Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	doctrine_n	homily_n	2,004	5	11.8804	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26967	Now or never the holy, serious, diligent believer justified, encouraged, excited and directed, and the opposers and neglecters convinced by the light of Scripture and reason / by Richard Baxter ...	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1662 (1662)	Wing B1320; ESTC R11592	92,411	266

words of the most subtile disputant Christianity being an affecting practical Science must practically and affectionately be declared according to its nature Arguments do but paint it out And pictures do no more make known its excellency then the picture of meat and drink makes known its sweetness When a doctrine so holy is visibly exemplified and liveth and walketh and worketh in serious Christians before the world Either this or nothing will convince them and constrain them to glorify our Lord and say that God is among us or in us of a truth Mat. 5. 16. 1 Cor. 14. 25. But it is unchristian lives that darkneth the glory of the Christian Faith When men that profess such glorious hopes shall be as sordidly earthly and sensual and ambitious and impotent and impatient as other men they seem but fantastical dissembles And yet shall there be found such a perfidious wretch under the heavens of God as a professed Minister of Christ that shall subtilly or openly labour to make an exact and holy and heavenly conversation a matter of reproach and scorn and that under pretence of reproving the sins of Hypocrites and Schismaticks shall make the exactest conformity to the Christian rule and faithfullest obedience to the Almighty Soveraign to seem to be but hypocrisie or self-conceitedness or needless trouble if not the way to sedition and publick trouble and turning all things upside down that cannot reprove sin without malicious insinuating slanders or suspitions against the holy law and holy life that are most contrary to sin as life to death as health to sickness and as light to darkness For any man especially any professed Christian any where to oppose or scorn at godliness is a dreadful sign as well as a heinous sin But for a Preacher of Godliness to oppose and scorn at Godliness and that in the Pvlpit while he pretendeth to promote it and plead for it in the name of Christ is a sin that should strike the heart of man with horrour to conceive of Though I cannot subscribe my self to that passage in the second part of the tenth Homily Tom. 2. pag. 150. however I very much love and honour the book of Homilies yet for their sakes that not only can subscribe to it but would have all kept out of the Ministry that cannot and that take it for that Doctrine of the Church of England which they will believe and Preach I will recite it to the terror of the guilty not to drive to despair but to awake them or to shame them for their opposition to the wayes of godliness Expounding Psal 1. 1. Blessed is the man that hath not walked after the counsel of the ungodly nor stood in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornful having shewed who are the ungodly and the sinners it addeth these words The third sort he calleth scorners that is a sort of men whose hearts are so stuffed with malice that they are not contented to dwell in sin and to lead their lives in all kind of wickedness but also they do contemn and scorn in others all godliness true Religion all honesty and vertue Of the two first sorts of men I will not say but they may take Repentance and he converted unto God Of the third sort I think I may without danger of Gods judgement pronounce that never any yet were converted unto God by Repentance but continued still in their abominable wickedness heaping up to themselves damnation against the day of Gods inevitable judgement Though I dare not say but some such have Repented yet let the scorners that believe this remember that they subscribe the sentence of their own condemnation Though I look upon this sort of the enemies of Holiness as those that are as unlikely to be recovered and saved as almost any people in the world except Apostates and Malicious Blasphemers of the Holy Ghost yet in compassion to the people and themselves I shall plead the cause of God with their consciences and try what Light can do with their understandings and the terrours of the Lord with their hardened hearts 1. A Preacher of the Gospel should much excel the people in understanding And therefore this sin is greater in them then other men what means what light do they sin against Either thou knowest the necessity of serving for salvation with the greatest diligence or thou dost not If not what a sin and shame is it to undertake the sacred Office of the Ministry while thou knowest not the things that are necessary to salvation and that which every Infant in the Faith doth know But if thou dost know it how dost thou make shift maliciously to oppose it without feeling the beginnings of Hell upon thy Conscience When it is thy work to read the Scriptures and meditate on them dost thou not read thy doom and meditate terrour How canst thou choose but perceive that the scope of the word of God is contrary to the bent of thy affections and suggestions Yea what is more evident by the Light of Nature then that God and our salvation cannot be regarded with too much holy seriousness exactness and industry Should not the best things be best loved and the greatest matters have our greatest care And is there any thing to be compared with God and our eternal state O what overwhelming subjects are these to a sober and considerate mind what toyes are all things in comparison of them And yet dost thou make light of them and also teach men so to do As if there were something else that better deserved mens greatest care and diligence then they What a Preacher and not a Believer Or a Believer and yet not see enough in the matters of Eternity to engage all our powers of soul and body against all the world that should stand in competition 2. Is it not sinful and terrible enough to be thy self in a carnal unrenewed state Rom. 1. 13. and to be without the Spirit and life of Christ v. 9. but thou must be so cruel as to make others miserable also Psal 50. 16 17. But to the wicked saith God What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Matth. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of the least Commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven But whosoever shall do and teach the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven 3. What an aggravation is it of thy impiety and soul-murder that thou art bound by office to teach men that life of holiness which thou oppoposest and to perswade them to that with all thy might which thou endeavourest closely and cunningly to disgrace And wilt thou be a Traytor to Christ in the name of a Messenger and Preacher of the Gospel Wilt thou engage thy self to promote his interest and to use all thy skill

