of the minde and whole man in affection life conuersation And this standeth in a constant purpose of the mind and resolution of the heart not to sinne but in euery thing to doe the will of God Hereupon Paul exhorteth them to whome he wrote to continue in the loue of God and in the obedience of his word Barnabas when he came to Aâ—tioch and had seene the grace of God was glad and exhorted all that with purpose of heart they should cleaue vnto God or continue with the Lord. So the Prophet Ezekiel saith If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and shall not die In this purpose stands the very nature of repentance and it must be ioyned with humiliation and faith as a third thing availeable to saluation and not to be seuered froÌ„ them For a man in shew may haue many good things as for exaÌ„ple he may be huÌ„bled seeme to haue some strength of faith yet if there be in the said man a want of this purpose resolutioÌ„ not to sinne the other are but dead things vnprofitable and for all them he may come to eternall destruction Furthermore we must distinguish this kind of purpose from the minde and purpose of carnall men theeues drunkards harlots vsurers for they will confesse their sins and be sory for them yea and shed some teares wishing they had neuer sinned as they haue In these men indeede there is a wishing will for the time but no setled purpose And it is a propertie of nature to auoid euill but to haue a constant resolution of not sinning is a gift of grace and for this it is that we must labour otherwise our repentance is no true and sound repentance The fourth last dutie is to performe Newe obedience vnto God in our life and conuersation In this newe obedience three things are required First it must be a fruit of the spirit of Christ in vs for when we doe any good thing it is Christ that doeth ' it in vs. Paul saith that good which I doe I doe it not but Christ that dwelleth in me Secondly this new obedience must be the keeping of euery commandement of God For as Saint Iames saith He that breaks one commandement is guiltie of all that is he that doeth willingly and wittingly breake any commandement and makes not conscience of some one maketh not conscience of any and before God he is as guiltie of all as if he had broken all Thirdly in newe obedience the whole man must endeauour to keepe the whole law in his minde will affections and all the faculties of soule and bodie As it is said of Iosiah that he turned to God according to all the lawes of Moses with all his heart There are yet three other things required in him that must performe new obedience first he must not liue in the practise of any outward sinne Secondly there must be an inward resisting and restraining of the corruption of our nature and of our hearts that we may truely obey God by the grace of the spirit of God The heart of Ioseph was readie prest to resist the euill request of Potiphars wife And Dauid staid his affection from revenging himselfe vpon Shemei when he cursed him Thirdly he must stirre vp and exercise the inward man by all spirituall motions of Faith Ioy Loue Hop eand the praise of God Here a necessarie Question is mooued CoÌ„sidering that all good workes are the fruits of a regenerate person are contained vnder newe obedience How a man may doe a good worke that may be accepted of God please him For resolutioÌ„ wherof it is to be carefully remeÌ„bred that to the doing of a good worke sundrie things are required Wherof some in nature do goe before the worke to be done some doe accompany the doing thereof and some againe doe followe the worke being required to be done when the worke is done Before the worke there goes reconciliation for the person must be reconciled vnto God in Christ and be pleasing to him for if the person of the worker doe not please God the worke it selfe cannot neither are workes of what dignitie soeuer to be esteemed by the shevv and outvvard appearance of them but by the mind and condition of the doer Againe before vve doe any good vvorke vve must by praier lift vp our hearts vnto God and desire him to inable vs by his spirit to doe it to guid vs by the same in the action vvhich vve are about to doe This did the Prophet Dauid oftentimes as vve may read in the Psalmes but especially in Psal. 143. 10. when he saith Teach me to doe thy will O God for thou art my God let thy good spirit lead me vnto the land of righteousnesse In the doing of the worke we are to consider two things the matter the manner or forme of doing it For the matter it must be a worke commanded in the word of God Christ saith of the Pharises that they worshipped him in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men He therefore that will doe a worke tending to the worshippe of God must doe that which God commandeth And here we must remember that a thing indifferent in the case of offâ—nce comes vnder a commandement of the morall lawe To which purpose Paul saith If eating flesh will offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world standeth His meaning is that though his eating of flesh was a thing indiffereÌ„t in it selfe yet in case of offence his minde was to abstaine from it as much as from the breach of the Law of God Againe if an action indifferent comes within the case of furthering the good of the Common wealth or Church it ceaseth to be indifferent and comes vnder commandement and so all kind of callings and their workes though neuer so base may be the matter of good workes Now for the forme of the worke there must be first a generall faith whereby we must be perswaded that the thing to be done may lawfully be done for what soeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly a particular or iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and maketh it fit to bring forth a good worke for it giues a beginning to the worke also couers the wants and defects thereof by apprehending and applying vnto vs Christ and his merits Thirdly it must be done in obedience for knowing the thing to be doâ—e to be commanded of God we must haue a minde and intention to obey God in the thing we doe It will be here demanded seeing workes must be done in obedience how and to what part of the word we must direct our obedience I answer to the Law but howe not considered in his rigour but as it is qualified mollified and tempered by the gospel for according to the rigour of the
doing of that which is vnlawfull to be done and that this is equall in all men that sinne and therfore by consequent offences are equall I answer that in euery sinne men must not consider the vnlawfulnesse thereof onely but the reason why it should be vnlawfull and that is properly because it a breach of Gods law and repugnant to his will reuealed in his word Nowe there is no breach of a diuine Law but it is more or lesse repugnant vnto the will of the Lawgiuer God himselfe And many transgressions are more repugnant thereunto then fewer for the more sin is increased the more is the wrath of God inflamed against the sinner vpon his due desert If it be said again that the nature of Sinne stands onely in this that the sinner makes an aberration from the scope or marke that is set before him and doth no more then passe the bondes of duty prescribed by God and that all are alike in this respect The answer is that it is a falshood to affirme that he which makes the lesse aberration from the dutie commanded is equall in offence to him that makes the greater For the same sinne for substance hath sundrie steppes and degrees in respect whereof one man becommeth a more heinous offender then another for example in the seauenth commandement when God forbiddes the committing of Adulterie he forbiddeth three degrees of the same sinne to wit adulterie of the heart consisting of inordinate and vncleane affections adulterie of the tongue in corrupt dishonest and vnseemely speeches and the very act of vncleannesse and filthinesse committed by the bodie Nowe it cannot be said that he which breakes this commandement onely in the first degree is as great a transgressour as he that hath proceeded to the second and so to the third And therefore it remaines for an vndoubred trueth that Sinnes committed against the Law of God are not equall but some lesser some greater The second way to aggrauate sinne is by addition of sinne to sinne and that is done sundry waies first by committing one sinne in the necke of another as Dauid sinned when he added murther to adulterie Secondly by doubling and multiplying of sinne that is by falling often into the same sinne Thirdly by lying in sinne without repentance And here it must be remembred that men of yeares liuing in the Church are not simply condemned for their particular sinnes but for their continuance and residence in them Sinnes committed make men worthie of damnation but liuing and abiding in them without repentance is the thing that brings damnation For as in the militant Church men are excommunicate not so much for their offence as for their obstinacie so shall it be