Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	believe_v	faith_n	implicit_a	1,688	5	13.6300	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52816	A Protestant antidote against the poyson of popery clearly proving the religion of the Church of Rome to be 1. superstitious, 2. idolatrous, 3. damnable, 4. bloody, 5. novel, 6. inconsistent with the publick peace, 7. irreconciliable to true Christianity ... / by Christopher Nesse ...	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.	1679 (1679)	Wing N461; ESTC R14548	103,633	225

this Condition will I make a Covenant with you if I may thrust out all your Right Eyes 1 Sam. 11.2 that they might have been disenabled from taking up Arms and so become his Vassals for ever Thus doth the man of sin blow out the lights of the Gospel and takes away all means of knowledge 168. The Romish Priests are much like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lawyers that Christ speaks of Luke 11.52 that took away the Key of knowledge and neither would enter in themselves nor suffer others that would have entred Those Priests take away all means of knowledge by which as by a Key men are to have their entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven they interdict them the use of the Scriptures which is the way to Christ and consequently of Christ which is the way to Heaven 169. Knowledge is so necessary to a true Christian that there can be no sound believing nor Salvation without it It is required to the being of Saving Faith as a necessary Antecedent thereof for though there may be Knowledge without Faith yet there can never be Faith without Knowledge for one ingredient of Faith is Assent which is an action of the Understanding the object whereof is truth and there must be some knowledge and apprehension of this truth before we can Assent to it 170. Though Knowledge be not Faith but an habit distinct from it yet it doth concur to the being of Faith for no Assent can be without it as there is a Faith to be added to Knowledge for men may have Knowledge and want Faith so there is a Knowledge to be added to Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 to wit a more full understanding of heavenly Mysteries Yet so blind is the Popish Religion that it opposes the first sort of Knowledge which is an Antecedent of Faith much more this which is a consequent of it 171. Their implicit Faith therefore where by they give only a general Assent to all the Doctrines of their Church and Churchmen whilst they scarce know any one Article of their Faith distinctly is a mere bruitish unreasonable thing not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) Reasonable Service Rom. 12.1 like the motion of a Beast that is ordered by his Driver but knows neither whither nor wherefore how can their Laity give an account of their Faith 1 Pet. 3.15 172. How can their service which is not according to knowledge be acceptable to God 'T is our duty first to know God and then to worship him Scientiae praecedit Religio sequitur saith Lactantius Institu lib. 4. cap. 4. Our Understandings must first be informed and then our Affections reformed there must first be a scire facias and then a fieri facias how can a blind Papist do the Will of God that knows it not this brings upon him a double guilt to wit of Ignorance and Disobedience both which are damning 173. Ignorance is a damning Sin of it self for there is Vengeance to be rendred on them that know not God 2 Thess 1.7 8. it exposes us to the wrath of that dreadful day it makes men Aliens to the life of God Eph. 4.18 through the Ignorance that is in them So becomes it indeed a Mother Sin the Mother of many Transgressions not the Mother of any true Devotion How did this Mother Ignorance bring forth Blasphemy Persecution c. in the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.13 and in the Gentiles 1 Cor. 12.2 Ignorance is the proper Element of Sin where Knowledge is there Sin is tanquam Piscis in Arido out of its Element upon dry Land 174. All wicked men are under Satan but ignorant ones are in his very Dungeon this Sin is a Leprosie in the Head if it be affected and such are to be pronounced utterly unclean Lev. 13.33 That Ignorance which proceeds from a perverse disposition which will not know God as Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 is worse than hatred of God for such Ignorance is the cause of hatred and in Vices the cause must be worse than the effect this Ignorance makes us haters of God 175. There is a natural Ignorance which every child of Adam brings with him into the World forasmuch as every mans understanding is darkned and this in Infants being a part of their Original Corruption is more than purae negationis but is also pravae dispositionis as being ill disposed to know by their evil Nature Now where this simple Ignorance is without any stubborn and wilful neglect and contempt of the means of knowledge there Stripes are due Luke 12.48 It is a sin and deserves Death 176. Ignorance in things revealed and commanded to be known may incur (d) Christ died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the not