have walked in mine 〈◊〉 c. Prooue me O Lord and me me examine 〈◊〉 and my heart That the conscience can do this 〈◊〉 specially appeares in the conflict combat made by it against the deuill on this maner The deuill begins and disputes thus Thou O wretched man art a most grieuous sinner therefore thou art but a damned wretch The conscience answereth and saith I know that Christ hath made a satisfaction for my sinnes and freed me from damnation The deuill replyeth againe thus Though Christ haue freed thee from death by his death yet thou art quite barred from heauen because thou neuerr didâ—â—st fulfill the lawe The conscience answereth I knowe that Christ is my righteousnesse and hath fulfilled the lawe for me Thirdly the deuill replies and saith Christs benefites belong not to thee thou art but an hypocrite and wantest faith Now when a man is driuen to this straight it is neither wit nor learning nor fauour nor honour that can repulse this temptation but onely the poore conscience directed and sanctified by the spirit of God which boldly and constantly answereth I know that I beleeve And though it be the office of conscience 〈◊〉 it is once â—…d principally to excuse yet doth it also in part accuse When Dauid had â—…d the people his heart sâ—… him 2 Sam. 24. 10. Iob faith in his affliction that God 〈◊〉 write bitter things against him 〈◊〉 him possâ—sse the sâ—nnes of his youth Iob. 13. 26. The reason hereof is because the whole man and the very conscience is onely in part regenerate and therefore in some part remaines still corrupt Nâ—â—ther must it seeme strange that one and the â—ame conscience should both accuse and excuse because it doth it not in one and the same respâ—… Iâ— excuseth in that it assureth a man that his person standes righteous before God and that he hath an indeauour in the generall course of his life to please God it accuseth him for his particular slippes and for the wants that be in his good actions If any shall demaund why God doth not perfectly regenerate the conscience and cause it only to excuse the answere is this God doth it for the preventing of greater mischiefes When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan the Cananiâ—â—s were not at the first wholly displaced Why Moses rendreth the reason least wilde beasts come and inhabite some parts of the land that were dispeopled and more annoy them then the Cananites In like maner God renues the conscience but so as it shall still accuse when occasion serueth for the preuenting of many dangerous sinnes which like wild beastes would make hauock of the soule Thus much of good conscience Now followes euill conscience and it is so called partly because it is defiled and corrupted by originall sinne and partly because it is euill that is troublesome painfull in our sense feeling as all sorrows calamities miseries are which for this very cause also are called evils And though coÌ„science be thus termed euil yet hath it some respects of generall goodnes in â—s much as it is an instrument of the execution of diuine iustice because it seemes to accuse them before God which are iustly to be accused It hath spred it selfe ouer mankind as generally as originall sinne therfore it is to be found in all men that come of Adam by ordinary generation The property of it is with all the power it hath to accuse condemne therby to make a man afraid of the presence of God to cause him to flie froÌ„ God as from an enemy This the Lord signified when he said to AdaÌ„ Aâ—… where art thou When Peter saw some litle glimbring of the power and maiesty of God in the great draught of fish he fell on his knees and saide to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man Euill conscience is either deade or Stirring Dead conscience is that which though it can do nothing but accuse yet commonly it lyeâ— quiet accusing litle or nothing at all The causes why conscience lyeth dead in all men either more or lesse are many I. Defect of reason or understanding in crased braines II. Violence and strength of affections which as a cloud do ouercast the mind c as a gulfe of water swallow up the iudgement and reason and therby hinder the conscience from accusing for when reason can not doe his part then conscience doth nothing For exaÌ„ple some one in his rage behaues himselfe like a mad man and willingly commits any mischiefe without controlment of conscience but when choller is down he begins to be ashamed and troubled in himselfe not alwaies by grace but euen by the force of his naturall conscience which when affection is calmed begins to stirre as appeareth in the example of Cain III. Ignorance of Gods will errors in iudgement cause the conscience to be quiet when it ought to accuse This we find by experience in the deaths of obstinate hercukes which suffer for their damnable opinions without checke of conscience Dead conscience hath two degrees The first is the slumbring or the benummed conscience the second is the feared conscience The benummed conscience is that which doth not accuse a man for any sinne vnlesse it be grieuous or capitall not alwaies for that but only in the time of some grievous sickenesse or calamity Iosephs brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villany in selling their brother till afterwarde when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt Geues 42. 