6. Those that spend more Zeal in crying out against indifferent things then in reproving apparent ungodliness may justly be suspected by us Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols saith the Apostle dost thou commit Sacriledge It is true that in respect of the Authority of him that commands there is no small commandment and the breach of any of Gods Laws is a great sin But yet in respect of the nature of the Command Christ sometimes speaks of a first and great Commandment Mat. 22.38 Mat. 5.19 and sometimes of one of the least Commandments and he that is scrupulous in smaller matters and careless in greater doth betray himself to have a diseased Conscience Sermon on Acts 26.9 as I have elsewhere shewed And therefore those that Cry out with such a loud and bitter cry against things which in the judgement of the soberest of themselves are in their own Nature indifferent as if they were palpable Idolatry and yet have made no bones of sacriledge injustice and shedding of innocent blood it is a shrewd sign that they are Seducers and have a design to impose upon us 7. Those that contradict the sense of the Church of God in all ages are to be suspected as Innovators and that their opinions are rather new then good It is true that the antiquity of an errour doth not excuse it for there have been errours in the Church ever since the time of the Apostles But yet the constant judgement of the Church of God in all Ages concerning any point in controversie or concerning the meaning of any controverted Scripture gives us good encouragement to believe it and to disbelieve them that oppose it because it is not probable that our gracious God would leave his Church in the dark through so many ages and never discover the Truth till now of late 8. Lastly we may know them from the direction that God himself gives us Deut. 18. ult VVhen a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not be affraid of him Those that pretend to a gift of prophecy as many have done in our age though they should by often shooting at random hit the Mark sometimes yet if they miss in anything that they foretel as we have seen it in our frequent experience this is a sure sign that the Lord hath not sent them but they speak of their own heads and we have reason to fear that they have not onely belyed the Lord in saying Thus saith the Lord Jer. 23.31 when the Lord hath not spoken but also that they have had a further design even to entice us to the embracing of their errours by these pretences Upon whomsoever we see any of these Marks we have reason to suspect them to be of those that lye in wait to deceive and therefore should avoid them and take Solomons counsel Prov. 19.27 to Cease or forbear to hear the instruction that tends to cause us to err from the ways of Wisdom To conclude I shall give you a recapitulation of what hath been spoken a little varying from my former Method You have heard 1. That there are many Winds of false doctrine stirring to try who are stable 2. That Seducers use a great deal of subtilty and diligence lying in wait to deceive 3. That a great number are by them tossed to and fro and carried about 4. That even those that are of honest affections and good lives are in danger of being ensnared by them and therefore he that thinketh he standeth should take heed lest he fall 5. That especially those that are children and weak in knowledge are in great danger and consequently that we should labour to be men and not children in understanding 6. Lastly that God hath appointed the Office of the Ministry in the Church as a special preservation from errours Now the Lord Joh. 5.29 of his Mercy grant to all of us Grace and Wisdom to search the Scriptures 1 Joh. 4.1 and to try the spirits whether they be of God and to hold fast the Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 now when so many have made shipwrack of both that so we may not be drawn away with the errour of the wicked to depart from our own stedfastness 2 Pet. 3.17 18. but may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Grant this O Lord we beseech thee through the Merits of thy dear Son and the working of thy Holy Spirit To which glorious Trinity God the Father Son and Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory world without end Amen FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR HEAVENLY WISDOM described by its seven Properties An ASSIZE SERMON Preached in the CATHEDRAL at SARVM July 9th 1665. at the Wiltshire-Assizes Before the Right Honourable his Majesties Judges of Assize and Nisi Prius for the WESTERN Circuit In the Sheriffalty and at the request of THOMAS MOMPESSON Esquire By Paul Lathom M. A. Pro. 4.7 Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get Wisdom and with all thy getting get Vnderstanding Printed by T. M. 1666. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR Heavenly WISDOM described By its Seven PROPERTIES James 3.17 But the Wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie WIsdom is the soul of Nature the eye of the Soul the light of the Eye the sun of that Light the copy of Heaven the standard of the Earth the helm of Reason the guardian of Life the glory of Men the mirror of Angels the shaddow or reflection of God himself who is as the Psalmist speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covered with Light as with a Garment Psal 104.2 It is Wisdom that makes a man Denizon of the upper Regent of the lower World correspondent of both Without which we should be but clods of moving Earth steept to dirt in Phlegm and kneaded into humane shape This general term Wisdom divides it self ut analogum in sua analogata into worldly Policy moral Prudence and Christian Wisdom Worldly Policy trades in the World as its City from whence it seems to take its name Now all that is in the world is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 2.18 or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pleasures Profits or Honours That which designes riches as its end our Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly that which designes pleasures Jam. 3.15 he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensual that which designes honour he stiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devilish because it imitates that great sin of the Devil Pride And of all worldly wisdom in general St. Paul pronounceth that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolishness before God 1 Cor. 3.19 Moral Prudence whether we take it for a practical
the hands be rough like Esau's I hope the voyce will appear to be Jacob's Whatsoever it is it tenders it self to your Lordships acceptance as a Testimony of my canonical Obedience and dutiful Respects to your Lordship as my Reverend Diocesan and much Honoured Patron Whose candid construction of this mean Present will much encourage the Authour and your good Prayers promote the success of this small piece in the ends for which it is designed That I may no longer detain your Lordship from more weighty matters in reading these lines I shall humbly take leave to break off beseeching the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls to double unto your Lordship the abundance of those Graces and Gifts of his Holy Spirit which may render you a common Good in your place here and happy in giving up the accounts of your Stewardship with much joy Which is the hearty prayer of Your Lordships most humble and ready SERVANT Paul Lathom Warmister March 1. 1665. The Contents CHAP. 1. The Soul of man in its first Creation was perfectly free from Ignorance and Errour Errours the Fruit of the Fall of our First-Parents The pernicious nature of Errours in matters of Religion Page 1. CHAP. 2. A right understanding of the Holy Scriptures is our best security against Errours We need not sail to Rome to fetch it thence Two Extreams in the interpreting of Scripture both which do dangerously tend to induce us to Errour Page 10. CHAP. 3. As in vitious Courses so also in erronious Opinions men go from bad to worse The experience of our age hath sadly confirmed this The sad pass that many are come to at this day in matters of Religion Page 25. CHAP. 4. An Introduction to the Doctrine of Christ our Mediatour shewing how far the Light of Nature will lead us toward Heaven and wherein it comes short The various acceptions of the words Christ and Mediator opened page 34. CHAP. 5. The Holy Scripture being owned by all that call themselves Christians we may therefore expect that Arguments drawn from thence should put an end to all strife The Design and Method of the four next Chapters propounded page 45. CHAP. 6. The first Proposition confirmed viz. That God did to the Fathers of the Old Testament promise to send his own Son to be Incarnate and to be a Mediator between God and Man page 49. CHAP. 7. The second Proposition confirmed viz. That the time for the accomplishment of these promises is long since past and consequently the Messiah long since come page 64. CHAP. 8. The third Proposition confirmed viz. That the same Jesus in whom we believe is the true Messiah that was promised to the Fathers page 91. CHAP. 9. The fourth Proposition confirmed viz. That the New Testament doth hold forth to us such a Christ as is truely God and Man and who did truly satisfie Gods justice for our sins page 108. CHAP. 10. Two Cautions drawn by way of Inference from the aforesaid discourses page 121. CHAP. 11. Seasonable Admonitions to those who as yet stand fast in the Faith page 134. CHAP. 12. Seasonable Admonitions to them that are either wavering or fallen from the Faith page 145. Serm. 1. The Nature and Danger of a Misguided Conscience on Act. 26.9 page 161. Serm. 2. The Subtile and Pestilent Nature of Seducers on Eph. 4.14 page 201. Serm. 3. The Properties of Heavenly Wisdom An Assize-Sermon on James 3.17 page 237. ERRATA PAge 31. line 23. for or read and. p. 126. l. 1. f. scutiny r. scrutiny p. 162. l. 23. f. ages r. eyes p. 206. l. 24. f. n Istruction r. Instruction p. 239. l. 3. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 253. l. 18. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 254. l. 2. f. frowing r. frowning Christ Crucified OR The Doctrine of the Gospel ASSERTED Against Pelagian and Socinian Errors Revived under the Notion OF NEW LIGHTS CHAP. 1. The Soul of Man in its first Creation was perfectly free from Ignorance and Error Errors the Fruit of the Fall of our first Parents The pernicious Nature of Errors in matters of Religion THe infinite Wisdom and Power of the Creator of the World did compose all things in the Universe in Number Weight and Measure Gen. 1.26 And in making Man about which the whole Sacred Trinity seems in an especial manner to consult he was pleased to shew a most Exquisite piece of his Workmanship creating him after his own Image so far as a Creature whose Nature speaks him finite was capable of representing his Creator who as he is Infinite in his Being so likewise in all Excellencies and Perfections The soul of man considered in it self as a Spiritual and Immortal substance endued with such admirable Faculties of Understanding Conscience Memory Will and Affections as it gives us great reason to say with the Psalmist Psal 139.14 that we are fearfully and wonderfully made so it affords very ample occasion for breaking forth into the high praises of the God of the spirits of all flesh Num. 27.16 and saying Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy Works In Wisdom hast thou made them all Our souls are beautiful even in those ruins into which they are fallen by transgressing the command of our Creator But how glorious were these spiritual Beings when they came first out of their Creator's hands Psal 8.5 beautiful as the Morning and little lower than the Angels Then was this little world Man like a well-ordered Kingdom where the Prince commands with singular Prudence and Justice and the people obey with a willing and submissive obsequiousness Then the Understanding did fit at the Stern with singular foresight and exactness to stear our course and the Will and Affections did with as much readiness apply themselves to follow the Dictates of Reason as one Member of our Body doth bestir it self in ministring to the necessities of another Those that fancy that there was a different inclination in the Superiour and Inferiour Faculties of the souls of our first Parents from their Creation and that it is inseparable from the Nature of man as consisting of soul and body From whence they suppose such a Conflict to have been in the soul of man between these different Motions as did dispose him to forsake his own happiness These I say might be better advised if they did duly consider what is meant by Gods making man after his own Image Gen. 1.26 For as the supream Being and first Cause of all things is in his measure that is infinitely and unconceivably perfect in all his Attributes and Works and amongst other Attributes so perfect in Knowledg and Wisdom Psal 104.2 that he is said to cover himself with Light as with a Garment and to be such a Light that in him is no Darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Even so by mans being made after the Image of his Maker we are to
this Chapter that Paul had done nothing worthy of death or of bonds by the Roman Laws though his being a Christian was very evident by his own Confession Now for the substance and scope of this Speech I shall set it before you in a few Words After the Preface vers 2.3 wherein he in sinuates into the affections of Agrippa before whom he was to plead his Cause he sets forth the manner of his former life vers 5. That he had been a Pharisee of the strictest Sect amongst the Jews and that now he did not differ from his former Principles any further than that he did believe those Promises to be already accomplished vers 6 7. which all the twelve Tribes did hope for onely they were not yet convinced that they had took effect in that Jesus whom they had put to death Then he endeavours to perswade his hearers vers 8. both of the possibility of God having raised up Christ from the dead and also of the present unbelieving Jews being mistaken in that Zeal or rather Fury which they shewed in opposing Christ and persecuting those that did profess his Name And that they might not be too confident of their being in the right he tells them that for his own part he had been formerly of the same minde with them and had spent much pains in opposing and persecuting those that believed in Jesus Christ until such time as it pleased God to work in him a saving conviction of the errour of the way he had been in which he goes on in relating in the following Verses So that the words of the Text considered with reference to what goes before are an Argument intended for the perswading of the King and the rest of the Auditory that it was possible for the Jews to be mistaken in their zeal against Christ seeing himself had been made sensible of his mistake in following their principles and being zealous for them Considered in themselves they are the Apostles acknowledgement of his former mistakes and of the misguiding of his Conscience therein he tells us that he had not in his unregenerate estate persecuted Christ and his followers out of malice but through mistake he did not believe him to be the Messiah but an Impostor and that he was bound in Conscience to do many things even the utmost that he could contrary to the Name and Profâ—ssion of Jesus of Nazareth Instead of a more exact or artificial division of the Text I shall resolve it into two Positions which the Apostle points at herein and of which he endeavours to convince his hearers 1. Pofition That a mans Conscience may be so far deluded as that he may verily think himself bound in Conscience to do that which is amiss 2. Position That this mistake or misguiding of Conscience doth not excuse