Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	faith_n	good_a	purge_v	1,223	5	9.3250	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02762	The burning bush not consumed wherein (either vnder all deepe sense of wrath; or hardnesse of heart, one may iudge, whether he be the childe of God, or not, &c. Chiefly receyuing satisfaction concerning the sinne against the Holy Ghost. Perused by I.D. and diuers other diuines.	Hart, John, D.D.; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639, attributed name.	1616 (1616)	STC 12891; ESTC S103842	61,708	194

the predominant sinne of naturall inclination making it either if it be possible to appeare no sinne at all or at least to be but a small light trifling thing and not out of measure sinnefull as indeede it is after which frailty not being able to resist the affections are defiled inflamed and set a fire with a loue to the inticing obiect of seeming delight which being done the flesh and carnal reason now bearing sway hee neuer leaueth vntill he cause the Childe of God to fall into the same sinne againe vnlesse the Lord by speciall Grace sustaine him Schol. What mooueth that cruell enemy to assault Gods children in that terrible manner Minist The hatred which he hath first against God and then against man because of God Next because aboue all things hee would gladliest haue one to fall away who hath obtained Grace for this he thinketh is his glory to disgrace the worke of the holy Spirit in vs and to cause the name and holy religion of God to be blasphemed As also that hee may bragge if it were possible of his victory ouer the power and grace of God And further because there is rooted in him an vnsatiable desire of the destruction of all the creatures of God but especially of his Elect children Sc. What lesson ariseth from hence Minist First to take no truce with sinne because this cruell enemie entreth vnto the soule thereby for dallying with sinne is as it were a doore for him to enter in vs the soule then being the place of his residence 2. To labour diligently and narrowly to finde out all our sinnes chiefely that predominant of naturall inclination 3. We must labour to be in a continuall battell alwayes with all our sinnes giuing them no rest nay not so much as suffering an euill thought to enter into our minde with peace but to suppresse pursue and crucifie it presently by lifting vp the heart vnto Christ striuing against it Fourthly to be sure that we repent vs of all our sinnes truely as often and so many as possibly wee can remember crauing for those wee cannot call to minde and as our eyes are opened by which we see more and more to be sure we purge all out conceale nothing from God so making a cleane conscience 5. To be at a continuall battell with all our euill affections pressing them downe with a continuall remorse and sorrow with faith in the obedience merits death and resurrection of Christ Iesus 6. To watch continually and beware that the strength of sinne on a sodaine inflame not so the powers of the soule that they breake out like fire in the whole man 7. To be sure aboue all things we continue a most earnest constant fight against our predominant sinne being warie as we loue our life and peace that we suffer not the least motion thereof to enter in our soules because this aboue all other sinnes is the traytour that will soonest deceiue vs vnder shew of friendship For if we suffer the thoughts thereof to encroach vpon vs it will passe our power to restraine the same vntill to our extreame sorrow it haue burst forth in action Further to labour to fill the heart both with the word and with a sense of our continuall guiltinesse because we drinke iniquite continually like vnto water endeauouring therefore to let the feare of God so possesse the soule as to terrifie it from euery little sinne whatsoeuer remembring also continually the excellencie of that euer-glorious Crowne prepared for all those who with a true though weake endeauour according to grace giuen striue for the same with patience running that race which is set before them least with the damned they burne in hell-fire for euer Then to labour with all our might to keepe a broken and contrite heart soft and humbled not only for the euill we do but also for that good wee should haue and doe Further to bee familiar with God in prayer labouring so to settle the heart that we may be more and more acquainted with him In which we must marke what our disposition is before wee pray what comfort wee haue in prayer and how wee are disposed after prayer when if we find no comfortable presence or sense of his loue wee must looke backe vnto our former actions since last we receiued comfort viewing what Ionas causeth this tempest which found wee then must neuer giue ouer vntill by a sound repentance we haue purged the heart therof Lastly to endeuour whatsoeuer the world thinke still to keepe a sorrowfull and lowly heart longing for his blessed Maiestie vntill he come when we feele him present blessing him for the same and diligently retayning him by faith and a good conscience Scholler Seeing the Lord hath all grace in his owne hand