wife or life so no more should hee wrong his brother in the same kinde he knew also by the Law of God that neither murther nor adultery were to be committed heere is the ground Now vpon this ground his heart smites him when Nathan comes to him his conscience telles him that he euen he had sinned in wronging his brother both in his life and his wife in committing murther against the one adultery with the other Thus did Iosephs brethrens conscience accuse them heere for doubtlesse they had learned that cruelty was not to be exercised against a naturall brother the word and nature had taught them this and therefore after they had wronged him their conscience accuse them Secondly vpon a bad ground the consciencc accuseth when an erroneous principle is laid as for a Masse-priest to bee accused and troubled in his minde for neglecting his Masse and Popish deuotions or a Lay-papist for perusing the Scriptures when as it is not against the word of God either to neglect the one or peruse the other Secondly for the consequents that doe follow the accusing of the conscience they are these First sorrow for the offence accused of whither it be omissiue or commissiue or for the punishment which the conscience telles the delinquent he is lyable vnto Secondly feare either to commit the like offence againe or to vndergoe the punishment due for that transgression Thirdly securitie arising either from the right appeasement of the conscience or from the peruerse stopping of the checkes of conscience Now for the direct answering of the question out of these premises this is that which I haue to say that alwaies an accusing conscience is not an euill conscience And this I can make good out of the premised distinctions That conscience that accuseth vpon a good ground and telles the offender hee hath directly transgressed the Law of God and withall produceth the best of these consequent effects before spoken off That conscience which stirreth vp feare to fall into the like sinne againe that worketh godly sorrow for the sinne committed that breedeth security in assurance of reconciliation that conscience though it accuseth yet cannot properly be termed euill but rather tender and full of remorse on the contrary if the conscience bee terrified vpon Popish grounds if after the accusing office of the conscience yea vpon a good ground also the partie sorrowes more for the punishment deserued then the sinne committed if hee feareth rather the falling of the punishment vpon his head then dashing himselfe againe vpon the rocke of the same or the like sinne And lastly if he groweth secure by stopping the mouth and neglecting the checkes of conscience these are true signes that the conscience is euill which accuseth but if otherwise the conscience may possibly accuse and yet not be euill nor vncleane This I thought good to answer it comming necessarily in our way I will deteine you no longer from the vses which which are For reproofe comfort terrour and duty The three former concerne some with some difference definitely the latter respects all without difference indefinitely Vse 1 First I say heere is a ground of reproofe vnto those who haue alwaies matter and nothing else but matter of accusation against themselues within themselues and yet they will stand vpon it that they haue good consciences one hath matter of accusation within him for his ryot another for lust another for vsury for bribery for oppression for other wrongs done to his neighbour another for bearing malice another for lying false witnesse bearing priuie slandering horrible cruelty shop-theeuery whose consciences can tell them that thus and thus they deceiued such and such so and so they haue deceiued others at such a time they committed such a villany in such a place such impiety heere they wrought filthinesse there vnrighteousnesse c. neither were they so much as euer mooued for this sinne they neuer relented for it neuer repented of it and yet I say they are of opinion and will not be beaten from it that they haue good and very good consciences when as alas how can it be this being true that an euill conscience is an accusing conscience and so on the other side an accusing conscience for the most part an euill conscience What doest thou man talke of a good conscience when it is alwaies like the troubled waters casting vp dirt and filthinesse in thine owne face when as it is continually ringing a peale of thine abhominations in thy eares thou a good conscience when thou swearest lyest cheatest playest the vnmercifull incontinent intemperate beast slanderest thy neighbour sittest and speakest against thine owne mothers sonne breakest Gods Sabbaths despisest Gods ordinances It goes against thy conscience as thou rudely professest to regard a Preacher or respect a professor or walke according to an holy profession thou a good conscience I say No no If indeede thy conscience smiting thee vpon good ground thou wert but drawne to heartie sorrow for thy offences to an holy feare not to commit them againe it were something then thou mightest be beleeued when thou boastest of thy selfe as free from an euill conscience but otherwise thou art to be reprooued for vaine-glorious bragging Obiect But I thanke God I am at quiet in my conscience Answ Art thou so and yet liuest in thy sinnes so much the more fearefull is thy condition no iudgement to a reprobate sense Oh to be past feeling this is most pittifull