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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	creation_n	day_n	sabbath_n	8,102	5	9.9122	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96372	A treatise of the power of godlinesse: consisting of three parts. 1 wherein it consists. 2 cautions against, and discoveries of, several mistakes and hinderances, most common to the people of God. 3 several means and helps for attaining of it. / By Thomas White, preacher of Gods Word in London.	White, Thomas, Presbyterian minister in London.	1658 (1658)	Wing W1848; Thomason E1848_1; ESTC R209711	168,479	438

them down Psalm 56.8 I shall conclude the answer to this objection with this further argument or motive to keep a Diary you may read of Gods Diary that hee kept of his own works for God hath set down every day what hee did all the works of the Creation are set down in their several respective daies when they were created as you may read at large Gen. 1. Now certain it is that this is written for our instruction and I question not but for our imitation for as Gods reviewing of his works every day is an excellent president to put us upon diurnal examination so his setting down every thing that hee did upon every one of those six daies is an excellent president to put us upon diurnal Records of our actions Object 5. To set down what time wee spend in holy duties and the several incomes of God as to the actings of graces and bestowings of comforts seems to bee an act of pride and will bee subject to puffe us up I answer 1. Will not the remembrance of them have the same effect though they bee not written down in a Diary And are wee not bound to remember them to remember our songs in the night and the daies of the right hand of the most High nay are wee not bound in some cases to tell others what God hath done for our souls Psalm 66.16 In how many places of the Psalmes do wee read of Davids fervent prayers unto the Lord and his answering of them It is spiritual cowardize to neglect a duty for fear of the temptations that accompany it 2. But I suppose that the goodness and mercies of God will rather cause thee to fear than to pride thy self and nothing humbles a soul more than the consideration of Gods mercies therefore if thou shouldst finde at any time thy heart begin to bee puft up then do but look over thy diary and remember thy sins and the mercies of God will make thy sins out of measure sinful and by consequence make thee more humble and lay thee lower 3. Instead of puffing thee up thy former duties and Gods former mercies will stir thee up to more thankfulnesse and more obedience for when wee shall see in our Diary that many years ago Gods comforts and the actings of his graces were so and so and finde them no more now it will bee a shame and a grief unto us and it will provoke us to more diligence and stir up the graces of God in us and in case of back-sliding it is of singular use for wee shall see from whence wee are fallen and what our first works were that wee may do them Object 6. I can neither write nor read I answer it is a wonderful and a lamentable thing and a thing that we have cause to stay all people that come by and wish them to stand and wonder at it that Christians should bee so negligent of the great incomparable spiritual advantages that are to bee got by reading and yet to neglect to learn and the Prophet Isaiah seems to say as much Chapter 29. the 9. and 12. compared for there the Prophet doth wish all to stay and wonder and cry out when they see and consider that there is such a deep spirit of slumber and sottishness upon people that any one should say when the Scripture is given into their hands to read I cannot for I never learned to read and I believe there scarce can bee a better work through England than this that all the children throughout the whole Nation should bee brought up to reading writing and Catechisme that those Parents that are able should be compelled so to do and those that are not their children should bee taught upon the Parish or County charge therefore there is no other answer to this objection but that you must learn to write but howsoever learn to read I am confident it were better to have the use of ones eyes onely for reading the Scriptures and want them in all other things than to have the use of your eyes to all other things in the world and want them to read Scriptures It may bee some will say it is an imprudent thing to set down such particular instances and directions for the keeping of a Diary as I have done in this Chapter but when since they may bee profitable by helping those that know not which way at all to mannage this duty I am much of that Saints minde Ignatius Jordan who used to say fie upon this discretion I mean as hee did when discretion hinders us at all in the duties of holiness and indeed where one man makes use of his discretion for the furthering ten do make use of it for the hindering the glory of God In cases where there is no sin and where there bee much profit to others I