among all these changes a good conscience will not change but holds it owne vntill its last day Now put mens Consciences vpon this tryall and their inconstancy either in good causes or courses wil discouer their naugtinesse In a good cause how many are like Darius His conscience struggles a great while for Daniel hee knew he was innocent he knowes the action to be vniust and therefore labours all day till the setting of the Sun for his deliuerance Dan. 6. 14. but yet ouercome with the Presidents and Princes vrgencie ver 16. he commands him to the Lions Denne Heere was a naturall Conscience standing for equitie and iustice but yet no good conscience it holds but till Sunne set and his Conscience went downe with the Sunne His Conscience yeeldes and is ouercome though it know the act to be iniust Pilates Conscience makes him plead for Christ In his conscience he acquits him and thrice solemnly professes that hee findes no fault in him and therefore cannot in conscience condemne him yea withall seekes to release him Iohn 19. 12. Is not heere now a good Conscience Indeed it had bene so in this particular fact if his Conscience had beene inflexible and had held out But when Pilate heares them say that if he bee his friend hee is no friend to Caesar Ioh. 19. 12. and whilest withall hee is willing to content the people Marke 15. 15. Now that there is feare on the one side and a desire to curry favour on the other Where now is his conscience Now he presently delivers him to bee crucified though hee knowes in his Conscience that there is no fault in him What a good conscience hath many a Iudge and Lawyer How stiffely will they stand in and prosecute a iust cause till a bribe come puts out the very eies of their Conscience Their Consciences are of so soft a temper that the least touch of Siluer turnes their edge presently They hold out well till their come a tentation on their right hand that is in their right hand Psal 144. 8. Whose mouth speakes vanitie and their right hand is a right hand of falshood If once the right hand be a right hand of falshood the mouth will soone speake vanity though before it spake Conscience Who would not haue thought Baalam to haue beene a man of an excellent Conscience If Balak would giue me his house full of silver and gold I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more Num. 22. 18. But yet besides that faltring in those words I cannot goe whereas the language of good conscience would haue beene I will not goe besides that I say before he ends his speech see how the hope of promotions worke and works his Conscience like waxe before the fire verse 19. Now therefore I pray you tarry heere also this night that I may knowe what the Lord will say vnto mee more A faltring inference If his Conscience had beene good it would haue inferred strongly thus Now therefore I pray get you gone and trouble me no longer He knew in his Conscience the people ought not to bee cursed and that he ought not to goe and yet comes in with I pray tarry all night c. Truely Balak needed not to haue beene so lauish and so prodigall as to offer an house full one handfull of his Siluer and Gold will frame Balaams Conscience to any thing The like tryall may be made of mens Consciences by their inconstancy in good courses and this will condemne three sorts as guilty of evill consciences 1. Such as sometimes being convinced of the necessity of good courses do set vpon the practise of them begin to looke toward Religion religious duties till meeting with some of their supposed wiser neighbours they be advised to take heed they may bring thēselues into greater note then they are aware of they will incurre sharper censures then they thinke of c. and so suddenly all is dasht all is quasht and quencht There is a disease among beasts they call the Staggers and it is a disease too frequent in mens consciences who sometimes are on sometimes off one day begin and next day cease good courses That may be said of many mens consciences which Iacob speaks of Reuben Gen. 49. 4. Vnstable as water The water mooves as the windes blow If the winde blow out of the East then it moves one way if out of the West then it moves another the cleane contrary and vpon every new winde a new way So many let them heare a conuincing a good perswading Sermon moving to good duties then they will set vpon them let them againe heare either some mocks or reproaches for those wayes or some sage advise frō one they count wise against the waies of conscience they are as far off againe as euer These staggering irresolute and watry consciences are far from good ones 2. Such as in their youth or when the world was low with them were very zealous and forward But what are they now at this day True downe-right Demasses zealous whē they were young but now old and cold zealous when they were meane but now the world is come vpon them Demas-like they haue forsaken goodnesse and embraced the world haue gotten now worme-eaten and world-eaten Consciences The zeale of Gods house was wont to eate them vp but now the world hath eaten vp them and all their good Conscience 3. Those that haue made good the profane Proverb Young Saints and old Divels whose hatred of Religion and good conscience is greater then ever was their loue thereto as Ammons was towards Thamar 2 Sam. 13. 15. They were zealous and forward frequenters of Gods house and ordinances zealous enemies against swearing and Sabbath-breaking c. But what are they at this day Yesterday indeede zealous professors of holinesse but what are they to day To day malicious scoffers of godlinesse haters and opposers of goodnesse the onely swearers drunkards in a Countrey What kinde of consciences haue these None of Pauls Conscience I haue liued in all good Conscience vntill this day What then Iust the consciences of Hymenaeus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. They once made great profession of Confcience but now enemies to Paul and blasphemers men as Paul speakes that had put away good Conscience they did not through want of watchfulnes let it slip or steale away but as if it would neuer haue bene gone soone enough they put and draue it away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza translates it Qua expulsa They vsed their Consciences as Ammon did Thamar after his lust satisfied 2 Sā 13. 15. 17. Arise be gone sayes hee to her and when she pleades for her felfe he cals his seruant and sayes vnto him Put out this woman and bolt the dore after her put her out so as shee may bee sure not to come againe They dealt with their Consciences as Colledges deale with Rake-hels expelled them without
iudicant Hieron ad Rustic Monach. for their vnholy practices and make knowne vnto them what evill Consciences they haue what then is their carriage and behauiour Euen that Amos 5 10. They hate him that rebukes in the gate they abhorre him that speakes vprightly This Ministrie that comes to the Conscience will not down with them It lets in too much light vpon them Ahab hates Michaiah for drawing the curteines so wide open he cannot endure such punctuall and particular preaching that clappes so close to his Conscience A plaine signe that Ahab hath a rotten and an vnsound Conscience Michaiah could not be more punctuall with Ahab then Isaiah was with Hezekiah Isa 39. 6. 7. And yet what sayes Ezekiah Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken as if he had said a good Sermon a good Preacher all good Whence comes this good entertainment of so harsh a message Hezekiah had a good Conscience and therefore though the message went against the hayre yet hee could giue good words Let the rightious smite me and it shall be a kindnesse Psal 141. I but that is when the righteous smites the righteous what if the Prophet smite Amaziah He will threaten to smit him againe 2. Chron. 25. 