the freedome and libertie that we haue by Christe from the rigour of the law which craueth perfite obedience and condemneth all imperfection But sinne hath no more dominion ouer them that are in Christ Ro. 6.14 Gal 3.13 1. Ioh. 5.3 because they are not vnder the Law or rigour thereof but vnder grace and in Christ 11 And therefore it is that God accepteth our imperfite obedience if it be sincere yea and as the Prophet sayth Will for worke Mal. 3.16 12 and Desire for Deed. The third is freedome from the ceremoniall law For after that the truth of all those shadowes is come wee are no more vnder the shadowes to keepe and obserue the same which serued to the Iewes as a schoole-maister Gal. 3.25 Ephe. 2.15 Gal. 3.14 to lead them to Christ who was to come but we hauing the truth to wit Christ who is alreadie come and hath suffered for vs in the flesh haue no neede now of those types and shadowes of the ceremoniall law Thus much concerning the first stay and property of a regenerate Conscience 13 The secōd propertie or stay of a regenerat Consciēce Rom 8.15 Ephes 4.13 Math. 14 31. 21.21 Iames 1.6 Ro. 8.20 The second property or stay of a regenerate Conscience especially when this same excuseth is an infalliable certaintie of our sinnes to be pardoned and of life euerlasting by faith in Christ wrought in our hearts by his spirit wherof al the scriptures of God beare witnes that are heere vnder written against that desperate doctrine of the Bishoppe of Rome and Councell of Trent As Rom. 8.15 Ephes 4.13 Math. 14.31 Math. 21.21 Iames. 1.6 Rom. 4.20 Therefore it is that Basilius demandeth this question What is the property of faith To the which demaund he answereth that it is to be one assured perswasion voyde of doubting disputation Of these places of Scripture aboue mentioned 14 let euery christian make this reason to wit Euery one that beleeueth is the child of God but I beleeue I therfore am the childe of God and Gods children must needs be saued Wherefore I cannot perish against the doctrine of the papists who will haue vs to doubt of our Saluation against the Scriptures of God and Articles of our beliefe which doe command euery man woman both to say I beleeue in God In Iesus Christ his onely Son our Lord who is God also equall with his father In the holie Ghost who is likewise God the third person of the Godhead 1. Ioh 3.2 And finally both to beleeue remission of our sins and life euerlasting But to doubt and to beleeue are words which importe contradiction God commandeth vs to beleeue the remission of our sinnes life euerlasting through the merits death of Christ in the Articles of our beliefe the Pope and Councell of Trent do accurse al such for presūptuous persons as doe not continually doubt of the remission of their sinnes certaintie of Saluation and life eternall And therefore the conclusion is true that the Pope is aduersary to Christ and consequently that same Antichrist the mysterie of whose iniquitie beganne euen in the dayes of the Apostles and which hath so increased sensine that in all the heads of Christian religion his doctrine is repugnant vnto Christs And in this point directlie to the verie Articles of our Christian beleefe It may bee demaunded heere by way of question 15 Question Answer A good conscience may both accuse and excuse at one time but not in one respecte if one and the same conscience may not both accuse and excuse Gods children at any one time Answer that it may For else if our Conscience should not still accuse vs when wee doe amisse then shoulde manie great sinnes assaulte vs at once make hauock of our soules And therefore wee affirme that it may both accuse vs and excuse vs at one time but not in one respect For it excuseth vs in that it assureth vs that our persons doe stand righteous before God as cloathed and couered with the righteousnesse of Christ And in respecte that we haue our desire and doe endeuoure ourselues in the generall course of our whole life to walke vprightlie and to please God And yet neuerthelesse of this it muste needs accuse vs perpetually for our particular slippes and for the manifolde wants and imperfections that bee in all our good and beste actions by reason whereof it telleth vs perpetually in our care Luek 17. that we are vnprofitable seruants Thus much of a good Conscience 16 Euill conscience what and why it is so called Now followeth an euill Conscience which is so called partly because it is corrupted by originall sinne and partly by reason it is euill that is troublesome and painefull to our sence and feeling as are vnto vs all other sorrowes calamities or miseries whatsoeuer which for this same cause are called likewise euils 17 The propertie of an euil cōscience is ever to accuse Luke 