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	word_n	write_v	5,673	5	5.6270	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29676	Apples of gold for young men and vvomen, and a crown of glory for old men and women. Or, The happiness of being good betimes, and the honour of being an old disciple Clearly and fully discovered, and closely, and faithfully applyed. Also the young mans objections answered, and the old mans doubts resolved. By Thomas Brooks preacher of the gospel at Margarets new Fishstreet-hill.	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1657 (1657)	Wing B4922A; ESTC R214145	141,163	402

reasons for it are these viz. The first is drawn from Christs judicial proceedings in the last day set down largely and clearly in the 25 of Matthew where hee inumerateth only the good works they had done but takes no notice of the spots and blots Deut. 3.2 4 5 6 of the staines and blemishes of the infirmities and innormities of the weaknesses and wickednesses of his people My Second Reason is taken from Christs vehement protestations that they shall not come into judgement Vide Aquin. 87. Suppl Est in l. 4. Sendist 47. John 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and beleeveth on him that sent mee hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Those words shall not come into condemnation are not rightly translated the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not come into judgement not into damnation as you read it in all your English books I will not say what should put men upon this exposition rather than a true Translation of the Original word further it is very observable that no Evangelist useth this double asseveration but John and hee never useth it but in matters of greatest weight and importance John 1.51 ch 3.3.11 ch 6.20.32.47.53 c. and to shew the earnestness of his spirit and to stirre us up to better attention and to put the thing asserted out of all question and beyond all contradiction as when wee would put a thing for ever out of all question wee do it by a double asseveration verily verily t is so c. Thirdly Because his not bringing their sinnes into judgement doth most and best agree with many precious and glorious expressions that wee finde scattered as so many shining sparkling Pearls up and down in Scripture as First With those of Gods blotting out the sinnes of his People Isa 43.25 I even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake Isa 44.22 and will not remember thy sinnes I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins Who is this that blots out transgressions hee that hath the keyes of heaven and hell at his Girdle that opens and no man shuts that shuts and no man opens he that hath the Power of life and death of condemning and absolving of killing and of making alive hee it is that blots out transgressions if an under officer should blot out an inditement that perhaps might do a man no good a man might for all that bee at last cast by the Judge but when the Judge or King shall blot out the indictment with their own hand then the indictment cannot return now this is every beleevers case and happiness Secondly to those glorious expressions of Gods not remembring of their sinnes any more Isa 43.25 And I will not remember thy sins And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour Jer. 31.34 and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more So the Apostle Heb. 8.12 for I will bee merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more And again the same Apostle saith This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days saith the Lord Heb. 1● 17 That which Cicero said flatteringly of Caesar is truly affirmed of God Nihil oblivisci solet praeter injurias he forgetteth nothing but the wrongs that daily are done him by his I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more The meaning is their iniquities shall quite bee forgotten I will never mention them more I will never take notice of them more they shall never hear more of them from mee though God hath an iron memory to remember the sinnes of the wicked yet he hath no memory to remember the sins of the righteous Thirdly His not bringing their sinnes into judgement doth most and best agree with those blessed expressions of his casting their sinnes into the depth of the Sea and of his casting them behind his back Mich. 7.19 Hee will turn again hee will have compassion upon us hee will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the Sea where sinne is once pardoned the remission stands never to be repeated pardoned sinnes shall never come in account against the pardoned man before God any more for so much doth this borrowed speech import if a thing were cast into a River it might bee brought up again or if it were cast upon the sea it might be discerned and taken up again but when it is cast into the depths the bottome of the Sea it can never bee boyed up again By the Metaphor in the Text the Lord would have us to know that sinnes pardoned shall rise no more they shall never be seen more they shall never come on the account more hee will so drown their sinnes that they shall never come up before him the second time And so much that other Scripture imports Isa 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back these last words are a borrowed speech taken from the manner of men who are wont to cast behinde their backs such things as they have no minde to see regard or remember A gracious soul hath alwayes his sins before his face I acknowledge my transgressions Psal 51.3 and my sin is ever before mee and therefore no wonder if the Lord cast them behinde his back The Father soon forgets and casts behinde his back those faults that the child remembers and hath alwaies in his eyes so doth the Father of spirits Fourthly His not bringing their sins into judgement doth best agree with that sweet and choice expression of Gods pardoning the sins of his people And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity Jer. 33.8 whereby they have sinned against mee and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against mee So Micha Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage as though hee would not see it Mic. 7.18 but wink at it hee retaineth not his anger for ever because hee delighteth in Mercy The Hebrew word Nose from Nasa that is here rendred pardoneth signifies a taking away when God pardons sin hee takes it sheere away that if it should bee sought for yet it could not bee found as the Prophet speaks In those daies and in that time Jer. 50.20 saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel

his word as you may see by comparing these scriptures together Deut. 29.18 19 20. Psal 78.36 Psal 36.1.2 Job 17.5 Ezek. 12.24 Dan. 11.21 32 34. Ps 12.2 3. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Karath signifies any cutting off either by death or banishment c. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things And as God declares sadly against them in his word so hee hath declared terribly against them in his works as you may runne and read in his judgements executed upon Ahabs flattering Prophets and upon Haman and upon Daniels Princely false accusers c. And why then will not you stop your ears against those wretches that the hand and heart of God is so much against Again A preacher in Constantines time presumed to call the Emperour Saint to his face but he went away with a check Euseb de vit Const l. 4.4 As God declares against them so good men detest them and declare against them as you may see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 5.8 9 10. Prov. 2.16 Prov. 7.21 Prov. 28.23 Job 32.21 22. 1 Thess 2.5.20 Prov. 20.19 Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Why so why because a man that flattereth his Neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet Prov. 29.5 The Hebrew word Mahhalik from hhalak that is here rendred flatterer signifies a smooth boots a soft butter-spoken man because flatterers useth smooth soft speeches Also the word signifies to divide because a Flatterers tongue is divided from his heart Flatterers have their nets and those that give ear to them will bee taken to their ruine A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it The Hebrew word and a flattering mouth worketh ruine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 26. ult A flattering mouth ruines name Dahbah signifies such aviolent forceing of one as he cannot stand it signifies to throw down to drive on forwards till a man fall into destruction same estate body soul life Valerian the Roman Emperour used to say Non acerba sed blanda not bitter but flattering words do all the mischeif When Alexander the Great was hit with an Arrow in the siege of an Indian City which would not heal hee said to his Parasites you say that I am Jupiters son but this wound cryes that I am but a man Now shall good men detest them and abhor them as they are the pest of pests the plague of plagues and will you own them will you take pleasure in them to your ruine here and hereafter the Lord forbid Oh say to all flatterers as hee to his Idols Hos 14.8 Get you hence for what have I more to do with you Nay once more consider that not onely the good but the bad not onely the best but some of the worst of men have manifested their detestation of Flatterers and flattery Leo the Emperour used to say occulti inimici pessimi a close enemy is farre worse than an open When a Court Parasite praised Sigismund the Emperour above measure the Emperour gave him a sound box on the ear When Aristobulus the Historian presented to Alexander the Great book that hee had written of his glorious acts wherein hee had flatteringly made him greater than he was Alexander after he had read the book threw it into the River Hydaspes and said to the Author it were a good deed to throw thee after it When the Flatterers flattered Antigonus hee cryed out mentiris mentiris in gutture Hae virtutes non laetent in me thou liest thou liest in thy throat these vertues that thou speakest of I have not in me but I am like a Leopard that have ten black spots to one white Augustus Caesar and Tiberius Caesar were deadly enemies to flatterers insomuch that they would not bee called Lords by their own children A good Symbole is attributed to Trebonianus Gallus viz. Nemo amicus idem et adulator no Flatterer can be a true friend Aristippus the Philosopher seeing Diogenes washing of herbs for his dinner said if Diogenes knew how to make use of Kings hee need not live upon raw herbs as he doth to which Diogenes replyed that if Aristippus could content himself with herbs hee need not to turn Spaniel or to flatter King Di nysius for a meals meat Ah! Young men Young men shall God shall good men shall bad men detest and declare against Flatterers and flattery and will not you turn a deaf ear upon them yea fly from them as from a Serpent and shun them as you would shun hell it self if you do not the very Heathens but now cited will rise in judgement against you Flatterers are the very worst of sinners The Flatterers told Caesar that his freckles in his face were like the starres in the Firmament they bought and sold Aurelius the Emperour at pleasure And Augustus complained when Varrus was dead that hee had none now left that would deal plainly and faithfully with him So men may gain by Flattery they will bee like Harpaelus who said Quod Regi placet mihi placet that which pleaseth the King pleaseth mee When Astyages set his own Sonne before him to feed upon him O but let every young man say into whose hands this treatise shall fall Quod Deo placet mihi placet that which pleaseth God pleaseth mee I have been the longer upon this out of love to young mens souls Whilest an Asse is stroaked under the belly you may lay on his back what burden you please who are so apt to bee insnared in the Flatterers net if ever you would bee good in good earnest you must abhor Flatterers as the first born of the Devil and as such that are most pernitious to mens happinesse both here and hereafter It is reported of one Oramazes that hee had an enchanted Egg in which as hee boasted himself hee had inclosed all the happiness of the World but being broken nothing was found in it but Wind. Flatterers are the greatest cheaters the greatest deceivers in the world They say of the Crocodile that when hee hath killed a man he will weep over him as if hee were sorry and did repent for what he had done the Application is easy Fourthly If you would bee good betimes if you would seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of your dayes then take heed of engageed affections to the things of the World The Young man in the Gospel took many a step towards heaven Mat. 19 16-24 All these things have I kept from my Youth up what lack I yet Christ makes a very fair offer to him in the next words Jesus said unto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow mee thou shalt have heaven for earth a Sea for a drop a

