might and power is in the word preached for it is the very word of Christ and therefore beeing preached by his ministers lawfully called by him thereunto hath the same power force in it which Christ himselfe shewed when he spake on earth It is the sauour of life vnto life to saue those that heare it or the sauour of death vnto death It is like to a vapour or perfume in the aire which in some mens nostrills is sauorie and pleasant and doth reuiue them and others againe it striketh dead And therefore euery one that either now or heretofore hath heard this word preached shall finde it to be vnto them either a word of power to saue their soules or through their corruption the ministerie of death and condemnation Againe if a word spoken by Christ beeing in a base or low estate be able to ouerthrow his enemies then at the last day when he shall come in his glory and power and maiestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead what power shall his words haue Goe you cursed of my father into euerlasting fire which was prepared for the deuill and his angels The consideration of this that the word of Christ shall euen be as powerfull at that day must be a motiue to euery one of vs to cause vs to come vnto him and while we haue time in these daies of grace and mercy to seeke to be reconciled vnto him for al our sinnes least at the last day we heare that dreadful voice of Christ sounding against vs Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire c. And thus much for the communication Nowe followeth Iudas his treason wherein we are to obserue these things I. the qualities and conditions of the man that did the treason He was by calling a disciple chosen to be an Apostle which is the chiefest in Ecclesiall callings and among the disciples hee was in some account because he was as it were a steward in Christs familie and bare the bagge but yet he was a traitour and did more against Christ then all the Iewes did For he brought them to the place where they might apprehend him and when they were come did point him out vnto them and deliuered him into their handes nay he gaue them a signe and token saying Whome I kisse he it is take him and lead him away warily Here wee see the cause why Christ called Iudas a Deuil for he said Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill Hee became to be a deuil and a traitour by nourishing a wicked and a couetous heart And heare we are taught that the ministers of the word if they make no conscience of sinne by the iust iudgement of God doe prooue deuils incarnate this example of Iudas doth manifest the same and the reason is plaine for the more knowledge a man hath the more wicked he is if he want grace They are like in this case vnto a man that hath meat and drink enough but no stomacke to digest meate whereby the more he eateth the more it turneth to his hurt This I speake not to deface the callings of ministers but that those which preach Gods worde should not doe it with impenitent hearts liuing in their owne sinnes For it is a fearefull thing for a man to speake vnto the people of the pardon of their sinne and yet himselfe not to apprehend the same by faith A lump of waxe if you keepe it from heate or from the fire it keepes his own forme still but if it be held to the fire it melts and runnes abroad so ministers who by reason of their callings come neere God if they be lumpes of iniquitie and liue in their sinnes they shall finde that the corruptions of their hearts will melt abroad as waxe at the fire And therfore euery one that is designed to this calling must first purge himselfe of his owne sinnes or els Gods iudgements shal fal vpon him as they did on Iudas that betraied Christ. Secondly let vs consider what mooued Iudas to betray his master namely the desire of wealth and gaine and this couetousnes which is an insatiable desire of money is the roote of all sinne not that all sinnes came of it but because where it is there all other sinnes are preserued do get strength The desire of thirtie peeces of siluer caused Iudas to make an agreement with the Iewes to betray his master Some man will happely say that this practise of Iudas was very straunge and that no man now liuing would doe the like for any money Ans. Iudas is dead indeede but his practise is yet aliue for in the high and waightie calling of the ministerie he that hath charge of soules and either can not teach and feede his flocke or else will not though he betray not Christ in his own person yet he betraies the members of Christ vnto the deuil If a nourâ—e should take a mans childe to bring vp and yet seldome or neuer giue it milke in so much that the childe pineth away for very hunger is not shee the verie cause of the death of it yes verely And so it is with him that taketh vpon him the charge of Gods people and neuer feedes them with the milk of gods word or else so seldom that their soules do famish he is the murtherer of them and hath betraied them into the hands of their enemie and shall be condemned for them as a traitour vnto God vnlesse he repent Besides those that liue by traffique in buying and selling make gaine by lying swearing and breaking the Lords Sabboth they are also very Iudasses for they choppe away their soules with the deuill for a little gaine And more lamentable is their case because it is hard to finde one of an hundred in the world that makes conscience of a lie or of any badde dealing if any gaine at all may come thereby Men vse to crie out on Iudas for betraying Christ and they doe well yet they themselues for a little worldly pelfe betray their owne soules If such would not be counted Iudasses they must leaue off to sin keep a good conscience in gods worship the works of their callings Thirdly let vs consider what course Iudas tooke in betraying Christ hee was very submisse saying Haile Master and kissed him Why did he so Herein he played the most palpable hypocrite for hauing gotten a peece of money he thought that neither Christ nor any of his fellowe disciples should haue knowne of it though Christ knewe it well enough and therefore hee comes in this maner to him thinking that Christ would haue conueyed himselfe from amongst them all at the verie pinch as he had done sometimes before And this practise also of Iudas is common in the world Iudas an enemie vnto Christs speakes him faire and salutes him and so doe most of our secure and drowsie protestantes in England they salute Christ both by hearing
creatures some are proper to men The benefit of the Holy Ghost common to all creatures is the worke of creation and preseruation For all things were created and made and afterwarde perserued by the holy Ghost So Elihu saith The spirit of God hath made me And Moses saith In the beginning the spirit mooued vpon the waters The phrase is borrowed from a bird who in hatching of her young ones sits vpon the egges mooues her selfe vpon them and heats them And so likewise the holy Ghost in the beginning did by his own power cherish and preserue the masse or lumpe whereof all things were made and caused it to bring forth the creatures This beeing euident that the Holy Ghost hath a stroke in the worke of creation and preseruation wee must vnfainedly acknowledge that we were first created and since that time continually preserued by the benefit euen of the third person The benefits proper vnto men are of two sorts some are common to all men both good and bad and some proper to the elect and faithfull The benefits common to all men are diuers I. the gift of practising a particular calling As in the bodie seuerall members haue seuerall vses so in euery societie seuerall men haue seuerall offices and callings and the gifts whereby they are inabled to performe the duties thereof are from the holy Ghost When Gedeon became a valiant captaine to deliuer the Israelites it is said he was clothed with the spirit Bezaleel and Aholiab beeing set apart to build the tabernacle were filled with the spirit of God in wisdome and in vnderstanding and in all workemanship to finde out curious works to worke in gold and in siluer in brasse also in the art to set stones and to carue in timber c. By this it is manifest that the skill of any handicraft is not in the power of man but comes by the holy Ghost And by this we are taught to vse al those gifts wel wherby we are inabled to discharge our particular callings that they may serue for the glorie of God and the good of his Church and those that in their callings vse fraud and deceit or else liue inordinately doe most vnthankfully abuse the gifts of God and dishonour the spirit of God the author of their gifts for which thing they must giue an account one day The second gift common to all is Illumination whereby a man is inabled to vnderstand the will of God in his word The Iewes in the reading of the old testament had a vaile ouer their hearts and the like haue all men by nature to whome the word of God is foolishnes Paul at his conuersion was smitten blind skales were vpon his eyes the like also be ouer the eyes of our mindes and they must fall away before we can vnderstand the will of God Now it is the worke of the holy Ghost to remooue these skales and filmes from our eyes And for this very cause he is called the annointing and eye-salue for as it doth cleare the eyes and take away the dimmenes from them so doth the holy Ghost take away blindnes from our mindes that we may see into the truth of Gods word This beeing a common gift and receiued both of good and bad it standeth vs in hand not to content our selues with the bare knowledge of the word but therewithall we must ioyne obedience and make conscience thereof or else that will besall vs which Christ foretold that he which knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes The third gift of the holy Ghost is the gift of prophecie whereby a man is made able to interpret and expound the Scriptures Now albeit this gift be very excellent and not giuen to euery man yet is it common both to good and badde For in the day of iudgement when men shall come to Christ and say Master we haue prophecied in thy name he shall answer againe I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Hereupon those that are in the calling of the ministerie and haue receiued the gift of prophecie must not herewithall be puffed vp For if they be not as well doers of Gods will as teachers their gifts will turne to their further condemnation As the carpenters that built Noahs arke when the flood came were drowned because they would not obey Noahs preaching so those that haue the gifts of prophecie and are builders in Gods house if they build not themselues as well as others for all their preaching at the day of iudgement they shall be condemned and therefore it standeth them in hand not to content themselues with this that they know and teach others Gods will but they themselues must be the first doers of the same The fourth common gift of the Holy Ghost is Abilitie to bridle and restraine some affections so as they shall not breake out into outragions behauiour Haman a wicked man and an enemie to Gods Church when he sawe Mordecai the Iewe sitting in the kings gate and that hee would not stand vp nor mooue vnto him he was full of indignatiō neuertheles the text saith that he refrained himselfe And when Abimelech an heathen king had taken Sara Abrahams wife God said vnto him I knowe that thou didst this with an vpright heart and the text addeth further I haue kept thee that thou shouldest not sinne against me And thus the Lord giueth to men as yet without the spirit of sanctification this gift to bridle themselues so as in outward action they shall not practise this or that sinne For why did not Abimelech commit adulterie surely because God kept him from it Againe in the histories of the heathen we may read of many that were iust liberall meeke continent c. and that by a generall operation of the holy Ghost that represseth the corruption of nature for the common good Here then if any man aske howe it commeth to passe that some men are more modest and ciuil then others seeing all men by nature are equally wicked the answer may be not as the common saying is because some are of better nature then others for all the sonnes of Adam are equall in regard of nature the child newe borne in that respect is as wicked as the eldest man that euer liued but the reason is because God giues this common gift of restraining the affections more to some then to others This must be considered of vs all For a man may haue the spirit of God to bridle many sinnes and yet neuer haue the spirit to mortifie the same and to make him a newe creature And this beeing so we must take heede that we deceiue not our selues For it is not sufficient for a man to liue in outward ciuility and to keepe in some of his affections vpon some occasion for that a wicked man may doe but we must further labour to feele in our selues the spirit
by his heauenly power maketh him to doe the good which he doth And as from the stocke sappe is deriued to the grift that it may liue and grow and bring forth fruit in his kind so doe all the faithfull that are grafted into Christ the true vine And as the grift loseth his wild nature and is changed into the nature of the stocke and bringeth forth good fruit so in like manner it is with them that are in Christ who by little and little are wholly renued from euill to good XXIII The Elect beeing thus ioyned vnto Christ receiue three wonderfull benefits from him Iustification Adoption Sanctification Iustification is when the Elect beeing in themselues rebellious sinners and therefore firebrands of hell fire and Gods owne enemies yet by Christ they are accepted of the Lord as perfectly pure and righteous before him XXIIII This Iustification is wrought in this manner Sinne is that which maketh a man vnrighteous the child of wrath vengeance In sinne there are three things which are hurtfull to man the first is condemnation which commeth of â—inne the second is actuall disobedience of the law in sinne the third is the root and fountaine of sinne originall corruption These are three deadly woundes and three running sores in the hearts and consciences of all sinners Now Christ Iesus is perfectly righteous and in him a sinner may finde three inestimable benefits answerable to the three former euills First the sufferings of Christ vpon the crosse sufficient for all mens sinnes Secondly the obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law Thirdly the perfect holines of the humane nature of Christ these are three soueraigne medecines to heale all wounded consciences and they are as three running streames of liuing water to bathe and to supple the bruised and contrite heart Now then commeth faith and first laieth hold of the sufferings of Christ and so a sinner is freed from the punishment and guilt of sinne and from eternall damnation thus the first deadly wound is cured Againe faith laieth hold on the perfect obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law and thus the second wound is cured Thirdly faith applieth the holines of Christs humane nature to the sinner and then he is accepted of God as perfectly righteous and so his third deadly wound is cured Thus a sinner is made righteous by the righteousnes of Christ imputed to him XXV From true iustification proceede many other benefits and they are either outward or inward Outward benefits are three The first is Reconciliation by which a man iustified is perfectly reconciled to God because his sinne is done away and he is arayed with the perfect righteousnes of Christ. The second is that afflictions to the faithfull are no punishments for sinne but onely fatherly and louing chastisments For the guilt and punishment of sinne was borne of Christ. Now therefore if a Christian be afflicted it is no punishment for then God should punish one fault twise once in Christ and the second time vpon the Christian which thing doth not agree with his iustice it remaineth therefore that afflictions are onely corrections in the faithfull The third benefit is that the man iustified doth deserue and merit at Gods hands the kingdom of heauen For being made perfectly righteous in Christ and by his righteousnes he must needs merit eternall life in and by the merits of Christ. And therefore Paul calleth it the iustification of life Rom. 5.18 XXVI Inward benefits proceeding from iustification are those which are inwardly â—elt in the heart and serue for the better assurance of iustification and they are principally fiue The â—irst is Peace and quietnes of conscience As all men naturally in Adam are corrupt so all men naturally haue corrupt and defiled consciences accusing them and arraigning them before Gods iudgement for their sinnes in such wise that euery suspition of death and feare of imminent daunger maketh a naturall man stand agast at his wits end knowing not what to doe but by faith in Christ the Christian is perswaded of remission of his sinnes and so the disquietnes of his conscience is appeased and he hath an inward peace in all extremities which can not be taken from him XXVII The slumbering and dead conscience is much like to the good conscience pacified many through ignorance take the one for the other But they may be seuered and discerned thus First let the beleeuing Christian examine himselfe whether his conscience was afflicted with the sense of Gods iudgements and pressed downe with the burthen of his sinne before he came to that quietnesse for then he may be in good hope that it was the Spirit of God who brought that peace because God hath promised That he will dwell with the humble and contrite to reuiue and quicken them But if he haue alwaies had that peace from the beginning of his daies he may easily deceiue himselfe by taking the numnesse and securitie of a defiled conscience for the true peace of conscience Secondly let him search from whence this peace of his conscience proceedeth For if it come from any thing else but from the certaintie of the remission of sinne it is no true peace as many flattering theÌ„selues in sinne dreaming of a pardon are thereupon quieted and the deuill is readie enough to put this into their minds but this can be no true peace Thirdly let him examine himselfe if he haue a care to keepe a good conscience which if he haue he hath also receiued from the Lord a good and a quiet conscience For if God bestow vpon any man a gift concerning his saluation he giueth him also a care to keepe it XXVIII The second inward benefit is An entrance into Gods fauour and a perseuerance in it which is indeede a wonderfull benefit When a man commeth into fauour with his Prince then he is bold to come vnto him and he may haue free accesse vnto his presence and he may sue to his Prince for any benefit or preferment whereof he standeth in neede may obtaine it before any other so they which are in Gods fauour by reason that they are freely pardoned and iustified in Christ doe boldly approach into Gods presence and they are readie to aske and sure to obtaine any benefit that is for their good The third is a spirituall ioy in their hearts euen then when they are afflicted because they looke certenly to obtaine the kingdome of heauen The fourth is that the loue of God is shed in the hearts of the faithfull by the holy Ghost that is that the holy Ghost doth make the faithfull very euidently to feele the loue of God towards them and doth as it were fill their hearts with it XXIX The second maine benefit is Adoption whereby they which are iustified are also accepted of God as his
