Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	humane_a	law_n	obligation_n	1,134	5	9.8189	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39295	The magistrates obligation to punish vice a sermon preach'd before the right worshipful the mayor, aldermen, sheriff, &c. of the town and county of Newcastle upon Tyne, at the parish Church of St. Nicholas, October 8, 1699, upon the election of the mayor / by Nathanael Ellison ...	Ellison, Nathanael, 1656 or 7-1721.	1700 (1700)	Wing E610; ESTC R37317	18,338	44

as giving an Account of the Original Institution c. of those Societies but as using the most cogent and pressing Arguments to recommend and inforce the Execution of Penal Laws against Immorality and Profaneness as the most indispensable Duty and Trust incumbent upon Magistrates 'T is for the Honour of you in this place that you have given us some hopes of a Reformation among us by issuing out Orders for the more strict Observation of the Lord's-Day c. Having begun so good a Work let me beseech you by all that is Sacred and Religious That you would go on to give it in strict Charge to your Subordinate Officers That they visit all Publick Houses on the Lord's-Day not only in but out of Divine Service That they present all Houses of suspicious and ill Fame That you would facilitate encourage and promote the Prosecution of Drunkenness and Debauchery of Cursing and Swearing c. In a word that you would let loose all the Penal Laws against all manner of Profaneness and Immorality which there was never greater occasion to be vigorously executed than in the present Age. For so profligately Vicious are Men now grown that they have disown'd and discarded Conscience the most sacred Principle of Obedience and which has kept former Generations in awe But now how many deny that there is any such thing at all Or if there be they think it not at all concern'd in the Obligation of Humane Laws Those then that will not be subject out of a Principle of Conscience make them stand in awe of your Power out of a Principle of Fear convince them That you bear not the Sword in vain by making them feel the edge and weight of it Thus shall you shew your selves Ministers of God by asserting your Master's Honour by revenging his Quarrel and by executing Wrath upon all that dare Affront him Gird your Sword upon your Thigh and let your Right-hand teach you terrible Things Let Judgment run down as Waters and Righteousness as a mighty Stream that it may turn that impetuous Tide of Impiety which threatens to over-run us This is the Commission and this the Charge that is given you Deut. 16. 18 20. To Judge with just Judgment and to follow that which is altogether Just Or as it is in the Margin Justice Justice shalt thou follow Let it be executed I beseech you 1. Speedily 2. Impartially 3. Couragiously 1. Speedily and without delay when once you have full Proof and Evidence of the Fact lest otherwise your dilatory Demurs occasion Confidence Presumption and Obstinacy in the Offenders and their Hearts be fully set in them to do Evil for Delays in any thing that is good are ill and in the best Things worst 2. Impartially upon all Immorality whatsoever and upon all Transgressors indifferently without distinction or respect of Persons Let the Great as well as the Small your nearest Relations within your own Gate as well as the Stranger feel the Severity of the Law in case they deserve it This is what we are taught to pray for That all that are put in Authority may truly and indifferently minister Justice to the punishment of Wickedness and Vice and to the maintenance of true Religion and Vertue Justice is visible even in small Matters in Anise and Cummin as well as the weightier Matters of the Law and he that fails in the one 't is greatly to be fear'd will be defective in the other Our Blessed Saviour having told us Luke 16. 10. That he that is unjust in that which is little which be unjust also in much This is so far from being Severity that I am persuaded it may prove great Charity and Kindness to a Criminal the Punishment of small Sins often preventing the Commission of greater And if petty Trespasses should not how much less should the crying Profanations of the first Magnitude escape your Cognisance although committed by * Let a Magistrate but take to himself that Courage which he should do and now and then make a Great Man an Example of Justice he will find a few such Examples will breathe move Life into the Laws and strike more Awe into the People than the Punishment of a Hundred Underlings and Inferiour Persons Bishop Sanderson on Job 2. 14. §. 18. See also §. 20. and his Sermon on Psalm 106. 30. §. 22. Great Men or those that are nearest Related ‖ Exod. 32. Moses punish'd the Sin of the Golden Calf very severely although Adron was principally concerned in it who was a Great Man next to Moses himself and his elder Brother * Num. 25. Psal 106. 31. Phineas was not afraid to smite Zimri and Cosbi when he caught them in the Act of their Uncleanness tho' they were both of them Persons of the highest Rank and Quality And this act of Justice was so acceptable to God that he highly Rewarded him and his Family by giving him a Covenant of Peace and an everlasting Priesthood because he was zealous for his God And thus also God prefer'd the Tribe of Levi to be his own peculiar Portion and Inheritance Exod. 32. 27 29. and to attend upon him in his Worship and Service because they signalized themselves in the impartial Execution of Justice upon their nearest Relations Deut. 33. 9. in the Idolatry of the Golden Calf 3. And Lastly Let Justice be executed Vigorously and Couragiously To be a Coward is a Scandal for any Man that wears a Sword but 't is a much greater Reflection upon him that has it carried before What an indelible Blot had it been upon Nehemiah's Character if he had wanted Courage in the Publick Station he was in See how hainously he Resents the very Thoughts of any such Imputation Neh. 6. 4. What says he should such a Man as I flee No he could not have a better Cause to defend and therefore he was resolved to maintain it with the hazard of his Life A noble and manly Resolution every way becoming Magistrates Exod. 18. 21. who should be able Men fearing God i. e. Men of Courage and Magnanimity who should not be afraid of the Face of any Man Deut. 1. 17. Ecclus 4. 9. nor be faint-hearted when they sit in Judgment They should fear none but God and be afraid to do nothing but that which is ill Sure I am you have the World on your side the Cause of God and Religion the Cause of Godliness and Vertue Prov. 28. 1. which should make you as bold as a Lion And besides you have also all the powerful Assistance imaginable that Heart can wish 2 Chron. 19. 6. God himself having promised to be with you in Judgment and particularly in the couragious Execution of Justice ver 11. Deal couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good If you thus execute Justice you will answer one great End of your Institution which is to be a * Ro. 13. 3. Terror to evil Doers and to be † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato de Leg. Conservators of the Laws you are intrusted with You 'll thereby answer the End of the Law which was ‖ 1 Tim. 1. 9. made for the Lawless and Disobedient for the Vngodly and for Sinners for the Vnholy and Prophane And you 'll answer the End of * Vt aut eum quem punit emendet aut ut Paena ejus caeteros meliores reddat aut ut sublatis malis securiores caeteri vivant Senec. de Clement l. 1. c. 22. Vid. A. Gellium Noct. Attic. l. 6. c. 14. Punishment which is to make bad Men good and good Men better By this means you 'll become the truest Patriots of your Country and the best Benefactors to the Nation Luk. 22. 25. by being the happy Instruments of Reforming a Kingdom * Jer. 22. 15 16. of deriving down Blessings upon it † Jer. 5. 1. of preventing God's Judgments from befalling us or ‖ Numb 25. 8. Ps 106. 30. of averting them when they are already begun By this means * Fundamentum est perpetuae Commendationis Famae Justitia Cicer. de Offic. l. 2. you 'll illustrate your Character you 'll Embalm and Perpetuate your Memories to Posterity and future Generations shall rise up and call you Blessed ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philopon in Prior. Anst Even ill Men shall commend you for executing Justice good Men shall Praise you in the Gates and God himself shall highly Honour you here and most amply Reward you hereafter Matth. 25. 21. when he shall say Well done thou good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few Things I will make thee Ruler over many Things enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. FINIS