Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	good_a	heart_n	merry_a	1,048	5	9.9107	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27351	The legacy of a dying mother to her mourning children being the experiences of Mrs. Susanna Bell, who died March 13, 1672 : with an epistle dedicatory by Thomas Brooks ...	Bell, Susanna, d. 1672.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1673 (1673)	Wing B1801; ESTC R4336	27,041	66

the sweetness the fulness the freeness the riches and the fai●hfulness of his Promises and with the riches of his mercy in Christ to her soul To draw to a close it is observable that even the holy Apostles in their Canonical Epistles have spent some good part of their holy lines in the ample Commendations of those eminent Saints to to whom they wrote as Paul in h● to Philemon and John in that of 〈◊〉 to an Honourable Lady and th● other to a meaner person viz. Gai●● and that they went not behind th● door as we say to whisper but 〈◊〉 on the House-top did proclaim t●● Religious and pious practices of tho● more choice Christians to the ●mi●ati●on of others And further when consider that which the Apostle speaketh of Demetrius a rare and no● ordinary Testimony 3 Ep. of John 12. Demetri●s ha●● a good report of all men and of t●● Truth it self and we also bear Record and we know that our Record 〈◊〉 true And yet further when I consider what is Recorded of Hezekia● Thus did Hezekiah throughout all J●dah 1 Chro. 31.20 21. and wrought what was good an● right and true before his God An● in every work that he began in th● service of the House of God an● in the Law and Commandments h● did it with all his heart and pro●●pered And when I consider wh●● high commendations the Apostle b●stows upon the Churches of Ma●●donia 2 Cor. 8.1 to the eleven verse And upon the Church of Thes●alonia 1 Thessal 1.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. And also 2 Thessal 1. ● 4 5 And when I consider that ●t was the Holy Ghost who writ ●●e●●ad●● Epitaph 2 Chron. 24.16 They buried him ●n the City of ●avid among the Kings ●ecause he had done good in Israel ●●oth towar●s God and towards his ho●se It is said also of ●osiah in ●his Commendations by the same Spirit Like unto him there was no King 2 King 23.25 Moses and Mord●●a● Sarah Debo●rah Esther E●● abeth and others after their deaths have had their due praises When I consider of these things I am very well satisfied in what I have said concerning this deceased Sister and friend I do no ways doubt but that we may v●ry safely say good of such when dead whose ordinary course and practice it was to do good while they lived but in this censorious Age No sooner is d●st cast upon some Christians head but there are those that will do what they can to throw dirt in their faces A●gustine doth very fitly compare these to Dives his dog● they lay licking and sucking Lazarus his sores but his sounder parts they never medled with To trample upon the Reputation and stain the glory of them that die in the Lord argues such Persons to be a kin to Fleas who bite most when men are asleep It was one of Solons Laws that none should dare to speak evil of the dead And Plutarch tells us that that was highly commended and duly observed But is it so now This I am sure that it well becomes Christians not to dare to speak evil if they could of those who for the main have lived holily and died graciously as this deceased friend hath done Let this satisfie us that she is above the Praises and envies of men 'T is the good the profit the advantage of all your souls and theirs into whose hands this little Piece may fall that has drawn me out to write so large an Epistle If I had had only the dead in my eye a few lines should have serv'd the turn I doubt not but that you will kindly accept of my endeavours to be serviceable to your immortal souls and who can tell what fruit may grow upon this Tree I shall improve all the interest I have in Heaven that both the Epistle and your glorified Mothers Experiences may be blest to the furtherance of the internal and eternal welfare of all your souls The good-will of him that dwelt in the Bush rest upon you and yours So I Rest Honoured friends Your Souls Servant THO BROOKS A TRUE RELATION OF Some of the EXPERIENCES of Mrs. SUSANNA BELL taken from her own Mouth by a near Relation of hers a little before her death Left as a LEGACY to her Mourning Children IT pleased the Lord to order it so that in my young days I was cast into a Family that feared the Lord. And going to hear Mr. White preaching from those words Prov. 15.15 But he that is of a merry heart hath a continual Feast From th●se words he did shew how happy a thing a good conscience was and what a sad thing it was with Judas to have a bad conscience and what a blessed thing it was to have a good conscience From that of Hezekiah Isa 38.3 And he said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which i● good in thy sight This Sermon God made useful to me and after this it pleased the Lord to order it so that I changed my condition and the Lord provided for me a good Husband one that feared him And some troubles being here many of the people of God went for New England and among them my Husband desired to go but I and my friends were very a verse unto it I having one childe and being big with another thought it to be very difficult to cross the Seas with two small children some of my Neighbors advising me to the contrary living so well as I did But I told them that what the Lord would have me to do that I would willingly do and then it pleased the Lord to bring that Scripture to my mind Eph. 5.22 Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. And then my heart was brought off to a quiet submission But after this I being well delivered and the Child well It pleased the Lord soon after to take my Child to himself Now upon this so far as it pleased the Lord to help a poor wretch I begged earnestly of him to know why he took away my Child and it was given in to me that it was because I would not go to New England Upon this the Lord took away all fears from my ●pirit and then I told my Husband I was willing to go with him For the Lord had made my way clear to me against any that should oppose And then my husband went presently upon the work to fit to go And the Lord was pl●ased to carry us as upon Eagles wings according to that Deut. 32 10 11. We were eight weeks in our passage and saw nothing but the Heavens and Waters I knew that the Lord was a great God upon the shore But when I was upon the Sea I did then see more of his glorious power then ever I had done before according to that of the Psalmist Psal 107.23 24. And when the Lord was pleased

