Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	end_n	faith_n	unfeigned_a	1,201	5	10.8215	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15144	The vvay to the celestiall paradise Declaring how a sinner may be saued, and come to life euerlasting. Contained in three bookes.The first second third sheweth that a sinner may be saued, & come to life euerlasting. By faith, apprehending Christ for his iustification, & applying to himselfe the promises of the Gospell made in Iesus Christ. Repentance, hauing his sins washed away in the bloud of the lambe Iesus Christ. Prayer, calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ. By Robert Whittell, minister of the Gospell.	Whittle, Robert, d. 1638.	1620 (1620)	STC 25441; ESTC S120396	338,769	458

made and accepted righteous in the sight of God but such workes as may seeme to haue an outward righteousnesse in them Secondly by the righteous man turning away from his righteousnesse is not meant such a righteous man as is in deede and in truth iust and righteous but such a one as is iust and righteous in his owne opinion thinking himselfe iust and righteous and seeming to others to be righteous Euen such a righteous man as Christ speakes of ſ Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Wherefore if any such fall away it is euident that their righteousnesse was no true righteousnesse for he that is truly righteous is t Psal 1. 3. like a tree planted by the riuers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leafe also shall not wither The righteousnesse of a righteous man shall not vtterly decay the righteous man shall not quite fall away from his true righteousnesse Further an obiection is made from those places of Obiect 2 Scripture which mention a kind of loosing of faith a departing and erring from the faith As when the Apostle saith u 1 Tim 1. 19. holding faith and a good conscience which some hauing put away concerning faith haue made shipwrack And againe when he saith x 1 Tim 4. 1. In the latter times some shall depart from the faith And againe y 1 Tim 6. 10. the loue of money is the roote of all euill which while some haue coueted after they haue erred from the faith Now if a man may make shipwracke of his faith if he may depart and erre from the faith then it seemes that a man hauing faith may loose it and fall away I answere that by faith in those places mentioned Answ is not meant the true iustifiing faith by which a sinner is iustified and saued but faith there signifieth the sound doctrine of the Gospell which some had receiued professed and delighted in for a time but in time of tribulation and tentation when any trouble came vpon them or when the couetousnesse of money and filthy lucre tempted them and when the loue of the world ouercame them because they did not z 1 Tim 1. 19. hold faith and a good conscience and because they did not a 1 Tim. 3. 9. hold the misterie of the faith in a pure conscience but put a way a good conscience no marueile though their temporarie faith failed no merueile though they erred from the truth and so made shipwracke of faith For as one saith well b Vt salua fides ad portum vs● perueniat nauigationis nustrae cursus bona conscientia r●gendus est Calu in 1 Tim. 1. 19. to the end that we may bring the ship of faith safe to the hauen the course of our sailing must be guided by a good conscience And sure it is that who soeuer hath receiued the true and sound doctrine of the Gospell of Christ whereby true faith is begotten in the heart and to that sound and wholesome doctrine ioynes a good conscience both before God and towards men he can neuer make shipwrack of his faith So then we may conclude that if any fall away from the faith they neuer had true iustifiing faith at the most and best their faith was but a temporarie faith they beleeued for a while and in time of temtation fell away Now seeing that the faith of Gods elect cannot vtterly Vse 1 faile nor altogether be lost this is profitable for instruction To make our calling election sure it teacheth vs to labour to make our calling and election sure To labour to be sure of this that we are in the blessed number of Gods elect and that we are effectually called of God which we may know by the works of sanctification and by the fruits of the Spirit this is that whereunto S. Peter exhorteth saying c 2 pet 1. 10. Wherfore the rather brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye doe these things you shall neuer fall Here is a promise you shall neuer fall a promise that the faith of the elect shall neuer vtterly faile and therefore the Apostle exhorteth to make our calling and election sure let vs make sure that we be elected and called of God and then it 's sure we shall neuer fall But how shall we know whether we be elected and called the Apostle answereth If ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall what things what must we do that we may be assured of our election and calling and that we shall neuer fall the Apostle tels vs what things d vers 5. 6. 