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	love_n	unfeigned_a	1,422	5	11.0683	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10194	The perpetuitie of a regenerate mans estate VVherein it is manifestly proued by sundry arguments, reasons and authorities. That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith, can neither finally nor totally fall from grace. It is also proued, that this hath beene the receiued and resolued doctrine, of all the ancient fathers, of all the Protestant churches and writers beyond the seas, and of the Church of England. All the principall arguments that are, or may be obiected against it, either from Scripture, or from reason, are here likewise cleared and answered. By William Prynne Gent: Lincolniensis.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1626 (1626)	STC 20471; ESTC S115319	355,787	462

puts a new nature and disposition into them so that they cannot alter or destroy it if they would But of this see more in the reply to the answere which is giuen to the fourth argument drawne from God If therefore no sinne which the saints of God can commit if the freedome and liberty of their owne will cannot destroy that seede of grace which is within them and there be no other cause or thing to doe it it is certaine that this seede and annoynting of the Spirit must still remaine within them and so your answere as long as the seede and annoynting remaines which supposeth that they doe not alwaies remaine and abide within them must needes be false friuilous and repugnant And so this argument and text of Scripture remaines vnanswerable Other answeres there are vpon the diuers readings and expositions of these places which because they are but vaine and idle and not worth the answering I will passe them ouer and so proceede The fourth thing in the spirit of God or in the holy Ghost that may stablish and settle vs in this present truth is the earnest of the Spirit that is giuen to all those that are once truly regenerated from whence this fourth argument doth arise Those that haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from Grace But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 13 14. 2 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 Therefore it is altogether impossible that they should either finally or totally fall from grace The minor being the expresse text of God The maior only is for to be proued Now that those that haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts can neuer fall either finally or totally from grace it appeares by these reasons First because the earnest of the Spirit of God is nothing but an assurance giuen vnto vs by God of that share and portion which he hath prepared for vs in heauen whence it is stiled the earnest of our inheritance vntill the purchased possession be really bestowed vpon vs Eph. 1. 14. 15. Secondly because it makes the Saints of God confident and sure of heauen and of eternall life as appeares by the 2 Cor. 5. 6 7 8. Where Paul saith thus Now hee that hath wrought vs for the selfe-same thing is God who also hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of the Spirit therefore 〈◊〉 are alwayes confident knowing that whiles wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord wee are confident I say and willing rather to bee absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. This 〈◊〉 of the Spirit makes the Saints of God confident and sure of their saluation vpon good and solid grounds and not vpon bare conjectures and therefore it cannot choose but keepe them from falling away from grace Thirdly it must needes bee so that those who haue the earnest of the Spirit can neuer fall from grace in respect of the properties of an earnest For first an earnest it tyes and bindes the party that doth giue it to make good his bargaine and his promise Secondly it is a badge and signe of true and vpright dealing and it giues an assurance that the bargaine shall bee punctually performed to the vtmost by him that giues the earnest Thirdly an earnest is part of payment it is part of the whole which wee shall receiue Fourthly it is such a thing as can neuer be taken from vs. Let the Bargaine or the Contract hold or breake the earnest still remaines with him that doth receiue it hee that giues it is not to require it hee th●…t receiues it is not to restore it Fiftly an earnest drawes the whole to it it makes the whole of which it is an earnest to be our owne Now the Spirit of God and the graces of Gods Spirit which are once put into our hearts are stiled an earnest in all these respects because they binde the Lord for to performe his Covenant and to giue vs that inheritance which he hath promised to vs 〈◊〉 because they giue vs full assurance that God deales truly honestly and in good earnest with vs and that he will performe whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto vs to the very vtmost because that portion of Grace and of Gods Spirit which wee haue in possession here is a part and inchoation of that happinesse and glory which we shall haue hereafter because they are such things as shall neuer be taken from vs againe Luke 10. 42. Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not bee taken away from h●…r God will not require this earnest at our hands againe but wee shall still enioy it as our owne and because they drawe the whole vnto them they make the whole and all of that which God hath promised to vs to be our owne Wherefore this must needes bee an vndoubted truth that those who haue but once this earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts as all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue it Rom 8. 