Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	holy_a	lord_n	sabbath_n	5,103	5	9.4103	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39775	The one necessary thing to be sought briefly touched in a four-fold dialogue upon some of the great and most concerning truths of practical religion.	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.; Fleming, Robert, 1660?-1716.	1679 (1679)	Wing F1283; ESTC R28632	47,023	70

should not press them once to be this length to know upon trial vvhat might be the certainty thereof and if such an advantage can be truely reached here as to make the poor mans life more Sweet and Comforting under all the toile of his hand than if he had the greatest estate of the earth 4 It may seeme strange what these can possibly reckon upon their Condition in being men as desireable above that of the beasts of the field who have so little either in hand or hope to be comforting to know only a sensual life with so small and almost indiscerneable advantage to satisfy the senses It is true many such entertain a hope of a blessedness to come whilst they are wholly strangers to a life of grace here But Oh! It is at such a rate that the Scripture of God must be false if theirs be true 5 How amazing also is it to see for what these perish and lose their immortal soul which is in it self a higher interest than the glory and riches of all the Monarchies in the Earth yea of more value than the Sun and Moon Yet as if this were but some triffle how easily do such hazard the same for the smallest gain yea it may be said are content to serve Satan withont the wages of visible pleasure and satisfaction which others have in the world 6 Yea how strange is it how many such whose trade and imployment lyes most at sea who thus have such peculiar enforcing Arguments to be serious about Religion yet are so visibly loose in their walk and strangers to a Christian life QU. VIII It is sure there are such of that imployment and I hope not a few whose being convincingly serious in the things of God with a Christian walk to the credit of the Gospel is beyond question But since what you have spoke as to many of these is too visibly manifest what are these pressing Motives and Arguguments that such whose calling lyes most on the Sea have more than others to take Religion deeply to heart ANSW You may judge what a pressing call such have to be in greatest earnest about their eternal state 1. Who are through most of their time so near a bordering with eternity in deaths often and their life hanging so frequently in suspence before their eyes 2. Such who cannot but have their conscience oft struck with the sense of a God-Head by seeing his marvellous power shewed forth in the Depths so as it may be said they live and converse amongst wonders to see that great Body of the Sea how it is with such advantage made passable for Transport and Commerce the regular course of its ebbbings and flowings with the singular use and subserviency of the tides how it is shut up also with gates and barres and hath its appointed bounds without which there could be no reason how a bank of sand could restraine the great Oceans breaking forth O! what a book is thus spread open for sea faring men to read and bring near their thoughts with wondering to Fear and Worship him whose voice is so known on the wighty waters who turnes the most impetuous storme into a calme at his pleasure which is so far above all hnmane reach causeth the swelling of an enraged sea in a moment to know his command and be still 3. What ought such to be who have not only been oft surprised with preventing mercy when they were not aware from dashing on some shelve or rock or falling in on a bank of sand and thus brought out of greatest hazard even before they were put in fear But have oft likewise been rescued from the very Jawes of present Death in that manner when no visible or ordinary means could ever have answered thereto Oh! Can such deliverance be so easily forgot and what were then their thoughts of entring into endless eternity and meeting grim death with such a surprise was it not then a matter of earnest to pray Or would you then have dared to break forth into an Oath yea what a blessed state were you then made to reckon those in who had been formerly serious about Religion and how soon may such a surprisal meet you again 4. What ought such to be and are accountable for who knowes how many thousands have been swallowed up in these devouring Depths and hears of such ordinary shipwracks whilst they are yet preserved Oh! Doth not this marvellous longsuffering and tenderness of the Lord have some serious voice Hath it yet never tended to melt your heart with sorrow and contrition for so sad a returne you have hitherto given to such forbearance 5. What solemne and express engagements are many if not most of such under and accountable for which their lips have uttered when trouble was upon them and when they were at the very brink of perishing that if some extraordinary cast of providence had been deferred but a very few moments longer they had been lost Now set me seriously ask what did you really intend Was it to deale deceitfully with the most High and be no more serious in the thoughts of this when ye were once at land If it be so how can you dare to pray and plead with the Holy Lord in a new Strait Oh! let me beseech you lay this to heart and that to make use of your present calmes at sea for making sure your eternal interest would help to make a sweet calme within on your soul when a storme arises 6. Let me but add this what advantage such have who have so clear an embleme of their life and condition here so frequently before them how thus they are under saill and moving to that port where once the anckor must be cast down never to be weighed again yea how there can be no safe reckoning to get safe to that blessed O blessed and desireable port of glory without knowing how their course lyes which from the Scripture is more infallibly clear than they can be by any Carte or Compass Let me but further add how strange it is to see some of these so far from under the aw and dread of God that they are not more concerned to put to sea and work on the Sabbath without any convincing necessity than on any other day QU. IX VVhat is there such a necessity for strict observance of the Sabbath as there is no warrantable liberty both for recreation and mens ordinary business after the publick worship is once past ANS I hope you will not dare to debate 1. That the Christian Sabbath hath by the holy Ghost that impress and authority put upon it of being the Lords day a day which is set a part and consecrat to him on a higher account than the first creation wherein God manifested in our nature did rest from all his works for the Redemption of his Church and from the new Creation and saw that all which he had done was very good that day never to be forgot

