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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	enlighten_v	light_n	shine_v	2,266	5	9.0968	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73882	The Christian's theorico-practicon: or, His whole duty consisting of knowledge and practice. Expressed in two sermons or discourses at S. Maryes in Oxon. By Robert Dyer, Mr. of Arts, late of Lincolne Colledge and Hart-hall in Oxon, now lecturer at the Devizes in Wiltshire.	Dyer, Robert, b. 1602 or 3.	1633 (1633)	STC 7393.5; ESTC S125218	27,164	126

forth Ignorance excuseth an offence which because every smattering Sophister can resolve with two or three distinctions and for that I have partly touch't it before I passe it over with this briefe and vulgar Thesis of the Schooles Vid Thom. Aquinat 1ma. 2 de Quaest 76. that if it be simplex nativa vel invita juris divini vel humani seu positivi Alex. Halens Biel. Gerson c. it may in some measure excuse it à tanto but not à toto but if it be grosse or affected and of those things after which wee are bound to enquire it augments more then diminishes the fault and accuses rather then excuses the delinquent making him with the drunken man in Aristotle lyable to a double punishment First for his fault Lib. 3. Ethic. and then for his proud and scornefull Ignorance for so may it justly be called it being rather a contempt then a privation of knowledge Greg. in Moral for there wanted not inveniendi facultas si fuisset quaerendi voluntas as Saint Gregory Now how lamentable their case is who with those desperate wretches in Iob thus reject their GOD and his knowledge with a Discede à nobis Iob 21.14 Depart from us for we will not the knowledge of thy wayes none unlesse thus willfully blinded can bee ignorant no doubt this discede shall one day bee requited with another Discedite Mat. 25.41 depart from me yee Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels And yet B.B. Vse 1 we cannot but cleerely see and compassionately deplore that there are many thousands in the rurall parts of this kingdome some of them indeed for want of the meanes but most for want of Will and affection to spirituall knowledge that are as blinde and ignorant in divine affaires even in this cleare Sun-shine of the Gospell as their grossely-misguided forefathers were in the time of their necessitated ignorance and superstition imposed on them by the tyranny of the Romish Beast What doe these Moles else but shut their eyes against the divine raies of this glorious Sunne affect darkenesse more then light and like so many Mucke-wormes confine themselves to their dung-hill rather then contemplate the Almighty in his workes and word They will not understand nor seek after GOD but say at least in their Hearts as those obstinate Idolaters Ier. 44.16 The word that thou hast spoken in the name of the LORD we will not heare it But our Saviour hath pronounced their doome Iohn 3.19 This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse more than light The condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were the greatest severest and that which makes men most inexcusable in the sight of GOD. But I trust you have not so learned CHRIST Vse 2 your hearts are replenisht with the fullnesse of all both divine and humane knowledge yee are not onely the Israell but the Priests of the living GOD and have both the Intellect and the tongue of the Learned Isa 50.4 knowing how to minister a word of comfort in due season to him that is weary let me now be bold to advise you to the performance lay not up the Talent of your knowledge in a Napkin but employ it to your owne and others advantage Hide not your light under a Bushell nor tread your savoury salt on the Dunghill but enlighten the darke corners of the Church with the one and season the unsavoury consciences of the putrified world with the other For as they shall shine as the starres in the firmament Dan. 12.3 who convert many to righteousnesse so shall they bee no lesse accursed Ier. 48.10 who doe the worke of the LORD negligently Paulum sepultae distat inertiae Caelata virtus Little difference is there betweene a dead man Horat. and him that hath no energeticall actions of life and as little difference betweene him that buries his knowledge in the closet of his owne bosome and him that hath none at all Not that I would have every Capritious Novellist adventure to come to Bethell before ever he saw Najoth to rush into the Sanctuary before ever he saluted the Vniversity to make a Sermon before hee can make a Syllogisme and reade Scripture perhaps before he has throughly read his Grammer No this is as pernitious as it is preposterous and deservedly cryed downe among us but that you who are educated among the Prophets and are for the most part Prophets your selves vocati sicut Adron indued with a full maturity of Knowledge and Iudgement would not stifle those gracious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor envy your Church or Common-wealth the benefit of