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	read_v	testament_n	3,485	5	8.0942	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77227	The Quakers quaking principles examined and refuted in a briefe answer to some erroneous tenets held forth by James Naylor in his answers unto Mr Baxter, and some others that have publikely opposed that blacke spirit in the deluded Quakers. Wherein is also included a serious admonition, how wee ought to behave our selves towards the ministers of the gospell, in respect of communicating unto them; and for giving to the poore, so as the Gospell requires: and to beware of covetousnesse, and the effects thereof, least wee be left of God, and delivered up unto strong delusions, and a blasphemous spirit instead of the spirit of God. The heads of the whole discourse are also premised. / Written by Ellis Bradshavve.	Bradshaw, Ellis.	1656 (1656)	Wing B4147; Thomason E869_1; ESTC R207737	57,239	71

and that in publick which was the old Testament But James Naylor saith he may read all his life the Letter of the Scriptures and therewith come amongst the Parish Ministers and never discern the voyce of Christ See page 45. in his book against Moore To the which I answer It is true that such who are none of the sheep of Christ may indeed read the Scriptures and heare them read and preached all their lives and yet never know the voyce of Christ in them so as to follow him but they will rather follow strangers instance James Naylor But such who are his sheep they know his voyce and will follow him and not the stranger yea by what means soever he speaketh unto them mediatly or immediatly and they account the Scripture as the word of God himselfe as if he should speak unto them by an audible voyce and they know them to be written for their learning that they through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And it is no disparagement to the Scripture the Letter as he calls it that some despise it and regard it not but undervalue it and let it slip Nor to the words of Christ himselfe and his Apostles nor to his Ministers now because many people did not profit by them nor do not know them in regard they are not mixed with faith in such as heare them For it is they that are of God they hear Gods word and they that are Christs sheep know his voyce and obey and follow him But some therefore heare them not because they are not of God and some obey not his voyce because they are none of his sheep John 10 and Chap. 8.47 But Naylor often produceth the non-proficiencie of the people as a ground of disparagement to the Ministers of the word yea and to the word it self the Letter I mean the which I shall prove to be the word of God And first that there is not onely one but many words of God and so called in Scripture it is plain to any rational Christian that knoweth the Scriptures 1. Psalm 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words like silver tried in a Furnace of earth purified seven times 1 Arg. Now the words of the Lord are words of God 2 Arg. And words in the plural number must needs include more then one Conclus Therefore there is as certainly as that the Scripture is true more words of God then one spoken of in Scripture 2. Prov. v 30.5 Every word of God is pure he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him Now this word Every includeth more then either one or two words and that of God 3. 1 Thess 2.13 where the Apostle saith Because when yee received the word of God which ye heard of us yee received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God From whence it is clear that the word which they heard of the Apostles was in truth the word of God Even that audible word which they heard of the Apostles yea heard them speak 4. 1 Tim. 5.17 Especially them that labour in the Word and Doctrine 5. 2 Tim. 2.9 But the word of God is not bound 6. Heb. 6.5 And have tasted of the good word of God 7. Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth 8. And verse 21. And receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls And verse 22. And be yee doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your own souls Quest Can any of these be meant of Christ How improper had it been to have said Be ye Doers of Christ in stead of Be ye doers of the word 9. See Deut. 8.3 But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Obser Observe how improper it had been to have said Every Christ that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 10. Psa 68.11 The Lord gave the word great was the company of those that published it Observe It it is not said him but It. 11. Isai 2.3 For out of Zyon shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem 12. Jer. 6.10 The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it 13. Amos 8.11 12. A famine of hearing the words of the Lord. 14. Matth. 13.23 He that receiveth seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it And Luke 8.11 12. 15. The seed is the word of God Those by the way side are they that heard then cometh the Devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved Could the Devil take Christ out of their hearts after once received how absurd were it 16. John 5.24 He that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life 17. Acts 4.31 And they spake the word of God boldly 18. Acts 6.2 It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve the tables And verse 7. And the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly Quest. Had it been proper to have said That Christ increased 19. Acts 8.14 15 16. Samaria had received the word of God and yet the holy Ghost was not come down upon any of them Conseq So they had received the Word but not the Spirit and so not Christ by James Naylors account if there be no more but Christ 20. Act 12.24 But the word of God grew and multiplied Did Christ grow and multiply See also chap. 13.44 and verse 46 48 49. And chap. 15.35 36. And chap. 19.20 2 Cor. 4.2 Ephes 6.17 All which are clearly meant of the teaching and preaching of the word of God and of the growth thereof Assertion 2. to wit That what ever God hath spoken is his word or words The which I prove thus it is written Exod 20.1 And God spake all these words saying Conseq Therefore when God speaketh his expressions are called words or a word See Psalm 68.11 The Lord gave the word great was the Company of those that published it Arg. But if what God speaketh is his word or words Conseq Then it must necessarily follow that all Scripture is the word of God and the particular words of it are words of God and altogether they are his word See Heb. 1.2 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto our Fathers in times past by the Prophets hath in these last times spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the wor●ds See also Chap. 12.25 See that yee refuse not him that speaketh Also Luke 1.69 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Observe he spake it by the mouth of his holy Prophets and of his Apostles and af his Son Therefore all such speakings and expressions are the words and

