good Conscience and the other is that a man runnes onely blindefolded so long till death and hell may seaze vpon him Thus of the effects of an euill Conscience The meanes how Conscience may bee made good follow That an euill Conscience may bee made good two things must bee looked into First that wee get a right medicine to heale it Secondly that we take a right course in application of the medicine First the medicine for the curing of an ill Conscience is onely the blood of Christ the disease of Conscience is of so high a nature as all the medicines in the world are insufficient nothing but sprinkling it with blood will serue the turne and it must bee no other blood then the blood of the immaculate Lambe of God as the Apostle shews Heb. 9.14 The reason of this is because Conscience will neuer bee quiet till it see a way how GODs anger may bee pacified and sinne abolished which cannot be done any way but by the blood of Christ which was powred out as a sacrifice for sinne Now vnto the right application of this medicine foure things are requisite First the light of knowledge Secondly the washing of regeneration Thirdly the assurance of Faith Fourthly the warmth of loue First knowledge a man must haue both Legall and Euangelicall For they must knowe by the Law what sinnes lie vpon the Conscience and trouble it and they must knowe by the Gospel what a propitiation is made by Christ for sinnes And for the second an euill Conscience will neuer bee gotten off vnlesse our harts bee sprinkled and washed from the filth and power of the sinnes which did lie vpon the Conscience Heb. 10.22 1. Tim. 1.5 Now vnto such remouing of such sinnes from the hart two things are requisite First that by particular confession wee doe as it were scratch off the filth of those sinnes that foule the heart and trouble the Conscience Secondly and then that wee wash our harts and dayly rinse them with the teares of true repentance and humiliation before God for those sinnes Thirdly assurance of faith is necessary to the cure of an ill Conscience because faith is the hand that laies on the medicine A man must apply the sufferings of Christ to himselfe and beleeue that Christ did satisfy for those sinnes that lie vpon the conscience and must accordingly all to besprinkle the conscience with that blood of Christ and then of an euill Conscience it will presently become good but men must looke to one thing and that is that their faith be vnfayned For Conscience will not be satisfied with the profession of faith they must beleeue indeed and with their harts and with sound application of the promises of the Gospell concerning the bloud of Christ or else Conscience will not bee answered Heb. 10.22 1. Tim. 1.5 Fourthly the heate of loue must bee added a man must so apply the blood of Christ as that his owne blood bee heated in him with affection both towards God and Christ and Christians Christian loue doth put as it were naturall heat into the Conscience and makes it now receiuing life by faith to bestir it selfe in all the works either of seruice to God or duty to men 1. Tim. 1.5 Heb. 9.24 Knowledge bringing it light Mortification making it cleane Faith curing it and putting life into it by sprinkling it with the blood of Christ and loue infusing or rather inflaming it with the heate of life All these things are requisite though I stand not vpon the precise order of the working of euery one of these Thus how conscience may bee made good Now I might adde a direction or two how Conscience may doe her worke aright that is a good Conscience and not doe ill offices in the soule Two things I say are of great vse for the guiding of a good Conscience First that in all her proceedings shee must follow the warrant of Gods word Secondly that shee doe not mistake in iudging of particular actions she must bee sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty For vnlesse the conscience discern that we are freed from the malediction of the Law and from the rigorous perfection of obedience and haue restored vnto vs a free vse of all things indifferent and the like shee may bee ouer-busy and troublesome disquieting the hart and restrayning the ioyes should refresh and support a man Thus of the meanes how Conscience may bee made good the signes of a good cōscience follow First by the opposition it makes against the remainders of sinne in the godly It maintains a constant combating against the law of the members hauing at command the law of the minde It doth not onely resist grosse euils but euen the most secret corruptions in the heart of man This Paul discerned in himself Rom. 7. of doing God seruice Secondly by the manner of exacting of obedience for a good Conscience First doth incline a man to doo good duties not by compulsion but a man shall finde that he doth them by force of an internall principle in himself Secondly it cannot abide dead works a good Conscience abhorres all cold and careless or luke-warm or counterfet seruing of God it puts life into all good duties it exacteth attendance vpon God in doing them Heb. 9.14 Thirdly it more respecteth GOD than all the world or the man himself and therefore wil compell a man to obey against profit and pleasure and liking of the world 2. Cor. 1.12 Fourthly it requires an vniuersall obedience it would haue all God's commandements respected and therefore Paul saith I desired in all things to liue honestly Heb. 13.18 The allowing of one sinne shewes the deprauation of the Conscience if it be a knowne sinne and still tolerated As one dead flie will spoyle a boxe of pretious oyntment I say one dead flie tho many liuing flies may light vpon a boxe of oyntment and doe it no great hurt So a godly man may haue many infirmities and yet his Conscience bee sound but if ther be one corruption that liues and dies there that is such a corruption as is known and allowed and doth by custome continue there it will destroy the soundnesse of the best Conscience of the World and doth vsually argue a Conscience that is not good Fiftly a good Conscience doth require obedience alwayes Thus Paul pleades I haue serued God till this day It doth not command for God by fits but constantly Act. 23.1 A third signe is that a good Conscience is alwaies toward God it still desires to bee before God it seekes God's presence it reckons that day to be lost and that it did not liue as it were when it found not the Lord or had no fellowship or conuersation with God A good Conscience is like a good Angell it is alwaies looking into the face of God Act. 23.1 Thus of the signes The benefits of a good Conscience are many and great for First it is the best
the promises of God in Christ are the sweet spices which being beaten yeeld a heauenly and supernaturall smell in the soules of the godly hearers 2. Cor. 2.14 15. But then Ministers must take heed they corrupt not Gods Word and see to it that their preaching bee in sincerity and as of God and in the sight of God in Christ and with demonstration of the truth to mens consciences 2. Cor. 2.17 else any Preacher will not serue the turn And in both these respects Ministers haue reason to cry out with the Apostle Oh! who is sufficient for these things If euery Sermon must leaue so sweet a sauour behinde it in the hearts of the hearers and in the nostrils of God too who can bee without the speciall assistance of God fitte for these things Lastly this may serue for singular reproof and terror to the wicked and that in diuerse respects First for such as are mockers and call sweet sowre that is speak euill of the good word of God secondly for the miserable neglect of that they should account the life of their life Alas whither shall wee go or what is this miserable and wretched life if we want the sweet comforts of the word To dwell without the word is To dwell in the parched places of the wildernesse and this Ministery is the more dangerous in such or to such as are daily inuited and haue all things ready made and yet wil not inwardly obey gods calling nor profit by the means but finde excuses to shift off the inuitation of God How justly may that curse be inflicted vpon them These men shall neuer taste of my supper Luke 14.17 c. 24. Thus much of the second doctrine Doct. 3. The third doctrine out of these words may be this that such as finde a true taste of the sweetnes of God in his Word may conceiue hopefully that their soules doo and shall prosper and growe There is no doubt to be made of our growth if once we come to feel the sweetnes of the Word For the cleerer vnderstanding of this doctrine I must answer two questions Quest. First what this true taste is Secondly whether this taste may not bee in wicked men Ans. For the first A true taste of the sweetnes of the Word and Gods graciousnes in it may bee knowne both by the cause and by the effects The cause of this taste is faith for by faith onely doth the soule taste Or that thing that raiseth so sweet a rellish in our hearts is A perswasion in particular of the graciousnes of God to vs euen of that graciousnes which the Word doth discouer The effects of this taste are three For first it reuiues the heart and raiseth it from the dead and frames it to bee a new creature working an vnfained change in the heart of man from the world and sin to the care of Gods glory and saluation of their own soules and thus it is called A sauour of life vnto life 2. Cor. 2.15 Secondly it settleth in the heart an estimation of the Word and spirituall things and the assurance of Gods fauour of al earthly things in the world Phil. 3.9 Psalm 84.10 Thirdly this taste works a heauenly kind of contentment in the heart so as the Godly when they haue found this are abundantly satisfied they haue enough Psalm 36.10 and 95.4 For the second question concerning wicked men and their rellishing of the sweetnes of the Word I say two things First that the most wicked men are without spirituall senses and finde no more taste in God or his Word than in the White of an egge they sauour not the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 2.13 Of this afterwards But yet it may not be denied but that some wicked men may go so farre as to taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the life to come and of heauenly gifts as the Apostle granteth Heb. 6.5 6. Quest. Now there-hence ariseth a great question What should bee the difference between this taste in wicked men and the true taste in godly men Answer For answer heerunto diuers differences may be giuen First in the things tasted there is a difference For wicked men may haue common graces yea and miraculous gifts too by imposition of hands and these are a great taste giuen them of the glory of Gods Kingdome but they neuer taste of sauing graces or if a taste of sauing graces were granted yet they taste as it were of the Riuer running by them but not of the Fountain whereas the Godly haue the very Spring of grace flowing in them Secondly in the time of tasting This taste in wicked men is but for a season it cannot hold long in them and therefore is their faith joy said to be temporary Whereas godly men may keep their taste to their dying daies not onely in the gifts of sauing graces but in the very sense of the sweetnes of Christ and the Word too c. Thirdly in the manner of tasting For wicked men may taste of the Gospell and Religion by senses or by a dimme kinde of contemplation or by a sudden illumination as by a flash of lightning but they cannot taste with their hearts cleerely by Faith Or thus wicked men may in the generall taste that is know and beleeue that the Mystery of Christ is true but they cannot taste or know this Mystery with particular and sound application as theirs Fourthly in the grounds of this taste or delight For a wicked man perswaded by false reasons settled in the common hope or transported with an high conceit of some temporary and common gifts and Graces may be much delighted and ioyed in the Word and the thought of going to heauen for a time but he neuer rightly applyed the promises of Grace in Christ nor doth he euer possesse so much as one infallible signe of a childe of God Fiftly In the effects and consequents of tasting for 1. A wicked man may taste but hee neuer digests An euill conscience casts vp the food againe or choakes and poisons it whereas in godly men their taste abides in them and they digest the food they receiue The vertue of it continues with them 2. A godly man is transformed and made another man by this taste so is not the wicked man It is not a sauour of life to the wicked 3. A true taste in the godly works as is before noted a high estimation and sound contentment so as the godly place the felicity of their liues in this communion with God his word But that can neuer a wicked man doe Sixtly and lastly wicked men may seem to taste and yet doe not Many men professe religion and delight in the word and in religion and religious duties who yet neuer did attaine to it but constantly found a wearines secret loathing and many times a secret and inward ill sauor in the word and in the duties of religion so as the
