punishment 9. Judicium discernens voluntatem Dei pertinet ad quemlibet pro semetipso The judgment to discern the will of God belongs to every one for himself 10. Lex Dei in mente est regula Conscientiae The Law of God in the mind is the rule of Conscience 11. Conscientia est ignis Inferni Vermis rodens The Conscience is the fire of Hell the Worm that never dies 12. Coelum Terra in Corde humano Heaven and Hell are seated in the Heart of Man 13. Conscientia ante bonum calcar post bonum consolatio The Conscience is a spur unto good and a comfort afterward 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We do not easily fairly judg of our selves without partiality 15. Inter Deum Conscientiam noli vereri nisi causam tuam Betwixt God and thine own Conscience fear nothing if thy cause be good if thy Heart be honest The CONTENTS Transition Old Man Old Leaven Natural Man Carnal Mind New Man New Lump Spiritual Mind New Birth First Resurrection Old Creation Concurrency of God and Man TITLE VI. Of a New Creature Transition THe Conscience being rectified to do all its offices faithfully argues the rectification of the Understanding and Will and all the passions which is the change of the whole Man or the New Creature SECT I. Old Man The New Creature implyes the Old Creature done away which is called in Scripture 1. The Old Man Our Old Man is crucified with him Old Man Ro. 6.6 that the Body of sin might be destroy'd that from henceforth we should not serve sin Put off concerning the former conversation Eph. 4.22 which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renew'd in the Spirit of your minds Put off the Old Man with his deeds and put on the New Man Col. 3.9 which is renew'd in knowledg after the image of him that created him SECT II. 2. Old Leaven Purge out therefore the Old Leaven Old Leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 that ye may be a New Lump as ye are unleavened for Christ our Pass-over is sacrificed for us SECT III. 3. Natural Man Natural Man 1 Cor. 2.14 The Natural Man received not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither indeed can he because they are spiritually discerned SECT IV. 4. Carnal Mind The Law is spiritual but I am carnal Carnal mind Ro. 7.14 Ro. 8.7 sold under sin Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be I speak unto you as unto Spiritual not unto Carnal even as unto Babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.13 Ro. 8.6 2 Cor. 10.4 c. To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual mighty through God to the pulling down strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and being in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled 5. Gall of bitterness Act. I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of perdition 6. Flesh That which is born of the flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 7. Old Birth Joh. 3. Except a Man be born again of the Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This is the old heart the old Spirit the stony-heart the wrong Spirit old affections and lusts c. SECT V. 2. The New Creature which is called in Scripture 1. The New Man Put on the New Man New Man Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 2 Cor. 5.17 which after Christ is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Put on the New Man renewed in knowledg after the image of him that created him If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature SECT VI. 2. The New Lump Purge out therefore the Old Leaven New Lump 1 Cor. 5.7 that ye may be a new Lump c. SECT VII 3. Spiritual mind To be carnally minded is death Spiritual mind Ro. 8.6 Ro. 12.2 Tit. 3.5 but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may know what is that good and perfect Will of God By the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost For this cause we faint not but though our outward Man perish 2 Cor. 4.16 yet the inward Man is renewed day by day Be ye renewed in the Spirit of your mind Hebr. 6.6 c. If they shall fall away to renew them again by repentance Col. 3.1 c. Set your affections on high seek those things which are above c. SECT VIII New Birth Joh. 1.13 4. New Birth Born of God born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of Men but of God He that is born of God doth not commit sin 1 Joh. 3.9 for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot commit sin because he is born of God 1 Joh. 4.7 Every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God 1 Joh. 5.4 18. He that is born of God overcometh the World and this is the victory that overcometh the World 1 Joh. 2.29 even our Faith Every one that doth righteousness is born of him Tit. 3.5 The washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost SECT IX First Resurrection Rev. 20.5 6. 5. The first Resurrection He that hath his part in the first Resurrection upon him the second death shall have no power This is the New heart the heart of Flesh the new Spirit the right Spirit Ez. 11.19 I will put a new Spirit within you I will take the stony-heart out of the Flesh Ez. 18.31 and I will make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye dye Ez. 36.26 O ye House of Israel A New heart will I give you and put a new Spirit within you Ro. 7.6 and I will take away the stony-heart and give you an heart of Flesh 1 Pet. 2.2 Serve God in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Gal. 2.20 This is crucifixion with Christ I am crucified with Christ I live yet not I Gal. 52.4 but Christ that liveth in me They that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the affections and lusts Gol. 6.14 This is living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit Glorying in the Cross of Christ by which the World is crucified unto us and we unto the World This is a death unto sin a burial with Christ a rising with him a partaking of the Divine
