barre for rape incest murthering of the innocent or any fellony that deserues death what will it boote him to pleade his gentility his hospitality and that he hath beene a good friend to the common-wealth c. if so be his accuser comes in strongly against him and resolues to prosecute him to the very death Alas what would it haue aduantaged Iudas to haue alleadged his preaching his doing of miracles his casting out of deuils Achitophel his policy prouidence for the State common-wealth when as their euil cōsciences did torment them the one for betraying his innocent Master the other for plotting treason against his lawfull Soueraigne I tell thee when conscience is a doing its accusing office it will neither heare of thy honesty nor ciuilitie nor liberalitie nor any thing else good in it selfe that hath been done by thee for corrupt ends but it will take them all as if they had neuer beene done yea accuse thee for failing in the manner Secondly Conscientia mala bene sperare non potest Aug. in Psal 31. it will deny thee comfort in time of distresse when thy body is tormented with corporall diseases and thou lye tossing and tumbling from one side of the bed to the other and faine wouldest haue ease When thy corne cattell substance goods are taken away from thee and thou brought to pouertie when scarcitie pincheth thee when friends leaue thee and enemies set against thee to haue content and quiet within it were some comfort but oh miserable person that is not to be had thy conscience is buffeting thee and vexing thee within dealing with thee as the consciences of these brethren with them suggesting matter of terrour vnto them in the time of their outward extreamitie And lastly whē thy accusing cōsciēce comes at the bar with thee after this life it will be a co-partner with that * Apoc. 12.10 accuser of the brethren Satan against thee to the vtter ouerthrow and euerlasting confusion Now go to thou seared sinner thou stiffe-necked offender aske in scoffing wise what matter it is if thy conscience doe accuse thee Loe thou seest what a matter it is And were it not that I wanted a tongue to expresse and then an eye to behold an heart to consider the fearefulnesse of thy condition it could not choose but be like the sight of the figures that Balshazzar saw vpon the wall or else like the sound of the Sermon that the Iewes heard Saint Peter preach o Act. 2. euen an occasion to make thy loynes shake and thy ioynts tremble thy heart soft and thy soule humble what no comfort to be reaped by thee in the best actions thou performest In likelihood to be left like a desolate forlorne and comfortlesse creature in the time of distresse in ieopardie to haue the sting of conscience persuing of thee to Gods iudgement barre the worme of conscience gnawing on thee for euermore after thy few and euill dayes be ended what can be more terrible more woefull Verily if the thought of these things preuaile not to humble thee these terrours are as like to ouertake thee as death it selfe then which nothing is more sure more certaine The Lord therefore mooue thy heart with this if it bee his holy will Amen Vse 4 Lastly heere is indefinite exhortation to all without difference that they would giue all diligence both to attaine and reteine consciences that are good both to bee freed of and preserued from consciences that are euill The exercise of this two-fold duty tooke vp a great deale of Saint Paules care as appeareth in sundry protestations of his diligence in this kinde in the seuerall Epistles which he writeth vnto the Churches Now if the worthy example of that worthy Apostle be to bee followed by vs in any thing that euer he did it is to be imitated and followed in this and that so much the rather because of the ground to perswade to and the motiue to enforce the duty which the doctrine in hand affordeth telling vs that an euill conscience is an accusing a vexing a tormenting conscience Now tell mee who would be willing to bee pestered with a tormenting conscience who takes any pleasure to haue the darts of the Almighty dagging at the heart or the arrowes of the Almightie drinking vp of the spirit Quiet of soule and tranquillity of minde is that that All doe naturally desire The vngodly themselues wish for peace and rather then they would be without it they will content themselues with a false peace with carnall securitie And there is none that liueth vnto whom terrours and tortures internall and inward are not tedious and irkesome would we then be freed and preserued from such terrours such wounds such daggers would we haue true peace and sound tranquilitie indeede then let as I saide endeauour to get good consciences if we want them to keepe them if we haue them or when we shal attaine vnto them And for better furtherance in so weighty a duty as this is I will commend to Gods blessing and thine vse two rankes or sorts of rules In the first whereof I will prescribe remedies to cure the malady of an euill