Excusing property I say or quality for I denie not but a good conscience may and doth exercise many a time accusing actions The heart of Dauid may smite him for taking away Vriahs life for defiling Vriahs wife e 2. Sam. 12.13 for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment f 1. Sam. 24.4 for numbring his people contrary to Gods commandement g 2. Sam. 24 I know Peters conscience did article against him for denying and forswearing his Lord and Master h Math. 26.75 and there is neuer a Christian but can witnesse with mee that his owne conscience tels him daily of his daily faylings yet I say his conscience is not an habituall accuser as to doe nothing else but accuse him or as though it had nothing else in it selfe but iust matter of accusation against him this I say he is freed from which an euill man is not And rather it hath an accusing power now for a mans conscience to haue an excusing habite and qualitie what a sweete and comfortable thing is it What free from the terrours of a tormenting soule free from the wounds of spirit which mortall strength cannot beare what man can but admire this what heart will not exalt and reioyce to feele this Obiect Oh but I am tormented I am terrified will the poore Christian say * For indeede of all others they are most troubled I cannot be so at peace in my selfe as I faine would be my conscience is euer and anone about my eares Answ Very like if it bee tender it cannot choose but so it must bee Peraduenture thou hast not yet attained vnto that spirit of adoption to witnesse to thy spirit in that full measure that thou art the childe of God happily thou art but yet in the way to attaine vnto it It may be thou woundest thy conscience by beeing something too ventrous vpon that which thou hast no warrant for If it be so then I doe not much meruaile that thou canst not haue that quiet thou doest desire and well will it proue for thee at the last that thy conscience doth so smite thee But what of this hast thou no cause therefore to reioyce in the goodnesse of thy conscience Thy conscience accuseth thee vpon a good ground doth it thou fearest the sinne more then the punishment thou sorrowest for the offence done more then for the scourge due doest thou not thou art willing to heare thy conscience speak and thou sayest Conscience doe thine office by the grace of God I will not checke thee nor stoppe vp mine eares against thee thou art carefull to haue thy conscience pacified by the right meane euen by the assurance that through Christ his blood thou art purged from the sinne which thy conscience smiteth thee for art thou not If yea then know thou to thy comfort that though thy conscience when there is reason for it doth execute some accusing acts against thee yet habitually it will prooue to bee an excuser of thee Wherefore doe not thou by this cauill cheate thy selfe of the comfort that belongs vnto thee If thy conscience be at ods with thee vpon some good ground giue all diligence to get it appeased with the assurance of Gods loue and cast not downe thy selfe out of measure as if thy cōscience had nothing else but matter to accuse thee off And to encrease thy comfort vpon this ground meditate thou of the benefits of an excusing conscience as namely The benefits of an excusing conscience Quaenam summa boni meus quae sibi conscia recti Auson first an excusing conscience will answer and out-weigh all the accusations for sinne and such and such acts of sin as can be brought in to molest the soule for such a conscience is purified by the blood of Christ freed from the guilt of sinne hath to obiect Christs merits against its owne de-merits the obiecting of which vpon good ground will answer all the spitefull cauils of the malicious tempter Secondly 2. Benefi an excusing conscience will be a rocke of comfort in the time of distresse when thou lyest vpon thy sicke bed it will accheere thee as Ezekiah did when he said i Isa 38.3 Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in truth with a perfect heart c. When the world takes her wings and flyes away from thee when thy earthly friends forsake thee and dispute against thee and all humane helpes faile thee this will be a cordiall and consolation vnto thee 3. Benefi And which is last of all and yet best of all it will goe with thee to the iudgement seate of Christ defie the deuill to his face acquit thee and absolue thee of all the crimes which euer thou wert either iustly by the accusing acts of it or vniustly by the spite of Satan and his wicked instruments charged withall Loe this is the good the gaine heere heereafter that an excusing conscience doth and will bring thee and yet thy good conscience hath this excusing quality Why