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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	light_n	light_v	shine_v	1,811	5	9.0754	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66486	The excellency of wisdom, disclosing it self in the virtues of a good life recommended to the natives of Warwick-shire, in a sermon preached to them on their anniversary feast-day, in London, Nov. 30th, 1675 / by Thomas Willis ...	Willis, Thomas, 1619 or 20-1692.	1676 (1676)	Wing W2817; ESTC R18944	22,000	50

that the Dead shall rise from the Dust then shall they that be Wise shine as the brightness of the Firmament ‖ Dan. 12.3 in the lustre of a superexcellent Glory in the Kingdom of God Happy then is the Man that findeth Wisdom and the man that getteth Vnderstanding For length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand Riches and Honour * Prov. 3.13 16. Glory is the inheritance of Wisdom For the wise shall inberit Glory when shame shall be the promotion of Fools ‖ Prov. 3. ult Get Wisdom then and with all your getting get Vnderstanding Exalt Her and She shall promote thee She shall bring thee to Honour when thou dost embrace Her She shall give to thine Head an Ornament of Grace a Crown of Glory shall She deliver to thee Be sensible of your want of Wisdom It 's not to be imagin'd that he should earnestly endeavour to get Wisdom who has an Opinion that he is already Wise Be not wise therefore in your own conceits ‖ Rom. 12.16 Let no man deceive himself If any man among you seem to be wise in this world 't is the Apostles Counsel let him become a Fool that he may be wise * 1 Cor. 3.18 For he that thinks himself sufficiently Wise is certainly a Fool whereas he who being sensible of his Folly seeks after Wisdom begins to be Wise Seek then after Wisdom as the Principal Excellency and ennoblement of your Nature and that ye may attain it 1. Converse with the Wise For he that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of Fools shall be destroy'd * Pro. 13.20 This world is the Temple of God Wise Men are Lamps which God hath lighted up therein One Lamp may be lighted from another From them ye may derive that Light of Wisdom which will make you to shine in the eyes of God and Men But know the truly virtuous are the only Wise The Light of Wisdom shines in a Holy Life as a bright star in a serene skie Choose then Holy and Good Men for your intimate Companions that through the Light and influence of their Communications and Example you may learn Wisdom by a living Law Thus Holy David I am a Companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy Precepts ‖ Psalm 119.63 These are as God's Mystick Seals by which he impresses Wisdom on the minds of men 2. Ask Wisdom of God For the LORD giveth Wisdom out of his mouth cometh Knowledge and Vnderstanding * Prov. 2.6 God is the Fountain of Wisdom being infinitely essentially wise Angels excel in Wisdom these bright Lamps which burn before the Throne of God were lighted up by his Glorious Beams To whom then should Man go who wants and desires Wisdom but to the All-wise God 'T is He that hath said Ask and it shall be given you * Matt. 7.7 Luk. 11.9 Did the poorest man present know where he might have Gold for asking he would soon out-shine the Rich and disdain to fill his Treasury with any baser Metal But he that asks Gold of the Rich shall but be derided for the insolency of his request But If any of you lack Wisdom which is better than Gold let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him ‖ Jam. 1.5 Thus did King Solomon become the wisest man in the World 3. Engage your selves with all seriousness in the exercise of a solid Piety and the Virtues of a Holy Life For The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom A good Vnderstanding have all they that do his Commandments * Psalm 111.10 Live not then at random but make an Election upon a due deliberation of that course of Life which you apprehend to be most excellent and agreeable to the Divine Will and most conducible to your future good your eternal happiness Bind your self with the firmest Resolutions notwithstanding all difficulties and discouragements to persist in this way till you attain your end When you are assaulted with Temptations remember then not to act according to your present inclinations but according to that Election you have made those resolutions which you have fixed in your soul upon a mature deliberation This is your highest Wisdom to act according to the Rules of Virtue with an unshaken constancy till you shall receive a Crown of Glory Thus I have shew'd you the way and means whereby ye must get Wisdom Now II. Learn to use Wisdom Let Wisdom be your Guide in all your Affairs and Understanding your directress in all your undertakings Be