16. For beare why shouldest thou be smitten What if Paul preach of a good Conscience and so make Ananias his Conscience to smite him Ananias will command the standers by to smite him on the mouth Now let all the standers by iudge whether Ananias haue any good Conscience in him who cannot brooke the preaching of good Conscience Let men professe they know God as long as they wil yet if they slight the word or swell at it or bee disobedient to it when it is layd to their Conscience Paul makes it a manifest signe of a defiled conscience Tit. 1. 15. 16. Their minde and their conscience is defiled How appeares that They professe they know God but they are disobedient When therefore the Ministrie of the Word shall charge thee with dutie or reproove thee for sin and then thou shalt charge the Minister with rayling and girding and that this Sermon was made for the nonce for thee and thou likest not that Ministers should bee so particular c. In Gods feare bee advised to looke to thy Conscience and know it that thou hast a naughty Conscience When the Ministry of the Word smites thy conscience then for thee to smite the Minister with reproachfull disgracefull tearmes to smite him with thy mouth How is thy Conscience better then Ananias his that commands to smite Paul on the mouth Hee that cannot brooke that Gods Ministers should not discharge a good Conscience in preaching to the Conscience bee bold to challenge that man for a man of an evill conscience 4. That is a fourth note of a good 4 4. Note of a good Conscience To do duty for Conscienre sake conscience Rom. 13. 5. ye must be subiect for Conscience sake To doe good or abstaine from evill meerely for conscience sake is a note of a right good cōscience indeede Conscience as we saw before doth excite and stirre vp and bind to the doing of good and bindes from the doing of evil Now when the Conscience vpon iust information frō the Word shall presse and forbid and then a man shal because cōscience forbids forbeare or because it presses performe obedience thus to doe good or not to do euill for Conscience sake is a note of a good Conscience It evidences a good Conscience when the maine weight that sets the wheeles on work is conscience of Gods commandement When it is that Psal 119. 4. that sets a man on worke Thou hast commanded vs to keepe thy precepts diligently The end of the commandement is loue 1 Tim. 1. 5. And loue is the fulfilling of the commandement Rom. 12. But what loue From a pure heart and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. When conscience of the commandement caries a man to the fulfilling of the end of it then doth such loue come from a good Conscience Salomons description of a good man Eccl. 9. 2. is that hee feares an oath He sayes not that swearth not but that feares an oath For a man not to sweare may be the fruit of good education and of the a we a man hath stood in of his Gouernours but to feare an oath argues that a man feares the commandement Pro. 13. 13 and to feare the commandement is the note of a good conscience Here let mens Consciences be tryed Thou prayest in thy family hearest the Word keepest the Sabbath c. Now search thine heart and make inquirie what it is that carries thee to these duties Doest thou doe them for conscience sake Doest thou find conscience to vrge and presse thee to giue satisfaction to the Conscience and obedience to the iniunctions thereof Are these things done If so it is a signe of a good Conscience But this discovers the naughtinesse of mens Consciences who though they bee sound in some good duties or in the auoyding of some evils yet is it not conscience that workes them thereto Yee must bee subiect not onely for wrath that is for feare of the Magistrates wrath and revenge but for Conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. It is no good Conscience when a man will bee subiect for his skins sake and least hee smart by the Magistrates sword but then a mans Conscience is good when in obedience to Gods Word and in conscience of his Commandement he subiects The like may be said of all by-ends Ye must doe good duties not for profit not for credit not for vaine-glory not for law but for conscience sake or else evill consciences ye haue in that ye doe The Shechemites receiue circumcision Gen. 34. And is not circumcision Gods Ordinance And is it not ioy of them that they will ioyne to the Church and professe the true Religion Yes surely if it were done for conscience I but it is not done for conscience sake Alas no such matter but for Hamors sake the Lord of the Towne and for Shechems sake their young Master for the hope of gaines sake Shall not their cattell and their substance and every beast of theirs bee ours Gen. 34. 23. For the oxen sake and not for conscience sake are the Shechemites circumcised Shechem for Dinahs sake receiues the Sacrament Oh the zeale and forwardnes that some wil professe on a sudden What frequenters of holy exercises But what is it for conscience sake No such matter but Shechem is in hope of a match with Dinah all these shewes of Religion are neither for Gods sake nor consciēce sake but all for Dinahs sake all vnder hope of preferment by a rich mariage They were goodly shewes of zeale Iohn 6. 22. 24. in seeking and following after Christ but it was neither for Christ nor conscience sake but ver 26. for the loaues and the bread and their bellies sake Many of the Heathens
GOOD Conscience OR A TREATISE SHEWING THE Nature Meanes Marks Benefit and Necessitie thereof By IER DYKE Minister of Gods Word at Epping in Essex The second Edition Corrected Luke 10. 42. One thing is necessary August de verb. dom serm 18. Vniversa inutiliter habet qui vnum illud quo vniversis vtatur non habet LONDON Printed for ROBERT MILBOVRNE and are to be sold at his Shop at the great South-dore of Pauls 1626. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVL Sr. FRANCIS BARRINGTON Knight and Baronet a Patron and patterne of Pietie and Good Conscience RIGHT WORSIPFVâ—L THat which the Apostle Paul speakes of a mans desire of the office of a Bishop may bee truely spoken of euery one who desires to gaine men to the loue of a good CoÌ„science that he desires a worthy work Yea it is the work which is ought to be made the scope drift of the worthy worke of the Ministry And therefore it is that he that desires the calling of the Ministry desires a worthy work because of this worthy worke of bringing men to good Conscience A worke at which all worke and bookes should specially ayme Conscience is a Vnicuique liber est pro pria conscientia et ad hunc libruÌ„ discutienduÌ„ et emendaÌ„dum omnes alii inventi sunt Bern. de Cons booke one of those bookes that shall bee opened at the last day and to which men shall bee put and by which they shall be iudged Therefore to the directing informing and amending of this booke should all other bookes specially tend Yea Salomon seems to call men off from all other bookes and studies to the study of this so necessary a point the keeping of a good Conscience Eccl. 1212 13. Of making many bookes saith hee ther is no end much study is a wearines of the flesh Let vs heare the coÌ„clusioÌ„ of the whole matter Feare God and keep his CoÌ„mandements for this is the whole duty of man As if his advise tended to this to neglect all studies in coÌ„parison of that study which aymes at the getting and keeping of a good Conscience It would be exceeding happy with vs if this study were more in request amongst vs. Wee seeme to liue in those dayes fore-told by the Prophet wherein the earth Isa 11. 9. should be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. We are blessed that liue in so cleare a Sun-shine of Gods truth but yet the griefe is that through our owne default our Sun-shine is but like the winter light all light little or no heate and we make no other vse of our light but onely to see by not to walke and worke by In the first re-entrance of the Gospell amongst Antiqua sapientia nihil aliud quaÌ„ facienda vitâ—da praecepit et tunc longe meliores erant viri Postquam docti prodierunt bons desunt Sim plex enim illa et aperta virtue tâ— obscuram et solerteÌ„ scientiaÌ„ versa est docemurque disputare non vivire Sence epist. 