hoping of your Lordships good acceptance I commend you to God and to the word of his grace 1596. Iune 14. Your L. to command William Perkins OF CONSCIENCE CHAP. I. What Conscience is COnscience is a part of the vnderstanding in all reasonable creatures determining of their particular actions either with them or against them I say conscience is a part of the vnderstanding and I shewe it thus God in framing of the soule placed in it two principall faculties Vnderstanding and Will Vnderstāding is that facultie in the soule wherby we vse reason it is the more principall part seruing to rule order the whole man therfore it is placed in the soule to be as the wagginer in the waggin The Will is another facultie whereby wee doe will or nill any thing◠that is choose or refuse it With the will is ioyned sundrie affectiōs as ioy sorrow loue hatred c. whereby we imbrace or eschewe that which is good or euill Nowe conscience is not placed in the affections nor will but in the vnderstanding because the actions thereof stand in the vse of reason Vnderstanding againe hath two parts The first is that which stands in the viewe and contemplation of trueth and falshood and goes no further The second is that which standes in the view and consideration of euery particular action to search whether it be good or badde The first is called the Theoricall the second the practicall vnderstanding And vnder this latter is conscience to be comprehended because his propertie is to iudge of the goodnes or badnes of things or actions done Againe I say that conscience is a part of the minde or vnderstanding to shewe that conscience is not a bare knowledge or iudgement of the vnderstāding as men commōly write but a naturall power facultie or created qualitie from whence knowledge and iudgement proceede as effects This the Scriptures confirme in that they ascribe sundrie workes and actions to conscience as accusing excusing comforting terrifying which actions could not thence proceede if conscience were no more but an action or act of the mind Indeede I grant it may be taken for a kind of actuall knowledge in the minde of man but to speake properly this knowledge must proceede of a power in the soule the propertie whereof is to take the principles and conclusions of the mind and apply them and by applying either to accuse or excuse This is the ground of all and this I take to be conscience If it be obiected that conscience cannot be a naturall power because it may be lost I answer if conscience be lost it is onely in respect of the vse thereof as reason is lost in the drunken man and not otherwise I adde that the proper subiects of conscience are reasonable creatures that is men and Angels Hereby conscience is excluded first of all from bruite beasts for though they haue life and sense and in many things some shadows of reason yet because they want true reason they want conscience also Secōdly from God the creator who beeing righteousnes it selfe needeth not conscience to order and gouerne his actions And whereas Peter saieth 1. Pet. 2. 19. that men must endure griefe wrongfully for conscience of god his meaning is not to shewe that God hath conscience but that men are to suffer many wrongs because their conscience doe bind them in so doing to obey Gods wil which conscience directly respecteth And I say that conscience is in all reasonable creatures that none might imagine that some men by nature haue conscience in them some none at all For as many men as there are so many consciences there be and euery particular man hath his owne particular conscience The proper end of conscience is to determine of things done And by this conscience is distinguished from all other gifts of the minde as intelligence opinion science faith prudence Intelligence simplie conceiues a thing to be or not to be opinion iudgeth a thing to be probable or contingent science iudgeth to be certen and sure faith is a perswasion whereby we beleeue things that are not prudence discerneth what is meet to be done what to bee left vndone but conscience goes further yet then all these for it determines or giues sentence of things done by saying vnto vs this was done this was not done this may bee done this may not be done this was well done this was ill done The things that conscience determines of are a mans own actions his own actions I say To be certen what an other man hath said or done it is commōly called knowledge but for a man to be certaine what he himselfe hath done or said that is conscience Againe conscience meddles not with generals onely it deales in particular actions and that not in some few but in all The manner of consciences determination is to set downe his iudgement either with the creature or against it I adde this clause because conscience is of a diuine nature and is a thing placed of God in the middest betweene him and man as an arbitratour to giue sentence and to pronounce either with mā or against man vnto God For otherwhiles it consents and speaks with God against the man in whome it is placed otherwhiles againe it consents with him and speakes for him before the Lord. And hence comes one reason of the name of conscience Scire to knowe is of one man alone by himselfe and conscire is when two at the least knowe some one secret thing either of them knowing it togither with the other Therefore the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conscientia Conscience is that thing that combines two togither and makes thē partners in the knowledge of one and the same secret Now man and man or man and Angel cannot be combined because they cannot knowe the secret of any man vnlesse it be reuealed to them it remaines therefore that this combinatiō is onely betweene man and God God knowes perfectly all the doings of man though they be neuer so hid and concealed and man by a gift giuen him of God knowes togither with God the same things of himselfe and this gift is named Conscience CHAP. II. Of the duties of Conscience THe proper actions or duties of conscience are twofold to giue testimony or to giue iudgement Rom. 2.15 Conscience giues testimonie by determining that a thing was done or it was not done Rom. 2.15 Their conscience also bearing witnesse 2. Cor. 1.12 Our reioycing is the testimonie of our conscience that in c. Here we must consider three things I. of what things conscience beares witnes II. in what manner III. how long For the first conscience beares witnesse of our thoughts of our affections of our outward actions That it beares witnesse of our secret thoughts it appeares by the solemne protestation which at some time men vse In my conscience I neuer thought it whereby they signifie that they thinke something or they
as giue themselues to swearing want religion and good conscience and that those families in which there is rifenesse of oathes abandon all care of religion and banish God out of their houses And indeede it is a very hard thing for the common swearer to auoide common periurie If we see a man hold vp his hand at the barre of an earthly iudge wee pitie him and are sorrie for him oh then why doe we not pittie blasphemers and common swearers For with God they are no better then rebels that hold vp their hands at the barre of his iudgement seat as guiltie malefactours Exod 20.7 Augustine saith well They that worship stocks stones feare to sweare fasly by stones and doest thou not feare God that is present God that liueth God that knoweth God that taketh reuenge of contemners but of bad custome when thou art beleeued thou swearest when none requires it thou swearest and when men cannot abide it thou swearest Thus much of an Oath nowe followes a promise which is either to God or man the first is called a vowe the second a single promise A vowe is taken three waies First generally for a promise of morall obedience and this vowe is first made in Baptisme and continued in the Lords supper as also in the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance It is called of Peter 1. epist. 3.21 the stipulation which a good conscience makes to God This kinde of vowe bindes all and euery member of the Church of God And the not keeping of it is the common sinne of the world for most men make not conscience to performe that which they haue promised to God in Baptisme and therefore their Baptisme is become vnto them the sacrifice of fooles Eccl. 4.17 But considering we are bound in conscience by this vow let vs hereafter indeauour to be as good as our word and that shall bee when we begin to die to our sinnes and rise to newnesse of life There is no man almost but will seeme to haue care to keepe touch with men what a shame is it then for vs not to keepe couenant with God Againe a vowe is taken for a promise of ceremoniall obedience whereof read Num. 6. and 30. and Leuit. 