Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	choose_v	hate_v	persecute_v	1,861	5	9.5088	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61378	Sober singularity, or, An antidote against infection by the example of a multitude being practical meditations on Exod. 23, vers. 2 : wherein is opened the influence of the practise of a multitude, to draw men to sin, the special cases, wherein it concerns us to be most cautious, reasons why we must not follow them, together with the application of the whole : and therein, besides the general improvement of the point, an instance given of nineteen practises of the multitude to be avoided, seven of their grand principles to be rejc̈ted [sic] : sundry particulars concerning peace and unity, and the sanctification of the Lords Day, useful for these times / by R. Stedman ...	Stedman, Rowland, 1630?-1673.	1660 (1660)	Wing S5376; ESTC R38303	146,089	254

the ground and himself in it as he was endeavouring to quench the fire He that could not burn in the cause of God was burnt under the just judgments of God The like may befal you in the case of reproach and revilings If you cannot bear them in the way of righteousness the Lord may deliver you over into the hands of the devil and to be led by your own hearts into some desperately wicked courses that you may suffer reproach as the devils Martyrs and such reproach as may stick by you for ever And this is none other than what God hath threatened upon such as despise commandments * See this expressly denounced against Zedekiah He was afraid of being mockt if he kept the word of the Lord and by his disobedience he should be made a Taunt and a by-word So that the evil he feared came upon him Jer. 38.19 20 21 22 23. that he will make them a reproach either by the execution of temporal or spiritual judgments Ezek. 5.14 15. Moreover I will make thee waste and a reproach among the Nations that are round about thee in the sight of all that pass by Jer. 23.40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you and a perpetual shame which shall not be forgotten See also Jer. 29.18 19. So much for the fifth way how this temptation prevaileth 6. Sinners are soon perswaded to go down the stream with a multitude in sin Because otherwise they should be persecuted and opposed by them They are willing to live at ease and quiet and to sleep in a whole skin as we are wont to express it and therefore they dare not contradict the generality lest they should be set against by them and be reduced into sufferings under their hatred and malice Thus it wrought with those false teachers mentioned Gal. 6.12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ Mark it The most of the Jews were eagerly set upon the retaining of circumcision and other ceremonies of the Mosaical paedagogy and they were apt to be violently bent against any that went about the abrogation of them Now these false teachers knew well enough that all such types were abolished by the death of Christ but they durst not own it still they preached up circumcision and forced it upon the practise of the converts at Galatia against the light and convictions of their own consciences What was the reason of it Why they knew that if they stiffly adhaered to the simplicity of the Gospel and waved the Mosaical ceremonies which most of the Jews were zealous for they should be persecuted by them And this was the only reason that induced them to comply with the multitude My brethren you have many that would willingly be the disciples of Christ and his followers as long as they may do it with safety without endangering their estates or lifes or their liberties by it But when they come to take up the Cross there they faulter As the rottenness and unsoundness the hypocrisie and unbelief of the heart is the fountain whence apostacy proceeds so the dayes of tribulation and distress are the time of discrimination when Apostates are wont to discover themselves They can well be contented to make a profession of godliness and to perform some of the external duties but they are not able to go through persecutions And therefore they keep all things fair with the multitude and walk in wayes of compliance with them lest if they followed truth and holiness too close at the heels it should strike out their teeth lest if they withdrew from the multitude they should be hated and persecuted by them For pray Sirs what 's the reason why the world hates and sets against the people of God Why It is for this very thing because they walk in a way by themselves and will not do as the rest of their neighbours do they separate themselves from the generality in their practise and walk more strictly and precisely and dare not allow themselves in such licentious courses wherein others live and so their lives are a practical condemnation of the others and as a corrosive to their consciences Joh. 15.19 If ye were of the world the world would love his own But because you are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Mark it If believers were of confederacy with the wicked if they could drink and revel and be vain and wanton as others are and did not take a different course by themselves they should be cherished and beloved as well as others but therefore they are hated and persecuted because they are a select company and have a peculiar way by themselves And to escape this hatred and persecution people are apt to joyn with the world and to walk according to their pattern and practise To abate the edge and take off the efficacy of this influence let me counsel you to be frequent in the meditation upon these three spiritual truths 1. That the everlasting wrath of God which is reserved as the portion of the wicked hereafter is an evil infinitely beyond all the tribulations and persecutions that can come upon the godly here So that if thou canst not bear some sharp afflictions for a time How wilt thou be able to lye under torments for ever If thou darest not walk in the wayes of holiness for fear of some trouble persecution from men How wilt thou stand under the wrath of God when he will glorifie his power in the destruction of his adversaries Why Sirs one of these will unavoidably befal you either you must live godly in Christ Jesus and then you will suffer persecution or else you must go down with the multitude into perdition either you must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven or everlastingly be sent into hell torments And can you dwell with everlasting burnings Are you able to stand before the devouring fire Lay these in the ballance together and see which is to be chosen Should not a man willingly undergo the greatest hardships upon earth rather than fal into the damnation of Hell See how pathetically our Saviour presseth this very point Mark 9. 43 44. If thy hand offend thee cut it off that is mortifie and keep under the most beloved corruption deny thy self in the dearest enjoyments thou hast willingly suffer and undergo the greatest troubles and the sorest distresses It is better for thee to enter into life maimed then having two hands to go into hell into the fire that shall never be quenched where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched 2. That even the inward peace and consolation of the spirit that is to be had in the ways of holiness is abundantly to be preferred before that outward quiet and safety which sinners promise themselves by

