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
A49258	A treatise of effectual calling and election In XVI. sermons, on 2 Peter 1.10. Wherein a Christian may discern, whether yet he be effectually called and elected. And what course he ought to take that he may attain the assurance thereof. Preached by that faithfull servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence Jury, London.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.; Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1655 (1655)	Wing L3179; ESTC R217684	182,116	237

love the Word of Christ that was an instrument of his calling and the Minister that preach'd that word which was the meanes by which he was called and try your selves by these Many of you haply have some good wrought as you think upon you and some change in you but truly let me tell you this if you are persons that are out of love with the word if you are out of love with those Ministers God made instrumental to convert you you have just cause to suspect your calling for you see throughout the whole course of Scripture their hearts did cleave with love to them that called them And therefore they that can slight and contemn those Ministers by whose Ministry they were brought home to Jesus Christ they have just cause of jealousie to suspect their Call Again 3. If God hath effectually called you he will by his Spirit bring you out of a state of ignorance and darkness and give you some measure of knowledge to be acquainted both with the mysteries of God and Christ and the sinfulnesse of your selves more then ever you were before This the Apostle Peter intimates 1 Pet. 2. ver 9. You are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a peculiar people that you may shew forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light i.e. out of ignorance into a great measure of knowledge And it is called a marvellous light 1. Because it is marvellous if you compare that knowledge you shal have under the Gospel with what men had under the Law 2. It is marvellous because men are astonish'd that they should after so long a night of ignorance come to so great a measure of knowledge 3. It is called marvellous because it is so contrary to that condition they were formerly in As if a man that hath lain long in a dark dungeon should be suddenly called into a glorious Palace the Palace would seem more glorious because it is so contrary to the dark Prison So this work of God when he calls you it is marvellous light because it is so contrary to the condition you were in before your calling Isa 30.26 Acts 26.18 He hath sent his word to call you from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God 4. It is a marvellous light because such as none but the Mediator could procure it Isa 42.6 7. I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles 5. It is a marvellous light because a light that shines out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse 6. It is a marvellous light because it hath more force then any other light 't is called the light of life John 8.12 Now this call from darkness to light hath two branches 1. A man shal have more Light to have more acquaintance with and more clearness in the mysteries of Jesus Christ And 2. more Light to know the sinfulness of himself First He shal have more Light to know the mysteries of Jesus Christ And hence it is that Paul tels us Gal. 1.16 It pleased God to call me by his grace and to reveal his Son in me implying that where God by his grace doth call a sinner he doth reveal his Son unto him Wherefore Beloved if Jesus Christ be not made known to your soules if you have no competent measure of the knowledge of Christ you may be under this conviction that you are not yet called by Jesus Christ Nay further he doth not only call you unto this Light to manifest Jesus Christ to you in some dim way but you shal have a clear light 2 Cor. 4.6 For G●d who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts not in a dim but shining light to give us the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that is you have a cleer light to know God in the face of Christ you cannot know God in himself but in the person of Christ you shall have light to know him This therefore is the first Branch That God will put a light into thy soul whereby thou shalt have a clear knowledge of the things appertaining to Jesus Christ Again Secondly This shall not only reveal Christ to thee but this light shal also reveal thy Selfe to thee the sinfulness of thy self It is observable of Paul that before his calling he was after the law blameless he thought himself to be a faultless man but when the word called him then he cries out I see sin to be exceeding sinfull then he saw sin to be sin and him●elfe to be a vile and wretched man And therefore Beloved any of you that have not this marvellous light in your souls neither to know God nor to know Jesus Christ nor the matters appertaining to him nor to know the sinfulnesse of your own hearts take it from God you are not effectually called either these passages in Scripture must be rased out or else your call●ng must not be sound and therefore take heed I would fain m●ke my Ministry searching that hypocrites may not lie lurking under it You would be better Christians if you were better