Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	godly_a	rejoice_v	simplicity_n	1,031	5	9.5439	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50867	An account of Mr. Lock's religion, out of his own writings, and in his own words together with some observations upon it, and a twofold appendix : I. a specimen of Mr. Lock's way of answering authors ..., II. a brief enquiry whether Socinianism be justly charged upon Mr. Lock.	Milner, John, 1628-1702.; Locke, John, 1632-1704. Selections. 1700.	1700 (1700)	Wing M2075; ESTC R548	126,235	194

grief 1 Pet. 2. 19. For Conscience toward God i. e. because his Conscience judgeth that he ought to obey God Thus we read of Conscience its knowing witnessing and judging but where will Mr. Lock find any thing that favours his Description viz. that it is nothing else but our Opinion c. In his Essay l. 4. c. 15. § 3. he makes Opinion to be the receiving a Proposition for true without certain Knowledge that it is so But Conscience both knows as we have seen and also certainly knows There is one indeed that is greater than our Consciences and knows all things and with such Certainty as that nothing can compare with him But that transcendent Certainty of the Divine Knowledge being excepted there is no Knowledge that can pretend to greater and more absolute Certainty than that of Conscience And therefore even according to Mr. Lock it is impossible that Conscience should be an Opinion But this is not the only Fault in Mr. Lock 's Description of Conscience It is says he our own Opinion of our own Actions as if Mens Consciences had to do only with Actions yea only with our own Actions But Conscience will not have its Authority or Jurisdiction confin'd within so narrow Limits It will sit as Judge not only upon Mens Actions but also upon their Speeches yea upon our Thoughts Affections Aims Purposes or Intentions and the Sincerity of them None of these is or can be hid from the Eye of Conscience which knows them all and is thereby qualified to be both Witness and Judge of them St. Paul Rom. 9. 1 2. appeals to his Conscience as witness of his speaking the Truth and of the great Affection he bare to his Country-men I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience bearing me witness that I have great Heaviness and continual Sorrow in my Heart c. And in like manner 2 Cor. 1. 12. he tells of his Conscience's bearing Testimony of his Conversation and Sincerity Our Rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity we have had our Conversation in the World I add That tho' Mr. Lock only mentions our own Actions yet it is apparent even from Scripture that Conscience also judgeth of the Actions and Conversations of others We commend our selves to every Man's Conscience says the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 2. i. e. We endeavour to order our Speech Actions and Conversation so as that every Man's Conscience cannot but judge and think well of them So 2 Cor. 5. 11. We says he are made manifest to God and I trust that we are also made manifest in your Consciences q. d. God knows and is Witness of our sincere Purpose and I hope that your Consciences are also satisfied of it and ready to bear Testimony to it Add to these 1 Cor. 10. 28 29. If any Man say to you This is offer'd in Sacrifice to Idols eat not for his sake that shew'd it and for Conscience sake Conscience I say not thine own but the others for why is my Liberty judg'd of another Man's Conscience In this Case tho' I am satisfied in mine own Conscience that I am at liberty and may lawfully eat yet I must forbear for the sake of the other Man's Conscience For why should my Liberty be judged by another's Conscience i. e. Why should I use my Liberty and eat then when another Man's Conscience will judge that I have sinn'd in eating and entertain Jealousies or hard Thoughts of me This may suffice for Mr. Lock 's Description of Conscience He might have express'd himself more plainly than he has done when he says That Morality establish'd upon its true Foundations cannot but determine the Choice in any one who will but consider He hath not plainly told us what those true Foundations are but if he mean by them that infinite Happiness and Misery those Rewards and Punishments of another Life which he mentions in the Words following I would ask whether it be not rather the Consideration of those Foundations which so effectually determines the Choice than the Consideration of the Morality that is established upon them I the rather ask this Question because Mr. Lock in this very Place Essay l. 2. c. 21. § 70. says expresly That the Rewards and Punishments of another Life which the Almighty hath establish'd as the Enforcements of his Laws are of weight enough to determine the Choice against whatever Pleasure or Pain this Life can shew He speaks also of the Foundations of Morality in Essay l. 4. c. 3. § 18. but there likewise he doth not acquaint us what those Foundations are His Words are these The Idea of a Supreme Being Infinite in Power Goodness and Wisdom whose Workmanship we are and on whom we depend and the Idea of our selves as understanding rational Creatures being such as are clear in us would I suppose if duly considered and persued afford such Foundations of our Duty and Rules of Action as might place Morality amongst the Sciences capable of Demonstration wherein I doubt not but from Principles as incontestable as those of the Mathematicks by necessary Consequences the Measures of Right and Wrong might be made out Mr. Lock says in Essay l. 2. c. 21. § 48. Were we determin'd by any thing but the last Result of our own Minds judging of the good or evil of any Action we were not free Now if this be true that the last Result of our Mind judging of the good or evil of any Action determines us and nothing else how comes it that he affirms Ibid. § 31 33 34. That Uneasiness determines the Will and also takes so much Pains to prove it Ibid. § 36 37 38 39 40 I would know whether Uneasiness doth determine the Wills of those who enjoy complete Happiness as the Spirits of Just Men made perfect do Tho' I do not deny that too many Mens Desires and sensual Appetites causing uneasiness in them do determine them to act contrary to the last Result of their Minds judging the Action to be evil And so to use Mr. Lock 's Words Ibid. § 35. they are from time to time in the State of that unhappy Complainer Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor which Sentence is allow'd for ●rue and made good by constant Experience Therefore in the Heathen Poets we meet with many such Complaints The Words immediately preceding those Video meliora c. are these Sed trahit invitam nova vis aliudque Cupido Mens aliud suadet That unhappy Wretch viz. Medea complains that tho' her Mind saw and approv'd and persuaded her to the better yet the Vehemence of her Desire persuaded yea even hurried her to the worse and made her unwillingly follow it In like manner in Euripides's Medea Act 4. vers fin she complains that her Passion overcame her Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea we find the like Complaints in Holy Writ I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man