Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	add_v	kindness_n	temperance_n	1,894	5	11.3132	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08055	Mans actiue obedience, or The power of godlines especially in the commandement of the gospell, which requireth faith in euerie Christian: or A treatise of faith, worthily called precious faith, as being in it selfe a most rare iewell of ioy, and peerelesse pearle, that excelleth in worth the highest price. Wherein is plainly declared what faith in Christ is what properly is the obiect of it, what is the speciall operation of faith, by which it may bee discerned; and the worke about which it is principally imployed, the subiect wherein it is placed; what things are needfull to the making it up, what to the being, and what to the wel-being of it; with the differences that are betweene true beleeuers and fained in all of them, and the vses thereof. By Master William Negus, lately minister of Gods word at Lee in Essex.; Mans active obedience.	Negus, William, 1559?-1616.; Negus, Jonathan, d. 1633.	1619 (1619)	STC 18420; ESTC S113618	278,658	364

course all the daies of a mans life time but what is this to the strengthening of a mans faith or to the furthering of his comfort while he doth line or how doth it helpe a man to better assurance of his saluation against feare and doubting A. Yes doubtlesse this worke yeeldeth sweete comfort it will quit well all the cost of whatsoeuer paines shall be taken about the same a man may very comfortably reape and eate the fruite of these his holy labours euen all the while he is in the trauaile of them who working the worke of God by labouring to beleeue for the obtaining of saluation and ioyning vertuous liuing with his true beleeuing the more laborious hee is in taking paines about this worke and the better it is wrought the more doth his comfort increase the confidence of his hope euer growing stronger as his life is found to be made better if to faith be added vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse loue seuerall labours to be bestowed about the ending and finishing vp of the whole and great worke of our saluation if 2. Pet. 1. 5. 6 7. 8. 10. these things be in you saith the Apostle Peter and abound as you shall not be idle and vnfruitfull so shall you be sure neuer to fall There is a common and most dangerous disease that taketh hold of the whole stocke and race of all mankinde wherewith all are tainted and insected without exception of any he only being excepted that is higher then the heauens and euer separated from sinners which is the harder to be holpen because it is an hereditarie euill and wee haue taken it from our parents We all are sicke of that sore disease of the falling Falling sicknes sicknesse we are in danger of falling in euery place we know not where we know not when nor wee know not how wee may fall How would men troubled with that kinde of disease make of a receipt that were good against the falling sicknesse to keepe them from falling Peter hath here giuen vs such an excellent receipt as will make a preseruatiue remedie most soueraigne to keep vs from falling we may be bold vpon it the better and the more comfortably receiue it from his hands because hee that prescribeth it was one that was sicke of the disease himselfe and that fell grieuously and yet was cured of it The remedie is made of these simples that are here set downe How then are these graces worthie the looking after that wee may gather them and get them the greater quantitie is euer the better and put them all together that they may haue their kindly working in vs and wee by them may so worke in our owne saluation How comfortable is the labour wee take about them in daily practising of them since Peter doth warrant vs that so long as we are found so doing wee shall be sure neuer to fall If after this manner then we shall keepe a working we see that good assurance may be gotten by our so doing and we shall be sure comfortably to worke out our owne saluation till that which is most sure in it selfe be also fully assured vnto vs. The further a man goeth holding on this course and keeping still his hand at this blessed labour as his saluation doth still gather vpon him and is much neerer vnto him then when he first beleeued Rom. 13. 11. so doth hee by thus proceeding gather also vpon his owne saluation and fasteneth euery day better hold vpon the same for to be more vndoubtedly assured of obtaining it in the end so that the longer hee thus liueth the more comfort he still reapeth and the more groweth hee to bee setledly confirmed in that that he first beleeued Q. But if the working out of our owne saluation after the manner as you haue spoken would bring vs any comfort or further increase our assurance of saluation why doth the Apostle adde that we must doe it in feare and trembling A. That feare and trembling which the Apostle there Feare and trembling needfull speaketh of is not contrary to the boldnesse of faith or to the assurance of saluation and of God his vnchangeable election whereby those that are once knowne to be the Lords are sure for euer to remaine his but dependeth rather vpon these and is to be ioyned with the same For as the saluation of the faithfull is safe and sure in it selfe so hath the Lord appointed that in such as shall be saued by meanes of this awfull fearing and trembling