Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	eat_v	good_a	great_a	123	3	2.1246	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16215	Meditations upon the XLII. Psalme. By William Bloys esquire	Bloys, William, 17th cent.	1632 (1632)	STC 3140; ESTC S114171	95,230	372

comparison All other writings have either withered and beene consumed by the worme of time like those bookes that Salomon wrote of trees or have bin plucked up by the roots through the malice of some tyrant Desunt nonnulla or if still extant many branches are falne off diverse parts are wanting Desunt plu●ima Or lastly though entire and whole yet are they as the Authors themselves subject to infirmity being like the tree of Knowledge of good and evill therein wee may know some good to be collected and some evill of errour to be reformed or ignorance to be pittied or sin the worst of evils to be avoyded Onely this booke which alone deserves that title though in part most ancient doth still continue one word thereof shall not perish being like that tree of Life whereof if wee eate we shall live for ever The booke of Psalms hath alwayes beene in great estimation being as a spirituall library of most kinds of doctrine fit for meditation a common treasury of all good learning a rich magazin furnished with spirituall armour to withstand any assault of our Adversary The which was so frequently cited by Christ his Disciples who derive not fewer than threescore and foure testimonies from two and forty severall Psalmes Herein wee may see an abridgement of the history of the Church even from the Creation untill those times and many prophecies of those things which should come to passe in succeeding ages Here is the Law and the judgements thereof when hee relateth Gods dealing with the wicked and the confusion of the ungodly And here is the Gospel and the sweet comforts thereof when he sheweth Gods mercy and love towards his children So that it is most usefull as for the Church in generall which hath appointed a more frequent use of this than of any other portion of Scripture So likewise for every one in particular and that in every estate Many of these Psalms doe resemble the life of a Christian for though in the former verses there is mention of sorrow and trouble and manifold afflictions yet in the conclusion there is consolation and thankesgiving And the ayme and desire is so to doe the will of our heavenly Father upon earth as it is done in heaven wherein wee may heare a voyce like that of the Angels saying Blessing and glory and wisedome and thankesgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever But when all is said that can bee the heart of a good Christian will indite more than the pen of a ready Writer in the praise of these Psalmes who in his passage through the valley of this world doth make them a wel of comfort Deformitas corporit turpitudine certabat in● e●● Then may wee abhorre the censure of that evill Angel Politian whose heart was worse than appeared in his outward deformity foming out his owne shame by preferring Pindars Odes before Davids Psalms Ferrea epithera P●ndari drosse and iron before the purest gold The chiefe Author of these Psalms was David the King for that is the title which is given to him alone among many Kings Mat. 3. as being an example unto them all Nor did those women intend him lesse honour in saying that he had slaine his tenne thousands 1. Sam. 18.7 which is the just sum whereby the name of Emperour hath since beene deserved ●sal 78 7● Him God tooke from following the Ewes great with young to feede Iacob his people whom hee fed in the integrity of his heart and brought them to greene pastures plenty of outward blessings and still waters the pure worship of God and meanes of salvation And like a good sheapherd he was willing to lay downe his life for his people when he speaketh Let thine hand 1. Chro. 21.17 O Lord God be on me but as for these sheepe what have they done And yet this precious Diamond though he were made the more eminent and illustrious by his predecessor Saul who was as a foile unto him yet was he not without his flaw and infirmity You see him upon the roofe of his house which prospect was another gallery for his sight to walke in where he burned in lust after her that washed her selfe But in his repentance hee bathed himselfe in his teares Psal 6.6 wherewith he watered his couch You see him numbring his people making flesh his arme Psal 40.12 But after hee doth number his sinnes and confesse his iniquities to bee more than the haires of his head None ever fearched deeper in his foundation of sorrow nor reared an higher building of comfort unto his own soule So powerfull was his repentance which maketh those things that were as if they had never beene that by Bathsheba her selfe hee obtained that son which did succeed him in the Throne So great was the love that hee received from his people 2. Sam 21.17 18.1 19.41 though unstable as water that hee was esteemed as the light of Israel worth many thousands of them And the men of Iuda and Israel strove who should have the great'st right in him Such grace and favour did he find before the Lord that he was esteemed a man after his own heart most eminent for his zeale most excellent for his praising of God I can hardly desist from commendation of him but I heare him speaking as the Angel to Iohn Doe it not for I am thy fellow-servant So that I ascribe all glory to God who gave such great gifts to the sons of men His sepulchre continued after Christs time Act. 2 2● his fame and renowne shall endure unto the worlds end The occasion of this Psalme wee may safely beleeve to bee Absalom who like as Domitian sought to defraud his father the warlike Vespasian Ce●ialis fidem tentavit an sibi imperium traditurus foret Tacit of the governement And his brother Titus the delicacie of mankind that should succeed So hee did endevour to obtaine the Kingdome from the valiant David his Father and to prevent his brother Salomon the wisest of men Using the worst meanes to fulfill his desire His pretence was that there was none appointed to do justice A true complaint in him that found so much mercie And by his outward shew of humility courtesie like a serpent going upon the belly he stole away the hearts of the people O Viper O generation of Vipers thus to destroy the parent of your country whose greatest revenge for this your treacherie would have been to have suffered you to accomplish your unlawfull desires Nil rex mai●s minari ma●è parentibus posset quam ut abiret è regno Senec. And as the ancient manner of Kings was when their subjects provoked them by their evill carriage as the greatest punishment to have forsaken his dominion Had their treason beene legitimated by the successe what an happy alteration had they made There was none to be

