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
A64956	The conversion of the soul, or, A discourse explaining the nature of that conversion which is sincere and directing and perswading all to cease their loving sin and death, and to turn to God and live / by Nathanael Vincent ...	Vincent, Nathanael, 1639?-1697.; White, Robert, 1645-1703.	1688 (1688)	Wing V403; ESTC R38014	195,915	409

from every thing but Grace and Grace then is perfected in Glory The end of the upright and sincere Convert is Peace Psal 37. 37. and a peaceful Death is the forerunner of an everlasting Rest If he should dye in a Cloud he would shine not at all the less brightly in another World all sin and fears and tears will be gone as soon as he enters into Heavens door and sees his Lord there If he sets as the Sun in the clearest Summers evening his Death is encouraging to others comfortable to himself but ten thousand thousand times more Comfort will he presently have as soon as ever he is got out of and is absent from the body and is present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. I have done with the Motives to Conversion And now for shame be silent all tongues that talk against turning to God! Apostate Angels be for ever mute what Adversaries and lying Spirits are ye in disswading Man from Conversion and in asserting that though he turn not he shall not surely dye And Carnal Reason confess thy self quite baffled with strength of Argument and that not one word more of good sense can be spoken against the Sinners Conversion which is so much for his Interest both in time and to eternity VSE V. Of Direction how Sinners may become true and thorough Converts It greatly concerns you to be sincere in turning for in this matter you have chiefly to do with God himself who can't be deceived with the fairest shews but understands perfectly the most secret thoughts inclinations and purposes of the Hearts of Men every upright Heart is open to him and he takes Pleasure in the uprightness which himself has wrought And if there be nothing but Hypocrisie under the greatest Profession that Hypocrisie is both observed and abhorred Any thing short of true and thorough Conversion will be a dangerous Cheating of your selves therefore that you may be Converts indeed I shall give you these Directions 1. Let spiritual Wisdom and Knowledge be valued as that which is of great price and usefulness He that is indeed a Convert is called out of darkness into marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. In this Verse where my Text lies Converting the Soul and making Wise the Simple are joyn'd together the one is necessary and subservient to the other That Devotion of which Ignorance is the Mother is indeed a following of blind and deluded or crafty and deluding Guides but a turning to and a following of God it is not Be well Catechized and Instructed in the Principles of the Scripture-doctrine let a true Light be set up in your Understandings The Mind is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading Faculty 't is needful it be well Informed In the first Creation when Darkness covered the face of the deep God said let there be Light and there was Light Gen. 1. 2 3. and thus it is in the new Creation and Conversion 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Search for Knowledge in the Scripture as you would search for Silver or hid Treasure and look up to Heaven for light and ability to understand it that you may know Christ and God in him and what you are to believe desire and do in order to your Happiness You can't be made wise to Salvation unless you are first made wise to Conversion And as you are to acquaint your selves with so you are firmly to assent to the Doctrine revealed in the Word of God and the more strongly you credit whatever the Word sayes the more powerful influence will this Faith have upon your Conscience Will and Life Vnbelief is the root of defection and departing from the living God Heb. 3. 12. If the arm of the Lord be revealed his Power shewn forth and cause the report of the Word all the Promises and Threatnings of it to be indeed believed this will have a mighty efficacy towards the Souls return to God again 2. That you may become true Converts be sensible that all Mankind are fallen by Iniquity and are estranged from God and you in particular are by Nature far off from Him. The Lord indeed made Man upright but he has sought out many Inventions Eccles 7. ult New wayes he thought to have found of being higher and happier but while through the subtilty of the old Serpent he catcht at a shadow he lost the substance and became both foolish and miserable Adam the first Man corrupted the humane Nature and as thus corrupted you partake of it so that you are by Nature Children of Wrath your Hearts are desperately wicked dangerously deceitful and returning to God is that which they have a strange and strong antipathy against The more you are sensible that your Hearts are thus depraved and alienated from G●● the more jealous you will be of them and the more earnest for that new Heart and new Spirit which the Lord has Promised in his new Covenant Ezek. 36. 