of the Acts 14 In the second place the accusing or condemning conscience is often mentioned also John 8. 9. Convicted by their conscience or reproved some for one sinne some for another So by intimation Heb. 9. 9. where t is said of the Legall sacrifices that they could not make perfect as pertaining to Conscience where the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rendred to make perfect signifies in the sacred idiom to consecrate to make a priest whose office being {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to draw neare to God proportionably {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to perfect or consecrate as pertaining to conscience signifies to give accesse with boldnesse to God by taking off that guilt which formerly lay upon their conscience the same that v. 14. is called to purge the conscience from dead works to wash off that guilt of sin past which hinders their approach to God obstructs all entrance to their prayers for we know that God heareth not sinners Joh. 9. 31. and Is 1. 15. whereupon t is observable that Heb. 13. 18. when he bespeaks their prayers for him he adds this reason to encourage them to doe so For we trust we have a good conscience that good conscience being necessary there to have other mens prayers heard for them as here to give themselves accesse to God in prayer So Heb. 10. 2. Conscience or conscienciousnes of sins and v. 22. Evill conscience and so wisd. 17. 11. there is mention of wickednesse condemned by her own witnes and prest by conscience 15 And of the last sort in the latitude common to both are Rom. 2. 15. Rom. 9. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 2. and 5. 11. and 1 Tim. 4. 2. all cleare enough without the help of our paraphrase to adde light to them 16 Having thus marshalled all these places of Scripture into ranks and given some hints of generall insight into them it now remaines that we return a while to the neerer survey of the two generall heads and first of the former acception of the word as it imports a monitor or director of life by which our actions must be regulated and from the mistaking of which the chiefe inconvenience doth arise 17 To which end it will be absolutely necessary to settle and resolve but one question what is that rule or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of Conscience from whence it must receive its regulation For he that draweth a line of direction for another must have a rule to draw it by and that a straight exact one or else the directions will not be authentique and they which walke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} exactly or conscientiously must {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} walk by rule Phil. 3. 16. and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} have their eye or thought alway upon that one thing their rule of direction or else be they never such {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the beginning of that verse such forward proficients their end may be perdition v. 19. This when once we have done the difficulty will soone vanish And to this purpose I shall take that for granted which in thesi I never heard any doubt of 18 though many of our actions look otherwise in hypothest that law is this onely rule {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rule and law being words of the same importance and nothing fit or proper to regulate our actions but that which the law giver to whom obedience must be payed hath thought fit to rule them by To which purpose it is ordinarily observed that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Sin or aberration from that rule by which we ought to walke for so that word naturally signifies is by Saint John 1 Epist. 3. 4. defined {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which we render a trangression of the law In which place of Saint John though the truth is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} denoting more then the bare commission of sinne in that Author generally viz. the wilfull perpetration of it and an indulgence in and habit of so doing the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} must proportionably also signifie not onely transgressing but wilfull habituall contemning the Law being an exlex or without law as the Idolatrous Atheist is said to be without God in the world i. e. without any account or respect of it and so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Joh. 31. 3. notes the greatest degree of sinfulnesse we render it workers of iniquity and so very frequently in the Septuagint we finde {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} where we render the Hebrew by mischiefe yet still the observation stands good that law is the rule in aberration from which all sinne consists and so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in both senses the least degree of sinne a deviation from the law and a malicious contentious sinning a malitious contemptuous deviation or transgression and so Saint Paul hath also resolved it that where there is no law there is no transgression no {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 4. 15. no going awry when there is no rule proposed to goe by 19 This being so cleare in is selfe and yet through the mistakes yea and impieties of the world bâ—come so necessary to be thus farther cleared Two things there are which will hence inevitably follow the first Negative the second Positive The first or the Negative that Whatsoever undertakes to direct or guide our actions to tell us our duty that this we must that we may not doe and hath not some law in force and still obligatory to us to authorize those directions by is not Conscience whatsoever it is 20 First Humour it may be to think our selves bound to doe whatsoever we have a strong inclination to doe it being a matter of some difficulty to distinguish between my naturall and my spirituall inclinations the motion of my sensitive appetite and my diviner principle my lower and my upper soule and the former commonly crying louder and moving more lively and impatiently and earnestly then the other 21 Secondly Phansie it may be which is a kind of irrationall animall Conscience hath the same relation to sensitive representations those lawes in the members which Conscience hath to intellectuall those lawes of the mind and then as Aristotle saith that in those creatures which have not reason phansie supplyes the place of reason so they which have not or will not have conscience to direct them phansie most commonly gets into its place Or 22 Thirdly Passion it may be Our feares will advise us one thing our animosities another our zeale a third and though that be perhaps zeal
