Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A50858
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A beame of light darted thorough [sic] the clouds, or, Truth breaking forth from under a veil by Joshua Miller.
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Miller, Joshua, 17th cent.
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1650
(1650)
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Wing M2062; ESTC R35047
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30,283
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75
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friends but the poor are destitute When a house is on fire men say not I will stay at home because I am rich or an Officer but all run to quench the fire so when there is a fire of an inlightened understanding kindled then we shall see Saints go to a Lazarus as well as to a Dives Knowledge is much improved in these days I wish it be as well practised 2. The second note is the coldnesse of love amongst Professors Many shall be notable quench-coales in this last age Honest Latimer saw love so cold in his time that he thought Dooms-day at hand But alas how dead are Professors now in love And the reason is because mens affections are placed upon Opinion and not upon practice Such a man is of my opinion therefore I love him this is self-love Lord what a hellish fire will this kindle May not a man be thy brother and yet not like thee in all things I would ask all Professors this question What is it you love in one another Is it the form or the power of god linesse One part divides from another because they are not in way or that way of worship But consider this is not Christ all and in all I suppose none ought to be so ignorant as to say A man is the lesse a Christian because he is not of the Presbyterian Church so called neither is he the lesse a Christian because he is not of the Independent Church so called If you all hold the Head you are of one mysticall Body and I hope will meet one day meet together as the generall Assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven Heb. 13.23 Have fellowship then in the spirit of truth and uprightnesse Basil complains of his time That he saw more union in Arts and Sciences then in Divinity by reason of those contentions that were amongst brethren For men in disputes rather dispute for self then truth Pride will not let men submit though conscience tells them they speak against truth This coldnesse of love demonstrates the change not far off 3. The third note is the working of miracles Matth. 24.24 Men usually admire a thing done beyond their capacity such works have naturally a great force upon mans fancy As the Jewes require a signe so the zealously ignorant shall mightily follow and adore such men Many there are that out of weaknesse of judgment think there can be no preaching because the Apostles did work miracles I answer that miracles were not in any degree essentiall to make a Minister For the Apostles might preach without them onely God was pleased to use them for the first planting the Gospell And although some may expect miracles in these last times which I confesse must come to passe yet I know no place that mentions that God will send any of his people that shall work them but rather they shall be false Prophets as Mat. 13.22 testies The Papists in their Legend of lies tell the People that they are the true Church because they work miracles but they are lying miracles Signes are only for unbelievers and the Kingdom of Heaven cometh not by observation Such then as will not believe untill they see miracles wrought I may say to them as Abraham to Dives Luke 16.31 They have Moses and the Prophets if they will not heare them neither will they believe though one rose from the dead So that where working of such miracles are it is a signe of a false Prophet and I will never follow a man the more because he may have this gift 4. The fourth note is when the Gospell is going through the whole world Mark 13.10 And surely God is beginning much in this work to gather his Saints together More instruments God wil raise for this purpose then ever were since the world began For we see God is breaking down those Lawes and distinctions that hindred many men from this glorious work But I will not absolutely determine the severall wayes God useth to convert men For a man may be converted by the reading some Scriptures or by some thoughts of God that is in a sense a preaching to the heart when God speaks within him saying this is the way walk in it Sure I am that the Gospell shall run and be glorified 5. The fifth note is when the fire of love goes out then the fire of persecution comes in the brother shall betray the brother the nearer Antichrist is to his end the greater will be his rage And this must come to passe For I observe the more zealous any man is for form then power the greater persecutor will such a people be when authority is on their side The reason is Because such men do it out of conscience to God Paul was the greatest persecutor we read of among the Jewes The time shall come when men that kill you shall think they do God good service Iohn 16.2 He that is born after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the spirit Ishmael will trouble Isaac God hath pulled down one horn of this Antichrist I pray God we may not see a sharper rise in its stead when the face of Religion is onely washt but not the heart an outward reformation but an inward deformation Ier. 9.4 Then trust not in a brother for he will utterly supplant it is hardest to reconcile brethren for love causeth jealousie When you shall see the abomination of desolation Mat. 24.15 standing where it ought not surely there is no place where abomination ought to stand This alludes to Jerusalem a place where Christ and his Disciples had preached they offered sacrifice but to their own nets made a shew of worship yet under it acted abomination persecu-and injustice I pray God it may not be so with thee O England to be a professing people talk of holy walking yet in this holy place to act wickednesse injustice oppression self-seeking and covetousnesse to make Religion a skreen to all irreligious practises this is an iniquity to be punish'd by the Judge How abominable is it for one man to pretend his neighbours good yet under that notion to take his lands and livings over his head Many men make use of Religion as a stirrup to get a horse-back into the worlds preferments Lord whether will that man run horse rider and all to destruction Such men have Gods censure you eat my people as bread to shew thy selfe as if thou wouldst feed Gods people yet under it act such abomination as is odious to all as the fisher baits his hook with meat for the fish when he intends onely to make the fish meat for himself This is such an abomination which God intends to pull downe in all as he hath most gloriously begun this work so come Lord is the language of a true Israelite throw it down in me and every one The scarcity of upright unbiassed hearts notes the end nigh a reall friend like Christ who shall