Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
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A54823
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Christ alone our life The great case of every man's life and death determin'd by the sentence of God, in 1 John 5.12. Opened and applied in a sermon preach'd in the Sessions-House at Northampton, Sept. 9th. 1690. to some prisoners the day before their execution: and now published with enlargements, for the further benefit and service of souls. With a narrative of the behaviour of the prisoners. By Edward Pierce, M.A. rector of Cottesbrook in Northampton-shire.
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Pierce, Edward, d. 1694.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing P2161; ESTC R218929
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83,820
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193
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manifold occasions at home may excuse me from doing much this way except when particularly called or desired And here I have a convenient place to make my most humble and thankful acknowledgments to the Honoured Tho. Catesby Esq for his leave and encouragement given to me and Mr. D. to take pains with the last that were Executed And also I give my publick Thanks with the Offer of my best Services for the like leave given us by the very worthy John Creed Esq our present High Sheriff 4. And I would that such piously affected Sheriffs should not think this to be any Augmentation of their Charge for it is sufficient reward to have the Testimony of a good Conscience for a sincere endeavour to save them that have destroy'd themselves But seeing Sir Francis Nichols gave that pious Example it would become persons of Estate and Piety to add something to it which might be an augmentation to some Minister in Town that shall best deserve it by taking most profitable pains for it and that Gift of Sir Fr. would be enquired after 5 I wish that every apartment in the Prison both for Debtors and Criminals might be provided for with good Books a fair Quarto Bible a good full Catechism or Body of Divinity such as Usher's Sum and Substance of Christian Religion a good Treatise of Conversion or Regeneration and of Holy Living of Judgment and Life to come I will not name any because I would not direct unasked but leave the choice to any well-devoted Benefactor It is a great Inducement to men that have nothing to do to read or to hear the reading of good Books especially on the Lord's Day when they have them provided for them These should be booked down and left in safe Custody when any go away 6. I wish all the Masters of Prisons were such as he was Acts 16. for their own and the sakes of them who are under their Charge It is a place which would require Prudence Gravity Mercifulness and a Hand or Gift of Governing the ill bred and corrupted part of Mankind with a Temper of Mercy and Rigour I have heard some say they did not look to fare so well at home as they did in this Prison O then that there were nothing wanting for the Life of their Souls Be kind to the few that are well inclined and sober be severe toward the prophane and debauched let not a Prison a place of Correction for sin be a School and a Shop for sin 7. I wish that were done which might not be impossible to see done There are some too well bred for such a place that can read let some priviledg or reward be given to such especially to the more sober and serious for reading to them that cannot and let such as cannot and have no employment be bound to hear reverently some time every day but inexcusably every Lord's Day The loss of Liberty and impairing of Health is great pay for the madness or pleasure of sin but to suffer the punishment of eternal Fire is too great for men to expose them to without effectual application of all possible means to save them from eternal Death 8. And because I would not be mistaken as if I were all for publick preaching I do humbly conceive that there is much good to be done by private and particular Conferences with particular persons for one man's case may differ from anothers But then this must be well managed and well followed and requires more time and therefore more proper for Ministers that live near and may visit frequently but when Ministers come from a distance and cannot make frequent Visits preaching must needs be best And why may not leave be given for preaching in the Sessions-House seeing there is no room convenient in the Goal and that there is so short and so safe a passage from the Prison to the Bar Why should it offend any man now to preach in a Sessions-House when it was so ordinary at Cambridge a Shire-Town and an Vniversity And why may not preaching be so publick that many people may hear who are much affected on such occasions Honoured Sirs If I were to make any of these Petitions to any of you you would grant me these or teach and advise me to make better I have but one humble request to every of you That you would pardon my making of your Honoured Names publick without your leaves or knowledge and that you would accept this little Present And one Request I have to make to God for you in particular and for all your Honoured Relations and Families my most obliging Friends That you may all so have the Son and the Beginnings and Foretastes and First Fruits of Eternal Life here that you may have it in its fulness in Heaven Honoured Sirs Your most obliged Servant in Christ Edward Pierce Mr. S. D. to the Reader BEing desired by my dear Friend and much Honoured Brother in the Work of the Lord Mr. Pierce to peruse the Narrative of the occasion of his preaching the Sermon annext and of the Behaviour of the Condemned Persons for whose sakes it was preached I have diligently read it over and find that he hath given so faithful and exact an account in every particular that I remember not any thing necessary to be added by me but my hearty Thanks to Mr. Pierce for the great pains he took with those poor ignorant Souls in order to their Salvation and my Humble Requests to Almighty God that he would raise up more such publick Spirits to serve him in their Generation and that this Sermon which was then received by the Prisoners and a Crowd of other Auditors with so much satisfaction may now it s published by the Blessing and Grace of God accompanying it become effectual to the begetting and encreasing of saving Faith and Knowledge in all such as read it So prayeth Thine in the Lord Jesus S. D. The Author being remote from London the Reader is entreated to amend or pardon the Errata of the Press Books Sold by J. Robinson CAtechism made Practical The Christian Instructed I. In the Principles of the Christian Religion Positively in the Shorter Catechism II. In what he is to Refuse and what to Hold Fast in the Greatest Points of Controversie and how to confute Errors and Defend the Truth III. In the practice of several Duties Viz. 1. The Practical Improvement of the Holy Trinity 2. Baptism 3. Prayer And 4. Preparation for the Lord's Supper 12o. Pleas for Moderation and Compassion c. And Submission to the present Government of K. William and Q. Mary The Epitome of the Bible in English Verse useful for Children price 6 d. bound A Present for Children Being a Brief but faithful Account of many Remarkable and Excellent Things uttered by three young Children to the wonder of all that heard them To which is added A Seasonable Exhortation to Parents for the Education of their Children Published by William
