herein consists as I conceiue it in a practicall Syllogisme the maior and proposition whereof ariseth from the Synteresis or treasury of morall principles and of sacred rules wherewith the practicall vnderstanding is furnished for the sauing direction of vs in all actions The minor or assumption is properly Syneidesis-conscience that is an actuall application of our knowledge to this or that particular act or obiect whence followes the immediate and necessary issue and office of conscience to testifie in respect of things simply done or not done in respect of things to be done either to excite and incourage or to restraine and bridle in respect of things done well or wickedly to excuse and comfort or accuse and terrifie As for example thus it reasoneth against lying Euery lyar shall be banished from the holy Mountaine of the Lord and barred out of the new Ierusalem as the Synteresis from Psal 15. and Reu. 21. supplyeth the proposition But I haue thus and thus lyed for aduantage as the conscience of the lyar telleth him making the assumption Therefore I shall be banished from the holy Mountaine of the Lord c. A conclusion full of terrour And as the liar is thus of his sinne and punishment due vnto the same conuinced So the vpright liuer on the other side may thus by consciences-reasoning be comforted Euery one that desireth in heart and indeuoureth in life to walke vprightly before God and men shall rest in Gods holy Hill But I as the conscience of the godly man telleth him doe thus desire and indeuour to walke vprightly Therefore I shall rest in Gods holy Hill A conclusion full of life and consolation God grant vs such consciences as may inable vs to make such conclusions To this principall end haue my poore indeuours in this ensuing Discourse been especially directed wherein because I know this age to be full of science penurious of conscience and Gods schoole to be more of affection then vnderstanding therefore haue I the lesse studyed by variety of choyce doctrines to giue edge to the iudgement accounting it more necessary to be instant in exhortation and frequent in the vse and application of some few pregnant poynts for the whetting vp of the will and affection to holy duties and warming of the heart with liuely deuotion in the practice of Christianity Glad I would be If I could but bring a pin or two towards the decking of Christs Spouse whilest others out of their abundance adorne her with costly Robes and rich ornaments Howsoeuer it be I haue done my best by the assistance of his grace to the praise of his glory and according to the nature of my Text haue often and earnestly pressed vpon Christians this necessary duty of expressing in their conscionable conuersation the sauing power of inward sanctimony and the truth of a sound conuersion aiming here and there and euery where generally at this that the slumbring conscience might be awaked the erronious better informed the tender confirmed the sad and heauie comforted and all some way or other benefited Which benefit of my vnworthy labours if any any way haue obtained let the goodnesse of God be duly glorified and praised and in their best vowes and prayers for the family of the faithfull let me his vnworthiest seruant be remembred In hope hereof I rest theirs and Thine in the Lord Iesus to be commanded RICH. CARPENTER THE CONSCIONABLE CHRISTIAN Preached at Charde March 4. The Text Acts 24. 16. And heerein or in this therefore doe I indeuour my selfe to haue alwayes a cleare or inoffensiue conscience towards God and men RIGHT HONOVRABLE IF it be sufficient to accuse who shall bee innocent Not Saint Paul himselfe though neuer so faithfull in his function neuer so sincere and vpright in his conuersation Wee finde him as many times elsewhere so heere in this Chapter called in question for his life and doctrine too before Felix the Gouernour and at once accused of both and abused in both by Tertullus a mercenary Oâ—â—â—our who making bâ—â—â—attery his Rhetoricke and bold lying his Logicke beginning with the one and concluding with the other layeth to Saint Pauls charge no maruell then if zealous Ministers taste of the same cup in this last and worst age that hee was a pestilent fellow a moouer of sedition a maintainer of sects and a polluter of the Temple To all which obiected crimes or rather forged calumnies the blessed Apostle with great patience and no lesse confidence pleadeth not guilty hauing by pregnant reasons powerful arguments refelled those vniust imputations with a victorious grace proceedeth to the ingenious confession of his faith and course of life and thus in effect saith As concerning my Religion bee it knowne that after the way which my aduersaries call heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that only true God with a true heart in a true manner not as man hath inuented but as God himselfe hath in his Word prescribed beleeuing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets especially holding fast this assured hope and full perswasion as the maine Basis and principall pillar of my Profession that the resurrection of the dead shall bee both of iust and vniust and that we shall all appeare in that Day before the a 1. Cor. 5. 10. Tribunall of the Sonne of God gloriously visible in the b Luk. 21. 27. forme of the Sonne of man to render an account and to receiue a reward according to our c Reu. 20. 12. deeds In due regard and serious consideration whereof I doe labour and indeuour my selfe to liue vnblameably and to keepe alwayes a good conscience towards God and men For so it followeth in my Text which being by way of Paraphrase somewhat inlarged offereth it selfe to your better apprehension and vnderstanding in these termes And heerein or in this therefore as reuerend Paraph. Text. Beza a long fixed starre in the firmament of our Church expoundeth it doe I Paul the seruant of the Lord and Apostle of Iesus Christ exercise my selfe earnestly indeuour study and striue as a Runner to the goale a Wrestler for the game a due Tasker and Day-labourer for the appointed wages and gaine To haue to keepe and discharge the Originall will beare it well to haue alwayes in all cases in all places vpon all references and occurrences whatsoeuer through the whole tenor of my life a conscience as Monitor of my duties defects bounties blemishes as moderatour of my desires and affections and vnder God principall Commander of all my thoughts speeches and actions Yea Heereunto fully freely actually punctually doe I bend and extend all my sanctified will wit power policy and all to haue alwayes by all meanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vpright Note cleere acquitting conscience towards God and men that is a conscience voyde of offence not staggering tripping or fayling any way for matter or manner either
of all other things is most precious and yeelds sweetest and durablest contentment and that you may so haue it that you may also hold it fast and be confirmed in the same put in daily practice these few rules First in respect of God labour and indeuour by all holy exercises of Rules for the preseruing of a good conscience Prayer of hearing the Word of God by conference and Meditation to find the fruition of his sweet presence renewed in you Secondly in respect of your selues and your actions you must resolue by a secret vow passed betwixt God and the soule to refraine from all occasions of dipleasing his Maiesty to performe Canonicall obedience in all required duties and to doe nothing doubtfully with intricate suspension of mind And lastly in respect of your estate it behooueth you wholly to roll your selues and relie on the prouidence of the Highest and to consider whatsoeuer comes vnto you that it commeth from a Diuine hand whose Almighty power is guided by a most wise prouidence and tempered with a fatherly loue and so to be perswaded the estate wherein you are to be best of all for you because he willeth it who foresees and effects what is best for his These as a threefold cord diuinely twisted are sufficiently able to strengthen in vs and to confirme vnto vs the hold-fast of a good quiet conscience To the which generall rules these particular helpes are subordinate which the conscionable Christian may and must vse for his surer footing and better furtherance in the way to heauen First his holy care must bee so to heare the 1. Helpe Word as with a settled purpose to yeeld obedience from the heart to the forme of doctrine Rom. 6. 17. whereunto he is deliuered not talking as many doe in a dreame of the Kingdome of God and righteousnesse thereof or walking as others doe with respect to their profit or preferment in some good duties as Herod did but with an heart inlarged by grace running in all the wayes of Gods Commandements blessing Psalm 119. God for the day-light of the Gospell and the opportunity offered thereby of casting off the workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light imbracing at all times the sound of the Word not onely when it commeth in a still and soft voyce gently admonishing vs to auoyd the quagmires of voluptuousnesse the thorny copse of couetousnesse and the stickle path of Prou. 3. 17. pride and to walke precisely in the pleasant and prosperous wayes of wisedome but also when as a Trumpet it soundeth the Alarm of iudgement against secure and impenitent sinners that so he may be kept in awe and say with the Prophet O Lord I heard thy voyce and was afraid Hab. 3. 2. Psal 119. 120. my flesh trembleth for feare of thy iudgments Secondly with the faithfull Esa 26. he is so to wait for the Lord in the way of his iudgements Vers 8 9. with his soule desiring him in the night and with his spirit seeking him in the morning that thereby he may not onely be terrified but as the Prophet there speaketh learne righteousnesse and behold the high hand of God as well in protecting the vertuous and compassing them about with a wall of brasse for their defence Ezek. 5. as in punishing the vicious which in the Land of vprightnesse doe wickedly for their destruction Thirdly that his profession and practice may be no way mimicall and grounded only on occasion and confined by limitation but sincere and intire without dodging and reseruation he must bind himselfe with Dauids vow and make Psal 119. 