in me I may challenge my Right in him and he may challenge his Right in me These are my greatest Rights to my God and to my self SECT XIX Next to these Rights I have Right to one Person especially from all the world beside Rights to Wife which God hath given me to my self and made my second self that is my Wife who is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone and are no longer two but one Flesh and by a higher Law she is Soul of my Soul and Spirit of my Spirit and we are no longer two but one Spirit By her I come to have Right to be a Husband and so a Father and so have Right to her as to a Wife and I have power over her as a Husband and she hath right to me as to a Husband and she hath power over me as a Wife And so I come to have Right to Children by her and she hath Right to Children by me and the Children have Right to us both So we have Right to Rule and they to Obey we have Right to instruct and they to be instructed Therefore next to my Right to God and to my self is my Right to my Second self which is my Wife SECT XX. And next to these is my Right to my Children Rights to Children that they are lawfully begotten of my Body and of my Wives Body and therefore they are mine and they are hers by right of Nature and of Law and none but God and we can claim any interest in them or title to them as Children But as Subjects and Servants to the King and his Ministers both Parents and Children may be claimed and used by their Superiours and all for God who hath given this power over them and made them as Gods unto us SECT XXI After my Right to my God to my self to my wife and children Rights to Estate and Honour I come to have right to my Estate or Office or Degree or what Honour and Benefit accrues to me by them and from them and these are the goods that God hath given me to feed and clothe and protect my self and my wife and children and servants c. With these I am invested and infeudated and they are mine under God of whom I hold and no body may invade my Bed where is the Honour and Estate of my wife and family nor my House or Land Cattel or other goods thereupon which is the Revenue and maintenance of my House or my Patrimony nor my Degree and Quality which is the augmentation of my Head and a badge of my Honour All these the most Rich and Bountiful God hath given me to use them rightly for his glory And he is a Traitor in my family if wife child or servant and a Robber out of my family that shall go about to ravish any of these my Just Rights from me and God that gave them me will defend them to me and cursed be those that shall estraye them from me but if they do by Divine leave I must submit and shall either have Restitutio in integrum in things of the same kind or ex gratia uberiori abundanti things of a better kind even Spiritual and Eternal shall be added to me and I will trust God with my self even with all that I am and all that I can do and with all that I have or possess and though I am not worthy to understand when or why or how yet I believe that God is my sheild and will be my exceeding great Reward and then I rest my self contented with his good will and pleasure Let me therefore look carefully to preserve my own Rights every way and to abstain from invasion or hurting any mans Rights any way SECT XXII Rights not to be violated Let me therefore first be so wise as to understand what Rights are both God's and mine and other mens both private and publick Let me next be so honest and just as to do Right to God and to my self and to all men For they are the wisest men that know best what is right and what is wrong and to whose persons they do belong And they are the honestest men that practice the right and avoid the wrong So shall there be no accusation from God nor regret from our own Consciences nor cries and clamours of men or other creatures spoiled or abused by me All is right and peace to a just and righteous God to a good Conscience in a wicked world I shall stand right in the sight of God I shall have right to Jesus Christ and in him to all things and shall be able to lift up my head at the day of Judgment when my redemption draweth near 1. Let me not violate my right to my God by unfaithfulness nor destroy his right to me of Adoption by my rebellion 2. Let me not violate my right to my self by sinning against my Conscience by sinning against my Body which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 3. Let me not violate the right I have to my Wife by prostituting her and my self to base lusts 4. Let me not violate my right to my Children by suffering Adultery in her and my self 5. Let me not violate my right to my Honour by base actions and by neglect of their Education 6. Let me not violate my right to my Prince and Country by Rebellion and Murder c. The Rights that accrue to me are these 1. Birth-right or chiefly first Birth-right 2. Purchase-right 3. Labour or Work-right 4. Promise or Gift-right And because all these are sacred in themselves and the more when they are concerning Holy and Spiritual Things therefore it must needs be profane 1. When a man willfully parts with his own rights without just consideration or reason as Esau who is therefore