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	unfeigned_a	3,625	5	11.4478	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08552	The Christian conflict a treatise, shewing the difficulties and duties of this conflict, with the armour, and speciall graces to be exercised by Christian souldiers. Particularly applied to magistrates, ministers, husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, servants. The case of vsury and depopulation, and the errours of antinomists occasionally also discussed. Preached in the lecture of Kettering in the county of Northampton, and with some enlargement published by Ioseph Bentham, rector of the Church of Broughton in the same county.	Bentham, Joseph, 1594?-1671.	1635 (1635)	STC 1887; ESTC S113626	266,437	390

sake the souldiers fight First the Christians Generals and Commanders are 1. God the Father who is therefore called usually in Scripture a Lord of hosts because all creatures are under his power and disposition as an host of souldiers under their Emperour By him we pull down strong holds exalting against God 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. And with his armour we fight Eph 6. 11 13. 2. Christ Iesus who is their couragious Captaine 2 Cor. 10. 5. to the obedience of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 3. As a good souldier of Christ. Rev. 12. 7. Michael .i. Christ Iesus that strong and mighty Prince and Captaine of the host of God Iosh 5. 13 15. Secondly the enemies prime leader and commander is the Divell Iam. 4. 7. Resist the Divell Rev. 12. 7. The Dragon fought and his angels .i. The Divell likened to a Dragon in regard of his terrible fiercenesse who is the prince of that army which maintaineth warre against Christ Rev. 20. 2. The Dragon which is the Divell As for the king of those dreadfull and hellish locusts the angels of the bottomlesse pit Rev. 9. 11. the monstrous prevailing beast Rev. 13. 1 2. they are but the Divels substitutes 4. There are ordinary souldiers in each band namely every Saint every wicked one there are horsmen and chariots of each side namely 1. Able and faithfull Magistrates and Ministers who like valiant horsmen and commanders put themselves in danger first running upon the pikes to rout the enemies and break their ranks to rescue and deliver to save and defend Gods people are worthily called the chariots and horsmen of Israel 2 King 2. 12. 2. And all true professours which are faithfull family-governours who like inferiour officers are helpers to the forenamed Rom. 16. 9. 1 Cor. 16. 16. 1. With their prayers Ephes 6. 18 19. Pray for all Saints and for me 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Pray for Kings and all all that are in authority in their Magistracy and Ministery 2. With their purses in their maintenance Rom. 16. 3 6. 3. With their paines in preparing and fitting their families 4. With their advise and counsell conversation and good example among their neighbours and families So on the contrary 1. Wicked Magistrates who by 1. Impunity incourage offenders in mischiefe making oft kingdomes thereby guilty of crying crimson si●nes 2. Which condemne the harmelesse innocent contrary to charity justice the good of the common-wealth and God himselfe 3. And neglect to rescue the guiltlesse person out of the clawes of the mighty it being in their power to save them 2. Wicked Ministers who by their 1. Pining cause Gods people to perish for want of knowledge Pro. 29 18. Hos 4 6. 2. Poysoning making men twofold more the children of hell by their endeavours Mat. 23. 15. 3. Neglecting to shew men the present danger of their sinfull condition Ezek. 35. 6. 4. Evill counsell and bad example 3. Wicked family-governours 1. Who by hurting and hindering Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Who by bad counsell and lewd example 3. And negligence in instructing their families Glad the bad make sad the good disobey the Lord of life serve the Prince of darknesse damme up the current of sound profession saving practice and knowledge And open the flood-gates of iniquity to run amaine with restlesse streames and dreadfull overflowings shew themselves perspicuously to be the chariots and horsemen that is the captaines and chiefe strength of the arch-enemy to the Lord of glory 5. As in warfare so in Christianity there is a compleat armour for the Christian souldier Ephesians 6. 11 12. Called the Armour of God Ephesians 6. 11. Of light Romans 13. 12. Of righteousnesse 2 Corinth 6. 7. And weapons defensive and offensive 2 Corinth 10. 3. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds Neither is the opposite faction wanting of weapons of unrighteousnesse and darkenesse Romans 6. 12. which the other have cast off 6. As in a warfare the truly valourous and faithfull souldier hath or ought to have an honourable reward and renowned repute as a requiting remuneration requisite for his loyall laudable and laborious sedulity and services conflicts and conquests But the pernicious and perfidious traytour who by base and unworthy cowardize briberie or the like betrayes his cause and countrey condigne punishment Even so the truly valiant magnanimous Christian souldier couragious and constant for his God and Christ their Gospell and cause and his owne conscience shall be rewarded with a crowne of righteousnesse 2 Timoth. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight henceforth there is laid up for mee a crowne of righteousnesse which the LORD the righteous Iudge shall give mee at that day c. But the halting treacherous hypocrite the downeright prophane wretch yea every one who is against the Lord and his Christ with the Divell that deceived them shall bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and tormented for ever and ever Revelation 20. 10. CHAP. III. Christianity is a good warfare CHristianity is a good warfare 1 Tim. 6. 12 Fight the Doct. 2 good fight of faith 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight That warfare which is with a good warrant for a good Reas 1 cause after a good manner and for a good end is a good warfare But Christianity is a warfare which is 1. With a good warrant namely Gods owne commission Iam. 4. 7. Resist the Divell 2. For a good cause namely for the faith Iude 3. therefore called the good fight of faith 1 Tim. 6. 12. To obtaine an incorruptible crowne 1 Cor. 9. 25. But we an incorruptible To keepe a good conscience void of offence to God and men Acts 24 16. To please Christ who hath chosen us to be souldiers 2 Tim. 2. 4. 3. After a good manner Not after the flesh although they live in the flesh 2 Cor. 10. 3. Not with carnall weapons 2 Cor. 10. 4. But spirituall The armour of God the weapons of righteousnesse 4. For a good end namely to glorifie God To obtaine the salvation which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glory 2 Tim. 2. 10. To stand in the evill day Eph. 6. 13. And to pull downe strong holds exalting themselves against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. That warfare which is the Lords Christs the Spirits Angels and Saints against the Divell the world the flesh and sin is a good warfare But Christianity is a warfare which is the Lords c. against the Divell c. Therefore c. That warfare which is good in the five following respects is a good warfare But Christianity is a good warfare in those respects namely 1. In regard of the Author of it who is that God which is the Author of all good of no evill Gen. 3. 15. It was he who put enmity betweene the womans blessed seed and the serpents cursed brood and that in paradise 2. In regard of the souldiers

feet to be naturally so nice and tender that if we goe abroad barefoot stones will hurt them thornes will pricke them and perceiving the necessary use of shooes to cover and keepe our feet from such like incommodious inconveniences is carefull to have these members well fortified fenced and shod that he may goe on with boldnesse and courage whatsoever the way be And shall not every souldier of Christ being to passe through a very hard harsh and rough way full of disgracefull reproches troublesome taunts variety of vexations terrible temptations many times full of persecutions by tortures and torments losse of goods lives and liberties and all sorts of afflictions more harsh and grievous to a naked heart and soule then thorne● and thistles briars and brambles to bare and unguarded feet be as carefull to have his soule well armed and fenced with the preparation of the Gospell of peace without which there is no possibility of going on much lesse of holding out in that way that so he may not onely dare to adventure into but also endure to hold out in this way so hard and harsh passing with undaunted courage through all the tempestuous and terrible troubles of this malicious and maligning world Thus armed and shod the Lords valiant Worthies in all ages have passed through the piercing pike● of the most outragious opposing occurrences of their many and maligning enemies not daunted with nor dreading but couragiously enduring the bitter blasts and brunts of scornes and scourges of bonds and prisonments of fire and faggots and innumerable sundry kindes of crosses to which from time to time they have beene brought 2. As the want of shooes in such places where they are of necessary and important use and may be had is shamefull and unseemely And as cleane and decent shooes fit for our feet and thereto closely tyed are an ornament docking and adorning our bodies So as the Laodicean Church being poore blinde and naked was wretched and miserable Rev. 3. 17. it is a shamefull and sordid thing for us Christian souldiers who have so long and with such liberty enjoyed the Gospell not to be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Whereas these spirituall shooes dec●e beautifie and adorne our steps and goings making our waies and workes seemely and right Cant. 7. 1. That therefore we may be alwaies really and readily prepared and protected against all the sorts and severall kindes of troubles and temptations 1. So that they never finde us unfitted and unfurnished Io● 3. 25. 2. So that we be not dismayed with their dread nor overwhelmed with their weight 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. 3. So that we be not distracted nor discomfited in the midst and most of them but more then conquerors in all these things Rom. 8. ●7 4. So that our consolations may abound by Christ as the sufferings of Christ abound in us 2 Cor. 1. 5. 5. So that we may be strengthened and enabled to cheare up and consolate others groaning under like burdensome pressures 2 Cor. 1. 4 6. 