106. a couenant betwixt God and his soule that hee will performe his righteous iudgements and be as the Clocke in the house where hee liueth in the company where he conuerseth awaking others to doe their duties and to this end must daily edifie himselfe in his most holy faith Iude vers 20. praying in the holy Ghost that God who in his conuersion rowzed him out of the sleepe of sinne would by the neuer-ceasing influence of that grace which first awaked him keepe alwayes his heart awake and not suffer him to sleepe as others doe and let slip opportunity of grace but preserue him watchfull and sober 1. Thes 5. 6. that so continuing the spirituall motion of prayer thankesgiuing meditation and examination of his heart and life he may be preserued in his spirit and not transgresse Mal. 2. and Mal. 2. 16. more and more strengthen in himselfe the good things which else would bee ready to dye Reu. 3. 2. Reuel 3. Fourthly he must with all diligence auoyd that repletion of worldly desires and carnall delights which our Sauiour shewes to bee an especiall enemy to Christian watchfulnesse and with the wise Steward Luk. 16. must be content Luk. 21. 34. to sit downe and write fifty for an hundred Luk. 16. that is to abridge himselfe of many profits and pleasures yea by seasonable abstinence he is to bring his flesh into subiection and by perpetuall sobriety to fence the City of his soule that by any rout or riot of voluptuousnesse the walls thereof be not broken downe Fifthly he is with the Israelites Numb 9. to keepe the watch of the Lord and as they fixed Numb 9. 23. their eyes on the pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night that according thereto they might rest or remooue so the conscionable Christian is to marke and obserue diligently Gods workes and dealings with others and himselfe and when hee calles to feasting or mourning is to haue his eyes opened and his senses awaked to entertaine the Lords mercies or iudgements with ioy or sorrow as hee hath appoynted Contrary to the disposition of Amos 6. 8. those retchlesse rebellious persons by the Prophets Ier 5. 3. condemned Amos 6. Ier. 5. Esa 22. Lastly that hee may constantly stand on the guard of faith and a good conscience hee is seriously to meditate on and daily to expect Christs comming to Iudgement that whether Luk. 12. 35. he come at euening or morning or midnight he may be ready with his Lampe burning and loynes girded to entertaine him and finally for the full and finall preseruation of his conscience from ruine hee is in humble prayer to Psal 127. commend the keeping thereof to the neuer-sleeping Keeper of Israel that hee making his Watch-tower therein it may bee preserued through faith vnto eternall life Beleeue mee then Fathers and Brethren the procuring and preseruing of this true Diamond which flings beames of comfort vpon the soule of this true Rubie which carryes in her face the colour of vertue of this soueraigne cordiall of a good and quiet conscience requireth an excellent exercised man well skild in the pure and pious trade of Christianity c. Vse 1 Wherefore whilest the Wizards of this world like to that couetous Cardinall which preferred his portion in Paris before
abandoned and according to your Office of pleading your Clients cause formally and prosecuting his affaires faithfully as much as in you lieth let innocency be preserued vse your best indeuour that right may bee had with moderate expence vse the Law lawfully that it may prooue a speciall and speedy remedie of wrongs and not an Engine or trap to insnare the weake as many complaine what though for your plaine and conscionable dealing you lose your fees and profit in the place of Iudgement on earth yet bee assured of this your innocency shall procure you a better reward at the Iudgement seate in heauen And now for you the reuerend Sages and honourable Iudges of this Circuit and for you also the praise-worthy Iusticers of this Shire what remaineth to be done but only this that out of your owne ingenuous disposition without any prescription of mine you should ioyne together what in places of iudicature may not be put asunder all these Symbolicall sentences and quarter them as so many Scutchions with the Armes of your houses and offices in this order Dicatur veritas first Fiat iustitia next and then in the third place Seruetur innocentia whereunto adde for a Crest to make vp the compleate coate of a gracious Magistrate Dominetur conscientia Thus if looking vp to God who is present and chiefe President in your assemblies you shall in a reuerent feare of his Name see that truth bee testified and deliuered Iustice done and executed innocency preserued and protected and a good conscience in all things kept and preserued then shall the mountaines and hilles bring vnto the people peace and prosperity then shall Iustice as the Sunne Mercy as the Moone other vertues as the Starres shine about your seates of Gouernement to the confounding of the wicked and the comfort of the godly Which God grant by the assistance of his grace to the praise of his glory Amen Amen THE CONSCIONABLE CHRISTIAN Preached at Taunton Aug. 7. 1620. The Text Acts 24. 16. Heerein therefore doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwayes an vpright conscience towards God and men AS the Prophet Ionas brought the same message to the Nineuites at his second sending vnto them so doe I bring Right Honourable c. the same Text of Scripture at this my second calling before you desiring to end what the last Assises I began and to adde a roofe to that foundation which then I laid and to giue an account of such particulars as remaine yet vndiscussed of that generall Bill of parcels which then I exhibited to your Christian consideration And hauing then as you may remember spoken generally according to the modell of time allotted for me to speake and you to heare of the reall religious practice and the actuall Christian imployment of Saint Paul prosecuting withall such doctrines and vses as the motiue and manner of his imployment did offer to our obseruation I come now by orderly descent to handle more especially the matter subiect and meane businesse of conscience wherein he was thus seriously imployed and exercised And for my better proceeding therein and your profiting thereby will by Gods assistance and your continued patience present to the eyes of your vnderstanding First Conscience it selfe as in her nature Diuis 3. parts properties and offices in her power command and Soueraignty she is considered to be great Secondly I will commend to your view and entertainement an vpright conscience as in her causes and effects in her priuiledges of being the best Gardian Counsellor and Comforter shee is found to bee singularly good And thirdly as her goodnesse according to the latitude thereof extendeth it selfe in respect of time alwayes thorow the whole course of mans life to the performance of all good duties concerning God and man Herein doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwayes a good conscience towards God and men Of each of these in their order and first of 1. Part. conscience according to its power and greatnesse whereof my purpose is not to make an exact Scholasticall Discourse but to touch the tops of generall notions and with Gideons Souldiers Iudg. 7. to lap at the brinkes of those riuers wherein others haue deepely waded and with Ionathan 1. Sam. 14. to giue you a taste on the tip of my rod of that sight-cleering honysweetnesse which therefrom may be gathered Wherefore passing by the nicities and curious speculations of Schoole-men whether conscience be an Act or an Habit a faculty Theoricall or Practicall simple or mixt and compounded of both whether seated in the vnderstanding will or memory as the proper subiect thereof c. and passing ouer with a light finger and dry foot the Rhetoricall Notifications and witty Illustrations thereof drawne from its Illustr consc offices adiuncts effects when and where it is deciphered to be a mans best friend soonest offended or bitterest foe hardliest appeased a bridle before sinne to preuent it a scourge after sinne to punish it domesticus index index carnifex in briefe to be the soules Schoolemaster Monitor and Domesticall Preacher mans tutelar God and protector Gods Law-Booke Leiger Ambassadour Spie Intelligencer and the truest Prognosticatour in a mans bosome or brest foretelling what shall become of him hereafter c. As an abstract of all the premisses I will briefly and plainely commend to your consideration the nature and essence of conscience vnder these termes of a definition or description Conscience so called either à cordis scientia Description of conscience Bern Aquin. in reference to the soule reflecting and recoyling vpon it selfe or à scientia cum alio in respect to God with whom it is a co-witnesse of whatsoeuer is in man is a noble and diuine power Rom. 2. 15. and faculty planted of God in the substance of mans soule working vpon it selfe by reflection Esa 30. 21. and taking exact notice as a Scribe or Register and determining as Gods Viceroy and deputy Iudge of all that is in the mind will affections actions and whole life of man I name it a faculty and not a bare act because Prob. desc sundry actiōs as to testifie accuse excuse acquit condemn are giuē vnto it I terme it a noble diuine power and not an humane acquired habit because acts and habits too may be got and lost deposed from their subiect and separated from the soule but Conscience as it is borne with vs so it will neuer leaue vs it is indiuiduall inseparable there is no putting of it to flight or flying from it nec fugere nec fugare eam poteris but it will say to thee as Ruth to Naomi I will Ruth 1. goe with thee wheresoeuer thou goest To bee briefe I giue it roome and place in the whole soule and doe not as some haue done thrust it into a corner thereof as if it were a part onely of the practicall vnderstanding because the operation of it cannot bee circumscribed in narrower bounds then the soule it selfe
