Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	deny_v	lust_n	ungodliness_n	2,308	5	11.2023	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61254	A treatise of God's government and of the justice of his present dispensations in this world by the pious, learned and most eloquent Salvian ... ; translated from the Latin by R.T. ... ; with a preface by the Reverend Mr. Wagstaffe.; De gubernatione Dei. English	Salvian, of Marseilles, ca. 400-ca. 480.; R. T., Presbyter of the Church of England.; Wagstaffe, Thomas, 1645-1712.	1700 (1700)	Wing S519; ESTC R16712	155,065	281

chance to be present at a Robbery you are not stain'd by the Fact because you abhor it inwardly They are only the Uncleannesses of publick Sights which make the Actors and Spectators culpable alike For whilst those who see them do approve and see them willingly they do All by such Sight and Approbation act them So that that of the Apostle do's truly in a peculiar manner fall Rom. 1. v. 32. upon them that they are worthy of death not only they who do such things but also they who consent and have pleasure in them that do them And therefore in the Representations of Fornication all the whole Body of the People are mental Fornicators and they who it may be came clean to the Play return Adulterers from the Theatre But it is not only then when they return that they are Fornicators but even when they come For for that very Reason that any one desires an obscene Thing whilst he hastens to such Unncleanness he is unclean IV. Things being thus loe what are the Actions of all the Romans or at least of almost all And since they are such we who do these fine things complain that we are neglected by Heaven and say that we are deserted by our God when 't is we our selves that leave him For let us suppose that our Lord had a mind to regard us tho' we do not deserve it let us see whether he could do it There are many thousands of Christians every day at the beastly publick Shews Can God think we look upon such People as they are Can he regard those who revel in the Cirque and fornicate in the Theatres Or have we a mind and think it very fitting that when God beholds us in the Cirques and Theatres he should be a Spectator of the Sights together with us and should look upon all the Uncleannesses of the place as well as our selves One of the two must necessarily be done For if he vouchsafes to behold us it follows that he must likewise behold the things where we are or if which is most certain he turns away his eyes from them he turns them likewise from us who are present at them And tho' matters are thus yet we do all this that I have mention'd and that without ceasing What do we think we have such a God as the old Pagan Theatres and Cirques had For they did all these things heretofore because they thought they were very pleasing to their Idols But on what account can we pretend to do these things who certainly know that they are odious to our God Or at least if we are sure that these Filthinesses are pleasing to God I am not against the continual acting of them But then if we find in our own Consciences that this is what God abhors that he abominates them that as there is in them the repast of the Devil so they are an Abuse to God how do we pretend we worship God in His Church when we are continually serving the Devil in these obscene Plays and that wittingly and knowingly advisedly and on set purpose And what hope and confidence then can we have in God who offend him not by Accident or Imprudence but like those antient Gyants who we read madly attempted Heaven and endeavoured to step into the Clouds So we by the Affronts which all over the World we offer to God do as by universal Consent offer Violence to Heaven To Christ then O prodigious Madness to Christ we offer the Games of the Cirque and Mimickries and then chiefly when we have receiv'd some Favour from him some Blessing is bestowed upon us or when he has given us Victory over our Enemies And what is this but to offer Injuries to ones greatest Benefactor or scurrilously to abuse one who treats us civilly or to wound the very face of one who would salute us For I desire to know of the Rich and Great Men of this World of what fault they take that Servant to be guilty who devises Mischief against a kind and loving Master who offers Abuses to him who deserves well of him and for the Liberty which he has gain'd returns only Injuries and Affronts He will doubtless be thought guilty of the greatest Crime who returns Evil for Good who ought not to have return'd so much as Evil for evil But this is what all we who are call'd Christians do By our Impurities we provoke a most merciful God against us by our Uncleanness we offend him who has tenderness for us and by our Injuries wound him who obliges and courts us V. To Christ then O prodigious Madness to Christ we offer Cirque plays and Mimickries we render to Christ for all the Benefits we have receiv'd from him the Filthiness of