proue like a festered sore Malice is like leauen a little of it will sowre the whole lumpe It is like Poyson a drop may spoyle vs. It is like a coale of fire within it wants nothing but the Diuell to blow it and â—hen into what a flame may it kindle And therefore wee should all looke to our hearts to see that we be free from Malice and looke to our waies that we be guiltie of no kinde of Guile Such as are reconciled should note this point to see to it that they keepe not the least drop of the poysonfull grudge in their hearts It is not enough that they say daily they will forgiue or can receiue the Sacrament For if they cannot respect them with a free heart without reseruation they are still infected with the disease of Malice Hypocrisie The third sinne to be auoided is Hypocrisie Concerning Hypocrisie I propound two things to be considered First how many waies men commit Hypocrisie Secondly what reasons there are to disswade vs from Hypocrisie For the first the Scriptures discouer many waies of the practice of Hypocrisie In the 23 of Matthew our Sauiour notes eight wayes of being guilty of Hypocrisie 1. To say and not doe vers 3. 2. To require much of others and pleade for great things to be done by others and not at all do it our selues as we prescribe it to others verse 4. 3. To doe what we doe to be seene of men vers 5. This is at large opened Math. 6.1 to the middle of the chapter 4. To affect greatnesse in the respects and entertainments of others v. 6. to 1â— 5. To do duties of Religion of purpose to hide some foule sin v. 14. 6. To be curious and strict in small matters and neglect the greater duties verses 23 24. 7. To be carefull to auoid outward faults and to make no Conscience of the inward foulnesse of the heart verses 25 27. 8. To commend and magnifie the godly absent or of former ages and to hate and abuse the godly present and of our owne times v. 29. to 36. There are diuers other Hypocritical practices noted in other Scripture as 9. To serue God outwardly and yet our hearts to be carried away with vile distractions Esay 28.13 This is a chiefe Hypocrisie to be auoided in such as come to the word 10. To pray only in the time of sicknes or danger when we are forced to it and to shew no loue of prayer or delight in God in time of prosperity or deliuerance Iob. 27.8 9. 11. To iudge others seuerely for smaller faults and to bee guilty themselues of greater crimes Math. 7.5 12. To bee iust ouermuch I meane to make sins where God makes none Luke 13.15 13. To be conuinced in his owne Conscience and yet not confesse it nor yeelde though they know the Truth Luke 12.56 57 c. Thus of the diuers waies of Hypocrisie There are many reasons to declare the hatefulnesse of this sinne of Hypocrisie I will instance only in the reasons from the effects The effects of Hypocrisie are eyther first to others Or secondly to the Hypocrite himselfe First to others the Hypocrite is a continuall snare He walkes in a net that conuerseth with an Hypocrite Iob. 34.30 Secondly to himselfe the effects of Hypocrisie in the Hypocrite are both priuatiue and positiue The priuatiue effects which the Scripture instanceth in are chiefly three The first is that the Hypocrite loseth all his seruice of God In vaine do Hypocrites worship God Math. 15. Secondly he infecteth all his gifts and prayses Hypocrisie is like leauen Luke 12.1 It sowreth all gifts and graces a little of it will marre all his prayses and gifts whatsoeuer for the acceptation and vse of them Thirdly he loseth all reward of his good workes Math. 6.1 An Hypocrite may doe good workes though hee neuer doth them well and for the good he doth may haue his reward with men but this is all for from God he shall haue no reward The Positiue effects of Hypocrisie may be referred to two heads For some effects may fall vpon him and some effects must and will befall him The effects that may follow his Hypocrisie are three For first he is apt to be seduced by euill Spirits and the doctrine of Diuels An Hypocrite is in the greatest danger of most men to bee seduced into vile opinions 1. Tim. 4.1.2 Secondly he may fall into a spirit of slumber his conscience may be scared with an hot iron Thirdly hee may fall into most wofull terrors such a fearfulnesse may surprise the hypocrite that God may be to him as deuouring fire and as euerlasting burnings Esay 33.14 Iob 18.14 The effects that will certainly fall vpon the hypocrite are these which follow 1. Iudgement in his owne conscience He goes about as a condemned man for hee is alwaies condemned in himself 2. The discouery of all his villany for there is nothing hid in his intents and dealings but all shall be laid open Luke 12.1.2 3. The miscarrying of his hope The hope of the hypocrite shall perish Iob 8.11 to 16 and that with these aggrauations that his hope will perish first easily secondly speedily thirdly vnrecouerably Easily for God can destroy his hope as easily as the maid can sweep down the house of the spider with her besome Speedily for it will wither while it seems rooted and is yet green before any other herb yea though it growe vp yet it is like grasse on the house top Vnrecouerably for his hopes being but as the house of the spider they will be dashed down for euer and though he would lean to his house and take hould of it yet his hopes shall perish for euer and when this day comes his hopes shall bee as the giuing vp of the ghost 4. Strange punishments in his death and condemnation And therefore when our Sauiour Christ would expresse a speciall terrour in the plagues of especiall sinners he saith They shall haue their portion with hypâ—crites and workers of iniquity Matthew 24. and the last verse Iob 27.8 And these effects wil appear the more terrible if we consider that the Scriptures take off all the objections of hypocrites to shew that they bee left naked to the fury of God for all this will come vpon them Though they be many in number Iob 15.34 Though they be rich Iob 27 8. Though they triumph in all jollity now Iob. 20.5 Though they be yong or widows or fatherlesse Esay 9.17 Though they cry at their later end Iob 27.9 Though they doo many good deeds Mat. 6. Though their wickednes be yet hidden Luke 12.1.2 The vse may be first for information secondly for instruction and thirdly for consolation First for information and so it may shew vs First what to think of the great shewes of holiness mortification made in the Church of Rome Their fastings and their prohibition of marriage vows of chastity and wilfull
will not be despised 1. Tim. 4.12 2. The Diuell that god of this world doth mightily labour in this point to keepe men from affecting the Gospell If he cannot hinder men from hearing then his next worke is by all possible indeuours to blinde their minds and marre their tastes that they may not perceiue nor regard the glorious things of God in Christ 2. Cor. 4.4 3. Euill company is a wonderfull impediment it causeth perpetually hardnes of hart and carelesnes it keepes the hearts of the wicked men in a continuall habituall deadnes and the best men seldome light into prophane company but they get some degree of dulnes and deadnes of affections by it Pro. 9.6 Psa. 119.115 4. God himselfe being prouoked by mans extreame wilfulnes in sinning giues them ouer to a spirit of slumber and curseth their very blessings yea restraineth sometimes the very gifts of his seruants that so he may execute his iudgements vpon a rebellious people The Lord hideth his statutes from them and with-holding his spirit keeps back the life of the word in their harts Esay 6.10 yea many times to scourge the vnthankfulnes and vnprofitablenes of his own people he doth for a time hide his testimonies from them Psal. 119.19 Thus much of the lets without vs. The internall lets must be considered First In the wicked Secondly In the godly The cause of this hartlesnes and want of affection in the wicked is First their ignorance they know not either the word or the worth of the word or their own need of it Secondly their prophaneness irreligiousnes They liue without God or without Christ in the world they make no conscience of their waies They forget their later end they minde not the good of their soules but only earthly things they neuer tasted of the bountifulnes of the Lord but were altogether corrupt and strangers from the life of God only greedy in sinning Thirdly Atheisme There is in the harts of all wicked men in some degree abominable conceits concerning God and his word They either doubt whether the scriptures be the true word of god or els they are strongly carried to resolue ther is no profit in the knowledge of gods waies or in seruing the almighty Iob. 21.14 Malac. 3.15 Fourthly Cares of life The loue of the profits or pleasures of this life choak the word and the power of it as is apparant by these places Math. 13. Luke 14. Psal. 119 36 37 c. Fiftly In some either whoredome or wine for these two sinns together or either of them take away mens harts they are voide of all due consideration and of all affection to gods word They are senseless creatures Hosh. 4. Thus of the cheef letts in the wicked The lets of affection in the godly are diuers First Sometimes it is their worldliness their too much minding and plodding about the things of this life or their excessiue burthening of their heads about their calling They haue too much to doe or they haue too much care care I say that is distrustfull and carking care Psal. 119.36 Secondly Sometimes it is want of comfortable felowshippe in the Gospell Affection that is alone is seldome constant in the same degree There is much quickning and comfort and incitation in a constant and tender and profitable society with such as loue the word Psalm 119. verse 63. Thirdly sometimes it is some secret sinne that gets too much dominion ouer them As affection may stand with meer frailties and infirmities So on the other side if any sinne once get head and men yeeld to it and agree to obey it their affections to the word presently dy within them Psal. 119.133 yea if this sinne bee but in the thoughts and bee yeelded to and delighted in and that constantly they seek the pleasure of contemplatiue wickednes and do not resist it by praying against it euen vain thoughts may dead the affections and poison them Psal. 119.113 Fourthly sometimes it is neglect of mortification The soule will gather aboundance of humors as well the body and therefore Christians should not go too long especially if they feele a kinde of fulnesse to growe vpon them but take a purge that is seriously and secretly set time apart to humble themselues before God purging out their most secretest corruptions with all harty confession before God Fiftly sometimes it is want of practice or want of an orderly disposing of their waies in godlinesse If they rest onely in hearing their affections cannot last long sincere and besides the most Christians burden their owne harts for very want of order and that they go not distinctly about the works of godlinesse but rake together a great heap of doctrine which they knowe not what to doo withall Psal. 50. vlt. Sixtly sometimes again it is occasioned by inordinate feeding when Christians begin to affect nouelties and seek to themselues a heap of teachers they scape not long without fulnesse and the fits of loathing 2. Tim. 4.3 Seuenthly sometimes very idleness is the hindrance The want of a particular calling to imploy themselues in the six daies breeds a general kinde of wearinesse and satiety which extends the heart of it not onely to the times of priuate duties in the working daies but to the very Sabbath also They cannot work at Gods work with any great delight that had no more minde to their owne work Eightthly sometimes it is neglect of preparation and praier before we come to the word Ninthly sometimes it is a violent kinde of ignorance and vnbeleef when a Christian knowes not his right to the word and wil not be perswaded of the fatherly loue and presence of God in his ordinance If Preachers must say I haue beleeued therefore I will speak so must Hearers say I haue beleeued therefore I will hear They should knowe that they are welcome to Christ and may eat and drink Cant. 5.1 and that their heritage lieth in the word Psal. 119. Tenthly sometimes it is a very disease in the body as melancholy or some other which doth so oppresse the heart that it doth not take delight in any thing But of this more in the next Vse Lastly any of the sinnes mentioned in the former verse will hinder affection Malice Hypocrisie or Enuy or any of the rest Vse 3. The third vse may bee for instruction to teach vs to striue for affection to the word and to prouide to order our selues so as wee bee not wanting in the direction of the Apostle and so two sorts are to be taught that is such as want appetite and such as haue it that they may keep it aright Quest. What must such doo as finde either want of appetite or decay of it Ans. Such as would get sound affections to the word must doo six things First they must refrain their feet from euery euill way It is impossible to get sound affections without sound reformation of life Psalm 119. Secondly they must pray for it they
