infected with originall sin not by any physicall contact of the body but by Gods just judgment imputing Adams sin to all his posterity being in his loynes when he sinned upon which imputation followes an inclination to sin as a punishment of Adams transgression so the child is infected with originall sinne not because his Soule is united to his body but because he is the sonne of Adam 25 We are also to beleeve that God from all eternity decreed to create man to his image and foreseeing his voluntary fall ordained to elect some in Christ to salvation and to passe by others which election depended not on mans foreseen Faith or works for God could foresee nothing in himbut what he was to give him nor could the cause be posterior to its effect but election is the cause of Faith and good Works for we are elected that we might be holy Eph. 1. 4. therefore Faith and Works foreseen are no more the causes of election then of Vocation and justification 26 We may like wayes safely beleeve though there be no inherent righteousnesse in us wherby we may be accounted just in Gods sight yet that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse being imputed to us not only by his passive obedience in dying for us but also by his active in fullfilling of the Law for Christ is totally ours both in doing and suffering and as Adams active disobedience made us unjust so Christs active obedience hath made us just and as our sins were to be expiated so life eternall was to be procured for us his suffering expiated our sins therfore his fulfilling of the Law did purchase life eternall for us 27 We are bound also in Conscience to beleeve that the good and evill which befalls us in this life comes not to passe by any Stoicall or fatall necessity nor by fortune or haphazard but by Gods speciall providence by which he guides the world not only in generall but in every particular creature and action also so that the evill actions of men which he ordained not by his predestination are ordered by his providence for God infuseth not evill into mens wills but directeth unto good ends that evill which they perpetrat of their own accord Thus having breifly shewed the Credenda or what in Conscience we are bound to beleeve now I will as breifly set down the Agenda or what things with a safe Conscience we are bound to performe WEE are bound in Conscience to feare God as our Lord and able to cast body and soule into hell fire and as being our Father to love him with all our heart all our strength c. and patiently to beare his corrections as being arguments of his love and knowing that he will lay no more upon us then we can beare also to obey him with the same cheerfullnesse and alacritie that the Angels in heaven do and to be thankfull to him from whom we receive all good things and the blessings both of his right and left hand blessing God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in CHRIST 2 We are bound in Conscience to call upon GOD upon all occasions and to lift up pure hands in all places so that our prayer may be accompanyed with Faith fervency love reverence and humilitie and grounded not upon our own worth but on Christs merits and not directed to Angels or Saints but to God himselfe who alone is omnipotent omnipresent omniscient and will not have his glory given to any other and we are not to pray only for our selves but also for all men even for our enemies therefore must not use imprecations against the person of any man though against their sinns and errors we may for the imprecations we read of in scripture were either predictions or temporary execrations or else they were uttered only against sinne or by such as had the gift of discerning or to whom Gods will was known in that case 3 We are not bound in Conscience to observe all canonicall houres in prayer but we may at all times call upon God nor are we necessarily tied to any place but in all places we may lift up pure hands nor to any particular gesture but we may use any gesture that is reverend nor are we tyed to use the voice for God can heare the inward cries of the heart non vox sed votum 4 We are bound in conscience not only to pray but use sometimes to fast that our prayers may be the more servent and effectuall that the untamed lust of our flesh may be kept under that our unworthinesse humilitie contrition and repentance may the more appeare and this we must doe not only when Gods judgements hang over us but also when we have any great blessing to procure or any great work to perform not only must we abstaine from meate and drinke but also from all delights and comfortable recreations so farre forth as the strength of our bodies will permit but withall we must take heed of any conceit of merit or of distinction of meates for Conscience sake or of set times urged as necessary which ought to be arbitrary 5. We are bound in Conscience to make open profession of our faith when we are required thereto by the Magistrate or by such as may command us that wee may bee known or when we see by our silence God is like to bee dishonoured and the Church prejudiced hee that confesseth me before men saith Christ him will I confesse before my Father which is in Heaven 6. If at any time we converse with prophane and Idolatrous people we are bound in Conscience to shew our dislike both of the one and the other not onely inwardly in our mindes but also outwardly by our voyce and gesture for God will be honoured of us both in our bodyes and soules for he made both neither must wee thinke to serve God and Belial at the same time 7. If at any time we are persecuted for the truth and a good Conscience if we see that there is a lawfull way to escape presented to us if we know that we have not strength to resist temptations and fierie tryals if our persons bee chiefly aymed at if we have no hope to doe good by our stay if our resolution be not utterly to forsake our publike charge if we have any but to returne when the times are quiet wee may with a safe Conscience flye having both Christs counsell and example for it besides the practise of many holy men other wayes if by our flight God shall be dishonoured the Church prejudiced the Magistrate or the State where wee are wronged we are not to flye especially when all lawfull meanes of escape is denyed us 8. If we will heare the words of God with profit and comfort wee are bound in Conscience to lay aside all prejudiciall or evill opinion of the Preacher to cast aside all superfluity of maliciousnesse and to
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