2. This is the conscience that commonly raignes in the hearts of drousie protestants of all carnall and lukewarme-gospellers and of such as are commonly tearmed ciuill honest men whose apparent integritie will not free them from guiltie consciences Such a conscience is to be taken heede of as being most dangerous It is like a wilde beast which so long as hee lyes a sleepe seemes very â—ame and gentle and hurtes no man but when he is rowzed he then awakes and flies in a mans face and offers to pull out his throate And so it is the manner of dead conscience to lye still and quiet euen through the course of a mans life and hereupon a man would thinke as most do that it were a good conscience indeed but wheÌ„ sicknesse or death approcheth it beeing awaked by the hande of God beginnes to stande up on his legges and shewes his fierce eyes and offers to rende out euen the very throate of the soule And heathen poets knowing this right well haue compared euill conscience to Furies pursuing men with firebrands The seared conscience is that which doeth not accuse for any sinne no not for great sinnes It is compared by Paul 1. Tim. 4. v. 2. to the parte of a mans body which is not onely berefe of sense life motion by the gangrene but also is burnt with a searing yron and therefore must needes
paradise the forbidden fruite is the strong desire of these earthly things the serpent is the olde eâ—â—my the deuill who is hee may be suffered to intangle us with the loue of the world will straight way put us out of out paradise and barre vs from all good conscience The remedy is to learne the lesson of Paul Philip 4. 12. which is in euery estate in which God shall place vs to be content esteeming euermore the present condition the best for us of all Now that this lesson may be learned wee must further labour to be resolued of Gods speciall prouidence towards vs in euery case and condition of life and when we haue so well profited in the schoole of Christ that we can see and acknowledge Gods providence and goodnesse as well in sicknesse as in health in pouerty as in wealth in hunger as in fulnes in life as in death we shall be very well content whatsoeuer any way befalls unto us The preseruatiues of good conscience are two The first is to preserue and cherish that saâ—…g faith whereby we are perswaded of our reconciliation with God in Christ for this is the roote of good conscience as hath bene shewed now this faith is cherished and confirmed by the daily exercises of inuocation and repentaÌ„ce which be to humble our selues to bewaile and to confesse our sinnes to God to condemne our selues for them to pray for pardon strength against sinne to praise God giue him thanks for his daily benefits Now by the unfained serious practise of these duties repentance and faith are daily renued and confirmed The second preseruatiue is the maintaining of the righteousnesse of a good conscience which righteousnesse as I haue said is nothing els but a constant endeauor and desire to obey the will of God in all things That this righteousnesse may be kept to the end we must practise three rules The first is that wee are to carry in our hearts a purpose neuer to sinne against God in any thing for where a purpose is of committing any sinne wittingly and willingly there is neither good faith nor good conscience The second is to walke with God as Enoch did Genes 5. v. 24. which is to order the whole course of our liues as in the presence of God desiring to approoue all our doings euen unto him Now this perswasion that wheresoeuer we are we do stand in the presence of God is a notable meanes to maintaine sinceritie Genes 17. v. 1. I am God all sufficient vvalke before me and be perfect And the want of this is the occasion of many offences as Abraham saide Because I thought surely the feare of God is not in this place they will slay me for my wiues sake Gen. 20. 11. The third rule is carefully to walke in our particular callings doing the duties therof to the glory of God to the good of the common wealth and the edification of the Church auoiding therein fraud covetousnesse and ambition which cause men oftentimes to set their consciences on the tenters and make them stretch like cheverill Thus we see how good conscience may be preserued Reasons to induce vs hereunto are many I. Gods straight commandement 1. Tim. 1. v. 19. Keepe faith and good conscience And Prover 4. 