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	faith_n	hold_v	3,740	5	6.0925	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66816	Eremicus theologus, or, A sequestred divine his aphorisms, or, breviats of speculations, in two centuries / by Theophilus Wodenote ...	Wodenote, Theophilus, d. 1662.	1654 (1654)	Wing W3241; ESTC R39130	60,438	192

shewed any other than Christ himself think not when Saint Paul said that he was made all things to all men [l] 1 Cor. p. 22. that therefore he did at his pleasure that which God had directly forbidden to be done that therefore he did make himself a libertine or establish libertinism or purchase a protection for every man to do what seemeth good in his own eyes but that in matters free and indifferent and undetermined which were not iepugnant to the Word which were neither forbidden nor commanded by God such as may indifferently be either used or not used with a good conscience according as the rules of godly discretion circumstances duely considered shall direct he without hurting the faith or offending the righteous changed himself into all fashions and applyed himself to the conditions of all that by all means hee might save some 9. FRom particular privileges in Scripture appointed by Almighty God for some singular choice purposes as from the Israelites spoiling the AEgyptians of their Jewels [m] Exod. 12.36 or Samsons pulling down the house upon himself and others [n] Judg. 16.30 as from Elias his calling of fire from heaven [o] 2 Kings 1.10 or Elisha his cursing the children [p] 2 Kings 2.24 or the like collect not generall precepts or perpetuall directions for the Church extraordinary facts are no ordinary rules every example is not a Law to bind every man to equall practice thy argument taken from example is naught unless thy warrant be alike good 10. SUch allegories as thou findest expounded in the holy Scriptures imbrace as rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to salvation but such as mens severall devices frame out of them and commend to the world as hidden senses newly found out neither believe them nor desire to know them but leave them to such as love a hidden divinity and a secret religion devised in their own conceits which will not abide the triall of the light such pleasing various fancies without sacred evidence of Gods certaine approbation are but plausible allusions and no probative allegations can never work in the heart a full Theologicall perswasion Conceive not with some passionate Papists in the heat of their disputations that Gods Word is a potentiall onely no active rule that the Scriptures are not authenticall without the authority of the Church that the authority of the Scriptures dependeth upon the authority of the Church necessarily Not go for advice to the Church necessarily but to the Law and to the testimony saith the Prophet Isaiah [q] Isaiah 8.20 at that least examin and try the truth Not what saith the Church but what is written in the Law how readest thou saith our Saviour [r] Luke 10.26 Not the Church but the Scripture is the sole and supreme Judge of all questions and Controversies of religion The Church cannot give thee faith whereby thou believest in Christ and layest hold of eternall life It is the Scripture that worketh it by the inspiration of the holy Spirit Thou mayest set the diall by the Sun Thou canst not set the Sun by the diall Thou mayest appeal from the judgment of the Church to the Scriptures Not from the Scriptures to the Church 12. AS the wisemen stretched not their course beyond the direction of the star [Å¿] Matth. 2.9 10 11. so wander not thou in thy discourse beyond the direction of the word so much knowledge of divine mysteries as God hath revealed in his sacred volumes content thy self with and offer not thy self to prie any further into them Be sure thou make a resting place where God hath placed a full point resigne thy self up to his wisedom adore his Counsels and be not overcurious in any of his doings Neither suffer any within thy walk and power to make any superfluous questions about them If any do out of infidelity or too much curiosity Answer him briefly with that holy and judicious Father Saint Austin than whom few could better resolve doubts Do thou dispute it I will believe it Do thou reason it I will admire it [t] Tu disputa ego credam tu ratiocinare ago mirabar and rather seriously adore the worker than curiously inquire the manner 13. GIve free eares of body and full regard of mind to whatsoever God speaketh in a plain form and frame of words but give an excellent heedfulnes to the Lord where he useth a singular manner of speaking There conceive some speciall thing is to be marked there think thou art called to that speciall parenthesis of our Saviour who so readeth let him understand [u] Matth. 