those irregularities which men run into through it The consequence of these from the scope and design of the Apostle's confession concerning himself is so clear to every man that seriously observes his meaning that I shall not trouble you with spending time in making it out but presently apply my self to the opening of the Positions in order 1. Position 1 Position That a mans Conscience may be so far deluded c. As for the Latin word Conscientia and our English word Conscience some give this Etymology of it Conscientia quasi Cordis scientia but that seems too remote Or Conscientia quasi concludens scientia because it concludeth or passeth sentence for or against a mans self Or Conscientia from Con and Scire because it doth as it were joyn with God in seeing and taking cognizance of our ways The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as some observe is used about thirty times in the New Testament In the Old Testament we once meet with the word Madagna from Jadang to Know Eccles 10. ult which is there translated Thoughts or Conscience But most commonly that which in the New Testament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament is called Leb the Heart 1 Sam. 24.5 So Davids heart is said to smite him that is his Conscience and the people are exhorted to lay it to heart Mal. 2.2 that is to their Conscience And sometimes the New Testament useth the same word as If our hearts condemn us 1 Joh. 3. â—0 God is greater than our hearts c. We have seen the Quid nominis Now for the Quid rei Conscience may be described thus It is a power or faculty of the practical part of mans Vnderstanding whereby we are enabled to judge of our selves and our actions according to the Rule of the Law of God In this Description there are five terms worthy our consideration 1. The Genus of Conscience is a Power or Faculty That Conscience cannot so properly be stiled either an Act or an Habit I think is plain enough and therefore it is most properly termed a Power or Faculty wherewith God hath endowed the Soul of Man But in the Scriptures as Faith and Love are sometimes used to signifie the Habits of those Graces and sometimes the exercise of them So Conscience is sometimes 〈◊〉 for the actings or dictates of Conscience as when the Apostle tells the people That he had lived in all good Conscience Acts 23.1 that is according to the dictates of Conscience sometimes for the Power or Faculty from whence these actings proceed as when he saith He had exercised himself herein Acts 24.16 to have alwayes a Conscience void of Offence 2. The Seat of Conscience is said to be in the practical part of our Understanding It is peculiar to understanding Creatures to have a Conscience and the more clear any mans Understanding is caeteris paribus the more refined are the motions of Conscience in him And that Conscience is seated rather in the Understanding then in the Will is evident in that Conscience will many times do its office though the Will do hang back never so much And further we say 't is seated in the practical Understanding because as the office of the speculative Understanding is to judge of Truth and Errour so the practical judgeth of Good and Evil 3. The Office of Conscience is to judge The judgement that Conscience passeth may be conceived to be in such a way as this What the Scripture approves is good and to be followed But the Scripture doth approve this Therefore it is good and to be followed What the Scripture condemns is evil and to be avoided But the Scripture condemns suâ—â— and such courses Therefore they are evil and to be avoided Some Divines say that in the major proposition Conscience is Lex Though I think that expression not to be very proper because Conscience doth not lay down this Law by its own Authority but takes it from the Word of God yet so as to assent to the Authority of it and in this respect Conscience is sometimes called 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it keepeth the Law of God in our mindes In the Minor Proposition Conscience is called Testis In the Conclusion Judex 4. The Object of this Judgement is both our selves and our actions Concerning our selves or our own Condition towards God Conscience passeth judgement in this sort The Scripture saith He that truely repenteth of his sins and resteth by Faith upon the Merits of Jesus Christ is in the way to Eternal life but he that goeth on still in his trespasses obstinately and securely is in the broad way that leads to the Chambers of death Now accordingly as Conscience findes our Condition to be either penitent or impenitent so it pronounceth us to be either in a good or bad way Concerning our actions Conscience passeth Sentence partly before we enter upon them and as it findes them either agreeing with or contrary to the will of God so it either encourageth us to them or disswades us from them partly afterward and then by the same rule of the agreeing of our actions to the Will of God or opposing of it so Conscience doth either accuse or excuse and commend us for what we have done 5. The Rule by which Conscience ought to proceed in judging of our Persons and Actions is the Law of God This Law is either that which was written upon mans heart which though sadly defaced by the Fall yet some remainders of it are to be