evident that Images superstition and worshipping of Images and idolatry have continued many hundred years For preaching of Gods Word most sincere in the beginning by process of time waxed less and less pure and after corrupt and last of all altogether laid down and left off and other inventions of men crept in place of it So that Laity and Clergy learned and unlearned all ages sects and degrees of men women and children of all Christendom a most horrible and dreadfull thing to think have been at once drowned in abomi●able Idolatry of all other vices most detested of God and most damnable to man and that by the space of eight hundred years So far the Church of England And though I am far from crediting the many fabulous stories in that and such other Books yet I shall recite one instance in the life of Philip Nerius the Father of the Oratorians which shall shew you that even among the Papists holy serious diligence where it is hath the same usage from the prophane both Clergy and Laity as in other places and so that every where Holiness is persecuted by men professing the same Religion with those they persecute The meetings of the Oratorians and their exercises so like those now abhorr'd by many are by Baronius that was one of them thus described as you may see in the life of Nerius p. 45. Certainly by the Divine wisdom was it brought to pass that in our times Assemblies were instituted in the City much what after the form of those Apostolical Conventions such especially as by the Apostle were oppointed for discoursing of divine matters both for edifying the hearers and for propogating the Church It was agreed that the zealous Christians should meet a days at St. Hieroms Oratory and there a Religious meeting should be held after this manner First silence being made they began with prayer and one of the brothers reads some pious lesson At the reading of which the Father used to interpose upon occasion explaining more fully enlarging and vehemently inculcating on the minds of the Auditors the things read continuing his discourse sometime a whole hour to the great satisfaction of the hearers dialogue-wise asking some of the company their opinions about such a thing Afterward by his appointment one of them went up into the Desk raised upon steps and made an Oration without flourishes or varnish of Language composed out of the approved and choice lives of Saints sacred Writ and sentences of Holy Fathers He that succeeded him discoursed after the same manner but on a differing matter Then followed the third who related some part of the Church story in the order of its several Ages Every of these had his half hour allotted him and performed all with marvellous delight and approbation Then singing some Hymn and going to prayers again the company broke up All things thus ordered and ratified by the Pope as far as the times would suffer the beautiful face of the Primitive Apostolical assembling seemed to be revived again whereat all good men rejoycing and many taking their Model from them the like exercises of piety were set up and practised in other places So far Baronius If any say that this long and zealous exercise was not in private houses I Answer Allow us an Oratory as the Pope himself allowed them and we had rather far be there then in private houses But if any that hinder such from being publick shall then reproach it for being in a less publick place they scarce play fair The Church of England in the third part of the Serm. against the peril of idolatry p. 66 67. saith In Maximinian and Constantius the Emperours Proclamation the places where Christians resorted to publick Prayer were called Conventicles See further But how were the Oratorians esteemed and used In Chap. 16. of Nerius's persecutions after the mention of mens rancor and railing that maligned him it follows p. 56. that The Prelate that was Deputy of the City moved by the reports of them that bore a spleen to Philip sent for him and reprehended him sharply Is it not a shame saith he that you who profess a contempt of the world should hunt for popular applause and walk through the City guarded with troops with such nets as these fishing for Church-preferments When having shrewdly taunted him with such like expressions he prohibits him the hearing of Confessions for fifteen dayes and to use the customes of the Oratory but by leave first obtained or to lead about with him any companies of men threatning imprisonment upon his disobedience Neither would he let him depart till he put in security for his appearance saying Come you do all this not for the glory of God but to make a party for your self Mean time while the good man was commending himself to God having intreated divers religious persons to be instant in Prayer about this business one appeareth and saith This trouble shall be quickly over and the work that is begun be more strongly oonfirmed they who resist now shall assist hereafter and if any one shall dare to oppose it any longer God shall speedily avenge it on him the Prelate that is your chiefest adversary shall certainly dye with 15. dayes And it fell out precisely as he foretold for the Prelate the Popes Deputy relating the proceedings to his Holiness somewhat partially died suddenly No sooner was this blaze of persecution out but a much fiercer was kindled against the Order For under pretext of Piety and Religion some possessed the Pope that the Preachers of St. Hieroms many times delivered things ridiculous and unsound which argued high indiscretion or ignorance and must needs endanger their hearers I would not have troubled you with any of these citations but to let those know that are offended at my reproof of impious Ministers that in all places and parties in the world where there is any serious diligence for salvation there are alwayes enemies of the same Profession even among the Clergy as well as others The hindering of Holy Diligence and Seriousness is the work of the Devil and his Instruments in the world The promoting it is the work of Christ and of his servants The great actions of the World are but the conflictings of these two armies the salvation of the Conquerors and the damnation of the conquered being the end By this contending for Faith and Holiness and bearing the Cross I take my self bound to perform my Covenant of professing the Faith of Christ crucified and manfully fighting under his Banner against the Devil the World and the Flesh to my lives end Reader thou art engaged to the like as well as I and shalt be judged accordingly and reap as thou hast sowed CHOOSE and DO as thou wilt SPEED Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest THe mortality of man being the principal

