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
A80630	The powring out of the seven vials: or An exposition, of the 16. chapter of the Revelation, with an application of it to our times. Wherein is revealed Gods powring out the full vials of his fierce wrath. 1. Upon the lowest and basest sort of Catholicks. 2. Their worship and religion. 3. Their priests and ministers. 4. The house of Austria, and the Popes supremacy. 5. Episcopall government. 6. Their Euphrates, or the streame of their supportments. 7. Their grosse ignorance, and blind superstitions. Very fit and necessary for this present age. Preached iu [sic] sundry sermons at Boston in New-England: by the learned and reverend Iohn Cotton BB. of Divinity, and teacher to the church there	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.	1642 (1642)	Wing C6449; Thomason E145_1; ESTC R22938	145,386	230

of them and then shall you see the necessity of looking unto your Religion And upon this ground it is that Apostle Iude Vers 1.3 writeth unto all the faithfull and exhorteth them That they should contend earnestly for the Faith once given to the Saints otherwise they shall have the first hansell of Gods Iudgements for they will be soonest corrupted and shall bee soonest punished Doct. 4 That the discovery of the loathsome and shamefull sinnes of men is from the Viall of the wrath of God For what was this Viall which is powred out upon the earth that is upon the common sort of Christians It was their conviction of their damnable Ignorance and Superstition Idolatry and Hypocrisie and this the Lord threatneth as a judgement unto Hierusalem Ezeck 16.37 That hee will discover her nakednesse that those that loved her and these that hated her should see her nakednesse Thus is his wrath revealed against all unrighteousnesse of men For the Lord is the first cause of all the Evill that is done among Rea. 1 the sonnes of Men Amos 3.6 So that is me●s wickednesse discovered is their loathsome sinfull carnall corrupt estate laid open The Lord hath done it Because it is the proper worke of the Spirit of God to convince Reas 2 the World of sinne John 16.8 and he worketh it by the Law For by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 7.7 And what the Law doth the same doe the servants of God by the Ministery of it yet all is the worke of the Spirit of God The Vse may be first to teach the Sonnes of men to take Vse 1 heede how you snarle at Instruments of Gods wrath though it may be they may sometimes deale disorderly yet is it your part to see the righteous hand of God and when men walke according to God in discovering your wickednesse there is it the righteous hand of God much more As when the Angels that poured out this Viall were encouraged by the Officers of Christ in his Church and so by the Lord himselfe to show men that they were full of palpable Ignorance and superstition Therefore let men learne in these cases to sanctifie the Lord in their hearts and to acknowledge his hand on them in such convictions of their sinnefull and shamefull estate and course Let it teach all such whose sinnes are discovered at any time Vse 2 to humble their soules under the mighty hand of God that as their sinnes have beene discovered by an Angel of wrath so they may be covered againe by the Angel of peace That the discovery of the sinnes of the Common sort of people Doct. 5 doth inflict a noysome Boyle upon their corrupt leaders and guides that allow them therein There fell a noysome and grievous sore upon the men which had the Marke of the Beast and upon them that worshipped his Image When all this wickednesse is discovered in the common Catholikes then doth the leaudnesse of their leaders also grow notorious what say you now to all their Catholicke Priests Their wickednesse appeareth their Idlenesse Hypocrisie Covetousnesse and wantonnesse breaketh forth A grievous sore lay upon them all to see that all their labours are discovered to be but a building men up in wrath the Spirits of the Popish Leaders were greatly disturbed and troubled to see men so busie with their new Sumpsimus A noysome blemish was it to all their Religious Orders and to all that did countenance thē in the same Evident this is unto al those that read the Stories of our owne times or the times of our Fathers how this noysome sore fell upon their Guids and Leaders And so it hath done of old Esay 9.15.16 The Leaders of this People cause them to erre So Jer. 5.31 The Prophets prophecie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes and my people love to have it so Thus are their false guides blemished Reason The Reason is taken from the duty of the guides of the Church and People which is to turn them from their evill waies Jer. 23.22 Therefore if they lead them into evill wayes needs must a noysome sore fall upon them when the wickednesse of the people is discovered Vse This may teach all the servants of Christ to whom the Church of God is committed to be the more vigilant in all the Administrations of the things of God in his House that there may remain in it no corruptions that are discerned but that being discerned they may be also borne witnesse against and be seasonably rooted out and the spirits