26. Perceiving and being burthen'd with a Distemper is a good step towards a Cure especially if an able Physician is ready to heal any that will but make use of him A right sense that Sin has set you at a distance from God and that those who are far from him shall perish Psal 37. 27. will have a mighty tendency to your being brought nigh to him by the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus And truly He that in the daies of his Flesh was so ready to heal corporal Maladies is much more willing to heal the corrupted Nature and to change and turn the Heart of every one that seriously cries Turn me and I shall be turned heal me and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved for thou art my Praise 3. Let Humiliation for Sin be very hearty and very deep A Soul that never was truly humbled for its iniquities still retains a liking of them and is more easily tempted to return to them Humiliation serves very much to break the league with Sin the Covenant with Death and Hell. The Apostle Paul who at his Conversion was deeply abased was made to tremble and to be astonished Act. 9. 6. seeing his Sin the insufficiency of his Pharisaical Righteousness and that he was so far from Salvation that he persecuted the onely Saviour after this low Humiliation how thorowly was his Heart turned to God! how precious was Jesus to his Soul how circumspectly did he walk how abundantly did he labour how patiently and joyfully did he suffer for Righteousness sake how constantly did he keep the Faith and finish his course till he got the Crown In true Humiliation there is a mixture of fear and sorrow and shame and upon these does follow holy anger and indignation Look up to Heaven behold the great and glorious God against whom every one of your Sins have

The Ministers of the Gospel as they are instrumental to seed the Flock so they are instrumental to make the Flock too for the Spirit of God doth accompany their Ministry and makes it effectual to alter corrupted Nature so that those that were before like Dogs like Swine like VVolves like Lyons are changed and they become the Lambs and the Sheep of the Lord Jesus VVhatever kindness is done for the Preachers of the Gospel it is not comparable unto the kindness they do when they are made instrumental unto the Conversion of any Theodosius that wore an Imperial Diadem was sensible of this when he said I thank God more that I have been a member of Christ than that I have been the Emperour of the VVorld The Ministry of the Gospel is the Gift of Christ and if this Gift be despised Christ the giver is contemned and the Father which hath sent him too Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me 7. How earnestly should Preachers pray that the Word in their Mouths may be effectual to Conversion Ay and they should call in the help of others Prayers too that they may succeed in the preaching of the Gospel of Reconciliation 2 Thes 3. 1. Finally Brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord might have free course and be glorified even as it is with you Every Sermon that the Preacher makes should be the Gift of Heaven it should be the return of Prayer and both before and after preaching having Heaven and Hell and Precious Souls all in his Eyes together being in a holy agony he should pray with all possible earnestness that precious Souls may not be irrecoverably lost and ruined Memorable is the passage of the Apostles Acts 6. 4. VVe will give our selves continually unto Prayer and unto the Ministry of the word Prayer is first mentioned If by Prayer the Preachers can prevail with God the VVord of God in their Mouths is the more likely to be prevalent with Men. A Preacher should be a man of Bowels and because his own are Marble he should long after the Conversion and Salvation of Souls in the Bowels of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 8. Alas the Souls that are before him if they won't hear they can't live if they won't repent Destruction is at the door if they won't believe they must be damned and there is no remedy How therefore should we cry to the God whose VVord we preach that he would give Grace to repent Grace to believe Grace to turn to him for though a Paul be the Planter though an Apollo be the Waterer both are nothing but God that gives the increase he is all 1 Cor. 3. 7. 8. If the Word of God be the great means of Conversion then hence I inferr that that Society and Church is to be avoided that takes away this Word from the common People The true Church it doth concern you to know and I will tell you how it may be known it is built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone Eph. 2. 