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
A66102	Impenitent sinners warned of their misery and summoned to judgment delivered in two sermons, the former on the Sabbath, Nov. 6, the other on the lecture following, Nov. 10, 1698, occasioned by the amazing instance of a miserable creature who stood condemned for murdering her infant begotten in whoredom : to which are subjoyned the solemn words spoken to her on those opportunities, published for the warning of others / by Samuel Willard.	Willard, Samuel, 1640-1707.	1698 (1698)	Wing W2281; ESTC R30203	31,791	66

stands engaged against sinners for sin The summ of it is that God takes no pleasure in them but hates abhors them and therefore will not admit them into his favour but will bring destruction on them and one would think that every word should be an envenomed arrow in the Heart or Conscience of the ungodly Our Text is one of those shafts taken out of Gods quiver and shot at every unregenerate Soul and Oh! that they might be throughly wounded by it The words before us are an assertion delivered by the mouth of Truth it self and may well terrisy and amaze every Christless Soul In them we may observe two things 1. The Subject spoken of the foolish I shall not insist on the various usages of this word in Scriptures it is sometimes improved in a good sense and sometimes it is made use of in a bad sense and in this latter it is here and thus it is frequently used for a Fool or a Mad-man and therefore many translations read it Insani the mad or distracted men that are out of their wits 2. The thing asserted concerning these they shall not stand in thy sight Hebr. before thine eyes i. e. Gods for of Him the Psalmist is speaking Eyes are ascribed to God after the manner of men for he is a Spiritual being and hath neither senses nor organs of sense and the word Stand signifies to be in a settled Condition and it is in the last conjugation which farther intends the signification To stand then in Gods sight or before his eyes intends an enjoying of or being settled in his favour It is a Metaphor taken from the favourites of Princes who are admitted into their presence and stand before them at all times And in this negative the contrary affirmative is included i. e. they shall fall before him and be thrust out of his sight and it also intends that he cannot bear the sight of them and will banish them his presence This may be referred to the present life and time but hath a more peculiar respect to the great day of Accounts Hence DOCTRINE All impenitent Sinners are foolish and mad and therefore shall not stand in Gods sight which will render them extreamly miserable There are three Propositions contained in this Doctrine Prop. I. That all impenitent Sinners are foolish and mad There are a sort of persons in the world whom God in his word is pleased to put the Character of fools and mad-men upon who are neither naturals or void of the use of reason considered as men nor yet bereft of their understandings through occasional dotage or frenzy in that respect and who are they we have a summary account of them Jer. 4. 22. My people is foolish they have not known me they are sottish Children and they have no understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge The summ is all sinners remaining in their natural estate belong to this Character and hence Sin and Folly are in Scripture terms equivalent Here we may in particular briefly come at this in three steps 1. All sin is folly And hence so much sin as remains in the Godly so much foolishness there abides with them This the Psalmist confesseth of himself Psal 69. 5. O God thou knowest my foolishness Every time a person commits any sin he hath just reason to say of himself as he 1. Sam. 26. 21. I have sinned I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly And it must needs be so for every sin is an act of disobedience to that God on whom we have our entire dependence and to whom we owe our selves and our whole lives it is an act of rebellion against that God whom we are bound to subject our selves unto and is able to destroy us for that rebellion It is a forsaking the fountain of living waters and digging of broken Cisterns that can hold no water Jer. 2. 13. It is a preferring of lying vanities before everlasting Mercies Jer. 2. 8. It is a provoking of God to jealousy 1 Cor. 10. 22. And we are not stronger than he It is an entring of the lists of contention with him a running upon him even his neek on the thick bosses of his buckler Job 15. 26. It is for a worm to bid a challenge to Omnipotency it self yea what shall I say there are uncountable follies attend the commission of every sin and no wisdom at all 2. That hence all they that are under the Dominion of Sin are egregious fools There is folly cleaving to the best of Gods Children here as long as they have a body of death to carry about with them and it shews it self in every stirring of the corrupt part but yet they have the principles of the true wisdom in them they are such as are made wise to Salvation But as for those in whom there are no seeds of saving Grace sown but they yet remain in their natural estate folly is bound up in their hearts they have no other principle in them As to their Understandings they are foolish and perverse they call evil good and good evil Isai 5. 