Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	day_n	lord_n	sabbath_n	9,284	5	10.5348	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61378	Sober singularity, or, An antidote against infection by the example of a multitude being practical meditations on Exod. 23, vers. 2 : wherein is opened the influence of the practise of a multitude, to draw men to sin, the special cases, wherein it concerns us to be most cautious, reasons why we must not follow them, together with the application of the whole : and therein, besides the general improvement of the point, an instance given of nineteen practises of the multitude to be avoided, seven of their grand principles to be rejc̈ted [sic] : sundry particulars concerning peace and unity, and the sanctification of the Lords Day, useful for these times / by R. Stedman ...	Stedman, Rowland, 1630?-1673.	1660 (1660)	Wing S5376; ESTC R38303	146,089	254

hold upon eternal life Why should the work cease whilst I spend my time in trifles I have not an hour to spare that may be passed away in idleness and negligence in doing nothing or what is as good as nothing 2. This was one of the sins of Sodom for which they were destroyed in such a dreadful manner by fire from heaven and upon which account they are set forth as an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire namely the spending their time in idleness and vanity without taking care for the right improvement of it And very probably this sin might be a means to carry them into those other horrid abominations for which they are branded to all the succeeding generations For when men take liberty to spend their time in idleness and make no conscience of laying it out to the ends for which they are intrusted with it they will soon be wrought upon to spend it wickedly Through idleness and slothfulness or that which is tantamount vain delights and fooleries sinners are obnoxious and exposed to all Satanica● assaults ready to run upon any of the devils errands Whereas if Christians were exact and conscientious in filling up their time with duty there would be no such room left open for the devils suggestions to enter in at Besides it's putting them under the verg of Gods protection and safe custody Ezek. 16.49 Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom pride fulness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters 3. This is one of the Talents for which you are strictly accountable at the great and notable day of the Lord viz. All the time of your continuance upon the face of the earth You read the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man travelling into a far countrey who called his servants and delivered certain Talents unto them to be imployed according to their several abilities And after a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them Now pray what are those Talents which God will call us to a reckoning for Why as there are talents of grace so there are talents of nature such as strength of body parts and endowments of the mind and the like And amongst these the time which is allotted to us is not the meanest or least considerable How hath that been managed in the Masters service What good have you done answerably to the time you have enjoyed Rev. 2.21 I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not And mark it my beloved If you would come off with comfort at the day of accounts and be found unto praise and glory at the glorious appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ it will not be enough to plead that you spent not your time prophanely or licentiously It will suffice to bring you under a sentence of condemnation if it were spent idly vainly and unprofitably Mat. 25.30 Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth What millions of gold would sinners then give for the least portion of that time to repent in which now they throw away as if it were not to be regarded This is the first thing I would note as to the time of religion when it is minded 2. In respect of the special time that is to be consecrated and appropriated to the more immediate service of God The multitude have been much set upon the observation of the dayes of mans devising and inventing but little concerned in the sanctification of the Lords day If they spend two or three hours in the publike exercises of religion then they think themselves acquitted for the rest of that day they find their own pleasures and follow their recreations and sports they let their tongues loose to vain and worldly discourses if they have any visit to make or merriment to be at this is the day wherein they have best leisure for it And yet as the whore in the Proverbs they wipe their mouths and say We have done no wickedness But ye my friends be not acted with the spirit of the multitude Give unto the Lord that which is due unto him He hath graciously allowed you six dayes for your own imployments wherein you may lawfully labour and do all that you have to do and he hath reserved a seventh day for himself a whole seventh day as he hath granted unto us the six Do not grudg the Lord and your souls this equitable and merciful proportion Be not as the rich man in Nathans parable who had many flocks and herds and yet when the wayfaring man came to him he spared to take of his own flock but took the poor mans lamb that lay in his bosom and dressed it for the man that was come unto him 2 Sam. 12. Thus do the carnal world deal