our faith patience constancy and other vertues may be the more exercised and that wee may the more abhorre our sins and withall wee should call to mind how that the best of Gods Saints even Christ Himselfe have for a time beene deserted 46. Against the feare of death wee are bound to comfort our selves that Christ hath taken away the sting of death that neither death nor life can seperate us from the love of God in Christ that death is a gate to future happines that the death of the Saints is precious in the sight of the Lord that death frees us from sinne from temptations from the inticements of the flesh and of the world from all the miseries of this life and the vanities of the world that Christ will raise us againe in the last day by the vertue of his Resurrection let us therefore in consideration of this keepe a good Conscience waite with patience our appointed time till our change come let us therfore strive to the newnesse of life and to the contempt of the world 47 We are bound to comfort our selves in our infirmities in that we have a high Priest who is sensible of our infirmities in that we have a Father who will take pittie of our infirmities in that wee have the holy Spirit who helpeth our infirmities in that the best of Gods servants have been subject to diverse infirmities 48. VVee are bound to obey Gods commands because wee are tied to him in many Obligations he is our Father our Lord Redeemer and preserver because of his supreame authority and absolute power hee hath to punish the disobedient because hee promiseth many blessings to those who obey his will because God reapes no benefit by our Obedience but we our selves because wee have the example of Christ Himselfe who was in all things obedient to his Father even to the death of the Crosse 49. VVee are bound to carry our selves humbly and lowly considering the vilenesse of our nature the greatnesse and Majestie of God the benefits which we receive by humility for it is the way to glory it makes us capable of Grace of VVisdome and other vertues by it wee are fitted as houses for God to dwell in for God to looke upon for God to exalt out of the mire and to set us with Princes and it is a powerfull meanes to avert his anger and judgments 50. We are bound to labour for the true knowledge of God in Christ without which wee cannot have life Eternall without which the people perish without which all our knowledge is but ignorance our wisdome but foolishnesse and our light but darknesse this key of knowledge will open Heaven gates to us this is that knowledge which will truely open our eyes that we may see and be like unto God it is the true foode of the soule without which wee shall never grow fat and well likeing in heavenly things 51 We must conscionably labour for sinceritie in all our actions because God hateth hypocrisie and delighteth in sincerity and in the inward man for he knoweth the heart and searcheth the reines because there can be no peace and security but in sincerity wch consisteth not so much in outward ceremony as in inward truth and integrity not so much in service of the eye as of the heart looking rather to Gods approbation then mans performing not only the greatest but the the least duties looking not for reward from men but from God serving him as well in private as in publique as well in adversitie as in prospiritie as well when he punisheth as when he rewardeth abstaining not only from evill but from all appearance of evill and that not only in the light but in the darknesse also 52 We are bound in Conscience to speake the truth every man to his neighbour for God is truth it selfe and the Devill is the father of lyes which are an abomination to God a lye is a part of the old man which we should put off and mortifie a lye is so hatefull to man that stands upon poynt of honor that it cannot be expiated without a stab lying takes all credit away from the lyar that he is not beleeved when he speakes truth it breakes off all societe and communion betweene man and man which is grounded on truth a lyar is injurious to God the author of truth to his neighbour to whom he ought to speake truth and to his speech which ought to be consonant to his mind 53 We are not bound at all times to speake all the truth or any part thereof when neither justice Charity nor Piety do require it yet we must beware of Iesuiticall equivocation or mentall reservation which is indeed plaine lying they utter that which is false and this is a materiall lye and that which they knew to be false and this is a formall lye 54 When we are commanded by our superior or Iudge to confesse the truth we are bound in Conscience to do it for otherwayes we fall into the sin of disobedience and by our silence we wrong both God the Iudge our selves and our neighbour and the State wherein we live for God is honored by our confession and dishonored by our silence by our confession also sinne shall be restrained justice advanced and the delinquent either totally cut off or amended 55 The Iudge is bound in Conscience to make diligent inquiry before he pronounce the sentence to judge righteously to bewarre of partialitie and acception of persons to beware of delayes and demurrs by which justice may be put off and to beware of corruption and bribery whereby justice is perverted to informe the witnesses of their duty that they must bewarre of lying malice calumnie that they must discharge their Conscience by speaking the truth that so GOD may be honored the party accused may be either cleare or condemned the Law executed so justice and peace maintained which cannot be better performed then by punishing him who out of purpose and malice beares false witnesse according to the Law of retaliation 56 We are all bound to be zealous of Gods glory and of good works for without true zeale God cannot be honored nor sinne suppressed nor Gods judgements averted nor our true love to God witnessed nor true comfort of Conscience or life eternall obtained but let our zeale be according to knowledge out of true indignation against sinne and true love to Gods glory with true sorrow for dishonoring God let it also be joyned with constancy fervency in Gods cause and mildnesse in our own as we see in Moses and Christ 57 In what condition soever we are we ought to be content if we consider Gods providence in ordering all things according to his pleasure if the shortnesse of this life if the estate of the richest and greatest men how little satisfaction or comfort they reape even out of their greatest plenty if the fullnesse of content and happynesse reserved for us in heaven if the true
who taught that the resurrection was already past the Originists and them who say that our bodies shall arise heavenly and spirituall substances The Atheists Sadduces Gentiles Saturninians Simonians Carpocratians Basilidians Valentinians Marcionits Cerdonians and many others who deny the resurrection The Arabians and Psyehopannychits who say the soules of the dead sleepe in the Grave till the Resurrection and then are raised The Saracins and Mahumitans who assigne corporall pleasures to men after the resurrection The Tertullianists who say that wicked mens soules shall in the resurrection be turned to Devills The Pythagoreans Basilidians Carpocratians Manichees Originists Marcionits who dreame of a transanimation and lastly the Manichees who in the Resurrection give new bodies to men but not the very same that fell 22. Concerning life Eternall we are bound to reject Millinaries Cerinthians Nepotians and Mahumetans who place it in corporeall pleasures Atheists Epicures Democritus Plinie Galen who deny any life after this The Peputians who say that life Eternall is in this world Pope Iohn the twentieth who taught that the blessed soules see not Gods presence till the Resurrection 23. Concerning the Scriptures wee are bound to reject the Marcionits Manichees Valentinians Tatians Cerdonians Simonians and others who deny the Old Testament to bee Gods VVord The Guostics and Priscillianists who counted the Prophets mad men The Saducees and Samaritans who acknowledge the five bookes of Moses onely for Gods Word Papists Eucratits Manithees who equall there traditions to the written word Montanists Donatists Enthusiasts Monkes Anabaptists who obtrude their dreames and revelations to us instead of Gods word Those that reject the book of Iob Ecclesiastes and the Canticles and lastly the Papists who subject the Scriptures authority to the Church who account Apocryphall bookes as Canonicall and forbid the people to reade the Scripture