must beseech the Lord to quicken them Psal. 119.37 and to inlarge their hearts verse 32. especially to giue them vnderstanding verse 34. and to open their eies to see the wonderfull things of his law verse 18. Thirdly they must chuse an effectuall Ministery to liue vnder it such as is executed with power and demonstration to the conscience 2. Cor. 4.2 Fourthly they must remember the Sabbath day and that they doo when they empty their heads and hearts of all cares of life which might choak the word diligently dooing their owne works on the six daies and finishing them that they may bee free for the Lords work on the seuenth day The cares of life choke the word Matthew 13. Fiftly they must conuerse much if it be possible with affectionate Christians For as iron sharpneth iron so doth the exemplary affection of the tender-hearted whet-on the dull spirits of others Sixtly they must purge often They must bee frequent in the duties of humiliation by solemn fasting and praier and sound confession striuing when they feel fulnesse to growe vpon them to disburden their hearts and to quicken their spirits more forcibly to the loue of Gods name and word Quest. But what must such doo as haue gotten some affections to the word that they neyther lose them nor be vnprofitable in them Ans. They must look to diuerse things First they must hate vain thoughts take heed of those secret vanities of imagination and that delightfull contemplation of euill in the minde Psalm 119.113 Secondly they must try all things and keep that which is good They must hear with judgement and make speciall account of such parcels of doctrine as do most fit their particular needs labouring by all means that such truths run not out 1. Thes. 5.21 Thirdly they must take heed of itching eares For where mens desires are still carried after new men they are in great danger of fulnesse or of declining and which is worse of being carried about with diuerse doctrines and at length to be a prey to deceitfull mockers Fourthly they must preserue by all means the fear and trembling at Gods presence and humiliation of minde For so long as wee can dread the presence of God in his ordinances we are in no danger of losing our loue to the word Psalm 119.120 Lastly in Esay 55.1.2.3 wee may note diuerse things that GOD requires in such as haue the same thirst 1. They must come to means 2. They must buy and bargain with God by praier and vows 3. They must eat that is they must apply it to themselues 4. They must bee instructed against merit in themselues and bring faith to beleeue success though they deserue it not they must buy without money 5. They must harken diligently 6. They must eat that which is good that is they must apply effectually that doctrine they feel to haue life in it 7. Their soules must delight in fatnes that is they must be specially thankfull and cheerfull when God doth enliue his promises and sweeten his words to their tastes 8. They must after all this incline their ear and come to God They must make conscience to striue against dulnes and distractions and seek God in his word still or els their affections may decay and then if they doe this they shall liue and enioy the sure mercies of Dauid by a perpetuall couenant Question But what shall such godly persons as are afflicted with melancholy do in this case of affections Answer They must attend these things First they must be perswaded to see the disease in the body which extends the oppression of it to the very affections Secondly they must remember times that are past and iudge of their estate by what it was before Thirdly they may be infallibly assured that they are in a right way because they desire to liue vprightly and to forsake the corruptions that are in the world Fourthly they must know that it is a greater glory in faith to beleeue now when they feele not then to beleeue when the hart abounded with ioy Fiftly They may iudge of their affection to the word by their preparation before they com and by their only liking of such as loue the word and by their constant frequenting of it and by their sorrow for their dulnes and vnprofitablenes Hitherto of the duty to which hee exhorteth The motiues follow and they are fowre First ye are new borne babes Secondly the word is sincere milk Thirdly ye may thereby growe Fourthly ye haue tasted the sweetnes of the bounty of God in his word already The first reason tels what they are The second what the word is The third what they shall be The fourth what the word hath been As new borne babes These words are taken in diuers senses For properly they signify infants while they are tender and vnweaned from the breast Sometimes they signify vnable men and such as haue no fitnes for their callings so Isai. 3.4 Sometimes they signify such as be weake in faith and in the gifts of the spirit whether they be newly regenerated or lying in sinne 1. Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.13 and so it is taken heer And so the words are a reason to induce them to an affectionate desire after the word Inasmuch as they are so weak they can no better liue without the word then the child in nature can liue without milk Diuers things may be from hence noted First that grace is wrought in Christians by degrees Christ is reuealed in vs by foure degrees First as a child or little babe new formed and borne Secondly as a yong man in more strength and vigour and comeliness and actiueness Thirdly as a father or old man settled with long experience these three are in this life and mentioned 1. Ioh. 2.14 Now the fourth is when Christ shall appear in vs as the Antient of daies like God himself in a maruelous glorious resemblance of the holiness and properties of God And this shall bee in another world The vse should bee both for thankfulnes if Christ bee formed in vs to any degree and to incite our industry in all the meanes appointed of God seeing wee receiue gifts by degrees and not all at once Secondly that true grace may stand with many weaknesses A childe doth truly liue and yet it is very ignorant infirm weyward fit for little or no imploiment such may Christians be for a time such were the very disciples of Christ for a time such were the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3.1 and the Hebrewes Heb. 5.13 The vse should bee to restraine censuring of others because of their infirmities to haue no grace at all Whereas we should rather bear with them and beleeue all things Rom. 15.2 1. Cor. 13.5 And besides those that are distressed in minde should comfort them selues with this they may bee full of weaknesses and very vnprofitable and yet haue the true life of Christ in them Thirdly that the most
to couer them from the face of the Iudge 1. Thes. 5.3 Thirdly now the first degree of this despaire is felt by diuers wicked men in this life as it was by Cain and Iudas and of this hee speaketh heer And thus wicked men despair when they think their sins cannot be forgiuen and that they haue no benefit by Christ and shall certainly perish for euer And this is noted heer as a grieuous curse of God inflicted vpon vnbeleeuers Despair is one of God's most fearfull iudgements in this world which when God inflicteth hee may bee said to rain vpon them fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest Psal. 11.6 Most fearfull is their case when the wrathfull Arme of God takes hold of them and hee poures out his indignation vpon them this will make their loins to shake Psalm 69.23 24. They are then like the raging sea hauing no peace within them Esay 57. vlt. They are brought to the King of terrors and their confidence is rooted out Iob 18.11 14. There they were in great fear Psalm 14.5 They are said to blaspheme God and gnaw their tongues Reuel 16.9 10. While God's Saints sing for ioy of heart they howle for vexation of spirit Esay 65.14 They could bee glad to run into the holes of the rocks and into the caues of the earth for fear of the Lord and the glory of his Maiesty when hee comes thus terribly to shake the earth Esay 2.19 Surely such is the case of the Wicked and this is the portion of their cup that knowe not God And how terrible this torment is in the heart of a wicked man may appear if wee consider but what torment the very Godly suffer in their despair which is far easier than that of the wicked Dauid saith The paines of hell compassed him Psalm 18.5 6. and 116.3 and that God's terrours did cut him off and that he was ready to dy and that while he suffred God's terrors hee was distracted Psal. 88.15 16 14. As also it may appear by those torments which the very despaire for outward things hath put wicked men to which is farre lesse grieuous than this despair of God's mercy and eternall saluation and yet in that case their paines are compared to the paine of a woman in trauell Psalm 48.6 See more at large of the horrible plight wicked men haue been in in this respect in the description of the iudgements should fall vpon the forrain nations rendred by the Prophet Esay in many chapters Vses The vse may bee first for great amazement to wicked men that now perhappes laugh and sing in the iollity of their hearts O let them remember what God may doo to them What case will they bee in if God bring them once to despair And this is the porâ—ion of their Cup. Oh! if the terrour of a King be as the roaring of a Lion what then is their case if God shall reueal his wrath from heauen vpon them for their waighty sinnes And the more should they bee affrighted because despair is but as it were the beginning of euils They feel it for a short time on earth but shall feel it for euer in hell And therefore if it bee possible they should bee perswaded in time to repent that they may be deliuered from this great wrath to come Oh how easie in comparison might mens repentance be if they would be warned in time Secondly this doctrine may breed in vs a wonderfull awfulnesse and fear of God when we read of such iudgements in Scripture or behold any poor wretches tormented with this iudgement it should breed in vs not onely an infallible assurance that there is a God or that there shall be a hell of wofull torments or the like but it should especially make vs think of God with all reuerence and be afraid to displease him for dominion and fear are euer with him Iob 25.2 This doctrine should make vs resolute to go our waies and sinne no more the counsell of the Wicked should bee farre from vs seeing hee can thus put out their candle and make them drink of the wrath of the Almighty Iob 21.17 20. Thirdly it should work in all of vs a care to vse all means that we may be kept from despair Quest. What then should we doo that we fall not into despair Ans. Some things are to bee auoided some things are to be done If we would not fall into despair First wee must take heed of wilfull vnbelief such as was in the Iewes when men not onely neglect the assurance of saluation brought by Christ but contemn it and striue to put all such cares out of their heads Secondly we must take heed of stumbling If men feel their hearts to be insnared in respect of Christ and that they are tossed with vile obiections c. let them look to themselues and amend in time for if Christ be a stone of stumbling he may be a rock of offense Thirdly wee must take heed of security and contempt of the knowledge of God's waies Despair will work terribly when it lights vpon a minde that hath contemned knowledge and liued in all ease and security Iob 21.1 to 20. Fourthly we must take heed of apostasie from the profession of the loue of the truth for despair is many times a wofull scourge to such kind of creatures as the stories record and experience shewes Fiftly wee must in generall take heed of all grosse and presumptuous sinnes especially the sinnes against the third sixt and seuenth commandements for vsually these sins go before in the desparation such as are swearing and cursing and periury and murder and incest and whoredome c. The Wicked flee when none pursues them but the righteous are bold as a Lion Pro. 28.1 and 14.14 Now secondly there are other things which we must doo that we may auoid despair First we must not smother our doubts in matters of Religion especially in the cases of our conscience but take the pains to ask and seek resolution else that which is but doubting at the first may proue to bee despair in the end Those lesser sores in mens hearts may fester and rankle within vs till they prooue to this great disease Secondly wee must store our heads with the promises of the Gospell and those comfortable places of Scripture as may breed in vs a full perswasion of God's singular compassion and mercy towards all penitent sinners and withall do shew vs that plentifull redemption in Iesus Christ and the maruellous efficacy of his blood to clense vs from all our sins Thirdly wee should aboue all things put on the shield of faith I mean we should vse all diligence to get the assurance of GOD's fauour in Christ for assurance will preserue vs safe from despair For as vnbelief brings it so faith preserues vs from it Fourthly we should be carefull vpon all occasions to keep our assises and if we bee endangered by any sinne we should make haste to
For the first It is not vnprofitable to consider how men came by degrees at length to subiect themselues to this gouernment of Kings First man by the instinct of God and by the nature giuen him tends to society of all creatures man is vnaptest to liue alone mans language shewes that he was made to society and mans disposition shews that it likes not any estate that must be remoued from the knowledge and conuersation of other men He that can liue without society is either better than a man as is GOD or worse than a man as is a beast The first kinde of society was oeconomicall a houshold society where was first a society between man and wife and thence by propagation grew the society to a full houshold by the comming-in of children and seruants And hence was the first form of gouernment where the father of the family was the Head and Ruler The second kinde of society was a Village or Town which contained in it the gouernment of diuerse houses or families and this was occasioned either by increase of posterity or for preuention of harms or out of necessity for supply of necessaries At the first a Village or Town contained as is thought onely the seuerall branches of the same family that is when men liued so long such as were descended of their bloud and were ruled by the chief and first of their bloud Afterwards strangers of other families that were fewer in number mingled with them to auoid the danger of wilde beasts or the iniuries of other men yea one of the words vsed for a village is deriued from a word that signifies a Fountain and so importeth that necessity drew men to dwel together that so they might enioy the benefit of nature for water which in the Countries first-planted was not vniuersally to be had but one Well must serue diuers housholds and so the Springs of water was one cause to bring men to this kinde of society and dwelling together The third kinde of society was a City which consisted of the people of many Villages and into this society men came both for commodity and necessity For commodity as namely for trades and the education of children and the exercise of Religion and the administration of iustice for necessity that so they might bee strengthened against their enemies and to this end they walled and ditched-about their Cities as also to keep-in offenders that they might not flee and to keep out such as were banished that they might not return and in this society first began the gouernment of Kings For from the beginning it is thought that euery City had a King as a Monarch to rule and defend it as appears in Genesis There was a King of Sodome and Gomorrah and so euery of the other Cities had their different Kings Fourthly when men increased so fast that one City could not hold the people which liued in it then beganne Countries and Prouinces and at length the whole Nation consisting of many Cities became subiect to one King and afterwards by conquest or marriage diuerse Nations yeelded obedience to one King Now the ends why humane societies became subiect to Kings and to superior Powers were the Common-weal and the benefit of the people so vnited for power was giuen to Kings that so men might be protected in the practice of vertue that peace might be preserued among the Inhabitants that the common priuiledges might be maintained that courses for raising of riches trades might bee held Each man did look to his owne wealth but the King was to look-to the Common-wealth And thus much of the Originall of Kings Their excellency aboue other men follows Secondly it must needs appear that Kings are of all men most excellent in respect of their outward condition and calling 1. Because God himself was a King and is delighted to rank himself among men of that degree 2. Because their creation is from God they are a speciall sort of men raised in a peculiar manner to their places by God who pleads it as his glory that Kings raign by him Pro. 8. Romans 13. 