out and if I love God I may thereby be sure that God loves me p 1 John 4.19 But Lord so far as I am able by searching to know my own heart I desire nothing more then to come q Jerem. 3.21 to Christ to receive Christ r John 1.11 to be one with Å¿ Gal. 2.20 Christ to be conformable to Christ t Heb 2.11 And Lord I dare say with Peter thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee u John 21.17 if prizing thee above all things in the world w Psal 73.25 if restless longing x Psal 119.20 for further acquaintance and more inward y Psal 106.4 communion if pantings after the secrets of thy z Psalm 25.14 presence fear of nothing more then to offend thee a Psal 119 1â—0 be infallible evidences of sincere love then I dare appeal unto thee that I love thee Therefore Lord perswade my soul thankefully to acknowledge that 't is in a safe condition On the contrary Thus Lord thou hast told me that if I live after the flesh I shall b Rom. 8.13 die But my heart life undeniably evidence that I mind nothing but carnality Therefore Lord convince me that there 's but a step c Job 21.13 but a d Psal 146.4 breath between me and everlasting death Thus Christians do but suffer and help your Conscience to do its office and then shall you have rejoycing in your selves alone and not in e Gal 6.4 another i. e. you will finde cause of rejoycing in the testimony of your own Conscience and not in others thinking you to be better then you are nor in your thinking your selves to be better then others Thus you have the offices of Conscience I come in the last place to speak of 4. The kinds of Conscience I know are coÌ„monly reduced to these 4. f Bâ—rn de consc p 1107. viz. Good quiet Good and troubled Evil and quiet Evil and troubled But intending the resolution of the Case before me in speaking to Conscience under the several kinds of it I shall speak to 8 kinds of Consciences The two first viz. the sleepy and the seared Conscience are peculiar to the worst of men The 4. next viz. the erring doubting scrupulous trembling Consciences are almost indifferent to good bad only the 2 former have a greater bias to bad and the 2 latter have a greater tendency to Good but the 2 last kinds viz. The Good and Honest and the Good and quiet Consciences are peculiar to Gods choisest favourites In treating of these I shall endeavour to acquaint you with the nature of each g But here I must say with Aug. non possum ut volo expl care quod sentio tamen quid moliar dicere peto ut non exâ—ectatis verbis meis sagac ssime si potâ—stis intelligatis Odi definire nam facilius est mihi videre in alterius definitione quod non probem quam quicquaÌ„ bene definiendo explicare Aug. T. 1. l. 2 de Ord. c 1. 2 p. 671. how to cure the evill how to obtain the good and hereby the Application will be entwisted with the Explication throughout my discourse I. The first and one of the worst kinds of Consciences in the world is the sleepy Conscience 1. The sleepy Conscience such is the Conscience of every unconverted person that is not yet under horrour their h Rom. 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius in loc spirit i. e. their Conscience is asleep that as bodily sleep bindeth up all the senses and animal spirits so this spiritual or rather unspiritual sleepiness bindeth up the soul from all sense i Privatio omnis sensus judicij Illyr In pâ—aed loc of the evill of sin and want of grace and therefore in conversion Christ doth awaken k Ephe 5 1â— the Conscience The Disciples of Christ have their spirits waking when their bodies l Matth. 26 41 are slumbring i e. they have a gracious habit of watchfulness when they are overtaken with some carnal acts of sleepiness Christ complains of unkindness m Cantic 5.2 that his Spouse sleeps in the morning when he knocks for early entertainment but the unconverted let Christ stand knocking all the day till supper time n Revel 3 20. they will spend their day with their lusts and if Christ will knock and wait till the day of their life be almost spent then they 'l pretend to open but how long must God call How long o Pro. 6.9 10. wilt thou sleep O sluggard when wilt thon arise out of thy sleep and they 'l answer Yet p Concessio ironica ethopaeiam habens pigroruÌ„ elegantissimam Jun in loc q. videmus conscientiaÌ„ veluti veterno aut lethargo aliquam diu sepultaÌ„ c. Episcop Inst theol l 1. c. 3. p. 11. Causes a little sleep a litle slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep The plain truth is thougn wicked men cannot quite stifle their consciences q yet their Consciences do but as it were talke in their sleep and they take no more notice of them then they do of their dreams Causes of a sleepy Conscience are besides the sluggishness of our depraved