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
A61105	The vvay to everlasting happinesse: or, the substance of christian religion methodically and plainly handled in a familiar discourse dialogue-wise: wherein, the doctrine of the Church of England is vindicated; the ignorant instructed, and the faithfull directed in their travels to heaven. By Benjamin Spencer, preacher of the word of God at Bromley neer Bow in Middlesex.	Spencer, Benjamin, b. 1595?	1659 (1659)	Wing S4945; ESTC R222156	362,911	329

12.24 which was sin or else it is indirectly and so either with or without the intention of the Agent 1. Without his intention as Peter Gal. 2.11 in a partiall complying with the Jewes had no intent to offend the Gentiles 2. With his intention as when men do it of purpose to stumble others So Hereticks by seeming holy and austere have drawn many from the truth as did the Novatians who decreed that men who had fallen by infirmity should never be received again into the Church by which seeming strictnesse they got many followers and continued many years even from the reign of Decius to the reign of Julian and after So we say men may give offences to the weak or to the strong to the strong as Peter was an offence to Christ when he bid him to favor himselfe Mat. 16. for though he spake out of good will yet Christ found it a subtle temptation and so cast it as a stumbling block out of his way 2. To the weak who are not able to distinguish we give offence when we do unadvisedly lay things in their way Mat. 18. which may annoy them before they be aware It is true we are not to offend one of Christs little ones But now things indifferent when they be fully determined by the Church of God we must not be contentious it is not the custome of the Church of God 1 Cor. 11.16 of which Church we must be more tender then of any particular men 1 Cor. 10.23 But if indifferent things be not at all or but in part determined by the Church of God then we must consider charitably of other mens consciences who are not fully perswaded of the lawfull use of them and therefore they are so far to be used as they may prove no offence to others So 1 Cor. 10.25 Eat and make no question or scruple because God hath given us liberty to use or not use them the earth is the Lords to do thee good but in case of offence against thy brother eat not the earth is the Lords to hurt no mans conscience by my liberty or Gods allowance so that first he saith eat and make no scruple though the Feast was dedicated to Idols for the earth is the Lords and mans superstition cannot abridge thee from the lawfull use of the creature But if a weak brother that is not well satisfied in Christian liberty shall inform thee of the idolatrous Feast saying this meat is offered to idols then use not thy Christian liberty to the wounding of that weak conscience for the earth is the Lords for thee to use lawfully and not licentiously Therefore the Councill of the Apostles Acts 15. though they gave liberty to eat meats that were forbidden by Moses law yet restrained the Christians from things strangled and from blood and things offered to idols left they should offend the Jewish people newly converted to the Christian faith Acts 15.3 So St Paul circumcised Timothy his father being a Greek to shun giving offence to the Jewish converts yet at another time he would not circumcise Titus Gal. 2.3 4. lest he thereby should approve the doctrine of those that imposed upon Christians an absolute necessity of circumcision contrary to the liberty of the Gospell Herein the Apostle carried the matter with great discretion letting religion regulate charity and charity regulate Christian liberty Mathe. But though many things may be lawfull yet not expedient for though one intends no scandall yet it may be taken though not given and therefore such offensive things are to be avoided Phila. Not so for men may be offended at that which must not be avoided for men may be corrupted that take offence in their judgement or in their affections 1. In their judgement as those people were that took offence at Christs doctrine saying that they must eat the flesh of the Son of man else they had no life in them Joh. 6.53 because they understood not the spirituall sense of it ver 52. So in their affection as when by pride men take offence at the simplicity of the Gospell as 1 Cor. 1.23 Christ crucified was to the Jewes a stumbling block and to the Grecians foolishnesse It is true that where there is no declaration of the right use of things indifferent we are to indulge the weak P. M. lo. com class 2. c. 4. p. 201. but where a declaration is or may be had concerning the using or not using such things there we are not to nourish mens presumptions instead of weaknesse I know some pretend that Papists may be the more confirmed in their Religion to see reformed Churches use their ceremonies But I think rather by our reforming what they have abused they may rather see the error of their own religion We may as well refuse their Churches as their ceremonies and they may as well be setled the more in their religion by our not using them but I fear more by abusing them Indeed some ministers have objected against the use of them but yet are now reconciled to them for advantage sake So others say that our use of these ceremonies makes profane persons to contemn all religion but I think rather that mens stripping religion of decent rites doth more confirm prophanesse then clothing of it with decent ceremonies and brings in disparity more then uniformity So some object it is a great hindrance to preachers that cannot conform to them but the necessity of preaching the Gospell ought to overpoize any ceremony because a woe followeth the neglect of one 1 Cor. 9.16 Cartw. replica p. 266. but none for using the other Others say that if some ministers who are non Conformists should submit themselves it were a discredit to them but yet St Augustine wonne himselfe much glory by writing retractations Some again that the command of conformity to a ceremony doth infringe Christian liberty but I say then it must be proved that the Church teacheth that there is a necessity to salvation placed in humane ceremonies or else a necessity of sanctity or of merit or that they must be necessary to Gods worship Indeed if the Church did so I confesse she did destroy Christian liberty V. Calv. Instit lib. 4. cap. 10. Sect. 4. for it is not obedience necessary to mans commandement that infringeth Christian liberty but the opinion of necessity in the matter of command as if to do it were necessary to eternall life This indeed were to offer violence to the scepter of Christ by which a man hath a liberty in things indifferent which invasion the Church of England disclaimeth in the 39 Articles Mathe. God having so setled his Church what is required of it Phila. That it be established in an holy stare of Magistrate Minister and people most agreeable to his revealed truth in Christ that as God the Father was acknowledged by his creation and providence so the Son of God might be worshipped for his redemption and the