7. And besides this giuing all diligence adde to your faith vertue to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse Charity So that here a christian is to try and examine himselfe whether he be such a one as shall neuer fall away namely by inquiring whether he hath faith and vertue and knowledge and temperance and patience and godlinesse and brotherly kindnesse and charity For saith the Apostle e ver 8. If these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shal● neither be barren nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ And againe f ver 10. If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall but if a man after tryall and examination had of himselfe cannot finde these things in himselfe but findes a want of faith of vertue and honest conuersation a want of the true knowledge of God a want of temperance and sobriety if he finde in himselfe a want of patience to endure affliction and to suffer wrong if he finde a want of godlinesse of brotherly kindnesse and charity certainly such a one is in miserable state concerning his soule how soeuer he be in regard of his outward state in the world for if they that doe these things shall neuer fall then they that want these things shall fall and their fall shall be great A man that is to purchase land or to take but a lease of a house or ground how carefull will he be to make all sure for if his writings be not good and sufficient he knowes that all his mony which he hath layd out is lost gone and hee 's ouerthrowne Thus wise are men in their generation ô that we could be as wise for the saluation of our soules to make all sure A man that hath land inheritance hath some good euidence to shew for the same so we should labour to attaine to this assurance of saluation that we can be able to shew some good euidence for our inheritance in heauen lest hauing nothing to shew we loose our inheritance Secondly seeing that the faith of Gods elect cannot Vse 2 vtterly faile and that they who haue true iustifiing faith Consolation to the

it hath beene for swearing and lying and slandering for railing and reuiling and filthy speaking are thy hands the same for hurting thy neighbour or any thing that is his are they as heauy vpon thy poore neighbour as they haue beene through violence oppression vnmercifulnesse or by any manner of vn●ust and vnconscionable dealing and perceiuest thou no change is there no reformation nor amendment of life is thy heart as corrupt as before thy eye as wicked as before thy tongue as diuellish as before and thy hands as cruell and catching as before iudge heereby in what a dangerous state thou remainest as long as thou thus remainest not changed not renewed nor reformed For whosoeuer findes in himselfe no alteration from euill nor reformation of his former euill course nor any good change of life hee is no new creature and if he be not a new creature then he is not in Christ if hee be not in Christ then hath hee no true faith in Christ whosoeuer hath not true faith in Christ cannot be saued So that without reformation there is no saluation By this then the prophane wicked vngodly man may see his danger the common ordinary swearer the prophaner of the Saboth the contemner of Gods Word the disobedient the cruell malicious and vnmercifull man the proud the formcator and adulterer the drunkard the couetous the oppressour the vsurer and extortioner the false accuser the slanderer c these and such like may all see their fearefull and dangerous state none of which as long as they are such can say truely that they are in Christ neither haue they true faith in Christ because they are not new creatures for had they true faith in Christ they would shew some good signe of their faith and this is a plaine and euident signe of faith to bee a new creature to forsake our old conuersation and hence-forward to liue in newnesse of life The consideration whereof ought to bee of force to rowze vp the dull spirits of all such as are yet a sleepe in sinne to awaken them and cause them earnestly to goe about this great and necessary worke of Reformation of life knowing this that our new-reformed life giues euident testimony of our faith in Christ CHAP. XXI Of workes of Mercy WOrkes of mercy are the third outward 3 Workes of Mercy signe and marke of true iustifying faith By workes of mercy and deedes of charity I vnderstand such workes as come a 1 Tim. 1. 5. out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained as saith S. Paul For the faith whereof I entreat is that which as S. Paul saith b Gal. 5 6. worketh by loue And not that vaine and vnprofitable faith which S. Iames calls a c Iam. 2. 17. dead faith And that works of mercy and deedes of charity proceeding from a heart purified by faith and from such a one as is iustified by faith in Christ are good outward signes and euident testimonies of true iustifying faith the Scripture witnesseth S. Paul to Titus saith d Tit. 3. 17. These things I will that thou affirme constantly that they which haue beleeued in God might bee carefull to maintaine good workes S. Iames demands of vaine men which boast of faith without workes e J●m 2. 