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
A62374	A brief and plain commentary with notes, not more useful than seasonable, upon the whole prophecie of Malachy delivered, sermon-wise, divers years since at Pitmister in Summerset / by William Sclater ... ; now published by his son William Sclater ...	Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1650 (1650)	Wing S913; ESTC R17140	147,505	246

stand up in judgment to condemn us that shewed more reverence to Idols than we to the living God 5. A note of a Child of God reverently and with fear to worship him 1 Thes 2.13 this that makes the word effectuall when a man considers whose word he hears Vse 3 Again hence may we take some light for our better direction in opening the Third Commandement the summe whereof is this that we pollute not nor disreverence the Name God This the Pharisees limited unto false swearing Mat. 5. Some of our people to vain swearing by the Name of God not to swearing in generall Now know that the Name of God is polluted not only when thou swearest falsely but when thou hearest unreverently when thou prayest unreverently In a word as here Malachy hath expressed two particulars 1. By careless performing or base opinion of the worship of God 2. By light esteeming the works of his mercy and providence over us in provision for our maintenance If thou pray unreverently thou hast polluted Gods Name If thou think or speak unreverently of the works of his providence c. thou hast polluted his Name And the fruit thereof even his meat is contemptible Here is a finding fault with the providence of God in our maintenance See the Text his Provenius that is those issues that come by Gods ordinance unto the Priests for their sustenance They counted it a base allowance and contemptible meat For the better understanding of the words we must know that of the sacrifices dedicated unto God there was a Portion due unto the Priests as 1 Sam. 2. Hos 4. especially in the sin-offerings where with they were maintained Now this is noted as their fault that the Lord having thus liberally provided for them they counted the allowance base and not good enough for them this their fault The same see in the Israelites when God had fed them a long time with Manna meat meet for Angells if they should eat mark how they murmure nothing but Manna they must have flesh and that of the daintiest The same Fault-finding with the Lords Portion and allorment is rife in our people The poor he grudgeth at his hard fare though he may live in it feele the Lords good providence in giving it strength to nourish and preserve in health beauty and strength of body The Labourer he grudgeth at the Gentleman that he lives at such ease though as Solomon speaks his sleep be a thousand times more sweet and quiet unto him And in a word go over all states and you shall find this murmuring against the providence of God in the means allotted by him for their maintenance Causes hereof two 1. An over weening conceit we have of our own worth and deserving we seem to our selves to have deserved better things at Gods hands whenas alas not the least morsell of the coursest bread is deserved by us 2. Lack of perswasion of Gods love in our designment to our particular states A man perswaded of Gods fatherly love thus easily resolves what state God placeth him in that is best for him knowing that if another were better for him God being a father would not deny it him Mat. 7.9 10. Well Let us hence learn to profit our selves in the understanding of the Law of God surely it is the end why the Law entred that sin that is the knowledge of sin might abound And that man that knows the infiniteness of his own misery by the Law is best fitted to comprehend what is the height and length and breadth and depth of the Love of God in Christ revealed in the Gospell Learn we therefore by this and the like Scriptures to make the full meaning of the Law familiar unto us It is one main cause of that sottish pride and presumptuous opinion men carry of themselves as that they know not what the Law means The First Commandement forbids worshipping other Gods free from this free from all breach of the Law wheras if we were acquainted with the meaning of the Law we should find a thousand transgressions of every Precept besides the gross sin in the particular specified See Mat. 5. VER 13. Ye said also behold what a weariness is is and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of Hosts And ye brought that which is torn and the Lame and the sick Thus ye brought an offering should I accept this of your hand saith the Lord HEre is the sin particular laid to the charge of these hypocrites First see the meaning Words diversly read Those that render it nearest the originall thus Ye say behold what weariness Whereas ye may even blow it away wherein the Prophet even residenceth the speeches of these hypocriticall Jews that whereas they brought unto the Lord for sacrifices the lightest and sleightest of their flock such as they might even blow away with a blast of their