96. vs how devout holy zealous and men renowned for Conscience were our Martyres and our first Planters Preachers and professors of Religion They had not generally the knowledge and learning the world now hath nor the world now the Conscience they then had There be now better Schollars there were then better Men they were as excellent for Devotion as our Times are for Disputation It is an excellent sight to see such Christians as were the Romans Full of goodnesse filled Rom. 15. 14 with all Knowledge It is pitty that ever so louely a payre should bee sundred Yet if they be parted it is best being without that which with most safetie may be spared A good Conscience is sure to doe well though it want the accomplishment of Learning and greater measures of Knowledge and Vnderstanding But take Learning from a good Conscience and it is but a Ring of gold in a Swines snout or that which is worse A thorne in a Drunkards Prou. 26. 9 hand Learning is to bee highly apprized Riches Honours and all other earthly blessings are vile to it But yet though it take place of all other things yet must it giue good Conscience the wall and vpper-hand as that which is farre before it in worth vse and necessity As Salomon of wisdom so may it be said of good Conscience Shee is more precious then Prou. 3 15. Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her Gold and Rubies cannot so enrich a man as good Conscience doth and yet alas the blindnesse of men how willing are they in this case with a wilfull pouertie Not Rubies but handfulls of Barley morsels of Bread and Crusts are preferred before the invaluable treasure of a good Conscience After the many worthy endeavours therefore of so many as haue bin before me in this work of laboring men to a good Conscience I haue adventured also to lend my weak strength to the same worke If one or two witnesses prevaile not yet who knowes what an whole clowd may doe Though Eliah and Elisha be the Horsemen and Chariots of Israel yet the Footmen doe their seruice in the Battell and Apollos may without offence water where Paul hath planted Now these my poore endeavours such as they are I am bold to publish vnder your Worshipfull name and to put them forth vnder your Patronage entreating you to countenance that in a Treatise which you haue so long countenanced in the practise None so fit to bee a Patron of a Treatise of good conscience as he that hath beene a religious both professor and protector of the Practise thereof To haue a Naile fastned in a sure place the Antiquitie Isa 22. 23. of a long standing Name and Family to bee hewen out of the Quarry of the best Stocks of Parentage to haue faire Lines a faire lot in outward possessioÌ„s to bee blessed with a fruitefull Vine and Oliue plants fairely growne planted round about a man all these are to bee helde high honours and great fauours from the God of heauen And with all these hath the Lord honoured your selfe But yet your greatest honour that hath given lustre to all the rest hath beene your loue to the Truth Religion and a good Conscience Augustine repented him that hee attributed more to Mallius Theodorus Dâ—splicit autem illic quod Mallio Theodoro ad quem librum ipsum scripsi quaÌ„vis docto et Christiano viro plus tribui quam deberem Aug. Retrlib 1. cap. 2. to whom he wrot a booke then he should haue done though otherwise he were a Learned and Christian man A man may easily ouershoote himselfe in the commendation of a good man especially if a great man It shall suffice therefore to haue said so little and that to this ende that hereby the World may knowe the reason of my choice of your Patronage of this Treatise It would haue beene an incongruity to haue had the
The spring and fountaine of all actions good or euill is the Conscience and all actions and courses of men are as their Consciences Out of the heart are the issues of life Pro. 4. 23. The Heart Conscience is the fountaine euery action of a mans life is an Issue a little rivelet a water passage thence Are these waters then that issue thence Naught The way to heale them is to Non erit fructue bonus nisi arboris bonae Muta Cor et mutabitur opus Aug. de ver Dom. Serm. 12. cast the salt into the spring Mend the Conscience and all is mended Good Consciences would make Good men and Good men would make Good Times Lo here a Proiect for the reformation of evill Times Were this Proiect set on foot and a good Cōscience set vp how should we see profanations of Gods holy Name Day Iniustice Bribery Oppression Deceit Adulteries and Whoredomes and all other Iniquites how should we see all these as our Saviour saw Satan falling down like lightning from heaven How should wee see them come tumbling downe like so many Dagons before Gods Arke yea tumbled downe and broken to the stumps The onely Arke that must dash and ding downe these Dagons is a good Conscience And if we would wel weigh the matter what is there equally desirable with Ecce quid prodest plena bonis arca cum sit Inanis Conscientia Bona vis habere bonus non vis esse tū quid est quod vis habere malū Nihil omni no non vxorem non filium non ancillā villam tunicā postremo nō caligam et tamen vis habere malā vitam Rogo te Praepone vitam tuam caligae tuae sic Conscientiā Aug. ibid. vbi supra Ipsa ergo diuitiae bonae sunt sed istae omnia bona a bonis malis haberi possunt Et cū bona sint bonos tamē facere non possunt Aug. de verb. Dō Serm. 5. a good Conscience What is that men would haue but they desire to haue it Good And yet amongst al other things they desire to haue Good what little care to haue the Consciēce such Wife children servants houses lands Ayre food rayment who would not haue these Good And yet that without which none of all these are good nor will yeeld vs any true good that alone is neglected and whilest men would haue all other things Good yet their Consciences thēselues are Naught Now alas what good will all other goods doe vs whilest this one and this mayne Good thing is wanting How excellent is this Good aboue al other good things A good wife good children good land c. these may a man haue and yet he himselfe not Good these finde men sometimes Good but make none so these goods may a man haue and yet himselfe bee Naught Not so with a good Conscience which no evill man can haue which whosoever hath it makes him and all hee hath good So great and so good a Good why is it so much neglected Try we therefore let vs assay if by any means Gods good blessing giuing assistance we may be able to stirre vp men and to worke them to regard so great so excellent a good It may be at least some few may be perswaded may set vpon this worke of getting a good Conscience If but some few if but one be wrought vpon the labour is not in vaine If none yet our worke is with our God to whom we are a sweet savour in Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. This portion of Scripture then which I haue chosen for the ground of the following Discourse consists of three parts 1. Pauls sober and ingenious Profession and Protestation vers 1. 2. Ananias his insolent and Impetuous Iniunction vers 2. 3. Pauls zealous Answer and Contestation vers 3. 