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	wrath_n	1,461	5	9.1221	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78090	The gospels glory, without prejudice to the law, shining forth in the glory of God [brace] the Father, the Sonne, the Holy Ghost, for the salvation of sinners, who through grace do believe according to the draught of the apostle Paul in Rom. 8.ver. 3.4. Held out to publick view. / By the ministerial labours of Richard Byfield, M.A. Pastor in Long-Ditton; and teaching on Thursedayes weekly in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.	Byfield, Richard, 1598?-1664.	1659 (1659)	Wing B6390; Thomason E1864_1; ESTC R210230	171,900	401

because we pray we now think our selves free to commit sinne we have been at prayer therefore we may be at our lewdnesse we have been at Church in the fore-noon of the Lords day therefore we may dance about the May-pole and keep Revels in the after-noon this is like the Harlot who saith to the young Wanton I have peace-offerings with me this day have I paid Prov. 7. 14 15. my vows therefore came I forth to meet thee 2. In reference to the Law of God for though the flesh is not nor will be subject 2. In reference to the holy Law Sixwayes to the holy Law yet the wily wisdome and subtilty thereof will make use of that also and that most perniciously And the Reign of the flesh sheweth it self herein diversly as First when we seek righteousnesse and Rom. 6. 14. 9. 32. 10. 3. salvation by the Law while under the Law we are under the Dominion of sin so long as we go about to establish our own righteousnesse as did the Jewes and as it is found in all men by nature a Phil. 3. 4 5 draught whereof we have excellently and to the life drawn up in Mat. 19. 16 17. to ver 24. this is to have confidence in the flesh Secondly when we take the Law to be no more than as a Law commanding the Ro. 7. 7 9. Mat. 5. 21. to the end of the ch outward man and to forbid nothing but grosse acts of sinne or to require no more than the outward duty and so we are alive we know not sinne which reacheth to the heart and hath its seat there in the deceitfulnesse and wickednesse thereof nor know we lust or inordinate affections and concupiscence to be sinne and therefore we blesse our selves or flatter our selves in our own eyes in our natural estate Thirdly when and whilest that we cannot endure to hear the holinesse of the Law opened and urged and we love not the righteousnesse and purity of the Commandments yet we will have the saying of the Commandments and the publick reading of them as part of Divine service and hold this better than all preaching and without this we care not for Minister or preaching Fourthly when all the fruit of the coming of the Law and Commandment is onely to revive sin and to strike us dead I take the Apo●●les phrase the meaning whereof is this That the Spirit of God doth accompany the Law and the spiritualnesse of the Law being such as Rom. 7. 9. reaches to the thoughts and desires of the heart as well as to our words and deeds when it is opened the Spirit of God brings it home to the conscience with power this is the coming of the Law now when the fruit of it thus coming is this onely to revive sinne and to kill the sinner to ptovoke sinne so that it works in the sinner all manner of concupiscence and then comes the threatning and the curse and slays us and strikes us dead if this be all that we receive by the Law the flesh yet will hold the Chair for we wi●l dislike the preaching of the Law we cannot endure these men of sowre spirits these Legal Preachers we will lay the fault on the Minister and if we can but get from under this dinne oh we like the respousal to every Commandment Lord have mtrcy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law this God shall have and then we are at quiet and alive again though our sinnes live in us and we live and continue in them love and plead for them Fifthly when there is nothing in us that is subject to the Law of God nothing that holdeth proportion with the platforme of holinesse laid down in the Law Rom. 8. 7. but that only is found in us which rebels frets pulls away the shoulder and esteems all grievous for then we are wholly flesh Sixthly when we never received any further work of the Spirit than that of the spirit of bondage and yet because thereof we conclude we have repented and our estate is good whereas by the Law we should be shut up to the faith of Christ in the Gospel which having changed and made us anew we should live to God and delight in the spiritualnesse and purity of the Law with judging and condemning our selves thereby and justifying God therein the work of the spirit of bondage is to bring to the knowledge of sinne to work the sense of Gods wrath against sinne and to fill with terrours upon awakenings and there is no further work of the Spirit when there is no h●tred of the pollution of sinne no heart-forsaking of the sinnes of the heart no hatred of sinne in the sinfulnesse of our nature whence all transgressions do come when no further work did we ever finde than the convictions of rhe spirit light great and convictions strong but the will the heart not created anew that there might be conversion and healing now though these convictions may be not onely of sinne through the Law but of the sinne of unbelief and of righteousnesse and of judgment even of Christ and his Kingdome and righteousnesse through all the good Word of the Gospel yet the flesh may and will still keep the Chair 3. In reference to God and his worship 3. In reference to God and his worship Two wayes Col. 1. 