Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	world_n	write_v	writing_n	381	4	8.5306	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93739	The exceeding great comfort and benefit of having walked before God in truth, and with a perfect heart, and of having done that which is good in his sight set forth in several discourses on Isaiah 38. 2, 3 / by Richard Stafford ...	Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.	1699 (1699)	Wing S5118A; ESTC R43773	94,501	125

The Exceeding Great COMFORT AND BENEFIT Of having walked before GOD in TRUTH And with a PERFECT HEART And of having done that Which is good in his Sight Set forth in several Discourses on Isaiah 38. 2 3. By Richard Stafford formerly of Magdalen Hall in OXFORD For our Rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with Fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1. 12. I have Fought a Good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that Love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. London Printed and are to be sold by Ralph Simpson at the Harp in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIX TO THE CHRISTIAN READER AS the Apostle did Write to those of his time so I according to the knowledge given me would willingly do the same as to the People of this my Generation and Countrey Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to sti● you up by putting you in Remembrance Knowing that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle Moreover I will Endeavour that you may be able after my Decease to have these things always in Remembrance Which good Endeavour of St. Peter was so brought to pass only by his Writing down those very Words which are now Printed and thereby made known unto us For if Peter or Paul had only spoken those Words unto the few Christians then present with them but had never Written them they would have been like A Voice Crying in the Wilderness which is emphatically remarked concerning John Baptist by Esaias in Mat. 3. 3. for John spake four or five Sentences which are there Recorded and Written for him by the Evangelist But he himself Writing nothing hereof was as a Voice of one crying in the Wilderness which we know instantly perishes in the utterance and seems as nothing afterwards In the Wilderness thereby is signified the Church or Servants of God they being fewest in Number as that place hath fewest Inhabitants His Servant Job who had the character from God to speak ●f him the thing that was right saith on this wise Oh that my Words were now Written Oh that they were Printed 〈◊〉 Book That they were Graven with an Iron Pen and had in the Rock for ever Job 19. 23 24. Moreover There is the express Commandment of God to Isaiah Now go Writ● it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it ●ay be for the time to come for ever and ever Isa 30 8. A word spoken or a voice uttered Perishes in the Speaking ●●d Vtterance And tho' it never so much affects the Auditory for the present time yet it goes off as a Flash and is soon forgottn both by Speaker and Hearers But a Word or Sentence written that remains and People may at any time have Recourse and turn unto it Hereby also it may be effectually Prevented th● People shall not become forgetful Hearers of the Word as t● which the Scripture saith Whoso is not a forgetful Heare● but a doer of the Work this Man shall be Blessed in his deed And accordingly the Prophet having obeyed the aforementioned Commandment of God herein so as to have Wrote down his Words they stand and remain longer then any Gates of Brass or Bars of Iron or the most Ancient Buildings in the World for time hath defaced them and the place of them knoweth it no more But the words of Isaiah are as fresh intire sound and perfect to and at this very day all one as they were in the first Moment be uttered them or as they were in that hour wherein he first Wrote them down God having been pleased to preserve his Writings in the World For by the way there hath been great Opposition against these kind of things by Satan and his Incarnate Instruments and the Powers of Darkness The Bible it self wherein then were all the Books of Moses was very ●nigh lost in the days of Josiah when there was but one Copy thereof accidentally found to have been hidden in the Temple It being supposed that some Idolatrous King a little before had Destroyed or Burnt them all As the like was usual with the Persecutors of the first Christians Who again would hide them and rather lose their lives then give up and surrender their Bibles Wherein they were more Noble then some now a days who say They do not much value the outward Letter if they should be tryed but the tenth part so far for they say they have it in their Heart ●ut by their good leave it would not long remain in their ●eart if neither they nor others for them had it not also Writ●●n in Ink and Paper for to turn unto Read and seek out of it 〈◊〉 any time Th●s also discovers the Sin and Hypocrisie of those of the Romish Church who say they are Christians but they are not but of th● Synagogue of Satan and Antichrist for they also have used the very same methods to Suppress or Burn all such Bibles as a● in the National Tongue of any Countrey and all those Boo●s which contain words of Truth which spring up any where aganst their own Errour Idolatry and Superstition Which ag●in is the duty of all such as are Children of the Truth to pr●●erve and keep a foot in the World as the others seek to dest●ry and suppress them for as to this the Rule is certain alth●ugh it is not altogether so clearly apprehended by many That as words of Goodness and Truth are kept up above board and m●de known Openly and Vniversally on this Earth whe●e S●tans seat is So his Kingdom doth accordingly by degrees f●ll and lose Ground in the World As contrariwise the King●om or Interest of Christ who is the Eternal Word would 〈◊〉 much increase and prevail in the World According as ●ood words and true words and right words are made Publick ●nd received in the World This is a Truth of great Importance 〈◊〉 would to God it were understood throughly by all Persons of whatever opinion or denomination for they should not seek their ●wn party but the things of Jesus Christ and done accordingly Another Reason of my willingness to write and Publish Books not which Minister to Contentions and Strivings for they are unprofitable and vain Titus 3. 9. But such as are to the use of Godly edifying may be gathered from what is said in psal 102. 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come and the People which shall be created shall praise the Lord. For by my sending Books or Printed papers unto them I may Preach unto People at many miles distance and put them in mind that they may obey the word of the Lord as in my presence

