Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	open_v	seal_n	seal_v	1,844	5	9.6479	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17389	An exposition vpon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not onely the text is methodically analysed, and the sence of the words, by the help of vvriters, both ancient and moderne is explayned: but also, by doctrine and vse, the intent of the holy Ghost is in euery place more fully vnfolded and vrged. ... Being, the substance of neare seauen yeeres vveeke-dayes sermons, of N. Byfield, late one of the preachers for the citie of Chester.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.	1615 (1615)	STC 4216; ESTC S120678	703,664	509

may hide the Gospell from them Also euill thoughts nursed and fortified as thicke clouds hide the light from diuers to some in iudgement Christ speakes in Parables others shall neuer haue the light was offered because they vsed not the light they had The enuious man in many places sowes the tares of corrupt doctrine And vnto many congregations for want of sincere preaching Immortality and life is not yet brought vnto light besides the transplendencie of the doctrine it selfe is such as exceedes the capacitie of the most Quest. But how comes it that euen the godly themselues in all places attaine to so small a measure of knowledge in the Gospell Ans. There are remnants of naturall blindnesse euen in the best and the sinne that hangs on so fast is not without pollution and an obscuring propertie Faith also that should haue principall vse in conueying this light is not without some mixtures of doubts and other drosse Affections are not without their fumes which beeloud the vnderstanding sometimes they want the meanes sometimes they are negligent in the vse of them and to see perfectly is the onely priuiledge of the new Ierusalem that is aboue The Vses are for Reproofe for Information for Instruction and for Consolation First it reproues the horrible prophanenes of those that so securely contemne the Gospell so sacred a Mysterie and fearefull is the curse with which God doth auenge the quarrell of his word euen this that vnto these men the Scriptures both read and preached are a sealed Booke And is the Gospell a Mysterie then singular is their dotage and madnesse that say they know as much as any of them all can teach them Secondly wee may hereby be informed concerning the necessitie of preaching the greater the Mysterie is the greater neede of laborious and studious men that are thereunto set apart to make manifest those secrets of the Kingdome for this is the appointment of God our Sauiour that by preaching committed to certaine men thereunto sanctified as the Apostle saith the word promised before the world beganne should be manifested in due time Thirdly this should teach vs diuers duties 1. Let euery man account of faithfull Teachers as the Ministers of Christ and such as dispence the Mysteries of God 2. Wee must bring Faith to the Gospell else it will not profit Reason and Sense are no competent Guides or Iudges in these diuine Mysteries And the Lord hath commanded these secrets to be manifested and reuealed by the Scriptures for the triall of his Elect and for the exercise of their obedience in beleeuing as well as in doing 3. As wee should bring a resolution to beleeue Gods word in all things though it be neuer so contrary to sense and to common reason of the world So when the Lord doth reueale his Promises and Statutes to vs wee should hide them in our hearts as great Iewels and worthy Treasures meete to be kept in our secretest remembrance and the very bowels of our Affections 4. This Doctrine vrgeth the necessitie of obseruing the rules of preparation and to this purpose wee may finde fiue things charged vpon vs all drawne from this consideration of the Mystery of the Gospell First wee must be sure wee he turned to the Lord by true repentance for till then the vaile cannot be taken away though the word were neuer so plaine in it selfe yet wee cannot discerne it by reason our vnderstandings are couered with a vaile and no man can looke vpon this bright Sunne till his eyes be annointed with eye-salue Secondly in as much as the Booke is sealed with seauen seales and no man nor Angels is able powerfully to vnfold and open Gods eternall comforts to the conscience of man for his saluation saue onely the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah which is also the Lambe slaine hauing seauen eyes which are the seauen Spirits of God therefore in acknowledgement of his wisedome and power we must goe vnto him importunately begging this Blessing for his glory that the Booke may be opened euen to enrich vs and that to this end hee would make acceptable the odours of our desires and prayers to God Thirdly we must remoue letts for if it be a mysterie in it selfe wee had not neede to bring hardnesse of heart with vs or worldly cares or troubled affections or a sluggish spirit or preiudicate opinions or inordinate lusts or any such impediments Fourthly wee must bring with vs the loane and aduantage of former doctrine communicated to vs for to him that hath for practise and increase shall be giuen but from him that hath not for imployment and conscionable vse shall be taken away that which hee hath Fiftly wee must bring a pure Conscience as a holy vessell to receiue this mysterie of faith in and the conscience is then pure when it is purified by the bloud of Christ and doth daily excite the desire of puritie of heart and life bearing with the loue and liking of no sinne Ministers also must here learne with all reuerence and painefulnesse to behaue themselues as becommeth those great Mysteries they must not onely be cleane themselues by holinesse of heart and life but must in compassion to the People and the holy feare of the Maiestie of Gods truth and presence teach with power frequencie perspecuitie authoritie and since the Lord hath made them his Stewards of his Mysteries and holy Iewels and Treasures it is required of them that they be faithfull both in applying them to the right owners and in setting them out according to their truth Lastly the meditation hereof may serue for singular comfort to all those that finde mercy from the Lord in the reuelation of his Mysterie blessed are their eyes that see it and their eares that heare it They are more happy then many millions of men besides Hid since the world beganne and from ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first of these words is diuersly accepted sometimes it is translated from Eternitie as Psal. 52.1 The goodnesse of the Lord hath endured from all eternitie as Beza thinkes writing on Luke 1.70 sometimes Since the world beganne as Luke 1.70 Acts 3.21 sometimes it signifieth but of old or a long time agoe as the Hebrew word which is thought to answere it is rendred Psal. 119.52 somtimes it is taken for the space of a mans life as Peter said Thou shalt not wash my feete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is neuer while I liue and in the 3. Ephes. vlt. there is such a phrase as this Glory to God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it should be rendered vnto or throughout all the generations of the world of worlds that is of the world to come And 2 Pet. 3. vlt. hee saith glory to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is henceforth to the day of eternity There is vnto man two worlds the one begins

