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A65629
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A golden topaze, or, Heart-jewell namely, a conscience purified and pacified by the blood and spirit of Christ / written by Francis Whiddon ...
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Whiddon, Francis, d. 1656 or 7.
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1656
(1656)
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Wing W1644; ESTC R10315
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60,273
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170
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ready to quarrell with God and to fall out with him as if he had greatly wronged him God saith unto him doest thou well to be angry yea saith he I do well to be angry even unto death His words are very high words of a passionate spirit blinded with anger rather then with any expresse rebellion Very needfull therefore is it that such should have conscience as a Controuler to check them Againe others their Affections are disorderly placed on wrong objects likeing those whom they should dislike and loving those whom they should loath such was the blind Affection of Jehoshaphat to Ahab I am saith he as thou art 2 Chron. 18 3. 2 Chron. 19.2 my people as thy people its needfull therefore that conscience say to such as Jehn to Iehoshaphat shouldst then love them that hate the Lord Lastly many mens appetites are very wanton wholsome meates and drinkes content them not their meates must be mixed with hurtfull condiments and their drinke with noxious ingredients therefore it is very requisite that conscience play the Monitor and advise them not to looke on the wine when it sparkles Prov. 23.30 31. nor to seeke after mixt wine though it goe downe pleasantly yet at last it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice And thus you see how just and how mercifull God is to plant such a power as conscience within us Vse 1 Is there such a power or faculty as conscience in every man then let every man learne to magnify his maker not barely for being his Creature but for being such a Creature as none is like him First look upon thy meanest part namely thy body view that well and thou shalt see such an exellency in it that no visible creature is comparable unto mans body If we look unto our first Creation we find them very excellent creatures 1. God made them with consultation and deliberation Gen. 1.26 let us make man His advice argueth a worke of great weight and moment and this word of plurality us intimates the Trinity (a) Galen though a meere Naturalist when he saw the admirable frame and structure of mans body was so taken with it that he could not but adiudge the honour of an Hymne to the wise Creator of it and mindes us of the mysterie of the three persons in one Godhead God the father seemeth to speak as communicating by way of consultation with God the Son and God the holy Ghost in the worke of Creation 2. The wonderfull endowments of the body in beauty strength nimblenesse activity without deformity or mortality 3. All other bodies made for the good of mans body the heavenly to give light unto it the earthly bodies to nourish cherish and comfort it Againe if we consider the recreation or regeneration of our bodies we find them more excellent 1. Purchased by Christs bloud 1 Cor. 6.20 2. Sanctified by Christs spirit 1 Cor. 6.19 3. Assumed by Christs person Phil. 2.7 When he took our nature he took our body and was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted so that we are as neer to Christ as our bodies to our soules Having thus viewed our meanest part namely the body let us in the next place consider our best part namely our soule What the soule is The soule of man is a spirit distinct invisible immortall infused by God 1. A spirit Thus much the Originall word declareth as in John 11. 33. and John 12. 27. we find soule and spirit promiscuously used by our Saviour my soule is troubled my spirit is troubled 2. A distinct spirit because it hath its being not only in the body but also out of the body Eccl. 12.7 as it had its time of entrance into the body so its time of returne out As it is in us so it can be without us and will be after us 3. Invisible Because no more to be seen then an Angel or God himselfe 4. An immortall spirit Eccl. 12.7 And Christ tells us that men may kill our bodies but not our soules which made Anaxzarchus bold to speak unto his Tormentors who did beat him with clubs laye on my Sachel meaning his body you cannot hurt Anaxzarchus meaning his soule 5. A spirit infused by God Gen. 2.7 How Adam came by his soule we all know namely by inspiration but as for our owne soules we are at a great stand Some think by participation (b) Chrysippus de natur â. lib. 3. as one Candle lighteth another Some thinke by generation (c) Tertullian l. de anim â ch 5. that a man begets a man compleat Others say it is by infusion (d) Thom. Aquin. 1 q. 75.6 1 m. by a peculiar inspiration when the child is first quickened in the womb Much is imagined little concluded concerning this question (e) St. Austin hath writ 4 bookes of the originall of the soule in which he leaveth this question undecided And his second booke of Retractions doth witnesse that he continued in that doubt unto his death cap. 56. and no marvell for who knoweth the way of the spirit Eccl. 11.5 The Scripture seems to warrant the last opinion calling God the Creator of the Spirit Zach. 12.1 The giver of the Spirit Eccl. 12.7 The Father of our spirits Heb. 12.9 It is not without consideration if God by a peculiar elegy and stile is called the father of spirits that he might be opposed to the father of the flesh for if the soule be by traduction then those that are the fathers of the flesh would also be the fathers of the spirits neither would God by this title be distinguished from the father of the flesh if he wrought alike in both and did not forme mens soules otherwise then their bodies So then consider well your bodies soules and you may safely conclude that of all the creatures that ever God made there is more to be seen of God in man then in them all and in man much in his body more in his soule but most of all in his conscience as one saith this smelleth more of God then the heavens the Sun the Stars or all the glorious things of the earth gold precious stones Rubies or sweetest herbs roses or lillies Oh how should we magnifie our maker Ps 139.14 and with David say I will praise thee O Lord for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy workes and that my soule knoweth right well Object Ob. Our conscience were at first very pure and excellent but now like our selves they are most sinfull yea our Soules and Consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 therefore nothing worthy praise in them Answ A. It s very true that our consciences which were pure and excellent at first are by Adam's sin become defiled and uncleane But let me tell you there is no part power or faculty in the whole man that retaines so much of its excellency in it as conscience doth though the