think every Christian should say Let them have the benefit and me have the shame I think generally we do stand too much upon punctilioes of honour in such cases as these are Now I must desire you to remember if you keep this Diary to improve it to the utmost for your spiritual advantage by observing what vowes you have made and not kept or prayers unanswered that you may keep the former and bee more fervent in the latter and often to review your sins that you may mourn for them and so of the rest for you must know the writing of them down is not the onely work you are to do but serves only as an help to enable you to do those several particular works that are mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter CHAP. XV. The last help to a godly life wherein are set down several stories of Gods Providences examples of graces c. NOw I shall come to the last of those helps wherein I shall set down several signal stories of Gods Providence the actings of the graces of Gods people and Gods manifesting himself unto them and several others which I thought to have digested and set down under several heads but considering that many if not all the stories may bee made use of severally and so bee referred to several heads I thought good rather to set them down as they came to my memory little regarding curiosity of method in this or any other case I do acknowledge and bless God for it that many of them have much affected mee the Lord make them so to you and much more abundantly I shall begin with an excellent story of Origen the fame of whose excellent learning and singleness of life being brought to the ears of Alexander Severus the Roman Emperour hee sent for him to come to Rome and commanded the Provost of Egypt to furnish him with all things necessary for his journey When this Provost had provided him a Ship and all things necessary and beheld him but simply apparrel'd hee prepared for him divers garments in the most honest and comely sort that Phylosophers then used but Origen would receive no

hee hath commended and glorified his goodness and love to us John 3.16 therefore it is certain that this act of love and goodness must as far exceed the acts of our love and goodness as the highest acts of his power and wisdome do exceed the acts of our power and wisdome and wee may come as neer to imitate God in Creation as in this act of his love therefore the Prophet Isaiah saith Isaiah 55.8 and Psa 103.11 Therefore the very incredibility of this work makes it credible for if God will magnifie his goodness that work which hee does c. The truth of it is 't is as hard for us to believe and understand the highest acts of Gods goodness and love as of his power and wisdome for God is equally incomprehensible in all his Attributes and wee may as well finde out the depths and heights and extent of his power and wisdome as the heights and depths and extent of his love Phil. 3.18 19. And 't is as great a sin for us to say this is too good for God to do as to say this is too hard for God to do The Papists vainly bring this as an argument for Transubstantiation in saying that the incredibility of the work makes it credible unless God had said that hee did intend to magnifie his power by turning the bread into Christs body therefore we must mortifie first our pride and submit to the righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 The greatest act of humility in the world is so to do to bee willing to bee saved by God through Christ and to take heaven as an almes and not as wages 2. Wee must mortifie humane reason and bring in subjection those syllogismes that exalts it self above the knowledge of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 3. Mortifie carnal experiences in thy self or others do not say because greater love no man hath shewn then this to lay down his life for his friend that therefore Christ would not lay down his life for his enemies do not say because it is the manner of men wheresoever they finde their enemy to slay him or at least not to pardon him unlesse hee submits that therefore God will not give his Son for his enemies before they are reconciled that they may bee reconciled give God leave if I may so say to have more goodnesse patience mercy and loving kindnesse than thou hast and blesse him that hee hath more as well as thou believest hee hath more power and wisdome and holiness than thou hast 4. You must mortifie the lusts of the flesh with the desires thereof for before wee are willing to part with our sins wee shall never bee either able or willing to accept of Christ for our sins do make us strangers and enemies to God Col. 1.21 and the reason why Christ is a stumbling stone is by reason of our disobedience 1 Pet. 2.8 This was Achitophels subtilty in advising Absalon to lie with his Fathers Concubines for it heightned his enmity to David because it was such an act that hee could hardly believe David could forget since hee seemed to bee ingaged not only in point of honour not to pardon it therefore that though it bee true that