we being weake dyed for the ungodly to note the universal benefit of his death for such weak ones and such sinnes as these to which meer weaknesse betrayes them The very doctrine which from that text at the beginning of our reformation our Reverend Bishop Martyr did assert in his excellent Preface to his explication of the commandements 41 To which purpose I shall onely adde one proofe more taken from the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or rationall importance of Saint Pauls exhortation Rom. 15. 1. We that are strong saith he mus beare the weaknesses {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of them which are not strong {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and not please our selves for v. 3. Christ did not so but c. which reason sure must come home to both parts the affirmative as well as the negative or else the Logick will not be good and so the affirmative be that Christ bare the infirmities of the weake and so again v. 7. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} applyed to the same matter he took us up when we were thus fallen I might adde more but I hope rather that I have said too much in so plaine a point and abundantly evinced the irreconcileablenesse of such frailties with a good conscience 42 A third thing is that The lusting of the flesh against the spirit is reconcileable with a good conscience so it be in him that walketh in the spirit obeys the desires and dictates of that and fulfilleth not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16 17. There is no spiritually good thing that a man ever doth in his life but the flesh hath some mutinyings lustings and objections against it there being such a contrariety betwixt the commands of Christ and the desires of the flesh that no man which hath those two within him doth the things that he would For so t is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that you doe not not that you cannot doe The things that he would i. e. the things which either he resolves to doe or takes delight in those he doth not i. e. either purely without some mixture or still without some opposition of the contrary or as againe the place may be rendred this opposition of these two one against another tendeth to this that we may not doe or to hinder us from doing every thing that we would as indeed we should doe were there not that opposition within our owne brests This is the meaning of that 17 verse which notwithstanding it followes verse 18. that if we be led by the spirit if that be victorious over the contrary pretender as it may though tother lust against it if the production be not works of the flesh adultery c. v. 19. but the fruit of the spirit love peace c. v. 22. against such there is no law no condemnation no accusation of conscience here or hereafter 43 For it must be observed that there is great difference betwixt this lusting of the flesh against the spirit in them that are led by the spirit Gal. 5. and the warring of the law in the members against the law in the mind which bringeth into captivity to the law of sin i. e. to it selfe Rom. 7. For those in whom that latter is to be found are there said to be carnall sold under sinne as a slave was wont sub hasta to be sold and so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be led by the flesh and fulfill the lusts of the flesh which is of all things most unreconcileable with that mans state against whom there is no condemnation in Christ Rom. 8. 1. and so with a good Conscience 44 And if the resistance of the minde or the law morall of the spirit or the law Christian be sufficient to excuse that action or habituall course which is committed and lived in in opposition to both of these or while both of these check and contradict then sure are sins against conscience become if not the most excusable sinnes yet the more excusable for this that they are against conscience that woulding or contending of the mind or the law of the mind being no other but the dictate of the instructed conscience in them which know the law Rom. 7. 1. which he that obeyes not but followes the law or command of sin against it hath not sure a good conscience in our second sence as that signifies a Conscience of well-doing or doing nothing against rule of Conscience for that this man in terminis is supposed to doe 45 Having now proceeded thus farre in the affirmative part in shewing what sinnes are reconcileable with a good Conscience I should now proceed to the negative part and shew what are not reconcileable therewith But before I advance to that there is one classis or head of sinnes about which there is some question and difficulty of resolving to which of the extreames it should be reduced i. e. whether it be reconcileable or unreconcileable with a good Conscience And that is the single Commission of some act of knowne sinne which hath not the Apology of weaknesse to excuse it and yet is not indulged or persisted or continued in for of those that are so you shall hear anon in the 8 Proposition but without delay retracted by humiliation and reformation For the stating and fatisfying of which it will be necessary first to observe that 46 Any such act of wilfull sinne First hath in it selfe a being and so is capable of a notion abstracted from the retraction of it Yea secondly is a work of some time and though it be never so suddenly retracted by repentance yet some space there is before that retraction and if we speak of that time or space there is no doubt but that act first is contrary to good conscience and contracts a guilt and consequent to that the displeasure of God and obligation to punishment which nothing but repentance can do away yea and secondly is a naturall means of weakning that habit of good of sauciating and wounding the soule and for that time putting it in a bloody direfull condition and should God before repentance strike for ought we know there would be no remission and so fearfull would be the end of that soule 47 But then secondly if before God thus visit in justice repentance interpose as in this present case we suppose it doth if this plank be caught hold on instantly upon the shipwrack if he that hath committed this act of carnality c. lye not down after the manner of the Grecian horses in Saint Ambroses expression qui cum ceciderint quandam tenent quietis patientiae disciplinam are taught when they fall in the race not to strive or endeavour to get up again lye still on the ground with great stilnesse and patience walk not after the flesh Ro. 8. 1. Then presently is he set right again in Gods favour upon performance
