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
A49178	The ascents of the soul, or, David's mount towards God's house being paraphrases on the fifteen Psalms of Degrees / written in Italian, by ... Gio. Francesco Loredano ..., 1656 ; render'd into English, Anno Dom. 1665.; Gradi dell'anima. English	Loredano, Giovanni Francesco, 1607-1661.; Coleraine, Hugh Hare, Baron, 1606?-1667.	1681 (1681)	Wing L3065; ESTC R6897	69,621	80

Repentance and Restitution subdue the Hydra of Sin and approve thy self a Child of God according to the Apostles assertion Now thou mayest understand that the Sons of God are like Arrows in the Hands of a Gyant they wound the Hearts of Gods Enemies and scatter such as delight in Mischief destroying and beating down what is evil quickening Faith and working Love in the Godly and the Effects of such Divine Instruments as these are the discouragement of Sin the feeding the Hungry Cloathing the Naked succouring the Poor entertaining the Stranger visiting the Prisoner freeing the Captive burying the Slain correcting the Obstinate counselling the Ignorant comforting the Afflicted assisting the Weak forgiving the Injurious and praying for the Persecutors In fine all the most accomplished performances of the Memory Will and Intellect are but as so many barbed Arrows put into our Hands by God to be shot against his Enemy Satan and the maker of the Devil Sin How happy then is the Christian Warrior who makes use of these Weapons How happy is the Jonathan that can strip himself of his Harness of Worldly mindedness of the full Quiver of his Lusts of the Girdle of Self-love wherewith he is too often girded for the sake of the Son of David He is Lovely as much as Lowly who can hate himself and all things here below He is Just and strong indeed who can do Violence to his own Interest for the greater benefit thereby to his Neighbour He is wise that can chuse a Saviour's Thorns rather than the sweetest Flowers of Sin which are but for a season He is Noble that makes use of Greatness chiefly for the Glory of God He is Rich that will lavish his Mammon here to make himself Friends therewith hereafter And he in truth is the alone happy man who with ardent affection and continued watchfulness hears receives and obeys the truth of thy Work and allows no Resting place no Ark nor any Asylum to unlawful desires or inordinate affections within him Such men as these before-mentioned they are who in the midst of the Fire the Thunder and Lightnings Cries and Terrors of the last Judgment shall never be daunted in the presence of their Judge nor by the Indictment of their Accusers For being kept in perfect Peace by the stay of their Souls on thee good Lord they are safely brought into the Harbour of a quiet Conscience and under the shelter of a mighty Jesus who is able to save them to the uttermost from all their Adversaries and from all such accusations as may not then touch the justified by Christ although they may serve to convince other Sinners and display the Ungodliness of Sin The ninth Step on the ninth PSALM of Degrees being the 128 PSALM Beati qui timent HE that would gain the Beatitude of thy Favour O Lord must of necessity fear thy greatness and obey thy precepts so that he is the blessed man upon Earth that knows exactly how to guide his Feet into the ways of Peace into the paths of thy Commandments and doth meet with no other inconveniences in his way than the doubts he may sometimes encounter about thy Love and Favour to him The fear of thy Power and the Reverence of thy greatness is so needful even for the very best Dan. 4.31 32. Ier. 51.9 else why hath thy justest Vengeance armed it self with Thunder to strike down the presumptuous Why hast thou by Fire from Heaven extinguished the memorial of Transgressors Why didst thou command the Waters to climb above the highest Mountains but that thou mightest overcome the greatest Sinners and shew how by thy wrath as by thy Love thou couldest hide a multitude of faults Thou hast bred Monsters within men by conscious apprehensions and often surroundest those Scilla 's with terrors of guilt Thou hast many times suffered thine Enemies to punish one another by their Cruelties And not seldom by Earthquakes by panick Confusions or Fears by Portentous Signes and strange * Such as were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently heard before the Destruction of Jerusalem Voices thou wouldst instruct all them who listen to thee speaking either on Earth or from Heaven and thou wouldest also correct the infidelity of others and thereby convince such how thou art to be feared Yet surely the fear that is struck into us by the Effects of thy Power is not so kindly welcom to thee nor so agreeable to us as that which proceeds from a sense of thy Love and pity and I know by experience that thou wouldst be loved chiefly because thou art Long-suffering rather than Omnipotent and thou hast proved thy self most a God by shewing mercy in being not called now the Lord of Hosts but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in whom dwels