But much more are they guilty who induce others to make themselves drunke whether they intend it directly or indirectly by inviting them to drink by calling for greater pots by striving by urging them without all reason to drink as much and take their turne as they call it 13. We ought to abstaine not only from the imitation but also from the fellowship of such kind of sinnes according to that of the Apostle if any that is called a brother be a Drunkard with such an one no not to eate 1 Cor. 5. 11. 14. We are to abstain therefore even from this ground if there were no other from those rites whereby drunkennesse is artificially wont to be brought about of which sort are the adjuring of others to drinke by the names of some that are great or deare to them the sending of cups about that all and every one in his order may drinke them off that abuse of lots as it is in some places used to impose a fained and unwritten Law and necessity of drinking upon the guests and such like mysteries of Bacchus and introductions to the excesse of drinking CHAP. 17. Of Good Works BEcause from vertue proceed good Workes concerning them therefore Qu. 1. What is here to be understood by a Worke 1. Ans. A worke in this place ought not to be distinguished from an action as it is distinguished by them who doe account those only for good works which produce something that is good and profitable unto men such as are almes the building and endowing of Temples Colledges Hospitalls c. For although among men which are affected with their owne commodities such workes are in a singular manner above others extolled Yet such works may be so done that that action from whence they come may be in many respects evill although the things done may be usefull and good unto other men 2. Againe even when in such works not the works only but the actions be truly good yet they cannot be equalled to some other actions which carry not so great a pompe 1 Tim. 3. 1. Iam. 5. 20. 3. This thing ought so much the more diligently to be observed because it pertains much to the comfort of the poorer sort of believers who have hardly any power to doe any thing that may tend to the externall good of others It serves also to abate the insolency of certaine rich Men who thinke that they onely doe good workes and none but they Q. 2. Concerning the efficient cause of good works it may be domanded whether the works of 〈◊〉 unregenerate whereby they doe in some sort the same thing which the regenerate doe in their good works be good works or no 4. Ans. In such kind of works we are to distinguish betweene the substance as I may say of the worke and the fault of the person wherewith it is defiled the substance of such works is good because they are the things of the Law Rom. 2. 14. Now every worke so far as it agreeth with Gods Law is good But for all that there be some vices cleaving to them which come partly from the person that doth them partly from the manner of doing whereby such works are so defiled that though in their owne nature and in respect of others they be good yet in respect of any spirituall obedience yielded by them unto God they are not good Esa. 1. 13. Esa 66 3. Qu. 3. How then can the works of the regenerate be good seeing they are many wayes defiled 5. Ans. Although evill doth alwayes cleave both to the persons and the actions of the godly Rom. 7. 21. Yet this evill in their holy duties takes not away the essence of a spirituall duty but hinders and diminisheth the degree and perfection thereof because all the causes of such works are good and only the adjuncts evill and so the imperfection being covered in Christ the works are for Christs sake acceptable and pleasing unto God 1 Pet. 2. 5. Qu. 4. Concerning the matter of good works it may be demanded whether it is not lawfull for us at our owne plâ—…asure to make choice of something in which to yield honour and obedience unto Gâ—…d 6. This is expresly forbiden Deut. 12. 8. 32. Num. 5. 39. Mat. 15. 9. Mark 7. 7. 7. Secondly it doth imply a contradiction that we should yield obedience to God in those things whereof he hath given us no Commandement Neither without obedience can we give any honour to God that may be pleasing to him All works therefore of our owne chusing are only good before men through a fained and vaine persuasion but not before God 8. Thirdly yet there is some difference to be observed in good works in regard of the matter for some are expresly and immediatly enjoyned to all as the duties of the morall Law others are not commanded to all but to some only and that is not expresly and immediatly but consequently and upon the supposition of certaine circumstances by which it comes to passe that bic nunc in some particular case they partake of the nature of preceptâ—… 9. In such things the will of God is to be gathered and collected by a fillogisme whose generall proposition is contained in the Scripture the assumption dependeth upon gift call or such like speciall circumstances and the conclusion is out of the proposition so derived by the assumption that in respect of this or that man such or such a time it hath the same force of binding with a generall Commandement For example all ought to cut off occasion of calumny and scandall and to take that course which make most for the furtherance of the Gospell and the edification of the Church This is the proposition 1 Cor. 10. 