Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	church_n	truth_n	word_n	4,240	5	4.9394	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94303	Moderation iustified, and the Lords being at hand emproved, in a sermon at VVestminster before the Honorable House of Commons assembled in Parliament: preached at the late solemne fast, December 25. 1644. By Thomas Thorowgood B. of D. Rector of Grimston in the county of Norfolke: one of the Assembly of Divines. Published by order from that House.	Thorowgood, Thomas, d. ca. 1669.	1644 (1644)	Wing T1069; Thomason E23_6	31,603	39

hell by the hands of flesh and beareth the image impresse and superscription of the world the flesh and the devill it is earthly sensuall and devillish Iam. 3. 15. You see then the low descent the base pedegree of this lofty valour but our Moderation is better borne even from above and hath learned of her Master Christ to be friendly to those that be hostile Matth. 5. 44. Love your enemies blesse them that curse you though they revile we must not doe good to them that hate you c. though by word and action they damnifie us we must study to winne them by our well-doing and this is the good turne saith father Latimer Part 2. p. 57. our Master Christ allowes us to doe to our enemies to Warme them at our fire and draw them from evill by our good It were easie to expatiate here and enlarge severall reasons as First Reasons Moderation is a gracious and an acceptable vertue it sweetens and endeares the owner thereof whereever he comes it offers a kind of violence upon mens affections bofore they be aware as the unbeleeving husband is wonne by the holy conversation of the wife 1 Pet. 3. 1. Secondly it is an healthfull vertue immoderation and wrath killeth Aug. de C. D. Ho●●ot c. c. Iob 52. As Sylla is said in his anger to break a veine of which Rupture he died but qui suavis est vivit in moderationibus Pro. 12. 12. It is not indeed in the Hebrew but the Seventie and Latine so have it and Interpreters thereupon say That life is preserved and prolonged by Moderation but Thirdly take the reason of the Text in that sense of it the Lord is at hand seeing and hearing all our cogitations and speeches Psal 129. 2 3 4. Thou knowest my downsuting c. thou understandest my thoughts afar off c. there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou O Lord knowest it altogether It was good counsell of Seneca Sic fac omnia tanquam spectet aliquis and Moderation is not to learne that God himselfe alwaies observeth the motions and commotions of our spirits and every other distemper Fourthly The Lord is at hand to call us to account for every inward and outward exorbitance thinke speake well of all doe ill to none if we have beene immoderate in this or any other way let us repent amend and remember the Lord is at hand to reckon with us for every misdemeanour I might proceed in further confirmation and declare that this Moderation is of such vast and comprehensive extent that it checks all overflowings of heart tongue gesture apparell diet yea it hath influence upon all our doings and sufferings and then the First Vse will be matter of complaint in the universall want of this Moderation almost in all things and persons Application Vse 1. in this age and inundation of misery no Moderation or abatement of mirth though all the Land mourne how few doe lay it to heart as much excesse in diet almost as ever when so many be ready to sterve pride and those other abominable vanities now notorious also even women wont to be the devout Sex yet now how are some of them spots in your feasts Iude 14. with spots in their faces as if they would out-face our very dayes of Humiliation and men how greedy are they of the world plotting and projecting for riches and places as if here were their abiding citie and they had no thought of one to come and in Civill matters those Courts and contentions I heare not that men find either much more equitie or expedition Second Vse of limitation Vse 2. for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it must be of you your moderation not of or in things belonging unto God it reacheth not to the principles or practise of Religion observe that once for all Men must be as zealous for truth and holinesse as they can Men all men have no power to be Moderatours of them themselves are bounded and confined by the Almighty as Solomon said to Shimei Build thee an house at Ierusalem goe not from thence any whither 1 King 2. 36 37. From Gods word nothing must be taken and nothing must be added to it Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Revel 22. 18. Our God is omniscient discerning at first all possible emergencies of things persons and occursions so his Statutes be perfect and absolute and must be obeyed without dispute or moderation it is a most dangerous adventure to examine or regulate Divine Truths by Humane wisdome such daring hath introduced many foule Errors into the Church and retained them our Master Christ said Drinke ye all of this Matth. 26. 27. All the Clergie say the men of Rome the bloud may hang on Lay-mens beards they may spill it on the ground our God commands all men to know his Word and will the Papists will needs be Moderators here and forbiddeth Scriptures in the Mother Tongue because the common people may profane and abuse them a seeming antinomy and opposition appears sometimes in the Word of God yet even there and then men ought not to moderate but one Text must be compared with another and so darke places will be enlightened In every doubtfull businesse they were wont to aske of the Lord Gen. 25. 22. 1 Sam. 23. and elsewhere or of his Priests Exod. 18. 15. Deut. 17. 9. alibique or at his word 1 Sam. 22. 5. 2 Chron. 18. 4. and in other places we must say with Saint Paul in all such matters What saith the Scripture Rom. 4. 3. And againe what saith the Scripture Galat. 4. 30. The Scripture is the sole rule judge and moderator The first Christians were exceedingly precise this way not to tell you how they would not part with a word not a syllable not a letter in divine truths they complied not with the Heathen in small matters Optat. l. 3. p. 71. Plin. Ep. 97. Tertul. de Cor. Mil. p. 153. Id. p. 283. Suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 15. m p. 180. They would not burne incense nor weare a crowne nor stick their doores with Laurel nor lay grapes at Bacchus feet Polycarpe would rather dye then sweare by Caesars fortune and the Christians in Iustine Martyr would not tell a lie to save their lives the after connivence and complication brought in errors by heapes and huddles and Rhenanus a learned Papist confesseth the foundation thereof was laid in this presumed Moderation the first approaches of Gentiles to Christianity were invited and entertained with some pleasing changes of their rites whereas their totall resection would have thrust them quite off In Tertul. p. 103. M. but those tolerable alterations as they seemed introduced most intolerable superstition and profanenesse the smart whereof doth yet remaine and we are not purged from the shame and staine of it to this very day there ought to have beene no blinding no blending in Divine