Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	forgive_v	lord_n	transgression_n	3,105	5	9.6467	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09035	The end of the perfect man A sermon preached at the buriall of the right Honourable Sir Robert Spencer Knight Baron Spencer of Wormeleighton, Novemb. 6. 1627. in Braynton Church in Northamptonshire, by Richard Parre Bachelour in Divinity, and late fellow of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxford, now rector of Ladbrook in Warwickshire.	Parr, Richard, 1591 or 2-1644.	1628 (1628)	STC 19323; ESTC S114075	28,531	44

short distinction S. Paul was perfect secundum intentionem non secundum preuentionē perfect in regard of intention purpose not in regard of prouention and obeying his purpose And Saint Bernard is no lesse plaine peremptorie in the case Magnum illud electionis vas perfectum abnuit profectum fatetur That great chosen vessell of election graunts profection that is a going forward but denies perfection Well then doth Saint Augustine conclude the point Perfectio hominis in hâc vit â est invenisse se non esse perfectum The perfection of man in this life is to finde and acknowledge himselfe not to bee perfect * How the Law is possible or impossible to bee perfectly fulfilled See the Protesarts Appeale by Thom. Morton D. of Diuinity and new Lor Bishop of Couentry Lichfield lib. 5. ca 12. sect 2. And as for the cloud of witnesses which scemes to rise vppe against this trueth in sacred Scriptures d Gen. 17.1 Deut 18.13 Matth. 5 48. 2 Cor. 13.11 Ephes 1.4 5 27. 1 P●t 1 15 Saint August supplies vs with seuerall answers which hee reduceth to these seuerall heads 1 First hee answereth that some of these places are exhortations and admonitions whereby wee are stirred vppe so to runne the race which is set before vs e S. Aug lib de iustitia Christi contra Coelest tom 7 S. ●ugustins foure wayes of answering such Scriptures which seeme to plead for an absolute ob●dience to Gods will Commandemen●s that wee faint not though wee cannot attaine vnto it for in lawes and admonitions that is not alwayes required Vt tantum praestari possit quantum suadetur that so much should bee perform'd by vs as is enioyn'd to vs but in them is shewed vnto vs Quousque conari oportet how carnestly wee ought to striue and follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus 2 Secondly hee answers that many of these places doe shew vnto vs not what we now are but what we shall be at the end of our pilgrimage for then wee shall bee perfect when we arriue at that hauen whither wee bend our Christian course or race 3 Thirdly when the Scripture mentions men that are perfect and immaculate we are to vnderstand by them such men who haue not defil'd their garments or polluted their consciences with grosse and damnable enormities in this sense many of the Saintes of God are said to be perfect not that they are without sinne which is impossible but because it raignes not in their mortall bodies or because they haue not wallow'd with the swine in the mire but kept themselues vnspotted of the world 4 Lastly the Saintes of God are said to bee perfect and without blame and reproofe nay innocent blessed because their sinnes are not imputed vnto them but freely forgiuen in and for Christ for so it runnes Blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen and vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Psal 32.1 Psal 32.1 a S Aug. in Loc Which sweete passage Saint Augustine makes to excell all others read vnto vs in the Church militant for the fitting and preparing of a dying soule for the Church triumphant and good reason for it for what the Lord forgiues who can require what he imputeth not who shall bring it out against vs to iudgement Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom. 8.33 't is God that iustifieth how not only by taking our vnrighteousnesse from vs but by giuing vs his own righteousnes for Christ Iesus is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1 30. This righteousnesse being ours by the free gift imputation of God is not now alienased nostra iustitia 1. Cor. 1.30 But not to loose the point on foot i. how farre a man in this life is capable of perfection There is yee know a perfection of partes and a perfection of degrees Perfectio Parti● Graduum The former is when a man hath respect to all the Commaundements of God not allowing himselfe in the breach of any of them the latter perfection is when a man performes all exactly as the Law in rigour requires hee that is perfect the first way may be resembled to a weake and feeble child that hath all the integrall perfect parts of a man but not perfectly or to speake with the Logicians integralitèr integrally againe hee that is perfect the latter way may bee resembled to a strong growne-man that hath all his partes in perfect vigour To apply then we may be perfect the first way i. a man may haue perfection of partes How a man in this life may bee said to be perfect said to 〈◊〉 because hee may loue euery good and hate