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
A89195	The churches troubles and deliverance, or, Certaine sermons tending to shew the reasons why the Lord doth sometimes bring his people into extremities, with the blessed issue and fruits thereof, on Gen. 22. 14. Also divers arguments giving good hope that yet God will be gracious to England, and not deliver us into our enemies hands. Also some things briefly on Rev. 11. 7. to 14. Bby Tho. Mocket, Mr. of Arts, and preacher of Gods word at Holt in Denbigh-shire.	Mocket, Thomas, 1602-1670?	1642 (1642)	Wing M2305; Thomason E110_18; ESTC R19617	74,158	93

meet with troubles in this world in respect of our malignant enemies even all the troubles they can procure Thirdly In respect of the place where wee live likened to a Wildernesse to a Sea As it was with Israel when they went out of Aegypt to Canaan they went through the Wildernesse So must the faithfull Israel of God doe now to goe to Heaven passe through the Wildernesse of this world Now in a Wildernesse there are Bryars and Thornes Wolves Beares Lyons Serpents c. and it is not strange for the honest Traveller to meet with such creatures there even so the godly meet with such kind of men in this world who are ever and anon ready to vex trouble and devoure them David saith My soule dwelleth among Lyons Ps 57.4 22.21 Wicked men are in the sacred Scriptures likened to and called Lyons Doggs Wolves Vipers Serpents and almost all manner of savage beasts because they have the like evill dispositions and doe like actions and the godly are compared to Lambes Doves Sheepe and other such like harmlesse profitable creatures no marvell then if the godly be assaulted and put hard to it many times by evill men The world is also likened to a Sea and we sayle as it were in the barke of our fraile bodies now what is more usuall then to have windes and stormes at Sea to be tossed to and fro to meet with foule weather to heare the waves roare and rage and dash into the ship also sometimes to light on the rocks yea to suffer shipwrack on the rocks and dangerous sands So if as we sayle in the barke of our fraile bodie towards Heaven the windes blow and stormes arise ready to sinke our ship or split her on the rockes is it any new or strange thing that wee should be much moved at it It is therefore a point of wisedome to prepare for and patiently undergoe what cannot be avoided many Heathens have on this consideration undergone much and why should not Christians much more make a vertue of necessity 4. Consider the nature of these troubles they are light and short 1. Light 2 Cor. 4 17 Take them at the worst they are but light afflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light in comparison of what we deserve and what our Saviour suffer'd for us and what wicked men must for ever suffer in hell and light also in that they doe but touch the body they cannot properly pierce into the soule so as to destroy it they hurt but the outward m●n and wound that at most and worst they can doe they may annoy yet they doe not destroy the soule prejudice it 's eternall welfare but wicked mens troubles many times wound the soule pierce into the very soule and destroy that and though they be free from bodily troubles yet they have crazy consciences which sometimes wound them sore and a wounded spirit who can beare Rom. 8.28 Pro. 18.14 or what can it beare as the Originall hath it So long as the spirit is sound conscience cleare and good it will sustaine it's infirmity i e. whatsoever outward trouble may befall as a sound shoulder will beare a great weight with else and pleasure whereas a broken bruised or dis-joynted shoulder will cry out and shrinke under every little thing All the daies of the afflicted are evill but he that is of a merry heart hath a continuall Feast A cleare and sound conscience is as a Feast in the middest of all outward troubles yea and better then a Feast for it is continuall The truth is it is guiltinesse of conscience that makes afflictions heavy to a sound and good conscience great afflictions and tryals many times seeme as nothing and are undergone with a great deale of cheerfulnesse and courage but when God plagues a wicked man if conscience be not seared or a sleep or benummed he hath a double burden to beare the weight of affliction and a guilty conscience which is most grievous 2. As they are Light so also short and momentary The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous Ps 125.3 This light affliction saies the Apostle which place also clearly proves the former branch which is but for a moment The originall differs some thing in words from our translation but nothing from the true sense and meaning 2 Cor 4 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I●● 54 7. Rom. 8.18 For a small moment have J forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee saith the Lord to Israel The troubles of the godly are indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufferings yet they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sufferings of this present time saith the Apostle to the Romans So that these afflictions though they may be sharpe yet they are but short and if they continue to the uttermost they possibly c●n doe it is but till death they end with death There the wicked cease from troubling Job 3.17 18 19. and there the weary be at rest there the prisoners rest together they heare not the voyce of the Oppressour The small and the great are there and the Servant is free from his Master said Job long agoe Death though it doe indeed begin the wicked mans misery yet it puts an end to all the godly mans suffering they end with his life and doe increase his glory makes Heaven more sweet and welcome Our bodies are but earthly Tabernacles now a Tabernacle if generally yet it cannot last long but if furious windes and stormes blow it will quickly fall and so it is with our bodies The afflictions and troubles of this world are visible seene on the body estate c. therefore not to be regarded because temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall 2 Cor. 4 18. Therefore saith the Apostle Let them that weepe be as though they wept not but things that are invisible are to be regarded 1 Cor. 7.30 and seriously thought on the wrath of God the pains of hell so Heaven l●fe and glory are eternall these we should much thinke of and labour to live accordingly 5. Consider this also that it is a great honour to suffer for righteousness to be singled out to be the Lords Champion to shew forth Gods wisdome power and goodnesse in his servants All the Saints have not the honour to be singled out with Abraham that the world may see the truth and strength of their faith patience love to God c. Gal 6 17. To beare the markes of the Lord Jesus is a singular priviledge the Apostle himselfe boasts of it as a speciall honour to him Gal. 6. To you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeve on him but also to suffer for his sake saith Paul All his people are tryed and suffer more or lesse but not very many are singled out to be the Lords champions as was Abraham Job the Martyrs and some others therefore the Apostles