6. So that wee may stand out to the end to fight a good fight to finish our course and obtaine the crowne of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4 7 8. Let us be carefull to have our f●et sh●d with the preparation of the Gospell of peace SECT 5. The Christians shield Their shield its excellency necessity and their duty concerning the same THe fourth piece of the armour of righteousnesse is the shield of faith A shield is a defensive instrument of war to award and keepe off the blowes of an enemy having a fourefold use namely 1. To receive and beare blowes and strokes 2. To beate backe darts arrowes stones and bullets c. 3 To breake the force of swords halberds c. ●4 To cover save and shadow the whole body Thus good Magistrates are shields Psal 47. 9. The shields of the earth belong unto God being instruments of safety and defence to the good Thus God is a shield Gen. 15. 1. I am thy buckler Psal 18 2. The Lord is my buckler to those which trust in him Psal 18. 30. Thus is faith a shield bearing off and beating back the fierce temptations of Sathan as carnall confidence presumptuous security distrustfull infidelity and other fierce darts of the world the flesh and the divell I having formerly spoken unto you of this most necessary profitable and comfortable of this first and mother grace of graces most of all setting forth Gods glory acknowledging his wisedome truth power holinesse justice and mercy in another discourse namely of the society of Saints much I will not yet some things I must needs speake of this capitall grace and head vertue First Although many prophane persons and popishly perswaded thinke and say that so much preaching and learning of faith is a let and hinderance to good workes making men carelesse of piety and charity Little considering the certainty of that irreprehensible divine truth Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God For 1. Vpon whom Gods wrath abideth they cannot please God But Gods wrath abi●es upon all mis-beleevers Ioh. 3. 36. 2 Without Christ it is impossible to please God But without faith no man can have Christ Ephes 3. 12. 17. 3. Without Gods spirit it is impossible to please God But without faith no man can have Gods spirit Gal. 3. 2. 4. Without the root there can be no fruit But faith is the root of all acceptable obedience Heb. 11. 4. 5. They who are in the state of reprobates cannot please God But all that have not faith are in that state 2 Cor. 13. 5. 6. They who are dead in trespasses and sins cannot please God But all who want faith are dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. 1 2. 7. Those whose consciences are defiled cannot please God But all who want faith even their consciences are defiled Tit. 1. 15. Secondly Although godlesse Atheists conceive faith to be some fained fiction or some unnecessary thing for discourse and disputation onely little considering That it is most precious and excellent 2 Pet. 1. 1. 1. In the account and estimate of the most wise un-erring and omniscient Lord Iehovah with whom faith finds favour Mat. 8 13. 15. 28. 2. In the estimation and judgement of the sanctified and illuminated people of God affirming and professing that faith is more pretious then gold 1 Pet. 1. 7. 3. In regard of the giver and doner God himselfe Phil. 1. 29. 4. In regard of the worker Gods sacred and holy Spirit 5. In regard of the instrumentall meanes whereby it is wrought the Word of God Rom. 10 14. this being a most precious and excellent thing 1. Containing in it most pure and precious promises Heb. 8. 6. 2. Being compared to things most excellent and eminent namely A rich treasure and pretious pearle Mat. 13. 44 45. An heritage and thousands of gold and silver Psal 1 9. 111. 72. 6. In regard of the object Christ Iesus

of salvation upon 1. Their own over credulous conceits and foolish fancies having no more evidence for salvation then he whose deeds are written in water or he whose house is built upon the sea-sands these building their hope onely upon their bare imaginations and fond fancies 2. Vpon their forefathers faith and pious progenitours graces having themselves no personall piety nor saving sanctity like the proud and tombe-like Pharisees who hoped for heaven and happinesse because they were Abraham● children as if they could see with other men● eyes walke with other mens feet and live by another mans eating Matth. 3. 9. But they deceived themselves and discredited Abraham Matth. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the c. 3. Or upon some personall perfunctory performances of some duties of piety although only formally for fashion not faithfully and for conscience sake like those boasting braggard● Matth. 7. 22. Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Divels and in thy name done many wonderfull workes Who yet were sent away with this fearefull farewell Depart from mee yee workers of iniquity 23. And like the foolish Virgins counterfet and hypocriticall Christians which because they did some things as the wise Virgins or sincere and sound Christians in religion did being like unto them in many things namely 1 Both having Lamps Matth. 25. 