Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	case_n	england_n	resolution_n	1,167	5	9.8459	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00670	A treatise against the necessary dependance vpon that one head, and the present reconciliation to the Church of Rome Together with certaine sermons preached in publike assemblies, videlicet 1. The want of discipline. 2. The possession of a king. 3. The tumults of the people. 4. The mocke of reputation. 5. The necessitie of the Passion. 6. The wisdome of the rich. By Roger Fenton Doctor of Diuinitie, late preacher of Graies Inne.	Fenton, Roger, 1565-1616.; Utie, Emmanuel, d. 1661.	1617 (1617)	STC 10805; ESTC S102068	104,035	162

Asia yet it is but one body 2 It followes One spirit that doth animate and informe the members of the same as the soule or spirit of a man knits vp the members into one body 3 This professeth One Lord Christ which makes it a Christian Church 4 Yet the very naming of Christ Iesus our Lord is not sufficient to proue a Christian Church vnlesse we embrace that Faith which Christ doth publish one Faith not in euery branch of diuinity that neuer was nor will be but the grundsels laid vpon the true foundation 5 Yet wee are but Catechumenists as it were in the Church porch till we be admitted by the doore of Baptisme 6 In which Baptisme we are made the Adopted Children of One Father vpon which the Apostle concludes one God and Father of all must needes make a Church Secondly this Church we beleeue to be Catholike that is vniuersall not because it is spread ouer the face of the vniuersall world but because it is not limited to any place or nation as the lewish Church was much lesse to the succession of any person but it is scattered and dispersed without bounds So as still it hath a power and disposition to bee more and more vniuersally spread That 's the sence of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Zacharies Prophesie That Ierusalem should be inhabited without walls Zach. 2.4 But for the Romane Church so famous in the Apostles time that Saint Paul in the first to the Romans doth glory so much in it Admit the memory of the Apostle Peter caused the Church to honour his successors and to giue the Patriarke of that Sea priority before all other Admit that Church hauing beene purged by fiery persecutions and crowned with Martyrdome vnder the Heathen Emperors was therefore more reuerenced of succeeding Churches in other ages Admit the seate of the Empire the renowne of the Cittie the excellent choice they made of wise and learned Bishops got them such credit amongst remote Churches that amidst their distractions which were amongest the Greekes many there were that would haue recourse to Rome as to arbitrators for aduice and iudgement What is all this to the saluation of my soule in these daies What warrant haue I to rent my selfe from this Church wherein by Gods prouidence I am borne and whereof I am borne againe a member Or what reason haue they to exact this new article at my hands whereof I finde no mention amongst the old I dispute not the point in this place onely let mee put the case of a lay mans resolution I am by Gods prouidence borne and Christned brought vp and Catechized in the Church of England The quaere is no more but this Whether I be bound in Conscience to become a Romish Catholique and to bee reconciled to the present Church of Rome as now it standeth in paine of eternall condemnation This is the very point that draweth so many from vs to whom I propound fiue Quaeries or demands which in the iudgement of indifferent men may seeme reasonable 1 First I demand some cleere euidence or firm ground to build vpon that this is my duety and vpon so great a penalty to thrust my selfe into such an action without sufficient warrant I should not onely condemne my selfe of rashnesse but incurre offence against God in the 14. to the Romanes Rom. 14.23 What euery Man doth doubtingly is sinne to him that doth it Quod dubitas ne feceris A greater matter is a greater sinne a greater then this cannot bee vnder the Sunne I desire therefore some cleere warrant for my resolution The first testimony that is offered is the Testimony of the Church that is of the Church of Rome for shee tels vs that shee alone is the true Catholike Church out of which there is no saluation whereupon it followes that such as will be saued must be reconciled to her This wee verily beleeue that the Church of Rome saith so and hath so said a long time 2 The next Quaere is then whether the Testimony of the Church of Rome in this case concerning her selfe be sufficient