Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	call_v	church_n	holy_a	2,804	5	4.7314	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39756	The fulfilling of the Scripture, or, An essay shewing the exact accomplishment of the Word of God in his works of providence, performed and to be performed for confirming the beleevers and convincing the atheists of the present time : containing in the end a few rare histories of the works and servants of God in the Church of Scotland.	Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694.	1669 (1669)	Wing F1265; ESTC R27365	219,887	314

other sinful man to be carried through creditably but as sure as ever he spake to me in his word his spirit witnessed to my heart saying fear not he had accepted my suffering and the outgate should not be matter of prayer but of praise he said also thy word was found and I did eat it and it was to me the joy and rejoycing of my heart and a little before his death after some fainting he sayeth now I feell I beleeve I enjoy I rejoyce and turning to Mr Blair then present he said I feed on Manna I have Angels food my eyes shall see my Redeemer I know that he shall stand at the latter day on the earth and I shall be caught up in the clouds to meet him in the air and afterwards hath these words I sleep in Christ and when I awake I shall be satisfyed with his likenes O for armes to embrace him and to one speaking anent his painfulnes in the ministry he cryeth out I●disclaim all the port I would be in at is redemption and forgivenes if sins through his blood And thus full of the spirit yea as it were overcome with sensible enjoyment he breaths out his soul His last words being Glory Glory dwelleth in Em●●nuels land SIXTH Witnes is that convincing appearance of an extraordinary and Apostolick spirit on some of these instruments whom the Lord raised up in these last times and these great enduements wherewith they were sent for the fervice of the Church and overthrow of the Kingdome of Antichrist a truth which we must say if not in such a measure yet hath been no lesse evident then in these primitive times when the Christian Church was planted It is clear that extraordinary gifts and enduements have been let forrh to the Church under the New Testament for with the first dawning of the Gospel there was both Apostles and Prophets raised up it cannot be also denyed that since the Cannon of the Scripture was closed yea in these late ages there hath been very extraordinary men given to the Church who had special revelations from the Lord of his minde anent things to come which though we should not now look after yet herein did the Lord remarkably condescend when some great piece of service and necessity of the Church did more call for it and truely these were led in no other path then that of the word though they had a more special discovery and immediat inbreathing of Gods minde as to the application thereof in particular cases neither did they presse upon mens conscience to credit the same but were most cautious witnessing much humble sobriety on that account It is knowen what extraordinary instruments how wonderfully called and qualified Luther Zuingliu● Calvine Mr Wishart and Mr Knox were whom God sent in these latter dayes to grapple with Antichrist and sound a retreat to his Church from Babylon likewise 〈◊〉 Beza Bacere and Martyr with divers in England such as Latimer Ridley Bradfoord c. Who indeed were burning and shining lights in their time mighty in the Scripture fervent in spirit were cloathed with the power and authority of God before which the World could not stand But besides these famous witnesses of whose life vve have something this day on publick record I must here craveliberty to set dovvn a fevv moe more late instances of our ovvn Church in Scotland to confirm this truth such as are but little knovvn to the World nor any thing of their lives published vvhich I think a great losse to after generations vvhom vve may say and this vvith a vvarrant and in sobriety were men truely extraordinary eminently serviceable in the work of the Lord yea of a Prophetick and Apostolick Spirit and such vvho through grace did not even come short of the first three I mean not only these before mentioned but also some of these great lights vvho vvere in the first age of the Church after the ascension of Christ 1. I shall instance Mr Iohn Welsh whom the Lord called forth to the ministry at Kirck cubright in Galloway and afterwards was transported to the Church of An whom Mr Rutherfoord in one of his bookes calleth that heavenly Prophetical and Apostolick Man of God and sheweth that from the witnesses of his life he had this accompt that of every 24 houres he gave usually eight to prayer if other necessary and urgent dueties did not hinder yea spent many dayes and nights which he set apart in fasting and prayer for the condition of the Church and the sufferings of the reformed Churches abroad I can also adde this from very sure information and truely anent any of those particulars I seriously studie to have satisfying grounds anent the certainty thereof that it was his use even in the coldest winter nights to rise for prayer and oft times his wife who was an excellent woman hath risen to seek after him where he hath been found lying on the ground weeping and wrestling with the Lord yea sometimes would have been much of the night alone in the Church of Aire on that accompt One time especially his wife finding him overcharged with grief he told her he had that to presse him which she had not the soules of 3000 to answer for whilest he knew not how it was with many of them And an other time whilest she found him alone his spirit almost overcharged with anguish and grier upon her serious enquiry said that the times which were to come on Scotland were heavy and sad though she should not see them and this for the contempt of the Gospel Whilest he was prisoner in the Blacknesse in a letter to a Christian lady he giveth this accompt what large joy he had to suffer for such a truth that Iesus Christ was a King and had a visible Kingdome in the World even his Church which was as free to keep its Courts and exerce discipline by vertue of an intrinsick power from Christ as any Kingdome on the earth for which he was ready to lay down his life yea would rejoyce to be offered up a sacrifice on so glorious a truth in the close of that letter he doth also forewarn that judgement was coming to Scotland which should be blood first by an intestine sword and then by the sword of a stranger and that a great sacrifice should be there both of great men and mean the fulfilling whereof hath since been very sensible and is known by many alive who had that letter long before the late troubles begun whilest he was thus prisoner two of ●●mankable passages I have had confirmed by divers worthy of credit some of whom shewed me they had them from these who were most familiar with the persones themselves they are indeed strange but we must also consider he was an extraordinary man The first was this that one night whilest he did expound the Scripture after his supper in the prison at his custome was whilest he with much power and authority was pressing

