out and if I love God I may thereby be sure that God loves me p 1 John 4.19 But Lord so far as I am able by searching to know my own heart I desire nothing more then to come q Jerem. 3.21 to Christ to receive Christ r John 1.11 to be one with Å¿ Gal. 2.20 Christ to be conformable to Christ t Heb 2.11 And Lord I dare say with Peter thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee u John 21.17 if prizing thee above all things in the world w Psal 73.25 if restless longing x Psal 119.20 for further acquaintance and more inward y Psal 106.4 communion if pantings after the secrets of thy z Psalm 25.14 presence fear of nothing more then to offend thee a Psal 119 1â—0 be infallible evidences of sincere love then I dare appeal unto thee that I love thee Therefore Lord perswade my soul thankefully to acknowledge that 't is in a safe condition On the contrary Thus Lord thou hast told me that if I live after the flesh I shall b Rom. 8.13 die But my heart life undeniably evidence that I mind nothing but carnality Therefore Lord convince me that there 's but a step c Job 21.13 but a d Psal 146.4 breath between me and everlasting death Thus Christians do but suffer and help your Conscience to do its office and then shall you have rejoycing in your selves alone and not in e Gal 6.4 another i. e. you will finde cause of rejoycing in the testimony of your own Conscience and not in others thinking you to be better then you are nor in your thinking your selves to be better then others Thus you have the offices of Conscience I come in the last place to speak of 4. The kinds of Conscience I know are coÌ„monly reduced to these 4. f Bâ—rn de consc p 1107. viz. Good quiet Good and troubled Evil and quiet Evil and troubled But intending the resolution of the Case before me in speaking to Conscience under the several kinds of it I shall speak to 8 kinds of Consciences The two first viz. the sleepy and the seared Conscience are peculiar to the worst of men The 4. next viz. the erring doubting scrupulous trembling Consciences are almost indifferent to good bad only the 2 former have a greater bias to bad and the 2 latter have a greater tendency to Good but the 2 last kinds viz. The Good and Honest and the Good and quiet Consciences are peculiar to Gods choisest favourites In treating of these I shall endeavour to acquaint you with the nature of each g But here I must say with Aug. non possum ut volo expl care quod sentio tamen quid moliar dicere peto ut non exâ—ectatis verbis meis sagac ssime si potâ—stis intelligatis Odi definire nam facilius est mihi videre in alterius definitione quod non probem quam quicquaÌ„ bene definiendo explicare Aug. T. 1. l. 2 de Ord. c 1. 2 p. 671. how to cure the evill how to obtain the good and hereby the Application will be entwisted with the Explication throughout my discourse I. The first and one of the worst kinds of Consciences in the world is the sleepy Conscience 1. The sleepy Conscience such is the Conscience of every unconverted person that is not yet under horrour their h Rom. 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius in loc spirit i. e. their Conscience is asleep that as bodily sleep bindeth up all the senses and animal spirits so this spiritual or rather unspiritual sleepiness bindeth up the soul from all sense i Privatio omnis sensus judicij Illyr In pâ—aed loc of the evill of sin and want of grace and therefore in conversion Christ doth awaken k Ephe 5 1â— the Conscience The Disciples of Christ have their spirits waking when their bodies l Matth. 26 41 are slumbring i e. they have a gracious habit of watchfulness when they are overtaken with some carnal acts of sleepiness Christ complains of unkindness m Cantic 5.2 that his Spouse sleeps in the morning when he knocks for early entertainment but the unconverted let Christ stand knocking all the day till supper time n Revel 3 20. they will spend their day with their lusts and if Christ will knock and wait till the day of their life be almost spent then they 'l pretend to open but how long must God call How long o Pro. 6.9 10. wilt thou sleep O sluggard when wilt thon arise out of thy sleep and they 'l answer Yet p Concessio ironica ethopaeiam habens pigroruÌ„ elegantissimam Jun in loc q. videmus conscientiaÌ„ veluti veterno aut lethargo aliquam diu sepultaÌ„ c. Episcop Inst theol l 1. c. 3. p. 11. Causes a little sleep a litle slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep The plain truth is thougn wicked men cannot quite stifle their consciences q yet their Consciences do but as it were talke in their sleep and they take no more notice of them then they do of their dreams Causes of a sleepy Conscience are besides the sluggishness of our depraved natures 1. A spiritual intoxicâ—tion all unconverted persons are drunk with the love of sin and therein behave themselves like Solomons r Prov. 23.34 35. Jacet in corona charchâ—sij i. e. Galea ubi maxima seÌ„titur maris agitatio Jun in loc â—ras the vulg Version which may serve for a paraphrase quasi sopitus gubernator amisso clavo i. usu rationis Tit. drunkard that lies down to sleep in the heart of the sea or upon the top of a mast in the very midst of the greatest soul danger He doth that daily which Jonah did once run away from Gâ—d and then composeth himself to sleep Å¿ Jonah â— 5 when God is pursuing him with judgments and dreams of nothing but impunity happines Love of sin is the Devils Opium whereby he casts the Conscience into a dead sleep that no arm but of Omnipotency can waken it He meets with something in the world which he likes better then the holy ways of God and therefore will not seek God t Ps 10.4 5 11 13. Justitiam ut ille apud Platonem Thrasymachus appellat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elegantem stultitiam they sleep then aiunt deum dormire aut oblituÌ„ esse eorum quae fiant in terris c. Aug. Steuch Eug. Enar. in loc Gods ways are always grievous to him he hath said in his heart I shall not be moved God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it he contemns God saith in his heart thou wilt not require it They wink and then conclude God doth not see them 2. Carnal conceits of grace and heaven At the best humane wisdom is their highest Guide
perplexa omnis quod viri gravissimi jam olim conquesti sunt de animae intellectivae potentiis facultatibus disquisitioâ— quae capere se putant quidem suo modo capiunt illiteratâ—ssimi quique homunciones haec ipsa non capiunt acutissimi philosophi quâ in re nequeo satis admirari Dei Opt. Max. infinitam Sapientiam retundentis hoc pacto humanam superbiam repraesentantis mortalibus velut in speculo inanem illam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qua sibi videntur aliquid esse cum nihil sint miserè decipiâ—ntes cor suum p. 35. 36. that doth not further the design I drive at viz. an universall and exact conscientiousness For Conscience the Hebrews ordinarily make use of two words viz. Heart and Spirit Heart in Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor tuum i. e. keep thy Conscience with all diligence and so in the New Testament 1 John 3 20. If our Heart k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e if our Conscience condemn us Spirit in Pro. 18.14 A wounded Spirit l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a wounded Conscience who can bear and so in the New Testament 1 Cor. 2.11 What knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of man i. e. the Conscience of Man that is in him But in English as also in the Greek n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Latine o Con-scientia whence we borrow it 't is called Conscience knowledge with another which excellently sets forth the Scripturall nature of it as Job 16.19 My witnesse is in heaven and Rom. 9 1. I say the truth my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost In both places q.d. God witnesseth with my Conscience p Sanderson ibidem postea sâ—arsim Conscience is placed in the middle under God and above man q Perkins Vol 2 l. 1. p. 11. I will close this with Brochmand's description of Conscience r Brochmand T. 1. Art 1 c. 3. q 2. p. 7. to be a kind of silent reasoning of the Mind whose definitive sentence is received by some affection of the Heart whereby those things which are judged to be good and right are approved of with dâ—light but those things which are evill and naught are disapproved with grief and sorrow God hath placed this in all men partly to be a judgement and testimony of that integrity to which man was at first created and of that corruption that followed sin partly that God may have a Tribunal erected in the breasts of me to accuse delinquents and to excuse those that do what is good and right 2. The Object of conscience is very various conscience hath great employment Å¿ Mr. Bernard of cons p. 56. seqq and much businesse with the whole man and with all his actions 't is like those living creatures in the Revelation all over eyes it looks to the understanding t 2 Cor. 1.12 whether our wisdome be carnal or gracious to the will u Roman 7.18 whether it goe beyond or fall short in ability of good performances to the affections x Rom. 9.1.2 whether the entertainment or refusal of the Gospel be the matter of greatest joy or sorrow It pryes into all our actions both towards God and man Towards God whether in general our estate be good y Heb. 9.14 in speciall whether our service be inward z 2 Tim. 1.3 Spiritual or onely outward a Heb. 9 9. formal More particularly it surveighs all our duties whether we pray in faith b Heb. 10.22 whether we heare with profit c 1 Tim. 3.9 whether through our Baptisme we can goe unto God as unto an Oracle d 1 Pet. 3.21 Interp. 72. vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utuntur quando in V.T. Israelitae dicuntur interrogare os domini baptismus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 responsio bonae conscientiae etiaÌ„ interrogatio apud Deum quia audet cum fiducia DeuÌ„ accedere interrogare hoc est cum eo collâ—qui cumque rogare pro seâ—t aliis Geâ—hard l. c. T 4. de Sacram p. 180. § 88. whether in the Lords Supper we have singular Communion with Christ e Cor. 10.15.16 in short whether we doe and will stick close to Religion f 1 Pet. 3.15.16 as knowing that if Conscience doe not steer right Religion will be Shipwrakt g 1 Tim. 1.19 Thus duties towards God are the great object of Conscience but duties towards man are the Secundary and like unto it Towards man in our whole conversation h Acts 23.1 Particularly that we be obedient to rulers i Rom. 13.5 and that which is in one place charged upon us for Conscience sake is in another place commanded for the Lords sake k 1 Pet. 2.13 in short that we be just in all our dealings l Heb. 13 18. avoyding all justly offensive things m 1 Cor. 10.29 words n 1 Kings 2.44 thoughts o Psa 73.15.16 that we express singular charity p 1 Tim. 1 51 especialy to soules q Rom 9.1.2 and this in prayer r 2 Tim. 1.3.4 when we can doe nothing else and Conscience doth not onely do all this at present urging to duty or shooting or tingling under the commision of sin but it foresees things future provoking to good and cautioning against evill and also looks back upon things past with joy or torment so that it is easier to reckon what is not the object of conscience then what is in a word Every thing of duty and sin is the object of Conscience 3. The Offices of Conscience are likewise various In general the proper Office of Conscience is discursively to apply that light which is in the mind unto particular actions or cases The light which is in the mind is either the light of Nature or the light of Divine Revelation By the light of Nature I understand those common notions which are written in the hearts of men which as a brand pluckt out of the common burning are the reliques of the Image of God after the fall Not onely Scripture but experience evidenceth that those which are practical Atheists that say unto god depart from us Å¿ Job 21.14.15 we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes yet cannot get rid of his Deputy their Conscience they carry a Spy a Register a Monitor in their bosome that doth accuse and trouble them they cannot sin in quiet t Quod egi in corpore hoc post modum importuna cogitatione verso in mente muâ—toties gravius torqueor in recordatione quam prius captus fuerem operis perpetratione Bern. de inteâ— dom c. 30 p. 1074. Those that are without or Reject the Sun-shine of Scripture yet they canot blow out Gods Candle u Prov. 20 17. of Conscience By Divine revelation I meane
5. To make us strive to be more spiritual 6. To little lesse then force us to live more upon Christ but you must take the other rule if you would have these benefits 2. Do what possibly you can to get z Vide Bress l. 6. c. 2-5 rid of your scruples but if you cannot get rid of them act against them 'T is not only lawfull but necessary to go against a scrupulous Conscience or you will never have neither grace nor peace Should a Christian forbear praying or receiving the Sacrament every time his scrupulous Conscience tells him he had better wholly omit the duty then perform it in such a manner you would soon find to your sorrow the mischief of your scruples but grace will not leave him to his scrupulous humour Be resolute therefore and tell the Devil that as you do not perform your duty at his command so neither will you omit it at his bidding Do by religious duties as they that are afraid to go by water or to go over a narrow bridg they cease to fear when they have gone often over so by the performance of duties your scrupulous fears will vanish Act against your scruples 1. Positively by disputing them down and opposing their reasons 2. Negatively by slighting of them and not hearkning to them In short In all necessary known duties alwayes do what you can when you can't do what you would VI. The trembling Conscience is that which is disquieted a Dorotheus compares our consciences to those pits that Abraham digged and the Philistines stopped them with earth Gen. 26.50 Ob peccatum ut in aqua caenosa turbida nemo potest in ea vultum suum contemplari B. P. T. 4. p. 769. The trembling Consc and distressed with the apprehended hazard of the Soul's condition that doth nothing but accuse and condemn affright the Soul This of any needs least enlargement for every one that feels it is rhetoricall enough in expressing it There 's a twin-cause of a trembling Conscience viz. Sense of sin b Psalm 51.3 Psalm 40 12. Cause fear of wrath c Psal 38.2 8 Psal 88.3 c. Never sin like mine never heart like mine never case like mine Such are the constant complaints of a troubled spirit I meddle not now with that horrour of Conscience that follows prostigate d Nèmo a se extra se curret nullus sui asylum habet Eus Nieremberg de a t. vol. l. 2. p. 158. wretches I shall speak something of it toward the close nothing now For cure Cuâ—e I can give but hints Never keep the Devils counsell Break through all carnall reasonings to acquaint your selves with some faithfull spirituall Physitian or experienced Christian that may shew you the methods of divine grace and what others e 1 Cor. 10.13 have successfully done that have been just in your condition This premised 1. Notwithstanding yea in the midst of your saddest complaints Blesse God for an awakened conscience while there 's hopes of cure It is a good rule Be not too quick in administring comforts but we cannot be too quick in provoking f Read 1 Thes 5.18 with the verses next before and after to thankefulnesse If you can at present be thankfull that you are out of hell you shall e're long be thankfull for assurance of heaven This rule may seem strange but upon experience it's practice will discover it's excellency 2. Observe 't is Gods usuall method to bring the soul through these perplexities to the most solid spirituall peace Augustine g Instabas tu in occultis meis Domine severa misericordia flagella ingeminans timoris pudoris ne rursus cessarem jaÌ„ penè faciebam non faciebam sentiebam me ab iniquitatibus teneri jactabam voces miserabiles quamdiu quamdiu cras cras quare non modo quare non hac hora finis turpitudinis meae Aug. Conf. l. 9. c. 11 12. excellently expresseth his spirituall conflict how God followed him with severe mercy till he made him instant for thorow-holinesse God kept him trembling that he might leave dallying in soul-concernments Believe it Christian God is now storing thee with experiences which will be a usefull treasury throughout thy life Therefore 3. Do but hold on h 1 Cor. 15 8. Nihil tibi utiliuifâ—re scias quaÌ„ ut cum profunda quadam ac forti resignatione teipsum deo humiliter resignes in omnibus quae tibi evenerint Sive dulcia ea fuerint sive amara sive delectent sive crucient ita ut dicere possis O deus adorande etiamsi in hac viâ—a istaque pressura ad extremum usque judicij diem permanendum mihi foret te tamen haudquaquam deserere vellem sed constanter perpetuóque tibi adhaererem c. Thauler in histor vit p. 16. in the vigorous use of all means of Grace and reckon Gods keeping thee from turning thy back upon his ways when thou hast no comfort in them the secret supports he gives which thou tak'st no notice of count these for evidences that the Spirit is at work in thy heart and for pledges that he will perfect his own work e g. Count thy growing importunity in prayer or sorrowful complaint for the want of it a gracious answer of that prayer which thou thinkst is disregarded Count thy watching for a word to direct and support thee a notable efficacy of that word which thou countest doth thee no good Count thy restless dissatisfaction with every thing on this side God to be a love-token from God to assure thee that God will be thy satisfying portion and in the interim aske those well-grown christians that are now in the spiritually-sensible embraces of divine love whether they are not glad that God formerly took that course with them which he now takes with thee to bring them to these joyes Be encouraged therefore though thou hast a sorrowfull i Psal 126.5 6. seed-time thou shalt have a joyfull harvest Thus having spoken of those kinds of Conscience that are either evill or troublesome and how to cure them I now come to those desirable kinds of Conscience that next to Deity and heavenly Glory admit no hyperbole in their commendation viz. the good honest Conscience and the good peaceable Conscience and how to obtain them VII That Conscience is good in respect of its integrity The good honest Consc which gives a right judgement of every thing according to the word of God I grant that the law of Nature binds k Rom. 2.14 Ecclesiastical laws binde l Mat. 23.2 3. and Politicall laws binde m Rom. 13.5 but the Word of God is the principall rule n Norma principalissima c. Konig p. 3 4. which precisely binds the conscience in regard of it's Author o James 4.12 There is one law-giver who is able to save and to destroy Feare p Mat. 10.28 not them
which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell VIII That conscience is a good peaceable conscience that excuseth q 1 Cor. 4.4 The good quiet Conscience absolveth r Heb. 10.2 and comforteth Å¿ 2 Cor. 1.12 as it ought that conscience that 's pacified t Heb. 9.14 by the blood of Christ that doth as Moulin u Moulin the comfort of a CommunicaÌ„t p. 37. relates of a dying man to whom some say the Devil appeared and shewed him a parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the sins of the poor sick man which were many in number and that there were also written the idle words he had spoken which made up three quarters of the words that he had spoken in his life and his actions digested according to the Commandements Whereupon Satan said Seest thou behold thy vertues see here what thine examination shall be whereunto the poor sinner answered It is true Satan but thou hast not set down all for thou shouldest have added and set down here below the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and this also should not have been forgotten That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life But how shall we get such consciences Christians be but perswaded to practice these or such directions and your Consciences will certainly be right and seasonably be comfortable 1. Take heed of every sinne w 2 Cor. 8.21 count no sin small x Matth. 5.21 22.27 28. Scrue up your obedience to every y Matth. 22.37 38. command to the highest Ferret out every sin to the most secret z Rom. 7.7 corruption When you have set your watch against the first risings of sin beware of the borders of sin shun the very a 1 Thes 5.22 appearance of evill Venture not upon occasions b Prov. 4.15 27. Facile agitur quod libenter auditur Bern. de inter dom pa. 1082. or temptations to sin those that dare venture upon occasions as children upon the ice c Prov. 7.8 Numb 25.2 shall find there 's alwayes danger never any good Morality it self will teach d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 4â—7 you this lesson to keep clear of evil if ever you would either be good or enjoy it but seeing as on the one hand there cannot be truth of grace and truce with sin so on the other hand while grace is imperfect sin will have and make us feel it hath a Being There 's not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not e Eccles 7.20 therefore II. Forthwith set upon the healing duty of repentance and upon every slip into sin renew it f Peccator omnium notarum cùm sim nec ulli rei nisi paenitentiae natus Tertul de poenit p. 121. c. 12. speedily renew it O that I could snatch you out of your state of impenitency and perswade you to daily actual repentance To those that are resolved to delay their repentance I have sometimes given counsel suitable to such resolutions viz. the next sickness that seizeth upon you chide it away tell your disease you can't awhile to be sick say to it as Paul to Foelix g Acts â—4 25 Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee If death summon thee tell it you will not obey its summons you have other business to do than to dye you have estates unsetled and children unprovided for and you would repent too before you die but you can't yet awhile If this will not serve but die you must charge your souls before they go out of your bodies not to come near the prison of impenitent persons charge your friends to lock up your bodies so safe or bury them so deep that all the Angels in Heaven may not be able to dragg them to judgement But alass my Brethren do you not think this wild counsell and well you may Yet unless you could do something aequivalent to what this counsel amounts to you are mad to defer your repentance What! cannot I keep pain from my body nor the use of reason in my Soul one minute and shall I continue in my impenitency that will damn me the very moment of my death I beseech you therefore for your own Souls sake that you may not be guilty of the worst self-murder i. e. soul-murder speedily set vpon repentance And those of you that have repented let your repentance daily supplant sin by taking it by the heel certainly to lame it though you can not take it by the head utterly to kill it Though we can't be innocent h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazienz T. 1. orat 15. p. 225. 236. let 's be poenitent and be very careful never to return i Confessio peccati professio est desinendi c. Hilar. in Psal 137 p. 595. to sins repented of That you may be serious in both these III. Compose thy self to live as under Gods eye live as in the more then sensible presence of the Jealous God Remember all things are naked and bare before him you cannot deceive him for he is infinite wisdom you cannot fly from him for he is every where you cannot bribe him for he is righteousness it self Keep therefore fresh apprehensions of God in your thoughts speak as knowing God hears you walk as knowing k Talem te prepa a ut tecum adsit Deus sit in ore sit in corde semper tecum eat tecuÌ„ redeat nec recedat a te Nuâ—quam â—lle te d mittet nisi p ior illum dimiseris ubicunque fueris nunquam solus esse poteris si Deus tecum erit Bern. de in t dom p. 1065. c. 5. 1091. c 66. God is nearer to you then you are to your selves The l 2 Chron. 15 1 Lord is with you while you are with him i. e. you shall enjoy his favourable presence while you live in his awfull presence There 's one Psalm which 't were well if Christians would do by it as Pythagoras m Refert Galenus reâ—itasse se sub initium et finem cujusqueâ—â—ei Elâ—chmaâ—â—us Epil Edit p. 15 by his golden precepts every morning and evening repeat it 't is Davids n Molleâ— in loc appeal of a good Conscience unto God against the malicious suspitions and calumnies of men Do you but thus praesentiate God unto your selves and God will attest your integrity Psalm 139. v. 1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me q. d. O Lord thou art the heart-searching God who perfectly knows all the thoughts counsells studies endeavours and actions of all men and therefore mine vers 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thought afar off q d. thou knowest my rest and motion
