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	unfeigned_a	2,423	5	11.0927	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01236	A Christian confession of the late moste noble and mightie prince, Friderich of that name the third, Count Palatine by [ye] Rhein, one of the electours of the holy Empire, and Duke in Bauire: wherein constantlie and meekelie he departed out of this world the 26. of October in the yere of our Lord God 1576. Taken word for word out of his last will and testament. Whereunto is added the Lantgraue his answere to the French King; Proclamations. 1620-07-01	Friedrich III, Elector Palatine, 1515-1576.; Johann Casimir, Pfalzgraf bei Rhein, 1543-1592.; Wilhelm IV, Landgrave of Hesse, 1532-1592.	1577 (1577)	STC 11348; ESTC S116026	25,880	96

and Sauiour and his most godlie worde the right touchestone we also through the helpe and assistance of almightie God minde to perseuere and continue vnto our last ende and beseche the almightie that he will not onely gratiously preserue vs and all our fellowe members in Christ Iesus from all contrarie errours and deprauations which by vnquiet and contentious persons and members are moued in matters of religion and brought into the Church but also mainteine keepe in vs his knowen veritie cōfort strengthen vs in all troubles and tentations and of his goodnes once in these latter daies open the eyes and hearts of all Christian people that we may haue a regarde not vnto traditions of men or priuate affections but only to his most godly worde as the truest and infalliblest line direction of our consciences and faithes and graunt vnto vs all grace that brotherlie Christian and due charitie may take place and dwell among vs. These sentences words following were distinctly spoken by the said prince Electour being of good vnderstanding memorie not long before his death after he had declared that hee persisted constant in his said confession which followeth First the saying of S. Paul 1. Timoth. 1. This is a most true and assured saying and worthy by all meanes to be embraced that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefest The second saying to them which stoode by I haue liued lōg inough for you I must also once liue for my selfe The third The gracious Lorde call me when it shall please him I haue a ioyfull free conscience in the Lord Iesus whome I haue serued with all my heart and render thankes vnto him that I haue liued so long that in the churches and schooles vnder my dominion and charge the people haue bene directed taught from traditions of men to beleeue in him alone The fourth 2. Timoth. 4. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is layed vp for me the crowne of righteousnes Here foloweth the said christian confession ❧ In the name of the holie vndiuided Trinity of God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost WE Friderich by the grace of God Count Palatine by the Rhein one of the Electours of the holy Romaine Empire Duke in Bauaria c. confesse and make knowē to all persons by these our letters c. ¶ First whereas we haue bene before all thinges Christianlie taught and resolued out of gods worde that both euerlasting and perpetuall and also the worldlie and temporall prosperitie peace quietnes concorde and good estate of all gouernements principalities countryes people aswell of such persons as are ordained heades magistrates as other inferiour members subiects haue their beginning increase and enriching and are most assuredly mainteined and preserued by this onely meanes when they shall set before their eyes and seeke to aduance god his holie worde and according to the same directe all their affaires and causes in this life as by a most true and infallible line which thing also the very heathen although they had no true vnderstanding of god yet by the light of nature ingraffed in them sawe and confessed after a sorte and from thence at the first these declarations and making of last wils which men commonly call testamentes tooke their beginnings But especially among the olde fathers patriarkes other religious persons they seeme to haue bene chiefliest made to this ende for that they woulde leaue after them vnto their children heires and successours a certaine token and witnesse whereby not only their said successours might assuredly vnderstand what religion and faith their forefathers were of which they had receiued out of gods worde by open testimonies and wherin they had liued holilye and vprightely and were gratiously mainteined defended and protected by almightie god and in the ende so died but also that their successors might haue more cause to be moued with like bondes and duetie to folowe the christian footsteppes of their predecessoures and to imitate their examples and according to the same to rule and mainetaine the people and countreys committed to their charge if they did looke for and desired to enioye such euerlasting and worldelie blessinges of almightie God as had bene bestowed vpon their fathers which thing appeareth by the last wordes vsed by some of the patriarches good King Dauid him selfe where he speaketh to his sonne Salomon after this sorte Be of good comforte and shewe thy selfe a man And attende or take heede vnto the charge of the Lorde thy God that thou walke