through the Almighty power wisdome and goodness of God hee so orders it that when sin abounds grace doth much more abound and Harlots and Publicans are rather brought home than Pharisees yet they were first wrought by the Spirit of God to leave their sins that is to accept of Christ as a King as well as a Saviour before they were reconciled to God 5. Wee must mortifie carnal confidence as long as wee think that wee can do any thing to our own justification wee shall never relie on Christ to bee wholly justified by him for wee do not use to trust any other for that which wee have in our own power Hence it is that it is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man that trusts in his riches for so the Evangelists compared together signifie two wayes men think to bee justified one is by their not doings and the other by their doings I am no murtherer nor adulterer nor prophane person saith the Pharisee and they being innocent of these sins as they think they hope to escape hell then I give tythes of all I possess fast twice a week c. and so they think by their good works to purchase heaven and then because they cannot but bee sensible of many failings both in respect of their omitting many good works which they should do and in committing many sins which they are forbidden so that their innocency is not pure nor their holiness perfect therefore they think to make up that breach by their sorrow for their sins and their shedding of tears serves them instead of Christs shedding of his blood therefore I shall speak to these three things 1. As for their pretended innocency because they have not committed such and such things they are exceedingly mistaken in that matter for they are not innocent of these sins which they do not commit since the grounds and ends for which they did not commit them were carnal for did they abstain from those sins out of love and obedience to God they would abstain as well from other sins as from them as for neglect of and formality in the performances of holy duties from secret sins and spiritual sins and their good works it is most certain that the iniquity of our holiest performances is very great and our best righteousnesse is not only ragged but filthy too in our writing after the copies of the Law wee do not only do as one that writes with a pen that writes ragged or divers times casts no ink but with a pen that blots for there are not only carelesnes divers times of our lives wherein wee do nothing that is good but scarce a word that wee write but one letter or other is blotted so not one action though never so holy but is blurred and defiled And lastly as for our repentance and our sorrow for sin if wee think thereby to bee justified wee shall bee condemned for it being so little instead of appeasing provokes Gods wrath For suppose a woman that had defiled her husbands bed and contrived and endeavoured to murther him I say suppose when shee pretending that shee was sorry for it should use no higher an expression than this that shee was as sorry that shee had done so that shee had rather have lost a farthing if shee had been to chufe would such an expression appease or incense So all the sorrow that an unregenerate nay or a regenerate man hath for his sins doth not hold such a proportion to that which hee should have as the losse of a farthing doth to the murther of an husband The sixth cause of infidelity is a carnal knowledge of Gods Attributes and then our apprehensions of Gods Attributes were carnal when our high thoughts of one of

walking in the street this way thou mayest bee journeying toward heaven But I shall rather endeavour to shew it in holy duties it is an excellent practise to use these ejaculatory prayers while we are hearing the Word I mean mental ejaculatorie prayers for vocal may disturb others and especially savour too much of hipocrisie yet I will not judge those that use it for I do not finde our Saviour doth blame them that used vocal ejaculatorie prayer while he was preaching Joh. 6.34 And though the Apostles would not interrupt our Saviour with any question whilst he was Preaching but stayed while bee came into the house privatelie Mark 7.17 Yet while hee was preaching they sent an ejaculatory prayer Luke 17.5 and were blameless When thou hearest any grace commended how canst thou abstain as suppose Faith Lord encrease my faith So if any sin reproved and thou findest thy self guiltie of it thou may'st and should'st in the secret of thy soul say Lord lay not this sin to my charge If a Sermon preach'd of the Excellencie of Christ that Bread that came down from heaven why may'st thou not say as they did John 6.34 Lord evermore give us of this bread nay wee read that our blessed Saviour while hee was preaching in the midst of his Sermon breaks forth into a vocal ejaculatory prayer Ma. 11.25 And surelie while Ministers are preaching they may finde sometimes I wish it were not often that their hearts are cold in the service either not actuallie or not so ferventlie desiring the glorie of God and edification