Phil 3.7 8. In all my serious Discourses with her about our Lord Jesus Christ she would still set the Crown upon Christs head She would lay her self low very low that he alone might be exalted The thoughts of Christ was precious to her the Discourses of Christ were precious to her the Image of Christ was precious to her the Ordinances of Christ were precious to her the Discoveries of Christ were precious to her the day of Christ was precious to her the Offices of Christ were precious to her and the Rebukes of Christ whilst she enjoyed his Presence under them was precious to her but above all the Person of Christ was most precious to her In her eye he was the chiefest of ten thousand fairer then the children of men Cant. 5.10 Psal 45.1 Phil. 3.7 8. and all the riches honours pleasures and delights of this world were but dung in comparison of him O at what a rate has the Saints of old prized our Lord Iesus Mallem said one ruere cum Christo quam regnare cum Caesare Luther had rather fall with Christ then stand with Caesar The same Author elsewhere saith that he had rather be Christianus R●stic●s then Ethnicus Alexander a Christian-Clown then a Pagan-Emperour Theodosius the Emperour preferred the Title of Membrum Ecclesiae before that of Cap●t Imperii professing that he had rather be a Saint and no King then a King and no Saint And godly Constantine rejoyced more in being the serv●●t of Christ then in being the Emperour of the World Bernard saith That he had rather be in his Chimney-Corner with Christ then in Heaven without him It was an excellent Answer of one of the Martyrs when he was offered riches and honours if he would recant said Do but offer me somewhat that is better then my Lord Jesus Christ and you shall see what I will say to you It was a sweet Prayer of one Make thy Son dear very dear exceeding dear only dear and precious or not at all Another good man cried out I had rather have one Christ then a thousand worlds I have read of Johannes Mollius That whensoever he spake of the Name of Jesus his eyes dropt tears And of another Reverend Divine who being in a deep muse after some discourse that passed of dear Jesus and tears trickling down his cheeks before he was aware and being asked the reason of it he confessed ingenuously It was because he could not draw his dull heart to prize Jesus Christ at that rate he should and fain would Christ lay near your Mothers heart and O that he may lie near all your hearts that so you may be safe and saved for ever But Tenthly Imitate her in the casting a Mantle of love over the infirmities and weaknesses of poor weak miscarrying Christians in the burying of Christians weaknesses under their graces much I know of this but some know much more She was not for blazoning of others weaknesses whether they were nearer to her or more remote from her She commonly carried a Mantle of love about her to cast over other mens sins she seemed to live under the Power of that Word Pro. 10.12 Love covereth all sins and that 1 Pet. 9.8 Charity shall cover the multitude of sins By covering must be meant 1. A favourable Construction of all things which in right reason might well be construed 2. A passing by smaller infirmities and private offences 3. Such a covering as might cure also for love is wise Love hath a large Mantle and covers all sins that is all private sins and all such sins as may be concealed with a good conscience both towards God and towards men Again it must be understood not of our own transgressions committed against God but of other mens sins and transgressions committed against us Love is not suspicious but interprets all things in the best sense Pro. 17.9 Love will not publish private injuries to the dishonour or shame of the party offending Prov. 12.16 To observe and take notice of other mens faults but not of our own is the easiest thing in the World said Thales A prudent man covereth shame It is recorded to Vespasians honour That he was more ready to conceal the vices then the vertues of his friends Such commonly are best acquainted with other mens infirmities who are least observant of their own iniquities and irregularities The nature of man is very apt saith Seneca Vtimur perspicillis magis quam speculis to use Spectacles to behold other mens faults rather then Looking-Glasses to behold their own Erasmus speaks of one who collected all the lame and defective verses in Homers Works but passed over all that was excellent The Donatists of old were more glad to finde a fault then to see it amended and to proclaim it then to cover it to carp at it then to cure it If I should finde a Bishop committing adultery saith Constantine the Great I would cover that foul Fact with mine Imperial Robe rather then it should come abroad to the scandal of the weak and the scorn of the wicked Seneca unmasking the face of their corrupt State hath this notable passage The News from Rome take thus the Walls are ruined the Temples are not visited the Priests are fled the Treasuries rob'd old men are dead young men are mad Vices are Lords over all The Dictator blames the Consul the Consul checks the Censor the Censor chides the Praetor the Praetor falls foul upon the Aedile and he casts all the fault upon the Quaestor and because no man will acknowled●e himself in fault we have no hopes of better times How applicable this is to our present times I shall leave others to judge but by the whole you see that all sorts and ranks of men are more apt to observe and quarrel at other mens faults then with their own Observable is that of our blessed Saviour Luke 7.37 There was a woman in the City which was a sinner No wonder what woman is not we may guess both who the woman was and what the sin was and which City it was but he neither names the City nor the sin nor the sinner Seeing her Reformation he consults her Reputation O that you would all labour to write after this Copy When Alexander was painted the Painter laid his finger on his wart and Apelles covered Venus mole with her finger that it might not be spied As you stand in a near relation one to another so I could wish that you would lay your fingers upon one anothers warts and moles and not blazon one anothers humane frailties and infirmities to the world but love and live as brethren and sisters who are never without a mantle of love to cover infirmities I say not enormities to cover weaknesses I say not wickedness to cover from the world I say not from God nor from one another But Eleventhly Imitate her in her earnest desires and endeavors that others especially that her