the Blood Rom. 5. 1. of Christ saith S. Paul wee haue peace with God Rom. 5. And againe The Blood of Christ Heb. 9. 14. once offred by his eternall Spirit without fault purgeth our consciences from dead workes Heb. 9. Yea so purifieth and pacifieth them that it leaues no remorse of sin accusing or condemning in them Nothing else in this world hath this vertue saue Christs Blood alone there is no pacification of the soule without remission Ioh. 3. 1. Heb. 9. 22. Heb. 10. of sinne no remission of sin without blood no blood expiatory for sinne but Christs no application of this expiation but by faith The consequence then is vndenyable therefore by faith in Christs Blood shed for the remission of sinne we attaine peace of conscience No perfumes of the Sanctuary or charmes of Oratory can relieue it no straines of Musicke or Songs of Angels can reioyce it All other merriments and outward refreshments whatsoeuer haue no more power to cure and quiet it then popish holy-water hath to coniure the diuell This this is the honour royalty and peculiar dignity of Christs blood by the hand of faith applyed to the soule for the full remission of sinnes This alone can pacifie and make good the conscience and fully effect it whereas otherwise all the glittering appearances of happinesse which dazle the eyes of doting worldlings cannot bring it to passe The superstitious Papist troubled in conscience for sinne runnes vp and downe for reliefe like an Hart with an Arrow in his side Se rotat in vulnus transsixam circuit hastam hee sends to the god of Ekron for helpe hee buyes a pardon 2. King 1. 2. goes to shrift lasheth and launceth himselfe as the Priests of Baal did posteth to a Masse passeth 1. King 18. on in pilgrimage to a woodden worme-eaten Lady or painted Image and all this while as an aguish man that drinkes water his disease increaseth no shift of place or change of aire can relieue him being dogged and attended on by the hellish hag of his conscience Quae surdo verbere caedit which whips him in secret and in silence telles him Omnibus vmbra locis adero dabis improbe poenas The prophane worldling likewise being vexed and perplexed in mind with the horrour of his offensiue life and the blood-hound of his guilty conscience hunting dry-foot on the sent Prou. 28. 1. of his former sinnes proiecteth fearfull things ambulat in circuitu walkes in a restlesse round or maze like a sea-sicke wretch from the ship to the boat and so backe againe and as Saint Augustine passionately describes it runnes like Aug. in 45. Psa a Male-content ab agro in vrbem c. from the field into the City out of the City into his house from the common roomes thereof to his bed-chamber from thence to his study or closet and then out againe to seeke for a merry companion to see if hee can play away his trouble and remooue the melancholy qualme as carnall men account it from the stomake he eates profusely drinkes profoundly sports profanely and all to lull the conscience asleepe and to drowne her accusing voyce by 2. King 23. 10. the clamours of needlesse imployments But all in vain he doth but loose his chaine that it may be tyed straighter and smother the fire for a time which will afterwards breake forth with greater violence a seeming truce he may haue true peace he cannot haue for Nocte diéque suum gestat in pectore testem yea pestem hee carries night and day his bane in his bosome and of all earthly refreshments may truly say as Iob of his Iob 16. 2. friends Miserable comforters are ye all But as for the godly Christian who is willing to illuminate and regulate his conscience by Gods sacred Word and the diuine Oracles of eternall truth when scruples and troubles of conscience doe arise whereby hee is somewhat distracted or distressed leauing all humane conclusions vntryed vntrusted he forthwith goes to God in prayer for direction powres forth his soule in supplication to him imbraceth all good meanes of instruction and edification layes fast hold by a liuely faith on Christ Iesus for reconciliation and so finding Christ the great Physician of soules or rather being found of him findes with all peace and tranquillity his doubts resolued his griefe remoued his feare cancelled his heart confirmed in well-doing his soule as it were rauished with the sweet sauour of his precious oyntments so that Flammas licet hic ille iaculetur polus fractus illabatur orbis impauidum ferient ruinae though the heauens and earth crack and fly off the hinges and the Mountaines be remoued yet therewith he cannot be appalled to him being in Christ and feeling it to be so there is no condemnation or remurmuration of conscience for sinne and therefore with glory to God in excelsis he sings De profundis a requiem to his soule You see then by that which hath been said how that the conscience which Gods Word actuated by the Spirit inlighteneth and perswadeth and the blood of Christ Iesus applyed by the hand of faith purgeth and pacifyeth is the onely good conscience Know also that truly to beleeue well according to the tenour of Gods sacred Word and to indeuour duly to liue well in a cheerfull obedience to his holy will is both mother and nurse of the same It is the pure inmost blood which breeds and the radicall moysture which feeds the bright Lampe of the soule a good conscience Whereof for a conclusion to the premises and an induction to that which followes this plaine and pregnant definition proued by direct passages of Scriptures offers it selfe to your Christian obseruation Doct. 4 A good or vpright a Prou. 15. 15. conscience is a diuine b Rom. 2. 16. power and principall part of Gods Image in man whereby he doth most resemble the selfe-sufficiency of God which being c Ephes 1. 7. inlightened by Gods Word and purged by d Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 9. 14. faith in Christs blood from the guilt and punishment of sinne and from dead workes to serue the liuing Lord speaketh e Phil. 4. 7. peace with Gods allowance is a f Iob 33. messenger of good things betwixt God and vs and cheereth vp the heart with g 1. Pet. 1. 8. ioy vnspeakable and glorious In which Definition you may easily perceiue how that knowledge and faith repentance and obedience peace and ioy haue their concurrence to make vp the precious odoriferous balme or oyntment of a good conscience First knowledge and faith is requisite thereunto lest it should be blind and erronious Secondly repentance and constant obedience lest it should be secure and licentious Thirdly peace and ioy lest it should bee stirring galling and needlesly tender and timorous To touch the tops of these perswasions first Iudg. 7. 1. Knowledge it is by too lamentable
