A DISCOVRSE OF Conscience Wherein is set downe the nature properties and differences thereof as also the way to Get and keepe good Conscience Printed by Iohn Legate Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1596 The contents Cap. 1. What conscience is 2. The actions or duties of conscience Where this point is handled How any thing is said to binde conscience 3. The kinds and differences of conscience Where is handled Libertie of conscience and the question disputed whether a man may in conscience be vnfallibly certen of his saluation 4. Mans dutie touching his conscience which is to get and to keepe it ⧠TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR VVILLIAM PIRIAM Knight Lord chiefe Baron of her Maiesties Exchequer Grace and peace RIght Honourable it can not be vnknovvne to your selfe or to any man of a daies experience that it is thought a small matter to commit a sinne or to lie in sinns against a mans ovvne conscience For many vvhen they are told of their dutie in this point replie and say What tell you me of conscience Conscience was hanged long agoe But vnles they take better heed and preuent the danger by repentance Hanged-conscience vvill revive and become both gibbet and hangman to them either in this life or the life to come For Conscience is appointed of God to declare and put in execution his iust iudgement against sinners and as God cannot possibly be ouercome of man so neither can the iudgement of conscience being the iudgement of God be wholly extinguished Indeed Satan for his part goes about by al means he can to benumme the conscience but all is nothing For as the sicke man vvhen he seemes to sleepe and take his rest is invvardly full of troubles so the benummed and drousie conscience wants not his secret pangs and terrours and wheÌ„ it shal be roused by the iudgement of God it waxeth cruell and fierce like a wild beast Again wheÌ„ a man sinnes against his conscience as much as in him lieth he plungeth him selfe into the gulfe of desperation for euery wound of the conscience though the smart of it be little felt is a deadly wound and he that goes on to sinne against his conscience stabbes and vvounds it often in the same place and all renewed wounds as we know are hardly or neuer cured Thirdly he that lieth in sinnes against his conscience cannot call vpon the name of God for guiltie conscience makes a man flie froÌ„ God And Christ saith God heareth not sinners vnderstanding by sinners such as goe on in their owne waies against conscience and what can be more dolefull then to be barred of the invocation of Gods name Lastly such persons after the last iudgement shall haue not onely their bodies in torment but the vvâ—… in the soule and conscience shall neuer 〈◊〉 and what will it profit a man to gain the whole world by doing things against his owne conscience and loose his owne soule Now that men 〈◊〉 this manner carelesse touching conscience may see their follie and the great danger thereof and come to amendment I haue penned this small treatise and according to the auncient and laudable custome as also according to my long intended purpose I now dedicate and present the same to your Lordship The reasons vvhich haue imboldeâ—ed me to this enterprise all by respects excluded are these Generall doctrine in points of religion is darke and obscure and very hardly practised vvithout the the light of particular examples and therefore the doctrine of conscience by due right pertaines to a man of conscience such an one as your Lordship is who others of like place not excepted haue obtained this mercy at Gods hand to keepe faith and good conscience Againe considering that iustice and conscience haue alwaies bin friends I am induced to thinke that your Lordship beeing publickly set apart for the execution and maintenance of civill iustice will approoue and accept a Treatise propounding rules and precepts of conscience Thus therefore craving pardon for my boldnes and hoping of your Lordships good acceptance I commend you to God and to the word of his grace 1596. Iune 14. Your Lordships to command W. Perkins OF CONSCIENCE CAP. I. What conscience is COnscience is a part of the vnderstanding in all reasonable creatures determining of their particular actions either with them or against them I say conscience is a part of the vnderstanding and I shew it thus God in framing of the soule placed in it two principall faculties Vnderstanding and Will. Vnderstanding is that facultie in the soale whereby we vse reason and it is the more principall part seruing to rule and order the whole man and therefore it is placed in the soule to be as the wagginer in the waggin The Will is an other facultie whereby we doe will or nill any thing that is choose or refuse it With the will is ioyned sundrie affections as ioy sorrow loue haâ—â—ed c. whereby we imbrace or eschew that which is good or euill Now conscience is not placed in the affections nor will but in the vnderstanding because the actions thereof stand in the vse of reason Vnderstanding againe hath two parts The first is that which stands in the view and contemplation of truth and falshood and goes no further The second is that which stands in the view and consideration of euery particular action to search whether it be good or badde The first is called the Theorical the second the practical vnderstanding And vnder this latter is conscience to be comprehended because his propertie is to iudge of the goodnes or badnes of things or actions done Againe I say that conscience is a part of the minde or vnderstanding to shewe that conscience is not a bare knowledge or iudgement of the vnderstanding as men commonly write but a naturall power facultie or created qualitie from whence knowledge and iudgement proceede as effects This the Scriptures confirme in that they ascribe sundrie workes and actions to conscience as accusing excusing comforting terrifying Which actions could not thence proceede if conscience were no more but an action or act of the minde Indeede I graunt it may be taken for a certen actuall knowledge which is the effect thereof but to speake properly this knowledge must proceede of a power in the soule the propertie whereof is to take the principles and conclusions of the minde and applie theÌ„ by applying either to accuse or excuse This is the ground of all and this I take to be conscience If it be obtected that conscience cannot be a naturall power because it may be lost I answer if conscience be lost it is onely in respect of the vse thereof as reason is lost in the drunken man and not otherwise I adde that the proper subiects of conscience are reasonable creatures that is men and angels Hereby conscience is excluded first of all from 〈◊〉 beasts for though they haue life sense in many things some shadows of
is supernaturall II. Presumption is in them that make no account of the ordinarie meanes of saluation This testimony comes by the reuerent and carefull hearing of Gods worde III. Presumption is in them that use not to call on the name of God but this testimony of conscience is ioyned with the spirite of adoption which is the spirite of prayer IV. Presumption is ioyned with loosenesse of life this testimony brings with it alwayes an happy change and alteration For hee which hath a good conscience hath also care to keepe good conscience in all things V. Presumption is without doubting wheras the testimony of conscience is mingled with manifold doubtings Mar. 9. 24. Luc. 17. 5. yea otherwhiles ouercharged with them Psal. 77. 7 8. VI. Presumption will giue a man the slippe in the time of sicknesse and in the houre of death and the testimony of good conscience stickes by him to the end and euen makes him say Lorde remember now how I haue vvalked before thee in truth and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight Isai. 38. 1. The duties of conscience regenerate are two in special maner to giue testimony to excuse The speciall thing of which conscience giues testimony is that wee are the children of God predestinate to life euerlasting And that 〈◊〉 peares by these reasons I. Rom. 8. 16. The 〈◊〉 of God witnesseth togither with our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God Now the spirit of man here mentioned is the mind or conscience renued sanctified To this purpose saith Iohn He that beleeueth hath a witnes in himselfe 1. Ioh. 5. 10. II. That which gods spirit doth â—…y to the conscience the coÌ„science can again testifie to vs but Gods spirit doth â—â—sâ—â—â—y to the coÌ„scieÌ„ce of a man regenerate that he is the child of God 1. Cor. 2. 12. Therefore the conscience also doth the same III. Hee which is iustified hath peace of conscience Rom. 5. v. 1. Now there can be no peace in conscience till it tell the man which is iustified that he is indeed iustified IV. That which the conscience may know certenly it may testifie but conscience may know certenly without revelation the mans election and adoption as I haue before prooued therefore it is able to giue testimony of these Againe the regenerate conscience giueth testimony of a certaine kinde of righteousnesse being an unseperable companion thereof and for this cause it is called of some the righteousnesse of a good conscience Now this righteousnesse is nothing â—ls but unfained earnest and constant purpose with endeauour answerable therto not to sinne in any thing but in all things whatsoeuer to please God and doe his wil. Heb. 13. 18. Pray for vs for vvee are assured that vve haue good conscience in all thinges deâ—â—â—ing to live honestly 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in sâ—…licitie and godly pâ—renesse and not in fâ—eshly wisdome vvee haue bad â—â—r conversation in the worlde 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my selfe Isai. 38. 2. Lord remember noâ— how I haue walked beforâ— thee with an vpright heart and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight I adde this clause in all things because that obedience which is the signe or fruite of good conscience of which also it giues testimonie is generall shewing it selfe in all and euery commandement of God Philosophers haue saide that Iustice is universull because he which hath it hath all vertues But it is more truely saide of this christiaÌ„ righteousnes oâ— new obedience that it is vniuersall and that he which can performe true obedience in one commandement can doe the same in all Actcs 23. 1. Men and brethren I haue in all good conscience seâ—…d God till this day Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be confounded when I shall haue respect to all thy commâ—â—â—dements Act. 24. 16. In the meane season I endeavour my selfe or take pains to have a conscience without offence towards God and â—â—â—â—â—des men This shewes that there is a great number of men professing the Gospell that want good conscience For though they shewe themselues very forwarde and willing to obey God in many things yet in some one thing or other they will follow the swinge of their owne wills Many are diligent to frequeâ— the place of gods worship to heate the word preached with liking to receiue the sacraments at times appointed to approoue of any good thing all this is very comendable yet these men ofred when they depart home from the congregation say in effect on this manner Religion stay thou here 〈◊〉 the Church doâ—â— till the next Sabbaâ—h For if 〈◊〉 looke into their priuaâ—â— conuersations the gouernment of their families or their dâ—â—lings in their particular callings we shall with greâ—â—e 〈◊〉 much disorder and litle conscience It is a common practise of sick men when they make 〈◊〉 willes on their death beds in the very first place to commend their bodies to the graue and their soules to God that gaue them in hope of a better resurrection and all this is well done but afterward they bâ—queath their goods gotten by fraud oppression and forged caâ—illation to their owne friends children without making any recompence or satisfaction But alas this should not be so for obedience that goes with good conscience must be performed to all gods commandements without exception and if if it be done but to some alone it is but counterfeit obedâ—â—ce he that is guilty in one is guilty in all As regenerate conscience giues testimony of our new obedience so it doeth also by certaine sweet motioÌ„s stirr men forward to perform the same Psal. 16. 7. my reines that is the mind and conscience inlightned by the spirit of god teach me in the night season Isai. 30 22. And thiâ—â—â—â—res shall heare a â—â—â—d behind thâ—â— saying This is the way walk ye 〈◊〉 it when thou 〈◊〉 to the right hand 〈◊〉 thou tâ—rnest to the leâ—t Now this word is not only the voice of â—â—sâ—ors teachen in the open ministery but also the voice of râ—…ed conscience inwardly by many secret â—â—gitations sâ—ibbâ—â—â— them that are about to sinne A christian maÌ„ is not only a priest a prophet but also a spirituall king euen in this life and the Lord in mercy hath vouchsafed him this honor that his conscience â—…ed within him shall be his solliâ—…r to put him in mind of all his 〈◊〉 and duties which hee is to perâ—… to God yea it is the controller to see all things kept in order in the heart which is the 〈◊〉 and habitation of the holy ghost The second office of conscience â—â—generate is to excuse that is to â—…eare defend a man euen before God against all his enemies both bodily and ghostly Psal. 7. 8. Iudge thou 〈◊〉 O Lord according to my righteousnes according to mine iâ—…ie in me Again 26. 1 2. Iudge me O Lord for I
For then the Lord will sende downe his spirit into the conscience by a sweete and heauenly testimonie to assure 〈◊〉 that we are at peace with God Thus we see how good conscience is gotten and because it is so pretious a iewell I wish all persons that as yet neuer laboured to get good conscience now to beginne Reasons to induce men thereto may be these I. You seeke day and night from yere to yere for honours riches and pleasures which ye must leaue behinde you much more threfore ought you to seeke for renewed and reformed consciences considering that conscience will be with you in this life in death at the last iudgement and for euer II. He which wants a conscience purged in the blood of Christ can neuer haue any true and lasting comfort in this life Suppose a man araied in cloath of tishue set in a chaire of estate before him a table furnished with all daintie prouision his seruants Monarches and Princes his riches the chiefest treasures kingdoms of the world but withall suppose one standing by with a naked sword to cut his throat or a wild beast readie euer and anon to pull him in pieces nowe what can we say of this mans estate but that all his happines is nothing but woe and miserie And such is the estate of all men that abounding with riches honours and pleasures carrie about them an euill conscience which is as a sword to â—lay the soule or as a rauenous beast readie to sucke the blood of the soule and to rend it in pieces III. He which wants good conscience can doe nothing but sinne his very eating and drinking his sleeping and waking al he doth turnes to sinne the coÌ„science must first be good before the action can be good if the roote be corrupt the fruits are answerable IV. An euill conscience is the greatest enemie a man caÌ„ haue because it doth execute all the parts of iudgement against him It is the Lords sergeant God neede not send out processe by any of his creatures for man the conscience within man will arrest him and bring him before God It is the gayler to keepe man in prison in bolts irons that he may be forth-comming at the day of iudgement It is the witnes to accuse him the iudge to condemne him the hangman to execute him and the flashings of the fire of hell to torment him Againe it makes a man to be an enemie to God because it accuseth him to God and makes him flie from God as Adam did wheÌ„ he had sinned Also it makes a man to be his owne enemie in that it doth cause him to lay violent hands vpon himselfe and become his owne hangman or his owne cut-throat And on the contrarie a good conscience is a mans best friend when all men intreat him hardly it wil speak faire and comfort him it is a continual feast and a paradise vpon earth V. The scripture sheweth that they which neuer seeke for good coÌ„sciâ—ce haue terrible ends For either they die blocks as Nabal did or they die desperate as Cain Saul Achitophel Iudas VI. We must consider often the terrible day of iudgement in which euery man must receiue according to his doings And that we may then be absolued the best way is to seeke for a good conscience for if our conscience be euill and condemne vs in this life God will much more condemne vs. And wheras we must passe through three iudgemeÌ„ts the iudgement of men the iudgemeÌ„t of our coÌ„science the last iudgement of God we shal neuer be strengthened against them and cleared in them all but by the seeking of a good coÌ„science After that man hath got good conscience his second dutie is to keepe it And as in gouerning the shippe on the sea the pilot holding the helme in his hand hath alwaies an eye to the compasse so we likewise in the ordering of our liues and conuersations must alwaies haue a speciall regard to the conscience That we may keepe good conscience we must doe two things auoide the impediments thereof and vse conuement preseruatiues Impediments of good conscience are either in vs or forth of vs. In vs onâ— owne sinnes and corruptions When mens bodies lie deade in the earth there breed certaine wormes in them whereby they are consumed For of the flesh come the wormes which consume the flesh but vnles we take great heed out of the sinns corruptions of our hearts there wil breed a worme a thousand folde more terrible euen the worme of conscience that neuer dieth which wil in a lingering maner wast the conscience the soule the whole man because he shal be alwaies dying neuer dead These sinnes are specially three Ignorance vnmortified affectioÌ„s worldly lusts Touching the first namely ignorance it is a great and vsuall impediment of good conscience For when the minde erreth or misconceiueth it doth mislead the conscience and deceiue the whole man The way to auoide this impediment is to doe our indeauour that we may daily increase in the knowledge of the word of God that it may dwell in vs plentifully To this ende we must pray with Dauid that he would open our eyes that we might vnderstand the wonders of his law and withall we must daily search the scriptures for vnderstanding as men vse to search the mines of the earth for gold ore Prov. 2. 