Selected quad for the lemma: state_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	darkness_n	light_n	shine_v	1,758	5	9.8256	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43344	A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon on Acts 28. 22, shewing that the Christian religion is not a sect, and yet that it is every where spoken against / by Matthew Henry ...	Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714.; Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714. Sermon on Acts XXVII, 22.; Howe, John, 1630-1705.	1699 (1699)	Wing H1475_PARTIAL; Wing H1476_PARTIAL; ESTC R14901	132,581	220

word which he hath spoken Isa. 42. 21. 4. The People of God the Professors of this Religion are every where spoken against Not only those of some particular Perswasion or Denomination but without regard to that such as have been zealous in fearing God and working Righteousness have been in many places very much spoken against Our Blessed Saviour hath told his Disciples what Treatment of this kind they must expect that they should be revil'd and have all manner of evil said against them falsly Mat. 5. 11 12. that they and their Names should be cast out as evil Luke 6. 22. And if they called our Master Belzebub no nick-names fastned upon his Followers can seem strange Mat. 5. 25. Mocking was an old way of persecuting the Covenant-Seed for thus He that was after the Flesh betimes persecuted them that were after the Spirit Compare Gen. 21. 9. with Gal. 4. 29. God's Heritage ha●h always been as a speckled Bird that all the Birds are against Ier. 12. 9. And his Children for signs and for wonders in Israel that every one hath a saying to Isa. 8. 18. Even Wisdoms Children have been call'd and counted Fools and their life Madness The Quiet in the Land represented as Enemies to the Publick Peace And those who are the greatest Blessings of the Age branded as the Troublers of Israel The Primitive Christians were painted out to the World under the blackest and most odious Characters that could be as Men of the most profligate Lives and Consciences and that even placed their Religion in the gros●est Impieties and Immoralities imaginable Their Enemies found it necessary for the support of the Kingdom of the Devil the Father of Lies and Slanders fortiter Calumniari to Characterize them as the worst of Men to whom they were resolv'd to give the worst and most barbarous Treatment It had not been possible to have baited them if they had not first dress'd them up in the skins of wild Beasts And as then so ever since more or less in all Ages of the Church Reproach hath been entail'd upon the most serious and zealous Professors of Religion and Godliness ● The Ministers of Christ the Preachers of this Religion are with a distinguishing Enmity every where spoken against Under the Old Testament God's Messengers and his Prophets were generally mocked and misused and it was Ierusalem's measure-filling Sin 2 Chron. 36. 16. 'T was one of the Devices they devis'd against Ieremiah to smite him with the tongue because they would not and they desired tha● others might not give heed to any of his words Ier. 18. 18. Those to whom the Prophet Ezekiel was a very lovely Song and with their mouths showed much love to him yet were still talking against him by the Walls and in the Doors of their Houses and God lets him know it Ezek. 33. 30 31 32. And then it is not strange if the Ministers of the New Testament in which Truth shines with a stronger Light be with no less Enmity spoken against by those that love Darkness rather than Light The Apostles those prime Ministers of State in Christ's Kingdom were so loaded with Reproach that they were made a spectacle to the World a spectacle of Pity to those that have either Grace or good Nature but a spectacle of scorn to those that had neither They were trampled upon as the Filth of the World and whereas the off-scouring of any thing is bad enough they were look'd upon as the Off-scouring of all things even unto this day after they had in so many instances approv'd themselves well and could not but be made manifest in the Consciences of their worst Enemies 1 Cor. 4. 9 13. And it hath all along been the Policy of the Churches Enemies by all marks possible to bring the Ministry into contempt and to represent the Churches Nazarites even those that were purer than Snow whiter than Milk and more ruddy than Rubies with a visage blacker than a Coal so that they have not been known in the streets I allude to that complaint Lam. 4. 7 8. Marvel not if the Standard-bearers be most struck at 6. The Christian Religion it self hath been and still is every where spoken against The Truths of it contradicted as false and groundless the great Doctrines of the Mediation of Christ and the Resurrection of the Dead were ridicul'd by the Athenian Philosophers Acts 19. 18 32. The Laws of it faulted as grievous and unreasonable as hard sayings which could not be born by those who bid open defiance to the Obligation of them and say Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us Ps. 2. 3. The Ordinances of it despis'd as mean and having no form nor comeliness Sabbaths mock'd at as of old Lam. 1. 7. and the sanctification of them represented as only a Cloak for Idleness Sacraments reproach'd and the Sacred Memorial of Christ's Death and Sufferings by the Persecutors of the Primitive Christians represented to the World as the bloody and inhumane Killing and Eating of a Child and their Love Feasts and Holy Kiss which were then in use as only introductions to the most abominable uncleanness Primitive Christianity was industriously put into an ill-name it was call'd emphatically The Atheism because it overthrew Idolatry and undermin'd the false Gods and worships that had so long obtain'd This was the Out-cry at Ephesus that if Paul's Doctrine took place the Temple of the great Goddess would be despis'd Acts 19. 26 27. It was also branded as a Novelty and an up-start Doctrine because it took people off from that vain Conversation which they had received by Tradition from their Fathers It was call'd at Athens a New Doctrine and industriously represented in all places as a Mushrome Sect that was but of yesterday It was look'd upon as nearly allied to Iudaism because it was so much supported by the Scriptures of the Old Testament and nothing was more despicable among the Romans than the Iews and their Religion The Professors of Christianity were look'd upon as unlearned and ignorant Men Acts 4. 12. the very Dregs and Refuse of the People Iulian forbad the calling of them Christians and would have them called nothing but Galileans thereby to expose them to the contempt of those who are as indeed most people are govern'd more by a sound of Words than by the reason of Things Thus when the Devil was silenced in his Oracles as it is well known he was upon the setting up of Christianity in the World his mouth was opened in Lies and Slanders and being forced to quit his pretentions to a Deity he appears bare-faced as a Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a False-Accuser The Reformed Religion in these latter ages hath been in like manner spoken against Though it maintains all that and only that Doctrine which Christ and his Apostles preach'd and was before Luther there where Popery as such never was before or since