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
A94071	XXXI. select sermons, preached on special occasions; the titles and several texts, on which they were preached, follow. / By William Strong, that godly, able and faithful minister of Christ, lately of the Abby at Westminster. None of them being before made publique.	Strong, William, d. 1654.	1656 (1656)	Wing S6007_pt2; Thomason E875_1; ESTC R203660	179,143	303

the people c. Sixthly wisdom doth set a man upon the noblest actions and the highest employments Prov. 15.24 the way of life is above to the wise c. that is his conversation is in Heaven and he seeks the things that are above and is imployed about them how he may honour God and edifie the Church enlarge the Kingdom of Jesus Christ how he may get his sins pardoned his corruptions subdued his election sealed Rev. 12.1 how he may have the moon under his feet or be an intercessor in behalf of the Church to stand in the gap and turn away wrath how he may win souls and be instrumental for the publike good this he endeavours and he that doth so is wise whereas most men are busied about meat and drink and apparel building for themselves and their posterity or are taken up with toyes fine clothes a pin a rattle is the highest things that they have in their eye as Domitian the Emperour spent his time in catching flies for all he had the weighty things of the Kingdom lay upon him nihil aliud quam muscas Captare Sueton. Sueton. Doctrine 2. This wisdom is the principal thing it hath a preheminence and a supereminency above all other things in the world Prov. 3.14 happy is the man that findeth wisdom for the merchandize of it is better then the merchandize of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold c. that is even the trading for grace in the Ordinances is to be preferred before the choicest worldly comforts But wherein doth the excellency of grace lie In these particulars First the excellency of grace lies in a conformity unto God the neerer any creature comes unto God the more glorious it is and the more happy herein lies the happiness of the Angels yea and of the humane nature of Christ that is exalted far above all the Angels in this that it is more like unto God and all the glorious Attributes of God did shine forth in him Now by grace a man is renewed and transformed into the Image of God 2 Cor. 3. ult he lives the life of God Eph. 4.18 hath a life from God in God and unto God which is a higher life then any man in the world lives his life is a most excellent life being made partaker of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 grace doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a man hath all the vertues of God shining forth in him 2 Pet. 1.9 a man is holy as he is holy and merciful as he is merciful and we do thereby become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitators of God Eph. 5.1 Secondly from this conformity there ariseth a communion for between light and darkness there can be no fellowship and if a man say that he hath fellowship with him and walks in darkness he doth lye 1 Ioh. 1.6 they only enjoy the divine presence that are made partakers of the divine nature and suitable unto a mans conformity so will his communion be an unregenerate man that hath no conformity to God he can have no communion with God two cannot walk together unless they be agreed Cant. 7.5 the King is held in the Galleries thou hast ravished me with one of thine eyes and with the chain about thy neck Zach. 3.7 if thou walk in my wayes and keep my Ordinances I will give thee places to walk in amongst those that stand by c. and when a mans conformity shall be perfect so shall his communion be 1 Iohn 3.2 We shall be like him and we shall see him as he is An ungracious man can have no fellowship a man must be in a state of communion Eph. 2.17 he must be made neer before he can draw neer Now every man by nature is an enemy to God and cares not for communion with him but hates any degre of approach to God he hath another fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness therefore he can have no communion with God Thirdly grace fits a man for the service of God for he hath no pleasure in fools that is a wise God every man by nature is dross and chaff fit for no honourable employment if a man were to stand before a King Dan. 1.4 he must be learned in all wisdom and knowledge and understanding c. how much more he that shall stand before the great God Psal 4.4 the Lord hath separated to himself the man that is godly the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himself for service and to himself for communion Psal 41.1,2 he will set them before his face for ever when the Lord calls men to any service he doth qualifie them for that service Saul for government but for a gracious work a common unction will not suffice and if a man have a new work to do he must have from the spirit of God a new supply Phil. 1.19 The Devil will not imploy instruments in his service till they be fitted and therefore there be some sins that men are not tempted unto at first because their spirits are not prepared for them Satan tempts and prevails with men by smaller sins and then they make way for greater But grace enables a man to do and to suffer which way soever the Lord employs him be the service never so difficult a gracious heart will say Here I am Lord send me Phil. 4.13 he knows how to exalt God in a state of prosperity he knows how to abound and cast him into a state of adversity and the knows how to want Phil. 4.13 and grace doth not only fit a man to do Gods work but also to aim at Gods end for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly anothers But other men non obtemperant dum obsequuntur Fourthly grace turns all things that a godly man enjoyeth into a blessing but unto an ungodly man every thing is become a curse he is cursed in his body cursed in his name and cursed in his estate and in all his relations and in all the creatures that he useth his Table becomes a snare Mal. 2.2 I will curse your blessings nay the Ordinances of God that be unto the Saints the savour of life are unto him the savour of death it is a means to ripen their sins and hasten their ruine Tit. 1.15 to the unclean all things are unclean So that Esau may have the dew of heaven the fat of the earth and yet be hated and Saul a Kingdom and yet rejected of God and Judas may have Apostolical gifts and yet be a Devil and a son of perdition they may be blessings in the thing but curses to the man sine summo bono nil bonum without the chief good there is nothing good But godliness brings a blessing into every state 1 Pet. 3.9 the Saints are the heirs of blessing unto every state Rom. 8.28 all things work together for good to them that fear God all things are yours and ye are Christs whether it be life or death things