in the Church triumphant the kingdome of heauen shall be barred against men not so much for their sinne committed as for their lying therein without repentance And this is the manner of Gods dealing with those that haue liued within the precincts of the Church they shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance This should admonish euery one of vs to take heed least we lie in any sinâ— and that beeing any way ouertaken we should speedily repent least we aggrauate our sinne by continuance therein and so bring vpon our selues swift damnation Thirdly the same sinne is made greater or lesser 4. waies according to the number of degrees in the committing of a sinne noted by S. Iames Temptation Conception Birth and Perfection Actuall sinne in the first degree of tentation is when the minde vpon some sudden motion is drawne away to thinke euill and withall is tick led with some delight therein For a bad motioÌ„ cast into the minde by the flesh and the deuill is like vnto the baite cast into the water that allureth and delighteth the fish and causeth it to bite Sinne in conception is when with the delight of the minde there goes consent of will to doe the euill thought on Sinne in birth is when it comes forth into action or execution Sinne in perfection when men are growne to a custome and habit in sinne vpon long practise For the often committing of one and the same sinne leaues an euill impression in the heart that is a strong or violent inclination to that or any other euill as hath bin taught before And sinne thus made perfect brings forth death for custome in sinning brings hardnes of heart hardnes of heart impenitencie and impenitencie coÌ„demnation Now of these degrees the first is the least and the last is the greatest One and the same sinne is lesser in tentation then in conception and lesâ—e in conception then in birth and greater in perfection then in all the former Sundry other Distinctions there are of sinnes as namely That the maine sinnes of the first Table are greater then the maine sinnes of the second Table And yet the maine sinnes of the second are greater then the breach of ceremoniall duties against the first table But this which hath beene said shall suffice The vse of this doctrine is manifold First by it we learne what the heart of man is by nature namely a corrupt and vncleane fountaine out of which issueth in the course of this life the streams of corruptions infinite in number noysome in qualities hainous in degrees daÌ„gerous in effects For from thence doe flow all the differences of sins before named with their seuerall branches and infinit many more that cannot be rehearsed This must mooue vs humbly to sue vnto God earnestly to intreat him to wash vs throughly from our wickednes clense vs froÌ„ our sins yea to purge and to rinse the fountaine thereof our vncleane and polluted hearts And when by Gods mercy in Christ appreheÌ„ded by faith our hearts shal be purified then to set watch ward ouer them and to keep them with all diligence Secondly it teacheth vs that miserable mortall man is not guiltie of one or more sins but of many sundrie corruptions both of heart and life Who can vnderstaÌ„d his faults saith Dauid Now the alowaÌ„ce of sin being death by gods ordinaÌ„ce God being iustice it selfe answerably to the number of our offences must we needs be lyable to many punishments yea to death it selfe both of the bodie and of the soule This beeing our wofull estate litle cause is there that any man should thinke himselfe to be in good case or presume of Gods mercie in regard of the small number of his sinnes And much lesse cause hath he falsely to imagine with the Popish sort that he can merit the fauour of God by any worke done by him aboue that which the Law requireth considering that it is impossible for him to knowe either the number or the nature or the measure of his sinnes Lastly the consideration of this point must be a barre to keepe vs in that we be not too secure or presumptuous of our owne estate for as much as we learne out of
of faith then also he iustifies the sinner and withall beginnes the worke of sanctification VII Then so soone as faith is put into the heart there is presently a combate for it fighteth with doubting dispaire and distrust And in this combate faith shews it selfe by seruent constant and earnest inuocation for pardon and after inuocation followes a strength preuailing of this desire VIII Furthermore God in mercie quiets and setles the Conscience as touching the saluation of the soule and the promise of life whereupon it resteth and staieth it selfe IX Next after this setled assurance perswasion of mercie followes a stirring vp of the heart to Euangelicall sorrow according to God that is a griefe for sinne because it is sinne and because God is offended and then the Lord workes repentance whereby the sanctified heart turnes it selfe vnto him And though this repentance be one of the last in order yet it shewes it selfe first as when a candle is brought into a roome we first see the light before wee see the candle and yet the candle must needes be before light can be X. Lastly God giues a man grace to endeauour to obey his commandements by a newe obedience And by these degrees doeth the Lord giue the first grace The second worke of God tending to saluation is to giue the second grace which is nothing else but the continuance of the first worke begun that a man may perseuere in grace to the ende Now then to come the Answer the holy Ghost hath propounded to vs this Question of conscience together with the resolution thereof in these examples following The men that were at Peters sermon beeing touched with the sense of their owne miserie vpon the doctrine which had beene deliuered as the Holy Ghost saies were pricked in their hearts and cried one to another Men and brethren what shall we doe Peter mooued by the spirit of God answers them Repent and bee baptized for the remission of your sinnes The like was the case of the Iayler who after that the stubbernnesse of his heart was beaten downe by feare of the departure of the prisoners he came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and mooued this question vnto them Sirs vvhat must I doe to bee saued To whome they gaue answere Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thine houshold The young man in the Gospell sues to Christ and askes him What shall I doe to be saued Christ answers him Keepe the Commandements When he replied that he had kept them from his youth Christ tells him that he must goe yet further and sell all that he hath and giue to the poore And Iohn tells the Scribes and Pharises who came vnto his Baptisme and confessed their sinnes that if they would flie from the wrath to come they must repent and bring forth fruits worthie a mendement of life I answer then out of all these places that he that would stand in the fauour of God and be saued must doe foure things first humble himselfe before God secondly beleeue in Christ thirdly repent of his sinnes fourthly performe newe obedience vnto God For the first Humiliation is indeede a fruite of faith yet I put it in place before faith because in practise it is first Faith lieth hid in the heart and the first effect wherein it appeares is the abasing and humbling of our selues And here we are further to consider three points first wherein stands humiliation secondly the excellencie of it thirdly the Questions of conscience that concerne it Touching the first point Humiliation stands in the practise of three things The first is a sorrow of heart whereby the sinner is displeased with himselfe and ashamed in respect of his sins The second is a confession to God wherein also three things are to be done first to acknowledge all our maine sinnes originall and actuall secondly to acknowledge our guiltinesse before God thirdly to acknowledge our iust damnation for sinne The third thing in Humiliation is supplication made to God for mercie as earnestly as in a matter of life and death and of these three things we haue in scripture the examples of Ezra Daniel and the Prodigall sonne Ezra 9. Dan. 9. Luk. 15. The second point is the excellencie of Humiliation which stands in this that it hath the promises of life eternall annexed to it Esa. 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Psal. 51. 17. A contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Prou. