Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	commonwealth_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	29	3	9.2136	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34898	A cabinet of spirituall iewells wherein man's misery, God's mercy, Christ's treasury, truth's prevalency, errour's ignominy, grace's excellency, a Christian's duty, the saint's glory, is set forth in eight sermons : with a brief appendix, of the nature, equity, and obligation of tithes under the Gospell, and expediency of marriage to be solemnized onely by a lawfull minister ... / by John Cragge, M.A. ...	Cragge, John, M.A.	1657 (1657)	Wing C6783; ESTC R4552	116,039	199

preached by such a man key-cold when more learnedly more powerfully more sincerely by another They pray after such a manner because such an one who is their Paul their Apollos their Cephas their Demi-god does so Run so many miles to hear a Sermon leaving a better at home behinde them because such an one makes conscience of such things conscience to disobey the Ordinance of God conscience to be singular conscience at the best to be zealous not according unto knowledge which is as good a conscience as a painted man is a man Now we come to true zeal true in regard of the Object Gods glory Righteousnesse Heaven and spirituall things true in regard of the measure and degree neither too cold by remission nor too hot by superstition True in regard of the means and grounds not builded upon ignorance which is blinde zeal nor upon profit or pleasure which is counterfeit zeal nor upon men our Idoll-gods which is idolatrous zeal Of this here more briefly because we stood more largely upon false zeal For as rectum curvi so curvum sui recti index in the glasse of false zeal we may judge of true zeal But that we may distinguish this true fire of zeal from many wildfires true heat from feavourish heat Amphitryo from Jupiter Juno from the Cloud Salam ●nder-like let us abide a while in these flames For what is true of conscience may be said of zeal each man each Heretick pretends a zeal the Turks die for their Mahomet it is their zeal the Jesuits stab Kings dethrone Princes it 's their zeal the Arrians go to the Stake for denying the Divinity of Christ it 's their zeal the Israelites offer their Children to Molah it 's their zeal thou leaves divine Ordinances the Sacraments perhaps thy weighty Calling it 's thy zeal Well but all that say they are Israelites are not of Israel Therefore if thou wouldest have the touchstone of tryall observe these marks well and thou maist discern true zeal by them First the matter and subject of thy zeal must be good Gal. 4. 18. It is good to be zealously affected in a good matter This is a fire that burnes in no Lamp but the Lamp of the Sanctuary a fire that feeds upon no oyle but the oyle of the Sanctuary that is kindled upon no Altar but Gods devoures no Sacrifice but Gods If the matter and subject of thy zeal be evill thy zeal is evill No fire but ignis erraticus will feed upon stinking ditches no fire but ignis lambens will feed upon thine own carnall humours If thou be zealous with Saul against Christianity it is blasphemy if thou be zealous with the Pharisees to compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte of thy groundlesse opinions it is diabolicall Heresie Thy zeal is a fruit that must not grow upon the forbidden tree Though thine eyes be now blinded yet hereafter they may be opened that thou maist see the blindnesse of thy zeal Secondly true zeal is zeal according to knowledge Rom. 10. 2. this knowledge must be the Scriptures truly understood guiding us as a pillar of fire by night a pillar of cloud by day No fire might kindle the Vestalls Lamps but from the Sun no fire will kindle this Lamp of zeal but the Sun of Righteousnesse Christ who as Ignatius saies as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the essentiall Word by which all knowledge was created so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of life which is a light unto our feet and a lanthorn unto our steps For this cause Bernard compared knowledge and zeal to two wings knowledge without zeal cannot flie so high as to pierce the clouds zeal without knowledge is beatt back again like a whirlewinde Take with thee both wings Zeal and Knowledge if thou wouldest flie to Heaven As is fire to a Child that walks among barrells of Gunpowder so is zeal without knowledge a cause of incendiaries and combustions in Common-weales This zeal without knowledge slashed and gashed the Priests of Baal this zeal without knowledge armes the ignorant Papists to maintain that with sword and blood and persecution which they cannot defend with the Word This zeal without knowledge makes many ignorant people in our nation as preposterously as if one should ring the Bells backward at the sparkling of a Smith's Forge or fire the Beacons at the discovery of a poor Dunkirkers Vessell