Walke by a rule Gal. 5. 16. Take heed to our wayes with Dauid Psal 39. and striue to keepe an euen and direct course as it were by line or leuell that so we may haue entrance into the strait gate into the which the proud man with his high lookes the ambitious with his aspiring thoughts the malicious with his swelling vncharitable heart the Vsurer with his full bags the drunkard with his full cups and corrupt lungs the adulterer with his fulsome minions and wasted loynes can haue no admittance no admittance if they liue and lye and die in their sinnes without repentance facilis descensus auerni A man may goe to hell without a staffe as the Heathen saith sed reuocare gradum c. But to make a step to heauen and so to seeke the Kingdome thereof as to find it so to finde it as to inioy it hic labor hoc opus est non puluinaris sed pulueris This this indeed is a labour of great worth a worke requiring much heedfulnesse diligence and watchfulnesse Whereof our Apostle had good experience and therefore for our learning and imitation he hath left it recorded that hee did forget what Phil. 3. 13 14. was behind that is account whatsoeuer he had done or suffered already for Gods sake to bee as nothing not worth the naming but this one thing he did he did indeuour himselfe to that which was before and striued to doe better and to bee better and followed hard towards the Marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ So heere in my Text hee exercised himselfe that is with diligence and dexterity and continuall indeuour to the vtmost he pursued this one thing aboue all other things to wit the hauing and holding of a good conscience esteeming it at so high a rate as the Merchant did the Pearle for which hee sold all Mat. 13. 46. that he had accounting all things else as drosse and losse in comparison thereof He knew that the imperfect Essayes proffers and momentany purposes and propensities of lazie languishing wishers woulders ripen not reach not home thereunto and therefore with a steady settled will and full resolution with the greatest bent and extent of his regenerate rectified affection such as was in Dauid where hee vowed and Ps 119. 106. swore that hee would keepe Gods righteous iudgements and in Ioshua where hee resolued Iosh 24. 15. that whatsoeuer others did hee and his house would serue the Lord pursueth the purchase of this heauenly Iewell a good conscience in which pursuit he deserueth our best imitation and most zealous emulation too So that as S. Ierom hauing read the religious life and comfortable death of Hilarion said Surely Hilarion shall be the Champion which I will follow So hauing heard the godly care and continuall indeuour which Saint Paul had to keepe an vpright conscience wee should all both Magistrates and Ministers and all other officers and instruments of Iustice here present religiously resolue to make Saint Paul our Champion and guide in a businesse of so singular consequence henceforward exercising our selues in this to haue alwayes a good conscience towards God and men to haue I say that tranquillity of mind that heauenly Musicke whereon the old Philosophers doubtfully harped but the good Christian heart onely heareth it and answereth it with iust measures of ioy Which spirituall harmony to giue you by the way a taste of it for the sharpning of your appetite after it as a song of three parts consisteth in a three-fold Pax suprà exrà intrà peace with God aboue vs and men without vs and the soule within vs and therefore is both hard to be gotten and rare to be found But after wee haue sought heauen and earth Note behold where onely the wearied Doue the humbled Christian may finde this Oliue of peace this peace of a good conscience namely in that reconciliation to God in that remission of sinnes and fruition of Gods fauour which the eternall Peace-maker the Esa 9. Sauiour of men and anointed of God CHRIST IESVS hath procured and purchased 1. Pet. 1. 19. by the infinite price of his most precious Blood the benefit whereof hee offers to be apprehended of vs by the spirituall hand of faith Receiue then peace and be happy beleeue and thou hast receiued by faith thou Ioh. 3. 16. art interessed in all that either God hath promised or Christ performed The faithfull apprehension and application of Christs all-sufficient satisfaction makes it to bee thine Vpon this satisfaction thou hast the broad Seale of pardon and remission vpon remission followes reconciliation and vpon reconciliation peace of conscience O heauenly peace whereby alone we are at league with our selues and God with vs without which all other pleasures are to be pitied without which the heart will deny to be cheered though all the world bee her Minstrell and Musician When therefore thy conscience like a sterne Sergeant shall catch thee by the throate and arrest thee vpon Gods debt let this be thy plea that thou hast already paid it bring foorth that bloody acquittance sealed to thee from heauen vpon thy true faith and straightway thou shalt see her fierce lookes changed into friendly smiles and that hand which was ready violently to drag thee to prison now louingly to imbrace thee and fight for thee against all temptations and accusations whatsoeuer For what can accuse or condemne where God and the conscience do acquit Hic murus ahaeneus esto nil conscire tibi Let this be thy fortresse and brazen Bulwarke in all assaults of thy spirituall enemies that thou hast no sinne vnrepented no corruption vnbewailed with the guilt wherof thou canst charge thy selfe Surely thou canst not be by the false Saluianus iudgement of another made miserable who art thus by the true testimony of thine owne conscience become blessed the vniust exclamations of the wicked without shall not be able to hurt thee whilst the iust acclamation of thy witnesse within doth cleere and cheere thee nay rather thou shalt make to thy selfe a Garland of the false aspersions of Sycophants and be able comfortably confidently to say as S. Austin in a case not much vnlike said Fideliter in conspectu Dei dico c. I speake it solemnely Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 3. c. 6. in the sight of God that I am not guilty to any of those actions wherewith my aduersary chargeth me since the time I was baptized in the name of Christ and therefore haue no cause to be sad but to reioyce and exult Goe to then ye righteous reioyce in the Lord sing merrily ye that are purged and pacified by faith in Christs Blood to the mighty God of your saluation Walke cheerefully on in the way of peace thus chalked foorth vnto you let no difficulty be a sufficient excuse to hinder you in the pursuite of this peace of conscience which
