Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	bear_v	zeal_n	zealous_a	62	3	8.8504	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35951	An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...; Expositio analytica omnium Apostolicarum Epistolarum. English	Dickson, David, 1583?-1663.; Retchford, William.; Dickson, David, 1583?-1663. Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews.	1659 (1659)	Wing D1403; ESTC R7896	807,291	340

no other Gospel besides that onely true Gospel preached by mee amongst you but all other Doctrine of the Gospel is feigned and counterfeit which doth not accord with my Doctrine Therefore yee must renounce this errour Trouble Arg. 5. Those Teachers which have seduced you are enemies to your peace because they take away from you that peace which the justified by Faith have towards God Therefore yee must renounce their Doctrine Pervert Arg. 6. The supplantours and overthrowers of the Gospel of Christ are those seducers which would seem Teachers For nothing is more contrary to the Gospel concerning free Justification by Faith than Justification by Works Therefore you must renounce this errour Vers. 8. But though wee or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which wee have preached unto you let him bee accursed Arg. 7. If there bee any one who hath preached another Gospel besides that which I have preached unto you hee is obnoxious to an eternal curse I do not except my self yea neither the Angels if it could bee that if I should teach another Doctrine or that if they should propound any other than that which is preached by mee Therefore you must renounce this errour Vers. 9. As wee said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that yee have received let him bee accursed Hee urges this Argument that they might understand that hee spake not from any perturbation of mind concerning the curse pronounced against them who preached that any thing was to bee joyned with the Gospel either contrary to or besides the Doctrine which hee had preached Vers. 10. For do I now perswade men or God or do I seek to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not bee the servant of Christ. Arg. 8. From the comparing himself with the false Apostles my Doctrine doth not perswade you that men are to bee heard as the Doctrine of your seducers who alwaies boast of the authority of so many Jews But my Doctrine perswadeth that God is to bee heard I do not seek to please men as your seducers who by seducing you indeavour to make themselves acceptable to the unconverted Jews as to those that superstitiously are zealous of the Law Therefore yee must renounce the errour which they have taught you For Hee confirms this Argument Because if hee had as yet studied to please men as hee did in times past when hee was a Pharisee hee could not bee the servant of Christ but of men viz. of those which hee had endeavoured to please Vers. 11. But I certifie you Brethren that the Gospel which was preached of mee is not after man 12. For I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ. Arg. 9. My Doctrine is heavenly from the immediate revelation of God not feigned by men neither derived to mee from God by a meer man after an ordinary manner but immediately revealed by Jesus Christ Therefore yee ought to persevere in that and to renounce the contrary errour The third Part. Vers. 13. For yee have heard of my conversation in time past in the Iews Religion how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it In this Chapter hee gives six signs of this matter Sign 1. Is the enmity of his mind which hee bore against Christ and his Church in times past when hee was a Pharisee which mind hee had never changed had not God from Heaven convinced and turned him to the Faith Vers. 14. And profited in the Iews Religion above many my equals in my own Nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my Fathers Sign 2. That being bewitched by the knowledge of the Law and zeal of the traditions of his Fathers hee could neither see nor bear the Truth of the Gospel unless hee had been taught by inspiration concerning the Truth much less know and preach the hidden mysteries of it Vers. 15. But when it pleased God who separated mee from my Mothers womb and called mee by his Grace 16. To reveal his Son in mee that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood Sign 3. His wonderful and free calling to the Faith and Apostleship the history whereof is contained in Act. 9. powerfully derived from the predestinating counsel of God which Grace God most clearly manifested in his embassage to the Gentiles and his providence prepared a way to the manifestation of grace in his nativity and education That hee was born of such Parents of such a temperament and constitution of body that hee was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel that hee was a Pharisee that the providence of God concerning him worthy of special observation was apparent in all things and brought it so to pass that hee may say that hee was prepared from the womb and ready to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles so that all things by the counsel of God did make for the preparation of the Apostle to this business I conferred not Sign 4. That being so manifestly convinced concerning the certainty of the voice from Heaven and his immediate calling and being sufficiently perswaded of this hee durst not deliberate of a matter so certain neither hear humane reasons or counsels which might with-draw him from the obedience of his calling Vers. 