conscience or set downe meanes to bring thee to a good conscience In the second I will prescribe antidotes to keepe thee from falling into the same disease of an euill conscience againe or acquaint thee with helps to keepe thy conscience sound and good if it bee so already In both of which before thou goest any further I desire at thy hands a resolution to vse both so neither I in writing this nor thou in reading shall loose our labour Remedies to cure an euill or meanes to get a good conscience For the first I minde to lay a ground out of which to draw the rules or some of the rules at least and that ground shall be the definition or description of a good conscience and a bad p Pisca in 1. Tim. 1. Obs 24. What a good conscience is Some define a good conscience thus A good conscience is the iudgement of our minde approouing that which we doe as pleasing to good because that we our selues please God through Christ and because we study to please him with a serious purpose of walking according to his will Others more briefely thus A good conscience is a ioy Heming Syntag. 161. springing out of the remembrance of a life holily and honestly led or a confidence of sinne remitted As for a bad conscience I take it to be contrary to the good and may bee defined either first thus A bad conscience is the censure of the minde What a bad conscience is disallowing that which we doe as displeasing to God insomuch as neither our persons doe please him through Christ nor as our consciences tell vs we studie to please him in our liues with a stedfast purpose of heart to conforme vnto his will Or secondly thus An euill conscience is a trembling and
feare arising out of the remembrance of a life lewdly wickedly led This ground by these descriptions thus laide I draw out these directions for the getting of a good and ridding of an euill conscience 1. Remedy of an euill conscience The first is the spirit of discerning a iudgement to discerne of things that differ For it is requisite that a good conscience should be informed vpon a good ground true principles now how can that be except a man hath iudgement to try and discerne the ground whither it be sound or false It is the office of conscience either to allow or disallow but how can it allow of what is good or disallow that which is euill except the party hath knowledge both of good and euil that is what is good and what is euill A right vnderstanding heart and a good conscience a blinde minde and a bad conscience are ordinarily yoaked together If Papists did not make ignorance the mother of deuotion If our generation of vnwise and carnall ones did not like to liue in blindnesse of heart without sauing knowledge both the one and the other would haue better consciences then they haue My counsell therefore to thee is this to get those chaines of darkenes wherewithall thy heart is fettered pulled off and those mists of ignorance with which thy vnderstanding is darkened remooued away that thou maiest be able to discerne of things that differ that so the right information of thy minde may prooue to be a meane of the sound reformation of thy conscience and so that goodnesse may be restored to it which by nature thou art quite bereaued and depriued off 2. Remedy Secondly when thou hast attained vnto a sound iudgement and canst put a difference betwixt good and euill then it shall bee good for thee to approoue of the one to disallow the other For when men against the light of their own knowledge shal like Iulian q Socr. hist lib. 3. cap. 1. Ecebolius r Id ibid. c. 11. disallow of that which is good and like the Scribes and Pharisees approoue of that which is euill is it possible for them so long as they so remaine to be remedied and cured of their euill consciences Paul praies on the behalfe of the brethren at Philippi that they might approoue of things that are excellent Å¿ Phil. 1.10 which prayer hee would haue neuer made had not he seene it a matter very vsefull and needfull against an euill and for a good and honest conscience to approue of things honest according to the excellency of the same Wee see men and women to dislike of hearing of Sermons in publike assemblies of offering vp sacrifice in their priuate families of making profession of religion and they like better of beeing present at stage-playes the very theaters of lust t For so Tertullian cals it lib. de Spectaculis 694. Theatrum veneris Of ryoting in Tauernes and tap-houses being as they are abused the very schooles of the deuill they approoue better of allowing inordinate courses And hence it comes to passe that their consciences are so vile and euill as they are Deale plainly with me now doest thou in good earnest desire a good conscience like of that which is good as most worthy to be loued dislike of that which is euill as most worthy to be hated and in time thou shall finde thy loue so strongly inflamed towards the one thy hatred so soundly sharpened against the other that thy