Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	become_v	gain_v	weak_a	7,469	5	11.0638	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34193	Sermons preach'd on several occasions by John Conant.; Sermons. Selections	Conant, John, 1608-1693.; Williams, John, 1636?-1709.	1693 (1693)	Wing C5684; ESTC R1559	241,275	626

shall further confirm the point by other parallel Scriptures 3. I shall give the Reasons of it 4. I shall make some Application of it Concerning the first of these what it is to walk circumspectly I shall speak 1st Negatively 2dly Affirmatively I shall first shew what it is not and then what it is Negatively then 1. The circumspect walking here enjoined doth not lie in an affected singularity as when a man walks contrary to other men with no other design nor to no other end than that he may not be like them but be a person alone and one by himself God never calls us to this separation from the World Neither hath this been the practice of holy men whose Example is in Scripture set before us for our imitation S. Paul professeth his condescension to men and compliance with them in all lawful things that he might win them to Christ Vnto the Jews I became as a Jew 1 Cor 9.20 21 22. saith he that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the law as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some How far was he from studying to be unlike to other men who thus studied to apply himself to all men and conform himself to them so far as without sin he might do it Yet here let no man abuse this Example of the Apostle and plead it for justifying his conforming himself to the sinful practices of every Company he lights on The Apostle never gave any man such Example This had been contrary to his own Doctrine who chargeth us not to conform our selves to this world that is Rom. 12.2 to this wicked and sinful World so far as such And to abhor that which is evil Yea Rom. 12.9 1 Thess 5.22 to abstain from all appearance of evil But however to go as far away from other men as we can and to study to be opposite to them in those things in which we may lawfully conform to them and especially where we may hope to do any good by our innocent compliance with them is a singularity which God neither requireth of us nor approves of The root of this affected singularity as we have most reason to fear is Pride 'T is a manifest conceit and good opinion of his own wisdom that makes him chuse a way different from other men And as the root so the fruit of it is pride For being now in this singular way which his self-conceit hath put him into he pleaseth himself therein and values himself accordingly making account that he is so much better than other men by how much his practice is different from them 2. Circumspect walking doth not lie in a superstitious singularity whereby a man placeth Duty and Religion in those things in which God hath placed none This was the sin of the old Pharisees who taught for doctrines the commandments of men that is for Divine Doctrines for the Precepts and Injunctions of God And this is the sin of the Modern Pharisees Matth. 15.9 those of the Church of Rome who tread in their steps And such I fear is the singularity of those among our selves whom we call Quakers Though these Pharisaical Singularities may gain men a great reputation for Religion and Sanctity among men of their own Party as do the different Habits Diet course of life usages and practices of the several Religious Orders in the Church of Rome yet can they never commend them to God Of all these superstitious Singularities by which they would separate and distinguish themselves from the Secular and Irreligious World in which they pride themselves as matters highly acceptable and meritorious in the sight of God and for which others of their own way admire and even adore them I say of all these things God saith Who hath required them at your hands That 's all the thanks they must expect of him for them Neither is this all he looks upon their placing Religion and Sanctity in those things in which he hath placed none as a bold and saucy entrenchment upon his own Authority and Prerogative And indeed what is it better when Men shall take upon them to be Legislators in God's room making those things to be Sins and Duties which he never made so Most severe is the threatning against such as add to the Word of God which in effect these Men do Rev. 22.18 God will add unto them the plagues that are written therein 3. Circumspect walking doth not consist in a scrupulous singularity I distinguish this from the former that is the singularity of bold and presumptuous Persons this of weak and not sufficiently-informed tender Consciences that call for our Pity and Compassions rather than our Indignation forasmuch as they would be glad to be better informed and differ from the lawful practice of other Men conscientiously and to no other end than that they might not offend God as they groundlesly and erroneously apprehend they might Though no Man's Error commends him unto God yet his Carriage under an Error may and this is the case of these Persons And it was the very case of those Conscientious though mistaken Jewish Believers at Rome who not out of perverseness or turbulent opposition but out of pure dissatisfaction in point of Conscience did still observe those days the observation whereof God then no longer required and still forbear to eat those Meats which God then permitted to be eaten Of those weak and mistaken Believers the Apostle saith Rom. 14.6 He that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord and he that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not His meaning is That doing what they did out of Conscience though misinformed they as their present condition was did well and so far had acceptance with God But still I say though there may be something that is good in a Man 's not adventuring to go against the dictates of an Erroneous Conscience namely a fear of offending God if he should do otherwise than he doth yet the circumspect walking here enjoined consists not in such a singularity which being grounded on a mistake a Man is bound to endeavour to be rid of it and to be delivered from it as soon as he can And the rather because as the Circumstances may be in which a Man is it may be most dangerous and pernicious to lye under his mistake and continue in his Errour but one day or hour For the Errour may be such as may put him upon desperate Attempts or horrid Sins Our Saviour saith there would be those who would think they did God service by killing his Servants Joh. 16.2 A Man's Errour may be such as may not only deprive him of some of those Liberties which he might lawfully take but they may ingage him in a constant neglect of his