Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	law_n	sin_n	sinful_a	1,296	5	10.4091	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80359	The memory of that faithful servant of the Lord Thomas Carleton, reviv'd. Being a collection of several of his vvritings in the ensuing volume as a testimony of his zeal for promoting the blessed truth and establishing of Friends therein. : Also some testimonies concerning his faithfulness and perseverance in the way of the Lord, unto the finishing of his course here with joy, which was the 18th day of the ninth month, 1684.	Carleton, Thomas, 1636?-1684.	1694 (1694)	Wing C589A; ESTC R170899	77,974	209

Tree of Life that is in the midst of the Paradise of God and their names shall be written in the Book of the Life of the Lamb from henceforth and for ever It being my aim and intent at this time to present unto publick view and to the manifested Light and Judgment of all pious and sober Men not only my discent state and condition from my Childhood but rather my estate and condition in Spirit in all the gentle leadings drawing and carryings on of my Soul by the Lord from the day of the dispensation of the tender Mercy and Love of God by his light dispensed and made known in me unto this present day of my Sufferings for his Name and Gospel and also to give a Relation of the ground and cause of my S●fferings the Person by whom and the manner how with a breviate of my Testimony and Judgment in the matters of this Treatise in as much brevity as possible whereby to clear my Conscience and answer the witness in others in the sight of God AS for my discent to speak after the manner of Men I sprang of mean though honest Parents according to the Flesh my Father being a Husbandman in the County of Cumberland I according to his pleasure was educated sometimes at School sometime with Herding and tending of Sheep or Cattel sometime with the Plow Cart or Threshing Instrument or other lawfull Labours according to the manner of that part of the County in which I lived yet such was the love and tender mercy of the Lord who always had respect unto the meek and lowly in heart and dwells with the the contrite and humble in Spirit and shews kindness and mercy to them of low degree that he was pleased to visit me with his everlasting Love which often presented unto me my state and manner of Life and by the same Love and Light he made known unto me that his Way and Worship was a purer holier Way and cleaner Life then yet I had attained unto and withall gave me to see the evils and miserable effects of that state and condition in which I lived according to the Fashions Customs Ways and Worships of the formal World which secret drawings I felt time after time as a small still Voice inwardly calling for Righteousness and Holiness of Life and as it were saying This is the Way walk in it Read your own States for thus I was induced to seek after the Lord and to make further enq●iry into the Way of God out of which I perceived my self and then not knowing where the Lord was to be found nor that it was he that stirred and drew by his Love in me I gave my self to Reading and searching of the Scriptures which was then Preached by the Man made Ministers and also generally believed by the People they taught to be the Word of God and the alon● way to the Kingdom and to the knowledge of God his Way and Worship and believing their Doctrines I did with much diligence and zeal press after the knowledge of the Scriptures giving up my self to Hear Sermons learn Catechisms and the like after the manner and general Practise Taught by the then Preachers sometime more Strickt then the rest whose comliness seemed to Transcend the precedent Generation of Priests and their way of Worship yet it pleased the Lord not only inwardly to break my rest in spirit but also outwardly to afflict me with Bodily afflictions for I was afflicted from my youth up and from my Childhood the rod of Correction was upon me inwardly and outwardly inwardly known to my self alone and outwardly apparent to most or all that knew me after the flesh some concluding I was in a Consumption some in one Disease some in another and then by the advice and will of my Father according to the flesh I sought to and proved many Doctors and Physitians for the restoration of the health of my Body but they like the Priests were all Physitians of no value for none did remove the cause nor take away the effect which still remained with me and upon me as a motive spur or whip to drive me forward to get an interest in the Lord who through the riches of his Love did spiritually apply my Bodily afflictions for the Health and Salvation of my Soul inwardly drawing my affections and desires after Him still presenting to my view and raising in my unerstanding a way more Holy and Pure and more agreeable to his Will then the way I was in drawing me from one degree of Grace to another and from one Dispensation to another according to his good Pleasure and W●ll then I began to affect those that separated