Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	heart_n	pure_a	unfeigned_a	1,824	5	10.8138	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43318	A sermon preached to the honourable House of Commons at their late solemne fast, Wednesday, December 27, 1643 by Alexander Henderson ...	Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.	1644 (1644)	Wing H1439; ESTC R15067	23,280	40

live in and of no other world but that wherein it lives So do the Atheists of the world wallow in their sins and sensualitie never thinking of the Author or end of their life that there is any other world or that this world serveth for any other end but for their life After they have lived as Atheists when they are constrained sometimes to think that there is a God they become Atheists in their desire and affection wishing that there were not a God to be avenged upon them for their wickednesse and in end the Lord giveth them up to Atheisme in their judgement and opinion As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 Being stricken with his judgement they have no serious thought of the House of God or his glory but all their care is about their own houses and honour And ordinarily the Lord befools them in their deepest Policies sweeping down their cob-webs which they have been for a long time twisting making their own wits a snare unto them and turning the means which they did use for their standing and rising to be the meanes of their fall and ruine The other Reason is from common equity amongst men which was the ground of that Decree Esth. 1.22 That everie man should beare rule in his own house The Temple of Jerusalem was the House of God and now under the Gospel the Church of Christ is the House of the living God where he hath promised his presence his face is seen and he is found of them that seek him which therefore may be called Surely God is in thee Isa. 45.14 And Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 And therefore the Lord should beare rule in his Church and his Commandment ought to be obeyed According to this ground hath the Lord given the precepts of his holy just and good Law For if he be our God what more equitable then that we have him and no other for our God that he direct his own service and worship that his Name be reverently used by us that we observe the times wherein he will have us to appeare before him and that we do duty to every one with whom we live under him This consideration may be very usefull For it may first serve to be a Cure of two great ills in this Land One is of such as conceive that the Law of God belongeth not to Christians They may as well say that Common and Naturall Equitie belongeth not to Christians Is it not written in the heart of man by nature Is it not confirmed by Jesus Christ Is it not recommended to Christians by the Apostles Is it not established by faith Is not the observing of it a testimonie of our communion with God Is not the end of it love from a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained Is it thankfulnesse to God because we are delivered from the condemnation coaction and rigour of the Law not to acknowledge the obligation of the Law Shall not the domesticks of the house of God observe the Commandments of God or shall they not be grieved when they transgresse and observe them not It is too common an errour to turn the grace of God into wantonnesse The other evill is on the other hand when men give themselves to will-worship the one sort neglects the Commandments of God the other addeth the commandments of men to the Commandments of God which is that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that Epiphanius speaketh of a superfluous will-worship of which there is too palpable an example and practise in this Kingdom at this time in the observation of dayes No Church or Kingdome on earth hath greater reason to take heed to it then the Church and Kingdome of England 1. Because the house and service of God hath been pestered beside a multitude of superstitious observations and Ceremonies with a greater number of dayes then the Church of the Jews had in the time of their Ceremoniall worship 2. Because the Christian Sabbath or Lords day hath been profaned and what hath been added to other dayes hath been added with derogation to the Lords day They have forsaken the fountain of living waters and have digged unto themselves cisterns which hold no water 3. Because God hath called this Land to mourning and fasting as we professe this day and I pray God that the unseasonable keeping of this festivitie which God hath not commanded be not more prevalent for evil then the humiliation of this day for good and yet the keeping of this day of humiliation in such a time of festivitie is a presage that by the blessing of God upon the proceedings of the Honourable Houses of Parliament and Assembly this superstition shall shortly expire and that it is now at the last gaspe Secondly It may teach us what reason the Lord of heaven hath to be angry when his Commandment is not obeyed in his own house Kings will be obeyed in their kingdoms Majors Magistrates in their Cities every man in his own house The Church of God is the Kingdom the City the House of God which we must either deny or resolve to have his will done There is yet a third point to be considered the conjunction of these two or the inference of the effect from the cause For why should there be wrath c. It is expressed in an interrogatory way to shew the necessitie of the consequence and that the wrath is certain and inevitable unlesse what is commanded be done and to shew the foolishnesse and wickednesse of man in bringing upon himself this wrath which by his obedience he might prevent like unto that in the Prophet Why will ye die O house of Israel The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself but the simple passe on and are punished Whence we learn that it is a speciall wisdom in these that have place and power to prevent or turn away the wrath of God from the present and future generation by establishing true Religion and ordering the house of God aright I confesse it is a higher point of wisdom to have a care of Religion that thereby ourselves and others may be brought to spirituall and eternall happinesse and thereby to prevent everlasting wrath yet even in relation to the blessings and miseries of this present life this kind of piety is the best policy I will honour them that honour me saith the Lord and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Men may expect honour by dishonouring of God and despising of Religion but the Word of the Lord abideth sure and their honour shall be turned into shame More particularly to this purpose and text the Prophet Haggai speaketh A heavie judgement was upon the people for the neglect of the worship and service of God Why saith the Lord of hosts because of mine House that is waste and ye run every