knave Bishop vvith his mitre comming in under that mask yea did solemnly in his own name and name of the Church of Scotland enter a protestation against that step of defection and their yeelding up in so far the liberties of the Church to please men Whilest he vvas Minister at Salt-Prestoun the building of a Church vvas by him much endevoured vvhich then vvas vvanting for vvhich he did advance so much out of his ovvn privat interest my Lord Nevvbatle vvho then had a great interest in the Parish engadging to help it fordvvard from vvhich he after refiled and thereby frustrated the vvork Whereupon Mr Davidsone told him these vvalls that vvere then begun to be builded should stand as a witnes against him and that ere long God should root out him and his estate out of that Parish and should not have a piece of land in the same vvhich shorthy after had a visible accomplishment It vvas very clear from many passages of his life that the secret of the Lord vvas in an extraordinary vvay vvith him Some of these vvhich have been transmitted from these vvho particularly knevv the same are indeed most vvorthy of a remark At a certain assembly of the Church Mr Iohn Spotswood and Mr Iames Law vvho vvere then entred into the ministry vvere processed for some grosse acts of prophanity vvhere Mr Davidson finding the assembly too easy to passe the same in regard of their parts and gifts onely vvith a rebuke he did vvith much ve●emency presse their deposition and after being crossed therein said you vvill needs spare these 2 men vvhereat I am grieved but the time is comming vvhen they shall trample upon your necks and upon the Church of Scotland And it is well knovven what an accomplishment this prediction had Being with Mr Bruce one time at dinner who vvas then in great favour vvith the King he had these vvords in giving thanks after meat Lord they servant here is novv a great favorite of the Court and in much respect but he shall be within a litle as much persecuted as he is now in favour and go down the streets when many who have him this day in esteem will not give him a salutation vvhich vvas very manifest afterwards And at an other time whilest Mr Robert Bruce and he were dyning together in the house of one of the Magistrates of the town who was then a cordial friend to godly Ministers he did also in his plain and free way break forth with these words whilest he was giving thanks Lord this good man hath respect for thy sake to thy servants but he litle knoweth that in a short time he must carry us both who are here to prison which words did much trouble that honest man though afterwards it came most exactly to passe There is one more remarkable passage which I should fear to set down it is so strange but that I had the same confirmed by some worthy of credit who shewed me that from these that were present and familiar with Mr Davidsone they had it related A Gentleman nearly related to a great family of that Parish bnt a most violent hater of piety did upon that account beat a poor honest man who lived there having not the feast shadow of a provocation and amongst other sore strokes gave one upon the back with these words take this for Mr Davidsons sake after which the honest man was for a time forced to keep his bed and complained most of that stroke which he gave him on the back as that which he felt more then all the rest but the Sabbath following Mr Davidson speaking in the close of his Sermon anent the oppression of the godly and enmity which wicked men had to such did very particularly touch that late instance saying it was a sad time whilest a prophane man would thus openly adventure to vent his rage against these who were seekers of God in the place whilest he could have no cause but the very appearance of his image and with great authority said he who hath done this were he the Laird or the Lairds brother ere a few dayes passe God shall give him a stroke that all the Monarches of the earth dare not challenge which was then publickly known how in the close of that very week standing before his dore he was struck dead with a thunder bolt and all his bones crusht A little before the death of this great Servant of Christ having an occasional rencounter with Mr Iohn 〈◊〉 a young Gentleman who was lately come from Fr●●●● and had then no though●s of the ministry but 〈◊〉 in a very cou●●ly dresse Mr. Davidson did in a 〈◊〉 lemn way charge him to cast off his scarlet cloak and lay aside his guilded rapper and take him to his book for you are the man sayes he who is to succeed me i● the ministry at this place which so very astonishing ●● that Gentleman for the present yet accordingly fell out he did immediatly succeed him there where he was for many yeares an holy and faithfull Minister of the Gospel This last passage many yet alive who had the same from the said Mr Iohn Ker can witnes IV. Mr Patrik Simson who was once Minister of ●ramond and after transported to Stirling may be here also instanced as a very extraordinary man in the Church in his youth he attained to great knowledge in the languages did much study Greek and L●ti●e A●thors and gave this reason to such who vvondred ●● should spend so much time in reading these vvho vver● but pagans that he purposed to dedicat all these ●evvels vvhich he borrovved from the Egyptians to the building of the house of the Lord it is knovven vvith vvhat zeal he did oppose himselfe to the corruptions of that time in the year 1584 whilest there was an express● charge from the King for acknowledging Mr Pat●ic● Adamson Archbishop of S. Andrewes or else lose th●● maintenance he did with great vehemency appear against the same though that man was his uncle upon the mothe● side and some who seemed willing to subscribe there to with such a condition according to the Word of God he did gravely rebuke shewing them it could be no salve to their conscience since it was repugnantia in adjecto to subscribe to any institution according to the word when the word did expresly condemn the same It was also known he refused the offer of a Bishoprick and af●●●wards of a yearly pension from the King which he looked on as a design only to bribe his conscience which was more dear to him then all the World and when that assembly at Aberdeen was condemned by the State he did openly own and avow the same and in a very solemn manner denounced the wrath and ●●dgement of God against these accusers and convicters of these excellent men at Linlithgow who stood for the liberty of that assembly that notable paper and protestation given in to the Parliament 1606 where