to be up in armes against every thing that crosses their humours This blinde zeal works three dangerous effects in the soul 1. Pride 2. Uncharitablenesse 3. Impatience of admonition First Pride that like Lucifer the morning Star they are bright in their own conceit like the Element of fire over all Elements nay as good as in Heaven in their own conceit cast in the same mould with Nebuchadnezar's Image their head is of Gold but their feet of Clay Secondly this zeal without knowledge is Uncharitable censuring nay condemning all like the fire of Eliah not sparing the Elders This made the Jewes crucifie Christ for reproving their traditions the Arrians persecute the Orthodox Christians more then did the Heathen Emperours the Papists more zealous for their Canons of the Councill of Trent than for the Articles of their Creed Thirdly zeal without knowledge is impatient of admonition it is as deafe as an Adder though you charm it never so wisely be earnest and it flies with the sting in your face This zeal made the Pharisees impatient when our Saviour rebuked them for their blindnesse made Zedekiah impatient of Michaiah's admonition And for these causes a worthy Divine saies Zeal without knowledge is more dangerous in Church or Commonwealth then knowledge without zeal The third mark of true zeal is that it burnes fervently within the Furnace of the Heart before the flame burst out at the crevises of the body thy Soul and Conscience must be truly zealous within before thine eyes sparkle with zeal to affright others thy tongue be tipped with zeal to censure and rebuke others thy feet be shod with zeal to pursue others thy hands be armed with zeal to wound others Many Zealists now adaies are like the Heathen God Momus carp at all doe nothing themselves like the Flies ingendred from the wild Fig-tree provoke others to ripen but are barren themselves finde fault with every corner in the streets never sweep before their own doors are informers controulers in every Calling practises none themselves and as if they were Metropolitans of the whole VVorld they keep continuall visitations and corrections of all mens manners especially the Churches who if judged by true zeal scarce belong to the Church Zeal hath many more marks which if I should prosecute my zeal of the Subject would seem to outrun my discretion of the Time I 'le onely name them The fourth Mark is that we must be zealous in weighty matters The fifth that we must look as well to our purity within as our holinesse without The sixt

here is one salve for every soar made up by the Physitian of the Soul in this one Electuary Zeal If thy Grace be waining Zeal will increase it if thou be poor Zeal will present thee Gold tryed in the fire if thou be blinde Zeal is a Collyrium or Eye-salve to annoint thine Eyes withall if thou beest naked Zeal is a Garment to cover thy nakednesse withall if thy Soul be drowned with a deluge of carnall humours Zeal is a flame to drye it if thou be luke-warm Zeal is a fire to kindle thee if thy Heart be frozen Zeal is a heat to thaw it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous It containes an Exhortation brought in by way of illation with this Illative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous therefore God loves us therefore we must be zealous for zeal is more then an ordinary heat of love God who is infinite loved his Church infinitely the Church which is his Darling must love him fervently this fervency of love is zeal Because he rebukes us we must be zealous inkindled with zeal of anger at those sins that he rebukes us for moved with a zeal of love towards God for rebuking us with Words when he might afflict us with Swords Zealous because he chastens us with Rods and not with Scorpions sparkling with the fire of zeal at sin that chastises us but zealous of those sparks of Gods love and mercy that chastises and subdues sin in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous The word hath its name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seeth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Greek Letter Z the sound that liquor makes in seething Seething presupposes boyling boyling heating heating fire This fire is affection the seething pot the soul Knowledge the fuell prayer and meditation the bellowes these inflame the heart and soul and conscience and every faculty of the inward Man neither staies it there but sparkles out into the outward Man the tongue is tipped with zeal the eye sparkles with zeal the hand brandishes the sword of zeal the feet are shod with zeal all are zealous at once for the Lord of Hostes This heat of zeal if it be right tempered in a fit quantity as heat in the third Degree is an Antidote against vice a Cordiall in afflictions a purger of corruptions But if it be too hot as in the fourth of fifth Degree it becomes a poyson a wild-fire that no waters scarce many waters scarce