towards the poor and necessitous ingenuity towards the ignorant and unskilful moderation towards all men 7. Where you have any doubt about the equity of your dealings chuse the safest part and that which will certainly bring you peace For not only a good conscience but a quiet conscience is to bee valued above gain Therefore in matters of duty do the most in matters of priviledge and divisions of right and proportions of gain where there is any doubt chuse the least for this is alwaies safe Thus I have layed down the Rule and explain'd it and have given as particular directions as I could safely adventure to do I must now leave it to every man to apply it more particularly to himself and to deal faithfully with his own conscience in the use of it Circumstances which vary Cases are infinite therefore when all is done much must bee left to the Equity and Chancery of our own breasts I have not told you how much in the Pound you may gain and no more nor can I A man may make a greater gain at one time than another of the same thing hee may take those advantages which the change of things and the providence of God gives him using them moderately A man may take more of some persons than of others provided a man use all men righteously hee may use some favorably But I have on purpose forborn to descend to too many particularities among other reasons for the sake of Sir Thomas Mores observation concerning the Casuists of his time who hee saith by their too particular resolutions of Cases did not teach men non peccare not to sin but did shew them quà m prope ad peccatum liceat accedere sine peccato how near men might come to sin and yet not sin The Uses I shall make of all this are these two 1. Use Let us not revenge our selves The rule is not wee should do to others as they do to us but as wee would have them to do to us as if it were on purpose to prevent revenge Saint Luke forbids revenge from this rule Luke 6.31 32. For if you love them that love you c. But love your enemies Revenge is the greatest offence against this rule for hee that revengeth an injury hath received one hee that hath received one knows best what that is which hee would not have another to do to him the nature of evil and injury is better known to the patient than to the agent men know better what they suffer than what they do hee that is injur'd feels it and knows how greivous it is and will hee do that to another 2. Use Let mee press this rule upon you Live by it in all your carriage and dealings with men let it bee present to you Aske your selves upon every occasion would I that another should deal thus with mee and carry himself thus towards mee But I shall press this chiefly as to justice and righteousness in our Commerce It is said that Severus the Emperour caused this Rule to bee written upon his palace Lampridius and in all publick places let it bee writ upon our houses and shops and exchanges This exhortation is not altogether improper for this Auditory you that frequent these exercises seem to have a good sense of that part of Religion which is contain'd in the first Table do not by your violations of the second marre your obedience to the first do not prove your selves Hypocrites in the first Table by being wicked in the second give not the World just cause to say that you are ungodly because they finde you to bee unrighteous but manifest your love to God whom you have not seen by your love to your Brother whom you have seen and if any man wrong his Brother hee cannot love him Do not reject or despise this exhortaton under the contemptuous Name of Morality Our Saviour tells us this is a cheif part of that which hath ever been accounted Religion in the World It is the Law and the Prophets and hee by injoyning it hath adopted it into Christianity and made it Gospel Wee should have an especial love to this precept not only as it is the dictate of nature and the Law of Moses not only as it is a Jewish and Gentile principle but as it is of the household of Faith When the young man told Christ that hee had kept the Commandements from his youth it is said Jesus loved him Mark 10.20 21 where-ever wee have learned to despise morality Jesus loved it when I read the Heathen writers especially Tully and Seneca and take notice what precepts of morality and Lawes of kindness are every where in their writings I am ready to fall in love with them How should it make our blood to rise in many of our faces who are Christians to heare with what strictness Tully determines Cases of conscience Offic. Lib. 3. and how generously hee speaks of equity and justice towards all men Societatis arctissimum vinculum est magis arbitrari esse contra naturam hominem homini detrahere sui commodi causâ quà m omnia incommoda subire This is the strongest bond of society to account it to bee more against nature for any man to wrong another for his own advantage than to undergoe the greatest inconveniences And again Non enâ—m mihi est vita mei utilior quam animi talis effectu neminem ut violem commodi mei gratiâ Nor is my life more dear and profitable to mee than such a temper and disposition of minde as that I would not wrong any man for my own advantage Again Tollendum est in rebus contrahendis omne mendacium No kinde of lying must bee used in bargaining And to mention no more Nec ut emat melius nec ut vendat quicquam simulabit aut dissimulabit vir bonus A good man will not counterfeit or conceal any thing that hee may buy the cheaper or sell the dearer And yet further to check our proneness to despise moral Righteousness I cannot but mention an excellent passage to this purpose which I have met with in a learned man of our own Nation Two things saith hee make up a Christian a true faith and an honest conversation Mr. â—ales and though the former usually gives us the Title the latter is the surer for true profession without an honest conversation not only saves not but increaseth our weight of punishment but a good life without true profession though it brings us not to Heaven yet it lessens the measure of our Judgement so that a moral man so call'd is a Christian by the surer side And afterwards I confess saith hee I have not yet made that proficiency in the schooles of our age as that I could see why the second Table and the Acts of it are not as properly the parts of Religion and Christianity as the Acts and observations of the first if I mistake then it is St. James
and jewels into the Sea another eagerly drinking down that which you knew to be the juice of Toads and Spiders or hugging a Viper and Scorpion in his bosome anothe stabbing himself in the breast another laughing at and licking his own plague sores and all of them reviling cursing striking spitting in the face and stabbing at the heart of those that any wayes endeavour to hinder them from destroying themselves or that will not do as they do and be as mad as themselves should we not pity them and with grief of heart say Wo is me that I live among such Why Sirs He that hath had any serious thoughts of Eternity that hath soberly considered the worth of an immortal soul that believes the Holiness Justice and Power of God that understands the evill of sin what a plague what a venome what a dagger at the sinners own heart sin is he cannot but see and know that every ungodly prophane sinner is much more an object of highest compassion than any I have now mentioned and therefore cannot but cry out Wo is me c. 3. It is a trouble to good men to sojourn c. with reference to themselves and their own concernments because they are sensible that such a condition layes them open to a great deal of danger and that 1. In regard of their graces for the want of the society of good men and the Ordinances of the Gospel is like the want of dew and rain to the grass or food to the body and therefore those who have tasted of the sweetness and fatness Psal 36.8.65.4 and know what a blessedness 't is to be satisfied with the goodness of Gods house cannot but mourn over the want of Gospel-Ordinances as the presence of the Sun beams make the flowers to be fresh and beautifull and yield a fragrant smell whereas the want thereof makes them look pale and wan and hang the head even so the enjoyment of good society and Gospel-Ordinances makes the graces of a beleever amiable and lovely and give forth their pleasant smell the want of which makes them very much to droop and languish And then on the other side the society of wicked men the venome and poyson of an evill example the alluring flatteries of the world on one hand and its frowns and threatnings on the other hand are of great force to nip and blast to dead and dull the graces of good men And therefore he who knows the worth and value of true grace that accounts it his riches his treasure his jewel his life Luke 12.21 and is sensible how much depends upon the life and vigour of Grace and Religion in his soul and understands how destructive the want of Gospe-Ordinances and the company of evil men are to his graces may well cry out Wo is me that I sojourn c. 2. In regard of their persons and the concernments of this life the enmity that is in the seed of the Serpent against the seed of the Woman doth not onely put forth it self in endeavours to ruine or weaken their graces but also to destroy their persons wicked mens malice against that spiritual life of grace in good men which themselves do not partake of doth soon improve into malice also against that natural humane life which themselves are also partakers of their desires to suck the blood as I may so say of good mens souls graces makes them delight to suck the blood of their bodies witness Cain 1 Joh. 3.12 the first that learnt this bloody trade by killing his brother for no other cause but because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous witness also Ahab and Jezabel Manasseh c. but the foul-mouthed witness to this black and sad rruth is the scarlet bloody Whore of Babylon Rev. 17.6 who is drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and therefore in Gods due time she shall have blood to drink those therefore who understand what an hellish fire of rage is in the hearts of wicked men how great their malice is against goodness and good men and what combustible matter our life and the comforts of this life be so far as they value these mercies have reason with David to cry out Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech c. And now the wofull condition of those that are deprived of Gospel Ordinances and sojourn where heavenly Mâ—nna doth not fall and who dwell among and converse with wicked and ungodly men as it calls upon us to bless God when it is not so with us and to pity and pray for those who have reason to take up such a complaint as David here doth so also to bethink our selves what we ought to do if the case were ours for you know the life of a Christian is very oft and very fitly in Scripture compared to a warfare and surely he is but a mean souldier and never like to come off with victory and triumph who doth not prepare himself for all kinde of assaults and doth not labour to fortifie every passage whereat he may be stormed and therefore 't is good for us to make the condition of others our own so that this question or practical case of conscience will offer it self to our consideration Quest How shall those Merchants and others keep up the life of Religion who while they were at home enjoyed all Gospel-Ordinances but being abroad are not onely deprived of them but liable to the Inquisition and other wayes of persecution for their Religion Before I answer the Case I shall a little open it and lay down some preparatory propositions for the right understanding of it and then direct our practise By Religion we do not understand any outward way or form any pomp and gayeties in worshipping God but such a due sense of our dependance upon a good and gracious almighty holy God for our being and well-being both in time and to eternity as doth powerfully engage the soul heartily to love God and sincerely to serve him in obeying his good and holy commands made known to us By the life of Religion we may understand either 1. The truth and reality of it in the soul in opposition to a soul dead in sin or 2. The vigour activity and livelinesse of Religion in opposition to a dead dull languid principle and both may be well included in the Question for as we are all concerned to endeavour by all fit and lawfull means not only to have our bodies kept from rotting and putrifying by the salt of a living soul but to have them active and vigorous sit for the employments of a naturall life Salillum animae Plaut and not stupified with lethargies and benumming palsies even so we ought to endeavour not only that our souls may be quickned with a true principle of Religion but that we may have such a lively vigorous and influencing sence of divine goodnesse upon them
THE Morning-Exercise 〈◊〉 CRIâ—â—â—â—â—ATE Several Cases of Conscience Practically Resolved by sundry Ministers September 1661. Commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 Vnicuique est liber sua conscientia ad hunc librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii inventi sunt Bernard de Inter. Dom. p. 1072. c. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polyb. Frag. p. 1029. LONDON Printed for Joshua Kirton and Nathaniel Webb and are to be sold at the Kings Arms and at the Royal Oak in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661. To my most unfeignedly Beloved Parishioners of Saint GILES Cripplegate My Dear Friends THese Sermons both preach'd and printed are the meer product of love to your Souls I never yet that I remember went thorow the Parish without some though not sutably compassionate heart-akeing yearnings towards my charge to think and oh that I could think of it according to the worth of Souls how many thousands here are posting to Eternity that within a few years will be in Heaven or Hell and I know not how so much as to aske them whither they are going While God continues me your Watchman I shall affectionately desire and sollicitously endeavour to keep my self pure from the blood of all men Acts 20.26 and that not onely for the saving of my own Soul by delivering my Message but that you also may be saved by entertaining it I am willing therefore to commend unto you some legible provocations to serious Piety and therefore have procured a contribution of help that in the multitude of Spirituall Counsellors your souls may have safety In short Prov. 11.14 my Brethren give me leave to say that if I had but the Apostles Graces to help me in the manner I can without boasting at present use the matter of his Spiritually-passionate expressions That I greatly long after you all Phil. 1.8 9 10 11. in the bowells of Jesus Christ And this I pray that your love to truth and holiness may abound yet more and more in saving knowledge and in all sound judgement That you may practically approve things that are excellent and that you may be sincerely gracious and universally without offence till the day of Christ That you may be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God These my Beloved are and shall be through Grace the constant desires and restless endeavours of Novemb. 14. 1661. Your most affectionate Soul-Servant Samuel Annesley The CASES Resolved SErmon 1. How may we be universally and exactly conscientious Acts 24.16 page 1. Sermon 2. What must and can Persons do towards their own Conversion Ezek. 18.32 p. 25 Serm. 3. How may beloved lusts be discovered and mortified Matth. 5.29 30. p. 39 Serm. 4. What Relapses are inconsistent with Grace Heb. 6.4 5 6. p. 64 Serm. 5. How may we be so spiritual as to check sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5.16 p. 83 Serm. 6. How Ministers or Christian friends may and ought to apply themselves to sick persons for theâ—r good and the discharge of their own Conscience Job 33.23 24. p. 109 Serm. 7. How must we reprove that we may not paâ—take of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 p. 161 Serm. 8. What means may be used towards the conversion of our carnal relations Rom. 10.1 p. 187 Serm. 9. What are the characters of a Souls sincere love to Christ and how may that love to him be kindled and inflamed Ephes 6.24 p. 218 Serm. 10. Wherein lies that exact Righteousnesse which is required between man and man Matth. 7.12 p. 248 Serm. 11. After what manner must we give Almes that they may be acceptable and pleasing unto God 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. p. 270 Serm. 12. If we must aime at Assurance what should they do that are not able to discern their own spiritual condition 1 Joh. 5.13 p. 305 Serm. 13. What difference is there between the conflict in Natural and Spiritual Persons Rom. 7.23 p. 323 Serm. 14. What faith is that which except we have in prayer we must not think to obtain any thing of God Jam. 1.6 p. 334 Serm. 15. Of the cause of Inward Trouble and how a Christian should behave himself when inward and outward Troubles meet Gen. 42.21 22. p. 351 Serm. 16. In what things must we use moderation and in what not Phil. 4.5 p. 381 Serm. 17. How may we have sutable conceptions of God in duty Genes 18.27 p. 415 Serm. 18. How are we to live by faith on Divine Providence Psalm 62.8 p. 426. Serm. 19. How may we cure distractions in holy duties Mat. 15.7 8. p. 461 Serm. 20. How must we in all things give thanks 1 Thes 5.18 p. 478 Serm. 21. How we may get rid of Spiritual Sloth and know when our activity in duty is from the Spirit of God Psal 119.37 vlt. p. 499 Serm. 22. Wherein are we endangered by things lawful Luk. 17.27 28. p. 561 Serm. 23. How must we make Religion our business Luke 2.49 p. 572 Serm. 24. Whether well-composed Religious Vows do not exceedingly promote Religion Psal 116.12 14. p. 586 Serm. 25. How are we compleat in Christ Colos 3.11 vlt. p. 611 Serm. 26. How shall those Merchants keep up the life of Religion who while at home enjoyed all Gospel-Ordinances and when abroad are not onely destitute of them but exposed to persecution Psal 120.5 p. 661 Serm. 27. How is Hypocrisie discoverable and cureable Luke 12.1 p. 655 Serm. 28. What must Christians do that the influence of the Ordinances may abide upon them 1 Chron. 29.18 p. 677 The READER may be pleased to amend these Errours of the Presse PAge 35. l. 27. read deserved not death p. 54. l. 32. is a very 65. l. 25. that I know 71. l. 4. there is l 14. course of sin 89. l. 31. add in the margin Rule 2. 98. l 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 105.4 pustulous 182.2 to Christ 201.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 211.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 219.6 amore 228.14 hypostaticam 236.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 257.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 366.16 tight 45 43. tight 378. vlt. is alwayes 404.8 Matth. 18.429.30 Prov. 18.10 Some other mistakes there are in letters as president for precedent wrap't for rap't and sometimes Greek words are false accented as p. 32. marg read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and one letter put for another as p. 506 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but such like faults being easily pardoned and amended we make no further observation of them How may we be universally and exactly Conscientious ACTS 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have allwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men THis Sermon is but preliminary to some select cases of Conscience And in this Text you have a notable Anatomy of Conscience wherein are these six things singularly considerable 1. Here 's
the Index to the book of Conscience The Eye to the portrayture of a Christian that according to your severall standings looks upon the Business the Time the Manner and the Cause of this account Herein a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this i. e. in this business b In hoc vulg Erasm q.d. here I am arraign'd as a Malefactour charged with Sedition Schism and Heresie in this my Conscience acquits me Herein do I exercise c. Again Herein in or at this time c Interea Bez. i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Dieu q.d. 'T is but five dayes agoe since I was flapt in the mouth for this defence and I see those present that so rashly and illegally censured me yet now before more equall Judges I bring the same defence Herein I exercise my self c. Again Herein in this manner d Aethiopic fic i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Dieu q.d. My manner of life from my youth which was at the first among mine own Nation at Jerusalem know all the Jews which knew me from the beginning if they would tâ—stifie that I lived after the straitest sect of our Religion e Acts 26.4 5. And I am not conscious to my self of any crime in respect of their law either in my Judaism or Christianity f Tirin in Acts 23.1 or thus Herein q.d. I have hope towards God that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust and therefore g Syr. Arab. propterea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Dieu verse 15. with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement yea I judge not mine own self for I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord h 1 Cor. 4 3 4. And therefore having an eye to the resurrection and last judgement i Propter hoc i. e propter hâ—nc fiduciam Grotius I exercise my self to have c. 2. Here 's the Act with the quality included I exercise k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meditor and sometimes the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Budaeus I am musing and exercising my mind I am learning and busying my thoughts the word also notes industry and endeavour paines and labour l Operam dâ— elaboratè concinno orno colo Steph q d. this is my meditation my study my work and employment to get to keep and use a Conscience void of offence c. 3. Consider the Subject of this exercise my self m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utitur Paulus significatione conjugationis Heb. Hithpahel Bez. 't was himself not onely his hearers he took on him the care of all the Churches but he would not have it charged upon him that he kept others Vineyards and neglected his own n Cantic 1. 6. he would be sure so to exercise himself that he might not by any meanes when he had preached to others himself be a castaway o 1 Cor. 9.27 4. Consider the Object of this exercise and that is Conscience and p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pray consider the manner of expressing himself to have a Conscience to be owner of a good Conscience q Rut. against Lib. of conf p. 1 All men have a Conscience but we may say of most Conscience hath them they have a Conscience as they have a Feavor or a disease Conscience is troublesome and disquiets them they cannot sin so freely as if they had no inward gripes and therefore they had rather be rid of their Consciences then be thus troubled with them But now the Apostle he would have a Conscience to commune with he would do nothing but what he is willing his Deputy-Judge shall approve of 5. Consider the quality of the Subject void of offence r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ie without any thing which will not endure the scrutiny of both divine and humane judgement Å¿ Vatab in loc The distribution notes the entireness exactness and excellency of his Gospell-carriage in his Religion towards God and in his Conversation among men t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in loc He made it his business to live purely before God and righteously among men u Calv. in loc 6. Consider the Continuance of this exercise allwayes w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pis 't is not onely by fits and starts when in some good moode or under some pangs of conviction 't is not onely when arrested by sicknesse or affrighted by the apprehension of death but allwayes at all times The words thus opened the Generall Case that lies upon me to resolve is this Case How may we be universally and exactly conscientious Vniversally in respect of things exactly in respect of manner To answer this so far as I can crowd it into a Sermon I shall present you with these four things 1. What Conscience is 2. What it's Objects 3. What it's Offices 4. What are the Kinds of Consciences Wherein various directions are necessary for remedies and rules which when laid together will resolve the Case 1. Conscience is mans Judgment of himself x Ames de consci l. 1. c. 1. p. 1. i. e. of his Estate and Actions y Voet. Sel disput part 3 p. 827. The Description as they are subjected unto the judgment of God I therefore close with this descriptioÌ„ to wave the determination of that School-dispute whether it be an Act z Durand l. 2. dist 39. p. 441. Aquin. 1 qu. 79 art 13. p. 147. or an Habit a Sanderson de Oblig consc prel 1. §. 17. p. 21. whether of the Vnderstanding b Plerique referunt ad intellectum Baldwin cas consc l. 1. c 3. p. 5. or Will c Ibidem or both d Bresser de conscien l. 1. c. 6 p. 23. whether it be a distinct Faculty e Mr. Bernard his Treatise of Conscience p. 4 or Power f Huit upon Conscien p 87. how far born with us and how far acquired g Sanders ibid. P. 23. I willingly let pass all h Imprimis observandum est tantam esse virium mentis nempe potentiarum habituum actuum inter se naturae cognationem tamque arctam quoad usum exercitium conjunctionem sive connexionem ut non solùm vocabulorum appellationes sed reales singulorum proprietatates officia reliquis promiscuè indâ—scriminatim attribui soleant idque non in exotericis tantum poetarum oratorum aliorumque humanioris literaturae authorum quibus licentiùs loqui permissum est sed in dogmaticis Philosophorum Scholasticorum scriptis Idem eodem p. 9. and in the last paragraph of that lecture absolvi tandem certe obscuriùs quam aut voluissem aut debuissem si res aliter tulisset Profecto intricata est