followes There are many reasons why parents should bee carefull by all meanes to keepe anger out of their Children 1. Wise men and godly men can scarce gouerne this affection without sinning Psalm 4. much lesse children 2. Anger is a great prouoker of Gods anger it breedes a guiltinesse of Gods anger Math. 6. 3. It lets in the Deuill Eph. 4.26 and vsually Sathan in the times of these passions sowes the most hellish seeds and stirres most impious thoughts in them 4. It may bring them into great mischiefe in time Prouerbs 28.18 5. It is a great let to sound instruction and knowledge Eccles. 7.11 Prouerbs 14.29 6. The angry person is vsually suspitious and so vnfit for society with men Prou. 1.22.24 yea it is a great hinderance both to the profit of the word Iames. 1.21 and the power and successe of prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 7. Sometimes this rage in young persons is not to bee cooled but with bloud as in Caine. But to omit the reasons heere parents must not prouoke their children lest they be discouraged Concerning discouragement in generall we must know that it is a great sin to discourage others and a great hurt to be discouraged the people must not discourage their teachers Hebr. 13.17 those that are in authoritie must not discourage such as are faithfull and desirous to approue their feare of God and to discharge their duties Gouernours in the familie must not discourage seruants or children in their good beginnings desires after good things againe this is a Christian mercy and compassion to comfort and incourage the feeble and lastly Gods fainting children should bee admonished to bee of good comfort and to strengthen their weary knees 2. Cor. 13.11 Esay 36.3.4 Concerning the discouragement of children christian parents should bee carefull for they may be discouraged 1 From the seruice of God when they shall see carnall men vse their children better then they that make such a profession of piety 2 From the capacity and desire after the vndertaking of the knowledge or exercise of great things discouragement breakes their spirits and makes them pusillanimous 3 From the hope to please and so from the confidence of the parents loue and then at length from the very meanes of pleasing eyther by honor or obedience This of the duty of parents and children The third couple in the familie are seruants and masters The duty of seruants is set downe verse 22.23.24.25 Verse 22. Seruants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh in all things In all the words that concerne the duty of seruants I obserue 1 An exhortation verse 22.23 2 Reasons verse 24.25 The exhortation is two waies to be considered first as it is breefly set down here is first the parties exhorted Seruants secondly the duety wherewith they are charged be obedient thirdly the persons to whom to your masters 2 Secondly as it is explicated in the explication I consider 1 The promises about their obedience 2 The forme or manner how they must obey The prouisoes are either for limitation to curbe masters they are to obey according to the flesh the soules and consciences are not in bondage to men or for extent to seruants they must obey in all things The manner how they must obey is set downe 1 Negatiuelie not with eye seruice 2. not as men pleasers 2 Affirmatiuely with singlenes of heart 2. with feare of God 3. heartily as to the Lord. The reasons are 1. from hope of reward wages from God v. 24. 2. from the certaine vengeance of God vpon them that do wrong v. 25. This is the order of the words From the generall consideration of all the words I obserue 6. things 1 That seruants are to be instructed out of the word which reprooues masters that restraine seruants from hearing the word in Gods house and open not the booke of God to them in their owne houses 2 A question may heere be moued why should the duety of seruants bee thus largely in so many words set downe Answ. 1 Because vsually men shew lesse compassion to seruants therfore God takes the more care of them many men will haue some care of their children to see them taught in some manner but their seruants they wholly neglect Therefore God who is a Father to seruants as well as children prouides large instruction and comforts for seruants if they will come to his booke to be taught 2 The carefull Apostle saw that in the first conuersion of men from Gentilisme to Christianity there was greatest danger of disorder and scandall in seruants partly out of wearinesse of their bondage and seruile condition partly because men would lesse spare to tell of their faults therefore the Apostle as most fearefull of them spends many words in the teaching and incouraging of them 3 We may note here the candor of the Apostle he doth freely deliuer his mind in the behalfe of seruants with a full vent of words with great care without holding back anything that belongs vnto them He was not of the mind of most Preachers now adaies that hold the discourse of family duties especially of seruants too base a subiect for their wits and learning to be imployed in neither was the Apostle of the humour of Lawyers that seldome speake much but for great men or when they may haue great gifts the Apostle speakes as much for a seruant that could do nothing for him as for the Masters 4 In laying downe his speech to seruants hee both teacheth and comforteth them but for order hee first teacheth them and as any is more ignorant this course is more needfull to be held the common people should bee in this manner dealt withall they must first bee rebuked conuinced exhorted taught and then meet comforts to be applied and not before Lastly the scope and drift of the Apostle in all these words to keepe Seruants in order and that first to hold seruants in obedience that none vnder colour of liberty in Christ should breake vp their subiection to their Master he was no Anabaptist Secondly to meet with the faulty obedience of such seruants as were resolued to stay in seruice Hee meeteth heere with fiue faults in seruants 1 The first fault in seruants is halfe seruice or to obey in what they list this he correcteth when he saith in all things 2 The second fault is eye seruice 3 The third fault is prophanenes most seruants neuer respect piety and Gods feare but onely to please their Masters this hee meeteth with when he saith not as men pleasers but fearing God 4 The fourth fault is hypocriticall seruice this he meeteth when he addeth in singlenesse of heart 5 The fifth fault is basenesse of mind and discouragement this hee would preuent in the two last verses Thus of the generall Seruants The Seruants in the Apostles time were for the most part bondslaues bought and sold as beasts and their Masters were infidels and cruell