Selected quad for the lemma: glory_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
glory_n	darkness_n	light_n	shine_v	8,378	5	9.6671	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87095	The first general epistle of St. John the Apostle, unfolded & applied. The second part, in thirty and seven lectures on the second chapter, from the third to the last verse. Delivered in St. Dionys. Back-Church, by Nath: Hardy minister of the gospel, and preacher to that parish.; First general epistle of St. John the Apostle. Part 2.	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1659 (1659)	Wing H723; Thomason E981_1; ESTC R207731	535,986	795

have the light to walk in it to walk worthy of it to walk as children of it by walking in this path of love And so much for that Exposition The other interpretation renders these words assertively is true in you and expounds the darkness and light of sinne and grace an Exposition which I incline to as most rational it being very probable that our Apostle as in the following verses he useth the same metaphors so here intends the same things and that there his primary scope is to describe by darkness and light mans corrupt and regenerate estate will appear in the handling For the better prosecution of these words in this sense be pleased to proceed with me by these steps and observe 1. What is the state of all men before conversion Namely a state of darkness darkness is in our minds the darkness of ignorance and infidelity we neither do nor can know aright either God or our selves The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God is St Pauls generall Doctrine asserting our ignorance of God and the particular charge against Laodicea That she knew not she was wretched and miserable poor blind and naked may justly be extended to all mankind in regard of self-ignorance Indeed there is so much light left in us as may render us inexcusable but not as can lead us to Heaven we neither of our selves can find out nor yet discern divine truths though they are set before us how quick sighted soever reason may be in naturals it is dimme yea blind in spirituals and as our blessed Saviour argueth If the eye be darkness the whole body must needs be darke the eyes of our understanding being darkned no marvell if our will and affections be clouded yea a darkness of sin overrun our whole man so that what St Paul saith to the Ephesians is true of all unregenerate persons they are not only in the concrete darke but abstract darkness it self 2. What the state of all regenerate persons is The darkness is past and the true light of saving knowledg and heavenly grace shineth in their hearts Regenerate Christians are called in the new Testament new Creatures and indeed not unfitly since as it was in the old so is it in this new Creation We read in the beginning of Genesis That darkness was upon the face of the deep and God said let there be light A fit Embleme of the Spirits work in a sinners Conversion Whereas darkness covereth the soul before a glorious light ariseth in and diffuseth it self through it To this no doubt the Apostle alludeth when he saith God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts and for this reason it is that very often the turning of a sinner is set forth by this Metaphor so Pauls conversion of the Gentiles is called a turning them from darkness to light the converted Colossians are said to be delivered from the power of darkness and of the Ephesians it is said You who were sometimes darkness are now light in the Lord. Suitable to all which is this phrase in my Text The darkness is past and that true light now shineth Nor is it unworthy the observation how fitly these two clauses are ioyned together since the one cannot be without the other nay indeed one is the cause of the other In every convert there is not only a passing away of darkness but a shining of the true light yea the shining of the light is the cause of the passing away of the darkness in which respect Zanchy noteth that Conjunctio copulans pro causali posita videtur the Copulative Conjunction and is put for the Causall for This will the more appear if we consider what St Austin hath observed Namely That darkness is nothing else but the non residency of light and therefore that which expelleth darkness must needs be the presence of light thus the grace of the Spirit infused into the Soul is that which prevaileth to the expulsion of sin Look as the taking of an antidote driveth out the poyson the putting of a new Seal upon the Wax defaceth the old stampe and the return of the Sun causeth the darkness to vanish so is it the donation of the Spirit and his grace which dispossesseth Sin and Satan of the Soul Hence we may take notice what it is that maketh the difference between a Convert and a naturall Man namely the shining of the light of grace We that are converted were once involved in the same state of darkness with the rest of the world and as unable to deliver our selves from it had not Gods free grace caused the light to shine upon us which he denieth to others in which regard St Peter saith to the converted Christians to whom he wrote You are a chosen Generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People that you should shew forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light But yet it must withall be considered that the words in this