naturall lust 2. unnaturall and 3. of all unrighteousness Custome of sinning takes away conscience of sinning For Cure Cure Seriously set your selves against those peculiar wayes of sinning which have brought you to this You know them there 's not any one that hath a seared Conscience but he doth or easily may know how it came so your work in some respect is not so large as in case of the sleepy Conscience 't is but one or two sorts of sins that are eminently mischievous to your souls in this case though a seared Conscience is worse then a sleepy Conscience yet as 't is more easily discernable so 't is but reasonable you should more speedily and vigorously set upon the cure take heed of accounting any sin small k Cum coeperit quis dicere quid est si verbulum hâ—c unicum locutus fuero Ex hoc quid id quid illud Sensim incipit quis pedetentim in majora graviora prolabi sic deinceps in perfectam insensibilitatem decidit curate levia quoad levia sunt virtutes peccâ—ta à parvis incipiunt c. Dorotheus B. P. T. 4 p 769. lest at last you account not any sin great I will commend one Text to you and close this particular Ezek. 24.13 14. In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will do it I will not go back neither will I spare neither will I repent c. Sirs God hath been your Physitian hath used l Instar medici qui putridis non parâ—it cornibus non parcit ut parcat crudelis est ut misereatur Hieronym in loc variety of remedies if nothing will prevail but you will industriously singe your Consciences to make them senseless as sure as God is true he will m My fuâ—y to rest i. e. non habeat quod amplius faciat c. Sanctius in loc make you sensible of your sin by everlasting burnings I forbear inlargement because in the following cases about the Mortification of beloved lusts about relapses and how to check the first risings of sin you will have suitable directions to make your brawny Consciences tender I proceed therefore to those kinds of Consciences none else will speak to viz. III. The Erring Conscience An erring Conscience n Ames de cons l. 1. c. 4. p. 8 is that which judgeth otherwise then the thing is Conscience is sometimes deceived through ignorance o Dickson Therap Sac. l 1 c. 1. p. 3. §. 8. of what is right by apprehending a false rule for a true an errour for the will of God Sometimes through ignorance of the fact by misapplying a right rule to a wrong action Conscience evill informed tâ—kes humane traditions and false doctrines proposed under the shew of divine authority to be the will of God a famous instance you have of this in Jeroboams p Beâ—gins Prax cath dissert 3. p. 244. § 27. case he fears that if the people should go up to sacrifice at Jerusalem then he should lose his kingdom this puts him upon enquiry whether there should not be a double Sanctuary as well as a double Kingdom hereupon a Council is called flattering Prophets come they have dreams and visions worthy of their affections suitable to their purpose A decree is made q.d. 't is sufficient that you have hitherto gon up to Jerusalem now behold your Gods these calves are like the cherubims of the Sanctuary which are as ministring Spirits before the face of God that these calves had the shape of the Cherubims you may gather by comparing of Scriptures that which is called the face of an q Ezek. 1.10 Oxe in one place is called the face of a r Ezek. 10.14 Ezek. 1.7 Cherub in the other This seems to the people a satisfying warrant for them readily s Hos 5.11 to follow the Kings commandment I might add another instance of the good old Prophet who was plausibly seduced to his bodily t 1 Kings 3.8 18 19 2â— 26. destruction Now 't is a great question among the Papists especially whether and how far an erring Conscience binds One of their most learned Casuists that I meete with peremptorily determines that the law of an erring Conscience is not dispensable by u Ne quidem à Deo multo minâ—â— ab homine Bresser de Consc l. 5. c. 22. p. 555. § 212. God himself Others w Vt igitur bonum sit agere secundum Conscientiam errantem voluntariè vitiosè oportet existimationem Conscientiae bonam esse câ—a recta ratione congrisenteÌ„ Azorius Moal Instit l. 2. p. 104. that 't is good to follow an erring Conscience when it hath the credit of a good Conscience and is agreeable to reason Others x Sayrus Clav. Reg. l. 1. c. 4. p. 8 § 13. that a right and an erronious Conscience both bind though in a different respect a right Conscience as it is conformable to the Law of God an erring Conscience as it is thought to be the Law of God a right Conscience binds simply an erronious upon a supposition Some distinguish ignorance into y Quando Conscientia erronea invincibili ignorantia judicat al quâ—d honestum esse quod honestum non est tunc actus voluntatis qui conformis est tali judicio bâ—nus honestus est etiamsi contingat objectum esse â—urpe ita passim Theologi probatur quia tunc est conformis suae regulae nam illud judicium est proxim a regula quam sequi debet vâ—luntas Becan T 1. Theol. Schol. pt 2. Tract 1. c. 4. q. 7 p. 219. vincible and invincible and say that when an erronious Conscience through invincible ignorance judgeth that to be honest which is not so yet that judgement is the next rule which the will is to follow Others distinguish where all men are not able to discern the difference between z Neminem obligat tamen ligat Durand lib. 2. dist 39. q. 5. p 443. §. 7. binding obliging But in short they generally determine the questioÌ„ in the affirmative Though some grant that though a Sylvestranus in l. 1. Seat p 239. we must do nothing against a true Conscience yet we must depose an erroneous one and go contrary to it And Others b Nihil licet contra Conscientiam agere in aliquo casu nec tumen tenetur quilibet sequi Conscientiam suam in quolibet casu Gul. Parisiensis de vitiis pec p 280. though we must do nothing against Conscience in any case yet we must not follow Conscience in every case The plain truth is Errour cannot bind us to follow it c Harris works pt 4. p. 28. an erring Conscience may so bind
that it may be a sin to go against it but it can never so bind as it may be a virtue to follow it To follow an erring d Robins Obs c. 47. p. 246. Conscience is for the blind sinner to follow his blind Conscience till both fall into the ditch The violation of Conscience is alwayes evil and the following of an erring Conscience is evil but there 's a middle way that 's safe and good viz. the informing of Conscience better by Gods Word and following of it accordingly The Causes Causes of an erring Conscience besides Originall sin the effect whereof is blindness in the Understanding And the just judgement of God upon persons for not entertaining obeying and loving the truth as it is in Jesus besides these the causes are reducible to these Three Heads e Bresser l. 5. c. 23. p 556. Spaâ—sim 1. Negligence of learning the will of God f Discendi negligent a orta ex pigiritia Iâ—idem §. 2. 7. through slothfulness and love of ease and low esteem of the wayes of God I need name but one Scripture for both proof and illustration of this particular Eccles 4.5 6 The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh Better is a handfull with quietness then both the hands full with travell and vexation of Spirit q d. He is a fool that puts himself into a posture of idleness g English An. that compoleth himself to do nothing that thinks it better to be without good things than be at some trouble in getting them h Pemble in loc 2. Pride whereby a man is ashamed to consult others and to be taught by them i Pudeat ignorantem alios consuleâ—e ab iis doceri Bâ—es ibid. Those that are sincerely consciencious are not free from a kind of proud modesty in being shie of making inquiry into practical cases there 's something of pride in their bashfulnesse to discover their ignorance in asking of questions for Conscience sake But those that are ungodly arrogate so much to their own judgment that to speak their own boasting they know as much as any man can teach them But as wise as they are a wiser then they calls them k Prov. 28.26 Qui suo fidit animo stultus est Merc. in loc fooles and their folly misleads them 3. Passion or inordinate affection l Bref ibid. c. about that whereof we are ignorant This warpeth our consideration for he that seeks truâ—h with a byas will run counter when he comes near it and not find it though he come within kenning of it m Arch Bishop Lawd Ep. Ded. before the relation of the conference You may gather the remedies from the opposites to these three causes of errour 1. Be industriously diligent to know your duty 2. Cure Be humbly willing to receive instruction And 3. Let not your affections out run your judgment But ther 's one rule I shall commend which if you will conscientiously improve you shall never be much hurt by an erring Conscience and I dare appeal to your own Consciences that 't is your indispensable duty you must use it and 't is so plain and easie you may use it Do what you know and God will teach you what to do Do what you know to be your present duty and God will acquaint you with your future duty as it comes to be present Make it your business to avoid know omissions and God will keep you from feared commissions This Rule is of great moment and therefore I will charge it upon you by express Scripture Psalm 25. v. 4. Shew me thy wayes O Lord i. e. those wayes wherein I cannot erre n Mandata tua ostende quae me non permittant errare c. Remigius in loc Teach me thy paths i. e. that narrow path which is too commonly unknown o Semita dicta quasi semi via quia angusto calle ditigitur nec vulgo nota est sed occulto itinere ambula tuâ— Bruno in loc B P. T. 11. p. 96. those commands that are most strict and difficult V. 5. Lead me in thy truth and teach me i. e. teach me evidently that I may not be deceived so teach me that I may not only know thy will but do it p Remig. ubi sup Here 's his prayer but what grounds hath he to expect audience For thou art the God of my salvation q. d. thou Lord wilt save me and therefore do not refuse to teach me On thee do I wait all the day i. e. the whole day and every day q Arnobius in loc other arguments are couched in the following verses but what answer v. 9. The meek will he guide in judgement the meek will he teach his way i. e. those that submit their neck to his yoke those that are not conceited that they can guide themselves better then he can guide them he will teach them his ways r Non eos qui pracurrere volunt quasi seipsos melius regere possint sed eos qui non eri gunt cervicem neque reculeitrant Aug. in loc in necessary great and weighty matters they shall not err Å¿ Ejusmodi error nunquâ—m accidit vel certe non permanet de rebus necessariis magnis gravibus Bergius prax Cathol p. 247. Again Prov. 2. v. 3. If thou seekest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding v 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for â—id treasures v. 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God v. 6. For the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding v. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly v. 8. He keepeth the paths of Judgment and preserveth the way of his Saints v. 9. Then shalt thou understand Righteousness and Judgment and Equity and every good path q d. Be but as diligent to get knowlege as a covetous man is to get money t Cartw. in loc and God will certainly give you such knowledge of his wayes as shall preserve you from errour u Dominus clypeus erit iis qui perfectâ—m omnibus suis numeris constantem contemplationis rationem in hisce reconditis divinisque rebus amplecti sint quo ab erroribus tuti serventur c. Levi Ghersom in loc and will teach you how to behave your selves both towards God and Man w Eng. Annor One Scripture more that in the evidence of three vitnesses this rule may be established Joh. 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self q.d. Hinder not your selves from learning truth through fear of erour y Quà m perperam stultè hedÃe permulti dum errandi periculum metuunt hac trepidatione sese impediant ab omni
discendi studio si Deo toti in obsequium simus addicti spiritum discretionis ab eo nobis datum ire ne dubitemus qui perpetâ—us sit dux ac director c. Calv. in loc for you shall never want the Spirits guidance while you practically follow his conduct z Gul Parisiensis Qui expresse docet ubi est invincibilis ignorantia quoad nos Deus sucouâ—ret nisi culpa nostra ejus opem a nobis avertamus quae sententia fâ—cit maxime ad providentiam Dei celebrandam Davenant determ q 45. p. 213. IV. The doubting Conscience A doubting Conscience is that which with trouble and anxiety suspends a Brochm T. 1. c. 3. q. 3. p. 7. its judgment not knowing which way to determine Doubtfulness of Conscience is that ambiguity of mind which consists in a standing or rather in a wavering ballance neither assenting nor dissenting b Conscientia dubia strictè negativè magisque propriè nil est aliud quam ambiguitaâ— sive suspentio animi censtituti in aqu librio c. Bress l. 4. c. 1. p. 350. To speak strictly a doubting c B ess ibid. §. 5. Vâ—x dubia conscientiae addita sit diminâ—ens seu alienans haud aliter quamens rationis enâ— d citur c. Voetius pt 3. p. 828. Conscience is no Conscience but onely improperly as a dead man may be said to be a man Conscience is a judgment of something done or to be done but now where there 's no assent there 's no judgment c B ess ibid. §. 5. Vâ—x dubia conscientiae addita sit diminâ—ens seu alienans haud aliter quamens rationis enâ— d citur c. Voetius pt 3. p. 828. but a privation of judgment and therefore so fat as it may be called a Conscience it is an evil Conscience at best troublesomly d Si non malitia turpi saltem tristi Voet. ibid evil and therefore ought to be deposed Some term the acting upon a doubting Conscience to be an acting besides e Praeter conscientiam Konig de cons vide p. 13 14. Conscience for they cannot be said to act according to Conscience because 't is properly none but aequivocally nor do they act against Conscience because Conscience permits them to act thus and no otherwise those act with or against Conscience where the judgment of Conscience is determined to say this is lawful or unlawful and he acts besides Conscience who remaines fluctuating and doubting whether such a thing be lawful or unlawful and yet doth or omits it Now the Apostle tells us f Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin By faith there we must understand that perswasion and security of mind whereby we believe and determine that such a thing pleaseth or displeaseth God is lawful or forbidden 't is not spoken of justifying g Minus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui fidem istam explicant de fide justificante salvifica c. Konig ibid. faith as if men sinned in eating or not eating because their sins were or were not pardoned In short in all duties that belong to practise we must be unweariedly diligent to perceive the truth that doubtfulness may be driven h away for the more certain knowledge we have of those things we do the more confident we may be in the doing of them and the more joyfull afterwards What therefore is the cause of doubting that it may be banished The Causes of doubting which I shall speak of briefly to say nothing of our ignorance i I speak of practicall doubts for of Speculative that proverbial saying of Aeneas Silvius is undeniably true cui plura nosse datum est eum majora sequi dubia Plat na de vit Pont. Pij 2 di p. 3.8 and weakness are these Two 1. Either want k Voet. Sél. â—â—sp pt 3. p. 828. or aequality of reasons that when we poyze and weigh things most impartially yet we are not able to come to a determination but the mind is still in suspence 2. Doubts arise from some peculiar reasons Generall reasons are not sufficient to make a conscientious doubt there must be intention of mind upon some particular reasons that must be duely weighed else we may be said to doubt of what we scarce think of They have not so good as a doubting Conscience and that 's a bad one whose doubts lurk in generalls who have onely some cloudy notions from without or foggy mists from within which they take no due course to clear Too many deal with their doubts as Cripples with their sores which might easily be healed but they make them a begging argument so the formall Hypocrites have alwayes their doubts and fears like the Lâ—pwings cry far enough from her nest about things generall or of lesser moment which they might easily answer and imploy themselves in things more profitable Shall I tell you how you can't expect I should resolve the allmost infinite l Qurt modit possit accidere conscientia dubin Resp Tot modis possè quot sunt genera questionum Azorius Inst Mor. l 2. c. 18. p. 135. particulars of doubtful cases but I 'le propose two remedies which with the blessing of God upon the conscientious improvement will give you light for smoak in things both Sacred and Civil Cure 1. About lesser matters this rule commonly holds good viz. m In dubio practico eligenda est via tutior ex praecepto scilìcet naturali Est certa revera communis Bress ibid. l. 4. c. 6. p. 371. §. 45. In things doubtfull take the safest course In things doubtfull ordinarily one way is clear take that e.g. I question whether such a recreation be lawful but I am sure 't is not unlawful to let it alone therefore to prevent the after reckonings of Conscience I will not meddle with it but n 'T is generally taken to be safest to take that way in things controverted wherein differing parties agree but that 't is not alwayes a good rule See Arch-Bishop Lawd's Conference p. 288. scqq In multis particularibus non tenetur home partem tutiorem sequi Sayrus clav reg l. 1. c. 13. p. 31. § 9. this rule will not reach all cases therefore 2. Bring the case to a point wherein the stress of your doubt lies but be sure it be a case of Conscience not of interest or prejudice but a case of Conscience such as you are unreservedly willing to be resolved in that you can in prayer as it were bring God a blanck to write what he pleaseth And 2. Pare off all those whibling demurs and carnall reasonings which may puzzle but can never satisfie you These things premised 3. Write down your case as nakedly as you can with the grounds of your haesitation in your writing make two Columns on the one side write those reasons you judge cogent for on the other side the reasons you judge of moment against
and my plodding thoughts of both o Estius in loc v. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my wayes q. d. thou fannest and winnowest me i. e. thou discussest and triest me to the utmost p Ainsw in loc v. 4. For there is not a word in my tongue but loe O Lord thou knowest it altogether q. d. I cannot speak a word though never so secret obscure or subtile but thou knowest what and why and with what mind 't was uttered q Tâ—â—inus in lâ—c v. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me q. d. Thou keepest me within the compass of thy knowledge like a man that will not let his servant go out of his sight I cannot break away from thee v. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me it is high I cannot attain unto it q. d. The knowledge of thy great and glorious Majesty and Infinitenesse is utterly past all humane comprehension v. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I slee from thy presence q d. Whither can I flee from thee whose Essence Presence and Power is every where v 8. If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there q. d. There 's no height above thee there 's no depth below r Nulla altitudo te altior nul uÌ„ profundum te profundius Hieron in loc thee v. 9. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea q. d. If I had wings to fly as swift as the morning light s Aurora solis pâ—aenuncia momento totum hemisphaerium pervadit Menoch in loc from the east to the west that I could in a moment get to the furthest parts of the world v. 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me q.d. Thence shall thy hand lead me back and hold me fast like a fugitive t Deducat tenebit ut solent teneri fugitivi Sa. v. 11. If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me q d. Though darkness hinders mans sight it doth not thine In a word look which way you will there 's no hiding place from God For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and be seeth all his goings there u Job 34.21 22. is no darkness nor shadow of dâ—ath where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Therefore Christians do nothing but what you are willing God should take notice of and judge in your selves whether this be not the way to have a good and quiet Conscience IV. Be serious and frequent in the examination of your heart and life This is so necessary to the getting keeping of a right peaceable Conscience that 't is impossible to have either without it There are some duties and graces like those parts of the body that may supply the defect of other parts or like some drugs in Physick which when they can't be had some of the like nature may serve but this is like those the defect whereof nothing else can supply The Heathens have grop't out this rule by the Gloworm light of nature Pythagoras gives it as a precept a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pytha. aur praec n. 42. p 9. and Seneca backs it by examples b Somnus quà m tranquillus altus ac liber cum aut laudatus est animus aut admoritus speculator sui censorque sâ—cretus cognoscit de moribus suis utâ—r hac potestate quotidie apud me causam dico Cum sublatum è conspectu lumen est conticuit uxor moris jam mei conscia totum diem mâ—cum serutor facta ac dicta mea remetior nihil mihi ipse abscondo nihil transeo quare enim quicquaem ex erroribus meis timeam cum possim dicere vide ne istud amplius facias nunc tibi ignosco c. Senec. deira l. 3. c. 36 p. 599. of Sextius who every night before he composed himself to sleep ask'd himself what evill hast thou this day healed what vice hast thou resisted wherein art thou better O how sweet is that sleep which followes such a recognition of himself who made every night a scrutiny into the words and deeds of the whole day he would neither pass by nor hide any thing from himself he so ript up his faults that he would not pardon them to himself without a self-charge not to repeat them Have you gon thus far certainly my Brethren not to out-strip them is inexcusable It is a shame c Pemble p. 514. to see the carelesnesse of most that are better acquainted with any thing then themselves there are many that know the Histories of a thousand years past and yet cannot tell you the particulars of their own lives Men well acquainted with the mysteries of Arts and Nature but utterly ignorant of the secrets of their own Souls How few are there amongst us that can say with David d Psal 119.59 I have thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Nay we have a thousand matters to think on all the day long the night too the week the year but who questions with his own heart what am I what do I how live I is the course I follow good and lawfull is that which I omit my duty or not Is God my friend Am I his what hope have I of Heaven Say I die to morrow to day this very hour where is my assurance I shall be saved what Apologie can I make against the accusations of Satan and my Conscience will Christ be mine Advocate when I shall stand in judgement Have I grace or have I none do I grow in grace or do I decay Am I better this year then I was the last what sins have I conquered now that held me in combate then what graces have I obtained now that I had not then Christians do you do thus If you do that is not enough unlesse you do it frequently daily Every Evening ere you sleep review e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil T. 2. p. 514. your câ—rriage in the day what you have done or spoke or thought that is but â—o much as indecent Whether your hearts have been intent upon Religion and indifferent to the world Briefly have speciall care of two portions f Crocius Synt p. 1212. ex aliis of your time viz. Morning and Evening the morning to fore-think what ought to be done and the evening to examine whether you have done what you ought V. Be much in Prayer g Psal 1â—9 4 in all manner of h Ephes 6.18 prayer but especially in secret i Matth. 6.6 prayer Do not non-suit your selves by the love of sin and you shall certainly be heard when you pray for Grace k Heb. 4.16 believe it Christian 't
