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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	good_a	know_v	tree_n	4,740	5	8.9177	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20943	A treatise of the knovvledge of God, as excellently as compendiously handled by the famous and learned divine, Peter Du Moulin, late minister of the Reformed Church in Paris, and professor of theologie in the Vniversitie of Sedan. Faithfully translated out of the originall by Robert Codrington, Master of Arts; De cognitione Dei. English	Du Moulin, Pierre, 1568-1658.; Codrington, Robert, 1601-1665.	1634 (1634)	STC 7321; ESTC S118646	41,950	94

which two knowledges doe answer the two trees which God first planted in Paradise whereof one gaue the knowledge of Good and Euill which is the office of the Law the other doth beare the fruit of Life which is the benefit of the Gospell For wee haue three wayes of knowing God one by the workes of God the second by the Law the third by the Gospell among which the knowledge by the Gospell is farre most excellent for the other two knowledges present God to our vnderstandings as a Creator a Lord and as the Master of our life but this as a father and Redeemer The two former knowledges of God doe teach what God is in himselfe but this latter what God will bee towards vs the former doe strike feare and wonder into vs the latter advanceth Hope and createth Love so that without the knowledge of God by the Gospell the knowledge of him by his workes is but a lazy speculation and the presse of him by the law is terrible and doth presse our Consciences with a burden vnsupportable It seemed not enough therefore to God to teach us by his creatures who in throngs as it were and by admirable consent giue testimony of him but hee hath unlocked his sacred mouth that by his word hee might endue us with the knowledge of himselfe and by that knowledge inflame our loues For by the Architecture of the world the Power and the Wisedome of God is acknowledged but not his Iustice nor his Mercy without the knowledge of which there is no salvation also the works of God doe witnesse the greatnesse of the Workeman but they lay not open unto us his will nor deliver in what manner he is to bee worshipped Besides when the contemplation of the creatures doth represent God unto us as hee is armed with thunders and shaking heaven and earth but with the turning of his eye this contemplation doth affect us with astonishment with the feare and horrour of an Armed Iudge were there not another doctrine which doth appease our consciences and giue unto us assurances of the loue of God for then doe wee with filiall eyes behold heaven as the portall of our fathers Palace when God in his word hath given to us the evident testimonies of his paternall loue Moreover wee should grow darke in the very contemplation of the workes of God did we not distinctly see them by the word as through spectacles which of themselues would hardly be discerned this doth the Apostle teach us in the 11. Heb. Through faith wee understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seene were not made of things which doe appeare giving us to understand that they onely beleeue as they ought the creation of the world to be without any praeexistent matter which receiue the word of God with the obedience of faith would you haue it made legible by examples The history of the Creation is well knowen as it is related by Moses in the beginning of Genesis It is there declared that the Sunne was created but in the fourth day so that three dayes and as many nights were past when the Sunne was first created this being to informe us that God did so use the Sunne to illustrate the world that yet without it and before it hee shined into the world by his owne light being no wayes obliged to second causes And when Moses assigneth a beginning and ending to every day in these words And the Evening and the Morning were the first day and so of the other dayes onely in the seventh day Moses maketh no mention of the Evening for the Rest of the seventh day is the shadow and the figure of the heavenly and eternall Rest of which there is no End so when the Naturalists report many things of the Rainebow the onely end and signification of the Rainebow can be learned out of the word of God But how many mysteries and instructions doth the Creation of Man and Woman containe Surely God forming the body of Man out of clay did conforme his mind also to humility and a religious lowlinesse by remembring him of his discent and ignoble parentage also when God created a Wife for the man when he was asleepe it doth instruct us that a good Wife is not obtayned by a mans owne industry or wisedome but by the Providence of God which doth bring her to him while hee is asleepe Againe the creation of the Woman from the part most neere unto the heart what doth it imply but faith and loue and that I may not diue into hidden mysteries and by what meanes Adam overcome with a deepe sleepe which is called by Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brother of Death was a figure of Christ in the sleepe of Death which sleepe God made use