Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	idol_n	knowledge_n	weak_a	1,298	5	9.3976	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29686	A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain discovery of, or, what men are worth for eternity, and how 'tis like to go with them in another world ... / by Thomas Brooks ...	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1669 (1669)	Wing B4937; ESTC R1926	368,116	442

they remained with loud cries and tears to testify their remorse for offending him and shall we make nothing of offending those weak Christians that are the price of Christs bloud and the travel of his soul the Lord forbid Besides our venturing upon the appearance of evil may prove a great temptation to weak Christians not only to venture upon seeming evils but also to venture upon real evils doubtless many weak Christians have been drawn to apparent evils by observing others to venture upon the appearance of evil 'T is commonly seen that when strong Christians will adventure upon appearing evils weak Christians will be emboldned thereby to commit real evils 1 Cor. 8.8 9 10. But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak For if any man see thee which hast knowledg sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to Idols When the weak shall see men of knowledg communicating with Idolaters in their Feasts their Consciences will be emboldned and confirmed in their old Superstition about those Idols which they were beginning to leave returning now a fresh to a more reverent esteem and service of them than ever c. O friends as you would not offend the weak as you would not tempt the weak keep off from all shews and appearances of evil c. But Sixthly Christians venturing upon appearing evils will exceedingly harden and encourage wicked men to commit real evils 'T is very natural and customary with wicked men to make use of the appearing infirmities of the Saints as excuses and Apologies to bear them out in their greatest enormities and wickednesses Why did not such and such knowing eminent Christians do thus and thus and we have gone but one step beyond them and is that so great and hainous a crime they have been playing and sporting themselves about the pit and we are but slipt or stept into the pit They have been sitting and bibbing with such and such company and we have but taken two or three merry cups more than ordinary in the same company and is that so great a sin c. O Sirs As we should walk wisely towards those that are without 1 Thess 4.12 Jude 22. so we should walk compassionately towards those that are without Of some have compassion making a difference Jer. 9.1 Did not Jeremy wish that his head were waters and his eyes a Fountain of tears that he might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people Did not Samuel mourn for Saul 1 Sam. 15.25 Luke 19.10 Luke 10 30-35 Phil. 3.20 Levit. 19.17 1 Sam. 17.34 Gen. 31.40 Did not Christ weep over Jerusalem Did not the compassionate Samaritan bind up his wounds pouring in Oyl and Wine who fell among Thieves in his going from Jerusalem to Jericho Did not Paul weep over those that were enemies of the Cross of Christ Yea shall we shew pity and compassion to an Ox or an Ass that is fallen into a Ditch Nay shall David rather venture upon a Lyon than lose a Lamb Shall Jacob rather endure heat by day and cold by night than neglect his Flock Shall Moses fight with odds rather than the Cattle shall perish with thirst Nay shall Xenocrates a Heathen shew compassion to a poor Sparrow that being scared and pursued by a Hawk flew into his bosome for succour c. And shall not we have that compassion on poor sinners precious and immortal Souls as to abstain from the appearance of sin which may more wayes than one prove so exceeding prejudicial to them c. Jer. ●● 50 Wicked men are wonderful prone to watch for the Saints haltings Christians are lights upon a high Hill yea they are Stars in the Firmament of the Church and therefore every mans eye is upon them and if wicked men can but discern the least indecency the least appearance of any excentrick or irregular motion O how readily will they let fly against God and the Gospel against Religion and against all that have a Profession of Religion upon them Now the honour of God and the credit of the Gospel should be so dear and precious in the eyes of every Christian that he should rather chuse to dye than to venture upon the least apparition of sin whereby the honour of God may be clouded or the credit of the Gospel impeached or eclipsed or the Soul of a poor sinner endangered or worsned both the least sin and the least appearance of sin must be avoided and prevented the Cockatrice must be crushed in the Egg else it will soon become a Serpent the very thought of sin if not thought on will break out into action action into custome custome into habit and then both body and Soul are in the ready