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
A16506	The true vvay of a Christian, to the nevv Ierusalem Or, a three-folde demonstration: first, of the excellencie of the true and sauing knowledge of Christ; and the meanes to attaine it: with the antiquitie, necesitie, and benefit of catechisme. Secondly, of our vnion and communion with Christ, and his Church. Thirdly, of our new creation in Christ, by the blessed Spirit. With diuers questions, and cases of conscience, most comfortable for a Christian. Deliuered first in briefe, in a sermon preached at Paules-Crosse, the first Sunday in the new yeere, 1617. And newly reuised and enlarged by Immanuel Bourne ...	Bourne, Immanuel, 1590-1672.	1622 (1622)	STC 3419; ESTC S106545	102,817	130

not make thee ashamed Rom. 5.5 Yea by this Hope thou art and shalt be saued Rom. 8.24 Conclude not thy selfe then to be out of the fauour of God because thou art not yet free from sin and Satans temptations but comfort thy selfe in hope that as Christs prayer for Peter was heard 〈◊〉 22.32 that though he failed in faith and that fo● a time yet he could not faile totally and finally so it is heard also for thee For he hath prayed for thee as eff●ctu●lly as he did for him yea for all that shall beleeue on him Iohn 17. I●h 17.20 And th refore as Iob Iob 19.25 in the middest of his mis●●e did co fort himselfe with this meditation that his R●d●mer un●d so doe thou comfort thy selfe in C●ri●● th●● one droppe of his blood is of vertue to procure pardon for all thy sinnes if the sinnes of all the men in the world were thine And therefore waite with pati●●ce 2. Cor. 22.9 a●d b● content with Gods answer to Paul My g●a●e is su●●●●ient for thee and my strength shall be made man●fest in thy we●●●nesse It is not for our merits b●t for the me●i s o● C r●●● that God freely accepts vs. And this is th● pr●mise of God to those who are once his ch●ldren on whom h● hath ou●e bestowed these graces of the knowledge of Christ of faith of repentance of ●egeneration and newnesse of life which thou canst not deny once to haue beene in some measure in thee though he suffer them to fall into diuers great and grieuous temptations yea temptations of this nature yet he will lay no more vpon them 1. Cor. 10.13 then he will make them able to beare and if he suffer them to be ouercome for a time yet will he make a way to escape he will giue them the grace of repentance and faith by which they shall bee reconciled and reassured of the loue of their heauenly Father Doubt not then to apply the promises of God in particular into thy selfe vpon repentance and comming to Christ because their is no kinde of sinne which thou canst commit but the mercy of God in Christ is farre greater For that sinne against the holy Ghost thou canst not commit which is not any transgression of the morall Law either in generall or particular either of ignorance or infirmitie or a sinne committed wilfully presumptuously and against a mans conscience though these bee grieuous sinnes Bucan loc Com. But an vniuersall and a finall Apostacie or falling away from Christ it is a voluntarie renouncing of the knowne truth of the Gospel and a rebellion proceeding from the hatred of it being ioyned with a tyrannicall sophisticall and hypocriticall oppugnation of the same when a man that hath beene enlightened with the true knowledge of Christ and conuinced in his conscience of the truth of it by the blessed Spirit Heb. 6.5 and hath tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come but it is onely a taste for they that doe feede of these graces spiritually and doe digest them and are nourished by them to newnesse of life God will neuer suffer them to fall into this sinne when such an one I say shall afterward vniuersally and with a full consent fall from the truth deny Christ persecute him with reproaches despising the sacrifice of his death and passion and continuing thus without repentance to the end this is the sinne against the holy Ghost Thus did Iulian and other Apostates sinne and of these is that of the Apostle to be vnderstood Heb. 6. verse 6. This sinne I say thou canst not fall into beeing ingrafted into Christ by faith and for all other sinnes bee they neuer so grieuous remission is promised vpon faith and repentance and that freely not for the merit of thy faith or repentance but for the merit of Christ Why then shouldest thou not apply the generall promises of grace vnto thy selfe in particular Come vnto me saith Christ all ye that be weary and heauy leaden and I will refresh you this promise is generall Mat. 11.28 But thy owne conscience will tell thee that thou art weary and heauy loaden with the burden of thy sinnes and therefore thou mayest well conclude that comming vnto Christ the promise of mercy belongs to thee Whosoeuer shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued this is a generall promise Mark 16.16 But thy owne conscience will tell thee that thou art baptized and that thou beleeuest though it may be thy faith is but weake but like a graine of mustard-seede that is very small Matth. 17.20 yet if thou canst but say with the man in the Gospel I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe Marke 9.24 If thou canst but touch the hemne of Christs vesture with the finger of faith if the hand of faith by which thou mayst lay fast hold on him be wanting yet by this touch of Christ euen with the finger of faith the vertue of Christ may flow forth sufficiently to stop the bloody issue of thy sinnes and to cure the maladies of thy soule and with this thou mayest truly apply the promises of grace vnto thy selfe To conclude this then since thou art and must bee a souldier while thou liuest in the campe or field of the Church faint not at the sight of thy enemies though they be many and terrible 2. King 6.16 but comfort thy selfe with this that as Elisha said to his seruant There are more with thee then with them yea and though thou be weake yet the strongest part is on thy side thou hast God thy friend to send thee more ayde of grace if at any time thou art decaied in thy strength thou hast Christ a conquerour thy Captaine vnder whose banner thou dost fight thou hast the blessed Spirit to encourage thee and though he may leaue off to shew his fauourable presence for a time yet will he not long be absent from thee though for a moment he hide his face yet with euerlasting kindnesse will he haue compassion on thee Esay 54.7 8. In a word thou hast myriades of Angels to accompany thee and the prayers of the Saints of the whole Church yea of Christ himselfe at the right hand of his Father like the showting of the Israelites Iosh 6.20 to make the walles of Iericho the strength of thy enemies to faile And therefore goe on with faith and constancie to endure the combate and faint not though thou hast many losses of grace many wounds by sinne by thy spirituall enemies for Christ being thy Captaine thou shalt certainly be conquerour in the end But if with all this thou findest that thou art vnable to apply the promises of mercy and free grace vnto thy selfe or to doe it so weakely that feare is not yet remooued Confession and Absolution an excellent meanes of peace Then as in the sicknesse of thy body thou art ready to seeke to the Physitian for helpe

and counsell that he may apply somewhat vnto thee to cure thy disease so must thou doe in this sicknesse of thy soule Thou must flye to the Minister of God whom he hath appointed for thy helpe herein The Priests lippes must preserue knowledge Malac. 2.7 and thou must seeke the Law at his mouth To him thou must open the wounds of thy soule Iam. 5.16 the causes and occasions of thy feare whether they be thy sinnes if any trouble thy conscience or thy temptations to sinne thy weakenesse of faith and holinesse or the like that hee vpon sight of thy estate and arguments of thy faith and repentance though they be weake may apply the promises of mercy the refreshing oyle of the Gospel vnto thy soule Thou must confesse thy sinnes and weaknesse as that reuerend Diuine Mr. Perkins Perkins Cases of Conscience lib. 1. cap. 1. sect 1. well obserueth that the Minister of God may pronounce the sentence of absolution of thy free remission and reconciliation with God in Christ vnto thee that hence thy hope and confidence in God may be confirmed which he may truly doe if by thy confession he finde in thee the grounds and signes of faith and repentance of which thou mayest finde many signes in this Treatise and no doubt but some in thy selfe if thou be called brought to repentance and faith in Christ I will here put you in minde A most comfortable ground of assurance that our sinnes are pardoned in Christ but of one ground of comfort for many And this is that A desire to repent and beleeue in a touched heart and conscience is faith and repentance it selfe though not in nature yet in Gods acceptation by Christ This is euident in Scripture First because If there be a willing minde it is accepted not according to that a man hath not but according to that he hath 2. Corinthians 8. verse 12. Againe God doth not onely call all that thirst and desire to the waters of life and offers them freely Esay 55. verse 1.2 but if they doe but desire and thirst for it he promiseth to giue it them freely Reuel 21.6 Reu. 22.17 And he will be as good as his word to thee thou shalt be sure to receiue and taste of these waters of comfort if thou wilt pray for it and desire it and expect with patience and tarry the Lords leisure for it Thou art blessed in the desire of it Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for first or last they shall be satisfied Matth. 5.6 and then blessed shalt thou be in the happie possession of it A bruised reede will he not breake and smoaking flaxe will he not quench that is the least sparkes of grace but kindle them to thy comfort Matth. 12.20 The Lord saith Dauid heareth the desires of the poore the poore in Spirit especially who are blessed though they be poore in their owne eyes seeing but little or no faith or holinesse in themselues yet they are rich in Christ in whom God accepteth them for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Matth. 