his part in Paradise exercise themselues wholly and their greatest wit cunning and policy to gaine and retaine good estates good Farmes good fields good friends good houses good horses good clothes good euery thing else but care not for this onely permanent and Paradisaicall good of an vpright conscience let all of vs that would be accounted godly wise prouident for a better world make it our principall care and study to get this choyce Iewell of admirable vertue and operation and to set it in the best and chiefest roome of our holy and hearty affection as a blessing of all blessings sufficient for present maintenance Psalm 84. and future Psal 84. 11. inheritance Luk. 12. 31. With which that wee Luk. 12. may be really possessed and so royally blessed it is generally required of vs all as in part it hath and shal be more fully declared hereafter that we be according to our seuerall callings much exercised in prayer in thankesgiuing in hearing reading and meditating of the Word much in patience temperance repentance obedience Gods mercies and iudgements on our selues and others must be daily considered his Temple on publike solemne assemblies duely frequented his Throne of grace in priuate deuotion often sollicited his distressed seruants pitied and relieued especially wee must be inured to a daily diligent search and examination of our soules by that scrutiny in Seneca Anima Seneca mea quid fecisti hodie O my soule what hast thou Ier. 8. 6. done to day that so comming to a true sight and sorrow of our sinnes and corruptions wee may humbly confesse them feruently craue pardon for them and by faith in Christs blood be assured of the forgiuenesse of them and so with peace of conscience and ioy of heart walke on cheerfully in the religious race of godlinesse and vertue to the iourneys end of endlesse felicity Herein and therein ought we to be exercised if we would inioy the comfort and credit of conscionable Christians And as these generall duties of Christianity are carefully to be performed so the particular offices whereunto we are called for the propagation of Religion and piety or the preseruation of order iustice and equity in Church or Commonwealth are seriously to be attended and executed Hoc agite in the sacrifices of the heathen gods was a precept much vsed and obserued how much more in the seruices of the God of heauen especially in that great businesse of Iustice and Iudgement whereunto by God the King and the Countrey the most of you are now designed should the said precept Doe yee this that is intend and apply all the faculties of your mind to the doing of it be kept inuiolable and that not only of you the chiefe agents and ministers but of all others the instruments and assistants of Iustice whether witnesses who are faithfully to prooue the action or counsellours who are formally to plead the cause or Iurators who are vprightly to censure the allegations These and euery of these for the discharge of a good conscience herein and therein according to Saint Pauls practice must exercise themselues and that ingeniously without sinister affection and that instantly as the occasion is giuen without put-offs to after-times or any tedious protraction Vse 2 So that to come to a second vse of the doctrine proposed me thinkes here come within compasse of iust censure diuers Christians as they esteeme themselues to be sharpely reprooued for their security and grosse stupidity in slighting neglecting and procrastinating necessary duties who thinke and speake much of doing but leaue to doe the effect of their thinking who mention and motion many things fit to be acted and done for the reformation of disorders and matters amisse in themselues and family at home in the Church and Common-wealth abroad but as weaklings and slacke-graces set not their hands to the worke thrust not themselues forth with Dauids resolution Psal 101. tot Psalm 101. to the speedy execution of the same Farre be they from the Prophets and our Apostles spirit and resolution farre from the obedient disposition which was in Father Abraham who according to Gods Commandement forthwith circumcised his family Genes Gen. 17. 17. put away the bond-woman and her sonne Gen. 21. Gen. 21. yea readily and betimes went on his Gen. 22. iourney to sacrifice his onely beloued Sonne Isaac Gen. 22. and not asking a reason for it which he thought to be presumption or opposing any carnall reason against it which hee knew to be rebellion instantly did that hee was called vnto and commanded to doe with all expedition But alas these and are not some of you Fathers many of you Brethren such either in fauour to themselues or for feare of others stand still with the idlers in the market and doe nothing or hauing begun well reuolt Math. 20. 1. Tim. 4. 10. Iudg. 5. with Demas disappoynt with Meroz or follow a farre off as Peter did Christ and doe not put themselues forward to the reforming of any course that is euill or the furtherance of any cause that is good Yea whereas the places and callings of some require that they should as State-Physicians purge themselues of all distempered humours that they might the more effectually worke on the humorous distemperatures of others and that they should bee patrons of peace and piety and patternes of temperance and honesty that so they might the more boldly reproue and soundly represse the lewd and lawlesse irregularities of the sonnes of Belial wherwith these times swarme They on the contrary runne a race of the like excesse of riot with others and as if it were no disparagement but rather an ornament vnto them sweare by authority oppresse and extort by licence drinke that I may not say drab it too without controll without feare care or conscience Such and such with shame and griefe I speak it are more then a good many of our neuter-passiue Magistrates scar-crow Constables and meale-mouthed vnder-officers in Towne and Countrey who resembling Ostritches which Plin. haue great feathers but no flight or Iupiters Blocke cast amongst the Frogs to bee the king whom they feared at first for its greatnesse but despised at length for its stilnesse suffer many hainous and hidious enormities of whoredom blasphemy drunkennesse prophaning of the Sabbath and wilfull recusancy to passe by them vncontrolled and are loth lest they might bee accounted precise and pragmaticall to exercise themselues in this to see these and the like abuses punished or reformed So that as Demosthenes Plut. sometimes complained that by the Athenians slothfulnesse the power of their aduersary Philip King of Macedon was greatly augmented so may we that are Ministers iustly complaine that by the remisnesse of the aforesaid Magistrates and Officers the kingdome of Satan in those his vicious vicegerents is exceedingly inlarged And therefore we doe the more humbly intreat you my Honourable Lords according to the great measure of
