Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	duty_n	good_a	note_n	1,053	5	9.6415	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89196	The nationall covenant. Or, A discourse on the covenant. Wherein also the severall parts of the late protestation are proved to be grounded on religion and reason: with sundry motives and directions, tending to further our keeping covenant with God. Which may be of speciall use in these times. By Tho. Mocket, M. of Arts, and preacher of the word of God.	Mocket, Thomas, 1602-1670?	1642 (1642)	Wing M2307; Thomason E113_3; ESTC R23139	40,201	58

the Parliamentary houses themselves to oppose one the other and so betwixt the King and his faithfull and most loyall people and Subjects But let it ever be our indeavour to joyne and keep these together and the blessing of him who is the God of peace and unity will rest upon us Fourthly we vow and protest to defend and maintaine the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects such are these Magna Charta Petition of Right and the Statutes therin specaified Also his Royal Maj. sty hath bin pleased divers times in his Declaratiōs graciously to promise all his good Subjects that he will rule according to the established lavves of the Land a most Princely profession That no man may breake open another mans house chamber dore study trunkes chests imprison or arrest his person or ceaze on any of his goods but by authority of Law That no tallage or aid shall be laid had or levied by the King or his Heires in the Realme without the good-will and assent in Parliament That no person shall be compelled to make any Lones to the King against his will That none shall be charged by any charge or imposition called a Benevolence without consent in Parliament and such like And there is reason for it for these are the glory of free-borne Subjects and that which doth difference us from slaves and vassals take away our Liberties and bring in an Arbitrary power that the Rulers will and pleasure must stand for a Law and then wherean doe we differ from the veriest slaves in the world it therefore concernes us to defend and maintaine our lawfull Rights and Liberties even nature and common equity binds us to it So that were there no Protestation made and taken yet we are bound as we are Christians by vertue of our Baptisine to defend and maintaine the true Protestant Religion against all Popery and Popish Innovations as Subjects to maintaine the King our dread Soveraignes Person Honour and Estate as good Common-wealths men the Power and Priviledges of Parliament and the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject Fifthly and marke it well we are here bound by our solemne promise c. with our lives c. to justifie Defend and maintaine thery person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoeber hée shall doe in the lawfull pursuance of the same And there is great Reason for this also that we should mutually defend each other for if any suffer in a common cause as the defence and maintenance of the true Religion the Kings Majesties Person Honour and Estate the Power and Priviledges of Parliament c. all suffer in him and therefore all and every one should stand for him So did the Grecians and Barbarians when they went with Cyrus against the Persians Suid. as for themselves The very Heathens would not be wanting to their Country but in a common cause were willing to doe or suffer any thing even the greatest dangers and Christianity should not make more slow but forward to all civill duties tending to the publicke good upon better and higher grounds then nature can afford viz. out of conscience to Gods command true Christian love to our Brethren and Country c. Sixthly under the like engagement we promise vow and protest To oppose and hinder and by all good wayes and meanes indeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by forcs practises councels plots conspiracies or other wise doe the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained As for instance if which God forbid we should see or know any person that should rise up against the King or Parliament wilfully infringe their just and good orders and priviledges or indeavour to set or maintaine division or dis-affection betweene the King and Parliament or betwixt the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland be his pretence as Papists and Popish persons want not excuses and colourable pretences he is declared a publick enemy of the State and peace of the Kingdome See the Declar. of Parl. Ian. 17. 1641. and we are by this Protestation bound by all lawfull means to bring such a person to condigne punishment So againe doe we see or heare any seeking wittingly and wilfully to disgrace suppresse or bring into contempt the true Reformed Protestant Religion or to vent and advance Popery or Popish Innovations within this Realme to set up any woodden stone or painted Image Crosse or other scandalous resemblances we are by vertue of this Protestation bound by all lawfull meanes and wayes according to the rules of Christian wisdome and prudence to bring that person or persons to condigne punishment for his demerits And we have warrant for this in the word of God Hushai the Archite did prevent the dangerous plot against David and discovered it to him 2 Sam. 17.7 8 15. c. Mordecai discovered treason against Ahasuerus Hest. c. 