Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	affection_n	heart_n	love_n	1,789	5	5.2534	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81485	A sincere believer, comforted, and encouraged. Or; a practical treatise, discovering the goodness of God to a sinful soul, in the enjoyment of Christ With the great benefit and comfort he hath thereby. Whereby as through a prospective, a true Christian may plainly see how to fit and prepare himself in such a manner, as his endeavours may not be in vaine. By R.D.M.A. and minister of the gospel in the Isle of Wight. Recommended to the serious perusal of all true Christians. By Thomas Goodwin, D.D. and Will Strong, M.A. deceased.	Dingley, Robert, 1619-1660.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.; Strong, William, d. 1654.	1656 (1656)	Wing D1500; ESTC R230249	203,361	369

on mens affections they are bewitch as Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitch you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Christ hath been evidently set forth and crucified q. d. Christ crucified hath been described and set out to the life in our Sermons for that generation saw not his crucifixion on the crosse Now to this is requisite much f Quintilian would have his Orator wel nigh omniscient and surely Ministers should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies being able as well as willing to teach knowledge A man must be well furnished before he can perswade exhort insinuate and winde into the hearts of people Rom. 15.14 To utter seasonable and suitable things fitly closely and describe things to the life requires much knowledge 2. Fulnesse of affections He that goes to work upon another must be brim full of affections himselfe saith Quintilian Acts 17.34 you see Paul did so move the peoples affections that they clave to him beleeved How came he to do this See vers 16. His spirit was stirred in him i. e. Paul was greatly affected himselfe and so came to affect others One candle being lighted 2 Cor. 2.4 will light many So 2 Cor. 2.4 I wrote unto you with many tears g Non tam atramento quā lachrymis chartas illevit Lorinus Pene quot syllabas tot lachrymas saith one he shed as many tears as he wrote syllables he could hardly write for teares O that we who are Gods Ministers could be thus affected The Lord lay it not to our charge that we are not 3. Godlinesse h Gregory saith of Athanasius that his life was a continuall Sermon and wooing men for Christ of life Aristotle require this in an Orator That he be a good man We must speak feelingly and experimentally as 2 Cor. 4.13 We also beleeve and therefore speak Paul exhorts Titus to shew himselfe a pattern in all things viz. Such must lead convincing lives this is more winning then words See 1 Pet. 3.1 When Elies sons were wicked 't is said the people abhorred the offering of the Lord 1 Sam. 2.17 Finally even the voyce and gesture have some stroke in this 1. A due carriage of the voyce which saith Austin sends an occult influence into the affections of men Phil. 3.18 Of whom I have told you before and now tell you weeping they are enemies to the crosse of Christ The Apostle speakes to them with a weeping voyce Let not this be the main thing you look for It is a brand on the Jewes that they were affected with i Ezek. 33.32 Ezekiels pleasant voyce and little else And even a rare and worthy Moses may be defective herein But the meanest voyce hath some hidden grace in it 2. A decent k Quintilian Gerardus Iohannes Vossius Orator Instit lib. 6. cap. 11. p. 511. Vide Ar. Montan lib 8. Antiq Jud. ubi varias g●stuum significatine● è sacris sedulo colligit action so not over-affected will work upon the hearers Ezekiel is bid to stamp with the feet And John Baptist was totus vox all voyce Matth. 3 3. The voyce of a cryer in the wildernesse He was all voyce that is saith one his eyes spake and his hands spake and his body spake The Prophets stretched out their armes to the people in fulnesse of affection It is said Paul set his eyes on Elimas that wicked Sorcerer Acts 13.9 saying O thou child of the Devill and enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord His eyes spake as well as his tongue you see how a man may work on the affections of others First then Vse 1 this may serve to warn men of our Calling especially Persuasioni humanae opponit ostensionē spiritus quae vim quādam supra modū efficacē ad persuadendū animos habet Meyer in 1 Cor. 2.4 to be zealous in dispensing the word Our Sermons must not be onely informing but inflaming Sermons We must not rub itching eares but shake drowzy hearts not preach to please them with novelties