Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
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A60558
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The blessed works of the light of God's holy and blessed spirit exalted above the works of darkness with some informations how to escape out of sin and iniquity, and a clear way discovered into the truth : with a short testimony of the cry of Babylon's merchants by reason of the day that is coming upon them / [by] Stephen Smith.
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Smith, Stephen, 1623-1678.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing S4212; ESTC R37568
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21,102
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40
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in Thousands who are Witnesses of the Works of God's holy Spirit in some Degree or Measure viz. That it is in Christ God's Covenant in which we hope for Salvation and in no Covenant nor Work of Man's and in this Covenant we are made a good Savour unto God and one unto another And Acceptance with God is obtained no other way but by the one pure Offering without Spot or Blemish by the effectual Workings of the Eternal Spirit where the Blood of Christ is witnessed to be sufficient to purge Consciences of dead Works and so to serve God in the New and Living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail his Flesh And therefore all who are thus Partakers of God's Works by the Revelation of God's Spirit being true Witnesses of the Blessing of God in this one Unspotted Offering we cannot but confess him before Men denying all imaginary Offerings in mens wills where their Garments are filled with Spots and Blemishes and their Consciences are defiled with dead Works of their own Inventions and Works the which having some outward Shew of Holiness may Recommend unto Man who lives in the same but not unto God and therefore Experience in the Works of God's blessed Spirit hath taught us to deny them And by this Christ of God the Mediator of the New Covenant we have Acceptance with God from whence the Knowledge of Salvation comes by the Remission of Offences and Sins and therefore we deny all false and vain Mediatorship of vain man in his vain VVorks of Conceivings Imaginations concerning this Mediator the which is really to be enjoyed and known by the effectual VVorkings of God's Eternal Spirit to the Consolation and Peace of Souls who partake thereof And through the blessed VVorks of this blessed Spirit of God the Deaf Ear comes to be opened to hear the Voice of the one true powerful Shepherd who alone doth feed the Sheep of his Pasture with that convenient and wholsome Food the which causeth Soundness of Heart and Mind and therein doth he take Care to preserve and keep his Sheep in a living Sense of his Love Fatherly Care who calls to his Sheep when the Lion the VVolf and the Bear appears and strengtheneth them who take Pleasure in hearkening and obeying his Voice So to the one Shepherd and one Fold Testimony is given unto whom all that are erred and strayed must return if ever they witness Deliverance from Evil and Preservation from Danger So we deny all false Shepherds whose VVorks of Darkness tend to the scattering people in their Minds and Understandings from the Sense of God's VVorks in Christ in reconciling lost Mankind and bringing them home unto himself the Substance of all of which the Law outward was but a Shadow of good things the which are injoyed in this one Shepherd and Bishop who takes Care and Oversight of Souls magnified and praised be his holy and glorious VVorks of Redemprion forever and ever And so to the Honour of this one blessed Physitian of Souls whose Works are certain and effectual the which has been tryed by many wounded Souls who could find no Cure without by the foolish and vain Physitians without who are meer Deceivers and Daubers up of people through their Inchantments and Sorceries by which they have made a long Prey of people through their fair Speeches getting their Money through meer Deceit and Flattery intruding into things they have no Knowledge of in which VVorks they are pufft up above the pure holy VVorks of God's blessed Spirit the Revelation of which they have denyed they in lew thereof have set up their own Imaginations and Conceivings in the Revelation of their Singular exalted Spirit the Flattery and Deceit of which having taken with people how are Nations corrupted by it and what Misery have these wicked VVorks brought into this Nation God having given signal Testimonies of Dislike unto them by Sword Plague Fire and Sword and by many Messengers whom he hath drawn near unto himself by his VVorks by the hands of them Messengers hath he sent VVarning upon VVarning and Exhortation upon Exhortation with tenders of his Blessed VVorks of Reconciliation upon just and equal terms of his Enemies repenting and turning unto him by turning from their Wickedness But what Entertainment these Servants of the Living God have found by these foolish Physitians who are meer Time-Servers for their own Ends whose Refuge is an Arm of Flesh to defend their wicked corrupt Works which have filled the Nations with their Defilements who by their Flatteries have drawn a Compliance from Magistrates to punish the Messengers and Servants of the Most High God for telling the Truth from a certain Knowledge of the Works of God's Spirit of Truth and therein testifying against the Works of Error and Darkness But the Sufferings that have been for this Love of God in and through them who have been Instruments in his hands may through search be known so Testimony is given against them who are in the Exaltation of Works without and denying the immediate blessed Works of God's holy Spirit in its Operations and Revelations of the Mind and Will of God unto wounded Souls within And further concerning these Blessed Works of God's Righteous Holy Spirit the which are attended with Peace unto which Way many have been turned and because some loiter and are sloathful and yet remain unconverted of the Old Man's corrupt Words and Deeds and therefore not fit to put on the New Man Christ Jesus and some who were in the Way do turn out of it again and some fall head-long down to Perdition Oh! what Occasion hath the Watchers for Evil taken at this and thereby set at nought God's Works in his Holy Righteous Spirit and them that abide therein making Conclusions in their dark imaginary Conceivings of the Works of God That he hath no such perfect Works now adayes but that all are fallible and changeable and so measure and weigh the things of God in their corrupt false Measure and Ballance which things are Abomination in the Sight of God So Testimony is given to God's blessed Works though many are so brittle that they will not abide them yet notwithstanding God's Works in and through his holy Spirit of Truth are Righteous Holy Perfect in every Degree and Measure and remains firm in Goodness and unchangeable there being no Spot nor Blemish in them the which praises him forever out of which none shall ever find Acceptance of him Mutter Peep Whine and Scold as long as you will your Works of Darkness must down which have corrupted the Nations which is the Cause of the great Judgments past in this Nation and the greater yet to come For the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God is gone out against wicked Workers and works and thus saith the Lord No Peace to the Wicked their Prayers are Abomination in my Sight So whatsoever your Professions and Coverings therein be of your Talkings and Imaginations