4. Lastly we must labour for spiritual wisedoÌ„ that we may haue the right vse of Gods word in euery particular actioÌ„ that being by it directed we may discerne what we may with good conscience do or leaue vndone The second impediment is vnstaâ—ed and vnmortified affections which if they may haue their swinge as wild horses ouerturne the chariot with men and all so they ouerturne ouer carrie the iudgement conscience of man and therfore when they beare rule good coÌ„science takes no place Now to preuent the danger that comes hereby this course must be followed When we would haue a sword or a knife not to hurt our selues or others we turne the edge of it And so that we may preuent our affections from hurting and annoying the conscience we must turne the course of them by directing them from our neighbours to our selues our owne sinnes or by inclining them to God and Christ. 〈◊〉 example choller and anger directs it selfe vpon euery occasion against our neighbour and thereby greatly indamageth the conscience Now the course of it is turned when we begin to be displeased and to be angry with our selues for our owne sinnes Our loue set vpon the world is hurtfull to the conscience but when we once begin to set our loue on God in Christ and to loue the blood of Christ aboue all the world then contrariwise it is a furtherance of good conscience The third impediment is worldly lustes that is the loue and exceeding desire of riches honors pleasures Euery man is as Adam his good conscience is his
paradise the forbidden fruite is the strong desire of these earthly things the serpent is the olde eâ—â—my the deuill who is hee may be suffered to intangle us with the loue of the world will straight way put us out of out paradise and barre vs from all good conscience The remedy is to learne the lesson of Paul Philip 4. 12. which is in euery estate in which God shall place vs to be content esteeming euermore the present condition the best for us of all Now that this lesson may be learned wee must further labour to be resolued of Gods speciall prouidence towards vs in euery case and condition of life and when we haue so well profited in the schoole of Christ that we can see and acknowledge Gods providence and goodnesse as well in sicknesse as in health in pouerty as in wealth in hunger as in fulnes in life as in death we shall be very well content whatsoeuer any way befalls unto us The preseruatiues of good conscience are two The first is to preserue and cherish that saâ—…g faith whereby we are perswaded of our reconciliation with God in Christ for this is the roote of good conscience as hath bene shewed now this faith is cherished and confirmed by the daily exercises of inuocation and repentaÌ„ce which be to humble our selues to bewaile and to confesse our sinnes to God to condemne our selues for them to pray for pardon strength against sinne to praise God giue him thanks for his daily benefits Now by the unfained serious practise of these duties repentance and faith are daily renued and confirmed The second preseruatiue is the maintaining of the righteousnesse of a good conscience which righteousnesse as I haue said is nothing els but a constant endeauor and desire to obey the will of God in all things That this righteousnesse may be kept to the end we must practise three rules The first is that wee are to carry in our hearts a purpose neuer to sinne against God in any thing for where a purpose is of committing any sinne wittingly and willingly there is neither good faith nor good conscience The second is to walke with God as Enoch did Genes 5. v. 24. which is to order the whole course of our liues as in the presence of God desiring to approoue all our doings euen unto him Now this perswasion that wheresoeuer we are we do stand in the presence of God is a notable meanes to maintaine sinceritie Genes 17. v. 1. I am God all sufficient vvalke before me and be perfect And the want of this is the occasion of many offences as Abraham saide Because I thought surely the feare of God is not in this place they will slay me for my wiues sake Gen. 20. 11. The third rule is carefully to walke in our particular callings doing the duties therof to the glory of God to the good of the common wealth and the edification of the Church auoiding therein fraud covetousnesse and ambition which cause men oftentimes to set their consciences on the tenters and make them stretch like cheverill Thus we see how good conscience may be preserued Reasons to induce vs hereunto are many I. Gods straight commandement 1. Tim. 1. v. 19. Keepe faith and good conscience And Prover 4. 23. Keepe thine heart vvith all dili gence II. The good conscience is the most tender part of the soule like to the apple of the eye which beeing pearced by the least pinne that may be is not onely blemished but also looseth his sight Therefore as God doeth to the eye so must wee deale with the conscience God giues to the eye certaine liddes of flesh to defende and couer it from outwarde iniuries and so must wee vse meanes to auoide whatsoeuer may offend or annoy conscience III. Manifold benefits redound vnto us by keeping good conscience First so long as we haue care to keepe it we keepe and enioy all other gifts of Gods spirit Good conscience and the rest of Gods graces are as a paire of turtle dowes when the one feeds the other feedeth when the one likes not the other likes not when the one dies the other dies so where good conscience is maintained there are many other excellent giftes of God flourishing and where conscience decayes they also decay Againe good conscience giues alacrity vnto vs boldnesse in calling on Gods name 1. Ioh. 3. 21. If our heart condemne vs not we have boldnesse towardes God Thirdly it makes vs patient in affliction and comforts vs greatly and when by reason of the grievousnesse of our affliction we are constrained to kneele on both knees take up our crosse regenerate conscience as a sweete companion layes too his shoulder and helpes to beare one end of it Lastly when none can comfort vs it will be an amiable comforter and a friend speaking sweetely vnto vs in the very agony and pang of death IV. Not to preserue the conscience without spot is the way to desperation It is the pollicie of the deuill to vse meanes to cast the conscience into the sleepe of security that he may the more easily bring men to his owne destruction For as diseases if they be long neglected become incurable so the coÌ„science much and often wounded admitts no comfort Neither will it alwaies boote a man after many yeres to say at the last cast Lord be mercifull to me I haue sinned Though some be receiued to mercy in the time of death yet farre more perish in desperation that liued in their sinnes wittingly willingly against their owne conscience Pharao Saul and Iudas cried all peccavi I haue sinned against God yet Pharao is hardened more more perisheth Saul goeth on in his sinnes and despaireth Iudas made away him-selfe And no maruell for the multitude of sinnes oppresse the conscience and make the heart to ouerflowe with such a measure of griefe that it can fasten no affiance in the mercy of God Lastly they that shall neglect to keepe good conscience procure many hurtes and dangers and iudgements of God to themselues When a ship is on the sea if it be not well gouerned or if there be a breach made into it it drawes water and sinkes and so both men and wares and all in likelihood are cast away Now we all are as passengers the worlde is an huge sea through which we must passe our shippe is the conscience of euery man 1. Tim. 1. 19. 3. 12. the wares are our religion and saluation and all other giftes of God Therefore it stands vs in hand to be alwaies at the helme and to carry our ship with as even a course as possibly we can to the entended port of happinesse which is the saluation of our soules But if so be it we grow carelesse and make breaches into the shippe of conscience by suffering it to dash upon the rockes of sinne it is a thousand to one that we in the end shall cast away our selues and
not see what is in the heart of man It remaines therefore that there is a spirituall substance most wise most holy most mighty that sees a I things to whom conscience beares record and that is God himselfe Let Atheists barke against this as long as they will they haue that in them which will convince them of the truth of the godhead will they nill they either in life or death Secondly we learne that God doth watch ouer all men by a speciall prouidence The master of a prison is knowen by this to haue care ouer his prisoners if hee send keepers with them to watch them and to bring them home againe in time convenient and so Gods care to man is manifest in this that when he created man and placed him in the worlde he gaue him conscience to be his keeper to follow him alwaies at the heeles to dogge him as we say to pry into his actions to beare witnesse of them all Thirdly hence we may obserue Gods goodnesse and loue to man If he do any thing amisse he sets his conscience first of all to tell him of it secâ—edy if then he amende God forgives it if not then afterward conscience must openly accuse him for it at the barre of Gods iudgement before all the saints and angels in heauen The second worke of conscience is to giue iudgement of things done To giue iudgemeÌ„t is to determine that a thing is well done or ill done Herein conscience is like to a Iudge that holdeth an assize and takes notice of inditements and causeth the most notorious malefactour that is to hold up his hand at the barre of his iudgement Nay it is as it were a little god sitting in the middle of mens hearts arraigning them in this life as they shall be arraigned for their offences at the tribunall seate of the euerliuing god in the day of iudgement Wherfore the temporary iudgement that is giuen by the conscience is nothing els but a beginning or a fore-â—unner of the last iudgement Hence we are admonished to take special heed that nothing past lie heavy upon vs that we charge not our coÌ„sciences in time to come with any matter For if our conscience accuse us god will much more condemne vs saith S. Iohn 1. Ioâ— 3. 18. because he seeth all our actions more clearely and iudgeth them more seuerely then conscience can It shall be good therfore for all men to labour that they may say with Paul 2. Cor. 4. I knovv nothing by my selfe that they â—ay stand before God without blame for euer Hâ—â—st we must consider two things first the câ—â—se that makes conscience giue iudgement secondly the manner how The câ—use is the Binder of the conscience The Binder is that thing whatsoeuer which hath power authority ouer conscience to order it To bind is to vrge cause and constraine it in euery action either to accuse for sinne or to excuse for well doing or to say this may be done or it may not be done Conscience is said to be bound as it is considered a part by it selfe from the binding power of gods coÌ„mandement For then it hath liberty is not bound either to accuse or excuse but is apt to do either of them indifferently but when the binding power is set once ouer the coÌ„scieÌ„ce theÌ„ in euery actioÌ„ it must needs either accuse or excuse eueÌ„ as a man in a city or town hauing his liberty may go vp down or not go where when he will but if his body be attached by the magistrate imprisoned theÌ„ his former liberty is restrained he can go up and downe but within the prison or some other allowed place The binder of conscience is either proper or improper Proper is that thing which hath absolute and soueraigne power in it selfe to bind the conscience And that is the worde of God writteÌ„ in the books of the old new TestameÌ„â— Reason I. He which is the Lord of 〈◊〉 by his word and lawes bindes conâ—… but God is the only Lorde of conscience becâ—â—se he once created it and he alone gouerâ—… 〈◊〉 none but he knowes it Therfore his word and lawes only bind conscience properly II. 〈◊〉 which hath power to sâ—â—e or destroy the 〈◊〉 for the keeping or breaking of his lawes â—ath absolute power to bind the soul and consâ—â—ence by the same lawes but the first is true of God alone Iam. 3. 12. There is 〈◊〉 lawgiver which is able to save and destroy Isaâ— 33. 22. The Lorde is our Iudge the Lord is our lavvginer the Lorde is our King and he will save vs. Therefore the worde of God alone by an absolute and soueraigne power binds conscience Because this point is cleare of it selfe further proofe is needlesse HeÌ„ce we are taught sundry points of instruction I. Such as are ignoraÌ„t amoÌ„g us must labor to get knowledge of gods worde because it binds coÌ„science Neither wil the plea of ignoraÌ„â—e serue for excuse because whether we know gods laws or know them not they stil bind us And we are bound not only to do them but wheÌ„ we know them not we are further bound not to be ignorant of them but to seeke to know them If we had no more sinnes our ignorance were sufficient to condemne vs. II. Gods word is to be obeyed though we should offend all men yea loose all mens fauour and suffer the greatest domage that may be euen the losse of our liues And the reason is at hand because gods worde hath this prerogatiue to bridle bind restraine the conscience III. Whatsoeuer we enterâ—…se or take in hand we must first search whether God giue vs liberty in conscience and warraâ—â— to do it For if we do otherwise conscience 〈◊〉 boâ—nd presently to charge vs of sinne before god Lastly we do here see how dangerous the case is of all time-seruers that will liue as they list and be of no certen religion till differences and dissentions therein be ended and they haue the determination of a generall counsell for whether these things come to passe or no certen iâ— is that they are bound in conscience to receiue and beleeue the ancient Propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine touching the true worship of god and the way to 〈◊〉 euerlasting which is the true religion The same is to be said of all drowsie protestants and lukewarme-gospellers that use religion not with that care and conscience they ought but only then and so far forth as it serues for their turnes commonly neglecting or despising the assemblies where the word is preached and seldome frequenting the Lords table vnles it be at Easter Like silly wretches they neither see nor feele the constraining power that gods word hath in their coÌ„sciences Gods word is either Law or Gospel The law is a part of Gods word of things to be done oâ— to be left vndone And it is threefoldâ— morall iudiciall ceremoniall Morall law concernes