conscience shall be cleere before God and honest towards men 3. Remedy Thirdly hearken to the chekes of conscience be willing to heare conscience speake and to take a carefull view of those articles which it presenteth vnto thee and bringeth in against thee Seneca Epist lib. 1. Epistola 43. ad calcem O te miserum si contemnis hunc testem O miserable man that thou art could the heathen say if thou contemnest this witnesse When thy conscience sets vpon thee as Nathan did vpon Dauid thou art the man or thou art the woman that hast failed in this duty fallen into this iniquity omitted that good committed that euill thinke in thy heart it is verily true and say in thy selfe as Dauid to Nathan I haue sinned In the fourth place 4. Remedy sorrow thou after a godly manner for those euils which thy conscience being rightly informed chargeth thee withall imitate Saint Peters conuerts who no sooner were accused in their consciences by occasion of his Sermon of that crime of crucifying Christ but they were pricked touched with remorse and sorrow for the same Oh if as often as thy conscience smites thee thou hadst but the grace with Ephraim to smite thy thigh and say 5. Remedy what haue I done thou wouldst grow to haue a great deale better conscience then thou hast Fifthly Faith is helpefull and necessary in this worke For he that is wholly diseased with vnbeleefe saith one u Iodoch Willich in 1. Tim. 1.19 Qui in fidelitatis morbo laborat huius non potest esse bona conscientia his conscience cannot bee good This is plainly intimated by Saint Paul to the Hebrewes in a comparison which there hee vseth * Heb. 9.13 14. If the blood of Buls and Goates and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifieth to the purifiing of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God In which words by an analogie betwixt the type and the antitype the Apostle prooueth the efficacy of Christs cleansing which cleansing he calles the purifying of the conscience from dead workes yea from sin which bringeth death and is liued in by men that are spiritually dead Now if the conscience cannot bee cleansed from sinne but by the blood of Christ then it cannot become good but by faith which apprehendeth the blood of Christ to our purging And besides if so be a good conscience be as is expressed in the first definition * Page 66. the iudgement of the minde approouing of that which we doe as pleasing to God because our persons please God or else as is shewed in the second definition a confidence of sinne remitted what doth this argue but a necessity of faith to get a good conscience by which faith as it apprehends the righteousnesse of Christ both our persons come to please God and our soules are confident of the pardon of our sinnes Well then wouldst thou be purged from an euill conscience doe this when thy conscience being rightly informed hath accused thee as guilty of such and such sinnes and thou beest heartily sorry and truly humbled for the same get thee by faith to the fountaine of Christs blood bathe thee in it seeke to haue thy conscience appeased by the assurance of the pardon of thy sinnes through Christ Iesus alone make this thy
hast committed the same A caution I perswade thee not to auriculer confession as the Church of Rome enioynes her penitents but to that which Dauid and Peter and Paul haue vsed to confesse to God and in case of necessitie to some faithfull Minister to some Christian brother when as otherwise thy conscience cannot bee setled and satisfied Plurimum enim ad peccatae emendanda valet confessio Chrysost in Gen Hom. 9. Alas what will it auaile thee to hide any of thy sinnes when as the Lord knowes all thy sinnes And how canst thou truly amend any one when as thou wilt not acknowledge euery one How highly doth one of the f Aug. ad fra in Heremo Hom. 30. 2. Dissipatrix vitiorum restauratrix virtutum c. Ancients extoll this duty calling it the dispeller of vices the restorer of vertues the oppugner of Deuils Oh holy and admirable confession thou stoppest vp the mouth of hell thou openest the gates of heauen Nothing shall remaine in iudgement against them who are by this purged from their sinnes I might vse many arguments to perswade to this but time would faile mee neither doth the text in hand require it of mee The treatises of repentance haue done it for mee onely that which I wish thee vnto is ingenuitie in confessing to abhorre hypocrisie and doe it sincerely to auoyde partiality and doe it throughly as well concerning sinnes of omission as commission of failing in the manner of good duties as neglecting the matter plaine dealing is alwaies the best and is that which will bring most rest vnto thy soule Hoping that this shal suffice to mooue thee I leaue this doctrine and proceede to the next which is this Doct. 4 That the conscience keepes a faithfull register Conscience is a faithfull recorder See heere what a true record of that wrong offered to Ioseph the consciences