Cor. 5.18 yea as one saith it is Gods proclamation and our Charter of peace containing the largest concessions of peace It is Gods act of oblivion and his act of indemnity Scheffeeld on conse p. 42. 2. Meanes of pacifying conscience is faith As the conscience cannot speak peace with Gods allowance before it be purged so not peace after it is purged without faith This is a grace that will doe both i. e. purify and pacify 1. That faith will purify is cleer Act. 15.9 Faith purgeth the heart and cleanseth the conversation 2. That it will also pacify this appeares Rom. 5.1 Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Peace is the daughter of faith This is that Dove that brings an Olive branch of peace in its mouth aed presents God a pacified and reconciled father unto us O how sweet is that peace which faith breeds It is a Christians heaven upon earth A bunch of Grapes that growes on the true Vine joy in life peace at death prosperity in adversity staffe in affliction ankere in desperation therefore Christ calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anticipation of heaven 3. The third and last subservient meanes is Repentance The Apostle tells us our consciences must be purged from dead workes Heb. 9.14 and we must have repentance from dead workes We must still acknowledge that it is the bloud of Christ that must purge our consciences from dead workes and so worke peace yet know this that this peace is not wrought in our apprehension neither do we feele this faith without further act Therefore to our faith must be joined repentance though not making of our peace yet for the feeling of this peace Let us now then breifly enumerate the causes principle and lesse principle 1. Christs bloud procuring 2. Christs spirit producing 3. His word proclaiming 4. Faith assuming 5. Repentance declaring and evidencing All these in their order not in a way of coordination but in a way of subordination do effect the sweet peace of conscience which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 And is the sweetest companion that ever accompanied man in this vale of mortality Hitherto of the goodnesse of Conscience and how it becomes good namely by the bloud and spirit of Christ whereby it is both purified and pacified In the next place I must commend unto you these 3 things as specially to be minded and endeavoured by you 1. Having of Conscience 2. Holding of Conscience 3. Well using of Conscience 1. First let it be your speciall care to have this good conscience and that you may have it take these few directions 1. Be senseable of the want of it albeit naturally we are all destitute of this jewell yet very few complaine for want of it Some are pure in their owne eyes Prov. 30.12 yet were never purged from their filthinesse their consciences as defiled as ever Others openly profane and wicked that adde drunkennesse to thirst yet when a curse is pronounced against them they will blesse themselves saying we shall have peace I must say to such they are whole need not the Physician Thele are not as yet in a capacity of receiving this blessing Therefore I advise you first to see the filthinesse of your consciences how defiled with ignorance error and hardinesse and having seen it with the leper confesse it and say Master I am uncleane I am uncleane when thy disease is knowne the cure is halfe wrought Tit. 1.15 therefore I say by all meanes to see how thy soule and conscience is defiled 2. Seek out an able Physician that can cure thee thinke not to find him here on earth thou must go to heaven for him it is God that first made thy conscience and he alone it is that can remake it and therefore addresse thy selfe unto him humbly and faithfully acknowledging his power and in the lepers phrase expresse the desire of thy heart and say Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And to quicken thee in this I will say unto thee as the Disciples unto the blind man go he calleth thee Mark 10.49 1. Christs invitation Come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you All ye that more and more feel the burden of sin and can find no way to remove it come you all to me and I will ease you of your burden of sin past Ps 32.1 and free you from servitude of it hereafter Sin shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 Therefore as blind Bartimeus when Christ called him forthwith cast off his garment rose up and went to Christ so thou who hast an evill conscience make no delay shake off all impediments and run to Christ the true Phisitian and he will heale thee of thy disease and give thee a pure and peaceable conscience There is water enough in Iordan there is balme enopugh in Gilead to poure into your wounds And there is a Phisitian there too and desires thee to come and will heale thee without money or moneyes worth T is but looking on this brazen serpent and be whole 2. Motive His promise is to cure thee he hath said he will give thee on heart put a new spirit into thee take away thy stony heart out of thy flesh Ezek. 11.18 19. and give thee an heart of flesh Now what is this lesse then to cure thy soule and conscience therefore thou mayest boldly go unto the Lord plead the covenant between God and thee tell him thou hast it to shew under his hand and so hold him to his promise Lord thou hast said thou wilt give me a new heart a new conscience therefore Lord create in me a new heart and renew a pure conscience within me