31. 32. 33. Now Paul considering all circumstances did thus assume I Paul if I shall freely preach the Gospell shall cut off occasion of calumny 2 Cor. 11. 12. I shall further the Gospell 1 Cor. 9. 23. And edify the Church 1 Cor. 9. 19. Hence this conclusion followes therefore I Paul ought to preach the Gospell freely 1 Cor. 9. 15. Againe all ought according to the gifts which they have and their vocation to promote the Gospell 1 Cor. 7. 17. I have the gift of continency and the present necessity makes the single life more fit to further the Gospell then marriage 1 Cor. 26. Therefore I ought to continue in that single estate 10. If this explication be duely observed it will easily without any longer dispute overthrow the Doctrine of the Papists who make distinction betweene Evangelicall counsells and the Lawes of God Qu. 5. Concerning the end of good worke it is demanded what force intention hath to make an action either good or bad 11. Ans. A good intention by it selfe cannot make a good action because goodnesse is a perfection and doth arise from the perfection and integrity of all the causes Neither is there any action so wicked but may be committed out of some good
all thee circumstances is necessarily either good or bad the reason is because the determination of an action doth not depend upon one circumstance apart but upon all jointly together 14. Fourthly there may be some singular action in which there is no goodnesse speciall to be found which may not be found in another and so that at this time we doe this or that rather then another thing therein is oftetimes neither good nor evill Opportunity or the suggestion of our minds without any respect of morall goodnesse may be of weight sufficient to make the determination 15. Fifthly although therefore there bâ—… no singular actions humane that is neither good nor evill yet there are divers which singularly and in comparison of others are neither necessary nor unlawfull For as the Câ—…rver hath oftentimes no certain reason why he rather makes this image then that yet if he make any it is necessary that he either follow the rules of his Art and make a good one or faile and so make a bad one So it is in many singular actions of men which in respect of the exercise have no proper reason beside the inclination of the mind but in the doing they are either good or bad CHAP. 19. Of a voluntary Act. QUest 1. Whether in a good or evill act there be necessarily required an inclination of the will 1. Ans. First the will is the principle and the first cause of all humane operation in regard of the exercise of the act For we therefore doe this or that rather then another thing because we will As God himselfe is said to do all things of his owne Will Eph. 1. 11. So also doth man who is made after the Image of God The first cause therefore of the goodnesse or sinfulnesse of any Act of man is in the Will 2. Secondly liberty also of election is formally in the will that therefore any one doth yield obedience to God or refuseth to do so proceeds from the will 3. Lastly our obedience stands in our conformity to the Will of God and the disobedience in our unconformity thereunto Now our conformity with the Will of God is first and principally in our will Apoc. 2. 6. Qu. 2. What are those things which make an action to become not voluntary 4. Ans. Nothing at all but either absolute violence of constraint or chance which could not be foreseen or prevented And for such things as are done through absolute violence or meere chance they have neither the nature of Obedience or sin As if one should be forced to offer incense or bow the knee before an Idoll or should meerely by chance kill another Dâ—…ut 19. 56 10. Q. 3. What are we to thinke of those actions which are done through ignorance 5. Ans. First that ignorance which is in some sort a cause of the action so that if a man knew what he did he would not Doe it if it be unvoluntary both in it selfe and in its cause that is not affected nor procured nor tolerated doth make the action meerly casuall and unvoluntary and so excuseth from sin 6. Secondly ignorance of the Law doth nevev wholly excuse because all men are bound to know the Will of God but yet it doth somewhat lessen the fault if it be not affected 1 Tim. 1. 