23. Keepe thine heart vvith all dili gence II. The good conscience is the most tender part of the soule like to the apple of the eye which beeing pearced by the least pinne that may be is not onely blemished but also looseth his sight Therefore as God doeth to the eye so must wee deale with the conscience God giues to the eye certaine liddes of flesh to defende and couer it from outwarde iniuries and so must wee vse meanes to auoide whatsoeuer may offend or annoy conscience III. Manifold benefits redound vnto us by keeping good conscience First so long as we haue care to keepe it we keepe and enioy all other gifts of Gods spirit Good conscience and the rest of Gods graces are as a paire of turtle dowes when the one feeds the other feedeth when the one likes not the other likes not when the one dies the other dies so where good conscience is maintained there are many other excellent giftes of God flourishing and where conscience decayes they also decay Againe good conscience giues alacrity vnto vs boldnesse in calling on Gods name 1. Ioh. 3. 21. If our heart condemne vs not we have boldnesse towardes God Thirdly it makes vs patient in affliction and comforts vs greatly and when by reason of the grievousnesse of our affliction we are constrained to kneele on both knees take up our crosse regenerate conscience as a sweete companion layes too his shoulder and helpes to beare one end of it Lastly when none can comfort vs it will be an amiable comforter and a friend speaking sweetely vnto vs in the very agony and pang of death IV. Not to preserue the conscience without spot is the way to desperation It is the pollicie of the deuill to vse meanes to cast the conscience into the sleepe of security that he may the more easily bring men to his owne destruction For as diseases if they be long neglected become incurable so the coÌ„science much and often wounded admitts no comfort Neither will it alwaies boote a man after many yeres to say at the last cast Lord be mercifull to me I haue sinned Though some be receiued to mercy in the time of death yet farre more perish in desperation that liued in their sinnes wittingly willingly against their owne conscience Pharao Saul and Iudas cried all peccavi I haue sinned against God yet Pharao is hardened more more perisheth Saul goeth on in his sinnes and despaireth Iudas made away him-selfe And no maruell for the multitude of sinnes oppresse the conscience and make the heart to ouerflowe with such a measure of griefe that it can fasten no affiance in the mercy of God Lastly they that shall neglect to keepe good conscience procure many hurtes and dangers and iudgements of God to themselues When a ship is on the sea if it be not well gouerned or if there be a breach made into it it drawes water and sinkes and so both men and wares and all in likelihood are cast away Now we all are as passengers the worlde is an huge sea through which we must passe our shippe is the conscience of euery man 1. Tim. 1. 19. 3. 12. the wares are our religion and saluation and all other giftes of God Therefore it stands vs in hand to be alwaies at the helme and to carry our ship with as even a course as possibly we can to the entended port of happinesse which is the saluation of our soules But if so be it we grow carelesse and make breaches into the shippe of conscience by suffering it to dash upon the rockes of sinne it is a thousand to one that we in the end shall cast away our selues and
â—erpent is a part of mankind 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 exâ—â—â—ded from the covenaâ—t And wherâ—… the 〈◊〉 promised to Abraham that in his â—eede all 〈◊〉 â—…ions of the earth should be blessed the â—…ise must not be vnderstood of all men in 〈◊〉 â—â—e but of all â—â—tionâ— in the last age of the 〈◊〉 And thus Pâ—…ath cleared thereâ—… 〈◊〉 3. 8. The Scripture fore seâ—ing that God vvâ—…ld iustiâ—… the Geâ—tiles thrâ—â—gh â—aith which was done after Christs 〈…〉 〈◊〉 preâ—…hed before the â—â—spel to Aâ—… 〈◊〉 tâ—… shall 〈◊〉 be blessed Lastly it may be obiected 〈◊〉 if any man be ignorant of the doctrine of â—…tion by Christ it is througâ— his owne fault it is true indeede that all igâ—…ce of the doctrine of salvation comâ—…â—…h mans fault and sinne but sinne must be â—istinguished it is either persoâ—… oâ— the 〈◊〉 of mans nature Now in them that 〈◊〉 heard of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— this point proceedes not of 〈◊〉 personall 〈◊〉 in them but â—…ly from the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 nature 〈◊〉 iâ— the â—…e of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…kindâ— which 〈◊〉 is punished when God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thâ—… Now