Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	law_n	life_n	write_v	2,944	5	5.7098	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81174	The white stone: or, A learned and choice treatise of assurance very usefull for all, but especially weak believers. By Nathanael Culverwel, master of arts, and lately fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge.	Culverwel, Nathanael, d. 1651?	1654 (1654)	Wing C7573A; ESTC R231750	66,496	141

truth which is made a fatal stumbling-block to some shall prove a solid foundation of joy and sweetness unto them The very possibility of Election should banish all such thoughts as these Who can tell but God may have been gracious unto thee and have fixt an eye of love upon thee Oh then breath after him pant and long for him desire him to expresse his minde to thee to communicate his love to thee Besides though thou dost not know Election will meer love do nothing Though thy God did not intend to glorifie thee yet thou shouldest intend to glorisie him Though he does not chuse thee for his Servant yet thou should'st chuse him for thy Lord. There is worth in him though there be none in thee Resolve that into what condition soever he throw thee though into Hell it self that there thou wilt love him and there thou wilt praise him and long for him that there thou wilt adore and honour him and wilt grieve only for this that thou canst honour him no more that thou wilt admire his goodness to others his justice to thee I and his goodness to thee too that layes lesse upon thee then thou deservest Such thoughts as these would make hell it self lightsom VI. As Election is secret and mysterious so Vocation may be easily known That Astrologer was deservedly laught at that was so intensely gazing upon the Stars so admiring their twinkling beauties as that unawares he tumbled into the water whereas before if he had but been pleased to look so low as the water he might have seen the Stars there represented in that Crystal glasse Such as will needs be prying into the Star that will ascend up into heaven and gaze upon Election they do but dazle their eyes and sometimes by this are overwhelmed in the depths of Satan whereas they might easily see the Stars in the water they might see Election in Sanctification in Regeneration Now Vocation does plainly and easily appear by that great and eminent alteration which it brings along with it It is a powerful Call 't is an audible and quickening voice the voice of the first Trumpet that awakens men out of the graves and makes them happy by having their part in the first Resurrection great and sudden alterations they are very discernable Now here is a most notorious and signal change made Old things are past away and all things are become new here is a change from death to life from darkness to light and what more discernable then this A living man may know that he is alive and that without any further proof or demonstration whatever the Scepticks old or new would perswade us to the contrary Will you not allow a man to be certain that he lives till a jury of life and death hath past upon him Could not the blind man in the Gospel think you perceive when his eyes were opened could he not easily tell that now he could see and discern variety of objects or must he only conjecture that he sees and guesse at a Sun-beam must he still at noon-day go groping in uncertainties And is there not an easie and sure difference between those thick veils and shadows of the night between those dark and Ethiopick looks and the virgin blushes of the morning those beautiful eye-lids of the day The smilings and flowerings out of light much more the advancement of light to its Zenith and Noon-day-glory And thy then cannot an Intellectuall eye discern as well that now it sees that now it looks upon God with an eye of love with an eye of faith with an eye of confidence and that now God looks upon him with an eye of tenderness and compassion with an eye of grace and favour with an eye of delight and approbation Who but an Anaxagoras will go about to perswade a man to disbelieve his eyes and if a corporal eye deserve such credit why may not a spiritual eye then expect as much Say not then in thine heart Who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Assurance from above who shall unclasp the Book of Life that is sealed and turn thee to thy name or who shall bring thee a Certificate that is written there Behold it is nigh thee even in thy heart The work of grace there the Law written on the tables of thine heart by the finger of the spirit is the exemplification and counterpane of that Decree the safest way the best way the only way to make sure of Election is first to make sure of thy Vocation Make your Calling and Election sure FINIS

withdraw it self and leave only the witness of our own spirit and yet then the soul has assurance But yet the soul should aim at the highest Plerophory at the top of assurance Then quench not the spirit lest you put out your own joy greeve not so sweet an inhabitant that comes to comfort you give him no cause to withdraw his light Quest But what if the soul have not the witness of Gods spirit nor of its own spirit neither What if it have no present light no certain evidence Answ There 's one way left yet have recourse to former Assurance Dost thou certainly know and remember that once thou hadst a sweet serenity of soul that an enlightened conscience upon good grounds did speak peace unto thee Didst thou never see the light of the spirit crowning thy soul with satisfying beams Art thou sure that once he did bear witness with thy spirit that thou wert the Child of God Why then be sure still that thou art in the same condition for there 's no total falling from grace Thy light it may be is put out for the present Conscience does not speak so friendly to thee as 't was wont And thou hast