sense are better read according to the Greek the darkness passeth away then that it is past since so long as we are here though our light be true yet it is not perfect but shineth more and more to the perfect day Now according to the increase of the light is the decrease of the darkness and therefore because it is not full noon perfect day whilst we are here the darkness cannot be said to be wholly past but rather is still passing if then we are sensible of the remainder of darkness in our hearts let it trouble but not too much dismay us light and darkness in remiss degrees may be together nor must we expect the darkness of sin to be wholly removed till we participate the light of Glory 3. In whomsoever the darkness passeth and the true light shineth this is true of which our Apostle here speaketh this grace and duty of love will shew it self in all regenerate persons it is a clear maxim where there is the cause there will be the effect such as is the root such will be the fruit now goodness which is a companion of love is called by the Apostle Paul A fruit of the Spirit or as some Greeke Copies read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fruit of light this light which here is said to shine which is no other then the grace of the Spirit no wonder if where this light shineth there this beam and fruit of it appear indeed glowe worm light and star light is such as hath no beat at all to accompany it but Sun light which is the true light expelling darkness wanteth not heat which is the Embleme of this grace of love whereby the soul is warmed yea enflamed Examine we then our selves by this Character if we be brought from darkness to light this is true in us who so experienceth this change will find

which truly belongs to thee though thou art a stripling yet thou art a Childe Why shouldest thou distrust thy Fathers clemency True thy weakness exposeth thee to oftner faylings but doth not debar thee from mercifull indulgence which as it is confined only so it is extended to all the Children of God 3. The efficiency of the benefit cometh last to be considered as it is expressed in those words for his names sake f●● the better explication of which I shall briefly discuss it both Negatively and Affirmatively 1. Not for your own sakes Sin is not forgiven without our desiring God will have us aske and seek and knock for it it is one of the petitions our Saviour teacheth us to use in his Prayer Forgive us our trespasses but still it is without our deserving their being nothing that is or can be done by us in order to forgivness which is in the least degree meritorious of it Do we confess bemoane and forsake our sins these are no compensations of the wrong we have offered by them to the divine Majesty our sins deserve punishment but ou● sorrow cannot satisfie for the offence nay could we for the future performe exact unsinning obedience it is no more then what we are bound to observe and therefore no satisfaction for the former breaches of the Law It is not then any thing in us which induceth God by way of merit to confer a pardon on us when he forgiveth sin 2. For his names sake where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may have a double reference either to God or Christ nor is it much materiall to whom we refer it indeed insomuch as Christ is the Proxime antecedent and withall it is usuall with our Apostle to speak of Christ in the third person by one or other of these pronouns it is most probably refer'd to Christ but yet I shall take in both considerations as being neither improbable nor unprofitable 1. For his that is Gods names sake it is that which Allmighty God himself asserts in this very perticular by the Prophet Isaiah I even I am ●e that blotteth out your iniquities for my name sake and accordingly it is that argument by which David pleadeth with God for remission For thy names sake pardon my iniquities And according to this reference name may be taken in a double construction 1. It is a very usuall notion by name to understand honour and glory when God saith to David I have made thee a name like the name of men that are in the earth when the Church saith to God thou didst get thee a name as it is this day it is manifest that by name glory is intended Sutable to this it is that famous men are called by the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latins Virinominum Men of name in which sense the Poet adorneth it with these Epithets Magnum memorabile nomen of great and memorable Thus when God forgiveth sin he doth it for his names sake that is for his own honour and glory Indeed Gods own glory is the ultimate end of all his actions as he is the first so he is the last the efficient and the finall cause nor is any thing done by him which is not for him The end of our actions must be his glory because both our being and working is from him but the end of his work is his own glory because his being and acting is of and from himself Among all divine works there is none which more setteth forth his glory then this of remission sin by committing it brings God a great deale of dishonour and yet by forgiving it God raiseth to himself a great deale of honour it is the glory of a man and much more of God to pass by an offence as acts of power so acts of grace are exceeding honourable The attributes of Gods grace mercy goodness clemency shine forth in