Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	holy_a	scripture_n	teach_v	2,798	5	6.1836	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08055	Mans actiue obedience, or The power of godlines especially in the commandement of the gospell, which requireth faith in euerie Christian: or A treatise of faith, worthily called precious faith, as being in it selfe a most rare iewell of ioy, and peerelesse pearle, that excelleth in worth the highest price. Wherein is plainly declared what faith in Christ is what properly is the obiect of it, what is the speciall operation of faith, by which it may bee discerned; and the worke about which it is principally imployed, the subiect wherein it is placed; what things are needfull to the making it up, what to the being, and what to the wel-being of it; with the differences that are betweene true beleeuers and fained in all of them, and the vses thereof. By Master William Negus, lately minister of Gods word at Lee in Essex.; Mans active obedience.	Negus, William, 1559?-1616.; Negus, Jonathan, d. 1633.	1619 (1619)	STC 18420; ESTC S113618	278,658	364

in their owne bosome or to take intelligence and grow acquainted with the state and common-wealth of their owne soules or once to thinke of those things that are done in their owne breasts which appertaine to none but themselues alone They delight to tell and to talke of the trouble and businesse of this or that countrey when in the meane time they care not to take any knowledge what trouble is made in their owne breasts by wrath enuie bodily lust ambition and the like in so much as they may be said to be more strangers to their owne nature to their owne soules and to the things that doe concerne themselues most neerely and peculiarly then they be to the deserts of India or to the seas that are furthest off worst to be sailed vpon and hardliest to be knowne Of whom in respect of such kind of knowledges that may bee spoken and well applied vnto them which a learned man spake of some of whom hee said that in Melancthon omnibus sciunt aliquid in toto nihil In all things they will seeme to know something and yet in the whole they know nothing and so they know nothing to any purpose The godly on the other side and true beleeuers esteeme with the Apostle to know nothing sauing Christ and him crucified and so to know themselues as they may the better know how to bee saued by him and this is their chiefest and profoundest learning that they looke after Besides the carnall men desire to bee well read in any booke rather then in the booke of their owne conscience preferring pamphlets and bookes of idle discourse written by men of corrupt and vaine mindes who haue more wit then wisedome how well to vse it of whom it may truly bee said that spider-like they draw out their bowels for the ctching but of flies before the wholesome and sauourie writings of men both godly and learned which affoord much good helpe to them that are well exercised in them for their better profiting and furtherance of their godly edification Yea before the most sacred and holy word of God it selfe and the diuine Scriptu●es which are the onely religious and most royall sanctuaries of the truth there being the wisedome of God reuealed vnto vs in them and that Vrim and Thummim wherby we are answered as by Oracle from God in al our controuersies yea God himselfe in them is made knowne vnto vs who drawing as it were the curtaines of heauen doth out of them reueale his owne maiestie vnto vs as with open 2. Cor. 3. 18. face If they can light vpon any thing that is extant published and brought foorth dressed and as I may say dished out and set before them which being once tasted of both in regard of the agreeablenes of the matter which they finde therein to be handled and pleasantnes of the manner and stile of writing in which it is deliuered the same be found to be meate as we vse to say for their owne teeth and as well pleasing the appetite of the old man that is vainly and carnally minded as euer did old Isaac who desired to eate of the flesh of venison take delight to eate of his sonnes venison being prepared after the manner of Rebeckahs fine dressing then as among the Iewes if any would prophecie to them of wine and Mich. 2. 11. strong drinke he should be a Prophet alone for that people Such bookes are the only bookes in these times for such sort of readers such writing they thinke most worthie their reading and are neuer wearie in so doing The man famished with hunger doth not more eagerly flie vpon or more greedily deuoure the meate that is before him then these doe the things that are so written till hauing eaten thereof to the full and satiated themselues with that windie stuffe they may blow it out againe into the eares of the next companie they come into and be able to discourse and hold talke and babble with all sorts of men of all manner of businesses saue of those onely which of all others it were most fit for them to busie themselues about But that which Seneca complained Seneca ep 88. of in his time touching things that were vnprofitable written and taught then may well be the complaint of these times that