13. Iohn 4. 41. Acts 3. 17. But if it be affected it is of it selfe a sin and so doth not diminish but rather increase the guilt of other sins 2 Pet. 3. 5. 7. Thirdly an Ignorance of the fact if a man â—…ath used such diligence as he ought doth excuse him because by such an ignorance the fact is made casuall So Iacob being deceived lay with Leah whom he tooke to be Rachell Gen. 29. But if due diligence have not beene used ignorance of the fact doth not altogether excuse although it do somewhat lessen the fault And this seemes to have beene the case of Abimilâ—…ch Gen. 20. 5. Qu. 4. What are we to judge of those actions which are done through feare 8. Ans. First feare doth not simply make an action unvoluntary but doth considering the circumstances of time and place c. impell a man to will this or that As appeares in that knowne instance of the merchant who is induced through feare of death to throw away his merchandize into the Sea Feare therefore doth never wholly excuse from sin yea more feare it self is oft a sin forbidden and a cause too of most grievous sins Mat. 10. 26. Phil. 1. 28. 1 Pet. 3. 14. Apoc. 21. 8. Although therefore a great feare or terrour such as is wont sometimes to trouble even a man of good courage before men be accounted for a good excuse and is of force to make contracts done through feare void yet before God such an excuse will not be taken 9. Secondly yet that sin which is committed through some strong terrour is not so grievous if other things be alike as that which is committed of the voluntary inclination of the will without any such feare of danger because in feare the temptation is stronger and such a fall if repentance follow doth proceed not so much from malice as from infirmity and perturbation And this was Peters case when he denied Christ. Qu. 5. What are we to judge of those actions which are done through concupiscense 10. Ans. Concupiscense doth not make an act cease to be voluntary neither doth it indeed diminish the voluntarinesse of it in respect of the act but increaseth it rather For he that doth a thing out of concupiscense hath a will strongly inclined to that which it doth as is appeares either delightfull or profitable to him if therefore the concupiscense be fixt the sin 's the greater as it was in â—…das who betrayed Christ out of coverousnesse of 〈◊〉 Qu. 6. What are we to judge of those actions which are done through inadvertency or â—…hrough not minding of what we doe 11. Ans. Inadvertency or mindlesnesse is of the same nature with ignorance because it diâ—…ers not from it but only as the privation of an act doth differ from the privation of a disposition Inadvertency therefore is it selfe often a fin and is opposed to watchfulnesse At such a time therefore as wee are bound to watch and attend if we watch not and attend not we may be rightly said to will this watchfulnesse not to will it yea to will our inadvertency Esa. 1. 3. 12. Againe this inadvertency is sometimes voluntarily chosen in it selfe Amos 6. 10. Sometimes it is voluntarily chosen in its cause Mat. 13. 〈◊〉 Qu. 7. How are we said to will a thing in its cause 13. Ans. When we doe wil something upon which an other thing followes He which will be present at immoderatdrinkings may be said to will drunkennesse He which willingly gives himselfe to sleepe and idlenesse may be accounted guilty of a willing neglect of the duties of his calling-He which will please men may be said with
is absolutely necessary to salvation Luke 13. 3. The reason of the consequence lies here because he which desires the end desires also those means which hee sees to have a necessary connection with that end 3. That sinne is the cause of our separation from God Esa. 59. 2. This reason holds because the believer by his Faith doth adhere to God and therefore turnes away from all those things which worke a separation twixt God and him 4. That there is an utter opposition betwixt sinne and ouâ—… vocation and Faith and Life 2 Cor. 6. 15 16. 1 Thess. 4. 7. 1. The argument is strong because he which affirmes one of the contraries denies the other 5. That the mercies of God towards him by all which he is lead unto repentance are exceeding great Rom. 2. 4. 5. Ier. 84. 5. 12. 6. That Christ suffered most grievous anguish for our sins Zac. 12. 