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	good_a	unfeigned_a	1,203	5	10.8412	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43586	A new creature: or, A short discourse, opening the nature, properties, and necessity of the great work of the new creation upon the souls of men Being some plain discourses on Galatians vi. 15. By O. H. an unworthy minister of the Gospel.	Heywood, Oliver, 1629-1702.	1695 (1695)	Wing H1774; ESTC R221314	109,851	208

the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 and are in continual ecstacy in the admiration of O the Love of God in sending Christ of Christ in becoming Man 1 Joh. 3.1 in taking any of the Sons of Men to be the Children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God Rom. 11.33 There there only is something to be admired all the Glories of the World are but meer contemptible Pageantry he can trample them under his Feet with a better disdain then Diogenes trampled on Plato's bravery for he is in a sort crucified to the world Gal. 6.14.2 Cor. 4.18 And can pass by things seen with an holy scorn compared with things unseen which are Eternal This is the New Creature in the Mind 2. The New Creature is also manifest in the Conscience which though it be not a distinct Faculty but a compound of more yet it is of great use in the Soul of Man and its necessary that the Heart be sprinkled from an evil Conscience Heb. 10.22 which is done by the Blood of Christ and that the Conscience be purged from dead Works to serve the living God and this is effected by the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Now there are Four Offices of Conscience which the New Creature doth in good measure rectifie 1. As it is Index a guide a discoverer of Duty a bright Star in a dark Night an Hand in the Margin to shew us what is worth our observing a Schoolmaster to teach us a Monitor to shew our Mistakes and it must be regulated by the Word of God for Conscience is corrupted and is apt to be deceived and deceive us it is but an under-Officer and must it self be subject to God's Law hence the Christian seeks to regulate its dictates by the Word of Truth and Grace brings it to the rule What saith my Supreme Lord and Master I must follow thee no further than God's Law allows now the New Creature brings the Conscience to the Word and saith Thus far thou must go and no further the End of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and good Conscience and Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 These are always Companions this is a good Conscience 2. Conscience is liber 't is a Book wherein are noted and writ down all a man's Actions Expressions yea his Thoughts and Imaginations so it is a wise and faithful Register to produce them as a faithful Witness for or against a man another day the Books were opened Rev. 20.12 One of those was the Book of Conscience Conscience is as a thousand Witnesses if good the Holy Ghost joyns with it my Conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 And this is our rejoycing the testimony of our Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 If the Person have done any thing amiss Conscience brings it to the man's remembrance as the Sin of Joseph's Brethren made them say We are verily guilty Gen 43.21 Now a faithful Witness will not lye A rectified Conscience will give in a true Testimony to promote Repentance which is therefore called a bethinking our selves 1 King 8.47 or Heb. a bringing back upon our Hearts Conscience hath a tenacious Memory and will speak true in its Excusings or Accusings Rom. 2.14 15. which is proper to Conscience as a Conscience but Grace regulates it and adds some force to it 3. As Conscience is judex a Judge to pass the Sentence upon a man as the verdict is brought in It 's true it is but a petty Judge under the Supreme Judge yet the Great God confirms its judicial Sentence 1 John 3.20 If our Hearts i.e. our Consciences condemn us God is greater than our Hearts and knoweth all things Every man may and must keep a privy Sessions within preparatory to the Great Assizes if he be but passive and is loath to hearken to this Sentence he is self-condemned and this is but praejudicium judicij a sad prognostick of his being condemned at God's Tribunal which he seeks to escape as Felix did but cannot But if he joyn issue with this Sentence and condemn himself actively and voluntarily he shall not be judged or condemned 1 Cor. 11.31 Now Grace in the Heart makes a Man do this I am the Man saith Conscience I confess both the Fact and Fault A●rtthou so saith Conscience I must needs pass the Sentence upon thee according to God's righteous Law Well I yield saith the Soul I am convicted in this Court and cannot escape the Judgment of God I must flye to the City of Refuge 4. Conscience is vindex an anvenger a self-tormenter a guilty Person is one that torments or afflicts himself some do this sinfully by worldly Sorrow which causeth Death 2 Cor 7.10 The Christian must do it penitentially either for his own Sins or other mens so Lot vexed his righteous Soul with the Sodomites Sins 2 Pet. 2.7 8. The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he beat and Bastinado'd his righteous Soul The Godly Man must take the Whip of Conscience with the Hand of Grace and whip himself for his Sins or God will take it with his Hand and scourge him with it as he did David whose Heart smote him for numbring the People 2 Sam. 24.10 The Worm of Conscience gnawing at the Heart is an acute Pain and will be one of the Torments of the Wicked in Hell Mark 9.44 But the Godly Man prevents that by joyning issue with executing God's Sentence by self-excruciating trouble for Sin here this is a profitable use of Conscience by a free and voluntary seconding its severe Lashes to promote Godly Sorrow This for two parts of the New Creature that concern first the Mind secondly The Conscience Chap. X. A further tryal of the New Creature as to the Will and Affections the subjects of it and its Properties 3. ANother Subject wherein this New Creature resides is the Will and this is Cardo animae the hinge of the Soul the Master-Wheel upon which the whole Soul turns as an old Bowl receives a new Byas that turns it quite another way then what it had gone now the change of the Will is the main work of converting Grace There are Four Motions of the Will wherein the New Creature shews it self 1. In its Designs Aims Intentions The world and it self were the main drift of the VVill in a natural state all seek their own Phil. 2.21 the gratifying of the Flesh sensual Appetite and carnal Interest the universal Inquest is Who will shew us any good Psal 4.6 Oh for a good Bargain a cheap Purchase Another is for strong Drink or sweet Meats Plays or Pleasures another for Cap and Knee and Titles of Honour But the New Creature post-pones and scorns all these and designs the glorifying of God enjoyment of him let Chrst be magnified and my Soul glorified Phil. 20. And I can hate all other things God hath twisted them together and the Soul cannot part them

