wherein God would be worshipped Arg. 3. God hath giuen a liberty to the conscience whereby it is freed froÌ„ all lawes of his own whatsoeuer excepting such lawes doctrines as are necessary to salvation Col. 2. 10. If yee be dead with Christ ye are free froÌ„ the elemeÌ„ts of the world Gal. 5. 1. Standye in the liberty wher with Christ hath freedyou and be not againe intangled with the yoke of bondage Nowe if humane lawes made after the graunt of this libertie bind conscience property then must they either take away the foresaid libertie or diminish the same but that they cannot doe for that which is graÌ„ted by an higher authority namely God himself cannot be reuoked or repealed by the inferiour authoritie of any man It is answered that this freedome is onely from the bondage of sinne from the curse of the morall law from the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of Moses and not from the lawes of our superiours And I answer againe that it is absurd to thinke that God giues vs libertie in conscience from any of his owne laws and yet will haue our consciences stil to remaine in subiection to the laws oâ— sinnefull men Arg. 4. Whosoeuer bindes conscience commaunds conscience For the bonde is made by a commaÌ„dement vrging conscience to do his dutie which is to accuse or excuse for euill or well doing Now Gods laws commaund conscience in as much as they are spirituall commaunding bodie and spirit with all the thoughts will affections desires and faculties and requiring obedience of them all according to their kinde As for the laws of men they want power to commaund conscience In deede if it were possible for our gouernours by law to commaund mens thoughts and affections then also might they command coÌ„science but the first is not possible for their lawes can reach no further then to the outward man that is to bodie and goods with the speaches and deedes thereof and the ende of them all is not to maintaine spirituall peace of conscience which is betweene man and God but onely that externall and ciuill peace which is betweene man and man And it were not meete that men should commaund conscience which cannot see conscience and iudge of all her actions which appeare not outwardly and whereof there be no witnesses but God and the conscience of the doer Lastly men are no fitte commanders of conscience because they are no lords of it but God himselfe alone Argum. 5. Men in making lawes are subiect to ignorance and errour and therefore when they haue made a law as neare as possible they can agreeable to the equitie of Gods law yet can they not assure themselues and others that they haue failed in no point or circumstance Therefore it is against reason that humane laws beeing subiect to defects faults errours and manifold imperfections should truly bind conscience as Gods lawes doe which are the rule of righteousnes All gouernours in the world vpon their daily experience see and acknowledge this to be true which I say by reason that to their olde lawes they are constrained to put restrictions ampliations modifications of all kindes with new readings and interpretations saving the Bishop of Rome so falsly tearmed which perswades himselfe to haue when he is in his consistorie such an infallible assistance of the spirite that he can not possibly erre in iudgement Argum. 6. If mens lawes by inward vertue binde conscience properly as Gods lawes then our dutie is to learne studie and remember them as well as Gods laws yea ministers must be diligent to preach them as they are diligent in preaching the doctrine of the Gospell because euery one of them bindes to mortall finne as the Papists teach But that they should be taught and learned as Gods lawes it is most absurd in the iudgement of all men Papists themselues not excepted Argum. 7. Inferiour authoritie can not binde the superiours no we the courts of 〈◊〉 and their authoritie are vnder conscience For God in the heart of euery man hath â—rocted a tribunall seale and in his stead he hath plâ—â—â—d neither saint nor angell not any other creaâ—… what soeuer but conscience it selfe who therefore is the highest iudge that is or can be vnder God by whose direction also courts are kept and lawes are made Thus much of the popish opinion by which it appeares that one of the principall notes of Antichrist agrees fuly to the Pope of Rome Paul 2. Thess. 2. makes it a speciall propertie of Antichrist to exalt himselfe against or aboue all that is called God or worshipped Now what doth the Pope els when he takes vpon him authoritie to make such lawes as shall binde the conscience as properly and truly as Gods lawes and what doth he els when he ascribes to himselfe power to free mens consciences from the bond of such lawes of God as are vnchaungeable as may appeare in a canon of the councill of Trent the words are these If any shall say that thâ—se degrees of consanguinitie which be expressed in Leviticus â—â—e 〈◊〉 hinder 〈◊〉 to be made and breake it beeing made and that the Church cannot dispense with some of them or appoint that more degrees may hinder or breake â—â—â—â—age let him be accursed O sacrilegious impietie considering the lawes of affinitie and consanguinitie Lev. 18. are not ceremoniall or iudiciall lawes peculiar to the Iewes but the very laws of nature Whâ—â—â— this canon els but a publike proclamation to the world that the Pope and Church of Rome doe sit as lords or rather idols in the hearts consciences of men This will yet more fully appeare to any man if we read popish bookes of practical or Case aivinitie in which the common manner is to binde conscience where God looseth it and to loose where he bindes but a declaration of this requires long time Now I come as neare as possibly I can to set downe the true manner how mens lawes are by Diuines and may be said to binde conscience That this may be cleared two things must be handled By what meanes they binde and How farre forth Touching the meanes I set downe this rule Whole some lawes of men made of things indifferent binde conscience by vertue of the generall commaundement of God vvhich ordaineth the Magistrates authoritie so as vvho soever shall wittingly willingly with a disloyal mind either breake or omit such lavves it guiltie of sâ—â—â—e before God By whole some lawes I vnderstand such positiue constitutions as are not against the law of God and withall tend to maintaine the peaceable estate and common good of men Furthermore I adde this clause made of things indifferent to note the peculiar matter whereâ—… 〈◊〉 lawes properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things 〈◊〉 are neither 〈◊〉 commanded or forbidden by God Now such kinde of lawes haue no vertue or power in themselues to constraine conscience but they bind onely by vertue of an higher commandement Let euery soule â—e subiect to the
