Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	jesus_n	light_n	shine_v	5,880	5	9.7269	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34165	A Compleat collection of farewel sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl ... [et al.] ; together with Mr. Ash his funeral sermon, Mr. Nalton's funeral sermon, Mr. Lye's rehearsal ... with their several prayers.	Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.; Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Nalton, James, 1600-1662.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.; Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662.	1663 (1663)	Wing C5638; ESTC R8646	623,694	660

by the light of the Candle slighted thy Manna so long Oh now therefore to day give us to hear and know and believe and do the things that concern our everlasting peace Hear us for Christ his sake to whom with thy blessed Self and Spirit be glory now and for ever The Prayer of Mr. Caryl at Magnes Bridge foot OH our Father what a priviledge is this that we may draw near to thee all our springs are in thee the Creature is but a dry heap a barren wilderness 't is but a Cistern and a broken Cistern It hath no water of its own nor can it hold that which is poured into it Oh that our hearts were taken off and dis-engaged from all things on this side thy self that we could say with thy Servant Whom have we in heaven but thee and on earth there is none that we desire in comparison of thee Then though our flesh and hearts fail us yet God would be our portion for ever VVe pray thee manifest thy Grace to us at all time and especially at this time that we may come before God in this publick worship as we should Let us see thy goings out in thy Sanctury and let us be satisfied with the fatness of thy house and drink of those pleasures that are for evermore Lord we have given thee cause to withdraw from us for we have not laboured to be fruitful under means and therefore thou in judgement mightest make them hereafter to be fruitless unto us and because we have taken no pains to get good by them thou mightest justly say they shall do you no good VVe have heard much of thee but we know thee but little we acknowledge thou mightest judge us because we know so little and thou mightest punish us because we do so little of what we know according as that faithless Servant was punished which knew his Masters will ●nd did it not Oh where be those manifestations of God that we have had Have we had not the light of the knowledge of God shining to us in the face of Jesus Christ But we have not rejoyced in this light but have compassed our selves about with sparks of our own kindling and therefore it is just we should down in sorrow and yet thou lengthenest out thy patience to us and yet we have one opportunity more to come unto thee Oh we pray thee let us understand the things belonging to our peace before they be hid from our eyes let our souls be bound in the bundle of life with Christ Jesus We pray thee that that Spirit of thine may strengthen us that the Spirit may guide us and lead us into all truth leave us not to our own strength nor to our own councel but shew us the secrets of thy Word and Works Thou hast promised Thy secret shall be with them that fear thee and thou wilt shew them thy cevenant And as thou dost give us thy Sabbaths so give us to thrive by them and help us to grow as the Herb and sent forth our fruit as Lebanon Let thy Word come with power one every one of us that it may not be as the beating of the air but let it fit us for Duty that we may honor our God in the midst of these changes until we come to that place where there is no change and all for the sake of our dear Lord Jesus to whom with Thee and the blessed Spirit be Glory and Honour now and for ever Mr. Venning's Prayer at Olaves before Sermon OH Lord God thou art the Fountain of Life yea thou givest to all Life It is necessity draws us now unto thee and we acknowledge it is a very great favour that thou wilt admit us to come into thy presence Indeed the services we do are not worthy thy acceptance thou gettest nothing by them but the gain of godliness is to our selves But wo unto us what a loss and what a curse will ●t be to us to ha●e a form of Godliness and yet be ungodly Oh Lord how should this indear thee and thy word and thy service that thou wouldst have us do good for our own sakes thou turnest our obedience into priviledges thou hast made the means of our happiness a part of it If there were no other glory but to glorifie thee oh what a glory would it be to be found doing thy will there is a sweetness to be found in it more than in the Honey or in the Honey comes It is a great happiness to be conformable to God to be loving to God to be like to God is the greatest happiness that we can be capable of if we were now in heaven we could not have other happiness but this in a greater degree O Lord how should our souls be drawn forth to acknowledge thee may we not cry out in admiration Lord what is man and among the sons of men what are we that thou art so mindful of us Thou mightest have displayed thy VVord to many thousands in the world and we left ignorant But blessed be thy Name thou art pleased to admit e●en us also thereunto Oh let it not be a small thing unto us seeing we may yet