concerning the Gift of God which is Life Eternal you being really out of it in your own imaginary Parts Gifts in comprehending the VVorks done without you and so not sensible of any Real Perfect Pure VVork of God's Holy Spirit in you the which is the Cause you are so Dark and wickedly Blinded to plead for Sin the which is accompanied with the VVages of Death the Cause of Death being Sin the which remaining the Effects cannot cease even Death and Corruption from that venemous Sting over all Flesh that is corrupted with it So for Shame leave your false Accusations against an Innocent People called by the Name of Quakers for testifying of the VVorks of God's holy Spirit the which are perfect in every Degree and therefore there is not the least Sin nor Evil in them So all you who say You are not without Sin in your Best Duties I say They are all VVorks of your own which blind and hide God's Works from you And as you may read of the Works of God's Spirit in Mordecai how they could not bow to the Pride and Arrogance of Haman and also the Works of God's Spirit in Daniel how they could not bow to them that would have restrained and limited them and also the Works of God's Spirit in Shadrach Meshach and Abednego how they could not bow to the Golden Image set up by Nebuchadnezer though Laws under Penalties of Death in a Cruel Manner was before them and also the Works of God's Holy Spirit in the primitive Christians through the Strength of which they under-went hard and grievous things under the spirit of Antichrist which got up in a Form of the good Words in the Pleasures and Vanities of the Works of the fleshly Wisdom the which have been kept up by the same Wisdom by an Arm of Flesh under which the Innocent People who are true Witnesses of the Works of God's Spirit have suffered very deeply in this Age the which cannot be hid though the Cause for which they have thus suffered is so far hid that it cannot be believed though they have been wonderfully declared of But it is Mordecai Daniel Shadrach Meshach and Abednego's God which we who are in Scorn called Quakers do worship in and by the Effects and blessed Operation of his own blessed Spirit wherein stands our Confidence and not in Flesh and our Faith Belief and Hope is in him that he will turn the Hearts of many of our Enemies unto us though many will perish in their Gain-saying So over all the VVorks and Powers of Darkness is our Faith and Belief that the Holy Righteous VVorks of God's blessed Spirit shall be exalted and the God of Truth in and through his blessed VVorks in preparing and fitting the Hearts of people the Knowledge of him shall encrease till it spread over all And for this Purpose hath God raised many contrary to the VVisdom of the VVorld in whom he hath made known his Righteous Works who have Unity and Fellowship therein who are true Labourers therein purely out of Love to God and his blessed VVorks in Good-will and true Love to all men that all may taste of the Goodness of God the Experience of which will bring Mankind to be of one Mind and Heart and therein to agree to Praise and Magnifie God who shows Man his Thoughts to whom belongs Honour and Glory forever And now all you Leaders of the People in all Forms and Fashions who are denying the Works of the Divine Power of God in its blessed Operation and powerful Working in setting free them who are heavy laden and weary through the Enemies works of Sin and Iniquity the which you say cannot be Overcome therefore you are Denyers of the Sufficiency of God's Works and his Kingdom wherein dwells Righteousness Peace and Joy in and through the Effectual Workings of God's Holy Spirit the which though you say in words Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done c. But being Sayers and not Doers you are so darkened that with all your own Wills and Mights you are strengthening the Old Kingdom of Transgression where Sin and Iniquity aboundeth the Devil's works Was it not by reason of Transgression that the first Law the first Covenant was added which was written in Tables of Stone And was not this in Force till the Manifestation of the Seed of Life and Power the Coming of the Messiah to finish Transgression and to put an End to Sin and so bring in everlasting Righteousness God's Kingdom Now all you blind Leaders of the Blind is not here God's Second Covenant writ in the Heart into which all must come that come unto God where his Light is to shine who is the True Light that enlightens every Man that comes into the World And if this Righteous Law be taken heed unto will it not judge Lust when it rises in the Heart And will it not judge Anger when it rises in the heart and will it not judge every Desire of Breaking Promise when it arises in the Heart And will it not judge every Hasty and Froward Action and Lightness when they appear in the Heart And is not all that proceeds from this Righteous Law and Covenant of God in the Heart Pure Truth Yea and Nay And what is more then Plain Truth Yea and Nay is it not judged by this pure Law in the Heart And are not all forbidden to Swear by this one Law-giver who is able to Save or to Destroy And must not his Righteous Law and Decree take place though many Laws through Darkness and Ignorance may be made against it And must not all that come to Sion the City of the Living God be Redeemed through these Righteous Judgments And are not the great Mercies of God witnessed in and through these Righteous Judgments And all that will not come under this Righteous Law and Government where Mercy and Peace kisses and Truth and Righteousness is set over all is it not just that they be left to Judgment without Mercy So is not Destruction from Self-willing and Running of people out of the Counsel and Knowledge of the Will and Mind of the Living God And is not the Salvation of every Soul in and through the Righteous Decrees and Just and Holy Laws of God which is Light in every Conscience And must not all that come to Salvation come first to the Way and Means that God hath ordained And is not the Second Coming of Christ in the Light of his Holy Spirit the Way by which all must come unto God the which is without Sin without Spot without Guile And must not all that come unto God come unto him in this one Blessed Savoury Offering And is not this Christ of God the same yesterday to day and forever as he was before Abraham was and so the same in the beginning of all things And must not all that come to God come out of Transgression the Cause why Mankind was drove from the Presence of God