â—erpent is a part of mankind 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 exâ—â—â—ded from the covenaâ—t And wherâ—… the 〈◊〉 promised to Abraham that in his â—eede all 〈◊〉 â—…ions of the earth should be blessed the â—…ise must not be vnderstood of all men in 〈◊〉 â—â—e but of all â—â—tionâ— in the last age of the 〈◊〉 And thus Pâ—…ath cleared thereâ—… 〈◊〉 3. 8. The Scripture fore seâ—ing that God vvâ—…ld iustiâ—… the Geâ—tiles thrâ—â—gh â—aith which was done after Christs 〈…〉 〈◊〉 preâ—…hed before the â—â—spel to Aâ—… 〈◊〉 tâ—… shall 〈◊〉 be blessed Lastly it may be obiected 〈◊〉 if any man be ignorant of the doctrine of â—…tion by Christ it is througâ— his owne fault it is true indeede that all igâ—…ce of the doctrine of salvation comâ—…â—…h mans fault and sinne but sinne must be â—istinguished it is either persoâ—… oâ— the 〈◊〉 of mans nature Now in them that 〈◊〉 heard of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— this point proceedes not of 〈◊〉 personall 〈◊〉 in them but â—…ly from the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 nature 〈◊〉 iâ— the â—…e of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…kindâ— which 〈◊〉 is punished when God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thâ—… Now many things there be 〈…〉 men proceeding from this sâ—… which 〈◊〉 are no sinnes as the mâ—nifold miseries of this liâ—â— so I take the ignorance of things aboue maâ—â— nature altogether vnâ—â—â—ealed to be no â—inne 〈◊〉 a punishment of originall sinne Thus much â—f the persons which are bound by the Goâ—â—â—â— now 〈…〉 〈◊〉 how farreâ—… they are â—…d by 〈…〉 God in the Gospel gâ—…lly 〈◊〉 two points vnto 〈◊〉 the first that there is perfect â—ighâ—â—ousnes and life 〈◊〉 â—o 〈◊〉 Christ the second that the 〈◊〉 to obtaine righteousnes and life 〈…〉 Christ. Moreouer when this Gospel 〈◊〉 dispeâ—…sed and preached vnto vs God â—…les vnto vs two points more the first 〈◊〉 â—ee 〈◊〉 make vs particularly to be partakers of true righteousnesse and life euerlasting by Câ—… the second that hee will haue vs withâ—… doubting to beleeue thus much of our sâ—… â—nd for this cause euery man to 〈◊〉 â—he 〈◊〉 is â—…led iâ— bound to beleeue his 〈◊〉 no dâ—â—tion iustification sanctification and gloriâ—â—cation in and by Christ. The reasons and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this point out of the wâ—â—d of God â—re thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 1. Io◠〈…〉 This is his 〈◊〉 that we beleeue iâ— the name of his sâ—…e â—â—sâ—â— Christ and loâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 as â—e gaâ—e vs câ—…ment Now to beleeue in Christ is not conâ—â—sedly to beleeue that he is a redeemer of mankind but withall to beleeue that he is my â—…iour and that I am elected iustified sanctified and shalbe glorified by him This is graunted of all then yea of the Papists themselues which otherwise are 〈◊〉 â—f this doctrine For â—…berd saith To beleeâ—e iâ— Goâ— is by beleeuing to loâ—e â—â—d 〈◊〉 iâ—â—â—re to gâ—â— into God by beleeâ—ing to clâ—… vnto him and as it were to be 〈◊〉 into his â—…bers II. Paul Gal. 2. â—6 first of all propounds a generall sentence That a 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 iustified by the workes of the law 〈◊〉 by the faith of Christ. Afterwaâ—d he addes a speciall application Eâ—en we namely Iowes 〈◊〉 beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and in v. 〈◊〉 he descends more specially to apply the Gospel to himselfe I liue saith he by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 himselfe for me And in this kinde of application there is nothing peculiar to Paul for in this very action of his he is an example vnto vs 1. Tim. 1. 16. Fâ—â— this cause saith he was I receiued to 〈◊〉 that Iesus Christ should sheâ— first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all loâ—g â—â—ffering vnto the eâ—sample of theâ— which shall in time to câ—…e beleeâ—e in â—im to â—terâ—â—ll life Againe Philip. 3. 8. he saith I thinke allthings but losse that I might winne Christ and might be foâ—nâ— in him not having miâ—e â—vvâ—e righteousnes but that vvhich is through the faith of Christ that I may knovv him 〈◊〉 the vâ—â—â—â—â— of his resurrection and afâ—erward he â—ddeth v. 15. Lâ—t vs as many as be perfect be 〈◊〉 miâ—â—ed III. Whatsoeuer we pray for according to Gods will we are bound to beleeue that it shall be giuen vnto vs. Mark 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye desâ—… when ye pray beleeâ—â— that yâ— shall haue iâ— and it shall be done vnto you But we pray for the pardon of our owne sinnes and for life euerlasting by Christ and that according to the will of God Therefore we are bound in conscience to beleeue the pâ—â—don of our owne sinnes and life euerlasting IV. If God should speake particularly to any man and say vnto him Cornelius or Peter beleeue thou in Christ and thou shalt be saued this commaundemâ—â—â— should binde him particularly Now when the Minister lawfully called in the name and stead of God publisheth the Gospel to the congregation that is as much as if God himselfe had spoken to them particularly calling each of them by their names and promising vnto them life euerlasting in Christ. 2. Cor. 〈◊〉 20. We as ambassadours for Christ as though God did be seech you through vs pray you in Christs stead that ye be reâ—â—â—ciled to God It may be and is obiected that if euery man be bound in conscience to beleeue his owne Election and saluation by Christ then some men are bound to beleeue that which is false because some there be euen in the middest of the Church which in the counsell of God were neuer chosen to saluation I answeare that this reason were good if men were bound absolutely to beleeue their saluation without further respect or condition but the bond is conditionall according to the tenour of the couenant of grace for we are bound to beleeue in Christ if we would come to life euerlasting or if we would be in the â—…uour of God or if we would be good disciples and members of Christ. In that we are bound in conscience on this manner to beleeue the promises of the Gospell with an application of the benefites thereof to our selues sundrie necessarie and profitable points of instruction may be learned The first that the popish Doctours abolish a great part of the Gospel when they teach that men are bound to beleeue the Gospel onely by a Catholicke saith which they make to be nothing else but a gift of God or illumination of the minde whereby assent is giuen to the word of God that it is true and more specially that Iesus is Christ that is an all-sufficient Sauiour of mankinde All which the damned spirits beleeue whereas the Gospel for the comfort and saluation of mens soules hath a further reach namely to inioyne men to beleeue that the promise of saluation is not onely true in it selfe but also true in the very person of the beleeuer as appeares euidently by the Sacraments which are as it were a visible Gospel in which Christ with all his benefits is offered and applied to the particular persons of
saith he leaue vntied of the knots of their sâ—â—nes Lumberd the popish master of sentences The Lord saith he hath given to priests power of binding and loosing that is of making manifest that men are bound or loosed Againe both Origen Augustine and Theophilact attribute the power of biuding to all Christians and therefore they for their partes neuer dreamed that the power of binding should be an authority to make lawes Lastly the place Matt. 23. 4. overturnes the argument for there the Scribes and Phanses are condemned because they laid upon mens shoulders the burdens of their traditions as meanes of Godâ— worship and things binding conscience Arg. 3. Act. 15. It seemes good vnto vs the Holy Ghost to lay no more burden on you theâ— these necessary things that yee abstaine from things offered to iâ—ols and blood and that which is strangled and foâ—nication Here say they the Apostles by the instinct of the holy ghost make a new lawe not for this or that respect but simply to binde consciences of the Gentils that they might be exercised in obedience And this is prooued because the Apostles call this lawe a burden and call the things prescribed necessary and S. Luke tearmes them the commandements of the Apostles and Chrysostome calls the Epistle sent to the Church Imperium that is a lordly charge To this they adde the testimonies of Tertullian Origen Augustine Answ. Though all be granted that the law is a burden imposed a precept of the Apostles a charge againe that things required therein are necessary yet will it not follow by good consequent that the lawe simply bindes conscience because it was giuen with a reseruation of Christian libertie so as out of the case of scandall that is if no offence were giuen to the weake Iewes it might freely be omitted And that will appeare by these reasons First of all Peter saith that it is a tempting of God to impose upon the Gentiles the yoke of Iewish ceremonies hee therefore must needs be contrary to himselfe if he intend to binde mens consciences to abstinence from strangled blood and things offered to idols A reply is made that this abstinence is prescribed not by the ancient law of Moses but by a new Ecclesiasticall or Apostolicall authority I answer againe that a Mosaicall ceremony is still the same thing though it be stablished by a new authority And wheras Christ by his death put an end to the ceremoniall lawe it is absurde to thinke that the Apostles by their authority revived some part of it againe and bound mens consciences therto Secondly the Church of god in all places suffered this coÌ„mandement to cease which the faithful seruants of God would neuer haue done if they had bin perswaded that this law had bound conscience simply It is answered that this law ceased not because the giuing of offence unto the Iewes ceased but because it ceased vniuersally yea but it could not haue ceased universally if it had bound conscience simply specially considering it was propounded to the Church without any mention or limitation of time Thirdly Paul was present in this counsell and knewe the intent of this lawe very well therefore no doubt he did not in any of his Epistles gainsay the same This being graunted it can not be that this law should bind conscience out of the case of offence For he teacheth the Corinthians that things offered to idols may be eaten so be it the weakeâ— brother be not offended Here it is answered that when Paul writ his first Epistle to the Corinthians this coÌ„mandement of the Apostles touching things strangled bloode was not come unto them Well to grant all this which can not be prooued let it be answered why Paul did not now deliuer it why he deliuerethâ— doctrine contrary to that which he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierusalem which was that the Gentiles should absolutely abstaine from things oâ—…d to Idols As for the testimonies of the fathers they â—…bused Indeed Tâ—…liâ—◠〈◊〉 plainly that christians in his daies abstained 〈◊〉 of blood and he persvvades men to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doing because he is of opinion being indeed farre deceiued that this very law of the Apostles must lâ—st to the end of the worlde â—which conceit if the Papists hold not what meane they to build vpon him Origen saith that this law was very necessary in his daies and no 〈◊〉 For by Idolithyâ—â—s he understands not things that haue bene offered to idols are afterward brought to priuat houses or to the market as other common meates but he understands things that remaine consecrated to idols are no where els used but in their temples which we grant with him must for euer be avoided aâ— meanes and instruments of Idolatry wheras the law of the Apostlesspeaks only of the first kind As for things strangled and blood hee takes them to be the deuils foode and for this cause hee approoues abstinence from them And whereas Augustine saith that it is a good thing to abstain froÌ„ things offered to idols though he be in necessity 〈◊〉 must be understoode of the first kind of Idolithyâ—â—â— which â—re yet remaining in the idol-temples still consecrated unto them and not of the second of which the Apostles law as I haue said must be understood Arg. 4. Ioh. 21. Christ saith to Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 that is as the word importeth 〈◊〉 and rule my sheepe Answ. This feeding and ruling stands not in making new lawes but in teaching and gouerning the Church of God according to the doctrine which they had receiued from Christ. And this action of feeding is ascribed to all Christians Revelat. 3. 27. who can not therupon chalenge a power of making lawes to the conscience Argum. 5. Ioh. 20. As my father sent me so I send you but Christ was sent of his father not only with power of preaching and ministring the sacraments but also with authority of commanding and giuing iudgement Answ. Is this kind of reasoning may stand all the Apostles shall be made redeemers for they were all sent as Christ was and hee was sent not onely to preach the redemption of mankind but also to effect and worke the same It this be absurde then it is a flat abusing of scripture to gather froÌ„ this saying of Christ that the Apostles had power of binding conscience because he had so It is true indeed that there is a similitude or analogie betwene the calling of Christ and his Apostles but it wholly stands in these points Christ was ordained to his office before all worldes so were the Apostles Christ was called of his father immediatly and so were they of Christ Christ was sent to the whol worlde so were they Christ receiued all power in heaven and earth as beeing necessary for a mediatour and they receiued an extraordinary authority from him with such a plentifull measure of the spirit as was necessary
for the Apostolicall function Lastly Christ was sent euen as he was man to be a teacher of the Iewes therfore be is called the minister of circumcision Rom. 15. 8. so the Apostles are sent by him to teach the Gentiles Thus far is the comparison to be enlarged no further And that no man might imagine that some parte of this resemblance stands in a power of binding conscience Christ hath put a speciall exception when he saith Goe teach all nations teaching them to obserue al things that I have commanded you Arg. 6. Rom. 13. Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist â—â—all receive to them selues iudgement and ye must be subiect not onely for wrath but also for conscience sâ—â—e Answ. Magistracie indeed is an ordinance of God to which we owe subiectioÌ„ but how farre subiection is due there is the questioÌ„ For body goods outward coÌ„versation I grant all but a subiection of coÌ„science to mans lawes I deny And betweene these two there is a great difference to be subiect to authority in conscience to be subiect to it for conscience as wil be manifest if we do but consider the phrase of the Apostle the meaning whereof is that we must performe obedience not onely for anger that is for the auoiding of punishment but also for the auoiding of sinne so by coÌ„sequent for auoiding a breach in coÌ„scieÌ„ce Now this breach is not properly made because mans law is neglected but because Gods law is broken which ordaineth magistracie withall binds mens consciences to obey their lawfull commandements And the daÌ„nation that is due unto men for resisting the ordinance of God comes not by the single breach of magistrates commandemet but by a transgression of the law of God which appointeth magistrates their authority To this answer papists reply nothing that is of moment Therfore I proceed Arg. 7. 1. Cor. 4. What will you that I come unto you with a rod or in the spirit of meeknes Now this rod is a iudicial power of punishing sinners Answ. For the regiment protection of Gods Church There be 2. rods mâ—…oned in scripture the rod of Christ the Apostolicall rodd The rod of Christ is termed a rod of iron or the rod of his mouth it signifies that absolute soueraigne power which Christ hath ouer his creatures wherby he is able to coÌ„uert saue them or to forsake and destroy them And it is a peculiar priuiledge of this rodde to smite and wound the conscience The Apostolicall rodde was a certaine extraordinary power whereby God inabled them to plague and punish rebellious offenders with grieuous iudgements not in their soules but in their bodies alone With this rod Paul smote Elimas blind Peter smote Ananias and Saphira with bodily death And it may be that Paul by this power did giue up the incestuous man when he was excommunicate to be vexed in his body and tormented by the deuill but that by this rodde the Apostles could smite conscience it can not be prooued Arg. 8. 1. Tim. 3. Paul made a law that none hauing two wiues should be ordained a Bishop now this law is positiue and Ecclesiasticall and bindes conscience Answ. Paul is not the maker of this law but God himselfe who ordained that in mariage not three but two alone should be one flesh and that they which serue at the altar of the Lord should be holy And to graunt that this law were a new law beside the written word of God yet doeth it not follow that Paul was the maker of it because he used not to deliuer any doctrine to the Churches but that which he receiued of the Lord. Argum. 9. Luc. 10. He which heareth you heareth me Answ. These wordes properly concerne the Apostles and doe not in like maner belong to pastors teachers of the Church And the end of these wordes is not to confirme any Apostolicall authority in making lawes to the conscience but to signifie the priviledge which hee had vouchsafed them aboue all others that he would so farre forth assist them with his spirite that they should not erre or be deceiued in teaching publishing the doctrine of saluation though otherwise they were sinfull men according to Matth. 10. It is not you that speake but the spirite of my father which speaketh in you And the promise to be led into all truth was directed vnto them Arg. 10. 1. Cor. 11. I praise you that yee keepe my commandements Answ. Paul deliuered nothing of his owne concerning the substance of the doctrine of saluation the worship of God but that which he receiued from Christ the precepts here ment are nothing else but rules of decencie comely order in the congregation and though they were to be obeyed yet Pauls meaning was not to binde any mans conscience therewith For of greater matters he saith This I speake for your commoditie and not to intangle you in a snare 1. Cor. 7. 35. Arg. 11. Councels of ancient fathers when they commaÌ„d or forbid any thing do it with threatning of a curse to the offenders Ans. The church in former time used to annexe vnto hir Canons the curse anathema because things decreed by them were indeed or at the least thought to be the will and word of God and they had respect to the saying of Paul If any teach otherwise though he be an angell from heauen let him be accursed Therfore councels in this action were no more but instruments of God to accurse those whome he first of all had accursed Arg. 12. An act indifferent if it be commanded is made necessary the keeping of it is the practise of vertue therefore euery law bindes conscience to a sinne Ans. An act in it selfe indifferent being commaÌ„ded by mans law is not made simply necessary for that is as much as gods law doth or can doe but only in some part that is so far forth as the said act or action tends to maintaine and preserue the good end for which the law is made And though the action be in this regard necessary yet doth it still remaine indifferent as it is considered in it selfe out of the ende of the law so as if peace the common good comely order may be maintained all offence auoided by any other meanes the act may be done or not done without sinne before God For whereas God himselfe hath giuen liberty freedome in the use of things indifferent the law of man doeth not take away the same but onely moderate and order it for the common good Arg. 13. The fast of Lent stands by a lawe and commandement of men and this lawe bindes conscience simply for the ancient fathers haue called it a Tradition Apostolicall and make the keeping of it to be necassary and the not keeping of it a sinne and punish the offenders with excommunication Answer It is plaine to him that will not be