way of being irrecoverably lost Camerarius tells us a sad story of two Brothers who walking out in the evening and seeing the Element full of bright spangling Stars one of them being a Grasier wished that he had as many Oxen as there were Stars in the Firmament then said the other Brother If I had a Pasture as big as all the World where would you keep the Oxen he answered In your Pasture What said the other whether I would or no Yes said his Brother The matter was very light 't was but a little evil or an appearing evil but it fell out very heavily for presently they fell to words and then drew one upon another and in the close killed one another O friends as you love the lives of sinners and as you love the Souls of sinners keep off from all appearance of evil But Seventhly Other precious Saints have abstained from all appearances of evil witness Joseph Paul Daniel c. but lately cited And to these let me add that great instance of Augustine who retracted even Ironies because they had the appearance of evil And so the Primitive Christians would not let up Lights and Bayes at their doors though for this they were persecuted as enemies to the Emperour Tertullian because the Temple and the doors of Idolaters were wont to be thus garnished 2 Sam. 24.21 22 23 24. And so David refused to take the Threshing floor and Threshing instruments and Oxen c. of Araunah as a gift but would needs buy them at a price and this he did partly out of a Divine nobleness and partly to avoid the very shew of Covetousness Now why has God left all these famous Presidents upon Record but on purpose to encourage his Saints in all Ages to abstain from all appearing evils as well as from all apparent evils Certainly God looks that we should so eye the best the highest the worthyest and the exactest examples as that we

iniquity of all men in the world none honour God at so high a rate as those that keep most aloof off from the appearance of evil Many by their apparent evils have lived God and Christ and the Gospel and their Profession and precious Ordinances into disgrace scorn and contempt and O that we would all make it our great business by abstaining from all appearance of evil to live God and Christ and the Gospel and our Profession and precious Ordinances into a greater credit praise and honour than ever He keeps farthest off from dishonouring God that keeps farthest off from the appearance of sin But c. Th●rdly This is the way of wayes for a man to keep himself clear from other mens sins that man that abstains from the appearance of sin is very rarely guilty of other mens sins Men many times by venturing upon the appearances of sins come to wrap themselves up in the guilt of other mens sins Effeminate Dalliance is an appearance of evil and had Joseph been toying and playing and sporting with his Mistris in a wanton manner how soon might he have wrapt himself up in the guilt of his Mistresses burning Lusts He that would not tempt nor entice others to sin must keep off from the very appearance of sin Certainly there is not the holiest man in the World but has sins enough of his own to sad him though not to sink him to humble him though not to damn him to abase him though not to deject him and therefore how much does it concern the best men in the World to abstain from the very appearance of sin that so they may not bring upon themselves the guilt and burthen of other mens sins 'T is very well observ'd by some that a more grievous punishment is reserved for them which cause others to sin than for them which sin by their occasion thus the Serpent was punished more than Eve 2 Kings 9 30-ult compared with 1 Kings 22.34 to ●9 and Eve more than Adam And so Jezabel who tempted and provoked Ahab to sin was punished with a far greater and sorer punishment or Judgment than Ahab himself was To sin saith one hath not so much perdition in it as to make others to sin and therefore as you would never draw others to sin keep off from all appearance of sin O that all Superiours Inferiours and equals would lay this counsel to heart But Fourthly The keeping off from all appearances of evil is the best and noblest way under heaven to keep a good Name and to keep a good Conscience Now a good Name and a good Conscience are Jewels more worth than all the Scepters and Myters in the World and there is no Wisdom in the World to that which leads a man by the hand to secure his Name and his Conscience Prov. 22.1 A good Name is rather to be chosen than great Riches and loving favour rather than Silver and Gold So Eccles 7.1 A good name is better than precious Ointment the one being but a persume of the Nostrils the other a perfume of the heart 'T is observable the Princely Preacher does not say A great Name is better than Precious Oyntments but a good Name is better than precious Oyntments Oyntments are here named because in those Eastern parts they were laid up in the Kings Treasury