Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	careless_a	zeal_n	zealous_a	25	3	9.3938	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09262	Fiue godly, and profitable sermons concerning 1 The slaverie of sinne. 2 The mischiefe of ignorance. 3 The roote of apostasie. 4 The benefit of Gods service. 5 The Christians loue. Preached in his life time in sundry places. By that late faithfull minister of Christ Mr William Pemble of Magdalen Hall in the Vniversity of Oxford.	Pemble, William, 1592?-1623.; Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.	1628 (1628)	STC 19576A; ESTC S114334	73,812	112

our Religion and to approue our selues to be indeed good Christians by being honest Tradesmen iust Magistrates painefull Ministers c. so that we may not neglect one calling for another seeing God is served glorified by our faithful discharge of both alike and therefore we must abide as the Apostle commaundes vs in that vocation wherein we are called not shifting from one to another not taking libertie to be idle in our particular lawfull imployments that so wee may be diligent in Gods seruice Wherefore they are iustlie to be reproved not onelie who vtterlie forsake all imployments of this life to the end they may wholie consecrate themselues to spiritual devotion but such also who though they forsake not vtterlie yet neglect more then is fit their civill vocations It is either waie a misguided zeale either to withdraw ones selfe from humane society neglecting al service to our neighbour vnder a pretence of more devout seruice to God as Popish Votaries vse to doe or as manie doe who grow carelesse of their lawful affaires whiles they busie themselues about exercises of religion I would be loath to discourage anie man for his forwardnes in matters of religion I know well wee shall finde everie where ten monstrouslie prophane to one indiscreetlie zealous yea a hundred that neglect Gods service to follow their owne busines for one that doth otherwise Yet giue me leaue to tell you that there is a fault among some in the world who suffer dammage not so much by Gods service as by their owne indiscretion whiles by vnnecessarie iournies conferences entertainements and such like occasions touching matters of religion they put al their necessarie businesse out of order If such men suffer decaie in their estates they must blame themselues Religion is not in the fault which where it is truelie taught teacheth man prudence how to order his estate with iudgement The want whereof giues occasion to most to imagine that the greatest part of such mens religion lies in their eares because they loue to heare much but not to doe This fault should be amended where it is to be found to the end that religion be not scandalized as a profession that doth impoverish men I confesse it is not an easie matter to giue generall rules that may befit all callings and conditions of life to proportion out the times of Gods service and our owne imployments yet these things I shall commende to your considerations 1 That in parting our time betweene religious and civill affaires we shall doe best to follow Gods owne directions who hath allotted a larger proportion to our owne temporall businesses then to his spirituall service sixe daies for those one day for this Not but that he must haue the glorie of some time and all the businesses of everie daie but on the seaventh day he requires we should more immediatlie and wholly intende his service And know this for a truth that could reason or Gods commande perswade people to harken to Gods counsell diligentlie and seriouslie to attend all the dueties of Gods worship vpon the Lords daie they should finde a larger increase of grace and better successe in their affaires by that one meanes wel vsed then now by manie neglected 2 You may obserue a diuersitie in mens callings some afford more leasure some lesse Where more may be spared it cānot be better bestowed then vpon God to glorifie him and vpon a mans owne soule to saue it but where lesse may be spared something yet may be set apart for religion This is certaine there is no calling of neuer so busie imployment but enough time may be spared for some good duties without hindering the world and enough preserved for the world without robbing of God were we wise to doe well did not covetousnes voluptuousnes and other vilde affections befoole vs and make vs vnthankefull vnthrifts of this shortnesse of life and grace were our eies cleared vp that we could looke perfectlie into the end of all things reason and religion would teach vs that much of our time would bee spent better then it is Surelie men will say hereafter how much better had it beene had I spent such an howre in praier which I wasted in idlenes such a night in examining my heart vpon my bed and watering my couch with my teares of repentance which I spent in revelling gaming and other vngodlie practises how much better had it beene if I had gone to the house of God when at such a time I went about needlesse disports that such a daie had beene spent in praier and fasting which was passed awaie in complements of visitation and entertainements But we trifle awaie our time and then complaine we want time for Gods service and service of our callings The service of our lusts haue eaten vp that which was to be bestowen vpon God and the remainder the world must haue that Wherefore let vs learne wisedome and seeing wee can almost at any time finde an houre halfe a daie a whole daie or more to spare from our businesses for by matters Let vs doe as much for God as we will doe for the world and besides the seaventh day which is his owne let vs giue him somewhat of the sixe other an houre to heare a Sermon as well as twaine to our selues to sit idle lie or ill imployed to spend halfe an houre in praier reading meditation as well as three houres at a feast to spare once a quarter a daie for the humiliation of thy soule in fasting praier and examination of thy sinnefull hart as wel as thou sparest odde daies enough for thy pleasure This were wisedome and spirituall thriftines and be bold on it my brethren that things being thus ordered with moderation and godlie discretion much time will be gained for Gods service without crossing or hindering of our worldlie affaires Thus much of these questions now let vs come to make some application of the point to our practise Vse 1 The first is for the discouerie and reproofe of those evill thoughts and practises of men who iudge the service of God to be an vnprofitable and dangerous imploiment Manie there are that thinke as that evill sloathfull servant spake Mat. 25. 24. Master I knew thou wast a hard man in most mens estimation God is a hard Master that lookes for much labour and paies but small wages This corrupt opinion of God his worship is an old festered sore in the heart of man deepelie setled in his thoughts and not seldome blistering out vpon his tongue Your words haue beene stout against me saith the Lord to the Iewes in Malachie his time Mal. 3. 13. 14. and wherein had they spoken stubbornelie against him Ye haue said saith God it is in vaine to serue God what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and walked humbly before the Lord of Hosts Therefore wee count the proude blessed even they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they

