Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	good_a	hold_v	try_v	1,158	5	9.9291	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77987	Habakkuks prayer applyed to the churches present occasions, on Hab. 3. 2. And Christs counsel to the church of Philadelphia, on Rev. 3. 11. / Preached before the provincial assembly of London. By that late reverend and faithful minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Samuel Balmford, pastor of Albons Woodstreet.	Balmford, Samuel, d. 1659?	1659 (1659)	Wing B608; Thomason E1910_2; ESTC R209972	36,857	123

die out of the snuffe so is it in Spiritual cases unlesse we be somewhat fervent for truth and holinesse for Church-Ordinances and Discipline we shall quickly leave acting for them and be at a losse of them Therefore be fervent in Spirit And to direct our aimes and intentions in it know lastly according to that Scripture that we must look at the Lords service as serving the Lord we must be fervent in Spirit and not sloathful in businesse The Apostle bids ordinary servants do their Masters service not as looking to them onely but to the Lord Ephes 6. 7. Col. 3. 23. How much more then should they approve themselves to the Lord with all fervency of Spirit whose service and businesse is about the matters of God and his house These considerations surely may be helpful to Church-Officers and Members to hold fast what they have 5. If we be resolved for constancy in holding fast what good we have then let us shew our selves lovers and observers of all good Orders Enemies to Order are Enemies to Constancy Both together availe much for great issues and atchievements But pervert or disturb the former and you subvert or breake the latter cryers down of all Forms are monstra informia unshapen Monsters as opposite to God in their endeavours as may be for whereas God brought a bountiful Creation out of a Chao's They would reduce all into a Chao's again might they have their will or wishes for ought appears by their words Plainly therefore would we retaine either soundnesse of Doctrine or holinesse of life we must pray and endeavour to keep good order in all Church-Administrations Marke that of the Apostle in Colos 2. 5. Rejoycing saith he and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ He joynes Order with stedfastnesse and puts Order though the less before stedfastnesse of faith though the greater because Order conduceth much unto stedfastness And wherefore is there so much unstedfastnesse this day among our people even about the most important points of Faith but because they are all out of Order No Rule held over them their Traces cut the Reins cast upon their necks and the communalty of them unskilful to rule themselves I speak in reference to Spirituals They wander from one Church unto another now they are in one Conventicle or Assembly and then in another In one place they meet with some good Principles it may be but in another with bad and gather matter of corruption of minde and practice one piece after another and how then should they hold fast what good they had How much then doth it concern us all in our several places to keep Order and Rules of Government And would to God our Rulers at length would powerfully help us all to keep such as may be sound undoubtedly approveable 6 Exercise patience as this Church did ver 10. keeping the word of Christs patience not only the rule prescribing patience but patience it self prescribed by that rule For patience is necessary unto perseverance in a good profession in a good practice whether publickly or privately The impatient person doth not possess his own soul see Luk. 21. 19. he hath not an hold fast of him self and therefore what else can he hold fast If we would like good plants retain our moisture our sustenance and bring forth fruit to perfection it must be with patience Luke 8. 15. If we would do the will of God according to our places throughly and constantly so as to receive the promises we have need of patience Hebr. 10. 36. Wherefore do so many depart from God and turn from his truth and will and way but because they are impatient and will not wait Gods leisure till he vindicate his own cause or means effectually for the clearing up of Controversies and reforming of things amiss and so falling a mourning that things are carried crosse unto their former Principles and perswasions they fling out and are carried headily any way that may give them most present contentment whatever it may do afterward But not to tire your patience too long 7. Approve we our selves right Philadelphians that is according to the Etymon of the word Brotherly lovers and lovers of the Brethren See 1 Thes 4. 9. But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another Heb. 13. 1. Let brotherly love continue Without this we cannot keep long in any good order nor keep in patience long c. Nor which is the main keep long in the possession and practice of truth and holiness Mark that Context Ephes 12 3. Forbearing one another in love Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace If we break in point of love we quickly break the bond of peace and love being broken we cannot long keep the unity of the Spirit what is that Unity in the disposition of our spirits in judgements and affections But there must be more then that viz. 2. Unity of our spirits in assent and adherence to Gods Spirit his Doctrines his Principles his Ordinances that so our unity may be evidenced to be 3. Unitiy wrought by the Holy Spirit of God knitting us together as Members of one Mystical body after a Spiritual and Mystical manner To the keeping of this I say brotherly love is requisite No marvel therefore if we hold not fast what we had I speak of the common hold fast since there is such want of brotherly love among us since our people are fallen into so many Divisions and breaches A condition with tears of blood to be lamented And O that all Sardenses and Laodiceans about us would transire in castra or rather in tentoria Philadelphensium Then might we see happy times and God can bring them on when he pleaseth Mean while let us Beloved shew our selves right Philadelphians of an humble meek loving gentle yet a couragious and tenacious spirit to hold fast true Doctrine and Discipline holinesse of life and conversation Our love one toward another will strengthen the hearts and hands one of another and the failing of it as much weaken us c. Let Angels and Officers of Churches think of this in the first place who are to be Lights and Guides to others in the wayes of Love and Peace But then all the Members of our Churches in their several places And to close all Let us shew our selves Philadelphians in our sympathetical affections in love towards our Brethren of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas and of neighbouring Nations because we all profess to hold the same good things of God both for Doctrine and Discipline for the main substance of it More specially sympathize with them who are now in an hour of temptation to try them Pray that though they could not hold fast what they had in Houses Lands and other outward possessions nor Ministers nor Churches nor their nearest relations many of them yet they may hold fast true faith and good consciences to the end as many of those that have been massacred already did to the end as divers of their Ancestors also did see many foregoing Generations And contribute also toward them in love for the relief of their necessities as we shall be shortly called upon to do in our respective places Now who so in the use of such meanes shall hold fast that which he hath of Truth and Grace and persevering overcome Christ promiseth him in the verse following that he will make him pillar in the Temple of his God and he shall goe no more out A verse very well worthy our attendance unto a further explanation of it but the time now cuts me off c. FINIS

