Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	ghost_n	sin_n	sin_v	1,582	5	10.1697	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69196	Foure sermons viz. 1. The blessednesse of peace-makers. 2. The aduancement of Gods children. Preached before the King. 3. The sinne against the holy Ghost. Preached at Pauls Crosse. 4. The Christian petitioner. Preached at Oxford on the Act Sunday. By Iohn Denison Doctor of Diuinity, and one of his Maiesties Chaplaynes.	Denison, John, d. 1629.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Beati pacifici.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Sinne against the holy ghost plainly described.; Denison, John, d. 1629. Christian petitioner. Shewing how we must sue for reward and remission.	1620 (1620)	STC 6587; ESTC S120377	95,129	308

should be renewed by repentance Albeit affected ignorance is very lyable to the curse of God according to our Sauiours words Woe be to thee Corazin woe be to thee r Mat. 11.21 Bethsaida yet inflicted ignorance obtaines his conniuence as it is Act. 17. ſ Acts 17.30 The time of this ignorance God regarded not This circumstance doth much extenuate a sinne when a man may say for himselfe as the Lord said of Niniueh there are sixe score thousand persons that cannot discerne betwixt their right hand and t Ion. 4.11 their left And when a man can pleade for himselfe with Abimelech Lord wilt thou slea euen the righteous u Gen. 20.4 Nation as if he should say had wee knowne her to be his wife wee would neuer haue offered violence to him nor villanie to her And contrarily it doth much aggrauate the sinne when one can admire acknowledge and commend the graces of God in others yet be gracelesse himselfe When he is like the Athenians who knew what was good but would not doe x Athenienses scire quae c. Tul. de senect it and like the Scribes and Pharisees who had the key of heauen yet would not enter therein For as Saint Iames saith y Iam. 4.17 to him that knoweth to doe well and doth it not to him it is sinne that is sinne with a witnesse it is a sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a more eminent extraordinary manner then others As Bernard saith z Bern. in Cant. Serm. 36. Ac si diceret sumenti cibum at non digerenti perniciosum est As meate that is eaten and not digested so is knowledge receaued and not practised as the one breedes diseases in the body so the other brings destruction to the soule It was Adams great perfection that made his ruine so lamentable and the transcendent excellency of the Angels which made their sinne so damnable and their fall so vnrecouerable And no meruaile for it is absolute Iustice a Luke 12.47 that the seruant which knowes his Masters will and doth it not should be beaten with many stripes Saint Paul b Rom. 9. 10 speakes of the errours of the Iewes his Country-men with great compassion because they had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge But our Sauiour checks the wilfull blindnesse of the Pharisees with as great indignation telling them that if they were blinde they should haue no c Ioh. 9.39.41 sinne meaning not so haynous sinne but because they said they did see therefore their sinne remained that is it stuck close by them So that as Saloman saith d Eccles 1.18 Hee that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow So may I say hee that increaseth knowledge and doth not vse it increaseth danger Men had need to consider what end they propound to their knowledge Some saith Bernard get knowledge Bern. sup Cant. Ser. 36. Et turpis quaestus est vt vendant that they may make merchandize of it and that is filthy gayne Some vt aedificent that they may edifie others and that is charitie Et charitas est Some vt aedificentur that themselues may be builded vp in grace Et prudentia est and that is wisedome And indeede it is great wisedome for a man to reape to himselfe the fruite of his owne knowledge and as great folly when he can teach another and not teach himselfe Rom. 2.21 Therefore Salomons counsell is good in this case e Pro. 5.15 Drinke thy water of thy Cisterne Hast thou a fountaine of knowledge to refresh others with the streames thereof yet thy selfe hast a thirsty soule and a barren life What an absurdity is this before men and danger in the sight of God O water and refresh thine owne soule make vse of the knowledge of the truth which thou hast receaued least after many gracious showers of instruction thy soule remaining bad and barren thou be exposed to the curse