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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
hand_n	behold_v	eye_n	lord_n	4,499	5	4.0894	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B04844	The case considered & resolved: whether Mr. Brooks his pills to purge malignants were prescribed from ignorance, malice, or both, or, (Mr Tho. Brooks his inside turn'd outward). Wherein all godly, humble, and ingenious Christians, whether in a congregational way or other, are concerned, to inquire into the truth ... presented in generall to the inhabitants of Margarets New Fish-street, but more particularly for the consideration of himself, and those of his congregation ... also friendly advice to an unfriendly neighbour, desiring him for the time to come to abstain from reviling such persons as he never spake word to, nor they to him. / By Richard Parham, a parishoner of the said parish.	Parham, Richard.	1653 (1653)	Wing P356B; ESTC R187021	27,320	39

murder the Lord of life and glory Was it not common for them to fast it may be twice a weeke but was not the end to smite with the fist of wickednesse And hath here not lately been Conspiracy and Rebellion against the present Government rapt in the mantle of private Fasts which the hand of Justice hath found out and deservedly punished for all the Cloaks of precisest Religion If that Tribes sufferings in this Nation hath not beene great it is the better for them if they make a right use of it and leave them to consider their owne conditions for these last 12. yeares But I will give you a few examples of former times and if to them they doe not yet to me they strike Horror and amazement to consider the dreadfull dealing of God towards such as have pretended to be his Messengers when indeede they have beene absolute Lyars running greedily after the errour of Balaam to Prophecy for reward and may well expect the reward of Corah And that you may be sure to know such deceivers they have so large a Character that he that runs may reade it Jude 19. these be they that seperate themselves having not the Spirit We finde in the 1 Kings 18. foure hundred and fifty of Baals Prophets that after they had cryed and bawled all day and cut themselves with Knives and Launces could not prevaile any thing to perswade the people in the presence of the true Prophet Elijah what a tragicall hand did the poore deluding wretches make at the Brooke Kishon Jeremiah 28.15 16.17 Then said the Prophet Jeremiah unto the Prophet Hananiah the Lord hath not sent thee but thou makest this people to trust in a lye therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will cast thee from of the face of the earth this yeare thou shalt dye because thou hast taught Rebellion against the Lord. So Hananiah the Prophet dyed the same yeare in the seventh month I will amongst many give you but one instance more because I hasten Jer. 19.21 22. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts and God of Israel of Ahab the Sonne of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the Sonne of Maasejah which prophesie a lye unto you in my name behold I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and he shall slay them before your eyes And of them shall be taken up a Curse by all the Captivity of Judah which are in Babylon saying the Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babilon roasted in the fire Truly the Doctrine and use of these examples are so plaine and easie to be understood in the Text that I shall forbeare any large applications but come to the thing and that in short It hath beene the misery of the world in generall to pin their faith on their teachers sleeves And without Controversie if the Leaders of the People cause them to erre they that are led by them will be destroyed How many hundred thousands perished in dauncing after the pipe of Peter the Monke by his pretended revelation perswaswading almost all Christendome to fight for the recovery of the holy Land from the Turkes when the Scripture saith expresly Luk. 21.24 That the Jews should be led away Captive into all Nations and Hierusalem should be troden down of the Gentiles untill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled Nay what brawlings quarrellings and fightings is there in any Nation but to be sure the Clergy so called are promoters of it I wonder what comfort the Episcopall and Presbyterian Clergy have in their former abetting their Interest and assuredly what ever at present is uppermost if it be not of God it will fall With what fury do both Popish Protestant Church-men excite poor souls to murder one the other upon a Religious account the one because Idolaters the other because Hereticks Nay none so eager as they which pretend most holinesse thundering out curses of the largest size upon the refusers as they pretend of Christ and the Gospell when indeed it is onely to ●●…pe the power which keeps them under whereby they may get into the Chaire to Lord it as did the late Presbiters others in the ruine of their Fathers the Bishops but no more of this at present Now to the thing which is of most concernment how shall we do to know who are true Ministers and if it be p●ssible to walk in a Gospel obedience for answer whereunto in short I cannot find in Scripture that ever God appointed any to declare his will unto any person or people but that they