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
A77360	Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation. : Gods return to the soul, or nation; together with his preventing mercy. : Delivered in ten sermons, (viz.) 1. Christs personal excellencies, the object of our love. 2. Christ crucified, the object of our faith. 3. The new covenant of grace opened. 4. Christ the mediator of the new covenant. 5. The way and spirit of the new covenant, or New Testament. 6. The blood of sprinkling. 7. The sweetness and profitableness of divine meditation. 8. The work and way of this meditation. 9. Gods return to the soul and nation. 10. Preventing mercy. / By W.B.	Bridge, William, 1600?-1670.	1667 (1667)	Wing B4449A; ESTC R225773	165,221	279

humble Christ a crucified Christ will make you humble If I have gallant and brave cloaths on and go abroad and swagger with them and a man comes and tells me Sir you owe for these cloaths it s enough to take down my Plumes So now Though a man be proud of this or that good thing yet if he do but see Christ crucified he shall there be told that Christ hath paid for all and this will take down his pride Do you complain of a hard heart The sight of a broken Christ will break your heart or nothing will So that the knowledge of Christ crucified is that that will furnish you and prepare you to every good word and work And therefore O friends who would not labour to know Christ crucified Let me speak a little more 11. This is the knowledge that is the soul-humbling knowledge Other knowledge puffs up but if you know Christ crucified you may glory in your knowledge without pride Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom nor the strong man in his strength nor the learned man glory in his learning If I glory in my wisdom I am proud if I glory in my strength I am proud but if I glory in that that I know Christ crucified the more I glory in Christ crucified the more humble I am That is a soul-humbling knowledge 12. This is that knowledge which is the highest experimental knowledge in the World A man may have the experience of his own sins yet be a wicked man Oh I have such a proud heart such a vain heart may he say why for his sins are within him and he may easily though a wicked man have experience of what is within him by nature But to have experience of a crucified Christ is not by nature This is the highest experience in the World Christ in me the hope of glory this is the most true experimental knowledge 13. This is that knowledge that will make a man wise indeed Other knowledge may make a man wise quoad hoc to this or that thing but the knowledge of Christ crucified doth make a man wise at large And therefore I say O what a blessed thing is it to know Christ crucified and who would not labour to know Christ crucified in a right manner 6. You will say then in the sixth place What shall we do to know Christ crucified in a right manner For we have heard men may live under the Gospel sit upon the highest form of profession and yet not know Christ crucified in a right manner What shall we do then that we may know Christ crucified in a right manner Somthing I shall speak to the manner and somthing to the means As to the manner If you would know Christ crucified in a right manner you must look upon him as the Great institution and appoyntment of the Father When God doth deal with us in a way of Institutions he hath not respect unto the strength of the Means or the worth of the Persons When God deals with us in a way of nature there is respect had to the strength of the Means or the worth of the Person As in Physick God deals in a way of nature there respect is had to the strength of the Means But when God deals with us in a way of institution there he hath neither respect to the strength of means nor to the worth of persons Now Jesus Christ is the great Institution of God the Father and so if we would know him rightly we must look upon him For though the stung Israelite was cured by the brazen Serpent yet he was not cured by the brazen Serpent in regard of the mettle of the Serpent but as it was an appointment and as an institution So if a man would know Christ to purpose he must know him and look upon him as the great institution and appointment of the Father Him hath God the Father sealed And what is the reason that many go to and get no good by a crucified Christ but because they never did to this day look upon Christ crucified as the great Institution of the Father 2. If you would know Christ crucified in a right manner you must then look upon him as sent you must look upon this crucified Christ under the mission of the Father There are three great Missions that you read of in the New Testament There is the mission of Ministers they are sent out to preach There is the mission of the Holy Ghost I will send the Comforter There is the mission of the Son sent from the Father Now the mission of Christ from the Father is the original of all the ●ther missions and you cannot know the other missions rightly if you do not know this original mission If you would know Christ crucified in a righ● manner you must know him as sent In the 17. 