of God f Heb. 6.8 It had beene better for some not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse as Saint Peter saith then g 2 Pet. 2.21 after they had knowne it to turne from the holy Commandements giuen vnto them Had they not knowne then had their Audit beene more easie For behold where the Lord deliuers forth large talents of knowledge there he expects great reckonings of obedience to be brought in not looking for the like at their hands towards whom hee hath not beene such a bountifull Creditour This caused Peter when he taxed the people in the Temple for betraying and denying Christ in the presence of Pilate h Acts 3.17 not to leaue them comfortlesse in so hainous a crime but to giue them hope that they should obtaine remission and haue their sinnes put away at the time of the refreshing because they did it through ignorance This also was a staffe of comfort to Saint Paul whose cruelty towards the Saints and seruants of God was most extreame For hee was a blasphemer a persecutor and an oppressor yea those outrages were prosecuted with violent fury and madnesse as himselfe ingenuously confesseth i Act 26.10.11 Yet these his mercilesse persecuting sinnes found mercy at Gods hands vpon his serious repentance as hee comfortably witnesseth k 1. Tim. 1.13 In a word this was the ground of our Sauiours prayer at the time of his passion l Luke 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe As though hee should say If they knew indeede that I am the Sonne of God and would offer me this indignity the Messiah and Sauiour of the world and yet would shew mee this cruelty the Lord of glorie and yet would crucifie mee I would neuer vouchsafe to open my mouth for them but now O Father for as much as these things haue not beene reuealed to the eye of their vnderstanding nor made euident to the view of their conscience vouchsafe them pardon and lay not this sinne to their charge The second bad Humour THE second bad Humour that feedes this mortall wound is willingnesse If we sinne willingly If the Pilote be not skilfull or carefull those that goe by Sea must needes sayle dangerously but if they also carry full sayle in the midst of a tempest they cannot choose but be ouerset Euen so it fareth with vs while wee flote in the sea of this present world If our vnderstanding which is our Pilote doe fayle vs after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth our case is dāgerous but if withall we giue our wills full sayle euery blast of Sathans temptations will be ready to sinke vs and this is the Apostles word here in this place If we sinne willingly which word implieth somewhat more then a simple and single will and importeth rather a resolute wilfulnesse So that this is not a mixt action wherein the sinner is partly willing partly vnwilling but an absolute resigning of that faculty for the performance

a sinner giues way to his owne corruptions and Sathans temptations hee becomes like the Image in Daniel i Dan. 2.45 whose head was gold his brest of siluer his belly of brasse his legs of iron his feete of clay thus doth he waxe worse and worse till at last as a stone cut out of a mountaine without hands smote the image and brake it in peeces So the iudgements of God not created in the beginning by the hand of God but cut out of the mountaine of mans transgressions doth beate him in peeces like a potters vessell For if our sinnes doe increase and come one in the necke of another like the messengers of Iob our punishments must needes follow like the plagues of Aegypt Therefore Woe be to them saith the Prophet that k Esa 5.18 draw iniquity in the cords of vanity and sinne as with cart-ropes Cordes are twisted of many small threds which seuerally haue very small force but vnited are very strong and so it commeth to passe that the threds of smaller sinnes being twisted by oft committing and drawne out by long continuance doe at last make this great gable of the sinne against the holy-Ghost wherewith the sinners hands and feete being bound He is cast into vtter darkenesse where is nothing l Mat. 22.13 but wayling and weeping and gnashing of teeth Be carefull to auoide the least sinne lest the same be an introduction to greater For as the Philistims came vpon Sampson and ouercame him by diuers insinuations first bound his hands then platted his hayre and at last shaued off his locks So doe sinne and Sathan winde themselues in by diuers inferiour temptations still proceeding and augmenting the same till the locks of