Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	commit_v	sin_n	sin_v	2,906	5	9.7075	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39660	Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20 : wherein is opened the admirable condescension and patience of Christ in waiting upon trifling and obstinate sinners, the wretched state of the unconverted, the nature of evangelical faith ..., the riches of free grace in the offers of Christ ..., the invaluable priviledges of union and communion granted to all who receive him ... / by John Flavell ...	Flavel, John, 1630?-1691.	1689 (1689)	Wing F1159A; ESTC R40912	301,553	568

of sin by are these 1. There be sins of infirmity committed out of weakness and there are crying sins in the Ears of the Lord of the former sort sins of infirmity you read Gal. 6. 1. where it is called an overtaking in a fault here 's no premeditation nor deliberate consent but a surprize these go not to the account of gross and heynous enormities called in Scripture crying sins such as are the sin of oppression Hab. 2. 10 11. The stones shall cry out of the wall aud the beam out of the timber shall answer it The meaning is that the injustice and oppression which Men have used in raising their own Houses shall cry in the Ears of the Lord for vengance The Stone in the Wall shall say I was digged out of the Quarry hewen and layed here by the unrewarded labours of the poor Mason and the Timber out of the Beam shall say I was hewn squared and placed here by the unrewarded Hands of the poor Carpenter This is a crying sin so also is the sin of Murder when our Hands have been defiled with innocent Blood this makes a dismal cry in Heaven Gen. 4. 10. The voice of thy Brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground A sin that makes an horrid outcry in both Worlds at once in Heaven and in the sinners Conscience Such also is the sin of unnatural lusts the sin of Sodom made a cry which came up to Heaven Gen. 18. 20. Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous Compare these sins with the sins of common infirmity which come by way of involuntary surprize and what vast odds will be found in the weight and aggravations of them 2ly You find in Scripture a great difference put betwixt sins committed against the clear shining light of Knowledge in the sinners Conscience and sins of Ignorance which are committed for want of Knowledge Christ himself puts a great difference betwixt them Luke 12. 47 48. and so doth the Apostle Iames 4. 17. To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Sin with a witness 3ly There are single acts of sin and continued or repeated acts of sin Sins committed after Conviction Promises and Resolutions Now there is not so much of guilt in a single act of sin as there is in a repeated and continued course of sin called Deut. 29. 19. Adding of drunkenness to thirst and Isa. 30. 1. Adding sin to sin For as it is in numbring so it is in sinning if the first figure be one the second is ten the third an hundred the fourth a thousand and every addition makes a greater multiplication O what a dreadful reckoning will here be for the Consciences of poor sinners 4ly Contrivers and studiers of sin are always in Scripture placed in the first rank of sinners The best servant God hath in the World may be surprized by the deceitfulness of sin against the gracious bent and resolution of his Soul but the contrivance and plotting of sin is quite another thing therefore it is said of the wicked Iob 15. 35. They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity and their belly prepareth deceit That is sin like the Foetus in the Womb hath its time of conception growth and birth and all this by the deliberate consent of the naughty Heart and Will which fosters and cherishes it 5ly There are ring-leaders in sin and single personal sins which spread no farther than our selves a ring-leader in sin is in Scripture reckoned amongst the greatest of sinners so Revel 2. 14. Thou hast them that held the Doctrin of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the Children of Israel thus Ieroboam the son of Nebat made Israel to sin There is the same difference betwixt these and single personal sins as there is betwixt a chain shot and a single bullet Mind this you that have induced others to sin by your counsel or example 6ly There are sins in which men glory and take pleasure and sins for which men groan and mourn Now the more pleasure any man takes in sin the greater doth the sin arise in its aggravation We read of some Iob 20. 12. in whose mouths wickedness is sweet and they hide it under their tongue that is they draw a great deal of contemplative delight before and after the commission of sin as well as in the commission of it 'T is bad enough to sin and sigh to sin and weep but to sin and boast to sin and make a mock of sin what a prodigious way of sinning is this O Sinner what an heart hast thou that canst play and sport with that which grieves God crucified Christ and with without deep and sound Repentance will damn thine own Soul 7ly The more Bonds of Restraint any man breaks asunder to commit sin the greater and more aggravated always that sin is in the sight of God. There be some persons upon whom God hath laid more bonds of restraint to keep back their souls from iniquity than he hath upon others The more mercies he hath bestowed upon you the more restraints from sin So many mercies so many tyes Ier. 2. 