Selected quad for the lemma: glory_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
glory_n	knowledge_n	light_n	shine_v	6,882	5	9.8263	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45378	A burning and a shining light a sermon preached at the funeral of the late reverend Mr. James Wrexham, minister at Haversham in the county of Bucks / by John Hammat.	Hammat, John, b. 1657 or 8.	1685 (1685)	Wing H490; ESTC R9273	13,378	41

We have says the Apostle this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power might be of God and not of Man 2. Cor. 4.7 On therefore you that have good Ministers walk in their Light while they shine amongst you for you cannot enjoy them long they will be extinguished Zach. 1.5 Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever No they dye as other Men. Fourthly As they are called Candles because they will burn out so because they waste in giving Light their Spirits and Strength are exhausted in studying and preaching c. It was a great Comfort to our Bishop Jewel of blessed Memory when he was on his Death-Bed that his Body was wasted away in the Labours of his holy Calling the same we may say of our Brother He spent himself in the Work of the Ministry and as St. Austin desired that Death might arrest him aut precantem aut praedicantem either praying or preaching the Sickness that was the Death of our Brother seised him Praedicantem while he was preaching Jer. 6.29 30. The Bellows are burnt that is the Lungs of the Prophets The Lead is consumed of the Fire the Exhortations Affections c. of the Prophets by which they endeavoured to draw the People from their Sins as the Founder by Lead melteth the Silver in order to the purifying it from Dross Wo to those for whom they have been spent in vain Reprobate Silver shall Men call them for the Lord hath rejected them Fifthly and lastly Because there will be no need of Ministers in the Morning of the Resurrection as there is not of Candles when we have the Light of the Sun We expect a brighter time than this before the Resurrection when the Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea which will be at the re-ingraffing of the Jews but it will not be day untill the Sun of Righteousness comes in the Clouds and therefore even then there will be need of Ministers otherwise God had not appointed as he hath that there should be Pastours and Teachers untill all the Elect are called and the Body of Christ perfected which will not be e're the end of the World Ephes 4.11 12 13. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come to the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ To boast that we are above Ordinances as some do e're the Body of Christ is perfected shews Ignorance and Pride and imputes imprudence to the All-wise God in ordering that there should be a Ministry till that time but then when the Body of Christ is edified the Ministry will cease all darkness will be dispelled we shall see Face to Face and know as we are known The second thing to be enquired into is why they are called burning Candles Ans It is because of the Zeal the fervour of their Affections by which they warm the cold benummed Affections of their People and kindle in them good Desires and Resolutions or rather the Spirit of God by them O that there are no more such Ministers How lifeless are the Souls of our People under our Ministry because we do not burn How can we expect that they should be affected with our Sermons when the Word of Life seems to dye in our cold and heartless preaching it Oh that God would fire our Affections that we might be instrumental to kindle good Affections in others I have read of a Man that gave this reason for his forsaking Paris that he perceived their Sermons were every day colder than other so that he feared if he tarried there longer he should be spiritually frozen to death I relate not this to justifie Separatists but to give a hint of the Mischief of careless preaching We want burning Ministers in this frozen Age. Plain Sermons preached with Affection will do more good than the most learned coldly delivered Eusebius tells us of a Heathen that came to an assembly of Bishops to discourse the Articles of Faith and when the learned'st of them looked one upon another fearing to encounter with him because of his acute Parts one esteemed the meanest for Learning with great Ardour of Affection told him that unless he believed in Father Son and Holy Ghost he should be damned and therefore it was in vain to cavil he must subject his carnal Reason to Faith which so wrought upon him that he embraced the Christian Religion and was baptized saying he could answer Reason with Reason but he could not resist the Authority with which that Bishop spake Lucerna ut luceat ardere debet we must burn that we might shine They who have not good Affections do not cannot give light to others into the most spiritual Mysteries of Christianity their Sermons are dry and jejune more like the Discourses of the Heathens than Gospel Sermons It is seldom that they touch upon the Vitals of Religion and when they do it 's superficial and insipid to a sanctified Sence neither do they shine in their Conversations for it is Zeal that makes a Person active for God The third thing to be enquired into is why they are called shining Lamps or Candles Ans It is because they give light by their Doctrine and Example The Learning of some is lost for want of Zeal and the good Affections of others for want of Knowledge and there are some Hypocrites that shine and seem to burn to have a concern for the Glory of God and Happiness of Souls in the Pulpit but darken the light of their Doctrine by their wicked scandalous Conversations Zeal without Knowledge is fitly compared to the Fire of Hell which hath Heat but no Light and they that have Learning and not Grace to the Toad who as Naturalists say hath a Jewel in his Head but Poyson in his Belly Theresore we must both burn and shine have Knowledge Zeal and a holy Conversation Appl. But alas alas are there not some that want a Head and more that want a Heart for God and O that I had not cause to say it too many that want both and are scandalous in their Conversations I know this Age hath afforded as many holy and learned Ministers as any but yet there are too few and therefore they have cause to lament from whom God hath taken a faithful Minister Oh what a Mercy is it to benighted Souls whose way is covered with Snares and who have a seducing Devil whom they are prone to follow to have a faithful Minister to call them when out of the way and shew them the Way of Life and light them along in it What a mercy is it to have a zealous Minister to warm our