the Theatres to Christ we offer the Sacrifices of these most abominable Pastimes Undoubtedly our Saviour became incarnate for us that he might teach us this Certainly he preach'd this either by himself or his Apostles For this he underwent the Shame of his Humane Nativity and took upon him the debasing Principles of an earthly Birth For this he lay in the Manger and had Angels ministring unto Him whilst he lay there For this he would be wrapp'd in Swadling-Clouts who rul'd Heaven in Robes of Glory For this he hung upon the Cross whom all the World even hanging dreaded Who says the Apostle though 2 Cor. 8. v. 9. he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we through his Poverty might be rich And when says he he was in the Form of God he Phil. 2. v. 6 8. humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross To be sure Christ instructed us in these Matters when he underwent all these things for our sakes We make most admirable Returns to His Passion who having receiv'd Redemption by His Death requite him with a most Scandalous Life For the Grace of God says the blessed St. Paul Titus 2. v. 11 12 13 14. hath appear'd to all Men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works Where are they who do these things for the which the Apostle says Christ came into the World Where are they that deny worldly Lusts where are they who live soberly righteously and godly where are they who by their good Deeds shew that they look for that blessed Hope and by the Innocence of their Lives demonstrate that they for that Reason expect the Kingdom of God because they are fit and qualified to deserve to receive it Our Lord JESUS CHRIST came he says to purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works Where is that pure People where is that acceptable

our selves to Him when Men will not hear us So that this Doctrine is the Stay and Support of the whole World and affords Delight to the Happy Comfort to the Miserable Refuge and Shelter to the Oppressed Security to the Traveller Safeguard to them that rest Contentment under Disappointments Increase to the Merchant and Industrious and Protection to All. Fetters and Prisons Thrones and Dominions all Degrees and Qualities are equally and alike concern'd in it And whatsoever our Condition be in this World whatever Posture the Things are in that are without or within us whatever are the States of Publick Societies or private Men whether we have or want any thing whether we hope or fear whether we rejoyce or are sorrowful in all these Respects and in every other Incident of Life we are directly and immediately concern'd with the Divine Providence and may find from thence Matter for Supplication Arguments for Dependance and Reasons for Adoration and Worship That Doctrine therefore must needs be seasonable which is equally suited to all Cases and Circumstances To all Ranks and Degrees to all States and Conditions to all Casualties and Contingencies of Life And all the different Seasons which Eccles Chap. 3. Solomon Assigns to the different Uses and Purposes of Life in this Respect have no manner of Difference There is a season to plant and a season to pluck up Literally and Allusively but both are Seasons for directing our Thoughts for Contemplation of the Divine Providence There is a time to kill and a time to heal a time to get and a time to lose a time of War and a time of Peace But these and all other are Times for meditating on and applying this Doctrine either to beg God's Blessing and Protection or to render Him Thanks and Praise for having bestow'd it Or to humble our selves under His Almighty Hand or to give Him the Glory of His power and Goodness for preserving our Persons Estates or Innocency In fine how various soever the Affairs of the World are how unstable the Possessions how Surprizing and Astonishing the Events This Doctrine is ready at hand to pacifie our Minds and to present us with infinite and unspeakable Advantages if it be not our own Fault and we deprive our selves of them thro' Atheism Incredulity a Neglect of God and our selves Nevertheless tho' this Doctrine be very proper and necessary for all Times and Persons it must be confess'd That it may at some times be yet more Seasonable and more fit to be inculcated explain'd and asserted and those seem to me to be these that follow 1. When this Great Doctrine of Providence is corrupted and perverted and by unwarrantable Inferences and Deductions is made subservient to Ends and Purposes I mean to other Ends and Purposes than those of Religion and Virtue For instance when we are told that Success and Events create a Divine Right to Property and Dominion that Possession and Providence is a Title superior to all legal Claims and Pretences That this is the Meaning of some Men's Providences is too Notorious to be deny'd and therefore need not be proved and it would take up too much of the Reader 's time and with all be unsuitable to the Nature and End of this Preface