Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	ghost_n	sin_n	sin_v	2,468	5	10.3762	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11015	A treatise of Gods effectual calling: written first in the Latine tongue, by the reuerend and faithfull seruant of Christ, Maister Robert Rollock, preacher of Gods word in Edenburgh. And now faithfully translated for the benefite of the vnlearned, into the English tongue, by Henry Holland, preacher in London; Tractatus de vocatione efficaci, quae inter locos theologiæ communissimos recensetur, deque locis specialioribus, qui sub vocatione comprehenduntur. English	Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599.; Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.	1603 (1603)	STC 21286; ESTC S116145	189,138	276

1. 13. For I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe This ignorance is either of the law or of the fact The ignorance of the law is to be ignorant of Gods will Of this Sin speaketh Christ Luke 12. 48. He that hath not known his masters wil hath done things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes This was also Paules ignorance when hee blasphemed and persecuted the Church of Christ 1. Tim. 1. The ignorance of the fact is when a man knowes not what he doth And a man may be said not to know what he doth or to erre in the Sin of ignorance fact either when he doth a thing negligently or when a thing is done by him as we say by fortune or chance or rather by the ineuitable prouidence of God An example of sinne of negligence may be this as when a ship is lost by the negligence of the Gouernour or maister thereof An example of a sinne by fortune or Gods prouidence may be as when one casting a stone killeth a man passing by of whom he neuer thought for this sinne in the old Church the cities of refuge were appointed Numb 35. 23. Thus farre of the external sinne of commission which proceedes of errour or ignorance The externall sinne of commission followeth which is committed in knowledge or as we say wittingly and this is when a man knoweth that hee doth euill hereof speakes Christ Luk. 12. 47. That seruant who knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes This sin is either of infirmitie or of contumacie An example Actual external sinne committed willingly of a sinne of infirmitie is in Peter who three times denied his Lord and maister for feare of death and persecution An example of a sin of contumacie we haue in Iudas the traitor Againe a sin of contumacie is either done in hypocrisie as when a man is not openly rebellious but hides his sinne vnder the cloake of hypocrisie this the Apostle taxeth Rom. 2. 5. Thou saith he after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent doest treasure vp wrath against the day of wrath Againe it is an open rebellion or pride when a man ioynes to his contumacy pride against God himselfe for which cause he is said to sinne with an high hand Numb 15. 30. This manifest rebellion and Heresie pride is either against the second Table of the law as open murther knowne adulterie and this is the lesser contumacie but if it be a proud rebellion against the first Table the sinne is intolerable And of this latter kind is Open rebellion heresie first when as a man in a proud obstinacy wil defend anie opinion against the manifest truth of Gods word Of all the sinnes before specified this is one property that a man may repent of them or for them all whereupon followes another property that they are all pardonable But if ye adde to knowledge pride frowardnesse a malicious heart striuing against the holy Ghost inlightening a man teaching inwardly then the great sinne ariseth which they call the sinne against the holy Sinne against the holy Ghost Ghost the propertie whereof is this that hee which so sinneth cannot repent him of his sinne whereupon it followeth that this sinne is impardonable And this sin is called irremissible not for that the greatnesse of it exceeds the greatnes of Gods mercy grace in Christ but VVherefore impardonable because finall impenitence is the reward and punishment which by Gods iust iudgment is inflicted vpon this sinne Read of this point Matt. 12. 21. Heb. 6. 4. 5. and chap. 10. 26. 1. Ioh. 5. 16. And thus farre of actuall sinne Now it remaineth to see what the aduersaries say of actuall sinne Here the greatest controuersie is of the diuision of actuall sinne into mortall and veniall We auouch that euery sin by nature is mortall that is that the guilt Sinne mortall veniall a popish doctrine of eternall death followes it And that if any sinne be veniall that is may find pardon of God this commeth to passe not for that it is so by nature but of Gods meere mercie in Iesus Christ Many scriptures approue our assertion Ro. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death He speakes here of sin in generall and of eternall death Matth. 5. 19. Who soeuer shall breake one of the least of these commandements and shall teach men so heshall be called the least in the kingdome of God that is he shal haue be of reckoning in heauen Obserue then here how for the least sin a man deserues to be shut forth out of heauen Deut. 27. 26. Cursed be he that abideth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law Therefore there is no sinne which deserueth not the curse or malediction of God For in that the law denounceth an execration against euery sin there is no exception we see of anie euen the least sinne I am 2. 10. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole law and yet fayleth in one point hee is guiltie of all Therefore if ye rest in any one sinne against the law ye sinne against the whole law and stand guiltie of all sinnes which are committed any way against the law So there is no cause why wee should measure our guilt by anie one sinne euen the verie least For euen the verie least sinne we liue and lie in without faith repentance The least sinne merits hell caries with it the guilt euen of the greatest sinnes as may clearely appeare by that place of Iames. Matth. 5. 26. Thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the vtmost farthing Therefore God in his accounts respecteth euen the least parts of sinne and the smallest sinnes that are The tenth law condemnes euen the least motions of concupiscence Matth. 22. 37. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind Therefore the law requires an exact or perfect obedience Wherefore he that offendeth euen in the least point is a transgressor of the law and that euerlasting curse followeth the breach of the law if redemption be not purchased by Iesus Christ Matt. 5. 18. Till heauen and earth perish one iote or one tittle of the law shall not scape till all things be fulfilled Note here there shal not passe away one iote or one tittle that is the least branch of the breach of the law which shall escape without satisfaction either by our selues or a mediator And thus far touching our iudgment of this matter The aduersaries for actuall sinne respecting it either according to the greatnesse thereof or for the punishment it deserueth they diuide it into mortall and veniall They cal that mortall sinne which doth extinguish charity Mortal sin defined of Papists or iustice making vs enimies vnto God and therefore guilty of eternall death They call that veniall sinne which doth not quench charitie and iustice nor doth not