3. Because God hath communicated to kings the Image of his owne Maiesty and printed in the natures of men a naturall forme of Kings as the Vice-gerents to God himself 4. Because a diuine sentence is in the mouth of the King as Salomon saith their iudgement is God's iudgement and God would haue the people to beleeue that what they say in iudgement God himself saith it 5. Because they haue a power aboue all other men of which when I come to treat of the word Superiour 6. Because they take accounts of all other men but giue accounts onely to God 7. Because they haue the treasure of honor they giue all the honour which is possessed by any of their Subiects and so doo they all offices of honour and gouernment in their Dominions 8. Because they are the Basis or the foundation or stay of all their Subiects who are maintained in Religion Iustice and Peace by their means And thus of their excellency Thirdly it is to bee noted that the word is set down indefinitely and so it shewes that this honour belongeth to all Kings in the substance of it whether he be a King of one City or many whether he be a Iew or Gentile a Christian or Pagan Hereticall or Orthodoxall Caesar or Herod young or old vertuous or vitious Vse Fourthly the vse should be therefore from hence to inforce vpon our hearts an increase of care and conscience in acknowledging the honor and right of Kings and in loyall and sincere obseruance and obedience to their Lawes It should not seem grieuous to men to bee held vnder the yoke of obedience and to be subiect to others that are but men as well as themselues There are many things may encourage the harts of Subiects without grieuance to bear the superiority of Princes and not to be discontented for First Kings haue nothing but what they haue receiued Secondly if Kings doo wrong they must giue account to God for all the wrongs that they haue done Thirdly God hath charged Princes to be carefull of their Subiects hee hath giuen them lawes though they be Kings Fourthly Princes Subiects are first bound to God and therefore they are not tied to Princes in any thing contrary to God's Word Fiftly though the outward man be subiected to the power of Princes yet their consciences are free in spirit they are subiect onely to the God of spirits Sixtly the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord and hee turneth them as hee pleaseth Prouerbs 21. Seuenthly though God hath set vp Kings yet he hath not put down himself but hee ruleth in all these things hee is King of heauen Daniel 4.34 and he is King of all the earth Psalm 47.8 He is a King immortall 1. Tim. 1.12 Eightthly whereas thousands of subiects cannot attaine to the fight of the King nor
for vs in all places 3. Because if a man vndertake to answere them by words he is in danger to be prouoked to speak vnaduisedly and so may prooue like those fools whom he reproues Pro. 26.5 4. Because the naturall conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conuersation and will struggle and resist within the wicked man so as hee cannot so securely vent his reproaches 5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones owne heart If he deale with them by words his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good works 6. Because it is the surest way of reuenge to ouercome their euill with goodnes especially if thou canst get but the aduantages to doo good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18 19. Vse The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in vs that ouer-eager desire of answering such as wrong vs by bitter words or works of reuenge yea it should compell vpon vs a consultation whether it bee best to deale with them at all by words God's way is by works and thou must get a great deal of temperance and wisdome if thou think thy self able to confute them throughly by words It is true also that in some cases wee may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse vs but yet still this counsell of God that bids vs silence them by well-dooing should intimate that other courses must bee vsed with much caution and without rashnes or confidence in them Secondly this may reprooue that vnquietnes and impatience which is found in some Christians when they are reproached and wronged they are much vexed at the indignities offred to them and think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names whereas perhaps if they examine themselues they may finde that they haue not vsed the meanes to still them they haue not muzzled these dogs and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too and muzzled we see heer they will not bee but by their good workes And therefore if they bee barren and vnfruitfull they must take notice of the fault in themselues There are other things that may be noted out of these words but I will onely touch them as Doct. 7. That onely foolish men doo reproach godly men Such as reuile and censure many are vsually either openly carnall men as they were drunkeards that reproached Dauid and Abiects Psalm 35.15 and 69.13 They were either fools or the children of fools but viler they were than the earth that had Iob in derision Iob 30.1 8. men that ranne into excesse of riot as the Apostle writeth 1. Pet. 4.5 or else hypocrites that haue nothing in them but words and empty shewes Or if at any time there bee a sinne found in godly men it is in such as are but babes and look like carnall men and haue a great deal of their naturall folly and madnes vnsubdued in them 1. Cor. 3.1 2 3. But for the most part it is a fault found onely in wicked men Doct. 8. That it is a great pain to a wicked man to bee restrained from reproaches hee is as much vexed when hee cannot or dare not speak euill of godly men as a dogge or an oxe is when hee is muzzled Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men and yet not make them leaue their wickednes hee doth not say that by well-doing they may winne ignorant and foolish men It is true that sometimes a good conuersation may winne them as 1. Pet. 3.1 2. and before verse 12. Yet ordinarily they will doo wickedly euen in the Land of vprightnes Esay 26.10 Verse 16. As free and not vsing your liberty for a cloke of malitiousnes but as the seruants of God IN the two former verses he confirms the exhortation by reasons in this he answers an obiection The obiection seems to be that Christians are made free by Christ and therefore are not to bee tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subiection to men The Apostle answereth that it is true that Christians are made free-men but so as they must not vse their freedome as a cloak of malitiousnes and the liberty of sinning either against God or men for they are still God's seruants and bound to doo what he would haue them to do and so consequently to obey Magistrates since GOD requires them so to doo So that in this verse hee intreats of Christian liberty And so first hee grants the vse of it or the right of it in these words As free Secondly he remoues the abuse of it in these words Not vsing your liberty as a cloke of malitiousnes And thirdly he giues a reason of his remoueall Because they are the seruants of God still In the first part you must consider what he granteth viz that they are free Secondly how far he grants it viz. that they are as free Free Freedome is either ciuill or spirituall Ciuill freedom is when a seruant is manumitted or made free that was an apprentise or bond-slaue before and so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City or a Common-wealth or the like The spirituall freedome is that estate which Christians do enioy by God's fauour in Christ after their calling It is a spirituall manumission or freedom that is heer meant and this is called Christian liberty partly because it is a freedome that we haue onely by Christ and partly because it is a freedome now onely enioyed by Christians and no other men in the world Christian liberty is one of the great gifts or endowments bestowed vpon the Church by Christ. It is not amisse to reckon vp all the gifts in order that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appear The gifts then that Christ hath bestowed vpon Christians are these First their ransome paid vnto God for their redemption Secondly their vocation by the Gospell calling them out of the world into the Church Thirdly the holy Ghost which hee sends into their hearts Fourthly their iustification imputing his owne righteousnes and procuring forgiuenesse of all their sins Fiftly their sanctification by which hee giues them new natures Sixtly their adoption by which they are made the sons of God Seuenthly their Christian liberty by which they are freed from all former bondage and enioy great priuiledges this is a fruit of their adoption Eightthly consolation refreshing their hearts in all estates especially by the comforts of his Word Ninthly the gift of perseuerance by which tey are kept from falling away Lastly an immortall and vndefiled inheritance in heauen after they are dead Christian liberty is either the liberty of grace in this life or the liberty of glory after this life The liberty of glory concerns either the soule or the body The glory or liberty of the soule is the freeing of it from all
that worke about nothing more then he things of this life Luke 16.13 Thirdly all vnprofitable Christians that liue and doe no good will doe no work but spend their daies in spirituall idlenes and vnfruitfulnes making no conscience of the meanes or opportunities of wel-doing Math. 25.26 28. Fourthly all backward and dull Christians to whom it seemes euill to serue the Lord that account all religious duties to be tedious irksome and neuer from their hearts consent to obey but doe what they doe vpon compulsion from the lawes of men or feare of shame c. They are Gods seruants no otherwise then the diuell is For the diuell is forced to doe God some worke sometimes but it is alwaies against his will that God hath any glory by it Fiftly all ignorant Christians that are so farre from doing good workes that they vnderstand not Gods will nor are carefull to redeeme the time that they might get knowledge Sixtly all hypocrites that haue the forme of godlines but deny the power thereof promise to doe much worke but do it not These especially so many of them as know their Masters will and doe it not shall one day feele the weight of Gods hand Seuenthly all quarelsome contentious Christians that make diuision and cause offences contrary to the doctrine of Gods Word These the Apostle saith serue not the Lord Iesus but their own belly and by smooth pretences deceiue the simple Rom. 16.18 Vse 4. Lastly since Gods people are Gods seruants they are to bee much reproued that take liberty to iudge and censure other men for infirmities or things doubtfull or indifferent for what haue they to doe to iudge anothers seruant They are Gods seruants and must make their reckoning to him and therefore stand or fall to their owne Master Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence learne that it is an excellent freedome to be Gods seruant They are all freemen that serue God as the coherence shewes No freemen can enioy better priuiledges then Gods seruants doe and neuer were there any seruants that enioyed such prerogatiues as Gods seruants doe and this may appeare many waies for First all sorts of men are Gods seruants All his subiects are his seruants Psal. 135.14 yea all his sonnes are seruants yea Christ himselfe Esay 42. all his elect are seruants yea his friends are his seruants so Abraham that had the honour to bee the friend of God accounted it no desparagement to bee Gods seruant the Kings of the earth accounted it to bee the best part of their title to bee Gods seruants Psal. 36.1 All which proues that it is a most free and honourable estate to be seruant vnto God else those eminent persons would neuer haue sought them out such a seruice and this is the more euident because God accepteth not of persons but the poorest Christian may bee as well intertained of God as any of those States Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Secondly Gods seruice may become any freeman in the world if we consider what kinde of intertainment God giues his seruants For First all his worke is faire work It is no disgrace for any man to doe it and hee requires no more of the meanest seruant hee hath then hee doth of the greatest Prince on earth after he hath retained him to be his seruant Secondly if it fall out that they endure any hardship or be put to beare any inconuenience it is no more then what the Master himselfe doth or hath endured Math. 10.25 Thirdly and that the difficulty of