Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	justify_v	law_n	moral_a	5,360	5	10.3036	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96104	Jerusalems glory, or, the saints safetie in eying the churches security, wherein is shewed the captives redress: being an invitation to all the different minded men in the world to become one; with the advantage of unity, and the danger of variety from the example of the saints and servants of God, as well in former as these latter times. Offered to the view of the 97 builders imployed in that work, for the building of the true temple, and all others. / By Thomas Watson, a lover of peace.	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1661 (1661)	Wing W1131; Thomason E1856_4; ESTC R210370	59,985	120

Jerusalems Glory OR THE SAINTS SAFETIE In Eying the Churches Security wherein is shewed the Captives Redress Being an Invitation to all the different minded men in the World to become one with the advantage of Unity and the danger of Variety from the Example of the Saints and Servants of God as well in former as these latter times Offered to the View of the 97 Builders imployed in that Work for the Building of the True Temple and all others By THOMAS WATSON a lover of peace Rom. 2.13 14 15. For not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified for when the Gentiles which have not a Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not a Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing them witness and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another London Printed by J. C. for the Authour 1661. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader I Having presented these few following observations to your view desiring your serious meditation your moderate sensure on what I have here inserted and if I have offered nothing more to thy view then what was manifestly known to thee before yet do not disdain it nor the day of small things but rather rejoyce to see the same light break forth in me as thou hast prised in thy self and know that he that goeth up to Heaven by Jacobs Ladder must not disdain the first step but suppose that this my small Treatise should meet with no acceptance within thy more solid fiction but that it may seem altogether oposite to those thy friendly guests that have had admittance granted to asociate themselves within thy more noble confines yet seeing I have tendered my mind to thee so freely expecting rather to involve thee in the circumference of my love than any waies to render thee the object of my envy let it suffice thee rather to passe by those things that may seem opposite to thy understanding with a dubious sensure and not conclude rashly that all things that may scem difficult to thy apprehension must enforcedly be false but rather imagine there may be wrong construction enforced upon my endeared intention as well as an ignorance in my writing for many things may possibly seem current to thee in thy own agitations when it may be if they should but be brought to the Touch-stone of Christ and his Apostles would prove no better then held by custome and use from others rather then from the reall grounds of the Scripture even so it is very probable that several constructions will be concluded upon this my small Treatise for he that doth appear in print to the open view of all men must not think it harsh to receive the retorting frowns of a disliking spirit in some things wherein it may be he may be void of offence or at least of offending them And as for my part had I not learned to have born such a burthen it had been in vain for me to have taken a Pen in my hand seeing I intend not my present to any particular person yet to every one and amongst so many several imagined waies of worship I am necessitated to be lookt at awry by some and in case my dislikers should take a Pen in hand with any other intent it is very probable they might be frustrated in their aime and if I had looked for an applause from men I might have injoyed more in silence then in manifesting my mind and laying my self openly to the view of my enemies if any such there be but let all men conclude if they expect any answer from me in that nature they will be far mistaken in their intentions for I have not so learned Christ as to make him my stalking horse to carry my envy but rather desire his assistance as an ayd to admonish all men for love hath so much of the nature of truth that it will abolish all envy and pride and self-conceitednesse and fear so that I would have all men to understand that I account it below me to take notice of any any ones praise or dispraise in this thing yet not below me to manifest what I have received and to contend for the truth and not to bind my Talent up in a Napkin least I should neglect the doing of the will of my Master and so be called to an account for it therefore I do not prise the sensures of any I having such a freedom in my intention as to my writing this my weak and more reall information And as for what any one is pleased to state me either their friend or enemy I have this hope that as I shall not be much moved by any various manifestations in men so likewise I shall endeavour to keep my self from deserving any envy from any one knowing that truth may have many Batteries yet the Fort will be resigned fully to it at the last happy is he that is a Souldier in this undeprivable conquest great will be his reward above all the endowments of this life he need not presse after the enslaving rudiments of this life to serve where he ought to be served so as to Captivate that noble grain of wheat by any unseemly tares of mans inventions but his delight is in a more higher and bright lustre far transcending any injoyment in this life or of this fabricating what though his time here in this his earthly Tabernacle seem as it were a pilgrimage of distresse to what others do enjoy yet when he looketh homeward he hath more cause to rejoyce then to mourn for what pleasure can any man assure himself of in any thing that is decayable if he do but cast his eye toward the Rock from whence he was hewn Suppose thou shouldst be made heir of all the promising delights that the whole earth could afford yet if thou dost not improve them to the advantage of thy Lord and Master it had been good for thee if thou hadst never known any thing of that nature but suppose thou shouldest make a right use of them yet canst thou not assure thy self of any continuance with them for thou art not at thy own disposing but must give up thy power to him of whom thou rentest or borrowest thy time since thy appearance in thy first State O loose not the substance for a few fading vanities which are but as dry Husks that can never satisfie any though they have never so many of them it is the nature of them to breed desire and not to quench desire nor to enrich your Treasury of content that is but a Pearl but that must be received from the Bridegroom when he cometh to welcome his guests and to adorne each of his friends with a Crown of glory and immortality and eternal life which every one shall receive that hath the wedding garment on