27. This vow is peculiar to the old testament and did not bind all men but onely such as had peculiar occasion to vow and thereupon bound themselues as the Nazarites and others Thirdly a vowe is taken for the performance of some outward and bodily exercises taken vp of a mans owne accord as beeing things in a mans owne libertie without any commandement of god as the keeping of set times of fast of praying or reading the performance of set taskes almes giuing abstinence from certaine meates and drinkes in the vse whereof through our own weaknesse we feare any occasion of sinne And this kind of vowe is more peculiar to the new testament dieth but alwaies lies gnawing and grabbling and pulling at the heart of man Mark 9.24 causeth more paine and anguish then any disease in the world can doe The time when conscience performes these actions is not before the sinne or in the act of sinning but especially after the sinne is done and past Reason I. Before a man sinneth the deuill doth extenuate the fault and make sinne to be no sinne II. Corrupt affections doe for a time so blind and ouercast iudgment that it doeth not see or at the least consider what is good or badde till afterward Neither doth conscience accuse and condemne onely for time present but also long after a thing is done The consciences of Iosephs brethren accused them 2â— yeares after they had sold him into Egypt Gen. 42.21 The effect of the accusing and condemning conscience is to stirre vp sundrie passions and motions in the heart but specially these fiue The first is shame which is an affection of the heart whereby a man is grieued and displeased with himselfe that he hath done any euill and this shame sheweth it selfe by the rising of the blood from the heart to the face Yet wee must here remember that euen such as haue the pardon of their sinnes and are not guiltie may be ashamed and blush Rom. 6. 21. What fruite had ye in those things whereat yee nowe blush or hee ashamed Yet for all this euen those which are most guiltie may be without all shame Ier. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay nay they were not ashamed neither could they haue any shame because they are growne to some great height in sinne Eph 4.18 The second passion is sadnes and sorrowe which is commonly thought to be nothing else but melancholie but betweene them twaine there is great difference Sorrow that comes by melancholy ariseth only of that humour annoying the bodie but this other sorrow ariseth of a mans sinnes for which his coÌ„science accuseth him Melancholly may be cured by physicke this sorrow can not be cured by any thing but by the blood of Christ. The third is feare in causing whereof conscience is very forcible If a man had all the delights and pleasures that heart can wish they can not doe him any good if conscience be guiltie Belshazzar when hee was in the middest of all his delights and sawe the hand writing vpon the wall his countenance changed his thoughts troubled him his ioynts loosed and his knees smote togither Dan. 5.9 Yea the guiltie conscience will make a man afraid if hee see but a worme peepe out of the ground or a silly creature to goe crosse his way or if hee see but his owne shadow on a suddain or if he doe but forecast an euil with himselfe Prou. 28.1 The wicked flieth when no man pursueth him Terrours of conscience when they are more vehement cause other passions in the body as exceeding heate like that which is in the fitte of an ague the rising of the entralls towardes the mouth and souning as experience hath often shewed And the writer of the booke of wisdome saith truely cap. 17.10 It is a fearefull thing when malice is condemned by her owne testimony and a conscience that is touched doeth euer forecast cruell things For feare â—â— nothing else but the betraying of the succours that reason offereth c. they that did endure the might that was intollerable c. sometimes were troubled with monstrous visions and sometimes they swouned as though their owne soules should betray them for a sudden feare not looked for came vpon them The fourth is desperation whereby a man through the vehement and constant accusation of his conscience comes to be out of all hope of the pardon of his sinnes This made Saul Achitophel and Iudas to hang themselues this makes many in these daies to doe the like as appeareth by the declarations of such as haue beene preuented when they were about to hang or drowne theÌ„selues or to cut their owne throates The last is a perturbation or disquietnesse of the
whole man whereby all the powers and faculties of the whole man are forth of order Esa. 57.20 The wicked are like the raging of the sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Thus much of the two first actions of conscience which are to accuse and condemne the second followeth to excuse and absolue To excuse is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done To absolue is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free and cleare from fault and so from punishment From these two actions arise some speciall affections I. boldnes and confidence Prou. 28.1 The righteous are bold as a lyon II. Ioy and reioycing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testimonie of my conscience that in all simplicitie and godly purenes I haue had my conuersation in the world Hence it is said that a good conscience is a continuall feast Hitherto I haue spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past now followeth hir iudgement of things to be done Conscience giues iudgement of things to come by foretelling and as it were saying inwardly in the heart that the thing may be well done Of this kind of iudgement euery man may haue experience in himselfe when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or bad By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way and all the turnings thereof he could not but take it for a point of curtesie Well we are pilgrimes in this world our life is our iourney God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide to shew vs what course we may take and what we may not And here it must be noted that in all things to be done conscience is of great force and beares a great stroke For this is the beginning of a good worke that the conscience first of all giue her iudgement truly that the thing may be done and is acceptable to God Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer is not done of a setled perswasion in iudgement conscience out of Gods word howsoeuer men iudge of it is sinne Againe God regards not the outward pompe of the action of the doer but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart therfore vnles the coÌ„science first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will it can be nothing els but a sinne And he that shall doe a thing because it is good in his owne eyes not knowing that God doth allowe of it preferres himselfe before God disobeies as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will From this former rule arise three other the first whatsoeuer is done with a doubting conscience is a sinne For example some beleeuers in the Primitiue Church held that still after the ascension of Christ there remained a differeÌ„ce betweene meate and meate and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kind of meates now put the case that by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden this done there is no question but they haue sinned as Paul prooueth Rom. 14. 14. I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him tâ—at iudgeth any thing vncleane it is vncleane and v. 23. He that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith The second whatsoeuer thing is done in or with an erronious conscience it is a sinne For example in the Primitiue Church diuers of the gentiles held this errour that fornication was a thing indifferent and therefore conscience tolde them that they might doe it and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinne because conscience erred in her iudgement And euill remaines euill though conscience say the contrarie a thousand times The third what is done against conscience though it erre and bee deceiued it is sin in the doer Example An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawful to sweare is brought before a magistrate and vrged either through feare or some like cause takes an oath and that against his owne conscience nowe the question is whether he hath sinned or no Ans. Hee hath indeede sinned not so much because hee hath taken an oath for that is the ordinance of God but because hee hath taken an oath in a bad manner that is against his conscience therfore not in faith Thus it is manifest that conscience beares a great stroke in all things that are to be said or done And hereby we are aduertised of many things First if a thing done without good direction of conscience bee a sinne then much more that which is done without good direction of Gods word is a flat sinne for without direction of Gods word conscience can giue no good direction And if God will hold that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer so as if a man be but to receiue a morsel of bread into his mouth it can so farre forth direct him that in doing of it hee shall be able to please God If this were not true maÌ„s case were most miserable For then we should sinne in manifold actions and that without remedie And hereby the Word I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and newe testament which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all actions As for the lawe of nature though it affoard indeede some direction yet is it corrupt imperfect vncerten whatsoeuer is right and good therein is contained in the written word of god And as for the best vnwritten traditions let all the Papists in the world answer if they can howe I may in conscience be perswaded that they are the word of God If they say that the auncient fathers of the Primitiue Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions I aunswer againe howe shall I knowe and be certaine in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour in saying so haue not erred Againe we learne hence that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good work vnles withall conscience giue iudgement that God doth approue the action This shewes the ignorance of our people that when as in their dealings they runne vpon a good meaning then alwaies they thinke they do well and please God Thirdly hence it appeares that all things deuised by man for the worship of God are flat sinnes because conscience cannot say of them that they please God Esay 29.13 Mar. 7.7 Lastly we learne here that ignorance of Gods will and word is a dangerous thing and makes the life of man to abound yea to flowe with a sea of offences against God Men commonly thinke that if