this worke may not dismay thee he powres out his owne spirit vpon his seruants Ioel. 2.29 and guides them so that in effect hee doth all their worke for them Esaiah 26. Psal. 90. Fourthly when they endeuour themselues to doe his worke in sincerity he accepts their seruice maruelous graciously hee is so well pleased with them that his countenance doth shine vpon them Psal. 31.16 yea he boasts of their seruice Iob 1.8 and 2.3 Fiftly if through ignorance or infirmity they misse it sometimes and so marre his work if they but come to him and confesse it hee is ready and easie to forgiue and plentious in mercy Psalm 86.4 5. Esay 44.20 21. Mal. 3.17 Sixtly no men are kept and entertained more comfortably than they are hee doth not onely finde them food but giues them gladnes of heart where a thousand of other men that haue meanes enough haue so many sorrows among that they bear their names as a very curse Esay 65.13 14. Seuenthly if by wilfull ignorance or carelesnes they offend him yet hee will correct in measure Ier. 30.10 11. and will quickly repent himself of his Iudgement concerning them Psalm 135.14 Hee neuer puts away any seruants Esay 41.8 9. If they should at any time runne away and be lost he will neuer cease seeking them till hee finde them and bring them home again Psalm 119. vlt. Eightthly he giues great wages none like him all his seruants haue a great reward Psalm 19.11 And in the end he bestowes vpon them great inheritances besides what free-holds he bestowes vpon them in this life Psalm 126.22 1. Pet. 1.3 Ninthly hee takes pleasure in the prosperity of his seruants Psalm 35.27 It is a ioy to him when they doo well and thriue Tenthly besides what they get for themselues they get great sutes for others also they beg many a pardon and obtain any of them yea great sutes Iob 40.5 Iohn 15.15 16. Eleuenthly when any thing ailes them his mercifull kindnes is a wonderfull comfort to them Psalm 119.70 And if they should fall into danger in respect of the debts of other men God becomes surety for them and sees all discharged Psalm 119. verse 122. Twelfthly no men haue such protections Their aduersaries are sure to come to confusion the men that striue with them shall certainly perish Esay 41.11 12 c. The hand of the Lord shall bee knowne towards his seruants and his indignation towards his and their enemies Esay 66.14 Thirteenthly they shall not lose what they haue wrought but God will establish their work hee will neuer forget them and their works shall bee had in euerlasting remembrance Esay 44.20 Psalm 90.16 17. Lastly God doth not onely thus extraordinarily prouide for his seruants but hee takes order and prouides also for the seed of his seruants which few or none of worldly masters doo Psalm 69.37 Vses The vse should be threefold First it should teach Christians to liue with contentation and in all things to giue thanks and to say alwaies with Dauid O Lord thou hast dealt well with thy seruant according to thy Word Psalm 119.65 Secondly it should make them take great delight to doo his work they should loue to bee seruants to such a Master Esay 56.6 Thirdly they should euery where speak of Gods praises that entertaines them so gratiously they should open their mouthes all the day long with the praises of such a
serue God or to bee so religious Mal. 3.14 15. Ios. 24.14 Fiftly they that make no conscience of secret sinnes or hypocrisy in God's worship these feare not God because they set not the Lord alwaies before them nor feare to omit or do such things as the world cannot take notice of Sixtly they that meddle with the seditious or changers how forward soeuer they seeme in religion yet such as are set to bee so inclinable to bee led by changers haue not the true feare of God in them Prou. 24.21 Seuenthly they that liue in any knowne sinne and make no conscience to depart from iniquity Prou. 3.7 and 14.2 Such are they that are mentioned in the Catalogue Mal. 3.5 sorcerers adulterers c. especially the men that bless themselues in their hearts when they are guilty of hatefull sinnes Psal. 26.1 2 4. On the other side such as truely feare God may bee knowne by these signes First they make conscience to obey God in their liues and keepe his ordinances Deut. 6.2 They shew that they feare him by seruing of him Secondly they doe beleeue God and his seruants speaking to them in his name This was a signe the Israelites feared God because they beleeued God and his seruant Moses Exod. 14.31 Thirdly they that truely feare God do depart froÌ„ euil dare not liue or allow themselues in any knowne sinne whether it bee sinne in opinion or in life In opinion they that feare God will giue him glory though it be to change for the opinions not onely they but all the world haue held Reuel 14.7 And so in practice he that truly feares God â—ates all sin in some measure It is a â—oule signe one doth not feare God when hee will not forsake his errours or faults though he be conuinced of them Fourthly they that make a conscience of it to obey God in all soundnes of practice in their conveâ—sation and so not onely in worshipping him with reuerence Psal. 5.8 but in striuing to doe all the good duties God requires Psal. 5.8 and that this signe may be applied effectually wee may try ourselues by our obedience to God whether our feare of him bee right or no. First if we obey in secret and dare not leaue vndone such things as no man can charge vs withall and doe withall striue against and resist the very hypocrisie of the heart and stand in feare of God's offence for the euils are found in our very thoughts this will proue vs to feare God soundly in truth and vprightnesse of heart Iosh. 24.14 Col. 3.22 When we set the Lord alwaies before vs and with desire to approue our selues to him it is an excellent signe Secondly When wee heare the Word of God and are told what to auoide or doe wee are then tried whether we feare God soundly or no For if we dare not delay but make Conscience of it to practise God's will as fast as wee know it it is a good signe but otherwise it is a foule signe that many Christians that make a fayre shewe are not sound because they are not afraid to liue in the sinnes God reproues by his Word nor to leaue still vnperformed the Precepts Counsels and directions are giuen them from day to day The Religion of many that seeme to bee of the better sort is a meere formality as this very signe proues Psal. 86.11 Isaiah 50.10 Thirdly a great guesse may be had at mens feare of God by their care and Conscience they make of their obedience in their particular calling A man may haue comfort that his feare of God and profession of Religion is right if hee hate idlenesse lying couetousnesse deceit frowardnesse and vniust dealing in his calling For though to deale iustly with all men be no infallible signe of the true feare of God yet it is a probable one and where it is not there can be no true feare of God Thus Magistrates must proue that they feare God 2. Chron 19.27 Exod. 18.21 and thus euery man in his place yea if women would haue the reputation to be such as feare God they must let their workes prayse them If they be idle froward vndutifull busie-bodies and carelesse of their domesticall duties what feare of God can bee in them Fourthly it will be manifest that our obedience flowes from the true feare of God if we will obey against our profit or ease or credit or our owne carnall reasons or affections Hereby the Lord said he knew that Abraham feared him because he spared not his owne sonne c. Gen. 22.12 And thus of the feare of God The last part of the charge concernes our loyalty to the King Honour the King The Apostle intends in these words but briefely to vrge the practice of their duty vrged in the exhortation Verse 13. saue that the tearmes haue something in them of explication of that doctrine and something for confirmation For we must honour the King 1. In our hearts 2. In our words 3. In our workes First we must honor him in our hearts and shew it two waies 1. We must not curse the King no not in secret no not in our thoughts We must not entertayne impatient and vile thoughts of the King but from our hearts esteeme him for his greatnesse authority and gifts 2. When the King commands any thing that seemes to others or to vs harsh inconuenient or doubtfull we must honour the King by interpreting his Laws in the best sence If loue must not thinke euill but hope all things of all sorts of men then much more of Kings It were greatly to bee longed for that this note might enter into the brests of some men they would then bee afraid to charge so much euill of the Kings ordinances not onely when they might finde a fairer sence but oftentimes expresly against the intent and meaning of the ordinance Secondly wee must honour the King in our words three waies 1. By reuerent speeches to them and of them 2. By a thankfull acknowledgement of the good is in them and wee receiue by them 3. By praying to God with all manner of praier for them 1. Tim. 2.1 Thirdly we must honour them in our works 1. By paying their tributes and customes 2. By submitting and yeelding to their ordinances preferring the obedience to their ordinances before the censures or contrary opinions of what men soeuer and this is the maine thing intended verse the 13. of this Chapter And therefore I will omit the larger handling of this point in this place Verse 18. Seruants bee subiect to your Masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward HItherto of the duties of subiects and so of the exhortation as it is politicall and concernes the Common-wealth Now the Apostle proceeds to giue directions oeconomicall that concerne the family or houshould gouernment Before I consider of the particular exhortations something would be said in generall concerning a family A
of seruants is subiection seruants must bee subiect It is not enough to weare their master's Cloth and to hire themselues to their masters they must make conscience of it to perform constant humble subiection to their masters And so they must bee subiect to their masters three waies First to their commandements and so they must obey them and yeeld themselues to them to be ruled and directed by them in all things Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 Secondly to their rebukes and corrections for if children need rebukes and corrections then doo seruants also Pro. 13.1 and 15.5 Seruants will not alwaies be corrected by words and therefore need blowes Pro. 29.19 Gen. 16.6 yea they must patiently suffer correction though it be inflicted vniustly as appears in the verses following this Text. Thirdly to their restraints Seruants must bee subiect to the appointment of their masters euen in the things wherein they restrain them as for instance in their diet It is a sinfull humour in them Not to be content with such diet as their masters appoint them though it be worse than the diet of their masters or the diet of the children of the family So likewise in their company they must auoid all company that may bee any way offensiue to their masters and so likewise in their apparell in such cases where seruants are to bee apparelled by their masters as also in respect of their going out of the house in the day-time when they haue not leaue but much more abominable it is To be out of their masters houses in the night without their leaue And as their subiection must bee performed in all these cases so the indefinite maner of propounding it shewes both that they must bee subiect in all things and in all the waies of shewing subiection for the manner of it they must be subiect in all things so as to beare with their masters for it is a sinnefull rebellion to crosse or disobey or leaue vndone any thing that is required of them to doo And besides it shewes that they must bee subiect in their very hearts and in their words and in their countenance and gesture as well as in the work to be done by them Vse The vse may concern both seruants and the parents of such seruants and the masters that rule them Seruants should hence from their hearts learn to yeeld themselues ouer to their masters with all good conscience to perform the subiection required yea such seruants as heare this doctrine may try their hearts whether they be indeed good seruants or no for a good seruant that makes conscience of his duty when hee heares the doctrine doth from his heart consent to it and will striue to fashion himself according to it Now the seruants that desire to bee such as is required may attain to it if they obserue these rules First they must carefully study the doctrine of seruants duties Seruants oftentimes fail through meer ignorance because they doo not lay before their mindes what God requires of them Secondly they must often iudge themselues for their faults wherin they haue displeased their masters or neglected their duties therefore many seruants mend not because either they will not see their faults or doo not humble themselues in secret for it Thirdly they must often meditate on the motiues that may perswade them to subiection And so there are fiue things that might bow their harts and breed in them a conscience of their duties First the Commandement of God it is GOD's will they should beare themselues thus humbly and obediently toward their masters Secondly the promise annexed to God's Commandement should moue them God will reward their work Eph 6.8 Col. 3.24 And in particular inasmuch as their seruice is required in the fift Commandement therefore if they be good seruants God will blesse them with long life Thirdly the threatning if they be not good seruants but bear themselues naughtily and stubbornly they shall not only receiue shame and punishment from men but God will plague them for the wrongs they doo to their masters euen for all the grief wherwith they haue vexed them and for all the losses they haue brought to their masters Col. 3. vlt. Fourthly the examples of such as haue born themselues full wel in Scripture should much moue them the