Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	know_v	sin_n	sin_v	3,589	5	9.2751	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17936	Tentations their nature, danger, cure. By Richard Capel. Sometimes fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford. To which is added a briefe dispute, as touching restitution in the case of usury.; Tentations. Part 1-2	Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.	1633 (1633)	STC 4595; ESTC S119212	168,622	502

like before yet it was no fruit of Gods hatred Iacob had sore and heavy afflictions yet it went ever for truth Iacob have I loved hee loved him when When hee afflicted him Esau had more outward matters to his minde than ever Iacob saw and many great Lords were of his family and yet Esau have I hated hold it then that God doth love us and when wee have this perswasion in us all the divels in hell and all the lusts in Originall sin can never make us blaspheme our GOD whom we love and of whom wee have this minde that hee doth love us say then he loves me and I love him then one cannot be brought to sin the sin of Blasphemy 2. We must get the pardō of our sins repent we of all our iniquities and then the Crosse can never wring frō us words of blasphemy when we are in great sorrowes Satan will tempt very strongly that way and we feare what we shal doe in times and cases of great extremity I feare me saith the poore Christian what I shall do in great afflictions repent wee of our sins and feare nothing it is not the greatnesse of the Crosse but it is the guilt of sin working with the sting of the Crosse which makes men in their tribulation to blaspheme Rev. 16. 11. we read that the fifth Angell powred down his viol on the seat of the Beast and it is written that they gnawed with their tongues for pain and blasphemed the GOD of heaven because of their paines and their sores now marke repented not of their deeds Here wee see that it was not for their paine so much as for that they repented not of their deeds that they blasphemed Have we repented or have we not If wee have not then though our pain be not so much we are in danger to blaspheme but if we have repented be our paine ever so much wee need not feare wee shall not blaspheme 3. Say the worst have wee blasphemed Yet we must repent of our blasphemy and hope in God to despaire is to put our selves out of Gods mercy and protection to despaire by reason of Blasphemy is a worse sinne than Blasphemy they are both against the goodnesse of GOD but yet despaire is against his goodnesse his mercy and his truth I confesse it is an horrible crime to blaspheme against God and so much the worser because it is a sin somewhat like the impardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost neither is it in the wil of every man to say where the difference lies betwixt them Besides other sinnes are against God in his Greatnesse Governement but this of Blasphemy doth speake against the Goodnesse of God and God as he is represented to us stands more on his Goodnes than his Greatnesse and therefore also this sin of Blaspeming hath beene ever held amongst the greatest of sins all which must teach us by all meanes to beware of this sin and we may the easier take heed of it and save our selves from it because it being against our naturall inbred principle of a Deity Nature it selfe is afraid of this sin which is a great meanes to stay us from the sin-it selfe Satan I know is a great blasphemer and he will assay hard to it to make us to blaspheme but wee must set the Word Spirit of God against it and let the Law of nature doe all it can against it too And if at any time we have bin to blame this way yet we must know that there is a pardon to bee had I was saith Paul a blasphemer and Paul is in heaven and which is worse he compelled men to blaspheme yet on his true repentance all went well with Paul and so it may and will with us if we returne as Paul did Christ hath it Mat. 12. 31. That blasphemy against God is a sin which may on the same termes that any the least sinne that is shall and must bee forgiven I meane on our repentance There is a blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which is a sin unto death and there is no repentance for this sin nor no hope the cause is because no man can repent unto life except God give him the grace and wee have it revealed that there is a decree passed in heaven that the Lord will never afford this sinner the grace to repent Divers other sinners never have this favour done to them as to repent but all sinners of this sort are past all hope for ever There is a difference betwixt this blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and this blasphemy against God and Christ not onely in the measure but in the very kinde I know Satan would faine put it upon us that we have sinned against the Holy Ghost when it is no such matter on ignorant Christians hee layes this that when they sin against their knowledge and conscience that then it is the sin against the holy Ghost when the Spirit hath bin at them not to sin yet they sin and grieve and vex the Spirit of God then Satan makes his advantage oh saith he this is to sin against the Holy Ghost that it is a sin against the Holy Ghost I doe not deny but that it is the sinne against the Holy Ghost is false I prove it to be false because this sin is pardoned Moreover we speake of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost now that every sinne against the Holy Ghost must needs be Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost cannot be proved and when we goe so farre as to blaspheme God then we make a cry now it is too late to thinke of repenting this is saith he that unrepentable and unpardonable sinne against the Holy Ghost Our answer must be by denying this to bee that sin our reason must be because we are sorry for it and were it to doe againe wee would not doe it for a world but the sinner against the Holy Ghost is no whit sorry for his sinne his heart never akes for his offence but would have all do it as well as himselfe and is desirous to have hell as full as hee could and he doth even wish withall his heart that wife that children that parents that brethren that neighbours that all might blaspheme the Holy Ghost as well as himselfe It is then nothing but a policy of Satan to play upon the ignorance of men as touching the nature and effects of this sinne and to beare them in hand that when they have blasphemed God they have blasphemed the Holy Ghost but wee must hold a maine difference to lye betwixt this blasphemy against God the Father and the Holy Ghost that as the persons differ so doth the sins against the severall persons As long then as our blasphemy is against the first and not against the third we may be safe it is but to repent and all is well they doe not prize the infinite mercy of God according to the infinite worth of it who thinke