called profane because he sold his Sacred Birth-right or Primogeniture by which he was to be both Prince and Priest so basely and rashly for a Mess of Pottage 2. When another wilfully and covetously ravishes the rights of others to whom they do belong and taketh them by extortion to himself or giveth them to strangers This is a horrid and crying sin causing sad cries and complaints in the ears of God and Man from Orphans Widows Strangers and miserable persons many a bitter curse is darted to Heaven for these things Heavy is the load that presseth down these guilty Souls unto the Nethermost Hell and is an everlasting clog upon their Consciences in the world to come Great are the Destructions and Devastations that are made in this World 1. In single persons 2. In Families 3. In Towns and Cities 4. In Provinces and Kingdoms Hinc illae Ruinae hinc illae Lachrymae Hence are Ruines hence are Complaints one draws another and takes away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him This sets the Gowned and the armed Militia on work and sets the world together by the ears And for this reason 1. Because men do
perspicere possint Cor Sapientiae Plaut Vitam ut vixissent olim in Adolescentia This is the reflex Act of the Understanding to think over again our old thoughts words and actions and bring them to the test saying What have I done then shall we see that Colloquintida that Mors in olla the death that is in the Pot the plague of our own hearts the secret Idol of abomination which we set up in our own Spirits and the sin that sticks so close unto us Then shall we be able to say Ro. 6.21 What fruit have we in those things whereof one day we shall be ashamed the end of those things is death What shall we do in the end thereof It will be bitterness in the later end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Wisdom 17. 11. Wickedness condemned by her own witness is very timorous and being pressed with conscience alwaies forecasteth grievous things for fear is nothing else but the betraying of the succour which Reason offereth And though a Man be otherwise never so undaunted as to look Death in the face having the heart of a Lion yet his own guilt shall tame his courage and make him a meer coward Lev. 26.36 I will send a faintness into their hearts and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them and they shall flee as fleeing from a Sword and they shall fall when none pursueth Occulto quatiente animo tortore flagellum The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and failing of eyes Deut. 28.65 and sorrow of mind and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shall fear day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life This is the Poet's Vultur Immortale jecur tendens foecundaque poenis Viscera nec fibris requies datur ulla renatis This is the fire of Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A drop of water to cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Plaut Urit animum meum Poena autem vehemens multò saevior ullis Juv. Quos Caeditius gravis invenit Rhadamanthus Nocte diéque suum gestare in pectore Testem And as this Torment is great so Comfort is as rare as can be imagined Even the Peace of God which passeth all understanding This will satisfie a Man against all the World Senti de Augustino quid vis sola mea ne Conscientia non accuset Think then of me what you will so long as my own conscience doth not accuse me My witness is in Heaven and in my own breast I have comfort enough Cic. Nullâ re tà m laetari soleo quà m officiorum meorum conscientiâ The remembrance of a life well lead will bring a Man Peace to the end in the end and unto all eternity this goes along with him when all worldly comforts take unto themselves wings flie away from us and forsake us Lectulus respersus floribus est bona Conscientia A good Conscience is a Bed of Roses And upon this Bed this Pillow will I rest my head wearied with cares and griefs and there will I sleep secure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the reward of all my labours in the way of Holiness that I have peace within Heaven and Hell are seated in the Heart of a Man saith the Levantine Proverb Conscientia ante peccatum fraenum post flagrum Conscientia ante bonum calcar post consolatio Conscience before sin is a bridle afterward a whip Conscience before Good is a spur afterward is a comfort SECT VI. These Offices of Conscience are performed Before the Action 1. Before the Action The Conscience represents what will follow if such or such things be done And t is happy when we shall take such deliberation to prevent many sins and judgments that may follow SECT VII Instances As Peter Though all Men forsake thee yet will not I and yet he broke his word As Hazael when the Prophet wept and told him what horrid things he should do in ripping up women with child and burning Cities c. he abominated the thoughts of doing such cruel acts 2 Kings 8.13 saying Is thy Servant a dead dog that I should do such things Yet for want of solid perseverance he did those things indeed As Joseph who when tempted more than ordinarily by his Mistress kept his resolution bravely Gen. 39.9 saying How shall I do this great wickedness and so sin against God The Conscience fore-sees and fore-tells the sad consequences What will ye do in the end thereof it will be bitterness in the later end These things are sweet in the Mouth but bitter in the Belly There is Death in the Pot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Bitter-sweet A