Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	evil_a	good_a	note_n	1,054	5	9.3782	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00415	Certaine godly and learned expositions vpon diuers parts of Scripture As they were preached, and afterwards more briefly penned by that vvorthy man of God, Maister George Estey, sometimes fellovve of Goneuill and Caius Colledge in Cambridge. Late preacher of the word of God in Saint Edmunds Burie.	Estey, George, 1560 or 61-1601.; Estey, George, 1560 or 61-1601. Most sweete and comfortable exposition, upon the tenne commaundements, and upon the 51. Psalme.	1603 (1603)	STC 10545; ESTC S101734	265,746	444

getting good name and for keeping of it And first for our selues others ioyntly What a treasure a good name is indeede aboue all outward things may appeare Eccle. 7 3 Pro. 22 1. whereby is declared that a good name is precious of worth in it selfe and profitable and of vse it is profitable now and after like sweete perfumes presently refreshing preseruing against afterward Now wee are commaunded to procure things of good report and for that who hath an euill name is halfe hanged will hardly euer recouer a good name againe So as that he is dissolute who careth not what others thinke of him Besides a good name is of great force to make our duties better accepted of others to draw others more to Christ And as the parties place is greater so more care is to be had for and of a Magistrate and Minister But first of all we must consider what good name is that we may know the better how to procure it Good name is the witnesse of such as can well iudge of the gifts of God in one Well said Aristotle that honour was rather in the partie who honoureth then in the partie who is honoured Parties who will witnesse are the world the godly God himselfe a mans owne conscience will I say not that all are competent witnesses especially the world in so much as Christ denounceth woe to such whom all prayse that is the common worldings Luke 6 26. Christ sheweth that it is impossible to beleeue for them who receiue honor one of another Ioh 5 44 beeing of the cōmon sort So as that we are not to depend vpon the common voice But must a man therfore neglect witnesse from euil men Aunsw No. For Paule requireth witnesse for them who are without 1 Tim 3 6 2 Cor 4 2. Our chiefe care must be that we giue them no iust cause to speake euill of vs rather then if they speake without our desert to be much grieued for it We may keepe good report from the wicked so long as it is for our well-dooing which wee continue in and if it be witnessed by the godly and God himselfe aswel as by these The godly who witnes are such as are effectually called These can best distinguish the gift and grace of God good witnesse from these is comfortable Euery one best iudgeth the things he knoweth Neuerthelesse sometimes brothers will dissent as Paule and Barnabas Hieronimus and Augustine this will sometimes exercise one God a mans owne conscience remaine in whose witnesse for good wee may more reioyce then in all other besides The things for which one hath good fame are the gifts and graces of God so as that all faults and sinnes are to be remooued It is disgrace to be praysed for a sin Good fame nowe thus set out or as Iohn setteth it out Epistle 3 verse 3 6 the witnes of the brethren to the truth and loue in the party must we our selues for our selues first seeke 1 Rather dooing the thinges which may deserue good fame then seeking good fame barely for it selfe 2 Neuer seeking fame but for the glory of God greater good of others to whom thereby our gifts may be the more welcome and profitable 3 Though wee want good fame frō men alwaies to haue good witnesse from God and our owne hart This when we be dead shall be our credit Well then wee may get good fame If wee be iust The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed Prou 10 7. And 1 heere wee must take heede of secret sinnes for which sometimes it pleaseth God to correct vs by suspicions that goe of vs which hinder our good name A man must take heede of small sinnes they will be increased if once they be spoken of and once spoken of they will stick long occasions must be auoyded Hee that will doe no ill must doe nothing that belongeth thereto The world is giuen to make the worst of any thing in another 2 If we be carefull to preserue other mens good name others will preserue ours 3 Doe well and seeke not good fame you shall finde it sooner it is like your shadow the more you run after it the lesse you catch it But what if dooing my best I cannot get a good word Aun Examine your selfe whether you haue not some sin vppon you open or secret if you find you haue seeke forgiuenesse thereof amend your fault looke to your selfe for afterward If vppon due examining you can find none know that God is trying whether you will cleaue vnto him without good report yea or no and thinke that God thus may correct some former sinne in you or make you wary that you cō●●t none afterward One keepeth good report by the same meanes he getteth it This is for our selues