which as a double bridle holdeth them hard in and keepeth them from sinning and by this carefull endeauouring and working the things that are good and meet to be done both that same assurance of saluation shall be euer maintained in it selfe and likewise be made the more sure vnro them that are most strict to hold on in this course and keepe themselues close within the compasse of these lysts and limits thus set them without daring once wilfully to aduenture any way to breake out of them This feare and trembling may well haue and indeede ought to haue this good and holy vse to humble vs and to breede a watchfull circumspection and care ouer our selues in all our waies and cause vs by a holy iealousie of the hidden corruption that is within vs and of the many infirmities that hang about vs to preuent the danger of those sinnes that otherwise we might fall into but not wholly to dismay vs or put vs out of heart which might enfeeble our hands to goe on with this worke This should worke a care that may driue away securitie not a feare to take away the boldnesse of faith but a feare of falling into sin lest thereby we should offend our mercifull father and he hiding his countenance we should then become troubled and loose our former comfort not a feare of falling from grace and from out of Gods fauour for euer that so he should take his mercy from vs for altogether Feare and trembling in the working out of our owne saluation may stand vs in this stead the better to looke about vs that nothing be wanting which is necessary in this respect to be done lest we should faile in the end and fall short of our reckoning When wee haue once begun to take vp this course and are entred vpon that way that should bring vs to life and happinesse or passing on with feare and trembling as wee are a going may become a good meanes to cause vs to set straight steps and make euen Heb. 12. 13. paths to our feet lest that which is halting should be turned out of the way They may well serue as two sharpe spurres to both our sides to pricke vs forward and cause vs to trauell the harder ply vs the faster making speed in our way lest we should

be done by such or to be conceiued of the estate of such a Christian that cannot haue such feeling of his faith and standing in the fauour of God after the manner as before sometime he hath had A. Such are to labour by iudgement to conuince and controle their abused sense and feeling who sometimes Want of feeling to their owne sense and feeling may thinke God to haue forsaken them Christ Iesus to haue quite left them and to be departed and gone from them when as yet he is still where he was and as touching his fauour and his loue vnalterable remaining still the same towards them that he was the alteration being found onely to bee in themselues by reason of the strong tentations that are vpon them Men are therefore not to measure their estate by sense and feeling for many times in naturall things reason is able to controle our sense as if I being in a ship that is driuen with a faire wind and tide doe saile by a Tower or Castle standing vpon a banke when I looke vpon the Tower as the ship doth swiftly passe by my sense of seeing thinketh that the Tower goeth away while I my selfe stand still in the ship but my iudgement and vnderstanding telleth me that it is otherwise in truth and that the Tower standeth still and moueth not but it is I and the ship that doe goe away from it though to my sense of seeing it seemes otherwise to be In like manner as touching feeling a man that hath but raging paine in one tooth or hath but a fellon on the vttermost ioynt of his finger or the paine of the goute onely in his toe though all his body should be sound and in good health besides he feeleth more the paine of that one little member of his tooth or of his toe then the sound health of his whole body beside though the health of the whole body be much more then is the paine of that one member In like manner doth it many times fall out with good Christians if they be indued and inriched with neuer so many good graces of Gods Spirit hauing true faith and ioyned therewith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse charitie hope humility meekenesse repentance and the rest that are linkes of that golden chaine wherewith the vertues are chained and linked one to another if it should happen not to be well with them in any one of the said graces according as these seueral graces of the mind as well as the seuerall members of the body may bee put out of their right frame and haue distemper and disease bred in them and brought vpon them though in the meane while it were neuer so well with them in all the rest yet is it found vsuall for them more to feele the disquiet of the distemper and hurt of some one of these graces so out of frame then to feele the content and comfort of the abiding in good estate of all the rest beside and to bee more grieued with the disease that is growne vpon that one then ioyed with the health that doth stil remaine in all the other As if a good man being sore prouoked and set vpon of the sudden should be so much distempered and put out of all patience as he should breake forth to much fury and rage in his hastie anger which is no better then a short madnesse and being come to his right mind againe his fit being once ouer for all that while beside himselfe he should then