Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	faith_n	patience_n	temperance_n	4,962	5	11.6128	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27499	The still-borne nativitie, or, A copy of an incarnation sermon that should have been delivered at St. Margarets-Westminster, on Saturday, December the five and twenty, 1647, in the afternoone, by N.B., but prevented by the committee for plunder'd ministers, who sent and seized the preacher, carried him from the vestry of the said church, and committed him to the fleet, for his undertaking to preach without the license of Parliament ...	Bernard, Nicholas, d. 1661.	1648 (1648)	Wing B2018; ESTC R18366	26,917	36

of you should be so ignorant as not to understand what I would be at in all this I must tel you that though I cannot assent to the mind of them that would have the observation of this feast superstition yet you that give place to the Devill Eph 4. 27. are more injurious to Christ then any Sinne sinne that is it must be taken downe it was sinne and the Devill that snatch'd this bread of life out of your mouths that sent me to Prison Revel. 2. 10. Can you knowing what Christ is think to honour Christ in commemoration of the Nativity and at that season so shufle the cards that sinne shall be Trump in every dealing Remember Iohn Baptist must be born before Christ You must Repent if the Kingdome of God be at hand It is certaine that that Spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1. Iohn 4. 2. and so on the contrary the Non confessor therof is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That Spirit of Antichrist vers. 3. I remember St. Augustin with a great deale of pains proves every Heretick to be a denyer of the comming of Iesus Christ in the flesh whatsoever his Heresie be But me thinks Origen with much more ease and plainesse shewes that the best way to confesse Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh is by not committing of sinne unto which purpose he layes that text 1. Iohn 3. 8. 9. to the forementioned 4. c. 2. v. where in 4 Chapter to Be of God is the Predicate to this Confession as the Subject And in the 3. Chapter to be borne of God is the Subject and not committing sinne is the Praedicate So that not to commit sinne is the remote and but once remoov'd definition of the confession of Christs Nativiny or comming in the flesh So that the commemoration or confession by way of Observation of the Day to the end is not Antichristian they were mistaken that advised the Parliament so But the Drunkenesse and Gluttony the Luxury Ryot c These are Antichristian so far Antichristian that where these are Men even when they would confesse do deny Christ Iesus to be come in the Flesh And of these since the secular magistrate distinguisheth not it behoveth us Ministers to be carefull For though I know not what State arguments there may be to prove the Holly Ivy superstitions yet when these things shall be set up sooted and smoked with the sins of Intemperance and Excesse I shall think them fitter Trophees of a Chimney-sweepers Birth day then a Saviours When we shall eat and drinke and rise up to play I must think these are Ceremonies fitter for the Golden-calfe which Aaron made in Horeb then the lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And verily let me be angry in it I judge it a cause of greater feare and danger then a Prison or a Goale lined with a good conscience This therefore was my first intention to perswade you all by renouncing sinne to celebrate the feast of Christs Nativity for then we best testifie the beleef of his comming when we most fear to offend him or his father And in this way I would be glad to keepe Christmas with any one Being very desirous that all you which would have heard me that Day had been both almost and altogether such as I am Except the Fleet Which I must confesse I take very pati●ntly blessing God that it overtook me not in any evill deed but in wel-doing or at least the intention of it Neither shall the errour of the Committee in sending me to it And O that it were the greatest they are guilty of make me forget the Ioy of Christs Incarnation or the Good will towards men the Angels sung They are Men so was my Redeemer for whose sake and through whose Grace I can suffer greater wrongs then these and yet never hate the Men Indeed there is somewhat in it that is not Man but Devill To make men Dumbe as to matters of Duty and Faith that is the Act of the Uncleane Spirit Math. 12 22 It is that hath in a sence made me lame so that I cannot walk But if it hath made me Dumb and Lame it hath made them Deafe and Blinde And truly Without a Miracle I feare neither of us are like to recover And because my infirmity is but an appendant to theirs I shall hartily pray for them that they may receive their sight even in this their day that they might see the things that belong to their the Churches and the Kingdomes Peace That Christ would say Epphata Be opened That they that have eares to heare may hear What Christ himselfe hath said himself to them to me to the Parliament and all Mat 22 21. Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars unto God the things that are Gods And then I doubt not for I suffer but by simpathie but I shal be able with him Acts 38 to walke and to praise God Vnto which time whether it be the pleasure of God to prolong my dayes I know not for it hath some analogie to that time whereof our Saviour speakes when he saith many Kings Righteous men have desired to see and have not yet seene but this I resolve on While I live not to cease day and night praying for the hastening of it For the time we live in now I am confident is part of that mentioned Mat. 24 21 Except these days should be shortened no flesh can be saved and the Promise which closeth the same verse it revives me doubly in relation to the general with hope to my owne particular with care to give all dilligence to make my caling and Election sure 2 Pet 1 10. The Elect that is they that adde to their Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg and to Knowledg Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godlinesse to Godlinesse brotherly Kindnesse and to brotherly Kindnesse Charity have an interest in better times For their sakes these dayes shall be shortened VVherefore God stir up your hearts to endeavour be of that Number to increase it Neither is this spoken by way of Pharisaicall imposition to ease my self but what ever others intend it is my resolution and the good Lord Keepe it for ever in the purpose of my heart to begin this only saving health in stead of all others Psalme 116 18. For beleeve it I am very sensible wee live in the worst of times and that I am one Christ Jesus came into the World to save that is to say the Cheife of Sinners And From the Fleet Ianuary 8. 1647. Your Debtor in this service N. BERNARD THE STILL BORNE NATJVJTY OR A Sermon of the glorious Mystery of the Incarnation of our Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ Both God and Man To have been delivered at St. Margaret's Church in Westminster on Saturday December the five and twenty 1647