For others we get good report 1 if we make them good 2 If wee take heede of such things as lessen good report deeds are infinite so are sayings as bewraying of secrets infirmities scoffes whisperings backbiting bitternesse deprauing thoughts as enuie suspitions taking things in euill part inuenting euill things dissembling or neglect of the gifts of God in others 3 In excusing them who are absent so farre as wee may with good conscience 4 In interpreting reports of others to the best burying some aduertising the partie of whom they are thereof that he may looke to himselfe 5 Hoping well of such as haue sinned and are nowe turned and conuerted We keepe their good report by the same meanes Commaundement 10. Hetherto haue beene the commaundements for duties of act and practise now folow for motion and first thought and that in the tenth and last of all Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house c. Why but doe not the former commaundements intend thoughts and stirrings Aun Yes but heere of purpose God doth in speciall giue order for them that wee should not pretend any ignorance as our corrupt nature easilie would Againe it may be doubted whether heere be two commaundements or no for that the verbe couet is twise repeated It is but one onely as Paule sheweth Rom 7 7. In this commaundement as before is person thing Thing forbidden is the coueting of that which is an others where the kinde of thing forbidden is to couet the thinges coueted house wife seruant c. of ones neighbour Coueting or desiring is naturall or not naturall Naturall I call that which was in pure nature as of meat and drinke for preseruation of nature c. this is not forbidden Not naturall is that which though it arise from vs yet was not in pure nature which is not simply forbidden if it bee with condition of my neighbours liking as if I wish to buy his house at his owne reasonable price Againe couetings or desirings are diuerse according to the occasion whence they arise Some are occasioned without vs by deuils men other creatures whereto vnlesse consent doe come they are not sin The deuill tempted Christ he resisted and

more they who doe not 1 know 2 acknowledge 3 loue 4 belieue 5 obey Christ Now if Christ the King of heauen and earth was not receiued why should we thinke much if we be not The eyght thing said of the VVord is whosoeuer Verse or as many as receiued c. VVherein we may consider what he doth and to whom He giueth prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God to such as receiue him These are noted by two markes of fayth and regeneration In that which he doth we may marke what it is called who doth it and the thing done It is called a gift in that it is sayd he giueth Giuing is free bestowing of property this is free else were it desert or bargaine or some such And indeed Christ was giuen to vs. Esay 9 6. Iohn 3 16. But it may be obiected that it is a ransome or purchase Answere As it is from Christ to God the father so it is a ransome but from the Father and Christ to vs a free gift So as that there is nothing in our selues to procure this nor keepe it but all is fauour which wanting we must pray for hauing we must prayse God He that doth this is the Word It may be obiected that euery good gift is from the Father of lights and so from the Father Father Iames 1 17 is a name common to the three persons But putcase it be for the first person the Father giueth all to the Sonne whereupon we may see that the Sonne is God in that he can make sonnes of God and this of being a child of God cannot but be an excellent fauour in that the whole Trinity giueth it The thing done followeth prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God wherein is the kind of the thing and the commendation The kind to be the sonnes of God commendation prerogatiue The Word translated sonnes were better children as it signifieth so as that ignorant people might not be hindred of their comfort intended heere being of womans sex These children are sayd to be of God Child of God is either by nature or fauour By nature as the Word and Christ nothing else It may be obiected 2 Peter 1 4 that we should be partakers of the diuine nature Answer nature doth signifie qualities and properties flowing from the diuine nature not the essence it selfe It is not meant therefore heere Children by nature By fauour are Angels or mankind We neuer shal be Angels for we shall haue our soules at the last resurrection ioyned to our bodyes Angels are spirits We shal be like Angels for immortality needing no bodily thinges being in the presence of God otherwise not Mankind or men and women may be the Children of God by creation or generation adoption regeneration imitation By creation as Adam and Eue whom God himselfe immediatly made By generation as all other men and women Adoption by being made a Child after one is not by nature Regeneration when the beginning of heauenly life is wrought in a party Imitation when one indeauoureth to be like God in recouery of his image Creation is not heere vnderstood For so are all creatures after a sort the