Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	law_n	sin_n	transgression_n	2,525	5	10.8527	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14176	The combate betwixt Christ and the deuill Foure sermons vpon the temptations of Christ in the wildrenes by Sathan, wherein are to be sene the subtle sleightes that the tempter vseth agaynst the children of God, and the meanes that God hath appointed to resiste him, sanctified to our vse in the example of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. By Iohn Vdall preacher of the word of God, at Kyngston vpon Thames.	Udall, John, 1560?-1592.	1588 (1588)	STC 24492; ESTC S113942	68,913	157

of it And therfore we haue great neede especially in these dayes wherein the Scriptures are so many wayes abused peruerted to craue the Lordes gracious fauour to open our eyes and enlighten our vnderstanding that we may see the misteries contained in his lawes that we may with the knowledge of the text in letter vnderstand also the spiritual sence and meanyng thereof to the right reformation of our iudgements and conuersations according to the same The secōd braunch of the subtiltie of Sathan in alledging the text is that he may the more easilie deceaue and with the more coulour worke his purpose and not be descried Wherein we see that verified whiche the holy Ghost doth els where warne vs of namely that hee can turne him selfe into an Angell of light that is set such a glorious face vppon the matter that he would seeme to lead a man into the highest heauen when in deede his purpose is to throw him downe to y ● lowest hell For would not a man thinke that the eternall worde of the euerliuyng God being geuen vnto the sonnes of men to teach vs to know God and worship him aright and to shewe vs the way to endlesse felicitie should neuer be spoken but to that end and therfore the very sillables of the same to carie in them alwayes great maiestie reuerence which in deede is the end wherfore it is geuen vs and yet behold how sathan as hee vseth it would make it serue his turne to teache the way to perdition Wherein though the sonne of God could quickely espy his legierdumain yet hee greatly ouertaketh mankinde with it especially those that haue a generall likyng to Religion and yet are 〈◊〉 in the true sence and meanyng of the text we see how Sathan c●●ieth them from opinion to opinion and euery thyng that seemeth to haue any probable shewe of Scripture in it they take by and by as an vndoubted truth Wherein as at the first he abuseth their simplicitie and vnstaydnesse so at the length hee bringeth them to an obstinate frowardnesse that in respect of their owne opinion they will not sticke to condemne those whom they know in their owne consciences to be the notable instrumentes of God to set forth his glory And therfore it behoueth vs to take heede that we truely learne to discerne the spirites whether they be of God or no lest we suffering the punishment of our owne carelessenesse bee caried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men but be so setled vppon the rocke Christ Jesus through the knowledge of the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles that the gates of hell do neuer preuayle agaynst vs. Thus much for Sathans sleight in the alledging of the text Now let vs see how he doth alledge it He shall geue his Angels charge ouer thee c. If you looke vpon the wordes of the texte alledged and conferre them with the Psalme from whence he had them you shall see a notable peece of cunnyng For where as it is sayd here that GOD will geue his Angels charge ouer those that dwell vnder the shadow of the almightie to guide them in their wayes hee leaueth out this last word their wayes whiche in deede is the very thyng that would haue made him ouerthrow himselfe And therfore he passeth it ouer For the meanyng of the promise is that God will protect them that walke in his wayes which he hath prescribed vnto them Now there is none so ignoraunt but knoweth that when a man is vpon the toppe of a pinacle his wayes to come down is not to throw himselfe headlong but to come downe by y ● stayres that be made for that purpose UUhich Sathan knowyng well inough doth leaue it out that his dealyngs may not be discryed this lesson doth hee teach many a one to put in practise as for exāple when he would persuade a man to bee a Papist He will tell him that none can be saued but whom the Pope will and to proue it he hath a text to witte whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shalbe bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest in earth shalbe loosed in heauen but he will neuer tell him that this is restrained to the wordes of the commission teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you els it is your owne inuention When hee would persuade one to abyde still in his sinne he will tell him that God hath mercy euer in store and to proue it he hath a text to wit whensoeuer the wicked returneth from his sinnes they shall no more be remembred but hee will neuer geue him leaue to learne that the mercy of GOD leadeth to repentaunce els thou heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath agaynst the day of vengeaunce whē he would haue thee to be superstitiously deuoute and so not to care for the doctrine of the word he hath a text pray continually but he will not tell thee that he whiche refuseth to heare the law euē his prayers are abhominable and in a worde to cause thee make no cōscience of any sinne hee will tell thee God is mercyfull but hee will neuer tell thee God is iust vntill the latter end then will he labour to cary thee away either in a sleepe securitie or els in setting before thine eyes the multitude of thy transgressions to driue thee to vtter desperation It is meete therefore that we be wise by the wisedome y t the holy ghost teacheth vs in the word least Sathan doe vtterly deceaue vs to our owne destructiō Behold yet an other tricke of this enemy he would cary Christ Jesus into that safe tower of Gods prouidence and protection not to the end that he may be safe in deed but that he might make him abuse y ● same to his owne ouerthrow If you looke into the doynges of the world you shall see that this lesson is greatly learned and of them that take themselues to bee no small ones vsually practised For he offreth to y e view of those that know not y ● principles of Religion the consideration of Gods eternall decree in the predestinatiō of his elect before the foundation of the world was layd not to this ende that hee would haue them rest on it as an vnremoueable rocke and haue the right vse of it for the aduauncement of Gods glory in their carefull obedience vnto his lawes and commaundementes but rather that he may make them altogether carelesse of any thing that concerneth God or godlines and so satisfie the lustes of their owne flesh with greedynesse in the whole course of their life And therefore he teacheth them to reason thus Gods decree is vnchaungeable if I be elected I cannot perish whatsoeuer I do and if I be reiected do I neuer so well I shall neuer be saued and therefore to what end should I heare Sermons pray liue godly or doe any good thing els Whereas the