1. The first is Pauls Protestatiō in these words Men and brethren I haue liued in all good Conscience vntill this day With this Protestation of a good Conscience Paul begins his Plea And how euer to distinguish our selues from Papists we beare the name of Protestants yet wee shall neuer be sound and good Protestants indeede till we can take vp Pauls protestation that our care endeauour course is to liue in All good Conscience A Protestant with a loose a naughty Cōsciēce hath no great cause to glory in his desertion of the Romish Religiō As good a blind Papist as a halting Protestant The blind and the halt were equally abominable vnto the Lord. Paul was here brought forth to answer for himselfe before the chiefe Priests and the Councel And his Preface as I said to his entēded Apology if he had not bin iniuriously interrupted is a protestation of the Goodnes of his Conscience And this his good Conscience or the goodnesse of his Conscience he sets foorth 1. From his Conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue lived or conversed A good conversation is a good evidence of a good Conscience indeed there can bee no good Conscience where there is not a Conversing in good It is not some moods fits in some good actions duries frō whence Conscience gaines the reputation of Goodnes but a good conversation godly religious in the generall tenour therof proues the conscience worthy such an honor as to be holden Good He may be said to haue a good conscience that can be said to liue in a good Conscience Many a man is frequently in the Citie and yet cannot be said to liue there There a man liues where he hath his Converse and Residence A mans life is not to be measured by some few actions in which at some time he may be found but by his generall course and conversation God will iudge euery man not according to his steps but according to his waies It were ouer-rigid censoriousnes to condemne a righteous man to question whether his conscience were good because some steps of his haue bin beside◠the way We know for the general his way is good wherein hee walkes and therefore according to his good way we iudge his Conscience good Contrarily whē we see a mans way for th◠generall to be evill though some tim◠he may tread a right step or two an◠chance to chop into the faire roade fo◠a rod or two for this to iudge a man Conscience good were a bottomless◠and boundlesse Charitie Every man◠Conscience is as his life is 2. From the Generality of his care obediēce In all good Conscience It mus◠be All good or it is no good Cōscience a◠all There bee that liue in some goo◠Conscience yea Herod seemes to haue much good Conscience he did many things gladly but yet Paul goes further and liues not in some not in much but in All good Conscience 3. From the Sincerity and Integritie of it before God Before men how many haue their Consciences exceeding
blood if that will make a good conscience they are then fafe enough But as thou must haue Christs blood so Christ wil haue thine heart also bleed by repentance ere he will vouchsafe the sense of peace A conscience therefore that would be a coÌ„science in hauing peace must not onely be a beleeuing but a repenting conscience Mat. 3. 2. Repent ye for the kingdome of heauen is at hand the kingdome of heauen shall be yours if you will repent ye shall haue it immediately vpon your repentance But wherein stands this kingdome offered to repentant consciences The kingdom of God stands in peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Repent and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Act. 3. 38. And what may that gift be The fruits of the spirit are loue ioy peace Gal. 5. 22. Which though it be to be vnderstood of peace between man man yet also that peace which is between God and man is the fruit of the Spirit the loue of God shed abroad into our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. is the gift of the holy Ghost which he giues to all that by repentance seeke to get a good conscience Blessed are they that mourn that is which repent for they shal be comforted Mat. 5. they shall haue the peace of a good Conscience which is the greatest and sweetest comfort in the world Many doe trust all to their supposed faith as a short cut and a compendious way to a good coÌ„science but he whose faith doth not as well purifie the heart as pacifie it hath neither faith nor a good conscience It is idle to hope for peace by faith whilst thou livest impenitently in a sinfull course Thou canst haue no peace of conscience so long as thou hast peace with thy sinnes Peace with conscience will be had by warre with sin in the daily practise of repentance It is but a dreame to thinke of a good Conscience in peace whilest a man makes no conscience of sin They that haue a good coÌ„science by Christs blood may be indeed sayd to haue no Conscience of sinne as Hâ—b 10. 2. But yet there is a great difference between having no Conscience and making no Conscience of sinne To haue no Conscience of sinne is to haue a peaceable good conscience not accusing for sin being sprinkled with Christs blood To make no Conscience of sin is for a man impenitently to liue lye in any sin Now let any iudge whether these two can stand together that a man may liue as he list and make no Conscience of any sinne and yet haue such peace by faith as that he hath no Conscience of sin It is an vnconscionable thing in this sense to lay all vpon Christ an vnconscionable request to haue him take away our guiltines and yet wee would wallow in our filthines still How shall faith remooue the sting when repentance remooues not the sinne MeÌ„ seeking peace by faith in Christs blood and yet liuing and lying in their sinnes without repentance God will giue them Iehues answere to Iehoram 2 King 9. 22. What peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother lezebel her witchcrafts are so many So what peace of Conscience so long as thine oaths Sabbath-breaches whordomes drunkennes c. do remaine remaine vnrepented of and vnreformed It is true of all sinne which is spoken of Romish Idolatry Apoc. 14. 11. They haue no rest day nor night that is no peace of Conscience to any of that religion so of all that liue in any sinne they haue no true rest day or night that is as Isaiah interprets it There is no peace to the wicked Peace and wickednes liue not together vnder one roofe Wouldst thou then haue a peaceable heart Get an humbled a mourning and a repentant heart for sin The lesse peace with sin the more peace with God and our own Consciences 3. The constant and conscionable exercise of prayer An excellent means to helpe vs to the sense of that peace which makes the Conscience good He that hath a good Conscience wil make Conscience of prayer And prayer will helpe to make a good Conscience better Philip. 4. 7. In euery thing by prayer supplication with thanksgiuing let your requests be made knowne vnto God and marke what shall be the fruite thereof And the peace of God that passes al vnderstanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ See Iob 33. 26. Hee shall pray vnto God and he will be fauourable vnto him he shall see his face with ioy It is many times with mens Consciences as it was with Saul he was vexed and disquieted with an euill spirit but Davids Harpe gaue him ease Praier is a Davids Harpe the musicke whereof sweetly calmes composes a distempered and disquieted Conscience and puts it into frame againe As in other disquiets of the heart after prayer David bids his soule returne vnto her rest Psal 116. 4. 7. So may we in these disqâ—iets of Conscience doe no lesse The way to get a good peaceable conscience is to haue acquaintance with God and when we haue acquaintance with him then shall wee haue peace Iob 22. 21. Acquaint thy selfe now with him and be at peace Now acquaintance is gotten with God by prayer Zech. 13. 9. They shall call on my Name and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God Loe how in prayer acquaintance is bred betweene God and his people and acquaintance breedes lone and peace and peace a good conscience Iudge then what pitious Consciences they must needs haue that make so little Conscience of seeking God in this duty of wicked ones the Psalm speaks They call not vpon God Psal 14. as much as Isaiah sayes There is no peace to the wicked they are vtterly voyd of good Conscience CHAP. V. Integritie of Conscience how procured ANd thus wee haue seene how the Conscience may bee good for peace It followes to consider how it may become vprightly good with the goodnes of Integritie The goodnesse of Integrity is gotten and kept by doing fiue things 1. Walke and liue as Paul in this text Before God Set thy selfe euer in all thy wayes as in the sight and presence of God who is the Iudge Lord of conscience Of Moses it is sayd that he saw him that was inuisible Heb. 11. 27. Therfore it is that men walk with such loose and evill Consciences because they thinke they walke invisibly And they thinke that God sees not them because they see not God An vpright Conscience is a good conscience and this is the way to get an vpright one Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright To haue God alwaies in our eye wil make vs walke with vpright hearts So Psal 119. 168 I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies that is in effect I haue kept a good conscience but how came hee to
