Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	faith_n	true_a	truth_n	4,594	5	5.5207	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17053	The life of religion: or Short and sure directions teaching how to 1 beleeue aright. 2 Liue aright, & 3 pray aright. In the forme of exposition on 1 the Creed. 2 The ten Commandements. 3 The Lords Praier. Put into this kind of method, that it might the better 1. Informe the vnderstanding. 2. Affect the soule, and 3. Helpe the memory. Hereunto is added also a short treatise on the Lords Supper: with praiers to be vsed before, at, and after the communion. By R.B. minister of Gods Word.	Bruch, Richard, minister of Gods word.	1615 (1615)	STC 3927; ESTC S114246	69,848	288

worse then either the naturall or affected ignorance of God for knowledge must needes goe before the imbracing of vertue and no man can faithfully desire that which he doth not know wherefore they are iustly here condemned whosoeuer are ignorant of God because they are 1. Carelesse of knowing him 2. Sloathfull in learning of him 3. Ashamed to inquire after him Whereas both by the benefit of our creatiō Bern. and his gracious manifestation we ought to know him 2. Although as in many things we offend all so in many things we erre all yet beware we Iam. 3.2 that we doe not erre concerning God for as the least error in the beginning is made greatest in the end so the least error concerning him was in the beginning if it be not corrected may make vs concerning all trueth to erre in the end growing to this impiety 1. To suppose that there is no God 2. To imagine that there are more gods 3. To set vp in our hearts thoughts an idol false God in stead of the true Whereas such Atheisme and Idolatrie is forbidden in this law 3. Although there are many things in this world of which we may haue a liking and that without sin although naturally we may desire affect some things without offence a● wiues children parents brethren friends c. yet let this be our care that our life be not bound vp in the loue of them as old Israels life in the life of his sonne Ioseph Gen. 44 30. that we loue them not inordinately and in excesse least our hart be therby withdrawne from God so that as much or more then in the creatour 1. Wee affie in the creature 2. Wee affect the creature 3. We feare the creature Whereas God shold be honoured with the be●● of our affectiō● 3. The appendix of the first Commandement Promises and threatnings not exprest 1. If herein we harken to his voice we shall be his chiefe tre●sure aboue all people Exod. 19. ● 2. If we like not to retaine him in our knowledge he will giue vs ouer to a reprobate minde and vile affections Rom. 1.26.28 3. If in our hearts we estrange our selues from him he also will be farre from vs and from our helpe For 1. Thus doth God honour those that honour him 2. Thus doth God testifie his wrath in this world against vnbeleeuers and wicked men Rom. 1.26 3. Thus is it iust with God to punish those that forsake him and contemne his maiesty Vse 1. Seemeth it a small thing in our eies to be the people of the Lord to be the men that God will honour to be those vpon whom he will shew forth his goodnesse and all for the obseruance of this commandement 1. In temporall blessings 2. In spirituall graces 3. In the euerlasting rewards What then wil seeme great or worthy in our eies 2. Thinke we it not a grieuous punishment for the breach of this commandement to be forsaken and left of God and giuen vp vnto our owne lusts so that being past the feeling of sinne and remorse of conscience the feare of Gods iudgement cleane extinct in our soules and his cords cast away from vs Ps 2.3 1. We should euen giue our selues ouer to wickednesse 2. We should make a trade of sinne 3. We should commit vncleanenes euen with greedinesse What wil we then thinke great of wrath or euill 3. Iudge wee if we haue lifted vp our hands to any strange god and our heart departed from him that it shall not be iust with God to withdraw himselfe from vs though in our aduersities we make long praiers and stretch out our hands vnto him when we shall be 1. In misery waking 2. In misery sleeping 3. In misery whethersoeuer we turn our selues What then wil be iust equal in our sight Greg. in ser The second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. 