natures 1. A spiritual intoxicâ—tion all unconverted persons are drunk with the love of sin and therein behave themselves like Solomons r Prov. 23.34 35. Jacet in corona charchâ—sij i. e. Galea ubi maxima seÌ„titur maris agitatio Jun in loc â—ras the vulg Version which may serve for a paraphrase quasi sopitus gubernator amisso clavo i. usu rationis Tit. drunkard that lies down to sleep in the heart of the sea or upon the top of a mast in the very midst of the greatest soul danger He doth that daily which Jonah did once run away from Gâ—d and then composeth himself to sleep Å¿ Jonah â— 5 when God is pursuing him with judgments and dreams of nothing but impunity happines Love of sin is the Devils Opium whereby he casts the Conscience into a dead sleep that no arm but of Omnipotency can waken it He meets with something in the world which he likes better then the holy ways of God and therefore will not seek God t Ps 10.4 5 11 13. Justitiam ut ille apud Platonem Thrasymachus appellat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elegantem stultitiam they sleep then aiunt deum dormire aut oblituÌ„ esse eorum quae fiant in terris c. Aug. Steuch Eug. Enar. in loc Gods ways are always grievous to him he hath said in his heart I shall not be moved God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it he contemns God saith in his heart thou wilt not require it They wink and then conclude God doth not see them 2. Carnal conceits of grace and heaven At the best humane wisdom is their highest Guide
which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell VIII That conscience is a good peaceable conscience that excuseth q 1 Cor. 4.4 The good quiet Conscience absolveth r Heb. 10.2 and comforteth Å¿ 2 Cor. 1.12 as it ought that conscience that 's pacified t Heb. 9.14 by the blood of Christ that doth as Moulin u Moulin the comfort of a CommunicaÌ„t p. 37. relates of a dying man to whom some say the Devil appeared and shewed him a parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the sins of the poor sick man which were many in number and that there were also written the idle words he had spoken which made up three quarters of the words that he had spoken in his life and his actions digested according to the Commandements Whereupon Satan said Seest thou behold thy vertues see here what thine examination shall be whereunto the poor sinner answered It is true Satan but thou hast not set down all for thou shouldest have added and set down here below the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and this also should not have been forgotten That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life But how shall we get such consciences Christians be but perswaded to practice these or such directions and your Consciences will certainly be right and seasonably be comfortable 1. Take heed of every sinne w 2 Cor. 8.21 count no sin small x Matth. 5.21 22.27 28. Scrue up your obedience to every y Matth. 22.37 38. command to the highest Ferret out every sin to the most secret z Rom. 7.7 corruption When you have set your watch against the first risings of sin beware of the borders of sin shun the very a 1 Thes 5.22 appearance of evill Venture not upon occasions b Prov. 4.15 27. Facile agitur quod libenter auditur Bern. de inter dom pa. 1082. or temptations to sin those that dare venture upon occasions as children upon the ice c Prov. 7.8 Numb 25.2 shall find there 's alwayes danger never any good Morality it self will teach d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 4â—7 you this lesson to keep clear of evil if ever you would either be good or enjoy it but seeing as on the one hand there cannot be truth of grace and truce with sin so on the other hand while grace is imperfect sin will have and make us feel it hath a Being There 's not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not e Eccles 7.20 therefore II. Forthwith set upon the healing duty of repentance and upon every slip into sin renew it f Peccator omnium notarum cùm sim nec ulli rei nisi paenitentiae natus Tertul de poenit p. 121. c. 12. speedily renew it O that I could snatch you out of your state of impenitency and perswade you to daily actual repentance To those that are resolved to delay their repentance I have sometimes given counsel suitable to such resolutions viz. the next sickness that seizeth upon you chide it away tell your disease you can't awhile to be sick say to it as Paul to Foelix g Acts â—4 25 Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee If death summon thee tell it you will not obey its summons you have other business to do than to dye you have estates unsetled and children unprovided for and you would repent too before you die but you can't