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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	word_n	world_n	wound_n	56	3	7.4158	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69196	Foure sermons viz. 1. The blessednesse of peace-makers. 2. The aduancement of Gods children. Preached before the King. 3. The sinne against the holy Ghost. Preached at Pauls Crosse. 4. The Christian petitioner. Preached at Oxford on the Act Sunday. By Iohn Denison Doctor of Diuinity, and one of his Maiesties Chaplaynes.	Denison, John, d. 1629.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Beati pacifici.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Sinne against the holy ghost plainly described.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Christian petitioner. Shewing how we must sue for reward and remission.	1620 (1620)	STC 6587; ESTC S120377	95,129	308

remains small hope of receiuing comfort by Christs eternall sacrifice but rather extreame terrour in the expectation of his dreadfull sentence small probability of being cleansed in his precious blood but rather a sore possibility of being deuoured by a violent fire Peccata sunt animae vulnera sins are the soules wounds according to the sacred Scriptures and the ancient Fathers phrase of speech And as the wounds of the body doe differ some being dangerous some more mortall some altogether incurable so fares it with the wounds of the soule some are cured more easily as the Maid was raised from death by Christ Mark 9. Some with lesse facilitie like the Widdowes Sonne Luk. 7. Some yet with greater difficultie like Lazarus Iohn 11. The cure will cost many a groane and many a sigh some are altogether vncurable the sinne cleauing to the sinner like the Leprosie of Gehazi for h 2 Kin. 5.27 euer Loe such a wound and such a sinne we haue in hand at this present euen the sinne against the holy Ghost For the subiect of this Scripture is a deadly wound euen a wound and death a wound going before and death following after it The wound is expressed in these words For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth The death and danger in these words There remaines no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and a violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries Behold here is the most hainous sinne of all sinnes and the most grieuous iudgement of all iudgements here is a fearefull transgression and a dolefull affliction in the one behold the tower of Babel in the other the valley of Benhinnom in the one the extreamest degree of iniquitie in the other the vttermost measure of miserie in the one a sinners execrable condition in this life in the other his lamentable confusion in the life to come But now I purpose God willing onely to speak of the wound In the handling whereof I intend to take these courses 1. I will open it 2. I will search it 3. I will binde it vp againe by Application In the opening of the wound I finde it in the generall to be an Apostasie from the Gospell For it is a forsaking the communion we haue among our selues So saith the Apostle ver 25. And in the particular view thereof I note foure bad humours which feede it for mali humores sunt praui mores as Bernard h Bern. super Cant. ser 36. saith Vers 26 The first is an aduised sinfulnesse After we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth The second a resolute wilfulnesse If we sinne willingly Vers 29 The third is obstinate malice For here is an aduersary that despights the spirit of grace The fourth is a generall corruption of Religion For it is a treading vnderfoote the Sonne of God and counting the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing and both these points are expressed in the 29. Verse So that in a word I finde and consequently doe define this sinne to be A Witting Willing Malicious Totall Apostasie First for the matter of this sinne It is an Apostasie either from the publike profession or priuate acknowledgement of the Gospell For the manner of it It must be witting and not of ignorance It must be willing and not of co-action It must be malicious and not of infirmitie It will be totall and not some particular impietie In the handling of which points let mee say to you in i Chris var. loc in Mat. hom 9. Chrysostomes words Excutite pigritiam non est res leuis quam audituri estis rouse vp your spirits and raise vp your attention the matter you are to heare is of no small moment The first part The opening of the WOVND The first bad Humour VVHen almightie God had laid the foundation of the world his first worke was fiat lux let there be light and this light being dispersed and confused he afterwards placed in the Globe of the Sunne which he made vehiculum lucis So in the creation of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a modell of that greater world hee placed the light of vnderstanding in the firmament of his Soule to guide him in the way of holinesse and to bring him to the place of eternall happinesse But Sathan whose kingdome is the kingdome of darkenesse in enuie towards man and malice to God obscured that light with the clowdes of errour that so hee might lead wretched sinners blinde-fold to hell like the Syrians into the midst of k 2. Reg. 6.20 Samaria Yet God in mercy beholding this miserie into which man was cast gathering together as it were the scattered beames of knowledge doth by the spirit of illumination