5 3. If thou confessest that thou hast but this desire in thee as thou thy selfe mayest apply to thy selfe with the help of thine own co●science spirituall vnderstanding so may the minister also boldly and certainly apply the promises of grace and mercy to thy soule M. Perkins Cases of Conscience lib. 1. cap. 7. sect 5. And that with this or the like argument He that hath an vnfained desire to repent and b●leeue in Christ hath remission of sinnes and life euerlasting But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeue in Christ as thy owne conscience cannot choose but tell thee and as thou confessest vnto him and therefore as thou mayest apply and conclude so if thou canst not he may certainly conclude to thee and for thee That remission of sinnes and life euerlasting belongs to thee and therefore he may assuredly and boldly for to procure thy peace the better pronounce vnto thee that excellent sentence of Absolution The Booke of Common Prayer in the visitation of the sicke appointed by our Church for the comfort of sicke and distressed soules Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolue all sinners which truly repent and beleeue in him of his great mercy forgiue thee thine offences And by his authoritie committed to me I absolue thee from all thy sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen And if thou be as thou oughtest to be perswaded of the power of this absolution thou mayest after this possesse thy soule in peace with assurance that thou art iustified freely in Christ and labouring to increase in holinesse thou needest not doubt of happinesse in the end For this is one end why Christ hath giuen that power of binding and loosing vnto his Ministers those keyes of the kingdome of heauen That whatsoeuer they doe binde on earth Math. 16.19 should be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they should loose on earth should be loosed in heauen And withall gaue them the holy Ghost to direct and guide them Receiue yee the holy Ghost saith Christ whose soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose soeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained Ioh. 20. verse 22 23. And this power though it be not absolute but ministeriall Christ absoluing by his ministers yet as no water could cure Naamans leprosie but the waters of Iordan 2. King 5. because God had giuen a speciall gift vnto them So the same words of absolution being pronounced by any other cannot haue that power to worke on the conscience or to perswade to peace as when they are pronounced by him that hath this ministeriall office because the promise only is giuen to Gods Ministers who are sent forth to this end Ioh. 20.12.13 And being pronounced by them in this forme and manner Christ doth as certainly loose thee from the bonds of thy sinnes by his Ministers as he did loose Lazarus by his disciples from the bonds with which he was tyed when he had raised him to life Iohn 11.44 Be at peace therfore quiet thy conscience with diuine Answ 3 Hope and confidence in Christ and the God of peace shall be with thee 2. Cor. 13.11 And yet further thirdly for thy decay in grace Quench not the spirit saith the Apostle to the Christian Thessalonians Against decay in grace 1. Thes 5.19 in whom no doubt the grace of Gods Spirit was in good measure The Spirit therefore may bee quenched and Gods dearest children may lose grace for a time though not finally and totally because God in his mercy doth in due time renue the vigour and strength of his graces in them Thou must not conclude then by thy decay in grace for a time or want of holinesse that thou art excluded from the fauor of God in Christ The best wheate hath

farre better lesson Math. 7.1 Iudge not that ye be not iudged If thou seest thy neighbour wicked labour to conuert him If thou seest him ciuilly honest outwardly iust in his actions to men keeping in some good measure the second table but not so diligent as thou art in obseruing the first if he haue only restraining grace as thou mayest imagine though it be hard to iudge the heart of which God only is the searcher Damne him not presently and much lesse thy weake brother for euery slippe and fall into sinne by Satans violence or his owne frailtie but grant him the benefit of repentance and pray for him rather that God would giue him renuing grace that by little and little he may wholly be changed and come to th●t perfection which thou thinkest thou hast obtained Thus shalt thou more easily winne thy brother and declare thy sinceritie that thou desirest his good If thy zeale be hotte guide it with knowledge Euery plaister is not fit for one soare some must haue wine and some oyle some the Law and some the Gospel Luk. 10 34. if thou apply not aright thou mayest sooner wound then heale sooner destroy then saue the soule of thy brother I conclude this with this admonition Take heede least Satan infect thee with spirituall pride 2. Gods acceptance of sm●ll grace in Christ no argument to stand at a stay A censuring spirit is one marke of an Hypocrite the Pharisie cōdemned the Publican but humilitie receiued the blessing This man went home iustified more then the other Luke 18.14 Secondly this fauour of God in Christ Iesus that hee accepts lambes as well as sheepe Babes in grace as well as men of riper yeeres must not mooue vs to stand at a stay or to sit idle as if we needed not to goe any further for there is a groweth in graces required of vs. Grow in grace saith the Apostle 2. Pet. 3.18 And Be that is striue to be perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect saith our Sauiour Matth. 