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse By all these and many other places it is manifest that in the very instant wheÌ„ a sinner begins truly in heart and conscience to humble himselfe he is then entred into the state of saluation So soone as Dauid said I haue sinned Nathan pronounceth in the name of the Lord that his sinnes were put away And Dauid himselfe saith alluding to the former place I said I will confesse my sinne and loe thou forgaâ—est the wickednesse of my sinne When the Prodigall sonne had but said I will goe to my father c. euen then before he humbled himselfe his father meetes him and receiues him The third point is touching the Questions of conscience concerning HumiliatioÌ„ all which may be reduced to foure principall Cases I. Case What if it fall out that a man in humbling himselfe cannot call to minde either all or the most of his sinnes I answer A particular humiliation indeed is required for maine and known sins but yet there are two cases wherein generall repentance will be accepted of God for vnknown sinnes One is when a man hath searched himselfe diligently and by a serious examination passed through all the commandements of God and yet after such examination and search made cannot call to remembrance his particular offences then the generall repentance is accepted For this is answerable to the practise of Dauid who after long search when he could not attaine to the knowledge of his parâ—icular slippes then he addresseth himselfe to a generall humiliation saying Who knoweth the errours of this life Clense me Lord from my secret faults and vpon this he was no doubt accepted Againe when a man humbleth himselfe and yet is preuented by the time so as he cannot search his heart and life as he would his generall repentance will be taken and accepted of God The truth hereof appeares in the theife vpon the crosse who hauing no time to search himselfe made no speciall humiliation yet vpon his generall confession he was accepted Now the ground of
and pure and no mortall man being vncleane polluted by sinne can haue fellowship with him yet God hath shewed his mercy to those that beleue in him and hath accepted of the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne whereby they are clensed from all their corruptiōs v. 7. If here it be asked how this pardon and forgiuenes may be known It is answered by two signes one is Hūble heartie Confession of our sins vnto god for so saith the Apostle If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to clense vs from all iniquitie v. 9. The other is the pacified Conscience for being iustified by faith we haue peace with God and If our heart condemne vs not that is if our conscience in respect of sinne doth not accuse vs then haue we boldnesse towards God Chap. 3. v. 21. The secōd note of fellowship with God is the sanctifying Spirit whereby we are renewed in holines and righteousnes Hereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs Chap. 3. v. 24. The third is holines vprightnes of heart life To this end the Apostle saith If we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknes we lie doe not truely but if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another c. Chap. 1. 6. 7. The fourth is perseuerāce in the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel So the same Apostle exhorteth the Church Let therfore abide in you that same doctrine cōcerning Christ which ye haue heard from the beginning If that which ye haue heard from the beginning remaine in you that is if ye beleeue and obey it you also shall continue in the same and in the father Chap. 2. 24. The second Ground He that is the adopted sonne of God shall vndoubtedly be saued This point the Apostle plainely declareth when he saith Beloued now are we the sonnes of God And we knowe that is we are vndoubtedly assured by faith that when Christ shal appeare in glory we shal be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is That the latter part of these words is thus to be expounded I gather out of Chap. 2. 28. as also by comparing this text with that of S. Paul where he saith When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory And againe If we be sonnes we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Nowe put the case that the conscience of the beleeuer will not rest in this but desires to be further resolued touching the certainetie of his adoption Then I answer that he must haue recourse vnto the signes whereby a sonne of God may be discerned from a child of the deuill and these are principally three First is truely to beleeue in the name of the sonne of God for those that haue God for their father are made the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And this faith shewes it selfe by obedience For hereby we are sure that we knowe Christ that is that we beleeue in him and apply him with all his benefits vnto our soules If we keepe his commandements Nay further He that saies I knowe him and keepes not his commandements is a liar and the trueth is not in him chap. 2 3 4. The second signe is a heartie desire and earnest indeauour to be clensed of his corruptions Euery sonne of God that hath this hope purifieth himselfe euen as Christ is pure chap. 3. vers 3. The third is the loue of a Christian because he is a Christian for hereby saies the Apostle are the children of God known from the children of the deuill because the sonnes of Satan doe hate their brethren as Cain did his brother Abel euen for the good workes which they doe On the other side Gods adopted sonnes may hereby know themselues to be translated from death to life because they loue the brethren Chap. 3. 10 11 12 c. The third Ground They that are assured of the loue of God to them in particular may also be certainely assured of their owne saluation This doctrine followes necessarily vpon the Apostles words chap. 4. v. 9. For those whome God hath loued from all eternitie to them he hath manifested his loue by sending his onely begotten sonne into the world that they might liue through him eternally But howe may a man be assured of Gods speciall loue and fauour The same Apostle answers by two notes The first is the loue of our brethren and that according to Gods commandement wherein it is commanded that he that loues God should loue his brother also 4. 21. Andif any man say I loue God and hate his brother be is a liar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene 4. 20. Nowe that a man deceiue not himselfe in the loue of his brother Saint Iohn giues three rules One that Christian brotherly loue should not be for outward respects or considerations but principally because they are the sonnes of God and members of Christ Euery one that loueth him which did beget that is god the father loueth him also which is begotten of him 5. 1. Another is that it must not be outward in shew onely but inward in the heart Let vs not loue in word or in tongue onely but in deede and in trueth 3. 18. Lastly that it be not onely in time of prosperitie but vvhen hee stands in most neede of our loue For whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp the bovvels of compassion from him howe dvvelieth the loue of god in him 3. 17. The second note of Gods loue vnto vs is our loue of god For those whome God loueth in Christ to them hee giues his grace to loue him againe And this louing of him againe is an euident token of that loue wherewith he loueth them So saith the Apostle We loue him because hee loued vs first 4. 19. If it be demaunded howe a man may be assured that he loueth God the answer is hee may knowe it by two things first by his conformitie to him in holinesse The child that loues his father will be willing to tread in the steppes of his father and so in like manner he that loueth God will indeauour euen as hee is so to be in this world 4. 17. But howe is that not in equalitie and perfection but in similitude and conformitie striuing to be holy as he is holy and indeauouring to doe his will in all things Secondly by the vveaning of his affection from the things of this world yea from all pleasures and delights of this present life so farre forth as they are seuered from the feare and loue of
the word of God that in respect of the multitude of our corruptions this our life is full of much euill and many difficulties that we haue whole armies of enemies to encounter withall not only out of vs in the world abroad but within vs lurking euen in our owne flesh And vpon this consideration that we should be at continuall defiance with them vsing all holy meanes to get the victorie ouer them by the daily exercises of inuocation and repentance and by a continuall practise of new obedience vnto all the lawes and commandements of God according to the measure of grace receiued And so much of the third Ground The fourth and last Ground is touching the subiection power of Conscience Conscience is a knowledge ioyned with a knowledge For by conscience we knowe what we know and by it we knowe that thing of our selues which God knoweth of vs. The naturall condition of euery mans conscience is this that it is placed in the middle betweene man and God vnder God and aboue man And this naturall condition hath two parts the one is the subiection of conscience to God and his word the second is a power whereby the conscience is ouer the man to vrge and binde him Of the first we haue this rule that God alone by his word doeth onely binde conscience properly for he is the onely Lord of the conscience which created it and gouerns it He againe is the onely lawe-giuer that hath power to saue or destroy the soule for the keeping and breaking of his Lawes Iam. 4. 