many things there be 〈…〉 men proceeding from this sâ—… which 〈◊〉 are no sinnes as the mâ—nifold miseries of this liâ—â— so I take the ignorance of things aboue maâ—â— nature altogether vnâ—â—â—ealed to be no â—inne 〈◊〉 a punishment of originall sinne Thus much â—f the persons which are bound by the Goâ—â—â—â— now 〈…〉 〈◊〉 how farreâ—… they are â—…d by 〈…〉 God in the Gospel gâ—…lly 〈◊〉 two points vnto 〈◊〉 the first that there is perfect â—ighâ—â—ousnes and life 〈◊〉 â—o 〈◊〉 Christ the second that the 〈◊〉 to obtaine righteousnes and life 〈…〉 Christ. Moreouer when this Gospel 〈◊〉 dispeâ—…sed and preached vnto vs God â—…les vnto vs two points more the first 〈◊〉 â—ee 〈◊〉 make vs particularly to be partakers of true righteousnesse and life euerlasting by Câ—… the second that hee will haue vs withâ—… doubting to beleeue thus much of our sâ—… â—nd for this cause euery man to 〈◊〉 â—he 〈◊〉 is â—…led iâ— bound to beleeue his 〈◊〉 no dâ—â—tion iustification sanctification and gloriâ—â—cation in and by Christ. The reasons and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this point out of the wâ—â—d of God â—re thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 1. Io◠〈…〉 This is his 〈◊〉 that we beleeue iâ— the name of his sâ—…e â—â—sâ—â— Christ and loâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 as â—e gaâ—e vs câ—…ment Now to beleeue in Christ is not conâ—â—sedly to beleeue that he is a redeemer of mankind but withall to beleeue that he is my â—…iour and that I am elected iustified sanctified and shalbe glorified by him This is graunted of all then yea of the Papists themselues which otherwise are 〈◊〉 â—f this doctrine For â—…berd saith To beleeâ—e iâ— Goâ— is by beleeuing to loâ—e â—â—d 〈◊〉 iâ—â—â—re to gâ—â— into God by beleeâ—ing to clâ—… vnto him and as it were to be 〈◊〉 into his â—…bers II. Paul Gal. 2. â—6 first of all propounds a generall sentence That a 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 iustified by the workes of the law 〈◊〉 by the faith of Christ. Afterwaâ—d he addes a speciall application Eâ—en we namely Iowes 〈◊〉 beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and in v. 〈◊〉 he descends more specially to apply the Gospel to himselfe I liue saith he by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 himselfe for me And in this kinde of application there is nothing peculiar to Paul for in this very action of his he is an example vnto vs 1. Tim. 1. 16. Fâ—â— this cause saith he was I receiued to 〈◊〉 that Iesus Christ should sheâ— first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all loâ—g â—â—ffering vnto the eâ—sample of theâ— which shall in time to câ—…e beleeâ—e in â—im to â—terâ—â—ll life Againe Philip. 3. 8. he saith I thinke allthings but losse that I might winne Christ and might be foâ—nâ— in him not having miâ—e â—vvâ—e righteousnes but that vvhich is through the faith of Christ that I may knovv him 〈◊〉 the vâ—â—â—â—â— of his resurrection and afâ—erward he â—ddeth v. 15. Lâ—t vs as many as be perfect be 〈◊〉 miâ—â—ed III. Whatsoeuer we pray for according to Gods will we are bound to beleeue that it shall be giuen vnto vs. Mark 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye desâ—… when ye pray beleeâ—â— that yâ— shall haue iâ— and it shall be done vnto you But we pray for the pardon of our owne sinnes and for life euerlasting by Christ and that according to the will of God Therefore we are bound in conscience to beleeue the pâ—â—don of our owne sinnes and life euerlasting IV. If God should speake particularly to any man and say vnto him Cornelius or Peter beleeue thou in Christ and thou shalt be saued this commaundemâ—â—â— should binde him particularly Now when the Minister lawfully called in the name and stead of God publisheth the Gospel to the congregation that is as much as if God himselfe had spoken to them particularly calling each of them by their names and promising vnto them life euerlasting in Christ. 2. Cor. 〈◊〉 20. We as ambassadours for Christ as though God did be seech you through vs pray you in Christs stead that ye be reâ—â—â—ciled to God It may be and is obiected that if euery man be bound in conscience to beleeue his owne Election and saluation by Christ then some men are bound to beleeue that which is false because some there be euen in the middest of the Church which in the counsell of God were neuer chosen to saluation I answeare that this reason were good if men were bound absolutely to beleeue their saluation without further respect or condition but the bond is conditionall according to the tenour of the couenant of grace for we are bound to beleeue in Christ if we would come to life euerlasting or if we would be in the â—…uour of God or if we would be good disciples and members of Christ. In that we are bound in