210. Now that God hath his great day for afflicting his owne people appeares by these texts Jsa 42.24 Jer. 10.25 and the reasons are First Because there he doth more especially love and therefore he will assuredly visit as occasion is justly offered for his so doing Amos 3.2 you only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities So Jer. 25.29 1 Pet 4.17 Secondly There God more especially hates As he loves their persons so he hates their sins yea by how much the more he loves their persons by so much the more we may in a qualified sence say that he hates their sins as being the only enemies of the eternal welfare of their soules and therefore though he corrects them in measure yet he will not suffer them to goe altogether unpunished Jer. 30.11 Thirdly God is very tender and jealous of his owne honour it being to him as the apple of his eye the richest jewell in his cabinet But the transgressions of his own people asperse him with dishonour Rom. 2.23 Through breaking the law they dishonor God yea their sins in some respect are greater then the sins of others being committed against greater light sweeter motions of the Spirit lowder cries of conscience richer means of grace more frequent purposes promises and vows of better obedience and God hath said that such as honour him he will honour and such as despise him shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 Fourthly God hath still at hand a whole world of executioners even all Creatures who are ready to run at his command Psa. 119.91 and therefore when the day of visiting his people comes he cannot want either accusers or executioners See Conants Parlament Sermon Fifthly There is some thing of Adams filth even in the purest which must be washed out with these waters of Marah Jsa 27.9 and afflictions puts them upon judging themselves that they be not judged by God 1 Cor. 11.30.31 Sixthly Affliction is sometimes intended for the prevention of sin Men are apt to offend in prosperity Iob. 1.5 Psa. 119.67 2. Cor. 12.7 Seventhly Troubles drive men to God as sickness lameness blindness c. brought many to Christ who otherwise had never sought after him Eighthly God by these trieth the spirits of men as he led Israel 40 years in the wildernesse to prove them Deut. 8.2 So Rom. 5.3.4 Prov. 24.10 Ninthly Graces are much exercised by afflictions Hence one said Qui nescitâ—are are discat navigare He that knows not how to pray let him go to Sea and as afflictions abound so grace where it is once wrought abounds Tenthly God intends to work glory to himself thereby For First He justifies the power of his grace thereby against the slanderous accusations of Satan who accuses our service to be mercenary as he did Jobs Job 1.6.8 9 10 11 but he found him the same upon the dunghill as when he was cloathed in scarlet Secondly Saints are added to the Church daily and so great honor brought to God by the examples of the patient sufferinâ— of Gods people Jam. 5.10 1 Pâ—t 2.20.21 When the people saw the constancy of Cipryan in his Martyâ—dome they cryed out Let us also with our holy pastor die Moriamur simul cum sancto Episcopo Jâ—stin Martyr testifies of himself that having been trayned up in the school of Plâ—to he was converted to Christianity by seeing the patience of the Christians in their Martyrdome Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesia the blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church Thirdly God shews then the glory of his power in drawing them out when they are sunke deep in sorrow He casts them into extremities that he might save them out of such doubtfull dangers As with the blind man John 9.3 and Lazarus whom he suffered to lie Four days dead Iohn 11.39 So Exod. 14 13. God also turneth the crosses of his people into Crowns and so their afflictions make for their further glory For First The readiest way to heaven is by weeping Cross. Christ who came from the noe could finde noe other way thither againe Luke 24.26 So Acts 14.22 Heb. 12.6.8 Luke 16.22 His fatherly Correction keeps off the severity of his judgements fits thee for mercy and so foâ— heaven too Secondly As they are a way to glory so they work a proportionable reward of glory Qâ—o plus tormenti tanto plus erit gloria .2 Cor. 4.17 Rom. 8.18 See Dr. 〈◊〉 Parlament Sermon So then thou mayst be assured if thou beest a son thy heavenly father will correct thee yet for thy comfort remember that First He never doth it till there be need 1. Pet. 16. Secondly In wisdom Heb. 12.9.10 Thirdly In measure Jsa 27.8 28.26 c. Jer. 46.28 1. Cor. 10.13 Fourthly In love and tenderness Prov. 3.12 Heb. 12.5.6 Rev. 3.19 Isa. 63.9.40.11 Psal. 103 13 14. Hos. 11 89. Fifthly for a moment only Psal. 30.5 103.9 125.3 Isa 10 25. 54.7.8 57.16 Jer. 10.12 Mich. 7.18 Sixthly To try thee what dross of corruption and what found mettal is in thee Deut. 8.2 Psal 66.10 Prov. 17.3.3 1 Pet. 1.6.7 Jam. 1.2 Seaventhly To purg out sin Jsa 25. and 27.9 Prov. 20.33 Psa 119.62 Eighthly To refine and make the virtues of Christ more stirring in thee Dan. 11.35 and 12.10 Zach. 13.9 1. Pet. 1.5.9 to refine and make the vertues of Christ more shining in this Dan. 11.35 and 12.10 Zach. 13.9 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Ninthly to stir up quicken and encrease all saving graces in thy soul John 15.2 Rom. 5.3.4 5. Isa. 26.9 Jaâ— 1.2 3. and amongst all the rest faith alwayes become most famous by afflictions as Heb. 11. Tenthly to make thee blessed Job 5.17 Jam. 1.12 and 5.11 Psal. 94.12 Eleventhly to save thee 1 Cor. 11. â—2 2 Cor. 4.17 Twelfthly he will ever be with thee in trouble Isa. 41.10 11. and 43.2 Psal. 91.15 Thirteenthly he will deliver thee Job 5.18 19. Psal. 34.17 18 19. and 50.15 and 91.15 Fourteenthly nay never was Goldsmith more curious to watch the very first season when his gold was throughly refined and fitted for use that he may take it out of the Furnace then our gracious God waits with an holy longing that he may have mercy upon thee and deliver thee Isa. 20.13 See Boltons Preparation to death p. 31. Fifteenthly by afflictions we are made conformable to our Head Christ. Sixteenthly we cannot bear proâ—perity It is as strong waters to a weak stomack It makes us forget God and the vanity of all earthly things and our selves and our own mortality and to forget others what respect is due to them Hence David confesseth Psal. 119.75 In very faithfulnesse thou hast corrected me Quest. What designe hath God in afflicting his children Answ. To teach them to know him and to trust in him and to know themselves It s a true â—aying of Luther Schola crucis est Schola lucis the House of Correction is
Spirit of grace Zach. 12.10 11. and godly sorrow works repentance c. 2 Cor. 7.10 The blood of Christ which was shed for the killing of sin makes them sensible of their sin with the aggravations of it being now not only against the Law of God but against the blood and love of the Son of God The contrary doctrine is very false and pernicious Quest. VVhether is the Law given as a Rule to believers under the Gospel Answ. Yea as may be proved by these Arguments First if sin be the transgression of the Law as the Apostle affirmes it to be 1 John 3.4 then a believer is bound to attend the Law as his rule that so he may not transgresse it as David did Psal. 119.11 For whosoever makes conscience of sin cannot but make conscience of observing the rule and they which lay aside the rule cannot make conscience of sin which is downright Atheism and Profanenesse Pâ—rquius a great Libertine in Calvins time makes this only to be sin viz. to see know or feel sin and that the great sin of man is to think that he doth sin and that the old man is put off by not seeing sin But these are liars 1 John 1.8 10. Secondly a true believer though he cannot keep the Law perfectly as his rule yet he loves it dearly and blames himself when he cannot keep it and cries out with the Apostle Rom. 7.12 The Law is holy and good though I am carnal He loves his Copy though he can but scribble after it Thirdly had believers been free from this directive power of the Law Paul would never have perswaded them to love upon this ground Because its the fulfilling of the Law Gal. 5.13 14. Ob. But the Law written in the heart and the spirit is the rule of life therefore not the written Law Answ. First the Law written in the heart is called a Law not in respect of perfect direction which is essential to the rule but in respect of â—ighty and effectual operation 〈◊〉 being a power in it as of a strong Law effectually and sweetly compelling â—o â—he obedience of the Law Secondly for the spirit he is indeed the principle of our obedience whereby we conform unto the rule but not the rule it self Only this is true 1. That the Spirit enclines the heart to the obedience of the rule 2. It illuminates the minde many times to see it by secret shinings of preventing as well as brings things to remembrance which we knew before 3. It acts them also sometimes as when we know not what to pray it prompts us Rom. 8.26 when we know not what to speak before our adversaties it gives it in to us Mâ—t. 10.19 when we know not whither or how to go it s a voice behinde us and leads us to the fountain of living waters Isa. 30.21 Rev. 7.17 But all these quickening acts proves it not to be a rule by which we ought to walk but only by meanes of which we come to walk and are enclined directed and enabled to walk according to the rule Fourthly the Spirit of God which endited the Scriptures and this Law is in the Scriptures and in the Law as well as in the Believers heart and therefore to forsake or reject the Scriptures or this written rule is to forsake and reject the spirit speaking in it as our rule nay it is to forsake that Spirit which is the Supream Judge according to which all private spirits nay all the actings dictates movinâ—s and speakings of Gods Spirit in us are to be tried examined and judged as Isa. 8.20 John 5.39 For which the men of Bereah were commended Actâ— 17.11 Ob. The diffâ—râ—nce between the Old and New Testament is this That of Moses was a Ministery from without but that of Christ from within and therefore the letter of the Scriptures is not a Law to a Christian but the Law written in their hearts c Answ. If this be the difference between the dispensation of the Old and New Testament Ministry then we may all burne our Bibles as uselesse and then its a marvel why the Apostles preached or why they wrote the Gospel for after-times that men miâ—ht believe c. as it is John 20.31 1 John 5.13 For either their writing and preaching was not an external Ministry which is contrary to sense or it was not Christs Ministry which is blasphemous whereas Christ in the Spirit leads us to Christ in the letter the Spirit within to the Word without by which we shall be judged at the last day John 12.48 and therefore certainly we are to be regulated by it now Ob. But the faithful receive an Unction of the Spirit which teacheth them all things Answ. This teaching is either immediate or mediate If immediate why doth St. John tell them that he writ to them that they might hereby know that they had eternal life 1 John 5 13. But if mediate to wit by the Word externally preached or writ then that external word is still to be our rule which the anointing of the Spirit helps us to know when therefore he saith 1 John 2.27 that being taught of the Spirit they need not that any man should teach them he speaks not of the immediate teaching of the Spirit but explains his meaning in the words following Ye need not that any man should teach you i. e. otherwise or after another manner of way then the Spirit taught them but as the anointing teacheth you all things and is truth For if Ministers are to preach in demonstration of the Spirit then they that hear them and are taught by them need no man to teach them otherwise then as the same spirit in the same demonstration teacheth them all things As therefore the Spirit leads us to the Word so the Word leads us to the Spirit but never to a spirit without or beyond the Word whereby the outward administration in the Word or letter should cease when the inward administration of Christ in the Spirit comes Ob. We are not to be led or guided by any outward commands in our obedience unto God because God is to work all our works for us and we are not to live but Christ is to live in us Answ. It s vain to think that we are not to look at any Promises because Christ is to accomplish all Promises for us If the question therefore be by what we are to live the Apostles answer is full Gal. 2 19 20. We are to live by the faith of the Son of God But if the question be According to what rule are we to live the answer is given by David Psal. 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy Precepts diligently c. So v. 17.77 If any demand what is the rule of faith by which we live Answ. The Gospel Phil. 3.16 But if you demand what is the rule of life it self Answ. The Moral Law and of this is the controversie Ob. But we are neither subject
fester and corrode more the conscience by feeling guilt runs into more guilt So Adam when he had sinned was afraid of God and ran to hide himself Now this reproaches the goodnesse and mercy of God that we should have such hard thoughts of him they oppose his grace and mercy which he intends to exalt in the pardon of sin Thirdly this troubled conscience discovers the pollution of it by the pronenesse and readiness in it to receive all the impressions and impulses of the Devil who endeavours to heighten the trouble So that whereas before he tempted the secure to presumption now he tempts the troubled conscience to despair representing God as so severe that he never pardons such transgressions c. Thus he wrought upon the troubled conscience of Cain and Judas Fourthly its polluted by that ignorance and incapacity in knowing what is our true Christian liberty purchased by Christ. Indeed the true doctrine of Christian liberty was one of the greatest mercies brought to the Church in the first reformation but the notion of Christian liberty may soon be abused to profaness And conscience smitten for sin is many times prone to stretch its obligations beyond the due line they judge such to be sins as are none they make duties where God hath not required This is a scrupulous conscience so called because as little stones in the shooe hinders our going so doth the scrupulous conscience much annoy our Christian walking and as when one Dog barks he sets all the Dogs in the Town a barking so one scruple begets another in infinitum which makes a man very unserviceable and his life very uncomfortable Again from the blindnesse of a troubled conscience cometh also the sad and great doubtings upon the heart whereby the soul is distracted and divided pulled this way and haled that way Rom. 14.14 c. Paul speaking at large about a doubting conscience shews that its a damnable thing to do any thing doubtingly whether it be a sin or not A doubting conscience is more then scrupulous for a man may go against a scrupulous conscience because the conscience is resolved for the main that a man may do such a thing lawfully only he hath some fears and jealousies moving him to the contrary But a doubting conscience is when arguments are not clear but a man stands as it were at the end of two wayes and knows not what to do Now if the conscience were well informed by Gods Word it would not be subject to such distracting doubts but through natural blindness it s