Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	child_n	spirit_n	witness_v	1,106	5	9.8469	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58958	The Second and last collection of the late London ministers farewel sermons preached by Dr. Seaman, Dr. Bates, Mr. Caryll, [brace] Mr. Brooks, Mr. Venning, and Mr. Mead ; to which is added a farewell sermon preached at Dedham in Essex by Mr. Matthew Newcomen ; as also Mr. Lyes sermon at the conclusion of the last morning-exercise at All-hallows in Lumbard-street, being a summary rehearsal of the whole monthly-lectures.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.; Bates, William, 1625-1699.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.; Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.; Mead, Matthew, 1630?-1699.; Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.	1663 (1663)	Wing S2257; ESTC R41075	195,536	326

when as they who stand fast do even force a good Testimony from their Enemies So it was the unhappy chance of Cranmer the Papists did perswade him to subscribe and did he get any honour by it No truly they did upbraid him and reproach him and so he had dyed in a raving condition had not the Lord been merciful to him I remember a speech of St. Austin about drinking of Healths Oh! say they 't is upon the King's Birth-day and we cannot avoid it If we deny it say they we shall be reproached and scorned of men He gives them many Answers to it but one as I remember was this God will so work that if you will not comply with them they in their hearts will honour you and whereas if you did comply with them they would dishonour you and say you are base spirited That is one thing of this Point that keeping close to Jesus Christ will get you this Reward you shall walk with him in the white of honour they shall walk in the white of honour with his People and it may be with the World too 2 They shall walk in white in the white of peace and joy and inward comfort I shewed you in the opening of the Text how the Scripture calls that walking in white Then the Point is this What ever becomes of the other white of honour in the World they shall be sure of this that abundance of peace and joy and comfort shall possess their souls that keep their garments white they shall walk in the inward white of joy and peace with Jesus Christ and this is a blessed Reward Indeed now this joy this white of joy arises in the Soul three ways 1. From the Testimony of their own Consciences Oh! they who have a good Testimony from their own Consciences walk in white 2 Cor. 1.12 We have this for our rejoycing the Testimony of our Consciences that in all simplicity and godly sincerity we have our conversation in Heaven that is walking in white this is our rejoycing our Conscience speaks well of us and kindly to us and who is able to express the sweetness of this thing None can know what this is but they that have it as it is said of the New Name written upon the white Stone Rev. 2 1● 'T is a thing beyond expression what the joy an● peace of a good Conscience is Now this I say that our white Garments and our walking in white ariseth from the Testimony of our Consciences 2. As from the Testimony of our Consciences so from that Testimony which is greater than out Consciences the Spirit the shedding abroad of Divine Love thus it is with those that do not defile their Garments but endure any thing rather then defile their Garments Rom. 5.3 4 5. And not onely so but we glory in Tribulations knowing Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed and whence was all this because of the Holy Ghost which was given to us this causeth joy unspeakable The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God This Witness doth cause wonderful joy much more then the witnesses of our own Consciences 3. This ioy doth arise from that well-grounded hope which that Soul hath that keeps himself clean hope of enjoying Heaven at last hope of future glory is our present joy Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and joyce in hope of the glory of God Now they who keep their Garments white have good ground of hope of the love of God therefore this must needs cause them to walk comfor ably as they who have this hope purifie themselves so they who purifie themselves have good ground of this hope and therein great cause to rejoyce Pet. 1.5 6. Who are kept by the power of God brough Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in ●e last times wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for 〈◊〉 season if need be ye are in heaviness through many emptations We walk in white in the hope we have of that In●eritance Now lay these three things together ●f they who keep their Garments undefiled have ●he Testimony of their own Consciences and the ●estimony of the Spirit shedding the Love of God ●n their hearts and a well-grounded hope of fu●ure ●lory how can it be but these must walk in white ●ith Jesus Christ that is in comfort and joy of ●e Spirit and of their own spirits Thus David walked he had abundance of joy up●n the Conscience of his own integrity and keeping his heart and hands clean from those iniquities ●is enemies charged him with Ps 3. The Lord shall ●udge his people Judge me O Lord according to my ●ighteousness and