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book_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	word_n	2,934	5	4.8289	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91988	The picture of the conscience drawne to the life, by the pencell of divine truth. VVherein are set out 1. Its nature. 2. Infirmities. 3. Remedies. 4. Its duties. Consisting first in the truths to be beleived [sic]. 2. The vertues to be practised. 3. The vices to bee avoyded. 4. The heresies to bee rejected. All seasonable for these distracted times. By Alexander Rosse.	Ross, Alexander, 1591-1654.	1648 (1648)	Wing R1980; Thomason E1195_1; ESTC R208720	46,614	212

who taught that the resurrection was already past the Originists and them who say that our bodies shall arise heavenly and spirituall substances The Atheists Sadduces Gentiles Saturninians Simonians Carpocratians Basilidians Valentinians Marcionits Cerdonians and many others who deny the resurrection The Arabians and Psyehopannychits who say the soules of the dead sleepe in the Grave till the Resurrection and then are raised The Saracins and Mahumitans who assigne corporall pleasures to men after the resurrection The Tertullianists who say that wicked mens soules shall in the resurrection be turned to Devills The Pythagoreans Basilidians Carpocratians Manichees Originists Marcionits who dreame of a transanimation and lastly the Manichees who in the Resurrection give new bodies to men but not the very same that fell 22. Concerning life Eternall we are bound to reject Millinaries Cerinthians Nepotians and Mahumetans who place it in corporeall pleasures Atheists Epicures Democritus Plinie Galen who deny any life after this The Peputians who say that life Eternall is in this world Pope Iohn the twentieth who taught that the blessed soules see not Gods presence till the Resurrection 23. Concerning the Scriptures wee are bound to reject the Marcionits Manichees Valentinians Tatians Cerdonians Simonians and others who deny the Old Testament to bee Gods VVord The Guostics and Priscillianists who counted the Prophets mad men The Saducees and Samaritans who acknowledge the five bookes of Moses onely for Gods Word Papists Eucratits Manithees who equall there traditions to the written word Montanists Donatists Enthusiasts Monkes Anabaptists who obtrude their dreames and revelations to us instead of Gods word Those that reject the book of Iob Ecclesiastes and the Canticles and lastly the Papists who subject the Scriptures authority to the Church who account Apocryphall bookes as Canonicall and forbid the people to reade the Scripture shutting it up in an unknowne tongue 24. Concerning Angels wee are bound to reject Sadducees and Samakitans who taught that there were no Angels or Spirits Plato Tertullian and Origen who held that Angels were corporeall substances Basilides and Proclus the Philosopher who taught that the Angells begot one another The Manichees who affirme that God begot the Angells of his owne substance Mahumet who held that the Angels were created of fire and that they were mortall The Sethians who taught that the Angells had carnall commerce with woemen and of them begot man the Nicolaitans who said that the Angels were begot of light and darknesse Basilidians Archontics Gnostics who held that the wisdom of God was the mother of the Angels the Manichees and Priscillianists who said that the evill Angels were created so lastly the Originists who taught that the evill Angels should at last be saved 25 Concerning mans creation we are bound to reject the Rabbins who held that the Angels assisted God in the making of man the Manichees who denyed that Adam and Eve were made by God the Patricians who will not have God the creator of mans body the Pelagians and Celestinians who taught that Adam should have died though he had not sinned the Eunomians and Paterninians who sayd that mans lower parts were made by the Devill lastly Aristole who held that man had no beginning 26 Concerning Mans soule we are bound to reject Epicures and Sadduces who deny the immortality of the soule Themestius and Averrois who thought that all men had but one soule Apollinaris who said that one soule begetts another the Originists who taught that the soules were long in heaven before the bodies were created Platonics Mannichees Gnostics and Priscillianists who would have the soule a part of divine substance the Pythagorians who held transanimation the Nazarreans who will have the soules of men and of beasts to be of the same nature the Arabians who will have the soules of men and of beasts to sleepe or dye with their bodyes the Tertullianists who say that mens soules are corporall and that wicked mens soules after death are turned into devills and that all soules are by traduction 27 Concerning Gods Image in man we are bound to reject the Saturninians who by Gods Image understand celestiall light the Anthropomorphits and Manichees who will have this Image to consist in some corporeall shape making God himselfe corporeall Flaccus Illyricus who taught that the righteousnesse and holines wherein Gods image consisted to be the very essence of the soule 28 Concerning Originall sin wee are bound to reject the Armenians who deny that there is any originall pollution the Carpocratians and Catharists who bragged of their own purity and that they were by nature the sonnes in God the Manichees who will have concupisence to be a substance and not an originall infirmity the Pelagians who deny that originall sinne is derived by propagation but contracted by example and imitation and teach that Adams sinne was hurtfull to none but to himselfe and that he should have dyed though he had not sinned 29 Concerning Predestination we are bound to reject the Celestinians and Pelagians who deny predestination