have walked in mine 〈◊〉 c. Prooue me O Lord and me me examine 〈◊〉 and my heart That the conscience can do this 〈◊〉 specially appeares in the conflict combat made by it against the deuill on this maner The deuill begins and disputes thus Thou O wretched man art a most grieuous sinner therefore thou art but a damned wretch The conscience answereth and saith I know that Christ hath made a satisfaction for my sinnes and freed me from damnation The deuill replyeth againe thus Though Christ haue freed thee from death by his death yet thou art quite barred from heauen because thou neuerr didâ—â—st fulfill the lawe The conscience answereth I knowe that Christ is my righteousnesse and hath fulfilled the lawe for me Thirdly the deuill replies and saith Christs benefites belong not to thee thou art but an hypocrite and wantest faith Now when a man is driuen to this straight it is neither wit nor learning nor fauour nor honour that can repulse this temptation but onely the poore conscience directed and sanctified by the spirit of God which boldly and constantly answereth I know that I beleeve And though it be the office of conscience 〈◊〉 it is once â—…d principally to excuse yet doth it also in part accuse When Dauid had â—…d the people his heart sâ—… him 2 Sam. 24. 10. Iob faith in his affliction that God 〈◊〉 write bitter things against him 〈◊〉 him possâ—sse the sâ—nnes of his youth Iob. 13. 26. The reason hereof is because the whole man and the very conscience is onely in part regenerate and therefore in some part remaines still corrupt Nâ—â—ther must it seeme strange that one and the â—ame conscience should both accuse and excuse because it doth it not in one and the same respâ—… Iâ— excuseth in that it assureth a man that his person standes righteous before God and that he hath an indeauour in the generall course of his life to please God it accuseth him for his particular slippes and for the wants that be in his good actions If any shall demaund why God doth not perfectly regenerate the conscience and cause it only to excuse the answere is this God doth it for the preventing of greater mischiefes When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan the Cananiâ—â—s were not at the first wholly displaced Why Moses rendreth the reason least wilde beasts come and inhabite some parts of the land that were dispeopled and more annoy them then the Cananites In like maner God renues the conscience but so as it shall still accuse when occasion serueth for the preuenting of many dangerous sinnes which like wild beastes would make hauock of the soule Thus much of good conscience Now followes euill conscience and it is so called partly because it is defiled and corrupted by originall sinne and partly because it is euill that is troublesome painfull in our sense feeling as all sorrows calamities miseries are which for this very cause also are called evils And though coÌ„science be thus termed euil yet hath it some respects of generall goodnes in â—s much as it is an instrument of the execution of diuine iustice because it seemes to accuse them before God which are iustly to be accused It hath spred it selfe ouer mankind as generally as originall sinne therfore it is to be found in all men that come of Adam by ordinary generation The property of it is with all the power it hath to accuse condemne therby to make a man afraid of the presence of God to cause him to flie froÌ„ God as from an enemy This the Lord signified when he said to AdaÌ„ Aâ—… where art thou When Peter saw some litle glimbring of the power and maiesty of God in the great draught of fish he fell on his knees and saide to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man Euill conscience is either deade or Stirring Dead conscience is that which though it can do nothing but accuse yet commonly it lyeâ— quiet accusing litle or nothing at all The causes why conscience lyeth dead in all men either more or lesse are many I. Defect of reason or understanding in crased braines II. Violence and strength of affections which as a cloud do ouercast the mind c as a gulfe of water swallow up the iudgement and reason and therby hinder the conscience from accusing for when reason can not doe his part then conscience doth nothing For exaÌ„ple some one in his rage behaues himselfe like a mad man and willingly commits any mischiefe without controlment of conscience but when choller is down he begins to be ashamed and troubled in himselfe not alwaies by grace but euen by the force of his naturall conscience which when affection is calmed begins to stirre as appeareth in the example of Cain III. Ignorance of Gods will errors in iudgement cause the conscience to be quiet when it ought to accuse This we find by experience in the deaths of obstinate hercukes which suffer for their damnable opinions without checke of conscience Dead conscience hath two degrees The first is the slumbring or the benummed conscience the second is the feared conscience The benummed conscience is that which doth not accuse a man for any sinne vnlesse it be grieuous or capitall not alwaies for that but only in the time of some grievous sickenesse or calamity Iosephs brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villany in selling their brother till afterwarde when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt Geues 42. 2. This is the conscience that commonly raignes in the hearts of drousie protestants of all carnall and lukewarme-gospellers and of such as are commonly tearmed ciuill honest men whose apparent integritie will not free them from guiltie consciences Such a conscience is to be taken heede of as being most dangerous It is like a wilde beast which so long as hee lyes a sleepe seemes very â—ame and gentle and hurtes no man but when he is rowzed he then awakes and flies in a mans face and offers to pull out his throate And so it is the manner of dead conscience to lye still and quiet euen through the course of a mans life and hereupon a man would thinke as most do that it were a good conscience indeed but wheÌ„ sicknesse or death approcheth it beeing awaked by the hande of God beginnes to stande up on his legges and shewes his fierce eyes and offers to rende out euen the very throate of the soule And heathen poets knowing this right well haue compared euill conscience to Furies pursuing men with firebrands The seared conscience is that which doeth not accuse for any sinne no not for great sinnes It is compared by Paul 1. Tim. 4. v. 2. to the parte of a mans body which is not onely berefe of sense life motion by the gangrene but also is burnt with a searing yron and therefore must needes