before him in his wayes and keepe his precepts commaundements iudgements and testimonies as it is written in the lawe of Moyses that thou maist prosper in all that thou doest and whereunto soeuer thou turnest thy selfe that the Lord may confirme his word that he hath spoken ouer me and said If thy children shal take heede to their wayes that they walke before me in trueth and with all their hearts and with all their soules there shall not at anie time a man be wanting from my bodie to sit vpon the throne of Israel So also in like sort as a christian prince fearing and louing god and hauing in the making of our last wilmore regard in our heart to euerlasting and immortal things then to worldly and temporall matters which perish and folowe depende of the former we haue thought good for the honor of almighty god discharge and comforte of our conscience and for an vnfeined declaration to our louing and deare sonnes heyres and successoures whole posteritie and also of all our true and faithful subiectes and euerie other whatsoeuer to whom it may appertaine in this our fatherlie disposition testament and last will to make an open true declaration of our faith that euery one may haue certaine knowledge thereof whereto we haue bene the rather induced for that in these latter dayes diuers sundrie errours and debates in matters of religion haue bene moued by vnquiet and contentious persons wherewith both wee others in the time of our gouernment haue bene much troubled and some sectes factions haue bene raised in the church by certain persons going about to persuade simple men as though wee were priuie and consenting to their erronious opinions And to the intent that it do not onely appeare that the same our confession is only grounded built vpō the true rocke Christ Iesus our Lord sauiour his only word but also that therewith our deare children may be the more cōforted to persist stedfastly in such our christiā confession for no tēptaciō or troublesome storme whatsoeuer that might happen to the contrarie wherof god be thāked hitherto by his almighty help assistance in the time of our gouernmēt we haue both felt and ouercome many turned backe or made faynte hearted fearefull or negligent in their callings and

A CHRISTIAN CONFESSION of the late moste noble and mightie Prince Friderich of that name the third Count Palatine by the Rhein one of the Electours of the holy Empire and Duke in Bauire wherein constantlie and meekelie he departed out of this world the 26. of October in the yere of our Lord God 1576. Taken word for word out of his last will and testament Whereunto is added the Lantgraue his answere to the French King. 1. Petri. 3. Be alwayes readie to giue answere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Roman 10. If a man beleue Christ Iesus with his heart he shal be righteous If a man confesse him with his mouth he shal be saued Matth. 10. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I acknowledge before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shal denie me before men him also will I denie before my Father which is in heauen Imprinted at London by Christopher Barkar ANNO. 1577. Iohn Casimire by the grace of God Count Palatine by the Rhein Duke in Bauire c. and appointed Lieutenant Generall of the said Palatinate besides the Rhein sendeth greeting ALthough the highe and mightie prince our entirelie beloued Lorde and father Friderich late Paltzgraue by the Rhein and Elector of the holie empire of worthie memorie in the whole time of his gouernement and especially in the yere of our lord god 1566 at the time of the diet holden at Augusta where he was present about the confession of his christian faith and also in the Cathechisme and booke of the reformation and orders of the churches in his dominions heretofore published hath sufficiently declared witnessed to the whole world that neither he him selfe held or mainteined nor in his landes and dominions had suffered to be set forth and published anie other kinde of religion then that which was in all partes agreeable vnto the doctrine of the holy prophetical and apostolical scriptures besides conformable with the confession of Augusta and apologie thereof as the same was allowed of by the Princes Estates assembled at Nawmburg yet sithe the time of the departure of our said lord and father out of this vale of miserie we haue partly our selues with our own eares heard and partly vnderstoode from other places to our great grief that it hath bene giuen out by some although vntruelie that our said father before his death should haue bene remoued from his former confession as though aforetimes he had proceeded to farre in such matters And albeit wee for our owne part sith the time that by the grace of God we were called out of Poperie haue alwayes taken and founde his said Confession to be no otherwise then Christian groūded in the infallible word of God and especially at the time of the said dyet of Augusta where we attended vpon our said father and by his commandemēt exhibited the bookes of the holie Bible and Confession of Augusta before the Electours and other Princes of the Empire then present and the Commissioners Ambassadours of those which were absent Out of which in our said fathers behalf we desired that an other and