acquainted with all that unsoundness and that wretchedness of heart that is in you and therefore I intreat you look about you Though I would have no godly man discouraged by this that is spoken but that you that are not yet called might have your hearts a little staggered by what is and wil be said 3. A man effectually called is cast out of himself and cleaves to and closeth with Jesus Christ with more complacencie and contentment then ever he could do in all his life before John 6.45 He that hath heard and learned of the father shal come unto m● he doth not say all they that hear of the father many men doe hear the word but never close in with Christ but all they that have heard and by hearing have learnt and are called come unto me and close in with me and cleave to me and take content and delight in me Beloved there are many that hear the word yet never goe out of themselves and never close in with Christ yea but all they that hear and learn that hear and are called by hearing they all come in to Jesus Christ Wherefore all you that in hearing cannot finde your hearts in love with Christ cannot finde your hearts to close in with Christ and believe in Christ you have just cause to suspect your call that your calling is not effectual 1 Cor. 1.24 The Apostle tels you there were other men counted Christ foolishness but to you that are called Christ is the power and wisdome of God that is you do acknowl●dge and you do conceive of Jesus Christ that he hath as much power as God hath in him and as much wisdome as God hath in him and you close in with Chrrst for that end when other men think Christ to be

might pray the Lord hears your prayer This is the most melodious musick you can make in the ears of God Therefore David saith Psal 6.8 The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping There is a voice in Teares as well as in Words If the Lord see thee to weep over thine own streightnesse and mourn over thine own deadnesse the Lord looks upon this with a more pleasing eye then if thou couldst pour out the enlargements of thy tongue with most fluent and voluble expressions SERMON VIII 2. Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Callin● and Election sure THE Doctrine I am yet upon is this That Christians ought to put forth a great deal of diligence to make this sure to their soules that they are effectually called by Jesus Christ In the prosecution of which I have gone over many particulars and answered some doubts in reference to godly men who are effectually called As first in regard of some seeming defects they apprehend to be in the manner of their calling Secondly in the means of their calling And thirdly which I am yet upon of some defects they apprehend about the concomitants that accompany those that are effectually called of which I have spoken onely of one in particular to wit that they cannot call upon God in prayer I now passe to the second Secondly They apprehend that those that are effectually called they have this to accompany their calling that they are brought out of a state of ignorance into a state of knowledge out of a state of darknesse into a state of light hence they will urge this against themselves 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are to shew forth the praises of him who hath cal●'d you out of darkn●sse into his marvellous light And Acts 26.18 He sent forth his Word to call them from darkness to light and from the Power of Satan unto God Now saith the poor soul Alas I do not finde this concomitant to be in my heart I do not finde this marvellous light the Scripture here speaks of 2 Cor. 4.6 Alas my heart is like a dungeon of darknesse and like a house that hath no inlets no windows to let in the Sun-shine of the Gospel upon it and many times this gravelleth many a godly minde Now to those that make this doubt I shall onely speak two or three things to take it off Fir●t to you that make this complaint I would say this that those that know most they know but little in the mysteries of Jesus Christ as you are not perfect in other graces so you are not here perfect in knowledge You know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 therefore you have no need to be discouraged at this Secondly and more particularly you that complain of ignorance though you are ignorant and cannot finde that marvellous light shine in your souls which you exspect yet if your ignorance have not these three ill qualities you may rest confident your ignorance will never prove a damning sin unto you but it may be consistent with your effectual calling As First If your ignorance be not a stubborn and wilful ignorance Secondly If it be not a sottish and brutish ignorance And thirdly If it be not a fundamental ignorance First If it be not a stubborn and wilful ignorance Though you are ignorant yet if you are willing to learn and know the waies of God revealed in his Word such an ignorance will never damn you But when ignorance comes to be wilful that a man doth not know and he will not learn a man is an ignorant man yet he thinks he knows more then all the Preachers can tell him this is a sad sign you are not effectually called Hence you read Prov. 1.22 How long ye simple ones will you lov● simplicity c Godly people may be in a state of ignorancee but they love it not therefore 