conscience on this manner to beleeue the promises of the Gospell with an application of the benefites thereof to our selues sundrie necessarie and profitable points of instruction may be learned The first that the popish Doctours abolish a great part of the Gospel when they teach that men are bound to beleeue the Gospel onely by a Catholicke saith which they make to be nothing else but a gift of God or illumination of the minde whereby assent is giuen to the word of God that it is true and more specially that Iesus is Christ that is an all-sufficient Sauiour of mankinde All which the damned spirits beleeue whereas the Gospel for the comfort and saluation of mens soules hath a further reach namely to inioyne men to beleeue that the promise of saluation is not onely true in it selfe but also true in the very person of the beleeuer as appeares euidently by the Sacraments which are as it were a visible Gospel in which Christ with all his benefits is offered and applied to the particular persons of
the bonde of conscience is betweene man and God but the bonde of an obligation is onely betweene man and man Abraham when hee bought a purchase of Ephron the Hiâ—â—â—te hee payed his money and made it sure before witnesse Gen. 23. vers 17. Here we must consider the generall sinne of this age which is to speak deceitfully euery one to his neighbour It is an hard thing to find a maÌ„ that will stand to his word and lawfull promise It is a rule of Machiâ—vell that a man may practise many things against his faith against charity and humanity and religion and that it is not necessary to haue these vertues but to counterfait and dissemble them But let all such as feare God make conscience of their word because they are bound so to do and hereby they shall resemble their heauenly father who is true in all his promises and they shall also bring soorth a notable fruite of the spirite Galat. 5. vers 22. Hitherto I haue spoken of the cause that maketh conscience to giue iudgemente Now followeth the manner of iudgement CoÌ„scieÌ„ce giues iudgemeÌ„t in or by a kind of reasoning or disputing called a practicall syllogisme Rom. 2. 15. their reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excusing 〈◊〉 other In the making of this reason conscience hath two assistâ—… mind and memory The mind is the storehouse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all manner of rules and principles It may be coâ—…pared to a booke of law in which are 〈◊〉 down the penall statutes of the lande The of it it is to preferre and present to the conscience rules of diuine law whereby it is to giue iudgement Memory serues to bring to mind the particular actions which a maÌ„ hath done or not done that conscience may determine of them Now conscience assisted by these 〈◊〉 proceeds in iudgement by a kinde of argumentation an example whereof we may take from the conscience of a murderer thus Euery 〈◊〉 â—…er is 〈◊〉 â—ed saith the minde Thou art a murderer saith conscience assisted by memory ergo Thou art accur sed saith conscience and so giueth her sentence To proceed Conscience giues iudgement either of things past or things to come Of things past two waies either by accusing condâ—ning or by excusing absoluing Ro. 2. 15. To accuse is an action of conscience giuing 〈◊〉 that this oâ— that thing was â—…ll don 〈◊〉 that still by reasoning on this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 This thy action is 〈◊〉 der 〈◊〉 This thy action is a 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 is another action of the conscience â—â—yned with the former whereby it giueth iudgâ—…t that a man by this or that sinne hath deserued death on this maner â—…ry 〈◊〉 â—â—rer 〈◊〉 serveth a double death Thâ—â— art a 〈◊〉 â—â—rer ergo Thou hast de served a double death These two actions are very sorcible and terrible for they are the â—…ctions and prickings that be in the heart Act. 2. 37. they are the stripes as it were of an iron rodde wherewith the heart of a man smiteth it selfe 2. Sam. 24. 10. And by reason of them conscience is compared to a woâ—â—e that neuer dieth but alwayes lyes gnawing and grabbling and pulling at the heart of man Marc. 9. 42. and causeth more paine and anguish then any disease in the woâ—ld can The time when conscience perfourmes these actions is not before the sinne or in the acte of sâ—â—â—ing but specially after the sinne is done and past Reason I. Before a man sinne the deuill doth extenuate the fault make sinne to be no sinne II. Corrupt affections doe for a time so blind and ouercast iudgement that it doeth not see or at the least consider what is good or bad till afterward Neither doth conscience â—ccuse condeâ—… only for time present but also long after a thing is done The consciences of Iosephs â—…hren accuse them 22. yeres after they had solde him into Egypt Gen. 42. 