5 6. especially spiritual mercies as light in your minds pardons sealed to your consciences love manifested to your souls Such also are your own Vows Promises and Resolutions Ier. 2. 20. Thou saidst I will no more transgress Didst not thou promise me saith God more care and circumspection for time to come And such are all the Examples and Warnings God hath given us by his Judgments upon others 1 Cor. 10. 11. These things put an Accent upon sin and make it out of measure sinful And now my Friends what have have I been driving at all this while in opening the greatness and aggravations of sin The design of all this is to shew you the indispensible need of Repentance and Faith to carry you to Christ. But I am the person upon whom these crying aggravated sins are found you tell me of going to Christ alas there is no hope of mercy for such a wretch as I am There it sticks Poor sinners think 't is to no purpose they had as good go on in sin for they conclude there 's no hope for them Come sinners give me leave to tell you you have a Text before you that the clears the way of your duty and salvation at once If any man be he what he will be his sins never so great yet if he hear my voice and open the door I will come into him saith Christ. There is mercy in Jesus Christ for thee who art guilty of crying sins For thee that hast added sinned against light and knowledge For thee that hast drunkenness to thirst For thee that hast contrived sin with deliberation For thee that hast induced others to sin by counsel or example For thee that hast taken pleasure in iniquity and made a sport of sin Yea and for

to spend our blood for the Saints So it was in the primitive times Behold ●said the Christians Enemies how they love one another and are willing to dye one for another But that Spirit is almost extinguished in these degenerate dayes VI. Instance How many stand convinced by their own Consciences what a sin it is to spend their precious time so idly and vainly as they do When a day is lost in vanity duties neglected no good done or received at night Conscience reckons with them for it and askes them what account they can give of that day to God. How they are able to satisfie themselves to lye down and sleep under so much guilt and yet when the morrow comes the vanity of their hearts carries them on in the same Course again the next day and whilst they keep themselves in vain Company they are quiet till Conscience finds them at leisure to debate it again with them Now the things which master Conviction are 1. In some men their Ignorance and Insensibility of the Preciousness of time They know 't is their sin to spend their time so vainly but little consider that Eternity it self hangs upon this little Moment of Time and that the great work of their Salvation will require all the time they have and if it be not finished in this small allottment of time it can never be finished Ioh. 9. 4. 2. The Examples of other vain persons that are as Prodigal of their precious time as themselves and entice them to spend it as they do 3. The charming power of sensual Lusts and Pleasures Oh how pleasantly doth time slide away in Playes Alehouses in relating or hearing taking Stories News c. 4. Inconsiderateness of the sharp and terrible rebukes of Conscience for this on a Death-bed or the terrors of the Lord in the day of Judgment In all these Instances you see how common this dreadful evil of holding the truth in unrighteousness is yet these are but a few selected from among many 5. In the next place I am obliged to shew how and why the imprisoning of Convictions or holding the Truths of God in Unrighteousness so dreadfully incenseth his Wrath. And this it doth upon several accounts 1. Knowledge and Conviction of sin is an excellent means or choice help to preserve Men from falling into sin There be Thousands of sins committed in the World which had never been committed if Men had known them to be sins before they committed them Every Sinner durst not make so bold with his Conscience as you have done The Apostle tells us the reason why the Princes of this World crucified the Lord of Glory was because they knew him not 1 Cor. 2. 8. Had they known him they would not have dared to do as they did And so it is in multitudes of lower and lesser sins than that Satan mops their Eyes with Ignorance then uses their Hands and Tongues in Wickedness he is the Ruler of the darkness of the World Eph. 6. 