children of God and heere the Euangelist setteth out an especiall fauour The other three sortes are true but yet adoption is cheefely meant whereof so much is mentioned in the scriptures and is the forerunning cause of the other two folowing A doption is a word taken from the ciuill lawe Heere it signifieth Gods fauour to some of Adams posterity whereby he taketh them to himselfe in speciall sort giuing them the rites and dues of children Hence commeth the household of faith Galat 6 10 the father-hood Ephe 3. For better knowing heereof we may consider the benefites gotten by this adoption and the properties thereof In the ciuill lawe it is sayd the adopted getteth the adopters name mony and holy thinges as place of buriall c. Ours doe far surmount these for we obtaine Gods fauour and indulgence toward vs. Malac 3 17. Wherein is 1 free forgiuenesse of sinnes all fault and punishment this is blessednesse hath peace of conscience c. 2 Acceptance of imperfect obedience Secondly the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father This hath a gift and ability to pray promise and perswasion to be heard 3 That our father doth lay vp for vs 2 Cor 12 14 Heb 11 40. 4 Protection in good estate deliuerance out of euill so God dealt by Israell Exod 4 22 23. 5 Quietnesse of conscience in the vse of the creatures Eccle 3 12. 6 Inheritance in the heauens 7 Causing of all thinges to worke for the adopteds good The properties are that this adoption is 1 To a better estate then all the world can afford 2 With exception of the crosse 3 It is permanent though it may be shaken it neuer shal be vndone Thus far the thing The commendation foloweth prerogatiue Some abuse this word for power by nature to some good thing vntruly vnlearnedly They read it so power as that it should be meant to be in the parties power if they would to be the sonnes God Heere it cannot be so taken as being sayd of such who haue the Spirit Sure it is that for first conuersion we can doe nothing but are only passiues Besides I say vnlearnedly for that the word is vsed for prerogatiue or priuiledge diuerse times elswhere 1 Cor 〈…〉 This may appeare to be a very great prerogatiue 1 If we consider who bestoweth it to wit God infinit 2 Vpon whom his vtter enemies most miserable 3 What thinges as of adoption The estate of being a child is inestimable looke Hottom in instit 42. 4 Passing by how many mighty noble c. Iustly then ought we remembering whence we are raised to how great estate cary our selues humbly all our life long 2 Shew all reuerence to God who hath shewed these fauours on vs. 3 Cary our selues so to the world as not discrediting the house we are of 4 Prefer being a sonne or daughter to God aboue all thinges in the world beside Thus far what he doth Now followeth to whom as many as receiued him these are noted by their beleeuing in his name and by their begetting c. These to whom are set out by their duty of receiuing him their generality as many The duty we haue knowen before heere it is set 1 As necessary as no way to be the children of God without it of what condition soeuer one be 2 Noting the tyme of receiuing him to wit when he came among them and proffered himselfe vnto them So that though we haue purpose to receiue him and doe not when he offereth we are neuer the neerer when once the doore is shut looke Luke 13 25. Mathew 25 10. The generality shutteth out no receiuer neither in the manner of receiuing nor in the measure nor in the condition of the receiuer Some cannot receiue Christ euery way outwardly though it be but with a cup of

to shewe it selfe 3 It is alwaies increasing auoyding the sinnes the party is most inclined vnto endeuouring for graces duties most necessary 4 In this life it is imperfect 5 It is wise and maketh great account of great and smaller account of smaller things so preferring the duties of the worship of God as that it neglecteth not the duties of particuler vocation and so performeth them as yet the hart is principally to God The parts are Mortification Viuification Mortification is the continuall lessening of the practise and power of sinne and striketh at all it can at originall sinne Viuification is a continuall renewing and quickening to all holy duties and appeareth in the desire purpose and endeuour to doe well recouering it selfe againe after slippes Now follow the properties which can not easilie be perceiued by all 1 Cannot be found in them who are not conuerted 2 not easily in such as are babes in Christ 3 not of any while they are in the fit of greeuous tentations especially of particularitie In others they may be found Some of them are 1 A willingnes to set a mans selfe in the presence of God to thinke of death the law the latter iudgement hell 2 A true hatred of sin yea of euery sin and that in a mans owne selfe 3 A desire of spirituall nourishment word sacraments 4 A loue of such as are truly conuerted 5 A delight in heauenly things and preferring them before the world But heere a question may arise whether sinners vvhen they knew that Dauid was againe in fauour with GOD did conuert