9 14. can neuer possibly fall either finally or totally from grace for then this earnest of Gods spirit should bee lost and serue to none or little purpose Of all arguments that can bee produced this is one of the strongest and least capable of any sound and solid answer The fift thing in respect of the holy Ghost which may convince vs of the truth of this position is the ordinary and constant working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of all those who are once truly regenerated sanctified and ingrafted into Christ. For the spirit of God when once it enters into mens hearts and soules after it hath once truly humbled them for their sinnes and in some good measure sanctified and purified their hearts and soules then it doth secretly pacifie their soules and consciences then it giues them that inward and secret assurance of the everlasting and vnchangeable loue of God to them in Christ which passeth vnderstanding and testifieth to their owne spirits and consciences that they are the adopted children and sonnes of God which causeth them to cry Abba Father Rom 5. 1. and cap. 8. 15 16. Then it stampes and settles this assurance of Gods loue this vndoubted certaintie of their owne salvation and of their continuall perseverance in grace vnto the end vpon their hearts and soules in such deepe and indelable Characters that no temptation no sinne or affliction whatsoeuer can vtterly raze and blot it out againe though it may so blot and blurre it for a time that th●…y themselues may not so evidently and cleerely see it as they should And when all this is done then the holy Ghost descends as a sweet and heauenly dew vpon them and doth fill and euen gl●…tte and ravish their very hearts and soules with that ioy which is most vnspeakeable

for the sight of their eyes which they should see they should then finde no ease no rest or comfort to th●…ir soules at all and so they must needs sinke and perish in dispaire Where as if they had this pillar to rest and stay their soules vpon that they can neuer fall ●…rom grace nor be depriued of the loue of God that let what will befall their bodies their soules are sure to be safe that though their outward man perish yet their inward man shall be renewed day by day that though their earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued yet they haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens this would comfort and reioyce their soules beyond expression this would beare them vp in all extremities and keepe them from sinkeing in dispaire So that you see that the whole comfort and treasure of a Christian that the whole seruice of God and practice of religion are vtterly abolished and taken away by this pernicious Error and therefore I made choyce of this aboue any of the rest to combate and to grapple with especially in these dubious and ambiguous times of ours wherein we need an anchor on which to stay our soules But now some men may thinke my labour vaine and needlesse and perchance vnseasonable to because so many Worthies of our Church haue so lately handled and discussed this our present Controuersie To wh●…ch I answer first That the slacknesse of the Printer in whose hands this worke hath beene pending euer since L●…nt last hath turned these my First fruites into Gleanings against my expectation and intent and therefore if you returne a Tardè to them let the Printer beare the blame not I. Secondly I answer that though many haue lately handled and discussed this very controversie in the by conioyning it with other points yet none of them haue handled it particularly and indiuidually by it selse as I haue done it Yea I may with modestie affirme it without any pride arrogance or selfe-conceite that there was neuer any hitherto who hath written of this controu●…rsie that hath handled and discussed it so fully and perspicuously as I haue done it here I haue produced many more arguments and reasons and cited more quotations from Scriptures Fathers Councells Synods Confessions and moderne Diuines to confute this Error and I haue giuen more cleere full and satisfactorie answers to most of those arguments that are brought for to defend it than any yet haue done that I could reade or heare of And therefore notwithstanding that so many haue lately written of this subiect I hope that these my labours which I haue vndertaken in the synceritie of my heart for the glory of God for the peace and quiet of this our Church for the vindicating of the truth and for the comfort and consolation of all such faithfull Christians as shall be made partakers of them shall finde such approbation and acceptance in the world that they shall neither be condemned as vntimely nor loathed as superfluous And here Courteous Reader to free my selfe from causelesse censure I must intreate these few courtesies at thine hands First that where thou findest any mistakes or slips in words or letters in reading of this Treatise that thou wouldest take the paines for to amend them imputing the fault vnto the Corrector and not vnto my selfe Secondly that when thou findest the same reasons Scriptures Arguments or answers reiterated and repeated in seuerall places of this discourse that thou would●…st not forth-with condemne me of Battologie and Surplusage