Authority the Work it self I desire you but to receive what is there delivered not by any factious persons but by the Church Do this and we are agreed and satisfied And I make it my request to the Reader to peruse both Parts of that Homily that he may know how far the Church of England is from the loose conceits of the enemies of Godliness And if also you will read over the Homilies against the peril of Idolatry you will the fuller know the Judgement of the Church about the manner of Gods worship Indeed the whole Book is such as the people should be acquainted with I Have done my part to open to you the Necessity of SERIOVS DILIGENCE and to call up the sluggish souls of sinners to mind the work of their salvation and to do it SPEEDILY and with all their MIGHT I must now leave the success to God and you What use you will make of it and what you will be and do for the time to come is a matter that more concerneth your selves then me If long speaking or multitude of words were the way to prevail with you I should willingly speak here while my strength would endure and lengthen out my exhortations yet seven-fold But that 's not the way A little wearieth you You love long feasts and long visits and plays and sports much better then long Sermons or Books or Prayers But it is no small grief to us to leave you in a case of such importance without some considerable hopes of your deliverance Sirs the matter is now laid before you and much in your own hands it will not be so long What will ye now do Have I convinced you now that God and your salvation are to be sought with all your might If I have not it is not for want of evidence in what is said but for want of willingness in your selves to know the truth I have proved to you that it is a matter out of controversie unless your lusts and passions and carnal interest will make a controversie of it I beseech you tell me if you be of any Religion at all why are you not strict serious and diligent and mortified and Heavenly in that Religion which you are of Sure you will not so far shame your own Religion whatever it be as to say that your Religion is not for mortification holinesse heavenliness self-denial or that your Religion alloweth you to be ambitious covetous gluttonous drunken to curse and swear and whore and raile and oppress the innocent It is not Religion but Diabolical serpentine malignity that is for any of this It s wonderful to think that learned men and Gentlemen and men that pretend to reason and ingenuity can quietly betray their souls to the Devil upon such silly grounds and do the evil that they have no more to say for and neglect that duty that they have no more to say against when they know they must do it NOW or NEVER That while they confesse that there is a God and a life to come a Heaven and a Hell and that this life is purposely given us for preparation for Eternity while they confess that God is most wise and holy and good and just and that sin is the greatest evil and that the Word of God is true they can yet make shift to quiet themselves in an unholy sensual careless life And that while they honour the Apostles and Martyrs and Saints that are dead and gone they hate their successors and imitators and the lives that they lived and are inclined to make more Martyrs by their malicious cruelty Alas all this comes from the want of a sound belief of the things which they never saw and the distance of those things the power of passion and sensual objects and inclinations that hurry them away after present vanities and conquer reason and rob them of their humanity and by the noise of the company of sensual sinners that harden and deaffen one another and by the just judgement of God forsaking those that would not know him and leaving them to the blindness and hardness of their hearts But is there no remedy O thou the fountain of mercy and relief vouchsafe these miserable sinners a remedy O thou the Saviour of lost mankind have mercy upon these sinners in the depth of their security presumption and misery O thou the Illuminater and Sanctifier of souls apply the remedy so dearly purchased We are constrained oft to fear lest it be much long of us that should more seriously preach the awakening truths of God unto mens hearts And verily our consciences cannot but accuse us that when we are most lively and serious alas we seem but almost to trifle considering on what a message we come and of what transcendent things we speak But Satan hath got his advantage upon our hearts that should be instrumental to kindle theirs as well as on theirs that should receive the truth O that we could thirst more after their salvation O that we could pray harder for it and entreat them more earnestly as those that were loath to take a denial from God or man I must confess to you all with shame and sorrow that I am even amazed to think of the hardness of my own heart that melteth no more in compassion to the miserable and is no more earnest and importunate with sinners when I am upon such a subject as this and am telling them that it must be NOW or NEVER and when the messengers of Death within and the fame of mens displeasure from without doth tell me how likely it is that my Time shall be but short and that if I will say any thing that may reach the hearts of sinners for ought I know it must be NOW or NEVER O what an obstinate what a lamentable disease is this insensibility and hardness of heart If I were sure this were the last Sermon that ever I should preach I find now my heart would shew its sluggishness and rob poor souls of the serious fervour which is suitable to the subject and their case and needful to the desired success But yet poor sleepy sinners hear us Though we speak not to you as men would do that had seen Heaven and Hell and were themselves in a perfectly awakned frame yet hear us while we speak to you the words of truth with some seriousness and compassionate desire of your Salvation O look up to your God! Look out unto eternity Look inwardly upon your souls Look wisely upon your short and hasty Time and then bethink you how the little remnant of your Time should be employed and what it is that most concerneth you to dispatch and secure before you die Now you have Sermons and Books and Warnings It will not be so long Preachers must have done God threatneth them and death threatneth them and men threaten them and its you it s you that are most severely threatned and that are called on by Gods warnings