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knowledge_n ignorance_n sin_n sin_v 1,946 5 9.6788 5 true
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A41838 Directions and instigations to the duty of prayer how, and why the heart is to be kept with diligence. Pressing arguments and directions for hearing the voice of the rod. Being the sum and substance of nine sermons (not heretofore printed,) by Mr. Andrew Gray, late minister of the Gospel at Glasgow. Gray, Andrew, 1633-1656. 1669 (1669) Wing G1607A; ESTC R224166 127,013 196

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which practises and not the Christian which knoweth to whom the promises are made Would ye know the Christian which hath a right to the promises It is not the Christian which knoweth his duty but it is the Christian that doth his duty This is clear in Matth. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven I think if the promises had been annexed to knowledge of duties then doubtlesse Balaam had been in heaven it is not the knowing Christian but it is the practising Christian to who the promises are made The second Consideration to presse you to the exercise of known duties it is the Christian that is taken up in practising and not the knowing Christian that is blessed would ye know the blessed Christian It is not he that knows his duty only but it is he which knoweth his duty and doth it according to that word Joh. 13. 17. If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Where ye may see happinesse is annexed to doing and not to knowing I confesse if ye could speak your duty like an Angel and if ye knew the smallest command in Scripture to be a command lying at your door yet if ye do it not ye shall never be blessed O know it there are many knowing persons in hell to day The third Consideratirn to presse you to practise it is the practising Christian and not the knowing Christian that is approven and commended of God This is clear Song 7. 1. How beautifull are thy feet with shoes O Princes daughter c. Christ takes first notice of the Brides feet which is her practice and commends her from that believe it Christ commends a Christians feet more than his eyes that is his practice more than his knowledge It is the practising Christian which shall have that word spoken to him in the day of the Lord Well done good and faithful servant it is not said well known good and faithfull servant but it is said well done for if you know never so much and yet not practise it Christ will never commend you The fourth Consideration to press you to the doing of known duties it is not the knowledge put the practice of duties which will give peace to a Christians conscience if ye would know all the commandements in the Bible and yet never do one of them it is nothing it is not your knowledge that will give your conscience peace I say this to you many others knowing and their slighting of duty in one day will make their conscience roar like a Lion and they have nothing to answer it I say unto you O Christians if ye would have peace of conscience in the great and terrible day of the Lord then practise what ye know and desire to know what ye ought to practise The fifth Consideration it is the practice of your duty and not the knowledge of your duty by which ye rise up in conformity with God it is the practising of what ye know and not the knowledge of what ye should do that raises you up in conformity with him if ye know all that ye should do and do it not ye may be strangers to God in respect of conformity with him as if ye were meer ignorants I wish there were in these dayes lesse knowledge and more practice or rather I wish there were more knowledge and practice both together I think the Christians of this time sins against a witnes in heaven and a witnes against their own conscience I think there are some but few amongst us in these dayes that sinneth out of ignorance but I would say this the person that sins out of knowledge condemns himself but the person that sins out of ignorance the law condemns him There is this thirdly that I would say to you from the scope I would have you observing these six things concerning known duties And first many persons are more desirous to know what they should do then to do what they know Some persons cry out Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and the Lord may answer them with this Have I not shewed thee O man There is this second thing which I would have you knowing the question which shall be proposed to you in the great and notable day of the Lord it shall not be O man what knowest thou But it shall be O man what didst thou This shall be the question which Christ shall put home to you in that day What didst thou in thy lifetime and not what knowest thou in thy liftime Thirdly I would say this believe it A grain weight of sincerity and practice is worth a talent of knowledge it is better to practise as the weakest Christian than to know as the ●ost excellent angel not practising what we know Christ weight not our grace by quantity but by quality not by degrees but by the truth and reality of them I say if thou knew never so much a grain weight of sincerity and practice in Gods sight is more worth than it all If thou were as eloquent as Appollos and 〈…〉 s wise as Solomon and could ye speak with as many tongues as Paul and if ye knew and understood all mysteries yet if ye do not practise your duties it is all to no purpose Fourthly I would say this the slighting of known duties hath many sad disadvantages waiting upon them and I shall name these four unto you First The slighting of duties it is that which makes Christians weary in duties Is there any person here that slights duties at such such a time I prophesie this to thee thou shalt weary of duties ere long this is clear Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel 〈◊〉 say slighting of duties and wearying in duties they will not be long asunder Secondly slighting of known duties brings on much hardnesse and stupidity of heart according to that word in Nehem. 9. 16. where disobedience and hardnesse of heart are knit together Would you know the reason why so many persons are under so much deadnesse and under so many bonds It is because they slight known duties Thirdly The slighting of known duties doth these three things to our conscience It either marres the peace of Conscience or else it hardens the conscience Or thirdly It luls our conscience a sleep I wonder how many of us can cal our selves render since there is so much slighting of that we ought to do Are ther● not many Christians which may soon tell al● their privat prayers that they make to God There is a fourth disadvantage which waits o● the slighting of known duties and it is this the Christian who slights duty sometimes tha● duty which a Christian doth it is exceeding formal There are some Christians which slights prayer one day and the second day and it is one