Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	die_v	fire_n	worm_n	1,088	5	9.7140	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60145	The present correction and reproof of sin or A discourse on 2 Jer. 19. vers. Thine own iniquities shall correct thee, & thy backslideings shall reprove thee.	Shower, John, 1657-1715.	1685 (1685)	Wing S3681; ESTC R221463	30,198	59

dearest Relations The rise of most duels hath been from hence the challenge sent from the tavern or the resolution of fighting commenc't there Not to mention what every sessions and assize may inform us how many expose themselv's to the penalty of humane laws by great Transgressions perish by the sword of the civil Magistrate Which may be considered as another instance wherby Sin doth correct and reprove the Sinner in this world § 8. By troublesome reflections and horror of Conscience Rather then sinners shall escape unpunnisht they shall correct themselv's Conscience that was privy to their Impieties keeps a register of their crimes is more then a thousand witnesses shall accuse condemn torture them that it may be for secret sins which none of their acquaintance can charge them with shall be witness Judge and Executioner too before their irreversible doom at the day of judgment Hence many are continually haunted by the Spectres of their former wickedness their own guilty minds frequently check them in their greatest jollity and make a sad discord in their mirth so that in the midst of laughter their hearts are sorrowfull They are always uneasy and walk in fear least vengence overtake them As the first Murderer Cain who was afraid of being slaine by every man he met when he was sure to meet with none but Brethren Nephews What can we suppose should be able to give such a man courage support when he is dejected by his own fears and cast down by an inward sens of guilt They must needs have sad hearts not withstanding chearfull countenances from the biteings of this Tarantula within which no outward applications will cure any more then an inward bruise may be healed by a plaister upon the outer garment Yea some from the horror of their own minds have been ready to make away themselv's and become their own Executioners as if the Worm which never dyes were more Intolerable then the fire that never goes out And certainly the most sharp terrible bodily pains are much inferior to the anguish of an awakened guilty Conscience under the apprehensions of divine wrath Did you neuer hear the outcries of a dyeing sinner after an impenitent wicked Life convinc't of sin sensible of Eternity expecting within a few hours to appear before his glorious Judge When his past Impieties stare him in the face Death and Hell and Gods Eternal vengence are open naked before him Despairing now of the mercy of God which all his Life before he slighted and curseing those fugitive pleasures vaine Companions that intic't him to mispend his time commit folly and neglect his preparations for another world But many sinners feel these rebukes of Conscience in health as well as sickness Terrors possess their guilty minds curdle all their delights They tremble with tormenting fears which they cannot get rid of not takeing the right method of cure they at last sigh away their fainting breath in total despair In the mean time what arts do they use to drive away this evil spirit which perpetually haunts them but none of their tryed methods of running to company recreations to drunkenness riot c. have been found effectual for any considerable time But still they are dogged by their own guilt In vaine do you think to laugh sport drink away your fears they will soon return upon you with greater violence when the company is broken up the heat of wine is over Which like sprightly musick may raise a mans mind for the present but will leave him more dumpish melancholy afterward Yea it makes farther work for Repentance so will but augment your terrors Mirth pleasure instead of giveing eas to an accusing conscience will but aggravate and increas your trouble you will speed no better then the Philistins did when they sent for Sampson to make them sport who pull'd the house down upon their heads Backsliders of all others are perticularly reproved and corrected by sin in this instance how many such have been known who when they come to themselv's and repent are even distracted by the terrors of the Lord thro remorse for their apostacy such before Repentance have-less pleasure in the commission of sin then others who never had so much light or knew so much of the common workings of the Spirit And afterwards have more terrible apprehensions of God's avenging Justice Conscience speaks louder in their ears and the flames of Hell flash oftener in their eyes So that commonly they doubt wither God will ever receive them to mercy and sometimes wither they have not committed the unpardonable Sin Backsliding Christians who have formerly rejoyc't in the light of God's countenance and walk't in the comforts of the holy Ghost while they walk't in their Integrity after the commission of presumptuous sins have dearly experienc't how evill bitter a thing it is to forsake God Conscience flyes in their faces being commonly awakened by some afflicting providence and setts their sins with the aggravations of them in order before them and writes bitter things against them All their joy is turned to wormwood and their very lives are become a burden and yet they dare not dye They read their Inditement but cannot see a pardon or scarce entertaine any hopes of one They are covered as with sackloth and lay in the dust bewailing their folly and confessing their guilt with broken bleeding hearts before the Lord. Oh vile Apostate that I am after such a profession for so long a time after so many convictions of the evill of sin and so much experience of the sweetness and satisfaction of holy walking thus to forsake my own mercies dishonour my profession and provoke God It had been better for me never to have known the way of Righteousness then after haveing known and try'd it thus shamefully to revolt Such a mans sin appears with horror and fills him with anguish so that he would give all the world he had not been guilty of that apostacy he repents of Lord what a wretch what a fool was I will such a man say Thus willfully to offend thee in spight of the clearest knowledg the most indearing kindness against so many obligations so many vows resolutions those made upon the most weighty reasons what grace what love what mercy have I trampled on sinned against whither shall I goe what shall I doe how dare I appear before that God on whom I have thus perfidiously turned my back how can I ever hope to regaine his lost favour Against thee only holy God have I sinned done evill in thy sight Lord I am unworthy to appear in thy presence I am ashamed blush to look up to Heaven How shall I escape thy justice when I have despis'd thy goodness forfeited thy grace What can I reply if thou utterly forsake me refuse to be intreated by my prayers or accept my