glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- a heaven or hell upon earth "(3) Sinning against conscience heightens transgression, but this suppose a conscience to be sinned against. Our Lord says plainly, "He that knows his master's will," and goes against the light of his conscience, "prepared not himself, nor does according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes" (Luke 12:47). When sinners do not like to retain God in their knowledge; when they are troubled because conscience puts them in mind that the Lord observes them; when they imprison, as it were, the truth in unrighteousness and stifle the light is to sin with a high hand and will add much both unto guilt and punishment. (4) Several duties that are enjoined and urged in Scripture suppose a conscience in us because conscience is a principal agent in the performance of them. We are commanded to search and try our ways that we may turn unto the Lord our (Lamentations 3:40), but it is the work of conscience thus to call us to an account and to examine how our actions and that rule that is given us to agreed together. We are commanded to try and prove ourselves whether we are in the faith, whether Christ is in us or not (2 Corinthians 13:5). Now it is conscience that takes notice of the characteristics of true and unfeigned faith that the Holy Ghost has given; it is conscience also that applies these characteristics and then draws the conclusion either that we are not believers if our faith is dead and we only name the name of Christ but have no will to depart from iniquity, or that we are believers if our faith purifies our hearts, if it works by love, if it overcomes the world, so that all things are counted loss that we may win Christ who is truly precious. Finally we are commanded to judge ourselves that we may not be condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:31-32). But this judging is an act of conscience. And truly it judges under God and by His authority, and therefore its judgment is the more to be minded." pg. 8,9 'A Discourse Concerning Conscience' by Nathanael Vincent 5:02 p.m. - 2023-10-02 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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