the Blood Rom. 5. 1. of Christ saith S. Paul wee haue peace with God Rom. 5. And againe The Blood of Christ Heb. 9. 14. once offred by his eternall Spirit without fault purgeth our consciences from dead workes Heb. 9. Yea so purifieth and pacifieth them that it leaues no remorse of sin accusing or condemning in them Nothing else in this world hath this vertue saue Christs Blood alone there is no pacification of the soule without remission Ioh. 3. 1. Heb. 9. 22. Heb. 10. of sinne no remission of sin without blood no blood expiatory for sinne but Christs no application of this expiation but by faith The consequence then is vndenyable therefore by faith in Christs Blood shed for the remission of sinne we attaine peace of conscience No perfumes of the Sanctuary or charmes of Oratory can relieue it no straines of Musicke or Songs of Angels can reioyce it All other merriments and outward refreshments whatsoeuer haue no more power to cure and quiet it then popish holy-water hath to coniure the diuell This this is the honour royalty and peculiar dignity of Christs blood by the hand of faith applyed to the soule for the full remission of sinnes This alone can pacifie and make good the conscience and fully effect it whereas otherwise all the glittering appearances of happinesse which dazle the eyes of doting worldlings cannot bring it to passe The superstitious Papist troubled in conscience for sinne runnes vp and downe for reliefe like an Hart with an Arrow in his side Se rotat in vulnus transsixam circuit hastam hee sends to the god of Ekron for helpe hee buyes a pardon 2. King 1. 2. goes to shrift lasheth and launceth himselfe as the Priests of Baal did posteth to a Masse passeth 1. King 18. on in pilgrimage to a woodden worme-eaten Lady or painted Image and all this while as an aguish man that drinkes water his disease increaseth no shift of place or change of aire can relieue him being dogged and attended on by the hellish hag of his conscience Quae surdo verbere caedit which whips him in secret and in silence telles him Omnibus vmbra locis adero dabis improbe poenas The prophane worldling likewise being vexed and perplexed in mind with the horrour of his offensiue life and the blood-hound of his guilty conscience hunting dry-foot on the sent Prou. 28. 1. of his former sinnes proiecteth fearfull things ambulat in circuitu walkes in a restlesse round or maze like a sea-sicke wretch from the ship to the boat and so backe againe and as Saint Augustine passionately describes it runnes like Aug. in 45. Psa a Male-content ab agro in vrbem c. from the field into the City out of the City into his house from the common roomes thereof to his bed-chamber from thence to his study or closet and then out againe to seeke for a merry companion to see if hee can play away his trouble and remooue the melancholy qualme as carnall men account it from the stomake he eates profusely drinkes profoundly sports profanely and all to lull the conscience asleepe and to drowne her accusing voyce by 2. King 23. 10. the clamours of needlesse imployments But all in vain he doth but loose his chaine that it may be tyed straighter and smother the fire for a time which will afterwards breake forth with greater violence a seeming truce he may haue true peace he cannot haue for Nocte diéque suum gestat in pectore testem yea pestem hee carries night and day his bane in his bosome and of all earthly refreshments may truly say as Iob of his Iob 16. 2. friends Miserable comforters are ye all But as for the godly Christian who is willing to illuminate and regulate his conscience by Gods sacred Word and the diuine Oracles of eternall truth when scruples and troubles of conscience doe arise whereby hee is somewhat distracted or distressed leauing all humane conclusions vntryed vntrusted he forthwith goes to God in prayer for direction powres forth his soule in supplication to him imbraceth all good meanes of instruction and edification layes fast hold by a liuely faith on Christ Iesus for reconciliation and so finding Christ the great Physician of soules or rather being found of him findes with all peace and tranquillity his doubts resolued his griefe remoued his feare cancelled his heart confirmed in well-doing his soule as it were rauished with the sweet sauour of his precious oyntments so that Flammas licet hic ille iaculetur polus fractus illabatur orbis impauidum ferient ruinae though the heauens and earth crack and fly off the hinges and the Mountaines be remoued yet therewith he cannot be appalled to him being in Christ and feeling it to be so there is no condemnation or remurmuration of conscience for sinne and therefore with glory to God in excelsis he sings De profundis a requiem to his soule You see then by that which hath been said how that the conscience which Gods Word actuated by the Spirit inlighteneth and perswadeth and the blood of Christ Iesus applyed by the hand of faith purgeth and pacifyeth is the onely good conscience Know also that truly to beleeue well according to the tenour of Gods sacred Word and to indeuour duly to liue well in a cheerfull obedience to his holy will is both mother and nurse of the same It is the pure inmost blood which breeds and the radicall moysture which feeds the bright Lampe of the soule a good conscience Whereof for a conclusion to the premises and an induction to that which followes this plaine and pregnant definition proued by direct passages of Scriptures offers it selfe to your Christian obseruation Doct. 4 A good or vpright a Prou. 15. 15. conscience is a diuine b Rom. 2. 16. power and principall part of Gods Image in man whereby he doth most resemble the selfe-sufficiency of God which being c Ephes 1. 7. inlightened by Gods Word and purged by d Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 9. 14. faith in Christs blood from the guilt and punishment of sinne and from dead workes to serue the liuing Lord speaketh e Phil. 4. 7. peace with Gods allowance is a f Iob 33. messenger of good things betwixt God and vs and cheereth vp the heart with g 1. Pet. 1. 8. ioy vnspeakable and glorious In which Definition you may easily perceiue how that knowledge and faith repentance and obedience peace and ioy haue their concurrence to make vp the precious odoriferous balme or oyntment of a good conscience First knowledge and faith is requisite thereunto lest it should be blind and erronious Secondly repentance and constant obedience lest it should be secure and licentious Thirdly peace and ioy lest it should bee stirring galling and needlesly tender and timorous To touch the tops of these perswasions first Iudg. 7. 1. Knowledge it is by too lamentable
there is no true repentance there is no true faith no true faith no true Christ no true Christ no true remission of sinnes no true remission of sinnes no true peace of conscience grounded vpon the assured sense and inward feeling of the same But rather the grace of Christ redeeming the loue of the Father electing and the comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost quieting the conscience is farre off from them which continue in their sinnes and stand out as rebels in their disobedience against God The rule is ancient and true Bona conscientia Aug. non stat cum proposito peccandi a good conscience cannot stand with a purpose of sinning or with irresolution against sinne but is armed thorowout with a resolute determination wittingly and willingly to sinne no more accounting it a mockery to cry Peccaui and mourne for sinnes past with a meaning to sinne againe in the like yea a most ridiculous folly like to the Shipmans continuall labouring at the pumpe without any care to mend the leake Wherefore as we desire to liue in the lawfull peace of an vpright conscience so let it be our chiefest care to inure our selues to the practice of repentance and obedience The practice of which to speake briefly of them ioyntly consists not in pretending as the manner of many is a good heart without fruits of amendment for that is but vanity or in making some outward shew of reformation without purging the heart and affections for that is but hypocrisie or in exchanging of sinnes to wit of prodigality or prophanenesse in youth for couetousnesse and Popery in age for that is but irreligious mockery But in an inward lothing from the heart and an outward leauing in the course of our life of all such knowne sinnes wherein we haue formerly liued and delighted and also in an earnest desire of the heart and constant indeuour in our life and conuersation to practise all duties of piety charity which in our seuerall places and callings are required T is not sufficient to put off the old man to cast away the weapons Eph. 4 22. of darkenesse and to abhorre and remooue Col. 3. 10. what is euill but we must put on the New man Rom. 13. take vnto vs the Armour of light and cleaue to Rom. 12 9. that which is good T is commendable with the repentant Prodigall to forsake our former riotous Luk. 15. luxurious and offensiue liuing and to returne to our Fathers home for this mends the matter but it is much more comfortable and complete after the shaking off of the ragges of sinne to put on the robes of Righteousnesse and Garments of Saluation for this perfecteth the match and accomplisheth the marriage betwixt Christ and vs and heereby shall we giue testimony to others and to our selues and our owne soules that we are penitent and obedient Christians and so bring wonderfull peace and comfort to our consciences For when a Christian inriched with these spirituall graces of true knowledge and faith shall thus proceed in the carefull practice of these holy duties of repentance and obedience then his conscience which otherwise would looke sterne vpon him begins to smile to speak sweetly to him to conuerse amiably with him to clap him on the backe applaud him exceedingly exhilarate and refresh him To which purpose S. Bernard speakes excellently Vis O Bern. homo semper epulari vis nunquam tristis esse benè viue Wilt thou O man neuer be sad wilt thou turne the whole yeere into a merry Christ-tide liue well then Fiat iustitia saith Saint Austin Aug. habebis pacem Eschew euill and doe good Psal 34. 