they doe so will have least right to that onely Antidote of invincible ignorance to digest them 32 The third corollary will be this that scrupulousnesse of conscience in some lighter lesse important matters if it may be supposed excusable as a weaknesse of an uninstructed mind joyned with that good symptome of tendernesse of quick sense yet can never hope to be accepted by God by way of commutation or expiation for grosser sinnes so that he that falls foulely in any confessed sinne should fare the better at the great day of account or be in lesse danger of being cast out of Gods favour for the present because he is over-scrupulous in other things For sure this were a strange way of supererogation to pay one arreare to God by running into another with him to discharge a debt by owing more And yet this is an errour which may seem worth the paines of preventing it being so notoriously seen that some men which professe to have care of their wayes and must in charity be beleeved to have so goe on confidently in greivous sins which they cannot but know will damne without repentance the sentence of not inheriting the Kingdome of God Gal. 5. being so distinct and punctuall and absolute and indispensable against them and yet have no Antidote to relye on for the averting that danger but onely this of their exactnesse and scrupulousnesse in things indifferent which if they shall say they doe not confide in they are then obliged in conscience and charity to their brethren who may follow them to this precipice either to give over hoping or to set to purifying without which there is no true ground of hope This hint puts me in mind that there is another part of my design still behind belonging to the second notion of conscience to examine 33 What it is that is required to entitle a man to a good conscience which will briefly be stated by premising what before was mentioned that the good conscience belongs either to particular single performances or to the whole state of life and actions To the first there is no more required but that that particular action be both for matter and circumstance regulated by the rule or rules which are proper to it and have nothing contrary to any superiour transcendent rule As that my meale be with sobriety and thanksgiving my almes with chearfulnesse liberality discretion done in gratitude and obedience to God and mercifulnesse to my brother without reflexion on my own gaine or praise in this world But for the Good Conscience which belongs to the whole state of life and actions which is called a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13. 18. or a good Conscience consisting in having a good conversation in all things for so the punctation in the Greek will direct rather to render it we have a good conscience willing to live well or have an honest conversation in all things there the difficulty will be greater And yet two Texts there are which tend much to the clearing and disinvolving of that one 1 Pet. 3. 16. where {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Good Conscience in the beginning of the verse is explained in the close by {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a good conversation in Christ or a good christian conversation or such as now through Christ by the purport of the second covenant may and shall be accepted for good Where the word conversation denoting first the actions and behaviour both toward God and man and secondly the whole course and frame of those actions wherein it seems a good conscience consists I cannot better be explained then either by the Apostles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an accurate exact walking Eph. 1. 15. or the phrase to Titus c. 2. 12. living soberly and righteously and godly in this present world the first respecting our duty to our selves or actions as private men the second our duty to our brethren in our more publique capacities the third our duty to God as creatures men and Christians or Saint Lukes character of Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1. 6. Walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Walking Blamelesse In all Universall sincere obedience not entire or perfect without ever sinning but considered with the rules of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or moderation of strict law which is now part of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Gospel-law by which a Christian is to be nyed as equity is a part of the municipall law of this land Such is mercy for frailties and infirmities and grosser lapses recovered and retracted by repentance now under the Gospel so as to be acceptable to God in Christ which was intimated as in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Christ 1 Pet. 3. so in the former part of that verse and their character {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} righteous before God Which phrase Before God hath a double intimation worth observing in this place first of the perseverance or perpetuity of that righteousnesse as opposed to the temporary of the hypocrite for the phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} before him refers to the shew bread of old Exod. 25. 30. which was to be set before God alway and therefore is sometime called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the bread of faces or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} bread before his face literally {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} before him and sometimes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perpetuall bread and secondly of the acceptation or reception in the sight of God for that againe was the end of setting the bread alwayes before God that God looking on it might accept them and so righteousnesse before God is such righteousnesse as God will please in the Gospel to accept of as when visiting the fatherlesse c. Jac. 1. 27. is called religion pure and undefiled before God the Father it noteth such a degree of unblemisht purity not as excluded all sinne but as God in Christ would or hath promised to accept of And the same phrase therefore is in another place of the same Chapter Luk. 1. 75. rendred by our Church in the Gospel for Midsummer day by these words such as may be acceptable for him 34 Which being all taken into the description of a good conscience that it is such a continued good conversation as God now under the Gospel promiseth to accept of the onely difficulty behind will be what that is which God promiseth to accept of To which end it will be very instrumentall to take in that other place which I promised and that is that forementioned Heb. 13. 18. where the Good Conscience is evidenced or the ground of confidence that he hath a good conscience demonstrated by this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} willing or resolving or
