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
A37046	The law unsealed: or, A practical exposition of the Ten Commandments With a resolution of several momentous questions and cases of conscience. By the learned, laborious, faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. James Durham, late minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.; Practical exposition of the X. Commandments.	Durham, James, 1622-1658.; Owen, John, 1616-1683.; Jenkyn, William, 1613-1685.	1676 (1676)	Wing D2817; ESTC R215306	402,791	322

of the Moral Law doth perpetually oblige and tye to worship God and none other and that according to the manner which he prescribes Next unto the Rules already laid down for the better understanding of the Commandments we add two more The first is that the Commandements are so to be expounded as that none of them may contradict another that is there is nothing commanded in one that is forbidden in another or contrary one duty doth not justle with not thrust out another but they differ only and then two duties coming together in that case one of them ceaseth to be a duty for that time as is said in that distinction of affirmative and negative Commands The second Rule is that all these Commandments bind and call for obedience from men according to their places and other qualifications and circumstances The fifth Commandment calleth for one thing from a Magistrate another from a Subject a Magistrate is to edifie one way a Minister another a private Christian another a Servant is one way to reprove his Fellow-servant a Master another way The Law requires more from a man of parts power and riches then from another as to exercise and improvement of these gifts The Law being just has in it a proportionableness to places parts c. and sets bounds to stations but alters them not nor confounds them 3. For the help of your memories and that ye may have these Rules more obvious ye may draw them all under these five Scriptures The first Scripture is Psalm 119. v. 96. Thy Commandment is exceeding broad which though it be more extensive in its meaning yet it doth certainly include this Law which in an especial way is the Commandment and in the sense and comprehensive meaning thereof is exceeding broad for it takes in the fulness and extent of the whole Law in its obligation as to all things persons and duties of all sorts The second Scripture is Rom. 7. 14. which speaks to the Spirituality of the Law in the obedience which it calleth for the Law is Spiritual The third Scripture is Rom. 7. 12. which speaks the perfection of its nature the Law is Just therefore fretting against what it commandeth or wishing it were otherwise is a breach thereof It is holy therefore to be discomformable unto it is to be unholy it 's good and therefore it ought to be loved and delighted in The fourth Scripture is 1 Tim. 1. 5. and it speaketh the great end of the Law The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned which threefold End speaketh out the absolute purity and holiness called for in our love to God and others so as to have a good conscience in this before God all which must flow from unfeigned Faith without presumption resting on Jesus Christ who is in this sense the end of the Law The fifth Scripture is 1 Tim. 1. 8. The Law is good if a man use it lawfully and this guards against abusing of the Law and putteth us to the lawful use of it There are extreams in abusing the Law as 1. When it is used to see Righteousness by it Again 2. When the Authority of it is pretended for something it Warrants not such as the Traditions of the Fathers Matt. 15. seeking of Salvation by the observation of Circumcision c. 3. When its Authority in practise is denyed 4. When it is turned from practise to vain speculations and questions 5. When it is so used as it deters and scares from Christ 6. When it is so made use of as it oppresses and discourages a Believer for whose sake 1 Tim. 1. 19. it was never made or appointed as to its threatnings and condemning Power And lastly in a word when it is not used to the ends and in the manner expressed in the former Scriptures Fourthly Because the study of this Law is so singularly useful we not only press commend it but add further some few directions whereby we may be helped rightly to use it and to guard against the abuse of it in our hearing and reading of it 1. The first direction is ye would look on it as Gods Word and take it as if ye heard himself from Sinai pronounce it that so ye may tremble and be more affected with holy fear when ever ye read hear it or meditate upon it for so was the people affected when it was first promulgate 2. Be much in prayer for grace to take up its meaning David Psal 119. 18 c. prayed often for this and thought it not unbecoming a King yea a believing King and a Prophet to study this Law and pray much for opened eyes to understand the meaning thereof 3. In your reading seek to understand so as to practise it for that is the end of knowledge and the end the Law it self aims at Deuv 5. 1. 2. we knowing no more in Gods account then what we endeavour honestly to practise and not aiming at practise indisposeth both for understanding and practise and makes men exceeding careless 4. As ye hear and learn any thing to be duty or sin reflect on your selves and try whether that be sin in you and how far short ye are in that duty for this is the proper use of the Law to reveal sin and transgression Rom. 1. ●8 and therefore it is ca●●ed a Glass Jam. 1. 23. 24. and ye would look in it so as ye may know what manner of persons ye are and may know what sports are upon you 5. When the Law discovers sin ye would open your Bosom to let in Convictions for the Law entered that sin might abound not in practise but in sense feeling and conscience Rom. 5. 20. and follow these Convictions by repentance till they necessitate you to flye to Christ and leave you there 6. Take help from Christs Sermons and the Prophets to understand this Scripture for they are the only Canonical and therefore the best Commentary upon the Commandments yet ye would not despise the light holden forth in humane writings such as the larger Catechism which is very full as to this and if concionably improved will prove exceeding profitable for your instruction Lastly The Grave Case that we would speak unto before we enter particularly on the Commandments is whether any of these Commandments may be broken in our sleep by Dreams Imaginations Actions c. which otherwise are unlawful or whether when a man is sleeping and dreaming he be subject to the Rule of the Law and if its obligation extend to him even then This question hath its own difficulty and althought it be not good to be curious in it yet it wants not its own profit as to the peace and quietness of Gods people or to their humbling and stirring up unto repentance if it be rightely decided I know almost all run on the negative as if men were not in the least guilty of sin by such Dreams upon this