experience well known that for want of knowledge in Gods Booke and of faith in the Gospell offering forgiuenesse of sinnes onely by Christs blood many sottish soules liue in ignorance and darknesse and in the very shadow of death not able to discerne by reason of their blind nature and naturall blindnesse the things which concerne their peace but thinking all religions will saue or a good meaning serue the turne or a Lord haue mercy at last cast be sufficient Alas many a Fly doe these swallow many a sinne vnseene vnsorrowed for doe they digest and in many things do they erre as Christ told the Sadduces Mark 12. because they know not the Scriptures Mark 12. 24. and the power of God The ignorance whereof as Chrysostome noteth is the mother of Chrysost in 3. Coloss all mischiefe and therfore he earnestly exhorteth all secular persons to get them Bibles the physicke of their soules to labour to bee more Iob 22. 21. acquainted with God in his Word that they may grow vp therby in grace and in the knowledge 2. Pet. 3. 13. of our Sauiour Christ without which sauing knowledge and faith grounded thereon which the Hebrewes by an excellency call Shekel Mekodesh sanctifying wisedome the conscience 2. Faith cannot be vpright It is sufficient vnto sin to doe against conscience as Saint Paul in Rom. Rom. 14. Augustine 14. sheweth whereunto that of Saint Augustine agreeth Quicquid sit contra conscientiam aedificat ad Gehennam But it is not sufficient to duty and obedience to doe according to conscience except it bee inlightened and rectified by the Word without which information and illumination conscience often resolues where it should restraine acquits where it should condemn and so erreth and offendeth diuers waies First by an erronious acceptation and entertainment of the lawes fashions and traditions of men for the precepts of God which is the errour of superstition incident to ignorant arrogant Papists who make the Popes Dictates their practicall principles and seeing if they see at al thorow the false spectacles of their purblind guides shew their obedience in those things to wit in the adoration of Images inuocation of Saints meritorious obseruation of dayes and meates and celebration of Pilgrimages and Masses c. for which they can shew no commandement All whose Religion in these and the like poynts of Purgatory of prayer for the dead of satisfactory seruices and sacrifices of their owne inuention may easily be swept away with the Prophets besome Esa Esa 1. 12. 1. Who required these things at your hands Secondly by a vaine assumption of false principles and a misprision of good for euill of euill for good and this is the errour of prophannesse frequent amongst our common people who inlarge their consciences to the vttermost bounds of any pleasure or profit and vnder pretence of not being booke-learned will not suffer their consciences to prooue good Lawyers in Gods Booke but liue in darke corners vnder blind Sir Iohns and so take quid pro quo Chalke for Cheese riches for righteousnesse policy for piety who accounting gaine godlinesse and maintaining bad opinions to iustifie base affections doe hereupon in the errour of their iudgement practise commonly swearing prophaning of the Sabbath Vsury Lying Lottery Legerdemaine without any regret of conscience at all Thirdly by false application of good principles as when from those approued grounds and true propositions Religious adoration is not to be giuen to creatures and likewise Christians haue liberty in things indifferent these vnwarrantable conclusions are deduced Therefore we may not kneele in the Act of receiuing the Communion Therefore we are not bound to obey the Magistrate in things indifferent Which errour of conscience I may call the errour of too much singularity and precisenesse arguing their indiscretion who in their ouerweening curiosity will bee ouer-pleasing God with better deuices then his owne and take vpon them to teach the Spirit to speake according to the consonants of the Alphabet so long till their wit turne to madnes and end in mischiefe as appeareth by the course and condition of Separatists Anabaptists and Arminians at this day For the auoyding of all which errours of superstition prophanenesse and precisenesse let vs heare and obey our Sauiours counsell Search Ioh. 5. 39. the Scriptures Ioh. 5. for they beare witnesse of me the Way the Truth the Life they giue best testimony both of Gods will concerning his own seruice and of his good will in Christ to all his faithfull seruants Let this Word of God dwell plentifully in vs as Saint Paul prescribeth Col. 3. 16. Col. 3. and that not in some but in all wisedome that we may thinke speake and doe wisely in all things And for the better sharpening of our dimmed sight in matters diuine let vs not refuse the eye-salue of our better inlightened guides but gladly accept thereof that so by all these and other good meanes our consciences being rightly informed we may expresse the goodnesse of them by doing or not doing confidently what God hath commanded or prohibited And to this end that our hearts Col. 2. 2 16. may bee comforted and established in euery good saying and doing wee are to lay fast hold on that euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace which the Father hath giuen vs Colos 2. 2 16. and by all spirituall aliments to preserue and cherish that sauing faith in vs whereby we are perswaded that our sinnes are pardoned and God in Christ reconciled to vs. This indeed is the root of a good conscience as hath been already shewed and this Beleeue in Christs blood is the gracious powerfull Word whereby all consciences are now stilled as the Luk. 19. Act. 16. consciences of Mary Magdalen Zacheus Lydia and that Iaylor were suddenly and soundly thereby quieted Now for the cherishing and confirming of this faith the daily exercises of repentance and obedience are requisite and therefore to make vp the vprightnesse of a good conscience wee are in the second place to speake of these ingredients as most necessary thereunto to wit of repentance and obedience Of repentance in mind altering the thoughts from the approbation of sinne of repentance in heart sorrowing for the committing of sinne of repentance in mouth reprouing and controlling sin of repentance in the whole man remoouing whatsoeuer is knowne to be amisse and bringing forth fruits of amendment of life c. This is a worke impossible to nature without grace and so slow in the working of grace through the contradiction of our nature that howsoeuer many professe it yet few practise it but being rightly practised it will make such a diuision betwixt our persons and our sinnes that by the repairing of the Image of God more and more in vs we shall haue comfortable furtherance in the way to saluation This therefore must not be wanting to him or scanting in him that desireth a good conscience For where