6. Yea the very Pagans would doe thus endeavour to bring to deserved punishment those that were enemies to their Idoll gods Religion King Country or publick-wealth And Gods word requires this of us Pro. 24.21 22. My sonne feare thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change that is to bring in any Doctrine worship or discipline or any thing contrary to the true Religion or word of God and the wholesome and good Lawes of the Land especially such as are fundamentall for their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Yea in case of seducing from the true to false Religion or worship of God as is well observed by a godly * M. I. G. Divine it is cleare that we must bring any to pumshment how neare or deare so ever unto us See Deut. 13.6 7 8 9 10. If thy Brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome entise thee saying let us goe and serve other gods Thou shalt not consent unto them nor hearken unto them neither shall thy eye pitty them Our love to God and the true Religion ought to over-rule our affections to our friends and naturall Parents in the flesh much more our affections towards others which our Saviour confirmes Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of one and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me a not worthy of me And in case of the publicke-weale if any person be an enemy to it and will not be reclaimed our affection to our Country and the Common-wealth must over-rule naturall and private affection even to such as are neare and deare unto us and Cicero an Heathen determines this among other cases Cicero de Ossi 〈◊〉 3. That if a mans owne Father would betray his Country and do any thing that tends to the apparent ruine of the Common-wealth he must not keepe silence but preferre the safety of his Country before a Father and indeavour to hinder him or

figurative expression here breaketh the heart of God other mens sinnes grieve him but the sinnes of his owne people breake his heart Oh! when it comes to this that God may say of us as there David of Absolom as some say or of Saul as others thinke in the type and Christ of Judas in the Anti-tipe It was not an enemy a drunkard a common swearer an adulterer or any other open wicked man but thou a Professor one that hath entred into Covenant with me c. then feare what God saith of disobedient revolting Israel Psal 95.10 11. Fourty yeares long was I grieved with this generation c. to whom or as the Apostle hath it Heb. 3.11 so i. c. therfore I sware in my wrath they should not enter into my rest 2. It is lamentable also if we consider the effect of it in respect of our selves that no tye will hold us Had we seen that Bedlam man mentioned in the Gospell breaking all his chaines certainly we should have pittied him it is much more lamentable to see men that no bands no tyes will hold them to God but they breake all breake their purposes breake their promises break their solemne Protestation and Covenant made with God their Covenants sealed at Baptisme and renewed at the Lords Supper and now in another kind in our Nationall Covenant therefore how should this humble us and make us blush and be ashamed and confounded for our unfaithfull dealings with God Be we therefore exhorted all of us Vse 3. Exhort as to looke backe and be humbled for our failings and breach of Covenant for the time past so to looke forward and for the future to give all diligence to keep Covenant with God both our Nationall and Personall Covenant And here something first by way of motive and then of direction First beside what hath been already said me thinks these considerations should be of force to quicken us to this duty by way of Argument First Motives the consideration of the Party to whom our Covenant is made and that is God where consider these 5. things 1. His absolute Soveraignty over us It is independent universall He is the most High God possessor of Heaven and Earth Gen. 14.19 22. Me thinks this most absolute soveraigne power over us to command reward of punish us should move us to a carefull performance of this duty of keeping Covenant with him 2. He is omniscient and knowes certainly what we have done and how we engaged our selves yea adde this also all our secret vowes and promises we have made unto him in the night on our sick-bed in time of trouble c. Heb. 4.13 All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him of God with whom we have to doe therefore we should carefully keep Covenant with God 3. God remembers our Covenant yea and all our vowes and promises though made long agoe and how often they have been renewed Men many times after a little space forget what bonds and Covenants have been made unto them so doth not God Psal 111.5 He is ever mindfull of his Covenant which although it be spoken specially of keeping promise with his people yet it is also true that he is ever mindfull of what we should performe unto him and looks for it at our hands as men looke for their Rents at the dayes of payment obedience is Gods rent-penny 4. God will make us remember our Covenant either here by threatnings terrours and troubles or hereafter by torments All cresses losses afflictions and troubles are to put us in mind of our Covenant with God Men will call for their debts All Covenants and promises are due debts to God therfore he will call for them Therefore it was that when Jacob