Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	lord_n	time_n	write_v	3,171	5	5.3797	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14386	Romphaiopheros = the sword-bearer. Or, The Byshop of Chichester's armes emblazoned in a sermon preached at a synod by T.V. B. of D. sometimes fellow of Queenes Colledge in Oxford, and now pastor of the church at Cockfield in Southsex.	Vicars, Thomas, d. 1638.	1627 (1627)	STC 24705; ESTC S119120	20,427	32

were scattered and all they that hated his word did flye before him like smoake For all those Gardiners and Bonners those Iehoiakims and Antiochusses that wrought despite to Gods word are dead and rotten and their names are perished with them sed verbum Domini manet in aeternum but the word of the Lord endureth for euer and this is that word that is preached among you this is that word that God hath appointed to be written for your sakes and hath preserved mightily unto these times wherein we inioy it in great puritie Onely let us remember to make good use of this loving kindnesse of the Lord to read in the booke of God continually to delight in it to meditate therein day and night as it is in the 1. Psalme There are none now debarred from reading we haue the free use of the Bible neither is the booke sealed but wide open and plaine enough in your owne Mother tongue It is not in the heaven in Gods bosome that you should say who will ascend up into heaven and fetch it downe thence that wee may know it For God hath revealed himselfe in the holy writings Neither is it beyond the Sea in the bosome of the Pope that you should say who will climbe over the Alpes and goe to Rome and bring it thence that we may know it and doe it but the word is neere unto you even at your doores in a manner nay it is in your mouthes and in your hearts to obserue it I shut up the point with that excellent exhortation of the blessed Apostle Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome Coloss. 3. The word of Christ is the holy Scripture this you must get to dwell in you you must not giue it lodging in your breasts as in a thorough-faire for a night and so farewell but you must get it to dwell in you and that not sparingly but plenteously and in all wisdome too Coloss. 3. 16. So from the Secretaries Commission I come to the Subscription of the letter which containes a description of the partie from whom the Epistle is sent These things saith he that hath the sharpe two edged sword The words in this description are very emphaticall It is clearely proved as the learned in the Greeke tongue know by the apposition of the article to every word for thus it runnes in the originall These things saith hee that hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that two edged sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sharpe two edged sword Of these in their order And first of the sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then of the two attributes giuen to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is a two edged sword and that it is a sharpe sword By the sword here is ment the word of God which is called the sword of the spirit Ephes. 6. and compared to a sharpe two edged sword Heb. 4. Now the word of God is called a sword in a double relation 1. In relation to Christ 2. In relation to Christians First in relation to Christ the word that is the sword is an embleeme of his Majestie and authority in governing the Church and shewes him to be a King Kings and Princes you know haue the sword borne before them as an ensigne of their authority So Christ our blessed Saviour is no sooner made King of the Church but he hath this sword set up before him as a token of his Majestie as you shall finde in the 2. Psalme I haue set my King upon my holy hill of Sion I will preach the law whereof the Lord hath said c vers 6. I haue set my King there Christ is made an appointed King of the Church I will preach the law and there is the sword set up before him whereby he is to governe the Church unto the end and that is the preaching of the word And hereof you haue a most manifest proofe in that description of Christ Reuel 19. where he is set out in his full glory Upon a white horse with many crownes on his head and with his heavenly guard and attendants about him but where is the sword It is presently said in the next words that out of his mouth there came a sharpe sword that with it he might smite the Nations and rule them with an iron rod. This place consorts wholly with the 2. Psalme Yet that we might not at all doubt of whom this scripture is ment his name is called the Word of God that is the essentiall word of the Father vers 13. and verse 16. he is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords By which it is plaine that in relation to Christ this sword is an embleeme of his authority and dominion ouer the Church And let us make this use of it that seeing Christ hath set up the word in the Church for our gouerment let us learne like obedient Subjects to submit our selues to Gods ordinance and giue up our selues wholy to be guided and governed by the scepter of Christs word Let it haue such sway and authority in our hearts that whatsoever we finde therein condemned we may avoyd that and whatsoeuer we finde therein commended we may follow after that and be sure we doe nothing if it be possible for which we haue not some ground in the scripture II. In relation to Christians the word of God is called a sword and that in a twofold respect 1. In respect of that it worketh in them 2. In respect of that it worketh for them First for that it worketh in them so this appellation of a sword setteth out the vertue and power and efficacie of the word of God It is a powerfull word and lively in operation yea sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing a sunder of the soule and the spirit of the joynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the secret thoughts and intents of the heart Heb 4. 12. No wonder then as it hath beene observed that in some congregations whilest the Minister was speaking in the Pulpit there appeared compunction in the hearts teares in the eyes blushes in the cheekes feare in the consciences and a kinde of horror over all the body of the auditorie For why it was not the power of him that spake but the power and efficacie of the word that he spake which wrought all those passions and strange motions in the hearers Ense velut stricto quotiens Lucilius ardens Infremuit rubet auditor cut frigidamens est Criminibus tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ Iuvenal a Poet spake it of Lucilius another Poet. I may more truely affirme of a Preacher that brandisheth this glittering Sword and layeth about him manfully to strike downe sinne and impietie that he makes men sometime to wax red sometime to grow pale sometime to swet and fret and scratch where it doth

