Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	answer_n	baptism_n	good_a	4,281	5	5.0429	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96362	A true relation of the conversion and baptism of Isuf the Turkish chaous, named Richard Christophilus In the presence of a full congregation, Jan. 30. 1658. in Covent-Garden, where Mr. Manton is minister. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy.	White, Thomas, 1628-1698.; Dury, John, 1596-1680.	1659 (1659)	Wing W1807; Thomason E2141_1; ESTC R204020	32,885	117

more than that which John saith Math. 3. 11. the Holy Ghost and fire that is the Holy Ghost working in the nature of fire so the Spirit and water is the Spirit working in the nature of water It is a figure of speech called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is one thing by two expressions Fire and Water are purging Elements their operation is in one spirit and the Prophet Isai. joyneth them together in one effect Cap. 4. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughters of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of Burning here the Spirit doth wash and burn to purge away sin This then is a gross mistake of the phrase but as to the thing it self that salvation doth not depend upon the use of outward Water is clear from 1 Pet. 3. 21. where the Apostle telling us that Baptism doth save us doth immediately to prevent a mistake explain himself and saith that he meaneth not the putting away the filth of the Flesh viz. by outward water but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ that is the Baptism which saveth the Soul and therefore Christ Mar. 16. 16. saith he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned he saith not he that is not Baptized shall be damned intimating that there is no such necessity of water-Baptism that without it a Soul cannot be saved for the promise is to faith alone whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have life everlasting Joh. 3. 16. and the Apostle Gal. 5. 6. assures us that in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but Faith which worketh by Love The saving vertue is in the washing of Regeneration renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. which words are a clear exposition of Christs words except ye be born of the Spirit and water ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. 5. for the washing of Regeneration by the renewing of the Holy Ghost which is shed on us is to be born of the Spirit and Water and without this none is saved that is none enters into Gods Kingdom Yet although the saving of Souls doth not depend upon the outward washing nevertheless we say there is some necessity for the use of Baptism namely the necessitas praecepti that is a necessity to obey Gods command for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. 19. of Circumcision that neither it nor uncircumcision is any thing but the obeying of Gods Commandement so we say that to be baptised is nothing and to want Baptism is nothing but the keeping of the Commandements of God the meaning is that the outward work or the opus operatum whether you have it or want it is not to be regarded but the keeping of Gods commandement is that which is necessarie therefore we say that Christs Command to administer Baptism is necessary to be observed in his Church according to his end for which he did appoint it which is not to make Salvation to depend upon material Water but to Characterize and separate Disciples from the rest of the World and to conveigh as an outward testimony the manifestation of the inward work of Grace exhibited in the word of the institution and to these ends it is a means appointed by God and by reason of his appointment it is necessary to be used as a means to shew forth the Relation which is between Christ and his members it is a means necessary to signifie and seal their ingraffing into one body by one Spirit with him as their head 1 Cor. 12. 13. So far then as God will have a publick visibility of the profession to be owned and our Relation to Christ in the Covenant to be held forth so far is publick Baptism necessarie now this is not otherwise necessary than as circumstances will permit it to be done Regularly that is by a Lawfull Minister in Christs way for the Baptism of Women is not Lawful nor of any other who hath not a Call to administer the Ordinance Nor is it the want but the contempt or wilfull neglect of Baptism that brings guilt Saint Ambrose saith of Valentinian the Emperor that though he dyed without Water-Baptism yet he had the Grace of Baptism because he earnestly did desire it Hitherto the use of Instruction The use of Comfort is two-fold 1. That God doth condescend to our weakness to give us a visible and sensible Word to make us feel in the outward man that which he doth in the inward this is a great support of our faith and a real ground of Comfort which God makes use of to conveigh by the word of promise the increase of Grace unto our Souls 2. That God doth mark us outunto himself and by a visible token of his Covenant in our outward Man will seal a Relation between him and us as Gen. 17. 11 13. This is a special Confirmation of his free Grace and Love and that he by this means will separate us from the World as a peculiar people and a chosen generation 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is a ground of Confidence to us that he will have a special care of us in evil times for the causes bind up the Testimony and Seal the Law among his Disciples Isa. 8. 16. His Church which is made up of these Disciples are his Vineyard which he doth keep and water every moment lest any thing hurt it Isa. 27. 2 3. It is his Garden enclosed a Spring shut up and a Fountain sealed Cant. 4. 12. This gives us a ground in time of trouble and temptation to fly unto him to mind him of his Covenant with us in Baptism and to tell him as David doth Psal. 22. 10. I was cast upon thee from the womb thou art my God from my Mothers belly be not far from me for trouble is neer The use of Admonition and exhortation is 1. That we should mind our Covenant with God in Baptism what the tenor of it is what our Relation is to him what it is to be his Disciple how we should be under his Discipline how separate from the world the Devil and the Flesh how carefull as good Souldiers to war faithfully under his Banner the Ancients called it Sacramentum to be mindfull of the oath which Souldiers took to be faithfull unto their General and Tessera Militaris a token of their Warfar to war against the lusts of the Flesh 1 Pet. 2. 11. 2. To remember that we are redeemed by Christ and Adopted and regenerated and made a peculiar people to live to him and to be zealous of good works Tit. 3. 14. and to walk worthy of his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes. 2. 12. 3. To consider that by Baptism we are both dead and made alive again with Christ Rom. 6. 3 4. and that

