Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	knowledge_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	54	3	9.0872	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73836	Seuen godlie and fruitfull sermons. The six first preached by Master Iohn Dod: the last by Master Robert Cleauer. Whereunto is annexed, a briefe discourse, touching, 1. Extinguishing of the spirit, 2. Murmuring in affliction	Dod, John, 1549?-1645.; Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625.; Winston, John, fl. 1614-1634.	1614 (1614)	STC 6944; ESTC S109731	185,148	341

performed the same therefore the Lord vrging them to reformation willeth them to be zealous and amend implying that these two euer goe hand in hand to wit sound repentance and godly zeale yet so that as euery one is of greater growth in the body of Christ so this grace is of greater strength in him as is euident in Dauid who speaketh thus of himselfe and that by the inspiration of Gods holy spirit Psal 119.139 and therefore cannot but speake truely My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word Weaker Christians haue some good motions of griefe for mens offances but the Prophet was exceedingly wrought vpon by his zeale so that it did euen spend him and consume him in regard of the fearefull breach of Gods commandements which he obserued in his very enemies And the like we sind in another place The zeale of thine house hath caten me Psal 69.9 and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me Thus was the holy man of God touched yea tormented with the things whereby Gods glory was impaired as if he had beene laden himselfe with reproaches and disgraces But most admirable was the zeale of Moses and Paul Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 who for that feruent desire that they had of aduancing Gods glory could haue beene content to haue had their names put out of the booke of life and to be separated from the Lord so that his great name might be magnified in sparing and sauing their brethren the Israclites Now because our hearts may easily deceiue vs in this matter of zeale either by perswading vs that we haue it when we are farre from it or that we altogether want it when in some good measure we haue attained vnto it therefore will it not be amisse to set downe some rules whereby we may trie whether our zeale be ourrant or counterfeit First Rules of true zeale therefore touching the matter about which this holy zeale is to be exercised it must be good according to the saying of the Apostle It is good alwaies to be zealous in a good matter The matter must be good Gal. 4.18 and it was before shewed that Gods people must be zealous of good workes otherwise if the matter be euill the more earnest any is the more sinfull neither is such earnestnesse worthy the name of zeale being nothing else but a diuellish and fleshly heate or rather a kinde of frenzie and madnesse Such was the zeale of I dolaters that would mangle and cut themselues and that would offer their children in the fire in honour vnto their gods Such was the zeale of the Scribes and Pharises 1. King 18.28 Ier. 7.31 who would compasse sea and land to make one a Proselite that is one of their owne sect With this violent and mad zeale was Paul carried before his conuersion as he himselfe confesseth in plaine tearmes Acts. 26.11 and Phil. 3.6 when he was enraged against Christians and spared no paines nor cost to make them denie and blaspheme the name of Christ Heere then is to be condemned the zeale of ignorant Papists and Brownists and such like who are very hotte indeed for he must needes runne whom the diuell driues but in euill causes as might easily be prooued and may hence if by no other arguments be probably concluded in that they vse the diuels owne weapons to wit lying slandering railing cursed speaking and the like in the pursute of the same But much more damnable and vile is their zeale to be esteemed who against their knowledge and consciences doe violently and maliciously oppose themselues against the Gospell and the professors thereof and stand for falshood and wickednesse and the practisers thereof as did those wretched Pharises that set themselues against our Sauiour and committed the sin against the holy Ghost We must know the thing to be good for vvhich vve are zealous A second rule is that as the matter in which we are zealous must be good in it selfe so it must be knowne vnto vs to be of that qualitie True zeale must begin where the word begins and ende where it ends Rom. 14.23 for otherwise it cannot bee of faith which is euer grounded on theword and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We must not therefore content our selues with an honest meaning and hope that wee haue a good zeale towards God when we haue no warrant for our hope but must so acquaint our selues with the Scriptures of God Rom. 10.2 that our zeale may be according to knowledge Which rule discouereth the corruptnes of their zeale whether close hypocrites or weake Christians who are led on meerely by the examples of good men whome they affect much to like of and earnestly to stand for such