Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	darkness_n	light_n	shine_v	1,422	5	9.5903	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B09144	An explanation of the solemn advice, recommended by the Council in Connecticut Colony, to the inhabitants of that jurisdiction, respecting the reformation of those evils, which have been the procuring cause of the late judgments upon New-England. By Mr. James Fitch ...	Fitch, James, 1622-1702.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.; Fitch, James, 1622-1702. Brief discourse proving that the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath.; Connecticut. Council.	1683 (1683)	Wing F1063; ESTC W24614	58,047	146

not the way of the Lord and the judgement of their God they have rejected the knowledge of God and are therefore left to the darkness of gross Ignorance A second sort are those upon whose Consciences the light hath shined but have not loved truth as truth these have knowledge and will be searching and proving excellent things and having a form of knowledge may be guids to the blind and hold forth light to those who are in darkness Rom. 2.18 19 20. and these love to live under an able Ministry and will uphold Schools of Leaaning and be in the use of all means of knowledge but yet never did receive the love of the truth 2 Thes 2.10 the truth it self and the true knowledge of it was never the ultimate and principal object of their love but only a mediate object that by means of their light and knowledge they set up advance and serve some Idol in their hearts but do not like to retian to God in knowledge as its the knowledge of God Rom. 1.28 2. The punishment upon these is therefore they are left to abuse their light and knowledge to their destruction either to pride and vain glory their knowledge hath puffed them up 1 Cor. 8.1 or they are by means of their light become the more subtile to devise coverts for sin and the more slye in opposing secretly the life and power of Godliness the more crafty to deceive others and to cheat their own Souls the more wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge and are blinded at last with self conceitedness and say the Law of the Lord is with them but they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them Jer. 8.8 9. 1. Some truths of greatest concernment to them they shall not see but groap for light at noon day as if it were night Deut. 28.29 Isai 59.10 2. Those Truths which they do see yet they shall be left to misapply pervert and wrest to their destruction Act. 13.10 11. 2 Pet. 3.16 3. Those Truths which they do apply rightly yet their hearts shall not be affected with them and not be reformed by them but to them it shall be as if they knew nothing Isai 6.8 9. these have often perverted their understanding and abused their knowledge and their understanding and knowledge shall pervert and mislead them Isai 47.10 The second follows concerning Prophaneness the Question is How it comes to pass that some under the means of Grace are givtn up to Prophaneness The Answer is Because some under the means of Grace have rejected saving Grace in the Gospel and therefore the Lord withdraws common restraining Grace from them and they become prophane 1. Some are prophane although they live under the means of Grace these will not shew a civil respect to Religion and that good manners which civility will teach their words are scornful and mocking abusing the Holy Scriptures in a jesting and deriding manner like those Scoffers who said where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3.3 4. these are a pest and a most dangerous infection in societies by their evil communication do corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 their Countenance Gestures and Lives do declare them to be like a mocking Ishmael or prophane Esau Heb. 12.15 16. look diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God lest there be any Fornicator or Prophane Person as Esau 2. These have rejected saving Grace in the Gospel the God of all Grace by the means of his Grace the Ordinances and by the gracious Examples of the godly seconded by some afflicting providences and sometimes with convictions and terrors of Conscience hath been striving with these but they would not hearken to his voice and would have none of him and his saving Grace and therefore are given up to their hearts lusts Psal 81.11 12. Wo unto thee wilt thou not be clean when will it once be Jer. 13.27 3. Hence the Lord hath withdrawn restraining Grace that those who reject saving Grace in the Gospel and will not live as becometh godly men the Lord withdraws common restraining Grace from them that they shall not live as becometh men this is the reason why some are so lewdly filthy that in their filthiness is lewdness because they would not be purged and therefore the Lord saith they shall not be purged but the Lords fury shall rest upon them Ezek. 24.13 this is the reason why some under the means of Grace are more prophane than some others who enjoy no such means to reform them and that they are become more prophane then before they enjoyed the means of Grace because they have provoked the Lord by their resistings of the strivings of the Spirit of Grace to give them up to most horrid and hellish prophanenss that as Israel's abominations shall exceed the filth of Samaria and Sodom Ezek. 16.51 and of this bitter fruit of Apostasie that Man of God of most blessed memory Mr Thomas Hooker was wont frequently to warn New-England saying do you wonder that some in New-England are left to such abominations I tell you that some in New-England will be given up to greater prophaneness His Sermons upon Psal 81.11 12 and Rom. 1.28 do at large declare this The third bitter fruit concerning gross neglects of relative Duties And the Question is Why are some under the means of Grace left to those palpable neglects of relative Duties in Family Church and Common-Wealth The Answer Because some under the means of Grace living in neglect of Duties towards God and of duties towards others in the Lord its just with the Lord to leave them to gross neglects of relative duties one towards another 1. There are some who though they enjoy the means of Grace yet they live in the neglect of duties in Relation to the God of Grace he hath profered a holy Marriage Covenant to them and himself as the only suitable March and Husband for the immortal Soul Isai 54.5 but they have loved Strangers and after them they will go Jer. 2.25 neither will they honour him as a Father nor fear him as their Master but despise his Name Mal. 1.6 if they call him their God yet they cast off the thing that is good Hos 8.2.5 2. Hence it follows these never did perform duties in relation to others in the Lord for this is the Religious and true Gospel band in all Relations Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved his Church Eph. 5.25 Wives submit your selves to your Husbands as is fit in the Lord Col. 3.18 Children obey your Parents in the Lord Ephes 6.1 Servants obey your Masters in singleness of heart fearing the Lord Col. 3.22 But those who do not conscientiously attend duties in Relation to the Lord do feel no such Religious band upon their hearts and Consciences in relation to others but act only as moved by some natural or moral Principles which are too weak to resist the violence of temptations

