Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	church_n	true_a	visible_a	6,279	5	9.0945	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81250	The root of apostacy, and fountain of true fortitude. Delivered in a sermon before rhe [sic] Honourable House of Commons, on their late day of thanks-giving for the great victory given to Sir William Waller and the forces with him, against the army of Sir Ralph Hopton. By Thomas Case, Preacher at Milk-street, London, and one of the Assembly of Divines.	Case, Thomas, 1598-1682.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Commons.	1644 (1644)	Wing C839; Thomason E46_11; ESTC R22888	28,474	40

his young Nephew so he laboured to propagate and enlarge it by the same operations and Artifices And by these he wrought so with divers of the Nobility and other States-men of Egypt Ptolemeus Philometer being then a childe that he wound himself into that Kingdome also Vers 26. which when he could not absolutely conquer though he added Force to his Fraud no not after a second or third attempt as you may see vers 24.25 and 29. Notwithstanding that he had pillaged and plundered the richest of the Townes and Cities of Egypt mightily enraged at such a disappointment of his expectations vers 30. He returnes and with the same Engines of Fraud and Force vers 30 31. He attemps his entrance into and conquest of Iudaea which is the second thing in the Text sc The persons operated upon Namely the Iewes as vers 28 30. That people whom God had taken to himself by Covenant and that had over and over again devoted themselves to God by mutuall astipulation and * Dem. 26.17 18 19. avouchments Amongst these you see he findes two sorts as I said before 1. Some * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both to prevaricate and to rebell Prophane or Hipocriticall that had nothing of a Jew but the Name or face onely Their Character is They did wickedly against the Covenant By Covenant is meant the whole Religion and worship of God among the Jewes which is therefore called the Covenant because it was ratified and sanciated between God and Abraham by mutuall Solemne Covenant Gen. 17.9 c. And afterwards confirmed between God and Abrahams seed many and many a time after their Apostacies and Captivities upon their true repentance and turning unto God with like Renewals of their Covenant Against which Religion and Worship there were not a few that did wickedly allowing themselves either in open prophanenesse or in secret Abominations as Ezek. 8. contrary to all their Sacred and solemne Protestations and Covenants and Oathes under which they had so often bound their own soules as you may see in Nehemiah Ezra and divers other places of Scripture They did wickedly against the Covenant They made a Covenant to day and brake it to morrow Psal 78.57 starting aside like a broken Bowe Others there were of a more noble and Heavenly birth a people as their Character tells you that knew their God That knew him not in a Notionall Historicall way onely but knew him in a saving experimentall manner which what it is you shall after hear And these are the people the people of Gods Covenant the Jewes upon whom this vile Person Antiochus doth operate 3. The Engine whereby he operates and practiseth upon them is Flatteries which in all probability were of two sorts 1. Generall Such as respected the Religion of the Jewes and their Civill Rights and Priviledges to which in all his Declarations and writings he was no small pretender promising and protesting that he was so far from the least thought of offering any violence either to their Religion or Civill Liberties as that he had no higher designe in his breast then to be a faithfull protector and constant Defender to both they should be to him as his own soul 2. Or else personall promising and swearing not onely all Freedome that any tender Conscience could desire but the greatest and richest rewards and Preferments due to the merits of such as should fall off to him and be active for him as you may read vers 30. and my Text. 4. The successe is the fourth and last thing in the division and that was you see answerable to the persons he dealt withall sc With prophane and Rotten spirits who had no principle of Grace and therefore made no conscience of Religion nor of the solemne Covenants whereby they had again and again bound themselues to the maintainance and observation thereof These Artifices took they fall off like leaves in Autumn He did corrupt them or bribe them by Flatteries Such were Simon Jason Menclaus Alcimus c. But another sort there were of another Temper that were as far above these poor and base Artifices as the Sun is above the Witch-craft of the Sub-lunary creatures they were fixed in an higher Orbe where they beheld the face of God were acquainted with him and converst with him who therefore while others fell like false wandring Starres remain'd as unbiast as the Sun in his course As it was said of Iudah at another time Hosea 11.12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceits but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithfull with the Saints The people that knew their God were strong to resist and scorne these Flatteries and to do exploits Exploits is not in the Hebrew Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word is used 1. Sam. 12.6 The Lord advanced or magnified Moses R David Targkum reads it qui fecit fortitudinem permanum Moseh but is put in to make up the sence which would not else be so full Emphaticall in our Mother-Tongue as in the Hebrew The word signifying sometime not onely to do but to do wonderfully The Faithfull party were strengthened to do gallant and famous things as the Maccabees c. This is the division and meaning of the words in their literall sence In their typicall sence the practice and successe be the same but the person practizing is Anti-christ or any of his Factors and Agents and the persons whom he practises upon are Christians upon whom as they are either Rotten or Sincere the successe of the temptation is various ut sup The words thus divided and opened I come to raise such observations as do naturally offer themselves to us These are visible to every eye Doctrines First A religious Covenant is so proper for those that professe themselves Gods people that Religion it self is called by the Name of a Covenant Against the Covenant Secondly No bonds or cords of Oaths and Covenants be they never so Religious and Sacred are strong enough to binde a people or person whose heart is not upright with God to walk up with their Engagements They will do wickedly against the Covenant Thirdly It is the policy of Tyrants and Oppressours that what they cannot accomplish by force they labour to compasse by fraud and flatteries Or Flatteries are one great Engine which Tyrants use to bring about their own designes He shall corrupt by Flatteries Fourthly There be in all states and Societies even in the Church it self some that will be caught and corruped by these Frauds and Flatteries He shall corrupt Fifthly They that are unfound in their profession and unfaithfull to their Covenants made with God in that profession these be the persons who will be easily fetched off and corrupted by Flatteries Such as do wickedly against the Covenant Sixthly God hath a people in all ages and successions of the Church that are above all the Flatteries and Enchantments of wily

