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	sinner_n	2,820	5	9.3094	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41846	The spiritual warfare, or, Some sermons concerning the nature of mortification, right exercise, and spiritual advantages thereof whereunto are added other two sermons, concerning the mystery of contentment : being the substance of ten sermons never heretofore printed / by Mr. Andrew Gray, late minister of the gospel at Glasgow.	Gray, Andrew, 1633-1656.	1672 (1672)	Wing G1619A; ESTC R32457	107,606	272

of that sentence But know this for your consolation that this is not his last word know that that Justice Court is but subordinat and there is another higher unto which we may appeal to have that sentence of Justice sweetly repealed And is not this one mysterious depth of infinite love that Grace should declare them righteous whom Justice hath condemned and yet leave no imputation upon the Justice of God that love should sweetly reduce decreets of Justice and declare them in law to be void and null this is the law of love And is not this a mystery of infinit love that that which is an abomination for man to justifie the wicked should be love and Justice in God to Iustifie the ungodly And is not this a wonder that though there be no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus yet there should be many things condemnable in them and that divine love should make such an abstraction as to make a separation betwixt many things that are condemnable and condemnation Iustice and judgment are the habitation of his throne yet mercy and truth go before it and cometh nearest sinners to make ready their way that they may speak with Justice There is this that we would have you know that in the accomplishment of this work of mortification of which we have been speaking at many occasions a Christian hath that same power communicable unto him for the overcoming of his temptations which Christ had in the overcoming of principalities and powers ● this is clear Eph. 19 20. And certainly sometimes when a Christian doth reflect upon those living and strong corruptions that are within him he will have much of that fear which Elisha's servant had who cryed out Master what shall we do but if our eyes were opened we should see that there are more for us nor against us put on much of that divine generosity of Nehemiah if we may allude unto it in this combate of saith Shoulds such a one as I flee however keep a midst betwixt discouragment and anxious Misbelief And I would only give Christians who are indeed ingaged in this holy warfare that counsel which Ahab gave to Benhadad 1 King 20. 11. Let not him that putteth on his armour boast as he that putteth it off let confident faith be mixed with holy fear that there may be a sweet mixture of these two And there is this which we would speak to you that there is a difference betwixt the grant and gift of pardon and the intimation of pardon unto a Christian yea more there is a difference betwixt the intimation of pardon even for a sin mortified and repented for and the divine application of it this is clear by comparing 2 Sam. 12 13. with Psal. 51. where Nathan saith to David thine iniquities are blotted out and they sin is taken away There is both the grant of pardon and the intimation of it and yet he himself Psa. 51. prayeth for the application of pardon pardon was not applied though it was intimated and this would speak this to us that we would not alwayes conclude from the want of the sensible convictions of pardon the want of the grant of pardon But now to come to that at which we left at the last occasion which was the extent of Mortification that a Christian ought not only to mortifie original sin but his predominant lusts also with all the motions and occasions unto the acting of these sins Concerning the mortification of original sin which is here called the flesh we have spoken already and have spoken somewhat concerning the mortification of predominant lusts and presumptuous sins It is turned now to be an improper expression to make mention of a predominant grace that should stand in opposition to predominant lusts I would only say this that under the law there is no expresse mention made for any sacrifice for presumptuous sins unto which the Apostile doth allude Heb. 10. 26. If a man sin wilfully after he hath received the knowledge of the truth their remaineth no more sacrifice for sin And certainly this may make us astonished to entertain our predominant sins and our presumptuous iniquities to entertain them so as not to debate and wrestle with them for they turn not unto presumptuous sins except we go such a length therefore we should be much in presenting that supplication Psal. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me Now that which we shall speak to first shall be this what are the most effectual and spiritual means by which a Christian may be helped to the mortifying of his predominant lusts And before we speak of them we shall only say this that this generation desireth rather to know what to do then to do and practice what they know we think to win to heaven by knowledge though we confesse we will not win to heaven without it yet there is more requisit in a Christian. The first way how a Christian will be helped to mortifie his predominant lusts is this for a Christian to be much in the exercise of secret prayer And I would say this he is a blessed Christian who ever won to the mortification of the least strength of a lust by publick prayer whether more publick or in families or with society pride and self-seeking is that Caterpillar and worm that eats up the fruit of these addresses unto God but if you were much in secret prayer alone it would be a compendious way to attain to the mortification of your lusts that when a Messenger of Sathan buffets you ye may go to the Throne thrife and beseech the Lord that this evil may depart from you this is clear not only Eph. 6. 18. where amongst all the rest of the spiritual armour of a Christian prayer is made mention of Pray with all prayer and manner of supplication it is clear Iam. 5. 17. If any man be afflicted let him pray and 2 Cor. 12. 7. 8. the words that we were speaking just now O! whether is that washing of our bed with tears and that presenting of supplications with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed now gone There are few Christians but can make language of their grief whose grief of heart goes never to such a length as they may cry forth I am so troubled that I cannot speak He were indeed a Phoenix of his time who could without lying to the Holy Ghost say that his bones were waxing old through his roaring all the day and we would only say to such that are not endeavouring after this you shall go down to your graves having your bones full of the sins of your youth There is this second mean that we would speak to That a Christian would be much in the exercise of the grace of watchfulnesse This is clear from Luke 21. near the close and from Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation And certainly watchfulnesse is a most

