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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	scripture_n	spirit_n	3,143	5	5.2045	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64572	A preservative of piety in a quiet reasoning for those duties of religion, that are the means and helps appointed of God for the preserving and promoting of godliness. Namely, I. Of four Christian-duties, viz. 1. Reading the Scriptures. 2. Preparation for the Lords Supper. 3. Estimation of the ministry. 4. Sanctification of the Lords-day-Sabbath. II. Of four family-duties, viz. 1. Houshold-catechising. 2. Family-prayer. 3. Repeating of sermons. 4. Singing of Psalms. With an epistle prefixt, to inform and satisfie the Christian reader, concerning the whole treatise. By William Thomas, rector of the church at Ubley in the county of Somerset.	Thomas, William, 1593-1667.	1662 (1662)	Wing T988; ESTC R37887	203,614	274

little further search both to give an account of my own sollici●ousness about that Sacrament and withall by reason of the different perswasions of some learned and godly men who I hope will candidly interpret my Discourse because I have endeavoured to speak according to the sense of Scripture the consentient judgement of the Church of God and with declaration of due respect to those from whom I somewhat dissent This Sacrament-doctrine I have in the close digested into Questions and Answers not only because that way of teaching is most easie and familiar but also to lend some assistance unto godly Christians for the better preparing of those belonging to their charge for that great Ordinance by the instructing and catechising of them before-hand in those things which it concerns such as would be worthy Communicants to be acquainted with what I have now published for this end I have long since framed and have still used in the visiting of the Families of those committed to my care that they might come to the Sacrament with more knowledge and conscience But that which I conceived fit for them will not be I shall hope unprofitable to others How many wayes have painful Pastors used to acquaint the People of this Nation with God and his Ordinances and to work in them a reverent respect thereunto some one way and some another But whether it be I or they it 's the same thing for substance and perhaps some may think so well of this way as to receive some benefit by it and then I have what I aim at in it The third Chapter concerneth the Ministry and may serve also as an help and incitement to a religious and profitable hearing of the Word albeit I make not a distinct Head of that Argument for neglect of serious hearing of Sermons ariseth from a low or no account of those that preach them As the preaching of the Word by men formed out of the clay and called to that high office is Gods Ordinance for mans Salvation so the holding of such in reputation is mans assistance for the receiving of the benefit of it it being very unlikely that men should be guided and ruled by those whom they do not regard As long as there was any hope of the Jews the Preface to their profiting was this They will reverence my Son and a base opinion of him or his being without any honour among them made him useless to them The thing much thought of in this part of the Treatise was and is to help to reduce if God please so far to bless poor endeavours those many Christians who by reason of the distemper of the times for I am more willing to fix it upon that then to think that so dismal a thing as their departure is should arise out of their own hearts I say who by reason of the distemper and tentation of the late times have so dangerously forsaken a duely called Ministry whi●h God hath in singular mercy and compassion to mankinde appointed and to the worlds end constituted in his Church for the perfecting of the Saints by their work and for the edification of the body of Christ and in particular for the preventing of their being tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Into which evil of being wafted away from God and his wayes they have sadly fal'n who have fal'n away from an Ordained Ministry and therewithall from all Gods Ordinances but if God love them and they love God he will certainly bring their hearts back again If they be Children they cannot alwayes want bread nor refuse to receive it from those Officers and Stewards whom the Lord hath made Rulers of his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season But howsoever it fall out with some of them who under a pretence of being more perfect Saints disdain that Ministry whereby if God speak true Saints are to be perfected and that till they come to a perfect man or to a perfect manly knowledge which will never be till they come to heaven I say however it be with some such as namely those that have forsaken the written Word of God of whom there is least hope Yet the things here laid down will serve I trust to confirm those who through the great goodness of God have been upheld and held in a right and regular way notwithstanding all solicitations and tentations to the contrary As for others all I shall say is this that perhaps some right Church-government or some grievous Church-chastisement will at length bring those Professors of Religion and godliness together whom a vast and too-unlimited a liberty good both for doing and undoing as men were right or light hath set so far and fearfully asunder It 's more then time for me to hasten to the fourth general head wherein I have treated of the Christian or Lords-day Sabbath purposely but in order thereunto have spoken something of the Sabbath in generall The great difficulty that there is in this Argument I do with all humility and deep sense of my own weakness acknowledge and therefore desire not that any thing here affirmed should be received but according as by Scripture and Scripture-reason it shall be found confirmed But withal I must crave leave to put the Reader in mind that to judge rightly of to reverence rellish and receive this and divers other practical Truths namely those mentioned in this Treatise two things are very needful 1. A due respect to the General Rules of Holiness laid down in the Word of God And 2. A Principle of Grace in the Heart for the natural man receiveth not spiritual things that so there may be a consenting and closing with the Reason of Scripture and the wisdom of God in the generalities thereof Let all Christians therefore in the fear of God and setting the Word of God before their eyes indifferently and conscientiously consider those four things which I shall now propound and present unto them 1. Whether it be not more for Gods glory the preserving and perpetuating of Religion and the interest and commodity of the Souls of men to have a set and intire day wherein to meet together in publike Worship for the knowing acknowledging serving and enjoying of God then it is to have no such day 2. If such a day be granted Whether it be not needful and best that it should be within that proportion of time which God himself hath described and prescribed in the fourth Commandement that is Whether it must not be a weekly day or whether it will serve as well for the aforenamed ends to have it left to men to lay out for their God a day of their own devising and within such a circuit of time as they think fit If any will rest a matter of so great a