endeavouring to live honestly or to have honest conversation in all things From whence the onely thing which I desire to collect is this That the sincere resolution or endeavour to live honestly in all things which I remember one of our ancientest Church-writers Saint Cyrill of Jerusalem calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and opposes it to {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} works is the Scripture nomination of a good Conscience or the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that great treasure of confidence to all which have it that ground of mature perswasion for any that he hath or shall by God be allowed and acknowledged to have a good conscience 35 And if it be farther demanded what is necessarily required and how much will be sufficient to denominate a man Such what is the minimum quod sic of this sincere resolution or endeavour although that I confesse will be hard if not impossible to define in such a manner as shall come home to every particular the proportions of more or lesse knowledge or strength the inequality of the talents of illuminating and assisting grace still interposing and making a variation yet will it not be matter of much difficulty to give some generall advertisements and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which will be acknowledged as soone as mentioned and being put together and by each man single applyed to his particular case by way of self examination will be able to tell him in some measure whether he hath a good conscience or no And the first of these will be That 36 Acts and habits of sinne in the former heathen or unregenerate part of the life of what nature and clothed with what aggravations soever if they are now retracted and renounced by repentance as that signifies not onely a sorrow but a thorow change are reconcileable with a good conscience The truth of which is cleare first because the Gospel allowes place for repentance and promises rest to the heavy laden so he come unto Christ and mercy to him that confesseth and forsaketh Secondly because the sincerity of resolution and endeavour now which is all that is required to a present good conscience is reconcileable with past sins even of the largest size Thirdly because Saint Paul himselfe which was once a Saul can yet say confidently that he hath a good conscience And fourthly because which I shal a little enlarge on the sinne against the holy Ghost which alone is by the Gospel made uncapable of remission is as I conceive no act no nor course of any speciall sinne but a state of final impenitence a continued persevering resistance of all those saving methods which are consequent to the descent and are part of the office of the holy Ghost 37 To which purpose I shall give you one hint which may perswade the preferring of this opinion before the contrary and it is by observing the occasion of Christs delivering those words concerning the irremissiblenesse of speaking against the holy Ghost Those words are delivered by Christ both in Saint Matthew and Saint Mark upon occasion of that speech of the Jewes that Christ cast out Devils by the Prince of Devils which was clearly a blaspheming or speaking contumeliously against Christ himselfe or the sonne of man and there is no passage in the Text which can conclude that that speech of theirs was by Christ called the blasphemy against the holy Ghost but rather the contrary that it was a blasphemy onely against the sonne of man for t is apparent that Christ Mat. 12. 15. for the space of six verses sets himselfe to convince them of the falsity of that speech which probably he would not have done if they to whom he spake had been in an irrecoverable irreversible estate of blasphemy For that he should take such paines onely to leave them unexcusable 1. there was no great need in this case they were so already 2. it is a mistake to think that Christ doth so at any time they are bowels of mercy and not designes of mischieving or accumulating their sinne and judgements which incline him to call and knock and labour to convince sinners and having done that doth both invite them to repentance by shewing them the possibility of pardon yet and give them an admonition able to shake them out of all impenitence by telling them the danger which attended if the only last method of working on them which was yet behind did not prosper with or work upon them This is the importance of that 31 and 32 verse concerning the speaking a word i. e. standing out against the sonne of man on one side and the Holy Ghost on the other the summe of which is this there shall be by the coming of the Holy Ghost a possibility of pardon and meanes of reformation for those that resist and hold out and even crucifie Christ as by the coming of Christ there was for those that should beleive on him though they had formerly lived disobedient unto God the Father resisted those methods of mercy used on them under the old Testament for them that speak a word i. e. by an Hebraisme doe an action of affront of injury of contumely against Christ yea that resist and beleive not on him but conceive and affirme him to cast out Divels by the power of Beelzebub which was as contumelious a thing as could be said of him but when Christ shall be taken from the earth and the Holy Ghost shall be sent down to convince the world of that great sinne of crucifying Christ and to settle in the Church of God such an orderly use of all Gospell-meanes that may tend to the bringing sinners to repentance the use both of the word and sacrament and censures and all other things necessary to that great end of working on the most contumacious that if this prevaile not there is little hope left of ever working on such perversenesse then it is to be resolved that those that thus stand out against all those saving methods of Gods last oeconomy shall be left uncapable of any good of any whether meanes of yet-farther working on them or of pardon either in the Church or in heaven there being no more persons in the God-head now behind unlesse we will change the christians Trinity into Pythagorasses {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} nor consequently meanes in the providence of God for the reducing of or obtaining mercy for such By this it will appeare that this blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is not any one act no nor habit of sin particularly not that speaking against Christ there which you will also guesse by Saint Luke who mentions not that speech of theirs concerning his casting-out Divels by the Prince of Divels and yet sets down this speech of Christ of the irremissibility of this blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Luke 12. 10. which argues that this hath no neare relation to that but a finall