1. The affirming part of this Commandement We must worship God according to his will reuealed in his word Or we must worship God as he hath appointed by his word The things required in this precept are 1. That we be religiously carefull of all the parts of Gods seruice 2. That wee stirre vp our selue thereunto by all godly meanes 3. That we stoutly oppose against all corruptions which may defile the pure worship of God For 1. Thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse 2. Thus it behooueth vs to quicken and confirme our selues in the worke of the Lord. 3. Thus it befitteth vs to striue for the maintenance of the faith Iud. 3. Vse 1. This therefore should stir vs vp to the diligent reading hearing and meditating on the word and to the reuerent vse of the sacraments and praier and teach vs to bewaile our former negligence herein this should make vs sory for occasions lost wherein by godly conference and instruction we might haue bettered others and beene betterd by them our selues and to lay hold hereafter on all occasions offerd of the like that so we may thereby be 1. To the praise of God 2. To the benefit of our brethren 3. To the singular comfort of our soules In things belonging to the worship of God 2. This should make vs to vow vnto the Lord his worship and keep it to purge our mindes by fasting and thereby also to raise vp our vnderstanding Aug. in ser to bring the flesh in subiection to the spirit to make our hart contrite and humble but aboue all to keep a fast in our soules from sinne and from our owne waies that thereby we may the the rather serue God in holinesse whom we worship as in soule so also in body with 1. Bar● heads Virell 2. Bowed knees 3. Lifted vp hands and eies In all humility seeking his face in his temple 3. This should cause vs to take heede of adulterating Gods seruice with any our owne will worships or any heathenish or papisticke rites and ceremonies or of giuing the best approbation or allowance thereunto to but to keepe our selues within the listes and tarriers that God hath set downe vnto vs for his worship in the word this should make vs also to beware of all confederates and leagues with vnbeleeuers and society with heretickes least wee learne of their waies and fall into their terrours who 1. Are reprobate concerning the truth 2. Beget of themselues new and false opinions of worship 3. Follow also other mens idle fancies In matters cōcerning the faith and true religion The forbidding part of the second commandement 2. We must not prophane the lawfull worship of God with supersticious rites The things prohibited in this precept are 1. Idolatry 2. Hypocrysie 3. Prophanenesse 1. Wee must worship God in spirit Io. 4. 2. We must worship God in trueth Io. 4 24. 3. The holy God requires holy worship Vse 1. Here then is a reproofe for the heathen falling downe before their stockes and stones and looking vp

To the Honorable Knight the most Iudicious and learned Sir FRANCES BACON the Kings Attorney Generall IT was my chance Right worthy Sir that you were presēt a hearer of my first made sermons At Kensington in Iuly 1607. and if I might take their words that told me you gaue good words of me then and conceiued good hopes of me for the time to come on this inducement I resolued to present you with my first publisht writings but I was abashed in my selfe and ready to fall off from my purpose remembring a passage in your first booke of The Aduancement of learning where you seeme neerer to reprehension then defence of those that dedicate their books writings not to their owne equals but to men of greater rancke And had I not considered with my selfe that where there were so many good parts of nature and learning there could not choose but be much humanity the greatnes of your place and your worth surmounting greater places then that you hold had deterd my meannesse and slendernesse from this attempt neither had I dared to haue offerd that vnto you which I haue now presumed This I know that for the Argument there can be an vnfitnesse in no booke to be presented vnto you a man so generally read and learned I am perswaded that he that is so industrious as your selfe and abounding with so many vertues will euen loue and cherish the least shew and resemblance of the same in others Well iacta est alea I am now come before you and if you shall vouchsafe mee but a kinde and cheerefull aspect it will much cheere me but if I might vnderstand that I haue written any thing that may be to your tast the approbation of your learned iudgement alone shall bee vnto me more then the applause of a large Theater Howsoeuer it shall be let me intreate and obtaine this of your goodnes in the name of learning though I be but the least and meanest in her common wealth that you would not vtterly dash and put me out of countenance whose very wit and courage will euen stand and fall with your countenance The man that highly loues and admires your vertues RICHARD BRVCH Reader IF thou shouldest aske mee why I would write of things so much intreated off why I would write in such a method I haue an answer at hand for both thy questiōs though not one and the same for both there lay a kinde of necessity on mee to write of one part of this treatise The Lords Praier that drew on the rest to disauow a sonne of the people that was fatherd on me nothing like me nor my children who though they are most of them rough-hewed like their father yet haue they all their portion of wit and common sense For the nouelty of the method let this answer thee that knowing that by many parasanges I could not come neere nor attaine vnto the worthies of our Church as many as haue written of these things a Caluin an Vrsin a Viret and