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
A25421	The right government of thoughts, or, A discovery of all vain, unprofitable, idle, and wicked thoughts with directions for the getting, keeping, and governing of good thoughts, digested into chapters for the ease of the reader : whereunto are added four sermons / by ... John Angel ...	Angel, John, d. 1655.; T. B.	1659 (1659)	Wing A3162A; ESTC R13149	89,280	271

the little Common-wealth of himself overcometh devils principalities and powers Thirdly ordering is a word of perseverance and implieth bringing about of things to an issue and a continuation unto the end for what is order but a Ordo est dispositio à primo ad ultimum per media disposition of things from the first to the last by means conducing thereunto Fourthly in the next place we are to consider what it is to order aright or straightly now a thing may be said to be right What 's meant by aright First that hath rectitude from himself and is the cause of rightnesse in all other things and so God is onely right Secondly that may be said to be right that hath its rectitude from another yet there is in it an infallible rule to square other things by it and in this sense the Law of God is said to be right Psal 19. Thirdly things or persons may be said to be right which are neither the cause of rectitude in others nor yet properly a rule to square other things by yet are they rightly fitted to the true rule and of this are three kinds First such a rightnesse as answereth exactly to the rule both for kinds and degrees And so onely Christs conversation was ordered aright he onely fully accomplishing perfect righteousness Secondly a thing may be said to be right which though it be not wholly directed for matter manner or measure yet is it squared thereunto in some sutablenesse and propertion evangelical and though there be some aberrations and swervings in it yet in comparison of the way of the wicked and in respect of the purpose of the heart the bent of the will the sincerity of the soul and the endeavour of the life And withal in regard of Gods gracious acceptance it may be called an ordering of the conversation aright Which I speak to prevent discouragement in weak Christians so that we may well expound the meaning of my text by that 119. Psal 119. 133. Psal 133. order my steps in thy word And to order in thy word is as much as rightly to dispose it the word of God being the rule of right it must have warrant from the word and be conformed to it from the word and to conclude thus then is a matter ordered aright when it holdeth proportion to the rule and is carried sutably Secondly when it proceedeth from a right principle 1 Tim. 1. 5. even a pure heart a good cause and faith unfaigned Thirdly when it is carried on upon a right ground and motive as suppose the love of God conscience of duty c. and discharged in a right manner in sincerity in humility in the presence of God to be approved of him 1 Cor. 10. 13. And lastly when it is directed to a good end which is the glory of God Opposite hereunto are the indirect crooked turnings and windings of all gracelesse persons who pervert their waies See Proverbs 10. 9. Now for the promise annexed on Gods What 's meant by salvation part it is as full and large all blessings are couched under salvation Salvation is as much as protection safety deliverance in this life and that which is to come the salvation of God is a singular salvation for the addition of God in my Text notes the excellency of it as the mountains of God are excellent mountains and the salvation spoken of is either ordinary or extraordinary and both that which is begun in this world as also that final receiving the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls First that he will give us a glimpse and sight of it in this world by manifesting of it to our souls and assuring us of it say unto my soul I am thy salvation saith the Psalmist Psal 35. 3. he shall see himself saved Secondly the injoying and possessing of it Psal 85. 7. Having thus taken the words asunder and explained them I will now joyn them together and prove the truth of the entire proposition Nothing is more clear in Scripture Proof of the point then this that God hath linked together sanctification and salvation in an unseparable and Adamantine chain never to be broken all the Bible throughout witnesseth that holinesse ever ends in happinesse What is it to order our conversation aright but to lead a godly life And hath not godlinesse the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. yes and the performances too the accomplishment of the said promises those that have their fruit in holinesse shall have Rom. 6. 22 their end everlasting life and they that go to heaven are said to receive an inheritance among those that are sanctified many and precious promises are scattered throughout the world some to persons that fear God some to those that love God c. but all belong to those that order their conversation aright see Psal 91. 10. 11. This also may be proved negatively on the other side that none shall see the salvation of God but they that order their conversation aright without holinesse saith the Apostle no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. And doth not our salvation consist in the vision of God mark well these three particulars First for holinesse Secondly without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Thirdly with holinesse none but he shall see the God of his salvation this is also proved reciprocally on both sides both affirmatively and negatively Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Next for the shewing us his salvation What 's meant to shew us his salvation or making us know our interest in it that is also true sooner or later more or lesse he that orders his conversation aright shall see it Yea it holds proportionably the more exactly the conversation is squared the more clear assurance is given to such a person See for this how confidently David affirms of himself Psal 27. 1 2 3 c. and Paul 2 Tim. 4. 17. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course from henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse It is the promise of our Saviour Christ John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them there is the right ordering of the conversation I will love and manifest my self unto him The Reasons of the Point The grounds of this truth the first lieth in Gods free-grace and dependeth on the faithfulnesse of his promise for there is no proportion betwixt our conversation for a short time and Gods salvation for ever to be joyned betwixt our imperfect sanctification and Gods perfect salvation but God hath engaged himself by promise to us It is a Reward of favour not of debt as the Apostle distinguisheth Rom. 4. 4. It is not from the merit of our workes but from the meer mercy of God Reas 2 But

