Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A64957
|
A covert from the storm, or, The fearful encouraged in times of suffering from Rev. 2. 10 : fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer ... / by Nathanael Vincent ...
|
Vincent, Nathanael, 1639?-1697.
|
1671
(1671)
|
Wing V404; ESTC R6000
|
63,594
|
154
|
He is not ashamed of that Gospel which is a stumbling block to the Jewes to the Greeks foolishness he is not ashamed of that word which a sinful and adulterous Generation reproach and have no delight in it Jer. 6. 10. His principal care and study indeed is to be a sincere lover and real practiser of Religion and yet he is not afraid to be an open professour though thereby it comes to pass that he is evil entreated by religious enemies That 's the first thing implyed in being faithful namely Holding Faith 2. To be faithful is also to hold a good conscience When Paul stood before the Council earnestly beholding them he protested I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day Acts 23. 1. So Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men The unstedfast professour regards not his conscience makes nothing of wounding and defiling it But the faithful soul speaks much what the same language with holy Job chap. 27. 5 6. Till I dye I will not remove my integrity from me my righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live There are these three things that argue a good conscience 1. Where the conscience is good no sinful designs are carryed on Siâ—ister aimes are not allowed by one that is faithful If his treacherous heart begin to have a squinâ— eye at his own praise or profit he checks it presently What he doth he designs that God may have the glory of and surely the glory is the Lords due since his strengthening grace doth all in us and for us And by suffering the faithful man aimes not at the advancing his own repute but that Christ may be magnified by his tryals his patience and joy in them And if the world be convinced the weak confirmed if the Gospel get ground and the Lord Jesus be by a greater multitude prized and admired he hath his end 2. Where the conscience is good ungodly desires are not harbour'd He that is faithful looks well to his desires that they be preserved pure The World is undesirable sin is abominable but his soul thirsteth for God for the living God Psal 42. 2. and sufferings are willingly undergone so this thirst may be satisfied 3. Where conscience is good 't is purged from dead works Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit â—ffered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God A good conscience will not wink at unwarrantable practises will not connive at not doing the work of the Lord or doing that work negligently He that is faithful makes conscience to walk before God in truth though never so many in their works deny the Lord he is grieved and vexed at others filthy conversation and orders his own aright and so though for a while he is used hardly he comes at length to see the salvation of God Psal 50. ult In the second place I am to lay down the Reasons why a Christian should be faithful 1. A Chrisâ—ian is under a command to be faithful And this command to be stedfast is very expressive 't is very much prâ—ssed in Scripture 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be stedfast unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. Phil. 4. 1. So stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit ye like men Joh. 8. 31. Jesus said unto them that believed on him if ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Moses likewise of old did harp upon this string commanding the children of Israel not only to turn but to cleave unto the Lord Deut. 30. 20. That thou mayest love the Lord thy God and obey his voice and cleave unto him for he is thy life And they are forbid to turn either to the right hand or the left from following the Lord their God Now all these commands make the Christians obligation to faithfulness the stronger and truly to be unfaithful is not a single sin for he that leaves the Lord how fearfully must he be drawn into transgression 2. A Christian is under covenant to he faithful Deut. 26. 17. He has avouched the Lord to be his God He was given up to God betimes and how often has he made of himself a fresh resignation upon dayes of humiliation and when he has eat and drunk at the Lords table his covenant to be the Lords has been renewed How often has the Christian professed that his heart and members were not his own but Gods to dwell in and to make use of this is another reason and a strong one why he should be faithful The Lord is the Christians and the Christian is the Lords portion The Lords portion is his people and Jacob is the lot of his inheritance Now Gods inheritance should be for his use and should in no wise be alienated 3. The God of believers is faithful therefore they shall resemble him The Scripture speaks in a glorious strain concerning the faithfulness of God He is said to keep truth for ever The hills and mountains stand not so firm as his covenant shall Lev. 54. 10. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee nor the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Nay the Scripture goes much higher then the Mountains in setting forth this faithfulness I have said mercy shall be built up for ever Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very Heavens And being thus established nothing on earth can shake their faithfulness 't will be as apparent and illustrious as the Heavens are The Ordinances of Heaven as the Sun by day and of the Moon and Stars by night are not more unalterable than the Lords Covenant Jer. 31. 33 34 35 36. 4. The Lord is glorified by a Christians proving faithful It reflects dishonour upon him when his Servants leave him Oh then how faithful should they be The worlds prejudices against the Lords service are heightned and they are hardned in their stubborn and evil way when they behold professours apostatize and become again their companions in the paths of folly and wickedness But the faithful man causes the way of truth to be well spoken of by his faithfulness he proclaims his Masters goodness and his power and both wayes is his Master glorified 1. He proclaims his Masters goodness and that he hath made the best choyce since he will suffer any thing rather than part with his Lord. The Israelitish servant that refused to go out free at the year of release and had his ear boared through with an Awl 't was a plain demonstration of his Masters kindness since liberty was not so â—uch esteemed as his service And so when we are unmovable in our