because they are alwaies vrged and recited in a different forme and manner and to other ends and purposes then they were before so that though they are almost the same in words and matter yet they alwayes differ in circumstances forme and end and in the manner of propounding them so that in truth they are not the same though prima facie they may seeme to be the same Thirdly I would request thee so to censure and iudge of these my labours as thou wouldest haue me and others to censure and to iudge of thine if thou thy selfe hadst written Lastly since the generall end and scope of these my labours is nothing else but to vindicate and cleere the honour and the truth of God to establish peace and vnitie in this our Church and State that this our present controuersie and those others which depend vpon it may no more molest and trouble them and to comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of all the true and faithfull Saints of God in these ambiguous doubtfull and perplexed times whose only ioy and comfort whose onely stay and proppe whose very heauen vpon earth and chiefest happinesse lie all at stake and are suspended on this present Controuersie I would request thee so to reade and meditate on these my rude and indegested labours as if thou didst vnfainedly desire for to learne and profite by them and to diue into the truths contained in them Reade them with a single and impartiall eye and with an vpright and an honest heart voide of all criticall fore-stalled and preiudicated affections Reade them with a meeke and humble spirit not to carpe or quarrell with them but willingly to yeeld and to submit vnto them as far as truth and conscience will permit and if thou shalt receiue any benefit comfort or sa●…isfaction from them giue God the glory p●…ay for me The vnfained well wisher of thine eternall good and comfort WILLIAM PRYNNE TO ALL THOSE OF THE Church of England who falsly and malitiously traduce calumniate and slaunder the Patrons of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace and thereupon labour to suppresse their workes because they know not how to answer or resell them IT is recorded of certaine of the Synagogue of the Libertines and 〈◊〉 who disputed with that holy Martir Saint Steuen that when as they Were not able to resist the wisdome and Spirit by which hee spake they suborned false witnesses against him which said wee haue heard him speake blasphemous words against this holy place against Moses and against God and vpon these false accusations they stirred vp the people the Elders and the Scribes against him and caught him and brought him before the Councell thinking to carry away the cause and to confute that which they were not able to gainsay by calumniating traducing and condemning the innocent person who defended it Thus did the Iewes confute and answer Saint Paul when as they had nothing to reply vnto his doctrine they presently fly vpon his person accusing him for a pestilent and seditious fellow for a ringleader of sects for a mouer of sedition through out the World and one that did contrary to 〈◊〉 decrees of Caesar. And thus did the Gentiles in former ages confute the Christians if Iustin Martyr Tertullian Arnobius or Lactantius may be credited You my Breahtren who oppose and bend your selues

seuerall Conferences at Hage recorded by Brandius and Bertius haue concurred in the contrary assertion I confesse that Iacobus Arminius in Apolog aduers Artic quosdam Theologicos Respons ad Artic secundum in Examinatione Praedestinationis Perkinsis that Conradus Vorstius in amica collatione cum Piscatore sect 108 that Nicholaus Greuinchouius and Bertius in his Hyminaeo desertore sine de Sanctorum Apostasia and others of the Arminian crew to whom Master Mountague is much beholding haue beene of this opinion That faith once had may be lost againe But that any sound and orthodox Protestant Diuines were of this opinion in any of their decisions writings or resolutions that I neuer heard or read of as yet But will you know now who are Master Mountagues Protestant Diuines who haue so much opposed our present assertion and consented to the Church of Rome in the totall and finall losse of faith once had Surely they must and can be no other but those whose reasons arguments and quotations both out of Scriptures and Fathers Master Mountague hath ttanscribed in his Gagge for he intimates as much himselfe Now what Diuines are these Surely I must needes informe you who they are because they are worth the knowledge his two chiefe Diuines they are Bellarmine and Bertius the one a Cardinall and cheise pillar of the Church of Rome the other the strongest pillar and stoutest Champion of the Arminian faction It may be hee hath praid in some ayde from the Rhemists but I can assure you that all his quotations that are there cited are transcribed either out of Bellarmine in his 3. booke de Iustif cap. 14. or out of Bertius in his Hymeneo disertore siue de Apostasia sanctorū and most of them especially the quotations out of the Fathers are not to be found in any other Writer but in Bertius only Are these your Protestant Diuines Mr. Mountague were there no other Protestant Diuines from whence to fetch resolutions decisious but from these or can you bee so strangely impudent as to grace these two notorious and famous men the one knowne for the greatest Papist the other for the chiefest Arminian that euer was with the stile of most Protestaut Diviues no meruaile