greeved the spirit and he has took it unkindly and has held off his light for a while But now canst thou remember the dayes of old when the Rock pour'd out Oil unto thee when thy branch was gr●en and flourishing Canst thou certainly recall thy former Assurance Canst tell the time when the spirit did set his seal unto thee and confirmed all thine Evidences Well then lay down but perseverance for a ground and thou art still assured of thy salvation The spirits testimony is of an eternal truth And heaven and earth shall sooner passe away then one beam of this ligh● shall vanish though now it be not apparent to thy eye When the soul for the present is cloudy and dark it may cherish it self with former assurance Now that a soul may have no sensible Assurance for the present and yet may remember former Assurance is clear in that holy man David Psal 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit Davids joy was extinguisht and he would fain have it lighted again Three things imply'd in the word Restore 1. That for the present it was taken away 2. That once he had it 3. He remembers that he had it and therefore prayes Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit that was the spring of Davids joy the testimony of the spirit witnessing with his spirit was that which did uphold and staffe up the soul Davids own spirit was now very unquiet and Gods spirit did withdraw himself and now the best refreshment that David has is from former Assurance 'T is true there is some sadness and bitterness in this consideration when a Christian shall think what he has lost O my soul was once a beautiful Temple full of fair windows and goodly prospects and glorious light I could take a prospect of Canaan when I pleased but now I dwell in the tents of Kedar nothing but blackness and darkness There is trouble and a sting in these thoughts but yet there is some honey and sweetness too Was I not once a friend of God and does he use to forsake his friends Did he not once speak peace to thee and does he use to recall his words Did not he shed his love in thy heart and is not his love immortal Did not his spirit seal up thy soul and is not the print of that seal indeleble speak did not he once shew thee thy name written with his own hand in the Book of life and does he use to blot out what he has written Dost not thou remember did not he smile upon thee in such and such an Ordinance and are his smiles deceitful O no! rest satisfied O Christian soul and quiet thy self in those rich expressions of his love which he has formerly bestowed upon thee O question not his goodness but prepare thy self for receiving of it The streams are dryed up but yet the Fountain is full thou hast had some tastes of it though now thou art dry and thirsty and thou shalt have in time fresh bubblings up of his grace towards thee in the interim take this for a cordial Those former drops which thou hast tasted of it will cherish thy soul to all eternity The least drop of grace shall never be exhausted the least spark of true joy shall never be exstinguisht all the floods that the Dragon can vomit out of his mouth shall never be able to quench it But then 4. Put the case thus that there be no Sun-light nor Starre-light nor reliques of former light neither the testimony of Gods spirit nor of our own spirits nor any recalling of former assurance what must the soul do now Now look to the dawning of the day to the first Crepusculum look now to the initials of grace to the preface of sanctification Thou canst not it may be shew any fair and lively pourtraicture I but hast thou the first draughts and rudiments of holiness Thou hast not any goodly delicious clusters of Canaan O but see if the tender grape do bud There are not any ripe fruits of the spirit but yet are there som blossomings of holiness thy graces don't flow out into so full fair a stream but canst thou see any bubblings up of goodness in thee Thou hast not yet the strength a well grown Christian well but is there the vagitus of an Infant Look now to the souls prizing of a Christ to the whimperings after the breast to the breathings and longings after its Beloved thoughts upon him desires for him endeavors after him there 's much comfort sweetness in these I and some kind of assurance For 1. Be sure that God that has begun this great work in thee will never give over till it be full and compleat he does not use to leave his work imperfect The least tendency to goodness is cherished by him The very first motion 't is of his own planting and it shall lack for no watering and he himself will give it an increase 2. The least seed of grace as 't is choice and precious so 't is very vigorous and operative it will never leave working till Christ be formed in thee Who hath despised the day of small things Thy spark may spread it self into a flame and thy tender bud may flourish and bring forth much fruit He that is richest in grace beg●n with as little a stock He that is now a tall Cedar was once a tender plant Improve but present strength and God will send thee in fresh supplies Auxiliary forces and thou shalt walk ●rom strength to strength till thou appearest before God in glory Thy light shall shine out brighter and brighter till perfect day Donec stabiliatur dies according to the Syriac till thou