5.48 Howsoeuer sometimes by the subtiltie of our spirituall enemies we may be like the Sunne at Christ death Luk. 23.45 darkened with the thicke mists of temptations or afflictions yet we must not be like Ioshuahs Sunne that stood still Ioshua 10.12 2 King 20.9 nor like Ezekiahs Sunne that went backewards but like Dauids Sunne that commeth forth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber as a Gyant to runne his course Psal 19.4 5. I haue a Baptisme saith Christ to bee Baptized withall and how am I straitened till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 We haue a Baptisme likewise to bee Baptized with all namely this regeneration and newnesse in Christ and how should we be straitened till it bee perfected in vs There be many that wil striue to be in the newest fashion to haue the newest head-tyre the newest vpholder for their pride but they will not striue to bee new creatures except it bee by daubing and painting their faces with hellish deuices taking vpon them to mend their creation as being angry with God because hee hath made them no better But shall the clay challenge the potter and say why hast thou made me thus Certaine it is that as a painter h●uing finished his worke cannot endure that a stranger should come and lay other colours vppon it so is it impossible God should endure that a mortall woman whom he himselfe hath created should by painting her face take vpon her to correct the workemanship of God True it is that cursed and painting Iesabel was one of this number but the vengeance of God brought her to a fearefull destruction the dogges did eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Iesabel 2. Kings 9.30 I will end this obiection with that exhortation of S. Bernard S. Bern. de modo bene viuendi Studie to please Christ Iesus not with pretious garments or new fangled fashions but with newnesse of life not with the beautie of the flesh but with the beauty of the mind not with the outward face but with the inward heart by putting off the old man and being cloathed with the new and endeauour earnestly for an increase of this newnesse thus shalt thou shew thy selfe to be a Christian and so to bee a fauourite of Christ not onely to dwell with him as the fauourites of Kings so highly esteemed but to dwell in him and he in thee which is farre better Jf any man be in Christ he is a new Creature But once againe some Christian may reply 2. Obiection of Sata● to mooue ●o despa●re howsoeuer I haue heretofore felt these beginnings of grace and some of these signes of newnesse in mee by which I might bee persuaded that I was in Christ and Christ in me yet now I finde that I am subiect to manifold temptation● and am sometimes ouercome to fall into grieuous sinnes which wound my conscience yea I see a decay of grace in mee I finde a weakenesse of faith and a kind of deadness● in my soule so that I delight not in the Law of God as I should nor doe I feele that assurance of the fauour of God and of my saluation as I desire and therefore I feare that my faith was but feigned and my holiness but in shew and so that I am not in Christ nor Christ in me and hence I conclude that woefull and miserable is my estate This obiection is large and hath diuers parts 1. Answ First of the conclusion but I will answer all as briefe as I can And first for the conclusion who is it that tels thee that thou art not in Christ nor Christ in thee and therefore thou art out of Gods fauour and the benefit of Ch●ist belongs not vnto thee Thou wilt replye it is thine owne conscience seeing thy decay in faith in holinesse and the burden of thy sinnes too heauy for thee to beare this pronounceth the curse against thee b●cause thou hast not continued in those things that are written in the booke of the Lawe to doe them Deut 27.26 because thou hast not that measure of grace which should be in a Christian in one that is in the fauour of God But once againe who is it that persuades thy conscience to this doubting vpon these grounds Quest If thou canst not tell I will answer for thee it is either God or Satan that puts this into thy minde First it may be it is God and then it is certainely for thy good 1. Answ How and to what end God suffers doubting that God for a time leaueth thee to thy selfe and suffers these doubtings to be in thee It may bee it is for some secret sinne for which thou art not yet humbled or of which yet thou hast not a true sight and repentance and then God doth it to worke a humiliation in thee that thou mayest be conuerted and turne truely vnto God or it may be it is to keepe thee from

Cantico nouo What are these things which are passed away what are those things which are become new The answer is the old Law 1 How the old law is passed Exod. 31.18 which was written in tables of stone This is passed first in respect of our iustification by it for by the workes of the Law shall no flesh liuing be iustified Rom. 3.20 And secondly in respect of the cōdemnation curse of it Deu. 27.26 For there is no condemnation to thē that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 Because Christ hath satisfied the Law for them and though by their owne weakenesse or the violence of Satans temptations they haue fallen into sinne yet vpon true repentance and turning to God they haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for their sinnes 1 Iohn 2.1 There is a new Law written in our hearts and this is lex Fidei the Law of Faith true liuely and operatiue by which we are iustified in the sight of God Rom. 5.1 Againe the ceremonies of the old Law the Priesthood the old Sacrifices these are all passed in Christ for in that hee saith Heb. 7.12 Heb. 8.13 Galat. 