Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	age_n	write_v	year_n	1,957	5	4.7409	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76798	Expositions and sermons upon the ten first chapters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to Matthew. Written by Christopher Blackwood, preacher to a Church of Christ in the city of Dublin in Ireland.	Blackwood, Christopher.	1659 (1659)	Wing B3098; ESTC R207680	612,607	923

they came to Jerusalem Some think 12 or 13 days after they saw the star at first hence the Feast of Epiphany or Manifestation but it 's like the next day after they saw his star they came forward though it 's probable that it was near upon a year before Herod put the infants of Bethlem to death that while being spent in acquainting Caesar with the designe and in the plotting and projecting of the business V. 2. Saying Where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the East and are come to worship him Here is the question the Wise men propound 1 See the greatness of their faith they ask not whether he be but where he is presupposing he was born They acknowledge his natures his manhood in that he was born his Godhead in that they call the star his he the owner of it they also acknowledge his Kingly office so freely that it came to Herods ear they were neither afraid of Herod nor ashamed of Christ a politick bosome faith becomes not them that enquire after Christ The question was full of danger and amazement as casting down Herod from his throne and to set up a new King which was no less then capital 2 The ground of their faith For faith must have both a ground and an evidence Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which differences a believer and a credulous person who believs every thing Prov. 14.15 The ground of it was for we have seen his star in the East For this star it was not an ordinary star for it moved as they went and shone on the day time placed lower then the fixed stars perhaps like a blazing star Chrysostom thinks it was some invisible power or Angel figured in the shape of a star And the Lord cals them by a star rather then by an Angel as condescending to their weakness because they were much imployd about the stars Now if you ask how they came to know what this star did portend Though some think they living in the East might know it from Balaam's prophesie Numb 24.17 I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh there shall come a star out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab yet I suppose they came to know this star by Divine revelation onely but whether soever they came to know it But whereas some from hence would conclude the lawfulness of Judicial Astrology it 's groundless onely this I must confess 1 That the stars have an influence here below Judges 5.20 The stars in their paths or courses fought against Sisera But I say it 's groundless 1 Because Astrologers proceed by way of observation as in such a year and such a concourse of Planets wars and rebellions to have been therefore this year the same will happen in the like concourse but here no experience or observation went before for never had a Virgin brought forth before Some have thought stars to be the causes of things But Christ was not therefore born because the star appeared but therefore the star appeared because Christ was born Others in this Age are apt to think them signes of our actions as if heaven were the book wherein God writes all future actions and events the stars are for signes oft-times as dayes and years but it seems to me in no wise signes of those things which depend upon the will of man the future motions whereof are onely known to God That Astrologers alledge experience it nothing moves me for all the predictions of Astrology are mere particulars but although they had any certainty yet it were better to be always in the fear of God then to be tormented with fear of events Luth. in Gen. cap. 1. We are not to heed Astrologers Jer. 10.2 Be not dismayed at the signes of heaven for the Heathen are dismayed at them If they fore-tell us prosperous things and they lye we shall be wretched by hoping in vain if they fore-tell to us adversity and lye they make us miserable by fearing in vain if they fore-tell unhappy things to us and speak truth to what purpose is it to fore-know those things we cannot prevent and if they should truly fore-tell prosperity expectation would weary us out Lapide in Jer. 10. King Muleasses fore-told in the year 1544 that he should lose his kingdome and his life be in danger to shun it he went out of Africa and in his departure brought upon his own neck that which he would have shunn'd To conclude these Astrologers and Star-gazers and Monthly Prognosticators cannot save us from the things that shall come upon us no more then they could Babylon Jer. 47.13 They enrich your ears with words that they may enrich their own purses with money In the East By this is meant not so properly the region of heaven as the land from whence they came q.d. we living in the East saw there a star shining in the East which accompanied us these Wise men as the pillar of fire and cloud did Israel This star or such an one like it was seen in the West towards the end of Augustus reign and Pliny saith it was held to be a happy star but the Western men for want of light did misapply it And are come to worship him Here was the end of their coming viz. to worship him yet do they not finde him in a worshipful case but in a stable in a manger yet by faith they over-look all this and worship him worship is a great matter in that heaven and earth stars and prophets lead us to it for this end the Eunuch came out of Aethiopia and the Wise men from the East The world was made for this end that he that created it might be worshipped the Scripture was made for this end that he that inspired it might be worshipped The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the gesture of the body lying down to give honour Zanch. in 4. Praecept of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dog to fall down as dogs do at their masters feet The Wise men being perswaded that a Kingdome was appointed for this childe after the manner of the Eastern nations who are generally known to have worshipped their Kings they fall down to worship yet did they not onely apprehend him to be a King and so worshipped him with a civil worship but also they apprehended him to be the King of heaven and so worshipped him with a Religious worship V. 3 When Herod the King had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him We have here the effects of the inquiry of the Wise men which is 1 Herod was troubled Fearing as if this King would drive him out of his Kingdome and because he was a tyrant and distrusted the faithfulness of his subjects Besides Herod living long among them knew their