art thou then so deiected thou Christian and why is thy soule so sad within thee the Lord comfort thee vpon this ground the Lord with this speak peaceably vnto thy soule Vse 3 Thirdly heere is terrour vnto thee that hast an euill conscience knowest thou man what it is if thou beest ignorant heare the point in hand telling thee what it is an accusing conscience And though peraduenture thou maiest be secure haue it lie a sleepe a long time together l Mat. 27.5 yet like a mastiffe curre at last it will awake and be about thy eares and when it awaketh who can stoppe the voyce who can allay the fury of it thy witte cannot doe it take Achitophel k 2. Sam. 17 for witnesse Thy wealth cannot doe it take Iudas for example Thy authority can not do it take Iulian for thy proofe Thy * Neque cibus voluptatem praebet neque amicorum colloquia talem refocillare vel liberare ab vrgente anxietate possunt Chrysost in Gen. hom 19. sweete bitte and iouiall companie cannot doe it take n Dan. 5. Obiect Balshazzar for warrant But what if my conscience doth accuse mee what of that is it any great matter Thou shalt know that when thou tryest it And in the meane time for what I can answer thee in this impudent demand this I say to thee To haue an accusing conscience habitually is not onely to be depriued of the sweete benefits of an excusing conscience which I spake off in the former vse but also in stead of them to meete with the contrary inconueniences First thine accusing conscience will out-weigh all the good deeds that euer thou hast done thy prayers almes temperate ciuill neighbour-like carriage and behauiour and the like It shall little auaile thee to alleadge any of these things to thy comfort when thy euill conscience is vp in armes against thee A simile Let a man be iustly accused at some temporall
Reason 2 Secondly afflictions as one calles them are a practicall law h Paraeus in Gen. Col. 2029. Afflictiones sunt lex practica Now without the law Sinne is dead not perceiued as the Apostle speaketh i Rom. 7.9 But when the law commeth is when a sense of Gods wrath is stirred vp in vs not onely by the preaching of the law but also by afflictions then sinne reuiueth as the same Apostle sheweth is felt and called to minde which being recorded is also confessed For though the confession of sin doth not alwayes follow the remembrance of it yet the remembrance of it doth alwaies goe before the acknowledgement of it Vse 1 What occasion to complaine doth this point offer vs Reproofe of those that are senselesse of sinne in the time of affliction of the senselesnesse and stupidity of those who lye vnder the burthen of afflictions hauing the hand of God vpon them most grieuously some in their bodies some in their name some in their estate sometimes positiuely exercised with the presence of iudgements sometimes priuatiuely visited with the depriuation of outward benefits and yet all will not auaile to worke vpon their consciences and to make them confesse their sinnes acknowledge their abhominations before the Maiestie of heauen Nay they will rather iustifie themselues as if they were wronged by God and had not deserued such seuerity of punishment How or how doth affliction loose its force in them how vnusefull is the day of aduersitie to such senselesse ones it is a signe that that man is of a desperate disposition and in a desperate condition whom troubles and crosses which are many for the number weightie in measure not light in qualitie not small in quantitie can worke no contrition can wring no confession from This is that which made the Lord so pathetically in the mouth of one of his Prophets expostulate with the hard-hearted and rebellious Israelites Why should yee be stricken any more yet the more I smite you the more you sinne against mee as farre as I can see as benefits cannot draw you to contrition no more can my rod bring you to confession In another Prophet thus he speakes In vaine haue I smitten your children they receiued no correstion l Ierm 2.30 What an heauy case is this that this euen this brings God into such controuersie with his owne people whom by externall priuiledges hee had visibly married vnto himselfe What not in aduersitie seeke the Lord m Hos 5.15 what in distresse with Ahaz yet more and more n 2. Chron. 