even among his most precious things Isa 39.2 And Hezekiah was glad of them and shewed him the house of his precious things the Silver and the Gold and the Spices Exod. 30 22-23 Exod. 28.41 1 Sam. 16.13 Psal 89.20 Heb. 1.9 Isa 61.3 Amos 6 6. Esth 2.12 Psal 23.5 Luke 7.46 Psal 92.10 Deut. 33.24 Prov. 21.20 and the precious Oyntments c. Precious Aromatical Oyntments were things greatly in use and esteem amongst the Israelites and a special part of their Treasures as is evident by the Scriptures in the Margent And yet a good Name which hath its Foundation in vertue and in a holy innocent blameless harmless and exemplary life is better than those most precious Oyntments And 't is observable that the initial letter of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tob that is here rendred Good is bigger than ordinary to shew the more than ordinary excellency of a good name and fame amongst men 'T was good counsel the Moralist gave when he said whatsoever commodity you lose be sure yet to preserve that Jewel of a good Name A good renown is better than a golden girdle say some And a mans eye and his good Name can bear no jests say others And if I may but keep a good Name I have wealth enough said the Naturalist O friends as ever you would keep a good Name keep off from the very appearance of evil for the very appearance of evil will both Eclipse and wound a mans name and his Conscience at once Certainly a man were better not to live than to out-live his good Name A mans good Name is like a piece of white Paper which if once blotted will very hardly be got out again so as to leave no Print of it behind it is like a fair structure long time a rearing but quickly ruin'd or like a Merchants estate long a getting but lost in a moment And therefore how much does it concern every Christian to keep his Name as he would keep his life and this he can never do except he keeps off from the appearance of evil 'T is his Name only that shall be kept green and flourishing like the Rod of Aaron that was laid up in the Tabernacle who keeps off from the appearance of evil He takes the best and the wisest course under heaven to preserve his good Name in the World and to maintain the peace of his Conscience who is most studious and industrious to abstain from all appearances of evil But c. Fifthly The appearance of evil may very much offend scandalize stumble and tempt weak Christians and therefore it highly concerns us to keep off from the very appearance of evil The more Grace any man hath in his own heart the more fearful he will be of stumbling or offending those that have less Venturing upon the appearance of evil may not only defile my own Conscience but also wound my weak Brothers Conscience and therefore it concerns me to be very shy of the appearance of evil If in things of an indifferent nature I must deny my own liberty 1 Cor. 8.11 12 13. chap. 10.25 28. as I must rather than grieve or offend or wound the Conscience of a weak Brother for whom Christ hath dyed O how much more then I must I shun the very resemblance of sin considering how wonderful apt weak Christians are to be offended and stumbled when they see others so bold as to venture upon the appearance of evil Alexanders Macedonians having offended him laid by their Arms put on mourning Apparel and came running in Troops to his Tent where for almost three dayes together

present or absent we may be accepted of him The Apostles made it their ambition to get acceptance in heaven riches and honours and gifts and arts and parts c. may commend us to men but 't is only grace that commends us to God and that renders us lovely in his eyes 12. Grace will eternalize your names grace will perfume and embalm your names Heb. 11.2 By faith the Elders obtained a good report Ver. 39. And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise Nothing raises a mans name and fame in the wo●ld like grace A man may obtain a great report without grace nothing below grace will perpetuate a mans name Acts 6 5 3. The seven Deacons that the Church chose were gracious men Act. 10.1 2 3 4 22. and they were men of good report they were men well witnessed unto well testified of as the Greek word imports Act. 9.10 20. compared with Chap. 22.12 Cornelius was a gracious man and he was a man of good report among all the Nation of the Jews Ananias was a gracious man and he was a man of a good report Gaius and Demetrius they were both gracious men and they were men of good report witness that third Epistle of John How renowned was Abraham for his faith and Moses for his meekness and Jacob for his plain-heartedness and Job for his uprightness and David for his zeal and Joshua for his courage Heb. 11.4 Psal 112.6 Prov. 10.7 Holy Abel hath been dead above this five thousand years and yet his name is as fresh and fragrant as a Rose to this very day Grace will make your names immortal The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance The memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Wicked men many times out-live their names but the names of just men out-live them when a gracious man dies he leaves his name as a sweet and as a lasting scent behind him his fame shall live when he is dead According to the Hebrew the words may be read thus The memory of the just shall be for a blessing the very remembring of the just shall bring a blessing upon them that remember them When a gracious man dies as he carries a good conscience with him so he leaves a perfumed name behind him Grace is the image of God the delight of God the honour of God the glory of God grace is the purchase of Christ and the birth of the Spirit and the pledge of glory grace is the joy of Angels the glory of man and the wonder of the world what 's the body without the soul what 's the cabinet without the jewels what 's the Sun without light what 's the fountain without water what 's Paradise without the Tree of Life what 's Heaven without Christ That 's a soul without grace Now every gracious soul sees a real internal excellency beauty and glory in grace and accordingly it is carried out in its desires after it it sees such an innate excellency beauty and glory in that faith wisdom humility meekness patience zeal self-denial heavenly-mindedness uprightness c. that sparkles and shines in such and such Saints that it many times strives with God in a corner even to sweat and tears that it may be bedecked and inriched with those singular graces that are so shining in others O that I had the wisdom of such a Christian and the faith of such a Christian and the love of such a Christian and the humility of such a Christian and the meekness of such a Christian and the zeal of such a Christian and the integrity of such a Christian c. O that my soul was but in their case I don't covet their riches but their graces Oh that I had but those graces Oh that I had much of those graces that sparkles and shines in the hearts and lives of such and such Christians I see a beauty and glory upon Sun Moon and Stars yea upon the whole Creation but what 's that to that beauty and glory that I see stampt upon grace And this fires his heart with desires after grace But Eighthly No man can sincerely desire all grace every grace or the whole chain of graces but he that has true grace 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9. Vain men when they are under some outward or inward distresses may to serve their present turns desire in a cold formal customary way patience or contentation or meekness or hope or faith c. but they don't nor can't whilst they are wicked whilst they are in their natural estate Act. 8.19 to 25. whilst they are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity sincerely desire every grace especially those particular graces that are most opposite to their master sin to their darling lusts to their constitution sins to their complexion sins to those particular lusts that are to them as dear as their right eyes or right hands Austin before his conversion he was much given to whoredom and he would often pray Lord give me continency but not yet Lord give me continency but not yet he was afraid lest God should have heard him to soon as himself confesseth Wicked men would be very sorry if God should take them at their words and in good earnest answer the cold and lazy desires of their souls If when the drunkard in a good mood should desire sobriety God should take him at his word he would be very angry or if when the unclean person should desire chastity continency God should answer his desires he would not be very well pleased if when the covetous person should under some pangs of conscience desire a free a charitable a noble generous spirit God should take him at his word he would be sorely displeased The same may be said of all other sorts of sinners but now a real Christian though he be never so weak yet he seriously desires every grace he is for every link of the golden chain of graces he finds in his own heart sins that are contrary to every grace and therefore he desires every grace that he may make head against every sin and he finds his heart and life so attended and surrounded with all sorts and kinds of temptations that he earnestly seriously and frequently desires the presence and assistance of every grace that so he may be temptation-proof yea victorious over every temptation and he sees and feels the need of every grace to fill up every place station and condition wherein the Lord has set him and therefore he begs hard for every grace and he sees a beauty and a glory and an excellency upon every grace and therfore he desires every grace as well as any one single grace which no hypocrite or prophane person in the world does But Ninthly No man can sincerely and seriously desire grace for gracious ends and purposes but he that has true grace in his soul Joh.