Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	bring_v	good_a	hear_v	2,702	5	6.2184	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04629	The court of conscience: or, Iosephs brethrens iudgement barre. By Thomas Barnes	Barnes, Thomas, Minister of St. Margaret's, New Fish Street, London.	1623 (1623)	STC 1475; ESTC S114798	47,631	166

Excusing property I say or quality for I denie not but a good conscience may and doth exercise many a time accusing actions The heart of Dauid may smite him for taking away Vriahs life for defiling Vriahs wife e 2. Sam. 12.13 for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment f 1. Sam. 24.4 for numbring his people contrary to Gods commandement g 2. Sam. 24 I know Peters conscience did article against him for denying and forswearing his Lord and Master h Math. 26.75 and there is neuer a Christian but can witnesse with mee that his owne conscience tels him daily of his daily faylings yet I say his conscience is not an habituall accuser as to doe nothing else but accuse him or as though it had nothing else in it selfe but iust matter of accusation against him this I say he is freed from which an euill man is not And rather it hath an accusing power now for a mans conscience to haue an excusing habite and qualitie what a sweete and comfortable thing is it What free from the terrours of a tormenting soule free from the wounds of spirit which mortall strength cannot beare what man can but admire this what heart will not exalt and reioyce to feele this Obiect Oh but I am tormented I am terrified will the poore Christian say * For indeede of all others they are most troubled I cannot be so at peace in my selfe as I faine would be my conscience is euer and anone about my eares Answ Very like if it bee tender it cannot choose but so it must bee Peraduenture thou hast not yet attained vnto that spirit of adoption to witnesse to thy spirit in that full measure that thou art the childe of God happily thou art but yet in the way to attaine vnto it It may be thou woundest thy conscience by beeing something too ventrous vpon that which thou hast no warrant for If it be so then I doe not much meruaile that thou canst not haue that quiet thou doest desire and well will it proue for thee at the last that thy conscience doth so smite thee But what of this hast thou no cause therefore to reioyce in the goodnesse of thy conscience Thy conscience accuseth thee vpon a good ground doth it thou fearest the sinne more then the punishment thou sorrowest for the offence done more then for the scourge due doest thou not thou art willing to heare thy conscience speak and thou sayest Conscience doe thine office by the grace of God I will not checke thee nor stoppe vp mine eares against thee thou art carefull to haue thy conscience pacified by the right meane euen by the assurance that through Christ his blood thou art purged from the sinne which thy conscience smiteth thee for art thou not If yea then know thou to thy comfort that though thy conscience when there is reason for it doth execute some accusing acts against thee yet habitually it will prooue to bee an excuser of thee Wherefore doe not thou by this cauill cheate thy selfe of the comfort that belongs vnto thee If thy conscience be at ods with thee vpon some good ground giue all diligence to get it appeased with the assurance of Gods loue and cast not downe thy selfe out of measure as if thy cōscience had nothing else but matter to accuse thee off And to encrease thy comfort vpon this ground meditate thou of the benefits of an excusing conscience as namely The benefits of an excusing conscience Quaenam summa boni meus quae sibi conscia recti Auson first an excusing conscience will answer and out-weigh all the accusations for sinne and such and such acts of sin as can be brought in to molest the soule for such a conscience is purified by the blood of Christ freed from the guilt of sinne hath to obiect Christs merits against its owne de-merits the obiecting of which vpon good ground will answer all the spitefull cauils of the malicious tempter Secondly 2. Benefi an excusing conscience will be a rocke of comfort in the time of distresse when thou lyest vpon thy sicke bed it will accheere thee as Ezekiah did when he said i Isa 38.3 Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in truth with a perfect heart c. When the world takes her wings and flyes away from thee when thy earthly friends forsake thee and dispute against thee and all humane helpes faile thee this will be a cordiall and consolation vnto thee 3. Benefi And which is last of all and yet best of all it will goe with thee to the iudgement seate of Christ defie the deuill to his face acquit thee and absolue thee of all the crimes which euer thou wert either iustly by the accusing acts of it or vniustly by the spite of Satan and his wicked instruments charged withall Loe this is the good the gaine heere heereafter that an excusing conscience doth and will bring thee and yet thy good conscience hath this excusing quality Why art thou then so deiected thou Christian and why is thy soule so sad within thee the Lord comfort thee vpon this ground the Lord with this speak peaceably vnto thy soule Vse 3 Thirdly heere is terrour vnto thee that hast an euill conscience knowest thou man what it is if thou beest ignorant heare the point in hand telling thee what it is an accusing conscience And though peraduenture thou maiest be secure haue it lie a sleepe a long time together l Mat. 27.5 yet like a mastiffe curre at last it will awake and be about thy eares and when it awaketh who can stoppe the voyce who can allay the fury of it thy witte cannot doe it take Achitophel k 2. Sam. 17 for witnesse Thy wealth cannot doe it take Iudas for example Thy authority can not do it take Iulian for thy proofe Thy * Neque cibus voluptatem praebet neque amicorum colloquia talem refocillare vel liberare ab vrgente anxietate possunt Chrysost in Gen. hom 19. sweete bitte and iouiall companie cannot doe it take n Dan. 5. Obiect Balshazzar for warrant But what if my conscience doth accuse mee what of that is it any great matter Thou shalt know that when thou tryest it And in the meane time for what I can answer thee in this impudent demand this I say to thee To haue an accusing conscience habitually is not onely to be depriued of the sweete benefits of an excusing conscience which I spake off in the former vse but also in stead of them to meete with the contrary inconueniences First thine accusing conscience will out-weigh all the good deeds that euer thou hast done thy prayers almes temperate ciuill neighbour-like carriage and behauiour and the like It shall little auaile thee to alleadge any of these things to thy comfort when thy euill conscience is vp in armes against thee A simile Let a man be iustly accused at some temporall