12. But when Men do know this or that to be sin and yet venture on it here an excellent Antidote against sin is turned into a dreadful aggravation of sin which highly incenses the Wrath of God. 2. Knowledge and Conviction going before adds presumption to the Sin that follows after it and presumptuous Sin is the most provoking and daring Sin from this way of sinning David earnestly beseeches God to keep him Keep back thy servant saith he from presumptuous sins When a man sees sin and yet adventures on it in such sinning there is a despising of the Law of God A Man may break the Law whilst he approves reverences and honours it in his heart Rom. 7. 12 13. but here the Commandment is despised as God told David 2 Sam. 12. 9. 'T is as if a Man should say I see the Command of God armed with threatnings in my way but yet I will go on for all that 3. Knowledge and Conviction leave the Conscience of a Sinner naked and wholly without excuse or apologie for his sin In this case there is no plea left to extenuate the offence Iohn 15. 22. Now they have no cloak for their sin if a man sins ignorantly his ignorance is some excuse for his sin it excuses it at least a tanto as Paul tells us thus and thus I did but I did it ignorantly Here is cloak or covering an excuse or extenuation of the sin but knowledge takes away this cloak and makes the sin appear naked in all the odious deformity of it nothing left to hide it 4. Light or Knowledge of the Law and Will of God is a very choice and excellent Mercy 't is a choice and singular favour for God to make the light of Knowledge to shine into a Mans mind or understanding 'T is a Mercy withheld from multitudes Psal. 147. 19. and those that injoy it are under special engagements to bless God for it and to improve it diligently and thankfully to his Service and Glory but for a Man to arm such a Mercy as this against God to fight against him with one of his choicest Mercies this must be highly provoking to the Lord 'T is therefore mention'd as an high aggravation of Solomons sin in the 1 Kings 11. 9. that he sinned against the Lord after the Lord had appeared unto him twice 5. This way of sinning argues an extraordinary degree of hardness of heart 'T is a sign of little tenderness or sense of the evil of sin Some Men when God shews them the evil of sin in the glass of the Law they tremble at the sight of it So did Paul Rom. 7. 13. When the Commandment came sin revived and he died he sunk down at the sight of it But God shews thee the evil of sin in the glass of his Law and thou makest nothing of it O obdurate heart When the Rod was turned into a Serpent Moses fled from it was afraid to touch it but though God turns the Rod into a Serpent and discovers the venomous Nature of Sin in his Word thou canst handle and play with that Serpent and put it into thy bosome this shews thy heart to be of a strange complexion 6. To go against the convincing warning voice of Conscience violates and wounds a Mans Conscience more than any other way of sinning doth and when Conscience is so wounded who or what shall then comfort thee 'T is a true Rule Maxima violatio Conscientiae est maximum peccatum The more any sin violates a mans Conscience the greater that sin is The sin of Devils is the most dreadful sin and what makes it so but the horrid violation of their Consciences and malicious Rebellion against their own Light and clear Knowledge Iames 2. 19. They know and sin they believe and tremble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they roar under the Tortures of Conscience like the Rote of the Sea or noise of the Rocks before a Storm O then if there be any degree of sense

and tenderness left in you if any fear of God or regard to salvation let go all Gods Prisoners which lye bound and are imprisoned in any of your Souls this day Blessed be God some have done so and are at ease and rest in their spirits by so doing They could have no ease till they unbound them and yielded obedience to them 'T is said Acts 16. 38. that when the Magistrates of Philippi understood that those Men whom they had bound and imprisoned were Romans they feared and well they might for the punishment was great for any Man that injured a Citizen or Freeman of Rome but every Conviction you imprison is a Messenger of Heaven a Commission Officer of God and woe to him that binds or abuseth it Do you know what you do Are you aware of the danger Wast thou not afraid said David to the Amalakite to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lords Anointed So say I Art thou not afraid to destroy the immediate Messenger of God sent to thy Soul for good Conviction is a kind of Embrio of Conversion the Conversion and Salvation of thy Soul would be the Fruit of it were it obeyed Thy strivings with it causes it to miscarry renders it Abortive and thy Life must go for it except God revive and recover it again As you know the Law is for striking a pregnant Woman Exod. 21 22 23. Loose then every Man the Lords Prisoners I mean your restrained stifled Convictions stifle them no longer you see what a dreadful aggravation of sin it is and that the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men that hold the truth in Unrighteousness I. USE For Information I. Inference This will prove a fruitful Doctrine to inform us First That knowledge in it self is not enough to secure the Soul of any Man from Hell. No Gifts no Knowledge but that only which is operative and influential upon the Heart and Life and to which we pay Obedience can secure any Man from Wrath Iohn 13. 