let old things be done away and let all things become new 3. Direction is to observe what thy Phisitian shall advise thee his directions are plainly set downe in his large Phisick book namely the book of Scriptures there thou shalt find what thy disease is the nature and symptomes of it the meanes to cure it also what diet thou must keep in the time of thy disease to be freed from it and what diet afterwards to prevent a relapse Take heed therefore when thy great Phisitian hath advised thee what meanes to use to take off this leprousy from thy soule Doe not slight it as Naaman did Elisha's advice about the leprousy of his body when he advised him to wash in Jordan and be cured the text saith he was wroth 2 King 5.9.10 preferring his owne waters of Abanah and Pharpar rivers of Damascus as better then all the waters of Israel Take heed bee not wiser then thy Doctor credas medico ut valeas follow his directions and thou shalt be healed Eate and live wash and be cleane Thus far by way of preparative proceed we now unto the Physick it selfe in which we find many simples compounded as Naturals and Spirituals added 1. We
with the worst tit 1.15 yea my very soule and conscience was defiled But blessed by my good God that hath striken Covenant with me in my blessed Saviour Christ Jesus Ezek. 11.19 hath put into me a new Spirit given me a heart of flesh and hath changed this defiled conscience Heb. 9.14 into a pure conscience a conscience both purified and pacified by the bloud and spirit of Christ Col. 1.20 My greatest foe is now become my greatest friend a most true friend that will not flatter me but deale plainly with me a most sweet freind that will comfort me in the saddest and darkest times and seasons yea a friend that will make me to laugh under the whip Sing when my feet are in the stocks and rejoyce when I fall into many Temptations In a word a most constant friend that will never leave me nor forsake me neither in this life nor in the life to come Death may part Naomi and Ruth David and Jonathan but death shall never parte thee and thy conscience she will be with the in reproach and povertie in sicknesse and distresse in prison and restraint in lyfe in death in Judgment and before Gods Tribunall Oh therefore relate thy happie and blessed change unto others that so thou and they may unanimously prayse God Soe shall thy God be magnified and thine owne thankfull heart reallie and faithfull expressed 2 Use to such as have a good conscience to be such a friend unto them that they would be very Carefull to deale friendly with this friend It is Solomons Advise Prov. 18.24 That he that hath friends must deale friendly and that there is a friend that sticketh closer then a Brother Now conscience is this close friend let Father Mother Husband Wife Child and Neigbour all leave thee This friend will never leave thee nor forsake thee as I told thee formerly Oh therefore deale friendly with thy Conscience give not the least offence unto her but remember she is very tender and will be senble of the least wrong or injury done unto her The Injurie of a friend doth stick closer then the wrong of an Enimie David could say had it been an Enimie that had done me this wrong I could have borne it but it was thou my friend Ps 41.9 yea my familiar friend we tooke sweet counsell Ps 55.13 Take heed therefore do neither disuse conscience nor misuse conscience 1 I say doe not disuse consciene by estraunging thy selfe from her and refusing her Advise and counsell 2 Doe not misuse her 1 Some by making her a cloak for any erroneous opinion or sinfull practice as too to many doe in these our daies who dare to set Gods Image and Supscription upon their owne base coine Are there not many amongst us who impudently and blasphemously affirme that their Mission Message Doctrine and Spirit are all of God They will tell you they are sent of God the Doctrine they teach is the mind and will of God The Spirit by which they teach Is 8.20 it is the Spirit of God But come you to the law and to the testimonie consult the word of God and you shall find there is no light in them They are very Traytors to the King of heaven abusing his Image and Superscription read but the 23 of Jer. and 13 of Ezek. and you shall find that notwithstanding their great Braggs they are but grosse impostours and seducers God tels them He never sent them never spake unto them calls them Dreamers whose Doctrine is but chaffe and their Spirit is not Gods Spirit but their own proud lying and deluding spirit 2. Others make conscience a Cloak for ungodly practices that they may the more clossely oppresse defraud and injure others to the satisfying of their ambitious lusts and Covetous desires such were the Scribs Pharisees of old of whom our Saviour gives us a Caveat that wee beware of them and then describes them that people might the better know them They are men saith Christ that carrie a great shew of Pyetie and holinesse they pray Math. 23.14 yea make long prayers and performe other godlie exercises Luk. 20.46 and all this they doe not syncerely but hypocritically that they may the more easily devoure widdowes houses and consume their estates who entertaine them and doubtles many such there are amongst us at this time who have very faire pretences for most foule practices as Jezabel had who was never more zealous in prayer and fasting then when she intended to to take away the life and livelihood of