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before mee but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus 18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen daies 19. But other of the Apostles saw I none save James the Lords Brother Sign 5. That being sufficiently by Christ himself immediately instructed in the mystery of salvation hee went not to the Apostles called before him but hee preached the Gospel the three first years of his Apostleship in Arabia and Damascus And after three years comming to Ierusalem hee visited Peter and Iames onely and tarryed with them a few daies and that by reason of that intimacy betwixt them and not for the confirmation of his knowledge Vers. 20. Now the things which I write unto you behold before God I lie not For the confirmation of which history besides those witnesses that now live who could not bee ignorant of so notable a matter hee uses an oath Vers. 21. Afterwards I came into the Regions of Syria and Silicia 22. And was unknown by face unto the Churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23. But they had heard onely that hee which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the Faith which once hee destroyed 24. And they glorified God in mee Sign 6. That hee had publickly taught and that by his Apostolical authority in Syria and in Cilicia all the Apostles and all the Churches approving of it and by name the beleeving Jews who had never seen him but being certified of his conversion from a Persecutor

maintain the Truth against all fear of men Vers. 26. For if wee sin wilfully after that wee have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins Another Motive to constancy in the Truth of Religion taken from the fearful case of wilful Apostates who sinning the sin against the Holy Ghost are secluded for ever from Mercy I say the sin against the Holy Ghost because wee shall finde the sin here described not to be any particular sin against the Law but against the Gospel Not a sin against some point of Truth but against Christs whole Doctrine Not of infirmity but wilfulness Not of rashness but of deliberation wittingly and willingly Not of ignorance but after Illumination and Profession Such as Iews turned Christians revolting from Christianity back again to their former hostility against Christ did commit It is true many who commit lesser sins get never grace to repent and many who make defection in some point of their profession may be secluded from mercy thereafter but this sin here described is a wilful rejecting of Christ and the Benefit of his Sacrifice after Illumination and Profession of the Faith of Christ. Then 1. As Apostacy from the true Religion lyeth nearest unto this sin so they who desire to be freed of this sin must be the more careful to be constant in the profession of every point of the Truth of the Gospel 2. If a man reject the Benefit of that once offered Sacrifice of Christ there is no other Sacrifice for sin after that nor any other mean to help him But if a man seek unto Jesus Christ and will not quit Him whatsoever hee may think of the hainousness of his own sins the Sacrifice which Jesus offered for sins remaineth whereby hee may be saved Vers. 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Having secluded the Apostate from Mercy hee goeth on in these words to shew his miserable estate Whereof wee gather 1. That the wilful Apostate from the Faith of Christ is also a wilful Adversary to Christ of the highest sort Partaker of Satans sin and Satans Profession 2. That every Apostate of this sort is destitute of Gods Peace self-condemned desperate of salvation hopeless of Relief without all purpose of Repentance or using means of help stricken with the fore-sight of the Wrath coming upon him and made to expect it although hee should dissemble it never so much 3. The Apostates fear shall come upon him judgement answerable to his sin the indignation and wrath of God yea fiery indignation the most terrible that can be thought upon which hee shall not escape but it shall devoute him swallow him up and feed upon his body and soul even for ever 2. In that hee maketh this the judgement of Christs Adversaries Wee learn That the soul which loveth Christ and cannot qui● Him cannot endure to think of a separation will not quit the true Religion nor any known point of Christs Truth and is using the means to get Gods Peace albeit it might seem to it self because of the present sense of wrath to be in the self-same estate