17. If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them The greatest sins may be found in Conjunction with the greatest knowledge as you see in the fallen Angels Light is then only a Blessing when guides the Soul into the way of Duty and Obedience there 's many a knowing head in Hell Yet from hence let no Man indulge himself in Ignorance or shun the means of knowledge that he may sin more freely and less dangerously for you must account with God for all that knowledge you might have had as well as for that you had for the means of knowledge he gave you as well as for that knowledge you did actually attain by them II. Inference What singular and choice Mercy is a tender Conscience A Conscience yielding Obedience to Conviction A drop of such tenderness in the Conscience is better than a Sea of speculative knowledge in the head 1 Cor. 12. 31. Many poor Christians are ashamed to see themselves so out-stripped and excelled by others in Gifts and apt to be discouraged but if God have blessed thee with a tender obediential Heart to the Will of God so far as he is pleased to manifest it to thee thou hast no reason to be discouraged for want of those Excellent Gifts and parts others do enjoy You cannot discourse floridly nor dispute subtilly but can you obey conscienciously and comply with the manifested Will of God tenderly Then happy art thou O! 'T is far better to feel a Truth than meerly to know it It was the high Commendation of the Romans that they obeyed from the Heart that form of Gospel-Doctrine which was delivered them Rom. 6. 17. or into which rather they were delivered as melted Metals are into the Moulds Two Learned Divines travelling to the Council of Constance were affected even to Tears at the sight of a Shepherd in the Fields mourning and melting at the sight of a Toad and blessing God that he had not made him such a loathsome Creature whereupon they applyed Austins words to themselves Surgunt indocti c. The Unlearned will rise and take Heaven from the Learned Thy little knowledge made effectual by Obedience is more sanctified more sweet and more saving than other Mens and therefore of much greater value 'T is more sanctified for the Blessing of God is upon it Gal. 6. 16. 'T is more sweet for you relish the goodness as well as discern the Truth of Gospel-Doctrines Psal. 119. 103. 'T is not an insipid dry speculation and then 't is more saving being one of those better things that accompanieth Salvation as it is Heb. 6. 9. III. Inference Learn hence in the third place What an uncomfortable Life knowing but unregenerate Men and Women do live They are frequently in Wars and Combats with their own Consciences Isa. 46. 22. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God. They and their Consciences are ever and anon at Daggers drawing They have little pleasure in Sin and none at all in Religion They have none in Religion because they obey not its Rules and little in Sin because their Consciences are still gauling and terrifying them for imprisoning their Convictions 'T is true some Mens Consciences are seared as with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 2. but most have grumbling and some have raging and roaring Consciences they seldom come under the Word or Rod but their Consciences lash them And when Death approaches the Terrours of the Almighty do shake and terrifie them Altogether to neglect Duty they dare not and how to escape a lash from their Consciences they know not Feign they would have the pleasures of sin but then like Balaam they meet a Sword in the way they plunge themselves into Earthly diversions like Cain to be rid of a Fury within them but all will not do Is this a Life for thee Reader to live No peace with God nor any with thy self No no expect no peace whilst thy Convictions lye bound and imprison'd in thy Conscience Sin for a moment is sweet in thy mouth but it s presently turned into the Gall of Aspes within thee Ioh 20. 14. O that you did but know the pleasures of a pure peaceable Conscience ence and how much it excels all the delights of sense and sin IV. Inferences Ministers had need often to repeat and inculcate the same Truths to their hearers For the work is not half done when Truth is got into the minds and Consciences of Men. Our work sticks at the Heart more than the Head The Understanding is many times open'd when the Heart and Will are lockt and fast barr'd against it To open the passages betwixt the Head and Heart is the greatest difficulty this is the work of Almighty Power There is knowledge enough in some Mens heads to save them but it hath not its Liberty Restrained Truth cannot do its Office T is much easier to convince the Mind than to change the