be vtterly past all feeling This kind of conscience is not in al men but in such persons as are become obstinate heretikes and notorious malefactours And it is not in theÌ„ by nature but by an increase of the corruption of nature and that by certaine steppes and degrees For naturally euery man hath in him blindnes of minde and obstinacie or froward nes of heart yet so as with the blindnes and ig norance of minde are ioyned some remnants of the light of nature shewing vs what is good and euill Now the heart of man beeing exceedingly obstinate and peruerse carrieth him to commit sinnes euen against the light of nature and common conscience by practise of such sinnes the light of nature is extinguished and then commeth the reprobate mi◠〈◊〉 which iudgeth euill good and good euill after this follows the seared conscience in which there is no feeling or remorse and after this comes an exceeding greedines to all manner of sinne Eph. 4. 18. Rom. 1. 28. Here it may be demaunded how mens consciences shall accuse them in the day of iudgement if they be thus benummed and seared in this life Ansvver It is said Rev. 20. 12. that at the last iudgement all shall be brought before Christ and that the bookes then shall be opened among these bookes no doubt conscience is one Wherefore though a dead conscience in this life be as a closed or sealed booke because it doeth either little or nothing accuse yet after this life it shall be as a booke laide open because God shall inlighten it and so stirre it vp by his mightie power that it shall be able to reueale and discouer all the sinnes that a man euer committed Stirring conscience is that which doth sensibly either accuse or excuse And it hath soure differences The first which accuseth a man for doing euill This must needes be an euill conscience Because to accuse is not a property that belongs to it by creation but a defect that followeth after the fall And if the conscience which truely accuseth a man for his sinnes were a good conscience then the worst man that is might haue a good conscience which cannot be When the accusation of the conscience is more forcible and violent it is called a wounded or troubled conscience which though of it selfe it be not good nor any grace of God yet by the goodnes of God it serueth often to be an occasion or preparation to grace as a needle that drawes the threede into the cloath is some meanes whereby the cloath is sowed together The second is that which 〈◊〉 â—…th for doing well And it is to be found in them that are giuen to idolatrie and superstition As in the Church of Rome in which because mens consciences are insnared and intangled with humane traditions many are troubled for doing that which is good in it selfe or at the least a thing indifferent As for example let a priest omit to say masse to say his canonicall houres his conscience will accuse him therfore though the omitting of the canonicall houres and the idolatrous masse be indeede by Gods word no sinne The third is the conscience which excuseth for doing that which is euill This also is to be found in them that are giuen to idolatrie and superstition And there is a particular example hereof Ioh. 16. 2. Yea the time shall come that vvhosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God good seruice Such is the conscience of Popish traytours in these daies that are neuer touched at all though they intend and enterprise horrible villanies and be put to death therefore The fourth is that which excuseth for well doing at some times and in some particular actions of carnall men VVhen Abimâ—…h had taken Sarai from Abraham God saide vnto him in a dreame I knovv that thou did 〈◊〉 this with an vpright minde Gen. 20. 6. This may be tearmed good conscience but is indeede otherwise For though it doe truly excuse in one particular action yet because the man in whome it is may be vnregenerate and as yet out of Christ and because it doth accuse in many other matters therefore it is no good conscience If all the vertues of naturall men are indeede beautifull sinnes and their righteousnes but a carnall righteousnes then the conscience also of a carnall man though it excuse him for well doing is but a carnall conscience CAP. IU Mans dutie touching conscience MAns dutie concerning conscience is twofold The first is if he want good conscience aboue all things to labour to obtaine it for it is not giuen by nature to any man but comes by grace For the obtaining of good conscience three things must be procured a preparation to good conscience the applying of the remedie the reformation of conscience In the preparation foure things are required The first is the knowledge of the lawe and the particular commaundements thereof whereby we are taught what is good what is badde what may be done and what may not be done The men of our daies that they may haue the right knowledge of the law must lay aside many erronious and foolish opinions which they hold flat against the true meaning of the law of God otherwise they can neuer be able to discerne betweene sinne and no sinne Their especiall and common opinions are these I. That they can loue God with all their hearts and their neighbours as themselues that they feare God aboue all and trust in him alone and that they euer did so II. That to rehearse the Lordes prayer the beleefe and 10. commaundements without vnderstanding of the words without affection is the true and whole worship of God III. That a man may seeke to wizzards and soothsayers without offences because God hath prouided a salue for euery sore IV. That to sweare by good things and in the way of truth cannot be a sinne V. That a man going about his ordinarie affaires at home or abroad on the sabbath day may as well serue God as they which heare all the sermons in the world VI. That religion and the practise thereof is nothing but an affected precisenes that couetousnes the roote of euill is nothing but worldlines that pride is nothing but a care of honestie and cleanlines that single fornication is nothing but the tricke of youth that swearing and blaspheming argue the couragious mind of a braue gentleman VII That a man may doe with his owne what he will and make as much of it as he can Hence arise all the frauds and badde practises in trafficke betweene man and man The second is the knowledge of the iudiciall sentence of the law which resolutely pronounceth that a curse is due to man for euery sinne Gal. 3. 