Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	life_n	name_n	write_v	18,504	5	6.4426	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25801	The practical rule of Christian piety containing the summ of the whole duty of a true disciple of Christ. Written originally in Latin by Benedictus Aria Montanus, and translated into English by A. Lovel, M.A.	Arias Montano, Benito, 1527-1598.; Lovell, Archibald.	1685 (1685)	Wing A3679A; ESTC R214868	74,341	284

only to treat of the Virtue and Grace of Repentance which is the end and complement of that other part for it is not enough to lament and bewail what is past as is commonly said to confess our sins and not commit the same again unless they who can do bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance And therefore this part which consists in the amendment of life and in the exercise and practice of Righteousness otherwise called the Virtue and Grace of Repentance is the subject whereof we shall treat at present Now the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures makes this Repentance the Grace of Heavenly Wisdom to consist chiefly in this That Man should war against his own Lusts subdue and overcome his natural affections abstain from worldly and carnal works and with all care and industry endeavour to perform what is commanded and approved of by God For this Law was laid upon the first Parent of Mankind by that Mysterious and Divine Oracle delivered under the Name and Figure of the Earth Gen. 3. Cursed is the Earth for thy sake in Sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life Thorns also and Thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread God declared to Man that that humane Earth called Adam from whence he himself had the name of Adam was for his sake that is for his transgression of the Command of God cursed and made disobedient foretelling him that in sorrow and labour he should eat of the fruits of that earth which was not through the curse become altogether so barren that it would bring forth no good fruit but that the good and profitable fruit which it did bring forth must be the effect of much labour and pain For as that Earth was of it self to bring forth nothing but Thorns and Thistles that is various difficulties springing from Lust and Pride which must be rooted out by him who desires to feed on good and generous fruit so there is need of indefatigable pains and labour even to the sweat of the brow that is to the mastering and disciplining the Will and Affections that by so doing he may obtain that heavenly bread which God hath promised fully to bestow upon those who in that manner work out their own Salvation Many Oracles of divine Scripture confirm the truth of this as Rev. 2. 3. To him that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God and a Crown of Life And I also will give him to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the Stone a new Name written which no Man knoweth saving he that receiveth it And I will give him the Morning Star and he shall be cloathed in white Robes and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life but will make him a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is the new Jerusalem and my new name Rev. 21. He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Liars shall have their part in the Lake wich burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death The gracious goodness of God to admonish us of these things and of what concerns our Salvation gives to all and every sinner this seasonable warning Rev. 3 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear be zealous therefore and repent Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Most graciously and freely then does the Lord invite to the joys of his Supper all who being decently cloathed and prepared as they ought pray and long for the gladness of that most excellent Feast which being liberally offered by him that invites them they shall at length fully enjoy and rejoyce with him who hath made them partakers of the greatest Promises But we have a clear Instance that he who durst come to the Wedding-Feast not cloathed with the Wedding Garment which is Repentance and the observation of the Precepts of Christ was rebuked by the angry King and had this dreadful check and sentence Mat. 22. Friend how camest thou in hither not having the Wedding Garment Then said the King to his Servants bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The Doctrine therefore of the Gospel requires not only Faith but Obedience also in him who desires to be an Heir of the promised Salvation and this Obedience begins by a true and unfeigned Repentance and shews it self in the serious exercise thereof heavy Judgments being denounced by God upon those who obey no● the Law of the Gospel No● by the Gospel Law in this place we mean the conditions requ●red of them who really and i● effect desire to be made partaker● of these glad tidings for otherwise without Repentance and the observation of the Precepts of God Men are so far from obtaining the divine Promises th●● they must certainly expect the wrath and anger of God 2 They 1. In flaming Fire taking Veng●ance of them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of o●● Lord Jesus Christ who shall be p●nished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power wh● he shall come to be glorified in b● Saints and to be admired of all them that believe Now this Wedding-Garment which every one that is called to the Marriage and desires to be admitted into that holy Feast must and ought to be cloathed with is made up of Repentance and the observation of the divine Precepts and that it is so we have the word of the King himself the Lord and Master of the Feast for it who commanded his Servants whom he sent to call the Guests Saying Mat. 22. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you That is to say Repentance and the study and observation of the Precepts and Commands of God For so the Lord himself expounds it who when he went about performing the office of an Evangelist taught publickly Mark 1. saying The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel

Dexterity and Success and thereby for the working out of their own Salvation the very Offices and Charges which they bear do declare For such Ministers are appointed by God not that they should only consult their own interests and indulge and please their own humours but that they should with all care and industry provide for the people of God those things that are known to conduce to the promoting of true Christian Piety publick honesty peace and tranquillity innocence and uprightness according to the Precepts and directions of the divine wisdom Now they who endeavour and study to do so must shew themselves to be Princes indeed not slaves to pride ambition strife hatred deceit frauds and avarice not approving desiring or admitting any thing that is not good just and honest not imitating crafty arts the slyness of dissimulation and humane cunning nor out of private revenge or for fulfilling their own lusts or ambitious desires being the authors of the devastations plundrings and ruine of Countrys Cities Towns and Villages nor vexing and oppressing poor Christian People with heavy and insupportable Taxes and Impositions but proposing themselves as patterns and examples to other Men of publick equity innocence and righteousness and making their lives and conversations a rule to private Men of continence modesty and godliness reckoning themselves no less than other Christians bound and obliged by that Covenant which they entered into in their Baptism and diligently observing that necessary renunciation which they then made of the Devil and all his works If these things were rightly observed one Prince would not invade the Kingdoms Cities Towns and Rights of other Christians nor detain what he had unjustly usurped By this means mutual Charity and Peace would keep not only Princes themselves but also their Vassals and Subjects in their duty honesty would commend and Majesty and Authority adorn them Justice would reign amongst People the zeal of Gods honour every where appear in exact obedience to the precepts and holy commandments of God and lastly in common and united desires purposes words and works that promise would be fulfilled which was made by all Christians none excepted in Baptism For if the true nature of Regal Imperial and Princely Authority be considered it will manifestly appear that these high and supreme dignities have for that end been instituted by God that they who are honoured with them should be the Guardians asserters and avengers of the holy Laws of God be and have the title of the fathers of their People that they should rightly administer Justice punish the guilty and transgressors of the Law put to death open and incorrigible Malefactors protect the poor and weak from the violence and oppression of the powerful and rich defend the innocent against the attempts of the wicked and maintain the fatherless and widows In a word that they should endeavour what in them lyes to keep and preserve all the Members of the State both high and low great and small rich and poor in peace concord tranquillity and security This I say is the true end for which the dignity and authority of Kings Princes and chief Magistrates is appointed by God from whence it follows that needless Pomp and ostentation with voluptuous greatness the affectation of Arbitrary dominion the designs of boundless ambition and the consequents thereof the dangers and losses of souls bodies and estates and the excessive harassing and overcharging Subjects are both displeasing to God and grievous to the people Nor is it only the Office of Kings and Princes to cause the rest of Mankind to be instructed and kept in the duties of Religion Piety Honesty and in the fear of God and to shew themselves the Ministers of the Will of God and Ecclesiastical Discipline but it is their proper duty also as they are Princes To know the Law of God carefully attend to and diligently practise and obey the same being led by the fear of the Lord in all the actions of their lives and administrations of their Government As it is enjoyned by this singular Precept Deut. 17. It shall be when the King sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests and the Levites And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left neither shall he multiply Wives to himself that his heart turn not away neither shall he greatly multiply to himself Silver and Gold lest trusting therein he fall into avarice and covetousness which the Apostle calls Idolatry and the root of all evil They are not to respect persons in Judgment nor to take bribes Eccles 20. For Presents and Gifts blind the eyes of the Wise and make them liable to that dreadful Sentence pronounced against those that pervert Judgment Deut. 27. Cursed be he that perverteth the Judgment of the Stranger Fatherless and Widow Of which execrable practice these Judges and Magistrates are taxed of whom it is written 1 Sam. 8. They turned aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted Judgment But seeing it is impossible that so many Provinces The Duty of inferiour Magistrates Cities and Towns as may happen to be in one Christian Kingdom can be Governed by the pains and care of the Prince alone divine Providence has appointed that Judges Magistrates and other publick Ministers should be constituted who may carefully and dutifully discharge the Offices and Trust that is reposed upon them Deut. 16. As it is written Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout all thy Tribes and they shall Judge the People with just Judgment Thou shalt not wrest Judgment thou shalt not respect persons neither take a gift for a gift doth blind the eyes of the Wise and pervert the words of the Righteous That which is altogether Just shalt thou follow And in another place Exod. 18. Provide out of all the People able Men such as fear God Men of Truth hating Covetousness and place such over them to be Rulers of Thousands and Rulers of Hundreds Rulers of Fifties and Rulers of Tens And let them Judge the People at all Seasons c. Which kind of Men when Jehosaphat had chosen he thus admonished them 2 Chron. 19. Take heed what ye do for ye Judge not for Man but for the Lord who is with you in Judgment Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of Persons nor taking of Gifts Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with