Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	darkness_n	light_n	shadow_n	7,372	5	9.4624	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85207	Hidden manna or, the mystery of saving grace. Wherein the peculiarity of Gods especiall grace to the elect is asserted and proved, and divers objections of Pelagians and Arminians about the power of the will of man to supernatural good, are fully answered and confuted. By that reverend, learned, and faithfull minister of Gods word, William Fenner B.D. late of Rochford in Essex. Perfected many years since by the author whilst he was preacher at VVillingsworth in Staffordshire. Imprimatur Edm. Calamy.	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.	1652 (1652)	Wing F692; Thomason E1310_2; ESTC R209026	31,828	115

perceiveth not so the wicked never so learned they perceive the barke of the mystery of Christ but not the inward sence of the Spirit as Theodoret said of the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. they are like singing Parrots that can imitate mans voyce but they skil not the meaning so the wicked can speake gracious things by rote and understand not what they speake no that is a secret The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his Covenant The second reason is taken a modo intelligendi from the manner of perceiving the secret of grace which is Spirituall the Naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. and he that doth know the minde of the Lord that is the secret he must have the minde of Christ ver 16. Indeed the wicked that have learning may perceive and know these things of the Spirit but they know them in a Carnall manner not in a spirituall wise and howbeit they may reforme their outward courses and cut off many acts of sin and like Grace somewhat in their hearts thus farre and further may the carnall man go being but changed not renewed Now they cannot spiritually discerne Grace for in regard of spirituall discerning they are in the darke even as eyes saith the same Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even as eyes if they would see without light the eye-sight and the goodnesse and excellency of the ball wil not avail to make them see so the wicked even the learnedst of them all they cannot see grace because they have the spirit of discerning light their learning and their wit and all their good parts cannot suffice them to descry this secret they see it indeed But seeing see not and hearing heare not and perceiving understand not Matth. 13. 13. Why the knowledge of this secret is not given to them but only to Christs Disciples ver 11. and therefore it is called the Unction of the Holy Ghost yee have an Unction from the Holy one and ye know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. That is you know all the secret it is called eye-salve Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Revel 3 18. This same eye-salve the Physitians tell us is an oyntment to purge away all filth and fluxes and ophthalmies out of the eyes that they may clearly see It s called the opening of the eyes Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Psal 119. 18. It s called the lighting of the eyes Lighten mine eyes Psal 13. 3. It s called seeing because all the wicked are blinde to this secret And the eyes of the blinde shall see out of darknesse Esa 29. 18. Alas the naturall walkes in the blinde shadow of death and is not acquainted with this gracious light no that is a secret And the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his Covenant The third reason is taken a statu intelligentis from the condition of the party that must perceive the secret of grace he must have another secret thing to be made capable of this secret and that is the new creature Gal. 6. 15. which is called the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3. 4. It s called a hidden life Your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. and therefore the word of God is closed up in the godly that the wicked understand it not Dan. 12. 9 10. they are like scrauled blotted papers that cannot receive The Law is sealed up in the godlies heart and the ungodly whether learned or unlearned cannot read it Esa 29. 11 12. Seale my Law amongst my disciples Esa 8. 16. A garden inclosed is my sister my spouse aspring shut up a fountain sealed Cant. 4. 12. That is mysterium the mystery saith Ambrose even the signed and sealed mystery of faith and grace for as a private letter to a friend containes secret matter that no man else may read because it is sealed so is grace sealed up it is under the Privy-seale of heaven that no man can breake open but the faithfull to whom it is sent The secret of the Lord is revealed to them that feare him and he will shew them his Covenant My first use shall be for Instruction Is Gods secret with them that feare him then the godly are the friends of God Yee are my friends if you doe whatsoever I command you Joh. 15. 14. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for I have made all things knowne unto you vers 15. Mysteriis digni facti estis saith Theophy lact I have thought you worthy to bee acquainted with my secrets and Abraham was called the friend of God Jam. 2. 23. What shall I hide from my friend Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I doe Gen. 18. 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome Oh how greatly God condescends to the godly hee speakes to them as a man would speake to his friend there is no profitable secret that he will not impart unto them The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew to them his Covenant Secondly Is Gods secret with them that feare him then the godly are all one with God As Orestes and Pylades loved one another so well that they were all one with another Orestes was called Pylades and Pylades was called Orestes so are the godly all one with each other St. Paul calls the godly Christ yea Christ saith as much That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may bee one in us Joh. 17. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostome so far forth as its possible for man to be one with God so here the honour of the godly they are admitted to Gods secrets to be one with him Tiberius Caesar thought no man fit to know his secrets and yet the Lord vouchsafeth the godly his owne secrets as Elisha could tell the secrets that were spoken in the Kings bed-chamber 2 King 6. 12. so the godly know the secrets of Gods chamber even of the King of Kings Presence-chamber O the honour of the godly saith a sweet Father against the Persians none but Noble-men Lords and Dukes might be made partakers of State-secrets they esteemed secrecie a God-head a divine thing saith Ammianus Marcellinus the godly are heavenly Lords and Nobles and the Privy-states-men of heavens Court Such honour have all his Saints for the Kings secrets are the glory of the subject that is in favour saith Cassiodore and the Lords secrets are the glory of the godly The secrets of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant My second use shall be for Refutation Away