with the God of heaven He hath given to them a whole flock of daies and kept unto himself but one Lamb the Lords day And yet when they have a journey to take or an errand to do some mirth and pleasure to follow or bodily ease to indulge they spare of their own flock and make bold with the Lords But my brethren be not ye like unto them As you would expect a blessing upon your souls and a blessing upon your labours on the six dayes be careful of the spiritual and entire sanctification of the Lords day the Christian Sabbath For blessed is the man that doth this and the son of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it and keepeth his hand from doing any evil Isa 56.2 That you may be careful in the discharge of this great daty and not fall short of the blessedness thereto annexed suffer me to leave upon you a few words by way of advice and counsel 1. Study much the morality of the Law of God concerning the weekly Sabbath That it is a commandment which carries with it a perpetual and everlasting obligation The ceremonial Sabbaths were observan●●s that disappeared upon the death of the Lord our righteousness When the Sun was risen in his glory the shadowes vanished But the weekly Sabbath was appointed to continue in the Church of Christ unto the end Be well setled I say in this great truth For if there be haesitation in your thoughts of the obligation of the commandment you will proportionably waver in your obedience unto the commandment Wavering and unstedfast obedience is the usual product of fluchuating apprehensions An unsetled judgment will usher in unconstant service And therefore be well verst in the morality of the weekly Sabbath 1. It was part of the Law given unto our first parents in the state of innocency when there was no ground for distinction of Jew and Gentile Gen. 2.2 3. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had refted from all his work which

monstrous opinions under the protection and patronage of the Scriptures Sol. This is a trite objection much insisted on by them that are contentious and of an imposing spirit and are loath to be concluded and shut up in the exercise of their power within the limits and boundaries of the word of God And therefore deserves to be answered more largely than at present I can spare time to do All that I shall speak unto it which yet may sufficiently discover the vanity of this cavil I shall gather into five heads 1. There will be heresies maintained in the Church of Christ amongst people that call themselves his disciples and servants in all ages unto the end It is a matter that will fall out unavoidably and cannot be otherwise As there will be men of corrupt lives tares mingled with the wheat in the kingdom of the Son of man so there will be men of corrupt notions and doctrines that speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them 1 Cor. 11.19 For there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Mark It must be there is a necessity of it Not a necessity of precept God is a God of truth he requires truth in the judgment as well as integrity in the heart he calls for soundness of mind as well as fervour of affection But in respect of the event there is a necessity it will certainly be so and the Lord hath excellent ends to accomplish thereby and therefore will suffer errors to be vented and spread abroad But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 See also 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Act. 20.30.31 This is no excuse unto the Authors and broachers of any cursed opinions But it is an useful lesson or document for the servants of God that they may be quickned to get their judgments principled with sound knowledge and to beware lest they be led aside from the way by the errors of the wicked and so fall from their own stedfastness That is pertinent on this account which our Saviour speaketh as to scandals in general Mat. 18.7 Wo unto the world because of offences For it must needs be that offences heresies come but wo to that man by whom the offence heresie cometh 2. The people of God have no just cause to think ever a jot the worse of Religion and godliness because of the heresies that sometimes abound in the Church of Christ It should rather confirm us in the belief of the truth of the Gospel Our Saviour having foretold us that thus it will be and we seeing it verified before our eyes As the Apostle exhorts the Thessalonians that no man might be moved by his afflictions For saith he your selves know that we were appointed thereunto 1 Thes 3.3 And v. 4. For verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass and ye know So may I speak in the case of errors and heresies Let no man stumble or be offended at the wayes of Christ upon this account Let not your faith be weakened nor your progress in holiness retarded because of these corrupt opinions and heresies For your selves know that Christ by his Spirit hath foretold of these things that it must come to pass as it is in all ages And he hath therefore warned you of it before-hand lest you should be offended Joh. 16.1 2 3 4. 