the milk of the Gospell will queneh It is a fire that burnes without knowledge as Ch●ysogonus his pot at Rome seethes without any fire of knowledge at all it is an ignis fatuus a blinde fire leading us in a blinde way this blinde way is the broad way that leads to destruction In briefe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeal generally taken is an earnest affection to any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing indifferent neither good nor bad and yet either good or bad as the thing to which it is referred differences it When it soars aloft at Heaven and the Sun of righteousnesse then it is a Phoenix of vertues for this Phineas his Sword imitating the flaming Sword of the Cherubim and blind Samuel his zeal though not blinde zeal is commended By this one of the Apostles conquered more then he that was the greatest Conquerour Scipio by conquering Africk was called Africanus but Simon by conquest of Zeal was called Zelotes this Conquest was Heaven a greater than can be imagined in somnio Sc●pionis This Simon was not Simon Peter for his Motto was not Zeal but Love Simon lovest thou me But it was Simon the Canaanite not of the land of Canaan with Caph that comes from a Root that signifies he was made vile but written with Kuph comming from a Root in Pihel Kinne and signifies He was moved with zeal But Zeal when it lookes asquint and is not fixed upon the right object when Icarus-like it towers aloft without the wings of Knowledge when like an unruly flame bursting out of the Furnace it sets our neighbours house on fire it 's vitious bitter as Colliquintida for which St. James calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter zeal The zeal here meant is in Nature true zeal in regard of the object zeal according to knowledge in degree moderate zeal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous The party exhorting was Zelotypus a zealous God out of whose mouth went a sharp two-edged Sword The parties exhorted the lukewarm Laodiceans whom neither sincerity had made hot nor hypocrisie would suffer to be cold The thing exhorted to is Zeal Zeal which when it is true drives out the distempered feavourish heat of opinion that brainsick frenzie heat of obstinacy and cures the senslesse security of that Lethargy of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be Zealous It cannot be divided into many Propositions for it is but one and that implicite nor into many words for it is but one though explicite yet consisting of many Letters and that without superstition a sacred septenary which like the seven heads of Nilus meets all in one Chanell but here is the difference the heads of Nilus are scarce known the Head of zeal well grounded knowledge must be known Those that dwell near the heads of Nilus with the found thereof are made deafe and cannot hear but those in whose heads or rather hearts Zeal dwells are made more judicious and more quick to hear The word is one the Proposition one the Exhortation one the point of Doctrine it yields is also one Christians must be zealous Be zealous is as much as if he had said You Pastours you People must be zealous Though the Laodiceans Angell and Church be Christians in profession yet not spoke to them alone but to all Christians as the Oyntment poured on Aarons head runs down to the skirts All Christians must be zealous All Scriptures Prophets Apostles Saints Evangelists as so many Virgins with Oyle in their Lamps yield fewell to this Torch of Zeal by precept by practice Noah's zeal dryed the waters of the Flood which overtopped the Mountains and drowned the VVorld Lot's zeal by a more holy fire quenched the fire of Sodome and preserved his life in Zoar. The brightnesse of Moses his zeal was admirable outshining the brightnesse of his face Exod 32. 32. If thou wilt not forgive their sins blot me out of the book which thou hast written Blot me Does Moses his zeal as Eagles at the Sun flie at things impossible or does he wing his speech with Seraphick raptures to elevate his Rhetorick to Him that thunders in the Clouds Or is he rapt with St. Paul into the third Heaven where he conceives things unutterable and utters things unconceivable Or does he dart this by way of supposition that he would be contented with damnation upon condition of their salvation it is uncertain Yet this is most certain though