often at a stand Lastly it becomes from a scrupulous doubting conscience a perplexed conscience so ensnared that what way so ever it takes he cannot but sinne As Paul thought himself bound to persecute the Christians if he did it it was plaine that he sinned if he did it not he thought he sinned Indeed rhe Casuists say non datur casus perplexus there cannot be any case wherein there is a necessity of sinning because a man is bound to remove the error upon his conscience yet the ignorance and blindnesse of man brings him often into that perplexed estate Fifthly there is a pronenesse in such a conscience to use all unlawful meanes and to apply false Remedies for the removal of this trouble Sixthly there is an open and direct opposition to what is the true evangelical way appointed by God for to give true peace and tranquility to such a conscience Quest. Is it not then a blessed thing to come well out of the pains of a troubled conscience Answ. Yea it is a most blessed and happy thing to come out of a troubled conscience in a good safe and soul-establishing way For when conscience is in trauel its apt to miscarry yea sometimes it s so far from having any joy or true fruit of holiness produced that a monster is borne instead of a man-childe Both Scripture and experience confirm this that many come out of these troubles with more obstinacy and wilfulness to sin again and so those hopefull workings end in a senselesse stupidity Pharaoh for a while and Belshazzar and Felix trembled Conscience gave some sharp stings but it came to no good Thus in many frequent troubles of conscience end in a plain dedolency and stupidity of conscience never to be troubled more Oh therefore pray and get thy friends pray that thy troubles may be sanctified and blessed to make a thorough change upon thee Quest. What is the difference between a troubled and regenerate conscience Ans. Conscience may be exceedingly troubled about sin and yet be in a state of original pollution and destitute of the Spirit of Christ As we see in Cain and Judas who had earthquakes in their consciences and more trouble then they could bear and yet had not regenerate consciences Indeed these troubles are sometimes introductory and preparatory to conversion But if we stay in these and think them enough we grossie deceive our souls When the Jews by Peters Sermon were pricked to the heart Act. 2.37 38. they cry out saying What shall we do Peter directs them to a further duty which is to repent therefore those fears and troubles were not enough for their conversion It s true a gracious regenerate conscience may have great initiatory troubles of conscience yet these troubles do not infer regeneration but are therefore brought upon thee that thou mayst be provoked to enquire after this new creature Quest. What may be the causes of the trouble of conscience which yet are short of true saving Motives Answ. First the Commission of some great and hainous sin against conscience This may work terror the very natural light of conscience in this case may fill the soul with terror So Act. 2.15 the consciences of the Heathen accused them Thus Nero after he had killed his mother was filled with terrors and our Richard the third when he had murthered his Nephews Secondly it may arise from some heavy and grievous judgement that befals them as we see in Josephs brethren Gen. 42.21 So in Belshazzer c. Thirdly God as a just Judge can send these hornets to sting their consciences Thus Cain being stung fell to building to quiet it This was threatned Deut. 29.65 67. This is the beginning even of hell it self in this life Heb. 10.27 31. Fourthly it often comes by the Spirit of God convincing and reproving by the Word especially the Law discovered in the exactnesse and condemning power of it Joh. 16.8 the Spirit convinceth the world of sin Now conviction belongs to the conscience principally and indeed it s the ordinary way of conversion when Gods Spirit by the Law convinceth and awakens the conscience making it restless the man finds nothing but sin no righteousness to be justified by the Law condemns Justice arraigns and he is overwhelmed Hence Rom. 8.15 the same spirit is the Spirit of bondage and of adoption called so from its different operations Fifthly they may arise by Gods permission from
come again and take us to himself Joh. 14.3 which is the utmost happinesse that a beleever can desire Quest. Who is the great Lord Keeper of the Saints Answ. Jesus Christ John 17.12 Quest. What is implied herein Answ. First It implies our insufficiency to keep our selves Secondly the precious esteem and account that God hath of them they are his treasure his Jewels Mal. 3.17 A peculiar people and his heart is upon them Thirdly it implies a more peculiar care of them then of all the world besides for they are said to be given to Christ out of the world that he may keep them Indeed God is a preserver of all Job 7.20 Psal. 36.6 but he hath a gracious presence with his children which is not from his infinitenesse and necessity but from his meere love 2 Chron. 16.9 Isaiah 31.5 Fourthly it implies the great safety of Gods people who have a fourfold cord that holds them that cannot be broken 1. Christs power which is omnipotent John 10.29.30 Their life is hid with Christ in God Collos. 3.2 and they have a Crown laid up in Heaven 2. His fidelity and immutability He is the Amen the Alpha and Omega the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 3. His love and compassion which quickens both power and fidelity and sets all on work when we were enemies he died for us Rom. 5.10 How much more being reconciled will he care for us which is far lesse then to die 4. His Wisdome All treasures of wisdome being hid in him Isaiah 9.6 He is called the Counsellour now all these must needs make the godly safe Fifthly it implies a strong tie and obligation upon Christ to keep them For they are given him as sheep to the Shepherd And he by one oblation hath at once for ever perfected the godly Heb. 10.14 Quest. What doth the phrase imply where Christ is said to be sent into the world Joh. 17.18 Ans. First That though the three Persons in the Trinity are equal in nature and dignity yet the Scripture represents to us an order in their operations to us ward especially in the work of our redemption so the Father is said to send Joh. 17.2 Gal. 4.4.1 Joh. 4.9 The Son is said to be sent to be the person that shall procure our redemption the holy Ghost is said to be sent by the Father and the Son for the application of those benefits which Christ purchased for us Joh. 14.16 and 16.7 Secondly This sending of Christ doth not relate to him as the second person for so he is not sent but begotten but as he is Mediatour as God and man and denotes his Incarnation with the discharge of all those duties which thereby he undertook Thirdly It signifies the authoritative mission and calling him to that work Heb. 5.5 and 7.21 Fourthly That the Father did not only call him to this wonderfull imployment but qualified and fitted him with all abilities for that work powering out his Spirit upon his humane nature without measure Psal. 45.7 Joh. 6.27 Col. 1.19 Fifthly That the Fountain from which our salvation doth arise is the meere good will and pleasure of the Father So that though our justification sanctification and glorification be attributed to the merits of Christ it s for his sake that we enjoy them yet the sending of Christ into the world and giving him to become our Mediatour is wholly from the absolute good pleasure of God Sixthly That he is under an Office and obligation of trust and faithfulnesse therefore he often calls it the command he had from the Father implying that if he did not accomplish all for which he was sent he should be guilty of unfaithfulness and disobedience Seventhly Yet we are not to think that this is done against Christs will as if his Father did compell him to this work No he professeth the contrary Psal. 40.8 Eighthly We may consider of a two fold Office that Christ was sent to which yet cannot be well distinguished because one is contained in the other 1. There is the Office of a Mediatour whereby he was sent to save his people from their sinnes which is the sending most spoken of in Scripture 2. There is a sending as a Prophet to teach and guide his Church So Joh. 17.18 and he doth not teach only externally but internally by giving a seeing eye and understanding heart Quest. What necessity was there of Christ to be thus sent Answ. First Had not the Father thus sent Christ into the world there had been no difference between the damned Angels and fallen man Secondly Herein the grace mercy and goodness of God appears in that it was his only begotten Son that he sent the greatest gift that he could give Thirdly Christ mission is the original and root of all the Churches mission that is As the Father hath sent me so I send you Joh. 20.21 For Christ being sent is thereby made the head of his Church as Church power is seated in him as the original and therefore all the missions of Church Officers now is reduced to this as the Fountain of all therefore they are called the Ministers of Christ the Ambassadors of Christ they administer all in his name and every thing is done by his authority Matth. 28.18 c. Fourthly Take notice of the compleatness and perfection of this mission Heb. 1.1 that since Christs mission we are not now to expect any other extraordinary missions Christ came as the fulness of all Fifthly Consider the seasonableness of the time wherein he was sent Gal. 4.4 called the fulness of time when the Church of the Jews was become like a wildernesse when all the former Prophets were forgotten when there was an universal blackness upon the Church then Christ came Sixthly Consider the manner of his sending viz. in a humble low and contemptible way in the eyes of the world so that none tooke him to be the Messias Quest. What are we to consider about Christs Priestly Office Answ. First That it did consist in offering up himself a Sacrifice every Priest was to expiate sin by sacrifices now because God would have burnt offerrings no longer neither could the blood of Rams c. purge away sin therefore Christ came to make an attonement so that now we have reconciliation with God upon a two fold ground 1. His mercy 2. His justice Is his mercy to send Christ into the World yet that Christ must satisfie by his death it s his justice Secondly Herein Christs Priestly Office exceeded those under the Law they being only Typicall did outwardly cleanse but Christs blood cleanseth us from sin and purifieth our persons and consciences Thirdly This Priestly Office of Christ is not only in the oblation of his body but also in his prayers for us For so did the Priests under the Law and Christs prayers for us are of two sorts 1. Whilst he was on earth he prayed for us Joh. 17. 2. Now he is in heaven he
s all one whether we be defiled with our own or others filthinesse Fourthly God hath ordained humane society to better us and help us out of sin not to pollute and strengthen one another in sin Fifthly the harder this duty is by reason of the deluge of sin and the scorns that are cast upon it if we walk alone and crosse the times by so much the more acceptable it is to God as we see in Noah Lot c. Sixthly the want of conscience in this duty sets and continues all things out of frame in all estates as when the Magistrate punishes not Ministers reprove not Masters and Parents restraine not and so make themselves guilty of most sins of their inferiours Dr. Tho. Tailor Quest. How else may we communicate in other mens sins Answ. According to Mr. Baines on Ephes. it may be done eight wayes 1. By provoking to sin as such as stirre up lust anger pride c. in others These are worse sinners then they which commit it as the devil tempting our first parents was deeper in the sin and judgement then they Ring-leaders in sin shall be ring-leaders in judgement 2. By commanding sin For he that commands it is the chief offender Thus David murdered Uriah 3. By counselling As Jonadab to Ammon 2 Sam. 13.5 4. By consenting as Ahab in the murther of Naboth 1 King 21.19 So Hosea 5.11 5. By carelesseness to prevent sinne We must not say as Cain Who made me my brothers Keeper but we must watch over exhort reprove c. For when Achan sinned all Israel is said to sinne Jos. 7.1 and the whole body of them was punished 6. By not suppressing sin Thus Eli sinned 1 Sam. 3.13 7. By applauding sinne so Rom. 1.32 This strengthens the armes of the wicked 8. By not testifying against it Lev. 5.1 Quest. Are not all men guilty some way or other of the sinnes of the times Answ. Yea truly we all receive some taint and soile from the times we live in either our zeal is weakened or we do not grieve so much for the sins of the times as we should This made the Corinthians guilty of the sin of the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.2 Quest. Whether is it lawfull for a man to rejoyce at another mans sinne Answ We may never rejoyce at sinne as it is sin but as God turnes it to an occasion of good so we may rejoyce as when a proud man by falling into some shameful sinne is thereby brought to repentance and humbled or when by the occasion of some soule impiety a good Law is made against it which otherwise would not have been made Phil. 1.15 16 17 18. Ames Cas. Consci CHAP. XXXVIII Questions and Cases of Conscience about the choice and use of Company Quest. WHat rule are we to observe in the choice of our company Answ. Never cast thy self into wicked company nor press amongst the profane especially upon choice voluntarily and delightfully And abide no longer with them at any time upon any occasion then thou hast a sound warrant and calling thereto Fo its uncomly and incompatible with a good conscience It s not for the honour or comfort of Gods children to keep company or familiarly to converse with graceless men Object But may we not make use of such company Answ. That we may the better understand it we must distinguish of our companying with them For 1. There is a common cold and more general society in trading buying selling saluting eating and drinking together and in other passages of humanity and entercouse of civill society to which charity nature necessity or the exigents of our callings general or particular do warrantably lead us This may nay must be 1 Cor. 5.10 2. Speciall dear intimate society in consultations and counsels about matters of special secrecie greatest weight and highest consequence In spiritual refreshments Religious conferences prayer marriage c. In a free communication of their souls their spirituall estate c. Now Gods children are bound by the Law of God and prudence from conversing with delight and from the exchange and exercise of those speciall passages of dearest acquaintance with profane men and enemies of God Quest. What reasons may be rendred for this Answ. First by such society he incurs a double hazard 1. Of being infected with sin Can a man touch pitch and not be defiled or go upon coals and not be burnt Pro. 6.27 28. Indeed there is a strange attractive and impious power in ill company to poison and pervert even the best dispositions For 1. By familiar correspondence with such there steals upon a man a secret and insensible dislike of his former sober courses as having thereby too much abridged himself of his liberty 2. There slily insinuates into his heart a pleasing approbation of and assent to the sensuall courses of his lewd companions 3. There follows a resolved and habitual change of his affections and conversation into the manners of those which he so familiarly converses with 4. He grows out of conceit with good men and good exercises because he daily hears them railed on jested at and slandered and so by degrees is himself transformed into a scoffing Ishmael and a breathing Devil Quest. But I hope we may keep company with such as are civil Answ. Christians which have any fear of God in their hearts will shun the society of such grosly profane persons knowing that their souls are a thousand times more capable of the contagion of sin then their bodies of an infectious disease and therefore their danger is greater by conversing with meerly civill men whose society they unadvisedly entertain for kindred old acquaintance advantage or such carnall respects and thereby cool in their zeale loose their comfort feelings of Gods favour joyful springings of heart boldness in the ways of God cheerfulness in the exercises of Religion and that comfortable fruition of other Christian prerogatives which many other of their brethren doe and themselves by the benefit of Religious companions and delightfull conversing with the Saints might plentifully enjoy 2. A Christian is every hour which he is in their company without a warrantable calling and just dispensation out of the Word of God in great danger of being involved within the flames of the just confusions and inwrapt within the compass of those outward curses and plagues which Gods indignation inflicts upon wicked men All profane men being unreconciled to God are every moment liable to all those miseries and fearfull judgements which either man or Devill any of Gods creatures or his own immediate hand can bring upon them they are only respired by Gods mercy and deferred to those opportunities and seasons which seem fittest to his holy wisdom Now when at any time they light upon them if any of Gods Children be unwarrantably in their company and with delight its righteous with God that he receive his portion amongst them at that time 2 Chron. 20.37 Be ye not therefore companions
