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
A33220	Seventeen sermons preach'd upon several occasions never before printed / by William Clagett ... with The summ of a conference on February 21, 1686, between Dr. Clagett and Father Gooden, about the point of transubstantiation.	Clagett, William, 1646-1688.	1689 (1689)	Wing C4396; ESTC R7092	211,165	600

our selves sincerely to desire it diligently to pursue it and likewise in all our Actions to live by Rule and then we shall be sure to avoid giving ill Examples And we are the more obliged to this because we are not only to give an account of our selves to God but of our selves also with reference to the good or ill that others have received by us Let us consider my Brethren how careful we should be of our own Actions and those especially that lye open to others when if we do ill our selves we shall not only be to answer for our own transgression of God's Law but very likely for the sins of others who are either led into some unlawful Practice or confirmed in it by our Examples Which makes such an increase of Guilt and is so great a sin in it self that it is sometimes needful for a Man to abate of the use of his own Liberty in things not unlawful of themselves lest another that is likely enough to make a wrong construction of it and to encourage himself in manifest sin should indeed do so And for this reason St. Paul handling the Question of eating things offered to Idols acknowledgeth That meat commendeth us not unto God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse But says he take heed lest by any means this Liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak who are not throughly confirmed in the worship of one God according to the Gospel For as he goes on if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to Idols i. e. be emboldened to commit Idolatry 1 Cor. 8. So that although it was not in it self unlawful to be present at those Sacrifices yet the Example being scandalous St. Paul concludes it to be a sin against the Brethren and against Christ ver 12. And this in as much as it would grieve their weak Conscience i. e. not as we use I doubt to understand that word grieve that it would trouble and difplease them but really hurt them by making them bold to partake of the Idolatrous Sacrifice And now Brethren if in things that are perhaps in their own Nature lawful we ought to use caution lest by an uncharitable use of our Liberty we encourage others to do things that are in themselves absolutely unlawful How much more cautious should we be not to give any Authority to sin by an Example that is evil in it self So likewise we ought with the more care to chuse our persuasions in Religion because in all likelihood we do not chuse them for our selves only but for our Children for our Servants for some of our Neighbours for many that some way or other depend upon us and for whom we must answer at the day of Judgment And since we cannot profess we cannot live but the World observes us so how instructing ought to be our Profession how instructing our Conversation How apt to promote Innocence Truth Vertue and Piety And this the more the more we are in the Eye of others In short no words I can use can make such an impression upon you as these words of our Saviour ought to make Wo be to him by whom the Offence cometh But this is not all 2. We must also be careful not to take Offences not to be led into Sin and Error by Example or Allurements by any kind of Temptations whatsoever To justifie which Exhortation I desire you to observe these three things 1. That our blessed Lord hath foretold that Offences would come nay that it must needs be that they come Nay I have shewn that the most dangerous Offences are particularly foretold in the New Testament Now Brethren this very warning in general much more those particular warnings were designed to take away in some good measure the danger of those scandals by Arming us with caution against them before-hand Since that is to be applied to all other particular Scandals that is expresly added to the Prediction of lying Wonders Behold I have told you before Now if the Offences though very dangerous of themselves were lesned by being fore-told our guilt in falling by such Offences must be so much the greater because being fore-warn'd we would yet take no warning The offensiveness of these Offences is in some part abated by the cautions of the Scripture in as much as we have no cause to be startled and amazed and to question the care of God's Providence over his Church because Offences come since the Author of our Faith has told us before-hand that they must needs come And 2. We are also fore-warned of the guilt and misery of falling by Offences in as much as our Saviour hath said Wo to the World because of Offences i. e. as I told you at first because of that evil which will happen by taking Offence But if Men were free from guilt in the committing of those sins which they fall into by reason of Scandals that are laid in their way In short if taking Offence were not it self a sin and in many cases a very great sin and such a sin as we shall be sadly accountable for at the day of Judgment there could be no Reason given why our Saviour should denounce a Wo upon this account Wo unto the world because of Offences 3. Let us not forget what was observed last time that God permits Offences to come which according to the common course of things were in themselves most likely to come he permits them I say for the Tryal of our Ingenuity our Honesty and Sincerity There must be Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest It is by no means unavoidable to stumble at Scandals because we are fore-warned of them but if we take warning it is for the Praise and Reward of our diligence and faithfulness in keeping to God's Word Our Saviour speaking of the Signs and Wonders done by false Christs and false Prophets says That if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect that is they would deceive the very best Men but that they are guarded by Sincerity and by the Grace of God and these words plainly intimate that this would be the Touch-stone to distinguish Persons truly and solidly good from all others that notwithstanding the fair colours that would be put upon wicked Practices and Errors they would persevere in the ways of Truth and Godliness And now that we may not be misled by Offences but keep our selves unspotted from this present World and escape the Corruptions that are in the World through Lust let us take these few following Rules along with us 1. Let that which is on all sides acknowledged to be the Word of God be of more power and force with us than all Humane Authorities whatsoever which Rule as it is most