14 15 16 17. What doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and haue not workes can faith faith saue him if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them depart in peace be thou warmed and filled notwithstanding yee giue them not those things which are needfull to the body what doth it profit euen so faith if it hath not workes is dead being alone If a man see a poore Christian naked and cold and hungry and say vnto him alas poore soule get thee to the fire and warme thee but doth not bring him to the fire if hee say get thee clothing to couer thee but giues him no garment if he say get thee meat and fill thy belly but giues him no meat these faire words profit the poore creature nothing at all these pitifull words doe neither warme him nor feede him nor cloath him Now if such a man say hee hath faith he is much deceiued his faith is a vaine and vnprofitable faith for hee sheweth no good signe of his faith by his workes Mary that deuout woman after that she had heard Christ preach and vpon hearing beleeued the Gospell and had true faith in the Sonne of God brought the f Matt. 26. 7. box of very precious oyntment and powred it on the head of Iesus as hee sate at meat And Christ testifieth of her saying g Vers 10. shee hath wrought a good worke vpon mee Zacheus after that the Lord had graciously looked vpon him after that he was conuerted and beleeued begiones to doe good workes to deale his goods to the poore h Luk. 19. 8. Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore before this we heare nothing of Zacheus giuing to the poore or if hee gaue any thing it was little auaileable to him he remaining in impenitency and vnbeleefe but being conuerted and beleeuing Christ now wee heare of his good workes now hee bestoweth almes now he giues to the poore yea now hee deales his goods liberally to the poore Halfe his goods he giues to the poore good workes are sayd to be i Externa testimonia inter●ae p●tatis outward testimonies of inward piety And good workes though they be not the meritorious k N●n ●a●sa regnandi sed via ad regnum B●rn cause of obtaining the Kingdome of Heauen yet they are the way to the Kingdome For as the Apostle saith l Ephes 2. 10. Wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that wee should walke in them Good workes are not the procuring nor the deseruing cause of saluation but they are the effects and fruits of true faith m Matt. 12. 33. The tree is knowne by his fruit saith our Sauiour a good tree is knowne to bee a good tree by the good fruit it beareth the good fruit which it beareth giues euident testimony to all men that it is a good tree now good workes are good fruits whereby a good christian giues euident testimony and a demonstratiue signe of his true sauing faith But here I would haue it vnderstood that I limit not workes of mercy deedes of charity only to giuing of The extent of Charity to all duties of mercy both corporall and spirituall almes to feeding the hungry and cloathing the naked c But I extend workes of mercy in the largest sence to all the duties of loue charity to our neighbour to the charitable helping and succouring of any one and euery one that is in any present misery distresse in any neede of helpe

cannot escape the iudgement of God And many in this agonie being not able to deliuer themselues and their soules refusing comfort are swallowed vp with abundance of worldly sorrow and without the great mercy of God are plunged into the gulfe of despaire But there is also an Euangelicall sorrow for sinne 2 Euangelicall Two-fold which is properly Godly sorrow and this is twofold Inward and Outward Inward sorrow for sinne is called Contrition Outward is mourning lamenting and weeping for sin First of Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne In 1 Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne handling whereof I will shew First what Contrition is Secondly how it is wrought in vs. Thirdly the signes and markes of it Fourthly the motiues to perswade vnto it For the first Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne 1 What Contrition is is a sorrow of the heart specially for this that a sinner hath offended God and being truely humbled with a sence and feeling of his sinnes is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes and doth now not onely dislike but from his heart detest and abhorre sinne This is properly called c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God or sorrow after a godly sort and godly sorrow and sorrow to repentance It is called d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 9 10. compunction of heart It is also called the e Acts 2. 37. renting of the heart And it is called a f Ioel 2. 17. broken spirit g Psal 51. 17. a broken and a contrite heart For the second How Contrition is wrought in a sinner The meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition 2 How Contrition is wrought in a sinner and inward hearty sorrow for his sinnes are two The one is the gracious working of the Spirit of God giuing a sinner a liuely sence and feeling of his sinnes giuing him grace to see and know how by his 1 By the working of the Spirit of God sinnes he hath offended God and grieued the Holy Spirit of God so●ming also his hard heart that hee may greeue lament and mourne for his sinnes after a godly manner This is that which the Lord saith by his Prophet Zachary h Zach. 12. 