our sins was a bitter cup to drink off hence Matth. 26.39 6. This work Christ finished and compleated Quest. In what particulars did his finishing this work consist Answ. First in that he did it wholly and universally there was not one tittle of the Law which he did not fulfill Secondly He finished it universally for parts and not only so but fully for degrees He did not only love God but loved him as much as the Law requires All that he did was so fully done that there wanted not the least degree of grace in any duty Thirdly Because he had not only an objective perfection in parts and degrees but also a subjective perfection all within him was throughly and perfectly holy So that as we are originally and actually polluted he was originally and actually holy so that the Law had no fault to finde with him Luk. 1.35 Heb. 7.26 and 4.15 Fourthly He finished it in respect of duration the Law requiring continuance though there were perfection of parts and degrees and subjective perfection also yet Cursed is he that continues not therein Gal. 3.10 Fifthly He so finished it that he left nothing to be done either by Angels or men in that way and kind as he did it Object Then what needs diligence and zeal in the wayes of God Sin or not sin all is one Christ hath done all c Answ. Our duties are not required to that end which Christs was but yet they are necessarily commanded for other ends because God hath commanded them as the way to walk in if we will be saved as also to glorifie God and to restifie our thankfulness and love to him yea there is an inseparable connexion btween a man interessed in Christ and a holy life as there is in the fire with heat and light Quest. What are the properties of the work which Christ finished Answ. Firâ— it was a work of infinite value because he was God as well as man Secondly Mediatory all that he did and suffered tended to a propitiation and reconciliation with God so that as the nature of them was infinite so the end of them was pretious and admirable Thirdly It was not only his work but our work He did them not for his own sake but for ours Fourthly It was of necessity and that 1. From the Justice of God which being infinite could not be satisfied but by that which is of infinite value 2. From the holinesse of the Law that admits of no work but what is perfect pure and holy 3. From our own impotency which proclaims the necessity of Christs perfection For take us as we are in our selves and so we are nothing but sin and a curse instead of doing Gods work wee doe the Divels and take us as regenerate and then though we be partakers of Gods Grace yet the remnants of corruption within us doe staine and infect all we doe Fifthly Here is the glorious visibility of Christs perfect working in his Resurrection Ascention and now sitting at Gods right hand in glory which could not have been had not Christ perfected his work Quest. What are wee further bound to believe concerning Christ Answ. First That whatsoever Christ had or was was not for himself but for us His fulness for our emptiness His attonement for our sins as the full breasts are for suck to the child the vertue of the head for the members of the body the fulnesse of the Fountaine for the streams Isa. 9. â— 1 Cor. 1.30 Quest. In what particulars will this appear Answ. First His Incarnation was for us not for Angels nor for any other end If there had been but one man of all mankind to be saved Christ would have dyed as Paul said Gal. 2.20 who gave himself for me It was not the multitude of Believers which made Christ to become man for comparatively there are but a small remnant but it was because such are given to him as Mediatour and so he would be faithfull for one as well as for many Secondly All that Christ did was not for himself but for us All his miracles Joh. 11.15 His miracles tending to the confirmation of their faith So was his obedience to the Law and fulfilling the righteousnesse thereof for our sakes Thirdly His sufferings and rendring himself an Attonement and Sacrifice on the Cross was for us Isa. 53.5 He died for us gave himself for us c Heb. 12.24 Abels blood cried for vengeance but Christs for mercy Fourthly The fruits and benefits of his mediation redound to us Justification pardon of sin sanctification victory over lusts assurance of Gods favour all these come by Christ but to those only for whom he was appointed a Saviour Secondly that all this was of God the Father It s his will and gracious appointment that Christ should do all these things for his Col. 1.14 Thirdly it s the duty of all Gods children to know and believe this fulnesse of Christ for them and to look upon Christ and all his