according to mine integrity that is in ●●e He appeals to the Lord the Lord shall judge ●is people Judge me O Lord according to my ●ighteousness Thus he appeals to God himself he ●ad so much confidence and his heart gave him ●hat he kept himself from those iniquities So Job walkt in white though his Friends blackt him exceedingly yet he walked in white in his Conscience Job 16.19 Behold my Witness is in Heaven and my Record is on high I have not onely a Witness in my Conscience but my Witness is above He walked in white notwithstanding all his afflictions from God and his Friends Hezekiah walkt in this white when death 〈◊〉 him in the face Lord thou knowest I have we upright with thee I need not stay in the proof of the thing let 〈◊〉 make some Use and Improvement of it Vse Is this blessed reward to those who ke●● their garments white to walk in the white of peac● and joy then here we see the happiness of all tho●● who are true to Christ and his wayes Psal 119. ● Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in th● Law of the Lord. 'T is just in the Language of 〈◊〉 Text they indeed shall walk in white it is a grea● part of our blessedness to have peace of conscience and inward joy Oh how much better is it that the peace and joy of this world and the comforts of this world Prov. 15.13 A merry heart or as another Translation saith A good Conscience and indeed a merry heart and a good Conscience do but one explain the other a merry heart or a good Conscience is a continual Feast Here is no● surfeiting in this feast but a continual Musick co●tinual joy and comfort oh how blessed are the● who are undefiled in the way That which Christ said of the Lilly Solomon 〈◊〉 all his glory was not arrayed like one of these so may I say of the Lilly-white soul that keeps himself white in the world who keeps himself white i● matter of practice and worship Solomon in all 〈◊〉 glory was not arrayed like one of these Lilly-white ones Oh the Rivers of Consolations that flow to them that keep themselves out of

changed your hearts renewed grace ratified and reconciled and your Conscience quieted How can you think of these things but must admire the love of the Father in giving this to you and the love of the Son in purchasing this for you All the grace and mercy that is given to us is by Christ purchased for us Grace and Peace are fruits of the redeeming bloud of Christ purchased Secondly Do not envy the conditions or possessions of the men of the world they have Riches and Honours Prosits and Pleasures but they neither have Grace nor Peace Therefore do not envy their happiness There is a story of a Romane that was condemned by the Court-Martial to die for breaking his ranke to steal a bunch of Grapes and as he was going to his Execution his fellow Souldiers laughed at him and others envyed at him that he should have Grapes and they none Now sayes he do not envy me for my bunch of Grapes for you would be loth to have them at the rate I must pay for them My Brethren You that are the Children of Grace and peace don't envy at the men of the world at their Riches their Comforts their Pleasures for I am sure you would be loth to have them at the price they pay for them for the end of these things are Death Thirdly Don't complain of the worst condition that the Providence of God shall cast you into in this world it may be you shall suffer hard things but remember so long as thy soul is secure never complain of hard things My Brethren As God your Father brought you into a state of Grace and Peace and thereby secured his love to your souls in Christ can you complain of hard things So let the joy of the Lord be your strength Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say Rejoyce Phil. 4.4 The second Use is to such as have neither Gra●s nor Peace May I not say I speak to many such● I would I might not Are there not many that are without Grace and therefore must needs be without Peace They may have the world's peace but they have none of this Peace let me beg of you to get out of this graceless condition if you love your Souls don't live one day nor one hour nor one moment longer in a graceless state Oh that you would believe the words of a dying man for so I am to you and such words use to be remembred Oh remember this as a Testimony I leave with you that the love of Sin and lack of Grace will ruin and destroy every Soul at last But you will say How shall I get a share in this grace and peace I answer First Break off all your f●lse peace we can never have true peace with God when we content our selve with false peace you will never seek that peace which Christ hath purchased for you while you content your selves with that cursed peace which the Old man has wrought in you Oh therefore break off all false peace which is not the fruit of Grace Secondly Labour to see and be convinced of the miserable and of the naked condition your Souls be in for want of the righteousness of Christ for a covering without this oh Soul thou art miserable wretched poor and naked Be convinced also what a miserable thing it is to have God our Enemy God is the sinners Enemy it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Oh be convinced of thy nakedness without Christs righteousness and thy emptiness without his fulness