Sayest thou thou art at quiet nay thou deceiuest thy selfe thy conscience is seared neither is thy quiet from hence because thy conscience hath no crime to lay to thy charge but because thou wilt not heare thy conscience speake when it doth accuse thee It may be because thou wouldest make men beleeue thou art not guiltie of those euils which happily at some times thou art stung for within thy selfe therefore thou settest a good face vpon the matter as some that lye a dying say they feare not death when as indeede they feare nothing more Or put case thou sayest true as I said when thou affirmest thy minde is not crazed the more horror remaineth for thee against the time of thine awaking insomuch that as Dauid said he should be satisfied with the light of Gods countenance shining vpon him after his rising thou art like on the other side to be terrified with the goades of thine owne conscience speaking against thee at the time of thy rowsing vnlesse the Lord bee the more gracious vnto thee I conclude therefore it is a great folly most worthy of reproofe in thee to thinke thou hast not an euill conscience when thy conuersation is vncleane abounding with noysome euils as matter of iust accusation against thee Vse 2 Secondly heere is comfort to those that haue good consciences their happinesse is vnspeakeable their condition most peaceable for if so be an euill conscience bee alwaies of an accusing qualitie then their good conscience is alwaies of an excusing property
maine drift of giuing attendance vpon Gods ordinances and thy euill conscience will be as effectually cleansed from those euils that make it bee as by the legall cleansings in the ceremoniall law flesh was wont to be purged from leprosie pestilence or any such like filthy contagion 6. Remedie Lastly the study and practise of a godly life breedeth and bringeth a good conscience And this helpe the last clause in the first definition of a good conscience affordeth where is prooued that therefore a good conscience doth approoue of what we doe as good as well because wee haue an earnest studie and serious purpose of walking according to Gods will as because we know our persons pleasing to God through faith in Christ And Saint Peter makes it good in his first Epistle third chapter 15 and 16. verses where speaking of a good conscience he ioynes withall both a sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts that is a study and serious purpose to serue him and also a good conuersation in Christ to stop the mouthes of those that are ready to accuse vs as euill doers that is a practise of the workes of righteousnesse giuing vs to vnderstand that it is impossible to haue a good conscience except we lead purpose study to lead a godly life These are the rules I thought good to lay downe for thy furtherance in getting a good conscience If hauing vsed the same heretofore thou hast found it already or by Gods blessing shalt obtaine it afterward to the end thou mayest keepe it marke a word or two more and then I will bring thee out of this point wherin I haue held thee longer then I thought at the first How to keepe a good conscience And to this purpose I will lay downe one generall caution out of which I will draw the whole direction and that is it shall bee good for thee to take heed of offering any wrong or violence thereunto Simile If it be as wee commonly vse to say it is great pitty to inforce an entire friend to inconueniences against his will it is much more pitty to enforce a good conscience whereunto no earthly friend is comparable both in regard of the good that it doth vs in the time of prosperitie and the comfort it brings vs in the day of aduersitie Now the conscience is enforced or hath violence offered vnto it two waies either when we would haue it more large then it should be or more streight then it neede be First the conscience is made more large then it should be presuming or venturing further in the omission of some duty or in the giuing place to some infirmitie then there is warrant Vnto which presumption there are these fiue steppes or degrees Degree 1 First a secret wish that such a thing might be done 1. How the by-conscience is made too large Degrees to presumption which tend to make the conscience too large which wee know to bee vnlawfull that such a duty were not required which we know to bee strictly enioyned Degree 2 Secondly vpon this wish an expostulation with our selues whither it may bee no way lawfull to commit that vice to neglect that duty so making that now questionable which before we knew to be absolute euery way vnlawfull Degree 3 Thirdly a strong imagination vpon this question that it may be very gainefull and commodious if we doe take some liberty to our selues in this kinde Degree 4 The fourth degree is to propound vnto our selues the infirmities of the Saints for our patterne reasoning thus as good Christians as I am better men then I am haue done thus and thus haue neglected this and this and therefore I may be bold without any great danger c. Degree 5 And the fift is a carelesse conclusion that if it bee but once or twice done or seldome neglected it cannot bee hurtfull God is mercifull wee are in his fauour his loue cannot alter and I know not what And so by consequent from all this premises a presumptuous perpetrating of the offence By these degrees wee come to presume and to stretch conscience to the wounding of it beyond