Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	law_n	sin_n	sinful_a	4,258	5	10.1705	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10010	The saints qualification: or A treatise I. Of humiliation, in tenne sermons. II. Of sanctification, in nine sermons whereunto is added a treatise of communion with Christ in the sacrament, in three sermons. Preached, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1633 (1633)	STC 20262; ESTC S115180	353,805	720

Wouldest thou not have that removed which restraines thee Couldest thou not wish that there were no such strict law as Gods Law is Couldest thou not wish that there were not any Iudge to call thee to account Every naturall man had rather be at liberty hee wishes with all his heart that there were no such God no such Iudge Now if thou wishest God were not certainely thou hatest God when we wish a man not to be to be taken out of the nature of things out of the subsistence of being this man we properly hate and thus every man hates God Therefore Rom. 5.10 the Apostle speaking generally of mankind sayes When you were Enemies It is the condition of every man hee is an Enemie to God and sins out of Enmity and what obedience he performes is out of a false servile feare that is the first Secondly that is not all but he denies God dethrones him and sets up another god naturall men little thinke they doe so when they follow their Covetousnesse Lusts Honours Ambitions they little thinke they doe it But they doe Tit. 1. ult They professe that they know God but in their workes they deny him When they are charged with this that they thinke there is no God and told of the greatnesse of the fault as it is the greatest Treason to deny the King to be the King this Atheisme every man is ready to disclaime he thinkes it is not so with him But I beseech you consider there be two kindes of Thoughts in a mans heart some we call reflex thoughts when a man thinkes a thing and knowes that he thinkes it other we call direct thoughts which are in the heart but a man knowes it not and these must be found out by the Actions for they are discovered by the fruits But God that knowes the meaning of the spirit knowes likewise the meaning of the flesh Now saith the Text they professe they know him but in deeds they deny him that is in truth they deny God there bee certaine direct thoughts which have not such reflection in the heart of every naturall man by which he denies God for he honours not God as he ought hee denies the Power the Omni-presence the Iustice and Omni-science of God and if you can see this in his workes you may say there be such thoughts in him because he lives as if there were no God But you will object every man thinks there is a God It is true there is naturally some light in them but where there be two different Principles there be two different conclusions there is some light planted in them that teaches that there is a God but take the darknesse that is in their heart set aside from this light there is nothing but Atheisme he sets God aside and puts up something else in stead of him some make pleasures their god some make their riches their god some make their belly their god c. But we cannot stand on this Thirdly they despise God in the Commission of sin see it in the sin of lying wherein a man respects man more than God and so despises God he cares not though God knowes it and is a witnesse to it and so it is an injury to God a contending with God We little thinke it is so but see that place 1 Cor. 10.22 the Apostle speaking there of one particular sin that is of eating meat offered to Idols saith Will you continue to doe it Will you provoke God to jealousie Are you stronger than he It is as if you set your selves against him of purpose to doe him an Injury And these affections are in the sin of every naturall man And that is the first Circumstance A second Circumstance to aggravate sin is when it is committed against Knowledge and indeed no Circumstance does it more than this that a man sins against the light he hath when he knowes it to be a sin and it may be bethinks himselfe of it and yet commits it You know how it is with men An offence committed an Injury offered to a King after Proclamation comes to be a rebellion because his will was made knowne And so it is with God when he hath revealed a Truth to mee that I know this to be a sin and am convinced of it and yet goe on in it this alters the nature of a sin it is not now a bare Transgression of the Law but a Rebellion and so God is provoked in an high degree for in a sinne against Knowledge there is more harme more disobedience more presumption If a Prince be in a place where he is not knowne and findes not respect sutable to his worth hee matters it not hee wi●l not take it amisse for he is not knowne but if h● be known and taken notice of and yet neglected it is great dis-respect and taken for a great offence So when men sin against light given it aggravates sin exceedingly As in the one and twentieth verse of this Chapter this that the Apostle laid to the charge of the Romans aggravated their sin they knew God but they glorified him not as God as if he had said If you had not knowne him it were another case but to know God and not to practise according to knowledge to know God and not to glorifie him as God this God will not take in good part it shewes you are sinners and in a condition of death Therefore in Acts 17. saith dthe Apostle The times of Ignorance God regarded not but now he admonishes every one to repent that is when the Gentiles walked in their owne wayes before the Gospell came before God published and made knowne his will he wincked at it but now regards it not a yeare nor a day shall now passe without an account for it the axe is now laid to the root of the Tree he will deferre no longer he will take it no more as he did heretofore Therefore the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13. saith I was a persecutour and blasphemer but am received to mercy because I did it ignorantly Why doth he adde that Because if he had had knowledge and so had done it wittingly and willingly his sin had beene out of measure sinfull and exceedingly aggravated it Therefore Daniel tels Balthazar as an addition to his sins Thou knowest all this and yet hast not humbled thy selfe if thou hadst not knowne it if thou hadst not had an example if it had not bin revealed to thee thy sin had beene so much the lesse and perhaps God would have suffred thee to live but thou knowest all this and yet didst not humble thy selfe But of all places take that in Rom. 7.13 Was that then which was good made death unto me God forbid But sin that it might appeare sinne working death in me by that which is good that sinne by the Commandement might become exceeding sinfull The meaning is this When a man knowes that the Law of God