2 Pet. 3.5 the Scripture tells us of wicked men that they are wilfully ignorant So that if your ignorance have not this bad quality in it to be a stubborn and wilful ignorance it may stand with your effectual calling Secondly Provided that your ignorance be not a sottish and brutish ignorance that is that you do not so lie clouded in a state of darknesse that you are uncapable to discerne the goodnesse of the Word and uncapable to apprehend any thing that is taught you that you are not like those Jer. 4.22 My people have no understanding they are a sottish people wise to do evil but to do good they have no understanding Many men are ignorant men yet not so sottishly ignorant as not to be capable of learning if you will teach him he is willing to be instructed but some men are so ignorant they are not capab●e of learning you may as well ●●ach a block as them Hence it is the Prophet complains Esa 1.4 The Oxe knows his owne and the Asse his Masters Crib but Is●ael knows not the Lord his God Thirdly In case your ignorance be not a fundamental ignorance I mean such an ignorance as not to know those necessary and fundamental points in the Word that must be known if ever you be saved as about Jesus Christ and salvation and justification by his blood and faith in his Na●e c. though you may be ignorant about circumstantials yet if it be not in fundamentals your ignorance may be consistent with effectual calling But now Thirdly If a godly man be satisfied in these two points and thinks happily I may have the first concomitant to call upon God and so evidence my effectual call and then happily the second may not be wanting in me that I do not lie under the state of a wilful sottish fundamental ignorance But alas saith he I want a third concomitant that accompanies effectually calling and that is I finde in the Word that they that are effectually called they are brought into an Obediential frame of heart to all the wayes of God that what ever God commands them to do their hearts can readily obey and this I finde Rom. 1.5.6 God hath called them by his grace unto the obedience of faith Now alas saith a poore soul I finde a defect in this concomitant likewise I cannot discern that I am called to an obedience flowing from faith as its principle I cannot finde this frame of heart to be in me and therefore I doubt of my effectual calling This I shall labour to take off likewise First When I say that obedience is a concomitant that will accompany one effectually called I do not say nor intend it of obedience in the actings of it but of obediential frame of spirit in the purposes of it Many men may be effectually called when they may not alwayes live in the acting of obedience to Christ but every man effectually called hath an obedient frame of heart that is he hath purposes intentions and resolutions to obey God though he cannot act what he would do he hath

hearts and comforts them by Then 3. He proceeds by way of exhortation and direction ver 5. and that is that they should give diligence to adde grace to grace that they should make it their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or their main businesse for which they are sent into the world not only to get grace but to thrive in grace and begins with Faith because this is the foundation or mother-grace and this he presseth by a double Argument First considering the benefit shall redound to them in case they perform this duty to labour to thrive in grace ver 8. If these things be in you and abound they shall make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus If you make it your work to grow in grace you shall never be a barren or unfruitful people but you shall be growing in grace and thriving in God still 2. From the inconvenience that would accrue in case they should neglect this work ver 9. He that lacks these things is blind and cannot see afarre off that is he that lacks these graces if you do not grow in grace you will be so dim sighted you wil so deaden your comfo●ts and darken your evidences that you can have no assurance you shal be saved And then he comes in with a general exhortation backing all this that seeing there is this good comes by adding grace to grace and seeing there wil be this evil if you doe it not he brings all home by a practical inference in the words of my Text Wherefore Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure The words are not difficult though indeed they are mangled by the Papists who bring this Text to Martyrdome by their corrupt glosses I shal only give you a briefe Paraphrastical Explication and so come to the Observations Wherefore That you may see the force of the connexion it is as much as if the Apostle should say thus Seeing there comes so great good by growing in grace and seeing the neglect of it doth so much hurt not only to deaden your hearts but darken your comforts that you can have no cleere and comfortable evidence for heaven Therefore give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Wherefore the rather brethren that is Brethren not in the flesh but in the faith of Christ imbracing the same faith keeping to the same head them the Apostle calls brethren Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence The word in the Greek is more emphatical and signifies to do a thing