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
A91898	Panoplia. Universa arma. Hieron. Or, The Christian compleatly armed: being a treatise of the Christians armour, clearly opening every part thereof, both pressing to the putting of it on, and instructing us so to use it, as we may not be soyled in time of temptation. / Delivered by that late reverend, and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, pastor of Mary Woolnoth, London, to his congregation there, in several lectures: and now published for the further benefit of the Church of God.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1656 (1656)	Wing R1710; Thomason E1586_2; ESTC R208953	180,905	372

the judgement be rotten neither the heart nor the life can be sound We finde therefore in Scripture these two joyned together faith and a good Conscience Ever when men have been corrupted in the head they have been corrupted in their lives 1 Tim. 1. 19. holding faith and a good Conscience c. he that puts away faith must put away a good Conscience whether he will or no he that makes ship-wrack of faith will soon make ship-wrack both of Conscience and Conversation 2. Ex justo Dei jud●cio It s Gods way to punish the rejection of truth with giving men up to ungodline●s of life Thus God punished the Heathen Rom. 1. 25. 26 27 28 29. where you have both the sin and the just punishment of it So 2 Thes 2. 10. 11 12. Exhortation Let all Christians be careful to keep fast about them this Girdle We have a kinde of Popish Proverb among us ungirt unblessed There is a truth in it in this sense If Satan finde you without your Girdle upon your loyns he will easily prevail with you in the day of temptation Labour therefore to get and to keep this Girdle and if you see it grow weak labour to strengthen it Let me add a few helps by way of direction and I have done 1. Avoid the company and breath of known Seducers They will either quite take away your girdle or else they will much slacken it in a very short time if you have to do with them If any man come to your house and bring not this Doctrine receive him not nor bid him God speed 2 Joh. 9. 10. They have sleight of hand they can cut your purses while they look in your faces from such turn aside 2 Tim. 3. 5. 2. Do not think meanly of such Truths as are of an inferiour Nature and more remote from the Foundation He that cuts off every day a small shred from his girdle will very soon snap it quite asunder Though every Truth be not fundamental yet every Truth is a guard to the Foundation the outer skin of an Apple lies remote from the heart yet if you pluck that off the very heart will be sooner rotten The finger is not a vital part but a Gangrene in the finger will in a short time reach to the very Vitals and corrupt the blood and spirits 3. Be much in prayer to him that keepeth both the hearts and the feet of his Saints that he would keep the Truth in you and you in the Truth Holy Father saith our Saviour keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me Joh. 17. 11. Let us often pray this Prayer of Christ Holy Father keep us through thy Holy Name Tie on this girdle of Truth that it may neither slip off nor be taken off The Apostle Jude puts these two together ver 20. Building up your selves in your most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost 4. Take heed as of all sins so especially of the sin of Pride As Heresie is the mother of pride and scornfulness so Pride is the High-way to be Heretical A proud person will soon be an erroneous person If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words c. he is proud knowing nothing c. 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. Pride will make the Heart swell so bigge that the Girdle of Truth about your Loyns wil soon be knapt asunder Humility and Watchfulness are the best Buckles for this Girdle and the way to preserve Truth but Pride and Carelesnesse is the way to lose it 5. Keep a good Conscience in all things towards God and towards Man As the falling off from the Mystery of Faith will corrupt the Conscience so a corrupt Conscience and an ungodly Life will in time destroy the Mystery of Faith There is this Reason for it The Doctrine of godliness reproves the Deeds of ungodliness and therefore whoever goes on in ungodly Practices will at last cast off the Doctrine of godliness that he may not be a Reprover to himself Keep the Grace of Truth that you may preserve the Doctrine of Truth also Thus for the first Interpretation LECT IX Decemb. 5. 1649. Ephes 6. 14. Having your Loynes girt about with Truth c. IT old you the last Lecture that Expositors LECT 9 give a two-sold Interpretation of Truth in this place Some understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of Truth Others expounding it of the Grace of Truth We have gone over the former Interpretation already as it relates to the Truth of Doctrine From which we noted That firmness and stability in the Truth of Doctrine c. We have now to consider it as relating to the Grace of Truth for so it s used in Scripture as I shewed you the last day Psal 51. 6. Josh 24. 14. Joh. 4. 