things as they perceiue them in their practise to obserue and to make conscience of and if there be but a word spoken against any of the things that they haue taken a liking of they are maruellously stirred with indignation thereat and grow passionate and vehement against the parties though they haue neuer so good a meaning in that which they speake Yet let them bee vrged to prooue out of the word the necessitie of those duties which they so earnestly presse they can say little or nothing to the purpose for them and so grow manie times either to dislike and forsake all if they bee hypocrites or at least to bee discouraged and to bee at a stand if they be weaklings in Christ Iesus And whence proceed these inconueniences but from this that they are zealous for things that in themselues and vnto others are good and holie but not thoroughly discerned of them to bee of that nature the consideration whereof should make vs to sit sure in matters of godlinesse not building vpon the example of good men but vpon the truth of the good word of God and then our foundation shall neuer faile vs. A third propertie of true zeale is that it beginneth in our selues and after proceedeth vnto others Zeale must begin at home for neuer can that man be truely zealous to others which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe Those are the most skilfull Physitions and best able to deale with others that haue first wrought a cure vpon their owne soules Therefore our Sauiours aduice is Luke 6.42 Cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and then shalt thou see perfectly to pull out the meate that is in thy brothers eye We must then first of all iudge our selues and cast the first stone at our selues that so finding how vgly and noisome a thing sinne is and that by experience in our selues we may be at defiance with it wheresoeuer we finde it and neither fiatter others in their euill courses nor yet too rigorously and vnmercifully rebuke them for the same Those that haue beene pinched with sicknesse and are recouered can by the smart which they haue felt pittie others in the

to performe in his familie and the like we may boldly say except the Lord conuert this mans heart certainly he will neuer make conscience of performing these duties Now for the effect which they shall find from the Lord it is this that he will deale with them as with wicked and vngodly ones both in this life and afterwards 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 for because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therefore God wil send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies That all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse This doctrine maketh First for the terror of Papists Vse 1 and all such as are popishly affected as being liable to this iudgement and heauie stroake of God because they refuse to heare the word of the Lord and will rather hearken to erroneous and heretical doctrine then to the truth of God contained in the holy Scriptures and rather lie in prison amongst malefactors then bee in the Church amongst true Christians But though they doe not heare the word preached Obiect 1 yet will some say they pray very much What of that Answ doe they imagine to haue any benesit by their prayers if they doe they will bee much deceiued Prou. 28.9 for Salomon saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shall be abominable Let them pretend what they will for their wilfull absenting of themselues from our assemblies as namely that wee corrupt the word and misinterprete and misapply the same yet they shall finde that they haue refused to embrace the loue of the truth 2. Thes 2. and haue beleeued lies and that therefore the Lord hath iustly giuen them vp to bee deluded by Satan and so to bee damned with him euerlastingly Secondly for the iust reproofe of many among vs who will come vnto the Church and sit before the Preacher as men and women desiring to obtaine the knowledge of Gods waies whereas in truth the Lord and their owne consciences can witnesse that they are altogether vnwilling to receiue any wholesome admonition and instruction and that no charge is or can bee more vnpleasant and distastfull vnto them then that of the God of heauen when he straitly enioyneth them with all speed to get out of their sins and to turne their feet into the way of his testimonies And because they will bee very loath to acknowledge thus much but are ready to harbour too good an opinion of themselues as if none were more forward hearers then they are let their owne hearts bee iudges what preparation they make before hand for the fitting of themselues for such a great worke what attention they vse when they are present and what meditation and conference they haue concerning it when they are departed Of which points if they would without partiality examine themselues they should easily discerne a great deale of backwardnesse in their nature and in their practise If a man should protest that hee goes to the market with a great desire to buy food for himselfe and his family yet if he alwaies played the vnthrift with his money and