20. As to their Wills and Affections they are engaged Eccl. 8. 11. The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil They do nothing at all with a sincere aim at the glory of God and the furtherance of their own salvation yea their whole life is a continual progress in the way that leads to destruction hence we have that put into their description Rom. 3. 16 17. Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of Peace have they not known 2. That Impenitent Sinners are the greatest fools of all The Word of God often useth these words Sinners Fools Wicked emphatically for such as are peculiarly so and then it intends either 1. Such as live in most notorious and prodigious sins thus a common Whore is called a Sinner more than once in the Gospel or 2. Such as remain obstinate and impenitent in thei Sins under and notwithstanding means used to win them to repentance Now the means used with them are of two sorts 1. Such as are afforded to the Gentiles who have not the Gospel viz. the light of a natural Conscience and the common strivings of the Spirit of God in them they are therefore said to be a Law to themselves and their Consciences to bear witness and either to accuse or excuse Rom. 2. 14 15. and the Providences of God which ought to be improved by that light to excite them to repentance thus the Goodness of God is said to lead to it Rom. 2. 4. and his common benefits are called witnesses Acts 14. 17. his Judgments also are that the Inhabitants of the World may learn righteousness Isa 26. 9. 2. Such as those enjoy who sit under the means of Grace wherein God shews them the evil and danger of their sins and not only invites them to Repentance but also gives

be and accordingly all men are reserved for it It is the latter of these statutes then that I am now to treat of though with that respect as it is consequent upon the former In the words then there are three things to be observed 1. A Statute for the Judgment is asserted and thereby we are assured that it shall be without fail for the appointment mentioned in the beginning of the verse hath reference to this as well as to death and this is the first and most proper signification of the word 2. The time when it shall be after that men dy And although we are not told how loon it shall be after yet we have Scripture warrant to conclude that every ones personal Judgment will follow presently upon it though the great and general Judgment is reserved until the consummation of all things as will be farther observed anon 3. The subjects of it or who they are on whom this Judgment shall pass men indefinitely expressed it intends all men this Judgment is as extensive as Death yea there have been will be some exceptions from the general Rule about Death who have been translated or shall be changed but even these also shall come to the Judgment Hence DOCTRINE A certain Death shall be followed with as certain a Judgment It is every whit as certain that men shall come unto Judgment as that they shall Dye That every one must dy sooner or later is an acknowledged truth by all and proved by universal experience though Oh how few do improve it to good purpose And a reason why this truth hath no more proper or suitable impressions on mens minds may be because either they believe not or put from them the thoughts of the ensuing account which they shall be called unto and look no further than the Grave where they think there will be an end of them which must needs make them unconcerned for that which comes after But here we are led into the contemplation of a more awful truth which is no less real though not so obvious to the senses I shall not at present enter upon any distinct or methodical discourse about this matter but only make some cursory glances on it There are therefore three or four brief Observations which I shall make on this truth to make it practicable 1. That there is a future Judgment to which all reasonable Creatures shall be called How far the Doctrine of a future Judgment hath been entertained by the light of nature in the Consciences of men acted by humane reason without the help of Scripture revelation I shall not now enquire But that it is an Article of faith commended to us by the infallible Oracles of that God who cannotly or be mistaken is written with Sun b●ams in his word Read for this Eccles 12. 14. God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil Acts 17. 31. he hath appointed a day in which he will Judge the World in righteousness by the man whom he hath appointed 2 Cor. 5. 10. we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that ●v●ry one may receive the things done in the body and we have a description of it given to us by Christ himself in Math. 25. 