the fulness of the Godhead bodily and in him thou art our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name c. How wonderfully this advances the proof of thy Clemency above that of thy Power to the end that mans Fear and Reverence of thee may Spring rather from his filial affection than from thy Supreme Authority And doubtless he that fears thee O my God! out of a regard to thy Statutes that he may not infringe them nor hazard the Loss of thy Favour nor lose the Hopes of his Adoption or of his Admission into the Joy of his Lord he surely reaps the best of Heaven and Earth the truest Comforts of this life and of a better Therefore I wish all Mankind would take such a Course as this How healthful then would be your Sweats how blessed your Pains how profitable your Labours O ye Mortals who too often spend your Strength in vain and your time in fruitless works of darkness Then your Wealth would not be impaired and blasted as 't is now frequently by the Rapine of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Rigour of ill seasons or by a Thousand Cross events but it would be an enjoyment as sweet as 't is a Possession and serve for your just Satisfactions and Necessities as well as for the profit of many more The care you would then take to be Charitable and the sincerity ye would use in the Application of your Mammon to good purposes would make it return double to you like Job's Estate and be preserved to you by God himself who seing you not besmeared with Envy or Covetousness in respect of these deceitful Goods or mis-led by Pride or Worldly-mindedness he would delight in your Abundance together with your selves and while ye tasted the sweets of all your Industry he the good Husband-man so called John c. 15. v. 4. would also tast a grateful because a gracious Return and Relish of that full Cup of yours which he had first put into your hand as likewise of that penalty which we may thus happily undergoe how in the Sweat of our brows we may eat here comfortably and get up to God's holy Hill at last For let us be

Steps of Ascent because who ever intends to make use of them should do it for his Advancement unto God for his climbing up by Grace and not suffer his humblest Thoughts to stoop so low as to give any great Respect or Entertainment unto Earthly Objects The five first Degrees are for Christian Noviciats and Pupils those who begin their Journey towards Heaven in the way of Coelestial Love and venture to pass through the difficulties of Temptation the hardship of Affliction the Swords and Pykes of Censure and Calumniations They are such as with David on his way to Victory stay themselves on their God fix their Confidence with Jacob in his Journey upon Heavenly Succours and rejoyce in Spiritual Supports and press on forward in the hopes of Rewards and in fine have so much true Humility as to attribute the small Progress of their Repentance not at all to their own strength but wholly unto God The five next Degrees assist Proficients in the same Love of God and of Religion who are forward in the way of Mastering their Passions and so are more confident as better Confirmed not only to further themselves but others too in Divine Contemplations as well as encourage and invite to a Plus ultra to a making on in the Love of God 'till they have clearly made it out to themselves They can meekly beg of God a Confirmation of his Grace and of their Strength nor expect any reward nor conceit any Merit nor seek any Commendation either for the exercise of Patience in Adversity or for doing their Duty in that Condition wherein God hath placed them The last five Degrees are for the highest Form of Professors such as are nearest the top of Perfecton above and the Kingdom of Heaven here below who can pray for their Persecutors do good to those that do them hurt and accompany their own tryed Patience with desires of trying it still more and more Begging nothing more of God than Lowliness and Nothingness of Spirit under all the greatest Demonstrations of his Favour lest with St. Paul they should be exalted above measure and grow unworthy by being Proud of that Love with which they long to be made one in an Eternal Charity Therefore taking their Hearts quite off from the World and divorcing their Thoughts from Terrene Objects they imploy their whole Man in beginning their Heaven upon Earth by the continual blessing and praising of God And I pray God these Words may be read with such Thoughts as may stir up each several sort of Christians to the devoutest Action within their Capacities kindling in every Breast one Spark or other more bright and fervent than that can possibly be which is struck out of the black Flint of my Heart who like Absalom have heaped up more Stones of Guilt for the Erection of a Monument in Hell than I have enjoyed Hours of Life for the steering my Course to the Glories of Paradise Every Book that speaks of God should be as a Terminus or Law-Stone either to inform or reform our Footsteps and those Columns are not like Enoch's of Worth nor of Duration that build not up the House