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	pure_a	unfeigned_a	2,187	5	10.9762	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85746	Of the authority of the highest powers about sacred things. Or, The right of the state in the Church. Wherein are contained many judicious discourses, pertinent to our times, and of speciall use for the order and peace of all Christian churches. / Put into English by C.B. M.A. The method of every chapter is added in the margent, and collected at the end.; De imperio summarum potestarum circa sacra. English.	Grotius, Hugo, 1583-1645.; Barksdale, Clement, 1609-1687, translator.	1651 (1651)	Wing G2117; Thomason E1244_1; ESTC R202244	156,216	365

cannot be that one should well attend to any in particular who hath upon him the weight of all affairs To whom we answer there is as it were a naturall coherence between the generall knowledge of all and the more exact knowledge of the most noble part So doth the Metaphysiologer generally considers all that is and specially things incorporeall the Physiologer all that moves and Heaven above the rest Even so ought the Architect of a Common-wealth to have a generall view of all affaires and studies but a neerer and more curious insight into those of the Church Neither is the knowledge of Sacred things so intricate as some would make it Theology saith Nazianzen is a thing simple and naked without any great Artifice consisting of Divine Testimonies which yet is depraved by some men and turned into an art of very great difficulty I speak of those things which are substantiall points of Faith and belong to the body of Religion for there bee other things partly Metaphysicall partly Historicall and also partly Grammaticall which by Divines are often handled with great contention and clamour With these it is not necessary the mind of a King should bee over busied no more than with the subtilties of the Law whereof the prime Titles are very needfull to be known There is a kind of intemperance in the desire of knowledge and the wisest man is he not that knowest most but that knoweth what is most usefull What the Apostle said to all let the Highest Powers apply unto themselves and be wise unto sobriety In whatsoever is expedient and sufficient for them to know the Divine ayde will not be wanting which will easily supply the defect of time One of the Antients said He had learned more by praying than by reading God is not deaf to these prayers of the Church Give the King thy Judgements O God and thy righteousnesse to the Kings Son Thou hast made me know thy secret wisdom saith David Salomon was very yong he knew not how to direct his steps the multitude of his subjects the weight of his affairs sate heavy on him and who saith he can be able to Judge this so great people Therefore he prayes God to give him an understanding heart that he might judge the people and discern between good and evill What answer doth God returne Because thou hast not asked long life nor riches nor the life of thine enemies but understanding to heare judgement behold I have done according to thy words behold I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart God and Nature as they say are not wanting in necessaries Wherefore since Empires are ordained by God and that especially for the safeguard of true Religion what can be more agreeable to the Divine goodnesse than to afford unto them that humbly pray for it whatsoever is necessary to their Function In the old Testament God hath often endued the powers with the gift of Prophecy In these last dayes He hath spoken to us by his Son In whom God the Father hath open'd all his Connsell concerning the Salvation of men After him there are not more Masters now but one is our Master Christ of whose fulnesse we have all received No new Revelation as of old is now requir'd but only the promulgation of that which is revealed Nor hath any man cause to complaine of Obscurity or Subtility the word is nigh unto us in our mouth and in our heart This Doctrine is hid to none whose eyes are not blinded by Satan And therefore all are said taught of God all knowing God Christ having in some sort fulfilled that desire of Moses who wished than all the Lords people might be Prophets And if the understanding of the Gospel be so easy and at hand to all Christians among whom are so many rude and busied that get their living by perpetuall labour of their hands what is it that can exclude ●●ngs from a benefit so generall especially when the Apostle hath applyed that Universall God would have all men to come to the knowledge of the truth unto Kings especially In this confidence the Emperour Theodosius being in the cause of Religion to pronounce judgement between severall sects in private implor'd the Divine help and obtein'd it Justinian obtein'd the same in setting forth such a Confession of Faith than which none of the Fathers or Bishops set forth any more full or more luculent Certainly the things which are necessary to be believed and done and those also which though not necessary are of any great moment in the Church are but few in number and very obvious shining forth first in the Sacred Scripture and afterward in the perpetuall consent of more pure Antiquity The rest can hardly put the Highest Power to any trouble and yet if any suddain difficulty and unexpected shall arise which happens more oft in Secular than in Sacred things time may be taken and faithfull Counsels Thus for of knowledge The other part which we require in the Highest Power is Piety No vertue is more worthy of a King Hence is it given in Precept to the King of the Hebrewes to learn to fear God and observe the words of his Law to Joshua not to depart from that praescript either to the right hand or the left The same is often inculcated to the Kings by the Prophets Two faults there are to be avoyded by the Highest Power first and above all that greatest of spirituall Maladies Atheisme Superstition next which effeminates the mind and overthrowes all generous Counsells 'T will be a very good caution against both to think often of that Apostolicall speech The end of the Commandement is Charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned from which some having erred turn aside to vain jangling willing to be teachers of the law when they neither understand what they say nor whereof they affirm We have shewed what is requir'd in the Highest Powers that they may rightly exercise the Right they have But here we must not forget to observe the distinction between the rightnesse of an action and the firmnesse of it For example a Judge unskilfull of the Law hath pronounced a wrong sentence the Judge hath done amisse yet is not the Sentence null but unlesse an Appeale followes it passes into a judged Case A privare man that is master of his own estate hath prodigally made away his goods the alienation is valid although the act be vitious If parents be harsher to their Children Masters to their Servants than is fit they are in fault yet is obedience due unto them There be many cases of like nature The reason is because many things are requir'd to make the action right it must proceed from an understanding well inform'd and an honest purpose of mind it must be done in due manner and with fit circumstances to make the action fume only one