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spirit_n faith_n grace_n sin_n 7,861 5 4.4662 3 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A10916 The glory and happines of a true Christian A sermon preached by Master Rogers at Needham in Norfolke the 28 of Iune. 1617 Rogers, John, of Chacombe. 1618 (1618) STC 21186; ESTC S100039 21,430 65

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these stragling Christians The third sort are happie and blessed euen such as haue not defiled their garments such shal be with Christ in white that is in glory heereafter for they are worthy Oh that I had an heart and tongue that I might so speake and you so heare that such of you that be naught become good and those that be decayed and cold may become better Touching the first sort of men to be spoken of they haue a name to liue but indeede are starke deade that is they boast and bragge that they haue that which they haue not and are that which they are not such wee haue now and such were in the Prophet Esaie his time there were many that complained that they had ●asted and that they had sacrificed to him but it was not regarded But they were told by him that they had fasted to strife c. their sacrifice was as much esteemed of God as if they had cut of a doggs necke So likewise in Ieremie they did much boast of the temple of the Lord and of their seruice done there but yet saith the Prophet will yee lie steale Murther comit adultery sweare yet stand before the Lord in his house Also Iohn Baptist he told such as boasted that Abraham was their father that they were a generation of Vipers And our Sauiour told those that bragged they were free borne and Abraham his sonnes that they were of their father the diuell for his workes they did and did so much resemble him in their cōditions were so like him as if they had beene spued out of his mouth So likewise the Church of Laodicea did boast that shee was rich and needed nothing yet they were wretched miserable poore blinde and naked They deceiued their owne hearts through pride and ignorance as many others doe saying they were rich and did not knowe indeede they were poore Now besides these the diuell he commeth tels such kinde of persons that their state and case is well inough and would perswade some of the sorwarder sort that their condition is starke nought But be not deceiued for flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Againe be not deceiued for no fornicator c. 2 Cor. 6. 9. Againe Be not deceiued saith Iames the Apostle in seeming to be religious and yet canst not refraine thy tongue this man his religion is in vaine So I say be not deceiued for though a man refraine many sinnes and yet retaine one knowne sinne which he is loath to forsake that man cannot be saued till hee hath repented of it also But now to come to particulars there be diuers sorts of men that haue a name to liue who in truth are but dead The first sort are ignorant persons that want knowledg of God and of religion and of this kinde are many of the poorer sort but yet you shall neuer heare them complaine of this their wretched estate but will rather say they hope to be saued But how euen by their good meaning and good prayers and good seruing of God c. These men in their owne account are fish whole The second sort are such as liue in some grosse sinnes as Swearing Lying Cursing and banning Drunkennesse and Vncleannesse Pride Vsury and Couetuousnesse and such like damnable sinnes yet they thinke their estate good enough but if they be rebuked for their sinnes and told of Gods condemning of them then they hope they be not so great sinners but God can pardon them and doe make account to dispatch all in the end with a Lord haue mercie vpon mee The third sort of dead persons are the worldlings and such as d●● nothing else but busie th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worldly busines not respect●●g ●●●gion These men are like vn●● 〈…〉 ‑ les that run in the earth and are cunning to know euery muse in the ground but if they be taken out of it they are at their wits end and they be also like vnto fishes when they are taken out of the water The fourth sort bee ciuill men who hauing some restraining grace doe liue in a ciuill manner among men abstaining from common grosse sinnes which are breaches of the second table and can say with the old phrase I thanke God I am not as ther men But yet these men make no conscience to performe the duties of the first Table and yet are taken among their neighbours to be very honest men but yet for hearing of the word praying with their families they care not Notwithstanding such men doe not thinke that they haue any neede of Christ and indeed Christ hath no neede of them Now such miserable persons which thinke a ciuill life can bring them to heauen although ignorant of the grounds of religion these men are in a miserable condition howsoeuer their neighbours haue dubbed them to be faire conditioned men yet they are farre of as yet from the state of saluation yea Many Publicans and sinners may goe to heauen before them The fifth sort of dead Christians are such as though they doe heare the word of God diligently and thereby get knowledge and make much of their ministers yea are able sometime to beare checks for their profession of the Gospell yet bee like the thorny ground and doe retaine some vile sinne as Pride Vncleannesse Couetuousnesse c. They being neuer truely humbled and not hauing the gift of sauing faith such men may fall away from their former profession some sooner and some later and may be without true sauing grace to doe them any good All these fiue sorts before described shall not be seuered in their seuerall estates as sure as the Lord is in heauen and why because they are all borne dead in trespasses and sins and vntill they be ioyned to Christ who is the fountaine of spirituall life for there is no life but in him they be starke dead euen as the diuell sauing onely their possibilitie to be saued Thou art as a Toad yea as a rotten carrion and till thou hast true faith thou art starke deade Many haue common gifts others knowledge which may afterwards proue persecutors and fall away I can tell thee thou wert once dead now if thou canst tell me when thou wert made aliue If thou canst truely say thou liuest the life of grace and art dead to sinne and not in sinne then being dead aliue take heede this life of grace doe not decay in thee nor goe out like a Candle then shalt thou goe to heauen as sure as God is in heauen Thou Ignorant man prophane worldling ciuill person or Hyppocrite thou not hauing true faith and the spirit of sanctification learne to know as yet thou art in the state of damnation and if thou dyest in this condition thou must goe from this first death to the second death which is endlesse Now when you haue taken these fiue sorts of dead Christians out of your congregations I