Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	discipline_n	doctrine_n	4,176	5	6.2312	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44826	The benefit of a well-ordered conversation as it was delivered in a sermon preached June 24th. 1682. On a day of publick humiliation. As also a funeral discourse upon the three first verses of the third chapter of Isaiah; occasioned by the death of the worshipful Major General Denison; who deceased at Ipswich, Sept. 20. 1682. By Mr. William Hubbard. To which is annexed an Irenicon or a salve for New-England's sore: penned by the said major general; and left behind him as his farewell and last advice to his friends of the Massachusets.	Hubbard, William, 1621 or 2-1704.; Denison, Daniel, 1613-1682. Irenicon.	1684 (1684)	Wing H3208; ESTC W9576	81,919	262

present Generation of New-England upon the enquiry if they be such as order their way aright It is now a day of rebuke a time of Jacobs troubles he is brought very low by whom shall he arise It is Gods Salvation alone that we must expect and who are they that shall be assured to see that They are only such as order their Conversation aright Our fore-Fathers did approve themselves as such and accordingly they were made to see Gods Salvation they had as many Enemies met with as many dangers encountred with as many difficulties yet God delivered saved them out of all Do we that are yet surviving and coming on so order our way that we may say or hope we shall be made to see the salvation of God We were at the first planted a righteous Generation and noble Vine do we so continue Of all the Reformations that ever yet began in the World there have been but a very few observed to continue above an hundred years in that splendor and brightness with which they were at the first set forward Take for instance those of antient time before or since the Gospel began That of David and Solomon Asa and Jehosaphat Hezekiah and Josiah lasted but their time That of the Maccabees did not out-live their time at least in the beauty of it That of the Primitive Church was not so much a reforming as a new planting of the Church in Gospel Order when the night of Heathenish darkness and Jewish Ceremonies was quite spent and the day of the Gospel was at hand But the Reformation of Constantines time scarce continued in its primitive lustre and glory a full hundred years before a great degree of Apostasie appeared for t is said The Woman fled into the Wilderness after the birth of her Man-child that was to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron She hasted into the Wilderness where she was to continue 1260 dayes prophetical dayes which are so many Julian Political years It is to be supposed that the Church was some considerable time going before she was quite gone into the Wilderness The day of this last Reformation began first to break out in the time of Wickcliffe but it was not perfect day till Luther's time from whose dayes to the present time who ever takes a view may easily determine whether in the Nations that first embraced the Protestant Religion there be the same measure of Piety Zeal Holiness as was at the first In what integrity Geneva hath stood since Calvin's time is not unknown to many of them who are carrying on the Work of the present Generation As for our selves here in New-England we were or might have been set in the right way having no prejudicate Opinion or practice to forestal our Judgments but had the help of all the former ages and other Nations as well as our own Godly and Learned Divines in them to take pattern and example from in the laying our first Foundation both of Religion and Righteousness Doctrine and Discipline Church and Common-wealth Our first Rulers and Leaders in both were careful to order all things according to the pattern in that Mount Children that would not lye so God became their Saviour saving them from forreign and intestine Foes If we that are their posterity be found Children that will lie deny our first principles either in Faith or manners how can we expect that God should be our Saviour Now compare things 1. In the first place They sought first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and waited upon God for addition of such other things as he judged necessary They came not hither for the World or for Land or Traffick but for Religion and for liberty of Conscience in the Worship of God which was their only design and accordingly God blessed them and gave them the desire of their hearts they had the priviledges of God's Kingdom to their great content and satisfaction he added outward things above what was or could be expected in a Wilderness and when the first way of supply began to be stopped up God in his merciful providence opened another by turning us into a way of Trade and Commerce to further our more comfortable subsistence So God was pleased to bless our Issachar in his Tents and our Zebulun in their goings out who still called the People to the mountain and offered Sacrifices of Righteousness while they did thus like Solomon