Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
cause_n evil_a good_a see_v 2,875 5 3.5208 3 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A03759 A short exposition of the 20. and 21. verses of the third chapter of the first epistle of S. Iohn Containing a very profitable discourse of conscience, and of al the actions, sortes, and kinds thereof, wherby euery man may easily know his estate, wherein hee standeth in the sight of his God, and whether his conscience be good or euill, with all things also belonging either to get a good conscience, or else to releiue it out of trouble, being grieued and wounded, as in the epistle to the reader is more specially mentioned, and in the discourse itselfe clearely expressed. Howesoun, John. 1600 (1600) STC 13878; ESTC S116556 26,751 68

There are 3 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

excellent and sure promises made by God vnto vs of grace life euerlasting in his worde for Salomon saieth Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Pro. 28 13 but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie and if wee acknowledge and confesse our sinnes saith Iohn God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs them 1. Ioh. 1.9 and wash them al away from vs with the bloud of his christ For Gabriell the Angell said vnto the virgin Mary that her sonne Christs name should be called Iesus Math. 1.21 Because hee should saue his people from their sinnes Wherefore it followeth that there is no condemnation to them that are and beleeue in him if they walke not after the flesh but after the spirit To all which persons aryseth a certainty of Saluation And consequently a reformation of conscience which is wrought in all such persons by the holie ghoste when the same ceaseth to accuse and terrifie them and beginneth to excuse them and to testifie vnto them that they are the children of God The which thinge neuer faileth to anie that doe seriouslie humble themselues and by earnest prayer craue mercie and pardon of their sinnes at Gods hands for Christs sake 8 The riches pleasurs of the faithfull which they shuld euer seeke for is a good conscience This is the treasure that far passeth all worldlie pleasures I would to God therfore that the greatest part of this vnhappy age would be as careful to sute and seeke for the same as they are to hunte after the transitory pleasures of this corruptible flesh as honors riches other pleasures worldly which wil quickly depart but this shall euer abide as a continuall and pleasant feast both heere in the world to come Pro. 15.15 And thus much concerning mans firste duetie against the getting of a good conscience As touching mans second duety concerning Consciēce 9 Mans second duety concerning conscience it is to keepe it good when he hath so gotten it to preuente the troubles therof by all meanes possible For it is no lesse vertue to keepe a good Conscience then to get it In keeping of a good Conscience 10 Three thinges to be avoyded 1. ig-norance Pro. 29 2. 2 Kings 17 26 aboue all things three things are to be avoyded To wit ignorance vnmortified affections and worldly lustes As to the first Salomon affirmeth that the minde cannot bee good that is the Conscience of him that is without knowledge yea it is said cap 17.2 Kings that the people that dwelt in Samaria were deuoured of Lyons and wilde beastes because they knew not the manner of the God of the Land And againe Psal 95.10 the Prophete Dauid saith that such as doe not knowe the voice of the Lorde and his will and wayes doe erre in heart and soule neuer enter into the Lords rest Likwise Christ himselfe telleth vs that they that knowe not the scriptures doe but erre goe astray And againe that this is the cōdemnatiō of the world that the light of Gods will declared in Christ being come into the world men notwihstanding loue rather darknes Math 22 29 Rom. 1 28 and to perish therein then the light and to be saued thereby And therefore saith the Apostle as they regarded not to knowe GOD euen so GOD deliuered them vp into a reprobate minde to doe those thinges which are not conuenient and whereby they become full of vnrighteousnes Yea ignorance saith Chrysostome is the worke of the diuils inspiration Chrysost who would not haue vs to see the treasure least wee should possesse the riches And that this is the cause of all euill that the scriptures hath not knowen Of these premisses we see how needful it is aboue all things for al that wil keep a good Cōscience to learn the knowledge of Gods word the ignorance wherof begetteth breedeth in man woman a loathsome sea of all euils whereby their miserable Consciences are drowned in a loathsom sink of all wretched misery vnto the day of their Death when the Lord shal fearefully in his iustice wakē them to their perpetual shame and confusion Secondly it is needefull to be vtterly displeased alwaies with the sinful affections of our flesh As with wrath anger Let vs bee displeased with sinne and the lustes of the fleshe envie malice wandering lustes such like other vnhappy fruits of our wretched corrupt nature And therefore continually to crye