found in all men and according to this the Heathen that know no other Law Rom. 2.14 15. are to judge of their actions or else that which is written in the Holy Scriptures and according to this all of us should judge our selves and our actions It will not be sufficient that our Consciences speak peace to us and tell us that our actions are good and our selves in a good estate except this judgement of Conscience be grounded upon the Word of God For if we hold Conscience to be the supream Judge and that we are to attend wholly to it without looking to any other Rule hence will follow a twofold absurdity 1. Hence it will follow that Conscience is infallible and so those that bestow so much Zeal in crying out against one Antichrist will set up many Infallibles in his stead even as many as be of this Opinion But that Conscience is not infallible may be evident by this that one mans Conscience doth at least in pretence dictate that which is quite contrary to the dictates of another mans Conscience and therefore one of them must needs be supposed to be in a mistake and consequently not infallible 2. It will also follow that a man would alwaies do right when he acts according to the dictates of Conscience But that this is not true is sufficiently evident by the example of St. Paul here before us who before his Conversion did verily think himself bound in Conscience to do what he did against Jesus Christ but this did not bear him out in it as you will see more fully anon You see then the Nature and Office of Conscience which will open our way for setting before you the dangerous mistakes of Conscience The office of Conscience you have heard is to take cognizance of and pass a judgement upon our actions according to the Rule of Gods Law so as to encourage or discourage us before we enter upon them and to accuse or excuse us after we have done them And herein chiefly lies the mischievous mistake of Conscience that either it self doth erre by mistaking its Rule and thereby comes to pass a wrong judgement upon our actions or else which may as probably be imagined something else intrudes into the Office of Conscience on purpose to deceive us by encouraging us to that which is evil and disswading us from that which is good accusing us when we have done that which is good and commendable and excusing us when we have done that which is evil and unwarrantable And by this means men are not onely drawn to evil courses but encouraged and hardned in them whilst they conceit themselves to follow the motions of Conscience though all the while they are doing that which is quite contrary to a good Conscience Now there are especially three things that are ready to step into the seat of Conscience and to delude us into a belief that we are led by Conscience when we are stirred up by a worse principle and do those things which are contrary to the right dictates of Conscience 1. Sometimes the strength of Fancy or Imagination usurps the office of Conscience and makes men believe they are prompted by Conscience to do such and such things when it is nothing but Fancy that hurries them forward It is strange to observe how powerful Imagination is not onely to carry men violently forward in their motions but also to disguise it self so subtilly that men will strongly conceit themselves not to be conceited in what they do If we look to the Sanguin-Fancies that proceed from such a Constitution of the Body how many remarkable stories have we both of the Anabaptists in Germany and of many Ranters and Libertines in England who under the lowd cry of Conscience and Liberty of Conscience have onely hunted for game to satisfie the foul lust of Uncleanness Yea and made the filly people of the world if not themselves among the rest to believe that even uncleanness it self should not be filthy nor unlawful while it did gratifie persons so highly in the favour of God as they were confident to pronounce themselves to be It is not indeed so strange as it is sad that such persons have prevailed so far as to impose upon many of the injudicious Vulgar with these pretences but that they could so far delude themselves as to conceit that they were acted by Conscience and by the Spirit of God in these courses seems a very great Wonder The chiefest Reason I can give of the prevalency of this delusion is that these Fancies move them with so much violence and impetuousness being helped forward by Satan who watcheth all opportunities to ensnare the soul that the poor deluded soul is ready to conceit it self to be moved by some extraordinary impulse of the Spirit of God and so gives it self up confidently to the lustful embracing of a Cloud in the shape of Juno And for that other humour of Melancholy 't is strange to observe the effects of it upon the Fancy this useth to beget sowre and sad fancies And the stories which Physitians and Historians relate concerning the effects hereof are so strange that they would seem incredible to vulgar ears And doubtless in many 't is a sowre and melancholick temper of body and pride together that is the cause of their severe inclination to dislike and find fault with what soever is practised by others and to effect a strange and uncouth way of living under the notion of Mortification and Denying of themselves And in good people