the Priscillianists who attribute it to the starrs and to the fates the Pelagians and Semipelagians who teach that there is no election but that the cause of mans salvation is in himselfe the Libertins who thinke they shall be saved or damned without the meanes therefore do what they list Pontificians and others who attribute the cause of election to foreseene workes and merits so did the Basilidians and Pelagians of old 30 Concerning Iustification we are bound to rejectthe Papists who teach we are justified by workes and by the Sacraments that CHRIST satisfied for our sinnes only not for our punishments the Libertins who thinke that a justified man may do what he list Osiander who taught wee are justified by the essentiall righteousnesse or essence of God and all such as confound justification with sanctification lastly Epicures who reject good workes as needlesse because wee are justified by Christs righteousnesse 31 Concerning Gods Providence wee are bound to reject the Epicures who held the world to be guided by chance or fortune the Stoics and Priscillianists who taught that destiny inevitable fate did rule all things even God himselfe the Astrologians who will have the starrs to rule all sublunary things the Simonians Carpocratians Severians Marcits Manichees Menandrians who held that the inferior world was guided by the Devill therfore gave themselves to the study of Magick lastly all such as make God either carelesse of inferiour things or so imployed that he is not at leasure or sostately as that he will not abase himselfe to behold the things that are here below Thus have I breifly set down what every man is bound in conscience to beleeve what to practice and what errors concerning matter of faith he is bound to avoyd it remaines that I should also shew what is to be avoyded in matter of practice but because I have already spoke of some of them which are most remarkable and rectum est index sui obliqui he that knowes what he is bound to do cannot be ignorant of what he is bound to avoyd therefore what wee have already set down may suffice to pacifie a mans conscience and to make him a perfect Christian in these unhapy times of ours we see christianity was never more professed conscience never more pretended but alas truth never lesse beleeved goodnes never lesse practised and consequently the conscience never more cheated so that in name we are Christians but in many doctrinall poynts plaine Hereticks and in our practice very Pagans or rather Atheists God grant we may indeavour to be what we would seeme to be and lay aside our Hypocriticall Vizards by which wee deceive the eyes of men but the peircing rays of that all seeing eye who sees us in the darke and knowes of our down sitting and up-rising and our thoughts long before we cannot delude our consciences are seared with a hot iron or fast asleepe if they can content themselves with a mouthfull of Scripture phrasses having our eyes full of wantonnesse our hearts full of malice and our hands full of blood be not deceived the Conscience of a Turk or Pagan will not be thus satisfied St. Pauls conscience was voyd of offence towards God and towards men and he shewes that a good conscience is still accompanyed with charity a pure heart and with faith unfained neither can that conscience be good which is not purged from dead works to serve the living GOD FINIS Septem. the 14th 1646. I have perused this judicious and learned Treatise intitled The picture of a Christian mans Conscience and finding it to be very profitable and seasonable I adjudge it worthy to be printed and published Io. Downame ERRATA PAg. 27. l. 5. read Oneserus for Onefurious pag. 41. l. 1. read We must also beleeve that there are ministring spirits pag. 114. l. 12. for heart read hare pag. 133. l. 7. read temeritie pag. 145. l. 21. put out off pag. 146. l. 1. read refuse pag. 160. l. 12. read Carpocrates pag. 161. l. 5. read Saturninus pag. 163. l. 17. read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}

Gods grace is sufficient for us The causes then of our scruples are principally 1 God himselfe 2. instrumentally satan 3. the conversing with scruplous and rigid men 4. hearing such Sermons reading of such Bookes as beget and increase scruples in us 5. the evill constitution also of our bodies and the bad disposition of the spleen and braine The cheifest means to cure us of these foure Diseases are 1. principally Prayer 2. then meditating on Gods word 3. hearing of such sermons conversing with such Ministers as are judicious learned and Pious who with the good Samaritan can poure Oyle of comfort into our wounds and apply the Balme of Gilead to our soules and who have more need of such spirituall Physitians then they who are troubled in miude For a wounded Conscience who can beare 4. abstaning from conversing with such persons reading of such Bookes hearing of such Sermons as will rather make the wound wider then heale it 5. diligence in our particular Calling for often times idlenesse breeds doubtings and scruples 6. striving to be cheereful merry to converse with such as are of a cheerful and merry disposition for the life of a Christian consisteth not in sadnesse pensivenesse and melancholy but in cheerfullnesse mirth and alacrity reioyce alwayes in the Lord I say againe unto you rejoyce saith the Apostle 7 temperance in our diet moderation in our passions a fit appliction or use of physick whereby diseases may be prevented our humours rectified 8. let us not intertain any scruples in our minds when they come but reject them and resist their first ' motions principijs obsta 9. We must set before our eyes the death of Christ which is of infinite value to save all sinners the bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne saith Saint Iohn Christ gave himselfe to be a ransome saith St. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 6. likewise the greatnesse of Gods mercy which is above all his workes Psalme 145. 9. The plentifulnesse of Redemption with him Psalme 130. 7. The sufficiencie of his Grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. even in pardoning of grievous sinners as of David Salomon Manasses Peter Paul and others he doth not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax hee did not despise the Canaanitish woman though a dog nor Matthew though a Publican nor the woman possessed with a Devill nor the Thiefe upon the Crosse nor the Apostle that denyed him nor the Apostle that persecuted him He is a Father who will not reject but imbrace his Prodigall sonne if he returne he is a Physitian who will not hurt but cure the Patient that comes to him hee invites all that are weary and laden to come to him and he will refresh them Matth. 11. 28. he calls upon all that are thirstie to come to the water and drinke Esay 55. 1. Hee professeth that hee came to call sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. many such places may be alleadged 10. if we will not bee troubled with the scruples of Conscience and the temptations arisihg thence wee must avoyd solitarinesse and too much retirednesse for Satan takes occasion to assault us when hee sees us alone as hee dealt with Christ in the desert 11. Let us strive for true knowledge faith love and obedience which are the maine remedies against all these diseases of the Conscience for opinions prevaile where true knowledge failes and where there is but little faith there will bee much doubting want of love is the cause of so many errors and want of obedience to spirituall Superiors is the cause of so many scruples Thus having poynted at the diseases of the Conscience and their remedies I will shew the credenda and agenda of a good Christian that is what we are bound to beleeve and what with a safe good conscience we are bound to doe VVEE are bound in Conscience to beleeve that there is a God for even the greatest Atheists that ever were have been accused checked judged and affrighted by their Conscience even for their secret and invisible sins intimating thereby that there is a secret and invisible Indge to whom they must give an account of those hidden actions many men have been checked by their Conscience for doubting or denying that there is a God but never was man checked by his Conscience for beleeving the Diety but rather incouraged thereto and cherished being directed to beleeve this both by the light of nature and the light of Grace 2 And as we beleve there is a God so we are bound to beleeve that there is but one GOD having both reasons and Scripture to induce us to this Faith the simplicity perfection of Gods nature as also the unity of this universe force this beleif upon us 3 We are bound in Conscience to beleeve that God is immutable because he is not passible 2. and that he is eternall because he is immutable 3. and that he is the only ubiquitary entity both 1. in regard of his essence by which all things have existence 2. in respect of his knowledge by which all things are naked to his eyes 3. in respect of his power to which all things are subjected and 4. that he is infinit because he is not confined by forme or matter or his own nature and 5. that he is the cheifest good 1. because he is cheifly appetible 2. and the cheifest end of the creatures 3. and the cheifest cause of all that perfection and goodnesse that is in the creature 6. and that he is most perfect 1. because he is the cause of all things 2. in whom are contained the perfections of al his effects that ever were or shall be 3. and because he is not a passive but an active principle 4. neither is there in him any defect at all 7. and that he is most simple because in him there is neither composition nor parts nor act possibilitie nor can he be the effect of things 8. and that he is incomprehensible because he is infinit 9. and that he is invisible because sight is a bodyly act which hath no proportion to a spirituall substance and we see the species and similitude of the object but Gods perfection excludes all similitude 10. and that he is truth it selfe because of that transcendent Conformitie which is between his intellect entity 11. and that he is the ever-living because he is the ever working God for the excellency eternity of his operation shew the excellency and eternity of his life 12. that he is omnipotent because his essence is infinit no wayes confined or limited 4 We are bound in Conscience to beleev that ther is in God a trinity of persons or three wayes of existence because in the nature of God there are three reall relations to wit Paternity Filiation and Procession the Father alone is unbegott the Son is of the Father as of his originall not as of a cause which includes 1. prioritie 2. dependence and 3. a

and this consent must be free and voluntary not forced and the parties consenting must be of age and such as are guided by reason and have power to dispose of themselves 83 Wee cannot with a safe Conscience have above one wife at once for God gave A dam but one Evah the husband will love one wife better then two for love divided is weaker then united the children will be more carefully educated we read of two that by marriage are made one flesh not of three we see divers creatures are by nature taught to content themselves with single mates Polygamie is often times the cause of jarres in families and therefore cannot be lawfull but where there is an immediate dispensation from God as is supposed was among the Patriarchs before the flood and sometime after 84 The husband and wife are bound to love and respect each other and to dwell together to have all things in common to professe the same