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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	good_a	read_v	time_n	3,315	5	3.6872	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92760	A sermon preached before the Religious Societies in the city of Dublin, on the 29th of Septemb. 1695 Together with the method to be observed by them at their meetings, and the laws of their Society, with the 39 Articles of the Church of Ireland, By B. Scroggs, D.D.	Scroggs, Benedict, 1657 or 8-1696.	1695 (1695)	Wing S2120; ESTC R229819	14,205	73

as the first Christians had to direct you therefore beware of your selves and your own infirmities lest they betray you into Error and ruin the glorious design you are engaged in You must therefore resolve strictly to observe all the Laws you have agreed to you must not depend wholly upon your own knowledge but ask counsel of those that are wiser and especially your own Pastors you must work out the salvation of other men as you do your own with fear and trembling you must rebuke without censoriousness and triumph over Sin without pride or insolence and since you are not infallibly guided by the Spirit you must take a particular care of avoiding all disputes and differences among your selves for which there can be no better way than to resolve never to meddle with any controversy no not concerning morality it self so far as to fall into any heats and animosities about it These Cautions if you observe and continue in your good resolutions the blessings of God will undoubtedly attend your endeavours and the whole Nation may in time feel the good effects of your labours At least your own reward will be extraordinary in proportion to the good you design whether you succeed or no. The Psalmist when he desired a blessing from God to gain his favour made a vow to give him what he thought above all things wou'd please him which thing if thou wilt grant me then shall the righteous resort unto my company To live in the Society of good men is the most acceptable offering we can make to the Almighty especially when good men meet together to encrease the number of the righteous by instructing the ignorant and reforming the wicked this is not only pleasing to God but an occasion of joy to all the Angels in Heaven and he that encreases now the joy of that place may expect to partake of it abundantly hereafter THE Method to be observ'd By The Several Religious Societies When they meet together 1st AT their first meeting they may discourse of what Sermons they have heard what good Books they have seen and read or upon any other pious Subject till a competent number be come together 2. Then the Prelector who is the same with the Steward must begin the Prayers with one or more of these Sentences Behold how good and joyful a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity Ps 133. ver 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Eccles 12 Ch. ver 1. Exhort one another while it is called to day least any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin knowing that he that converteth a Sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins James 5 Ch. ver 20. Then let every man kneel Prel Let us Pray Lord have mercy upon us Ans Christ have mercy upon Prel Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Prel O Lord save thy Servants Ans Who put their trust in thee Prel Send us help from above Ans And evermore mightily defend us Prel Help us O God our Saviour Ans And for the glory of thy Name deliver us be merciful to us Sinners for thy Names sake Prel O Lord save thy Servant King William Ans And give him the victory over all his Enemies Prel O Lord hear our Prayer Ans And let our Cry come unto thee Prel Let us Pray O God the strength of all them that put their trust in thee mercifully accept our Prayers and because through the weakness of our mortal natures we can do no good thing without thee grant us the help of thy grace that in keeping thy Commandments we may please thee both in will and deed thro Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Almighty God who seest that we have no power of our selves to help our selves keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls that we may be defended from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul thro Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O Almighty God who alone canst order the unruly wills affections of sinful men grant 〈◊〉 to thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise that so among the sundry and manifold changes of the World our hearts may surely there be fixt where true joys are to be found thro Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O Lord we beseech thee mercifully to hear us and grant that we to whom thou hast given a hearty desire to Pray may by thy mighty aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities and devoutly given to serve thee in all good works to the glory of thy name thro Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Blessed Lord who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning grant that we may in such wise hear them read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of thy holy word we may embrace and ever hold fast that blessed hope of everlasting Life which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Here all standing the Praelector shall say Prel O praise the Lord with me Ans Let us magnify his name together Prel Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Ans As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without end Amen Then shall all say after the Prelector It is meet right and our bounden duty that we shou'd at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee O Lord holy Father Almighty everlasting God Therefore with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of Heaven we laud and magnify thy glorious name evermore praising thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high Amen After this the Prelector shall name a Psalm or part of a Psalm which they shall all sing 3. Then the Prelecter shall read distinctly a Chapter or more out of the New Testament where it relates most to practise together with Dr. Hammond's paraphrase or any other good comment to be approv'd of by the Bishop or some Orthodox Minister of the Establish'd Church 4. Afterwards he shall read a portion of some Exposition on the Church Catechism or some other practical good Book to be approv'd of as above and this may be shorter or longer