〈◊〉 John saith Christ in his prayer to the Father But have known thee and these have known that tho● hast sent me So that if you would know Chri●● crucified in a right manner you must know him● and look upon him as under a mission from the Father 3. If you would know Christ crucified in a righ● manner you must look well unto the design drif● and scope of the Father in the sufferings of Chri●● Then you know Christ when you know the Father and you know the Father when you know● the Fathers Design What is the great Design of t●● Father in sending Christ to die but To magnif●● his love To save poor sinners To justifie th●● ungodly Would you know Christ crucified arigh● be sure you have an eye to the design of the Father i● the matter of a crucified Christ 4. Be sure of this That you look as well upo● the Testamentalness of Christs sufferings as th● greatness of his sufferings Some look much at th● greatness of the sufferings of Christ as the Frya● and Monks and never look at the Testamentalnes● of Christs sufferings Oh say they Christ death was a painful reproachful and a lingrin● death and thus they aggravate as truly the● may the sufferings of Christ but not one wor● of the Testamentalness of his sufferings But Christ death was to seal the Covenant Therefore if yo● would know Christ crucified rightly you must a● well look upon the Testamentalness of his sufferings as the greatness of his sufferings Thus in regar● of the manner if you would know Christ rightly And 2. for the Means I shall speak two or three things If you would know Christ crucified in a right manner for Means Then go unto God the Father to create this knowledge of Christ crucified in you All Light was at the first by a word of Creation Let there be Light And as in the old Creation the Creation of the World so in the new Creation Let there be Light Let there be Knowledge God that 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 This light comes into the soul in a way of creation go then to God to create this light And be sure that you set open all your Windows that the Light may come in There are some sickly and weak who would fain have the Light to come into their Chambers but they are afraid of the cold Air and so dare not open their windows So here some would fain have more light and knowledge of Christ but they are afraid of the cold and so dare not open their windows to receive the light But pray Friends why should we be afraid of new lights for why should there not be new Lights found out in the Firmament of the Scripture as well as the Astrologers find out new Stars in Heaven Be not afraid to set open your Windows for any light that God shall make known unto you 2. If you would know Christ crucified in a right way and manner Then study much think much upon this crucified Christ meditate much insist and dwell much upon Christ crucified It is not slight and superficial thinking of Christ crucified that will bring in this knowledge If I would know a man I must be conversant with him So if you would know Christ crucified you must be conversant with him you must sit down and consider and dwell upon Christ crucified in your thoughts and meditations Now there are four times wherein it will be good for you especially to think of Christ crucified much Four cases First In case of some Revelation or Vision that you may be under When Christ was transfigured and Peter said I● is good to be here Christ turns him off and reads a Lecture to him about his sufferings why but to shew that in such times of Raptures and Revelations is a fit season to think of Christ crucified 2. Another time or season is The time and case of spiritual pride In case your heart be lifted up within you in reference unto any Priviledge Gift or performance then is a fit time to think on a crucified Christ The Disciples were speaking who should be greatest That one might sit on Christs right hand and the other at his left hand then said Christ Are ye able to be baptized with the Baptisme that I am baptised with and to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of The Son of man must suffer saith he He turns them about from those thoughts to a crucified Christ why but to shew thus much that when at any time our hearts are lift up upon any account then is a fit time and season to think on a Christ crucified 3. The time of dissention and difference among professors and Brethren is a fit time and season to think on a crucified Christ When one Disciple desired to sit at Christs right hand and the other at his left the rest of the Disciples took it ill and all quarrelled one with another Christ now tells them of his sufferings Is This a fit time for you to have differences among ●ou think of my sufferings Never more seaso●able time to think of a crucified Christ then when ●rofessors are at variance Times of dissention call or thoughts of a crucified Christ Again 4. In ●ase that a man be in any great affliction or dan●er or fear thereof then is a good time to think ●f the sufferings of Christ Nichodemus comes by ●●ght unto Christ out of fear and Christ first ●reaches to him the Doctrine of Regeneration ●nd when he had done so saith he in Joh. 3. the 14. ●ers As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilder●●ss even so must the Son of man be lifted up Ni●odemus was afraid to suffer for Christ now Christ ●●rns him over to his sufferings The Son of man ●ust