20. There is an agreement between the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets This Doctrine sets forth Christ as the Foundation of a Christians Faith and Hope sets forth Christ as the only Saviour and as a Saviour to the utmost If therefore this Doctrine be decryed by any those that do decry it are to be avoided It is certainly Hellish cruelty unto Souls to take away the means of Conversion and Salvation from them That can't be the Kingdom of Christ the props of which are Ignorance of the Word of God and an implicite Faith in men The Apostle Paul speaks plainly 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost and v. 6. God who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But the Practice of many plainly shew that they are of another mind and their mind is this that if the Gospel be revealed it is revealed to them that are lost and that God instead of commanding the Light to shine into the minds of those that are saved doth command darkness to abide there still But here is an Objection that must be removed out of the way Say some If the common People are permitted to look into the Word of God instead of being turned to God they are but likely to mistake his Mind and to run into abundance of errour and so to hurt and poyson themselves An ordinary Objection but it is easily answer'd 1. This is plainly to charge the God of Heaven foolishly and blasphemously as if he had given such a dangerous VVord to his Church as that it is not fit or safe for them to make use of The Objectors don't take notice that God hath with such Goodness Wisdom and care compiled the Holy Scripture that it is a Means to prevent running into Errour and the truest Knowledge is derived from hence Hark to the Psalmist Psal 119. 105. Thy VVord it is a Light unto my Feet and a Lamp unto my Path. Wo to them that put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness And before v. 104. the Psalmist said Through thy Precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way 2. I answer to this Objection That the Jewish Church though in a State of Minority had not the VVord of God withheld from them All were to read it all were to meditate upon it and yield obedience to it Nay observe that even the Children were not to be Ignorant of the Scripture Deut. 6. 6 7. These VVords that I command thee this day shall be in thine Heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up If the Jewish Church which was a Church in Minority had the Word of God generally vouchsafed certainly the Christian Church ought not to be denyed it which are arrived unto a State of greater Maturity as the Apostle intimates Gal. 4. 1 2 3. Lastly Whereas it is said that if the common People read the Scriptures and study the Word of God they will be in danger of running into Errour I answer How much Errour how much mistake is there in gross Ignorance Besides those men that have been the great broachers of Errour and Heresie in the Church of Christ have been men of great parts and men of profound Learning as Arrius and Pelagius and the rest So that if there was any force in this Objection the Word of God must not be medled with by any at all Blessed be God that the humble have a Promise of Guidance and Instruction from Heaven Psal 25. 9. The meek

the flesh Christ has the highest room in every true Converts Heart he counts all things loss that Christ may be gained Phil. 3. 8. And 't is but reason that Christ should be best loved by him whose love to him is greatest and most beneficial and who is altogether lovely Cant. 5. 〈◊〉 Vbi amor ibi oculus where the Love is the Eye is Christ being loved the Convert's eye of Faith is set also upon him and he stayes on Jesus the Author and finisher of his Faith that he may be preserved in a state of Grace and strengthned unto all continuance and perseverance in well doing Let senseless Souls that are without knowledge and experience call this Resting a Lolling on Christ notwithstanding their Ignorance and Blasphemy the Members of the true Church will according as the Holy Ghost by wise Solomon expresses it lean upon their Beloved Cant. 8. 5. in their passage through the Wildern●ss of this World that they may be conducted and brought safe unto the heavenly and incorruptible Inheritance Thus much of Conversion with reference to Jesus the Mediatour Sixthly and Lastly Conversion may be considered with reference to the Word of God This Word is the way into which every true Convert turns Psal 119. 