wherein God would be worshipped Arg. 3. God hath giuen a liberty to the conscience whereby it is freed froÌ„ all lawes of his own whatsoeuer excepting such lawes doctrines as are necessary to salvation Col. 2. 10. If yee be dead with Christ ye are free froÌ„ the elemeÌ„ts of the world Gal. 5. 1. Standye in the liberty wher with Christ hath freedyou and be not againe intangled with the yoke of bondage Nowe if humane lawes made after the graunt of this libertie bind conscience property then must they either take away the foresaid libertie or diminish the same but that they cannot doe for that which is graÌ„ted by an higher authority namely God himself cannot be reuoked or repealed by the inferiour authoritie of any man It is answered that this freedome is onely from the bondage of sinne from the curse of the morall law from the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of Moses and not from the lawes of our superiours And I answer againe that it is absurd to thinke that God giues vs libertie in conscience from any of his owne laws and yet will haue our consciences stil to remaine in subiection to the laws oâ— sinnefull men Arg. 4. Whosoeuer bindes conscience commaunds conscience For the bonde is made by a commaÌ„dement vrging conscience to do his dutie which is to accuse or excuse for euill or well doing Now Gods laws commaund conscience in as much as they are spirituall commaunding bodie and spirit with all the thoughts will affections desires and faculties and requiring obedience of them all according to their kinde As for the laws of men they want power to commaund conscience In deede if it were possible for our gouernours by law to commaund mens thoughts and affections then also might they command coÌ„science but the first is not possible for their lawes can reach no further then to the outward man that is to bodie and goods with the speaches and deedes thereof and the ende of them all is not to maintaine spirituall peace of conscience which is betweene man and God but onely that externall and ciuill peace which is betweene man and man And it were not meete that men should commaund conscience which cannot see conscience and iudge of all her actions which appeare not outwardly and whereof there be no witnesses but God and the conscience of the doer Lastly men are no fitte commanders of conscience because they are no lords of it but God himselfe alone Argum. 5. Men in making lawes are subiect to ignorance and errour and therefore when they haue made a law as neare as possible they can agreeable to the equitie of Gods law yet can they not assure themselues and others that they haue failed in no point or circumstance Therefore it is against reason that humane laws beeing subiect to defects faults errours and manifold imperfections should truly bind conscience as Gods lawes doe which are the rule of righteousnes All gouernours in the world vpon their daily experience see and acknowledge this to be true which I say by reason that to their olde lawes they are constrained to put restrictions ampliations modifications of all kindes with new readings and interpretations saving the Bishop of Rome so falsly tearmed which perswades himselfe to haue when he is in his consistorie such an infallible assistance of the spirite that he can not possibly erre in iudgement Argum. 6. If mens lawes by inward vertue binde conscience properly as Gods lawes then our dutie is to learne studie and remember them as well as Gods laws yea ministers must be diligent to preach them as they are diligent in preaching the doctrine of the Gospell because euery one of them bindes to mortall finne as the Papists teach But that they should be taught and learned as Gods lawes it is most absurd in the iudgement of all men Papists themselues not excepted Argum. 7. Inferiour authoritie can not binde the superiours no we the courts of 〈◊〉 and their authoritie are vnder conscience For God in the heart of euery man hath â—rocted a tribunall seale and in his stead he hath plâ—â—â—d neither saint nor angell not any other creaâ—… what soeuer but conscience it selfe who therefore is the highest iudge that is or can be vnder God by whose direction also courts are kept and lawes are made Thus much of the popish opinion by which it appeares that one of the principall notes of Antichrist agrees fuly to the Pope of Rome Paul 2. Thess. 2. makes it a speciall propertie of Antichrist to exalt himselfe against or aboue all that is called God or worshipped Now what doth the Pope els when he takes vpon him authoritie to make such lawes as shall binde the conscience as properly and truly as Gods lawes and what doth he els when he ascribes to himselfe power to free mens consciences from the bond of such lawes of God as are vnchaungeable as may appeare in a canon of the councill of Trent the words are these If any shall say that thâ—se degrees of consanguinitie which be expressed in Leviticus â—â—e 〈◊〉 hinder 〈◊〉 to be made and breake it beeing made and that the Church cannot dispense with some of them or appoint that more degrees may hinder or breake â—â—â—â—age let him be accursed O sacrilegious impietie considering the lawes of affinitie and consanguinitie Lev. 18. are not ceremoniall or iudiciall lawes peculiar to the Iewes but the very laws of nature Whâ—â—â— this canon els but a publike proclamation to the world that the Pope and Church of Rome doe sit as lords or rather idols in the hearts consciences of men This will yet more fully appeare to any man if we read popish bookes of practical or Case aivinitie in which the common manner is to binde conscience where God looseth it and to loose where he bindes but a declaration of this requires long time Now I come as neare as possibly I can to set downe the true manner how mens lawes are by Diuines and may be said to binde conscience That this may be cleared two things must be handled By what meanes they binde and How farre forth Touching the meanes I set downe this rule Whole some lawes of men made of things indifferent binde conscience by vertue of the generall commaundement of God vvhich ordaineth the Magistrates authoritie so as vvho soever shall wittingly willingly with a disloyal mind either breake or omit such lavves it guiltie of sâ—â—â—e before God By whole some lawes I vnderstand such positiue constitutions as are not against the law of God and withall tend to maintaine the peaceable estate and common good of men Furthermore I adde this clause made of things indifferent to note the peculiar matter whereâ—… 〈◊〉 lawes properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things 〈◊〉 are neither 〈◊〉 commanded or forbidden by God Now such kinde of lawes haue no vertue or power in themselues to constraine conscience but they bind onely by vertue of an higher commandement Let euery soule â—e subiect to the
higher powers Rom. 13. 1. or Honour father and mother Exod. 20. which commaundements binde vs in conscience to performe obedience to the good laws of men As S. Peter saith Submit your selues to euery humane ordinance for the Lord 1. Pet. 2. 13. that is for conscience of God as he saith afterward v. 19. wherby he signifieth two thing first that God hath ordained the authority of gouernours secondly that he hath appointed in his word and thereby bound men in conscience to obay their gouernours lawfull commandements If the case fall out otherwise as commonly it doth that humane laws be not inacted of things indifferent but of things that be good in themselues that is commanded by God then are they not 〈◊〉 properly but divine lawes Mens laws intreating of things that are morally good and the parts of Gods vvorshippe are the same with Gods laws and therfore binde conscience not because they were inacted by men but because they were first made by God men beeing no more but instruments and ministers in his name to revive renew and to put in exequution such precepts and laws as prescribe the worship of God standing in the practise of true religion vertue Of this kind are all positiue lawes touching articles of faith the duties of the morall law And the man that breakes such lawes sinnes two waies first because he breaks that which is in conscience a law of God secondly because in disobaying his lawfull magistrate he disobâ—… the generall commandement of God touching magistracie But if it shall fall out that mens lawes be made of things that are cuill and forbidden by God then is there no bonde of conscience at all but contrariwise men are bound in conscience not to obay Act. 4. 19. And hereupon the three children are commended for not obaying Nabuchadnezzar when he gaue a particular commandement vnto them to fall downe and worship the golden image Dan. 3. Moreouer in that mans law binds onely by power of Gods law hence it follows that Gods law alone hath this priuiledge that the breach of it should be a sinne S. Iohn saith 1. epist. 3. Sinne it the anomie or transgressioÌ„ of the law vnderstanding Gods lawe When Dauid by adulterie and murder had offended many men that many waies he saith Psal. 51. against thee against thee haue I sinned And Augustine defined sinne to be some thing said done or desired against the law of God Some man may say if this be so belike then we may breake mens laws without sinne I answer that men in breaking humane lawes both may and doe sinne but yet not simply because they breake them but because in breaking them they doe also breake the law of God The breach of a law must be considered two waies First as it is a trespasse hinderance iniurie damage and in this respect it is committed against mens lawes secondly the breach of a law must be considered as it is sinne and so it is onely against Gods law The second point namely How farreforth mens lawes binde conscience I explane on this manner It is all that the lawes of God doe or can doe to binde conscience simply and absolutely Therefore humane laws bind not simply but so farre forth as they are agreeable to Gods word serue for the coÌ„mongood staÌ„d withgood order and hinder not the libertie of conscience The necessitie of the law ariseth of the necessitie of the good end thereof And as the end is good and profitable more or lesse so is the law it selfe necessarie more or lesse Hence it followeth that a man may doe any thing beside humane lawes and constitutions without breach of conscience For if he shall omit the doing of any law I. without hindrance of the ende and particular considerations for which the law was made II. without offence giuing as much as in him lieth III. without contempt of him that made the law he is not to be accused of sinne Example In time of warre the magistrate of a citie commands that no man shall open the gates the end is that the citie and euery member thereof may be in safetie Now it falls out that certaine citizens beeing vpon occasion without the citie are pursued by the enemie and in daunger of their lifes Herupon some man within openeth the gate to resâ—…e them The question is whether he haue sinned or no. And the truth is he hath not because he did not hinder the ende of the law but rather further it and that without scandal to men or contempt to the magistrate And this stands euen by the equitie of Gods word God made a law that the priests onely should eate of the shewbread now Dauid being no priest did vpon vrgent occasion eate of it without sinne If this be true in Gods law then it may also be true in the lawes of men that they may in some cases be omitted without sinne against God Neither must this seeme strange For as thâ—re is a keeping of a law and a breaking of the same so there is a middle or meane action betwâ—â—ne them both which is to doe thing beside the law and that without sâ—â—â—e To proceede further mens laws be either civill or ecclesiasticall Civill laws are for their substance determinations of necessarie and profitable circumstances tendâ—â—â— to â—â—hold and maintaine the commandemâ—… of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More specially they prescribe what is to be doâ— and what is to be left vndone touching actions both civill criminal touching offices and bâ—rgines of all soâ—â—â— c. yea they conclude inioyne commaÌ„d not onely such affaires as be of smaller importaÌ„ce but also things actions of great waight tending to maintaine common peace civill societie and the very state of the common wealth Now such laws binde so farre forth that though they be omitted without any apparanâ— sâ—â—ndal or contempâ— yet the breach of them is a sinne against God Take this example A subiect in this lande vpon pouertie or vpon a couctous minde against the good law of the land coines money which after ward by a sleight of his wit is cunningly conuaied abroad into the hands of men and is not espied Here is no euident offence giuen to any man nor open contempt shewed to the lawgiuer and yet in this action he hath sinned in that closely otherwise then he ought to haue done he hath hindered the good of the common wealth and robbed the soueraigne prince of her right Ecclesâ—sticall lawes are certaine necessarie and profitable determinations of circumstances of the commaundements of the first table I say bâ—â—e 〈◊〉 because all doctrines pertaining to the foundation and good estate of the Church as also the whole worshippe of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 downe and commaâ—nded in the written word of God and cannot be prescribed and concluded otherwise by all the Churches in the world Aâ—â—or the Creedes and Confessionâ— of particular Churches they are in substance Gods word and they binde not in conscience by any power