of these brethren tooke and kept It had set downe euery circumstance in the same how they had beene pittilesse vnto him stopt vp their eares against him yea as it is very probable how they had gulled their aged father concerning him making him beleeue that some euill beast had deuoured him Conscience had not lost one whit of the cruelty the villany they had committed against him but had set downe euery iot and title of the same Such an infallible register of Iobs deedes did the conscience of Iob take the particulars whereof it presents vnto him in the time of his extreamitie as is euident in sundry places of his booke In one place remembring his perseuerance in grace his loue to the word My feete hath held his steppes his waies haue I kept and not declined Neither haue I gone backe from the commandement of his lippes I haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then mine appointed foode g Iob 23.11 12. In another place presenting his iustice and righteousnesse his charitie and mercifulnesse to the poore h Chap. 29.12 13 14 15 16 17. I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon mee I caused the widdowes heart to sing for ioy I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed mee my iudgement was as a robe and a diadem I was eyes to the blinde and feete to the lame I was a father to the poore c. In another place remembring his obedience I made a couenant with mine eyes that I would not looke vpon a maide to lust after her I haue not walked with vanitie neither hath my foote hasted to deceit that whole 31. chapter being nothing else but a register of his obedience which his conscience had set downe before for his comfort against that time of need What shall I speake of Dauid Ezekiah and the rest whose goodnesse was recorded in their owne consciences whatsoeuer the wicked did goe about to accuse and oppose them withall What a faithfull register of Pharaohs iniuries against the Israelites i Exod. 10.16 of the Israelites against Samuel k 1. Sam. 12.14 of Saules against Dauid l Chap. 24.17 of Ananias and Saphira against the Primitiue Church m Act. 5.2 all their consciences had taken the word of God doth record and some of their owne mouthes did report Hence it is that conscience is compared to a booke For looke as in a booke men set downe things which they would haue faithfully remembred so the conscience takes notice of those things which man must and shall remember Hence is that vsuall prouerbe amongst vs. The conscience is a thousand witnesses Why so Reason 1 First God is the Lord of the conscience now the Lord is the God of truth cannot deceiue and therefore whatsoeuer he sets down in the conscience must needs bee true what euer he that commands the conscience will haue the conscience keepe must bee faithfull and hence it is that it takes and keepes so infallible a bill and accounts Reason 2 Secondly the conscience goes not slightly and carelesly to work in taking an account of things but solidely and substantially it maketh sure worke For in the minde which sence make the seate of conscience there are three faculties which are as it were the parts of conscience 1. There is intelligence either contemplatiue or practicall 2. There is election 3. There is iudgement or the facultie of iudicatory Now each of these performeth a seuerall office First Intelligence contemplatiue hath an office 〈…〉 out 〈◊〉 principles and grounds for information Intelligence practicall to make or draw out practicall minors for practicall syllogismes from those principles which contemplation findes out or if you will more plainly it is of office to shew truly what we haue done or what we haue not done for our owne particular Secondly Election is of vse to ioyne maiors to those minors that is to shew vs that that is good or not good euill or not euill which wee haue done Thirdly iudgement or the iudiciall facultie as I said is exercised in pronouncing the reward or the punishment due for what we haue done Now then if conscience be busied about true grounds for information if secondly vpon these grounds it shewes vs directly what particular things We haue done nor not done if thirdly it showes the qualitie of the things that wee haue done and that they be either such as ought to be done or ought not to be done if finally it pronounces truly the reward due or the punishment due must it not needes take a faithfull account and be a faithfull recorder of our deedes I can see nothing to the contrary If Iob or Dauid c. haue the gift of generall vnderstanding in the word of particular or practicall vnderstanding of themselues and their owne actions if they can conclude from that word that such things ought to be auoided or performed and that they in iustice and equitie are so and so to be rewarded is it much to