13. and thou needest not seeke peace and ensue it Psal 85. 11. Psal 34. for peace will finde thee and kisse righteousnesse wheresoeuer shee finds it Doe Iustice loue mercy humble thy selfe and walke with thy God as Enoch did Gen. 5. doing all things as in Gods sight For this is the direct Micah 6. 8. way to the obtaining and maintaining of a conscience comfortably good the voyce of ioy and Psal 118. 15. deliuerance shall be in the Tabernacles of the righteous saith the Psalmist and the worke of Esa 32. 17. Iustice shall bring peace and quietnesse Esa 32. and it cannot be otherwise but that Melchisedec the King of righteousnesse which walkes sincerely should also be Prince of Salem and walke confidently peaceably securely Synceritas Serenitatis Isiod mater est sine qua tranquillitas omnis tempestas est Sincerity is the mother of true tranquillity and without it all carnall rest is as a dangerous Lethargie Sincerity as it is of all vertues the girdle and most acceptable to God Eph. 6. 14. whose vnfained obedience it implyeth so it is most profitable in all dangers trials and temptations to man whose peace it worketh and in whom it begetteth a Lyon-like boldnesse as Salomon speaketh The righteous is as bold as a Pro. 28. 1. Lyon This cannot be put out of countenance by the false accusations of slanderous tongues it throweth them off as Paul did the Viper from Act. 28. 5. his hand vnhurt This saith with Saint Paul I passe not for mans iudgement 1. Cor. 4. and 1. Cor. 4. 3. Iob 31. 35. with Iob Though mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne vnto mee What made Iob so confident Surely it was the vprightnesse of his heart his sincere obedience and innocency which he saith he will hold fast Iob 27. 6. and not forsake lest his heart should reprooue him and his conscience trouble checke him Vse Wherefore as hee that will saile safely must looke as well to the balast of his Ship as to his sailes So if you will saile safely in the Ship of a good conscience to the Port and Hauen of heauen you must not onely looke that there bee soundnesse in your knowledge and faith which are as sailes hoysted vp to make foorth for the prize but also that there be sincerity in your repentance and obedience which are as the soules balast to moderate her pace lest shee dash against the Rocks of presumption and to this end vse that safe and sauing method by a learned Father prescribed When thou art Aug. tempted to sinne set before thee the weight of sinne the wound of conscience the wrath of God which is as a flaming fire and remember Rom. 2. that tribulation and anguish shall be vpon euery soule that sinneth Rom. 2. And let this be vnto thee a strong bridle and retentiue from vice and againe when thou beginnest to bee weary and drowzy in Gods seruice thinke vpon the blessed recompence of well-doing and consider that to them which by continuance in doing well seeke glory and honour there shall be giuen eternall life and immortality and let this be a sharpe-pointed spurre and motiue
so our soules as fields of sincerity being euery day more and more charged with the deeds of iustice and mercy may at length be accomplisht with the Crest and Crowne of eternall glory To this purpose tendeth the precept and charge of the Apostle Be not weary of well doing Gal. 6. 9. Eccl. 11. 6. for in due time yee shall reape if you faint not and that of Chrysostome Sow with a mind to reape Chrysost in opere imperf sight with a desire to ouercome conquer with an expectation to be crowned Wherein Perseuerance which Bernard calleth Sororem patientiae constantiae Bern. filiam pacis amicam virtutuni consummationem And another Talarem tunicam that long white Greg. Robe reaching downe to the feet which euery good Ioseph must put on and another The Empresse Chrysost of vertues which rewardeth him that runneth crowneth him that fighteth bringeth to the hauen him that saileth without which obedience hath no reward a good turne receiues no thankes and fortitude deserues no glory Wherein I say perseuerance in well-doing Note which is euery Christian mans duty in hope and expectation of recompence considering our humane infirmity is commended vnto vs all and that not onely in our generall calling as we are Christians but also in our particular vocations as wee are Magistrates Ministers Iudges Iusticers or any other inferiour beneficiall Officers in Church or Common-wealth So that looking for the reward not of debt but of fauour as Saint Paul speaketh we are to proceed Rom. 4. confidently and constantly in our Christian obedience to the end Yea it is our duty to labour much to liue so to suffer much to dye so as constant conscionable Christians ought yea to dye in despight of death couragiously for the maintenance of equity and truth to raigne so as constant conscionable Christians vndoubtedly shall Thus if we Beloued shall giue all diligence to perseuere in the practice of the generall and particular duties of Christian obedience wee shall then with daily comfort taste the sweetnesse of an vpright conscience and if we desire and indeuour without dissimulation and hypocrisie in respect of others without partiality and defection in regard of our selues to walke in the wayes of Gods Commandements as he hath prescribed wee shall bee sure to inioy the continuall ioy and peace of a good conscience without night of desertion or eclipse of change and variation as he hath promised To conclude this point if we Fathers and brethren according to the dictate and direction of conscience inlightened and awaked shall both in the course of our generall conuersation and in the offices of our particular vocation be carefull and faithfull in louing what God loueth and hating what he hateth in doing what God commandeth and eschewing what he forbiddeth we shall then be both truely holy and happy too So shall we be exempt and free not onely from the crimson-crying sinnes of Iusticewronging Magistrates soule-staruing Ministers face-grinding oppressors truth-betraying witnesses and lurors sacrilegious rob-Gods desperate mocke-Preachers and such like flagitious offenders who with seared and benummed consciences habituati sunt in malo faetent in peccato lie stinking in their sinnes as Lazarus in the graue But also from the common sinnes of wantons gluttons lyers swearers slanderers Sabbath-breakers and the like common sinners whose large cheuerill consciences dispense with all corruptions and transgressions that are not capitall yea we shall be free by the aforesaid godly care from the vniust morosity and causelesse anxiety of scrupulous bird-eyd consciences which make more Commandements then ten and proiect fearefull things where no feare is That so our rightly-informed quietacquitting consciences may passe with Top-saile and Banners displaid with Flags of defiance to the workes and workers of iniquity through the waues of this world to the Harbour of eternall rest ioy and felicity With such a cleering-cheering conscience Note our Apostle Saint Paul the worthy Champion Acts 27. 14. â—â— 36. of Iesus Christ sailed couragiously in the angry Adriaticall Sea when the tempestuous Euroclydon raged and meate and light was for many dayes denyed and all that were in the Ship besides despaired telling them confidently that none of them should perish but all bee preserued for his sake With the wings of such a conscience when the Iewes thought spake Acts 23. 24 25. euill of him and plotted mischiefe against him he as an Eagle soared aloft and respecting their forged calumnies no more then the chitting of Sparrowes or chatting of Pyes bare himselfe vp brauely aboue the scourges and razors of their tongues and farre beyond the Sphere of their malignity with this Armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and the left being fitly cladde he passed through good reports and bad through many iniuries indignities dangers and difficulties as bold as a Lyon as valiant as Gideon and Samson A good conscience like the Arke of Noah bare him vp aboue the pride and power of all worldly surges and sorrowes vndaunted vnappalled so that at midnight Acts 16. 25. in the dungeon all manacled and fettered as hee was in a wounded skinne wee find him praying and singing in a whole and merry conscience Saul could not be merry without a Musician 1. Sam. 16. Ahab without Naboths Vineyard proud Haman 1. King 21. Esth 7. without Mordecais courtesie But he that carryeth the true Electuary exhilarans laetificans Galeni of a good conscience about him he hath selfe-sufficiency and without Musicke money lands or honour is happy still and merry alone like to the late inuented Musicall instruments of perpetuall motion c. With this Counseller and Comforter in the bosome to wit a good conscience Iacob can Gen. 28. 11. sleepe sweetly on a pillow of stone Daniel and Dan. 1. 15. his fellowes looke fresh and faire feeding on pulse alone Iob in the midst of his paine and pouerty possessed of this true Diamond which darted many beames of comfort vpon his soule challenged his aduersaries to write against him Iob 31. 35 36. a Booke of slander and hee would take it vpon his shoulder bind it to his head as a Crowne of honour Heereunto Hezekiah neere vnto Isa 38. death hauing recourse for succour confidently thus saith I beseech thee Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in truth By this Anchor-hold all the children of God in the midst of manifold temptations and spirituall conuulsions haue beene euer so mainely sustained that with Saint Paul they haue thus constantly resolued Whether wee liue we liue vnto the Rom. 14. 8. Lord whether we die we die vnto the Lord whether we liue therefore or die wee are the Lords Vse Doe ye then Men Fathers and Brethren desire to haue in your selues an heauen vpon earth and to aspire to an happinesse independant on the creatures without you O then indeuour earnestly and pursue this one thing aboue other things viz.
