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	peace_n	quiet_a	5,023	5	9.5882	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26107	A sermon preached in the parish church of Hackney on the fifth of July, 1685 being the day before the battle and victory over the rebels in the west / by Thomas Aston ...	Aston, Thomas, b. 1649 or 50.	1685 (1685)	Wing A4081; ESTC R18302	8,257	36

practical Syllogism in our understanding the Major whereof is Gods Law the Minor is our application of that Law to our selves approving in our Actions what is good and disliking what is evil As Gods Secretary it Records all our Actions and Thoughts and Words in a Book of remembrance and if it be not called to give Testimony here it will be called at the general Audit to make answer for whatsoever has been done in the body 2. Cor. 5.10 whether it be good or bad Men are now so carried away with the Delights of this Life that they have no leasure to take notice of the checks of Conscience but in the day of Judgment they shall be brought to light and every Mans Conscience will acknowledge the Justice of the Sentence of the Righteous Judge Conscience is now a secret Witness only known to the Person whose it is but then all shall be made manifest and apparent to all But this Conscience will appear a greater Enemy if we consider the next degree which is a too disquiet Conscience This is fain'd by the Poet to be one of the three Furies of Hell For tho' a Man use all means imaginable Wine Musick Society to quiet it when it is once awaked out of that past feeling and deluding Dream he endures a Hell upon Earth This moved Solomon to ask the Question Prov. 18.14 A Wounded Spirit who can bear Then no Wisdom can counsel him no Eloquence perswade him then no Physick can cure nor Riches ransom him from this tormenting Fiend And it is such a Tormentor as the Wretch always carries about him he continually feels those inward Flashes and Flames he can find no comfort abroad nor please himself at home but in all places and at all times hellish Haggs and infernal Furies afright him A Man may fly from and escape an outward Enemie but he cannot fly from himself The Murderer of Symmacus being at Supper thought he saw his Visage in the head of a Fish served up to the Table And it is reported of Richard the third that as a Judgment for his bloody Act upon his two Nephews he dreamed the Devil did haul and pull him in most hideous and ugly shapes Prince Edward and Richard D. of York in the Tower Cain and Judas were dogg'd at their heels by their tormenting Consciences the death of the former is not so notorious but you know how the other was brought to his dismal end His Conscience was a Bayliff to arrest a Justice to commit him a Jaylor to imprison and a Witness to accuse him a Jury to find him guilty and a Judge to condemn him a Sheriff to convey him to the Place of Execution and a Hangman to end one Misery and begin a greater 'T is true a Tender Conscience is a blessing 2. Cor. 7.19 it worketh Repentance never to be repented of it prevents sin and makes a Man circumspect in his Ways It was happy for King David that his Conscience check'd him for his Adultery and Murther and numbring the People this wrought in him a Godly Sorrow expressed by his poenitential and hearty Prayers It was happy for the Apostle Peter that his Conscience check'd him for denying his good Lord and Master he wept bitterly discovered his own weakness and became a stronger Pillar in the Church of God But there may be a tender Conscience in Masquerade I do not need to take up much time to distinguish 'T is very apparent some presume upon a tender Conscience when really they have none By their Fruits you may know them When you see a Man scrupulous at an innocent Ceremony bowing at the name of Jesus kneeling at the Sacrament c. and yet make no Conscience to lye to deceive to speak evil of Dignities to be drunk to commit uncleanness you may well conclude that Mans scrupulocity proceeds not from Conscience properly so called but from erronious Fancy and this is that our pretended consciencious Schismaticks who disturb the Peace of our Church are possessed off Indeed he is not a good Christian who is not conscious of his Failings and Aberrations and doth not earnestly beseech a Pardon for Christs sake with strong cryes prayers and Tears wherewith God is well pleased to be importun'd But a Man may as easily see the difference between these two as between a real Monarch and a personated King on a Stage The one cryes out against Sin the other against Superstition and Idolatry nicknaming Decency and Order The counterfeit Conscience is hateful to the true God the unfeigned is his Delight and the gracious Redeemer of mankind will wipe away all Tears from such they shall see their Obligation cancell'd their Debt paid for the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth them from all Sin But the Wicked are condemned by their Conscience Their secret Faults whereof they would take no Cognizance when it might be advantagious to them their lying in wait for Blood their private lurking in thievish Corners their secret slanders their Covetousness their Rebellion covered over with a superficial Holiness all these and whatsoever else they are guilty of are well known to