bethinke himselfe what he had done so would he bee out of conceit with himselfe he would be so cast downe in his owne eyes so smitten in heart so pricked in conscience so wounded in his soule with griefe for his sinne he would crie out and complaine for being thus ouerseene as that the distemper of that one grace of patience and the weakenes thereof which could then beare no more would more bee felt of him with griefe and work him greater woe and disquiet him much more then he should feele comfort or haue contentment in the good estate which all the rest did abide in beside and yet that one slip of his for a time is not so blame-worthie as is commendable the ordinary course of goodnesse constantly held on in the well-vsing and practising of other his graces wherein much soundnesse is found stil to be remaining And as among the members and parts of the body some are more necessarie then are others and so more hardly can be spared some are more dangerous to take hurt in or for any disease to breed vpon them because they are the vitall parts of the body such as is the heart the liuer and the braine which if they should be perished the life it selfe would be lost when such parts are affected men are found to be more troubled about the hearts of such and the diseases bred vpon them then vpon any other ther the partes of their bodies besides they are most suspitious and doubtfull of the recouering of them aboue that they are of all the rest euer fearing lest those hurts should not be well healed or those diseases soundly cured and recpiered againe As if one should haue among other the outward parts and members of his body his right hand so maimed as it should be in daunger to bee quite cut off and so lost and of all the inward parts should haue a disease breeding in him that should dangerously affect the heart which being a most vitall part euen the very fountaine and seate of life that doth send forth the vitall spirits and life it selfe to the other parts if that should be perished then the very life it selfe would vetterly be lost Much after this manner is it found to be with good Christians in respect of the differing graces of Gods Spirit which they haue receiued from God though all verie vsefull for the Christian life yet some are more absolutely needfull as being vnto the soule not onely the hand by which it worketh but as the heart which is the very receptacle and seate of life by which it liueth which if they should miscarry all would be lost such as is faith and loue and repentance vnto life If these should receiue any dangerous hurt or fall into any deadly disease whereof they should not be againe well recouered there must needs follow the vtter ruine of such a Christian When therefore their faith is mightily assailed and by the strength of tentation sorely shaken when their repentance is challenged not to be sound and such as it ought Oh then how solicitous is a carefull Christian about the hauing of these well cured and recouered againe how feareful and doubtfull is he lest these should faile him and neuer be holpen how doth hee enquire after the best Physitians to heare the best counsell that in this case may be giuen yea if a whole Colledge of Physitians should all meete together to conferre about his disease they

and not Christ or preaching Christ Phil. 1. 15. 16. preach him of contention and not sincerely but of strife and enuie These hauing knowledge to preach preach not themselues but Christ Iesus the Lord and themselues seruants 2. Cor. 4. 5. to the people for Christ his sake they preach Christ not as the other doe of enuie but of good will Their knowledge puffeth them vp and maketh their 1. Cor. 8. 2. minds to swell they being wise in their owne eyes thinke Iob 12. 2. themselues the onely and that wisedome must needes die with them The knowledge of these pulleth them downe and maketh Prou. 30. 23. Gen. 18. 27. Iob 9. 20 30. 31 1. Cor. 8. 2. Iob 89. 1. Cor. 3. 18. men more vile in their owne eyes as they haue more knowledge of themselues their knowledge teacheth them to know that they know nothing as they ought to know and to say with Bildad We are but of yesterday and Nihilignotum in coelo nihil no tum in terrâ know nothing learning from the Apostle to become fooles in their owne eyes that they may be wise Their knowledge is idle knowledge they know and doe not with the Pharisies and as euill and naughty seruants Matth. 23. 3. knowing their masters wil refuse to doe it and therfore Luke 12. 47. are like to be beaten with many stripes The knowledge of these is fruitfull causing them to ioyne with their knowledge temperance patience godlines 2. Pet. 1. 6. 7. 8. c. and so they are neither idle nor vnfruitfull it teacheth them to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly Tit. 2. 11. 12. righteously and godlily in this present world that they may walke worthy of the Lord vnto all pleasing being fruitfull in euery good worke as they doe increase in the Coloss 1. 10. knowledge of God And this doth the Apostle Iohn make to be the triall of the knowledge of Christ to be good and that we may know we doe know him aright if wee 1. Iohn 2. 