Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	know_v	name_n	write_v	5,306	5	5.6704	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51680	A Mystery of godlinesse and no cabala, or, A sincere account of the non-conformists conversation ... occasioned by a bitter and malitions [sic] paper called the Cabala.	Birkenhead, John, Sir, 1616-1679.	1663 (1663)	Wing M3184; ESTC R7629	26,519	43

may learn and all may be comforted but we must needs say whatever in suggested to the contrary that among us the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets for we own that God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints we hope there is so much of the English genius of Friendship and good nature abroad in the world that none will censure us either for familiar meetings which are neighbourly or for making good use of those meetings which is Christian Indeed we were unsufferable if we set up private meetings in opposition to publick Assemblies but it s a common observation by this time that we never go together privately the same hour that others meet publickly and indeed we are glad when they say unto us Let us go up to the House of God One thing we have desired of the Lord that while we seek after that we may dwell in the House of the Lord all the daies of our lives to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple And it s seldome that we escape any opportunities of joyning with the publick Assemblies for though we cannot administer in the Church yet we cannot separate from the Church we would not partake with the Churches sins least we be defiled we would not remove from the Church least we be nothing And indeed we desire only in private to set home upon our hearts what we have gained in publick we would second the Ministers at home whom we cannot assist abroad It s true they of us that fear the Lord speak often one to another but we dare not speak any thing that is amiss for we know the Lord hearkeneth and heareth us and a Book of Remembrance is written before for them that fear the Lord and think upon his Name 4. Forasmuch as there is no well-affected Christian that is not deeply sensible of the unsetledness division animosities prophaneness decay of Trade and other calamities whereby our Native Country is exposed to the pity of Neighbours and the scorn and insultation of Enemies we do effectually endeavour to work our hearts to a sound humiliation for our own sins which have contributed too much to the common calamities seeing we are so unhappy as to add to the measure of publick provocations we cannot but be so compassionate as to endeavour to add to the measure of publick prayers humiliations and intercessions 5. To prevail with God the more effectually we zealously stir up our Neighbours and Friends to be passionately affected with the present Estate of the Churches and Servants of Christ that as they helped on their miseries by their sins so they may assist in their recovery by their tears sighs and prayers 6. We endeavour by all means to gain just notice and a true account of the estate of our Native Country that as the men of Issachar we may be men understanding the times and knowing what Israel ought to do and herein we observe First our sins we allow to the great dishonor of the Majesty of the holy God we serve and the purity of the holy Gospel we profess And secondly the judgements we lye under by reason of these sins our great design is to root up the greatest evil that is Sin and draw neer the highest good that is God that he would take delight in us to do us good and would receive us graciously and love us freely 7. We deeply lay to heart and secretly mourn for the sins of the people representing them to our thoughts in their heynous nature and circumstances humbly entreating the Lord for their serious repentance of them and earnestly deprecating the judgements provoked by them so that we lay together both the evils we feel and those we have too just cause to fear and in a due sense of both we desire to humble our selves and others under the mighty hand of God 8. And therefore whensoever we have an opportunity to speak from God to his people in the publick Assemblies we desire to speak a present truth and to lay open and bewail the sins of the time and to awake the people with all zealous exhortation to a lively and just sorrow for all the overflowings of wickedness and to a vehement and godly striving against the stream thereof by their prayers and utmost endeavours day and night constantly pouring out their hearts in strong cryes and servent prayer to our God that he will be pleased to visit us in mercy and compassion and cause the light of his countenance to shine upon us 9. And however privately we set apart one day at least in every week for this holy end and purpose wherein we humble our selves in private fasting and prayer till it please our God to return to his in his wonted pity and compassion and put an end to our sins and miseries recovering us to that first state of Innocence peace and plenty which we were happy in before our late miscarriages 10. We do restrain our wonted pleasure not allowing the liberty of that mirth and lawful refreshment which we might formerly make use of while the hand of God lieth thus heavily upon us 11. We do not allow our selves the neglect of any good means of prayer reading meditation and conference whereby the peace and welfare of this Church and State may be procured and maintained and shall carefully avoid all words and actions ways and means which may at all tend to the widening of the unhappy breaches and the encreasing the many and woful differences among us seeking peace and ensuing it studying now in our leisure time to look into the bottom of Controversies that we may bring differences to as narrow a compass as we can beget a mutual good understanding and satisfaction among sober men clearing up things as far as lieth in our power for the reuniting of all honest and faithful hearts in a firm concord of Christian love endeavouring to discover and defeat all the devices and machinations of Satan and his Engines against the peace and welfare of the Church in all parts of the world especially in these wherein we are interested 12. And particularly considering our selves our own miscarriages and infirmities we shall not as afore fly out upon the weakness defects or excesses of our Fathers or Brethren aggravating the blame of those their actions or Opinions which may be capable of a gentler or milder construction resolving to look as charitably upon all their proceedings who are otherwise minded in matters of an inferiour Nature bending our whole endeavours against known sin and open prophaness the great Enemies of our peace and settlement As we have preached so we desire to live that charity that suffereth long and is kind is not easily provoked thinketh no evil beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things 13. And to that purpose we have first of all laid aside all our lesser Opinions among our selves and our