according as the time will permit 5. Then shall every man that is able give his Alms for the Poor and whilst this is doing the Prelector shall read as many of these following Sentences as he thinks convenient Let y●ur light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in ●eaven Mat. 5. 18. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon Earth where the rust and moth doth corrupt and where thieves break through steal but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal Mat. 6. 19 20. While we have time let us do good unto all men and especially unto the●● who are of the houshold of 〈…〉 l. 6. 10. God is not unri●●●eous that he will forget your ●orks and labour ●●at proceedeth of love which love ye have shewed for his names 〈◊〉 who have ministred to 〈◊〉 Saints and yet do minister Heb. 6. 10. To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased He. 13. 16 Be merciful after thy power if thou hast much give plenteously if thou hast little do thy diligence gladly to give of that little for so gatherest thou thy self a good reward in the day of necessity Tob 4. 8 9. He that hath pitty on the poor lendeth unto the Lord and look what 〈◊〉 ●ayeth out it shall be paid 〈◊〉 again Prov. 19. 17. Blessed 〈…〉 that provideth 〈…〉 needy the Lor●●hall deliver him in the time of trouble 〈◊〉 1. 1. When they have given their alms they shall 〈◊〉 while if they have time and discourse upon any pious subject that offers viz. what objects of Charity they know particularly such as have lived well hcretofore and what young men of their acquaintance may be gain'd over to a vertuous conversation and if there be any difficulty or case of Conscience necessary to be resolved or any religious affair to be settled let it be then propounded and calmly discoursed of After which let a Psalm be sung and after that let them all repeat the Apostles Creed standing and then let the Prelector conclude with these Collects every man kneeling C Assist us mercifully O Lord in these our supplications and Prayers and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help thro Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O Almighty Lord and everlasting God vouchsafe we beseech thee to direct sanctify govern both our hearts and bodies in the ways of thy laws and in the works of thy Commandments that through thy most mighty protection both here ever we may be preserved both in body and soul through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Blessed Lord who hast taught us that all our doings without Charity are nothing worth send thy Holy Ghost and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of Charity that we may love thee above all things and sincerely love our neighbour for thy sake and endeavor the benefit of his precious soul Make us ever more fearful of his danger than of his displeasure and more desirous of his good than of his favour Give us therefore Christian courage to reprove wisdom to advise councel to direct and prudence to know how and when and what to speak as we ought to do and O let a spirit of reformation be in us to put a stop to that profaness irreligion that reigns among us and do thou magnify thy power in the weakness of the instruments thou makest use of Give us clean and pure hearts and so strengthen our good resolutions with thy holy Spirit that we may never faint nor grow weary of the work we have undertaken And that it may be successful give us the spirit of Love and Peace and Unity that no differences may ever disturb us or hinder our design of teaching Sinners thy ways and drawing others to thy love that so when thou shalt come to gather thy Saints together we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise and glory now and for ever Awen O most holy and gracious Lord who in the holy Scriptures hast told us that tho we shou'd perform all that thou hast commanded we are still unprofitable Servants we prostrate our selves before thee with the lowest humility of soul and body acknowledging that we are but sinful dust and ashes and not only unprofitable but disobedient and ungrateful to thee and we beseech thee to inspire into our hearts such a sense of our own unworthiness that no success may make us high-minded no perfections of our own make us proud and conceited nor the sins of other men make us uncharitable and consorious that whilst we endeavour to bring others into the way of Piety and Religion we our selves may not be cast away O let us not boast with the Pharisee of our labours and services what-ever they shall be but rather with the Publican smite our breasts and say Lord be merciful to us sinners thro the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen O GOD our Refuge and Strength who art the Author of all Godliness hear we beseech thee the devout Prayers of thy Servants and grant that those things which we have ask'd faithfully we may obtain effectually through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Lord bless us and keep us the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us Peace now and for evermore Amen A Prayer to be used before the last Collect by the Societies of Married men Taken out of the 91 Psalm O Almighty Lord under whose defence and shadow we and our Families do dwell in security We bless thy Name for all thy former mercies and we beseech thee to continue thy care and protection of us and all our concerns Thou art our hope and our strong hold and our God in whom we will trust O defend us under thy wings and let us be safe under thy feathers and let thy faithfulness and truth be our shield and buckler Let us not be afraid of any terror by night nor of the arrow that slieth by day nor the pestilence that walketh in darkness nor the sickness that destroyeth at noon-day Let no evil happen unto us nor any plague come nigh our dwellings and give thy Angels charge over us and our Families to keep us in all thy ways that after thou hast blest us with a good life in this world thou mayest shew us thy salvation in the world to come For the sake and merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen Rules to be consented to and subscribed by such as desire to be Members of the Religious Societics in the Kingdom of Ireland 1. THE sole design of these Societies being to promote holiness of life 't is necessary