28.22 trespasse and trespasse against him well might one say oh vnhappy persons whom stripes mollifie not o Sult in Is c. 1. p. 33. In felices autem qui nec virberibus molescunt Well may I say Not happy they whom troubles mooue not to lay open their sinnes in the sight of the Almightie * Vse 2. Exhortation to bee toucht for to make confession of sinne in time of affliction Farre oh farre be it from Vs Beloued to be so stupid Personall afflictions vpon some of vs Generall vpon most of vs The streame of our coyne we complaine runnes low our corne growes deare markets bad the earth denies her foizon vnto vs more eminent plagues then these by all probabilities are imminent ouer vs and like to vexe vs and shall none of these not all of these worke vpon vs and preuaile with vs to confesse to God what is the cause of these tragicall prologues these beginning of sorrowes prouoke we our selues to this duty learne wee as the Prophet aduiseth vs to take words vnto our selues p Hos 14.2 and say Lord wee haue sinned against thee and fallen from thee by our iniquitie Oh let not Pharaoh rise vp in iudgement against vs Propound we the patterne of these brethren my text speakes off vnto our selues As distresse mooued them so let distresse mooue vs to acknowledge how dishonourably we haue dealt with the Lord how iniuriously with our brethren how strangely wee haue neglected the day and meanes of saluation how strongly we haue affected the way and meanes of damnation When we taste of the bitternesse and sharpenesse of the fruite looke we to the bitter tree whereon it growes with watry eyes and sorrowfull spirits Mourne not so much for the crosse as the cause of it talke not so much of the trouble as the ground of it which are thy sinnes and thy transgressions If afflictions worke not vpon thy conscience to make thee contrite in soule and willing to confesse thy sinnes to God what will whatsoeuer therefore the distresse be either for the quality degree or time of it that thou lyest vnder make but this wholesome vse of it to thy soule at length to mourne for thy sinnes at last to acknowledge thy abhominations without any more adoe let a word preuaile with thee and the Lord blesse it that it may As mans necessity is Gods oportunity to shew mercy So thy aduersitie is thy opportunitie to confesse thine iniquity and deplore thy misery which if thou doest neglect what knowest thou whither euer thou shalt haue the like call the like occasion againe Wherefore I trow it is best humbling a mans selfe when he is best fitted for it and neuer fitter is hee then in time of aduersitie Vse 3 Thirdly hence we see one reason why the Lord afflicts his owne children it workes contrition in them it workes confession from them two things wherewith the Lord is greatly delighted Wherefore when yee see Christians bare and needy and to want those things which others haue in great abundance otherwise visited cease to marueile at it the Lord loues to haue their consciences kept waking and their tongue kept walking against their owne sinnes before him and he knowes prosperitie to be a great entrance to either of these and very dangerous to lull conscience and tye vp the tongue and therefore hee giues them a Michaiahs portion feedes them with q 1. King 22.27 bread of affliction and water of aduersitie and blessed be God that by any dealing of his how tedious soeuer to the flesh they may be kept with remorsefull hearts and ready tongues to acknowledge their daily infirmities before his Maiestie Vse 4 Fourthly doe afflictions worke vpon the conscience and produce confession euen sometimes in the wicked themselues then we may see that the Lord will haue glory from the wicked he can make an Ahab a Pharaoh c. to giue vnto him the praise of his owne iustice and to confesse that he is righteous and they wicked and that there is no iniustice in him deale he neuer so rigorously with them Vse 5 Lastly this point ought to be of vse to arme vs against murmuring in the time of affliction and to teach vs with all patience to vndergoe those troubles which the Lord in his wisedome doth lay vpon vs. Shall wee grudge at that which may bring such gaine vnto the
precept which is in Eccles 5.4 5. When thou vowest a vow to God deferre not to pay it Better it is thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest vow and not pay Lastly that thou maiest know how promises doe binde the conscience 4. How promises binde conscience thou must obserue this rule That a simple promise I meane distinguished from a promise mixt and bound with an oath it doth oblige and binde the conscience at the will of him to whom it is made so that if he to whom thou makest it will release thee from the performance of it thou art free * See promises are debts if he require it thou art bound in conscience to make it good if so be it hath these requisites If it be first not against Gods word secondly not against honesty thirdly if thou beest such an one as hast power to binde thy selfe by such a promise fourthly if he whom thou hast made it vnto did not circumuent and get thee in by guile and deceit to make it fiftly if the performance