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
A88578	A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on Iohn 17 15[.] A divine ballance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithfull messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.; Calamy, Edumnd, 1600-1666. Saints rest.	1653 (1653)	Wing L3147; Thomason E1434_3-4; ESTC R209589	82,542	242

that Doctrine is unsound Rule 7 Seventhly whatsoever Doctrine doth necessarily tend to settle and compose a troubled Conscience by teaching us to bottom only upon the merits of Christ for salvation and not upon our own good works that Doctrine is sound But that Doctrine which leaves a distressed perplexed Conscience without any sound bottom to rest upon by teaching men to place the stresse of their salvation upon the mutable Will of man this is not only an uncomfortable but an unsound Doctrine Rule 8 Eightly that Doctrine that tends to the advancement of godlinesse in a mans Christian course which as the Apostle speakes Titus 1.1 acknowledgeth the truth which is after godlinesse which conduceth to the perfecting of holinesse that puts us on to diligent care to work out our salvation with feare and trembling that helps on the work of grace in the soul that tends to inform the judgement reform the heart and conform the life to the whol Will of God that Doctrine is true and good But on the contrary that Doctrine which tends to Licentiousnesse and Libertinism causing men to neglect the Ordinances of God and to grow weary of Congregationall Worship Family Worship and Closet Worship that turns the grace of God into Wantonnesse that magnifies the Death of Christ but destroyes the Life of Christ that sets up the Blood of Christ the Priestly Office of Christ but regards not the Commands of Christ the Kingly Office of Christ that makes men confident of Mercy but carelesse of Repentance that makes Christ mercifull but leaves them sinfull or at the best brings them but to a form of godlinesse without the power thereof that Doctrine is erronious and dangerous Truth ever advanceth godlinesse but erronious Doctrine is contrary thereunto 2 Tim. 2.16 2 Tim 2.16 Shun prophane and vayn bablings for they will encrease unto more ungodlinesse We finde in our dayes the fruit of vain bablings and Disputes to be the broaching of such damnable Opinions as these viz That a man must not mourn for sinne must not confesse sinne must not pray for pardon of sinne and thus three parts of Prayer are taken away So concerning the Decree of God that if they bee decreed to bee saved they shall bee saved let them live as they list and if they bee decreed to bee damned they shall bee damned let them doe what they can Whereas the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation should bee a spur to stir us up in pursuit after holinesse So concerning the Law of God that it is of no use to believers And many such like pernicious Doctrines are occasioned by vain Disputes all which tend to more ungodlinesse which is enough to prove them to be false for truth ever advanceth practical godlynesse in a mans Christian course Rule 9 Lastly Doctrines of truth will be true when they are tryed truth fears no tryal it is error that fears the light that creeps into houses and dares not appear in publique that seiseth upon silly women laden with corruption as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 3.6 but dares not encounter with a knowing Christian 2. Tim. 3.6 And therefore it is that the Turks doe forbid any man to dispute against their Alkoran And therfore it is that the Church of Rome will not suffer the common people to read the Bible but they must pin their Faith upon other mens sleeves and believe as the Church believes And thus they cause their Errors and Idolatries to bee swallowed down whereas were they brought into the light the weaknesse and sinfulnesse thereof would appear The sum of all is this When you heare any Doctrine delivered compare it with the VVord of God and if you finde that it doth crosse any part of the old or new Testament believe it not for it is not Truth but Error These Rules and Directions for the trying of such Doctrines as you hear may be of great advantage unto you in these loose and erronious times if the Lord give you hearts to make a right improvement thereof Nay Conscience doth not tell mee of any thing delivered unto you repugnant unto the Scripture But trust nothing that I preach untill you have tried it and if you finde any thing disagreeable to the written Word of God reject it Prove all things hold fast that that which is good FINIS A CHRISTIANS great Enquiry Text. Acts 16.30 31. And said sirs what must I doe to be saved And they said beleive on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saved THis Text is propounded by way of interrogation the manner of its composure intimates that it is the Ebulition of a perplexed mind the Quere of a distempered and distressed soul and that about a businesse of the greatest moment in the World There are many critical curious and controversial Questions that men enquire after in these daies But this Question that the poor Jaylor here asked is a Question of the greatest concernment that ever can bee made by any man It was no lesse then this what he might doe to be saved The Question seems to be the expression