yet awhile If this will not serve but die you must charge your souls before they go out of your bodies not to come near the prison of impenitent persons charge your friends to lock up your bodies so safe or bury them so deep that all the Angels in Heaven may not be able to dragg them to judgement But alass my Brethren do you not think this wild counsell and well you may Yet unless you could do something aequivalent to what this counsel amounts to you are mad to defer your repentance What! cannot I keep pain from my body nor the use of reason in my Soul one minute and shall I continue in my impenitency that will damn me the very moment of my death I beseech you therefore for your own Souls sake that you may not be guilty of the worst self-murder i. e. soul-murder speedily set vpon repentance And those of you that have repented let your repentance daily supplant sin by taking it by the heel certainly to lame it though you can not take it by the head utterly to kill it Though we can't be innocent h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazienz T. 1. orat 15. p. 225. 236. let 's be poenitent and be very careful never to return i Confessio peccati professio est desinendi c. Hilar. in Psal 137 p. 595. to sins repented of That you may be serious in both these III. Compose thy self to live as under Gods eye live as in the more then sensible presence of the Jealous God Remember all things are naked and bare before him you cannot deceive him for he is infinite wisdom you cannot fly from him for he is every where you cannot bribe him for he is righteousness it self Keep therefore fresh apprehensions of God in your thoughts speak as knowing God hears you walk as knowing k Talem te prepa a ut tecum adsit Deus sit in ore sit in corde semper tecum eat tecuÌ„ redeat nec recedat a te Nuâ—quam â—lle te d mittet nisi p ior illum dimiseris ubicunque fueris nunquam solus esse poteris si Deus tecum erit Bern. de in t dom p. 1065. c. 5. 1091. c 66. God is nearer to you then you are to your selves The l 2 Chron. 15 1 Lord is with you while you are with him i. e. you shall enjoy his favourable presence while you live in his awfull presence There 's one Psalm which 't were well if Christians would do by it as Pythagoras m Refert Galenus reâ—itasse se sub initium et finem cujusqueâ—â—ei Elâ—chmaâ—â—us Epil Edit p. 15 by his golden precepts every morning and evening repeat it 't is Davids n Molleâ— in loc appeal of a good Conscience unto God against the malicious suspitions and calumnies of men Do you but thus praesentiate God unto your selves and God will attest your integrity Psalm 139. v. 1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me q. d. O Lord thou art the heart-searching God who perfectly knows all the thoughts counsells studies endeavours and actions of all men and therefore mine vers 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thought afar off q d. thou knowest my rest and motion
cannot passe away now he hath said it Exod. 24.7 he will by no means acquit the guilty i. e. Unlesse the blood of sprinkling for repentance and remission be applied said again Plalm 68.21 I will wound the head and again Esay 65.20 The sinner an hundred years old is accursed Now as the Godly look to have God as good as his word for good Zach. 1.6 so the wicked must look to have God as good as his word for evil Did not my Word take hold of your Fathers 5. No time can remit Gods anger if you offend a man and he Reas 5 be angry you may get out of the way and time will waer off the memory of the offence or at least asswage his passion but 't is not so with God but if he be once angry he is for ever angry the same cause which is sin unrepented remaining Psal 7.11 God is angry with the wicked every day for the sins he commits one day the Anger of the Lord unlesse he works a change in us abides upon us burning to the bottome of Hell Psal 90.11 O! as his fear is so is his wrath and a thousand times more 6. Lastly the sinner is as much under the power of God at one Reas 6 time as at anoâ—her forty a hundred a thousand years after a sin is committed as when the sin was first done As the People of God are born up with that word Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortned that he cannot save Es 59.1 So the wicked sink under the terror of that word Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart hold and thine hands be strong when I shall visit when I shall deal with you saith the Lord This is the first Reason from God Reas 2. From Sin In a Two-fold Consideration of every sin wherein there are two things which make sin unrepented sure to be called back 1. There is in every sin a breach of the eternal rule of Righteousnesse Reas 1 1 John 3.4 Now the