Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A41561
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Some observations upon the keeping the thirtieth of January, and twenty ninth of May by J.G.G.
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Gailhard, J. (Jean)
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1694
(1694)
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Wing G129; ESTC R17606
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41,903
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64
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Stamp Sometimes God may happen to say to those who are so fond of those Will-worship Ceremonies who hath required this at your hands Isaiah 1.12 And to uphold this Practice they must pull it over Head and Shoulders out of the Text of the Epistle to the Philippians 6.2 10. I do not so much wonder that Papists who seldom make use of Scriptures but to wrest them would make use of the place But for Protestants who pretend and ought to know better I admire they would make use of it It is plain the Text is not literally to be understood or else Men should bow at the Name of Jesus Son of Nun or of the Son of Sirach or of Jesus called Justus then 't is said the Knee not the Head Then there is no Knees in Heaven nor none that can bow under the Earth 'T is there spoken of an Honour due to the Divinity Person Attributes and Works especially as he is our Redeemer and Saviour which is signified by the name of Jesus and if we must kneel or bow when we hear that name the like must be done when we see it written The Apostle doth not mean the Letters of the name but a most humble Submission and Obedience with a giving Praise and Glory to the Person and Commands of the Lord Jesus As to kneeling at the Sacrament I know there must be a Posture that of the time of Institution or as near it as may be must be used several Protestant Churches have different Postures when they receive it and a Care ought to be had of avoiding Superstition and keeping as far as we can from Appearances of Idolatry I confess I would not for all the World if ever beyond Seas where Papists are in a full Liberty and where Protestants receive it not on their Knees I say I would not because my Conscience would not give me leave receive it kneeling which is a Posture of Adoration for fear it were thought I partake of their Idolatry in worshipping a piece of Bread for the true natural Body now sitting at the Right Hand of the Father which thing I abhor more than Death it self But here though with a safe and even Conscience I could receive it kneeling yet may be another could not Must my Will and Practice be the Rule of another Man's Will and Practice Every one is bound to seek for the best Information he can have but when all is done every ones Conscience must be the Judge of what he doth in indifferent things that is which are neithe commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God And the true Christian Prudence is to leave such things at liberty and administer it to those sitting or standing who make scruple to receive it kneeling for 't is no Rule of Charity or Christianity for the sake of Uniformity to break Unity and the Bond of Peace And Ministers ought to have a great care not to become Instruments of Damnation to any for they who receive kneeling Rom. 14.23 and doubting as St. Paul saith are Damned Such Practices must be left for the Wicked Communion of Rome which with Fears Threatnings Sword Fire and every violent way forces People to do things contrary to their Conscience as of late in an high degree it was practised in a Neighbouring Nation and for what they did they gave this reason We know they must be Damned and as good they should be so within our Church as out of it Let them come in and believe what they please Indeed a great Evil there is amongst us That the Posture of receiving the Holy Sacrament an Ordnance of God to Seal the Pardon of our Sins and strengthen our Faith is made use of for a Trial of those who are qualified for Worldly Employments to turn it to Temporal Ends is an unaccountable Prophaneness of that Holy Institution And though without such a by Consideration I could receive it kneeling I declare if I should receive in that manner upon the account of such a Trial I could not avoid believing I had eaten and drank my Damnation All foresaid Lets and Hindrances being laid aside and a Blessed Reformation of all Abuses set a-foot and by every one in their several Stations carried on then upon good Grounds we might hope for Peace grounded upon Truth and for an Happy Success especially if in our different Capacities we would propose to our selves the Glory of God the Salvation of Souls and the Good and Advantage of Church and Country The good Laws we have to encourage Piety and Virtue and to discountenance and punish Ungodliness Vice and every unjust and sinful Practise being renewed put in execution and if any thing therein wanting supplied with new ones good Instructions good Examples good Rules in Families and Care taken by Parents and Masters to see them well observed this would take away Evil and Cursed things from amongst us The Prudence of Officers in Church and State should remedy old Inconveniencies and as much as 't is possible endeavour to prevent new ones Amongst the old ones I shall name a very palpable one which concerns both Church and State and hath been and is every day cause of Grievance and great Inconveniencies and as much as any Destructive of common Society 't is Clandestine Marriages stealing and trappanning young People into Marriages without Advice or Consent of Friends which as yet the Wisdom of our Law-givers hath found no effectual Course to prevent though daily Complaints have at several times put them upon consulting about it He who steals my Goods shall be Hang'd and he who steals my Child shall go Free And if once they be Married according to the Practice of the Church though by reason of young Age and other Considerations unable to bind themselves with such a Tie What is in part or chiefly the cause of this is the Abuse of selling Bonds of Matrimony the Dishonesty and Covetousness of a Minister to get some few Guinea's And Privileged Places by Law or Custom whereof there are too many in and about the City there People are Married in Secret let the Disparity Inconveniency Tricks and Cheats be never so great so visible or so many which to prevent it requires the Prudence Study and Authority of both Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers FINIS