the hauing and holding of an vpright conscience within you Doe all things as in Gods presence cherish true sauing-faith by often hearing and reading of the Word and the frequent practice of Prayer and true repentance inure your selues by religious exercises to a kind of familiarity with God that the assurance of his loue in Christ and the comforts thereof be not interrupted walke carefully in your particular callings to the glory of God and the common good auoyding as serpents couetousnesse and ambition which make men set their consciences on tenters and stretch like cheuerill and because at the great and generall Assises sentence shall passe and Iudgement be awarded according to the things written in the Booke of euery mans conscience take we heed Reu. 20. 13. that these Bookes of account bee kept vnblurred vnpolluted pure and cleane from presumptuous sinnes which are the cut-throate of the soule and offensiue in Gods sight In a word let this be your wish aboue all wishes and herein make sure worke come of the rest what will that by the effusion of Christs Blood for you and infusion of his Spirit into you you may inioy this pleasant and peaceable portion of a good conscience which is more highly to bee esteemed of and held at a dearer rate then the Merchants precious Pearle for which as it is Mat. 13. 46. in the Parable he sold all that he had in comparison whereof the things that are in the worlds eye most aduantageable vnto vs are to be accounted losse and iudged as dung that we Phil. 3. 7. may win it Let others say Who wil shew vs any good Yet Lord lift thou vp the light of thy Psal 4. countenance vpon vs. Let others content themselues with a portion in this life whose bellies Psal 17. 14 15. thou fillest with thy hid treasure but let vs O Lord behold thy face in righteousnesse and in the glasse of a good conscience heere on earth so when we awake in the day of Resurrection we shall be satisfied with thine Image rauished with seeing and secured for retaining thy glorious presence in heauen All earthly ioyes and treasures without this of a good conscience are but as so many ponderous waights to giue poize to the soule to sinke it to hell But with this all outward helpes for present maintenance are as so many Promooters and Proctors for the future inheritance giuing vs not onely wings of a Doue or an Eagle but of an Angel to ascend into heauen With this heauenly treasure then of an vpright conscience whosoeuer amongst vs O that there were many such is really possessed to speake plainely in the phrase of the holy Ghost he is without controuersie richly yea royally blessed * Sola conscientia virtutum praestat gaudium verum perpetuum Caeterae hilaritates frontem remittunt cor non implent Sen. in Ep. 23. Hee need not enuy the rich Corne-hoorders barnes inlarged and goods increasing or the Gluttons purple rayment and delicious feeding or the greatnesse of the greatest Potentate arrayed in robes of State powdered with Pearle and boasting with Nebuchadnezzar of his power and stately building No Hee need not enuy the magnificent pompe and vsurped Oecumenicall power of that triple-crowned ruffling Priest of Rome that Meridianus Daemon as Bernard calls Antichrist who to giue life to the image of the Beast seekes as Reu. 13. 15. much as in him lieth to make the Lord of life exhaeredem vineae exhaeredem vitae riding on mens shoulders treading on Emperours necks and swimming in his Orcipotent Sea with the bladders of intolerable pride and insolency No no Vix vnius assis Nec pretio pluris mundana haec omnia ducit For carryed in the triumphant Chariot of a cleare conscience and aduanced farre aboue these painted Pageants of things sublunary and perishing with Gods leaue and loue he inioyeth a selfe-sufficient happinesse in health and sickenesse in life and death and after death euer-induring Vse O happy then and thrice happy we if as S. 1. Cor. 1. 12. Pauls was so our reioycing and glory bee in the testimony of a good conscience if in truth wee can doe as in all his tryalls he did hold foorth this testimony as a shield of defence and flag of defiance against all scandalous imputations and Acts 23. 24. 25. aspersions if we can truely say as he said Wee are assured that we haue a good conscience desiring in all things to liue honestly Heb. 13. 18. or duely indeuour as hee in my Text indeuoured to haue a good conscience alwayes towards God Text. 3. part and men Which words importing the latitude or extent of a good conscience in respect of time and the obiects thereof come now very fitly to bee handled wherein I will labour to preuent your wearinesse First of the time and duration of the Apostles indeuour and exercise to haue a good conscience namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alwayes being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Alwayes Scholiast hath it being in all things euery manner of way so farre as humane frailty did not let inoffensiue and vnblameable indeuouring at all times through the whole tenor of his life Non pro vsura exigui temporis aut pro primis Caluin tantum diebus sed omnibus diebus vitae post conuersionem as Caluin renders it to bee vprightly conscionable conscionably vpright Doct. 8 So that this word Alwayes imports constancie and equality without remissenesse or partiality In the life of man and course of his calling there are many turnings references occurrences opportunities importunities and diuers respects in all which at euery turne to bee the same man requires the strength of a good conscience A child or weakeling may take two or three steps well and walke somewhat euenly but to turne hither and thither vp and downe with actiuenesse and dexterity and to maintaine the thorow pace or race with settled constancie and alacrity argues the metall and making of a very strong man Such an one was our Apostle in the race of Christianity after his conuersion as appeareth by his Triumphant Epinichion 2. Tim. 4. I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 4. 7. kept the faith finished my course c. and by his confident protestation Acts 23. 1. I haue Acts 23. 1. serued God with a good conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thorowout vnto this day Alwayes without stumbling without offence as it is in my Text c. Which is not so precisely to bee vnderstood Reas double as if he had beene alwayes indowed with an equall good disposition to godly duties and had neuer slipt or slept through humane infirmity For as the Spouse of Christ confesseth Cant. 5. ◠of her selfe I sleepe but my heart waketh and so condemneth her drowzinesse in the flesh notwithstanding her watchfulnesse in the Spirit So S. Paul Rom. 7. complaineth on himselfe Rom. 7. 19. that
and therefore the Hebrewes aptly call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prou. 15. 15. Prou. 15. 15. and the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is heart or soule 1. Ioh. 3. 20. 1. Ioh. 3. Lastly I giue it the title of Gods Register and deputy-Iudge because it is onely inferiour to God and vnder him holds court in the soule of man and is the principall commander and chiefe controller of all his doings and desires determining of all his actions either with him to excuse and absolue or against him to accuse and condemne and that for the conuersion of some and confusion of others The conscience endowed with these royalties The vnderstanding Metropolis of conscience resideth I confesse principally in the vnderstanding as her Metropolis Palace-Throne and thereby exerciseth her chiefe functions but yet in the whole soule commonly called the consistory of conscience she keepeth a compleat court and in the seuerall parts thereof produceth occasionally seuerall operations whence in common speech we say My conscience tels me I did this or did not that ther 's an action of the memory My conscience bids mee or forbids me to doe this ther 's an action of the will And againe It smites me checks me it comforts or torments me What are these but acts of the affections recoyling vpon the soule And certaine it is that whensoeuer conscience reasoneth with it selfe and maketh a practicall Syllogisme concerning the doing of that which is lawfull and auoyding of that which is vnlawfull it hath some helpe from all the faculties both Theorick and Practicke as when that part of conscience which the Ancients call Synteresis because as a treasury of rules and directions it keepes the grounds of the Law naturall and the principles of truth and equity shall make thus the proposition All adulterers and Syll. Cons oppressours are worthy of fearfull punishment and hereupon that other part called Syneidesis as an eye-witnesse and remembrancer of all thy doings shall make thus the assumption But thou hast committed adultery and oppression and shall conuince thee thereof by all circumstances of persons time and place whereupon followes an ineuitable conclusion In all this illatiue discourse who sees not a mutuall dependency on the mind will and memory which moues me to affirme Conscience to be a diuine power compounded of them all Whereat Basil Basil aimed when he tearmed it Naturale iudicatorium and Origen glanced when he calles it Paedagogus Origen in 2. ad Rom. animae sociatus and the Philosophers when they speake of a mans bonus genius but he Greg. spake best that cald it a booke ad quem emendandum omnes scripti sunt libri for whose sake all other bookes are written all other are but glosses vpon this Text. And cursed bee that Commentary which corrupts the Text of conscience Vse To all here present both learned and vnlearned I must commend this Text this book whatsoeuer thou art which seekest for counsel to know what thou maist doe by law consult with this booke of conscience first and see what it saith it is an excellent booke euen in thine owne bosome written by the finger of God in such plaine Characters and so legible that though thou knowest not a letter in any other booke yet thou maist reade this nay thou canst not for thy life but reade it and vnderstand it too and yeeld to the truth and equity thereof when it pleaseth God to turne thy eyes vpon it Open this booke then and see what is written in this Law how readest thou Luk. 10. 