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	time_n	write_v	5,446	5	5.5612	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B23015	The confirming worke of religion ..., or, The true and infallible way for attaining a confirmed state in religion ... with a short and confirming prospect of the work of the Lord about his church in these last times / by R. Fleming ...	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.	1685 (1685)	Wing F1263A	80,672	168

it may be ever seen how with the greatest prosperity of the wicked here there are punishments of another kind dispensed and more dreadful then any outward affliction such as judicial obstinacy and blindnesse of mind in opposition to God even when their own ruine is made visible to them herein VII How oft men are thus evidently condemned to be happy in this world by some strang measure of temporall successe and prosperity before some great fall and ruine as the issue hereof in the last shene of providence doth fully attest VIII That it s seen also how sin doth ever bring its own punishment therewith in some begun degree both of shame and torment and as Seneca an heathen could say that wickednesse was the most exquisite contriver of human misery so the world likewise may see how a present immunity from judgment is no release but when its sentence is not speadily execute yet is it at last surely execute IX And how evident is it that the greatest haters of godlinesse are yet inforced to justify the same and the Christians choise herein as the greatest wisdome upon any surprising state and extremity yea how such would be glad to joyne interests then with such in their death whom they most contemned in their life QU. V. How is it convincing and demonstrable that God hath given any clear and expres revelation of his will and councel unto men and that such a wonderfull record is undoubtedly extant in the world ANSW That I. it is not possible to believe the being of God and not also the truth of an established law and rule of commerce betwixt him and man here so as to know both what we should doe and what to expect and hope from him II. That this also must be known and display its power and efficacy to the world in that manner and by such infallible evidence of its truth as may render all inexcusable who give not intire credite therto III. I can be no more clear and assured there is but one sun in the firmament then that there is but one fountain and repository of sacred light about religion which is the Scripture and its being the alone publick standard of truth to the whole world IV. That no way was ever made known to recover mankind from a state of bondage darknesse and misery compatible with the very use of reason but by this blessed light which shineth there V. Yea that there is as visible a difference betwixt the same and any pretended religion which ever was besides in the world as there is betwixt day and night which is founded in the immutable nature of these things in themselves VI. That there is one proper sphere where this glorious light of divine truth is fixed and wherein it shines forth from one age to another which is the Christian Church QU. VI. But what more peculiare evidences can yow shew of the divinity of the Scriptures that all may see to be of infallible truth ANSW I. That its sure such a book is this day in the earth which no created wisdome could ever have done and contains such things of highest conceirn to mankind as doe infinitly exceed the bounds of human ability and invention or could ever have been discovered but by God himself II. That it gives forth such exquisite laws and constitutions of our religion as men must needs see the holy nature purity and perfection of God most brightly shining forth therin III. Which doth discover so great and proper a relief for all these evils and miseries that doe attend this fallen estate of man as none but an allsufficient God could only doe IV. That he alone must be the author of this blessed record who rules the world and hath determined the changes and revolutions therof when it is not more evident how these visible heavens are stretched forth over the earth then that this line of the Scripture is stretched over the whole worke and frame of providence and doth most clearly illuminate the same V. That surely this was the product of infinite wisdome whence so great a variety of matter doth meet with so visible a concent and harmony in one perfect and intire frame yea knit in so closse a bond of union together as makes the whole Bible to be intirly one piece though in the writing of each distinct part therof it could never have possibly been contrived or forseen by humane wisdome what we see here of so admirable an agreement correspondence as is in all the parts therof VI. That none els could have spoke to the world in so majestick a way becoming the greatnesse and soveraignity of God to assume such a supremacy give forth laws for absolute obedience from all mankind therto on such a penalty of eternal destruction or that any impostures either possibly could or durst have in such a manner personate the same VII That it must needs be his word who perfectly knows what is in man and hath an absolute authority over the soul and is a discerner of the thoughts therof who thus not only gives law to the conscience and our inward parts but doth establish an internal religion there no lesse absolutly then what respects our external worke and actions VIII Yea where all may see the whole penmen therof under so intire a subjection to the doctrine which they tought and to be no contrivance of their own as they did record their own failings and imperfections in behalf of the truth and did thus also require all just respect and obedience to the Magistrates when through the whole earth they were then greatest enemies to the truth of the Gospel IX That this must be his word who alone can derive principles of life to his own institutions and animate the same with a quickning Spirit and is a worke above the contrivance of Angels or men when directed to each new tryal of the Church and personal case of Christians as though it had been alone writt for that time so that I can be no more perswaded in reason there is such a book as the Bible in the earth then that it came from heaven and is the alone rule of religion and of divine revelation for the governing of mankind QU. VII How is the secure conveyance of the Scripture demonstrable amidst all the changes of times past and that no possible accesse could be for its corruption ANSW I. That its so undenyably the first rule which ever was given to mankind of religion and the alone publick standard of truth that hath endured the tryal and inquiry of all times past so as no pretences in the matter of antiquity could yet ever be to the contrare II. That so exact an harmony is betwixt the Old and New Testament as the one is a visible transcript of the other in its accomplishment that I can be no more sure of such a venerable record as the Old Testament and its unalterable conveyance to the Church to

