again alwayes assisted by the force of that old axiom Intus existens c. and by that which is naturall to all habits to be hardly moveable and yet further improved sometimes by pride and obstinacy alwayes by selfe-love which makes us think our own opinions i. e. which we are already possest of the truest which in this case is in effect to think our luck the best luck and the same which was observed in one worst sort of Heathens who whatsoever they saw first in the morning worshipt that all the day after a choosing of perswasions as country men choose Valentines that which they chance to meet with first after their coming abroad 25 Besides these many other things it may be and so 1. It is oddes enough that it will not be conscience which pretends to be so and 2. It is certainly not conscience unlesse it produce some law for its rule to direct us by And this was the Negative or first thing 26 The second or the Positive thing which followes from the premises is this that Conscience of duty in any particular action is to be ruled by that law which is proper to that action as for example The Christian law is the rule of Conscience for Christian actions the law of reason or morall law for morall the law nationall municipall or locall for civill the naturall law of all creatures for naturall actions and the law of scandall a branch of the Christian law for matters of scandall and the law of liberty for indifferent free actions And as it is very irregular and unreasonable to measure any action by a rule that belongs not to it to try the exactnesse of the circle by the square which would be done by the compasse and in like manner to judge the Christiannesse of an action by the law of naturall reason which can onely be judged by its conformity with the law of Christ superiour to that of nature So will there be no just pretence of conscience against anything but where some one or more of these lawes are producible against it but on the other side even in the lowest sort of actions if they be regulated by the law proper to them and nothing done contrary to any superiour law even by this God shall be glorified 1 Cor. 10. 31. a kind of glory resulting to God from that readinesse of submission and subordination of every thing to its proper rule and law to which the great Creator hath subjected it and of all lawes to that supreme transcendent one the law of Christ And though some touches there are in the Scripture of each of these lawes some sibrae or strings of them discernibly there so farre that there is nothing almost under any of the heads sorementioned but by the Scripture some generall account may be given of it and againe though that of Scripture be the supreame law of all and nothing authorizeable by any inferiour law which is contradicted or prohibited by that yet is not that of Scripture such a particular Code or Pandect of all lawes as that every thing which is commanded by any other law should be found commanded there or be bound to prove its selfe justifiable from thence any further then that it is not there prohibited or thereby justly concluded to be unlawful 27 From whence by the way I conceive direction may be had and resolution of that difficult practicall probleme what a man may doe in case he be legally commanded by his lawfull superiour to doe what he may lawfully doe which yet he is perswaded he may not doe or doubteth whether he may or no For in this case if he be not able to produce some plaino prohibition from some superiour law as from that of Scripture he cannot be truly said to be perswaded in conscience which implyes knowledge of the unlawfulnesse of that thing nor consequently hath he any plea for disobedience to that lawfull command of his Superiours All that may be said is that he may from some obscure place misunderstood have cause or occasion to doubt whether he may doe it or no and then although doubting simply taken i. e. where no command interposes may keep me from doing what I doubt yet it ought not to be of that weight as to keep me from my lawfull Superiours lawfull command because that very command is a sufficient ground to supersede my doubting when I have no plaine prohibition of Scripture to the contrary which in this case I am supposed not to have for if I had Then first it were not a lawfull command and secondly I should not doubt but be assured it being my duty and part of my Christian meeknesse in doubtfull matters to take my resolution from those whom God hath placed over me and it being the sinne of dogmatizing to affirme any thing for me or others to doe which some law of God c. still in force doth not prohibit which sin being added to that other of disobedience to my lawfull Superiours will sure never be able to make that commence virtue which was before so far from any pretentions to that title 28 Having proceeded thus far in the search of the ground of Conscience 't were now time to reduce this operation to practice and shew you first What directions Conscience is able to afford from every of those lawes for the ruling of all actions of that kind and secondly What an harmony and conspiration there is betwixt all these lawes one mutually ayding and assisting the other and not violating or destroying But this were the largest undertaking that could be pitcht on in the whole circle of learning Aerodius's Pandectae rerum ab omni aevo judicaturum and all the Schoolmens and Casuists volumes de legibus de jure justitia and on the Decalogue would be but imperfect parts of this I shall give you but one taste or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of it by which the Reader will be perswaded to spare me or rather himselfe that trouble 29 The prime of these the Christian law is the rule of all actions that come within that spheare sets downe the nature of all Christian duties of piety and love of our brethren in generall and more particularly of Faith Hope Charity Repentance selfe-denyall taking up the crosse c. of humility meeknesse mercifulnesse peaceablenesse obedience to superiours patience contentednesse and the like and the relation of a Christian being a grand transcendent relation there is no action imaginable but may either in respect of the matter or motive or principle or circumstances offend against one of these and then malum ex quolibet defectu the least of these defects blemisheth it and so conscience directed by that rule or law will direct me either to doe it or not to doe it in that manner and then t is not any complaynce with or agreeablenesse to any or all other lawes which will make this action Christian which hath any such