of a man in great anguish and consternation of mind and truly the matter the Question is about is such as might trouble all the World As a grave Divine answered one that came unto him saying Sir I am troubled about my Salvation saith hee freind it is a businesse that might trouble all the World So here this poor man cries out to Paul and Silas what must I doe to be saved I shall not spend time about the Explication but shall dispatch what I have to say in a practical prosecution of these words Before I come to the points of Doctrin I intend to handle There are 3 concurrent circumstances about the words from whence 3 Observations will arise 1 From the consideration of the condition of the man that propounds this serious Question a Iaylor a calling in those times especially full of infamy because the followers of Christ were most of all in bonds when Oppressors and men of violence escaped free yet behold a Iaylor the object of pardoning mercy Hence Observe 1 Observation From the condition of the man that propounds this Question That men of the most despicable condition in the World may become the objects of Gods pardoning mercy Salvation is not impailed within the rank of the rich and honourable of the World but sometimes men of the lowest rank become the objects of Gods mercy Pardoning grace reacheth sometimes to the vildest and most notorious sinners in the World Christ came not to call the righteous Mark 2.17 but sinners to repentance 2. From the consideration of the occasion or manner of this Jaylors conversion for it is said In the night there was a great Earth-quake in the prison and the Keeper awakened out of his sleep and when he arose he saw all the prison doores open and thinking that all the prisoners had been gone hee was in great perplexity of minde

and to be with Christ which is far better For a man to desire to be dissolved that he may be without crosses is a sin but to desire to be dissolved that he may enjoy Jesus Christ is a grace Oh thou that sayest I desire to die that I may have the enjoyment of God more perfectly and grace more compleatly not because thy winding sheet shall wipe away all tears and afflictions but because thy winding sheet shall wipe away all sins and pollutions this is a gracious desire We are not to wish for death because our comforts are lessened but that our communion with Christ might be compleated not as a doore to let us out of troubles but as a doore to let us into heavenly mansions But thus briefly passing these things I proceed to another Observation from these words I pray not that you might be taken out of the world why would not Christ make this prayer The cheif reason was because hee had more work for his Disciples to doe in the world Hence observe That it is not the desire of Jesus Christ that any of his servants should die 3d Doctrin so long as he hath any worke for them to doe in this world Not onely your dayes are numbred not only is the number of your Months with God but likewise the work that ye are to doe which he hath cut out for you Sayes God to a Minister thou shalt preach so many Sermons convert so many souls gather in so many of mine Elect and when thy work is done thy life shall be done Thou godly Christian untill thou hast ended thy work thou shalt not end thy dayes This may bee of great comfort unto all that fear God doe not fear Death it is not Christs desire to take you out of the world untill ye have done that work for which God sent you into the world The Use of this is threefold First for Counsel Secondly for Reproofe Thirdly for Comfort 1. A Use of Councel unto you all 1 Vse for Counsell 1. That you would desire to live no longer then that you might doe the work for which God hath sent you into the world Doe not desire to live that you may give the swinge to your lusts and doe that which is right in your owne eyes But desire to live no longer then that you may serve God and doe good to others 2. It should teach you who may be useful in the world that you are bound to desire of God that he would not as yet take you out of the world Luther I remember Luther upon this text hath this note That it is the duty of a Minister more especially then of any man in the world to desire that his life may be prolonged that so he may convert more soules unto God And it was the saying of an old Minister when he lay upon his Death bed Lord if I may be useful to thy people let me live longer I will not refuse more labour and more paines if thou hast more work for me to doe Any of you who may bee usefull in the world are bound to begg of God that hee would lengthen out your dayes and that you may live to doe more good in the place wherein God hath let you 3 Hence let me Counsel you That though you suffer much evil from the world yet if you can doe much good in the world let your doing of good rather provoke you to desire life then your suffering of evil provoke you to desire death We should rejoyce in suffering much evil provided that by suffering much evil we can doe much good Cesaar When Caesar said I have lived long enough whether I respect Nature or Honour Tully Tully answers Sir though you have lived long enough for your selfe yet you have not lived long enough for your Country Art thou a man that dost good in thy generation Acts 13.36 Art thou a useful man though thou art