the conscience may be called a brideling or a restraining Conscience as if question be whether the Sabaoth may bee broken thus The commandement of God may not be broken but to breake the Sabaoth is to breake the commandement of God therefore breake it not saith conscience Thus by experience we féele within vs before we do a thing a certaine power pushing vs backe or egging vs forward or we séeme to heare a voyce in our breasts bidding or forbidding vs. And when we do contrary to the motion and monishing of conscience we are said to wound and to sin against our consciences which is grieuous Now remember how the Conscience determineth of Actions So also of Thoughts and Words Vse 1. Looke well to thy conscience and examine it for a good conscience is not of Nature but of Grace by Faith Rom. 5.1 through the bloud of Christ For it is the bloud of Iesus applied by Faith Heb. 9.14 which purgeth the conscience both from the guiltinesse and filthinesse thereof Content not thy selfe then though thy conscience be quyet and trouble thée not for it may so be and yet be starke nought Bee sure that the quietnesse thereof bee grounded on the righteousnesse of Christ and the assurance of the pardon of thy sinnes Else when it stirreth and awakeeth it will be like a Lyon ready euen to rend out thy throat Call therefore thy conscience to her office here which if shée discharge and being rightly informed excuse thée thou mayest truly haue boldnesse before God Otherwise euen as a man that hath the gout is not healed because for a little time he féeleth it not beat and fret so neither doth the quietnesse of conscience argue the health and goodnesse thereof vnlesse it be quieted by the blood of Iesus Better thy conscience accuse here then in the day of Iudgement when though it sléepe now it will vnlesse it be preuented most certainely accuse and confound For the nature of it is alwaies to take Gods part though it be against it selfe Make then thy concience thy friend against that day when a good conscience will be more woorth then a whole world The remembrance of which time made Paul endeuoure to haue a cleare conscience before God and men Acts 24.16 Vse 2. If thou once gettest a good conscience kéepe it with all diligence For as a good conscience is a continuall feast Prou. 4.23 Pro. 15.15 2. Cor. 1.12 Yea a very heauen vpon earth so an euil and guilty conscience is an vnspeakeable torment yea a very hell for a wounded spirit who can beare If a man haue a good conscience Pro. 14. he cannot want comfort in the middest of the fire But if a man were in Paradise as Adam with an euill conscience hee must néedes want comfort for as the shadow followes the body so doth an euill conscience follow the vnrepentant sinner alwaies dogging him and crying fearefully against him Thou hast sinned thou shalt be damned driuing into most fearefull agonies and passions euen vnto finall desperation as in Iudas if the mouth be not stopped by the merites of Christ The Heathen thought that those who liued ill were haunted with furies and fiends Surely this is the fiend euen thy euill conscience gnawing vpon thy heart and stinging as a Scorpion neither canst thou auoyde it but onely by faith in Christ Kéepe therefore thy good conscience if thou hast it as the chiefest Iewell which thou shalt doe if thou obserue these Rules First cherish Faith for it is the root of a good conscience Secondly auoyd all sinne for as a moat in the eye so sinne troubleth the peace of conscience and as water queucheth fire so sinne putteth out the goodnesse thereof And therefore when Abigaile would perswade Dauid from bloody reuenge she vseth an argument from preseruing the peace of conscience and perswadeth him Thirdly walke in the continuall practise of righteousnesse which that wée may be able to do namely both to auoyde sin Heb. 13.18 to liue honestly A fourth thing must bee done which is the right enforming of the conscience that it be able to discerne good from euil and mistake not one for an other for as an vnskilfull Pilote that knoweth not the coast easily maketh shippewracke and as a bad guide soone bringeth into danger so a conscience not instructed in the truth For if thou doubtest and doest doubtingly thou sinnest though the action be lawfull in it selfe yet not to thée for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 If thy conscience erre taking that to be good which is euill thou canst not but sinne for if thou dost according to thy erring conscience thou sinnest in doing contrary to the commandement of God If thou doest it not thou sinnest also because thou dost against conscience and there is no way to helpe out of these briers but to enforme the conscience in the truth which is by the word of God the rule of conscience by which it appeareth that all such which neglect the word of God 1. Corin. 