shutting it up in an unknowne tongue 24. Concerning Angels wee are bound to reject Sadducees and Samakitans who taught that there were no Angels or Spirits Plato Tertullian and Origen who held that Angels were corporeall substances Basilides and Proclus the Philosopher who taught that the Angells begot one another The Manichees who affirme that God begot the Angells of his owne substance Mahumet who held that the Angels were created of fire and that they were mortall The Sethians who taught that the Angells had carnall commerce with woemen and of them begot man the Nicolaitans who said that the Angels were begot of light and darknesse Basilidians Archontics Gnostics who held that the wisdom of God was the mother of the Angels the Manichees and Priscillianists who said that the evill Angels were created so lastly the Originists who taught that the evill Angels should at last be saved 25 Concerning mans creation we are bound to reject the Rabbins who held that the Angels assisted God in the making of man the Manichees who denyed that Adam and Eve were made by God the Patricians who will not have God the creator of mans body the Pelagians and Celestinians who taught that Adam should have died though he had not sinned the Eunomians and Paterninians who sayd that mans lower parts were made by the Devill lastly Aristole who held that man had no beginning 26 Concerning Mans soule we are bound to reject Epicures and Sadduces who deny the immortality of the soule Themestius and Averrois who thought that all men had but one soule Apollinaris who said that one soule begetts another the Originists who taught that the soules were long in heaven before the bodies were created Platonics Mannichees Gnostics and Priscillianists who would have the soule a part of divine substance the Pythagorians who held transanimation the Nazarreans who will have the soules of men and of beasts to be of the same nature the Arabians who will have the soules of men and of beasts to sleepe or dye with their bodyes the Tertullianists who say that mens soules are corporall and that wicked mens soules after death are turned into devills and that all soules are by traduction 27 Concerning Gods Image in man we are bound to reject the Saturninians who by Gods Image understand celestiall light the Anthropomorphits and Manichees who will have this Image to consist in some corporeall shape making God himselfe corporeall Flaccus Illyricus who taught that the righteousnesse and holines wherein Gods image consisted to be the very essence of the soule 28 Concerning Originall sin wee are bound to reject the Armenians who deny that there is any originall pollution the Carpocratians and Catharists who bragged of their own purity and that they were by nature the sonnes in God the Manichees who will have concupisence to be a substance and not an originall infirmity the Pelagians who deny that originall sinne is derived by propagation but contracted by example and imitation and teach that Adams sinne was hurtfull to none but to himselfe and that he should have dyed though he had not sinned 29 Concerning Predestination we are bound to reject the Celestinians and Pelagians who deny predestination the Priscillianists who attribute it to the starrs and to the fates the Pelagians and Semipelagians who teach that there is no election but that the cause of mans salvation is in himselfe the Libertins who thinke they shall be saved or damned without the meanes therefore do what they list Pontificians and others who attribute the cause of election to foreseene workes and merits so did the Basilidians and Pelagians of old 30 Concerning Iustification we are bound to rejectthe Papists who teach we are justified by workes and by the Sacraments that CHRIST satisfied for our sinnes only not for our punishments the Libertins who thinke that a justified man may do what he list Osiander who taught wee are justified by the essentiall righteousnesse or essence of God and all such as confound justification with sanctification lastly Epicures who reject good workes as needlesse because wee are justified by Christs righteousnesse 31 Concerning Gods Providence wee are bound to reject the Epicures who held the world to be guided by chance or fortune the Stoics and Priscillianists who taught that destiny inevitable fate did rule all things even God himselfe the Astrologians who will have the starrs to rule all sublunary things the Simonians Carpocratians Severians Marcits Manichees Menandrians who held that the inferior world was guided by the Devill therfore gave themselves to the study of Magick lastly all such as make God either carelesse of inferiour things or so imployed that he is not at leasure or sostately as that he will not abase himselfe to behold the things that are here below Thus have I breifly set down what every man is bound in conscience to beleeve what to practice and what errors concerning matter of faith he is bound to avoyd it remaines that I should also shew what is to be avoyded in matter of practice but because I have already spoke of some of them which are most remarkable and rectum est index sui obliqui he that knowes what he is bound to do cannot be ignorant of what he is bound to avoyd therefore what wee have already set down may suffice to pacifie a mans conscience and to make him a perfect Christian in these unhapy times of ours we see christianity was never more professed conscience never more pretended but alas truth never lesse beleeved goodnes never lesse practised and consequently the conscience never more cheated so that in name we are Christians but in many doctrinall poynts plaine Hereticks and in our practice very Pagans or rather Atheists God grant we may indeavour to be what we would seeme to be and lay aside our Hypocriticall Vizards by which wee deceive the eyes of men but the peircing rays of that all seeing eye who sees us in the darke and knowes of our down sitting and up-rising and our thoughts long before we cannot delude our consciences are seared with a hot iron or fast asleepe if they can content themselves with a mouthfull of Scripture phrasses having our eyes full of wantonnesse our hearts full of malice and our hands full of blood be not deceived the Conscience of a Turk or Pagan will not be thus satisfied St. Pauls conscience was voyd of offence towards God and towards men and he shewes that a good conscience is still accompanyed with charity a pure heart and with faith unfained neither can that conscience be good which is not purged from dead works to serve the living GOD FINIS Septem. the 14th 1646. I have perused this judicious and learned Treatise intitled The picture of a Christian mans Conscience and finding it to be very profitable and seasonable I adjudge it worthy to be printed and published Io. Downame ERRATA PAg. 27. l. 5. read Oneserus for Onefurious pag. 41. l. 1. read We must also beleeve that there are ministring spirits pag. 114. l. 12. for heart read hare pag. 133. l. 7. read temeritie pag. 145. l. 21. put out off pag. 146. l. 1. read refuse pag. 160. l. 12. read Carpocrates pag. 161. l. 5. read Saturninus pag. 163. l. 17. read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
THE PICTVRE OF The CONSCIENCE drawne to the Life by the PENCELL of Divine Truth VVherein are set out 1. Its Nature 2. Infirmities 3. Remedies 4. Its Duties Consisting first in the truths to be beleived 2. The vertues to be practised 2. The Vices to bee avoyded 4. The Heresies to bee rejected All seasonable for these distracted times By Alexander Rosse London Printed by Tho Badger for M. M. and Gabriel Bedeil and are to be sold at their Shop neere Temple-Bar at the middle Temple Gate 164â— To the Right Honorable the Lord Scudamore Viscount Sligo My Lord WHen the orbe of learning is illustrat by the irradiation and benigne aspect of Princes favours then all things in a Kingdome are conspicuous and beautifull but when the great Luminaries and Patrons of knowledge are eclipsed the orbe must needs bee obscured and every thing within its circumference darkned hence as in the darknesse of the aire men are troubled with strange and mishapen apparitions which they veryly beleeve are reall visions whereas indeed they are but phantomes and imaginations of our brains which upon the introduction of a candle are easily dissipated even so in the intellectuall darknesse men are troubled with uncoth and hideous opinions beleeving and embracing them as reall truths whereas indeed they are but illusions Morte obita quales fama est volitare figuras Aut