benefits as for them Quest. Why is it their dutie to do so Answ. First because otherwise Christ would be in vaine and not of that use that God hath appointed him for the fountaine runs in vaine if none will drink of it Secondly because in and through him God doth magnifie his glory his attributes of grace mercy and unspeakable bounty so that if we do not thus receive Christ we deprive God of all his intended glory Thirdly because of the insufficiency of all other things to satisfie the troubled and broken heart which may make us to flie to this and to say Whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life Fouâ—thly our necessity may enforce us to it Consider when our own hearts disquiet us when the perfect Law troubles us and when the Devil accuses us we should then flie to Christ which will answer all Quest. Whether did not Christ die for all men Answ. Christs Mediatory prayer John 17. and Death is not for all the world but onely for some certaine persons who are given by the Father to him Quest. How can this be made out and proved Answ. First Consider that there is a necessary connexion between Christs prayer or intercession and his death they are of equal latitude whom he prayed for he died for and whom he died for he prayed for So Rom. 8.34 and this must needs be so because Christs prayer is one part of his Priestly office and the oblation of himself a sacrifice for sin was the other Secondly though Christ in his prayer and death had special love and regard to some of mankinde and not to all yet there is no man that is damned that can lay the blame any where but upon himself So Hos. 13.9 Death and hell are the wages of sin Thirdly we must distinguish of the sufficiency and worth of Christs death in it self and the effectual application of it Christs death is of value enough to redeeme ten thousand worlds because its the
were astonished therewith Yet in this case we must distinguish between solid affections and transient passions which weare off presently and vanish suddenly The affections of some Christians especially of young ones are like colours which are not in grain they will soon fade It is with a new Convert as with a man going to execution whilest he is upon the Ladder a Pardon is unexpectedly brought how will he be transported with joy He will even leap for joy yet afterwards this torrent of his joy may he abated though his life be as dear to him as ever So when a soul hath been brought by the Law to a sight of its lost condition when the Gospel proclaimes a Pardon and the Spirit of God hath set on the comfort of that Pardon upon the heart Oh what ravishments hath that soul fot the present which perhaps he shall not long retain the violence of his joy is abated but the solidity of it remains A third Reason may be taken from Gods indulgence to young Converts who usually gives in comfort according to the necessities of his people It s with God our heavenly Father as its with natural Parents they are most tender over their new-born children The father of the Prodigal did not only receive him mercifully but bountifully too he gave him more then was for necessity He gave him not only Shooes but a Ring not only cloaths but the best Robe not only bread but the fatted Calfe and Musick at this Feast and all this was for his newly converted and repenting Son he did not entertain him so every day after At our first Conversion God expresses much bounty and indulgence to us and afterwards though we have the same love from God and the same love to God yet the expressions may not be the same now as formerly they were Quest. What must we do when we finde that we have lost our first affections Answ. First Labour to be sensible of and humbled for those decays A decayed condition is an uncomfortable condition Though thy grace may carry thee to Heaven yet by thy decayes thou wilt live uncomfortably on earth Secondly Labour to get those decayes repaired If thou hast lost thy first love repent and do thy first works Rev. 2.4 5. Thirdly Make up the want of former affections in solidity of knowledge and judgment and if the candle give not so great a blaze let it give a more clear and constant light Fourthly Labour to keep up the first vigour of your affections For 1. Remember that you may lose that in a short time which you may be long in recovering A man by one weeks sicknesse may lose more strength then he can recover in a moneth A wound may be soon made but is not so soon cured So it s far easier to lose our holy affections then it is to recover them 2. Labour to keep up your holy affections For the truth of grace is more discerned by our affections then by our actions It s easier to dissemble