grace be quite shaued off As it is said of Ninus Victores m Iustin 1. lib. 1 Quaeque sequentis victoriae causa fuit euery victory was the means of another conquest So euery smaller suggestion of Sathan becomes an instrument of a greater temptation Had king Dauid at the first beene perswaded to murder Vriah hee would haue said what murder Vriah my loyall subiect my faithfull seruant God forbid not for the one halfe of my kingdome Yet after that hee had sinned with Bathsheba adultry made way to cruelty Sinnes are like the sores of the body which at first are but vitious humours then tumours after that impostumate and at last become vncurable So the sores of sinne waxe greater and greater Mortem parit immortalem Chrys in Psal 6. Bern. de aduent Ser. 6. Et in Cant. Serm. 15. till they breede and bring eternall death And therefore Bernard doth very fitly call sinne morbum animae and mortem animae The soules sicknesse and the soules death Thus as robbers put some little villaine into the house which sets open the dores to all the theeues And as warriors by a smaller breach doe get into the besieged City and then doe rob and kill and burne and vtterly spoile it So doth the diuell get entrance and aduantage of men by some smaller sinne and preuaileth more and more till hee hath battered the foundation of their faith dispoyled them of the rich ornaments of grace and become euen Lord of the Soule If at any time you be cast downe by the temptations of the diuell as alas who can alwaies stand let him not keepe you downe That is good counsell of our Sauiour o Reu. 2.4 Remember whence thou art fallen repent and amend The prodigall childe is set forth a patterne to this purpose who p Luke 15 Ver. 18.21 said and did what he said that hee would rise and goe to his father confesse his sinnes and craue pardon for the same Redeat homo per quotidiana lamenta vnde corruit per vana delectamenta q Aug. de temp Ser. 182. saith Saint Austin Let a man returne by daily lamentations to that from whence hee is fallen by vaine delectations Repentance is the onely stay that holds vs from falling into hell Repent therefore and proportion your Repentance according to your sinnes like Manasses who hauing caused the streetes of Ierusalem to flow with blood made the prison in Babylon to runne with teares r Cyprian de Laps Ser. 5. Alto vulnere diligens medicina non desit saith Cyprian a deepe wound must haue a diligent cure Thus let euery sinner rayse vp himselfe by true and vnfayned Repentance lest his slippes of infirmity become the fall of Apostasie Take heede of backsliding reciduation in sinne is no lesse dangerous then a relapse in sicknesse The bone oft broken will hardly be set The tree that 's oft transplanted will scarcely prosper Hath Christ washed Å¿ Reuel 1.6 thee in his blood Cured thee with his stripes Esa 53.5 and healed thee with his wounds hath he paid thy debts cancelled the bond vpon the crosse and set thee vp being a t Col. 2.13 bankrupt in grace Returne not with the swine to wallow in thy filthy sinnes let not the diuell wound thee againe by fresh bleeding iniquities runne not into debt hy new transgressions Yea sinne no more lest a worse thing happen v Ioh. 5.14 to thee Thus all sinnes are carefully to be auoided yet some are more especially to be shunned as hauing a spice of this dangerous disease the sinne against the holy Ghost and some duties likewise are more especially to be practised as meanes and mithridates against that wofull euill Amongst many I will obserue some in both kindes It is dangerous to sinne against knowledge and more dangerous yet to sinne against the checks of conscience but most dangerous to sinne against the motions of Gods blessed spirit It is dangerous madnesse for the pilot to shut his eyes against the starres that should guide him And such is the case of all those who wilfully put out the light of knowledge and regard not the checks of conscience The Lord tels Israel in the second of Hosea I will stop thy way with thornes and so doth hee set the stings of conscience to stay the sinner if it be possible from his wicked courses and fearefull is the neglect thereof For he that regards not the cry of his sinnes to his conscience shall surely haue them crying to heauen against him for vengeance Take heede of scorning or vilifying the blessed word of God especially the Gospell of Peace When men shall be angry with the word 1 Reg. 22.8 as Ahab was with Michaiah because it reproues their corruptions it is with them as our Sauiour saith y Ioh. 3.19.20 They hate the light because their workes are euill and it argues their deformities that they cannot abide to looke into the glasse z Iam. 1.23 which discouers them When men doe thus disesteeme and shunne the Gospell of Christ it is a shrewd signe that the same is no pardon of theirs but rather their inditement There are some who haue scarce three sentences of Scripture yet of those they