24. and so it is understood in this Text by many yea the most Interpreters that I have had opportunity to inquire into Calv. vocabulo veritatis sincerum animum intelligit Piscator veritatis vocabulo intelligit conscientiae integritatem c. Taking it in this sense the Doctrine is this viz. that Integrity and truth of heart is of special use to Doct. obtain vistory over Satan in the evil day of Temptation Whosoever would overcome the Devil must have his Loyns girded about with Truth in the inward parts He that wants this girdle may struggle for a while with a Temptation and may perhaps overcome a particular temptation but he can never hold against every temptation Sooner or later he wil be brought into bondage by the Temptations of the Devil By the help of this Girdle it was that Holy Job won and kept the field and got the day of Satan in that great Conflict and Dispute he had with him And by this Girdle it was that other of Gods assaulted servants did finally overcome In the handling of this Doctrine I shall do these three things 1. I shall briefly open the Nature of this Grace 2. I shall give you the Reasons of the Doctrine 3. I shall lay down a Caution or two for the understanding of the Doctrine 1. That we may find out what is meant by this Grace of Truth I shall bring several Texts of Scripture which do explain it First Partly by way of Opposition And Secondly Partly by Exposition or Illustration 1. By way of Opposition 1. We find it opposed to Deceitfulness and Fraudulency and False-heartedness So 2 Cor. 6. 8. As Deceivers and yet true He is a man of truth that is a man without deceit Thus our Saviour speakes of Nathanael Jo. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An Israelite in truth or a true Israelite is one in whom guile and deceitfulness is not he is one that hath not two faces he will not juggle either with God or men or himself Not as if a man of truth might not sometimes fall into an act of deceitfulness Abraham had truth in the inward parts and yet

did not say unto any Command of God stand by but did desire to obey universally True holiness saith not as Naaman In this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant c. 2 Reg. 5. 18. but saith with David Concerning thy precepts I account them in all things to be just and therefore I hate every false way Psal 119. 128. little duties as well as great small lies meer omissions c. It is not one action which denominates a man righteous but universality of obedience God gives this commendation to Caleb the Son of Jephunneth that he wholly followed the Lord Deut. 1. 36. and Moses gives the same testimony to Joshuah Josh 14. 9. A righteous person knowes 1 That there is the same purity in all Gods Commands And 2 that there is the same obligation for every Command He that saith do not commit Adultery saith also Do not kill c. Jam. 2. 10 11. And 3. that one sin allowed will ruine and sink his soul and disturb his peace as well as many And 4. he hates sin as sin and he loves obedience as obedience and therefore applies himself to all holinesse 2. He that lives a righteous life doth cordially bewail every Act of unrighteousnese His sin is his sorrow and burden and his Conscience is wounded for the least iniquity not onely that which is known to men but even that which is known to God onely his secret wandrings produce both secret and open grief It s said of David that his heart smote him for the cutting off of the lap of Sauls Garment 1 Sam. 24. 5. and 2 Sam. 24. 10. the same is said of him for the numbering of the people Neither of these were sins of any high or scandalous nature and yet they occasioned great trouble to Davids soul Yea true holiness doth much lament the body of sin that dwells within him though it do not break forth into actuall exorbitancies Thus it was with Paul Rom. 7. 23. 24. I see a Law in my members c. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. yea and secret sins as well as known sins And all this sorrow in the heart of a righteous person is not onely or principally for the mischief sin hath or may work unto himself here or hereafter but chiefly out of that Antipathy which is in his heart against sin and out of respect to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who is offended and wronged by his sin An unrighteous person casts his sins behinde his back never remembers them unless it be with sensuall delight or at most legal sorrow and that not so much for hatred of sin as fear of Hell but a truly righteous person sets them continually before his face And that not onely before but after pardon Psal 51. 3. and yet Nathan had told him before that God had put away his sin he should not die 2 Sam. 12. 13. And so Mary Magdalen 3. He that is of a righteous life is as careful to abstain from appearances of evill as from apparent and direct evill He dares not touch any thing that looks sin-like or that hath the least affinity with it If any thing be propounded to him which hath the face of vice he dares not for all the world have any thing to do with it he will not eat swines flesh or drink the broth Isay 64. 