Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	knowledge_n	sin_n	sin_v	2,885	5	9.7377	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93240	Divine cordials: delivered in ten sermons, upon part of the ninth and tenth chapters of Ezra, in a time of visitation. By that godly and faithfull preacher of Gods Word, Iosiah Shute, B.D. and late rector of Mary Woolnoths in Lumbard-Street London. Published by authority.	Shute, Josias, 1588-1643.; Reynoldes, William.	1644 (1644)	Wing S3714; Thomason E38_7; ESTC R7756	101,687	190

the objects of his bounty and not only so but he doth it likewise to vex and afflict Gods children for when God shall open their eyes hee knowes it will grieve their spirits for sleighting Gods mercy as they have done therefore it is that he steps in then when God hath been most gracious to men and puts them on to commit sinne that thereby hee might draw black lines over the legible characters of Gods mercy Let me perswade you Vse that as yee bee sensible of Gods mercies so to watch over your selves upon the receit of them that yee may be thankfull for them the Saints of God have been carelesse this way notwithstanding God hath bestowed abundant favours upon them they have been wanting in payment of that tribute of prayse which God expected and deserved at their hands when God looked for sweet they have brought forth wilde and soure grapes like as it was with the Heathen of old who comming to the Temples of their gods to give thanks for their health went home drunk and as the Devill doth labour then to step in when God hath done men most good so above all times labour at that time to be most thankfull and obedient that God may have his glory and you a sweet relish of his mercy shall wee break thy Commandements How shall wee understand this break his Commandements how could it be otherwise doth any man live and not sinne and yet shall they for this be exposed to Gods judgements who knowes not but as long as we live in this world and spin out the thread of our life that we cannot but break Gods Commandements were we as faithfull as ever Abraham was yet wee could not but wee must bee guilty sometimes of breaking Gods Commandements and doth not Saint Iames say in many things we sinne all and what saith the Apostle Iohn he that saith hee hath no sinne is a lyar and there is no truth in him As it is in the Fable which was told the mother of Achilles that if she dipped her Son into such a River so farre as the water wet him so farre hee should bee invulnerable therefore she drencht him over head and eares and wet every part of him save onely the tip of his heele by which shee held him and in that part hee received his deaths wound So let a man be never so much sanctified be hee as holy as ever any Saint was I will not except the Virgin Mary yet as long as he dwels here below he will be guilty of breaking Gods Commandements how then must wee understand what Ezra saith when he saith shall we againe break thy Commandements His meaning is that if after so great mercy as God had vouchsafed them they should fall into grosse sinnes then God should be just in punishing them for though a man cannot shun peccata quotidiana sins of infirmity yet hee may refraine from committing foule and scandalous sinnes Luk. 1.6 In Luk. 1.6 it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth That they were righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse and it is possible for a man to live sine scandalo without scandall though not sine querela without being guilty of lesser iniquities or secondly he may be understood thus though they bee sinnes which be lesse yet if men shall wilfully commit them it shall bee just with God to punish them for the same if they be of industry and not of infirmity if they be lesse then the first and yet shall be runne into against knowledge and conscience they shall for these be exposed to Gods judgements as well as for greater sins From the words thus opened note thus much in way of application Vse 1 In the first place let us deplore the misrerable corruption of our nature since our fall there is now a necessity of sinning waking sleeping solitary in company at home and in Gods Temple were it so that a man were living yet if hee were alwayes sick we would say it were a poore life what is it then to be alwayes prone to sinne yet this is our unhappinesse while we are cloathed with flesh have wee not cause then to be weary of this sinfull life and ought we not with Saint Paul to sigh while wee are burthened with this body of clay desiring to bee cloathed upon with immortality that mortality might be swallowed of life Is there not just cause for us to say with the same Apostle in the sorrow of our soules Cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ Vse 2 Secondly because Ezra would have them avoid foule sinnes in the name of God let our care bee to abandon such Which bee they Swearing whoredome oppression murder drunkennesse Sabbath breaking these doe vastare conscientiam wast the conscience and endanger the soule more then other sinnes a ship may live at Sea that hath a leake sprung if the Mariners bestirre themselves in pumping but when it is shot thorow and thorow by wind and water it is hardly kept from sinking So a man that sins of infirmity if he repent he shall obtaine pardon but the soule that sinnes wilfully is scarse kept from sinking Lastly hee would have them avoid smaller sinnes and so ought wee for a little sinne committed with purpose is greater in Gods account then a great sinne committed against a mans will as therefore a man should avoid great sinnes so also all lesser impieties the heart of man should bee against all sinne and he should have respect to all Gods Commandements that if hee chance to fall it may not bee presumptuously but by infirmity and then hee may expect mercy from God who knowes whereof wee are made and remembers that wee are but dust Shall we joyne in affinity with the people of these abominations It is an Hebraisme the Spirit of God cals them people of such abominations in stead of abominable people it is more to be called people of such abominations then abominable people thus when Antichrist is called the man of sinne it is more then if he were called a sinfull man Here I could observe how hatefull the Heathen and all their doings be unto God as also how odious all grosse sinners are in his pure eyes hee loathes and abhorres them in the Scripture yee shall finde if the godly be compared to gold they are termed drosse if the godly be compared to wheat the wicked to chaffe Nay the ungodly man is resembled to the dirt in the street which you know is filthy and noisome Again if the godly be termed sheep the wicked are called goates nay in our Text they be abominable As it was said of Naaman hee was an honourable man and a brave souldier but a leaper So wee may say of the wicked man be he never so rich and honourable if he be a grosse sinner hee is hatefull to God yea I will be bold to say hee