26. Ponder vpon it conferre with it it is thy cheapest and faithfullest counsellour at home thou needest not be at cost to seeke aduice abroad it is stored with singular precepts and principles concerning the knowledge and practice of good and euill perswading to the one disswading from the other Hearken then vnto it reade it in time for thy direction lest thou bee forced to looke vpon it too late to thy destruction it may be the light thereof by thy naturall blindnesse is much obscured and that the text letters thereof by affected ignorance and wilfull malice are more blurred and euen blotted out Oh then compare it with Gods Booke and labour by the helpe of Gods Ministers to haue it reformed and rectified Happy is that man that hath a liuing feeling and waking conscience for this shall keepe him so that he shall either not commit sinne or not continue long therein but the crying voyce of his conscience will rowze him out of the bed of security as the crowing Cocke did Peter and bring him to Math. 26. repentance and blessed is that repentance and obedience which is wrought by the power and command of a rectified conscience And thus hauing made a short surueigh of the nature of conscience as it is great and Gods lieutenant in the soule of man working more forcibly on all the parts and powers thereof then all other agents whatsoeuer sitting in the vnderstanding as Iudge to prescribe prohibit absolue and condemne de iure in the memory as Recorder and witnesse testifying de facto in the will and affections as rewarder and punisher pro iure aut iniuria facti I will now with the like breuity and perspicuity speake somewhat of each of these offices distinctly And first of conscience as it writes downe and keepes in record all our doings Secondly as it passeth sentence of them with vs or against vs Thirdly as it executeth the sentence determinate First conscience as a Scribe or Notary sitting 1. Office Hieroglyphic in the closet of mans heart with pen in hand records and keepes a Catalogue or Diary of all our doings of the time when place where the manner how they were performed and that so cleere and euident that goe where we will doe what wee can the characters of them cannot be cancelled or razed She omitteth no default through slownesse of hand neither strikes shee out any debt through deceit like the vniust Steward that bade put downe Luk. 16. 6. fifty for an hundred she cannot bee corrupted to conceale our faults or smothered by tract of time not to check vs for them as appeared in Iosephs brethren whose consciences troubled Gen. 42. 21. them in Egypt for that cruelty which many yeeres before they had shewed towards their Brother in Canaan It is good therefore for vs to agree with conscience in time and in all our wayes to seeke her approbation And as the reuerend Martyr B. Latimer tooke speciall care to Fox Mart. the placing of his words in his examination before Bonner when he heard the pen walking in the chimney behind the cloth and describing whatsoeuer he said So ought we circumspectly to looke to all our doings and sayings and to guard watch and ward our senses which are Aug. the gates and cinque-ports of corruption and lusts sith that conscience is not onely the curious super-visor but the
experience well known that for want of knowledge in Gods Booke and of faith in the Gospell offering forgiuenesse of sinnes onely by Christs blood many sottish soules liue in ignorance and darknesse and in the very shadow of death not able to discerne by reason of their blind nature and naturall blindnesse the things which concerne their peace but thinking all religions will saue or a good meaning serue the turne or a Lord haue mercy at last cast be sufficient Alas many a Fly doe these swallow many a sinne vnseene vnsorrowed for doe they digest and in many things do they erre as Christ told the Sadduces Mark 12. because they know not the Scriptures Mark 12. 24. and the power of God The ignorance whereof as Chrysostome noteth is the mother of Chrysost in 3. Coloss all mischiefe and therfore he earnestly exhorteth all secular persons to get them Bibles the physicke of their soules to labour to bee more Iob 22. 21. acquainted with God in his Word that they may grow vp therby in grace and in the knowledge 2. Pet. 3. 13. of our Sauiour Christ without which sauing knowledge and faith grounded thereon which the Hebrewes by an excellency call Shekel Mekodesh sanctifying wisedome the conscience 2. Faith cannot be vpright It is sufficient vnto sin to doe against conscience as Saint Paul in Rom. Rom. 14. Augustine 14. sheweth whereunto that of Saint Augustine agreeth Quicquid sit contra conscientiam aedificat ad Gehennam But it is not sufficient to duty and obedience to doe according to conscience except it bee inlightened and rectified by the Word without which information and illumination conscience often resolues where it should restraine acquits where it should condemn and so erreth and offendeth diuers waies First by an erronious acceptation and entertainment of the lawes fashions and traditions of men for the precepts of God which is the errour of superstition incident to ignorant arrogant Papists who make the Popes Dictates their practicall principles and seeing if they see at al thorow the false spectacles of their purblind guides shew their obedience in those things to wit in the adoration of Images inuocation of Saints meritorious obseruation of dayes and meates and celebration of Pilgrimages and Masses c. for which they can shew no commandement All whose Religion in these and the like poynts of Purgatory of prayer for the dead of satisfactory seruices and sacrifices of their owne inuention may easily be swept away with the Prophets besome Esa Esa 1. 12. 1. Who required these things at your hands Secondly by a vaine assumption of false principles and a misprision of good for euill of euill for good and this is the errour of prophannesse frequent amongst our common people who inlarge their consciences to the vttermost bounds of any pleasure or profit and vnder pretence of not being booke-learned will not suffer their consciences to prooue good Lawyers in Gods Booke but liue in darke corners vnder blind Sir Iohns and so take quid pro quo Chalke for Cheese riches for righteousnesse policy for piety who accounting gaine godlinesse and maintaining bad opinions to iustifie base affections doe hereupon in the errour of their iudgement practise commonly swearing prophaning of the Sabbath Vsury Lying Lottery Legerdemaine without any regret of conscience at all Thirdly by false application of good principles as when from those approued grounds and true propositions Religious adoration is not to be giuen to creatures and likewise Christians haue liberty in things indifferent these vnwarrantable conclusions are deduced Therefore we may not kneele in the Act of receiuing the Communion Therefore we are not bound to obey the Magistrate in things indifferent Which errour of conscience I may call the errour of too much singularity and precisenesse arguing their indiscretion who in their ouerweening curiosity will bee ouer-pleasing God with better deuices then his owne and take vpon them to teach the Spirit to speake according to the consonants of the Alphabet so long till their wit turne to madnes and end in mischiefe as appeareth by the course and condition of Separatists Anabaptists and Arminians at this day For the auoyding of all which errours of superstition prophanenesse and precisenesse let vs heare and obey our Sauiours counsell Search Ioh. 5. 39. the Scriptures Ioh. 5. for they beare witnesse of me the Way the Truth the Life they giue best testimony both of Gods will concerning his own seruice and of his good will in Christ to all his faithfull seruants Let this Word of God dwell plentifully in vs as Saint Paul prescribeth Col. 3. 16. Col. 3. and that not in some but in all wisedome that we may thinke speake and doe wisely in all things And for the better sharpening of our dimmed sight in matters diuine let vs not refuse the eye-salue of our better inlightened guides but gladly accept thereof that so by all these and other good meanes our consciences being rightly informed we may expresse the goodnesse of them by doing or not doing confidently what God hath commanded or prohibited And to this end that our hearts Col. 2. 2 16. may bee comforted and established in euery good saying and doing wee are to lay fast hold on that euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace which the Father hath giuen vs Colos 2. 2 16. and by all spirituall aliments to preserue and cherish that sauing faith in vs whereby we are perswaded that our sinnes are pardoned and God in Christ reconciled to vs. This indeed is the root of a good conscience as hath been already shewed and this Beleeue in Christs blood is the gracious powerfull Word whereby all consciences are now stilled as the Luk. 19. Act. 16. consciences of Mary Magdalen Zacheus Lydia and that Iaylor were suddenly and soundly thereby quieted Now for the cherishing and confirming of this faith the daily exercises of repentance and obedience are requisite and therefore to make vp the vprightnesse of a good conscience wee are in the second place to speake of these ingredients as most necessary thereunto to wit of repentance and obedience Of repentance in mind altering the thoughts from the approbation of sinne of repentance in heart sorrowing for the committing of sinne of repentance in mouth reprouing and controlling sin of repentance in the whole man remoouing whatsoeuer is knowne to be amisse and bringing forth fruits of amendment of life c. This is a worke impossible to nature without grace and so slow in the working of grace through the contradiction of our nature that howsoeuer many professe it yet few practise it but being rightly practised it will make such a diuision betwixt our persons and our sinnes that by the repairing of the Image of God more and more in vs we shall haue comfortable furtherance in the way to saluation This therefore must not be wanting to him or scanting in him that desireth a good conscience For where