Go vp as high as they will so long as shee hath made this challenge I demand whether her testimony be sufficient I answer out of doubt it is not In the fifth of Iohn vers 31. If Christ should beare witnesse of himselfe Iob. 5.31 his witnesse were not true that is not sufficient Though after chap. 8.14 he professes that though hee should beare witnesse of himselfe yet his witnes were true because ver 16. I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me Take him single as in the first place by the way of concession that he wil deale with the Iewes vpon indifferent termes I hope then the testimony of Christ concerning himselfe was as sufficient in it selfe and to the Iewes as the testimony of the Church of Rome can be eyther in it selfe or vnto vs. Let it not therefore seeme vnreasonable if beside the testimony of the Church wee desire further euidence for heere she standeth for her selfe against all Churches in Christendome 3 Other testimony beside the Church and Scripture they pretend none for Traditions are referred to the Church and the Creeds to the Scripture To the Scripture then of necessity she must come in this point 4 Our next demand is whether it is expressely there or drawne out by Tract of consequent mentioned it is not neither in the originall nor in the vulgar nor in the Rhemish nor in any of their owne translations 5 If by consequent it bee extracted my next Quaere is whether I am bound vnder paine of damnation to beleeue euery poynt that may be drawne out of Scripture by consequence of arguments wee stumble not at immediate consequents as such as these The Trinity is not named in so many letters but the Scripture implieth euery person to be God in seuerall places and elsewhere auerreth that there is but one God this is easily put together But are wee to beleeue that which by long tract of consequent may be gathered Then none but great wits can be saued our weake vnderstanding is not able to fetch euery conclusion from the right ground Hence let vs make three degrees of diuine positions 1 Some are Articles as Christ the Sonne of God was crucified 2 Some as Conclusions as that children are capable of Baptisme but not of the Lords Supper 3 Some are taken as Opinions and problemes of Diuinitie As that Angels doe more solemnely attend in person at holy exercises That Saints shall haue some personall knowledge one of another Matt. 17. as Moses and Elias had in the mount Now as fixed starres seeme to twinckle because they are further remote and cannot so stedily be discerned by our weake eyes so our vnderstandings are more vnstable and our beleefe more vncertaine in points deduced by many sequels and farre fetcht consequents These bring narrow issue let vs see what degree

that which a man hath 2. That it be a good proportion 2 Cor 9 2. for hee that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly 5. Though he was bountifull to all Verse 6.7 yet with discretion and difference fifty to one and twenty to another the most to those who were most likely to helpe Doe good to all but especially to those of the houshold of faith helpe the most If then wee first haue a willing minde in casting with our selues how to doe good before we be called to it If we dispatch it quickly and neither leaue it for our executors to do not let it hang long betwixt our fingers If we contriue it so as it extend to many If to many generations if bountifull to successions as our fore-fathers were so much the better If in wisdome wee giue most where the best bestowed then shall wee deale wisely and make our friends sure against the time of neede I come to the Instrument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vnrighteous Mammon And so much for the first 2. I le not straine at the word Aug. serm in ment Ier. 151. Ep Augustine tels vs that in the Punique tongue it is taken for lucre S. Ierom in the Syriack for riches so the word is common for wealth But how comes this Epithite vnrighteous in this place may we procure these friends by ill gotten goods God is not pleased with such sacrifice you know Zaccheus his diuision Luc. 19. Halfe my goods I giue vnto the poore Luc. 19.8 and if I haue wronged any man I restore it fourefold Restituit aliena dedit sua he restored other mens and gaue his owne In the fourth to the Ephesians Let him that steales steale no more but let him labour with his hands that he may haue an hand to giue as if before he had nothing to giue because nothing well gotten That 's giuen to the poore is giuen to mee saith Christ shall we then make Christ a receiuer of stolne goods God forbid yet one case