knowings of his people Heb. 9.7 Only such to be saved that come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 2.25 eternal death though not so much torment 't is only fewer stripes and as Austin saith all that simple Ignorance can profit us in that day is ùt mitiùs ardeamus that we may burn the slowlier but wilful Ignorance shall have many stripes they shall have the hottest place in Hell and God expresses great wrath against such They that are ignorant let them be ignorant still 1 Cor. 14.38 if they affect it let them perish in it 177. It must follow then that the Popish Religion is a dangerous and damnable Religion that makes a direct profession of this shameful sin as if it were the best way to do our duty not to know it at all as if the faith of a ghostly Father would save us without our own hath God wrath for Heathens that know him not who are left in the dark to grope after him Jer. 10.25 then double Damnation attends those Papists that reject means of knowledge saying depart from us c. (e) God will say to them depart from me as they to him depart from us Job 21.14 John 3.19 26. 178. The same Romanists that have so little charity for us saying that a Protestant cannot be saved have a great deal of charity for the Heathens on whom the Lord hath said he will pour out his fury because they know him not maintaining that Infidels may be saved though they believe not the Articles of the Christian Faith as if that were not necessary to Salvation Thus through their partial and ungrounded censures they cast out the Protestants and receive Infidels into the bosom of their Church 179. But Christ tells us that Heathens are strangers to the true Church and not Members of it and such as are excommunicate should be as the heathen Matth. 18.17 and our best Writers hold that Negative Infidelity is a Sin as well as a punishment of Sin though Stapleton and others deny it from John 15.22 If I had not come and spoke to them they had not had sin The Pagans never had Christ preached to them and therefore they believe not so 't is not their sin 180. How can that Text be understood

dispositionis This par ratio is defended by him against the judgment of Gerson in lect 4. de vitâ spirituali and of Hugo de Sacram. p. 6. c. 5. 155. And de Clara confesses that there are others Qui asserebant Deum non permissurum ut aliquis decipratur in aliquâ veritate fidei absque suâ culpâ and then adds his opinion Ego ut ingenuè meum sensum hâc in parte aperiam c. to speak my own sence freely I think that the common people committing themselves to the instruction of their Pastors trusting their knowledge and goodness if they be deceived it shall be accounted invincible Ignorance 〈◊〉 saltem probabilis which truly excuses from fault 156. He goes on and says Im●… aliqui Doctores tantum tribuunt instructioni 〈◊〉 quibus incumbit cura ovium c. that if those Pastors on whom the care of the Flock dependeth do teach hic et nunc that God would be hated the rude Parishioner is bound to believe them Azorius also saith Rusticus et Imperitus qui parocho suo fidem babens credet diquid contra articules fidei excusatur a peccate where he cites Scotus and Gabriel to be of the same Opinion 157. 'T is true If their Priests did infallibly keep knowledge as they falsely sense those words in Mal. 2.7 saying further that the Law given is not a Law but in the mouth of the Priest then would it be the less sin to pin their faith upon the Sleeves of their Priests and the ignorance of their Laity would be invincible ignorance for want of information from their Clergy but we find in Story how notoriously their Priests have fallen short of keeping infallibly the knowledge of the Law of God 158. It is manifest in Ecclesiastical History that the Popish Priests like the Sons of Eli are Sons of Belial that knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 1.12 nor the Law of their God witness that (y) Acts and Monuments Fox Popish Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland who boasted yea thanked God that he never knew what the Old and New Testament were and that he would care to know nothing but his Portuise and his Pontifical As likewise that Popish Priest in Germany who being asked by the Visitors whether he taught his people the Decalogue answered that he had not the Book so called 159. And of our own Popish Priests in England that were notorious Ignoramuses our Martyrology gives many examples as that Priest that told Justice Leland that the New Testament of Tindal's Translation was plain Heresie and none worse than it and bloody Bonner burning of Bibles and his Kinsman Darbyshire that said the Scriptures were sufficient to Salvation but not to Instruction but I would not rake in this Kennel Those Priests lips kept knowledge well 160. Chrysostom had long before discovered and lamented Multi Sacerdotes et tamen pauci multi in Nomine pauci in opere and Petrarch complained in his time that the stench of that Sink the Romish Clergy was come up to heaven this Ribera bewails also But above all Famous Luther speaks home to this affirming that Hell is paved with the Skulls of those