euery euill in some measure but the second way wee are not perfect i. a man cannot haue a perfection of degrees because hee canne neither loue good nor hate euill as be should the first kind of perfection then wee grant the second wee deny neither that as touching exact performance continually but as touching constant resolution habitually Neither is this al we vnderstand by perfection or haue to say for the perfect man by whom in a second place wee may safely vnderstand the innocent man so the Septuagint reades it The innocent man Custodi innocentiam keepe innocency or marke the innocent man the man that makes a covenant with his eyes and whose hand is not imbrued in violence the man that is as innocent a Iob. 31.1 as a doue b Math. 10.16 that wrongs no man oppresses no man but as much as in him lies doeth good vnto all men Perfecte bonus est vere dicitur insons Nec sibi nec cujquam quod noceat faciens The simple and plaine-dealing-man Againe by the perfect man wee may safely vnderstand the simple and plaine-dealing-man the man that is simple concerning euil for so the vulgar reads it custodi simplicitatem keepe simplicity c Rom. 15.19 or marke the simple and plaine-dealing-man who in simplicity and godly purenesse not in fleshly wisedome hath had his conuersation in the world this simple man dissembleth not betwixt God and man d 2. Cor. 1.12 neither is he in the number of those of whom the Poet complaines Ore aliud tacitoque aliud sub pectore condunt Not hee mindes the same thing hee speakes the same thing hee doth the same thing without any respect of persons though it be to his owne preiudice or hinderance Lastly by the perfect man wee may sarely vnderstand the man who is Integer vitae scelerisque purus a man of integrity of heart The sincere man of a pure and vpright conuersation for so Iunius and Tremelius read it Obserua integrum in the concrete the Chaldee paraphrase in the abstract Obserua integritatem marke the integrity of the perfect man This grace of integritie of the

nor in dumbe ceremonies and superfluous shewes but in a decent Christian manner without pompe d These are the vvords of the Will or superfluitie And as we are thus confin'd in one Circumstance and restrain'd in another so are we prescrib'd in the third place for the preaching of this Sermon in the face of this Congregation whilst he wils a Sermon not a Panegyrick cloath'd in the colours of Rhetoricke nor yet a Funerall Oration to blazen his Honours to hyperbolize in his praises or to draw a glorious line of Progenitours No. Mallet precibus in coelum ferri quàm plausibus as his soule went vp to Heauen in praying so he had rather his body should bee entomb'd in preaching then in vniust and ouer-praising Therefore he wills a Sermon for the advancing of Gods glory a Sermon for the instruction of his Children and friends in the feare of God and to stirre them vp to e These are the vvords of the Will liue wel and dye well which by the grace of God we shall doe out of the 37. Psal at the 37. Vers Marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace FInis coronat opus It is the end that crowns the worke or action not that alone but truely distinguisheth the persō passe by the house of God a little and walke vpon the stage of the world there marke and behold the promiscuous actions of all persons wee shall finde little difference betwixt Ethiopians and true Israelites betwixt true Christians and counterfeit formalists betwixt him that offers sweete incense in the Church of God him that sacrificeth bloud in the Divels Chappell Looke vpon Cain and Abell for the outward action both are sacrificing Looke vpon Esau Hezechia both are weeping Looke vpon Achab and Mordecai both are in sackcloath mourning Looke vpon Saul and Dauid both are confessing in a word look vpō the righteous the wicked both for a time perhaps are like greene bay-trees flowrishing but marke the end that crownes the action that distinguisheth the person The end of the vngodly is what 2 Vers 39. Hee shall bee rooted out at the last but for the godly and vpright man his end is crowned with the blessing of Peace Marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace The parts are 3. 1. An iniunction Marke and behold 2. The obiect or person the perfect man and vpright man 3. The motiue or reason for the end of that man is peace Resolue these 3. partes into these 3. Queries First what this perfect man is or how farre man in this life is capable of perfection Secondly What the vpright or just man is for our imitation Thirdly lastly what it is to end in peace for our great comfort and consolation Wee beginne with the first Querie what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfect man is or how farre a man in this life is capable of perfection For the resoluing of this Querie part 1. in the first place the Romane Doctours distinguish thus b Perfectio alia est praecepti ac meriti alia consilij supererogationis vi Aquin 2.2 quae 184. Art 2. 