Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	david_n	heart_n	smite_v	1,341	5	9.6931	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68795	The case and cure of a deserted soule, or, A treatise concerning the nature, kindes, degrees, symptomes, causes, cure of, and mistakes about spirituall desertions by Jos. Symonds ...	Symonds, Joseph.	1639 (1639)	STC 23590.5; ESTC S3132	246,703	610

in you as heretofore 4 A man is not so humbled the practicall understanding being renewed Not humbling is the Count Palatine d Curopalates vid. Seld. honoris tit next to God in the palace of the soule the power of judgement is in its hands it hath power to send out writs to summon men to its barre and to examine causes and to passe sentence and when God is with it it will afflict and chastise the soule for sinne So it is said that Davids heart smote him 2 Sam. 24. but when conscience groweth carelesse and men judge not themselves when they condemne not and afflict not themselves for sinne but the sword lieth still in the scabbard and execution is not done but crimes are winked at the offender is justified or spared it is a signe of a sleepe fallen upon them and that God hath withdrawne himselfe or if you be judged by the light yet are not humble if you can shift and ward off the blows of conscience so that it cannot wound you the efficacie of it is weakned and God is departed David was in this case his conscience was too dallying and indulgent it did not arrest him nor seise upon him with her wonted Majestie because God suffered him to he for a time as he permitted him to fall but when the spirit came in the ministery of Nathan then conscience was armed with a stronger power and laid hands on him bound him in chaines and laid him up in prison and now David humbleth himselfe confesseth his sinne weeps and sighs and mourns night and day and could have no quiet till he had his pardon and was reconciled to his God Psal 32. CHAP. IX When a man is deserted the minde is more vaine and abated in frequency complacencie consistencie in holy thoughts THe third evill that befals the minde is vacuity and emptinesse Third evill in the minde vacuity and emptinesse when God withdrawes himselfe it becomes like an empty house without inhabitant when the cloud of divine presence fils his tabernacle and the foule receives oracles from his mouth then a man hath sweet converse with him and walks with him e Pedibus duntaxat terram tangentibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chr. hom 3. de incompr Dei nat is a man with his friend as it is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 and Enoch Gen. 5.20 God is his centre and he is much in pursuit of him My soule thirsteth after thee and I will remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches my soul followeth hard after thee Psal 63. he was much in the thoughts of God God was with him f De Ignatio fabulatur nomen Jesu cordi ejus insculptum invcniri and he with God when he went to sleepe yea when he awakened his heart was towards him When I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.18 yea I am continually with thee and what was the cause of it Thine hand upholdeth me Psal 73.23 an awakened heart hath God ever in sight I have set the Lord alwayes before me Psal 16.8 As water striveth to ascend as high as the head-spring from whence it cometh so a heavenly Christian as he springs from above is ever streaming thither but there are times when the minde becomes vaine and very empty of God and full of vanity either being like a watch that stands still or like a Conduit-cock that runs at waste either sleeping and not acting or pouring out and spending it selfe upon things that profit not In this state the soule hath lost much of a threefold excellency which it had 1 Complacency in holy thoughts 2 Frequency in holy thoughts 3 Consistency in holy thoughts First Complacencie time was when the thoughts of Gods glory and mercy and works and word and of Christ and other spirituall things Lesse complacencie in thoughts of God were as honey feeding and delighting the soule meditations were great refreshments and recreations they were wont to fill the heart with sweet content and comfort adding much to all spirituall life both of grace and peace How precious are thy thoughts to me Psal 139.17 Juvat immensospatiantem vivere coelo David reckoned his recourse to and converse with God among his chiefe treasures And indeed what is better to man in a right temper then from the Nebo of a spirituall meditation to behold Canaan and by heavenly mindednesse to walke with Christ and Angels and Saints in heaven to have that in a kinde of presence by this prospective which is yet so distant This I say peradventure was your happinesse but now you are changed and fallen from this glory your soules creepe on the dust and savour not the sweetnesse of the things above they hunger not so much after that bread of eternall life but feed upon vanities and worldly things you are not so delighted in slipping out of the world and retyring your selves that you might be with God nay haply it is become a burthen e Nulla res tam facilis est quin difficilis sit si invitus facias Sen. ep 12. to fix your thoughts on that which was your food and life before your minde is become heavy the earth hath got into your hearts and weighed them downe so that you finde it hard and tedious to pully and winde them up to such spirituall and setled meditations in which formerly you have had delight if it bee thus it is a signe that God hath much withdrawne himselfe from you 2. Frequency Lesse frequency it may be it hath been the dayly course of thy soul to visit heaven soaring on the wings of an heavenly minde and taking her flight to God and Christ as the Eagles that flie to the dead body Mat. 24.18 thou wast wont to finde in every place a passage to thy God and wert often improving that quicknesse of thy minde which is able to step from the deepest dungeon to the highest heavens in a moment The mind is so quick of foote that it is swifter than the Sun and can move further in a moment than the Sun doth in a day and thou wert wont to send this winged messenger and it returned unto thee like Noahs Dove with Olive branches of peace and comfort in its mouth Indeed a Christian drives two trades in the world one is seene the other is secret and in this he is busie when hee seemes to be vacant and is least alone when most alone when he is mured up within his Chamber or walking in a solitary way he is conversing with such companions as the world is not acquainted with he is speaking with God and hearing God speaking to him words of wisdome making him wiser than the Auncient words of reproofe piercing like a sword yet not to hurt but heale and words of comfort stronger than death and sweeter than life yea when he seemes to be in the deepes of affliction he is mounted above all sorrowes and his soule is above