14 24 25. must néedes haue corrupt and dangerous consciences Vse 3. Neuer sinne in hope of secrecie for thou canst not lie hidde though thou couldst conceale thy faults from al men yea from the diuell yet there is a bird in thy breast which will tell tales and bewray all the conscience is a thousand witnesses happy is he which hath it to witnesse for him before God Quest What meane you when you say that man was created in the Image and likenesse of God Ans I meane that neere likenes wheby Adam resembled God which consisted partly in the immortality of his soule partly in his dominiō ouer the creatures but principally in the gifts of his minde Colos 3.10 Ephe. 4.24 knowledge holines and righteousnes Expli Herein consists the chiefe happinesse of man to be like his Creator for God made not man like other things made but like himselfe like I say hauing some sparkes of excellency as representations of the Diuine Nature though this likenesse be such that there remaines an vnspeakeable distance betwéene God and man euen in his greatest perfection Though the feature of the body bee most beautifull yet herein we place no part of the Image of God though wee confesse that euen as the lanthorne is illustrated by the candle within it euen so the body is made in some sort resplendent by the brightnesse of the Soule within in which the Image of GOD chiefly resideth And yet to speake properly we say not that the Soule but that the whole man was made according to Gods Image This Image not to say any thing of the spirituall Essence and Immortalitie of the Soule was partly in the dominion granted ouer the Creatures which dominion was not direct for God is onely the soueraigne Lord but profitable consisting in his dwelling and the vse and benefit of the Creatures yet the extent of this onely to the inferiour creatures as
the world began The Holy Ghost beareth this witnesse vnto the consciences of the elect And this testimony is that inward force and efficacy of the holy spirit by the which wee feele our hearts moued bowed and perswaded to beleeue the word 1. Cor. 2.10.11.12 Ioh. 2.20.27 1. Ioh. 5.10 Hee that beleeueth hath the witnesse in himselfe This testimony next to the voyce of God speaking in the Scriptures who indeed is onely a sufficient witnesse to himselfe is to be preferred before all other testimonies and arguments whatsoeuer But this must be remembred that this witnesse of the Spirit in the heart serueth not to confirme doctrines and to confute aduersaries but onely that euery one for himselfe by this witnesse might be certaine in his very conscience that the holy Scriptures are of God In this the conscience resteth and is satisfied and it ariseth and is wrought in our hearts by the word read heard meditated vpon and translated to the vse of faith and life as Ioh. 7.17 If any man will do his will saith Christ he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe The humane testimonies are either of the Church or of The enemies of the Church The perpetuall consent of the Church of all the people of God in receiuing embracing and conseruing the word of God so many ages notwithstanding their diuersity and disparity of mindes and iudgements argueth no lesse then a diuine authority in the word The enemies are either Iewes or Heathen The Iewes acknowledge the bookes of Moses and the Prophets to be giuen by diuine inspiration And among the Heathen when Ptolomy the King of Aegypt demanded why Heathen Authors in their writings make no mention of the bookes of Scripture one made answere Because they were diuine and that God the author of them was reuenged of all those that presumed to touch them as Iosephus and Eusebius report The other reasons may be drawne first from the antiquity of them being of all writings the most ancient Moses the first Pen-man of holy Writ being farre elder then all other writings now extant in the world a thing well knowne to the learned Secondly from the certaine euent accomplishing of the diuers prophesies which neither by naturall causes nor by the wit of man could euer haue been foretold Thirdly from the miracles which Sathan neuer could bring to passe Fourthly from the matter of them containing the whole pure and perfect law of God and describing such a meanes of saluation which both agreeth to the glory and perfect Iustice of God and satisfieth the conscience Fifthly from the maiesty of them which shineth euen through the humility and simplicity of the phrase Sixthly from the inuincible firmity and continuance of them notwithstanding the rage of so many persecutors labouring to abolish their very memory Seuenthly from the beautifull harmony and admirable consent of all the parts of the doctrine contained therein Eighthly from the force of them in the mindes of men effecting mouing conuerting and transforming vs into new men and kindling a liuely consolation in our mindes in the day of tryall as appeared in the Martyrs Ninthly from the irreconcileable hatred of Sathan and his complicies tyrants persecutors and all prophane men against the Scriptures more then any other