Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	keep_v	lord_n	sabbath_n	2,073	5	9.3000	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61284	Christianity indeed, or, The well-disciplin'd Christian the delight of Christ shewing how believers in Christ ought to go in and out each before other in gospel-order, governing and being governed as the children of one Father / by Fr. Stanley.	Stanley, Fr. (Francis), d. 1696.	1667 (1667)	Wing S5234; ESTC R37591	67,935	176

be leavened and that for such publick and scandalous sins by which God is so highly dishonored and the Church so greatly reproached The Church cannot be purged untill the guilty person be punished Christian Reader As touching this matter I will presume to take the place of a Moderator for I have heard the question debated among able men who in the main agree and design the self same thing there 's only a form of words betwixt them both agree the sinner shall be called into question The one admonishes him for his evill in the Name of the Lord The other passeth a sentence against him by the power of the same Lord both rebuke the person for the wickednesse done both bear their testimony against the crime in order to clear the Church of his Transgression both dis-priviledge the Transgressor of Communion untill he appears a truly humbled person and gives the Congregation full satisfaction so that in truth upon the whole matter there is no material substance that 's worthy to bear the name of a difference so that for my own part for peace sake I could consent either wayes provided the best care be taken by all that are concerned That Gods Honour be preserved all scandall be removed the Truths Innocency delivered and the Churches Reputation vindicated 3. What is to be understood and observed in the prrosecution of Discipline FIrst There is steps and Circumstances to be observed in reproving 1. Timely 2. Affectionately 3. A private fault privately 4. To design the restoring the sinner from iniquity Concerning Excommunication let this order be observed 1. Let it be done in Christs Name and Authority 2. See that sinner be convicted legally 3. Let the Counsell and Blessing of God be sought fervently 4. To the end the flesh may be destroyed and the spirit saved in the day of the Lord. Repentance consists of four parts 1. Contrition of the heart 2. Confession of the mouth 3. Reformation of the life 4. Restitution for the wrong done An order in forgiveness 1. It must be groundedly 2. Freely 3. Fully 4. Perpetually There is a method to be observed in Prayer as our Lord hath taught us saying when we pray pray after this manner When Duties want their Order and Circumstance they are oft-times rejected instead of being accepted for 't is evident God requires equal submission to order as he doth to the duty it self The Wise man Solomon saith He would put his Proverbs in order Eccles 12.9 In all Gods former services about the Ark Alter and Sanctuary the Lord precisely required all persons to attend respectively their Offices and places and that all things should exactly be set in order and appointed to their several uses and for the breach in Order 1 Chr. 19.13 the Lord in his anger caused some deeply to suffer The Apostle Paul speaking of Churchassembling and about Prophesying and touching the Lords Supper he sums up all with this charge Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 The same Apostle beholds rejoyceth commends and praises the order of the Colossians Doubtless there ought to be some method in Preaching 'T is great pitty that divine and pure matter should want its beauty and ornament of form and order St. Paul commands Timothy to study to shew himself a workman rightly dividing the Word of truth There is a Rule to be observed in hearing 1. Preparation to hear 2. Attention in hearing 3. Meditation after hearing 4. Supplication before and after a blessing There are steps and degrees in believing 1. The faith of credence 2. The faith of adherence 3. The faith of endurance 4. Of stedfast reliance A Rule to be observed in suffering 1. To have a good cause 2. A right call 3. A good conscience 4. A pure end To be short there ought to be an order in all obedience in respect of matter manner end and circumstance for the righteous God as truely-punishes for the breach of order as he doth for neglect of services As order is the ornament of profession so I may call it the master-piece of Religion for both Gods precepts for it and punishments upon the neglect of it witness the same There ought to be a strict order in the commemoration of the Lords Supper even to hold and keep it with such observation 1 Cor. 11.28 as may answer to the first institution and in presuming to come to such holy Mysteries there ought to be great heart-preparations and self examinations 1. In unity of heart judgement and affection 2. In purity of life and conversation 3. Reverently as being at the Table and in the presence of the God of Heaven Psal 86.11 4 Having an eye to the end which is the victory Christ hath obtained for every Christian 5. To act in charity and freely because love was the first cause of our felicity 6. Rejoycingly as men having interest in the spirituall conquest over our souls adversary and as men purchased from everlasting misery 7. Thankfully humbly accepting reverently and chearfully embracing and with thankfulness partaking of those soul-benefits conveyed and received in that Administration SABBATH SOme brief Rules for the better order and observation of the Lords Day or First Day Sabbath Or if I may not call it a Sabbath I know no reason Deut. 5.15 Col. 1.12 13. But if the Jews were obliged to keep a Sabbath in remembrance of a temporall deliverance from temporall bondage Christians should be much more bound to observe a day as strict as a Sabbath in memoriall and remembrance of their spirituall and eternall deliverance from spirituall and eternall bondage For doubtless Christians are at great losses because of so much remisness and want of strictness in the First Dayes service First Then let the Lords People be stirring betimes upon the Lords Day called so by way of Eminency having a greater work to do than on other days a work attended either with greater blessings if religiously performed or with greater damages if neglected or misimproved Secondly Let them make serious preparation remembring whose service it is and into whose presence they come considering well what they go about and how nearly it respects their eternall Estate Eccles 5.1 Thirdly When they come into the Church Assembly let them attend diligently and behave themselves reverently and that before the Lord with due and humble respect to the administration and Majesty of the Word Fourthly Let them with all watchfulness and holy indignation strive to avoid those unseemly and uncomely behaviours tempers and gestures of lukewarmness coldness drowsie heavy and dull and sleepy carriages in Gods Divine services which is dishonourable to their persons and also unprofitable to their souls Fifthly Let them Meditate upon what they have heard For although the Lords People of the Congregationall way are necessitated to take the most pains to hear the Word in respect of distance of place yet they have one priviledge being improved may yeeld