do not come so frequently as they were used to do for he that knowes not how to suffer with him never knew how to rejoice with him and he that is his knowes how to do both But let not any one mistake me herein and think that I conclude that every one that suffers must suffer for Christ I must confess I hardly did ever read that any Moralist could suffer for what he did maintain or seek to maintain if he could any wayes prevent his suffering but in case he could not avoid suffering any man will rather chuse that in which he hath had most experience as a Phylosopher for his Phylosophy and a Marshallist for his Adventures in War but happy is he that can lay down his life as freely as keep it upon the account of his Lord and Master in due respect to his honour and glory and not for self-ends or self-glory Many I know will be harping at these expressions but let them know that as I do not conclude the Scriptures to be void of reason so also I conclude that it is beyond the moral reason of men to find out the depths of the Scripture And as concerning War I must count it is a thing in fashion in our dayes and for me to seek to alter this fashion I shall lye liable to the censures of men yet let the Scriptures be true and have that respect to them that you should have and then let me be what you please I shall be brief in this particular at this time onely refer you to those words of Christ that he left with his Disciples Mat. the 26. and 52 53. verses Put up thy Sword again into his place for all they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall give me more than 12 Legions of Angels but how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be and 2 Cor. 10.4 For the Weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God This is beyond the work of a moral sword And Epkes 4.3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace and James 4.1 2 3. From whence comes wars and fighting amongst you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not ye ask and receive not because you ask amiss that ye might consume it upon your lusts he that is a Friend of the world is an enemy to God and as you read in the first Book of the Chronicles 28. and 3. But God said unto me thou shalt not build a house for my Name because thou hast been a man of war and hast shed blood So that if that Temple of God could not be builded by blood that was but a Type of the true Temple surely the true Temple cannot be builded with blood or war but in peace it is not that Egypt is righteous enough to build the Temple of the Lord though they may be made a scourge to Edom as Nebuchadnezzar was to Israel I will not accuse a defensive sword because I have seen that the manifestations of God are not all of them made known to any one man but I cannot find that any Disciple of Christ should use a morral sword as he is a Disciple of Christ or a Builder of the true Temple for he that is a Builder of the true Temple ought not to take revenge against his enemies but commit his cause to the Lord to whom vengeance belongs and therefore Christ bids us to forgive our enemies least we should seek vengeance where God seeks none for we are apt to condemn where God justifies and to set our selves upon his Seat Where is any of Gods Messagers but have received this censure from the men of their times Therefore lest we should be liable to this failing Christ warns us not to judge our Brethren lest we be judged for to his own Master he standeth or falleth Nay we are forbid to judge according to what it appears to us John 7.24 judge not according to appearance but judge Righteous judgement And no man can judge by appearance in many things but he will doubt whether he judgeth right or not therefore as we cannot measure Gods love let us forbear judging our selves to be better than others lest we undervalue Christs sufferings But as concerning an offensive War I find not any grounds in Scripture for it and if any man can shew me any Scripture for it since the death of the Testator at which time the Testament was of force I shall not take it ill at his hands for I have not so learned Christ as to flatter any one Job 17.5 He that speaketh flattery to his friend the eyes of his Children shall fail Prov. 27.5 6. Open rebuke is better than secret love faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful But some one may Object Why did not Christ bid the Souldiers lay down their Armes that came to ask him what they should do he did not disencourage them in their undertaking but bids them do violence to no man and be content with their wages I Answer That any man that is a perfect Performer of this part of his duty may give a just account of his actions but you must observe that he that advises them to that commanded also that they should love their enemies and bless them that curse them pray for them that despitefully use them Mat. 5.44 So shall you approve your selves Children of your Father which is in Heaven But I suppose that Christ did never advise any of his Disciples to go to War with the worst of their enemies nor to fight for a Kingdom of this world but rather suffrr by the men of this world if one must be and as for his advise to the Souldiers I suppose it was rather that they should not break their engagements in what they were engaged in as in respect to their Governours or their loyalty to their promise rather than his owning of the War to be according to the Will of God for those for whom they fought were such as Christ doth condemn to be meer worldlings And therefore how could their cause be good And yet he would not advise them to break their engagements but to act truth that those whom he had spoke against for doing of injustice might not have any thing to accuse him of neither in advise nor action For what difference is there between the Righteous and the Wicked But onely in their actions as in respect of their honouring or dishonouring of God It is a very vain thing for any one to think they are spiritually