Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	sin_n	soul_n	wound_v	2,163	5	9.3309	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09963	An elegant and lively description of spirituall life and death Delivered in divers sermons in Lincolnes-Inne, November the 9.th, M.DCXXIII. vpon Iohn, 5.25. By Iohn Preston then Bachellor of Divinitie, and chaplaine in ordinarie to the Prince his Highnesse.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1632 (1632)	STC 20221.5; ESTC S115172	68,183	135

listeth compare Iohn 3.8 the Spirit breatheth where it listeth with Iohn 6.44 No man can come unto mee unlesse the Father draw him draw him that is not as a sheepe is lead with a bough for Christ doth not say no man will come but no man can come except the Father draw him compell him as it were by force not perswade him by intreaties that is unlesse he changeth and taketh away his wolvish will But it will be objected that God drawes every man I answer that the context concludes against this For Christ doth bring this in to shew the reason why many did not receive his Doctrine and he concludes with this that men therefore doe not receive it because God doth not draw them None can come unto me except my Father draw them I will answer one objection more and so conclude If wee are dead to what end is the law given why are wee commanded to doe thus and thus if we be dead To this I answer that the Law is given to this end to shew us our weaknesse and to leade us unto Christ it is not given us to keepe exactly for that is impossible it was impossible to keepe it through the weaknesse of the flesh Rom. 8.3 the Law was therefore given that wee might know our weaknesse not that we should keepe it but that Christs righteousnesse might be fulfilled in us by faith Gal. 3.24 the Law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be Iustified through faith That is the end of the Law But it will be objected that in as much as we are commanded to doe things impossible mans nature is destroyed for man is a free creature Secondly the command implies an absurdity and impossibility to bid a man doe that which he cannot doe to bid a man that is in a deepe Well bound hand and foote to come out himselfe is foolish yee may blame him for falling in it is absurd to bid him come out To this I answer that there is a difference betweene the externall binding and the bonds wherewith a man is fettered by sinne There is an externall impediment which a man cannot remove when hee is fettered in the Well but there is no externall impediment when as men are bound in the chaines of sin When wee command you to doe thus and thus all the businesse is with the will we rather say men will not then they cannot come There is liberty when as a man hath eligibile or non eligibile when hee hath a thing in his owne choyse when there is no impediment when hee may argue both wayes If a man out of the perversnesse of his nature doth it not it is not compulsory but free a beasts action is free because he cannot reason on both sides but man when he considers arguments on both sides when he can say doe not doe such a thing but doe such a thing when he can conceive arguments on both sides he is free there is no such externall impediment in him as to bid one in darknesse to doe a thing of the light or one bound hand and foote in a pit to come out since the chiefe impediment here is in the depraved wils of men which God doth rectify and change by his grace Spirit through the use of meanes If then every man out of Christ bee in an estate of death let every man examine himselfe and consider whether he be a dead man or no this is the great quere or question in this mutability and incertainety of things Let us make the life to come sure our life is uncertaine here but have wee this spirituall life are wee living men then we are happy but are we dead then he that is not partaker of the first resurrection shall not be partaker of the second It is too late to begin to live when we are dying certainly naturall death is a time of spending not of getting or inquiring after life If yee deferre this search while yee are in health when yee lye on your deaths bed when you shall see heaven and hell immediately presented unto you this question will hold you solicitous and then you shall see that this spirituall life is the life indeed The time of this naturall life is not long the Candle burnes not long if it burne out yet it is oftner blowne out than burnt out men oftner fall downe than come downe from the tree of life this Tabernacle is often throwne downe before it fals downe therefore in this short life make your selves sure of eternall life Now there are two things which hinder this search and inquiry after spirituall life The first is a false opinion men thinke themselves in the waies of life being in the waies of death they thinke there is a greater latitude in the Gospell than there is The second is men are not at leysure there are millions of businesses in their heads so that they cannot hearken to the whisperings of conscience they have no spare time to be wise unto salvation It will be our wisedome therefore to consider our end Deut. 32.29 To helpe you therefore in this Quere whether you are dead or alive Consider first if ever you have beene dead Secondly if ye have beene dead whether yee are made alive First I say consider whether yee have bin dead or no I meane whether sinne hath bin made alive in you that you might dye Rom. 7.9 10. I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sinne revived and I dyed that is the Commandement awakens my sinnes and they being alive I dyed sinne when it affrights not a mans conscience then hee is dead when it wounds the conscience then he is alive The Law being brought to the soule by the Spirit yee see the rectitude of the Commandement and your owne obliquity and crookednesse sinne is alive and yee dye Peter preaching to the Iewes Act. 2. recites to them their sinnes in crucifying the Lord of glory which sinne was made alive and pricked them at their hearts Sinne was dead in David till Nathan and the Law came unto him afterward hee lived and was humbled Luke 5. Peter seeing Christs divinity by the draught of Fishes cries out Depart from mee Lord for I am a sinfull man hee had sinnes in him before but they were dead then they were made alive Paul he had sinnes that were dead in him but when the outward light which was but a tipe of his light within did shine about him then hee dies and his sinnes were made alive So Iosephs brethren had sins but they were not made alive till they were put in prison then their sinne in selling their brother Ioseph lived and they dyed Hath sinne ever bin alive in you by the commandement to slay you that is hath it bred such an apprehension in you as of death not a sigh or two for a day that is no slaying of you but yee must apprehend

