Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	ghost_n	holy_a	word_n	6,570	5	4.3047	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28171	The common principiles of Christian religion clearly proved and singularly improved, or, A practical catechism wherein some of the most concerning-foundations of our faith are solidely laid down, and that doctrine, which is according to godliness, sweetly, yet pungently pressed home and most satisfyingly handled / by that worthy and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Hew Binning ...	Binning, Hugh, 1627-1653.; Gillespie, Patrick, 1617-1675.	1667 (1667)	Wing B2927; ESTC R33213	197,041	290

searching we could find them out unto perfection but to believe what is spoken till the day break and the shadows flee away and the darknesse of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse We are called then to receive this truth that God is one truly one and there are three in this one the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost This I say you must believe because the wisdom of God faith it though you know not how it is or how it can be though it seem a contradiction in reason a Trinity in Unity yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith silence it with this one answer The Lord hath said it If thou go on to dispute and to enquire how can these things be Thou art escaped from under the power of Faith and are fled unto the tents of humane wisedom where thou mayest learn artheism but no Religion for the world through wisedom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. And certainly who ever he be that will not quiet his conscience upon the bare word of truth in this particular but will call in for the help of reason and disputation how to understand and maintain it I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of God and satisfaction of mind than before There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary Who art thou O man that disputes When ever thou thinks within thy self How may this be how can one be three and three one then withall let this of Pauls sound in thine ears Who art thou O man who disputes Think that thou art man think that he is God Believing ignorance is much better than rash presumptuous knowledge ask not a reason of these things but rather adore and tremble at the mysterie and Majesty of them Christianity is foolishnesse to the world upon this account because it 's an Implicite faith so to speak given to God but there is no fear of being deceived though he lead thee blind by a way thou know not yet he cannot lead thee wrong This holy simplicity in believing every word of God trusting without more trying by disputation is the very Character of Christianity and it will be found only true wisdome for if any will become wise he must be a fool in mens account that he may be wise he must quite his reason to learn true Religion which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason neither is it contrary to it though it be high above it In this place of Moses you have the Unity of God asserted The Lord thy God is one Lord And that is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature That God is One for all may know that the common notion and apprehension of God is that he is a most perfect being the Originall of all things most wise most powerfull infinite in all perfections Now common reason may tell any man that there can bee but one thing most perfect Excellent there can be but one infinite one Almighty one beginning and end of all one first mover one first cause of whom are all things and who is of none Again in this place of Iohn ye have a Testimony of the blessed Trinitie of Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in that holy Unity of Essence The great point which Iohn hath in hand is this fundamentall of our Salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Saviour of the World in whom all our confidence should be placed and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls this he proves by a twofold testimony one out of Heaven another in the Earth There are three bearing witnesse to this truth in heaven The Father the word that is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God whom this Apostle calls the word of God or wisdom of God Ioh. 1. 1. and the Holy Ghost The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of Heaven when Christ was baptized Mat. 3. 17. This is my wel-belovd Son hear him here 's the Fathers Testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people and divinely with great glory and Majesty from Heaven as if the heavens had opened upon him and the inaccessible light of God had shined down on him which was confirmed in the transfiguration Mat. 17. 5. VVhere the Lord gave a glorious evidence to the astonishment of the three Disciples how he did account of him how all Saints and Angels must serve him Him hath God the Father sealed saith Iohn Indeed the stamp of divinitie of the divine Image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ was a Seal set on by God the Father signifying confirming his approbation of his well-beloved Son and of the work he was going about Then the Son himself did give ample Testimony of this this was the subject of his Preaching to the VVorld I am the light and life of men He that beleeveth on mee shall be saved and therefore he may be called the word of God and the wisedom of God Joh. 1. 1. Prov. 8. Because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mysterie of Wisdom concerning our Salvation He is the very expression and Character of the Fathers person and Glory Heb. 1. In his own Person and he hath revealed and expressed his Fathers mind and his own Office so fully to the World that there should be no more doubt of it Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this Word might be established But for superabundance behold a third the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptisme in his Resurrection after his Ascension the Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work in the similitude of a Dove the Holy Ghost testified it in the power that raised him from the dead the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the Apostles according to Christs promise For the other three witnesses on earth we shal not stay upon it only know that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the word and spirit signified by water the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ the Testimony of the spirit in our Conscience bearing witnesse to our Spirits is an assured Testimony of this that Jesus Christ in whom we believe is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The changing pacifying and comforting of souls in such a wonderfull manner cryes aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living God whom to know is eternal life But mark I pray you the accuracy of the Apostle in the change of the speech these three witnesses on earth saith he agree in one in giving one common testimony to the Son of God and Saviour of Sinners But as for the heavenly witnesses the Father the Word and Holy Ghost how ever they be three after an inconceivable manner

