Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	know_v	true_a	word_n	5,141	5	4.2464	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45553	A looking-glasse of hvmane frailty set before us in a sermon preached at the funerals of Mris. Anne Calquit, late wife of Mr. Nicholas Calquit, draper, who died on the 7. day of April 1659 and was interr'd the 19. of the said month, at the parish church of Alhallows the Less in Thames Street / by Nath. Hardy ...	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1654 (1654)	Wing H729; ESTC R333	18,668	40

so much and weak stripling is before a mighty Giant wert thou as wise as Solomon yet say my wisdome is nothing before thee not so much as the silly brute is before the intelligent Angels the very foolishnesse of God to use St. Pauls language being wiser than the wisdome of men Wert thou Honorable as Alexander yet say mine honour is nothing before thee not so much as the glimmering candle is before the glorious Sun wert thou rich as Cressus thou must say my riches are nothing before thee not so much as the drop of water is to the Ocean Finally wert thou as old as Methuselah thou must say mine age is nothing before thee not so much as a new born babe to aged Methuselah To end this since Mans age is nothing before God let it be nothing before man himself indeed as for that part of our age which is past it is so with us many years since being but as a few dayes and the time which is gone is as nothing Oh that we would looke with the same eye upon that which is to come Indeed in one sence we must reckon our age as something and that pretious well were it if we would set an higher value upon our time than to waste it away in folly but still as to the duration we must account it as nothing and then we would have none to spare but wholly imploy it for the gaining of that which is as something before God a joyfull and happy aeternity And so much shall serve to be spoken of the first part of the text the particular exemplification pass we on to the Generall Amplification in these words Every man in his best estate is altogether vanity A clause wherein each word is Emphaticall which will the better appear if you take a view of 1. The extensiveness of the subject concerning whom this doctrine is asserted which is 1. Not the creeping pismire the crawling worm the stupid asse or any of the sensitive creatures but Man who is endued with reason 2. Not one or a few particular men in some one part of the world but of every man who either hath been is or shall live in any part of the world 3. Not onely of mean poor and ignoble persons but of man at his best estate Quamvis floreat dignitate opibus potentia as Mollerus glosseth upon the text though he flourish in wealth honour and power for though the Seventy reading be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} every man living yet the Hebrew {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth constitutus fixed or setled is most properly refer'd to him who seemeth to be in a stablished prosperous estate 2. The Intensivenesse of the praedicate in that every man at his best estate is 1. Not only like to vanity that is the language of the Psalmist elsewhere Adam is as Abel homo similis factus est man is become like to vanity but he is vanity as if it were not only his resemblance but his substance 2. Nor is he only said to be vain in the concrete as Zophars language is vain man would be wise but vanity in the abstract as if it were not only an accident but his essence 3. Nor is it only said he is vanity as it is elswhere in this Psalm but is altogether vanity as if from the crowne of his head to the soles of his feet he were nothing but vanity 4. Nay in the Hebrew the Emphasis is yet further in that vanity is the subject and man the praedicate for so the words are to be rendred according to the originall Altogether vanity is every man as if man were not to be defined by vanity but vanity by man so that if you ask What is vanity the answer is it is man No marvel if the Psalmist elsewhere affirme that man is lighter than vanity so that were man put in one scale and vanity in the other man would mount up as being lighter and vanity it selfe would weigh him down To illustrate the truth of this assertion know 1. That there is a double vanity to which every man at his best estate is subject namely of disposition and condition 1. Man is vanity in his disposition The Grammarian in Aulus Gellius maketh vanus and stultus synonimous vanus quasi mente vacuus and so every man is vanity because a fool Indeed vain man would be wise but he is foolish in his thoughts projects desires and actions In the very next verse it is said they are disquieted in vain to wit with foolish projects and fruitlesse cares The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity it is no lesse true of his words and works no wonder if man be compared to a shadow having no light of knowledge in his minde heat of grace in his heart nor substance or solidity in his actions 2. But that which is here chiefly intended is the vanity of man in respect of his condition in reference to this it is that it is said in the beginning of the next verse man walketh in a vain shew as if his residence in this world were but like that of a Player upon the stage and this is here affirmed of his best estate and condition 2. Mans condition at the best is but vanity in three respects because inconstant and perishing empty and unsatisfying false and deceiving 1. Vanum quod evanescit that which is vain hath no solidity and therefore no permanency lightnesse is the proper adjunct of vanity and inconstancy the effect of lightnesse Such is mans best estate he seemeth to be setled as the earth but he vanisheth with the winde changeth with the moon and ebeth with the water Homo Bulla is true of man at his best estate he is like the bubble which swels up by the rain falling upon the water and fals presently or which the child causeth with the breath of his mouth at the end of the reed and vanisheth with the least shaking of his hand It was not without reason that man is called by the Phylosopher Ludus fortunae Fortunes may-game with whom she sports her selfe by putting him as it were into various shapes in altering his condition Man at his best estate like the Venice glasse is bright but brittle or like Sodoms Apples golden colour'd but mouldring his strength a rush soon shaken his riches dust quickly driven away his honour a fancy presently gone To day Nebuchadnezzar jets it on the house top as if he expected a salutation from the coelestial Majesty and suddenly he is turned to graze with the beasts of the field with which agreeeth that of the Poet Quem dies vidit veniens superbum Hunc dies vidit fugens jacentem Shew me that Rose that will not fade that fruit which will not putrifie that cloud which will not vanish that garment which will not fret and then not till then expect to finde that man who