or puzzle them with nicities but fire them with love to the truth and care of sincere obedience In a word not to set forth our selves but Jesus Christ in his lovelinesse to poore sinners that they may be sick of love to him and languish with desires after him This must be our designe our delight Secondly Vse 2 it followes likewise that people must so heare as that they may be rouzed and melted under the word This is done six wayes First by due preparation before hand this softens the Wax that it may take the impression c. Many leap out of their nests into the Assemblies without seeking God or perfuming their spirits before they come and that is the reason they sit like images unconcerned under the Word Preparation tunes the heart oyles the wheeles whets your zeale and kindles your affections Secondly by l Matth. 11.15 Christus electos Dei hortatur quibus perforatae sunt aures ut attenti sint ad considerandum Dei arcana ne obsurdescant cum incredulis Calvin attention listning to the matter as well as sound of words else you be no more affected then the Whelps or Birds that hear a sound as well as you David saith I will listen what God will speake Christ saith He that hath eares to heare let him heare q. d. Let him with intention and greedinesse of spirit receive the Word 'T is said Luke 2.20 The peoples eyes were fastened on Christ when he taught them A good help against distraction and an argument of their attention Thirdly submission and stooping to God that your hearts may come under the hammer of the Word come with broken and bleeding spirits and as it were with Ropes about your neckes That you may m Jam. 1.21 receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word Say with Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Fourthly representation Conceive you saw those things with your bodily eyes which we set out by Metaphora As when we tell you sin is a plague-soare imagine you were shut up and had running soares upon you 1 Reg. 8.38 and saw the passengers baulk you and stop their noses c. How would you then skream and cry out with Paul O n Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me from this body of death And so here when we pray you to taste divine sweetnesse conceive you were at a rich feast to which men come with edg'd appetites and eat the fat and drinke the sweet c. This would work much on the affections Fifthly ejaculation Cast up desires after God o Psal 84.2 and 42.1 breath after the enjoyments of Christ fling up divine ejaculations O that this truth might transform me and worke with power Now when all wish the same thing what can hinder the work We say as in the Text O taste and see O be perswaded to heare God

Graduum 1. A fullnesse of parts when no member is lacking Joh. 6.39 2. Of degrees when no measure of growth is wanting in every part Every member must grow according to its fit proportion O therefore be not contented with a small taste of God when larger tasts and portions of grace are to be had here especially in these times of larger Gospel discoveries and all plenty of meanes Luke 12.48 Finally consider how you are affected in inferiour things how men resolve to be rich and so fall into many snares and tentations Will a competency a taste of outward things content you that yet perish in the using We never think our grounds orchards and gardens fruitfull enough When wee come to a feast wee thinke it not enough that we taste of any dainties unlesse we are satisfied it should be thus in spiritualls Wicked men never think they have enough of sin 'T is their character to grow m 2 Tim. 3.13 worse and worse they drink deep of the cup of pleasure they heap sin upon sin till their iniquities reach up to heaven They draw the threds so big so long till they make cords of vanity and then wreath and twist those cords till they become n Isa 5.18 cartropes of iniquity why so beleevers likewise must aym at a perfection and goe on from o 2 Cor. 3.18 vertue to vertue from glory to glory As the light that increaseth to the perfect day Prov. 4.18 2. Is it so that the Saints have but a taste here in comparison of what they shall have hereafter Oh then let beleevers be perswaded to be even weary sick of this world and say Woe is us that we must live in the tents of Mesech Our soules break with longing after God O you children of promise and heires of heaven why desire some of you to p Quid est diu vivere nisi diu tor queri Aug. de temp 113. live so long upon q Et mundus carcer est et cor pus carcer est Aug. in Psal 141. Mors est quae efficit ut nasci non sit supplicium Seneca ad Marc. cap. 20. Prunum honū non nasci secūdū citius