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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	assistance_n	good_a	great_a	104	3	2.1271	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74947	Rayling rebuked: or, A defence of the ministers of this nation: by way of answer to the unparrallel'd calumnies cast upon them in an epistle lately published by Thomas Speed merchant of Bristol, unhappily become the Quakers advocate. Wherein, some Scriptures are opened, and diverse things objected by the Quakers, examined and answered. With an hortatory epistle prefixed to fasten Christians to Jesus Christ in these un-glewing times, wherein so many play fast and loose with him. By William Thomas minister of the Gospel at Ubley.	Thomas, William, 1593-1667.	1656 (1656)	Thomason E883_5; ESTC R207300	68,071	90

tremble to think what the end will be of so dolefull and dangerous a backsliding O think with your selves each of you if I that have been guilty of so sad a departing were now a dying Could I say with a good and grounded Conscience and confidence Come Lord Jesus come quickly Into thy hands I commend my soule a soule that loves thy Word thy Sacraments thy Sabboths thy Ministers thy Saints far lesse then it was wont to doe Will not such things bring thy hoare head with sorrow to the grave If ever the Lord be so mercifull as to return such as if they belong to him he will O with what weeping and heart-smart will they come to seek the Lord their God And if God do not this what will become of their poor seduced soules Leave this God once leave this God still whom if you do enjoy you must enjoy in Ordinances Job 22. 21 22. Psal 65. 4. and assure your selves you shall never meet with such a God again The Lord make you to know it and thereupon make all to know that he hath turned your heart back again 1 Kings 18. 37. And this prayer is after I have been so long in this fifth cansideration 6. The last meanes I shall propound and way of revocation of revolted Christians O that they would come again to prayer and fasting that would cast out all evils and Devils Mark 9. 29. In conclusion I shall advertise the Reader that whereas I write more roundly in this Rejoynder than I use to do and than I have ever done and wherein if in any thing I have exceeded in the judgment of wise and godly men I am ready to be reproved that manner of writting I have been drawn into not only because the things are so grosse which this Opponent holds and the spirit so insulting with which he holds them forth a temptation which I have endeavoured to resist but more particularly for these reasons 1. Because the Apostle directs in some cases to cutting rebukes Tit. 1. 13. which I write with fear least I should take my self or incourage any other to take a liberty to walk in such a way unlesse with a desire to cure those that are corrupt or to deter others that are such or to confirm those the better that are not such c. Yet sure all men are not to be dealt with alike Jude v. 22. 23. and with these men both wayes are tryed I wish one or other may doe them good 2. Because I doubt not but zeale and resolution is required in pleading for the cause of God and against the irreligious and injurious usage of his word and servants especiall when it 's covered with shews of reason and religion 3. Because it is not reasonable that by a cold discourse there should be any suspicion that our consciences accuse us as this adversary doth or that we doubt of the regularity and righteousnesse of our calling and carriage which are here so much inveighed against which is the more considerable because such men as he who hath set himself a work in this Book are apt to interpret a milde way of Refutation a secret conviction and vertuall concession that the cause is such that we dare not boldly and strenuously give witnesse to it 4. That Christians that feare God may not be abused and deluded into doubts by the lofty and Thrasonicall Language of this or any vaunting opposite nor be induced to think by a remisse reply that there is something of truth and honesty in that cause of his which is carryed all along with so transcendent a confidence 5. Nor is this done without some respect to Solomon's counsell Prov. 26. 5. that one that is of so great a spirit as this writer is and yet in no wiser a way may not be altogether so high as otherwise he might be in his owne conceipt or if he will needs be so yet that it may be in his owne conceipt only I should not have been thus long but that I account the answering of one that declaimes or exclaimes rather their disputes far less considerable than the communicating of something upon this occasion which as God hath enabled I have endeavoured to doe for the information and conformation of humble sincere and ordinance observing Christians The Lord give a blessing to what I have written that it may be to those that are firme in their resolutions for God as Josua's stone sometimes was chap. 24. 26 27. a sealing-stone to those that are doubtfull a Touchstone yeelding some assistance for a right discovery to those that are fallen away a Load-stone to draw their hearts if God say so too back againe 1 Kings 18. 37. and to none a Milstone by rejecting that in scorne which is offered unto them in love and with a sincere aime at their spiritual and everlasting good This shall still be the prayer of him whose reall desires are to be Your servant in his utmost capacity for the safety of your Soules WILLIAM THOMAS May. 21. 1656. Jer. 3. 22. Return ye backsliding children and I will heale your backsliding Can any heart be so hard as not to Answer Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God I will go and return to my first husband for it was better with me than then now Hos 2. 7. To the Reader Reader BE pleased to understand that since the writing of this Epistle I find that there is a sober answer made to the angry Epistle of T.S. by my Reverend Bretheren the Ministers of Redding which I doubt not will give very good satisfaction to the understanding and indifferent Reader yet I shall not desist from publishing my selfe what I intended before but shall goe on in my purpose both because the Booke the Epistle wherefore they have answered is directed to my selfe by name and because God hath in mercy so directed mine and my Bretherens meditations that we shall walk in something a different way in one and the same worke and yet not onely without difference and disagreement but I hope with a more full and cumulative assistance to such selfe-knowing and sincere Christians as see they need and desire to profit by our labours which we pray God to blesse unto them for their greatest good I shall further advertise the Reader of two things 1. That my purpose at first was to answer at once the whole Booke of T. S. And in order thereunto I framed the precedent Epistle which reflects more properly upon all of it then upon a part But in regard of my many occasions and inability of body for study it will require some longer time to goe through the whole yet I am so importunately call'd upon by divers godly Persons to whose spirits that booke is extreamly displeasing that I cannot deferre the doing of something for some present satisfaction I have resolved therefore for this time especially considering that the pleading of my own personall cause is