many things are written and set foorth which were worthie to be vnlearned if at all they were knowne and to be chopt off with hatchets rather then not to haue them gone These contrarily neglect not to looke to their conscience and daily to turne ouer the leaues of that booke to see what is written there as well as to reade other writings for the getting of other knowledges yea they aboue all things labour to keepe faith and the knowledge they haue in a good conscience both towards God and men alwaies and as for their choice of reading bookes and things that are written for their getting of sound knowledge and better profiting in good learning they preferre the reading of one line of the sacred Bible and holy Scriptures and one leafe of other good bookes found consonant to the Scriptures sanctifiedly and sauourly written by such as are Orthodox containing in them wholesome doctrine and profitable instruction that doe tend to spirituall edification before whole legends and vast volumes of idle and vnprofitable discourses contained in bookes though iudged neuer so wittie and found neuer so pleasing and plausible to the palate and liking of vnsanctified men The misbeleeuing professors know the Scriptures and Acts 13. 10. 2. Pet. 3. 16. abuse them and so are the worse for their knowledge peruerting the Scriptures to their owne destruction and 2. Pet. 2. 20. 21. though they know the truth and the way of righteousnes yet they turne away from the holy commandement and therefore they had been better neuer to haue knowne the same their knowledge seruing but to encrease their sinnes and to further the more their iust condemnation and as is said by the Prophet their wisedom and knowledge Isai 47. 10. doth peruert them and cause them to erre The true beleeuers know the Scriptures and are guided Psal 119. 133. 2. Tim. 3. 25. by them ordering their steps in the word of God and so are made wise by them to saluation they know Gods Iam. 1. 25. word and doe it and so become blessed in their deed They know Christ and so doe these but in a differing manner They know Christ and perish with their knowledge of him they knowing him but as the Diuels know him who knew him to confesse him saying We know who Mark 1. 24. thou art euen the holy one of God but they doe not willingly obey him nor soundly beleeue in him and therefore shall neuer be saued by him These haue the sauing knowledge of Christ they know him to acknowledge him as did Peter when hee did confesse Iohn 6. 69. him We beleeue and know thou art Christ

suffice not let him answere Christs interrogatorie When the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on the earth If no faith surely as little repentance Shall then Gods Seedes men withdraw their hand because much hath been sowne alreadie when as so little comes vp Nay verily so many as truly beleeue on the name 1. Iohn 5. 13. of the Son of God wil acknowledge they stil neede Saint John should write vnto them that they may beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God as for the world that abides in vnbeleefe the truth of God where it shines most clearely shall haue that effect which Christ foretold the Spirit of Truth the blessed Comforter should haue at his comming euen to conuince it of sin because Iohn 16. 19. they beleeued not on him Neither I hope will the manner of handling vsed by the Authour and the kind of phrase farre from affectation or the entising words of mans wisdome I hope I say this will not offend any who are content their faith should stand not in the wisdome of men but in the power of God But I returne to you most worthie Knight to you principally I offer this Treatise this field if so I may call it wherein the Pearle of faith is discouered It is not for me to teach you how you are to account thereof your wisdome cannot but approue that high estimation the Merchant in the Gospel had of the Pearle This onely I wish that as you abound in outward treasures so you may be rich in the faith and consequently heire of the kingdome which God hath promised to them that loue him And certainely if that bee true that faith workes by loue then are you not without witnesse being well reported of for your loue to the truth and such as walke in the truth Onely goe on honoured Sir to deserue well and heare well of the Church of God If thus you shall bee content with those 24 Elders Apoc. 4. to cast your earthly dignitie at the feet of the Lambe improouing all to his behoofe to the aduancing his glorie and countenancing Religion If with that worthy King Dauid in way of thankfulnes to the Lord who hath done so great things for you you shall reflect your goodnesse vpon his Saints those excellent on earth this shall lift you vp in true honour and reputation among men in this world and be found to your immortal praise and glory in the day of the Lord Iesus yea vpon you shall come the blessing of those who blesse all such in the name of the Lord as are friends to Sion and seeke the peace of Ierusalem To this I from my heart say Amen and the Lord out of Sion blesse your Worship and grant you to see the good of Ierusalem all the daies of your life So for euer stands bound to pray and in what he may to be seruiceable to your Worship IONATHAN NEOVS THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader TO preuent that preiudice whereby the regard and benefit of many good bookes is much hindred we haue thought good to premit somewhat touching the Author the treatise it selfe and the reasons why it is committed to the presse First for the Author he may well be reckoned amongst the Worthies of Gods Israel who while he liued was as another a Act. 18. 