Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
knowledge_n heart_n light_n shine_v 8,936 5 9.6862 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A93754 Sermon I. on Phil. IV. 11. Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703. 1698 (1698) Wing S5131C; ESTC R233366 22,642 26

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

Ward they came unto the Iron Gate that le●deth unto the City which opened to them of his own accord Acts 12. 10. From that last I have thus several times concluded and reasoned within m● self that if such or such a thing which I have a desire or coveting after were indeed the mind or will of God that it should be done for me or had by me why then as Peter did follow the Angel so if I did use the common means and endeavours after it viz. such means as are true and prudent lawful and right and no others as after they had past the first and second ward the Iron Gate opened to them of his own accord So altho' there may be some mean difficulty and opposition which may be rubbed over and got through yet at length away would open of its own accord to Perfect and Consummate the same thing That we may actually and indeed obtain it or arrive at the place where we would be Whither or no I have guessed at or rather found out the very Truth as it stands in the Nature and Connexion of things the Lord knows But I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I Protest by my Trouble and Vexation of Spirit which I have sometimes about wordly and outward things this same is a mighty Word of Consolation and Contentment unto me in the several Expectations which I have framed and raised to my self and in the several Disappointments which I have met withal throughout this life centring still upon this Foundation and Point The Will of the Lord be done and let me willingly submit unto that same his will whatever it is or shall be These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have Peace in the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of Good Cheer I have ●vercome the World John 16. 33. Is not this very same thing felt and experienced at this Day For doth not all the Tribulation Trouble and Vexation arise from the World and from the things thereof It is so●● very deed with me as I think off and am busied in the things and concernments thereof but when again I lift up my heart above all the thoughts thereof then it becomes Calm and Peaceable Smooth and Clear as the upper Region of the Air which is above all Winds Storms Tempests or Clouds For the Knowledge of God and the great things of Eternity doth swallow up darken and obscure all the little things of this lower World as the Sun shining in its Brightness at Mid-day doth make so that we do not then perceive any Light of Moon or Stars albeit they are then equally fixed in the Firmament and give their faintlight all one as at night time There is no such help in the World towards Contentment as to have the Knowledge of God Especially to know and conceive of him as hath been just now explained The Apostle Paul doth intimate that some of the Christians dwelling at Corinth to whom he Writes Had not the Knowledge of God I speak this to your shame 1 Cor. 15. 34. As truly it is to the shame of all who Name or profess the Name of Christ to be found without it But it must be supposed yea It is most certain and evident that Paul himself had the Knowledge of God For otherwise as he could never have wrote so many true and excellent things concerning God And it was by this Knowledge of God even as he is the Creator Governour and Disposer of all things that he had thereby Learned in whatsoever State he was therewith to be content I know both how to be abased and I ●●ow how to abound c. By what hath been aforesaid this Lesson may be somewhat Learned in whatsoever State Thou O Man art in therewith to be Content And that ye may come to this Knowledge both to be abased and how to abound Be sure to take in the Knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and then this Lesson is easily Learned as also the other Knowledge will be soon attained unto But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you So here it is in the first place know God and the Lord Jesus Christ as He or they are to be Known and then all the other will fall in of Course For then according to the Words of our Text Every where and in all things ye will be instrusted both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need There is no need to use many more Words to shew and inculcate the same But as it is Written And this is Life Eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Even so this is the Sweetness and Comfort the Peace and Satisfaction the Quiet and Smoothness 〈…〉 ness of this present Temporal Life To know thee the only true God as He is Supreme Lord Governour and Disposer of all things and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent the Eternal Word whereby God is more seen and manifest unto our Souls Alas when we are amidst trouble Vexation and Restlessness of Spirit it is most commonly because we forget God and behave our selves falsly in his Covenant But did we know and see him with the Eyes of our Understanding being enlightened Were our Hearts pure and upright before him How sweetly and contentedly might we live under the Apprehension and Care and Protection of this Good God above All one yea and much more then Subjects under a Lawful and Excellent Prince Children under a Loving and Good a Just and Wise Father and as Servants under the best of Masters For God doth approve himself more so towards his Creatures then all those Relations whatever according to the Flesh At that day shall a Man look unto his Maker and his Eyes have Respect unto the Holy one of Israel Isa 17. 7. And so when the Invisible God is to us All in All when we see him in all our ways and in all our goings in all our Doings and Actions which are ordered by him As one doth well express it When we have wandred all our Ways Death comes and shuts up the Story of our Days Even so all our Ways Goings Doings and Actions that we Creatures are concerned in it is all but Whatever thy hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done This lays in the surest base and best Foundation for Patience and Contentment I do write the same things over again which to you it is safe That ye may come to the perfect knowledge and have the continued remembrance of this same Great Truth This Duty of Contentment springs up as a Natural Result and Consequence to what we all owe unto him viz. That we should obey God It is often inculcated and commanded in Scripture that we should obey the Voice of God or that man should obey God Yea it