manifold is the witnesâ— of Conscience Answ. Twofold Either to accuse or to excuse Rom. 2.15 To accuse for evill to excuse by freeing from evill unjustly laid to ones charge the Jews Conscience accused Joh. 8.9 St. Pauls's excused Act. 23.1 Hence follows trouble or peace to a mans soul as Matth. 27.4 Rom. 5.1 Quest. What is a good Conscience Answ. That Conscience is said to be good when it obeyeth such light and direction as it doth think and take to be true and sound light and direction Act. 23.1 Quest. How many things concurre to make up a good Conscience Answ. First the matter whereupon it worketh which is a conformity in the whole man to the whole will of God Gods will made known to man is mans rule whereunto all his thoughts words and actions ought to be conformed Secondly The proper act of it where this matter is to be found the Conscience will beare witness and give a true testimonie thereunto Thirdly The Consequence following thereupon which is peace and quietness to the soul. Such a good Conscience was perfect in mans innocency but by his fall it was clean lost and became an evill conscience For Gen. 6.5 Quest. How doth an evill Conscience faile in the proper works thereof Answ. Sometimes in defect Sometimes in an excess 1. In the defect when it suffers a man to run into all evill and doth neither check nor trouble him for the same Called a seared conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 2. In the excess when it doth so out of measure trouble him as it takes away all hope of pardon and hinders sound and true repentance yea and makes his life a burden to himself So Judas's Matth. 27.3 4 5. Hence Isai. 57.20 21. Quest. What must concurre to the renovation of Conscience and making it good Answ. First Faith in Lord Jesus Christ whereby the Conscience is purged and purified from the naturall defilement which it had Heb. 9.14 Hence we are exhorted Heb. 10.22 to draw near with a pure heart c. Secondly A sanctified work of the Spirit whereby the heart is alienated from sin and made watchfull against it and withall it is put on to conform it self to the holy will of God whch conformity being true and entire without hypocrisie moveth the Conscience to bear witness thereunto Rom. 9.1 2 Cor. 1.12 This is stiled a pure Conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 2 Tim. 1.3 and a Conscience void of offence Act. 24.16 Quest. What then since mans fall is counted a good Conscience Answ. First That which giveth a true testimony of a mans Faith in Christ for the pardon of his sins and reconciliation with God Heb. 10.22 Secondly Which bears witness to his conformity in the whole man to the holy will of God in all manner of duties to God and man Act. 24.16 particularly and specially in those duties which belong to his particular calling whereof he is to give an especiall account Matt. 25.21 Thirdly That which worketh peace and quiet in the soul Rom. 5.1 2 Cor. 1.12 Dr. Gouge on Heb. Quest. What other definitions may be given of Conscience Answ. Conscience is the judgment of a man concerning himself and his own wayes in reference and subordination to the judgement of God Dr. Ames Or It s the souls recoiling on its self Ward Dike Or It s the souls acting and reflecting on it self and on all a mans own actions Quest. How many sorts of good consciences are there Answ. A good troubled conscience Bona turbata Secondly A good quiet Conscience Bona pacata Quest. VVhat goodnesse must concurre to a right good Conscience Answ. First a goodness of sincerity Secondly a goodness of security It must be honeste bona pacate bona Quest. What then is a truly good Conscience Answ. A good Conscience is that which is rightly purified and rightly pacified by the Word Blood and Spirit of Christ regularly performing all the Offices unto which it is designed Quest. What must it be purified from Answ. First Ignorance A Conscience void of knowledge is void of goodness the blindy Conscience is alwayes an ill Conscience Tit. 1.15 Secondly From error the Erroneous Conscience is ever a desperate and dangerous Conscience Look what Swine are to a Garden a wilde Boare to a Vine-yard young Foxes to grapes c. Such is an erroneous Conscience to Churches Doctrines Truths Graces and duties It overturns all It engaged Herod under an Opinion of piety to destroy John to save his wicked Oath Mat. 14.9 Others make void Gods commands to make good their own vows Jer. 44.16 It made Paul to persecute the Church Act. 26.9 others to compass Sea and Land to make Proselites Matth. 23.15 Thirdly From naturall deadness or hardness Heb. 9.14 A dead Conscience is not for a living God Quest. How must conscience be purified Answ. First The word of Christ is the great heart-searcher and Conscience-purifier Heb. 4.12 Joh. 15.3 17.17 This removes ignorance Psal. 119.105 130. It rectifies Error being a voice behind us Isa. â—0 21 ends all controversies Isa. 8.26 Resolves all doubts Luke 10.26 Removes deadness and hardness Jer. 23.29 It s an Hammer to soften It s immortall seed c. 1 Pet. 1.23 Hence Psal. 119.25 50 93. Secondly The bloud of Christ further purifies it Heb. 9.14 and 10.22 1 Joh. 1.7 Thirdly The Spirit of Christ together with the Word and blood of Christ purifies it Joh. 6.63 Heb. 9.14 the Spirit heals those diseases before mentioned 1. Ignorance being the Spirit of illumination Ephes. 1.17 2. Errour being the Spirit of truth Joh. 14.17 3. Deadness being the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 Its Refiners fire c. Mal. 3.2 Hence Isa. 4.4 Quest. What must Conscience be pacified from Answ. First It must be at peace from the dominion of sin there is a peace when sin and Satan are strongly armed and keep the house Luke 11. â—1 But this is the peace of a sleepy not of an awakened Conscience woe to them Luke 6.25 Amos. 6.1 3. Conscientia pacate optima may be vitiose pessima In tali pace amaritudo mea amarissima Ber. there is no peace to the wicked Isa. 57. ult 2 Pet. 2.3 Secondly From the rage of Satan this is the happy peace promised to Believers Matth. 16.18 the summe of that promise Rom. 16.20 the God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Thirdly From the displeasure of God when we can say Rom. 5.1 being justified by Faith we have peace with God This is the best part of our peace such as the world cannot give John 14.27 So Phil. 4.7 This guards the soule from all fears and assaults of the Law Sin Guilt Death Hell and Satan Quest. What must Conscience be pacified by Answ. First By the Word of Christ its pacified and restored to peace hence the Gospel is called the Word of Peace c. Acts 10.36 Rom. 10.15 2 Cor. 5.18 Isa. 57.19 and 52.7 Secondly By the blood of Christ. This is the procuring cause of
day of judgement as was said before Fifthly it s known by the integrity and constancy of it It labours to approve it self both to God and man in all things at all times It respects the whole Law and every precept due order and proportion being observed in the weight and excellency of every duty It joynes piety and holinesse with righteousness and honesty and faith with good works Psal. 119.6 Heb. 13.18 It s the same in all places and companies Mr. Downams Guide to Godliness Quest. How hath original sin polluted every mans conscience Answ. First by bringing a veil of ignorance upon it whereby it horribly mis-judgeth calling good evil and evil good c. Thus the consciences of Heathens miserably enthralled them to the service of idols as if they could damne or save them Thus some Hereticks have thought that they served God by doing most abominable and unnatural things The Gnosticks taught that fornication and uncleannesse were often to be committed so as to avoid all conception and if a child do follow they did follow they draw it from the womb beat it in a mortar seasoned it with honey and pepper and so did eat it saying that in this manner they did celebrate the great Passeover The Carpâ—crâ—cians affirmed that every one was bound to commit sin and that the souls were put into the bodies till they should fulfill the measure of their iniquities applying that in the Parable to this purpose Thou shalt not go out till thou hast paid the last farthing The Montanists made a sacrifice of the blood of an Infant of a year old whom with needles in a most cruel manner they prickt to death They said also that it was as great sin to pull a leaf from a tree as to kill a man The Donatists would throw themselves from mountains and drown themselves in rivers to make themselves Martyrs Here was also a voluntary contracted blindnesse upon their consciences and a judicial inflicted on them by God yet had there not been a natural blindnesse in their consciences they could never have been improved to such an height of impiety Secondly its polluted not only by the blindness but by the stupidity and senselesness that is upon it so that though one sin be committed after another though lusts as so many thieves come to steal their souls away yet this sleepy dog gives not one bark Such mens sinnes come from them as excrements from dying persons without apprehension of them their consciences are feared as with an hot iron Quest. How is this blindness and stupidity of conscience discovered Answ. By the actings of it in not performing those offices for which God hath put it into the soulâ— as 1. One maine work of conscience is to apply in particular what we reade in the Scriptures as generally spoken when it reads the threats and curses of the Law denounced against such sins as thou art guilty of then saith conscience This belongs to me Hence God gives the commands by particular application Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal c. that conscience may say this command belongs to me But if we read over the Scriptures a thousand times and hear so many Sermons if conscience doth not apply all becomes ineffectual Object How then can men commit those sins which they know to be sins which conscience tells them to be sinnes seeing we cannot will evill as it is evill Answ. First it ariseth from the defect of conscience it not making particularly such a powerful application pro hic nuns as it should do There is a general and habitual knowledge of such things to be sinnes yea it may be a particular apprehension that they are now sinning and offending God but it s onely a speculative apprehension it s not a practical one produced by conscience in them Secondly herein the corruption of conscience is seen in that though it doth apply yet it is so weakly and coldly that it loseth the activity and predominancy over the affections and will of a man so that he cares not for such checks and reproofs Rom. 1.18 such detain the truth in unrighteousnesse they keep conscience a prisoner that would gladly do its duty Thirdly or if it do apply yet it s seldom not daily and constantly The Cock crew once or twice before Peter remembred himself Conscience may apply sometimes yet may the noise of lusts drown the voice of it Thus the consciences even of natural men in some fits when they are in expectation of some great and eminent judgements may work strongly for the present as of Pharaoh Ahab and Foelix But this is a flash only Fourthly as conscience naturally doth not its duty in applying so neither in witnessing and bearing testimony to our actions which yet is one great end why conscience is put into man Hence it s said to be a thousand witnesses yea and its a thousand tormentors too But alas it s so defiled that in many things if not in all it fails and gives at least no true witnesse at all as appears in that if men can conceal their sins from others they matter not at all what witnesse conscience and God can bear against them Fifthly the pollution of conscience will further appear by the actings of it in accusing and excusing Rom. 2.15 As for its duty of accusing it s almost wholly silenâ— and men run into all excess of riot embrace all wickednesse their consciences scarce smiting at all for it Divines say that its an exceeding great mercy of God that he hath left a conscience in man for if that had not some actings there would be no humane societies Conscience being a cuâ—b to them but when it s so corrupted that it cannot do its office what hope then remaines for such as we see in the example of Josephs brethren Gen. 37.25 And as for the other act of excusing conscience is turned into a Camelion to be like every object it stands by It excuses and flatters men in all they do and makes them say God I thank thee I am not like other men c. Luk. 18.11 whereas if conscience were well inlightned by Gods Word it would instead of excusing accuse and condemn Sixthly conscience is further polluted in the actings of it for when application witnessing and accusing will not do it should smite and terrifie It should fall from words to blows Act. 2.37 they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be pricked in their hearts as if a dagger had been stabbed in them So it was with Foelix Cain Judas c. Now conscience naturally is greatly polluted herein For either it doth not at all give any blows or if it do it s with slavish and tormenting thoughts which makes the sinner runne from Christ and indisposeth him for mercy and comfort Seventhly there should a tribunal be erected in every mans heart wherein conscience should sit as Judge and this court of conscience should be daily kept So Psal.