feare and humility otherwise truly it may soone come to passe that the Devil will present before our eyes such a fantasm that we should swear it were the true holy Ghost it selfe as not onely those ancient Hereticks but in our time also examples which have been and are still great and dreadfull doe forwarne 2. Seducing Teachers Satans Angels b who transforme themselves into the apostles of Christ and talk as Apostles might of immediate inspiration an infallible spirit who come with new and seemingly heavenly lights and no marvel for Satan himselfe that is the deformed prince of darkness is transformed into an Angell of light who use good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple yea they would deceive if it were possible the very elect 3. Evil Neighbours Satans Agents as Solomons wives Nehem. 13. 26. And the Arians-wives of Emperiours for very oft in the wife as of old begins the fall this is true also in regard of other infectious company as in the colloguing Princes of Judah that infected Joash after the death of Jehosada 2 Chron. 24. 17. 4. The Distemper and Apostacy of the times Satans great advantage corrupted times are like the infected ayre causing a catholike contagion This is the time wherein old truth by the knowledge whereof many are now in heaven 1 Tim. 2. 4. are grown to be out of date Nor is it such an honour as of old to reverence ordinances but if you walk above them and look upon them as low forms then you are with too many in the highest form The devil formes a great tentation out of such estimation The Liberty of the times Satans engine I meane as men make use of it it is made great use of by Satan for the carrying on of his designes I deny not but it is a mercy which we are greatly to thank God for to have a free liberty to do his will but liberty of such a latitude as to walk right or wrong in matters of religion without the least feare in any case either of Church or state-censure fals into Satans hands as a fit engine both for the opposing conculcating of saving truthes the spreading and cherishing of damnable errors for that old serpent knowes that if he can but obtaine that men may doe what they themselves will natural men and hypocrites which are far the greatest company being of his minde and led after his will he can easily bring them to do what he himself will There are two restraints from evil government and grace The former is like hedges and walls to creatures that are wilde The other is like the gentleness and orderliness of creatures when they are tamed because so few partake in the latter there is a great deal the more need of the former 6. Corrupt and corrupting Books Satans Library which yet are not chained and fixed but flying Books purposely made little that they may be made nimble and passe with more speed and at an easy rate to infect the Nation may we not fear a flying roule will go forth over the face of this God-neglecting Nation because the wings of such Books are not clipt Zech. 5. 2 3. Having been large in the causes of declining I shall contract the remedies the rather because the discovery of the causes is it self a remedy yet for the greater confirmation of those that stand establishment of those that stagger and the better raising up of those that are fallen down I shall adde these ensuing helps 1. Study the Word of God There be two Rules and Centers to combine and knit up men in a right way The first is the Rule and Law of reason that conjoynes men in Civil things and waies of humane wisdome Gamaliel was more rational than the rest of his Society and to him the whole company agreed in him the whole Council was concentred The second is the Rule of Scripture that unites men in the things of God walking by the same Rule and minding the same things go together By the recited Word and will of God we finde in Scripture a concurrent and unanimous determination of a great Controversy wherein also the Churches of God did with great consent and content stand resolved and rejoyce whatever others think yet we may say as Luther doth If our Doctrine be in any danger it comes of this evil to wit the loathing and neglecting of the Word For further help from the Word have recourse to the Ministers of the Word for unity in Gods way is the work of the Ministry The Prophet Elijah was the great Reducer of the revolted people of God in the old Testament And John Baptist that other Elijah was the great turning instrument in the new Testament to bring in and fasten the Fathers to the Children the Children to the Fathers and the disobedient to the wisdome of the just Luke 1. 17. Seducing Teachers are Removers Gal. 1. 6 7. but faithful Ministers are the returners of those that wander and confirmers of those that are weak Acts 14. 22. yet not excluding Magistrates who being pious are in their way eminent Reducers into Gods way as we see in Jehosaphat that dwelt at Jerusalem but went out through the people from Bersheba to mount Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord God of their Fathers 2 Chron. 19. 4. 2. Reverence the Lords Day and all those holy Ordinances which God hath appointed to be then especially exercised It is observed that the meeting of the Jewes together in the solomn Feasts was a great means of uniting them in the knowledge of the God of Israel which was then more aboundantly taught and in the true worship of God wherein then they were more aboundantly employed 3. Keep close to good Christians whose character it is to meet together to speak to one another Mal. 3. 16. and so to confirme one another 1 Thes 5. 14. If any be unruly they warn him if feeble-minded they comfort him if weake they support him and if any of the company do erre from the truth one or other if he doth not forsake the Society will set upon him and seek to turn him from the error of his way Jam. 5. 19 20. It is very observable that when Peter was among right Christians at Antioch he was right himself but when other company came in that were feirce enemies to Christian Liberty both he though an Apostle and by his example divers others yea and Barnabas left their upright walking Gal. 2. 12 13 14. Now its true that all Sects have their Societies and they may say they keep to those of their owne but its one thing to love keep company with Christians upon the account of Regeneration union to the Head which should be the great reason of our love and associating our selves with them i and another to walk with a deviding party in a way