of Gods people healed else the sorenesse will fall upon the guids of the Church the people may perish in their sinnes but their blood will the Lord require at the hands of those that should leade them in the way wherein they should goe It is not enough for the people to say it is the fault of their guides nor for Ministers to lay the blame upon the people unlesse they warne them then indeed have they delivered their owne soules but if the People perish for lacke of knowledge God will require their blood at the hand of their Guides THE SECOND VIALL REVEL 16.3 And the second Angel poured out his viall upon the Sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and every living soule died in the Sea THis Verse describes the pouring out of the Viall of the second Angel For the subject He poures it on the Sea and the effect was the Sea became as the blood of a Dead man and the effect of that on the living soules in the Sea they all dyed The allusion is to a like plague upon Aegypt in the 7. of Exod. 20 21. Where Moses strucke the River Nilus and it was turned to blood as heere The Sea became as the blood of a dead man and all the fish in the Rivers dyed that is of all sorts some Now for the meaning of this second Viall First for the Sea What is heere meant by the Sea And what by the Sea becomming blood and as the blood of a dead man And how is every living soule in this Sea said to dye by this means The Sea cannot be meant the ordinary Sea of waters for you cannot bring any judgement on that sea that can afflict Antichristians more then Christians if you should corrupt all the Sea as the Papists expound it and yet they beleeve all these evils redound to Antichrist What hurt will it be to Antichrist more then to the Church of Christ If all the fish in the sea died What would it hurt Antichrist more then Christian Nations cannot Antichrist be supplyed with other dainties on the shore out of the Flocks and Heards and out of the Fields and Woods and out of the Ayre from the Fowles there though he never had any Fish at his Table That therefore cannot bee the meaning But the sea is the sea of the Antichristian world a distinct world from that heavenly state wherein other Reformed Churches

shall lie downe with the Kid c. So great is their change in their hearts that mens Ravenous tyrannies are taken away and there is wrought in them a kindly sweete unshaken frame that will so breake forth against Gods people as formerly thus doth the earthquake shake out drosse and corruptions and establish the heart in a sweete gracious frame of Spirit 2. Secondly The knowledge of Christ will breed division as well as conjunction Thinke you saith Christ that I am come to send p●ace I tell you nay but the sword To set men at variance among themselves the father against the sonne and the sonne against the father and the mother against the daughter c. And this division is made in Cities and in Kingdomes Act. 14.4 The city was divided and part held with the Apostles and part held with the Jewes so it is in the Text the great city was divided into three parts some are hardened in their ignorance and some are drawne out of it and a third part will stand Neuters betweene both to see which way the ballance will turne and these are also hardened in their blindnesse 3. Thirdly the saving knowledge of Christ hath in it this power to cause men to rise up in armes against all the enemies of the Gospell of Christ in a lawfull way of God There is a power in true Religion th●t maketh the hearts of the timerous to be stiffe and strong that where as men were before afraid of the power of the house of Austria and of the King of Spaine and of the rest of the Catholike Princes there is a power in the Spirit of Christ that will dispell all these had but men the zeale of God in their hearts it would make all these feares to be like Scar-crowes and makes men bold to bid battell unto all those that stand out against Religion so farre as the Lawes of a State may beare them out 4. A fourth power of this knowledge is to blow up all the inventions of men in the worship of God wherby men have deluded themselves and others when once mens hearts are lifted up in the waves of the Lord as it is said of Johoshaphat that his heart was 2 Chro. 17.6 and then he tooke away the High places and groves out of Judah So when the zeale of God lifteth up the hearts of his people then will they not endure a consecrated place in all the world where they come And when this Viall is poured out the earth shall be full of this knowledge of God and then all the Chappels of Ease and Churches of state and Temples of glory whereby the world hath beene deluded they will not leave them a stone upon a stone that shall not be throwne downe This is the second Reason taken from the power of saving knowledge which subdueth mens wilde natures worketh holy division giveth courage and the power of zeale against all superstitions and inventions of men though now in some places you may not passe through with a burden nor looke upon the wall thereof The zeale of the Lord of hoast will blow them up those places will be laid open to the rest of the streetes and become but common soyle they will not then be regarded