Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	babylon_n	confusion_n	zion_n	15	3	11.1072	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29529	Stand still: Or, A bridle for the times A discourse tending to still the murmuring, to settle the wavering, to stay the wandring, to strengthen the fainting. As it was delivered to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth, Anno 1643. By John Brinsley, Minister of the Word there, and now published as a proper antidote against the present epidemicall distempers of the times.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1647 (1647)	Wing B4729; ESTC R217245	80,497	119

therefore take we the counsell here in the Text Stand still First Stand still not falling off to the left hand not remitting or abating ought of the stricknesse either of our Profession or Practice Turn not aside from serving the Lord This is the charge which Samuel giveth the people when they were in a strait having provoked the Lord by their sinnes and God having manifested his displeasure against them by such visible signes and tokens as that they were afraid least his wrath should breake ●●rth upon them to consume them Yet saith Samuel turne not aside from following the Lord 1 Sam. 12. Let it be spoken to all those amongst us who have given up their names and themselves unto God let not them now turne aside from following the Lord It matters not what disgrace the Profession but specially the Power of godlinesse at the present lyeth under how those who desire and indeavour to walke most closely with God make themselves not onely a Reproach but a Prey to Gods Enemies and theirs Let not all this turn us aside If this render us vile in their eyes let us yet be more vile Better be vile in their eyes then in the eyes of God and his Saints which our turning aside will make us to be I hate the works of them which turne aside saith David Psal. 101. As for such as turne aside unto their crooked wayes the Lord shall lead them forth with the workes of iniquitie Psal. 125. Take wee heed how wee doe it No though it were to purchase a temporall securitie Such counsell carnall reason will readily suggest in these loose times for the saving our skin to cast off our coat the cloake of our Profession but take heed how we listen to it In so doing as Samuel tels the people we shall but turne aside after vainethings which cannot profit nor deliver for they are vaine Fall not off to the left hand Secondly Nor yet in the second place to the right hand Let not any ●ere be prejudiced against this piece of counsell I shall handle it tenderly but freely and faithfully as becomes a Minister of Christ and one that unfeignedly desires the peace and welfare as of the whole Kingdome in generall so of this place in particular Herein taking that counsell my selfe which I am now commending unto you viz. not to turne aside to the right hand or to the left from ought that the Lord hath put into my mouth to speake unto you this day That there are right-hand Errors abroad in the world and some of them rise in this Kingdome at this day I suppose it will be granted at all our hands A word of Caveat then can neither be unreasonable nor unseasonable These Errors take wee heed of And so much the rather because they are such errors as Gods own people are most subject to And here particularly take we speciall heed of those Errors which are directly destructive or dangerous to the Communitie to the whole Body of the Church wherein we live Such amongst other is that error of the seperation to which I may joyne that other of Anabaptisme which teacheth men to forsake the publique Assemblies and to breake off Fellowship and Communion with the Saints of God in publique Ordinances nay to renounce and disclaime the true Churches of Christ as false and Anti-christian An error of dangerous consequence at all times but never more I thinke never so much then at this day For Souldiers to desert and fall off from the body of the Army at any time it is dangerous but much more when it is engaged That is our condition at the present the whole Body of the Church is engaged Now at this time for any to fall off and turne aside though they doe not goe over and turn to the Enemy yet their turning aside is of dangerous consequence the next way to let in the common Enemy upon us and so to rout the whole Church And therefore to all such if there be any here present that have but an eye that way let me speake in the language of the Text Stand yee still As yee tender the good and welfare of this Church and in it of all the Churches this day under heaven all which have a venter in this bottome As you would not have a hand in betraying of that Church of God in whose wombe you were once conceived and whose breasts have given you suck stand you still And what I here speak as a poore Minister of Christ in the name of God let Authoritie according to the power committed to them second I do not goe from my Text in making this motion Moses here in the Text he represents both Minister Magistrate having left a president for both shewing them what they are to doe if at any time they shall see the people in a mutinous distemper ready to flye every one his way In this case they must bid them stand stand still Obj. Stand still will some say what then may we not flye out of Egypt out of Babylon A. Babylon Yes we may doe it we must doe it The voice from heaven is expresse for it Come out of her my people But here take heed we mistake not First That we take not Sion for Babylon To call Sion Babylon is no lesse a fault then to call Babylon Sion Now as for the Church of England the marke at which that arrow is let flye sure I am though it be not Sion the Perfection of beautie yet she hath so much of Sion in her as will free her from this charge of being Babylon Obj. Why but she hath much of Babylon in her some Reliques of Rome yet remaining besides many corruptions cleaving to her Ordinances and much confusion in her Administration A. Suppose all this should be granted what then must she presently be called and counted Babylon You would thinke him but an undutifull child who because as he thinkes he espies some lightnesse in his mother should therefore presently spit in her face and call her whore Surely whatever it is that can be charged upon the Church of England make the worst of it it is but lightnesse lewdnesse it is not no sufficient ground for any to sue forth a divorce upon it and to disclaime her as none of Christs Spouse Babylon she is not Secondly In the second place let such as call and count her so take heed least in flying from Babylon they flye to it from Babylon to Babylon I from a supposed to a reall Babylon Certainly if the word Babylon signifie Confusion as it doth then may we find Babylon amongst those who call the Church of England BABYLON Amongst them what Confusion Confusion upon Confusion Seperation upon Seperation God writing their sinne as in other cases frequently he doth in the punishment of it Obj. 2. Why but it will be said Suppose it that we be got out of Babylon