were the fathers or Ring-leaders of their Sect. But Sirs all sincere Christians are of one society and have but one master even Christ His sheep hear his voice and follow him for they know his voice But a stranger they will not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers Joh. 10.4 5. So much for the fourth case that requireth such abundant circumspection that we be not insnared by the example of the multitude 5. The fifth is In case of men of excellent parts and learning and knowledge above others When many of that rank such as are accounted wise understanding judicious persons shall act sanfully and turn aside into crooked wayes then the common sort of people think they may warrantably tread in the same path when they have men of renown for knowledge to go before them Surely will they argue If there were any hurt in such things so many learned Doctors would not approve of them Shall we be so highly conceited of our selves as to think we are wiser than such great Scholars and Teachers of the word of God Herein seemeth to lie the force of the argument that was brought against the officers who durst not lay hands upon Christ because they took him for a Prophet for that never man spake like him Jo. 7.47 48 49. Then answered them the Pharisees are ye also deceived Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this people that knoweth not the law are cursed As if they had said do but observe Christs followers and you shall find that generally they are but a company of poor ignorant and illiterate people you have hardly one learned man amongst them that owneth him Do you think that if he were indeed the Messiah the Pharisees would oppose him who are men well skilled in the Law Would not the Rulers close with him will you be so proud and arrogant as to prefer your judgment before theirs To quicken you a little to be cautious in this respect there are four things worthy to be considered in this behalf 1. That the promises for discovering the will and mind of the Lord in reference to matters of everlasting concernment are not made to men of great parts and learning but to such as serve the Lord in simplicity and integrity of heart When a person is truly desirous to fear the name of God and maketh it his study and principal design to commend his conscience in his sight such a one though he be but of meaner parts and accomplishments is in a greater likelihood to be clearly instructed in the things concerning the kingdom of heaven * Nisi fidelium operum usus praecesserit doctrinae cognitio non apprehendetur Hil. in Ps 118. then the greatest scholars that are strangers to the sanctifying grace of the spirit Psal 25.12 What man is he that feareth the Lord Him he will teach in the way that he shall chuse And v. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant Mark it Sirs it is not much learning in the head but godly sincerity and the fear of the Lord in the heart that doth entitle us to these promises of divine teaching So that this is a poor argument of the goodness or justifiableness of any way because many great scholars and wise men walk in it Besides the Holy Ghost is express in this point that most wise men after the slesh are strangers unto the power of godliness and enemies to the way of salvation 1 Cor. 1.26 27. For you see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty Some there are of all sorts that are gathered into the kingdom of Christ for it is not the condition or state of life but the constitution or frame of the heart which is the hindrance unto salvation But there are not many of this sort namely of them that are learned and wise after the flesh The greatest number of such are usually adversaries to the truth See the words of our Saviour in his thanksgiving unto God Mat. 11.25 At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes 2. Are they men of wisdom and understanding whose examples are pleaded in opposition to the commands of Jesus Christ But how shall it be known whether they are wise indeed All is not gold we say that makes a glittering shew so All is not true wisdom that carrieth the face of it and hath that name and title given to it They alone are truly wise who keep exactly close to the word of God and that dare not venture to do what is displeasing in his sight Whatsoever hath a tendency to carry a man in opposition to the word or to cause him to reject the law of the Lord of hosts is but the appearance and shew of wisdom it is indeed the greatest madness and folly There are two places of divine writ for the confirmation of this point worthy to be wrote on the tables of mens hearts as in letters of Gold and as with the pen of a Diamond that they may never be obliterated The first is that Deut. 4.5 6. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments even as the Lord my God commanded me that ye should do so in the Land whither ye go to possesse it Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people By contempt of the word of Christ we provoke to indignation the God of infinite power against whom never man hardened himself and prospered And is it not perfect madness to ingage him to be our adversary It is a point of the highest wisdom to keep in with the most high and to get an interest in his favour Obedience to the statutes of God hath the promise of a blessing annexed to it and the contrary is attended with a curse that will secretly insinuate it self into all a mans enjoyments and eat out the comfort of them It is by the word of Christ you must be judged hereafter and sentenced to receive your everlasting portion And therefore it must needs be an act of the highest wisdom not to despise the word nor to set up the dictates of men above the word The other text you have Jer. 8.9 The wise men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken Lo they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them 3. God doth many times leave many learned and wise men unto