forgate or neglected his vow at Bethel God put him in mind of it And if notwithstanding all threatenings afflictions troubles men will not remember to pay their debts performe their Covenant unto God here he will make such feele his torments hereafter God is most just and unpartiall that will not suffer breach of Covenant if unrepented to goe unpunished 5. Our promise and Covenant is made unto God who is faithfull as well as just and will keep Covenant with his Deut. 7.9 Know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements Psal 111.5 He is ever mindfull of his Covenant And if God keep Covenant with us it is most reasonable that we should keep Covenant with him Secondly consider the quality of our Covenant with some other circumstances not mentioned before all which adde weight to this duty and should quicken us to obedience As 1. Our Covenants and promises are due debts to God Now every honest man will be carefull to pay his debts to performe his Covenants and promises Psal 37.21 The wicked borroweth and payeth not againe that is makes no conscience of keeping his promises such a day I will repay it saith he but perfourmeth not But it is a sure note of a godly man to keep touch with God as it is a note of a sincere upright heart upon consideration to be willing to enter into Covenant with God to be bound to him so it is a note of an honest and good heart to be mindfull of his Covenant and carefull to performe with God 2. A Covenant is one of the deepest bonds that can be to tye us to God in obedience Gods omnipotency is tyed by an Oath and promises so that he cannot in respect of his Oath doe that which otherwise he might easily doe being omnipotent and surely it doth as deeply and strongly binde us to God to obey him as it bindeth him to keep promise with man It is one of the firmest and strongest tyes that can lye upon us and therefore we should be most carefull to performe our Covenant 3. Thinke also on the witnesses Our Covenant was made with God in the presence of Angels and men the whole Congregation then present and our owne consciences All men know that we have been baptized and many have seen us at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper where againe we renewed our Covenant and promise of obedience to God Now all these Angels Men that Table yonder Font will rise up in judgement against us one day if we doe not keep Covenant with God 4. It is a folemne Covenant it was not made rashly unadvisedly upon sudden flash and heate of affection but deliberately upon meditation after warning given and you bidden seriously to consider of it and the danger more especially of breaking our personall Covenant shewed Rash vowes and promises if lawfull and in our power doe binde much more such as are deliberate therefore Joshuah 9.19 the Covenant which Israel had made with the Gibeonites though gotten by fraud yet Joshuah and the Princes durst not breake it v. 19 20. All the Princes said unto the Congregation whose fingers itched to be

man vow a vow unto the Lord or sweare an Oath to binde his soule with a bond hee shall not breake his word he shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth And if promises and vowes touching things voluntary and of a far lesse and inferiour nature made onely by a mans selfe alone doe so strongly binde that God may justly and * Iust è exigitur ad solvendum qui non cogitur al vovendum Bern. in Ep. will require it of him and punish him accordingly for breach of promise in ease he performe not how much more doth such a solemne vow and Protestation as this is made to God in a thing of this nature which Religion and reason binds us to observe though there were no Protestation made nor ever thought of how much more I say doth this binde us and will God punish the wilfull contemners or breakers of it Wherefore brethren you who have taken this Protestation or Nationall Covenant and have therein implicitly called God to witnesse and be your Judge to take vengeance on you if you performe not your vow and Covenant to God be sure the hand of God will follow you if which I hope I shall never see and heare of you endeavour not to performe your Protestation and Covenant according to promise but wilfully breake it and much more if also any should wittingly and willingly endeavour to hinder others that endeavour to keep their Covenant and doe wilfully disturbe them in their duty of maintaining the true Reformed Protestant Religion or opposing and removing in a legall way any part of Popery or Popish Innovations protested against suppese Images and scandalous Popish Pictures Crucifixes and the like And let such a man be sure that if he performe not his part but wilfully breake it oppose and hinder others yet God will performe his part God will bring the curse upon him which he hath implicitly wished in his Protestation in the presence of Almighty God as he did bring on the Jewes the curse which they wished to themselves Mat. 27.25 And we know it hath layne heavily upon that Nation above sixteene hundred yeares When Zedekiah had broken his Covenant with the King of Babylon see what the Lord saith of him Ezek. 17.15 16. Shall he prosper or shall he escape that doth such things or shall he breake the Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God surely mine Oath which he hath despised and my Covenant which