mori It a Silenus apud Lact. Lactant in Instit li. 3. c. 18. earth where you must drinke down continually the bitter potions of care and sorrow and can get but now and then a taste of divine sweetnesse and joy Why love ye not the appearance of Christ Why long you not to enjoy and swim in those rivers of pleasure where you may have your fill and will of God You may guesse at the joyes of heaven by those tasts of God and ravishings of spirit you have sometimes on earth Speak you joynt-heires with Christ have you not sometimes in prayer meditation when your hearts are enlarged your soules upon the wing holy extasies and transportations of spirit in so much that whether you are in the body or out of the body you cannot well tell Call in your sweet experiences and see if they will not witnesse to this truth and have you not esteemed such a moment above all the world what would you give to have more of them and to have them more lasting Why now my Brethren if there be such unspeakable joy at tasting the sweetnesse of God for a little moment how unconceivable will that happinesse be when you shall be filled with those joyes for evermore If our viaticum be so good how great is that r 2 Cor. 4.17 The same word in the Hebrew signifieth glory and weight Glory such a weight that if we were not upheld by the power of God we could never beare it Joy so big that it cannot enter into us 1 Cor. 2.9 but wee must enter into it Matth. 25.21 John Trapp Com. weight of glory which God hath prepared for them that feare him The Lord give you heaved hearts winged affections in the consideration of these things Amen 4. Doct. They onely that taste can see how good the Lord is They onely that taste communion with God and have enjoyments of God in a holy life are able rightly to see and discover and know his goodnesse A good understanding have all they that doe his commandements saith David Psal 111.10 When God turnes men ſ Acts 26.18 from darknesse to light hee turnes them likewise from the power of Satan unto God A man may seem to know much and yet know nothing a right no not the least or easiest principle of Religion till this be done 1 Corinth 12.3 No man can see nor say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost They know nothing yet as they ought to know and t Eph. 4.21 as the truth is in Jesus till they have the Spirit and by him have tasted how good the Lord is till they have warm affections in heavenly things and the bent and purpose of their hearts is to please God and work by rule Let me lay down the grounds or arguments which will open and illustrate the truth 1. True knowledge is not bare speculation Arg. 1 't is heart-work as well as brain-work See 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to u Duplicem illuminationeus ponit unam Evangelii alteram arcanam quae fit in cordibus Calv. give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Where you see 1. That Jehovah is a very glorious Being he is clothed with light as with a garment 2. We are not able with w Non nisi in Christi facie cognoscitur Deus qui viva est at que 〈◊〉 pressa ej●s mago Col. 1.15 Idem comfort to behold this glory but in the smiling face of Christ God out of Christ a consuming fire 3. Till God shine we are not able to see him in Christ the Gospel is a sealed book till he unclasp it by his Spirit 4. Illumination of a darke soule is as great a wonder as the creation and illumination of the world But then 5. And lastly that which I quote the Text for is this That when God shines in upon men he doth not onely shine into their heads to illuminate them but into their hearts to affect and transform and new x Renovamur in imaginem Dei per cognitionem Col. 3.10 Idem mould them 'T is said John 17.3 This is life eternall to know Thee and Christ whom Thou hast sent Gospel knowledge therefore is more then a Metaphysicall speculation and sticking in the notion for thousands with such kinde of knowledge perish saving knowledge is a very glorious and comprehensive grace Again Arg. 2 God is at once a Fountaine of Light and Life as the y Semper in Sole sita est Rhodos qui calorem colorem nobis impertit Aeneas Sylv. y Talpis auscultationis gloria damnatur oculis And usually say

