Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A77436
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[A brief e]xhort[ation], with the means to [promote] pie[ty] especially directed to th[e] [...] of London. / By a lover thereof, a[nd] of all sincere Christians.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing B4591aA; ESTC R176327
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10,189
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27
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first Chapters of his Proverbs There are several other Scriptures of the like nature which I shall forbear to rehearse these already alledged being sufficient to convince any serious understanding Christian of the necessity of this duty They who still persist to neglect the daily performance thereof stand more in need of our daily Prayers than Arguments Wherefore let all good Christians pray unto God to open their eyes and to give them repentance that the noble Bercans who searched the Scriptures daily and those many thousands of Martyrs and pious Christians which have set a part every Morning and Evening as much or more time for holy Duties than our Publick-Service doth require Rise not up in Judgment against them in that 〈…〉 Tribunal 〈◊〉 when they shall be 〈◊〉 by those 〈◊〉 ly Scriptures which they now so little 〈◊〉 gard and seldom take notice of They who sometimes have such extraordinary occasions that will not permit them to spend so much time in their wonted Devotions may read the Prayers with the Psalmes and one Chapter only If they can't do so they may with the Prayers read the Psalmes or one or two Psalmes and the Epistle or Gospel appointed for that week but at least without inevitable necessity I would have them seriously and devoutly say the Lords Prayer the Creed and the Ten Commandments which certainly may be done in so short a time that I cannot see how many persons can excuse the omission thereof except it be as I said in case of inevitable necessity but as soon as those urgent occasions are over questionless it doth become us to Redeem our holy-time by reading over those Scriptures which we then omitted As we ought to pray oftentimes as well out of as in our set seasons so certainly ought we at other times to read hear learn teach or meditate in the holy Scriptures for as St Peter sheweth in his second Epistle Chap. 〈…〉 to know the Artiâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 be established in 〈…〉 truth of them it we must add to our Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and â—o Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity that we should not be barren nor fruitless in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And for this end as he sheweth verse 15. It is necessary that we have these things always in remembrance and as he further sheweth Chap. 3.2 we should often call to mind the Words and Commandments of the Prophets and Apostles which may be done by often repeating in our minds either the Creed or Ten Commandments which are the summ of the Law and the Gospel or some other sentences of Scripture which we find to have most influence upon us â—o stirr up our pure minds to perform our duty towards God our selves and our neighbour Which hath been the Practice of the Saints of all ages who almost in all times and places would have in their minds the Lords Prayer or Creed or Ten Commandments or some other portion of Scripture which they would get by heart for that end and that they might the of the 〈…〉 they wouldâ—â— get the 〈…〉 Printed and 〈◊〉 them in those place 〈…〉 their houses wherein they might be most obvious to their sight And I know no reason why we should omit the use of these means which they counted so beneficial and necessary to put them in remembrance of the Word of God I am sure that they are a thousand times better than those wanton lascivious and prophane Pictures and Rhyms which do abound not only in Taverns and Inns but also in many private Houses In the last place let us take care not only that the holy Sacrament of Baptism be duly observed but likewise that we worthily receive the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper at least as often as it is appointed by Publick Authority And in order to our due preparation for our worthy receiving I am perswaded that there can be no better means than seriously and diligently to read over the Communion Service every time before our receiving Those who refuse wholly to receive this Sacrament I shall desire seriously to consider 1. Whether their Consciences do not oftentimes 〈…〉 their abâ—â—â—ing doth 〈…〉 willingness to part with 〈…〉 their worldly imployments to 〈◊〉 pare themselve or else from a loathness to examine and throughly to knâ—â— what sinful lives they lead and to forsake their gainful and pleasant sins and to live according to the strict and holy rules of Christianity and if these be their reasons as I fear they be the only reasons even of those who pretend to abstain from a fear of unworthy receiving then let them judge whether their case be not very sad and dangerous 2ly That they who for fear of unworthy receiving abstain may as well upon the same account altogether leave off praying or reading and hearing the holy Scripture for those duties may be performed unworthily neither dare I free those that pray and hear or read the holy Scripture unworthily from the punishment due to the unworthy receivers of this Sacrament and besides I wonder how any dare to harbour any such fear whereas God hath plainly told us that he doth not require of us more than we are able to do by the due and constant use of the ordinary means which he hath afforded us which is as if we should tell 〈…〉 nnot do that 〈…〉 saith we â—an 3l That our Saviour doth not only â—â—y expresly St John 6.53 Verily verily I say unto you except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you From whence we may plainly gather That all Christians upon the peril of loosing Eternal Life are bound to prepare themselves so as to be fit or worthy to receive the things signified in the Sacrament which certainly we can never do unless we be worthy to receive the Signs But our Saviour St. Luke 22.19 doth also charge us to receive the Signs adding thereunto the reason of his injunction saying Do this in Remembrance of me Shewing that the outward signes of Bread and Wine being things obvious to our Senses and fit resemblances or lively Pictures of his Body and Blood would be very great helpe or means to bring to our memory and to give us lively apprehensions of what he had done and suffered for us and how can any persons pretend to keep from this Sacrament through tenderness of Conscience or fear of offending God by unworthy receiving seeing they make no Conscience of breaking in 〈…〉 Saviours express Command 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 the use of those mearâ— which he thought necessary for our Spiritual eating and drinking his Body and Blood which he hath enjoyned us to do upon peril of loosing Eternal Salvation 4ly That in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we renew our Baptismal Covenant which by our Actual Sins we have broken and by refusing to renew it in this Sacrament we do as it were wholly renounce it and so forfeit all the Priviledges of a Christian in this World he World to come Finally I shall earnestly request all English Subjects seriously to Consider whether they do not eat and drink Damnation to themselves that receive this Sacrament after any manner contrary to our Soveraign's lawful command seeing that in their very manner of receiving it they commit the sin of disobedience to their Governours which certainly will render them unworthy Communicants And if so then assuredly it must needs be the safest way especially for tender Consciences to receive it after the manner appointed by Publick Authority it being cerâ—ain that there iâ— nothing therein required Contrary 〈…〉 of God Glory be to the Father and to the Sâ—â— and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end AMEN Feb. 11. 1669. FINIS