the hauing and holding of an vpright conscience within you Doe all things as in Gods presence cherish true sauing-faith by often hearing and reading of the Word and the frequent practice of Prayer and true repentance inure your selues by religious exercises to a kind of familiarity with God that the assurance of his loue in Christ and the comforts thereof be not interrupted walke carefully in your particular callings to the glory of God and the common good auoyding as serpents couetousnesse and ambition which make men set their consciences on tenters and stretch like cheuerill and because at the great and generall Assises sentence shall passe and Iudgement be awarded according to the things written in the Booke of euery mans conscience take we heed Reu. 20. 13. that these Bookes of account bee kept vnblurred vnpolluted pure and cleane from presumptuous sinnes which are the cut-throate of the soule and offensiue in Gods sight In a word let this be your wish aboue all wishes and herein make sure worke come of the rest what will that by the effusion of Christs Blood for you and infusion of his Spirit into you you may inioy this pleasant and peaceable portion of a good conscience which is more highly to bee esteemed of and held at a dearer rate then the Merchants precious Pearle for which as it is Mat. 13. 46. in the Parable he sold all that he had in comparison whereof the things that are in the worlds eye most aduantageable vnto vs are to be accounted losse and iudged as dung that we Phil. 3. 7. may win it Let others say Who wil shew vs any good Yet Lord lift thou vp the light of thy Psal 4. countenance vpon vs. Let others content themselues with a portion in this life whose bellies Psal 17. 14 15. thou fillest with thy hid treasure but let vs O Lord behold thy face in righteousnesse and in the glasse of a good conscience heere on earth so when we awake in the day of Resurrection we shall be satisfied with thine Image rauished with seeing and secured for retaining thy glorious presence in heauen All earthly ioyes and treasures without this of a good conscience are but as so many ponderous waights to giue poize to the soule to sinke it to hell But with this all outward helpes for present maintenance are as so many Promooters and Proctors for the future inheritance giuing vs not onely wings of a Doue or an Eagle but of an Angel to ascend into heauen With this heauenly treasure then of an vpright conscience whosoeuer amongst vs O that there were many such is really possessed to speake plainely in the phrase of the holy Ghost he is without controuersie richly yea royally blessed * Sola conscientia virtutum praestat gaudium verum perpetuum Caeterae hilaritates frontem remittunt cor non implent Sen. in Ep. 23. Hee need not enuy the rich Corne-hoorders barnes inlarged and goods increasing or the Gluttons purple rayment and delicious feeding or the greatnesse of the greatest Potentate arrayed in robes of State powdered with Pearle and boasting with Nebuchadnezzar of his power and stately building No Hee need not enuy the magnificent pompe and vsurped Oecumenicall power of that triple-crowned ruffling Priest of Rome that Meridianus Daemon as Bernard calls Antichrist who to giue life to the image of the Beast seekes as Reu. 13. 15. much as in him lieth to make the Lord of life exhaeredem vineae exhaeredem vitae riding on mens shoulders treading on Emperours necks and swimming in his Orcipotent Sea with the bladders of intolerable pride and insolency No no Vix vnius assis Nec pretio pluris mundana haec omnia ducit For carryed in the triumphant Chariot of a cleare conscience and aduanced farre aboue these painted Pageants of things sublunary and perishing with Gods leaue and loue he inioyeth a selfe-sufficient happinesse in health and sickenesse in life and death and after death euer-induring Vse O happy then and thrice happy we if as S. 1. Cor. 1. 12. Pauls was so our reioycing and glory bee in the testimony of a good conscience if in truth wee can doe as in all his tryalls he did hold foorth this testimony as a shield of defence and flag of defiance against all scandalous imputations and Acts 23. 24. 25. aspersions if we can truely say as he said Wee are assured that we haue a good conscience desiring in all things to liue honestly Heb. 13. 18. or duely indeuour as hee in my Text indeuoured to haue a good conscience alwayes towards God Text. 3. part and men Which words importing the latitude or extent of a good conscience in respect of time and the obiects thereof come now very fitly to bee handled wherein I will labour to preuent your wearinesse First of the time and duration of the Apostles indeuour and exercise to haue a good conscience namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alwayes being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Alwayes Scholiast hath it being in all things euery manner of way so farre as humane frailty did not let inoffensiue and vnblameable indeuouring at all times through the whole tenor of his life Non pro vsura exigui temporis aut pro primis Caluin tantum diebus sed omnibus diebus vitae post conuersionem as Caluin renders it to bee vprightly conscionable conscionably vpright Doct. 8 So that this word Alwayes imports constancie and equality without remissenesse or partiality In the life of man and course of his calling there are many turnings references occurrences opportunities importunities and diuers respects in all which at euery turne to bee the same man requires the strength of a good conscience A child or weakeling may take two or three steps well and walke somewhat euenly but to turne hither and thither vp and downe with actiuenesse and dexterity and to maintaine the thorow pace or race with settled constancie and alacrity argues the metall and making of a very strong man Such an one was our Apostle in the race of Christianity after his conuersion as appeareth by his Triumphant Epinichion 2. Tim. 4. I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 4. 7. kept the faith finished my course c. and by his confident protestation Acts 23. 1. I haue Acts 23. 1. serued God with a good conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thorowout vnto this day Alwayes without stumbling without offence as it is in my Text c. Which is not so precisely to bee vnderstood Reas double as if he had beene alwayes indowed with an equall good disposition to godly duties and had neuer slipt or slept through humane infirmity For as the Spouse of Christ confesseth Cant. 5. ◠of her selfe I sleepe but my heart waketh and so condemneth her drowzinesse in the flesh notwithstanding her watchfulnesse in the Spirit So S. Paul Rom. 7. complaineth on himselfe Rom. 7. 19. that