breach of an Eternal Law must needs be Eternal unlesse he which is Eternal make it up i. e. Christ in giving repentance and remission Make a breach in a stone wall you may come many years after and find it as you left it and it must hold as long as the wall holds if it be not made up even so it is in this case Let one come from the dead and warn us those poor cursed castaways are still and must be still and ever crying out under the wrath of God What is the reason I pray verily not only because they sinned out of an affection and spring to sin for ever but also because every sin is objectively infinite and eternal being against the Infinite Eternal Law of the Eternal God now the Law being wronged by the sinner demands and solicits the Justice and Vengeance of God against him till it be satisfied to the utmost farthing therefore till then i. e. for ever must the wrath of God abide upon him and if time wears not out the breach of the Eternal Law in Hell much lesse doth it make any alteration therein here while thou doublest and treblest thy sin by going on with an impenitent heart Reas 2 2. There is also in every sin a spot stain or brand whereby the sinner is marked out for Judgment and Condemnation as we say of a Murtherer as to man Deu. 32.5 Jer. 13.23 Jer. 17.1 so we may say of every sin which is hatred and so murther of the Blessed God as to God there is alwayes some mark or token whereby he is known and that is the macula which sin doth impresse upon him now this also is an indelible Character as the former of Guilt was save only when upon the penitent heart-changing application of the blood of sprinkling there is made an alteration of the case It is plain Jer. 17.1 It is written with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond Jer. 2.22 Though thou take thee much nitre and wash thee with much sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord. David cries out so Psalm 51. O! wash me purge me c. this is the second reason from sin The third is from the sinner himself i. e. from his own Conscience There is in every rational Creature a certain thing called Conscience upon the account of which also sin must needs be kept upon the file for a back-blow Know here that There are divers acts of Conscience and all of them unavoidable 1. Directive as to that which is to be done it being the Law written in the heart it points to all the duties and sins whereby that Law is kept or broken warning from the one and putting on to the other Gen. 39.9 How shall I do this and sin c. Psalm 119.59 I considered my wayes and turned my feet into thy testimonies thus Conscience is a Monitor 2. Reflexive both gratulatory and reprehensive as to all that which is doing or done 1. Considering observing and recording whether it be done or no the matter of fact simply with the natural Circumstances of action negative and positive both in the point of Omission and Commission Item this is done or not done 2. Taking notice and recording the quality of the fact in a comparative act comparing it with the rule together with the moral Circumstances thereof thus Conscience is a surveyer witnesse Register Item in the doing or omitting of this and this the Law is broken and the forfeiture and penalty is incurred 3. It applies this and sets it home upon the sinner thou art the man This thou hast done verily thou art guilty c. thus Conscience is a Judge also and gives sentence touching both the sin and sinner pro or â—on as the Case is 4. It never leaves nor gives over these acts of warning observing recording witnessing and judging till Judgment take place and the Law and sentence be fulfilled upon the sinner Verily I am guilty c. thus Conscience is Tormenter and Executioner also executing its own Sentence by affecting the heart and moving the affections as of joy and boldnesse if the Case be good so of horrour and fear shame and sorrow if the Case be bad c. Now these acts of Conscience though happly for a time suspended as it were are unavoidable upon a double account and Conscience cannot be bribed 1. Because of that relation that Conscience hath to God it ever takes God's part and God it 's it is Gods deputy and Viceroy and so it 's voice and judgment is the very Voice and Judgment of God himself who can and will maintain it in its office till he brings forth Judgment unto victory 2. Because of it's relation to a mans self it is Sensus prejudicium Judicii Divini Nothing so intimate to a man and inseparable from life as this bosome Judge and God's Court within a man 't is a part of a mans Soul and self as subordinate to