its bounds which is one kinde of enforcing of it Secondly the Conscience comes to bee streightened three manner of wayes 2. How the conscience is made too streight first by ignorance in the nature of the obligation and subiection of the conscience secondly by yeelding vnto doubtings thirdly by a kinde of temporary despaire either of Gods prouidence to releeue vs in our temporall wants and dangers or of his readinesse to accheere vs in our spirituall desertions That the first of these euils doth streighten the conscience it is plaine by this argument Whatsoeuer doth cause scrupulous distraction or distracting scruple doth bring the conscience into streights But ignorance in the nature of the binding and subiecting of the conscience doth cause scrupulous distraction Therefore such an ignorance streightens the conscience For when the Christian knows not throughly what things binde the conscience Wherein conscience is to be subiect how farre forth things binde nor how or in what cases with what conditions conscience is to submit must it not needes bring him into a world of distractions How can it otherwise bee Secondly that yeelding to doubtings doe straighten the conscience it is cleere because doubtings are enemies to the peace of the conscience which peace is the * Cordis delectatio est cordis dilatatio August consciences sweete enlargement Vnto this peace also despaire of Gods prouidence either ouer the outward man in the time of affliction or ouer the soule in the time of desertion is an aduersary therefore thirdly despaire must needs also distresse the conscience Well then wouldst thou keepe a good conscience as a continuall feast obserue in generall two rules Allow no larger bounds to thy conscience then with warrant thou maiest by vaine presumption Bring thy conscience into no more thraldome and bondage then thou needest To helpe thee in the first Subordinate helpes to the obseruing of the first generall rule that thou maiest not presume marke these particulars First doe not wish in thy heart any vnlawfull thing to bee lawfull that thou might'st the safelier commit it nor any necessary duty indifferent that thou mightst not be tyed vnto it Secondly if thou beest well informed of the vnlawfulnesse of any euill of the necessitie of any duty abiure the court of faculties in thy conscience enquire not after a dispensation for thy selfe in speciall expostulate not whither thou mayest or mayest not commit it or neglect it 3. Be not of conceite that neglect of any holy or necessary duty or the committing of any sinne can be gainefull and aduantageable to thy outward state For it is a silly gaine that is purchased with a wound to the spirit and a cracke to the conscience 4. Set not the infirmities of beleeuers before thine eyes for imitation but for caution not to embolden thee to
doe as they did but to make thee the more obseruant of thine owne waies least that thou shouldest doe as they did For euery fatte stands vpon its owne bottome and little peace wilt thou haue to imitate any mortall man in that which is offensiue to thy God 5. Conclude not that thou wilt but doe the deede once or twice or seldome For sinne is like a serpent if it gets but in the head it will get in the whole body and it is a clinging and encroaching guest whereof thou canst not be so soone rid as thou listest after thou hast giuen entertainment vnto it neither thinkest thou maiest be the bolder because thou art in Gods fauour which can neuer change nor alter thou art not so sure of heauen but that the deuill though he cannot robbe thee of it yet can make thee question it to the perplexing of thy soule Take heede I say that by these steps thou climbest not vp the ladder of presumption for then that there is no greater enemie to an holy and blamelesse life the maintaining of which holy life is the greatest preseruatiue to a good conscience that can be Secondly as thus by presuming thou must not stretch thy conscience Subordinate helpes to the second generall rule So to the end thou mayest not streighten conscience thou must doe three things First get a sound knowledge and right vnderstanding of the binding and subiection of the conscience to wit whereby and how it is bound wherein and how it is to be subiect Now for thy better information in this know that some things binde the conscience immediately or properly What binds the conscience immediately viz. Law Gospell some things mediately or improperly First immediately that doth binde the conscience which hath most absolute power and authoritie in it selfe ouer the conscience and thus the Law and Gospell bindes the conscience or the word of God comprehended in the bookes of the Old and New Testament First for the Law That is three-fold morall iudiciall ceremoniall 1. Law and that either as morall iudiciall ceremoniall The morall Law respecteth the duties of loue which wee owe to God and our neighbour comprised in the first and second table now to know how this binds conscience 1. How the morall Law bindes the conscience these two rules must bee obserued Rule 1 First That the second table must giue place to the first insomuch that if two duties come in opposition one to the other and the first table binds the conscience to the one Two rules to show how the morall law bindes the conscience the second to the other simply by it selfe that duty which is inioyned in the first must be performed rather then that which