nothing so much as in pardoning sins St Paul speaketh of riches of goodness which attend Gods forbearance how much greater riches must there needs be in forgiveness nay indeed God hath so ordered the way of pardon that not only the glory of his mercy but justice yea of his wisdome in the wonderfull contemperation of both these is very illustrious Nomen quasi not a men quia notificat The name is that which maketh one known and by remission of sins God maketh known his choice and glorious attributes and for this end it is that he vouchsafeth it It is a consideration that may be our consolation Since God forgiveth sinnes for his names sake he will be ready to forgive many sins as well as few great as small indeed the more and greater our sins are the greater ●s the forgivness and consequently the greater is Gods glory and therefore David upon this consideration of Gods name and glory maketh the greatness of his iniquity a Motive of forgivness Indeed to run into gross sins that God may glorifie himself by forgiving them is an odious presumption but to hope that those gross sins we have run into may and will be forgiven by God to us being truly penitent for his names sake is a wellgrounded expectation and such as may support our spirits against the strongest temptations to dispaire 2. By Gods name in Scripture is sometimes understood his word when David saith I have remembred thy name oh Lord in the night and again Look upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to do unto them that love thy name No doubt we are most congruously to understand by it Gods Word of which he discourseth throughout the Psalm And indeed so primarily doth this title of name agree to the word that the Psalmist saith to God Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name and in this acceptation the sense is that God forgiveth sins for his words sake He hath been pleased to oblige himself by promise which he cannot falsifie to pardon the sins of his Children in which respect our Apostle saith in the former Chapter He is faithfull to forgive and indeed both these acceptions of name are involved are within the other since God forgiveth sins for his words sake because his glory is concerned in making good his word 2. For his that is Christs names sake and thus there is again a double construction of the word name to wit for person and ●or power 1. Name is sometimes taken for the person thus where it is said the number of the Christians was an hundred and twenty names and again Thou ●●st ● 〈…〉 names in Sardis it is manifestly meant of perso●● sutable to this is that of the Poet Nomina magna for great persons and often in Livie Nomen Latimum Romanum for a Latine a Romane and thus frequently in Scripture the name of the Lord and Christ is as much as God and Christ Calling upon the Lord is sometimes exprest by calling on the name of the

clause and therefore in this notion I shall now handle it 1. It is that which is true of these things considered absolutely in themselves they are of a fading nature according that of St Paul The things that are seen are temporall Indeed as Gregory Nyssen well observeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is of slender substance must needs be of short durance in vaine is perpetuity expected from vanity and this all according to Solomons assertion is vanity yea vanity of vanities where the Hebrew word signifieth a breath yea the breath of an Infant which is scarce perceiveable It is very considerable to this purpose that the Wise man saith of riches they are not and our Saviour implicitely asserteth as much of honour where he saith to the sons of Zebedee Hitherto you have asked me nothing when yet they had petitioned the one to sit at his right hand and the other at his left hand upon which St Austin note is Solum bonum spirituale estimari debet aliquid only that which is spirituall is reall as for riches honour and all worldly things they are nothing because of no intrinsecall worth nor lasting continuance Heraclitus compareth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the running water which is still passing so that we cannot go twice into one and the same water St Gregory to those treasures of snow mentioned in Job which after a great deale of pains in gathering together melt away This world is not quercetum a thicket of Oakes which stand long but arundinetum a place of willows which soon bend The Garden of Eden which may well be called the Diamond of the worlds Ring was situated by the Land of Nod which signifieth instable thereby intimating the tottering condition of all worldly excellencies It is storyed of Edward the first that after all his famous victories he died on the borders of Scotland at a place called Furbis Sands wherenote saith the Historian upon how sandy a foundation all worldly greaness is built No wonder if that which hath a weake and infirme foundation do not long continue 2. Besides whilst these things in themselves continue they pass away from their possessors and change their masters Nothing more usuall then for worldly things to pass like wild foule from one mans field or like the river from one mans banke to another The Apostle Paul calls them uncertain riches it is no less true of honours and pleasures because we have no certain tenure of them The utmost we can injoy them is Durante vitâ during life when the worldly