but trampled upon Reas 3 The Third Reason is from the just judgement of God upon all that are not effectually wrought upon by this saving knowledge of God if men come not in on some measure to a perfect accomplishment of Gods worke in their hearts there will fall such a plague of haile upon them as will teare away their vaile and rend away their hypocriticall shifts and goodly pretences and wash down their untempered dawbings wherewith they have dawbed the walls of their standing in the Church of God He will so rend them to pieces that if they will not come in he will leave them to such open blasphemies that you shall clearely see there is no more hope of their conversion nor salvation The Use of this point in the first place may serve to teach Vse 1 you a just reproofe of the Popish conceit That ignorance is the mother of Devotion unlesse they meane it of their owne devotion True it is the mother of their devotion indeed so long as their people are hood-winked with it they will thinke they doe God good service if they be in the Church though they understand nothing there and if when they die they be buryed in a Church-yard they thinke they are the better and yet better if they be buryed in a Church and yet better if it be in a Chancell and better then so if it be under the Altar and better then that if a Fryars Cowle be wrapped about them This is indeed the mother of whippings and scourgings of auricular confessions and of all Popish superstitions for in truth take away this ignorance and all Popish devotion doth of it selfe fall to the ground if once this vaile be removed from the face of all Nations Secondly Learne from hence to see what great need wee Vse 2 have all of us to grow up in saving knowledge and in prayer for the increase thereof that we may propagate the same daily more and more you see what wonders it will doe Gods people of old prayed for us Psal 67.1 God be mercifull to us and blesse us and cause his face to shine upon us And for what end That thy way may be known upon earth and thy saving truth among all Nations And when once the light of the Gospell is dispersed it will bring in all Nations it will thunder upon them and never leave untill it have changed them If this knowledge of God come amongst an army of men they will not touch any thing that is their brethrens not meddle not make with any to doe them harme no mans purse shall be taken from him no mans goods taken away without due recompence only they will not be deluded with shaddowes nor suffer mountaines to overtop them neither will they be encompassed with hands they will raise such an earthquake first in Church and Common-wealth as you will at length wonder at for though it begin in a corner of the world it will not cease till it have shaken all Christendome for when men once begin clearely to see which is the true Church of God that it is not Cathedrall nor Provinciall nor Diocesan but congregationall only the officers whereof are godly Pastors and Teachers and ruling Elders and Deacons And when they see that the Saints which they have embraced and esteemed are not the true Saints of God nor these the Churches nor those the officers of Christ wherewith they have been gulled but they see now who are the Saints of the most high and can put a difference now between precious and vile In this way men will goe on to raise such an earthquake and that not besides the Law neither that if any City rise up against them fall it must and stoop

unto them and at length Rome it selfe shall fall and all the Cities of the Nations that cleave unto her and every mountaine shall bee rooted up and all their consecrated places shall lie levell with the common soile this will the Lord bring to passe and will not leave till he hath wrought his great work in the world this is his revealed will and it will not faile untill every jot and tittle of it be fulfilled Let us therefore pray both night and day in season and out of season for our brethren in our native countrey for whom God hath wrought all these great things and for whom greater things yet remain to be done for whom our work is to wrastle with God that they may not perish for lack of knowledge nor mistake a false Church for a true and false it is if it be either Cathedrall Provinciall Nationall or Diocesan But pray we that they may see the Moone which God hath set in the Firmament even the true forme of a Church of the new Testament And also that Christ may bee better known in all the parts of his Kingly office and government in his Church that they may see who are Papists and who are the true Saints of God and who are counterfeit that they discerne between cleane and uncleane for if the saving knowledge of God grow up unto any ripenesse among them it will not beare many things that are there remaining many dawbings with untempered morter there are that must be beaten downe And great pitty were it that they should want any light which might possibly be afforded unto them and marv●llous usefull will it be that we should not be wanting on our parts to help with what light we have that so there may be no more refuges of lies in that land I say this is mightily to bee wrastled for both in prayers and in all