Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	eat_v	idol_n	weak_a	1,436	5	9.6548	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89411	Several works of Mr. Iohn Murcot, that eminent and godly preacher of the Word, lately of a Church of Christ at Dublin in Ireland. Containing, I. Circumspect walking, on Eph. 5.15,16. II. The parable of the ten virgins, on Mat. 25. from ver. 1. to ver. 14. III. The sun of righteousness hath healing in his wings for sinners, on Mal. 4.2. IV. Christs willingness to receive humble sinners, on John 6.37. Together with his life and death. Published by Mr. Winter, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Carryl, and Mr. Manton. With alphabetical tables, and a table of the Scriptures explained throughout the whole.	Murcot, John, 1625-1654.; Winter, Samuel, 1596?-1665.; Chambers, Robert, minister in Dublin.; Eaton, Samuel, 1506?-1665.; Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; J. G.	1657 (1657)	Wing M3083; Thomason E911_1; ESTC R202939	754,107	852

ordinary that in things so much controverted as they are now a daies can in a few daies time be so tost with a wind of Doctrine as to take up a strange a contrary practise this easiness to forgo our principles argues we are childish and weak Secondly Are we grown in understanding you will find it by this thou wilt not be so ready so easie to take offence as heretofore thou hast been alas before men are acquainted with the waies of God at all you see they are offended at every thing they see the Jews were offended with the meanness of Jesus Christ his descent that he was the Carpenters Son he was not like to be the Messias alas it was the weakness of their understanding they did not consider those Scriptures where it is said there should be no beauty in him that we should desire him and that he should come meek and lowly riding upon an Ass and so they were offended at his Doctrine when he told them they must eat his flesh and drink his blood they could not conceive of it and many of his Disciples went backward and walked with him no more And so sinners O they stumble at every thing in the people of God when they consider them and pry into them and find they miss it and fall in their duties they are prejudiced strongly against the waies of God upon this score alas it is ignorance they know not that they have a corrupt principle within whereby they are laid open to sin when lust and temptation meeteth except the Lord do wonderfully keep them they expect they should be as the Angels in heaven altogether spotless and pure even while they are upon the earth and therefore they are offended And so a weak child of God that is newly come on to grace alas every little thing in the way they stumble at for this offending is nothing else but stumbling upon a thing so as to hurt themselves by it either by being drawn to sin thereby being encouraged to sin thereby or else by being grieved at it without cause you know a child cannot get over that which a man maketh nothing of but he stumbleth and falleth so the Apostle where he discusseth of the use of indifferent things saith he All men have not this knowledge that an Idol is nothing and therefore if some weak ones see a Brother that is strong eat of that which was offered to an Idol which he knoweth to be lawful for him to do he is offended at it this argues weakness now have we found it so that we have been apt to take offence at any thing at every thing in others almost and now we can bear it argues we see more clearly the grounds of such actions but thus much for this Secondly Another part of this growth upward I place in the will which is indeed the main the commanding faculty of the soul and indeed wherein the main of faith doth lie and of other graces as of tender-heartedness and the like dost thou find then that heretofore thy will was more unsettled and wavering being as I may say halting between two thou wast not able to come up so fully to such a resolution for God and for Christ as to trample all under-foot for them thou wouldst have them but either hadst some reservation in such a case thou wouldst be saved now thy resolution breaks through all whatsoever this is growth indeed A man of a weak resolution for Christ alas if a temptation come to deny him the allurements of the world he forsakes him with Demas and imbraceth the present world or the frowns of the world he draweth ba●k to perdition or else is foiled with Peter or at least much abated in his zeal groweth to a more indifferency of Spirit would joyn Christ and Moses together with the temporizing Jews to keep themselves from being persecuted and as Peter himself afterward alas his resolution was not yet so strong as afterward for fear of the Jews he did forbear to walk with the Gentiles as before he had done and so was an offence to them Ah dear friends it may be some of us can tell the time when for fear of men we have sadly miscarried is it better with us now have we now more courage have we for fear of shame come to Christ with Nicodemus by night and now are we not ashamed of Christ nor of his Gospel As the Apostle he was not ashamed of it though it were persecuted and though his meanness of speech were despised his preaching in a suitable manner to the subject which is a great part of a Preachers duty he was not ashamed Well then now consider doth the Lord give thee such boldness such courage such resolution of heart as to hold fast the Word of his patience