Thirdly Labour to go out of your selves to Christ for grace and peace surely in the Lord shall one say I have righteousness and strength I there it 's to be found Labour for a thirsty frame of Soul for the promises run farr to such that he will fill the hungry with good things Go to Christ oh Soul begg pray never leave God till he hath given thee an interest in Christ for none can come to me except the Father draw him there is no pardon for the least sin out of Christ but there is pardon for the greatest sin in Christ one sin will damn the Soul out of Christ but no sin can hurt the Soul in Christ Oh go to Christ Soul never give rest to thy eyes nor slumber to thy lids till thou hast made peace with God in the bloud of Christ one sting of the fiery Serpent was mortal without looking upon the brazen Serpent So one sin will damn a Soul out of Christ but no sin can damn a Soul in Christ Thirdly To such as have grace but no sense of peace this is the counsel I would leave with all such Be much in the exercise of grace pray much believe much use grace much for the exercise and improving of grace will produce peace There are ten duties which are to be the sphere of grace in activity and in performing of them we shall have peace First make Religion your business the main design of your lives be Christians to purpose be not only Christians by the bye but let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Phil. 1.27 Secondly Put forth renewed Acts of Faith 〈◊〉 Christ every day and remember it 's as much your duty to believe in Christ to day as if you had never believed before Oh live by Faith every day and this will bring peace to you Thirdly Maintain a constant Communion with God daily this Communion with God is man● chief good the happiness of a Child is in communion with his Father and the happiness of 〈◊〉 Wife is in communion with her Husband and this is the happiness of a Believers Soul communion with God the Father through Christ our Head and Husband The seed of peace its true it is low● in the Soul in Union but then it takes root downward and brings forth fruit upward Spiritual peace will never be obtained if communion with God be not maintained that gives comfort in the midst of all sorrows and satisfies all doubts and reco●pences all wants Lo this is the fruit of communion with God Fourthly Be good at all times but of all best in bad times many Christians lose their peace by remitting of their grace and let loose their reins of Religion to avoid the censures of a crooked generation A Christians zeal should be like the Winter fire that burns the hottest when the Air is coolest or like the Lilly that looketh beautiful though among Thorns so should a Child of God though among sinners Fifthly In all conditions chuse sufferings rather then sinning If ever you would have peace choose suffering rather then sinning he that value●● peace with God or peace with Conscience he must make this his choyce thus Daniel rather chose to be cast●o Lions then to lose the peace of his Conscience the three Children chose rather to burn in the Furnace then bow to the Image One said He would rather go to Hell free from sin

them by the Scriptures and judge what foundation and warrant they have from the Scriptures and accordingly receive them or receive them not It is observable in 1 Thes 5. When the Apostle sayes Despise not Prophesyings in the next words he sayes Prove all things and hold fast that which is good as if he should say Though I would not have you despise Prophesying and Preachers yet I would not have you to take things upon trust in matters of Religion but prove all things and hold fast that which is good 3. If you would be able to hold fast the truths that you have heard and received get a clear and distinct and certain knowledge of what is truth that which you would hold fast get a clear assured knowledge that it is the truth of God 2 Tim. 3.14 Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of if a man would continue in the things that he hath learned he must be assured of them that they are the truths of God But how shall a man be assured that such and such things are the truths of God He may know this first by the consonancy of them to the word of God secondly by the power of them on his own heart to convince or humble and quicken it 4. If you would be inabled to hold fast the truths you have heard and received then get a high valuation and esteem of the truths of God Such as David had Psal 119.12 The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of Gold and Silver Better in it self all the Gold and Silver in the world all the riches in the world will never do a man so much good as that and better in my estimation I value it more I had rather part with all then with the Word A man that is of this mind he will hold fast the truth Oh that there were such a heart in every one of you as to say The words of Gods mouth they are better then Estate and better then liberty and better then Wife and Children if there were such a heart in us this would inable us to hold fast the truths of God and part with all rather then them 5. If you would hold fast the truth that you have received and heard then make conscience to practice according to what you know make conscience to