them both namely a conscience truely parified and truly pacified Meanes Now followes the meanes both to purify and pacify conscience 1. For the purifying of conscience it is the part of every one professing Christ to consider that his conscience naturally is defiled Tit. 1.15 and that there is a necessity of taking off this defilement if we would be saved namely the ignorance error and hardnesse of conscience wherewith it is polluted The principall meanes are two 1. The first means to effect it Principall meanes is the bloud of Christ by this bloud we must have our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience Heb. 10.22 9.14 This is a singular way to have our Consciences purged from dead works to serve the living God 2. Meanes is the Spirit of Christ This is that mundifying water mentioned Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleant from all your filthinesse These two Christs bloud and Christs spirit will cleanse the foulest sinner and the most defiledst conscience Paul writing unto the Corinthians tells them what filthy creatures they were 1 Cor. 6.9.10 namely Fornicators Idolaters effeminate abusers of themselves with mankind Theeves Covetous Drunkards Railers Extortioners and then shewed them by what meanes they were cured and cleansed namely by the blood and spirit of Christ v. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God This is the refiners fire and fullers sope Mal. 3.2 this is that hysope which will make us as white as snow yea more white then snow Ps 51.7 Other meanes there are which though not comparable to the first yet as subservient are likewise requisite to this purifying of Conscience namely the Word Faith Repentance Lesse principal meanes 1. The Word Now are ye cleane saith Christ through the word that I have spoken unto you John 15.3 That is to say the word accompanied with the power of my Spirit 2. So Faith is of a cleansing nature it will purge the heart and cleanse the conversation Act. 15.9 3. And as for repentance we find that when Judah had defiled her selfe with sin God calls her to repentance as a way of cleansing Wash ye make you cleane put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evill learne to do well and then though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Is 1.16 Thus you see how a defiled conscience may be purified 2. Next followes how conscience may be pacified Consider first of all what it is that troubles conscience Meanes It must be one of these three either sin or Sathan or Gods anger It was sin that so troubled Paul the law in his members that warred against the law of his mind that so disquieted him that it made him to cry out Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me 2. It was Sathan that winnowed Peter and withstood Jehoshus 3. Gods anger that so molested David as to make him cry out Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger Therefore unto such as are troubled with the sight of their sin the assaults of Sathan or sence of Gods displeasure if their consciences be unquiet because of these either one or all be carefull in the use of such meanes as God hath ordained for pacifying conscience Now that I may not be tedious remember what were the meanes to purifie conscience and thou shalt find the very same meanes will pacify conscience I told thee before that the bloud of Christ and the Spirit of Christ as principall 2. The word faith and repentance as lesse principall These would make a defiled conscience to become pure So now I must tell thee againe to make thy conscience quiet thou must have 1. The bloud of Christ Paul tels us that Christ by the bloud of his Crosse Col. 2.20 i. e. by his bloudy oblation made upon the crosse hath made peace and reconciled all things Now rightly to understand this Text you must know that by sin heaven and earth were set at variance and the creatures in them but by Christ there is unity set not only betwixt God and man but also betwixt men and the Angels that are in heaven as also the creatures that are upon the earth now if Christs bloud be such a Catholicon to take off all enmity beween God and man between men and Angels in heaven men and creatures on earth and to make peace then let us acknowledge it an excellent means to pacify conscience This was typified in the bloud of the Pascall lamb where this bloud was sprinkled upon any door-post there was peace and security against the destroyer So where the bloud of Christ is sprinkled upon the soule their conscience is at peace and hath security against all the remaining guilt and corruption of sin the rage of Sathan danger of Gods displeasure This bloud givves the soule all boldnesse to enter in into the holiest of all by a new and living way Heb. 10.19 and gives us assurance before God 2. Meanes to pacify conscience is the spirit of Christ As his bloud is the procuring cause so his spirit the producing cause For this cause Christ and the holy Ghost are called by one and the same name because their end and businesse is the same namely to procure peace to the soule They both are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Advocates Christ is our Advocate and and the spirit is Gods Advocate Christ is our Advocate to the father to procure us peace The spirit againe is Gods advocate to us to produce peace As the one prevailes with God for granting peace so the other prevailes with us to entertaine peace See this cleared in 1 Joh 2.1 If any man sin we have a Paraclete with the father Jesus Christ the righteous Here Christ is our advocate againe Joh. 14.16 I will pray the father and he shall give you another Paraclete In this place the holy Ghost is Gods advocate so you plainly see how the bloud and spirit of Christ must make up this true and full peace Now for the causes or meanes lesse principall and subservient as the word faith repentance First the word it is a word of reconciliation and pacification Thus Peter to Cornelius and his company tells them ye know saith he the word which God hath sent to the children of Israel Act. 10.36 preaching peace by Jesus Christ which is Lord of all Now as the Scripture in generall may be said to be a word of peace so more especially the Gospell This is called the word of peace The Author of it the Prince of peace The minister the Messenger of peace Rom. 10.15 and his preaching the gospell the ministry of reconcitiation 2