Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	heart_n	pure_a	purify_v	1,181	5	11.3319	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91367	The vvay to heaven discovered: and, the stumbling-blocks (cast therein by the world, flesh, and devill) removed. Or, The ready way to true happines: leading to the gate of full assurance. With a word of reproof to the scattered, discontented Members of the late Parliament. And a word of advise to the present supreme authority of England. / By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1653 (1653)	Wing P4243; Thomason E1489_2	94,272	222

wages but in the Gospell the yoke of personall obedience is translated from beleevers to their surety there is nothing for them to pay all that they are to doe is to hunger and feed their happinesse is free to themselves though costly to Christ who purchased for them whatsoever they would obtaine and by his Spirit freely worketh in them whatsoever he requires of them and this the Lord doth freely First that none might boast but only glory in the Lord. Secondly that none might challenge it as due but receive it as free grace Next that it might be sure to all the seed whereas by the Law and the fulfilling thereof none can be saved because we fail in our obedience either in the principle from which we act or else in the matter acted or in the manner of our acting or in the ends we have in so doing but the Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. our husband Isai 45. 5. our King Priest and Prophet Mat. 21. 11. our new and living way the true only way the safe and sure way the peaceable and pleasant way Act. 4. 12. Prov. 3. 17. Now whosoever hath faith in Christ doth look upon himself according to the measure of that faith as he is and stands before God the Father in and upon the account of an others not his owne obedience or righteousnesse and so judges of himself according to the measure of righteousnesse that is made over to him in his head Christ and so although he finde nothing but sinne in himself from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Isai 1. 6. Yet as he is in Christ by faith he seeth himself cloathed with the robe of Christs righteousnesse so he looks upon himself to be compleat in him Col. 2. 10. that is wanting nothing because all things is made over by covenant by God his Father through his Sonne and the great mystery of the Gospell lyeth much in this point as appears by the testimony of Paul Col. 1. 22. to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight now no man can be thus presented holy unblamable and unreprovable before God the Father but he only that is cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ for so the 28. verse doth expound this that we may present every man perfect in Christ Peter beareth witnesse to the truth hereof 2 Pet. 3. 14. Be diligent that ye may be found in him without spot and blamelesse Ephes 5. 27. that he might present it holy a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish so Jude 24. Again 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin unto Christ not having spot or wrinkle Ephes 5. 27. By spots we may understand greater sinnes which defile the conscience and stain the reputation by wrinkle lesser sinnes those of infirmity which are some blemishes to our spirituall beauty and this is that righteousnesse that doth exceed the Scribes and Pharisees spoken unto by Christ Mat. 5. 20. from which this question was raised Now we are further to consider that all our own righteousnesse as the Prophet Isay saith Isai 64. 6. Is as filthy rags and we all doe fade as a leaf and our iniquity like the winde have taken us away Jer. 2. 22. For though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soap yet thine iniquity is marked Job 9. 30 31. If I wash my self with snow water yet mine owne cloathes shall abhorre me Isai 28. 20. The bed of mans owne righteousnesse is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering is narrower then that a man can wrap himself in it Isai 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lye down in sorrow Phil. 3. 8 9. Paul saith Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse and dung that I may winne Christ Vers 9. And be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of god by faith and yet this Paul had as many fleshly priviledges as any man for he saith Phil. 3. 4. If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more circumcised the eight day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law and profited in the Jewish Religion above many my equals and for my conversa●ion as touching the righteousnesse of the Law I was blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. But all this is but dung Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord and doe account them but dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse of God by faith Phil. 3. 