12. By which we may learne how horrible they be and how much to be detested 7. That impenitency in it selfe is the most grievous sinne and that it is the continuation the sealing up and the amplification of all sinnes besides 8. That there are great promises made and that the Kingdom of Heaven stands open to all such as repent Esa. 1. 18. 1 Kings 8. 48 49 50. The third Question is what bee the signes of true Repentance 7. Answer First a griefe for sin in respect of the offence done to God by them and not onely in respect of punishment the reason is because repentance doth turue a man from sinne as it is sinne now it is sinne as it doth transgresse the reveal'd will of God and so offendeth him and provokes him to anger This griefe ought to be the greatest of all griefe Zach. 12. 10 11. At the least intellectively in regard of the displeasednesse of the will although in respect of the sense other griefes may sometimes appeare more vehement Griefe or sorow is an offense of the soule arising from hence that it suffereth something which it abhors as being a thing whereby it feels it selfe to be hurt Griefe therefore for sinne doth necessarily accompany true conversion for the mind while it converts it selfe from sinne beginneth to nill sinne or to abhorre it It perceiving therefore that somewhat sticks to it which it doth abhorre cannot chuse but be troubled And because the chiefe reason why the converted soule doth abhorre sinne is that repugnancy which sinne hath to the will of that God to which the soule being converted is now joyned hence it is that griefe for sinne if it be right ariseth rather from this ground because God is thereby offended then because any misery is brought upon our selves 8. Secondly a hatred of sinne as a thing above all others most detestable Apocal. 2. 6. This hatred if it be sincere 1. Is caried against all knowne sinnes without any exception 2. It is constant without intermission 3. It is implacable without reconciliation 4. It is vehement without toleration 9. A third signe is an earnest desire and setled purpose to avoyd all sinne and to live after Gods Law for the future The reason is because he which doth detest and hate sinne for this reason because it is sinne and offends Gods Majesty will as well abhorre future sinnes as those which are past for these do every whit as much offend God as the other and no man can avoid future sinnes unlesse hee do purpose and determine with himselfe as strongly as he can that he will never upon any condition commit sinne againe This purpose if it be sincere 1. Doth cause a separation as far as possible may be from present sinnes and from occasions of future sinnes 2. It intendeth every thing that it is good 3. It seekes for it effectually in a diligent indeavour and use of the meanes 4. It carefully labours to remove all impediments as well internall as externall The fourth Question is how a man can repent of such sins as he cannot come to the knowledge of 10. Answer He which formally and distinctly repents of all his knowne sinnes hath a virtuall and conâ—…used repentance even for those sinnes which hee knoweth not Psalme 19. 13. The fifth Question is whither it be sufficient for a man to repent once 11. Ans. First past sinnes are not to be forgotten Deut. 9. 7. No not those which were committed in youth Psalme 25. 7. 2 This remembrance of former sinnes is profitable 1. to humble us Deut. 9. 6. 7. 2. To stir up thankefulnesse towards God 1 Tim. 1. 12. 3. 10. 3 To make us pitifull and gentle to other sinners Titus 3. 2. 3. But as oft as our sinnes come to minde we ought to be affected with shame and sorrow for them Gen. 41 9. Ez. 16. 61. 63. 1 Cor. 15. 9. It is true that horrour which is wont at ones first conversion to ceize upon the soule returnes not to the faithfull by the remembrance of their old sinnes because of the Mercy of God which thorough Christ they have obtained but yet shame and blushing is a thing that doth become Saints very well Rom. 6. 21. So that it is made a note of a wicked man that hath not yet repented of his sinnes if hee can thinke on them and call them to minde with pleasure Iob. 20. 12. Pro. 2. 14. 12. Secondly Repentance is to be renued dayly as sinnes are renued 2 Tim. 1. 6. Ier. 8. 6. For as a Candle newly put out and yet smoaking is kindled againe and reviveth by a small blast so the soule is freed from ordinary straights and dangers by a seasonable that is by a dayly renuing of Repentance A member out of joynt is to be set as soone as may be 3. After extraordinary sinnes extraordinary repentance also is necessary Psal. 51. 1. 1 Corin. 5. 2. 2 Cor. 7. 9. 12. 