4.4 we are commanded to commune with our own hearts To search and try our ways To judge our selves that we be not judged 1 Cor. 11.31 This the very Heathen commended Nosce teipsum and tecum habita and complain of the neglect of it In se nemo tentat descendere and it s frequently commanded in Scripture as an introduction to conversion and as a constant duty of the converted to prevent Apostacy But who is there that keeps this Court daily in himself who examines himself to say what have I done who calls his thoughts words and actions to this Bar and gives judgement against them Now this judgement of conscience is seen about a twofold object 1. Our actions which are to be judged whether they are agreeable to the Word of God or no For whatsoever we undertake and are not perswaded of in conscience as lawful is a sin Rom. 14.23 2. Our persons and the frame and constitution of our souls and herein conscience is more unable to do its work then in the former For actions at lest many of them are condemned by the light of nature but when we come to search and judge our heart much heavenly skill and prudence is required If hypocrites did thus judge themselves they would not bless themselves in their good condition as they do God hath placed it in man as an Umpire to judge matters impartially between God and thy own soul But conscience being naturally polluted is not able to discharge this office Hence it is that this Court ceaseth conscience doth not keep any Assize at all Eightly it s defiled in that its afraid of light and is not willing to come to the word to be convinced but desires to be in darknesse that so a man may sinne the more quietly Jon. 3.19 20. Hence John 16.7 It s the work of Gods Spirit to convince the world of sin But the natural conscience cannot abide this and therefore it hates a searching Ministry as Ahab did Michaiah Ninthly it s defiled in that its subject to many disguises It appears under so many visors that its hard to know when its conscience or when it s something else that is far enough from conscience yet by reason of this guile men flatter themselves with the name of conscience when indeed it is corruption in him A devil in Samuels mantle Quest. How may a counterfeit conscience be discovered Answ. First when it is not conscience but a sinful lust that puts thee upon many things This is a sad delusion thus to have conscience and so God himself abused Thus Saul when he had sacrificed pretended conscience and that all was to serve God Absolon when he hatched rebellion pretended a vow and so he must out of conscience perform it Judas when he repined at the ointment pretended charity and conscience when it was lust and covetousnesse Secondly when its fancy and imagination which perswades thee and not conscience Thus fancy hath a great influence upon many In melancholly persons especially its hard to discern when it s their fancy and when its conscience that works in them trouble for their sins Thirdly custome education and prepossessed principles sometimes work upon man as if they were conscience Thus many are affected in religious things not out of conscience but custome they have been used to such things brought up in such a way of serving God and therefore they would have such wayes and customes still But that it s not conscience but custom will easily appear in that they will change according to outward advantages when Shechem would be circumcised it was not out of conscience but for Dina's sake When Jeroboam erected an Altar it was not for conscience but out of carnal policy Fourthly if it be conscience that puts us upon duties and those commanded yet hardly are they done for conscience sake The same duties may be done out of conscience to God by some and from corrupt sinful motives by others Thus Rom. 13.5 Paul presseth obedience not only for feare but for conscience If it were from fear only it were sinful Hence Peter speaks of a conscience of God 1 Pet. 2.19 A conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 which is not to be understood subjectively as if God had a conscience but objectively for a conscience that respects the will and authority of God Many frequent Ordinances not out of conscience to God but in regard of the Laws of men or some such other respect Whereas Colos. 3.17 18. all should be done heartily as to God c. Fifthly natural conscience is greatly polluted by original sin in regard of the limited and partial conviction or illumination that it is apt to receive Conscience will receive some light and be convinced in some smaller things but the weightier things its apt to neglect So the Pharisees Luk. 11.42 Sixthly its polluted in that it s very severe in censuring other mens sins but blinde about its own In this its like the eye which can see all other things but it self Mat. 7.3 This Christ chargeth upon the Pharisees bidding them first to pull out the beam out of their own eye c. So Rom. 2.1 Judah was very severe against Thamar till he saw the staff and the bracelets Such have the eyes of the Lamiae that they take up when they go abroad and lay aside when they come home Seventhly it s defiled because of the ease and security it hath whereas if it were awaken it would give the sinner no rest day nor night The rich man bad his soul take its ease he found no gripes of conscience Eighthly it s grosly defiled both because it hath lost its subordination to God and his word the true rule of conscience and also its superiority over the will and affections Towards God it keepts not its subordination but naturally falls into two extreams either taking other rules then the Scripture as we see the Papists do or else rejecting the word wholly as a rule as the Antinomians do who say that a man is perfect when he can sin and his conscience never smite him fâ—r it And as for the affections and will conscience cannot now rule and command them Quest. How is conscience defiled when troubled and awakened Answ. First when though it trouble and accuse yet it doth it preposterously not seasonably and opportunely It should put forth its effectual operation before sin is committed to prevent it but it seldome doth it till the sin be committed when God is dishonoured and when guilt is contracted and then also it acteth not so much under God to bring about true peace by repentance and faith as the Devils instrument to bring to despair and so from one sin to fall into a greater as we see in Judas Secondly it discovers its pollutions by slavish and tormenting fears which do accompany it So that whereas the proper work of conscience is by Scripture-light to direct to Christ for healing now on the contrary these wounds do
Covetousnesse encreaseth as riches encrease 4. Inordinate Passions either prevent Reason or are stirred up by a corrupt judgement and therefore neither observe time nor place but upon every occasion would be leaping into action importuning execution yea somtimes many greedy passions crowd in altogether every one being more earnest then other to be satisfied so that to content them all is impossible to content none is intolerable to prosecute one and abandon the rest is to carry so many hungry vipers continually gnawing upon our soules 5. There are none that follow the streams of their Passions but expect and believe at last to get full rest and content to their appetites which yet in the event is altogether impossible for they keep neither sense order nor measure 6. Inordinate passion it self is an extream tortute and vexation God having so ordained that they which will give way to them should feel the burden of them Thus anger envie pride c. more disquiet them that entertain them then they can hurt any other man Rashnesse Inconstancy Craftinesse are the companions of inordinate Passions The resolutions and determinations of the passionate are unripe and inconsiderate they are also inconstant changing from those purposes that they had prudently resolved upon in the calme of their Passions and yet Passions breed craft enforcing the minde to finde out new wayes and meanes for performance of what is affected Inordinate passions are hurtful to the body impaire health breed humours nourish diseases and shorten life Secondly the second sort of Reasons to shew that Affections should be rightly ordered are taken from the consideration of the profit and benefit of well-guided affections For 1. They rather serve as instruments of vertue then foment vice and as an occasion of victory then a cause of foil Christ in whom were no inordinate affections had his soul heavy even unto death Mat. 26.38 2. The Scriptures exhort us to love fear joy c. therefore it were blasphemous to say that these Passions are absolutely evil 3. If the motions of our Wills be vertuous being guided by Gods Word and Prudence if then the Passions concurre with the Will vertuous actions are performed with much more ease and delight Quest. How may we know to what Passions our soules are most enclined Answ. By our company that we most delight in Like affecteth like meetings and manners for the most part sympathize together By our thoughts and words If we desire to be praised or insinuate our own praise it s a signe we are proud c. For the Minde thinks and the tongue will speak according to the Passions of the heart Get a discreet friend to admonish us of our Passions when we erre from the paths of vertue for self-love blinds us and others may see that by us which we cannot see by our selves God somtimes suffers our enemies to discover and upbraid us with our Passions whilest they pry into our actions more narrowlie then we our selves doe Long experience conduceth much to discover our inclinations of Minde as well as the temperature of our bodies Quest. By what degrees are the affections wrought on Answ. By nine degrees In the five first a carnal man may have his affections wrought on and in the last foure of them he cannot As When they are so far wrought on that the heart is enticed and allured much by them So the eloquent Ministers at Corinth wrought on the Affections of the Hearers that they flockt after them Paul durst not so preach 1 Cor. 2.4 When the Affections are so wrought on that the heart is somewhat touched therewith Thus God turned the Affections of the Israelites to Saul 1 Sam. 10.26 As a Needle touched with a Loadstone turnes it self to the North So a wicked mans Affections may be touched by the Word When Affections are so wrought on that the heart is somewhat bowed thereby So David bowed the hearts of the men of Judah as of one man 2 Sam. 19.14 When they are so wrought on that the heart is stollen away by them Thus Absalom stole away the hearts of all Israel 2 Sam. 15.6 When they are so far wrought on that the heart is enflamed by them Thus Cities of Refuge were appointed lest the Avenger of blood pursue the Slayer whilest his heart was hot i. e. whilest he was in a Passion Deut. 19.6 So Saul had a great zeal to Gods Church 2 Sam. 21.2 Jehu was zealous for God 2 Kings 10.16 When they are so far wrought on that the heart is quite overturned from what it was before So Lam. 1.20 Behold Oh Lord for I am in distresse my bowels are troubled my heart is turned within me c. viz. with grief for their sins When they are so far wrought on that the heart is engaged for God As a woman engageth her heart to him whom she will make her husband Jer. 30.21 VVho is he that engageth his heart to approach unto me When they are so far wrought on that the heart is glued to a thing by them So was Davids Psalme 119.31 I have stuck unto thy Testimonies When they are so far wrought on that the heart is quite given up to the thing that it affects Thus Solomon gave his heart to seek wisdome Eccl. 1.13 No wicked man can have his affections thus wrought on yet his affections may be raised a good way towards Christ. For 1. By the sparks of right Reason naturally implanted by God in the heart he may so regulate his affections that he may be chaste sober kinde liberal just patient c. and to observe the things contained in the Law 2. Their knowledge by the Word may raise up their affections exceedingly Knowledge may awe the heart with feare that it go not against its own knowledge Herod feared Mark 6.20 and did many things 3. God may quicken their knowledge and conscience and tell them the horrour of their sins which may raise up their affections many steps higher to mourn and be sorry for their sins As in Ahab 1 Kings 21.27 He rent his clothes fasted and went softly 4. They may have a deep sense and horrour for their estate they may be afraid to be damned and of Gods judgements which may make them weep and sigh and groan So Mal. 2.13 They covered the Altar of God with tears with weeping and crying out and yet were hypocrites 5. Self-love may winde up their affections yet higher For when a man knows that he cannot be saved unlesse he doth thus and thus Oh how affectionate may he be to do it that he may be saved For 1. He may be loth to commit sin He may wish affectionately to leave it He may use some means to leave it As Darius did to have deliveted Daniel from the Lions Den Dan. 6.14 and Pilate to deliver Christ. 2. He may vomit up his dear sins and be sorry that other men should commit them So Micha confessed the silver that he had stolne and
