Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	people_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	16	3	8.8568	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65555	A practical and plain discourse of the form of godliness, visible in the present age and of the power of godliness: how and when it obtains; how denied or oppressed; and how to be instated or recovered. With some advices to all that pretend to the power of godliness. By Edward Lord Bishop of Cork and Rosse.	Wettenhall, Edward, 1636-1713.	1683 (1683)	Wing W1512; ESTC R222295	59,356	200

in ways of well-doing does it become I say such to be ever boding the worst that can come You 'l say perhaps Yes our Sins deserve it But is not the Reply as obvious as that Answer Why do we not rather reform them than still fondly pretend we dread their Punishment Nay is not this pretended dread one of our Sins If it be only pretended 't is Falseness and Hypocrisie If it be real it is an injury to our selves in putting our selves in a perpetual Little-ease to others privately in communicating to them the same inquietude to the publick in sowing and somenting Discontents It is besides a Dishonour to God in not trusting him and quieting our minds by such trust and finally a part of great uncharitableness if no further reflection to our Governours and those who have the management of affairs We are apt sometimes highly to extol and admire as our greatest interest here on earth the Life of Faith What becomes of this Life while we indulge in our selves and possess others with such restless and it is to be hoped unreasonable fears or can we say we commit our souls into the hands of God for their future state but dare not trust him for the present with our Bodies Estates and Families In a word if we will not abandon this unworthy temper we must be told we hereby only express the want of the Power of Godliness which most certainly would work us to an intire resignation of our selves to his holy Pleasure and to a cheerful dependance upon him as knowing he governs the World He will be exalted upon the earth and bring to pass his own Counsels both in purging and in preserving his Church nor does he need we should step out of our way to help him § 6. I presume now the Advice may be taken which I have formerly and often given some people to no purpose let none who pretend to the Power of Godliness busie themselves and interpose in things that belong not to them especially supposing them private men not in modelling agitating much less controlling and counterworking the affairs and concerns of State Our Province is Godliness What has that to do with State politicks The Scripture often reproves Busie-bodies and by warning us that we take heed we suffer not as Busie-bodies suggests to us that it is neither easie for us to avoid suffering in one kind or other if we will be such nor creditable to suffer as such 1 Pet. iv 15. There is nothing has more exposed some people nor perhaps more hindred the Reformation they desired than their inorordinate meddling in publick Affairs and intruding into or carrying on secret political designs And we know it is the ordinary Character of one reputed the great Founder of a certain Sect I will neither name Sect nor Person that he was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man which would concern himself in more Counsels than he was welcome to A strange thing it is that after so many passionate Admonitions given them to the contrary nay after so many Reproaches and Defeats which some men have seen fall upon themselves and Followers they will not be wiser and quieter How justly might the Apostles have been stiled those who turned the world upside down Act. xvii 6. had they acted at the rate that our Gospellers have now long accustomed themselves to But we cannot observe in those certain and antient Saints the least tendency to tampering or drawing the People into Cabals and Mutinies though they endured a thousand times more for Religion than any amongst us Both they and our Lord Jesus suffered the Governments of the world to keep their old Model and run in their former channel were obedient to every Ordinance of Man or humane Polity they were cast under and prescribed the same contenting themselves and both by Example and Doctrine teaching us to content our selves under Authority to lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty We find then no Admonitions to Senates or High Courts of Parliament written no Remonstrances no holy Common-wealths It was not then esteemed a part of Christian Zeal to be undermining and lifting men out of their Rights dictating Conditions of Subjection aiming at the misplacing Ministers of State nominating new ones and in a word practising as if we had more Wit and Right to govern than those whom God in his Providence has set over us I hope all men of any seriousness in Religion will learn at length to lay aside this meddling Humour and that not only in