24. Apollos an eloquent man and mightie in the Scriptures instructed in the way of the Lord and feruent in the spirit and spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord a man of indefatigable paines both in his priuate studies and exercises and also in the publique worke of his Ministerie to the great benefit of the Church of God ouer which the holy Ghost had made him an ouer-seer and finally he was a iudicious and pious Diuine well seene and practised especially in these points of faith and repentance wherof he hath here written So that the qualitie of the Author doth deseruedly commend the treatise as also the nature of the treatise may wel commend the Author with whom in the birth thereof it fared as with b Gen. 35. 11. Rachel who died in trauell whereupon though this abortiue orphan may in regard of the parent thereof well brooke the name c The sonne of my sorrow Benoni yet for our due esteeme vse thereof it may fitly by vs be called d The sonne of my right hand Beniamin The reasons mouing this our Author to write any thing for publique vse as one of vs hath obserued them from his owne mouth was first for that he being restrained from benefiting the Church by the ordinarie course of his ministerie hee was both willing and desirous to be seruiceable and helpfull to the same in what he might by this way and meane Secondly he seeing the people generally both pestered with many needlesse idle vaine pamphlets and multitudes of fabulous historicall discourses and also much encombred with manifold polemicall diuinitie tractats of curious and litigious points tending rather to contention and diuision then to godly edifying and that many good and necessarie bookes were more framed to giue satisfaction to the learned then to edifie the simple therefore that he might in a subseruient manner endeuour to supplie the preteritions of the latter sort of bookes and to helpe to iussle the former rotten rapsodies out of place he thought it expedient that treatises of such necessarie matter concerning the eternall saluation of all handled in so plaine a manner that the meanest may vnderstand should also be obtruded vpon the readers at the least if it were but to interrupt and hinder somewhat the reading of such bookes as be either hurtfull or vnprofitable Thirdly that he might leaue in speciall to that people and * Lee. congregation to whom he was a carefull Minister a particular remembrancer to bring to their minds some chiefe points of his former doctrine taught amongst them which upon their second meditations thereof they might the more affect and regard and also to bequeath some note of his good affection to his louing friends and well deseruing acquaintance this treatise did he entend and fit for them often to peruse and well to respect as the last farewell and loue-token of their deare friend Secondly for the treatise it selfe though it be imperfect both for the extent in parts and measure thereof and also for the manner and forme of the same so that now it commeth farre short of that perfection which was intended and would haue been performed by the Author if God had not taken him away before that he could finish or reuise it yet seeing for substance and matter it is touching iustifying faith and sound repentance without which none can be saued neither doth any perish but by defect and error in these two therefore is this discourse thereof most worthie the diligent perusall and consideration of all who may therein finde a new discouerie of the manifold slights of the diuell and deceits of the

as it were within them to consider them aright Expos in Psal children and shew to the generation to come the praises of the Lord his strength and his wonderfull workes that he hath done that they may make them knowne to their children and the children which yet are not borne may arise and declare them to their children that all may set their hope in God and not forget the workes which he hath wrought The workes of God saith the Psalmist are honourable and glorious to be sought out of all them that haue pleasure therein they are as scaling ladders that are set vp for vs euery where to climbe vp by them the better to see God and as bookes opened in which we may learne better to know them the dumb 111. 3. Psal 111. 2. 3. Psal 28. 5. Iob 12. 7. 8. 9. beasts if they be asked will teach man the fowles of the heauen will tell him the earth will shew him and the fishes of the sea will declare vnto him that the mighty God hath made them all Q. Touching the worke of the Creation which is the first worke of this kind wrought by God in the beginning what vse and practice are we to make of the knowledge thereof A. That seeing it is the Lord that hath made vs and Psal 100. 