piety of Abraham's seruant Gen. 24. and the painfulnesse and faithfulnesse of Iacob Gen. 31.38 c. and the readinesse of the Centurion's seruant Mat. 8. Yea it should much moue them that Christ Iesus himself was in the form of a seruant Phil. 2. Fiftly the care of the Religion they professe should much moue them if they bee carelesse and proud and stubborn the Name of God and the doctrine of Religion may be blasphemed 1. Tim. 6.1 And if they bee humble and carefull and faithfull they may adorn the doctrine of the Gospell as the Apostle shewes Tit. 2.9 10. Vse 2. Such parents as put their children foorth to seruice must take heed that they spoil them not by giuing care to the complaints of their masters or by allowing them any way in stubborn and disobedient courses Thirdly if masters would haue their seruants to please them by their subiection they then must learn how to rule and gouern them not onely by teaching and charging them what to doo but also by ouer-seeing them whereby many faults may bee preuented and accordingly by seasonable reprouing them and correcting of them betimes for the more wilfull offenses so studying to carry themselues gently towards them or that they lose not their authority by too much loue of their own ease and quietnes else it is iust that their seruants should prooue a continuall vexation to them Pro. 30.22 and 29.19 To your masters The parties to whom they owe subiection are their masters where three things may bee obserued First that though seruants are vnder subiection yet it is not to all men or to other men but onely to their masters which may warne men to take heed that they abuse not other mens seruants or speak basely of them for though in respect of their masters they are seruants yet in respect of them they are as free as themselues And in particular it should teach diuers to meddle lesse with other mens seruants by way of complaint to their masters It was Salomon's Rule Accuse not a seruant to his master lest he curse thee and thou bee found guilty Pro. 3.10 Hee giues two reasons of his aduice The one is that his complaining may so vex the seruants ouer whom he hath no iurisdiction that it may cause them in their impatience to vex him with their reproaches of him which an ingenuous minde should striue to auoid The other is that in such complaints most an end there is much mis-taking when men meddle with such things as belong to other mens families and then it is a foule shame to be found faulty To conclude this point wee should remember that of the Apostle
doo many notorious iniuries and abuses to their conscience by resisting the motions of conscience not knowing what to make of them and by smothering the scruples of conscience and by deading the conscience or else by vexing them and many other waies Thirdly God hath giuen men a great charge about the keeping of their consciences which he placed in their soules as a great treasure and God would haue it respected and looked to with as much care as any thing hee hath giuen vs 1. Tim. 1.19 Fourthly God doth require that men should get grace and goodnes into their consciences as well as into their hearts or words or liues which they can neuer doo if they be not taught Fiftly God's Word in all the directions and precepts of it doth binde oblige mens consciences to see to the obedience of them now what can conscience doo if men knowe not what belongs to their consciences and the natures and works of conscience But aboue all things it should awaken men to study the knowledge of conscience yea of their owne consciences if they consider that the conscience of euery man is one of the principall books shall bee opened at the last Day for euidence before the Tribunall Seat of Christ and therefore men were best to look about them in this world to see to it what is written in this book for it is indeleble and will stand vpon record either for them or against them at that Day Now concerning conscience diuers things are to bee considered First what conscence is Secondly what the work of conscience is Thirdly what the prerogatiues of conscience are Fourthly the kindes or sorts of consciences Last of all what it is that bindes the conscience which is to bee inquired into because men are inioyned to suffer wrongs patiently for conscience sake euen seruants from their Masters For the first To know what conscience is we must looke both to the Etymology of the word and to the definition of the thing The word conscience imports a knowledge with another Conscientia quasicum alia scientia Conscience that is science conioyned and the reason is because conscience is a thing in vs that knowes what wee haue done and therein ioynes with some other thing that knows it too Some of our actions conscience sees within and the Angels and men see them without but for our secret thoughts conscience is onely ioyned with God or with our owne mindes as they are ioyned with God Cōscience is a thing within vs which God hath plac't there of purpose to be his witnes or spy to discouer all wee think or do as it is ioyned with the mind of man it is the knowledge of what we know or the thinking of what we think To think of other things is the vnderstanding or mind but to think what wee think is the conscience of a man Or else conscience may bee called so because it is a concluding science Conscientia quasi concludens scientia and the reason of the tearme in that sense may bee thus because looke what discourse conscience hath with God or the minde of man it vttreth it by way of a Syllogisme which they call a practicall Syllogisme As for instance If the conscience speak within to a murtherer it speaketh by Syllogisme thus Euery murtherer is in a fearfull case but thou art a murtherer therefore thou art in a fearefull case Now that that reason which concludes thus in him is his conscience is most apparant For the mind giues onely the first part of the Syllogisme which is that a murtherer is in a fearefull case or that the mind sees either by the naturall principles planted in it or by the Scriptures The other branch the conscience takes out of the memory that is that thou hast committed murther now the concluding of both and applying them to the murtherer is the proper work of conscience and conscience is that within vs that so concludes vpon our actions Now for the definition of conscience omitting the diuersity of frames giuen by diuers men I expresse that which I take to bee the cleerer and fullest to shew vs what it is Conscience is a diuine facultie in the soule of all reasonable creatures applying the principles or propositions of their mind in their particular actions either with them or against them I say it is a faculty to note that it is more then the act or the habit of the minde iudging or determining For acts and habits may be lost but conscience cannot Besides the Scriptures shew that conscience doth act as it excuseth or accuseth and therfore must be a faculty it selfe and not the act of a faculty I say a faculty in the soule because I dare not assigne it or confine it to any part of the soule as they doe that make it a part of the vnderstanding for the vnderstanding hath no parts properly and to make it a part Analogically is not to bee borne in a definition as Logicians know I say moreouer it is in all reasonable creatures to note that beasts that haue onely a sensitiue soule haue no conscience And whereas God also is no creature therefore hee hath not conscience For God beeing holines it selfe needes no faculties to gouern himselfe by nor any conscience to witnes or prompt him And I say it is in all that none might imagine that some men haue a conscience and some haue none For euery man hath a conscience either good or bad Secondly the proper work of conscience is imported in the other words of the definition viz. applying the principles of the mind For the vnderstanding whereof wee must know that there are certaine notions or frames of truth planted in the mindes of all men being infused by God as a naturall Law in their minds shewing what is good or euill and those principles are increased in the mindes of such as haue the benefit of the Scripture more or lesse according to the degree of their knowledge Now that which conscience doth is this It repaires to these formes of truth or light in the minde and takes such of them as concerne the busines in hand and with the force of them either comforts or affrights men according as the occasion is Note that I say it is a diuine faculty I wanted a fit term to express my meaning for that I would vtter I say that it is a wonderful special faculty in vs It is a most celestiall gift conscience is so of God in man that it is a kind of middle thing between God and man lesse then God and yet aboue man So then Conscience concludes about a mans owne actions For if Conscience trouble it selfe about other mens actions it is either the weaknes or the error of cōscience I adde particular actions because Conscience neuer imployes it selfe properly about generals and lastly I adde for the successe or end It is either with a man or against him to note that
Conscience is such an Arbiter betweene God and vs that sometimes it speakes for God against vs and sometimes for vs to God But that wee may bee more distinctly informed about Conscience I therefore come to the second point which is to consider what Conscience can doe or how it is imployed in vs and Conscience is imployed both for GOD and for man which work I will consider first apart and then ioyntly For God then Conscience works diuersely and hath many offices vnder God and for God for it is Gods speciall spy set in the hart of man to watch him and his Intelligencer Notary to set down what man hath done It is God's hand-writing the Law of God written in our hearts or rather worketh by the help of that body of the Law written by the finger of God vpon the Tables of mens hearts It is a co-witnes with God Rom 9.1 It is also Gods Lieutenant and a great Commander placed within vs that seuerely requires homage and seruice to be done to God and especially diuerts man from ill directing him in the carefull manner of seruing of God For God will not accept any seruice that Conscience doth not order 2. Tim. 1.3 It is a taster for GOD in point of doctrine of Religion For all doctrines must bee brought to the Conscience to bee tried whether they bee of God or no 2. Cor. 4.2 And finally it makes a man endure griefe and suffer wrong for God and his glory as this Text imports For man Conscience is many waies imployed as first it is imployed in viewing and surueying the things of man especially the hidden things of man and heer the power of Conscience is wonderfull For other creatures may see the things without them but haue no power to see the things within them onely man hee hath a knowledge reflexed The eye of a man too can see other things but without a glasse it cannot see it self But now Conscience can discern it self and the whole actions of man and so it differs from Science or the knowledge of the minde for to knowe other things is science but to knowe our selues is Conscience The soule then by Conscience knowes it self it views the thoughts memory affections of the soule and can tell what we think desire loue feare hate c. Secondly in matters of Religion Conscience is specially imployed for instance both in the Word and the Sacraments For the Word the mystery of faith euen all the grounds of Religion they are laid vp and are in the keeping of Conscience 1. Tim. 3.9 And in Baptisme whereas God makes a couenant with vs and likewise requires a restipulation or promise on our part Conscience is heerin imployed and without Conscience God will do nothing in the businesse It was the forme in the Primitiue Times that the party which was to bee baptized was to bee examined before God whether hee did beleeue the question was Credis Doost thou beleeue And he was to answer Credo I doo beleeue Now this answer God would not take vnlesse the conscience would say that hee did beleeue as he said this is the answer A good conscience is mentioned 1. Pet. 3.21 Again a good conscience serues in all the offices of our life or affairs euen in all things to be a witnes if we do that which conscience thinks well to comfort vs and if we doo that which conscience thinks ill to discourage vs Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 Yea conscience is the guide of our liues We are heer pilgrims and strangers farre from our home and in iourney continually now GOD hath set consciences in vs to bee our guides that in all things we are to doo we may be directed and encouraged by conscience taking the direction and warrant of conscience as a speciall ground of our actions so as to do contrary to what conscience bids vs is a sinne for it doth not onely witnes about what is past but it directs vs about what is to come as now to be done But the principall work of Conscience whether we respect God or man is To keep Court in the heart of man There is in man Forum Conscientiae a Court of Conscience a secret Tribunall is set vp in the heart of man and therein sits Conscience and arraigneth accuseth bringeth witnesse sentenceth and doth execution Now concerning the iudgement of Conscience keeping an Assise in the heart of man two things are to be considered First the law by which Conscience iudgeth secondly the manner of the proceeding in iudgement For the first Conscience iudgeth of the actions of men by vertue of certain principles as I said before which it findeth in the vnderstanding gathered either from the Law of Nature or from experience of God's prouidence or from the Scriptures Now the manner how it proceeds in iudgement is in form of reasoning as I said before for in the minde the Conscience findes as it were a Book of Law written which is in the keeping of the faculty they call it in schools Synteresis from hence the Conscience takes the ground of reasoning and from the memory it takes euidence of the fact or state of the man that is arraigned and then by it self it iudiciously concludes and passeth Sentence and so it proceeds whether it condemn or absolue In the Iudgement of condemnation it proceeds thus First it cites or calls for the soule to be tried then it accuseth in this form out of the body of the law kept in the minde it takes the conclusion it means to work vpon and then vseth the memory to testifie of the fact as for instance Euery murderer is an offender thou art a murderer therefore thou art proued to bee an offender Then comes the Sentence in the same order Hee that commits murder without repentance shall be damned thou committest murder without repentance and therefore art a damned creature So likewise it proceeds in absoluing For euidence it proceeds thus He that hath such and such marks as godly sorrow the loue or fear of God c. hee is a childe of God but thou hast these marks therfore thou art a childe of God and then it goeth to Sentence Hee that is the childe of God shall bee saued but thou art prooued to bee the childe of God therefore thou shalt be saued Nor doth it rest in the Sentence but immediately doth it selfe begin the execution for laying hould vpon the guilty person it presently buffets him and terrifies him and pricks him at the very heart and gnawes him many times with vnspeakeable torments and tortures And so contrariwise in the Sentence of absolution it proceeds with comfort settleth and quieteth the hart of the Absolued and many times makes it able with ioy to stand vndanted against all the powers of hell and the world of which more afterwards when I come to intreat of the sorts of Conscience Obserue by the way the difference between the Court of Conscience within vs and mens Courts of