maine drift of giuing attendance vpon Gods ordinances and thy euill conscience will be as effectually cleansed from those euils that make it bee as by the legall cleansings in the ceremoniall law flesh was wont to be purged from leprosie pestilence or any such like filthy contagion 6. Remedie Lastly the study and practise of a godly life breedeth and bringeth a good conscience And this helpe the last clause in the first definition of a good conscience affordeth where is prooued that therefore a good conscience doth approoue of what we doe as good as well because wee haue an earnest studie and serious purpose of walking according to Gods will as because we know our persons pleasing to God through faith in Christ And Saint Peter makes it good in his first Epistle third chapter 15 and 16. verses where speaking of a good conscience he ioynes withall both a sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts that is a study and serious purpose to serue him and also a good conuersation in Christ to stop the mouthes of those that are ready to accuse vs as euill doers that is a practise of the workes of righteousnesse giuing vs to vnderstand that it is impossible to haue a good conscience except we lead purpose study to lead a godly life These are the rules I thought good to lay downe for thy furtherance in getting a good conscience If hauing vsed the same heretofore thou hast found it already or by Gods blessing shalt obtaine it afterward to the end thou mayest keepe it marke a word or two more and then I will bring thee out of this point wherin I haue held thee longer then I thought at the first How to keepe a good conscience And to this purpose I will lay downe one generall caution out of which I will draw the whole direction and that is it shall bee good for thee to take heed of offering any wrong or violence thereunto Simile If it be as wee commonly vse to say it is great pitty to inforce an entire friend to inconueniences against his will it is much more pitty to enforce a good conscience whereunto no earthly friend is comparable both in regard of the good that it doth vs in the time of prosperitie and the comfort it brings vs in the day of aduersitie Now the conscience is enforced or hath violence offered vnto it two waies either when we would haue it more large then it should be or more streight then it neede be First the conscience is made more large then it should be presuming or venturing further in the omission of some duty or in the giuing place to some infirmitie then there is warrant Vnto which presumption there are these fiue steppes or degrees Degree 1 First a secret wish that such a thing might be done 1. How the by-by-conscience is made too large Degrees to presumption which tend to make the conscience too large which wee know to bee vnlawfull that such a duty were not required which we know to bee strictly enioyned Degree 2 Secondly vpon this wish an expostulation with our selues whither it may bee no way lawfull to commit that vice to neglect that duty so making that now questionable which before we knew to be absolute euery way vnlawfull Degree 3 Thirdly a strong imagination vpon this question that it may be very gainefull and commodious if we doe take some liberty to our selues in this kinde Degree 4 The fourth degree is to propound vnto our selues the infirmities of the Saints for our patterne reasoning thus as good Christians as I am better men then I am haue done thus and thus haue neglected this and this and therefore I may be bold without any great danger c. Degree 5 And the fift is a carelesse conclusion that if it bee but once or twice done or seldome neglected it cannot bee hurtfull God is mercifull wee are in his fauour his loue cannot alter and I know not what And so by consequent from all this premises a presumptuous perpetrating of the offence By these degrees wee come to presume and to stretch conscience to the wounding of it beyond its bounds which is one kinde of enforcing of it Secondly the Conscience comes to bee streightened three manner of wayes 2. How the conscience is made too streight first by ignorance in the nature of the obligation and subiection of the conscience secondly by yeelding vnto doubtings thirdly by a kinde of temporary despaire either of Gods prouidence to releeue vs in our temporall wants and dangers or of his readinesse to accheere vs in our spirituall desertions That the first of these euils doth streighten the conscience it is plaine by this argument Whatsoeuer doth cause scrupulous distraction or distracting scruple doth bring the conscience into streights But ignorance in the nature of the binding and subiecting of the conscience doth cause scrupulous distraction Therefore such an ignorance streightens the conscience For when the Christian knows not throughly what things binde the conscience Wherein conscience is to be subiect how farre forth things binde nor how or in what cases with what conditions conscience is to submit must it not needes bring him into a world of distractions How can it otherwise bee Secondly that yeelding to doubtings doe straighten the conscience it is