wherein the Redemption of his Church being perfected he had a full acquitance for the whole debt of his elect Church that day also on which his most usuall and solemne appearance to his Disciples after his Resurrection was and shall we deny such a tribute of our observance thereof on so great an account and to him who hath given us our time and is Lord of the Sabbath 2. Since it is the alone prerogative of God to make a day holy and that the first day of the week is that piece of our time which is only set apart for him under the New Testament should not such a solemne and consecrat time be applyed to spirituall duties and is the highest of sacriledge to turne that which is holy to civill or common actions when they are no works of necessity or mercy for then is such a day no more holy but common 3. You know how deep the prophanation thereof hath been oft found to draw on mens conscience so as it is rare to see a flagitious person under any remorse when brought to a scaffold but hath been then enforced to cry out of the breach of the Sabbath and how their guilt herein did stare them in the face as a provoking cause of what had thus befallen them 4. Should not these dreadfull marks of the holy judgement of God which have been thus put both on persons and places have an aw and dread on mens consciences yea such instances with these signall and convincing circumstances as all might see who looked but at a Distance thereon the stroke pointing as with a finger at the provoking cause 5. Do we hope for an everlasting Sabbath in heaven whilst here a few hours in spirituall converse with God and the souls resting and solacing it self in him is so burdensome a work yea whilst it is sure the greatest of delights and pleasure known upon the earth are these which are Spirituall to such as ever knew what it is to be Christians DIALOGUE IV. QUEST I. SInce we have had this occasion to touch a little some of the great and weighty concernes of practicall religion I must yet press you with some few proposals anent the present time we are fallen in when such sad appearances and a faint almost every where now is so as many are like to give over as men astonished and lose both their heart and hand at once in the matter of duty ANSWER We are indeed fallen in trying times But consider also 1. What great confirmations have been given in to the truth ere our night grew so dark and have now lost sight of them all 2. What kept the saints from sinking an hundred years past when to be burnt at the stake for the truth was one of the most usuall lessons of Christianity and to quite all for Jesus Christ Yea whence was it that their strength and resolution grew as the tide grew strong against them 3. Look through the whole of the Scripture and on the Churches condition under the New Testament and I am sure nothing can be more clear than this that the greatest triumph that ever Jesus Christ hath had in his followers was not in calme and prosperous times from without but when they were at the lowest QU. II. But how is it in such times of abounding light as these now are that these great confirmations of the truth which were then given in by the Saints are now so rare yea much unkuown to most of this generation ANS The way of the Lord is still the same and in all times his word doth good to them that walk uprightly But it may be clear 1. How such degrees of peace comfort and assurance of the truth hath still kept some proportion to some more remarkeable time and measure of the Saints sufferings the spirit of God and of glory then resting upon them 1 Pet. 4 14. 2. Then was the life of faith a following of the Lord fully with a large venturing on hand in another manner known amongst his followers than it seemes to be at this day and Oh! How rare a practice is it now to beleeve when there are almost no sensible grounds to be comforting 3 Though former ages had not that measure of light which is now yet it may be seen how the aw and authority thereof was in another manner on the conscience of Christians and their work to live religion when there was no visible inducement to profess the same but for the truths sake but they endured as seeing him who is invisible and did live and feed on the very marrow and substance of Religion in another manner than seemes by the most of Professors now to be understood QU. III. VVhat might be the most effectuall mean for recovery and to be led in the way of the promise of the Lords returning with these wonted signes of his presence when it seemes to be so dark and dismall an hour now on the Church ANS I hope with some assurance I may offer these 1. That such as love the truth would with greatest seriousness watch against the present publick and prevailing evills of the times to have their garments kept from the smallest touch and defilements thereof I meane such evills after which the multitude most runs where the countenance and favourable aspect of great men seemes most to follow and is a most remarkeable contagion in the time for it is here the smallest accession will draw deeper on the conscience have a more difficult recovery than other personal infirmities a severe withstanding thereto lead in to most sensible enjoyments of the Spirit of God 2. Let us enquire where the Testimony of the present day to the truth doth most ly which may be more peculiar to some of the Reformed Churches of Christ than others for in a closs adherence thereto we may assuredly hope for the outletting of the spirit of God from his own promise of having a special respect thereto Rev. 3 10. and 12 11 and herein should the truth ma●e you free It hath been the blessed disposall of the Lord that this great interest of Christ in his being King and head over his Church and the alone Lawgiver thereto and that his Kingdome is not only within on the souls of the Elect but over his Church as a visible Politick body distinct from all the Kingdomes of the earth is that great truth which the Church of Scotland hath now in these late times had most peculiarly assigned to witness for Yea this great truth we may see not there alone but else where most visibly opposed I hope will be owned as the common cause of all the Reformed Churches to whom thls crown and supremacy of their glorious head should be dearer than all their interests within time Great is that peace and joy will be found in a closs adherence thereto a more large outpowring of the spirit might be hoped for to follow this Testimony when it is now called for