12. Againe mans conscience is knowne to none but to God and it is he onely that giues libertie to the conscience in regard of his owne lawes Vpon this it followeth that no mans commandement or Lawe can of it selfe and by it owne soueraigne power binde conscience but doeth it onely by the authoritie and vertue of the written word of God or some part thereof Nowe the Power of conscience appeares in Pauls rule Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer man doeth whereof he is not certainly perswaded in iudgement and conscience out of Gods word it is sinne More plainely a thing may be said not to be done of faith two waies First when it is done with a doubting and vnresolued conscience as in those that are weake in knowledg Of which sort were some in the Primitiue Church who notwithstanding they heard of the doctâ—ine of Christian libertie yet they were of opinion that after Christs ascension there was a difference to be made of meats and therevpon thought they might not eat of some kind of meats Suppose now that these persons by accident should haue bin drawne to eate swines flesh which themselues had holden a thing forbidden these men vpon this very fact haue sinned because that which they did was vpon an vnresolued conscience Secondly when a thing is done vpon an erronious conscience it is done not of faith and therefore a sinne The reason is because the conscience though it erre and be deceiued yet it bindeth so sarre forth as that if a man iudge a thing to be euill either simply or in some respect though falsely and yet afterward doeth it he hath sinned and offended the Maiestie of God as much as in him lieâ—h THus much touching the Preambles or Groundes of this doctrine Nowe it remaineth that we come to the Questions of Conscience These Questions may be fitly deuided according to the matter or subiect of them which is Man Now as Man is considered diuers waies that is to say either apart by himselfe or as he standes in relation to another and is a member of a Societie so the Questions of Conscience are to be distinguished some concerning man simply considered by himselfe some againe as he stands in relation to another MaÌ„ staÌ„deth in a twofold relatioÌ„ to God or to MaÌ„ As he staÌ„ds in relatioÌ„ to man he is a part of a bodie and a member of some societie Nowe the Questions that concerne him as a member of a societie are of three sorts according to the three distinct kinds of societies For euery maÌ„ is either a member of a Family or of the Church or of the CoÌ„monwealth And answerably some QuestioÌ„s concerne man as a member of a family some as he is a meÌ„ber of the Church some as he is a member of the Commonwealth In a word therfore all QuestioÌ„s touching maÌ„ may be reduced to 3. generall heads The first wherof is concerning man simply considered as he is a man The secoÌ„d touching man as he staÌ„ds in relatioÌ„ to God The third concerning him as he is a member of one of the three societies that is either of the Family or of the Church or of the Commonwealth QVestions of the first sort as man is a Christian are especially three The first What a man must doe that he may come into the fauour of God and be saued The second Howe he may be assured in conscience of his owne saluation The third Howe he may recouer himselfe when he is distressed or fallen I. Question What must a man doe that he may come into Gods fauour and be saued FOr answer to this question some Ground must be laid down before hand For it is to be considered and remembred in the first place how and by what meanes God that saueth brings a man to saluation In the working and effecting of our saluation there are two speciall works of God the giuing of the first grace and after that the giuing of the second The former of these two workes hath X. seuerall actions I. God giues man the outward meanes of saluation specially the Ministerie of the word and with it he sends some outward crosse to breake and subdue the stubbernnesse of our nature that it may be made plyeable to the will of God II. This done God brings the minde of man to a consideration of the Lawe and therein generally to see what is good and what is euill what is sinne and what is not sinne III. Vpon a serious consideration of the Law he makes a man particularly to see and know his own peculiar and proper sinnes IV. Vpon the sight of sinne he smites the heart with the spirit of feare whereby when man seeth his sinnes he makes him to feare punishment and hell and to dispaire of saluation in regard of any thing in himselfe Now these foure actions are indeed no fruits of grace but are onely workes of preparation going before grace the other actions which follow are effects of grace V. The fift action of grace therefore is to stirre vp the minde to a serious consideration of the promise of saluation propounded and published in the Gospel VI. After this the sixt is to kindle in the heart some seeds ot sparkes of faith that is a will and desire to beleeue and grace to striue against doubting and dispaire Nowe at the same instant when God beginnes to kindle in the heart any sparkes
this doctrine is this He that truely repents himselfe of one sinne in this case when he is preuented is as if he repented of all II. Case What must a man doe that finds himselfe hard hearted and of a dead spirit so as he cannot humble himselfe as he would Answ. Such persons if they humble themselues they must be content with that grace which they haue receiued For if thou be grieued truely and vnfainedly for this that thou canst not be grieued thy humiliation shall be accepted For that which Paul saith of almes may be truely said in this case that if there be a readie minde a man shall be accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not III. Case Whether the party that is more grieued for losse of his friend then for offence of God by his sinne doeth or can truely humble himselfe Answ. A man may haue a greater griefe for an earthly losse then for the other and yet be truely grieued for his sinnes too The reason is because that is a bodily naturall and sensible losse and accordingly sorrow for it is naturall Now the sorrow for the offending of God is no sensible thing but supernaturall and spirituall and sensible things doe more affect the minde then the other Dauid did notably humble himselfe for his sinnes and he did exceedingly mourne for the losse of his sonne Absolom yea and more too then for his sinnes Would God I had died for thee Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne c. Againe I answer that the sorrow of the minde must be measured by the intention of the affection and by the estimation of the thing for which we sorrow Now sorrow for sinne though it be lesse in respect of the intentioÌ„ therof yet is it greater in respect of the estimation of the minde because they which truly mourne for their sinnes grieue for the offence of God as the greatest euill of all and for the losse of the fauoâ—â— of God as for losse of the most excelleâ—t preâ—ious thing in the world IV. Case Whether it be necessarie in humiliation that the heart should be smitten with a sensible sorrowe Answer I. In sorrow for sinne there are two things first to be displeased for our sinnes secondly to haue a bodily moouing of the heart which causeth crying and teares The former of these is necessarie namely in heart to be deepely displeased with our selues the latter is not simply necessarie though it be commendable in whomsoeuer it is if it be in truth for Lydia had the first but not the secoÌ„d II. It falleth out oftentimes that the greatnesse of the griefe taketh away the sensible paine and causeth a nummednesse of the heart so that the partie grieueth not III. Sometimes the complexion will not affoard teares in such there may be true humiliation though with drie cheekes The second thing to be done for the attaining of Gods fauour and consequently of saluation is to Beleeue in Christ. In the practise of a Christian life the duties of humiliation and faith cannot be seuered yet for doctrines sake I distinguish them In Faith there are two things required and to be performed on our behalfe First to know the points of religion and namely the summe of the Gospell especially the promise of righteousnesse and life eternall by Christ. Secondly to apply the promise and withall the thing promised which is Christ vnto our selues and this is done when a man vpon the commandement of God sets downe this with himselfe that Christ and his merits belong vnto him in particular and that Christ is his wisdome iustification sanctification and redemption This doctrine is plaine out of the sixt of Iohn for Christ is there propounded vnto vs as the bread and the water of life Therefore faith must not be idle in the braine but it must take Christ and apply him vnto the soule and conscience euen as meate is eaten The Questions of conscience touching Faith are these First howe we may truely apply Christ with all his benefits vnto our selues For wicked men apply Christ vnto themselues falsely in presumption but fewe doe it truely as they ought to doe I answer that this may be done we must remember to doe two things First lay downe a foundation of this action and then practise vpon it Our foundation must be laid in the word or else we shall faile in our application and it consists of two principles The one is As god giues a promise of life eternall by Christ so he giues commandement that euery one in particular should apply the promise to himselfe The next is that the Ministerie of the word is an ordinarie meanes wherein God doeth offer and apply Christ with all his benefits to the hearers as if he called them by their names Peter Iohn Cornelius Beleeue in Christ and thou shalt be saued When we haue rightly considered of our foundation the Second thing is to practise vpon it and that is to giue our selues to the exercises of faith and repentance which stand in meditation of the word and praier for mercie and pardon and when this is done then God giues the sense and increase of his grace VVhen Lydia was hearing the sermon of Paul then God opened her heart Act. 16. 