Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	day_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	25	3	8.5923	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29748	Christ the way and the truth and the life, or, A short discourse pointing forth the way of making use of Christ for justification and especially and more particularly for sanctification in all its parts, from Johan. XIV, vers. VI : wherein several cases of conscience are briefly answered, chiefly touching sanctification / by John Brown.	Brown, John, 1610?-1679.	1677 (1677)	Wing B5028; ESTC R27232	262,893	482

iniquity Luk. 13 26 27 were not the jewes much in duties outward ordinances and yet see how the Lord rejecteth them all Esa. 1 11 12 13 14 15 66 3. 6. Much knowledge doth deceive many They think because they can talk of religion speak to cases of consciences handle places of scripture and the like that therefore all is right with them when alas that is but a slippery ground to stand upon The Phari●…ees sat in Moses seat taught sometimes sound doctrine and yet were heart enemies to Jesus Mat. 23. And will not many think to plead themselves in to heaven By saying that they have Prophecyed in his name Mat. 7 22 There is a knowledg that puffeth up 1 Cor. 13 2 Some there are whose knowledge seemeth to be operative and practicall and not meerly speculative Some may escape the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Saviour Iesus Christ and yet againe become entangled therein overcome so that their latter end is worse than the beginning See 2 Pet. 2 20 21 22. knowledge I grant is good but it is not Christ and so it is not the way to the Father and many alas leane to it are deceived at last 7. A kinde of seeming seriousnesse in the performance of duties and in seeking of God deceiveth many They think because they are not conscious to their owne dissembling but they look upon themselves as earnest in what they do that therefore all is well Sayeth not Christ that not every 〈◊〉 that sayeth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of God Mat. 7 21 that is not every one that reneweth their sutes ingeminateth their desires cry and cry over againe and as it were will not give it over And yet they come short of their expectation did not the foolish virgins seem earnest and serious when they continued waiting with the rest and at length cryed Lord Lord open unto us and yet they were keeped at the door Many consider not that there is a secret and closse hypocrisie that some may be under and not know it as well as a grosse hypocrisie and dissimulation which may be easily observed Will not many seek to enter in that shall not be able Mat. 7 13. Luk. 13. 24. 8. Many may deceive themselves with this that they are looked on by others godly discerning persons ministers as good serious Christians and that they carry so handsomely and faire that no man can judge otherwayes of them than that they are good serious seekers of God But alas the day is comeing which will discover many things and many one will be deceived both of themselves of others Not he who commendeth himself is approved but whom God approveth 2 Cor. 10 18. Therefore Paul exhorts Timothie to study to show himself approved unto God 2 Tim. 2 15. Men look only on the outside and cannot see in to the heart but God searcheth the heart and it is an easie matter to deceive Men But God will not be deceived 9. Some may suppose themselves in a saife and sure way if they out stripe others in religious dutyes and be much in extraordinary dutyes when alas for all that the heart may be rotten The Pharisee fasted twice a week Luk. 18 12. and yet was but an enemie to Christ. O how deceitfull is the heart of Man 10. Inward peace and quietnesse of conscience may deceive some and they may suppose that ●…ll is right with them because they do nothing over the belly of their conscience Their heart doth not accuse them of falshood and dissimulation in their way with God or Man but they do all things according to their light No doubt that young Man Luk. 18 21. spoke according to his judgment and light when he said all these things have I observed from my youth And Paul sayeth of himself Act. 23 1. that he had lived in all good conscience before God till that very day Meaning that even while he was a Pharisee unconverted he had not thortured his conscience nor done any thing directly against it but had alwayes walked according to his light See Act. 26 9. 11. A way of Zeal may deceive many who may think their case unquestionable because they are Zealous for their way and as they think their Zeal is pure zeal for God was not Paul while a Pharisee very Zealous when out of zeal to his way he persecuted the Church Phil. 3 6. See my zeal for the Lord could a I●…hu say 2. King 10 16. and the jewes had a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10 2. and Christ tells us that such as should persecute the Apostles unto death wouldthink they did God good service Iohn 16 2. 12. Some also may put it beyond question that they are in the right way because they are more strick in all their wayes than others and will not so much as keep fellowship or company with them saying with those Esa. 65 5. Stand by I am holier than thou come not neare to me who yet are but a smoak in Gods nose a fire that burneth all the day 13. Some may rest on and deceive themselves with their great attainments and more then ordinary experiences When alas we see to what a hieght some may come and yet prove nothing Let such souls read with trembling that word of Paul Heb. 6 4 5. where we see some may come to be enlightened to taste of the heavenly gift to be made partakers of the holy ghost to taste the good word of God the powers of the world to come and yet prove castawayes taking these expressions as pointing forth some thing distinct from reall grace Many such false wayes wherein Men please themselves might be mentioned By these every one may see cause of Searching trying over over againe It is a dreadfull thing to be deceived here and it is best to put it to a tryall when there is a possibility of getting the matter helped and many may feare and tremble when they see they are not yet come the length of many such as sit downe without Christ and lose all their labour O if this could put people to a serious examination tryall of themselves and of the nature of that way wherein they are rest at present Thirdly We might here observe That this true living way is but one for all There is but one Mediator betwixt God Man 1 Tim. 2 5. One Mediator for both old new Testament the Seed of the woman Howbeit the Lords dispensations with his people in that one way may be various as his way with his people under the Law is different from his way with his people under the gospell and his dispensations with individual beleevers whether under the law or under the gospell is not the same in all things And this should teach us to relinquish our owne wayes and to enter into this one only way and it