they keepe themselues froÌ„ periurie blasphemie murder theft whoredome all is well with them but the trueth is that so long as they liue in ignorance they want right and true direction of conscience out of Gods worde and therefore their best actions are sinnes euen their eating and drinking their sleeping and waking their buying and selling their speech and silence yea their praying and seruing of god For they do these actions either of custome or example or necessitie as beasts doe and not of faith because they know not Gods will touching things to be done or left vndone The consideration of this point should make euery man most carefull to seeke for knowledge of Gods word and daily to increase in it that hee may in all his affaires haue Gods lawes to bee the men of his counsell Psal. 116. 24. that hee may giue heede to them as to the light shining in a darke place 2. Pet. 1.19 that he may say with Peter when Christ commanded him to launch forth into the deepe and to cast forth his nette Lord we haue bin all night and haue catched nothing yet in thy word will I let downe my nette Luk. 5.5 CHAP. III. Of the kindes of conscience and of conscience regenerate COnscience is either good or badde Good conscience is that which rightly according to Gods word excuseth and comforteth For the excellency goodnesse and dignitie of conscience standes not in accusing but in excusing And by doing any sinne whatsoeuer to giue an occasion to the conscience to accuse and condemne is to wound it and to offend it Thus Paul saith that the Corinthians wounded the consciences of their weake breathren when they vsed their libertie as an occasion of offence to them 1. Cor. 8,9 12. Againe hee calleth a good conscience a conscience without offence that is which hath no stop or impedimeÌ„t to hinder it from excusing Act. 24. 19. Good conscience is either good by creation or regeneration Good by creation was the conscience of Adam which in the estate of innocency did onely excuse and could not accuse him for any thing though it may be an aptnes to accuse was not wanting if afterward an occasion should be offered And hence we haue further direction to consider what a good coÌ„science is namely such an one as by the order set downe in the creation excuseth onely without accusing Yea to accuse is a defect in true conscieÌ„ce following after the first creation For naturally there is an agreement and harmonie betweene the parts and the whole but if the conscience should naturally accuse there should be a dissent and disagreement and diuision between the conscience and the man himselfe Regenerate conscience is that which beeing corrupt by nature is renewed and purged by faith in the blood of Christ. For to the regenerating of the coÌ„science there is required a conuersion or change because by nature all mens consciences since the fall are euill and none are good but by grace The instrument seruing to make this change is faith Act. 15.19 Faith purifieth the heart The meritorious cause is the blood of Christ. Heb. 9.14 Howe much more shall the blood of Christ c. purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God The propertie of regenerate conscience is twofold Christian libertie and Certentie of saluation Because both these haue their place not in the outward man but in the spirit and conscience Christian libertie is a spirituall and holy freedome purchased by Christ. I say it is spirituall first to put a difference betweene it and ciuill libertie which standes in outward and bodily freedomes and priuiledges secondly to confute the Iewes that looke for earthly libertie by Christ and the Anabaptists who imagine a freedome from all authoritie of Magistrates in the kingdome of Christ. Againe I say it is an holy freedome to confute the Libertines who thinke that by the death of Christ they haue libertie to liue as they list Lastly I say it is purchased by Christ to shewe the authoritie thereof Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made you free And to confute the Papists whose doctrine in effect is thus much that this libertie is procured indeede by Christ but is continued partly by Christ and partly by the man himselfe Christian libertie hath three parts The first is a freedome from the iustification of the morall law For he that is a member of Christ is not bound in conscience to bring the perfect righteousnes of the lawe in his owne person for his iustification before God Gal. 5. 1. with v. 3. Hence it followeth that he that is a Christian is likewise freed from the curse and condemnation of the law Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ. Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made a curse for vs. By this first part of Christian libertie it appeares that there cannot be any iustification of a sinner by works of grace before God For he that wil be iustified but by one worke is debter to the whole lawe Gal. 3.3 but no man that is a member of Christ is debter to the whole law for his libertie is to be free in that point therefore no man is iustified so much as by one worke of his own The second part is freedome from the rigour of the lawe which exacteth perfect obedience and condemneth all imperfection Rom. 6. 14. Sinne hath no more dominioÌ„ ouer you for ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace 1. Ioh. 5.3 This is the loue of God that ye keepe his commandements and his commandements are not grieuous Hence it followeth that God will accept of our imperfect obedience if it be sincere yea he accepts the will desire and indeauour to obey for obedieÌ„ce it selfe Malach. 3.17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him The third part is that the conscieÌ„ce is freed from the bond of the ceremoniall law Gal. 3.25 But after that faith is come wee are no more vnder a schoolemaster Eph. 2. 15. And hath broken the stoppe of the partition wall in abrogating through his flesh the lawe of commandements which standeth in ordinances Coloss. 2.14 And hath put out the hand writing of ordinances which was against vs. v. 26. Let no man therefore condemne you in meat and drinke or in respect of any holy day or of the newe moone c. Hence it followeth that all Christians may freely without scruple of conscience vse all things indifferent so be it the manner of vsing them be good And first when I say thâ—t all may vse them I vnderstand a two-folde vse naturall or spirituall The naturall vse is either to releeue our necessities or for honest delite Thus the Psalmist saith that God giues not onely bread to strengthen the heart of man but also wine to make glad the heart and oyle to make the face to
thus Though Christ hath freed thee from death by his death yet thou art quite barred from heauen because thou neuer didst fulfil the law The conscience answereth I know that Christ is my righteousnes and hath fulfilled the law for me Thirdly the deuill replies and saith Christs benefits belong not to thee thou art but an hypocrite and wantest faith Now when a man is driuen to this straight it is neither wit nor learning nor fauour nor honour that can repulse this temptation but onely the poore conscience directed and sanctified by the Spirit of God which boldly and constantly answereth I know that I beleeue And though it be the office of the conscience after it is renued principally to excuse yet doth it also in part accuse When Dauid had numbred the people his heart smote him 2. Sam. 24.10 Iob saith in his affâ—iction that God did write bitter things against him and made him possesse the sinnes of his youth Iob 13. 26. The reason hereof is because the whole man and the very conscience is onely in part regenerate and therefore in some part remaines still corrupt Neither must it seeme straunge that one and the same conscience should both accuse and excuse because it doth it not in one and the same respect It excuseth in that it assureth a man that his person stands righteous before God and that he hath an indeauour in the generall course of his life to please God it accuseth him for his particular slippes and for the wants that be in his good actions If any shall demaund why God doth not perfectly regenerate the conscience and cause it onely to excuse the answer is this God doth it for the preuenting of great misâ—hiefes When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan the Cananites were not at the first wholly displacedâ— Why Moses rendreth the reason least wild beasts come and inhabit some parts of the land that were dispeopled and more annoy them then the Cananites In like manner God renues the conscience but so as it shall still accuse when occasion serueth for the preuenting of many dangerous sinnes which like wild beasts would make hauocke of the soule Thus much of good conscience now follows euill conscience and that is so called partly because it is defiled and corrupted by originall sinne partly because it is euill that is troublesome and painefull in our sense and feeling as all sorrowes calamities and miseries are which for this very cause also are called euills And though conscience be thus tearmed euill yet hath it some respects of generall goodnes in as much as it is an instrument of the execution of diuine iustice because it serues to accuse them before