21 22. Isa 66. 1 3 Psal 106. the flesh can yield to assume unto it and choose both Gods name and service with great state and thereby perk up the higher First with the mixture and blending of mens devices our own inventions the commandments of men to teach the fear and worship of God and the rudiments of the world these are savoury these are devotions humility and wisdome these are the rules to which the flesh lyeth level Secondly with philosophical speculations wisdome of words great swelling words of vanity and the worshipping of Angels disputes about words and genealogies Col. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 3 1 Tim. 6. oppositions of science fables depths unwritten traditions vented for Apostolical these and such like the fleshly-minded is puffed up withall it loves to be intruding into things it knows not it would be reputed seraphical by amazing the simple with high-flown notions 4. In reference to Christ and to his 4. In reference unto Christ Eminently in Antichristianisme Gospel his Profession Ministry and Ordinances all these to choose never did the flesh get more by any thing she appears like a Lamb she puts forth the two Horns of Christs vicegerency and beauty external she gets on the sheeps skin and cloathing she hasps to her both the Keyes the Key of knowledge and the Key of Discipline the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven she will be infallible and give the sense of Scripture unerringly be the Holy Father and the Holy Mother-Church she will exercise and conjure the Divel and cast him out and do a thousand more such

Law might be fulfilled in us In the Law there is the righteousnesse of the commands and the righteous just damnatory sentence of threatnings against the transgressors of those holy commands Now God sent his Sonne and held the fore-mentioned course in laying our sinnes upon him that the whole righteousnesse which the Law requireth of us might be fulfilled in us who are in Christ by faith whiles by Jesus Christ it is fulfilled for us and for our sakes in our roome and stead and so the Law is while fulfilled for us fulfilled in us who are in Christ by faith And then secondly the holinesse and righteousnesse of the precepts is fulfilled in us whiles by this faith which unites us to Christ receiveth his Spirit draweth from Christ sanctifying grace and purifieth the heart a new obedience in all uprightnesse and integrity respecting the whole Law is begun and more and more encreaseth in us in this life is of that growing nature that it will go forwards hold on fight out its way persevere and overcome and at last be perfected in glory thus the righteousnesse of the Law is in us by faith Christs righteousnesse in obedience and sufferings for us reckoned to us as ours and by the same faith holinesse in truth begunne and growing up to perfection in us See here the Gospel fights not against the Law as the Law is not against the Gospel The Gospel acquits those whom the Law pronounceth guilty but not as considered nakedly in their guilt that were against the Jus the right of the Law but by the intervening of and the guilty considered in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price and satisfaction of the Sonne of God and this is agreeable to the jus the right of the Law The Gospel sets them free from condemnation notwithstanding their sinnes because it brings in God condemning their sinnes in the flesh of his Sonne and the Sonne bearing the condemnation of sinne laid on him of God in his own flesh The Gospel while it acquits from the Law purifieth the sinner and gives him an heart and power to judge himself to love the holinesse and righteousnesse which the Law requireth and in this work upholds him with delight in the inward man till holiness be perfected So the Gospel fulfills the Law every way in Christ and in us fulfills the righteousness of the Law for us and in us and while for us in us 6. The person applying and the manner of application of this salvation even the Spirit the Spirit of Jesus Christ who in all those that are delivered from condemnation by Jesus Christ is uniting them to Christ and regenerating and sanctifying them This Spirit sets himself up in the throne and pulls the flesh out of the throne and he reignes in them and orders their lives This person even the holy Ghost and his work making this salvation to come home with saving efficacy is mentioned implyedly in these words In