to their brethren who may follow them to this precipice either to give over hoping or to set to purifying without which there is no true ground of hope This hint puts me in mind that there is another part of my design still behind belonging to the second notion of conscience to examine 33 What it is that is required to entitle a man to a good conscience which will briefly be stated by premising what before was mentioned that the good conscience belongs either to particular single performances or to the whole state of life and actions To the first there is no more required but that that particular action be both for matter and circumstance regulated by the rule or rules which are proper to it and have nothing contrary to any superiour transcendent rule As that my meale be with sobriety and thanksgiving my almes with chearfulnesse liberality discretion done in gratitude and obedience to God and mercifulnesse to my brother without reflexion on my own gaine or praise in this world But for the Good Conscience which belongs to the whole state of life and actions which is called a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13. 18. or a good Conscience consisting in having a good conversation in all things for so the punctation in the Greek will direct rather to render it we have a good conscience willing to live well or have an honest conversation in all things there the difficulty will be greater And yet two Texts there are which tend much to the clearing and disinvolving of that one 1 Pet. 3. 16. where {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Good Conscience in the beginning of the verse is explained in the close by {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a good conversation in Christ or a good christian conversation or such as now through Christ by the purport of the second covenant may and shall be accepted for good Where the word conversation denoting first the actions and behaviour both toward God and man and secondly the whole course and frame of those actions wherein it seems a good conscience consists cannot better be explained then either by the Apostles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an accurate exact walking Eph. 1. 15. or the phrase to Titus c. 2. 12. living soberly and righteously and godly in this present world the first respecting our duty to our selves or actions as private men the second our duty to our brethren in our more publique capacities the third our duty to God as creatures men and Christians or Saint Lukes character of Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1. 6. Walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Walking Blamelesse In all Universall sincere obedience not entire or perfâ—ct without ever sinning but considered with the rules of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or moderation of strict law which is now part of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Gospel-law by which a Christian is to be tryed as equity is a part of the municipall law of this land Such is mercy for frailties and infirmities and grosser lapses recovered and retracted by repentance now under the Gospel so as to be acceptable to God in Christ which was intimated as in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Christ 1 Pet. 3. so in the former part of that verse and their character {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} righteous before God Which phrase Before God hath a double intimation worth observing in this place first of the perseverance or perpetuity of that righteousnesse as opposed to the temporary of the hypocrite for the phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} before him refers to the shew bread of old Exod. 25. 30. which was to be set before God alway and therefore is sometime called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the bread of faces or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} bread before his face literally {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} before him and sometimes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perpetuall bread and secondly of the acceptation or reception in the sight of God for that againe was the end of setting the bread alwayes before God that God looking on it might accept them and so righteousnesse before God is such righteousnesse as God will please in the Gospel to accept of as when visiting the fatherlesse c. Jac. 1. 27. is called religion pure and undefiled before God the Father it noteth such a degree of unblemisht purity not as excluded all sinne but as God in Christ would or hath promised to accept of And the same phrase therefore is in another place of the same Chapter Luk. 1. 75. rendred by our Church in the Gospel for Midsummer day by these words such as may be acceptable for him 34 Which being all taken into the description of a good conscience that it is such a continued good conversation as God now under the Gospel promiseth to accept of the onely difficulty behind will be what that is which God promiseth to accept of To which end it will be very instrumentall to take in that other place which I promised and that is that forementioned Heb. 13. 18. where the Good Conâ—cience is evidenced or the ground of confidence that he hath a good conscience demonstrated by this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} willing or resolving or endeavouring to live honestly or to have honest conversation in all things From whence the onely thing which I desire to collect is this That the sincere resolution or endeavour to live honestly in all things which I remember one of our ancientest Church-writers Saint Cyrill of Jerusalem calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and opposes it to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} works is the Scripture nomination of a good Conscience or the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that great treasure of confidence to all which have it that ground of mature perswasion for any that he hath or shall by God be allowed and acknowledged to have a good conscience 35 And if it be farther demanded what is necessarily required and how much will be sufficient to denominate a man Such what is the minimum quod sic of this sincere resolution or endeavour although that I confesse will be hard if not impossible to define in such a manner as shall come home to every particular the proportions of more or lesse knowledge or strength the inequality of the talents of illuminating and assisting grace still interposing and making a variation yet will it not be matter of much difficulty to give some generall advertisements and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which will be acknowledged as soone as mentioned and being put together and by each man single applyed to his particular case by way of self-examination will be able to tell him in some measure whether he hath a good conscience or no
