Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	blood_n	offer_v	purge_v	2,215	5	9.3411	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96425	The doctrines of the Arminians & Pelagians truly stated and clearly answered: or, An examination and confutation of their ancient errors, which by the Church of Christ in former ages were justly abhorred, but of late under the names of Comfortable truths to be embraced are newly published. Concerning I. The universality of Gods free-grace in Christ to mankind. II. Concerning election. III. Redemption. IV. Conversion. V. Perserverance. Wherein the principal arguments brought to maintaine the orthodox faith are propounded, and the principal objections against them answered. / By Thomas Whitfield, minister of the gospel at Bugbrook in Northampton-shire. The Tares of Arminian heresie showed in former times (and by the help of prelatical influence then given to them increasing) and now growing up so much in these; I conceive this book wherein the author doth learnedly state and confute those opinions, is very worthy the publike light. Joseph Caryll.	Whitfield, Thomas, Minister of the Gospel.; Carly, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2006; Thomason E646_7; ESTC R208798	87,011	101

world giving himselfe to be a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 If they be truly understood must be understood in a restrained sense namely for the believing world for the world not onely of Jews but of Gentiles that shall be saved In which sense this place of John is to be taken He is a propitiation not onely for our sinnes Saith saint John a Jew writing to the Jewes but for the sinnes of the whole world of the world of believing Gentiles as well as of our selves Now that this and other like places where generalities in the like kinde are used must necessarily be taken in a limited and restrained sense doth plainly as I said appeare by many other places of Scripture as when it is sayd that Christ laid down his life for his sheep Joh. 10.15 for his people Mat. 1.21 for the sons of God Joh. 11.52 for the elect of God Rom. 8.33 34. that the promise of Christ is given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 that Christ hath loved his Church and given himselfe for it Eph. 5.25 Now all are not the sheep of Christ the people of God the sonnes of God the elect the Church of God for then there should be no difference betwixt these and the world from which the Scripture distinguisheth them Besides Christ sayth that he prayed not for the world but for those whom the father had given him Joh. 17.9 Those whom Christ dyed for he would not refuse to pray for that for these he sanctified himselfe ver 19. that is set himselfe apart to be made an offering for sinne The Saints sing a new song to the lambe because he had redeemed them out of every tongue kinred people And Rev. 6.9 Therefore he hath not redeemed all of every kinred people and nation All those whom Christ dyed for he loved and whom he loveth he washeth with his bloud Rev. 1.5 but all are not washed That bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirit he offered unto God purgeth their consciences from dead workes for whom it is offered Heb. 9.14 but all have not their consciences purged By the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once made all are sanctified for whom it is offered cap. 10.10 He hath given himselfe for his Church to sanctifie it Eph. 5.25 but all are not sanctified Therefore these generall expressions before mentioned cannot be understood generally of all and every particular man but must of necessity be limited and appropriated to such as these Scriptures speake of Tuhs we see that the chiefe grounds which T. M. brings for the establishing his opinion of the universality of Gods free-grace will not hold as not being bottomed on Scripture rightly understood He goes on to object against such answers and arguments as are brought against his opinion let us go on to examine the strength of these Object 1 Against what is said that those generall expressions all men world and the like are not alway to be taken properly and strictly in a literal sense he objects that although the Scripture sometimes useth Metaphors and dark mysticall expressions as in the doctrine of the Sacraments yet in fundamentall points in things necessary to Salvation such as the death of Christ is it alway speaks clearly and plainly not figuratively and darkly p. 73. 74. Answ To know and beleeve that Christ died for man is necessary to Salvation but to know or believe that Christ died for every man is not necessary to Salvation 2. True it is that in points necessary the Scripture speaks plainly and in a way fit to bee understood yet sometimes it speaks figuratively and improperly because nothing more plaine and easie to be understood then some figurative speeches Tho. More himselfe acknowledgeth that every Child can understand such a figure as this the Pot seeths over where the subject is put for the adjunct There is nothing more frequent in Scripture and in ordinary speech then such figures where the subject is put for the adjunct or the whole for the part or part for the whole So when it is said that Jerusalem and all Judea went out to Iohn Baptist here is a double figure one a metominy the place put for the People another a Synecdoche the whole put for the part all for a great many or some of all sorts yet who doth not easily understand this So when it is said that Christ gave himselfe for a ransom for all may it not be easily understood that he gave himself a ransome for many or for some of all sorts especially when many other Scriptures expresse it by many hee gave his life