Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	eat_v	idol_n	weak_a	2,180	5	9.3570	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34857	The English hermite, or, Wonder of this age being a relation of the life of Roger Crab, living near Uxbridg, taken from his own mouth, shewing his strange, reserved, and unparallel'd kind of life, who counteth it a sin against his body and soule to eate any sort of flesh...or to drink any wine...he left the army and kept a shop at Chesham, and hath now left off that, and sold a considerable estate to give to the poore, shewing his reasons from the Scripture...	Crab, Roger, 1621?-1680.	1655 (1655)	Wing C6736; ESTC R25357	16,785	22

according to the Scriptures Mat. 7. 3. that we may see clearer and justly judge the tree by his fruits we shall try the inferiour and lower sort of feasting among women called by the name of Christnings which are these First to exchange upon some body that is silly or foolish sluttish or covetous or an ill Husband or a Drunkard Others be condemned for often feasting and wearing fine cloaths swearing and lying so that all sorts are laughed at and judged but our selves whilst wee our selves are doing the very same things and this is the fruit that grows upon the Tree called Christning or baptizing the Child into the Fathers faith which is an admirable Tree if it be true that the child can be in Christ by the Fathers faith and no falling from Grace then let us consider whether Adam did believe in Christ and if it be found he did then this baptisme would have saved all the people from Adam to this day and will do from this day forward for the Child being baptized into the Fathers faith groweth up and begetteth children and cannot fall away baptizing children into their faith and so forward So that if God had been as wise as we in our own conceit he might have saved the lives of all his Prophets and Apostles and people too but the most High is now once more beginning to break through the clouds of darknesse in poor innocent forms of earth raysing them up from carpenting fishing and Tent-making to confound the high and mighty for the wisdome of man is foolishnesse 1 Cor chap. 1. Now let us compare this inferiour feast called Christning with the feast of Christ among the multitude and see which was best exemplary to the people and which produced most good to soul and body and consider the example of Christs birth in a Manger with the pomp and pride of childrens births in our dayes Again consider what feast there was when Christ was baptized of John I think we shall find none at all Then let us see what Christ had at his feast with the people he being able to command stones to be bread or water to be wine was also able to command rost Beef or pig but he was to be exemplary to all people on earth in all his actions and doctrine made an innocent feast for the people with barly loaves and fishes Mat. 14. But some will object and say he was able to work miracles and we are not To which I answer If we as he were able to command all things and yet would have nothing at our feast but barly loaves and fishes what advantage would our power be to this Feast the Feast being innocent without hurting any creature that breathed on earth but on the contrary he endeavoured to preserve and to reconcile the people to God with sound words of instructions uttered with love peace and meeknesse with motions of healing all people that were brought to him So that you may see a great difference betwixt his feast and the other Again he often went to the Feast of the Jews and to a wedding to shew forth the power of his father in turning water into wine but we never finde that ever he was drunke or eate bit of flesh at any of their Feasts or Wedding The Passeover was his owne Feast and did belong to the fulfilling of the law of the Father in his flesh even for a disobedient people which the Lord by Moses brought out of Aegypt from their flesh-pots into the wilderness to purifie their bodies with Angels food called Manna which they ground in mills or beat in morters to make in Cakes But they loosing their grosness grew leane and hungry and murmured and rebelled against the Lord lusting after the flesh-pots of Aegypt Their desires being much and strong the Lord granted them flesh even as he granted them a King and his wrath and plague came with it as you may see in Numb. 11. 33. Psal. 78. 31. While the flesh was yet between their teeth before it was chewed even then the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with an exceeding great plague Thus you see what miserable creatures we are being bred up with flesh and blood onyons and garlick all under Mars who God hath made governor over that humor that lusteth after flesh and blood which is made strong in us by feeding of it as I my selfe may speak by experience for if God had commanded mee to forbeare flesh before I had knowledg of this my discourse although he had sent an Angel or a man working miracles I doubt I should have judged all to be of the Devill for the lust I had after the sweetnesse of flesh even as the rich men in these our dayes will deny the Scripture wherein Christ commanded the rich man in the Gospel to sell his goods and give to the poor But they will say it reached no farther then that one rich man should for say they if we should believe this Scripture to extend to us we should make the poor richer then our selves So it seems by this that they had rather deny this Scripture and many more that speak to this purpose even Christ and all rather then to part from their riches this would have been my condition in ignorance Therefore let not the rich men mistake me and think that I would have them sell their goods before God hath enlightned their understandings let them see the danger of keeping it for then they would play the Hypocrites and doe as bad to themselves as if they had kept it although good to others this would be the condition of every one that shall forbear flesh or beere as in relation to God because it is a sinne against the body or bodies and soules of men Except any man thinks he sinnes against God in eating to him it is sinne because he is weake and doubteth So he ought to forbear because of his scruple as you shall see in Rom. 14. 8. 1 Cor. 8. 10. For if any man see thee which hath knowledge fit at table in the Idols Temple shall not the conscience of him which is weak be boldned to eat those things which are sacrificed to Idolls you may observe from this that he that walketh by another mans light before he is fully convinced in himselfe if he buildeth on sand he will fall in the Tempest because he hath lost his tender light of his scruple which Paul endevored to strengthen in every one of his brethren let them be of what opinion they would in matter of conscience It s very plaine in Rom. 14. and very few in these dayes beleeveth it for we all cry out against many opinions yet every one would have his owne opinion justified we may as well cry out and condemn every one his Neighbour because they differ in physiognomy and so condemn the work of God without us as well as within us but this