10. Very few are resolued of the truth of this point and very few doe vnfainedly beleeue it because mens minds are possessed with a contrarie opinion that though they sinne against God yet they shall escape death and
For then the Lord will sende downe his spirit into the conscience by a sweete and heauenly testimonie to assure 〈◊〉 that we are at peace with God Thus we see how good conscience is gotten and because it is so pretious a iewell I wish all persons that as yet neuer laboured to get good conscience now to beginne Reasons to induce men thereto may be these I. You seeke day and night from yere to yere for honours riches and pleasures which ye must leaue behinde you much more threfore ought you to seeke for renewed and reformed consciences considering that conscience will be with you in this life in death at the last iudgement and for euer II. He which wants a conscience purged in the blood of Christ can neuer haue any true and lasting comfort in this life Suppose a man araied in cloath of tishue set in a chaire of estate before him a table furnished with all daintie prouision his seruants Monarches and Princes his riches the chiefest treasures kingdoms of the world but withall suppose one standing by with a naked sword to cut his throat or a wild beast readie euer and anon to pull him in pieces nowe what can we say of this mans estate but that all his happines is nothing but woe and miserie And such is the estate of all men that abounding with riches honours and pleasures carrie about them an euill conscience which is as a sword to â—lay the soule or as a rauenous beast readie to sucke the blood of the soule and to rend it in pieces III. He which wants good conscience can doe nothing but sinne his very eating and drinking his sleeping and waking al he doth turnes to sinne the coÌ„science must first be good before the action can be good if the roote be corrupt the fruits are answerable IV. An euill conscience is the greatest enemie a man caÌ„ haue because it doth execute all the parts of iudgement against him It is the Lords sergeant God neede not send out processe by any of his creatures for man the conscience within man will arrest him and bring him before God It is the gayler to keepe man in prison in bolts irons that he may be forth-comming at the day of iudgement It is the witnes to accuse him the iudge to condemne him the hangman to execute him and the flashings of the fire of hell to torment him Againe it makes a man to be an enemie to God because it accuseth him to God and makes him flie from God as Adam did wheÌ„ he had sinned Also it makes a man to be his owne enemie in that it doth cause him to lay violent hands vpon himselfe and become his owne hangman or his owne cut-throat And on the contrarie a good conscience is a mans best friend when all men intreat him hardly it wil speak faire and comfort him it is a continual feast and a paradise vpon earth V. The scripture sheweth that they which neuer seeke for good coÌ„sciâ—ce haue terrible ends For either they die blocks as Nabal did or they die desperate as Cain Saul Achitophel Iudas VI. We must consider often the terrible day of iudgement in which euery man must receiue according to his doings And that we may then be absolued the best way is to seeke for a good conscience for if our conscience be euill and condemne vs in this life God will much more condemne vs. And wheras we must passe through three iudgemeÌ„ts the iudgement of men the iudgemeÌ„t of our coÌ„science the last iudgement of God we shal neuer be strengthened against them and cleared in them all but by the seeking of a good coÌ„science After that man hath got good conscience his second dutie is to keepe it And as in gouerning the shippe on the sea the pilot holding the helme in his hand hath alwaies an eye to the compasse so we likewise in the ordering of our liues and conuersations must alwaies haue a speciall regard to the conscience That we may keepe good conscience we must doe two things auoide the impediments thereof and vse conuement preseruatiues Impediments of good conscience are either in vs or forth of vs. In vs onâ— owne sinnes and corruptions When mens bodies lie deade in the earth there breed certaine wormes in them whereby they are consumed For of the flesh come the wormes which consume the flesh but vnles we take great heed out of the sinns corruptions of our hearts there wil breed a worme a thousand folde more terrible euen the worme of conscience that neuer dieth which wil in a lingering maner wast the conscience the soule the whole man because he shal be alwaies dying neuer dead These sinnes are specially three Ignorance vnmortified affectioÌ„s worldly lusts Touching the first namely ignorance it is a great and vsuall impediment of good conscience For when the minde erreth or misconceiueth it doth mislead the conscience and deceiue the whole man The way to auoide this impediment is to doe our indeauour that we may daily increase in the knowledge of the word of God that it may dwell in vs plentifully To this ende we must pray with Dauid that he would open our eyes that we might vnderstand the wonders of his law and withall we must daily search the scriptures for vnderstanding as men vse to search the mines of the earth for gold ore Prov. 2. 