in regard of the combate which is betwixt the flesh and the Spirit in the most Regenerate he did sometimes the euill hee would not and did not at other times the good hee would and so was vnwillingly defectiue through natures frailty and weaknesse but yee not wittingly offensiue through sins malignity and peruersenes For the power of a good consciēce preserued him so vpright that as a square Cube or homo quadratus he was the same which way soeuer he were turned to God or man to company or himselfe alone vpon all occasions and occurrences he held his owne and desired alwayes in all things to walke honestly Heb. 13. 18. Vse It is farre otherwise God knowes and experience shewes in too many now adayes which haue weake crazy consciences and as distempered braines their turbida lucida interualla their good and euill dayes who like Mercury amongst the Planets are of a variable constitution fast and loose strict in some things loose in other godly in one company and prophane in another vp and downe off and on in and out almost at euery turne who can indifferently brooke all companies and conuerse with all manner of persons If they be ruffians blasphemers drunkards they can play the good fellowes with them If they be good men which feare God they will discourse of poynts of Religion and adioyne themselues to their society as if there were good agreement betwixt light and darknesse righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse God in the one and Belial in the other To speake to the present occasion In the cause and case of Titius their kinsman or rich friend and neighbour they can be precise and peremptorily forward by all meanes to promote it But in as good a suite and iust a cause of Sempronius a stranger or meane-stated-man they will bee retchlesse and remisse not caring how hee bee wronged in it I would to God the consciences of more then a good many of our Magistrates were not such but commonly such they are who though they professe and pretend that in places of Iudicature they will heare the suites of poore and rich with equall patience and attention examine and censure all controuersies indifferently without preiudice partiality and needlesse protraction yet when it comes to proofe they prooue farre otherwise and like in truth to a fishing rod which standeth straight when a Menow or Gogin or smal fish is taken but boweth and bendeth and the line sometimes breaketh too when a Peale or great fish is to be drawne vp So when the Law hath canuased and caught a poore man being persecuted by the rich then iust Iudgment proceedeth speedily but when the rich and mighty ones are haply taken in their ouer-takings and lawlesse dealings and brought within compasse of the Lawes censure then O cruell pity there is much yeelding bending bowing and sometimes breaking too to free them from the penalty and vigour of the Law c. Neither is this the fault only of some chiefe Magistrates and ministers of iudgement but the vsuall preuarication of many mercenary Lawyers Iurors witnesses and such like instruments of Iustice whose weake consciences at the command of gaine or greatnesse as at the view of Medusaes stupifying head either stretch as Chiuerell in the raine or shriuell vp as parchment against the fire and so giue way if not warrant to the works of iniustice whereby innocency is wronged good lawes are deluded godly men dis-heartened and God himselfe dishonoured And here I could open a mystery of iniquity and shew quibus apicibus appendicibus iuris innocens torquetur à causidico dum causa torquet nocentem that is with what quirkes and trickes the innocent party is by the Lawyer wrung and put to the worst notwithstanding the goodnes of his cause and the Law it selfe hath driuen his aduersary to the wall Yea I could iustly inueigh against the dreadfull licence of inferences amongst our English pleaders in cases criminall whereby it often comes to passe that vpon very nice poynts innocents haue bin condemned as Edward Earle of Warwick was in Henry the seuenths dayes and the Duke of Somerset in Henry the sixths c. Yea I could here exhibit a bill of wofull complaint in the name of many poore impotent innocent men and women First against those aduocates which with their Clyents great cost and their owne small conscience maintaine contentions because contentions maintaine them and by English delayes worse then Spanish Strapados Marnix protract their suits in Law till they bee non-suted of life Secondly against those Iurates and witnesses which without heed-taking to their hearts that they conceiue no malice to their hands that they receiue no bribes to their eares that they heare no false accusation to their eyes that they see no wrong to their feet that they be not swift to shead blood as if all these outward senses of the body and the inward powers of the soule too were wholly corrupted doe without care or conscience feare of God or reuerence of man giue either Prou. 19. 28. vniust verdict in the cause or false euidence against the persons of their brethren and neighbours euen as by their passions they are ouerswayed 1. Kin. 21. or ouerwaighed by the purse or by their friends intreated or by their fellowes in Exod. 23. 2. euill perswaded These are sores which had need to be lanced that in time they might bee cured But because your Honours haue proceeded in some degrees of roundnesse against these inormities as you meet with them in your Circuit resounding onely in your eares what the Smith did in the Lantsgraues when he thought him too mild Durescite durescite for immedicabile vulnus-Ense recidendum est ne pars syncera trahatur I here refraine from further agitation of them or exclamation against them in particular not ceasing yet to admonish in generall all such as finde themselues guilty of so corrupt dealings and cursed doings that they blot out of the booke of conscience their sinnes by repentance and by vnfained sorrow of humbled contrite hearts deprecate the iudgements due vnto them for the same and for the time to come beware of doing more harme to a man for a little pelfe then euer they can doe him good againe with all their policy or power Beware of cutting asunder the sinewes of the Common-wealth and of poysoning the pure breath it drawes by peruerting Iustice and abuse of the Lawes Take heede by the bloody end of Ahab and his seed that yee seeke 1. King 21. 20. not vnder colour of Law to rob your neighbour of his field and life For though Naboth thy neighbour be dead and cannot be reuenged of thee yet thy conscience the Lords Ambassadour will meet thee as Elias did Ahab and tell thee Thou hast sold thy selfe to worke wickednesse abominable and bring thee tidings of vengeance vnauoydable Be warned by the tragicall issue of Iudas his treason that either to Math. 27. 5. please
