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
A87178	Trodden dovvn strength, by the God of strength, or, Mrs Drake revived. Shewing her strange and rare case, great and many uncouth afflictions, for tenne yeares together : together, with the strange and wonderfull manner how the Lord revealed himselfe unto her, a few dayes before her death. / Related by her somtime unworthy friend, Hart On-Hi.	Hart, John, D.D.	1647 (1647)	Wing H960; Thomason E1156_1; ESTC R204874	52,707	199

againe so much did it afflict her but not remedy An ex●erience of her sp●●●● 〈…〉 her at length shee conformed her selfe unto necessity I should much transgresse and wrong this discourse of Gods mercies into this good creature if I should omit any passage of Satans subtelties and attempts against her how farre they prevailed for so the Power and goodnesse of God unto her in saving her at length will so much the more evidently appeare to his glory Therefore this ensuing passage I relate as the furthest extent of Satans malice One day as shee was walking in her garden at Waltham upon Thames with the Relator and another friend for Esher that place where her trouble first began shee never after could endure suddenly shee stopt and fixed her eyes fast upon the ground staring upon it with strange wilde looks for halfe a quater of an hour from which we could hardly divert her but at last did though shee seemed much troubled to be interrupted and then as her custome was when the waters of her spirits and thoughts were become muddy she began to seem to cast off all means again saying That her heart was so heard as it could never bee softned this was by those with her then much opposed and denyed as fast as she affirmed the same enforcing that God who with a Word made Heaven and Earth could soften it wherunto shee in anger replyed why then God cannot soften my heart at hearing of this blasphemous speech spoken in the heigth of temptation the Relator without speaking one word unto her suddenly left her for such speeches were not to be born with countenanced or disputed with but to be cast off with detestation and abomination for contra principiis non est disputandum they say A little while after shee being then ready to ride abroad and goe to her house at Esher to take the aire going to take horse shee demanded of the Relator whether hee would not ride abroad with her whereunto hee replyed No he durst not goe in her company who did so lately blaspheme for feare the ground would open and swallow them up but that seeing under the Law the blaspemer was to die the death that he would go to the Archbishop and complaine of her beare witnesse against her and provide faggots to burn her wherewith we both parted in seeming disconrent She being gone the Relator ere his way-going went to her waiting-woman and left his remembrance unto her which when her woman at her return told her shee would not believe that hee had so done but asked her Maide what farwell didst thou think hee gave me That he would goe complaine of me and provide faggots to burne me To which her Maide answered Then Mistrisse you have spoken some strange untoward things I think I did so said shee In this interim the Relator sent and wrote very kindly to her in his absence and after a Moneths time returned againe unto her when Confession shee prayed him to stay no more so long away gave him thanks for his harsh usage of her saying shee had deserved worse and would never so doe any more Telling also that then when formerly she had stood staring on the ground she was then assaulted with fierce and strong temptations all the while a brick-making for the Devill and prayd him when he saw her do so any more to put her out of that posture and not to spare her how angry soever shee should for the time bee Now as shee was in a seeming good tune and posture of endeavour to use the meanes A new storme in tumbling over the Bible she encountred with that terrible place Heb. 6. enferred upon the sinne against the Holy Ghost That the ground which was often watered and brings forth nothing but briers and thorns was neare unto cursing and burning c. Object Which place for a few dayes put her quite off hooks againe affirming that shee was just so a creature that brought forth nothing but briers and thorns though she had been often watered from heaven in the use of means and therefore that she was neere unto cursing and burning Answ 1 First This was deneyd unto her that shee had ever lived under any such powerful Ministry as to have been often thus watered Secondly That shee neither hitherto had beene so bad as to bring forth nothing but briers and thorns having to their knowledge brought forth and produced much good fruit of her hearing in times past though now shee were for a season over-clouded with temptations so as shee could not discerne of her own estate nor was apt to judge thereof Thirdly That this place being enforced as a reason of the sinne against the Holy Ghost against their enlightning which by her own confession was a pitch above her that hitherto shee never had attained unto therefore she needed not to make any such rigid application or construction of the place against her selfe wherewith and the like milde speeches unto her to this effect shee was at length pacified as before The journey past recounted Good Reader be not weary I will now suddenly make way unto a conclusion for much of our work and the greatest part is done and hardest to compasse Lo now we have brought this good woman thus farre To aske the way in some sort like one of Jeremies Converts to Zion with her face thitherwards She is brought out of the house of bondage from he brick-making slavery Pharaoh pursues as it were still after her but hath not overtaken her shee is driven to flie and wander up and downe the wildernesse now backwards now forwards as the Church in the wildernesse was ere she can arrive at her heavenly Canaan and I hope wee shall ere long see her Iordan stand up and give her a faire passage in thither though shee hath beene well buffeted by the way First Shee hath been now convinced not to have sinned that sin against the Holy Ghost as Satan perswaded her being in this settled Secondly Shee hath been perswaded in that grand businesse of the Decree of God not to meddle therewith and that no Creature Devill Man or Angel save God himselfe had any knowledge thereof Thirdly In the matter of endeavor she hath been convinced that shee ought and must set her selfe in what possibly shee could to use the meanes wait therein and to trust God with the issue of all Fourthly Shee hath been perswaded to live as long as possibly shee could not to be a means of her own destruction Fifthly Shee hath been perswaded of the lawfulnesse and necessity of her communicating notwithstanding all her seeming aversnesse and indisposition thereunto Sixthly Shee hath been brought from that course in tempting God by putting her finger suddenly upon places of Scripture to try her stare all which fell out contrary unto her expectation good still Seventhly How and on what conditions shee was brought to joyne in singing of Psalmes all which being past one