acts of grace then gracious affections A Painter may paint the colour but not the heat of the fire 3. It s very hard to retain the first vigour of our affections therefore we should take the more paines about it Flushing of spiritual joy is like the sea wherein the tide doth not flow so high but the ebbe falls as low Bernard speaking of them saith Rara bona brevis mora they come seldom and stay but a short time As the Fall follows the Spring and one day is clear and another cloudy so it is with the best Christian his affections are not always at the same pitch yet it should be our endeavour to maintain in our souls our first vigorous affections in and towards the wayes of God Mr. Love of Grace CHAP. VII Questions and Cases of Conscience about Afflictions Quest. WHat is Affliction Answ. Any trouble grief or evil whatsoever that happeneth either to soul or body name goods or estate for correction of sin or for trial as it doth to the godly or for punishment and vengeance as it doth to the wicked Rom. 2.8 Quest. Why doth God suffer his children to be distressed and afflicted Answ. He respects himself therein For First God gaines glory many wayes by it As first his power is seen in their distresses his love goodnesse truth c. Then the Saints can say with Job Mine eyes have seen thee Job 42.5 Secondly not only present power and mercy is then seen but former we see what power was used in preventing misery what mercy in giving comfort Thirdly Then God shall have their custome and company Children that care not for their Parents in prosperity will flie to them in adversity He aimes at his peoples good therein For 1. Whilest they are Spectators they lay about them in getting and exercising of grace Others deep sorrows make us see how needful it is to get much faith patience Scriptures c. in readinesse 2. They stir up to prayers mercies c. as when Peter was in prison they thought it high time to pray Acts 12.5 3. When themselves be afflicted they help themselves by the afflictions of others Such suffered this affliction and God loves them why not me also Such cried and sped well why may not I Psal. 32.5 6. God aimes at the Parties good in great distresses Hereby they are tried humbled have experience of their frailties and graces We know little of our selves till much distressed neither what our weaknesse nor what our strength in Christ is How poor our selves noâ— how great our God is 2. Hereby they are brought to receive often sentence of misery Death Hell in themselves and its good to taste these things before we feel any of them It will empty a man of himself and make him trust in the living God It will learn him those three lessons of Christianity mentioned by Paul Phil. 3.3 To worship God spiritually to make Christ his joy and to lay down all confidence in the flesh 3. Hereby they are made helpful to all For 1. We cannot pity others till experience hath taught us 2. We will not be serviceable till affliction hath humbled and broken us 3. We know not how to comfort others till our selves have been wounded and healed But when we have learned by experience we can make our plaister serve another man and comfort him in the same affliction with the same consolation 2 Cor. 1.4 See Dr. Harris's Davids comfort p. 56. Quest. Why doth God suffer holy men to be afflicted Answ. Saint Chrysostome hath set down eight Reasons to which more may be added First because otherwise they would grow proud of their gifts and graces Secondly lest others should over-value them and account them Gods rather then men Thirdly that Gods power might the better appear in their weaknesse Fourthly that their patience might be manifested and made exemplary as in Job Fifthly to minde and assure us of the Resurrection For if man suffer not
take a false delusion for the light of the Spirit Thirdly the Spirit of God witnesseth according as the Word witnesseth Try the spirits To the Law and to the Testimonies c. the Scripture was endited by the Spirit and the Spirit cannot contradict himself so that whosoever rebels against the light of the Word shall never have the light of the Spirit Quest. Seeing as the Spirit breaths when it pleases so it shines when it pleases whether then may a Christian that hath but the single Testimony of his own Spirit be assured of his salvation Answ. The witnesse of our own spirit is a true assurance though it be not so clear an assurance I may see a thing certainly by the light of a Candle yet I may see it more clearly by the light of the Sun The light of the Spirit may and doth often withdraw it self and leave us only the witnesse of our own spirit and yet then the soul hath assurance Quest. But what if I have not the witnesse of Gods Spirit norâ— of my own neither Answ. Have recourse to former assurance Doest thou remember that once thou hadst a sweet serenity of soul that an enlightned conscience upon good grounds did speak peace to thee Didst thou never see the light of the Spirit crowning thy soul with satisfying beams then be sure that thou art still in the same condition for there is no total falling from grace Gods love like himself is immutable The Spirits testimony is of eternal truth So did David when his joy was extinguished and he would faine have it lighted again Psal. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit whence are implied 1. That for the present it was taken away 2. That he had it 3. He remembred that he had it and therefore prayes to have it restored Davids own spirit was now very unquiet and Gods Spirit had withdrawn it self and now his best refreshing was his former assurance Remember this that the least drop of true grace shall never be exhausted the least spark of true joy shall never be extinguished Quest. But suppose we have neither the Testimony of Gods Spirit nor of our own nor can recal former assurance what shall the soul do then Answ. In such a time look to the beginnings of grace Look now to the soules prizing of a Christ to the whimperings after the breast to the longings and breathings after its beloved thoughts upon him desires after him endeavours for him there 's much comfort and sweetnesse in these I and some kinde of Assurance For First God that hath begun this great and good work in thee will never give it over till it be full and compleat He uses not to leave his works imperfect The very first motions are of his own planting and shall lack no watering for encrease Secondly the least seed of grace as its choice and precious so its vigorous and active it will never leave working till Christ be formed in thee Who hath despised the day of small things Zach. 4.10 He that is richest in grace began with a small stock Improve but present strength and God will send thee in fresh supplies that thou mayest walk from strength to strength Thirdlie if thou canst not spie out any grace in thy self borrow light of another Lay open thy soul to an Interpreter one of a thousand that may explain thy condition better then thou canst thy self Job 33.23 He 'll shew thee here is grace and there is grace and there 's an evidence c. Quest. But what if after all this there is a total eclipse all clouds and blacknesse and darknesse and the very valley of the shadow of death Answ. First when there is no certainty of evidence yet even then have a certainty of Adherence and Recumbency Now graspe a Promise roll thy self upon the free grace of God in Christ. Say If I perish I perish and though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Like men ready to be drowned take fast hold Cast Anchor though in the dark Secondly Study self-denial Though thou long and breath after assurance yet resigne up thy self wholly to Gods Will and be content to want it if he see it best for thee Take heed of murmuring Throw thy self at Gods feet and say O my God I 'le blesse thee for those eternal treasures of sweetnesse that are in thee though I should never taste of them I 'le blesse thee for those smiles of thy face which thou bestowest upon others though thou wilt not cast one gracious look upon my soul I 'le blesse thee for those rich offers of grace thou makest to me though I have not a heart to lay hold of them Thirdly put thy soul into a waiting posture and stay till he please to display some of himself to thee The patient expectation of the poor shall not perish for â—ver Psal. 9.18 One beame of his countenance is worth waiting for all thy life-time yet wait upon him in Prayer in his Ordinances where the Spirit breaths and God shews his face Thus wait upon him in his own way yea and in his own time too think not time tedious He that believes makes not haste Isa. 28.16 Consider that God is all this while preparing thee and making thee more capable of his love yea suppose the worst that thou shouldest die under a cloud as Christ did yet thy condition is safe thou shalt then come to a full assurance nay to a full possession of thine inheritance Quest. VVhat are the special sealing times wherein Christians have this Assurance Answ. First sometimes at their first Conversion when the spirit of bondage hath past upon the soul and by a strong conviction hath applied particularly guilt and wrath unto it then the Gospel brings welcome newes of a pardon and the Spirit of Adoption applies grace and mercy to the soul this makes strong impressions of joy and causeth them to cry out