is and will bee auerse from them all flying not onely scandalous blemishes but the first blushes and appearance of euill and hauing respect to all Gods Commandements Psal 119. 6. in substance and circumstance alloweth no man in the wilful breach of any of them seeme they to flesh and blood neuer so small For the least leauen of wickednesse corrupteth Iam. 2. 10. the whole masse of goodnesse and the rich and precious oyntment of a good conscience is polluted and made impure if but one dead fly Eccl. 10. one deadly sinne be suffered I doe not say to light on it but if with our will it lye and dye and putrifie in it Auaunt then with Naamans â— King 5. â—â—rk 6. 〈◊〉 5. and Herods exception in this with Anania's and Saphyra's reseruation in that with Agrippa's modicum and perswasion almost to be a Christian Acts 26. 28. for this is but almost to bee saued Away with the glozing formality and sin-cloking policy of those which make siluer Cawseyes for sinne that they may goe thereupon thorow the world dry-shod and steale away to hell with the least noyse of the world Away with the mock-holinesse and righteousnesse of those irreligious Statists which make mans law the scantling of their religion and better then that makes them will not bee further then that compels them will not go no not an inch nor so far neither but for feare thinking all to be well if the statutes of Omri be obserued Away with Mica 6. 16. these and euery of these for none of these can stand with the religion price praise and peace of a good conscience It is but halfe a mans honesty to be no better then the law of man makes him which reformeth but that if all that which the world sees out of the daÌ„ger wherof a wicked maÌ„ may liue If he haue not a great man to his enemy or but a great man to be his friend whose liuery as the world goes is countenance enough to keepe drunkennes from the stockes whoredome from the post coozenage from the pillory and theft too from the gallowes The law of man doth but looke to the outward facts and pruneth when it doth best but the outrage of euill actions but the rule and religion of a good conscience looketh higher to God and pierceth deeper euen to the inward man examineth the heart reformeth bad opinions and base affections and makes him in whom it beareth sway to be a law vnto himselfe beyond the reach of all humane lawes whatsoeuer and so bindes him to serue the true God with a true heart in a true manner to serue God immediately in true holinesse and integrity without exception hypocrisie or superstition and men subordinately for Gods sake in righteousnesse peace and amity without fraud oppression schisme and contention Wherefore to apply my selfe to the capacities Application generall and particular of all in generall and to speake home to the consciences of euery one in particular Tell me I pray' Art thou a man of ciuill fashion a reputed honest man of faire comportment and condition one that liuest quietly with thy neighbours giuest almes cheerfully in trading art at a word in payments and promises keepest day and touch in all thy dealings obseruest equity and truth and payest euery man his due It is well why then let God haue his due too pay him the prime seruice of holinesse holines Exod. 28. 36. is his due thou maist reade it in the forehead of the high Priest Exod. 28. and heare it from Esa 6. 3. the mouth of the Seraphim thrice repeated Esa 6. to teach what is chiefe in him what should be chiefe in vs and whereunto chiefly we ought to direct our seruice Pay then vnto him this due and performe this duty of holinesse Follow peace and holines without which Heb. 12. 14. thou canst not see God Heb. 12. Giue to him this holy seruice in secreto Sanctorum in thy Closet or bed-Chamber in thy priuate deuotion alone at any time of the day or night as the good Spirit shall mooue thee giue it to him especially with thy family morning and euening speake to him holily in Prayer heare him reuerently in the Word conferre with him religiously in Meditation which is the life of hearing the strength of praying the mother of practising More especially on his holy Sabbath in his holy Sanctuary at the receiuing of his holy Sacrament when and where thy holinesse should bee at holiest come before him and worship him Psal 96. 9. 1. Thes 4. 1. Tim. 2. 2. cum decore sancto with an holy kinde of decencie or in the beauty of holinesse with godlinesse and grauity deuoutly honouring the publike Ministery and in all carrying thy selfe most reuerently as Gods humble and holy seruant should doe and not in a stately surly kinde of holinesse or homely fellow-like familiarity as many turning their phantasticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Pharisaicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue done and some yet at this day doe and which is worst thinke of right they must doe so c. Againe on the other side art thou a man which makest more then ordinary profession of godlinesse frequentest diligently the outward exercises of Religion hearest Sermons and Lectures readest Gods Booke much and oft communicatest with due and dutifull preparation and art zealous in refraining from open disorders on the Sabbath day and in restraining thy family and such as depend and attend vpon thee from making it a day of bodily labour a day of riotous eating and drinking a day of lustfull and vnlawfull gaming too common euery where that thou mayest consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord by both publike and priuate hearing and reading the Word by conference Prayer and thankefull praysing of God Certainely thou doest well and t is very like thou hast a good conscience towards God But yet grow not heereupon presumptuous take not hence liberty as some doe to pay no debts to put money to Vsury to rent-racke thy Tenants to deny the Magistrate his due of obedience and recompence the Minister his due of reuerence and maintenance to be disdainefull of thy brethren couetous reuengefull and vncharitably censorious as if righteousnesse peace and amity towards men were not as well a part of Gods seruice and a duty of good conscience as well as holinesse and piety towards God Yes yes He that doth a good piece of Iustice downeward or tendreth his duty to his Superiour vpward and dealeth equally with his euen-Christian neighbours procuring things honest and Phil. 4. 9. Rom. 12. 17. of good report before them and desiring as much as in him lieth to haue peace with all men Hee I say in so doing doth not onely deale well with men but doth God good seruice also and when he commeth from Church going about these things may say truely Hee goes to serue God and this seruice of righteousnesse peace and loue