their Directions about Conversion which is co-incident with this to whom I refer the Reader Yet this must not be understood as though it were in any man's power to change his own Heart no more than he can create himself or put life into a dead Carcase but it becomes Men 1. Not to hinder or obstruct the strivings of the Spirit that may work this Grace 2. To improve their natural Faculties to the utmost in order to the attaining of this End I shall but briefly lay before you what a natural man can do by the help of common Providence and what he must do as he will answer the contrary another day to that God that hath given him a Command and rational Faculties capable of compliance 1. Own and improve natural Principles such there are that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innate notions common to man as man endowed with Reason as That there is a God that this God must needs be an excellent Being the ultimate End of all things the chiefest Good that all things depend upon him and must be reduced to him that this God must be worshipped that his Will is the Rule of man's Obedience that there is moral good and evil that there will be a retribution in this or in another world Natural Conscience even of Heathens discovers something of these grand Principles for so saith the blessed Apostle Rom. 2.14 15. That though the Gentiles have not the written Law before their Eyes yet they have a transcript thereof in their Hearts which declares to them some Good and Evil and Conscience accordingly excuseth them if they do well and accuseth them if they do evil Rom. 1.18 24. The imprisoning of these Truths in Unrighteousness produced a judicial hardening and giving them up to Uncleanness and rendred them to be without excuse and can we think that Men now disclaiming and obliterating these notices of Religion will fare better Surely no So on the contrary the way to obtain more is to improve what we have I say not that God is bound to give special Grace to such as improve common but an instance can hardly be produced to the contrary and this is God's method in vouchsafing his Grace to engage Souls to cherish and excite moral Principles by diligent endeavours which God usually seconds with his blessing yea this course doth naturally tend to weaken vicious Inclinations Set your selves about this work and you little know what it may come to at the last Oh that unconverted Sinners had but the Integrity of King Abimelech to act according to that Light they have Gen. 20.6 and restraining Grace God affords them which the Lord ca● Integrity which yet is but moral yet is good so far as it goes and a mean of more 2. Be jealous lest you be mistaken in this point lest you mistake the Nature of this New Creature or lest your own Hearts deceive you for they are deceitful and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 And Satan will be in danger to cast in a Brat of his own in the room of this New Creature Counterfeit Grace may look like Saving Grace Reformation looks like Regeneration how often is a Bristol Stone taken for a Pearl● painted Grapes once cheated living Birds yo● must first get a Scriptural definition of thi● New Creature To the Law and to the Testimony● Isa 8.20 Judge your selves by that word tha● must judge you at the last Day Rom. 2.16 Be afraid of Self-deceit Blessed is he that feareth always you live in the midst of Cheats a deceitful Heart deceivable Lusts a deceitful World and a cunning Devil all set against you and we are apt to believe that to be true we would have to be so but put the case to thy self What if I be mistaken I read of some that think themselves something when they are nothing Gal. 6.3 Others put a false Syllogism upon themselves deceiving their own selves James 1.22 What if this be my case VVhat if I be in a golden Dream imagining I am bound for Heaven when I am descending into the Pit what if I be found without the Oyl of Grace in the Vessel of my Heart a foolish Virgin amongst the wise Mat. 25.1 10. What if I prove the only Guest at the Gospel-feast without a VVedding-Garment Matth. 22.12 13. and be struck speechless Oh what an astonishing disappointment will it be hath none proved such why may not I Some have gone off the Stage with a Lye in their Right hand Isa 44 20-50.11 and have lain down in Sorrow notwithstanding the Sparks of their own kindling O what need have I to fear lest a promise being left of entring into Rest I should really come short of it Heb. 4.1 3. Deal faithfully with your own Souls in self-examination Flatter not your selves but examine not only your Actions but the Internals of your Souls how your Principles are stated you may do it for God hath given you a Self-reflecting Faculty The Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 that searcheth the inward parts of the Belly You must do it you are commanded to commune with your own heart to examine your selves Psal 4.4.2 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 6.4 Psal 77.6 prove your work God's Servants have made diligent search and will you continue Strangers to your own Hearts will you be so unkind Neighbours as never to ask your Hearts how they do or will you be put off with afrivolous or delatory Answer Oh Sirs come to a point drive your selves to this Dilemma I am either a New Creature or not a Child of God or of the Devil I am bound either for Heaven or Hell I had not need to hang in suspence about this weighty case I will now put this doubt out of doubt I cannot rest satisfied with uncertainties in so weighty a concern God forbid I should weigh it light or be mistaken I must not take Preparatives for parts of the New Creature the Porch for the House I will try and try again and prove my marks by Scripture-rule and appeal to God for the Sincerity of my Heart Examine me O Lord and prove me and try my Reins and my Heart Psal 26 2. I must be a new Man or no man in Christ I will not be put off with morality or uncertainty irresolvedness breeds disquietness I am determined to make something of it 4. Attend diligently on the most powerful Ministry not such a dull formal heartless Preaching as will rock you asleep in Security or sow Pillows to your Arm-holes Ezek. 13.17 22. Preaching placentia promising Life in a sinful State crying peace peace when God proclaims war against you thousands are undone by Flatteries Oh wait on a rouzing convincing Ministry which is the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1.16 The Seed the proper method of working divine Grace Gal. 4.19 where Christ is formed in Sinners Souls the Glass in which you may behold the Face of your Hearts James 1.25 By which you may be