by an hearty indeavour to walke in obedience to all the commands of God to give unto God that tribute of praise love c. that to him appertaineth and is due Render to God the things that are Gods 2 Cor. 1.12 The Apostle tels us the benefit of it when he saith This is our reioycing namely in times of affliction and trouble the testimony of our conscience that in simpl●city and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world this will comfort and cheere the spirit in evill times Psal 110 6. 〈◊〉 4 6 7 8. Then shall I not be ashamed said David when I have respect to all thy commandments So Paul I am now ready to be offered up i. e. to shed my blood for the Gospell and Christ hence-forth is laid up for me a crowne of Righteousnesse c. But how came he by this comfort and confidence that he could with such willingnesse shed his blood in the cause of Christ saith he J have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith the doctrine and grace of faith Oh what a comfort will it be to a man in evill times in all his troubles that he can truly say I have walked uprightly before God I have discharged a good conscience in all things I have lived in all good conscience towards God and towards man Ver. 15. A 3● Peece of spirituall armour are shooes of peace shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace i. e. when a man hath true peace of conscience and with God arising from the knowledge of the Gospell and what God and Christ hath done for him Likewise when he hath true Christian patience a patient spirit to suffer any thing for Christ and the Gospell This will prepare and arme the soule against all troubles a man shall meet with in the way to Heaven as shooes doe save the feet and arme them against the prickes and thornes If a man have no shooes though he may walke well on the smooth ground yet he cannot endure sharp gravell prickes and thornes but he that is well shod can tread upon them and make a sport of it So many can endure any reproaches c by reason of patience and inward peace Act. 5.41 Heb. 10.34 that is one maine reason why the Martyrs were not moved with persecution imprisonment yea rejoyced at the stake in the midst of the flames therefore labour to be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace to be armed with peace and Christian patience This will arme a man against the prickes A 4h. Peece of spirituall armour is Eph. 6.16 The shield of faith Above all sayes the Apostle take the field of faith There is a double faith historicall and justifying First a man must have historicall faith which is an assent to the truth knowne A man must be soundly principled and informed in the grounds of the true Christian Religion otherwise he shall never be able to suffer for the Gospell of Christ till well grounded in the truth of Christ much lesse wholly cast himselfe upon the goodnesse of God and lay down his life for Christ He that would be able to s●ff●r for the Gospell must first know and be ●ss●red that that is the only true Religion and that the true reformed Protestant Religion which by the goodnesse of God we enjoy and professe is evidently grounded upon the Gospell of Christ A man will never suff●r for that he doth unlesse he hath good ground for what he suffers for what man will lay downe his life for he knowes not what An ignorant person is easily seduced and d●awne from the true Protestant Religion to Popery because he hath no good ground for his Religion though there be cleare ground enough for it in the word of G d. a Tim. 1.11 Paul did indeed valiantly stand to the truth of the Gospell For which cause I suffer these things Neverthelesse I am not ashamed marke his reason for I know whom I have beleeved So againe Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for sa●th he it is the power of God unto salvation therefore he was confident in it and most willing to suff●r for it Labour therefore to be well grounded in the knowledge of the truth that you may be able to answer the advers●ry when he shall aske you why will you run your selfe into danger why will you s●ff r remember your selfe life is sweet and the fire is terrible you may answer why should I not I know that it is the truth I can give you good reason of my faith from Gods owne word therefore doe your pleasure I will never deny it or shrinke from it 2. Saving or iustifying faith which we may properly call also divine faith which is a grace of God whereby a man doth rest himselfe on the promises of the Gospell waiting upon God for the accomplishing of them to himselfe in particular in Gods due time by which a man doth shrowd himselfe under the wing of Gods protection for help against all evill and evill ones and for strength in temptations and tryals This guards the soule as a shield and buckler doe the body It makes God our shield and buckler against all the fiery darts of the Devill our advers●ry who is most busie in times of affliction and tryals Above all take the shield of faith This will hold up the head in the midst of all s●fferings and tryals I had fainted said David unl sse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living P● 17 13. Heb. 10 37. H●b 2.4 The iust shall live by his faith saith the Apostle from the Prophet Habakkuk hee speaks of evill times when there is nothing to support but his faith in God as Abraham here This inables the true Christian to overcome the world 〈◊〉 J●h 5.4 in all temptations and allurements from the world and evill men This made Paul and the Apostles and all those worthies mentioned Heb. 11. so couragious in all afflictions and tryals therefore labour to have a firme faith in the undoubted accomplishment of all the gracious promises of God in due time 5. Hope The Helmet of salvation Eph. 6.17 Hope of Heaven and salvation arising f●om a true faith in Gods mercy through Christ This s●feguards a Christian against all assaults of Satan and tryals in affliction as an helmet safeguards the head Heb 10 34 11.35 against all darts and blowes of the adversary in the day of battell What will not a man doe or undergoe that hath some evidence and hope of s●lvation Therefore to faith joyne hope that as by faith we lay hold on eternall salvation so we may by hope patiently wait for it 6. The sword of the spirit which is the word of God When a man is well versed in the word and doth make that the rule of his life to be