innocent Naboth now what are these but great abusers of Conscience 3. To these I may Adde a third sort who having abused conscience by some ungodly Art of whordome drunkennesse blasphemy or the like will call for mercy and so be friends It is reported of Lewes the eleventh King of France that he wore in his Hat a Crucifix and when at any time he had blasphemed God or acted any wickednesse He would presently take downe his Crucifix and Kisse it and then he had thought he had made satisfaction for all wrongs even so is it amongst us There are many when they have done any thing against their conscience thinke it enough to Kisse Conscience and cry God have mercy and all is well but let me tell such they are enimies to conscience and let them be assured that at last they will find Conscience an enimie to them yea their greatest enimie Not only a witnesse But their Judge and Tormentor Use of Exhortatiō unto all to be very carefull how they deale with Conscience not to dare to injure it in the least degree conscience I must tell you is verie tender soone sensible of the least wrong if therefore you will hold friendship with her you must resolve to be tender also and that with an holy tendernesse I say an holy tendernesse and the rather because there is too much tendernesse in the world which is very hatefull unto a good Conscience 1. Some are very ready for the practice of sin Unholy Tendernesse but they are so tender as they cannot endure the least touch of reproofe for sin They are like those whole bodies being full of boyles and botches cry out unto such as come neer them Oh do not touch me and all because of the soares and and the ulcers they beare about them Thus is it which many a wicked man and woman who having many ulcers of sin running upon them will not indure their Christian friends nor yet their faithful ministers and Teachers but cry out like those in Isaiah who said to the seers see not to the prophets prephesie not unto us right things but speak smooth things Is 30.10 prophesy deceit They cannot indure to heare the truth of God but a lie not to have Gods Judgmēts threatned but themselves to be slattered though it turne unto their owne ruine Such tender persons were Amaziah the prince 2
conversation And Hezekiah when he was upon his death bed as he thought his conscience gave him a testimoniall that commended him to God better then all the men in the world could that he walked before the Lord in truth and in a perfect heart and did that which was right in his sight Is 38.3 This sweet peace of a good Conscience flowes from a certaine inexpressible assurance that we are the sons of God a certaine secret manifestatiō that God hath receiv'd us put away our sins 2. Neither good nor quiet When the heart is as full of sin as hell of darknesse and lies under a serious apprehension of Gods wrath and a certaine looking for of vengeance and fiery indignation to devoure Heb. 10.27 and is in a forlorn condition not knowing where to go for help but God is to him as the burning fire to the withered stubble and as the scorching flame to the melted wax Thus the cause stood with Judas who after he had committed that cursed fact of betraying his Master he was so gnawed by the worme conscience that nothing but an halter could ease him he hang'd himselfe And certainly had not Hell gaped for him he had got by the bargaine This made Cain go in continuall feare of killing and the persecuting Tyrant to cast up his bowels towards heaven and say vicisti Galilaee thou hast overcome O Galilean 3. Quiet but not good This is common to the best of men and they blesse themselves in it that they never had a bad word from conscience all their daies it doth not trouble nor terrify them certainly such a Conscience is seared with an hot iron and who ever is thus stigmatiz'd is marked for a Rebbell against God They sleep in their sins like Jonah in the storme though they are in greatest danger to be cast into the gulfe and sea of Gods everlasting wrath 4. Good but not quiet And such doubtlesse a child of God may have Examples are many as in Job chap. 6. 4. The Arrowes of the Lord are within me Rev. 2.3 the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of the Lord do set themselves in array against me So David thine arrowes stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Job 6.4 there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither any rest in my bones because of my sin Conscientia bona turbata Bern For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Thus Ezekiah and others But at such times though they have a good conscience yet do they faile in Assurance Ps 38.2 3 4. they have Paul's conscience but not Pauls confidence it is the latter not the former that makes it quiet and inoffensive and such was Pauls conscience not only good but quiet and inoffensive Christians have somtimes Cleare Sunshini dayes and sometimes darke cloudy daies sometimes they are under a cloud and the light of Gods countenance doth not shine on them sometimes they behold the face of God in righteousnesse and his favour is better to them then life Sometimes like Hannah they are in the bitternesse of their soules Conscientia honestè bona pacatè bona Ames and drinke of the bitter waters of Marah which makes them go mourning all their daies so then it may stand with a child of God to have a disquiet troubled Conscience 1. Use for Tryall whether we be of that some that have