Seducers There is a people that are strong to do Eploites Seventhly It is the true saving Knowledge of God that keeps Christians true and faithfull to God and his cause The people that know their God You see all these flow naturally from the words but I must not follow them all I shall contract what I have to say into these two main Doctrines which ly in the face of the Text leaving you to improve the other in your own private thoughts Doct. 1. That a people or person who ever they be that live and allow themselves in any known wickednesse against their Solemne Covenants made with God will easily be seduced and corrupted by Flatteries to desert and betray both Church and and state Or thus more briefly Wickednesse against the Covenant will upon sutable temptations end in Apostacie from the Covenant Or yet shorter Covenant breach is the root of Apostacy Doct. 2. The true saving knowledge of God is the fountain and spring of all true gallantnesse of spirit and honourable Atchievements For the first wherein I shall be the briefer that I may have the more time to enlarge my self in the latter The Epitome whereof is Doct. 1 Covenant-wickednesse is the root of Apostacie You remember what treachery or cowardize I know not whether there was in a Battell or two or more what laying down of weapons what running away what a dishonourable Composition and Articles I remember not the day of the Moneth it was nor yeer of our Lord but I can shew you upon Record Psal 78.9 Psal 78.9 The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying Bowes turned their back in the day of Battell What was the matter Truly you cannot misse of it it stands on both sides the Text They were a generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God so verse 8. that were enough but the 10. verse is more expresse They kept not the Covenant of God and refused to walke in his Statutes See Covenant-wickednesse was at the bottome of this base desertion and Apostacy I must not stand to multiply Instances you can tell where to furnish your selves with enough How can it bee otherwise Reasons 1 For first How shall they be faithfull with men that are not faithfull with God Will not he break with men that first took the boldnesse to break with God Will hee think you value other mens bodies and estates that puts no price upon his own soul I know in point of honour A Roman spirit may go far and do gallant service But I must tell you this withall I do verily think such a spirit was easier found in Rome then in Christendome my reason is because the principles of Christianity being purer and more active they will either build or blast what therefore such spirits do that love not and live not up with these principles for the most part it is but so long as their own ends and the service may stand together But bring them to a turning where they must part or bait such an one with a suitable temptation To which purpose seducers have learned of their father the Devill that great seducer to observe the complexions and dispositions of men and to suit the flattery to the affection Be it Lust bait it with Beauty Be it Covetousnesse with Gold Ambition with Preferments Timorousnesse with Threatnings Pride with Praise c. And boyle up the temptation high enough put ingredients enough into the golden Cup of Flattery let it sparkle in the glasse let it be as vigorous and rich as the mans spirit is and it is not one of ten thousand but with skilfull sollicitation observing of opportunities and a little patience especially if there appear advantage on the enemies side and fair probabilities of possessing the golden apple of temptation will bee wrought off to base and treacherous compliances with the enemies of Religion and civill Liberties All the while the man is higher then the Temptation he stands and doth you it may be as good service as the man after Gods own heart but let the Temptation be above him flatter him high enough and upon a deliberate act of Judgement he shall betray all the trust that Church or State hath committed to him I say for the most part you shall find it so For secondly How should he be able to stand at such a time since he wants a bottom Our Saviour hath exprest it under a double Metaphor of a Root Matth. 13.6 of a Foundation Matth. 7.25 26. He is not well earth't he must needs wither when the beams of temptation do scorch hee is built upon the sand of his own Resolutions or Imitation of others or Self-ends when storms beat and winds blow when all these out-bid this mans principles hee must needs come down with a vengeance Thirdly With a vengeance indeed for for the most part there is divine vengeance in it there is a poenall hand of divine Justice in it 2 Thess 12.11 punishing sin with sin want of love to the truth with giving up to beleeve lies unsoundnesse in profession with apostacy from profession wickednesse against the Covenant with rejection of and defection from the Covenant The saddest judgement of all the dregs of the cup an infallible forerunner of finall rejection without speedy and mighty repentance Would you know how to improve this truth Vse 1 Vse First then it may serve to discover the cause of so much Apostacy and treachery as may be beheld in the world Mark Apostates observe them whom you see fall like lightning from heaven or like the Angels that kept not their first estates for the most part ye shall find them a wicked prophane generation that did wickedly against the Covenant whom no oaths nor protestations nor covenants could bind to their good behaviour they lived in a continuall contradiction to their Vows and Covenants Psal 50.16 They took the Covenant of God into their mouthes but they hated to be reformed 2 Pet. 2.17 Or if they seemed to be Cedars they wanted root if they appeared as stars they were not fixt but wandring stars Jude 13. blazing Comets that make a blaze for a time but go out in a smoak yea without repentance in utter darknesse Vse 2 Secondly The more wary had you need bee in your elections who are trusted to make choice of those persons that are to bee employed in places of Publike trust and employment whether for Church or State They that in such Elections Martiall Magisteriall Ministesteriall or what else you can think on Chuse for honour greatnesse relations or any other private interests and advantages and lay Religion aside they chuse not as God chuseth who in his choice of a Governour over his people chose for nothing in the world but for fidelity 1 Sam. 13.14 Hee sought him a man after his own heart that should performe all his counsell It is a thousand pities that the hearts of