Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	old_a	prophet_n	testament_n	5,085	5	8.1969	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02488	King Dauids vow for reformation of himselfe. his family. his kingdome Deliuered in twelue sermons before the Prince his Highnesse vpon Psalm 101. By George Hakewill Dr. in Diuinity.	Hakewill, George, 1578-1649.; Elstracke, Renold, fl. 1590-1630, engraver.	1621 (1621)	STC 12616; ESTC S103634	122,067	373

commonitio Psalmorum verò liber quaecunque utilia sunt ex omnibus contin●t Futura praedicit veterum gesta commemorat ●egem viventibus tribuit gerendorum statuit modum ut breviter dicam communis quidam bonae docotrinae thesaurus est apte singulis necessaria subministrans Aug. in prologo in librum psalmorum THey bee of one kinde which the prophets deliver of another which the History of another which the Law and of another which the proverbs warn us of but the book of the psalms contains in it whatsoever is profitable in anie of them It foretels things to come it records acts past it sets a law to things present and prescribes an order for things to bee done in a word it is the common tr●asury of wholesome doctrine properly administring necessaries to each particular Psal. 101. ver 1. I will sing mercy and iudgement unto thee O Lord will I sing AS the whole Scripture is by inspiration from God so this Booke of the Psalmes seemeth to challenge a kinde of preheminence above the rest inasmuch as the Authour of it was not onely a Prophet and a King but a man after Gods owne heart a Figure of Christ or as Euthymius speaks primi regis ●or lingua calamus the tongue and pen and heart of the King of Heaven The several passages of this book are more frequently and particularly quoted by Christ and his Apostles then of any other of the ould Testament It was and still is more usually both sung and read not onely in the Iewish Synagogues but Christian Assemblies as well by the People as the Minister that with more outward reverence then any other part of holy Writ It is put for al the Books of the old Testamēt as they are differenced from the law of Moses and the Prophets Luke 24. 44. And lastly more Sermons Commētaries Meditations Expositions Enarrations upon it have been made and published as well by the Iewish Rabbins as by the Doctors of the Christian Church then upon any other scripture whatsoever Nay the very Turks themselves swear as solemnly by the Psalms of David as by the Alcoran of Mahomet And in truth hee that hath either practically tried or shall duly consider what a rich store-house it is of all manner of Prayers Precepts Exhortations and Comforts how this one celestiall Fountaine yeeldeth all good necessarily to bee knowne or done or had what a familiar introduction it is to beginners a mighty augmentation of vertue knowledge in such as are entred before a strong confirmation to the most perfect may easily conceive the reason why it hath in all Ages bin esteemed even of the best and most learned as a rare and precious Iewell worthy to be laid up in that Persian Casket imbroidered with gould and pearle which Alexander reserved for Homers Iliads In regard whereof our good King Alured translated the Psalter himself into his Saxon tong and one of the Emperours caused this Book to bee bound up in a little volume by it self for the special and daily use of himselfe and his attendants to serve them as a Manuall alwaies to attend them in their running Library And as I would not sooner commend the reading of any book to a Courtier then this so would I specially commend this Psalm to the carefull reading and serious meditation both of my Gracious Master the Prince and his religious Followers They shall both finde their duties lively expressed in it as in a mirrour howbeit it were indeed first composed rather to expresse the former then the later and my present choice of it bee chiefly intended and directed to that purpose This Psalme by the consent of Writers is a vow of David whether made before or after his comming to the Crowne it is not certain neither skilleth it much but that it is a vow all agree Since then for the Person the maker of it was both of understanding and power to make it since for the Matter the thing therein vowed is both lawfull and possible since for the Manner hee made it both deliberately and freely with advice and without constraint and lastly since the End of it was to serve both as a bridle to prevent and redresse sinne and as a spur to stirre him up and incite him to vertue and keep him close to the duties therein promised we are to hould it not onely for a warrantable but a commendable vow nor only commendable in David but with like commendation imitable by us in like case And as David made this vow so had hee speciall care to pay it 2. Sam. 8. 15. willing others to do the like Psal. 50 it beeing indeed better as his Son tells us Eccles. 5. 5 not at all to vow than to vow and not perform Yet in wicked vowes as that of the Iewes Acts 23. or in rash vows as that of Herod Iephte that of the Canonists houlds true In malis promissis rescinde fidem in turpi voto muta decretum In wicked promises hould not thy word in shameful vows change thy purpose wherupon St. Hierome worthily censures Iephte that hee was in vovendo stultus in praestando impius naught in making such a vow as he did but worse in performing it The thing heer vowed is either generall in the first verse or particular touching his own Person from the second verse to the fift touching his Attendants Counsellers and Officers from the fift to the eight and lastly touching the Church and Common-wealth in the last The matter by him vowed in generall is contained in the first verse I will sing mercy and iudgement unto thee O Lord will I sing Wherein without any curious descant or division wee may observe first the manner of expressing this vow it is by way of singing which implieth cheerfulnesse and alacrity for Is any merry let him sing Iames 5. And How should wee sing the Lords song in a strange land Psal. 137. As God loves a cheerfull giver so doth hee a cheerfull vower Secondly the ditty or rather the burden of this song Mercy and Iudgement Thirdly the Person to whom hee both sings and vowes it is the Lord. First then of his maner of expressing this vow I will sing As ancient and manifold as is the use of Musick so excellent was David in the use thereof a thing which delighteth all Ages and beseemeth all estates a thing as seasonable in grief as in joy as decent being added to things of greatest weight and solemnity as beeing used when men most sequester themselves from action It is apt both to quicken the spirits to allay that which is too eager able both to move and moderate all affections yea such is the force and efficacy thereof upon that very part of man which is most divine that some have beene thereby induced to think that the soule of man is composed of harmony Which being to speak properly of high and lowe in sounds a due