a good Conscience he that will not try wants it he that tries superficially hath cause to doubt it but he that is exact and sincere may safely conclude I am assured I have a good Conscience therefore search your selves as with Candles and Torches whether you can find this precious Jewell of a good conscience treasurd up within you yea or no. And the better to incite you to a true and diligent Triall take these 2 Motives 1. The neer resemblance between a Naturall and Spirituall Conscience Motives to a diligent Triall and that in divers respects They both have their conflicts both their loathing of sin they both seeme to turne a broad-side against sin and to complaine against it The Naturall conscience saith I see the better but I follow the worse The Spirituall conscience saith the good which I would do I do not but the evill which I would not do that do I. See here the difference in the latter there is a will striving against sin but in the former no will no striving at all 2. The Naturall conscience is principled only by some generall grounds of Nature acting and making conscience so far as his rules and principles will carry him and so deceiveth the Naturall man making him to boast of what he hath not namely a good conscience Whereas the spirituall Conscience rightly principled by Gods word and sanctified by his Spirit makes the person to have a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13.18 making conscience of all that God commands or forbids Ps 119.6.101 Be therefore carefull in trying your selves 2 Cor. 13.5 And that you may not be deceived take these 5 markes 1. He that hath a good conscience Notes of a good Conscience can truly say that what he doth he doth it for Conscience sake Cōscience stirrs him up unto the duty and he cannot satisfy conscience if he neglect it He subjects himselfe to God and he subjects himselfe to man and this not for wrath but conscience See well therefore to this and the rather Rom. 13.5 because Many there are whose Actions are very specious and yet without any regard to conscience Salomon describing a good man saith he is one that feareth an oath he doth not say that he is one that sweareth not but one that feareth an oath possible it is that a man may not sweare and why because he hath been well educated or he standeth in awe of his Parents or Governours or feareth some mulct from the Magistrate this is no testimony of a good Conscience But if a man sweare not because he feareth an Oath this argueth that the man feareth the commandement and to feare the commandement is a sure note of a good conscience Prov. 13.13 The least haire makes the eye weep so the least sin makes the heart smite Now as in avoiding of sin so in practising piety a man reads the Scripture at home heareth the word preached in publick performes duties in his family But why doth he thus if to satisfy conscience in obedience unto God t is well but if base and sinister ends to please and satisfy his owne carnall desire this is base and far from a good Conscience We find the Shechemites grosse hypocrites in this they will joine with Gods people and doe as they doe be circumcised as they are had this been done out of conscience it would have rejoyced the hearts of all godly ones but here is no such thing they will be circumcised indeed but
Chr. 25.16 and Amaziah the priest The first was reproved by the prophet of the Covenant for setting up of false Gods but the King tells the Prophet that he should hold his peace least he were smitten he was so tender he could not beare it The like temper we find in Amaziah the priest when Amos prophesied the rejection of Israel and the destruction of Jeroboams house by the sword presentlie Amaziah goes to incense the King against Amos and tells him that the land was not able to beare his words and bids him slee away and not to come againe unto Bethel for it was the Kings chappell Amos 7.10 a place that he had Consecrated to the worship of the Calves therefore not safe nor fitting for Amos to prophesie against him in that place 2. Some are naturally tender of such a soft and tender Temper that they readily yeeld unto any command of man though countermaunded by god Thus was it with Ephraim Hos 5.11 Ephraim is broken in Judgment because he willingly walked after the Commandement what Commandements the wicked commandements of their Idolatrous Kings and princes therefore the Lord Threatens them that he would be to Ephraim as a Moth to the house of Judah rottennesse i.e. He would consume them by little and little as a Moth doth a garment or as a worme doth a peice of Timber and surely this may be said to be our case our preferring mans mandates before Gods CoÌ„mands hath broken us of this land in peices and if God be unto us as he was to Ephraim a Moth and a worme gradually to ruine us it is but His Justice 3. Others there are which are scrupelously tender They will stick at strawes and leap over blocks make that a sin which God never made a sin and stirr most in that in which God is silent Thus the Priests scruple their going into the Praetorium the house of an Heathen man least they should be ceromoniallie defiled and soe held from the Passeover but yet made no matter of de filing themselves morally with the guilt of innoceÌ„t bloud againe they are troubled in putting the price of bloud into their holy Corbam but not troubled to give a price to shed innoceÌ„t bloud How carefull are they in