that is here described yet it is ●ree as yet of the sin against the Holy Ghost and not to be reckoned amongst adversaries but amongst the friends and lovers of Christ how vehemently soever Satans suggestions bear in the contrary 3. In that by setting before them the fearful estate of Apostates from the known Truth of the true Religion hee Laboureth to strengthen them against the fear of persecution Whence wee learn That if Apostates before they make Apostasie from the true Religion did fore-see their own danger as after Apostasie they are made to fore-see their own condemnation all the terrour of all the torment which man could put them unto and all the allurements which this world could give them would not move them to quit the least point of the Truth of true Religion Vers. 28. Hee that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall hee be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith hee was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace 1. Hee proveth the equity of their judgement by the proportion of their punishment who despised the Law of Moses Then As sins are greater so must the punishment be greater and the conscience being posed as here cannot but subscribe to the proportion 2. To make the sin appear the better hee pointeth out some particular sins involved within this great sin For clearing whereof it may be asked How can the Apostates tread the Blood of the Son of God under foot c. I answer They cannot indeed by physical action but by doing the equivalent sin they are accounted of God to do it by judicial interpretation Their Apostasie importeth their agreeing to do Christ as much indignity as if they did offer Him this personal violence Their deeds shew that they have this base estimation of Christ and His Blood and no better For what saith the Apostate of Christ by his deed but That Hee is not worthy to be professed or avowed or followed And what is this in effect but to tread Him under all these base things which the Apostate preferreth before Him And so is to be understood of the Blood of Christ and His Spirit Quest. But how can the Reprobate be said to be sanctified by the Blood of the Covenant I answer There is a sanctification to the purifying of the flesh and a sanctification to the purifying of the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. The sanctification external to the purifying of the flesh consisteth in the mans separation from the world and dedication unto Gods service by Calling and Covenant common to all the members of the visible Church and it is forcible thus far as to bring a man into credit estimation as a Saint before men and unto the common Priviledges of the Church whereupon as Men so God also speaketh unto him and of him as one of His People and dealeth with him in his external dispensation as with one of His own People In this sense all the Congregation of Israel and every one of them is called holy yea Core also and his followers Num. 16.3 The Sanctification internal by renovation consisteth in a mans separation from the state of Nature to the state of grace from his old conditions to be a new creature indeed By this latter sort a Reprobate cannot be called Sanctified but by the former hee may be called Sanctified and that by virtue of the Blood of the Covenant albeit hee should not get any further good thereby For as the Blood of CHRIST hath virtue to cleanse the conscience and renew the soul which commeth unto it truly and spiritually so it

brook with Gods approbation how mean soever it seem before the world 2. When honour and a good conscience cannot be kept together let the honour be quitted and the preferment go 4. When hee was come to years hee did this Then 1. What one hath done in his non-age or ignorance is not reckoned when after riper consideration hee amendeth it 2. The more ripely and advisedly a good work be done it is the more commendable Vers. 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season The reason of his refusal is the estimation which hee had of the estate of Gods people how afflicted soever above the pleasures of sin Then 1. Hee who chuseth the priviledges and fellowship of Gods people must chuse their affliction also 2. The Riches Honour and Pleasure which a man enjoyeth with the disavowing of true Religion and want of the society of Gods people which hee might have are but the pleasures of sin 3. What pleasure a man can have by sin is but for a season 4. It is better to be afflicted for a season with Gods people than to live with the wicked with pleasure for a season and it is greater misery to be in a sinful state than in an afflicted state Vers. 26. Esteeming the reproach of CHRIST greater Riches than the Treasures of Aegypt For hee had respect unto the Recompence of Reward Hee commendeth the work of Moses his Faith by the motives thereunto whereof the first was The high estimation of the reproach of Christ. Then 1. Moses and GODS People in his time did know CHRIST or else they could not have born his Cross and suffered for him 2. Christianity is as old as true Religion 3. The Cross and Reproach hath attended on true Religion in all Ages 4. What reproach men suffer for true Religion is reckoned to be Christs reproach and not theirs 5. Reproach and Shame is the heaviest part of the Cross for under it is all comprized here 2. The next Motive was His respect unto the Recompence of the Reward which also made him to esteem the Reproach his Riches Then 1. There is a reward for such as suffer reproach for Christ. 