all forts and batters downe all comforts in former evidences as wals of paper it cuts off all reliefe and presents God unwilling to hearken to any reconcilement and it hath also many abettors which contribute strength to make this man more bloody as temper of body which powers in abundance of darke and black thoughts and passions and the Censures of others who by their cloudy aspects and rejecting carriages do sharpen the sword in the hands of an unbeleeving and accusing conscience that it may make more gastly wounds and draw out fuller streames of blood Thus the soule like the man that fell into the hands of Theeves is left halfe dead distracting and accusing thoughts are worse than robbers a man may say of them what David said of Goliahs sword There is none like that 1 Sam. 21.9 Here is a soare battell when the soule like Saul fals upon its owne sword 1 Sam. 31.4 2. The power of God God hath given to Conscience a commission to afflict God hath a hand in all things working and ordering hee can send Hornets into the soule even stinging thoughts and piercing feares He ruleth much in mens spirits and in these seas raiseth stormes at pleasure though hee worke not despairing thoughts in his yet he ordereth that unbeliefe which is in them and as he orders the finfulnesse of mens hearts this way or that way not being a cause of it so hee doth in this case yea hee doth present sin and wrath so that the heart being left to its owne darkenesse and unbeliefe cannot but be a cruell and active enemie against it selfe and now as the Prophet said in that case so it may be said to a man in this case Oh thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy selfe into thy scabbard rest and be still how can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon and against the sea shoare there hath he appointed it Jer. 47.6 7. 2. 2. Into Satans hands Into Satans hands God may leave his people much to the will of Satan as he did Iob and he out of envie at our happinesse enmity against God hatred of us is willing to improve all his skill and power to afflict the Saints so that a man may here take up that complaint His troupes come together and raise up their way against mee and encampe round about my Tabernacle Iob 19.12 5. Degree Degree When to all this other evils are added when to all this he adds an accumulation of other miseries as 1. the disfavour of the Saints this is a great cutting to an holy heart for hee construeth their favour and disfavour to be the reflexion of Gods and inded oftentimes God sets on his Children against such as hee is displeased with as a Master of a family saith to his houshold concerning a child which hee will correct for much stubbornnesse shew him no countenance eate not with him keepe not with him so here God saith with such a one have no amity no fellowship no familiarity it was a great griefe to Iob and he complaineth of it Hee hath put my brethren farre from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me my kinsfolke have failed and my familiar friends have forgotten me they that dwell in mine house and my maids count me for a stranger I am an aliant in their sight I called my servant and he gave mee no answer I intreated him with my mouth my breath is strange to my wife though I intreated for the childrens sake of mine owne body yea young children despised me I arose and they spake against me all my inward friends abhorred me and they whom I loved are turned against me c. Job 19.13.20 You see sometimes how even the nearest friends fall off with God and when divine grace is clouded nature it selfe is also clouded Heman also found this evill to all his evils Thou hast put away mine acquaintance farre from me thou hast made mee an abomination to them Psal 88.6 2. The losse of worldly comforts as peace liberty estate c. this was Iobs case Now when the soule is bereft of all comforts from heaven and from earth it is an heavie case 3. The losse of the meanes of grace God may remove his Candlestick and take away the Shew-bread the doores of his house may be shut or a man may bee imprisoned by sicknesse so that the clouds above and the springs beneath failing breed sore distresse 6. Degree Degree When all this is continued When all this is extended and continued so that a man complaines not of dayes but yeares of affliction a man may lie long in this miserable plight like Paul and his company to whom neither Sun nor Stars appeared for many daies a Nec mihi dant stellae lucem nec Cynthia lumen Causin aenigm 8. Acts 27.20 Hence come those mournefull sighings Lord how long will the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more c. How many are the dayes of thy servant Psal 119.84 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up Psal 88.15 There may bee much praying that God would breake these darke clouds and shine upon the soule a man may cry with Iob Oh that I knew where I might finde him that I might come even to his seat cap. 23.3 and with the Church may call after him yet may complaine Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot not perceive him on the left hand but I cannot behold him he hideth himselfe on the right hand that I cannot see him Job● 23.8 9. I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but hee gave me no answer Cant. 5.5 Thou hast covered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayer shall not passe through when I cry and shout hee shutteth out my prayer Lament 3.8.44 A man may seeke him in the Ordinances yet not finde him yea his sorrow may increase God may seem angry with his prayer Oh Lord God of hoast how long wilt thou be angry with the prayer of thy people Ps 80.4 And the Word may seeme to bee against him and may make his wounds sorer so that those words may well be taken u● by this afflicted soule If I goe into the field then behold the slain with the swor●● and if I enter into the City then behold them that are sick with famine hast th●● utterly rejected Iudah hath thy soule l●●thed Zion why hast thou smitten us 〈◊〉 there is no healing for us wee looked fo● peace and there is no good and for the ti● of healing and behold trouble Jor. 14.18.19 CHAP. XXXVI The effects and consequent of this sad condition IN the next place let us view the effects and consequents of Gods withdrawing and leaving the soule in this uncomfortable case The effects are various according to the quality of the persons thus deserted which are of two sorts