Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	death_n	sin_n	wage_n	3,467	5	11.7433	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29217	A form of sound words, or a brief family catechisme containing the cheif heads of Christian religion. (Fitted for the weakest capacities.) Together with some arguments against atheisme. By J.B. a minister of the Church of England	Brandon, John, b. 1644 or 5.	1682 (1682)	Wing B4249B; ESTC R213088	27,920	76

A FORM of Sound WORDS OR A Brief Family-Catechisme Containing the Cheif Heads of CHRISTIAN RELIGION Fitted for the weakest Capacities Together with some Arguments against ATHEISME By J. B. a Minister of the Church of England Psal 119.124 Deal with thy Servant according to thy Mercy and Teach me thy Statutes 2 Tim. 3.16 From a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard 1682. TO THE READER Christian Reader AS it hath been observed in War That small Shot hath commonly done more Mischeif than great So I think in the Christian Warfare that small Books especially Catechismes have done more good than larger ones for the most part For as many that have most need of them have but little money to lay out on books and but little time to read them So I believe They are the less apt to concern themselves with them when they see they are any thing large Wherefore I have studied Brevity herein And do satisfie my self the more with it because I judge as that Most Reverend Man of God That a few Articles of Religion may be of that weight that they may be sufficient to make a man wise to Salvation Bishop usher See his excellent Sermon on Eph. 4.13 p. 16. of whose Judgment it were easie to shew many others of the Lords Worthies * Prima ista pauca credibilia c. uti Doctiss Davenant in Adhortat pro pace Eccles to have been It is needless for me to enlarge in this place and no less vain to make an Apology for my self for as herein I desire not to displease any so I am confident I do no man wrong by this Paper And am not without hopes that it may do good to some Reader If Thou art one that can spare a little Money I would Request Thee to bestow a few of these Papers or some others that are better upon thy poor Neighbours for their Souls good and if thou art a Housholder to make use of some such for the good of them that are under thy Charge I have no more to add but my Wishes of thy Spiritual Welfare and to desire Thee to beg the Blessing of The God of all Grace upon all the means of Grace that are afforded us For whose sake I am Thy ready Servant J. Brandon A FAMILY CATECHISME WHereas thou hast a God to serve as at the End of this Paper is plainly proved and seeing thou shalt shortly have done with all this World and canst have no hopes of a better World hereafter unless thou dost serve him truly Here I would therefore know Quest What is the Rule according to which thou art to serve Him Answ The Holy Scripture is that Rule Q. Where doth that appear A. Isa 8.20 To the law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule peace be upon them Q. How far forth can the Scripture instruct us A. It it able to make wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.16 Q. How doth it so A. By teaching us to know our selves and our God Q. What doth the Scriptures teach us of our selves A. That we are fallen from that Holy State in which Mankind was made and are become sinful and subject to the wrath of God through Sin Q. How so A. Adam though he was made upright as 't is written God made man upright Eccl. 7.29 turned from the Holy Commandment given unto Him and did eat of for-bidden Fruit Gen. 2.16 17. compared with Gen. 3.13 And so became a Sinner Q. But why must his posterity be 〈…〉 he himself was a sinner may no● 〈…〉 came of him be without sin A. No. He had Children after 〈…〉 likeness Gen. 5.3 And who can bring a 〈◊〉 thing out of an unclean Job 14.4 Q. Are all men become sinful A. Yes Who can say My Heart is clean I am pure from my Sin Prov. 20.9 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 Joh. 1.8 Q. What are men therefore in their Natural State A. Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 We were by Nature Children of wrath even as others Q. What doth sin make the sinner worthy of A. The wages of sin is Death Rom. 6.25 where it is to be noted That this is not spoken of any particular gross Sin only but of sin as such and therefore of every sin And the Death which the Apostle speaks of includes Eternal Death or Damnation It being such a Death as is opposed to Eternal Life in that Verse Q. Doth not this make all sins Equal for if every sin makes a man worthy of Damnation what can be said more of the greatest sins than is said of the least A. No. This doth not take away the differences or degrees of sin for tho' all Sin deserve Damnation that is Condemnation from God yet greater sins deserve the greater Damnation as we read of some that they should receive the greater Damnation because they devoured Widow's Houses and for a pretence made long Prayers Matth. 23.14 Q. Is it not strange That Sin should make a man worthy of so great a Misery A. No. No wonder at all because it is committed against so great a God being an Offence and Dishonour to him and a Transgression of his Law Rom. 2.23 Jam. 3.2 1 Joh. 3.4 Q. May a man therefore be ruined everlastingly for the first sin he is guilty of A. Yes doubtless and would be so indeed if God should enter into Judgment with him for it and shew him no favour Q. Can you shew any Examples from Scripture to confirm this A. Yes The Angels many of them tho' greater in Power than Man yet were ruined for their first Sin against God 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell And therefore that He hath not dealt so with all Mankind is to be ascribed to His meer Mercy Q. Sin being so great an Evil because it is an offence against God Tell me therefore what God is A. God is a Spirit Uncreated Unchangable from Everlasting to Everlasting Most Holy and Wise Just and Merciful True and Powerful being in all Places and seeing all things at once First God is not a Bodily Substance but a Spiritual Substance Joh. 4.24 saith Christ himself God is a Spirit Q. What can you gather from thence A. Thence I gather three things especially 1. That God must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth that we must glorifie God with our Spirits or Soules as well as with our Bodies thinking Highly and Honourably of him as well as speaking so 2. That 't is Vain and Ridiculous as well as impious to make any Picture or Image of God for no Image can be like a Spirit let men make something like