his wisdome and displeasing to his Majesty Quest. VVhat Arguments may be brought against womens painting their faces Answ. It is not only evil in regard of the abuse but utterly unlawful and abominable in its own nature and in the general practice of it as offending not only against the Law of God but the very light of nature such as have no spark of grace branding it with a note of reproach wheresoever they discover it Yea even those that practise it do condemn it in their own consciences and are ashamed to be taken with the fact But that all Christians may abhorre it Let them consider 1. That God is not the Author of this beauty but the devil himself who brings the works of God into disgrace not only by counterfeiting them but by labouring to excel them Saint Cyprian thinks that when wicked Angels professing love to lewd women that they might destroy them abused their bodies to filthinesse as a reward of their wickednesse they taught them this Art of painting whence he inferreth Haec non sunt membra quae Deus fecit sed quae Diabolus infecit These painted parts are not of Gods making but of the Devils corrupting Now what impiety is it to Professors of Christianity being formed by God to seek to be reformed and bettered by the Devil Hence Tertullian saith The Devil hath certainly devised this Art that he might oppose himselfe against God For that is Gods work which is natural and that the Devils which is counterfeited And what hellish wickednesse saith he is it to adde to Gods work the Devils Art c. Secondly as it hath an evil Author so it is in it self evil as springing from sinful roots and bringing forth abundance of cursed fruits 1. The root from which it springs is sometimes Pride which moves them when they cannot match others in natural beauty to use these Artificial helps that they may excel them in that which is counterfeit Somtimes it springs from lust and inward uncleannesse which moves them to use these inveigling Arts that by seeming more beautiful then they are they may ensnare the affections of those thar look upon them 2. The cursed fruits which it produceth are either against God others or themselves 1. Against God they offend by presuming to adulterate his works and by taking upon them to mend that which as they suppose he hath made amisse Hence St. Cyprian God made man according to his own Image and dare any presume to change that which God hath made In so doing they offer wrong to God when they strive to reform and transform that which he hath formed For that which is natural is the Work of God but the alteration of it is the work of the Devil c. 2. They offend against men by deceiving and abusing them making them to admire a painted Statue in stead of Gods work Again they much more sin against them whilest by these devilish Arts and counterfeit beauty they enflame their hearts with filthy and unlawful lusts Hence St. Jerome calls it the fire of youth the fuel of lust and the signe which shews where an unchaste heart dwells 3. They most of all sin against themselves yea against both their bodies and soules For it shews that they are ashamed of themselves in their native colour and therefore being displeased therewith like Players they come disguised in the likenesse of other persons and for want of a better they act their parts in the habit of an harlot Now what is this but unnaturally to deny themselves what is it but to make themselves counterfeit idols that unto them lust may offer the sacrifice of uncleannesse what is it but to expose themselves to the scorne and laughter of those who seeing their counterfeit beauty shall afterwards happen to see them in their own complexion and natural foulnesse Again whilest they labour to attain to this counterfeit beauty they lose that true complexion which they have by nature For with their medicines and minerals which they use for this purpose they make their colour pale they wrinkle their faces yea oft-times poison their skin and make dim their eye-sight and so over-greedily seeking false beauty they finde true deformity and make themselves lothsome indeed that they may appear beautiful in shew 4. They sin against their good name whilest following the practice of Harlots they deservedly get the reputation of being Harlots For this outward painting of these earthly houses makes men think that they are to be let and by hanging out this signe of Lust they invite Customers seeming to offer their honesty to sale at easie rates whereas Christians should not only avoid sin but the very appearance thereof And concerning such St. Ambrose passeth this sentence Having adulterated their faces they will soon after think of adulterating their chastity and defiling their bodies 5. They disgrace their Profession of Religion whilest professing themselves the members of Christ they behave themselves like the limbs of Satan The best beauty of a Christian woman is modesty and shamefastnesse and the best ornament is simplicity and humility but how farre are they from simplicity and truth who lie and dissemble even when they say nothing speaking falshood and dissimulation with their very faces to as many as look upon them unlesse they think that only verbal untruth is forbidden and actual falshood permitted Or that it is a greater fault to dissemble in speeches then to deceive in deeds and actions Ob. For our selves we take no great pleasure in it but we must do it to please our husbands that we may gain their love and keep them from lusting after strange women Answ. But you ought not by pleasing men to displease God therefore if it could be imagined that any man is so void of understanding as that he would have his wife whom he desires to keep honest to use the qualities and practice of an Harlot yet she ought not to content him by burdening her soul with a known sin Neither can it be imagined that women hereby can wind themselves into their husbands love or preserve him from unlawful lusts For if neither the feaâ—e of Gods judgements threatning the Lawes of men and the danger of falling hereby into innumerable evils will deter him from following such base courses nor the love of God and his sweet Promises will allure him to the performance of his duty how can it be imagined that he will be drawn by a painted vizard to embrace this Conjugal love or be preserved from strange lusts with a counterfeit beauty Yea rather such wives make themselves loathsom to their Husbands whilest these artificial supplies puts them in minde of their natural defect and this counterfeit beauty of that â—eal deformity which it hideth If then you would have your husbands love you observe rather a sober gravity then affect a counterfeit beauty and deck your mindes with ornaments of vertue as with meeknesse humility chastity c. which being
to God such love him no better fear him no more leave not sin not amend their wayes 2. It makes men jealous of themselves and fearful least they should miscarry They are assured they shall stand yet take heed lest they fall that they shall be saved yet woâ—k it out with fear and trembling Psal. 2.11 Phil. 2.12 But presumption makes men fool-hardy and unsuspitious that they shall either fail or fall 3. Assurance humbles the heart in sight and sense of Gods great goodness and of its own unworthiness The higher a soul is lifted up by assurance the lower it is in its own eye magnifying God and debasing it self It compassionates and pities others and prayes for them but presumption makes men proud and well-conceited of their own worth and despisers of others So Luk. 18.11 I am not as other men c. 4. Assuâ—ance grows by degrees to a plerophory it comes not all at once But presumption is at its full strength at first 5. Assurance bears up the heart from sinking under greatest afflictions as it supported Christ in the height of his Passion Matth. 27.46 so it did Davids at Ziglag 1 Sam. 20.6 But presumption suffers the heart to faint at such times and it becomes like Nabals 1 Sam. 25.37 when carnal hopes fail the heart fails and such soon fall into despaire 6. Assurance joyns means and end together and makes us as careful to use means as confidently to expect the end of our faith the salvation of our souls As to wait upon God in all his Ordinances to walk universally in all his ways c. But presumption divides between the end and the means and feeds a man with vain hopes as 1. That he may go to heaven though he live in sin 2. That he may come to heaven though he use no means c. 7. Assurance fears not nor flies trial but desires it for discovery whether it be found or no but presumption shuns examination and cannot endure to be tried Like counterfeit coine that cannot endure the touch-stone or false wares that decline the light Fourthly they differ in the adversaries to them For Assurance is much assaulted by Satans tentations by natural unbelief doubts fears It s disturbed and weakened by sin especially if it be indulged and by the neglect of holy duties yea of lukewarmness in them But presumption is troubled with none of these Mr. Reyers Precepts Quest. By what further arguments may it be proved that this assurance may be attained Answ. First Because God bids us make it sure 2 Pet. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.5 therefore it may be done Secondly If a man may know that he believes then he may be assured of his salvation but a man may know that 1 Joh. 2.3 Thirdly If a man may know that he is sanctified then he may be assured that he shall be saved for those are inseparable Rom. 8.30 therefore Fourthly If we may have peace towards God yea that peace that passeth all understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory in believing as Rom. 15.13 then we may be assured of our salvation Fifthly If we have entrance with confidence into Gods presence Ephes. 3.12 then we may be assured Obj. But its pride and presumption Answ. Yea if we look for salvation by any thing in our selves but we are assured of it only for Gods free mercy and Christs merits besides God requires it of us and its pride to disobey God Obj. No mans name is in the Scripture Answ. But there is better for there is the beleevers nature and properties Obj. But the promises are set down generally or indefinitely not particularly to me Answ. We may by a true and sound reasoning make it good to our selves Thus we do from the general propositions of the Law infer particular conclusions For how know you that you have deserved Gods wrath and damnation But because the Scripture curses all the transgressors of the Law Deut. 27.26 but I have broken the Law saith my conscience therefore you conclude that you are under the curse so may we do from the Gospel Who so believes in Christ shall be saved but I believe in Christ therefore I shall be saved The weary lost and laden shall have mercy but so am I therefore I shall have mercy Obj. But we are bidden to work out our salvation with fear and trembling Answ. Not with a slavish fear For we must serve God without fear all our dayes Luke 1.74 but with a godly fear of offending which stands well with Assurance Mr. Rogers on Faith CHAP. XV. Questions and Cases of Conscience about Astrology and Seekers to Astrologers Quest. WHo are Astrologers Answ. Such as gaze on the Heavens to reade the fates and fortunes as they terme them of men and States persons and people in them and to foretel from thence what good or evil shall befal them Such were of old held in high esteem with the Babylonians Dan. 1. â—0 and 2.2 and 4.7 and 5.7 11 15. Also with other Nations Dan. 2.10 and with the ungodly Jewes Isa. 47.13 14 15. with whom they did consult about their weiâ—hty affaires because they took upon them to foretel things to come They are called Star-gazers and monethly Prognosticators Isa. 47.13 They are joyned with Magicians Sorcerers Chaldeans Dan. 2.2 10. Soothsayers Dan. 4.7 Wisemen Dan. 5.15 Quest. How may it be proved that this kinde of Divination is unlawfull Answ. First that which the Word of God condemnes as a grand offence is not to be practised countenanced or tolerated But divining by the stars is condemned by Gods Word as Deut. 18.10 11. There shall not be found amongst you any one that useth Divination or an Observer of times or an Enchanter or a Witch or a Charmer or a Consulter with familiar spirits or a Wizard or a Necromancer for all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord. And the looking after them is expressed by going a whoring after them Lev. 20.6 So Isa 2.6 Thou hast forsaken thy pâ—ople the house of Jacob because they are replenished from the East and are Soothsayers like the Philistines And Isa. 47.13 14. Thou art wearied in thy counsâ—ls Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the monethly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from those things that shall come upon thee Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burn them God forbids his people to learn these Arts Jer. 10.2 Thus saith the Lord Learne not the way of the Heathâ—n and be not dismayed at them They are called liars Isa. 44.25 That frustrateth the tokens of the Lyars and makes the Diviners madd Such are reckoned up with other Diabolical Arts as being of the same kinde Dan. 2.2 and Acts 19.18 19 20. Many which used curious Arts such as this is brought their books and burned them before all men and counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver c. and this is ascribed to the power of the Gospel v. 20.