a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 26.28 Rom. 5.15 Heb. 9. last The Article of the Resurrection is necessary to Salvation and therefore laid down plainly as the rest yet when it is said that Christ rose againe the third day this is a figurative speech for here is a double Synecdoche the day first being for the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day and night 2. A part of the day the Evening or Morning being put for the whole day for Christ lay in the Grave but one whole day namely the whole Jewish Sabbath Therefore Tho. More need not clamor against us as obscuring and darkning yea falsifying the Scripture when wee compare one Scripture with another and explicate that which speaks figuratively by another which speaks properly both being plain and easie enough to be understood of such who are willing to understand Object Against that which is said that the words all every man c. are sometime taken but for some as for Christs sheepe his Church and such like he objects 1. That this word all when it is applyed to creation fall ransome resurrection is never found to signifie lesse then all and everyman p. 75 2. That this word only is never added it is never said that Christ died for his sheepe onely or that hee loved his Church onely p. 76 Answ The first is not alway true for when it is said that as in Adam all die so in Christ all shall be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 this cannot bee understood of all and every particular man but only of those that are Christs verse 23. of such to whom he is a quickning Spirit ver 45. such as have born the image of the heavenly Adam ver 49. such as are dead in Christ 1 Thes 4.14 though all shal be made alive by the power of Christ as Lord over all yet not by the vertue and power of his Resurrection as their Mediatour and Redeemer 2. For the second that the word only is not added no more it is said in Scripture that we are justified by Faith only yet when it is said that we are justified by Faith without the works of the Law this is equivolent and as much in effect as if it had been said wee are justified by Faith only other things being excluded When it is said there is one God and one

are in Christ who may fall away Answ Branches are of two sorts either such as are truly engrafted into Christ or such as seem to be so that are branches onely by externall profession not by internal union this is to be understood not of true but seeming branches such as the Apostle calls Jews outwardly that are not Jews within who have received the circumcision of the flesh but not of the heart Rom. 2.28.29 that are Israelites only according to the flesh not truly Israelites Rom. 9.6 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in me may as well be referred to the words following as those that went before and then the sense will bee that every branch that bringeth not foorth fruit in Christ implying that some branches namely seeming branches bring forth fruit by the strength of their owne root and these cannot continue others namely true branches by vertue of the grace they suck and draw from Christ by faith and these shall be purged that they may bring forth more fruit So likewise is that to be understood which our Saviour speaks of the going out of the unclean spirit who returned again Mat. 12.43.44 namely such a going forth as was in appearance only there being an outward reformation but no inward sanctification for when he returned he found the room empty ver 44. And so is that of the Apostle to bee understood when he saith that some made shipwraeke of faith and put away a good conscience they forsake their profession of their faith and ceased to do those things that were agreeable to a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19.20 and which St. Peter saith of some that had escaped the filthinesse of the World and yet afterwards returned with the dog to their vomit 2 Peter 2.19.20 they seemed to have been purged from that filthinesse which overspreads the impure World because for a time they did forbeare the practice of some foul grosse sinnes wherewith before they had been defiled but not doing this upon right grounds their hearts being never truly purged ere long they returned to their old vomit again Object 6 But some fall away not onely from outward profession but also from inward graces for the Apostle speaks of such that had been enlightned and made partakers of the Holy Ghost that tasted the good Word of God and felt the powers of the life to come yet afterwards fell away Heb. 6.4 5 6. Answ Men may be said to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost two waies either in regard of common gifts Bezaleel and Aholiah were filled with the spirit of God Exod. 31.3 much more such as have gifts of illumination and the like or in regard of saving graces as that faith which is called a pretious faith 1 Pet. 1.5 that love whereby they love the Lord Jesus in sincerity Ephe. 6. last that repentance which is a repentance unto salvation arising from Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 this is to be understood of the former only not of the latter for the Apostle speaks here only of an enlightning of a tasting he saith they were enlightned to see the truth he doth not say they loved the truth he saith they tasted the good Word of God he doth not say they digested it that they tasted of the power of the life to come they had some sense of the power of the promises and threatnings of the joyes of Heaven and pains of hell but they were not deeply and throughly affected with these things a man may taste of that which he puts out againe these are such things as may befall hypocrites and wicked