men could have a pertinent discourse of light and colours would they form any sutable notion of that they had never seen and cannot be known but by seeing What an ignorant speech would a deaf man make of Sound which a man cannot so much as know what it is but by hearing of it How then can me speak of God who dwels in such accessible light that though we had our eyes opened yet they are far lesse proportioned to that resplendent brightnesse than a blind eye is to the Suns light It uses to be a question If there be a God or how it may be known that there is a God It were almost blasphemy to move such a question if there were not so much Atheism in the hearts of men which makes us either to doubt or not firmly to believe seriously to consider it But what may convince souls of the Divine Majesty Truly I think if it be not evident by its own brightnesse all the reason that can be brought is but like a candles light to see the Sun by Yet because of our weaknesse the Lord shines upon us in the Creatures as in a Glass and this is become the best way to take up the glorious brightness of his Majesty by reflection in his Word and Works God himself dwels in light inaccessible that no man can approach unto if any look straight to that Sunne of Righteousnesse he shal be astonished amazed and see no more than in the very darknesse But the best way to behold the Sun is to look upon it in a pail of Water and the surest way to know God by is to take him up in a state of humiliation and condescention as the Sun in the Rainbow in his Word and Works which are the Mirrours of his Divine Power and goodnesse and do reflect upon the hearts and eyes of all men the beams of that increated light If this be not the speech that day uttereth unto day and night unto night One self-being gave me a being and if thou hear not that language that is gone out into all the earth and be not as it were noised and possessed with all the sounds of every thing about thee above thee beneath thee yea and within thee all singing a melodious song to that excellent Name which is above all names and conspiring to give testimony to the fountain of their being If this I say be not so sensible unto thee as if a tongue and voice were given to every creature to expresse it then indeed we need not reason the businesse with the who hath lost thy senses do but I say retire inwardly and ask in sobriety and sadnesse what thy conscience thinks of it And undoubtedly it shal confesse a Divine Majesty at least tremble at the apprehension of what it either will not confesse or slanderly believes The very evidence of truth shal extort an acknowledgement from it If any man denied the Divine Majesty I would seek no other argument to perswade him than what was used to convince an old Philosopher who denied the fire they put his hand in it till he found it so I say return within to thine own conscience thou shalt find the scorching heat of that Divine Majesty burning it up whom thou wouldest not confesse There is an inward feeling and sense of God that is imprinted in every soul by nature that leaves no man without such a testimony of God that makes him with out excuse There is no man so impious so atheistiall but whether he will or not he shal feel at some times that which he loves not to know or consider of so that what rest secure consciences have from the fear and terrour of God it is like the sleep of a drunken man who even when he sleeps doth not rest quietly Now although this inward stamp of a Deity be engraven on the minds of all and every creature without have some marks of his glory stamped on them so that all things a man can behold above him or about him or beneath him the most mean and inconsiderable creatures are pearles and transparent stones that casts abroad the rayes of that glorious brightnesse which shines on them as if a man were inclosed into a City builded all of precious stones that in the Sun-shine all and every parcell of it the streets the houses the roofs the windows all of it reflected into his eyes those Sun beams in such a manner as if all had been one mirrour though I say this be so yet such is the blockishnesse and stupidity of men that they do not for all this consider the glorious Creator so that all these Lamps seem to be lighted in vain to shew forth his glory which though they do every way display their beams upon us that we can turn our eye no where but such a ray shal penetrate it yet we either do not consider it or the consideration of it takes not such deep root as to lead home to God therefore the Scriptures calls all naturall men Atheists They have said in their heart There is no God Psal. 14 1. All men almost confesse a God with their mouth and think they believe in him but alas Behold their actions and hearts what testimony they give for a mans walking and conversation is like an eye-witness that one of them deserves more credite than ten ear-witnesses of profession Plus valet oculatus testis unus quàm auriti decem Now I may ask of you What would ye do How would ye walk if ye believed there were no God Would ye be more dissolute prophane and more void of Religion Would not Humane Laws bind you as much in that case as they now do For that is almost the restraint that is upon many the fear of temporal punishment or shame among men ●…et your walking beside a heathens conversation and save that you say ye believe in the true God and he denies him there is no difference Your transgressions speaks louder than your professions that there is no fear of God before your eyes Psal. 36. 1. Your practise belies your professiō you profess that you know God but in works you deny him saith Paul Tit. 1. 16. Ore quod dicitis opere negatis In these words read in your audience you have a strange question and a strange answer a question of Moses and an answer of God The occasion of it was the Lords giving to Moses a strange and uncouth Message he was giving him commission to go and speak to a King to dismisse and let go 600000 of his Subjects and to speak to a numerous nation to depart from their own dwellings come out whither the Lord should lead them Might not Moses then say within himself who am I to speak such a thing to a King Who am I to lead out such a mighty People Who will believe that thou hast sent me Will not all men call me a deceiver an Enthysiastical Fellow that takes upon