to have it debated All that I shall at present remark is That 't is perfectly new and as far as I know this Doctrine was started within some of our Memories and lay for some time scorn'd and exploded till reviv'd of late All Antiquity and all Ages of the Church are perfect Strangers to it except our own The Fathers of old and Holy Men in all Ages have been copious on the Subject but the Mystery of providential Rights and Titles is a Mystery of Iniquity reserved for our Times and fit to be discover'd when the same Doctrines can both be despised and laugh'd at and also own'd and asserted by the same Persons However in such a Case it seems highly requisite that Men be set straight in their Notion that this Doctrine be plac'd in its true light for as this or any other Doctrine of Religion if it be misunderstood or misapply'd draws after it an innumerable Company of practical Mischiefs and Inconveniences So if it be rightly stated and duely observ'd it produceth in abundance the fruits of Holiness and true Piety And for this I shall refer the Reader to the Book it self where he will find this useful Doctrine plainly asserted and convincingly prov'd without being endanger'd or tempted to set up God's Providence in contradiction to His Laws 2. When this Doctrine is deny'd either in direct terms or by necessary Consequence This I take to be the most irrational and senseless Opinion in the whole World and even more absurd than Atheism it self for the Denial of Providence proceeds upon the Supposition of the Being of a God and to believe a God and at the same time to deny his Providence carries with it a thousand Contradictions for I desire to know what Idea or Conception such Men can have of God what kind of Being they can frame to themselves or what Representation they can make of Him exclusive of the Divine Providence Let them give us His Attributes and Characters and tell us plainly what they mean by God and then they must either renounce their Opinion or frame such a God to themselves as all Men will be asham'd of For certainly the Notion of God implies all possible Perfection and a sluggish unactive impotent inconsiderate negligent God is an imperfect God and they ascribe greater Imperfections to the Most High God than can honestly be attributed to a wise and good Man But if the Notion of God implies the most perfect Being such a Being who is infinitely Wise Powerful Just and Good These Attributes plainly prove the Divine Providence For if God be infinitely Wise he certainly knows all that is done in the World the deepest Designs the closest Contrivances If infinitely Powerful certainly he is able to defeat them to over-rule them and to turn them to such Ends as he pleases If infinitely Just and Good he certainly will do it when it is fit for him so to do So that the very Notion of God implies Providence and proves it a priori God's Providence is the Result of His Nature and flows from it And it is impossible to have any Conception of God but at the same time to include Providence and God's Soveraign Power in the World However seeing we are got into an Age where every thing is disputed seeing our English World is pester'd with a Sort of Men who are resolved to call themselves Masters of Sense and Reason tho' of far more Arrogance than Comprehension it seems reasonable and just to our Countrymen that the Antidote should be proportion'd to the Poyson and here I must again refer the Reader to the Book And if he comes prepar'd to receive either Truth or Reason let him read it with Judgment

Whoever among the Nobility do really detest such Enormities should much rather be displeas'd with those who by their Vile and Naughty Actions disgrace the Titles that they bear For tho' such are a Burden and Scaldal to all Christians in General yet the Stanch and Filth of their Actions reflects most immediately upon that Order of which they are a Part. VVell then 't is granted I have said that some Noblemen are much more wicked than their Servants I did say it and it might seem odd enough if I did not prove it as well as say it Now to give an Instance of one of the Greatest wickednesses of which you shall scarce ever find any one Servant to have been guilty For can any one Servant be nam'd that ever kept a Swarm of VVhores or that is stain'd with the Scandal of having many VVives or like a Dog or Boar thinks he may have as many Mistresses as his Lust can Satisfie I know the Answer to this is easie That Servants cannot do these things and that they would certainly do them if it were in their Power I believe it However I cannot admit that as already done which as yet I never saw done For let their Minds be never so deprav'd and their Inclinations never so wicked yet no one ought to be punish'd for a Crime he never committed That Servants are Base and Nought is very certain But then those who are Noble and Better-bred are much more to be blam'd if being in a more Honourable Station their Manners are much