Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	sin_n	soul_n	wound_v	2,163	5	9.3309	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11600	The ministers portion· By William Sclater. Batchelar of Diuinity and minister of the word of God at Pitmister in Somerset	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.	1612 (1612)	STC 21841; ESTC S116822	29,708	56

ordinance at large but the ordinance for Levi only I answere 2. that by as good inference they may proue reverence obedience defence of Ministers ceremonious duties inasmuch as even these also belonged to Levites for their service in the tabernacle For why must Israelits giue Levites honour obedience singular loue c but for their worke sake And what was their worke But their service in the tabernacle So that now our people owe vs no more honour obedience loue c. ſ 1 Thes 5 12 13. Heb. 13.17 for our worke sake as it is prescribed For these all belonged to Levites for their service in the tabernacle which was ceremonious Briefly they were given to Levites for their service in the tabernacle non quâ tabernaculi but quâ service And therefore before tabernacle erected they were paide to Priests Gen. 14. 3. Was the whole service of the tabernacle ceremonious Nay were not some maine parts of it apparently morall What thinke we of teaching the people t 2. Chr. 17.9 Act 15.21 Nehe. 8.3.6.7 8. of Reading the scriptures and giving sense of praising God Were not these parts of tabernacle service And had not the Levites maintenaunce for these as well as for slaying sacrifices Surely if this be the best and clearest reasons against tithing I must needes professe they are so farre from making me doubt of my conclusion that they rather stablish my iudgment therin And these are all the arguments I haue yet heard vrged by men of any iudgement against the necessitie of paying tithes One other only which seculars vse I will annexe that is drawne from a perilous inconvenience ensuing vpon this doctrine What is it Forsooth if tithes belōg to Ministers are payable to them only according to the word of God it wil come to passe that a Ministers portion shall exceed the allowance of two or three of his wealthiest parishioners But that I tell you is a shrewd inconvenience Resp A mischiefe which I wonder the Lord in his endlesse wisdome never bethought himselfe to prevent amongst the Israelits The Levites though according to the generall division of Israell by tribes they were but a twelfth or thirteenth part yet according to exact number of persons reckoned by polles were scarce the sixtith part of the people The number of the people without the Levites amounted to u Num. 1.46 sixe hundred and three thousands fiue hundred fifty to which if we adde their old men and al from vnder twenty yeares amongst them which came not into the first number x Numb 1.3 allowing but double so many for thē they arise to about a thousand thousands and three hūdred thousands Now the Levites numbred from the infant to the old man were found but two and twenty thousands only y Num. 3 39. and that is not aboue the sixtith part of the people Yet see the Lord allots them the tenth of all the increase of the land besides share in oblations z Num. 35 4.7 things consecrate by vow and 48. citties with suburbs of so large circuit that according to Hieromes measure of the land exceeded the portion of any other tribe in Israell It s marvell none woulde vndertake to be the Lords Counsellour and to tel him such large allowance might make Levites prowde and lazy But this large portion to the Lord seemed no inconvenience howe seemes it so to vs in Ministers of the Gospell Againe how fals it that to other orders rankes of men as lawyers gentles c. their portions exceeding by more then fourths the portions of others are not maligned the Ministers of all other should bee subiect to envie Lastly how is it that men in their own though far larger portion know no measure but adde continually thousands to hundreds and as Agars horsleach crie giue giue and as the graue knowe no measure of desiring yet of a ministers stipend of fiftie or an hundred pounds cry Sufficit It s enough and too much What I wonder is that great service these men performe so over acceptable to God or profitable vnto men aboue the worke of a minister that they should thinke themselues worthy of all whatsoever by a vijs modis they can scrape togither and yet to ministers for their work sake hardly beteeme double honour in proportion to the meane wealthy amongst their people Tempora Tēpora how are yee turned But I conclude Sith Tithes belong to Christs priesthood sith no other certainety allotted to Ministers in scriptures sith detainement is sacrilege sith tithing no ceremony nor particularly Iudiciall sith confirmed by consent and practise of the Church in all times lastly which is not the least sith reasons against it are of so no force as wee haue seene therefore tithes are the portion due to Ministers for their service in the Gospell Conclusion What now remaines but to admonish such as feare God to deliver their soules from the guilt of so fowle a sinne as is this of sacrilege Why hang yee vp theeues that steale from men oft times but as Salomon saith a Prov. 6.30 to satisfie their owne soules and liue your selues in opē b Mal. 