of it remaine possible and lawfull If it hath these conditions it bindes by vertue of the ninth commandement Thus of these things considerable about the binding and subiection of conscience must thou get knowledge and information of if thou wouldest not streighten conscience and so wouldest preserue the goodnesse of it 2. Helpe against straightening conscience Secondly thou must take heede of yeelding to doubtings of yeelding I say For tempted to doubt thou shalt be be thy conscience neuer so good but yeeld not to the same hold Satan worke at the staues end and when he shall shoote his darts in this kinde against thee telling thee God is thy enemie thou art not his childe heauen shall not bee opened vnto thee hell fire is prepared for thee notwithstanding all thy professing and paines taking beare them off with the shield of faith If thou let goe the soundnesse of thy confidence thou wilt shrewdly diminish the goodnesse of thy conscience The keeping of faith and a good conscience are ioyned together they that make hauocke of the one will easily make shipwracke of the other take heede therefore of dashing thy faith vpon the rocke of doubtings by yeelding vnto them 3. Subordinate help And to conclude take heede also of rushing vpon the rocke of despaire when the Lord layes his hand in wisedome vpon thee and thou art tempted to despaire of euer obtaining any helpe from him When for reasons best knowne to himselfe he shall withdraw the light of his countenance which with ioy thou wert once wont to behold and thou shalt then be tempted to thinke he will neuer visite thee with his fauour againe yeeld not to these temptations be not out of hope but nourish cherish and maintaine thy hope still howsoeuer For there can be no better way to keepe thy conscience good and sound then to maintaine thy faith against doubtings and thy hope against temptations tending to despaire Thus at length I haue found an end of this point the successe whereof I commit to God the vse whereof I commend to thee hastening now to the second part of the text Which is The second part of the Text. The accusation it selfe which these accusers brought in against themselues in these words The Table of the second part 2. The Accusation which the Accusers bring in in which note 1. The division and interpretation together wher 1. The forme H. V. We are verily guiltie with the meaning of it p. 89. 2. The matter which is a case of wrong in which wrong wee haue 3. things 1. The obiect or partie wronged H. V. concerning our brother with the sense p. 89. 2. The Subiect or wrong it selfe aggrauated by two phrases 3. The Effect H. V. Therefore is this distresse come vpon vs with the meaning p. 91. 1. We saw the anguish of his soule with the sense p. 90. 2. When hee besought vs we would not heare with the sense p. 90. 2. The doctrines which are 1. Propounded together appearing to be fiue in number pag. 92. 2. Handled a part The first or third in the order of the text That in confession of sinne wee must be ingenious pag. 93. The second or fourth That conscience is a faithfull recorder pag. 101. The third or fift in order That by how much the neerer bonds we are tied to one another by so much the sorer torment shall we meete within our consciences pag. 123. The fourth or sixt in order That they shall be requited like for like which offer wrong pag. 130. The fift or last in the Text That not to pittie others in their distresse is to shut vp the bowels of others against vs in our distresse pag. 142. To the end We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and wee would not heare therefore is this distresse come vpon vs. WHEREIN we haue to note The second part sub-diuided and the words interpreted promiscuously both the forme and the matter of the accusation 1. The forme in these words We are verily guilty that is euen we Iudah Since Leui and the rest of vs brethren are most certainly truly without all flattery guiltie 2. The matter in the residue of the verse which is a case of iniury or wrong where we are to consider first the obiect secondly the subiect thirdly the effect of the wrong 1. The obiect was Ioseph he was the man to whom they had done the wrong which they accuse themselues off heere and him they call brother concerning our brother for so he was indeede by fathers side though not by mothers side 2. The subiect of the wrong or the wrong it self which they had offered that their brother they doe aggrauate against themselues by two phrases first wee saw the anguish of his soule that is to say wee wretches after we had first cast him into the pit and then sold him to the Midianites we could looke vpon his distresse and perplexitie with drie eyes without teares