A17412:815
Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle…
Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Being the last that were preached by the late faithful and painful minister of Gods word, Nicolas Byfield. Wherein method, sense, doctrine, and use, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinity largely discussed. Published since the authors death by William Gouge.Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Being the last that were preached by the late faithfull and painfull minister of Gods word, Nicolas Byfield. Wherein method, sense, doctrine, and vse, is, with great varietie of matter, profitably handled; and sundry heads of divinitie largely discussed. Published since the authors death by William Gouge.
London: printed by H. Lownes for George Latham, 1626
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There is a four-fold vision of God; the one is natural, as when we see him in the creatures: the other is speculous, or Symbolical, when we see God in certain signs of his presence, as in the burning fire in the Bush, or in the Cloud, or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle. The third is, the vision of Faith, when we know how good God is, by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is, the vision of Glory, which differs from all the former, in a way of seeing unknown to us. Thirdly, our knowledge will differ in the measure: now we know but in part; there are many things we know not, and what we do know, we know but obscurely, and darkly; then we shall know perfectly, even as we are now known perfectly of God, 1. Cor. 13.10, 11. &c. and so we shall know both God, and the Creatures. There is a world of most delightful and rare knowledge of the Creatures, which we attain not to in this life: but the ⟨p. 154⟩chief glory of our knowledge then, shall be in the perfect vision of God, and those unspeakable beauties of his Nature, when we shall behold perfectly the glory of every property or attribute in God, which will be sufficient to breed everlasting wonder and delight. In a word; the knowledge of the meanest Christian in heaven, shall be above the knowledge of Prophets or Apostles on earth.
There is a foure-fold vision of God; the one is naturall, as when wee see him in the crertures: the other is speculous, or Symbolicall, when wee see God in certaine signes of his presence, as in the burning fire in the Bush, or in the Cloud, or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle. The third is, the vision of Faith, when wee know how good God is, by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is, the vision of Glory, which differs from all the former, in a way of seeing unknowne to us. Thirdly, our knowledge will differ in the measure: now wee know but in part; there are many things we know not, and what wee doe know, wee know but obscurely, and darkely; then wee shall know perfectly, even as wee are now knowne perfectly of God, 1. Cor. 13.10, 11. &c. and so wee shall know both God, and the Creatures. There is a world of most delightfull and rare knowledge of the Creatures, which wee attaine not to in this life: but the