quae sopitas deludunt somnia sensus Which upon the approach of the light of Scripture and Truth do vanish into nothing In this time when darknesse hath overwhelmed the minds of many men who are molested with strange fancies which they call new lights whereas indeed they are but the glating of rotten wood or of glowwormes or those skipping lights which wee call jack in the candle I have adventured to bring in this little tract as a peice of waxe candle after so many bright torches that men may be undeceived and that the true abjects both of faith and practice may be manifested to which small peice J have prefixed your Lordships name as being bound in the obligation of duty and affection to Your goodnesse and eminent parts in generall whose knowledge judgment conscience and sincerity are such and so well known both at home and abroad as they need not the help of any pen so likewise J am tyed by this small mite to expresse my gratitude in particular for your Lordships favorable aspect on respect to me which I cannot better testifie then by acknowledging my selfe Your Lordships humble Servant to command ALEXANDER ROSS The Contents of the diseases and cures of the Conscience 1. COnscience what it is 2. An erring Conscience how farre it bindes 3. The Conscience how ruled by opinion 4. The doubtfull Conscience not to bee followed 5. The scrupulous Conscience both a punishment and a tryall 6. Six causes of a scrupulous conscience 7. Tenne remedies against the diseases of the Conscience The Contents of what we must believe 8. Our Conscience bindes us to beleeve 1 There is a God 2. That he is one 3. Immutable 4. Eternall 5. Omnipresent 6. Omnipotent 7. Infinite 8. The chiefe good 9. Most perfect 10. Most simple 11. Incomprehensible 12. Invisible 13. Truth it selfe 14. Ever-living 15. The Trinity and the reasons why 9. Our conscience binds us to beleeve 1. the Creation 2 Christs Incarnation 3. That in him were the Passions of fear anger and sorrow and how 4. That in him were two wills 5. That his Mother was a perpetuall Virgin 6. And the Mother of God 7. And that Christ was accessary to his owne death how 8 And that in his death the divinity was not separate from his body 9. And that hee rose the third day with the scarres of his woundes 10. And that he ascended above all heaven 11. And that he sits at his Fathers right hand 12. And that he is Judge of the quick and dead 10. Our Consicence bindes us to believe that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Son as well as from the Father 11. Wee are bound to beleeve the unitie and universalitie of the Church 12. And the communion of the Saluts with Christ and among themselves 13. And that God only forgives sins 14. And that our bodies shall rise againe 15. And that there is an Eternall life of glory after this of Nature and Grace 16. Our Conscience bindes us to beleeve the truth and authority of Scripture 17. We are bound to beleeve that there are An gels 18. And that God created man whose body he made of earth and infused his soule which soule is immortall and not by traduction and how infected with originall sinne 19. We are bound to believe the doctrine of predestination 20. Our Conscience bindes us to beleeve that wee are justified by Christs Righteousnesse or by his active and passive obedience 21. And we are bound to beleive that the good and evill things of this life come to passe by Gods providence Contents of what we must practise 1. Our Conscience bindes us to feare love and obey God 2. To call upon God when where and how but not to use imprecations 3. Wee are not strictly bound to certaine houres places and gestures 4. We are bound sometimes to fast 5. And to make confession of our faith 6. And to detest openly Idolatry and sin 7. And to flye when we are persecuted 8. And to heare Gods Word how 9. And to heare profane Ministers and to receive from them the Sacraments when there is no other meanes 10. Parents are bound in Conscience to bring their Children to Baptisme 11. God-Fathers also are bound in Conscience to see there God-sons performe what they promise in Baptisme 12. What in conscience wee are bound to performe who have beene baptised 13. We are bound in conscience to receive the Lords Supper when and how 14. The Minister is bound to give and the people to receive the Cup 15. Wee are bound in conscience to love one another 16. And to worship God onely not Angels Saints or Christs humanity 17. We are bound to sweare only by God and not by the creatures 18. Christians may sweare with a safe conscience why and how 19. We are bound in conscience to keepe our oathes though to our prejudice 20. We must not falsifie the oath which we sweare by the creatures 21. What oathes are not to bee required 22. Vnlawsull oathes must not bee kept 23. Nor oathes made to our Neighbours prejudice 24. Nor oathes made by them who are not of their owne power 25. Equivocation in oathes unlawfull 26. What oathes must be kept that are forced 27. What erroneous oathes must bee kept 28. We must not make one sweare a falshood though he think it to be true 29. A second oath contrary to the former that was lawfull must not be kept 30. The oath must bee kept whose forme remaines 31. The oath ex officio unlawfull 32. The oath to conceale a Thiefe must be broken 33. What vowes we must make and keep
34. The Monkish 3. vowes unlawfull 35. What works must be done on the Sabbath 36. We must hasten our conversion 37. We must meditate on Gods law why 38. And we must make our Election sure how 39. We are bound seriously to repent 40. And to cherish the spirit how 41. And to be holy 42. And to hope in Gods promises 43. And to be comforted in afflictions 44. And to resist temptations 45. And to bee cheerefull in our spirituall desertions 46. And to be comforted against the feare of death 47. And in all our infirmities to bee cheerfull 48. We are bound to obedience for many causes 49. And to humility 50. And to the knowledge of God in Christ 51. And to sincerity 52. And to speake truth 53. Wee are still bound to speake the truth 54. Wee must speake truth when commanded 55. The duties of Judges 56. We are bound to be zealous 57. We must labour for contentation 58. We must doe good works 59. And must search for true wisdome 60. And are bound to be vigilant 61. We may use worldly policy how 62. We are bound to forgive wrongs 63. We may safely goe to Law 64. Wee may safely in our owne or brothers defence kill the invader 65. We must not kill our selves 66. Wars when and how lawfull 67. Souldiers should know the justice of the cause for which they fight 68. We are bound to suffer for Christ 69. We must labour for patience 70. And for sobriety or temperance 71. We must avoyd drunknesse 72. Hereticks may be punished how 73. We must submit our selves to Gods correcting hand 74. We must love God for himselfe 75. And wee must love him above all things 76 Wee must subdue our pride 77. How we must pray at all times 78. We must avoyd evill spirits Witches Southsayers Inchanters c. 79. We are bound to confesse our sinnes 80 Lotteries how farr lawfull 81. Marriage how and when lawfull 82. Consent is required in marriage 83. Polygany unlawfull 84. The mutuall duties of husband and wife 85. Divorce when lawfull 86. Wanton and fleshly lusts to be avoyded 87. In what cases we may separate our selves from a Church or congregation 88. The Ministers duties and of excommunication 89 How they should be qualified 90. In what cases we must make restitution 91. How we are bound to reprove 92. And how to receive reprooffe 93. How we must love our neighbour as our selves 94. The necessity of a holy life 95 How farr schisme must be avoyded 96 We must be carefull of our good name 97 Wee must speake and think well of all men till we know the contrary 98 How far we may conceale our neighbours sinnes 99 Wee are bound to imploy our talents well 100 The duty of Magistrates and people 101 Of Masters and Servants 102 Of Parents and children 103 Of Ministers and their Flocks 104 When we are to stand to our bargaines 105 What usury is lawfull what is not 106. Callings needfull Beggers condemned 107 Rich mens duties 108. We are bound to be bountyfull 109. And to shun covetousnesse 110 What wee are to eat and when to refraine 111. Of apparaell and cautions in wearing it 112. Of recreations and when to be used and how 113. We are bound to abhor slanderers 114. We are bound to avoyd sinne 115. In things indefferent we must use liberty 116. Wee must not omit duties for feare of scandal 117. How farr forth the Law is necessary 118 