that sent his Ships to Ophir which brought in that which was of necessary and of substantial use God blessed them and made them see his salvation but when men could not content themselves in such a way of dealing but Traded only for Apes and Peacocks as was said by Mr. C. that is brought in nothing but Sack and Sugar Commodities to make fuel for Lust and called young people not to the mountain of the Lords house but to our own private recesses to offer Sacrifice to Bacchus and Venus and burns Incense to the evil Fiend hath not God broken our Ships at Ezion Geber and is he not now laying the Axe to the root of our Religion as well as Civil Rights and Liberties and begins to cut us short every way Hath not God called to contend by Fire and by Water by Famine and by Blasting Mildew Sword and Pestilence and is not his hand stretched out still Our Estates and Persons are spoiled by Murderers and barbarous Mahometans and it is to be feared the Lords controversie is not yet ended The Daughters of our Sion walks with stretched out necks c. And may we not find an Inventory of our Virgins Wardrobes in the third Chapter of Isaiah The Ensignes of Pride are exalted in our high places and all the produce in a manner of the whole Countrey is converted to maintain a commerce of superfluous vanities God threatens not to save but severely punish the Minister and Schollar the Mistriss and her Hand-maid for such thing as these yea to cut off the Tabernacles Jacob for such things as these 2. That Generation were zealous for the Worship of God they would by no means admit of any mixture of humane Inventions with divine Institutions in the matter of Gods Worship When they came over hither they were as Rasa Tabula fit to receive any Impression from the spirit of truth either as to Doctrine or Worship It might have been said of them in way of commendation that they could not bear them which were evil and seducers from the way of truth and that they tried them which said they were Apostles and were not and did find them Liars They also hated the deeds of the Nicholaitans which were also hateful to the spirit of the Lord Jesus They kept the word of Christs patience they were also kept from the hour of Temptation None were suffered among them to wear a rough Garment to deceive but they were ready to shew the wounds which they received in the house of their Friends none were

THE BENEFIT Of a Well-Ordered CONVERSATION As it was Delivered in a Sermon Preached June 24th 1682. On a Day of publick HUMILIATION As also A Funeral DISCOURSE upon the three first verses of the third Chapter of Isaiah Occasioned by the Death of the Worshipful Major General DENISON Who Deceased at Ipswich Sept. 20. 1682. By Mr. WILLIAM HVBBARD To which is Annexed an IRENICON Or a Salve for New-England's Sore Penned by the said Major General And Left behind him as his Farewell and last Advice to his Friends of the MASSACHVSETS Printed at Boston by Samuel Green 1684. To the Serious READER THe Wise Man saith Words in season are as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver or fitness of words well tuning them is the grace of them and puts wheels to the Chariots to carry them to the mind Such is the Discourse here presented thee Apples of gold in silver pictures seasonable Truths timously and aptly applied through the blessing of God they were carried to the hearts of some in the hearing of them whose importunity prevailed with the Reverend Author to keep them upon the wheels and expose them to publick view And though the life and vigor of the Speaker cannot be drawn yet you have the words faithfully delivered you and if the same powerful spirit that then assisted the Speaker will animate and enliven them they may be as beneficial to you as then they were to others Oh that all New-England the People of God at least would Peruse this Compendious Treatise where is the sum of what hath been frequently urged and prest upon us as the present duty and be upon the mount or height of duty that God may be seen in the Mount of our difficulties Oh that we might be found walking with God as Enoch upright in our generation as Noah mourning over and for the unclean Conversation of those we live amongst putting away our Idols reforming our Persons families or as here directed ordering our Conversations aright then should we see that Salvation which God only can and certainly will bring about for this his People That this may be the Success of this small Treatise is the earnest Prayer and hearty Wish of your Souls Friends and Servants J. Allin Josh Moodey To his worthy FRIEND The REVEREND M R. William Hubbard Teacher of the Church of Christ at Ipswich upon an occasional sight of his SERMONS on PSAL. 50. Vers 23. WHat I and only I these Papers see And that by accident it shall not be I 'le hazard wrath whose rise is modesty And like Samaria's Lepers Roast-meat cry For though I cannot dish it out in Print Yet I affirm there 's Fat and Marrow in 't Apples of Gold in silver pictures too Well season'd food for souls both old and new Me thinks dear Sir