21. CHAP. 9. Of Adoption VPon Faith in Christ followes justification and adoptition but because justification doth properly consist in relation therefore there is no peculiar thing about it that belongs to Conscience besides those which either were spoken of before in the Questions about Faith or are hereafter to be spoken of amongst those things which belong to Sanctification Glorification and Obedience If any one be certaine of his Faith in Christ and yet do doubt in Conscience whether he be justified before God this happens through want of wisdome to infer the conclusion out of the promises This defect therefore is remedied by a right information about the nature of justification For all the promises of the Gospell concerning remission of sinnes justification and life eternall do as well belong to every particular believer and may and ought as well to be apprehended and applied by him unto himselfe as if his owne name were written in the Scriptures The reason is because whatsoever is promised to Faith or to the faithfull in generall is promised expresly to all and every true believer in particular There is the
strength and in a fortifying of them against troubles For whereas the faithfull oft times like weake women through the apprehension of some terrible evill doe fall as it were into a swound and all their strength is dissolved God on the other side in this defect makes a supply by his grace of confirmation we have a notable example of this Dan. 10. 8. There remained no strength in me 10. And behold a hand touched me which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands and he said unto me stand upright and 18. Then there came againe and toucht me one like the appearance of a man and he strengthned me and said O man greatly beloved feare noâ—… peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong and when he had spoken unto me I was strengthned and said let my Lord speakeâ—… for thou hast strengthned me And this is a grace which we are commanded to seek for Heb. 12. 12. CHAP. 16. Of Afflictions THe second Question is what those evills be against which the faithfull ought to seeke consolation Ans. They are either corporall as the afflictions of this life and death or spirituall as spirituall temptations and sins The third Question is by what arguments a believer may be confirmed and comforted against the afflictions of this life 1. Ans. First such kinde of afflictions are common to man 1 Cor. 10. 13. And are wont to be accomplisht in believers while they live here 1 Pet. 5. 9. Act. 14. 22. 2. Secondly without Gods Providence not so much as a haire of our head shall perish Mat. 10 30. Luk. 21. 18. 3. Thirdly the fatherly love of God is wont to be manifest in the afflictions of the faithfull Heb. 12. 6. 4. Fourthly Christ himselfe hath suffered and overcome all the afflictions of the World to the intent he might succor us Heb. 4. 15. 5. Fifthly God together with the temptation will strenthen by the spirit and make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10. 13. 6. Sixthly the time of affliction is but short 2 Cor. 4. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 10. 7. Seventhly the fruit of afflictions is saving For every chastening yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them that are exercised therewith Heb. 12. 11. The fourth Question is whether we are to comfort our selves after one sort in all afflictions 8. Ans. There be diverse kinds of afflictions so there be severall wayes of consolation For some afflictions are brought upon us by men for righteousnesse sake for the cause of Christ and his Gospell and Kingdome Mat. 5. 10. 11. Marke 10. 29. Luke 18. 29. These afflictions are commonly styled by the name of persecution or the Crosse because of the resemblance which they have to and participation with the Crosse of Christ Phil. 3. 10. In these kindes of afflictions consolation is easy and at hand for we ought even to account the afflictions of this nature and for such a cause to be themselves an argument of great comfort Mat. 5. 12. Acts 5. 14. Iames 1. 2. 1 Pet. 4. 14. 16. The reason is because in those persecutions which wee suffer for righteousnesse sake there is the nature of a testimony mâ—…tyrdome and example whereby we glorify God before men And so out of the eater comes forth meat according to Sampsons riddle Iud. 14. 9. Some afflictions are laid upon us by God to prove us and to trie us Exo. 15. 25. 16. 5. Deut. 8. 2. 1â—… These are properly call'd tryalls and temptations In these kinds of afflictions our consolation is not to be fetcht from the temptation it selfe but from our manner of bearing is when we through the grace of God in such a condition do sanctify and glorify his Name Iob. 1. 24. Our principall care therefore ought to be to frame and compose our selves to a right bearing of these afflictions and the comfort will follow of its own accord 10. Some afflictions are laid upon us as punishments and corrections Iob. 36. 