We must rely on Gods Providence as not to neglect the meanes 119. Ministers marriage is lawfull 1.20 Religion ought to be the Princes cheife care 121. Christians may be Kings or Magistrates 122. Princes may with a good Conscience demand tribute The contents of Heresies and Doctrines to be avoyded 1 COncerning God we must avoyd Idolaters Epicures Atheists Anthropomorphits Blasphemers Manichâ—es Gentiles Stoics Orpheus Homer Hesiod Chrysippus Tertullian Simon Magus Cerinthus c. 2 Concerning the Trinity Samosatcnus Arius Servelus Iewes Sabellius Tritheists Antitrinitaries 3 Concerning Gods Omnipotency Euripides Simon Magus c. 4 Concerning the Creation Aristotle Democritus c. 5 Concerning Christ the Ebionites Arians Cerinthus c. 6 Concerning Christs Nativity Saturninus Basilides c. 7 Concerning Christs two natures Samosatenus Monothelits c. 8 Concerning Maryes Virginity Cerinthus Carpocrates c. 9 Concerning the personall Vnion Nestorius c. 10 Concerning Christs death Simonians Saturninians c. 11 Concerning the indissoluble Vnion Nestorians c. 12 Concerning Christs Resurrection Iewes Ceriâ—hians c. 13 Concerning Christs Ascention Christolyts Manichees c. 14 Concerning Christs sitting at Gods right hand Papists c. 15 Concerning Christs Iudiciary power Astrologers c. 16 Concerning the Holy Ghost Macedonians Servetians c. 17 Concerning the Catholick Church Papists Pepuzians c. 18 Concerning Communion of Saints Nicolaitans c. 19 Concerning Remission of finnes Donatists c. 20 Concerning the Resurrection Menandrians c. 21 Concerning life eternal Millenaries c. 22 Concerning the Scriptures Marcionits c. 23 Concerning Angels Sadduces c. 24 Concerning mans creation Rabbins c. 25 Concerning mans soule Epicurees c. 26 Concerning Gods Jmage Saturninians c. 27 Concerning original sin Armenians c. 28 Concerning Predestination Celestinians c. 29 Concerning Iustification Papists c. 30 Concerning Gods Providence Epicures c. THE Picture of a Christianmans Conscience Where in wee may see 1. its nature 2. Infirmities 3 Remedies 4. Duties Breifly and plainly Delineated with the Pencill of Divine Truth COnscience which is the invisible Iudge that sits upon the Tribunall of our Soules sentencing our good and bad actions shewing us what is to be done what to be undone a witnes either excusing or accusing us a schoolemaster having in one hand a booke to instruct us in the other a rod to correct us and like a Horsman having a bit to curbe us that we may not run out and a whipe to slash us when wee are unruly which the Poets expressed by the snakie haired Furies by the raven of Prometheus continually eating up his heart and by the dart that sticks in the side of the wounded Deere This Conscience I say is an act not a habit of the reason or intellect not of the will by which it prescribes what is good or evil right or wrong to be done or undone if we do wel it affords us a continuall Feast if evill Phalaris his brasen Bull is not such a tormentor somuch the crueller in that it is unavoydable accompanying us where ever we go as the shaddow doth the body as the evill spirit haunted Saul There are foure infirmities to which the Conscience is obnoxious 1. Error 2 Opinion 3. Doubts 4. Scrupulosite 1 An erring Conscience is a bad Iudge yet the Dictats thereof must be obeyed because it is conceived to be the law will and Oracle of God who therefore resisteth such a conscience resisteth Gods will in his
own interpretation and conceit goeth against his own beleife for he beleeves that he is in the right though indeed he is an error now What is done either against or without Faith is Sinne Rom. 14. For the Egyptian Mid-wives who beleeved that they might with a safe Conscience lye to save the Hebrew infants from drowning had done against their faith and conscience so been guilty of murther formaly though not materialy if they had not lyed But we must note that though we are bound never to resist the erring conscience yet we are not obliged alwayes to follow it for if the error be voluntarily contracted we are not tyed by any obligation to yeeld obedience to it yet we are bound by a simple ligation not to doe any thing against it because the Conscience beleeves this error to be truth remaines as yet not convinced untill which time these actions which in themselves are materially evill yet are not evill formally as when a man lyeth with his neighbours wife beleeving her to be his own he commiteth adultery materially in effect though not formally or in his conscience and intention and for the same reason the Dictates of an erroneous conscience are to be preferred to the precepts of a Superior until the error be removed by the Superior who cannot injoyne us to do that which destroyes the law of nature but to do any thing against our conscience were to thwart and oppose that very law of nature 2 Opinion is the second infirmity to which the conscience is subject in this life by reason we are ignorant of the true causes of things without which there can be no knowledge for Scire est per causas cognoscere but opinion is a bad rule for men to square their actions by seeing we can never give a firme assent unto that which we perfectly know not but by way of probabilitie therefore the assent is timerous cum formidinecontrarij yet it is opinion that for the most part bares rule in the world and causeth men without scruple of Conscience to runne headlong into many errors and absurdities it is opinion that imboldens men to persecute without remorse of conscience al such as dissent from them and in this they think they do GOD good service hence the Arians of old thought they were bound in Conscience to persecute the Orthodox Christians and so the Papists are led by the same opinion at this day in persecuting the Protestants dissonant opinions have as well armed mens Consciences with boldnesse as their hands with fire and sword against each other the opinion of universalitie and antiquity hath kept the world so long in blindnesse of Popery causing them without scruple of Conscience to swallow down their grosse errors which notwithstanding Luther could not disgest neither he of late nor Athanasius of old could satisfie their consciences with the opinion of universalitie the opinion that the scholars have of their teachers worth and integrity make them without any check of Conscience maintaine defend even to their own undoing and of the place where they live their masters errors be they never so absurd and this is the cause that the Church hath been stil pestered with so many Heresies the opinion that the Subject hath of the Princes authority and power as also the necessity of obedience to his commands makes them without any controlement of conscience put in execution what soever he commands be it right or wrong and when they take an evil opinion of the prince though he deserve it not their Conscience sets them on work to rise against him some Physitians think they may kil men with a safe conscience by trying experiments their conscience doth not check them for murther because they have an opinion that what they did was for the furthring of their own knowledge and the benefit of others so from the opinion the Lawyer hath that it is lawfull for him to live by his Profession he makes no scruple to receive his Clients mony and to plead for him in a wrong cause 3. The third infirmity of the Conscience is doubting to which so long as we are subject our actions can neither stand with love nor faith nor goodnesse not with love for how shall we love God when we doe that which wee doubt is not consonant to his will not with faith for faith is an assurance and firm assent but that can be neither assent nor assurance where there is doubting and what is done without faith is sinne saith the Apostle not with goodnesse for that action cannot bee good which is done without knowledge but where doubting is there cannot be knowledge Maximum malae mentis judicinm fluctuatio therfore if the action bee doubtfull which we goe about it were better bee for borne then put in execution for there may be danger in performance there can bee none in forbearance a man that doubts of his impotency and ineptitude for mariage were better abstaine then marry hee that doubts whither the goods or estate which hee enjoyes bee his owne or not were better restore then retaine them if he can find the right owner if he cannot find him then hee were best bestow them on the poore or else retaine them with that intention and resolution to restore them to the right owner and for that cause use his best endeavours