of sin but to desist also from the first motions and lusts of sin There is this lastly a Christian would be much in the exercise of prayer for that spirit who convinceth the world of sin that what you do not know as of your selves he who is the great convincer of the world may imprint those convictions upon your souls which may make you sit down and bewail your selves in the bitternesse of your spirit And we shall at this time shut up our discourse only we would say to these who are entertaining this holy warfare against their corruptions that they would not be much discouraged though they see not sensible victory you must know that sin must be with you while you have a being we may certainly allude unto that word Dan. 7. 12. and may say that the dominion of your sins shall be taken a way though their lives shall be prolonged for a time and for a season As likewayes we would say this for your encouragment who have your corruptions stirring most within you that ordinarily Sathan when he is in the way to remove then stirreth and acteth most as it is observed that the last beating of the pulse in a dying man is most strong so the beating of corruption when it is going to be cast out may be most violent And we shall only give the reason why Christians are not much affected with this that the day is coming when once they shall prevail over their corruptions and shall tread Sathan under their feet why the feet of those who bring such glad tyding are not beautiful upon the mountains And we conceive that it doth either proceed from this that Christians are not seriously engaged in this holy warfare for that is most certain that if you were fighting day by day then the hope of victory and of a blessed issue would be as glad tyding from a far country and should be as cold water unto a thirsty soul that though your hope were deferred untill your hearts were sick yet the accomplishment of your desires should be sweet to your souls or else it doth proceed from this that Christians do not believe this truth that there is an issue and period of their fight if once you could be brought this length to seal this truth that that victory shall be once heard in heaven Speak comfortably to Ierusalem for her warfare is accomplished if we may allude unto these words or if a Christian be seriously debating with his lusts and hath also the faith of this truth in some measure then it doth proceed lastly from this want of the distinct perswasions of our interest and want of the assurance of our peace with him for as long as a Christian is under debate concerning his eternal rest he cannot be much affected with joy under the declaration of these means that there is a period of their fight and that they who have been made partakers of the first resurrection over them the second death shall have no power O! what a blessed day suppose ye shall that be when your feet shall stand within the gate of the new Jerusalem when you shall receive these two precious badges and eternal trophies of your victory a crown put upon your head of infinit more value than all material crowns and a palm put in your hand We conceive it is impossible to determine what joy will accrue to a Christian upon the reflect thoughts of this that he hath trode Sathan under his feet and hath bruised the head of him who hath so oft bruised his heel And as for those who are strangers as the most part of us are unto this spiritual warfare be convinced of this that within threescore and fewer years God shall enter into an eternal warfare with you where there shall be no cessation of armes neither shall there be any interruption It is better to fight with your lusts than to fight with a living and eternal God when he shall declare himself to be your opposite and enemy Man once was made perfect but he did find out many inventions and amongst all those inventions he found that accursed one how there might be a separation betwixt him and the living God and except He whose name is Prudence and hath found out the knowledge of many witty inventions had found out that precious invention of reconciling sinners unto God we should have been Magor Missabib terrors to our selves O! that you might be perswaded once to contend with your lusts that ye may endure the heat of the day and the cold of the night in wrestling against sin know this that sin goeth not out but by fasting and prayer it is so straitly united unto us it is easier for a camel to passe thorow the eye of a needle than for many of us to mortifie our corruptions We shall shut up all that we would say in this one word be perswaded of this that the day is approaching and near at hand when our blessed Lord Iesus shall come with ten thousands of his Saints what if this were the day O unmortified sinners that ye should behold that white Throne Fixed in the clouds and ye should have a summons given into your hands without continuation of dayes to appear before his Tribunal What could ye answer when ye are reproved Would not silence and confession be your best desence Certainly there is an eternal curse to be pronunced against those who do not exercise themselves unto this precious act of Godlinesse of crucifying the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof There is a law of death over your head and there is a law of sin which is within your hearts and ye shall be eternally subjects unto these two Laws except the Law of the spirit of life do make you free SERMON V. Gal. 5. 24. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts THe walk of a Christian who hath Christ in him the hope of glory is most sublime and it being from spiritual principles for spiritual ends is also according to a spiritual rule The walk of a Christian is from faith and love in Iesus Christ as that predominant principle nay more from the spirit of Christ living in the soul of a Christian by faith and dwelling in it by love which is that primum mobile and first wheel of all its motions as likewise it is for a spiritual end it being for the glory of God and to subordinate unto this their own salvation and advantage they are not like Ephraim empty vines bringing forth fruit unto themselves but it is their design to make Christ all and themselves nothing though it be natural unto a man to deifie himself and to make himself the first Alpha of his actings and the last Omega of all his performances as likewise it is according to a spiritual rule it being conformed unto that precious word of life which is perfect in it self and leadeth man unto perfection But this