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	pure_a	unfeigned_a	2,187	5	10.9762	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95541	The hyrelings reward: or, a serious word to considering people. Being a relation of some difference between Mr. William Jenkyns, and some others. Occasioned by the questioning of his doctrin, and his undertaking to defend it; together with his argument, by which he pretended to do it. As also his reasons of deserting his undertaking; with an answer to his said argument and reasons; together with some queries touching the point in question; with the manner of his being publiquely opposed, and the deportment of himself and his people thereupon: / all faithfully laid down by R.T.	R. T.	1652 (1652)	Wing T46; Thomason E655_9; ESTC R205951	21,845	32

those that are conditionall are nothing Mr. Jenkins would surely be rendred no wise man in case he should make his child heir of his estate and actually invest him in it and give him the greatest security as possibly he can for one single act that hath well pleased him and he so farre binds himself to perform it as it is now claimed as a proper right both absolutely and actually and then Mr. Jenkins should come to his child and tell him there is something more to be done and he must do it diligently and continue in doing of it as long as he lives or else he shall lose that as he hath solemnly absolutely given him without condition would not he render himself rediculus and yet at such a rate would he make God to speak and act but now as this Scripture seems to be absolute so we shall give you a taste of Scriptures that seem to be absolute as they are all in God yea and Amen but to us is the condition in the event or thing determined upon such terms as is suspended upon the condition included in the detirmination as for example it cannot be denied but God had determined to destroy Nineveh within Fourty dayes after warned by Jonahs preaching unto them Jonah 3. 10. for surely if he had not purposed or decreed it he would never have sent his Prophet to preach it in his Name but because the purpose and determination of God was conditionall it implyes onely his purpose of inflicting this punishment determined upon them in case they had not humbled themselves in such a time limited therefore this decree purpose threatning of God though it seems to be absolute yet it is not so to be understood but conditionall so likewise in the case of Eli 1 Sam. 2. 30. Wherefore the Lord of Israel saith I said indeed that is I purposed or determined that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me viz. in the dignity and office of the Priesthood for ever but now the Lord said Far be it from me the reason is because Him that honoureth me him will I honour but they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Here also is an absolute promise as one would think when God said or determined Ely's house should walk before him for ever there was no condition expressed but included as plainly appears in the event The time would faile to run over all the places that lift up their hand to this truth namely that the promise and threatning of God I mean of this nature only take a taste of them 2 Cor. 6. 17. c. Wherefore saith God come ye out from among them and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord And the use the Apostle makes of this conditionall promise is this Having these promises dearely beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the face of God So likewise Rev. 2. 10. Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a crown of life with Rom. 11. 22 23. Matth. 7. 7. Joh. 16. 21. Hebr. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 21. Joh. 15. 7. 10. Mark 16. 16. all which speak aloud that the promises and threatnings of God as in the case before specified are conditional Much more might be said to the clearing of this truth and making null the Argument but in my judgement there hath been so much said that were not men prejudiced against it with more then ordinary disaffection they could not chuse but see a truth in it yet notwithstanding I shall proceed to the second particular in order to the clearing of the Question to wit to give an instance or two of persons that have had the savour of Christ and yet have lost it We shall begin with Hymeneus Philetus and Alexander where Paul exhorts Timothy to keep that as others had lost to wit faith and a good conscience of whom is Hymeneus and Phyletus and so 2 Tim. 2. 17. and their words will eat as doth a canker of whom is Hymeneus Alexander who have erred 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. from the truth saying The resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some men From the former of these two it is evident that Hymenius Alexander had faith and that saving also or such a faith as would or did capasitate them for salvation the reason is The Apostle exhorts him to hold the same and no other than that which they had put away and then if that they had was not sound the Apostle exhorts them to hold or keep that which would stand them in no stead No it would then have been such a faith as would have been a snare unto them Secondly because it was accompanied with a good Conscience a man can never be said to have a good Conscience unless he have saving faith because so long as he is in a state of unregeneracie and unbelief his Conscience stands accusing of him and so long not good a good Conscience is more clearly amplified in the fifth verse of this Chapter the end of the command is Charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfained and he that hath a good Conscience must needs have a pure heart they are so linked together and all being the end of the Law that it is impossible to have the one and want the other So the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3. 15 16. Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and be ready to give an answer to every one that shall ask a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear having a good conscience c. a little after he sums up the end or placeth the sum or substance of true Christianity in a good conscience though the other are not excluded which shews that for a man to have a good conscience is to be eminently in the favour of God and that a good Conscience proceedeth from unfaigned faith See 1 Tim. 3. 9. Hebr. 9 14. and 10. 22. compared to the former doth clearly evince this to be a truth Neither is that much considerable which some would create to excuse themselves in conceiting the contrary to wit That by faith here is meant the Doctrine of the Gospel but whether it be the Doctrine of the Gospel or the act of faith it will amount to one and the same if a man doth receive or hold the Doctrine of the Gospel with a good conscience it must be with a pure heart and neither of these can be without faith which is the ground-work of all so they that notionize this to relieve them will take darkness for a vision but if it be said the Apostle could not tell what men were they knew not the hearts of men and so the men that made ship-wrack of faith might not have such a good conscience as