24.15 where the Lord speaketh strictly and artificially be sure to add to thy accustomed diligence a strict and artificiall diligence set thy attention where he setteth his words 14. WHatsoever scriptures thou readest or hearest attend them carefully and apply them usefully some way or other unto thy self for whatsoever was written afore time was written not at all adventures or as histories to heare or read for pleasure but for our learning that we thorough patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope [w] Rom. 15.4 What shall a salve do be it never so soveraigne if it be not layd to the sore or what can the medicine availe if it be not applyed to the disease We do not find it written of David in particular that he should do the will of God and yet in the volume of the book it is written of me saith he that I should do thy will O God I am content to do it [x] Psal 40.7 and yet he applies it in particular to himself as if it had been spoken to him by name 15. BE not like those bare-tonguy Christians in these dayes whose mouths are full of religion but their hearts altogether empty who shew their faith by words not by works who think to be perfectly trusted for their pure talking Ty not Gods Word to thy tongue but bind it to thy fingers not onely profess it with thy lips but express it also yea chiefly in thy life write it not in a scroul as the Romanists do Saint John's Gospell tying it about their necks for externall preservation or as the Pharisees did the Decalogue between their browes for externall signe of holiness but write it in the table of thine heart that thou mayest the better remember to put it in practise 16. TO Countenance sin allege not examples hope not to stand upon the fall of others conclude not thy self safe if thou canst produce some holy men that have gon before thee in the same sins we may not imitate the vices but the vertues of good men sanctity goes not by presidents but by precepts we are not to live by examples but by the Word whereby our actions must be guided as by a rule and by no example without it Examples in Scripture are not all written for our imitation that we may learne what

be works where there is not faith but there is certainly no true faith where there are no works They are the tokens and trials the pulse and breath at least of a lively faith and by want of them thou mayest as well conclude want of faith as by the ceasing of the pulse and breath conclude the ceasing of life 61. IT is not enough to do well unless thou speedily dispatch what thou dost Delayes in any thing that is good are ill and in the best things worst deadness and drowsiness in doing duty is no fit service in his sight who requireth ferventness and cheerfulness in all good actions There may be as great a fault in practising a vertue too late as in performing a vice too soon say not to thy neighbour go and come again and to morrow I will give thee when thou hast it by thee [q] Prov. 3.28 when thou hast wherewith to supply his wants to day To morrow may never come either to him or thee or if it come to thee it may come unseasonable and unable to do him good what availeth it to let the grass grow when the horse starveth or when the steed is stollen to shut the stable door 62. ARt thou advanced to authority and established in high place make not much of vile persons of what estate soever whose true title for all their other titles is that they are the enemies of God but make much of and be sure to honour those that sear the Lord and walk in his wayes how mean soever they are upon earth if ever thou desire and hope to inherit glory with them in heaven Look not with so great regard how personable men are or of what birth or wealth as of what faith and conscience and pious deportment shew most curtesy to those that are most Christian and give best countenance to them that are of best behaviour If God have deputed thee to keep his room to resemble his Majestie to bear his image it is not onely comely but necessary thou shouldst follow his example whose bountifull favours never fail the righteous nor the light of his loving countenance at any time shineth on the wicked 63. LOve all even thy deadlyest enemyes and do good unto them and that not only in their prosperity and flourishing estate but in their greatest need so far as thou dost not maintain and help them against Christ yea as thou seest the gifts of God more cleerly to shine more manifestly to multiply in them so let thy love increase towards them Let not their will or work to hurt thee overcome thy will or work to help them Adjoin not thy impatiency to their injustice keep them not off from thee by opposing or upbraiding but rather draw them neerer unto thee by prayer and kindness It is in vain for thee to represent and press what evill they have done unto thee how many wayes they have wronged thee should Christ have loved none but his friends he had never loved thee It is impossible for men to do that wrong one to another which we have done all to God There can be no surer pledge to thy soul that thy sins are forgiven with God and that he favoureth thee than if thou find a readiness in thy self to remit injuries and to favour those that do them but especially make much of the