10. That so I may live out of my self in the Spirit upon Christ unto God above the world under ordinances looking to election behind and perfection before 2. The righteousnesse of a Christian doth exceed the righteousnesse of a Heathen yea and the Scribes and Pharisees also in this he endeavours to walke more by rule then by example whereas the Scribes walke more by example then by rule again a true Christian is willing to be searched in all things the other is not again he is not only willing to do but to suffer for the name of Christ so is not the other again he mournes in secret when God is dishonoured the other mournes when selfe is dishonoured lastly an upright heart doth all things to the glory of God when he hath done any good thing if he doth not apprehend God glorifyed by it he is not satisfyed 1 Cor. 10. 31. So then a Christians righteousnesse doth exceede that of the Scribes and Pharisees in these foure ensuing things 1. In the matter 2. In the ground 3. In the forme 4 In the erd he propoundeth to himselfe in the performance of every duty 1. For matter that may be sometimes good when the manner and circumstances are naught but nothing can be good if the matter be naught such as are mens principles within such are their practises without Matth. 12. 33 34. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for a tree is known by his fruit Jehu did for matter that which God required but not from a right principle 2 Kings 10. 30 31. 2. Now the right ground and principle from which all holy and righteous acts should flow is threefold 1. A pure heart purifyed by the bloud of Christ by the way of justification Zech. 13. 1. 2. A good Conscience purged

the Scripture saith that he shall perish eternally if he be not new born and taken out of the first Adam and graffed in the second But some will object or demand Whether a soul thus convinced doth beleeve first or repent before it doth beleeve But for answer hereunto consider that there are three acts of faith viz. 1. The assenting act 2. The relying act or Faith of relyance 3. The Faith of evidence or perswasion Now the assenting act of faith is repentance and so godly sorrow is an effect of it so that this assenting act of faith leads a soul to an ordinance in Gods hand as to the first part of repentance consisting in conviction contrition and humiliation now the habit of faith and repentance are both together in the soul we only question which God doth give the soule power to act first and for the further clearing hereof consider That a soul cannot come to Christ till it goes out of its selfe now a soul will not goe out of its self till it doth see the danger of continuing in its self this danger workes fear this fear workes sorrow and this sorrow is humiliation and this cannot be without the first act of faith seeing we cannot dive into the dispensations of God by a bucket of reason It is true that the troop of Converts Act. 2. 37. they were pricked at their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do and in Act. 16. 29. the Jaylor came trembling and fell at their feet and said Sirs what must I do to be saved So that repentance is the effect of faith and the cause must needs go before the effect only minde that repentance hath three parts to wit conviction contrition and humiliation or the turning of the soul from sin and the conversion of the soul to God and this cannot be done in Gods ordinary way before the habit of faith be wrought in the soul so that we may judge of the habit of faith by the acts of humiliation that it doth work in the soul The next thing to be considered is What is that conversion of a sinner so much spoken unto in the Scriptures For answer unto which it is most clear by Scripture and experience that the conversion of a man is as hard a thing as to turn the course of nature rewards and punishments proposed may turn mens actions but to turn the inclination of the heart is proper to the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. By the Spirit of the Lord we are changed into the Image of God and this Spirit will shew you the corruption of your understanding memory conscience will and aff●ctions with thoughts words and deeds and actions omissions commissions and by a mighty power change all these into the Image of God There is no power below that power that raised Christ from the dead and that made the world that can turn the heart of a sinner we are as well able to turn a flint into flesh as to turn our own hearts to the Lord to raise the dead and to make a world as to repent Repentance is a flower that grows not in natures garden Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they also that are accustomed to do evill do good Jer. 13. 23. Repentance is a gift that comes down from above men are not born with repentance in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouths the same power that formes the child in the naturall wombe for the child doth not forme its selfe and its father and mother are but the meanes I say the same power that gives it the first birth must give it the second birth or else it will not be borne again and if not it can never enter into the Kingdome of heaven Joh. 3. 3. No power but the power of the Almighty can convert a sinner or recover a backslider Turn thou me and I shall be turned saith Ephraim After that I was turned I repented saith he For as Mr. Thomas Brooks well observes repentance hath in it these three things 1. The act to turne from darknesse to light 2. The subject changed that is the whole man both the sinners heart and life first his heart then his life first his person then his practise it is a through change both of the mind and man 3. The termes of his change and conversion from what and to what the whole heart and life must be changed and that is from all sin to good repentance is not only a turning from all sin but also a turning to all good at least to love all good to a prizing of all good and to a following after all good Ezek. 18. 