Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	church_n	holy_a	relic_n	1,462	5	10.0599	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42732	The right honourable, Pourtraid. Or, the vizard taken off pretenders With perswasive reasons to allure the will, and reduce mens actiosn to obtain the title. As also a set boundary to the honour of saints departed. By Samuel Gilbert, Philalēthḗd.	Gilbert, Samuel, d. 1692?; White, Robert, 1645-1703, engraver.	1693 (1693)	Wing G718; ESTC R223675	16,536	72

Worship of the Martyr at first their Reliques were pretious at last they grew holy first the Saints were honour'd but after worshipped at first they but commend but afterwards enshrined so hard it is to subsist in a Golden Mediocrity we either shoot under or over not do or over do either not honour the Saints at all or too much being right English-men too many in this point never think we mend the matter till we marr it God gave the Israelites an express inhibition not to take his Name in vain at last the Jews out of a superstitious Reverence durst not so much as name the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Name Jehovah they ought not to name him in vain therefore afterward they would not name him at all the Brazen Serpent at first erected by God's Institution for Historical Commemoration onely of their delivery from fiery Serpents at last from Historical Commemoration it was translated to Religious Adoration so the Saints were first honour'd out of Affection at last worshipped out of Superstition The Persians in policy as Xenophon tells the story taught their Children to lye and not to lye but with this distinction to lye to their Enemies but to tell truth to their Friends but Xenophon tells us the issue of this Persian Education their Children forgot their distinction and made bold even to lye to their best Friends So the Roman Clergy teach the People to Worship the Saints and not to Worship them so long till they forget their distinction and entitle the Saints themselves to the same honour that is due to God but welfare St. Austin Sancti sunt honorandi propter immitationem non adorandi propter Religionem That is the truest honouring of the Saints which is a returning of their honour to God's greater honour The Saints that are alone to be honoured in Deo and propter Deum must be honour'd without impeachment and derogation of God's honour to be a follower of the Saints as they be or were of Christ is the truest Worship of the Saints It is most certain that the Blessed Virgin receives not so much Indignity from her Enemies that deny her as from such her Friends that Deifie her it is a Sin to give the Saints more than their due as it is to give them less to deprive them of all honour was the Errour of Vigilantius and many of this last Age to give them too much was first the Errour of the Collyridians and at this day of the Papists whereby they do not so much honour the Saints as dishonour God The truth is we honour the Saints triumphant in Heaven but we give them only honor Charitatis not honor Religionis we give them Veneration but not Adoration we honour their Memories but we erect no Idolatrous Shrine we honour them as fellow Servants now glorifi'd but not as demy Gods half deifi'd we honour them as Patterns for imitation not as Patrons for protection we know no Reliques but their Graces we observe their Festivals by the Anniversary Revolutions of the Year but we dedicate no Days to the Saints but only to the God of the Saints What is there no mean in giving honour to the Saints but we must deny them or deifie them Is it not enough to Commend but we must Adore them Is there no mean but we must be either ungrateful or Idolatrous or that we must make them either less than Saints or little less than Gods Is it not a dangerous thing to obtrude that honour upon them which must needs bring them into Emulation with God with aspiring Lucifer to be similes Altissimo Hath not God solemnly protested saying I am the Lord that is my Name and my Glory I will not give to another neither my praise to graven Images He that touches the least spark of God's Glory does he not touch the Apple of his Eye Of all other things God and the Throne brook no Corrivals Is it not the general Voice of the Church Non nobis Domine Not unto us O Lord. Do not the Saints in the Apocalips cast down their Crowns at the feet of the Lamb And in their Doxology ascribe all Honour Glory Praise to him that sits upon the Throne So Religiously Tender are they in this Point that they will not suffer the least of God's Honour to stick to their fingers but still shake it off with a non nobis Domine Let God have his due above all and the Saints their due give unto God the things that are Gods and to the Saints the things that belong to them Let the Saints have their due honour but so that by a necessary reflex and resultance it redound to God's Honour for else it is no honour to the Saints to share in their Maker's honour whose chiefest honour it is with denying of their own to bring Glory to