perplexa omnis quod viri gravissimi jam olim conquesti sunt de animae intellectivae potentiis facultatibus disquisitioâ— quae capere se putant quidem suo modo capiunt illiteratâ—ssimi quique homunciones haec ipsa non capiunt acutissimi philosophi quâ in re nequeo satis admirari Dei Opt. Max. infinitam Sapientiam retundentis hoc pacto humanam superbiam repraesentantis mortalibus velut in speculo inanem illam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qua sibi videntur aliquid esse cum nihil sint miserè decipiâ—ntes cor suum p. 35. 36. that doth not further the design I drive at viz. an universall and exact conscientiousness For Conscience the Hebrews ordinarily make use of two words viz. Heart and Spirit Heart in Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor tuum i. e. keep thy Conscience with all diligence and so in the New Testament 1 John 3 20. If our Heart k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e if our Conscience condemn us Spirit in Pro. 18.14 A wounded Spirit l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a wounded Conscience who can bear and so in the New Testament 1 Cor. 2.11 What knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of man i. e. the Conscience of Man that is in him But in English as also in the Greek n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Latine o Con-scientia whence we borrow it 't is called Conscience knowledge with another which excellently sets forth the Scripturall nature of it as Job 16.19 My witnesse is in heaven and Rom. 9 1. I say the truth my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost In both places q.d. God witnesseth with my Conscience p Sanderson ibidem postea sâ—arsim Conscience is placed in the middle under God and above man q Perkins Vol 2 l. 1. p. 11. I will close this with Brochmand's description of Conscience r Brochmand T. 1. Art 1 c. 3. q 2. p. 7. to be a kind of silent reasoning of the Mind whose definitive sentence is received by some affection of the Heart whereby those things which are judged to be good and right are approved of with dâ—light but those things which are evill and naught are disapproved with grief and sorrow God hath placed this in all men partly to be a judgement and testimony of that integrity to which man was at first created and of that corruption that followed sin partly that God may have a Tribunal erected in the breasts of me to accuse delinquents and to excuse those that do what is good and right 2. The Object of conscience is very various conscience hath great employment Å¿ Mr. Bernard of cons p. 56. seqq and much businesse with the whole man and with all his actions 't is like those living creatures in the Revelation all over eyes it looks to the understanding t 2 Cor. 1.12 whether our wisdome be carnal or gracious to the will u Roman 7.18 whether it goe beyond or fall short in ability of good performances to the affections x Rom. 9.1.2 whether the entertainment or refusal of the Gospel be the matter of greatest joy or sorrow It pryes into all our actions both towards God and man Towards God whether in general our estate be good y Heb. 9.14 in speciall whether our service be inward z 2 Tim. 1.3 Spiritual or onely outward a Heb. 9 9. formal More particularly it surveighs all our duties whether we pray in faith b Heb. 10.22 whether we heare with profit c 1 Tim. 3.9 whether through our Baptisme we can goe unto God as unto an Oracle d 1 Pet. 3.21 Interp. 72. vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utuntur quando in V.T. Israelitae dicuntur interrogare os domini baptismus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 responsio bonae conscientiae etiaÌ„ interrogatio apud Deum quia audet cum fiducia DeuÌ„ accedere interrogare hoc est cum eo collâ—qui cumque rogare pro seâ—t aliis Geâ—hard l. c. T 4. de Sacram p. 180. § 88. whether in the Lords Supper we have singular Communion with Christ e Cor. 10.15.16 in short whether we doe and will stick close to Religion f 1 Pet. 3.15.16 as knowing that if Conscience doe not steer right Religion will be Shipwrakt g 1 Tim. 1.19 Thus duties towards God are the great object of Conscience but duties towards man are the Secundary and like unto it Towards man in our whole conversation h Acts 23.1 Particularly that we be obedient to rulers i Rom. 13.5 and that which is in one place charged upon us for Conscience sake is in another place commanded for the Lords sake k 1 Pet. 2.13 in short that we be just in all our dealings l Heb. 13 18. avoyding all justly offensive things m 1 Cor. 10.29 words n 1 Kings 2.44 thoughts o Psa 73.15.16 that we express singular charity p 1 Tim. 1 51 especialy to soules q Rom 9.1.2 and this in prayer r 2 Tim. 1.3.4 when we can doe nothing else and Conscience doth not onely do all this at present urging to duty or shooting or tingling under the commision of sin but it foresees