3. There 's a perfection of precept and merit and a perfection of Counsell and supererogation the perfection of precept and merit they determine to bee in omnibus iustificatis saluatis but the perfection of counsell and supererogation agrees onely to some which aspire higher not onely to saue themselues but others as monasticall votaries Surely this is the generation of men of whom Saint August complaines Sunt quidam inflati Aug. de vcibis Apost s●rm 29. c. there are some like vessells blowne vp with wind fill'd with a haughty spirit not solidely great but swoll'n with the sickenesse of pride who dare bee bold to say that some men are without sinne whereas there owne Caietans rule is most Catholicke damnatum est peccatum non extinctum Sinne is condemn'd in some in none extinguisht And as Saint August brands such men with the spirit of haughtines and pride so doth Saint Bernard bequeath vnto them a miserable woe a S. Bern. serm contra vitium ingrati Vae generationi huic miserae woe to this miserable generation to whom their owne insufficiencie seemes most sufficient Would but the indulgent Rhemists learne from these auncient Fathers they would not interpret our Sauiours vade Mat. 19.21 vende of a perfection both of merit supererogation both which kinds of perfection distilled from Roman braines wee of the Church of reformation deny and reiect distinguishing of perfection thus The perfection which in sacred Scriptures and auncient Fathers is attributed to holy men of God for their righteousnesse and good workes is either Extrinsecall b Vid. Zanch. tom 6. cōment in cp ad Phil. c. 3. v. 15. or Intrinsecall Perfection Extrinsecall adventitious or by way of condonation is when that which is imperfect in vs is freely pardon'd by God for Christs sake according to that of S. Aug c S. Aug. lib. ● Retr cap. 19. Omnia Dei mandata facta deputantur d Aug. 19. de ciu Dei c. 27. quando id qd non fit ignos●●●ur all the commandements of God are deputed perform'd or done when that is freely forgiuen which is vndone And againe such is our righteousnesse or perfection in this life that it consists in remissione peccatorum potius quám in perfectione virtutum rather in the remission of sinnes then in the perfection of vertues Secondly Intrinseccall perfection or perfection by way of inhesion is either absolute which is nothing else but sincerity or simplicity of heart oppos'd to hypocrisie or double dealing with God in which sense Iob is said Chap. 1.1 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect man or else it is comparatiue in a certaine respect or by way of comparison with others so Noah is said to bee perfect Gen. 6.9 but with this addition in generationibus suis that is Gen. 6.9 he was very righteous and perfect in respect of others that liued in those lewd godlesse times so Saint Paul elegantly expresseth himselfe Wee speake wisedome amongst those that are perfect 1. Cor. 2.7 i. amongst them which haue a greater measure of grace 1. Cor. 2.7 knowledge then most of you haue for otherwise if wee speake of absolute perfection hee is absolutely against it Phil. 1.12 and confesseth of himselfe a S. Aug. in Ps 38. that he had not attained vnto it Phil. 3.12 And Quis sibi arrogare id audeat quod Paulus ipse fatetur se non comprehendisse b S. Bernard in Cant. serm 49. S. Bern. super Cant. serm 50. And as for that seeming contradiction rais'd out of the 15. verse implying in himselfe c August de tempore serm 49. and exhorting others to Perfection Saint August wipes it away with this

heart and inward affections is exdiametro oppos'd to hypocrisie dissimulation or double dealing with God God loues trueth in the inward affections and if God loue it wee must loue it and why because in a conformity with God stands mans felicitie In this integrity of heart and trueth in the inward affections are two things holinesse and sincerity opposite to sinne and hypocrine wee must write holinesse vnto the Lord or else wee shall neuer see God we must season all our actions with the grace of Sincerity else wee shall neuer please him but the speculation of these two graces holinesse and sincerity will be more cleare in the view of their opposites finne and hypocrisie Peccatum sinne in the Schoole of God is taught to be an exorbitancie a swaruing from the rule of trueth What sinne is a transgression of the law and sinne in the Schooles of men is taught to be mendacium a lye and to lye is to goe against the minde or for the tongue te giue to the heart the lye in shedding of blood the hand onely lyes or is false to the heart and in a common lye the tongue onely lyes against the heart but in hypocrisie is a generall lye of the whole man not the tongue onely lyes to the heart but the eye the hand the knee and the foote also the hand is lifted vppe to heauen the eyes looke vp to God the feete goe the knees bend and bowe in the Temple of GOD but where 's the heart doth that goe along with them no! The heart of the couetous man is where his treasure is the heart of the ambitious man is where his honour is and the heart of a voluptuous man is where his pleasure is Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet this is the trynitie which these worldlings worship for although their feete goe and their knees bowe in the Temple of God though their eyes and handes be lifted vp to heauen yet their hearts are groueling heer on earth it is the pollicy of sin to imitate sincerity and the guise of hypocrisie to follow the fashions of integrity the heires of darkenesse transforme themselues into Angels of Light and Bastard Christians can counterfeit perfect mens behauiours yet those heires of darkenesse are not children of the light nor these counterfeit true Christians and why because they come short in this grace of sincetity or integrity of heart The painter can paint the colour of the fire the forme of the flame thereof but cannot paint the heate of it right so the counterfeit cā resēble the perfect Christian in outward colours formes fashions but not in his integrity of heart or truth in the inward affections Esau can weepe bitterly like Hezechia Achab can put on sack-cloth like Mordecay and Saul can confesse in word I haue sinned as well as Dauid yet neither Esau nor Achab nor Saul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect man and why because none of their hearts were perfect in the sight of the Lord such hypocrites are the greatest enemies to the Church and truth yet they will seeke protection both from truth and Church Soe Celsus and Antiphon writing against the truth entitle their treatise the booke of truth Soe Romes Proselites vnder the name of the Church a Origen contra Celsum ouerthrow the Church Leo tels them truly Bcclesiae nomine armamini b Leo ep 83. contra eam dimicatis Such men make conscience iustice the greatest martyrs in the world the greate man in doing mischiefe pretendes justice the meane man alwaies cōscience God a good cōscience are pretended on alsides thus making good Luthers Prouerbe c Luther in 3. ad Coll. In nomine Domini incipit omne malum In the name of God they Christen all their actions But God is the God of truth and loues trueth in the inward affections therefore such hypocrisie must needes bee an abomination vnto him it offends him it grieues his spirit and at last it shall grieue the soules of them who are the authors of it for it shall spoyle them of inward joy and peace of conscience here and of eternall joy and peace in the kingdome of heauen hereafter It is storied of Constantinus surnamed Copronymus that he was neque Christianus neque Iudaeus nec Paganus sed Colluuies quaedam impietatis that hee was neither Christian Iewe nor Pagan but a certaine masse or heape of impieties and so indeed are all hypocrites with the Iewes they salute Christ as their king yet buffet him they protect him with the Christian yet persecute him with the Pagan they are named Israelites but liue like Aethiopians they speake with the voyce of Iacob but worke with the hands of Esau and walke with the feete of Ioab that any man may perceiue not by their coate but their party-coloured conditions that they are bastards and no Christians But leaue we these Hypocrites to their bastard broode to their vtter condemnation to their vae vae vae woe woe woe in the Gospell come to our selues whilest condemnation falls on their pates would we haue the saluation of God shewed on vs then must we with our perfect man in the text order our conuersation aright and endeauour to serue God in the grace of integrity with cleane hands pure hearts for who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord a Psalm 24.4.5 euen he that hath cleane hands and a pure heart hee shall receiue the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his saluation And is there any way or meanes to know whether wee our selues or others are such men of cleane hands and pure hearts yes Ex fructibus cognoscetis by their fruites yee shall know them for good and godly men are like trees planted by the riuer side which bring forth their fruites in due season I demand then what are these seasonable fruits Psalm 1.3 doubtles they are good works those good worksare of 3. sorts of Piety towards God of equity towards our neighbour of sobriety towards our selues as the works so the fruites are of 3. sorts by the 1. God is glorified by the 2. our neighbour is edified by the 3. our cōsciences are cōforted cōfirm'd in the assurance of saluatiō For howsoeuer good work sare no meriting causes yet they are witnessing effects or assurances of saluatiō Make your calling election sure 't is S. Peters exhortation 2. Pet. 1.10 but how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by good workes Beza confesseth he saw two greeke Manuscripts with those expresse words of the text good works haue no place in the act of iustificatiō for by good works causatiue shall not man liuing be iustified without good workes consequutiue shall no man liuing bee saued Oh that all disputing about good workes were turned into doing and that euery Christian would take it into his higher consideration that although he is not now justified by good