vnite them in the Globe of the vnderstanding and where hee affords this fauour the abuse thereof is very dangerous This is that knowledge of the truth which is here spoken of for it is cognitio accepta non acquisita knowledge receiued from the illuminating spirit of God not acquired or obtained by the light or industry of nature They who offend in this kinde must be such as Saint Paul speakes of you were once darkenes but now you are light in the l Lord. So that Turkes and infidels who neuer yet receiued the knowledge of the truth cannot commit this sinne Neither is this to be taken for some superficiall conceite swimming in the braine onely but such a knowledge as taking some place in the heart hath affected the same with a certaine comfort and delight therein and bringeth with it a glimpse of that glory which is reuealed in that truth and shall be receiued in the kingdome of heauen And therefore the Apostle attributes to those who commit this sinne not onely that they be lightned but that they haue tasted of the heauenly gift and beene made pertakers of the holy-Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to m Heb. 6.4 come Now when a man shall finde the taste of Gods word sweeter then the honie and the n Psal 19.10 honie-combe as it was to Dauid and shall afterward distaste and happily detest it as the Israelites did o Numb 11.6 Manna When he shall reioyce in the meditation of eternall life and yet reiect the consolation thereof like the yong man who ranne to our blessed Sauiour kneeled to him and cryed out good master what shall I doe that I may possesse eternall life yet went away like a p Mark 10.17 flincher When hee shall haue relished and euen beene rauished with the comfortable taste of the powers of the world to come like Balaam who passionately wished O let me die the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like q Num. 23.10 his Yet shall like a gracelesse man abandon the meanes and banish the care and cogitation thereof what probability nay what possibility is there that hee

ratified it with an asseueration o Isa 22.19 Surely the iniquitie of such a sinner shall neuer be pardoned or purged Yea if a bare speech or asseueration will not serue when Elies sonnes will wilfully persist in their sinnes and will not be reclaimed either for their owne credit their fathers comfort or the Lords glory he takes his oath p 1 Sam. 3.14 that the wickednesse of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering for euer The third bad humour THE third bad humour which feedes this Apostasie is bitter and violent namely Malice a consequent of the former For when men doe once grow wilfull they easily become malicious and waxe euen rebelliously bent against the truth So as was Iulian the Emperour whom Hierome q Hier. Catalog script Eccles therefore most iustly stileth for his malice Canem rabidum euen a madde Dogge So as were the Iewes whom our Sauiour taxing for this sinne r Mat. 12.37 cals a broode of Vipers because they were full of venim and malice Such a sinner the Apostle doth here call an aduersary as being one that directly opposeth himselfe against the rules of pietie and afterwards in more fearefull words he brandeth him thus which doth despight the spirit of grace And in the sixt to the Hebrewes ſ Heb. 6.6 he calleth him a crucifier of Christ and a mocker of him When a man shall become a professed aduersary to him who is able to destroy both soule and body in hell t Mat. 10.28 when he shall despight the spirit of grace which is the spirit of comfort helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with groanes and sighes which cannot be u Rom. 8 26. expressed When hee shall make but a mocke of Christ to whom the blessed Angels doe homage x Heb. 1.6 oh how lamentable is the estate of such a one When the patient loathes his foode quarrels with his Phisitian is angry with his friends chafes with himselfe you will say he is in ill case and such is the condition of a froward and malicious sinner When the vis irascibilis Which should be as a Dogge at the doore of the soule to keepe away the Theefe shall waxe madde and bite the Master or his friends euen snarle at God at his seruants and his sacred truth what safety or comfort can that soule haue When Christians which should be as Lambes and new borne-Babes in receauing y 1. Pet. 2.1.2 Iam. 1.12 with meekenesse the sincere milke of the word and the comfortable food of the blessed Sacrament shall turne dogges and swine tread vnderfoote those precious pearles and be ready euen to rent their z Mat. 7.6 Pastors they must needes kindle Gods wrath and accelerate his iudgements This was the sinne of Alexander the Copper-smith of whom Saint Paul a 2 Tim. 4.15 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he vehemently withstood our Preaching He saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not vs but our words our preaching for that had not beene so hainous the one is but a personall persecution and so had beene a sinne against charitie the other a doctrinall and consequently was a direct offence against pietie And surely it is a fearefull thing when a man sets himselfe against heauen b 1 Sam. 2.25 If one man sinne against another saith Elie the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him It goes hard with a malefactor when no man will can or dare be his aduocate but it is Gods iust iudgement vpon a malicious sinner and