59 60. I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments The Converts Eye is turned to look into this Word of God his Ear is turned to hearken to it his Feet are turned to walk according to it and his very Heart is turned to love it As 't is natural to new born Babes to desire the Mothers or Nurses Milk so 't is spiritually natural to them that are Regenerate and Converted to desire the Word of God 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1. The Converts natural enmity against the Word of God is cured he neither with the Jews counts the Gospel a stumbling-block and matter of offence nor with the Greeks does he esteem it foolishness he does not look upon the Mysteries of the Word as absurd nor upon the strictest Rules as unreasonable He owns the Authority of God in his Word and acknowledges his Wisdom and Goodness in giving such a Testimony of his Will upon record as is so faithful and worthy of all acceptation 2. The Convert approves the whole of the Word of God He prizes Truth and is afraid of Error for there are damnable Errors in Judgment as well as damnable Immoralities in Practice They that are led away with the Errour of the wicked do wrest the Scriptures and that is not without danger of Destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16 17. The Convert sees a need of threatnings to deter him from Sin and to keep his flesh in awe that it become not head-strong against the Spirit He likes the Commands as well as ●he Promises and is perswaded 't is a priviledge to work for God as well as an encouragement that his labour shall not be 〈◊〉 vain 1 Cor. 15. 58. He concludes whatever God has spoken is spoken for his good therefore dislikes nothing he has ●id The Apostle consented to the goodness of the Law and was troubled that so much evil was present with him which ●indred that exact obedience he desired 〈◊〉 yield Rom. 7. 16 21. And the Psamist ●eaks fully Psal 119. 128. I esteem all by Commandments concerning all things to be ●ght and I hate every false way 3. The Convert performs the word of God ●to the end his Faith is not temporary ●or his obedience forced by a present fear ●nishing away as soon as ever the dan●r is apprehended to be over The righ●ousness that is as the morning cloud is hy●critical and unacceptable The truly ●ghteous man holds on his way and waxes ●onger and stronger Job 17. 9. The entrance of the word gives that light and strength to the Convert as heartens him to go on the more he obeys the greate● cause and reason he sees to be still more obedient the greater progress he makes i● his course the nearer he comes to the prize the glory of that prize makes him press forward and run the faster Thus have I opened the Nature o● Conversion Much is included in it Happy those that have felt what I have spoken But what a Mul●itude of Professor● are excluded out of the number of sincer● Converts To how many a Man may Conscience say Thou hast no part n● experience in this matter thy heart is not rig● with God. Thy beloved lusts thy idoliz● gain and pleasures thy unreasonable self-confidence have hindred thy coming to Christ t● turning to God and obeying his Word to th● day In the third place I am to tell you wha● are the Properties of Conversion Here shall observe several things concerning i● which will help you the better to understand it and may serve for a trial wheth● you are indeed converted 1. Conversion is both a duty and a previledge Conscience should take notice o● and with authority and vehemency urge ●he Sinner to the duty and the Heart ●hould be forward to Conversion since it 〈◊〉 such a Priviledge The Gospel calls all that hear it to turn to God and layes them under an obligation to do it And Conversion being a Submission to the whole Will of God it is the summ of all the duties which he requires Turning to God is a consenting to do and suffer whatever he commands and continuing a Convert is a standing perfect with ●n evangelical perfection which is Sinceri● and compleat in all the Will of God Col. 4. 12. And as the Convert does his duty so the doing of it is beneficial to himself Is it not a priviledge and every ●ay for his truest interest to be near God ●o be received into his favour and to be under the blessed influence of his powerful and special Grace 'T was good counsel that ●liphaz gave though he gave it to a better man than himself Job 22. 21. Acquaint ●ow thy self with him and he explains that by returning to the Almighty and be 〈◊〉 peace thereby good shall come to thee 2. Conversion meets with great oppositi● What in the whole World is oppo●d more The Children of men go by ●roves in the broad way that leads to Destruction and they can't endure that any should part company if any begin to make a stand and run not with them to the same excess of riot they think it strange and their tongues speak evil of them 1 Pet. 4. 4. if they do not make them feel the violence of their hands also But if Earth is troubled when any are converted Hell is much more moved when a Sinner turns Satan loses an House where he dwelt and an Heart which was a Throne where he reigned And for that proud spirit to lose a vassal nay to be forced to flee from him as the promise is he shall upon resistance Jam. 4.