12. Secondly it is demaunded When faith beginnes to breed in the heart and when a man beginnes to beleeue in Christ Answer VVhen he beginnes to be touched in conscience for his owne sinnes and withall hungers and thirsts after Christ and his righteousnesse then beginneth faith The reason is plaine As faith is renewed so it is begunne but it is renewed when a man is touched in conscience for his sinnes and beginnes a new to hunger after Christ therefore when these things first shew themselues then faith first begins For these were the things that were in Dauid when he renewed his repentance The third dutie necessarie to saluation is Repentance In which two things are to be coÌ„sidered the beginning namely a Godly Sorrow 2. Cor. 7. and vpon this sorrowe a Change In Sorrowe we consider first the nature of it secondly the properties of it Touching the nature of sorrow it is either inward or outward The inward sorrow is when a man is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes The outward when the heart declares the griefe thereof by teares or such like signes And sorrow in this case called a godly sorrow is more to be esteemed by the first of these then by the second The propertie of this sorrow is to make vs to be displeased with our selues for our sinnes directly because they are sins doe displease God If there were no iudge no hell or death yet we must be grieued because we haue offended so mercifull a God and louing father And as godly sorrowe will make vs thus to doe so is it the next cause of repentance and by this is repentance discerned The next thing in repentance is the Change
discouraged though after long labour and paines taking there follow small comfort and ease to the partie distressed For vsually it is long before comfort can be receiued and why surely because God hath the greatest stroke in these distresses of minde and brings men thorough all the temptations that he hath appointed before he opens the heart to receiue comfort The Church in the Canticles seekes for her beleeued but before shee can finde him shee goes about in the citie through the streets and by open places passing by the Watchmen theÌ„selues and after shee hath vsed all meanes without helpe or hope at length shee finds her beloued him in whome her soule delighteth Thus much for the generall remedie of all distresses nowe I come to the particular distresses themselues The first distresse ariseth of a diuine Temptation which is a combate with God himselfe immediately And this distresse is when the conscience speaks some fearefull things of God and withall the partie distressed feeles some euident tokens of Gods wrath Examples hereof we shall finde many in the word of God One is the example of righteous Iob who hauing beene long in outward afflictions was withall exercised with the apprehension of the anger of God and in that state he saith that the arrows of the Almightie were in him that the venime thereof did drinke vp his spirit that the terrors of God did fight against him Yea further he addeth that God was his enemie and writ bitter things against him and made him to possesse the sinnes of his youth And at another time he complaineth that Gods wrath had torne him that he hated him gâ—ashed vpon him with his teeth and had sharpened his eies against him In all which and diuers other places it appeares that his conscience was exercised with the sense of the wrath of God which had nowe euen seazed vpon his soule Another example we haue in Dauid who also was exercised with this temptation and trouble of minde as the first wordes of the 6 Psalme and the whole tenour thereof doe euidently shewe For first he desires the Lord not to rebuke him in his wrath and afterward complaineth that his griefe was so great that his very flesh consumed his bones were vexed and his bodie brought to such a state as no sicknesse could haue brought him vnto And it is not vnlike that the same Prophet did often fall into the like kind of distresse of minde as may be gathered out of Psalme 77 and sundrie other places Now as it fared with these and diuers other seruants of God in ancient times so are we not without some instances thereof in our daies Amongest many that worthy man Master Luther writes of himselfe that he was in this particular temptation and that he learned in it the doctrine of the Iustification of a sinner by the meere mercie of God without any merit of workes and vpon the sense and experience of the nature and properties of this distresse he wâ—oteâ— notable exposition of the 6. Psalme of Dauid â—â—e scope and intent whereof he writeth to be nothing else but a soueraigne remedie of this and the like distresses of the minde and conscience If it be demanded what is the occasion of this kinde of temptation I answer that it ariseth some times vpon the commission of some notorious sinne which doth wound the conscience as in Cain Iudas and Saul who for their great and capit all sinnes that stinged and wounded their consciences grew to a fearefull state and consequently perished in this temptation Sometimes againe it comes when there is no sinne committed but obedience to God performed and then there cannot be rendred any reason of it either in man or out of man saue this that God will haue it so to be And the trueth hereof is plaine by the examples of Iob and Dauid before remembred The Effects of this Temptation are many and very strange For outwardly it works vpon the bodie as it were a burning ague it causeth the entralls to rise the liuer to rowle in the bodie it sets a great heat in the bones consumes the flesh more then any sicknes can doe And that it is so as I say beside experience it is cleare in the word of God Dauid in this distresse affirmeth that his eyes were eaten as it were with wormes and sunke into his head Psal. 6. 7. that his moisture became as the drought in sommer Psal. 32. 4. and Iob saies that his skinne was blacke vpon him his bones were burnt with heat yea that by meanes of this distresse he was now full of wrinkles and his leanenes did rise vpon him It is a principle which Physitians doe hold that The minde follows the temperature of the bodie and is affected according to the good or euill constitution thereof which though it be true yet withall it is as manifest on the other side that the bodie doth often follow the state and condition of the minde For a distressed heart must of necessitie make a fainting and a languishing bodie But the principall thing to be sought for in this temptation is the Remedie thereof whereunto there be fiue things required which are to be practised as occasion shall be offered First choise must be made of the most fit and present remedie and that must be vsed in the first place Now the most fit and present remedie is to bring the partie troubled to the personall exercises of faith and repentance by and in him selfe For this ende he must examine his conscience most straigthly and narrowly of all the sinnes of his heart and life Secondly he must humbly confesse against himselfe all his knowne sinnes and withall acknowledge the due condemnation that he thereby hath deserued Thirdly he must crie to heauen for mercie intreating the Lord most instantly for pardon and for the restraint of his wrath due vnto him for his sinne Dauid beeing in this distresse performed all these duties as we may read in the 6. Psalme and he saith further of himselfe that whilst he concealed his sinnes the hand of God was heauie vpon him but vpon his earnest confession and deprecation he receiued mercie And if we read the booke of Iob we shall finde that the principall scope thereof is this namely to shew vnto vs that Iob was throughly exercised with this temptation and that in the ende hauing beene rebuked both by his friends and by God himselfe his recouerie was made by humbling himselfe when he saith Behold I am vile againe now I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Some may here demand If it fall out that the person himselfe cannot performe any good dutie of himselfe by reason of his distraction in soule and bodie what must then be done Ans. If the partie can but sigh and sobbe vnto God for mercie and comfort it is no doubt a worke of Gods spirit and a practise both of faith and repentance We
