Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	good_a	read_v	scripture_n	3,013	5	5.7839	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64235	A sermon preached before the Right Honourable Sir John Shorter, Knight, lord mayor of the city of London at Grocers-Hall, February the 12th, 1687/8 by Nathanael Taylor.	Taylor, Nathanael, d. 1702.	1688 (1688)	Wing T549; ESTC R34647	25,151	42

Discoveries It was a Judas but not Iscariot not that vile Traytor not that Son of Perdition No it was another kind of Person a better Man than he tho one of the same Name Such Men know not the sweetness of that Wine they never tasted of and therefore admire not the goodness of the Master of the Feast in the distribution of it Christ rejoyced and gave thanks for the Revelation of these things to others and will not you do it for the discovery of them to your selves Had you the Tongue of Angels or Power over Devils you would not have so great cause of Rejoycing and singing Praises as you now have because Gods Law is written on your Hearts and your Names in Heaven 3. Envy not the excellent Gifts of others that are strangers to the grace of God in truth For you have the better part Tho the surface of the Field appear mean and barren yet the rich Mines contained in the Bowels of it render it exceeding more valuable than another Soil that is Fat and Flourishing 4. Endeavour to grow and improve in this saving Knowledge Your Minds are not yet open'd so wide as they may be to receive the highest sight and sense of these things no more than a Flower is full-blown in one day but insensibly cleaves its Hood and gradually opens it self to our view Spiritual Understanding like the natural One should come on by little and little and the Sons of God like the Children of Men be daily growing up in Wisdom and Stature 5. Long for Heaven where your Knowledge shall be compleated 'T is with us here below as with a Man that walks in a cloudy Night that makes a hard shift to perceive first one Star and by and by two or three more but still there is a vast number of them which he cannot discern Something we know and gradually make some few fresh Discoveries but how great a Portion is hid from us Whereas in Heaven all that Ignorance shall be removed that now hangs about us like the Relicks of a broken Cloud on the top of a Mountain All that Dust shall be blown out of our Eyes that at present obstructs our Sight The Sacred Volumes have many glorious things written in them which we can't yet discern because they are according to the ancient Form of Books roll'd up which tho God be gradually unfolding yet 't is in Heaven only that they shall be fully stretched out lye all plain and open before us There shall not be a greater and more glorious Change of the dull Matter of these vile Bodies than in our dark Souls when we reach Heaven both shall shine clear as the Light at Noon-day Our Notions here are broken confused and imperfect like the rude Images in the Fancies of them that dream Ps 73.20 which we our selves shall despise upon our awakning in that Morning Ps 17.15 when we shall behold Gods Face and be satisfied with the Vision of him as well as with our likeness to him 6. Follow the Example of Christ in an humble Adoration of the good Pleasure of God as to those things which may seem very strange to you I might press this as to his Laws Ordinances and Providences When you meet with many hard Chapters in the Book of Nature Scripture and Providence which you are not able to read and understand don't cavil and wrangle lay your Hands on your Mouths or if you do open them say no more than thus with the greatest lowliness of Mind Even so Father for so it pleaseth thee Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out Lastly Lay out your selves to the utmost for the advancing of Gods Honour and Interest This is the Duty of all Men and in a peculiar manner of Christian Magistrates that have been taught of God. And the fewer of the great Ones of this World are on Christs side so much the more zealous and active should those few be You cannot indeed give of your Oyl unto the foolish Virgins yet you may reflect the Light of it in good Works shining before Men and induce them to glorify your heavenly Father And if you do not do this it had been better for you you had still continued under the Bushel remained in your former Obscurity Luke 11.33 than to be thus advanced on a high Hill. 'T is a serious Question that will e're long be put to all of you by one that hath Authority to ask it and will have an Answer seeing I have done so much for you more than for others what have you done for me more than others And I hope you will betimes bethink your selves what Reply to make and labour to be ready furnished with a very good one If you behave your selves like wise and faithful Magistrates the Power you have now in your Hands and the Grace of God ruling in your Hearts and Lives while you rule over Men will exceedingly recommend Religion to others and set it off with great Advantage Divine Wisdom and Knowledge in an Assembly of Men in Authority are like flaming Tapers in a Branch of burnished Gold whose glittering and sparkling Substance returns Light as well as receives it sheds a Glory on the Room where it hangs and at once draws and dazzles the Eyes of all both far and near I have said ye are Gods Ps 82.6 but be not like the useless Idols of the Heathens that are empty and hollow within that only fill up the void Places where they stand and tho worshipped by the People have neither Eyes to see and discern between Good and Evil nor Hands to work Righteousness Tho you are a sort of inferiour Deities v. 7. yet remember you must die like Men so live therefore in your present Stations as the Children of the most High that you may not die in a civil or a natural Sense as a Fool dieth Encourage Religion punish and suppress that Profanation of Gods Name and Sabbaths that Debauchery and Immorality which to this day walks too open and bare-faced in the midst of us Steadily own the Truths of God wherein you have been instructed Plead his Cause in your Places maintain promote encourage his Interest not that of any single Party among us This is the Duty of Magistrates as well as Divines Rom. 13.4 For you also are the Ministers of God. In our Saviours glorious Transfiguration on the Mount not only Elias the Prophet but Moses also the Ruler of the People appeared and waited on him Christ and his Interest will never be lifted up on high nor shine in their Lustre and Glory in the World till both these are with him If you resolve to be so you must expect Reproaches and despise them Let all the Revilings which Men pour out against you be to you as Snow to the Ground Ps 147.16 that comes down upon the Earth like Wool soft and easie making no noise nor disturbance where it falls Whatever a few Fools may say against you this will be your Wisdom and Honour in the sight of the whole Nation and redound to your eternal Advantage For if you do these things then you to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of his Kingdom to you also shall it be given to behold the Glory and enjoy the Rewards of it When not only yours and all other Civil Power shall be at an end but the Mediatorial Kingdom of God-Redeemer too shall cease and the Father be all in all you shall be advanced to Thrones of Glory near his right Hand where there are Rivers of Joy for you to drink of and Pleasures that flow for evermore FINIS