the Church hath but because they are the word of God The lawes then which the Church in proper speach is sâ—â—de to make are decrees concerning outward order and comelines in the administration of the word and sacramâ—â—s in the meetings of the coÌ„gregation c. such laws made according to the generall rules of Gods word which requires that all things be don to edificatioÌ„ in comelines for the auoiding of offence are cessarie to be obserued and the word of God binds all men to theÌ„ so farre forth as the keeping of them maintains decent order and pâ—…s open offence Yet if a law concerning some â—…nall riâ—e of thing indifferent be at some time vpon some occasion omitted no offence giuen not contempt shewed to Ecclestasticall â—â—â—horitie there is no bâ—each made in the conscience â—â—d that appeares by the example before hanâ—â—â—â— The Apostles guided by the holy Ghost made a decree for the auoiding of offence necessarie to be obserued namely that the Gentiles should abstaine from strangled and blood and idoâ—ithyâ—â—s and yet Paul out of the case of scandall and contempt permits the Corinthians to doe otherwise 1. Cor. 8. 9. which he would not hâ—â—â— done if to doe otherwise out of the case of scandall and contempt had bin sinne Againe lawes are either mixt or meerely penall Mixâ— are such lawes as are of weightie matters and are propounded in coÌ„manding or forbidding â—eaâ—â—es and they binde men first of all to obedience for the necessary good of humane societies and secondly to a punishment if they obay not that a supplie may be made of the â—indrance of the common good In the breach of this kind of laws though a man be neuer so willing to suffer the punishment yet that will not discharge his conscience before God when he ofâ—…ds If a man coin moâ—y with this minde to be willing to die when he is conâ—icted yet that will not free him from a sinne in the action because Gods law binds vs not onely to subiection iâ—â—earing of punishments but also to obedience of his â—…e commandement it beeing lawfull though â—e should set downe no punishment A law meerely peâ—â—ll is that which beeing mâ—… of matters of lesse importance and not vtâ—…d preâ—isely in commâ—…ding tearmes doeth onely declare and shewe what is to be done or conditionally require this or that with respect to the punishment on this manner If any person doe this or that then he shall forfeit thus or thus This kind of law kinds especially to the punishment that in the very intent of the lawgiuer and he that is readie in omitting the law to pay the fine or punishmet is not to be charged with sinne before God the penaltie being answerable to the losse that comes by the neglect of the law Thus we see how farre forth mens laws bind conscience The vse of this points is this I. hence wee learne that the immunitie of the Popish cleargie whereby they take themselues exempted from civill courts and from civill authoritie in criminall causes hath no warrant because Gods commandements binds euery man whatsoeuer to be subiect to the magistrate Râ—… 〈◊〉 Let euery soule be sâ—…ct to the higher powers II Hence we see also what notorioâ—â— rebeâ—… those are that beeing borne subiâ—cts of this land yet choose rather to die then to acknowledge as they are bound in conâ—… the Qâ—… Maâ—estie to be supreame gouernour vnder God in all causes ouer all persons III. Lastly we are taught hereby to be readie and willing to giue subiection obedience reuerence and all other duties to magistrates whether they be superiou or inferiour yea with chearefulnes to pay 〈◊〉 and subsidies and all such lawfull charges 〈◊〉 appointed by them Giue to Cesâ—â— that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cesars to God that which is Goâ—â— Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 Giue to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dutie tribute to 〈◊〉 tribute 〈◊〉 to whome custome Now follows the Oath which is either assertorie or promissorie Assertorie by which a man auoucheth that a thing was done or not done Promisserie by which a man promiseth to doe a thing or not to doe it Of both these I mean to speak but specially of the second And here two points must be coÌ„sidered the first by what means an oath bindeth the second when it bindeth An oath bindeth by vertue of such particuâ—… coÌ„mandements as require the keeping of oathâ—â— lawfully taken Num. 30. 3. Who soeuer sâ—… an â—ath to binde his soule by a bond â—e shall not 〈◊〉 his word 〈◊〉 shall doe according to all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 This being so â—questioÌ„ may be made whether the 〈◊〉 of insiâ—… biâ—d conscience by what vâ—… 〈◊〉 they â—â—ither know the Scriptâ—… noâ— the true God Aâ—s They doe bind in conscience For example Iacob Laban make a 〈◊〉 confirmed by oath Iacob sweares by the true God Laban by the god of Nâ—…or that i◠〈◊〉 his idols Now Iacob though he approoue not the forme of this oath yet he accepts it for a civil bond of the covenant no doubt though Laban beleeued not Gods word reuealed to the Pâ—…ks yet he was bound in coÌ„science to keep this â—th euen by the law of nature though he 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 God yet he 〈◊〉 the false god of Nacâ—â—r to be the true God Gen. 31. 53. Againe if a lawfull oath by vertue of Gods coÌ„mandements bind conscience then it must needâ— be that the Romane Church hath long erred in that â—…ee â—…th and maintaineth that gouernours as namely the Pope and other inferiour Bishops haue power to giue relaxations and dispensations not onely for oathes vnlawfull from which the word of God doth sufficiently free vs though they should neuer giue absolutioÌ„ but from a true lawfull oath made wittingly willingly without errour or deceit of a thing honest and possible as when the Pope frees the subiects of this land as occasion is offered from their sworne allegiance and loyaltie to which they are bound not onely by the law of nature but also by a solemne and particular oath to the Supremacie which none euer deemed vâ—…full but such as carrie traytors hearts Now this erronious divinitie would easily be revoked if men did bâ—â— consider the nature of an oath one part whereof is Invocation in which we prâ—â— vnto God first that he would become a witnes vnto vs that we speak the truth and purpose not to deceiue secondly if we faile break our promise that he would take â—…ge vpon vs and in both these petitions we bind our selues immediatly to God himselfe and God againe who is the ordainer of the oath accepts this bond and 〈◊〉 it by his commendement till it be accomplished Hence it follows that no creature caÌ„ haue power to vâ—â—ie the bood of an â—â—th that is truly and lawfully an â—â—th vnles we wil 〈◊〉 the creatures aboue God himselfe And our Sauiour Christ gaue better â—…ell when he commanded vs to performe our 〈◊〉 to
the Lord for the pâ—…ting of periurie Matth. 5. 33. Next let vs consider the time when an oath bindeth or bindeth not An oth bindeth theÌ„ when it is made of things certen possible in â—â—uth iustice iudgemeÌ„t for the glory of God the good of our neighbour Question I. Whether doeth an oath binde conscience if by the keeping of it there followe losses and hinderances Answ. If it be of a thing that is lawfull and the domages be priuate to him that sweareth then doth it bind conscience For example A man makes a purchase of lande at the sea side his bargaine is confirmed only by oath and it falles out that before he doe enter possession the sea breakes in and drownes a part of that purchase Now he is in conscience to stand to his bargaine because the thing is lawfull the domage is priuate great reuerence must be had of the name of God which hath bin used in the bargaine making Dauid makes it the property of a good man to sweare to his owne hinderance and not to change Psal. 15. v. 4. Question II. Whether the oath which a man hath taken being induced thereto by fraud and guile doeth bind conscience Answ. If it be still of a thing lawfull and bring nothing but priuate losses it is to be kept When the Gibeâ—â—ites had by a fraud brought Iosua to make a league with them and to binde it with an oath hee and the princes of the people answer them thus Wee have sworne vnto them by the Lordâ— God of Israel now therefore wee may not touch them Ios. 9. 19. And 300. yeres after when Saul slewe certaine of the Gibâ—onites against this othe the plague of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was upon the people of Israel three yeeres and was not staied till certaine persons of Sauls family for a recompence were put to death 2. Sam. 21. v. 7. Question III. Whether an oath made by feare or compulsion bind in conscience For example A thiefe disappointed of the boâ—â—y 〈◊〉 he looked for bindes the true man by solemne oath upon paine of present death to fetch and deliuer vnto him some portion of mony at one 100 or 200 crownes for the redeeming of his life Well the oath is taken and the question is whether it bind him or not to perform his promise An answer may be this some protestant diuines thinke it doth bind some againe thinke no but I take it the safest course to bolde the meane betweene both on this manner The oth seemes to bind and is to be perfourmed neither is it against the good of the coÌ„mon-wealth 〈◊〉 then it were unlawfull but it is rather a furtherance in that a member therof is preserued and the losses which follow are only priuate to the man rather to be endured then the losse of life Yet that a remedy may be had of this priuate iniury that a publike mischiefe may be preuented the party is to reueale the matter to the magistrate whose office it is to punish robbers and to order all things according to equity for the coÌ„mon good But if the case fall out that the maÌ„ through exceeding feare doe further sweare to keep silence I see not how his oth may be kept except he be sure that nothing will ensue therof but a priâ—… domage to himself For otherwise perpetuâ—â—â—â—…ence seemes to be a secrete consenting to the robber an occasion that others fall into the like danger and hazard of their liues Agâ—â—ne in six cases an oth binds not conscience at all I. If it be made of a thing that is flat against the word of God For all the power of binding which it hath is by the word of god therfore wheÌ„ it is against Gods will it hath no power to constraine And it is an old receiued rule that an oth must not be a bonde of iniquity Hereupon Dauid when he had made a rash oth to kill Nabal 〈◊〉 his houshold reioyced when he had an occasion offered by Abigail to break the same 1. Sam. 25. 32. And though he sware to Shemi that he would saue his life 2. Sam. 19. 23. yet afterward upon better consideration as it may seem he commanded his son Salomon to put him to death as one that had long agoe deserued the same 1. King 2. 9. And Herod was far deceiued that thought he was bound by his oth to giue to the daÌ„sell Iohn Baptists head in a platter Mat. 14. 7. II. Is it be against the good and wholesome lawes of any kingdome or countrey whereof a man is a member it bindes not at all because on the contrary Gods commandement bindes vs to keepe the good lawes of men III. If it be made by such persons as want sufficient reason and discretion as young children fooles madde men For the conscience can not indeed be bounde where the understanding can not discerne what is done IIII. If it be made of such as haue no power to bind themselues it bindes not because it is made against the lawe of nature which is that he which is ot in his owne power can not binde himselfe Hence it followes that papists erre grossely when they teach that a childe may enter into any rule or order of religion yea binde himselfe thereto by oath and the oath to be good flatt against his parents consent Num. 30. 4. If a woman vow vnto the Lord bind her selfe by a bond being in her fathers house in the time of her youth c. 6. If her father disallow her the same day that he heareth all her vowes and bondes they shall not be of value And an ancient councill decreed that all children that vpon pretence of Gods worship should depart from their parents and not doe them dâ—e reverence should be accursed Secondly they erre in that they teach that the promise made priuately by a childe in way of marriage without and against consent of wise and careful parents bindes them whereas indeede if this promise were further bound by an oth it could not stand because children under gouernment and tuition of parents can not giue themselues V. It bindes not if it be made of a thing that is out of a â—â—ns power as if a man sweare to his friend to giue him another mans goods VI. If at the first it were lawfull and afterwarde by some meanes become either impossible or vnlawfull it binds not conscience For when it becomes impossible then wee may safely thinke that God from heauen frees a man from his oath And when it beginnes to be unlawfull then it ceaseth to bind because the binding vertue is onely from the worde of God For example a king bindes himselfe by oath to a forraine Christian prince to find him men money to defende his people against all enemies This oath is lawfull Well afterward the prince becomes a professed enemy to him his religion people and then the kings oth becomes unlawful and binds him
not because the word forbids that there should be any league of amitie with Gods enemies though there may be leagues of concord with them Seeing a lawfull oath must bind conscience though a man be deceiued and great losses follow it shews in how great reuerence we should haue Gods name and with what care and consideration take an oth And by this we must be aduertiseo to take heed of customable swearing in our common talke whether our oathes be great or small We must thinke of an oth as a part of Gods worship nay the H. ghost often puts it for the whole worship of God Isai. 19. 18. In that day shall five cities in the lande of Egypt speake the language of Canaan and shall sweare by the Lorde of hostes that is acknowledge and worship him Ierem. 12. 16. If they will learne the waies of my people to sweare by my Name The Lorde liveth then shall they be built in the middest of my people This serues to shew unto us that such as giue them-selues to swearing want religion good conscience that those families in which there is risenesse of othes abandon all care of religion and banish God out of their houses And indeed it is a very hard thing for the common swearer to auoide common periury If we see a man holde up his hand at the barre of an earthly iudge we pity him and are sorry for him on then why doe we not pittie blasphemers and common swearers For with God they are no better then rebeis that hold up their hands at the barre of his iudgement seate as guilty malefactours Exod. 20. 7. Augustine saith well They that worship stockes and stones feare to svveare falsely by stones and doest not then feare God that is present God that liveth God that 〈◊〉 God that taketh revenge of contemners but of bad custome vvhen thou art beleeved thou svvearest vvhen none requires it thou svvearest and vvhen men cannot abide it then svvearest Thus much of an Oath now followes a promise which is either to God or man the first is called a vow the second a single promise A vowe is taken three waies First generally for a promise of morall obedience and this vowe is first made in Baptisme and continued in the Lordes Supper as also in the spirituall exercises of invocation and repentance It is called of Peter 1. Epist. 3. 21. the stipulation which a good conscience makes to God This kinde of vowe bindes all and euery member of the Church of God And the not keeping of it is the common sinne of the worlde for most men make not conscience to perfourme that which they haue promised to God in Baptisme and therefore their Baptisme is become unto them the sacrifice of fooles Ecclesiast 4. 17. But considering we are bound in conscience by this vowe let vs hereafter endeauor to be as good as our word and that shall be when we begin to die to our sinnes and rise to newnesse of life we will seeme to haue care to keepe touch with men what a shame is it for us then not to keepe couenant with God Againe a vow is taken for a promise of ceremoniall obedience whereof reade Num. 6. and 30. and Levit. 27. This vow is peculiar to the old Testament and did not bind all men but only such as had peculiar occasion to vowe and thereupon bound themselues as the Nazarites and some other Thirdly a vow is taken for the performance of some outwarde and bodily exercises taken up of a mans owne accord as being things in a mans owne liberty without any commaundèment of God as the keeping of set times of fast of praying or reading the performance of set taskes almes giuing abstinence from certaine meates and drinkes in the use whereof through our owne weakenesse we feare any occasion of sinne And this kind of vow is more peculiar to the new Testament In the making of it that it may be warrantable foure things must be obserued I. It must be agreeable to the worde of God II. It must not be against a mans generall or particular calling III. It must be in a mans power and not against Christian liberty IIII. It must be so made and be obserued without any opinion of â—â—â—rit or worship of God to this end alone that it may be a means to exercise and cherish repentance and inuocation temperance patience and to shewe forth thankfulnesse to God A vowe thus made binds conscience by vertue of Gods commandement Eccles. 5. 3. When thou hast 〈◊〉 a vow to God 〈◊〉 not to pay it And the vow once made continues to binde so long as the thing is in force which was the 〈◊〉 of the vow For example A man desirous to practise sobrietie and temperancy finds that drinking of wine is hurtful to him hereupon he vowes to God to drinke no wine now 〈◊〉 vow once made 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 estate of his body alter and he feele no inconvenience in wine and then 〈◊〉 ceaseth to bind any longer Question Whether Papists are bound in conscience to keepe the vowes of single life and voluntary pouerty which they make or no. Ans. No. Reasons I. They are 〈◊〉 against Gods coÌ„â—… 〈◊〉 if they cannot abstaine let them 〈◊〉 for it is better to marry then to 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 7. 9. This we warned 〈◊〉 of that if there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not 〈◊〉 they should not 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 3. 10. II they are not in the power of him that voweth as the promise of 〈◊〉 chastity in single life III. they abolish christian liberty in the vse of the creatures and ordinances of God as riches and mariage meat drinke apparâ—â— making that necessary which God left to our liberty IV. They are made that men may thereby merit life eternall worship God whereas Paul saith 1. Tim. 48. Bodilyexercise profiteth little but godlinesse 〈◊〉 profitable for all things Therefore they are better broken then kept As for a single promise it also bindes a man according as he will to whome the promise is made though he be an heretike or an infidell As for the purpose of the mind it binds not but may upon conuenient cause be altered Yet we must remember that there are soâ—… cases in which a promise made binds not I. If it be against Gods word One saith well In evill promises cut off thy faith It is a 〈◊〉 promise which cannot be perfourmed without an offence II. If he which makes it want reason or sufficient discretion III. If he make the promisae who can not bind himselfe as a child under the gouernment of his parents IV. If a man be induced to make his promise by fraud guile V. If the promise being at the first lawfull become afterward either impossible or unlawfull And though men be bound in conscience to keepe their promises yet this hinders not but that there is and may be a good and lawfull use of Indentures and obligations For
