Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	cast_v	devil_n	divide_v	3,310	5	9.5405	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57956	A discourse of the use of reason in matters of religion shewing that Christianity contains nothing repugnant to right reason, against enthusiasts and deists / written in Latin by the Reverend Dr. Rust ; and translated into English, with annotations upon it by Hen. Hallywell.	Rust, George, d. 1670.; Hallywell, Henry, d. 1703?	1683 (1683)	Wing R2361; ESTC R25530	47,282	92

it seems most of all to make use of Reason But it were Impious to imagine that God who is most wise can be deceived or being most Veracious can deceive It is confest that nothing could be spoken truer for no Man is so incredulous or self-conceited but he will presently give credit to Divine Attestation But the Question is how we shall know when a thing is confirmed by Divine Testimony Will it appear from Miracles alone We shall find Pythagoras Apollonius Tyanoeus who endeavoured by Magick to keep up the Credi●… of decaying and sinking Idolatry was famous for these whose Contemporaries durst oppose him to Christ as may appear from the Books of Hierocles and Philostratus written of this subject I might likewise introduce the Magicians of both Worlds all which have acted diverse things exceeding the Powers of Nature only by Demoniacal Assistance If any one therefore shall pretend a Divine Commission there are Three things which he ought to prove his Authority by Miracles Holiness of Life and a Doctrine worthy of God and every way useful to Mankind If he bring all these things he is to be believed as sent from God But it no way comports with Divine Goodness and Veracity to bear witness to a Falsehood or to expose men in things of the Greatest moment to an Everlasting and inevitable Delusion Wherefore we are not only to look at Miracles but at the Life and Doctrine of the Person who pretends them to gain to himself the Belief of Divine Authority To this purpose our Saviour made use of an invincible Argument against the Pharisees who objected to him that he cast out Devils by the help of the Prince of Devils viz. That a Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation Therefore since he both by his Doctrine and the mighty works that he did set himself wholly to pull down and overthrow the Kingdom of Satan it could not be that he should cast out Devils by the Assistance of Satan Therefore to make up a Right Judgment concerning a Divine Testimony the matter it self which is attested ought to come into Consideration which if it contain any thing contrary to the setled Principles of Nature those Miracles are not to be looked upon as Divine but as Diabolical Delusions The Beroeans were commended by the Spirit of God to be more Noble then those in Thessalonica i. e. of a more ingenuous and pliable Temper in that they searched the Scriptures whether those things spoken by Paul and Silas were so Why should not the same Commendation belong likewise to us if we put to a severe Scrutiny Trial whatever is deliver'd to us by any Person for a Divine Law 3. A third Argument may be drawn from the Nature of Religion which ought to be matter of Choice and Delight But now it is impossible that any one should please himself in that which is contrary to the Principles of his very Nature And indeed to know Conclusions themselves unless we likewise are ascertain'd from what Principles they flow yields but a slender Delight to the Understanding As the Pleasure of a Mathematical Genius results not from having Geometrical Problems as undoubted Axioms by Heart but ●…rom the being able to comprehend their Demonstrations deduced by a long Series of Propositions Wherefore it is most agreeable to the Divine Goodness so ●…ar to indulge and have regard to the Nature of Man under the Gospel that he may find the Harmony and Agreement of those things with Reason which are propounded to him as Objects of Faith For here lies the Principal Difference between Mankind and Bruits in their being capable of Religion And it is a thing abhorrent from all Reason that that which is most Natural and the sole Propriety of Man should yet be contradictory to his own Faculties Can it be imagined that God intended to perplex Humane Intellect with inexplicable subtleties Or is any thing the more excellent and Venerable because it exceeds all Understanding Is he to be deemed the fittest subject for Religion who is most Bigotical and carelesly credulous Are we to put off Humane Nature that we may become Religious Surely to entertain the least suspicion of such a thing were the very Reproach of all Religion Such ought to be every Man's Judgment of his Religion that it contain nothing in it absurd unbecoming or Repugnant to Right Reason for what a shame were it for Religion to be afraid of the Tribunal of Reason I have always looked upon that Religion most worthy of my choice which comes off Victorious when called to the Bar of strictest Reason Wherefore should a Gracious God bestow upon us the Faculty of Reason if we must not suffer it to do its Office when our concern is most in Question Or what other Faculty is there left by who●…e conduct we can search into the Truth of Religion If we once forsake the Guidance of Reason must not all Religion be owing either to Education Superstition or some Fanatical Impulse But you will say our Reason since the Fall is too much darkned and therefore we are not competent Judges of Divine things But are the faint and more languishing Rays of the declining Sun therefore contemptible and to be reputed Darkness because we are deprived of his Meridian and more Exalted Light Must he whose Eyes are somewhat dull be therefore accounted stark blind Or must we quite shut our Eyes because they want the sharpness and Perspicacity of Eagles Is not Religion of such a Nature as requires our greatest Care and Diligence as of a thing of the highest moment and in which to have erred were our greatest Infelicity And to what Purpose were our Faculties given if they be of no use in those things wherein we most need them Shall another Judge for us Or shall the Understanding of another direct my will Shall I fee with other mens Eyes Or walk only by the light that another carries before me Shall I mortifie my irregular Affections with Arguments that I do not understand Or govern my life by the mea●…ure of another Man's Principles Are not all these things to be done by a Man 's own proper Judgment Intellect and Light And can this be effected without the use of Reason Nay further is there need of any other Faculty in the choice of Religion and such Principles as tend to the Regulation of Life but only of Reason Religion is a free and ingenuous thing that forceth none but Captivates the Understanding with its own solitary Beauty Pulchritude And he that thinks otherwise falsly accuses Religion introduces Superstition into its Place 4. A Fourth Argument I take from the Nature of Right Reason from whence arises a clear Demonstration that no Divine Revelation can be contrary to it For the Souls of Men are derived from the D●…vine Mind and Right Reason is of a Celestial Original framed after the Image of Uncreated Wisdom and Knowledge It is a certain Beam