9 10. Hâ—… 12 6. For these although there be some comfort contain'd in Gods Fatherly manner of chastening Heb. 1â—… 7 8. Yet this comfort cannot 〈◊〉 solidly apprehended but onely in making right use of the afflictions themselves Ibid. 6. 11. Here therefore our first care must be to make right use of these visitations before we seeke after comfort 11. These kind of afflictions are not so different but that they may meete together in one and the same trouble For in persecution the faithfull are alwayes tried sometimes corrected but yet there may be trials and corrections often times without persecution and when they do meet together some of these kinds may more appeare in some then others The first Question is what a man in afflictions ought to do to the end that he may obtaine true and solid comfort 12. Ans. First he ought to acknowledge the hand of God afflicting him Esa. 26. 11. Iob. 5. 6. 8. Amos 3. 6. For this consideration is the foundation of patience 1 Sam. 3. 18. Ps. 39. 10. And of all those saving truths which are received by afflictions Esa. 9. 13. 13. Secondly he ought to search his wayes and acknowledge his sinnes Lam. 3. 39 40. Iob. 36 9 10. For although all afflictions are not alwayes sent directly and principally for sinne yet sinne is the fountaine and foundation of all afflictions Rom. 5. 1â—… It is therefore a course most equall most safe and most pleasing to God that in our afflictions we behold our sins which either have directly procured them or at least deserved them 14. Thirdly he ought to submit himselfe in the presence of God and under his mighty hand Iames 4. 10. 1 Pet. 5. 6. 2 Sam. 15. 20 Levit. 26. 41. Otherwise the chastening of God is contemned and men shew their security and vaine confidence Pro. 3. 11. Heb. 12. 5. 15. Fourthly he ought by humble repentance to seeke the face and favour and mercy of God Psa. 57. 2. Lam. 3. 41. Amos 4. 12. Hos. 5. 15. 6. 1 14. 2. There are three seasons wherin we ought to seeke God by repentance 1. presently after sinne committed 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. 2. after some feare of punishment or some threatning of God Eph. 2. 1. 2. 3 After that the wrath of God hath in some sort broke in upon us Dan. 9. 13. Those Christians are the best which lay hold upon the first opportunity for they declare that they do hate sinne simply for it selfe those that make use of the second season come next to them For such believe although they see not but those that repent not in the third season are altogether desperate 16. Fifthly he ought to see that he profit by his affliction in all the parts of new obedience 2 Cron. 28. 22. Esa. 26. 9. Iob. 36. 10. Hebrewes 12. 10. Esay 27. 11. Leviticus 26. 18. 21. 28. 17. Sixthly he ought patiently to expect what end the Lord will make 1 Cor. 10. 13.
affections about worldly things Luke 8. 14. 3 A spirituall satiety or fulnesse that is a presumption of our own sufficiency and a resting in that degree and measure to which we have attained Phil. 3. 13 14. 4 Sloth Feare and carnall wisdome Iud. 1 19. 21. 27 28. 29 30. 31 32. 33. 5 Familiarity with the world or the commonesse of sinne abounding in others Mat. 24. 22. 6 The practice of such things as our conscience alloweth not Rom. 14. 20. 21. 7 Indulgence to our selves in our own corruptions 1 Cor. 5. 6. 2 Corinthians 7. 11. Ephes. 4. 29. 30. 23. Secondly we ought often and seriously to meditate upon the love and mercy of God toward us Pro. 25. 21. 22. 24. Thirdly we ought to meditate daily of our imperfections Phil. 3. 13 14. 25. Fourthly we ought to be diligent in the use of all those meanes which God hath appointed for the begetting of grace in us 1 Thess. 5. 16. 20. 26. Fifthly we ought to associat with them that have the zeale of God Pro. 22. 24 25. 27. 17. Among such we must especially desire those Ministers whose tongues have beene touched with a coale from the Altar Esay 6. For by notorious and lamentable experience even in reformed Churches that is found to be true which the author heretofore praised writ long since The words of life in the lips of many Doctors preachers are dead in regard of the vertue and efficacy For they doe so coldly and dully preach the words of God that they seem even to be dead in their lips Whence it comes to passe that as they themselves are cold and dead even so doe they leave their hearers cold and dead and I would to God they did not make them so I knew a man that for this cause left the City Paris For he said that he was made colder and colder daily with the Lectures and Sermons in Paris And that he was affraid if he should stay longer there he should be quite frozen