neuer brought home any prouision we would not giue credit to his words but account him a meere dissembler and the like censure may wee passe on such as pretend they are willing to reape benefit by the word to the intent they may bee able to helpe both themselues and their families and yet neuer carrie away any thing to the purpose but if they aske them what points were handled they can say nothing but this surely wee heard a very good Sermon God be thanked but my memory is very short or I cannot vtter all that I haue in my mind my heart I hope is as good as the best though I cannot talke of the Sermon as others doe what is this but to deceiue their owne soules with vaine words for certainely hee that hath a heart willing to heare will haue a tongue readie to vtter in some tolerable sort that which hee hath heard though not all of it yet a good part of it as God hath giuen to euery one the measure of grace Another sort are here to be reproued who doe in a more palpable and grosse manner manifest their vnwillingnesse to heare in that they wil take euery sleight occasion to absent themselues and that not onely on the weeke daies but on the Lords day also so that when the Lord commeth euen to their dores and offereth to powre downe his graces abundantly vpon them they refuse his gracious offer Act. 13.46 and so iudge themselues vnworthie of eternall life Thirdly this is for our instruction if we would be freed from the accusation and condemnation of impious and prophane persons then let vs labour to be willing and well affected hearers and come with a better appetite to the food of our soules then wee doe to the food of our bodies and be more desirous to get an encrease of spirituall graces by the one Remedies against vnwillingnesse to heare the word then of naturell strength by the other Now to the intent that we may do so we must vse these remedies following First purge our hearts by true and vnfained repentance from the venome of all grosse and presumptuous sinnes yea from the allowance and liking of the least infirmities for otherwise if our soules bee clogged with poysoned humours of sinne wee shall find no manner of appetite or affection to our spirituall food Wherefore the Apostle Iames exhorting the twelue tribes to receiue the word with meekenesse prescribeth them what course to take for the preparing of their hearts thereunto Iam. 1.20.21 viz. to put away wrathfull and violent affections to lay apart al filthinesse and superfluity of malitiousnes And the like direction the Apostle Peter giueth in his first Epistle and second chapter vers 1.2 thereby implying that it is in vaine for men to imagine that they can bee profitable hearers and receiuers of the doctrine of Christ till they haue done their best endeauour to cleanse their hearts and their hands from all manner of iniquitie Secondly let vs consider of the excellency of the word and meditate on the strange and admirable effects that it worketh as namely how pure and holy and perfect it is euery way Psal 19.7 c. how it enlighteneth the mind and giueth wisedome to the simple how it conuerteth the soule and frameth the affections vnto obedience 2. Cor. 10. Act. 26.18 how it casteth downe the strong holds of the diuell setteth men at libertie from the power of darkenesse Iam. 1.21 and translateth them into the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ and in a word is able to saue their soules that doe in a conscionable manner attend thereunto and treasure it vp in the secret of their hearts Which things being well considered will set an edge on our affections Psal 119. and cause vs

like case euen so they which haue beene stung with sinne themselues can more easily be moued to shew compassion towards poore sinners like themselues because by the feeling of misery men learne the practise of mercy Heb. 2.17.18 in that Christ suffered and was tempted he is able to pittie and to succour those that are tempted Against this rule doe all hypocrites offend who will wade very deepely into other mens soules and very bloodily gore other mens consciences who yet neuer once purged their owne vncleane sincks at home nor drew one drop of blood out of their owne corrupt hearts Such were the Pharises who pleased themselues much in iudging and censuring our Sauiour and his Disciples Luk. 16.15 18.9 but were so farre from condemning themselues as faultie in any thing that they instified themselues before God and men Such also are the Brownists which are readie to burst their bowels with crying out against disorders abroad and yet neuer reforme their owne soules at home for if they did they would also reforme their liues and their families But what kind of zeale these mens is wofull and late experience still crieth in our eares for manie of them being so zealous to others but onely through some secret loue of the world when they had that which they sought for made knowne their hollow their rotten zeale in that without griefe of conscience they could suddenly rush into a profound worldlinesse and without all godly sorrow could after they had satisfied their greedie and fleshly zeale not onely more