4. If the thing be doubtful whether it may or may not be done he will do that which is most safe and leave it undon Any thing which may be justly an occasion of sin to others Any thing which may have sinful consequences Any thing which may be liable to misconstruction Any thing which may prove detrimentall to others Any thing which may strengthen confirm and settle wicked men in sin though the thing should not perhaps be a sin in it selfe yet he that hath the Breast-plate of righteousness dares not do it because it hath the appearance of sin Any thing that is of evill report It was lawfull for Paul to eat flesh whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for Conscience sake yet when that action might have an appearance of evill and be a scandall to others he resolves not to do it 1 Cor. 8. 13. Paul might as lawfully have circumcised Titus as he did Timothy but when he foresaw that it would have produced an evill consequence viz. it would have confirmed the Jews in the errour of the Circumcision he would not do it Gal. 2. 3 4 Holy Daniel Cap. 1. 8. would not eat of the Kings meat nor drink of his wine there was an appearance of evill he did not know but something might be in it which was uncleane to a Jew by the Law or something which had been consecrated to Idolls Tertullian will have no lights in the worship of God because mos erat haereticorum Heretiques used so to do 1. A righteous person hath an Antipathy against sin and this makes his heart rise against any thing that is but like it 2. A righteous person is acquainted with the subtlety of the Devil and the incroaching nature of sin he that gives way to the appearances of sin will in a short time yield to that which is apparently evil LECT XII Decemb. 26. 1649. 4. HE that leades a life truly righteous Lect. 12. desires and endeavours every day to be more righteous He is one whose care is to cleanse himself from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. This Character the Holy Ghost gives of the righteous man Rev. 22. 11. He that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still The particle Still denotes not onely continuance but progress in holiness He desires not onely to bring forth the fruits of righteousness but to be filled with the fruits of righteousness and to abound more and more he doth desire daily to put off the old man and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ephes 4. 22 24. First he seeth the vileness and odiousness of sinne and therefore would have it further mortified he seeth the excellency and beauty of holiness and therefore he would have it increased and to this purpose desires to make conscionable use of all meanes of Mortification and Renovation Secondly he seeth what a little measure of holiness it is which he hath yet attained unto and this makes him mend his pace 5. The righteous man is one who workes righteousness in all times Not onely when it is gainful but even then when it is dangerous and prejudicial This is David's character of himself Psal 119. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing i● hath to thy judgments at all times And this is that character which he makes of others Psal 106. 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times A righteous person

faith faile all fails and if faith hold all holds 4. How the grace of faith quencheth the fiery temptations of Satan I shall shew it in two particulars 1. Faith quencheth Temptations by removing out of the soul that which keepes Temptations burning Sin and corruption in the soul is that fewel which fires Satans temptations the lusts of our own hearts keep these temptations flaming in the soul Now faith is a purifier it takes away all the rotrenness which keeps temptatiuns alive Act. 15. 9. There are three things which concur to the purifying of the soul 1. The efficient cause this is the spirit of God who is therefore called the spirit of sanctification and holiness 2 Thess 2. 13. 2. The meritorius cause this is the laver of Christs blood 3. The instrumental cause this is faith Faith is the branch of Hysop which was to be dipped in the blood of purification for the sanctification of him that was unclean Lev. 14. 6. There are many wayes whereby faith cleanseth the heart 1. Faith cleanseth as it takes hold upon the promise of sanctification The promise Ezech 36. 25. Now faith is that grace which works this promise so as to bring cleansing out of it Faith sucks cleansing out of this promise 2. Faith purifieth as it brings the word of God home effectually and powerfully to the soul The word of God hath a cleansing vertue John 15. 3. Now ye are clean through the word I have spoken to you Faith applies this cleansing word to the soul and so purifieth 3. Faith purifieth in that it makes all other ordinances effectual for our cleansing as Sacraments Prayer neither the blood of Christ in baptisme nor the Supper become purgative without faith Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience c. 4. Faith cleanseth as it sets other graces a work in the soul Love fear humility repentance c. are made operatively the grace of faith Faith is as the primum mobile which by its moving sets all other graces a moving vide Heb. 11. We read there how by faith all other graces were made operative Faith sets Noahs fear Abrahams obedience Moses his self-denial c. a working Faith puts the soul upon praying repenting examining c. all which have a tendency to purification 5. Faith cleanseth as it strengthens the souls union with Jesus Christ The soul is purified by union with Christ now it s the work of faith to incorporate the soul further into this root Faith shewes the soul more and more of the glory of Christ and so transforms us into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2. Faith quencheth the fiery darts of Satan by bringing to the soul that which helps the soul to put them out Faith interposeth five Screens to keep off Satans darts viz. 1. Faith brings the merit of Christs death and helps the soul to fence it self with that against temptation Faith goes out to the Crosse of Jesus Christ and lets the soul see his triumph over principalities and powers Coll. 2. 