little separations and divisions and resolvedly knit our selves together in an entire affection one to another that by this all men may know that we are Christs Disciples because we love one another and are ready to shew all mutual respects of Christian love and observance to each other upon all occasion loving as Brethren As likewise we shall in all meekness of spirit lovingly converse with and kindly affectionate to and respectful towards all our Fathers and Brethren in their places living without offence and blameless 14. We mourn but not as men without hope that our gracious God will find out a way to have mercy upon us and to chear up his countenance towards all his Chosen Ones wiping as that holy Bishop said all tears from their eyes and all spots from their faces and answering the holy desires of their hearts in shewing them Sion in perfect beauty and that not by overturning any part of the Government but by opening our hearts to see our errours and close one with another by turning the heart of the Father towards the Child and of the Child towards the Father least God come and smite the earth with dicurse 15. In the mean time we possess our Souls in patience and we keep silence before God waiting upon him that hideth his face from Jacob for his Spirit of love unity peace and concord resolving to continue thus doing till we receive an answer from heaven 16. It s true there are many of us whose bodies will not bear that austerity of fasting and humiliation which our cause may require yet they that cannot fast do pray and they that cannot spare a day in seven can spare an hour in twelve and make up the rest in frequent and servent ejaculations 17. Whereas some have pretended that we set up a Government within a Government and that we have an Authority among our selves we must let the world know we are all equal and we have no formality or Ceremony among us but a free and voluntary entrance left open for all comers into this strict course of Christian Austerity without any noyse without the required notice of any but God and their own conscience that all may well know and see that here is no design than meerly Spiritual aiming at nothing but Religious Transactions between God and our own Souls and consisting in the performance of the unquestionable exercises of Piety and holy Devotion 18. Since we have been uncapable of speaking to the people the things that are of everlasting concernment we have recommended to them the writings of good men pious and peaceable who being dead yet speak and poor men we know may read a good book when they cannot hear a good man and we our selves teach them from house to house with tears day and night as the Apostles did leaving with them such books as Mr. Baxters Call his Now or Never his Directions for Peace of Conscience his Saints Everlasting Rest Mr Bolton Dr. Sibbs Mr. Perkins Mr. Dod and Dr. Preston 19. We settle mens judgements upon most firm and solid principles leading to peace and holiness leading them through that safe and middle way that is equally distant from all the extremes men have run into in their hearts about some points of Religion as particularly in the points now in difference among us we teach our people that though we cannot conform to the Church without sin yet they cannot separate from it without sin we cannot administer according to the prescribed form but we and they can hear according to it we must joyn with the Church in our duties though we are not guilty of her infirmities we teach them that it is one thing to hold communion with a Church that is under some miscarriages and another thing to act those miscarriages what we chiefly insist on are things much comporting and agreeing with the spirit of the Scriptures and things that are most proper to build men up in their most holy Faith and to promote the power of godliness in their hearts and lives 20. It s true we desire to settle our peoples hearts upon all occasions but always offering them such things as tend to peace and quietness and godliness of living dealing as faithfully with them as those who must give an account and if therefore we have any interest with them we improve for God our Soveraign and the Church of Christ for whose distressed members we sometimes solicit them with success and find them willing above their strength and ability and we hope the Lord will not forget their work and labour of love and yet we desire not to wrong any Minister in his place for indeed we stated the point of Ministers maintenance upon such grounds that we are perswaded no sober Christian with whom we have any interest will withdraw any thing that is due from any man that labours in the Word and Doctrine and watches for their Souls And though we are otherwise represented yet our great endeavour is by a discreet interposition to allay and fix the people to a due temperament gently guiding some mens well-meaning zeal by such rules of moderation as are best to restore and preserve the health and peace of this Church and Kingdome much pleasing our selves in that good and firm understanding which would thence grow between his most Excellent Majesty and his good people all jealousies being laid aside our own and our Posterities Interest lay before us many strong obligations to seek and preserve the peace and welfare of the Land of our Nativity the offence which some mens dangerous medling and over-busie interpositions have contracted upon our profession we have resolved to expiate by such moderations for the future as might not only check the excesses of our practise but of our Opinions too no men having a greater kindness for peace and settlement preserved in truth unity and order then our selves whom it most concerns whether we consider our consciences callings or interests as knowing that nothing undermines to much in our Authority and Calling as those dangerous dissentions wherein the people learn to shake off both 21. It is true we cannot own that Episcopacy now established so as to undertake it our selves yet we would submit to it as to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supreme or to those who are sent by him whose great charges and care is like enough to betray them to some errours and many enemies whereof they canno but contract good store while so eminent and so active they provoke that envy which improved to a popular odium is able to overcast the highest Merit and Integrity wherefore the Bishops have our prayers pity and assistance and although we cannot in our judgement approve all that they do driven it may be rather by the temper of the people and unhappiness of this age then 〈◊〉 their own disposition to any height and rigour of action yet we allow not that their persons