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	transgression_n	3,416	5	11.8881	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11881	Five sermons preached upon severall occasions (The texts whereof are set downe in the next page.) By Iohn Seller.	Seller, John, 1592 or 3-1648.	1636 (1636)	STC 22181; ESTC S101223	58,521	276

out againe weake and wretched men that we are who were able to deliver us God is a wise God and what more fitting for our folly for Melius stulti omnes viverent si servi essent sapientum August de Vtil Credendi Happie were it for all fooles had they but wise Masters And when we see so foolish oft-times are wee so ignorant to preferre the Tree of Knowledge before the Tree of Life how necessary is it that wee should goe unto Gods Schoole and there learne that this is life eternall the perfection of all knowledge to know him to be the onely true God and IESVS CHRIST whom hee hath sent Lastly God is a mercifull God and what more fitting for our sinne for every man we know to be a sinner every sinne a transgression of the Law every transgression liable unto a curse and this curse no lesse then eternall death how necessary is it then that we should seeke for a powerfull protection in the service of this Mercifull God that by his assistance we may be able to contest not onely with flesh and blood but even with Principalities and powers and say with Saint Paul Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect his elect and faithfull servants It is God that justifies who is able to condemne us Seeing then we are all weake and helplesse and want God as a powerfull protector we are ignorant and foolish and want him as a wise instructer we are wretched and sinfull and want him as a mercifull Saviour if our duties can not prevaile may even our necessities enforce us and let every man say and say from his heart O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant And thus much for my first observation I come now unto a second 2. As God is our Lord and Master and wee must doe him service so this service must be hearty and sincere and therefore wee see here to prevent all suspition of Hypocrisie the Psalmist bindeth himselfe with a threefold cord First we have a profession of his service O Lord I am thy servant secondly we have a repetition of this profession I am thy Servant I am thy Servant lastly we have an asseveration affixt unto this repetition O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant and justly may we be true and sincere in our service unto him who in all his promises is so sincere and faithfull unto us nay therefore onely requires sincerity in our service that hee may more faithfully reward us When one man waites upon another that which breeds indignation and reluctancie the wages oftentimes are proportioned not according to the worth of the Servant but the fancie of the Master and so we read of LEVVES the eleventh of France View of France page 61. who neglecting men of better abilities made his Taylor his Herald his Chyrurgion his Chancellor his Barber his Ambassador The New-Man pag. 48. and of Pope Paul the fift that he would make no learned Cardinals least by them his owne ignorance might be upbraided his Auditor his Treasurer the Clarke of the Chamber these are the unworthy Worthies he made choise of to fill up his cōsistorie But when man waits upon God so diligent is he in rewarding those who diligently seek him that as in his Book all our members so all the service of our mēbers are recorded every humble sigh and groane of the heart every good word of the mouth every penitent teare of the eye every charitable act of the hand shall be remembred He is not like most Masters who lay the chiefe burden of the worke upon the Servants shoulders reape the main benefit thēselves but where hee gives us Talents to labour increase withall he requires againe nor Talents nor increase nay Quae dat munera muneratur Salvian de Gubernat Dei lib. 7. according to the proportion of the increase still he increaseth his rewards For so we reade that when hee who had received five Talents had gained five more his Lord requires againe nor principall nor use but to him that hath still shall be more given even use upon use Thou hast beene faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many enter into thy Masters joy Now who would not gladly w th all sincerity serve such a Master from whom he may assuredly expect the whole benefit a thousand times more thā the whole benefit of his own service Especially when as wee know that as God hath his different servants some formall some reall so hee hath his different rewards too for formals he hath his formalities his realities for reals Seest thou not Ahab sayth God how he humbleth himselfe humbleth himselfe with a temporarie sorrow and see wee not God how hee requires his humility Ahab is good for a time and for a time onely God is gracious unto him Againe Seest thou not my Servant Iob that there is none like him upon the earth a perfect and upright man and according to the uprightnesse of the Servant see we not the gracious favour of his Master As great was his godlinesse so his godlinesse was great gaine had the Promise of the blessings of this life after the patient losse of his goods receiving them all double had the assurance of the Blessings of the life to come for I know sayth hee that my Redeemer liveth Now who would not desire a thousand times rather to bee a IOB then an AHAB and therefore who would not be carefull to serve GOD like Iob with a perfect and an upright heart without which hee knowes it is impossible that he should obtaine his desire And indeed when in the solemne Congregation wee read in the presence both of GOD and man the severall passages of pure and undefiled Religion conteyned in this booke of Psalmes not as expressions onely of other mens devotions but as Patternes of our owne when wee read Lord how doe I love thy Law It is sweeter to mee then honey and the honey combe Morning and Evening and noone-tide doe I pray unto thee and that instantly As the eyes of the Servants looke upon the hands of their Masters so our eyes waite upon thee O Lord And again in my Text O Lord truly I am thy servant what soule trembles not to take these Sacred protestations without some competencie of true Piety and holinesse least if wee had no other witnesse against us our owne heart might too justly give our tongue the lie Will you steale sayth the Prophet commit adulterie and sweare falsely and then will you come and stand before me in this house And then even then perhaps when the Conscience of these or the like sinnes shall cry for vengeance dare we then say O Lord if I have done any such thing or if there be any wickednesse in my hands then let mine enemy persecute my life and take it What is this but solemnely to curse our soules even then when we come