Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	able_a	salvation_n	wise_a	5,460	5	6.2694	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00276	A dialogue betweene a vertuous gentleman and a popish priest [ ... ]pleasaunt and profitable, both for ministers and gentlemen, men and vvomen, old and yong, made by I.B.	I. B., fl. 1581.	1581 (1581)	STC 1039; ESTC S120239	70,214	160

doth tender his owne saluation to leaue no meanes vnsought for that might bring it to passe and to be most carefull for the same as that which doth deserue greatest labor if there be any that will say they would willingly do it if they knewe vvich vvay to beginne let * Iohn 5.39 them bring themselues acquainted vvith the vvorde of God vvhich is able to * 2. Tim. 3.16 make them vvise vnto saluation if they vvill say their knowledge is smal and the scriptures are hard to be vnderstoode let them seeke diligently * Mat. 7.7 pray hartily and knocke hard and the Lorde vvill open the doore of knowledge vnto them and giue them right hearts of a good vnderstanding if any vvill say they haue so much to deale in worldly affayres that they cannot spare one hour in the day to read the vvord of God let thē knovv except all their actions be measured by the lyne of Gods vvorde their labor is lost their time ill spent their hope is vaine their vvroks vnprofitable and * Deut. 28.17 all that they take in hande accursed if there be any that thinke themselues so well spedde that they need no more teaching let them learn to put their knowledge in practise in framing their liues according lest when they know * Luk. 12.56 much doe little their damnation be the greater if there be any that vvill say there are none so vnwise to do that which they know to be vnlawfull let them know that of that number there are too many and although the most part must of necessitie confesse that there is a God whom they ought to serue yet the diuell doth draw many with great force to liue as those that knovve no God such is the corruption of mans nature and so great are the assaultes of our enemie the diuell that vvhen vve knovv our duetie and see the path way that will lead vs vnto eternall lyfe yet through the suggestions of Satan and the deceitfulnesse of sinne we are drawne to tread the steps of death and euerlasting destruction And some there be to excuse this their fooly will defende their life though neuer so vile and that they may haue the bridle of licentiousnesse to tunne at ran done though against their consciences they will not spare to call euill good and good euill darknesse light and light darknes they that may make a faire shew in the worlde and regard not at all how manifestly they lye before the face of almighty God this fault vvas found in * Act. 5.4 Ananias Saphira his vvife for the vvhich they both lost their liues and this vvickednesse doth still remain amongst vs although the punishment be not so euidently seene of this number are so many as know their dutie and lead a life cleane contrary that knovv lying to bee a faulte and yet vvill not sticke to lye for aduantage that knovv it to be sinne to sweare and yet haue their mouthes full of vayne othes that know adultery to be abominable in the sight of God and yet liue in whordome al the dayes of their life that knovv murther to be a breach of the lavve and yet vvish their brothers throates cut that they may haue their good that know couetousnesse to be the roote of all euil and yet thinke lucre to be godlinesse that knovve the rewarde of sinne to be death and yet liue in vvickednesse al the dayes of their life these men knovve it yea and vvith all their hearts they knovv it and vvith shame ynough vvill not sticke to say it and shut vp al with tushe God is mercifull and vvith this cloake they thinke to couer their shame and by that meanes to set God besides his iudgements but vvhen they shall be arraigned before his iudgement seate to aunswere for the breache of his lavves I feare me this cloake of hypocrisie beeing founde on their backes vvill be taken for the liuery of their maister the diuell vvhom as they haue serued in this worlde vvithout any feare of God so shal they dwell vvith him for euer in fire euerlasting vvhich is prepared for him and his Angels These are the faultes of our time and such punishments doe follow such sinnes and the wickednes of the people is so great that we haue good cause to say vvith Dauid that it is * Psal 119. time O Lorde for thee to lay to thine hand But because these thinges are farre from you vvhich doe so ill like of them that you are an enemye to those that vse them you may thinke your self happie and thrise happie vvhom God hath deliuered from so great euils And for my selfe as I am by duety bounde to do you the best seruice that I may and haue receyued more benefites at your handes then euer I deserued I can but vvishe you that vvhich no man can giue you and pray for that vvhich you may obtaine that you may so serue the Lorde of heauen and earth during the time of your pilgrimage in this shorte and transitory vvorlde that vvhen this life shall cease and all vvorldly helpes shall fayle you you may haue God your father Christ your brother the holy Ghost your comforter the Angels your companions your inheritance aboue the Heauens vvith ioyes vnspeakable in a life that shall last for euer Amen Your worships humble seruant I. B. To the godly Reader THe estate of these our dayes is so dangerous the people so vngratious with sin so abounding vertue so little set by of almost al euery where the it may melt a christiā hart to meditate thereon such negligence in Magistrates suche rebellion in subiects such carelesnes in fathers mothers and suche disobedience in sonnes daughters that wheras we looke to receiue the fruits of the earth the blessings of heauen powred out vpon vs according so the prourise of the Lorde vnto his children the maruel is great the the sun doth not skorch vs the water drowne vs the earth gape redy to deuour vs for our disobedience and vnthākfulnes for the same What blessings are there which we haue not receiued and what sinn is ther but we haue committed what could a father do more for his owne children then to keepe them as the apple of his eye what tokens of ●asterdly impes can there be greater then to liue as vagabounds the regard not their father oh howe wel may this complaint of the Prophet be applied vnto vs that the * Esai 12. Lord hath brought vp children they haue done vnfaithfully against him ah sinfull nation a people laden with iniquitie a seede of the wicked such as haue forsaken the Lord and proud●ed the holy one of Israell to anger and as the Prophet Osee said of Israel so may it ●e sayd of England that * Ose 14.41 ther is no truth no mercy no knowledge of god in the land but swearing lying manslaughter theft adultery haue gotten the vpper