there is I confesse where ill-gotten goods must be bestowed vpon good vses of necessity else they will bestow our soules in hell fire It s but one case and I feare that it is the case of many in these dayes who possesse much wealth ill-gotten who haue deceiued so many by bargaine and sale oppressed so many by their place and office receiued so many fees either for saying nothing or doing no hurt as the Diuell takes gifts of the Indians ne noceat so much wealth haue they gotten wrongfully that they know not the right owners nor where to find them In this case they must be their Executors to bestow them as themselues would or rather should to godly vses For thy conscience tels thee the owners of these goods would not willingly bequeath them to thee nor thine thou knowest neither them nor theirs then it followes as a Father sayes Acquisisti malè impende iam benè whosoeuer oweth them thou art not the right owner therfore as long as thou keepest them thou keepest the curse of God with thē Esa 3 14. Till thou disburden thy selfe of them thou canst looke for no certaine remission in Christ For his blood was not shed to pay mens debts If they bee able restitution must be made besides the Ramme for attonement in the 5. of Numbers Numb 5.7 It cannot be made to them nor their heires because thou knowest them not therefore they must goe to good vses thou hast gotten them ill bestow them well This doctrine is most true but it is not the meaning of this Parable Restitution is an act of Iustice but my Text intends Charity If the Steward had giuen the Debters no more corne and oyle then their due they would neuer haue receiued him into their houses but it was out of bounty and liberality more then hee ought them therefore of free liberality is this vnderstood for the more easie passage Beza reades it ex Mammona fallaci of deceitfull or vnconstant Mammon which will fit riches well enough but it cannot so well stand neither with the receiued vse nor property of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor with the current of Interpreters who tearme it vnrighteousnesse because commonly it is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will make an Epithite For 1. The holy Ghost in Scripture doth speake very suspiciously of riches and rich men and the Latines call them diuitiae quasi de vitijs riches of vices Nomen idem vitijs diuitijsque datum Diues aut iniquus aut iniqui haeres a rich man is a wicked man or a wicked mans heire true as prouerbs bee for the most part 2. As they be often malè parta so malè locata ill gotten and ill bestowed the world is a bad steward in dispensing worldly wealth tam iniquè comparatum est vt qui minùs habent semper aliquid addant diuitioribus so little equality or desert is respected as the heathen mades the goods of fortune to haue a blinde Mistrisse 3. Because wealth is an instrument of much iniquity it peruerts Iustice wheresoeuer it comes Diues est qui perturbat omnia Ezra 4.5 In Cyrus Court the Councellours shall bee feed that the building of the Temple shall not goe forward In the seats of Iustice if Paul would but haue sayd tantum dabo to Foelix Act. 24.24 there would haue beene more vertue in these two words then in all Tertullus eloquence Simon Magus trusted more to his Māmon then all his Familiars Act. 8.19 he thought there was more power in money then all the Diuels in hell to haue coniured the Apostles themselues 4. It is called vnrighteous Mammon ab effectu it endangers the soule of the possessors Vt mors pallida sic iniquae diuitiae quia diuites iniquos faciunt There is as great danger in the multitude of those temporall blessings as there was in the multitude of fish Ioh. 21.6 Ioh. 21. for if Christ had not seconded their great draught with diuine helpe they had broke the nets sunke the ships and and lost their liues So when Christ tels his Disciples how hard it is for rich men to get into heauen and they reply who then shall be saued Iuc 18.27 In the 18. of Luke Christs answer is The things that be impossible to men are possible vnto God Mat. 19.20 All things are possible to God Matth. 19. as if God did vse his omnipotent power to bring a rich man into heauen 1 Tim. 6.9 The reason is giuen in the 1. of Timothy the 6. They that will be rich fall into temptations and snares imagine an house full of cobwebs euery cobweb with a spider in a corner what danger think you are the poore flies in it that flie so busily vp and downe that house so when men busie themselues vp and down to get wealth in this world which hangs so full of nets totus mundus laqueus euery net hath a Diuell