Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	work_n	work_v	write_v	440	3	5.2807	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00643	The souls looking-glasse lively representing its estate before God: with a treatise of conscience; wherein the definitions and distinctions thereof are unfolded, and severall cases resolved: by that reverend and faithfull minister of the Word, William Fenner, B.D. sometimes fellow of Pembroke-hall in Cambridge, and late parson of Rochford in Essex.	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.; Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1640 (1640)	STC 10779; ESTC S101939	116,565	318

Lord is the death ●his Saints Is death precious and shall I ●so vain as to fear it Thus ye see 〈◊〉 answer to the first question Whe●er every child of God that hath true ●ace of conscience can be desirous to ●e II. Quest Whether a wicked man that hath no peace of conscience may not be desirous to die too Answ 1. The horrour of conscience man make a wicked man desirous to die H● may have so much horrour of conscience as that he may think certainly he● cannot be worse Hell is infinitel● worse but he may not think so Th● Judas was desirous to die Matth. 27.5 when he we● and hanged himself Thus many in d●spair do make away themselves I co●fesse some in despair may be fearfu● to die as Cain was fearfull to die ● was fear of death made him spea● thus unto God It shall come to passe th● every one that findeth me shall slay m● Gen. 4.14 The reason was becaus● though he were in despair yet he w● not so sensible of his horrour as Jud●● was for Cain could go and build 〈◊〉 all this and train up his children 〈◊〉 musick and the like for all this b● Judas was in a case more sensible of h● misery 2. Dolour of pain may ma● a wicked man desire to die Thus ● was with Saul Saul had received b● deaths wound and was in most grie●ous pain he could not die presently ●either could he live but lying in very ●reat pain between both desired the Amalekite to stand upon him and slay ●im 2. Sam. 10.9 though Osiander ●hink the Amalekite lyed unto David ●o curry favour with him but Jose●hus and others think he spake the ●ruth Sure it is that many wicked ●retches having no peace of consci●nce to sweeten and allay their tor●ents have been desirous to die nay ●ome have hastened their own death ● Malecontentednesse and shame and ●isappointment of their aims may also ●ake wicked men desirous to die and 〈◊〉 death come not soon enough of it ●elf to dispatch away themselves with ●ruel self-murder Thus it was with A●hitophel 2. Sam. 17 23. when he saw his counsel was was not followed he haltered himself He had no peace of conscience to com●ort him against all his dumps and dis●ontents and therefore he was desi●ous to die 4. Wicked men being ●exed at something for the present may seem to be desirous to die and ye● if death should come indeed they would be of another mind and be content death should be further off Nay Jonas that strange man of a good man● O for a fit he would be dying yea tha● he would Jon. 4.3 Lord take my life from me● for it is better for me to die then to live ● suppose if God had taken him at hi● word he could have wished his word● had been in again But thus it is ofte● in the mouthes of wicked people ● would I were dead and I would I were o● of the world not for any peace of conscience they have nor for any desire o● death but onely for a momentany pang● If they were to die indeed they would be loth enough to it Like the man i● the Fable who being wearied with his burden of sticks lay down and called for Death but when Death came indeed to take him and said What shal● I do man thou calledst me I pray thee said he help me up with my burden of sticks When he was to die indeed then he would rather have his own wearisome burden It is but a fable but this is the fashion of many 5. When wicked men are desirous to die indeed ●ometimes not out of discontent or ●ny such like reason yet it cannot be out of any true peace of conscience They may go away like lambs as we ●ay but it is in a fools paradise It may be whilest they lived they thought ●o go to heaven but when they die then ●ll their thoughts perish as the Psalmist ●peaketh in another case To return therefore where we left O beloved is there any of you that want the peace of a good conscience ●nd do ye know what you want what ● great benefit and blessing That ye may see this and fully know it and by ●nowing it earnestly desire it con●ider First That it is the very head of all ●omforts A worthie Divine calleth it Abrahams bosome to the soul Ye know what a blessing it was unto Lazarus to be taken from his sores into Abrahams bosome The peace of a good conscience is like this bosome of Abraham Who would not gladly lie in it Such a man who hath it can never look upon another mans comfort but a good conscience will say Yea and I have my comfort too When Paul was commending of Timothie see how his own conscience spake of himself at the same time 