had something more then their bare words to testifie their sending as it was in the case of Moses to Pharoah of the man of God that come from Iudah and prophecied against the Altar in Bethel 1 Kings cha 13. of Elijah and Elisha and so through the Old Testament and in the New Testament Christ himself saith John 5.31 if I should bear witnesse of my selfe my witnesse were not true and ver 36. but I have greater witnesse then that of John for the works which the Father have given me to finish the same works that I do bear witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me Without question the Scribes and Pharisees had a formall way of praying and teaching but when Christ taught he taught as one having authority and not like unto them and he tells those hypocrites Mat. 15.8 9. This people draweth neer unto me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips but their heart is far off from me but in vain they worship me teaching for doctrines the traditions of men Joh. 9.1 2. then called he his twelve Disciples together and gave them power and authority over all divels and to heal diseases and he sent them forth to preach the Gospel and to cure the sick Mat. 10.7 8. And as you go preach saying the Kingdome of heaven is at hand heal the sick cleanse the Lepers raise up the dead cast out the divels freely ye have received freely give and this not to Apostles only but promised to believers in generall Mark 16.17 And in the 20. we find the word confirmed by miracles Now if this was the confirmat●on of the Gospel Ministery I wonder our Ministers are not endued with such gifts or prove to us from Scripture that the Church and Ministery was to continue and yet the gifts to cease But it may be objected that these gifts were given for bringing in of unbelievers it were well if all in the Nation were believers but certainly we had need have something to ground our faith and obedience upon more then bare words seeing if you hear four preachers upon one text it is much if three be not of a different opinion But then comes in the great objection what if we have not a true Ministery nor Ordinances then we have no faith well not too hasty it was a serious discourse that the woman of Samaria had with Christ Iohn 4. about

still do know divers persons which are most zealous for a Congregationall way that were the greatest promoters of his interest of any people I knew in the City and such as were not ordinary members but Preachers so called I could name the persons time and places but shall only give a hint of something that I speak upon my owne knowledge that you may know and take notice how little the present Authority are beholding to some Churchmen though since I see the same persons are exceedingly countenanced and advanced About the time the late King was brought to Hampton Court these Churchmen had a Petition on foot to presse on a Personall Treaty they used all the prevailing arguments that might be to get hands to it and persons to own it Amongst the rest sayes a Preacher I see no safety nor how the breach can be made up without compliance with the King And said moreover that he had an oportunity to speak to him and that he thought there was much of God in him and that he would be willing to comply to any thing both religious and civill and abundance more that was very high in the commendation of him as in particular that he offered to grant the Militia for so many years c. Answer was made that he had no Militia left to grant for if it had been his before yet the right was onely by the power of the Sword and by the same power he had lost it but if he had a right to grant a term of years that then the power must rest in his person which was a doctrine contrary to all the Declarations of Parliament in that case He said moreover that he would grant Liberty of Conscience as much as could be desired with an Act of Oblivion and divers other things which are too long to insert But answer was made he was not in a capacity to grant for he was no better then a prisoner and that he had opposed so long as he had any power left and for him to grant an Act of Oblivion was for to lay all the guilt and bloud of the Nations on them that opposed his proceedings and how dishonorable it would be to ask forgivenesse of a conquered enemy let the world judge But after a large debate sayes the Gentleman I professe I thought not that what I propound might not be for a publike good I would never perswade to it I had never instanced this but that the vail might be taken off from some Churchmens faces that the world might not suppose they were the onely Promoters of the present Authority when indeed the fault of the Personall Treaty under which divers others suffered they were the most guilty of in pressing and perswading to it of any that ever I spake with But amongst all their pretendings to the annoynting of the Spirit and to make known the mind and will of God that there should not be one found amongst them that could read the hand-writing as it was done by Daniel when he told the K. Belshazzar this is the interpretation of the thing Dan. 5.6 God hath numbred thy Kingdome and finished it thou art weighted in the balance and found too light c. But truly I could not find any of our Churchmen who pretend so much to know the mind of God but were as ignorant of what God by his providence was about