ought first to reprove our selves for that sinne which we reprove in others and not to take more notice of our neighbours moates then of our own beames 92 We are bound to hearken to reproofe accounting the wounds of a freind better then the kisses of an enemy and to receive reproofes with all humility love and patience and to resolve to make use of such physick though unpleasant for it is no lesse wholsome for the Soul both to cure and prevent spirituall diseases then Aloes though bitter yet fit to purge us of our bodily humors 93 We are bound to love our neighbour as our selves by wishing and doing the same good for him that we wish and do for our selves and with the same mind and sincerity not wishing him any hurt except it be for his further good and for Gods glory so we may wish the losse of his goods for the gaine of his soul and the death of a tyrant for the safety of the state nay we may safely venture the losse of our own bodies for the saving of our neighbours soules and we are to pray for him as for ourselves even for our enemies by this sheweing we have committed our cause to God and that we desire not revenge and in this we immitate our heavenly father who causeth his sunne to shine upon the good and bad and his raine to fall upon the just and unjust and who hath been pleased to reconcile himselfe to us his enemies 94 Wee are bound by a holy life to shew good example to others for the imployment of our talent is required God by this is gloryfied others by our example in goodnesse incouraged otherwayes good men by us will be offended and by our scandalous life the Gospell will be hindred and the Church of God reproached and profane men in their wicked waies animated and hardned 95 We are bound to avoyd and prevent rents or schismes in the Church for they often times make way for heresies they overthrow the life of the Church which consists in unity they hinder the edification of the Church and the growth of christianity they also destroy love and charity and as we are bound to avoyd schisme so must we shun the company of schismaticks least we seeme to countenance their schisme and that we may not be infected therewith or give occasion to others to follow our example yet he is no schismatick that separates himselfe from that Church which persecutes him for the truth or with which he can hold no communion without manifest danger of sinne and seduction 96 We are all bound to be tender of our fame and good name cheifly Magistrates and Ministers otherwayes God will be dishonored the Church hindred the Gospell and justice scandaled but if our fame be without cause wounded we must with patience beare it being a part of our crosse which Christ and his best servants have with patience endured 97 Wee are bound to speake and thinke well of all men whilst we have no reason to the contrary and not to judge censure or condemne any man rashly which argues in us either inadvertency to timerite levitie or malice it is a sinne repugnant both to charitie and justice for every man hath as great right to his good name as to his goods we wrong a man more by taking his good name away then by stealing his goods for in this we make him to be pittied but in the other to be dispised and hated we also wrong God by usurping his office for he is the only Iudge of secreets 98 We are bound to conceale the secret infirmities of our neighbour least by divulging them we wrong his reputation except it be when we have no other way to reclaime him or when we see that the concealing of his sinne may prove dangerous to others then a publike good is to bee preferred to a private 99 Wee are bound to imploy the talent which our Lord hath given us and not to hide it in a Napkin wee must impart our gifts of knowledge wisedome wealth and such like unto others for wee are not Lords but stewards of them and the more eminent wee are the more careful should we be in the cariage of our selves least we spoyle others by our bad example If much be given us much will bee required of us and inferiour men are apt to bee drawne by the example of their superiors whereas indeed they are bound to respect and honour them as their superiours but not to follow them if they bee bad Christians 100. Magistrates are bound to maintaine their people in peace to defend them from oppression to advance Religion and learning arts and industrie to reward the good and punish the evill doers for hee is the Minister of God for our weale so the people are bound to submit themselves to their Governours to honour them and maintaine their charge to bee obedient to their commands and thankfull for the good they receive from them 101. Masters are bound to feed and cloath their servants to pay them their wages to use them with gentlenesse to instruct them in the wayes of godlinesse to help them in their sicknesse and to use them according to their deservings to punish them for their stubbornnesse so servants are bound to love feare and obey their masters to bee humble and faithfull even to untoward Masters expecting their reward from God 102. Parents are bound to love feede cloath and instruct their Children to correct them to season them with the feare of God to provide maintenance and fit matches for them so Children are bound to love feare and honour their Parents to be subject and obedient to them to beare with their infirmities to cover their nakednesse and with thankfullnesse to repay their love charges and tender affection over them 103 As Ministers are bound to love teach and to edifie by their good example the people to watch over them to exhort instruct and rebuke them and to pray for them so the people are bound to love reverence to obey and to maintaine their Ministers and to have them in more then abundant honor for their works sake 104 All men that make bargaines are bound to stand to them if they be not under yeares or tuition or mad if they be not cheated and deluded besides their meaning and intention if they be not forced to the bargain by feare or violence if the thing for which they bargaine be impossible unusefull or unlawfull that is either sinfull or sacred this is called Simony in such cases no man is bound to performe these bargaines 105 We may with a safe Conscience let out mony upon use seeing our mony would bring in gaine if any otherwayes imployed seeing there can be no tradeing without lending and borrowing seeing it was lawfull for the Iewes to to take use of strangers CHRIST borrowes a similitude from the Vserers without reproving them which he would not have done had usury in it selfe been unlawfull neither doe the Scriptures