Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	begin_v	great_a	king_n	1,466	5	3.5201	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16503	The anatomie of conscience Or a threefold reuelation of those three most secret bookes: 1. The booke of Gods prescience. 2. The booke of mans conscience. 3. The booke of life. In a sermon preached at the generall assises holden at Derby, in Lent last. 1623. By Immanuel Bourne ...	Bourne, Immanuel, 1590-1672.	1623 (1623)	STC 3416; ESTC S106813	35,564	48

by a second act of the vnderstanding therefore I am guilty or not guilty and shewed in the heart or will by feare or ioy or such kind of affections For first the vnderstanding knoweth or is enlightened with a rule or law by which it tryeth as gold is tryed with a touchstone the good or euill of euery action and according to the nature and strength of this knowledge the sense or stroke of Conscience is felt in the hart either by ioy or griefe by peace or trouble by feare or boldnesse or the like If the knowledge be naturall arising only from that light of nature or those sparkes of knowledge both of God and of his Law not quite extinct by Adams fall but left in man to make him voyd of all excuse then is the stroke or force of Conscience not so powerfull making answer onely to that knowledge with which it is enlightened But if besides this light of nature our vnderstandings are informed with the knowledge of God and of his Will as God in sacred Scriptures hath reuealed himselfe vnto his Church then is the force of Conscience much more powerfull affecting the soule with ioy or greife with peace or trouble according to the information of the vnderstanding and application to the will and heart of man And next this foundation being layd this rule and touchstone in a read●nesse the Memory giueth euidence of all our Actions and of the circumstance and manner how they haue beene done either openly or in secret of which the Vnderstanding taking knowledge by a second Act it layeth them to that Rule and Law of God with which it is enlightned and iudgeth whether the Actions be agreeable or contrary therevnto 4 A description of Conscience Vpon which there is presently a reflection and application to the Will by which the Heart as by a Diuine power is stricken and moued with affections according to the nature of that Knowledge Act and Application by meane whereof it is touched and affected For knowledge must goe before the feeling or stroke of Conscience thy heart can neuer feele that to be good or euill which thy mind knoweth not to bee so and according to the measure nature and quality of thy knowledge such will bee the testimony and feeling of thy Conscience a knowledge which is light or doubting or vncertaine makes a light and easie stroke affecting the Heart but little either with ioy or griefe with feare or boldnesse or the like But on the contrary part if the knowledge bee holy sound and good grounded on the word of truth rightly vnderstood then will it make a heauy stroke vpon the Conscience if the deed be euill as it doth a heauenly ioy and peace vnto the soule if that thy actions be good and answerable to the Word and Law of God And thus is Conscience not onely Lux intellectus the light of the vnderstanding as Saint Basil intimates but if it be rightly informed followed Norma vitae the rule and guide of all our life as St. Chrysostome obserues And now by what hath beene spoken you haue seene a glympse of Conscience though not a perfect sight and may remember it with this or the like description Conscience is not barely an Act or habit of the soule or will or vnderstanding for it produceth acts and acts may cease to be as habits may bee lost but Conscience can neuer cease to be nor can it be lost though it may lose the vse for a time as a man may lose the vse of Reason in the time of Drunkennes It is therefore rather an office or faculty or power of the soule created in man by God and set within him both as a witnesse and a Iudge yea a comforter to the godly and a tormenter too vnto the wicked Conscience is no Forraigner or strange Inhabitant but an In-dweller remaining with vs yea within us which after sinne torments and after righteousnesse co●forteth the soule of man Conscience is the Recorder the principall secretary to register all our thoughts our words and actions It is like a Chrystall-glasse wherein the soule beholds herselfe and seeth what she hath done what she hath left vndone It is Priuata Lex a priuate Law to iudge within herselfe from which there 's no appeale but vnto God For when the Ciuill Law and Common Law haue done then this begins It is the Lord-Keeper the Chancellor the Vice-Deus the Vnder-God who keepeth a Chancery in the soule of man and without all partiality being rightly informed of euery circumstance giueth iust and righteous iudgement of the cause The power of Conscience Great is the power and strength of Conscience It is vnder God indeed and subiects a man to God because God can binde the Conscience but it is aboue all men that are in the world for though Kings are bound in Chaines Psal 82.6 and Nobles in linkes of Iron yet Conscience can no man binde they may bind thy body and cast that into prison but thy conscience they cannot bind it is aboue their strength and beyond their power they are not able to doe it And yet Conscience is able to bind all not only inferiour persons but Kings and Nobles and Iudges of the earth It is aboue all and that in respect of a fourefold Office The Offices of Conscience The first Office is the Testimony of Conscience for a mans conscience is as a thousand witnesses to acquire or condemne before God or men and the voyce of conscience is far more sure then the report of many others Seneca lib. de Mor. for as Seneca well obserues Falli sapè poterit fama conscientia nunquam the report of others may oftentimes deceiue thee but for thine owne actions thy conscience neuer that will giue true euidence with or against thee for what thou hast done or left vndone Conscience hath a second office and this is the Examination or Tryall of Conscience and in this she exceeds all outward Tryals For men in tryalls often erre because the Truth is hidden from them and cannot easily be found but conscience in tryall of our actions knoweth the truth shee is an eye-witnesse one of which is better then a thousand and shee proceedes from grounds and principles within knowne to herselfe and therefore quick-sighted conscience soone perceiues which way the ballance draweth the thoughts meane while accusing or excusing for the fact as Saint Paul expresseth it Rom. 2.15 Tryall being made shee proceedeth vnto her third office And this is the Iudgement of Conscience in which she is also excellent for she hath the keyes of binding and loosing of absoluing or condemning If shee binde t is faster then with fetters of brasse if shee loose shee setteth as much at liberty as the Angell did Peter from his Chaines Act. 12.7 and if it concerne a matter of fact her sentence being past vpon euidence giuen and tryall made there is no recall she admits no writt of Error oftentimes