and both biddeth vs be holy as hee is holy and hath power to make vs holy What is the cause that hee suffereth his deare Saints to fall sometimes againe and againe into the same sinnes which they hate being sorrowfull for them and desiring earnestly to leaue them Minist To exercise their faith and repentance and humble them least they should grow proud To make them loath this present life in regard of sinne when they behold and feele themselues thus snared against their wills to long for that life where they shall neuer sinne any more but serue their God willingly perfectly and constantly for euer and euer Schol. May any one then conclude that he is vnder the eternall terrour of Gods wrath reprobated when he feeleth an absence of God a presence of sinne after remorse and true for sorrow falling into the same sinne againe Minist No. Schol. In such an extreamity what must then vphold Minist Three things 1. To looke vnto that which God worketh in vs 2. To looke diligently into the nature of God 3. Vnto the examples of the Saints Schol. What should be obserued concerning GODS working in vs Minister First that seeing we consist of diuers contrarie parts renewed and vnrenewed that there may bee in the renewed a misliking of the euill that we may say with Saint Paul It is no more we but sinne which reigneth in vs doing the euill So againe The thing which I hate that doe I and the good thing which I would that doe I not Next we must be sure that so often as we fall wee must immediatly flye vnto GOD by repentance to obtaine new remission and pardon not delaying the time least ere wee be aware deadnesse and hardnesse of heart steale vpon vs seeing he who is vnfit to day shall be lesse fit to morrow remembring there-withall least Sathan who warcheth but an opportunity to drowne the soule in perpetuall sorrow suggest some lye or slaunder vpon the trueth of GOD That the iust man as it is written falleth seuen times a day and riseth againe and that when a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes

they thinke that they had better feelings at their first conuersion yet it is not so if for the present they stick close vnto all Gods meanes for their first feelings were in a great part rather suddaine passions then grounded comforts but after they come to haue any true conflicts with their soules the mud of the flesh is more purged away and all things are more sound then at the first Scholler Yet you know it is written that the righteous in their olde age shall be fat and flourishing bringing forth fruit what shall some say then or thinke of themselues when they find a decay in their memories c. Deadnesse in their affections c. Though they may not call their election in question may they not feare some strange iudgement Min. No surely for perhaps then they may flourish most of all in humility holinesse patience experience and such like graces when they want those stirring and hote affections Neither ought we to looke for such strength of memory and liuely operatiue actions of grace in age in sicknesse in great sorrowes and tentations as at other times in yong yeeres free from such assaults Neuerthelesse in such times God giues graces most fit for those times as in age grauity ability to giue good counsell to speake from experience c. So that though the aged Christians haue not alwayes most life and feeling and stirring grace yet are they better seasoned then young souldiers as the Prophet speaketh Giue thy strength vnto day seruant so haue they a great deale more of Gods strength to walke with yea the greatest measure thereof at their most neede which if wee should attaine vnto too soone it would make vs proud and secure to say with the rich man Soule take thy rest thou hast enough for many yeeres And therefore as Hounds doe hunt best when they followe the sent not the sight for then they runne a madding ready like to breake their neckes so aged Christians though they follow by faith and haue lesse feeling in sense yet doe they goe on more strongly to heauen then such who runne all vpon their sense Schol. How commeth it then to passe that Gods children are so addicted vnto feeling so mourning when they haue lost the same yea so troubled that they imagine all is gone for euer Minister Iust as a pricke of a pin or some other distemper in one part of the body doth so vexe vs that wee for the present are so grieued with the same that wee forget that strength and health which is in the rest of the body so the feeling and sense of Gods loue being for a while lost doth so dampe with the sorrowe thereof all other graces in the soule that for the present wee can discerne none and so imagine all to bee lost for euer Schol. What maketh Gods children so to relye vpon feeling Minister Certainly as I thinke because they remember not that it is written we walke by faith and not by sight and so their faith being weake by reason they are not well clothed with their spirituall armour hauing forgot their consolation no maruaile they stagger and reele to and fro hauing lost the touch of that hand which had wont to guide them So that I say it must bee want of faith the strength