testimonie whether it be of God yea or no for this calling of the scripture carnal and a dead letter is not like the testimony of the spirit of God which cals it spiritual and I rather beleeve that the Law is spiritual and James Naylor carnal then the Law carnal and he spiritual Now can I think that James Naylor was ever quickned and received the spirit by the hearing of faith preached nor by the operation of the word and spirit joyntly together as other beleevers for then he would never cal it but a dead letter and carnal c. if he had ever received spiritual life from it but he would love and own it above all other words and also acknowledg that he hath received light and comfort from it But he saith in his Answers to Baxter that the scripture holds out but one light and Word which I say is not true and therefore first I shal make it appear from Scripture that it houldeth out more light then one and then I shal prove my former assertions that there is more words of God then one held forth in scripture and so properly called in scripture which the Quakers cal blasphemy but the blasphemy is theirs And first for Lights Christ himself saith who is the essential Light and as it were the the original Luminary of all inferior or lesser Lights in his Sermon upon the Mount Ye are the light of the world speaking to his Disciples and let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven see Matt 5.14 and 16. And again John was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light see Joh 5.35 And David saith The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple Ps 119.130 So that here is clearly more lights then one and these held forth in scripture though all proceeding from that one fountain and see also 2 Pet 1.19 We have saith the Apostle a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do wel that yee take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day starre arise in your hearts But I suppose James Nailor wil not acknowledg that he ever received any light from that sure word of Prophecie as from a ligh shining in a dark place but only some little brain knowledge of the bare letter Else he would not so reproach and disparage those that do take heed to the sure word of prophesie til they be enlightned thereby in what they were dark and did not understand For he intimateth so much as though he never needed any scripture light but had all immediatly and that by voice or immediate inspiration or both from the spirit of God all which if it were true yet it would become him better not to despise others that have it mediatly and it may be at the second third fourth hand especially some things that are hard to be understood with men that are dul of hearing as some of the Saints were to whom the Apostle writes see Heb 5.11 And lest I should seem to mistake his intimations he plainly expresseth himself in his Book against Thomas Moore pag 43.9 10 11 line where he saith I witness against thee who have received the word from his own mouth and immediate calling And that he accounteth their Ministry litteral who know not what it is to inquire at the mouth of the Lord. These are his words speaking to Thomas Moore to wit he saith he had reckoned up the names of many of the Saints of God which makes little for thy purpose who were all men that were taught in spirit and need not to run unto a Book to seek their knowledg but had the word of the Lord from Gods own mouth and there was the oracle whereat they enquired which thou wouldest make to be the letter who never knew what it was to enquire at his mouth whose Ministry is litteral see pag 28. line 16 to 24. Now these are his words and I shal not deny but even in these daies there is such men as may truly say with the Apostle to wit And trulie our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonn Jesus Christ. But not all in a like measure the gifts and graces of God and the measures of them are various as the Lord said unto Aaron and Miriam Numb 12.6 7 8. to wit Hear now my words If there be a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream My servant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all mine house with him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold wherefore then were ye not afraid to speake against my servant Moses From whence it appears there is different dispensations even amongst the Prophets of the Lord some have more apparent acquaintance and familiarity with God and those are such who are faithfull in all Gods house And some have a more dark and hidden acquaintance with and knowledge of God as it pleaseth him to communicate unto them in different measures and degrees according as they are different in measures and degrees of faithfulnesse Now Moses was faithful in all Gods house but so were not Aaron and Miriam nor the rest of the Ptophets then living though yet they were faithful in a good degree and were true Prophets of the Lord. Now I never read that Moses spake any thing at all to the disparagement of those that were inferior unto him in acquaintance with God though they spake against him as though he had assumed to much honour Say they Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses Hath he not spoken also by us And the Lord heard it and the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he departed See verse 2. to 16. And the Lord himselfe vindicated Moses and was wroth with them but Moses being a meek man in stead of being angry prayed for Miriam that the Lord would heal her immediately but it could not be granted till after seven dayes so that the Lord himselfe was more severe then Moses whom she had spoken against But I find little of this meeknesse in James Naylor who accounteth himself the highest and all below him either Dwarfes or nothing like unto Christians insomuch as if they have need of a book either the Bible or any other they are despised by him as literal men in his book against Moore But Paul advised otherwise even to give attendance to reading and to exhortation and doctrine and not onely to a light within and biddeth not onely to bring his Cloake but the Books and especially the parchments In all likelihood then he himselfe made use of books and parchments Nay Christ himselfe disdained not to use a book or to read thereon