God Thus have we discover'd the true Dignity of the Saints and if Saints tho' in Rags they are rich and honourable how honourable then are Saints in Silks that are all glorious within and without too both to Spiritual and Temporal Beholders that are rich in Graces as well as Garments in inward worth as well as outward wealth high in God's as well as the Kings favour where goodness and greatness joyn hands whose outsides belye not the furniture within that are not like rich Cabinets with empty Drawers or rather fill'd with filth or that which they are asham'd to own tho' not to keep but are richer within than without having their Caskets fill'd with the richest Rubies drops of Christ's Blood to adorn their Souls Repentance Tears shed for past Sins turned into the rarest Pearls the sparkling Diamonds of Grace set in the Golden Lockets of pure and refined Hearts having to their Faith Virtue and to their Virtue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity St. Peter's choicest Collection of Heavenly Jewels which none but a Saint can possess those that have such Rarities within which God himself is delighted in the beholding and encompassed with outward Riches and Preferments too are those whom only the Spirit of God can to the full declare how glorious and honourable they are the finest Rhetorick too course to see their Beauty through and will rather cloud than shew their Lustre which can never be truly inspected by mortal eye But what shall we say to many of the Gallants of this Age whose honour hath no other Basis but the Herauld or Taylor or some Office that gives them liberty to Rant and Swagger in the newest Terms and Mode who make it their business if possible to unsaint others being such Devils themselves and bring Holiness into discredit by scoffing at and deriding it but sure it takes with none but what are as of little credit as themselves who race out Holiness and Saint out of the Titles of Honour and instead thereof practice Drinking Whoring

Philo musus THE Right Honourable POVRTRAID OR THE VIZARD Taken off PRETENDERS WITH Perswasive Reasons to allure the Will and reduce Mens Actions to obtain the Title AS ALSO A set Boundary to the Honour of Saints departed By Samuel Gilbert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 London Printed by F. Clark for Thomas Simmons at the Princes Arms in Ludgate-street 1682. To the Right Reverend Father in God Henry Lord Bishop of London one of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council c. YOur Lordship Honourable by Birth Breeding Parts and Place and Right Honourable by your Piety Pains and Stability in the Church of England a Blessing God hath bestowed upon her as a sound Pillar for her Support and a Saint Paul for a Preacher attended with an experienced magnanimous Courage and yet of a most affable courteous and obliging Demeanour for all which fam'd and beloved by this and other Nations tho' envy'd and maligned by our Churches Enemies To whom should this small Piece concerning the Right Honourable Address it self for Protection but to your Self that is so and an Encourager of all Means to make others deserve that Title I therefore without considering the vast disproportion between the Worthiness of the Person to whom I Write and the Meaness of what is Written on this Subject as well as Obscurity of the Author presume yet with as much Humility as the Attempt can bear to beg your Lordships Patronage thereof against the Villifyings of those Persons that are only Honourable to the Eyes of the Vulgar And that here your Lordship would be pleas'd to accept the Acknowledgment of Favours formerly extended towards me tho' I believe both those and my self drop'd out of your Memory but must ever be retain'd in mine And whil'st I live make my daily Petitions to Heaven for the whole Nations as well as your Lordships Interest that Safety Health Prosperity and Honour with length of Days may be your Portion in this Life and Eternal Happiness in the next And conclude with one to your Self that I may be accepted amongst the meanest of your Servants which Title is with all humility assum'd by S. G. TO THE READER MAny that Act the parts of Persons of Quality on the present Stage of the Vniverse thinks that Honour consists only in Riches Height and strength of Parts Worldly Preferments the Cap and Knee the Vogue of the Vulgar c. all which may be attain'd and yet the Possessors not one Spark of true Honour in them if not attended by Holiness it 's inseparable Companion to make this and their mistake perspicuous to characterize the Right Honourable and to perswade those that are o the ways well quallifi'd thereto is the only Design of this small priced Pocket Piece without Refl●ctions on any but good Intentions to all under what scandalous imposed Titles soever Tories or Whiggs Vale. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HONOUR is the World 's great Diana the Idol whereunto it Sacrifices There are none of such poor and pusillanimous Spirits as would not say at least with Saul to Samuel Honour me before the People Every Man would have a good Name that desires not a good Conscience the Sinner being ashamed to be accounted what he is not asham'd to be Absalom having no Virtues to eternize his Memory erects a Pillar and calls it after his own Name The Heathens were so drunk with a giddy desire of Honour that they would be content to exchange their Lives for a dead Statue Empedocles will Sacrifice his Life to the Idol of Honour and cast himself into the flames of Aetna In a word there is no such flatness and poverty of Spirit that hath not one spark of Ambition in him to aspire to Honour As there are none but desire it so few that deserve it many they would be great they will not be good Glorious but not Gracious they would be Honourable but will not be Holy Many would rise to Honour but they quite mistake the Footstool And seek it rather any where than in Holyness nay some think they cannot be Honourable enough unless Godless Holyness is posted over to Colledges and Hospitals c. and thought by some to be fit only for those that are little better as they think than meer Posts It is enough say they for dry Divines Men of low and poor Spirits as they erroneously judge such of grave subdued mortifi'd and retir'd Minds it is not for them that stand upon their Punctilic's and Tearms of Honour height of Place sublimity of Spirit nobleness and generous Disposition do not most Men glory in their Shame as most asham'd of that which is the only Honour of a Christian his Crown and Garland It is Reason that makes us Men but Holyness Christians and better no Men if not Christians 'T is the Badge of Christianity that makes us Honourable for that is the Livery of the King of Kings The Honour the World bestows is but the Livery the worst sort of People generally give those that commonly pay dear for its trimming must seem their Servants nay indeed be real slaves to their humours that gets into popular applause or worldly preferments which some think the greatest Dignity But what says the Psalmist that Kingly Prophet inspired from above This Honour have all his Saints Holyness and Honour God hath ever knit together with a Chain of Adamant a Bond of such inseperable and individual combination as that the Oracle from Heaven hath pronounced it Them that honour me I will honour As shame of Sin so Honour is the natural Off-spring of Grace As the shadow of the Body to the light of the Sun so Honour is always an inseperable attendant of Holiness like some officious Serviter still at his Masters Elbow Holyness and Honour like a pair of Turtle Doves where you see the one the other cannot be far or the two Cherubims upon the Mercy-seat by a reciprocal and mutual prospect continually interview each other The true Jacob's Ladder or Stair of Ascent to Glory is no other than Grace and the high way to Honour Holyness no way to become great but by being good nor truly honourable but by being holy yea even in God's stile Optimus goes before Maximus as if God himself who is essentially great could not be great if not good or not so great if not so good or not the greatest of all if not the best of All. Only the truly Holy are the truly Honourable 1. Because Honour is nothing else but an attestation of the worth and worthiness that is in any Man whence Aristotle tells us Honor est in honorante non in honorato He means the outward performance of such respective Ceremonies and Complements of Honour as the worth and quality of the person honoured deserveth Now the Spirit of God the best Herald that ever was and therefore knows best how to give Names and Titles never makes mention of the Saints but with Titles full of Honour and

neglect of holiness heavenly honours and the wealth of a better World but prefer the Onyons of Egypt before the Bread of Angels paltry Pibbles before precious Pearls thick Clay before pure Gold counterfeit Coin before true Treasure O see and bewail this so great a folly in your selves and others and for the future learn to covet Spirituals to be greedy of Grace to practice holiness without which none can be truly honourable However the holy ones of God here in this life receive many hard measures yea when they live best many times hear the worst Therefore must we take Virtue with a sweet or sour Breath 't is naturally sweet sour only through the corruption of the Air we live in being putrifi'd by the infected Lungs of those that are wicked despisers of her and ignorant of her worth to take Virtue as she is naturally with a sweet Breath is pleasanter tho' with a sour more meritorious for Regium est male audire cum bene feceris it is Kingly to be ill spoken of for good Deeds and whilst we have our Actions warranted by the great seal of Virtue we verifie the saying of one constant to such Conscia mens Recti famae Mendacia ridens An upright Breast laughs at the abuses of report A well grounded self justification scorns the dispraise of the Vulgar whose commendation is not authentick enough to call Persons or Actions good such infamy hath its delight and we must be just