3. When we speak of unity in Christian fellowship and uniformity in the worship and service of God it must not be interpreted of union and combination with such as are hereticks It must not be taken as if it were meant that we must unite and go hand in hand with such persons Our Lord Christ hath left upon record sufficient directions in this case how to purge his Church of such vermine and to keep our selves free from the taint of their pollutions as well as in the case of those who are profane and disorderly in their conversations A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Tit. 3.10 11. From such withdraw thy self 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 2 John 10. See also Gal. 1.9 Rom. 16.17 Rev. 2.2 20 24 25. 4. But then as to sound and sober Christians let this be observed That the principles of the doctrine of Christ which may be a sufficient ground for their uniting in the worship and service of God are plainly delivered in the Scriptures and to be clearly and easily deduced from thence They are wrote in legible characters that he that runs may read them And why should not those things which will declare a man a sound believer capacitate him for communion with believers These things are written plainly as with the Pen of a diamond and inculcated frequently that they may be apprenended by the meanest of the Saints Isa 45.19 I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth The oracles of God are not delivered darkly and obscurely they are not folded and wrapt up in intricate and ambiguous sentences as the devils oracles the answers of false gods were wont to be delivered in caves and grotto's and corners under the ground The truths of God are set forth perspicuously They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge Prov. 8.9 For this commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden neither is it far off It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thine heart that thou mayest do it Indeed prating fools as the holy Ghost calleth them will seek nodum in scirpo they will find matter to wrangle with the most undeniable principles But the foundation-truths of Christianity are fully proclaimed in the ears of all within the pale of the Church that will lend their ears attentively to the sound of the Gospel and will diligently study divine mysteries And the people of God are under precious promises of the Spirits instruction to guide them into the knowledge of all necessary points Joh. 16.13 1 Joh. 2.20 27. Psal 25.12 14. And why should not those who are under the conduct of the same truths in the way of holiness unto eternal life hereafter unamimously joyn together in the service of

the Mosaical pedagogy and probably their deferting the Lords day Sabbath and adhering to the Jewish was one special part of their apostacy The first of these is plain to any understanding Christian that shall throughly study the whole scope and drift of the Epistle And I think we may very probably suppose the truth of the latter also What part of the old administration were they more likely to be zealous of than the Seventh day Sabbath in the observation whereof they had formerly been so excessively and rigorously superstitious Mat. 12.2 Mar. 3.2 And therefore it may seem consonant to the Apostles scope as to set forth the vanishing and disappearing of the legal oblations and sacrifices so to speak as here concerning the abrogation of their Sabbath and substitution of the Lords day in the room of it 2 The Holy Ghost speaketh here of a certain day of rest the celebration of a set determinate day and not of the whole season of the gospei indefinitely And what set determinate day is there that may be fitly assigned as the time of a believers rest but the Lords day See v. 7. Again he limiteth a certain day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saying in David to day after so long a time as it is said to day if ye will hear his voice hardon not your hearts And then it followeth thereupon v. 9. There remaineth therefore the celebration of a Sabbath 3 This determinate day of rest which the Apostle calleth the Sabbath that is to be kept is clearly to be meant of that day wherein the people of Christ meet together in the worship of God and provoke and quicken one another to hear the word of the Lord. For so it plainly appeareth from the 95. Psalm from which portion of Scripture the Apostles argument is taken and upon which his whole discourse of this matter is built See the whole entrance of the Psalm particularly the sixth and seventh verses O come let us worship and bow down Let us kneel before the Lord our maker For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand To day if ye will hear his voice It is of this day and the rest of it which the text I am opening is to bemeant And what day is that in the times of the gospel but the Christian Sabbath There is not to be met with any other day wherein the Saints can be supposed ordinarily to exhort and quicken each other unto the worship of God The other six dayes are appointed for labour 4 A believers personal rest into which he enters by faith was enjoyed by the Saints in the times of the old Testament For they were saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ even as we But the Apostle treateth here out of the words of David of a rest or Sabbath to be celebrated a long time after even in the daies of the New Testament for that Psalm is a prophesy of evangelical dispensations As it is said in David to day after so long a time By the same reason that the Apostle proveth that this day of rest must not be meant of the Jewish Sabbath because that was instituted from the beginning of the world Heb. 4.3 We may prove it is not meant primarily of a believers personal rest by faith