a Virell a Perkins or a Granatensis with others whose learned comments and bookes of institution are in hand I fell into this new forme of method that thou mightest know though nihil est iam dictum quod non sit dictū prius al do sing but the very same song yet we can in this age set out our learning in new fashions of word and method as the men of the age can set thēselues forth in new fashions of cloathes Thou hast the reason of these my numbers maiest thou vse them to thy profit comfort fare thou well Thine R. B. A preface or introduction to the Booke containing a reason of the Title I Feare me it may be iustly said of many a one that now a daies makes profession of religion as it is said to the Angell of the Church of Sardis Reuel 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou liuest and art dead For how great soeuer the shew be that they make to the world yet if they were examined of their faith it would be so farre that they should be bespoken with the Canaanitish woman Great is your faith Mat. 15.28 That we should rather bespeake them as our Sauiour his Disciples Mat. 16. O ye of little faith or O ye of no faith rather If their workes were well seene and considered we would not commend them for their fruites but speake to them in the words of the Baptist As trees that did not bring forth good fruit Mat. 3.10 yea if they would seriously consider with themselues of their key cold praiers how heauy leaden dull and dead they were in their deuotions they would euen testifie against themselues that they had little or no feeling at all in themselues that they had little or no life at all of grace in them Of their holy and sound faith of their godly conuersation of their deuout praiers are men rightly termed religious the outward shewes of words of lookes of gestures make men no more such then doth his weed the Frier He that hath true faith is religious The iust by his faith shall liue Abac. 2.4 Here then is life He that walkes in the way of the commandements in the way of good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them is religious These are the waies of life wherein if we keepe vs we shall be safe a ruine mortis from the ruine of death here is also life Aliue from the dead saith the Apostle Rom. 6.13 and dead indeed ●o sinne but aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord v. 11. If the spirit and life of God be in a man he shall quickely find it in his praiers he shall thereby quickely find if he haue any sparke of grace or religion if he be earnest and feruent in them if they be full of zeale It is a sure signe that a mans soule and heart are religious when hee can powre them out in praier before God There is the presenting of our bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God Rom. 1● 1 And there is the presenting of our praiers also a liuing sacrifice for our soules are in them Here then also is life True faith an holy conuersation and pure deuotion doe constitute a man and absolue him for religious in each of these there is life in them altogether is the life of religion 1. The rule of things that are to be beleeued Regula credendor●●n is the Creed in this short exposition ●●y perchance be found some what that may informe a mans vnderstanding in the knovvledge of the mystery of godlines and to teach him also to make application of his knovvledge to himselfe This is for faith 2. The rule of a mans life are the Commandemens of vvhich vve may say in the vvords of the Prophet This is the way walke in it This small treatise vvill affoord a man some light in the way and giue him some entrance to the vnderstanding of the

the truth of his body A representation is a signe or remembrance of a thing it is not the thing it selfe Augustine what doest thou prepare thy tooth and thy belly beleeue and thou hast eaten Cyprian we sharpen not our teeth to bite but with sincere faith wee breake and diuide that holy bread Bernard Christus tange potest sed affectu Ser. 20. in Cant. non manu veto non oculo fide non sensibus tanges manu fidei desiderij digito devotionis amplexu tanges oculo mentis Christ may bee toucht but with affection not with the hand with the desire not with the eye with faith not with the senses Thou shalt touch him with the hand of faith with the finger of desire with the imbracing of deuotion thou shalt touch him with the eye of the minde Credere inuenisse est saith one to beleeue is to haue found Et credere edisse est say I to beleeue is to haue eaten Norunt fideles saith another Christum habitare per fidem in cordibus suis quid proprius est The faithfull know that Christ dwels by faith in their hearts what can be neerer All these speake of a spirituall eating and no other an eating that is of faith should I then teare him againe with my teeth that was once pittifully torne for mee with nailes thornes speare vpon the Crosse should I dreame that my stinking carkase should be a Sepulcher to bury my Sauiour descending into the cauernes of my belly I will bury thee oh my Sauiour