an old man and the infirmities of age abide on thee yet let not this make thee weary of thy life though it may be thou hast lived long enough for thy selfe yet thou hast not lived long enough for others for the good of the Church or Common-wealth in which thou livest Let this Counsell sink into your hearts seeing every mothers Child of you is sent into the world to doe something for God oh Labour therefore that when your dayes shall end your Consciences may tell you that you have done that work which God sent you into the world for to doe It is the commendation of David Acts 13.36 Acts. 13.36 That after he had served his owne generation by the will of God he fell a sleep and was gathered unto his fathers He did his work and then he died O Beloved there is nothing in the world will be a greater solace to your souls when you come to die and we must all sooner or later drink of that cup then this that your consciences can tell you I have served my God in my life I have done my work and the last work I have to doe is to die when it may be thy eye-strings are fallen thy mouth is shut and thou canst not take any cordials to refresh thy decayed spirits then this will be a cordial for Conscience to tell thee that thou hast done thy work which God sent thee into the world for to doe and now thou hast nothing to do but to die and goe to heaven It is an observable expression Iob 5.26 Iob. 5.26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age as a shock of Corne cometh in his season You know that if a man ●hould reap a shock of corn when it is green and but newly eared that corn would be of no use for bread but if he cuts down a shock of corn when it is ripe then it is fit for bread Death cuts off many men when they are green corne unfit unprepared for death unripe for heaven unripe for glory Psal 127.6 when they are like grasse upon the house top that withereth before it is cut down or like the seed which fell on the stony or thorny ground which never came unto perfection But now saith God to the good man thou shalt goe to thy grave when thou art ripe for heaven ripe for God when thou hast done thy masters work then shalt thou goe to thy Masters mansions thou shalt come to thy grave like a shock of Corn in its due season Oh what comfort and solace of heart should this be to you who have done the work for which God sent you into the world The next Use shall be for Reproofe 2 Vse for Reproofe Is it so that Christ doth not desire that any of his servants should die until they have done the work for which God sent them into the world Then this may reprove the wicked of the world who come to die before they begin to do that work for which

they came into the world Are there not many that have lived to gray haires and are hastening to the grave who never put their hands to any work which God sent them into the world for to doe Beloved I would leave with you one sad text of Scripture and it is worthy to be engraven in gold Esay 65.20 Esa 65.20 There shall no more thence be an Infant of dayes nor an old Man that hath not filled his daies for the Child shall die an hundred years old but the siner being an hundred years old shall be accursed This is the most dismal text that I know of in the old Testament to wicked men yet comfortable to the godly It is a promise of the conversion and bringing in of the Gentiles I will give you the sence of it There shall be no more an infant of dayes That is A man that hath lived to many dayes to many yeares and yet hath no more Knowledeg of God hath done no more service to God then a very infant There were many such that lived in the time of the Prophets that were men of dayes yet infants in understanding Knowledg Nor shall there be an old man that hath not filled his dayes That is the old man that doth not act grace that doth not serve and glorifie God that doth not fullfill the duty of every day that fills his daies with sin and not with righteousnesse this is the man that hath not filled his daies There are many such old men in the world whose wrinckled faces and gray-haires doe declare them to be fourscore years of age yet in regard of grace and knowledge they are not come to the age of 14 years Now how may this justly be for rebuke to any of you who are infants of daies who have done God no more service and are no more acquainted with God then Children you have lived many daies but they have bin emptie daies your hearts are full of sin no marvell then that they are so emptie of grace Is there not many a man woman who may with shame and sorrow thus reflect upon selfe before God Have not I lived to 40.60 nay it may be 80 years yet Lord thou knowest my daies are emptie daies I have not done any good all my life time In Scripture dialect when good men die they are said to die in a good old age But an old Drunkard an old Adulterer or an old Swearer dieing in an old age it is a bad old age not a good old age When you come to d●e then Conscience will reflect upon you and say I am an old man but I have not done the work which God sent me in to the world for to doe I have read of an old Disciple who was 90 years of age and being asked the question how old he was he said he was 45 years of age they answered your gray-haires discover you to be much more saith he if that you reckon number of years I have lived