their Soules with foule impieties So that there is no agreement with their Booke of Conscience and the Booke of Life and therefore without true repentance while the Sun doth shine and day of Grace doth last in stead of Life Heauen of ioy a Death and Hell of woe shall be their portion O then beloued Application Origen Hom. 5. in Leuit. if as Origen obserues when a cause is to bee pleaded before an earthly Iudge which concerneth a Title of Land vpon the least feare or doubt a man will bee so carefull and watch so diligently that all things may bee in readinesse his witnesse prepared his Counsell informed that the best of his cause may be opened and if it bee possible the Iudge before-hand possessed that the right is on his side though it be as often it proues to be on the contrary How much more carefull should euery Christian bee to prepare himselfe that hee may bee in a readinesse before that tribunall Seat of Christ when his title to heauen it selfe shall be called in question and except his euidence be good and assurance firme in the law of faith he shall lose not a Cottage but a Kingdome the Kingdome of Heauen that light and life of glory and be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25.30 It deepely concerneth euery Christian therefore to haue a care of this in all their actiōs especially those men vnto whose care and conscience is committed the execution of Iustice and Iudgment Because such are publike persons and at that day of Assises when the Iudgement Seate is set and the Bookes are opened Daniel 7.10 They shall giue account vnto God both for their owne soules and the soules of others of all those whom God at any time hath deliuered to their charge for looke what good hath followed by their care and faithfulnesse in their seuerall places they shall not lose their reward the reward of glory shall be giuen them And looke what euill shall ensue by their negligence or vnfaithfull dealing they shall not lose their reward the reward of shame confusion shall be their portion For the bookes shall opened and God will render to euery one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their workes A particular Exhortation Application to the Auditory Euseb lib. 10. c. 1. Bellarm. descriptor One word therefore of Exhortation to you my Auditors in particular who by Gods prouidence at this time are appointed for the execution of Iustice and I haue done It was decreed in that first generall Councell holden at Nice about the yeare of our Lord three hundred and thirty in which that wicked Heresie of Arius was condemned by the consent of three hundred and eighteene Fathers as Ecclesiasticall Histories relate That to preuent the dangers which delay might bring to the Church there should be twice euery yeere a Prouinciall Synod or Councell of the Bishops in which they should examine all cases of Controuersie and end them to procure peace of the Church the first of these Councels was held Ante dies Quadragesimae before the time of Lent and the Second Circa tempus Autumni about the time of Autumne as it is expressed in the first Canon of that Nicen Councell And the like commendable custome hath long since beene instituted in this Kingdome for temporall gouernment in the time of King Henry the second that wise and learned Prince as some writers affirme since whom Itinerary Iudges Boterus like Samuel that patterne of Iustice haue had both their Circuit and Center For as Samuel went from yeare to yeare in Circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh and iudged Israel in all those places and returned to Ramah that Center of Iustice where he iudged Israel againe and built an Altar vnto the Lord as you may read 1. Samuel 7.17 Westminster the Center of Iustice So is it also with vs blessed be God for it vnder our Royall Moses whose peace and prosperity God long continue amongst vs and let our hearts answer Amen Amen we haue our learned and religious Samuels our iust and righteous Iudges which for our vnspeakeable benefit come home vnto vs into euery Shire and corner of the Land executing Iustice and Iudgement for the maintenance of vertue and punishment of vice And in that Common place of Iustice whither they returne as to their Center at Termes appointed sitting on Thrones of Iustice and weighing each mans Cause with an equall ballance both in Law and Conscience that the oppressed may be deliuered and wrong dealers punished These like Conscience are Demi-Gods on earth I say ye are Gods saith the Psalmist to whom is appointed from God and our gracious King this high and honorable office Psal for the glory of God and good of the Kingdome And for whom as S. Paul exhorteth Supplications and prayers and intercessions and giuing of thankes is to be made that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 To speak in particular therefore to you my honorable Lords I must say as S. Bernard sometimes said to his Auditors Non est mea humilitatis dictare vobis It is not for my humility to dictate vnto you or tell you what you should doe I know you are wise you are learned you are religious the booke of your Conscience is already opened and therefore mercy and iudgement law and conscience will be your guide in all things And for this I will pray that casting your eyes vpon this vision and viewing euery part of it at your leasures August lib. de fide ad monach In Christi Judicio sine acceptatione personarū sine ambitu potestatum aequaliter iudicabuntur Domini serui diuites pauperes Plutarch in vitis illustr comparatione Numa Lycurgi Magister Sent. lib. 2. distinct 26. Aquinas prim secund qu. 109. art 9. you may take the example of Christ to be your patterne that auoiding those dangerous flatterers friends in shew but enemies in substance that is loue or hatred feare or couetousnesse by which iudgement is often peruerted you may be endued with Iustice and Fortitude like Numa and Lycurgus those two famous Gouernours and being armed with vertue as with an inuincible shield keepe the Castle of a good Conscience inuiolable Thus shall ye find that peace of Conscience that most happy companion of a righteous man euen when the booke of Conscience shall bee opened S. Augustine in his Enchiridon Chapter the thirty two the Master of the Sentences Aquinas and the Schoole men vpon them obserue a twofold grace of God necessary for a Christian the first is Gratia praeueniens a preuenting grace to prepare our wils and hearts to workes of pietie The second is Gratia subsequens a subsequent grace to assist and helpe vs forward in well doing And in like manner there is a twofold Iustice necessary for the well gouerning of a Common-wealth the first is