better confession might bee shewed and taught vnto him where seeing none of them brought any thing at al against our said fathers confessiō wee were at that time the more confirmed therein And since according to the same haue not onely with heart and mouth professed but also being accompanied with diuers noble men other vertuous honest persones fearing God haue at two seueral times sufficiently in the face of the whole worlde witnessed our zeale therein And yet in like sort as we haue bene enformed it hath bene imputed vnto vs that if we were not wholy departed remoued from our fathers said Cōfession yet at the lest we were become somewhat lesse earnest then before For which cause seeing our said Lord and father in the absence of the noble mightie Prince Ludouick Palzgraue by the Rhein now Electour of the holie Empire our welbeloued Lord and brother about the space of one moneth before his departure called and sent for vs in this place vnto him where we remained with him still vntill his ende in which time we vnderstoode from himselfe that not onely the aboue mentioned Confession heretofore published was with his owne hands made but also that he had caused the same to be written and inserted in his last will and testament And further are witnesses that we haue both heard seene that vntil his last breath he with good remēbrance and great constancie cōtinued in the profession of the same and so blessedly departed in our Lord Christ Iesus And where as afterwards our said welbeloued brother comming hither and with common cōsent opening the said will and testament which in the meane time remained not onely vntouched by anie person but also kept vnder the handes and seales of good and sufficient witnesses and further was in euerie leafe subscribed with our said fathers owne hande we not onely founde therein contained his aboue mentioned Confession but also that we his children appointed executours of his said last will vpon paine of the auoiding of Gods displeasure anger and curse and eternall and worldly punishment by vertue and power of Gods immutable precept of obedience due vnto him were commanded and enioyned both to mainteine our said fathers confession and also to do our endeuours for the planting and spreading of it further For which cause with a good conscience as we trust and also without any discredit or preiudice to our fathers said will and for diuers other weightie and necessarie causes wee could not any lōger forbeare for knowledge of the truth answering of such reportes as haue bene vntruely bruted and spred abroad to the contrarie openly to giue herewith a true testimonie of the saide matter causing the said Confession as it was word for word written and inserted in our fathers said testament to be published and printed To the intent that the duetiful accomplishment and fulfilling of his said last and deare will which is not onely committed to the charge of the Electour our said lord brother although to him chiefly but also to his subiectes Counsellours officers and especially to the vniuersitie here the Schole and ministers also to the whole posteritie euery man in particular as is expressely conteined in the said testament might be knowen vnto them and they thereby vnderstande their duetie what they haue to do and further euerie person whatsoeuer be thereby assuredlie perswaded in his conscience that our sayd lord and father in no other confession nor in any erronious condemned opinion but in a most Christian confession and acknowledging of the infallible and inuincible truth of our common true and auncient Christian faith departed most godlie out of this vale of miserie into euerlasting ioye and quietnes By which confession as grounded vpon the right rocke Christ Iesus our Lord

peace and quietnes and neither suffer them selues or anie other vnder them to be persuaded or exasperated by their meanes or diuided among them selues But rather to eschew and auoide them and also whereas no amendemēt can be looked for to suppresse them to the intent that they be not partakers of the detestable and horrible persecutions and shedding of innocent bloud which both in the Empire of Dutchland and other outlandishe nations haue followed by such vnchristian condemnation and censures Euen as we for the most part haue in like maner for the aboue rehersed and other Christian and weightie causes agreed consented and vnited our selues with other Electours and Princes And hereby notwithstanding it is not meant to take from true and godly ministers such punishmentes and censures as appertaine vnto them for the reforming of blasphemies and confuting of errours that may happen according to the word of GOD with Christian decencie which is to be established vsed not to the ouerthrowing but for the edifying of the Church of Christe Iesus c. THE ANSWERE OF the most famous and excellent Prince William Lantgraue of Hessen sent to the Frenche King by the Lord of Villequier Ambassadour from his Maiestie to his excellencie THE most famous and noble Prince William Lantgraue of Hessen hauing receiued the message sent him from the Frenche King by the Lord of Villequier his Highnes Ambassadour rendreth his Maiestie most hartie thākes for the good will it pleaseth him to continue towards him promising that for his part