from the formal Worships and pub●ick People who s●emed to be a People of more reformed lives and judgments and of more circumspect Conversations and chused rather to settle and joyn with those called Independants who at that day were beautiful and glorious to that glimmering Twilight estate that I was in they being then pretty tender and low I often adjudged my self inferiour unworthy and undeserving the Fellowship and Society of such a People yet still I pressed forward desiring to attain unto that state which was before me which by the eye of Faith I saw and to apprehend that for which I was apprehended in the Love of God yet was I often tossed in my self like restless waves in a troubled Sea not feeling peace nor stability with the Lord I often besought the Lord in secret in the brokenness and contrition of spirit to clear my understanding and judgment and make me to know his own Living Way Truth and People Sects and Opinions then abounding one saying this is the way an●t●er saying that is the way one saying lo Christ is in this or here another saying He is in that or there thus every Denomination and Judgment construing wresting and interpreting the Scriptures to their sundry Tenents and forcing meanings from them to answer their Principles and to maintain every of their interpretations as authentick Truths in all which I was as one without Foundation tossed with every of their windy Doctrines i● st●ll rested with me Man was created for Gods glory I being ever and anon judged and condemned in my self for Sin and Disobedience for the Law was come by which is the knowledge of Sin and the Commandment being come Sin revived and I died and having as it were wrought Death in me by that which was good then S●n by the Commandment became exceeding Sinful and then was I driven to seek for Peace night and day early and late in publick and private Fastings or Feastings or Family Devotions whatsoever running from one House to another and from one Town to another from one Assembly and Worship to another even as it were from Sea to Sea seeking the Word of the Lord as Amos said Amos 8.12 in all their Sabboths Lectures Humiliations or Thank givings diligently observing every Ordinance so called in which

no Inheritance among the Children of Israel Numb 18.20 21 23 24. for the Tythe which the Children of Israel offered was to be the Levites Inheritance and out of them they were to extract a Tenth which they were to offer as an Heave-offering unto the Lord which was to be given unto Aaron and his Sons verse 26.28 only when they were come into the Land of Canaan Joshua by the appointment of Moses set forth Forty eight Cities with their Suburbs which the Children of Israel gave of their Inheritance at the Command of the Lord Joshua 21.1 2. c. Then again I read Deut. 14.28 29. beside the Tythe they were to bring year by year unto the Lord at the end of every three years they were to bring forth all the Tythe of their Increase and lay it up within their Gates and thither should the Levites come because they had no Inheritance among them and the Strangers the Fatherless and the Widows and should Eat and be filled that the Lord might bless Israel in all the works of their hands Deut. 26.12 13 c. Again Deut. 18.3 4. They which offer Sacrifice whether Bullock or Sheep shall give unto the Priests the right shoulder and the two Cheeks and the Maw and the First-fruits of the Corn the Wine and Oyl and the first of the Fleece of the sheep c. Then again Nehemiah when he came he saw the House of God was forsaken and the Portion of the Levites had not been given but every one was fled to his own Land he reproved the Rulers and set the Levites in their places and caused all Judah to bring their Tythe of Corn and Wine and Oyl into the Treasuries c. and appointed the Wards of the Priests and of the Levites every one in his Office Nehem. 13.10 11 12 30 c. Also King Hezekiah appointed the Courses of the Priests and Levites by their turns every Man according to his Office hence it is said Zacharias was of the Course of Abia and executed the Priests Office before God as his turn came Luk. 1.5.8 and commanded the People to bring in part for the Priests and Levites that they might be Encouraged in the Law of the Lord So the Children of Israel brought in abundance of First-fruits Corn Wine Oyl and Hony and of the increase of the Field and the Tythes of Bullocks Sheep and of the holy and consecrated things the Tythe of all things in abundance yea so much as they eat and were satisfied and there was many heaps laid up in store and Hezekiah commanded them to build Chambers and in them they laid up all their Tythe and their First-fruits and their dedicated things and set Overseers over them to whome they committed the charg of them who destributed with fidelity to their Brethren great and small by course 2 Chron. 