because that was enjoyed by the Saints in all ages of the Church before the dayes of David But here he prophecieth of a priviledg that was to be conferred on the people of Christ a long time after 5 The Apostle is to be understood of the celebration of such a Sabbath as is to be kept upon the like ground in reference to the Lord Christs ceasing from his work as the Seventh dayes Sabbath was in relation to Gods ceasing from his work For so it is in v. 10. which I mentioned For he that is entred into his rest that is the Lord Jesus Christ our Redeemer hath ceased from his work as God did from his own And therefore there remaineth a Sabbath for Christians to cefebrate I know the words are usually understood of a Believers ceasing from the works of sin But let it be well considered that the Holy Ghost speaketh of such a ceasing as Gods was when the creation was finished He rested the seventh day and was refreshed he looked on every thing that he made and beheld it was very good entirely good nothing but Good This is justly attributable unto Christs work of redemption but cannot so fitly be applyed unto the Saints When they cease from sin behold it appeareth unto them exceeding evil and bitter and they are filled thereupon with godly shame and self abhorrence Ezek. 36.26 29 31. Besides the Apostle speaketh afterwards of Christs passing into the heavens as relating to somewhat that had been before delivered And unto what can it refer but unto his entring into his rest which includes his passing into the heavens So it followeth v. 14. Seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fest our profession Mark it is the same person that is said to have passed into the heavens v. 14. that is spoken of as entring into his rest v. 10. For seeing that he is passed into the heavens And he that is entred into his rest is the person that hath ceased from his work as God did from his own And upon this account there remaineth the celebration of a Sabbath unto the people † See Carter on the Covenant with Abraham page 6 7 c. And Cotton on singing of Psalms p. 10 11. From whom I have borrowed much of this matter of God Further yet the Holy Ghost seemeth plainly to distinguish in that 10. v. between the works of redemption which are ascribed to the Son and the works of Creation which are peculiarly attributed to the Father and are therefore called his own works as the Text is to be rendred * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A believer upon his conversion is delivered indeed from the dominion and power of sin but not wholly freed from all remainders of pollution still there is a Law in his members warring against the Law of his mind and leading him often captive to the performance of his works even to manifold sins through infirmity So that it cannot so fully be said of a Christian whilst in the body that he hath ceased from his works But of our Lord Jesus Christ it is exactly verified who upon his rising from the dead came forth as a victor from the conquest which he made and entred into his state of exaltation 6 The Psalmist treating of this day of rest which the Apostle referreth to doth instance in most of the Solemn parts of worship which are to be discharged on the Sabbath 1. Singing of Psalms Psal 95.1 2. 2. Prayer v. 6.3 Hearing the word which implyeth the Preaching of the word v. 7 8. All to be

in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkeness to thirst As if the sinner should have said as carnal people in our dayes are wont to doe Do you think Heaven was appointed only for a company of Puritans that make more Scruples than they need Why may not a man take his fill of pleasures upon earth and yet come to the kingdom of heaven as well as others surely God never intended to tye us up in such narrow bounds as these Strait-lac't Preachers would perswade us Come let us fill our selves with strong drink and take our freedom whilst we may and yet our souls shall do as well as theirs If you would see the farther workings of this cursed and Hellish principle consult Psal 10.3 Isa 28.14 15. And Jer. 5.12.13 My beloved if you will keep your selves unspotted from the world great care must be taken that you give not the least reception or entertainment unto these devilish dictates For if once such libertine thoughts do but enter into your heads they will quickly fall down as a mighty Torrent upon your hearts and carry you headlong to all excess of riot As the first point of wisdom is to pitch upon the right end So the next is to take care of electing and closing with the sure and proper means for compassing that end If you fancy to your selves an easy way to salvation you do thereby tempt the tempter to lead you in the broad way to destruction Your spirits are thereby as a City without gates or walls open to all the inroades of that wicked one and of wicked men that are his instruments And therefore to Antidote your souls against this Poysonous principle let these three contrary principles sink deep within you 1. That the Holy Ghost is expresse concerning it that the way of salvation is a narrow and difficult way and that there are but few of those that sit under the teachings of the word of God that will arrive with safety at the kingdom of heaven Mark it I say these are truths which are frequently inculcated and very clearly asserted They are not dark notions and conclusions that are pretended to be drawn by far-fetcht consequences