hardlie seare vp their owne consciences but also be so changed that they could sowe vp their lippes and spare their words from speaking in like manner againe to others and so are neither zealous to themselues nor others Heere also are all such to be censured as faultie that can prie and make a priuie search into the wants of others accounting the same wants no wants in themselues The father saith this my childe doth amisse and the childe in this my father faileth the husband knoweth what the wife should doe and the wife what the husband should doe c euery one in the meane time neglecting their owne duties whereas indeed euery ones principall care should bee to know and doe his owne dutie and to be grieued where he commeth short of the same And thus much for the third rule that true zeale must beginne in our selues Now further we are to vnderstand that there must be an order kept in being thus zealous namely Wee must make greatest account of the vveightiest matters Matth. 23.23 that first and especiallie wee make conscience of the principall matters of the word and after of the lesser as our Sauiour telleth the Scribes and Pharises These things ought yee to haue done that is the weightier matters of the Law and not to haue left the other vndone viz. matters of smaller importance Which sheweth that their zeale is verie corrupt and faulty who as our Sauior saith straine out a Gnat swallow a Camell who are very hot about matters of ceremonie but altogether cold in matters of substance as also theirs that on the other side will crie out against them that rob by the high-wayes side yet they themselues make no conscience of pilfring cosoning and secret defrauding of their neighbours as if small sinnes were not to be left as well as great Another rule of true zeale is that wee looke as carefully to our hearts before God We must look to the inside as vvell as to the out-side Ier. 4.14 Iam. 4.8 as to our carriage before men for so the Lord commandeth Cleanse thy heart ô Ierusalem c how long shall thy euill thoughts remaine within thee And againe Purge your hands yee sinners and your hearts yee hypocrites Which serueth to ouerthrow the hypocrisie of such Pharises as make cleane the vtter side of the cuppe and platter Matth. 23. but within are full of bribery and excesse of pride disdaine selfe-loue and hatred Now that wee may the better trie our selues by this rule two things are to be obserued 1. That wee feare to commit any sinne secretly and when wee are alone as well as when wee are in the presence of men Iob. 31. Gen. 39. So did Iob and so did Ioseph and this mooued them so to doe euen that the Lord did behold them and could punish them for secret as well as for open offences Which condemneth them of grosse dissimulation that are loth to be accounted ill and yet make no conscience to be ill What is this but to be painted sepulchers that are faire to looke vpon but within full of rotten bones Matth. 23. Wee may deceiue men but God is not deceined and therefore let vs beware of this hypocrisie and so much the rather because the Lorde hath fearefully discouered and plagued them that in outward shew haue borne a great conuntenance of religion and yet haue liued in secret filthinesse and other vile sinnes which in time haue come to light to their shame and ruine The second thing to be obserued is that wee haue an eye to the priuie corruptions that lurke in our hearts and maintaine continuall warre against them as Paul did Rom. 7. and this we should the rather doe because it is a fearefull and yet an vsuall iudgement of God and that vpon many professors that making no conscience of entertaining wretched lusts and vile affections secretly they haue broken foorth to the committing of the grosse actions and so haue shamed themselues publikely And this is a iust stroke vpon those that would rather seeme to be then in truth desire to be godly that making no conscience of their thoughts and inward desires they should in time be so giuen vp as to make no conscience of their words or deeds The sixth rule is that wee be more strict vnto our selues then vnto others Wee must be more strict to our selues then to others and more seuere against our selues then against others giuing more libertie vnto them then wee will take vnto our selues And first concerning seueritie vnto our selues such ought to bee our acquaintance with our inward and outward corruptions and so grieuous ought they to be in our eyes that our heate being spent vpon our selues wee may thinke the sinnes of others more tollerable and so learne by the sight and sense of our owne sores Titus 3.1 to deale more mildely and meekely with others whose corruptions either for greatnes or multitude we cannot so thorowly see as wee may our owne Secondly as we must deale most sharpely against our selues so must we be ready to giue more outward libertie vnto others then to our selues And for this we haue the example of Abraham who was so strict to himselfe that he would not take of the King of Sodome so much as a threed or latchet and yet he would not denie Aner Gen. 14.23.24 Escol and Mamre their liberty So Iob as