3.24 a new Testament he hath abrogated the old The Law was but our Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ And Christ is the end and fulfilling of the Law Ro. 10.4 And therefore in the transfiguration of Christ there appeared Moses and Elias 2 The Iewish oldnesse is now erronious the Law and the Prophets to shew that Christ was the end of them both Wicked then are the old Heresies first of the Iewes who doe violently retaine the Ceremonies of Moses Law as much as in them lyeth amongst the Gentiles 2 The Papists oldnesse ceremonious vainely expecting a Messiah to come Secondly of the Papists Qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quadam impulsi who being driuen by a kind of euil zeale do also keepe amongst them many Iewish Ceremonies mingling the shadow with the substance Thirdly of the Anabaptists 3 The Anabaptists oldnesse curious who would binde vs to liue according to the Iewes politickes as if the Gospell did not permit euery Christian to liue according to the honest and iust Lawes of his owne Prince and countrey Lastly of that new sort of old Schismatikes 4 Our new Iewes new schismaticks amongst vs who would tye vs againe to the strict Ceremonies of Moses Law to shadowes which are long since passed infringing thereby our Christian liberty and laying heauy burdens vpon the tender consciences of their weake brethren which nor we nor our fathers were able to beare We must not runne againe into these beggerly rudiments as the Apostle calleth them Galat. 4.9 Because old things are passed away and behold all things are become new Old things are passed that is the old Adam or the olde man in whom there is a threefold oldnesse Corde ore opere in the heart in the mouth in the hand 2 Oldnesse of heart and mouth and hand passed away in a Christian in which we sinne after a threefold manner in thought in word and in deed all these are passed away vnto that man who is a new man in Christ Old things are passed the olde yeere is gone and the new yeare is come the Autumne is past yea the Winter passing and the Spring time 2. The Spring time of my Text. approcheth and therefore I will leaue the Autumne and passe to the Spring Behold all things are be come new The Apostle describing the Autumne in my Text the abrogating of old things enters into it without any stay as if it were a matter not to be stayed at but to be passed away with the bare recitall remembrance only But cōming to bring newes of the Spring he begins his stile with Ecce Behold as it were a glorious portall before some stately Palace or a Harbinger sent before to prepare an honourable expectation of his Lord. Behold all things are become new There is many an Ecce The godly mans guide to gaine heauen a sermon on Iam. 4.13 a behold noted in the Scripture which I might here set downe But I haue shewed them already in another Treatise and I will onely giue you this of my Text. And this is an Ecce excellentiae nouitatis a Behold of new excellency and of excellent newnesse Behold all things are become new To note out the excellency of the new aboue the old the Gospell aboue the Law 1 The excellency of the Gospel aboue the Law the second Adam aboue the first For when the blood of buls and goats could not take away sinne Christ by his owne blood entred in once into the holy place and hath obtained an eternall redemption for vs Heb. 9.12 When that flesh and blood could not inherit the kingdome of God Christ hath recreated vs and made vs new men in him so that being now spirituall in him by the worke of his Spirit Rom. 8.17 we are fellow heires with him of the kingdome of glory O then how highly should we esteeme and earnestly labour to be made partakers of this new Creation For to vs in Christ old things are passed away and behold all things are become new Quest 2 But what are those things that are become new shall we expect a new heauen and a new earth these shal come saith Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 but not till the day of iudgement Shall we expect a new glory of the Sunne of the Moone or of the Starres If you look to them they keep their old beauty without any change What then are those things that shal be made new If we looke to the beasts of the earth the dayes of the yere or generations of men wee may conclude of all these with the Preacher There is no new thing vnder the Sunne Eccle. 1.10 Seeing then all these things remaine without change and our Apostle here speaketh of a change we may iustly demaund the question What are these things that are passed away what are those things that are become new Wee must not thinke of any such alteration as Pelagius 3. The errour of Pelagius Chemnitius de discrimine veteris noui Testam did who falsly imagined that at euery change of time there was a new way of saluation that before Moses men were saued by the Law of nature after Moses by the Law of Moses and since Christ by the Gospel this is contrary to the Scriptures for there is no other name by which we can be saued but by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth Act. 4.12 who is the way the truth and the life Ioh. 14.6 This is the same way that was preached to Adam in Paradise The seede of the woman shall breake the head of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 This is that which was from the beginning 1. Ioh. 1.1 and therefore this is not that newnesse of which our Apostle speaketh What then are those things