pleasant bait with a deadly hook Extrema gaudii luctus occupat Nocet empta dolore voluptas You will rue for all this if you take not heed Young Man take thy full swing let loose the reins to a full carier but remember that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment a day of reckoning will come Do not put the day of death far from the do not make a League with Hell nor a Covenant with destruction saying The bitterness of death is past and the over-flowing scourge shall pass over me for it will come it will not tarry Thus there is a voice behind you yea within you saying This is the way walk in it Turn from the waies of wickedness pass by them and come not near unto them for fear iniquity procure your ruine A Harlot's mouth is sweet as the hony and drops as the hony-comb but her waies go down unto Hell and her paths take hold of destruction she is a deep pit and he that feareth not the Lord shall fall into it As a bird hastens to the snare and a fool to the correction of the stocks and an Ox to the slaughter not remembring that it is for his Life so shall it be with thee These and the like warnings of the Conscience are rare preventions of sins if hearkned unto or else they procure greater torments afterwards As Peter said to Ananias and Sapphira Why have ye lyed to the Holy Ghost As Abraham unto Dives Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and contrarily Lazarus evil things but now thou art tormented and he is comforted We fools counted his life madness but now is he numbred among the Righteous They shall look on him whom they have pierced and be in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first born They shall call to the Mountains to fall upon them and to the Hills to cover them from the wrath of him that sitteth upon the Throne This is the regret that shall be that weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth that worm of conscience that never dieth O! that Men were wise therefore that they would consider these
A Commandment carnal and temporal Heb. 7.16 Christ's Priesthood II. In Christ's Priesthood all things were strong and perfect As 1. A Priest strong An immortal God free from sin without succession Gen. 24.19 20. without Father without Mother having the power of the eternal Spirit and of an endless life 2. A Tabernacle strong made without hands eternal in the heavens for all the Elements shall melt with fervent heat but the Holy of Holies the Heaven of Heavens higher than the highest are Eternal 3. Sacrifices strong that did purifie the Conscience and take away sin and were never iterated 4. Aaron stood in the midst of his Sacrifices of Lambs and Bulls and Calves c. before an Altar of Stone or Wood but Christ is the Sacrifice himself and the Priest and Altar Heb. 9.12 20. Not with the blood of Bulls c. but by his own Blood he entred into the Holy place Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God without spot Heb. 9.14 purging our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God One for all 1. No other hands could offer Christ's Blood but his own they were too profane No Priest in the Masse can or ought to offer up Christ he is only worthy to offer up himself 2. No Marble or Golden Altar pure or rich enough to offer Christ upon He offers up himself upon the Altar of his eternal Spirit Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself to God 3. No Temple stately enough to offer Christ in The whole World is God's Temple The lower World is the outward Court and the higher is the Holy of Holies Christ is the Minister there Heb. 8.2 that sacrifices in that true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man and offers himself the True Sacrifice the Lamb slain from the beginning of the VVorld He offered up himself once by his own Blood he entred through the Veil that is to say his Flesh into the true Holy place Heb. 7.27 the Throne and Mercy-Seat of God there to appear in the presence of God for us for ever 4. A Covenant strong and everlasting made upon better Promises I. Typical Redemption from Typical Sins Aaron's Order tends to a Legal Typical Redemption from Legal and Typical Sins as To touch a dead Body to eat Flesh unclean to touch a Leper c. Touch not taste not handle not c. These were no Real sins because these Touchings and Tasting c. did not defile the Soul Not that which goeth into the mouth doth defile the man but that which goeth out of the mouth c. Whether we eat or drink we are not the better or if we eat not we are not the worse The Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats and Drinks Call nothing Common or Unclean To the Pure all things are pure in their own nature These uncleannesses were in the Flesh only not there really but because of the Prohibition Now the Blood of Bulls and of Goats was sufficient to wash away such sins But as for Real sins in their own nature sinful that defile the Soul such as Murther Adultery Theft Rebellion c. There were no Sacrifices for these at all they were not pardoned the punishment was Death Temporal without Mercy or Restitution or VVhipping c. Now a VVeak Priest was sufficient to offer for such Typical Sins And a weak Tabernacle of Skins or a Temple of Stones was good enough for such Sacrifices as never pleased God in themselves and for such sins as never offended God in themselves but only as forbidden for a time to preserve the greater reverence in an irreverent People and to keep them from Idolatry which they were so prone unto Real Redemption from Real Sins II. Melchisedec's