cleere because doubtings are enemies to the peace of the conscience which peace is the * Cordis delectatio est cordis dilatatio August consciences sweete enlargement Vnto this peace also despaire of Gods prouidence either ouer the outward man in the time of affliction or ouer the soule in the time of desertion is an aduersary therefore thirdly despaire must needs also distresse the conscience Well then wouldst thou keepe a good conscience as a continuall feast obserue in generall two rules Allow no larger bounds to thy conscience then with warrant thou maiest by vaine presumption Bring thy conscience into no more thraldome and bondage then thou needest To helpe thee in the first Subordinate helpes to the obseruing of the first generall rule that thou maiest not presume marke these particulars First doe not wish in thy heart any vnlawfull thing to bee lawfull that thou might'st the safelier commit it nor any necessary duty indifferent that thou mightst not be tyed vnto it Secondly if thou beest well informed of the vnlawfulnesse of any euill of the necessitie of any duty abiure the court of faculties in thy conscience enquire not after a dispensation for thy selfe in speciall expostulate not whither thou mayest or mayest not commit it or neglect it 3. Be not of conceite that neglect of any holy or necessary duty or the committing of any sinne can be gainefull and aduantageable to thy outward state For it is a silly gaine that is purchased with a wound to the spirit and a cracke to the conscience 4. Set not the infirmities of beleeuers before thine eyes for imitation but for caution not to embolden thee to
doe as they did but to make thee the more obseruant of thine owne waies least that thou shouldest doe as they did For euery fatte stands vpon its owne bottome and little peace wilt thou haue to imitate any mortall man in that which is offensiue to thy God 5. Conclude not that thou wilt but doe the deede once or twice or seldome For sinne is like a serpent if it gets but in the head it will get in the whole body and it is a clinging and encroaching guest whereof thou canst not be so soone rid as thou listest after thou hast giuen entertainment vnto it neither thinkest thou maiest be the bolder because thou art in Gods fauour which can neuer change nor alter thou art not so sure of heauen but that the deuill though he cannot robbe thee of it yet can make thee question it to the perplexing of thy soule Take heede I say that by these steps thou climbest not vp the ladder of presumption for then that there is no greater enemie to an holy and blamelesse life the maintaining of which holy life is the greatest preseruatiue to a good conscience that can be Secondly as thus by presuming thou must not stretch thy conscience Subordinate helpes to the second generall rule So to the end thou mayest not streighten conscience thou must doe three things First get a sound knowledge and right vnderstanding of the binding and subiection of the conscience to wit whereby and how it is bound wherein and how it is to be subiect Now for thy better information in this know that some things binde the conscience immediately or properly What binds the conscience immediately viz. Law Gospell some things mediately or improperly First immediately that doth binde the conscience which hath most absolute power and authoritie in it selfe ouer the conscience and thus the Law and Gospell bindes the conscience or the word of God comprehended in the bookes of the Old and New Testament First for the Law That is three-fold morall iudiciall ceremoniall 1. Law and that either as morall iudiciall ceremoniall The morall Law respecteth the duties of loue which wee owe to God and our neighbour comprised in the first and second table now to know how this binds conscience 1. How the morall Law bindes the conscience these two rules must bee obserued Rule 1 First That the second table must giue place to the first insomuch that if two duties come in opposition one to the other and the first table binds the conscience to the one Two rules to show how the morall law bindes the conscience the second to the other simply by it selfe that duty which is inioyned in the first must be performed rather then that which is prescribed in the second The rule amplified To amplifie it The second table binds me to performe all testimonies of loue to my neighbour the first to execute all offices of pietie towards God Such and such a testimony of loue to my neighbour may in some case not stand with my piety towards God in this case my conscience must submit it selfe rather to the pleasing of God then pleasing of man Albeit in some case we are to neglect some duties to God that wee may releeue the present necessitie of our brother which is warranted by that rule of Christ I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Rule 2 The second rule is this That the generall Law must giue way to the speciall Take an example or two Thou shalt doe no