Bookes Tenthly from the vengeance of God vpon the contemners blasphemers and enemies of the word It were almost infinite to reckon all that might be said herein all which are good iointly and seuerally considered to confirme vnto vs the authority of the Scriptures and to conuince the consciences of all them which in the vanity and wickednesse of their hearts shall any way call them into question Wherefore it appeareth and nothing can be said to the contrary that all are bound with all diligence to study in the word of God Two principall parts of our study in the word are the Reading and the Hearing of it All then must giue all diligence to heare and read the Scriptures And because things good in themselues through bad and negligent vsage become oft-times vnprofitable and hurtfull vnto vs therefore the Apostle Paul prayeth and exhorteth Colos 1.10 Colos 3.16 that the Word dwell in vs in all wisedome That wee ought wisely to heare the word preached appeareth by our Sauiour himselfe in his monitions to his Apostles and Disciples Mat. 15.10 Mark 4.24 Luke 8.18 Heare and vnderstand Take heed what you heare Take heed how you heare Vnto this wise hearing three things are necessary First something is to bee done before we heare Secondly something in the hearing Thirdly something when we haue heard That which is to be done before wee heare is called Preparation which consisteth in the auoiding of some things and in the doing of other some Those things which are to be auoided may be reduced to these fiue heads The first is Intemperance in riotous eating and drinking pampering the body whereby we are made vnfit for the exercises of the word the body being then more apt to sleepe then to heare Full bellies for the most part haue empty soules and therefore our Sauiour Christ monished his Apostles to beware of surfeiting and drunkennesse Luk. 21.34 which oppresse the heart The second is Distracting cares of the world these must be banished out of our minds when we come to heare the word As Abraham when he went to sacrifice his sonne vpon the mount Gen. 22.5 left his Asse and Seruants at the foote of the hill Euen so when we come to the holy hill of God with the Congregation we must put off and abandon all our owne thoughts words and seruile labours For as thornes choke the Corne so will these the word as our Sauiour teacheth Luk. 8.14 The third is Preiudice against the person of the Teacher for when the person is once distasted we relish not his doctrine though neuer so good So Ahab could not abide Micaiah and therefore would not endure his teaching and admonitions The fourth is Pride for some measure of knowledge receiued As many will say they know as much as the Preacher can tell them It may be they doe But doe they practise it Such must know first that preaching is not onely to teach men that which they know not but also to stirre them vp to practise that which they know not so much ordained to informe the iudgement as to reforme the affection Secondly they must remember that part of the song of the Virgin He filleth the hungry with good things but the rich he sendeth empty away The fifth is Carnall security when we come to the hearing of the word with a resolution that speake the Lord what he will and cry the seruants of God against our sinnes as long and as loud as they will yet we will do as we list For many by this meanes come into the congregation as the vncleane beasts into the Arke they come in vncleane and
not onely giuing the outward shape and beautifull colour of the skinne and outwardly distinguishing compacting in singular order and comelinesse the parts and lineaments of the body but framing giuing within Bowels Veines Arteries Nerues Muskles and Bones c. most wonderfully Now whether Iesus Christ by whom we beléeue all things were made did in the shape of man as he often so appeared to the Fathers with his hands frame and fashion the body of man as some affirme I leaue it as vncertaine Vse Did not God make mans body of nothing nor of gold or some heauenly and pretious matter but of dust Remember then thy beginning and be humble in as much as thou nay Kings Quéenes are framed of no better stuffe then the dust and dirt of the earth which themselues nay euen bruite beasts tread vnder their féete yea wée are below the beasts in this that they were but brought out of the earth as out of their originall place Man made of the earth as of a base and brittle matter Why art the proud of a péece of dirt so prankest vp thy painted sheath Let thine owne bosome teach thée humility for thou art dust and let it also teach thée thy frailty that thou must die Gen. 3.19 for to dust thou shalt returne Quest What is the Soule of man which you spake of Ans The Soule of man is a Spirituall substance Ecc. 12.7 Heb. 12.7 Mat. 10.28 Psa 103.2 Zach. 12.1 Gen. 2.7 1. Cor. 15.45 Immortall endued with Vnderstanding Memory Conscience and Will Created in the Humane Body to make the Person of Man and