knovv not saith Saint Paul what to pray as we ought namely in our distresses but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighs that cannot be expressed and therein lies our comfort Thus Moses at the redde sea beeing in great distresse not knowing what to say or doe sighed and groned inwardly in his soule vnto the Lord for helpe and protection and his very desire was in stead of a loud crie in the eares of the Lord. The second thing is that triall must be made whether the partie hath in him any tokens of grace or not These tokens are the small beginnings of grace which before I haue declared As for example a griefe because we cannot grieue for sinne as we should a serious will and desire to beleeue and repent a purpose to sinne no more and such like If these be found in the partie then by them as by sure pledges he may bee assured of the fauour of God towardes him and where any of these be found the saying of God to Saint Paul must be vrged My grace is sufficient for thee and therewith must the distressed partie stay his minde Yea we are to be content with any condition in this life be it neuer so miserabie so long as we are in the fauour of god though he should lay vpon vs euen the paines of hell till the time of our death So did Dauid who when he was pursued by his owne sonne vttered these words vnto God Behold if I please thee not doe with me what thou wilt And the like was the minde of Paul who beeing assured of the fauour of God was content for his glorie and the saluation of the Israelites if it had beene possible to be separated from Christ and to indure the very pangs of hell The third thing in this cure is to Applie to the said distressed partie such promises of God made vnto afflicted persons as are most large and comfortable For example that The Lord is neere to them that are of a contrite heart and vvill saue such as be afflicted in spirit Psal. 34. 18. Againe I came not saith our Sauiour Christ but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Matth. 15. 24. He saies not to the straying sheepe but to such as ate now in the pit readie to be drowned or in the Lyons mouth readie to be deuoured Againe The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me therefore he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospel to the poore that is to such as are distressed in conscience and poore in spirit he hath sent me that I should heale the broken hearted that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues These and many other such like promises are in this case to be vrged and the partie mooued to indeauour to beleeue them and to rest himselfe vpon them though he loose all things els Fourthly the partie must be brought to a serious consideration of his life past and of Gods mercifull dealing with him in former times and therewith is he to be comforted for the time present For if aforehand he hath receiued any tokens of the fauour and loue of God by them he is now to stay and â—o settle his minde The reason is plaine the gifts of God are without repentance whome he loueth once he loueth to the ende and whome he chooseth he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth and will also in time glorifie Dauid beeing in such affliction that he could hardly thinke vpon God yet he tooke this course praied to the Lord for comfort communed with his owne heart and called to remembrance how God had formerly dealt with him and with this meditation of the continuall course of Gods mercie in his preseruation he confirmed his faith and staied his heart in his greatest troubles The fifth and last thing to be done is the remooueall of such reasons and doubts as the partie distressed vsually makes against himselfe for his owne ouerthrow For it is the manner of those that are troubled in minde to dispute against themselues and commonly they are woont to alleadge three things First beeing instructed how to humble themselues and to depend on Gods mercie they will graunt that all these indeede are good things but they belong not to them for they neither doe nor can feele any thing but the tokens of Gods anger and that they are alreadie entred into some degrees of condemnation This obiection may be taken away by informing them of the manner of Gods dealing in all his workes For commonly he workes all things in his creatures in and by Contraries if we could know the whole frame of them Thus in the Creation euery creature had his beeing of that which had no beeing and something was made not of something but of nothing After the flood the signe of Gods couenant for the preseruation of the world from destruction by raine is the Raine-bow which indeede is a naturall signe of raine When Elias was to prooue the Lord to be the onely true God against the idolatrous priests of Baal and that by burnt offerings he powred water vpon the sacrifice and fills a trench with water round about and in this contrarie meanes was the sacrifice burnt vp Christ for the curing of a blind man teÌ„pers spittle clay together which in all reason is a fitter means to put out the eyes theÌ„ to cause the blind to see Thus in the worke of our Redemption Christ giues life not by life but by death and he sendes men to heauen by the gates and suburbes of hell He will not build vpon an olde foundation but he pulls downe and destroies all that Man may haue no hope at all in himselfe but that all the hope he hath may be in God First he kills and then he makes aliue as Anna speaketh first he woundeth and then he healeth He makes man to sowe in teares that afterward he may reape in ioy And he that knoweth Gods dealing to be this must herewith rest content and satisfied because in wrath God vseth to remember his mercie yea his mercie is neuer sweete vnto the palate of the soule vntill it be seasoned with some tast of his wrath The Paschall Lambe was eaten with sowre hearbs to signifie that we can feele no sweetnes in the blood of Christ till we first feele the smart of our owne sinnes corruptions Secondly these persons vse to alleadge against themselues that if they could feele any coÌ„fort at all then they would stay their minds and yeild to good perswasions exhortations To this the answer is That there is a Rule of grace which we must follow gathered out of the word of God and the experience of Gods children contrarie to the rule of nature and aboue the light of reason and it is this that in case of affliction we must not liue by feeling but by faith This Rule is grounded vpon the speech of the Lord by the Prophet The iust man shall
reason Hence followes the first effect strange imaginations conceits and opinions framed in the minde which are the first worke of this humor not properly but because it corrupteth the instrument and the instrument beeing corrupted the facultie cannot bring forth good but corrupt actions For example That which they call the beastâ— like Melancholie is when a man thinkes himselfe to be a beast of this or that kind and carries himselfe accordingly Of this sort are those that thinke themselues to be wolues and practise wolvish behauiour Thus we read Dan. 4. 30. that Nebuchad-nezzar liued behaued himselfe and fed as a beast Some say that he loss his soule and had the soule of a beast But they erâ—e For there is no such transportation of soules into bodies either of men or beasts Others thinke that Nebuchadnezzar was smitten in the brain with this disease and in a beastly imagination carried himselfe as a beast And this interpretation is not against the text for in the 31. verse of that chapter it is said that his minde came to him againe and therefore in the disease his vnderstanding the right vse of his reason was lost And the like is true in historie by diuers examples though it were not true in Nebuchadnezzar Againe take another example that is common and ordinarie Let a Melancholike person vpon the sudden see some fearefull thing the strength of his imagination presently fasteneth the thing vpon himselfe As if he see or heare that a man is hanged or possessed with a Deuill it presently comes to his minde that he must be hanged that he is or shall be possessed Likewise vpon relation of fearefull things presently his phantasi workes and he imagineth that the thing is alreadie or shall befall him And this imagination when it enters once takes place it brings forth horrible and fearefull effects The second effect or worke of Melancholie is vpon the heart When the mind hath conceiued and framed fearefull things there is a concord and consent between heart affection then comes affection and is answerable to imagination Hence doe proceede exceeding horrors feares and despaires and yet the CoÌ„science