those gifts which your GOD hath so freely conferred The Priests lips should preserve knowledge saith the Prophet Mal. 2.7 where Peter Martyr's observation is that the Prophet sayes not that the Priests breast or his heart should preserve it though that be also presupposed but his Lippes intimating that he should be ready to communicate it to others as not being borne so much for his private good as the publicke In a word yee know these things happy are yee if yee faithfully dispence them If this were duly performed perhaps some of the curiosity of our knowledge might bee spared and yet our selves never the lesse happy 'T was the royall censure of his late learned Majesty that hee thought not the greatest Clarkes nearest heaven K. Iames in Aphoris for that much of their knowledge is superfluous hee exemplifies in the great Cardinall who makes 400. Questions of Faith and scarce ten of them which concerne our salvation to understand Saint Chrysostome indeed wills us to ascend to heaven in our contemplation Christ Hom. 4. de Natura Dei. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without phantasticall curiositie but that by the meditation thereof we may better both our selves and others in hope of the fruition You know how many of the Bethshemites were slaine 1. Sam. 6. for prying too boldly into the Arke how dares then presumptuous dust and ashes search so curiously into the secrets of the Almighty and neglecting the knowledge of more necessary duties examine the Counsells of the LORD of hosts as if hee meant to expostulate with his Maker and extract a reason of his actions Mistake me not Beloved I am not ignorant of the diversity of persons and callings neither dare I debarre those who are indued with more eminent gifts whether by nature Industry or divine bounty to sound the depth of those mysteries which are contained in the large sea of his revealed Will but for vulgar capacities to proceede so farre as the boundlesse Ocean of his secrets were to attempt an enterprise like the fabulous Gyants which assaulted heaven infinitely beyond the sphere of their Capacity and would prove as dangerous as it is presumptuous doe not these men puzzle their understanding in steed of enforming it and presuming to

of life with solidity of knowledge Let us indeavour to bee as so many burning and shining Lampes burning with the fire of Zeale in our selves and shining with the light of wholesome instructions to others let the splendor of our lives shine in the faces of the world and dazle the eyes of them whom it may not guide Then shall wee with authority speake what wee doe when wee doe what wee speake Dan. 12.3 then shall wee one day shine as the starres in the firmament if wee have heere shined in this inferior orbe amongst our brethren and by our righteousnesse converted many to righteousnesse Thus when wee doe what wee teach and practise what wee knowe then and then onely shall wee bee happy which is my last particle and followes in a word to bee considered If yee know these things happy are yee if yee doe them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 happy are yee To omit the manifold Scholasticall distinctions of this Happinesse or Beatitude The third Part. Gabr. Biel Lect. 66. Occam part 2. Dialog Biell and Occham have thus abridged them Felicity say they is either temporall and seeming consisting onely in worldly prosperity or else spirituall true and reall this againe is either viae or patriae of our way or country the former being an operation or perfect disposition fitting us for the later the later againe is either of the Intellect or Will the first is the intellectuall vision or contemplation of the Almighty the second is that which fills the Capacity of the Will and excludes all desire of any farther perfection joy or delight Either of these the first onely excepted may in a different manner bee understood in the words of my Text So happy are they that doe the Wil of GOD that they are here heires apparant to the kingdome of heaven and shall heereafter bee invested and put in actuall fruition of it heere they are filled with grace there crowned with glory Blessed Reward for such small paines Wonderfull recompence for such momentary service But what said I Reward and Recompence Ob. Here may our adversaries of Rome take occasion to insult and proclaime their doctrine of merits as if this happinesse were theirs by the rule of commutative Iustice and that they might challenge GOD of injustice if hee withheld it and so much is the Cardinall bold to affirme lib. 5. de Iustificat Resp Cap. 1. But let mee tell them that there is merces gratuita as well as debita a reward of free grace and bounty as of due debt or desert Simil. As an indulgent father may give his Childe a great summe of mony or large revenewes as a reward for a pleasing letter or well-penned Epistle which in commutative Iustice deserve not the thousandth part of his largesse the application is so facile that I may not spend time in the rehearsall The