of to raise unto him his Spouse which is the Church And truely a Spirit that is exercised in the word of God will receiue much fruite and pleasure from the contemplation of the creatures For besides that hee beholds the fields the woods and whatsoever else is pleasant on earth as the possessions of his father and doth walke in them as in his owne inheritance and gathers those fruits which hee knowes by right are his as being created for the use of the Sonnes of God there is this addition more that hee cannot bestow his eyes on any place wherein a resemblance of vertue shall not encounter them and refresh his memory with something which hee hath heard or read in the word of God If a godly man and one that knowes God by his word beholds a fountaine of running waters they wil presently prompt his memory to the fountaine of life in Iohn 4. And to the waters springing up to everlasting life If he beholds the Sunne he contemplates how greater farre is the Light of the Sun of Righteousnesse If he considers the vicissitude of the dayes and nights he comforts himselfe in the remembrance of the assurance of the Covenant of God God himselfe so speaking by the mouth of Ieremy If you can breake my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there should not be Day and Night in their season then shall you also be able to breake my Covenant with David If he beholds a Shepheard driving of his flocke hee remembers presently that in the Psalme The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want Finally wheresoever hee turnes his eye hee will find an ample subject of prayse and of thankesgiving and a wide field will be opened for holy meditation That which we speake of the workes of Creation is to be vnderstood also of the workes of Gubernation and of the divine Providence the effects of which man is not able to discerne unlesse he annoynt his eyes with the salve of Gods word and wipe the filmes from off them There are not wanting examples among the Heathens who being opprest by calamities have acknowledged God the revenger of their

Earth the Beasts of the Forrest come out of their Dens and the young Lyons reare after their prey but as soone as the Sunne ariseth they hide themselues in their Dennes and dare not come forth but Man then goeth forth unto his worke and to his labour untill the Evening Indeed when the darke mist of Ignorance overspreads the Earth Satan and his Ministers triumph securely like unruly Beasts but as soone as the Sunne of the word of God hath begunne to shine they fly away that hate the truth then doe the godly goe forth unto their labour untill the Evening that is they labour in the service of God and the exercise of good workes untill by a happy Death they arriue to the evening of their life To come therefore to the true and saving knowledge of God wee haue need of another master and more bright instructions then those which are learned out of the workes of the Creation or borrowed from humane reason It was not enough for those Wise men to haue sought the Cradle of the Redeemer to haue had the conduct of a Star but they must further be instructed by the testimony of the Prophets did we exactly understand the greatnesse of the Stars their motions their vertues and their distance wee should never come by these directions unto God unlesse the voyce of God should withall informe us in the instructions of the Prophets and the Apostles therefore the Psalmist in the 19. Psalme after hee had said That the Heavens declare the glory of God attributing so great an eloquence to the heavenly bodies although but speechlesse that not a nation under heaven but heares them he presently passeth to the Law of God leading us by the hand to a better master to more cleare and certaine instructions the Law of God saith hee is entire converting the soule the testimony of the Lord is true giving wisedome to the Simple Neither doe these things appertaine to excuse those who being taught by the onely workes of God haue not attained to the knowledge of him for although without the instructions and the conduct of the Word of God they could not attaine to such a knowledge of him as is sufficient to salvation yet they are justly condemned because they fought against the generall notions of Nature and endeavoured to put out her light neither vsed the instructions of the creatures to that advantage which they might wherefore they are convinced by Saint Paul in the first of the Romanes For suppressing the Truth and detayning it in vnrighteousnesse and because that when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God Neither sinned they onely by their ignorance but also by their perversenesse and their pride as the same Apostle in the second of the Coloss who saith That hee who fals off from the service of God to the worshipping of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth intrude into those things which hee hath not seene vainely putt up by his fleshly mind and in the 1. of the Rom. hee saith When they profest themselues wise they became fooles and were therefore delivered over to vile affections By this I thinke it is evidently shewed wherefore