3 4. The lamps of both giving light v. 8. Both going forth together to meete Christ v. 6. Both waiting for his comming v. 5. Both slumbering and sleeping v. 5. Both awaking at the noise of his comming v. 6. Both seeking to enter into his bed-chamber v. 10 11. hoped to be saved as well as those other wise virgins whose lamps had oyle their faith being true and lively working by love and who were ready v. 10. that is such who beleeved and repented who were elect adopted justified who were regenerate and sanctified who watched and waited having their loynes girt and their lamps burning Although they were essentially and expressely differenced and distinguished each from other yea so that The wise have oyle in their vessels to preserve and feede their lamps when the light begins to diminish and decay The foolish have none The wise are carefull and constant in the service and worship of God The foolish secure and carelesse The wise build their house upon a rocke The foolish upon the land The wise like the Ant get and gather in summer that which may support and sustaine them in winter The foolish not so And therefore Although they seeke and send for those in their sicknesse when they are ready to die whom they regarded not in their wellfare health and prosperity as faithfull preachers and precise professors Saying give us of your faith hope soundnesse sincerity and conscience Although they be earnest out of time shewing their sorrow but not sincerity Crying Lord Lord. Although they wish to themselves the end of the righteous and to be partakers of their portion in the life to come though they like not to walke in their steps whilst they live saying Open to us Although they seemed for the present to be familiarly acquainted with Christ yet at the judgement day they shall be shaken off rejected and utterly forsaken v. 12. I know you not For why They asked irreligiously impiously and papistically at the instrument in stead of the author at the servants in stead of the master at the foot in stead of the head at the cisterne in stead of the fountaine They asked preposterously or disorderly Righteousnesse before remission of sins Sanctification before sorrow for sin Pardon before repentance They asked unseasonably too late when their heart was hardned of the wise when the doore was shut of the Lord. For why although they went to buy yet it was To buy base mettals copper for gold false wares for good as the matter without the meanes of salvation Or meanes without the matter Or Saints merits relicks and such false and forged trash To buy with false coyne counterfet silver Having a desire without endeavour Having endeavour without desire Or both cold and carelesse Their desires being faithlesse Their requests carelesse Prayers pithlesse and powerlesse and their endeavours negligent slothfull and idle To buy carelesly slothfully and lazily lingring protracting differring and dallying being slow in hearing beleeving repenting and obeying What and if I say those three sorts of sottish and seduced soules before mentioned suffer themselves to be sinfully st●pisied and satanically surprised Yet let all those who have any well-wishes unto their own soules And all us who are the servants and souldiours of our Lord and Master King and Captaine Christ Iesus First Learne to discerne and distinguish betwixt 1. That hope whose Author Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope c. and Object 1 Tim. 6. 17. but in the living God is God and his precious promises And that whose author is Sathan and Object men Isa 20. 5. They shall be affraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation Vncertaine riches 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that be rich not to trust in uncertaine riches c. Or such like deceitfull props of reede 2. That hope whose ground and substance is faith Heb. 11. 1. And that whose basis and foundation is only humour imagination or the sight and sense of their present prosperity 3. That hope which is reall right and religious And that which is reachlesse ruinous and reprobate 1. The one relying on Gods promises although they seeme unlikely Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope beleeved in hope that he c. The other falling yea falling when the limber and brittle props and pillars of humane support wherewith it 's borne up reele shrinke and faint 2. The one being diligent and industrious in the use of sanctified meanes The other slacke and sluggish in the meanes hoping for happinesse without holinesse glory without grace salvation without sanctification Boasting and bragging of heaven wholly omitting or at best sleighting and securely neglecting the way directly tending thither Secondly And labour to get and hold fast that hope which is 1 a Scripture hope Rom. 15. 4. That we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Frame and fashion our lives according to the guidance and direction therefore of sacred Scripture for they who lie and live in sin against Scripture can have no good hope 2. That hope wherof we have sound and sufficient evidence Heb. 11. 1. for which we can give good reason 1 Pet. 3. 15. least we be like banckerout braving braggards who boast of Lordships lands and livings not having any evidence to shew for the same 3. That hope which is fruitfull and effectuall working in the heart 1. Ioy unspeakable and glorious from the sense of heavenly blessings present and hope of full blessednesse to come joy during and long lasting stirring up to the praises of God in whom the Saints do joy Rom. 5.

