Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	darkness_n	light_n	shine_v	1,307	5	9.6147	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67900	A sermon, preached at St. Pauls Church in London, April 17. 1659. And now published at the desire of the Lord Mayor, and the court of aldermen. / By Nath. Ingelo D.D. and Fellow of Eton Coll.	Ingelo, Nathaniel, 1621?-1683.	1659 (1659)	Wing I186; ESTC R202594	36,584	167

when the Altar is inscribed To an unknown God● Religious expressions which are not founded in true knowledge are alwayes ridiculous and sometimes sadly blasphemous Those which have not a right understanding of God pray madly to him and speak foolishly of him Religious affections that are not bottomed upon a good understanding are framed childishly and continue accordingly Those which would be truly religious should take a serious Notice of those Attributes by which God hath discovered his nature We must not make excuses for our Ignorance by pretending that God is incomprehensible the greater he is the sooner we may find and apprehend him as you may sooner find the Sea then a River or that we cannot behold the naked Essence or Being of God no more can we of any thing else What is there in the world which we know but by its properties and effects And by them God is sufficiently knowable to us The {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the nanatural knowledge of God is implanted in mens soules as an inbred light in the eye to inable them to see him and he hath made the Creation a fair glasse to reflect his proper attributes for the invisible things of him which we talk of his eternal power and Godhead his goodnesse and wisdom powerfully declared which express the Divity of God are clearly seen by the world which he hath made and in his actions whereby he doth continually show himself he is so discernably revealed that those which do not see and serve him are without all apology of their ignorance and disobedience The works of God especially of benignity and goodnesse are called his witnesses Acts 14. 17. Neverthelesse he left himself not without witnesse in that he did good c. And the son of God who came out of the Fathers bosome out of an intimate acquaintance with God he hath revealed him Having all these assistances let us improve our knowledge of God lest we mistake extremely in our devotions and present an impertinent service If the unworthy Iewes had but well considered the nature of God they would have offered a reasonable and living service and not have been contented with brutish dead worship They would have known that it was an affront rather then an oblation so to mistake God as to think that he could be pleased with flesh and smoake and to undervalue him to others by their misbecoming services giving by-standers occasion to think that the true God smiled upon such impertinencies and gladly received such absurd votaries He which nourisheth ignonorance and unbelief in his mind will be ungodly in his heart life I must confesse I think this so far true that I am of his mind who said that the root of all wickednesse is Atheisme He which dishonours his Maker and despiseth the Law of his Benefactor in a wicked life would not do so if he believed that God made him and that all the blessings of his life were his meer bounty and that God was infinitely more lovely then any of his creatures and that the time will come when God will judge the wicked for their Idolatrous life for they sin by loving the creature more then the Creator and that he will abandon them to torments for their wilful disobedience But wicked men either perswade themselves that there is no God or that he is not such as he hath declared himself to be in the Scriptures The exclamation of the Poet was rational Heu primae scelerum causae mortalibus aegris Naturam nescire Deum i. e. Men would not sin as they they do but that they are ignorant of the Nature of God We do honour to God if after we have got a right knowledge of his Nature we do conform our seves unto it when as the Apostle saith we beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory by the Spirit of the Lord When we become imitators of God as dear children putting on the same Image Temper and Spirit following God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as far as it is possible for a man to follow God The reason of this is plain for by our careful conforming our selves to God we do manifestly acknowledge him to be the absolute pattern of all Excellency and the Primitive copy of all beauty and perfection Then we honour God in an effectual instance when we do in disposition and life show and hold forth the virtues or powerfull goodnesses of God who hath called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light When the light of wisdom goodnesse and righteousnesse shines before men in the lives of the children of God then will they much taken with that goodly Image glorify their heavenly Father who is the Archetype Exemplar of all goodnesse Clemens Alexand. hath said this in proper words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. It is the only way at once to imitate and worship the best of all Beings for we cannot imitate God but by such things as will make our worship holy nor worship him but by imitation Marcus in Iulian being asked what was the most worthy end of our life having answered to imitate God it was said to be an answers not only {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. not only that he had answered nobly but that he had said all This imitation must be performed with all plainnesse and simplicity and with an universal regard to all Gods imitable perfections lest that be said to us which was replied to an unworthy Emperour when he made the imitation of Apollo his plea {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. But for all this I will take off his Crown for he hath not conformed himself to me in all things and in those things wherein he pretends to resemble me he hath not done it as he should That is a just imitation when we follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes God is not so pleased with Temples made with hands and he hath forbidden to attempt the making of foolish Images but he is well pleased with every good man and woman that make themselves the habitation of the Holy Spirit that offer their soules to God being made acceptable sacrifices through the participation of the divine Image and Nature When such a worshiper appeares before God he may bring what other sacrifice he will he shall be accepted vel farre litabit There is no Temple in which God will converse with a wicked man his oblations are the sacrifice of fooles His gifts may maintain the flames upon a visible Altar and his offerings present something that Church-robbers will be glad to steal but his soul is so unlike to God whom he pretends to worship that he abhorres him and his offerings He counts his name rather blasphemed than honoured by the mouthes of the ungodly when they presume to make mention of it though with a great deale