Lord alwaies and again I say Rejoyce By this zeal John Baptist leapt in his Mothers wombe at the presence of Mary conceiving By this zeal Simeon's trembling armes received heat to embrace our Saviour By this zeal the Angels rejoyce in heaven at a sinners conversion Surely it was a high pitch of affection and no affection but zeal that lift the soul of Diagoras of Chylon the Lacedemonian of the Roman VVidow off the hinges this affection was joy And as a high pitch of joy so strain the pegg of sorrow and it will prove zeal Joy a rapture for the present good sorrow a pressure for the present evill Rachell's sorrow for her Children Mourning and weeping and great lamentation Jeremiah's mourning for the captivity of the people Come and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow may make up the tale of zeal David's mourning all the day long watering of his couch Ezekiah's chattering as a swallow or crane in the desert is the fruit of zeal Hope when it is wafted with full sailes towards the Haven and like the Heliotrophium spreads it selfe towards the Sun of righteousnesse is zeal It was this zeal of strerched forth Hope that put this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full assurance in Paul's mouth I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 38. And as hope so fear when it is a Graduate in the University of the Soul puts on the habit of zeal this fear must be filiall Such zeal as this was the fear of Martyrs which feared God more then thousand deaths and burnings This zealous fear of God wrought in Ignatius this heavenly resolution Fire gallowes wilde beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my body and all the tortures of hell come upon me so that I may enjoy my Lord Jesus and his kingdome Anger when in the forge of the affections it receives a heat more than ordinary becomes zeal In this zeal Moses broak the Tables when he saw the golden Calfe set up Phinehas in this zeal thrust through the Adulterers Samuel slew Agag Hatred when it growes inveterate and headie Aeternum servans sub pectore vulnus is zeal This is the zeal that all Saints have towards sin Satan corruption Love when it is elevated to the height is zeal such love such zeal was that of Jonathan's love stronger than death stronger then the love of a woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoycing at anothers hurt when it is fixed upon the right object in a high measure is zeal that object must be malum poenae the evill of punishment not malum culpae the evill of sin In this zeal Moses and the Israel●tes sung a song of deliverance for the overthrow of Pharaoh Barak and Deborah for the death of Sisera This zeal wings David's Apostrophe to God VVash thy footsteps O Lord in the blood of thine enemies and laugh at their destruction Thus you see zeal consists not in anger love or sorrow alone but in a high pitch of all the affections or any of them In the second place we come to distinguish the severall kindes of zeal or by the touchstone of tryall to difference true from false All zeal is a fire and then true when like Eliah's fire it is from Heaven then false when like Nadab's and Abihu's it is strange fire such as God commands not False zeal may be fixed either upon the true or false object true zeal onely upon the right object When zeal is set upon the false object it may be great setting Churches and Commonweales in combustion but can never be good This wildfire is either Doctrinall in opinion or Practicall in conversation Doctrinall so the Turks are zealous for their Mahometan superstition and Alcaron the Ephesians for their Temple of Diana and silver Shrines the Church of Rome for their Popes Supremacy Images Indulgences the Brownists against the buildings of our Churches which they call Antichristian Synagogues Practicall in conversation when our zeal towards riches makes Mammom our God and things below that should be our Perspective-glasse to look towards Heaven proves our Looking-glasse when such is our zeal in Prayer that though we seem to petition first for spirituall things after for temporall our affections reads them backwards like figures valuing the latter ten times more than the former Again zeal may be false when it is fixed even upon the right object and that either in regard of the measure or means In regard of the measure either too cold which is remission or too hot which is superstition too cold and this is the temperature of carnall worldlings time-serving polititians formall professours that will seem to be Christians and yet will give no sheafe of their corn no penny of their talent no oyle of their cruse to the poor members of Christ Christians in name yet Devills incarnate indeed zealous for the smoak of their chimney's the watercourse of their channells the dust of their waies the bubble of their fame yet without any touch of conscience hear the name of God blasphemed see his Church profaned ruinated see the Fatherlesse wronged the Widow oppressed see the bleeding wounds of both Church and Common-wealth gaping Zeal upon the right object too hot which is superstition this zeale is either of them which are too hot for Ceremonies that they advance them into the chair of Substance punish the neglect of them as severely as blasphemy as murther as theft Too hot against Ceremonies that while they brand others with superstition surmount the highest Tower of superstition forsaking holy solemnities for a Ceremony the Sacrament