with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death or from this fleshlie lumpe of sinne and death which by nature euerie one of vs do carry about with vs. So that this way in our mind at the least we may euer serue the law of god Rom 7 25 so crop snedde sinne in vs that it come neuer to seede maturity and ful perfection to raigne in vs and rule ouer vs aboue the Spirite Thirdly as to worldly pleasures and honours of this life let vs euer respecte them all as dunge in respecte of Christ the benefites which wee receaue by him and the preseruation of a good Conscience The which wee ought perpetuallie to esteeme and thinke off as of of our Paradise and of the lustes of our fleshe and pleasures of the world as of the forbidden fruite if we desire to liue for euer with perpetuall ioy in our soule and conscience both in this life and in that to come through Christ And thus much touching the keeping of a good conscience when it is gotten As to the remedies of a troubled hart and grieued Conscience The remedies of a troubled consciēce which of al others when it rageth is the greatest wee say that the same must be sought for out of the word and exampels of the faithful as of Iob Ieremy Ezekiah Dauid also of Christ himselfe who felt the extremest anguish that euer eyther was is or yet shall be and notwithstanding perished not there through because they dispayred not therein but trusted stil in God and therefore were deliuered 2 Such must vnderstand as are troubled in Conscience that the way to heauen is euen to goe thither by hell They that go to heauen must saile by hell 3 Let all such as are in this trouble haue recourse to godly pastours who may and will giue them comfort out of the worde 4 Let them confer with such as haue felt the like trouble who will shew them how they got comforte therein and that first of all it is necessary for thē to learne and vnderstand fiue things 1. To knowe and confesse their sins 2. To feele them forgiuen in Christ 3. To looke for power of him to crucifie the same 4. To lay hold vpon iustification by his resurrection 5. To looke for strength of him only to proceede to further sanctification holines of life euē to the end al the which things they shall finde
in Christ And secondly that the instruments to obtaine the same righteousnes and life in Christ is onely faith It followeth to shew how Conscience giueth iudgement of all our doings to wit by a kind of reasoning called a Practicall syllogysme wherein Conscience vseth two instruments in making of this reason which are minde and memorie For the minde telleth Conscience what the Law of God is and memorie bringeth to her minde all the particuler actions that men or women haue done or not done that Conscience may determine and giue iudgement thereof So that from these two the Consciēce reasoneth after this maner as for example The Conscience of a whoremonger reasoneth thus with himselfe saying All whoremoungers shall be without in the fierie lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death But I am a whoremounger Therefore I shall be there So that hereby we see that the sinnes 13 and conpunctions of the heart are sore and grieuous prickes vnto the minde Conscience of man yea greater then any griefe that can befall him Although Sathan for a time doeth extenuate the same as also corrupt affections doe oftentimes so ouercast this iudgement Gen. 42.21 that it perceaueth nothing for the space of a long time as Iosephs bretheren who were blinded this way for the space of two and twentie yeares or thereby 2. Sam. 24.10 Dauid after his murther adulterie slept without remorse vntill he was wakened by the Prophet Nathan Act. 2.37 and the Iewes who put Christ to death vntil they were pricked with Peters sermon The effects of an accusing Consciēce are especially fiue 1. Griefe 2. Sadnes 14 Isa 17.20 Pro. 28.1 2. Cor. 1.12 Pro. 15.15 Pro. 1● 18 3. Feare 4. Perturbation of the whole man 5. Desperation This much of the accusing and condemning Conscience Now haue wee to speake of the Conscience excusing and absoluing which hath all things contrary to the accusing and condemning as Bouldnes Pro. 15.15 ioy in the Holie-Ghoste Confidence with assurance of mercy For the righteous saith Salomon are boulde as a Lyon 15 Learne heere reader that what is done of a doubting or of an erronious Conscience To doubt erre or do any thing against conscience is sinne Ro. 14.23 14.14 or against Conscience is sinne Because vvhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and to the vncleane all things are vneleane Some did iudge fornication in the Primitiue Church not to bee sinne wherein notwithstanding they sinned in respect that their Conscience did erre in her iudgement For euill remains euill albeit Conscience saith the contrarie a thousand times Moste men women are sicke of this disease at this day who thinke sin not to bee sinne in their Consciences c. What is done also against Conscience is sin in the doer albeit it erre and be deceaued 16 What should be our warrant in all our turnes Of al this let vs learne to obserue for a warrant to our Consciences the onely command or contremand