of Wisdom Those Figures stand but for Cyphers those Letters are but Mutes that do not teach the Ignorant the Right way or at least turn the Erronious from the Wrong Nevertheless I acknowledge my self not less unapt to Correct the one than unable to Guide the other being neither fit for the Office of a Monitor nor of a Master For what I have written hath been rather to wake my own dying Devotion than to watch for the Encomiums of others and for once I can protest the Puff of worldly Applause which often Tympanies the soundest Minds with Ambition did not blow up the Feathers of my Quill to this its present Flight and Undertaking He that aspires to Abraham's Honour to talk with God as a Man speaks with his Friend doth not give heed to those Whispers of the Serpent to those vain Hopes I mean which Fame and Reputation those Terrae Filiae Children of the Gyant bring along with them to deceive us here I once thought to be Dictator to my self alone because Devotion is a Spirit and like Camphire if let out too far or blown about most commonly 't is lost and vanishes away But when I viewed David like Jonathan climbing up the Rock and commanding his Armour-bearers to follow him I had also the courage both to attend and imitate him in beckening unto others to creep along with me upon these Stairs which lead unto David's Fortress unto the God of Gods in Mount Sion and unto his Temple where every one must speak of his Honour And who knows but some others incited perhaps by my weakest endeavours may assist hereafter with better address those who are getting up these Holy Rounds this Scala Santa of Meditation As we see a little Star shines before the Sun as it were to raise and light up a far greater and more useful Guide than it self But without any more Preamble not to detain or deceive the Reader let me tell him who is not pleased with this Book That he may be pleased in regarding the Subject and if he shall look herein and find any thing that is good it is to be returned with due Interest of Praise to God the true Owner of it who was the Framer of the World from Nothing and the Maker of Mankind Upright though we have sought out many strange Inventions both to be and to do Wrong So that Mistakes and Men go hand in hand together and all the Errors here we must yeild to be our own IN Psalmorum Laudem CHORUS 1. Angelorum 2. Hominum CHORUS THE PSALMS are Paradises Spring Streaming Refreshments every way They 1. Wine 2. Oyl 1. Milk 2. And Honey bring 1. To Cheer 2. To Cure 1. To Feed 2. T' Allay 1. When we are merry Psalms we sing 2. When we 're afflicted Psalms we say 1. They Heav'n's 2. And Earth's Devotions wing 1. While Angels Praise 2. Or Men do Pray CHORUS The PSALMS are Paradises Spring Streaming Refreshments every way c. THE ASCENTS OF THE SOUL The first Step upon the First PSALM of Degrees being the 120 PSALM Ad Dominum cum tribularer c. O Most Gracious God when I have fathomed the tossing Billows of my troubled Spirit either by the depth of humane anxieties or by some thwarting dispensation of that Providence that moves upon the great Abyss and was termed Fortune by the Heathens rolling the whole Globe upon Waves of incertain Casualties Nay when the Storms of my violent Passions make my wicked heart like a raging Sea foaming out nothing but mire and dirt in filthy Motions and in tyrannical or rebellious Actions O then with Humility Contrition and Sincerity of Intention I indeavour to strike sayl for fear of the Shipwrack of a good Conscience and make hast to put into the Harbour of thy Goodness and Compassion Then I

above thy Fellow-creatures Since he would place thee at first but little lower than the Angels and hereafter will promote thee even above those blessed Spirits since he would save thee with no less a Price than his Son's Blood and make thee the chief Magazine or Store-house of all the Treasures of his Grace since he would Manumitt thee by his Service from the Tyranny of thy Sensualities and from the Slavery of great Transgressions which bind up Lucifer himself in Chains of Darkness O! do not fall like him again into the Hell of Ingratitude since thou art raised thus into the Favour of the Most High Employ thy faculties to his Honour else thou art such another unworthy Monster as deserves to be entombed in the bottom of that Gulph which burns for Ever and Ever Shew at least how thou savourest the things of God by acknowledging of them 'T is true thou canst never render unto him according as thou hast received yet return thy improved Talents and thy utmost abilities or else thy chearful readiness for the owning thy self Obliged and not unkind to the Donor Suffer no Excuse or Accident to put thee off from thinking of his Goodness or from thanking of it Thy Prosperity is the Issue of his Providence not of thy Merit God saith the Wise man enables us to get Wealth and all good Fortune Thy Adversaries celebrate his Wisdom for by them art thou taught how he knows thy desert and would try thy Patience and deals not so hardly by thee as he is provoked Therefore in all Conditions set forth