21. The effect of the accusing and condeâ—ning conscience is to stir vp sundry passions and â—otions in the heart but specially these five The first is shaâ—… which is an affection of the heart whereby a man is grâ—eued and displeased with him-selfe that hee hath done any euill and this shame showeth it selfe by the rising of the bloode from the heart to the 〈◊〉 Yet wee must here remember that 〈◊〉 such as haue the pardon of their sinnes and are not guilty may be ashamed and bâ—â—sh Rom. 6. 21. What frâ—… had yee in those things wherat ye now blush or be ashamed Whereas those which are most guilty may be without all shame Ierem. 6. 15. were they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had â—…itted 〈◊〉 â—â—y â—â—y they vvere not ashamed 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are growen to some great height in sinne Eph. 4. 18. The second passion is sadnesse and sorrowe which is commonly thought to be nothing else but Melancholy but betweene them twaâ—â—e there is great difference Sorow that comes by melancholly ariseth onely of that humour annoying the body but this other sorrow ariseth of a mans sinnes for which his conscience accuseth him Melancholly may be cured by phiâ—…e this sorow 〈◊〉 not be cured by any thing but by the blood of Christ. The third is feare in causing whereof conscience is very forcible If a man had all the delightes and pleasures that heart can wish they can not doe him any good if conscience be guiltie Belshazzar when hee was in the middest of all his delights and saw the hand writing vpon the wall his countenance changed his thoughts troubleâ— him his ioyâ—ts loosed and his knees smote togither Dan. 5. 6. Yea the guiltie conscience will make a man afraid if hee see but a worme peepe out of the ground or a silly creature to goe crosse his way or if hee see but his owne shadowe on a suddaâ—… or if he do but forecast an euill with himselfe Proverb 28. 1. The vvicked flyeth vvhâ—â— no man pur sueth him Terrors of â—oÌ„scieÌ„ce wheÌ„ they are more vehecause other passions in the body as exceeding heare like that which is in the fiâ—t of an agâ—e the rising of the entrals towardes the mouth and swoundingâ— as experience hath often shewed And the writer of the booke of Wisedome saith truly cap. 17. vers 10. It is a 〈◊〉 full thing vvhen malice is condemned by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testâ—monie and a conscience thâ—â— is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever fore-cast cruell things For feare is nothing else but the betraying of the succâ—… that reason offereth c. they that did 〈◊〉 the night that was â—…llerable c. sometimes vvere troubled vvith monâ—…s visions and sometimes they sâ—â—â—ned as though their 〈◊〉 soule should betray them for a sudden feare 〈◊〉 looked for came upon them The fourth is desperation whereby a man through the vehement and constant accusation of his conscience comes to be out of all hope of the pardon of his sinnes This made Saul Achitophel and Indas to hang them selues this
because conscience 〈◊〉 not say of them that they please God Esa. 29. 13. Mark 7. v. 7. Lastly wee learne here that igâ—orâ—nce of Gods will and word is a daungerous thing and makes the life of man to abound yea to flowe with a sea of offences against God Men commonly thinke that if they keepe themselues froÌ„ petiurie blasphemie murder theft whordome all is well with them but the truth is that so long as they liue in ignorance they want right and true direction of conscience out of Gods word and therfore there best actions are sinnes euen their eating and drinking their sleeping and waking their buying and selling their speach and silence yea their praying and seruing of God For they doe these actions either of custome or example or necessitie as beasts doe and not of faith because they know not Gods will touching things to be done or left vndone The consideration of this point should make euery man most carefull to seeke for knowledge of Gods word and daily to increase in it that he may in all his affaires haue Gods lawes to be the men of his counsell Psal. 119. 24. that 〈◊〉 may giue heede to them as to a light shining in a â—â—rke place 〈◊〉 Pet. 1. 19. that he may say with Pâ—â—er when Christ commanded him to lanch forth into the deepe and to cast forth his net Lord â—ve hâ—â—e ben allâ—ight ana haue catched nothing yet in thy word vvill I let dâ—vvne my â—â—t Luk 5. 5. CAP. III. Of the kindes of conscience and of conscience regenerate COnscience is either good or badde Good conscience is that which rightly according to Gods worde excuseth and comforteth For the excellence goodnes and dignitie of conscience standes not in accusing but in excusing And by doing any sinne whatsoeuer to giue an occasion to the conscience to â—…use or condemne is to wound it and to offend in Thus Paul saith that the Corinthians â—…ded the consciences of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whâ—… they vsed their libertie as an â—ccasian of offence to them 1. Cor. 8. 