them if they drank any deadly poyson it should not hurt them and could take away Serpents and if they layd their hands on the sicke they should recover as you may see in Mar. 16. vers. 18. Another Objection is alledged from that Scripture in Matth. 15. 11. where he saith these words That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which cometh out of the mouth that defileth the man which is murthers adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies slanders c. If this be meant that any thing put into the mouth cannot defile the body then no man can can be poysoned but there hath been many a man poysoned by taking things into the mouth If so then nothing ought to be taken but that which is nourishable to pure nature except they have faith and power of sanctification to exclude the venom so in short my judgment is of every place of Scripture which speaks any thing of this nature that to him that believeth all things are lawfull as in relation to Christ in the Spirit but some things not expedient Now to those that will not unlick themselves from the world as to deny father and mother wife children lands and livings and all for Christs sake in the Spirituall essence but will rather serve him according to the flesh in the ten Commandements Now this is the wonderfull and admirable love of God that hee will give them a reward also according to that dispensation they are under for he hath promised them a blessing in basket and in store their children long life in the Land for their obedience to their Parents in the flesh but no more then fleshly rewards can be given for fleshly obedience for hee that dyeth with fleshly desires fleshly inclinations and fleshly satisfactions this being a composure of the spirits of darknesse in this body must rise again in the same nature and must be taken into the centre of Mars the god of flesh blood and fire so that every man shall receive the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 5. 10. Then how happy are they that takes Christ and the Prophets for their example Christ being an innocent pattern to the whole world exposed himself to all danger and difficulty not for his owne ends in the flesh but for others sakes even them that persecuted him and violated him with terms of ignomie calling him a Glutton and a wine-bibber blasphemer and a Devill and at length killed him out-right and hanged him shamefully upon the Crosse the persons that did it were the Priests Councellors Lawyers and the rude multitude instructed by them filled all with envy against innocency but all this worketh together for the best to them that fear God in humblenesse and meeknesse together with love and charity where envy cannot be but some glimps of the spirituall light which discerneth all things even the deep things of God according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 2. 10. But reason it will discover a glimps of Gods proceedings in these our dayes he hath tryed almost every sort of men and every sort of sects according to their Pedgree in our Land 1. The King and Bishops were exalted next to Christ 2. The Parliament who found fault with them not pulling the beame of Covetousnesse out of their owne eyes and their Sects depending were all exalted in stead of the other 3. The Army with their Trades and Sects depending upon the same account became exalted So the Gentlemen and Farmers have had their turn in Offices and dearth of Corn and now they will try inferiour Trades as Journey-men and Day-labourers and their associates depending even to the Orphan and Alms-man and now giveth them the fulnesse of bread and cloathing and silver and all according to their respective place and capability they are in So that now we look over all their proceedings and judg by their fruite and it will be a hard matter for a low capacity to judge which of all these parties hath been most just but I being of the lowest sort and unlearned being amongst day-labourers and journeymen have judged my selfe with them the worst of all these parties in pride gluttony drunkenesse lying desembling swearing cursing covetousnesse disobedient to Parents breeding up children to disobedience and all other abhominations Were not the most High wonderfull and mercifull to us one of these sinnes are enough to bring judgement and terrors upon the whole Land namely the sinne of drunkennesse being explained will prove it when the allseing eye looks into every Ale-house of this Nation and seeth of which sort are most there and they will appear to be labouring poor men which in times of scarcity pine and murmure for want of bread cursing the rich behinde his back and before his face cap and knee and a whining countenance and some are cholerick and discontented and will not speak at all neither of them considering what they did in the time of plenty when they drank in one day as much as a bushell of barly will make which will keep two ordinary families a whole week in bread this two men will doe twice or three times a week and when Sunday cometh they will hear two sermons and have their child christened by the vertue of his faith and receive the Sacrament at Easter and then all is well his conscience being feared up he returns to his companions and falls on as before to drunkenesse and gluttony spoiling backbiting his neighbours swearing and cursing and reviling against the Higher powers for oppressing him making a good construction of his fellowdrunkard which is drunk three or four dayes in the weak they will say he is an honest fellow and no foe but his own although both he and they what so do are the greatest oppressors under the Sunne and the greatest enemies to the poor fatherlesse orphans widdows and strangers which are below them for by their drunkennesse and gluttony Corn is made dear and Corne being dear Land is made dear so that the Farmer must give a great rent for his Farme and is constrained to hire many more Acres By this means cattle and Corne hath been at a high rate the Farmer being coveteous minded to uphold his wife and children in pompe and pride feasting and glu●tony at Christnings and Banquettings by which means surfets and diseases drives them to the Physitians who wait for their prey to get their money to purchase Lands and houses that they may let it out to them againe Thus you see that the body of England is become a Monster God hath created eyes in us that are the feet to discover her nakednesse as far as the middle we have a little light of her armes and her head which keeps her pomp by sword and violence but our sight being weake and most work to do at home and most convenient for every man to pull the beame out of his own eye