benediction for my purpose was that my first Oblation in this house should be a Peace-offering Beati Pacifici Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Which words containe 2. especial points 1. A benediction Blessed are the Peace-makers 2. A reason or manifestation of the benediction For they shall be called the children of God The Benediction which at this time shall be the bounds of my speech yeelds two words and the same two parts Beati Pacifici For in them I obserue A Person and his condition The person a Peace-maker his condition He is blessed And indeede these are inseperable companions Peace-makers and Blessednes They goe hand in hand are like Hippocrates twins which liued died together There was neuer any blessed had he opportunity but he was a Peace-maker Neuer was there Peace-maker but hee was blessed Here Beati is first in place but Pacifici is first in order For a man must be Pacificus before he can be Beatus hee must be a Peace-maker that hee may be Blessed and therefore wee will beginne with him first Now this word Pacificus is a compound and involues two words Substantiae sunt receptacula accidentium Accidentiae sunt ornamenta substantiarum a subiect and an adiunct a man and his ornament Peace and a maker of Peace I call Peace an ornament according to the phrase in Schooles and fitly in my conceit for without it a man is but a Skeleton or like the brasen Serpent when it was without vertue Nehushton a peece of brasse 2. King 18 4● We will first consider the ornament that makes the man Peace and then the man who is graced with this ornament the maker of Peace Saint Paul 1. Thess 5. exhorts thus concerning the ministers of Christ Haue them in singuler reuerence for their workes sake Hee that regards that exhortation will looke into the worke and when he finds that they are conuersant about the most noble subiect Medici animarum Chrys as being the Phisitions and watch-men for the Soules of men It will cause him to subscribe to the Apostles encomium Heb 13.17 who calls that office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A worthy worke and consequently to yeelde to his exhortation 1. Tim. 3. Haue them in singular reuerence So he that considers this excellent worke and ornament Peace will take notice of the worth of the Peace-maker and consequently pronounce him blessed Thus the totall of this our present discourse yeelds vs these particulars First a worke which is Pax Peace Secondly the workemen Pacifici the Peace-makers and that wil bring in the third which is a reward Beati Blessed And of these points in order The first part Of PEACE SPeciosum nomen pacis est saith Hilary The name of Peace is specious yea it is pretious For God the fountaine of all goodnesse is in sundry places of Scripture stiled Rom. 15.33 1. Cor. 14.33 passim The God of Peace Christ the author of our hopes and happinesse in the ninth of Isaiah Isaiah 9.6 is called the Prince of Peace The Gospell which is the glad-tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 Rom. 1.16 and the power of God to saluation in the sixt to the Ephesians is intituled Ephes 6.15 The Gospell of Peace Peace it makes the sweetest Hymne that the Angels could sing at our Sauiours birth Gloria in altissimis Luke 1.14 Glory be to God in the highest heauens Peace vpon earth The richest legacy our Sauiour could bequeath to his Church at the time of his death Ioh. 14.27 Pacem relinquo vobis My peace I leaue with you my peace I giue you Yea so ample and excellent is this ornament that the Hebrewes vnder the name of Peace doe comprehend all prosperity and felicity whatsoeuer and not vnfitly if wee consider it in the seuerall branches Some diuide it into tvvo parts some into three I will not stand to shew how some dicotomise some tricotomise this Peace I like the distinction of a foure-fold Peace because by it I shall the better vnfold this ornament And that is Pax superna interna externa aeterna The Peace of Reconciliation of Consolation of Association of eternall Saluation these foure are like foure links of a Chain all