to finde him out so when we doubt whither the Princes command imposed upon us be just or not wee ought to bee resolved either by the Prince or by some other wise and religious man of the lawfulnesse of that command If the Vsurer doubt whither hee may lawfully take use or not he were better forbeare then demand it for there may bee sinne hee doubts in taking there can be none in forbearing 4. The fourth infirmity of the Conscience is scrupulositie a disease that gives it no rest for after it hath assented to one part yet it remaines anxious and wavering whither that be the rightest part it hath assented to and is easily removed from its assent which it gave to this part inclined to assent to the contrary being troubled at every smal conceit scruple perplexed with every shaddow imagination of sin sometimes making us feare that we have omitted what should have been done and sometimes that that we have committed what should not have been done this sicknesse is sometimes layd upon us by God as a punishment of our sins and somtimes as a meanes to try our Faith Constancy and patience its a part of our sprituall warfare let us not then be dejected the end of this tryall is not to hurt but to help us not to kill but to save us neither hath Satan any more power to vex our minds with such scruples then he had to afflict Iobs body with soares he doeth it by permission from God for our further weal these scruples like the Angels of Satan are sent to buffet us but let us not despaire
Gods grace is sufficient for us The causes then of our scruples are principally 1 God himselfe 2. instrumentally satan 3. the conversing with scruplous and rigid men 4. hearing such Sermons reading of such Bookes as beget and increase scruples in us 5. the evill constitution also of our bodies and the bad disposition of the spleen and braine The cheifest means to cure us of these foure Diseases are 1. principally Prayer 2. then meditating on Gods word 3. hearing of such sermons conversing with such Ministers as are judicious learned and Pious who with the good Samaritan can poure Oyle of comfort into our wounds and apply the Balme of Gilead to our soules and who have more need of such spirituall Physitians then they who are troubled in miude For a wounded Conscience who can beare 4. abstaning from conversing with such persons reading of such Bookes hearing of such Sermons as will rather make the wound wider then heale it 5. diligence in our particular Calling for often times idlenesse breeds doubtings and scruples 6. striving to be cheereful merry to converse with such as are of a cheerful and merry disposition for the life of a Christian consisteth not in sadnesse pensivenesse and melancholy but in cheerfullnesse mirth and alacrity reioyce alwayes in the Lord I say againe unto you rejoyce saith the Apostle 7 temperance in our diet moderation in our passions a fit appliction or use of physick whereby diseases may be prevented our humours rectified 8. let us not intertain any scruples in our minds when they come but reject them and resist their first ' motions principijs obsta 9. We must set before our eyes the death of Christ which is of infinite value to save all sinners the bloud of Christ cleanseth us from all sinne saith Saint Iohn Christ gave himselfe to be a ransome saith St. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 6. likewise the greatnesse of Gods mercy which is above all his workes Psalme 145. 9. The plentifulnesse of Redemption with him Psalme 130. 7. The sufficiencie of his Grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. even in pardoning of grievous sinners as of David Salomon Manasses Peter Paul and others he doth not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax hee did not despise the Canaanitish woman though a dog nor Matthew though a Publican nor the woman possessed with a Devill nor the Thiefe upon the Crosse nor the Apostle that denyed him nor the Apostle that persecuted him He is a Father who will not reject but imbrace his Prodigall sonne if he returne he is a Physitian who will not hurt but cure the Patient that comes to him hee invites all that are weary and laden to come to him and he will refresh them Matth. 11. 28. he calls upon all that are thirstie to come to the water and drinke Esay 55. 1. Hee professeth that hee came to call sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. many such places may be alleadged 10. if we will not bee troubled with the scruples of Conscience and the temptations arisihg thence wee must avoyd solitarinesse and too much retirednesse for Satan takes occasion to assault us when hee sees us alone as hee dealt with Christ in the desert 11. Let us strive for true knowledge faith love and obedience which are the maine remedies against all these diseases of the Conscience for opinions prevaile where true knowledge failes and where there is but little faith there will bee much doubting want of love is the cause of so many errors and want of obedience to spirituall Superiors is the cause of so many scruples Thus having poynted at the diseases of the Conscience and their remedies I will shew the credenda and agenda of a good Christian that is what we are bound to beleeve and what with a safe good conscience we are bound to doe VVEE are bound in Conscience to beleeve that there is a God for even the greatest Atheists that ever were have been accused checked judged and affrighted by their Conscience even for their secret and invisible sins intimating thereby that there is a secret and invisible Indge to whom they must give an account of those hidden actions many men have been checked by their Conscience for doubting or denying that there is a God but never was man checked by his Conscience for beleeving the Diety but rather incouraged thereto and cherished being directed to beleeve this both by the light of nature and the light of Grace 2 And as we beleve there is a God so we are bound to beleeve that there is but one GOD having both reasons and Scripture to induce us to this Faith the simplicity perfection of Gods nature as also the unity of this universe force this beleif upon us 3 We are bound in Conscience to beleeve that God is immutable because he is not passible 2. and that he is eternall because he is immutable 3. and that he is the only ubiquitary entity both 1. in regard of his essence by which all things have existence 2. in respect of his knowledge by which all things are naked to his eyes 3. in respect of his power to which all things are subjected and 4. that he is infinit because he is not confined by forme or matter or his own nature and 5. that he is the cheifest good 1. because he is cheifly appetible 2. and the cheifest end of the creatures 3. and the cheifest cause of all that perfection and goodnesse that is in the creature 6. and that he is most perfect 1. because he is the cause of all things 2. in whom are contained the perfections of al his effects that ever were or shall be 3. and because he is not a passive but an active principle 4. neither is there in him any defect at all 7. and that he is most simple because in him there is neither composition nor parts nor act possibilitie nor can he be the effect of things 8. and that he is incomprehensible because he is infinit 9. and that he is invisible because sight is a bodyly act which hath no proportion to a spirituall substance and we see the species and similitude of the object but Gods perfection excludes all similitude 10. and that he is truth it selfe because of that transcendent Conformitie which is between his intellect entity 11. and that he is the ever-living because he is the ever working God for the excellency eternity of his operation shew the excellency and eternity of his life 12. that he is omnipotent because his essence is infinit no wayes confined or limited 4 We are bound in Conscience to beleev that ther is in God a trinity of persons or three wayes of existence because in the nature of God there are three reall relations to wit Paternity Filiation and Procession the Father alone is unbegott the Son is of the Father as of his originall not as of a cause which includes 1. prioritie 2. dependence and 3. a