order it works a Real and Eternal Redemption from Real and Eternal Sins and Punishments Sins of thought word and deed that pollute the Conscience as Carelessness VVilfulness Presumption Rebellion Infidelity Malice c. Punishments of a blind mind a hard heart a seared Conscience For these there is provided 1. A Priest of Infinite Dignity 2. A Sacrifice of Infinite Value 3. A Tabernacle of Infinite Holiness 4. A Law of Infinite Perfection 5. An Oath of the Most high God to consecrate an Eternal King Priest and Prophet and to settle Eternity upon that Salvation which was for all men Salvation for all Men. 1. For all men I say whosoever will offer and give themselves up to this Great High Priest and Bishop of our Souls that gave himself up for all 2. For all that will partake of this Sacrifice and Altar by eating the Flesh of Christ and by drinking his Blood For they that offer the Sacrifices are partakers of the Sacrifices 3. For all that wait for the coming forth of this great High Priest out of his Tabernacle the Holy of Holies at the last day For without the People waited for the High Priest while he prayed for them within So we look for Christ's coming out again to bring us into that Holy place which he is gone before into to prepare a place for us Now this offering up of our Selves in and through Christ unto Christ is really by mortifying and crucifying our Corruptions and Lusts This is to be crucified with Christ to die with him to be baptized with him to be buried and rise again with him And this is the great Reformation that Christ made Old things are done away and all things are become New I. Old things are 1. Imperfect Light of Nature Carnal Righteousness 2. Sin 3. Punishment 4. Sacrifices 5. Old Testament 6. Vain Philosophy 7. Temporal Promises 8. Old Man Old Creation Old Birth Flesh 9. Carnal VVorship VVorks c. II. New things are 1. Perfect Light of Grace Spiritual Righteousness 2. Justification 3. Reward 4. Christ's Sacrifice 5. New Testament 6. Christian VVisdom 7. Eternal Salvation 8. New Man New Creature New Birth Spirit 9. Spiritual VVorship Grace SECTION II. From henceforth no New Changes to be made No more Changes 1. In Doctrines as to return to Judaism or Heathenism again 2. In Worships as to return to Sacrifices or set up a systeme of Ceremonies in defiance after God hath pulled down his own Rites From henceforth new Laws call for new Manners Greater obedience due from Christians than from Jews or Heathens and greater thankfulness to God for his wonderful wisdom and mercy in bringing us into this state of Grace and Salvation and for the assistance of his Spirit in all these dispensations of Grace unto glory But stay before we leave speaking of this wonderful Reformation let us consider this great and eternal Change a little better What is all gone say you and nothing at all left no not a hoof of all the Sacrifices and Services that were before No Priest no Law no Sacrifice no Temple no Altar Yes CHRIST is the Priest Sacrifice Temple Altar and his Gospel is the
the Law to our selves whereby we do by nature the things contained in the Law This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gatherer and Preserver of prime natural reasons of immediate or mediate Revelations of acquired wisdom by Arts and Sciences especially Laws of daily experience and observation from all which as from a Fountain should flow all the actions of life but that Passion Humour and Fancy under the name of Conscience and Reason hurry us into their actions quite contrary SECT II. 2. To urge or prompt to do according to the Law in the conscience To urge A vehement protrusion a binding of conscience to do good and an abhorrence or reluctancy from evil loathing as the stomach all that is contrary to it St. Paul was thus urged to his duty 1 Cor. 9.16 Woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel Thus the Prophet Jeremiah though much disheartned in so much that he had thoughts of silence and speaking no more in His name for the which he was so derided yet he recollects himself and his conscience thrusts him forward to do his duty against all discouragement For the Word was in his heart as a burning fire shut up in his bones Jer. 20.9 and he was weary with forbearing and could not stay Job 32.18 c. Thus Elihu said of himself I am full of matter the Spirit within me constraineth me My belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles I will speak that I may be refreshed The Apostles that were witnesses of Christ could not but speak the things which they had seen and heard Acts 4.19 20. St. Paul was a debter to the Greeks and Barbarians to preach the Gospel in season and out of season to become all things to all Men that by all means he might gain some Acts 20.23 Ro. 13.5 1 Cor. 10.28 Ps 39.3 Gen. 39.9 He went bound in the spirit to Jerusalem not knowing what thing should befall him there We must obey for conscience sake Eat not for conscience sake My heart was hot within me at last I spake with my tongue Gen. 39.9 Joseph was restrained by his conscience when he said How shall I do this great wickedness and so sin against God Balaam had this conscience in him when tempted by Balak Num. 24.13 If Balak would give me his House full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord to do less or more If doubt be made of this Man there can be none made of St. Paul who when his Friends besought him not to go up to Jerusalem for fear of bonds answered Acts 21.13 What mean ye to weep and break mine heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Was