condemned by her own witnes and prest by conscience 15 And of the last sort in the latitude common to both are Rom. 2. 15. Rom. 9. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 2. and 5. 11. and 1 Tim. 4. 2. all cleare enough without the help of our paraphrase to adde light to them 16 Having thus marshalled all these places of Scripture into ranks and given some hints of generall insight into them it now remaines that we return a while to the neerer survey of the two generall heads and first of the former acception of the word as it imports a monitor or director of life by which our actions must be regulated and from the mistaking of which the chiefe inconvenience doth arise 17 To which end it will be absolutely necessary to settle and resolve but one question what is that rule or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of Conscience from whence it must receive its regulation For he that draweth a line of direction for another must have a rule to draw it by and that a straight exact one or else the directions will not be authentique and they which walke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} exactly or conscientiously must {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} walk by rule Phil. 3. 16. and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} have their eye or thought alway upon that one thing their rule of direction or else be they never such {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the beginning of that verse such forward proficients their end may be perdition v. 19. This when once we have done the difficulty will soone vanish 18 And to this purpose I shall take that for granted which in thesi I never heard any doubt of though many of our actions look otherwise in hypothâ—si that law is this onely rule {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rule and law being words of the same importance and nothing fit or proper to regulate our actions but that which the law-giver to whom obedience must be payed hath thought fit to rule them by To which purpose it is ordinarily observed that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Sin or abâ—rration from that rule by which we ought to walke for so that word naturally signifies is by Saint John 1 Epist. 3. 4. defined {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which we render a trangression of the law Iâ— which place of Saint John though the truth is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} denoting more then the bare commission of sinne in that Author generally viz. the wilfull perpetration of it and an indulgence in and habit of so doing the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} must proportionably also signifie not onely transgressing but wilfull habituall contemning the Law bâ—â—ng an exlox or without law as the Idolatrous Atheist is said to be without God in the world i. e. without any account or respect of it and so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Joh. 31. 3. notes the greatest degree of sinfulnesse we render in workers of iniquity and so very frequently in the Septuagint we finde {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} where we render the Hebrew by mischiefe yet still the observation stands good that law is the rule in aberration from which all sinne consists and so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in both senses the least degree of sinne a deviation from the law and a malicious contentious sinning a malitious contemptuous deviation or transgression and so Saint Paul hath also resolved it that where â—here is no law there is no transgression no {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 4. 15. no going awry when there is no rule proposed to goe by 19 This being so cleare in iâ—s selfe and yet through the mistakes yea and impities of the world bâ—come so necessary to be thus farther cleared Two things there are which will hence inevitably follow the first Negative the second Positive The first or the Negative that Whatsoever undertakes to direct or guide our actions to tell us our duty that this we must that we may not doe and hath not some law in force and still obligatory to us to authorize those directions by is not Conscience whatsoever it is 20 First Humour it may be to think our selves bound to doe whatsoever we have a strong inclination to doe it being a matter of some difficulty to distinguish between my naturall and my spirituall inclinations the motion of my sensitive appetite and my diviner principle my lower and my upper soule and the former commonly crying louder and moving more lively and impatiently and earnâ—stly then the other 21 Secondly Phansie it may be which is a kind of irrationall animall Conscience hath the same relation to sensitive representations those lawes in the members which Conscience hath to intellectuall those lawes of the mind and then as Aristotle saith that in those creatures which have not reason phansie supplyes the place of reason so they which have not or will not have conscience to direct them phansie most commonly gets into its place Or 22 Thirdly Passion it may be Our feares will advise us one thing our animosities another our zeale a third and though that be perhaps zeal of God yet that zeale is a passion still one of those which Aristotle hath defined in his Rhetoricks being not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} according to knowledge or conscience Rom. 10. 2. for the Hebrew word as I told you is rendred by those two words promiscuously {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} knowledge and conscience Or 23 Fourthly diabolicall suggestion or infusion it may be an enthusiasm of that black spirit as it is or of some thing as bad in effect infallibly whensoever Rebellion Sedition Murther Rapine Hatred Envy Vncharitablenesse Lying Swearing Sacriledge c. come to us under the disguise of Religion and Conscience and therefore the Spirits must be searcht whether they be of God or of the Devill and no surer way to doe it then by these and the like Symptomes these fruits and productions of that infernall Spirit which so perfectly represent and owne their parent that none but blind or mad men or daemoniacks can beleeve them in earnest to come from God Or 24 Fiftly False doctrine it may be and that againe set off either by the authority of the teacher or by the dignity of some eminent followers and practicers of it and then the Apostle calls it having mens persons in admiration or by the earlinesse of its representation being imbibed and taken in first swallowed and digested before the truth was offered to us and then it is prejudice or prepossession and this