enough not agere but sat agere not in an overly and carelesse way but to do a thing with industry vigilancy and unweariednesse of spirit it should not be matter of constraint but free and voluntary Give diligence And the diligence you should use is in matters of the soul Give diligence In what To make your Calling and Election sure First I must shew you what is meant by Calling then by Election and then shew you why Calling is set before Election when in order of time Election is before Calling 1. What is meant by Calling which that you may understand you must know there is a twofold Calling an external and an internal Calling The external Calling is that general invitation which by the Preaching of the Gospel is made unto men to invite them to come in to Jesus Christ and most in the world are called by this call both good and bad 2. The internal Calling when the spirit of God accompanies the outward administration of the word to call a man from ignorance to knowledge and from a state of nature to a state of grace and of this Calling my Text means Make your Calling sure that is you that live under the Preaching of the Gospel be sure you be called thereby Your Calling and Election Election is an act of God whereby from all eternity he doth purpose within himself of his own pleasure and will to bring a certain number of men unto salvation by Jesus Christ But now how can it be said We must make our calling and election sure Doth not the Foundation of God stand sure as the Apostle saith And are not the gifts and calling of God without repentance How then must we make our Election sure when all the Decrees of God stand sure Beloved when it is said you must make these sure you must take it in this sense not to make them sure on Gods part for it cannot be made more sure then it is already whom he hath elected shal be glorified But make it sure on your parts that is Labour to have a real bottom'd and grounded assurance that you are effectually called that you are elected by God in his eternal Decree to obtain life and glory by Jesus Christ Divines therefore give this distinction That there is an assurance of the Object and that is sure enough for if God hath decreed you to glory that wil hold sure for ever But then there is a certitude of the Subject an assurance to the person that is elected and that is when by a reflex act of faith you have a grounded perswasion in your own brests that you are effectually called and eternally elected An assurance in your own apprehension and knowledge Lastly Why is Calling here set before Election when in order of time Election is before Calling You are called in time by the Preaching of the Gospel you are elected before all time before the world Before the foundation of the world was laid he hath elected us in Christ Eph. 1.4 And if so what is the reason that Calling in my Text is put before Election To this I answer Calling in order of words is placed before Election not as if it were in time before it but to shew that we can never be sure of our Election til God hath effectually called us by the Preaching of the Gospel and therefore Calling is set b●fore Election Thus I have opened the things most material giving you the sense of the words The whole Verse is made up of two parts First Here is a main duty enjoyned in these words Give diligence to make your calling and election sure Secondly Here is a strong inducement to inforce you to this duty and that in the last words If you do these things you shall never fall In the duty enjoyned there are several things observable 1. The matter of the duty To make sure your election and calling 2. The manner how you must set about this duty and that is with diligence Give diligence 3. The motive to draw you to it in the word Wherefore 4. Here is the comparison between this duty and all other duties Wherefore the rather do this rather then all other things in the world And Lastly Here is that loving compellation whereby Peter would gain them to set upon the ready practice of this duty in that word Brethren Wherefore Brethren give diligence to make your

called Robbin-red-brest that when he was in his study came chirping at the window and leaping upon his book and singing a great while together upon this fight he breaks out into this contemplation O this little silly Bird that doth not know where to pick up the next crum that doth not know where ●o pitch and rest it selfe for the next night yet behold how cheerfully doth this Bird sing when man and a Christian man that knows God to be his Father that hath not only crumbs of outward blessings but whole morsels of inward comfort and can drink draughts of inward consolation Christians that have a God and a heaven that have Christ and glory yet they cannot be merry as a poor Bird can be and truly it is a good Meditation Many times people that are ca●led by Jesus Christ and have ground and assurance of their everlasting happinesse by him yet they cannot be so merry as a poor Bird will be Birds in the morning will be chirping a●d singi●g 〈◊〉 ●●t●●ng l●y ●t th● Lea●● wh●n ● Christian i●●●d and ●●●ing an●●●●a●yin● 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 in di●●ont●nts and 〈…〉 b●comes not a Chr●●●ian Ass●red Christians they sho●●● be cheerful Christ●●●s Ninthly ●●sured Ch●●stians they