idle it out that is hee lived not as his owne master but he did doe it all to God as to a master All the worthyes of the Church have lived thus and not onely they but poore Christians they are still doing they serve God and men they are usefull these are the men that live Those who spend their time in sports in gaming in businesse in serving wealth and honour those who spend their time in morrall discourses in histories in hearing and telling of newes as the Athenians did these are dead they doe not live as we say of Trees that if they bring not forth fruit they are dead whatever men doe if they bring not forth fruite they are dead if they glorifie not God they are dead See what a price is in your hands see what yee have done and mend whiles yee may bestow not your price amisse There are many Talents yet none like this of life take therefore the exhortation Gal. 6. while yee have time doe good life is but an acting yee then live when yee are doing good see how many men fall from the Tree of life as leaves in Autumne the candle of the life is quickly blowne out have therefore a better life in store bee not alwayes beginning alwaies building never inhabiting alwayes beginning never finishing Stultitia semper incipit vivere folly alwayes beginns to live men are alwayes beginning and never goe on 1 Pet. 4.3 Thinke it sufficient that you have walked formerly as yee have done the time which remaines let us reckon it precious and bestow it to better purpose If every one in Christ be in an happy estate of life then let men from hence know their state and condition often reflect on their priviledges behaving themselves as men prising them bestowing their time as well as may be let as few riuulets runne out of this streame as you can Wee pray that we may doe Gods will on earth as perfect as the Angels doe it in heaven we should therefore practise this as we pray for their life is without interruption they are in communion with God let us then b● doing having our thoughts above let us still be doing let not cares and businesse call us off but let us comfort our selves in God acting that which is for his glory prize this life esteeme it much know what yee have by Christ and consider the excellency of this life That yee may know the excellency of this life consider it comparatively with this other life that we live It hath three properties wherein it differs from and excells this common life which we all live First it is an eternall life Ioh 6. Your fathers did eate manna and dyed but he that eateth of this bread shall dye no more but he shall live for ever that is this is the advantage that yee have by the life that I shall give you those that did eate Manna the food of Angels died and Iohn 4. those that drinke of this water shall thirst againe that is those that live another life than this shall dye and thirst but those that live this life never dye To live this life is when the soule lives in the object there is a living in the subject yet this spirituall life is when the soule lives in the object when as it is set on God Take men that live other lives yee shall see that their lives are short A man living in honour that being the thing he minds and intends it is in potestate honorantis there is no constancy in it it is brickle If a man lives in wealth sets his mind on it Why riches take their wings and fly away Pro. 23. and then their life is ended So if a man lives in pleasures and musicke they passe away and then he is dead those who live in these things suffer many sicknesses and many deaths as his heart is more intent upon them But may we may not minde them Yes as if we minded them not as a man may heare a tale and have his minde elsewhere or as a man that baits at an Inne his mind is somewhere else If yee minde them yee dye in them hee that minds the best things there is no change in them God is alwayes the same so his favour and love is constant see therefore that yee prize them As a long time that is infinitely long exceeds one that is a span long in quantity so doth this life exceed the naturall life in perpetuity and excelles all other lives in excellencie Secondly this life is a life indeed as that that feeds it is meate indeed the other is not so see all the comforts of this life they are not so indeed take wealth pleasures honours and the like wealth is but a false treasure Luk. 16.11 it is called the unrighteous mammon the false treasure Falsus Hector non est Hector in comparison of the true treasure it is nothing Therefore Salomon Pro. 23.5 speaking of riches saith Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not these riches are nothing So for honours all praise among men is nothing it is but vaine glory and vaine because it is empty and hath nothing in it so the pleasures of this life are but sad pleasures the heart is sad at the bottome the comforts of this life and onely these are comforts indeed the actions of this life are actions indeed In eating and drinking there is sweetnesse but when we feed on the promises by faith then we tast sweetnesse indeed in them One that is weary being refreshed with sleepe finds sweetnesse and ease but it is another refreshing that these finde who have bin weary and heavy laden with sinne and are now refreshed this brings comfort to the soule So to thinke of houses wife children and lands to consider all the actions that wee have done under the Sunne and all that we have passed thorow is pleasant but to thinke of the priviledges wee have in Christ that we are heires of Heaven Sonnes of God this is comfort indeed especially to thinke of the good workes wee have done what good prayers wee have made what good duties wee have performed these are actions indeed and bring comfort indeed All the actions of this life are actions indeed this life is a life indeed in death you shall finde it so that Christs body and blood are meate and drinke indeed that remission of sinnes peace of conscience are comforts indeed peace indeed they are such though now yee thinke not so yee shall then know that this life is a life indeed Thirdly this life of grace is a prevailing life swallowing up the other 2 Cor. 4.4 the Apostle desired death not to be uncloathed but to be cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life that is desiring death I doe not desire to be deprived of the comforts of this life then I were unwise I would not put off my cloathes but to be cloathed with a better suite

