Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	aaron_n	fall_v	rod_n	21	3	9.4255	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93062	The sinfulnesse of evil thoughts: or, a discourse, wherein, the chambers of imagery are unlocked: the cabinet of the heart opened. The secrets of the inner-man disclosed. In the particular discovery of the numerous evil thoughts, to be found in the most of men, with their various, and severall kinds, sinful causes, sad effects, and proper remedies or cures. Together with directions how to observe and keep the heart; the highest, hardest, nad most necessary work of him that would be a real Christian. / By Jo. Sheffeild Pastor of Swithins London.	Sheffeild, John, d. 1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing S3064A; Thomason E1863_1	165,696	337

no small trouble of the Church But above all the rest there never was a worse Fish caught by the net of the Gospel then this Simon Magus who gives us the occasion of this discourse The Vilest Copronymus that ever received and defiled holy Baptisme The foulest Ethiopian that ever holy water wet and washed whose Tripartite history is here briefly set down in this chapter Naught in the whole and each part worse then other His first part was in Sorcery his second in show better indeed much worse Hipocrisy And his third worst of all Apostacy and avowed Impiety Yet is there a fourth part of his story written by Ecclesiasticall hystorians his further progresse in all impiety his opposition to the Gospell the heresies which he Broached The divine honors which he aspired to The statues and Images built to him and to his strumpet Helen as unto a Scortum suum Helenam peculiarem d●i vim esse asfirmabat Alsted new God Simoni sancto Deo and after all his Tragicall end by breaking his neck when he had threatned to forsake the world for receiving the Christian faith and not regarding him he made an attempt to fly in their sight to gain more credit to all he had said but downe he fell and brake his neck And we may safely say there is another Fift part which though not written will be found and discovered in the last day s●ddest of all his present and eternall damnation His Going into Perdition with his money and Magick after all his Rewards of divination Divine honours Popular adoration Publike statues and Monuments where we shall leave him in the gall of bitternesse and in the bonds of his iniquity Yet is this as all other examples in Scripture written for our admonition and instruction And therefore I shall take a brief survey of the three parts of his written story and make some short observations thereon as we go along His first part he acted was of a Sorcerer at Samaria where he set up and played his prizes this is set down v. 9 10 11 12. Here observe Doct. 1. Into the most eminent and popular Cityes often enter the vilest impostors Atheisticall and Diabolicall Sorcerers there they lurk lodge there they seek to set up and play their prizes 2. These Sorcerers Astrologers cheators do shamefully and notoriously delude the silly multitude He bewitched the people of Samaria it is said 3. These vile creatures cover and set off their Diabolicall and hellish pranks with specious titles He gave it out that he was some great one That he was a man of rare skill singular art he could do wonders Cure any disease tell any man his fortune c. 5. These Magicians are not so mad and vain to brag and boast but a many more are as mad and vain to beleeve them cry them up and follow them He said v. 9. he was some great one They overdo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cry him up as the Great power of God and think he is more then a man all is lawfull at least and it may be God hath given him a gift above all other men To him they all gave heed from the least to the greatest saying this man is the mighty power of God They dream of nothing lesse then doing these feates by the help and power of Satan 6. These cheating companions are often long ere they are discovered and given over And to him they had regard because that of long time he had bewitched them with Sorceries v. 11. 7. Where the true knowledge of God comes the gross impieties of these impostors are presently smelt out detested and abhorred But when thy believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdome of God and the Name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women v. 12. Where the light of the Gospel begins to peep and the least spark of religion enters Satan falls as lightning Magick vanishes This Dagon cannot stand before that Arke of God Aarons Rod devoureth the Magicians Rods. As soon as Sergius Paulus receiveth the Acts 13. 12. Gospel he hath no more to do with Elimas As soon as they of Ephesus were converted they would not keep much lesse Acts 19. 19. use a Magick book but made a fire of them The second part followes v. 13. Where you see the Scene changed and a new part acted Simon is a convert a Christian a Professor a Beleever a devout Beleever Then Simon himselfe beleeved also and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the miracles and signes which were done Here the unclean spirit goes out but it is to fetch in seven worse Obs 1. All is not fish that comes to the Gospel net Some fish some trash In the purest Earthly Church Some true Saints Some hypocrites Wheat and Tares in the same field Chaffe and Wheat in the same floore The Gospel preached may have some operation on a soul where it produceth not inward sanctification Sol non omnes quibus lucet calefacit The rising sun Bern. makes many a black cloud look with a Gilded look 2. Simon be leeveth is baptized continueth wondereth Obs Too fast to last Too hot to hold out of others v. 12. it is said they heard beleeved were baptized There is all Magus outgoes them all The hypocrites and temporaries faith is all on a sudden Velocior in principio tardior in fine The stony ground hath joy at first when others begin with sorrow Magus hath faith at first Peter calls him back to Repentance where he should have begun A Gourd or Mushrumb may grow in a night and wither in a night True grace as Church-work goes slowly an end Mar. 4. first the root then the blade then the ear then the full corn in the ear The hypocrites growth is per saltum first the full corn in the ear but neither stalk nor blade nor root Such another forward one was Saul who took all his degrees per saltum 1. Sam. 10. 6. and 9. too all of a sudden he was turned into another man and had another not a new heart his change was at highest at first he was not Renewed day by day as other poor soules are content to be The first time he ever was admitted into the Society of the Prophets he commenced Doctor and Prophesied with the best of them in so miuch that the greatest notice was taken of h●m What is this that is come to the son of Kish Is Saul also among the Prophets But the second time he came into their company at Najoth in Ramah there he put them down all 1 Sam. 19. 23 24. When he came to Najoth the Spirit of God came upon him that he went on and prophesied and he stript off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner and lay downe or feil naked all that day and all that night wherefore they say Is Saul also among the Prophets They stood and Prophesied