33 to end And it must needs be so for there is a special Government of God to be acknowledged in the managment whereof he will bring all reasonable Creatures to an everlasting state of happiness or misery according to their Obedience or Disobedience to the Law of that Government in prosecution whereof he will display the Glory of his Justice and Grace God deals with his Creatures in his Government according to the nature which he saw meet to bestow on them in their Creation Now when God Created man he made him a reasonable Creature and thereby capable of being treated in the way of a Covenant by precepts and promises and threatnings according unto which capacity he gave him a Command and required his obedience to it promised him a reward of life in case of his performing of perfect Obedience thereunto denouncing Death against him in case he should disobey He hath also upon mans Apostasy by which he fell under a Curse of Death revealed to him a new and a living way for his recovery out of that misery into which he was plunged and hath treated some of that race with a Covenant of Grace in which he hath promised them life upon their compliance with it and menaced them with damnation yea double damnation on their neglect of it All these things are abundantly testified to in the Word of God Now men are according to their behaviour with respect to this discovery which God hath made of himself to man and obligation which he hath laid him under disposed of everlastingly In order unto which they are to pass under a Trial. Where there is a Law given to reasonable Creatures established with Sanctions there must needs be a Judgment in which their relation thereto is to be examined and a retribution made to them accordingly Either they have complied with the Rule given to them and are to receive a reward of life or they have revolted therefrom have not sought and made their peace according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace and then they must receive the wages of sin which is death as we are told Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death He therefore that acknowledgeth a Government of God over rational beings must needs believe that there shall be a Judgment or a time of Trial and Recompences II. That this Judgment is after Death this is the order that it is manifestly put in Text. That there are many awful and stupendous Judgments that God brings upon men in this world is not to be denied in which he declares his Holiness and just Indignation at sin and hence we are told Psal 9. 14. The Lord is known by the Judgment that he executeth There is also a Court which God hath set up in mens Consciences at which Bar they are sometimes solemnly tried and being there convicted of breaking the Holy Law of God laying themselves open to the vengeance therein threatned they are filled with horrors But it is another Judgment whereof we are now considering in which men are to appear before God and receive from him their final doom which when it is once past shall be immediately put in Execution Now this men come not to in this life but after they are dead so that death is not as too many vainly dream the last news that shall be heard of men but there is something more fearful and amazing that comes after it and that is the Judgment There is a Judgment to come so Paul Preached to Faelix at the report whereof he trembled Acts 24. 25. and when is that but when men are past from time and have done the work which they were engaged in in this

in which the multitude of mankind are travelling what Guilt is it that I have been contracting to my self by transgressing of Gods Law and exposing my self to the curse of it how many horrid and amazing sins do there stare me in the face sins which I have committed against light against conscience against mercy and patience against counsels and warnings against the strivings of the Spirit of God and what hope have I that these sins are forgiven and shall not be laid to my charge what grounds have I to think that my person is accepted with God and what is the foundation on which my hopes are built have I truly and cordially repented of these sins of mine or rather hardned mine heart against all calls and counsels into impenitence have I really forsaken these sins never to have to do with them more or do I not hold them fast and refuse to let them go Have I gotten into Christ by a true and living faith Have I made my Judge mine Advocate and my friend or have I not despised all his offers of Grace and Mercy and resisted his Spirit who strove with me and thereby horribly aggravated my Guilt provoked him to take Vengeance on me How shall I appear before this Great and Terrible God must I in that condition be haled to his Judgment Seat is there nothing to be done yet for my safety that I may not fall under his terrible indignation but may meet him with comfort must I dy and be judged and condemned and damned for ever Happy yea thrice happy are they that can say as he 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give me at that day But as for me what shall I do I had chosen this text for a most solemn occasion which had been designed for this day which in pity to an Immortal Soul and to give Opportunity of a farther space for repentance is deferred God grant it to obtain the desired end But I hope with his blessing it may prove a seasonable subject both to the miserable object and to the whole Congregation I shall therefore offer at a brief Application