is pleaded for but let those men of this perswasion consider whether the Apostle spake these words as a man or whether it was not God in the man if the Apostle had no better insight in the business we have little ground to believe that the holding that he exhorts us to will do us any great good in case we should hold it and so they would make God speak like themselves there is nothing can rationally be concluded by any to refute this sense contended for but the consideration of the nature of a good conscience will repeal it therefore very evident it is that those men that had faith and a good conscience had the Savour of Christ and that in an eminent manner We shall mention two more instances we shall briefly run over them that is David and his son Salomon as for David I think it is no mans Question whether he had not the savour of Christ and was a true and reall Saint before the committing of those two horrid sinnes of murther and adultery for he had this signall testimony of being a man after Gods own heart which was given unto him by God himself before he had committed those two sins as appears 1 King 14. 8. with Act. 13. 22. and Psal 89. 20. this I think no man denieth but the Quaere is whether he remained truly godly under the guilt since from the time of his committing of them to the time of his repentance they do not stick to affirm it but I must of necessity deny it and the reason is because he that commits murther and Adultery against the light of conscience and with much deliberation and remaines under the guilt of these sins without repentance is not a man that is truely godly or that hath the Savour of Christ in him But David is such a one ergo as for the first Proposition it doth not need much proof for he that shall act and without remorse of conscience commit that as is expresly against the command of God cannot be a man in the doing of that in the fear of God or love of God because of their want of obeying of God but we shall a little illustrate it with a second thus he that is truly godly and hath the Savour of Christ in him hath by the gracious promise of God a right unto the Kingdome of glory this I think is not denied by any therefore he that commits murther and adultery hath no right to the Kingdome of glory during his impenitency under the guilt of these sins ergo for the confirmation of this we shall give an express Text of Scripture 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. No whoremongers and mutherers nor adulterers c. shall enter into the Kingdome of God and they that do such things shall not enter into the Kingdom of God Gal. 5. 21. Ephes 5. 5 6. so that David while he remained impenitent under the committing of these two abominations was a subject of death on whom the wrath of God should abide for ever and he was according to Mr. Jenkins own confession in the suburbs of hell those things that are visibly objected against it being the traditions of men onely and the Scriptures so clear against it I shall not trouble the Reader with them Another instance we have in Salomon also that he before his falling in adultery and other miscarriages was a true believer and one that had the Savour of Christ is manifest and is not as I know denied by any for Nehemiah speaking of Salomon saith That among many Nations there was no King like unto him for he was beloved of his God Nohe 13. 6. but their confession saveth a proof of that and that he also sinned at an eminent rate is that also they do not deny A Catalogue of his wickedness is reckoned up by God himself in 1 King 11. 1 2 3. his heart was not perfect with the Lord God as was the heart of his father David that he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord that the Lord was angry with him because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel and this his father warn'd him of before his death 1 Chron. 21. 9. therefore evident it is Salomon lost the savour of Christ Much more migh be said to this controversie but seeing Mr. Jenkins lieth bound to defend his Doctrine I am onely to give answer to what is alledged by way of proof otherwise much and that with abundance of light might be shewed to confirm that Doctrin that pleads against his and surely if I should deliver any thing for the mind of God in a publik Congregation or any where else if I would not stand to defend it against gainsayers when so deeply questioned I should be ashamed to appear to speak in the Name of God any more much more to take Tythes and offerings to look after Tyth Mint and Anise and neglect one great part of the Ministery seeing what Mr. Jenkins hath yet brought to prove his Doctrine is found too scant for that service but is clearly detected and discharged from it lieth upon him as he wil answer the neglecting of his making ful proof of his Ministery to shew himself one that need not be ashamed but rightly dividing the word truth or in truth Therefore let it be seriously minded by all Rationall and understanding Christians 1. Whether those that profess themselves to be Ministers of the Gospel and yet refuse to prove and defend their Doctrine when question'd are indeed Ministers of the Gospel Considering the Apostle in giving Rules and Instructions to Titus in and about ordaining of Ministers or Elders 1 Tet. 9. prescribe how he should make choice of such quallifed Persons as should be able willing both to exhort and convince gainsayers therefore whether those that do not answer those ends of Ministers are not pretended Ministers onely or otherwise very weak and unorthy 2. Whether those Persons that thus pretend to be Sheepherds of the flock of Christ and yet neglect those things that are Essentially necessary to the keeping the Flock in green Pastures and also to keep the Wolf from them are not such as creep in at a back door and so appear to be no less then Hyrelings taking but little care of the Flock gaping more after the fleece to fether their own nests then after the sheep to lead them in fresh Pastures more for filthy lucre then of a ready minde 3. Whether it be not probable that such Sheepherds yea whither it be not apparent that they do grow so careless of the Flock that when the Wolf cometh or when some seeming profit is like to redowne to them in other places flee from them and like bad and covetous servants that would serve two Masters render themselves despisers of God and his service 4. Whether when the chief Shepherd shall appear to call the inferior shepherds to an Account it will not go hard with the Hireling when the