holding out against and resisting the whole office of the Holy Ghost and all those gracious methods consequent to it 38 To which I shall only adde in reference to my present purpose that there may be no place of doubting even to him which will not receive my interpretation of this place that even by those which conceive it to be some speciall kind of finne yet the unpardonablenesse of it is acknowledged to arise from thence that it is impossible for any such to repent yet not for any that repents to find pardon and mercy which is sufficient for the confirmation of my present proposition 'T is true indeed that he that is sold a slave of sinne the unregenerate carnall man is whilst he is so in a most hopelesse comfortlesse estate and if he have any naturall conscience left him it must needs be a kind of seind and fury with him No peace to such wicked saith my God and it is as true that the recovery of such a man out of the grave of rottennesse that Lazarstate in sinne is a miracle of the first magnitude a work of greatest difficulty Christ groanes at the raising of him that was 4 dayes dead and putrified in the grave and costs the sinner much dearer to be raised out of it Saul is strucke down in his march towards Damascus blind and trembling before his conversion but yet still when this conversion is wrought he may have a good Conscience what ever his foregoing sins were 39 And although the Apostles Censure Heb. 6. 6. and 10. 26. light yet heavier upon those who after the knowledge of the truth and gust of the life to come and participation of the holy spirit relapse to their former sinnes it being there affirmed that there is no possibility to renew them or as the Greeks read it for them to renew or recover to repentance and consequently the sacrifice for sinne {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} no longer belonging to or remaining for them yet doth not this hinder the truth of the present proposition for I those places to the Hebrews belong not to the sins of the unregenerate life which only now we speak of but of the relapse after the knowledge of the truth 2. even in those places speaking of those sinnes the doctrine is not that there shall be any difficulty of obtaining pardon for them upon repentance for the Subject of the Apostles Propositions is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} men considered exclusively to repentance as abiding in sinne unreformed impenitent and to such we designe not to allow mercy but that this is so great a grieving and quenching of the spirit of God that it becometh very difficult and in ordinary course impossible for them that are guilty of it to repent {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} again to recover to repentance It being just and ordinary with God upon such sinnes of those to whom he hath given grace to withdraw that grace againe according to his method and oeconomy of providence exprest in the parable of the talents from him that hath not made use of the grace or talent given shall be taken away even that which he hath and Wisd. 1. 5. the holy spirit of discipline will not abide where unrighteousnesse cometh in and so being thus deprived of that grace it is consequently impossible that those should {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in a neutrall sense renew and recover or in an active reciprocall renew or recover themselves to repentance though yet for God to give a new stock of grace it is not impossible but only a thing which he hath not by revealed promise obliged himselfe to do and therefore whether he will doe it or no is meerly in his own hand and dispositive power and that which no man hath ground to hope and title to challenge from him All which notwithstanding our present proposition stands firm that where there is repentance or true thorow change those former retracted acts or habits are reconcileable with good Conscience 40 The second this that Sinnes of weaknesse of all kinds whether first of ignorance or secondly of naturall infirmity the one for want of light the other for want of grace or thirdly of suddaine surreption such as both by the law of Si quis praecipiti calore in the Code of Iustinian and by the municipal laws of most nations are matter of extenuation to some crimes to discharge them from capitall punishment at least to make them capable of pardon or fourthly of dayly continuall incursion either for want of space to deliberate at all or because it is morally impossible to be upon the guard to be deliberate always opere in longo fas est obrepere somnum or fiftly which through levity of the matter passes by undiscerned and the like are irreconcileable with a good conscience because againe be a man never so sincerely resolute and industrious in endeavour to abstaine from all sinne yet as long as he carries flesh about him which is such a principle of weaknesse that ordinarily in the New Testament the word flesh is set to signifie weaknesse such weaknesses he will be subject to such frailties will be sure to drop from him This I remember Parisiensis illustrates handsomely first by the similitude of an armed man provided with strength and prowesse and wrestling with another in lubrico on a slippery ground who though neither weapons nor strength nor courage faile him yet may be very probably fall the slipperinesse of the footing will betray him to that or secondly by an horseman mounted on an unmanaged or tender-mouth'd horse who cannot with all his skill and caution secure himself from all misadventures the beast may upon a check come over with him or getting the bit into the mouth runne into the enemies quarters or thirdly by a City that is provided for a siege with workes and men and victuals and ammunition and yet by a treacherous party within may be betrayed into the enemies hands there is a principle of weaknesse within like that slippery pavement that tender-mouthed beast that insidious party which will make us still lyable to such miscarriages and nothing in this contrary either to courage or diligence to resolution or endeavour And for such as these frailties ignorances infirmities c. So they be laboured against and the meanes of preventing or overcomming them sincerely used which if it be done you shall find them dayly wain in you and if they doe not so in some measure you have reason to suspect and to double your diligence there is sure mercy in Christ to be had obtaineable by dayly confession and sorrow and prayer for forgivenesse of trespasses without any compleat conquest atchieved over them in this life It being Saint Pauls affirmation very exactly and critically set downe Rom. 5. 6. that Christ {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