he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his owne head v. 19. We have solemnely covenanted and promised vowed and protested to God the King of Heaven to maintaine the true Religion oppose all Popery and Popish Innovations to the King on earth to maintaine his Royall Person Honour and Estate to the Parliament to maintaine and defend their power and Priviledges c. And we may be sure that man shall not escape that wilfully breaketh his Covenant but the hand of God will find him out either here to his conversion repentance and salvation or hereafter to his condemnation Wherefore brethren I beseech you all and I hope and perswade my selfe you will consider what you have promised in the presence of Almighty God and doe your best and heartiest endeavour to keep your Protestation Oh let not any person draw guilt on his owne soule by a wilfull breach or carelesse neglect of his Protestation I could therefore wish that every good Subject would have and set up a Copy of the Protestation in his owne house to minde himselfe so often as he goes in and out of his solemne vow and Covenant made to maintaine and defend with his life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion against all Popery and Popish Innovations the Kings Majesties person the power and Priviledges of Parliament c. Yea all of you have in Baptisme solemnely engaged your selves to God to beleeve in him love him feare him serve and obey him in all his righteous commands to defend his blessed truth and the professors of it and consequently to oppose what in you lyeth by all lawfull meanes all Popery and Popish Rites and Ceremonies and whatsoever is contrary to his blessed word and will Thus every mothers childe of us stands engaged to God and be sure thou canst not wilfully breake Covenant with God and escape unpunished But let us come to speake more particularly by way of Application Vse to bring all home to our selves to worke as on the head by information so on the heart and affections by application that the whole man may be put upon the conscionable practise of the duty which is the end of preaching And seeing a Covenant once made may not be broken but carefully kept and performed this may serve to reprove to humble and to exhort First for Reprehension and that of two sorts wherein blaming others I desire to chide and be humbled my selfe 1. Such as seemingly make or enter into Covenant with God but doe really breake it So doe all that having been baptized doe not live answerably Circumcision is called a Covenant Gen. 17. because it doth necessarily presuppose and seale the Covenant Now Baptisme is in the roome thereof yet how many breake it yea how few doe indeed keep that Covenant or that doe in good earnest endeavour to keep it Many very many of them have also renewed that Covenant at the Lords Supper re-engaged their soules againe to God and yet goe on still in the wayes of sinne and Satan In the Covenant we all engage our selves to leave all sinne beleeve all divine truths revealed to us and live holily in obedience to all his righteous and good Commandements yet where almost shall we find a man or woman truly endeavouring to keep Covenant with God The Word Sacrament signified of old the Souldiers Oath betwixt the Captaine and the common souldier which now is by long use applyed only to this Ordinance of God and so we give God the hand in the Lords Supper It is a Covenant with God wherein we doe all as it were sweare promise all faithfull service to him to be wholly at his command and not to serve sinne and Satan any longer The very act of receiving or being baptized imports no lesse and binds us to the duty and so doth the Lords Supper Yet where almost is the man or woman that makes conscience of keeping his Covenant with God Doth not almost every one run on still in his owne wayes serve himselfe and his lusts sinne and Satan as if he had never entred into Covenant with God or made any promise of obedience and so adde unfaithfulnesse in breaking his Covenant with God Yea observe it and we shall see many so farre from keeping Covenant with God that they grow worse afterward then they were before they came to the Sacrament so how many are there who lying on their sicke bed or in some great trouble or feare promise and seriously vow that if

maintaine the true Protestant Religion to suppresse and in time root out Popery disappoint the enemies of this Church and State further the great and long desired worke of Reformation and conduce much to the honour peace safety welfare and prosperity both of King and Kingdome of Church and State and the salvation of soules Againe we have prayed and doe pray for the publicke health safety peace and prosperity and who is now likely to prevaile with God but they that truly endeavour to keep Covenant with him Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds They came before God in their troubles cryed mightily unto him fasted prayed yet all this God esteemed but as the howling of a dog What was the reason verse 13. They have fled from me they have transgressed against me A Father cares not for the howling of a dog so long as the childe cryes not he regards more the teares and cryes of one childe then the howling of 20. dogs wicked men in the Scripture phrase are dogs swine traytors Rebels to the Majesty of Heaven and Earth and therefore are not regarded by him but the prayers of them that