3. keepe his commandements Their knowledge serueth but to make them wiser and learneder teaching them how to discourse well and how to dispute well The knowledge of these serueth not onely to make them learneder but to make them better teaching them how to liue well Their knowledge is often abused to wrong the truth Nihil inimicum magis veritati acumine nimio they by learning being as enemies that are armed many that haue had great learning and great wits often proouing great enemies vnto goodnesse These can doe nothing against the truth at all but all the 2. Cor. 13. 8. learning and knowledge they haue is imployed and set aworke to defend the truth but they haue no knowledge to doe any thing against the truth These and the like are found to be the sundrie and diuers vses whereunto both the one and the other do make their knowledge to serue by which it may euidently enough be discerned how greatly as in other respects so in respect of the vse of knowledge the knowledge of either doth differ from the knowledge of the other And so to conclude this point concerning the differing knowledge in them that are vnsound and vnsanctified and in them that shall be saued by that which hath been said I think it may plainely enough appeare that in Gods matters the greatest Clerkes according to that which is said in the prouerbe are not alwaies found to be the wisest men neither Nil prosunt lecta nisi teipsum legas will much learning alone be sufficient to bring men to eternall saluation vnlesse their learning be good learning that may make them not onely wiser but better men and their knowledge be sanctified and sauing causing them as to know Christ with his sufferings that he died for their sinnes so to know by their owne experience and feeling in themselues what is the power of his resurrection for the quickning and reuiuing of them to all righteousnesse and holinesse of liuing If men had all other knowledges if they had skill in all Arts and Sciences that could be attained vnto and were so great Doctors and deepe Diuines as they could discusse the hardest points in Diuinitie and answere all questions and resolue clearely all doubts that might be moued if they were neuer so cunning disputers yet if they haue not learned to know Christ 1. Cor. 1. 20. as the truth is in Iesus which is that all that say they are in him must be new creatures that is be renewed in mind 2. Cor. 5. 17. thoughts purposes desires affections speeches actions and whole behauiour and this be so knowne as it rest not alone in idle speculation but in like manner be brought into action and knowne by practice in life and conuersation for want of the knowledge of this one truth al such knowledges be they neuer so absolute and exact of all manner of truths that are to be knowne beside which by their earnest studies their vncessant paines of their daies labours their nights watchings their vnknowne trauells all their life-time taken they haue now at the length so hardly come by shall yet profit them nothing In so much Isai 29. 14. as which were a strange saying euen a maruellous worke and a wonder to see it done and who will beleeue the report of it if it should bee spoken yet I dare bee bold to say let men bee failing but in that one point alone and though they were the greatest learned men that were in the whole world beside whom all did admire for their most absolute and most excellent skill and knowledge in all good literature wherein beside they were seene neuer so to excell yet should they vndoubtedly with all their knowledge perish for the want of knowledge the wisedome of such wise men should perish and the vnderstanding Hosea 4. 6. Isai 29. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 14. Vers 27. 28. of such prudent men be hid and the poorest ideot being a sound Christian wanting other knowledges but knowing this may worthily be said to go beyond the profoundest Clerke of them all that is not sanctified It were good therefore that learned men vpon this consideration would doe as it is said Augustine did hearing of Anthonie the Heremite his holy life who speaking to his companion Alipius cried out to him saying Quid hoc est quid patimur Lib. confess 8. cap. 1. surgunt indocti coelum rapiunt nos cum doctrinis nostris sine corde ecce vbi volutamur in carne in sanguine What meaneth all this what is it that we suffer thus tyrannized ouer by our lusts the vnlearned getting vp are before vs in getting of heauen while we with all our learning as without hart lye stil groueling and wallowing in flesh blood It were good that they would think of ioyning with their 2. Pet. 1. 6. 7. 10. knowledge vertue

tēperance patience brotherly kindnes the like as Peter counselleth that so as they might neither be idle nor vnfruitful so these things being in thē and abounding they may become sure they shall neuer fall Their danger of perishing for want of knowledge is not for want of literall theoricall and speculatiue knowledge but for want of liuely effectuall practicall knowledge their Rom. 6. 23. Psal 125. 5. Psal 9. 17. Heb. 12. 