things future provoking to good and cautioning against evill and also looks back upon things past with joy or torment so that it is easier to reckon what is not the object of conscience then what is in a word Every thing of duty and sin is the object of Conscience 3. The Offices of Conscience are likewise various In general the proper Office of Conscience is discursively to apply that light which is in the mind unto particular actions or cases The light which is in the mind is either the light of Nature or the light of Divine Revelation By the light of Nature I understand those common notions which are written in the hearts of men which as a brand pluckt out of the common burning are the reliques of the Image of God after the fall Not onely Scripture but experience evidenceth that those which are practical Atheists that say unto god depart from us Å¿ Job 21.14.15 we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes yet cannot get rid of his Deputy their Conscience they carry a Spy a Register a Monitor in their bosome that doth accuse and trouble them they cannot sin in quiet t Quod egi in corpore hoc post modum importuna cogitatione verso in mente muâ—toties gravius torqueor in recordatione quam prius captus fuerem operis perpetratione Bern. de inteâ— dom c. 30 p. 1074. Those that are without or Reject the Sun-shine of Scripture yet they canot blow out Gods Candle u Prov. 20 17. of Conscience By Divine revelation I meane
Consciences from being violated and you cannot be miserable O how calm and quiet as well as holy and heavenly would our lives be had we learnt but this single Lesson to be carefull for nothing but to know and do our duty and to leave all effects consequents and events to God The truth is 't is a daring boldness for silly dust to prescribe to infinite wisedom and to let go our work to meddle with Gods he hath managed the concernments of the world and of every individuall person in it without giving occasion to any one to complain for above this five thousand years and doth he now need your counsell Therefore let it be your onely businesse to mind duty Aye but how shall I know my duty take a second memoriall II. What advice you would give to another take your selves e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c 33. Simp. p. 158. The worst of men are apt enough to lay such burthens on other mens f Mat. 3.4 shoulders which if they would take them upon their own they would be rare Christians e. g. The very outcry of those that revile Godliness who deal by the miscarriages of Professours as the Levite by his Concubine quarter them and divulge them even they expect that those which make a strict profession of Religion should be beyond exception blameless and they even they scorn those that make any defection from their professed strictnesse And on the other side those that are holy they expect that even graceless persons should bear reproof receive instruction and change the course of their lives In middle cases then between these extreams what exactnesse will serious Christians require where the byas of their own corruptions doth not misguide them David was twice g 2 SaÌ„ 12.5 6 7 2 Sam. 14.4 1â— surprised to pass sentence against himself by remote parables wherein he mistrusted not himself to be concerned wherein this rule 's too short add a third III. Do nothing on which you cannot pray for a blessing Where prayer doth not lead repentance must follow and 't is a desperate adventure to sin upon hopes of repentance Every action and cessation too of a Christian that 's good and not to be refused is sanctified by the word and h 1 Tim 4.5 6. prayer It becomes not a i Eph. 5.3 4. Christian to do any thing so triviâ—l k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas qu. ad Antioch p. 361. q. 77. that he can't pray over it and if he would but bestow a serious ejaculatory prayer upon every occurrent action he would find that such a prayer would cut off all things sinful demurr all things doubtfull and encourage all things lawful Therefore do nothing but what you can preface with prayer But these rules are all defective I 'le therefore close with an Example that 's infinitely above defects IV. Think and speak and do what you are perswaded Christ himselfe would do in your case were he upon the earth The heathen they proposed unto themselves the best examples they l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c. 51. Simpl. p. 282. had and therefore let us follow the best of m Mica 4.5 ours There are many rare examples in n Heb. 13 7. Scripture but we may say of them as 't is said of most of Davids Worthies whose highest commendation was with this diminution o 2 Sam. 23 19 23. they attained not unto the first three I