3.8 robbery of God himselfe Far be it from mee to multiply sins or to cast vnnecessary scruples into the consciences of Gods people But faine J would knowe for my learning of such as are so loth in this point to wound consciences alas how senselesse and fleshed in sacrilege where God hath ever legitimated sacrilege or made it lawfull vnder the new Testament to alienate from him things consecrated to his worship when turned the truth of that sentence into a lie c Prov. 20.25 Rom. 2. Act. 5.1.3 It is a sinne to devoure holy things and after the vow to enquire Nay the Lord it seemes hath written it in the hearts of Naturalists with the point of a Diamond howsoever some mens simple or wilful ignorāce or impious profanenes or insatiable covetousnes seemes to detain this point of truth d Rom. 1.58 as many other in vnrighteousnes Whē Nabuchadnezzar had surprised the temple seized the sacred vessels appointed to Gods worship in the middest of sacriledge he feares to be sacrilegious and therfore e Dan. 1.2 brings them to the house of his Gods supposed by him to bee the only true Gods Infinite I might be in propounding the sentences and censures that heathen passed vpon this point of impietie And is there any man can doubt whither detainement of tithes be sacriledge or not Shape to they selfe a description of sacriledge with any sound limits determining its nature and see whither vnder it fals not the detainement of tithes I beseech you therefore suffer the words of exhortation Giue Caesar Caesars and God that which is Gods Neede I I thinke to presse it by reasons Not sure if the belly had eares But sweete sinnes are the dangerous sinnes because for the most part incorrigible begetting in most either

t 1. Sam. 5 6.9.11 Arke with the Philistims plaguing the vniust possessors til they returne to the right owners Enough I hope of this first sinne And too much perhaps some wil say too ful of tartnes Let them remember the Callum is thicke and needs a hot Cauterie Yea but it may wound the conscience Vtinam The remedy is at hand Restituatur ablatum vt dimittatur peccatum Howsoever for my soule I dare not u Isai 5.20 speake good of evill Read Ezech. 13.22 2 As to our people wittie alas to their own harme in shifting to detaine that little of the Lords portion still left him I say as * 2 Par. 31.4 Hezechias J would I could hope with like successe Giue the portion to Priests and Levits to Ministers of the Gospell that they may bee encouraged in the law of the Lord. Needes any more reasons then the encouragement of your Ministers Heare Malachy Detainment is robbery in the highest degree sacrilege x Mal. 3 10. yee haue robbed mee saith the Lord to with-holders 2. Robberie detested by Jdolaters will a man will an Idolater spoile his Gods For shame let not Christians spoile their God 3 y Levit. 27 30 Tithes are Gods by reservation frō the beginning Ministers are but his receavers 4. Payment sets open the wondowes of heaven and brings downe a blessing in abundance 5. Detainement a curse yea vpon whole kingdomes That saying of Salomon let never bee forgotten z Prov. 3.9.10 Honour God with thy substance and with the chiefe of all thine increase so shall thy barnes be filled with abundance is a blessing annexed to this dutie Will any say it s spoken only for that state of the Church in Israel Let him pervse the whole booke and instance but in one precept there given of Leviticall performances except he will too absurdly instare in proposito More perswasions I wil not adde how feare I that J shall not perswade no not though J doe perswade Shal J presume to speake of the figleaues men haue sowne to themselues to hide their shame Some thus To honest able Ministers they thinke them due but dishonestie c. makes vncapable Resp With what conscience then detaine yee from such whose honesty and abilitie your selues will testifie 2 The Levites in Malachie his daies a Mal. 2.7 8 9 had broken the covenant were become ignorant partiall contemptible yet even in those times called the Lord for tithes 3. What law of God or man permits to private men detainment of dues even from the dishonest b Mat. 22. To wicked Magistrats tribute must be paid 4. Tithes are due to Ministers not quâ probi but quâ ministri not for their honesty but for their Ministerie As to those other obiections of customes Vae tibi flumen moris humanit quamdiu non siccaberis Aug. confess prescriptions exemptions c. I say no more but what the Apostle in this case c Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked A pretty mocke-God answere it will bee at that great day when thou shalt stand before the great Proprietarie to bee examined how faithfully thou hast given Tithes according to his assignement to tell him for matter of tithing thou hadst a custome to the contrary Dally not with conscience deceaue not thy selfe God sure wil not thus be deluded Thus far of this question at your request to whome vndeserved kindnesse hath engaged mee so farre as my weake abilities can extend themselus Of this tract thus thinke The Author thinketh himselfe a man therefore subiect to errour Yet would faine so carry himself as to deserue of Gods Church the esteeme of an honest man and therefore no lover of errors much lesse a Patrone of them against his knowledge and conscience FINIS