his Highnes shal alwayes finde his excellencie forward and readie to answere him with the like as his Maiestie may cleerly see and vnderstand by all his former actiōs tending to no other marke but to the maintenance of that good amitie and intelligēce which hath of long time bene betweene the crowne of France and the house of Hesse As for the chiefest matter which the said Sir of Villequier had to cōmunicate with the said Prince the Lantgraue in the King his masters name to wit that the King had at the sute and request of the states assembled in his towne of Bloys graunted them that he would from thēce forward suffer no exercise of any other religion in his Realme saue of the Catholique Apostolique and Romish his excellencie is of opinion and thinketh that in truthe there is nothing more greatlie to be desired in this world then that it would please our good God of his infinite boūtie and mercie that the same true Religion which was once published and taught at Rome by the Apostle Paul might through his mercifull sufferance be not onely planted take roote and be mainteined in the kingdome of Frāce but also as purely kept and preserued in all partes of the world as it was in the beginning taught and plāted in Rome as we finde the said Apostle Paul hath left witnessed in his epistle written to the Romaines But it is a matter verie well knowen both to the King himself and to many other good men euē that are professors of the self same Romishe religion that after the Apostles time when the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome became so swollen and puffed vp that it would needes be a topgallant aboue Emperours Kings and all other Monarches of the world that Religion which the Apostle had planted at Rome and wherfore he so highlie cōmended their faith became through many abuses mens tradicions errours and Idolatries altogether defaced falsified A matter greately complained of by many good mē both of hie calling others not onely at this day but long since and many yeres ago desiring no thing so much as to see the church of Christ well reformed But it preuailed not as we maye apparantly see by al histories Which thing caused our Auncestoures and predecessoures of moste worthye memorye and other good men in other countries for the quieting of their consciences and because GOD did so expressely commaunde them to flie from Idolatry to withdraw thēselues from the obedience of the Pope of Rome of thēselues to make a reformatiō according to the writings of the holy Apostles and Prophets because they had no other meanes whereby to obtaine it and being perswaded as the trueth is that it is better to obey God then man. And it is wel knowen that after these lōg and manifold troubles wherwith the kingdome of France hath bene pitifully wasted brought to a very low ebbe there could be no better way possibly deuised vpō to appease former troubles to make an end of those grieuous calamities which haue through so long continuāce brought the whole kingdome to great extremitie almost apparant ruyne then to suffer them which haue withdrawen thēselues from the obedience of the Pope for the reasons before mētioned to liue with freedome of their cōsciences vnder the free exercise of the reformed Religion according to that confession which they presented to the King his brother that dead is Accordingly as was in fine accorded agreed graunted by othe promised by his Maiestie and his Counsaile by the Queene his mother the Princes of his blood and officers of his crowne and other noblemen and gentlemen of his priuie counsell by a perpetual and irreuocable Edict promising that he woulde mainetayne and keepe throughlie and in all poyntes the peace last made published in al parts of his Realme In witnes wherof and of his good intent meaning therein he also sent the same to the said Princes excellencie to many other Princes noblemen of the Empire by letters Ambassages vsing these termes following That he would keepe this edicte of pacification inuiolably for euer as the first earnest penny and pledge of his word giuen to his subiects which he said he had a care to keepe truly and faithfully But his excellēcy seing his maiestie presētly so sodeinly chāged clean contrary to al that he had promised before to suffer him selfe to be so easely caryed away with a fewe of the states assembled at Bloys whose billes were not answerable to the charge that was cōmitted vnto them but as men easie to be wōne suffred thēselues to be framed to the fantasie of the aduerse partie contrarie to all right and reason as they of the reformed religion doe complaine and laye forthe their griefes against them to reuoke that which hee had before so aduisedly and vpō so good ground and counsell solēnely protested to wit that he would suffer the free exercise of the reformed religiō for euer Wherby his maiestie hath renewed the former troubles and disorders of his realme which were hardly with great difficultie quenched appeased coulde not but be grieued at these news not only in respect of his maiesties honor and reputation likewise his state which entred very deeply into his excellency cōsidering what occasiō was offred hereby to all Princes christiā to conceiue of his actiōs otherwise then could wel soūd to his honor credit but also for the