you should not grudge nor spare To feast a land upon your Fast-day fare Pity to see a Land all in a maze Fool'd into Boggs and Fens by fire Flies blaze Hang out thy Light open and press thy Text And all our Labyrinths are unperplext Teach us our Conversation how to order That we may camp within Salvations border Riches and Garments Gold and silver too Unus'd corrupt moth-eat and canker do Their price and use are one Pray Sir produce Your Treasure put it out to Publike use Nature her richest hoard in secret put So Golden Mines came troden under foot Whilst every Creature that is worth an eye Keeps gazing on the spangles of the Sky Nor thine nor thy Books credit would I raise Within the gates thine own works thee shall praise Or suffer for 't For good Books now adayes Like virtue practice need but no man's praise Thanks for the sight and if the world do'nt see 't But what I saw prove it 's own winding sheet When thou hast lock't it up write on thy Chest Here lyes a Phoenix dead in 's spicy nest Here lyes Religion reformations Path The nearest way that God's Salvation hath Zeal without wild-fire pious Politicks Sure conduct void of Phoetontick tricks Rain thunderless doctrine like heaven-dropt dews The Sun will suck it up if Earth refuse Posuit N. N. The Reader is desired to Correct the following Erratae which escaped the eye by reason of the badness of the Copy and the distance of the Author from the Press PAge 1. Line 1. for 27. read 23. p. 6. l. ult ● the p. 10. l. 3. r. good p. 12. l. 24. dele by p. 16. l. 9. r Conversation p. 18. l. 12. r. he p. 19 l. 21. r. there p. 20. l. 16. r. that p. 20. l. 19 r. washed p. 22. l. 25. r. several p. 24. l. 13. r. is p. 25. l. 3. r. posterity p. 26. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 28. l. 3. r. with p. 29. l. 18. r. no p. 37. l 7. r. necessary p. 42. l 6. r. clear p. 43. l. 6. r. all l. 20. r. discretion p. 44. l. 13. r. declined p. 45. l 15. r. humanity p. 46 l. 2 3. r. hard teeth p. 48. l. 11. r. them p. 53. l. 14. r. led p. 55. l. 92. r. attaque p. 62. l. 6. r. own name p. 68. r. 2. l. 12. r. see p. 72. l. 1. r. grace rather l. 10 r. adversary p. 87 l. 1. put in of p. 90. l. 15. r. bottom p. 26. l. 8. r the. p. 117. l. 22. 22. r. costly p. 121. l. 15. r. succenturiated p. 128. l. r. set up p. 135. l. 2. r. est per p. 138 l. r. means p. 156. l. 21. r. Ring p. 157 l. 15. r. Cunctis p. 158. l. 9. r. pains p. 168. l. 8. r recipitque nos locus aliquis p. 17● l. 3. r. them p. 193. l. 5. r possessed l. 20. r. more p. 200. l. 5. r. his p. 203 l. ult r. conclusive p. 205. ls 13. r. so PSAL. 51 2● And to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God THis Psalm is thought by some Interpreters to be penned by David after the Angel of God had appeared to him and designed the place where he should build an Altar at present and where afterward the Temple was to be built by Solomon pointing as it were to the place which the Lord had chosen to cause his Name to dwell there as it is said Deut. 12.11 This they likewise think was after the Israelites had been afflicted with three years Famine 2 Sam. 21. and with three dayes Pestilence 2 Sam. 24. which might be the reason of those words in the second verse as Junius concludes Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined For now it is declared by God himself that the light of his favour is restored to his People after the darkness and calamities of former times were passed over The Psalmist takes this occasion to inform his holy people how they ought to carry on his Worship by not resting in the external and ceremonial but rather attending to the moral and spiritual part thereof ver

you may by force imprint another motion for the present yet it will not hold long unless it have a new nature stamped upon it It will be but as a stone that may be by Engines forced upward or as water heated by the fire which retains their innate qualities to which they will soon return again and to that place of their center Therefore he that would have his way set right must begin with his heart and get that changed and put into a right frame and then all the rest will follow He that made the heart at first and formeth the spirit of man within him must also make the heart anew and renew a right spirit within every man must renew it again This is the sense of the Church of God in all ages as to this article of Religion Turn us O God of our Salvation and then we shall be saved Ephraim is at last convinced that he cannot be turned unless God will please to turn him This turn in the heart necessarily includes Faith in God through the Lord Jesus by whose merit alone Salvation is to be obtained But 2. The second thing required to a Conversion ordered aright is a suitable operation constantly proceeding therefrom which will be necessarily required in the several actions of our lives and changes that pass over us for though our way be but one in the general as to the main tendency thereof yet there are several parts of the same like so many distinct branches in the Trees of Righteousness of which