for a gesture the Ministry for things of the least moment pay Tithe of Annise Mint and Cummine let passe the wonderfull things of God strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camell False zeal yet fixed upon the right object in regard of the means and ground upon which it is builded builded either upon ignorance our own ends or other men Ignorance of them that are hot in themselves a spur to others a censurer of all men that are slacker then they in duties that ought to be done yet they know no ground in Scripture no reason in Nature why This is false zeal the zeal of ignorant Romists to believe as the Church believes Zeal upon the right object for our own ends thus Judas was zealous for the bag the People in the Wildernesse for the Bread the Priests of Bell for the Wheat and Oyle those in Tertullian's time that went with the Christians to the Assembly of Prayer because they were commonly attended with Love-feasts This is false zeal because it is not a heat of the heart but of the stomack and may be so sincere as to arise out of the bowells yet it ends in the belly False zeal upon the right object when it is builded upon men zealous of the Word when it is

that we must be as strict to our selves as to others The seventh that we condemn sin as well in friends as foes The eighth that it oppose it selfe against the sins of the Mighty The ninth that it be joyned with compassion The tenth that it be desirous of admonition The eleventh that it be fervent in Gods Cause The twelfth that it be constant in all estates These are the twelve Signes of zeal through which Christ Jesus the Sun of righteousnesse moves in the Zodiack of our souls I 'le say no more but seal up my discourse with that which our Saviour does to the Church of Laod●cea Be zealous And if thou wilt but observe the Lesson given this Church thou shalt have the reward of all Churches Be zealous and thou shalt eat of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God with the Church of Ephesus Be zealous and thou shalt not be hurt of the second death with the Church of Smyrna Be zealous and thou shalt eat of the hidden Manna with the Church of Pergamus Be zealous and thou shalt have power over many Nations and be as a morning Star with the Church of Thyatira Be zealous and thou shalt be cloathed in white raiment and have thy name writ in the book of life with the Church of Sardis Be zealous and thou shalt be made a pillar in the temple of God and have the name of God written on thee with the Church of Philadelphia Be zealous and thou shalt sup with Christ and sit with him upon his throne with the Church of Laodicca And thither by prayer I recommend you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Preached at a Generall Assises in the Passion-Week The Text 1 Cor. 6. 20. For ye are bought with a Price therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods THE words are an Enthymema containing two parts an Antecedent and a Consequent The Antecedent Ye are bought with a price ye are Gods The Consequent Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit The Arguments unfolded discover themselves to be three-fold The first is drawn from the worth of our Redemption Empti pretio ye are bought with a price The second from the Relation Jus patronatûs Ye are Gods The third from Induction of particulars In body in spirit In the Consequent is first a Duty Glorifie God Secondly the manner In body in spirit Because ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God Because ye are bought both in body and spirit therefore glorifie him both in body and spirit For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God c. The main and cardinal Propositions to which every word may be reduc'd are three The first gathered from the Connexion and but implyed That we were lost and stood in need of a Redeemer or being bought The second that we are Redeemed or bought with a price Christs blood The third Because we are bought with a price therefore we must glorifie God in Body in Spirit These three shall limit our discourse at this time onely let them leave and finde you attentive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For ye are bought This For i● like Janus double faced and looks back at the former Ye are not your own Here is the reason For ye are bought with a price Not our own therefore non ingenui sed servi not free-men but slaves servants bought of God and therefore not Gods before And is not this a wonder that Man who by Creation was Emperour of the whole Earth Admirall of the whole Sea Heir of Eden peerlesse Peer of Paradise should be owner of all and yet not his own He sold himselfe for sin as the Prophet saies and lost his freedome Amongst the Roman free-born as Justinian decreed si quis solvendo non esset if any man was indebted beyond the pitch of his estate he might sell himselfe as a slave to pay the debt Man when he was free