Cor. 5.20 he intreats the Corinthians in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 So that if it be the counsell of God if it be Gods Commission it is Gods word and till we be perswaded of this wee shall never reap any benefit by Gods Word Jer. 1.9 The Lord saith to Jeremiah Jer. 1.9 J have put my words in thy mouth Christ is called The Sun of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 and the Ministers be starres in his hand Mal. 4.2 from him they have and borrow their light and influence Therefore let men be perswaded of this I inveigh against such a mans pride what faith he I thinke hee loves to heare himselfe talk and thus because he is not perswaded we speake Gods word like Noah's unclean beasts hither he comes and from hence he departs unclean and polluted whereas if men replyed it was God that put this invective into his Ministers mouth to meet with my corruption they would say as the people of Israel said Deu. 5.27 Whatsoever the Lord saith Deut. 5.27 that wee will doe Therefore pray unto the Lord that yee may bee perswaded that what his Ministers faithfully deliver he himselfe speaks in them and till you come to this perswasion in the care will be no attendance in the outward man no reverence in the heart no credence and in the conversation no obedience Sermon X. EZRA 10. the latter part of the 3. verse And According to the counsell of those that tremble at the Commandement of our God and let it bee done according to the Law IT should seeme that there were others besides Ezra which advised the people to put away their strange wives and they such as are said to tremble at the word of God and here observe the power of Gods word The power of Gods word is such Doctr. that if makes mem tremble Jer. 23.29 To prove this looke Jer. 23.29 Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces it is a fire to melt the relenting heart and a hammer to break in pieces the heart that is obdurate See it in some instances when Josiah heard the Law read his heart was tender and melted 2 Kings 22.18 Psal 119. 2 Kings 22.18 there Gods word was a fire and in Psal 119. David saith sHe was afraid because of Gods Word There it was a hammer Hab. 3.16 and Hab. 3.16 the Prophet saith Whon I heard my bellytrembled my lips quivered at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe Here also it was a hammer See it in the wicked themselves when Samuel told Saul that God had rejected him for his disobedience 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 15. he was excedingly terrified and amazed The like wee see in Ahab when God sent Elijah to challenge him for killing innocent Naboth and taking possession of his Vineyard the word of God in that Prophets mouth made him quake and tremble 1 Kings 21.27 So wee read of Belshazzar 1 Kings 21 2● when he saw the hand writing on the Wall which yee must suppose to be the Word of God His countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another and all his Concubines Wine and Copes-mates could not bring colour into his face Dan. 5.6 Daniel 5.6 And it is said Acts 14.15 As Paul reasoned of righteousnesse temperance Acts 24.25 and judgement to come Felix trembled Now that this effect of Gods Word may not seeme strange unto you see the causes thereof one cause whereof is in the word it self therefore it is said to be the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Romans 1.16 And in Hebrewes 4.12 it is said Heb. 4.12 to bee quick and powerfull sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and in the 2 Cor. 10.4 5. the weapons of our warfare are not carnall 2 Cor. 10.4 5. but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God mistake me not I doe not make this power to be in it as it is consisting of syllables but as it is Gods Ordinance and hath the Spirit of God going along with it The second cause is from the application of it when it is not onely generally delivered but particularly applyed when the Word of God meets with a mans particular sin then the conscience takes part with the Word against himself and makes him tremble so it was with Saul the Prophet Samuel fell so pat upon his finne that be became afraid and took part with Gods Word against himself saying I have sinned and have transgressed the commandement of the Lord the like wee see in Ahab he was very briske when Elijah first met him saying Hast thou found me O my enemy but the Prophet knowing him to be guilty of Naboths blood tells him home of it and before hee left him brought him upon his knees and when Felix trembled at Pauls Sermon of Righteousnesse Temperance and Iudgement to come some are of opinion that he trembled at the consideration of the last judgement and it cannot be denied but that is matter of such terrour as to make the fairest Lady look pale if shee be not painted but I rather conceive that there was something more which made him tremble for Saint Paul discoursed of Righteousnesse and Temperance now hee was a wicked man and defective in both these for hee was an unrighteous Iudge and abused the power committed to him however Tertullus flatter him in the contrary again gain hee was guilty of intemperance for he kept Drusilla another mans wife Now when a man that was a stranger to him should thus directly fall upon the sinnes which he knew himself guilty of it could not but make him tremble It was so with David the parable of the poor mans sheep came so home to him that he presently confesses that hee had sinned against the Lord as it is with a man that is smitten in a sound part of his body though you smite him hard hee can indure it but if he be but touched in a fore place he starts presently so when a man is met with in his sins hee will quake and tremble if any grace be in him Vse 1 Is the word of God of such power then it meets not onely with Anabaptists who contemn the Word of God but with many profane ones among us who vilifie the same saying it is an invention of man and hath no force in it although in my conscience I am perswaded that they speak against their consciences for out of doubt the Word of God hath at one time or other met with their corruptions