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	timothy_n	1,872	5	11.8568	5	true

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

and sanctified by the Spirit born of the Spirit and are Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.11 19. Nothing can search or reach the Heart but the Holy Ghost The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 and deep things of Men. An Angel is too short-sighted to see into Man's Heart too short-handed to reach the Conscience or make a New Creation God alone turns Stones into Flesh God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 It is an Act of Power to make a People willing Psal 110.3 or Volunteers No man can come to Christ except the Father which sent him draw him Job 6.44 And God reacheth forth the Hand of the Spirit to attract Hearts to himself 6. The proper immediate Effect of this Work that is a change into a new Frame or Course by which the Sinner becomes new or another than what he was before this is the formalis Ratio genuine necessary Attendant yea intrinsick nature of this which we call the New Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new The Faculties are the same but new Qualities are put in as in a Lute the Strings are the same but 't is set to a new Tune In a River the Water is the same but 't is put into a new Channel the Bowl hath got a new Byass So the Convert said to the tempting Harlot Ego non sum Ego I am not I or as Paul said of himself who was before a Blasphemer a Persecutor but I obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1.13 i. e. converting Grace hath changed me Thus the same Apostle saith of the Corinthians Such were some of you but ye● are washed but ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 6.11 Oh what a mighty change doth Grace make from Lying to Fearing an Oath from vain speaking to Holy Discourse from carelesness to the greatest concernedness about Soul affairs yea from Darkness to Light Eph. 5.8 From Death to Life from Satan to God Acts 26.18 The Man is now got into a new World as one observes from Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one Heart which that I may do I will cast it a new in order to this I will melt and soften it as one that hath many pieces of old Silver by them casts them into the Fire melts them and molds them into one Bowle Thus doth God with the divided Heart in renewing it and framing it for his use 7. Here 's yet further the compleatness of this Change it s not some external Acts Motions Conversation nor only Internal Cogitations Affections Workings of the Will and Conscience but the description goes further even to the State Constitution Relation of the Man and therefore I add changing the whole man from an old state to a new for every Man and Woman hath a state before God therefore Paul sends Timothy to know the state of the Philippians Phil. 2.19 This imports not a transient Act but a settled abiding Frame continued Relation Sinners are by Nature Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Limbs of Satan Heirs of Hell this new Mold makes them Children of God Members of Christ Heirs of Heaven yea it puts them into an habitual tendency towards Heaven and heavenly things which is a kind of a second Nature in them this moves the holy Soul acting like it self as naturally upwards as a Stone moves downward therefore it s called a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 14. the acting follows the being of a thing Make the Tree good and the Fruit will be good Mat. 12.33 If a Watch be not well made it will never go well They say of the Peacock roast him as much as you will yet when cold his Flesh will be raw again So force a Carnal Heart to the highest strain of seeming Piety yet it will come to its old Complexion because there 's not a new Nature fill a Pond full of Water it will abate if there be not a Spring to supply it The New Creature is united to Christ and receives grace for grace John 1.61 8. Here 's the Pattern Copy Example according to which this New Creature is moulded it is the Soul 's being transformed into the divine likeness this Image of God consists in Knowledge in the Intellectual Faculties Righteousness in the Will Holiness in the Affections Col. 3.10 And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Eph. 4.24 That you put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness or holiness of truth As the Work of Grace in the Heart is a true Copy or Transcript of the Divine Image they agree as the Face in the Glass doth with the Face of the Man that looks in it or as the Image in the Wax with the Sculpture in the Seal from which it is derived Godliness is Godlikeness Summa Religionis est imitari quem Colis The Summ and Substance of our Religion is to imitate whom we worship not that its possible to be like God with a perfection of degree but Sincerity Be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect Mat. 5.48 A Child hath the parts of a Man though not the bulk for the New Creature is in a daily increase and tendeth to perfection as a small Seed hath vertually the bigness of a grown Tree though little in its self But the Christian is like God man only can beget a man like himself So the Spirit only doth beget the Christian like God Now Divines Journal Christian Bemon part 2. pag. 173. take notice of a double Likeness a bare Similitude Snow and Milk are both white alike yet are not the Image one of another 2. Derivation deduced from another and so the Picture which is drawn every Line by the Face of a Man this is properly the Image of a man after whose Likeness it is made Thus by Holiness the Christian becomes the Image of Christ Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son 9. There 's the Rule of this New Creature which is expressed by turning the Heart and Life to the Rule of the Word this either refers to the manner of framing the New Creature or the Rule by which the New Creature acts and moves being once formed As to the former the New Creature receives the Stamp Signature and Impression of the Word Rom. 6.17 But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you Or as it is more properly in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which you were delivered i. e. the Soul is the Metal the Word is the Mould into which the Sinner is cast and thereby receives a new Stamp formed into a new Shape which naturally issues it self into a new