should b●●hankfull Christians F●r one to give a man a pro●●●e it is ●orth thanks but when a man shall not ●nly give but ●ssure that promise that he will m●ke i● good that is ●ore t●anks-worthy Beloved if God had only promis●d you a heaven and had given no assurance it was thanks-worthy but wh●n God shall give thee his Broad Seal that shall seal thee up to the day of Redemption and whe● God shall give the● an assurance in thy own brest thou shalt go to heaven and go to God this should much more make thee in thy spirit blesse thy God It is a speech of the Prophet David My soule blesse thou the Lord for his marvellous loving kindnesse Thou hast kindness and thou hast marvellous loving kindnesse My soule bless God for this David would not keep back Gods praises seeing God would not keep back Davids comforts In heaven we shall break forth into admiration because we have good things in possession here we should break forth into thanksgiving because we have them in expectation And thus I have done with the first part of my direction to you that are assured Christians you should labour first rightly to use your assurance Secondly All you that are assured Christians you are to be directed carfully to keep and preserve your assurance There is no less skill saith the Poet to be put forth in keeping vertue then in getting of it It is said of Hannibal he was a a skilful Souldier to get Victories but he had no skill to keep them when gotten It may be said so of us Christians can get assurance but they have not the skill to keep it when they have got it This therefore therefore I am now to press that you would be car●full to preserve your assurance And here in speaking of this I shall lay down two particulars that in case you would keep your assurance there are some things you must doe and some things you must avoid and take heed of First There are some things you must do and those I shall comprize under two or three heads First In case you would keep assurance you are to keep close in communion with your God in the exercise of the duty of godliness The more you keep grace the more you will keep your comforts And here that I may branch out this direction I shall comprize these duties under four heads and shew you from Scripture that keeping close to God in the use of four duties will be a ready way to keep your assurance in you As first keep close to God in the duty of prayer John 16.24 Ask saith Christ and your joy shall be full Ask that your joy may be full implying that if you keep close to God in the duty of prayer after assurance your spirits shall be compleat and full Secondly keep close to God in the duty of reading the Word often By often reading the Word you will often meet with Promises and Supports for your comfort That 's the reason men lessen in comforts because men do not frequently read the Word you cannot read a Chapter but you will finde there a prop for faith and a prop for assurance Keeping constant to the Word and that 's the way to keep your assurance 1 John 5.13 These things have I written to you that believe that you might know that you have eternal life These things have I writ not only that you have life but that you might know it By reading the writings of John John tels them they might the better know they should live for ever and everlastingly be saved Keep close to God in reading his written Word and this will be of great use Because there are promises scattered throughout the veins of Scripture Not a Scripture almost you can read but there is a promise or support for your faith one way or other Thirdly Keep close to God in a constant and conscientious hearing of his Word and ●his is a great meanes to get assurance Luk. 1.76 Thou shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare hi● way that is thou shalt goe to prepare ●he peoples hearts that they may receive Jesus Christ that follow●●●●er This is ●poken of John Baptist And what was the effect of hearing John preach To give knowledge of salvation to his pe●ple for the remission of their sins not only to give them salvation but to give them knowledge and assurance of this salvation O live under the Ministery and under Iohn Baptists Ministery that preacheth repentance and humiliation and that is the Ministery will give most assurance of your salvation Fourthly Keep in communion with God in a daily trying and examining your own hearts Gal. 6.4 If any man think himself to be somewhat when he is nothing he deceiveth himself but let every man prove his own works and then he shall have rejoycing in himselfe That is let a man examine himselfe and prove his heart and this will be a meanes to work joy in the heart that they shall have comfort and joy in themselves in the assurance of their happiness Beloved what 's the reason you do not keep assurance the reason is you keep not close to God in a way of communion in these duties of holiness you keep not to God in a way of prayer and reading and examining your hearts and proving your comforts and your own estate and that 's the reason you are no more full and no more firm Secondly if you would keep your comforts keep your conscience clear from harbouring the guilt of sinne Iob 11.14 15. If iniquity be in thy hands put it far away if sinne be in thy conversation away with it Let not sinne be in thy