propose therefore neither great nor small but the King of Saints p Rev. 15 3. it becomes a Christian rather to be an Example q 1 Pet. 2 12.15 1 Thes 1.7 then to follow one But by imitating of Christ you will come as near as 't is possible to the first three for your fellowship shall be with the Father with his Son Jesus Christ r 1 John 1.3 through the spirit of holiness who alone can teach you what it is to abide in Å¿ 1 John 2.27 Christ who was and is and ever will be our absolute copy t Heb. 13.8 O Christians how did Christ pray redeem time for prayer u Mar. 1.35 6.16 Lu. 6.12 John 11.42 How did Christ preach out of whose mouth proceeded no other but gracious words w Luke 4.22 that his enemies could not but admire him x John 7.46 at what rate did Christ value the world who did taught to renounce it y Mar. 10 21-27 what time did Christ speÌ„d in impertinent discourse who made their hearts burn within them whom he occasionally fell in company with z Lu. 24.17 32. How did Christ go up and down doing a Acts 10.38 good to man and always those things that were pleasing to b John 8.29 God Beloved I commend to you these four memorials to be as so many scarlet c Josh 2.18 21 threads upon every finger of the right hand one that you may never put forth your hand to action but these memorials may be in your eye 1. Mind d Acts 9.6 duty 2. What 's anothers duty in your case is e Rom. 2.21 yours 3. What you can't say the Blessing of the Lord be upon it do not meddle f Psal 129.8 with it But above all as soon forget your Christian name the name of a Christian as forget to eye Christ g Psal 123.2 and what ever entertainment you meet with from the profane world h John 15.18 c. remember your Exemplar i 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. and follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who whâ—n he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeâ—h righteously What must and can Persons do Towards their own CONVERSION Ezek. 18.32 Wherefore turn your selves and live yee THe words are part of that serious Exhortation begun in the 30. ver Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions continued in the 31. ver Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit and concluded in this verse Wherefore turn your selves c. In the former part of the verse the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I had rather men should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved then die in their sins and perish through their impenitency Wherefore or therefore turn your selves The Exhortation in these words is back'd with a reason of great yea the greatest strength viz. Life turn and live that is ye shall live comfortably here and happily for ever hereafter There be four Propositions deducible from these words 1. That man is turn'd from God 2. That it's mans duty to turn unto God again 3. That the Lords willingness that men should rather live then die should be a strong Argument to move them to turn 4. That those who do turn shall live I shall wave all those
towards the poor and necessitous ingenuity towards the ignorant and unskilful moderation towards all men 7. Where you have any doubt about the equity of your dealings chuse the safest part and that which will certainly bring you peace For not only a good conscience but a quiet conscience is to bee valued above gain Therefore in matters of duty do the most in matters of priviledge and divisions of right and proportions of gain where there is any doubt chuse the least for this is alwaies safe Thus I have layed down the Rule and explain'd it and have given as particular directions as I could safely adventure to do I must now leave it to every man to apply it more particularly to himself and to deal faithfully with his own conscience in the use of it Circumstances which vary Cases are infinite therefore when all is done much must bee left to the Equity and Chancery of our own breasts I have not told you how much in the Pound you may gain and no more nor can I A man may make a greater gain at one time than another of the same thing hee may take those advantages which the change of things and the providence of God gives him using them moderately A man may take more of some persons than of others provided a man use all men righteously hee may use some favorably But I have on purpose forborn to descend to too many particularities among other reasons for the sake of Sir Thomas Mores observation concerning the Casuists of his time who hee saith by their too particular resolutions of Cases did not teach men non peccare not to sin but did shew them quà m prope ad peccatum liceat accedere sine peccato how near men might come to sin and yet not sin The Uses I shall make of all