God which are iustly to be accused It hath spread it selfe ouer mankind as generally as originall sinne therefore it is to be found in all men that come of Adam by ordinarie generation The propertie of it is with all the power it hath to accuse and condemne and thereby to make a man afraid of the presence of God and to cause him to flie from God as from an enemie This the Lord signified when he said to Adam Adam where art thou When Peter saw some little glimbring of the power and maiestie of God in the great draught of fish he fell on his knees and saide to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinnefullman Euill conscience is either dead or stirring Dead conscience is that which though it can doe nothing but accuse yet commonly it lies quiet accusing little or nothing at all The causes why conscience lieth dead in all men either more or lesse are many I. Defect of reason or vnderstanding in crased braines II. Violence and strength of affections which as a cloud doe ouercast the minde and as a gulfe of water swallow vp the iudgement and reason and thereby hinder the conscience from accusing for when reason can not doe his part then conscience doth nothing For example some one in his rage behaues himselfe like a madde man and willingly commits any mischiefe without controlment of conscience but when choller is downe he beginnes to be ashamed and troubled in himselfe not alwaies by grace but euen by the force of his naturall conscience which when affection is calmed beginnes to stirre as appeareth in the example of Cain III. Ignorance of Gods will and errours in iudgement cause the conscience to be quiet when it ought to accuse This we find by experience in the deaths of obstinate heretikes which suffer for their damnable opinions without checke of conscience Dead conscience hath two degrees The first is the slumbring or the benummed conscience the second is the seared conscience The benummed conscience is that which doth not accuse a man for any sinne vnlesse it be grieuous or capitall and not alwaies for that but onely in the time of some grieuous sicknes or calamitie Iosephs brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villanie in selling their brother till afterward when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt Gen. 42. 2. This is the conscience that commonly raignes in the hearts of drousie Protestants of all carnall and lukewarme gospellers and of such as are commonly tearmed ciuill honest men whose apparant integritie will not free them from guiltie consciences Such a conscience is to be taken heede of vs as beeing most daâ—gerous It is like a wild beast which so long as he lies asleepe seemes very tame and gentle and hurts no man but when he is roused he then awakes and flies in a mans face and offers to pull out his throate And so it is the manner of dead conscience to lie still and quiet euen through the course of a mans life and hereupon a man would thinke as most doe that it were a good conscience indeede but when sicknes or death approcheth it beeing awaked by the hand of God beginnes to stand vp on his legges and shewes his fierce eyes and offers to rend out euen the very throat of the soule And heathen Poets knowing this right well haue compared euill conscience to Furies pursuing men with firebrands The seared conscience is that which doth not accuse for any sinne no not for great sinnes It is compared by Paul 1. Tim. 4.2 to the part of a mans bodie which is not onely bereft of sense life and motion by the gangrene but also is burnt with a searing yron and therefore must needes be vtterly past all feeling This kind of conscience is not in all men but in such persons as are become obstinate heretikes and notorious malefactours And it is not in them by nature but by an increase of the corruption of nature and that by certaine steppes and degrees For naturally euery man hath in him blindnes of minde and obstinacie or frowardnes of heart yet so as with the blindnes and ignorance of minde are ioyned some remnants of the light of nature shewing vs what is
in them which are chosen to saluation but vnto them that perish it is by reason of their corruption an occasion of their further damnation Q. How must we heare Gods word that it may be effectuall to saluation A. We must come vnto it with hunger-bitten hearts hauing an appetite to the word we must marke it with attention receiue it by faith submit our selues vnto it with feare and trembling euen then when our faults are reprooued lastly we must hide it in the corners of our hearts that we may frame our liues and conuersations by it Q. What is a Sacrament A. A signe to represent a seale to confirme an instrument to conuey Christ and all his benefits to them that doe beleeue in him Q. Why must a Sacrament represent the mercies of God before our eies A. Because we are dull to conceiue and to remember them Q. Why doth the Sacrament seale vnto vs the mercies of God A. Because we are full of vnbeleefe and doubting of them Q. Why is the Sacrament the instrument of the Spirit to conuey the mercies of God into our hearts A. Because we are like Thomas we will not beleeue till we feele them in some measure in our hearts Q. How many Sacraments are there A. Two and no more Baptisme by which we haue our admission into the true Church of God and the Lords Supper by which we are nourished and preserued in the Church after our admission Q. What is done in Baptisme A. In the assemblie of the Church the couenant of grace betweene God and the partie baptized is solemnly confirmed and sealed Q. In this couenant what doth God promise to the partie baptized A. Christ with all blessings that come by him Q. To what condition is the partie baptized bound A. To receiue Christ and to repent of his sinne Q. What meaneth the sprinkling or dipping in water A. It seales vnto vs remission of sinnes and sanctification by the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Q. How commeth it to passe that many after their Baptisme for a long time feele not the effect and fruit of it and some neuer A. The fault is not in God who keepes his couenants but the fault is in themselues in that they doe not keepe the condition of the couenant to receiue Christ by faith and to repent of all their sinnes Q. When shall a man then see the effect of his baptisme A. At what time soeuer he doth receiue Christ by faith though it be many yeares after he shall then feele the power of God to regenerate him and to worke all things in him which he offered in baptisme Q. How if a man neuer keepe the condition to which he bound himselfe in baptisme A. His damnation shall be the greater because he breaketh his vowe made to God Q. What is done in the Lords Supper A. The former couenant solemnly ratified in Baptisme is renued in the Lords supper betweene the Lord himselfe and the receiuer Q. What is the receiuer A. Euery one that hath beene baptized and after his baptisme hath truly beleeued in Christ and repented of his sinnes from his heart Q. What meaneth the bread and wine the eating of the bread and drinking of the wine A. These outward actions are a second seale set by the Lords owne hand vnto his couenant And they doe giue euery receiuer to vnderstand that as God doth blesse the bread and wine to preserue and strengthen the bodie of the receiuer so Christ apprehended and receiued by faith shall nourish him and preserue both bodie and soule vnto eternall life Q. What shall a true receiuer feele in himselfe after the receiuing of the Sacrament A. The increase of his faith in Christ the increase of sanctification a greater measure of dying to sinne a greater care to liue in newnesse of life Q. What if a man after the receiuing of the Sacrament neuer finde any such thing in himselfe A. He may well suspect himselfe whether he did euer repent or not and thereupon to vse meanes to come to sound faith and repentance Q. VVhat is an other meaues of increasing faith A. Prayer Q. What is praier A. A familiar speech with God in the name of Christ in which either we craue things needfull or giue thankes for things receiued Q. In asking things needfull what is required A. Two things an earnest desire and faith Q. What things must a Christian mans heart desire A. Sixe things especially Q. What are they A. 1. That he may glorifie God 2. That God may raigne in his heart and not sinne 3. That he may doe Gods will and not his lusts of the flesh 4. That he may relie himselfe on Gods prouidence for all the meanes of this temporall life 5. That he may be iustified and be at peace with God 6. That by the power of God he may be strengthened against all temptations Q. What is faith A. A perswasion that these things which we truly desire God will grant them for Christs sake The sixth Principle expounded Q. After that a man hath led a short life in this world what followeth thē A. Death which is the parting asunder of bodie and soule Q. Why doe wicked men and vnbeleeuers die A. That their bodies may goe to the earth and their soules may be cast into hell fire Q. Why doe the godly die seeing Christ by death hath ouercome death A. They die for this ende that their bodies may rest for a while in the earth and their soules may enter into heauen immediatly Q. What followeth after death A. The day of iudgement Q. What signe is there to know this day from other daies A. Heauen and earth shall be consumed with fire immediatly before the comming of the iudge Q. Who shall be the iudge A. Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Q. What shall be the comming to iudgement A. He shall come in the cloudes in great maiestie and glorie with infinite companie of Angels Q. How shall all men be cited to iudgement A. At the sound of a trumpet the liuing shall be changed in the twinckling of an eye and the dead shall rise againe euery one with his owne bodie and all shall be gathered together before Christ and after this the good shall be seuered from the bad these standing on the left hand of Christ the other on the right Q. How will Christ trie and examine euery mans cause A. The bookes of all mens doings shall be laide open mens consciences shall be made either to accuse them or excuse them and euery man shall be tried by the workes which he did in his life time because they are open and manifest signes of faith or vnbeleefe Q. What sentence will he giue A. He will giue sentence of saluation to the elect and godly but he will pronounce
