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A29138 A moderate short discourse concerning tenderness of conscience by John Bradshaw ... Bradshaw, John, 1602-1659. 1663 (1663) Wing B4154; ESTC R32859 26,615 37

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A MODERATE SHORT DISCOURSE CONCERNING Tenderness of Conscience By JOHN BRADSHAW Rector of Ettchingham in Sussex Acts 10.14 Not so Lord. Faelix Conscientia in qua miscericordia veritas obviaverunt sibi justitia pax osculatae sunt St. Bern. de interiori domo Ego nec tumultum Nec mori per vim metuam Te habente Carole terras Hor. Car. lib. 3. od 14. LONDON Printed by John Best for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Saint Pauls Church-yard PErlegi hunc tractatum de Tenera Conscientia in quo nihil reperio aut sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quo minus Imprimatur Dan. Nicols R. P. D. Arch. Cant. Capel Domesticus In Aedibus Lambethanis Mart. 26. 1663. AMen qui dicitur qui Alpha Omega quaerentibus qui via est credentibus veritas viventibus vita inutilem me servum suum dirigat ne errem extra viam regat ne agam contra veritatem erigat ne cadam infra vitam Amen THE PREFACE HAving provided upon that dark and gloomy day Januar. 30. last some meditations upon that scripture 1 Sam. 24.5 After I had shewed how a self-smiting heart or a tender conscience is ever most tender of offering the least injury to the Lords Anointed and how much the implacable enemies of his late Majesty of ever glorious memory had cut off from him I thought it might be no ill office to any but possibly serviceable to the desires of many who have desired to be acquainted with the meaning of that to which so many for many years have pretended if I took a brief Survey of a self-smiting heart or tenderness of conscience in general The subject is purely Theological and therefore not unsutable to a Church mans search nor know I of any either at home or abroad that have written professedly and directly of that subject I handle it only as thema simplex not taking upon me to define how far our governours may or may not bear with or yield to tender dubious or scrupulous consciences I have ever been very tender and wary of dealing in any State affairs whether purely political or mixt as partly theological partly political I leave that to the Higher powers only begging of God to guide them in all things for the best Four things I have aim'd at and endeavour'd in this discourse First truth that I may not deceive Secondly clearness that I may not confound Thirdly moderation that I may not offend Fourthly brevity that I may not tire Blessed be the King of Kings that hath not only restored us our King again but a King so gracious so earnestly and constantly desirous of the well-fare of the souls consciences and external prosperity of his people God give to all his people hearts to make a dutiful and grateful return of Love Loyalty and Obedience Amen Jam fides pax honor pudorque Priscus neglecta redire virtus Audet c. Hor. carm saecul Errata PAg. 1. l. 15. r. expressing p. 3. l. 15. r. cold p. 4. in mar r. as p. 4. l. 18. r. plainness p. 4. in mar r. audeo dicere p. 6. l. 14. r. vegetative p. 6. l. 26. r. intentions p. 6. l. 28. r. intention p. 11. in mar r. ponderant p. 16. l. 32. r. expected p. 16. in mar r. 1 2. p. 17. l. 3. r. and knows p 19. in mar r. vel p. 21. l. 11. r. in our callings OF TENDERNESS OF Conscience CHAP. I. HOwever the phrase or (a) Taken from the most tender parts of the body as the eye or rom some part newly healed expression of tenderness of Conscience is not to be found in Holy Scripture totidem verbis yet the thing it self is both in precepts and examples In * Tim. 5.22 keep thy self pure Eccles 9.2 as he that feareth an oath precepts 1 Tim. 3.9 holding the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience 1 Thes 5.22 abstain from all appearance of evil or as it may be read from all kind of evil Besides these and many other precepts we have † Gen. 44.17 God forbid I should do so 2 Sam. 24.10 Davids heart smote him 1 Chro. 11.19 my God forbid it me that I should do this thing examples many Of David 1 Sam. 24.5 troubled for cutting of his Soveraigns Skirt of Paul Act. 23.1 and Act. 24.16 and elsewhere Other examples there are which for brevity I pretermit That of Josiah usually alledged is not so clearly pertinent 2 Chron. 34.27 the tenderness of his heart expresseth it self in humiliation 2. Tenderness of Conscience or a tender Conscience is a gracious mean betwixt a scrupulous Conscience on the right hand and a wide sluggish or seared Conscience on the left hand whereby we are quickly and deeply sensible of having done and wary of doing any evil God hath clearly forbidden or of omitting any good he hath clearly commanded 3. A mean or mediocrity is that which lies betwixt two extreames and is ordinarily twofold (a) Medium per participationem seu secundum formam per negationem utriusque extremi seu per privationem Jandun●s 1. Of Participation so a gray colour is a mean betwixt black and white as partaking of both 2. Of Abnegation so moral virtues are a mean betwixt two vicious extreames as denying to share with either but rather receeding from and opposing both The former I may not unfitly term (b) Medium compositionis vel oppositionis Medium compositionis the latter Medium oppositionis 4. These means are of several sorts Natural Artificial and Moral Not to speak of the 2. former a Moral mean is twofold 1. A Virtue 2. A thing Indifferent A Virtue is a medium whose two extreams (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aristot Ethic. lib. 2. c. 6. are both evil A thing Indifferent whose two extreams are one evil the other good in general 5. All moral virtues however for their quality they are an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for their degree yet as to their essence they are (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus valour lies betwixt rash venturousness on one hand and cowardise on the other liberality betwixt prodigality and covetuousness magnificence betwixt wast and parcimony magnanimity betwixt (e) Rebus augustis animosus atque fortis appare sapienter idem contrahes vento nimium secundo turgida vela Hor. pride and pusillanimity modesty betwixt ambition and contempt of honour meekness betwixt wrath and over much lenitude or sheepishness c. 6. As it is in Moral virtues so it is in Christian graces As polling the head is a mean betwixt letting the hair grow at full length and shaving it quite off So EZek. 44.20 Neither shall they shave their heads nor suffer their locks to grow long they shall only poll their heads spoken of the Jewish Priests they are seated between two extreams which yet are not only by defect and