5.8 The propirtie of it is euer to accuse condemne and thereby to make them that haue it affrayde of the presence of God and to flee from him as from their enemie Example in our first parents in Peter who falling downe at Christes knees besought him to goe from him in respect his Conscience toulde him and accused him that he was a sinfull man 18 Euill conscience is ether dead or waking Euill Conscience is eyther dead or waking and stirring the dead Conscience is that which albeit it can but accuse lyeth commonly quyet accusing little or nothing at all and that for diuers causes to witte want of reason strength and force of wicked and fleshly affections ignorance of Gods word and reuealed will A dead Conscience hath two properties the first is to be benūmed 19 A dead consciēce hath two properties Gen. 44.16 vnfeeling or dosened as that of Iosephs brethren for the space of two and twentie yeares or thereby This raigneth in drowsie Protestants luke-warme Gospellers and ciuill honest persons who liue without common slander to the gospell Of this kinde of Conscience let vs take heede For it is like to a wilde beast who so long as it lyeth a sleepe troubleth nothing but when it awaks flyeth into mens faces and deuoureth them This is it that the Poets did call the Furies because it pursueth them that haue it vnto death and desperation The second property of a dead Conscience is 20 to be feared or burnt as the Apostle saieth with an hotte yron that is the Conscience which is past all feeling in this life and is neuer mooued with the remorse of sin thorowly or to any purpose And this is in the onely obstinate wicked and such as are giuen vp into a reprobate minde Rom. 2.15 This shall be wakened at the day of death and last iudgement by God to accuse and condemne them that haue it whē the bookes of the dead both
from whence iudgement knowledge doe proceede as effects This the scriptures doe confirme ascribing sundrie works and actions to conscience as accusing excusing comforting terrifiing which could not proceede from thence if it were no more then an naked and bare action or act of the minde Wherfore 10 As conscience is in all men Angels so doth it apply al principles and conclusions of the minde eyther to accuse or excuse them it is that power of the soule whose propertie is to take the principall conclusions of the minde and apply them either to accuse or excuse So that this is the grounde of all that Conscience is a thing which can neuer bee lost albeit the same may loose the vse for a time as reason in a drunken man for it is in all reasonable creatures both man and Angell as in the proper subiects Therefore all consciences that now doe sleepe shall once be wakened eyther in mercie or in iudgement heere or in hel for the torment of an euill conscience in the wicked Esa 66.24 is a worme saieth the Prophet which shall neuer die and a fire that shall neuer be quenched The ende of conscience is to determine of things done 11 The ende of Conscience and wherein it differeth from other giftes and faculties of the mind whereby it differeth from all other gifts of the minde as are intelligence opinion science faith prudence c. For as to intelligence it simplie conceaueth a thing to be or not be opinion iudgeth a thing to be probable or contuigent Science iudgeth it to be sure and certaine faith is a perswasion whereby we beleeue things that are not but are hid from vs as yet prudence discerneth what is meete to be done or what to be left vndone But Conscience goeth further then all these for it giueth sentence of things done by saying vnto vs shewing vs this was done this was not done This may be done This may not be done This was well done This was euill done 12 3. things to be marked Of Conscience thus described there doe arise three things to be marked Firste that the things wherof Conscience determines are a mans owne actions only for to be certaine what any other man hath done or said is commonly called knowledge but what a man himselfe hath done or said belongeth to Conscience Secondly Conscience meddles not with generals but dealeth onely in particular actions and that not in a few but in all Thirdly that the maner of consciēce is a determination to set downe her iudgement either with the creature or against it and that because it is of diuine nature placed by God in our soules betweene him and vs as an arbitrator to giue sentence and pronounce decreet eyther with vs or against vs to God For sometimes it consents and speaks with God against persons in whome it is placed other times againe it cōsents with them and speaketh for them before the Lorde Examples hereof there bee manie in the Scriptures as of the first sort Kain Iudas and in the latter Peter