Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	word_n	world_n	worldly_a	417	3	7.6494	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51700	The atheist silenced, or, The existence of a deity and his creation and government of the world demonstrated from reason, and the light of nature only, in a plain and mathematical method by axioms and theorems : with an appendix touching the most proper method of preaching the Gospel among the heathens / by J.M. ...	J. M.	1672 (1672)	Wing M33; ESTC R16187	19,711	131

Demonstrations may prove in some measure Conducive Since 't is certain that this proleptical principle of the Being of a God implanted in Mans Nature with the deductions which do immediately flow and may necessarily be inferr'd from thence is the original of all natural Religion and the foundation of all that Virtue and Veneration which we admire in the pagan World to this Idaea engraven in their Souls were those gallant Hero's Socrates Plato Tully Seneca Epictetus and other Heathen Worthies endebted for the seminal principles of all that solid honesty and piety which sparkled with so much Lustre in their Lives and Discourses that a serious reflection thereon cannot but Summon up Blushes on the guilty Cheeks of most pretended Christians to see themselves to whom the Sun of Righteousness vouchsafes to appear in a Gospel Meridian surpast in real goodness by those who had only Natures glimmering Light for their Conduct AN APPENDIX Concerning the most Proper Method of Preaching to Pagans and Infidels THE mention of Pagans in the close of the precedent Discourse invites us on this Opportunity to offer a few things touching the most Effectual Course of dealing with them in order to their Conviction and Conversion to Christianity That the Gospel viz. The glad tidings of Mans Reconciliation to to God through a crucified Jesus shall one day be proclaimed in every Land even to the extremest corners of the habitable World and amongst the most savage and barbarous of Adams Off-spring is part of our Belief warranted by Authority no less then Infallible and certainly 't is very strange and very sad to consider That too many who appear so passionately zealous about what they apprehend concerns the Honour of God in the skirts of Religion and little Adiapherous Circumstances should yet unconcernedly behold near three parts of the known World lie chain'd up by the Prince of Darkness in a stone-blind Paganisme or what is equally wretched a filthy obscure Mahumatisme without contributing ought but a lazy Insignificant Vtinam to their Relief Do we not much too much busie our selves about Mint and Cummin and too little regard the weightier matters when we so fiercely reincounter each other to the wounding of Charity and banishing peace and Brotherly love out of our streets for a few darlingopinions in themselvs no less indifferent than to us uncertain and yet in the mean time seem not at all affected with their deplorable condition who scarce ever heard of a Redeemer Have we not the highest obligations in the World upon us to be thankfull to that mercifull hand of Providence that hath ordered our lott so graciously and fixt our Habitations in those Regions where Christianity is universally profest And can we any way more illustriously evidence our gratitude in this behalf than by endeavouring with the pious Samaritan Lepers to make others sharers in the happiness we enjoy 'T would certainly be more glorious if these great and fervent Spirits would turn the bright flames of their Zeal to the burning down Ethnick Temples rather than to the wasting and unsettling Christian Churches and strive more to enlarge the Tents of them in the borders of Japhet than to promote unseasonable divisions in Reuben which must cost each truly pious Christian so many sad thoughts of heart In the Primative days The Promulgers of the Gospel went out supernaturally furnisht with the gift of Tongues and enabled to seal the truth of their Doctrine as well with working of Miracles as laying down their lives and by performing such Actions as could not but be acknowledged the Effects of a divine assistance did as it were enforce the Gentiles belief But now those extraordinary Gifts being generally ceased there seems a greater need of improving natural parts to the best advantage and pursuing the most rational method of Instruction which seems to be First To cast out the strong man armed to shew the vanity of their present Apprehensions taking them off from their worshipping Idols or Devils by shew-them that it is no lesse ridiculous then wicked and derestable Secondly To lead them by the most sutable perswasives and demonstrations to the knowledge of one true God Creator and Governour of the whole World and all things therein and that he is most good most wise most blessed Eternal Immutable c. And that if he were not al this he would want to be so and so could not be God for who in his witts would admit an indigent God into his Creed since all want is Imperfection and misery Thirdly After their minds are hereby settled in this great Principle The Existence of a Deity they are next to be informed concerning their own nature in what condition man was Originally created and how he fell by Satans temptation from that glorious state which may easily be evinced for since all other Creatures keep in the same natural order ordained for them from the beginning how shall we imagine that mans nature the noblest part of the Creation and for whose sake the rest seem chiefly made should so prodigiously be depraved and become worse than brutish raging in quarrels rapines and cruelties against it self and abnoxious to ignorance inconstancy sloth diseases death and a thousand miseries which would accuse infinite wisdome of an errour unlesse we believe that man first created upright and endued with Free will did by transgression forfeit all his happy priviledges and so became liable to all these evills as just punishments for such his sin Fourthly hence it follows that man having offended against an Infinite God there was no appeasing Divine Justice without an Infinite satisfaction This only the Son of God could make whose love to miserable humanity causes him to quit his mansions of Glory to take on him our nature and by his death to open to us the gates of Life and Immortality and here may be unfolded the whole mystery of our blessed Saviours Incarnation the purity of his life grievousness of his Crucifiction certainty of his Resurrection and glorious Ascention c. Fifthly Adde to all this the Excellency of the Doctrine shewing that there is nothing required in the whole Christian profession but what is highly reasonable in it self and mainly conducive to the accomplishing and ennobling humane nature not a few rigid persons are apt to draw our Religion the greatest beauty in the World in too sad a habit with a frowning countenance and sower looks more ready to frighten than invite raw Proselites to a more intimate converse The persons that undertake this glorious work of propagating the Gospel which is attended with the Plaudites of Angels and prayers of all good men ought to be fitted for the same in respect of mission and Abilites 'T is no sleight nor trivial affair attempted out of wantonnesse vanity or vain-glory they are Gods Ambassadors and should see they have his Commission and Warrant without whom Paul plants and Apollo waters but all in vain A lively vigorous faith is required to set forth the Word with power and authority and carry them through all dangers hazards and difficulties that may occur they ought also to be very expert in the language of those persons they design to instruct that they may readily in clear intelligible terms distill their discourses into their souls Thus our blessed Lord though he chose his Apostles Fishermen and ordinary Mechanicks lest vain men should suspect his holy Doctrine for the contrivement of some great worldly wits or plot of subtle self-interested Politicians yet before he sent them abroad into the Nations he made them the best Linguists in the World above all sweetnesse of nature and holynesse of Life are necessary This is a Continual Sermon and convinces more than all the charms of the most accomplisht Orator How odious did Coveteonsnesse and cruelly render the very name of Christianity to the poor Americans Shew us thy Faith by thy Works is every mans propsal Can we imagine they design any other but to put a cheat on us who tell us of Growns and Glory and everlasting happiness in the other world which we can only aspire to by Purity and Mortification Self-denial c. in this And yet themselves practice things quite contrary to all these they so eagerly recommend These Stumbling-blocks which cause the name of the Lord to be blasphemed amongst the Gentiles ought to be removed And these Fishers of men must approve themselves Lights in Conversation as well as Doctrine That so God may be glorified the souls of their hearers saved and themselves enjoy that glorious promise made to such as turn many to Righteousnesse Of shining like Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever FINIS