Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	david_n	heart_n	smite_v	1,341	5	9.6931	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49697	Christ crucified, or, The doctrine of the Gospel asserted against Pelagian and Socinian errours revived under the notion of new lights : wherein also the original, occasion and progress of errours are set down : and admonitions directed both to them that stand fast in the faith and to those that are fallen from it : unto which are added three sermons ... / by Paul Lathom.	Lathom, Paul.	1666 (1666)	Wing L572; ESTC R25131	132,640	284

this Chapter that Paul had done nothing worthy of death or of bonds by the Roman Laws though his being a Christian was very evident by his own Confession Now for the substance and scope of this Speech I shall set it before you in a few Words After the Preface vers 2.3 wherein he in sinuates into the affections of Agrippa before whom he was to plead his Cause he sets forth the manner of his former life vers 5. That he had been a Pharisee of the strictest Sect amongst the Jews and that now he did not differ from his former Principles any further than that he did believe those Promises to be already accomplished vers 6 7. which all the twelve Tribes did hope for onely they were not yet convinced that they had took effect in that Jesus whom they had put to death Then he endeavours to perswade his hearers vers 8. both of the possibility of God having raised up Christ from the dead and also of the present unbelieving Jews being mistaken in that Zeal or rather Fury which they shewed in opposing Christ and persecuting those that did profess his Name And that they might not be too confident of their being in the right he tells them that for his own part he had been formerly of the same minde with them and had spent much pains in opposing and persecuting those that believed in Jesus Christ until such time as it pleased God to work in him a saving conviction of the errour of the way he had been in which he goes on in relating in the following Verses So that the words of the Text considered with reference to what goes before are an Argument intended for the perswading of the King and the rest of the Auditory that it was possible for the Jews to be mistaken in their zeal against Christ seeing himself had been made sensible of his mistake in following their principles and being zealous for them Considered in themselves they are the Apostles acknowledgement of his former mistakes and of the misguiding of his Conscience therein he tells us that he had not in his unregenerate estate persecuted Christ and his followers out of malice but through mistake he did not believe him to be the Messiah but an Impostor and that he was bound in Conscience to do many things even the utmost that he could contrary to the Name and Prof●ssion of Jesus of Nazareth Instead of a more exact or artificial division of the Text I shall resolve it into two Positions which the Apostle points at herein and of which he endeavours to convince his hearers 1. Pofition That a mans Conscience may be so far deluded as that he may verily think himself bound in Conscience to do that which is amiss 2. Position That this mistake or misguiding of Conscience doth not excuse those irregularities which men run into through it The consequence of these from the scope and design of the Apostle's confession concerning himself is so clear to every man that seriously observes his meaning that I shall not trouble you with spending time in making it out but presently apply my self to the opening of the Positions in order 1. Position 1 Position That a mans Conscience may be so far deluded c. As for the Latin word Conscientia and our English word Conscience some give this Etymology of it Conscientia quasi Cordis scientia but that seems too remote Or Conscientia quasi concludens scientia because it concludeth or passeth sentence for or against a mans self Or Conscientia from Con and Scire because it doth as it were joyn with God in seeing and taking cognizance of our ways The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as some observe is used about thirty times in the New Testament In the Old Testament we once meet with the word Madagna from Jadang to Know Eccles 10. ult which is there translated Thoughts or Conscience But most commonly that which in the New Testament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament is called Leb the Heart 1 Sam. 24.5 So Davids heart is said to smite him that is his Conscience and the people are exhorted to lay it to heart Mal. 2.2 that is to their Conscience And sometimes the New Testament useth the same word as If our hearts condemn us 1 Joh. 3. ●0 God is greater than our hearts c. We have seen the Quid nominis Now for the Quid rei Conscience may be described thus It is a power or faculty of the practical part of mans Vnderstanding whereby we are enabled to judge of our selves and our actions according to the Rule of the Law of God In this Description there are five terms worthy our consideration 1. The Genus of Conscience is a Power or Faculty That Conscience cannot so properly be stiled either an Act or an Habit I think is plain enough and therefore it is most properly termed a Power or Faculty wherewith God hath endowed the Soul of Man But in the Scriptures as Faith and Love are sometimes used to signifie the Habits of those Graces and sometimes the exercise of them So Conscience is sometimes 〈◊〉 for the actings or dictates of Conscience as when the Apostle tells the people That he had lived in all good Conscience Acts 23.1 that is according to the dictates of Conscience sometimes for the Power or Faculty from whence these actings proceed as when he saith He had exercised himself herein Acts 24.16 to have alwayes a Conscience void of Offence 2. The Seat of Conscience is said to be in the practical part of our Understanding It is peculiar to understanding Creatures to have a Conscience and the more clear any mans Understanding is caeteris paribus the more refined are the motions of Conscience in him And that Conscience is seated rather in the Understanding then in the Will is evident in that Conscience will many times do its office though the Will do hang back never so much And further we say 't is seated in the practical Understanding because as the office of the speculative Understanding is to judge of Truth and Errour so the practical judgeth of Good and Evil 3. The Office of Conscience is to judge The judgement that Conscience passeth may be conceived to be in such a way as this What the Scripture approves is good and to be followed But the Scripture doth approve this Therefore it is good and to be followed What the Scripture condemns is evil and to be avoided But the Scripture condemns su●● and such courses Therefore they are evil and to be avoided Some Divines say that in the major proposition Conscience is Lex Though I think that expression not to be very proper because Conscience doth not lay down this Law by its own Authority but takes it from the Word of God yet so as to assent to the Authority of it and in this respect Conscience is sometimes called 〈◊〉

