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
A91504	Les provinciales: or, The mysterie of Jesuitisme, discover'd in certain letters, written upon occasion of the present differences at Sorbonne, between the Jansenists and the Molinists, from January 1656. to March 1657. S.N. Displaying the corrupt maximes and politicks of that society. Faithfully rendred into English.; Provinciales. English	Pascal, Blaise, 1623-1662.; Vaughan, Robert, engraver.	1657 (1657)	Wing P643; Thomason E1623_1; ESTC R203163	222,033	540

shadow of death Does it not sufficiently convince you that your principle is erroneous to see that Saint Paul calls himself the chiefest of sinners for a sin which he professes committed out of ignorance not without zeal Is not the Gospel clear enough that those who crucified Jesus Christ stood in need of the pardon he begg'd for them though they were not sensible of the malice of their action and that according to Saint Paul they had never done it if they had known so much Is it not Christs forewarning us that there will be those that shall p●rsecute his Church yet believe they do God serv●ce in their endeavours to ruine it enough to let us understand that this sin which according to the Apostle is the greatest may be committed by such as are so far from knowing they offend that they believe they should if they did it not In a word is it not enough that Jesus Christ himself hath taught us that there are two kinds of sinners one sinning with knowledge the other without yet shall be both punish'd though in a different measure The good Father press'd by so many proofs out of Scripture whereto he had appeal'd began to give ground and admitting impious persons to sin without inspiration you will not certainly deny said he that the Righteous never sin but God gives them You retreat you retreat Father said I to him and quit the general principle and perceiving that it holds not in respect to sinners you would compound the business and make it competible to the Righteous But that granted the advantage you will make of it will be very inconsiderable for the benefit of it will reach to very few insomuch that it is not worth the disputing for But my second who had as I conceive by his readiness to take all advantages studied the question very much that morning gave him this answer You are now said he to him gotten into that redoubt which all of your party that run the hazard of a dispute are forc'd to but you lie as open to all assault as ever for your example of the just is soon defeated Who makes it any question but that even they very frequently fall into sins of surprise and when they are not sensible of it Do we not learn even from the Saints themselvs what trap-doors concupiscence laie● for them and that it often happens notwithstanding a vigilant sobriety they sacrifice that to pleasure which they thought to have b●stowed onely on necessity as Saint Augustine acknowledgeth of himself in his Confessions How ordinary is it to see even the most zealous transported with passion bitterness in dispute through an over-reflection on their own interests though their Consciences give them not at that time any other notice save that they behave themselves so out of a tenderness to truth and they themselves are not sensible of it till a long time after But what will be said of those who are violently inclin'd to things really bad as believing them really good whereof we have many instances in the Ecclesiastical History which yet hinders not but that as the Fathers hold they have sinn'd in those occasions Moreover this not granted how could the righteous be guilty of secret sins How should it be true that God alone knows their greatness and number insomuch that no man knows whether he deserve love or hatred and that the greatest Saints should alwayes walk in fear and trembling even though they find not themselves guilty of any thing as Saint Paul affirmes of himself You are therefore to conceive Father that the examples as well of the righteous as sinners do equally overthrow the necessity you suppose there is in sin of knowing the evil and loving the contrary virtue since the earnestness of impious persons in their vices sufficiently discovers they have not the least inclination to virtue and that the affection which the righteous have for vertue argues very much that they have not alwayes a knowledge of the sins they daily commit as is clear out of Scripture And that the righteous do sin after this manner it is so certain that it seldome happens great Saints offend otherwise For how can it be imagin'd that those sublimated souls which with so much ardor and aversion shun the least things that may displease God as soon as they are sensible of it and who yet commit many sins daily should have every time before they fell the knowledge of their infirmity on that occasion as also that of their Physician together with the desires of their health and praying to God for his assistance and that notwithstanding all these inspirations these zealous souls cannot but exceed their bounds and commit the sin Conclude then Father that neither sinners nor yet the righteous have alwayes these knowledges these desires and all these inspirations as often as they sin that is to use your terme have not a●w●yes actual grace in all occasions wherein they sin And affirm not with your upstart Authors that it is impossible a man should sin when he knows not justice but acknowledge rather with Saint August●ne and the ancient Fathers that it is impossible he should not sin when he is not acquainted with justice Necesse est ut peccet à quo ignoratur justitia The good Father perceiving his opinion almost defeated as well in regard of the righteous as sinners would not yet quit the field well said he after a little meditation I have forces enough to rout you yet Whereupon taking up Father Bauny in the same place he had sh●wn us before See see but the reason on which he grounds his position I knew he was not unfurnish'd with good proofs Read there what he cites out of A●istotle and you shall acknowledge that a●ter so express an authority you must either bu●n the book of that Prince of Philosophers or be of our opinion Note then the principles Father B●u●y grounds thereupon He sayes in the first place that an action cannot be imputed as blame●ble when it is involuntary I grant it said my friend to him This is the first time said I to them that ever I knew you agree about any thing if you value my advice Father go no further That would amount to nothing said he for we are to know what conditions are requisite to make an action voluntary I am extremely afraid answer'd I that you will fall out about it Fear nothing said he the case is clear Aristotle is on my side Pray mark what Father Bauny sayes That an action be voluntary it is requisite it should proceed from a man that sees that knows that considers well what there is of good what of evill in it Voluntarium est say we commonly with this Philosopher you know said he to me wringing me by the hand who Aristotle is quod fit à principio cognoscente singula in quibus est actio So that when the will is at randome and without any discussion inclined to