inseperably knit together The Peace of Reconciliation is the Peace between God and man This is the foundation of all true comforts and the head of the fountaine whence all the other kindes of Peace doe spring When Adam did eate the forbidden fruite hee lost his fauour and Peace with God Et Deum pacem perdidit August and his flying from the face of God was an euident argument of the breach of that Peace This was a miserable condition for better it were to be at varience with all the world then to be at oddes with God Horrendum est Heb. 10.31 It is a fearefull thing saith the Apostle to fall into the hands of the liuing God And no meruaile Deut. 4.24 for hee is a consuming fire yea he is able to cast both soule and body into hell for euer Mat. 10.28 By how much therefore this warre and varience is wofull by so much more is the reconciliation comfortable Therefore the Lord doth not onely ingeminate the ioy of this newes Esay 40.1 saying Comfort you comfort you my people But bids his seruants bring forth this Cordiall Ver. 2. and speake to the heart of Hierusalem and cry vnto her that her warfare is ended As it was ioyfull newes to Pharaohs butler Gen. 40.13 that the King his masters fauour should be recouered and himselfe restored to his office So must it needes be a singular comfort to all the children of God that he is reconciled to them and they restored to that happy estate which they lost in Adam So that I may say of this kinde of Peace Speciosum nomen Pacis est The name of Peace is specious 't is precious Now this Peace of reconciliation brings in the next linke the peace of Conscience which I call the peace of Consolation For when this happy newes is brought home to the heart that Gods iustice is satisfied and his wrath pacifyed then haue we Peace and ioy in the holy-holy-Ghost Rom. 14.17 There is no misery comparable to the sting of Conscience A wounded spirit who can beare 1. Pro. 18.14 When one shall be restlesse like the raging Sea tossed with the billowes of despaire as Esau speakes of an vnreconciled sinner Esa 57.20 When hee shall haue the Furies with their whippes and torches vexing him as Suetonius writes of Nero Sueton. in vit Nero cap 34. when he shall feele a burden vpon his Soule euen heauier then Aetna as the holy Historian speakes of Cayne Gen. 4.13 If then Christ Iesus shall bring this distressed soule into his wine-celler of comfort and spread ouer it the banner of his compassion as

life for euermore Non in commotione Dominus God was neyther in the blustring windes the boystrous earth-quake nor the furious fire 1. Reg. 19.11.12 But when the still and soft voice comes there the Lord is according to that of the Apostle Brethren liue in Peace and the God of Peace shall be with you 2. Cor. 13. 2. Cor. 13.11 Therefore I may also say of this kinde of Peace Speciosum nomen Pacis est The name of this Peace is precious The fourth and last kinde of Peace is Peace eternall which also followeth the other For hee that hath not Peace on earth shall neyther haue peace nor place in Heauen As the first was Pax regis so this is Pax regni As that was Pax gratiae so this is Pax gloriae that was peace with Heauen this peace in Heauen That was peace of grace this is peace of glory Cassiodorus in Psal 36. This Cassiodore describes negatiuely Vbi nihil aduersum nihil contrarium which admits no aduersity no crosse or calamity for the seruants of God haue all teares wiped from their eyes Reuel 7.17 There is a meruailous difference betwixt our present and future condition Wee are here like sea-faring men incountred with many contrary windes Neuer did any sayle so prosperously in the Ocean of this present world but sometimes hee hath met with the stormes of discontent But there is sinus maris sinus matris the port and hauen of constant happinesse The excellency of this peace the Scriptures set not forth positiuely but in Alegoryes and no meruaile For neyther eye hath seene 1. Cor. 2.9 nor eare hath heard nor can it enter into the hearts of men what the Saints and seruants of God shall enioy in heauen Saint Austin knowes not whether he should call it August de Ciuit. Dei 19. 