man vpon the high way or to breake vp a mans house in the night this is a monstrous Camell but in buying and selling to ouer-teach a neighbour a shilling or two a penny or two what say they to that oh God forbid they should be so strictly dealt withall that is a small thing their throats are not so narrow but these Gnats will goe downe easily enough To beare false witnes in a open Court of Iustice or to be guilty of pillory periury these be fowle things but to lye a litle for a mans advantage or to make another man merriment what think they of this This is a very Gnat they are ashamed to strayne thereat Tell many a man of his sinne in which he lyes that his sinne and a good conscience caÌ„not stand together what is his answer but as Lâ—t of Zoar It is not a little one Gen. 19. 20. But the truth is that these little ones are great euidences of euill Conscience It is but a dreame to thinke our Consciences good that make no Conscience of smal sinnes and duties The conscionable Nazarite Now did not only make conscience of guzzling and quaffing whole cups of wine but of eating but an huske and a kernell of a Grape What a trifle is the kernell of a Grape and yet a good coÌ„science will care to please God as well in abstinence from the kernell as from the cup. Indeed when Dauid had defiled and hardened his conscience with his adultery then hee could cut Vriahs throat and his heart smites him not for it but when vnder his affliction his conscience was tender good his heart smites him but for cutting Sauls coate 1. Sam. 24. 5. See the nature of a good conscience it will smite not onely for cutting Sauls throat but for cutting Sauls coat but for an appearance vpon a suspition and but a iealousie of euill Paul speaks of a pure Conscience 2 Tim 1. 3. Now it is with a pure conscience as it is with pure religion Iam. 1. 17. Pure religion and vndefiled is to keepe a mans selfe vnspotted of the world It hates not onely wallowing with the Sow in the myre but is shy of very spots and hates not onely the flesh but the garment not only that is grossely besmeared but which is but spotted with the flesh Iude 23. according to that Ceremoniall Levit 15. 17. And this is that which differences civilitie and a good conscience Civiltie shunnes mire but is not so trimme as to wash off spots this is the pure Religion of a pure Conscience Pure Religion and vndefiled is to keepe a mans selfe vnspotted therefore they who are not vnspotted are not vndefiled but if their Consciences bee but spotted yet are they defiled Mens Consciences are as their Religion is and pure Religion is spotlesse Yea to close this point the greatest evidence of a good coÌ„science is in making conscience of smal things Whilst men feare great sinnes or are careful of Probat enim etiam in maiorib si râ—â—â—xigat executorem se idoâ—eum fore à quâ— minora coÌ„pleantur Salviâ—n de provid l. 3. maine duties it may bee their reputation and credit may sway them which otherwise would bee impeached So that in them it may be a question whether it be conscience or credite that is the first moover but in small things where there is no credit to be had nay for scrupling whereof a man may rather receiue some discredit from the world heere it is more evident that good conscience sets a man on This then is a note of a good conscience to make Conscience as of small duties so of small sinnes as he that feares poyson feares to take a droppe as well as a draught and men feare not onely wheÌ„ a firebrand is thrust into but when a sparke lights vpon their thatch CHAP. VIII Three other notes of a good Conscience A Third note of a good Conscience may be this It loues and likes a Ministrie and such Ministers as preach 3. Note of good conscience To loue a Ministry that speaks home to the Conscience and speake to the Conscience It likes such a dispensation of the Word as comes home to it whether for direction or reproofe The Word is the rule of conscience and a good conscience is desirous to know the rule it must liue by The Word must iudge the conscience this euery good conscience knowes and therefore grudges not to be reprooved by it as knowing that if it will not abide the Words reproofe it must abide the Words iudgement Therefore a man with a good conscience speakes as Samuel Speake Lord thy seruant heares He can suffer the words of exhortation and not count himselfe to suffer whilst it is done He is of Dauids minde Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindnesse let him reproue me and it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not breake mine head Psal 141. 5. It is with good conscience as with good eyes that can abide the light and can delight in it whereas sicke and sore eyes are troubled and offended therewith A sound heart is like sound flesh that can abide not onely touching but also rubbing and chafing and yet a man will not bee put into a chafe thereby whereas contrarily if the least thorne or vnsoundnesse bee therein a Tu scis Deus noster quod tunc de Alipioab illa peste sa nando non cogitaverim At ille in se rapuit meque illud non nisi propâ—er se dixisse credidit quod alius acciperet ad succensendum mihi accepit honestus adolescens ad succensendum sibi ad me ardentius diligendum Aug. conf li. 6. ca. 7 touch at vnawares prouokes a man if not to smite yet to angry words and language of displeasure Vnsound flesh loues to bee stroakt and to be handled gently the least roughnesse puts into a rage That is the ingenuitie of a good Conscience which was the good disposition of Alipius when hee was vnwittingly taxed by Angustine for his Theatricall vanities hee was so farre from being angry with him though he conceined him purposely to ayme at him that hee was rather angry with himselfe and loued Augustine so much the better Put mens Consciences vpon this triall and we shal see what the Consciences of most men are Let a man preach in an vnprofitable maner let him speÌ„d himselfe in idle curiosities speculalations let him be in combate with obsolete or forraine heresies so long their Minister is a faire and a good Church-man But let him do as God commaÌ„ds Ezekiel to doe Ezek. 14. 4. Answer them according to their Idols preach to their necessities let them call them presse them to holy duties and reprove them Scio me of fensurum quà m plurimos qui generalem de vitiis disputationâ—m in suam referunt contumeliam et dum mihi irascuntur suaÌ„ iudicant conscientiam multoque prius de se quam de me
my customers as Iacob of his children Gen. 43. 14. If I am bereaued of them I am bereaued I will trust God with my estate before I will hazard my conscience Giue mee such a man such a Tradesman and I will bee bold to say he is a man of a good conscience But contrarily when men are so set vpon Gaine that so they may haue it they care not how they come by it they will dispense an hundred times with their obedience to God if any thing be to be had if these haue good consciences let any iudge How would such loose their blood liues that will not loose such trifling gaines for the safety of their conscience We haue not yet resisted vnto blood the more we owe to God that know not what that resistance meanes Alas how would those resist vnto blood that set Conscience to sale vpon so base prises as they doe Peter speakes of a fiery triall 1. Pet. 4. 12. If God should euer bring that tryal amongst vs what a company of drossie consciences would it find out We haue no fiery tryall we haue but an ayrie tryall onely and yet how many euill consciences it discouers Many a man could find in his heart to pray in his family to frequent good exercises and company hee is convinced in his conscience that thus he should doe and conscience presses him to it But why then are not these things done A Lyon is in the way He shall loose the good word and opinion of the world hee shall haue so many frowns frumpes and censures and scoffers that hee cannot buckle to this course Many are in Zedekiah his case he was conuinced in his conscience that he ought it was his safest course to go out to the Chaldeans questionles his conscience prest â—im to it and bids him goe out Why then goes he not He is afrayd Ier. 38. 