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truth_n apostle_n church_n ground_n 3,148 5 6.8788 4 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A57509 A sermon preached at Blandford-forum in Dorset-shire, December the 19th, 1682, at the Lord Bishop of Bristol's visitation by Richard Roderick ... Roderick, Richard, 1647 or 8-1730. 1683 (1683) Wing R1770; ESTC R7208 11,789 30

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Exhortation to what is here said in the Text to have been the Practice of the Primitive Christians and ought to be ours that we also be united and continue stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers And here how shall I exhort wherewithall shall I bespeak you Let our Thoughts be cast back upon the dreadfull Consequences of Mens forsaking the Truth or departing from the Communion of the Church which is the Ground and Pillar of it Divisions besides that they naturally scatter and weaken a People also provoke God to pour out his Fury upon them and to smite the Earth with a Curse When the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel was to be accomplish'd upon the Jews at the Siege of Jerusalem the separating Zealots within concurred no less than the Romans without When Christians were engaged in private Differences too busie to attend the Motions and obviate the Designs of the common Enemy then the Turks overrun so much of Asia and Europe When Pelagian Pride endeavoured to advance the depraved Power of Nature the feeble Essays of Reason and the corrupted Liberty of Man's will above the necessity and against the onely sufficiency of Divine Grace and upon this and other Heresies Dissensions arose then did God empty the full Vials of his Wrath raised up the Goths and Vandals the Huns and Gauls and other Instruments of his Vengeance to chastise the unhappy Litigants Knowing therefore the Terrours of God on High when Men do not keep Peace upon the Earth be we persuaded at this time to lay aside our Divisions No doubt our Circumstances are very sad What shall I equal to thee that I may comfort thee O Daughter of Zion For thy breach is great like the Sea who can heal thee Fearfulness and Trembling are come upon the Land and an horrible dread hath overwhelm'd it Manasseh is against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh and both against Judah Fears and Jealousies some just more ungrounded possess and distract Men. We seem fitted appointed for Destruction We sustain Damocles his Fate a single Thread keeps off the devouring Sword aand reprieves our ruine Long long may the Divine Protection with Favour compass and defend as with a Shield the Breath of our Nostrils the Anointed of the Lord under whose shadow we yet live among worse than Heathens among those on each side who surely put off the Bowels of Men when they took the Name of Christians whom neither the Vengeance of Heaven nor the Insamy of Earth can fright or shame from brutish Cruelty In these our Distractions we sly for Succour unto thee O Lord who for our Sins art justly displeased Let not Mens eager peevish Phrenzie that won't brook being put off to thy time of bringing Salvation move thee to withhold it Be thou mercifull to our Iniquities and to the Troubles of our Israel for both are great great beyond any but thy Mercy and thy Wisedom to work out our Redemption Dangers are wont to enlarge Mens Thoughts to disturb them into warmth and vigour and make them with Croesus his dumb Son break through the Impediments if not with Sampson doe things above the strength of Human Nature And then does not common Prudence invite Self-preservation constrain us to be now especially upon our guard and united that we become not a Prey to the Enemies of Church and State The contrivances of those that have evil will at Sion should call forth and put on work all the Powers of our Souls provoke an uniform Constancy and quicken us to muster up and joyn all our Forces to prevent those Calamities which for ought we know if once submitted to can never be redressed Nothing can extricate us out of present Fears and Dangers but engaging the God of all strength to be on our side by being perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment St. Paul assures us that if we be of one Mind and live in Peace the God of Love and Peace shall be with us What then must be judged of them who obstruct God's Favour and Protection by refusing to give up an Opinion to sacrifice a Thought to Unity and Concord What of others who widen our Breaches by half-Conformity by being politickly Orthodox that is Rebels in disguise to God and the King Yet all boast themselves true Sons of the Church of England surely such as Nero was to Agrippina surely of a viperous Brood that unnaturally tear the tender Bowels which yern'd for them Oh pity rather and bind up the Wounds of a bleeding Church Think upon her crying out Is it nothing to you all yo that pass by ' Behold and see if there be any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord provoked by your unwarrantable Divisions hath afflicted me in the day of his fierte Anger The ways of Zion do mourn because Men come not to the solomn Feasts to the publick places of Assembly her Gates are desolate her Priests sigh she is in bitterness And lest the Lord should be so far enraged as to cast off his Altar and abhor his Sanctuary be we persuaded to approach them constantly and reverently Be we stedfast in the Doctrine delivered to and by the Apostles continue we in the Fellowship and submit to the Government of their Successours and forsake not the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Then from a joint Participation of the Sacraments and Prayers from the Communion of Saints on Earth we may be translated to that blessed everlasting Fellowship above in the highest Heavens where the whole Family of God's chosen with one Heart and with one Voice shall sing eternal Hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore FINIS Joh. 10. 16. Acts 20. 28. Jude 3. Eph. 4. 3. Vers. 1. Vers. 5. * 1 Sam. 5. † Chap. 6. || Chron. 13. Psal. 122. 4. Isa. 11. 10. Luke 14. 23. Eph. 4. 6. Gal. 6. 10. Acts 2. 46. Acts 20. 7. Acts 2. 47. Mat. 21. 13. Luke 24. 53. Heb 12. 22 23. * Exod. 12. † 2Chron 30. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Lam. 1. 12. Vers. 4. Lam. 2. 7. Heb. 10. 25.