31.2 4 5 6. to vers 14. c. And in Nehemiah 10. they were all sworn and sealed to fidelity both Priests and Levites Porters Singers Nethinims and all the Children of Israel to keep the Law and the Ordinances of it and to bring in all the First-fruits the Tythe and the dedicated things Corn Wine and Oyl c. into the Chambers and Treasures c. Then Ezekiel setting forth the glory of the Temple and measuring it with the measuring Reed he shews who shall be admitted to the service of the Temple and who not he also divided the Land into four Portions one for the Priests one for the Levites one for the House of Israel and one for the Princes Ezekiel 44. and chapters 45 46. also he sets forth the Offerings of the Princes and their Ordinances as Meat-offerings Drink-offerings Burnt-offerings Sin-offersings Trespass-offerings and Peace-offerings c. also the Sacrifices of their New-moons their Sabbaths and solemn Feasts c. Also Amos coming to cry against the Idolatry in Jeroboam's time and against the Princes and Prophets of Bethel he calls their Princes Kine they oppressed the Poor and destroyed the needy and multiplyed Transgresssion in Gilgal and said bring let us Drink c. and yet they would go to Bethel and bring their Sacrifices in the Morning and their Tythes after three years they could offer Thanksgiving and proclaim Free-Offerings and this they liked then as the Priests of our Age loves Free-offerings and give ye now so they might live in their sins but the Lord swore by his Holiness he would take them away with Thorns and their Posterity with Fish-hooks and he gave them cleanness of Teeth and scarceness of Bread He with-held the Rain in its season and he sent Blasting and Mildew and Pestilence and Sword amongst them Then again the Prophet Malachi cries out against the Priests how they dispised the Name of the Lord they said the Table of the Lord was not to be regarded and said it was polluted and snuffed at it when as it was they that polluted it by offering unclean Bread the Blind the Lame the Torn and the Sick for Sacrifice Mal. 1 6 7 8. Go offer it to your Princes saith the Lord and see if they will accept it from you you have fed your selves and served your selves and not the Lord For who among you saith he will shut a door or kindle a fire on mine Altar for naught verse 10. Cursed be the Deceiver that hath in his Flock a Male and sacrificeth a corrupt thing And chap. 2. O ye Priests saith Malachi this Commandment is for you ye have broke the Covenant of Levi even my Covenant of Life and Peace ye have been partial in the Law if you will not hear and consider to give glory to my Name I will corrupt your seed and cast dung upon you faces and will curse your Blessings chap. 2.2.4 5 c. for the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth c. but ye are gone out of the way ye have broken Covenant and caused many to fall c. And in chap. 3. he saith Behold the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple but who may abide the day of his coming for he sitteth to try and fine as silver yea he will fine and purifie the Sons of Levi mark it is the Sons of Levi that they may bring Offerings of Righteousness and he will come near them to Judgment and will be a swift witness against the Adulterer false swearer and those that keep back the Hirelings wages that vex the Widow and the Fatherles and oppress the Poor and Stranger and fear not me saith the Lord for from the days of your Fathers saith he ye are gone away from mine Ordinances and have not kept them Will a Man rob God saith he yet ye have robbed me in Tyths and Offerings ye are cursed with a Curse Bring all the Tythe into the store-house that there may be meat in my House and prove me therewith and see if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and

Authority over all the Europian Nations as doth fully and largely appear in those pithy and ponderous works of the before recited Authors A. P. and F. H. this Title of Tythes having such a pleasant delightsom relish it hath been still retained amongst all the Reformed Rulers in Church and State who hath so largely professed to cast off the Papistical Yoke Now I shall proceed to say something to those my Neighbours and Parishioners amongst whom I have had my conversation in times past and a society when I wrought the will of the Flesh who have known my manner of Life from a Child I say to such what have I done what have I thought what have I acted or spoken that hath deserved any such measure as I have received from L. W or what evil have I done or what occasion have I given to any Mans person good name or estate at any time especially since I associated amongst the People called Quakers let him you or any of you or any other Person come forth that can justly charge any thing against me wherein I have damnified any one the value of a penny and have denied to give satisfaction or have offered violence to any ones Dog and I shall willingly upon due proof make acknowledgement and satisfaction to the utmost of my power for blessed be the Lord my Righteousness and Redeemer there is no thing upon my Conscience and Spirit but what is between the Lord and my own Soul in matter of my Testimony yea everlastingly