vnto vs no lesse certaine and firme then if we heard God himselfe speake or did behold and reade the verie mind of God yea the very diuine oracles written in Gods owne breast but now we haue not the liuely voice of God now we see not the secret mind of God therefore it must follow that we haue something to supply the want of the liuely voice of God euen meanes to reueale vnto vs the secret mind of God and nothing can do this but the sacred Scripture therefore Gods holy written word is and must be vnto vs as the verie voice and as the verie mind or wil of God himselfe manifested vnto vs. The fourth reason The Scripture containes all those things which God hath spoken in elder ages and what God himselfe hath decreed in his secret counsell so farre as is meete for vs to know concerning our life and saluation Ergo c. Thus far of the immediate word of God The mediate voice of God we call the voice of the holy and true Church of God for albeit men speake yet the word spoken is the word of God himselfe Here the aduersaries rise vp and contend that the voice of the Church must haue the priority of excellencie and that it supplieth the want of Gods liuely voice and the manifestation of his mind rather or better then the Scripture for say they the voice of the Church is a Popish Obiection cōcerning the testimonie and the authority of the Church before the Scripture Scripture written not with the penne of any Scribe but by Gods owne finger in the heart of the Church therefore the voice or testimonie of the Church ought to bee accounted the principall voice of God For it is a liuely voice proceedings from the liuing heart of the Church wherein God hath ingrauen all truth with the finger of his owne Spirit whereas the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles albeit they were deliuered and spoken by God himselfe yet they were not written by Gods owne hand but by the Prophets and Apostles which were the pen-men Again they were not written in y e liuing hearts of men but in papers and books or tables Hence therefore it followeth that this scripture which is found in the heart of the Church is the principall Scripture of God and that the voice of the holy Church is that most excellent voice of God ought to be vnto vs as the immediate voice of God in steed of the secret counsel of God I answer true it is the testimonie of the Church is a liuely voice proceeding from a liuing heart sanctified by the holy ghost for we speake of the true Church But first I say that the only Scripture prophetical and apostolical is to be accounted that Scripture which was written by Gods owne finger and that immediate word of God Next I say that the heart of the Church is taught and sanctified by the Spirit of the Scripture and that the Scripture which is in the heart of the Church is nothing els but a certain transcript that so I may speak or a copy which the holy Ghost hath written in our hearts according to that ancient and authenticall copie which is the holy Scripture For the holy Ghost teacheth the Church nothing now but that which is written and doth by the scripture after a sort beget the Church the Scripture is the mother the Church is the daughter the Scripture is the mistresse the Church is the scholler Thirdly I adde that the knowledge of the truth which is in the heart of the Church by means of the scripture is not so perfect nor so absolute as is the holy Scripture And lastly I say that the Church being inlightened and renewed but in part may erre from the truth euen in the greatest matter of waight and that it doth erre so often as it forsakes the canon and rule of the sacred Scripture Their former assertion being thus cast downe it is euident that the voice of the Church I vnderstand here the true church only not that whoorish church of Rome the voice of the Church I say is not that primarie and most excellent word of God nor ought to be vnto vs in steed of the liuely and immediate voice of God nor to be reputed for Gods minde and counsell but this prerogatiue is due only to the sacred Scripture I ad further that if thou doest first not so much respect the truth it selfe which the Church speaketh as the instruments of the speech vttered which are men next if ye compare the voice of the Church speaking with the sacred Scripture it selfe it doth not deserue at all to be called by the name of Gods word but may more properlie be called the worde and testimony of man For Christ himselfe calles that testimonie which Iohn the Baptist gaue of him the testimony of man I receiue not saith he or desire not the testimnoie of man Ioh. 5. 34. Be it so that the testimonie of the Church be true agreeable to the holy scripture notwithstanding it is truly called an humane testimonie whether yee respect the men which speake or compare their testimonie with that which doth proceed from the mouth of God and Christ himselfe But it may be replyed that the very Apostles and Prophets which writte and spake all these things which we haue in the Scriptures were men in like manner therefore all the Scriptures are but an humane testimonie I answere that I denie not all is obiected if we were to esteeme the words or writings of an Apostle or Prophet as they are instruments and Ministers or if this were to be compared with the very liuely voice of God and Christ himselfe For in respect of the instruments if we compare the words or writings of these men with the words and writings of God himselfe theirs I say must come after and giue place vnto this and must beare the name of an humane testimonie for so the testimony of Iohn Baptist himselfe as being an instrument in comparison of Christ the Lord of life was called the record of man Wherefore when we auouch that the Propheticall and Apostolicall Scripture is the immediate testimonie of God himselfe we make no comparison with the liuelie voice of God himselfe neither doe we so much respect what Organs the Holy-Ghost vsed to set forth the Scriptures but we consider the matter it selfe and the diuine oracles which be written and we ponder in what estimation God himselfe will haue vs to accept the sacred Scripture not as the writings and sayings of men but as the writings and words of God himselfe And we consider this also as in a comparison made with the Church For to vse that comparison againe the voice of the Scripture is Gods owne voice but the voice of the Church of Christ is called an humane testimonie as the word or writing of a Prophet or an Apostle compared with the liuely voice of God is called the