19. that he shall be mockt Such consciences as will not preferre their owne good word coÌ„fort before the good or ill words of the world Such consciences as more feare the mockes and flouts of men on earth then they doe the grinning mockes of the Diuells in hell Such as will not prefer the peace of Conscience before all other things are meere strangers to good Conscience The seventh and last note remaines 7 7. Note of a good Conscience And that is in the Text Vntill this day Constancy and perseverance in good is a Constancy in good sure note of a good conscience Paul had beene young and now was old yet was old Paul still still the same holy man he was Time changes al things but a good conscience and that is neyther changed by Time nor with Time Age changes a mans favour but not a good mans faith his complexion not his religion and though the head turn gray yet the heart holdes vigorous still Vntill this day And this day was not farre froÌ„ his dying day And how held he out to his last day Heare as it were his last and dying breath 2. Tim. 4. 7. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith He sayes not I haue finished my faith I haue kept my life as many may but I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith He kept his faith till hee had finisht his course not onely here vntill this day but there vntill his finishing day So long he kept the faith and therefore so long a good conscience for as the loosing of them goe together 1. Tim. 1. 19 so the keeping of them goe together therfore keeping the faith he also kept a good conscience till hee finisht his dayes Vntill this day And yet one would wonder that he should keepe it to this day considering how hardly hee had bin vsed before vntill and now at this day The most of those things 2. Cor. 11. 23. were before this day Often vnder stripes in prisons oft and yet stands constant in the maintenance of the liberty of his Conscience vers 24. 25. Thrice I suffered shipwracke c. and yet made no shipwracke of a good conscience vers 26. 27. in a number of perils in perill of false brethren and yet his coÌ„science plaies not false with God neither is it weary of going on in a religious course Here then is the nature of a good conscience and the triall of it A good conscience holds out constantly in a good Cause without deflection and in a good Cause without defection 1. In a good Cause Let a good conscience vndertake the defeÌ„ce of a good Cause and it will stand rightly to it neither grow weary nor corrupt It will not make shews of countenancing Pauls cause till he come before Nero then giue him the slippe and giue him leaue to stand vpon his own bottome and shift for himselfe as well as he can A conscionable Magistrate a Iudge who out of a coÌ„science of the faithfull discharge of his place takes in hand the defence of a good or the punishment of a bad cause will not leaue it in the suddes will not be wrought by feare or favour to let Innocency bee thrust to the walles and Iniquitie hold vp the neb but will stand out stiffe and manifest the goodnesse of his Conscience in his Constancie 2. In a good Course A man that is once in a good Course hauing a good conscience will neither be driven nor bee drawne out of that good way to his dying day There be tentations on the right hand and there be tentations on the left but yet a good Conscience wil turne neither way Pro. 4. 27. but keeps on foreright and presses hard to the marke that is set before it Try it with tentations 〈…〉 t hand Try it by the moc 〈…〉 s and derisions of others whom it sees in good wayes will this stagger or stumble it make it start aside Not a whit but it will go on with so much the more courage rather Iob 17. 6. 7. 8. 9. He hath made me also a by-word of the people and aforetime I was a Tabret Was not this enough to shake others to see such a prime man as Iob thus vsed thus scorned and mocked Not a whit for all this The righteous shal hold on his way he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Try it by mockings and derision Si reddere beneficium non aliter quam per speciem iniuria poterâ— aquissimâ— animo ad honestum consiliuÌ„ per mediam infamiam teÌ„dam-Nemo mihi videtur pluris astimare virtuteÌ„ nemo illi magis esse dâ—votus quaÌ„ qui boni viri famam â—erdidit ne conscientiam perderet Sence epi. 82. personall by personall infamy and reproach let a mans owne selfe bee derided be defamed this will goe neerer then thâ— former what will this move him out of the way No He wil lose his good name before his good Conscience See Ps 119. 51. The proud haue
delicious fare hee might haue had but the reversions of Lazarus boord Lazarus may not come to his feast no nor yet to his fragments neither will Lazarus condition permit him to feast it as the glutton did but yet this feast of a good Conscience Lazarus may make as well as he and can and doth keepe it whilest the glutton feeles many an hunger-biting gripe What an excellent feast is this aboue all other feasts wherein the russet hath as much priviledge as the velvet the begger as the King the poore tenant as the rich Landlord The rich Landlord often so feedes vpon and eates vp his poore tenant by oppression that the tenant is kept low enough for feasting It is well with him if he haue food he had not need thinke of feasting But loe now the excellent feast of a good Conscience Here may the tenant keepe as good cheere as the Landlord yea and it may be may feast whilest the rich Landlord is readie to sterue for want of this provision Now then all this considered what a Motiue should it be to make vs in loue with a good Conscience How powerfully should this perswade vs thereto When God would perswade men to come to the ioyes of heaven he vses no other argument then this to invite them to a feast as in that Parable Luk. 14. Behold here is the same argument â—o mooue you to bee in loue with a gooâ— Conscience behold the Lord invites you â—o a feast and to a feast where â—e shal haue sufficiency without want or loathing where ye shall haue wine â—â—rth musick and good Company to â—he full The twelue dayes feast of the Nativitie how is it longed for before hand and how welcommed when it is come And what may the reason be But onely because it is a feasting time This is counted a blessed good Time And why a blessed good Time As Christ was a blessed good man and the Prophet that should come into the world and therefore should be made a King because he had fed filled their bellies Ioh. 6. So the most make that a blessed time not for the memoriall of Christs Incarnation but because of the loaues Christ shall be a King and because of the feast the Time is blessed Well then is the world so desirous and so glad of feasting Are feasting Times such blessed Times Loe then I invite you to a feast to a blessed good feast indeed that will make you blessed and truly happy Not to a feast of twelue dayes but to a feast thâ—t lasts all the twelue moneths of the yeere to a continuing and a continuall feast How glad are many when they may goe to a feast Loe a way to make feasts for your selues What a credit is it counted in the world for a man to keepe a good and a great house to keep feasting and open house for all commers during the Feastivitie of the twelue dayes Would we haue this credit of good house-keeping not for twelue dayes but for all the yeere long Get good Consciences keepe good Consciences There is no such good houfe-keeper as is the good Conscience-keeper for a good Conscience is a feast a continuall feast There is nothing that men desire more then to liue merrily and how many stumble at Religion and keeping of a good Conscience vnder an idle conceit that it is the way to marre all their mirth and to make a man lumpish melancholly Doe not beleeue the divell do not beleeue his lying agents It is a profane Proverbe that Spiritus Calviniaâ—us est spiritus melancholicus A good Conscience is a feast a feast with all dainties musicke and wine Can a man be melancholly at a feast at so ioyfull and so sweet a feast Doth feasting make men melancholly or make men merry Make men weepe or laugh If a man should cry downe feasting with this argument That it makes men melancholly would not all men laugh him to scorne And why then should a man feare melancholly more from a good Conscience then from a feast There is none liues so merry a life as he that keepes a good Conscience he is every day at a feast he is alwayes banquetting Yea the worst dishes of this feast even those at the lower end of the Table are better then the most choyce rarities of other feasts The very teares that a good coÌ„science sheds haue more ioy and pleasure in them then the worlds greatest ioyes And if the teares of a good conscience be such what is the mirth laughter of it If weeping be so sweet what is singing If the courser dishes be so daintie what are the best services Would we then liue merrily and passe our dayes Iocundly indeed Get a good Conscience and thou keepest a continuall feast that continuall feast will keepe thee in coutinuall mirth and continuall ioy Yea though thou be in affliction and vnder crosses so as thy dayes vnto the world may seeme exceedingly evill yet shalt thou liue merrily as at a feast Yea this is the scope of that Scripture All the dayes of the afflicted are evill namely in the eye and iudgement of the world but a good Conscience namely to the afflicted is a continuall feast A good conscience feasts then and turnes fasting dayes into feasting dayes A good conscience feasts a man in his poverty in his sicknesse in the prison and cheeres vp a man with many a dainty bit The wine of this feast makes them forget all their sorrow Now then that we would be so wise as to hearken to Gods invitation to this feast Let vs keepe the feast with the bread of sincerity and truth 1 Cor. 5. 8. Take heed now that we put not off God as these did Luk. 14. invited to the feast with the excuses of Farmes Oxen and the like So doe many vrge them to the keeping of a good Conscience their answer is If they should be so precise how shall they liue they shall haue but poore takings if they take such a course I pray haue mee excused I must liue Thus they answer as many good husbands when invited to frequent feastings doe No beleeue me it will not hold out if I goe every day a feasting I may go one day a begging I must follow my businesse and let feasting goe And so say men here But take heed of putting off God thus The time will come that thou wouldest giue all thine Oxen to haue but the scraps crums of this feast and thou shalt not haue them God will serue thee as he did them Luk. 14. 24. None of those men which were bidden shâ—ll taste of my supper Those that care not to kepe the feast of a good Conscience shall never come to Gods feast in heauen If you refuse to come to this feast now God will at the last day thrust you our of doores when you will bee pressing and crowding in and shall say to you Get you hence yee despisers of a good Conscience
and cast away So long as a man keepes a good conscience there is no feare of loosing the faith the integrity and sounduesle of the doctrine thereof Constancie in the truth is a fruit of good conscience Psal 119. 54. 55. I haue kept thy Law he had not declined from nor forsaken the truth of God but what held and kept him This I had because I kept thy precepts Keeping of a good conscience will keepe a man in the truth It is that which is the onely preseruatiue to saue from all errors heresies and false doctrines The better Conscience the sounder Iudgement the sounder heart the sounder head As the better digestion in the stomach the freer the head is from ascendent fumes that would distemper and trouble the same Iohn 7. 17. If any man will doe his will hee shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God How shall a man come to haue a sound and a good iudgement to bee able to iudge what is truth and what is not Let him get a good Conscience and make conscience of doing the will of God Iohn 14. 21. He that hath my commandements and keepes them c. such a man hath and keepes a good Conscience And what benefit shall such a one haue by keeping a good Conscience I will loue him and I will manifest my selfe vnto him And Psal 50. 23. To him that orders his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God God doth communicate himselfe and his truth to such as make Conscience of their wayes The pure in heart shall see God and the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him So that he that hath a good Conscience hath the onely Antidote the most excellent Amulet and plague-cake at his breast that is in the world to saue him from the pestilence and infection of Popery Arminianisme Brownisme Anabaptisme c. So long as the ship of Conscience is whole so long the Iewell of faith is safe Paul would haue a Bishop to hold fast the faithfull Word and to be sound in doctrine Tit. 1. 9. But yet marke it that hee would first haue him bee a man of a good Conscience in the two foregoing verses And 1 Tim. 3. 9. hee would haue the Deacons hold the mistery of the faith in a pure Conscience Contrarily nothing so endangers the losse of the faith truth soundnes of doctrine as doth the losse of good Conscience A corrupt Conscience soone corrupts the iudgement 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith and a good Conscience which some hauing put away concerning faith haue made shipwrack If the ship of Conscience cracke how soone will the merchandise of faith wracke If once the Conscience cracke the braine will soone proue crazie and an vnsound Conscience makes a fearefull way for an vnsound and a rotten iudgement 2. Tim. 3. 8. They resist the truth there is their corrupt Conscience what followes vpon it Men of corrupt mindes vnsound in their iudgement concerning the faith How frequent a thing is it in experience to see men when they loose good Conscience together with it either to loose their gifts as the vnprofitable servant his masters talent or else to loose the truth and to fall into pestilent and dangerous errors So those Prophets that made not Conscience in faithfull and holy execution of their office see what was the fruit of their evill Conscience Mic. 3. 5. 6. 7. Therefore night shall bee vnto you that yee shall not haue a vision and it shall bee darke vnto you that yee shall not divine and the Sunne shall goe downe over the Prophets and the day shall be darke â—ver them c. Their darknesse in life should bee plagued with darknesse in iudgement To which purpose that is notable Zach. 11. 17. Woe to the idoll shepheard that leaues the flocke There is an vnconscionable shepheard a man that makes no Conscience to attend his ministery What becomes of him The sword shall bee vpon his right eye his best eye And his right eye shall not be pore-blinde or dimmed but shall bee vtterly darkened The losse of good Conscience brings vpon men of knowledge and learning that reproach that Nahash the Ammonite would haue brought vpon all Israel 1 Sam. 11. 