4. Lastly we must labour for spiritual wisedoÌ„ that we may haue the right vse of Gods word in euery particular actioÌ„ that being by it directed we may discerne what we may with good conscience do or leaue vndone The second impediment is vnstaâ—ed and vnmortified affections which if they may haue their swinge as wild horses ouerturne the chariot with men and all so they ouerturne ouer carrie the iudgement conscience of man and therfore when they beare rule good coÌ„science takes no place Now to preuent the danger that comes hereby this course must be followed When we would haue a sword or a knife not to hurt our selues or others we turne the edge of it And so that we may preuent our affections from hurting and annoying the conscience we must turne the course of them by directing them from our neighbours to our selues our owne sinnes or by inclining them to God and Christ. 〈◊〉 example choller and anger directs it selfe vpon euery occasion against our neighbour and thereby greatly indamageth the conscience Now the course of it is turned when we begin to be displeased and to be angry with our selues for our owne sinnes Our loue set vpon the world is hurtfull to the conscience but when we once begin to set our loue on God in Christ and to loue the blood of Christ aboue all the world then contrariwise it is a furtherance of good conscience The third impediment is worldly lustes that is the loue and exceeding desire of riches honors pleasures Euery man is as Adam his good conscience is his
all we haue And in the meane season as conscience decayes so proportionally all grace and goodnesse goes from vs Gods commaundements begin to be vile unto vs the knowledge thereof as also faith hope and the invocation of Gods name decay Experience sheweth that men of excellent giftes through the vsing of bad conscience lose them all Faults to be amended thus Pag. 4. lin 11. put in these words Opinion iudgeth a thing to be probable or contingent pag. 16. l. 12. III. Caution p. 17. l. 19. the brother p. 20. l. 21. least p. 43. l. 25. weake p. 45. l. 3. for be read it p. 53. l. 19. Caugâ—â— p. 127. l. 6. for invincible read 〈◊〉 p. 150. for seemes read serves p. 156. in the margin 〈◊〉 b Vnderstâ—ding hath â—o partâ— properly but by analogie in respect of divers obiects actions c Thâ—… Aqâ—iâ— pâ—â— 1. q. â—9 〈◊〉 13. Dominic 〈◊〉 on this place 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 opinion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. of the testimonie of conscience Consciâ—… 〈◊〉 sciâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sciâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of consciences â—â—dgement § 3. Of the binding oe the conscience § 4. Of the morall law binding b 〈◊〉 Câ—… § 5. Of Iuâ—â—cials binding b Iuris particulâ—… c Iâ—â—is 〈◊〉 c â—…ip iâ— Hâ—â—â—â—â— d Tâ—â—â—d of Aâ—â—â—â—â— lib. 3. C. de Episc. 〈◊〉 Gen. 38. 14. Iere. 29. 23. Iâ—st 〈◊〉 lex Iulian. de publ iudicii◠§ 〈◊〉 Of ceremoniall lâ—wâ— biuding Aug. 〈◊〉 19. ad 〈◊〉 §7 Of the Gospell binding Ioh. 15. 10. Auguâ—â— â—racâ— 89. 〈◊〉 Iob. b Tâ—… 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 10. art 1. * 〈◊〉 Ioâ— 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—8 Of humane laws binding b Imperis * princely commandements Ier. 26 11 1â— 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sect 4. Lib. 4. diâ—t 〈◊〉 cap. 4. b on Mat. 〈◊〉 vpon Ioh. 1. Cor. 8 9. Aâ—â— cap. 9. Lib de Pâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ◠〈◊〉 1. 2. 〈◊〉 154. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. l. 5. 26. 〈◊〉 lib. 7. cap. 19. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 1â— Hiâ—… epist. 1. 8. ad Luc. Ser. de Tâ—… 62. Epist. â—6 Câ—â—ysost on Mat. hom 47. 〈◊〉 ed Marcel de error 〈◊〉 Cangâ—â— Matt. 23. 15. 〈…〉 * Faâ—â—â—â— aliquid prâ—ter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 〈◊〉 Of an Oath binding * Thuâ— saith Augâ—… epist. 154. ad Publicâ—… Lâ—…d sâ—… 〈◊〉 3. dist 39. Tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 89. b P. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melâ—… in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 Câ—… 〈◊〉 Psal. 15. * Qui sui iâ—riâ— non est obligarâ— se non potest a Bellarm. li. 2. de 〈◊〉 cap. 36. Câ—â—â—il Gâ—â—g cap. 16. § 1â— Of a vow binding § 11. Of a single promise binding Aug. epist. 〈◊〉 205. Isid. lib. 4. Syâ—… § 12. How conscience giues iudge ment Minâ—â— tells what is law Memorie giueâ— evidence § 1â— How many waiâ—â— conscience gâ—… iudgement 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Egâ—… * Erronious conscience bindeth For he that iudgeth a thing to be euill if he doe it hath sinned as much as in hiâ— lieth § 〈◊〉 Of chriâ—… libeâ—ty * Tripadium est circulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diâ—bâ—lâ—â— pag 103. and 104. § 2. Of certentie of saluation Bernard 〈◊〉 10â— * â—â—â—ke it well August trâ—ct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August de 〈◊〉 â—…ni ser 〈◊〉 7. Ambrosâ—â— 1. Cor. 1. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bernard 〈◊〉 1. d◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Thus Histome vnderstands the chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierome on this place b August 〈◊〉 de Tâ—â— 13. 〈◊〉 1. c epist. 111. d lib. 8. de Tâ—â— c. 〈◊〉 * Reade Berâ—â—â—d sâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—n Câ—râ—â—tâ— August de verbis dâ—i seâ—â— 23. Chrysost. 〈◊〉 87. 〈◊〉 John August de 〈◊〉 Grat. c. 13. * marke it 〈◊〉 b â—xod 〈◊〉 â—9 〈◊〉 4. Of euil conscience Luk. 5. 8. Dead conscience Conscience benumed Seared conscience Stirring conscience * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mala b Sâ—… 〈◊〉 § 1. Mans first dutie to get good conscience Good conscience a fruite of faith § 2. Mans second dutie to keep good conscience * Conse boâ—â— non â—â—at 〈◊〉 proposiâ—â— peccandi
men to this ende no doubt that they might beleeue the accomplishment of the promise in themselues Secondly we learne that it is not presumption for any man to beleeue the remission of his owne sinnes for to doe the will of God to which we are bound is not to presume now it is the will of God to which he hath bound vs in conscience to beloâ—ue the remiâ—â—ion of our owne sinnes and therefore rather 〈◊〉 to doe it is pâ—…ous disobedience Thirdly we are here to â—â—rke and to reâ—…ber with care the foundation of the 〈◊〉 certenâ—e of mans saloâ—ion For if man be bound in conscience first to giue assent to the Gospâ—t and secondly to applie 〈◊〉 to himselfe by true faith then without doubt a man by faith may be certenly perswaded of his owne 〈◊〉 and saluation in this 〈◊〉 without any extâ—ordinarie reuelation Gods commaundements beeing in this and the like caseâ— possible For commaundements are either Legall or Evangelicall Legall shew vs â—â—t disease but giue vs no remedie and the perfect doing of them according to the intent of the law giuer by reason of mans weaknes and through mans default is impossible in this world As for Evangelicall commandements they haue this priuiledge that they may and can be performed according to the intention of the Lawgiuer in this life because with the commandement is ioyned the inward operation of the spirit to inable vs to effect the dutie commaunded and the will of God is not to require absolute perfection at our hands in the Gospel as in the law but rather to qualifie the rigour of the law by the satisfaction of a mediatour in our steads and of vs we beeing in Christ to accept the vpright will and indeauour for the deede as the will to repent and the will to beleeue for repentance and true faith indeede Now then if things required in the Gospel be both ordinarie and possible then for a man to haue an unfallible certaintie of his owne saluation is both ordinary possible But more of this point afterward Lastly all such persons as are troubled with 〈◊〉 distrustings vnbeleefe dispaire of Gods mercie are to learne and consider that God by his word bindes them in conscience to beâ—â—â—ue the pardon of their owne sinnes be they neuer so grieuous or many and to beâ—â—â—e their own Election to saluation whereof they doubt Mâ—â—â—â—hat are but civill haue care to auoid robbing and killing because God giues commaundements against stealing and killing why then should not we much more striue against our manifold doubtings and distrustings of Gods loue in Christ hauing a commandement of God that calls vpon vs and binds vs to doe so Thus we see how Gods word bindes consciences now conscience being thus bound againe bindes vs. The bonde of conscience is called Guiltines Guiltines is nothing els but a worke of the conscience binding ouer a man to a punishment before God for some sinne Thus much of the propet binder of the conscience now follows the improper The improper binder is that which hath no power or vertue in it selfe to binde conscience but doth it onely by vertue of Gods word or of some part of it It is threefold Humane lawes an Oath a Promise Touching humane lawes the speciall point to be considered is In what manner they binde That this may in part be cleared I will stande a while to examine and confute the opinion that the very pillers of the popish Church at this day maintaine namely that Civill and Ecclesiâ—sticall Iurisâ—â—ction haue a coactive povver in the conscience and that the 〈◊〉 made thereby doe as truly and properly binde as they speake to mortall and venial sinne as Gods law it selfe The arguments which they commonly vse are these Argum. 1. Deut. 17. That man that vvill 〈◊〉 presumptuousâ—y and not obâ—y the auâ— horitie of the priest or Iâ—dge shall 〈◊〉 and thâ—â— shalt take away euill from Israel Here say they the precepts of the high priest are Imperia not â—dmonitions or exhortations and they binde in conscience otherwise the transgressours thereof should not haue bin punished so seuerely Answ. The intent of this law as a very child may perceiuâ— is to establish the authoriue and right of the highest appeales for all matters of controversie in the Synedrium oâ— great court at Ierusa lem Therefore the words alleadged doe not giue vnto the priest a soveraigne power of making lawes but a power of giuing iudgement of controuersies and that according to lawes alreadie made by God himselfe from which iudgement there might be no appeale Nowe this power of determining doth not constraine conscience but the outward man to maintaine order and peace For what reason is there that that sentence which might be either a gainsaying of Gods law or a mistaking of it should binde the conscience to a sinne Againe not euery one that refused to subiect themselues to the sentence of this court were straightway guiltie of sinne for this did Ieremie the Prophet and Christ our Sauiour when they were condemned for wicked persons but he that presumptuously despised the sentence and by consequent the authoritie it selfe which was the ordinence of God was guiltie Lastly the seueritie of the punishment which is temporall death doth not argue any power in the iudge of binding conscience this they might haue learned of their owne Dâ—ctâ—◠〈◊〉 who holdeth that they that binde any man to mortall sinne mâ—st be able to punish him with answeâ—rable punishment which is eternall death Argumâ—… Math. 16. What soeuer ye shall bind vpon 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 in heauen Here to binde is to make lawes â—…ning conscience according to Matth. 23. 4. They binde 〈◊〉 burâ—â—ns and lay theâ—◠〈◊〉 mens 〈◊〉 Ansvver The 〈◊〉 power of binding and sooâ—… is not belonging to any creature but is pâ—opâ—â— to Christ who hath the keyes of heauen and hell he openeth and no man shâ—… h◠〈◊〉 â—â—d no man openeth Râ—… 3. 7. As for the power of the Church it is nothing but 〈◊〉 ministerie of seruice whereby men publish and proâ—… that Christ bindeth or Idoâ—eth Againe this binding stands not in the power of making lawes but in remitting and retaining of mâ—n's sinnes as the words going before declate v. 18. If thy brother sinne against thee â— and Christ â—â—eweth hâ— owne meaning when he â—â—ith Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and â—â—hose sinnes 〈◊〉 retaine they are retained Ioh. 20. 23. 〈◊〉 before in the person of Peter promised them this honour in this forme of words Math. 16. I vvillgiue vnto thee the keyes of the king dome of â—e 〈◊〉 what soeuer thâ—â— shalt binde vpon earth shâ—â— be boâ—… in â—e 〈◊〉 This which I say is approoued by consent of auncient Divines August Psal. 101. ser. 2. Remission of sâ—… saith he is loosing therefore by the law of contraries binding is to hold sinne vnpardoned Hilar. vpon Math. cap. 18. Whome they binde on earth that is