obey the truths of God obedience is the sinue of constancy Christ saith Luke 6.44 Whosoever heares these Sayings of mine and doth them he is like a man which built his House and digged deep and laid the foundation upon a Rock and when the flood arose and the streams beat vehemently upon that House it could not shake it Mark ye it could not be shaken the conscionable practical hearer and receiver of the truth of God he is the man that is like to hold out and to hold fast the Word he that hath been a careless hearer and never made conscience to hear for obedience and practice he is blown over presently it is a sad passage I have met with in that Reverend man Mr. Hildersham and to me it seems to have much weight in it What hopes sayes he can we have of many of our hearers in England who are willing to give the World a hearing and outwardly profess it but what hope can we have but that if a time of triall come they will turn Papists or profain or any thing for they never loved the Word when they heard it and they never obeyed the Word but lived in known sins they take up a form of godliness and hate the power of it what hope but that if a time of tryal come these will fall from the truths 6. If you would be able to hold fast the truth that you have heard and received then take heed of receiving the least truth of God take heed I say of knowing and willing forsaking the least truth and knowing and willing giving way to the least errour as the committing of the least sin may render a man abominable unto God as you find in Levit. 11.43 You shall not make your selves abominable with any creeping thing that is with the eating of any creeping thing Now this was one of the least Commandements that God gave out for the not eating of such and such things and yet by transgressing this the people might make themselves abominable the committing of the least sin may make a man abominable to God so the embracing of the least errour and the forsaking of the least truth may make a man abominable to God the least truth forsaken knowingly and the least errour imbraced knowingly becomes a great sin and a little errour makes way for a greater if once a man gives way to one errour a thousand will follow after If we would hold fast the whole body of truth we must take heed we forsake not the least truth if we forsake God and his truths whether in lesser matters or greater and if we turn back again to Popery and conform to the Papists in lesser matters saith Mr. Hildersham know of a certainty that Popery shall return again 7. If you would hold fast the truths you have heard and received then shun all such persons as would go about to draw you off from the truth of God shun all Seducers confer not with them have nothing to do with them and their wayes Prov. 19.27 Cease my Son to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge thou hast been instructed in the words of knowledge and if any would instruct thee otherwise and seek to draw thee off from the words of truth and knowledge have nothing to do with them Cease my Son to hear the Instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Now my Brethren this advice I judge to be the more seasonable because it is in my apprehension that this present providence of God in taking off at one stroak so many of his Servants that have indeavoured in uprightness of heart to instruct you and the People of God from this work it is on my heart to think and fear this will give a great advantage to Seducers to seek to corrupt you and draw you off from the truth to their party When the Shepheards are smitten there is a great opportunity given to the Foxes and Wolves to make a prey of the flock when God makes it dark and night then all the Beasts of the Forrest do creep out as the Psalmist saith Psal 104.20 When there is a hight and Cloud on the Ordinances of God then all the Be●sts of the Forrest will go forth many will undertake to be your instructors and say here is Christ and there is Christ but believe them not remember the things that you have heard and received and hold them fast ce●se from the instructions of those that would turn you aside 8. And lastly If you would be able to hold fast the truths of God then commend your selves and

then to live in Heaven with guilt on his Conscience My Brethren let me a little enlarge because suffering may overtake us for Persecution is the genius of the Gospel therefore let me leave 4 short Rules with you concerning sufferings See that your Cause be good your Call be clear your Spirit meek and your End right Sufferings cannot bring out peace without either of them but with them all our sufferings shall be peace First Let your Cause be good it s not the bloud but the cause that makes a Martyr it s not for every cause a Christian should engage to suffer every cause will no more bear suffering then every little stream will bear a Ship nor will Christ let go swee ness to every suffering 1 Pet. 4.15 Let none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or as an Evil doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters To suffer thus is neither Christian-like nor comfortable Some suffer rather as Malefactors then as Christs Martyrs Secondly Let your Call be clear it s amiss to have a good cause without a call