voluntati objiciuntur sint aut finis aut media haec ob sclum finem appeti media qua media dicunt tantum relationem ad finem non autem fundamentum ipsius tum quia contraria est puritati amoris quo deo inhaerere debemus Ita enim ut passim apud sol diores vitae spiritualis magistros videre est amare debâ—mus deum ut cum illo etiaÌ„ sub illo nihil aliud amemus sed omnia duntaxat in illo quia alià s non amamus illuÌ„ ex toto corde sed aliud quidpiam ab illo occupat cor nostrum Gibieuf de lib. dei creat l. 1. c. 11 p. 66. is our love to other things regular when the alone goodness of God moves us to love them as the alone respect to health makes me use physick the means hath no proper goodness distinct from the goodness of the end those means which were profitable though they remain unchanged in themselves yet they become unprofitable by the alone change of the end e. g. Health being recovered physick is unprofitable which while we were infirme was profitable so we are not to love any means without relation to the end because 't is contrary to the purity of that love which we owe to God for we ought so to love God that with him or under him we love nothing else but all things only in him because otherwise we do not love him with our whole heart e. g. In mens loving their wives and wives their husbands in Parents loving their children children their Parents 't is a rare pitch to love all these in God that is to advance our love to God by them and so far as any of them draw off our love to God to say to them as Christ to Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me Love is extended to good the more good therefore any thing is the more it is to be beloved But thou O Lord my God saith Bradwardine f Tu autem Dâ—mine deus meus es omnis boni bonum super omnia bona bonus bonum infinitissimè infinitum quomodo tantum plus amabo te quam tu amas me quantum tu es melior me debeo amare te finaliter propter te omnia alia propter te tu autem non amas me proptér me nec caetera propter me debeo etiam amare te infinite quodammodo intersive supra quod cumque bonum finitum tu autem non sic amas me Debeo quoque amare te infinite quodammodo extensive volendo scil potiùs quotcumque quantacunque bona alâ—a etiam meipsum non esse quam te vel quam te semel offendere tu vero non sic amas me quia non debeo sic amari c. Bradwardin de causa dei l 2. c. 34. p. 627. seqq art the Good of every good good above all things that are good a good most infinitely infinite how much therefore should I rationally love thee should not my love be proportionably infinite I would I could so love thee but how shall I that am so very little finite love thee infinitely And yet without so loving thee how will there be kept any due proportion in loving thee who dost infinitely exceed all other lovely things I ought to love thee infinitely as to the manner though I cannot as to the act of my love i. e. I ought to love thee finally for thy self or else I may love thee in some sort infinitely as to the Act both intensively and extensively in some sort intensively i. e. more intensely more firmly more strongly then any finite good because I love them but for thee In some sort extensively by comparing all things how many or how great soever with thee and loving thee before above all that I had rather all things in the world and my self too to have no being then once to offend thee But Lord thou lovest thy friends in an unspeakable manner more then they can love thee O therefore thou great Lord thou great Good that fillest heaven and earth why doest thou not fill my very little soul O my soul that art so little so miserable why dost thou not open all thy little doors why dost thou not extend thy utmost capacity that thou mayest be wholly possest wholly satiated wholly ravished with the sweetness of so great love specially seeing thou art so very little yet nothing less will satisfie thee O therefore my most loving God I beseech thee tell me what may most effectually draw out my love to thee considering what prevention of love what privative positive good things I receive from thee infinite in greatness infinite in multitude It is a wonder that any one can think of these things and not be wholly swallowed up of love wholly turned into love But I see Lord 't is easier to speak these things and to write them down than to do them Thou therefore most good most powerful Lord to whom nothing is difficult give I beseech thee that I may more easily do these things in my heart then utter them with my mouth Open I beseech thee thy most bountiful hand and enable me that nothing may be more easie nothing more sweet nothing more delightfull then most effectually and most affectionately to fulfil that which I speak about loving of thee Lord give me leave a little to presume above my hope and to plead with thee about thy magnificent goodness humane friendship will not give the repulse to a poor wanting begging friend O therefore most liberal Lord help me that I may love thee Christians 't is worth while to make it your business to climb up to this love-extasie This you will find to be a compleating rule an effectual means and a singular exercise of exact and conscientious walking I shall briefly name I intended largely to have prest two arguments or motives to perswade the use of these directions 1. You cannot possibly get rid of your Conscience g Nec vi extinguitur nec fraude adeò altè inhaeret animo Tutissimus licet homo sit tamen securus non est ipsas tenebras nequitia imo tuta omnia timet multos fortuna liberat paena metu neminem Exemplo sunt potentissimi Imperatores qui aâ—cani licentiam nacti sine arbitris sine testibus c. Episcop Instit theol P. 1. c. 3. p. 10 11. Ipsa conscientia propriis stimulis agitatur atque compungitur sui ipsa efficitur accusatrix testis Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. c. 11. p. 707. therefore be perswaded to get a good one there 's nothing more common then for wicked men to do what they can to extinguish Conscience they flatter it with carnall reasoning they bâ—ibe it with mock devotions they wound it with hainous provocations they scar it with customary wickedness they trample it under foot by sinning in despight of it
they run away from it and will not endure to hear it by diversions and yet they can sooner turn their souls out of their bodies then Conscience out of their Souls yea amongst all these indignities it 's as fresh and active as if it were not thus abused it doth but watch it's opportunity when it will be heard when 't will make that which was done perhaps 40 years ago as if it had been but yesterday What ayles the great Emperours of the world h Insigne visum est earum Caesaris literaruÌ„ initium nam his verbis exorsus est Quid scribam vobis P. C. aut quomodo scribam aut quid omnino non scribaÌ„ hoc tempore Dii me deaeque pejus perdant quà m perire quotidie sentio si sâ—io Adeò facinora atque flagitia sua ipsi quoque in supplicium verterant Tiberium non fortuna non solitudines protegebant Tacitus Annal. l. 6. c. 6. page 146. that cause their terrour in the land of the living what ayls them to tremble with inward contrition is it a vain fear why then do they not shake it off is it the fear of men No they are above humane punishments Is it the fear of shame no the sin perhaps was secret at least man knows not the inward consternation of their spirits What 's the matter O they are haunted by the fury of their own Consciences Would wicked men but blab the gripes they sometimes feel even then when they out-face a Ministeriall or friendly reproof there would need no more to be said to evidence that a Conscience you will have which will first or last do its office 2. Your own Conscience will be your best friend or your greatest enemy of any creature unto eternity There 's i Vide Bern. de inter dom c. 22. p. 1070. no greater riches no greater pleasure no greater safety then a good Conscience Let the pressures of the body the hurry of the world the affrightments of Satan be never so great they can't reach the Conscience A good Conscience singularly chears the dying body joyfully accompanies unto God the departed Soulâ— triumphingly presents both Soul and Body unto the desired Tribunal There 's no more profitable means nor surer testimony nor eminent Conveyor of eternal happiness then a good Conscience And on the contrary there is no greater torment then of an evill Conscience though its gentler checks may be disregarded it s louder clamours will make you tremble O Sirs what will you do when Conscience shall upbraid you with your abuse of mercies incorrigiblenesse under judgements contempt of Christ and hatred of holiness you can't now endure to hear what Conscience hath to say how will you endure it unto eternity if one that killed his own Father k Parricidium vindicaturi Pelusii pro flagitij dignitate nulluÌ„ hactenus torturae ingenium per duxerunt non culeum non vivicomburium saevius quid cogitarunt piae scilicet matris naturae ferulaÌ„ conscientiam ad summae attrocitatis exemplum docti novam saevitiam didicerunt parricidam sancientes triduo cogi spectare occisi cadaver ut sic puniretur enormissimo omnium supplicio admonitione facinoris Jo Eâ—s Nieâ—â—â—berg de art vol. l. 2. pag. 156. could not in some Egytians account be more cruelly punished then by being compell'd to behold the murthered body for three dayes what a torment will it be to be forc't to behold every sin with every aggravation unto eternity here in bodily sickness there 's some intervalls to revive the Spirits but hereafter there will not be a moments intermission of unexpressible horrour unto eternity The Conscience shall roar under infinite wrath and the sinner shall be kept from annihilation under it by infinite power 1 Cor. 15.34 Thus I have in a weak manner performed my promise in speaking to severall kindes of Consciences with remedies and rules which laid together will I think amount to sufficient instructions How we may be universally and exactly conscientious viz. 1. Get your Consciences awakened from their natural Lethargy 1. 2. Preserve them tender from acquired searednesse m Heb. 3.13 3. Rectifie their errours as you would get cure of blindness n Eph. 4.18 4. Resolve their doubts as you would a claime to your lands o Rom. 14.5 5. Break from your scruples as from theeves on the road p Isa 35.3 4. 6. Lay your head in Christs bosom to cure your trembling q Isa 40.11 And then for the 7. integrity and 8. quiet of your Consciences Observe the rules proposed as punctually as you would Physitians bills in a tedious sickness 1. Avoid sinning as you would a train of gun-powder r Job 18.15 2. Be as quick in your repentance as in the cure of a Pleurisie s Zeph. 2.2 3. Live under the apprehended presence of the jealous God t Ezek. 11.5 4. Examine you hearts as Princes sift out treason u Lam. 3.40 5. Pray for sutable grace as starving persons cry for food w Psa 143.7 8 6. Let euery action be as an arrow shot at a mark x 1 Cor. 10.31 7. Think of God as of a wise Physitian y Job 40.2 8. Be as vile in your own esteem as you are in the eyes of a captious enemy z Eph. 3.8 9. Live upon Christ as the Child in the womb lives upon the Mother a Gal. 2.20 10. Love God as near as possibly you can as God loves you b Psalm 18.1 2 But if these rules though thus contracted be too many and too long to be allwayes remembred that you may not be overcharged with that which should never be forgotten I shall commend to you some Spiritually chymicall extractions and if I might so express it Spirits of directions that may be to your Souls in your pilgrimage towards Heaven as your Ship-provisions in a Sea-voyage generally sufficient when others cannot be had Plainly practise these memorialls of direction in all your conscientious walking I. Consult duty not events There 's nothing in the world for us to do but to mind our duty Curious speculations c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem Alexandr Strom. lib. 6. p. 664. that tend not to holiness may be reckoned among your superfluities but mis-giving predictions of what may or will befall you in the discharge of your duty may be reckoned among your grosser iniquities and to venture upon sin to avoid danger is to sinke the Ship for fear of Pirats and must be reckoned amongst your greatest follies your worst of sins Is not their reason questionless their Conscience is dangerously distempered that practically argue this way of duty may probably procure mans displeasure and therefore to prevent that I 'le take the course which will certainly procure Gods displeasure Besides by-wayes will not lead you to the place you aime at d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 471. 466. but on the contrary keep your
Consciences from being violated and you cannot be miserable O how calm and quiet as well as holy and heavenly would our lives be had we learnt but this single Lesson to be carefull for nothing but to know and do our duty and to leave all effects consequents and events to God The truth is 't is a daring boldness for silly dust to prescribe to infinite wisedom and to let go our work to meddle with Gods he hath managed the concernments of the world and of every individuall person in it without giving occasion to any one to complain for above this five thousand years and doth he now need your counsell Therefore let it be your onely businesse to mind duty Aye but how shall I know my duty take a second memoriall II. What advice you would give to another take your selves e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c 33. Simp. p. 158. The worst of men are apt enough to lay such burthens on other mens f Mat. 3.4 shoulders which if they would take them upon their own they would be rare Christians e. g. The very outcry of those that revile Godliness who deal by the miscarriages of Professours as the Levite by his Concubine quarter them and divulge them even they expect that those which make a strict profession of Religion should be beyond exception blameless and they even they scorn those that make any defection from their professed strictnesse And on the other side those that are holy they expect that even graceless persons should bear reproof receive instruction and change the course of their lives In middle cases then between these extreams what exactnesse will serious Christians require where the byas of their own corruptions doth not misguide them David was twice g 2 SaÌ„ 12.5 6 7 2 Sam. 14.4 1â— surprised to pass sentence against himself by remote parables wherein he mistrusted not himself to be concerned wherein this rule 's too short add a third III. Do nothing on which you cannot pray for a blessing Where prayer doth not lead repentance must follow and 't is a desperate adventure to sin upon hopes of repentance Every action and cessation too of a Christian that 's good and not to be refused is sanctified by the word and h 1 Tim 4.5 6. prayer It becomes not a i Eph. 5.3 4. Christian to do any thing so triviâ—l k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas qu. ad Antioch p. 361. q. 77. that he can't pray over it and if he would but bestow a serious ejaculatory prayer upon every occurrent action he would find that such a prayer would cut off all things sinful demurr all things doubtfull and encourage all things lawful Therefore do nothing but what you can preface with prayer But these rules are all defective I 'le therefore close with an Example that 's infinitely above defects IV. Think and speak and do what you are perswaded Christ himselfe would do in your case were he upon the earth The heathen they proposed unto themselves the best examples they l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c. 51. Simpl. p. 282. had and therefore let us follow the best of m Mica 4.5 ours There are many rare examples in n Heb. 13 7. Scripture but we may say of them as 't is said of most of Davids Worthies whose highest commendation was with this diminution o 2 Sam. 23 19 23. they attained not unto the first three I propose therefore neither great nor small but the King of Saints p Rev. 15 3. it becomes a Christian rather to be an Example q 1 Pet. 2 12.15 1 Thes 1.7 then to follow one But by imitating of Christ you will come as near as 't is possible to the first three for your fellowship shall be with the Father with his Son Jesus Christ r 1 John 1.3 through the spirit of holiness who alone can teach you what it is to abide in Å¿ 1 John 2.27 Christ who was and is and ever will be our absolute copy t Heb. 13.8 O Christians how did Christ pray redeem time for prayer u Mar. 1.35 6.16 Lu. 6.12 John 11.42 How did Christ preach out of whose mouth proceeded no other but gracious words w Luke 4.22 that his enemies could not but admire him x John 7.46 at what rate did Christ value the world who did taught to renounce it y Mar. 10 21-27 what time did Christ speÌ„d in impertinent discourse who made their hearts burn within them whom he occasionally fell in company with z Lu. 24.17 32. How did Christ go up and down doing a Acts 10.38 good to man and always those things that were pleasing to b John 8.29 God Beloved I commend to you these four memorials to be as so many scarlet c Josh 2.18 21 threads upon every finger of the right hand one that you may never put forth your hand to action but these memorials may be in your eye 1. Mind d Acts 9.6 duty 2. What 's anothers duty in your case is e Rom. 2.21 yours 3. What you can't say the Blessing of the Lord be upon it do not meddle f Psal 129.8 with it But above all as soon forget your Christian name the name of a Christian as forget to eye Christ g Psal 123.2 and what ever entertainment you meet with from the profane world h John 15.18 c. remember your Exemplar i 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. and follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who whâ—n he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeâ—h righteously What must and can Persons do Towards their own CONVERSION Ezek. 18.32 Wherefore turn your selves and live yee THe words are part of that serious Exhortation begun in the 30. ver Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions continued in the 31. ver Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit and concluded in this verse Wherefore turn your selves c. In the former part of the verse the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I had rather men should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved then die in their sins and perish through their impenitency Wherefore or therefore turn your selves The Exhortation in these words is back'd with a reason of great yea the greatest strength viz. Life turn and live that is ye shall live comfortably here and happily for ever hereafter There be four Propositions deducible from these words 1. That man is turn'd from God 2. That it's mans duty to turn unto God again 3. That the Lords willingness that men should rather live then die should be a strong Argument to move them to turn 4. That those who do turn shall live I shall wave all those
with him Psal 139.18 Psa 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee they end the day with him thus the Spouse Cant. 3.1 Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth you have mention of both these Esay 26.9 Esay 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Now this sin that I am treating of like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawless person that we read of 2 Thes 2.8 2 Thes 2.8 that man of sin ver 3. opposeth and exalteth its self in the soul above all that is called God and sitteth in the seat of God A beloved lust is usually the sinners first and last Psa 36.4 he gives it entertainment first in the morning and takes his leave of it last in the evening yea this darling sin must be entertained and made much on in the Bed-chamber the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man Psal 36.4 tels us he deviseth mischief on his bed for the most part that as a very friend that we admit to our bed-sides 11. That sin which most infests us and troubles us in our solitudes and retirements that is our beloved sin my meaning is when a man is alone in his Closet or in the Fields and his thoughts run a drift that sin which of themselves they move towards and close with that may be his beloved sin the current of the soul is that way Oh Christian mark the workings of thy heart in private and thou mayst possibly make some discoveries When a man retires himself into some solitary place it is usually absurd to trouble him t is a friend indeed that falls in with him and offers his company in that case that sin is more then ordinary beloved by us that interposes in our privacies 12. And lastly that sin that we are willing to endure greatest hardships and sufferings for that is our beloved sin for instance suppose Covetousness be the darling sin what base absurd unreasonable offices will it put a man upon how scraping and niggardly and dunghill-like will that man live in his Town or in his Parish and expose himself to scorn and contempt from every one that knows him Suppose Ambition be the beloved sin how will a man in that case swear and forswear and temporize and like the Boat-men look one way and row another almost any thing for preferment If Vncleanness be the mans particular sin how will he destroy his body disgrace his name overthrow his estate for the gratifying of his lust I dare aver that the worst and basest drudgery imaginable to scoure Kettles and Dishes to tug at the Oar to dig at the Mine are honourable imployments in comparison of this Vse 3. Is for Exhortation and Direction Col 3.5 to press you to the mortification of your beloved sin and shew you how it may be mortified let me take up that Scripture again mortifie your members which are upon the earth that is let every sin be mortified for you must know as death is to the members of the natural body so is mortification to the members of the sinful body Now in death the soul is separated not only from one member as it is in a paralysis or numb Palsey but from all even from the principal parts of the body as well as others so t is in spiritual death there is a separation of the soul not only from this or that sinful member but from the whole body of sin from the principal parts and members of this body as well as others the right eye is dead the right hand is dead it must needs be so the one is pluckt out and the other is cut off A Christian must deal by his darling lust as the Israelites dealt by Adonibezek they cut of his thumbs and his great toes so must thou deal with this sin hack it maim it that it may not be able to go nor stand nor act nor stir if it were possible and for that purpose take these directions 1. Labour to have your heart steeled with an holy courage and resolution against this sin it is upon the account of baseness and cowardliness of spirit that people fall by the right hand of their spiritual enemy shall I give you some instances for this doth the Devil tempt thee to uncleanness is that thy right eye sin or thy right hand sin take up St Pauls resolution 1 Cor. 6.15 Gen. 39.9 Psal 39.1 Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid Josephs resolution How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God doth the Devil tempt the to blasphemy or to perjury or to lying or to any other sin of that nature take up the Psalmists resolution I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a birdle while the wicked are before me Art thou tempted to Idolatry to deny the truths of Christ to make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience take up the three childrens resolution Be it known unto thee oh King Dan. 3.18 that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up Every man should be a Prince over his lusts and like Joshuas Captains should put his feet upon the necks of them here courage resolution severity is very successful and in special exercise your revenge on your beloved lust fight not against small or great comparatively but against this kingly this master sin 2. Let your repentance be particular for your particular iniquity it is not enough to confess your sins in the lump in the general but in prayer you must take particular notice of your right eye sin your right hand sin thus David was particular in his repentance Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 this evil of murder and this evil of adultery pointing as it were with the finger to particular sins Lâ—k 19.8 Zacheus makes a particular confession of that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold this particle if in that place may not be a note of doubting but supposition if I have taken that is seeing I have taken from men by false accusation si Deus est animus seeing God is a Spirit 3. Beware of those things that may occasion the commission of this sin for instance if thou art prone to the sin of lying keep a door before thy lips if to gluttony and drunkenness when thou goest to a feast put a knife to thy throat We use to say proverbially occasion makes a thief this is true also in other cases occasion makes a lyar occasion makes a drunkard