all Gods people though I may interlace something that will bear respect to Church-Angels and Officers For the opening of this consider we 1. What it is which the Churches and people of God respectively are to hold fast since every thing that every one hath is not worthy to be held fast 2. How they are to hold that fast or what their fast holding is in way of duty First That which Philadelphia and so other approved Churches of Christ had worthy to be held fast was 1. The Word of God and the Name of God thou hast kept my Word and hast not denyed my Name said Christ ver 8. Under this Word and Name of God c. is to be understood that whole truth whereby God in Christ had revealed and manifested himself and his will unto his Church whereby his Church knows what he is and what he hath done and what he hath willed and commanded his people to believe and do Hence it was said to the Church of Sardis ver 3. Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast c. Part of which truth Philadelphia is minded of ver 7. in that description of Christ from his 1. Holinesse 2. Truth and 3. Having the key of David which three Branches point at his three Offices Priestly Prophetical Kingly as some judiciously learned think 2. The Ordinances of God for Gospel worship and Church Administrations are insinuated in this context as enjoyed by Philadelphia For mark it Christ remembers her that he had set before her an open door and no man could shut it ver 8. i. e. He had given her fair opportunities and open and large means for the propagating of the Gospel and advancing of Gospel-work many bars of obstruction and hindrance being removed out of the way So that Gospel-Administrations had free course or passage among them as 't is said it had among the Thessalonians 2 Thes 3. 1. Yea we may gather from part of his Title which he purposely takes up in writing to her viz. He that hath the key of David that he had not onely used his key for opening to her but likewise given her the keys both of Doctrine and Discipline Ministerial under himself to open and shut unto others And no doubt this Church was not wanting to that according to her power which was commended in that of Ephesus cap. 2. 2. viz. in not bearing with those that were evil but trying them which said they were Apostles and finding them lyars c. 3. Good works or practice according to the Word and Ordinances of God For 't is the first part of Christ his testimony given to her that He knew i. e. approved her works at the beginning of v. 8. And what might her works be Doubtless of as good account as any of her sisters works of charity and service and faith patience as were her sisters of Thyatira cap. 2. 19. And for patience it is expressed here ver 10. that she keep the word of his patience i. e. she exercised patience according to Christ his word and prescription So that to summe up all and according to the tenour of other Scriptures compared with this if the people of God be considered in the general notion All that which they are to hold fast is 1. soundnesse of Doctrine and 2. Holinesse of life and conversation which are mentioned together in 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith and a good conscience c. To hold faith there is to hold the Doctrine of faith or to hold fast the form of sound words as 't is phrased 2 Tim. 1. 13. And ro hold a good conscience is to hold such a practice according to that rule of faith as an enlightned conscience may witnesse to be good or to be rightly consciencious in walking and working according to that rule Again if the people of God be considered collectively as embodied together in a Church frame and order that which they are to hold fast is those Church-Ordinances which Christ hath given them whether about duties of worship to God or government among themselves or about the enjoyment of those liberties or priviledges or powers which he hath granted them In reference to which under-Ordinances the most judicious understand the Apostle speaking thus to Timothy I charge thee in the sight of God c. that thou keep this Commandment i. e. that body or rule of Commandment laid down in the premises without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim 6. 13. 14. This for the object that is to be held fast Sect. Next for the manner of holding fast what is it The Holy Ghost useth sundry words in several places which are all of them sometimes rendred by our Translators into these terms of holding fast yet of somewhat different importment But by collection of them together we may more fully take up the nature of this duty When St. Paul bids Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the form of sound words he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. hold them as having and retaining them by thee in possession But there is more than that barely in this duty For when Christ bids the Church of Sardis supra ver 3. Remember what thou hast received and heard and hold fast c. his word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. hold or keep or observe with all diligence as that which is committed to ones carefull custody But yet there is more imported in this duty For when Christ bids the Church in Thyatira That which ye have already hold fast till I come cap. 2. 25. his word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the same word radically is used here in our Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. hold fast strongly use not onely a carefull eye in keeping but put to they utmost strength in holding fast that which thou hast that keeping it vigorously thou mayst keep it also perseverantly and constantly to the end And a perseverant holding fast is here intended by Christ as well as cap. 2. 25. as may be gathered from the annexed Motives Now unto this strong and vigorous holding fast of Truth and Holinesse Faith and good Conscience there is requisite 1. Firm purpose of heart and stedfast resolution of will to persevere in the profession of sound faith and Doctrine and in the execution of Gods commands according to place and power and in the practice of holinesse c. If there be not first strength in the will and resolution there will be none found in external practice and exercise The vigour of the heart conduceth much to the vigour of the hand or foot Hence it was that good man and full of the holy Ghost exhorted the Christians at Antioch that with purpose of heart If there be weaknesse in the spirits there will be weakness in the joynts if weakness in the heart weaknesse in hands and limbs they would cleave unto the Lord Act. 11. 23. And the Apostle Paul