towards men a good conscience requireth and inioyneth as well as the other of holinesse filiall feare and religious worship towards God and so requireth and exacteth both in all that it will not haue either the one to wit Holinesse to be snuffing Mal. 1. 13. puffing short-winded and out of breath as theirs was Mal. 1. Or the other to wit Righteousnesse to be as a morning cloud soone scattered Hos 6. 4. and dissolued as theirs was Hos 6. But both lasting and induring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alwayes for all the dayes of our life that in an holy kinde of righteousnesse and a righteous kind of holinesse we serue God from day to day as long as there is a day left to serue him in and that so we may bee pure and without offence vntill the Day of the Lord filled with the fruits of Righteousnesse and Holinesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1. 11. So then to make a corollary of the premises and a recollection of that which at diuers times before you hath beene deliuered concerning the hauing and discharging of a good conscience alwayes towards God and men I will now for your better instruction and edification humbly commend to your sanctified memories obseruation and imitation too this Summary conclusion as a liuely Character of a sound conscionable Christian A sound conscionable Christian is he who The Character of a conscionable Christian hauing his conscience inlightened by sauing knowledge in Gods Word and purged by faith in Christs Blood from the guilt and punishment of sinne and from dead workes to serue the liuing Lord walketh cheerefully and constantly in the way of life which God hath chalked foorth vnto him not wishing it to bee wider or smoother but going on therein vprightly and freely neither stooping vnder the burthen of a willing sinne nor fettered with the gieues of vniust scruples He alwayes pondereth his paths and ordereth his wayes aright not regarding so much to be applauded of men as to bee approoued of God not looking so much to what hee might doe by his power as what he ought to doe for his praise being neither voluntary Agent nor forced Instrument in that which is vnlawfull to bee done but holding all his sences and members within Couenants for their good behauiour in that behalfe If his wisedome and vertue aduance him to any place or office of command and authority he glorieth not therein as in a Chaire of State or Farme of commodity but is glad thereof onely as a meanes of furthering his reckoning and pleasuring his Countrey wherein he wisely and worthily demeaneth himselfe so cherishing and countenancing wheresoeuer hee comes and hath to doe religious sober and honest liuers that hee dares not affoord a good looke to naughty Varlets and notorious offenders Hee waigheth all matters not according to the common beame of custome and opinion but at the golden Standard of Gods Sanctuary Truth hee exerciseth as well in the censure of persons as iudgement of things and will not iustifie the wicked through bribery or flattery neither condemne the righteous through malice or enuy for a world Being called therunto he giueth plaine testimony to the truth as well for smal as great stranger as brother and oweth so much to the Author of truth that he will not paint potsheards and say Falshood is truth or truth falshood Good euil or euill good for any feare or fauour whatsoeuer According to his meanes and ability he keepeth his house well and therein is mercifull and bounteous but his Church better and therein is deuout and religious hee looketh so to the Church that the Common-wealth receiues no detriment and so maintaines holinesse and piety in the one that he neglects not vpright dealing and equity in the other turne him what way soeuer you will hee is euer the same and will doe well turne him to God to his neighbour to company to himselfe alone put him in office out of office turne him loose to all occasions references and occurrences hee holds his owne and walkes honestly honourably warily worthily praise-worthily in all things and wil not to gaine any thing though neuer so precious leape ouer the pales or goe out of the Paradise of a good conscience In a word all his dealings are square and aboue the boord in his promises and payments hee keepeth day and touch his word is his parchment his yea his oath which he will not violate for any feare or losse hee is a faithfull Clyent of truth and honesty and in the plaine way thereof goeth on confidently and will either triumph in his integrity or suffer with it To conclude his soule is euery day dilated and inlarged to receiue God and goodnesse and is so taken vp with heauenly contemplation and contentments that he lookes often as one displeased on earthly pleasures and preferments he is very well prouided for both worlds and is sure of peace and comfort here and of glory and a glorious Kingdome hereafter This this is the sound Christian which hath gotten the inestimable treasure of an vpright conscience that true Diamond which flings beames of solace vpon the soule This is the conscionable man whose praise and reward is of God though the diuell and world storme and burst for enuie Such a one be he Minister or Magistrate be he Witnesse Iuror Clerke or Aduocate whatsoeuer his place or calling be as Dauids souldiers said of him is worth a 2. Sam. 18. 3. thousand of the common sort who feare to haue a name to feare God and to bee charged with sincerity Such a one as you haue heard the elect vessell of grace and lowd Clarion of the Gospell Saint Paul was and according to my Text indeuoured still to be Oh then that in vs the fire of â—â—le for imitation of him could so bee enkinâ—â—â—d that herein and therein conscionably comporting our selues in our seuerall vocations we might euery one for himselfe bee inabled to say truly as well as he Herein doe I indeuour my selfe to haue alwayes an vpright conscience towards God and men Which that wee may all Fathers and Brethren both say and doe let vs humbly and heartily beseech Amighty God of his abundant grace and mercy to grant and for this end to giue to that which hath been deliuered such a generall blessing according to our particular necessities that thereby such consciences as are dead and dull may be quickened such as are blind and erronious may bee inlightened such as are in a slumber may bee awakened such as are tender confirmed such as are heauie and pensiue comforted and all some way or other bettered through the powerfull operation of his gracious Spirit to the eternall praise of his glorious Name in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne and our onely Sauiour to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bee ascribed all glory and honour now and for euer Amen FINIS
THE CONSCIONABLE CHRISTIAN OR THE INDEVOVR OF SAINT PAVL TO HAVE AND DISCHARGE a good conscience alwayes towards God and men laid open and applyed in three Sermons Preached before the Honourable Judges of the Circuit at their seuerall Assises holden in CHARD and TAVNTON for the County of Somerset 1620. By RICHARD CARPENTER Doctor of Diuinity and Pastor of Sherwell in Deuon Acts 23. 1. I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day 2. Cor. 1. 12. This is our reioycing the testimony of our conscience c. Aug. cont Petil. Conscientiâ—nâ— malam laudant is â—â—â—â—â—nium non saâ—at Bonaâ— calâ—mniantis conuitiam non vulnerat Imprinted at London by F. K. for Iohn Bartlet and are to be sold at the signe of the gilded Cup in the Goldsmiths Rowe in Cheapside 1623. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL HIGH SHERIFE OF SOMERSET IOHN TREVELIAN of Nettlecom Esquire c. The Authour wisheth what the worke describeth the singular comforts of a Conscionable Christian in this life and in that to come blessed immortality SIR Your worth shineth in so high a Sphere of dignity being now the worthily honoured high Sheriffe of the County that if I should indeuour to hold foorth a Candle to any to behold the brightnesse thereof I might iustly bee censured of folly or flattery But I haue no such proiect and in truth it is not your annuall acquired greatnesse and eminency of office and place but your continually inspired goodnesse and life of grace appearing in your practice of piety charity and hospitality farre beyond many of your ranke and quality which hath as it were by a secret forcible influence drawne me vnto you and this discourse of a Conscionable Christian from me Which as it resembles you much so desires to honour you long so much the more to honor you as you shall the more desire and indeuor to resemble it and proceed in some competent proportion to expresse and represent the lines limbes lineaments thereof in the future course of your life and conuersation Wherof I conceiue no small hope hauing been an often eye-witnesse of the manifold graces of God shining in you and occasionally inforced to take notice of your exemplary integrity in the faithfull discharge of your publike Magistracy heretofore and at this time in managing wisely and worthily this important Office whereunto your vertues haue aduanced you from which I doubt not but you will come off commendably and comfortably without any gash or galling of your conscience Which that you may the better doe giue me leaue whom you haue chosen at your seuerall Assises to be a Monitor to many to bee also now a Remembrancer vnto you that you put your soule to that noble imployment of reflecting vpon it selfe and recollecting the particular knowne-passages of your well-neere ouerpast Magistracy with an vndazeled and vndissembling eye that so thorowly trying discrying what you haue done and finding vpon serious examination of your wayes words and workes that as another Moses and Samuel you haue wittingly and willingly done no man wrong neither been voluntary Agent nor forced instrument in the doing of any thing vniustly you may hereupon rest assured and secured of this that you haue carefully and conscionably accomplished your Office and duty Whereof the Countrey makes thankfull report and I cannot but heere to my knowledge giue publike testimony thereunto being also desirous that the tender of this poore Paper-present should be if it may be a perpetuall acknowledgement how much I stand bound to you in generall for your many Christian fauours vouchsafed to mee in particular I haue long I confesse run on the score so that the interest of your loue exceeds the principall of my abilities But yet if verball payment may satisfie for reall benefits and goe for currant I hope hereby at length to strike out some part of my debt At this present let it please you to accept this little monument of that great respect which I deseruedly beare vnto you what propriety you iustly haue both in the worke and in the Author it is well known to all which know vs. I need say no more but this At your instance and intreaty these Sermons were preached by your best deuotion they were attended and in testification of my dutifull loue towards you they are now published You were the chiefe meanes and motiue to bring these meditations to the hearing of many and therfore cheerfully they runne to your hands and are bold vnder your name to offer themselues to the view of all And so humbly commending them to your gentle acceptation and heartily committing you to the Almighties gracious protection and to the Word of his grace which is able to keep Act. 20. 