men our Saviour speaks of some that received the Word with joy here was a taste and for a while beleeved Luk. 8.13 whom yet he makes no part of the good ground and the Scripture every where puts a difference betwixt common gifts and saving graces betwixt that which is called a forme of knowledge Rom. 2.20 a knowledge that puffs up 1 Cor. 3.13.1 and that knowledge which is the beginning of eternall life Ioh. 17.3 betwixt that faith which is called a dead faith that profits nothing Iam. 2.17 such a faith as Simon Magus had Act. 8.24 and that which is called an unfained faith 1 Tim. 1.5 the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 betwixt the hope of hypocrites which shall perish Ioh 8.13 and the hope that makes not ashamed Rom. 5.3 Object 7 The Apostle saith of the Jewes who were naturall branches that were broken off through unbeliefe and tells the Romans to whom he writes that if they did not continue in that goodnesse which God had shewed to them they likewise should be broken off Rom. 11.20.22 Answ This is to be understood not of the particular persons of true believers but of the whole Nation or people either Jews or Gentiles as appeares because the Apostle in this whole Chapter sets one against another 2. Or of such persons as were branches only by outward profession not by inward insition and union Object 8 If a true believer cannot fall away then to what purpose are the precepts exhortations admonitions and the like why are they bidden if they stand to take heed lest they fall 1 Cor. 10.12 not to be high minded but feare Rom. 11.20 to work out our salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.13 what need such fear and taking heed of falling in them that cannot fall Answ 1. Though they cannot fall finally by reason of divine conservation yet they may fall dangerously and fearfully they may so fall through carelessenesse and presumptuous boldnes that by falling they shall contract on themselves the smart of many outward afflictions and crosses yea such inward anguish and wound of soule and spirit as will be like the breaking of their bones Psal 51.8 therefore they had need fear and take heed for if they forsake Gods laws and break his statutes he will visit their transgression with rods and their iniquities with strokes though he will not wholly take away his mercy and loving kindnesse from them nor falsifie his truth or breake his Covenant namely his promise of conservation Psal 89.31 32 33 34. 2. These caveats of fearing and taking heed are to very good purpose because as God will in his mercy preserve and uphold true believers from totall defection so he will doe this by means the inward meanes are holy feare watchfulnesse and the like the outward means are exhortations admonitions and warnings of his Word which serve to beget and stirre up the inward the more outward meanes assisted with blessing from God the more inward fear and watchfulnesse the more of these the more assurance of safety and fast standing Hence the Apostle having bidden the Phillippians to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 tells them that it is God who works in them both to will and to do Verse 13. so that Gods worke and mans may very well stand together Gods promise and mans duty stablish each other Object 9 But if a man be perswaded that hee can never fall away this will much dull his endeavours of watchfulnesse if not make him altogether secure and carelesse Answ A false and presumptuous perswasion may doe this but not a true the doctrine of perseverance by accident may breed security in a carnall heart as the Gospell may bee the savour of death but it doth not so in a gracious heart the more true perswasion a believer hath of his firme standing the more is he likewise perswaded of the free and unchangeable love of God which is the ground of it now this is such a love as doth not putrifie the heart but purifies it hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe 1 Iohn 3.3 the more feeling wee have of the free love of God the more it causeth us to love him again we love him because he loved us first 1 Iohn 4.19 the more wee love the more fearfull we are to offend and carefull to please and to perform duty a principall part whereof is to humble and watchfull Object 10 A man cannot be a member of Christ and a member of an harlot a true believer may commit fornication and so make himself a member of an harlot and therefore he may cease to be a member of Christ Answ The Apostle speaks not of what cannot be done but what ought not to bee done what is shamefull unseemly unreasonable for a Christian to doe shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 1 Cor. 6.11 our bodies are appointed to be members of Christ by committing fornication we imploy them to such actions as are proper to those who are members of an harlot now this is altogether unreasonable and intollerable that any should imploy to vile and base uses those things which are appointed for excellent and honourable purposes and this is all can be urged from this place Object Hee that is justly excommunicated is cut off from the visible Church and what is done in earth is ratified in heaven therefore he is like to be cut off from Christ Answ The end of excommunication is not to cut off a true believer wholly either from Christ or from the Church but onely to exclude him from those priviledges that belong to a member of the Church till they be truly humbled and fit to be received againe and this may bee ratified in heaven the sense of Gods favour may be withdrawne the inward consolations and operations of his spirit may for a time bee suspended and yet there be no totall nor sinall separation from Christ FINIS