are faithfull in his Covenant may doe much good Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice which is also accompanied with prayer and so both the sacrifice and prayers of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer the single prayer of the upright is his delight their prayers may doe much good for a Nation both to remove and prevent evils and procure good What is a Parliament an Army a posture of defence without this though they be all of great use 'T is notable to this purpose which we have Job 42.7 8. faith God to Eliphaz My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends but goe to my servant Job and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept It is the prayers of faithfull Covenanters that doe prevaile with God for themselves and others 2. Personall the good that will redound to our selves is great and manisold 1. It will be for our credit Sancti quidem honesti pro positi ditatio magna ruina est Petr. Chril All the Countrey cryes out against him that hath no care of his Covenant or promise that makes no conscience of his word such a man was hatefull to the very Pagans but they commended him that was carefull to keep touch what a blot then and descredit is it not to keep Covenant with God to promise and promise againe and againe but performe nothing Deut. 4.5 6. saith Moses to Israel I have taught you Statutes and Judgements as the Lord my God hath commanded me Keep therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and your understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall heare all those Statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and an understanding people What were these Statutes but the Articles and conditions of the Covenant which we must observe So Isay 56.4 5. Thus saith the Lord to the Eunuches that keep my Sabboth and take hold of my Covenant Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my wals a place and a name better then of sonnes and of daughters I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off 2. It will make for our peace and comfort Conscience tels us we should keep Covenant with God that tyes and moves to duty Now if we endeavour to doe it truly sincerely universally and constantly conscience cannot but justifie speake peace and so affourd comfort Psal 119.165 Great peace have they that keep thy Law and nothing shall offend them Gal. 6.16 As many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and mercy If we willingly breake Covenant conscience though it may for a time lye quiet and secure being lulled asleep c. yet it will cry out and then no peace no comfort to the wicked faith God Isa 57.21 3. It will be for our safety While we are with God and for God God will be for us and if God be with us who can be agamst us Rom. 8.31 God will be his protection who keeps Covenant with him Masters that have but a sparke of goodnesse in them will protect and maintaine their servants in all their lawfull undertakings for them Why because they are their servants in covenant with them so God will protect all his servants in all their doings according to his will and at his command because they are in covenant with him He that hath the Kings protection is kept safe from many arrest so he that keeps covenant with God hath his protection and thereby is kept safe from wicked men sinne Satan death and Hell that none of them can truly hurt him but rather their rage and endeavour shall turne to Gods praise and his childrens good 4. If we keep Covenant with God then God will blesse and prosper us We see it in this very Text Keep therefore that ye may prosper in all that ye doe So Deut. 7.12 13. Wherefore it shall come to passe if ye hearken to these judgements and keep and doe them that the Lord shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers and he will love thee blesse thee and multiply thee he will also blesse the fruit of thy Wombe and the fruit of thy land thy corne and thy wine and thine oyle the increase of thy Kine and the flocks of thy Sheep and thou shalt be blessed above all people So Levit. 26.3 to 13. and Deutr. 28.1 to 15. view them over there are great things promised outward blessings to them that keep Covenant with God Excellent also is that place Deut. 4.40 Thou shalt keep his Statutes and his Commandements saith Moses That it may goe well with thee and with thy children after thee c. Psal 103.17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting from everlasting predestination to everlasting glorification but upon whom upon them that feare him to them that keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandements to doe them Brethren here are great things promised and we all desire to have them to live and prosper and be ever blessed why here is the way to keep Covenant with God me thinks all this should much inflame the worldly mans affections to enter into and keep Covenant with God seeing such things are promised to them that doe so 5. If we keep Covenant with God then God will keep Covenant with us If we faulter with God and breake Covenant with him then will he breake Covenant with us and most justly may he doe so Deut. 7.12 It shall come to passe if ye will hearken to these statutes and judgements the Articles of the Covenant on our part to God and keep and doe them That then the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercy