Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	david_n	king_n	people_n	14,785	5	5.1891	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26107	A sermon preached in the parish church of Hackney on the fifth of July, 1685 being the day before the battle and victory over the rebels in the west / by Thomas Aston ...	Aston, Thomas, b. 1649 or 50.	1685 (1685)	Wing A4081; ESTC R18302	8,257	36

practical Syllogism in our understanding the Major whereof is Gods Law the Minor is our application of that Law to our selves approving in our Actions what is good and disliking what is evil As Gods Secretary it Records all our Actions and Thoughts and Words in a Book of remembrance and if it be not called to give Testimony here it will be called at the general Audit to make answer for whatsoever has been done in the body 2. Cor. 5.10 whether it be good or bad Men are now so carried away with the Delights of this Life that they have no leasure to take notice of the checks of Conscience but in the day of Judgment they shall be brought to light and every Mans Conscience will acknowledge the Justice of the Sentence of the Righteous Judge Conscience is now a secret Witness only known to the Person whose it is but then all shall be made manifest and apparent to all But this Conscience will appear a greater Enemy if we consider the next degree which is a too disquiet Conscience This is fain'd by the Poet to be one of the three Furies of Hell For tho' a Man use all means imaginable Wine Musick Society to quiet it when it is once awaked out of that past feeling and deluding Dream he endures a Hell upon Earth This moved Solomon to ask the Question Prov. 18.14 A Wounded Spirit who can bear Then no Wisdom can counsel him no Eloquence perswade him then no Physick can cure nor Riches ransom him from this tormenting Fiend And it is such a Tormentor as the Wretch always carries about him he continually feels those inward Flashes and Flames he can find no comfort abroad nor please himself at home but in all places and at all times hellish Haggs and infernal Furies afright him A Man may fly from and escape an outward Enemie but he cannot fly from himself The Murderer of Symmacus being at Supper thought he saw his Visage in the head of a Fish served up to the Table And it is reported of Richard the third that as a Judgment for his bloody Act upon his two Nephews he dreamed the Devil did haul and pull him in most hideous and ugly shapes Prince Edward and Richard D. of York in the Tower Cain and Judas were dogg'd at their heels by their tormenting Consciences the death of the former is not so notorious but you know how the other was brought to his dismal end His Conscience was a Bayliff to arrest a Justice to commit him a Jaylor to imprison and a Witness to accuse him a Jury to find him guilty and a Judge to condemn him a Sheriff to convey him to the Place of Execution and a Hangman to end one Misery and begin a greater 'T is true a Tender Conscience is a blessing 2. Cor. 7.19 it worketh Repentance never to be repented of it prevents sin and makes a Man circumspect in his Ways It was happy for King David that his Conscience check'd him for his Adultery and Murther and numbring the People this wrought in him a Godly Sorrow expressed by his poenitential and hearty Prayers It was happy for the Apostle Peter that his Conscience check'd him for denying his good Lord and Master he wept bitterly discovered his own weakness and became a stronger Pillar in the Church of God But there may be a tender Conscience in Masquerade I do not need to take up much time to distinguish 'T is very apparent some presume upon a tender Conscience when really they have none By their Fruits you may know them When you see a Man scrupulous at an innocent Ceremony bowing at the name of Jesus kneeling at the Sacrament c. and yet make no Conscience to lye to deceive to speak evil of Dignities to be drunk to commit uncleanness you may well conclude that Mans scrupulocity proceeds not from Conscience properly so called but from erronious Fancy and this is that our pretended consciencious Schismaticks who disturb the Peace of our Church are possessed off Indeed he is not a good Christian who is not conscious of his Failings and Aberrations and doth not earnestly beseech a Pardon for Christs sake with strong cryes prayers and Tears wherewith God is well pleased to be importun'd But a Man may as easily see the difference between these two as between a real Monarch and a personated King on a Stage The one cryes out against Sin the other against Superstition and Idolatry nicknaming Decency and Order The counterfeit Conscience is hateful to the true God the unfeigned is his Delight and the gracious Redeemer of mankind will wipe away all Tears from such they shall see their Obligation cancell'd their Debt paid for the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth them from all Sin But the Wicked are condemned by their Conscience Their secret Faults whereof they would take no Cognizance when it might be advantagious to them their lying in wait for Blood their private lurking in thievish Corners their secret slanders their Covetousness their Rebellion covered over with a superficial Holiness all these and whatsoever else they are guilty of are well known to Conscience and it will accuse and condemn them Thus I have briefly shew'd that the wicked have no Peace with God nor with Men nor among themselves nor in their own Consciences For tho' for a time they may seem quiet they are not peaceable 't is only from carnal security I shall now descend to some practical Conclusions First we may conclude that Sin in the Habit without Remorse which amounts to Wickedness inevitably brings Misery no Peace consequently War ruine to the Wicked Yet because Sentence against an Evil Work is not executed speedily Eccles 8.11 therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully set in them to do evil But it shall not be well with the Wicked neither shall he prolong his days v. 13. The wicked Man because he is not presently struck with a Thunderbolt Fancies that God takes no notice of his actions and will not punish him for them these things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee Psalm 50.21 and set them in Order before thine Eyes Now consider this yee that forget God yee that approve and caress your selves in any known sin whether concupiscence drunkenness rash swearing disobedience to Governours or deceit and fraud Consider this yee that speak of good evil and of evil good that give base Schism and ungodly Rebellion the glorious Title of Religion and the true Worship and Service of God the ignominious name of Superstition yee put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light Yee can have no Peace God will War against you he will break you in pieces while there is none to help Man will War against you like Ishmael your hand will be against every Man and every Mans Hand against you Your own Conscience will War against you prosecute and condemn you You shall have no Peace Consider how fearful a thing it is to be at variance with all these and therefore labour to be at Peace with God and then what Man what Angel what Devil can be against you If as yet you apprehend him your adversary agree with him quickly seek him early whilst he may be found call upon him while he is near 't is not yet too late beseech him to forgive you your unrighteousness and to cocover all your Sin and to be at peace with you through the intercession of your blessed Mediator so shall you not only enjoy the unspeakable Blessing The Peace of God which passeth all understanding But Peace with Men. Not only with good Men who are not apt to be at variance but even with your Enemies and Peace in your own Consciences which is a continual Feast But if you fight against God by an unchast Conversation and wicked Life then the Lord will fight against you even with the Rod of the ungodly those that are as wicked or more wicked than your selves shall be your Scourges For we may be well assured that if the Wise Disposer of all Things should give the Rebel Enemies the Victory which God in mercy forbid I hope there is no danger of them it is not for any love to them but partly for the Chastisement and so for the amendment of Gods erring and straying Servants and partly that the Wicked being promoted may have the greater Downfal Secondly We may conclude that The only way to obtain Peace is to vo Righteousness Men generally regard their own advantage what more forceable inducement to perswade Men to be just good meek religious than this This great blessing Peace is the portion the inheritance of the Righteous wherefore the wicked intermeddle not in it Peace is Gods Creature I create the fruits of the Lips Peace Peace As in this Chap. he can convert cursing Traytors and Rebells and make cruel Esau dissolve into Tears in his Brothers Bosom whom he had vowed to kill In a word the only way to wound our Enemies is to mortifie our selves so shall Sinners be converted unto us so shall God even our God give us his Blessing the Blessing of all possible Peace the Blessing of Plenty all good things shall be ministred unto us in this Life and after this Warfair is ended he who is the Prince of Peace will Crown us with Victory FINIS