the the Naturalists they that are excellent in one sense are def●cient in another But in spirituals he that hath life hath all the senses in vigor Sunne to which he is compared Mal. 4.2 that doth not onely enlighten but enliven and quicken us Psal 36.8.9 They shall be satisfied with the fatnesse of thy House With thee is the Fountaine of life in thy light shall we see light You see light and life come together Now where there is life there are all the spiritual senses and the sweetnesse that is the sense of Gods goodnesse will delight them all 1. There 's smelling of his rich perfumes as Psa 45.8 All thy garments smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia 2. Touching the hem of Christs garment by faith and kissing the sweet lips of Christ Cant. 1.2 3. Hearing the pleasant voyce of Christ with which the soule is so taken that for joy it can speak but broken words Cant. 2.8 The voyce of my beloved 4. Tasting the Graces and Comforts of Christ Cant. 2.3 He is as the Apple tree among the trees of the wood I sate under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste 5. There 's seeing Christ a Cant. 5.10 16. His countenance is comely saith the Spouse He is the fairest of ten thousand his cheeks as beds of spices and his lips like Lillies See Ephes 1.18 To behold God in Christ is a delightfull thing a transforming sight 2 Corinth 3.18 Thus you see that God at the same time is a Fountain of Light and Life and that where there is spirituall life there are all the spirituall senses in the greatest vigor therefore they onely that can taste can see and discover how good the Lord is Next Arg. 3 Illumination is a fruit of Christs ascension and intercession for at his ascension he gave gifts unto men and Christ prayes the Father to sanctifie us through his truth Joh. 17.17 b Vide Aug. Marlorat in locum Therefore till we are sanctified by holy truths and cast into their moulds till wee have tastes of Gods goodnesse we shall not see divine truths by the light of the Spirit and by vertue of Christs intercession for you see the truths which are of Christs purchasing of his Father to be unvail'd unto us they are renewing inflaming and sanctifying truths Again Christ as a Prophet teacheth onely his friends Arg. 4 c Christus ex inimicis fecit amicos quibus omnia patris mysteria areanaque aperit atque exponit ut nihil ignorent earum rerum quas filios nosse oportet Bullingerus in Joh. 15.15 John 15.15 I have called you friends saith Christ for all that I have heard of the Father I have made knowne unto you Christ doth freely unbosome himselfe to his friends but he spake in parables to his Disciples lest others should see with their eyes heare with their eares and should be enamoured with those mysteries and Christ should heale them A sad place Mark 4 11.12 No man can see and know the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reveale him but the Sonne reveales him to none but his friends every one is not let in to see this sight but the dore is shut against them Now who are the friends of Christ but such as feast with him Cant. 5.1 such as have bosome communion with Christ and sweet embraces from him They that having tasted Divine sweetnesse strike an eternall league with God Now such onely shall be taught of Heaven And so those that have a filiall feare of God Arg. 5 are numbred among his Disciples Psal 25.12 What man is he that feareth the Lord Him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse And at the 14. verse The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him He unlockes his Cabinet to such and to these he shewes his rich jewels of truth d Justice may have the knee of feare but onely mercy her heart Now the originall of filiall feare is the taste of his goodnesse and sense of his love when the soule being tempted to grieve him saith He is so great I dare not displease him and so good I feare to forfeit him how can I doe this wickednesse and sin against my God a God in covenant with me Get you hence What have I to doe any more with Idols A man fears not to hazard the losse of that in which he never tasted any sweetnesse or goodnesse Once more The promise of knowledge is made to such as obey God Arg. 6 John 7.17 e Et nos componamus ad obsequendum Deo Id ubi factum fuerit facilè quid verum quid falsum judicabimus Brentius in Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know his doctrine Now they onely doe the will of God that have tasted his goodnesse Others may obey the lawes of men or a clamorous conscience not Gods will because it is his will c. By all which you see that they onely that taste can see God and his goodnesse Now to the improvement of this poynt Vse 1 1. This discovers the true reason of that smalnesse of knowledge and that little insight into spirituall things that is in the world nay in so glorious a light as wee have Would you know why many soules are so dark why men and women are ever f 2 Tim. 3.7 learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth why they grope at noon day and are to seek in the knowledge of