houshold of faith but more affectionatly and more liberally Christians by profession Majori affectu effectu Ber. Saints by calling heires by faith but especially do good to those that are the sons of God by grace and adoption that are thy brethren by grace sanctification whom God hath ingraven as a signet in the palm of his hand and whom he tendereth as the apple of his ey Let them have the privilege of an elder brother even a doubly portion who when for thy miscarriages they privatly blame thee do not meanly profit thee and pleasure thee by shewing thy sins to thy self and covering them from other and yet that is all the injury thou art like to receive from them 64. BE not hollow-hearted but sincerely affected Be not like subtill Saul [r] 1 Sam. 18.17 and hypocriticall Absalon [ſ] 2 Sam. 15.5 onely kind in fair salutations and friendly words but like faithfull Jonathan [t] 1 Sam. 18.4 and honest Onesiphorus [u] 2 Tim. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in deeds make good thy kindness and manifest thy truth and that not forcibly or with grudging but with good will cheerfully and that not sparingly or basely but bountifully and with a large hand If thou shalt do this from the true ground because God hath commanded and to a right end that God may be glorified and thy neighbour bettered there shall not be wanting any thing to true liberality 65. SUch as are wronged and oppressed and cannot help themselves be ready to help by all good means thou canst afford by thy deeds and by thy words by thy Counsell and by thy comforts by thy pleading with men for them and prayers to to God and the more help them the weaker they are to help themselves and the stronger thou art to help them He that hasteneth to be mercifull to another shall himself in the like case soonest obtaine mercy Neither is there a surer signe than mercy to be found of any mans present being under mercy 66. FOr thy neighbours vertues allow not his vices Neither for his vices condemne his vertues Hate not so much his sodaine passions as never to love his sober actions obscure not the glory of Gods gifts upon whomsoever bestowed but wisely distinguishing between every mans good properties and his bad Let the one be as a rock the other as a rule let the one divert thee the other direct thee 67. NEither seek nor admit imbowelled intireness or any speciall familiarity with those notorious hypocrits those soul-murderers who either poyson the Church with heresy Pejus est Ecclesiam scindere guàm idolis sacrificare August or which is worse than to sacrifise to Idols dismember and rent it asunder with schism who labour to alienate the minds of men from their right teachers and from the Word and Sacraments in the Church of this Land because of their private dislikings and discontents to the hinderance of the chief business and furtherance of the common enemy whose friendship is servitude and abides not equality whose kisses are treasons whose religion is policy and whose policy wickednes who infect all whom they can draw within the compass of communication and intise as many as they can possibly within that compass with whom a man cannot peaceably live in this world except he will believe with them and with whom a man cannot believ if he perfectly trust to live in the world to come 68. BE not more carefull what thou eatest or drinkest than amongst whom thou eatest or drinkest For there are some whose places we should rather desire than their persons

stedfast indurance against all weariness what though the Lord grant thee not at first yet he will at last what though he grant thee not at all that same thing which thou desirest He will give thee as good a blessing or a better 2. GIve not over thy prayers though not presently heard but with faith and perseverance crave and with hope and patience expect Gods grace and mercy to help in due and convenient time Be thy wound never so deep thou art not past help so long as thou art not past desire to be holpen who art thou or what merit canst thou allege that therefore thy sute ought to receive a present dispatch what knowest thou for what reasons God putteth thee off perhaps not intending utterly to deny thee but for sundry main and important causes we tarry mans pleasure and wait upon him after many petitions where then is Gods honour why not wait much longer and willinger upon God who both knoweth our need and when it is most meet to supply it better than our neerest friends better than we our selves and never faileth or forsaketh those who unfeignedly put their trust in him who will be sure to do in the end that which shall be most for our good and his own glory 3. NEglect not Prayer under any pretence though never so plausible no not under pretence of Gods knowing and understanding all things or of his power enabling thee to do all things or of his providence determining all things but know that Almighty God hath commanded prayer as an instrument of continuall use profitable for all things for the performance of all those things which he