this are these two 1. Use Let us not revenge our selves The rule is not wee should do to others as they do to us but as wee would have them to do to us as if it were on purpose to prevent revenge Saint Luke forbids revenge from this rule Luke 6.31 32. For if you love them that love you c. But love your enemies Revenge is the greatest offence against this rule for hee that revengeth an injury hath received one hee that hath received one knows best what that is which hee would not have another to do to him the nature of evil and injury is better known to the patient than to the agent men know better what they suffer than what they do hee that is injur'd feels it and knows how greivous it is and will hee do that to another 2. Use Let mee press this rule upon you Live by it in all your carriage and dealings with men let it bee present to you Aske your selves upon every occasion would I that another should deal thus with mee and carry himself thus towards mee But I shall press this chiefly as to justice and righteousness in our Commerce It is said that Severus the Emperour caused this Rule to bee written upon his palace Lampridius and in all publick places let it bee writ upon our houses and shops and exchanges This exhortation is not altogether improper for this Auditory you that frequent these exercises seem to have a good sense of that part of Religion which is contain'd in the first Table do not by your violations of the second marre your obedience to the first do not prove your selves Hypocrites in the first Table by being wicked in the second give not the World just cause to say that you are ungodly because they finde you to bee unrighteous but manifest your love to God whom you have not seen by your love to your Brother whom you have seen and if any man wrong his Brother hee cannot love him Do not reject or despise this exhortaton under the contemptuous Name of Morality Our Saviour tells us this is a cheif part of that which hath ever been accounted Religion in the World It is the Law and the Prophets and hee by injoyning it hath adopted it into Christianity and made it Gospel Wee should have an especial love to this precept not only as it is the dictate of nature and the Law of Moses not only as it is a Jewish and Gentile principle but as it is of the household of Faith When the young man told Christ that hee had kept the Commandements from his youth it is said Jesus loved him Mark 10.20 21 where-ever wee have learned to despise morality Jesus loved it when I read the Heathen writers especially Tully and Seneca and take notice what precepts of morality and Lawes of kindness are every where in their writings I am ready to fall in love with them How should it make our blood to rise in many of our faces who are Christians to heare with what strictness Tully determines Cases of conscience Offic. Lib. 3. and how generously hee speaks of equity and justice towards all men Societatis arctissimum vinculum est magis arbitrari esse contra naturam hominem homini detrahere sui commodi causâ quà m omnia incommoda subire This is the strongest bond of society to account it to bee more against nature for any man to wrong another for his own advantage than to undergoe the greatest inconveniences And again Non enâ—m mihi est vita mei utilior quam animi talis effectu neminem ut violem commodi mei gratiâ Nor is my life more dear and profitable to mee than such a temper and disposition of minde as that I would not wrong any man for my own advantage Again Tollendum est in rebus contrahendis omne mendacium No kinde of lying must bee used in bargaining And to mention no more Nec ut emat melius nec ut vendat quicquam simulabit aut dissimulabit vir bonus A good man will not counterfeit or conceal any thing that hee may buy the cheaper or sell the dearer And yet further to check our proneness to despise moral Righteousness I cannot but mention an excellent passage to this purpose which I have met with in a learned man of our own Nation Two things saith hee make up a Christian a true faith and an honest conversation Mr. â—ales and though the former usually gives us the Title the latter is the surer for true profession without an honest conversation not only saves not but increaseth our weight of punishment but a good life without true profession though it brings us not to Heaven yet it lessens the measure of our Judgement so that a moral man so call'd is a Christian by the surer side And afterwards I confess saith hee I have not yet made that proficiency in the schooles of our age as that I could see why the second Table and the Acts of it are not as properly the parts of Religion and Christianity as the Acts and observations of the first if I mistake then it is St. James