion of that holy and eminent Servant of God Mr. Thomas Sheppard that the thing which makes a Law morall is a goodness in the thing commanded precedent to the command yet caused by the eternal will of God Ceremonial Laws were therefore good because commanded but the matter of every Moral Law must have some goodness that is some equity some suitableness in it to the nature and to the Concernment of men and women preceding the command especially if we rightly consider man as he stands related to God and to his Neighbour as he is made up of Body and Soul both ordained to an eternal existence The light of nature shewing us that there is a God and but one God he our Creator Preserver Governour an Essence of glorious Majesty purity and holiness c. If we had never heard of the first second or third Commandements Nature would have told us it was fit we should give the highest homage of our Souls to him alone worship him according to his will not blaspheme his Name nor use any thing related to him irreverently which is the substance of the three first Commandments The same will be yielded as to the 5 6 7 8 9 and 10. The very light of Nature would have shewed us a fitness and sutableness in the things there commanded to humane Society if we never had heard of the Commandment The same light of Nature also would have shewn us that some time must be spent in the service of God That it was reasonable some due proportion of time should be so sanctified Indeed that this should be a seventh part rather than a sixth Nature would not have shewn us that is morall positive but being directed Nature will presently allow it equal holy just and good This Original goodness in the observation of a seventh part of our time as holy to the Lord must lye either in this That from such a Religious Observation our Creator will reap some glory Or this That from it Man as to Soul or Body will reap some considerable advantage Both which are most undoubtedly true both as to some proportion of time and as to a seventh rather than a lesser part of our time The honour we bring to God by Acts of Worship being only in the publishing of his Name and Works The more frequently we do exalt his Name and publish his Works the more Glory we bring him Again Ordinances being the way through which our Lord Jesus useth to pass

A MODEST PLEA FOR THE LORDS DAY OR RATHER The Summe of the PLEA made by Divines for the Lords Day as the Christian Sabbath AGAINST Those who contend for the Old Sabbath of the Seventh Day in other 〈◊〉 in the Creation By J. C. D. D. Mar. 2.28 The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sa●●●th Acts 6.14 We have heard him say That this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the Customs which Moses delivered us Gal. 4 10. You observe DAYES and Moneths and Times and Years 〈◊〉 11. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed labour in 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed in the Year 1669. To those Christians especially my Neighbours in the County of Norfolk who are zealous for the Observation of the Seventh Day Sabbath Brethren MY heart's desire and prayer to God for you all is that you might be saved For I bear you record that you have a zeal of God only if I make a doubt whether it be according to knowledge or no yea if I tell you I verily believe it is not according to knowledge I am sure your ingeunity is such that you will pardon it to me considering that my own perswasion and practice is differing from you and Charity which alwayes begins at home will not allow me to judge my self to practise upon ignorance though I am also one o● them who but know in part yet 〈◊〉 hope I desire to practise according to my knowledge Which if you will b● so charitable as to suppose I must judg● your zeal not to be according to knowledge And let me tell you as there is no more sacred fire than that of zea● when it hath its due fuel and is exercised in a just and good cause s● there is no more dangerous fire when i● hath a mistaken object The zealou● soul runneth and as the man who runneth if he be in a right way come quicker than another to his journey end but if he be out of his way ● is sooner than another at a further distance from home So it is with th● zealous spirit I must profess let 〈◊〉 person be of what perswasion he will I must have a reverence for him if perceive that he differeth from me ou● of Conscience because he dareth not t● sin against God It is a noble temper to be afraid of sin If a person pretends conscience for a particular opinion and practice and in the mean time be a common drunkard swearer liar blasphemer unclean person one that lives as it were without God in the World making no conscience of reading the Scripture praying bringing up and governing his Family in the nurture and fear of the Lord only pretends conscience as to baptizing of Children keeping the Seventh day Sabbath this man is an hypocrite and dissembles with God and men for there is an uniformity in conscience and it would certainly oblige him to avoid known and confessed sins as much as what he doth fancy is a sin and as much oblige him to all as to any known duty But where I see a Christian walking close with God in the general of his conversation and differing from me in this or that point because he thinks he cannot without sin believe and practise what I do I cannot but love and honour him and be very far from their Religion who think it the best and most Gospel way to cudgel him into my Perswasion A Gaol or a Fire and Faggots never yet cured an erring Conscience Such Brethren though overtaken with a fault are certainly according to the Apostles counsell to be restored in the spirit of meekness and to be dealt with like rational Creatures argued and treated and perswaded out of their mistakes not cudgelled out of them This Brethren hath caused me to send this little Book amongst you so penned as I think you will not judge it to have any thing of bitterness in it and in so small a volume as I cannot despair but that you will bestow the reading of it nor will it ask you long time You will find in it the most of what hath been said by Divines in this case I have contracted their larger Discourses that I might not tire your patience and made what they have said in Latine or in more Scholastick terms plain to you by a free and familiar style The singularity of your dissent doth certainly call to you for the use of all possible means to finde out what indeed is the Truth of God in this point and there cannot be a greater witness against you of your want of sincerity than an unwillingness to read or hear what hath been or is or shall be said against you For though indeed there be some Articles of Faith some Principles of Religion about which it is a Christians wisdom not to admit disputes yet this is not such 't is no Fundamental in Religion that the seventh Day from the Creation is the Sabbath It is none of those points in which you cannot erre without breaking your union with the Head Christ yet is it no light point for it breaks communion with all Churches and that is no light matter And the Scripture sayes we are members of Christ and members one of another Although an erring Conscience obligeth him that is troubled with it to do nothing against it yet certainly he that hath it or hath reason but to suspect he hath it stands highly obliged to use all means to reform it and although the differing complexion of a Christians Conscience may oblige him for a time to walk divided from his Brethren yet he ought not to do it without many thoughts of heart because of his division and while he walks alone in obedience to his Conscience he ought also to sit alone and to keep silence To sit alone pondering with himself what is said on both sides and without prejudice weighing arguments in the ballance of the Sanctuary comparing spiritual things with spiritual And to keep silence both as to the publishing his singular and novel ●●●●●●ns keeping to that excellent 〈◊〉 of the Apostle Rom. 14.22 Hast thou faith have it to thy self before God It is a mad fancy of some who think that every opinion in Religion is worth breaking the Churches peace for and also keeping silence as to inveighing against and reviling others otherwise perswaded and practising For which way went the Spirit of God from the multitudes of their Brethren unto them And besides who knowes not that there is the same distance betwixt their brethren and them and none can usurp such authority but those who will arrogate to themselves infallibility and take away the judgement of discerning which is the very root and basis of the Protestant Religion You know Brethren what Fetters I have upon me as to my publick Ministry If I were free I question whether I by it should have any capacity to serve your souls while you are under this mistake If I may do it with these