to be found in the word of God As first the rules for our carriage in Directions in relation to men relation to men First that golden one delivered by our Saviour himself Mat. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that other men do to you the same do ye to them Mark it is not said What others do to you the same do ye to them for that is not always right but some times crooked but it is said Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you set your selves as it were in their rooms and do ye the same to them that is not what you would or are content in your passions that others should do to you but whatever in right reason upon due deliberation and sound judgement when you are most your selves you would that others should do to you do ye the same to them Secondly remember the Apostolical rule serve one another in love for it is written Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Gal. 5. 13 14. We must seek not every one his own but one anothers wellfare 1 Cor. 10. 24. A golden rule to be observed in contracts and negotiations to keep us from over reaching any man 1 Thes 4. 6. and not meerly to do things out of respects to our selves but to joyn the wellfare of our neighbour to our own benefit and what we do to them to do it out of love Thirdly let nothing be done out of contention or vain glory but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteem others better then themselves Phil. 2. 3. and let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus verse 9. he never did any thing in all his life out of contention or vain glory and indeed be the matter of our actions never so fair or good yet either of these two contention or vain glory will fly-blow them and corrupt the action Again in all our businesses in relation Speciall rules for our services in reference to God unto God we have these rules First for the end that the glory of God be made the white at which we aim in all our natural civil or religious actions according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God this must be the Butt that we all must shoot at Secondly for Christ Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of Christ Jesus giving thanks to the father by him Col. 3. 17. that is what others do as men do ye as Christians you must do all in Christ his name that is upon his authority and his warranty in the strength of Christ in confidence upon him for acceptation of the service and praying and invocating the father in his name and giving thanks to God by him Thirdly whatsoever we do to men or towards our selves to do it to the Lord and for the Lords sake looking beyond men and further then our selves so in our almes-deeds to give to Christ in giving to such a man or woman Verily in as much as ye did it to the least of these ye did it to me Mat. 25. 40. So likewise the Apostle prescribes to servants this duty Col. 3. 23. Servants be obedient to your Masters and whatsoever ye do do it heartily to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance and this rule is not to be appropriated unto servants but it reacheth to all masters also yea to all ranks of persons for all the duties of the second table are to be performed to others must flow from our obedience unto God commanded in the first Table so Christ told Peter that his ministerial discharge in feeding of his sheep John 21. 15 16 17. ought to spring from the love he bare to Christ himself Next for our selves take these directions Rules in relation to our selves out of Scripture do nothing with a regreet of heart or reluctancy of conscience but labour first to have a warranty out of the word for your conscience to rest upon a warranty I say at the least of God his allowance of it if not of his command For what ever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. that is if it be done out of perswasion of heart that it is lawful for the warrant of the action we must do nothing with the check or renitency of our consciences against the dictates of the same blessed is he that condemneth not himself in his conscience in that which he performeth to wit in his actions verse 22. Secondly the end of the commandements is love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. where we are to observe that for the matter of our obedience it must be love love to God and love to our neighbour and for the fountain and spring of love in our actions it must issue from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfaigned otherwise the streams will never be clear Thirdly the prescript of the word is Thou shalt not do that which seemeth good in thine own eies but what the Lord thy God commandeth thee Deut. 12. 8. 32. If any thing at the first blush presenteth it self unto thee with a shew of good presently begin to suspect it as fearing there is some evil couched under it and see what God saith of it in his holy word from which thou maist not turn to the right hand or to the left Fourthly for the manner of our performing the word aright in my text all must be done in humility and sincerity and carried on sutably to the duty which we have in hand it must be done understandingly feelingly fervently if we pray if any man preach he must speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11 approving themselves to God and the consciences of the hearers so you shall find several directions for several discharges Rom. 12. 8. He that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with chearfulness c. so every one in their relations must mainly look to the Cardinal vertue which turneth about all the rest as let the wife see to it that she reverenceth her husband Ephes 5. ult according as she looketh to that all her other duties do either ebb or flow in her so the husband must be careful of the main of all that he loveth his wife as Christ loved his Church Ephes 5. 25. In one word order your steps so as where God hath laid the fullest and the stricktest charge there be sure to shew your greatest care as in the substantials of religion before the circumstantials or ceremonies mercy before sacrifice and the great commandment of loving the Lord with all our hearts before the rest Matth. 22. 35 37 38. To end this let all our outward discharges spring from an heart rightly disposed else it will prove formality or dissimulation nothing is any