1. Cor. 16.10 He worketh the work of the Lord as I also do Mark his conscience would be putting in comfort for himself Doth Timothie work the Lords work yea and so do I too saith his conscience It is Musculus his observation upon the place Secondly A quiet conscience maketh a man to tast the sweetnesse o● things heavenly and spirituall It maketh the word to be to him as to David Sweeter then hony yea then the hony-combe I have not departed from thy judgements O Lord saith he thus saith his conscience now what followeth next Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter then hony unto my mouth A good conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in prayer when his conscience telleth him he prayeth aright It maketh him tast sweetnesse in a Sabbath when his conscience telleth him he sanctifieth it aright so also in the sacrament when his conscience can witnesse he receiveth aright What is the reason so few of you tast sweetnesse in these things The reason is this Because ye have not the peace of a good conscience It would find sweetnesse in every good dutie in every good word and work Thirdly A good quiet conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in all outward things in meat in drink in sleep in the companie of friends it putteth a Better upon a very morsel Prov. 17.1 Brown bread and a good conscience there is a Better upon it then upon all the costly fare of the wealthie without it Bernard calleth a good conscience a soft pillow An other calleth it a dear bosome-friend Solomon calleth it a continuall feast It maketh a man tast sweetnesse in every outward thing The healthy man onely can take pleasure in recreations walks meats sports and the like they yield no comfort to those that are bedrid or sick or half-dead But when the conscience is at peace the soul is all in good health and so all things are enjoyed with sweetnesse and comfort Fourthly It sweetneth evils to a man as troubles crosses sorrows afflictions If a man have true peace in his conscience it comforteth him in them all When things

not onely absolve him from th● guilt of those sinnes which he neve● committed but also from the guilt o● those sinnes which he hath committe● against God or against man It can tel● him he hath truly repented and trul● been humbled and truly got pardon Ye know David had committed dive● sinnes yet when he had humbled 〈◊〉 soul before God and obteined pardo● his conscience telleth him as much an● absolveth him Psal 103.3 Blesse t●● Lord O my soul c. who forgiveth 〈◊〉 thy sinnes Nay though a child of Go● have many infirmities dayly and hou●ly yet his conscience doth absol●● him It is no more I that do it saith 〈◊〉 conscience but sinne that dwelleth in 〈◊〉 If I distrust it is no more I for I fight ●gainst it if I be overtaken by any weak●esse it is no more I for I laboured against 〈◊〉 and do bewail it III. A misliking conscience THe third part of consciences office in things done is to mislike if we ●ave done ill There be imperfections in the best obedience of Gods dearest servants What I do I allow not Rom. 7.15 saith ●aul His conscience misliked some ●●ing done by him But that mislike of ●onscience which now I speak of is of ●●ings that are ill done that is not done in truth and sinceritie Thus it is 〈◊〉 all that are not renewed by the holy Ghost The office of their conscience ●●deed is to mislike what they do When they have prayed their consci●●ce can mislike it and say I have not ●ayed with a heavenly mind a holy heart When they have been at a Sacrament ●onscience can truly mislike it and say ● have not been a fit guest at Christs ta●●e c. When they are crossed and ●empted their consciences truly mislike their carriage and say I do not fight and resist but readily and willingly yield t● every invitation to evil Do ye no● think that Jeroboams conscience misliked his altering Gods worship hi● innovating religion his making Israe● to sinne do not ye think his conscienc● misliked him for these things Do no● ye think that Nabals conscience misliked his griping and Doegs conscience misliked his slandering and Pashurs conscience misliked his opposin● and misusing Jeremie and the old prophets conscience misliked his lying Who would have thought but Balaa● said well Whatsoever the Lord saith unto me that will I speak and I canno● go beyond the commandment of the Lor● to do lesse or more no not for Bala●● house full of gold who would hav● thought but that this was well said yet his own conscience could no● choose but mislike it being not spoke● in sinceritie Many a man hath goo● for a Christian twentie or thirtie years and every one liketh him and yet i● may be his conscience hath disliked him all the while IV. A condemning conscience THe fourth part of consciences office in this behalf is to condemne ●f we have done evil and contrarie to Gods law Conscience hath an office ●ot onely to mislike us but also to con●emne us nay it will hasten more to ●ondemne us then God We see it in Adam Gen. 3.7 When Adam had sinned his ●onscience condemned him before God did he knew he was naked that 〈◊〉 had made his soul shamefully naked ●●s conscience condemned him for an ●●ostate before the Lord came to passe ●●ntence upon him Nay it condemn●th us oftner then God God will condemne a sinner but once for all viz. 