them to instruct them and convince them from the Scriptures and shew them the Laws they have broken that judge them trespassers and condemns them for transgressors 4ly shew them their sin in it's body and deformity the sad accidents and bad consequences that attend sin and to make them sensible of their iniquity from the evidence of Scripture-testimony say to the sinner Come see what you have done look upon your sin in it's aggravation how serpent like it darts and stings every one it reflects upon Gods honour it darts Religion stings the brethren disturbs your Inner-man gives an occasion of stumbling to the weak in profession it daunts the well-wishers and enquires after Religion and gives the enemies truth an occasion of rejoycing Fifthly To learn to know the offenders design for oft-times a design by an act intended may be worse than the action it self committed there may be Circumstances depending to be considered by which the Act may be much mitegated or aggravated as ignorance or wilfulnesse as in pretence of conscience or a design of disturbance as from a principle of Charity or in a course of subtilty the best of these Circumstances will make no justification for any evill action for that will be to countenance sin but the better circumstances are to have their mittegations in damages I mean in punishments and the other their aggravations 6. To observe the disposition capacity and temper of the person not to favour his sin but in order to gain an advantage upon the sinner some to save with compassion some with fear some with gentlenesse others with sharpnessei always tosort fit and direct all admonishions reproofs and corrections as may best suit with the offenders disposition and the demerits of his sin and transgression Seventhly To take the most convenient season as I have said things done in their season and order are like apples of gold in pictures of silver they are not only beautifull to the action but a disadvantage to the enemies design but beware lest while ye are about to heal some breaches you neither prevent nor disturb your selves in some other weighty and publick services and so let in Satan to make his advantages For a man must have some respect in matters of Government to three Estates The honour of God the quiet of Conscience and the peace of the Church Thus I presume to tender my Counsell and offer my Judgement and direction especially to such as have any trust and publick imployment over their brethren for men of wisdome honesty and sufficiency are most sensible of the Office and buthen of the place carefull of the Charge and apprehensive of the accounts they must make like men of discretion let them well observe the nature of their Office and the worthinesse of their places and judge for God according to the rule of his Word with all justnesse and gravity As one observing the Judges sit in the Judgement Seat while they were grave and just he thought they were gods but when they changed into lighenesse and fell into passion he concluded they were but men Let Christs Officers and Ministers act gravely justly and discreetly instructing themselves and others in their several obligations both as they are men and Christians As once a Governour of a Nation observed saith he I am King of Bodyes not of Souls a Commander of men not of Conscience And as our Lord himself hath taught us to distinguish of duties and to render every one their dues and to owe nothing to any man but love To honour our Lord Christ as the head of the Church and to respect civil Magistrates as the politick fathers of our Countries To conclude this point let me say to my brethren as once a Prince said to his son observing him to mind trifles said Come my Son leave trifles and mind the matters of the Kingdome So I say to my brethren and every Christian to leave the trifles of this World and mind the matters of Christs Kingdome Peace and Unity is the great end I have here designed and 't is a design God hath greatly blessed The Scholars in Christs Church ought to be Students for quietnesse and peace in the Churches The Lord hath not only commanded it but he prefers Peace before any other Sacrafice Mat. 5.24 2. He enjoyned his Disciples to seek peruse and prosecute Peace 3. 'T is further told us from the Lord without Peace and Holnesse no man shall see God 4. Such as pray for Peace shall be blessed with Prosperity 5. To the Councellors of Peace there shall be Joy 6. The makers of Peace are honored by being called Gods posterity 7. Peace is a fruit of Gods spirit and a Character of heavenly wisdome To hast God is the God of Peace and Christ is a Prince of Peace and the Kingdome of God is Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Thus are Saints to preserve Peace among them and the Peace of God that passeth all understanding shall keep them Thus are Christians become concerned to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace that is What the Spirit of God hath united formed and compacted together either in respect of Fundamentals Ephes 4.3 governing and perfecting Principles always to maintain the ancient Form and true Pattern of sound Doctrine and right Discipline That Truth and Peace may go hand in hand together be constant Companions and imbrace each other You may please to learn a Lesson from our experience in the Nation When we are at Peace at home then we see our Enemies are quiet abroad when we disturb and afflict each other by way of persecution it invites and emboldens our enemies of other Nations and in the midst of home-bred contentions we hold open a door to let in forreign adversaries Let Christians make spiritual application who are within the borders of the holy Nation to beware of Strife and Envy which makes way for the souls enemy but to maintain Concord and Unity which are as Bulwarks against the Adversary but let Union be made and Charity increase and have salt in your selves and be at Peace one with another and as a conclusion I would impose this one Obligation as the late Legacy of a dying man that the parties more chiefly concerned may seriously apply it and profitably improve it to Gods glory and their own felicity 'T is an Incumbent among Christians I wish it may never cease to keep the Unity of the spirit and Truth in the bond of Peace Seventhly and Lastly Some Directions given how to uphold and support Church-Government IN order to the preserving and supporting Church-Government the matter will charge every mans concernment both Offices and Members It invites them to their duties and obligeth them as Christians to discharge good consciences in all due concernments as they are under several obligations and become concerned in their respective places And First to my well beloved Brethren in the Lord whom God hath