Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	knowledge_n	light_n	shine_v	2,465	5	9.1921	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54245	Urim and thummim, or, The apostolical doctrines of light and perfection maintained against the opposite plea of Samuel Grevill (a pretended minister of the Gospel) in his ungospel-like discourse against a book entituled A testimony of the light within, anciently writ by Alexander Parker / by W.P.	Penn, William, 1644-1718.	1674 (1674)	Wing P1393; ESTC R27610	28,857	34

URIM AND THUMMIM Or the Apostolical Doctrines OF LIGHT AND PERFECTION MAINTAINED Against the Opposite Plea of Samuel Grevill a Pretended Minister of the Gospel in his Ungospel-like Discourse against a Book entituled A Testimony of the Light Within anciently writ by Alexander Parker By W. P. This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is LIGHT and in him is no Darkness at all If we say that we have Fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we Lye and do not the Truth But if we WALK in the Light AS HE IS in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from ALL Sin 1 John 1. 5 6 7. Printed in the Year 1674. THE EPISTLE Candid Reader SInce it hath pleased the Everlasting God to visit a poor despised People in this Nation with a more direct immediate and clear Sight Sence and Knowledge of him then heretofore they had by the Shinings of his Eternal Light and Spirit in their Hearts thereby giving them a true Discerning of the Ways and Worships that have been in the World which gender towards meer Outside and lifeless Formality and of that Pure Straight and Narrow Way that stands in the Power of God and holy Life of Righteousness many very many have been their Tryals Exercises and deep Sufferings and that of Slandering them and their most precious Faith has not been the least in their Eye for by that Practice hath the Enemy of Christ's Kingdom cast such Mists and Vails over the Truth as have obscured the divine Beauty and Excellency of it from the Sight of People insomuch that some have dreaded nothing more then the Reception of that Principle which bears true and faithful Witness for God in their own Consciences It is cryed down for Insufficient by such as never tryed the Power and Efficacy of it and termed a Natural and Dim Light though It discovereth and instructeth Man in and about Spiritual and Supernatural Things O that they would obey this Day of small things and remember that Obedience is far better then Sacrifice How much is there of the latter But how little O how very little of the former What Degeneracy is there among all Professions Their Tenderness is withdrawing their Greenness withering apace with the former do they earnestly contend as the Jews of old against the very Power and Life of Godliness and see not that the God of the World has entered those Out-sides of Religion wherein perhaps the Lord may formerly in Condescension have appeared that he might lead them nearer to the Substance it self and for want of a true favoring Spirit in this Matter Millions are deluded yea so far as therein and therewith to oppose a more clear and heavenly Appearance of God to the Sons of Men thus do they resist the Visitations of God's Love to their Souls and reject their own Mercies Oh that an inquiring tender Spirit were more generally raised in the Hearts of People that they would consider our Relation to the latter dayes how much it concerns them in these New Covenant Times to be in Covenant with God which it is utterly impossible those should ever be who rebel against the Light by which he has visited them with daily Reproof and Instruction I have given him said the Lord of his Son for a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth This is that true Light which enlightens the Souls of all as John testified and the Nations of them that are saved must walk therein Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord. This Measure of Light leads to God who is Light and this Measure of Grace and Truth guides the Soul unto him who is full of Grace and Truth where Salvation is known and plentious Redemption witnessed Blessings and Praises be to his Name forever Reader This Controversie begun by S. Grevill who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel near Banbury though briefly handled is of great Weight for it consists of two fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel and indeed the very Bottom of our Testimony viz. Christ's Manifestation of himself in the Hearts of his Children and the End of that Manifestation namely To make and End of Sin destroy the Works of the Devil finish Transgression and bring in everlasting Righteousness John 1. 3 5 8. Dan. 9. 24. These two Principles or rather Christ Jesus within the Principle and his Work compleat Redemption are lately opposed by S G● as laid down by Alexander Parker in a Book by him set forth about Seventeen Years since This is a sober Consideration and I hope a plain Enervation of his utmost Force in Defence of those Evangelical New Covenant Doctrines I recommend it to God's Witness in thy Conscience who will judge Righteous Judgment whose Servant I am in Body Soul and Spirit and whom dare not but confess and vindicate before men W. P. A General Defence of the LIGHT WITHIN by way of Introduction THough there be no Passage or Proposition to be found from one End of holy Scripture to the other more clearly laid down then that in John 1. 9. That was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World yet so strong hath been the Envy and so subtil the Endeavours of the Prince of Darkness as scarcely any one place hath been more wrested and abused on purpose to hinder Mankind from minding the Manifestations of it and yielding all ready Obedience to it as the way appointed of God to Eternal Life and Salvation Some will have it to be a Natural Light though it be the very Life of that Word which is God over all blessed forever and wrapt up within those Verses which only concern his Eternal Power and Godhhead Others will have it read thus Not that he enlightens all Mankind but that all who are enlightened are enlightened by him thereby not only narrowing and wronging the Text but rendring God so partial and injust to his Creatures as to cause his Light of Righteousness to arise on some without ever visiting the greatest part of Mankind with so much as a Day of Salvation though he sayes He would not the Death of any but rather that all should Repent and come to the Knowledge of the Truth There is a third sort that will needs have it understood not of any Illumination by a Divine Light or Spirit but the Life Christ lived and the Doctrine he preached when visibly in the World which neither reacheth the hundredth part of Mankind nor can be consistent with the Nature of that Part of John's History which wholely relates to his Divinity or what he was before he took Flesh 'T is true Christ was the Light of the World in that very Appearance and shined forth by his Heavenly Doctrine and Self denying Life a most holy Example yet not so as the exclude himself from