into the bond of the Covenant of reconciliation with him and that shall everlastingly dwell in his presence Which you cannot do if you follow the multitude for the children of God are a selected company such as are called and pickt out from the multitude that they may drive on other designs and take a way by themselves Although believers are in the world yet they are not of the world but a spiritual body gathered out of the world Joh. 17.16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world Psal 14.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself How are such set apart for the enjoyment of God Why as in the designation and fore-appointment of the Father before time so he doth set them apart in time by the grace of conversion whereby they are plucked out from amongst the generality who are still suffered to walk in their own wayes This is an argument of great strength and efficacy if rightly managed and improved And therefore give me leave to open it more distinctly in three Conclusions 1. It concerns us as we tender our own spiritual comfort and welfare not only to resign and give up our selves to be the Lords but also to make it manifest and evident that we are the Lords not only to become unfeignedly the servants of God but to clear it up to our hearts that we are indeed his servants and that he hath made with us an everlasting Covenant For herein lies the sweetness of Religion and that which will put life and comfort into every condition and providence when we can assure our hearts that through grace we are beloved of the Lord. Then a person may eat his bread with joy and drink his wine with a merry heart he may partake of all his enjoyments wiht delight and pass through every estate without any perplexity or trouble when he knoweth that God hath accepted him Eccl. 9.7 And moreover the joy arising from this knowledge will wonderfully enlarge the heart and minister strength to the spirit in running the steps of Gods commandments The love of God when it is thus shed abroad into our souls will constrain us to love him again and to put forth our utmost vigour and might in keeping his statutes And therefore we are so earnestly called upon To make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And to examine our selves whether we are in the faith 2 Cor. 13.5 2. The sure way to make it evident without danger of being deceived that we are the Lords and that he is our father is by a serious reflecting upon our carriage towards him and diligently observing the tenour of our conversation before him If you would prove that there is a principle of grace in your hearts it must be by the exercise of grace in bringing forth fruits of holiness in your lives 'T is by our conversations Christ will judge us hereafter and therefore according to the tenour thereof we must pass sentence upon our selves here That is they way to prevent self-deception and to put it out of question that the root of the matter is in us Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another And v. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap 3. To bring the matter home to our purpose you must observe That if your conversation be moulded according to the example of the multitude and if you walk no otherwise than the generality walk it will never conduce to this end nor be effectual to evidence that you are of the number of Gods children Common practises will not be evidential of special grace It is a singularly righteous and holy conversation that must prove you to be partakers of a saving conversion If you will make it appear that you are chosen out of the world you must not be conformed unto the world For the children of God are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.9 And therefore take notice by the way that such a conversation as is evidential of saving grace in the heart and consequentially of the persons being translated into the state of grace must have these three poperties It must be 1. A spiritual 2. An uniform 3. A singular Conversation 1. It must be a spiritual conversation or obedience When a man doth the commandments of God from the heart and with the soul and spirit out of an awful regard that is within him to the majesty of God and a conscientious respect unto the law of the Lord. External duties may be performed by an hypocrite and are no certain caracters of a sanctified heart But they are born of God who do ingage their very spirits to approach unto him When a person doth serve the Lord because he loveth him and doth obey his voice because be delighteth in it when he doth act righteously in his life and his heart goeth along with him in his actions Here is the note of an Israelite indeed It was this comforted Hezekiah Issa 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight 2. It must be a setled and uniform conversation when holiness is a clew of thread that runs through the whole of a mans course and doth interest it self in his constant and continued practise It is not a fit of affection or some obedience tendered upon occasion when the sinner is in a good mood that will prove him to be a regenerate person But when he doth wholly dedicate himself and his time unto the service of God and bringe●h all other affairs and concernments into a subordination thereunto As it is not every particular act of sin that will denominate the party offending to be an impenitent sinner except he make it his way and course wherein he walketh So it is not every particular act of righteousness that will bespeak the person performing it a righteous person except holiness be the high way where in he walketh and he take it along with him into all conditions and companies into all his concernments and undertakings Psal 106. 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times And Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God For he walked with God three hundred years i. e. He was in the fear of the Lord all his life time Heb. 11.5 Gen. 5.22 3. It must be a special or singular conversation such as is differenced from that of the generality of people If you walk as they do you will prove your selves to be such as they are How shall it appear that you are a peculiar people unless your demeanour be answerable i.e. a peculiar demeanour It is upon this condition that God doth accept of you as his and

