Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	apostle_n	word_n	zion_n	186	3	9.1667	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18050	The wise King, and the learned iudge in a sermon, out of the 10. verse of the 2. psalme: lamenting the death, and proposing the example, of Sir Edvvard Levvenor, a religious gentleman. Preached vpon a lecture-day at Canham in Suffolke. By Bezalell Carter.	Carter, Bezaleel, d. 1629.	1618 (1618)	STC 4693; ESTC S118631	28,180	76

ignorance is the mother of errour the cause of iudgements since we ought to be fulfilled with knowledge Col. 3. 16. and the word must dwell plentiously in vs and we must search the Scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. here then are our Romanists confuted that haue painted ouer the face of ignorance and style her the mother of deuotion and vnder this pretence haue as one saith set locke and key vpon the Scriptures forbidding the common people the searching of the Scriptures abusing that diuine precept of our blessed Sauiour cast not holy things to dogges Matth. 7. 6. as if all Gods people were dogges and swine but what saith Paul 1. Thess 5. 27. I charge you in the Lord that this Epistle be read to all the brethren the Saints And againe Rom. 1. 3. the Apostle writes his Epistle generally to al the Saints at Rome And wherefore then doe the Papists barre the people from the vse of Pauls Epistles which the Apostle would haue common and not from the vse of Pauls Epistles alone but from the whole vse of Scripture Vse 2 Secondly since God calls vpon vs to be learned in his word this reprooues the blockish ignorance in these times for now are the daies come that we may crie out with Dauid there is none that vnderstands Psal 14. 1. We liue vnder a glorious sunshine but this is condemnation that light is come into the world and men loue darkenesse more then light Ioh. 3. 19. God hath been maruailously rich in mercy in vouchsafing vnto vs means of knowledge The messengers of God crie vnto vs saying this is the way walke in it Isa 30. 21. the golden bels of Aaron rings in euery place indeed we want neither bookes for God hath written vnto vs the great things of his lawe Ose 8. nor tutors to open vnto vs Gods counsell Act. 20. 20. nor nothing sit for Christs schollers to encrease our knowledge and yet notwithstanding our tutering teaching preaching planting sowing watering yet how many are there that knowe not wherefore they were sent into the world Question a drunkard about wine and strong drink a couetous man about building and pulling down of digging ditching plowing sowing and therein you shall finde them very sensible and intelligible quicke either to conceiue or discourse but talke to them concerning those admirable mysteries of our redemption iustification c. and they vnderstād no more then if a man should read them a peece of Aristotle or Plato or any other author in a strange tongue O that such treuants as these would thinke vpon that saying Ioh. 14. 22. If I had not come and spoken to them they had had no sinne but now they haue no cloak for their sinne Vse 3 Thirdly since God calleth vpon vs to be learned in Gods lawes hence it followes further that we must not content our selues with a little measure and modicum of knowledge but wee must striue to be learned that is to be full of knowledge For he is not a learned man that knowes two or three grammar rules but he that is skild in the tongues in the arts and sciences so he is not a learned Christian that vnderstands two or three easie principles but hee that hath the spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of Christ that haue their vnderstanding lightned and know what is the hope of their calling Ephes 1. 17. Well then since the Spirit calls vpon vs to be learned therefore say I that as good students are insatiably thirsty after learning like Aristotle that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeffatigable in paines and vnweariable in his labours for the encrease of his knowledge such also is the eager affection of all such as are Christs Disciples and right learned indeed that their thirst after knowledge cannot be quenched Obiect But some man may happily replie against mee that euery man cannot be so great a scholler as you speake of God hath not giuen his gifts alike vnto all men Answ And to this I answer againe that though God giues 10. talents to one and but 5. to another yet would there not be a dunce in a countrey if men would but obserue these rules following First to pray for knowledge If any 1 Prayer man want wisedome let him aske it of God Iam. 1. 5. The way to haue the eyes of our vnderstanding opened is to pray to God with blinde Bartimeus O sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs Lord that we may receiue our sight Mat. 10. 51. Luther that was so mighty in the Scriptures was wont to protest that he had more reuealed to him by praier then by study and reading But though this be a notable meanes of illumination yet at this time I intend to follow the phrase of my text And this is all I say that if a student will be a good proficient indeed First he must plie his priuate study Secondly he must frequent learned exercises Thirdly he must be much in conference Fourthly he must be much in contemplation First he must studie hard Learning 2 Reading is not gotten without studie Socrates would read and meditate 20. houres together and Cato got not his learning with beeing idle Heluo erat librorum libros legebat nec eorum lectione satiari potuit Whosoeuer will be a good proficient in Christs schoole must take the Apostles aduice to search the Scripturs yea and spend time in reading of godly bookes but I name the Scriptures especially because all the rest of the sheafes must doe reuerence to this sheafe Let not the word of this law depart from thee saith God Ios 1. 8. And what saith he to the King Deut. 17. 19. He shall reade the words of this Lawe all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lord his God and to keepe the words of this Law c. And here brethren is the reason why there are so many vnlearned ones amongst vs euen because the Lord hath written vnto vs the great things of his Law and wee doe not regard them Hos 8. 13. here is the reason because we are like to many idle schollers that haue their studies full of good bookes which lie moulding vpon their shelues and are couered ouer with dust whilst they lauish away their time at chesse or tables or worse recreations no maruel then if they increase not in knowledge and learning and thus it is with many in the schoole of Christ come into their houses and you shall see their shelues adorned with good bookes the bible and other godly treatises but alasse they hunt after riches and friends c. and are such strangers to Gods word that they read not a chapter in a whole moneth together and no meruaile then if they be vnlearned Secondly to increase knowledge 3 Hearing we must frequent the assemblies of the Saints The house of God is the Lords schoolehouse the ministers of the word are the Lords teachers Eph. 4. 11. 1. Tim. 2.