the suffering-truth it may be we may be tryed in this point if we be not grown we shall miscarry as heretofore we have done Alas Brethren a little touch with a finger a little blast will blow a c 〈…〉 d over and over but if we be grown we shall find greater resolutions against sin to avoid the occasions of it do you find Brethren O the yielding frame of your hearts to sin to weakness every day it is weaker then heretofore and done away that now you can peremptorily deny a lust deny a temptation O you may not do this and sin against God! then we are grown in the will indeed and the more strong we grow in these resolutions the more we grow in this respect but if we cannot cease to sin Brethren we are where we were it may be we may be sometimes affected a little with our sins upon a flash or pang but have no power nor strength to resist our wills our wills are as weak as water to any thing that is good and against sin we grow not Brethren Again as thus downward and upward so see how we grow in fruitfulness we have spoken at large to that subject that we must bring forth fruits or else we cannot escape the Axe now I speak of the measure of the growth therein a young tree of the first year cannot be expected to bear so much as when better grown no more a young Christian here I would only mind you of two things First that we bring forth more fruit that is that we do more for God then we have done and for his people and for our own souls it may be thou hast heretofore but now and then prayed to God dost thou now do it more often it may be three times a day with Daniel and David It may be heretofore thou gavest but little to the relief of the poor Saints and others in distress dost thou now give more and more proportionable to thy estate as the Lord hath blessed thee for that is the proportion which the Apostle maketh and so where heretofore thou didst speak but now and then a savory word now

have to do with either towards God or towards men or towards our selves but there are many temptations accompanying it and particular conditions have their particular temptations and if we be not very circumspect and exact it is a thousand to one but we miscarry we are snared and taken and carried away captive to some vain imagination to some high thought to some base lust and there kept in strong holds and it may cost us somewhat before we be released again the world was never more full of snares then now brethren for beside the ordinary snares in our trading profession or way of gaining Lord how many snares are there it would be an infinite work to trace them through in all our relations Snares they are apt to steal away our hearts if lovely and desirable or else to occasion much sin another way if otherwise in Reliligion never so many never more seandall by the falls of eminent Professors never were there more various pretences to the Truth more false ways and every one pretending to the Truth so that it is somewhat difficult to find a solution for that Question what is Truth never was the world more full of witcheries then now more powerful in its enticements then now it is hard to bear the frowns of it upon the truth but more hard to avoid the imbraces of it and the smiles upon error and falshood if they think it be the way to thrive to be of this or that opinion men to whom gain is godliness they will rather burn incense to the Queen of heaven and tell the Lord to his face that his Prophet is a lying Prophet to speak against their way of worship which brought them in so much they had their corn and wine and oyl then and therefore they would not be beaten off by a Thus saith the Lord to the contrary will the Silver Smiths let Diana go upon easie terms and will not men stickle for a way of falshood if thereby come in their gain and preferments and will not all the world follow that way almost had we not need to walk exactly then to take heed where we tread besides if there were nothing but our own hearts they are as snares and nets to us how easie is it for us to be intangled in the cords of our own sins our own pride and self-confidence and self-love doting upon our selves and a world of iniquities each of them being a snare Oh brethren if you did walk among pits and pits covered from your eys if men did walk upon a bog ready to sink every step how would they walk Suspenso gradu Secondly The necessity of it to the end if we would reach the end of our faith the salvation of our souls it must be by an exact walking it is not a little form of godliness without the power spreading it self through your lives will do it else those in the 7. of Matthew had had a sufficient plea for themselves else the Pharisees had not been much out when they under a pretence of long Prayers devoured widdows houses but they were miserably mistaken Dear friends be not deceived let no man deceive you with vain words and tell you the way to heaven is broder then it is it is a narrow way and it is up the hill and if you will come to heaven you must not think that any by-path will bring you to it that there is any nearer cut then the Lord hath made Many shall seek to enter and shall not be able and what if that prove any of our cases who never were sensible of such a duty in strict close exact circumspect walking how w●ful will our conditions be men seek to enter but they will not strive they will walk hand in hand with the people of God ' but they will not walk exactly they will take a liberty to their spirits