and ought nothing but service to his Soveraigne sold himselfe for nothing and was not this a misery but for an Apple Even small things when they are commanded require no small obedience which aggravates the sin But if he was not his own was he not Gods own owne by Creation owne by preservation A Subject that by treason enslaves himselfe is still a Subject and what if not Princes are like Categories each chiefe in their own Predicament An exile may live in another Orbe and lose his first Alliegance But God is supream Moderator of all Angells and Men his Servants Devills his vassalls can lose nothing whose are all things Yet he is bought of God bought as a Son redeemed as a Saint of him to whom he belonged before as a Creature by whom he was condemned as a Judge For in this sense if he had not sold himselfe from God what need he have been bought We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delivered with a strong hand saies the Evangelist and if delivered the strong and armed man Satan is conquered by Christ a stronger than he And if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath redeemed us bought us with a price therefore we were in bondage before Nature does nothing in vain much lesse the God of Nature It was no small ransome that was but payed with the death of him that was the Lord of life I appeal to Man himselfe who was the Delinquent VVho can be so partiall in his own cause as not to confesse that in breaking the Covenant with an infinite Majesty we justly provoked against our selves an infinite Enemy in that we sinned against infinite Justice we were to be punished with infinite Judgment in that we abused infinite mercy we were not to be redeemed but with infinite Satisfaction Thus we lost our selves in sin Rom. 7. 14. were carnall and sold under sin O fond man for Esau's pottage Jonathan's hony-combe for Judas his sop to sell a Paradise here a Palme of Victory hereafter VVe count that Prince unwise that exchanged his golden Armour for brasen an Indian that will give a Pearl for a Glasse a pretious Jewell for a Chiua's dish Yet we sold Earth Heaven our selves God Grace and Glory for the price of Vanity and stood in need to be bought with a price our selves for we were not our own Not our own for God had forsaken us the Flesh had inveigled us Satan supplanted us the VVorld imprisoned us Hell threatned us Death tyrannized over us Thus were we lost and stood in need of a price Lost in Adam his first sin was ours by imputation lost by inborn corruption traduced by propagation lost again daily by actuall contamination Eve had but one Tempter in Paradise we three here as the three goddesses did Paris each promises fair the Flesh Beauty but paies with inficiam vos I will infect you The VVorld Riches but paies with deficiam vos I will fail you Satan Honour but paies with interficiam vos I will slay you Lord free us from

sacrilegious delvers to ashes When Leo sirnamed Copronimus espied a Crowne beset with Carbuncles in a Christian Church he caused it to be fetched and setting it upon his head there suddainly arose a Carbuncle in his forehead which never suffered his temples after to take any rest Felix carrying away the rich presents that Constantine and others had dedicated to God in the new Temple at Jerusalem builded by Queen Helena died of a flux of blood Julian uncle to the Apostata having raked together most pretious vessells and sumptuous monuments at Antioch in Syria uncasing his postern parts sat down upon them in derision incontinently his flesh began to rot and he died desperately of the disease called Miserere Gaepio the Roman Consul robbing the famous Church of Tolossa in France he and every man in his Army that had fingered any of the gold came to miserable ends within a year It was observed that Gustavus the late King of Sweden prospered not after he began to rifle Churches Achan was stoned for detaining the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment Ananias and Saphyra smit with sudden death for concealing that which they had devoted unto God When Belshasar quaffed in the consecrated Bowls taken from the Temple at Jerusalem a hand-writing appeared upon the wall his Kingdom was taken from him and he gave up the ghost God is the same God still his arme is not shortned though he may seem to have leaden heels he will be found in revenge to have iron hands Ob. But tithes are heathenish payed by the Gentiles Ans So are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reliefe exhibited by children to parents those that deny the one are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection those that deny the other have been conceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without divine reverence Ob. But they were Jewish payed to the Leviticall Priesthood Ans Not onely so but payed foure hundred years before to Melchisedec who was a type of Christ and his Gospell-Ministry