washing of hands of cups pots and platters how carelesse in washing their hearts and insides from sin One saith well such as these they can dance amongst thornes and yet know not how to walke upon even ground Herod had too much of this rendernesse when he had passed his word given his oath to grant his wicked Herodias her unreasonable request which was to have John Baptist head in a charger Note the tendernesse of this man he may not breake his Oath and therefore concludes that to go back from his word would be perjurie but to go on though it were to shed the bloud of an innocent this he accounts pietie Many such we have amonst us who doe more scruple an egg then an Oath and like Esops dogg doe so greedily catch at shadowes that they loose the substance therefore I would such would be more wise following the Advice of Paul who in unnecessarie and vaine scruples will have us to asks no Question for conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.25 Beware of all such evill and sinfull tendernesse as enimies to a good conscience and labour for such a tendernesse as is holy and faultlesse which will make you watchfull against every sin that may any waies molest or disquiet conscience thus far of an unholy tendernesse which cannot stand with a good conscience Now followes an holy tendernesse which suits well with conscience and keeps us and our consciences at peace Holy tendernesse is such a tendernesse as is wrought in us by the holy spirit of God Holy Tendernesse Sheff whereby we are made very watchfull against whatsoever may molest or disquet conscience Such a tendernesse we find in Joseph who when his Mistresse tempted him to lye with her he presently refused it and said unto her behold my Master wotteth not what is in the house with me Gen. 39.9 and he hath committed all to my hand and there is none greater in his house then I neither hath he kept any thing from me but thee because thou art his wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinagainst God As if he should have said unto her your desire is very wicked and I may not yeild unto it I may not act the least sin against God how then may I commit so great a wickednesse as to defile my Masters bed is it not Adulterie a complicated sin that contains many evills within it In so doing 1. I should be a Theefe in stealing from him the best jewell in his house namely his wife 2. Most injurious in mixing a bastard brood with his legitimate children 3. I should be sacrilegious in taking my body which is the temple of the holy Ghost and to turne it to carnall pollution 4. I should be most ungracious toward my God and most ingratefull to my kind Master The like we find in Job a man very fearefull to offend conscience he was a Nonsuch by Gods owne testimony Job 1.8 not any one like him upon the earth soe perfect soe upright fearing God and eschewing evill He was one that resolved not to give conscience the least offence and that it should not reproach him all his dayes Though men did reproach him as Eliphas Bildad Zophar who charged him with hypos crisy yet his conscience which was more privy to his waies and could testify more truly Job 27.6 that should not reproach him so tender was he Such must be our tendernesse the like was that in Ioseph Job and others and that we may not be deceived know how it shewes it selfe to God to others and to our selves 1. To God he that hath an holy tendernesse in him will stand for God in what shall make for his truth honour and glory of his name if he see any thing unto which God is intitled or hath interest in such a one will not see his God wronged in the least degree but he will stand upon an hoof with Moses upon an iota or title with Christ he will manifest his tendernesse in all things As 1. to his precepts 2. Exod. 10.26 To his Threats 3. His Judgments 4. His Mercies Of these in their order Math. 5.18 and First of the first namely Gods precepts Cauti esto te Vatab. in h. l. 1. He that hath this holy tendernesse in him will readily yeild unto Gods precepts whatsoever he commands he will do it circumspectly conscientia bona non solúm attendit quid praecipiat Deus sed quid velit quae sit voluntas Dei bona beneplacens et perfect Bern. de virâ solitariâ ad fratres de monte Dâ—i p. 10 20. i. e. warily and with attention Exod. 23.13 Thus Moses is said to be faithfull in
all his house i. e. the Church of God in his time and wherein God was pleased to dwell Moses was in all things very exact to obey Gods precepts Againe we find Josias very tender in the observation of whatsoever the Lord commanded soe that there was never a King before or after him that so turned unto the Lord with all his heart according to the law of Moses The like may be said of Hezekiah and Nehemiah the first walked before God with an upright heart the latter shewed himselfe a most zealous man against sin and sinners How tender was he for the honour of his God in the observation of the Sabbath in the maintenance of the Priests and howsoever against the prophaners of the Sabbath and such as oppressed their brethren by usury Read the 5th of Nehemiah and the 13th of Nehemiah 2. He that hath this holy tendernesse will quickly yeild melt and break under any threat of Gods word or sence of Gods displeasure If Josias doe but heare the book read in which the threats and menaces of Gods wrath are recorded he presently melts and thaws he rents his cloathes 2 King 22 19. mournes and