Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	great_a	know_v	time_n	2,755	5	3.2913	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43815	The best and worst of Paul, and his character in both conditions	Hill, Thomas, d. 1653.	1648 (1648)	Wing H2021; ESTC R25713	23,294	25

be true we cannot tell saith he but the more the better this is Austins answer the more the better the greater variety of readings and a greater commendation it is to Scripture because though there be some vaiety of readings in regard of particular words yet you shall find all those readings agree in the substantialls it is a great commendation now and my brethren Scripture is not so much the words as the sense and if the sense be the same as to the fundament all points in all places the multitude of various readings is no disparagement for it is rather indeed a wonder that it is so well and a marvellous work of providence that a Bible running through so many hands writing first and then printing and now so many hundreds above thousands of years together divers thousands as you know a great part of the old Testament was that there should be no more mistakes an admirable work of providence But then I will ad'e this further Many of those mistakes that are it is an easie matter to reconcile them I confesse it is not very obvious to all but learned men that are Antiquaries and Criticks and are able to consult with books and have seen ancient Copies c. they are prepared to reconcile As there is a difference now in Mark and John concerning the times there about Christs suffering one saith the third hour and another saith the sixth how shall we reconcile them learned men have seen ancient Copies where they are both the same an ancient Copy of the 19. of John naming the third hour We have a place in the 27 of Matthew 5. where it is said there as I take it the Prophet Jeremy if you please to turn to the 27. Chapter or look it at your leasure at the 9. verse then was that fullfilled that that was spoken by Jeremias the Prophet some tell us Jeremiah and Zachary written contractively in the Hebrew are the same and some say among the Hebrews and others say Zachary was Jeremiahs scholar and therefore called by that name but here is a short answer salves all I can tell a man that hath seen a Copy six hundred years old where there was neither Jeremy nor Zachary in but the Prophet there is a short and full answer There is another place in the 1. Corinthians it is very considerable and the 15. there saith Paul I protest by your rejoycing that we die daily some reade it I protest by our rejoycing in the 31. verse {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it is not I on all the learned men I dare say in this assembly or in any other can possibly determine whether is were to be read ours or yours whether our rejoycing or your rejoycing because they are both a truth yet I could tell you what is answered learned Criticks give this answer that the ancient Greeks did pronounce the Eta and the Upsilon much alike and then when a copie came to be transcribed he that did write did not look upon the copie but heard one dictate and read to him now they did pronounce Eta like Upsilon and so the mistake might be easie he that writ could not well tell whether he said {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they being alike in the pronunciation and upon this very ground might be the mistake now many such places I might name Do not thou decline the word of God and flie to Revelations know thou there is and do thou carefully maintain that sweet harmony that is between the word of God and the Spirit of Revelation and if the sauie Spirit that did endite the word do speak in thy mind and work in thy heart then indeed thou hast a great deal of cause to rejoyce and then thou mayest safely go on but cursed will they be in their practises that do divide those things separate them that God hath conjoyned together word and spirit do not thou advance Spirit to the dsparagement of the word make use of the word in a concurrence with the light of the Spirit and improve the Spirit for a more full discovery of the word I much hasten Lest I should be exalted through an abundance of Revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh least I should be exalted The Lord is most carefull to suppresse to hinder the thriving of his people in any sinfull course therefore saith he lest I should be exalted through the abundance of revelations he gives him a thorn lest I should be exalted above measure why so willthe Lord hinder it thus He knows that we are naturally prone to corrupt even the best things and this the nature of Pride whereas all other evills rise out of evill Pride springs out of the ashes of good and whereas we should glorifie God with our good things we do engrosse those good things to our own glory and so most sacrilegiously rob God The Lord knows this and therefore in such cases will be most carefull to hinder us from undoing our selves he loves us so dearly even as a father loves a child if he sees the knife though it be a very good thing and very usefull will cut the childs fingers he will take away the knife from the child though the child cries after it if the Wife come to love the servant once better then her Husband though he is a most usefull servant an excellent steward an admirable secretary a very good and dexterous and faithfull Bayliffe yet because he gets into the husbands place and hath that room in his wives affections that is peculiar to him and she begins to be disloyall towards him he will turn his servant out of doores why because he will not have his Wife to be undone nor suffer his own glory to be eclipsed Therefore let us humbly kisse Gods rod and listen what language it speaks and he who hath appointed it even when he smites know this to your comfort he can smile upon us and when other men think the sentence of death is passed upon us it may be he is then enlightning of us when others think he is marring and undoing of us he is making and doing us most good when others think by humbling providences he is blasting us then he is raising us and preparing us for great mercies O how good a God have we Take us in the very worst in the lowest condition of our Christianity in the blackest and bitterest part of it when we suffer even then God is dealing like a wise Physitian even giving us recovering or preventing Physick and hence it is that the Apostle saith the God of all grace who hath called you to eternall glory make you perfect after you have suffered a while make you perfect strengthen stablish settle you there is no lesse then four words as if he should

