makes many in these daies to doe the like as appeareth by the declarations of such as haue bene presented when they were about to hang or drowne them selues or to cutt their owne throats The last is a perturbation or disquieââes of the whole man wherby all the powers faculties of the whole man are forth of order Isa. 57. 20. The wicked are like the raging of the sea that ãâã test vvhose vvaters cast vp ââ¦ire and ââ¦rt Thus much of the two first actions of conscience which are to accuse and condemne the sâcond followeth to excuse and absolue To excuse is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done To absolue is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free or cleare froÌ fault and so from punishment From these two actions arise some special affections I. boldâes and confidence Prov. 28. 1. The righteous are bold as a lyon II. ioy and reioycing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testiââ¦nie of my conscience that in all simplicitie and godly pureâes I haue had my conuer sation in the world Hence it is said that a good conscience is a continuall feast Hitheâto I haue spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past now followeth her iudgement of things to be done Conscience giues iudgement of things to come by foretelling and as it were saying inwardly in the heart that the thing may be well done or ill done Of this kinde of iudgement euery man may haue experience in him selfe when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or badde By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way with al the turnings thereof he could not but take it for a great point of curtosie Wee are pilgrimes in this world our life is our iourney God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide to shew vs what course we may take and what we may not And here it must be noted that in all things to be done conscience is of great force beares a great stroke For This is the beginning of a good vvorke that the conscience first of all give her iudgement truely that the thing may be done and is acceptable to God Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer is not done of a settled perswasion in iudgement and conscience out of Gods word howsoeuer men iudge of it is sinne Againe God regardes not the outward pompe of the action or the doer but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart therefore vnlesse the conscience first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will it can be nothing else but a sinne And he that shall doe a thing because it is good in his owne eyes not knowing that God doeth allow of it preferres him-selfe before God and disobaies him as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will From this former rule arise three other the first What soeuer is done vvith a doubting conseâââe is a sââ¦e For example some beleeuers in the Primitive Church held that still after the ascensâon of Christ there remained a difference betweene meate and meate and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kinde of meates âow put the case by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden and there ãâã no question but in so doing they haue sinned as Paul prooueth Rom. 14. v. 14. I knovv and ãâã persvvaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth any thing vncleane it is vncleane and v. 23. He that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith The second What soeuer thing is done vvith an erroneous conscience is a sinne For example in the primitiue Church diuers of the Gentiles helde this errour that fornication was a thing indifferent and therfore âonscience told them that they might doe iâ and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinneâ becausâ conscience erred in her iudgement And euill râmaines euill though conscience âây the contrarie a thousand times The third What soeuer is done against conscience though it erre be deceiued it sinne in the dâer Example An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawfull to sweare is brought before a magistrate and vrged either through feare or so ãâã cause takes an oath that against his oâne conscience now the question is whether he hath sinned or no. Ans. He hath indeed sinned not so much because he hath taken an oath for that is the ordinance of God but because he hath taken an oath in a bad manner that is against his conscience and therefore not in faith Thus it is manifest that consciânce beares a great stroke in all things that are to be saide or done And hereby we are aduertised of many things First if a thing done without good direction of coÌscience be a sinne then much more that which is done without direction of Gods word is a flatte sinne for without direction of Gods word conscience can giue no good direction And if God will holde that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer so as if a man be to put but a bit of bread in