diligent serious and constant in doing those things wherein true Wisdom doth consist Assemble all the Powers of your Soul for this purpose The Sun incessantly moves in the Heavens and as incessantly shines on the Earth so do ye in the Lights of Wisdom till ye shall be incircled with Raies of Glory in the presence of God Enter then into the paths of Virtue that ye may shine in the Lights of Wisdom Desist from Sin as the greatest Folly believe in Christ obey his Gospel and submit to his Government that ye may secure the salvation of your Souls which is your highest Wisdom Let your Wisdom disclose it self in your 1. Piety towards God 2. Loyalty to the King and 3. Love and Charity to one another I shall propose these Duties to you only as proofs of the Wisdom the proper acts and indications of this excellent Virtue 1. Let your Wisdom shine in your Piety towards God True Wisdom comes from God and discloses its Excellency and Divine Original by those Acts of Religion and Piety by which Man makes the nearest approaches to God Religion in its Rise is Mans Return to God in its Progress his Honouring of God by acts of Devotion and the Virtues of a Holy Life in its End his Union with God and fruition of him as the chiefest Good and his highest happiness for ever Now if Religion and Piety which comprehends all the Virtues and Duties of a good Life be the proper argument and evidence of True Wisdom certainly Atheism and Irreligion debauchory and sin are undeniable evidences of the want of this excellency Swearing Lying Cursing Drinking to excess Whoredom and Uncleanness Cheating and Over-reaching for gain are visible badges of folly and marks of madness upon men For is it not desperate folly and madness in a Mortal Man to make Almighty God his Enemy by slighting his Authority breaking his Laws and despising his Government Is it not Folly and Madness in men to provoke Him to wrath by their sins in whose Favour lies all their Felicity Is it not Folly and Madness in Men made after the Image of God for a little sordid gain or filthy pleasure of Sin to cast away all possible hopes of future happiness in Heaven Take heed then ye that would be accounted Sons of Wisdom that ye be

choice and use of these Means in order to so excellent an end And herein lies Man's true Wisdom 3. A diligent study of the Holy Scriptures Herein are contain'd the Oracles of God wherein his hidden Wisdom is reveal'd to Men. The Holy Bible is the Book of Wisdom Of this blessed Book may be truly said that which not without great vanity was inscribed upon the Tomb of Pherecydes the Syrian * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert Here lies Wisdom in its highest Perfection That Wisdom which shineth in its highest Glory amongst Angels in Heaven here discloseth it self in its amiable and most attractive Beauties to men on Earth By Meditation on God's Testimonies Holy David became ‖ Ps 119.98 99 100. wiser than his Enemies wiser than the Ancients wiser than his Teachers whose Office it was to teach him Wisdom The Holy Scriptures are able to make a man wise to Salvation * 2 Tim. 3.15 Herein God hath set before us and proposed unto us those things in the Knowledge and Practise whereof stands that True Wisdom which is Man's greatest Excellency and Glory The Holy Gospel is the manifestation of the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God Ordain'd before the World unto our Glory ‖ 1 Cor. 2.7 The wisest men that ever were in the world who were not immediately inspired by God ow'd their Excellent Wisdom to the study of his Holy Word That great Oracle of Wisdom and State-Politie the Lord Verulam confest he ow'd his Wisdom to the Works of Solomon particularly the Book of the Proverbs The Holy Scriptures are that Great Light which God hath set up and appointed to give the Light of Wisdom to the Rational World And thus you see by what Means this Excellency that so ennobles the mind of Man may be attain'd Now me thinks every one of you should be inflam'd with a Generous Desire of so great an Excellency and should resolve to be diligent and serious in your endeavours for the attainment of it It 's an Argument of a base and mean Spirit to rest in an inglorious sloth when a man is call'd to an Honourable Imployment Behold here 's a Noble Design a Work worthy to engage all your Powers though ye were the greatest Princes on Earth the Acquisition of Wisdom Wisdom is the greatest Excellency and Adornment of the Soul of Man and renders him amiable and illustrious in the sight of God Wisdom more adorns a King than His Royal Diadem and redeems the meanest man from an unregarded Obscurity and renders him truly Excellent and Honourable A wise Man though in never so poor and mean Estate is a bright Star incircled with his own Rayes of