different essence which things are not in God the HOLY Ghost is of the Father and the Son not by way of Generation as the word is from the intellect which is the property of the Son who is therefore called the Word but by way of procession or love for the HOLY GHOST is said to proceed from the Father and Sonne as these two persons love each other mutually hence the Holy Ghost loveth essentially and personally essentially as he is the love that proceeds from the Father and the Sonne personally as he from whom this love proceeds 5 We are bound in Conscience to beleeve the Creation of the World because we know this is affirmed by Scripture and learned men of all ages because God is omnipotent wise and Good because the world is not God therefore not infinit nor eternall neither in it selfe wholly or in the parts thereof 6 We are bound in Conscience to beleeve that in the fulnesse of time God was made man that his invisible atributes of wisdom goodnesse justice and power might be made known to us his wisdome in finding out a way to pay so great a price his goodnesse which is communicative of it selfe in that he despised not the infirmitie and basenesse of our nature his justice in making man whom Satan meant to destroy the meanes of Satans own destruction lastly his greatnesse for the Incarnation of the Son of God was far greater then the Creation of the World 7 Wee must beleeve that in CHRIST were the three passions of sorrow feare and anger 1. of sorrow or paine for the faculties of his Soule were natural and his body was sensible for as the evill of paine is apprehended by the outward sense of touching so is the evill of sorrow by the inward sense of imagination these I call evils not of sin but of punishment 2. Feare was in Him as it is from the apprehension of future evill but not as it includes either the incertainty of the event or the perturbation of reason for the one presupposeth ignorance the other sin 3. There was in him also the anger of zeale which proceeds of Iustice but not the anger of revenge arising from sin or of the perturbation of reason 8 We may with a cleare Conscience beleeve that Christ had two wills other wayes he could not have had two natures notwithstanding Apollinarius Einychus and Onefurious maintaine the contrary for an intelligent nature cannot be perfect without the will therefore as God his will was divine as man his will was humane but as he was man he was also a sensitive creature therefore not only had he a rationall will but also a sensitive appetite by this he willed the cup to passe from him by that he dranke of the cup here was a diversite of wils but no contradiction because it was not secundum idem 9 We may safely beleeve that Mary the Mother of CHRIST lost not her virginity neither before nor in nor after the conception for otherwise this could not have stood either with the dignitie of the Father that sent Him nor of the Son that was sent nor of the Holy Ghost that conceived him nor yet with the end of CHRISTS Incarnation which was to make us the sons of God by a pure and virgine like regeneration 10 We may safely beleeve that Mary is the Mother of God though not of the Godhead because she was the Mother of that person who is both God and Man for this cause there is in Christ but one Filiation if wee looke upon the subject or person but two filiations if we respect the two natures 11 We may safely beleeve that Christ was the cause of his own death because he did not hinder it when he might either by suppressing his persecutors or withdrawing himself from them or by immortalizing his body but he was accessary to his own Death indirectly only and without sin that by it he might destroy sinne and death and him that had the power of death 12 Wee may beleeve safely that though in Christs death and buriall the soule was separated from the body yet his divinity was not separated either from the soule or the body for the gifts of God are irrevocable and without repentance and the gift of this Hypostaticall union was the greatest of all Gods gifts therefore all Christ was in the grave but not wholly totus sed non totaliter because neither the body nor the soule was separated from the person of the Sonne of God 13 We must beleeve that Christ rose the third day with the scars of those wounds which he received in his passion both to confirme the truth of his resurrection and by them to make intercession to his Father for us for they were as so many powerfull Orators imployed by our intercessor to plead for us besids they were honourable badges of his victory and love tokens of his true affection toward us and marks of his enemies implacable malice 14 We must beleeve that Christ ascended above al heavens not by his own power that is of his humane nature yet by his own power that is of his Divinity and though it was against the nature of his earthly body to ascend it was not against the nature of his body as it was the body of the Sonne of GOD and as it was glorifyed to ascend and this he did that he might prepare a place for us that from thence as our King sitting on his throne he might give gifts unto men as our high Preist he might enter into the holy place to make intercession for us and as our Prophet he might by sending his Spirit from thence inwardly instruct us 15 Wee must beleeve that Christ sits on Gods right-hand not as man only by being Hypostatically united to the divinitie but as God also by eternall generation injoying the same glory felicity and power with the Father from eternitie therefore although the humanitie of Christ is not to be honored with divine worship yet the man Christ is to be adored as being united to God the word humanitie intimating the nature but the word man the whole person because of the Hypostaticall union 16 Wee must beleeve that Christ is Iudge of the quick and dead not as God only but as man also for as in both natures he is our Mediator and head of the Church so in both he is our Iudge and as in his humane nature he was judged by the world so in the same nature he shall judge the world and because no man hath seen God at any time and the Iudge should be visible therefore it is fit that Christ in the visible forme and nature of man should judge the world 17 Wee may with a cleare Conscience beleeve against the tenure of the Greeke Church that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Son as well as from the Father for otherwayes in the persons there would be a dualitie only and not a Trinity neither are the Son and holy
infected with originall sin not by any physicall contact of the body but by Gods just judgment imputing Adams sin to all his posterity being in his loynes when he sinned upon which imputation followes an inclination to sin as a punishment of Adams transgression so the child is infected with originall sinne not because his Soule is united to his body but because he is the sonne of Adam 25 We are also to beleeve that God from all eternity decreed to create man to his image and foreseeing his voluntary fall ordained to elect some in Christ to salvation and to passe by others which election depended not on mans foreseen Faith or works for God could foresee nothing in himbut what he was to give him nor could the cause be posterior to its effect but election is the cause of Faith and good Works for we are elected that we might be holy Eph. 1. 4. therefore Faith and Works foreseen are no more the causes of election then of Vocation and justification 26 We may like wayes safely beleeve though there be no inherent righteousnesse in us wherby we may be accounted just in Gods sight yet that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse being imputed to us not only by his passive obedience in dying for us but also by his active in fullfilling of the Law for Christ is totally ours both in doing and suffering and as Adams active disobedience made us unjust so Christs active obedience hath made us just and as our sins were to be expiated so life eternall was to be procured for us his suffering expiated our sins therfore his fulfilling of the Law did purchase life eternall for us 27 We are bound also in Conscience to beleeve that the good and evill which befalls us in this life comes not to passe by any Stoicall or fatall necessity nor by fortune or haphazard but by Gods speciall providence by which he guides the world not only in generall but in every particular creature and action also so that the evill actions of men which he ordained not by his predestination are ordered by his providence for God infuseth not evill into mens wills but directeth unto good ends that evill which they perpetrat of their own accord Thus having breifly shewed the Credenda or what in Conscience we are bound to beleeve now I will as breifly set down the Agenda or what things with a safe Conscience we are bound to performe WEE are bound in Conscience to feare God as our Lord and able to cast body and soule