fourscore and ten but if I compute how long I have lived a devoted life to God then I am but 45 for the other halfe of my time I lived a dead man O how many are there in the world that have lived as dead men all their dayes There is a passage in Eccles 7.17 Ecles 7.17 Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldest thou die before thy time Some Interpreters carry it this way A man walking in drunkenesse excesse and riot doth as it were shorten his daies Others That he that thus lives is dead whilst he lives before his time of death and when death comes he is twice dead Indeed a man cannot die before Gods time Iob 14.5 Iob 14.5 Seeing his dayes are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that hee cannot passe Now though thou canst not die before Gods time yet thou maist die before thy time that is when thou comest to die before thou art prepared and fitted to die before thou hast done thy worke thou art the man that dost die before thy time And that I take to be the meaning of those words O think of it Though thou canst not die before Gods time yet thou maist die before thy time before thou art fitted for death before thou hast done the worke for which God gave thee thy life If Iesus Christ did pray that his Disciples might not die before they had done their work then what blame are they worthy of from whom if they should live till Doomes day God should have no more service then now he hath and in whom he should then see as much sin as now he doth The next Use is a use of Comfort 3 Vse for Comfort If it be so that Jesus Christ doth not desire that his People should be taken out of the world untill they have don their work Then all you that are Gods people know that as long as God doth continue you here in the world he hath work for you to doe Suppose thou art thrown into Prison consider that is a part of thy work thou must doe for Iesus Christ If thou art a Minister of the Gospel and art under Poverty Repoach or cruel Persecution for Righteousnesse sake consider that this is part of the service that thou art to do for God Christ will not take you away when you have halfe your work for to doe but when you have finished your work then you shall go for to receive your wages I remember a saying of Mr Bolton Bolton when hee was on his Death-bed saith hee O Lord this is my comfort that though I have ended my dayes yet I have done my worke before I die This is comfortable indeed to a godly heart but dreadful to you that are wicked who when you have ended your daies have not begun your work have not begun to serve your God O this will be great gauling of Conscience unto you another day O this will be the worm that will gnaw upon you in hell to all eternity to remember that God set you out your work for to do in this world and vouchsafed you both time and meanes for the accomplishment of it but you trifled away your time sinned away many heavenly opportunities of grace and mercy played all the day long when you had so much work for to doe so that when your daies were at an end you had not begun your work As it was with Charles the King of Sicily Charles King of Sicily who cried out with consternation of heart I have not begun to live and yet I am now going to die O let not this guilt lie upon your Consciences let not this be the worm to gnaw you in Hell to remember that you lived long in the world yet did not the work for which God sent you into the world Now I proceed to the fourth Observation out of these words 4 Doctrin I pray

fooleries concerning her The idola try of the Church of Rome detected such as were never heard of in former times idolatrously to advance her fame as that she was free from original sin whereas the Scripture saith expresly that all that descend from Adam are polluted with original corruption and therefore the Virgin Mary also being a daughter of Adam The Papists speak more honourably of the Virginity Dignity and Holinesse of the Virgin Mary the mother then they do of the Righteousness Grace and Merits of Christ the son And therefore they hold justification by works and not by faith in the righteousness of Christ Yea they so dote on the Virgin Mary that they make her the great Mediatoress to God the Father A man would think it unnecessary to treat against the popish Doctrin but Ministers never had more reason for it then now for there never was more likelihood of popery its spreading then in these dayes wherein under the notion of a cursed Toleration Preists and Jesuites do publish their blasphemous and idolatrous Tenents and drive on their Jesuitical Designes and God knows how soon you that will not lay your neck under Christs yoak may be brought under the popish yoak This I can say upon mine own experience That I never found so many to stagger towards popery as I have done of late They who have professed the Protestant Religion are staggering and apostatizing from their former profession and solemne Covenants and God knows how soon they will prefer the Virgin Mary before Jesus Christ But I hope better things of you Therefore I shall pass this and come to the Reasons of the point which are these First 1 Reason From the near relation they stand in to Christ They are rather blessed that hear and keep the Word of God then the Virgin Mary was for bringing Christ into the Word Because Christ doth account such to stand in more manifold near Relations unto him then his owne natural freinds were Luke 8.21 And he answered and said unto them my Mother Luke 8.21 and my Brethren are these which heare the Word of God and do it Loe here is the right way of being brought into a near Relation unto Christ of becoming akin to Jesus Christ to bee accounted the brother sister and mother of Jesus Christ and that is by hearing and obeying the will of Christ 2 Reason They only shall persevere 2 Your blessedness appears in this because if you hear and practise you shall presevere unto the end when others shall apostatize Math. 7.24.10 28. and sall back from the Faith Mat. 7.24 to 28. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man which built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock And every one that hears these sayings of mine and doth them not shall bee likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall thereof Those onely that hear the Word of God and keep it do presevere they only have their souls built upon a rock and stand unmovable in the time of persecution Indeed fall they may and fouly too as David Peter and many other precious Saints have done through the violence of Satans temptations and remainder of corruption that is in them but finally and irrecoverably they shall never fall because they are builded upon a rock which can never be removed and that rock is Christ who is both the author and finisher of their saith Heb. 12.2 And hee hath prayed that their faiths faile not utterly Luke 22.2 And this hee hath procured and therefore though the stormes and waves arise they can never fall irrecoverably Others fall off and fall away when winds and stormes arise 3 The Lord doth make glorious promises to such as hear the Word of God and keep it 3 Reason The Lord makes glorious promiles unto such Rev. 1.3 Blessed is hee that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophesy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand Here you see those that hear the Word of God and keep it that is lay it up in their hearts and express the power of it in their lives they are blessed 4 Reson Ye may be instrumental to bring others unto blessedness 4 By practizing what you heare in the Word you may bring others unto blessedness And happy are ye that are instrumental to bring others to Heaven 1 Pet. 3.1 1 Pet. 3.1 Likewise yee wives bee in subjection to your owne husbands that if any obay not the Word they may also without the Word 1 Pet. 2.12 be won by the conversation of their wives so 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your conversations honest amongst the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evill doers they may by your good works-which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation Their godly conversation might be a means to bring others to Heaven 5. 5 Reason Yee shall surely obtain Salvation If ye make conscience to practise what you heare yee are blessed because although ye should not bring others unto Heaven you your selves shall surely come to Heaven shall surely come to blessedness Rev. 14.12 13. Rev. 14.12.13 Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them O you that make conscience to keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus you shall surely goe to Heaven although you bring none with you but your selves It was a notable saying of one of the Fathers viz. That when a Gospel life doth go before an Angels life shall follow after O therefore make conscience to practise what you hear and know Now I come to the Applycation and the Use shall be two fold 1 For Lamentation If it be so Vse for Lamentation that they that heare and keep the Word of God are rather blessed then the Virgin Mary was mearly for bringing Christ into the World should not this then bee for a lamentation that men will not seek after blessedness when they may have it upon such easy termes Had God said I will blesse thee if thou removest Mountains if thou fulfillest my Law in every jot and tittle thereof These indeed had been works impossible to be done But saith God blessed art thou if thou hearest the Word of God and keep it therefore if thou wilt not practise what thou hearest thou dost refuse thine owne

mercy The Devil could not damn thee if thou wouldest not damn thy selfe Thou O man that hast an obstinate heart that let the Preacher say what hee will wilt doe what thou listest stat pro ratione voluntas who makest little conscience to hear and less conscience to practice what thou hearest thou art inexcuseable Now to set home this Use take these five Considerations 1. Thou wilt but aggravate thy condemnation Thy hearing if thou dost not practise what thou hearest will but aggravate thy condemnation another day John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloke for their sin The fault admits of some extenuation Miner erat culpa ubi erat culpae ignorantia where there is no knowledge of the fault it is a far greater sin to contemn the known Law of God then to bee ignorant of the Law of God they that sin against knowledge have no cloake nor excuse for their sinne * Luke 12.47 That servant which knew his Lords Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall bee beaten with many stripes In Esay 13. wee read of many Nations and People against whom the