21. c. it is not enough that the tree beares not bad or ill fruit but it must bring forth good fruit else it must be cut down and cast into the fire true repentance strips a man starke naked of all the garment of the old Adam and leaves not so much as a skirt behind in this rotten building It makes a man poor hungry empty naked lost and blind c. these are those to whom the promises be made and these are those that Christ came to seek and save heal and pardon Object But say many sinners If this worke be such a mighty worke that none can doe it but the almighty power of God to what end shall I look or dive into my selfe and my lost condilion seeing I cannot recover my selfe out Answ It is the Pool of Bethesda appointed by God for a sinner to wait at and the way of God that he will be found in and the place in which he hath abundantly promised in his Word that he will manifest himselfe to us in he never said to any soul that doth wait upon him in the way of his ordinances seek ye me in vain but he saith seek ye me in this way and you shall finde me aske hear and you shall have for these ordinances are my Pipes of conveyance Object But why doth God promise eternall life onely to those that beleeve and threaten death to those that do not beleeve seeing it is not in a mans power by nature to beleeve Answ 1. That the Lord might by means of these promises and threats work us unto that which by nature we are averse unto 2 Cor. 11. 20 21. 2. That the grace of God might as well appear in giving power to beleeve as in giving Christ and in him forgiveness of sins to be beleeved Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy so again Rom. 11. 5 6 7. 3. That all men might appeare more and more inexcusable when neither promises nor threats will move them to embrace free mercy Acts 13. 46. Seeing you put the word from you loe we turne to the Gentiles and in the 51. verse so they shooke the

are spirituall virtues green leaves which are good words and fruit which are good works Besides thou mayest know whether thou are sound in the maine by these things 1. Thou wilt walke more by rule then by example 2. And be willing to be searched in all things and not only to doe but to suffer for the name of Christ and to mourne in secret when God is dishonoured 3. Thou wilt do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. XV. The fifteenth stumbling block I have sinned that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost that God will not pardon in this life nor in the life to come there is no hope for me Mat. 12. 31 32. I have sinned against my light and the checks of mine own conscience I have sinned against the experimentall tastes of spirituall things I have crucified Christ afresh I have had many blasphemous thoughts in mine heart I have fearfully fallen away from my first love and I finde my heart as hard as a stone without all repentance for all this Answ Originall sin is the proper seed spawn and fountain of this sin aswell as of any other but every sinne against the light of minde and checks of conscience is not that sinne Rom. 7. 15 19. nor every falling away from the first love Revel 2. 4. Nay farther the sin against the Holy Ghost is not every blasphemous temptation for the dearest Saints and servants of God have been so as frequent experience doth prove not every sinne against knowledge is that sin against the Holy Ghost for the best of Gods people have so done Rom. 7. 19 20. Peter knew he ought not to deny his Lord and Master David knew he ought not to commit adultery nor kill yet strength of corruption drew him into both not every sinne against the truth of Christ and the Gospell is the sinne against the Holy Ghost as those in the Church of Corinth that denyed the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 12. and those in the Church of Pergamus that held the Doctrine of Balaam and the Doctrine of the Nicolaitanes yet are not accounted hopelesse but invited to repent of their opinions Neither is it every sinning against the gracious motions strivings and operations of the Holy Ghost for it is possible men may thus sinne and sometimes with an high hand and yet not sinne against the holy Ghost Act. 7. 51 52. Neither is it sinning against grace received for the most heavenly and gracious souls are daily perplexed with inseparable and invincible infirmities as doubts fears distracting thoughts distempered passions they may and doe too often quench the spirit 1 Thess 5. 19. and grieve him Ephes 4. 29 30. by suppressing his good motions nay a man may grosly fall and break his bones yet not quite fall away as Noah to drunkennesse Gen. 9. 21. Lot to incest Gen. 19. 