the Church of God in all ages concerning it Were men so lowly in esteeming of themselves that they could be perswaded that it is possible for them to be in a mistake they would not add such obstinacy to their errors but would be in a fair way to be convinced And therefore as that which will expose us to great and apparent danger let us take heed of confidence and self-conceitedness 4. It will behove us to take heed of a loose and unsetled spirit in matters of Religion 1 Cor. 10.12 The Apostle exhorts him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he fall And the first thing requisite to taking heed lest we fall is to see that we stand upon firm ground Ships that are floating on the Sea are tossed to and fro with every wind and storm whereas the beating of the Waves against a Rock doth not move it but onely dasheth themselves to pieces against it How dangerous a course do they take who though they do not profess any palpable errors yet shew a great indifferency of spirit about points of great concernment and are not affraid to hear Errors as well as the Truth taught nor do they fear any infection thereby but rather live between Truth and Error as if each of them were equally their proper Element I think every man that is well in his wits would both account it hazzardous to his bodily health and also a tempting of Divine Providence to adventure into infectious Houses or Companies under the confidence of an healthy constitution or of trusting Gods Providence to preserve him in one place as well as another And if the soul be the more precious part they must needs be esteemed to run a greater hazzard who will adventure to dally with all sorts of Principles till at last they have brought themselves to a careless indifferency and a Laodicean luke-warmness in matters of Religion Which frame of spirit as it is very displeasing to God arguing want of a due measure of love to him and thereby provokes him to give men over to their own hearts lusts Psal 81.12 to walk in their own counsels So it doth dispose the mind Reason and Experience being Judges to neglect that industry which it ought to exercise in contending for the Truth yea to a readiness to entertain Error as soon as Truth and is indeed the foundation of that Scepticism in matters of Religion which makes them utterly to seek in the points of our Faith And this if Gods mercy interpose not is the high way to lead men to Atheism 5. It will greatly concern all such as defire to stand fast in the Faith to avoid seducing Teachers and to keep close to the publick Ordinances Prov. 19.27 Solomon exhorts us to cease from hearing the instruction that causeth us to err from the words of Knowledg and to watch dayly at Wisdoms gates Prov. 8.34 Certainly many people by going from Gods blessing in his publick Ordinances into that warm sun which they have fancyed in turning aside to the flocks of the companions Cant. 1.7 have found the same success which Dinah did by wandring from her Fathers house Gen. 34.1 2. out of a vain desire to see fashions They have had the virgin-purity and chastity of their souls ravished from the truths of God by the lustful embraces of them that have lien in wait to deceive Ephes 4.14 God in his just judgment seeing it meet to deliver them up to their own ways who would not keep themselves in his ways in which onely God hath promised that his Providence shall keep them Psal 91.11 And therefore it will greatly concern every man that desireth to keep in the Wayes and Truth of God To seek Christ in going forth by the footsteps of the flock Can. 1.8 to feed their Kids beside the Shepherds tents Not to forsake the assembling of themselves together in Gods House as the manner of too many is For Heb. 10.25 The Priests lips should preserve Knowledg and the people ought to seek the Law at this mouth Mal. 2.7 for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Those that meditate on these things 1 Tim. 4.15 Vers 13. and give themselves wholly to them that give attendance to Reading as well as to Exhortation and Doctrine may reasonably be expected to be far more likely to understand the Truth themselves and to guide others unto it then they that onely cast aside their worldly business and adventure suddenly and boldly to open their mouths not having so much as considered what they are about to speak in the Name of that God who will not be mocked nor hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain From the publick Ordinances we may comfortably expect benefit to our souls By these Jude v. 20. we have by gracious experience found our souls to be built up in our most holy Faith and refreshed as with marrow and fatness Psal 63.5 Whereas those that have forsaken them have forsaken their own mercy and shewed before the world a sensible decay in that which is good Psal 73.28 And therefore let us conclude with David It is good for us to draw near unto God Psal 87.2 And as the Lord doth so let us love the Gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob. CHAP. XII Five seasonable and profitable Admonitions commended to the Consciences of them that are either wavering or already seduced to the embracing of Errors HAving spoken these things to them who through Divine assistance do yet stand fast in the Faith let me now add a few words of Christian Counsel and Admonition to them who are either fallen into dangerous Errors or wavering and enclining towards them Rom. 10.1 2. What the Apostle saith of the unbelieving and obstinate Jews I may seriously and truly say of such persons My hearts desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved For I bear them record that many of them have a very ardent zeal for God but not according to knowledge Yea Rom. 9.2 as the same Apostle speaks of the same people I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart in behalf of many who are drawn like incautious Birds into the snares of them that have so cunningly laid wait for them I know that many judicious persons will be ready to pluck me by the slieve and say Quis leget haec We can hardly expect that such men to whom these words are directed will vouchsafe these things the reading and much less that they will bestow an impartial and serious consideration upon them We may cry out with the Prophet Jer. 6.10 To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear Behold their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the Word of the Lord is to them a reproach they have no delight in it Acts 28.27 For the heart of this people