leave Where Christ beginnes to love he always loves Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love Now who would not venture the loss of all friends in the world to gain such a friend as this is Ah! Young men and women let mee say to you what Seneca said to his friend Polibius Fas tibi non est de fortuna conqueri salvo Caesare never complain of thy hard fortune as long as Caesar is thy friend so say I never complain of your loss of Friends so long as by loosing of them you gain Christ to be your friend Secondly Thou were 't better be without their friendship and favour than to enjoy it upon any sinful and unworthy accounts thou were 't better run the hazard of loosing thy friends and their favour by seeking and serving the Lord in the Primerose of thy dayes then to run the hazard of losing God Christ heaven Mat. 16.26 Mark 8.36 eternity and thy soul for ever by neglecting the things of thy peace It was a gallant return which the noble Rutilius made his friend requesting of him an unlawfull favour in such language as this I had as good bee without such a friend as with him who will not let mee speed in what I ask to whom hee replyed I can want such a friend as you if for your sake I must do that which is not honest The application is easy Well Young man remember this the torments of a thousand hells were there so many comes far short of this one vice to bee turned out of Gods presence with a Non novi vos I know you not Mat. 7.23 Ah! Young man Young man thou wer 't better ten thousand thousand times to bee cast out of the thoughts and hearts of thy carnal friends and relations than to bee cast out of Gods presence with cursed Cain for ever Gen. 4 than to be excommunicated out of the general Assembly of the Saints Heb. 12.23 and Congregation of the first-born which are writen in heaven and therefore away with this objection but Thirdly The favour and friendship of such carnal persons is very fickle and inconstant it is very fading and withering Now they stroak and anon they strike now they lift up and anon they cast down now they smile and anon they frown now they kiss and anon they kill now they cry Hosanna Hosana anon they cry Crucify him crucify him Haman is one day feasted with the King and the next day made a feast for Crows Esth 7. The Princes of Babylon were highly in King Darius his favour one day Dan. 6 and cast into the Lyons den the next The Scribes and Pharisees that cryed up Judas one day did in effect bid him go and hang himself the next day Mat. 27.3 4.5 Such mens favour and friendship Valerian Valens Belisareus Baj●zet Pythias Dionysius Pompey William the Conqueror and many other have found it so are as Venice Glasses quickly broken and therefore not much to bee prized or minded Histories abounds with instances of this nature but I must hasten onely remember this that every dayes experience tells us that wicked men can soon turn Tables and cross their books their favour and friendship is usually like to a morning cloud or like to Jonahs Gourd one hour flourishing and the next hour withering and why then shouldest thou set thy heart upon that which is more changeable than the moon Glaucus who changed his Armour of Gold with Diomedes for his Armour of Brass stands upon record for a fool c. But Fourthly and Lastly who but a mad man would adventure the loss of the Kings favour to gain the favour of his Page who but a stark Bedlam would run the hazard of loosing the Judges favour upon the Bench to purchase the good will of the Prisoner at the Barre Socrates preferred the Kings countenance before his Coyn and so must you prefer the favour of God Psal 4.6 7 the countenance of Christ and the things of eternity above all the favour and friendship of all the men in the World when your nearest friends and dearest relations stands in competition Psal 45.10 Mat. 10.37 Luk. 14.26 27 with Christ or the things above you must shake them off you must turn your backs upon them and welcome Christ and the things of your Peace hee that forsakes all relations for Christ shall certainly finde all relations in Christ hee will bee father friend husband Child hee will bee every thing to thee who takest him for thy great all Object 3. I but I shall meet with many reproaches from one and other if I should labour to bee good betimes if I should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and morning of my youth now to this I answer First What are reproaches to the great things that others have suffered for Christ his Gospel Heb●ews ch 10. ●● read the ten persecutions and the maintaining of a good conscience what is a prick of a pin to a stab at the heart what is a chiding to a hanging a whipping to a burning no more are all the reproaches thou canst meet with to the great things that others have suffered for Christs sake Ah! Young men you should be like the Scythian that went naked in the Snow and when Alexander wondred how hee could endure it Answered I am not ashamed for I am all forehead So should you in the cause and way of Christ you should not bee ashamed you should be all forehead you should bee stout and bold Colonus the dutch Martyr under all his reproaches called to the judge that had sentenced him to death and desired him to lay his hand upon his heart and then asked him whose heart did most beat his or the Judges All the reproaches in the world should not so much as make a Christians heart beat they should not in the least trouble him nor disturb him but Secondly I Answer That all the reproaches thou meetest with in the way of Christ and for the sake of Christ they do but adde Pearls to thy Crown they are all additions to thy happiness and blessedness 1 Pet. 4.14 If yee be reproached for the name of Christ happy are yee for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part hee is evil spoken of but on your part hee is glorified the more you are reproached for Christs sake on earth Mat. 5.11 12 the greater shall bee your reward in heaven they that are most loaded with reproaches here shall bee most laden with glory hereafter Christ hath written their names in golden letters in his book of life that are written in black letters of reproach for his sake on earth T was a good saying of one Chrysostom a Reproacher saith hee is beneath a man but the reproached that bear it well are equal to Angells of all Crowns the reproached mans Crown will weigh heaviest in heaven But Thirdly