then is these men bee your Protestants that you stile all others that dissent from them not Protestants but Caluinists Puritans and Nouellers and that you stile this doctrine of the totall finall perseuerance of the Saints a Puritan Doctrine Wherefore good Reader take this short Nota with thee in the by that all M. Mountagues Protestants are none but Papists and Arminians and all his Puritans Nouellers and Caluinists whom hee so much lasheth none but sound and Orthodox Protestants who assent not to Arminius and the Church of Rome and what must Mr. Mountague be then in the meane time Surely a Papist or Arminian if not both or worse then both But I passe this ouer and come to the second thing which is to proue the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in the state of Grace to bee the receiued and approued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the Seas by their seuerall Articles and Confessions and by their Synods which haue so resolued it That this is the receiued and approued doctrine of their Articles and Confessions it is euident and plaine First by the latter Confession of Helvetia Artic. 9. Because that the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the Spirit therefore the faithfull are called free yet so that they do acknowledge their infirmity and glory no whit at all of their Free-will So that by the expresse words of this Confession the regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall totally from grace because the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the spirit So Artic. 10. of the same confession The Saints are chosen in Christ by God vnto a sure end and Artic. 15. Wee who are once justified are not only cleansed from sinne and purged and holy but also indued with the righteousnesse of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heires of eternall life And Article 16. True faith is the meere gift of God because God of his power doth giue it to his elect according to measure and therefore it is called the faith of Gods elect This faith doth pacifie the conscience and doth open vnto vs a free accesse to God it doth keepe vs in our dutie which wee owe to God and to our neighbour and doth fortifie our patience in aduersitie and it doth bring forth good fruites of all sorts c. By this it is euident that our assertion is the positiue doctrine of the Helu●…●…●…●…tian Church So is it also of the Bohemian as it is manifest by the 6. Article of their Confession which saith That true faith doth alwayes lift vp him that hath it and assures him that in and for Christ he assuredly hath and shall haue for euer eternall life according to his true promise which hee confirmed with an oath saying Verily I say vnto you hee that beleeueth on me hath eternall life For whomsoeuer God doth iustifie to them he doth giue the holy Ghost and by him hee doth regenerate them as hee promised by the Prophet saying I will giue them a new heart and I will put my Spirit in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also grace might reigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ. Now they that attaine to this iustification by Christ our Lord are taught to take vnto themselues true and assured comfort out of this grace and bounty of God to inioy a good and quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne saluation ond to haue it confirmed to them by this meanes that seeing they are the sonnes of God they shall also after death in the resurrection bee made heires The French Church doth likewise concurre with vs in our assertion in the 21. and 22. Articles of their confession which say That true faith is giuen only to the Elect not that they might once only be brought into the right way but rather that they might bee forward therein vnto the end because that as the beginning is of God so is also the accomplishment Therefore it is so farre that faith should extinguish the desire to liue well and holily that it doth rather increase and kindle it in vs whereupon good workes doe necessarily follow with which the confession of Belgia artic 23. 24. doth fully agree The Confession of Saxonie Artic. 3. 7. 9. concurreth with vs For it testifieth vnto vs. That the Error of doubting is altogether heathenish that it doth abolish the Gospell and take away all true

affirme that it is not the Doctrine of the Church of England and that these words of the Common prayer Booke doe not warrant it And lastly if all these faile me I shall denie the Argument and proue vnto you that it followes not and that though the Antecedent and the Argument were both true yet that they are both impertinent to our present purpose For the first of these that all Infants that are baptized are not by their very Baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ but only Sacramentally I shall make it good by these subsequent reasons First because the Sacraments doe neuer conuey any inward and spirituall grace which may truly regenerate and ingraft men into Christ but where there is the hand of faith for to receiue them and that grace which is conueyed by them This is euident by Mark 16. 16. not he that is baptized only but he that beleeueth is baptized shall bee saued but hee that beleeueth not though hee be batized shall bee damned therefore it is not baptisme of it selfe but faith which doth regenerate and saue men So Acts 8. 36. 