Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	condemnation_n	light_n	light_v	1,791	5	9.6672	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29102	The imperfect promulgation of the Gospel consider'd a sermon preach'd in the Church of St. Mary le Bow, January 7, 1699/1700 : being an appendix to the lectures of the last year appointed by the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq. / by Samuel Bradford.	Bradford, Samuel, 1652-1731.	1700 (1700)	Wing B4115; ESTC R25291	15,205	36

he did not appear in Humane Form till four thousand Years were elaps'd yet he had not neglected Mankind all that space of time nor doth at present neglect those who have not heard of his Incarnation but was and is in the VVorld even in those Parts of it where they know him not using those Methods Verse 10. which to his Divine Wisdom seem meet for the training up well-dispos'd Minds which do not resist the Grace which he offers to them There is but one Proposition more that I have to add and it is this viz. Ninthly That at the great Day of Judgment all Men shall be accountable to our Lord with due Regard had to their Respective Advantages or Disadvantages in this their State of Tryal Our Lord hath expresly declar'd that unto whomsoever much is given Luke 12.48 Matth. 25.14 c. of him shall be much requir'd and that Men shall be called to an account for the Talents committed to them by their Lord whether more or fewer in so much that he that had but one shall be accountable for that one only St. Paul in a set Discourse seems to have determin'd this Matter peremptorily as between Jew and Gentile so by parity of Reason between Christian and Gentile also Rom. 2.5 6 9 10 11 12 14. He calls the Day of Judgment the Day of the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God who will render to every Man according to his Deeds to the Jew first and also to the Gentile adding For there is no respect of Persons with God For as many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law And again VVhen the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves 'T is very true that the Salvation of the Gospel is by the Gospel promis'd only to those who believe and obey it and consequently to whom it is preach'd as Damnation is therein expresly threatened to those who reject it and we are not so plainly told what kind and what degrees of Rewards and Punishments God will dispense to others but we are in the general assured that the Recompences of that Day shall be all just and carry a Respect to the Deeds done in the Body bearing some Proportion to the different Circumstances and Conditions of Men. And therefore St. Paul a little before his Discourse just now cited lets us know that the Condemnation of wicked Gentiles would be very just by Reason of their having despis'd the Dictates of Nature and Reason because they withheld the Truth in Unrighteousness for Rom. 1.18 19. as he argues That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them God hath as he there farther proves render'd himself so conspicuous to all Men as the Maker and Governour of the World that those who are ignorant of him must be without Excuse verse 20. He is so near to every one of us as the same Apostle elsewhere discourses since in him we live Acts 17.27 28. and move and have our Being that we may even feel after him Rom. 2.15 and find him and he hath written his Law in such visible Characters in all our Hearts shewing us the plain Difference between moral Good and Evil in the chief Instances thereof causing our Consciences to bear witness and our Thoughts to accuse or excuse as we demean our selves that he may justly call us to an Account for such our Demeanor So that the whole Matter at last comes to this Issue Some Men have by hearing the Gospel preach'd to them far greater Advantages than others but then they are accountable likewise for those special Advantages whereas such as not through their own default but by the meer Providence of God want those Advantages shall be answerable for no more than what they have been entrusted with God hath done more for those than for these and 't is but fit that he should freely dispose of his own Gifts after the Counsel of his own Will but if he doth what is abundantly sufficient for all and will expect no more than in proportion to what he gives there remains no just Ground of complaint to any And thus I have done with what I thought fit to be offer'd on this difficult Argument and I hope if what I have propos'd be consider'd without Prejudice it may suffice to make us humbly acquiesce in the Dispensation of God by Jesus Christ acknowledging that the Design of our Lord's coming was to save Sinners in general and confessing to the glory of the Almighty Father that his love was manifested to the whole Race of Mankind by sending his only begotten Son into the World for our Salvation I shall conclude all with two practical Inferences viz. Frist We may infer from hence the great Obligation which lies upon us to whom the Gospel is publish'd to comply with the Terms of it particularly that mention'd in the Text as comprehensive of all others believing in Jesus Christ Whatever gracious Allowances God in his infinite Goodness may make to others we cannot hope for Salvation upon any other Conditions than a grateful Acknowledgment of this infinite Love of God a firm and stedfast Faith in his only begotten Son together with an hearty Resignation of our selves to his Conduct As by these our Priviledges we are exalted to Heaven so upon our abuse of them we shall be cast down to the lowest depth of Hell This as our Saviour declared Verse 19. a little after the Text is the Condemnation that light is come into the World but Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Secondly If the Love of God toward Mankind be so extensive it becomes us then instead of caviling at the Divine Providence on account of the Gospel's not being publish'd to all the World to do our part towards the Propagation of it The Princes and great Men of the Earth may do very much to this purpose as I have already observ'd Others also especially those Bodies and Societies of Men which have Commerce with the Gentile World might contrive Methods for propagating their Religion together with their Trade This the pious Founder of these Lectures had a great sense of when by a Clause in his Will he obliged those who should preach them to be assisting to all Companys and encouraging them in any Undertaking for propagating the Christian Religion in foreign Parts And all of us might contribute to this generous Design by our earnest Prayers to God for the enlarging of his Son's Kingdom and that it would please him to excite the Spirits of those who have Power and Interest to adadvance this Noble Work In fine we may all contribute towards it by living Christian Lives and if we have neither Power nor Interest to promote the Profession of our Religion in Foreign Parts we may at least promote the Practise of it at Home by our Examples Nothing in truth would so powerfully recommend our Holy Religion to Mankind in order both to the Belief and Practice of it as to have it fairly represented by the Tempers and Lives of its Professors May Almighty God revive the Spirit of Primitive Christianity in those who take upon them the Christian Name and may their light shine so clearly and brightly as to enlighten the darkest and remotest Regions of the Earth to the Glory of God and our Redeemer Amen FINIS ERRATA Sermon I. P. 5. l. 2. read into the World p. 23. l. 8. r misled Ser. III. p. 9. l. 29. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 20. l. 7. r. Mediator p. 23. l. 10. r. he Ser. VII p. 3. l. 14. r. so it p. 15. l. 33. blot out his p. 26. l. 28. r. valuable Ser. VIII p. 10. l. 18. r. their ibid. l. 27. r. Men. p. 12. l. 22. r. Evangelist p. 14. l. 25. r. be p. 20. l. 18. r. blessing then Ser. XI p. 6. l. 15. r. not believing p. 13. l. 16. r. Cause ibid. r. Gospel's