mouth Hyperbole yet they would pretend that they were even tyred with the weight of the Sheep and other Cattle that they brought for sacrifice Now This sence standing Observ affords us these two properties notorious in an hypocrite 1 That he proclaimes his Devotions to the world and thinks all lost in the service of God that mans eye sees not In the 2 King 10.16 When Jehu was going to the service the Lord employed him in in the destruction of the Priests of Baal and spared Jehonadab the son of Rechab Come with me saith he and see the zeal I have for the Lord of Hosts And this our Saviour notes in the Pharisees those grand hypocrites amongst the Jews Mat. 23.5 All their works they did To be seen of men as he gives instance in one particular It was the Lords ordinance Num. 15.38 that the people of God for the better remembrance of the Law of God should weare in the borders of their garments fringes and upon the fringe of their borders they put a Ribband of blew c. Now these Pharisees that they might be noted to be more extraordinarily carefull to preserve the memory of the Law of God and to deny their own wills in matter of his worship though they were indeed the most superstitious Traditioners that ever lived they made their Phylacteries broad c. The Action not evill but their Affectation damnable and the reason is that Joh. 12.43 They loved the praise of men more than the glory of God Let it be our admonition Vse to take heed of this practice of hypocrites as our Saviour warneth on another occasion Mat. 6. I say not but it is lawfull and necessary to manifest devotion that others may be drawn by our good example Mat. 5.16 But this to affect the sight of men and to call spectatours as Jehu to be witnesses of our Devotions that savours strongly of hypocrisie Heare Christs reason all is not lost that is done in secret though men see not God seeth and hath his book of remembrance written for those that feare him Mal. 3.16 2 Thy piety

sparing us even as a father spares his own son that serveth him And though there be in the dearest children of God abundance of iniquity and corruption yet whilest they are striven against the Lord sees them not that is he takes no notice of them Num. 23.21 He seeth none iniquity in Iacob nor transgression in Israel But when a man lives in his sins without repentance these sins even the least of them are most detestable unto him A second reason of it is because no obedience can be performed by such a man in singleness of heart and he doth but dally with the Lord and even mock him who comes before him with such services Isai 29.13 This people saith the Lord draweth neer me with their lips but their hearts are far from me Singleness of heart is that the Lord accepts A third Reason because such performe not the conditions of acceptation neither doth Christ during that state mediate for such It s one main condition the Lord requires in all that come neer him that they be holy even as he is holy at least in affection c. Vse 1 This then shewes us the cause why the Lord walks so stubbornly against us notwithstanding we seemed daily to seek him as Levit. 26.21 and as he speaks Iosh 7. When Ioshuah complains unto God for his wrath upon Israel what shall I say when Israel turns his back upon their adversaries It s because of some detestable sin amongst us Vse 2 Secondly let it teach us all with speed and singleness of heart to turn to our God that our services may finde acceptance with him upon this ground the prophet Isaiah chap. 1 18. Exhorts us comfortably inviting us then though sins be as skarlet yet shall they be as white as wooll as on the other side though services never so glittering and glorious prayers never so many and fervent all is to no purpose If I regard wickedness in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psal 66.18 Yea and let Gods children make use of it in this kinde for the comfort and assurance of acceptance of their services before the Lord. Vse 3 Thirdly see here the miserable estate of men living impenitently in their sins they glory perhaps in this that they serve God earely as those hypocrites Isa 58. But alas vain men all they do is unclean unto them God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 No drunkard usurer c. Impenitently such and here by the way I might take notice how many deceive themselves with an opinion of repentance some think the buyers speech in Solomon is repentance It is naught It is naught and would I could leave it fondly for what is it verbally to dislike sin and affectionately to practise it Some cry God mercy as fondly some mourning for sin some confessing of sins some forbearing the outward practice when their hearts run after their covetousness some leaving off some sins living in others contra Ezek 18 28. Consider sin and turn from it VER 14. Yet ye say wherefore Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth against whom thou hast dealt treacherously yet is shee thy companion and the wife of thy covenant Yet ye say Wherefore So willing is wickedness to