prophane Popish Priests and Erasmus likewise lays them open in their colours who did them more mischief jocando than Luther did stomachando how can sober minds hang (z) As Luke 19. last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Ears at such lips as those 161. But the Romanists falsifie that Text in Mal. 2.7 reading it The lips of the Priests keep knowledge making it a plea for their Infallibility as if all things knowable were locked up in the Cabinet of their Breasts whereas in the Hebrew it is the Priests lips should keep knowledge which is not a prophesie but a Commandment by those words God doth not foretell that the Priests should never turn from the true Doctrine but forbiddeth them to turn from it 'T is equally absurd to make Commands Prophesies as to make Prophesies Commands (a) Moulin's Buckler of Faith pag. 65. as if Christs foretelling One of you shall betray me had been a bidding them betray him 162. And the following Verses in Mal. 2. plainly shows how those Priests lips had not preserved knowledge but had seduced the people and corrupted the Covenant of God They had forsaken the way and caused many to stumble v. 8. and must the Law be only a Rule in their mouths as if God were beholding to them for owning it (b) Cajetan Com nent on Matth. Cardinal Cajetan confesses thus much of the Popish Priests that they which should have been by their places the Salt of the Earth had lost their savour and minded nothing but the Rites and Revenues of the Church 163. Now are such Priests fit to be confided in in matters of knowledge and goodness as de Clara would bear us in hand must the people only believe as they believe must they look after no other knowledge and goodness but what is to be found in those doltish prophane Priests Our Lord gives us better direction than this quirking Fryar in bidding us try the Spirits 1 John 4.1 and prove all things 1 Thess 5.21 as those noble Bereans did Act. 17.11 and in telling us that if the Blind lead the Blind both falls into the Ditch Math. 15.14 164. Those blind guides indeed shall lye lowermost and have the worst of it but wo to them that follow their pernicious ways hoodwinked and blindfold This is their implicit faith believing as the Church believes and their blind Obedience walking in darkness and they know not whither but can never be judged invincible Ignorance to excuse from blame although Franciscus de Clara do affirm it especially here in England where so many Bibles godly Books and so much powerful Preaching may be easily come to 165. The holy Scriptures were written that we might believe John 20.31 and we are commanded to search them John 5.39 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word 2 Pet. 1.19 upon the testimony of which we must depend primariò and not upon the Church as they say for this is to leave the Fountain and a going to broken Cisterns and 't is a damnable Religion that keeps ignorant of the Scriptures They have Moses and the Prophets c. Luke 16.29 31. 166. It is worth our observation to take notice what difference there is betwixt the Apostolical and Antichristian Spirit the Apostolical Spirit saith thus Moreover Brethren I would not that you should be ignorant 1 Cor. 10.1 he would not have them ignorant in spiritual things but would have them zealous according to knowledge but the Antichristian Spirit is well content that the Brethren should remain ignorant and continue in blind Devotion 167. This Popish Religion is therefore a blind Religion so dangerous and damnable because it puts out the eye of knowledge Thus Antichrist saith to the Inhabitants of the World just as Nahash the Ammonite said to the men of Jabesh-Gilead On

absolutely then it would follow that if Christ had not come amongst the Jews they had not been sinners and Gentiles that had not the Gospel were without sin which be both absurd but Austin in Tract 89. understands Sin there the great Sin of Unbelief under which all Sins are comprehended and saith expressly that though those which never had the Gospel have some excuse for their unbelief yet none for other Sins 181. The same Augustine proceeds saying such as amongst whom Christ came not may indeed have their excuse for sin but yet are not thereby freed from being damned for Sin for the Apostle is plain They which sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law Rom. 2.12 Yet there are degrees of Punishments as there be of Sins which Humane conjectures cannot comprehend they to whom Christ came and spake shall want this excuse they cannot say we have not seen nor heard him 182. And in Tract 91. in Johan he says others that can thus excuse themselves if they be not delivered from all judgment yet certainly their judgment shall be somewhat lighter than those that had seen his great works for Christ did works which none other did As the feeding of five thousand with a few Loaves and Fishes his walking upon the Water and causing Peter to come to him his turning Water into Wine and his opening the Eyes of the man that was born blind c. for which he deserv'd their best love but having hatred for Love after all these great works