therefore it was his ordinance c Num. 15.30 that he which sinned presumptuously euen erecting with an high hand the flagge of defiance against God as the metaphor imports blasphemed the Lord the same person should be cut off from among his people that the same cutting off might be a praeludium to his fearefull and finall separation from the societie of the blessed Angels the spirits of iust and holy men and from Iesus Christ the mediator of the new d Heb. 12.22 Testament How fearefull was the obstinacie of Stephens enemies who being not able to resist the spirit by which he spake charged him with blasphemie e Act. 6.10.11 And albeit the Lord did grace his innocent conscience with an Angelicall countenance yet they so persisted in their malice that they gaue him iust cause to taxe them thus You stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares you haue alway resisted the holy Ghost Such obstinate sinnes must needes be punished when as others committed of frailtie may easily be pardoned Should I not spare Nineueh saith the Lord f Ion. 4.11 which doth trespasse of infirmitie But how should I spare Iuda which doth transgresse g Ier. 5.7 rebelliously Here God hath something to say for Nineueh but rebellious Iuda stands arraigned of high treason and God hauing nothing to say for her nor she for her selfe why the sentence of death should not passe against her must needes be condemned except Gods iustice shall be violated which must inuiolably be maintained though all the rebellious Men and Angels in the world be damned It is dangerous to walke in the counsell of the vngodly dreadfull to stand in the way of sinners but h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 1.1 happy and thrise happy is he that doth not sit in the seate of the scornefull Who would thinke that any could be so forsaken of God and bereft of grace that he should malice and scorne the eternall Maiestie yet experience hath found out such vile wretches For such a one was that blasphemous Pope Iulius who being forbidden by his Physition to eate Porke because of his gout said in a great chafe horresco referens I tremble to vtter his words i Les vies de Papes de Rome Iules 3. Giue me my Porkes flesh al dispetto di Dio euen in despight of God What horrible blasphemies did that execrable Emperour Iulian the Apostata as also his lewd companion Libanius the Sophister belch forth against Christ who at their going forth to the Persian warre asked in k Histor Trip. lib. 6. cap. 43. scoffing manner What the Carpenters Sonne meaning Christ was doing To whom it was well answered by a good Christian l Theodoret. hist l. 3 c 18. Loculum fabricatur he is making a coffin for Iulian which propheticall speech was verified by the euent for indeede Iulian was strangely wounded and slaine in that warre Now when a man is growne to this height of impiety that he dares thus with a high hand sinne against the Almightie the Lord stops the suites of those who would pray for him not admitting any petition to be put vp in the Court of mercy according to those words of Saint Iohn There is a sinne vnto death I say not thou shouldest pray for m 1 Ioh. 5.16 it And how oft doth

expos Epist ad Rom. inchoat Origen c. Fathers besides those which haue already beene produced but I haste to that point which I haue euer affected and in the beginning promised and propounded namely the reconciling of diuersity in opinion It is a distinction of the u Gerson pars 2. compend Theo. log de septem vitijs capital Negatiuè Priuatiuè Contrariè Schoolemen a sinne may be called irremissible three manner of wayes negatiuely priuatiuely contrarily Negatiuely which can no way be pardoned as the sinnes of the reprobate Angels Priuatiuely when the sinne by congruence of merit deserues to be punished though by congruity of Gods mercy it may be pardoned of which nature is euery ordinary mortall sinne Contrarily when the sinne hath a disposition contrary to pardon and remission and such is the sinne against the holy Ghost For it doth directly resist and reiect the grace of God as Bellarmine confesseth x Directè resistet repudiet gratiam Dei Bell. de poenit lib 2. cap. 17. It hardneth the heart so that those which commit this sinne are vsually giuen ouer to a reprobate sense and forsaken of God as Iudas was so that they cannot repent as Anselme y Ita quod non possint poenitere Anselm in Mat. 12. affirmeth Yea it hardneth a mans heart like a stone so that he cannot be helped by the prayers of the Church as P. Lumbord z P. Lumb lib. 2. dist 43. b. reporteth Bonauenture a Bonauent in 2 sent dist 43. quaest 1. Potestatem dispositionem poenitentiae priuat Ibid. quaest 2 cals it a sinne to death because it taketh away the disposition of receiuing life which consisteth in the imbracing of repentance Yea if it be strictly taken and considered saith hee it depriueth men both of the power and disposition of repentance so that there is left neither inclination nor habilitie to repent And therefore as Catharinus b Cathar in Heb. 6. ● Epist Ioh. doth acknowledge this sinne to be vnpardonable so doth Sixtus Quintus c Sixt. Quint. vbi supra and yeeldes the same reason that others doe saying By reason of mens impenitency this sinne becomes absolutely and simply vnpardonable And Gerson d Vbi supra saith that in this respect it can by no meanes be remitted Yea that finall impenitency doth certainely cleaue to this