though their souls perish by it Thirdly The difficulty of the way should put us upon exactness it is a narrow way there is a necessity you heard before if you miss it you sink and perish but men think it is easie to find and keep but this is ignorance our Savio●ur saith it is a straite way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an afflicted way or a way crushed close together a man cannot tell almost how to miss the way to hell he may wink and walk thither he needeth no light to his feet the way of the wicked is as darkness and while they are in that darkness they may be sure they are in the way to destruction and he that is but a fool bungler at the service of sin is not ingenuous may make a shift to come thither how easily to tumble down the hill but to recover a mans self to get up the hill this is the labour indeed It is narrow and then it is not such a beaten path and therefore not so easie found some track there is but it is not so beaten and beautified with the feet of the shining Saints as to be easily discerned but it is rather a way in the ayr and indeed none can see it untill he be in it and therefore there is a necessity of exactness circumspection in walking if a man have a hard way to find be upon a great plain or a waste howling Wilderness where there is no way beaten and among enemies in danger to be destroyed this man had need look well about him to walk exactly indeed A third Motive may be because Iniquity abounds the love of many waxeth cold and therefore from hence it is that there are so many offences so carelesly given and so easily taken if Peter and the men of Knowledge have no more love then to walk so offensively have no more tenderness of others what need had the weak then to walk wisely circumspectly lest you be drawn away with the dissimulation of a Peter as Barnabas was he looked not so well to his steps as he should as on the other hand if you slip and fall and walk not wisely if thy foot slip and thou stumble there are few that are so spiritual and full of love as with the spirit of meekness to restore thee again it is too too apparent even in the eminentest Saints they are rather ready to a withdrawing a casting off communion and fellowship and therefore thou hadst need who ever thou art to walk wisely and circumspectly else thou wilt be in danger of giving offence to some of the little ones and woe be to him by whom offences come or else thou maist be insnared and stumble upon others miscarriages and so thy soul be destroyed or in danger of it as the Apostle speaks will not that man walk warily that hath stumbling block upon stumbling block is in a rough way and if he tread aside is in danger to put out a joynt or break his bones so it is here Fourthly How much honour hath God by a

thee yet wave all come clearly off it and alone cast thy self upon the waters commit thy self to the deep where no bottom is to be felt this is growing in the root indeed Thirdly In humility this is another which indeed doth follow upon the other and must needs do so for nothing emptyeth more then faith nothing layeth the soul lower and indeed this is the prospering grace of the soul that soul that is lifted up as the Prophet saith is not right within him Learn of me saith our Saviour for I am meek and lowly O when the soul is thus low then it is hungry and thirsty and poor in Spirit and then it sucks from the Lord Jesus then a taste of his love is sweet to the soul then the Spirit being ready to yield to God in every thing to do all his will God is ready to yield to the soul in every thing that he requireth agreeable to his will how do we grow in humility Brethren examine this it is the first and second and third and every step of Jacobs Ladder dost thou find that whereas thou wast wont to over-look and undervalue in comparison of thy self now rather thou thinkest in good earnest that every one fearing God is better then thy self because of the vileness of thine own heart thou seest before thou couldst not bear a reproof but if thou didst not turn and all to rent him that reproved thee though with never so much mildness yet thou wouldst snarl and quarrel and be ready to cast as much as that came to into his own teeth that reproved thee now if thou be reproved thou hast nothing to say but fearest thy heart it may be too true of thee now it is welcome thou lovest them that reprove thee so much the more Brethren it may be heretofore you would be apt to complain of your selves and of your own vileness and make sad mone and yet if another speak but an ill word of you yea if they speak no more of you then you deserve you could not bear it now if they speak ill of you art thou ready to lay thy hand upon thy mouth sure the Lord hath bid them speak evil and there is cause enough for it and they cannot say worse of me then I am O here is a growth in humility before thou wert ready to envy every one that had more gifts or more grace more of the hearts of Gods people then thy self now thou art ready to say with Moses enviest thou for my sake thou canst sweetly submit to his disposal of thee the least thou hast is more then thou deservest O this is that which obtains much of the Lord when thy heart is in such a frame it is fit to receive so Jacob he was less then the least of his mercies it was an argument wherewith he pleaded with the Lord thou art content to be any thing though in never so mean a degree of service to him so be he will be but thy Father