into hell fire and as being our Father to love him with all our heart all our strength c. and patiently to beare his corrections as being arguments of his love and knowing that he will lay no more upon us then we can beare also to obey him with the same cheerfullnesse and alacritie that the Angels in heaven do and to be thankfull to him from whom we receive all good things and the blessings both of his right and left hand blessing God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in CHRIST 2 We are bound in Conscience to call upon GOD upon all occasions and to lift up pure hands in all places so that our prayer may be accompanyed with Faith fervency love reverence and humilitie and grounded not upon our own worth but on Christs merits and not directed to Angels or Saints but to God himselfe who alone is omnipotent omnipresent omniscient and will not have his glory given to any other and we are not to pray only for our selves but also for all men even for our enemies therefore must not use imprecations against the person of any man though against their sinns and errors we may for the imprecations we read of in scripture were either predictions or temporary execrations or else they were uttered only against sinne or by such as had the gift of discerning or to whom Gods will was known in that case 3 We are not bound in Conscience to observe all canonicall houres in prayer but we may at all times call upon God nor are we necessarily tied to any place but in all places we may lift up pure hands nor to any particular gesture but we may use any gesture that is reverend nor are we tyed to use the voice for God can heare the inward cries of the heart non vox sed votum 4 We are bound in conscience not only to pray but use sometimes to fast that our prayers may be the more servent and effectuall that the untamed lust of our flesh may be kept under that our unworthinesse humilitie contrition and repentance may the more appeare and this we must doe not only when Gods judgements hang over us but also when we have any great blessing to procure or any great work to perform not only must we abstaine from meate and drinke but also from all delights and comfortable recreations so farre forth as the strength of our bodies will permit but withall we must take heed of any conceit of merit or of distinction of meates for Conscience sake or of set times urged as necessary which ought to be arbitrary 5. We are bound in Conscience to make open profession of our faith when we are required thereto by the Magistrate or by such as may command us that wee may bee known or when we see by our silence God is like to bee dishonoured and the Church prejudiced hee that confesseth me before men saith Christ him will I confesse before my Father which is in Heaven 6. If at any time we converse with prophane and Idolatrous people we are bound in Conscience to shew our dislike both of the one and the other not onely inwardly in our mindes but also outwardly by our voyce and gesture for God will be honoured of us both in our bodyes and soules for he made both neither must wee thinke to serve God and Belial at the same time 7. If at any time we are persecuted for the truth and a good Conscience if we see that there is a lawfull way to escape presented to us if we know that we have not strength to resist temptations and fierie tryals if our persons bee chiefly aymed at if we have no hope to doe good by our stay if our resolution be not utterly to forsake our publike charge if we have any but to returne when the times are quiet wee may with a safe Conscience flye having both Christs counsell and example for it besides the practise of many holy men other wayes if by our flight God shall be dishonoured the Church prejudiced the Magistrate or the State where wee are wronged we are not to flye especially when all lawfull meanes of escape is denyed us 8. If we will heare the words of God with profit and comfort wee are bound in Conscience to lay aside all prejudiciall or evill opinion of the Preacher to cast aside all superfluity of maliciousnesse and to
other holy men did sweare yea Christ himselfe sweares and so doth God sweare by himselfe and he commands us to sweare Deut. 6. and 10. Ierem. 4. The Apostle shewes how needfull an oath is for the ending of any controversies Heb. 6. Swearing is a part of Divine worship Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God c. and sweare by his name Deut. 6. which the Gntiles knew who in swearing layd their hands upon the Altar but we must take heed that we sweare not rashly for that is to take Gods name in vaine nor falsly for that is to adde a lye to an oath nor to the prejudice of our neighbour whither in his goods name body or soule for this is to breake both the Tables at one time by dishonoring God in sweareing falsly we breake the first Table by wronging our neighbour we breake the second Table 19 We are bound in Conscience to keepe the oath which we have taken though it be to our prejudice Psal. 15. we have in this the example of that brave Roman Attilius Regulus who will rather suffer death and torture by the Carthaginians then falsifie the oath he made to them GOD is a speciall revenger of perjurie as we read in the story of Zedichias who falsified his oath to the King of Babel and in the story of Iohannes Huniades of the great overthrow the Christians had for breaking the oath they made with the Turke therefore how greivously doth the Pope offend in taking upon him to break the oath of allegiance which people owe to their Princes but we must take heed we sweare not things impossible or unlawfull for the one cannot the other must not be kept 20 We are bound to keepe the Oath which wee have made if the things which we sweare be lawfull though we have sworn by the creatures or by false Gods for he that sweares by false Gods thinkes them to bee true Gods and the Creature is instead of God to him that sweares by it therfore Laban that swore by his false god was as much bound to keepe his oath as Iacob was who swore by the true God 21. The Magistrate cannot with a safe Conscience exact an oath of a profane man who makes no conscience of an oath for so hee gives an occasion of perjury neither is hee to impose oathes about frivolous things for that is to take Gods name in vaine neither must hee cause any man sweare by Angels or the Saints for this is to sweare by those that are not gods this is to deïfie the creature and to give it the knowledge of our secret thoughts and to give it that justice and power in punishing perjury which belongs only to God 22. We are bound in Conscience to breake an unlawfull oath for keeping such an Oath is dishonourable to God and hurtfull to our owne soules and against the nature of an oath which was not ordained to bee the band of iniquity such was the oath of Iepthe of Herod of Monkes Iepthe had better broake his oath then kill his daughter so had Herod then murther the Baptist so had the Monkes they were better violate the oath of Coelebate then commit fornication 23. We are bound in Conscience to breake the oath which is made to the prejudice of our Neighbour such is the oath of Monkes prejudicial to Parents and kindred such is the oath when we sweare never to lend money for this is flat against Charitie such was Davids oath 1 Sa. 25. which he broke knowing it was better to violate a rash oath then by keeping of it to murther the innocent 24. They are not bound in Conscience to keepe the oath which they tooke when they were not in their own power but under the jurisdiction of an other such is the oath Children take either of marriage or of monasticall life being as yet under the tuition and power of their parents such oathes or vowes are to be broken we may see in 5. 