Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	enter_v	righteousness_n	scribe_n	2,630	5	11.0710	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64835	Things worth thinking on, or, Helps to piety being remains of some meditations, experiences, and sentences &c. never published till now : and now are as an addition to them which were formerly made publick: together with a sermon entituled The beauty of holines / by Ralph Venning ...	Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.	1664 (1664)	Wing V227; ESTC R38004	77,776	241

Saviour acknowledgeth that to weak and dim-sighted eyes they did appear beautiful but to him who had an all-seeing eye they were the most errant Hypocrites in the world a Generation of Vipers that could not without a miracle escape the damnation of Hell And therefore he tells his Disciples and all others most assuredly Matth. 5.20 That except their Righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees they can in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven no in no wise 't is impossible It will be worth our while to take a more particular view of their overmuch or excessive and yet defective righteousness 1. They were great Professors of Religion but were more so in words than works for though they did in words confess yet in works they did deny God and Godliness as Matth. 23.3 4. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses Seat All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that ye observe and do but do not after their works for they say and do not They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on other mens shoulders but they themselves will not touch them with one of their Fingers And what they do 't is in hypocrisie For all their works they do to be seen of men 2. Of all the Sects for there were many they were the most precise strict and exquisite As the Apostle who was once of the number doth confess Acts 26.45 And 't was for this that they were so much admired not for their Learning their Wit or Eloquence but for their righteousness yet this is the thing our Saviour censures and condemns in them and on great and just causes For First 'T was but external and in appearance They were like whited or painted Sepulchres which appear beautiful outward but were like them within too for they were rotten and filthy full of hypocrisie and iniquity Matth. 23.27 28. And therefore our Saviour saith unto them Luke 15. Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knows your hearts and that your appearing righteousness which is but in shew though it be highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God Secondly 'T was but their own Righteousness which is of the Law not that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith Thus the same Apostle tells us Phil. 3. Touching the Law saith he I was a Pharisee vers 5. and as to the righteousness which is in the Law blameless vers 6. and yet counted this but loss and dung v. 8. that he might win Christ and be found in him not having his own Legal righteousness which was all he had as a Pharisee and was all that the Pharisees had but that he might have the righteousness which is through Faith for without that which infinitely exceeds the other of the Scribes and Pharisees he believ'd what our Saviour said That he could not enter into heaven or be saved Yet Thirdly The Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was but according to the outside and Letter of the Law as Matth. 5. our Saviour gives us to understand If they did not actually murther or commit adultery causless anger and lusting after a woman in their heart were to them no transgressious of the Law They had the Law in their hands and mouth but not in their heart but they are the people that know righteousness the people in whose heart my Law is saith the Lord Isa 51.7 And therefore our Saviour reflects this upon them with a woe in Matth. 23.25 Te make clean the outside of the Cup and the Platter but within they are full of extortion and excess Mens Legis est Lex the meaning of the Law is the Law but this they had no mind to Fourthly Their righteousness as to the Law was but an observance of some of the Commandments of God for many of them they did transgress as our Saviour taxeth them Matth. 15.3 but then 't is that we shall not be ashamed when we have respect to all the Commandments of God Psal 119.6 and are like that renowned pair Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 who were both righteous in the sight of God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of God without blame Yea Fifthly The Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees as to the Law was placed in Rituals and Positives the lesser things of the Law and that with neglect of the real and most weighty things as 't is clear from what our Saviour reprehends and almost curses them for Matth. 23.23 Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye pay tythe of Mint Annis and Cummin but have omitted the weightter matters of the Law Judgement Mercy Faith and Luke 11.42 the Love of God these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone They were most unconscionably unjust and oppressive while they pretended conscience and thought that these little ceremonial observances would make amends for all their greater wickedness and villanies Sixthly and lastly as to this head Their conformity was not so much to the Law as to their and their Elders Glosses upon and Interpretation of the Law I confess at such easie and cheap rates men may pass for blameless as blasphemous and injurious Saul did and be pretenders to yea professors of perfection They owned the Scriptures but prefer'd the Traditions of the Elders as the Papists do unwritten ones before them And as the Romanists advance the Dictates of Pope and Councils before the written Word of God so these used to say that the words of the wise had more in them than the words of the Law For this our Saviour takes them up roundly and rebukes them cuttingly as they deserved Matth. 15. and lets them know that thereby they did worse than transgress for they made void the Commands of God and render'd them of little use and none effect Ye Hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you and your ill doing saying This people draweth nigh me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me and in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men Thus we see that the whole frame of these mens Religion was more of their own devising and fashioning than in conforming to the Institutions and Commandments of God and was indeed but an Apishmockery of the true and sound Religion Except therefore your righteousness exceed c. But to proceed 3. They were very Orthodox and sound in many of their Tenets beyond the Sadduces c. They held the Immortality of the Soul and Resurrection of the Body but lived so sensually as if neither were true and as if they prefer'd the uppermost rooms at a feast before the Kingdom and Glory of Heaven They held That there was One and but One God and were right as to pure Deisme but God in Christ they could not bear 't was beyond their patience to hear of Christ to be