Some may suffer for the cause of God and yet sin in suffering for want of a call Christ calls not all to suffer to some it is given to others it is not If thy call be clear thy peace will be sweet though thy sufferings be never so great But you will say How shall I know when I am called to suffer I answer First when Truth suffers by our filence then are we called to suffer Secondly when our lives will be the denyal of Christ then are we called to deny our lives for Christ Thirdly When sin and suffering surrounds us that we cannot get out but we must either run through sin or sufferings then I may safely conclude that Christ called me to suffer and in this cause we may expect the peace and sweetness of his presence Thirdly The third Direction for suffering is this Our spirit must be meek so was Christ he went as a Lamb to the slaughter It s possible a man may be right in his cause and yet sinful in his carriage and if so no wonder if Christ be not sweet to us To be fierce and raging and reviling in suffering it s not becoming humanity and therefore much lesse like Christianity A Christian should be like Christ Acts 45. And they departed from the presence of the Councel rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name It becomes those that are found in the Spirit to give blessing for cursing the more of Christs spirit is in us in our sufferings the more comfort and joy we shall receive from our sufferings Fourthly See that your end in suffering be right if it be Self or singularity or schism then Christ cannot be sweet to thee Some have died that their name● might live Socrates died in the defence of the truth● and to prove that there is but one God but whether he died for honour applause or for Gods sake I think it is no hard thing to determine But 〈◊〉 thy cause be good thy call clear thy spirit meek and thy end right and then you shall have peace in all your sufferings that is the fifth thing Choose suffering rather then sinning Sixthly If you would have peace be much in studying the Scriptures for as God is the God of peace and Christ the Prince of peace so the Gospel is the Gospel of peace which God hath given thee to lead thee in the wayes of peace Great peace have they that love thy Lawes Seventhly Take heed of Apostacy either in Doctrine or Principles Though a Believer is freed from Apostacy in the state of grace yet he is not freed from Apostacy in the degrees of grace He may fall sinfully though he cannot fall finally Demas fell by one St. Peter by the other Pray with David Psal 17.5 Hold up my goings in thy path that my foot-steps slip not Eighthly Make the Word of God your Rule in all things be sure you have a Scripture-warrant for all your practises But especially keep close to Scripture in matters of Gods Worship There are endless Discourses about the Mode of Gods Worship I have no disputing-time It is good in difficult cases always to take the surest side For Instance If I follow the Traditions of man for the worship of God I may sin but if I keep close to the directions of God in the Scripture I am sure I cannot sin for this is the sure word of Prophecy to which you do well to take heed therefore in such a doubtful case Gods will is that we take the surest side go to the Law and to the Testament Labour to be fruitful and grounded Christians Ninthly Keep up the power of godliness do not let Religion down into a life-less formality The Righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree He shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God Psal 92.12 13. My Brethren it is as much a duty in them that have grace to improve it as for them that have no grace for to get it If you sit under the daily means the daily waterings of God and do not grow do you think this will be peace in the latter end surely no my Brethren your fruitfulness under the Gospel is of very great concernment It is unfruitfulness that makes God lay his Vineyard waste It s fruitfulness that procures the forwarding your account in the day of grace Tenthly Observe that excellent rule of the Apostle in Phil. 48. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are ●ust whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be an prayse think on these things And now my Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace that is infinitely able to make you wise to sa●va●ion with this Benediction which I shall mak● my Valediction Grace be unto you and Peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Master JOSEPH CARIL His Farewel SERMON UPON Revel 3. Ver. 4. the latter part of that Verse And they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy IN the former part of this Verse you heard the commendation of those few names in Sardis It was this They had not defiled their garments In this latter part you have their encouragement in their Reward They shall walk with me in white In which encouragement I told you we might consider two things or take it into two parts First That they should walk with Christ Secondly They should walk in White I have spoken to the former of these They shall walk with Christ and that the Scripture holds forth under a two-fold notion First As matter of duty It is a duty to walk with Christ Secondly It is a matter of Promise They that