15. Faith fetcheth to the soul the water of the well of Bethelem which is by the gate and pours that upon the fiery darts the blood of Christs Crosse will quench all the wild fire of temptation and this faith brings 2. Faith brings to the soul the merit of Christs Intercession which he makes continually for his people at Gods right hand I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Luke 22. 32. Faith interposeth this botween the soul and the fiery darts and so puts them out 3. Faith brings to the soul the promises of Victors which God hath made to his people over their temptations As that Rom. 1. 20. The Saviour of peace shall bruise c. Faith interposeth this promise between the soul and the fiery darts and so quencheth them 4 Faith brings to the soul all the Attributes of God his power his wisedome his all-sufficiency and sets these between the soul and the fiery darts and so quencheth them Thou comest against me with a sword and spear but I come against thee in the name of the Lord God of Israel 2 Sam. 17. 45. 5 Faith brings to the soul all the excellencies of Gods former assistance both to himself and to other the servants of God in the day of their temptations it lets the soul see how Job and David and Peter overcame c. The Lord who delivered me out of the paw c. 1. Sam. 17. 37. USE I. INformation We may from hence draw these four Conclusions 1. This shewes us both the Lect. 19. Feb. 13. 1649. Necessity and the Excellency of the grace of justifying Faith The Apostle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 1. It s a very precious grace Many things may be said to set out the necessity and the worth of this grace Faith is that by which alone we please God Heb. 11. 6. Neither praying hearing meditating suffering c. is accepted of God without faith Heb. 11. 4. Faith is that by which we receive all the intelligence we have from heaven while we are in our earthly pilgramage 2 Cor. 5. 6. Faith is that vessel by which only we draw water out of the wells of salvation Isa 12. 3. Faith is that which unites us to Christ and Christ to us Faith is the souls eye by which it sees things invisible Heb. 11. 7. Faith is the souls hand by which it receives all the good which is in the promise Take eat this is my body Faith is the souls foot by which it stands in storms and by which it is carried through its pilgramage Come unto me all ye that labour c. Faith is the foot on which we come Thou standest by faith be not high minded but fear Faith is that by which we spiritually live The life that I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God c. It would take up a whole volum to set out to the life the Necessity and Excellency of this grace of faith I shall onely keep to the Doctrine it s the souls shield whereby it is defended in time of Temptation whereby all the venimous Arrows of Satan are extinguished and put out He that wants faith is weak blind lame dead c. 2. This lets us see why it is that Satan prevailes so much in the world All men saith the Apostle have not faith 2 Thess 3. 2. Most men fight without a shield and so lye open to Satans darts Hypocrites they are overcome for want of the girdle vicious persons are vanquished for want of the breastplate weak hearted persons are put to the worse for want of the shooes and unbeleevers fall in battel for want of the shield There are so few conquerours because there are so few beleevers When the Son of man commeth shall he find faith in the erath Luke 18. 8. Our Saviour

sense of present comfort This is an Objection which ordinarily Beleivers make against themselves to their very great prejudice For the answering of this Argument I shall lay down these two propositions 1. That there may be and ordinarily is true saving faith where there is no assurance There may be the faith of adherence where there never yet was the faith of evidence The sons of Jacob had their money in their sacks mouths a good space before they knew of it the treasure of faith is in the soul often very long before the soul have assurance of it These three Arguments will prove this position 1. From the descriptions that are made of faith in the word of God It s called coming to Christ Math. 11. 28. It s called casting our burden upon the Lord Psalm 37. 5. It s nothing but the souls venturing it self upon Christ faith is but the coming to Christ as Esther did to Ahasuerus If I perish I perish It s called looking upon Christ Mic. 7. 