Glory and need not envy the proudest Princes their Secular Greatness and Honour There are many things Excellent Great Glorious in the worlds eye which men are wont to pursue with great earnestness and would account themselves very happy in the acquisition and attainment of them But Wisdom is the prineipal thing therefore get Wisdom c. Exalt her and she shall promote thee c. Such is the Excellency and desirableness of Wisdome and therefore 1. Get Wisdome 2. Vse Wisdom and 3. Let your Wisdom be accompanied with those Virtues and Graces which may demonstrate its Excellency and Glory 1. Get Wisdom why should you take up with any other acquisition when you are capable of so great an Excellency What is it in the world on which men put the greatest value Silver Gold Gems Know Wisdom is more excellent and desirable It cannot be gotten for Gold neither shall Silver be weighed for the price thereof It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx or the Saphire The Gold and Crystal cannot equal it and the exchange of it shall not be for Jewels of fine Gold No mention shall be made of Coral or of Pearls for the price of Wisdom is above Rubies The Topaz of Aethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure Gold * Job 28 15-19 The Gold of Ophir the Topaz of Aethiopia the precious Onyx and the Saphire the Crystal and the Coral are not worthy to be compar'd to Wisdom Did men but know the worth of Wisdom the finest Gold the fairest Pearls the richest Rubies would find but small regard Could the Excellency and Beauty of Wisdom be presented to the eye of man the finest Gold would cease to shine the fairest Pearls would soon grow pale and the richest Rubies would blush for shame as wholly vanquish'd by so rare a Virtue and render'd of little or no value Wisdom is the Excellency of the most Noble Beings it's the Praise of Men the Perfection of Angels the Glory of God The Sun is the Glory of the world Light of the Sun God is the Glory of all Beings Wisdom is the Glory of God Now how great an Honour is it for a Mortal Man to be * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alcin. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Famb like to the most High God in that Excellency which is his Glory To glitter in Gold is accounted a great Glory but it 's a far greater to be an Earthly God in the Excellency of Wisdom Get Wisdom therefore and with all your getting get Vnderstanding For 1. Wisdom will give the greatest Excellency to your Persons 'T is Wisdom that makes a Mans face to shine ‖ Eccl. 8.1 For it impresses upon him a Ray of the Glory of God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wise men on Earth are like the stars in Heaven say the Hebrew Doctors Certainly Wisdom excells Folly as far as Light excells Darkness * Eccl. 2.13 There 's not more difference betwixt a Man and a Beast than betwixt a Wise Man and a Fool. Wisdom will crown you with a singular Glory 't will make you as Princes amongst the People as Angels amongst men 2. 'T will make you beneficial to others 'T is the Glory of Man to be the Means of Good to many 'T was the Wisdom of Joseph which preferr'd him to that great Honour in Aegypt which gave him a mighty Capacity of doing Good and so he became the Means of sustaining his Fathers Family yea the whole Land of Aegypt and all the Neighbouring Countries in the years of Famine By Wisdom ye may not only promote the Welfare of your own Country but also contribute to the Safety Peace and Honour of the whole Kingdom 'T is Wisdom will make you living Images of the great God and mighty Instruments of Good to men 3. 'T will make you truly Happy and Honourable Happy in the Favour of God Honourable in the Esteem of Men. True Wisdom is alwayes attended with a train of Excellent Virtues and it intitles men to the highest Honours to Immortal Glories in the Kingdom of God The Glory of Wisdom out-lasts mens Life and shall have a Resurrection with their Bodies from the Grave For when the Day is come

than to receive ‖ Acts 20.35 Honour God then with your substance * Pro 3.9 and relieve the Poor with some part of your Estate So shall the Poor at once lift up their eyes upon you and their hands to Heaven and bless you while they behold you with Love and Veneration as so many Living Images of the Eternal Divinity the Sovereign Beauty and Goodness Thus I have shew'd you the right Use and best improvement of Wisdom for the Glory of God and Good of Men. Now in the last place III. Let your Wisdom be accompani'd with those Virtues and Graces which may with the most convincing Light and Evidence attest its Original and justifie it to the World to be the Off-spring of Heaven the Daughter and the delight of God as with Innocency Meekness and Humility 1. Innocency Defraud no Man wrong