and own thee if thou mayst not be with him in the transfiguration upon the mount if thou mayst be but a Disciple if thou mayst not get within the cloud with Moses nor be a Benjamin yet if thou mayst be a Son and a Subject though no Favourite this is that thou art contented with O here is a growth Brethren search and try are we come to this pitch or how far are we gone herein is it better with us then it hath been in this respect But then secondly we must try whether we grow upward yea or no as well as downward and this I shall consider according to the chief faculties of the soul the mind and the will and speak somewhat to each of them And first for the mind the understanding 1. Do you find Brethren that you grow and increase in the knowledge of his will that the darkness that is upon your hearts naturally doth vanish by any degrees do you find the vail doth wear thinner that was upon your hearts that you begin to behold the Lord Jesus with a more open face then before time was when you were babes in understanding are you new men and women or are you past the state of babes Alas I doubt if the treasuries of our hearts were laid open we should find them very empty of this heavenly knowledge how few can bring out of their treasuries both new and old This will appear in these two things specially First if you be apt to be tossed up and down with every wind of Doctrine and are not-stablished in the present truth but your minds are floating and hovering and ready to settle upon any thing that is presented to you though contrary to what you have received it is a sign that you are but children in understanding how easie is it to deceive children to put upon them Counters instead of Gold to make them part with the one for the other and how easie is it to lead captive silly-women as the Apostle calls them that are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth a weak eye that cannot discern between things that differ hath not his senses exercised to discern it is very easie to put one thing upon them for another truly Brethren these times have the name for times of great light and greater knowledge then there was before and I do believe that knowledge shall encrease by going too and fro but yet for all that mens eyes are very weak they cannot discern between light and darkness but put darkness for light for what is the ground of all errour is it not the ignorance of the Scripture and the power of God and was there ever any times more fruitful in errour then these are Alas Brethren what strangers are many of us to the very principles of Religion if examined in them that pretend to such high discoveries and revelations of Christ in our times such have need of milk and not of strong meat the wisdom of God in a mysterie is a riddle to them the Apostle spake it to them that were perfect that is to say grown men and women in opposition to babes Well then look to it if you find your selves easie to be shaken to turn with every wind of Doctrine like a weather-cock it argues you are but children but babes you may perswade a child to any thing to be of twenty minds in an hour because alas he hath no sound well-grounded knowledge of any thing you may perswade him to part with his meat his drink for a toy or by some pretended loathsomness in it that is not and so it is with poor weak ignorant souls how do we see many cheated out of Ordinances out of duties out of close walkings with God as things of no moment by the cunning craftiness of them who lie in wait to deceive It is a sad thing to see persons that should be of greater knowledge then

see it by experience in all things what low minds what poor and weak apprehensions they have that are exercised upon low objects never rise higher what heightens the mind of a Prince but the thoughts of a Kingdom What difference is there between the mind of the meanest Mechanick and the deepest Polititian Such difference must there needs be between the heart of a man that is poring alway upon low things and God is very little dwelt upon It is said of Moses that is the ground of it he waxed great saith the Text not only in body but in mind and Spirit he waxed strong in Spirit was a man of a great mind his eye was upon him that is invisible the great God Jehovah Elohim who giveth being to his promises keepeth Covenant with his people and is Mighty Almighty can do what he will do in heaven and earth and all deep places This made him so great therefore he was above the fears of the Kings wrath he cared not for it Before indeed he was afraid and fled he then had not had so much converse with God and contemplation of him and knowledge of him as afterward he had Well then you say your faith is weak you know not how to get it strengthened lift up your thoughts to this great object do but peruse his name a little now and then yea often the Lord the Lord God gracious and merciful c. See if there be not an abundance there to swallow up all thy doubts and fears O thou art a miserable creature it is true but he is a merciful God and thy misery is but the misery of a creature and his mercy is the mercy of a Creator a God and what are thy thoughts of thy misery when thou hast aggravated it to the height as much as can be they are but finite thoughts and his thoughts of pardon and mercy they are the thoughts of a God infinitely above thy thoughts either of misery or mercy if his thoughts of mercy and pardon were not more then ours we were in a sad condition for