32. you from falling to build you further and to giue you an inheritance with them that are truly sanctified I rest euer prest to be proued Your louing Sonne-in-law in all Christian obseruancy truly deuoted RICH. CARPENTER Loxford the 20. of Septemb. 1620. TO THE READER CHristian Reader In these later and looser times wherein as the Heathen of old complained Malunt disputare homines quà m viuere Men delight rather to argue and discourse of piety and Religion then seriously to reduce the principles thereof into practice and action It is much to bee feared that we all feare God too little and it may iustly be suspected that too many stand so affected in these dayes of long peace as the Romans did in the time of their ciuill warres Then some followed Caesar and they were weakest some Pompey and they were thought wisest some Crassus and they were accounted worst So now some follow the flesh and are led by her corrupting allurements some are Fauorites and Minions of the world carried away with its glittering preferments some are meere Factors for the diuell fulfilling his crafty-cruell designements all are set on worke but vnder the Commander of this cursed Triumvirate for the most part so wickedly that euery where there is a consumption of grace through the corruption of sinne piety complaining that shee is sicke charity neere dead good workes buried prayer and preaching neglected honesty and sobriety derided iustice and equity abandoned truth and plaine-dealing imprisoned faith and a good conscience banished and driuen out of the Countrey For the recalling whereof from banishment or rather for the inciting of Christians to giue thereunto better entertainment I had I confesse some extraordinary calling to those places where these Sermons were preached and therefore more then ordinarily laboured to worke by them powerfully on the consciences of my Auditors that they might be truly inlightened and inliued To this purpose my desire and study was as the circumstances of persons time and place required to lay the Axe of Gods Word close to the root and to apply my doctrine home to the heart and so to set conscience it selfe aworke Now the whole and intire worke of conscience to giue by the way some light to the ignorant
Walke by a rule Gal. 5. 16. Take heed to our wayes with Dauid Psal 39. and striue to keepe an euen and direct course as it were by line or leuell that so we may haue entrance into the strait gate into the which the proud man with his high lookes the ambitious with his aspiring thoughts the malicious with his swelling vncharitable heart the Vsurer with his full bags the drunkard with his full cups and corrupt lungs the adulterer with his fulsome minions and wasted loynes can haue no admittance no admittance if they liue and lye and die in their sinnes without repentance facilis descensus auerni A man may goe to hell without a staffe as the Heathen saith sed reuocare gradum c. But to make a step to heauen and so to seeke the Kingdome thereof as to find it so to finde it as to inioy it hic labor hoc opus est non puluinaris sed pulueris This this indeed is a labour of great worth a worke requiring much heedfulnesse diligence and watchfulnesse Whereof our Apostle had good experience and therefore for our learning and imitation he hath left it recorded that hee did forget what Phil. 3. 13 14. was behind that is account whatsoeuer he had done or suffered already for Gods sake to bee as nothing not worth the naming but this one thing he did he did indeuour himselfe to that which was before and striued to doe better and to bee better and followed hard towards the Marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ So heere in my Text hee exercised himselfe that is with diligence and dexterity and continuall indeuour to the vtmost he pursued this one thing aboue all other things to wit the hauing and holding of a good conscience esteeming it at so high a rate as the Merchant did the Pearle for which hee sold all Mat. 13. 46. that he had accounting all things else as drosse and losse in comparison thereof He knew that the imperfect Essayes proffers and momentany purposes and propensities of lazie languishing wishers woulders ripen not reach not home thereunto and therefore with a steady settled will and full resolution with the greatest bent and extent of his regenerate rectified affection such as was in Dauid where hee vowed and Ps 119. 106. swore that hee would keepe Gods righteous iudgements and in Ioshua where hee resolued Iosh 24. 15. that whatsoeuer others did hee and his house would serue the Lord pursueth the purchase of this heauenly Iewell a good conscience in which pursuit he deserueth our best imitation and most zealous emulation too So that as S. Ierom hauing read the religious life and comfortable death of Hilarion said Surely Hilarion shall be the Champion which I will follow So hauing heard the godly care and continuall indeuour which Saint Paul had to keepe an vpright conscience wee should all both Magistrates and Ministers and all other officers and instruments of Iustice here present religiously resolue to make Saint Paul our Champion and guide in a businesse of so singular consequence henceforward exercising our selues in this to haue alwayes a good conscience towards God and men to haue I say that tranquillity of mind that heauenly Musicke whereon the old Philosophers doubtfully harped but the good Christian heart onely heareth it and answereth it with iust measures of ioy Which spirituall harmony to giue you by the way a taste of it for the sharpning of your appetite after it as a song of three parts consisteth in a three-fold Pax suprà exrà intrà peace with God aboue vs and men without vs and the soule within vs and therefore is both hard to be gotten and rare to be found But after wee haue sought heauen and earth Note behold where onely the wearied Doue the humbled Christian may finde this Oliue of peace this peace of a good conscience namely in that reconciliation to God in that remission of sinnes and fruition of Gods fauour which the eternall Peace-maker the Esa 9. Sauiour of men and anointed of God CHRIST IESVS hath procured and purchased 1. Pet. 1. 19. by the infinite price of his most precious Blood the benefit whereof hee offers to be apprehended of vs by the spirituall hand of faith Receiue then peace and be happy beleeue and thou hast receiued by faith thou Ioh. 3. 16. art interessed in all that either God hath promised or Christ performed The faithfull apprehension and application of Christs all-sufficient satisfaction makes it to bee thine Vpon this satisfaction thou hast the broad Seale of pardon and remission vpon remission followes reconciliation and vpon reconciliation peace of conscience O heauenly peace whereby alone we are at league with our selues and God with vs without which all other pleasures are to be pitied without which the heart will deny to be cheered though all the world bee her Minstrell and Musician When therefore thy conscience like a sterne Sergeant shall catch thee by the throate and arrest thee vpon Gods debt let this be thy plea that thou hast already paid it bring foorth that bloody acquittance sealed to thee from heauen vpon thy true faith and straightway thou shalt see her fierce lookes changed into friendly smiles and that hand which was ready violently to drag thee to prison now louingly to imbrace thee and fight for thee against all temptations and accusations whatsoeuer For what can accuse or condemne where God and the conscience do acquit Hic murus ahaeneus esto nil conscire tibi Let this be thy fortresse and brazen Bulwarke in all assaults of thy spirituall enemies that thou hast no sinne vnrepented no corruption vnbewailed with the guilt wherof thou canst charge thy selfe Surely thou canst not be by the false Saluianus iudgement of another made miserable who art thus by the true testimony of thine owne conscience become blessed the vniust exclamations of the wicked without shall not be able to hurt thee whilst the iust acclamation of thy witnesse within doth cleere and cheere thee nay rather thou shalt make to thy selfe a Garland of the false aspersions of Sycophants and be able comfortably confidently to say as S. Austin in a case not much vnlike said Fideliter in conspectu Dei dico c. I speake it solemnely Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 3. c. 6. in the sight of God that I am not guilty to any of those actions wherewith my aduersary chargeth me since the time I was baptized in the name of Christ and therefore haue no cause to be sad but to reioyce and exult Goe to then ye righteous reioyce in the Lord sing merrily ye that are purged and pacified by faith in Christs Blood to the mighty God of your saluation Walke cheerefully on in the way of peace thus chalked foorth vnto you let no difficulty be a sufficient excuse to hinder you in the pursuite of this peace of conscience which