tongue blesse wee God even the Father Iam. 3.9 and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God So those men will speake to the praise of God that they may bee reputed the children of the most High and yet will vilifie such as they in scorne and the Scripture in honour call Brethren who labour to repaire that image which was defaced by the fall of Adam and doe give unto the Lord that which is the Lords But envy hath ever beene like unto fire which ascendeth unto that which is highest David Invidiam tanquam ignem summa pet●re Livi. whom God exalted to bee head of the people had many enemies And the men of this world doe hate those whom God hath chosen out of the world unto whom hee will give a crowne of life Yet their owne consciences doe tell them that they are more righteous than themselves Wherefore those servants that shall thus smite their fellow-servants for many Mat. 24.49 stripes are more tolerable than evill words their Lord shall come in a day when they looke not for him Q●i mortem ac ver●era tole●●biliora c●● a● quam 〈◊〉 ●●●●osa verba Sence and appoint them their portion with the hypocrites As for our selves 〈◊〉 2.20 if we suffer for doing well and take it patiently it is acceptable with God And hereunto were wee called because Christ also suffered for us who when hee was reviled reviled not againe Let us consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners Heb. 12 3. lest wee be wearied and faint in our minds Yee know how the whole band of Souldiers mocked him saying Haile King of the Iewes And they that passed by reviled him saying If thou be the Sonne of God come downe from the crosse Yea the chiefe Priests like whited walls contrary to the law spake evill of the Ruler of the people of the Lords Christ of that high Priest that offered up himselfe for us Hee trusted in the Lord let him deliver him if hee will have him And the theeves themselves to make the cause of their suffering to bee more just thought they could not spend their last breath better than by casting the same in his teeth All which reproaches were but as so many variations of that which was here spoken to David Where is thy God True it is that our blessed Saviour did seeme to bee forsaken of God for a time that wee might for ever enjoy the presence of the Almighty If we love him both He and the Father will come unto us Mat. 28 20. Iohn 14. and make their abode with us even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him But yee know him for hee dwelleth with you and shall bee in you How then can wicked men object Where is thy God seeing he is graciously present with us at all times and neerest unto us in any trouble as hee hath promised to bee with us in fire and water In gravescente rerum adversarum mole●ta frangitur piorum animus ut etiam ipsi dicant sibi c. Flami● and the greatest danger Yet we our selves in the time of afflictiō through weakenesse want of faith may thinke that wee are cast out of his sight not clearely discerning his love towards us But as Iacob when he awaked out of his sleepe said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not Gen. 28.16 so when the Lord doth raise us from our deadnesse and heavinesse of spirit we then find that hee was present with us in our disconsolate estate disposing all things for our future good And therefore wee may answer them as David doth Psal 115.3.4 Our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever hee pleased Their idols are silver and gold the worke of mens hands Such are the idols of all those that serve Mammon who keepe their gold and silver safe as being their onely gods that must defend them Gen. 31.34 But as Laban sought for his gods and could not finde them so they may hope for comfort and not finde it And then we may say unto them Where are thy gods Wee know that no man can see God and live The people said unto Moses Exod. 23.20 20.19 Let not God speake with us lest wee dye Gideon and Manoah feared death having seene an Angell And the souldiers themselves Mat. 28. became as dead men when the Angel of the Lord descended And yet such is the perverse corruption of mans nature that they neglect the worship of God the Creator of all things and doe bow downe to such Gods as they see with their eyes The Israelites having formerly seene the Egyptians worship Apis which is the same with Osyris in the likenesse of an oxe Sandys they forgat God their Saviour and began with a calfe saying These bee thy gods Num. 32.4 O Israel which in a short time would have multiplied into many gods The love and reverence which little children beare to their babies are evident seeds of Idolatry Moulin in buckler Imagines statuae deorum n●hil aliud sunt quam grandes pup●e and the Images of the gods are nothing else but babies come to the full growth Such as have blotted out that second commandement may justly feare that God will take away their part out of the book of life If in the time of affliction when God punisheth us for our offences it be a great addition to our misery the harsh censures and malignant speeches of wicked men Then it is our best wisedome so to walke with God that hee may be unto us a sunne and a shield bringing all good and defending from all evill And as Enoch pleasing God Heb. 11.5 was translated that hee should not see death which is the wages of sinne So if wee bee in all things obedient unto Gods Word hee will take us into his favour and wee shall bee delivered from unreasonable men Rom. 3.13 whose throate is an open sepulchre Wherefore as the lamp went not out in the Temple before the Lord called Samuel 1. Sam. 3.3 so the light both of good workes and also of joy should ever ascend untill God call us unto himselfe That others beholding the same may bee ashamed that they have falsly accused our good conversation and may be stirred up to glorifie God 1. Pet. 3.13 For who is he that will harme you if yee bee followers of that which is good Also our owne guilt doth set an edge upō the reproaches of wicked men and make them to bee like a sword in our bones Whereas if wee were innocent wee should like the daughter of Eli neither answer nor yet regard what is spoken unto us Bitter invectives being contemned doe vanish away but by anger wee confesse them to be true S●reta exoleseunt si irascar agnita vid●ntu● Tacit. Wherefore that wee