occasion to him of intermission insomuch that a little before his dissolution beeing high shreise of this County and taken vp with many and great employments yet was he so carefull and assiduous euen in the busiest time of the Assises to begin and end the day with inuocation that he would not enter vpon any busines in the morning nor giue sleepe to his eyes in the euening before he had called his company together to ioyne with him in prayer Neither was hee carefull alone to pray in his family more publikely Oratio secretum postulat nay his reines taught him in the night season and as I am informed by those from whome he could not altogither hide it he set large times apart also for priuate praier Some indeede there are that neuer inuoke Gods name except before witnesses First they get them vpon the stage and cause a trumpet to be blowne and when they haue spectators enough then they begin their deuotions But Dauid praied in secret 2. Sam. 12. 16. so did Peter Act. 10. 9. so did Iacob Gen. 32. 24. so did Christ Iesus avulsus est ab eijs quasi ad iactum lapidis c. Hee went a stones cast from his disciples and kneeled downe and prayed Luk. 22. 41. Priuate prayer is an infallible symptom of sanctification And now brethren I would I could speak something to mooue you in these vn-praying times I haue called vpon you from Sabbath to Sabbath and Sermon after Sermon haue I prooued both the necessitie power and efficacie of praier and for ought I heare all is as water spilt vpon the ground 2. Sam. 14. 14. I beseech you al by the mercies of God that this Gentlemans practise in this kind may neuer out of your remembrance thinke of his care to sanctifie his family in offering vp his morning and euening sacrifice thinke of his secret and priuate conference with God what secret intercourse there was twixt God and his soule I beseech you again I was about to charge you in the name of my God to keep this example in remembrance and that the thought of it may be as a spurre to prouoke you on to prayer and if this example mooue you not hearken then to Ieremies prayer Powre out thy wrath vpon the heathen and vpon those familyes that call not vpon thy name Ier. 10. 25. Thirdly how carefull was he to draw Desirous to draw others to God on others to God I shall I confesse tel you strange things and yet no more then truth that whereas other gentlemen of his sort are wont to make merchandize of mens soules my meaning is to present idle vnworthy shepheards to their benefices for their owne aduantage and so fill the Church of God full of blind guides fitter to be ouer-seene themselues then to ouer-see others yet this gentleman shall I say that he was a free Patron nay which is more strange was he not ready to purchase Church-liuings with his owne siluer and bestow them gratis as we say vpon such Pastors as would be carefull of the flocke committed to their charge and for mine owne particular I must needes acknowledge it with thankefulnesse that he freely and frankly made me the vnworthy pastor of this congregation at his great cost and expences Againe whereas others of his ranke are wont to purloyne and rob the Church and seeme to compound with the deuill Damihi diuitias caeteri tolle tibi giue me the profits of the Church and take thou the soules of the people and so place some vnworthy of their cures while they make themselues merry with the Lords portion and spend it vpon dogs hauks and twenty to one of worse matters and then colour ouer all their the euery by calling of their benefices by the name of donatiues this gentleman whom I cannot easily paralel whatsoeuer hee might doe by humane law yet would he not make ship wracke of a good conscience for a little lucre but like Abraham to Melchizedecke hee paied tithes of all Gen. 13. 20. But alasse our freind Lazarus is dead his habitation is in the hill of Zion in the cittie of the liuing God and behinde him there remaine a number of Church-pyrats that would not only rob the parson vicar Church Chappell God but would venture a voiage to hell for a little lucre Fourthly his sanctification appeared further by the care hee had to hallow and honour Gods name and this am I able to testifie for him that since first I knew him neuer did I heare one oth or No swearer other great or small fal from him which speaks not a little to his cōmendation in these times when our whole land is too full of blasphemy and those deadly words spoken of Eccles 23. 11. are as common as stones in our streetes the time was when there were few swearers except men-swearers but now our women are not ashamed to rap out oath after oath to the dishonour of God and his Sonne Christ and as for too many of our gentry woe is me that I am borne to be a contentious man come but within their thresholds to heare the master sweare and seruants sweare I quake and tremble to name their oaths by the precious wounds of God by Gods heart by Christs blood c. a mā would think himself entred into the very suburbs of hell yea and with your fauour many also that make scruple of greater make little scruple of lesser oaths by their faith troth c. and such a family as Sir Edward Lewkners pardon me though I speake bluntly whether I haue so often resorted and neuer hard one oath throughout the whole family is hardly to be found in a country Alasse my brethren how can we choose but expect iudgement when this fearefull sinne so raigneth and rageth amongst vs I turned saith the Prophet and looked and behold a flying booke the length of it 20. and the breadth of it 10. cubits and then it follows Loe this is the curse that goeth ouer the whole earth and euery one that steales and sweares shall bee cut off as well on this side as on that Zach. 5. 1. 2. 3. and Zophon 1. 4. I will saith God stretch out mine hand vpon Iudah c. and I will cut off them that worship the hoast of heauen and sweare by the Lord and Malcham and them that are turnd backe from the Lord. Fiftly how cautelous was he in the choice of his household seruants a notable testimony of a man truely sanctified there shall not dwell a wicked person in mine house Psal 106. All his care was to haue seruants fearing God vnder his roofe ruffians swaggerers tospots prophane Esaus blasphemous Rabsaches were hatefull to him and which is very memorable during the time of his shreiualdry and hauing if I mistake not the number neere vpon sixty wearing his liuery yet could I neuer heare of any outragious or inordinate swearers or drunkards amongst the number Neither can I a little