to enable Man to know and worshippe his Creator Expl. Euery man hath a Soule the originall whereof is of nothing and it is the better part of man without the which the body is a dead lump of the earth the Immortality whereof is to be beléeued against all Epicures or else all Religion Piety vanisheth Though therefore the body die yet the Soule existeth being dissolued from the body being so farre from death that it neuer falleth a sléepe Mat. 10.28 Mat. 22.32.33 Luk. 16.29 Phil. 1.23 c. which is the image of death The immortality of the Soule might be made manifest by reason but Scriptures to proue it for I write to Christians are When Moses speaketh of the creation of the Soule and the infusing of it into the body hee saith God breathed into his face the breath of life Which must not bée vnderstood as though God had any mouth to breath but that God by his omnipotent power made the man to breath and yet héereby wée may perceiue that that which was thus created is a Spirit not drawne out of the matter but immediatly procéeding as out of the mouth of God Psa 33.15 Zach. 12.1 Iob. 33.4 Ezech. 12.7 Heb. 12.9 And if any shall aske how our soules are now created and whether wée receiue them as our bodies from our parents or no The answere is that we receiue onely our bodies from our parents our soules still immediately from God God is called the Father of the Spirits of men because though hee bée the Authour of their bodies also yet of these by meanes of them immediately And whereas some might thinke that héereby God might bée in danger to be made guilty of the sinne of man when hée putteth a soule into the body begotten by vnlawfull copulation It is answered that God is no more héereby guilty then hée is pertaker of the fault of the Théefe when hée causeth stollen corne to grow as well as that which is truely bought These things being to bée considered not Morally but Naturally in regard of their Being And because the guiltinesse wée receiued from Adam may séeme to approue that our Soules come from Adam also else how should they bée guilty Wée are to vnderstand that the sinne and guiltinesse is not in the Soule alone or in the Body alone but in the whole Man consisting of Body and Soule so the Soule is infused of God voide of sinne Though euen then when it is put into the Body it bée guilty of owing though not of doing euen as the debt of the Father is to bée paid by the Heire and hée lyable thereunto Thus is the Soule subiect to guilt so also is it faulty not as it is created of God for so it is pure nor as it is reasonable but as it is ioyned to the Body making the person of a Man who hath not the Image of GOD which hee should haue but the corrupt image of Adam which hée should not haue This Soule is the forme of Man by the which wee Vnderstand Remember Will Discourse by the which wée differ from the beasts being wonderfully ioyned to the body A Spirituall Essence to a Bodily without any thing to hold the same but the onely commandement of God Being not in one part of the body in regard of the Essence and in another in regard of the Faculties but being after a wonderfull manner wholy in euery part yea all the Faculties of the Soule being wholly in euery part in regard of their originall though not in regard of their proper subiect Vse 1. Thou hast a Soule which is endued with Vnderstanding and Will the proper obiect of thy Vnderstanding is Truth of thy Will Goodnesse If thou béest a man then all thy labour should bée to increase in the knowledge of the Truth and in the approbation election and practise of that which is Good Vse 2. Remember thou hast an immortall part which is thy Soule bée carefull then so to adorne it with grace and vertue that thou maist liue immortally in ioy and happinesse and not in misery and paine Many will say they haue Soules to saue so haue they Soules giuen them to know God and to worship him according to his Word But as the most part haue no care to glorifie God in and with their Soules so whatsoeuer they say they shew by their liues they haue Soules to bée damned rather then saued For as saluation is promised to them which beléeue and obey God so to them which do not is damnation denounced by the word of God Quest You said that Conscience is a Faculty of the Soule declare further what Conscience is Ans Conscience is a Faculty of the Soule taking notice of all that is in Man Eccl. 7.24 1. Cor. 2.11 Rom. 2.15 or that passeth through his whole life and so determining thereof accusing or excusing before God Ex. All men haue Conscience which is proper to euery reasonable creatures yea euery seuerall man or woman hath his or her owne seuerall Conscience within them which is a Naturall Faculty or Created Quality in the Minde borne with vs And whereas wée vse to say that some are men of no Conscience or haue no Conscience the meaning is not that they haue no conscience at all but no good Conscience Conscience is diuersly distinguished In regard of the