him that you haue offended and not me Gen. Why is there suche an offence in swearing one little othe as by my faith Gen. Yea no doubt although the othe seeme little in your eies yet the offence is great in the sight of God and I maruaile that you which haue taken vpon you to be a teacher are now to learn that lesson therfore I woulde wishe you either learne to leaue your swearing or leaue your name of teaching for commonly suche a master such schollers and where the blind lead the blinds they both fall into the dike Par. Me thinkes you take vppon you to be master controller and I thinke you haue since our first talke spoken more then you can prooue Gen. No master parson I meane not to Controle you but I seeke by all meanes to amend you and as for that which I haue saide or doe meane to saie I doubt not but I am able to auouch it by the word of God and if you thinke that you can disproue me and proue that you saye by the scripture I am contented to be taught of you Par. Naye I promise you I haue no scripture Gen. What haue you no scripture then you are woorse then the Diuell for he had some scripture when he * Mat. 4.6 tempted Christe he was not without scripture but you say you haue none and therfore in that respect you are inferiour to the diuell Par. Truely Gentleman you make but a homely comparison but I am contented you shal say your pleasure Gen. And you are a very homely minister that you shame not to say you haue no knowledge in the scripture What a pitiful thinge is this that you whiche are in the roome of a master and haue manie schollers to teache and see well brought vp or else a hard an account to make that you are altogeather without knowledge You take it vpon you to be on of them that will giue light as a randell to them that sit in darkenesse and are placed in Moses chaire to shew the law of the Lorde vnto his people but I perceiue you may goe amongste the number of those shepheards whom the * Esai 56.16 Prophet complaineth of that are altogeather without vnderstading that are blind that are dumbe dogges and cannot barke For I see well you are no preacher of the word Par. No in deed it was neuer my bringing vp Gen. What can you say nothing then you maye goe learne of Balaams Asse for he * Nom. 22.27 could saie somewhat and feare before the Angel of the Lorde but you can say nothing nor fear the iudgements of God due for so great a sin although you are in such estimation that you are called master parson yet you are worse then Blaaams Asse in condition Par. I thinke I am so not bad as you make me for I can read the word vnto the people and is not that sufficient Gen. No that will not suffice for one of your calling must not onely read the word but be able to expound the same and suche thinges as are harde to be vnderstoode to make plaine vnto the people for faith commeth by hearing * Rom. 10.14 and hearing by the word of God and howe shall they heare without a Preacher and Solomon sayth where * Pro. 11.14 Gods worde is not preached the people goe to decay so that you may now see if you be not starke blind how farre you are out of the way and how vnfitte you are to haue the charge ouer soules which are vnable to preach and cannot vse that ordinary meanes to saue the people which is ordeined to bring them vnto faluation Par. I perceiue you are a Puritant out right you are one of these new mē that would haue nothing but preaching it was neuer merry world since that sect came first amongst vs for I dare be hold to say that there was more good fellowship in the old time and all thinges were better cheape when wee had little preaching or none at all and a man might haue more for a peny then he can haue now for a groat therfore I think we haue now so much preaching that wee are the worse for it Gen. What master parson are you of that minde that the preaching of the word of God which is the greatest blessing that we haue amongst vs is the cause of our vnhappines Oh in any wise thinke not so for the vngodly people in the time of the Prophet Ieremie were of the same wicked opinion and tolde him the like tale that when they did * Iere. 44.17 seruice vnto the Queene of Heauen they were in prosperity and had all things plemie but when they did leaue such vngodly behauiour all thinges went wrong with them and their estate was vn happy and therefore they though that to serue God was the cause of their punishmentes but the Prophet tolde them as I may tel you that * Iere. 44.22 our sinnes are the cause of our troubles and we are punished for not walking in the waies of the Lord. Therefore master parson you are farre deceiued to thinke that the preaching of the Gospell doth hurt the people and now I well perceiue that there is not that in you which I thought to haue found in a man of your calling therefore to discharge mine owne dutie and for the loue I beare vnto the truth I will according to my small knowledge shew you what is the duetie of true sheepeheardes of the which number I know you would goe for one First it is sayde in the prophesie of Ezechiel that the * Ezek. 33.7 shephard is made a watch man ouer his flocke to giue them warning from the lorde and if they sinne and he shew them not of it that then they shall dye in their sinnes their bloud shall be requyred at the pastors handes but if hee giue them warning and thye amend not they shall die in their sinnes but the minister hath saued his own soule another Prophet saith that the Priests lippes shoulde * Mal. 2.7 keepe sure knowledge that the people may seek the law at his mouth because hee is the messenger of the Lorde of Hostes And the Apostle Paule sayth that a minister * 2. Tim. 3.2 must be baamelesse watching sober apt to teach not greedy of filthy lucre holding the mistery of faith in pure conscience and Peter agreeing with him would haue them to feed * 3. Pet. 5.2 their flocke not as though they were Lords ouer their parishioners but that they giue a good ensample vnto them of wel doing and that of good will and Paule in another place would haue them to be instant in * 2. Tim. 4.2 season and out of season and no time exempted wherein they may be doing good This is your duetie and if this be in you then doe you play the part of a wise seruant whom his master when hee commeth shall finde wel doing but if