is prescribed in the second The rule amplified To amplifie it The second table binds me to performe all testimonies of loue to my neighbour the first to execute all offices of pietie towards God Such and such a testimony of loue to my neighbour may in some case not stand with my piety towards God in this case my conscience must submit it selfe rather to the pleasing of God then pleasing of man Albeit in some case we are to neglect some duties to God that wee may releeue the present necessitie of our brother which is warranted by that rule of Christ I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Rule 2 The second rule is this That the generall Law must giue way to the speciall Take an example or two Thou shalt doe no murther The rule examplified Thou shalt not steale are generall lawes Abraham take thy sonne thine onely sonne Isaac and offer him vp in sacrifice x Gen. 22.22 Euery woman shall borrow of her neighbour and of her that soiourneth in the house iewels of siluer and iewels of gold and yee shall spoile the Egyptians y Exod. 3 22. were speciall commandements Both of these euen generall and speciall doe binde the conscience In this case which must Abraham and the Israelites chiefely submit vnto To the speciall he must attempt to sacrifice his sonne notwithstanding this Thou shalt doe no murther They must rob the Egyptians of their iewels and treasures notwithstanding that precept Thou shalt not steale Why because the speciall had at that time more power ouer the consciences of Abraham and the Israelites then the generall 2. How the iudiciall law bindes the conscience From the morall to come to the Iudiciall law which was of vse to prescribe the Mosaicall forme of ciuill gouernment concerning the order offices of Magistrates and Magistracie iudgements punishments contracts difference of gouernment to the end that publike iustice might bee maintained peace continued and the contempt of Gods law reuenged This Law so farre bindeth the conscience now as it is euer duely grounded vpon the morall and where the same reason holdeth thus as it did in them and other nations by the light of nature practised in the same manner 3. How the ceremoniall law bindes conscience Thirdly the ceremoniall Law which treateth of rites and ceremonies enioyned in the Old Testament to be obserued about the outward worship of God is to bee reduced to three distinct times according to which times three rules may bee giuen to shew how farre forth conscience is subiect to that Rule 1 The first rule is this Before the death of Christ the ceremoniall law did binde the consciences of the Iewes and the Iewes onely not of the Gentiles For betwixt Iewes and Gentiles there was a wall of separation Rule 2 The second this From the death of Christ to the ouerthrow of the Iewish gouernment the ceremoniall law lost the force of binding and became an indifferent thing either to be vsed or not to be vsed Hence it was that Paul circumcised Timothy but would not circumcise Titus And the z Act. 15. councell at Ierusalem decreed that the Church should abstaine for a time from things strangled and from blood the cause of which decree was the weakenesse of some who of Iewes were made Christians As yet they did not fully vnderstand the libertie of the new Testament therfore for their weaknesse sake it was granted that they might vse some Iewish ceremonies for a time Rule 3 But thirdly after the euersion of the Iewish gouernment and the promulgation of the Gospell more largely and cleerely the ceremoniall law altogether ceased For from that time the libertie of Christians and freedome from Iewish ceremonies was so conspicuous that none of the godly could alleadge their ignorance heerein Wherefore very well say the Schooles * Leges ceremoniales iam sunt mortuae mortiferae Ceremoniall lawes are now dead and deadly Thus we see the nature of the lawes authority ouer the conscience 2. How the Gospell bindes Now we will see how the Gospell bindes the conscience For the better vnderstanding of which we must know that the Gospell doth not binde the consciences of those that are not
called but onely of them that are called That it doth not binde the vncalled it is plaine Because as they which sinne without the Law shall perish without the Law a Rom. 2.12 so they which sinne without the Gospell shall perish without the Gospell but they which perish without the Gospell are not bound by the Gospell therefore the vncalled are not bound by the Gospell Secondly that it bindes these that are called I meane separated from Pagans and Infidels it is manifest also by this reason All those that are called shall be iudged at the last day by the Gospell as is to be seene Rom. 2.16 Ioh. 3.15.18 But it is necessary that that same thing by which men shall be iudged after this life should binde their consciences in this life therefore the Gospell bindes the consciences of the called Quest But what doth it binde them vnto Answ To beleeue the promises of iustification saluation speciall prouidence and loue Obiect Yea but hypocrites are called into the Church and if they be bound to beleeue their saluation they are bound to beleeue that which is false for the promises of the Gospell concerning the fauour of God pardon of sinne c. belong not to them I answer Answ That they which are called into the Church are not absolutely bound to beleeue their owne saluation but on this condition according to the