14. minds are inlightned sufficiently in generall to know that the reward of all sin is death that all workers of iniquity must perish that the wicked shal be turned into hel and all the people that forget God and that without holinesse no man shall see God but I feare many are ●eceiued in this point who know much otherwise to thinke that there may be virtutis ni●ium men may be too precise and too strict in their holines and in that they dreame of a greater libertie and make larger grants licenses to themselues to continue in their sinnes then they can find warrant for out of Gods Word and yet hope for all that to come well enough to heauen And others when they see them that are learned so to take liberty and so to liue they follow after without either feare or wit as we vse to speake holding it for a principle that tutum est errare authoribus illis these men say they know as much as the best if they knew they might not doe it they would not doe as they doe if such men erre we dare at a venture erre with them for company If there bee any thing hidden kept secret from men in these knowing and vnderstanding times wherein the world and age we liue in may be said after a sort to bee as full of knowledge as the sea is of water it is in things not so much appertaining to the information of mens minds as to the reformation 2. Cor. 4. 4. of mens manners the god of the world so blinding the eyes of the most euen among them that are professors of the faith that the light of the glorious Gospell though it shine clearely enough to make known this whole matter yet it should not shine vnto them to let them see how absolutely necessary it is to the attainement of saluatiō for al that nameth the name of Christ to depart from al maner of 2. Tim. 2 19. iniquity and so to be changed and throughout sanctified as not to rest with Agrippa in being almost or halfe perswaded Acts 26. 28. 29. to leaue their sinnes and reforme their liues but wholly to be like Paul and altogether of his practice who bestowed labour vpon himselfe for the taming of his body 1. Cor. 9. 27. and bringing it vnder lest by any meanes when he had preached to others he himselfe should be a cast-away That which was a secret in Dauids time or whosoeuer else it was that made the Psalme for the Sabbath is still a secret to this day vnto men of the like fashion that is an vnwise or brutish Psal 92. 6. 7. man knoweth not neither doth a foole vnderstand this that all the workers of iniquitie euen when they flourish most shall be destroyed for euer and that many who know Christ to professe him and know Christ to preach him yet shall not be knowne of Christ in that day of his appearing Matth. 7. 22. but be sent away with this answere giuen them Depart from me I know you not and all because they haue been workers of iniquitie and then they shall though too late see their owne folly in the end and how much for all their good knowledge that in other things they haue had they yet haue been deceiued in this when they shal haue cause too iustly to complaine that destruction and Rom. 3. 16. 17. vnhappinesse haue been in their wayes and the wayes of truth they haue not knowne Let men haue what knowledge they may if they faile in obedience to Gods commandements there is not a dramme of sound wisdome and sauing knowledge in them at all as the Lord speaketh by his Prophet How doe you say we are wise and the Law of the I●r 8. 8. 9. Lord is with vs they haue reiected the word of God and then what wisedome is there in them That was good learning Seneca ep 95. which a Heathē Philosopher could say was the learning and wisdome of old time which taught nothing more Iob 28. 28. then what was fit to be done and what to be left vndone Now we are taught more how to dispute well how men were much better though not so learned now men since they are growne more learned haue left of to be so good Of all learning it is the best learning truly to know God and feare him the feare of the Lord being true wisedome and the departing from euill being the best vnderstanding according to that which the Psalmist speaketh that a good vnderstanding Psal 111. 10. haue they that doe there-after and the praise thereof will endure for euer If any desire to know how with all their other knowledges they might come to know this last and of all the rest the best and most needefull point of knowledge namely so to know Christ as there withall to know also that all that are in Christ and looke to bee saued by him of necessitie must bee new creatures and purge themselues as he is pure let them with prayer and Psal 25. 9. holy meditation learne in humility the way of liuing wel in learning it let them obey it and in obeying they shall still learne it better as our Sauiour himselfe hath promised to them that will doe the will of his Father And so much Iohn 7. 17. 8. 31. 32. let be said concerning this point of the difference of the knowledges that may be discerned and found to bee among men CHAP. XII The second difference which is in their laying hold of Christ for saluation Question BEside knowledge you haue shewed there must be also a laying hold of Christ with a perswasion that God will be fauourable to vs in and through him and for as much as in hypocrites these also may seeme to be found as well as the knowledge of Christ I pray you shew what difference may be put betweene the apprehension of Christ for saluation by a true beleeuer and the perswasion he hath of obtaining saluation by him and that which can bee found in one that is not currant nor sound in his beleeuing A. The one layeth hold of Christ in imagination and Diuers apprehension of Christ conceit onely and therefore is neuer the better the other in truth and certaintie and so vndoubtedly becommeth saued thereby The apprehension of Christ by an hypocrite in his owne imagination is but as the holding of an Angell of gold in the hand of one that is deceiued by a Iuggler that hath his senses