of his people then by an ejaculatory filent prayer to fetch strength from heaven is of great advantage nay even in solemn prayer these ejaculatory prayers are to bee mixt For when one findes ones heart dead and cold then to call down fire from heaven to inflame us is of great and frequent use and indeed the benefit of ejaculatory prayers is not to bee known but by experience and therefore I shall commend it as one of the greatest helps that I know Object But if you shall object and say I have abundance of worldlie imployments and I must follow my particular calling as for familie prayer morning and evening and for Closet prayer sometimes I think them fit and am content to do them but to tell mee that I must be frequent in these ejaculatory prayers in my Shop as I am selling or buying c. is a thing I cannot do for I must minde my business I am about I answer 1. Speak out and mince not the matter but let thy heart speak out for God verie well sees the thoughts of it and give mee leave to speak what thy heart thinks My Shop and my particular calling and to get riches is my great business for matters of Religion and in particular for prayer in the morning before my customers come or at night when they are gone I am content to use them since it is a general custome so to do but for the rest of the day I desire to be free and that God would not trouble me with the motions of his Spirit the rest of the day For though hee desires but a word or two by way of answer in ejaculatory prayers yet that 's a disturbance though when by his Spirit hee speaks to my heart Seek thou my face for mee to answer thy face Lord will I seek were enough and hee will accept of it yet this is an interruption Let mee tell thee thou that canst not tell how to keep communion with God in worldlie imployments and doest not prize communion with him above all worldlie imployments art not worthie of him thou mayst bee a Professor but thou art no Saint 2. I must ask thee whether thou art as much against this that worldlie thoughts should mingle themselves with thy solemn prayers as that holie thoughts should bee mingled with thy worldlie business and this shewes the rottenness of thy heart that thou wilt admit the world to come and speak with thee in the midst of thy solemn duties or converse with God but wilt not afford God a word or a look while thou art conversing with the world 3. These ejaculatorie prayers will not hinder but sanctifie thine imployments the having thy thoughts frequentlie upon God and heaven will keep thee from all unlawful gains from grinding the face of the poor in buying and making advantage of the ignorance of the buyer in selling and this indeed is the reason why thou lovest not to have thoughts of God at such times for they awaken thy conscience so that thou canst not sin so securelie and without disturbance 4. Thy not having frequent thoughts of God in the midst of thy worldlie imployments shewes that thou doest not follow thy particular calling out of obedience to God but out of love to riches so that thou hast given the world thy heart It is a better frame of heart to bee willing to obey God when hee bids us buy and sell c. but to rejoyce to obey him when hee bids us pray When the duties of Gods immediate service serve as recreations to sweeten and lighten the burthen of thy particular calling and not the works of thy particular calling as things that sweeten duties of Religion when thou callest the Sabbath a delight and sayest when will the Sabbath come and not when will it bee done This is that frame of heart from which ejaculatorie prayers proceed But you will say how shall I gain this heavenly art to bee frequent in ejaculatorie prayers I shall add therefore to what I have said some directions 1. Get thy heart inflamed with the love of God and of spiritual things and then thou needest scarce any other means or helps for it is impossible to give ones love to God and keep ones thoughts from God then these holy sparks will not bee like those that are struck out of a flint procured by violence and force but like sparks coming from the fire of their own accord and as the sparks so forced from a flint fall downward but sparks from the fire fly upward so those thoughts of God and those ejaculatorie prayers that proceed not from the flames of love but from a flinty stony heart are earthie and to earth they return 2. Bee frequent in reading the Psalmes of David and the Song of Solomon for they are the breathings of an inflamed love-sick soul and thou shalt find store of these ejaculatorie prayers and praises as Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within mee praise his holy Name Whom have I in heaven but thee and what is there on earth that I desire in comparison of thee and so in a multitude of Psalmes as Psalm 145.148 150. c. for indeed it is a Store-house of these kinde of prayers in all occasions whether of spiritual joy sorrow love desire c. 3. Observe providences and all occurrences for there is nothing almost that thou seest or hearest but thou