murther The rule examplified Thou shalt not steale are generall lawes Abraham take thy sonne thine onely sonne Isaac and offer him vp in sacrifice x Gen. 22.22 Euery woman shall borrow of her neighbour and of her that soiourneth in the house iewels of siluer and iewels of gold and yee shall spoile the Egyptians y Exod. 3 22. were speciall commandements Both of these euen generall and speciall doe binde the conscience In this case which must Abraham and the Israelites chiefely submit vnto To the speciall he must attempt to sacrifice his sonne notwithstanding this Thou shalt doe no murther They must rob the Egyptians of their iewels and treasures notwithstanding that precept Thou shalt not steale Why because the speciall had at that time more power ouer the consciences of Abraham and the Israelites then the generall 2. How the iudiciall law bindes the conscience From the morall to come to the Iudiciall law which was of vse to prescribe the Mosaicall forme of ciuill gouernment concerning the order offices of Magistrates and Magistracie iudgements punishments contracts difference of gouernment to the end that publike iustice might bee maintained peace continued and the contempt of Gods law reuenged This Law so farre bindeth the conscience now as it is euer duely grounded vpon the morall and where the same reason holdeth thus as it did in them and other nations by the light of nature practised in the same manner 3. How the ceremoniall law bindes conscience Thirdly the ceremoniall Law which treateth of rites and ceremonies enioyned in the Old Testament to be obserued about the outward worship of God is to bee reduced to three distinct times according to which times three rules may bee giuen to shew how farre forth conscience is subiect to that Rule 1 The first rule is this Before the death of Christ the ceremoniall law did binde the consciences of the Iewes and the Iewes onely not of the Gentiles For betwixt Iewes and Gentiles there was a wall of separation Rule 2 The second this From the death of Christ to the ouerthrow of the Iewish gouernment the ceremoniall law lost the force of binding and became an indifferent thing either to be vsed or not to be vsed Hence it was that Paul circumcised Timothy but would not circumcise Titus And the z Act. 15. councell at Ierusalem decreed that the Church should abstaine for a time from things strangled and from blood the cause of which decree was the weakenesse of some who of Iewes were made Christians As yet they did not fully vnderstand the libertie of the new Testament therfore for their weaknesse sake it was granted that they might vse some Iewish ceremonies for a time Rule 3 But thirdly after the euersion of the Iewish gouernment and the promulgation of the Gospell more largely and cleerely the ceremoniall law altogether ceased For from that time the libertie of Christians and freedome from Iewish ceremonies was so conspicuous that none of the godly could alleadge their ignorance heerein Wherefore very well say the Schooles * Leges ceremoniales iam sunt mortuae mortiferae Ceremoniall lawes are now dead and deadly Thus we see the nature of the lawes authority ouer the conscience 2. How the Gospell bindes Now we will see how the Gospell bindes the conscience For the better vnderstanding of which we must know that the Gospell doth not binde the consciences of those that are not
be marueiled that their consciences could so faithfully report vnto them their owne innocency and integritie Truly no more to be wondered at then if a man should set downe some true exploite done by some other in a note booke when hee hath a faithfull informer to acquaint him with what the exploite was who the person was that did it when the time of the doing of it was and what reward he had for his labour after he had done it Vse 1 To sundry endes and vses serueth the meditation of this point The first is the glory of God If the heauens declare the glory of God as Dauid sheweth Psal 19.1 the firmament shew forth his handy worke vndoubtedly the conscience of man can do no lesse The one is the booke of nature as well as the other It is true there is some difference betwixt them for the one is internall written on the inside the other externall written on the outside yet heerein they agree that both of them containe in them Lectures of the Makers praises Is his wisedome magnified in the booke of the creatures And is it not as well in the booke of the conscience Is his goodnes manifest in the one and not conspicuous in the other Doth the one shew forth the praise of his power and not the other declare the glory of his greatnesse Wonderfull is the Lord in all workes m Mirandum sane opificium Dei in hominibus est conscientia Heming Synt. p. 156. wonderfull also in this one of his workes His wisedome wonderfull his mercy wonderfull his power wonderfull I may adde also his iustice wonderfull His wisedome I say for all the Art of man cannot inuent so exquisite a thing