could doe nothing to help her selfe no more then a stark dead creature could and therefore that God must doe all in which Case if hee were so pleased to give unto her strength and grace to work then shee would otherwise she could doe nothing a sore temptation which even untill her last she could hardly shake off Answ Hereupon he Replyed that God as was said wrought by meanes and that shee was bound to read the Word diligently to pray heare the same meditate and conferre thereof That this was Gods way and appointed meanes to make even such dead creatures live as shee pretended her selfe to be as it is Ioh. 5. That the time then was and was a comming when the dead should heare the voyce of the Son of God and those who heard his voice should live Wherefore seeing that their was such a mervellous efficacy in hearing of the Word and use of meanes Wherein the power of the Spirit did co-operate to make the same effectuall There was an absolute necessity to use the meanes for the attaining of salvation or else one were thus guilty of their owne damnation in wilfull rejecting and refusing of the meanes Unto all which her answer was Her further answers That shee had no power so to doe but when that God would enable her then shee would Yet hee prayd her to read the Word and pray as shee could and the like which shee refused alleadging that she could not pray and for reading of the Word to what purpose were that so to read her own damnation or to heare judgements and arraignments against her selfe that shee was better as shee was and therefore prayd him to urge her no more in this kinde untill God were pleased to work somewhat in her with abilities so to doe which if hee had a purpose to save her hee would surely doe Shee is brought off and from the third grand temptation But for his paines and for his conviction of her judgement rectifying of her from those fore-mentioned errors shee gave him thanks promising no more to torment her selfe with cogitations of them for she was satisfied in the Sinne against the Holy Ghost in the matter of the Decree and in Satan or her ignorance of any things to come his knowledge to be none at all But that for the present here shee must rest no further shee could possibly goe wishing him to share himselfe from being any more vexed with her untowardnesse Hee much abashed at her present distemper and resolute shew of stoutnesse and stiffenesse of Spirit yet was not discouraged seeing he had got so much ground of Satan as to beat her from her former strong holds hoping in time also to performe the rest which seemed a tough task to effect because the indisposition and melancholy temper of her body was such as hindered much the works shee therewith being averse unto Physick Therefore Discretion not to presse too much at once he resolved for that time to depart home and presse no more upon her at that time but give her time to ruminate and think upon those things delivered hoping to finde her in a better tune at his return and so accordingly giving charge to watch her diligently in a milde and loving way after he had given her many and good Exhortations to use the means to have a good conceit of God he departed because at this time hee would not tyre or overload her or more new toyle out himselfe Satan is not idle a new storme arises A little after his departure she began then to bee somewhat in the old posture of frowardnesse and distemper uttering many times desperate speeches and hopelesse still refusing all meanes saying that all were but in vaine And was so farre gone this way That the great snow and all the disastrous direfull events hapning abroad anywhere shee said were all long of her and for her sake she guilty of them and that things would never bee better so long as shee were alive For then indeed Santan taking advantage of her melancholy temper wrought her much woe thereby making her thus over-charge and accuse her selfe and endeavoring to have brought her back againe unto her former errors So that now much adoe there was with her to stay support or allay that accidentall fiercenesse which now those new distractions brought upon her which bred much griefe unto her Husband Parents and Friends but was not so to be wondered at that Satan should cause unto her or them so much disquietnesse by his incessant new tentations steering his time in Mr Dods absence to regaine his dispossessed hold or drive her unto finall desperation In or neere this interim shee was visited by divers worthy Ministers about the Town amongst whom was that famous worthy man Dr usher since Primate of Ireland a magzine of all knowledge and learning a powerfull plaine Preacher none like him in setting forth Christ in his high perfections and surmounting excellencies and in pointing the right straight next way unto him and withall as a very wise stout man so the mildest humblest and meekest man alive of his infinite reading knowledge and parts This worthy man many times did visite her would intreat perswade open Christ unto her magnified the riches of Gods mercy that way extended unto the sonnes of men shewing the freenesse of the gift of God this way and that none were debarred who did not wilfully exclude themselves with much meeknesse and mildnesse endeavoring to winne her spirit unto a reall embracing of those tenders of grace made unto her in the use of meanes whom shee willingly heard delighted to hear speak but withall still kept within the road of her old bias Her answer unto him her inability to performe holy duties or endeavor that way that all these were excellent things he spoke of touching Christ for them unto whom they belonged but she had no share therein for for ought shee knew shee said but yet used shee him alwayes with much love reverence and respect in whatsoever temper shee was in endeavouring still to give him all content and respect and he being wise and judicious seeing the temper of her spirit a great work to bee wrought the issue whereof time must shew to bee effected by degrees did not much presse upon her spirit or much urge her unto any thing being contented when he came to her to drop upon her many sweet distilling showers of precious speeches leaving them to work after he were gone And now also about this time Her excounter with Mr Forbs came to visite her another worthy Minister whom the Relater brought to see her and judge of her Case a wise acute learned discreet man of great judgement and parts one Mr Iohn Forbs Minister at Middleborrow for the Merchants This man having first a great while viewed her and said nothing at length broke silence told her that he had heard of her trouble and discouragements and therefore had come