Conscience and it will accuse and condemn them Thus I have briefly shew'd that the wicked have no Peace with God nor with Men nor among themselves nor in their own Consciences For tho' for a time they may seem quiet they are not peaceable 't is only from carnal security I shall now descend to some practical Conclusions First we may conclude that Sin in the Habit without Remorse which amounts to Wickedness inevitably brings Misery no Peace consequently War ruine to the Wicked Yet because Sentence against an Evil Work is not executed speedily Eccles 8.11 therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully set in them to do evil But it shall not be well with the Wicked neither shall he prolong his days v. 13. The wicked Man because he is not presently struck with a Thunderbolt Fancies that God takes no notice of his actions and will not punish him for them these things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee Psalm 50.21 and set them in Order before thine Eyes Now consider this yee that forget God yee that approve and caress your selves in any known sin whether concupiscence drunkenness rash swearing disobedience to Governours or deceit and fraud Consider this yee that speak of good evil and of evil good that give base Schism and ungodly Rebellion the glorious Title of Religion and the true Worship and Service of God the ignominious name of Superstition yee put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light Yee can have no Peace God will War against you he will break you in pieces while there is none to help Man will War against you like Ishmael your hand will be against every Man and every Mans Hand against you Your own Conscience will War against you prosecute and condemn you You shall have no Peace Consider how fearful a thing it is to be at variance with all these and therefore labour to be at Peace with God and then what Man what Angel what Devil can be against you If as yet you apprehend him your adversary agree with him quickly seek him early whilst he may be found call upon him while he is near 't is not yet too late beseech him to forgive you your unrighteousness and to cocover all your Sin and to be at peace with you through the intercession of your blessed Mediator so shall you not only enjoy the unspeakable Blessing The Peace of God which passeth all understanding But Peace with Men. Not only with good Men who are not apt to be at variance but even with your Enemies and Peace in your own Consciences which is a continual Feast But if you fight against God by an unchast Conversation and wicked Life then the Lord will fight against you even with the Rod of the ungodly those that are as wicked or more wicked than your selves shall be your Scourges For we may be well assured that if the Wise Disposer of all Things should give the Rebel Enemies the Victory which God in mercy forbid I hope there is no danger of them it is not for any love to them but partly for the Chastisement and so for the amendment of Gods erring and straying Servants and partly that the Wicked being promoted may have the greater Downfal Secondly We may conclude that The only way to obtain Peace is to vo Righteousness Men generally regard their own advantage what more forceable inducement to perswade Men to be just good meek religious than this This great blessing Peace is the portion the inheritance of the Righteous wherefore the wicked intermeddle not in it Peace is Gods Creature I create the fruits of the Lips Peace Peace As in this Chap. he can convert cursing Traytors and Rebells and make cruel Esau dissolve into Tears in his Brothers Bosom whom he had vowed to kill In a word the only way to wound our Enemies is to mortifie our selves so shall Sinners be converted unto us so shall God even our God give us his Blessing the Blessing of all possible Peace the Blessing of Plenty all good things shall be ministred unto us in this Life and after this Warfair is ended he who is the Prince of Peace will Crown us with Victory FINIS

this shall be their Portion to drink Secondly He hath fought with them on earth The earth opened and swallowed the Rebellious Chorites The Sea drowned the Aegyptians Thirdly He hath brought Forces from beneath to War against them An evil Spirit from the Lord vexed Saul And we read in the Gospel of foul Spirits that haunted many made some deaf some dumb drove some into the Water some into the Fire All which as actions proceed from God for there is no Power but of God Rom. 13.1 The Devil cannot stir but when and so far as God pleaseth God Almighties hand is not shorten'd what he hath done we may certainly expect he will do He will vex overthrow the wicked they shall have no Peace Secondly The Wicked have no Peace with Men. Solomon tells us there is a time for War and a time of Peace But the time of Peace the Wicked cannot be said to enjoy for when they sing Peace Peace then Destruction is hard at hand Like Oxen they are pampered and fed but it is but for the Slaughter But generally The Wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. verse 20. They are turbulent in their own Nature and instead of Peace on Earth they send a Sword and are Seminaries of Discord But there is little need to trouble my self or you to prove that the Wicked have no outward