be lifted up why but to shew thus ●uch that when we are afraid of sufferings when ●e meet with afflictions and troubles and are in ●ar thereof then is a fit time for us to think of ●hrists sufferings It is a good thing to think of ●hrist crucified at all times but when you have ●evelations and Visions when your hearts are ●●ted up when you are in any dissention ●hen you are under any affliction trouble or in ●ar thereof then is a good time especially when ●ou are under spiritual temptations And thus ●ow you see the second thing if you would know ●hrist crucified in a right manner study and medi●te much on him and insist much thereon But ●●en 3. If you would know Christ crucified in a right ●anner make it your work and your businesse to ●●ow Christ crucified Solomon gives you a pro●se in the 2 of the Proverbs and the 3. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for u●derstanding if thou seekest her as silver and search for her as for hid treasure Then shalt thou und●●stand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge God Prov. 2.5 How do men seek for hidden tr●●sures how do men seek for gold and silver th● digg into the bowels of the earth and spare for pains So saith the Lord if you digg and search 〈◊〉 it you shall have this knowledge And you kn●● how it is with those that do digg for gold and ●●ver though they do not meet with a Myne p●sently possibly they may meet with several spri● of water that may stand them in more stead t●● the Myne So digging in the Scripture thoug● man do not presently reach the Mine yet he 〈◊〉 meet with such springs of comfort in the way may be a refreshment to him all his dayes N●● therefore friends do you desire to know Chr●●● and him crucified then remember these th● things Go unto God the Father to create t● light in you Dwell and insist much up●● Christ crucified in your thoughts and at some ti●● especially And then make it your work a business to know Christ crucified Digg in 〈◊〉 Mynes for this Knowledge But suppose I do know Christ crucified wha● my duty then Why then if you do know Christ crucified ●●tainly it doth not become you to conform unto 〈◊〉 world and to be uncrucified in your affections the world It doth not become you to be the servants 〈◊〉 men especially in the worship of God Ye are boug● with a price be ye not the servants of men Certainly it doth not become you to walk proud●y What shall Christ humble himself and shall we be ●roud certainly it doth not become you to walk proudly But what shall I do then First go and resign and give up your selves to Christ shall Christ give down himself unto us and ●●all not we give up our selves unto him Resigne ●nd give up your selves unto him 2. And then if indeed you do know Christ cru●●fied take heed that you do not doubt of your ●●terest in God or salvation by Christ what know ●hrist crucified and yet doubt Why saith the A●ostle If when we were enemies we were reconciled 〈◊〉

there is no knowledge of God the Father he doth reveal the Father thereby you know the Father And thereby also you know your selves for three things are required to the knowledge of our selves We must know our sins our misery thereby and our inability for to help our selves know but Christ crucified you know your sins you know your misery thereby and you know your inability to help your selves And thereby you shall know men for the more I know the worth of a man the more I know him and the more I know the difference between man and man the more I know men know but Christ crucified and you know the worth of a man and you never know the worth of a soul or of a man but by knowing Christ crucified thereby you know I say God and you know your selves and you know men 2. Thereby you shall have your hearts drawn out and ingaged to Jesus Christ When I am lift up I will draw all men after me One would think that the scandal of the Cross should drive men from Christ but there is wisdome and power in Christ crucified which draws men unto Christ Wisdome draws it drew the Queen of Sheba to behold Solomon a greater then Solomon is here Love draws it drew Rebecca unto Isaac here is love indeed in Christ crucified Christ crucified is the most drawing thing in the world where Love and Wisdome and Power and Strength and all meet thereby I say your hearts shall be drawn out and ingaged to Jesus Christ 3. Thereby also your lusts and temptations shall be fully mortified and subdued There are three sorts of lusts the lusts of the eye the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life that John speaks of the Devil tempted Adam and Eve by all these by the lust of the eye They saw th● Apple that it was fair to look on by the lus● of the flesh that the Apple was good to eat and by the pride of life The Devil told them that i● they eat they should be like unto God and he prevailed with Adam and with Eve And accordingly he sets upon the second Adam and thought to have carried him too he tempted him by all these He tempted him by the lusts of the flesh Tur● these stones into bread By the lusts of the● eye He shewed him all the Glory of the World He tempted him by the pride of life All this will I giv● thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me but here he missd his prize and so shal he do when he come● and tempts