from the scripture but they are delivered so plainly that there is no way left for evading the force of them Mat. 7.13 14. Enter ye in at the straitgate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat Because strait is the gate or how strait is the gate amd narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Not only the way of holiness in the utmost extent of it is a difficult way but the way that leadeth unto life such holiness as is of absolute necessity to conduct a sinner to salvation And they are but an handful in comparison that walk in it But this may be meant will the carnal professour say in relation to Heathens and Infidels and gross Idolaters that worship a false God and never had the knowledg of a Mediatour We are Christians and members of the Church and hear the word of the Lord. Se therefore what our Saviour saith in another place Mat. 22.14 For many are called but few are chosen When are sinners externally called by a common vocation but when the word of God sounds in their eares inviting them to repentance and the Spirit of God deals by his motions with their hearts admonishing and perswading them to come unto Christ that they may be saved And few of this sort attain to eternal life Look into the old world and there were but eight persons saved from the deluge whereof there was one at least an hypocrite and the rest of the world were swept away not only with the besom of temporal destruction but into the pit of eternal perdition Consider the state of Sodom and there could not be found ten righteous persons in that populous City But least you should say that these were professed Atheists and Infidels and so the case not parallel with such as are called the people of God Let us therefore make inspection into the body of Israel when Elias made intercession to the Lord against them who thought that only himself had been left alone faithful unto Jehovah And pray what was the answer of God unto him See Rom. 11.4 I have reserved to my self seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal Mark it but seven thousand in the whole kingdom of Israel that consisted of ten of the Tribes We read of eleven hundred and threescore thousand mighty men of valour at one time in the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin besides the souldiers that kept the garisons Now if you should reckon proportionably concerning the ten tribes and make but a reasonable computation of the rest of the people men and women What were seven thousand in respect of the whole What an inconsiderable pittance scarcely one of a thousand However the case is plain there are but few in comparison that hear the word of the Lord that will come to the state of blessedness in the enjoyment of the Lord. And to bring this matter to an head if the way to Heaven were easy how comes it to pass that such multitudes perish If men might be saved at a cheap rate without strictness and diligence whence is it that the greatest number fall short of salvation If the careless and sensual are in the way to heaven who are the multitude in the visible Church that Christ tells us shall be sent into the chains of darkness Do not you tremble when you meet with such passages in the Bible I am afraid Sirs you dare not seriously study and meditate upon such scripture-truths least they should make your hearts to ake and awaken you out of your golden dreams 2. Though there are degrees of grace and different measures of holiness in the Saints and servants of God and many persons that are saved never attained to that stature and pitch of godliness in this life at which some have arrived Yet there are such things of absolute and indispensable necessity to salvation and to evidence that you are partakers of saving grace in the smallest degree that will sufficiently manifest that Heaven is not to be got without much pains and diligence in the pursuance of it Mat. 11.12 The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force There is no geting into that City except you storm it unless you vehemently strive to lay hold upon it Lazy wishings and wouldings will never bring you thither Lukewarmness and slothfulness will certainly fall short of it The bare external and superficial performance of some duties whilst in other things you take liberty to indulg the flesh will undoubtedly leave you still in the state of Damnation what ever fond conceits you may have of the contrary Let us lightly pass over the mention of some particulars

every one of them distinctly I am King of France I am King of France thereby intimating that by that one flourishing Kingdom of France he was able to out boast the other in the multitude of his dominions So may a believer by the enjoyment of one God be able to outboast the worldling in all that he possesseth Hath he abundance of riches But I may a sincere Christian say have the eternal God for my portion who is the giver of all things from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed Hath the worldling the favour of great men of Kings and Emperours But I have the friendship of God who is the supreme King and all Princes and potentates upon earth are but his vassals and subjects Is he advanced to honour and great dignity Well but I am a son or daughter of the living God which is far higher preferment than the mightiest men can confer on their favourites All that the worldling possesseth is but for a small pittance of time but a believer