live to serve God Oh Lord in Christ it will be worth our while to live and in him 't will be worth our while to die Oh that we may mind the end of living and the end of dying that whether we live or die we may be the Lords Indeed it were not worth our while to live and spend so much time in the world if it were only to have pleasure and honour and gratifie our selves to eat and drink and to be merry this is not worth our while What would it be O Lord to die in our sin and be eased of the miseries of this world and be sent to the place of torment But seeing thou hast provided for our living and our dying well give us to improve these means and that we may live and dye well let not our affections though our bodies be upon the earth though we converse with flesh yet let not our conversation be after the flesh but let us be like them which have sent their hearts up to heaven and do but tarry here to finish their Masters business and then we shall go where our hearts are and where our dear Lord Jesus Christ is Indeed Lord we have cause to complain of our hearts how we minde this world as it never would have an end and the world to come as if it would never have any beginning as if we had no souls to mind or had no mind to look to our souls We live as if all those glorious Reports thou hast made were but as a tale that is told we have cause to be ashamed that we have the means and the names of Christians and have not lived answerable to the discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ Indeed we have cause to bear our shame yet how few of us know what

this peace And now God appears to us not as a Consuming Fire but as a Refreshing Light full of calmness serenity and peace towards us Christ hath brought more honour to God by his obedience than we brought dishonor by our transgression and therefore without any injury to God he might be at peace with us You know all our sins were but the acts of finite Creatures and only infinite in regard of the object against whom they were committed But the Bloud of Christ was of infinite value in regard of the Subject for he was God and the enriching union of the Deity conveyed such worth and value to his bloud that he was able to appease God and not only to free us from condemnation but to make us the favorites of God We are not only pardoned but preferred upon the account of his Bloud 2. He is the God of peace as with respect to the bloud of Christ which is the purchase of peace so with respect to the Covenant which is made between God and us Through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant there are three sorts of Covenants amongst men some are Covenants of Friendship and Amity some are Covenants of Trade and Commerce and some are Covenants of Assistance and Help Now all these qualifications meet in this Covenant which is made between God and Believers it is a Covenant of Peace and Friendship for now we stand upon terms of amity with God Those who were strangers and enemies are now reconciled And there is between God and us perfect peace there is a League as the Scripture speaks between God and the Creature It is the Covenant of Trade there is now a way opened ●o Heaven we may now ascend to God in duties of holiness and God descends to us by the excitations of his grace and influences 〈…〉 And it is a Covenant of Assistance for he promises nor only to give us the reward of the Covenant but to secure unto us the condition he promises to enable us to discharge the condition of Faith and Repentance Now upon this account of that Covenant which is founded in the bloud of Christ he is the God of Peace to his people 1. Vse is by way of Conviction This may discover to us how distant their temper is from God who are enemies to peace We un-man our selves We unchristian our selves so far as we are opposite to this blessed temper of peace Certainly as disturbed Water cannot make any reflection unto us of that face that looks into it so when our spirits are disturbed by animosities exasperations heats and divisions 't is impossible for us to see the Image of God as he is the God of Peace And certainly there is no more doleful consideration in the World than this That man whom God made so sociable a creature who hath all the engagements and endearments laid upon him which may cause him to live in Peace and gentleness towards those who are of the same nature with him yet that in fierceness of our hearts should exceed those of the most Savage creatures Man comes into the World naked and altogether unarmed as if he were designed for the picture of Peace but could you look into the hearts of men you would find there such tumults such divisions such seeds of enmity against their fellow-creatures that Tygers and Lyons are Calm and peaceable in comparison of them Now how is this distant from the temper of the God of peace 'T is very strange to consider that when promises are made to bury all differences as rubbish under the foundation that nevertheless the great Work of many persons should be only to revive those former animosities to make those exasperations fresh and keen upon their own spirits but is this to imitate the God of peace These to promote divisions and disturbances amongst us clothe their enemies with the Livery of shame and reproach that so they may