but were preuented by death and shall neuer repent II. The longer a man liues in any sinne the greater danger because by practise sinne gets heart and strength Custome is of such force that that which men vse to doe in their life time the same they doe and speake when they are dying One had three poundes owing him to bee paid three seuerall yeares when he was dying nothing could be got of him but three yeres three poūds Againe by deferring repentance men treasure vp wrath against the daie of wrath If a malefactor for his punishment should be appointed euery daie to carrie a sticke of woode to an heap to burne him twentie yeares after it must needs be an exceeding great punishment and miserie and this is the case of euerie sinner who neglecting repentance from daie to daie doth thereby imploy himselfe in heaping vp the coles of Gods wrath to burn his soule in hell when the daie of death comes III. The more the time is prolonged the harder it is to repent the longer a man goes in his sicknesse without phisicke the harder is the recouerie And where the deuill dwels long he will hardly be remooued The best waie to kill a serpent is to crush it in the head when it is young IV. It is as meat and drinke to the deuil to see men liue in their sinnes deferring repentance as on the contrary there is great ioy among the angels of God in heauen when a sinner doth repent V. Late repentance is seldome or neuer true repentance For if a man repent when he can not sinne as in former time as namely in death then hee leaues not sinne but sinne leaues him wherefore the repentance which men frame to themselues when they are dying it is to be feared least it die with thē And it is verie iust that he should bee contemned of God in his death who contemned God in his life Chrysostom saith that the wicked man hath this punishment on him that in dying hee should forget himselfe who when he was liuing did forget God VI. We are with Abel to giue vnto God in sacrifice euen the fat of our flocke nowe they which deferre repentance to the ende doe the contrarie Late repenters offer the slower of their youth to the deuill and they bring the lame broken sacrifice of their old age to God CHAP. XI OF CERTAINE CASES IN Repentance I. Case of a Reuolt WHether a man that hath professed Christ and his religion yet afterward in persecution denies Christ and forsweares the religion may repent and be saued Answere It is a grieuous estate yet a man may come to repentance afterward Manasses fell away to idolatrie and witchcraft and yet was receiued to mercie So did wise Salomon and yet no doubt recouered is receiued to life euerlasting My reason is because God vouchsafed him to be a penman of some parts of holy Scripture And the scriptures were written not by such as were men of God onely but by such as were holy men of God Peter denied Christ of knowledge against his owne conscience and that with cursing and banning and yet came to repentāce afterward as appeares by the testimonie of Christ I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not therefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Obiect I. Mat. 10.33 Whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I denie before my father which is in heauen Ans. The place is onely to be vnderstood of such a deniall of Christ which is finall Obiect II. Heb. 6.4 It is impossible that they which were once lightened haue tasted of the heauenly gift c. if they fal away should be renued by repentance And Heb. 10.26 If we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne Ans. These places must bee vnderstood of the sin which is to death in which mē of desperate malice against Christ vniuersally and wholly fall away from religion For the H. Ghost saith not if they fall but if they fall away And it is added that they crucifie the sonne of God and make a mocke of him that they trample vnder foote the sonne of God that they account the blood of the newe testament an vnholy thing that they despise the spirit of God And the word translated willingly imports somewhat more namely to sinne because a man will that is wilfully The like answere is to be giuen to the question whereby it is demanded whether men ouertaken with the vnnaturall sinnes mentioned Rom. 1.24,25,26 may come to repentance afterward or no namely that although the sinnes be hainous and capitall yet the grace of repentance is not denied as appeares in the example of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6.9 10,11 VVHether the child of God after repentance for some grieuous sinne doe fall into the same againe and come to repentance the second time Ans. The case is dangerous as wee may see by comparison in the bodie If one fall into the relapse of an ague or any other strong disease it may cost him his life and the recouerie will bee verie hard Christ said to the man that had bin sicke eight and thirtie yeres after that he had healed him Behold thou art whole sinne no more least a worse thing befall thee And the vncleane spirit returning takes to him other seauen spirits worse then himselfe Indeede we finde no particular example of recouerie after a relapse in the scriptures yet no doubt a recouerie may be Reasons are these I. Promise is made of remission of sins in Christ without any tearme of time without any limitation to any number or kinds of sinne saue onely the blasphemy against the H. Ghost Therefore there may be a repentance and saluation after a relapse II. Christ tels Peter that he must forgiue not til seuen times only which peraduenture he thought to be very much but seuentie seuen times and that in one daie if one returne seuentie times and say it repents me Now if we must do this which haue not so much as a drop of mercie in vs in comparison of God hee will no doubt often forgiue euen for one sinne if men will returne and say it repents me considering that with him is plentifull redemption and he is much in sparing III. Case of Restitution VVHether hee that repents is to make restitution if hee haue taken any thing wrongfully from his neighbour Ans. Yea Zacheus when hee repented and receiued Christ gaue halfe of his goods to the poore and if hee had taken any thing by forged cauillation he restored it foure folde It is but a bad practise when a man on his death bed will verie deuoutly bequeath his soule to God and his goods euill gotten as his conscience wil often crie in his eare to his children and friendes without either restitution or amends making Quest. But what if a man be not able to
be resolued of Gods special prouidence towards vs in euery case condition of life when we haue so well profited in the schoole of Christ that we can see and acknowledge Gods prouidence goodnes as well in sicknes as in health in pouertie as in wealth in hunger as in fulnes in life as in death we shall be very well content whatsoeuer any way befalls vnto vs. The preseruatiues of good conscience are two the first is to preserue and cherish that sauing faith whereby we are perswaded of our reconciliatioÌ„ with God in Christ for this is the roote of good conscience as hath beene shewed Nowe this faith is cherished and confirmed by the daiely exercises of inuocation and repentance which be to humble our selues to bewaile and confesse our sinnes to God to condemne our selues for them to pray for pardon and strength against sinne to praise God and giue him thankes for his daily benefits And by the vnâ—ained and serious practise of these duties repentance and faith are daiely renewed and confirmed The second preseruatiue is the maintaining of the righteousnes of a good conscience which righteousnesse as I haue said is nothing els but a constant indeauour and desire to obey the wil of god in all things That this righteousnes may be kept to the end we must practise three rules The first is that we are to carry in our hearts a purpose neuer to sinne against God in any thing for where a purpose is of committing any sin wittingly and willingly there is neither good faith nor good conscience The second is to walke with God as Enoch did Gen. 5.24 which is to order the whole course of our liues as in the presence of God desiring to approoue all our doings euer vnto him Now this perswasion that wheresoeuer we are we doe stand in the presence of God is a notable meanes to maintaine sinceritie Ge. 17.1 I am god al-sufficient walke before me be perfect And the waÌ„t of this is the occasion of many offences as Abraham said Because I thought surely the feare of God is not in this place they will slay me for my wiues sake Gen. 20. 