〈◊〉 the last day but conscience con●●mneth him many thousand times be●●re that Many men and women who 〈◊〉 seem godly in the worlds eyes God ●●oweth how many of them have con●●mning consciences in their bosomes 〈◊〉 all their civilities and formalities ●●d crying God mercie and patched●● hopes many who would say that man were uncharitable who should condemn them for such and such who it may be find conscience within so uncharitable and saying plainly Ye are so like the conscience of Pauls heretick Tit. 3.11 who is said to be condemned of himself Vse 1 I. This serveth for the praise of the justice of God That he may be just when he judgeth the Lord needeth no other witnesse against us but our own consciences they make way for the just judgement of God Ye may see this in this portion of Scripture which we have in hand Rom. 2.15 wherein is shewed both that God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world vers 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men according to my Gospel and then in the verse going before the Apostle sheweth that now in the mean while every mans conscience maketh way for this just judgement of God their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or excusing one another At the last day every man shall be judged according to his conscience a child of God according to his a carnall man according to his The Lord shall absolve all his children and their own consciences shall absolve them The Lord shall condemn all the rest and their own consciences shall condemn them This is the book that every mans life is set down in Every passage of conversation both of the godly and the wicked is recorded dayly in this book And according to what is written therein will the Lord judge every soul at the last day as Rev. 20.12 The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book according to their works The Apostle there speaketh prophetically and putteth the past time for the future they were judged that is they shall be judged So that ye see that by the judgement of conscience way is made for the just judgement of God Vse 2 II. This should be a means to keep us from sinne and to keep us in a holy life for according to our works so will be the evidences of our consciences whether they be good or evil We had need to take heed what we write in our consciences for according to what is written there so shall we be judged Therefore if any sinne standeth upon record in our consciences we had need get it blotted out by the bloud of Christ Repent be humbled beg for pardon rest not till thou seest this debt-book conscience crossed and thy sinnes stand there cancelled and discharged THus I have shewed you the offices of conscience about things heretofore done Now let me shew you the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices Ye have heard that conscience hath foure offices in things heretofore done 1. an office to approve 2. an office to absolve 3. an office to dislike 4. an office to condemne The two former when we have done well and lived well then the office of conscience is to approve and absolve The two latter when we have done ill and lived ill then the office of conscience is to mislike and to condemne Now followeth the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices and they are

God for conscience is onely subject to his power he onely hath power over conscience 3. Because conscience is Gods book Now no creature can adde to Gods book or diminish from it Ye may remember that dreadfull anathema at the end of Gods book Rev. 22.18 19. If any man shall adde to this book God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this book And if any man shall diminish from this book God shall take away his part out of the book of life Now conscience is also Gods book wherein his law is written Nay conscience is called Gods law For it is said Rom. 2.14 that when the Gentiles which have not the law do the things conteined in the law they having not the law are a law unto themselves that is Their conscience is Gods law unto them Like as the Bible conteineth Gods law for us Christians so did their consciences contein the law of God to them yea to us Christians much rather For we are not to let Gods law be written onely in our Bibles but we must get it written in our consciences our consciences are to be Gods books wherein his laws are to be written And therefore if it be a sinne to adde a new law in the materiall book to bind men then it must needs be a sinne for any creature to put a new law into conscience which is the spirituall book of God It is God onely who can write laws in this book his book is above all the laws in the world and none but God can put in