for all this vntouched and not troubled or disquieted Thirdly it may be demanded whether there be any difference betweene the trouble of CoÌ„science and Melancholie for many hold that they are all one Ans. They are not all one but differ much Affliction of Conscience is one thing trouble by Melancholie is another and they are plainly distinguished thus First when the Conscience is troubled the affliction it selfe is in the Conscience and so in the whole man But in Melancholie the imagination is disturbed not the Conscience Secondly the Conscience afflicted hath a true and certen cause wherby it is troubled namely the sight of sinne but in Melancholie the imagination conceiueth a thing to be so which is not so for it makes a man to feare and despaire vpon supposed and fained causes Thirdly the man afflicted in Conscience hath courage in many things but the Melancholike maÌ„ feares euery man euery creature yea himselfe and hath no courage when there is no cause of feare he feares Fourthly imaginations in the braine caused by Melancholie may be cured taken away and cut off by meanes of Physicke but the distresse of Conscience cannot be cured by any thing in the world but one and that is the blood of Christ and the assurance of Gods fauour Fourthly the way to cure Melancholy is this First the person troubled must be brought to this that he will content himselfe to be aduertised and ruled not by his owne but by the iudgement of others touching his owne estate and by this shall be reape much quiet and contentation Secondly search triall must be made whether he hath in him any beginnings of faith and repentance or no. If he want knowledge of his estate then meanes must be vsed to bring him to some sight and sorrow for his sinnes that his melancholy sorrow may be turned into a godly sorrow If he want faith and true repentance some good beginnings thereof must be wrought in his heart Thirdly when he is brought to faith in Gods mercie and an honest purpose not to sinne any more then certaine mercifull promises of God are to be laid before his eies and he must be exhorrâ—d to rest vpon these promises and at no time to admit any imagination or thought that may crosse the said promises Now the promises are these and such like Psal. 34. 9. No good thing shall be wanting to them that feare God Psal. 91. 10 No euill shall come neere the godly man 2. Chron. 15. The Lord is with you while you are with him and if you seeke him he will be found of you Iam. 4. 8. Drawe nere to God and he will draw neere to you And the best meanes to cause any man thus diseased to be at peace with himselfe is to hold beleeue know the truth of these promises and not to suffer any bythought to enter into his heart that may crosse them Moreouer though the former promises may stay the minde yet will they not take away the humour except further helpe be vsed Therefore the fourth and last helpe is the arte of Physicke which serues to correct and abate the humour because it is a meanes by the blessing of God to restore the health and to cure the distemper of the bodie And thus much touching the trouble of minde caused by Melancholy The second meanes whereby the bodie annoies the minde is when it occasions trouble to the minde by strange alterations incident to the bodie When a man beginnes to enter into a Phrensie if the braine admit neuer so little alteration presently the minde is troubled Thus by the trembling of the heart many fearefull imaginations are caused when a man knowes not the cause The same is procured by the swelling of the splene by the rising of the entralls by strange convulsions and such like The remedie hereof is this First it is still to be considered whether the partie thus troubled hath true faith and repentance or no. If he hath it is so much the better If he hath not the first dutie is to vse all meanes to stir vp in him some godly sorrow for his sinnes Secondly this beeing done meanes must be vsed to take away the opinion conceiued and to giue information of the alteration of the bodie and of the true cause thereof This beeing knowne the griefe or feare conceiued will easily be staid For take away the false opinion and informe iudgement and the whole man will be the better Thirdly the opinion beeing altered and reformed it may be the alteration in the bodie will remaine the partie therefore in that case must be taught that it is a correction of God and that God doth not barely suffer the correction to be inflicted but is the very author of it and therefore the partie is to be well pleased and
THE FIRST PART OF THE CASES OF CONSCIENCE Wherein specially three maine Questions concerning Man simply considered in himselfe are propounded and resolued according to the word of God Taught and deliuered by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day Lectures by himselfe revised before his death and now published for the benefit of the Church PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1604 And are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Sir Edward Denny Knight THere is no one doctrine reuealed in the word of God or dispensed by the Prophets and Apostles of greater vse and consequence in the life of man then is that which prescribeth a forme of releeuing and rectifying the conscience The benefit which from hence issueth vnto the Church of God is vnspeakable For first it serueth to discouer the cure of the dangerousest sore that can be the wound of the Spirit Which how great a crosse it is the wise man reporteth out of true experience when he saith that the Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded Spirit who can beare it And his meaning is that no outward griefe can fall into the nature of man which will not be with patience indured to the vtmost so long as the minde is not troubled or dismayed But when once the Spirit is touched and the heart which beeing well apaâ—ed is the very fouÌ„taine of peace to the whole man smitten with feare of the wrath of God for sinne the griefe is so great the burden intolerable that it will not by any outward meanes be eased or asswaged Secondly it giueth for all particular Cases special and sound direction whether man be to walke with God in the immediate performance of the duties of his seruice or to conuerse with man according to the state and condition of his life in the familie in the Church or in the Common-wealth The want of which direction of what force it is to turne the actions of men which are good in themselues to sinnes in regard of the agents S. Paul affirmeth in that generall conclusion Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Wherein he would teach vs that whatsoeuer is done or vndertaken by men in this life whether it concerne the knowledge and worship of God or any particular dutie to be performed by vertue of their callings for the common good whereof they haue not sufficient warrant and assurance in conscience grounded vpon the word that it is to be don or not to be done to them it is a sinne Thirdly it is of all other doctrines if it be rightly vsed the most comfortable For it is not founded in the opinions variable conceits of men neither doth it consist of conclusions and positions that are onely probable and coniecturall for the conscience of the doubting or distressed partie cannot be established and rectified by them but it resteth vpon most sufficient and certaine grounds collected drawne out of the very word of god which as it is mightie in operation â—earcing the heart and discerning the thoughts and intents thereof so is it alone auaileable and effectuall to pacific the minde and to giue full satisfaction to the conscience And as the benefit is great so the want of this doctrine together with the true manner of applying the same is and hath beene the cause of many and great inconueniences For euen of those that feare God and haue receiued to beleeue there be many who in the time of their distresses when they haue considered the waight and desert of their sinnes and withall apprehended the wrath of God due vnto them haue beene brought vnto hard exigents mourning and wayling and crying out as if God had forsaken them vntill they haue beene releeued by the Spirit of Christ in the meditation of the word and promise of God But those especially who haue not beene instructed in the knowledge of the truth nor beene acquainted with the course of Gods dealing with his distressed children by reason of ignorance and blindnes in matters of religion and pietie when the Lord hath let loose the cord of their consciences and set before their eyes both the number of their sinnes committed and the iust anger of God purchased thereby what haue they done surely despairing of their owne estates and of the mercie of God they haue either growne to phrensie and madnes or els sorted vnto themselues fearefull ends some by hanging some by drowning others by murthering their owne selues And if not in regard of griefe and trouble of minde yet for want of better resolution in particular cases