and this like Pathologie or understanding the disease and the constitution of the patient will hugely minister and condence to the exact method of Physick either for prevention or for cure Rule 4 Get and keep a tender Conscience Be sensible of the least sin As the apple of the eye the fittest Emblem in the world of a tender conscience is not only offended with it blow or wound but if so much as a little dust or smoak get in it weeps them out Some mens consciences are like the stomack of the Estrich which digesteth iron they can swallow and concoct the most notorious sins swearing drunkenness c. without regret their consciences are seared as with an hot iron as the Apostle phraseth it 1 Tim. 4.2 they have so inured their souls to the grossest wickedness as the Psylli a people of Africa whom Plutarch mentions had their bodies to the eating poyson that it becomes as it were natural But a good conscience hath a delicate sense it is the most tender thing in the whole world it feels the least touch of known sin and grieves at the grieving of Gods good Spirit not only for quenching or resisting or rebelling against the Holy Ghost but even for grieving the holy Spirit of promise whereby it is sealed to the day of redemption Eph. 4.80 The most tender hearted Christian he is the stoutest and most valiant Christian Happy is the man that feareth always but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischief Prov. 28.14 it is the truest magnanimity and heroique courage in our spiritual warfar to tremble at the least iniquity A Christian is never fitter to endure hardness as a faithful souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 then when his conscience is most tender To be such a coward as not to dare to break any one of Gods Commandments is to be the valiantest person in the world for such a one will chuse the greatest evil of suffering before the least of sinning and however the jeering Ishmaels of the world be ready to reproach and laugh one to scorn for this niceness and precise scrupulosity as they term it yet the choice if God be but wiser then vain man is a very wise one Keep an exact guard upon thy heart Prov. 4.23 let the eyes of thy Rule 5 soul be open and awake upon all the stirrings of thy thoughts affections Bid them stand at their first appearance As soon as ever thou discriest any of them in motion summon them before thy souls tribunal let them not pass till thou knowest perfectly whence they come whither they go Ask their errand State viri quae caussa viae quive estis in armis Virg. Is it grief or is it joy or hope or fear or love c. that is now upon the march demand the Word of it ask whether it have a Pass from God and conscience Catechize it examine it search it speak to it in the Centinel's and Watchman's phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew me your Ticket Tell me my desire my love my fear my anger by whose authority art thou now up and in motion if they are able to produce a good warrant from Gods Commandments or from the dictate of reason and conscience let them go on in Gods name they are about their business But if they cannot arrest them as idle vagrants nay as enemies to thy souls peace and charge them upon their allegiance to their superiors that they stir no further Rule 6 Be daily training and exercising all thy graces Have them always in battel-â—ray be in a military posture both defensive and offensive Stand constantly to thine arms for thou hast to do with two enemies that will never give thee any truce or respite the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jews call them the flesh within thee Jer. 17 9. and the Tempter that destroying Angel of the bottomless pit without thee 1 Pet. 5.8 the Christian warfare is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a war never to be altered it admits of no peace no cessation The Souldier of Christ must never lay down his arms but expect to be upon continual duty and travel till the great Lord of Hosts under whose banner he now fighâ—â—th is pleased to remove his Quarters from that Army Militant here on Earth to that blessed and triumphant in the Heavens Rule 7 Be well skilled in the Elenchs of Temptation I mean in unmasking the Sophistry and Mystery of iniquity in defeating the Wiles and Stratagems of the Tempter and in detecting and frustrating the cheats and finesses of the flesh with its deceitful lusts Eph. 4.23 2 Cor. 2.11 No small part of spiritual wisdom lies in the blessed art of discovering and refuting sins fallacies and impostures If ever thou wouldst prove famous and victorious and worthy honour and reverence in thy spiritual warfare be well seen in the skill of fencing know all thy wards for every attaque Provide thy self with answers and retorts beforehand against the subtle insinuations and delusions of thine enemy Ex. gr If Satan tels thee as he often will that the sin is pleasant ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musae ask whether the gripings of conscience be so too whether it be such a pleasant thing to be in hell to be under the wrath of an Almighty Judge If he tels thee no body sees thou mayst commit it safely ask whether he can put out Gods all-seeing eye whether he can find a place empty of the divine presence for thee to sin in or whether he can blot out the Items out of the Book of Gods Remembrance If he tels thee it is a little one ask whether the Majesty of the great Jehovah be a little one whether there be a little hell or no. If he talks of profits and earthly advantages that will acrew ask what account it will turn to at the last day and what profit there is Mat. 16.26 if one should gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what one should give in exchange for his soul When sin like Jael invites thee into her Tent Judg 4.11 21. 5.25 â—6 with the lure and decoy of a lordly treatment think of the nail and hammâ—r which fastened Sisera dead to the ground Be not caught with chaff lay by thee such memoires such answers and reparties as these wherewith thou mayst reply upon the Tempter that the God of truth hath other manner of pleasures profits honours to court thy love and reward thy service with then the father of lies viz. true and real solid and eternal ones what are the pleasures that are sin for a season to be compared with the rivers of Gods pleasure that are for evermore at his right hand and what is a little wealth that thieves can steal a despicable heap of riches which like a flock of birds a lighting a little while in thy yard will take wing presently and fly away to be named
with the unsearchable riches of Christ or that inheritance of the Saints in light or what is the painted bubble the fading though beauteous Rainbow of earthly hunour and grandeur to a weight of glory to an incorruptible crown of righteousness that fadeth not away to a Kingdom which it is the Fathers good pleasure to reserve in the highest heavens for every sheep and every lamb of his little flock and to name these Considerations by cluster remember that the greatest wisdom is to do not what in some poor few regards is but what is absolutely lovely and desireable that what is best of all is best for thee to love and mind and prosecute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag carm that a good conscience is a continual feast that God alone is enough and without him nothing for thy happiness that thy soul is worthier thy care then thy carcase and the life to come then this that eternity is more valuable then time that not the opinions of men lulled asleep in voluptuousness and sensuality but Gods estimate but the sentiments of the holiest best and wisest men or if you needs will of the worst and vilest when conscience is awakned when they come to lie a dying and when they shall stand before God at the last day are to be prefered as the wisest That everlasting happiness cannot be bought too dear but repentance and shame may easily That the hardest doings or sufferings for Christ are infinitely easier then everlasting misery That heaven and glory will more then recompence all thy self-denials and mortifications all thy watchings fastings c. and in the mean time the very hope of it besides the peace of God which passeth all understanding and his love and grace and the comforts of his Spirit will certainly sweeten all the tediousness of thy way to heaven with inexpressible redundance of satisfaction yea sometimes with joy unutterable and full of glory In sum that God is a good Master and his service perfect freedom for besides the glorious recompence to come thy work Christian is even now it 's own reward If â—hou believest strongly such Aphorisms as these and he is madder then any in Bedlam that doth not believe them it will be no hard matter by Gods blessing and assistance in their strength to put to flight the armies of the aliens at least to shield thy self against the volleys of fiery darts which at any time the Tempter shall pour upon thee Withdraw thy self if possible from the occasions of sin It is good Rule 8 standing out of harms way do not gaze upon temptations but pray with David Psal 73. â— Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 If thou perceivest thy feet are almost gone thy steps had well nigh flipt it is surely high time for thee if thou canst to run away nor will it be reckoned thy cowardize but thy valour in the day of thine account thus to retreat from the enemy It is a very wise mans counsel concerning the haunts and converses of the profane Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pase away Prov. 4.14 15. again concerning the strange woman Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house chap. 5.8 and again concerning occasions of intemperance be not among wine bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh chap. 23 20. and ver 31. Look not on the wine when it is red when it giveth it's colour in the cup when it moveth it self aright i. e. when it sparkles and vapours in the glass when it laughs in thy face and invites thy lip then shut thy eyes lest sin steal in upon thee Do not imitate the silly Lark which by the pleasing contemplation of the little piece of glass that glisters in the Sun while the Fowler twirles it about is enticed neerer and neerer forgetting or overseeing the net which ere long overwhelms it Vouchsafe not to admit the Tempter to a Parle the Poets fable Vlysses to have stopt his ears at the enchaunting voices of the Syrens Be thou as the deaf Adder to that great Charmer the best entertainment thou canst give him is Get thee behind me Satan Rule 9 Bind thy self beforehand with the severest of thy resolutions not to trust thy own judgement when the Temptation begins to get within thee a man in passion is not himself Pâ—riit judicium cum res transiit in affectus One distempered with the morbus arcuatus the Jaundise black or yellow is apt to impute the colour his eye is vitiated with to every object who would trust such a judge of colours or the palate of one in a Feavour to distinguish of Tastes it is a good rule under the disorder of temptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Never credit thy own apprehensions at such a time If thou takest thy self yielding in the least start back with abhorrence and chide thy rashness appealing from thy present distracted to thy ancient and wiser self from thy self asleep and disordered to thy self awake and sober at other times Jonah's judgement was weak and childish though a Prophet when he was under that temptation of impatient anger Jon. 4.9 I do well to be angry a saucy and bold answer to his God! he should not have trusted his present sentiments for he was not himself As one that bespeaks an awakning will over night desire his friend not to give ear to him though saith he I plead earnestly to sleep a little longer yet do not regard that for I tell you of it before on purpose and I shall thank you when once I am up for not letting me have my will Thus tell thy self aforehand that though under a drowsiness slumber of spirit thou art ready to plead for the flesh and to feel some inclinations to fulfil it's lusts and art very loath to let them go unsatisfied yet if thou art but resolute not to comply with thy own foolish and unreasonable desires thou will heartily thank thy self I mean be entirely glad when thy eyes are open that thou hast overcome thy self and that Wisdom and Reason and Conscience have got the day Resolve to remember this when temptation comes the next time to assault thee and play the man Having laid down these directions by way of prevention against the time of conflict to prepare the soul aforehand that in the assault it may not be vanquished I come now to a Christians behaviour in the fit and paroxysme it selfe when the lusts of the flesh are stirring and the great Rule to be observed here is this As soon as ever thou perceivest thine affections and lusts begin to grow inordinate and thy inferior appetites to rebel take thy self to task forthwith and resist them withall thy might Do not stay a moment delay is unutterably dangerous who but a mad man that sees the Stable or Barn hard by
banner thou servest Upon thy good behaviour and address in Arms depends much of the renown and honour of Christianity A cowardly Souldidier is the reproach of his Commanders Thou hast a noble General O Christian that hath done and finished perfectly what ever concerns thy Redemption from the powers of darkness To him that over cometh will he give to sit on his throne even as he overcame and is set downe on his fathers throne Rev. 3.23 Do valiantly and worthily Follow thy victorious Leader let all that know thee see that Religion is no mean and feeble thing that the School of Christ breeds the excellent of the earth that the Divine life is the most powerfull principle in the world that the Spirit of God in thee and his grace 〈◊〉 stronger then all thy lusts and corruptions Not he that talks mâ—st or professeth most but he that acts and lives most as a Christian shall be the man whom the King delights to honour 3. The lusts of the flesh are thy greatest enemies as well as Gods they warre against thy soul 1 Pet. 2.11 To resist them feebly is to do not only the work of the Lord but of thy Soul negligently 4ly It is easie vanquishing at first in comparison a fire newly kindled is soon quenched and a young thorn or bramble easily pulled up The fierce Lyon may be tamed when a whelp but if thou stay a little there will be no dealing with a Lust any more than with 〈◊〉 salvage Beast of prey Grace will lose and corruption get strength continually by delaying Fifthly If thou resistest the victory is thine Iames 4.7 And 〈◊〉 my Text Walke c. and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the fâ—â—sh Thoâ— caust never be conquered if thou wilt not yield Stand but 〈…〉 thou art invincible while thou art unwilling all the Devilâ— in hell cannot force thee to sin Temptation puts on it's strength as the will is Cease but to love the sin and the temptation is answered Indeed if thou chusest to be a slave thou shalt be one Nothing but thy owne choice can undo thee Sixthly Consider what thou dost if thou fulfillest the lusts of the flesh 1 Sam. 15 23. Heb. 6.6 thou provokest thy Heavenly Father rebellest against him and Rebellion is as witchcraft and stubbornesse as idolatry Thou crucifiest Jesus Christ afresh and puttest him to open shame Is this thy love and thanks to thy Lord to whom thou art so infinitely beholding Canst thou find in thy heart to put thy Spear again in his side Hath he not suffered yet enough Is his bloody passion nothing must he bleed again Ah monster of ingratitude ah perfidious Traytor as thou art thus to requite thy Master Again thou grievest thy Comforter and is that wisely done Who shall comfort thee if he depart from thee grieved Or is it ingenuous thus unworthily to treat that noble Guest to affront Gods sacred Spirit to his very face and in despight and mockery of him to side with his Enemy the flesh Is this thy kindnesse to thy best Friend thy faithfull Counsellour thy infallible Guide thy Minister and Oracle thy sweet and only Comforter What need I add that thou breakest thy peace woundest thy conscience forfeitest the losse of Gods countenance and makest a gap in the divine protection for all evill to rush in at 7ly And lastly Consider the invaluable benefit of resisting of not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh in two great instances First Unutterable joy and pleasure will be shed abroad in thy Soul as often as thou gettest the day I know no greater triumph then that of a Christian when he is more then conquerour through Christ that loves him O the peace the joy and holy glorying in the Lord and in the power of his might that a good man is even ravisht and caught up into the third Heavens with when the Lord covers his head in the day of Battell and lifts it up above his spiritual enemies To vanquish ones self is a nobler exploit than to subdue a City Pro. 16 32. Nay a vaster Conquest then if one could with that great Macedonian Captain atchieve the empty title of the vanquisher of the world 2. Every Conquest will encrease thy strength and dexterity against the next assault So that when the vanquisht lust recruits it's forces thou wilt be able to outvie thy self and become more dextrous every time Nay the mortifying of one earthly member like the cutting off a limb from the naturall body will make the whole body of sin tremble all the rest of thy Lusts will fare the worse and by consent languish So that every victory over any one corruption weakens that and all the rest and breaks the way for future Conquests How Ministers or Christian Friends may and ought to apply themselves to Sick Persons for their Good and the discharge of their own Conscience JOB 33.33 24. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransom THese words are part of Elihu's discourse uttered by way of Reprehension and Conviction to Job and by way of Vindication and Apology for God in his dealings with men and although he premiseth this that God giveth no account of his matters ver 13. yet he doth ex abundanti give an account for God and makes a defence or gives a rationale of Gods proceedings with men c. where he shews that it is not mans torment or ruine that God desires but his reformation and amendment and that it may appear how sincerely and fervently he desires it he shews that there are several ways and means which God useth which are most powerful and likely to produce it 1. He speaks to men in dreams ver 15 c. 2. When that will not do by afflictions ver 19 c. 3. To make those afflictions more intelligible and more effectual he sends a messenger c. this is the business of the Text if there be with him c. wherein you may observe two parts 1. A supposition ver 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter c. 2. A position ver 24. Then he is gracious to him c. the words may be called the sick mans cordial or his restorative wherein you may observe 1. The patient expressed in the word him 2. The disease his danger and misery he is going down to the pit 3. The Physitian who is described 1. Ab officio by his Office a messenger 2. Ab opere by his work an interpreter 3. A praestantid a rare man one of a thousand multis è millibus unus 4. The Physick to shew unto a man his uprightness 5. The cure then he is gracious c. where are considerable 1. The quality of it the kind of the cure deliver him from going down to the pit i. e. from
