Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	jesus_n	light_n	light_v	2,353	5	9.9954	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71231	Enter into thy closet, or A method and order for private devotion A treatise endeavouring a plain discovery of the most spiritual and edifying course of reading, meditation, and prayer; and so, of self examination, humiliation, mortification, and such most necessary Christian duties, by which we sue out the pardon of our sins from Heaven, and maintain an holy converse with God. Together with particular perswasives thereunto, and helps therein.	Wettenhall, Edward, 1636-1713.	1666 (1666)	Wing W1495B; ESTC R217163	97,436	340

it Men rejected what their reason would have guided them to choose And this being that I was led thereto by considering the drift of the words and find now that the words will to my best judgment very well bear I conceive may probably be the meaning of this place But here it may be very necessary to admonish especially ordinary people that they proceed not too far upon their own judgments in interpreting darker places of Scripture of which this haply may seem one We have only in what we have said shewn the best way which can be taken for the finding out the sense of Scripture But if so be that using this method I particularly could not have found out so much touching the sense of this Scripture as hath been above declared yet had not either my reading or my meditation been fruitless I could very well and very profitably have rested in this that I observed these verses to testifie to me that Christ is God and by him all things were made and that from him came life and all the light which in life men have And thus much by observation a plain person might have found from hence But usually plain persons will do best not to trust the strength of their own reason which commonly is none of the best judge of consequences and dependances but rather get to themselves such helps as above directed to and follow their wholsome guidance Well having found out as I conceive thus much of the meaning of this Scripture if there be any thing else I doubt of in that part of it which remains I proceed to consider it carrying still in my mind the scope of the whole and thus much as I have learnt of the sense of the former part The substance of the remaining part seems to me thus much That when it pleased the Word to be made flesh that is the Son of God to take upon him our nature and in that nature to dwel John the Baptist was sent for a witness to testifie that this was the true true light to the end that men might believe And to as many of mankind as did believe upon and receive this light this light himself being the eternal and natural Son of God gave the priviledge right or power to become through him the Sons of God being now born unto a new viz a godly life by their receiving him Now here it may be as I look through the particular verses are one or two things more of moment which doubt of and touching which I will consult the best helps I have or otherwise consider with as much attention and modesty as I can First in what sense should Christ be termed the true light This considering of I remember that before there was mention of a certain light which all men did partake from the Word as created by him to wit their Reason and this light though it shone in them yet as the first man did not follow its shine so the rest did reject his guidance and the darkness received or comprehended it not But now it is said that the Word that is Christ made flesh is the true light both which considering together the import of all seems to be this That whereas the natural light of reason being not comprehended but rather overcome by the darkness of mans corrupt nature was insufficient of it self to lead man unto his salvation or true happiness and being sophisticated by the same corruption had led him to seek happiness in many false and by paths Jesus Christ came into the world to bring to light the true way to happiness and so was the true light From whence also I begin to see somewhat into the second passage which I doubted of to wit what should be the meaning of that as many as received him For considering how the Evangelist in the verses immediately foregoing speaks of Christ to wit as the true light I easily see that to receive him is to embrace him as the light and so to apply my self to those holy waies which he hath discovered alone to lead unto happiness Which also the following words further intimate them that believe in his name that is them who by their imbracing the discovery which he hath made and doing accordingly do manifest that they are perswaded he is the true light which thing they do not as they are born by the will of man of flesh and bloud for the darkness comprehendeth not the light but as begotten or created over again by God hereto So then now I conceive I understand the Gospel for this day and all the most concerning particulars in it The substance of it therefore I recollect after this my search to the end it may sink the deeper into me and I be the better verst hereafter in this Scripture And that is this That Christ being eternally God was also with God with whom he ever was the Creator of all things and particularly of man that man in his creation received a certain light viz his reason which he opposed and overcome rather than followed that therefore it pleased Christ to be made man and coming into the world to discover the true way to happiness unto degenerate man and as many of mankind who embraced this discovery and manifested their belief of Christs being the true light by their receiving him as such he restored into the blessed state of being the Sons of God as Adam was before his fall And Luke 3. 38. of all this John the Baptist was sent before to be a witness that by his testimony men might be prepared to believe in this true light Thus much then I am improved in point of knowledge But is there nothing which may be further useful to me as to practicals No promise of mercy No threat of punishment to any Nothing to quicken me to my duty There is surely First that is a remarkable expression As many as received him to th●m he gave power to become the sons of God I cannot expect ever to be by my incarnate Lord made a Son of God and Heir with him in the Kingdome of his Father except I receive him as the true light except I look for happiness by the method by him delivered a holy Christian practice according to his Gospel I see therefore hence the necessity of heing conformable to all the Commands of the Gospel He is salvation to none to whom he is not light If therefore I am not faithful meek charitable holy c. as the Gospel directs salvation it self will not save me Further both the Epistle and Gospel put me in mind of what the day celebrates the incarnation of our Saviour at least his visible Incarnation for to the eye he was not incarnate till born The Word was made flesh and so himself spake unto us and by himself be purged our sins The Word who was that The Son of God the brightness of his Fathers glory the express Image of his Person he