worse So that the Issue of this whole Affair will of necessity come to this not that Servants should be altogether quit from the Guilt of their Naughtiness but that many of the Great and Rich Men in comparison of Servants are much more to be blam'd For who can sufficiently set forth as it ought to be that vile Robbery that when the Roman Empire was as good as dead or at least breathing its last Gasp that in that part in which it yet seem'd to live it should expire being strangl'd with Cords of Taxes as much as by the hands of the Invaders and yet in this Condition you shall find very many of the Poor who bear the Taxes of the Rich That is you shall find very many Rich Men whose Taxes murder the Poor But what do I talk of finding very many I fear I might have said with greater Truth you may find them all such For there are so very few free from this Evil if there are any that on that side where I say you may find Many I might as well at once have included All. For what has the Ease some time since given to some Cities produc'd but only to set all the Rich Men free and to encrease the Burden of the Poor that the old Duties might be taken off from their Backs and New ones put upon the others that the removal and taking off of some small Services should enrich the one only to torment the other with the addition of ten times greater that they might grow rich by lessening a Charge that was but a Feather to them only to press the other to Death with multiplying the Load already too heavy to be born So that the Remedy with the greatest Injustice relieves the Rich and as unjustly murders the Poor a most unrighteous Reward to the One and as unrighteous a Ruine to the Other VVhence we may observe that nothing can be more wicked than such rich Men who destroy the Poor by pretending to assist them and nothing more unfortunate than such mean Persons who are Ruin'd by that which was design'd as a Cure for all VII But what kind of dealing is this and what sort of Sanctity must we stile it that if any of the Nobility offer to be converted to God he presently loses the Advantage of his Honour Or what sort of Respect has Christ in that Chistian Country where the very embracing his Religion makes the Party ignoble For as soon as any one begins to amend and grow better he is despis'd and contemn'd as one grown much worse so that for that Reason all are in a manner forc'd to be wicked that they may not grow cheap And therefore it is not without Reason that the Apostle says The whole World lieth in Wickedness 1 John 5. v. 19 And very truly for with good grounds may the whole be said to lie in Wickedness where is there no room for the Good For the Whole is so full of all manner of Ungodliness that either they are all wicked who are in it or those few good that are remaining are Harass'd and Persecuted by the rest So that as I said if any one of Note applies himself to Religion he presently loses his Character For when any one changes his Habit he at the same time changes his Title if before he was Valu'd he is now Despisable if he was before very Splendid he is now as Mean if he was before all over Honour he is now all over Contempt And yet some Worldlings and People of little Faith think it strange that they feel the Anger of an offended God when they thus persecute God Himself in the Persons of his Saints All things are perverted and turn'd Topsy-turvy If any one is righteous he is despis'd as tho' he were wicked if any one is wicked he is respected as tho' he were righteous 'T is no wonder therefore if we daily suffer worse things since we our selves grow worse each day than other For Mankind daily commit new Sins and never leave the old ones A new Crop of Vices arises as a daily Addition to the remaining old Stock VIII What room therefore is there for How God by our Sins is daily provoked Complaint Whatever Hardships and Inconveniences we suffer they are much less than we deserve What reason have we to say that God deals hardly by us Certainly we deal much more hardly with God For we exasperate Him by our Impurities and compell him to punish us against his Will And altho' the Essence and Majesty of God be of that Nature that it is not to be disturb'd by the Passion of Anger yet we by our Iniquities do so mightily provoke him that we even force Him to be angry We do as I may say offer violence to His Goodness and rudely lay hands on His Mercy And when His loving-kindness is such that it would for ever spare us the Sins we commit oblige Him to plague us with Misfortunes And as they who beset the most fenced Cities or who endeavour to destroy or take the strongest Forts do without doubt ply them with all sorts of Arms and Engines so we in storming the Divine Mercy make use of all the greatest Villanies and Crimes as our offensive Arms and esteem Almighty God as injurious to us when we our selves are most injurious to Him For every Fault of every Christian is an Affront offer'd to the Divine Majesty For when we