meerly out of love to it not for Glory by it and be content to be ill spoken of for being so few know the pleasure of a well got ill report but many the pains and pricks of Conscience for the ill getting a good report That raising themselves by over witting out reaching and fair promising others never intending performance not being set by God as Joseph but setting themselves over their elder Brethren They that place Honour in honorante honour in the bestower exile it as well from our care as power That passage through good and bad report gone through by that great adventurer for Heaven leadeth to a Haven of such inward rest as fears not the blasts of misprision nor the mire and dirt the wicked in their ragings cast up but can solace themselves in St. Paul's words Our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the World And this musick surpasseth all the Gingles of Fame not that we should slight a good Report but rather covet it especially from the best sort of men i. e. good men To contemn Fame is but a security of doing ill He that would not be thought good careth not for being so Contemptu famae contemni virtutes He that contemneth a good report despiseth the goodness deserving it yet if we miss it whilst our Actions are regulated by the square of Religion and Justice it is not Arrogance but well becoming Confidence to scorn the injurious World when it denyeth Merit its due Let us not be good on the salary of its praise nor suffer their scorn to spoil good purposes in their conception by damping our resolutions or by frights abortive their execution or smother our joy at their birth For when God hath once by the hand of Death drawn a Curtain between good men and the eyes of the World and remov'd them out of sight then is every one ready to bless their Memories and follow them to Heaven with a loud Peal of gratulatory Acclamations After death martyr'd Names as well as Men are Kalender'd even to an unquestionable repute of merit and that in those faithful Registers of Impartial History The Living may be Tenants at will to reputation but it is the possession of the dead and when the Grave dust is flung on our Chronicles envy it self cannot blur them Animis hominum manet in Aeternitate Temporum Fama rerum While some are buried in oblivion others in the memory of men survive even Posterity This is the condition of us all evil things we feel them before we fear them but good things we lose them before we know them De bonis judicamus a tergo 'T is the want that commends the worth of a thing even those we see by experience that could not endure the Saints whilst they lived yet when once gone they never speak of them without a preface of reverence Herein do the Saints of God resemble an excellent Picture or a curious piece or Cloth of Arras that looks well when ye are near it but fairer and smoother when farther off The wicked are compared to Hawks of great esteem whilst living but afterwards nothing worth but the Saints to tamer Fowls often Prey to such Hawks that are husht away and little esteem'd whilst living but after death brought to the Lords Table God will look to their honour when they are dead that so much looked to his while they lived Rather than Moses should not be honour'd God himself will make his Funeral Sermon Josiah and Hezekiah that honourable pair of Kings how were they honour'd by all Judah and Jerusalem at their death Such honour have all his Saints And if they are so honourable let us know how to prize them and give them their due Let us not fear to Imitate the Church in her Ancient Practice herein the Celebration of our Annual and standing Festivals in the Honour of the Saints A Custom in the Church from time to time Traditionary of so long a standing and Antiquity in the Church that now even by prescription 't is grown gray headed and venerable Certainly God must lose a great deal of his Honour if we bury the Honour of his Saints Laudate Dominum saith David in Sanctis if God be to be praised in all the Works of his Hands from the Cedar to the Shrub from the glorious Cherubim to the despicable Worm is he not to be honour'd in the Saints those whom he raised up to be horoical Instruments for the propagation of the Gospel But as many things are good in the intent which are not always so in the event good in the Institution not always in the Execution as there are many things excellent in their first birth and original which in tract of time gather soyl and rust and so degenerate from the purity of their first Institution even so it is with the honour of the Saints for whilst Men out of too strong a bent and overplus of inordinate affection towards the Saints thought they could never honour them enough at last they became flat Idolaters turning Charity into Piety Affection into Superstition Veneration into Adoration When the People first met together at the Monuments of the Martyrs an Ancient and Yearly Custom of the Eastern Churches to praise God for his Martyrs at last they forgot their Arrand and turned their Worship of God into the