Fightings from without and Fears within I am shifting from Post to Pillar let me be dissettled till my Soul fix on Christ then shall not my Heart be troubled if believing in God I believe also in Christ John 14.1 Let me never be at rest till all ways are blockt up but this If I sit still I dye 2 King 7.4 If I go to the World I pine I will venture upon God's Promises Christ's Purchase if I must dye I will dye there but never did any dye at his Door 7. At last the troubled Spirit issues out its perplexed Thoughts in Complaints and Prayers God faith I have surely hearth Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 So methinks I see the disquieted Soul creep into a Corner to ease his burthened Spirit into God's Bosom in this manner Lord here I am as wicked a Malefactor as ever stood at thy Bar and as miserable a Beggar as ever lay at thy Door I was condemned as soon as convinced and have too too wofully improved the Stock of Original Sin in thousands of actual Rebellions I am twice dead in danger to be pluck'd up by the Roots Jude 1. and flung into the Fire of Hell many means hast thou used but nothing doth me good yet now thou hast brought me into the Wilderness Oh speak to my Heart Hos 2.14 Every Sin deserves damnation Oh how many Hells then do I deserve Thou art Righteous if thou damn me my Mouth is stopt I am found guilty before God Rom. 3.19 I am self-condemned thou shalt need no other Witness or Jury to find me guilty but Christ suffered and satisfied Justice for some poor Sinners and why not for me the chiefest of Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 I find not one word in Scripture against it but a Proclamation of a general Pardon to all Christ with all his Benefits is offered to me in the Ministry of the Word upon the condition of Faith and Repentance It s true I can neither repent nor believe but they are both included in the absolute Grant of the Gospel-Covenant which gives what it requires Lord give me a Gospel-Repentance unto Life and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ I hang on thee sweet Jesus who wast exalted on purpose to give Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins Acts 5.31 and the Faith of God's Elect. Thus much for Preparatives 2. The Parts of this New Creature lie in the renewing of the several Faculties of the Soul which consists 1st In the Mind and Understanding 2dly In the Conscience 3dly In the Will 4thly In the Affections which are the Motions of the Will 1. The New Creature consists much in the Mind which is called a renewing in the Spirit of the Mind Eph. 4.23 Interpreters have been much perplexed to know what is meant by the Spirit of the Mind Calvin saith Ego Simpliciter accipio Calv. in loc acsi dixisset renovemur non tantum quod ad inferiores Appetitus ant Concupiscentias quae palam sunt vitiosae sed etiam quod ad partem illam animae quae nobilissima praestantissima habetur i. e. be renewed not only in the inferiour Appetite and concupiscible Faculties but in that part of the Soul which is esteemed the most noble and excellent For the Mind is accounted a Queen and almost adored by Philosophers Now the Mind is renewed when there is 1. New Conceptions of things otherwise than ever before for a new Light set up in the Soul to see things after another manner the eyes of the understanding are now enlightned Eph. 1.18 Now he sees more Wickedness in his bad Heart then ever he did which makes him cry out as Job Behold I am vile Job 40.4 Lord thou art Heaven I am Hell said Mr. Hooper Now the Soul sees more Poyson and Malignity in Sin then ever before he sees it exceeding sinful Rom. 7.9 17. As striking at the Majesty clouding the Glory of the Holy God as crucifying Christ grieving the holy Spirit The New Creature begets other Conceptions of Christ as the Rose of Sharon Cant 5.9 the chief of ten thousand He looks on God's Commands as not at all grievous 1 John 5.3 but pleasant comfortable and profitable he looks on the Saints as the most excellent in the Earth Psal 16.3 Prov. 3.18 He hath got Eye-Salve to judge of things as they are The spiritual man judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 2. The New Nature bringeth a New Memory he forgets Injuries and remembers Truths his Memory is sanctified and fortified he lays up things in his Heart as the Pot of Manna was laid up in the Ark he can abundantly utter the Memory of God's great goodness Psal 145.7 The New Creature is as a Phylactery to prompt and put him in mind of God's Law Numb 15.39 If he hath not a great Memory yet he hath a good Memory God brings Sins to remembrance committed many Years ago and the Soul is humbled for them as if but newly committed and though sometimes the best of God's Children are subject to slippery Memories and do need Monitors yet they have Minds clarified and apt to be tenacious of the things of God 2 Pet. 3.1 I stir up your pure minds by way remembrance An hint will bring God and good things into their Thoughts again but wicked men are described by this Character of forgetting God Psal 50.22 Do you make it your business to remember God upon your Beds and in all Places Psal 63.6 3. The New Creature hath a new Councellor formerly the Soul consulted with carnal Interest and base and by-ends even in things of Religion if the Practice of Religion did cross his low and selfish Designs he laid it down but as soon as this Principle is put within him he saith as Paul immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood Gal. 1.16 God's glory the good of his own and others Souls lay uppermost Now the Christian goes to the Sanctuary in arduous cases Psal 73.14 and makes the Scriptures those divine Oracles the chief Counsellors Psal 119.24 in his Works Natural Civil Spiritual and dare venture upon nothing but what he hath warrant from God for not What saith this Friend or the other Relation but what saith God in the case directly or by good Consequence See the difference betwixt good Jehoshaphat and Ahab 1 King 22.5 6. the former said Enquire I pray thee at the Word of the Lord to day The other made nothing of it they so●n forgat his Works they waited not for his Counsel Psal 108.13 And God gives them up to walk in their own Counsels Psal 81.12 4. The New Creature hath new Admiration the Carnal Heart wonders at trifling Novelties David prays Open thou mine Eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law Psal 119.18 There indeed he spies wonders of Power Wisdom Holiness Faithfulness and a display of all God's Attributes but especially of free Grace and Love in the Work of Redemption he sees no reason to admire any thing but things