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
A91363	A little cabinet richly stored with all sorts of heavenly varieties, and soul-reviving influences. Wherein there is a remedy for every malady, viz. milk for babes, and meat for strong men, and the ready way for both to obtain and retain assurance of salvation: being an abridgement of the sum and substance of the true Christian religion; wherein the cause of our salvation, the way, the guide, the rule, the evidence, the seals, &c. and the connection of these points together, and dependancy of them one upon another: this I have endeavoured to do orderly, exactly, methodically, with much plainness and clearness. / By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1657 (1657)	Wing P4237; Thomason E1575_1; ESTC R209217	254,040	517

but not such Spots as wicked men 2. Whereas it is said they had no spot or wrinkle in them it was as they were made comely by the comeliness that he had put upon them Ezek. 16. 14. And as they were covered with the robe of his own Righteousness Isa 61. 10. And so their Holiness and Righteousness was of the Lord Isa 57. 17. Hence he is in Jer. 23. 6. Called the Lord our Righteousness the nature of Grace and Sanctification in this life is but imperfect and growing unto perfection 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. Phil. 3. 12 13. Some Canaanites are still in the Land although we are entered into Canaan there is a Remnant of flesh as well as a Principle of the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. In this sense the Church is not actually purged but in purging from all defilements and at last there shall be no spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing Ephes 5. 26 27. So that compleat purity from sin and perfection is to be desired on earth yet reserved for heaven Rom. 6. 7. Ephes 5. 27. Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 21. 27. I have dwelt longer then I intended upon this question I must get it up again in being brief in the next We read Mat. 12. 31 32. The Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Quest What that sin against the Holy Ghost is Answ The sin against the Holy Ghost doth comprehend and take in three things Knowledge in the mind Malice in the heart persecuting some known Truths and persevering therein for the proof of this let me instance in three Scriptures first Paul was filled with malice in his heart but although a scholar he had no knowledge in his mind as the text saith he had mercy on me because I did it ignorantly now Peter he had much knowledge in his mind but no malice in his heart and so although he sinned out of knowledge yet he sined not this sin but upon the crowing of the cock and Christs looking on him he repenteth now take the knowledge that was in Peter and joyn it with the malice that was in Paul and in both these persecute the truth and persevere therein this is that grand sin for that grand sin hath these three properties 1. Knowledge 2. Malice 3. Perseverance in a way of wickedness for finalness maliciousness and universalness must be taken joyntly together not severally one from another if by them we would describe the sin against the Holy Ghost for a man may fall knowingly and maliciously yet unless he fall finally and so make a defection from the truth not through fear or infirmity but out of hatred blasphemy and persecution if he come not up to this he hath not committed this sin for we find all the former sins to be pardonable It is reported of Julian that committed this sin that he was from his child-hood trained up in piety and attained to great knowledge and when he came to the Empire he carryed himself with much clemency but after this he came to deny Christ in France and turned a most bloody butcher and barbarous persecutor to poor Christians after this being either wounded in a battle or a blow from heaven he took a handfull of his blood and flung it up into the air and burst out into a most wicked experssion against Christ and said thou man of Galilee thou hast overcome me and so miserably dyed Quest Is not Election the cause of salvation and Reprobation the cause of damnation Answ Election and Reprobation are not in any sense the causes of salvation and damnation but Christ is the proper and meritorious cause of salvation and sin the proper and meritorious cause of damnation Election and Reprobation they are but precedent and precurrent acts or decrees and the causes of salvation and damnation they come in between the decrees and the execution thereof Quest How could Christ being but one make satisfaction for the sins of so many Answ How could father Adam being but one infect so many with original sin I hope you will grant that the second Adam was as well able to sanctifie as the first was to putrifie for though Christ was but one yet he was such a one as was greater and better then all and so able and sufficient to satisfie for all and to redeem all as well as he made all and the blood of such a one as Christ the son of God was of such an infinite value and price that it did surmount and surpass in dignity and worth all the souls in the world and his sufferings and merits were a sufficient satisfaction if intended and applyed to that end for to save so many worlds of men as there is men in the world Quest Did Christ fulfil the moral Law or ten commandments by his death Answ He did satisfie and perform for his people what the Law could require and exact from them and so became the end of the Law for righteousness or Justification to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. And so redeemed and freed them from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. By being made a Curse for them c. but it still remains in full force and vertue as a Rule of life as it is opened by Christ Mat. 5. There is some difference in the administration of it since Christs coming from the administration of it before his coming Quest Hath not Christ dyed for all men and tasted death for every man 2 Cor. 5. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Answ The word All is not to be alwaies taken for every one for the word All hath many restrictions for this word All is very often taken in Scripture for all kinds as Paul exhorteth that supplication be made for all men that is some of all sorts and degrees as well Rulers as others 1 Tim. 2. 1. So it is said that Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Aegyptians that is in all kind of wisdom so we read that Christ healed all diseases that is all manner of diseases All is sometimes restrained in Scripture to Gods peculiar people Christ saith I will draw all men to me John 12. 32. That is all men that the Father gave him John 6. 4 5. See Isa 54. 13. Again we read they shall be all taught of God not all the world sure but all Gods people Again I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh Acts 2. 7. These cannot be meant of all the wicked Again we read 1 Thess 2. 15. They please not God and are contrary to all men that is all good men Again we read Mat. 10. 22. Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake that is of all wicked men by which we may see how the word All is taken variously and therefore it is to be limited and determined to persons and things according as the text will bear and no otherwise and when as it is said he tasted death for every