then they would never answer his thoughts of our misery which are infinitely above ours of our own misery Alas but I am the most vile unworthy wretch in the world O you know not what I am alas is it for such an one as I to believe Suppose so he is gracious O it is most free infinitely free what he giveth he looks for nothing at thy hands only acceptance O but sure I have wearied out his patience he hath waited upon me so long he is long suffering O but I have such an abundance of sin my heart is so full there is an abundance of goodness abundantly pardon in him yea and truth also c. Alas but I shall never hold out nor keep my heart with him I shall quickly back-slide But he it is that keepeth mercy for thousands O if our hearts were but much in meditation of God his name the Lord our righteousness and this name his works the great things that he hath done how would it raise our spirits to believe and how would it increase our love to him and our fear of him There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared we should find a very great influence upon all our Graces to increase them even from the greatness the fulness the riches of this Object O his Almighty Arm whereby he laid the foundations of the heavens and earth and hanged the earth upon nothing and what then though thou be nothing he can lay a foundation of eternal comfort and an heavenly Kingdom as well as the earth upon nothing and bestow his riches of Grace as well as his power and wisdom upon nothing therefore labour much to improve this great Object O it will take the heart much off these poor little nothing vanities of the world it will make us contented with our portion it will arm us against all the fears of men and lights of the world what will it not do if the Lord be pleased but to breath upon our endeavours in fixing our hearts upon this so high an Object Eighthly Another is to use the Society of growing Christians there is much in the communion of Saints which presupposeth an union maketh increase of the Body to the edifying of it self in love as the Fellowship of the Graces of the Spirit and their co-operation or working together doth help to strengthen the whole so the Fellowship of the Saints tends very much to building up So the Church When they continued together daily with one accord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one consent with one heart then the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved and not only so but hereby the hands of the people of God are strengthened and their spirits quickened the fire groweth to a flame when many brands are laid together if there be but one live coal and many dead ones lay them together and there will be an increase of the heat he that will walk alone and apart from the communion of Saints I do believe shall quickly know by his own spirit what the want of them is but now there are some that are move growing and grown then others are alas how many are under diseases the world or somewhat as bad that they are at a stand proced not or rather decline there is little to be got by the fellowship of such no no the people that we find are so full they are over flowing continually their lips feed many they are bringing out of the good treasury of their hearts things both new and old they are still telling what the Lord hath done for their souls or still they are stirring up others you shall receive something still if your own hearts be not out of frame to receive O how the example of a lively sensible diligent close-walking Christian will provoke us as the Apostle saith Your charity hath provoked many it will put us upon it to follow harder after God To do the same diligence with them to the full assurance of hope to the end wherefore else are the experiences and examples of the Saints in Scripture written what David found and Jacob found by experience of God in prayer wrestling with him and what their fallings cost them both but that they being dead might yet speak to us and with us and we might converse with their living examples though themselves be dead even as faithful Abel being dead yet speaketh and why should there not be such a Fellowship of Saints to communicate what they have found of God I do believe Brethren some of us may with thankful hearts bless the Lord that ever we saw the faces of some of his people that we have by their examples and by their words been much quickened much stirred up much provoked therefore if we would grow converse with such if thou be weak in faith find out some of the

people of God whom he hath made eminent strong in Faith converse with them and if they be not very communicative as some are more reserved whereby they are not so profitable to others draw it out from them dive into their experiences how they came to that measure of Faith wherein they can so glorifie God and walk so chearfully before him And so for Humility and Tenderness where thou findest any eminent in these make an improvement of them joyn thy self to them in a more special manner labour to get somewhat from them this is a special help to growth in Grace And for knowledge of your relative State lay together your experiences you have had of God beg his Spirit to shine upon them else you will see nothing but by his light but a word or two more to this afterward Thus much for the General Exhortation I have a double Exhortation which is more particular and then a word of Comfort and so shut up all For the particular