upon a sick bed and it is God that must do it even in health and to speak truly and strictly although the means of repentance be more probable and the truth of repentance more discernable in health then in sickness yet the practise of repentance is as hard a work in health as in sickness seeing in both cases it is the great work of the omnipotent God who hath ever challenged it as his royal prerogative to give repentance whatever those hostes gratiae Christi as Austin cals them say to the contrary so that in short with men repentance is always impossible can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Jer. 13.23 but with God it is always possible And yet to prevent the abuse of this by a presumptuous putting off repentance to the time of sickness and death upon this pretence I must add that such as put off repentance on such a pretext do seldom meet with it God doth seldom give repentance to such persons and it is a general observation of all serious Divines that late repentance is seldom true though true repentance is never late it being the just judgement of God that they that intend to mock God by putting off repentance should deceive themselves and die without repentance 2. That it is a work of great difficulty might easily be demonstrated but that will appear in the further prosecution of it all along only there are two Arguments which the Text suggests 1. That it is a work which God hath put into the hands of his chief Officers his Ministers who ought to be the most accomplished persons of all others c. this is one of those works for which God hath vouchsafed such singular gifts unto his Messengers 2. That it is not every Minister neither who is fit for this work and therefore here it is required that he be one of a thousand But this I shall pass over and come to that which is allotted to me the resolution of this great and important case of Conscience How Ministers or Christian friends may and ought to apply themselves to sick persons for their good and the discharge of their own consciences I take it to be one of the hardest parts of the Ministerial works to make seasonable applications to such persons I shall therefore endeavour to answer it though not so fully as the point deserves yet so far as the brevity of this Exercise will permit in these eight Propositions or Directions 1. Endeavour must be used to understand the state of the sick person As Physicians do by sick persons they enquire into the manner of their life diet c. it is a great step to the cure to know the Patients temper because as bodily so spiritual Physick must be suted to the temper and disposition and condition of the Patient And as Physicians take pains in this by conference with friends and by examining the Patient so should Ministers by discourse with religious acquaintance and by searching conference with the sick person endeavour to find out the truth for why should not men be as accurate in healing mens souls as their bodies since the very Heathen could say That all our care should be translated from the things of the body to the soul so Epictetus in his 6 Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and as for the body men prize those Physicians most that best know their temper c. so should sick persons prefer caeterîs paribus that faithful Minister that hath most knowledge of them c. 2. The great business is to bring the sick man to a true sight of his state and condition indeed this is an happy thing whatever his condition be if his conditio be sound and good then it is an happiness to know it that he may have the comfort of it if it be bad yet it is an happiness to know it that a man may be capable of counsel and put into the way to amend it it is true evil men like persons much in debt care not to look into their books and understand their debts but they must be brought to it And the worse thy condition is the more art thou concerned to discover it for to be ignorant of thy condition if it be good only hinders thee from comfort but if it be bad it hinders thee from salvation you and they must both consider that as the heart is always deceitful so then especially for three reasons amongst others 1. Then men are impotent and unable to examine themselves their natural parts are weakned the eyes of their mind clouded their mind is diverted by bodily paines that it cannot attend and so may sooner be cheated 2. Then men are sloathful and listless as to all spiritual exercises if even good men are sloathful in their most healthful times how much more evil men in times of sickness the listlesness of the body generally makes an answerable impression upon the faculties of the soul that being a received truth amongst Physicians and Philosophers ratified by daily experience that mores animi sequuntur temperames 〈◊〉 tum corporis 3. In times of sickness men are greedy of comfort and so will catch even at a shadow c. upon all these grounds there needs the more caution to set before his eyes the folly and misery of self-deceit especially in everlasting matters 3. Ministers and others must take great heed lest while they avoid one extream they run upon another which is a common errour in practise some for the prevention of despair have made such unseasonable applications of comfort as have begotten presumptuous hopes Others again to prevent presumption have so indiscreetly aggravated things as to render them hopeless and so careless c. there must therefore be a prudent contemperation of things together as the wise Physician mixeth several ingredients he puts in indeed things of a sharpe and corroding nature which may eat out or remove the noxious humours but addeth to them things of a more gentle temperature which by their leuity may correct the acrimony of the former God himself sets us a copy by the mouth of Samuel 1 Sam. 12.20 You have done all this wickedness there is the corrosions he faithfully discovers that and doth not dawbe with them yet lest the disease should rather be exasperated then removed he addes this healing counsel yet turn not a side from following the Lord this Cordial v 22. The Loâ—d will not forsake his people and Ezra follows it Ezra 10.2 We have trespassed against God and have taken strange wives yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this now therefore let us make a covenant with God 4. The same methods are not to be used to all sick persons you might as well give the same pill to all diseased persons whereas that which would cure one will kill another you may as well make one suit for all bodies
to reprove a man for every cause no the Disciples were quite out in reproving the children for coming to Christ in this chapter when it was not their sin but their duty vers 13 14. Quakers make a stir about Cuffs and Bands and Ribbons and Laces and such like minute trifles of Pharisaical Humility if they can prove these sins let them reprove them in Gods Name but if they are indifferent things it is censoriousness uncharitableness and pragmaticalness to rail at them and not Christian Reproof 3. Hee must manage his Reproof to sincere ends must take heed that his aims and intentions bee upright and honest in reproving Take heed of mingling any wilde-fire of pride and vain-glory and ambitious humour of contradicting and controuling others with thy zeal of Reproving This heat must bee holy heat a fire of the Sanctuary as free from the smoak of by-ends and self-interest as may bee purely for Gods glory and out of hatred unto sin and out of love to the salvation of thy Brothers soul Diogenes it is storied reproved Plato's pride by trampling upon his Velvet Chair and Cushion but saies the Author Majori fastu superbum Platonem Diogenes saperbior 4. Hee must manage his Reproof in fit season There is a time to speak and a time to bee silent Reproof is a duty grounded upon an Affirmative Precept Now 't is well observed by Divines that Affirmative Precepts binde semper but not ad semper wee must alwaies reprove but wee must not reprove alwaies it is a constant duty but it must bee done in a seasonable opportunity There are certain mollia Tempora fandi words upon the wheels as Solomon calls them that are like Apples of Gold and let mee tell you Christians one word spoken in season is worth a thousand other words Now it is impossible to define and determine all the nicks of time wherein a man should strike in with a Reproof for this must bee left to the wisdome and experience of every Christian that makes it his business to bee his Brothers keeper and let him assure himself hee must expect to lose many an admonition shoot many an Arrow of Reproof as Jonathan did his under and over on this side and tother side before hee hit the mark Rules 1. Hee must take a season wherein the offender is capable of Reproof If a man bee drunk wee must stay till hee bee sober as Abigail 1 Sam. 25.36 37. So if a man bee aâ—l in a heat of passion we must stay and come to him as God did no Adam in the cool of the day when the fit was over 2. Wee must take a season wherein wee have occasion to commend a man for his virtues and then rub him up for his faults Sir you are thus and thus oh but if you would but mend this and that how excellent it would bee So St. Paul 1 Cor. 11.2 17. 3. Wee must do it as soon as ever wee can and the sooner the better a green wound is easier healed than an old sore Levit. 19.17 4. If wee have long waited for fit seasons and yet cannot finde them you had better make a breach upon ones prudence than ones conscience discretion then must give place to necessity out with it and leave the success to God 5. Hee must manage his Reproof with due conditions and qualification And beloved there are seven properties of that Reproof that will in all likelihood both benefit and better our Brother and also secure our selves from participation of his sins 1. Wee must reprove seriously and in good earnest so as to knock the nail up to the head in the conscience of the sinner Psal 50.21 So should wee in our Reproofs of our Brother charge him home these things hast thou done there is no denying thou art the man saies Nathan to David before hee was in his parable but now hee speaks plain English as wee say This Jesus whom yee have crucified saies Peter to the â—ews and thus wee should set things in order before him Sir is not this and that highly to dishonour God and to crack your credit and to shame your profession and to impair your body and to waste your estate and to wound your conscience and to dâ—mn your precious and immortal soul and therefore for the Lords sake think on it and amend it A loose and squibbing kinde of Reproof is like an ignis Lambens as soon off as on and does the man more hurt than good As Elies careless and loose reproving of his lewd Sons did rather harden them in their villany than any way reform them As it is with weak Physick administâ—ed to a sick man if it doth onely stir the humours but not purge them away it leaves the body in a greater and worse distemper than it was before So 't is here therefore saies the Apostle Titus 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly A finger that is but just prickt and no more it is apt to wranckle and fester and bee worse but let it bleed and there is no danger it will then soon bee healed 2. Wee must Reprove impartially and without respect of Persons Good men if they miscarry must bee reproved as well as bad men If Peter temporize Paul will not spare him nor Barnabas neither they shall hear on 't Gal. 2. Again great men bee they never so great they should bee admonished as well as others so long as they are under the great God and subject to great failings and miscarriages Kings and Nobles and Magistrates as well as meaner and inferiour persons Nathan reproved David though a King and so did Elijah Ahab and Nehemiah reproved the Nobles and Rulers for Usury and Sabbath-prophanation Certainly if any bee fit to teach great men they are as fit to reprove them for both must go together 2 Tim. 4.2 That 's but a drone-like Preaching that hath lost the sting of Reproving It is the great unhappiness of Princes and Nobles that they have so many flatterers about them and so few Reprovers Carneades in Plutarch was wont to say that great mens Sons learned nothing well but to ride horses for men would be sure to flatter them If they run they would lag behinde that they might out-run them if they wrestled tâ—ey would fall on purpose that they might seem to cast them c. But a Horse not knowing a Prince from a Peasant would down with him if hee could not rule him Just so 't is now let great men do what they will both against Scripture and Reason and Law and Conscience they will not want their Parasites both to encourage them and applaud them If there bee not a Law for Cambyses to marry his Sister tush what of that there is a Law for Cambyses to do what hee pleases and thus men out of cowardize and fear of frowns and wrath dare not reprove guilty Greatness Oh but if a man be a faithful Monitour hee must bee impartial in his reproofs Agag
that Riches may be well used and being well used be a means of helping on our Eternal Salvation Learn hence not to condemn things good in themselves because of the abuse of them The Lord in regard of the ordinary abuse of Riches stileth them mammon of unrighteousness and yet adviseth not thereupon to cast them away but to make to our selves friends thereof that is Luke 16.9 so to use them as the good works done by them may as friends before the Judge give evidence of the truth of our Faith and Love and shew that wee are of the sheep of Christ for whom Eternal Life is purchased Having thus shewed the occasion and dependance of these words upon the former come wee now to the Logical Resolution of them where wee may observe two parts 1. A Prohibition 2. An Injunction A Prohibition of hurtful Vices An Injunction of needful Vertues The vices are two 1. High-mindedness 2. Vain confidence Charge them that are rich in this world that they bee not high-minded nor trust in uncertain Riches The Vertues are likewise two 1. Confidence or Faith in God but trust in God which is urged by an Argument taken from Gods bounty in these words who giveth us richly all things to enjoy 2. Charity towards Men expressed in several phrases viz. by doing good and by being rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate which duties are enforced by an Argument taken from the benefit of performing them which is in brief assurance of Eternal Life implied in these words Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life I shall briefly speak something to the several branches of the Text as they lye in order and then come to the Question or Case of Conscience given unto mee to handle Charge them that are rich in this world The expression of our Apostle is here observable in that hee saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak to them nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declare to them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charge command them Well did the Apostle know how forward on the one side rich men are to be high-minded and to trust in their Riches and on the other side how backward they are to trust in God and to shew charity to the poor and thereupon sure it is requisite that a Minister should take courage to himself and not think it enough closely to intimate to rich men what Vices they are addicted to or what Vertues they are bound unto but remembring the place wherein they stand which is God in the Name of his most excellent Majesty to require charge and command them to forbear the one and indeavour after the other In the next place follows the parties to whom this charge is to bee given namely To the rich in this world Charge them saith the Apostle who are rich in this world that is in this present world noting our riches to be only for this world for true is that Proverb of the Wise-man Prov. 27.24 Riches are not for ever they cannot be carried out of this world Job 1.21 As naked wee came into this world so naked shall wee go out of it And therefore it must needs be a point of great wisdome by that which is but for this present world to store up a sure foundation for the time to come In the next place follows the Vices here forbidden the first is High-mindedness whereunto rich men are very prone in that their wealth is as wind and though wind be but a vapour yet it puffeth up exceedingly as wee see in a bladder blown up with wind In like manner Eccles 1.2 Riches though they be but meer vanity as the Wise-man expresseth it yet are they apt to puff up men extreamly even to think of themselves above what is meet Whereas if rich men would but well weigh that they came from and must return to the same mould that others do Gen. 3.19 for dust they are and to dust they must return Yea if they would consider that they came from the same cursed stock that others do and are by nature no better than the meanest especially if they would consider that outward riches cannot add the least dram of real worth to the owners of them but though they may be the more honourable parts or members in the civil body of the state yet in the mystical body of Christ they may be less honourable than the poor I say if rich men did but seriously consider these things they would not bee so high-minded as they are The other Vice here forbidden unto rich men is Vain-confidence or trusting in their riches and this is very fitly joyned to the former for where our pride is there will bee our confidence That rich men are apt to put too much trust and confidence in their riches doth appear by the titles which they commonly give unto them calling them their goods as if they were the only good things and their substance as if all things else were shadows and by the increase of them they say they are made for ever and by the loss of them they say they are utterly undone What do these expressions imply but a trust and confidence in their Riches Whereupon saith the Wise-man Prov. 18.11 The rich mans wealth is his strong City and as an high wall in his own conceit It makes him think himself so safe and secure that like the Judge mentioned by our Saviour hee feareth not God nor regardeth man Luke 18.2 In the next place follows the Vertues enjoyned The first is Confidence or Faith in God which is directly opposed to trust in Riches so as rich men may have wherein to trust though they trust not in riches God is the God of the Rich as well as of the Poor and the one as well as the other are to put their whole trust in him And if wee consider the property here given to God viz. Living but trust in the Living God wee shall see good reason to trust in God rather than in Riches For our wealth may vanish away but hee ever liveth our wealth may prove our bane but he is both the giver and preserver of life Our trusting in God is here pressed by an Argument taken from Gods bounty to us in these words who giveth us richly all things to enjoy So that the Lord is not only a Living but also a Giving God of whose gift you have not only your life but also your riches yea all that you have is the gift of God who giveth you not onely all needful things but also richly and as St. James saith liberally James 1.6 For God in his gifts sheweth himself to be a God and that two waies 1. In the freeness 2. In the greatness of them Psal 68.19 Hee loadeth us with benefits saith the Psalmist This rich bounty of
well as open 3. The first risings as well as the grosse acts 4. Sins which promise worldly safety credit profit contentment as well as those sins that threaten the contrary 5. In a word all moral evil hatred and Antipathy being of the whole kind Psalm 119.128 especially of those evils which most indanger the New-man Psalm 18.23 and such as are beloved sins Matth 18. vers 8 9. III. They differ in the subject of the conflict In natural men the fight is in several faculties reason fighting against sense and passion or the dictate of conscience against the corrupt inclination of the will whence the fight is more at a distance by missile Arms and velitation But in the regenerate man the fight is more close in the same faculty the wisdom of flesh and spirit counteracting in the same understanding the lustings of the flesh and spirit in the same will whence the fight is as it were inter Triarios Grace and Corruption immediatly which at first haply was managed by the Hastati and Scutati Reason and Interest The former is like the fight of the Souldiers of Fortune more lazy and by way of Siege the latter more keen and vigorous by way of Assault an Onslait like that of Scanderbeg who fought with his Enemies breast to breast in a Box or Grate IV. They differ in the Instruments or weapons wherewith they combate The natural mans weapons are like himself carnal to wit natural or moral reason worldly fears or hopes and sometimes spiritual fears or hopes but carnalized namely slavish fear and mercenary hopes But the Regenerate mans weapons are Spiritual 2 Cor. 10.4 to wit gracious Interest and all the Spiritual Armour Ephes 6. vers 11. 18. especially the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit V. They differ in the manner of the fight The natural mans combate is more mercenary admits of more Parley 's cessations correspondencies as 1. Sam. 15.9 Sauls fight with Amaleck But the Spiritual man as such fights it out to the last and will give no Quarter The former is like the strife between Wind and Tide which often come about and are both of one side the latter is like the Dam and the Tide that strive till one be born down or like Stream and Tide meeting and conflicting till one hath overborn the other VI. They differ in the extent of the conflict in relation to its subject and duration The extent of the Subject is double 1. As to the faculties 2. As to the Acts. As to the faculties The seat of Warr in the Regenerate is every faculty flesh and spirit being ever mixed as light and darknesse in every poynt of Ayr in the twilight 1 Thes 5.23 Grace and Corruption Leaven the whole-man So that in the Regenerate there is at the same time both a Civil and a Forein Warr that in the same faculty this in one faculty against another Contrariwise in the Unregenerate there is usually nothing but a forein War between several faculties there being nothing of spiritual good in their wills and affections to set the same faculty against it self 2. It extends also to every act of piety and charity especially if more spiritual Rom. 7.21 For which the natural man hath no conflict but against them unlesse it be to stop the mouth of conscience inlightned c. Nor indeed doth he know experimentally what spiritual acts of Piety are But the regenerate find it by constant experience Faith and Unbelief Humility and Pride ever opposing and counter-working each other whence he is forced to cut his way through his Enemies and to dispute it step by step Others may seek but he strives Luke 13.24 and takes the Kingdom of Heaven by an holy violence Matth. 11.12 in spight of spiritual Enemies that way-lay him within and without 2. As to the extent of Duration of the Warr which being in the Regenerate irreconcileable must needs be interminable like the Warr between the Romans and Carthaginians that was intayl'd to Posterity or as fire and water will fight for ever if together for ever In the natural man contrariwise the quarrel is soon took up as between the Romans and other Nations there being not that Antipathy between Reason and Corruption as there is between Grace and Corruption VII They differ in the concomitants and consequents of the fight And 1. The fight in natural men may stand with the constant practice of and living in sin against the light of Conscience Godly men sin more with knowledge but wicked men more against knowledge He that is born of God doth not commit sin that is make a trade of living and lying in known sin 1 John 3.9 2. The fight in the Unregenerate hinders not the perfection and consummation of sin in the antecedent deliberation and purpose in the present delight and complacency and the following pertinacy and impenitency Instance in Saul Herod Judas and others But the Spirit by its conflict breaks the power of sin in all these in the Regenerate that they can neither do good as they would nor sin as they otherwise would Gal. 5.17 3. The fight in natural men seeks only the repression not the suppression of sin to lop the superfluous branches not stub up the root to charm the Serpent not to break its head But the spiritual fight seeks the full mortification and abolition of sin Rom. 6.6 hatred seeks the destruction of its Enemie 1 Sam. 24.19 and 1 John 3.15 and the compleat perfection of Grace though not attainable in this life Phil. 3. vers 10. 14. This for the first branch of Wisdom which teaches to discern between the natural and the spiritual Conflict The second Branch of Heavenly Wisdom Aplic lyes in improving these Spiritual Contrarieties by siding with the spirit against the flesh 1. This is done 1. By watching all the forces designs and motions of the Enemy We have in us Legions of these Devils the meanest of them too strong and too subtil for us Heb. 3.13 true Gibeonites that can easily cheat us with their mouldy bread and clouted Garments Sons of Anak all of one confederacy and sworn Enemies of our Salvation had we not need have our eyes in our heads and set watchfulnesse upon the forelorn hope 1 Cor. 16.13 2. By making head early against the Enemy Principiis obsta c. nip sin in the bud crush this Cockatrice in the shell strangle this hellish-Brat in the birth take heed of the first appearances of evill take it's first All-armes slight not the smallest sin or occasion of sinning How much mischife is done by a little wound a little Thief a smal Spark James 3.5 and 2 Sam. 11.2 3. Oppose especially thy Master-Lust Fight in comparison neither against small nor great but against the King of these Hellish Regiments 1 Kings 22.31 Be sure to pull out that right eye This is the Skirt Satan layes hold of in wrastling with thee to thy hazzard and his no small advantage