blasphemous Apostasie Dionysius plainely affirmeth e Dionys Hug. Card. in Mat. 12. and yeelds two reasons for it Yea Hugo Cardinalis giues eight reasons of this impossibilitie of pardon Stella f Nunquam de facto remittitur quanquam possit remitti Stella in Luk. 12. and Iansenius g Non negat remissionis possibilitatem sed euentum Iansen Concord Cap. 49. indeede being willing to say as much as they can for the power and possibilitie of pardon for this sinne are constrained to confesse that actually and indeede it is neuer remitted although there be some possibilitie that it may be remitted Alas that is a poore possibility that is neuer reduced into act Such possibilities are but idle Chimeraes euen ridiculous conceits There is a similitude vsed by diuers yea by some who seeme to contradict the vnpardonablenesse of this sinne which similitude doth indeede expresse it with the reason and manner of it and it is this As the man which is sicke h Ludolph de vita Christi par 1. cap. 73. Bonauent in 2. sent distin 43. quaest 2. Gerson vbi supr Greg. de Valent. disp lib. 1. qu. 4. punct 3. Bellarm. de poen lib. 2. cap. 17. if he be in that case that he can neither take foode nor Physicke may rightly be said to be vncurable so he that is infected with the sicknesse of this sinne being through his impenitencie vncapable of Gods mercy and Christs merits may truely be said to be vnpardonable The medicine and meanes of recouery is neither weake nor wanting to him that hath grace to apply it but he that wants this grace is wanting to himselfe God doth not worke alwaies to the vttermost extent of his mighty power i Phil. 3.21 whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe but distributeth or denyeth to euery man so as seemes best to his diuine wisdome and workes as it is in the Philosophicall Axiome according to the capacitie of the patient making men desirous of saluation where hee doth grant it and capable of grace where he doth impart it In which sense it is said our Sauiour could not doe many workes amongst his Countrimen because of their vnbeliefe Marke 6.5 T is true as Chrysostome saith k Chrys in Gen. Hom. 19. there is no sinne so great that it can ouercome Gods mercy if we repent and aske pardon in due time but if a man haue no power to repent then God hath no will to pardon The Lords hand is not shortened that he cannot helpe but mans heart is hardened that he cannot repent and this makes the sinne vnpardonable so that the question is not of Gods power and mans will but of mans power and Gods will There is no man that hath more iudiciously decided this controuersie then l Beda in Mar. 3 Beda and m Ludolph de vita Christi par 1. cap. 73. Ludolphus with whose words being consonant to the truth and concluding what I haue at large deliuered I will conclude The spirit of blasphemie shall not be forgiuen a man Sicut nunquam ad remissionem ita nunquam ad poenitentiam peruenturus est not because remission is denied him if he repent but because that such a blasphemer through his iust desert as he can neuer obtaine remission so can he neuer come to repentance And so much for the searching of the wound The third part The binding vp the WOVND IT remaineth now in the third and last place that I binde vp the wound with Application not with hope to cure it which if I should promise I might be like those Lawyers who for their fees doe vndertake mens causes though they know them to bee vnconscionable and those Phisitians and Surgeons who take in hand the cure of those patients whose sores and sicknesse they know be incurable I may say of this sinne as Ieremie saith of Babylon n Ier. 51.9 We would haue cured Babylon but she could not be cured forsake her and let vs goe euery one into his owne Countrey This sinne cannot possibly be cured therefore let euery one in the feare of God haue care that he may auoide it The Apostle speaking of this sinne to the Hebrewes saith o Heb. 6.9 Confidemus de vobis meliora delectissimi and so doe I say to you beloued I hope better things of you all and such as belong to saluation For were your hearts possest with this sinne you could haue small delight in this sacred assembly and holy exercise Now although there be no place of application for cure yet is there

dreame be to them that hate thee and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies so let this pardon be to all trecherous and incendiary Papists and the reseruation of punishment to them who are enemies to the grace of God and our gracious Soueraigne Miserable O miserable were our condition if our pardon were not absolute For as one bad humour left vnpurged may be the death of the body one small cranny vnstopped may be the drowning of the shippe so the least sinne vnpardoned must needes be the death and drowning both of soule and body in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer But blessed be God Colos 2.14 we know that Christ Iesus hath fully satisfied the iustice of God Reuel 1.5 cancelled the bond of our debts and washed vs in his precious blood Hee was condemned that we might be iustified hee was punished that we might be pardoned Bern. in Cant. Serm. 22. Non gutta sed vnda sanguina largitèr per quinque partes corporis emanauit as Bernard saith There flowed out of fiue parts of his body not droppes but euen streames of blood that with him might be plenteous redemption and he might redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Auant