10. I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne A sinner looking vpon Christ whom by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded and hauing a true feeling of his sinnes greeueth and mourneth he is sorry after a godly manner but how is this godly forrow wrought in him the Lord saith that he will powre the spirit of grace and of supplications vpon the sinnefull soule and when the Lord hath put such grace into the soule of a sinner to see his sinnes and to perceiue how that by his sinnes hee hath offended God and pierced the Sonne of God then hee is inwardly grieued at the heart then his heart melts into teares This is the first meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition The second meanes is the preaching of Christ crucified 2 By preaching Christ crucisied as appeareth in the example of those first Conuerts to whom Peter preached Christ crucified For hauing testified against them that they had crucified Christ i Acts 2. 37 38. They were pricked in their hearts and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall wee doe their consciences were so stricken with the terrour of this that they should be guilty of shedding the innocent bloud of the Sonne of God that they were at their wits end they knew not what to doe yet were they desirous to finde ease to their troubled consciences but knew not how till they called to remembrance the words of the Apostle how that Iesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified and slaine was the Sonne of God whom God raised vp who ascended to Heauen and is exalted at the right hand of God and hearing also that he is Iesus the Sauiour that he is the true Messias Christ the Anoynted of the Lord heereupon they are pricked in their hearts and touched in their consciences with a feeling of their sinnes yet so as they doe not despaire of all mercy but trusting in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Christ and being desirous to know how they may finde comfort to their troubled consciences they said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Menand brethen what shall we doe ô teach vs what we must doe to be saued Now they are sorrowfull after a godly manner now they are of a contrite spirit and an humble soule now they are exceeding sorrowfull that they haue crucified the Lord of life now they haue bleeding hearts for that they haue shed the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God now they are exceedingly displeased with themselues for that they haue done so wickedly and now they so abhorre their sinnes and wickednesse that they purpose neuer to doe wickedly againe So that their compunction was not onely a bare pricking of the heart such as Cain and Iudas had but as they had a feeling of their sinnes so also had they a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Moreouer to the compunction and pricking of their hearts there was ioyned a readinesse to obey the will of God and to doe whatsoeuer the Lord should command them and therefore it is that they say Men and brethren what shall we doe to the end that a sinner may be brought to Contrition its necessary that the Word of God which is k Heb. 4. 12. quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding a sunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe pierce the heart and wound the conscience making the sinner to feele his sinnes to know that by his sinnes he hath offended God who hath beene so gracious a God and so louing and mercifull a Father vnto him and to acknowledge that by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded the Sonne of God who was content to be pierced and wounded yea and to suffer his bloud to be shed for his sinnes The Adamant the hardest stone which will neither bee bruized with iron nor melted with fire is notwithstanding dissolued with l Gemin lib. 2. cap. 26. Goats-bloud What heart is there so hard and stony so adamant-like that will not bee mollified and softned that will not be rent and broken yea dissolued into teares being washed and soaked in the bloud of Christ this ô man this must or nothing will soften thy hard heart Thus Contrition is wrought in the heart The third thing is concerning the signes and marks 3 Signes of contrition or inward godly sorrow of Contrition Contrition or

breaking of the heart with godly sorrow for sinne is not felt at least in some measure there sinne sticks fast in the heart Secondly if any be so tender ouer themselues that 2 Except we breake our hearts God will breake vs in his wrath they will not suffer their hearts to be vexed and disquieted with the remembrance of their sinnes and thinke it a grieuous thing to rent breake their hearts with godly sorrow for their sinnes they may iustly feare least the time shall come when the Lord shall y Psal 2. 5 9. speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure And least the Lord will breake them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessell Fourthly to mooue vs to Contrition and inward 4 The benefits of contrition godly sorrow let vs consider the benefits that may come vnto vs thereby First Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne is a sacrifice acceptable to God when we doe in 1 It is a sacrifice to God secret humble our soules before God and sit sighing and groaning sorrowing and grieuing for our sinnes when we are labouring to rent and breake our earthly carnall fleshly hearts to roote vp some great master-sinne out of our hearts we then offer a sacrifice well-pleasing to God such a sacrifice as Dauid offered when he humbled himselfe for his sinnes z Psal 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Secondly worldly sorrow and griefe may hurt a man 2 Godly sorrow hurts not but godly sorrow hurteth not For a 2. Cor. 7. 