Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	appear_v	glory_n	hide_v	4,143	5	8.4140	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51980	The vanity, mischief and danger of continuing ceremonies in the worship of God humbly proposed to the present convocation / by P.M., a minister of the Church of England.	P. M.	1690 (1690)	Wing M68; ESTC R19138	38,859	48

of doors to the great disservice of God and the Church If we will not see some disorders that are among us and reform them the members of both Houses of Parliament see them in their several Counties and there is hope that they will find a remedy In the mean time the people see them and there is in them such a hunger after Gods Word that in some dark neglected corners of the land they go in great numbers to hear a Non-conformist and are glad if he visit them once a month But above all God sees what is amiss amongst us and if we do not our duty he will find a Besom to cleanse his house Isa 14.24 Mal. 2.9 and make them contemptible and base before all the People that have been partial in his Law When I have pleaded with a Reverend Divine in the behalf of excluded Ministers and endeavoured to represent to him some of the manifold mischiefs to Souls by our rigour in imposing unnecessary terms I have been put off with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all things be done decently 1 Cor. 14.40 Will the violent wresting that Text in the defence of mens Inventions cover the guilt of destroying innumerable Souls one of which is worth more than the whole World and their ruine may be for want of the labours of those able Ministers whom we exclude for toys Is the blood of Christ and of Souls so vile as to be set to Sale for Stubble and Straw These things would be most contemptible if we had the same value for Souls that Christ had when he counted the whole World too light to be put in the ballance against one Soul Mar. 8.36 and when he laid down his life to redeem us from the wrath to come We may by our rigidness drive many from our Communion into the dark Sectarian paths in which they may perish but how shall we repair the mischief that we have done Tho we pour from our Eyes Rivers of Tears or from our Veins Seas of Blood we can never recover one lost soul The redemption of their Soul is precious Psal 49.8 and it ceaseth for ever IV. Mischief's to Piety The most learned Divines and the wisest States-men in the World are but bunglers when they take upon them to add unto Gods Worship what he hath not appointed Human Institutions are but like clouts with which Chips are drest up into Babies for Children to play with With these inventions Heathens and Atheists are habited like Christians for the service of the Devil to corrupt and destroy true Christianity The World hath a long time groaned under them it is high time for people to be Wise Mankind hath for many Ages been possest and tormented with a furious Spirit the Devil of Imposition it will never be well till this Spirit is cast out Piety may now as well live and flourish without our ceremonies as it did mount without them above Idolatry and conquered the World It may be raised unto a new life from its decay caused by a long and heavy oppression under a load of humane Inventions True Piety hath been hid in Corners remove stumbling-blocks and it will come forth and appear in publick with all its beauty and glory Dr. Stilling Iren. Pag. 121. Allowing a liberty for matters of Indifferency and bearing with the weak who cannot bear things which others account lawful we might indeed be restored to a primitive lustre far sooner than by furbishing up some antiquated Ceremonies which can derive their Pedegree no higher than from some ancient Custom and Tradition Ceremonies in Worship corrupt peoples minds with vanity make them light and trifling in the weighty concerns of God and their Souls Pomp and Train of Ceremonies retained will be apt to take up the heart of such as are busied in them Corbets Kingdom of God Pag. 103. and corrupt the worship of God and make it a dead work and carnal service and so the Spirit and Power of Godliness will decay and die amongst people by this means Many think they have done much if they have exactly conformed to Rites and Ceremonies Such are apt to forget the awe and dread they should have in the Worship of the Divine Majesty They are so careful of outward Postures and Habits that they mind not the bringing of their Souls unto God in whose service all the faculties should be engaged What are all the inventions of men to our converse with an infinite glorious Spirit We cannot approach unto him but with our Spirits The use of Ceremonies tends to the oppression of the life and power of Christianity They are like painted windows which may make a gaudy shew but they much lessen the light or like Garments clog'd with Snow or Ice they may load a man but not warm him The use of them wasts sincere Piety The pressing of them is the cramming of Christians with Stubble and Straw and will sooner choke than nourish true Piety and Charity They when multiplyed strangely eat out the Heart Heat Life and Vigour of Christianity The carnal part of the world is easily engaged for them against holiness Dr. Scilling Iren. Pag. 67. and to such a degree that serious Piety hath been scorned and scoffed at not only by the Mobile but by higher ranks not excepting the Tribe in the long robe when engaged to be Advocates for Impositions witness Samuel Oxons Books of Ecclesiast Pol. and of Loyalty The use of Ceremonies hath so blinded men that multitudes have been inraged with a mad spirit against the life of Religion There hath been for a long time amongst us a bitter hatred of serious Christians that endeavoured to be pure in heart such have been reproached with the name of Puritans Mat. 5.8 Piety hath been scorned vilified and persecuted under the notion of Puritanism There is no doubt but this Church tho its Government and constitution be so pure Mr. Bolde's Sermon against Persecution Pag. 14.15 Justifiable and consonant to Apostolical Practice would suffer very much should but the almost Ordinary Miscarriages of a great number who pretend to the Clergy be exposed to Publick View with an account of the encouragement they meet with or at least how free they are from Threats and Molestations while others who live better Lives and are more constant and diligent Preachers and do express on all occasions more of that charity and forbearance towards all men which Christianity doth so much commend and enforce are frowned upon and left open to the rage and fury of besotted frantick and debauched Bigots With such as these if any man press for Regeneration Dr. Wallis Sermons to the Vniversity on John 3.3 pag. 41. Sanctification and a Holy Life he was to pass heretofore for a Puritan then for a Round-head now for a damn'd Fanatick Nor shall he escape this censure tho never so great a Church-man and do exactly conform to the Church as now by Law established