and put out and therefore none but he can bind conscience I speak still of this absolute supreme bond of conscience For Magistrates may bind relatively but not as they are their laws but by the law of God before made Thus ye see the necessity of this truth That Gods law is the absolute and supreme bond of conscience Vses Vse 1 1. This serveth to direct Ministers how to convince the consciences of their people If Ministers desire to work upon their hearers they must speak to the conscience they must shew them Gods authority that it is Gods will and Gods command Tell conscience never so much that we should do thus or thus upon other grounds and inducements it starteth not at that except it be convinced by the word of God that it is Gods will the commandment of the great God of heaven the God of the spirits of all flesh who will look for our obedience This maketh conscience to startle this affecteth it and bindeth it St Paul when he said that he approved himself and his preaching to mens consciences 2. Cor. 4.2 what followeth If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish c. As if he had said This maketh all the world to startle except they be reprobates and men delivered over to Satan It is easie to see what ministerie affecteth most and doeth the most good in the hearts of the people namely that which bringeth the clearest voice of Gods Spirit calling to obedience and binding the conscience They can heare with ease and great pleasure the sermons of those whose doctrines are stuffed with humane discourses Learning and policie never pierce conscience Nay let carnall preachers preach never so much against peoples sinnes they can make a sport of it though they heare their sinnes with humane learning declaimed against When the preacher doth not clearly preach the Lords voice though he rip up sinne yet if it be not in the demonstration of the Spirit of God and shewing his clear authority the heart will not be affected Conscience knoweth when it is bound and when it is but dallied and jested with And therefore if Ministers desire to have their ministerie work upon the hearts of their people they must shew them Gods authority and confirm it by his word and let them see that it is the commandment of the Lord that which will one day judge them Let him know 1. Cor. 14.37 saith Paul that the things that I write are the commandments of the Lord. It is the Lord of heaven and earth that biddeth thee yield and commandeth thee to give over thy base lusts It is he in whose hands thy breath is thou hadst best be obedient I tell thee thy conscience observeth it and if thou wilt not obey it will rore like the roring of the sea one day against thee and sting thee like a scorpion The things that thou hearest know thou that they are the commandments of God and if thou disobey thou dost disobey not men but God Vse 2 2. Is it so that the word of God onely is the supreme bond of conscience Then this teacheth us to have an eye to Gods word in that which we do if we would satisfie conscience I say have an eye to Gods word not onely to do that which it may be is in Gods word conscience counteth that to be nothing but to have an eye to Gods word Conscience will not be satisfied with any obedience that we do if we have not an eye to Gods word Whatever we have an eye to besides conscience knoweth it is nothing if in all we have not an eye to the commandment of God Though we do obey it conscience looketh upon it as if we did not obey it It is onely Gods commandment and authority that bindeth conscience and therefore nothing satisfieth conscience unlesse we have an eye unto that If we do not aim at Gods will in doing what we do conscience counteth our obedience as no obedience at all As for example Ye that are husbands ye love your wives but is it because God commandeth it It may be ye love them because they love you or because your affections are to them Alas this is nothing Pagans and reprobates can do so But do ye aim at the doing of Gods will who commandeth you O say you The Lord doth command me and I do it What of that Do ye look at his commandment when ye do it If not be humbled and know ye must get grace to do so or ye are not obedient to God neither will conscience set it down for obedience Ye that are servants ye serve your masters but do ye aim at Gods will thus O the Lord hath commanded me to be faithfull and painfull in my service Doth your soul look to this It may be ye serve them because they are kind and because they pay you your wages and the like This is nothing to conscience conscience looketh at the commandment of God and if your souls do not aim at the commandment of God it wil not satisfie conscience Ye that are neighbours it may be ye love one another and be friends one with another but doth your soul look at Gods commandment is it because God hath commanded us to love one another People seldome aim at God in these cases They are friends with their neighbours why Their neighbours are friends with them But they