Exhortation First then Be sure that we grow according to our measure For every part hath a measure according to the effectual working in the measure of every part I doubt many of us that should be as the eye to the body have much less light in us then other parts of the body and such as should be as the arm and hands to work alas are like little fingers for growth come on poorly How should Magistrates grow and Ministers grow and such as bear an Office in the body of Christ they should be much more grown their Faith should be much more strong then other mens because they have greater works lying upon them then other men and who is their sufficiency but Jesus Christ and how is he strong to any of us but according to the measure of Faith If Paul had not had a strong Faith he had never done the works of his condition with such unwearied pains no nor Moses nor Joshua Faith it works by Love a weak Faith can do little and is not this the reason that some of us in these employments alas act so poorly for Christ our faith is weak and so our knowledge is weak few Apolloes mighty in the Scriptures able to convince gain-sayers therefore the Apostle exhorts young Timothy to give attendence do his diligence in reading as well as in Exhortation give thy self wholly to these things that thy profiting may appear to all men As Jerom I think said he did discere docere as he learned a lesson so he taught it to them there is a double score then upon which Ministers are to labour to grow First upon their own account because they have greater works to do and greater temptations usually to grapple with then others have for the Devil is most malicious against the Light-bearers such as have the Torch in the hand to give light to others Even the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus He knoweth they are labouring to pull down his Kingdom and do you think he will not labour to pull them down their souls down O how his finger itches to be winnowing them as he did the Disciples he desires it he begs it as he did to molest Job that Pillar of Religion in those parts so he would buffet and exercise the poor Ministers of Jesus Christ I know not what others have but I am sure some have their hands full and their hearts full O what need then to be men grown and strong in Faith to resist stedfast of knowledge in his depths and devices But this is not all Secondly Because the growth of others doth much depend-upon our growth are they not as the bones to the body when they grow no more the body groweth no more They are called Pillars in the house of God and what proportion the pillars bear to the house the bones bear to the body No marvel If Teachers be such as know not what they say and whereof they affirm as the Apostle saith That their hearers also be like those silly women alway learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth O what need then had young Timothies to be stir themselves wholly to these things because alas else they wil be able to say nothing either for substance or manner that may be for the edification of the body It is true there are no new revelations now the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect to every good work but how short do we fall in our understanding of them it is matter of sadness and would be more if our hearts were more sensible to consider that for ought we know many are dwarfs because we are so our selves Brethren help us for your own sakes But there are others also that should be exhorted to look to their growth that it be proportionable to the means of Grace you have and do enjoy according to your time of standing in the Church of Christ how long hast thou been planted in the house of the Lord many years you should be Fathers in Israel and Mothers in Israel as Deborah was and is it so with you Brethren It is very sad to consider that some among us that have hoary heads found in the wayes of righteousness and have so long been in that way and yet are so heavy and so dull and so ignorant and so little Faith and Heavenly-mindedness that there are many Christians that are but of yesterday outstrip them in many things is not this a shame therefore labour to answer your mercies your experiences your light and means you have enjoyed by your growth for this is expected assure your selves there is not a Talent but shall be accounted for and if you perish not yet you are not like to have a full reward you will suffer loss for a Calf of the Stall to grow no fatter then another that hath not such feeding it will not be born to be like Pharoahs lean kine devouring all before us and yet be never the fatter but as poor and lean as if we had never lived under a lively searching Ministry as you of this place for the most part have done assure your selves Brethren your guilt is very great to be watered every moment and yet be as dry and hard as if you had never seen when good had come Thirdly Another particular Exhortation shall be to help one another Brethren were we not wanting one to another in this respect we should be a people much more strong in the Grace which is in Jesus Christ But alas you will say is this in our power to help one another to grow all the supply comes from Jesus Christ the Head It is true it doth so principally Phil. 1. 19. Joh. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 18. But he communicates by the mediation of instruments there is a supply of every part by that which every part supplyeth saith the Apostle as