I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 Hos. 11.1 When Israel was a childe then I loved him I taught Ephraim also to go taking him by the armes c. God hath a special care of tender plants and Christ doth the rather reveale his love to young Converts for their encouragement in the wayes of grace He oiles the wheels of the soul and imprints the sense of his love which constrains them to obedience And hence it is that young Converts are usually so active in the wayes of Religion so forward and vehement Secondly Sacrament-times are sealing times For in the Lords Supper we have the New Covenant sealed up to the soul the soul hath not only his graces encreased but they are printed clearer there we have plain and visible demonstrations of the love of a Saviour and have the sense of this love given into our hearts we feed not only upon Sacramental bread but upon hidden Manna too Here 's a feast of fat things the soul is satisfied as
must be brought to a personal exercise of Faith and Repentance in and by himself For which end he must narrowly examine his heart to finde out his sinne and then he must humbly confesse all his known sinnes against himselfe acknowledging that he hath deserved death and damnation then he must cry earnestly to the Lord for pardon Psalme 32.5 Object But what if the party be so distracted that he cannot performe any good duty Answ. Let him sigh and sob to God for mercy and comfort which is a work of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 Secondly trial must be made whether the distressed party hath any tokens in him of grace or no. Quest. What are they Answ. 1. Whether he be grieved because he cannot grieve for sinne as he should 2. Whether he hath a serious desire to believe and repent a purpose to sinne no more c. then minde him of Gods promise 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee c. And teach him to submit to Gods will as David 2 Sam. 15.26 Thirdly apply to him the promises of God made to afflicted persons as Psal. 34.18 Mat. 15.24 Luk. 4.18 Fourthly minde him of his life past and of Gods merciful dealing with him and others in this case formerly for if he hath formerly had any evidences of Gods love and favour he is now by them to settle and quite his minde For whom God loves he loves to the end So Psal. 77.10 Fifthly you must labour to remove such reasons and doubts as the party distressed usually makes against himself for his own overthrow which commonly are these 1. Being minded of Gods mercy c. they will say that this is good indeed but it belongs not to them for they neither do nor can feel any thing but the tokens of Gods wrath c To answer this informe them of the manner of Gods dealing in all his works which is to work by contraries By death he gives life and sends men to heaven by the gates of hell He shews his greatest power in our greatest weaknesse So 1 Sam. 2.6 Job 5.18 2. They use to say that if they could feel any comfort at all they would quiet their mindes and yeeld to good counsel and perswasions To this the answer is that in such cases we must live by faith not by feeling Hab. 2.4 when we have neither sight nor sense nor raste of Gods mercie and apprehend nothing but wrath we must then labour to lay hold of the promise of mercy So did David Psalm 130.1 and Abraham Rom. 4.18 Job Though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee and the thiefe on the Crosse. 3. They plead that their case is desperate and that never was any in their case But this is false Job was in as bad a case and David Psalme 6. and 77. and Christ himself on the Crosse cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Quest. How may trouble of minde arising from outward afflictions be remedied Answ. Two things are to be required of the party distressed 1. Practice 2. Meditation First practice is a diligent examination of his conscience to find out his sinne An heaâ—ty confession of it to God and earnest prayer for forgivenesse which things will bring much comfort as we see in Manasses 2 Chron. 33.11 c. and this is required Lam. 3.40 Secondly meditation of the comfortable promises recorded in the Word of God touching afflictions which may be reduced to five principal grounds of comfort 1. That all afflictions from the least to the greatest come not by accident or chance but by the special providence of God For 1. God hath fore-appointed them Rom. 8.29 we must be conformed to his Son in sufferings 2. God doth not only barely permit afflictions but effects them as they are corrections tryals and punishments Isa. 45.7 Amos 3.6 3. God orders and disposeth them limitting and appointing the beginning continuance measure and end of them Yea he orders them to his owne glory the good of his servants and benefit of his Church Hence he is said to correct in judgment Jer. 30.11 So Gen. 50.19 20. 