meetings and conferences And yet the●e also is a danger for weak Christians that have honest hearts are soon misled by men high in their parts but not right in their judgement nor low in their hearts if there be not Ministers or others sound in the faith present in the meeting to prevent infection Unto this I add That if there be indeed any private Christians that are eminently gifted the Press is open though the Pulpit be shut Thus far of the first thing that is of knowing Ministers with a knowledge of observation in regard of their calling wherein I have been more large because of the experience we have had of late of the extreme evils of arbitrary and li●entious preaching which hath fill'd the L●nd wi●h absurd and dangerous Errors from the one end of it to the other yea and other Countries also I come now to speak of the observing 2. Of their Doctrine The Apostle is plain in this when he saith Consider what I say yea our Saviour himself who saith Take beed what you hear Christians are so to heed what they hear as to search it ●s the Bereans did and finding it by search to be sound and good to hold it fast This shews Prophesying is not de●pised 1 Thess. 5.20 3. There should be an observing of their carriage of this knowledge the Apostle speaks when writing to Timothy he tells him Th●u hast fully known not only my doctrine which belongs to the former branch but also my manner of life c. And in another place Mark them that walk so as ye have us for an ensample of which this construction may be made Take it for an assured sign of good Pastors when they study to conform themselves to mine example in all things And so one good use of observing their car●iage is discovered which is thereby to be confirmed in this that they are faithful Ministers and accordingly to be respected Hi●herto of the knowledge of Observation Secondly Ministers are to be known with a knowledge of approbation And thus this word know is often used in Scripture as when it is said The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is approves it and David I will n●t know a wicked man that is shew him any countenance so saith Paul That which I do I know not that is I allow not In like manner the word used here doth not signifie simply to know that 's soon done but to acknowledge own them and to see that be given them every way which is due to them in their places In such a sense the original word here used is taken 2 Cor. 5.16 We know no man after the flesh that is do not esteem reckon or judge of him according to his outward and carnal relations In like sort a Minister is not to be judged of according to the outward appearance but to be known and look'd upon with all approbation in regard of his Office if he be duly called and of his doctrine if it be the Word of God and his carriage if it be according to that Word 1 Sam. 12.4 Thirdly There should be also a knowledge of imitation thus Timothy was to know Paul's manner of life or so as to imitate it and make Paul his pattern Thus all Christians are to remember and observe Church-guides so as to follow their faith and mark them so as to be like them in an holy and heavenly life Phil. 3.17 One way wherein Ministers are over their People is to go before them as good examples their Hearers therefore should hasten after them I come now to the next duty of Christians to their Ministers which is to esteem them highly in love for their works sake which yet may be comprehended under the knowledge already spoken of because a right affectionate and effectual knowledge brings forth this estimation Concerning which observe that for the degree of it it must be very high for the nature and quality of it it must be in love and for the ground of it for their works sake 1. The Degree The due esteem of Ministers appears to be great and high for it is expressed and required in very high words in the Original shewing they are to be esteemed exceedingly as the same words are translated 1 Thess. 3.10 One sayes More then exceedingly as you would say excessively not as excess is a vice but as it implies an height and exuberancy of respect That which comes nearest the l●●ter of the Text is Esteem them above that which is abundant or which most exceeds or as Beza above redundantly This high Estimation is seen and shewed in many particulars 1. In looking upon them as servants of the most high God which shew unto men the way of salvation for although those words were spoken from the Devil who neve● meant that God should be a gainer by his being a Professor yet they do as others in such sort spoken of Christ Luk. 8.28 contain in them a clear truth And the Spirit of God also speaks in Scripture of the Ministers of Christ to the same effect Mark 16.15 16. Rom. 1.1.16 Servant of the Lord is a Ministers name 2 Tim. 2.24 And to shew the way of salvation that 's his Office Luk. 1.76 77 79. 1 Cor. 15.1 2. 1 Tim. 4.16 2. In giving them reverence so it is said that the Corinthians received Titus with fear and trembling that is with mu●h reverence The titles and usage of the Old Te●tament may shew this where one P●ophet is called an honourable man 1 Sam. 9.6 another an holy man of God 2 King 4.9 And respect was shewed unto them accordingly ●n● very a bundantly 1 King 18.7 2 King 4.37 Not but that there is a difference between extraordinary Officers and ordinary and therefore we press not the same expressions of reverence but yet the Calling and substance of the Office being the same to wi● inasmuch as both are sent of God to deliver his mind and message to his people a suitable reverence is still required that is in the generality and for the reality of it In the New Testament Ministers are called Stewards and that 's an high office and Ambassadors and that 's an honorable Office especially it being in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5.20 In the Old and New Testament both the ordinary title is a man of God Now all are men of God i. e. of his making and good men more because they are twice made Ephes. 2.10 but Ministers most being not only of God by creation or sanctification but by separation and de●●gnation to a peculiar Office whe●ein their whole work is to deliver those errands and do those acts between God and man which are charged upon them by their highest Lord. Is a Minister thus a man of God then reverence the man because of the God 3. In seeking and having recourse to them