on Of such a one will I glory yet of my self will I not glory but in mine infirmities Paul take him as in himself he will not glory he is far from glorying in a third person it may be he will glory of the same things and in the same things that he will not glory in himself but rather act the part of an noble man indeed and really act it not hypocritically sustinendo personam but he will debase himself to the lowest that is an humble posture the frame of an humble soul and desire to advance Christ to the highest disparage himself conceal himself so God may appear in his glory For though I would desire to glory I shall not be a fool he had matter to glory if he vvould have produced it for I will say the truth he might have spoken a great deal of truth vvhen he gloried in himself but he will not do it but novv I forbear least any man should think of me above that vvhich he sees me to be or hears of me here is an admirable fruit of humility I desire it may be observed an admirable fruit of humility and the Observation is this That he who hath a deep die of humiliation is somtimes very carefull to conceal himself and his own glory Why so least any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be or bears of me Why is he thus carefull to coneeal himself upon this very ground even as Jesus Ghrist Michael the Archangell for he vvas that Michael that did contest vvith the Devill about Moses his body vvhere he should be buried Sathan vvould fain have knovvn the place Jesus Christ vvould have it concealed vvhy lest that he being so great an instrument of the glory of God people should adore him and sacrifice to him he knevv hovv superstitiously hovv idolatrously those people vvere enclined notvvithstanding all the discoveries of God they had had all the glorious ordinances and all the providentiall administrations it should be concealed so doth an humble Saint vvell knovv that he hath great reason to conceal himself vvhy lest others should advance him too high It may be there is such a man that is an humble Minister if they should knovv that he converted such a soul or that he made such a book therefore my name shall not be vvritten to it they vvould adore him too much it may be a charitable person if they should knovv he gave so much money to such an use they vvould idolize him Therefore I le conveigh it secretly not pompously displaying his own good works and I hope many Parliament-men and men in great place they can be content to serve God and serve the Publick though their name be not printed and ranked in such and such catalogues here is the frame of an humble spirit and therefore by way of Use If you be so desirous very desirous to discover all of your self set alwayes the best side forwards to guild over all your actions with the most specious commendations and cannot be content to do any thing in secret but that it must be published O suspect there is a great deal of unmortified pride in thy heart thou hadst need pray to the Lord to humble thee and pull down those proud plumes of thine for if there were a deep die of humiliation thou wouldest be content to conceal thy self especially when the glory of God and thine come in competition and be glad so Gods cause were carried on though by another Thus Luther did encourage Melancthon God is able to raise his own sinking cause and though we are unworthy it may be done by others For though I should desire to glory I shall not be a fool for I will say the truth but now I forbear lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be or that he heareth of me and lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations abundance of revelations Somtimes you see the Lord gives to some of his servants abundance of revelations not this and that revelation but abundance of revelations shall know many things why so what account can we give of the wisdome of God in this Because he doth intend here is the reason to gain himself abundance of glory by such and such persons he will not make them the conduit-pipes of conveighing such and such discoveries of himself unto others the Lord hath fitted for and given parts and the Spirit and gifts and graces suitable to be a glorious instrument and therefore he shall have abundance of revelations and therefore by way of Use Let it be our care to blesse God heartily blesse God and this were a sign indeed of love to Iesus Christ and a freedome from envy if thou be kept in the dark thy self yet thou canst blesse God that some others have an abundance of revelations but here is the wretched muttering of pride in our carnall hearts we cannot endure that any body should know more then our selves O this hath broken many good Lectures this hath bred a great deal of heart-burning amongst Ministers this makes it may be great Counsellours and Statesmen many times endeavour to pull down one another why because they grow as trees before their windows and a little hinder their prospect because it may be they have greater parts and greater abilities then themselves and are able to say more and gain more reputation and do more then they O this is not a thankefull frame this is not an humble posture I but saith many a soul that would be in the highest forme It may be I have as many revelations as others and as great discoveries are made to me for answer to this Question I beseech you let us a little consider for there is much talk of Revelations and I hope there are many and a great deal of discourse of new light and I hope there is much many more clear discoveries and will be for the Pope must come down by new light how ever some men scoff at it I do not mean by an addition of new fundamentalls and by new light substantiall truths but indeed Revelation is this properly the spirit of Revelation enabling us more fully to see what is already revealed as the rule to discover those objects which are propounded in the word of God and therefore for your satisfaction to these that say we have such and such revelations c. First Knovv that there are some extraordinary Revelations vvhich are made to Churches and those by publick persons authorized by God himself and they are alwayes infallible Upon this very ground doth our Saviour say in the closure of those seven Epistles in the second and third Revelations He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches when the Spirit speaks when he hath a tongue to speak we must hear but then 2. There are other