his most worthy Praise with clean Hands and a pure Heart lifted up by devout Expressions Let us lead on our Desires and endeavours to set the Crown upon his Head and to put the Scepter into his Hand whose right it is I mean let our Church with that which is Triumphant ascribe All Honour Power Dominion and Glory unto him who sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore blessing God every manner of way whereby the Creature may be said to Glorify his maker As First By speaking of God with that Reverence which the Majesty of his Person doth require Secondly By living according to the Rules of Probity that by our good actions both our selves and others may think well of his Service Thirdly By rendering unto God the Honour due to his Name in whatsoever condition may we be that whether he gives or takes away there may be no shipwrack of a good Conscience or of a chearful Spirit because we own our dependance not upon our selves but Him Fourthly By Giving Thanks always for all things unto God Eph. 5.20 as saith the Apostle while we entertain a grateful Tast and Remembrance of the most ordinary Mercy for there is none to be looked upon as little if we justly regard either God or our selves NOW most Gracious Lord since thou hast called up my Soul to this exalted Throne of Felicity to this highest Round of Heavenly Comfort to wit to the resounding of thy Praises for the efficacy of thy Favours towards a penitent Sinner I beseech thee dearest Lord shower down continuall thy Gifts and Graces upon my humbled Soul that it may be fruitful in every good Work and shew no wretched marks of its former Sterility though it Merits not the smallest Dew of thy Blessing nor the least warmth of thy Love having scarce put out the fire of extravagant Lust Yet since thou hast founded the vast Machine of the Universe upon the empty place Thine out-stretched arm can amend and sanctify whatever is amiss about me Thou art both our Lord and our God a Maker and Redeemer too whos 's Operations are beyond all impossibilities and thy Benefits above our Desires espcially in Heavenly things no less than above our Deserts However give me leave here at last to beseech thee so to fit me for thine Eternal Entertainments by a thankful Sense and constant relish of thy Love and Goodness to me here as that I may pass along safely and contentedly through the many disquiets of this mortal Life to the continual Praising and endless Fruition of thee in Heaven our Father which art c. A COROLLARY HAving got up thus far by the help of others with aking Knees and sobbing Respirations my Soul craves leave to pause and look about her lest these Ascents become to her condition like the Scalae Gemoniae to condemned Wretches Degrees of Punishment and sad occasions of more certain Ruine These lofty Mounts afford me a fair prospect of the good Way my Thoughts should take toward Heaven But alas I find at the same time how I am groveling upon Earth and the feet of my Affections would rather step down than go up so high a Hill as that of God's House Therefore have I need of Jacob's Staff to lean upon in my infirmest State Heb. 11.21 Gen. 47.9 Eph. 3.18 Heb. 10.39 36. and to point out how few and evil the days of the years of my Pilgrimage have been and to fathom better both God's Love and mine that I may get up still nearer the point of Life even in Death it self and be keeping on my Journey here for here is not my Rest And as I want a Jacob's Staff such a help and Monitor and Vision as that holy Traveller had at Bethel so I desire likewise that Jacob's Ladder which according to St. Basil in his Homilies on the Psalms is the Exercise of a devout Soul so employing it self as that God may come down to it and the Soul be raised up to Heaven by these five several Degrees or Ascents The first is a generous neglect of all outward and temporal Advantages in respect of Heavenly ones a forsaking of our Nets like true Converts and Christian Disciples Mark 1.18 for the attendance on the Lord Jesus and not only renouneing with St. Paul such things as we counted Gain but Secondly Contemning and even loathing the most admired sensual pleasures nay the World it self when set in competition with Christ out Saviour Because in the third place a we ought to love nothing in comparison of Christ if we would be love by him Mat. 10.37 Cant. 5.10 If we esteem him not most amiable we are not warmed with a right or kindly flame of Devotion which implies a transcendent value for the adored Object of our Worship We are but Samaritans in our pretended Religion and shall hardly arrive at the fourth Step Which is a readiness not only to be bound but to dye for his Name And this propensity for the meeting Death it self in the way to Life Acts 20.24 is a good Token or part of the noblest Mortification which prefers God and his Sanctity before Life nay before Salvation and will secure us from finding Death in the Errors of our Lives Nay lastly will strengthen us to climb up to the Top-round of these Spiritual Exercises Psal 73.25 even to the uniting our Souls by the divinest