besides the instructions which wee learne out of the workes of Creation and Providence wee haue need of another doctrine to wit the word of God But wherefore God who could without the preaching of the Word convert our hearts and immediately infuse into them the knowledge of himselfe had rather leade us to the knowledge of himselfe and by this knowledge to Salvation by his Word it is not curiously to bee sought into For God who reserues the reason of his Counsailes to himselfe and is not subject unto any is not to bee called to an account neither is it for man to argue with God neverthelesse the reason of this divine Counsell is evident and it is easie enough to assigne the Cause for be cause Death entered into the World by the eare it pleased God that the doctrine of Salvation should enter in by the same way too And because that Man fell by beleeving the words of the Devill it was fitting that man should bee raised from his fall by beleeving the Word of God for it was requisite that contrary evils should be cured by contrary Remedies wherefore God sends us by Esay the Prophet to the Law and to the Prophets pronouncing that it cannot be that without these the morning Light should shine on any and in Luk. 16 Abraham teacheth us That it is in vaine to haue recourse unto the dead and to expect Revelations from thence when we haue at hand the Law and the Prophets Neither is it to be doubted but that Christ restoring sight unto the blind by annoynting his eyes with spittle did secretly therby intimate that only that which proceedeth from his mouth illuminates the understanding and scatters the darkenesse of naturall ignorance Hence it is that in the history of the old new Testament there are found examples of some holy men whom God chastised with blindnesse as Ahia the Prophet or with dumbnes as Zachary the father of Iohn Baptist but of a religious man whom hee strooke with deafenesse and from whom hee tooke the sense by which his Word should bee conveyed unto him there is not any Example in the Scriptures but the Devill is called the deafe Spirit in the Gospell because they who are possessed with him doe deafe their eares at the Word of God This Word of God was first delivered by the Oracle of his voice afterwards God so pleasing it was commended to us in writing and engraven in publicke Tables that it might neither bee raz'd by Oblivion corrupted by Errour or prophaned by reprobate Rashnesse this is the Booke which by excellence is called THE BIBLE as if other bookes valued with this did not deserue to bee called Bookes But among many and great Authorities which confirme the credit and prerogatiue of the holy Scripture that testimony is most certaine and aboue others of greatest efficacie which the Holy Ghost doth giues it unto it to wit the secret power of the Spirit with hidden stings piercing the hearts of those that heare and reade it a power aboue all reason infinite to expresse which in fitting accents all Eloquence is dull all language barren and words doe faint and faulter under the greatnesse of the thing Let Demosthenes be read or Princeps Romani Tullius Eloquij Tully the reputed Prince Of the Roman Eloquence Onely while they are read they doe affect there being a kind of soft harmony and gentle titillation that stroakes the eare but when the hearer is departed the sense of that delight departeth also as the face is seene no more in the glasse when the person is retired from it But if there bee a faithfull and attentiue hearer or reader of the Word of God it will sit deepe within him and graven in his heart bee euer present breathing forth Diuinities governing the affections cheering the

man as he is a Citizen the Oeconomicks as hee is the master of a family But Divinitie doth instruct him as hee is a man and discourseth not of the parts of Life but of the Whole neither doth it propose unto it selfe any particular or subordinat end but the last end of all viz. eternall blessednesse which consisteth in an vnion with God to which end it is requisite that other Ends and our whole eourse of Life should be obedient vnles peradventure we would bee carefull of our life in some little portions and pieces of it but in the whole be vnthrifts so of many litles as we thinke wisely laid together one entire folly should bee made and there would bee a good Lawyer a good Physitian a good Senator but a bad man But the meanes which Divinitie doth vse to attaine to this last End which is our vnion with God namely Faith in Christ and the studie of good Workes are so apt so certaine so well knowen that no doubt is to bee made of them vnlesse wee would make a doubt of the promises of God who is Truth himselfe Finally the knowledge of God God himselfe recording it is so much to be esteemed that though to glory in other things is an extreame vanitie and the first point of folly in this onely God would haue us with a religious pride to glory in our selues For thus saith he in the ninth of Ieremy Let not the Wise man glory in his Wisedome neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not a rich Man glory in his riches but let him that glorifieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord who excercise Iudgement and Righteousnesse on the Earth Now seeing there may bee gathered from the knowledge of God many and excellent fruits through the whole course of our life this is aboue all the most principall that we cannot master our Corruptions or stop our desires in their Careere with a stronger reyne than with the knowledge of God For hee that knows God knows him to bee a searcher of the secrets of the heart whose eyes cannot bee curtain'd with the flattering clouds of lying or hypocrisie to whom Accounts are to bee given of every idle Word wherefore the holy Scripture did assigne this the Cause of the Wickednesse of the sonnes of Heli they were wicked men the sonnes of Belial not knowing the Lord and Hosea the 4. Because there is no knowledge of God in the Land perjury and Lying and Stealing and committing Adulterie hath broken forth and bloud toucheth bloud On the contrary from the knowledge of God arise all examples of Vertues wich Esay witnesseth Chap. 11. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine for the Earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the Lord And truly a holy Man who considers alwaies that God beholds him will so liue in private as in publicke so in publicke as in the Temple so in the Temple as before the eyes of God who is his Iudge his Master and his father Neither doth Satan open a wider window vnto all kind of vice than by perswading Men that God looks not downe on things so low For then a deepe sleepe overwhelmes the Conscience and the feare of the Iudge being taken off the barres are broken and Men dare doe any thing running headlong into all kind of Villanie although restrain'd a little by the power of the law or by the feare of Infamy Neither is the knowledge of God of little moment in chasing from vs all restlesse Cares in calming the troubles of our mind and in silencing the tongues of Murmurers For hee that knowes God knowes all his workes to bee as full of Iustice as of providence to complaine of whose providence as it is vnrighteous so to oppose it is not onely vnprofitable but Rash and Dangerous And hee who is assured that God so workes that even evills themselues doe turne to Good to those that feare him doth secure himselfe in his care and Loue. The same knowledge of God is greatly profitable in teaching vs to obserue an honest and profitable vse of earthly things lest by an vngratefull oblivion wee bury his blessings or abuse them vnto Riot or to lust or resemble the beasts that drinke of the River never thinking of the fountaine from whence those waters flow For hee who knowes God knowes him to bee the Author of all Good things and in that title doth pay homage to him and is industriously wary lest those things which God hath given vnto vse and matter of thanksgiving be corrupted by ingratitude or abuse What shall I say more seeing without the knowledge of God it is impossible for vs to know our selues for then the bubbles of our Pride sinke downe and our plumes doe fall when wee looke on God For as long as a Man lookes on himselfe or compares himselfe with inferiour things hee takes himselfe to bee a creature of some reckoning and applaudes the humour overcome with a vaine and flattering opinion of his strength or Wisedome But whē he presents himselfe before the tribunall seate of God hee is presently touch'd with an apprehension of his weakenesse and his naturall pollutions and deformities present themselues before him and is invironed with so great a Light that he is inforced to confesse that the Light of his Vnderstanding is but vtter darkenesse In the same manner they that onely behold the things which are before their feete beleeue their sight is good and cleere enough but the same Men when they behold the Sunne haue strait their eyes so blinded that they are compelled to confesse that the sharpest discretion of their eye is both darke and dull when it turnes it selfe vnto heavenly things Seeing then so great is the exellence of this divine knowledge and the fruit thereof so abundant that it may bee extended into every part and portion of our life I cannot but here lament the condition of humane vnderstanding which in trifling things doth expresse a most subtle and ingenious Industry but in the knowledge of God alone doth languish in a drowsie sloth For how Rare is hee that disregardeth not these sacred studies to addict himselfe toi things that tend to the advantage either of publcke or private dignity How many beate their braines in curing the bodies and skinnes of others who within their owne haue Dropsie humours How many sit in the seate of Iudgement to decide the Differences of others which are themselues at discord with God and consider not that he must iudge them How many are expert in the Account of Numbers and Lines whose owne lives are Irregular as being altogether without the knowledge of God So strange besides is the garbe and Condition of humane things that we preferre delights even aboue necessities So the Confectmaker is valued aboue the husband man and wee thinke the embroiderer to bee a more Substantiall fellow then the Taylor And commonly those