2 Sam. 16.10 Psal. 39.9 Obj. We could bear afflictions from God but ours comes from men that hate us Answ. God useth them as his instruments to execute his will upon us therefore we should submit So did Joseph Gen. 45.5 and 50.20 2. Tell them of Gods command touching the Crosse and the obedience we owe to him therein Luke 9.23 we must take up our crosse daily and follow Christ Hence Micah 7.9 1 Pet. 5.5 6. and this being Gods command we must be as careful to obey him in it as in any other moral Commandment 3. God will be present with his servants in afflictions Psal. 19.15 and 23.4 Quest. But how is God with us in afflictions Answ. 1. To work our deliverance from them Psal. 50.15 yet with this limitation so far forth as its good for us 2. To temper and moderate our afflictions so as we may be able to bear them 1 Cor. 10.13 Hab. 3.2 3. Or if he do continue them yet he will comfort us in them Phil. 1.29 4. To do us good by them Rev. 8.28 Quest. What are the fruits and benefits of afflictions Ans. 1. They make us see and consider our sins Gen. 42.21 So in Manasses 2. They serve to humble us before God So Luke 15.17 c. Psal. 30.6 7 8. 3. They serve to work amendment of life Hâ—b 12.11 1 Corinth 11.31 Psal. 119.67 71. 4. They cause us to deny our selves and to rest wholly on the mercy of God 2 Corinth 1.9 5. They make us cry heartily and fervently unto God Psal. 78.34 Hos. 5.15 6. They bring forth patience c. Rom. 5.3 7. They work us to obedience So in Christ Heb. 5.8 Quest. How are afflictions good in regard of their quality Answ. As they are pledges and tokens of our adoption when we make a good use of them Heb. 12.7 4. The last ground of comfort is that whatever our distresse be we have partners with us in the Crosse. For we have Christ our partner this was Pauls comfort Phil. 3.10 So 1 Pet. 4.13 Yea Christ accounts them as his own Acts 9.4 1 Pet. 4.12 And our brethren suffer the like 1 Pet. 5.9 Quest. But how may a distressed soul be supported when God deferres deliverance Answ. First Consider that God in his wisdome hath set down a time for every thing Eccl. 3.1 So God appointed a time for drowning the world Gen. 6.3 and for the Babylonish captivity Jer. 25.11 and for Israels being in Egypt Gen. 15.13 This teaches Gods children sundry lessons 1. To wait Gods leasure with patience though deliverance comes not in their time when they would have it yet it shall come in Gods time when he hath appointed it Psal. 30.5 Hab. 2.3 2. Not onely to believe the promises in general and Gods faithfulness to fulfill them but we must believe them in particular i. e. with
So was Ammon So Prov. 4.16 Some cannot sleep if they have done no mischief all day This is indeed the Divells trouble and Hell is full of such troubled spirits Secondly When if it be at all for sin it is not so much for the intrinsecall evil or sinfulnesse of it as for the eventuall or consequentiall evills that attend sin and the punishment that follows it So Ahab 1 Kin. 21.2.7 So Caine Judas Simon Magus Act. 8.24 This is to be troubled for Hell not for sin Thirdly When the carriage under troubles is evill then its an evill trouble as 1. When men rage and swell under Gods stroke but their uncircumcised hearts accept not of the punishment of their iniquity So Caine stormed at his punishment So Isa. 8.21 22. 2. When notwithstanding their troubles they still go on in sin Felix trembled but it wrought no good upon him Act. 24.27 Jeroboam 1 King 12.33 he was ill but Ahaz was worse after judgements upon them 2 Chro. 28.22 So Rev. 16.11 and 9.20 3. Then troubles are evill whose cure is evill or when an evill course is taken for their removall as 1. When men fly to outward means to remove inward grief but go not to to God as Caine to travelling and building of Cities Saul to Davids Musick An ill diversion doth but prorogue not cure the disease 2. Wen they rest in the outward use and observation of religious means without an inward change of heart and thorow reformation of life Ahab humbled himself fasts mourns c yet Ahab is Ahab still Judas was full of inward horrour confesseth and makes restitution but goes not penitentially to God and fiducially to Jesus Christ. Jeremy therefore calls this a gadding it s not a penitentiall returning Jer. 2.36 3. When men have recourse to Diabolicall and sinfull means as Saul to the Witch 1 Sam. 28.7 8. Ahaziah to Baal-zebub 2 Kin. 1.2 Belshazzar to his Magitians Dan. 5.7 So 47.12 13. 