be baited by their Fury that make it their design to represent that Party which they think is dissonant from them with the most odious appearances you know this is the old Art and those showres of Calumnies which are in the World they usually precede the storm of persecution The Devil was first a Lier and then a Murtherer and those who are of this Seed they follow his Art In the Primitive times all the Persecutions of the Heathens arose from the reproaches of Christians so it is now It is an easie thing to blast the name of those persons who are design'd for ruine But if the contending Parties would consider if I may call one Party contending which is only liable to Penalties and is resolved to bear them patiently how unlike this is to that God of peace methinks it should allay the rancour that is in mens spirits and make an atonement between all the differences and divisions that is amongst them 2. If onely Peace come from God you may from hence take a tryal of that peace that is within you for hither to I have been only discoursing of civil peace whether it be an effect of this God of Peace I know nothing more common in the world than presumption there is a false Peace which doth not arise from the knowledge of a mans happiness but from the ignorance of this misery Peace which is only like a Torch to shine in the night or like Players that glitter only by Torch-light so is the false peace men cherish in their bosom meerly upon this account because they do not bring their souls to the light of the Word they never had it from this God of peace because 1. God never speaks peace to a soul but in the way of holiness and obedience And therefore you shall find 't is the counsel of the Scripture Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace Our peace is found in the way of Duty and there are none who are more blessed with the peace of conscience than those who with the greatest fervour frequency and delight maintain communion with God in holy duties For a friendship among men is cherished and preserved by visits and conversations so our peace with God is preserved by those visits we make to heaven in our prayers 2. That peace that comes from God always causes in us a war with sin for Gods Covenant with us is Offensive and Defensive and therefore it is impossible any person should have true and solid peace that waking tranquility of soul which is the reward of holiness and obedience that entertains sin for every sin thou dost wilfully commit 't is an act of hostility against God 't is that which makes him thine enemy and makes thee an enemy to him As Jehu said What peace so long as the whoredom of thy mother Jezabel and her witcherafts are so many So what peace can there be so long as thou dost indulge thy self in sin and make it thy business to gratifie thy outward sences though it be to the displeasure of God 'T is

of Gods Word at St. Leonards Foster-lane by T. Horton D.D. 2 Cor. 4.7 But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us THere is nothing so excellent or compleat in this World but hath its diminishment and qualifications and something that doth rage it and abates it of the excellency thereof not the things of this World only but spiritual things in some sort as to enjoy them and partake of them in this life have their inconveniencies and disparagements annext and are mingled with something that abates of their worth an instance of which we have here in this present Scripture which the Apostle Paul signifies to us concerning the enjoyment of the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ He had in the Verse before the Text told us the great priviledge that both Ministers and others had in having the glorious Gospel viz. The light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ shining into our hearts the consideration of which is of great encouragement to us yet adds this as a qualification of it viz. But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels c. That which doth qualifie it is That this excellent Treasure hath its conveyances through weak and mean persons men of frailty and mortality In the words there are two main parts I. The Dispensation of it II. The Account of it I. The Dispensation it self This Treasure we have in Earthen Vessels c. II. The Account of it That the Excellency of the power may be of God and not of us I shall begin with the first the Dispensation it self which hath two branches 1. The Depositum the thing laid up 2. The Repository in which this Treasure is laid up First The Depositum or thing laid up which is a Treasure and what is this Treasure but the Gospel of Jesus Christ The Gospel is a Treasure according to a two-fold consideration In respect of the 1. Matter of it In respect of the 2. Ministry of it Both make up a Treasure The Matter of it the things of the Gospel are rich things and the conveyances of it the Ministerial gifts and ability by which the Gospel is administred do make up the Treasure 'T is a treasure in both respects 1. In respect of the Matter of it therefore it is we read of the Riches of Christ of the Riches of the Gospel The Scripture makes mention of three things wherein the Gospel is agreeable to a treasure 2. A Treasure is a thing of dignity and worth 't is not a company of Pebbles though many that will