defend it self so hardly brought to serious confessing Observ and hearty detesting iniquity wherein They would fain still seem innocent and guiltless Job puts from him this sin Job 21.33 and withal expresseth the fashion of wicked ones and the cause of it if I have hid my sin as Adam concealing mine iniquity in my bosome c. So Adam and Eve so Cain c. And in this how right shew we our selves the Posterity of old Adam colouring and shifting and excusing our sins Vse even then when the Lord by his judgments findes them out Now brethren let us be admonished to take heed of this and to root out of our hearts this corruption so natural so usual in us The just man is the Accuser of himself And for this cause good for us to consider what a God the Lord is with whom we have to deal such an one as is about our beds and to whose eyes all things are naked and uncovered Secondly labour to acquaint thy self with thine own deceitful heart and bring sin out of its lurking holes And thirdly consider the benefit of open and free confessing sin accusing and condemning thy self See Psal 31.5 Because the Lord hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth c. Here followeth the second sin laid to their charg a second violation of the marriage-bed in polygamy or multiplying of many wives through liberty of divorses where 1. The sin is propounded in general 2. Reproved 3. Confuted 4. Amplyfied The general propounding of the sin is vers 14. amplyfied by a prolepsis that howsoever they had so carried the matter as they thought that none could justly detect them of lust or cruelty in this manner of putting away the old and and marrying a new yet the Lord was witness between them The reproofe is vers 14. she is thy companion and therefore ought not to be thus sinned against The confutation 1. She is the wife of thy Covenant that is she with whom thou enterest covenant and that before God Pro. 2.17 therefore ought not to be thus despised 2. From the ordinance of God and his first Institution He made one and but one to be joyned unto one amplyfied though he had abundance of Spirit could have made more yet made but one 3. By the end because he sought a godly seed as if he had said what ever is born otherwise is not the seed of God but of the devil 4. The amplyfication God hates dismission yet they did it under pretence and colour of Moses law The Lord is witness So then Observ we have God a witness of our secretest sins most privately commited most colourably covered See Mal. 3.5 In this testimony or witneship of the Lord are three things 1. Knowledg and this is every where given unto God Psal 139. and 50.21 2. Record registring our sins as Mal. 3.16 A book of remembrance written for those that feare God so the Lord is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have a book of record and to keep a register of all our sins little and great Rev. 20.12 Jer. 44.21 did not the Lord remember 3. Evidence giving evidence to the face of all sinners of their trangressions Now what should we learn hence Surely not to sin in hope to be hid for though man cannot testifie Vse yet the Lord is both witness and judg against trangressours Psal 94.7 The wicked Psal 10.12 are brought in thus speaking The Lord shall not see neither doth the God of Jacob regard but mark how David reasons against this phancy God made the eye the ear c. teacheth man knowledg and Causa is not to to genere dete●●● effect● suo Yet this how evident a cause of many

by divers reasons Vse Lev. 19.17 1. From the perill wherein they are hardening and destruction Heb. 3.13 2. From the excellency of the work Jam. 5. ult 3. Nighness of conjunction But would we use it profitably learn to adminster it discreetly and orderly that is first convince then admonish reprove exhort Till thou bee'st able to convince an usurer a swearer c. thou shalt but beat the ayre and prove more ridiculous than profitable unto him And here beloved is to be bewailed a defect of many of us of good affections I confess would God I could say also of as good a judgment and knowledg that are ready in every transgression to minister reproofes sharp enough Now that they reprove and sharply also I blame not but this that I would exhort unto that we should labour to reprove as out of certain knowledg and be able first to shew the sin before ever thou reprove it as a sin And brethren how contemptible wholesome admonitions are grown amongst swinish sinners who sees not Let me exhort therefore to labour for knowledg this way Reasons 1. Mark if thou wilt but the different carriage of prophane men towards men divers diversly reproving How scoffingly carry they themselves in all reproofes of the ignorant Now let a man that hath knowledg deale with them that is able to convince their judgments how doth he even arraign them and fill them many times with fear and trembling And how fearfull are they to oppose any thing Great is the fear of conscience once convinced and as audacious is a wicked heart when it is not feretted out of the starting holes 2. Add unto this