necessity and benefit of good workes I acknowledge and you have before heard it but I deny the sufficiencie of their merit please you heare the Reasons in a word and I conclude 1. Their imperfection both of parts and degrees deny them the priviledge of desert For the imperfection of parts how much good injoyned by GOD's law is omitted how much evill prohibited is committed even by the most sanctified and regenerate and consequently how insufficient for merit the Scripture is as copious as evident peruse if you please Iam. 2.10 Chap. 3.2 Rom 7.23 Deut. 27. vlt. with many other places which I forbeare so much as to name that I may not trespasse on your patience that they want many degrees of perfection is no lesse evident for the best workes of the best and holiest men are as uncleane as a menstruous Cloth or polluted rag as it is Isay 64.6 2. Our good workes are due debt to the Almighty and therefore not meritorious the neglect of them may cast us into hell but the performance cannot challenge heaven in as much as wee give him but part of his owne and when wee have done all that is commanded us wee may say as our Saviour hath informed us Luke 17.10 wee are unprofitable servants and have done onely what wee ought happy wee if so much 3. Our good workes are not our owne and therefore can merit nothing for us for GOD worketh in us both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 neither have wee any thing which wee have not received 1. Cor. 4.7 and if the LORD vouchsafe to conferre any reward on us for them 't is for his owne gift's sake more then our merit August de verb. Apost Serm. 15. Non meritis nostris retribuit sed dona sua coronat as Saint Austin 4. If these workes were meritorious the worke and reward should have some equality of proportion but inter finitum infinitum nulla est proportio as Philosophers tell us What equality then can there bee betweene our poore defective maimed workes and that Crowne of infinite glory Lastly wee are Iustified and consequently past all merit before the accession of workes GOD'S grace causeth whatsoever merit is in us but our merit is neither the cause of grace nor glory Nor doe our good workes otherwise availe us then as hee accepts them in our onely Mediator CHRIST IESVS and that for his merit and satisfaction imputed to us by faith and his continuall intercession for us at the right hand of his Father In a word they are no antecedent cause but consequent Condition of our Iustification and Salvation non praecedunt justificandum sed subsequuntur justificatum in Saint Austin's phrase and in Saint Bernard's they are via regni non causa regnandi Thus and thus onely are they prevalent and efficacious to bring us to this Happinesse mentioned in my Text and purchase for us the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the world Should I now enter into a serious discourse of this kingdome and happinesse and indeavour to describe it in it's proper colours I should rather display mine ignorance then increase your knowledge in this unsearchable mystery and puzzle mine owne rather then informe your understandings I might herein wisely imitate that Philosopher who after a long and serious contemplation of the nature of GOD return'd answer that hee could tell what hee was not but what he was went beyond his expression or conceipt So must I ingeniously confesse in the language of the Father Augustine Facilius possum dicere quid ibi non sit quàm quid ibi sit non est ibi mors non est ibi luctus non est ibi lassitudo non est infirmitas non est fames nulla sitis nullus aestus c. In briefe there is an absolute freedome from all evill both of Sinne and Punishment and a full fruition of all good both of grace and glory and above all of the chiefest good GOD himselfe For a more particular discovery and information I referre the Curious if any bee to the nice Metaphysicall scruples of the Schooles where they may perhaps sooner winde themselves into a perplexed Labyrinth of difficulties then any way satisfie their over-daring curiosity But for the more moderate I suppose that of the Apostle will give them reasonable satisfaction Neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what joyes GOD hath prepared for those that love and feare him 1. Cor. 2.9 Now sith it cannot enter into us pray wee that wee may enter into it that by continuance in well doing wee may both seeke and obtaine glory Rom. 2.7 and honour and immortality And doe thou ô LORD vouchsafe to prepare a place for us in those heavenly Mansions that wee with the Saints and Angels already there may sing perpetuall Hallelujahs and praise thy glorious Majestie for all eternity and that for the merits of thy dearely beloved Sonne IESVS CHRIST to whom with thee and the blessed Spirit be all Praise Power Majesty Dominion and Thanksgiving from this time forth and for evermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Errata Page 10. line 2. for one reade none and line 17. ibid. ma. 1. for 1 ma or prima Pag. 14. l. ● for for reade far