magnified be the Righteous Lord my preserver to whose praise I desire to speak it that though L. W. and many others have sought occasion and have waited for my halting or falling they have not yet seen it nor got no occasion against me save about the Law and Worship of my God or the holding forth my Testimony and Exercise of my Conscience towards him for which I have been reviled mocked and reproached amongst you yea the Children in the Streets have played upon me with their Tongues this I speak to their or their Parents shame but was as joy and rejoycing to my Soul being for Righteousness sake the Blessing of the Lord was with me and mine Enemies knew it not nor they that dwelt in Darkness saw it not This further I have to propound to you whether ye can allow of it or that it would be justifiable in the Law of Equity and true Judgment that my Servant should Sue you at Law make spoil and carry away your goods and cast your persons into Prison and after all seek to make your Estates forfeit and confiscate and all for the wages and recompence of the Service he hath done for me which of you would approve of such work or of me in keeping such a Servant would you not rather say to me if I have hired a Servant and employed him pay him and maintain him also why doth he trouble you What have you to do to pay him for my work seeing he is my Servant Is not this the case between me and you Is not L. W. your Minister and also your Servant And by what Law or Reason ought I to pay him for doing your service Hath either you or he a President in all the Scriptures of any such unequal deeds Did ye ever Read of any of the Churches or Servants of God in Ages past that used such things I trow not If I had destributed voluntarily it had been one thing but being sued and compelled thereunto therefore I complain may not I say to you why do you hire more servants then you can pay Or why do you keep more then you are able to maintain Else why am I thus persecuted for his maintenance May not I speak this to your shame being so many as I may say for one Servant you are either hard Masters and very penurious and strait-handed to your Servants or else your Servants are very lavish proud profane and prodigal and hath much maintaining Did ever any Minister of ours called a Quaker come among you to sue and cast into Prison for their maintenance and livelihood or what would you say if they should I believe you would condemn both us and them and indeed we should be greatly ashamed if they should for my part I had rather Administer to the last mite then any such cause of aspertion should be given against us and also testifie against them as no Ministers of Christ that Preaches for any such ends if they be Gospel Ministers let their Gospel maintain them or let them labour with their hands though many have said we are a disorderly and unmannerly People but I affirm we have better orders and manners amongst us then you have for your Servants are become your Masters and Lords it over you and both in that and many other things disorder and confusion is come over you as they that built Babel of old I remember well what Malachi saith complaining of the Priests Mal. 2.2 3 c. to verse 9. I will send a Curse upon you I 'll Curse your Blessings yea I have Cursed them already Behold I 'll corrupt your Seed and spread dung upon your Faces and ye shall know that I have sent this Commandment unto you that my Covenant might be with Levi my Covenant was with him of Life and Peace the Law of Truth was in his mouth for the Priests lips should preserve knowledge but ye are departed out of the Way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith he therefore have I made you contemptible and base before all the People mark now Is not this the case and condition of the present Priesthood and Clergy of England those neutralists that are neither Ministers of the Law nor Gospel hath not the Lord made them contemptible and base before all the People yea where shall a Man come and have any Discourse about them but the most part if not all doth generally conclude they are Covetous vile proud and profane Persons Oppressors Drunkards Men-pleasers Time-servers Turn-coats Heady and High-minded lovers of Pleasures and filthy lucre more then of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power but their folly shall be and is made manifest it shall proceed no further said the Apostle May not I say the Merchants of this last Age hath exceeded all that ever went before them they can trade on those dayes called their Sabboths or Lords-dayes and prohibit all others from either trading or labouring in their lawful and honest vocations but if they 'l Play Drink Revel Swear and be Profane there they may have liberty enough on those Dayes Also whether any have need of their Merchandice or not or will come and Trade with them or not or will take any of their Commodities from them or not yet they have a Law and by that Law compel them to pay and that even their own Rates what they demand and if any refuse then