it then before either now endeavour to carry it through to every point of known perfection doing whatsoever the God of heaven hath commanded or look for nothing but that Superstition and Idolatry and with it ruine and desolation shall come upon you as a flood And therefore which is the third go about the work after the manner here prescribed that is diligently which implyeth very much 1 Sincerely ayming at the right end without simulation This is to do the work of God for the honour of God and good of Religion And not for our glory or benefit or for civill ends were they never so publick And therefore it calleth not onely for publick but for pious Spirits Where this sinceritie is wanting there may be a businesse and counterfeiting of diligence but no true diligence or faithfulnesse 2 Zealously for true zeal is active like fire or like mettall in a horse or like winde to the sails of a ship it carrieth us on and maketh us diligent 3. Prudently Prudence considereth both the opportunities and impediments of working where Prudence is wanting there may be precipitation but no true diligence 4. Speedily without delay or procrastination A● vineger to the teeth and a smoke to the eyes so is the sluggard to them that send him * The slouthing and slipping of occasions bringeth despair of doing good in the end and then our own consciences chide and others to whom we should have done good do curse us Solomons house was not built in lesse then thirteen yeers but the Temple was built in seven yeers because beside the preparation of materials both the King and the people were more earnest about the one then the other There is no want of materials at this time onely speed is required and without speed no di●igence 5. Constantly that no calumny or contradiction no hope or fear no trouble or example of others prevail with you to leave your station or desert the work unto the which the Lord hath called you but that you resolve still to do and if the Lord will to die Let no man think by deserting the work and forsaking his station that the work shall cease and he shall prosper No thou shalt find thy soul filled with grief and vexation upon two contrary grounds One is Thou shalt with a grieved and envious heart behold with thy eyes the work to prosper and thou not honoured to have a hand in it The other is Thou thy self shall perish in the end For as a bird that wandreth from her nest so is a man that wandreth from his place Mark and consider what comfort they have found who have deserted this work of Reformation whether in the one Kingdom or in the other Thou thinkest that thou will not hazard thy self for the honour of God but God saith he will not honour thee to have heart or hand in his work and thou shall run a greater hazard There be two reasons secretly couched in the words to perswade and provoke unto this duty The one is from the knowledge of the greatnesse and majestie of God the other from the conscience of common equitie amongst men Concerning the first Artaxerxes was a great King for in the beginning of his letter he is honored with the title of King of Kings as having many mightie Princes under his power And in the end of the letter he hath power of confiscation of goods imprisonment banishment and death Yet he acknowledgeth one greater then the greatest whom he calleth the God of heaven thereby to expresse his greatnesse majestie and glory which made him to give forth this Decree and by which he would move all men to do diligently what he commandeth For the knowledge and apprehension of the greatnesse and Majestie of God especially compared with our basenesse is a powerfull mean to move us to obey his Commandments and to go diligently about the affairs of his House The Lord is great eminently and infinitely above the creature he is the originall of all created greatnesse and nothing can be conceived in him which may be the least diminution of his greatnesse and Majestie It is not so with men When he is to give his Law to his people he first manifesteth his greatnesse by his wonders in Aegypt by bringing them miraculously through the Red sea and by the Terrors of Mount Sinai and then he beginneth I am the Lord thy God that brought thee c. When he speaketh to his Prophets to make them diligent and faithfull he useth this Preface Thus saith the Lord When he sendeth Isaiah with his message he beginneth with a vision of his glory I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his traine filled the Temple c. When he will have men to tremble at his word Thus saith the Lord the heavens is my Throne and the earth is my footstool When he revealed himself to John his servant he sheweth his greatnesse Revel. 4. and 7. If the greatest of the children of men did consider that he is higher then the highest Eccles. 5.8 that in his hand is there breath and all their wayes as Daniel telleth a great King that went before Artaxerxes Dan. 5.23 That in his fight when once he is angrie no creature can stand Psal. 76.7 They would not by any sin and least of all by dealing deceitfully in the matters of his House provoke him to anger Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth Isa. 45.9 If either King or Parliament or Assembly could really in their hearts apprehend this uncreated and infinite greatnesse and could look upon God as he is described Dan. 7.9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Antient of dayes did sit whose garment was white as snow and the hair of his head as pure wooll his Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire A fiery streame issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him They would choose rather to offend all the world then to offend him in the smallest matter of his House but the truth is we put the Lord farre from us and we see not him that is invisible Unlesse by the goodnesse of God a timeous and powerfull remedie be provided the multitude of Sects and Sectaries will become ere it be long the reproach of this Nation yet it fears me that Atheisme and Atheists be more common and abound more then any Sect or sort of Sectaries For did men know or beleeve that there is a God in heaven who is God of heaven and earth were it possible for them to live as they live and to do what they do Men become first Atheists in their life and conversation living as a worme in a mans bellie thinking no other wayes of man but as ordained to be a place for it to