to death stiritually Wherefore he got him to certaine zealous persons as unto hot coals that conversing among them he might nourish and increase his heat The fifth Question is whether zeal is to be judged according to the sence thereof and the manner of exercising 27. Ans. Not alwayes For zeale is greater essentially in regard of the things about which it is conversant or accidentally in regard of some circumstances which happen and doe not alwayes remaine the same For example married folks loving one another dearly are sometimes more affected upon the very marriage then in that constant society of life which afterward followes But this is by accident because of the novelty of the thing But in very deed they may afterward rejoyce as much or more 28. So also the faithfull in the first conversion may finde often greater motions of their affections then afterward because of the novelty of the thing though there be afterward an increase in the true zeale of God Some such thing is affirmed even of the Angells Lu. 15. 7. 29. In old age or in some such like decay of strength although there may be the same zeale or more then was before yet it is not put forth in some in the same manner that it was in in their younger dayes 30. Variety of education may bring a great diversity in the manner of exercising ones zeale when yet there may be an equall zeale in respect of the essence of it The sixth Question is whether one and the same thing may be lawfully a matter of zeale and laughter 31. Ans. That this may be appeareth in the example of Eliah 1 Kings 18. 27. with 19. 10. 14. But yet not in the same respect For zeale hath for its object something either honest or filthy but laughter is caused by the apprehension of an unexpected thing that lightly pleaseth without the consideration of honesty or filthinesse CHAP. 7. Of peace and tranquillity of Conscience BEcause the concomitant object of obedience is a quiet Conscience Concerning peace of Conscience The first Question is how peace of Conscience doth depend upon our obedience 1. Ans. It depends not upon our obedience as upon the principall cause but rather upon that justification which we have by Christ Jesus Romans 5. 1. Heb. 10. 22. 1 pet 3. 21. 1 Cor. 4. 4. 2. They which goe about to rest in themselves or in their own works can never finde any solid tranquillity in their Consciences both because of the diverse falls and because of the manifold imperfections which adhere to the endeavours of the best men while they live in this World And hence it is that those that are popish must needs be vexed with perpetuall doubts both in life and death because of the opinion which they have of the Righteousnesse and Merits of their works which are yet by their owne confession uncertaine 3. Secondly it depends upon our obedience 1. as upon that whereby the contrary is removed or as upon that which removes the impediment 1 Sam. 25. 31. 1 Ioh. 3. 18. 21. 2 As upon the procâ—…eant cause or secondary reason thereof 2 Cor. 1. 12. 4 Now this is so to be understood as that the tranquillity of Conscience in regard of those actions which are agreeable to the Law of God is to be conceived to depend upon obedience in regard of the thing it selfe But that tranquillity which respects our state before God it to be â—…scribed â—…o otherwise to our obedience as to the cause but only in respect of the certainty of our perceiving of it and that our obedience respecteth the thing it selfe as the signe and effect thereof hence that phrase so ofâ—… used by Iohn By this we know and such like Ioh 2. 3. 5. 29. 3. 10 14. 19. 4. 13. 5. Peace of Conscience also depends upon obedience as upon the conservant cause For righteousnesse not impuâ—…ed nor inherent but of the life and conversation is the brest-plate of a believer whereby he is guarded and defended and is perfectly safe and quiet Eph. 6. 14. 1 Ioh. 3. 7. 1 Cor. 4. 3. Hence it is that that righteousnesse which consists in obedience is called the righteousnesse of a good Conscience Acts 24. 10. 6. Now obedience doth preserve and maintaine peace of Conscience not only as a signe of our reconciliation with God but also as a continuation and an exercise of that life which is acceptable and pleasing unto God Col. 1. 10. Thess. 4. 1. Heb. 12. 28. Not that there is any such perfection in our obedience as can satisfy the Law of God but because that after our persons by faith in Christ become acceptable to God then by vertue of the same faith for Christs sake our obedience though weake and polluted is accepted before God 1 Pet. 2. 5. The second Question is what is that obedience by the presence whereof the Conscience may enjoy peace 7. Ans. First an absolute perfection is