therefore since the wrath of God shall in such a manner be revealed against such as with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse You need no other Argument to shew that the sin is great Againe One Evidence more is in this very Chapter that is from the kinde of punishment for punishments you know where the Iudge is just are according to the measure of the sinne Now marke God punishes this with giving them up to a reprobate sense For this cause saith the Apostle Rom. 1.26 God gave them up unto vile affections And afterwards in the eight and twentieth verse As they regarded not to know God even so or therefore God delivered them up to a reprobate minde that is a minde without knowledge an injudicious minde that cannot judge of things And looke in all the booke of God among all the Armies of sorrow there is not any like this to be given up to vile affections to lusts to an injudicious mind in matters of God and things belonging to their Salvation This punishment shewes the greatnesse of the sin but men slight this as it is the greatest judgement so it is the least felt men lye at rest they are cast into a dead sleepe but it is like the sleepe of them that have crazie braines they wake in a frenzie so these shall wake in an horrible astonishment their sleepe is such a calme as will end in a tempest and such a tempest as shall never be blowne over Therefore let no man blesse himselfe in this I feele none of these things for thou hast the greatest judgement on thee when thou feelest it least And so much for the three things I propounded to you what this Truth is how it is with-holden and the greatnesse of the sin now wee will come to make use of it And the first use we are to make of it is that which is the maine scope of the Apostle here and that for which we pitched on these words and that is to humble us to learne to know our selves to know in what Condition we are for the Truth is revealed to us but we with-hold it in unrighteousnesse This Truth that should rule in the hearts of men that should be as the supreme governour in the soule of which it may be said as it is said of the Peace of God let it rule in your soules that where by men should be acted is by men imprisoned Therefore Rom. 2.9 the Apostle denounceth Tribulation and anguish upon every one that disobeyes the Truth Intimating that Truth is our King that should governe and rule in our hearts now when men disobey it nay goe further imprison this Truth it is as when men imprison their lawfull King or servants their Master and they run riot and at liberty in the meane time And this is our case we doe with it as children doe with their Masters we desire to be rid of it because it watches over us and so we grow enemies to it And this is no small sinne for if we consider whence this comes who puts it into our hearts it will appeare hainous by the Law of man it is death to kill children that are begot by man but this Truth is begot by the Holy Ghost it is put in by the Spirit of God and to extinguish this Truth not to suffer it to live not to nourish it not to bring it forth is the great sin of all Even the Heathen shall rise in judgement against Christians for this who maintained the Vestall fire because they conceived it to come from heaven they for that cause never suffered it to go out But this Truth is a fire which came from heaven a sparke put into the brests of men to guide their feet into the way of Peace when men shall extinguish this Truth let it goe out and not maintaine it the Heathen shall rise against them in judgement as the men of Niniveh should rise up against the men of that Generation among whom Christ lived We were wont to take care of precious things consider the preciousnesse of this Truth what is precious we wil not be willing to destroy as the Prophet said of the bunch of Grapes Destroy it not for there is a blessing in it And what doe you thinke of this Truth is it not a precious thing Yea it is the chiefe thing in a man In a ship a wise man will have an eye to the rudder for that turnes all the rest of the body of the ship Of all things in our selves wee looke to our eye the guide of the body so we should learne to watch and be tender over this Truth as over our eye for the one is the light but of this life the other is the light of the soule to eternall life In Micah 3.5 It is threatned as a great Iudgement when God shal turne their Visions into night and their Divinations into darknesse when the Sunne shall goe downe on their Prophets and the day shall be darke on them and will you bring this Iudgement on your selves They that are guilty of this that have not used this Truth but imprisoned it and laboured as much as they can to cause the Sun to goe downe and rise no more to turne the day into night let them consider what the sin is when you reade the story of the Kings and heare them saying to the Prophets prophesie not imprisoning them as Ahab did Micaiah and slaying them as Ioash did Zecharial you will little thinke you are guilty of the same sinne but when this Truth comes as a Prophet from God and tels you such and such things ought to be done and such and such evils ought to be abstained from and you shall desire it to be silent and shall say Prophesie not when you shall not suffer it to speake freely I say your sins shall be as great as theirs therefore learne to consider of it and be humbled for it men are wont to thinke their Condition better because they know more than others but it is quite contrary for nothing aggravates sin more than that It is an extreme folly in men when they cannot deny the fact they slight the fault and will not acknowledge it It was Adams fault when God came towards him he fled and hides his sinne and it is the fault of all Adams posterity But let men know that the quite contrary way is the way to Salvation It is not with God as it is with men among whom confession makes way for condemnation for with God confession is the way to salvation Therefore be not unwilling to examine your selves consider how much you have knowne what truths have been revealed to you Do this with one eye with another eye looke on your lives and see how short your practise hath beene of your knowledge come willingly and if you confesse you shal be forgiven This wil drive you out of your selves it will be your Schoole-master to bring you to Christ. They that carry this