as for them he was in a manner delivered up to Satan to be contumeliously used as he seemes to conceive from Shimei's cursing of him 2 Sam. 16. 10. For Shimei being an instrument of Satans in cursing and Satan thereto permitted by God upon some crime for which he had accused him to God he there calls it Gods saying to Shimei Curse David And yet because he continued not with indulgence in any of them his heart presently smiting him as in the case of numbring the people and recalling him to instant reformation save onely in that concerning Uriah the Hittite wherein it appears that he continued neere the space of a yeere from before the conception till after the birth of the child as is cleare by the time of Nathans comming to him 2 Sam. 12. 1. t is therefore left upon record by God That David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 King 15. 5. 67 From whence although I shall not conclude that God saw no other sinne in David but that in the matter of Uriah because I know he saw and punisht that of numbring the People and for that other though not acted yet designed under oath against Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 22. Abigail discernes that it was a causelesse shedding of blood and an act of revenge v. 31. and so no small sinne in Gods sight yet t is cleare that the sin in the matter of Uriah that onely sinne continued in for any long time made another manner of separation betweene God and David contracted another kind of guilt and was a farre greater waster to conscience then any of those other more speedily retracted sinnes did was the onely remarkable {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} drawing back or turning aside from obedience to God the onely grand defection shaking off Gods yoke and so the onely chasme in his regenerate state 68 These 4 Propositions being premised whereof 3 were affirmative and this last of a middle nature The rest will be negative As 69 Fiftly Hypocrisie is not reconcileable with a good conscience I mean not Hypocrisie which consists in the concealing from the eyes of men the sins or frailties he is guilty of for supposing those frailties to be what they are i. e. acknowledging in them a guilt proportionate to their nature I cannot see why the bare desire to conceale them from the eyes of men separated from the sins or frailties themselves and from any treacherous designe in such concealing should be thought to superadde any farther degree of guilt when on the other side the publicknesse of a sinne is an aggravation of it makes it more scandalous and so more criminous also Nor againe doe I meane that hypocrisie which is the taking in any thought of the praise of men and the like in our best actions for as long as we have flesh about us some degrees of this will goe neare sometimes to insinuate themselves and then though they prove blemishes to those best actions and by anticipating the payment and taking it here before hand robbe us of that heavenly reward hereafter which would otherwise be rendred to us according to those works yet stil being but spots of sons reconcileable with a regenerate estate as the straw and combustible superstruction is in Saint Paul compatible with the true substantiall foundation they will be reconcileable with good conscience also which is alwayes commensurate to a regenerate estate 70 But the hypocrisy which I meane is first that which is opposite to and compatible with Sincerity first the deceiving of men with a pretence of piety putting off the most Un-Christian sins having no more of Christianity then will serve to mischieve others i. e. onely the pretence of it to disguise the poyson of a bitter heart Secondly the deceiving of God or thirdly his owne soule not dealing uprightly with either and nothing more contrary then this to a good conscience 71 Secondly the maimed mutilate obedience the compounding betwixt God and Satan the Samaritanes fearing the Lord and serving their owne Gods joyning others with God and paying to them a respect equall or superiour to that which they pay to God serving Mammon and God or Mammon more then God Or 72 Thirdly the formall profession the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or outside-garbe of Godlinesse not joyning the inward but making a meer pageant of piety denying the power thereof Or 73 Fourthly the hypocrisy of the wisher and woulder that could wish he were better then he is could be well pleased to dye the death of the righteous to have all the gainfull part the revenue and crown of a good Conscience but will not be at the charge of a conscientious life Or 74 Fiftly the hypocrisy of the partiall obedient that is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of duty chooses out the easy smooth plyable doctrines of Christianity the cheap or costlesse performances the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} will serve the Lord his God of that which costs him nothing will doe some things that have nothing contrary to passions in generall or particularly to his passions like Herod that could heare Iohn Baptist gladly be present at as many Sermons as he could wish and many the like painlesse performances but when the weightier matters of the law expect to be taken up also cannot submit to such burthens Or 75 Sixthly the hypocrisy of the temporary which abstaines onely as long as the punishment is over his head and awes him to it or as long as he meets with no temptations to the contrary both which what place they have in the death-bed repentance even when it is not onely a sorrow for sinne but a resolution of amendment also I leave it to be considered Or 76 Seventhly the hypocrisy of those which commit evill that good may come of it who venture on the most Vn Christian fins for Gods glory accept the person of the Almighty doe injustice for his sake or rather suppose him impotent and fetch in the Devill or their owne vile lusts to releive and assist God of whom the Apostle pronounceth their damnation is just Rom. 3. 8. Or 77 Lastly the hypocrisy of him which keeps any one close undeposited sinne upon his soule These are each of them contrary to some part of the ground of good Conscience to the foundation of Christian confidence some to the sincerity some to the resolution and some to the obedience {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in all and some to the perseverance which is absolutely necessary to the good Conscience 78 A sixth Proposition is that a supine wilfull course of negligence and sloth whether in duties of mans particular calling or more especially in the duties of the generall calling as we are Christians that sinne of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