in such cases as these thinking themselves to bee in better estate then they are Consider your sinnes and apply them Consider your particular sinnes actio est singularium Consider your particular sinnes your particular actions these will worke upon you This course Peter tooke with the Iewes Act. 2. yee have crucified the Lord of life so Christ told Paul that he was a persecutor Act. 9. so Iohn 4. he told the woman of Samaria her particular sinnes he that shee now lived with was not her husband so God told Adam thou hast eaten of the forbidden fruit Gen. 3. If yee have committed any grosse sinnes as drunkennesse covetousnesse pride ambition and the like consider them Consider your other sinnes minoris infamiae not minoris culpae as neglecting of holy duties mispending the time gaming overly performing of holy duties unprofitable hearing keeping of bad company profaning of the Sabbath and the like Consider then the terrors of God and hell know with what a God you have to deale and what a burthen sin is if God charge those on the consciences yee cannot beare them I desire not by this to burthen you but to unburthen you of your corruptions Now seeing this life is so excellent I will adde certaine motives to make you to desire it First it is a happy life and it must needs be so because it is the life of God and Angels it is that life which wee shall live hereafter yee may live this naturall life and want happinesse This life of grace and the life of glory differ onely in degrees they differ not in kind the competent judges of this are the Saints who have tryed both Heb. 11.15.16 If they had beene mindfull of that countrey from which they came they had liberty to have returned but now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly In a Heard of Swine if some stray away from the rest and returne not againe it is a signe they have found a better pasture so when men leave their companions and returne no more it is a signe they have found some better things Conceive not then of this life as many doe to be onely a privation or a melancholy thing nothing but a meere mortification this is a life it hath its comforts eating recreations and delights yee loose not your pleasures if yee live it but change them for advantage hee that leads this life dies as the corne doth from a seede it growes up into many stalkes hee gaines by this bargaine Christ doth make an hard bargaine with none hee that deales with him gaines a hundred fold If yee part with wealth yee have spirituall treasures for it if you part with your pleasures yee have joy in the holy Ghost have yee crosses yee are sanctified in that which is better loose yee this life yee have eternall life Secondly this life of grace hath that which every man seekes it hath much pleasure Prov. 3.17 All her wayes are wayes of pleasure Those that walke in the waies of God are full of pleasure this life brings a double pleasure first the reward of it second the comfort in performing the actions of it Every good worke as the Hebrew proverbe is hath meate in its mouth the living of this life hath a reward sufficient in its selfe as appeares by this All pleasures follow some actions and therefore men desire life because it is a continuance of action so men delight in new things because as long as they are new the intention remaines The actions of this life are full of change those actions that are perfect there is pleasure following them as beauty followes a good constitution or as flame the fire The actions of this life are perfect actions the perfectest actions have the most perfect delight the actions of this life are most perfect actions therefore they have most perfect delight because they are the actions of the best facultie about the best object All actions have the denomination of their perfection from their objects these are actions of the soule they are occupied about God therefore they are the best and highest actions He that lives about the best object greatest content doth follow he that lives this life lives about the best object therefore all the waies of it are waies of pleasure There is more comfort and more Assiduity of consolation in this life then in any other life In other lives every one according to his humour hath his delights but yet they are not permanent because hee delighteth in transitory things but hee that lives the life of grace delights in things that are truly delightfull at all times other delights are but delights at some times in some places they are not alwaies so but hee that lives the life of grace pitcheth on those that are alwayes so Prov. 14.15 A good conscience is a continuall feast Other comforts may faile a man may fall into affliction riches and pleasures may be taken away then the dayes are evill but a good conscience is a continuall feast that is be his case what it will his comfort is never interrupted All other comforts are about sence or things of this life which are subject to alteration but this life and the comforts of it admit no change A man being sicke he cannot do actions of health they are restrained so one in prison is not at liberty to doe what he would but the actions of this life are assiduous they cannot be interrupted yee may pray continually rejoyce evermore yee may alwayes have communion with God Thirdly this life is a life that is least indigent of all others it needeth least Take a man that leades any other life hee needs many things Luk 10.41.42 this is shadowed in that of Martha and Mary Martha busies herselfe about many things she wanted many but Mary had one thing that was profitable for all things removes all evils brings all happinesse and that is Godlinesse which is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4.8 Fourthly the comforts of this life are pure comforts Psal. 18.26 I walke purely with those that walke purely This is not onely to be understood of the consolations of grace but also of common blessings being the fruits of this life there is no sorrow with them there is a pure comfort without any mixture of sorrow God giving these blessings in mercy they are free from mixture of discomfort but being not the fruits of this life of grace being reached by sinne and sinfull meanes or God giving them in his providence not in his mercy there is sorrow in them yee may have riches honours friends and all outward things and yet they are not pure blessings because Gods blessings is not mingled with them Lastly it is a life most capacious of comforts yee may give all the faculties of the soule comfort Every creature according as his life is feeles more or lesse comfort Plants as they feele no hurt so they feele no sweetnesse beasts that have a sensible