of coelestial bodies It remains then that these Maximes are grounded upon Diabolical authority In brief since they are not grounded upon reason either they are forged by men or delivered by revelation and if that revelation comes not from God it must needs come from the devil Dr. du Moulin of Contentment CHAP. XVI Questions and Cases of Conscience about Atheists and Atheisme Quest. HHow many sorts of Atheists be there Answ. Two First when a man saith or at least thinks that there is no God at all or denies the Attributes of God Psal. 14.1 2 King 6.33 7. 2. Mal. 2.17 3.14 Secondly When a man ownes and adores a false God instead of the true God Ephes. 2.12 Quest. How doth a man come to the first kind of Atheisme Answ. First By two steps or degrees 1. When he imagins that God doth not see or not regard him Psal. 10.11 Zeph. 1.12 Secondly when he conceits that God is not so severe and rigorous in punishing sinne as the Scriptures set him forth to be Psalme 50.21 22. Eccles. 8.11 Quest. How many wayes doth a man set up a false instead of a true God Answ. First when a man worships that that is not God in the roome of the true God as the Heathen did who worshipped the Sun Moon and Stars c. for their gods Act. 19.27 35. Secondly when a man sets some other thing besides the true God to be his chiefest good as the voluptuous man doth his pleasures the covetous his wealth c. Phil. 3.19 Col. 3.5 Job 31.24 Quest. How are men made Atheists Answ. First by giving way to sin For sin draws towards Atheisme by wiping out all the notions of a Deity as much as it can And when we have sinned we must either get out by repentance or else we will be willing to turne Atheists by denying that there is either heaven or Hell and believing that when we die there is a final end of us as there is of the bruit beasts Secondly Satan doth all that he can to make men Atheists because when there is no fear of God before mens eyes they will commit all manner of sinnes that the Devil would have them Psal. 14.1 2. when they say there is no God it folâ—ows they are corrupt they have donâ— abominable works The Devil indeed cannot be a â—at Atheist for he believes and trembles yet he bears a good will to Atheism because he knows that that sin doth much advantage his Kingdom He knows that it is the master-vein in our original lust and therefore he tempts much to it and indeed would prevail to make us Atheists but that God hath so wrought in us an impression of a Deity being the main Pillar of the Law of Nature that we cannot possibâ—y nor all the Devils in Hell assisting with their forces utterly extinguish this Law out of our hearts Hence we finde that our deepest Atheists in the world when they are in extremity and put to it with some sudden affrightment do use to cry O God O Lord and therefore this corruption and temptation is with the more ease opposed and answered For a man hath on his side the works of Nature the Law of Nature the stirrings and terrours of his Conscience fearing and trembling at wrath to come but when all is done that which must and oneâ—y will hold us up against the tentation when we are strongly assaulted by Satan is to sly to the Word of God The Word saith that there is a God and therefore I will believe that there is a God But when we are free from tentation other considerations taken from the nature and various acts of Gods providence may stop the mouth of our lusts which would not have God in all our thoughts but when we are set upon by some fierce tentation the safest way is 1. Not to enter into disputes with our own reason for the understanding of man is too weak to reach the comprehension of a Deity He that muses much about the nature and infinite being of God shall but let in Satan the more the best counsel than for a poor Christian is in any hand not to study this point not to dispute this Argument lest at length he say in his heart I cannot conceive what God is and therefore I doubt whether there be such a being or no. 2. Cleave to the Word and say Though my reason cannot tell what to make of it though lust in me say that there is no God at all though Satan say there is no God and most men live as if there were no God yet because I finde it in the Word and the Scripture saith it I must and do and will believe it Doubts indeed which have any ground must be disputed and answered but Atheism is the denial of the first principle of all Religion and therefore the best way is to begin and end with the Word and to know that such a principle as is the essence and existence of a God ought not to be so much as questioned and therefore put off such thoughts as oft as they come as not fit or worthy thy consideration and thou shalt finde by often rejecting of them thy conscience will be better settled and confirmed than by going about by reason to answer them Capel on Tentations Quest. In whom are these Atheistical thoughts that there is no God Answ. These wicked thoughts are not onely in some notorious sinners but in the corrupt minde of every son of Adam naturally Psal. 10.4 and 14.1 where Davids fool is not some special sinner but every impenitent sinner how civil so ever his life be though his tongue be ashamed to utter it yet his corrupt nature is prone to think it that there is no God So Paul insinuates Rom. 3.9 c. Object But it 's ingraffed into every mans heart by nature that there is a God Answ. These two thoughts that there is a God and that there is no God may be and are both in one and the same heart The same man that by the light of nature thinks there is a God may by that corruption and darkness of minde that came by Adams fall think that there is no God as heat and cold may be in the same body in remiss degrees Quest. How doth a man by thinking deny God in his heart Answ. First by turning the true God into an idol of a mans brain Secondly by placing something that is not God in the room of the true God Every man naturally without further light from Gods Word turns the true God into an idol Hence Gal. 2.8 Eph. 2.12 Psal. 96.5 1 Cor. 10.20 Quest. How doth a mans mind turn the true God into an idol Answ. By three notorious thoughts which are the root of many damnable sinnes as 1. By thinking that God is not every where present whereby God is robbed of his omni-presence For God being infinite is in all places and when mans heart denies this it turns
were sound and perfect the seller is bound in conscience either to void the bargain or give just satisfaction 2. It must be considered whether the buyer before the bargain concluded hath desired the seller to discover the faults and out of a reliance upon his fidelity and warrant hath made up the match or whether in confidence of his own skill he made up the bargain without moving any question If the former a double bond lies upon the seller to deal faithfully that so the buyer may either cease or if he shall see that notwithstanding that defect it may serve his turn he may proportion the price accordingly But if the buyer do peremptorily rely upon his own judgement hoping to make a gaine by his bargain because the seller out of conscience of the imperfection sets it as he ought at the lower rate and thereupon makes up the match and will stand to all hazards I see no reason why the seller may not receive his full price But if it be dangerous to the buyer as if the horse be subject to perillous starting or stumbling or if the land be liable to a litigious claime c. the seller is bound in conscience at least after the bargain to reveale it that the buyer may provide to prevent the mischief as much as may be But if the seller shall use art to cover the defects of his commodity or shall mixe faulty wares with sound that they may passe undiscovered he is more faulty then his wares and makes an ill bargain for his soul. Quest. What general rules are to be observed in buying and selling Answ. First that it 's not lawful for a Christian Chapman to thrive by fraud Secondly that he may not sell upon other tearmes then he would wish to buy Thirdly that his profit must be regulated by his conscience not his conscience by his profit Fourthly that he is bound to prevent the buyers wrong or if heedlesly done to satisfie it Fifthly that he ought to affect rather to be honest then rich Sixthly that being a member of a community both civil and Christian he ought to be tender of another mans indemnity no lesse then of his own Quest. Whether may a man sell his Commodities the dearer for giving dayes of payment Answ. For answer hereunto we must remember that there are according to the Casuists three strages of prices 1. The highest which they call Rigorous 2. The mean 3. The lowest If these keep within due bounds though the highest be hard yet it is not unjust and if the lowest be favourable yet it is not always necessary If rhen you proportion but a just price to the time and worth of your bargain so that the present shall passe at the easiest price Some short time for the mean and the longer delay for the highest I see not wherein you do offend Quest. What reason may be rendred to prove this lawful Answ. It is not meere time which is here set to sâ—le which were odious in any Christian to bargain for but there are two other considerations which render it lawful 1. The hazard of money agreed upon which often comes short in the payment whilest inferiour Chapmen into whose hands the commodity is scattered proveâ— bankrupts so as much losse hereby comes many times to the confident seller whence is that proverb A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush 2. The cessation of that gain which the Merchant might have made of his money in the mean time which probably might have been greater then the proportion of the raised price can amount to Quest. What if the seller be occasioned to call for his money being driven to it by some emergent necessity or drawn by the opportunity of a more gainful bargain before the time wherein it is due Answ. He ought then to make an abatement proportionable to that time prevented and that by reason of the inconvenience or losse which the buyer sustaines who may hereby be put upon straits and inconveniences in getting in the money before the time appointed But what quantity is to be allowed on the one part or defalked on the other is only to be moderated by Christian Charity and that universal rule of doing what we would be willing to suffer Quest. Whether and how far doth a fraudulent bargain bind men in conscience to performance Answ. Is the fraud actively yours done by you to another or passively put by another upon you If the former you must repent and make satisfaction either by annuling the match or making amends for the injury If the latter wherein did the fraud lie If in the main substance of the thing sold the bargain is void both by the Law of nature and of conscience As if a man hath sold copper for gold-lace or alchymie for silver the reason given by the Casuists is because there is no bargain without consent but here is no consent at all whilest both parties pitch not upon the same subject The buyer propounds to himself gold c. the seller obtrudes copper c. the one therefore not buying what the other pretended to sell here is no bargain but a meer act of cousenage liable to punishment both by the Laws of God and man But if the fraud were onely in some circumstances as in some faulty condition of the thing sold not before discerned or in the overprizing the commodity bought the old rule is Cavearemptor You must hold to your bargain But if the fault be so great that it mars the commodity the seller being conscious to the fault is bound to make satisfaction In the matters of contract we must distinguish betwixt a willing deceit and an unvoluntary wrong If a man shall sell a horse which he knows to have a secret and incurable disease to another for a sound one and that other believing the sellers protestation shall upon the same price put him off to me I am injured but whither shall I go for amends Not to the immediate seller for he deceived me not nor to the deceiver for he dealt not with me In this case though the Law will not help me yet the first seller is bound in conscience to give me by his hands that sold me this injurious bargaine due satisfaction There may be no lesse fraud in buying also whether in unjust payment in false coine or in buying by weights or measures above allowance or by wrong valuation of the substance and quality of the commodity not known by the seller As for example A simple countrey man findes a quantity of Ambergreece cast upon the shore and not knowing it greaseth his shoes c. with it A crafty Merchant that knows the worth of it buys it for a small matter and makes a great gain by it The bargain is fraudulent and requires a just recompence to the ignorant seller into whose hands providence had cast so rich a booty Quest. Whether may a man lawfully buy those goods which he knows
or strongly suspects to be stollen Or if he hath ignorantly bought such goods whether may he lawfully after the knowledge of the owner keepe them Answ. To buy such goods as you know or have just cause to suspect that they are stollen makes you accessary to the theft For if there were no receivers there would be no thieves But if making use of Saint Pauls rule concerning meats you extend your liberty to whatsoever is sold in the market and shall in the exercise of that freedom upon a just and valuable consideration ignorantly buy those goods which you afterwards hear and know to be anothers your contract is faultlesse since your invincible want of knowledge acquits you from any guilt of consent yet withal you are bound to acquaint the true owner with the matter and to proffer your selves ready to joyne with him in the prosecution of the Law upon the offender and upon an equal satisfaction to tender him his own B. Halls Cas. of Conscience Quest. What are the general rules that Christians should observe in all their dealings with others Answ. That we carry and behave our selves simply and uprightly honestly and with a good conscience as in the sight of God who sees not only our outward actions but the inwards thoughts of our hearts and therefore they should do as Paul Heb. 13.18 We trust that we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly and on the the contrary in all our contracts we must shun all guile and deceit and all double dealing tending to the undermining and circumventing our neighbours as Paul exhorts 1 Thes. 4.6 Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother c. and David tells us Psal. 5.6 that God abhors the deceitful man Quest. What particular rules are to be observed Answ. First in all our dealings we must observe truth in all our words and not only speak it from our lips but from our hearts hating and avoiding all subtil equivocations and mental reservations tending to deceive those with whom we deal Zac. 8.16 Secondly we must use fidelity in all our promises performing them though it be to our own hindrance unlesse he to whom we make them do release us Psal. 15.2 4. Thirdly justice in all our actions giving every man his due and dealing with others as we would have them deal with us Fourthly charity and compassion in remitting our right in whole or in part when the bargain proves hard and to the hindrance of our poor neighbour who is not able to bear it Fifthly patience and contentednesse when we sustain damage or be otherwise crossed or overreached in any of our contracts either purposely by those with whom we deal or by some casualty which could not be foreseen Quest. What evils are to be avoided in our dealings with others Answ. First lying and equivocation which is as bad Prov. 21.6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity c. Prou. 13.11 wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished c. yea though a man could get the whole world by it what would it profit him seeing thereby he loses his soule Rev. 22.15 and 21.8 Secondly all perfideousnesse and breach of promise though it tend to our great advantage seeing God will never blesse goods gotten by such meanes Or if we should thrive by it our worldly gaine will never recompence our spiritual losse Prov. 10.2 Treasures of wickednesse profit nothing c. Thirdly uncharitablenesse raising our gain out of our neighbours losse whereas as fellow members we should labour to thrive together Fourthly we must not through impatience fret and murmur when we meet with crosses and losses in our contracts but be content sometimes to lose as well as to gain For which end we must not look so much to inferiour