Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	eat_v	idol_n	weak_a	1,436	5	9.6548	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69129	Conscience with the power and cases thereof Devided into V. bookes. Written by the godly and learned, William Ames, Doctor, and Professor of Divinity, in the famous University of Franeker in Friesland. Translated out of Latine into English, for more publique benefit.; De conscientia. Et ejus jure, vel casibus. English.	Ames, William, 1576-1633.	1639 (1639)	STC 552; ESTC S114737	107,148	176

of a strong Conscience 1 A Good Conscience admits of degrees for which cause it is by the Apostle distinguished into a weake and a strong Conscience Rom. 15. 1. 2 A weake Conscience is that which is purged by unfained Faith but is troubled with these imperfections which all beleevers for the most part doe out-grow by time 3 True Faith is supposed to be in a weake Conscience for he that is weake is a Brother Rom. 14. 15. 21. not to be condemned or set at nought vers 10. One for whom Christ hath dyed 1 Cor. 8. 11. This Conscience therefore being good differeth in kind from that which is weake through malice Presumption or Superstition 4 The imperfections wherewith this weake Conscience is diseased are 1. Lacke of knowledge because as yet it understandeth not well what is lawfull and pure 1 Cor. 8. 7. Rom. 14. 14. This weaknesse of Conscience is called the weakenesse of Faith Rom. 14. 1. 5 The second imperfection which dependeth on the first is in Affection because it easily is made sorrowfull and disquieted when it seeth others doe that which it selfe approoveth not Rom. 14. 15. Because of meat thy brother is grieved 6 The third imperfection is in Iudgement because it quickly Iudgeth and condemneth the liberty of others 1. Cor. 10 29. Rom. 14. 3. 15. Why is my liberty iudged by an other mans Conscience Let not him that eateth dispise him that eateth not 7 The fourth imperfection is in the purpose and setlednes of heart being easely drawne to what is evill 1. Cor. 8. 10. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meate in the Idols temple shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be Emboldned to eate those things which are offered to Idols From this a man is most properly said to bee Offended Scandelized wounded destroyed Rom. 14. 21. 1 Cor. 8 9. 12. Rom. 14. 15. 8 A strong Conscience is that which is established in the truth Rom. 14. 5. Perswaded in his owne minde 2. Pet. 1. 12. Ye know and are established in the present truth 9 This stability consisteth in knowledge yet not so much in the clearnesse thereof as in the certainty 1. Cor. 8. 4. 7. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world but there is not in every man that knowledge and their Conscience being weake is defield For certainety belongeth more to Faith which wee are here to understand by Conscience then Evidence or Clearnesse which belongs to knowledge taken in the proper sense 2 In such an affection whereby it is alwayes willing to beare with and beare the infirmities of others Rom. 15. 1. Wee which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake 3. In Iudging so as that nothing be set before a brother at which he may stumble or fall Rom. 14. 13. but Iudge this rather that no man put a stumbling blocke or an occasion to fall in his brothers way 4. In such a resolution and setlednesse of heart whereby it is so strengthned in truth and godlinesse that it cannot easily be remooved Heb. 13. 9. It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace CHAP. XIV Of an evill Conscience 1 COnscience is said to be Evill either because its Acts are sinnes or because it brings trouble and sorrow 2 A Conscience Evill because of sinne in its Acts is that which giveth not a right and powerful judgement such is the Conscience of all men that are unregenerat for it is in men according as Originall corruption is Of this a polluted Conscience is not the smallest part Tit. 1. 15. 3 The first fault of an evill Conscience is Blindnes whence it judgeth of Good and Evill no otherwise then one that is bodily blinde useth to judge of colours He calleth good evill and evill good Esai 5. 10. 4 The second fault is a kind of spirituall dulnesse whence it neither stirreth up powerfully to that which it seeth is good nor draweth backe from that which it acknowledgeth evill Rom. 1. 18 Which withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse 5 The third fault is false-witnesse-bearing which principally appeareth in Excusing and Accusing falsely 6 An Evill Conscience doth Excuse falsely either when it doth not accuse where it ought or absolveth and approoveth where it ought to accuse and condemne 7 The former fault is esteemed as a piece of Religion by the dangerous Sect of Libertines who place their chiefe happinesse and perfection to haue the sense of sinne extinguished 8 It prevaileth also in all those who being free from great and grosse sinnes doe seeme unto themselues to be as it were perfect and not to be blamed for any sin Luke 18. 20. Marke 10. 20. All these things haue Iobserved from my youth 9 The second sort of Excusing falsely when an evill Conscience approoveth where it ought to condemne is chiefely to be found in those that are superstitious They think to be heard through their much babling Ioh. 16. 2. The time commeth that whosoever killeth you will thinke that he doth God service Rom. 10. 2. I beare them record that they haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge 10 A' false Accusation of an evill conscience is when it accuseth and condemneth where it ought to excuse viz. For well doing Rom. 14. 22. Happy is he that condemneth not himselfe in that thing which he alloweth Conscience Evill through trouble and sorrow is that which accuseth and condemneth 1 Iohn 3. 20. If our heart condemne us 12 When Conscience is evill in this kinde these affections follow Sadnesse Feare Anguish 13 This Conscience is honestly good if it accuse iustly it is sinnefully evill if it doe it uniustly 14 A Conscience evill through trouble and honestly good is to be found both in beleevers and unbeleevers In such as beleeue not it is a preparation unto true repentance and Faith Acts 2 37. 15 A Conscience Evill both through trouble and sinne is common also both to beleevers and those who beleeue not But in those that beleeue there is a principle of grace by strength whereof they are upholden they wrastle and withstand and by little and little are healed of it CHAP. XV. Of divers degrees and sorts of an Evill Conscience 1 AN Evill Conscience may bee distinguished into divers degrees 1. In respect of defect into a benummed stupid and seared 2. In respect of excesse into a troubled and desperate one 2 A benummed Conscience is that which is so dull and heavy in its Acts that there followes no strong stirrings of heart after it nothing to purpose comes of it Those that haue such a conscience are oppressed with a kind of spiritual sleepe wherein the sense of conscience is so bound that it is no more moved then a man that sleepeth is by his owne dreames 3 This dulnesse appeareth 1. In a dull or faint pricking on to good We haue an example in Agrippa Acts 26. 28. thou almost perswadest me 4 It