us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thus the Apostle hath set out lively the second great Doctrine The third is a description of those for The third whom God sent his Sonne to become flesh to condemn their sin in his flesh and to fulfill the righteousness of the Law in them these persons are plainly and lively described thus they are those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit They are known by their walks that is by the tenour and course of their lives in which they deliberately set themselves with continuance and progress which course of life is framed after the guidance and rule not of the flesh that is of their corrupted nature but of the Spirit that is the Spirit of Christ which by the Word ingraffed in them dwells in them and orders their conversation 4. We have also a fourth point of excellent worth for the comfort of sin-burdened and mortified souls which the word of connexion for leadeth us unto There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ though there be much sin in them for the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and from him coming into them is as a Law that hath delivered them from the Law of sin and so from the Law of death and all this is most evident for in Christ their sins are condemned and they justified and sanctified for see they as men set at liberty do walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh This then is the precious truth which lyeth in the coherence concerning the riches of their assurance and consolation who are in Jesus Christ The sins of those that walk after the Sp●r●t shall never be to their condemnation neither shall hinder from them the benefit of all the salvation that cometh by Christ nor ●et ought they in the least kind to hinder their full assurance their comfortable walking in their obedience their constant combating against the flesh nor their full dedition to the Law of the Spirit of life as to that which will give them full deliverance from the Law of sinne and death CHAP. II Containing the first great truth which is this that there is no salvation for any man by the Law or by any other means save onely by Jesus Christ. SECT 1. Having drawn up four choice truths of saving knowledge absolutely necessary to everlasting blessedness and sound comfort compactly delivered by the holy Apostle in this portion of Scripture I 1. Doct. No salvation but by Christ Gal. 3. 21 22. come now to handle those four truths at large the first of them is this There is no salvation for any man by the Law or by any other meanes whatsoever but onely by Jesus Christ. If there had been a Law given which could have given life Verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law but the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne saith this Apostle that the promise of faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve These are opposite the Law and the Promise the concluding of all under sin and the giving of life and righteousness the faith of Jesus Christ whereby we believe and the works of the Law the giving of the promise which is a reward reckoned of grace to him that believeth Rom. 4. 3 4 5 and the paying of a debt which is a reward to him that worketh If then the Law could save there had been no need of the Promise the Promise were in vain nevertheless the Law is not against the Promise but it shuts all men up to the Promise where life and righteousness is alone to be had by believing in Iesus Christ But may there not be found some other name besides or together with Iesus Christ by which a sinner may be saved for answer hear the Apostle Peter as the mouth all the rest of the Apostles sa●ing to all men and to all the people o● Israel Jesus Christ Acts 4. 10 11 12 of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead

is the stone which was set at n●ught of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given amon● men whereby we must be saved Let us yet see how all things are utterly unable to save a sinner SECT 2. First the Law cannot deliver a sinner 2. Not by the Law Moral as a Covenant Rom. 10. 5 Gal. 3. 10. not the Law moral neither as it a Covenant given to mankind which saith Do this and thou shalt live for so man being found to faile in doing he falls from the promised life and on the contrary the Law having this penalty covenanted cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them every sinner falleth under the curse as many therefore as will stand by the Law must of necessity fall under the curse But may A Commandment not the Law as it is a Commandment deliver us from sin no neither as it is a holy Commandment can it do it for so it manifesteth sin by the holy Commandment we come to the knowledge of sin which is nothing else but a swerving from that Ceremonial Heb. 9 ● 9 24 Col. 2. 17. perfect rule nor can the Ceremonial Law deliver the whole excellency of that Law consisteth in signifying and shadowing out ●esus Christ The Sacrifices there commanded did make nothing perfect they took not away sin for then they needed not to have been offered up to God again and again their washings and sprinklings did not cleanse the conscience that Heb. 10. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 9. 9. Heb. 10. 5. 6. Psal 40. 6 7. Gal. 3. 24. whole Law was a carnal commandment God while he required them rejected them as insufficient this was their right use to lead them to Christ and to teach that salvation was to be had in him onely and not in them Again as for the moral Law these two things the Scripture affirmes concerning it 1. The Law cannot save 2. The Law cannot save Irenaeus lib. 3. adversus Haer. c 20 Veniens lex quae data est per Moysen testificans de peccato quoniam peccator est Adam regnum quidem ejus abstulit Adae scilicet latronem non regem eum detegens homicidam eum osteodit Oneravit autem hominem qui peccatum babebat in se reum mortis ostendens eum spiritualis enim cùm lex esset manifestavit tantummodo peccatum non autem interemit dominibatur peccatum sed homini Nor was given of God to save The Law was never given of God to that end that a sinner might thereby be saved The Law cannot save for First the Law commands righteousnesse but giveth no strength to do what it commands nor restoreth any lost strength The Law promiseth life but it is to him that perfectly keepeth it It promiseth no good to a sinner Secondly none can keep the Law therefore none can by the Law attaine to righteousnesse through the weaknesse of the flesh the disability of fraile man to continue in all to do it the Law is become impotent for justification And without righteousnesse it is impossible there should be life or that there should not be death and the curse Thirdly If a sinner could keep the Law for time to come yet by the Law no good to him because he must first answer for his former transgressions and dye the death accursed of God his Maker because of them The Law was not given of God that righteousnesse and life might be Rom. 3. 20 7. 7. Ver. 9. 14. 7. Ver. 13. obtained thereby but it was given that by it a sinner might come to the knowledg of sinne that he might know what is sin that lust or coveting is sinne that our natures are wholly polluted and that we For what ends the Law was given are carnal sold under sinne who can hold no proportion to the plat-forme of righteousnesse which the Law delivers and who have on us a very necessity of sinning and that he might know the sinfulnesse of sinne It was given that it might work wrath that is the sense and apprehensions of Gods deserved wrath It was Rom. 4. 15. given that the perfect holinesse and exact rigour of the justice of it might batter down all confidence in humane goodnesse power of free-will works of our righteousnesse priviledges external or any of our performances and pound to pieces all confidence in the flesh It was given to provoke sinne It was given to Rom. 7. 8 convince of our utter disabilities It was given to arrest attach imprison the jolly Gal. 3. 22. secure sinner and to conclude all under sinne that they might be glad to come to Christ in the promise It was given that through the Law we might for ever Gal. 2. 19. be dead to the Law therefore the Law is a killing letter not a dead letter no 2 Cor. 3. 6 7. part of the Word of God is a dead letter for then it could not be of such power as to be a killing letter and the Mi●istry of it is the Ministry of death and of condemnation Lastly It was given that unto those that being dead to it and brought to faith in Jesus Christ for righteousnesse and life it might be a rule of holy life a light and lamp and the royal Law to guide into all well-doing and contains the good acceptable and perfect will of God Now for the use of this The use to be made of this 1. truth first This confutes and condemns the folly of divers sorts among us 1. Of those that think to be saved by their good meanings good intentions or purposes their prayers and the works of righteousnesse which they have done or intend to do 2. Of those who think to be saved because they hope they do no body any wrong or because they are as they call it of a good nature and of a gentle good and loving disposition and of a sweet temper or because they break not out into great and notorious sinnes of theft murther adultery profane swearing and cursed speaking with the like or if they have been guilty of such staring abominations yet they do many good works which set against their evil works will answer for them and they are perswaded will weigh them down or they rest upon their civility and morality with the love and good report of all their Neighbours 3. Those also that think to be saved by a devotion taught by the precepts of men or by observing a form of Religion and of Godlinesse 4. Those likewise are condemned here who hold and teach and seek justification by works these so remaining can never Rom. 9. 32. 10. 3 5 6. attain to the righteousnesse of God which is not a righteousnesse of works but of faith Secondly This also teacheth the true Vse 2 and right use of