Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	meaning_n	true_a	word_n	6,122	5	4.4275	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35421	Spiritual opticks, or, A glasse discovering the weaknesse and imperfection of a Christians knowledge in this life by Nathanael Culvervvell ...	Culverwel, Nathanael, d. 1651?; Dillingham, William, 1617?-1689.	1651 (1651)	Wing C7573; ESTC R8817	20,121	36

of the Creature in speculo mundi This is a common and obvious glasse presented to every ones view and there are some glimmerings of common light a lumen naturae diffused among all by which they may see into it Our Apostle shews us this glasse in 1. Rom. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen The words in the fountain run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deserve to be cleared from an unjust interpretation for some would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be à creatura mundi others à creatione mundi ex creatione mundi so Beza But all these are farre enough from the meaning of the place for their sense is That the invisible things of God are seen by the creatures or by the creation It is true our Apostle saith so much in this verse but not in these very words for then it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as I doubt not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à mundo condito Piscator and Drusius both meet in this and the Syriack translation is cleare for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à jactis mundi fundamentis And then the words speak thus much From the first infancy of the world ever since it was created the eternall power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in the former verse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of this verse the eternal power and Godhead have manifested themselves and the Prime cause hath been very apparent in those effects of his which are here styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and could not possibly be produced by any inseriour being And as for that which we render is clearly seen in the Originall it is no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know not how it comes to denote so cleare a vision sure it may well consist with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet withall they are so clearely seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though some would have the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet here I shall easily yield to the learned interpreter and grant that it includes somewhat more This vast volume of the creatures set out by God himself without any errata in it was printed in so fair a character as he that ran might read it and the least letter in it made shew of a most Divine impression But alas sinne besides weakening of the souls eye hath soyled and defaced the book and hence we come to see in it so darkly And yet still the letters are visible and carry with them the print of a Deity The world is as one calls it Aenigma Dei And it is full of looking-glasses for God hath communicated severall resemblances of himself to the creature as the face sheds that image or species upon the glasse whereby it self is represented I need not speak of the blessed Angels those pure and crystall mirrours what glorious representations they give of their Creatour look but into your selves and you will find immortall souls shewing forth that image according to which they were made or if you will look up to that vast and polished looking-glasse you will see The heavens declaring the glory of God and the firmament shewing his handy work Or cast but an eye upon the poorest and most abject being and even there you will find some faint resemblances of a Deity For as in the most glorious creature as a creature there is aliquid nihili so in the most contemptible creature as a creature there is aliquid Dei I but the Atheist he shuts his eyes quid caeco cum speculo what should a blind man do with a looking-glasse And yet sometimes there are lightening flashes of terrour darted into him and he begins with the Devils to believe and tremble The Papists as if there were not glasses enough of Gods making they must have images of their own to put them in mind of God their painted glasses but surely they see through these very darkly The Heathens they shall be judged for not ordering their lives and dressing themselves according to this glasse for resisting those reliques of primitive light that shined out so strongly upon them Well here are glasses but we see in them very darkly and that by reason of a double defect 1. Ex parte speculi T is true some of Gods attributes here clearly shew themselves his power and sovereigntie I and his wisdome and goodnesse too but those sweetest manifestations of his love the treasures of free grace and infinite mercy the whole plot of the Gospel not the least shadow of these to be found Now for this very cause the Gentiles in 2. Eph. 12. are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were without the knowledge of God in Christ You know they had a goodly company of gods an whole troop of deities I but they were without God in Christ and hence they are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world 2. Ex parte oculi 1. Adam in innocencie had a glorious soul full of light bright and sparkling eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He could read the smallest print the least jot and tittle in the book of nature See how quickly he tumbles o're the vast volume and in a name gives a brief glosse upon every creature a concise epitome of their naturall histories He had a fair portion of knowledge if he could have been contented with it I but he would fain have more he must needs be tasting of the tree of knowledge and hence springs our ignorance we have ever since had an unhappy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul hath been darkened and dim-sighted Perhaps it can see some goodly capitall letters some fair flourisht character I but there are multitudes of beings in a smaller print that it takes no notice of 2. The soul might see more if it would imploy it self more and look oftner into this glasse of the creatures Meditation would raise the creature higher and distill sweetnesse out of every object T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the elegant Moralist The soul is busie with every thing it sees as busie as a Bee it goes from flower to flower and extracts most precious sweetnesse 3. Some eyes have been dazled too much with the glitterings of the creatures so as to take the servant for the Master and have been so much in admiring the glasse as they forgot the glorious beauty that it represented What worship and adoration hath the sunne had even almost as much as the great Creatour of heaven and earth himself strange that they should see so darkly as not to discern the face from the vail that covers it For the sunne is at best but umbra Dei and nubecula citò transitura a mere spot a cloud if compared with so bright an essence and as he saith notably

