Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A18212
|
The hidden treasure opened in tvvo sermons preached by Zachary Catlin minister of Gods word at Thurstone in Suffolke: upon Matthevv 13. 44.
|
Catlin, Zachary.
|
1633
(1633)
|
STC 4839; ESTC S102089
|
30,901
|
47
|
God as the Apostle speaketh 2. Tim. 3.4 not that ever any were so simple as to say thus with their tongues or to kneele downe and worship their bellies for their God but hee that knoweth the heart and raines telleth us that thus it is and the Apostle tels us that in the last dayes thus it should be Loe then unlawfull things wil not be parted withall for the Treasures sake And as for lawfull things I meane the good Blessings of this Life Much lesse will they part with lawfull things Oh where is the man to be found that is content to part with them Where is the man that esteemes basely of them as drosse and doung in respect of Christ and sauing graces that layeth them aside for conscience sake when the publike and private exercises of Religion call for their devotion attendance Where is the man that parteth with them cheerefully to good and commendable uses sowing liberally that hee may reape liberally at the harvest that in preparation of heart hath resolved if persecution come to suffer the losse of all joyfully knowing in himselfe that he hath in heaven a better and an enduring substance where is the man that when losses affliction and death come can bid them all adue and that from his heart that hee may enjoy the Heavenly Treasure I speake not this Beloved as if I thought there were none such to be found some yea many there are I doubt not and I pray God increase the number of them but yet in respect of the multitude they are as rare as Blacke Swans The most part of men every where dote upon the world loving it onely and altogether or at least in the first and chiefest place How many Esaus are there in the world that say Tush what is this Birthright to me give me the pottage so red Gen. 25.32 How many Gadarens that will rather part with their Saviour Mar. 5.17 then with their very Swine Mar. 26.15 How many Iudasses that will sell their Saviour and their Soules for thirty pieces of silver nay for a farthing token Troche ludunt prandium perdunt pueri Children saith Chrysostome Chrys will play with their toppes and play away their dinners and most men childishly for toyes and trifles lose their God and heaven and their owne precious soules Hagar now adayes hath beaten her Mistresse Sarah out of doores Gen. 16.6 I meane the love of the world hath beaten the love of God and of Religion out of our hearts The world the world that 's our Treasure If our Saviours rule be true That where our hearts be there are our Treasures also Matthew 6.21 Mat. 6.21 then it is most plaine that wee have layd up our Treasures upon Earth for our thoughts our words our works our company are all worldly all earthly All the day all the weeke yea and the Sabbath day too is too little for the world Now if any man love the world saith Saint Iohn in expresse tearmes the love of the Father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.15 1. Joh. 2.15 and as the ground where gold groweth is barren of all other things so an heart set vpon the world Simile is ever barren and devoid of heavenly graces for ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour Mat. 6 24. Mat. 6 24. As for our buying of the Field I meane the Truth and Word of God 2 Men will not buy the Word it grieves my soule to think how the Booke of God is generally neglected his tenth part for the maintenance of his Ministers defrauded gelt and curtayled and all the labour the most men take for buying Truth is but to sit and give the Minister the hearing no preparation made before and after no meditation no conference no repetition of the things they have heard 3 At least not the Treasure no turning the Sermons into Prayer or into Practise Men place the utmost of their Religion in this they have read the Word they have heard the Sermon but never shew me the Meat but shew me the Man Never tell me thus many Chapters I have read thus many Sermons I have heard But tell mee what art thou what knowledge hast thou gotten what faith what hope what love what patience what temperance what humility what thankfulnesse what obedience what good hast thou gotten by the Word How justly may we take up the complaint of Salomon Pro. 17.16 Pro. 17.16 Why is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome but he wants an heart Men have money time wit strength meanes of all sorts to buy the Field and to gaine the Treasure but the foole wants an heart eyther they get not the Word or get no knowledge out of the Word or turne not their knowledge into gracious practise Scire cupiunt tantum ut sciant They desire to know onely that they may know as if a man should get together Nummum ad numerandum Mony onely to number and tell it over Vas vitreum lingimus sed pultem non attingimus and not to buy necessaries withall and if it be thus with them certainly they may have got the Field the shell the huske and empty Casket but they have not gotten yet one peny-worth of the Treasure And by these meanes it comes to passe that while the Divel and the world have multitudes of Chapmen flocking and thronging about them to buy their Pedling-stuffe and painted Bables Simile The Lord may stand in the high places of the City making Proclamation Hoe come and buy of me Isa 55.1 Isa 55.1 and offering his rich and inualuable Treasures and few or none will come to the price Something they will bid and something they are content to give But hoc aliquid nihil est this something is as good as nothing for when he tels them They must sell all that meane to have the Treasure they goe away sorrowfull Joh. 6. â—0 saying in themselves Durus est hic sermo this is an hard saying and who can beare it this is an hard purchase and who can buy it as if poore soules that heaven and happines should be bought at too deare a rate if they should give their sins and vanities in exchange for it Vse 2 But alas alas Non Priamus tanti totaque Troia fuit All the lusts of Hell are not worth so much Mat. 16.26 and it will be a poore advantage to win the whole world and to lose Gods Kingdome and their owne soules Of ExhortatioÌ„ to withdraw our love from sin the world and set it on better things Let the second use be for Exhortation Let us all beloved in the Lord be persuaded to call off withdraw our love and affections from our sinfull lusts and from this present evill world and to settle and fasten them upon the Treasures of the Word namely upon Christ upon grace and upon glory