so much more in my absence Hereby also People may be able after my Decease to have th●se things always in remembrance That being Dead I may yet speak Heb 11. 4. and thus Preach to the succeeding Generation even whilst my Body shall be in the silent Chambers of the Grave and leave my mind behind mee in my Books and writings eve● when my Soul is gone out into the other World That the people which shall be created may be thence exhorted put i● mind or instructed to praise the Lord. The more universal and enduring If any mans Work abide He shall receive a Reward 1 Cor. 3. 14. any god is it is so much the better and should rather be endeavoured o be done Whereupon it appears that the Writing and Publi●ing of such a Book as The Practice of Piety or the Whole Luty of Man if it should be alike received in the World would ●e a doing more good throughout this Nation and for the Generations to come then if one should Preach constantly every day into the most Numerous Congregations for Twenty Forty or Si●ty Years and longer none usually doth But here it may be surmised and said Of making man● Books there is no end Which Solomon doth not here fin● fault withal for himself Wrote several but he brings this saying in to shew what should be the Epitome and Tendency o● them all Namely To fear God and keep his Commandments Which until it be done Vniversally and Constantly by all People whatever from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for so is his requiring and expectation in these days Jer. 31. 33 34. The Wisdom of God saith as to this Matter For precept must be upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line The Holy Ghost doubles it over and over here a little and there a little Isa 28. 10. Since the Wisdom of God hath Ordained that it should be so and it must be so This should hence forwards put to silence that Ignorant Objection of foolish Men who say What need is there of such abundance of Books and Sermons in the World Let such ●awfully Remember and Consider it again That the Foolishness of God is Wiser then Men and his own Spirit saith expreslly For precept must be upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little And further by th●se my Son be Admonished in this thing to admire and comply with the Wisdom of God for by his Ordaining that it should be so and it must be so herein Yea he Loved the People Wherefore they should do according to what is after Written All his Saints are in thy hand and they sat down at thy Feet Every one shall receive of thy Words Deut. 33 3. Wherefore again People should be Admonished in no wise to reject see John 12. 48. this Counsel of God against themselves but to receive of his Words for the Saints and Servants of God do receive of the Words of God Every one shall receive of thy Words I have one thing more to Admonish the People of this my Generation and Countrey of and to exhort them unto which doth concern them all Say I these things as a Man for doth not the Law and the Gospel say the very same for it was the Requiring of God of old time Who is the same to day yesterday and for ever That none should appear Empty before the Lord. But every one was to do somewhat according to his Ability They that could not go to the price of a Lamb were to bring a pair of Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons And by what is written in the Gospel of her who Cast in her Mite whereof two make a Farthing into the Offerings of God By this it appears that even day Labourers and Vine Dressers yea the poorest of the People should not serve God with that which cost them nothing 2 Sam. 24. 24. But it is expected from them that even they should Honour the Lord with their Substance for he is to be served by all that is within and without us even with the Fruits of our Labour and consecrate their Gain unto the Lord and their Substance unto the Lord of the whole Earth Mich. 4. 13. Towards the Publishing and Propagation of his Eternal Truth according to their several Power and Abillity For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not But this is yet more especially required and expected from them that are Rich in this World for the Gospel and miserable will be the end of those who shall not obey the Gospel doth Charge them that they be Rich in good Works ready to Distribute willing to Communicate This is a Faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works These things are Good and Profitable unto Men. So that the most High God requires and expects from them more especially that they should Honour him with their Substance and give out of their Abundance and Prop●rtionably to their Ability be ready to distribute for the Service and Propagation of his Eternal Truth If they would buy good and Godly Books and give them to Poor People laying an Injunction upon them and having a Promise from them to read and consider throughly of the things contained therein This would be the best kind of Charity for this would be a doing good to their Immortal Souls Whereas Common and Outward Alms is only a Temporal kindness unto the dying Body As it is Written Be not thou Afraid when one is made Rich when the Glory of his House is Increased for when he dieth he shall carry nothing away his Glory shall not descend after him So it is sensibly seen that Rich People do Sicken and die all one as the Poor and Needy And then they will find To what purpose was this Waste For that same Money which they expended in fine Cloaths Gayety or Retinue in making a Figure in the World as a Dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their Image in Gluttony and Drunkenness which is making provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof in Pride Pleasure Prodigality Gaming or other vain things This might have been given to the Poor or it might have been Expended in making known thy Truth Isa 38. 19. which seems to be the best of Works for the Reason afore-mentioned and then it would have done themselves more good and have stood them in more stead then the Riches they used to the hurt of the owners If the Rich People have not heretofore or shall not henceforward that day is coming on and hastning when even the Rich among the People shall intreat thy Favour Psal 45. 12. Obey and do according to this Exhortation and Admonition The word