the bonde of conscience is betweene man and God but the bonde of an obligation is onely betweene man and man Abraham when hee bought a purchase of Ephron the Hiâ—â—â—te hee payed his money and made it sure before witnesse Gen. 23. vers 17. Here we must consider the generall sinne of this age which is to speak deceitfully euery one to his neighbour It is an hard thing to find a maÌ„ that will stand to his word and lawfull promise It is a rule of Machiâ—vell that a man may practise many things against his faith against charity and humanity and religion and that it is not necessary to haue these vertues but to counterfait and dissemble them But let all such as feare God make conscience of their word because they are bound so to do and hereby they shall resemble their heauenly father who is true in all his promises and they shall also bring soorth a notable fruite of the spirite Galat. 5. vers 22. Hitherto I haue spoken of the cause that maketh conscience to giue iudgemente Now followeth the manner of iudgement CoÌ„scieÌ„ce giues iudgemeÌ„t in or by a kind of reasoning or disputing called a practicall syllogisme Rom. 2. 15. their reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excusing 〈◊〉 other In the making of this reason conscience hath two assistâ—… mind and memory The mind is the storehouse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all manner of rules and principles It may be coâ—…pared to a booke of law in which are 〈◊〉 down the penall statutes of the lande The of it it is to preferre and present to the conscience rules of diuine law whereby it is to giue iudgement Memory serues to bring to mind the particular actions which a maÌ„ hath done or not done that conscience may determine of them Now conscience assisted by these 〈◊〉 proceeds in iudgement by a kinde of argumentation an example whereof we may take from the conscience of a murderer thus Euery 〈◊〉 â—…er is 〈◊〉 â—ed saith the minde Thou art a murderer saith conscience assisted by memory ergo Thou art accur sed saith conscience and so giueth her sentence To proceed Conscience giues iudgement either of things past or things to come Of things past two waies either by accusing condâ—ning or by excusing absoluing Ro. 2. 15. To accuse is an action of conscience giuing 〈◊〉 that this oâ— that thing was â—…ll don 〈◊〉 that still by reasoning on this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 This thy action is 〈◊〉 der 〈◊〉 This thy action is a 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 is another action of the conscience â—â—yned with the former whereby it giueth iudgâ—…t that a man by this or that sinne hath deserued death on this maner â—…ry 〈◊〉 â—â—rer 〈◊〉 serveth a double death Thâ—â— art a 〈◊〉 â—â—rer ergo Thou hast de served a double death These two actions are very sorcible and terrible for they are the â—…ctions and prickings that be in the heart Act. 2. 37. they are the stripes as it were of an iron rodde wherewith the heart of a man smiteth it selfe 2. Sam. 24. 10. And by reason of them conscience is compared to a woâ—â—e that neuer dieth but alwayes lyes gnawing and grabbling and pulling at the heart of man Marc. 9. 42. and causeth more paine and anguish then any disease in the woâ—ld can The time when conscience perfourmes these actions is not before the sinne or in the acte of sâ—â—â—ing but specially after the sinne is done and past Reason I. Before a man sinne the deuill doth extenuate the fault make sinne to be no sinne II. Corrupt affections doe for a time so blind and ouercast iudgement that it doeth not see or at the least consider what is good or bad till afterward Neither doth conscience â—ccuse condeâ—… only for time present but also long after a thing is done The consciences of Iosephs â—…hren accuse them 22. yeres after they had solde him into Egypt Gen. 42. 21. The effect of the accusing and condeâ—ning conscience is to stir vp sundry passions and â—otions in the heart but specially these five The first is shaâ—… which is an affection of the heart whereby a man is grâ—eued and displeased with him-selfe that hee hath done any euill and this shame showeth it selfe by the rising of the bloode from the heart to the 〈◊〉 Yet wee must here remember that 〈◊〉 such as haue the pardon of their sinnes and are not guilty may be ashamed and bâ—â—sh Rom. 6. 21. What frâ—… had yee in those things wherat ye now blush or be ashamed Whereas those which are most guilty may be without all shame Ierem. 6. 15. were they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had â—…itted 〈◊〉 â—â—y â—â—y they vvere not ashamed 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are growen to some great height in sinne Eph. 4. 18. The second passion is sadnesse and sorrowe which is commonly thought to be nothing else but Melancholy but betweene them twaâ—â—e there is great difference Sorow that comes by melancholly ariseth onely of that humour annoying the body but this other sorrow ariseth of a mans sinnes for which his conscience accuseth him Melancholly may be cured by phiâ—…e this sorow 〈◊〉 not be cured by any thing but by the blood of Christ. The third is feare in causing whereof conscience is very forcible If a man had all the delightes and pleasures that heart can wish they can not doe him any good if conscience be guiltie Belshazzar when hee was in the middest of all his delights and saw the hand writing vpon the wall his countenance changed his thoughts troubleâ— him his ioyâ—ts loosed and his knees smote togither Dan. 5. 6. Yea the guiltie conscience will make a man afraid if hee see but a worme peepe out of the ground or a silly creature to goe crosse his way or if hee see but his owne shadowe on a suddaâ—… or if he do but forecast an euill with himselfe Proverb 28. 1. The vvicked flyeth vvhâ—â— no man pur sueth him Terrors of â—oÌ„scieÌ„ce wheÌ„ they are more vehecause other passions in the body as exceeding heare like that which is in the fiâ—t of an agâ—e the rising of the entrals towardes the mouth and swoundingâ— as experience hath often shewed And the writer of the booke of Wisedome saith truly cap. 17. vers 10. It is a 〈◊〉 full thing vvhen malice is condemned by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testâ—monie and a conscience thâ—â— is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever fore-cast cruell things For feare is nothing else but the betraying of the succâ—… that reason offereth c. they that did 〈◊〉 the night that was â—…llerable c. sometimes vvere troubled vvith monâ—…s visions and sometimes they sâ—â—â—ned as though their 〈◊〉 soule should betray them for a sudden feare 〈◊〉 looked for came upon them The fourth is desperation whereby a man through the vehement and constant accusation of his conscience comes to be out of all hope of the pardon of his sinnes This made Saul Achitophel and Indas to hang them selues this