11. Pax in aeterna vita or aeterna vita in Pace peace in eternall life or eternall life in peace And no meruaile for if he had been furnished with the tongues of men and Angels he could neuer haue expressed the excellency of it Tam spe●iosum nomen pacis est the name of this Peace is so specious so precious The second part Of the Peace-maker I Might further obserue the excellency of Peace and Vnity as being founded in the blessed Trinity three persons and one God But I come to speake of the Peace-maker whose honour it is that Peace is the worke of the blessed Trinity 2. Cor. 5.19 First the Apostle saith that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe Psal 85.8 He speakes peace to the soules of his seruants Psal 46.10 causeth warres to cease and planteth peace in their borders Leuit. 26.6 Therefore is hee called the God of Peace yea the name of his house is Peace for his dwelling is at Salem that is peace Psal 76.2 Rom. 5.1 Christ Iesus also is a blessed Peace-maker For we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Eph. 2.14 Yea hee is called our peace it selfe because peace is Praecipuum opus vnigeniti Chrysostom the especiall worke of the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.20 He set at peace by the blood of his crosse all things in earth and heauen In which words wee haue both the price and bounds of this peace the price it was per sanguinem crucis it cost him his deerest heart blood and for the bounds they are of a large extent he reconciled all things in heauen and earth He brake downe a double partition wall and reconciled man vnto man and both vnto God and therefore is he stiled the prince of Peace The holy-holy-Ghost is a blessed Peace-maker for Peace is one of those excellent fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal 5.22 Hee calmes a threefold warre in the soules of men that is of the perturbations against reason the flesh against the spirit and the terror of Conscience wrestling with the wrath of God And therefore is hee called effectiuè Augustin the Comforter Now as the blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and holy-Ghost are Peace-makers so are all the children of God but diuersly Some employ themselues in making peace betweene God and man So did Moses stand in the gappe and by his humble supplications stayed the Cannons of Gods wrathfull indignation from playing vpon the Israelites Psal 106.23 So Noah by his sacrifice procured a couenant of Peace at the hands of the Lord and stopt the fountaines of the deepe Gen. 8.21 and the flood-gates of heauen that the earth should no more be made a fish-poole by the invndation of waters Some are for the peace of Conscience who hauing a tongue of the learned Esa 50.4 doe minister a word to him that is wearie These come like Noahs Doue with the Oliue-branch Genes 8.11 like the pittifull Samaritan with the oyle of gladnesse Luk. 10 34. and the balmes of mercy Quàm speciosi Oh how beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of Peace Rom. 10.15 Some are employed in out-ward and ciuill peace So was Moses when he indeauoured to take vp the quarrell betweene the two Hebrewes Exod. 2.13 So was Abraham when hee preuented the strife betweene himselfe and Lot Gen. 13.8 and stayed it betweene their seruants And so are those worthy Monarches who establish peace in their owne territories and compound controuersies betweene neighbour-Nations Thus as there are diuers kinds of Peace so are there of Peace-makers and I may say of them all in our Sauiours words Blessed are the Peace-makers And so I come to the third part which is the vniting of Peace-making and Blessednesse together The third part HEre I might first say the Peace-makers are blessed Quoniam filij deo vocabuntur because they shall be called the children of God but that were to gleane before the haruest I may deriue an argument from the excellency of Peace If peace be such a gratious ornament such a singular blessing I may well conclude thereupon that the Peace-maker is blessed For in this the Axiom holds Aristot 1. poster cap. 2. Propter quod vnum quodque tale illud magis tale est The temple being an excellent worke Psal 74.5 they were renowned that builded it So Peace being a singular blessing they must needes be thrise blessed that make it As God is glorified in the excellent frame structure of the heauens Psal 19.1 because his wisedom power goodnes shine therein most resplendently So is the Peace-maker much honoured in this excellent worke of Peace because such goodnesse and blessednesse are knit to the same inseparably The peace-maker is blessed in the very act of peace as he is esteemed a blessed man that quencheth some violent fire 1. Sam. 25.32 And therefore Dauid blessed Abigail for staying his hand from the stroake of violence vpon churlish Nabal saying Blessed be thou who hast kept mee this