continueth untill his crowne be put upon him in the meane time our comfort is that ere long wee shall bee out of the reach of all tentation the God of peace will tread downe Satan under our feet A carnall mans life is nothing but a strengthning and feeding of his enemie a fighting for that which fighteth against his soule Since Satan hath cast this seed of the Serpent into our soules there is no sin so prodigious but some seed of it lurketh in our nature It should humble us to heare what sins are forbidden by Moses which if the Holy Ghost had not mentioned we might have beene ashamed to heare of they are so dishonourable to our nature the very hearing of the monstrous outrages committed by men given up of God as it yeelds matter of thanks to God for preservation of us so of humility to see our common nature so abused and abased by sinne and Satan Nay so catching is our Nature of sin that the mention of it in stead of stirring hatred of it often kindles Fancie to a liking of it the discovery of divellish policies and stratagems of wit though in some respects to good purpose yet hath no better effect in some than to fashion their wits to the like false practises and the innocencie of many ariseth not from love of that which is good but from not knowing of that which is evill And in nothing the sinfulnesse of sin appeares more than in this that it hindereth all it can the knowledge of it selfe and if it once be knowne it studieth extenuation and translation upon others sin and shifting came into the world together in Saint Iames his time it seemes there were some that were not afraid to father their temptations to sinne upon him that hateth it most God himselfe whereas God is only said to try not to tempt Our Adversaries are not far from imputing this to God who maintaine Concupiscence the mother of all abominations to be a condition of Nature as first created onely kept in by the bridle of originall righteousnesse that from hence they might the better maintaine those proud opinions of perfect fulfilling the Law and meriting therby This moved Saint Iames to set downe the true descent and pedegree of sin wee our selves are both the Tempters and the Tempted as Tempted wee might deserve some pity if as Tempters wee deserve not blame in us there is both fire and matter for fire to take hold on Satan needs but to blow and often times not that neither for many if Concupiscence stirre not up them they will stirre up to Concupiscence So long as the soule keepes close to God and his truth it is safe so long as our way lieth above we are free from the Snares below all the danger first riseth from letting our hearts loose from God by infidelity for then presently our heart is drawn away by some seeming good whereby we seeke a severed excellencie and contentment out of God in whom it is only to be had After we have once forsaken God God forsakes us leaving us in some degree to our selves the worst guides that can be and thereupon Satan joynes forces with us setting upon us as a friend under our owne colours hee cannot but miscarry that hath a Pirate for his guide This God suffereth to make us better knowne to our selves for by this meanes corruption that lay hid before is drawne out and the deceitfulnesse of sinne the better knowne and so wee are put upon the daily practice of repentance and mortification and driven to fly under the wings of Iesus Christ Were it not for temptations we should be concealed from our selves our graces as unexercised would not bee so bright the power of God should not appeare so in our weaknesse we would not be so pitiful and tender towards others nor so je●lous over our owne hearts nor so skilfull of Satans method and enterprises we should not see such a necessity of standing alwayes upon our guard but though by the over-ruling power of God they have this good issue yet that which is ill of it selfe is not to be ventured on for the good that commeth by accident The chiefe thing wherein one Christian differs from another is watchfulnesse which though it require most labour yet it bringeth most safety and the best is no farther safe than watchfull and not onely against sinnes but tentations which are the seeds of sinne and occasions which let in tentations the best by rash adventures upon occasions have beene led into temptations and by temptation into the sin it selfe whence sin and temptation come both under the same name to shew us that we can bee no farther secure from sinne than we be carefull to shun temptations And in this every one should labour so wel to understand themselves as to know what they finde a temptation to them that may be a temptation to one which is not to another Abraham might looke upon the smoake of Sodome though Lot might not because that sight would worke more upon Lots heart than Abrahams In these cases a wise Christian better knowes what to doe with himselfe than any can prescribe him And because God hath our hearts in his hand and can either suspend or give way to temptations it should move us especially to take heed of those sins wherby grieving the good Spirit of God wee give him cause to leave us to our owne spirits but that he may rather stirre up contrary gracious lustings in us as a contrary principle There is nothing of greater force to make us out of godly jealousie to feare alwayes Thus daily working out our salvation that God may delight to goe along with us and be our Shield and not to leave us naked in the hands of Satan but second his first Grace with a further degree as temptations shall encrease it is he that either removeth occasions or shutteth our hearts against them and giveth strength to prevaile over them which gracious providence you cannot be too thankfull for it is a great mercy when temptations are not above the supply of strength against them This care onely taketh up the heart of those who having the life of Christ begun in them and his Nature stampt upon them have felt how sweet communion and acquaintance with God in Christ and how comfortable the daily walking with God is these are wary of any thing that may draw away their hearts from God and hinder their peace And therefore they hate temptations to sin as sin it selfe and sinne as hell it selfe and hell most of all as being a state of eternall separation from all comfortable fellowship with God A man that is a stranger from the life of God cannot resist tentation to sin as it is sin because hee never knew the beauty of holines but from the beauty of a civill life he may resist tentations to such sins as may weaken respect and from love of his owne quiet may abstaine from