makes many in these daies to doe the like as appeareth by the declarations of such as haue bene presented when they were about to hang or drowne them selues or to cutt their owne throats The last is a perturbation or disquieâ—â—es of the whole man wherby all the powers faculties of the whole man are forth of order Isa. 57. 20. The wicked are like the raging of the sea that 〈◊〉 test vvhose vvaters cast vp â—…ire and â—…rt Thus much of the two first actions of conscience which are to accuse and condemne the sâ—cond followeth to excuse and absolue To excuse is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done To absolue is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free or cleare froÌ„ fault and so from punishment From these two actions arise some special affections I. boldâ—es and confidence Prov. 28. 1. The righteous are bold as a lyon II. ioy and reioycing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testiâ—…nie of my conscience that in all simplicitie and godly pureâ—es I haue had my conuer sation in the world Hence it is said that a good conscience is a continuall feast Hitheâ—to I haue spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past now followeth her iudgement of things to be done Conscience giues iudgement of things to come by foretelling and as it were saying inwardly in the heart that the thing may be well done or ill done Of this kinde of iudgement euery man may haue experience in him selfe when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or badde By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way with al the turnings thereof he could not but take it for a great point of curtosie Wee are pilgrimes in this world our life is our iourney God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide to shew vs what course we may take and what we may not And here it must be noted that in all things to be done conscience is of great force beares a great stroke For This is the beginning of a good vvorke that the conscience first of all give her iudgement truely that the thing may be done and is acceptable to God Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer is not done of a settled perswasion in iudgement and conscience out of Gods word howsoeuer men iudge of it is sinne Againe God regardes not the outward pompe of the action or the doer but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart therefore vnlesse the conscience first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will it can be nothing else but a sinne And he that shall doe a thing because it is good in his owne eyes not knowing that God doeth allow of it preferres him-selfe before God and disobaies him as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will From this former rule arise three other the first What soeuer is done vvith a doubting conseâ—â—â—e is a sâ—…e For example some beleeuers in the Primitive Church held that still after the ascensâ—on of Christ there remained a difference betweene meate and meate and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kinde of meates â—ow put the case by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden and there 〈◊〉 no question but in so doing they haue sinned as Paul prooueth Rom. 14. v. 14. I knovv and 〈◊〉 persvvaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth any thing vncleane it is vncleane and v. 23. He that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith The second What soeuer thing is done vvith an erroneous conscience is a sinne For example in the primitiue Church diuers of the Gentiles helde this errour that fornication was a thing indifferent and therfore â—onscience told them that they might doe iâ— and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinneâ— becausâ— conscience erred in her iudgement And euill râ—maines euill though conscience â—â—y the contrarie a thousand times The third What soeuer is done against conscience though it erre be deceiued it sinne in the dâ—er Example An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawfull to sweare is brought before a magistrate and vrged either through feare or so 〈◊〉 cause takes an oath that against his oâ—ne conscience now the question is whether he hath sinned or no. Ans. He hath indeed sinned not so much because he hath taken an oath for that is the ordinance of God but because he hath taken an oath in a bad manner that is against his conscience and therefore not in faith Thus it is manifest that consciâ—nce beares a great stroke in all things that are to be saide or done And hereby we are aduertised of many things First if a thing done without good direction of coÌ„science be a sinne then much more that which is done without direction of Gods word is a flatte sinne for without direction of Gods word conscience can giue no good direction And if God will holde that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer so as if a man be to put but a bit of bread in his mouth it can so farre forth direct him that in doiâ—g of it he shall be able to please God If this were â—ot true mans ease were most miserable For then we should sinne in manifold actions and that without remedie And here by the Word I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and new Testament which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all â—ctions As for the law of nature though it afâ—oard in deede some direction yet is it corrupt imperfect vncerten and whatsoeuer is right and good therin is contained in the writteÌ„ word of God And as for the best vnwritteÌ„ traditions let al the Papists in the world answer if they caÌ„ how I may in coÌ„science be perswaded that they are the word of God If they say that the auncient fathers of the primitive Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions I answer againe how 〈◊〉 I know and be certen in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour in saying so haue not erred Againe we learne hence that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good worke vnlesse withall conscience can giue iudgement that God doth approoue the action This shewes the ignorance of our people that when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dealings they runne vpon a good meaning then alwaies they thinke they doe well and please God Thirdly hence it appeares that all thingâ— deuised by man for the worship of God â—re fiarre sinnes