Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	diligence_n	godliness_n	temperance_n	1,810	5	11.3377	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09463	The combat betvveene Christ and the Diuell displayed: or A commentarie vpon the temptations of Christ: preached in Cambridge by that reuerend and iudicious diuine M. William Perkins; Satans sophistrie answered by our Saviour Christ	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Pierson, Thomas, ca. 1570-1633.	1606 (1606)	STC 19748; ESTC S115736	100,567	72

or occasion from vs of all the aduantage he hath against vs his temptations are like fire and bellowes and our infirmities and corruptions are wood and fewell The vse I. Hence then we may behold our miserable estate by reason of sinne for thereby it comes to passe that we beare about vs those darts wherewith the diuel doth wound vs. And sith Satans craft and malice is such to take aduantage from vs for to worke our wo we must labour the more diligently to be throughly acquainted with our naturall dispositions and inclinations yea with our bodilie infirmities for the Diuell will search vs and when wee haue truly found out our own estate we must set a strong watch and guard about our owne hearts in respect of our infirmities and so shall we be the better able to breake the necke of Satans temptations The fourth thing in this preparation is Satans comming to Christ The Tempter came vnto him By which phrase it is probable though not certaine that the Diuell tooke vpon him the forme of some creature and so appeared vnto Christ thus he came to Eue in Paradise abusing the serpent to further his assault against the first Adam And it is like that in his combat with the second Adam he came in the shape of some creature for otherwise he could not properly be said to come and speake Some indeed thinke that these temptations were inward in minde onely and by vision others thinke they were altogether visible and done actually but the safest way is to holde that they were in part actually done in bodily maner and partly shewed in vision And thus much for the preparation to the first conflict II. Point The temptation it selfe conteining matter of great importance being indeed the maine temptation of all in these words If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones be made bread The Diuell being well prouided for time and place and aduantaged also by Christs bodily hunger doth heere assault our Sauiour Christ like a cunning Sophister and frame his argument Syllogistically thus If thou be the sonne of God thou canst make these stones bread But thou canst not make these stones bread Therefore thou art not the sonne of God The ground of this temptation is this It is no reason that the Sonne of God should starue for want of food but thou must starue vnlesse thou canst make these stones bread and therefore vnlesse thou canst do so thou maist perswade thy selfe it was but a false voice which thou heardest from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne c. The scope and drift of Satan in this temptation standes in two things First hee labours to ouerthrow the faith of Christ. Secondly to bring him to a practise of vnbeleefe For the first By faith I meane a gift or grace in Christ wherby as he was man he beleeued his Fathers words to be true which said This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased whereby wee may see what the Diuell aimes at principally in his temptations against Gods children for these his assaults against our Sauiour Christ are set down for our instruction in this behalfe Satans maine drift then in temptation is to ouerthrow our faith whereby wee beleeue euerie part and parcell of Gods word to be true See this in his tempting of Eue first he labours to weaken her faith in the trueth of Gods threatning which done he easily brought her to actuall disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit The same course hee holdeth at this day first he will seeke to nuzzell men in ignorance that he may keepe them in vnbeliefe if he faile that way then will he endeuour to plunge their soules into some damnable errour and heresie and by one of these meanes doth he destroy the faith of many for while a man remaines in ignorance he can haue no saith and if he misse of the trueth of God he wants ground for his faith Now the reason why the Diuell labours so much against our faith is because we cannot truely relie vpon Gods mercie nor depend vpon his prouidence nor yeeld any acceptable obedience to his commandements vnlesse we beleeue his word More particularly we are to obserue that special branch of Gods word which the Diuell would haue Christ not to beleeue euen that voice of his Father which a little before Christ heard from heauen at his baptisme This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this hath the holy Ghost recorded in great wisedome and mercie to Gods Church for heereby doth appeare a main drift of Satan against Christs members in his temptations namely to make them doubt of their adoption and to destroy this perswasion in them that they are the sonnes and daughters of God for if heerein he spared not the head doubtlesse the members shall not escape his hands This appeares by his vsual assault against them specially when God shall lay vpon them any lingring crosse or affliction either in mind in body or in goods then the diuel will suggest this into their minds If thou werst the childe of God he would neuer lay his hand vpon thee so long a time and in so grieuous maner neuer was any child of God in this case that thou art in But God laies his hand thus heauie on thee and therefore thou maiest perswade thy selfe that thou art not the child of God The vse The consideration heereof must mooue vs aboue all things to labour for assurance of our adoption euen to haue our consciences assured out of Gods word that we are the sonnes and daughters of God in Christ. The diuels drift is to ouerthrow this perswasion in vs and therefore our endeuour must be to confirme and settle our hearts heerein This is the charge of the holy Ghost vpon euerie childe of God 2. Pet. 1. 10. Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure that is get the assurance thereof sealed vp in your hearts by the comfortable fruition and practise of the sauing graces of Gods spirit ioyning vertue with your faith and with your vertue knowledge with your knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue vers 5. 6. 7. And indeed if we would haue true peace and comfort in euery estate whether aduersity or prosperitie let vs labour for the knowledge of our adoption This will be our ioy in want in wealth in bondage in freedome in sicknesse in health in life and in death Heerein is that ioy of Christ which neuer can be taken from vs Ioh. 16. 22. We cannot doe the Diuell a greater pleasure then to neglect the getting of this assurance for heereupon he will take occasion specially in time of distresse fearefully dangerously to seeke to breake the necke of our soules he cares not much otherwaies what men professe and what knowledge and other common giftes of the spirit they haue