he a reprobate that said Si scirem Deos mihi condonaturos homines ignoraturos adhuc peccare erubescerem propter peccati turpitudinem What can a Christian say or do more if he be as he should be as good as his word If I were sure that God would forgive me and that no Man were privy to my sin yet I would blush to commit it for the filthiness thereof And surely the Mistresses of our vile affections are so ugly that we cannot kiss them if we did but view their deformity we should loath them And if we would observe the beauty of Virtue we would be ravished therewith for the waies of Wisdom are pure and pleasant The Conscience naturally suffers not to do otherwise than she suggests unto us and as naturally it doth loath a foul action although the carnal Will be fierce upon it as Hector said of Achilles in his violent passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O that my conscience would give me leave to do that I long for even to devour thy flesh chopt in pieces But I can get no leave from conscience to do so as my revenge would have me There is an unwillingness in the rational will to do the will of the Flesh she is more noble of her self than to serve base lusts which was born to serve the Queen of Reason She is free to do good as agreeable to the Spirit Rom. 7.22 23. I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man but I see another law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members SECT III. To register 3. To register or record the intrinsecal and extrinsecal actions of the whole Man 1 Cor. 4.4 St. Paul saith I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby justified The Brethren of Joseph were not conscious to themselves of the Money put into their sacks if they had done it they must have known it but Non est in conscientiâ nostrâ it is not in all our consciences we cannot find that we have done any such thing Gen. 43.21 if it were in our hearts we should find it We know not who hath put our Money in our sacks 1 Cor. 2.11 Eccles 7.21 From hence the Conscience is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Man knoweth the things of a Man save the Spirit of Man which is in him Thine own heart knoweth that thou thy self hast cursed others Here things are written with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond and with a beam of the Sun Ps 51.3 1 Kings 2.44 that he that runs may read them My sin is ever before me As Solomon said to Shimei Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to Coarguit conscientia ipsos sibi ipsis ostendit The conscience of wicked Men shews themselves to themselves A Court of Record is kept in their own breasts by God's own Vicegerent SECT IV. 4. To testifie for us or against us To testifie The Conscience is a thousand witnesses Their Consciences bearing witness This is our rejoycing Ro. 2.15 2 Cor. 1.12 Ro. 9.1 Jâ—b 16.19 Prov. 14.15 Jer. 59.12 even the testimony of our consciences I lye not my conscience also bearing me witness My witness is in Heaven and my witness is in my own heart And a faithful witness will not lye Our sins testifie against us and as for our iniquities we know them For the iniquity which he knoweth At one time or other the Conscience will speak the truth the whole truth 1 Sam. 3.13 and nothing but the truth SECT V. 5. To accuse or excuse for grief or comfort To accuse Thus the accusers of the Woman taken in adultery were convicted by their own consciences When they cast up their accompt they shall come with fear Joh. 8.8 and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face Wisd 4.20 But the Righteous Man shall stand in great boldness and when they shall see it they shall be troubled with terrible
fear and shall repent and groan for anguish of Spirit Wisd 5.1 c. and shall say We fools counted his life madness We have erred from the waies of God and wearied our selves in very vanity This is our rejoycing even the testimony of our conscience Their worm dieth not 2 Cor. 7.12 Mar. 9 44. Prov. 15.15 and their fire is not quenched A merry heart is a continual feast Whether a Man be rich or poor if he have a good heart towards the Lord he shall rejoyce at all times with a cheerful countenance Pii sunt filii consolationis The Godly are Sons of consolation they shall lift up their heads with joy and rejoycing when their redemption draws nigh The wicked shall hang their heads and their countenance shall fall As Cain did who was afraid that every one that met him should kill him If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted Gen. 4.7 but if thou dost not well sin lyeth at the door My sin is greater than can be forgiven They shall rise up at the noise of a bird at the shaking of a leaf every bush shall be a wild beast and be afraid of every shadow fear where no fear is and flie when none pursues This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter sting a bile a sore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwaies pricking O semper timidum scelus O wickedness alwaies fearful No rest in my bones by reason of my sin I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart Dens mandibulae saepe cessat conscientiae nunquam The teeth often cease grinding but the Conscience never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semper in poenâ est Alwaies griping and tearing Pleasure is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tac. Quorum si corda rescindantur possunt aspici laniatus ictus Whose hearts if they were ript open there might be seen deep wounds