some fashion or way or other O! shall the short and uncertain life that fadeth away be more the Care and Concern of all Men than the life of Jesus That incomprehensible Gift of God which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord unto all them but to none but them who have his Son Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat which indureth unto eternal Life which the Son of Man shall give you John 6.27 Yea count it better to enter into life halt or maimed or blind to avoid Sin the cause of Death than having two Hands two Feet two Eyes to be cast into Hell-fire Mat. 18.8 9. yea if it comes not only to the loss of Limbs but of Life it self spare not any thing to secure the Son and Life to thy Soul The having of him is safe without assurance but the assurance of it is comfortable for then the greatest danger is over and the everlasting Treasure and Inheritance secured and known to be so by the Testimony of the Spirit both from the Word and Conscience also 2 Vse Of Exhortation and Persuasion to believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God so as to have him altogether Person and Offices for all Uses Necessities Benefits and Purposes with all your Soul Mind and Strength What can be said more to persuade you than what is contained in these two short Sentences in the Text Be not content with any thing below the real and saving having of the Son of God Deceive not your own precious Souls try what you have whether what you have and put confidence in doth cause a spiritual Life of Holiness and true Joy and Peace in believing and be in you the hope of Glory all which they have who have Jesus Christ indeed That you may not be deceived in so great a matter I will shew you what some have had and you may have and yet come short of having the Son to Salvation and what they have who have him 1. You may read that the Jews thought they had enough when they could say they had Abraham to their Father John 8.38 But if God had been their Father they would have loved his Son v. 42. And by their Relation to Abraham they had the sign of Circumcision and other outward Privileges which many did build much upon But the Apostle did often overthrow their deceitful Building often telling them that Circumcision availed nothing no more than Uncircumcision but Christ was all in all Col. 3.11 But Faith working by Love Gal. 5.6 And a new Creature Gal. 6.15 2. They may not oly build upon their relation to Abraham and have nothing in themselves but they had a Form of Knowledge and Truth of the Law and think they can be Teachers of others Rom. 2.20 21. c. 3. And not only a Form of Knowledge a Religion in the Head but also a Form of Godliness in their Lives in opposition to the power of it 2 Tim. 3.5 which is rooted in the Heart and from the Heart springs forth and grows out in the Life dying to Sin and the World and living unto God 4. They may think they have and seem to have but they are mistaken in their thinking and but seem to have Luke 8.18 They may seem to have a Root of Faith when the Seed of the Gospel comes up in a green Blade but it withereth and is choaked by the heat of Sufferings and worldly Affections And they may say they have Faith James 2.14 These may have knowledg of Christ and his Word and be so far convinced of his being the Son of God as to be able to answer Questions concerning Christ and make an acknowledgment of him As the Devils confessed Christ Thou art Christ the Son of God Luke 4.41 And he suffered them not to speak for they knew that he was Christ Which was almost as much as Peter's Confession Mat. 16.16 and more than the ordinary Jews and Pharisees could say The one was the sincere Confession of a Friend the other of an Enemy There is an Assent to this Truth as to a Proposition or a true Doctrin and an Assent that is lively practical and cordial in order to have Christ the Son of God as a Person to be trusted to and relied upon for Life This is the Assent of a true Faith 5. Men have some Desires after Christ for the good they may get as the Scribe expressed Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him The Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath no where to lay his Head Mat. 8.19 20. This was a trial of his sincere Faith if he would be as poor and destitute as the Master was If you had all things that can be named and have not Christ you have not Life Take heed therefore where you pitch and settle what you count your Treasure and upon what you build your Confidences Give me leave to hold you a little longer and to shew upon what Sand careless Builders who look not to the things that are eternal do lay their hopes of Life Suppose you had all things that are common to the sincere Believer and to the Pretender all will not amount to the Happiness of Life You say you are born of Christian Parents and not only of professing Christians but holy Parents So had the Jews as was noted but now Abraham the Father of the Faithful to their Father but not his Faith in Christ Say you have the best Church in the World for your Mother to what purpose except you are a living new-born Child of God Know you not that the Children of the Kingdom such as they were should be cast out Mat. 8.12 You have Baptism Had not Simon Magus that Token upon him Acts 8.13 You have the Ministry of the best Scholars and bless'd Men Had not they who had not Life this to say to Christ himself Thou hast taught in our Streets Luke 13.25 Yea but you have a Society of Saints you have Fellowship with Virgins and wise Virgins and had not and have not foolish Virgins the same Mat. 25. Shew what you have with your Lamps and what Oyl your Lamps are furnished with Have you Faith So had Simon Magus Acts 8.12 so have Devils Have you Christ indeed Have you Love unfeigned burning fruitful Love You have perhaps a Name to live a Name of Renown and Eminency so had they who were dead Rev. 3.1 All these things will make rather against you than for you if by all outward means you have not the Son himself 2. But some may say How shall I be certain that I have Christ the Son truly and indeed Let me ask you a Question or two and answer them to your self 1. How came you to seek after him and to have him Have you understood and felt your own Case and do you still know and feel when you look into your self a dead miserable