30. of Numbers neither doth an oath of impossibilities tye any man to performance 25 We are bound in Conscience when we sweare to speake simply plainly and sincerely without equivocation mentall or verball otherwayes by swearing equivocally we cannot end controversies nor confirme and beare witnesse to the truth but we maintaine a lye and by deceiving others we make them assent to a falshoode and so we abuse Gods name in making it a witnesse to our lye besides that by this meanes any kind of lye may be maintained 26 If an oath be drawne from us by force or fear we are bound to keepe it if it be lawfull and in our power though it be wrongfully extorted from us as when we sweare to a theife to pay him the summe he demands that we may escape with life and liberty because by taking God as a witnesse to our oath we have bound our selves to him which band we must not forfeit without wrong done to God 27 We are bound to keepe the oath we make though we were deceived in the circumstance so Ioshua kept the oath he made with the Gibeonites though he was deceived by them thinking they had dwelt farther off many are deceived in their marriages thinking they marry rich woemen who prove but poore but the marriage is good still for this is only a circumstantiall error but Iacob was not bound to performe the oath of marriage with Leah which was put to him instead of Rachel for this was a substantiall error 28 We should wrong our Conscience if we should urge a man to sweare that which he thinks is true though we know it to be false for though he sins not that sweares yet we sin that urge him to it because we wrong him in making him sweare to that which is false and we wrong God in makeing him witnesse to a falshood 29 If we take a second oath contrary to the former which was a lawfull oath we are bound to stand to the former for the second oath is not only in it selfe unlawfull but also is made unlawfull by the former promise 30 We are bound to keepe our oath so long as the essentiall forme thereof remaines but when that failes we are free thus we are bound to the oath we made to our Master so long as hee remaines our Master but when that relation is broken off we are no more bound to him by our oath 31 The Iudge cannot with a safe Conscience take an oath of any man to accuse himselfe of any hid crime which is called the oath ex officio because no man is bound to accuse himselfe and such an oath will minister occasion of much perjurie besids God only is the judge of secret sins 32 I am bound in Conscience to reveale a theife though I am tyed by oath out of feare to the contrary for the concealeing of him is wrong to justice and prejudiciall to the state and an occasion that others may lose their lives or goods besides in concealing him I am made
partaker of his sinne qui non vetat peccare cum possit jubet 33 We are bound to make vowes only to God and having made them to performe them for this is a part of Gods worship he only knowes the heart and purpose of him that vowes and can punish the violation therof the Iewes were bound to vow many ceremoniall duties from which we are exempted but we are tyed to the vow of moral obedience which we tooke in baptisme and which we renew as often as we repent as for the vowes of such bodyly exercise which may help devotion wee are bound to make them if we see that our devotion will be helped and increased by such vowes otherwayes we are left to our Christian liberty 34 We are not bound to vow or to keep the vow if we have made it of voluntary poverty for so we make our selves unable to do good nor of monasticall obedience for so we infringe our christian liberty and become the servants of men in submitting and binding our Consciences to the ordinances of man nor of perpetuall chastity which is not in our power and by which wee wrong our own nature by hindering the continuation of the species which is effected by propagation 35 As we are bound to rest upon the Sabbath or Lords day from our bodyly labour so we are also bound to do the works of piety of mercy or charitie and of necessity upon that day yea the works of liberty too as to dresse meat to make beds c. if so be they are not scandalous nor offensive nor hindrances to Gods worship for the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath I say such workes may be done with a safe Conscience 36 We are bound in Conscience to hasten our conversion to God with what speede we can because God requires it and delayes are dangerous procrastiation argues unwillingnesse and the custome of sin takes away the sense of sinning so the longer we put off our repentance the more obdurate wee grow in sin and the greater wrong we offer to God and to our own soules in delaying to cast out sin which is his and our enemy and the more difficult we make our conversion by increasing the number and guilt of our sins thereby incensing Gods anger the more against us which fire we ought to quench without delay least it suddenly consume us our life is uncertaine and we are not sure to live till we be old or if we live we are not sure then of that grace of repentance which now we reject the times and seasons are not in our power late repentance is seldome true let us then strike the iron while it is hot and enter into this poole of Bethesda whilst the waters are stirring 37 We are bound in Conscience to meditate seriously in the Law of God that there as in a glasse we may see our own filthynesse and inabilitie to goodnesse and so we may in all humilitie fly from our selves and from all other creatures in which there is no helpe and with true sorrow and feare may lay hold on the promises of the Gospell and hunger earnestly after the righteousnesse of CHRIST by true faith 38 We are bound to make our election and calling sure by cleansing our Consciences from evill workes by setling our affections upon God by hearkning to his word by obeying his voice by delighting in the company of the Saints by slighting the honors riches and pleasures of this world accounting them but dung in respect of CHRIST and by cherishing the holy spirit by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption 39 We are bound seriously to repent our wicked lives by considering the majesty of God whom we have offended the greatnesse of his goodnesse towards us the fiercenesse of his anger against sinne the great happynesse we have lost and the multitude of miseries befallen to us by reason of sinne by considering also what Christ hath suffered for us how impenitency is the greatest of all sins and how without repentance wee cannot attaine true happynesse now this repentance consisteth in sorrow for sinne in a constant fervent implacable hatred against every sinne and in a serious and assiduous purpose to avoyd all sinne to walke in all righteousnesse and to use all the meanes whereby wee may attaine the same 40. VVee are bound to cherish the good motions of Gods Spirit in us and not by our wicked lives to quench or grieve the Spirit now the meanes to cherish the Spirit are Prayer Meditation Obedience Faith Hope and Love 41. VVe are bound to be holy because wee are commanded because God is holy because without holinesse no man shall see the Lord neither can there be true faith nor justification without it holinesse was a part of Gods Image which we lost it is also the end of our Election and calling and 't is a part of our future happinesse now this holinesse consisteth in our walking with God in our wrestling against the flesh in running the wayes of Gods Commandements in avoyding sin and the occasions of sinne and in a perfect Reformation of all our powers and faculties of our soule 42. VVee are bound to trust and rely on Gods promises for hope is our Anchor it is hope that supports us in all our actions and sufferings and makes us goe on with courage and constancy it is the end of our calling it is hope that saves us and it will not make us ashamed because it cannot bee frustrated it bringeth also patience and true spirituall joy 43. Wee are bound in all afflictions to comfort our selves and to be cheerefull because we have God who afflicts us for our Father Christ for our Advocate and Redeemer the Holy Ghost for our guide and comforter the Scriptures for our instructers besides Gods love towards us and his decrees are unchangable our afflictions are short our reward is Eternall no thing befals us without Gods providence God will give us strength with the temptation Christ hath suffered and overcome all for us nothing doth befall us but what hath befallen others and let us consider the fruit or end of affliction which is sweet and comfortable 44. VVhen wee are tempted to evill we are bound to avoyd all occasions of entertaining such a temptation to resist it as an enemy to extinguish the first sparkles of this fire to betake our selves to prayer and meditation and to kill this Cockatrice in the Egge and to put on the whole Armour of God against it and not to give way to this enemy for it is the chiefe part of our spirituall warfare to fight against temptations 45. In our spirituall desertions wee are bound to comfort our selves with the remembrance of Gods love and promises who will never utterly forsake us but onely for a time even for a moment will hide his face from us because wee have angered him and this is for our good that wee may the more earnestly seeke him that