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
A41500	Prelatique preachers none of Christ's teachers, or, A Disswasive unto the people of God from attending the ministry (so called) of those, who preach by verture of an (Apocryphal) ordination, received from an order of men, commonly stiled Lord Bishops wherein arguments are tendered to their serious considerations, by way of motive against that practice ... .	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1663 (1663)	Wing G1192; ESTC R33795	80,325	88

sick and languishing ready to have given up the Ghost for many years together it cannot be looked upon with a spiritually-discerning eye but what is frequently observed in long and wasting sicknesses a lightning before death and as the setting up of Dagon the second time in his place after he had once fallen upon his face to the Earth before the Ark of God occasioned his second downfall by which he lost his head 1 Sam. 5. 3 4. so according to the course of divine Providence the lifting up of our Bishops from the gates of death is like to prepare the way to their second death or fall from whence there will be no redemption Now the Ministers of whom we speak all this while being of the Prelatical descent are members or appurtenances of this I mean the Prelatical Order and have a great venture in the same bottom with their Ghostly-Fathers So that suppose we should be somewhat scanted for Soul-accomodations or much straitned for want of spiritual provisions otherwise yet to have recourse unto these men yea be it unto the best of them in their Ministry for supplies in this kind with an expectation that they should bless us or befriend us in our need is to comport with the unhallowed Interest we speak of and to seek help of such a Generation or Association of men whom God as the Scripture saith beholdeth a far off taking no pleasure to be amongst them and consequently such an application of our selves for aid and relief is like to turn to no better an account unto us than a disappointment if not a far worse inconvenience CONSIDERATION XIII As far the greater number of the good People of God in this Nation stand now perswaded in their Judgments and Consciences touching the hearing of Ministers ordained by a power ill-affected to Jesus Christ and his Interest on Earth it is just matter of scandal and offence to the weaker sort of this people and of sorrow and sadness of heart to many of them that are more spiritual and knowing to understand or hear that any of their Christian Brethren formerly united unto them in the same mind and judgment against all the Superstitious and Antichristian doings amongst us are frequently present in those Assemblies unto whom men sent unto them by the Prelates onely presume notwithstanding to speak in the name of God bearing themselves as the Embassadors of Christ lawfully commissioned by him for the Service they perform Now the Scripture oft speaks of scandalizing in one kind or other those that are weak in the Faith as of a very sinful and Un Christian misdemeanor in those who are called Christians and of a provoking resentment with Christ himself But if thy Brother be grieved with thy meat when as thy life and health may be preserved with such meats otherwise which will not offend or grieve him now walkest thou not charitably Destroy not him with thy meat that is eat no such meat the eating whereof by thee may very possibly through the scandal given thereby prove his destruction for whom Christ dyed Rom. 14. 15. For meat destroy not the work of God All things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man that eateth with offence It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or made weak Hast thou faith Have it to thy self before God Happy is he that condemneth not himself namely by scandalizing a weak Brother in that thing which he alloweth as lawful for him to do Rom. 14. 20 21 22. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him that is weak be emboldned to eat those things that are offered to Idols and through thy knowledge shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ dyed But when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sin against Christ grieving and indangering those who believe in him and therefore are dear unto him 1 Cor. 8. 10 11 12. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it is better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the Sea Mark 9. 42. See also Matth. 18. 6. Luke 17. 1 2. The clear result of these and other-like sayings of the Holy Ghost is that to scandalize offend or grieve any weak Believer yea though it be but by an undue exercise of our lawful liberty lawful I mean otherwise is very unworthy the profession of the Gospel and an indignity offered unto Jesus Christ sorely threatning him that shall offer it without repentance It is true where there is any obligation upon men by way of precept or duty to do that at which a weak Christian is offended here is no scandal or offence given but onely taken and if any man be offended in this case he must bear the burthen of his ignorance himself God is to be obeyed though the whole world should be offended at it But that it should be incumbent or necessary by any precept or command from God to hear at least ordinarily and from day to day Ministers of a Lordly creation or Prelatical tincture never yet I suppose came within the Verge of any mans thoughts unlesse haply of some Episcopally addicted above their fellows nay the practise hath not found that I can find or hear of any competent Defender of so much as the lawfulness of it to this day Therefore if it should be given by way of Charity unto those that have made bold to take the liberty of hearing the Ministers we wot of that this their practice simply and in it self considered is lawful yet in the case of so much scandal and offence as it gives to many thousands of their weak Brethren in the Nation it becomes in them Un Christian and Unlawful yea and it is the more Un Christian and unworthy in as much as it further causeth much sadness and grief of heart even unto those that are of more understanding because besides the scandal given by it unto the weak they judge it a practice altogether and in it self unwarrantable as being derogatory unto the Royalities of Jesus Christ as Sole King and Law-giver unto his Church of which as somewhat formerly so a little more may be said hereafter CONSIDERATION XIV The practice lately mentioned and hitherto disswaded as it is offensive to all good Christians who either suspect or conclude the unlawfulness of it and in this respect is a breach of the Law of that tender Love which we owe unto them so is it of no good consistence no not with that Love which we stand bound to shew even to those persons themselves whom we hear in such a way although they be men who without any order from Christ receive Ordinations and Commissions to preach from his Adversaries his Adversaries at least in their claim and exercise of a