Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	heart_n	law_n	write_v	3,285	5	6.1567	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46867	The friendly enquirer's doubts and objections answered concerning the light within, the word of God, the church of Christ, gospel ministers, ordinances in general and in particular, water baptism, and the Lord's supper : together with a brief testimony against oaths and swearing / first intended and written for the satisfaction of some particular acquaintance and now published for more general service by James Jackson.	Jackson, James, fl. 1674-1708.	1698 (1698)	Wing J73; ESTC R34952	26,741	110

And therefore to that pure Invisible Unchangeable and Immortal Seed and Principle of Life and Light Which enlightneth every one that comes into the World that Word which is nigh in the Heart that everlasting Gospel which is preached Col 1.23 In every Creature for so it is in the Greek Copie under Heaven even to that Grace and Spirit of God which appeareth and offereth Salvation to all Men which inwardly makes manifest the hidden works of Darkness reproves and condemns all unrighteousness in Heart and Life directs and leads into the way of Life and Peace accepteth of and rewardeth for well-doing let every one who love their own Souls be inwardly turned to love it believe in it and obey it that ye may no longer remain in Darkness but walk and abide in the Light of the Lord to whom be Glory Honour and Obedience for ever Amen God the Father hath committed all Power in Heaven and upon Earth to his Son and made him Supream Head and Governour over his Church and He in his own Divine Light manifests and reveals himself his mind and will to Man and is all-sufficient and ever present to direct and lead his People into all Truth And being our Lord our Judge and Law-giver requires universal Obedience to his Royal Law written in our Hearts and hath always the Soveraign Power to lay aside alter abolish and lead his People from the use of outward Observations and Ordinances that are idolized or abused as well now as he did formerly by Temple-Worship Sacrifices the Passover and Circumcision which at first was commanded the Jews and their Seed for an everlasting Covenant 1. Even as Swearing under the old Testament an Oath was then taken for confirmation c. which under the Gospel is expresly forbidden by Christ Mat. 5.34.35 and by the Apostle James 5.12 The Primitive Christians kept this Doctrine against the commandments of Heathen Emperors Popes and persecuting Princes As Policarpus refused to Swear affirming it a special Character of a true Christian not to Swear at all he was burn'd therefore in the 86 Year of his Age Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 55. Basiliades another Martyr affirmed it was not lawful for a Christian to Swear Euseb c. 6. p. 98. In the Plowman's Complaint we have this Expression Lord thou givest us thy Commandment of Truth not to Swear but to say yea yea and nay nay and to be Humble and Meek but he that calls himself thy Vicar on Earth hath broken both these Commandments compelling Men to Swear and teacheth that to save Life a Man may forswear himself Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 527. Walter Brute affirmeth that as it was the Perfection of the Ancients in the Old Testament not to forswear themselves so the Perfection of a Christian Man is not to Swear at all Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 653. And Chrisostome declares it is a Sin to Swear upon any account Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 701. Yea a great Master in Divinity saith It is not lawful either to give or take an Oath upon a Book for saith he a Book is nothing else but divers Creatures whereof it is made therefore to Swear upon a Book is to Swear by Creatures and this Swearing is ever unlawful Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 701. So likewise other Customs which had their Rise and Authority of the Romish Church and Popish Councils intruded meerly for filthy Lucres sake ought to be laid aside viz. Ignatius Bishop of Rome was the first who ordained that Infants should be baptized and have God-fathers and God mothers And anno 1500. it was ordained by the Council held at Pïsoy in France that Infant Baptism should be received by Tradition because it could not be proved by Scripture And Higinus the ninth Bishop of Rome ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times a Year 2. And as for paying Tythes under the Gospel Dispensation 't is sufficiently manifest to be a Popish imposition Pope Pius the 5th commanded Tythes to be paid under the penalty of Excommunication The Bohemians in their Christian Exhortation to Kings and Princes to stir them up to Zeal for the Gospel against the covetous practices of the Clergy say They receive Tythes of Men and will have them and preach that Men are bound to give them Tythes but therein they say falsly for they cannot prove by the new Testament that our Lord Jesus commanded it neither did his Disciples receive any and tho' in the old Testament it was commanded to give Tythes yet can it not thereby be proved that Christians are bound thereunto for this precept of the old Testament had an end in the first Year of our Lord Jesus Christ like as the precept of Circumcision Wherefore consider and see how your Bishops seduce you with things that have no proof Christ said in the 11th of Luke Give Alms of those things that remain but said not give the Tenth ye possess Acts and Mon. vol. 1. fol. 860. Finally The Main and Principal Foundation of the Law of England is the Law of God so saith the law-Law-Book Doctor and Student c. 2. p. 4. in these Words There is a Law written in the Heart of Man which is Man created in the Image of God and this Law is always Good and Righteous stiring up the Man to do that which is good and abhor the evil and therefore against this Law saith the Book Prescription Statute Custom may not prevail and if any be brought against it they are void and against Justice Wherefore it doth necessarily follow that all Popish or Prelatical Prescriptions Customs or Penal Statutes concerning Oathes or Tyths or any other thing not sounded on the Law of God written in the Heart are void and against Justice For undoubtedly they who laid the first Foundation of Government had Authority to make such a Constitution as cannot be altered by Posterity for Foundations cannot be removed without hazzard of the whole building but if any do here plead the necessity of times the expediency or usefulness of some such Statutes or Customs I Answer 1st the greatest necessity and care is and should be to secure and maintain the Foundation and 2ly however necessity might support and indulge other Laws it cannot such as alter and are pernicious to the Constitution but every legal advantage should be taken for restoring it together with our just Rites and Freedoms from all Arbitrary oppressions and innovations and more particularly from the aforesaid Popish intrusions and impositions for Oaths and Tythes And this is the humble and earnest desire of every good subject that they who are more especially concerned may so Vote and so Enact As those that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty James 2.12 for by this Law in the Heart God hath shewed unto them that Govern as unto us who are under them what is good and what he requires of us all Mic. 6.8 And that they who sit to Judge us according to the Law