hath promised and appointed He hath ordained many other means to bring his purposes to passe but none more excellent than prayer which procureth a blessing upon all the rest and without the which the rest cannot prevail 4. WHen thou prayest for the forgiveness of thy sins as thou art daily bound to do thou plainely confessest that thou art not able to satisfie for them that there can be no satisfaction made to Gods Justice for sins by our works How then canst thou supererogate as some teach and believe How then can the worthiness of thy deserts be so great that doing God more service than can be sufficiently rewarded in thy own person thou canst deserve heaven not only to thy self but for others too How then canst thou have an overplus of works or the measure of thy works running over which may be disposed or sold if he will liberally come off with his coin to the spirituall benefit of another which may go for payment of thy fellowes transgressions when thou hast not enough to supply thy own necessity 5. HOw earnestly soever thou pray against the pride malice and all the devices of the wicked that God will not suffer their actions to prosper lest they more and more offend yet still pray for the offendors that God may open their eyes that they may come to see the truth love it and imbrace it yet without exception of persons remember still to pray for the love of God the grace of Christ and the working of the Spirit upon all upon the godly that they may be confirmed upon the ungodly that they may be converted 6. WHen thou art about to take rest and knowest not what a night or an houre may bring forth and knowest not whether thou shalt ever work or wake again or no ly not down in thy bed as a dog lyeth down in a kennell or a swine in his sty or an oxe in his stall without any prayer any ejaculation any good motion to God-ward but commit thy self thy soul thy body thy goods thy brethren into Gods hand as a most faithfull keeper but remember and consider that God is nigh thee both in his essence whereby he filleth heaven and earth and in his presence whereby he beholdeth thy heart and all thy courses watching what thou do'st He is about thy paths and about thy bed and spieth out all thy wayes [a] Psal 139.3 To him not onely the light is light but darkness is light both the light and the night to him are all one in clearness [b] Psal 139.11 12. He therefore that will rise in his favour must ly down in his feare 7. HOwsoever worldly men who savour nothing but of the eart who see nothing but with fleshly eyes are unable to behold the beauty of the Church and therfore account it no part of their happiness to live within the compass and bosome of it yet esteem it thou more excellent and precious than all other societies in the world and with humblest thankfulness consider how highly thou art bound to God that thou art made a free denizen of so glorious a Corporation yea prefer alwayes the good condition of Gods Church before all concernments of thine own In the welfare thereof most joy In the wrong thereof most grieve Let naturall affections move thee much but let spirituall affections sway thee more so many cogitations of the distressed estate of the Church so many teares and prayers for her Let thy zeal to her evidence thy right in her Thou canst not get a better argument or surer witness to thy own heart of being ingraffed into that body whereof Christ Jesus is the head of having the life of Christianity and being possessed with the love of godliness than the having a sensible feeling of the Churches distress and a sincere and zealous affection and respect to the common good of religion and the Churches prosperous estate 8. MArvell not if wicked men get advantage but too soon and prosper but too well if such as have no fear of God before their eyes have their projects in some degree performed and their presumptions in part pleased if the violent tread down the vertuous and might now then overcome right Be not dismayed if the publick enemies sometimes prevail and get the upper hand against the Church God giveth not alwayes victory for favour or overthrow for displeasure but for some other ends to raise the wicked that their fall may be the greater (c) tolluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant Claudian to rowse his own that their faith may be the stronger 9. IF thou be not fit to profit the Church or Commonwealth by thy person yet seek the good of both of them by thy Prayer that they may indure and flourish and increase and not be overthrown and suppressed by those that so cruelly seek not their reformation and conversion but subversion and utter undoing that peace and plenteousness and holiness and righteousness may be alwayes with them and the free and publick use of the Gospell that such notable and rare men as are wise in politick affaires as are indued with all gifts and qualities fit for States-men may be put in place held in grace and have imployment and they which are so imployed may shew themselves faithfull and they which are