her and put her off from that and so she fell perhaps she halted in adding to the Lords words for IEHOVAH had forbid them to eate it but hee did no where forbid them to touch it yet this shewes that therein she was strict and more strict than the words wil beare but for the theatning where God said yee shall dye she falters and hath it thus least yee dye and for certaine when we doe not keep to the threatning wee shall not hold our selves to the commandement it goes with us as it did with our first fathers a want of holding the threatning fast did cast them downe and if we be short there and doe not oppose the threatning wee cannot stand as soone as ever Satan is at us to yeeld to our lust say no it is forbidden by God let it be to Adultery answer it is written thou shalt not commit adultery then adde to the prohibition the commination Adulterers and Fornicators God will judge I must not I am forbidden I dare not yeeld if I do I shall dye the death I shall damne and so Satan hath his answer The last generall Rule wee propose is to aske helpe of other men and the directions which come in here to bee set downe are these 1. Never to let any man know what the matter is if by any meanes we can have comfort from GOD acquaint no man with it if we can get him to doe the cure in ordinary matters see what the use of ordinary prayer will doe in cases extraordinary stretch our strength to the most that our prayers may bee strong and long let us wing them with faith and with a fast that they must up to the bosome of the father to say I have prayed and can finde no ease and therefore I will make use of a friend is well enough but I have prayed fasted and waited too as long as ever I can and yet it will not come then we must but til then till we have tried the utmost I could wish men to secret their tentations from the world God will not take himselfe to be wel used for us to goe to others when wee may have it for the comming at his hands with comfort and encouragement A father loves not a child shold run to neighbours for physick when hee may have it of him besides it is sweetest when we have it immediately from the hands of God our father when a child is sick the same cordiall or sweet meat sent by a servant is not so accepted when father or mother brings it and gives it with their owne hands we see many must have mother give it else they will not take it so it is with us it cannot but be best welcome when God doth give us our comforts with his owne hands and tell us good tydings of peace and mercy with his owne mouth and then againe we do not conceive how it wil wound out hearts that we have let any man know our state and case when wee are to come to our selves againe if so be then wee finde and conceive that all might have beene well and the cure done betwixt God and our selves without the knowledge of any man the trouble that way many times wounds more than ever the tentation did and some have even wished them dead and fairely buried to whom in times of their heavinesse they have broken their mindes and therefore the counsell I give is first to try all meanes to use all patience to watch to pray to fast to waite and if God at any time will come in with comfort let him doe all and have all the praise we hiding our grifes from all the world in great inward sorrowes wee are too apt to open our selves more than needs therefore this counsell is in season 2. See whether we can cure our selves as thus what would I say to or think of another should he come to me with my sore complaint the same say wee to our selves and see what that will do 3. When all will not doe and we finde that GOD doth look straying yet and wee can hold no longer then wee must know that GOD doth call us to vent and open our griefe to some one or other now the griefe must be opened God doth call us to a free discovery of our selves to another and without wee doe breake open the matter the end is not like to be good So Iames Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another and there shall bee an healing and in this case without this mutuall and reciprocall confession there shall not be an healing I know God could make all well without this but he will not there is a naturall reason why we find ease by this venting because it doth open the sore and make it as it were runne and so there comes some ease but the spirituall cause is it which carries it and it is because God will have acommunion of Saints amongst us he will not have us straying one to another and hee knowes that by curing another we cure our selves upon that it is that the pain of the foule in this case doth not nor shall not stake till we have acquainted one or other with our case so wee see that tho the party to whom we confesse say no more to us than wee knew before yet the very venting brings some ease Satan I know cannot abide this for few ever open all but there is a remedy and his tentation is at an end and therefore hee urgeth hard upon the point to hinder us by all meanes from telling any body What saith he it will all the Country over hee will tell his friend and that friend another friend and out it will and thou art either shamed or undone for ever Indeed when God doth not call us to this it is dangerous to tell our veriest friend for though he be our friend yet commonly we are not his confident friend but he bath some other and hee must know it under benedicite and then he is sick til his friend knowes it too who is commonly some third man and so there is great danger that it will abroad wherefore if wee can doe up our matters by telling God alone let no man know but now when wee have tried and it will not be then say God hath called mee to out with it and out with it I must and will live by faith that God will make them keepe my counsell or if they doe not yet shame mee no shames I will follow God and confesse I will what ever comes of it and here we must know that when we find a great disposition in us to keep it from all the world that then Satan meanes us some great danger and therefore hee will fill our heads with a thousand proclamations of shames and dangers and all to make us keepe all close to our owne undoing and ruine say then I know by this that great hurt comes