their Sin was inexcusable 183. To this Purpose also Chrysostom in Hom. 76. in Johan saith the Lord Christ having according to Moses Law confirmed his Doctrine by marvellous works sheweth that the Jews withstanding him yet should have no pardon For Moses had charged them to obey (f) Christ wrought Miracles as a Master by his own Authority and Command All others but as Servants him who proved his Doctrine by miracles such as none other ever did yea themselves restified that (g) John 9.32 There was never the like done in Israel and since the World began was it heard that any opened the Eyes of one born blind 184. Seeing then not to have heard any thing of Christ doth not sufficiently excuse Infidelity because it many times happens through mens own fault God justly punishing their own sin thereby with a denyal to them of the Preaching of the Gospel (h) Polan Synt. Theolog. lib. 9. cap. pag. 591.1 Col. Polanus saith well Ignorantia non excusat eos qui fidei capaces sant quandoquidem ignorantia in Adamo in quo omnes peccârunt voluntaria fuit et debent omnes et scire et credere 185. He saith also that Negative Infidelity vel sola damnat et a Regno coelorum arcet It is no hard matter to prove that even the want of a due preaching of the Gospel and of a right propounding of the knowledge of Christ to them is a punishment for their sin and sin can never excuse sin Infidels ought themselves to seek after the knowledge of the truth now if Negative Infidelity do damn the Heathens then Positive Infidelity such as is in Papists that hear and believe not must needs double damn them 186. The Papists are despisers of most clear light of the truth that hath been spread before them by many famous men so they sin against knowledge and have no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pretence for their Sin Minor erat culpa ubi erat culpae Ignorantia saith Ambrose lib. 9. Ep. 71. But because they say they see as the Pharisees that saw the works of Christ therefore their sin of a (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Twice dipt Scarlet Sin double dye remaineth (k) John 9.41 187. But to let pass their blind charity for blind Infidels which is a mere design for up holding their Kingdom and palliating their opinions about an implicit Faith I come to their uncharitableness towards us in making us worse than Infidels and passing this partial censure that Protestants cannot be saved though Infidels may (l) Coster Resp ad Refut Osiand propos 8. Costerus saith Fierinequit ut Lutheranus moriens salvetur This is a brave Romish Dictator 188. And it is determined by a general Council and the Pope that no man can be saved out of their Church as headed by the Pope extra Ecclesiam Romanam nulla est salus that it is necessary to Salvation to be a subject of the Pope of Rome Yet can they take in Infidels and lay the Church as common to the world for as many as will but believe in the Pope though they believe not in Christ whose Vicar he pretends to be 189. How can this Popish Censure be of any moment that Judges no Salvation can be among us yet if we were Infidels we might be saved so we had but an implicit Faith and believed in the Pope But the choicest Saint and Servant of God that hath an explicit Faith in Christ cannot be saved if he believe not in the Pope and be of the Church of Rome Is this a Judging according to God 190. If it had been essential to Christianity and necessary to salvation to believe in the Pope or Church of Rome then the Apostles would have preached it for converting the People would have baptized the converted into the Pope and Roman Church and it would have been inserted in some of those antient Creeds or in some of the expesitions of them but there is not a word in Scripture or any Ecclesiastical History that intimates any of those Premises and sure such a necessary point would not have been omitted 191. But Thousands and Millions were saved in the Primitive times without ever believing in the Pope or Roman Church and Paul and Silas were much mistaken when the Jaylor cryed to them Sirs what must I do to be saved in answering him Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house Act. 16.30 31. According to the doctrine of the Romanists they should have directed them thus Thou must believe in the Pope and in the Roman Church and thou shalt be saved 192. It cannot be proved that one Christian believed in the Pope or Church of Rome for many an hundred year after Christ much less that all believed so yet for want of this belief not only we Protestants are all damned by the Romish Church but such is their uncharitableness that they damn all the Christians among the Greeks Moscovites Armenians Abassines Aethiopians Waldenses c. that believes not in the Pope 193. (m) Baxter's Key for Catholicks pag. 262. Mr. Baxter very acutely retorts upon the Romanists for this uncharitableness saying If Charity be the life of all the Graces or holy qualities of the Soul and that which above all others proveth a man to be justified and in a state of Salvation then judge by this Argument of their own whether our charitableness to them or