return to the place from whence he came and thou shalt certainly be delivered And if Solomon could in his wisdome and Justice discern whose the dead child was and give it to the right mother when she said divide it between us The Lord will certainly pronounce Satan the onely father of these hellish brats which thou dost disown though he would have them divided between thee and him CHAP. XI Of Politick thoughts HItherto I have given you a prospect and view of your enemies but you have seen onely the outside or utmost part of them There are many more companies yet undiscovered and more then I can reckon But you shall see severall troops more marching with their several colours Whereof the first is a desperate company of Po●itick subtle and irreligious thoughts a pack of as dangerous enemies as God and his Church hath ever had to do with whose designe is not by open force to assault but by Stratagems to undermine religion and blow up the Church and by killing the Heir to make themselves masters of his inheritance They are no mean ones they who are of this company but they are the Kings and Rulers of the world who do conceive these thoughts and appear in these designes against the Lord and his Sic nostri principes jam nihil aliud agunt quam ut sint malidicti a Deo Luther Our Princes make it their onely work to get the curse of God anointed And generally all the Grandees of the world do make it their businesse to Modell and subordinate religion to their own interest and State securing policy All the sheaves in the field and the Sun Moon and all the Stars in heaven too must stand up and do obeisance to this sheafe and if it be possible Pharaohs and the impostors rod must devoure Aarons rod and then the work is done Come let us deale wisely said Pharaoh subtilly and perfidiously Steven calls it Act. 7. 19. or we shall be foiled and overmastered This people must be kept down and brought under Jeroboam had his head full of these irreligious thoughts and projects a famous master of this piece of King-craft he made Israel sin and all the Kings of Israel yea he hath made all the Kings of Christendome and Potentates of the world to sin few or none to this day like Josiah turning to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul 2 Chron. 34. 2. not turning to the right hand nor to the left but though like Jehu and some others they 2 King 10. 31. have destroyed Baal and Popery yet from the sin of Jeroboam few or none have tutned away He said in his heart the text said 1 King 12. 26 27 28. this people will fall from me if I look not well about me to handle the matter wisely and moderately in matters of religion and worship of God Purity of religion settled and followed may secure a heavenly Kingdome but it hazzards thinkes he all earthly Crowns therefore he modells religion to the just temper of his interest and seekes out new Priests fit to match the temper of his religion and out must all that can not conform even all the sons of Levi the rightfull consecrated Priests And then seconded he is by all the people Tag and 2 Chr. 11. 14. Rag knowing no other religion and searching no other Bible but the mind and pleasure of their leader The King indeed sets up his Golden calves the meaner ones the calves of the people as they are cald had none such but the meanest of them that Psal 68. 30. 2 Chr. 13. 9. could bring a young Bullock or a Ram was sufficiently qualified and had enough They were inspired presently without any manner Ordination and deserved more countenance from Authority than those rigid Church-men the sons of Aaron But what came of it Did it not become sin to the House of Jeroboam to cut it off though 1 King 14. 34. he had such a notable head-piece as no man had a stronger and was noted to be of so active and industrious a spirit and had so cunningly wrought himself into the people till he was got into the saddle This is the design of Anti-Christ and is that great mystery of iniquity which is still at work in the great Ones of the world who think they have no other stone to square but that which is cut out of the mountain and then all is their own Let us break his bonds asunder Dan. 2. 45. Psal 2. 3. and cast his cords from us But hath not this alwaies proved a burdensome stone to those who have lifted at it This is indeed the Zach. 12. 3. Master-piece and grand Design of Satan himself who goeth not about to deny a God out and out but all he aimes at is to deprive God of his pure Worship He is not an enemy to Religion he wishes there were many more Religions in the world and would have all countenanced but the true one only That every people may walk after the way Mic. 4. 5. of his God and every person after the light of his Conscience as sometimes it hath been when Religion was wholly lost and buried in such a multitude and medley of religions Read 2 King 17. 29 30. 31 c. Oh how much is it to be lamented that a people who have had God so nigh unto them and have had such righteous lawes and statutes as no Nation in the world should be so fickle and unconstant When we may passe over all other Nations and they will not change their Gods or their religion that Israel should Jer. 2. 10 11. change their glory for that which cannot profit How quickly as Moses oft complained were Deut. 9. 12. 16. Israel turned aside Soon after the Tabernacle was set up in a manner they were contriving and imagining to alter religion and to rid themselves of God and his Impositions For I know their imaginations Deut. 31. 20 21. saith the Lord which this people imagine against me even now And after when they had had that famous Temple set up to which so many promises were made Solomons head was no sooner laid but they were desirous of a new form of Government and Religion too But it cost them dear it filled all with such Rents as never could be made up again Be wise therefore O ye Psal 2. 10. Kings and be warned you great ones of the earth Think not your house is to be built upon the ruines of Gods house The Philistines shouted once when they had taken the Ark as if it had been the greatest conquest they could have had But how long did it last 1 Sam. 5. and 6. chap. A sweeping plague followed and they had soon enough of it and were glad to return the Ark whence they had taken it and to rid their hands of it as fast as they could CHAP. XII Of grosse and superstitious