be a good measure of resolvedness in the spirit to stand fast against the enticements and provocations of some particular sinners much more when a Christian is to walk in a contrariety to the most and hath a multitude to contest and encounter with Ezra 10.4 Be of good courage and do it Josh 1.7 Only be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee That 's the first deduction from the point 2. If a believer must not act after the pattern of the multitude then hence I gather that such as will approve themselves unto God and not deal falsly and unfaithfully in the covenant of God they must be men of singularity As they must walk regularly so they must walk singularly in a way by themselves in respect to abstinence from sin in regard of purity of heart and holiness of life and conversation They are not permitted a compliance with the greatest number of men in any indirect course As in respect to the grace of conversion and sanctification though the servants of God are in the world yet they are not of the world but gathered and cull'd and chosen out of it Jo. 15.19 Jo. 17.16 So must it be in relation to their practise also though they abide in the world yet they must not be conformed unto the world but keep themselves unspotted from the pollutions of it This is pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father Jam. 1.27 Some there are that plead against holiness and for the countenancing of their corruptions What would you have us to be singular Must we be more precise than others and take a course by our selves Why Sirs If you will be Christians in good earnest and follow the Lord fully it is the very thing which God requires and expects at your hands that you be men of singularity For the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Ps 4.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 segregavit divisit signo aliquo excellenti separavit He hath put a remarkeable difference betwixt his own people and others in respect of his blessings upon them and therefore may justly expect that they should be singular in their carriage and demeanour towards him I would not be mistaken in this point and therefore must take liberty to distinguish of a threefold singularity There is a 1. Fantastical Singularity 2. Affected Singularity 3. Sober Singularity 1. There is a Fantastical singularity in respect of opinion When persons have odde crotchets and fancies of their own wherein they differ from serious and sober Christians in all ages and in the maintaining of which opinions they sometimes excessively pride themselves as if they had gotten some higher attainments than the rest This is an evil to which professours of godliness amongst us have been hugely addicted in these latter dayes When they have gotten some uncouth notion or expression by the end they espouse its interest and think they are some body more than ordinary in the matters of religion When they have entertained a peculiar fancy of their own contrary to the sentiments of all sober-minded believers hereof they will boast as of an higher degree of perfection This sort of singularity commonly proceeds from a mixture of pride and ignorance When persons have high conceits of themselves and in the mean time have little clear and distinct knowledg of the principles of godliness possibly they have some loose and broken insight into divine truths but do not understand the misteries of religion in their combination as they are connected and knit together In such case they are exceeding apt to run into these by-waies of their own The Apostle seemeth to reduce it unto these two heads viz. ignorance and self conceitedness 1 Tim. 6.3 4. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness He is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words c. In reference hereunto the faith of believers is the common faith Tit. 1.4 Which was once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. Upon this account we should labour to be of one judgment That with one mind and one mouth we may glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.5 6. We should be very cautious of espousing any singular notion without clear warrant from the word and consulting the apprehensions of godly ministers and serious Christians And for prevention of this singularity let every man study his own weakness and think soberly of himself least instead of Juno he embrace a cloud least in the place of a more spiritual and refined truth he fall into some dangerous and soul-destructive errour And the rather ought we in this case to give the more earnest heed because when weak Christians are inconsiderately caught in this snare it is a difficult thing to be delivered out of it They think it concerns them in point of honour and as they tender their reputation to justifie and maintain the notions which they have avowedly held and professed And this is a strong temptation to a setled continuance therein And therefore I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Rom. 12.3 2. There is an affected singularity as to a mans outward garb and ornaments of the body as to civil salutations and courteous demeanour and the like When persons make it a part of their Religion to abstain from that decency of habit or gesture or civility of expression which is commonly used and delight in this regard to act in a mode by themselves And on the other hand when others place Religion in using such habits and gestures and the like fooleries which God hath not required This is that which renders Religion contemptible and ridiculous in the eyes of carnal people and makes them think it is nothing but a kind of niceness as to such toyes and trifles So the Pharisees of old neglected the power of godliness judgment mercy and faith and kept a great ado about washing of pots and cups and making broad their phylacteries and many other things which they had received to hold They left the commandments of God to follow the devices and imaginations of their own hearts Mar. 7.4 Col. 2.20 21 23. These things may have a shew of wisdom in will-worship at least in the fancies of some they appear to have it Here is a fair pretence of greater strictness than the rest whereas true wisdom consists in fearing the Lord and doing his commandments Psal 111.10 That wherein the Saints of God differ from the rest of men is in the hidden man of the heart in the unblameableness and holiness of the life from whence will flow