37. When the Aethiopian Eunuch demanded of Philip behold here is water what doth hinder mee to be baptized Philip returnes him this answer If thou beleeuest withall thine heart thou maist intimating that his baptisme without faith would doe him no good at all that it could not regenerate him nor yet conuey any grace into his soule So Gal. 3. 26 27. Yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus for as many of you as were baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. It was the Galathians faith and not their Baptisme which made them the adopted sonnes of God for in Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing no nor yet Baptisme which succeedeth it neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. Baptisme without faith is in effectuall it may wash and purifie the body but it can neuer wash purifie regenerate and cleanse the soule vnlesse it bee accompanied with faith which workes by loue and with true repentance For it is faith only that purifieth the heart Acts 15. 8. it is Repentance and not Baptisme that doth wash away our sinnes Baptisme without repentance it cannot doe it therefore Peter Acts 2. 36 37 38. doth joyne them both together For when his auditors that were pricked at the heart demanded of him what they should doe Hee answers them thus Repent and bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost If Baptisme without repentance had beene sufficient to haue regenerated them and purified them from their sins Peter would neuer haue aduised them for to repent withall for that had beene superfluous but his joyning of repentance and baptisme thus together intimates that the one is not effectuall without the other It is faith only that doth iustifie vs and ingraft vs into Christ Rom. 4. 3. 5. cap. 5. 1. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 5. 6. and Ephes. 2. 8. it is faith onely that doth make the Sacraments effectuall to regenerate vs and ingraft vs into Christ this I am sure is the doctrine of our Church Now all those Infants which are baptized no nor all those that are baptized at their ripe yeares be they An●…baptists or such as are newly conuerted to the faith they haue not this grace of true sauing and justifying faith within them and therefore they are not truly regenerated by their baptisme As it is said of the word of God Heb. 4. 2. that it profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it So I may say of Baptisme that it regenerates not all Infants because all haue not faith that doe receiue it Secondly all Infants that are baptized are not truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by their very baptisme because this would make the Sacrament of baptisme effectuall to all that doe receiue it which cannot be First because that this would make baptisme to bee quite different from all the other ordinances of God and meanes of grace For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it profits not all alike to all vnworthy communicants it is the cause of damnation it is a cause of grace to none but such as doe receiue in a worthy manner so the word of God though it be the sauour of life vnto life to some yet it is the sauour of death vnto death to others that doe heare it 2 Cor. 2 16. So it is of all the other meanes of grace whatsoeuer they are not effectuall to worke grace in all and therefore Baptisme cannot doe it There is the same reason of all Gods ordinances where one of them is effectuall all of them are effectuall where one of them is ineffectuall there all of them are ineffectuall to for else there should be a great confusion and jarring in the ordinances of God a man should then bee saued by one ordinance of God suppose by Baptisme and damned by another by the vnworthy receiuing of the Lords Supper or by the vnprofitable hearing of the word of God which the God of order peace and vnion can neuer suffer There is a sweet harmonie and mutuall agreement betweene all the meanes of grace and ordinances of God they alwayes goe hand in hand together they all worke within the same sphere and compasse one of them is no larger then the other where one is effectuall there the others are or at least may be to Wherefore since the other ordinances of God are not effectuall to regenerate and to worke grace in all no more can Baptisme doe it Secondly Baptisme cannot regenerate all alike because circumcision which was a type of Baptisme did not doe it All those that were circumcised with the outward circumcision of the flesh were not circumcised with the inward circumcision of the heart and spirit whose praise is not of man but of God Rom. 2. 28 29. therefore all those that are outwardly baptized with water are not inwardly baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire Baptisme is come in the place of circumcision and therefore it must be of the same effect as circumcision was and so it is For as there was an outward circumcision of the flesh which was common to all and an inward circumcision of the heart which was proper only to the elect of God so there is an outward Baptisme or putting away of the filth of the flesh only which is common to all but saues none and an inward baptisme of the Spirit which is the answer of a good conscience towards God this is the Baptisme which doth regenerate and saue men of which all that are baptized are not partakers but only such as are elected to saluation Thirdly all that are baptized are not alike regenerated by their baptisme because this would take away the libertie of Gods Spirit which breatheth when and where it listeth