obedience of the Law For even the regenerate or justified are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh but to the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 12. Cha●ierus saith It is ●●nifest by the things fore-going Tom. 3. lib. 1 cap. 6. Th. 4. that an exceeding great inj●●y i● d 〈…〉 u● wh●● w●e are said to denie that wee are b 〈…〉 to the Law before God Wherefore if Bellarmine doth know those which say that the saithfull are subject to u● law before GOD and that Th. 5. the Decalogue of Moses doth n 〈…〉 belong to us hee sha●● have us not adversaries but follo 〈…〉 i● disputing boldly against such Againe The fulfilling of the Law can by 〈…〉 meanes bee accounted by the part but by the whole For the whole life not some one moment thereof is bound and it is bound to all not to one Hence the saying of Iames Hee is Ibid. l. 11. cap. 11. Th. 16. guilty of all which offendeth in one Neither can it otherwise bee understood because hee is not guilty of murther who doth onely steale but of theft onely Yet hee is guiltie of the breach of that whole Law part whereof is Th●● shalt not steale and another part whereof Tho● shalt not kill Now whereas the adverse Antinomist will I suppose reply all this is not Scripture I do confesse that these words in so many letters and syllables are not in the Scripture Yet I dare avow that this doctrine of the Lawes binding the regenerate to obedience being the doctrine not onely of our Church but of all other Christian Churches some few contentious Sectaries excepted who deserve not the name of a Church and of all sound solid and substantiall Divines is the expresse doctrine of sacred Scripture And that it is so I will now manifest and make perspicuous by pregnant places in the New Testament Mat. 5. 18 19 21 c. Christ 〈…〉 not to destroy the Law c. Yea he confirmes the continuance of it in every iot● or tittle till the heavens be no more and presseth punctually to a precise particular observation of it Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea in establish the Law Faith therefore doth not evacuate but establish the Decalogue Rom. 7 7. By the Law we come to the knowledge of our sinnes Rom. 7. 22. 25. S. Paul delighted in the Law of God with his mind he served the law of God 1 Cor. 9. 21. Being not without law to God but under the law to Christ. Eph 6. 1 2. Children obey your parents Honour thy father c. 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of ●aith unfained Iam. 2. 8. If you fulfill the royall law of liberty c. S. Iam●s shewes what Law namely the Decalogue Do not comm●● adultery c. Vers 11. 1 Ioh. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar 1 Iohn 3. 4. Sinne is the transgression of the Law Hence I conclude 1. That if ever the Law bound the regenerate to obedience which I suppose they will acknowledge it still doth Mat. 5. 18. Rom. 3. 31. 2. That since Christ Iesus the best expounder of Scripture doth so copiously confirme and corroborate the Morall Law in his Sermon on the Mount doth peremptorily pronounce that the breach thereof doth defile a man Mar. 7. 20 21 c. and so often inculcate that the keeping of the commandements is a sure and infallible signe of our love to him Ioh. 14. 15. 21. 23. 24. and of his love to us Ioh. 15. 10. 3. Since faith doth not supplant but strengthen the law 4. Since the holy men of God doe often urge and presse to do the duties commanded in the Law in their Epistles which they would not have done had not regenerate Christiane bee● bound to the obedience of the same 5. Since the Apostle S. Paul acknowledged that he served the Law of God with his mind and that he was under the Law to Christ 6. Since the Law of God hath not relinquished its regality and regiment being stiled by the Holy Ghost the royall Law 7. Since by the Law we come to the knowledge of sinne yea and all sinne is the transgression of the Law 8. Since the carelesse contemners and transgressours of Gods Law have no communion with God not s●ving knowledge of him 9. Since the end of the commandement i● charity c. therefore the Law is no enemy to purity of heart ●●ith unfained or Christian liberty this being the royall Law of liberty I may warrantably conclude against the absurd and erroneous ambiguous Antinomists That the Law of God doth binde the conscience of the regenerate Christian to obedience Furthermore because I suppose these cavillers will carpe against all these allegations as insufficient and weake because in none of them we are said to be bound by the Law to obedience I will therefore shew them these expresse words in sacred Scripture if that will satisfie and salve their seduced soules 1 Corinth 7. 15. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases namely to performe matrimoniall duties to unbelieveing yoke-fellowes which will depart from and forsake them Vers 27. Art then bound to a wife Seeke not to be loosed Vers 39. The wife is bound by the Law as long as her husband liveth Hence I inferre That since the Law of God doth binde the believing husband and wife to performe all manner of matrimoniall duties to their unbelieving yoke-fellowes which are pleased to dwell with them and that since the husband and wife being regenerate are bound by the Law each to other so long as they live together therefore that part of the Law which doth comprise and comprehend the duties of husbands and wives each to other namely the fift and seventh commandements doth bind the conscience of the regenerate to obedience therefore either all the Morall Law doth bind or els that this branch of the second Table is more authenticall and of more absolute authority not only than all the second Table besides but also than the first Table yet our Saviour saith the second is but like unto the first stiling it the first and great commandement Mat. 22. 38. Oh that I could perswade them to take notice how they confront contradict contend against the concordant confessions of the reformed Churches the sound solid and substantiall truths taught and defended by the ancient and moderne Worthies and the infallible and unde●iable truth of Gods Word Oh that men would cordially consider that such vile and vicious positions make men unfit not onely for Christian but also for common commerce and company with mankind For how can Kings and Princes be se●●red from rebellion of such subjects How can masters and fathers be assured of reverence and obedience from such children and servants