Lord commands the Prophet to denounce a burdensome Prophesy But in Esay 22 we read of the burden of the valley of visions that is of Ierusalem and it is observed that that burden was the heaviest of all others none so burdensome as the burden of the valley of visions It was a place where knowledge was where preaching was therefore that burden was heavier then against Babylon Tire Damascus and all the rest Though other men that live in the American parts of the World shall go to Hell for their disobedience Yet remember thou that livest in England where the Gospel is profest preached shalt go to Hell with an heavier load on thy Conscience then those that have not the Gospell thou shalt bee damned with a wittnesse that hearest the Word of God and makest no Conscience to practise what thou hearest and what thou knowest It would make one stand amazed to read that passage Ier. 10.35 Poure out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not Now if the fury of the Lord shall be poured out upon poor ignorant Heathens that know not God that have not the means of knowledg that hear not of the Gospel of Christ what wrath shall then be poured out upon the Christians that know not God but above all what unexpressible fury and vengeance shall be poured out upon those Christians that sin against the Knowledg of God that sin against Light shining clearly before their eyes that sin against an awakened and convinced Conscience If any place in Hell bee hotter then other it shall bee for them for it is a far greater sin to contemn the known Law of God then to bee ignorant of the Law of God they that sin against Knowledg have no cloak nor excuse for their sin 2 Consider Thou art voyd of love to God thou art voyd of love to God if thou dost not practise what thou hearest 1 John 2.5 Who so keepeth his Word 1 Iohn 2.5 in him verily is the love of God perfected 3. Consder Thy profession is nothing worth God doth look upon thy profession as nothing worth unlesse thou practisest what thou hearest In Arithmetick put never so many Ciphers together and they make no summe but put one Figure there unto and then it makes a great summe So make never so many prayers and heare never so many Sermons yet all stands but for Ciphers unless thou joynest therewith a conscionable course of life answerable to what thou hearest and what thou prayest Consider wouldest thou who hast been thus long a Professor have God to look upon thee as if thou hadst been a prophane man all thy life God looks on thee as such if thou dost not practise what thou hearest 1 Sam. 2.12 and knowest 1 Sam. 2.12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord. They knew not God surely that they did by their education they had a speculative knowledge of God and his Law for they were Preists of the Lord and God would not choose ignorant men for his Preists But they had no practicall efficatious and saving Knowledge of God for they were men of wicked lives and conversations and therefore God looked upon their Knowledge as no Knowledge and upon their Profession as no Profession Ier. 2.8 so Ier. 2.8 The Preists said not where is the Lord and they that handled the Law knew mee not the Pastors also transgressed against me and the Prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit They knew me not God did not regard the Knowledge they had of him because they transgressed against him Remember God will account thy hearing as no hearing thy praying as no praying thy receiving the Sacraments as no receiving if thou dost not make conscience to obey what thou hearest 4. Thou canst have no good perswasion nor discovery thou canst have ●o assurance of the love of God unto thee in thy soul of the love of God unto thee unlesse thou makest conscience to keep what thou hearest If yee love mee keep my Commandements John 14.16 And therefore you finde in Scripture that the love of God is often subjoyned to keeping the Commandements of God Exod. 20.6 Exod. 20. Shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me keep my Commandements They are both put together to shew that where there is a love of God there will bee a keeping of his Commandements 5 If we do not make Conscience to practise what wee hear God will take away the Word from us wee shall provoke the Lord to take away the Gospel from us Amos 8.9 And it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord God that I will cause the Sun to goe down at noon and I will darken the Earth in the clear day verse 11. I will send a Famin not of Bread and Water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. Remember it God will take away the Word for our not profiting by what we hear Mat. 21.43 Therefore I say unto you the kingdom of Heaven shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof By the Kingdom of God we are to understand the Gospell the Word of God and Ministry thereof this shall be taken from you and given to others if ye do not bring forth the fruits thereof And here wee may read both our sinne and judgment for if ever any people in the World were guilty of barrennesse and unfruitfulnesse under the means of grace we of this Nation are wee have been lifted up to Heaven and therefore we may justly expect to be cast down to Hell Now to awaken your Consciences I shall in the first place lay down some Demonstrations that wee