conviction hereof when such clear and unanswerable grounds might be improved for this end on these who look thereon as some strang and dark riddle so as they could no more deny or withstand the evidences hereof then that they have a living soul which yet they never saw or could ever be the object of human sense And how sad a prospect should this give of the greatest part of the Christian world who not only know nothing of the true glory and spirituall powers of Christianity but have not the very notion or any sense of the reality of such a thing But in the 2d place it is thus that each Christian for being solidly confirmed in the way of religion may as clearly see as he does sensibly feal the truth of his own experience and have his faith as fully established by this inward and great demonstration of the things of God as his affections are quickned upon such strong and demonstrative grounds of the certainty hereof as these are 1. By considering his present and former state that not in a dream but in the most deep and serious composure of spirit he knows how once he was blind and wholly estranged from this mysterie of Christian experience which now he does see and once had the same sentiment hereof with such who doe most deeply reflect on the same but no sooner did the truth and power of religion sease on his soul then he found himself entered into a new world to know the dawnings of this marvelous light and what belongs to these injoyments and vital acts of Christianity that hath not the least dependence on any naturall cause 2. By considering that marvelous superstructure of experimentall religion which from the inward observation of Christians in all ages is such as the world could not almost contain the books that might be write hereof which yet is so intirely founded on one and the same foundation and does in all the lines of this great circumference still meet in the same center yea thus how intire and harmonious a thing religion in all the parts therof is within upon the soul as well as without so as every step in this way of the experience of the saints is no groping in the dark but what is by line and rule with as sure and demonstrable a connexion with the externall testimony of the word as there is in nature betwixt the cause and the effect which affords a more wonderfull assistance to his faith then the greatest externall miracles could ever doe and tho the spirit of God does sometimes in an extraordinare manner reveal himself to men as acts of his Soveraign prerogative which make no rule yet with the established constitutions of his word does the continued experience of the saints most harmociously ever correspond 3. By considering thus also the being reality of grace not in its effects only but in its proper cause and original how the truth of holinesse in the life of a Christian is so express a transcript of the Gospell in its external revelation that the impresse doth not more clearly answer the seal on the wax then it doth beget the same forme and image of it self in such as believe yea also that conformity it bears to the ever blessed Architype as well as to the revealed rule and how bright a discovery is thus of so glorious a being and nature to which its conformed who is the alone patern and exemple of all truth and holinesse which is so great a discovery as he is made to wonder how men in this age are so much awakened to find out the true Phaenomena of nature though in its own room a most choise study and specialy desirable and will be as in a transport upon some rare natural experiment as made one in that manner cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilst here is another kind of demonstration and of more transcendent interest then all these could ever amount to on which the eyes of most are this day shutt 4. By considering that uncheangable congruity which is betwixt the nature of these things injoyned in the whole institutions of the Gospell and mens being made happy therby now in their present state and how great a temporal revenew of the fruits of religion as inward confidence peace and serenity of mind doth as natively follow the life and practice herof as the fruit of a tree answers to its kind and is ever found the alone true relief of mankind against all the griefs and bitternesse of time yea that it s no distance of place but of mens spirit by impurity and corruption that makes so sad a distance betwixt God and man here in the earth 5. He is thus further confirmed upon this great testimony of experimentall religion by considering that its sure such as does bear this witnesse are known 1. to be such who are of the most discerning and judicious in the things of reason as any else 2. Whose walke and practice use to have the greatest authority over mens conscience with whom they converse 3. who are found most intensly taken up in the retired worke and duties of religion that can have no respect to the witnesse and observation of others 4. Who seeks no implicit credit from any herein but does obtest men to come and see and prove the same in their their own experience with an appeal to the most exact inquiry and rationall tryall of all mankind if here be any casuall thing and if that testimony of the doctrinall and experimentall part of religion be not still one and the same 5. Who also out of the most remott places of the earth and otherwise strangers amonghst themselves does yet most harmoniously meet in the same witnesse and are thus mutually disclosed to other by a near and fealing intercourse of their souls from such an onnesse in a spirituall state and these specifick properties of a spirituall and new nature with as discernible evidence as if one man should meet with ane other of the same kind in such a place of the earth which were only inhabited with beasts 6. By considering also with a deep and serious reflection hereon that sure and known conjunction which is betwixt the most rare experiences of a Christians life and the most searching tryalls thereof with that uniform consent that hath in all ages of the Church been in such marvelous things as these 1 what solemne tokens and testimonies of the love of God and his acceptance are found usually to meet his people in the entry of some great tryall or service for him even in some unusuall manner then in the sence whereof as it was with Elijah they have been made to goe many days after in a wildernesse state yea how this does not respect persons only but Churches that the word still useth to goe before with some remarkable confirming worke to secure the heart before the crosse and some special tryal of persecution comes 2. That as each day