lovers breath expireth these things to which he hath cleaved will leave him but alas we are not sure to enjoy them so long the marriage between the world and its lover is not like that between Husband and Wife to have and to bold till death part no nor yet is the possession of them certain Quam diu quis bene se gesserit so long as a man useth them well they pass away from good as well as bad so that the term of our tenure is only durante beneplacito so long as God pleaseth And if you look upon the dispensations of divine providence what frequent changes may you observe it to ring in the Steeple of this world soone turning plenty into scarcity wealth into want glory into ignominy and honour into contempt 3. Thus doe these things pass away and that as Zanchy well observeth upon the words instar rapidissimi fluminis like a swift running river or as St Austin allegorizeth that in the Psalmes he shall drink of the brook in the way a violent and impetuous torrent We read concerning the tempter that he showed Christ all the Kingdomes and glory of the world in a moment upon which St Ambrose excellently Non tam conspectus ●●leritas indicatur quam caduca fragilitas potestatis exprimitur not so much the sodaineness of the sight as the transitorines of the things themselves is thereby intimated worldly power and honour passing away in a moment The wise man saith of riches they take them wings not feet only and flee away to wit speedily sodainly before we are aware Worldly wealth as St Gregory excellently Difficile habetur cito amittitur is hardly got and easily lost like the cobweb far longer in the spinning then it is in the sweeping down The Spaniard Proverbe saith of sickness It cometh on horse-back and goeth away on foot but wealth cometh on foot and goeth away on horse-back creepeth along like a Snaile but flyeth from us like an Eagle That similitude of the Psalmist concerning the grass Which in the morning groweth up and flourisheth but in the evening is cut down and withereth is a fit embleme of all worldly enjoyments and the vulgar Latines reading which is with a double transeat intimateth that it is passing from morning to evening and in that the condition of these things is so much the more represented which are continually in motion from first to last and as St Austin excellently Quò magis celeriter crescunt ut sint eò magis festinant ut non sint The longer they are enjoyed the neerer they are to decaying In one word what St Gregory observeth of secular glory is true of all the rest Dum nitet ●adit dum extollitur repentino interrupta fine terminatur whilest it glittereth and shineth gloriously on a sodaine it vanisheth away Like eares of corne which the higher they grow the sooner they hang down their heads Indeed to use Gregory Nazianzens comparison what is this world but a shew a scene a representation which having pleased our eyes for a few minutes is presently removed agreeing with that parallel place of St Paul The fashion of this world passeth away and thus I have given you a short view of the worlds passing which is the first branch of the position 2. The next followeth which is that The lust of or after the world and the things of it passeth away Indeed those who understand the world in the former clause largely for the whole visible Fabrick Expound this lust metonymically for the things of this world lusted after and so the sense is that as the whole world in generall so in particular the most desirable and amiable things in the world passe away not only the field but the flower of the field withereth But I know no reason to recede from the plaine meaning of the word and therefore I shall so discuss it The lust the desire after and delight in worldly things passeth away This is that which is true in a double consideration to wit whilst we live and when we die 1. Whilst men live their lusts pass away in a double sense 1. They pass away that is they are abortive as having no strength to bring forth it is the difference between Heavenly or Earthly spirituall and carnall desires those shall certainly be sasisfied but these are frequently disappointed these for

which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee also shall continue in the Son and in the Father And this is the Promise which he hath promised eternal life Begin wee with the Duty which wee shall finde to bee in order the seventh step of that lightsome walk the delineating whereof I have once and again told you is the principal design of this Epistle The first word wee meet with in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth here to be superfluous as also in the beginning of the seven and twentieth verse but whether wee look upon it as transposed or put absolutely it will bear a good construction By way of transposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus our Translators here read it Let that therefore which you have heard and also in the other verse The annointing which you have received Absolutely taken both here and there it is an Ellipsis and the sense is as much as As for you therefore as if hee should have said however others fallaway yet let that which you have heard abide in you These Antichrists with their followers forsake but do you continue in the Apostolical Doctrin nay therefore because they are fallen do you stand the more firmly In this sense the Apostles counsel