and the Theefe who albeit their sinnes were greevous because they repented their Conscience assured them of mercie And this is the cause why we call this effect of our minde Conscience 13 Why the Practical parte of the vnderstanding is called conscience For as Scire to know is of one man onely by himselfe So is Conscire when at the least two know some secret thing The which they doe both knowe together Wherfore the name Conscientia or conscience is that thing that maketh two together partakers or partners of the knowledge of things which are secret in the minde of men or Angels Now it is certaine 14 God and man are partners onely in the knowledge of conscience that in this knowledge with man of his secrete deedes thoughts no creatures can be partners with him because neither men nor Angels doe know mans thoughts secrets vnlesse the same be reuealed vnto them and therefore it remaineth that in the knowledge therof conscience hath God onely to be partner with man in all his thoughts words and deeds how secret soeuer they be and man againe by the gift of God doth know the same of himselfe together with God in his Conscience And thus far concerning the word Conscience and the difinition thereof The which heere Saint Iohn calleth the hearte of man 2 What a griefe is a troubled conscience Prouer. 18.14 It followeth to speake next of the greefe of a troubled Conscience which of all others is most intollerable For the spirit of man saith Salomon wil susteine his infirmitie but a wounded spirite who can beare it That is a troubled a wounded conscience is of al greefe the greatest the greeuousest punishment that God at any time layeth vpon either man or Angell So that men to be ridde out of this tormēt doe chuse oftentimes rather death then to liue vnder the misserable and intollerable greife thereof albeit in all other troubles they be able to indure even vnto the ende therof yet this onely is that griefe which they can no waies sustaine As examples both of prophane and diuine histories doe beare recorde For whether we consider this greefe in them who are meere naturall men and neuer knewe God in Christ or in them that are renewed by the holie Ghoste and spirit of regeneration wee shal finde it to bee in either of them the greatest griefe torment of all others As to the first sorte whether the same be heathen people who neuer knewe Gods word or else such as in true Religion did not rightly but superstitiouslie worship God wee shall perceaue if wee list to reade histories that this wound of an accusing heart and troubled spirite coulde not bee healed with any medicine or other comforte whatsoeuer For the hethen Philosophers the wisest of all others among the Gentles as Cato and others who did beare all troubles most patiently to the great admiration of all the world did yet notwithstanding where their cōsciences became troubled and when some great distresse of minde wounded their heart and spirit make an ende of their liues with their owne handes Some by drinking deadlie poyson Some by running themselues voluntarily vpon the weapons of their enemis Some by casting themselues from hie places vnto the deepe of the sea or ouer high rocks to beate and strike themselues all to peeces And some not sticking to stogge themselues through the harts with swords knyues or other such weapons for griefe of this wound of conscience trouble of heart all the which persones so long as other waies their consciēces were not surcharged ouermaistered were in al bodilie troubles invincible c. As Cato Iasson the husband of Medea Lucretia and others As Alexander the greate and Nero who would haue put hand to themselues for greefe of conscience The like we may beholde in persons that either supersticiously worship God
as Papists or yet in the common sort of people that in mouth professe Christ but yet in works doe deny him who are all cast into the spirite of slumbering numnes or hardnes of hart who hearing hear not nor seeing cannot perceaue but are sensles and blockish vnto the time that God doth loose the brydle of their consciences and setteth before them their sinnes committed and the punishmente due vnto them Then may we see in many of them how greeuously they are tormented and what sorrowfull ends they doe make while some of them doe hang themselues Some drowne themselues Some cutte their owne throtes some of them doe stogge themselues to the hearts with kniues daggers or swordes And all to rid themselues out of the intollerable and feareful griefe of conscience as they doe falsly suppose vnto whome Iudas and Kain are fearefull patrons and teachers As to that wicked Spaniyard Alphonsus who when he could not by any meanes disswade his brother Diasius by faire meanes from the