if in stead of wearing their hair on their heads or necks they wear it as far as they can get it to go on their backs shoulders and breasts that they may do this without any Divine controul For we can tell them that things Indifferent are to be governed and limited by those things that are not Indifferent if therefore mens long hair arise from pride vanity of minde and an affectation of being fine as they think that way then its sure unlawful for though there be an indifferency in the cutting and ordering of the hair yet Pride is no indifferent thing Or If men do it in compliance with others that in these dayes use so much to exceed that general rule Be not conformed to this World will in the just extent thereof give a check to it Or If it be of ill report and an offence to the wise and godly it doth in that regard thwart with those Rules which require us to do things of good Report and in things indifferent to give no offence to any And moreover we can tell them what the Apostle saith and what Question he propounds for better order amongst the Christians at Corinth which is this Doth not even nature it self teach you that if a man have long hair it is a shame to him Let men consider how they will answer ●he Apostle whose words whatsoever shuffle men m●ke are at least thus far convincing that Men are not to wear their hair so long as to confound the Sexes and transform themselves into Women wearing an ornament which take it in such a length and extent is proper to Women and so as it were deny their Sex which God forbad in the Law If it be said For Men to wear hair as long as Women is indeed a fault but not otherwise To that I answer 1. That Men cannot wear because they cannot have ordinarily hair so long as Women Nature will not afford it them having given Women a moister temperature to nourish that hair which is their distinguishing ornament and glory 2. I answer further That it is a very bad Character for any man to come next to that though he come not fully up to it which is absolutely naught and unnatural If it be said again That the Apostle speaks of that which is against nature not absolutely but according to the custom of those times and places unto which he directs his speech when in other Countreys it was otherwise To this I answer 1. That it doth not follow that it is not against nature strictly taken to wear very long hair because some Nations have let their hair grow extreamly long for who knows not that not only Heathens but divers Christians do that which is against the dictate and direction of nature 2. I add further with Beza that the Jews and people of God did not use so to nourish their hair as appears by the Law of the Nazarites not to cut their hair which shews that others usually did so and therefore that of Absolom was extraordinary and his way and end makes his example sad 3. If we have recourse to Custom only yet we may very well say it hath not been the Custom in England for Men to wear their hair so excessively long as appears by the Lord Comwel's imprisoning a Serving-man meerly for such excess but now indeed it grows to be a Custom and so invades the whole Nation that not only every youth in a manner but every child is put into that fashion I speak not of what is moderate and modest but of a general excess this way evidently declaring that though we have been so long of late under the hand of God and still are under such hazzards notwithstanding Gods admirable working for our settlement by the return of our gracious King as should humble our hearts and keep them in a modest frame yet we are become more bold more high and a more distempered and dissolute people then heretofore And here let it be observed that at the same time that is in the late times when men grew to be so horrid and illimitable in their hair they were extreamly extravagant also in their heads and conceits and as they would have such a length and latitude of hair granted them as should only not quite raze out the distinction of Sexes so they pleaded for such a liberty of Opinion as should only not raze and force up the very foundations of Religion As if it were injustice to tie Subjects to any Laws of the Nation save only to fundamental Laws or else as if every law of Men and of States were to be obeyed and the laws of God and of Conscience to be dispensed with according to every mans several sense and interest But as Prodigals that sell their Woods will shortly sell their Lands so they that will sell truths of Superstruction when they should buy every truth and sell none will be like to sell all at last even the truths of the Foundation as divers of late have done and leave themselves nothing to live upon and walk by but false lights and true fancies If this be a Digression the exorbitances of the times yea the excesses and offences that present themselves in every poor Countrey-Congregation have drawn it from me Howsoever I am sure I am not altogether gone beyond my purpose which was and is to shew that the general rules of Scripture and the determinations of Ministers according to and in vertue of those general rules are binding in particular Cases This being before hand observed we may take notice of some general Scripture-grounds tending to the establishing of Family-prayer particularly Gods glory and our own good 1. Gods glory All we do should be as much as may be for the glory of God Now it is more for Gods glory that a whole Family should be on their knees together then that the●e should be here and there a single Suitor for as in the multitude of people is the Kings honour so in the multitude of Praying people is the honor of the King of Heaven Hence David studying the glory of God saith O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together And Paul is still earnest for Saints joynt-supplications because when they help together in Prayer then for the gift bestowed by the means of many Persons thanks is given by many And as he that offereth praise to God glorifieth him so by many thanksgivings to God he is more abundantly glorifyed 2 Cor. 9.12 13. 2. Our own good God would have us to be wise for our selves and to know things for our own good Now the more Suitors there be the more like they be other things being alike to have their suit granted else why are the people of God call'd upon on more important occasions to seek him together It s true there cannot be so solemn an Assembly in