33. David to murther and uncleannesse I suppose that these are recorded to caution them that stand that they fall not and to comfort them that are fallen that they despair not Now the Judgements of men are various as to the nature of this sinne some say it is despair others that it is presumption or an obstinate purpose of continuing in sinne or a fixed will never to repent an opposing of the known truth and an envying of our brothers graces c. Others say that the sinne against the Holy Ghost is this viz. An universall finall and wilfull falling away from the truth and common graces of the Holy Ghost once received and professed c. to a malicious obstinate and incurable opposition thereof c. 1 Here is the general nature of this sin a falling away 2 Here is the properties of this falling away 1. An Universall 2. Finall 3. Wilfull 3 The good from which he fals 1. From the truth once received and professed 2. From the common graces of the Spirit or Holy Ghost 4. The evill into which he backslides which is threefold 1. Blasphemous despiting of the Spirit of grace 2. Horrid contempt and malice against the Son of God 3. Violent persecution of the way of Christianity Now where these particulars dwell joyntly and act vigorously mark that man or woman for in Scripture sense that man doth commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost and this is the highest sinne against the saving remedy this is to sin wilfully m●liciously incurably this is to crucifie Christ afresh and to put him to an open shame and to tread him under foot and to count his bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing c. This sinne never can possibly be repented of for so the Apostle tels us Heb 6. 4 5 6. Again this sinne is impardonable so Christ tels us the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven n●ither in this world neither in the world to come Mat 12. 32. Heb. 10. 26. Mar. 3. 29. So this sinne is damnable for if it can never be repented and if it will never be pardoned it must needs alwaies be punished with eternall death and damnation but such is the love of the Almighty God that he hath placed that sinne in so high a degree that most men cannot commit that sinne if they would for there must be knowledge in the minde and malice in the heart and that not in an ordinary but in an extraordinary measure or else thou canst not commit that sinne Peter had knowledge in his minde but no malice in his heart when he denied his Master again Paul he had malice in his heart but no knowledge in his minde so that neither Paul nor Peter sinned against the Holy Ghost but take the malice in Pauls heart and the knowledge in Peters and joyne them both together in one man if that man deny Christ with cursing and swearing as Peter and persecute the Church of Christ with Paul then we may safely say that man hath sinned that unpardonable sinne But we may take notice by the way that those persons that are truly regenerate and born again cannot sinne against the Holy Ghost for the Scripture saith that the regenerate sinne not this great sinne Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not as in 1 Joh. 5. 16 17 18. For if the regenerate might sinne against the Holy Ghost then they might totally and finally fall away from God but that it is impossible as that Gods Promises Covenant and faithfulnesse should fail or that Gods Spirit grace and power preserving them should be overcome or that Gods immutable decree for their salvation should be shaken so that there is a vast difference between the sinning of a regenerate person and their sinning that sinne against the Holy Ghost 1. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost are not nor cannot be in any fear or trouble because they have sinned but are wickedly hardened for no person that ever sinned against the Holy Ghost either was or could be afraid perplexed or troubled in spirit about it such trouble being inconsistent with the nature of that

sinne which leaves no place for any religious fear suspicion jealousie or trouble of heart about it for they sinne wilfully obstinately maliciously and blasphemously without all colour shadow or possibility of remorse or repentance the proof Mat. 12. 31 32. Heb. 6. 4. 10. 6. to the 31. 2. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost are such as are under the raign and dominion of sinne such as never had any power of godlinesse but only a forme c. 3. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost apostatize and fall away finally but although regenerate persons sometimes fall wofully as we have proved before yet they never fall finally they alwaies rise again 4. They that sinne against the holy Ghost were never advanced beyond the degree of hypocrites as hath been evidenced by regenerate persons for they partake of the truth of grace power of godlinesse and life of God and men nor Devills cannot pluck them out of Christs hand 5. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost universally fall away both from profession and approbation of truth and grace but the new born never fall away thus universally 6. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost so sinne that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance but they that are regenerate repent of every sinne that they fall into before they die either in generall or particular 7. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost sinne wilfully and maliciously but as hath been cleared regenerate persons sinne out of weaknesse and infirmity not of malice or wilfull obstinacy they hate the evill which they doe Rom. 7. 15. Mr. Francis Roberts in his Book called A Beleevers evidence for eternall life saith it is possible that men may fall totally and finally and yet not commit this sinne unlesse they also fall maliciously these three properties of this grand apostasie 1. Universall 2. Finall 3. Malicious must be joyntly all together not disjoyntly or severally one from another if by them we would describe the sinne against the Holy Ghost and rightly understand the Scripture about it Wherefore to close up my answer for the removing of this stumbling block let all poor souls forbear a little their hard conceits of themselves and suspend their censures for they that have worst thoughts of themselves are not alwaies in the worst condition every one that feareth he hath sinned against the Holy Ghost must not presently be concluded to have committed that horrid sinne of sinnes for such sinnes may arise first from the weaknesse not knowing thy state or the nature of this sinne truly and distinctly and partly from Satans wickednesse abusing thy weaknesse that so if it were possible he might drive thee to despair but credit neither thy own weaknesse nor Satans wickednesse lest thou bar the door of mercy that God hath opened so wide to thee and all other trembling misgiving babes lay these things together and enter into a serious searching of thy owne heart and take the answer of thy own conscience so farre as it is regulated by the Word and thou wilt presently finde that thou hast not committed this unpardonable sinne neither in thought word nor deed c. XVI The sixteenth stumbling block Well saith the poor soul I see I have not sinned that unpardonable sin that block is removed and my heart begun to be cheared and the mercy gate by faith I saw opened but behold I see another stumbling block even a mighty mountain or many blocks and mountains laid all together so that I have no hope at present either to get over it or to have it removed viz. originall sinne in every member of my body and every faculty of my soul and actuall sins in all things that ever I have done so that the whole man is a lump of sinne Besides I see the world flesh and Devill joyn all together against me and I doe finde them too strong for me it is better for me to die that I might cease from sinne and know the worst of my torment for I see all the plagues threatned against sinners both in the Old and New Testament hang over my head therefore sure speak to me no more unlesse you speak of the torments of hell as for me I have no hope of obtaining mercy and pardon I am even ready to say with Cain Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can bear Wherefore with Judas I am ready to hang my self but before I do either I will with Job curse the day of my birth Job 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. After this Job opened his mouth and cursed his day Let the day perish wherein I was born let that day be darknesse let not God regard it and as for that night let darknesse seise upon it let it not be joyned unto the daies of the year let it not come into the number of the moneths If I could reckon up how many minutes since the time I was born then I might know the number of my sins for I am guilty of as many sinnes as I have lived minutes if not more and who can dwell in everlasting burning Oh! I hear that voice sounding in mine ears Rem 2. 8 9. Tribulation and anguish and indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evill upon the Jew first and also upon the Gentile shall one sinne cast down the best Saints and shall not ten hundred thousand sinnes damn me body and soul one sinne tript up the heels of Noah the righteousest man in the world one sinne cast down Abraham the greatest beleever in the world one sinne threw down David the best King in the world one sinne cast down Paul the greatest Apostle in the world one sinne threw down Sampson the strongest man in the world one sinne cast down Solomon the wisest man in the world and another Moses the meekest man in the world and another sinne cast down Job the patientest man in the world Answ For the removing of this great stumbling block consider that thy sinnes are but finite at the most but Gods mercy is infinite I say his pardoning mercy is infinite wherefore give over saying with Peter Luk. 5. 8. Depart from me for I am a sinfull man and say with David Pardon my sin for it is wondrous great Psal 25. 11. It is true every soul is empty of all good and filled with all evill and is a transgressor from the womb so that man is born 1. An enemy to God Ephes 2. 5. Col. 1. 21. 2. A childe of the Devill Ephes 2. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 8 10. 3. An heir of hell Mat. 23. 15. So that man in his conception birth thoughts words and actions is become altogether from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot sinfull there is nothing but wounds and sores iniquity transgression and rebellion yea the choicest piece also the soul in all its faculties is corrupted the Understanding is blinded as to spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 24. and