tenour of the couenant that they desire truly to be in the number of Christs true Disciples But to bee the true schollers and Disciples of Christ to learne of him to follow him hypocrites doe not seriously desire therefore their consciences are not absolutely bound to beleeue their owne saluation Thus thou vnderstandest how conscience is to be subiect to things that doe immediately binde it Now as touching the things that doe binde it mediately Things mediate to to oblige conscience that is not of themselues but by vertue of that obligatory power that they haue from the word of God they are foure first the lawes of man secondly oathes thirdly vowes fourthly promises Concerning the first how farre forth conscience is to submit to humane lawes thou shalt know if thou markest these foure rules following Concerning the first how humane lawes doe binde wee shall know Rules to vnderstand the subiection of conscience to Mans laws if wee ponder these foure Rules Lawes of men whither they bee Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall doe binde the conscience so farre forth as they are agreeable to Gods Law 2. As they conserue order or keepe from confusion and doe not take away Christian libertie 3. For if they haue these conditions they are obligatorie and binding by vertue of the fift commandement Honour thy father and particular precept giuen by Saint Paul Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power b Rom. 13.1 But if it so fall out that these lawes constituted by men be not about things indifferent but good in themselues that is to say commanded of God then they are not properly humane but diuine and therefore doe altogether binde the conscience Lastly if those lawes doe prescribe things that are euill they are so farre from hauing any power ouer the conscience that the conscience is most strictly bound not to obey them c Act 4.19 Conscientijs velle dominari est arcem coeli inuadere Wherefore we plainly affirme against the opinion of the Papists that neither Ciuill nor Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction hath any CONSTRAINING or compulsiue power immediately and directly ouer the conscience so that it was well said of Maximilian the Emperour to seeke to domineere ouer the conscience is impudently to inuade the tower of heauen And of * Cited by Alstedius in Theol. Cas c. 2 p. 10. Tria sunt homini impossibilia c. Psychotyranno plusquam Pharaonicam Phalaricam Stephanus King of Polonia Three things are impossible to man to make something of nothing to know things to come and to rule or Lord it ouer the conscience That same Psychotyranny therefore of the Papist which is most cruell most Pharonicall doe we detest and abhorre Rule 2 Secondly the POLITIKE lawes of man haue so farre an obligatory power in the conscience that the violating of them especially if it be ioyned either with the offence of their brethren or contempt of authoritie it is iustly to be accounted for a sinne against God though not immediately Rule 3 Thirdly the ECCLESIASTICALL lawes of men are either of things necessarie without which an order and decorum cannot be kept in the Church or else of things indifferent Those that are of things necessary doe binde by the force of that diuine law written by Paul Let all things be done decently and in good order d Cor. They that are of things meerely indifferent doe not binde so strictly except the neglect of the same occasioneth offence to the weake or be with contempt of Ecclesiasticall authoritie This for information about the mediate binding of conscience by humane lawes Secondly An oath bindes conscience How an oath binde conscience if it hath these foure conditions First if for the matter of it it be of things certaine and possible Secondly if for manner it be made or taken without guile sincerely and honestly Thirdly if for the end it be to Gods glory or the publike good Fourthly if for the author it bee taken by those who haue power so to binde themselues Therefore Herods oath did not binde his conscience because it did not tend to Gods glory and was of a thing beyond his commission with warrant to performe But if an oath hath I say those conditions it bindeth by the vertue of that commandement which Moses layes downe Numb 30.2 If a man sweare an oath to binde his soule with a bond he shall not breake his word he shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Now in the third place for the subiection of conscience to vowes 3. How vowes binde conscience We must vnderstand that vowes are of three sorts morall ceremoniall and free A morall vow is that promise of morall obedience to the law of God made in Baptisme renued in the Lords Supper And this bindes all Christians at all times A ceremoniall vow is a promise of ceremoniall obedience in the Old Testament such as was the vow of the Nazarites e Leu. 27. And this did onely binde those who made it A free vow is a promise of performing some outward thing vndertaken for the cause of exercising pietie as vowes of fasting or the like for furtherance in the exercise of prayer of repentance c. And this is of a binding power if there be in it first a congruitie with the word of God secondly no repugnancie with our calling thirdly if it be no spoyler of Christian libertie and finally be not made out of an opinion of any meriting thereby If I say it be thus qualified and limited it binds conscience by the power of that diuine