cannot pen so faithfull a record as conscience is Prognosticators that fetch their wisedome from the Persians who were once accounted the great Sophists of the world * Diogen Laert Vit. Phylosoph l. 1. p. 12. Historians that fetch their knowledge either by the eye from that which they behold or by the eare from that which they heare may compose Kalenders pen Volumes yet may faile in many things they set down and deceiue themselues and their readers but in this volume of mans conscience whatsoeuer the Lord of the conscience sets downe be it good or euill it is most infallibly and vndoubtedly true 2. His n Quod ipsum diuinae misericordiae est quae hominem generi concessit vt vnicuique nostrum nisi tum esset in deprauabile iudicium conscientiae c. Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 4. mercy is wonderfull in that he giues a man so faithfull a recorder to set downe all the good acts that for Gods glory he vndertaketh and performeth and to suggest vnto his thoughts all his failings that hee may quickly turne vnto the Lord from them and recouer 3. His power is wonderfull in that he can rule the conscience in despite of Satan to excuse a man with the register of his integritie let Satan tempt him to despaire to accuse a man with the recordes of his iniquities let the deuill labour what hee can to make him secure Lastly his iustice is wonderfull in that he hath made this conscience as a continuall witnesse in the wicked mans heart to challenge him without failing for euery thing wherein he is guiltie wherefore good Reader whensoeuer thou thinkest vpon the faithfulnesse of conscience in keeping of recordes be not forgetfull to giue the Lord the due glory of these his attributes appearing and shewing forth themselues in this wonderfull and admirable worke of the conscience Vse 2 Secondly doth conscience keep a faithfull register then be we admonished in the feare of God to take heede of committing sinne in secret For conscience will record it and set it downe that is most certaine The twy-light will little auaile the adulterer to take his fill of lust in the night will little profit the swaggerer to be drunke in the darke shoppe will little aduantage the deceiuer to cheate in The wiping of the mouth the cleansing of the out side of the cuppe the new moones the spreading abroad of the hands c. will little auaile the hypocrite to deuoure widdowes houses withall to couer his iniustice the malice in his heart the blood in his hands withall Conscience hath such piercing eyes that it can see in the darke it is such an excellent Scriuener it can write in the darke Goe thou about the deeds of darknesse after the darkest manner that can be it takes notice of all it will pen down euery iot tittle and circumstance in all I tell thee in the Court of thy Conscience the Law is written that thy faults may abound in thy remembrance and that it may bring o Vt vetera latentia de licta in lucem pro ducat Brent in Rom. 1343. both thy olde and secret sinnes to light beware therefore in any case not onely of open and grosse sinnes but also of secret and close sinnes It was well said of a p Tertull. de Idololat p. 735. cur enim lateas cum ignorantia alterius tuam conscientiam contamines Diuine Why keepest thou close when as with the ignorance of another thou defilest thine owne conscience It was well said by an q Senec. l. 1. ep 43. ad calcem Si turpiae quid refert neminem scire cum tu scias Heathen If the thing bee dishonest which thou doest what wil it auaile though no man know it if thou thy selfe be priuie to it Yea what will it profite thee though all men should praise thee if thine owne conscience doth accuse thee r Gregor in Ezek hom 9. Quid enim prodest si omnos laudent conscientia accusat Mihi sufficit conscientia mea Aug. ad fr. Her 5.53 Therefore I say auoide that which is abhominable in Gods sight let not the most secret place encourage thee to any sinfull practise alwaies remembring this that thy secretest euils are not onely set before the sight of Gods countenance but also noted downe in the booke of thine owne conscience which one day shall be opened to thine eternall shame without serious and speedie repentance Vse 3 Thirdly here is comfort to all Christians against those euill surmises that are vniustly conceiued against them against those contumelious speeches that are wrongfully vttered of them Some charge thee peraduenture with this thing to disgrace thee others with that to take away thy name from thee as the Iewes charged Christ to be a coniurer Å¿ Math. 12.24 Iohn Baptist a Demoniacke t Math. 11.18 Paul a seducer u Act. 19.26 Chap. 24.5 Steuen a Blasphemer * Act. 6.23 But haue thou recourse to thy conscience That same inward witnesse and iudge that I say hath taken a faithfull record of what thou art and hast beene and if that defends thee what hurt can it be to thee though all should disgrace thee x Quid poterit
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