2. It thrusts out their right eyes Ill Consciences not onely make men looke a squint but it blindes them and takes away their sight And what is the reason that Popery gets ground so fast and so many turne Papists so easily Surely it is no wonder how should it be otherwise when men either hauing lost all good Conscience or making no Conscience of their wayes but living loosely viciously and licentiously haue thereby prepared a way for Antichrist and his religion to enter with all successe No wonder that men turne Papists so fast when long since they haue turned good conscience going For that which Bellarmine speaks is in the generall Cum areae ventilari incipiunt non frumeÌ„ta sed paleae vento abripiente separantur ab area Ita prorsus cum Ecclesia per Ethnicorum persecutiones vel Haereticorum deccptiones Deo permittente cribratur aut ventilatur à sotana non viri sancti graues sed improbi leves curiosi lascivi ab Ecclesia a volantes ad Ethnicos hâ—reticosue transfugiunt nec fere solet accidere vt ante circa fidem aliquis naufraget quam naufragare coeperit circa mores Bellar Orat. prefix tom 4. certainely true though by him falsly and maliciously applyed That they be not holy and graue men but wicked light curious wanton ones that turne Ethnicks or Hereticks and that it seldome comes to passe that any man makes shipwracke concerning the faith that first makes not shipwracke concerning manners See the truth of it in many of our backsliders to popery especially such as haue beene zealous propugners of the truth Where began the first declension where the first flawe Had not their Consciences first brusht vpon some rocke was not the first leake there and when they had first put away good Conscience then there was a speedy banishing of truth and a ready entertainement of error And for the common sort of their converts consider if many times they haue not bin the very riffe-raffe of our Church swearers grosse profaners of the Sabbath vncleane and debauched drunkards such as our Church was sicke of and desired even to spue forth and then when they haue become a prey to all vicious courses through want of Conscience thorow Gods iust iudgement they haue become a prey to Romish locusts whose coÌ„mission is onely to hurt such not those whom the sap of a good Conscience keepes fresh flourishing as the greene grasse and trees of the earth Apoc. 9. 4. For as Salomon speakes of the bodily harlot Eccles 7. 26. so it is true of that spirituall whore of Babylon Her heart is snares and nets her hands as hands her delusions strong who so pleases God and hath a care to keepe a
23. Iesus answered him If I haue spoken evill beare witnesse of the evill but if well why smitest thou me And yet his precept and practice doe not interferre nor crosse shinnes For though by his precept he forbids vs to retaliate or recompence iniury with iniury out of the heate of a vindictiue spirit yet by his practice he warrants vs in cases of iniurie to make a manifestation both of our own innocency and others iniustice Religion bindes no man to be a Traitor to his owne innocency and the iustice of his cause and by silence to abet others iniustice With a good Conscience may a man speake so long as he speaks as Paul did before Festus Acts 26. 25. The words of truth and sobernesse So a man answer truely soberly without tackes of gall and impatient touches of revenge Christ and Religion say to man convented and iniuriously proceeded against as Agryppa did to Paul Acts 26. 1. Thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe This in generall more particularly in this Denunciation Consider the iudgement denounced that is this God shall smite thee From which we may obserue two things First Doct. 1 See Gods iudgements and the severity of his iustice against the enemies of a good Conscience and his faithfull servants Ananias smites Paul and for his good Conscience and what gets hee by it God will smite him and giue him as good as he brings God will smite smiters Ananias smites Paul and God wil smite Ananias yea and God did smite Ananias for hee was afterwards slaine by Manaimus one of Captaines of the Iewes It is a dangerous thing not to smite when God commands 1 King 20. 35. 36. He that would not smite a Prophet when God commanded was smitten with an heauy iudgement It is no lesse dangerous to smite when God forbids smiting God hath an heauy hand for those that are so light fingred and hee will giue them blow for blow that will be smiting his for a good Conscience Touch not my annoynted nor doe my Prophets no harme Psal 105. 15. Hee that touches them touches the apple of Gods eye Zach. 2. 8. So hee that smites them smites the apple of his eye The eye is a tender place and sensible of a little blow God will not take a blow on the eye nor beare a blow on his face at the hands of the proudest enemies of them all and though we must turne the other cheeke rather then smite againe yet the Lord to whom vengeance belongs will take no blowes at their hands but if they will be smiting they shall bee sure to heare of him to their cost You finde Exod. 2. 11. an Egyptian smiting an Israelite It becomes none better then Egyptians to be smiting Israelites Moses spies an Egyptian smiting of an Hebrew What gets the Egyptian in the end See verse 12. God stirs vp the spirit of Moses to smite him and to slay him Thus will God teach Egyptians to be medling Pashur smites Ieremy Ier. 20. 2. What got he by it The heavy stroake of Gods hand vpon himselfe and all his friends vers 3. 4. 5. 6. Herod was a smiter too Acts 12. 1. 2. Hee stretched forth his hands to vexe certaine of the Church and he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword And what became of him in the ende See ver 23. The Angell of the Lord smote him and he was eaten vp of wormes and he gaue vp the Ghost It is said of Ionas his gourd that a worme smote it and it withered Ion. 4. That was much that a worm should so soon smite the gourd But when men will bee smiting Gods people and his Prophets for a good Conscience and when Herod will be so busie as to smite Apostles God can send not onely an Angell one of his most glorious creatures but even a base worme even one of the weakest creatures to smite Herod and eate him both Ieroboam stretches forth his arme against the Prophet 1. King 13. and his arme withers he doth but threaten to smite and God smites him How much more when Herod stretches forth his hands to vexe the Church to smite Gods Ministers will God not onely wither them but smite him as Sampson smote the Philistims hippe and thigh and make them a rotten and a stinking spectacle to all malicious smiters to the worlds end Thus is that true which the Prophet implyes in that speech Esa 27. 6. Hath hee smitten him as hee smote his smiter Marke then Gods dealing he vses to smite smiters Neither is this true onely of smiters with the fist and with the sword but it is also true of those smiters Ierem. 18. 18. Come and let vs smite him with the tongue Euen such smiters will God smite also as we may see there verse 21 22. 23. Thus God met with Nabal David sends for reliefe to him vpon his festival day and he instead of an almes falls a rayling on him and calls him in effect a Rogue a Vagabond and a runne-away Thus he smote David with his tongue What followes See vers 38. And it came to passe abouâ— ten dayes after that the Lord smote Nabal And how smote he him That he dyed So Zach. 14. 12. Their tongue shall consume away in their mouth What might the reason be of that iudgment Because happily many that cannot or dare not fight with their hands for feare of the law yet fight against Gods Ministers and his servants with their tongues Well God hath a plague to smite such smiters Though they smite but with the tongue yet God wil smite them giue them their portion with the rest of the adversaries of the Church And if God will not spare such smiters how much lesse will hee spare such as smite with the sword Vse 1 Terrour to all smiters eyther with hand or tongue Smite on goe on in your malicions courses doe so but yet know that there is a smiter in heauen that will meet with you Had Zimri peace who slew his Master So said Iezabel to Iehu and so may it bee said in this case Search the Scriptures search the Histories of the Church Had euer any smiter peace which lifted vp either hand or tongue against any of the Lords people Did smiters euer scape scot-free Had they any cause to brag in the end Had they euer any cause to brag of the last blow Did Herod prosper that smote Iames with the sword Did Ananias prosper that smot Paul Did the Egyptian prosper that smote the Hebrew Did Doeg prosper who was a tongue-smiter as well as an hand-smiter Psal 52. Oh consider this you that dare lift vp your hands and tongues against a good Conscience be afraid of Gods smiting hand tremble to meddle in this kind Learne to hold your hands and tongues vnlesse ye long to feele Gods smiting hand Especially take heed of smiting Gods Ministers in any kinde Deut. 33. 11. Levi hath a strange blessing Blesse Lord his substance