{non-Roman} is not reconcileable with a good Conscience Omissions being destructive such they may be as well as commissions whether it be omission of the performance of morall or Christian precepts Christs improvements of the Law in the Sermon on the Mount being not onely as Counsells but Precepts obligatory to Christians or whether it be onely the wilfull supine slothfull neglecting the meanes of knowledge such as are agreeable to my course of life Or the neglecting to make use of those meanes which are necessary to enable me to get out of any sinne One act of which nature was by Christ noted and censured in his Disciples Their not fasting and praying to cast out that Devill that would not otherwise be cast out Or the not avoyding such occasions which are apt to betray me to it Such acts as these are as Christ saith to those Disciples acts of faithlesnesse and perversenesse Mat. 17. 17. and cosequently the continued course of them contrary to the sincerity of endeavour and so unreconcileable with a good conscience 79 The seventh Proposition is that all habituall customary obdurate sinning is unreconcileable utterly with a good Conscience I adde the word Obdurate which signifies the hardning of the heart against the knowledge of the truth against exhortations against threats of Gods word against checks of naturall Conscience or illuminations of grace against resolutions and vowes to the contrary for this will make any habit certainly unreconcileable with a good Conscience Whereas it is possible that some Customary sinning may be through ignorance of the duty and that ignorance if it be not contracted by some wilfulnesse of mine may be matter of excuse to me and so reconcileable with a good conscience by force of the second Proposition But the obdurate holding out against Gods spirit either knocking for admittance but not opened to or checking and restraining from sin after conversion and not harkned to resisting all Gods methods of working on us and still resolutely walking after the flesh this is by no means reconcileable with a good conscience nay nor any habit of sin simply taken for that is exclusive of the habit of piety necessary to the good coscience unlesse it have that authentique plea of faultlesse ignorance to excuse it 80 The eighth proposit on is that any deliberate presumptuous act or commission of any sin against which damnation or not inheriting the Kingdome of heaven is pronounced in the New Testament being not immediately retracted by repentance humiliation and all the effects of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 11. is wholly unreconcileable with a good conscience Such are Gal. 5. 19. Adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse foure distinct degrees of incontinence Idolatry witchcraft two degrees of impiety hatred variance emulation wrath strife sedition heresies envyings murthers nine degrees of the pride of life or that other branch of carnality flowing from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or the irascible faculty drunkennesse revelling the species of intemperance and such like and the same with some variation and addition 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. and Eph 5. 5. Every one of these at the very commission have the nature of peccata sauciantia wounding the Sinner to the heart letting out a great deale of good blood and vitall spirits and weakning the habit of Christian vertue of peccata clamantia crying sins the voice of conscience so wronged by them calling to heaven for judgement against such oppressours or perhaps Satan carrying an accusation thither against such offenders and if upon this they be not straight retracted by an earnest contrition humiliation and repentance they then proceed farther to be any one act of them peccata vastantia conscientiam Sins wasting despoiling the conscience betraying to some sadder punishment even desertion and withdrawing of grace and delivering up to our own hearts lusts a consequent of which are all vile affections Rom. 1. and that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} cursing Heb. 6. 8. 81 Just as it was the manner of the Jewes Judicatures He that was punished by their {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} separation or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not permirted to come neare any man within foure cubits if he did not thereupon shew and approve his repentance within the space of two moneths on that contumacy was then smitten with their {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the anathemation or execration and sometimes cast into prison So is Gods dealing with the sinner remaining imperitent for such a space substraction of Gods grace and spirit the curse of the Gospel is his portion 82 For the clearing of which truth yet faâ—therr t will be observable that the danger that arises from one sinne of the first magnitude against which the sentence is pronounced that they who are guilty of such shall never inherit eternall life is or may be to him that after the knowledge of the truth relapses into it as great as that which is incurred by many lesser sinnes or by a relapsing into a generality of impure life and therefore the remaining in that one sinne will be as unreconcileable with a regenerate estate as the remaining in many other and proportionably one act of it as noxious and wasting to conscience as apt to provoke God to withdraw his spirit as many acts of those lesser sins and though neither any single act either of lesser or greater sinne in a sincere lover of Christ presently retracted as it will be if he continue so doth so grieve as to quench Gods spirit utterly so provoke God as to make him wholly withdraw his grace and totally desert him yet if that one sin be continued in favoured and indulged to either by multiplying more acts of it or by no expressing repentance for it by all those means which the Apostle requires of his incestuous Corinthian or which are named as effects of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 11. this direfull punishment of desertion is then to be expected as the reward of any one such sinne and from thence will follow any impossibility for that man so diserted ever to return to repentance again Gods speciallayde which is now withdrawne being absolutely necessary to that 83 Where yet of those that thus remain in any such sin there is some difference For some that so remain in sinne doe so remain that they desire not to get out of it hate to be reformed others thoughensnared so in sin that they cannot get out yet are very earnest and sollicitous to find out some means to break through and escape out of those snares and then this latter state of soul though it be not sufficient to give claime or right to mercy the victory over the world the actuall forsaking of all such sins being necessary to that and not only our wishes that we were victorious yet is it a nearer and more hopefull capacity of the grace of repentance more likely to be blessed by the returning of