his mouth it can so farre forth direct him that in doiâg of it he shall be able to please God If this were âot true mans ease were most miserable For then we should sinne in manifold actions and that without remedie And here by the Word I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and new Testament which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all âctions As for the law of nature though it afâoard in deede some direction yet is it corrupt imperfect vncerten and whatsoeuer is right and good therin is contained in the writteÌ word of God And as for the best vnwritteÌ traditions let al the Papists in the world answer if they caÌ how I may in coÌscience be perswaded that they are the word of God If they say that the auncient fathers of the primitive Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions I answer againe how ãâã I know and be certen in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour in saying so haue not erred Againe we learne hence that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good worke vnlesse withall conscience can giue iudgement that God doth approoue the action This shewes the ignorance of our people that when ãâã ãâã their dealings they runne vpon a good meaning then alwaies they thinke they doe well and please God Thirdly hence it appeares that all thingâ deuised by man for the worship of God âre fiarre sinnes
it is a certaine awe or rââerence vnto God in whose presence we doe whatsoeuer we doe Feare of distrust is when men tremble at the iudgemeÌts of God for their sinnes because they haue no hope of mercie Of these three the first was good by creation and therfore it was in our Sauiour Christ but since the fall it is defective The third is a vice called slââish feare And the second is that which is commaunded in these and the like places of Scripture the intent whereof is to make vs circumspect and fearefull least we should offend God by any ãâã our owne weaknesse considered and the ââvineible iudgements of God And this kinde of feare as also the first may stande with cârâântie of faith Rom. 11. Thou standest by faith be not high minded but feare Psal. 2. Serâe the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling Obiect 6. Where there is no word there is no faith For faith and the word of God be relatiues But there is no word of God that saith to particular men Cornelius or Peter or Iohn thy sinnes are pardoned excepting ãâã few persons as Mâ⦠Magdâ⦠and the pâ⦠ãâã c. Therefore there is no particular faith Ansvv. Though there be no word set downe in Scripture touching the saluation of this or that particular man yet there is set downe that which is equivaleââ to a particular word and as much in effect For the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting is giuen with a commâundement that euery man applie the promise to himselfe as I haue before prooued and this is altogether as much as if euery mans particular name had beene put in the promise I adde further that the promises of the Gospel must be considered two waies first as they are generally set downe in Scripture without application to any person secondly as they are âââght and published in the ââinisterie of the word the end whereof is to applie them to the persons of men partly by prââching and pââtly ãâã administâing the sacraments of baptisme and the Lords supper which are seales of righteoââââs of faith Now the promise applied and as I may say particularized to the members of the Church is by the vertue of Gods ordinance as much as if God himselfe had giuen the promise particularly and ââ¦dment names vnto it It is further ânswered that the promise of remission of sinne is preached not simply but vpoâ condition of ãâã faith ãâã which ãâã be ãâã knowne I answer againe ãâã I haue alreadie prooued that he which truly beleeueth and repââ¦th knoweth that he doth certenly beleeue and repeât Obiect 7. To beleeue the pardon of a mans owne sinnes is âone of the articles of faith propounded in any Creede either of the Apostles or the Niceâe fathers or Athanasââs or any other Creede Answer This faith is contained vnder these words I beleeue remission of sââ¦es and I prooue it thus These words are an article of Christian faith and therefore they must in sense containe more then the deuill doth or can beleeue nowe the deuill beleeueth thus much that God giues remissioÌ of sinnes to his Church Christian men therefore must goe one steppe further and beleeue particularly the remission of their owne sinnes Otherwise if the Papists will haue the Catholicke faith to beleeue no more in this point then the damned spirits beleeue let them take it to themselues But they replie further that if there were any such article of faith then some persons must beleeue that they are iust though they willingly commit mortall sinne which is an euident falshood Ansvver He that beleeues the pardon of his owne sinnes by