and a shining Light Secondly A Reprehension of the Jews for being so soon weary of his Ministry Ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his Light Or if you will an Account of the great Minister and Prophet John Baptist He was c. Thirdly an Account how the Jews to whom he was sent behaved themselves under his Ministry Ye were willing c. You have in the Text these four Observables Doct. 1. First Faithful Ministers are burning and shining Lights or Candles or Lamps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Candela Lueerna He was a burning and shining Light Doct. 2. Secondly These burning and shining lights will be extinguished He was c. He was but now is extinct burns and shines no more to you Alas that we must say so now of our Reverend Brother he was a burning and shining Light how soon is this great Lamp put out How splendidly did he shine and cast his Rays farther than this Parish but now he is gone why so soon it behoves us seriously to enquire Doct. 3. Thirdly The generality are pleased with a faithful Minister only for a little time And ye were willing to rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an hour it signifies a short season an hour being a small part of time When a Minister is newly come to them they are pleased with his blameless Life and affecting Sermons they flock to hear him and admire at the gracious Words that proceed out of his Mouth as the Jews did at Christ Luke 4.22 Yea are ready to adore him as the Lycaonians Paul and Barnabas Acts 14.11 12. c. But alass the Scene is quickly changed his serious Exhortations and Reproofs and holy Life prick their Consciences and disturb them in their pursuit of sinful Gains and Pleasures or some malitious Tongues bring up evil Reports of him and then they hate and despise him as much as before they loved and honoured him Blessed be God I cannot say this of you you were constantly forward to attend on the Ministry of the word which is the Glory of this Parish Oh that you might never lose it Your Pastour dyed lamented by you as well he might 't is your Grief that you had but a short season to rejoyce in his Light Ah short indeed but three or four years did he burn and shine amongst us and he is extinguished he did not go out of himself as some Hypocrites who blaze for a little time but wanting a stock of Oyl having not the root of the Matter in them go out in a snuff and leave a stink behind them no God extinguished him who burnt strong and bright untill God did it yea brighter and brighter the longer he continued But it may be said thus of many ye see it is of John Baptists Auditours in my Text and of the Lycaonians in Acts 14. Doct. 4. Fourthly Some Hypocrites will rejoyce for a time in a faithful Minister yea glory that they have such a Minister So the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ye were willing to glory in his Light the Expression is full ye were willing ye were forward to do it ye pleased your selves in doing it These are called by Divines temporary Believers who have a Faith as one elegantly describes it that buds and blossoms with some tastes and joyes in the things of God but never comes to Fruit. They are likened by our Saviour to stony ground Mark 4.16 17. which hath not Earth enough for the feed to root in and therefore it is scorch'd and withered as soon almost as it springs up Doct. 5. Fifthly and lastly God observes how Ministers discharge their Function and how their People are under their Ministry He observes what Ministers burn and shine and who do not and who hate and scoff at the Word and who rejoyce in it yea and what effect it hath on our Lives Oh how careful then should both Ministers and People be since God's Eye is upon them You see God took notice that John Baptist was a burning and a shining light and that the Jews were willing to rejoyce but for a season in his light and the same All-seeing Eye observes you and me and every Minister and his Auditors We shall insist on the first Doctrine taken from the Character Christ gives of John Baptist Doct. Faithful Ministers are burning and shining Lamps or Candles It was usuall with the Jews to call a Person that was eminent for knowledge and a good Life Lucerna a Lamp hence those Titles of the Rabbies lucerna legis the candle of the Law for one vers'd in the Law and lucerna looi sui for one famous in the Place where he lives And the Scripture you see makes use of the same Metaphor There are other Metaphors in Scripture by which Ministers are described as Salt Stars c. But we will keep to the Metaphor in the Text and enquire briefly first why they are compared to a Lamp or Candle Secondly why they are said to be burning Candles Thirdly why shining And lastly apply it First Why are they called Lamps or Candles The Reasons are first because 't is a dark Place in which they shine Earth which is sadly over-spread with Ignorance and Infidelity Over the Minds of most there is such a thick darkness that they know nothing of the things of God and the best see but through a Glass darkly The brightest part of the Earth is but a Dungeon compared with Heaven where the Lord God and the Lamb is the Light We are sent to give Light to the Children of the Night and therefore are fitly compared to Candles Secondly Because our light is but small and reaches but a little way so that there is need of many Ministers to enlighten the World The Sun gives Light to the whole Earth and other Luminaries borrow their Light from it and therefore Jesus Christ is compared to the Sun he is Fons Lucis the Fountain of Light from whom Ministers have theirs Some Ministers are bigger Candles than others and Stars of a greater Magnitude but yet they are but Candles and Stars they are not the Sun Every faithful Minister hath boundless desires of doing good he would have if possible what St. Chrysostom desired all the World for his Auditory and a Voice like Thunder that might reach them he would instruct and save all but alas he can instruct but few he is but a Candle whose rayes reach not far Thirdly They are called Candles because they endure but a short time A Church indeed God will ever have the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it it lives in the Flames as the Bush its emblem Exo. 3.2 But particular Members and Pastours as well as others dye Some burn longer than others but they that burn longest burn but a time and usually they that burn clearest are soonest out as our Reverend Brother and divers other famous Divines And hence also because of their Frailty and Mortality they are called earthen Vessels