discovers this and that to be a sin if he commits it his knowledge makes it out of measure sinfull The same Irregularity may be in others the same sinne may in it selfe be as great in another that knowes not the Commandement but the knowledge of it makes it to exceed in greatnesse for when a man knowes the will of God and yet sinnes against it it is a resisting of the Holy Ghost and such sinnes offend God more than the sinnes against the Father and the Son for the HOLY GHOST enlightens and when one is once enlightned there is a great contempt against the whole Trinity and therefore when a sin is fully against the Holy Ghost it is never forgiven Take heed of this resisting of the Spirit of this tempting of the Holy Ghost for so it is called Act. 5.9 As any man hath more knowledge hath beene more instructed so it addes the more to his sinne Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish to the Iew first and then to the Greeke for the knowledge of the Iew was greater than the knowledge of the Greeke So that as any man hath more light he hath so much more condemnation his sinne is so much the more out of measure sinfull they that sin only against light of nature their sin is so much the lesse because they had but that one Law and so not so much light The Iewes that had another light above the light of Nature are sunke deeper into sin than the meere Naturalist and so are in a more miserable condition but we that live under the Gospell sin against both the former Lawes and against the Gospel too which makes our sins the greater And this is a Circumstance that should much humble us as for generall sins so for particular sins when they are committed against knowledge A third Circumstance is when sinnes are committed without Temptation or with lesse Temptation but when they proceed meerely out of the perversnesse of the will for when the Temptation is lesse the sin is greater Quantò major facilitas non peccandi tantò majus peccatum When the fault is only in the wils being amisse it is a sinne that exceeds and that is the case of many naturall men As for example suppose the will be right and the affections be well ordered and the understanding onely be ignorant this we call a sinne of Ignorance and that is a Circumstance which rather lessens a sin simply considered Secondly suppose the understanding be right and the will well disposed but passion transports a man this is a sin of Infirmity But when the understanding shall informe such a sin is a sin and no violent passion be stirred up to transport the soule but the will neverthelesse chuses it this I call a sin without Temptation and this Circumstance aggravates sin because there is more will in it and it is much to have the will stirring in a sin Therefore Hebr. 10.26 you shall finde this expression If we sinne wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaines no more Sacrifice for sinne It is true he speakes there of the sin of Apostacie but marke that word If we sinne wilfully that is if the will have much to doe in it when the other faculties are rightly informed and wel set when there is no Temptation no resistance it is an ill signe that the sin is out of choice It is true a man may have his minde set the right way and yet a gust of wind may come and carry him out of the way but when the wind is still and the Sea calme and there is nothing to trouble him and yet he turnes the Rudder the wrong way and aims at a wrong haven he now sins out of will and perversenesse There are many sins of this nature as swearing when there is no Temptation when the Vnderstanding knowes it to be a sin and no great affection is stirred up but men will doe it because they will doe it So ordinary neglect of the Sabbath which can have no violent Temptation to carry a man to it So neglect of hearing the Word and Prayer I speake not of fals through infirmity So the favouring of sin in others as also scornefull and corrupt speeches tending to the disgrace of holinesse and purity of Conversation These be sins out of choice which a man is not transported to not carried to through any violence of passion It is one thing for a man to sell himselfe to sin as Ahab did and another thing to be sold under sin as Paul it is one thing to goe into Captivity another thing to be led thither with a kinde of over-ruling violence for in such a case the most upright-hearted man may be miscarried when sin shall get on the hill of passion when it shall have the wind of him and stand on the higher ground he may be foiled but when a man shall be on even termes with sin when it shall have no such advantage but a man is every way himselfe and yet then sin against God this aggravates it ex●eedingly for he doth it not out of passion but ●n cold bloud and out of choice and when he ●hooses to sin it is a fearefull thing When it ●s with him as Augustine speakes of himselfe ●ho when he had Apples enough yet out of ●elight in the action he would goe to another Orchard and rob that without Temptation be●ause he would doe it So that there is difference betweene a man that is over-ruled and over-come out of violence and passion and a man that seekes Company and occasions and incentives to whet and quicken his lusts that so he may have more pleasure and delight in it Let those that are guilty consider this Circumstance Fourthly sinning against Vowes and Covenants made with God aggravates sin for God hath said he will require our Vowes if a man have covenanted God wil either have the thing done or else he will surely punish the party for breaking it it is a thing he will not omit Now besides particular Vowes and Covenants consider the generall Vowes we entred into at Baptisme besides those which we have renewed at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Gal. 5.3 When a man is once Circumcised he is bound to keepe the whole Law So he that receives this Sacrament binds himselfe in a solemne bond to keep the whole Law now it is usuall that after men have received the Sacrament we see no alteration in their carriage if they were given to swearing before they sweare still if they were given to ill company to vaine and idle courses they continue the same still and thinke the sin the same but they are deceived in that for sin after Covenant is greater than it was before Ezek. 16.32 Sin is there aggravated from this reason saith the Prophet Thou hast beene an harlot as a wife that commits adultery that taketh strangers in stead of her husband As if hee had said Thou art married