means which oft are exceeding faulty but fix our eyes upon the wise providence of our good God who governs all things even such as seeme most contingent to his own glory and the spiritual and eternal good of them that love and fear him Quest. What duties are required of us in buying and selling Answ. These were mentioned before yet I shall runne them over with some additions 1. The seller must be the truly and lawful owner of the things which he sells or his deputy appointed by him and that the buyer do not for his private gaine buy any thing from any whom he thinks not to have any right to sell it therefore they offend which buy stollen goods if they know it or who sacrilegiously buy and sell Church-livings and such things as have been freely consecrated to the service of God of which sort are they that have bought Bishops and Deanes and Chapters lands and Impropriations Secondly the seller ought to sell and the buyer to buy such things as are vendible and may justly be bought and sold. Such therefore offend as sell or buy the gifts of the Spirit as Simon Magus Acts 8.18 or holy thingâ— which belong to God and those who sell and buy justice or injustice by bribery given or taken to fill their own purseâ— and to pervert right Isa. 1.23 and 5.23 Amos 2.6 They also who sell and buy truth and lies as false witnesses and such as hire them to give in false testimony But most of all such as for corruptible things sell their souls unto sin as Ahab did 1 King 21.20 and those 2 King 17.17 Thirdly we ought also to sell only such things as are fit for sale or knowing them to be otherwise to acquaint the buyer with it and so to pitch a lower price according to their lesser value We must not otherwise sell things that are falsified in respect of their substance and such as are mixt and corrupt for such as are good which is a common fault amongst Merchants and tradesmen who for their greater gaine adulterate their wares and mingle things of different degree in goodnesse selling them all at the best rates Fourthly we must sell such things onely as are some wayes profitable to the Church of Common-wealth either for necessary use or for ornament and delight they therefore offend who sell such things as are unprofitable to others much more they that sell such things as are pernicious and hurtful in their nature as they that sell Popish and heretical books to ignorant people who are like to be seduced by them obsceane or Popish pictures books full of ribaldry and profannesse fit only to corrupt such as read them Fifthly we ought in selling and buying to set our wares at an equal price the best rule whereof for the most part is the market which values things not simply in their own worth but with consideration of circumstances of scarcity plenty time and place and not according to the price we gave whether lesse or more nor only respecting whether we gain much or little whether we get nothing or lose thereby For as necessarily through the change of prices we must sometimes lose so we may gain at
of Christ wherein there are so many corrupt persons Answ. They may and are true Churches Look upon Jerusalâ—m Matth. 23.37 you shall see that the eleven Tribes were Apostates there were in it dumb dogs Isa. 56.10 there were Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites they had corrupted the Doctrine of the Law with their false glosses the Temple was made a den of thieves yet the Evangelist calls it the holy City and that 1. Because there was the service of the true God in the Temple the Word preached Sacrifices offered the meetings of the Church of God 2. Because as yet they had not received a bill of divorcement So have not we the word of God preached the Sacraments truly administred c. and when did the Lord give us a bill of divorcement and therefore to encourage us against the cavills of the Separatists let us remember 1. That the word of truth is truely preached amongst us which appears by the conversion of thousands whereas never was any converted by a word of errour Jam. 1.18 2. That our Ministers are of God because by them so many are begotten to God Christ thought it a good reason when he said believe me that I came out from the Father for the works sake the blind man saw this Joh. 9.30 3. Our meetings are holy meetings For 1. Our people are outwardly called by an holy calling and to an holy end 2. They profess faith in Christ which is an holy profession and therefore in charity they are to be judged Saints 3. Congregations are called holy in Scripture from the better part not from the greater as an heap of wheat mingled with chaff is called an heap of wheat so 1 Cor. 6.11 with chap. 2.12 4. Mixt Congregations are holy in Gods acceptation who esteems them not as they are in themselves but as members of Christ Israel at the best was a stiffnecked people ye Balaam said that God saw no iniquity in them Numb 23.21 Quest. How is the Church Gods peculiar Answ. First Because Believers are the most precious of men even the most noble upon earth Hence Cant. 6.7 they are the sons of God brethren of Christ heirs of heaven Secondly In regard of God they are a peculiar people distinct from others by the grace of Election by which they are chosen out of the world and advanced in Gods favour above all others Hence they are called an holy Nations the Spouse of Christ the dauhgter of God the choice of God and Gods delight Thirdly in regard of their whole manner and condition of life Hence they are said to dwell alone and not to be numbred amongst the Nations Numb 23.9 as for instance 1. Their Original are not some few families coming out of some corner of the Earth but they sprung of Christ of whom all the families of Heaven and Earth are called 2. Their Countrey is not of the Earth here they are Pilgrims and strangers but Heaven is their home from which they look for their Saviour Ephe. 3.15 3. Their King is neither born nor created but the everlasting King of glory who rules not some one Countrey but from Sea to Sea c. and not for an age but for ever 4. Their Lawes are Spirituall reaching the Conscience as well as the outward man most perfect never changed nor abrogated as mens be 5. Their war and weapons are not carnall but Spiritual as their chiefest enemies be their Captain was never foiled nor can be and therefore they are sure of victory befoâ—e they strike a blow and as for their corporal enemies they overcome them non feriendo sed ferendo not by striking but sufring 6. Their Language is that of Canaan their Speech shews them to be Citizens of Heaven therefore called a people of a pure language c. Zeph. 3.9 7. Their garments are devised and put on by God himself even the garments of innocency long robes dyed in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 8. Their diet springeth not out of the Earth but descends from Heaven Jesus Christ the bread of life c. of whom whosoever feeds shall continue to eternal life Quest. Why is the Church compared to a woman Rev. 12.1 Answ. First as simply considered in her self and that for three causes 1. Because to the Woman was first made the promise of the blessed seed that should break the Serpents head and it s still made good to the Church under the same similitude for to her all the promises of God doe properly belong 2. Because she is feeble and weak as a woman without her Husband Joh. 15.5 3. Because she is a pure and chast virgin not defiled with Idolatry as the Romish strumpet is 2 Cor. 11.2 Secondly As she stands in relation to others and that 1. To God and in this relation she is the daughter of God Cant. 7.1 Psal. 45.10 2. To Christ in which relation she is the Spouse of Christ. 1. Contracted to him in his Incarnation So Cant 4.10 2 Married to him as his Bride and taken home in his second cominâ— to dwell with him for ever 3. To Christians and in this relation she is their Mother For a woman through the company of her husband brings forth children So the Church by her conjunction with Christ and the power of his word brings forth nurceth and brings up many children to God Quest. What duties doth this relation of a Spouse to Christ teach her Answ. First to cleave to her husband For God seeing that it was not good for Adam to be alone he made the woman of his rib being cast into a sleep and brought and married her unto him saying for this cause shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife c. Gen. 2.24 So God seeing after the fall that it was much less good for man to be alone he institutes a second marriage with the second Adam whom he casts asleep by death and brings his Spouse out of his side pierced and marries the Church to him that renouncing all Loves and Lovers but him she might cleave undevidedly to him and this she must doe foure wayes 1. In person For as the wife delivers up her person to her husband alone So Believers must deliver up their souls and bodies to Jesus Christ. For 1 Cor. 6.19 20. we are no longer our own c. 2. A faithful Shouse is married but to one man 2 Cor. 11.2 So the Church 3. Christ our Husband communicates his whole person to us he gives his life for his sheep only prayes for no other 4. Christ as a faithful Husband leaves Father in Heaven and Mother on Earth and cleaves to his Wife 2. To cleave to Christ in faithful affection loving our Husband Christ as our selves nay better then our selves not loving our selves to the death for his sake seeing his love to us was stronger then death and more to us then to his own life 3. To cleave to him in affliction as a Wife takes her Husband
all our peace Col. 1.20 Rom. 3.23 c. This blood gives the soule all boldnesse to enter into the holiest c. Heb. 10.19 and gives us assurance before God Thirdly By the Spirit of Christ which is the procreating cause of peace in us Hence as Christ is called an Advocate 1 Joh. 2.1 So is the Holy Ghost Joh. 14.16 Only here is the difference Christ is our Advocate to God prevailing with him to grant us peace the Holy â—host is Gods Advocate to us to prevaile with us to entertain peace He applies the Word and promises which proclaim our peace He applies the blood of Christ which procures our peace He hath the last hand in consummating our peace whence it s called Joy in holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 So Gal. 5.22 Quest. VVhat are the Offices of Conscience Answ. First Propheticall or Ministeriall i. e. To doe the Office of a Minister Watchman or Seer to give warning from God from whom it hath its commission to warn and inform direct reprove admonish and charge It s the mouth of the Lord the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 Secondly Regall or Magistraticall It hath a commanding and Legislative power Rom. 2.14 they were a Law to themselves therefore what Conscience commands or forbids is more to a godly man then what Kings command or forbid Hence Dan. 3.16 But though it hath a Kingly power yet it hath not an Arbitrary power It self is subject to God Thirdly Testimonial or to bear witness Rom. 2.14 15. 2 Cor. 1.12 This is a testimony which Gods Spirit doth attest to and consent with Rom. 9.1 and 8.16 This is above a thousand witnesses for or against thee 1 Joh. 3.19 20 21. Conscientia mille testes Turpe quid acturus te sine teste time Fourthly Juridicall and Judg-like It passeth sentence on thee and reads thy doom Hence we are said to be convicted of our own Consciences Joh. 8.9 Self-condemned Tit. 3.11 Rom. 14.22 1 Joh. 3.20 21. Consciences sentence is the forerunner of the last judgement Job 31.35 36. Isa. 50.8 1 Sam. 2.25 Fifthly Registeriall For it s the great Register and Recorder of the World It s to every man his private Notary keeping Records of all his Acts and deeds It hath the pen of a ready Writer and taketh from thy mouth all thou speakest yea from thy heart all thou contrivest and though its writing may for the present like the writing with the juice of a Lemon be illegible yet when thou comest into the fire of distress it will then appear or at farthest the fire in the great day of judgment will discover it It s the poor mans Historiographer who hath no Chronicler to rite his story Jer. 17.1 So that Conscience is then good when it doth officiate well and doth the part of a Minister of a Magistrate of a Witness and of a Judge Quest. How many sorts of good Consciences are there Answ. First The good Conscience of Faith without which its impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Therefore St. Paul joines Faith and a good Conscience together 1 Tim. 1.5 19. and 3.9 There is no good faith where there is not a good conscience nor yet a good conscience where true faith is wanting therefore look to thy Faith if thou wouldst finde a good Conscience Heb. 10.22 1 Tim. 3.9 Secondly A pure Conscience the clean pure and undefiled Conscience is the inherent and internall righteousness of the Saints and the Ornament of a Christian 1 Tim. 1.5 and 3.9 2 Tim. 1.3 As faith makes the Conscience good before God so purity makes it good before men Such are blessed Mat. 5.8 1 Joh. 3.3 Great are the comforts benefits and priviledges of a pure Conscience and high are the promises made to it Psal. 18.26 and 24.3 4 5. In pure water thy face may be seen not so in muddy So in a pure Conscience Gods face may be seen and no where else in the Earth Thirdly A sincere Conscience Sincerity is the glory of purity and of conscience and of every person grace or action Sincerity is the soundness health and right constitution of Conscience Hence Noah and Job are called perfect because sincere Gen. 6.9 Job 1.1 of this Conscience Paul speaks 2 Cor. 1.12 The Greek word for sincerity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used 1 Cor. 5.8 2 Cor. 1.12 signifies such things as are tryed by the light Or as a Chap-man opens his wares to see if there be any deceit in them Quest. But how may this sincerity of Conscience be known Answ. .1 It makes a man abhor all guile and fraud and to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty like Jacob a plain downright man or Nathaniel an Israelite in whom was no guile Such was Paul 2 Cor. 2.17 and 4.2 and Michaiah 1 Kin. 22.14 and Caleb Joh. 14.7 8. 2. Sincerity brings all to the light Joh. 3.20 He that doth the truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God and therefore as of sincerity and as of God and as in the sight of God are put together 2 Cor. 2.17 Such an one owns nothing but what will endure the Sun Hence Psal. 26.2 Joh. 21.16 17. Job 6.24 2 Cor. 4.2 1 Thes. 2.10 3. The sincere man is still one and the same whether alone or in company yea he is rather better then he shews as the Kings daughter all glorious within Psal. 45.13 He is just and faithfull being a Law to himself 4. The sincere man may have his failings and is subject to tentations yet he never allows himself in any known evill therefore he is called perfect in respect of his intention and aime 2 King 20.3 He resists every known will and rejects every known Error He purifies himself as God is pure 1 Joh. 33. So Rom. 7.16 17. 5. A sincere man holds on his course and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 as the vessell of gold wears brighter and brighter by use therefore sincerity is the best seen in times and places when and where Satan is let loose Rev. 2.13 where there are few encouragements to persist in a godly way So Nichodemus in sticking to a condemned Christ Joh. 7.51 Joseph of Arimathea to a crucified forsaken and naked Christ Joh. 19.38 6. Universality is a certain note of sincerity when we walk in all the commandements of God as Luke 1.6 Heb. 13.18 Dan. 6.22 To be partiall is to corrupt the Law Mal. 2.9 To make Conscience of one duty and not of another is to make no Conscience of the one or of the other So Mat. 23.5 23. Rom. 2.22 7. A sincere man carries himself ever as before God 2 Cor. 2.17 Psal. 16.8 and 44.21 He carries an awfull apprehension of God with him whithersoever he goes Hence Col. 3.23 8. A sincere man consults with his duty more then with his commodity and resolves against sin more then against any danger He undervalues all losses to the losse