3. There is a spiritual or supernatural principle from which Christians do or should act now the right ground or principle from which all holy and righteous actions should flow is either from 1. A pure heart 2. A good conscience 3. Faith unfeigned 1. A pure heart not absolutely and compleatly purified from all sin but comparative and respectively purified by the blood of Christ by way of justification Psal 51. 7. Purified by the blood of Christ his gracious habits as principles purity being infused by way of sanctification 1 Cor. 6. 11. Purified by faith Act. 15. 9. 2. A good conscience I mean not naturally good so every mans conscience is in a sense good but spiritually and supernaturally good being purged by Christs blood from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. And when we find conscience to give a comfortable testimony of the hearts simplicity and godly sincerety in what it doth 3. Faith unfeigned that is without hypocrisie according to that 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned now faith is then unfeigned when it hath the true nature of faith in it viz. 1. Assenting to the truth revealed 1 John 5. 10 11. and applying this truth assented to John 1. 11 12. Gal. 2. 20. 2. When it doth produce the effects of a living faith which is good works Jam. 2. 20 26. Now examine whether thou hast such a pure heart such a good conscience such a faith unfeigned from whence all thy righteous actions do spring otherwise thee and I may be said with Amaziah 2 Chron. 25. 7 8 9. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart And so much to the first of these the principle from which we should act 2. We must act by a right rule Some make their own wils their rule others make the example of men their rule others make the light within their rule but we are to make the word of God our rule and so to go forth by the footsteps of the flock Cant. 1. 8. And as many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them Galat. 6. 16. And again the Apostles tell us from Christ whose mouth they are we ought so to walk as we have them for an example And he that walks or speaks not according to this rule it is because he hath no light in him Isa 8. 20. This was Noahs rule Hebr. 11. 7. and Abrahams rule Heb. 11. 8 17. and Davids Psal 40. 8. and Pauls Rom. 7. 22. The Lord doth not bid us make the light within the rule but he hath placed a light within us to see the rule without us which will appear if we a little consider that there is a threefold illumination 1. General and natural which is a natural light or a light of reason and with this light the eternal word the Son of God hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world Joh. 1. 9. 2. There is a special and supernatural light which is planted in the souls of those whom he hath before time elected and in time called See Col. 3. 19. and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him 3. There is a kind of a middle illumination between these two more then meerly natural but less then truly supernatural which is the common gift of the spirit even to hypocrites Judas was thus enlightned and those hypocrites we read of in Mat. 7. 22 23. and Simon Magus Acts 8. 13. and by means of this light they may attain to these five things and yet perish at last 1. They may attain to a great measure of literal knowledge of Christ of the truth and of the way of righteousness as doth clearly appear by these Scriptures Heb. 10. 26. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin See Heb. 6. 4. 2. They may by means of this knowledge attain to great degrees of reformation in their life and waies 2 Pet. 2. 20. For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end with them is worse then the beginning for they were only outwardly reformed in the sight of men but not inwardly renewed in the sight of God Sin may be chained up and restrained yet not cast out and mortified 3. They may go so far as to taste of the heavenly gift Heb. 6. 4. Note here the Holy Ghost doth not say of them as of true Saints they have eaten or drunken but only tasted that is they have had some kind of Relish or small sense by a temporary Faith of the excellencies of Christ 4. They may be said by the improvement of this light to be partakers of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6. 4. that is they are made partakers of the common gifts of the Holy Ghost as common illumination hystorical faith and faith of Miracles See Mat. 7. 22 23. compared with Act. 8. 13. 5. They may in a sense be said to have tasted the good word of God Heb. 6. 5. for these men hearing the Gospel powerfully preached and the matchless love of God in Christ to sinners displayed the worth and excellency of Jesus Christ and his benefits unfolded they come to be sometimes moved pleased and for present affected with some pangs and moods of joy Herod heard John-Baptist gladly Mar. 6. 20. Mat. 13. 20. compared with Ezek 33. 31 32. but all this is but an imperfect taste and so they do nothing from right principles neither by a right rule 3. As we ought to act from a right principle by a right rule so in the last place to a right end low base ends spoyl the highest undertakings now he that doth a good action to a good end doth mind these two things in his action 1. He doth it to the glory of God according to that Command of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. and Mat. 5. 16. 2. He doth it for his own and others good Rom. 2. 7. Mat. 5. 16. Now bring these things home and lay them upon your hearts make a curious narrow impartial diligent search and see whether thou dost act from such a principle by such a rule to such an end If not thou dost the thing that is commanded but not as it is commanded thou dost with Amaziah 2 Chron. 25. 7 8 9. That which is right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart or else thou dost a good action to an ill end as in Phil. 1. 16. And yet say to others and think in thy self that thou hast done well as Jehu to Jonadab the son of Racab Hence it appears that the strength and confidence of a deluded man or woman may be so great