whereof appeareth most in the least measure of feeling Schol. Wherefore then doth God giue vnto his children such a measure of feeling at their first conuersion yet afterwards withdraweth the same Minist Euen as we see we may lead a little child when he is young whither we will with apples and such like toyes so are wee being babes in Christ led by feeling at our first conuersion then we are altogether for rewards at which time if GOD made vs not better offers then the world we would forsake him and cleaue vnto the same But with the woman of Canaan to hold out in repulses without feeling to gather strong arguments to mooue GOD againe and againe argues a strong Faith Againe Christians haue ordinarily more feeling at first because then euery thing is new vnto them receiuing more from God then they looked for Neither are our prayers then so much vnderpropt with arguments as with feelings then we come with simple sutes thinking God loues me and therefore hee will heare me As little children vse to come to their Parents they bring no forcible reasons but I pray you Father c. Giue me such a thing neither doe their Parents expect any but are well content yea glad to heare them aske at first But when processe of time makes those feelings by vse not to seeme so new and so not so sensible God hiding his face and feeling decaying then doe they beginne to lay about them with their knowledge to labour for strong reasons in their prayers to seeke how to mooue God best by his nature promises and former mercies And then indeede whatsoeuer wee thinke is the best growth in faith and al goodnes which after the storme is past Gods children can see and reioyce at yea and liue vpon the store a good while after hauing those prayers which they made in their deepest anguish as the best pillars of their assurance of Gods loue Schol. Why doth God for the most part so long delay to giue comfort and feeling vnto his children Minister Not like vnto some Physicians and Surgeons who with needlesse delayes put their Patients to extraordinarie paines but for their good to make them spend prayers whereby they are alway gayners the paines whereof is but the crossing of the flesh which the more it is tamed the better it is for them Schol. What then should one doe when hee hath long attended without any comfort or feeling Mini. When the soule would most willingly despaire because of the sense of sinne terrour of conscience and Gods absence then beleeue most lay surer hold then euer vpon the promises of the mercy of God in Christ Schol. How can one say that he beleeueth not finding in him the fruits of Faith which are prayer comfort peace and holinesse Minister Faith and lacke of feeling may well stand together yea and great doubting and hee who beleeueth most and feeleth least is hee who glorifieth God most for when we feele wee possesse as it were a beginning of that which shall be in heauen we liue now by faith and hope not by sight and feeling Schol. But how should the conscience in the meane time rest since feeling is no competent Iudge Mini. Build vpon that rocke against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Schol. What is that Minist To sticke close vnto Christ and vnto the vertue of his death and resurrection remembring the iustifying blood of Christ the satisfying blood of Christ the meritorious blood of Christ the comfortable resurrection of Christ Iesus And that hee came not to call the righteous but the sinners

whole man both soule and body 3. It is a finall defection a defection without recouerie such an Apostasie as Heb. 6. is called a falling away so that whosoeuer falleth truly into this sin falleth away without recouery yet men doe not come vnto this vniuersall Apostasie all at once but by little and little and processe of time for first they chase away and banish their whole light they waft make shipwracke of conscience they desperately harden their whole hearts vntill they become as it were incarnate diuels Sathanized in a wonderfull manner vntill they match Beelzebub himselfe in their desperate despite and malice so that there is no sinne which maketh a man so spitefully to detest Christ as this sinne yea with such extreame hatred that although he might hee will receiue no benefit of his Propitiatorie and Expiatorie sacrifice Scho. What is the cause that this sinne is so seuerely punished Mini. Amongst other causes because it is so free of infirmity suddaine fits and passions which other sins are not free of and so full of desperate malitious well-aduised malice scraping forth all light banishing all conscience fighting against the heauens so farre that because it cannot attaine vnto Christ who now in Heauen sitteth at the right hand of the Father in all glory it vndertaketh to bee reuenged vppon his true members the militant Church vpon earth which so farre as it can it persecuteth oppresseth and by all meanes rooteth out so that it is iust with God in his righteous iudgement to haue decreed neuer to giue repentance vnto the same Schol. By what steppes or degrees doeth this sinne ascend to the height of impiety Min. By foure steps it ascendes or rather