seek and procure them by evil 1 Pet. 2.15 A good conscience must not go out of Gods way to meet with sufferings nor out of sufferings way to meet with sinne It s not Poena but Causa the cause not the punishment which makes a Martyr 2. If thou sufferest for ill-doing yet be sure that it be wrongfully 1 Pet. 2.19 and if thou beest charged with any evil that it be falsly Mat. 5.11 that thy conscience may say we are as deceivers yet true as unknown yet well konwn to God 2 Cor. 6.9 10. Thirdly if thou desirest chiefly and especially to suffer in the cause and for the name of Christ this with him is to suffer as a Christian. In the matters of the Kingdom Daniel was careful to carry himself unreprovably but in the matters of God he cared not what he suffered Dan. 6.14 5. Life as it is too little worth to be laid out for Christ so it s too precious to be laid out in any other cause It s an honour if we can call our sufferings the sufferings of Christ Col. 2.24 and our scarrs the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 and can subscribe our selves the prisoners of Christ Eph. 3.1 Fourthly if thou lovest to see the ground thou goest upon that thy cause be clear the grounds manifest that thou beest not thrust forward by a turbulent spirit or a mis-informed conscience but for conscience towards God or according to God that thou mayest say with the Apostle I suffer according to the will of God 1 Pet. 4.19 Fifthly if thou beest careful not only that the matter be good but that the manner be good lest otherwise we disgrace our sufferings 1 Pet. 2.19 c. If thou suffer wrongfullly yet thou must suffer patiently This is to suffer as Christ suffered 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. Sixthly if thou committest thy self in thy sufferings to God in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 suffering times must not be sinning times He is no good Martyr that is not a good Saint A good cause a good conscience a good life a good death a good matter to suffer for a good manner to suffer in make an honourable Martyr Tenthly a conscience of charity This the Apostle speaks of as the end and perfection of the Law and Gospel too 1 Tim. 1.5 where there is the truth of charity there is the truth of conscience also the more of charity the more of conscience Now this charity is twofold 1. External or civil which respects 1. The poor to whom is to be shewed the charity of beneficence 2. To the neighbour and friend a love of benevolence And 3. To the enemy a love of forgivenesse 1. To the poor a love of beneficence and well-doing this kind of charity is the worlds grand benefactor the poors great Almoner the widows Treasurer the Orphans Guardian and the oppressed mans Patron This lends eyes to the blinde feet to the lame deals out bread to the hungry cloaths the naked and brings upon the Donor the blessing of him that was ready to perish This Zacheus shewed Luke 19.8 and Job Chap. 30.12 c. and Obadiah 1 King 18.13 and Nehemiah Chap. 5.15 Hence Psal. 112.5 Prov. 31.20 26. So Cornelius Acts 10.2 4. Isa. 32.8 2. To our neighbours must be shewed the charity of benevolence we must love them as our selves Matth. 22.39 Rom. 13.8 For Prov. 18.24 He that hath a friend must shew himself friendly It s a pleasant thing to see friends and neighbours living in this mutuall love and benevolence Psal. 133.1 c. 3. To our enemies a love of forgiveness This is the hardest and therefore the highest pitch of love a lesson only to be learned in the School of Christ. The Pharisees taught otherwise which Christ laboured to reform Matth. 5.46 Luke 6.32.33 This makes us like our Father in Heaven who is kind to the thankfull and unkind Luke 6.35 and like his Son on Earth who prayed for his enemies This we are exhorted to Col. 3.12 13. 2. Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall which is to be shewed in the love we bear to the Church and truth of Christ and to the souls of our brethren This Charity is to be preferred before all the former the former may be amongst Heathens and civilized Christians but this is the peculiar badg of the people of God A love of Symphonie in judgment and opinion of Sympathy in heart and affection and of Symmetrie or Harmony in an offensive conversation This is often and earnestly pressed Phil. 2.1 c. 1 Pet. 3.8 It s the end of the Law the adorning of the Gospel the lively Image of God and of Christ the first fruit of the Spirit the daughter of Faith the Mother of hope the sister of peace the kinswoman of truth the life and joy of Angels the bane of Divels It s the death of Dissentions the grave of Schismes wherein all Church rupture and offences are buried 1 Joh. 4.8 16. Joh. 13.34 Gal. 5.22.6 Yea it s the very bond of perfection Col. 3.14 and that which covers all sins 1 Pet. 4.8 Quest. What is the excellency and benefit of a good Conscience Answ. First The excellency of it appears in the honourable titles given to it above all other graces and the reall preheminence it hath if compared with all other things as 1. It hath this proper denomination given it ordinarily of a good Conscience Act. 23.19 1 Tim. 1.15 1 Pet. 3.16 21. whereas other graces though excellent in their place and kind are seldom so called Where do we read of good Faith good Love Holiness c. whereas Conscience is good of it self and makes the good Faith the good Love the good repentance c. which all cease to be good when severed from the good conscience Again compare it with all other good things and it hath the better of them what good is there in a chest full of goods when the Conscience is empty of goodness Quid prodest plena bonis Area si inanis sit Conscientia said St. Austin What if he hath good wares in his shop a good stock in his ground good cloaths to his back c. if he hath not a good Conscience in his heart This man is like Naaman a rich and honorable man but a Leper What are all great parts and abilities without a good Conscience but as sweet flowers upon a stinking carcass It s above all Faith alone therefore they oft go together in Scripture 1 Tim. 1.5 19. and 3.9 If this be put away Faith is shipwract Nothing profits alone without this not Baptisme 1 Pet. 3.21 not Charity 1 Tim. 1.5 not coming to the Lords Supper Heb. 10.22 not any serving of God 2 Tim. 1.3 not obedience to Magistrates Rom. 13.5 not all our sufferings 1 Pet. 2.19 20. Let all duties be performed and Conscience nor regarded and the man is but an Hypocrite Let all gifts remain and profession stay and the man is but an Apostate Hence Bernard Vtilius est
purposes and thoughts were in thee Non venitur ad bonam Conscientiam nisi per Cordis custodiam Bern. 5. Yet so we must hearken to and confer with Conscience as also to confer Conscience with the Scripture that 's the Book of life and according to that our Conscience must be copied or corrected Unicuique suus liber est Conscientia Bern. Search the Scriptures and trust not thine own judgment too far This rule well observed would resolve what is to be done in many cases most men whatsoever their opinion and practise is plead Conscience Conscience It s my Conscience say they my Conscience bids me do thus I but what doth God bid Conscience do Had Adam never fallen we should have needed none other rule but our own Consciences But now we have a Law written and proclaimed we must not make conscience the supreme Law but the subordinate â—deed Conscience is to have a negative voice so that nothing is to be done without his assent and good liking but it must not Challenge an arbitrary and illimited power to act or determine any thing without the advice of this great Councel the Law and the Prophets 6. Prayer is a great friend to good Conscience the good Conscience makes many a good Prayer there is the particular demand of a good Conscience 1 Pet. â— 21. which Bâ—za understands of Prayer Good Conscience hath ever one eye upon God to observe his precepts and the other up to God to beg his direction usually such as are most frequent in prayer have the best Consciences Acts 10.2 Cornelius Hypocrites do not so Job 27.10 and 21.14 15. 7. Beware of committing the smallest sins yea of many things which goe for lawfull the least spark may consume the greatest house the least leak the greatest ship Call not Faith and troth small Oaths they are more then yea and nay Refrain idle words rash anger vain mirth foolish jesting c. The greatest spoil made in Conscience had at first but small beginnings Qui otiosum verbum non reprimit ad noxia cito transit vanus sermo est vanae Conscientiae index 8. Take heed of adventring though but upon one greater sinfull act lest it for ever shut Conscience out of doors One deliberate act of sin threw the Angels out of Heaven that one sin deliberately committed by our first Parents against an express precept cast them out of Paradise So in Judas Ananias and Saphira c. 9. Take heed of living under and contenting thy self with a cold man-pleasing Ministry which sows pillows under thine Armholes crying Peace peace The voice of a faithful Preacher is the voice of a Crier Isa. 40.3 His found the sound of a Trumpet Isa. 58.1 His words like sharp nails c. Eccl. 12.11 So Mal. 3.2 Isa. 11.4 10. Take great heed whom thou choosest for thy bosome friend Ill acquaintance hath undon many One sinner destroyes much good One corrupt man corrupts another 2 Sam. 13.3 10. In things doubtfull be well aduised or forbear and take the surer and safer way Some defend Usury Cards Dice long haire naked necks c. But most condemn them Judge what is safest and let these be thy rules to judge by Ephes. 5.11 Phil. 4.8 11. Take heed of worldly mindedness there is no greater enemy to Conscience These Thorns choke the best seeds of grace and this Canker eats out the very life of Conscience For for a piece of bread such an one will transgress Such will break their word betray their trust deceive their brother falsifie their wares weights measures lye for advantage Riches and a good Conscience seldom dwell under the same roof 12. Take heed of an Erroneous Conscience This is as wildfire in dry Corn as the wild Bore or ravening Bear as the wild Ass Jer. 2.24 Many hopefull Professors being once leavened with Error doe first in their hearts undervalue and contemn and then with their mouths vilifie and disgrace those faithfull Ministers whom they formerly magnified and highly prized Mr. Sheffield in his accute and accurate Treatise of Conscience Quest. What are the signes of a good Conscience whereby it may be knowne Answ. First It may be known by the causes of it It s not the work of nature but the free gift of God not purchased by our own merits nor purged from naturall defilements by our own satisfactions but purified from dead works by the precious blood of Christ applyed to us by his holy Spirit and a lively faith Secondly By the manner whereby it is wrought in us For it s not wrought by worldly perswasions taken from our credit pleasure profit c. but by the Ministry of the word begetting faith in us whereby the heart is purified and this it doth 1. By terrifying with the sight and sense of our sin and the punishments due for the same whereby we are humbled and then Secondly by pacifying and comforting it by offering to us in Christ the free pardon of our sins reconciliation with God and the eternal salvation of our souls Thirdly It s known by the effects For it excuseth and acquits us before God of all sin and speaks peace to our hearts assuring us that we are in Gods favour and grounding this testimony upon the infallible truth of the Scriptures It makes us bold in all dangers couragious in the performance of all good duties Like good servants to come often into our Masters presence because it witnesses that we are in favour with him It makes us often to examine the book of our accounts in Gods presence and to desire him to survey our reckonings Psal. 26.2 After which Audit it will justifie us in regard of our integrity as Ps. 17.3 Not in respect of the perfection of our performance which is full of wants and weaknesses but of our desire and resolution Psal. 130.3 and 143.2 Fourthly it 's known by the properties of it which are 1. As its peaceable so also its pure not only from the guilt of sin but also from the corruption For the blood of Christ as like a sovereigne salve it pacifies the rage of conscience caused by the sores of sinne so it draweth out the corrupt matter that caused it cleansing these wounds Heb. 9.14 2. With all care and circumspection it keeps it self clear both before God and man Act. 24.16 Before God from the faultinesse of sin and before men from offensiveness and all appearance of evil 2 Cor. 4.2 3. It s not doubtful and wavering whether it be so or no but being so it knows assuredly that it is so and sees it self by its own light Heb. 13.18 Prov. 28.1 1 Joh. 3.19 20 21. 4. It makes them that have it merry cheerful and full of joy It 's a continual Feast It makes the hardest lodging a bed of down A prison a Pallace c. Rom. 5.3 Act. 16.25 Paul and Silas sang in the dungeon So 2 Cor. 1.12 It triumphs over death it self Yea it chears the heart in the
the Devil when God left Satan to buffet and tempt the incestuous person he was almost swallowed up with too much grief Quest. What are the false wayes that a wounded conscience is prone to take Answ. First some when troubled for sin call it melancholly and pusillanimity and therefore they will go to their merry company they will drink it away rant it away or go to their merry pastimes As Herod sought to kill Jesus as soone as he was borne so these seek to stifle troubles of conscience in the first beginnings of them Secondly when this will not prevaile but that still they think they must go to hell for their sins they set themselves upon some superstitious austere ways as in Popery to go on Pilgrimage to enter into a Monastery c. thinking thereby to get peace of conscience but Luther found by experience the insufficiencie of all these courses Mr. Anthony Burges of Original sin Soli Deo Gloria A TABLE Of some of the principal things contained in this VOLUME A ABuse of lawful things how prevented Pag. 4. Adoption marks of it 11 134. Afflictions 350 351. Apparel how men sin in it 2. Assurance no Doctrine of liberty 129 B Backsliding whence it proceeds 100 Baptisme inward the Marks of it 15â— 9 Believers temporary 104 Blasphemy tentations to it 180 c. 354 Bodily deformities whether they may be hidden 114 254 Bodily health how preserved 189 C Callings how men sin in them 3. Charity the best 442 Charms sinful 146 Chastity how preserved 19 Christ when truly affected 25 Christ when he first lives in a Christians heart 276 Christ proved to be God 278 298 Christs actions which to be imitated 302 Christ to walk as he walked 365 Company how men sin about it 3 Conference amongst Christians 377 Confession of Christ. 364 Conflict when none in man 399 D Deadness in Christians 102 Death how to prepare for it 352 Desertion 331 333 Desires true and false 343 Diligence about assurance 131 Drinking see eating E Eating and drinking how men sinne in them 2 Election how known 134 F Faces may not be painted 114 Families how men sin in providing for them 3 Fashions strange sinful 112 Father whether any man may be called so 258 Flight in persecution 387 388 G God may be served upon hope of reward p. 29. and for fear of punishment 30 How a false instead of a true God is set up 149 151 Good works 427 Grace signes when we decay in it 105 H Hardness of heart how manifold 445 I Image worship 14 15 Infants and ideots what to be thought of them 410 Justification how evidenced 95 L Law our rule 89 Love to the godly 198 199 Gods Love how to know that it dwells in us 365 M Marriage how men sin about it 3 Melancholly the distempers of it 357 O Ornaments to be used with cautions 109 110 P Parents consent necessary in marriage of children p. 259.260 and in their contracts 264 Parents caution in naming their children 264 265 Prayer of Christ and ours differ 292 Praying for the Church 313. How to prevaile 314 Presumption how it differs from assurance 135 R Recidivation Cases about it 355 Recreations what should be used 190 191. How men sin in them 3 Redemption uniuersal disproved 279 282 284 346 Repentance diverts Gods anger 86 Reprobates what benefit they receive by Christ. 284 S Sin how it differs in the godly and wicked 172. How to resist it 420. None small 420 421 Sins of others whether to be rejoyced in 369 Sins of inferiors when charged on superiors 368 Sorrow godly 347 Spirit how we may know that we have it 363 Spirits testimony 122 c. 133 Sufferings 440 Sincerity signs of it 434 439 T Thoughts of distrust 152 Thoughts distinguished from Satans suggestions 181 Tongue to be watched 418 How we are guided into all Truth 403 U Usury whether lawful 194 W Watchfulness of Christians 324 326 c. Word of God carefully to be attended 221 FINIS Eccl. 12.12 B. Hâ—lls Epist. to his Cases of Conscience Act. 18.8 Summum apud Deum est nobilitas clâ—rum esse virtutibus Hierom. Psal. 48.11 Isa. 6.13 Col. 3.1 2. 3. Rule VII Rule X. Rule