to do in overthrowing the late King and renting the Kingdome from him as any the Magitians Astrologians and Southsayers were to interpret the handwriting to the King of Babilon And as far from truth and the mind of God were they in prosecuting the personall Treaty as those Prophets that counsell'd Ahab to go up to Ramoth Giliad and prosper Friends I desire you would not look on me as an enemy to the wayes of Christ and Gospell obedience for I know divers persons who are eminent for a holy just and righteous conversation unto whom I stand greatly engaged upon the highest account of friendship that at this time and I believe according to their light do in sincerity of heart walk in Church-fellowship And divers others of my acquaintance who upon good grounds have forsaken those wayes though in the highest formes and yet retain the principles of a holy life to wards God and just dealings towards men and therefore why should we be ready to judge those that are either above us or below us in the practise of religious duties seeing the Apostle concluded that there was as well milk for babes in Christ as meat for strong men But to return to the thing in hand in the next place he sayes the Petitioners use to hear such whose malignant principles and practises are such as their own Truly whoever they hear I believe they may soon hear as true Ministers as himself but it is no wonder to hear those that are uppermost to be offended and angry with those that conform not to their way though the same persons whilest kept under were the greatest writers and pleaders for Liberty of Conscience in the largest extent of any people in the Nation but as the Proverb is the Priest forgets that he was Clark so when some have attained to what liberty themselves desire they are presently ready to tye up all others to their own humours as I might largely instance He tells us farther that they say they cannot find that comfort to their souls they hoped Truly this seemes to me that they would gladly hear a Gospell Minister by whose preaching and practise they might receive both profit and comfort and certainly there cannot be a surer sign of their desire to have it then their being sensible of the want of it But alas Christ tells the people Mat. 7.16 that they must not expect to gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles In the next place he is pleased to Quaerie and runs a large circumference with inkhorn terms the substance whereof is to prove that the Petitioners have no right to Gospel comforts For a brief answer to which in generall I say if the largest and most gracious tenders of the free mercy of God for forgivenesse of sin and eternall salvation by Jesus Christ be not to be offered to the vilest of sinners I must unlearn divers Scriptures which I do believe expresly prove that not only the mercy of God is so infinite and the satisfaction of Christ so undeniably full and sufficient for the forgivenesse of sins and eternall salvation by him for all persons that it is to be tendred to all without exceptions unlesse such only who are so holy that they think they need it not for Christ himself speaks in the like case the whole have no need of the Physitian and that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance yet still the proud Pharisees laid this to his charge that he was a company keeper with a friend to Publicans and sinners I speak not this to justifie any person

worship and ver 21. Jesus said unto her woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain not at Jerusalem worship the Father c. and ver 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Certainly where much is given much is required and so on the contrary but if by reason of the overspreading of abomination God hath withdrawn those visible gifts from the Ministery must we presently make us Gods to go before us let us rather a little consider what the Lord speaks by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 50.11 behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall you have at mine hand you shall lie down in sorrow When Moses for a while had left the Israelites and was gone into the Mountain Exodus 32. as you may read at large it was a woefull worship they performed to their god-calf and surely Aaron made a bad bad exchange of his Priesthood in making an Altar and proclaiming a holy day to it I might instance in divers the like particulars but I hasten yet let me offer one thing to consideration which hath been a brand fixed on divers holy conscientious persons that they are a people that despise the Ministery and live above Ordinances no certainly it is their grief and sorrow of heart that they live below and without them and think you any persons professing Christ Jesus dare be such rebells to him as not to yeeld obedience to his commands especially when he tells them that his yoke is easie and his burden light but blame them not for not believing Michals image to be Davids person 1 Sam. 19.13 And now let us consider what gracious promises are made to such a people that see themselves at so great a losse read Isaiah 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant Isaiah 41.17 18. Ch. 42.7.40.31 that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God chap 30.18 and therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of Judgement blessed are all they that