9. 〈◊〉 Agaiâ—… he calleth a good conscience a conscience without offence that iâ— which hath no stoppe o◠〈◊〉 to hinder it from excusing Act. 24. 16. Good conscience is either good by 〈◊〉 or by regeneration Good by creation was the conscience of Adam which in the estate of innocencie did onely excuse could not accuâ—â— him for any thing though it may be an 〈◊〉 to accuse was not wanting 〈◊〉 afterward an occasion should be offered And hence we haue further direction to consider what a good conscience is namely such an one as by the order set downe in the creation exâ—…th onely without accuâ—… 〈◊〉 cuse is a defect in the 〈◊〉 following â—…ter the first creation Fee naâ—â—rally there is an agreement and harmony betweene the parts and the whole but if the conscience should naturally accuse there should be adâ—ssent and disagrâ—â—ment and diuision betweene the conscience and the man himselfe Regenerate conscience is that which bâ—eing corrupt by nature is renewed and purged by faith in the blood of Christ. For to the regenerating of the conscience there is required a conversion or chaunge because by 〈◊〉 all mens consciences since the fall are euill and none are good but by grace The instrument â—…ing to make this chaunge is faith Act. 15. 9. Faith purifieth the heart The mâ—…orious cause is the blood of Christ Hebr. 9. 14. How much more shal the blood of Christ c. purge your conscience froÌ„ dead works to sâ—rue the liuing God The propertie of regenerate conscience is twofold Christian 〈◊〉 Câ—ttentiâ— of saluation Because both these haue their place not in the outward man but in the 〈◊〉 and conscience Châ—istian libeâ—… 〈◊〉 spirituall and holy freedome purchased by Christ. I say it is spiâ—… first to put a difference bâ—…ne it and civill libertie which standes in outward and bodily freedomes and priuiledges secondly to confute the Iewes that looke for earthly libertie by Christ and the Anabaptists who imagine a freedome from all authoritie of magistrates in the kingdome of Christ. Againe I say it is an holy freedome to confute the 〈◊〉 who thinke that by the death of Christ they haue libertie to liue as they list Lastly I say that it is purchased by Christ to shew the author thereof Gal. 5. 1. Standfast iâ— the libertie vvhere with Christ hath made you free And to confute the Papists whose doctrine in effect is thus much that this libertie is prâ—…red indeede by Christ but is continued partly by Christ and partly by the man himselfe Christian libertie hath three parts The first is a freedome from the iustification of the morall lawe For he that is a member of Christ is not bound in conscience to bring the perfect righteousnes of the law in his owne person for his iustification before God Gal. 5. 1. with v. 3. Hence it followeth that he that is a Christian is likewise freed from the curse and condemnation of the law Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. By this first part of Christian libertie it appeares that there cannot be any iustification of a sinner by workes of grace before God For he that will be iustified but by one worke is debter to the vvhole lavv Gal. 3. 3. but no man that is a member of Christ is debter to the whole law for his libertie is to be free in that point therefore no man is iustified so much as by one worke The second part is freedome from the rigour of the law which exacteth perfect obedience and condemneth all imperfection Rom. 6. 14. Sinne hath no more dominion ouer yoâ— for ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace 1. Ioh. 5. 3. This is the loue of God that ye keepe his commandements and his commandements are not grieuous Hence it followeth that God will accept of our imperfect obedience if it be sincere yea he accepts the will desire and indeauour to obay for obedience it selfe Malach. 3. 17. And I vvill spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him The third part is that the conscience is freed from the bond of the ceremoniall law Gal. 3. 25. But after that faith is come we are no more vnder a schoolemaster Eph. 2. 15. And hath broken the stoppe of the partition wall in abrogating through his flesh the lavv of commaundements vvhich standeth in ordinances Coloss. 2. 14. And hath put out the hand vvriting of ordinances vvhich vvas against vs. v. 16. Let no man therefore condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new moone c. Hence it followeth that all Christians may freely without scruple of coÌ„science vse all things indifferent so be it the manner of vsing them be good And first when I say that all may