2. It is lawful yea needful for men to have respect unto this reward and to draw encouragement from it even for their own strengthening 3. Though the Cross seem terrible yet Faith can peirce through it and behold the reward following it 4. When sufferings for Christ are rightly seen they are the richest and most glorious passage in all our life Vers. 27. By Faith hee forsook Aegypt not feating the wrath of the King for hee endured as seeing him who is invisible Another work of Faith is his leading of the people from their dwelling places in Aegypt to the Wilderness with the hazard of the wrath of Pharaoh if hee should overtake them Then whatever it seem unto us now after it is done it was no small Faith at that time to undertake such a bu●●ness to turn his back upon a fertile land and go with such a company without provision to the wilderness 2. His Faith is commended for not fearing the wrath of the King Exod. 2.14 Moses feared the wrath of Pharaoh and fled After that Exod. 10.29 Hee feared not another Pharaoh as terrible as the former Then Where natural courage would succumb Faith will sustain yea and make a man endure as it is spoken in the next words where natural courage having led him on a little would forsake him at length 3. The encouragement unto this work was Hee saw him that is Invisible That is hee apprehended by Faith God more powerful than Pharaoh and more terrible Then 1. Faith openeth the eyes to see God in a spiritual manner who by sense or imagination carnal cannot be conceived 2. The beholding of the invisible God is able to support a mans courage against the terrour of men and all things visible and nothing else can do it Vers. 28. Through Faith hee kept the Passeover and the sprinkling of blood lest hee that destroyed the first-born should touch them Another work of his Faith is His keeping of the Passover That is the Sacrament of the Angels passing over and not destroying the people Then 1. It is usual for Scripture speaking of Sacraments to give the name of the thing signified to the sign because the sign is the memorial of the thing signified Circumcision is called the Covenant Gen. 17.13 because it is the memorial thereof The Paschal Supper for the like cause is here called the Passeover which was the work of the Angel because it was by appointment the memorial of it So the Cup in the Lords Supper is called The New Testament in Christs Blood and the Bread in the same Supper is called The broken Body of Christ because it is the memorial thereof 2. It is the work of Faith to celebrate a Sacrament rightly 3. As Moses celebrated the Passeover in assurance that the destroying Angel should not touch the people of Israel So may every Beleever be certified by using the Sacrament that the grace promised and sealed in the Sacrament shall be bestowed Vers. 29. By Faith they passed thorow the Red Sea as by dry Land which the Aegyptians essaying to do were drowned Hee joyneth the Faith of the true Israelites with the Faith of Moses for whose sakes the rest of the incredulous multitude got the benefit of Delivery also through the Red Sea which was the fruit of the Beleevers Faith Whence wee learn 1. That Faith will finde unexpected deliveries and out-gates where it might seem altogether impossible 2. Yea means of destruction by Faith may be turned into means of preservation 2. The fruit of Faith is evidenced by the drowning of the Aegyptians essaying themselves to follow that way which Faith had opened to Israel Then 1. Presumption in unbeleevers will set them on work to go thorow the same dangers which beleevers pass thorow but without all success For Beleevers shall escape where unbeleevers shall down 2. The benefit of Faith is best seen when the evil of unbeleef is seen Vers. 30. By Faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven daies Hee ascribeth the down-throwing of the walls of Jericho to Faith making the Beleevers onely to compass them seven daies Then 1. What God doth for beleevers is reckoned the work of Faith because Faith setteth God on work so to say and his power imployed by faith worketh the work 2. Faith will throw down strong Holds and overcome seeming impossibilities 3. Faith must use such means as God appointeth albeit they seem but weak 4. It matters not how weak the means be if faith have a promise to prevail thereby 5. The means must be constantly used during the time that God appointeth them to be followed Vers. 31. By Faith the Harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she had received the Spies