of it USE 1. For Information in three particulars 1. Learn we hence the folly and madness which the generality of man-kind do labour of Are all men riding post to their dissolution and must they thence pass unto Judgment we must then certainly conclude that the workers of iniquity have no understanding If we take a due observation of the Lives and Conversations which the most of the Children of men are leading we may plainly read thus much in them viz. That they either believe that they shall never dy or at the least that they have no thoughts or expectations of ever being called to an after reckoning Doth the Covetous worlding who lays out all his thoughts and industry in laying up his treasures on earth and making of that his only care that by heaping up wealth and providing himself with abundance of the good things of this life he may have encouragment to sing that requiem to his Soul Luk. 12. 19. Soul thou hast goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry Doth he believe that he shall ever be parted from his possessions and he made to go to the generation of his fathers never to see light Doth the Profligate Voluptuary who seek no farther than to immerge himself in carnal pleasures spending of his time among vain and lewd Companions in drinking and gaming and wanton dalliances always making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof ever affect his heart with the thought or belief of the days of darkness which shall be many Doth the Profane Swearer that is every day rending of Gods blessed name with horrid Oaths and Cu●ses the wicked Sabbath breaker who on design takes holy time for his most gratefull Opportunity of acting his greatest debaucheries the Licentious Young person who despiseth his Parents ●ejects all their faithful counsels and warnings rebelliously and resolutely breaks away from under the yoke of Family Government and gives the reins to his youthful lusts the Fornicator and Adulterer who with greatest greediness drinks his stollen waters eats his bread in secret the thief who watcheth for the twilight for the black and dark night to commit his outrages in do these a great many more that might here have been brought into the number believe that their sins are written with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond and that for all these things God will shortly call them to a severe account Do careless sinners who trifle away a day of grace without regard to their Souls and Eternity who live contented in their state of Unregeneracy and take no heed to make their peace with God or seek to secure an interest in Christ and that Salvation which is wrought out by him by giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure expect shortly to be called to a reckoning for their Talents received be doomed accordingly certainly no. And doth not the truth now under consideration say that all these labour of madness in their hearts whiles they live 2. Here we see one great reason why there is so much horrid wickedness committed in the World the root of it indeed is in that Original Sin which the hearts of all men are by nature full of and is a fountain that is always sending forth its bitter streams and he was never rightly acquainted with his own naughtiness who is not led by the observation of his actual prevarication to the source from which all do derive However there are those restraints under which the Corruption that is within men is held back from breaking forth into prodigious Enormities which is none of the least of these favours which God indulgeth the children of men withal but for which all humane So●ieties must disband and one and not the least of these is the d●ead of an after reckoning imprinted on the Consciences of men by which they are kept in awe when therefore this chain with which God ties men up and sets bounds to their violence is taken off and men are insensible of any impressions from it what will not their impetuous lusts make them dare to do It is the Psalmists observation in Psal 36. 1. The transgression of the wicked saith in my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes and did men think of or believe the terrors of the Lord they would surely make them afraid were the expectation of a fu●ure judgment and a strict reckoning then to be taken of men of all that ever they have done realities to them they would not dare to do as they do Would the bold Sinner dare to run himself upon the point of the sword of revenging