Aun Dauid speaketh not so much of the effect as of the sufficient cause and iust occasion It is hard for a man by the effects to iudge that the meanes were neuer vsed Good meanes may make one presume of a good end Now if Dauid deemed that vpon his finding fauour with God sinners would turne what might we doe vpon so manie and great meanes Besides Dauid sheweth that the best thing for a sinner to doe is to conuert And that if sinners cōuert vpon the knowledge of Gods mercie to Dauid how would the godly profit Hetherto hath been the digression Verse 14 now followeth a seaueth petition in the former part of the 14. verse whereof are two parts the thing it selfe and the author of the gift The thing is to be deliuered from blood Some learned interpreters by bloods vnderstand tragical examples and bloody euents in Dauids stocke and house but they cannot well proue this I thinke it signifieth manslaughter and murder For Dauid now thought vpon the murdering of his most faithfull seruaunt Vriah slaughter of the other in his band thus are bloods often taken in Scripture Gene 4 10. c. Dauid prayeth that that fact be not layd to his charge After generall confession a man must come to particulars Deliuery is freedome from the fault and punishment Let vs then learne from hence 1 that seeing Dauid was aboue the compasse of manslaw and yet calleth himselfe to a reckoning for sinne by the word of God other so ought to doe 2 What an horrible sinne murder is 3 Particuler sinnes knowne must particulerly be confessed 4 The same sinnes will often recourse and accuse the conscience The Author followeth who is repeated with a speciall fauour of his The Authour is God and is here repeated as a note of faith and boldnesse in the Prophet Whereby hee sheweth that God can will and that Dauid looketh for helpe And the Prophet doth the rather repeate it 1 to affect himselfe with the considerations of Gods maiestie 2 and to stirre himselfe vp to pray with his hart 3 and with all to shew how impatient faith is of delaies Now this fauour is saluation of soule body Hetherto hath beene the second speciall part of this psalme in petitions now followeth the 3 which is thanksgiuing from the latter part of the 14. verse to the 18. To this praising is there a passage made verse 14 15 a setting downe of the dutie of praysing in the rest The passage hath the profession of this dutie and correction of the speech The profession is in the latter part of the 14. verse and hath in it 1 the kind of dutie 2 the instrument 3 the matter The kinde of dutie is singing with ioyfulnes which hath great vehemencie boldnesse and cheerefulnesse Vehemencie is in earnest setting of the minde Boldnesse in perswasion that the dutie pleaseth God Cheerefulnesse is whereby we readilie vpon the occasion giuen breake out into the praises of God and are glad that we haue occasion so to doe The instrument is the tongue the minde is not sufficient 1 God will haue the whole man 2 others must likewise by vs be prouoked Neither did the tongue onely sing the hand played So must wee all the waies we can testifie our desire of praising God But some man may say what doth musicke helpe to the prayse of God Auns Nothing simply 1 by it the minde of the singer is shewed 2 and somtimes the mind dull is stirred vp The matter is the righteousnes of God This is the dittie of his song The iustice of God doth heere signifie the truth of God in keeping his promise as Rom 3 25 26 to wit towards sinners repenting So likewise in the Syriac tongue iustice is put for mercie 1 Now Dauid thus singeth euen in the house of his pilgrimage Psalm 119 54. 2 He doth not therefore sing amorous songs 3 Now indeede as all the statutes are to be our songs that is our delight to meditate in so especially Gods promises of mercie toward repentant sinners 4 May not this be some comfort that hee calleth Gods mercy iustice so as that God should not be iust if he were not mercifull to sinners according to his promises Hetherto the profession of dutie now followeth the correction of the speech open my lippes c. Verse 15 Wherein the prophet closely reproueth himselfe in that hee so professed his indeauour of praysing God whereas indeed this is the gift of God so as that vnlesse God open the mouth wee cannot praise him This correction or mending of the speech ascribeth all to God the act of opening the lips and the effect My mouth shall shew thy praise Open my lips is a part for the whole the prophet prayeth for abilitie sufficiently to praise God 1 No man of himselfe alone can rightly praise God Naturall corruption will stop his mouth 2 If a man cannot open his owne lips to praise GOD aright 2 much lesse can he direct his hart to please GOD 3 surely he cannot compose his outward man 3 And if a man cannot rightly open his mouth let him not be hastie with it Ecclesiast 5 1. 4 How earnest would his man be to haue his hart ordered The effect followeth wherein is the instrument mouth worke Shewing the praise of God Praise is acknowledging or witnessing of excellencie God is most excellent euery way Shewing forth hath 1