strong Mediator Moreover as to the acting of faith on Christ's death and sacrifice for stopping the mouth of Conscience Law Satan and for opposeing to the pursueing Justice of God because of sin It may some times be strong distinct clear and resolute At other times againe be weak mixed or accompanyed with much feare perplexity doubting and distrust because of their owne seen unworthinesse many failings doubtings of the sincerity of their repentance and the like This is a maine businesse and of great concearnment yet many are not much troubled about it nor exercised at the heart hereabout as they ought deceiving themselves with foolish imaginations for 1. They think they were beleevers all their dayes they never doubted of Gods grace and goodwill they had alwayes a good heart for God though they never knew what a wakened conscience or sense of the wrath of God meaned 2. Or they think because God is mercifull he will not be so severe as to stand upon all those things that Ministers require forgetting that He is a just God and a God of truth that wil do according to what He hath said 3. Or they suppose it is an easie matter to beleeve not such a difficult thing as it is called not considering or beleeving that no lesse power than that which raised Christ againe from the dead will worke up the heart unto faith 4. Or they resolve that they will do it afterward at some more convenient season not perceiving the cunning slight of Satan in this nor considering that faith is not in their power but the gift of God and that if they lay not hold on the call of God but harden their heart in their day God may judicially blinde them so that these things shall be hid from their eyes and so that occasion they pretend to waite for never come Oh if such whom this mainely concearneth could be induced to enter into this way considering 1 That except they enter into this way they cannot be false the wrath of God will pursue them the avenger of blood will overtake them no Salvation but here 2 That in this way is certaine Salvation this way will infallibly lead to the Father for he keepeth in the way and bringeth saife home Exod. 23 20. 2 It s the old path and the good way Ier. 6 16. all the saints have the experience of this who are already come to glory and. 4. It is a high way and a way of righteousnesse wherein if very fools walk they shall not wand●…r Esai 35 8 9 and if the weak walk in it they shall not fainte Esai 40 31. 5. That except this be done there is no advantage to be had by Him His death all his sufferings as to those persons that will not beleeve and enter into him as the way to the Father are in vaine 6. Yea such as will not beleeve in Him say in effect either that Christ hath not died nor consecrated away through the veile of his flesh or that all that He hath done suffered is not sufficient for bringing a soul home to God or that they can do their owne businesse without him and that it was a foolish and vaine thing for Christ to die the death for that end or lastly that they care not for salvation they are indifferent whether they perish or be saved 7. That as to them the whole gospel is in vaine all the ordinances all the administration of ordinances all the paines of Ministers are in vaine 8. That as to them all Christs intreaties motives allurements patience and long suffering his standing at the door and knocking till his locks be wet with the dew c. are in vaine yea they are contemptuously rejected despised slighted undervalued 9. That all the great promises are by such rejected as untrue or as not worthy the seeking or having and that all the threatnings on the other hand are not to be regairded or feared 10. In a word That heaven and the fellowshipe of God is not worth the seeking and that hell and the fellowshipe of devils is not worth the fearing Or that there is neither a heaven nor a hell and that all are but fictions and that there is no such thing as the wrath of God against sinners o●… that it is not much to be feared If it be asked what warrand have poor sinners to lay hold on Christ and grippe to him as made of God righteousnesse I answere Our absolute necessity of him is a ground to presse us to go and seek help and reliefe we see we are gone in ourselves and therefore are we allowed to seek out for help elsewhere 2 Christ's alsufficient furniture whereby he is a qualified mediator fitted with all necessaries for our case condition having laid downe a price to the satisfaction of justice is a sufficient invitation for us to look toward him for helpe and to waite at that door 3. His being appointed of the Father to be mediator of the covenant and particularly to lay down his life a ransome for sin and Christs undertaking all his offices and performeing all the duties thereof conforme to the covenant of redemption is a strong encouragement to poor sinners to come to Him because He cannot deny himself and he will be true to his trust 4. The Fathers offering of him to us in the gospell and Christs inviteing us who are weary and heavy loaden yea calling and commanding such to come to him in his owne and in his Fathers name under the paine of his and his Fathers wrath and everlasting displeasure exhorting further and requesting upon tearms of love pressing earnestly by many motives sending out his ambassadours to beseech in his stead poor sinners to be reconciled and to turne in to him for life and salvation yea upbraiding such as will not come to him all these are a sufficient warrant for a poor necessitous sinner to lay hold on his offer And further to encourage poor souls to come unto him all things are so well ordered in the gospel as that nothing occurreth that can in the least prove a stumbling block or a just ground of excuse for their forbearing to beleeve and to accept of his offer all objections possible are obviated to such as are but willing the way is cast up and all stones of stumbling cast out of it so that such as will not come can pretend no excuse They cannot object the greatnesse of their sins for the greater their sins be they have the greater need of one who is sent to take away sin and whose blood purgeth from all sin 1 Joh 1 7. what great sinner did he ever refuse that came to him and was willing to be saved by him Is ther any clause in all the gospel exclud●…ing great sinners Nor need they object their great unworthinesse for ●…e doth all freely for the glory of his free grace 〈◊〉 got any good of him for their worth for no man ever had any