their backs upon the visible Covenant and the administrations of it do by their practice disown God and say the true God is not their God for how can God be their God but by Covenant and what is the Church Covenant but an Administration of the Covenant of Grace and that Soul who doth by words or works by opinion or practise turn away from the Covenant by neglecting to prepare for it or take hold of it is a stranger from the Covenant and liveth without God Eph. 2.12 and if by his Parentage and Birth he is in visible Covenant and when grown up yet doeth neglect to look after it or take hold of it he doth by his practise despise his Birth right and the time may come when he may seek for a Blessing with tears and yet find no place of Repentance Heb. 12.16 17. 2. Or those who neglect the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and can content themselves to be Baptized or to have their Children Baptized but are insensible of the need of the Lords Supper that great Seal of Communion with Christ and his Church 1 Cor. 10.16 17. or that hastening to this great Ordinance without due and that worthy preparation in the way of self-examination and discerning the Lords body and these do eat and drink their own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 and if the Church doth admit those to the Lords Table who are visibly unworthy they will provoke the Lord against them as the Church at Corinth did that for this cause many amongst them were weak and many sickly and some were taken away by death 1 Cor. 11.30 3. Or those who in their Church Relation do live in the neglect of Church Discipline that is they give offence but will not give satissaction Mat. 5.23 or they will take offence but not manage it according to Christs Order Mat. 18.15 Lev. 19.19 and whatever their goodly words are yet they are but as a Hind let loose Gen. 49.21 and their works say they will not have Christ to rule over them and the quarrel the Lord hath against these the al●rementioned is that which is called the quarrel of his Covenant Lev. 26.25 a most searful quarrel And to conclude this Discourse we may consider 1. Some do despise the Covenant in the administrations of it or by their practice profess that the Covenant is not worthy of their care labour and cost and it may be drop some scoff or mocking expression but will not seek the Lord in the way of his Covenant these are in the high way to that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost of counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and of doing despite to the spirit of Grace Heb. 10.27 28. 2. Some have visibly taken hold of the Covenant but do live in the breach of it Psal 78.37 38. 50.16 17. and the Lord saith what hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instructions and castest my words behind thee And the quarrel the Lord hath against a People or particular persons whether it be for despising his Covenant or breach of Covenant ever implieth 1. These are guilty of sinning against the greatest love for the love of God in condescending to enter into Covenant with a sinner is the highest act of love and to despise this Covenant or the things of it or live in the breach of it is to spit reproach and contempt in the most beautiful face of divine Love do you thus require the Lord O foolish People and unwise Deut. 32.6 2. These sin against the only Remedy What cure and relief can there be for sinners but from Christ and how doth Christ relieve but in the way of his Covenant in the administration of it how can those escape who neglect this great Salvation Heb. 2.3 and hence follows the greatest punishment for the quarrel of the Covenant Amos 3.3 You I have known of all the Families of the Earth and you I will punish when the inquiry is made when they see what plagues sicknesses come upon the Land wherefore hath the Lord done thus to this Land and the Answer is because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers Deut. 29.23 24 25. and thus we see how Apostasie doth shew it self in the degrees of it 1. How gradual it is First A growing cold in secret Duties then remiss and formal in Family duties and at length slighty and cold in communion with Saints in private and publick Ordinances and at last twice dead and pulled up by the roots Jude 12. they were dead as to a principle of spiritual life as all are by nature and they are dead as to the life and zeal of visible Profession which they sometimes had 2. As these declensions are gradual so they grow on upon an Apostatizing people insensibly at first somewhat afraid and startled but by a customary declension grow insensible of the danger and so ready to heal themselves with lazy desires and pretended good meanings and formal covenantings until at last they are left to a good opinion of their state that they say Wherein shall they return as if they were not convinced although from the dayes of their Fathers they had gone away from the Ordinances of the Lord and not kept them in that purity and power as they were left to them by their Fathers Mal. 3.7 Jer 8.5 6. In the next place follows the consideration of the bitter fruits of Apostasie as they are specified in the advertisement of our Rulers and for the clearing the particulars let us especially observe how it comes to pass that a People living under the means of Grace are left to those abominations and the Question in the first place is How it comes to pass that some living under the means of grace are left to gross Ignorance or abuse of their light and knowledge Ans Because some under the means of Grace have rejected the knowledge of God and therefore are left to gross ignorance or not loving truth as truth and therefore are left to abuse their light and knowledge to their destruction 1. Some have rejected knowledge that its become the object of their hatred as if instruction was not worthy of their love and if they be reproved they do despise reproof and the reprover and will not obey the voice of their Teachers Prov. 5.12 13. the reading good Books the Writing and Repeating of Sermons the Schools of Learning the conversing with the wise and all good means of knowledge in their hearts they despise Prov. 1.22 How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and scorners delight in scorning and fools hate knowledge Prov. 1.22 2. The punishment upon these followeth therefore they are left to a sottish ignorance they have not so much light as shall keep them from sottish and bruitish ignorance Jer. 4.22 they are sottish Children they have no understanding Jer. 5.4 surely they are poor and foolish they know