profession of the gospell to embrace Papistrie anno 1551 hee cruellie murthered him And therefore greeued in Conscience there after did hang himselfe at the councel of Trent The like also did Robert Long a man at armes in Calice a false witnes against William Smyth preacher anno 15â—â— who grieued in conscience therefore did immediately thereafter runne to the water and drowned himselfe So heauie lay that sinne of false witnesse bearing vpon his conscience And what shall wee say of George Brodway suborned by the councell of Calice about the same time to beare also false witnes against Thomas Brooke Who therefore went about to cutte his owne throate for griefe of conscience when he was stayed to doe the same and the knyfe taken from him wherewith he had wounded himselfe he became stark madde and so dyed Sir Iames Halles also Knight and iustice of the common place for greefe of conscience that he had denied the knowen trueth and embraced papistrie at Queene Maries commande drowned himselfe Gregory the seuenth as witnesseth Benno dyed desperatlie at Salernum of the onely greefe of conscience vnto whome we may adde Latimus Eckins and Thomas Blaverus Scotus who all miserablie and in desperation ended this life for onley griefe of conscience and who list to read moe of this number and of all sortes both of men women he shall finde many that miserablie for griefe of conscience in desperation haue ended their liues in that booke which is intituled Historia Tragica Therefore of all burthens the griefe of conscience is the greatest But heere the question may bee demanded 5 Question why some of all these sortes of people do dispatch theÌ„selus of this life by so violent death and some others againe do dye so quiet or rather sencelesly with out griefe Answere Answer that the cause is in respecte that some feeling no sinne in this life do departe like drunken and brutish swine and waken not out of their hellish sleepe vntill they be in hell and the tormentes thereof fully sease vpon them Some are surcharged with the deadly sleepe of sinne vnto the end of their life and vthers overburthened with sinne are wakened in this life throgh the weight thereof And the others being surcharged ouerburthened with sinne in this life doe dye like barking madde dogges in desperation without Christ and true repentance with Kain Iudas Iulian the Apostate and others Of these two sortes there bee most of the firste in this last age wherein Christ shal finde no faith at his comming but all persons for the moste parte sleeping in that deadly security wherin they shall assure themselues of peace when as nothing is neearer hand vnto them then fearefull and endlesse torment of conscience the worme whereof shall neuer die c. Wherfore the Lord as saith the Apostle commandeth all such to waken and ryse vp from the sleepe of sinne by faith repentance and holie conversation that while they haue time Christ may giue them light Thus much touching the griefe of conscience both in the heathen and also in the prophane and superstitious professors of Religion Secondly we finde that the tormente of Conscience 1 Examples of Gods children ConscieÌ„ce is a wound which no Physitian can heale euen in Gods children in such as are renewed with his spirit is a greefe intollerable and so greate both in all Christs members vpon whome it is layde and also in their head Christ him selfe that it is heauier then a thousande deaths and yet no wayes to be relieued with any comforte or solace vnder the heauen as all other griefes may bee bee they neuer so great for example let vs take Iob Iob. 3. who for the losse of all his substance authoritie children and health of body neuer shrunk nor quailed vntil his vnhappy friends wounded his Conscience and then he affirmed and complaned that God had fastened in him sharp arrowes sette him as a butte to shute at and made him to possesse the sinnes of his youth So heauie a burthen was this wounded hearte and Conscience vnto him who vnder all other troubles was a patterne of al vprightnes and patience neuer beeing mooued therewith anie thinge at all as it were vntill this griefe did prick him The like may we also beholde in many others of the peculiar seruantes of God as in Dauid Ezechias and Ieremie 2 who neuer did faint vnder any griefe notwithstanding of all their infinite troubles but onely vnder the burthen of a wounded Conscience wherwith when they felte themselues surcharged they then were like Cranes chattering Sparrows mourning and Pellicants casting out fearefull cryes So that with mourning like Doues their hearts did cleaue to the duste and their tounges to the roofe of their mouthes Yea euen the Lorde our Maister and Sauiour Christ 3 the true Image of his Father