11. The third rule is carefully to walk in our particular callings doing the duties thereof to the glorie of God to the good of the common wealth and the edification of the Church auoiding therein fraud couetousnesse and ambition which cause men oftentimes to set their consciences on the tenters and make them stretch like cheuerill Thus we see how good conscience may be preserued Reasons to induce hereunto are many I. Gods straight commandement 1. Tim. 1.19 Keep faith and good conscience And Prou. 4.23 Keepe thine heart with all diligence II. The good conscience is the most tender part of the soule like to the apple of the eie which beeing pierced by the least pinne that may bee is not onely blemished but also looseth his sight Therefore as God doth to the eie so must wee deale with the conscience God giues to the eie certaine lids of flesh to defend and couer it from outward iniuries and so must we vse meanes to auoid whatsoeuer may offend or annoy conscience III Manifolde benefits redounde vnto vs by keeping good conscience First so long as we haue care to keepe it we keepe inioy all other gifts of Gods spirit Good conscience the rest of Gods graces are as a paire of turtle doues when the one seedes the other feedeth when the one likes not the other likes not when the one dies the other dies so where good conscience is maintained there are many other excellent gifts of God Hourishing and where conscience decaies they also decaie Againe good conscience giues alacritie vnto vs and boldnesse in calling on Gods name 1. Iohn 3.21 If our heart condemne vs not we haue boldnesse towards God Thirdly it makes vs patient in affliction comforts vs greatly when by reason of the grieuousnesse of our afflâ—ction wee are constrained to kneele on both knees and take vp our crosse regenerate conscience as a sweet companion or like a good Simon laies too his shoulder and helpes to beare one end of it Lastly when none can comfort vs it will be an amiable comforter a friend speaking sweetly vnto vs in the very agony and pang of death IV. Not to preserue the conscience without spot is the way to desperation It is the pollicy of the deuil to vse meanes to cast the conscience into the sleep of securitie that he may the more easily bring maÌ„ to his own destruction For as diseases if they be long neglected become incurable so the conscience much and often wounded admits little or no comfort Neither will it alwaies boote a man after many yeares to say at the last cast Lord be mercifull to me I haue sinned Though some be receiued to mercie in the time of death yet far more perish in desperation that liue in their sinnes wittingly and willingly against their owne conscience Pharao Saul and Iudas cried all peccaui I haue sinned against god yet Pharao is hardned more and more and perisheth Saul goeth on in his sinnes and despaireth Iudas made away himselfe And no maruel for the multitude of sinnes oppresse the conscience and make the heart to ouerflowe with such a measure of griefe that it can fasten no affiance in the mercie of God Lastly they that shall neglect to keepe good conscience procure many hurts and daungers and iudgements of God to themselues When a ship is on the sea if it bee not well gouerned or if there bee a breach made into it it drawes water and sinkes and so both men and wares and all in likelihood are cast away Nowe wee all are as passengers the world is an huge sea through which we must passe our ship is the conscience of euery man 1. Tim. 1.19 3.12 the wares are our religion and saluation all other gifts of God Therfore it standes vs in hand to be alwaies at the helme and to carrie our ship with as euen a course as possibly we can to the intended port of happines which is the saluation of our soules But if so be it we grow carelesse and make breaches in the ship of conscience by suffering it to dash vpon the rocks of sinne it is a thousand to one that we in the end shall cast away our selues and all wee haue And in the mean season as conscience decaies so proportionally all graces and goodnesse goes from vs Gods commandements begin to be vile vnto vs the knowledge thereof as also faith hope and the inuocation of Gods name decay Experience sheweth that men of excellent gifts by vsing badde conscience loose them all Finis A Reformed Catholike OR A DECLARATION SHEWing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of Religion and wherein we must for euer depart from them with an Aduertisment to all fauourers of the Romane Religion shewing how the
the pardon of sinne A liuely assuraÌ„ce c Mat. 7. Esay 65.24 d Reu. 21.6 Iob. 4.14 e Luk. 4. 18. Mat. 9. 11. 12. f Psal. 51.3 g Vers. 8. h Vers. 12. i Vers. 1. k Vers. 17. Degrees of faith p Reu. 12.2 Gal. 4. 19. q 1. Cor. 3.2 r Eph. 4. 13. The least mesure of faith s Mat. 17. 20. t Esa. 43. 2. u Mat. 1.25 x Esa. 51.17 y Psal. 22.1 1 A perswasion that sinne is pardonable a Gen. 4. 13. 2 A desire of reconciliation to God in Christ for sinne b Mat. 5. 6. Luk. 1.53 Psal. 145.19 Psal. 10. 17. 38.9 Num. 23. 9. 3 〈◊〉 for pardon c Rom. 8. 25 d Eph. 3. 17. * Ge. 25.22 e Mat. 16. f Mat. 17.23 Luk. 9.45 g Act. 1. 6. h Mat. 8.25 The greatest mesure of faith i Rom. 8.33 * 1. Tim. 1. 16. k Cant. 8.6,7 l Ro. 5.45 m Ps. 23.6 n Psal. 23. 2,3,4 o 1. Sam. 17. 32. p vers 33. q vers 34. r vers 35. s vers 36. a Eph. 3. 17. Vnion with Christ. b Eph. 3.20 Eph. 1.19 1. Cor. 13.16 c Eph. 1.22 23. Communion with Christ. d Ro. 6.4 â— Ioh. 15.1,2 Eph. 4.13 16. e Act. 15.9 f 1. Cor. 1.30 2. Cor. 5.21 Iustification g Luk. 1. 35. Coloss. 2.9 Ioh. 4.14 Mar. 2. 17. h Col. 2.14 Gal. 3.13 Eph. 1.7 i Rom. 4. 18,19 Math. 3.15 Esa. 53. 11. Phil. 2.8 k Rom. 8.1 2,3 Ioh. 17.19 l Rom. 5.1 2,4,5,6 1 Reconciliation m 2. Cor. 5. 18. n Rom. 5. 10,11 2. Cor. 6. 9 Heb. 12.6 2. Sam. 7.14 2. Sam. 12. 13,14 2 Afflictions onely chastisments 3 Merit in Christ. h Matth. 19. 28,29 Apoc. 22.12 and 22. 6. Peace of conscience e Heb. 10.22 Rom. 5. 1. and 16. 15. A difference betweene a deade conscience and a quiet conscience f Ioh. 7.37 Esa. 57.15 g Rom. 5.1 Heb. 9.14 h Act. 23. and 24. 16. i Eph. 3.12 Rom. 5.2 2 Entrance with boldnes into Gods presence k Rom. 5.3 and 14.17 Loâ—e 4 Feâ—ling of Gods loue l Rom. 5.5 a Ioh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 Heb. 2.11 12. 1. Pet. 2.9 Heb. 6.7,8 1. Cor. 3. 32. Heb. 1.14 15. Rom. 8 28. 2. Cor. 12.7 b Heb. 2. 15. 1. Cor. 15. 54,56 Rom. 5.5 1. Cor. 10. 10. Assurance of adoption The spirit of adoption c Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. 1. Pet. 3.21 d 2. Cor. 1.21 e Rom. 8.25 1. Ioh. 3.2 Coloss. 3.3 1. Cor. 3.1 Eph. 4. 14. Labour in prayer for it is the proper spirit of adoption and in praier we shall most of all feele the spirit of adoption Hope a Rom. 8.25 and 5.5 2. Cor. 5.6.7 Heb. 11.2 b 1. Th. 1.3 Rom. 8.38 Sanctification b Act. 15.9 Ps. 103.5 Eze. 11.19 Psal. 51.12 c Gal. 5.24 Col. 3.5 d Eph. 1.1 1. Cor. 15. 45. Mortification e Ro. 6.3,4 Col. 2.12 and 3.2,5 Vâ—uification in the first resurrection f Phil. 3.10 Rom. 6.4 k Col. 1.9 l Psal. 119. 105. m v. 98,99 n 100. o 18. p Ioh. 9.41 q Psal. 1.2 Sanctifcation of the memorie r Ps. 119.11 s Luk. 2. 19. t Prou. 2.1 Sanctification of the will Phil. 2. 13. x Iob 15.16 Eph. 2.2 Luk. 11. 21. y Rom. 7. 14. Sanâ—tification of the affections z Rom. 12.9 a Rom. 12.15 b Luk. 10.20 Ps. 143.6 d Esa. 66.2 e Psal. 48.2 f 2. Pet. 2. 8. Ps. 119. 136 g Ro. 12. 11. h Col. 3. 12 i Eph. 4.26 k 2. Cor. 7.11 l 1. Ioh. 3. 14. m Psal. 119. 128. n vers 127. o Mat. 8.10 p Psal. 2.11 q Act. 9.31 r 1. Pet. 1.6 s 1. Pet. 4.13 t Psal. 33. 20,21 u Rom. 8.23 x 2. Cor. 5.2 y Psal. 86. 8. z Phil. 3.8 Zeale for Gods glorie a Ex. 32. 12. b Rom. 9.3 c 1. Cor. 13. vers 7. d Cant. 8. vers 6.7 The feare of god e Eccl. 12. 14. f Pro. 14.26 g Act. 9. 31. h Psal. 26.8 i Gen. 5. 22. k Gen. 17. 1. l Psal. 4.4 m Exod. 1.17 n Esa. 66.3 Hâ—tred of sinne o Ro. 7. 24. p Cant. 1. 4. q Reu. 22.20 r Luk. 21.27 s 2. Tim. 4.8 2. Cor. 5.6,7 t Luk. 21.26 u Luk. 21.28 Sanctification of the bodie x Rom. 6. vers 19. y Thes. 4.4 z Iob. 31. vers 1. A consolation a Rom. 8. 5. vers 1. Repentance b Act. 26.26 c Psa. 112.6 d Act. 11.23 e 1. Ioh. 3.3 f Psal. 73.13 Repentance after faith sanctification in nature but first in sense and appearance g Ro. 7. 22. h Mat. 26. 69.70,71 72. i Ioh. 12.2 27. k Esa. 61. 3. 1. Tim. 1.5 Fruits of repentance l 1. Sam. 15. 22. m 1. Cor. 10. 31. Hearing of the word y Ioh. 10.27 Iob. 8.47 a Act. 17.11 b Iam. 1. 12. Psal. 26.67 c 1. Cor. 3.18 d Act. 16.14 e Mar. 9.40 f Eph. 6.17 g Ro. 15.16 h Ioh. 6. 63. i Heb. 4.2 k Act. 10.34 Esa 66.3 l 1. Th. 2.13 m Mat. 17.5 1. Pet. 5.4 n Psal. 119. 11. o Psal. 119. 24. Receiuing of the Sacramentâ— p Cant. 2.5 Reliefe of the poore q Gal. 6. 11. r Act. 2.44 s Act. 4. 32. t 2. Cor. 8.23 u 1. Ioh. 3.16 Prayer a Act. 9. 14. b Psal. 14.4 c Ps. 145.18 d Rom. 8.16 e Zac. 12.10 f Eccl. 5.1 Dan. 9.4 g Dan. 9.4 h 1. SaÌ„ 1.15 i Ps. 143. 6. and 42. 1,2 k Rom. 8. â—6 l Mar. 1â— â—8 m Rom. 8.32 n 1. Ioh. 5.14 15. o 1. Th. 5. 17 A lawful calling p Act. 14. 10 q Psal. 101.2 r Psa. 26.1.2 Psa. 119.23 Psal. 18.22 24. Spiritual exercise in tempâ—ationâ— s Reu. 12.17 t Deu. 8.2 3 2. Cor. 16. 12.18 Inward motions of the flesh u Iam. 1.14 x Gal. 5. 17. y Mar. 7.1.2 a Ro. 7.23 b Esay 64. 6. c Ro. 8.3.4 d Ro. 7. 15. e Gal. 9.24 Psal. 16.8 f Esa. 30.21 g Ioh. 16.8 Ro. 2.14.15 1. Pet. 4.3.4 Psal. 67.10 Psal. 119. 104.118 Rom. 7. 15. Little feeling h Cant. 6. 2. b vers 3. c vers 4. d vers 5. e vers 6.7 vers 8. f vers 9. g 10,11 12 13,14,15 i vers 17. No feeling k Cant. c. 3. Vers. 1. l vers 2. m vers 3. n vers 4. o vers 5. p vers 6. q vers 8,9 10. r vers 11. s Cap. 4. vers 1. to the 15. t vers 16. u vers 1. c. 5. 4 A spirituall slumber in worldly pleasures Cant. 5. Mat. 25. 5. Cant. 5. x vers 2. y ver 3. z vers 4. a vers 5. b vers 6. c vers â— d vers â—â— 10,11 â—â— 13,14,15 16. e vers 17. f Cap. 6. â— â— g vers 2. h vers 3.10 the 7. verse of cap. 7. 5 A fal into some sinne n 2. Cor. 7.11 o Act. 2.37 p mat 29.75 Outward afflictions a mat 16.24 b 1. pet 4.17 c Act. 14.22 d Heb. 12.11 c Ioh. 3. f Ioh. 6.2,3 g Iob. 13. 26. h 1.