in the world but their soul lies safe at Anchor 3. In the houre of death Thou knowest that providence then means only to break the shell that it may have the kernel Let them tremble at the knocking 's and approaches of death that know not what shall become of their precious souls Men who through the fear of death have been all their life-time subject unto bondage But thou may'st safely trample upon the Adder and play in the Cockatrices Den. The Martyrs you know did thus when they embraced the flames and complemented with Lions and devoured torments and came to them with an appetite Assurance of the love of God in Christ this and nothing but this pulls out the sting of death 'T is true that death has lost its sting in respect of all that are in Christ but yet such as know not that they are in Christ fear death still as if it had a sting Only an assured Christian triumphs over it O death where is thy sting 4. Assurance fills the soul with praise and thankfulness The real presence of a mercy is not enough but there must be the appearance of a mercy and the sense of it before it fill thy heart with joy and thy mouth with praise A doubting Christian is like a bird entangled and in a snare the soul has not its comfort nor God has not his praise But an assured Christian is like a Bird at liberty that flies aloft and sings most chearfully It begins those Hallelujahs in time that must last for ever It breaks out into the Psalmists language Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Observ 4. The fourth and last Observation which was propounded out of the Text was That the way to make our Election sure is first to make our Calling sure And this is sufficiently warranted from the just order and method of this Apostolical exhortation Make your Calling and Election sure First your Calling then your Election and by your Calling your Election Methodus Analytica best becoming Creatures Many have handled this point at large I shall do it very briefly and I shall give you all that I intend to speak to it in these six particulars 1. Election in it self is secret and mysterious For 1. it is from eternity and so there was none could know it but God alone none could know Election but he that made an Election A Being that is spanned by time cannot reach to what was done from everlasting You cannot imagine that non-entity should listen and hear what was whispered in the secret Councel of Heaven Thou goest only by the Clock of time but those decrees were written with an eternal Sun-beam thou turnest up thy houre-glasse of time but these were measured by an infinite duration Was it possible that Esau not born should see God frowning on him or that Jacob should perceive a smile Thou art as far from meriting Election as a non-ennity and thou art as far from knowing it as a non-entity 2. God has a minde to keep it secret and therefore he has set a seal upon it not only a seal of certainty but a seal of secrecy You know creatures themselves have their closet-determinations men have their thoughts under lock and key they have not windows into one anothers breasts much lesse into the breast of a Deity Thou canst not fathom sometimes a shallow creature and dost thou think to reach to the bottom of infinite depths Has God given thee secret springs of working has he made the wheels and motions of thy soul secret and undiscernable and may he not have the same priviledge himself So then if God has put a vail upon Election do'st thou think to see into it When he has shut and clasp't the book of Life do'st thou think to open it and read it II. Vocation comments upon Election Gods decrees that were set from everlasting do bud and blossom and bring forth fruit in time Election buds in a promise and blossoms in an offer of grace The Book was written before the foundations of the world were laid but it was not publisht till God himself gave it an Imprimatur The Letters was dated from eternity the Superscription was writ in time in Vocation Now you know though the Letter be writ first yet the Superscription is read first by him that receives the Letter 'T was decreed from eternity that Decrees should be known in time And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulness of time is the time when Gods decrees are fulfilled When the decrees of God are ripe then he lets the soul taste them and then they are sweetest Then thou perceivest that thou art a vessel of honour when God puts thee upon an honourable imployment That fountain of love which ran under ground for everlasting bubbles up and flowes to thee in time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in Election becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vocation Thus thoughts of men when they would appear they put on words they take wings to themselves and flie away III. There is a strict and an inseparable connexion betwixt Election and Vocation For who is there that can blast the decrees of Heaven or who can reverse the Seal of the Almighty Who can break one link of this golden chain To be sure 't is not in the power of created Beings to evacuate and annihilate the Counsels of God A creature as it had no influence upon Election so neither has it any power to alter it A shadow does not alter the Sun but rather shews you what time of the day it is And then to be sure God himself will not reverse his own seal Nulla est litura in decretis sapientum say the Stoicks A wise man will scorn to blot out any thing Nullae sunt liturae in libro vitae God is so full of light as that there is no shadow of change in him Therefore has God pickt thee out as a Jewel and laid thee up in a secret repository in the Cabinet of his secret counsel He will then bring thee out and shew thee in time he means to polish thee and put a lustre upon thee he means to set thee as a Diamond in his Ring and to put thee upon the hand of a Saviour Did God from all eternity resolve to set thee as a captive soul at liberty Truly then thou needest not doubt but that he will in time break open the prison-doors and beat off thy chains and thy fetters and give thee full inlargement God has been preparing a feast for thee from everlasting a feast of sweet and fat things and refined an Evangelical feast To be sure then he will invite thee in time he will stand at thy door and knock nay he will compel thee to come into it God glanced an eye of love upon thee when thou layest hid in the barren wombe of nothing to be sure then in time he