who was ever with God and ever God heir of all things by whom aell things were made he was made slesh O ths depth of the love of God and Christ Whose soul can well hold to contemplate it Besides this admiration and dissolution of soul the thoughts hereof cannot but be thus further useful to me First seeing from what an infinite glory to what a mean nature and condition the Son of God himself the infinite God stooped for the help and saving of men I cannot but see my self in duty bound to the like humility meekness and condescension not to stand upon mine own petty interests and consult nothing but self when I have opportunity to do good to any infcriour that wants my succour Had Christ done so he had never been made flesh for me Now let the same mind be in me which was also in Christ Jesus And again seeing to what an height of excellency the nature of mankind is now advanced it should prevail with me to put a due price upon it and never willingly to dishonour by any unworthy action what God himself hath so honoured Did God stoop to vindicate my nature from the contempt and tyranny of the devil and shall I notwithstanding all the condescensions of his grace still wilfully enslave and destroy my self Further God having united the nature of which I am a partner to him I should be ambitious of all meanes of uniting my self to him that is of doing all that may be on my part to further this union And especially the thoughts hereof should quicken me this day to a zealous participating his body and bloud Can I consider God made flesh for me God debasing himself to be one with me and is it possible that I can neglect what is so much for my honour and interest as the means of sealing my particular union with him How can I esteem my self doly to have celebrated the memory of his being made flesh if having means of partaking of that flesh which he took I neglect it And how much ingratitude must such neglect have in it Lastly seeing that one great end of our Saviours being incarnate was to be the true light to man in the pur suit of his happiness let me account it a noble degree of assimilation or being like my Saviour if I can in any measure be a light to any herein And if God have by office made me such let me prize and honour my imployment and manifest my value of it by my diligence in it The more light I give the nearer do I in my office come unto my Saviour Thus much then of incitement have I hence to my duty My other rules are not here so applicable Wherefore in the conclusion of my Maditations I consider what of new all that I have meditated doth suggest See Part. 11 ch 5. unto this dayes prayers And that I shall find to be matter of As to the first Praise Petition 1. The infinite goodness of God that he would at all think of restoring that nature which was now an enemy to him having wilfully fallen from him cannot if duly considered but melt my heart into thankful praise of him 2. That yet greater commendation of his goodness his infinite condescension his redeeming our nature in a way so glorious to it as was the assumption of it unto his own nature methinks should overcome my soul and wrap it into an extasie of praise and admiration In all likelihood infinite Wisdome might have thought of a course which would have been less honourable to man and would nor so much if I may so speak have humbled the Deity But he would not bring us to glory ingloriously The meer consideration therefore of the honour which our Lords Incarnation puts upon our ill deserving nature will not suffer me to be silent this day in his praises And as to matter of petition surely it cannot but be right seasonable to beseech 1. That all this may not be in vain unto me And 2. That to that end I may transcribe these Copies of goodness humility and purity which shone in our Saviours incarnation and walk in the light as well of his example as doctrine And all this I may do in some such words as these A Prayer to be added to my other daily Prayers on Christmas-day O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who out of thy meer goodness and pitty having promised thy Son to redeem faln mankind didst in the fulness of time faithfully performe with thine hand what thou hadst spoken with thy mouth and send him into the world made and about this time born of a woman I one of that redeemed though vile nature humbly adore this thy Grace and faithfulness Eternity Lord is too little to bless thee for it But Eternal praise is the greatest that I can wish thee and maist thou to eternity receive due glory for this thine infinite Goodness and Mercy O Thou the onely begotten Son by whom thine eternal Father made the Worlds who wast ever with God and ever God the brightness of his Glory and express Image of his Person yet wast pleased in time to be made flesh and pitch thy Tabernacle in our nature I part of the purchase of thy bloud poor dust and ashes but such as thine infinite Glory was pleased for my sake once to wear and now to glorifie and set above Angels most humbly bless thee as well for this thy condeseension as for the honour done to man Thou tookest not upon thee the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham thou did'st take Even so O Saviour for so it hath seemed good to thee Thou thoughtest not the Angelical nature low enough for thine Infinity to stoop to Most dear Jesus thou hast overcome me I would praise thee but I cannot further Accept my silent ravishment admiration and faith I believe Lord help my unbelief O holy Spirit the power of the most High who after an unconceiveable sort overshadowing the Virgin Mother did'st frame in her sacred Womb that Holy Thing which * That is was the Son of God For in Scripture many times being called and being word and thing are one and the same was called the Son of God For this thy most wonderful and fearful but to man most happy operation I unworthy man bless thee beseeching thee to inspire my heart that I may from this blessed Copy transcribe these Virtues of Goodness Humility Love Purity and what soever mine holy Saviour either by his Life or Doctrine hath caught me that so I walking in his light he may be to me life ever lasting to the praise of thee O Father Son and holy Spirit one undivided God Eternally Amen Chap. IV. An Exemplification of the former Rules in St. Stephen ' s day's With a Prayer which may be used on any Saints day FOr the Epistle Acts 7. 2. 55. to the end Which having read I find to be a narrative or relation of St.