at the root of godlinesse That thoughts are free or that they are sins not much markable or of heinous consequence yet let me speak the truth as it is in Christ Evil thoughts are sins of special note and dangerous because they are primary sins ns and leaders of other sins in and out out of the heart proceed evill thoughts Mat. 7. 18. as the thoughts of Adultery Murder c. The best action in the world if it proceed not from a well-ordered and disposed thought is not commendable and doubtlesse an evil work premeditated and thought upon is so much more sinfulnful and damnable Simon Magus did not give money for the holy Ghost though he offered it because there were none that would receive it yet Peter perceived him in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity yet Peter denounceth Thy mony perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of the holy Ghost may be purchased with mony Act. 8. 18. 23. others sins are sinsns at second hand and as some think so far forth dangerous as they have residence in the heart 3. Evil thoughts are the occasions of sin and therefore require a strict hand to be kept over them wicked doings and wicked sayings begin at wicked imaginations An unjust man deviseth mischief upon his bed and then sets himself in a way that is not good Psal 36. 4. when God gave up the Gentiles to a reprobate mind they did things which were not convenient they were filled with all unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 28 29. if the heart be filthy within the mouth will speak out of the abundance thereof it cannot be but a foul heart and mind should be attended with a foul life or a very hypocritical The Gentiles of whom even now had vain minds and they walked in the vanity of their minds Where there is vanity in the mind there will be wickednesse in the walk Eph. 4. 17. 4. God will punish evil thoughts Salomon pronounceth The thoughts of the the wicked are an abomination to the Lord but God will punish abominations Prov. 15. 26. Our Saviour brings the thoughts of unadvised anger and the desires of Adultery within the compasse of sin and of judgement too The actions of the soul though discontinued from transiency into apparent aberrations are both sinful and punishable by the Law of God indeed the lawes of men in their animadversions and punishments reach but to word or deed but here is the breadth and purity of Gods Law that it forewarnes and punisheth the evil of thoughts wherefore look to your thoughts And if but any of those inward parts be wickednesse pray that the thoughts of your hearts may be forgiven Acts 8. 22. 5. Good thoughts are pleasing unto God My son give me thy heart saith wisdom Prov. 23. 26. without the heart all the works of thy hand are nothing worth with God God loves the spiritual sacrificer one that worships him in spirit and in truth and what more spiritual service unto God then to offer him our thoughts these are the first-born of our soules Joh. 4. 23. the prime productions of the mind whereinto no eye pryes but that which is ten thousand times brighter than the Sun in his clearnesse This close sacrificer is by so much more pleasing unto God as he is without base respects to impaire his worth There is no witnesse of what passeth betwixt God and a thinking soul none present but God taking and accepting and the soul-offering In these attendancies of the soul upon God there is no Law-enforcements by punishments or shame which carry them forward nor censure of enemies nor flatteries or rewards of the world And when God finds a pure progeny of holy and unforced thoughts proceeding freely from himself their progenitor and directed to him as their chief good God takes the persons to him as Jacob did Ephraim and Manasseh and bestowes upon them the priviledge of having his name named upon them Gen 48. 16. A righteous man whose thoughts are just is so pleasing unto God that God keeps a Bill of his name that he may remember him in due time God keeps a book of remembrance before him wherein are written They that fear the Lord and that think upon his name Malac. 3. 16. 6. Good thoughts unite us unto God so many good thoughts as we have so much acquaintance we have with God so much as our thoughts are turned unto God so much is God turned unus holy thoughts and heavenly meditations are our Communions with God A man in divine meditations if fixed and active is in a sort slipp'd out of the world and his own body to keep company and to speak with God Happy soule whose thoughts immediately carry him unto God or but immediately thinks of God in the creatures we should let no thought passe unlesse God be at one end of it or have reference to it the Apostle James saith of speeches can one fountain send forth both sweet water and bitter Jam. 3. so of thoughts let me speak can one heart send out thoughts uniting unto God and at the same time thoughts tying us unto the Devill make us one with the world and heaven with the spirit and the flesh no in no sort therefore look that your thoughts keep correspondencie one with another and all with God 7. Good thoughts are comfortable to our soules and therefore we had need to govern our thoughts justly our thoughts in some sort are more comfortable then either good words or works a man may take the truest measure of his gracious stature by his own thoughts It is our joy and Crown of rejoycing before men and Angels if we can say with Paul we have lived in all good conscience toward God Acts 23. 1. To have such an even course in morality honesty charity as gives satisfaction to the good and stoppes the mouths of gain-sayers and to have such a government of words as may teach many hurt none profit all is a great mercy yet this will not satisfy nor give true warrant of comfort to the soul no nor make our outward obedience acceptable to God till we have purified our hearts and set in order our thoughts from whence words and works do arise A man may keep a fair Quarter with the world obtain a good reputation for commendable morality be well esteemed for outward rites of Religion yet have thoughts as black as hell filthy as Sodom he that said hail Master to Christ and kissed him was the Traytour among the twelve and while a soule is so filthy within what comfort can she have of any thing outwardly done Oh when a soule is stung with fiery Serpents and the great red dragon hath wrapped the poor wretch under him Where shall he find comfort and peace Dost thou think to find comfort in thy works Comfort is not there for they were done but in formality and hypocrisy passe to thy words Comfort is not there for words are wind