Ob. But they are Antichristian Ans Not unlesse that which Christ confirms and approves be against Christ these things ought to be done to the tithing of mint and cummin Ob. But it is against Christian liberty to pay tithes Ans No more to render unto God the things that are Gods than to men the things that are mens honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute the Church hath as good a title to the tenth as the owner of the rest to the nine parts Parents can but leave to their posterity nine parts Men when they purchase purchase but nine parts and paie proportionably Ob. But by paying of tithes men are deprived of that they get with the sweat of their browes Ans No more then Tenants by paying their Landlords rent who will not be content with the tenth but scarce sometimes will be willing to allow one part for their labour of the ten God is Lord Paramount of all and gave the land of Canaan to the Israelites upon condition of paying of tithes Mal. 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the Starehouse and I will open the windowes of heaven and poure you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it v. 12. All nations shall call you blessed There is the same reason under the Gospell which St. Paul urges àfortiori 1 Cor. 9. 11. If we have sowen unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnall things And Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Be not deceived God is not mocked But we hope there is no further need of this dispute That God that putteth bounds to the raging waves of the Sea tha● kept Sarah untouched from Abim●●●●● hath against all Satan's designes preserved the Joynture of the Church Christ's Spouse a thousand six hundred years will still maintain her dowry untouched from sacrilegious hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the expediency of MARRIAGE To be solemnized by a lawfull MINISTER In the Church or publick Assembly MARRIAGE that only positive traduciary Ayrlome we retein of Paradise as taken in its full extent and latitude is defined by the Civilians A conjunction Matrimonium est viri mulieris conjunctio individuam vitae consuetudinem continens Justinian Institut lib. 1. tit 9. of Man and Woman containing an individuall fellowship of life and falls under a three-fold consideration First Oeconomicall as it is the prime Seminary of Families Secondly Politicall as it is the Embrio of civilized States and Common-wealths Thirdly Ecclesiasticall as it is the root and stem whence that Vine the Church spreads it selfe by numerous branches These three as vegetative sensitive and rationall life in living creatures may be actually separated one from another yet so still as the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de Anima virtually comprehends the former as the reasonable soul does the inferiour faculties for there may be a mutuall consent betwixt Salvages and Indies who live without subordination to superior Laws and observation of legall rites relating to Marriage amongst Turks and Persians who acknowledge not Christ But in Christians who are as well members of the Church as Common-weale it is requisite that to private contracting and submission to municipall or civill Ordinances there be super-added an acknowledgment of divine Rules and a solemn benediction upon that Tie which ought to be sacred and inviolable This will appear more perspicuous if we traverse these three in order First taking our prospect of Marriage as it looks no further then private Families and herein the consent of both parties and parents is necessary of the parties for the very form essence and being of Matrimony of the parents for the bene esse or legitimation of it The verity of both these we may see presented to the life in one glasse where Gen. 24. 58. the parents of Rebecca having given their consent to Abraham's servant requesting her for a wife to Isaac enquired further of the Damosell whether she was willing otherwise further progresse therein had been obstructed for where there is not a free consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without violence or coaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without ignorance or mistaking the Canonists declare it a nullitie And that the consent of parents is requisite St. Pau● evidences Ephes 6. 1. Children obey your parents in all things And lest generalls should not conclude he descends to particulars 1 Cor. 7. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declaring that it is the priviledge of parents to deny or give their children in marriage Which light was communicated to the heathens as appears by Euripides Euripid. who in the Scene introduces a Virgin thus answering her suitors Of my marriage my Father will take care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not in my power to Ambros lib. de patriarchis Iustinian Institut de nuptiis digest de statu hom code