Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	holy_a	sin_n	sin_v	2,051	5	9.4946	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33455	A catechism containing the principles of Christian religion together with a preparation sermon before the receiving of the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper, as it was preach'd in Serjeants-Inn Chappel in Fleet-Street, London / by James Clifford.	Clifford, James, 1622-1698.; Clifford, James, 1622-1698. A preparatory sermon for the worthy receiving of the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.	1694 (1694)	Wing C4702; ESTC R27090	66,204	177

Conversations that with prepared Hearts and joyful Souls you may chearfully approach the Holy Table Now it follows we should consider what this Preparation is and wherein it stands This Preparation is Two fold Habitual and Actual Habitual There 's somewhat that Men must have and something that Men must do 1. Habitual Preparation stands in the having of all such Dispositions and Graces or gracious Dispositions as qualifie and fit a Man for the Work of Receiving 2. Actual Preparation stands in the exciting and awakening of those Graces and Dispositions and renewing of them when a Man is to Receive Both these must be done by him that will Receive worthily For there is a Two-fold Unworthiness found in those that come unpreparedly to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper an Unworthiness of the Person an Unworthiness of the Action when such come to the Sacrament as have no Right to the Sacrament or when such as have Right to it come not in a right and due manner It is in this Ordinance as in the Preaching of the Word A Man that will Preach the Word must first be habitually prepared for the Work by having such Gifts Graces Abilities and Ministerial Qualifications of Learning and Knowledge in the Scriptures as are required to accomplish and fit a Man for that Work A Minister should be a Man well read and well studied Now though a Man be sufficiently qualified and proved and gifted for the Work of the Ministry he will not on a sudden step up into the Pulpit take a Text at adventure and fall a Preaching but besides his Habitual Preparation in the course of his Studies he will study a fresh upon a particular Text and for a particular Sermon and bestow special Pains for that particular Work I am no Prophet I am an husbandman Zech. 13. 5. for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth Ye men and brethren if ye have Act. 13. 15. any word of exhortation for the people say on Every Scribe instructed unto the kingdom Mat. 13. 52 of heaven brings forth out of his treasure things new and old Now thus it is in the case of the Sacrament there must be an Habitual Preparation and an Actual Think him to be saved by him in his own way whereupon God bestows his Son upon the poor Sinner and in due time crowns all with the Assurance of his Love in particular by the infallible Testimony of the Spirit Now Christians How hath the Case been with you What Experience have you had of these workings Did you ever see your selves to be lost and undone Creatures Was the News of a Saviour ever as welcome and acceptable to you as a Pardon to a ppor Malefactor ready to be turn'd off the Ladder What longings thirstings after Christ Have you besieged Heaven with strong and earnest Cries and Groans after Christ Hath the Kingdom of Heaven suffered Violence by reason of you Hath Christ been ever precious in your esteem c. 2. But Secondly Consider how Faith works what the Fruits and Effects of it are and by that judge It purifies the Heart it begets a striving against and resisting of Sin and Corruption it draws the Heart to a Dependance upon God in all Estates and Conditions it trusts God as well for a supply of Outward Necessaries as for Eternal Salvation it self And which I shall only insist upon it causeth a Man to have respect unto all God's Commandments to yield universal Obedience without Dispensation A True Believer doth not allow himself in the Omission of any known Duty or in the Commission of any known Sin If he do sin 't is out of Weekness and Infirmity or through Violence and Suddenness of Temptation but 't is not out of Wilfulness and Presumption He may fall into Sin but he doth not live and lie in the Practice of Sin he doth not make a Trade of it Judge therefore how the Case stands with you in this respect Are all or any of God's Commandments grievous to you Do you make a trade of Lying Swearing Drunkenness Profaning God's Day Scoffing at Religion c. Oh! 't is to be feared you are far from Believing and so cannot partake worthily of this Ordinance A Second Grace is Repentance Which may be described to be a spiritual Sorrow for Sin joyned with a true Hatred and Detestation of it It implies 1st A Conviction and Acknowledgment of Sin A Man doth not deny conceal or seek to hide his Sin or justifie himself and stand stoutly upon his own Vindication and Innocency when his own Conscience is privy to the contrary but with holy David he doth freely and ingenuously confess and acknowledge his Sin and that particularly Against thee thee Psal 51. 4. only have I sinned Wash me cleanse me Ver. 14. deliver me from blood-guiltiness 2dly It implies inward Grief and Sorrow of Heart for Sin and the Offence given thereby to God It 2 Cor. 7. 11. causeth the Sinner to sorrow after a godly sort 3dly It implies an inward Hatred and Dislike of Sin an Aversion and turning away of the Heart from Sin so that whereas a Man before had a secret Love and Liking to it now he comes to see the Ugliness and Deformity of it to loath and detest it as an Offence to God the great Enemy of his Soul and Bane of all his Peace and Comfort 4thly It implies a leaving and forsaking of Sin and a practising of the contrary Good Amendment and Reformation of Life is the great Fruit Evidence and Effect of true Repentance He that confesseth Sin professeth Sorrow for Sin and Detestation of Sin and yet continueth in the Practice of Sin He that by his Practice licks up those Sins which he seemed to have vomited up by Confession there are seven Abominations in his Heart he may seem to repent he may think he repents but the truth is he deceiveth himself and others For 't is Reformation and Amendment of Life that crowns Repentance that argues it to be sound and Isa 1. 16. sincere Wash you make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil Learn to do well c. Ver. 17. Repentance without Reformation is no better than Abomination Examine therefore thy self upon this Point Do'st thou with Adam seek to hide thy Sin Do'st thou deny it extenuate it excuse it justifie it Or though thou confessest it in thy Mouth yet is there a secret love and liking to it in thy Heart Do'st thou roul it under thy tongue as a sweet Morsel Is it with thee as St. Augustin confesseth it was with him before his Conversion he prayed That God would be pleased to suppress and subdue in him the Lusts of Concupiscence and yet he was afraid God should hear his Prayers in regard of the secret liking he had of those Lusts Is there no Amendment and Reformation of thy Life but thou art as vile as wretched as profane