take it this is a difference between an Apostle and a Byshop or ordinarie Pastor that the Apostles were not confined to any set place but were appointed to goe into all the world and to preach the Gospell to every creature but Byshops and Pastors are confined to their owne Circuites and Churches To the Angell of the Church of Pergamos I haue done with the Superscription I come now to the Secretaries Commission in this word Write It is the voyce of Gods spirit to Saint Iohn A word much used in scripture but especially in this booke of Revelation very frequently Cap. 1. 19. Write the things that thou hast seene Cap. 14. 13. And I heard a voyce from heaven saying vnto mee Write And in this and the next chapter often Write Hence wee gather divers things The first thing wee gather hence is the divine authority of this booke ot Iohn is not the Author of it but the instrument onely to convey it unto vs. The holy Ghost is the inditer Iohn is but the writer of it So that what S. Paul saith of the whole Scripture we may truly affirme it of this booke that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given from God by inspiration Which I note against the errour of all such as haue either doubted or denyed this booke to be in the Canon of scripture or of authenticall authority Secondly Write I know and confesse that God might haue written this booke and the whole scripture with his owne finger as he did the ten commandements they were written with the finger of Gods owne hand or God might haue spoken these things himselfe to the Churches as he delt with Moses to whom he talked as one friend to another face to face but it hath not pleased him to deale with us after such an immediate manner least we might bee too much daunted with his glory And therefore because he would graciously descend to our weakenesse he hath used the Ministerie of his servants to deliver unto vs his holy Oracles not that he needed their helpe at all as Kings and great men neede their Secretaries but onely to remember us of these 2. short instructions 1. To let us see our owne weakenesse that we are not able to sustaine Gods immediate presence and 2. to teach vs a necessary and most excellent use of the ministerie which God hath established in the Church meerely for our benefit Thirdly Write And why must these things be written was it not enough to haue them delivered over by word of mouth from the father to the sonne and so haue remained as a Tradition perpetually in the Church but they must be written But who is this that calls Gods actions into question Wee see it was his will to haue these things written and let us rest in that and know that it was not expedient for vs that it should be otherwise If they had not beene written peradventure nay without all peradventure they would haue beene corrupted and received addition or diminution according either to the over-quick or over-dull capacities of men in the long line of succession but being once written that feare is past The text will not admit of any addition but it will plainely appeare to be interlined and their can nothing now be taken from the text but it will plainely appeare to be blotted out The Papists may tell us that the Canon of the Scripture is not perfect unlesse we adde thereunto unwritten Traditions But we know the Canon is perfect Adoroplenitudinem Scripturarum saies Tertullian I adore the perfection of the scripture and we dare not adde any thing to it Wee feare the curse denounced in the last of this booke which is set downe with earnestnesse a solemne protestation I protest unto every one that shall adde any thing to this booke God will also adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke Revel 22. 18. They may tell vs of a twofold word of God Scriptum non Scriptum the one written the other unwritten But we cannot admit of this distinction If it be the the word of God it is written as Saint Ambrose saith excellently Quod non legi usurpare non debeo I dare not make use of any thing as authentique proofe that I read not written in the scriptures Write Fourthly Write Words you know are but a winde and they quickly vanish in the aire with the sound sed littera scripta manet if they be once put in writing then they stand upon a sure record both for our owne present use and the benefit of all posterity And therefore when the Lord had wrought a great deliverance for his people the Prophet saith This shall bee written for them that come after and the people which are yet unhorne shall praise the Lord. They are not content to praise God themselues for his deliverance but they will haue it written downe for them that come after that they also may haue occasion thereby to praise the Lord. These things then must be written both for their use that then lived and also for our benefit that by this excellent meanes they might the better be preserved in the Church to be read and learned of us For whatsoever was written afore time was written for our learning that we through patience c. Rom. 15. 4. And hath God taken such care to haue these things written for our learning What shall we thinke then of the folly shall I say or the madnesse of Popish Bishops and Prelates which strike the Bible out of Lay mens hands and will not suffer the common people to haue or use the holy Scriptures least forsooth they should turne heretiques and Apostates from the faith Was not the world trow you come to a faire passe when the Bible was not onely put into the Index of prohibited bookes and the people interdicted and debarred utterly from once peeping into it but when it was accounted a capitall crime for a man to haue the New Testament in his house or any English Scripture about him yea such a crime that Gods booke it selfe shall be cast into the fire to bee burnt and Gods Servant that used it shall fry at the stake for it as is happened in our forefathers dayes good Lord No wonder if thou Iohn Husse poore goose of Bohemia bee'st derided and thy Monuments blackt over with dust and cast behinde the screene to be meate for moathes when the Monuments of Gods sacred word are so sleighted and disgraced cast sub scamnum under the bench as Luther complained No wonder Luther if thou bee'st condemned for an heretique and thy workes burnt at Rome by the Pope when the sacred word of God is condemned for making men heretiques and burnt in England in the open market places was it now not high time thinke you for the Lord to lay to his hand for they had destroyed his law Yes the Lord arose and his enemies