that not every admonition hath a blessing promised but such as is grounded on the word of God as we say of preaching it s the mean to convert yet it 's only when the pure word of God is preached 3. Courage in the reprover is hereby much encreased when as he is sure his ground is good as on the other side we cannot but faulter and halt in admonishing that deal either ignorantly or upon uncertainties We are all taught that desire to be free from our sins Vse and the dominion of them to labour to be well and throughly acquainted with the law of God Alas how much liberty do even Gods children take to themselves and fail in that main duty of teaching themselves Rom. 2.21 whilest they adventure to teach others even by this that they know not their own wayes nor can judg of their actions whether they be good or evill as Paul saith of himself Rom. 7.9 Before the law came he was alive and for concupiscence he never thought it a sin and then how could he bewaile it till God opened his eyes to see the law and true meaning thereof This made David circumspect Psal 19.12 Pray we therefore Beloved for * Rev. 3.18 eye-salve that we may see our sins and therein our own miseries How many weakenesses are there in Gods dear children springing from this fountain of ignorance wouldest thou then forsake sin Learn first to know it and therein ●earn to examine thy self by the law of God self-love is blind and mens opinions uncertain or partiall but Gods law a law of liberty most free in reproving Iam. 2.12 Take heed to your Spirit Followes now the mean prescribed and that is the keeping of our selves in our spirit By Spirit understand here the affections and desires of the heart Keeping is the restraint and mortifying our vile affections and that strait watch we ought to keep of our hearts Observ and this is the best remedy to prevent or cure our actuall transgressions to look to and watch over our head-strong affections Solomon in other words Prov. 4.23 thus enunciates it Keep thy heart with all diligence and mark his Reason out of it are the issues of life from it as from the fountain proceed our actions And our Saviour Mat. 15.19 gives this Reason out of it come whatsoever enormities in the life and the fleshly affections thereof defile the man Besides that the Lord ever measures both good and evill more by the affection then by the act good things done weakly are favourably accepted while the heart and affection is upright before God evill things though evill yet are most odious when the affections are inordinate So that we here see and let us learn to practise the right method of leaving our sins Vse namely the watching over our headstrong corruptions It little avails that the hand is restrained from oppression whilest the * Ezek. 33.31 heart runs after covetousness not accepted with God that we forbeare practice of lust whilest our hearts burn with fleshly desires And how many see we externally reformed after the sight of their sins and smart of Gods judgments that yet turn back to their old sins whiles the heart continues chained with corruptions Meanes to secure the heart and to safe-gard it from the annoyance of vitious practices 1. That the minde be occupied in holy Meditations that minde is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rules all 2. Due consideration that the hearts and reines are known unto God hence Saint Peter 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts 3. The guarding of the senses by these * Ier. 9.21 windows Satan enters many times and by them conveyes his poyson into our hearts 4. Something availeable hereto is restraint of the outward man from practice of sin the pleasures felt enthrall the heart as Hos 4.11 Whoredome and wine c. 5. Pray to God to sanctifie it by his Spirit The fountain must first be purged before the streames can be wholesome VER 17. Ye have wearied the Lord with your words yet ye say wherein have we wearied him when ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of judgment YE have wearied the Lord with your words The sence we are to understand there is no reall wearisomness incident into the Lord he is a pure act as he lives eternally without decay of life as he works wonders without pain beares up all by his wondrous providence without defatigation punisheth without passion so is patient without pain But this is attributed unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Metaphoricall speech which must thus be unfolded that as men when they have long borne an heavy and tedious burthen hasten to depose it that they may lighten their carriage and gather refreshing So the Lord here professeth that he had long borne their wickedness but now would bear no longer So every where the Lord thus expresseth his patience and long-suffering professing for our better understanding a kinde of wearisomness that he feeles in bearing Amos 2.13 I am pressed under you as a cart that is loaden with sheaves The words have in them three things 1. An accusation by the Prophet 2. An apology by the people 3. The proofe of the