and gashes As was the case of Tiberius who when he diverted himself at the pleasures of Baiae from the business of the State having occasion to write to the Senate in his distracted condition said Quid scribam quid non scribam nescio He knew not what to write or not to write nothing would settle his conscience Secreto vulnere pallet secreto verbere flagellat Secret wounds make the countenance pale secret lashes torment A wounded Spirit who can bear nothing will serve the turn Ut alios lateas tute tibi conscius eris Though thou be hid from all the World yet thou shalt be conscious of thine own guilt Though thou build Cities as Cain or flee as far as waters float or Land extends it self yet still thou art as near to thy self as ever Hic murus aheneus esto Nil conscire sibi nullâ pallescere culpâ This is the only security a Man can have to have a good conscience in him void of offence towards God and towards Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath made the Conscience a just judg to every Man in his own breast Every Man that is guilty may fear himself he needs fear no body else Etsi caeteris silentium est tamen conscientia non silebit Though all others be silent of thy guilt yet the Conscience will speak Non facile est placidam pacatam degere vitam Qui violat factis communia foedera pacis It is not easie for him to lead a pleasing and quiet life that violates his Faith and Promises Etsi fallit enim Divum genus Humanumque Perpetuò tamen id fore clam diffidere debet If it were possible to deceive God and Man yet it cannot be expected but at last they would find it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that doth any remarkable wickedness cannot alwaies be hid Quicum in tenebris With whom wast thou in the dark and what didst thou do in private places They that live unjustly live fearfully and miserably Etsi latent fiduciam non habent Though they lye hid they can have no confidence Anne magis Siculi gemuerunt aera Juvenci Pers Et magis auratis pendens laquearibus ensis Purpureos subter cervices terruit Imus Imus praecipites quam si sibi dicat intùs Palleat infoelix Quod proxima nesciat uxor No torments or fears like those of a guilty conscience This made Orestes mad after he had slain his Mother because he had mudered his Father to whom when his Uncle Menelaus came and asked him the cause of his distemper he reply'd It was no disease of Body but the plague of his Mind Eurip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non mihi si linguae centum Omnia paenarum percurrere nomina possem If I had a hundred Tongues I could not express the several pangs of the Spirit 1 Mac. 6.12 Antiochus when sick remembred the evils which he did in Jerusalem Quia invenerunt me mala ista At other times of health plenty and prosperity there is no speaking to prophane wretches they are as the wild Ass that snuffeth up the wind and gallops from Mountain to Mountain that no Man can come near her but in her Month Men shall find her tame enough At other times they will stop their Ears at the voice of the Charmer though he charm unto them never so often never so wisely but in their distress they may be glad of comfort Saul said Fall upon me and slay me 1 Sam. 22.18 Quoniam terrent me orae vestimenti Sacerdotalis because the fringes of the Priestly Garments trouble me Meaning the fourscore and five Priests which he slew by the hand of Doeg This is to be smitten with madness blindness Deut. 28.28 and astonishment of heart Every bush a Bear every shadow a Ghost to quake at the sound of an Aspen leaf Rise at midnight and cry out with Orestes O Mother O Mother I pray thee do not fright me with thy bloody furies With new fancying he saw his Mother whom he had murdered staring upon him pallidumque visa Matris lampade respicit Neronem With Theodorick the Gothick King who seeing a Fishes head on his Table conceited it was the head of the Senator Symmachus whom he slew Peccatum semper ambulat cum Capite The sin and the Sinner never part Perfecto demum scelere magnitudo ejus intellecta est After the deed is done in a hurry Men have leisure to view the heinousness thereof in every circumstance in the looking-glass of their Consciences As the Brethren of Joseph did when they cried out We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us Gen. 42. and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us This Mirrour of the Mind to discern our faults is more necessary than that which discovers the spots of our Faces Non oris causa modo homines aequum fuit Sibi habere Speculum ubi os contemplent suum Sed quî
but would do even what they list Many Controversies trouble many as of Original Sin Free-Will Justification Real presence Merits Predestination Infallibility Supremacy Discipline c. But Faith Repentance Love Honesty Peace c. are easie practical things and perplex no body for who can except against a Holy Life None but profane Libertines and Atheists whom all abhorre will find fault with Godliness and Honesty It were good if Learned Men would leave their idle and curious Speculations and busie themselves in practical Sciences which make for the Glory of God and benefit of Mankind Magna est dementia in tantâ temporis brevitate supervacanea discere It is madness to spend a short life in learning unnecessary things Discito eam Scientiam cujus cognitio perseverabit in Coelis Learn that Knowledg which in Heaven we shall perfectly understand Socrates was famous above all the Philosophers of the World for reforming Philosophy from Speculation to