Peace with Men since both Nature and the Holy Scripture gives us So convincing a reason which is this Righteousness is the elder Sister to Peace Aristotle in his Aethicks tells us that Agreement in Evil is not Amity but Conspiracy The Tabernacles of the Edomites and Ishmalites the Moabites and Hagarens may cast their Heads together with one consent and be confederate Herod and Pilate may agree against Christ All the Dissenters tho' they differ among themselves agree in their Opposition to the Church but this agreement does not not proceed from a Principle of Love 't is only the product of a joynt hatred in them towards others and doth not deserve the Name of Peace 't is meer Confederacy The Royal Prophet who spake part of the lively Oracles of God clears this Point Psalm 85.10 Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other For that Man can never be a true Friend to any that is not a Friend to Truth it self he can never be Faithful to any that confide in him that is perfidious to his God What Peace said Jehu to Jehoram so long as the Whoredoms of thy Mother Jezebel and her Witchcrafts are so many 2. King 9.22 And how can we expect Peace on Earth and good Will among Men so long as Whoredom Drunkenness rash and false Swearing Lying Deceit Rebellion Treason are so frequent among us Peace is as inconsistent with Wickedness as Light with Darkness St. James 4.1 asketh the question From whence come Wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts This is the reason because Men keep not the unity of the Faith they have broken the Bond of Peace We put up our Petitions for Peace and may the Prince of Peace accept our Devotion But we cannot pray for it but with St. Pauls limitation if it be possible and 't is impossible to be at Peace with Scismaticks and Phanaticks since they are professed Enemies both to Truth and Peace When we speak of Peace saith King David they make ready for Battle But my Friends I can shew you the good and right way to make even your Enemies to be at Peace with you Viz. When a Mans Ways please God this great King will be his Advocate to those that plead with him and fight against those that fight against him Now I come to the 3d. Position viz. that the Wicked have neither Peace one with another nor in their own Consciences First they have very seldom Agreement among themselves I will saith God set Aegyptians against Aegyptians and they shall fight every one against his Brother and every one against his Neighbour Kingdom against Kingdom and City against City Ephraim against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim the Sadduces against the Pharisees and the Pharisees against the Sadduces and a Mans Foes may be those of his own Household Do so Oh Lord to our Enemies divide them let every Mans Sword be against his Fellow but let us ever escape them Secondly they have no Peace in their own Consciences I have shewed you already that they have no Peace with God and Peace of Conscience ariseth from Peace with him The Conscience is never at Peace until sin be pardoned and being without Christ their sin remaineth and their Conscience will one day be a thousand Witnesses to accuse them This Evil Conscience may be considered two ways either too quiet or too unquiet both directly opposite to a peaceable Conscience First Conscience may be too quiet This you 'l say is a Paradox A Conscience quiet and not peaceable This overquiet Conscience is when a Man seared as with a hot Iron is past feeling viz. when the custom 1. Tim. 4.2 and habit of Sin hath taken away the sence of it When a Man is given up to a reprobate mind to work all uncleaness with greediness when neither threatnings can terrifie judgments move nor promises allure him then Conscience is too quiet That Army must needs be surprized where there is no Watches no Alarums to give Warning When the Pulse beats not the Party is near his Death He that is ignorant of his Sickness will never apply himself to a Physitian He 's most desperately sick who feels not his Distemper So if Conscience do not do its Office to accuse and excuse 't is dangerously ill There is the greatest danger in such a calm or rather insensibility of Conscience nay such a Numness or Lethargy is the greatest punishment The Lord threatned the Israelites that he would smite them with Blindness Deu. 23.28 and Astonishment of Heart meaning that he would inflict upon them such an insensible dulness that in doing Evil they should be without apprehension of the Evil and such a heavy Judgment fell upon them for when they were pressed by Pilate to release Christ they in their implacable Fury neither knowing what they did nor said horribly curs'd themselves crying out his Blood be on us and on our Children And God Almighty is just and true in his dealing with them for ever since to this day they have been Vagabonds and have no City to dwell in and are hatred of God and Man Thus you see what a sore Judgment stupidity of Conscience is Such are naked and not ashamed they drink deadly Poison and cannot perceive it their Wounds are so deep that they had rather they should fester than be searched They will not War against sin but are at peace with Hell Conscience is privy to all our good and evil actions and doth either vindicate or condemn us It is a