Christian endeavours for verily this is the worke of God meet for every man to set his heart and hand unto even to pull away the vaile of darkn●●●e from all faces and from all the mindes of men and to discover clear●ly the Gospell of Jesus Christ and all the holy wayes of his sactuary that every man may see and see clearely that men may not make a dawbing of part Reformation and part of Superstition part Popery and part Protestanisme part uniformity and part conformity O that an haile storme might not be wanting to batter downe such dawbing that the work of God might not cease but amount unto the praise of the glory of his rich grace in Jesus Christ and extend unto the accomplishment of every holy word of his truth The third use may serve to instruct you in the wonderfull Vse 3 successe of small beginnings in the things of God that a womans throwing of a sorry chaire at a mans head though the part i● might be punishable for such a miscarriage should rayse such a consending for reformation that both kingdomes must either stand by reformation or else fall to ruine First the woman backe on the men and then the men must for shame backe on their wives and greater men backe the meaner to bring forth such a great reformation And how should this come to passe Truely in the eyes of men it is wonderfull But you know the least thing you cast into a streame will runne downe the streame you neede not force it you have cast it in where nature hath set a course to carry it along And how much more shall things runne an end when the God of nature hath set them a course when he powreth a Vial upon the ignorance and darknesse of Popish superstition then great workes therein will be done for now a man underworkes the Lord when he doth what his word hath spoken and what his hand hath gone before us in And when the ordinances of God say it is spoken then the providence of God will say it is done and then if you faile long with Gods providence in Gods ordinance you need not feare nor wonder if weake beginnings come unto great issues For now you take opportunitie by the foretop as they are wont to say if you carry along businesse according to the word the Lord will carry things an end mightily in your hands beyond all your expectations or imaginations for there is no resisting nor controlling the worke of God Vse 4 The fourth use may show you the great danger of such as stand out against the reformation of Religion the Lord will throw downe his haile upon them and rend their hearts and indignation and blasphemy He will goe an end with his worke though they sweare and storme he will pursue the enemies of his grace with his wrath till he have utterly confounded and consumed them from off the face of the earth Vse 5 In the last place this may serve to teach every man in perticular I am forced to speake unto kingdomes and states but let it not be in vaine let us be acquainted with every part of his counsell and will and this is a maine part thereof and wee may not shut our eyes from any knowne truth for God would have the veyle taken from all faces you may have a true platforme of this worke in any godly mans heart If the Lord meane to finish the mistery of his grace in thee he will power out a Vial upon the vaile of thine ignorance and will open thine eyes to see that thou hast runne a carnall cursed course of life he will come in with thundrings and lightnings and voyces such as wherewith Moses himselfe shall be terrified He will come in with an earthquake into thy heart terribly shaking thy sinfull corruptions and then he will worke a reall change in thee that nothing in heaven but Christ nor in the earth in comparison of him The Lord will not suffer you to rest untill you have closed stedfastly with him the knowledge of God hath given you will bring this matter to passe he will not leave you untill you have gone forward to a division from your sinfull lust and carnall companions And whatsoever his work be you must doe it even unto the fulfilling of the mystery of God and whosoever riseth against you you must plead for Christ with the weapons of your tongue and whatsoever High mountaine riseth in you any gifts or parts good duties any greene grasse that groweth in you the haile storme of Gods wrath will drive you from trusting on any such common grace all dawbings with untempered morter you cannot skill of whatsoever doth not make to the building you up in away of saving grace you are unskilfull in therefore you are desirous still to close with Christ nor can yee rest untill you come to setled peace in him This is such a mystery of God as hee will not rest nor suffer you to rest untill it be done and if his Word will bring it to passe in a whole countrey then sure it is enough to effect it in thine heart See therefore that you doe not dawbe up your selves nor others with untempred morter satisfie not your selves untill you be shaken out of all such common apprehensions as hypocrites are wont to rest in rest you not untill you finde Christ manifested to your spirit as yours grow up in a Lambe-like frame of spirit and way untill the mystery of God be finished in you and untill that mystery of Iniquity that hath beene wrought in you be abolished FINIS