the bonde of conscience is betweene man and God but the bonde of an obligation is onely betweene man and man Abraham when hee bought a purchase of Ephron the Hiâ—â—â—te hee payed his money and made it sure before witnesse Gen. 23. vers 17. Here we must consider the generall sinne of this age which is to speak deceitfully euery one to his neighbour It is an hard thing to find a maÌ„ that will stand to his word and lawfull promise It is a rule of Machiâ—vell that a man may practise many things against his faith against charity and humanity and religion and that it is not necessary to haue these vertues but to counterfait and dissemble them But let all such as feare God make conscience of their word because they are bound so to do and hereby they shall resemble their heauenly father who is true in all his promises and they shall also bring soorth a notable fruite of the spirite Galat. 5. vers 22. Hitherto I haue spoken of the cause that maketh conscience to giue iudgemente Now followeth the manner of iudgement CoÌ„scieÌ„ce giues iudgemeÌ„t in or by a kind of reasoning or disputing called a practicall syllogisme Rom. 2. 15. their reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excusing 〈◊〉 other In the making of this reason conscience hath two assistâ—… mind and memory The mind is the storehouse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all manner of rules and principles It may be coâ—…pared to a booke of law in which are 〈◊〉 down the penall statutes of the lande The of it it is to preferre and present to the conscience rules of diuine law whereby it is to giue iudgement Memory serues to bring to mind the particular actions which a maÌ„ hath done or not done that conscience may determine of them Now conscience assisted by these 〈◊〉 proceeds in iudgement by a kinde of argumentation an example whereof we may take from the conscience of a murderer thus Euery 〈◊〉 â—…er is 〈◊〉 â—ed saith the minde Thou art a murderer saith conscience assisted by memory ergo Thou art accur sed saith conscience and so giueth her sentence To proceed Conscience giues iudgement either of things past or things to come Of things past two waies either by accusing condâ—ning or by excusing absoluing Ro. 2. 15. To accuse is an action of conscience giuing 〈◊〉 that this oâ— that thing was â—…ll don 〈◊〉 that still by reasoning on this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 This thy action is 〈◊〉 der 〈◊〉 This thy action is a 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 is another action of the conscience â—â—yned with the former whereby it giueth iudgâ—…t that a man by this or that sinne hath deserued death on this maner â—…ry 〈◊〉 â—â—rer 〈◊〉 serveth a double death Thâ—â— art a 〈◊〉 â—â—rer ergo Thou hast de served a double death These two actions are very sorcible and terrible for they are the â—…ctions and prickings that be in the heart Act. 2. 37. they are the stripes as it were of an iron rodde wherewith the heart of a man smiteth it selfe 2. Sam. 24. 10. And by reason of them conscience is compared to a woâ—â—e that neuer dieth but alwayes lyes gnawing and grabbling and pulling at the heart of man Marc. 9. 42. and causeth more paine and anguish then any disease in the woâ—ld can The time when conscience perfourmes these actions is not before the sinne or in the acte of sâ—â—â—ing but specially after the sinne is done and past Reason I. Before a man sinne the deuill doth extenuate the fault make sinne to be no sinne II. Corrupt affections doe for a time so blind and ouercast iudgement that it doeth not see or at the least consider what is good or bad till afterward Neither doth conscience â—ccuse condeâ—… only for time present but also long after a thing is done The consciences of Iosephs â—…hren accuse them 22. yeres after they had solde him into Egypt Gen. 42. 21. The effect of the accusing and condeâ—ning conscience is to stir vp sundry passions and â—otions in the heart but specially these five The first is shaâ—… which is an affection of the heart whereby a man is grâ—eued and displeased with him-selfe that hee hath done any euill and this shame showeth it selfe by the rising of the bloode from the heart to the 〈◊〉 Yet wee must here remember that 〈◊〉 such as haue the pardon of their sinnes and are not guilty may be ashamed and bâ—â—sh Rom. 6. 21. What frâ—… had yee in those things wherat ye now blush or be ashamed Whereas those which are most guilty may be without all shame Ierem. 6. 15. were they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had â—…itted 〈◊〉 â—â—y â—â—y they vvere not ashamed 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are growen to some great height in sinne Eph. 4. 18. The second passion is sadnesse and sorrowe which is commonly thought to be nothing else but Melancholy but betweene them twaâ—â—e there is great difference Sorow that comes by melancholly ariseth onely of that humour annoying the body but this other sorrow ariseth of a mans sinnes for which his conscience accuseth him Melancholly may be cured by phiâ—…e this sorow 〈◊〉 not be cured by any thing but by the blood of Christ. The third is feare in causing whereof conscience is very forcible If a man had all the delightes and pleasures that heart can wish they can not doe him any good if conscience be guiltie Belshazzar when hee was in the middest of all his delights and saw the hand writing vpon the wall his countenance changed his thoughts troubleâ— him his ioyâ—ts loosed and his knees smote togither Dan. 5. 6. Yea the guiltie conscience will make a man afraid if hee see but a worme peepe out of the ground or a silly creature to goe crosse his way or if hee see but his owne shadowe on a suddaâ—… or if he do but forecast an euill with himselfe Proverb 28. 1. The vvicked flyeth vvhâ—â— no man pur sueth him Terrors of â—oÌ„scieÌ„ce wheÌ„ they are more vehecause other passions in the body as exceeding heare like that which is in the fiâ—t of an agâ—e the rising of the entrals towardes the mouth and swoundingâ— as experience hath often shewed And the writer of the booke of Wisedome saith truly cap. 17. vers 10. It is a 〈◊〉 full thing vvhen malice is condemned by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testâ—monie and a conscience thâ—â— is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever fore-cast cruell things For feare is nothing else but the betraying of the succâ—… that reason offereth c. they that did 〈◊〉 the night that was â—…llerable c. sometimes vvere troubled vvith monâ—…s visions and sometimes they sâ—â—â—ned as though their 〈◊〉 soule should betray them for a sudden feare 〈◊〉 looked for came upon them The fourth is desperation whereby a man through the vehement and constant accusation of his conscience comes to be out of all hope of the pardon of his sinnes This made Saul Achitophel and Indas to hang them selues this
makes many in these daies to doe the like as appeareth by the declarations of such as haue bene presented when they were about to hang or drowne them selues or to cutt their owne throats The last is a perturbation or disquieâ—â—es of the whole man wherby all the powers faculties of the whole man are forth of order Isa. 57. 20. The wicked are like the raging of the sea that 〈◊〉 test vvhose vvaters cast vp â—…ire and â—…rt Thus much of the two first actions of conscience which are to accuse and condemne the sâ—cond followeth to excuse and absolue To excuse is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done To absolue is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free or cleare froÌ„ fault and so from punishment From these two actions arise some special affections I. boldâ—es and confidence Prov. 28. 1. The righteous are bold as a lyon II. ioy and reioycing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testiâ—…nie of my conscience that in all simplicitie and godly pureâ—es I haue had my conuer sation in the world Hence it is said that a good conscience is a continuall feast Hitheâ—to I haue spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past now followeth her iudgement of things to be done Conscience giues iudgement of things to come by foretelling and as it were saying inwardly in the heart that the thing may be well done or ill done Of this kinde of iudgement euery man may haue experience in him selfe when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or badde By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way with al the turnings thereof he could not but take it for a great point of curtosie Wee are pilgrimes in this world our life is our iourney God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide to shew vs what course we may take and what we may not And here it must be noted that in all things to be done conscience is of great force beares a great stroke For This is the beginning of a good vvorke that the conscience first of all give her iudgement truely that the thing may be done and is acceptable to God Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer is not done of a settled perswasion in iudgement and conscience out of Gods word howsoeuer men iudge of it is sinne Againe God regardes not the outward pompe of the action or the doer but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart therefore vnlesse the conscience first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will it can be nothing else but a sinne And he that shall doe a thing because it is good in his owne eyes not knowing that God doeth allow of it preferres him-selfe before God and disobaies him as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will From this former rule arise three other the first What soeuer is done vvith a doubting conseâ—â—â—e is a sâ—…e For example some beleeuers in the Primitive Church held that still after the ascensâ—on of Christ there remained a difference betweene meate and meate and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kinde of meates â—ow put the case by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden and there 〈◊〉 no question but in so doing they haue sinned as Paul prooueth Rom. 14. v. 14. I knovv and 〈◊〉 persvvaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth any thing vncleane it is vncleane and v. 23. He that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith The second What soeuer thing is done vvith an erroneous conscience is a sinne For example in the primitiue Church diuers of the Gentiles helde this errour that fornication was a thing indifferent and therfore â—onscience told them that they might doe iâ— and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinneâ— becausâ— conscience erred in her iudgement And euill râ—maines euill though conscience â—â—y the contrarie a thousand times The third What soeuer is done against conscience though it erre be deceiued it sinne in the dâ—er Example An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawfull to sweare is brought before a magistrate and vrged either through feare or so 〈◊〉 cause takes an oath that against his oâ—ne conscience now the question is whether he hath sinned or no. Ans. He hath indeed sinned not so much because he hath taken an oath for that is the ordinance of God but because he hath taken an oath in a bad manner that is against his conscience and therefore not in faith Thus it is manifest that consciâ—nce beares a great stroke in all things that are to be saide or done And hereby we are aduertised of many things First if a thing done without good direction of coÌ„science be a sinne then much more that which is done without direction of Gods word is a flatte sinne for without direction of Gods word conscience can giue no good direction And if God will holde that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer so as if a man be to put but a bit of bread in his mouth it can so farre forth direct him that in doiâ—g of it he shall be able to please God If this were â—ot true mans ease were most miserable For then we should sinne in manifold actions and that without remedie And here by the Word I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and new Testament which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all â—ctions As for the law of nature though it afâ—oard in deede some direction yet is it corrupt imperfect vncerten and whatsoeuer is right and good therin is contained in the writteÌ„ word of God And as for the best vnwritteÌ„ traditions let al the Papists in the world answer if they caÌ„ how I may in coÌ„science be perswaded that they are the word of God If they say that the auncient fathers of the primitive Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions I answer againe how 〈◊〉 I know and be certen in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour in saying so haue not erred Againe we learne hence that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good worke vnlesse withall conscience can giue iudgement that God doth approoue the action This shewes the ignorance of our people that when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dealings they runne vpon a good meaning then alwaies they thinke they doe well and please God Thirdly hence it appeares that all thingâ— deuised by man for the worship of God â—re fiarre sinnes
because conscience 〈◊〉 not say of them that they please God Esa. 29. 13. Mark 7. v. 7. Lastly wee learne here that igâ—orâ—nce of Gods will and word is a daungerous thing and makes the life of man to abound yea to flowe with a sea of offences against God Men commonly thinke that if they keepe themselues froÌ„ petiurie blasphemie murder theft whordome all is well with them but the truth is that so long as they liue in ignorance they want right and true direction of conscience out of Gods word and therfore there best actions are sinnes euen their eating and drinking their sleeping and waking their buying and selling their speach and silence yea their praying and seruing of God For they doe these actions either of custome or example or necessitie as beasts doe and not of faith because they know not Gods will touching things to be done or left vndone The consideration of this point should make euery man most carefull to seeke for knowledge of Gods word and daily to increase in it that he may in all his affaires haue Gods lawes to be the men of his counsell Psal. 119. 24. that 〈◊〉 may giue heede to them as to a light shining in a â—â—rke place 〈◊〉 Pet. 1. 19. that he may say with Pâ—â—er when Christ commanded him to lanch forth into the deepe and to cast forth his net Lord â—ve hâ—â—e ben allâ—ight ana haue catched nothing yet in thy word vvill I let dâ—vvne my â—â—t Luk 5. 5. CAP. III. Of the kindes of conscience and of conscience regenerate COnscience is either good or badde Good conscience is that which rightly according to Gods worde excuseth and comforteth For the excellence goodnes and dignitie of conscience standes not in accusing but in excusing And by doing any sinne whatsoeuer to giue an occasion to the conscience to â—…use or condemne is to wound it and to offend in Thus Paul saith that the Corinthians â—…ded the consciences of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whâ—… they vsed their libertie as an â—ccasian of offence to them 1. Cor. 8. 9. 〈◊〉 Agaiâ—… he calleth a good conscience a conscience without offence that iâ— which hath no stoppe o◠〈◊〉 to hinder it from excusing Act. 24. 16. Good conscience is either good by 〈◊〉 or by regeneration Good by creation was the conscience of Adam which in the estate of innocencie did onely excuse could not accuâ—â— him for any thing though it may be an 〈◊〉 to accuse was not wanting 〈◊〉 afterward an occasion should be offered And hence we haue further direction to consider what a good conscience is namely such an one as by the order set downe in the creation exâ—…th onely without accuâ—… 〈◊〉 cuse is a defect in the 〈◊〉 following â—…ter the first creation Fee naâ—â—rally there is an agreement and harmony betweene the parts and the whole but if the conscience should naturally accuse there should be adâ—ssent and disagrâ—â—ment and diuision betweene the conscience and the man himselfe Regenerate conscience is that which bâ—eing corrupt by nature is renewed and purged by faith in the blood of Christ. For to the regenerating of the conscience there is required a conversion or chaunge because by 〈◊〉 all mens consciences since the fall are euill and none are good but by grace The instrument â—…ing to make this chaunge is faith Act. 15. 