make up a Treasure Treasure consists of things of worth and dignity and thus is the Gospel in it are contained excellent and admirable truths the Mysteries of salvation by Christ the Doctrine of the Gospel b●ings glad tidings of peace and reconciliation with God in Christ there we have the gifts and graces of God there we have glory and immortality c. and those things in the Gospel are administred to us there is no Science in the world brings such Treasure as this 2. The Gospel is a treasure for variety and abundance and plurality 'T is not one thing of worth but many that make up a treasure if few yet much worth must be comprehended in them so in the Gospel we have the manifold wisdom of God the rich Treasures of wisdom and knowledge The Gospel though it be but one for substance yet 't is many for improvements 't is a chain of many links one faith but divers articles of it so it is a treasure in that respect 3. 'T is a Treasure for its closeness We do not open a Treasure to every one but it is kept close The Gospel is a secret mystery hidden not revealed to every one it is not discovered to carnal worldly men though it may be reveal'd to them in the outward proposition yet not in the spirituality of it But where shall wisdom be found and where is the place of understanding saith Job ch 28 v. 12. The peace of the Gospel is a treasure hid in the field not found by every one 2. The Gospel is a treasure in respect of the Ministry of it so the Apostle hints it is not only but a shining light which shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God c. 'T is a treasure in this respect viz. In the discovery and shining of it the conveyances the several gifts and graces of the mystery by which the Gospel is conveved to us makes us a treasure and as the Ministry is a treasure so the opportunities and advantages thereof are Thus the Gospel and the Ministry thereof is precious and ought to be esteemed and made use of by us We should highly account of the Gospel and put a high value on it for it is a treasure yea it is a treasure in the want of other treasures they are rich that are made partakers of it Silver and Gold have I none saith St. Peter to the Cripple but such as I have I give it thee this is the priviledge of Ministers though it may be poor in respect of themselves yet are rich to others These excellent riches are committed to us and accordingly we must not only make use of them our selves but make them known to others the Gospel is a treasure not for us to keep but to discover reveal and manifest to others to give the light of the glory of God c. This is the work of the Ministry we have indeed this treasure but not for our selves only but for others We are to keep it to preserve and maintain it but so as to be diligent to impart what is committed to us for the edification of others Every Scribe instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven is as a good housholder bringeth forth things new and old The Gospel is a treasure therefore we ought to carry our selves answerable to it As 1. We must labour for it be diligent in the search of it dig for it as for hidden treasures Lift up thy voyce for understanding c. Pro. 2.2 3 4. Dig for it you know there is a great deal of pains-taking and labour used to get Worldly treasure What will not men venture for it they will go over Sea and Land go through fire and water expose themselves to all dangers for earthly treasure make unto themselves Friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness pass away a great deal of time and take a great deal of care for it 2. Esteem this treasure this heavenly wisdom this Evangelical knowledge even the Gospel of Christ labor to understand it and have the efficacy wrought upon your hearts 3. Rejoyce in it how do men rejoyce in earthly treasure so should we as the Merchant in the Gospel when he had found the Pearl of price rejoyced exceedingly so we ought as being made partakers thereof I greatly rejoyced at

had but your eyes open to behold to what certain great and unconceivable misery you are every moment for want of Gods gracious presence obnoxious Who alas can stand by you if God be not with you Who is there that can give you comfort if He frown upon you Or who can relieve your Souls when assaulted by men tempted by Devils and grievously tormented by the estuations of your own Consciences if God depart from you the happiness of man consists in Communion with God and all those are compleatly miserable with whom the Lord is not present 2. The great safety and blessed security of all those that endeavour to walk according to what thty have heard and learned and received of the Lord. Not to do as the most do not to run with the men of the world into the same excess of Riot but to walk circumspectly endeavouring to answer our knowledge with suitable practice this doth usually enrage the world against us However if God be with us what can all the world do against us Rom. 8.13 Such walk with God in a way of Duty Whatever therefore the world and ungodly men may attempt to the contrary yet Gods presence with them therein will make it a way of safety However then some timorated Spirits may think by dissembling conscience and giving way to sinful compliances to secure themselves Yet we may hence see that there is no such security as in walking with God in a way of Duty Communion with God in a way of Duty is a sure Sanctuary of Refuge As no stranger can enter into it so Gods people have most while they dwell in it Psal 27.5 By dissembling Conscience and waving Duty we run our selves upon a thousand dangers But by diligence in the wayes of God and being faithful in all the duties of his worship we betake our selves to the Name of the Lord in which as a strong Tower we are sure to find safety Prov. 18.10 3. The desperate folly and fool-hardiness of all such as set themselves against Gods people opposing them in the practice of what they have heard and learned and received of the Lord. 