or Father cannot be averse But particularly we say 1. Rich folks are obliged to give even although they be wicked for unfaithful Stewards are obliged to distribute even a Nabal as well as others and they may in some cases when uncivilly refusing be put to it 2. Folks that have little are obliged to give though it should be the less as the poor widow gave her two mites Luke ●1 2. c. and so Christ speaketh of giving a Cup of cold water Matth. 10. 42. 3. Folks that may and can work should work for this very end that they may have to give and that although they themselves be no other wayes entertained but by their work Ephes 4. ●8 O! how little conscience is made of this how few work or work somewhat harder for this end 4. Consider how as to the manner and measure Charity or Alms is to be distributed It would be 1. liberally 2. chearfully it is dragged from some as if it were a cross and burthen to them 3. seasonably so that when there is need there would not be so much as a nights delay Prov. 3. 28. 4. Prudently and tenderly so as not to shame the poor and to make them scarr at it thus Boaz commanded to let fall some handfuls to Ruth that she might gather the more 5. judiciously according to need and where there is most need 6. humbly and denyedly not letting the right hand know what the lest doth Matth. 6. 3. and not being puft up so as to slight and contemn those we give our Alms to For general rules to direct in this matter I propose these 1. Lay by such a quota of your estate or gain and let that be dedicated to the use of Charity that ye may have it to bring forth when particular occasions shall offer men would not alwayes stay till it be sought but would have as it were a poors box or a box for the poor by them so the Lords appointing a certain Tythe under the Law for widows fatherless c. Deut. 14 22. c. and Deut. 16. 12. with Numb 18. 21. insinuateth that there should be a proportion of our estate laid aside for charitable uses and that direction of the Apostles 1 Cor. 16. 1. for every man to lay by him c. doth confirm this the doing of this would help a man to discern the proportion best of what he is able to spare to be thus employed which he cannot do in particular occasions because he knoweth them not but in the general he may proportion what he may spare to all in common thereafter subdivide wisely upon considerations and after-emergents yet so as when necessity is extream he go beyond that which is his ordinary allowance this also would prevent all temptations having any tendency to the disswading of us from any thing for that use if some what were set apart for it and it would also ease the mind and conscience of such who were tender if in some particulars they failed to be clear that they did not hold it in for their own advantage but that they were forth-coming according to their ability 2. This would be done monthly or weekly as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 16. 1. because it is reasonable that every week or moneth should have somewhat allotted for that use and it will be spared with less grudge then when it cometh to somewhat considerable being put together 3. Folks would not delay giving till the needy person seek they are often the greater objects of charity who seek not poverty is no reproach but Vagabond begging and floathful idleness when men are able to work hath ever been so and should not be tollerated amongst Christians but these who are right objects of Charity should be provided for and as it is in Nebem 8. 10. p●rtions should be sent to them 4. Hence there should be some wise mutual way of inquiring into folks necessities and the fairest way taken of conveying our Charity to them such as may be least burthensom to their ingenuity as Boaz did with Ruth in private commanding his Servants to let fall some handfuls this some may ●o who may have more access to and dexterity in doing things of that nature then others therefore friendly associations for this end that some might give and others distribute would be suitable If it should be here more particularly inquired What may be the qu●ta of this that is to be bestowed which must be understood of ordinary cases fo● extraordinary cannot be stinted It is hard to fix particular rules because it must vary 1. according to the givers estate 2. according to their need who receive 3. according to the several burthens of the givers who are to extend their Charity less or more accordingly for it may be that they have their own poor children or friends whom they must furnish and ●o cannot give so much as others who are free of the like burthens Look therefore to these general Rules 1. That Charity be liberal and in bounty not in covetousness too little is a fault and too much also may be one though not so great as the other see 2 Cor. 8. 12. 2. Let it be by Christian prudence in a conscientious deliberation determined as 2 Co●int 9. 7. ●s every man purposeth in his heart c. If a man will put it to a conscientious deliberation he doth well and it will not want fruits I think many could not judge their way to be conscientiously charitable and communicative if they would thus simply and unbyassedly put it to the tryal 3. Folks would judge it by an equality as it is 2 Cor. 8. 13. 14. for one man cannot fully supply all Now it is somewhat proportionable if a man considering the state of poor ones and other occasions can discern so much to be useful and needful to them and that his part of that would come to this much and accordingly to give even as all gave their proportion of tythes under the Law whatever others did only this sa●eth that men would even go beyond their power sometimes when others fail 4. Folks would set aside the half of their needless superfluity that they may be able to give out of their abundance that is when mens families are competently provided of meat cloathing and estate if there be still more let there be as much laid aside to this use For 1. this cannot burthen them 2. Less cannot be admitted of before God then to bestow as much on the necessities of others as on our own superfluities and 3. this would amount to much if so much were bestowed on Charity as we bestow on the superfluities of meat wine building of houses houshold plenishing vain apparel laces and other dressings of that sort 5. The Lord in the Law stinted the people to a tenth or thereby for Numb 18. 21. there was one tenth to the Levites alone who were to give the tenth of that to the Priests this might be