9. Faith purifieth the heart The mâ—…orious cause is the blood of Christ Hebr. 9. 14. How much more shal the blood of Christ c. purge your conscience froÌ„ dead works to sâ—rue the liuing God The propertie of regenerate conscience is twofold Christian 〈◊〉 Câ—ttentiâ— of saluation Because both these haue their place not in the outward man but in the 〈◊〉 and conscience Châ—istian libeâ—… 〈◊〉 spirituall and holy freedome purchased by Christ. I say it is spiâ—… first to put a difference bâ—…ne it and civill libertie which standes in outward and bodily freedomes and priuiledges secondly to confute the Iewes that looke for earthly libertie by Christ and the Anabaptists who imagine a freedome from all authoritie of magistrates in the kingdome of Christ. Againe I say it is an holy freedome to confute the 〈◊〉 who thinke that by the death of Christ they haue libertie to liue as they list Lastly I say that it is purchased by Christ to shew the author thereof Gal. 5. 1. Standfast iâ— the libertie vvhere with Christ hath made you free And to confute the Papists whose doctrine in effect is thus much that this libertie is prâ—…red indeede by Christ but is continued partly by Christ and partly by the man himselfe Christian libertie hath three parts The first is a freedome from the iustification of the morall lawe For he that is a member of Christ is not bound in conscience to bring the perfect righteousnes of the law in his owne person for his iustification before God Gal. 5. 1. with v. 3. Hence it followeth that he that is a Christian is likewise freed from the curse and condemnation of the law Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. By this first part of Christian libertie it appeares that there cannot be any iustification of a sinner by workes of grace before God For he that will be iustified but by one worke is debter to the vvhole lavv Gal. 3. 3. but no man that is a member of Christ is debter to the whole law for his libertie is to be free in that point therefore no man is iustified so much as by one worke The second part is freedome from the rigour of the law which exacteth perfect obedience and condemneth all imperfection Rom. 6. 14. Sinne hath no more dominion ouer yoâ— for ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace 1. Ioh. 5. 3. This is the loue of God that ye keepe his commandements and his commandements are not grieuous Hence it followeth that God will accept of our imperfect obedience if it be sincere yea he accepts the will desire and indeauour to obay for obedience it selfe Malach. 3. 17. And I vvill spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him The third part is that the conscience is freed from the bond of the ceremoniall law Gal. 3. 25. But after that faith is come we are no more vnder a schoolemaster Eph. 2. 15. And hath broken the stoppe of the partition wall in abrogating through his flesh the lavv of commaundements vvhich standeth in ordinances Coloss. 2. 14. And hath put out the hand vvriting of ordinances vvhich vvas against vs. v. 16. Let no man therefore condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new moone c. Hence it followeth that all Christians may freely without scruple of coÌ„science vse all things indifferent so be it the manner of vsing them be good And first when I say that all may
of the reward of their perseverance yet they are founde to be vncerten of the perseverance it selfe for vvhat man can knovve that hee shall persevere in the practise and increase of righteousnesse vnto the end except he be assured of it by some revelation IV. Some places must be understoode of experimentall certenty when the euent is accomplished Hieronym booke 2. against Pelagians Callâ—o man blessed before his eâ—de for as long as vvee live here vve are in the fight and as long as vvee are in the fight vve haâ—â— no 〈◊〉 victory V. Some places speakes of the uncertenty of other mens salâ—â—â—tion which we grant The authour of the booke de vâ—◠〈◊〉 Gâ—… 〈◊〉 clast saith we caâ— prâ—…ce of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before his end that hee shall be in the glory of the 〈◊〉 August lib. 〈◊〉 Per sever c. 13. Men are not vvâ—… any 〈◊〉 asseveration to 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this calling VI. Some speake of that 〈◊〉 which comes by reuelation without the worde Greg. lib. 6. 〈◊〉 2â— 10 Gregoria Whereas you adde in your epistles that you will be earnest with me till I write that it hath bene made knowen unto me that your sâ—â—nes are forgiven you haue required a hard and unprofitable thing Harde because I am unvvorthy to vvhome a revelation should be made Vnprofitable because you must not be made secure touching your sinnes vnlesse it be in the last day of your life for then you should not be able to bewaile the same sinnes VII Some places denie unto man that certentie which is proper to God which is to discerne in himselfe all things to come plainly as they shal come to passe without helpe of testimonies and outward signes Bernard serm 1. de Septuages Who can say I am of the elect I am of the predestinate to life certenly we haue none as yet but the affiance of our hope comforteth vs. Conferre these wordes with those that follow For this cause certaine signes and manifest tokens of salvation are given that it may be a thing out of doubt that he is in the number of the elect in vvhome these signes are Thus I haue in some part made manifest that an unfallible certenty of pardon of sinne and life euerlasting is the property of euery renued conscience Now therefore I will proceede further to consider how this certenty is caused and imprinted in the conscience The principall agent and beginner thereof is the Holy ghost in lightning the minde and conscience with spirituall and diuine light and the instrument in this action is the ministery of the gospell wherby the worde of life is applyed in the name of God to the person of euery hearer And this certentie is by little and little conceiued in a forme of reasoning or practicall syllogisme framed in the mind by the holy ghost on this manner Euery one that beleeues is the child of God But I â—â—e beleeve Therefore I am the child of God The proposition is made by the minister of the worde in the publike congregation and it is nothing else but the promise of eternall life applyed to the particular hearer The second part or the assumption is the voice of conscience regenerate or the voice of Gods spirite in the same Now Papistes write and auouch that the assumption is false but the reasons which they use to prooue the same are of small moment First they alledge that many are deceiued in their perswasions thinking they haue that which they haue not I answere againe that many doe falsely presume of Gods mercy and imagine they haue that faith which they haue not and in all such the assumption is false yet in all them that are chosen to saluation and truely called it is vnfallibly true For such as haue receiued the gift of true faith haue also another gift of discerning whereby they see and know their owne faith It is further obiected that Ieremy saieth 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull and vvicked above all things vvho can knovve it But the intent of this place is onely to shew that no man can search his heart to the very bottome to see all and euery want infirmitie and wicked inclination that is therein For originall sinne wherewith the heart of man is tainted is a pronenesse or disposition to all the sinnes that are or may be And though men can not discerue all their sinnes yet many of them are certenly knowen why may not then many of the graces of God be certenly known specially those which be of the principall as faith sanctification repentance Againe it is alledged that Peter beleeued that he was able to lay downe his life for Christs sake and yet indeede was not as the euent declared for when the time came he denyed Christ. Ansvv. Peter at this time was but weake in faith and hee was much carried away with a confidence of his owne strength which made him speake these wordes of presumption and though he failed in this one particular action yet failed hee not in the principall that is in the perswasion of the pardon of his owne sinnes and of life euerlasting In a word it is certen that many perswade them-selues of Gods mercy and yet are deceiued neuerthelesse all such as doe truly beleeue are not deceiued The holy ghost making them to see that in themselues which by nature they can not discerne as Paul signified when he said I speake the truth I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse by the Holy Ghost Rom. 9. v. 1. Againe the same testimony is giuen otherwise thus Euery childe of God hath the pardon of his sinnes saith Gods word But I am Gods child and therefore have the pardon of my sinnes saith the renewed conscience by the direction of Gods spirit Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. After that this testimony is once begun it is confirmed by the same meanes as also by prayer and the sacraments Now it may be demanded how a bodily element as bread wine water should be able to confirme a perswasion of our adoption that is in the conscience Ansvv. The element in the sacrament is an outwarde seale or instrument to confirme faith not as a medicine restores and confirmes health whether we thinke on it or not whether we sleepe or wake and that by his owne inherent vertue but by reasoning in syllogisme made by the good conscience the 〈◊〉 thereof beeing the outwarde signe in the sacrament By means of which syllogisme the Holy Ghost mooues and stirres the mind yea cherisheth and increaseth faith on this manner Hee which vseth the elements aright shall receive the promises But I do or I haue used the elements aright Therefore I shall receive the promises Whereas presumption and the illusion of Satan will as well tell a man that he is the childe of God as the true testimony of regenerate conscience the way to put difference betwene them is this I. Presumption is naturall and from the very wombe but this testimony of conscience
have walked in mine 〈◊〉 c. Prooue me O Lord and me me examine 〈◊〉 and my heart That the conscience can do this 〈◊〉 specially appeares in the conflict combat made by it against the deuill on this maner The deuill begins and disputes thus Thou O wretched man art a most grieuous sinner therefore thou art but a damned wretch The conscience answereth and saith I know that Christ hath made a satisfaction for my sinnes and freed me from damnation The deuill replyeth againe thus Though Christ haue freed thee from death by his death yet thou art quite barred from heauen because thou neuerr didâ—â—st fulfill the lawe The conscience answereth I knowe that Christ is my righteousnesse and hath fulfilled the lawe for me Thirdly the deuill replies and saith Christs benefites belong not to thee thou art but an hypocrite and wantest faith Now when a man is driuen to this straight it is neither wit nor learning nor fauour nor honour that can repulse this temptation but onely the poore conscience directed and sanctified by the spirit of God which boldly and constantly answereth I know that I beleeve And though it be the office of conscience 〈◊〉 it is once â—…d principally to excuse yet doth it also in part accuse When Dauid had â—…d the people his heart sâ—… him 2 Sam. 24. 10. Iob faith in his affliction that God 〈◊〉 write bitter things against him 〈◊〉 him possâ—sse the sâ—nnes of his youth Iob. 13. 26. The reason hereof is because the whole man and the very conscience is onely in part regenerate and therefore in some part remaines still corrupt Nâ—â—ther must it seeme strange that one and the â—ame conscience should both accuse and excuse because it doth it not in one and the same respâ—… Iâ— excuseth in that it assureth a man that his person standes righteous before God and that he hath an indeauour in the generall course of his life to please God it accuseth him for his particular slippes and for the wants that be in his good actions If any shall demaund why God doth not perfectly regenerate the conscience and cause it only to excuse the answere is this God doth it for the preventing of greater mischiefes When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan the Cananiâ—â—s were not at the first wholly displaced Why Moses rendreth the reason least wilde beasts come and inhabite some parts of the land that were dispeopled and more annoy them then the Cananites In like maner God renues the conscience but so as it shall still accuse when occasion serueth for the preuenting of many dangerous sinnes which like wild beastes would make hauock of the soule Thus much of good conscience Now followes euill conscience and it is so called partly because it is defiled and corrupted by originall sinne and partly because it is euill that is troublesome painfull in our sense feeling as all sorrows calamities miseries are which for this very cause also are called evils And though coÌ„science be thus termed euil yet hath it some respects of generall goodnes in â—s much as it is an instrument of the execution of diuine iustice because it seemes to accuse them before God which are iustly to be accused It hath spred it selfe ouer mankind as generally as originall sinne therfore it is to be found in all men that come of Adam by ordinary generation The property of it is with all the power it hath to accuse condemne therby to make a man afraid of the presence of God to cause him to flie froÌ„ God as from an enemy This the Lord signified when he said to AdaÌ„ Aâ—… where art thou When Peter saw some litle glimbring of the power and maiesty of God in the great draught of fish he fell on his knees and saide to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man Euill conscience is either deade or Stirring Dead conscience is that which though it can do nothing but accuse yet commonly it lyeâ— quiet accusing litle or nothing at all The causes why conscience lyeth dead in all men either more or lesse are many I. Defect of reason or understanding in crased braines II. Violence and strength of affections which as a cloud do ouercast the mind c as a gulfe of water swallow up the iudgement and reason and therby hinder the conscience from accusing for when reason can not doe his part then conscience doth nothing For exaÌ„ple some one in his rage behaues himselfe like a mad man and willingly commits any mischiefe without controlment of conscience but when choller is down he begins to be ashamed and troubled in himselfe not alwaies by grace but euen by the force of his naturall conscience which when affection is calmed begins to stirre as appeareth in the example of Cain III. Ignorance of Gods will errors in iudgement cause the conscience to be quiet when it ought to accuse This we find by experience in the deaths of obstinate hercukes which suffer for their damnable opinions without checke of conscience Dead conscience hath two degrees The first is the slumbring or the benummed conscience the second is the feared conscience The benummed conscience is that which doth not accuse a man for any sinne vnlesse it be grieuous or capitall not alwaies for that but only in the time of some grievous sickenesse or calamity Iosephs brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villany in selling their brother till afterwarde when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt Geues 42. 2. This is the conscience that commonly raignes in the hearts of drousie protestants of all carnall and lukewarme-gospellers and of such as are commonly tearmed ciuill honest men whose apparent integritie will not free them from guiltie consciences Such a conscience is to be taken heede of as being most dangerous It is like a wilde beast which so long as hee lyes a sleepe seemes very â—ame and gentle and hurtes no man but when he is rowzed he then awakes and flies in a mans face and offers to pull out his throate And so it is the manner of dead conscience to lye still and quiet euen through the course of a mans life and hereupon a man would thinke as most do that it were a good conscience indeed but wheÌ„ sicknesse or death approcheth it beeing awaked by the hande of God beginnes to stande up on his legges and shewes his fierce eyes and offers to rende out euen the very throate of the soule And heathen poets knowing this right well haue compared euill conscience to Furies pursuing men with firebrands The seared conscience is that which doeth not accuse for any sinne no not for great sinnes It is compared by Paul 1. Tim. 4. v. 2. to the parte of a mans body which is not onely berefe of sense life motion by the gangrene but also is burnt with a searing yron and therefore must needes