true faith hath the spirit of God in him and a constant purpose not to sinne against God and therefore if he sinne it is against his purpose and without any full consent of wil and it is not he that doeth it but the sinne that dwelleth in him But if it so fall our that the child of God be ouertaken with any actual sinne then his case standeth thus He hath by his fall wounded his conscience weakned his faith bereaued himselfe of Gods fauour as much as in him lieth made himselfe guiltie of a sinne and worthie of damnation and God for his part accordingly turnes the woonted signes of his sauour into signes of anger and displeasure and the sinne though it be pardoned in the purpose of God yet is it not actually pardoned till the partie repent Things standing thus we teach not that men must beleeue the pardon of their sinnes while they liue and lie in them for that were âââtly to teach falshoode for truth but our doctrine is that such persons must first of all humble themselues and say with the prodigall childe that they haue sinned against God and are not worthie to be called his children any more and againe renew their decaied faith and repentance that they may beleeue as before their perfect reconciliation with God Obiect 8. In respect of God who is truth it selfe we are to beleeue the promise in particular yet if we respect our owne vnworthines and indisposition we are to feare and in some part to doubt For the promise of remission of sinnes is not absolute but depends vpon the condition of our workes Therefore our certentie is onely coniecturall Answer I answer first that in respect of our owne vnworthines we are not to doubt of our saluation but to be out of all doubt yea to dispaire before the iudgement seate of God For they which are of the workes of the lawe are vnder âhe curse Gal. 3. 10. and Paul saith of his owne workes of grace in this am I not iustified 1 Cor. 4. 4. And Dauid being out of all doubt of his owne deserued damnation in regard of his owne vnworthines saith freely Enter not into indgement with thy servant O Lord for no flesh shallbe iâstified in thy sight Againe the consideration of any vnworthines in our selues doth not hinder a resolution concerning Gods mercy in Christ. For true faith makes an entrance vnto God vvith boldnes I say with boldnes euen for those persons that are vnworthy in themselues Eph. 4. 12. And Abraham whose faith is to be followed of vs did not vpon the consideration of his olde decaied bodie rest himselfe with bare hope vpon alikelihood of the accomplishment of Gods promise but he beleeued vnder hope euen against hope Rom. 4. 18. Lastly I answear that the ground of the former obiection is erronious namely that the promise of saluation depends on the condition of our workes because the Scripture saith it is made and accomplished on mans part freely I graunt indeede that to the promise there is annexed a condition of faith yet faith here must not be considered as a worke but as an instrument apprehending Christ with his benefits and withall âepentance with the fruits thereof are on our part required yet no otherwise but as they are necessaric consequents of faith and the signes
kingdome of God receiving withall that vvhereby he may presume that he is loved and loue againe Furthermore that the spirit of God doth not only perswade men of their adoption but also conâ⦠the same unto them it is most manifest Eph. 4. 30. Greeve not the spirit whereby yee are sâaled vp to the day of redemption And 1. v. 13. After ye beleeved ye were sealed with the spi-Rit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritante 2. Cor. 1. 21. It is God that hath sealed vâ giuen vs the earnest of his spirit in our harts Here the words of sealing and carnest are to be considered For things that passe too and fro among men though they be in question yeâ when the seale is put too they are made out of doubt and therfore when God by his spirite is said to seale the promise in the heart of euery particular beleuer it signifieth that he giues unto them euident assurance that the promise of life belongs unto them And the gââing of earnest is an unfallible token unto him that receiueth it that the bargaine is ratified and that he shall receiue the things agreed upon And it were a great dishonour unto God to ãâã that the earnest of his owne spirite giuen vnto vs should be an euidence of eternall life not vnfallible but coniecturall Argâ⦠ãâã The faith of the elect or saving faith is a certen perswasion a particular perswasion of remiââ¦ion of sinne and life euerlasting Touching the first of these âwain namely that faith is a certen perswasion yea that cerâenty is of the nature of faith it appeares by expresse testimonies of scripture Matth. 14. 31. O thou of little faith why hast thou doubted and 21. v. 21 If ye haue faith and doubt not Iam. 1. 6. Let him aske in faith and waâer not for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea tost of the winde ãâã away Rom. 4. 20. Neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthenedin faith I will not stand longer on this point which is not denyed of any Touching the second part of my reason that faith is a particular perswasion applying things beleeued I prooue it thus The propertie of faith is to receiue the promise Galat. 3. 14. and the thing promised which is Christ with his spirit Ioh. 1. 12. Now Christ is receiued by a particular application as will appeare if we doe ââ¦t marke the end and use of the ministery of the word and of the sacraments For when God giues any blessing to man it is to be receiued by man as God giueth it Now God giues Christ or at the least offereth him not generally to mankinde but to the seuerall and particular members of the Church In the Lords supper as in euery sacrament there is a relation or analogie betwene the outward signes the things signified The action of the minister giuing the bread and the wine representeth Gods action in giuing Christ with his benefits to the particular communicants againe the action of receiuing the bread and wine seuerally representeth another spirituall action of the beleeuing heart which applyeth Christ unto it selfe for the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting Papists yeeld not to this yet if they refuse to maintaine this analogie they ouerturne the sacrament and dissent from antiquity Augustine saith The body of Christ is ascended into heaven some may answer say How shall I hold him being absent how shal I reach vp mine hand to heaven that I may lay hold of him ââting there Send vp thy faith and thou hast laid hold of him And what is more coÌmon theÌ another saying of his What ãâã thou to prepare thy belly and teeth Beleeve and thou hast eaten Againe Eph. 3. v. 12. Paul saith By Christ we have boldnesse and entrâ⦠with confideÌce by faith in him In which words are set downe two notable effects and fruits of faith boldnesse and confidence Boldnesse is when a poore sinner dare come into the presence of God not being terrified with the threatnings of the lawe noâ with the consideration of his owne unworthinesse and with the manifolde assaultes of the deuill and it is more then certenty of Gods fauour Now whereas Papistes answere that this liberty of boldnesse in comming unto God proceedes of a generall faith they are farre wide It is not possible that a generall pââswasion of the goodnesse and trueth of God and of his mercie in Christ should breede confidence and boldnesse in the heart of a guilty ãâã and ââ¦o ââ¦ple can be brought hereof This generall faith concâ⦠ãâã ââ¦s of our bâ⦠wââ no doubt in ãâã ãâã ãâã Iudas yea in the dâ⦠himâ⦠and yet they despaired and some of them ãâã away themselues and the dââill for all his ãâã ãâã before God Wherefore that ââith which is the roote of these excellent vertues of boldnesse and confidence must needâs be a speciall âaith that iâ ãâã ãâã and plentifull perswasion of the pardon of ãâã mans owne sinnes and of life everlasting âgaine Hebr. 11. v. 1. faith is called hypost ãâã that is a substance or subsistance of things hoped âoââ where faith in the matter of our saluation and other like things is made to goe beyond hopet for hope waites for things to come till they haue a being in the person hoping but faith in present giues a subsisting or being vnto them This can not be that generall faith of Papistes tearmed Catholike for it comes short of hope but it must needes be a speciall faith that makes us vndoubtedly beleeue our owne election adoption iustification and saluation by Christ. And to this purpose haue some of the fathers saide excellent well Augustine saith I demaund of thee O sinner dost thou beleeve Christ or no thââ ãâã I beleeve what beleevest thou that âee can freely forgive thee all thy sinnes Thou hast that vvhich thou hast beleeved Ambrose saieth This is a thing ordained of God that hee vvhich beleeveth in Christ should be saved without any vvorke by faith alone freely receiving remission of sinnes And with Ambrose I ioyne the testimony of Hesichius vpon Leuiticus who saieth God pitying mankinde vvhen hee savve it disabled for the fulfilling of the vvorkes of the lavve vvilled that man shoulde be saved by grace vvithled the vvorkes of the lavve And grace proceeding of mercie is apprehended by faith alone vvithout vvorkes Whereas in both these places faith is opposed generally to all workes and is withall saide to apprehende and receiue yea alone to apprehend and receiue grace and remission of sinnes they cannot be understood of a generall but of a speciall applying faith Bernard hath these words If thou beleevest that thy sinnes can not be blotted out but by him against whome thou hast sinned thou ââest well but goâ yet further beleeve that hee pardoneth thy sinnes This is the testimony which the Holy Ghost giveth in our hearts saying Thy sinnes