better inform'd about the difference there is between them and the Jansenists concerning what they call actual grace I addressed my self to the good Father desiring him to afford me some little instruction and explaine that terme whereof I told him I knew not the meaning With all my heart reply'd he I have a particular affection for the curious Take the definition of it By actual grace we mean an inspiration of God whereby he discovers his will unto us and stirs up in us a desire to accomplish it And what controversie said I doth this breed between you and the Jansenists This reply'd he that we would have God bestow actuall graces on all men in every particular temptation for we hold that if a man have not in every temptation that actual grace to restrain him from sinning what sin soever he may commit cannot be imputed to him On the contrary the Jansenists affirm that sins committed without this presence of actual grace are nevertheless imputable But they are a sort of pittiful souls I guess'd at what he would say yet to clear it a little more fully Father said I to him this terme of actual grace I know not how to digest it 's a meat I am not us'd to would you but do me the favour to tell me the same thing without using that terme I should think it a great obligation To do that said the Father I am onely to put the definition instead of the definitum that alters not the sense of the discourse with all my heart We hold then as an undeniable principle That an action cannot be imputed as sin if God before it be committed give us not a knowledge of the evil of it and an inspiration exciting us to avoid it Have I now express'd my self home I was not a little astonish'd at the discourse which granted all sins of surprise and all committed out of a pure oblivion of God are not to be imputed whereupon turning to my Jansenist I knew by his countenance what little credit he gave it But he continuing silent Father said I I wish what you say were true and that you could make it good How said he you would have it prov'd you shall be satisfied be that upon my account Upon that he went for his Books while I and my friend fell into discourse Did ever m●n talk thus said I Is this such news to you reply'd he Assure your self that neither Fathers nor Popes nor Councils nor the Sc●iptures nor any books of Devotion even in these last times ever spoke after this rate but indeed for Casuists and new Schoolmen he can easily furnish you But such reply'd I if they clash ever so little with Tradition I can as easily laugh at You are in the right said he to me at which word in comes the Father loaden with books and presenting me with the first came to his hand There said he read Father Bauny's Summary of sins 't is the fifth Edition whence you may infer the goodness of the Book 'T is pitty said my Jansenist to me whispering that this should be condemn'd at Rome and by the B●shops of France Turn said the Father to pag. 906. I did and found these words For a man to sin and stand guilty in the sight of God he must know that the thing he is about to do is naught or at least doubt fear or imagine that God takes no pleasure in the action wherein he is employ'd that he forbids it and all this notwithstanding to do it to break through the hedge and exceed his bounds A very good beginning said I to him But note by the way what Envy is reply'd he This very passage gave Monsieur Haillor occasion before he became one of us to abuse Father Bauny applying to him these words Ecce qui tollit peccata mundi Behold him that takes away the sins of the world It is said I a new kind of redemption this of Father Bauny's But would you have a more authentick proof continu'd he take this book of Father Annats This is the last of his writing against Monsieur Arnauld turn to pag. 34. where the leaf is turn'd down and read the lines I have mark'd with black lead they are golden ones There I found these words He who hath not any thought of God nor yet of his own sins nor any apprehension that is as he explain'd it any knowledge of the obligation lies upon him to exercise acts of the love of God or of contrition hath no actual grace to exercise those acts but it must be also acknowledg'd that he is not guilty of any sin if he omit them and that if he be damn'd it will not be for any thing relating to that omission And some few lines lower And the same thing may be affirm'd of sins of commission See now sayes the Father how he speaks of the sins of Omission and Commission he forgets nothing what say you to it I am extremely well satisfied reply'd I what excellent consequences may be deduced from it I am already over head and ears in them O what what mysteries am I rapt into I see a far greater number justified by this ignorance and forgetfulness of God then by Grace and the Sacraments But Father does this any more then bring me into a fools paradise Is not this something like that sufficiency which sufficeth not I am extremely afraid of the Distinguo I have been trapann'd there already do you speak sincerely How said the Father a little enflam'd this is no jesting matter here is not any equivocation I am in earnest said I to him but the excess of my desire it should be so puts me into some fear it may not Take then for your better information the writings of Monsieur le Moine who hath taught it openly in Sorbonne He indeed learnt it first from us but he hath unravell'd the business excellently well O what a noble structure hath he made of it He shews that to make an action to be a sin there is a necessity all these things be transacted in the soul Read and weigh every word I read in Latin what you find here in English 1. On the one side God infuses into the soul a certain love which inclines her towards the thing command●d and on the other the rebellious concupiscence presses her to the contrary 2. God inspires her with a knowledge of her weakness 3. God inspires her with a knowledge of the physician that must cure her 4. God inspires her with a desire to be cur'd 5. God instills into her a desire to pray to him and implore his assistance Now if all these things pass not in the soul sayes the Jesuit the action is not properly sin and consequently not imputable as Monsieur le Moine affirmes in the same place and all throughout the discourse Are you not yet satisfied with Authorities But all modern whisper'd my Jansanist 'T is very well said I applying my self to the Father