cannot passe away now he hath said it Exod. 24.7 he will by no means acquit the guilty i. e. Unlesse the blood of sprinkling for repentance and remission be applied said again Plalm 68.21 I will wound the head and again Esay 65.20 The sinner an hundred years old is accursed Now as the Godly look to have God as good as his word for good Zach. 1.6 so the wicked must look to have God as good as his word for evil Did not my Word take hold of your Fathers 5. No time can remit Gods anger if you offend a man and he Reas 5 be angry you may get out of the way and time will waer off the memory of the offence or at least asswage his passion but 't is not so with God but if he be once angry he is for ever angry the same cause which is sin unrepented remaining Psal 7.11 God is angry with the wicked every day for the sins he commits one day the Anger of the Lord unlesse he works a change in us abides upon us burning to the bottome of Hell Psal 90.11 O! as his fear is so is his wrath and a thousand times more 6. Lastly the sinner is as much under the power of God at one Reas 6 time as at anoâ—her forty a hundred a thousand years after a sin is committed as when the sin was first done As the People of God are born up with that word Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortned that he cannot save Es 59.1 So the wicked sink under the terror of that word Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart hold and thine hands be strong when I shall visit when I shall deal with you saith the Lord This is the first Reason from God Reas 2. From Sin In a Two-fold Consideration of every sin wherein there are two things which make sin unrepented sure to be called back 1. There is in every sin a breach of the eternal rule of Righteousnesse Reas 1 1 John 3.4 Now the breach of an Eternal Law must needs be Eternal unlesse he which is Eternal make it up i. e. Christ in giving repentance and remission Make a breach in a stone wall you may come many years after and find it as you left it and it must hold as long as the wall holds if it be not made up even so it is in this case Let one come from the dead and warn us those poor cursed castaways are still and must be still and ever crying out under the wrath of God What is the reason I pray verily not only because they sinned out of an affection and spring to sin for ever but also because every sin is objectively infinite and eternal being against the Infinite Eternal Law of the Eternal God now the Law being wronged by the sinner demands and solicits the Justice and Vengeance of God against him till it be satisfied to the utmost farthing therefore till then i. e. for ever must the wrath of God abide upon him and if time wears not out the breach of the Eternal Law in Hell much lesse doth it make any alteration therein here while thou doublest and treblest thy sin by going on with an impenitent heart Reas 2 2. There is also in every sin a spot stain or brand whereby the sinner is marked out for Judgment and Condemnation as we say of a Murtherer as to man Deu. 32.5 Jer. 13.23 Jer. 17.1 so we may say of every sin which is hatred and so murther of the Blessed God as to God there is alwayes some mark or token whereby he is known and that is the macula which sin doth impresse upon him now this also is an indelible Character as the former of Guilt was save only when upon the penitent heart-changing application of the blood of sprinkling there is made an alteration of the case It is plain Jer. 17.1 It is written with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond Jer. 2.22 Though thou take thee much nitre and wash thee with much sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord. David cries out so Psalm 51. O! wash me purge me c. this is the second reason from sin The third is from the sinner himself i. e. from his own Conscience There is in every rational Creature a certain thing called Conscience upon the account of which also sin must needs be kept upon the file for a back-blow Know here that There are divers acts of Conscience and all of them unavoidable 1. Directive as to that which is to be done it being the Law written in the heart it points to all the duties and sins whereby that Law is kept or broken warning from the one and putting on to the other Gen. 39.9 How shall I do this and sin c. Psalm 119.59 I considered my wayes and turned my feet into thy testimonies thus Conscience is a Monitor 2. Reflexive both gratulatory and reprehensive as to all that which is doing or done 1. Considering observing and recording whether it be done or no the matter of fact simply with the natural Circumstances of action negative and positive both in the point of Omission and Commission Item this is done or not done 2. Taking notice and recording the quality of the fact in a comparative act comparing it with the rule together with the moral Circumstances thereof thus Conscience is a surveyer witnesse Register Item in the doing or omitting of this and this the Law is broken and the forfeiture and penalty is incurred 3. It applies this and sets it home upon the sinner thou art the man This thou hast done verily thou art guilty c. thus Conscience is a Judge also and gives sentence touching both the sin and sinner pro or â—on as the Case is 4. It never leaves nor gives over these acts of warning observing recording witnessing and judging till Judgment take place and the Law and sentence be fulfilled upon the sinner Verily I am guilty c. thus Conscience is Tormenter and Executioner also executing its own Sentence by affecting the heart and moving the affections as of joy and boldnesse if the Case be good so of horrour and fear shame and sorrow if the Case be bad c. Now these acts of Conscience though happly for a time suspended as it were are unavoidable upon a double account and Conscience cannot be bribed 1. Because of that relation that Conscience hath to God it ever takes God's part and God it 's it is Gods deputy and Viceroy and so it 's voice and judgment is the very Voice and Judgment of God himself who can and will maintain it in its office till he brings forth Judgment unto victory 2. Because of it's relation to a mans self it is Sensus prejudicium Judicii Divini Nothing so intimate to a man and inseparable from life as this bosome Judge and God's Court within a man 't is a part of a mans Soul and self as subordinate to
when their outward condition is troubled their inward state and frame is full of perplexities and fears David found it so Psalm 116.3 The sorrows of death compassed me and then also the pains of hell got hold on me I found trouble and sorrow i. e. very much perplexity both inward and outward at once So again Psalm 31.22 1 Sam. 23.26 Psal 42.7 In my hast i. e. when I was flying for my life before the face of Saul and hard put to it then I said I am cut off from before thine eyes Thus it was with Jona 2.4 in the depth of his distress saith he I am cast out of thy sight sad conclusions touching not only Gods providential care over them but his love towards them Thus with Paul 2 Cor. 7.5 without were fightings within were fears i. e. Spiritual conflicts We find the whole Church in the Lam. at the same passe Lam. 3.17.18 Thou hast removed my Soul far from Peace I said my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord alike sad is that Ezek. 37.11 Swoon of Israel's Faith when they were in the Captivity You 'l ask what the reason and cause of this should be 1. It arriseth from their ignorance especially in the fundamental Reas 1 Points of Religion as touching our disease and the remedy and way of cure the tehour of the Covenant of Grace according to which God exactly proceeds in all his dealings with us and we should ever carry it towards God If a man be taken with a fit of sickâ—esse knows not what he ailes nor what to take nor how to apply that which is prescribed nor how to order himself is unsatisfied touching the way skil and faithfulnesse of his Physitian by his ignorance he is put to a sad plague and at his wits ends ready to sink and welter thus t is in our Spiritual condition David Plam 73.12 16. is dangerously tossed in his Spirit upon waves of temptations and much staggared about his condition his feet were almost gone he almost wrackt and cast away See the reason veis 22. of Psalm 73. So foolish was I and ignorant ignorance is darknesse 't will either find fears or make them 2. This ariseth from the ill and imprudent carnal management of a Reas 2 more prosperous state 't is rare to receive much of this World Luke 15.12 13. and not as the Prodigal to go afarr off 't is hard to keep close to God in prosperity when we have much of this World to live upon and content our selves with to live upon God and make him our content and stay as if we had no other life nor livelyhood but in him we are very apt in such a case to contract a carnal frame let go our hold of God discustome our selves to the exercise of Faith abate and estrange our affections from God See how it was with David Psalm 30.7 I said I should never be moved thou hast made my mountain so strong I solaced my self in these outward accommodations as if I needed no other support strength or content and there were no fear of a change no care now to make God my constant joy and stay and reckon upon God only for my portion and that I must follow him with a Crosse and be conformed to my Saviour in being crucified to the World what comes of this v. 7. Thou hidest thy face and I was troubled viz. because he had too much indulged a life of sense Children that are held up by their Nurses hand and mind not to feel their feet and ground when the Nurse lets them go they fall as if they had no feet or ground to stand upon Or thus we are like Children which playing in the golden Sun-shine and following their sport stray so far from their Fathers house that night coming upon them ere they are aware they are as it were lost and full of fears not knowing how to recover home the World steals away our hearts from God gives so few opportunities for the exercise of the life of Faith and such advantages to a life of sense wears off the sense of our dependance on God and need thereof so that when we are put to it by affliction we are ready to miscarry ere we can recover our weapon or hold Faith is our cordial Psalm 27.13 now if it be not at hand as in health when we have no need of it it use to be we may faint ere we recover the use of it Reas 3 3. It ariseth from the shortnesse and dimnesse of our Spiritual Evidences our Evidence you know are great matters in point of estate and livelyhood and in affliction we are put to prove them at which time if they be either not clear or not at hand we are at a great losse and plunge a good man makes alwaies Conscience of making his calling and election sure but he is especially put upon this work in affliction then he considers then searches more then in his ordinary course Afflictions are as sharp searching winter-weather will search whether your house be tite or no those garments walls and windows that will serve in Summer of prosperity will be found defective in Winter of adversity then how stands the case between God and me what ground of my confidence what evidence that I am in Christ c. though the least degree of Faith will save the house from falling yet 't will be a poor cold uncomfortable dwelling in Winter unlesse you mend the cracks and flaws to defend you against driving pierceing winds and storms Reas 4 4. It ariseth as it did here from the remembrance of some sin unmortified and therefore it may be for ought we know unpardoned Affliction puts upon the remembrance of sin with more circumstances and aggravations and to more purpose then ordinarily even the best which make most conscience hereof attend to it in time of freedom Job 36.8 9 10. If they be bound in fetters and held in the cords of affliction then he shews them their work and their transgressions wherein they have exceeded 1 Kings 17.18 Dost thou come to call my sin to remembrance in slaying afflicting me with the losse of my son In stormy change of weather when clouds gather black over us and it begins to drop then we feel it in our bones what bruises or aches we have gotten When a man is arrested by one Crediâ—or all his debts come in upon him Even so when a man is arrested with sicknesse or some other outward distresse then come in upon him the debts wherein he is bound over unto the Divine Law when all is well with us we can easily cast these debts on the score of Christ but now 't is hot work Affliction is the glasse of sin and the opening and awakening the Conscience to see it and thence comes the Trouble upon the Spirit It is not all the stormy winds upon the face of the earth but some generated in the bowels thereof which
b Jam. 1.17 above and cometh down from the Father of lights Every good Gift Not only those transcendents of Grace and Glory of Union with Christ here and full fruition of Christ hereafter but also all temporal good things be they more or less even to an Hoof or Shoo-lachet Faith confesseth that it hath Nothing but what it c 1 Cor. 4.7 received from God As God in mercy hath d Mat. 6.33 1 Tim. 4.8 promised so God in Bounty hath given me these earthly enjoyments It is the Lord that gave saith Believing e Job 1.21 Job Riches Honour Advancement promotion they all come of God Not from the East nor West nor South i. e. neither this way nor that way nor any way of man but God putteth down one and f Psal 75.6 7. setteth up another Faith knows that as all good things come from God so all success in business all blessings on our Labours Callings Affairs is only from the Lord. It is the g Gen. 39.23 Lord alone that makes whatsoever Joseph doth to prosper The Disciples may fish and tug all night but till h Mat. 4.19 Christ comes they can catch nothing 'T is the i Pro. 10.22 Blessing of the Lord alone that maketh rich 2. Since all that I have is received of God I may not I must not boast crack k 1 Cor 4.7 glory as if I receiv'd it not Let others saith Faith thank their own labours wisdom policy parts wickedly sacrifice to their own l Hab. 1.16 nets and burn Incense o their own drags as if by them their portion were fat and their meat plenteous Faith leaves it to the Atheist to bless himself in being Fortunae suae Faber or with that Dunghil wretch who being excited to thank God for a rich Crop of Corn replyes Thank God shall I Nay rather thank my Dung-cart Faith is of another kind of Complexion O fâ—r be it saith she that I should so much as in my heart say that my m Deut. 8.17 18. Dan. 4.30 power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth 3. In as much as all that I have is from Gods blessing and bounty this whole all shall be for his praise and Glory Since all my enjoyments are of him it is but just that all should be to n Rom. 11.36 him He that is the Alpha the beginning of all my mercies shall be the * Diu te m norem quodâ—geris imperas Huc omne principium huc refer exitum Horat. Omega the end and Center of all my Services These Earthly treasures saith Faith shall be improved for high and Heavenly ends Not thrown into the sink of a voluptuous panch not so much on an Hawk or Hound but laid and lockt up in Gods Treasury i. e. the Backs and Bosoms of Christs poor members Faith is resolved to improve Satans greatest weapon i. e. the World and it's sweetest enjoyments against Himself 't will break His Hairy scalp with His own cudgels turne his own Cannons against him that is by reducing all it's wordly enjoyments into a serviceableness and subordination for the glory of God Faith disdains to take that course way of Curing the Lust of the Eyes by plucking them out and to slake the thirst of Riches by a profuse casting of it into the Sea to conquer the Worlds Honour and Applause by Turning Hermit and hiding of it's Head in a lonely Cave No Faith prepares the Soul for a Nobler way of Victory not by slighting the Bait but by digesting of it into Food by using of creature-comforts as so many Rounds in Jacobs Ladder to Mount it's self and others the Nearer heaven Faith considers that the King of Heaven expects His Toll Tribute Custome out of all our Receits that where much is given there more is o Luk 12.48 required and justly fears lest if it should not pay it's God the Interest it should and that justly forfeit and lose the Principal Therefore the more 't is p Isa 5.2 c dung'd and drest and pruned the more abundant clusters it brings forth and such as are acceptable to the palate of the Vine-dresser 4. Because all my enjoyments proceed from Gods Free-Gift or rather His Loan therefore they must and shall be readily surrendred to Gods Call If God will continue these outward Comfors saith Faith I will own and improve His Bounty and yet if He thinks fit to call in His debts I will revere and submit to his Soveraignty Let God give and give abundantly Job will Bless Let God take Job knows He takes but his own and on that account will bless him then Job has learnt to bless a q Job 1.21 taking as well as a giving God Here are Lands Houses Children Parents dear enjoyments indeed but yet such as are not my Fee-simple saith Faith I am only a Tenant at will r Luke 14.33 All these yea and much more nay Life and All must and shall be denyed resign'd when God calls for them A Gracious heart knows that he cannot possibly make so much of his worldly enjoyments any other way as by offering them up for Christs sake and resigning them to Christs Call Mary's ointment could never have been carried to a better market then it was when poured so freely on her dear Saviours Head Be a Believers enjoyments what they will never so great never so precious suppose His Vessel laden with Pearls yet even these shall overboard rather than hazard the Å¿ 1 Tim. 1 19 wrak of Faith or a Good Conscience 5. Now I enjoy most from God now even now 't is necessary that I should trust mostly yea wholly and only in God Thus Jehoshaphat 2 Cro. 20.12 Thus Asa though he had an Army almost Innumerable no less than t 2 Cro. 14.8.11 five hundred and fourscore Thousand men All of them mighty Men of Valour yet he looks on all of them as Cyphers as nothing without a God and therefore now puts forth his Trust in God and flyes to him for help Here indeed was a Noble trust 'T is difficult to trust God in our greatest wants but more difficult to Trust Him in our greatest Weal 'T was a Brave Act of Trust in u Job 13.15 Job when He resolves to Trust in God though he killed Him An High Attainment in Paul when He had Nothing to be as one that possessed All things Yea but when God quickens when we Are full and Abound when our Cup runs over now to Trust in a God and not in our Cup when our sails are fil'd with a Trade-wind then to confide only in our Pilot when we have All Things and yet then to look on the Creature as utterly insufficient and to lean wholly on Gods Allsufficiency This speaks the most Spiritual and refined Trust and yet this is that which Faith exerts in it's fullest enjoyments Where Mercy Abounds Trust Superabounds reputing the Creature
the creature and drive such a Trade in the Shop that they quite break in their Trading for Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Farm and Oxen have kept millions from Christ These do not make Religion their business but make the world their business and what will all be at death but as a dream or fancy Hab. 2.13 The people shall labour in the fire and weary themselves for very vanity 2. Branch Hence see how hard it is to be saved 'T is not so Branch 2 easie as some apprehend Religion must be our business 'T is not enough to have a smack of Religion a touch and away Canis ad nilum but we must make it our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our businesse How many precepts have we to obey how many tentations to resist how many graces to treasure up Religion is the work of our whole lives and all little enough Lord then how hard is it to be saved Where will the sinner appear What will become of the Gallants of our times who make sin their business Quibus cura est ut vesles bene oleant ut digiteÌ„ annulis radirent ut crines calamistro rotentur Hier. whose whole imployment is to indulge and pamper the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All their care is as Hierom speaks to crisp their hair to sparkle their Diamonds instead of steeping their souls in brinish rears they bathe themselves in perfumed waters and ride to Hell upon the back of pleasure Vse 2. Let us deal impartially with our own souls and put Vse 2 our selves upon a strict triall Triall before the Lord whether we make Religion our business And for our better progress herein I shall lay down ten Signs and Characters of a man that makes Religion his business and by these as by a Gospel-Touchstone we may try our selves 1. He who makes Religion his business doth not place his Religion Character 1 only in externals Rom. 2.28 He is not a Jew who is one outwardly Religion doth not stand only in forms and shadows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is to give God leaves instead of fruit 'T is often seen that the pomp of worship destroys the purity as the paint of the Glass hinders the light And 't is no untruth to say that formality may as well damn as prophaneness A superstitious Pharisee may as well be in Hell as a drunken Epicure A Christians main work lies with his heart He that makes Religion his business gives God the Vitals he worships him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 In stilling the spirits are strongest The good Christian distils out the spirits for God Aaron must offer the fat upon the Altar Lev. 3.14 He shall offer an offering made by fire the fat that covereth the inwards Vers 16. All the fat is the Lords If Aaron had offered the skin instead of the fat it would not have been accepted Externall devotion alone is offering the skin and they that give God only the skin of duty shall carry away only the shell of comfort Character 2 2 Character He who makes Religion his business avoids every thing that may be a remora and hindrance to him in his work A wicked man cares not whether the matter of Religion goes forward or backward he stands in the way of tentation and as if sin did not come fast enough he draws it as with a Cart-rope Isa 5.18 Isa 5.18 But he who makes Religion his business flies from tentation and while he is running the heavenly race layes aside every weight of sin which doth so easily beset him Heb 12.1 A man may as well miss of Heaven by loytering in the way as by losing the way 1 Sam. 21.8 The Kings business required hast so the business of Religion requires hast therefore the good Christian is carefull that he be not taken off the work and so be taken tardy in it Character 3 3 Character He who makes Religion his business hath a care to preserve conscience inviolable and had rather offend all the world than offend his conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience Much of Religion lies in conscience Faith is a precious jewell but conscience is the Cabinet where this jewell must be kept O faelix conscientiae Paradisus bonorum operum virgultis consita variisque virtutum floribus purpurata Aug. ad fratr â—n eremo Tom. 10. 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience Love is a beautifull flower but this flower must grow in the garden of a pure conscience 1 Tim. 1.5 Charity out of a pure conscience So sacred a thing is conscience that without this all Religion drops in pieces He who makes Religion his business labours to get conscience regulated by Scripture as the Watch is set by the Dial and having done this he keeps his conscience as his eye that no dust of sin fall into it 4 Character He who makes Religion his business Religion Character 4 hath an influence upon all his civill actions 1. Religion hath an influence upon his eating and drinking he holds the golden bridle of temperance he eatâ— sparingly The godly man feeds not to please the sensuall appetite but that he may as Chrysostome saith by the strength he receives from the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the more fit for the chearfull discharge of spirituaâ—l services He makes not his food fuell for lust but help to duty Epicures dig their own grave with their teeth they feed without fear Jude vers 12. Irregulares gulares Sinners fear not lest their Table should be a snare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Psal 69.22 they fear not the process of justice while the Wine is in the Cup they fear not the hand writing on the Wall But the godly man being regulated by Religion puts a Knife to his throat Prov. 23.2 that he may cut the throat of intemperance 2. He that makes Religion his business Religion hath an influence upon his recreation The strings of the Viol must sometimes be slackned lest they break Neque semper arcum tendit Apollo God affords his people generous delights the Scripture allows the use of the Bow 2 Sam. 1.18 But we are apt to offend most in lawfull things more are killed with Wine than with poyson Religion sits Moderatour in the soul The man influenced by Religion dares not make play an occupation 't is oyl to quicken him in Gods service not a Sea to ingulph him He who is devoted to Religion puts bounds to the Olympian sports he knows where to make his stops and periods he sets up an Herculis Columna on which he writes non ultra no further than this 3. He that makes Religion his businesse Religion hath an influence upon his buying and selling The wicked get a livelihood often by cozening sometimes they embase commodities Amos 8.6 They sell the refuse of the Wheat They would pick out