Gods spirit enabling to repent then that former state of contemptuous continuers in the same sin appeares to be 84 For though in both these states there is no repenting without Gods new gift of grace and no absolute promise that God will be so gracious to such sinners yet there is a place 1 Iohn 5. 16. which makes a difference betweene sinne unto death and sinne not unto death both of them states of impenitence and persisting in sin but differing as the two latter degrees of excommunication did among the Iewes Cherem and Scammatha both noting a totall separation but the latter a finall also and by the composition of the word intimating death or desolation giving up the sinner to divine vengeance as hopelesse or contumacious in reference to which the phrase is here used a sinne unto death whereas the other of impenitence not arrived to that desperate contumacy is a state of curse under cherem and anathema but not unto death yet and allowes this priviledge to the prayers of faithfull men for others that they shall obtain life for those that have sinned not unto death where that the not being to death of a sinne is to be taken not from the matter of the sinne but from the disposition of the sinner and so from this desiring to get out though he remain in it or somewhat answerable to that might if any doubt were made of it be proved as by other arguments so by putting together the peculiar use of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in that Authour for abiding and continuing in sinne and the no extenuation that such abiding is capable of so farre as to make one such abiding so much lesse then another such abiding as that one should be called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the other not save only this of wishing and heaving and labouring to get out which supposes some remainder of exciting though not of Sanctifying or assisting grace while the other goes on without any care or love or desire of reformation 85 And though still there be no promise that such a relapst unreformed sinners prayers shall be heard for himselfe upon that bare desire to get out which his praying for grace will suppose there being no such promise of grace to the relapst person upon his prayer as there is to any else yet it is cleare from that place of Saint Iohn that this priviledge belongs to the prayers of other faithfull penitents for such a more moderate degree of unfaithfull impenitents upon their request God will give life to such i. e. such a degree of grace as shall be sufficient to enable them to recover back to repentance of which being given them upon the others prayers if they make use as infallibly they will if they were and continue to be really sollicitous to get out of that state they shall undoubtedly live eternally 86 The practice of which doctrine of Saint Iohns thus explayned you shall see every where in the stories of or canons for the paenitents where they that for any sinne of Ecclesiasticall cognizance were excommunicated did return to the peace of the Church an image of the peace of God by severall degrees of which the first was to stay and oft lye without the Church doores and in the portch at houres of prayer and desire those that retained the honour of being accounted faithfull and so had liberty to go into the Church to pray to God for them Which as the secure supine negligent impaenitent was not likely to doe so was he not to expect the benefit of it nor the Christian brother obliged to pray for him though yet by Saint Iohns {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I say not of that or concerning that state of sinne that he shall pray I am not convinced that it were unlawfull so to doe 87 By all this thus set and bounded with its due limitations the truth of my eight Proposition will appeare of the unreconcileablenesse of such presumptuous acts of such branded sinnes unretracted with a regenerate estate or good Conscience as being indeed quite contrary to every part and branch of the premised ground of a good Conscience 88 To which all that I shall adde is onely this that he that tenders but the comforts of this life i. e. of a Good Conscience will be sure never to commâ—â— deliberately and presumptuously or having by surreption fallen never to lye downe or continue one minuit unhumbled unreformed in any such sinne on which that direfull fate is by Christ or his Apostles inscribed shall not inherit the Kingdome of heaven where yet as I shall not affirme that nonâ— shall subject us to that danger but those which are there specified for there is added and such like and other sins there may be committed with the like deliberation and presumption and so as contrary to Conscience so shall I not say that all that commit any one act of any of these without that deliberation and presumption or that are presenâ—ly by their own heart smitten and brought to repentance for them shall incur that danger for the words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the doers and committers of them signifie the deliberate committing and indulgent yeelding to them contrary to which the use of surreption at the time and the instant subsequent retractation of them by contrition confession forsaking and reinforcement of greater care and vigilance for the future will be sure meanes to deliver from that danger 89 Whereto yet this caution must be annext which may passe for 90 A ninth Proposition That the frequency or repetition of any such acts after such contrition and resolution is an argument of the unsincerity of that contrition of the deceavablenesse of that pretended greater care and so a symptome of an ill conscience as the spreading of the skall or leprosie after the Priests inspection is sufficient to pronounce the patient uncleane Levit. 13. and as that disease in the relapse may be mortall which at first was not 91 Other more particular niceties I confesse there are the distinguishing of which might be usefull for some mens states and help disabuse them both out of an erroneous and a secure yea and an over trembling conscience But because that which would be thus proper to one being laid down in common or cast into the lottery might have the ill hap to be drawn by him to whom it is not proper as that physick which would purge out a distemper from one wil breed a weaknesse in another and because no wise man ever thought fit to take lawes out of generalities I shall resolve rather to obey such reasons and to be directed by such examples not to descend to particulars then to be in danger first of tempting the Readers patience then of interrupting his peace Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly Hob. 13. 18. FINIS {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Tatian {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Tr. of Wil worship {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hooper Vid. Coch. exe Gem. Sanh p. 148. Buxtorf Instit. Ep. p. 75.