is much like Joshuahs Resolution But as for me and my house wee will serve the Lord. Indeed it is the glory of a Christian like fish to keep fresh in salt waters to professe Christs name where Satans throne is and like stars in a dark night to shine in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation the truth is to bee Antichristian among Antichrists is usual to bee a Christian among Christians is laudable to bee Antichristian among Christians is abominable but to bee a Christian among Antichrists is admirable no such Tryall of Constancy as in times of Apostacy Vertue is never more amiable in Gods eies than when shee is out of fashion in the World It is said of Noah that hee found grace in the eies of the Lord and the next verse tells the reason He was perfect and upright in his Generation Grace though onely in the heart finds grace in Gods eies but especially in the life and more especially when like Noah it is in a degenerating generation had Peter done as hee said though all me● should bee offended yet will not I hee might well have challenged the priviledge of being Christs beloved Disciple Oh let us fix in our mindes this holy purpose of cleaving to Christ and his Truth though others leave it yea let their defection by a kind of Antiperistasis corroborate our resolution of continuing in the Doctrin wee have received More particularly in the Exhortation wee shall take notice of the Object which it concerneth and the duty which it requireth the object proposed is that which they had heard from the beginning the duty required is that it abide in them 1 The matter spoken of is That which they had heard from the beginning By beginning in this place is to be understood the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospel to them ex quo institui coepistis so Beza glosseth since you began to bee instructed in Christianity for it is not said Let that abide in you which was from the beginning then the date might have been taken from the beginning of the World since so soon as Adam fell the Gospel was Preached but that which you have heard from the beginning and though at the seventh verse the phrase of an Old Commandement gave just occasion to refer that from the beginning to a further distance and so of interpreting there you by your Ancestors yet here there being no such reason enducing wee are not to recede from the most plain meaning of the letter especially when wee consider that the Exhortation Let that abide in you most rationally refers to what they themselves had heard and therefore in this place those words from the begnining refer to the time of their first reception of the faith If you ask what it was that they heard from the beginning the Answer is returned either particularly Primarium dogma de Christi divinitate So Justinian the fundamental verity of Christs Divinity or Generally The Whole Evangelical Doctrin of Salvation by Christ which had been Preached to them by the Apostles If you ` ask ' why it is thus phrased not let that which the Gospel revealeth but that which you have heard from the beginning I Answer upon a double account to let us see 1 What is the true Doctrin namely that which was delivered from the beginning for though it is possible for falshood to bee Ancient yet Truth is alwaies first The Envious man may sow his Tares in the field where the good seed was sown and possibly the tares may grow so fast as to hide the Wheat but still the good seed was first sown prime Antiquity is a sure note of verity The Primitive times and truths were of all other the purest like the clear water at the spring-head but of this I have spoken heretofore 2 By what means they received the Evangelical Doctrin namely by hearing Among those several senses with which God hath invested man I know not any more needful than that of hearing in what capacity soever you consider him especially as hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by nature a reasonable by converse a sociable and may be by grace a new a divine creature 1 Reason is the perfection of man and hearing is the improvement of Reason Auris say some quasi hauris ab hauriendo the ear being the sense by which wee suck in knowledge in which respect the Son of Syrach saith God hath given man ears and an heart to understand Knowledge is as the liquor the soul the vessel and as the tongue is the tap to let it out so the ear is the tunnel to let it in Whence it is that Learners are called Auditores Hearers Upon this account perhaps it is that whereas other parts have their shuts sometimes to close them up the eies lids like Curtains to draw over those Christaline windows and the Tongue encompassed with an Ivory wall of teeth only the nostrils and the ears be alwaies open those for breathing these for hearing that man which is ever learning might be ever hearing 2 Society is the delight of man and hearing is the sense of Society Auribus alienas sermones admittimus mente recondimus saith a Rabbin by hearing wee have converse each with other wee injoy the comfort one of anothers advice discourse conference A deaf man is as a dead man to others and liveth onely to himself as being unfit either for company or traffique or Magistracy and therefore the Ancients though they painted their Judges without eies because they should not respect persons and without hands because they should take no bribes yet not