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	prophet_n	write_v	2,747	5	6.1763	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10015	The saints submission and Sathans overthrow. Or, Sermons on James 4.7. By that faithfull and reverend divine, Iohn Preston, Doctor in divinitie, Chaplaine in ordinarie to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge, sometime preacher of Lincolnes-Inne	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1638 (1638)	STC 20266; ESTC S110465	38,733	336

soules and hearts the reason is because God only is able to search the heart and find out the corruptions thereof it is he that made the heart and not man therefore it is too deepe for him to search the wisedome of God is contained in his word hence the word will helpe us in the searching of our hearts here by the way we may note why so many suddenly fal into despaire God doth suddenly kindle a cleare light within them whereby they come to see the foulnesse of their sinnes and the multitude of them which having never looked into before they deeply apprehend that it 's impossible for them to obtaine mercy and so despaire The second means after we have set our sinnes before us with their aggravation is then to stay long in the consideration of them many at the ripping up of their sinnes will be ready to say Lord have mercy upon me but this is not sufficient Hence is that usuall doctrine that repentance is a continued act A sparke of fire under wet wood will not at the first flame out yet with continuall blowing at length it may burne that sparke of grace which is smothered in a mans hart at the first sight of his sinnes will not kindle his affections but at length with continuall meditation it will breake forth and may work much remorse The Prophet blames the people that in their humiliation they did but hang down their head like a Bulrush Isa. 58. Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soule is it to bow downe his head as a bulrush c. they did wel in humbling thēselves but their fault was in that they did not continue the same but were like the bulrush which whilst the storme or blast of winde lasteth hangs downe it's head but after lifts it up againe David in his repentāce had alwayes his sins before him Psal. 51. 3. the more he considered it the more humiliation it wrought in him The third means is we must have the spirit of God to soften our hearts or else all our labour will doe no good an hard stone while it so continues will not be bruised with a blow but being changed into flesh a little blow wil bruise it Our stonie hearts must be turned into flesh before they can be broken with consideration of our sinnes which is only the worke of Gods spirit this point is gathered out of Zach. 12. 10. Those who have had the greatest measure of sorrow for their sins it hath bin wrought in them by the spirit of God But how shal we attaine to this spirit will some say our Saviour tells us the way is to aske and pray for it and confirmes the same by an argument Luk. 11. 13. If yee being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that aske him Obj. If we were children indeed as our Saviour there argueth it is likely God would heare us but we are not For answer hereun to marke the parable beginning at the 5. vers and continued to the 9. verse the conclusion is verse 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth God is our friend if we could so perswade our selves if we cannot If we continue constant and fervent in asking God will at length heare us for our importunity and give us as joyfull an answer as the woman of Canaan had after her repulse this may the more comfort us the longer we expect an answer with patience the better and more comfortable answer shall at length be given us Many think that they want not this humiliation for sinne but let such examine whether they have left off their course of sinning which they lived in before this will be a speciall signe of their repentance If a man have done thee an injurie and pretend that he is very sorry for it yet if he offer thee the same wrong againe and againe thou wilt judge that he did but dissemble So he doth but dis dissemble in his repentance that doth continue in sinne sorrowed for that keepes the same course of sinning still Another use may be of exhortation to our selves to our whole man inward ond outward that we rebell not any longer but submit our selves unto the Lord. For the farther enforcing hereof let us consider First some signes of this our submission Secondly the motives to it Thirdly the means to attaine it For the first the signes of this submission The first may be respect to Gods word and delight in it if we neglect his word and are not moved with the judgements and promises therein contained then are we rebells That Subject that heares the Proclamation of his Prince read with the punishment annexed to be inflicted upon such as breake it neglectes the same regards not the punishment but manifestes his contempt of them shewes that he will not obey that law of his Prince but rather rebels against it That neglect of Gods word is a signe of rebellion is most evident Isa. 30. 8 9. 10. Now saith the Lord by his Prophet Goe write it before them in a Table and note it in a booke that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever that this is a rebellious people lying children children that wil not heare the Law of the Lord which say to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things speake unto us smooth things prophecy deceites A common excuse of simple people is that they are not booke learned though they delude their owne consciences yet God is not mocked he that made the eye shal not he see he that made the understanding shall not he know God knowes that this is but an excuse and that sloath and negligence is the true cause that they have no more knowledge in Gods word these thinke they have knowledge enough and therfore need no more but this will be tried if they examine their desire to know more their delight in Gods word which alwayes accompanies knowledge Thus the Apostles reason stands 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. If they had tasted how gracious the the Lord is then as new horne babes they would desire the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby Act. 20. Paul tells them that he had revealed to them the whole Counsell of God intimating that he had bin in fault if he had kept the least part thereof secret although the Pastour if he be not diligent to teach be in fault yet that excuseth not the people though God requireth the blood of the people at those Pastours hands that doe not feed them yet the people perish notwithstanding God oftentimes complaines that his people perish for want of knowledge but poore silly people perswade themselves