truth and to communicate to each other the use of their bodies according to the law of marriage the man is to cherish and maintaine to instruct and guide his wife and she is to honor feare and obey her husband she must temper her tounge and he must keepe in his hands he may reprove admonish and instruct but not strike which causeth hatred and strife and shewes want of true love she may not give away his goods without his consent neither must they live apart except upon urgent occasions 85 A man cannot with a safe Conscience put away his wife except it be for adultery for that unties the band of matrimony yet this band may be tied againe upon the desire and consent of the innocent party in whose favour the divorce was made 86 We are bound to abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soule which destroy the body which dishonor GOD which wrong man-kind and are the causes of many other sins therefore we must make a covenant with our eyes not to looke upon wanton or immodest objects whither in apparell pictures bookes or lascivious gestures wee must make a covenant with our eares not to heare immodest words or songs wee must covenant with our tongues to speake only such words as edifie and not by them utter what is not lawfull to bee done for immodest actions are concealed so should immodest speeches bee by which God is dishonoured the soule of the speaker and so likewise of the hearer is indangered and good men are grieved and we should make a covenant with our hearts not to entertaine lascivious thoughts with delight but to reject them with detestation otherwise cogitation wil breed delight delight consent consent action and actions a habit Lastly wee must take heed of lascivious kissing embracing touching of Women and immodest dances and of luxurious and unchast speeches gestures or any other such like expressions in stage-playes which have made both the Actors and the sports the recreation it self hatefull tho otherwise tolerable 87. VVee are bound in Conscience to separate our selves from that Church where Gods name is dishonoured Idolatry practised and wickednesse countenanced least wee pertake of her sinnes and so of her punishment but wee are not therefore bound to separate our selves from all Congregations where some bad men are suffered for in this life is no perfection and the Sheepe here are mingled with Goates in the same net are good and bad fishes in the same field Corne and tares which must not be suddenly pluckt up we must exercise our patience in induring such churches infimities and indevour to amend them not by our departure increase them or exasperate our weake brethren and give occasion of schisme 88. Ministers are bound to preach and catechise their flocks sincerely purely constantly boldly powerfully to administer the Sacraments without superstition to resist schisme and heresie beate downe sinne and iniquity to suspend from the Sacrament and to excommunicate in cases of extremity which censure is indeed the act of the whole Church whereof the Minister is the mouth but one Church is not to excommunicate an other not being subordinate although upon just cause there may bee separation or desertion but although the Church may refuse to cast pearls before swine or give that which is holy to dogges and is bound to purge out the old Leaven yet she cannot debarre men from hearing the Word unlesse they bee obstinate dispisers and scoffers of it nor can shee keepe them out of Heaven except they bee impenitent nor can shee breake off the Oeconomicall communion that is betweene husband and wives Parents and Children Masters and servants nor yet the Politicall society that is betweene Magistrates and Subjects 89. Every Minister is bound to have learning integrity of life dexterity of preaching and a will bent to doe God service and to edifie the Church and not to respect his owne honour wealth or profit or to intrude himselfe into that sacred function without both inward and outward calling as many doe who by friends Simonie or any other sinistrous way creepe in at the window but enter not in at the dore neither must they forsake the charge once undertaken except they be forced or necessitated 90 We are bound to make restitution of our neighbours goods whither we detaine them by loane fraud or theft for it is a theft to detain the owners goods to which we have no interest against his will and it is both a violation of justice and also of that love we owe to our neighbour which restitution must be made either really if we are able or else mentally and in our resolution if we cannot wee must also restore to the right owner if he can be found or else to him that is next a kin if there be none then dedicate it to God in some pious or charitable use and we must restore the very thing it selfe if we can or else the full value of it so we are bound to restore his good name which we have hurt either by recantation or accusation of our selves or compensation for the wrong he hath sustained or if we have hurt him in his body we are to make such satisfaction as the Law requires or if we have hurt a woman in the losse of her chastity we must make restitution by marriage or by paying her portion 91 We are bound in Conscience to reprove sinne in whom soever we find it for it is an argument of love and no lesse needfull then almes to him that is in want if it be mercy to pull our neighbours beast out of the mire much more to pull himselfe out of the pit of sinne where his soul will perish but our reproofe must be grounded on Gods word must be sweetned with mildnesse and discretion and uttered in love opportunity of time place and other circumstances must be observed our superiors must be reproved with reverence our equals and inferiors with love and benevolence and because charity begins at home we