no Man Be wise as Serpents but be harmless as Doves ‖ Mar. 10.16 Wisdom buildeth her House but not with the Ruines of her Neighbour He that does wrong to another doth the greatest injury to himself For he subjects himself to Gods ‖ 1 Thess 4.6 Wrath and his Estate to his * Mal. 2.2 Curse which may not only secretly consume his ill-gotten Goods but also bring his whole Estate to nothing No Man can shine in the Lights of Wisdom but in the State of Innocency 2. Meekness Disturb no man Disquiet not your selves by letting loose your unruly Passions Folly is clamorous and troublesome but Tranquillity and Peace are the inseparable Companions of Celestial Wisdom The Wisdom that is from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated ‖ Jam. 3.17 Wisdom is a glorious Princess and She Governs her Subjects in Peace Unruly Passions are not permitted to keep their Revels under her Regency These Rebels against Reason are bound in Chains or banish'd from her Dominion He is a Wise man that knows well how to Govern a City but he more excells in Wisdom who knows how to govern his own Spirit * Prov. 16.32 who upon all Provocations can keep his Passions under the Rule and Regency of Reason He is both a Fool and dangerous who upon every petty discontent is ready to set his own House on fire and does what he can to put the Neighbourhood into a flame Where the Spirit of a Man takes fire with a little spark a slight Provocation there is wanting the Meekness of Wisdom * Jam. 3.13 3. Humility Despise no man He that despiseth his Neighbour is void of Wisdom ‖ Prov. 11.12 Pride not your selves in the Opinion of your own Excellency For when pride cometh then cometh shame but with the lowly is Wisdom * Prov. 11.2 Wisdom cohabits with Humility and therefore let not the Wise Man Glory in his Wisdom ‖ Jer. 9.23 or despise his Neighbour because of his Folly Alas O Man who made thee to differ * 1 Cor. 4.7 The Great God who made you both might have given him Wisdom and said of thee Let him be a Fool. Art thou wiser than another Be not lifted up there are others wiser than thou If thou wast in deed wiser than all men yet what was thy Wisdom but Folly to the most Wise God Certainly thou canst not deserve so much Folly in the weakest man as the All-wise God discerns in thee Angels excell in Wisdom yet the most Wise God charges them with Folly ‖ Job 4.18 Now dost thou not desire that God who sees Folly in thee may not despise thee Then remember that it is the Will of God and there is the greatest Reason in the world that thou shouldest not despise thy Brother though thou perceivest in him a want of Wisdom Has God given you Wisdom conserve it in Humility and it will be your great Glory Angels excell in Wisdom and they are exemplary in Humility They veil * Isa 6.2 3. their faces in the presence of God and give Glory to His Name And it is an Act of Humility in Man to give the Glory of all his Excellency to God And therefore To God alone be ascribed * Rev. 7.12 Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing and Praise both now and for evermore Amen FINIS Coronis THe SERMON ended the FEAST begins Herein the Example is added to the Rule The DOCTRINE delivered presently in its Warmth and Vigour issues into PRACTICE Brotherly Love is exprest by Feasting together and then in the Close a Liberal Contribution is made for the Offices of Charity And thus RELIGION attended with BROTHERLY LOVE and ChARITY the principal Graces of Christians and visible Glories of Christianity appears in its Beauty and Lustre in these LOVE-FEASTS of the Natives of our Countrey This was all prudently managed with Good Order Civility and Sobriety by the STEWARDS of the Feast for this present Year MDCLXXV whose Names that the Reader may know to whom the foregoing SERMON preach'd upon their Choice and Call is owing are here exprest Mr THOMAS HOLLIER Mr JOSEPH COLINGE Mr WILLIAM SAVAGE Mr JOHN SAPCOT Mr THO. DAFFORNE Mr JOHN LOND Mr THOMAS GIBBS Mr SAMVEL BARON The Feast ended Stewards for the following Year are chosen by setting of Garlands of Laurel upon their Heads with the Sound of Musick and the Plaudits of the People Herein there is a little but lively Representation of that Honour and Happiness which is reserved in Heaven for those Persons who live in the Exercise of Religion Brotherly Love and Charity here upon Earth For at the end of their Life which upon the Account of the Peace and Joy of a good Conscience will be but as the Close of a Festival they shall be Crown'd with Glory and with joyful Harmonies and Hallelujah's receiv'd with the Applauses of ANGELS into the Society of the BLESSED and so shall live in the VISION and FRVITION of the Most High GOD the chiefest GOOD with Fulness of Satisfaction and Everlasting Delight AMEN HALLELVJAH