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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	world_n	worthy_a	zeal_n	15	3	7.6727	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65628	Select sermons of Dr. Whichcot [sic] in two parts.; Sermons. Selections	Whichcote, Benjamin, 1609-1683.; Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of, 1671-1713.	1698 (1698)	Wing W1642; ESTC R12788	192,891	478

Beniamin Whichcot S. S. T. Professor Select Sermons OF D r WHICHCOT In TWO PARTS MAT. XI 15. He that hath Ears to hear let him hear LONDON Printed for Awnsham and John Churchill at the Black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row MDCXCVIII THE PREFACE AMongst those many Things which are made Publick it may be thought perhaps of Sermons that they are of any other the least wanted and for the future least likely to be found wanting since to that rich and inexhaustible Store with which the Learned and Orthodox Divines of England have already furnished us there is daily fresh addition from worthy and able Hands Neither have we cause to fear a Cessation in this kind or that so great a Blessing is likely to fail us for the future having such security not only from the unwearied Zeal of present Divines of whom we may always hope a worthy Succession but from the just esteem which the Publick never fails to shew for such pious Discourses Upon which account we find that many of these are every day made Publick and as it were forced into the World notwithstanding the great Modesty of their Authors whose Humble Thoughts and devoutly resigned Affections lead them not towards Eminence and Advancement in the World It may seem strange therefore that in such an Age as this any one should be so officious as to search after and publish the Sermons of a Man long since dead who himself never meant to Publish any or thought so highly of himself as that he could benefit the World by such a Publication It is certain that we must not ever imagine nor can it enter into a Mind truly Christian that because we see not an apparent Change for the better in the Lives of Christian Professors that therefore all Preaching is ineffectual or that here in England the Labours of the most Eminent Divines that perhaps the World ever afforded have been of no use at all It might be said with the same reason tho' very prophanely and wickedly that because the Christians are not reported to exceed the other Nations of the World in Probity and Good Living but are said to be rather inferior in this respect to the Civilized People whether Pagan or Mahometan lying round them that therefore the Christian Religion is of no effect at all nor any ways operative upon the Lives of its Professors But if we consider this as becomes us and not perversely as many do it will be found that we are even in this sense the most highly indebted to Christianity and should look upon It as the greatest Blessing imaginable not only for its spiritual Advantages which are Unspeakable but for its Temporal Benefits and Securities inasmuch as that Mankind being so inclinable to Ill we should have a Religion so full of all good Precepts and so enforcing with respect to all the Duties of Morality and Justice So that our Amazement ought rather to be how Men with such a Religion should lead such Lives and how Malice Hatred or Division should have place in such Societies as these which we might expect to see distinguished from all others rather by a perfect Harmony and Agreement than by the fiercest Quarrels Contentions and Animosities And indeed when we consider the Nature of Preaching how excellent an Order and Establishment it is how highly raised and magnified in the Christian World When we consider Numbers of Holy Men set apart for this great Work having all advantages given them the better to set forth those Glorious Truths of Revelation and to create a Reverence of Religion in the Minds of Men when we consider the Solemnity of a Church-Assembly and the awful Presence and Authority of the Christian Orator we may be apt to wonder perhaps why we see not greater and more happy Effects hereof in the World However we must of Necessity conclude That this Institution being undoubtedly so powerful a support of our Religion if such Assemblies as these were not upheld if such Authority as this did not subsist the consequence would be that as in a little time there would be no more Christianity left in the World so neither any Morality since notwithstanding all the Helps of Preaching and the Assistance and Support which Virtue receives from hence the Lives of Men are still so far from being Reform'd and the World so little Improved in these latter Ages But how reverently soever we have cause to think concerning this Institution and the undoubted good Effects of it upon Mankind and whatever high Opinion and Esteem we may justly have of their Performance in whose Hands this Power is placed it seems not wholly impossible but that there may be some Defect in this great Affair and that the Causes of ill Success may not lye altogether in the Depravity Perverseness or Stupidity of Mankind who are the Hearers and Readers of these Doctrines In some Countries and amongst some sorts of Christians we have seen that the Whole of this Institution has not been appropriated to Spirituals but that a great part of those Divine Exhortations have had something in common with the Policies of the World and the Affairs of Government And of whatsoever Benefit this may have been to Mankind or to the Peace of the Christian World it must be own'd that Preaching it self will be so much the less apt to make any happy Revolution in Manners as it has at any time been serviceable to Revolutions in State or to the support of any other Interest than that of Christ's Kingdom Nor do we find since the Arts of Government and Mysteries of Religion have been thus suited together that either has been much advantag'd by the Union it having never yet appear'd that Divinity has been greatly better'd by Policy or that Policy has been any where mended by Divinity Amongst those Writers who have been forward in making this Unprosperous Alliance and Building a Political Christianity there has been * one of our Nation in the Time wherein our Author liv'd who whether he may have been serviceable any way to the Civil Government or Christian Church it may be concluded at least that he has done but very ill Service in the Moral World And however other parts of Philosophy may be obliged to him Ethicks will appear to have no great share in the Obligation He has indeed with great Zeal and Learning been oppos'd by all the eminent and worthy Divines of the Church of England And had the same Industry been applied to the Correction of his Moral Principles as has been bestow'd in refuting some other of his Errours it might perhaps have been of more Service to Religion in the Main This is He who reckoning up the Passions or Affections by which Men are held together in Society live in Peace or have any Correspondence one with another forgot to mention Kindness Friendship Sociableness Love of Company and Converse Natural Affection or any thing of this kind I say Forgot because I can scarcely think so