of Gods word in all our proceedings and so shall wee walke surely when wee make his worde the onely rule to our Conscience eschew mans inuentions or good intentions and likewise when we vnderstande that it is a moste dangerous and deadly thing to bee ignorant of the knowledge of Gods word which maketh the life of man to abound yea to flow with the sea of al offences against God And there fore we shuld euer pray him of his great mercie to graunt vs aboue al things the true knowledge of him and of his sonne Iesus Christ with the testimony of an excusing and vpright Conscience ruled euer by the square of his worde in the which righteousnes and eternall life is onely to be found throgh faith in Christ The Thirde parte Two parts of our diuisiō being spokē of It followeth 1 the diuision touching the kindes sortes of Consciences thirdly to intreate of the kindes and sortes of Consciences in special first of the Conscience of the regenerate and of all Gods children secondly of that of the wicked For as to Conscience generally 2 it is eyther good or bad and a good Conscience is that which rightly and according to Gods word excuseth and comforteth Consciēce is either good or bap the excel●ēcie thereof consisteth in excuwng So that the excellencie of Conscience standeth in excusing not in accusing by reason that when we commit any sin we giue then occasion immediatly therafter to our Conscience to accuse and condemne vs wherby we doe wound hurt the same as testifieth the Apostle saying 1. Cor. 8.9.12 that the Corinthians did wound the Consciences of their weake brethren when they vsed their liberty as an occasion of offence to them And againe hee calleth a good Conscience a conscience without offence or accusing of them that haue it Act. 24.16 Againe a good Conscience is of two sorts 3 Good conscience of two sortes by creatiō and regeneration to wit eyther good by creation or else by regeneration The conscience of our first parēts before their fal was good onely by creation therfore could not but excuse them before God in all that they did in the estate of their innocency A good Conscience regenerat is that which being corrupt by nature is renued and purged by faith in the bloud of Christe 4 in all such there is a conuersion or change needefull by grace because by nature all mens consciences through sinne are euill and therfore become good onely by grace in Christ The instrumentall cause seruing to make this change is faith 5 Two cause of a good conscience which purifieth the hearts and the meritorious cause is the bloud of Christ which doth purge consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God A regenerat conscience hath two properties and stayes To wit 6 Two properties or stayes of a regenerat conscience Christian liberty and certaintie of saluation at all times when she excuseth Because that these two propertis haue not their place in the outward man but in the heart spirit or conscience I call Christian liberty 7 Christian liberty what Gal 5.1 the holie and spiritual freedome purchased vnto vs by Christ wherin the Apostle commandeth vs to Standfast and not to bee entangled againe with the yoake of bondage c. It hath three partes 8 Christian liberty hath three parts As freedome from the iustification of the morrall law and the fulfilling thereof For hee who is a member of Christe is not bound in Conscience to bringe the perfite righteousnes of the law in his owne person for his iustification before God but Chritss 9 He also who is a Christian is free from the curse and condemnation of the law for to such as are in Christ There is no condemnation Gal. 3 13. because he hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law 10 The second is
the freedome and libertie that we haue by Christe from the rigour of the law which craueth perfite obedience and condemneth all imperfection But sinne hath no more dominion ouer them that are in Christ Ro. 6.14 Gal 3.13 1. Ioh. 5.3 because they are not vnder the Law or rigour thereof but vnder grace and in Christ 11 And therefore it is that God accepteth our imperfite obedience if it be sincere yea and as the Prophet sayth Will for worke Mal. 3.16 12 and Desire for Deed. The third is freedome from the ceremoniall law For after that the truth of all those shadowes is come wee are no more vnder the shadowes to keepe and obserue the same which serued to the Iewes as a schoole-maister Gal. 3.25 Ephe. 2.15 Gal. 3.14 to lead them to Christ who was to come but we hauing the truth to wit Christ who is alreadie come and hath suffered for vs in the flesh haue no neede now of those types and shadowes of the ceremoniall law Thus much concerning the first stay and property of a regenerate Conscience 13 The secōd propertie or stay of a regenerat Consciēce Rom 8.15 Ephes 4.13 Math. 14 31. 21.21 Iames 1.6 Ro. 8.20 The second property or stay of a regenerate Conscience especially when this same excuseth is an infalliable certaintie of our sinnes to be pardoned and of life euerlasting by faith in Christ wrought in our hearts by his spirit wherof al the scriptures of God beare witnes that are heere vnder written against that desperate doctrine of the Bishoppe of Rome and Councell of Trent As Rom. 8.15 Ephes 4.13 Math. 14.31 Math. 21.21 Iames. 