3. Rom. 11. 36. not we our selues and that of him through him and for him both we and all things else haue had our being we therefore endeauour by our selues and by all things else to bring glory to his name that so the Lord may Psal 104. 31. reioyce in his workes Often praying that prayer of Dauid Thy hands O God haue made mee and fashioned Psal 119. 73. me giue me vnderstanding therefore that I may learne thy Commandements Besides when we looke vpon the heauens the worke of Gods fingers the Moone and the Psal 8. 3. starres which he hath ordained and know that by the word of the Lord the heauens were made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth When wee behold how the Lord hath sowen and garnished the heauens Psal 33. 6. with starres aboue and gloriously couered the earth with flowers fruits and all liuing creatures here below Iob 26. 13. we who are set in this world as vpon a stage to behold these things and admire the eternall power and Godhead the goodnesse and greatnesse and wisedome that is infinite of him that did so make them which Paul saith to be the inuisible things of him but by the creation Rom. 1. 20. are cleerely to bee seene And that as those that are astonished with this his worke full of wonders wee doe crie out with the Psalmist to the praise of him that hath done them O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Psal 8. ● earth among the gods there is none like thee O Lord there is none that can doe like thy workes Psal 86. 8. Q. What vse may be made of the knowledge of the worke of the redemption of mankind and of the restoring of all things by the Messias and Sauiour of the world A. Thereby as the manifold wisedome of God is manifested and made knowne to Angels and to men so the exceeding greatnesse of the power of Gods might Ephes 3. 10. Luk. 1. 49. ●1 69. and riches of his grace and goodnesse especially to mankind is cleerly reuealed and ought freely to be acknowledged Ephes 1. 19. Ephes 2. 7. that was able and willing not onely to make all things good out of nothing in the first Creation but to restore that which was now become euill and therefore worse then nothing to a better perfection then it euer had in the first beginning a worke of greater difficulty then was the former God to make the first world spake the word and it was made he commanded and it Psal 33. 9. stood fast but the same Lord to restore the second spake many things did maruellous things and suffered vnworthy things euen things most heauie and grieuous In regard whereof this being done especially for mans saluation we may cry out with the Psalmist Lord what Psal 144. 3. is man that thou takest such knowledge of him and the sonne of man that thou makest such account of him and as Iob speaketh that thou shouldest thus magnifie him Iob 7. 17. and thus set thine heart vpon him and in respect of the Lord cry out How great is his goodnesse and how great is the beautie of his workes towards vs Oh happie the redeemed who is like vnto them a people that are thus saued of the Lord The knowledge also of our redemption should be as a double bond vnto vs to bind vs in duty vnto him that 1. Cor. 6. 19. 20 Luk. 1. 74. 75. Tit. 2. 14. hath so loued and saued vs by so great a deliuerance to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues who hauing been our Creator is also become hereby our Recreator that hath twice giuen vs our liues once out of nothing and the second time out of wofull destruction and most deadly damnation Lastly seeing we are bought with so great a price we August are not to make our selues so vile and so little worth as to sell our selues for a morsell of bread or a piece of siluer Ezech. 13. 19. Heb. 12. 16. to become slaues vnto Satan and seruants vnto sinne Q. There is yet another worke of God his daily gouerning ordering and disposing all things by his prouidence what vse may the knowledge thereof be put vnto by vs A. This may glad the hearts of all creatures in generall Mat. 28. 18. Ioh. 5. 17. 22. Ephes 1. 20. 21. 22. but especially of the redeemed to know that the Lord that saued them is the ruler of the world who sitting in heauen doth whatsoeuer hee will that his is the Psal 1 15. 3. Psal 22. 8. Ezech. 33. 11. Iob 7. 20. Psal 36. 6. power and his is the might and that the kingdome and the dominion is his who as hee hath made all things and giuen them life and being so doth hee not delight in nor desire the death of any but is said to be the preseruer of men yea vouchsafeth to let it be knowne to all that it is he that saueth both man and beast For this cause the Psal 97. 1. and 98. 7. 8. 9. Psalmist willeth all the earth to be glad of it yea not so much but the insensible creatures are called vpon to bee affected with it the sea is willed to roare the flouds to clap their hands and the hilles to be ioyfull together For since the Lord is king all may reckon vpon it that hee will iudge the world with righteousnesse and the people with equity This also may put courage and boldnesse into the hearts Psal 27. 1. of all Gods faithfull seruants not to feare what all their