goodnesse 2. by ' its cause that is an evill heart of vnbeliefe a wicked minde that beleeues not Gods word This admonition is directed in common to all the Hebrewes that professed the faith because among a multitude many are Hypocrites and those that are sound hearted had neede to be put in minde and admonished of their frailtie Wherefore the Apostle saith Take heede least there be in any of you an evill heart c. 2 A Remedie to prevent Apostasie that is expressed ver 13. viz. mutuall exhortation to constancie in Godlinesse But exhort one another Ministers the people and the people him and themselues mutually This duetie is amplified 1. By the properties it must be frequent dayly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even everie daie vpon all set occasions it must be constant holding on till the end of this life While it is called to day i. e. so long as grace is offered and danger to be feared which is till our liues be at an end so long are often exhortations needfull to vphold men in their constancie in religion 2. vrged from the danger that comes by the neglect of it that is hardnesse of heart least any of you be hardened the cause whereof is the beguiling nature of sinne through the deceitfulnesse of sinne which by degrees steales away the heart from God and settles it in the obstinate practise of impietie Doct. You haue the words and the plaine meaning I come to some instructions for our practise the first is this That Infidelity is the cause of Apostasie from Religion Infidelitie is that which keepes men from entring into the Church of God and it is that which throwes them out againe when they are entred The Iewes to whom the Apostle writes some of them had resisted the Gospell and put it from them by vnbeliefe others had embraced it whom the Apostle here calls brethren and before ver 1. Holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling in charitie so stiling them who in visible profession had received and followed the doctrine of the gospell These the Apostle exhorts to sinceritie and faithfulnesse warning them to take heede that there be not a Canker at the roote that would in time destroy the whole tree with his fruits namelie an vnbelieving heart that woulde in time destroy the whole tree with his fruits that would in time make them Apostataes from the religion of Christ which for the present they professed The doctrine then is plainely afforded by the text wee shall endeavour to make it plaine vnto you 1. by expounding the tearmes of it 2. by shewing the reason why one followes of another 1 By Apostasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the worde is meant a departing or going away from that which we formerly stood to and followed for the matter we vnderstand hereby in short the forsaking of true religion in the doctrine of it or in the practise for it must be noted that men become backsliders from religion two waies 1 By leaving the trueth of doctrine and giving heede to lies contrarie to what is revealed in the word when men fall into Atheisme and make a jest of religion or runne to Iudaisme from the Gospell to the Law a point wherein the Hebrewes were apt to be seduced by false teachers zealous of the Law or when men slip into any Heresie overthrowing the faith or those that cannot rellish the water of life but drinke deepe of the wine of fornication the impoysoned doctrine of Antichrist such forsake the fellowship of the Saints goe from God and his Church leape out of the Arke into perdition 2 By leaving the practise of religion and godlines when men professe their assent vnto the trueth of the Articles of Faith and so retaine the forme of godlinesse but denie the power of it being disobedient and wicked in their liues when men keepe their faith and haue lost their conscience They could sometimes haue saide and haue done too but now they can talke heare study about religion But while their eares tongues and braines are busied their hearts and their hands are idle Both these are Apostates from God equally alike there is not the dust of the ballance to boot betweene the worth of a true belieuer and a false belieuer if both be wicked liuers An honest Infidell will hold weight with a wicked Christian. And a sober Papist is as good as a drunken Protestant nay better Inasmuch as it is better to glorifie God what way soeuer though in a false faith then to dishonour his holy name wherewith we are called by an vnholy conversation yea so foule a corruption of so holy a profession must needs much more shame his life making it ten times more odious to others and damnable in it selfe Wherefore Heresie in opinions and wickednesse in practise both fall vnder this tearme of Apostasie from religion And as he hath no religion at all that denieth the verity of divine Doctrine so he hath no religion to any purpose that holds the truth but denieth obedience to it For what saith S t Iames If any among you seemeth to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine Iam. 1. 26. Hee reades vs a lesson in the next words which men in his time and likewise now will hardly learne viz. That true religion stands in the practise of a holy life as well as profession of divine trueths pure religion and vndefiled before God and the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse widdow in their afflictions and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world ver 27. Wherfore they are Apostates from religion that relinquish either the doctrine or the practise of religion This of the first tearme in the next place by Infidelity or vnbeliefe we meane a withdrawing of our hearts from resting wholly vpon the trueth of Gods worde nowe in the worde two thinges are proposed vnto vs to bee belieued 1 All manner of doctrines or Articles of religion to bee firmely believed and mainetained against all Heresies and false doctrines 2 All sorts of Commandements threatnings and promises tending to the direction of our practise which we are to belieue and embrace against all counsels terrors or allurementes whatsoever tending to draw vs from obedience in our liues Both these are the obiects of true faith whereby men yeeld assent vnto all doctrines commandements threatnings promises of God not only as true and good in themselues but as better and truer then any thing in the world that can be set against them whence in all perswasion vnto errour in al temptation vnto vice true faith resting it selfe on the word of God winnes the victorie and overcomes the world But where this is wanting an easie way is left to all Heresies and impietie c. Thus for the explication of the tearmes of this proposition let vs see 2 The connexion of them together how Apostasie springs from Infidelity The reason is because there is