though every one is but one Tree yet are there many Branches in every Tree all of which ought to be laden with the fruits of righteousness The person is the same though he pass through the differing changes of Youth and Age single and married Estate publick and private prosperous and adverse estate in every of which changes he ought to order his way aright There is an evil time when the Righteous are to keep silence and a good time when more liberty and freedome may be used And Solomon tells us there is one duty properly belongs to prosperity and another to adversity The description of the Righteous that are planted by the Rivers of Gods Sanctuary is that their Leaf shall not wither they shall never change their hue or recede from their profession and that they shall bring forth their fruit in the season of it Thus the Apostle John applies himself in his Epistle to young Men and Children as well as to old men implying that distinct fruit was to be expected according to those distinct ages of Christians in respect of the operation of vertue The way of any man that desires to see the Salvation of God may be best digested into this method or order 1. As to what is past 2. As to what is to come 1. As to what is past his way is to manifest Repentance from all dead works formerly committed which cannot be carried on effectually to Salvation without Faith in the Lord Jesus by whose merit and blood alone pardon and remission of sin must be had and reconciliation with God obtained For that man will never walk aright in the way of Repentance that is not by Faith first reconciled unto God As the Scripture tells us without Faith it is impossible to please God and whatever is not of Faith is sin David complains that it was as a Sword within his bones while they said unto him where i● thy God if at any time we have lost our hold of God it will never be obtained again without the renewed actings and exercise of Faith And as he that in the state of Nature and unregeneracy is estranged from God can never be reconciled unto him without the Act of Faith uniting of him to the Lord Jesus as a Surety Head and Saviour in whom the Father i● well pleased Till then as we can have no interest in God so neither can he have any actual communication of life and Holiness with him without the daily exercise of Faith in Christ which is our life and who as a living foundation and root doth quicken all those who are as lively stones built upon him and as living Branches united unto him as to the true Olive Repentance therefore is another part of our way together with faith These two are inseparable Companions in the condition of the Gospel These two are alwayes joyned together in the Doctrine and way of Salvation Sinners that would enjoy the Salvation of God must as well undo the evil that is past by true Repentance as endeavour to do that which is right for the time that is to come Forgiveness is as freely extended by God as a God of all grace as it was ever declared in the promise or covenant of Gods grace yet t is added only acknowledge thine iniquity And though there be many instances of Gods pardoning grace extended to great sinners yet it is no particular instance of any such act of Grace from God where there was no certain sign of true Repentance David's heart went too intemperately out toward Absalom that he seems resolved to have pardoned him though he had never given any real evidence of sincere Repentance But the pardoning of Fratricide without repentance made him the readier to adventure upon Paricide afterward God seemed as forward and willing to pardon David as ever he did any of the Sons of Men and accepts of as little evidence for Repentance yet that which was was sincere and therefore sufficient David said I have sinned Confession as that was circumstanced implied all the other parts of Repentance And seeing we are apt to sin daily and are directed to pray daily for the pardon of our sins so Repentance is a work it is never out of season while the Children of God carry a body of death along with them He that is wicked already may have daily need to wash his feet Joh. 13.10 Although our persons be already sanctified by the Spirit yet in regard of the remainder of corruption our affections are as apt to be defiled by our converse with the men of the World as are the feet of them that tread upon that Earth They ●hat would be found as a new lump must ●aily be purging out the old leven While we are in the World we shall have occasion of commerce with the Idolatrous Covetous Fornicators of this World or else as the Apostle sayes we must go out of the world for fear of defilement therefore we must daily cleanse our selves in the lavor of Repentance as was the custom of the Jews to wash and be clean as to their outward man after they came from the market If we say we have no sin as the Apostle John sayes we lie and the truth is not in us but if we do sin we have an Advocate with the Father whose blood cleanseth us from all sin and the way to make use thereof is by the exercise of repentance as well as of