Iustice without vs. For in mens Courts they proceed secundum allegata probata according to allegation and proofs but God hath appointed another Iudgement in the heart of man there God iudgeth not according to allegation and proofes but according to Conscience and hath associated to euery man a notary of his owne and a witnesse of his owne which hee produceth out of his very bosome so as man shall be made to confesse what hee hath done though all the world excuse him and shall haue comfortable testimony in himselfe though all the world beside accuse him The glory of the power of Conscience appears by the third point and that is the prerogatiues properties of Conscience in a man for 1. It keeps Court in the heart of a man without limitation of time it will call a man to answer and hear Iudgement at any time it is not limited to any terms nor can the Sentence be delaied it hath power to examine testifie and giue Sentence at any time of the yeer at pleasure nor will it admit any appeal to any creature 2. It is subiect properly onely to God no earthly Prince can command the Conscience of a man as will more appeare afterwards 3. It keeps continuall residence in the heart of man it is alwaies with him at home abroad it obserueth and watcheth him in all places in the Church at his table in his bed day and night it neuer leaues him 4. God hath subiected man to the obedience of Conscience if it command erroneously if it be in things indifferent as in the case of meats and daies in the Apostles time if the Conscience doubted or forbade the vse of them which yet in themselues might be vsed the man was bound to follow his Conscience though the Conscience erred and so sinned in doubting or forbidding Rom. 14.14 23. 5. Yea so much honour doth God giue vnto the Conscience that he suffers his owne most holy Spirit to bring-in euidence in the Court of conscience for so we reade that the Spirit of Adoption doth beare witnes before our spirits that is before the Conscience that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.15 6. It is a great prerogatiue that GOD hath granted Immortality vnto Conscience Conscience neuer dies no not when we die Euery mans Conscience shall bee found a lier at the day of Iudgement and in so great request with Christ as that dreadful Iudgement shall be guided according to the euidence and verdict of Conscience Rom. 2.15 16. For the fourth point Conscience is not all of a sort in all men some haue good Consciences and some haue ill Consciences and both these kindes of Consciences must be considered of Conscience considered as good comes to be so either by creation or by renouation By creation Adam had his Conscience good but by the first sinne Conscience became euill in him and all his posterity so as all men naturally haue euill Consciences and no men haue their consciences good but as they are renued The difference between a good Conscience by creation and renouation is this that by creation Conscience was perfectly good from the first moment it was infused till the Fall and did discouer it self by excusing and comforting alwaies for Adam's Conscience till his Fall could accuse him of nothing But by renouation Conscience is good for the time of this life but imperfectly and increaseth in good men by degrees and so because man is renued but in part it is a part of the goodnes of the Conscience to accuse for sinne especially if it be presumptuous after Calling as well as to excuse from faults while the man keeps his vprightnes That a good Conscience should onely excuse is true in this world onely of Conscience as it was good by creation Now concerning the goodnes or badnesse of Conscience these seuen things are to bee considered of First that all mens Consciences by nature are euill Secondly the difference of euill in mens Consciences Thirdly the signes of an euill Conscience Fourthly the hurt of an euill Conscience Fiftly the meanes how euill Consciences may bee made good Sixtly the signes of a good Conscience Seuenthly the great happines of the man that hath a good Conscience For the first that all mens Consciences are by nature euill is manifest because all haue sinned in Adam and lost their originall righteousnes in all the faculties of the soule and so euery man in his naturall condition is in euery point vncleane and to the impure all things are impure euen their Consciences are polluted saith the Apostle Titus 1.15 For the second euill is not in the same degree in all mens Consciences but after a different manner in diuers men for First in most men we see that Conscience is so feeble and works so little that it seemes to be but a small spark or like a bubble which riseth now and then and presently vanisheth Now the reason why Conscience stirs so little in the most men is not to bee taken from the nature of Conscience for that can work all works mentioned before but from diuers things in man For first Adams sin as it depriued all mens Consciences of originall righteousnes which was the life of the Conscience so it brought such a deprauation and euill disease vpon the Conscience that it was neuer healed nor cured in the naturall man to this day but the weaknes arising from the infection holds him downe still Secondly the generall ignorance and darknes which is in the world is one great cause why Conscience lieth so miserably weak and neglected For it cannot work for want of light For in the minde it findes onely a few naturall principles or some generall truthes of religiō which are altogether insufficient to direct in the particular occasions of mens liues Thirdly besides the Law of nature is corrupted in man and so those principles are very muddy and vncertaine and the generals of Religion are poysoned with secret Obiections gathered from the controuersies of so many false religions Fourthly further it is manifest that the cares and pleasures of life oppress conscience in many in them Conscience stirs not not because it cannot stir but because there is no leasure to heare what it saith men are so violently carried to the pleasures and busines of this world As a man that runs in a race many times runs with such violence that hee cannot heare what is said vnto him by some that he passeth by though it were counsell that might direct him in the right way of the race So is it with men that haste to be rich Conscience often calls to them to take heed of going out of the way by deceit or lying or oppression or the like But they pursue riches so violently that they cannot heare the voice of Conscience And so is it with the voluptuous person and with the most men that liue in any habituall gainfull sinne Fiftly yea this weaknes comes vpon
by the tearms by which it is called resembled in Scripture secondly by the effects which it worketh really vpon a man For the first An euill Conscience that is awake is in Scripture compared to a sting or prick wounding the heart of a man It is likened also to a dog or a blood-hound that lieth at the dore and hauing fresh sent howleth and barketh after the malefactor Gen. 4. It is likened as some think by Dauid Psal. 51.4 to an euill contentious wife that is euer before a man chiding and brauling and as a moth secretly eats the garment so doth an euill Conscience eat vp the heart of a man when others little see it Pro. 25. It is like a dart strangely shot into a mans body Psalm 38. And it is compared to the boyling of a tumultuous sea Esay 57. And it is called a worme that dieth not but lieth gnawing and eating vpon the heart of a man Esay 66. Mark 9. So that a man that hath an euill Conscience is like a man that is stung by a serpent or followed by a blood-hound or vexed by a continuall-contrarious wife or that is hourely shot through with darts or that hath a liuing worm euer gnawing at his heart But that this may be more distinctly vnderstood wee must take notice of foure effects of an euill Conscience vsually The first is shame Hee that hath an euill Conscience is betraied by his owne blushing many times when his offense is secret yea a man feeles an inward shame in his owne heart disgracing and abusing him though he make no outward shew of it For though sometimes an innocent person vpon the fulnes of an aspersion may conceiue shame as Dauid did Psalm 44.15 yet it is vsually the effect of an ill Conscience The second is pain and anguish of heart arising from the gnawing and stings of Conscience mentioned before which so continually burdens the heart that it takes away all contentment in any thing and keeps the heart in an habituall disconsolation and though the disease of melancholy may breed a sadnes like vnto it yet is heer manifest difference betwixt this affliction of spirit and melancholy for the melancholick person vsually can assigne no certain reason of that sadnes whereas Conscience when it stings assignes the cause of it to be such and such things which bring not only the shame of men but the wrath of God Besides melancholick sadnes may bee eased by physick but this sorrow is not cured by any meanes but such as are spirituall The third is a strange kinde of feare breaking the heart of a man so subduing his courage that he is not able to sustaine himselfe against the impressions of vaine causes of feare A trembling hart is the effect of an ill conscience Deut. 28.65 Thus wicked men are said in Scripture to feare when no man pursueth them Pro. 28.1 and to bee so faint-hearted as the sound of a shaken leafe shall make them fly as it were from a sword Leuit. 26.36 and as it is in Iob The sound of feare is alwaies in his eares yea the terrors of conscience sometime so enrage vpon the offender that no torments are like vnto their terrors which sometimes are so great that they are hardly able to sustain themselues but discouer their horrible restlesnes by the grieuous distempers of the body or failing of their senses being for the time as Iob saith brought vnder the king of terrors Iob 18.14 What a wofull case Belshazzar was in you may reade Daniel 5.9 These terrors are the fansies the Gentiles so much dreamed of The fourth is desperation An euill Conscience in sinne many times brings them to hellish despair of all mercy and pardon thus Cain rageth blasphemeth like a frantick man And these effects of an euill Conscience are so much the more great 1. Because the Conscience can lash a man without noise it can secretly inflict torments when no eies shall pity him 2. Because there is no escape from Conscience a man can neither driue it away nor runne from it it cleaues to the offender inseparably From a tyrant or ill master some men run away but from an ill Conscience there is no fleeing 3. Because Conscience it self is as a thousand witnesses to prooue the fault though neuer so secret and the offender is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himself and goes vp and down with a heauie Sentence vpon him in his bosome though all the world should account him innocent 4. Because an euil Conscience is such a damnable disease and the griefe raised by Conscience is such and so lasting that the grieued dies before the grief can be remoued yea so violent is the confusion which despair bringeth into the thoughts that out of the grieuous mistaking and impatience many times the offender makes away himself as Saul Achitophel and Iudas did and many in our times doo 5. Because death it self doth not abate the torments of an euill Conscience but the liuing worm gnawes them euen in hell for euer and with so much strength and power there that one said wittily Hell were not hell if it were not for the gnawing of this neuer-dying and neuer-ceasing worme 6. Because vnto the making vp of the compleat misery of the impenitent sinner the Sentence of Conscience and the testimony of it shall be heard admitted at the last day before the Tribunal of Christ. For thogh an euil conscience shall neuer disgrace for some effects as for that of working despaire of mercy yet for the maine body of the proceedings of Conscience it shal be not only allowed but iustified by the voice of Christ to the eternall shame and confusion of the offendor And though it bee true that the worst of the effects before mentioned arise from a stirring Conscience yet is not the man safe that hath a still conscience if it bee euill For first hee is in continuall danger of the awaking of that Conscience of his that now is asleep What ease can that mans heart beat if hee had all pleasures round about him if hee were tied to a Beare or Lion or mad Dog though hee were then asleep for he may awake euery moment and then where is hee The stilnesse of an ill Conscience is but like the sleep of a frantick man Secondly there can bee no true peace vnto the man that lieth in sin without repentance Esay 57. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Though hee bee friends with himselfe for a time yet God is not friends with him nor is sinne and Satan at peace with him though there bee an vncertaine truice for a time Thirdly the danger of a still Conscience is the greater for the terrours of a troubled Conscience may prepare a man for Christ and compell a man to seeke help from Christ but in the case of a still conscience there are these two vsuall miseries the one that men take a still Conscience to bee a