7. None of all these are words of assurance A man may come to another and not be assured that he will not turn from him A man may roll his burthen upon the shoulder of another who is not assured that he will carry it for him A man may look for a person whom he is not assured he shall find c. 2. From the instances given in Scripture of some that have had true faith and wanted assurance The father of that Daemoniack of whom we read Mar. 9. 22. he was not assured that Christ was able to cast out the dumb spirit much less was he assured that Christ was willing If thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us This was far from assurance and so that which he saith ver 24. Lord I beleive help thou my unbeleif here was no perfect assurance and yet true faith as the Esay 50. 10 Psalm 38. per totum Heman a true beleiver issue of the story sayes the Devil was cast out of his child 3. There must be faith from the nature of the thing before there can be assurance Therefore there may be faith without assurance Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. A man may not onely be elected but called and yet not sure of his effectual calling you must have a title to a possession before you can be certainly assured of such an interest Sealing with the holy Spirit of promise comes after beleiving ordinarily Eph. 1. 13. A child as soon as he is born hath reason but he wants a reflected act to know that he hath reason so it is in Regeneration 2. Assurance may be lost for a time in those who have formerly enjoyed it He that hath walked in the light of Gods countenance may come to walk in darkness again Esay 50. 10. There are three cases in which this doth ordinarily fall out 1. In the hour of temptation when God lets Satan loose to buffet the soul assurance may be lost in such a time 2. in the day of spiritual desertion when God hides his face from the soul Jesus Christ was in this condition My God my God c. Math 27. 46. A man in a swound doth not know he lives 3. In the state of relapses when a beleiver hath fallen into some sin God withdraws the assurance of his graces and leaves him to gain his faith and other graces takes away the joy of his faith and leaves him nothing but deadness and horror in his conscience This was the Prophet Davids case Psalm 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Though he had not lost the grace of faith yet he had quite lost the joy of his faith 2. Satan endeavours sometimes to argue Christians out of their faith by comparing it with the faith of other of God Servants which hath been very strong Abraham saith Satan was strong in faith he did not desceptare but was mighty in faith Rom. 4. 20. Job he had a powerful faith Though he kill me c. Job 13. 15. but thy faith is weak c. To help you against this stratagem I shall lay down these four considerations Viz 1. That the strongest of these great Champions have had their staggerings and their faintings Abraham though he was mighty in faith at that time when God promised him a son yet at another time did both stagger and fall Twice he denied his Wife for fear of men once in Egypt Gen. 12. 12. a second time at Gerar Gen. 20. 2. David though he had so much strength of faith at one time that he durst encounter Goliah with his sling when the hearts of all the valiant men of Israel trembled 1 Sam. 17. 32. yet at another time his faith was so faint that he said all men were liars Psalm 116. 11. and for want of faith fled out of the land of Israel into the country of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27. 1. Moses whose faith was so strong that he forsook the pleasures of Pharaohs Court and chose rather to suffer affliction c Heb. 11. 24 25. and yet at another time when he had had many experiences of the power of God was not able to beleive that God could bring water out of the Rock he smote the Rock twice Numb 20. 10 11. God bids him speak to the Rock and he smites it twice out of unbeleif And though he was so strong in faith that at one time he could beleive that the red Sea should be divided Exod. 14. yet at another time he was so weak in faith that he thought God had over-spoken his power when he promised to give the people flesh for a moneth Numb 11. 21. The people amongst whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh for a whole moneth c. 2. Though these had never staggered yet is the promise made not to degrees of faith but to truth of faith The Devil is not able to shew one word in all the Book of God which requires such a measure of faith for salvation Yea the Promises are made to the weakest acts of faith Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth Esay 45. 22. Looking is but a weak act of faith and yet salvation is promised to it Weak faith unites a person to Jesus Christ as well as strong faith A shaking hand can receive an almes as well as a strong hand He that shoots in a long Bow draws all by the strength of his arm much strength is required to draw the bow but he that shoots in a Cross-bow hath strength enough if he can but let off the string a child may shoot as far as a Gyant because the strength lies in the Bow not in the Arm so is it with faith If the King should pass a grant that every living man in his Kingdom should enjoy such and such priviledges do you think weak men would be excluded They are men