to be and had took upon him the habit of a Turk and that therefore he ought to be circumcised and if he turned Christian to be burnt Some of this Christians friends desir'd this Noble Turk who was in great Authority to deliver him out of that snare He went to the Mufty and took no notice of the business until the Mufty spoke to him of it which he presently did for the business was then before him He desired to have the hearing of it He enquired of the first witnesse whether he drunk wine with this Christian he could not deny it he presently commanded that he should receive so many bastinadoes for transgressing the law of Mahomet and after execution done they brought him again he then commanded him to repeat the commandemants of Mahomet which he not being able to do he rejected him as not being a competent witness The other witness being searcht was found not to be a Turk he commanded him to be circumcised since he profest himself to be a Turk and so the witnesses being taken off delivered the Christian That use that I could wish were made of this story I could wish were this That we might at least give as much honour to Christ as Turks do to Mahomet viz. That as no one amongst them is a competent witness except he can repeat the commandements of Mahomet so none amongst us might be received as a witness except they could say the ten commandements As for their justice and fidelity I have heard and read much It is related of one of our Merchants who had sold a great quantity of cloth to one of the Turks who the next year when the Merchant came again told him that he was mistaken in the measure of his cloth and that there was so much over measure as came to fifteen pound more and that he had put it in a bag that it might be ready for him against he came The Merchant told him that he had got enough by him and said much good may it do you The Turk answered and said Sir take it or else I will otherwise dispose of it for it is none of mine It is related also that a Merchant of ours coming to one of their shops the Turk told him that he had sold enough that day saying I pray Sir go to such a neighbour of mine you shal have as good there and and as cheap as I have and he hath had little custome to day If these stories be true as I judge them to be have we not all much reason to wish that most of us might be converted to be Turks as to our conversation that we might be better Christians If these stories be false yet since we and our consciences judge them to be good do not we condemn our selves if we do not follow their examples For as the Apostle saith Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self thou that judgest dost the same thing So I may say thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that commendest another and dost not the same thing Another thing that I conceive remarkable and considerable and of great use unto us is to consider how that those that are converted at mans estate to Christian Religion with what relish and high admirings they read the Scripture Doubtless they understand divers Scriptures much otherwise and better than we do having not been corrupted with those Glosses and Interpretations that too generally are given of them especially in the matter of riches it may be said of the Scripture as the Scripture saith of man God made man upright but he hath found out many inventions so it may be said that God made the Scripture upright right but men have found out many Expositions and being unwilling to bring their lives to the Scriptures have thereby brought the Scriptures to their lives Me thinks such a Convert one that is a prudent and by his conversion made a pious man and never heard any thing of the Gospel before is like Adam when he was created and brought into Paradise he being of such wonderful acuteness of sense and understanding Seeing the glorious Sun and the rich spacious heavens and the earth in all her bravery hearing the melody of the birds and never seeing any such thing before and being able to discern the wisedom of God in their frame and creation as well as the goodness of God in their use one would think it a wonder how it were possible for him to be tempted or at least so soon but for us we being born infants and being used to these sights by degrees take little notice either of the wisedom or goodness of God in the works of Creation which lose the strangeness and novelty before we come to know them So it is also with us in matters of Religion we ate taught in our infancy the Doctrine of the Gospel and it is well we are but generally Parents teach their children so carelesly irreverently overly and formally that the Doctrine of Christianity takes little or no impression on them and they are brought up in a formality of Religion and form of godliness which brings them generally to a senslesness in the matters of God so that by that time they be come to years of understanding they deal with Religion as we do with the Sun make use of its light to direct us in our worldly business but seldom admire the glory of it So people use the profession of their Religion to carry on their designs but seldom are affected with the beauty of it It is pity we should love God less because we have loved him so long and because he hath been so long mercifull unto us nay doubtless true love doth not grow weaker by age One thing more I shall advise and conclude viz. That as the Angels in Heaven rejoyce at such a ones Conversion so should we and do something more than the Angels do that is we should pray for him that God whom we hope hath begun a good work in this Convert would perfect and finish it and would preserve and keep him by his mighty power through faith to salvation as also for Thine to serve and please thee in all things to Edification THO. WHITE Lecturer at St. Andrews Holborn A RELATION OF THE Conversion of ISVF the Turkish Chaous TO THE Profession of Christianity Together with The manner of his Solemn Baptism in the Church of Covent-Garden and the Confession of his Faith ISuf a Chaous of the Grand Signor born at Constantinople whose Father being Governor of the Archipelago had three and thirty Gallies under his command whereof three did belong to himself and thirty to the Grand Signor having been imployed in three Embassies once into Venice once into Muscovie to the great Duke once to the Emperor of Germany where he resided at Vienna 18. moneths was by one of his Fathers slaves who attended ordinarily upon him