the truth g Non crimen Phoebus noctua crimen habet The fault is not in the word but in themselves The true reason is this They endeavour not to get tastes of God they work not by Rule they walk not according to the light they have received they are vain loose and earthly in their lives This is the Reason why men heare Sermon after Sermon and still are ignorant h Heb. 5.12 why those that for the time ought to be teachers want instructing in the very first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of milke and not of strong meat They walk not as the Star-light of Nature and the Moon-light of Reason doth direct them nor as the Sun-light of Scripture and example doth require them they never had any taste of God any holy desires and endeavours to please God To mourn over those that are filled with choyce speculations Vse 2 and bright notions in Religion and yet see not God nor his goodnesse at all because they h Non in verbis sed in factis res nostrae religionis consistunt Just Martyr refuse to taste and try him and his wayes They see truths but not with a beleevers eyes nor in his light A painter admiring a Landskip very plain yet of rare workmanship and hearing a silly fellow i Quanto plus melius scis tanto gravius inde judicaberis

A Sincere Believer COMFORTED AND ENCOVRAGED OR A Practical Treatise discovering the goodness of God to a sinful soul in the enjoyment of Christ With the great benefit and comfort he hath thereby Whereby as through a prospective a true Christian may plainly see how to fit and prepare himself in such a manner as his endeavours may not be in vaine By R. D. M. A. and Minister of the Gospel in the Isle of WIGHT Recommended to the serious perusal of all true Christians By Thomas Goodwin D. D. and Will Strong M. A. Deceased Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste LONDON Printed by M. S. and are to be sold by Austin Rice at the Sign of the Three Hearts in St. Pauls Church-yard near the Westend 1656. TO THE RIGHT Honorable HENRY Earle of Kent Lord Hastings Weisford and Lord Grey of Ruthin and to his truly Noble and Religious Lady My much honored Lord and Lady GOD hath said He will honour those that honour him a 1 Sam. 2.30 This is made good concerning you The Lord hath shed much honour upon you that you may the more honour him b Th. Gataker his parley with Princes p. 76. It is matter of equity you should honour God more then others seeing c Quid aequius quid justius quam ut vos honorantem honoret is ipsi above others he hath honoured you and this is true and lasting policie For the Lord can make great d Quod illo dint● sit nostrum nobis superbientibus sit alienum Aug. Hom. 14. and unmake at pleasure it is in Him to set up or pull downe True e Nobilitas summa est atque unica virtus Juven Sat. 8. Nobility hath Vertue and Grace for its chiefe ingredients f Acts 17.11 T was this made the Bereans noble g Isai 43.4 Since thou wast pretious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee saith the Lord to his poore Church But as the Lapwing hath a crown upon his head and yet feeds on dung so many who are invested with the Robe of Honour live u●worthily faults are not onely sooner espied but are h Monstrosa res est sedes prima vita ima Bern. more odious in great ones then in others Again i Nobilis genere nobilior sanctitate Aug. Epist 179. how beautifull is Grace hanging in the bosome of Honour What opportunities have such for well-doing How wil their example win others How glorious is it to be honourable in the eyes of God and good men k 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many Noble are called and therefore how doe the graces of the Spirit shine out in such Be perswaded to count this your greatest honour to study the things of et●rnity to countenance Religion more and more and to l Minime Deus est acceptor personarum nescio tamen quo pacto virt●s in nobili plus placet an forte quia plus claret c. Bern. ad Sophi●m virg lay forth your selves for the kingdome of Christ that so you may move in the highest Spheare of your power for GOD and his people and then your Name shall be sweet to posterity and the foundation of your House shall be laid sure But pardon me Right Honourable why doe I perswade you to that which I know is the great designe of your hearts and the businesse of your lives You are pretious in Gods eyes you are zea●ous for his glory and I wish that ●ll our Nobility and Gentry were ●uch as you are You have appeared ●or God in the worst of times m The true Diamond shines best in the dark ●ou have been for God in tempests ●s well as calmes in foule weather ●s well as faire you have stood up ●or the truth when others have ●ood up against it n Non tam vos quam Christum in vobis persequuntur Salvian de Prov. lib. 8. and you see 〈◊〉 is not in vain to side with God ●hat wonders what miracles ●ath God wrought in our dayes our comfort lies here that you have acted cordially and unweariedly in the work you have stood for the truth and the truth hath stood for you Now the Lord root you in the truth and in the love of it that you o Matth. 