Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	light_n	natural_a	sun_n	1,020	5	9.7836	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30594	Moses his self-denyall delivered in a treatise upon Hebrewes 11, the 24. verse, by Ieremy Burroughs.	Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646.	1641 (1641)	Wing B6097; ESTC R4358	105,177	285

while with Paul but at last he for sooke him and embraced this present world Ninthly when a man is acted by his pride there is joyned with his sufferings a desire of revenge hee would if he could return evill for evill and doth as farre as hee dares The heart is enraged against those from whom they doe suffer but those who have Faith to be their principle they commit their cause to God though men curse they blesse they can heartily pray for their persecuters as Christ and Stephen did for theirs The Banner over a gracious heart in all the troubles that befall it is Love and therefore whatsoever the wrongs be that are offered to such there is still a Spirit of Love preserved in it Tenthly if vaine-glory be the principle hee loves to make his sufferings knowne and in the making of them knowne he will aggravate them with all the circumstances he can to make them appeare the more grievous that so hee in the suffering of them may appeare the more glorious It is a good observation that Master Brightman hath upon that expression of Saint John Rev. 1. 9. I was in the I le that is called Patmos he does not say I was banished into the I le by the wicked cruelty and malice of mine enemies No onely thus I was in the I le The humble man rather desires that his sufferings might make God knowne then that himselfe or any others should make his sufferings knowne he desires no further notice should bee taken of them then whereby God may bee glorified in them Lastly a proud man makes his boast of himselfe what he did and how hee answered and what successe hee had whereas the other makes his boast onely of God The boasting in our selves in regard of our services or sufferings makes both us and all that we doe or suffer to be vile and base in the eyes of God and man It is a notable witty expression of Luther by mens boasting of what they have done sayes he haec ego feci haec ego feci I have done this and I have done this they become nothing else but Feces that is dregges Thirdly a man may suffer much likewise from a Naturall conscience where there is no principle of Faith yet this is the best principle of all others next to that of Faith but it may be where there is true sanctifying and saving grace many of the Heathens suffered much in their way of Religion out of the principle of a naturall conscience As Socrates was condemned to be poisoned for opposing the multiplicity of Gods teaching that there was but one God In a way of justice the Naturall Conscience of Fabritius set him so strong against any opposition that it was said of him That you might sooner turne the course of the Sunne then Fabritius from the course of justice Now Naturall Conscience may put a man upon a way of suffering First by the strength of that conviction it hath of some Truths of God of the Equitie of them of that Divine Authoritie that there is in them of the dependance they have upon the prima veritas the first Truth which is God himselfe Secondly Naturall Conscience may be convinced of a greater good that there is in the enjoyment of the peace and quiet of the mind then in the enjoyment of all outward comforts whatsoever and a greater evill in the torment of spirit and miserie that will follow if any thing be done against that light it hath then there is in all evils that the world can inflict Thirdly Naturall Conscience may so urge Truths upon the Soule it may so follow it with importunitie casting feares and terrors into the heart that it will never suffer the Soule to be at quiet in a way of selfe-seeking in any way of providing for the flesh contrarie to that light that God hath set up in it Wherefore although there be not much naturall courage in a man nor seeking vaine-glory from men yet the losse of many comforts and many evils may be suffered out of the power of the light that there is in a Naturall Conscience But there is much difference betweene this kind of suffering and that which comes from a Principle of Faith as thus First where it is onely from a Naturall Conscience the Soule is urged and put on by force of a command but it is not encouraged by it receives not strength from it is not sweetened with the Promise it findes no Promise of the second Covenant at least no abilitie to close with any Promise from whence it receives helpe in the sufferings but where there is a Principle of Faith the Soule findes three sorts of Promises in the Gospel with which it closeth from which it findes much helpe As first the Promises of assistance secondly the Promises of acceptance thirdly the Promises of reward both here and eternally hereafter These Naturall Conscience hath no skill in it puts on a man to suffer but it gives no strength he goeth to it in his owne strength Conscience urgeth the Soule so as it dares not doe otherwise but it doth not assure it that God accepts either of person or performance it lookes to present quiet having nothing to perswade it that it shall at length attaine unto the glorious reward that God hath promised unto those who suffer out of faith for his Name sake Secondly Naturall Conscience doth not make a man glad of that light it hath and the power and activenesse that there is in it that it will not suffer him to be at quiet unlesse he doe denie himselfe in that which is deare unto him if he had not that light which he hath he might enjoy himselfe in his owne way without that trouble and vexation of spirit that now he feeles he therefore opposeth and seekes to extinguish his light rather then to use any meanes to maintaine and cherish it but where there is a Principle of Faith that Soule loves that light it hath and blesseth God for it accounting of it a great mercie and therefore seekes by all meanes to maintaine and encrease it and joynes side with it all he can Thirdly where there is onely a Naturall Conscience such a one is very hardly brought to suffer any thing he seekes to put off the Truth as much as he can that he might not be convinced by it there must be wonderfull cleare evidence that he can by no meanes shift off or else he will never be convinced he will part with nothing unlesse it be wrung from him with great strength of undeniable evidence of the Truth it must so shine upon his face as that he cannot shut his eyes against it but where there is a Principle of Faith it is not so the Soule being willing and readie to yeeld up all it is or hath to God it is as willing to entertaine suffering Truths as any other Psal 18. 44. As soone