that to suffer for any kinde of wel-doing is acceptable before God though a man doo not suffer for Religion but for the duties of his particular Calling as the case washeer yet euery such suffering is gracious before God Verse 21. For heerunto yee are called for Christ also suffred for vs leauing vs an example that ye also should follow his steps THus of the first reason taken from God's acceptation the same reason followes in the beginning of this Verse and that is taken from their calling and for these words For thereunto were yee called the sense is that vnto patient suffering for well-dooing they were tied by their calling if need did require Now God calls men to suffering diuerse waies First by his decree for he hath heer destinated men to be made like to his Sonne in suffering vniustly they were ordayned to afflictions Rom. 8.29 1. Thes. 3.3 Secondly by his Word or Law wee are called to it because the Word of God doth require that wee should take vp our crosse and suffer for the truth as many Scriptures shew Thirdly by the work of God's grace when hee makes vs again new men in Iesus Christ for by the same calling that he calls vs to be Saints he calls vs to suffer for sanctity and this seems to bee intended specially heer Fourthly God calls vs to suffer by his speciall gift for as he hath giuen vs to beleeue so hath he giuen vs to suffer for his sake Now God by euery gift doth really call vs to the execution and vse of it when there is occasion Fiftly Seruants and other Inferiours are called to suffer correction though it should be vniust euen by their particular Calling Sixtly the coherence shewes that the example of Christ suffering vniustly is a pattern that calls vs also to suffer and so to walk in his steps This last and the third way of Calling are especially meant in this place and so from thence diuerse things may be briefly noted by way of doctrine For of our effectual Calling I haue at large intreated both in the former chapter and the tenth verse of this chapter First all God's people or seruants become His by Calling it is the way by which God hires seruants and makes a people to himself for by nature euen the Elect are not a people but liue in darknes dead in sinne sensuall and carnall as other men and re-creation is such a link in the chain of saluation as cannot be wanting Rom. 8.30 And therefore men should labor to make their Calling sure as euer they would haue comfort that they are God's seruants or people Secondly God works great things many times without any great toile or power of instruments as heer To conuert a man is but to call him To make him liue is but to bid him liue Thus God can call vp generations of men out of the heap of dead and forlorn mankinde Thus the dead shall be raised at the last Day by the voice of the Sonne of God which should teach vs to liue by faith in all estates and rest vpon Gods power by which wee are kept to saluation Thirdly God's Calling accepts not the persons of men it puts no difference all are called alike as to honour so to labour and danger The Apostle puts-in all Christians by this Calling to suffer if need require as well as seruants So with God there is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Iew nor Gentile bond nor free but all are one in Christ Col. 3.11 Which should bee a maruellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world to think on it that God requireth as hard work of the richest as hee doth of them and makes as great account of a poor Christian as of the mightiest Monarch And it should teach Christians humility and not to striue so much for precedency but rather if men will excell others it should be in seruice and sufferings Fourthly all men are not called hee saith heer Yee are called as importing that it was a speciall honour done to them Many haue not the meanes of Calling and many refuse their Calling when they haue the means Which shewes the wofull estates of worlds of men or to whom the voyce of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not Fiftly the Calling of God doth propound conditions vpon which his election in time doth depend for many are called but few chosen vpon that Calling and the reason is because they yeelded not to the Conditions of their Calling God calls men to a new Couenant and requires first â—he beleef of all things promised on his part Secondly sanctify and holinesse of life thus they are said to be Saints by Calling 1. Cor. 1.1 Thirdly to suffer for well-doing if there bee occasion so heer Now vpon the conscience and consent of the heart vnto these conditions doth God make his choice or acknowledge men and therefore heerby mens hearts must bee tried or men must try their hearts and estates whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly men are bound to take notice of and to learn and obey the will of GOD reuealed in his Word though it be hard to finde out as heer the Apostle saith They were called to suffer which is a thing that is not easie to prooue by expresse Scripture but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in diuers places of Scripture For if the lawes of men binde and oblige vs to punishment though we knowe them not because we ought to take notice of them much more must we study the Lawes of God though they be many in number and hard to finde out without much labour and many helps Seuenthly our generall Calling doth binde vs to a carefull obseruation of our particular Calling as heer their Calling in Religion to be God's seruants did bind them to look to their duty as mens seruants yea and to be subiect to their corrections though vniust And therefore those Christians are farre out of the way that neglect their particular Calling and the charge God hath deliuered them vpon sentence of religion their generall calling Eightthly the main doctrine in them or in the scope of them is that God calls his seruants all of them to suffer for the truth Hee shewes them heauen and the saluation of their soules and bestowes rich treasure vpon their hearts but withall tells them hee looks they should arme themselues with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing Our Sauiour Christ told his Disciples plainly that they must think of taking vp the Crosse daily before they come to wearing of the Crown And therefore they doo foolishly that vndertake the profession of Religion before they haue set down to cast what it will cost them Thus of the second reason The third reason is taken from the example of Christ who suffred greater wrongs than can befall seruants or any other sort of men and this doctrine of Christ's suffering he handles
heare read or think of these sufferings of Christ they may rather see cause for euer to abhorre the doctrine of merit seeing heerby we proclaim our selues to bee worthy of the very merits of Christ that can be so little affected with the thought of his suffrings Thus of the matter of Christ's sufferings The effects follow and the effects in respect of vs are named to be three First the death of sin secondly the life of grace thirdly the healing of our natures That we being dead to sin Men may be said to die diuers waies First in respect of nature when the Frame of nature is dissolued by the parting of the soule from the body Secondly in respect of God when God is departed from men with his grace and righteousnes and fauour thus wicked men are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 and 4.17 1. Tim. 5.6 Thirdly in respect of the world when a man is ouerwhelmed with crosses especially such as are ioyned with disgrace in his reputation hee is said to be dead and his life to be hid vnder those afflictions being despised and forgotten as a dead man out of minde Col. 3.3 Esay 26.19 Fourthly in respect of sinne and so men either are dead for sinne as malefactors or dead in sinne as all wicked men or dead to sinne as the godly heer To take the soule from the body is the death of all men To take GOD from the soule is the death of all wicked men To take sinne from the soule is the death of all godly men To bee dead to sinne then is to be mortified in respect of sinne Sinne is said to be dead either in appearance or in deed In appearance onely it is dead in such as haue their sinnes onely restrained for a time either by God's owne strong hand or else by themselues kept downe for certain hypocriticall ends or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sin thus sinne was dead in Paul when hee was vnregenerate and reuiued when the Law came Rom. 7.9 Sinne is dead in deed in godly men but with a difference for though in this life they bee wholly rid of many sinnes yet some corruptions are not wholly remoued yet are they dead to them in the inchoation of it their sins lie a-dying but in the life to-come they shall be wholly and fully deliuered from all sin Thus of the sense There be many doctrines may bee hence obserued as Doct. 1. First it is euidently heer implied that all men by nature and out of Christ are aliue to sin or liue to sin and in sinning they may bee said to liue or be aliue or liue to it in diuerse respects 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sinne sinne infecteth their persons and their works 2. Because they are in bondage to sin so as all their life they are at the command of sin they are seruants of sin Rom. 6. 3. Because they account sinne to bee the life of their liues they could not esteem life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning It were a death to them to liue restrained of sinne as appeares when either by punishment or for other ends they are found to cease sinning 4. Because they doo not destroy sinne in letting it liue they are guilty of the life of sinne in them because they will not vse the meanes to subdue and mortifie sin that dwels in them but let it alone vnresisted 5. Because they haue most life or are most liuely when they haue most liberty to sin 6. Because they continue in sin they spend not an houre but it is in sinne yea they so sinne now that they desire to spend euerlasting life in sinne Vse And so from hence by way of vse men may discern whether they liue in sinne or not for hee that is a seruant to his corruptions and esteemeth them as the happinesse of his life and resists them not and hath a desire to sinne euer is without doubt aliue in sinne and dead to righteousnes And so contrariwise where these things cannot be found there the person is not aliue to sin Doct. 2. Hence is implied also that to liue in sin is but miserable liuing and therefore those whom God loueth he changeth from that condition and maketh them die to sin Now this may be shewed out of other Scriptures briefly for 1. Sinne infects a man and all he goes about it stains his very conscience and like the leprosie will pollute his clothes his flesh his house and whatsoeuer he toucheth almost Titus 1.15 It maketh all things impure 2. To harbour sinne is to harbour the diuell too who alwaies takes possession of the soule that is giuen ouer to sinne so as the heart of the sinner is the Fortresse of the diuell Eph. 2.2 2. Tim. 2.26 2. Cor. 10.5 Eph. 4.26 3. While a man liues in sinne he is in danger to be crossed and cursed of God in euery thing he doth he shall haue no portion from God nor inheritance from the Almighty Iob 31. ver 2. Good things will be restrained from him Esay 59.2 And he may finde himself cursed in euery thing he sets his hand to Deut. 28.16 17 18 c. His very blessings may bee cursed Mal. 2.2 His very table may be a snare For certainly God will bee reuenged of the sinnefull man that is aliue in sin Nah. 1.2 3 6. 4. His soule is dead within him while hee is aliue Eph. 2.2 1. Tim. 5.6 And how can it bee otherwise when God which is his life is departed from him and with God all spirituall blessings are gone from his soule too 5. The end of this life is to die miserably Rom. 8.10 and 6.23 Gal. 6. and to perish foreuer with the diuell and his angels Reu. 21.8 Mat. 25.45 And in a speciall manner it is a miserable liuing to be liuely and iouiall as they call it in sin such men are worse than the generall sort of sinners for these wretched men that are so liuely in sin haue a most miserable heart in them a heart like an Adamant like a very stone within them are senselesse and brutish like the very beasts that perish Psal. 49. vlt. Besides in many of these God scourgeth sinne with sinne and giueth them vp to such a reprobate minde that their wickednes oftentimes exceeds the wickednes of the wicked Ier. 5. Rom. 1.26 28. And further many times strange punishments light vpon those workers of iniquity Iob 31.3 To which may bee added that oftentimes such wretched creatures conclude in most wofull and hellish terrors so as they howle for vexation of heart while God's seruants sing for ioy of hart Esay 65.13 14. Reu. 6.15 16. But in generall of all that liue in sinne it is manifestly heer implied that they haue no part in Christ Christ in respect of them and as they are in their present condition died in vain Vse The consideration whereof should awaken men from that