hath interest in eternal mansions in a crown and kingdome that cannot be shaken And is the way to this kingdome an unprofitable way Mind what the Psalmist saith in this respect Psal 84.10 11. For a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I would chuse rather to sit at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness For the Lord God is a Sun and a shield The Lord will give grace and glory No good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly 2. The profit and advantage of godliness is principally spiritual profit whereas the hearts of the unregenerate are earthly sensual and carnal and therefore it is that they are not able to discern the sweetness and excellency of religion Not as if there were no such thing to be perceived but their spirits are indisposed and altogether uncapable of the right perception thereof For to a through discerning of any excellency whatsoever there must be always a proportion betwixt the excellency discerned and the power or faculty by which it is discerned To make it clear by a familiar illustration If I discourse with an Husbandman of some profitable way of manuring of land or concerning the best method of ordering grain and tillage he will easily discern the import of such discourse and the benefit of such experiments as are commended to him in that behalf But if you should read to him the most admirable lecture in Geometry Opticks Metaphysicks or the like He will not apprehend the usefulness of it Why Because there is a suitableness in his understanding for the reception of the one and not of the other Thus it is in this case If a man would discern spiritual excellencies he must have a spiritual eye If he would tast sweetness in the service of God he must have a spiritual palate But now the unregenerate are carnal and earthly Their spirits lye grovelling upon the earth and their minds are linked and fastened to things below 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to him Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned If a blind man do not perceive the beauty and loveliness of the Sun It is not from any defect in that glorious body but through the defect of his sight So if the wicked do not see the profit of godliness it is not through any defect in religion But because themselves are blind and cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1.9 3. The great reason why persons go empty away from the service of God and so bring up an evil report upon godliness as if it were an unprofitable work is because their hearts are not upright in the sight of the Lord but they deal falsly in his covenant They do their work by halfes and in a slight and superficial way and so fall short of their expectations in the performance of it Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our Souls and thou takest no knowledg Mark the answer that is returned to these groundless complaints Behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your labours Behold you fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness Is it such a fast that I have chosen q. d. If you did not play the Hypocrites in the obedience you tender you should never have cause to complain of my unreadiness to reward you If you were faithful in the observation of my statutes I would in no case fail the expectation of your souls But ye brought that which was torn and the lame and the sick Thus you brought an offering Should I accept of this at your hand saith the Lord Mal. 1.13 My brethren the emolument and advantage of religion is entailed upon the power of godliness No wonder that they find it not who have only the form For bodily exercise profiteth little But godliness reall and substantial godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 And therefore the Lord appeals to the very consciences of his people whether ever they could say that they had sought him in vain when they did seek him in sincerity Mic. 2.7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob Is the spirit of the Lord straitned Are these his doings Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly That is the third principle of the multitude to be rooted up out of your spirits 4. The fourth Principle of the multitude which you must utterly reject if you will not be led aside by their errour into sin hath reference to the way of salvation and the means of coming to the kingdom of heaven That a person need not take so much pains nor make so much adoe in order to the attainment of eternal life as commonly Ministers press men unto But a man may be saved well enough without preciseness and circumspection over his wayes They cannot but acknowledg but that the Holy Ghost in the scriptures exhorteth men to be vigilant and watchful in every thing to be circumspect and not to come neer to an evil matter To contend earnestly for the faith and to strive to enter in at the strait gate And indeed will they say these things are not amiss in Ministers that have nothing else to mind but to inveigh against sin and to study the word of the Lord But they cannot believe they are of absolute necessity to salvation but that a man may do well enough though he now and then indulge himself to satisfie his lusts They will never be perswaded that God will damn all that come not up to these rigid terms Thus they harden their hearts against the fear of the Lord and set open a door unto licentiousness Deut. 29.19 I shall have peace though I walk