wait for him chap. 42.16 J will lead the blind by a way that they knew not I will lead them in paths they have not known I will make darknesse light before them and crooked things streight these things will J do unto them and not forsake them And did not Christ come to fill the empty to cloath the naked to feed the hungry and to set at liberty those that were bound Without controversie if ever we intend to be partakers of these gifts before spoken we must be first sensible of the want of them Thus have I briefly and faithfully to my own understanding given you a small tast which upon your farther consideration I hope you will enlarge and then I believe you will clearly discerne the shadow from the substance which is to know the difference of the Baptism of Christ from Iohns or of water from the Spirit of speaking from study art and learning or from the gift of the Spirit to Prophecy as 1 Cor. 12.10 and of all the rest of the gifts of the Spirit reckoned up in that chapter and be assured it is a duty that highly concernes us all to try by Scripture the Spirits of those we hear and it was that which was commendable in the noble Bereans that they searched the Scriptures to see whether the things Paul spake were so or not Act. 17.11 Nay it is the high commendation which God himself gives to the Church of Ephesus Revel 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear with them which are evill and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers Now for those that desire to know and to be throughly acquainted with the practise life and power of Christian Religion may find it laid down in that incomparable Sermon preached by Christ himself in the Mountain Mat. 5. to the 8. chapter wherein the former part of the 5 chapter the qualifications of Saints are discovered to verse 12. and that their Religion might not rest in formality he tells them verse the 20. that except their righteousness exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they should not enter into the Kingdome of heaven and to the end that they might not be unacquainted with the difference between a legall and Gospell obedience he layes it forth in sundry particulars unto the 28. ver of 7. chap. wherein as by a most perfect rule we may be able to judge between Saints in word and notion and Saints in life and power for understanding whereof let us weigh and seriously consider one instance of many where Christ tells the people ver 43. of of 5. chap. ye have heard that it hath been said of old thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy v. 44. but I say unto you love your enemies blesse them which curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which persecute you v. 45. that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his Sun to arise on the evill and the good and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust for if you love them which love you what reward shall you have do not the Publicans do the same v. 47. and if you be friendly to your brethren only what singular thing do ye do not even the Publicans likewise if then this be the doctrine of Christ and that which his Disciples ought to practise shall we not be ready to cry out with them who then can be saved the world at present is full of Professors and they full of fine words such as may justly be called inticing words of vanity but I desire that we may all weigh our selves at this balance and measure our selves by this Standard so that when we find our selves qualified as is here more at large in Scripture expressed we may justly expect the performance of the promises in being made partakers of the like gifts as the believers were in the primitive time And thus at present I have done with this desiring the Lord in mercy to give us a right understanding in all things A POSTSCRIPT THat the Gentleman and others may not be deceived in thinking those of the Parish who were not Petitioners against him are for him in approving his book if they think so it is a grosse mistake for to my knowledge divers of them did conclude it to be a great abuse to the whole Parish and when I spake of answering it they did presse me exceedingly to it not that I have any thing whereof to glory but considering their earnestnesse which I could not judge but to be in sincerity of heart it put me in mind of a passage which when I was a School-Boy I then learned and have not yet forgotten it is Virgil Liber 2 Aene●d where Aeneas though very unwilling yet being earnestly entreated by Dido Queen of Carthage makes relation of the Trojan warres and give this reason as you may read at large Sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros Et breviter Trojae supremum audire laborem Quanquam Animus meminisse horret luctuque refugit Incipiam c. But I shall say the contrary ità finem facio that though I abhorred to discover my mind in print yet a just cause and friends perswasions were two prevailing arguments to do it I shall only add one word more and leave it to the consideration of him that hath most right to it and the riddle may be unfolded hereafter I can assure you that in this discourse I have not to my knowledge made any false Muster neither have I like some Commander scrambled a pack of strange faces together to march through the City with as much confidence and little credit as if they were his own listed company FINIS