be vtterly past all feeling This kind of conscience is not in al men but in such persons as are become obstinate heretikes and notorious malefactours And it is not in theÌ„ by nature but by an increase of the corruption of nature and that by certaine steppes and degrees For naturally euery man hath in him blindnes of minde and obstinacie or froward nes of heart yet so as with the blindnes and ig norance of minde are ioyned some remnants of the light of nature shewing vs what is good and euill Now the heart of man beeing exceedingly obstinate and peruerse carrieth him to commit sinnes euen against the light of nature and common conscience by practise of such sinnes the light of nature is extinguished and then commeth the reprobate mi◠〈◊〉 which iudgeth euill good and good euill after this follows the seared conscience in which there is no feeling or remorse and after this comes an exceeding greedines to all manner of sinne Eph. 4. 18. Rom. 1. 28. Here it may be demaunded how mens consciences shall accuse them in the day of iudgement if they be thus benummed and seared in this life Ansvver It is said Rev. 20. 12. that at the last iudgement all shall be brought before Christ and that the bookes then shall be opened among these bookes no doubt conscience is one Wherefore though a dead conscience in this life be as a closed or sealed booke because it doeth either little or nothing accuse yet after this life it shall be as a booke laide open because God shall inlighten it and so stirre it vp by his mightie power that it shall be able to reueale and discouer all the sinnes that a man euer committed Stirring conscience is that which doth sensibly either accuse or excuse And it hath soure differences The first which accuseth a man for doing euill This must needes be an euill conscience Because to accuse is not a property that belongs to it by creation but a defect that followeth after the fall And if the conscience which truely accuseth a man for his sinnes were a good conscience then the worst man that is might haue a good conscience which cannot be When the accusation of the conscience is more forcible and violent it is called a wounded or troubled conscience which though of it selfe it be not good nor any grace of God yet by the goodnes of God it serueth often to be an occasion or preparation to grace as a needle that drawes the threede into the cloath is some meanes whereby the cloath is sowed together The second is that which 〈◊〉 â—…th for doing well And it is to be found in them that are giuen to idolatrie and superstition As in the Church of Rome in which because mens consciences are insnared and intangled with humane traditions many are troubled for doing that which is good in it selfe or at the least a thing indifferent As for example let a priest omit to say masse to say his canonicall houres his conscience will accuse him therfore though the omitting of the canonicall houres and the idolatrous masse be indeede by Gods word no sinne The third is the conscience which excuseth for doing that which is euill This also is to be found in them that are giuen to idolatrie and superstition And there is a particular example hereof Ioh. 16. 2. Yea the time shall come that vvhosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God good seruice Such is the conscience of Popish traytours in these daies that are neuer touched at all though they intend and enterprise horrible villanies and be put to death therefore The fourth is that which excuseth for well doing at some times and in some particular actions of carnall men VVhen Abimâ—…h had taken Sarai from Abraham God saide vnto him in a dreame I knovv that thou did 〈◊〉 this with an vpright minde Gen. 20. 6. This may be tearmed good conscience but is indeede otherwise For though it doe truly excuse in one particular action yet because the man in whome it is may be vnregenerate and as yet out of Christ and because it doth accuse in many other matters therefore it is no good conscience If all the vertues of naturall men are indeede beautifull sinnes and their righteousnes but a carnall righteousnes then the conscience also of a carnall man though it excuse him for well doing is but a carnall conscience CAP. IU Mans dutie touching conscience MAns dutie concerning conscience is twofold The first is if he want good conscience aboue all things to labour to obtaine it for it is not giuen by nature to any man but comes by grace For the obtaining of good conscience three things must be procured a preparation to good conscience the applying of the remedie the reformation of conscience In the preparation foure things are required The first is the knowledge of the lawe and the particular commaundements thereof whereby we are taught what is good what is badde what may be done and what may not be done The men of our daies that they may haue the right knowledge of the law must lay aside many erronious and foolish opinions which they hold flat against the true meaning of the law of God otherwise they can neuer be able to discerne betweene sinne and no sinne Their especiall and common opinions are these I. That they can loue God with all their hearts and their neighbours as themselues that they feare God aboue all and trust in him alone and that they euer did so II. That to rehearse the Lordes prayer the beleefe and 10. commaundements without vnderstanding of the words without affection is the true and whole worship of God III. That a man may seeke to wizzards and soothsayers without offences because God hath prouided a salue for euery sore IV. That to sweare by good things and in the way of truth cannot be a sinne V. That a man going about his ordinarie affaires at home or abroad on the sabbath day may as well serue God as they which heare all the sermons in the world VI. That religion and the practise thereof is nothing but an affected precisenes that couetousnes the roote of euill is nothing but worldlines that pride is nothing but a care of honestie and cleanlines that single fornication is nothing but the tricke of youth that swearing and blaspheming argue the couragious mind of a braue gentleman VII That a man may doe with his owne what he will and make as much of it as he can Hence arise all the frauds and badde practises in trafficke betweene man and man The second is the knowledge of the iudiciall sentence of the law which resolutely pronounceth that a curse is due to man for euery sinne Gal. 3. 10. Very few are resolued of the truth of this point and very few doe vnfainedly beleeue it because mens minds are possessed with a contrarie opinion that though they sinne against God yet they shall escape death and
damnation Dauid saith The wicked man that is euery man naturally blesseth himselfe Psal. 10. 3. he maketh a league with hell and death Isai. 28. v. 15. This appeareth also by experience Let the ministers of the Gospel reprooue sinne denounce Gods iudgements against it according to the rule of Gods word yet men wil not feare stones will almost as soone mooue in the walls and the pillers of our Churches as the 〈◊〉 hearts of men And the reason hereof is because their minds are forestâ—lled with this absurd conceit that they are not in danger of the wrath of God though they oâ—â—end And the opinion of our common people is hereunto answerable who thinke that if they haue a good meaning doe no man huâ—â— God will haue them excused both in this life and in the day of iudgement The third is a iust and serious examination of the conscience by the lawe that we may see what is our estate before God And this is a duty vpon which the Prophets stande very much Lam. 3. 40. Man suffereth for sinne let us search and trie our hearts and turne againe to the Lord. Zeph. 2. 1. Fanne your selues fanne you O nation not vvorthie to be loued In making examination we must specially take notice of that which doth now lie or may hereafter lie vpon the conscience And after 〈◊〉 examination hath beene made a man comes â—o a knowledge of his sinnes in particular and of his wretched and miserable estate When one enters into his house at midnight he findes or sees nothing out of order but let him come in the day time when the 〈◊〉 shineth and he shall then â—â—pâ—â— many faults in the house and the very motes that flie vp and downe so let a man search his heart in the ignorance blindnes of his minde he will straightway thinke all is well but let him once begin to search himselfe with the light and lanterne of the law and he shall sinde many foule corners in his heart and many heapes of sinnes in his life The fourth is a sorrovv in respect of the punishment of sinne arising of the three former actioÌ„s And though this sorrow be no grace for it befalls as well the wicked as the godly yet may it be an occasion of grace because by the apprehension of Gods anger we come to the apprehension of his mercie And it is better that conscience should pricke vs and wound vs and doe his worst against vs in this life while remedie may be had then after this life when remedy is past Thus much of preparation now follows the remedie and the application of it The remedie is nothing else but the bloode or the merits of Christ who specially in conscience felt the wrath of God as when he said my soule is heavy vnto death and his agonie was not so much a paine and torment in bodie as the apprehension of the feare and anger of God in conscience and when the holy Ghost saith that he offered vnto God praiers with strong cries and was heard froÌ„ feare he directly notes the distresse and anguish of his most holy conscience for our sinnes And as the blood of Christ is an all sufficient remedy so is it also the alone remedie of all the sores and wounds of conscience For nothing can stanch or stay the terrours of conscience but the blood of the immaculate lambe of God nothing can satisfie the iudgement of the conscience much lesse the most seuere iudgement of God but the onely satisfaction of Christ. In the application of the remedie two things are required the Gospel preached and saith the Gospell is the hand of God that offereth grace to vs and faith is our hand whereby we receiue it That we indeede by faith receiue Christ with all his benefits we must put in practise two lessons The first is vnfainedly to humble our selues before God for all our wants breaches and wounds in conscience which beeing vnto vs as a paradise of God by our default we haue made as it were a little hell within vs. This humiliation is the beginning of all grace and religion pride and good conscience can neuer goe together and such as haue knowledge in religion and many other good gifts without humilitie are but vnbridled vnmortified and vnreformed persons This humiliation containes in it two duties the first is confession of our sinnes especially of those that lie vpon our consciences wherwith must be ioyned the accusing and condemning of our selues for then we put conscience out of office dispatch that labour before our God in this life which conscience would performe to our eternall damnation after this life The second dutie is Deprecation which is a kind of praier made with grones and desires of heart in which we intreat for nothing but for pardon of our sinnes and that for Christs sake till such time as the conscience be pacified To this humiliation standing on these two parts excellent promises of grace and life euerlasting are made Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth for saketh theÌ„ shall find mercy 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forgiue vs our sinnes to clense vs froÌ„ all vnrighteousnes Luk. 1. 35. He hath filled the â—uÌ„grie with good things sent the rich emptie away which are also verified by experience in sundrie examples 2. Sam. 12. 13. Dauid said to Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan saide to Dauid The Lord also hath put away thy sinne 2. Chr. 33. 12. When Manasses was in tribulation he praied to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed vnto him and God heard his prayer Luk. 23. 43. And the thiefe said to Iesus Lord remember me vvhen thou commest to thy kingdome Then Iesus saide vnto him Verely I say to thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradise By these and many other places it appeares that when a man doth truly humble himselfe before God he is at that instant reconciled to God and hath the pardon of his sinnes in heauen shall afterward haue the assurance thereof in his own coÌ„science The second lesson is when we are touched in conscience for our sinnes not to yeeld to natural doubtings and distrust but to resist the same and to indeauour by gods grace to resolue our selues that the promises of saluation by Christ belong to vs particularly because to doe thus much is the very commandement of God The third thing is the reformà tion of conscience which is when it doth cease to accuse and terrifie and begins to excuse and testifie vnto vs by the holy Ghost that we are the children of God haue the pardon of our sinnes And this it will doe after that men haue seriously humbled themselues and praied earnestly and constantly with sighes and grones of spirit for recoÌ„ciliation with God in Christ.
all we haue And in the meane season as conscience decayes so proportionally all grace and goodnesse goes from vs Gods commaundements begin to be vile unto vs the knowledge thereof as also faith hope and the invocation of Gods name decay Experience sheweth that men of excellent giftes through the vsing of bad conscience lose them all Faults to be amended thus Pag. 4. lin 11. put in these words Opinion iudgeth a thing to be probable or contingent pag. 16. l. 12. III. Caution p. 17. l. 19. the brother p. 20. l. 21. least p. 43. l. 25. weake p. 45. l. 3. for be read it p. 53. l. 19. Caugâ—â— p. 127. l. 6. for invincible read 〈◊〉 p. 150. for seemes read serves p. 156. in the margin 〈◊〉 b Vnderstâ—ding hath â—o partâ— properly but by analogie in respect of divers obiects actions c Thâ—… Aqâ—iâ— pâ—â— 1. q. â—9 〈◊〉 13. Dominic 〈◊〉 on this place 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 opinion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. of the testimonie of conscience Consciâ—… 〈◊〉 sciâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sciâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of consciences â—â—dgement § 3. Of the binding oe the conscience § 4. Of the morall law binding b 〈◊〉 Câ—… § 5. Of Iuâ—â—cials binding b Iuris particulâ—… c Iâ—â—is 〈◊〉 c â—…ip iâ— Hâ—â—â—â—â— d Tâ—â—â—d of Aâ—â—â—â—â— lib. 3. C. de Episc. 〈◊〉 Gen. 38. 14. Iere. 29. 23. Iâ—st 〈◊〉 lex Iulian. de publ iudicii◠§ 〈◊〉 Of ceremoniall lâ—wâ— biuding Aug. 〈◊〉 19. ad 〈◊〉 §7 Of the Gospell binding Ioh. 15. 10. Auguâ—â— â—racâ— 89. 〈◊〉 Iob. b Tâ—… 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 10. art 1. * 〈◊〉 Ioâ— 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—8 Of humane laws binding b Imperis * princely commandements Ier. 26 11 1â— 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sect 4. Lib. 4. diâ—t 〈◊〉 cap. 4. b on Mat. 〈◊〉 vpon Ioh. 1. Cor. 8 9. Aâ—â— cap. 9. Lib de Pâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ◠〈◊〉 1. 2. 〈◊〉 154. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. l. 5. 26. 〈◊〉 lib. 7. cap. 19. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 1â— Hiâ—… epist. 1. 8. ad Luc. Ser. de Tâ—… 62. Epist. â—6 Câ—â—ysost on Mat. hom 47. 〈◊〉 ed Marcel de error 〈◊〉 Cangâ—â— Matt. 23. 15. 〈…〉 * Faâ—â—â—â— aliquid prâ—ter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 〈◊〉 Of an Oath binding * Thuâ— saith Augâ—… epist. 154. ad Publicâ—… Lâ—…d sâ—… 〈◊〉 3. dist 39. Tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 89. b P. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melâ—… in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 Câ—… 〈◊〉 Psal. 15. * Qui sui iâ—riâ— non est obligarâ— se non potest a Bellarm. li. 2. de 〈◊〉 cap. 36. Câ—â—â—il Gâ—â—g cap. 16. § 1â— Of a vow binding § 11. Of a single promise binding Aug. epist. 〈◊〉 205. Isid. lib. 4. Syâ—… § 12. How conscience giues iudge ment Minâ—â— tells what is law Memorie giueâ— evidence § 1â— How many waiâ—â— conscience gâ—… iudgement 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Egâ—… * Erronious conscience bindeth For he that iudgeth a thing to be euill if he doe it hath sinned as much as in hiâ— lieth § 〈◊〉 Of chriâ—… libeâ—ty * Tripadium est circulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diâ—bâ—lâ—â— pag 103. and 104. § 2. Of certentie of saluation Bernard 〈◊〉 10â— * â—â—â—ke it well August trâ—ct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August de 〈◊〉 â—…ni ser 〈◊〉 7. Ambrosâ—â— 1. Cor. 1. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bernard 〈◊〉 1. d◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Thus Histome vnderstands the chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierome on this place b August 〈◊〉 de Tâ—â— 13. 〈◊〉 1. c epist. 111. d lib. 8. de Tâ—â— c. 〈◊〉 * Reade Berâ—â—â—d sâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—n Câ—râ—â—tâ— August de verbis dâ—i seâ—â— 23. Chrysost. 〈◊〉 87. 〈◊〉 John August de 〈◊〉 Grat. c. 13. * marke it 〈◊〉 b â—xod 〈◊〉 â—9 〈◊〉 4. Of euil conscience Luk. 5. 8. Dead conscience Conscience benumed Seared conscience Stirring conscience * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mala b Sâ—… 〈◊〉 § 1. Mans first dutie to get good conscience Good conscience a fruite of faith § 2. Mans second dutie to keep good conscience * Conse boâ—â— non â—â—at 〈◊〉 proposiâ—â— peccandi