the Confirmation of the Truth and of the Promise made Besides he to whom an Oath is sworn I mean the Christian though he requires an Oath doth not require a corrupt Oath Quest Whether it be lawfull to lay the hand upon the Book and to kiss it in taking of an Oath when it is imposed on us by a lawfull Magistrate Answ No because an Oath is part of Gods worship see Deut. 6.13 and this is a Superstition or a Super-institution in it 1 Because it confines our outward Worship to a bodily Service which was never commanded by God nor exemplified by Saints Now as the Christians twenty years ago opposed Bowing before the Altar bowing towards the East when it was imposed though herein they were required onely to bow to the God of Heaven and Earth placing an absoluteness in that which God left indifferent so we in like manner may oppose this Superstition of Confinement in Laying our Hand upon the Book and kissing the Book in taking of an Oath when God hath left it indifferent what gesture or outward signification we will express Hence the Scripture mentions variety of gestures sometimes the Putting the Hand under the Thigh Gen. 24 9. sometimes lifting up the Hand to the most high God Gen 14.22 2 Because in the Worship of God there is introduced a humane Invention which ought not to be seeing he that ows the Worship must appoint the manner how he will be worshipped That there is a humane Invention brought in appears because that together with their swearing they are at the same time required to lay their Hands upon the Book now as some of the Non-conformists brought it as an unanswerable Reason that the Cross ought not to be used in Infant-baptism but was will-worship because it was joyned with the worship of God as it was then accounted and that it was joyned with the supposed worship of God appeared because the worship was a good while begun before the Cross was used and after the Crossing there was the saying the Lords Prayer and a Thanksgiving for the Regeneration of the Infant This Argument I producing once to a great learned Bishop he was not able to answer it but was in a manner silenced at it Let those then be silenced who will offer to introduce Laying the Hand upon the Book in the Worship of an Oath and impose it on others to observe their Invention 3 It 's unlawfull because Magistrates in some places place the essence of an Oath in Laying the Hand upon the Book hence it 's unlawfull now in that they place the essence of an Oath in laying the Hand upon the Book appears because they will not give you an Oath unless you will swear in that manner 2 Because they think the Oath is not full without it for though in the most religious manner you call the Searcher of hearts to witness and though you are willing to lift up your hand to Heaven to the most high God yet nothing wil serve unless you lay your Hand upon the Book they will not give you an Oath witness Ald. Hook one of the Judges for Probate of Wills at Dublin who thus refused the Testimonies and Oaths of me and another who were Witnesses to a Will wherein the Legatees were onely a Widow and three very small fatherless Children As the calling of God to witness to confirm a truth by a person that discerns what an Oath is is one part of the essence of an Oath so these men would have Laying on of Hands on the Book to be another part of the essence thereof unless we may suppose that they make Swearing in the Worship of God to be the thing signified and Laying the Hand upon the Book and kissing it to be the outward sign thereof so that the Worship shall be from Heaven and the sign from man a grosser presumption than which there were not many in the Prelacy 4 If there be any outward visible gesture required in taking of an Oath there being none commanded by God it must be such as is exemplified by God Angels and godly men but not laying the Hand upon the Book but lifting up the hand towards Heaven is such as is exemplified by God Angels and godly men therefore if any gesture be required lifting up of the hand to Heaven must be it See it 1 In God Deut. 32.40 I lift up my hand to Heaven and say I live for ever 2 See it in Angels Revel 10.5 6. And the Angel which I saw stand upon the Sea and upon the Earth lifted up his hand to Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever who created Heaven and Earth 3 See it in a godly man the Father of the faithfull Gen. 14.22 Abraham said to the King of Sodom I have lift up my hand to the Lord the most high the Possessour of Heaven and Earth that I will not take from thee a thred even to a shoe-latchet Moreover Dan. 12.7 I heard the man cloathed in Linnen which was upon the Waters of the River when he held his right hand and his left hand unto Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever 5 I have read of a conscientious Witness in the Book of Martyrs about three hundred years ago who conscientiously opposed this Abomination 6 I have heard upon good Information I trust that there was an Ordinance of Parliament to dispense with tender Consciences herein which it behoves all tender Consciences to have if it may be had to produce it against the rigidness of 〈◊〉 who will either force them to lay their hands upon 〈…〉 or else give no Oath There was a Witness of Christ that opposed laying his hand to swear upon a book See Acts and Mon. vol. 1. P. 701. Col. 2. also P. 702. In the life of William Thorp a Priest A certain Clerk asking William Thorp if it were not lawful to kneel down and touch the holy Gospel book and kiss it saying So help me God and this holy doom William Thorp answered out of a discourse betwixt a Lawyer and a Master of Divinity The Master of Divinity said it was not lawfull to give or take any such charge upon a book for every book is nothing else but divers creatures of which it is made of therefore to swear upon a book is to swear by creatures and this swearing is ever unlawfull this sentence witnesseth Chrysostom plainly blaming them greatly that bring forth a book to swear upon Also pag. 702. being askt to lay his hand upon the book and swear William Thorp answered If Chrysostom proveth him worthy of great blame that bringeth forth a book to swear upon It must needs follow that he is more to blame that sweareth on that book After a Clerk bidding him lay his hand upon the book touching the holy Gospel of God William Thorp answered I understand that the holy Gospel of God may not be touched with mans hand ibid. that is not unadvisedly V.