being that spiritual Light which shineth in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of men He was full of Grace and Truth yet of his Grace hath Mankind received Grace for Grace which is that Grace of God that in all Ages hath appeared for Salvation whose Nature and Property is so plainly described and the Salvation it brings unfolded by the Apostle 2 Tit. 11 12. viz. Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Godly Righteously and Soberly in this present World And so far is that Universal Light and Grace we testifie of from leading us to undervalue Christ and the Scriptures that we cannot but declare to all the World in pure Conscience towards God and every moderate Enquirer that we never had any true Knowledge of God or Christ any right Sence of the Work of Conversion upon our Souls nor any right Sight or Relish of those Heavenly Truths declared in the Scriptures till we came to know and be obedient to the Manifestation of that true Light which enlighteneth every man and the Appearance of that Grace which brings Salvation in our own Souls They are standing Truths That whatsoever may be known of God is manifested in man for God hath shew●d it unto him That whatsoever is reproved is made manifest by the Light and that whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Rom. 1. 19. Ephes 5. 13. This cannot be Natural unless of the Divine Nature which reveals to men Divine Things 'T is rare that we meet with any Adversary who denieth it to reprove Evil and to cherish that which is Good And the Wise Man tells us That the Reproof of Instruction is the Way of Life Prov. 6. 23. If the Light reproves for that which is Evil and that Reproof seals up Instruction to Life Everlasting how dare any call it a Natural Light common to yea a part of all men in their Natural Estate especially when the Apostle Paul hath so long since declared That the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14 Our very Case in Defence of the Light Within against the wise Master Builders of this Age. Nay so far is Man in his natural Estate from being acted and guided by this very Light which our Enemies call Natural that Christ himself saith He hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved But on the other Hand He that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his D●eds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God where it is evident that the very Manifestation given is Divine much more the Nature of that Light that gives it Indeed how is it possible for Man to know Christ who is Light without Light It was John's Message to preach That God is Light The same Apostle testifies That the Blood of Cleansing is to be found of them that walk in the Light ver 7. If it be objected That this is not that Light wherewith every Man is enlightned The same Apostle in his History saith That in the Word was Life and the Life was the Light of Men and that very Light was the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World 1 Joh. 4. 9. Let such give me as plain a Text against either the Sufficiency or Universality of the Light if they can Its Properties and Effects prove it Divine in that 1st If manifests God Rom. 1. 19. 2dly It manifests Evil Ephes 5. 13. 3dly It is made the Rule of walking by the Apostle See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise ver 15. 4thly It is made the Path to walk in Joh. 8. 12. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Isa 2. 5. Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Lord Rev. 21. 23. And so saith the Scripture of the Spirit of God 1st In that it reproveth for Sin Joh. 16. 8. 2dly In that it giveth Vnderstanding of the Things of God Job 32. 8. 1 Cor 2. 10. 3dly That it is a Rule for the Chi●dren of God to walk by Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 4thly We are also to walk in the Spirit Gal. 5 16. This I say then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh I hope none will deny that this Light and this Spirit must be of one and the same Nature But if any shall yet object That this is to be understood of a spiritual Light that ours is but a natural one I shall desire them to do two Things 1st To prove that a Natural Light doth manifest God reprove for Evil and cherish that which is Good since whatever is Part of Man in his Degeneration from God is so far form giving one good Thought that it cannot rightly reprove an evil one and it is granted by our Adver●aries that what we call Divine and they call Natural Light can do both 2dly That in Case this Light be Natural and can so manifest and reprove that they would assign us some certain Medium or Way whereby we may truly discern and distinguish between the Manifestations and Reproofs of the Natural Light from those of the Divine Light since they allow the Manifestation of God Reproof of Evil as well to the one as to the other And I challenge them all to give us one Scripture that distinguishes between a Natural and Spiritual Light within reproving Evil c. They may with as much Reason talk of a Narural and Spiritual Darkness within 'T is true there is a Natural Darkness to wit the Night of the outward World and there is a Spiritual Darkness viz. the misty and clouded Understandings of Men through Disobedience to the Light and Spirit of God Let them assign us a third or rather a second Darkness of the Understanding in the things of God if they can Christ never distinguished between Darkness Darkness or Light and Light in any such Sense nor did any of his Disciples I ever read of yet both have frequently spoken of Darkness and Light what Difference doth the Scripture put between spiritual Darkness and Darkness mentioned in these Places Luk. 1. 79. Math. 4. 16. Joh. 1. 5. Joh. 3. 19. Joh. 8. 12 35 46. 1 Thes 5. 4. 1 Joh. 1 6. Act. 26. 18. Rom. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Ephes 5. 8. Col. 1. 13. I find none It is all one spiritual Darkness neither is there so much as one Scripture that affords us a Distinction between Light within and Light within that really are Light peruse Math. 4. 16. Luk. 2. 32. Chap. 16. 8. Joh. 1. 4 5 7 8 9. Chap. 3. 19 20 21. Chap. 8. 12. Act. 26. 18. Rom. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Chap. 6. 14. Eph●s 5. 8