and so our eyes were vnmercifull vnto him secondly when he besought vs wee would not heare yea whereas it had behooued vs vpon the very sight of his anguish to haue deceased from our cruelty he did beseech vs entreat vs to spare him let him alone yet we were so hard-hearted that we would not condescend vnto his entreaty and so our hearts and eares were vnmercifull vnto him Thirdly the effect of the wrong following in these words therefore is this distresse come vpon vs yea therefore we are now serued like for like this distresse of vs being charged for spies clapped vp in prison cannot be heard to pleade and apologize for our selues one of vs must now bee laide vp in chaines and God knowes how cruelly he shall be vsed ere we come againe this distresse is come vpon vs. If we ioyne these branches together in a paraphrase we may imagine
obesse fi omnes derogent sola conscientia defendat Gregor in Ezek. hom 9. For looke as the Sicophants false praises cannot heale an euill conscience no more can the Slaunderers contumelious speeches wound a good conscience Doe others accuse thee of drunkennesse and thine owne conscience testifie thy sobrietie others charge thee with fellony and thy owne conscience witnesse the contrary doe others raile on thee for hypocrisie and thy owne conscience witnesse thy sinceritie c. Beleeue thy conscience which is a faithfull testimonie and cannot deceiue thee against all those lying obloquies wherewith euill mouthes goe about to depraue thee The y Ouid. Fastor lib. 4. Consciamens recti fama mendacia ridet Heathen could say that A minde conscious of its owne honestie laughes to scorne lying infamie Be then the reports that are maliciously and falsely raised of thee what they can be let the innocencie of thy conscience be a z Murus a heneus esto nil conscire sibi c. Horat. Epist l. 1. Epist ad Maecenaten Ambros de offic Bene sibi conscius falsis non debet moueri conuitijs nec aestimare plus ponderis in alieno esse conuitio quam in suo testimonio brazen wall vnto thee to beare and beate of those discomforts which by that meane may be occasioned in thy soule For as Ambrose saies worthily Hee that hath a cleere conscience ought not to be troubled at false slaunders neither must he esteeme another mans reproachfull tale against him of more weight then his owne priuate testimonie within him Looke thou poore Christian more to thy conscience then fame for a Falli namque saepe poterit fama conscientia nunquam Senec. Epist 72. fame may oftentimes be deceiued but conscience neuer in the things which it recordeth Vse 4 Last of all doth conscience keepe a faithfull register How carefull then ought wee to be to commit the best things we can to its custody How happy will it be for vs in distresse at death and the day of iudgement to haue our consciences produce to our comcomfort and our glory our holy thoughts and meditations our deuout prayers and ciaculations our vertues of louing fearing depending on seruing honouring the God of heauen our teares and sighes for our owne sinnes and the sinnes of the times our ardent wishes conscionable endeauours for Sions wel-fare our denials of our selues our workes of charitie towards the soules persons states and names of others our goodly counsels Christian instructions holy examples giuen to them that are yoaked with vs that are vnder our gouernment that dwell by vs that are acquainted with vs Oh how sweete how comfortable a a thing I say will it be vnto vs to finde a bedrole a catalogue of such things as these are when these sealed bookes sealed to the world-ward of our consciences come to be opened and vnclasped Oh beloued if we would haue conscience faithfully relate these things then let vs carefully labour to haue our share in these vertues let vs conscionably practise these things now that conscience may record them and keepe them against such aftertimes For whatsoeuer we commit to it it is an infallible and trusty keeper of it It is as b Hugo de Anima l. 2. c. 9. Aureum Reclinatorium Arca foederis Thesauris Regis one calles it a golden closet the Arke of the couenant the Kings store-house intimating thus much that like as in a closet a woman layes vp her best Iewels like as in his treasurie a King stores vp his richest treasures against the time and neede of vse like as in the Arke were reserued the rod of Aaron and pot of Manna for a memoriall to the Israelites So in a good conscience the precious gemmes of inward graces the heauenly treasures the budding rod of outward vertues are reserued and kept in store for the Christian that hath them to be vsed by him when time serueth when neede requireth to be remembred of him to his priuate comfort and to his glory amongst