make a man consider what he promiseth to a man How much more care should he use in promising unto God where the promise is more than ordinary where the tye is so indissoluble where the demand is so punctually and peremptorily made where the danger so great in making default Let me commend unto thy more than ordinary care these two things if thou wilt make a Vow so well framed as to set up Religion First Be carefull that thy Vow of obedience for and in consideration of a mercy hoped or received hold weight with that mercy keep a steddy hand and get an even ballance and weigh the mercy which commands thy obedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talentum Hebraeorum contineâ— pondere 3000 siclos Bâ—erewood de ponderibus Heb. and weigh thy Vow which promiseth it It will be thy reproach and Religions reproach to have thy Vow sound a shekel when thy mercy weighs a talent when God gives a full harvest thou must not Vow a handfull or one sheaf This were to expose thy God to contempt and it would be a practicall denyall of his bounty to thee Jacob observed this proportion Gen. 28. v. 20 21 22. God shall be his God and then the tenth of all he hath shall be his Davids For all his benefits is as much as according to all his benefits and that speaks proportion and commensuratenesse Take care to this for others will observe and enquire into it They will weigh these two thy mercy and thy gratitude do thou do it first lest thou be shamed lest God be provoked and thou be punished for as good a man and as great as thou who ere thou art who readest this met with all these with shame with the anger of his God and with a punishment too on him for want of this See Hezekiah's fault and punishment 2 Chron. 32.25 Don't fall short of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sordidum tenuem sumtum hoc adagio significabant Erasm Adagior chil 2. cent 7. Ad. 3â— Heathens who knew this and observed it as their rule and have branded such who deviate from it be carefull thou put not off a mercy that lives many years with thee with a dayes entertainment or weeks or moneths lodging with thee Secondly Be carefull that thou make thy Vow so that they may be thy witnesses whom God makes be carefull thou make them witnesses of thy performing whom God made witnesses of thy streits and thou madest witnesses of thy Vowes A man that would have his credit in his truth to his word kept up would choose them witnesses of his performing who were witnesses of his promise I think David took this heed in his rendring and paying his Vowes I will do it saith he now in the presence of his people Vers 14. The people were witnesses to his streights Prayers and Vowes and he will honour Religion by performing in their sight what he sealed signed and delivered what he Vowed to the Lord. Seek not more than providence makes conscious to thy Vowes lest this be interpreted ostentation and vain self-glorying take so many lest the good example be lost or thou suspected of falsifying thy Vow Briefly and plainly dost thou on a sick bed make thy Vow before thy Family before the Neighbourhood be carefull to perform it before them let them see thou art what thou Vowedst to be This care in thy Vow will be a means to make it most to the advantage of Religion whilst all that heard or knew thy Vow bear thee testimony that thou art thankfull and more thou seekest not lest thou be suspected to be proud thus Religions gratitude and humility are set forth thus thou givest others occasion to glorifie thy Father who is in Heaven Vse 2 Do well advised and composed Vowes so much promote Religion when well and faithfully kept are they also such sacred and inviolable bonds Then look what Vowes you are under look how you have performed them It is time to view what you fairly promised for advancing of Religion and what you have faithfully performed for its real advantage Christian consider with thy self wa st thou ever in more than ordinary distresse didest thou not then Vow largely tell me what were thy Vowes how hast thou paid them wa st thou ever in poor needy condition didst thou not then Vow to honour God with thy increase to inrich the poore to relieve thine indigent brethren and Gods poore Children Now what hast thou done who are cloathed out of thy flock who are fed at thy table who are lodged at thy charge where 's thy paying thy Vow was it ever thy lot to be tossed at Sea to be mounted up to the Heavens to be cast down again into the depths to be at thy wits end didst thou not then Vow if ever God should command and make it a calme and bring thee to thy desireâ— Haven thou would'st be more circumspect in all manner of conversation more vigilant to thy particular duty more severe against thy particular sinne Didest thou not Vow that an Anniversary Sermon with an allowance to the Poore or a constant Lecture or an Almes-house or some such great standing Monument should commemorate Gods goodnesse to thee and perswade others to trust and seek unto that goodnesse or at least if thy Estate would not do so much hast thou not Vowed to do according to thy power where now is thy paying these Vowes But I was never poore never at Sea may be so yet art thou not under some Vowes for some other mercies wa st thou never in danger of losing thy Estate thy Relations thy life Didest thou never lye dangerously and men thought desperately sick hast thou no sick-bed Vowes upon thee stay here who ever thou art that readest these lines and read not a word more untill thou hast duely considered whether ever thou hast been dangerously sick and what thou then Vowedst and how thou hast performed The proud contemner of Religion learns by his dangerous sicknesse to promise to be religious wast thou ever such didest thou ever so Vow and art thou now what thou didest then promise The prophane swearer and blasphemer is brought by a sicknesse to fear his Oath and to Vow to learn to fear and absteine Oh then if God will not destroy and damn but give life he will that he will repent and amend he will blesse but not blaspheme his Name he will never more prophanely swear and curse wast thou ever such a one so sinnefull so engaged what performance now The Drunkard Vowes sobriety when he is sick the Adulterer Vows chastity the worldling Vowes to mind Heaven the Tradesman who hath so often sold his conscience at every price to gain six pence by an untruth and lye then if this plunge be out lived will keep a good conscience In a word A sick bed makes a sinner sick of his sinne and seldome fails to make him Vow against it Now Reader what thinkest thou Vowes or no
bereaved of the Gospel and the means of gâ—â— and liâ—e 〈…〉 â—ll care and pains that the influences of the Ordinances do not slide from you that they be not as water spilt upon the ground Be faithfull and diligent in the use of the forementioned directions and all other means which may be effectual to fix them And if hereby your hearts are wrought up to such a resolution The Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of your hearts FINIS Places of Scripture Occasionally Explained or Illustrated  ch ver page Job 22. 21. 416 Psalm 19. 13. 308 25. 4 5. 14 63. 8. 87 66. 18. 335 73. 25. 621 112. 9. 302 139. 1 2 3 c. 20 Prov. 3. 27. 281 11. 17. 303 18. 20. 429 19. 17. 302  24. 510 Eccle. 1. 2. 445 5. 6. 588  2 3 4 c. 608 Isa 44. 2. 436 Jerem. 11. 9. 310 Hosea 10. 11. 570 Matth. 5. 22. 402 6. 3. 278  33. 574 7. 12. 295  14 9 18. 22 404 Luke 6. 30 292  35 285 286 11. 41 275 12. 33 289  50 514 18. 22 290 19. 13 28 Act. 2. 37 38 34 Rom. 1. 28 10 6. 19 33 8. 35 c. 312 9. 20 489 12. 11 12 502 15. 19 506 1 Cor. 3. 16 17 86 2 Cor. 8. 14 295 13. 5 309 Gal. 6. 10 280 Ephes 1. 13 14 313 4. 26 402 5. 20 494 Phil. 4. 18 300 1 Thes 5. 22 57 1 Tim. 4. 2 10 Heb. 6. 9 310 11. 1 307 12. 1 690 13. 2 287 288  3 279  5 435 James 1. 14 564  27 300 5. 16 689 1 Pet. 4. 14 491 2 Pet. 1. 4 507  10 314. An Alphabetical Table of the cheif heads Contained in these Sermons A ACcount with God daily 374. 581 Activity in Duty what it is 501. 502 Admonition 207. Admiration of Christ 227. Adversity a season to exercise trust in God 450. Affection to the world to bee mortified 375. Afflictions Their benefit 458. Their necessity and design 376. Wee must thank God for them 486. Why they are good and thank-worthy 487. c. Angels how readily they serve God 512. Anger How to bee moderated 402. To bee avoided in reproving 200. 209 And in correction 204. Alms. To bee given with Justice 275. Who may not give them 276. To bee given Chearfully 277. With simplicity 278. With compassion 279. Seasonably 280. Speedily 281. Liberally 283. Prudently 290. Motives to Alms-doing 299 c. Apostacy It is possible 67. 74. Danger of the least Degree 78. Means to prevent it 80. The miserable end of Apostates 510. Assurance It may bee attained 308 c. It may bee lost 306 Seven Directions for attaining it 316 Further direction 373 Not to bee expected by revelation 305 B Beggars which to bee relieved 291. Buying and Selling. Rules for the management of them 260 c. Part of Relâ—gious business to observe those Rules 579. Beleever Whether hee can fall totally and finally 311 c. C Calling Diligence to bee used in it 296. Sinns of our callings 48. Carelesness in Prayer the way to Atheism 463 c. Catechizing necessary 196. Caution necessary in the best 75. Certainty threefold 307. Charity Several acts of it propounded 284. The necessity of this Grace 293. The profit of it 301 c. Something to bee set apart for it 297. Christ How are we compleat in him 615. c. Hee is all to beleevers 613. How hee is all 623. How wee may know hee is so to us 629. His Condiscention 228. To bee loved in his offices 230. To bee eyed in Prayer 342. Our happiness in knowing him 624. All strength from him 622. All acceptation 21. Civility in Conversation 256. 40â— Company The Concernment of it 171. 199. 589 If good it quickens much 508. Comfort The falseness of that which manâ— give themselves 357. Christ fils every Condition with it 621. It arises much from performing our duty 348. Compassion Towards the Poor 279. In reproving 185. Community of Goods not necessary 289. Compliance with sin 164 Connivance at it 165. Conquest of it how great a benefit 108. Correction of faulty Persons how to bee managed 204. Conflict To bee maintained with sin 325. Difference between natural and spiritual in seven Particulars 327. Conscience What it is 3. The Object of it 4. Offices and acts of it 4. 356. The sleepy Conscience its Causes and Cure 78. 9. The seared Conscience c. 9. 10. The erring c. 11. The doubting c. 15. The scrupulus c. 17. 18. The trembling c. 18. How to bee acted 48. The good to bee got and kept 19 c. Motives to get it 22. Peaceable Conscience 19. How to get it 19 c. 358 371. Conscience will one day be awakened 353. When that will bee 365. Benefits of tender Conscience 92. 578. It will discover beloved sins 51. When Commonly terrours of it fall upon men 365 c. Confess especially beloved sins 56. Christian Confidence 430. Contentment 454. Conviction of sin and misery 225. Contracts and Comerce What Justice required in them 259. c. Contests How to bee moderate in them 399. Conversion Four Conclusions Concerning the nature of it 26 c. What a man Can do towards it 31 c. This Question more particularly resolved 34 c. Beloved sins the greatest enemies of it 61. Covetousness Deadens the Heart 505. D Debts Must sometimes bee forgiven 286. Desire When immoderate 390. 564. Delaies They are most dangerous 97. 501. Distraction In Prayer threefold 468. Causes of it 469 c Remedies against it 473. It Discovereth beloved sins 50. Diligence Must bee great in a Christian 21. 502. 684 c. 689. Dominion of sin 51. Doubts Counsels to Doubting Christians 319. Afflictions must not breed Doubts 453. Duty It must not bee forsaken for want of Comfort 320. To bee regarded not events 23. E Ease It accompanies sensuality 571. Education of Children 193 c. Ill Education dangerous 49. Elocation of them 207. Equity Wherein it doth consist 249. Rules of dealing with men as wee would bee dealt withall 252. Equal In many things wee are all Equal 253. Examination Of our selves how necessary 20. Example It hath great power 32. 168. 169. Doth much quicken us 508. Therefore give that which is good 213 Exercise of grace 93. Experience It should deterr us from the least sin 100. It should incourage us in good 437. Eye What meant by right Eye 40. 41. The Excellency of the Eye 43. F Faith Necessity of it 103. Power of it 60 Degrees of it 307. It 's Maxims 455 c. Wee may know that wee have it 308. Faithfulness of God 436. Fear Of it's inordinacy 394. Falls Four degrees of Gods peoples Falls 67 c. How Far they may Fall 75 76. Whether totally and Finally 311. 312. c. Falls of the wicked 70. Mixt Falls 71. Difference between the
affections both in the desires in the affections in the use in the injoyments and moderate our cares and griefs in the losse and want of worldly things to have them as if we had them not to rejoyce in and for them as if we rejoyced not to grieve for the want of them as if we grieved not seeing they are to us as if they were not they are a scheame a representation that passeth away Gal. 6.15 Nay if the world be not crucified to us and we to the world we are still in danger of this gall of bitternesse this leaven of hypocrisie This is exemplified in the Jews in Babylon they would come to the Prophet and sit before him as Gods people with much seeming reverence and appearance of devotion and affection they hear thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love Ezech. 33.31 but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Therefore as you love your souls beware of the love of the world and set not your affections on things below but on things above else you will not be able to avoid the guilt and danger of hypocrisie A not loving the Word of God a not receiving it as the Word of Sign 2 God when it comes as the Word of God in power It is the property of the Word of God to be quick and powerfull 1 Thess 1.5 sharper than any two-edged sword piercing to the dividing of soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 2 Cor. 10.5 to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ This is the Word of God and this it doth as the Word of God these are the properties of it Such a Word of God an hypocrite can not love because he loves this carnal sinfull self he loves his lusts which this Word opposeth He flattereth himself in his own eyes until his iniquities be found to be hatefull The Word in power will shew him that all is ill Psal 36.2 when he flattereth himself that all is very well Hast thou found me O mine enemy saith Ahab An hypocrite thinks he hath no greater enemy than a faithfull Minister because hypocrisie hath no greater enemy than the Word of Truth which will detect and make it odious 1 King 21.20 1 King 22.8 So Ahab hated Micaiah and his Ministry because he prophesied evil to him in his evil wayes he spake the Word of God the truth to him which Ahabs corrupt life Mark 6 17 18 20. and hypocritical heart could not bear Herod heard John Baptist gladly in other things but when he preached against his having his brothers wife when he came home to his conscience to his very darling fin then Herod stopt his mouth shut him up inprison Felix trembles and dismisseth Paul when he came so close Act. 24.25 an hypocrite may love to hear the same Minister on another subject The very notion of Religion is amiable and acceptable to ingenuous persons nay he may love the Word may come to others but to himself during the predominancy of hypocrisie that the powerfull Word neither read nor preached can be welcome because it applies it self to the cutting off of his right hand Mat. 5. and plucking out his right eye Sign 3 3. A long and continual unprofitableness under the powerfull Word of God is a fearfull sign of hypocrisie What warnings and instructions had Judas What convictions and reprehensions had Ahab and Herod and yet as to those things which the word opposed they were still the same men If men that hear much minde nothing if there be no change no alteration but they are still where and what they were where they are still as carnal as earthly as they were ten twenty years ago though they hear much and are as earth that drinketh in the rain nay though they have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if yet they bring not forth meet fruit for him that dresseth it that ground is rejected that heart is near to cursing and burning Heb. 6.7 8. there is some guile and hypocrisie there there would be some growing else When the word is precept upon precept line upon line i. e. 1 Pet. 2.2 very plentifull and yet no amendment there is hypocrisie they will fall backward Hos 6.4 5. be broken and snared and taken Oh 't is no small matter to be dead unprofitable unaltered hearers It is a fearfull sign of hypocrisie and that there are many hypocrites in the bosome of the Church 4. The principles and ends of mens actions and performances are a Sign 4 great discovery of the sincerity or insincerity of mens hearts If mens principles be no higher than good education Act. 26.5 Phil. 3.5 6. and being conversant with good or strict men which seems to be Pauls case or no higher than good nature and moral qualifications Mark 10. this seems to be the young mans case they are no farther than those were at that time in an ignorant and insincere condition He that is really and sincerely a good Christian doth all as from God and Christ he is all and in all Christ is wisdome and sanctification to him Col. 2.11 1 Cor. 1.30 He acts and performs duties not onely from strength of parts and acquired qualifications but from strength of grace and infused habits from God and for God from a new heart Ezek. 36.25 Rom. 11.24 â—er 21.33 Rom. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.19 2 Pet. 1.4 Eph. 3.17 2 Cor. 13.5 Ier. 32.40 from the Law written in the heart from the love of God shed abroad in the heart and constraining to love from the Divine nature communicated to the heart from Christ by his Spirit dwelling in the heart from the fear of God possessing and establishing the heart These be the springs and principles of a sincere Christians spiritual life and actions and where they act and bear rule it is no wonder if such motions and performances be produced as the world may admire hut not imitate Sauls life after his Conversion was a kinde of constant miracle so much he did and so much he suffered and so much denied himself that if he lived in these dayes his life would be a miracle but yet if we consider the principles that he was acted by the great wonder will be not that he did so much but that he did no more for saith he Christ liveth in me and the life that I live I live by the faith of the Son of God c. Gal. 2.20 And so the ends of a mans actions are a great discovery of sincerity or hypocrisie If a mans ends be lower than God himself and obeying glorifying walking with and injoying God if either praise gain reputation nay acceptation with good people nay if a
mans end be to stop the mouth of natural conscience onely or onely to avoid danger and wrath to come These may be the works of a Saint but yet the ends of an hypocrite And omnis actio nisi modificata à fine suas quas avertere amittit laudes Balaam spake religiously multiplied Altars and Sacrifices but his end was not God but the wages of iniquity Jehu destroyed Ahabs house executed vengeance Gods judgements against that wicked Family resolutely and throughly destroyed Baal c. but his ends were carnal the establishment of the Kingdome to him and his Family Ahab and the Ninivites fasted in sackcloath but it was meerly to avoid the judgement threatned Hos 7.14 The Israelites cried and prayed but they did but howl for corn and wine The Jews in Captivity fasted but did you at all fast to me even to to me saith the Lord. It seems men may pray Zach. 7.5 and yet not cry to the Lord fast and yet not to the Lord. It is the end dignifies or debaseth the action rectifies or adulterates it Look to your ends if you would not be hypocrites If your end be less than God his glory and pleasing of him You are but empty Vines and bring forth fruit to your selves Simplicity in ones ends accompany sincerity in the actions Hos 10.1 2 Cor. 1.12 when not fleshly wisdome but the grace of God carries and governs the action then we may have rejoycing else all may be in hypocrisie Sign 5 5. If thou canst not bring thy heart to suffer for the Name of Christ when thou hast a good Cause and a good Call and amongst the good people of God though thou hear the word and receivest it with joy Mat. 13.21 for a time yet when perscoution ariseth because of the Word by and by thou art offended if there be no more deep rooting of it in thee Luk. 8.13 but in temptation thou fall away it is apparent thy heart is but stony ground and thou art leavened with hypocrisie If your faith cannot bear the trial if it be not furnace faith tryed faith it is not precious faith it is but common faith counterfeit faith it will not be found to praise honour and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 nay if thou canst not in some cases choose to suffer afflicton with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.25 26 27. It is apparent thy faith and thy heart is not right thou hast not a thorough respect to the recompence of reward thou dost not see him that is invisible Mat. 16.24 That man that cannot will not deny himself take up his cross and follow Christ he is not a true Disciple of Christ and in the end will finde that in saving his life he hath lost it Sathan and Antichrist must be overcome by the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.11 and by the word of the testimony and by not loving our lives to the death c. and he that will not suffer with Christ shall not reign with Christ and if tribulation occasion men to go out from us Rom. 8.17 it is because they were not of us for if they had been of us 1 Joh. 2.19 they would no doubt have continued with us Tribulation is the touchstone it will distinguish sincerity from hypocrisie 1 Cor. 13. and though it is true a hypocrite may sometime suffer yet he that will never suffer must be an hypocrite Rom. 8.17 if we suffer not with him we shall not reign with him 6. If thou imbracest and favourest any iniquity in thy heart if there Sign 6 be any corrupt lust or ungodly way that thou art so wedded to Psal 66.18 that thou canst not wilt not be divorced from but huggest it in thy bosome hidest it pleadest for it though it seem never so harmless and tolerable yet if it be against Gods Law though thou makest many prayers with the Jews and performest many services Isa 1.16 17 18 and doest many things with Herod and hast many glorious and gracious expressions with Baalam yet thou art in the gall of bitterness Mark 6. and bond of iniquity Thy heart is a divided heart Hos 10.2 Jam. 1.6.7 thou art a double unstable person thy prayers will not be regarded and all thy services will be rejected by the All-seeing jealous God before whom all things are open and naked and with whom thou hast to do Heb. 4.13 because if thou regardest iniquity in thy heart the rise and root of all thy duties and performances is but the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Me thinks beloved this should startle us and I wish it may if any of you should be prickt at the heart and tremble at this word of God and ask me what shall we do that we may acquit our selves from this leaven of hypocrisie and be saved from the wrath it exposeth us to I should answer 1. Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many will seek Luk. 13.24 but shall not be able that is be very serious and throughly resolved and industrious in a case of this weight and concernment Be diligent that you may be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3.14 Deut. 32.46 47 Set your heart to these things for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life c. It is so weighty a business that it is work enough for all your life and it will be your life of consolation from which will flow peace and joy and assurance Make but this out clearly that thou art no hypocrite that hypocrisie is not predominant in thee but that in simplicity and sincerity of heart thou hast thy conversation not with carnal wisdome thou hast then occasion of much rejoycing 2 Cor. 1.12 but if thou art negligent in this thy doubts and fears will hang upon and keep thee low to thy dying day nay it were well if that were all for to be negligent in this business is as good as to do nothing for it is to do nothing to purpose and that is to have all thy work undone and to be undone thy self for ever Most hypocrites did seek to enter in Baalam Herod the five foolish Virgins had they strove they had entred in at the strait Gate Wishings and wouldings and sloathfull desires to heaven will not place you out of danger of hypocrisie for very hypocrites have done as much but striving indeed setting your whole heart to it being very diligent to purge out this leaven Phil. 2.12 working out your salvation with fear and trembling giving all diligence to make your calling and election sure this will place you out of danger 2 Pet. 1.10 11 and give you an abundant entrance into the Kingdome of our Lord. If ever