10. godly sorrow worketh repentance to saluation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh Death as saith the Apostle and Dauid saith b Psal 147. 3. the Lord healeth the broken in heart and bindeth vp their wounds Thirdly the renting and breaking of the heart with 3 Sorrowing for sinne in this life will keepe vs from sorrowing in the life to come godly sorrow in this life is a meanes to keepe vs from sorrowing and grieuing after this life For after this life c R●u 21. 4. there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away In the Booke of Wisedome the wicked being in hell in torments are described by sorrow and anguish of spirit when they shall see the righteous whom they despised on earth in ioy and felicitie and themselues cast into outer darknesse Then they shall groane for anguish of spirit and say within themselues d Wis 5. 4. 5. c. We fooles accounted his life mad●●sse and his end to ●e without honour How is he numbred among the children of God and his lot is among the Saints therfore haue we erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs and the Sunne of righteousnesse r●se not vpon vs. We wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction yea we haue gone through deserts where there lay no way but as for the way of the Lord we haue not knowne it What hath pride profited vs or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought vs all those things are passed away like a shaddow c. They that will not sorrow nor grieue after a godly manner for their sins in this life they that will not rent their hearts and turne to the Lord while they haue space for repentance granted them on earth after death shall lie in the place of outer darkenesse sighing and sorrowing grieuing and groaning renting and breaking their hearts when it is too late Blessed then and happie are they Vse who now in this life doe sorrow after a godly manner Against those who breake their hart with worldly sorrow but haue little sorrow of heart for their sinnes for their sinnes that they neede not sorrow nor grieue after this life Now whereas God requireth contrition and inward sorrow for sinne seeing all penitent sinners haue had it more or lesse and seeing that it is so necessarie and profitable for euery sinner as hath beene declared the consideration hereof serues to reproue those who for some wor●dly calami●ie or losse are so inwardly vexed and grieued at the heart that they euen breake their heart with sorrow griefe and yet are little or nothing mooued to sorrow and griefe for their sinnes they breake their hearts with worldly sorrow but not with godly sorrow And yet worldly sorrow is hurtfull and godly sorrow is necessarie and profitable Be not deceiued with the vaine and false opinion of those who thinke that this sorrowing for sinne will make a man Melancholike all the dayes of his life not so For the Lord will e Psal 147. 3. heale the broken in heart and they that f Mat. 5. 4. mou●ne shall bee comforted Yea godly sorrow brings the best ioy and soundest comfort Of worldly ioy and mirth Solomon saith g Pro. 14. 13. the end of that mirth is heauinesse But h 2. Cor. 7. 10. godly sorrow St Paul saith worketh repentance to saluation not to be repented of A sinner that hath truly repented and beene sorrowfull after a godly manner shall neuer repent that he hath repented nor euer be sory that he hath bin sorry after a godly sort For though a sinner sorrowing and grieuing for his sinnes be in heauinesse for a time yet in the end the Lord will send him comfort and refreshing to his soule and the end of that sorrow will be peace and ioy peace of conscience and ioy in the holy-Ghost CHAP. VI. Of Godly sorrow which is outward in mourning and weeping for sinne HItherto of Godly sorrow which is inward 2 Outward sorrow for sinne Therein two things Godly sorrow is also outward and it stands in outward mourning lamenting and weeping for sinne In the handling whereof I will First shew the manner how a penitent sinner may expresse his godly sorrow aright by outward mourning lamenting and weeping Secondly vse motiues to perswade thereunto First of the manner how a sinner that is sory after a 1 How a penitent sinner may rightly mourne for his sinnes godly sort ought to mourne and weepe and therein I consider foure things First for whome we are to mourne and weepe Secondly for what Thirdly the time when Fourthly the measure how much and how greatly Therein foure things a sinner is bound to mourne and weepe Touching the first we are to mourne and weepe for our selues and others for our owne sinnes and for all 1 For whom the abhominations that are done by others Dauid wept and mourned not only for his owne sins but also for the sinnes of others So he saith a Psal 119 136 Riuers of waters run downe mine eies because they keepe not thy law In Ezekiel the man cloathed with linnen which had