7.25 may be bottom'd on the Rock Jesus Christ p 1 Cor. 15.50 and so be stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. O taste and see how good the Lord is to you and his people that trust in him Endeavour q Origo fontium omnium mire bonorum omnium Deus Bern. in Cant to taste God in your mercies and to get a spirituall Relish of that Divine sweetnesse that is in Christ It is my humble desire to assist your honours in this great work by these rude Notes which I here present unto you wherein the Spirituall taste is opened and applied beseeching your Honours to vouchsafe the perusall acceptation and protection of this book Three things command and encourage me to lay these Notes at your feet 1. That experience which you have in Spirituall things whereby you can judge of Divine truths and delight in them 2. That earnest desire which I have of making some publick acknowledgements of your great undeserved favours to me seeing it is not in my power to retaliate 3. That confidence I have of your pardon for this my boldnesse and acceptance of these poor endeavours because Goodnesse and Greatnesse Clemency and Eminency doe meet in your bosoms and kisse each other And thus commending you to God Acts 20.38 and the word of his grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified I rest Novemb. 14. 1648. Your Honours to be commanded by you in the Lord ROBERT DINGLEY ❧ To the spirituall Reader of this BOOKE HAving had acquaintance with the worthy Author I was desired by him to peruse this ensuing worke which I have done with much quickning to my own heart Rejoycing to finde in these times when the streames of mens thoughts both Ministers and others are too much diverted to other Channells a pious soule taken up with and pursuing after the sweet and gracious Goodnesse that is in God and the incomparable Beauty in Jesus Christ and that of a free sight and taste of either setting out the same to others Unto which he was incited by the very Scripture he had chosen as a foundation to his more private Meditations about this Goodnesse He could not look upon the first words Taste and see but he found himselfe called upon thereby to invite others to the Participation of it and to that end to make it publique being led on herein to follow him whose speech this was David who is set before us as the Patterne of Affectionate Piety in the Old Testament as Paul is in the new Thus by his practice making good his own Comment on the Text and

cannot but speake the things that they have heard and seen They beleeve and therefore speak Socrates an Heathen knowing there was but one God said in his Apology for his life that if they would give him his life on condition to keep that truth to himselfe and not to teach it to others he was resolved rather to dye for he would not promise that viz. silence which hee knew himselfe unable to perform for hee could not bury such a truth by sealing up his lips much lesse can they that see truth by a clearer light keep it to themselves like new wine it must have a vent Fourthly Charact. 4 Rom. 14.5 is thy knowledge backt with full assurance and strong confidence I say not in all things at all times This seeing hath tasting joyned with it 1 Joh. 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keepe his commandements q. d. If we taste communion and take delight in him his wayes then our knowledge will be backt with full assurance Though an u Paulus meras flammas loquicur tamque vehemeatèr ardet ut incipiat etiam quasi angelu maled●ere P. Martyr in Gal. 1.8 Angel from heaven preach any other doctrine let him be accursed said zealous Paul that knew whom and what he had beleeved and resolved not to be cheated of truth But now an hypocrite may know and take up many things on trust and at last begin to beleeve them but yet notwithstanding they are cleare and stedfast and fully resolved in nothing but w Deus enim verbum suumdedit in quo actis radicibus maneamus immoti homines autem huc illuc suis figmentis nos abducunt Calvinus in Eph. 4.14 Circumferri ergo omni vento doctrinae est ad quamvis doctrinam oblatam de sincerâ ac verâ doctrinâ addubitare est seduci nunc his nunc aliis doctrinis Erasmus Sarcerius are driven about with every winde of doctrine and dance after any pipe that playeth saith holy * P. Bayn on Eph. 4.14 Bayn See Prov. 14.15 Heb. 13.9 We may justly feare these never received truths in the love of them they never tasted Gods goodnesse Fiftly Charact. 