you if you do but keep close to a crucified Christ in the time of your temptations for by faith we quench all the fiery darts of the Devil and where are they quenched but in the blood o● Jesus You blow out a candle and it is easily ligh● again but if you quench it in blood it is not so easily light again if you blow out a temptation or a sin by a Resolution it is easily lighted again but quench i● in the blood of Jesus and it is not so easily light again 4. Thereby also you shall dye unto all your own righteousness There is no such way in the world to dye unto our own righteousness as by the knowledge of a crucified Christ as in that place of the Philippians I account all things loss c. 5. Thereby also you shall be able to deny your selves in all things in one thing as well as another Possibly a man may deny himself in one thing that he may seek himself in another I may deny my self in meats and drinks that I may have the more money deny my self in prodigality that I may seek my self in covetousness It is possible that a man may deny himself in one thing that he may seek himself in another a man may deny his pride in one thing that he may be proud in another But now the sight of a crucified Christ will teach us to deny our selves in every thing And therefore the Apostle Paul pressing the Philippians unto humility and self-denyal he opens before them the sufferings of Christ 6. By your knowledg of Christ crucified you shall grow in Grace in one Grace as well as in another grow in Assurance and yet in Repentance grow in Repentance and yet in Assurance The sight of Christ crucified is a friend unto your Repentance and a friend unto your Assurance Saith the Apostle Grow in grace not in this or that Grace but Grace in the general Grow in Grace and in the knowledg of Christ so that the knowledge of Christ crucified is that whereby you shall grow in one grace as well as in another 7. Thereby also your hearts shall be established in opposition to all sufferings and afflictions It will incourage you to suffer and it will inable you to suffer Nichodemus came by Night when he first came to Christ but after he had seen Christ upon the Cross and seen the sufferings of Christ how boldly did he own Christ then The sight of a suffering Christ will both incourage to suffer and inable to suffer All our sufferings are either outward or inward If my sufferings and afflictions be outward the sight of a suffering Christ will make me suffer If my afflictions be inward and spiritual what is there that will quiet the Conscience of a poor trembling soul but Christ crucified Thereby I say you shall be established in opposition unto all your sufferings and afflictions inward and outward 8. Thereby also you shall have boldness in all your addresses unto God the Father Wherefore saith the Apostle Let us come with boldness to the Throne of Grace Why For we have an High-Priest An High-Priest there is the sufferings of Christ Thereby you have boldness in all your addresses to God the Father 9. Thereby even by the knowledge of Christ crucified you shall be possest of Christ You know many things and yet you do not possess them by your knowledge of them But know Christ crucified and you are possest of Christ Saith the Apostle My little Children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you Christ formed in you that is till the knowledge of Christ be formed in you The knowledge of Christ brings one into the possession of Christ 10. Yea thereby you shall be furnished and prepared for every good word and work For what is the death and suffering of Christ but Officina virtutum the Shop of Vertues Do you want Faith Christ crucified is the Object of your Faith and the Cause of it as you have heard Are you full of fears Are you afraid because of the Law and the avenger of blood that is following you at the heels Do but look upon Christ crucified and there you see the City of refuge So many wounds in Christ so many Cities of refuge Are you impatient and froward why the sight of a patient Christ will make you patient Are you proud The spirit of an

the death of his Son much more being reconciled we 〈◊〉 all be saved by his life Rom. 5. and chap. 8.32 He ●at spared not his own Son but delivered him up for 〈◊〉 all how shall he not with him also freely give us all ●●ings If God the Father did give his Son to ●ath for you will he deny you other things Go away and look no more sorrowfull let it ap●are that you know Christ and that you know ●hrist crucified 3. In case at any time any temptation doth a●ise upon you Presently turn and look wishly upon ●hrist crucified and there fix If a man be in a ●●eat temptation possibly the temptation may be ●t by by way of divertisement turning to another ●●ject but if that other object be ingaging ●●en he is helpt thereby not onely by way of di●rtancie but by way of assistance Now if a tem●ation do arise at any time upon any of you pre●●ntly turn your eye fix it upon Christ crucified ●ere stand and there look and thus shall you be helped not onely in a way of divertancie but in way of assistance 4. If you do indeed know Christ crucified the why should you not hold forth the vertues of th● Christ the death of Christ in your dying unto 〈◊〉 things below and say with Paul upon all occa●●ons