what is the Rule according to which all will proceed and that will be the exact Law of Justice unless I am under Grace and so delivered from the Dominion of it Think what shall be the happiness of those that shall then stand and receive the sentence of absolution and what will be the woful infelicity of those that must ●all Think how sin hath exposed us all to condemnation where our only hope and help is even in Jesus Christ who alone can deliver us from the wrath to come Think now is the time for us to seek and secure a part in him by getting into him by a living faith it will be too late for this when death hath delivered us up to the Judgment Think what a fearful thing it will be then to be mistaken to go out of this life with hope that will prove a a spiders web to lean on an expectation that will fail and break under us Think if I make not the more hast it may be too late I stand on the very edge and brink of eternity the Judge is at the door Am I ready for it if not shall I dare to dally in an affair of such infinite concernment one moment will it not expose me to unconceivable hazard and when we see any such as have despised Gods Grace and run themselves desperately into self-destroying sins and are now ready to be posted away to their fearful account let any such Object before us put a suitable solemnity into our hearts and make us reflect and say I may go away as soon as or before such an one and am I in a better readiness have I done any thing more to lay in for a comfortable trial and let this drive you to him who is the God of all Grace to ask of him with the most intense importunity to work you up unto a meetnaess for this Appearance And now give me leave to add one word of advice to the poor Condemned Creature who is under a Sentence of Death Who if God had not put more pitty into the hearts of her pious compassionate Judges than she had for her own Soul had now been hearing the last Sermon that ever should have been Preached in her ears and the Lord grant that this respite given you may turn to the account of your Salvation else know it it will add a fearful Item to your astonishing account Oh that I might now have had the occasion and encouragement to have spoken a consolatory word to a broken heart wounded to death under the Arrows of the Almighty and sensible of her miserable condition humbly asking after the hopes of Salvation the Lord knows how my heart would have rejoyced might it have been so But since it must be otherwise I pray God that his Terrors may make you afraid and drive you yet before all hopes of mercy be past and gone in deepest sense of your own unworthiness to take Sanctuary in the Blood of Christ where only how much soever you have despised it you can obtain safety Your Humane Judge hath told you that you must Dy and that very quickly and you have no hope that this Sentence will be reversed But I am now to Cite you in the name of God to a more dreadful Judgment upon that as soon as ever you are dead you must be called to it and what preparation have you made what have you been doing in order to it alas a fearful deal you are but a young Creature but ah an old sinner grown ripe and must be cut down before you have seen twenty years in this world What a fearful Indictment hath the All-seeing God ready drawn up against you what uncountable bloody Items is it filled up withal I have already given you the most solemn advice in the name of God about these things on the last Sabbath and all the encouragement to seek for a pardon which the Word of God affords and many of Gods faithful Servants have been in publick or private or both solemn and serious in their applications to you and what do you now mean to do are you resolved to harden your neck till you be remedilesly destroyed will you add Impenitency to Iniquity trample on the precious Blood of Christ that hath been and is offered to you do you think to plead with God as you have done with men that you are guilty of Murder only according to mans Law and not ●is Shall the all-knowing God so be put off do you hope thy your lies which men have detected you of not only before but at your Trial and since your Condemnation will shelter you from the Vengeance of that God who is a Witness and ●ath said Rev. 21. 8. That all Liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone Do you think that your abominable Whoredom committed in the Prison under the apprehension of being quickly to be thrust out of the World as an Execration will help forward your repentance or make your account more easie is this the provision that you are making for your standing before God let all that hear me this day take notice and tremble and learn by this amazing instance what sin persisted in under calls and counsels warnings will expose them to how righteous a thing it is with God to leave them up to a feared conscience Who would not be instructed Well I know that the blood of Christ can wash away this guilt too and the Soveraign Grace of God can yet discover it self and my hearts desire and prayer to God in this behalf continually is that it may be so and let every soul that is affected with the misery of this poor Creature lift up a prayer in this regard But know it that if you appear before your Judge under the guilt of these Crimson and Scarlet Sins a few days more will fix you in Eternal Miseries and because you have despised mercy in the day of it you shall have Judgment without mercy and can your heart endure to be made the Subject of Gods Fiery Indignation and feel the Impressions of his Fury in Everlasting Burnings Hasten then the Avenger of Blood is just ready to give you the fatal stroak and if you do not with all speed get into the City of Ref●uge you are gone for ever The Lord give you an ear to hear and heart to consider lest this word also rise up in the Judgment against you and encrease your Eternal Flames FINIS