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in other places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Esay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is translated by S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by our Apostle elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet we must not think that by vertue of this promise Moses had so full and beatificall a vision of God as we expect hereafter in glory No it is spoken onely of Gods communicating himself to him in a clearer way then he would to any of the Prophets he would speak to them in riddles to Jeremie in the riddle of an almond tree of a seething pot and so to the rest of the Prophets I but he conversed familiarly with Moses as a man talks to his friend face to face And as for Moses his petition in the 33 of Exod. 18. I beseech thee shew me thy glory it was onely a desire that God would shew himself in some corporeall resemblance so as to assure him of his presence that that would accompanie him And this is Gods answere I will make all my goodnesse passe before thee Besides there is a plain deniall God tells him he cannot see his face Moses saw no more of God then we do here the back-parts of his glory he saw them in a corporeal resemblance and we in an intellectuall vision You see the allusion this place hath to that in Numbers Now as for the meaning of the words but then face to face 1. It is not meant of seeing Christ in his humane nature face to face as Job speaks With these very eies I shall see my Redeemer for thus the wicked also shall see him with terrour and amazement when the mountains shall be esteemed an easier burthen if they could but cover them from the face of an angry Saviour that will frown them into hell 2. As for the errour of the Anthropomorphites it is so grosse as it neither deserves to be repeated nor needs to be confuted 3. I take it be meant of an Intellectuall beholding the very essence of God according to that 1. John 3.2 When he shall appeare we shall be like unto him and see him as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet it can by no means be a comprehensive vision for that 's a mere repugnancy that a finite creature should grasp an infinite essence Or by the face of God may be meant his glory and perfections for the face is the throne of beauty In the following words S. Paul gives a plainer expression of that which before he had spoke more darkly Now I see through a glasse darkly now I know in part but then face to face but then I shall know even as also I am known As when two see one another face to face the one knows the other by sight as he is known by him Now I know in part S. Paul on set purpose changes the person that he may acknowledge his own imperfection He had included himself before Now WE see through a glasse darkly I but he will do it more apparently now I know in part and when so great an Apostle inculcates his own defects me thinks none should boast of their self-sufficiencie 2. Now I KNOW in part Here is a reason of our imperfection here If the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Knowledge is a leading principle and all graces follow it in a just measure and proportion if we knew God more we should obey him more if we knew more of his goodnesse we should love him more if we knew more of his Majestie we should fear him more if more of his faithfulnesse we should trust him more nay if we knew him perfectly all these would be perfect when knowledge is compleat obedience will be exact 3. Now I know IN PART according to the Syriack parum de multo 1. little of that I should know 2. little of that I might know 3. little of that others know 4. little of that I desire to know 5. little of that I shall know hereafter in glory 4. Now I KNOW in part 1. Religion is no fansie opinion or conjecturall thing no we have a certain knowledge of God and his wayes here we see through a glasse though it be but darkly there is truth in a riddle though it be obscure 2. A Christian begins his acquaintance with God here he that knows him not in part here shall never see him face to face in glory We have here the first glimpses of heaven a prospect of Canaan the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of happinesse the initials of Glory But then I shall know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is bringing me better acquainted with a thing that I knew before a more exact viewing of an object that I saw before afarre off That little portion of knowledge which we had here shall be much improved our eye shall be raised to see the same things more strongly and clearely Our knowledge here was but scintilla futurae lucis When the soul shall say as the Queen of Sheba did to Solomon in the 1. Kings 10. It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts and of thy wisdome howbeit I scarce believed the words untill I came and mine eyes had seen it and behold the half was not told me Happy are thy men O happy are these thy servants that stand continually before thee Even as also I am known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words if they be put to it will endure a double Hebraisme I shall know as I am known 1. I shall know as I am approved sicut agnitus sum nay Chrysostome makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causall I shall know because I am approved 2. I shall know as I am made to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Beza and which is a wonder Heinsius agrees with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he and indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he tells us if we would render the words Hellenistically they would run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall so know as God is pleased to be known by me to manifest himself unto me And yet Piscator rejects both these senses the words themselves being sufficiently tempered with the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not a note of equality but of similitude as in many other places And thus much may serve for explication of the text for clearing the glasse for opening the Aenigma If you now look into the words you 'l find them full of spiritual Opticks Here is Visio reflexa for now we see through a glasse darkly and here is visio recta but then face to face We will begin with the Catoptrica Now we see through a Glasse darkly and here I shall present many glasses to your view First In the glasse