weeps shall the Lyon roare and the Beasts not tremble or a trumpet sound and the people not feare Soe if God roare against a Nation and people shall they not quake Jer. 36.24 Let hard hearted Jehoiakim remaine obstinate yet good Iosiah will rent his cloathes 3. This holy tendernesse will make a man to mourne under Gos judgments He that melts under Gos threats will surely cry out under his judgments Hezekiah if hee feele gods rod upon him Js 38.14 he will mourne like a Dove and chatter like a Crane Let God take Job by the neck anà shake him and cause his Archers to compasse him about i. e. many afflictions and troubles it will make him to sow sackcloth upon his skin Job 16.12 15. and defile his horne in the dust yea it will make his face foule with weeping and cause the shaddow of death upon his eyelids i. e. to wax dimme and darke as if they were dying and puts upon him such a stamp of true sorrow as it makes him to cry out I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes But on the contrary it is neither threat nor judgment that workes upon the uncircumcised heart he refuseth the punishment of his iniquity Job 36.23 and cryeth not when the Lord binds him i. e. afflicteth him but the more God afflicts the harder he growes and doth revolt more and more Is 1.5 4. This holy tendernesse makes him humble under Gods mercies The more mercifull that God is to him the more tender he is for God he feareth God and his goodnesse As Ice contracted with cold dissolves of it selfe under the warme raies and beames of the Sun so doth his Soule melt and thaw under the sense of Gods favour Ezra 9.14 like those in Ezra who having received a great deliverance from thier enimies said one to another seeing our God hath been so gracious shall wee againe breake his commandes ments Luk. 7.47 Thus in Mary Magdaline we read how she stood behind Christ and wept that she to wept and mourned for her sins as that she washt Christs feet with her teares and wiped them with the haire of her head yea kissed his feet and anointed them with oyntment and why so how comes this tendernesse upon her what should cause it truly Christ his great mercy unto her in pardoning her great and many sins this is the testimony which Christ gives of her she loved much because much was forgiven her So that you see how holy tendernesse will yeild unto Gods mercies 2. This holy tendernesse will shew it selfe to others it will make a man very carefull not to offend others it will give no offence to Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God i. e. no occasion of offence of scandall unto Jew or Pagan or Christian neither within nor yet without the Church 1 Cor. 10.32 As it was Pauls precept so likewise his practice who is offended at least through my default and I bvrne not i. e. 2 Cor. 11.29 burne with sorrow and holy indignation and ardent zeale for the glory of God and falvation of those that are scandalized Paul was a man alwaies for peace and presseth it upon others As much as in you lyeth have peace with all men but especially with the godly as for himselfe his conscience was so tender that he would neither say nor doe any thing that might give offence to weake Brethren if eating of flesh would offend 1 Cor. 8.13 he resolves to eat no flesh while the world standeth So it is with all such as are truly tender if their meat drink apparrell if their haire carriage company or any other thing shall give an offence unto their Brethren they resolve with Paul to cate no more flesh drinke no more wine weare no more long haire keep no more such company leave off all rather then give any offence or be a stumbling block unto their brethren And as this tendernesse appeares to all soe especially unto such as stand in any neer relation unto them as wife or child and how tender was Joseph of his wives reputation and salvation when she was with Child and he knew not how it should be soe and fearing the scandall that might come upon so gracious a woman and loath she should be made a publick example Math. 1.19 his resolution was to put her away privily to leave her to the disposing of her friends and not to consummate the Marriage The like tendernesse towards Children we find in Job he fearing least in their feasting they had gone beyond their bounds Job 1.5 and soe dishonoured God He offerd a burnt-offering for them unto God every morning i. e. an offering of reconciliation which declared his religion toward God and care of his children So Austin reports of his Mother Monicha that she was so tender of the salvation of her children that if she heard that any one of them had dishonoured God it wrought such an impression of griefe upon her soule that it pained her as much as the new bearing of another child Thus you see how an holy tendernesse will shew it selfe to others 3. How an holy Tendernesse appears to our selves he that is tender indeed will not displease his owne conscience he resolves with David to sly all sin and sinners I abhorre saith he every evill way and I will not endure a wicked person such persons and such practices are very hatefull unto him he cannot brook sin in any degree great sins little sins apparent sins or sins in appearance he declines them all he considers that remarkable speech of our Saviours Luk. 16.15 That which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God And therefore he dares not alwaies to adventure upon that which hath appearance of good