Henceforth let no man trouble me I bear abo●● in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus You co●● to tempt me to such a sin do not trouble me know Christ crucified henceforth let no man tro●ble me I know Christ crucified answer all yo● temptations thus and be peremptory and resolu●● let no man trouble me do not trouble me I kno● Christ crucified 5. Go away and communicate that knowled● of a crucified Christ unto others your knowled● is nothing unless you make others to know w●● you know There is a twofold revelation 〈◊〉 Christ Christ revealed to men and Christ 〈◊〉 vealed in men as Paul speaks When it pleased 〈◊〉 Lord to reveal Christ IN me When a man ha●● revelation of Christ within him he will com●nicate that knowledge Ye see how it is with 〈◊〉 Sun shining upon the wall and with a Candle 〈◊〉 Lanthorn the Sun shines upon the wall and 〈◊〉 wall enlightens no body why because the Su● not in it but there is a Candle in a Lanthorn a● that enlightens others why because the Cand●● within it So when a man hath a revelation Christ upon him it falls dead as upon a mud w● and he communicates not that light unto others but if Christ be in me the hope of Glory then c●●tainly I shall communicate this knowledge of Ch●● unto others also 6. And to end all if you do know Christ and him crucified then go and place your selves before the Lord as David did when the Lord had made known his mind unto him Then went King David in and sat before the Lord and he said who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto c. And what can David say more unto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy Servant for thy Word sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things to make thy Servant know them So I say go you and place your selves before the Lord and say What am I Lord O what am I poor ignorant creature as well as others that Christ crucified should be made known to me O the riches and the greatness of the Grace of God According to thine own heart Lord hast thou done this to make these things known unto thy poor Servant Wherefore Glory and Honour unto God the Father and unto the Lamb that sitteth upon the Throne for ever And thus now I have spoken something concerning a crucified Christ as the Object of your Faith the former time concerning the Excellencies of Christ to draw out your Love Now then let your Faith and Love meet together and may your Love be quickned and your Faith strengthned I have enough The New Covenant of Grace opened SERMON III. Heb. 12. 24. And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covena●● and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh bett●● things then that of Abel IN this Scripture you have the difference b●tween the Law and the Gospel The exce●lency of the state of the Church under t●● New Testament above the state of the Chu●● under the Old Testament for saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 the 18. vers Ye are not come unto the Mount th● might be touched and that burned with fire nor un● blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of trumpet and the voice of words But ye are come u●to Mount Sion vers 22. and unto the City of the li●ing God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innum●rable company of Angels c. So that first look how much Mount Sion dot● excell Mount Sinai The City of the living Go●● doth excell the Wilderness and the heavenl● Jerusalem doth excell the Mountain that might b● touched from whence the Law was given 〈◊〉 much doth our state now exceed and excell that of the Jews And saith he Ye are also come unto an innumerable company of Angels The Law was given at Mount Sinai by the ministration of Angels Look therefore how much our communion now with an innumerable company of Angels doth exceed that ministration which was by the ministration of Angels then so much doth our Gospel state now exceed theirs And ye are also come to the general assembly and Church of the first born Look how much the Catholick Church drawn out of all Nations doth exceed the Jewish Synagogue so much doth our Gospel Church state now exceed theirs And ye are come unto God the Judge of all Look therefore how much the manifestation of God as the Judge of all the world doth exceed the manifestation of God as a Law-giver upon Mount Sinai unto the Nation of the Jews onely so much doth our Gospel state and Church exceed theirs And ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect It is true in regard of the Saints in heaven for we are fellow Citizens with the Saints there Or if you understand it of the spirits of just men made perfect with Gospel perfection by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ it is true So that look as the state of Heaven doth exceed the state of Earth and as Gospel perfection doth exceed the imperfect state of the Law so doth the state of the Church and Gospel now exceed that of the Jews And ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel Look therefo●● as Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covena●● exceeds Moses the Mediator of the Old A●● as the blood of Christ the blood of sprinkling do●● excell and exceed the blood of all sacrifices in t●● time of the Old Testament so doth our Gosp● Church state now exceed that of theirs