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 militant_a triumphant_a 2,791 5 11.4510 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A39268 The right foundation of quietness, obedience, and concord discovered in two seasonable discourses ... / by Clem. Elis ... Ellis, Clement, 1630-1700. 1684 (1684) Wing E572; ESTC R19683 73,732 122

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

then himself he will and if he cannot yet he will do all that he can towards it and that will I suppose satisfie the Apostles Exhortation and will effect what is desired If we be impartial in judging our selves and not forward to censure others if we be not more busie in casting out the Mote that is in our Brothers Eye than the Beam that is in our own Eye but more forward every man to reform himself then to find faults in others we shall practise according to the Rule here given Having thus far seen how the duty is practicable we may easily perceive how happy the Church would be were it duly practised And indeed although a truely humble Christian will hardly satisfie himself in doing less then all that hath been said and tho it may be nothing less then all this will serve to denominate a man truely humble yet were something less then this well practised among us we should soon taste the blessed fruits of such a practice Suppose then that the Apostle by these words Let each esteem other better then themselves meant no more but thus Either 1. That we should esteem honour and love them better whom we really think to be better That we should not envy them nor endeavour any way to lessen them in the esteem of men nor strive to get above them but let them enjoy without disturbance the respect and honour they deserve What a happy change in the face of the World would even this make Preferment would follow Merit and every thing would stand in its own place and order there would be no justling for pre-eminence nor any thing else but strength and beauty in the Building of God Or suppose 2. That we should every one esteem our Superiors as our Superiors and think them better only for this that they are our Superiors If this were all the Apostle meant it would certainly very much avail to the Establishing of Peace and Unity There would be no resisting but an humble subjection for Conscience sake And Humility would teach us either to rest in the Wisdom or submit at least to the Authority of our Governors The same grace that teacheth us to obey God both actively and passively must teach us also to obey them that have the rule over us for the Lords sake actively where we can and passively only where we must needs and tho we could not see in them the Image of God's Wisdom and Goodness we would at least see and reverence the Image of his Power 3. Or suppose the meaning were that we should do all things with that quietness and humbleness as if we had every one a better opinion of the other's wisdom and Piety than his own as a very Learned and Pious Annotator paraphraseth the words it is too obvious how this practice would conduce to Peace to need any farther explication Or suppose 4. That all were but this that we should every one look upon others as our Superiors thus far at least that we owe them a duty of Love and this is a duty that every man oweth to every man Nor will this debt of Love be paid by any less than humbly condescending to promote their good especially the Eternal Good of their Souls by any the lowest and humblest services we can do them Were this done indeed and were your humble servant as much the Language of the heart as of the Tongue and Pen we should soon all write our selves Loving Friends too O that we could all be brought to be more in love with this most charming grace of Humility not as it is in others only but chiefly in our selves How happy a thing would it be for the Church of Christ Where Humility reigns in mens hearts and it reigns not where it commands not a chearful subjection to all our Governors it is impossible there should be any strangers to love and peace or that there should not be on all sides a mutual and delightful administring to one another's comfort and happiness There could remain no Strife about any thing but who should be most humble and most forward to serve his Brethren in Love I shall now close this discourse with a short Exhortation only willing to leave a more particular application of the truths delivered to every man 's own Conscience Men may possibly be content or else compell'd to hear those things from the Monitor in their own breasts which they are too proud to hear with patience from another If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels of Mercies If we are but so far Christians indeed as to think any of these things worthy to be taken into serious consideration let us fulfil the joy of all Saints holy Angels of the whole Church Militant and Triumphant by our being like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind And that we may be so indeed let us be perswaded by St. Peter To be subject one to another and be cloathed with Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. Let us once again think it the best fashion to wear that long difused Livery of a meek and lowly Saviour by this will God own us to be of his Houshold by this shall we be known to belong to the Court of the Great King of Kings Nothing can render us so beautiful in his eyes as Humility He giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4. 6. With the lowly is wisdom Prov. 11. 2. It is better to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoyl with the Proud Prov. 16. 19. It is the readiest way to that which the proud man most aimeth at but in his too much hast to it over-runneth before Honour is Humility Prov. 15. 33. Thorns and Snares are in the way of the froward Prov. 22. 5. But God shall save the humble person Job 22. 9. He heareth his desire Prov. 10. 17. A mans pride shall bring him low but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Prov. 29. 23. He that shall humble himself shall be exalted Matt. 23. 12. For though the Lord be high yet hath he respect to the lowly but the proud he knoweth a far off Psal. 138 6. What would we now have more to encourage us to the practice of this vertue We have here the promises of Safety and exaltation of riches and honour and life Prov. 22. 4. Of respect from God his presence with us and his grace to uphold us and after all the Kingdom of Heaven assured to the Poor in Spirit How is it possible after all this that a Gra●e so lovely in the eyes of God and man should yet find such cold entertainment amongst us O let us entertain it now at least now I say when it comes as it were a begging to our doors and beseecheth us for Christs sake to lodg it in our hearts let us entertain it if it be but on this account that