Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	conscience_n	good_a	sin_n	3,825	5	5.2827	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16503	The anatomie of conscience Or a threefold reuelation of those three most secret bookes: 1. The booke of Gods prescience. 2. The booke of mans conscience. 3. The booke of life. In a sermon preached at the generall assises holden at Derby, in Lent last. 1623. By Immanuel Bourne ...	Bourne, Immanuel, 1590-1672.	1623 (1623)	STC 3416; ESTC S106813	35,564	48

thorne within the flesh will soone fester and procure an ach and griefe Gal. 6.15.16 from which thou canst not be free vntill the thorne be taken forth and the corruption drawne away euen so whiles that any sinne though neuer so small lyeth cankering in thy heart it will wound thy Conscience with feares and doubts and if it bee not remoued in time procure a senslesnesse like a Gangrene to kill both soule and body Hinderance 2 But if security be the cause then must thou rise from sleepe and first make search into thy Conscience lest any secret thiefe Remedy 1 haue stolne away thy heart like Delilah to rob thee of thy strength Iudg. 16.16.17 and by treason at vnawares to deliuer thee ouer to thy enemies and next be sure to keepe a carefull watch ouer all Remedy 2 thy thoughts thy words and workes doe nothing contrary to the rule and law of God Hinderance 3 Thirdly if it bee want of Faith or feare because thou art not alwayes free from doubting Remedy 1 First vse the meanes for to encrease thy faith the Word the Sacraments the meditation of Gods gracious promises and prayer vnto that good Spirit who makes all these effectuall to the soule Remedy 2 And next know thisthat though thou art not alwayes free from doubting thy faith may yet be true and good for euen the best of Gods owne dearest ones haue sometimes felt a doubting in their soules as Dauid Ezekia Iob and Paul that blessed Saint Psal 88.14.15 Isay 38.13.14 Iob 10.17.18 We are troubled on euery side saith he yet not distressed wee are perplexed or full of doubts but yet despaire not 2 Cor. 4.8 Hinderance of peace 4 Fourthly if thou hast trusted too much vnto thy selfe and sought for peace where none was to be found flye from thy selfe to Christ who calleth in mercy all that bee afflicted and Remedy 1 promiseth to giue them ease and rest Mat. 11.28 Hinderance 5 Lastly if ignorance of God or of his law or of a Christians state haue beene any meanes to hinder thee of thy peace labor for knowledge especially in the Catechisme or grounds Remedy 1 of Christian faith and vse the meanes with loue delight and any paines or cost to get this spirituall vnderstanding For what greater miserie then to walke in darknesse or what more fearfull iudgement then to liue and die in ignorance or what will sooner bring a man to foule despaire then to be imprisoned in a Labyrinth of woe and trouble and not to know the meanes how to be freed Flye euill then the euill of sinne the least sin in thought in word or deed as Hell it selfe especially knowne and presumptuous sinnes those sinnes which are against the Conscience resist and pray against as Dauid did Psal 19.13 and kill the seeds of sinne flye the occasions quench the fire betime lest it grow too big for thee Psal 137.9 dash Babylons children against the stones while they be young Thus shalt thou more easily conquer iniquity and get or keepe a quiet conscience 2 Meanes to get peace of Conscience But this is not all that 's necessary to procure thy peace of Conscience Thou must not onely eschew euill but do good to get and to preserue this good and quiet conscience 1 Doe good In the law of God Vice is not onely forbidden but Vertue commanded and obedience in both respects required and that Vniuersall Obedience thou must with Dauid haue an eye to all Gods Commandements Psal 119. thou must hide them in thy heart that thou mayest not sinne against God thou must not take care of the first Table onely Psal 119. and neglect the Second nor of the Second only and neglect the First God and thy neighbour are both obiects of thy loue and obedience Luc. 10.27 though in a different respect and towards both thou mayest not forget thy duty if thou desirest to keepe a good and a quiet Conscience One sinne yea the lest sin against any precept is enough to condemne thee for he that failes but in one poynt is guilty of all Iames 2.10 and as if thou hast heard but of one thiefe hidden secretly in thy bed-chamber it is sufficient to keepe thee from sleepe so one sinne of omission or commission is able to hinder thee of this peace 2 Doe good sincerely Secondly thy obedience must bee sincere and vpright thou must doe euery duty vprightly though thou canst not doe it perfectly God requireth the heart Psal 119.7 Prou. 23.26 Deut. 6.5 and the affections of thy heart and whole heart must be giuen vnto him Gods pure eyes cannot endure to behold any impiety neither shall any euill dwell with him and much lesse can hee endure hypocrisie that our workes should bee done in shew onely and not in substance and sincerity before him It is onely the sincere and vpright man that can enioy a good conscience 3 Doe good constantly Thirdly as God expects sincerity so he lookes for constancy and perseuerance in well doing Reuel 2.10 hee that will receiue the Crowne of life he must be faithfull vnto the Death It is not sufficient to serue God in youth and neglect him in age nor to worship God on the Sabbath and Satan all the weeke after not to be holy amongst those which are holy and prophane when thou commest into wicked company This Wethercocke Religion cannot stand with the peace of a good Conscience they are like fire and water light and darkenesse one must of necessity expell the other Prou. 4.23 Be not idle therefore or secure but watch diligently ouer thy selfe and Conscience and exercise thy selfe as Saint Paul did that thou maist haue alwayes a Conscience voyd of offence towards God Acts 24.26 and towards man Thus mayest thou get this blessed peace of conscience this assurance or Reconciliation betweene God and thee and being once obtained it can neuer finally bee lost Rom. 11.29 though the sense of it may bee lost for a time the grace of faith and holinesse and assurance or the feeling of grace being hid in thee as the Sun vnder the clouds Similitude the fire couered with ashes the trees in the winter a man in a trance or the like The true way of a Christian to the new Jerusalem The meanes of recouering the sense of true peace as at large I haue shewed in another Treatise to which I referre thee And being lost for a time thou mayest againe recouer it and the sooner and with more ioy if thou vse the good meanes those holy duties which are helpfull to a Christian for this spirituall exercise As first priuate frequent and feruent prayer to God for his grace and fauour as Dauid did Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from mee restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish mee with thy free Spirit Psal 51.11.12 Secondly the remembrance of Gods ancient mercies of his