towards men a good conscience requireth and inioyneth as well as the other of holinesse filiall feare and religious worship towards God and so requireth and exacteth both in all that it will not haue either the one to wit Holinesse to be snuffing Mal. 1. 13. puffing short-winded and out of breath as theirs was Mal. 1. Or the other to wit Righteousnesse to be as a morning cloud soone scattered Hos 6. 4. and dissolued as theirs was Hos 6. But both lasting and induring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alwayes for all the dayes of our life that in an holy kinde of righteousnesse and a righteous kind of holinesse we serue God from day to day as long as there is a day left to serue him in and that so we may bee pure and without offence vntill the Day of the Lord filled with the fruits of Righteousnesse and Holinesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1. 11. So then to make a corollary of the premises and a recollection of that which at diuers times before you hath beene deliuered concerning the hauing and discharging of a good conscience alwayes towards God and men I will now for your better instruction and edification humbly commend to your sanctified memories obseruation and imitation too this Summary conclusion as a liuely Character of a sound conscionable Christian A sound conscionable Christian is he who The Character of a conscionable Christian hauing his conscience inlightened by sauing knowledge in Gods Word and purged by faith in Christs Blood from the guilt and punishment of sinne and from dead workes to serue the liuing Lord walketh cheerefully and constantly in the way of life which God hath chalked foorth vnto him not wishing it to bee wider or smoother but going on therein vprightly and freely neither stooping vnder the burthen of a willing sinne nor fettered with the gieues of vniust scruples He alwayes pondereth his paths and ordereth his wayes aright not regarding so much to be applauded of men as to bee approoued of God not looking so much to what hee might doe by his power as what he ought to doe for his praise being neither voluntary Agent nor forced Instrument in that which is vnlawfull to bee done but holding all his sences and members within Couenants for their good behauiour in that behalfe If his wisedome and vertue aduance him to any place or office of command and authority he glorieth not therein as in a Chaire of State or Farme of commodity but is glad thereof onely as a meanes of furthering his reckoning and pleasuring his Countrey wherein he wisely and worthily demeaneth himselfe so cherishing and countenancing wheresoeuer hee comes and hath to doe religious sober and honest liuers that hee dares not affoord a good looke to naughty Varlets and notorious offenders Hee waigheth all matters not according to the common beame of custome and opinion but at the golden Standard of Gods Sanctuary Truth hee exerciseth as well in the censure of persons as iudgement of things and will not iustifie the wicked through bribery or flattery neither condemne the righteous through malice or enuy for a world Being called therunto he giueth plaine testimony to the truth as well for smal as great stranger as brother and oweth so much to the Author of truth that he will not paint potsheards and say Falshood is truth or truth falshood Good euil or euill good for any feare or fauour whatsoeuer According to his meanes and ability he keepeth his house well and therein is mercifull and bounteous but his Church better and therein is deuout and religious hee looketh so to the Church that the Common-wealth receiues no detriment and so maintaines holinesse and piety in the one that he neglects not vpright dealing and equity in the other turne him what way soeuer you will hee is euer the same and will doe well turne him to God to his neighbour to company to himselfe alone put him in office out of office turne him loose to all occasions references and occurrences hee holds his owne and walkes honestly honourably warily worthily praise-worthily in all things and wil not to gaine any thing though neuer so precious leape ouer the pales or goe out of the Paradise of a good conscience In a word all his dealings are square and aboue the boord in his promises and payments hee keepeth day and touch his word is his parchment his yea his oath which he will not violate for any feare or losse hee is a faithfull Clyent of truth and honesty and in the plaine way thereof goeth on confidently and will either triumph in his integrity or suffer with it To conclude his soule is euery day dilated and inlarged to receiue God and goodnesse and is so taken vp with heauenly contemplation and contentments that he lookes often as one displeased on earthly pleasures and preferments he is very well prouided for both worlds and is sure of peace and comfort here and of glory and a glorious Kingdome hereafter This this is the sound Christian which hath gotten the inestimable treasure of an vpright conscience that true Diamond which flings beames of solace vpon the soule This is the conscionable man whose praise and reward is of God though the diuell and world storme and burst for enuie Such a one be he Minister or Magistrate be he Witnesse Iuror Clerke or Aduocate whatsoeuer his place or calling be as Dauids souldiers said of him is worth a 2. Sam. 18. 3. thousand of the common sort who feare to haue a name to feare God and to bee charged with sincerity Such a one as you haue heard the elect vessell of grace and lowd Clarion of the Gospell Saint Paul was and according to my Text indeuoured still to be Oh then that in vs the fire of â—â—le for imitation of him could so bee enkinâ—â—â—d that herein and therein conscionably comporting our selues in our seuerall vocations we might euery one for himselfe bee inabled to say truly as well as he Herein doe I indeuour my selfe to haue alwayes an vpright conscience towards God and men Which that wee may all Fathers and Brethren both say and doe let vs humbly and heartily beseech Amighty God of his abundant grace and mercy to grant and for this end to giue to that which hath been deliuered such a generall blessing according to our particular necessities that thereby such consciences as are dead and dull may be quickened such as are blind and erronious may bee inlightened such as are in a slumber may bee awakened such as are tender confirmed such as are heauie and pensiue comforted and all some way or other bettered through the powerfull operation of his gracious Spirit to the eternall praise of his glorious Name in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne and our onely Sauiour to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bee ascribed all glory and honour now and for euer Amen FINIS