therefore to the Merchants of Rome with their stained Merits their super-arrogant workes of supererogation their blasphemous satisfactions to God What needeth there a miserere where there is a mereri What neede is there of mercy where there is merit A man may fitly say of these men as Bernard speaketh of the boasting Pharisee Bern Annunci Domini Serm. 3. Nimirum plenus est nec habet in eo gratia Dei locum surely these men are so full of their merits that they haue no roome for Gods mercy Againe how miserable is the condition of those men who doe daily run through as many grosse sins as there are signes in the Zodiacke yet haue no power to finde remorse or seeke for remission and those who in stead of this humble Petition Pardon me according to thy great mercy do take vp Kaines desperate complaint My Sinne is greater then can be pardoned Farre Gene. 4.13 O farre be it from vs thus to abuse Gods mercy Let vs be truely penitent for our sinnes and then let vs put vp our Petition and craue pardon for the same yea let vs neuer be quiet till wee haue our quietus est Psal 39.8 euen a generall acquittance for all our transgressions And here againe I must briefly aduertise you that you must resume the former compellation to this Petition Pardon me O my God It is odious to God and dangerous to men to seeke for Romish indulgences it is impious to thinke that wee may appeale from God to the Virgin Mary for mercy Bernardino de Busto It is blasphemous to affirme that Christ hath imparted to his Mother the disposing of mercy and reserued to himselfe onely the dispensing of Iustice Gabriel Biel in Canone Missae as certaine Papists teach Hee that rewardeth vs must also pardon vs according to that of Esay Esa 43.25 I euen I doe put away doe put away thy iniquities Here that I so redoubled is emphaticall and exclusiue as it is in the eleuenth Verse I euen I am the Lord. I euen I as if he should say I and none but I. We indeede by preaching of the word may draw your pardons but God in mercy must grant them and by his spirit must seale them 2 Sam. 12.13 according to Nathans words Dominus transtulit the Lord hath put away thy sinne Giue me leaue in a word or two to passe from the act to the person Pardon me Me here the comfort is more ample and excellent in the originall then in our translation and no maruaile for no translation can keepe a proportion quoad pondus with the originall the Hebrew which we translate me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gnalai vpon me or ouer me as if hee should say let thy pardon protect me and let thy mercy be spred ouer me like the glorious Canopie of heauen Let it be like the clowdie pillar which was as a vaile and couering to the children of Israel So that Nehemiah craueth here a protecting Pardon both a protection and a Pardon and the Lord granteth them both in one Patent It is like Dauids wordes in the fift Psalme For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.13 and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield Here also the Hebrew fountaine runnes fuller of diuine comfort then the English streame for the Hebrew word signifieth to compasse with a crowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus with Gods pardon there goeth his protection with this protection his crowne and benediction all these comforts doe flowe from the fountaine of his mercy as it followeth Pardon me according to thy great mercy The manner VVHen I come to speake of the mercy of God I enter into a Labyrinth without end and diue into an Ocean without bottome It fareth with mee as with the traueller who hath farre to goe and little time to spend but let mee craue your patience and I will hast to the end of my iourney The word Kesed here translated mercy plus est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Pagn è Rab. Kimchi saith a learned Linguist it is more then naturall loue which you know runneth with a strong current Therefore when you heare of Gods tender mercies thinke vpon the affection of a tender hearted mother and remember yet that the mercy of God doth as farre surmount the same as the resplendent Sunne exceedeth the little sparke of fire in brightnesse No man hath seene God at any time yet hath he manifested himselfe vnto vs by his Sonne incarnate Bern. in Cant. Serm. 61. Per cuius vulnera patebant viscera through whose side wounded with the speare you might behold the bowels of compassion wounded with loue Gods mercy seldome goeth alone but vsually it hath some epithet annexed to it as here it is called his great mercy Rab quantitatis qualitatis est say the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it comprehendeth all whatsoeuer hath excellency in quality or amplitude in quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Kerob casdeka secundum multitudinem according to thy many mercies as diuers doe translate it or secundum magnitudinem according to thy great mercy as here we reade it and neither amisse For as the Hebrew word so Gods mercy haue both the discreete and continued quantity When Iacob had got the blessing of Isaack as we reade Genes 27. Esau said to his Father in the anguish of spirit Hast thou but one blessing blesse me euen me also my Father Yet the good old man though an indulgent father had but one that was worthy the name of a blessing But happy are wee our heauenly Father is not so penurious He hath more then one