A43344:321
A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon…
A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon on Acts 28. 22, showing that the Christian religion is not a sect, and yet that it is every where spoken against / by Matthew Henry ...A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon on Acts 28. 22, shewing that the Christian religion is not a sect, and yet that it is every where spoken against / by Matthew Henry ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1699
Christianity no Sect to be spoken against. › Now for the APPLICATION of this DOCTRINE.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fourthly, Let us take heed that none of us do at at any time, directly or indirectly, speak against the ways of Religion and Godliness, or say a Confederacy, with those that do so. 1Submit to Divine Instructions given with a strong hand not to walk in the way of those People that speak ill of Religion. Take heed of embracing any Notions which secretly tend to derogate from the Authority of the Holy Scriptures, or to diminish the Honour of Religion in the Soul, or of accustoming your selv•• to such Expressions as treat not Sacred Things with that awful Regard which is due to them. Those were never reckoned Wise Men that would rather lose a Friend than a Jest, much less are they to be accounted so that will rather ⟨p. 38⟩lose the Favour of their God. Those that in their common Converse make themselves merry with serious things, how can it be expected they should at any time be serious in them, or experience the influence and comfort of them? It is not likely that those who make the Word of God the subject of their Jests, should ever make▪ it the Guide of their way, or find it the spring of their Joys. Let us not choose to associate with those that have light thoughts of Religion, and are ready upon all occasions to speak against it. It is not without good reason that among the many words with which St. Peter exhorted his New Converts, this only is recorded, Save your selves from this untoward Generation, Acts 2. 40. Those that listen to the Counsel of the Ungodly, 2and Stand in the way of Sinners, as willing to walk with them, will come at length (if Almighty Grace prevent not) to set in the seat of the Scornful. Let us therefore abide by that which Job and Eliphaz, even in the heat of Dispute, were agreed in, that the Counsel of the Wicked shall be far from us, which Protestation we have, Job 21. 16. and 22. 18. It's dangerous making Friendship with those that have an enmity to serious Godliness, lest we learn their way, and get a Snare to our Souls.