the State but even in other mens private concerns where they are no wise invited or called thereto for there is a more private sort of Pragmaticalness also that they will study to do their own business not taking upon them to be Directors Transactors or Menagers where nothing but their own busie Humour gives them any inducement or incouragement § 7. Let us on all sides forbear and avoid as far as is possible whatever we know is apt to offend or provoke one another As far as is possible I say and by possible I mean as far as we can and may For Id tantum possumus quod jure possumus Our Power ought not to extend beyond our Right Strange and unreasonable are the Practices which some mens Bigotry or Irregularity of Zeal puts them upon What is the meaning of certain peoples crying out of our Liturgy so thoroughly in this behalf reformed under the Terms of the English mass-Mass-book Popery new drest and the like And then how comes that very Doctrine in one mans Mouth or Book to be Pelagianism Socinianism Arminianism Advance towards Popery c. wch in anothers is Orthodox Sound and Godly Nay why is it only an expression of Zeal in one and study of Innovation in the other Again on the side of those who are zealous and that justly for the Liturgy What is the meaning of filling the Peoples Common-Prayer Books with Pictures our Church Books have none How came these into the hands of Protestants at their Devotions How unseasonable in this juncture Our Bibles laid aside both they and Preaching exclaim'd against by some Sundry more such practices as these amongst serious people on both hands might be named which only breed ill Bloud create Jealousies of one another inhance our Feuds and Animosities which God knows we have no need of This kind of Zeal is no effect but an enemy of the Power of Godliness Let in the name of God our Zeal confine it self to its proper Objects things necessary Faith Holiness and Peace And while on one hand we plead for Purity let us not forfeit Sobriety while on the other for Conformity to our Church-Laws let us not prove Nonconformists our selves by going beyond them § 8. Let us give off that uncharitable wicked humour of placing Godliness in Opiniastry or being rigid in some Controversial points How many are there who will by no means allow him capable of the Power of Godliness who is not a strict Calvinist either supralapsarian as perhaps the Master or sublapsarian as his more wary Followers With these men Calvinism is the Standard of Piety nay of Christianity Yet are they again paid off in their coin by Adversaries who shall tell the world no Calvinist can be better than an Hypocrite or Athiest These extremities are very ill and Charity is a more excellent way I confess in dubious questions methinks that part ought to be chosen which most effectually presses Holiness By their Fruits that is the tendencies of the Doctrines shall ye know them viz. the Teachers whether they teach true or false Yet to some men that may seem to press on and further Holy life which in other mens thoughts destroys it In the mean time we ought to remember it is not bad and illogical arguing but bad and immoral living which is incompatible with the Power of Godliness § 9. Lastly therefore I will conclude this Advice with an humble but most earnest Request to all Christian people That they will maintain a large and true catholick Spirit not confining Sanctity and Salvation to their own party but loving and praying for all who any where give evidence of the Fear of God and walk according to the Gospell being ready for Vnion and Accomodation upon whatsoever lawful terms they may Mutual strangeness aversness and antipathies to one another can never flow from nor be reconciled with the Power of Godliness Whether I shall be heard herein I know not or if exposed as I have been and esteemed weak as I am I care not But sure I am Peace and Holiness are such Twins which weep and smile flourish and languish together nor can self-will'd and turbulent Spirits ever vouch themselves to be of God I have thus noted the chief Faults which occur to me in those who pretend on any hand to the Power of Godliness Namely overlooking in themselves spiritual evils Oftentation or making a more specious Profession of Religion than is confistent with modest Sincerity Indiscretion or heedlesness in our Conversation I mean a not imploying our utmost care and prudence that our Behaviour be for the Honour of the Gospel Querelousness or crying out upon the Times or Government unreasonable Fears and Surmises a busie pragmatical Humour both in publick affairs and the private concerns of other men Bigottry or irregular Zeal for a Party placing Sanctity in a scheme of perplex'd and perplexing Opinions and finally Schismatical Vncharitableness More Evils possibly I might have taxed and more Advices given to men of this Character but they occur not Good men I hope will add hereto Bernardus non videt omnia God amend all these in any FINIS