practise There are but two things which are necessary in respect of God our selves and the World a good Conscience and a good Name Qu. What shall we do when we are not satisfied Answ I answer For practise conform to the Supreme Authority which determine as well as they can for the settlement of peace As for Judgment we are free and if we doubt we must be content to doubt and be quiet till we can be better resolved but to be fully resolved in all things cannot reasonably be expected A wise Man is of an universal Spirit and tries all things but is slavishly tied to no blind obedience The prime essential Reason of the Indisposition of the Conscience in Bad men is the sensual lust or carnal will whereby the Mind and Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 The secondary subordinate or popular courses consequential from and included in the Grand universal cause are these Ignorance 1. Ignorance not pure and invincible because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God is manifest in all Men For God hath shew'd it unto them but wilful and vincible so that they are left without excuse because they did know enough to convince them and might have known more from thence Ro. 1.19 but would not search nor gather consequences from the Principles that were in them Learning 2. Learning Invention of nice distinctions to call evil good and good evil Is 5.20 21. Wise in their own conceits setting up the Idol of abominations in their own hearts and the stumbling block of their wickedness before their own faces hiding iniquity under their tongues scorning to be taught and hating to be reformed Riches c. 3. Riches Honour Power willing to be flattered none daring to reprove them and they will not reprove themselves A Principle of pleasure Ede bibe lude Eat drink and be merry swimming in delights and forgetting all goodness Poverty 4. Poverty shame misery makes careless of the Laws of God or Men fancying themselves to be wronged because not forward as others and therefore refusing to serve such a Master as rewards them no better not considering that Poverty is no vice and that if they would look up to God they might be rich in Grace and highly recompenced for their patience under so great afflictions 5. Self-love We are too partial judges of our selves Self-love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 29.19 When he heareth the word of the curse he blesses himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst Is 28.15 18. We have made a Covenant with Death and with Hell are we at agreement when the overflowing scourge shall pass through it shall not come to us for we have made lyes our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves but your Covenant with death shall be disannulled and your agreement with Hell shall not stand when the overflowing scourge shall pass through then ye shall be troden down by it These things hast thou done and I kept silence Ps 50.21 thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Prov. 30.20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman she eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I have done no wickedness Is there not a lye in my right hand 6. Idleness Reflectio aegrè fit hinc oblivio peccatorum Idleness Hardly do Men reflect upon their actions past by thinking over their old thoughts and recollecting their former desires words and actions hence in time comes a forgetfulness of sins excepting such as are extraordinary loading us griping us and staring in our faces and cannot be put off by any diversions or avocations of business or pleasure in this World 7. Prejudice and want of Love to a Soul-searching ministery Prejudice as Ahab said to Elijah Art thou he that troubleth Israel And he answered 1 R. 18.17 I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Father's House And as Ahab said to Jehoshaphat concerning Micaiah He is a Prophet of the Lord 2 Chr. 18.7 but I hate him because he prophecieth not good unto me but evil As Amaziah said of Amos The Land is not able to bear all his words And again Amos 7.10 O thou Seer flee away into the Land of Judah and there eat bread and prophecy there but prophecy not again any more at Bethel for it is the King's Chappel and it is the King's Court. So Isaiah speaks of a rebellious People lying Children Children that will not hear the Law of the Lord Is 30.10 Which say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets Prophecy not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophecy deceits A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophecy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my People love to have it so Jer. 5.31 and what will ye do in the end thereof Ezechiel sets them forth thus They come unto thee as the People cometh and they sit before thee as my People and they hear thy words Ez. 33.31 32. but they will not do them For with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness And loe thou art unto them as a very lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an Instrument for they hear thy words but they do them not Because they have seduced my People saying Peace Ez. 13.10 and there was no peace and one built up a wall and loe others dawbed it with untempered mortar And it shall be as with the People so with the Priest Is 24.2 Hos 4.9 Je. 6.13 14. Like People like Priest From the Prophet unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly they have healed also the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly saying Peace Peace when there