Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	new_a	old_a	testament_n	3,965	5	8.0680	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77477	Sound considerations for tender consciencies wherein is shewed their obligation to hold close union and communion with the Church of England and their fellow members in it, and not to forsake the publick assemblies thereof. In several sermons preached, upon I Cor.1.10 and Heb.10.25. By Joseph Briggs M.A. vic. of Kirkburton, in Yorkshire	Briggs, Jos. (Joseph)	1675 (1675)	Wing B4663; ESTC R229475	120,197	291

loth to deny themselves as in effect to acknowledge they was formerly in an error and in the wrong It s pride that make some desire to go in some singular way and loath to go on in a beaten tract wherein they may be obscured in the throng with Theudas they are ambitious to be some body with Simon Magus to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some knowing or Zealous person they would be taken notice of by their neighbours as a stricter sort of livers and would be eminent though by the infamy of Schism or separation To be called of men Rabbi Rabbi is inchaunting musick to any Pharisee and the very essence and constitutive parts of a Schismatick is the esteem of himself and the contempt of others I am not as this Publican was the Pharisees voice whose very name signifies separation and our modern separatists do but eccho the same note when they pronounce these Church assemblies and the members thereof heretical or carnal from whom they withdraw themselves r Esa 65.5 they say as those in Esay Stand of come not near me for I am holier then thou But let it be remembred that while the Pharisee lookt so fastidiently on the poor Publican he renounc'd communion in prayers much more acceptable to God then his own and the observation is truly applyable in our case The Transcendant purity and Saintship and holiness which our Separatists boasts of being if brought to the touch but a more sublimated wickedness And their pretence for spiritually being onely verified in spiritual pride By their fruits of rebellion disobedience to and contempt of Magistracy and Ministry rash censures mallice evil speakings and bitterness headiness treasons high maindedness and the like fruits you may know them So this pride is another partition wall that Satan useth to divide us from God and one another and to make men forsake the Assemblies of the Church 3. It is the manner of some also to forsake them out of curiosity this is that baneful weed which the divel made shift to steal even into Paradise which hath ever since affected the richest soils the most pregnant understandings I do not altogether mean that speculative curiosity about the mysterious parts of our religion though that be a notorious mean also to propagate Heresies when men will not be soberly wise but will attempt to find out the depths of those mysteries which God hath thought fit to make secret prying into the Ark of the secret counsells of God But that curiosity of men which is usually about those little trifling notions and thin aerial speculations which do not at all tend to make men wiser to salvation Men are not content to know those divine truths which tend to Godly practice therefore they think such preachers as insist of them dry and insipid and forsake them to follow those who will offer them nicer speculations be they never so unprofitable to the great end of Salvation s vide The Decayes of Christianity in the causes of disputes Besides there is another curiosity that is deep in the guilt of drawing men from the Assemblies to which they belong A curiosity to hear strange preachers they have itching ears their ordinary food do not please them a new besome sweeps clean an uncouth bit is for their palates a Minister of the best gifts cannot please them long as the Athenians were all for enquirng of news so are these men all for novelties In a short time they distaste the ministry of their ordinary Pastors and so to please the distempered palates of their fickle souls they must needs be gadding abroad to hear every upstart Mountebank that is near them and so this is one great reason of their forsakeing their ordinary assemblies as the manner of many is 4. Another reason hereof is covetousness and interest the great Idol to which the world bowes as the Apostle saith they that will be rich fall into divers temptations so do they fall into this sin among the rest Some men will be rich therefore out of respect to their profit they absent themselves from the Assemblies of the Church they must needs spend some Sabbaths in going to Fairs or going jorneys or makeing bargains or meeting customers or looking to some house business they cannot get their living they say by coming to Church and when they come they must needs leave a great part of their family behind them for some worldly advantage or other These are like those in Malachi t Mal. 3●4 That said it is in vain to serve the Lord and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances And others there be in the world that make a show of religion and piety that have no other end in their broaching and maintaining Schisms and separations from the assemblies of the Church then their proper advantages They make divinity an handmaid religion a stalking horse to a policy Jeroboam made the Golden Calves become more venerable Deities when he found them sit to serve his jealousies and Matchiavels policy that states and persons should secure themselves of religion was a common practice long before it was a rule In the Old Testament we read of mercenary Prophets that turned the office into a trade that divined for money and even for handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread And in the New St. Paul speaks of deceivers that speak things they ought not for filthy Lucres sake u Titus 1.11 And the same Apostle declaiming against the love of money as the root of all evil he reproves it from its having made men erre from the faith x 1 Tim. 6.11 And it is St. Peters prediction that the most damnable Heresies even the denying of the Lord that bought them should be introduced by those who through covetousness should make Merchandize of their Proselytes y 2 Pet. 2.3 And is it not plain how mens itching ears in this Age do invite many Mountebanks in Religion to try experiments upon them when men Nauseats Old truths and Old teachers because they are acquainted with them and embrace Doctrines and broachers of them because they are new when men love such teachers and are bountiful to none but such as they love how can it be doubted but some will suit themselves to their disciples humours to gain money to themselves when by sowing tares they can immediately reap Gold our age hath given us sufficient experience hereof would God that this way of divelish traffique were at an end And doubtless as there be many leaders so are there many Disciples in the separation in whom covetousness and self interest reigns exceedingly and by it they are animated in their obstinate continuance in their erronious waies so as to stop their ears to the charmes of sound doctrines charme they never so wisely Now O that such would consider what the character of infamy is that remaines yet upon Achan that he troubled Israel to inrich himselfe And on Balaam that he