1.6 Rom. 4.20 Therefore it is that Basilius demandeth this question What is the property of faith To the which demaund he answereth that it is to be one assured perswasion voyde of doubting disputation Of these places of Scripture aboue mentioned 14 let euery christian make this reason to wit Euery one that beleeueth is the child of God but I beleeue I therfore am the childe of God and Gods children must needs be saued Wherefore I cannot perish against the doctrine of the papists who will haue vs to doubt of our Saluation against the Scriptures of God and Articles of our beliefe which doe command euery man woman both to say I beleeue in God In Iesus Christ his onely Son our Lord who is God also equall with his father In the holie Ghost who is likewise God the third person of the Godhead 1. Ioh 3.2 And finally both to beleeue remission of our sins and life euerlasting But to doubt and to beleeue are words which importe contradiction God commandeth vs to beleeue the remission of our sinnes life euerlasting through the merits death of Christ in the Articles of our beliefe the Pope and Councell of Trent do accurse al such for presūptuous persons as doe not continually doubt of the remission of their sinnes certaintie of Saluation and life eternall And therefore the conclusion is true that the Pope is aduersary to Christ and consequently that same Antichrist the mysterie of whose iniquitie beganne euen in the dayes of the Apostles and which hath so increased sensine that in all the heads of Christian religion his doctrine is repugnant vnto Christs And in this point directlie to the verie Articles of our Christian beleefe It may bee demaunded heere by way of question 15 Question Answer A good conscience may both accuse and excuse at one time but not in one respecte if one and the same conscience may not both accuse and excuse Gods children at any one time Answer that it may For else if our Conscience should not still accuse vs when wee doe amisse then shoulde manie great sinnes assaulte vs at once make hauock of our soules And therefore wee affirme that it may both accuse vs and excuse vs at one time but not in one respect For it excuseth vs in that it assureth vs that our persons doe stand righteous before God as cloathed and couered with the righteousnesse of Christ And in respecte that we haue our desire and doe endeuoure ourselues in the generall course of our whole life to walke vprightlie and to please God And yet neuerthelesse of this it muste needs accuse vs perpetually for our particular slippes and for the manifolde wants and imperfections that bee in all our good and beste actions by reason whereof it telleth vs perpetually in our care Luek 17. that we are vnprofitable seruants Thus much of a good Conscience 16 Euill conscience what and why it is so called Now followeth an euill Conscience which is so called partly because it is corrupted by originall sinne and partly by reason it is euill that is troublesome and painefull to our sence and feeling as are vnto vs all other sorrowes calamities or miseries whatsoeuer which for this same cause are called likewise euils 17 The propertie of an euil cōscience is ever to accuse Luke 5.8 The propirtie of it is euer to accuse condemne and thereby to make them that haue it affrayde of the presence of God and to flee from him as from their enemie Example in our first parents in Peter who falling downe at Christes knees besought him to goe from him in respect his Conscience toulde him and accused him that he was a sinfull man 18 Euill conscience is ether dead or waking Euill Conscience is eyther dead or waking and stirring the dead Conscience is that which albeit it can but accuse lyeth commonly quyet accusing little or nothing at all and that for diuers causes to witte want of reason strength and force of wicked and fleshly affections ignorance of Gods word and reuealed will A dead Conscience hath two properties the first is to be benūmed 19 A dead consciēce hath two properties Gen. 44.16 vnfeeling or dosened as that of Iosephs brethren for the space of two and twentie yeares or thereby This raigneth in drowsie Protestants luke-warme Gospellers and ciuill honest persons who liue without common slander to the gospell Of this kinde of Conscience let vs take heede For it is like to a wilde beast who so long as it lyeth a sleepe troubleth nothing but when it awaks flyeth into mens faces and deuoureth them This is it that the Poets did call the Furies because it pursueth them that haue it vnto death and desperation The second property of a dead Conscience is 20 to be feared or burnt as the Apostle saieth with an hotte yron that is the Conscience which is past all feeling in this life and is neuer mooued with the remorse of sin thorowly or to any purpose And this is in the onely obstinate wicked and such as are giuen vp into a reprobate minde Rom. 2.15 This shall be wakened at the day of death and last iudgement by God to accuse and condemne them that haue it whē the bookes of the dead both