in the new sepulcher of my soule where neuer yet any man lay Thus of examining our selues before we eate of the manner of examining of our selues of the things wherof we are to examine our selues against the doubtings of our vnfitnes vnworthines of eating of what we receiue the conclusion is that hauing receiued Christ into the chamber of our heart we be thankefull to him for his comming we desire him to stay and lodge with vs all night we so demeane our selues towards him that we grieue not his spirit make him to leaue his lodging which if we doe our soule that was his lodging will become a cage of vncleane birds and our latter end will be worse then our beginning A praier before the Communion VVHat shall I doe O Lord drawing neere to this thy table but confesse against my selfe mine owne vnworthines thou requirest that thy guests haue on the wedding garment and behold I am couered as yet with the rags of mine owne filthinesse and with the confusion of my sinne The corruption of my nature the iniquity of my life the vnprofitablenesse of my best workes the abhomination of my worst the despight that I doe to thee the euill example that I haue giuen to men the shame and horror that I haue brought vpon mine own face and conscience my want of faith knowledge loue and sorrow for sin mine indeuotion to thy seruice my seruing of mine owne intentions out of the causes of thee my GOD and the causes of religion the whole bande of mine other iniquities my secret and to my selfe vnknowne sinnes stand vp against me to accuse me and cast me in the teeth I am in a straight with Dauid neither know I what to doe or what to choose whether to draw neere to this thy Table or to with-draw and turne my selfe away If I with-draw my selfe I forsake thy comforts and refreshing if I draw neere I am in danger of my sin But I will draw neere vnto thee trusting in the multitude of thy mercies O my Lord Christ I come laden with an heauy burden thou wilt ease my shoulder I come in my defects thou wilt couer them with thy perfection I come in the confession vse my sinne with thee is forgiuenesse thou wilt doe away my sinne I come in the feeling of my wants thou art God all sufficient thou wilt supply all my wants I come in the acknowledgement of mine vnworthinesse thou wilt accept me make me worthy and refresh me heere with the comforts in thy word with thy body and thy blood at thy Table elsewhere thou wilt make mee drinke of the riuer of thy pleasures in the kingdome of thy father where thou raignest euerlastingly one God with him and the Holy Ghost To thee be ascribed all praise and glory world without end Amen A Praier at the receiuing of the bread and wine O Lord Christ and blessed Sauiour which hast giuen mee thy body to bee my meate thy blood to be my drinke thy soule to be my redemption enter now the chamber of my heart with all thy vertues graces spirituall benedictions adorne it make it beautifull and dwell in it for euer and graunt that the memory of thy most bitter passion of all other thy wonders and benefits may neuer slip out of my minde but that I may alwaies thinke on thy loue meditate on thy mercies and thanke thee for thy goodnesse which hast done so great things for thy Church thy chosen and for my soule Amen A Praier after the receiuing of the Communion AWay from me all ye workes and workers of iniquity out of mine heart all euill thoughts out of my mouth all euill wordes from mine hands all euill deeds for I haue made a couenant with my God to serue him with all my strength with all my soule and with all my members and hee is come to dwell in mine heart Oh my GOD and oh my mercy how can I giue thee worthy thankes which being King of Kings and Lord of Lords hast not scorned to visit my soule and to come vnder the roofe of my poore dwelling Teach me O LORD to loue thy loue and for thy loue to denie all vngodlinesse and wordly lusts teach mee to leaue this world for thee which for my sake leftest Heauen to come downe to mee and gauest thy selfe vnto mee being made my brother in thy birth mine example in thy life the price of my redemption in thy death my food and nourishment at thy Table my reward in the Kingdome mine wholly and whatsoeuer thou art I cannot vtter the ioy of mine heart I cannot conceiue words to expresse my thankfulnesse If I had the tongues of men and Angels I cannot speake sufficiently to thy praise Grant O Lord that I which haue receiued so much from thee of thine thee thy selfe may in all things indeauour to bee to thine honour and praise Amen My Thankesgiuing after GOD had raised me vp from the bed of my sickenesse I Haue a song of praise to sing to the Lord O LORD thou hast holpen me and comforted me when I had receiued the sentence of death in my selfe thou saidst vnto me Liue when my life drew neere vnto the pit and to the buriers thou saidst vnto me Returne I had now almost imb●●ced the dust and claimed my kindred in the graue saying to corruption thou art my father and to the wormes yee are my mother and my sister