descends towards Hell 1. It maketh a man doe actions against knowledge and conscience and that without infirmity vsuall in other sinnes falling from the Faith of Christ Next it maketh them to goe on forward in the same continually vntill they make their partiall defection a Totall their particular a generall and their generall a finall Apostasie Then further it maketh a man diuellish malicious despitefull to grow in malice against Christ and his members more and more Lastly if neere finished it bee the sinne against the Holy-Ghost indeede It maketh a man violently breake foorth in all sorts or fearefull and terrible persecutions in all kinde of blasphemies and grosse visible actuall sinnes all murthers burnings oppressions Witcherafts Sorceries Exterpations finally and what not to that end onely that it may resist oppose and despight and fight against the power effect graces and conuincing light of the Spirit Scholler May not one who in GODS sight and decree is chosen vnto life seeme to beginne to fall into this sinne and yet bee called backe both from preceeding therein and finishing the same Minister As I take it he may for wee know Manasseh the Sonne of good Hezekiah King of Iuday ruling in Ierusalem the place of Gods glory and worship in the midst of a glorious Priesthood many hundred yeeres olde whereof he could not be ignorant did notwithstanding abhominably sinne and seeme to goe on in the finishing of this sinne for a long time ouerturning and extinguishing to his power Gods worship building againe those high places which his Father had cast downe and abolished making a Groue and worshipping the whole hoast of heauen building Altars contrarie to Gods commandement in the house of the Lord and in the two vtter Courts thereof for the whole hoast of heauen causing his Sonnes to passe through the fire giuing himselfe to witchcraft and sorcerie to vse familiar Spirits and Southsayers setting vp the Image of his Groue in the house of the Lord filling and causing Ierusalem to swimme from corner to corner with innocent blood finally exceeding those exceedings sinnes of the Amorites yet no cast-away but at length proued to be the child of GOD for all this Iosephus also thus writeth of him Hee was so impudent that hee spared not to pollute the very Temple of God the Citie and the whole Countrey for making his entry in despite of God he slew afterwards all those who were vertuous men amongst the Hebrewes and though hee had no want of Prophets yet so it is that he killed euery day some so that Ierusalem was ouerflowne with blood c. Thus farre wee see one went and was by the mercy of GOD called backe againe Wherefore no poore Christian howsoeuer sinfull not comming neere the sinnes of Manasseh ought not to thinke hee hath committed this sinne yet is it good for all to flye all sinnes chiefely those done with deliberation against light knowledge and conscience for wee know the further that euen Peter himselfe went in Caiaphas Hall hee swore and forswore denying Christ so much the more but it was a great mercy to be called backe againe for which let all in their feares wish and pray Schol. What in the meane time must comfort vphold poore fearefull soules who imagine to haue committed this sin therefore forsaking all meanes Minist In my iudgement a better information of their iudgements is of great consequence to helpe to sustaine them for though wee yeeld for a while to all they affirme yet if they say that they could wish that they had not so sinned certainely then they haue not thus sinned or if they feare to bee or fall into this sinne they shall surely neuer commit this sinne Further such persons must bee demaunded of whether they be come vnto that despite against Christ that they would trample vpon his blood vs vpon the blood of a dogge whether their impious blasphemie be such that with the Pharisies they doe call him Belzebub whether those forgoing propertie of this sinne haue beene in them viz. a touched heart a taste of the powers of the word of trueth a taste of the powers of the world to come to bee partaker of the Spirit whence all such who affirme that their former actions and seeming graces haue onely bin hypocriticall lip-labor are excluded from possibility to haue committed this sinne whether they haue fallen quite away from their religion whether they haue renounced their faith in Christ Whether they haue impugned oppressed the knowne trueth yet persisting therein with resolution still to goe on therein Whether they haue fallen against knowledge and conscience whether there bee no infirmitie in their falls what long time it is since they haue so sinned whether or not as yet they may bee reclaimed Whether now they obstinately persecute Christ in all his members so farre as they are able Whether they runne not with a high hand in all manner of grosse actuall sinnes and rebellions Whether their wickednes be such that vnto their power they draw others into the same excesse of riot with them Whether their disease hath bin and is onely in blasphemies of the minde and then it is not nor so long can bee this great sinne which bursteth forth as is prooued in