Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	darkness_n	heart_n	shine_v	3,010	5	9.0570	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42552	The mount of holy meditation: or a treatise shewing the nature and kinds of meditation the subject matter and ends of it; the necessity of meditation; together with the excellency and usefulnesse thereof. By William Gearing minister of the gospel at Lymington in the county of Southampton.	Gearing, William.	1662 (1662)	Wing G436B; ESTC R222671	88,628	217

the grave of darknesse who shined through many dark thoughts and apprehensions into the hearts of his disconsolate Disciples for his own Disciples did then ●egin to doubt We trusted said they ●hat it had been he which should have redeemed Israel Luk. 24.21 Here also we may meditate on the excellency of heavenly knowledge that wisdome ●xcelleth folly Eccl. 2.13 even as light excelleth dark●esse Light is comfortable and sweet it ● to behold the light of the Sun Eccl. 11.7 Darknesse makes men sad and time●ous so wisdome makes a man's face ●o shine but ignorance is uncomforta●e light manifesteth things as they ●e but darknesse hides them light ●stinguisheth one thing from another ●rknesse confounds things all alike so ●nowledge gives us a right discerning of things but ignorance overwhelms us with horrour and amazement light directs a man in his way but darknesse misguids him so wisdome shews us the true way whereas the ignorant wander in by-paths and fall into the bottomlesse pit I shall conclude this Section Clamant dupliciter 1. Ostendunt dignitatem 2. Ostendunt bonitatem Quocunque te vertis veritas vestigiis quibusdam quae operibus suis impressit loquitur tibi te in exteri ora relabentem ipsis exteriorum formis intùs revocat Aug. de libero arbitrio with that meditation of Austin Heaven and earth saith he and all things therein contained do make a continuall cry round about me that I should love thee O Lord they shew thy worthynesse and declare thy bounty such a world such Heavens such an Ocean such an earth such earthly creatures insensible sensible reasonable and all wonderfully framed Lord how mighty how wonderfull how wise art thou that madest them and therefore worthy our love and being thus made thus to blesse to continue to encrease t● multiply them yea more to fill us with them and therefore thy bounty thy super abundant bounty must needs make us to lo● thee Sect. 2. Of meditating on the Word of Go● The second subject of meditat● that I shall lay before you is the Wo●● of God The second subject of meditation the Word of God It is said of the godly ● that he meditateth in the Law of God night and day Psal 1.2 How often doth David professe he will meditate in God's statutes Psal 119.48 Psal 119 97 and it was his practice vers 23. The Law of God was his meditation all the day long Meditation fastens the Word upon the heart the soul for want of meditation retaineth but little spirituall food the Word of God by holy meditating upon it produceth the same effects upon our souls as Manna Manna nò● solum sanitatem sed animum Judaeis conferebat Josephus did upon the Israelites for some Writers say that it restored health infused strength and inspired courage into them that they owed those formidable victories they gained from their enemies to this meat that came down from Heaven so pious meditation on the Word changeth the qualities of men making them of a sound mind producing courage and assurance in the hearts of those that before were full of weaknesse fears and doubtings the Devils fly such men who lodge the Word of God the sword of the Spirit in their souls beholding their Judge seated in their hearts as upon his Throne this heavenly bread it was that animated the Martyrs to the flames that gave them courage to daunt their executioners the same food that nourisheth them defends them and that which cures their maladies subdues their enemies its strength no way hinders its sweetnesse there are charms in it that make it pleasant to every Palate that by faith and meditation tasteth thereof 1. Meditate on the transcendency of the Word that it is a transcendent rule of holinesse every Nation hath its Laws and there is none so barbarous whom nature or custome hath not furnisht with some polity the Greeks lived according to the Laws of their sages the Romans followed the twelve Tables and those that had neither Kings nor Lawgivers had the Law of nature for their guid the Jews were governed by the Law of Moses chiefly by the Law of the two Tables Senault Treat 7. disc 5. which if it gave them not strength enough to resist sin it gave them light enough to know and avoid it as one well noteth for saith the Apostle By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin now the whole Word of God both Law and Gospel is a most transcendent and most holy rule God is holy in his works but most holy in his Word Psal 138.2 in it shineth the purity of his nature not capable of the least imperfection the Angels though as fine gold yet are unclean in his sight saith Bernard Bernard how much more the sons of men who are but clods of earth and worms this meditation makes the holiest man to tremble at his presence and cry out with the Prophet that he is undone they that by derivation from him are most holy in comparison with him are most unholy saith Austin yea the Angels themselves when they draw near unto him cover both their feet and faces if Angels that stand at the Mercy-seat do tremble oh what shall sinners do that stand at the bar of justice 2 Meditate on the exactnesse of the Word of God the Law forbids all sin commands all obedience every passage in the life of man is ordered in it as Theodoret observeth of the Ceremoniall Law and the furniture of the Tabernacle that every particular thereof was exactly prescribed by God Theodoret. now if the Ceremoniall Law were so accurate and precise how strict is the Law of Morall holinesse the Law of the Lord is perfect we read that the measures and weights of the Sanctuary were double as much as the ordinary measures a man's actions may carry weight and be allowed among men in common conversation Aug. which will be found too light being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary of God saith Austin bring we our actions to this standard and our defects will soon be discovered and that which will seem warrantable and commendable before men will appear sinfull and abominable before the Lord. 3. Meditate on the spirituality of God's Word it requireth exactnesse of soul and spirit it aweth the thoughts and judgeth of externall actions according to the heart I the Lord search the heart to give to every man according to his works Jer. 17.10 The naturall heart it may be will be content with Herod to do many good things so he may have a dispensation in one raigning sin and it may be to suffer a little to do penance with a Papist and then sin again this it could brook well enough but to be restrained in every thing this flesh and bloud cannot endure but whatsoever liberty the flesh can desire whether in thinking speaking or doing contrary to that duty which belongeth to a man's place as he is inferiour or