5 art thou x Altissima flumina minimo sono labuntur Q. Curtius l. 7. humble in the midst of light and gifts Doth thy knowledge beat down pride and conceitedness and frowardnesse and make thee patient humble and teacheable in heavenly things These are celestiall visions James 3.17 The wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy c. q. d. There is a wisdome or vision that is not from above and that is earthly sensuall and devillish full of envy strife and unquietnesse Pride is a vayle before their eyes that they cannot see God But the wisdome that comes from above a sparke falling from the father of lights that 's accompanied with meeknesse and y Vide Titelmannum in locum humility See Job 42.6 Now mine eyes see thee therefore I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes q. d. Lord now I begin as through a crevice to discover thy purity and beauty I cannot but abhorre my selfe for all the unsutablenesse and defirement that cleaves to me when I see how unlike I am unto thee c. But now if men vapour and count themselves above ordinances and begin to despise prophesying these never tasted neither doe they rightly see God or any thing of God 1 Cor. 8.2 If any man think he knows any thing alas poore heart I pity him for he knows nothing as he ought to know but if any man love God the same is knowne of him z. Epicurus said that he was the first man that ever discovered truth who yet in many things was blinder then a beetle But Socrates cryed this one thing I know that I know nothing Trap. on 1 Cor. 8.2 Intimating that such as boast of their knowledge know nothing aright and never loved God nor tasted his goodnesse Sixtly and lastly Charact. 6 doth thy knowledge better thee and make thee still more holy and more heavenly This knowledge is right thou hast at once tasted and seene God a Nam evangelii doctrina vivum est speculum in quo Christi effigiem contemplantes in eam transfigurantur ubi non adest pura conscientia non nisi inane sciētiae spectrum esse potest Calvin in 1 Joh. 2.3 See 2 Cor. 3.18 But we with open face beholding in a glasse the glory of the Lord Jesus are changed into the same image from glory to glory When the soule begins to spy Christ and views his beauty in the cleare crystall glasse of the Word by a strange metamorphosis 't is suddenly turned into the same image whilst certain sparkles of his glory are shed in upon the heart You see the right visions of God are transforming bettering beautifying visions as the pearie by the often beating of the Sun-beames upon it becomes radiant An orient splendor shiues on that soule that hath seen Christ 4. Can they onely clearely see that have tasted God and his goodnesse Vse 4 then it concerns us all to labour for such discoveries of God as may have a witnesse within us even for experimentall knowledge in the things of heaven Others may fill their heads with metaphysicall notions in divinitie as the Schoolmen that weave it into cobwebs but a little sanctified knowledge will goe a great way b Non omnes qui divina eloquia legūt quae in ill is admirāda sunt considerant nisi qui coelesti splēdore gratiâ potiuntur Basil The Sun is not seen but by his own beames Say with David In thy light we shall see light What said Father Methinks I see great Doctors and profound Rabbies with all their speculations crowding into hell to be beaten with many stripes whilst silly old women with a little sanctified knowledg of God in Christ drop in at heavens gate and are crowned with Diadems Oh that all of you could say to me as the Woman of Samaria her friends whom she called out to Christ said to her c Isla non ideò dicūtur ut ministeriū mulieris hujus quo benè suerāt usi contemptum fuisse intelligamus absit sed ut extollātur ea quae ex ipso Christo audierant supra testimoniū mulier is Ita Musculus in Joh. 4.42 q. d Parcius tu quidem praedicasti de Jesu quam ipsa habet res Bullingerus in Loc. Joh. 4.42 Now we beleeve not because of thy saying for we have heard and seene him our selves and know that this indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the world Mark when they had once tasted communion with the Messiah they clearely saw and knew him no longer now by hearesay but sweet experience We may rise up early and goe to bed late to unfold divine mysteries for you and wee may open the glorious things of eternity to you but till