4. When men dispairingly give over all our hopes and use of means saying there is no hope Jer. 2.25 and 18.12 This putting away all mercy is worse then all the former This was Cains case I am sentenced I must be damned God hath not mercy for me I will aske him none This is a wilfull casting away of a mans self This evill is of the Lord 2 Kin. 6.33 why should I wait or pray or repent c. This is to forsake our own mercies Jonah 2.8 Quest. How may we know a good troubled conscience Answ. First When our trouble is rather for our sins then our sufferings when we cry out of our sins as Lam. 5.16 So Jer. 31.19 Ephraim bemoans himself c. Secondly When in this condition we confesse bewaile and lament our sins as David Psal. 51.3 So Job 7.20 and 3 4. Thirdly When after this we forsake it Prov. 28.13 such shall have mercy Fourthly When we do not only forsake it as to the outward act but the heart is changed and mortified as to the love of sin when God hides pride from man Job 33.17 when we can say sin is more bitter then death Eccless 7.26 Fifthly When upon this the heart is carried out to seek after Christ for rest and righteousness Matth. 11.29 when we go to this Fountain to wash away sin Zach. 13.1 Joh. 3.14 15. Sixthly When after this the Conscience is made more watchfull and tender Job 34.31 32. Quest. What are the marks of an erroneous Conscience Answ. First When it leaves the Word which is the standing Rule to rectifie Conscience by and prefers Traditions or some humane invention before an expresse Precept So Matth. 15.13 Secondly When we leave the waters of Siloah the holy Scriptures which run softly uniformly and constantly and takes extraordinary Providence for a Rule instead of Precept whereas Gods providences both prospering and adverse are rather probatory then directory Deut. 13.3 Dan. 11.35 Erroneous Conscience imputes his success to his cause and his cause prospering he stiles Gods cause This was Rabshakeh's Divinity Isa. 36.10 and of the Chaldeans Hab. 1.11 Such say as Jer. 50 7. we offend not because they have sinned and we have prevailed Solomon tells us we can conclude nothing certainly from hence Eccles. 9.1.2 11. and 7.15 and 8.14 ult Thirdly It prefers a supposed fictious revelation before written and cleere revelations as that deceived Prophet 1 King 13.18 Now all divine revelations coming from the Spirit of Truth are ever consonant to the word of truth which is the rule to try all revelations by 2 Pet. 1.19 Fourthly It prefers a strong impulse from his own thoughts before Gods own thoughts Jer. 7.31 God said that it never came into his minde to approve of what they did yet they would doe it because it was their Conscience and came into their mind But these impulses though coming from a gracious Spirit can be no rule as we see in Davids impulse to build God an house 2 Sam. 7.2 3. so to be revenged on Nabal 1 Sam. 25.22 Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth his owne heart is a foole Hence Job 15.31 It s trusting to vanity Fifthly It interprets difficulties and discouragements as a discharge from duty The time is not come say they to build Gods house therefore it s not our duty Hag. 1.2 but this is a sluggards Conscience when he pretends a Lion in the way Prov. 26.13 Sixthly It conceives a fair intention or good end can legitimate an unwarrantable action It s true a good end hath a great influence upon an action to make it Theologically good yet can it not alter the nature of an action that is materially bad to mend it Job 13.7 Our Rule is not to doe the least evill to gain the greatest beneficiall good or to avoid the greatest penall evill Rom. 3.8 Seventhly It s so confident that it dares appeal to God to patronise his exorbitancies Joh. 16.2 they thought they did God the best service when they did the Church the greatest disservice So. Phil. 3.6 Paul out of zeale persecuted the Church So Act. 23.12 Quest. What motives may quicken us to get and retaine a good Conscience Answ. First Remember that God weigheth and trieth the Conscience Prov. 16.2 So much of Conscience as is in a man or duty or action or suffering so much of thanks and esteem with God So much Conscience as thou hast towards God So much comfort is coming to thee from God Secondly If Conscience be wanting thou wilt suffer loss of all thou hast of all thou hast done suffered or expended God will say to such when you fasted was it not to your selves c Ananias lost his cost when he had been at so great charges Alexander his reward when he had suffered so much Judas lost all after he had followed Christ so long and preached to others so often Thirdly A good Conscience leads a man to perfect and compleat happiness both here and hereafter 1. In this world its the only way to a good