within the compasse of their generall or personall callings though otherwise men indued with some measure of knowledge and obedience herein they haue failed that they haue either abused or els quite relinquished forsaken their callings and thereby haue become scandalous offeÌ„siue vnto others Now as this is a matter of great waight importance so is it most meete that the best and fittest course should be taken in the teaching and inforcing of the same In which regard we haue iust cause to challenge the Popish Church who in their Case-writings haue erred both in the substance and circumstances of this doctrine as shall appeare in the sequele First because the dutie of releeuing the Conscience is by them commended to the sacrificing Priest which though according to their owne Canons he should be a man of knowledge and free from imputation of wickednes yet oft times it falls out that he is either vnlearned or els wicked and leud of conuersation and consequently vnfit for such a purpose Secondly they teach that their Priests appointed to be comforters releeuers of the distressed are made by Christ himselfe iudges of the cases of conscience hauing in their owne hands a iudiciarie power and authoritie truly and properly to binde or to loose to remit or to retaine sinnes to open or to shut the kingdome of heauen A blasphemous doctrine Considering that Christ onely hath the keyes of Dauid which properly and truly openeth and no man shutteth and properly and truly shutteth no man openeth And the Ministers of God are not called to be absolute Iudges of the CoÌ„science but only MesseÌ„gers Embassadors of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ wherupon it followeth that they caÌ„not be the authors and giuers of remission of sinnes but onely the Ministers and Dispensers of iâ—â—e same Thirdly the Papists in their writings haue scattered here and there sundrie false and erronious grounds of doctrine much preiudiciall to the direction or resolution of the Conscience in time of neede as namely I. That a man in the course of his life may build himselfe vpon the faith of his teachers and for his saluation rest contented with an implicite vn-expressed faith Which doctrine as it is an onely meane to keepe men in perpetuall blindnes and ignorance so it
serueth to no other purpose in the time of temptation but to plunge the heart of man into the pitte of despaire it being vncapable of comfort for want of knowledge and vnderstanding of the word and promise of God II. That euery man ought to stand in feare and doubt of the pardon of his sinnes and that no man can be assured by the certentie of faith either of the present fauour of God or of his owne saluation True it is that in respect of our owne vnworthines and indisposition we haue iust cause not onely to doubt and feare but to despaire and be confounded before the iudgement seat of God Yet that a man should not be certainely resolued by faith of the mercie of God in and for the merit of Christ is a comfortlesse doctrine to a distressed soule and contrarie vnto the sauing word of the Gospel which teacheth that certentie floweth from the nature of faith and not doubting III. That every man is bound in conscience vpon paine of damnation to make speciall confession of his mortall sinnes with all the particular circumstances thereof once euery yeare to his Priest This doctrine and practise besides that it hath no warrant of sacred writte nor yet any ground of Orthodoxe antiquitie for 800 yeares more or lesse after Christ iâ— maketh notably to the disturbing of the peace of conscience in time of extremitie considering that it is impossible either to vnderstand or remember all many beeing vnknowne and hidden and the minde beeing informed that forgiuenesse dependeth vpon such an enumeration may thus be brought into doubt and distrust and will not be able to rest by faith in the sole mercie of God the onely soueraigne medicine of the soule Againe the griefe of the minde doth not alwaies arise from all the sinnes that a man hath committed neither doth the Lord seâ— before the sinners eies whatsoeuer euill hath bin done by him but some one or more particulars and these are they that doe lie heauie vpon the heart and to be eased of them will be worke enough though â—e doth not exhibite vnto the Confessour a Catalogue of all the rest IV. That some sinnes are veniall because they are only besides the lawe of God not against it and because they â—inâ—â—â—uer the sinner onely to temporal and not to eternall punishments This conclusion first is false For though it be graunted that some offences are greater some lesser some in an higher degree others in a lower againe that sinnes in regard of the euent beeing repented of or in respect of the person sinning beeing in Christ and therfore accounted iust are pardonable because they are not imputed to condemnation yet there is no sin of what degree soeuer which is not simply and of it selfe mortall whether we respect the nature of the sinne or the measure proportion of diuine iustice For in nature it is an anomie that is to say an aberration from the perfect rule of righteousnesse and therefore is subiect to the curse both of temporary and eternall death It is an offence against the highest Maiestie and consequently man standeth by it ingaged to euerlasting torment Secondly it is a weake and insufficient ground of resolution vnto a troubled conscience For whereas true and sauing ioy is the daughter of sorrowe and the heart of man cannot be lifted vp in assurance of Gods fauour to the apprehension and conceipt of heauenly comforts vnlesse it be first abased by true humiliatioÌ„ brought to nothing in it self The remembrance of this that the offence committed is veniall may in some cases too much inlarge the heart and giue occasion to presume when haply there will be reason to the contrary And if not that yet in the case of falling by infirmitie after grace receiued the mind beeing forestalled with this erronious conceipt that the sin is lesse then it is indeede because veniall may in the issue be lesse quieted and more perplexed V. That a man may satisfie the iustice of the God for the temporall punishment of his sinnes committed To omit the vntrueth of this position howe it maketh to the easing of the heart or the asswaging of the griefe of minde in temptation I appeale to common experience For when a man beeing assured of the pardon of his sinnes shall yet coÌ„sider that there is something more behind to be done on his part how can he in probabilitie rely himselfe wholly vpon Christs satisfaction How can he reape vnto himselfe froÌ„ thence any assurance of reconciliation to God whome he formerly offended If we may and must doe something in our own persons whereby to appease the wrath of God why hath our Sauiour taught vs for our hearts releife wholly and onely to make the plea of pardon for our sinnes True it is indeede that Popish Confessors doe teach their Penitents when they feele the wrath of god vpon them for sin to stop the mouth of Conscience by performance of a formall humiliation and repentance yea to offer vnto God some ceremoniall duties in way of satisfaction But when sorrow seazeth vpon the soule and the man falls into temptation then it will appeare that these directions were not currant for notwithstanding them he may want sound comfort in Gods mercy and run into despaire without recouerie And for this cause vpon experience it hath bin prooued that euen Papists themselues in the houre of death haue bin content to renounce their owne workes yea the whole body of humane satifactions and to cleaue onely to the mercie of God in Christ for their saluation By these instances and many more that might be alleadged to this purpose it is apparent vpon how weake and vnstable grounds the Case-diuinitie of the Popish Church standeth and how indirect a course they take for the resolution and direction of the troubled Conscience Now by the benefit abuse of this Doctrine we see how necessary it is that in Churches which professe Christian religion it should be more taught further inlarged then it is And to this purpose it were to be wished that men of knowledge in the Ministerie that haue by the grace of God attained vnto the Tongue of the learned would imploy their paines this way not onely in searching into the depth of such points as stand in bare speculation but in annexing thereunto the grounds and conclusions of practise whereby they might both informe the iudgement and rectifie the conscience of the hearers By this meanes it would come to passe that the poore distressed soule might be releeued pietie and deuotion more practized the kingdome of Sinne Satan and Antichrist weakened impayred the contrarie kingdome of Christ Iesus more more established What the Author coÌ„triuer of the discourse ensuing hath done in this behalfe it is euident by the whole course of his writings that he hath left behinde him all which as they doe openly shew vnto the world howe great a measure of knowledge