'T is usual with the World then to trample upon the Righteous when surrounded with Afflictions they will grieve where God wounds they will persecute where God smites But whereever the condition of Gods people is yet the Lord is still present with them neither can the ungodly of the World oppose them in wel-doing but they enter a quarrel with God himself Why then do you pride your selves against those like Moab w●th whom God is present And why do you strive to abase those whom God will exalt Jer. 48.26 27. Are you stronger than the mighty God of Jacob And can you be present to hurt those with whom God is present to protect and save Oh how great is the folly of wicked men whom nothing can r●tl●im from prosecuting their bloody thoughts against the righteous nor withhold from opposing them in the practice of what they have learned Do they know of a certainty that God is with the righteous that no weapon formed against them shall prosper and that the Lord by his presence will secure them against all their Enemies Why then should they still be kicking against the pricks 4. What reason all those have to sit down satisfied with their portion who make it their care to practice what they have heard and learned and received of the Lord. Though possibly they have neither Riches nor Honors nor Friends in the World with them yet they have God with them as an inexhaustible treasure to supply all their wants as a Crown of glory upon their heads and as an everlasting Friend who will never fail them Heb. 13.5 What then though a Christian want other things is it not enough that God over all blessed for ever is still graciously present with him and become his portion Shall he inflict himself for want of Star-light who hath the Sun in its full strength shining upon him or be disconsolate for the loss of some broken Cistern who may go at his pleasure to the Fountain-head where waters are sweetest Oh how unsuitably were it for you that live up to your knowledge endeavouring to practice what you have learned to grow despondent and repining for want of creature-comforts when God your Creator is alwayes present with you to comfort and solace your souls in every condition Had you nothing but God's gracious presence and an interest in him for your portion yet this were as much as happiness comes to sufficient to make you everlastingly blessed For happy is that People whose God is the Lord. Psal 144 15. S●condly By way of Exhortation Let me now prevail with you all those things which you have heard and learned and received to do them Oh! walk in obedience with God would you ever enjoy his gracious presence Many precious truths have been preached among you many heavenly Doctrins have been set before you many wholsome lessons and faithful Admonitions have been given you let me now therefore being for ought I know as a Star setting and rising no more in this Horizon like a Lamp going out and shining no more in this your house of Sacred meeting and as a dying man whose last breath is now expiring perswade you for your own good to remember what you have heard to hold fast what you have received and to practice what you have learned Oh! let this be the main of your care that as the Truth as it is in Jesus hath been delivered to you so you may be delivered up to it expressing the soundness of your knowledge by the holiness of your lives and conversations Oh! this my Brethren is the one thing necessary you may hear much and yet be strangers to God you may learn much and yet never come nigh God you may receive many wholsom instructions at his hands and yet at last be punished with everlasting destruction from his presence but now if you practice what you hear if you live up to what you have learned and transer be into your lives those wholsome instructions you receive from God he will never forsake you but will alwayes be graciously present with you But that I may not leave you half perswaded give me leave to acquaint you with the excellency of God's gracious Presence in these following particulars 1. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that walk in obedience with him that it will make them in all things to thrive and prosper The Ark received into Obed-Edom'● house caused all that he had to prosper So the Lord received by obedience into the heart and graciously present there makes the whole man prosperous He makes him prosper in the inward man and he also makes him prosper in the outward man Where God is graciously present there can nothing be wanting neither for soul nor for body but the man is successful and prospers in all his undertakings Psal 1.