others when there is neede of the memoriall Not one teare shed for thy sinnes by way of hearty repentance not one prayer made to Gods Maiestie out of a deuout and contrite spirit not one dutie performed in a conscionable obedience to Gods will not a cup of cold water giuen to a disciple in the name of a Disciple but as God sees it so conscience notes it how frequent how abundant then in these and the like yeares in these and the like duties oughtest thou to be that this faithfull notary of thy conscience may bee stuffed with good things for thy comfort not with euill for thy terrour What neede of pressing hath this dutie in regard of the desperate carelesnesse of most people who regard not how emptie of grace how full of sinne their hearts be how voyde of good fruits how abounding with euill fruits their liues be They care not what Items for murther for theft for wantonnesse for vsurie briberie blasphemie hypocrisie cosenage pride malice neglect of the works of pietie to God of mercy towards their neighbour they commit to the booke of their conscience as though it were a booke neuer to be opened as though the doctrine in hand were an vntruth and conscience an vnfaithfull parchment either full of blancks or lyes In stead of praying they will sweare in stead of blessing they curse in stead of fearing God they dare him of louing him they hate him of trusting in him they murmure against him of frequenting his house they frequent the stewes the tauerne the play-house in stead of a righteous carriage towards man their conuersation is vnrighteous in stead of a sober carriage in regard of themselues they are most intemperate vnruly neither can reason nor religion bridle their affections Poore CONSCIENCE hath nothing but THESE things to record for the time present to report to bring forth in time to come which is a most lamentable thing to consider I would these desperate creatures would goe to c Nature to schoole An euill conscience saith that may oftentimes be safe yet it is neuer secure that is to say although an euill mans conscience bee many times without present terrour yet it is neuer so carelesse but it is a recorder in taking account of thoughts words and deedes it is neuer idle There 's Natures position what is the vse shee makes of it Marke what followes Therefore thou shalt commit nothing to conscience d Itaque nihil ei commiseris nisi quod amico comittere possis but what thou maiest commit to a friend And what that is euery one almost knowes To friends secrets are committed and if our secretest deedes bee good conscience will be our friend to blaze them forth to our comfort and renowne and that most faithfully vndeceiueably though the world takes no knowledge makes no acknowledgement of the same Doct. 5 I passe on now to the 3. point in the second part of my text
That by how much the stronger the bondes be By offering wrong to breake the bonds of vnion is an aggrauation of the hearts horrour whereby men are tyed to one another by so much the sorer the torment is like to be in the conscience for the wrongs they offer to one another It was the breach of the bond of brother-hood that no doubt encreased the horror of these brethren in this their distresse doth not their speech bewray as much We are verily guilty concerning OVR BROTHER this same BROTHER stucke much in their stomacke It was the wronging of his Father his louing Father who had giuen him his patrimonie affected him deerely showne kindnesse to him continually which made the inward gripes the stronger and the outward cries the louder of the yong prodigall e Luke 15.18.21 It was the betraying of his Master his kinde Master who had called him to an Apostleship betrusted him with the Stewardship whom he was so bound vnto that if neede had required he should rather haue beene prodigall of his owne blood for his sake then haue betrayed his innocent blood that encreased the horrour the heart-smart of Iudas f Math. 27.3 It was no doubt the spoiling of the life the defiling of the wife of his Seruant his trusty and faithfull seruant Vriah who lay watching and warring in the open fields for Dauids sake whom Dauid was beholding vnto for his loue and seruice that did augment the trouble of Dauids conscience when the Lord in mercy awaked him g 2. Sam. 12.13 Psal 51. Did you neuer reade nor heare of Nero how that the murther of his mother whom nature bound him to and the slaughter of his kindred whom the same bond tyed him to did so vexe and torment him that neither day nor night could hee be quiet but still he thought his mothers ghost did appeare vnto him and the furies of hell were ready at hand to torment him h Sueton. in vit Neronis c. 34. 35. The like is storied of Alexander who hauing slaine a deere friend of his named Clytus who had in loue showne his readinesse to haue died for Alexander i Curt. lib. 8. p. 119. si moriendum est pro te Clytus est primus was so terrified in his minde that hee would haue killed himselfe with that weapon wherewith hee slew Clytus if his guard had not preuented him he lay groueling vpon the earth filled the whole court with miserable howling and out-cries asked those that stood by him whither they could suffer such a wretch as himselfe was to liue cloistered vp himselfe in his tent and would haue pined himselfe to death if his seruants had not by strong hand compelled him to take meate still this being his pittifull song k Et ego seruatorum meorum latro reuertar in patriam Curt. lib. citat pag. 120. 121. 122. I shall returne into my owne countrey a murtherer of my SAVERS my Sauers this aggrauated his horror this questionlesse added to his terrour that hee should so wrong one that had rather beene his sauer then his enemie whose loue hee was bound as the light of nature taught him to haue rewarded in a better kinde Thus we see the truth of the point how that the strength of bonds to tie vs to one another doth encrease the perplexitie of the conscience for those iniuries we doe or shall offer to one another Vse Heare this all you whom no bonds no not of nature of blood it selfe can keepe within the compasse of loue of equitie whose hearts are malignant whose tongues are virulent whose courses are violent against your owne kinred the father rising vp against the sonne the sonne against the father the mother against the daughter the daughter against the mother husband against wife wife against husband brother against brother sister against sister a mans enemies being not onely of his owne house but also of his owne blood Heare you I say this word of the Lord take it in by the eare and apply it to the heart Poore wretches what wrong doe you offer your owne consciences you pile vp horror for them you treasure vp terror against them The stronger the knots be to binde you to vnity the sorer shall your anguish be for your fruits of enmitie Achitophel stood but in a ciuill relation to Dauid as a subiect to his Prince yet hee was terrified for giuing euill counsell against him l 2. Sam. 17.23 They Iaylor but in a domesticall relation to Paul and Silas as a Iaylor to his prisoners yet hee was affrighted for laying bolts vpon them m Act. 16.24.30 And doe you thinke that you may offer vnnaturall violence to those betwixt whom and you there is naturall reference and your consciences will neuer accuse you as sure as can be you are deceiued Let but brethren in the same Ecclesiasticall function fellow Magistrates in the same temporall vocation fellow seruants in the same family fellow neighbours in the same countrey offer wrong to one another I cannot warrant THEM securitie from stings of conscience But to deale cruelly with thine owne yoake-fellow to hate to reuile to abuse thy parents whom thou oughtest to loue honour and obey to be with out naturall affection to thine owne children who are thine owne bowels to deale doggedly with thy neere kinred and vnkindly with those of whose kindnesse thou hast so bountifully tasted is a thing so horrible so iniurious that I dare warrant thee will cost stings intollerable yea without repentance wounds of conscience incurable For if it be n Illa est vera innocentia quae nec inimiconocet August in Psal true innocencie not to hurt a deadly foe then it must needs be iniurie in graine to wrong a deere friend and the greatest sinnes must haue the greatest punishments of which punishments torture of conscience is one yea the greatest in this life if it produceth despaire as it many times doth If therefore it bee thy hap to heare or reade this who art at enmity with those to whom thou art tyed by the bonds of nature or kindnesse let mee entreate this at thy hands that thou wouldest labour with the serious meditation of this vpon thine inordinate and violent affections that it may cause thee to relent for thy former enmitie and breake in sunder those barres of contention whereby thy heart hath beene bolted vp against thy brother so long a time Doct. 6 That Retaliation is Gods Law The fourth point followeth That the Lord requites like for like to the wrong doer Iust as these brethren had dealt with Ioseph so so in their owne apprehension at least are they dealt withall themselues Therefore is this distresse come vpon vs. As we sowed so we reape as we measured so is it measured to vs againe We looked vpon Iosephs distresse this man lookes vpon our wee would not heare our brother speaking for himselfe this man now will not heare vs we carryed home