God and man when in his manhoode he felt this wound his Godhead lurking for the time albeit vnder all his other troubles which hee sustained for our sakes he was couragious yet heerein feeling his fathers wrath for our iniquities the which for them he was to sustaine he complained that his soule was heauie vnto the death and earnestly prayed that if it were possible that that cuppe should passe away from him which was so bitter that while he prayed hee sweate bloud and before he departed this life pitefully cryed three seuerall times that God had forsaken him What a â—â—â—efe is a â—â—oubled â—â—nscieÌ„ce Of these premises al men may vnderstand that are not a sleepe vnto euerlasting condemnation what a thing it is to possesse a grieued condemning heart or troubled Conscience For there is no sicknes which is not vnto death but Physick is provided or may be had for it no sore but Chirurgerie wil aforde a salue for it Friendship helpeth pouertie hope of libertie imprisonment sute and fauour recouer men from banishment and time and authority weares away reproch
in Christ And secondly that the instruments to obtaine the same righteousnes and life in Christ is onely faith It followeth to shew how Conscience giueth iudgement of all our doings to wit by a kind of reasoning called a Practicall syllogysme wherein Conscience vseth two instruments in making of this reason which are minde and memorie For the minde telleth Conscience what the Law of God is and memorie bringeth to her minde all the particuler actions that men or women haue done or not done that Conscience may determine and giue iudgement thereof So that from these two the ConscieÌ„ce reasoneth after this maner as for example The Conscience of a whoremonger reasoneth thus with himselfe saying All whoremoungers shall be without in the fierie lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death But I am a whoremounger Therefore I shall be there So that hereby we see that the sinnes 13 and conpunctions of the heart are sore and grieuous prickes vnto the minde Conscience of man yea greater then any griefe that can befall him Although Sathan for a time doeth extenuate the same as also corrupt affections doe oftentimes so ouercast this iudgement Gen. 42.21 that it perceaueth nothing for the space of a long time as Iosephs bretheren who were blinded this way for the space of two and twentie yeares or thereby 2. Sam. 24.10 Dauid after his murther adulterie slept without remorse vntill he was wakened by the Prophet Nathan Act. 2.37 and the Iewes who put Christ to death vntil they were pricked with Peters sermon The effects of an accusing ConscieÌ„ce are especially fiue 1. Griefe 2. Sadnes 14 Isa 17.20 Pro. 28.1 2. Cor. 1.12 Pro. 15.15 Pro. 1â— 18 3. Feare 4. Perturbation of the whole man 5. Desperation This much of the accusing and condemning Conscience Now haue wee to speake of the Conscience excusing and absoluing which hath all things contrary to the accusing and condemning as Bouldnes Pro. 15.15 ioy in the Holie-Ghoste Confidence with assurance of mercy For the righteous saith Salomon are boulde as a Lyon 15 Learne heere reader that what is done of a doubting or of an erronious Conscience To doubt erre or do any thing against conscience is sinne Ro. 14.23 14.14 or against Conscience is sinne Because vvhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and to the vncleane all things are vneleane Some did iudge fornication in the Primitiue Church not to bee sinne wherein notwithstanding they sinned in respect that their Conscience did erre in her iudgement For euill remains euill albeit Conscience saith the contrarie a thousand times Moste men women are sicke of this disease at this day who thinke sin not to bee sinne in their Consciences c. What is done also against Conscience is sin in the doer albeit it erre and be deceaued 16 What should be our warrant in all our turnes Of al this let vs learne to obserue for a warrant to our Consciences the onely command or contremand of Gods word in all our proceedings and so shall wee walke surely when wee make his worde the onely rule to our Conscience eschew mans inuentions or good intentions and likewise when we vnderstande that it is a moste dangerous and deadly thing to bee ignorant of the knowledge of Gods word which maketh the life of man to abound yea to flow with the sea of al offences against God And there fore we shuld euer pray him of his great mercie to graunt vs aboue al things the true knowledge of him and of his sonne Iesus Christ with the testimony of an excusing and vpright Conscience ruled euer by the square of his worde in the which righteousnes and eternall life is onely to be found throgh faith in Christ The Thirde parte Two parts of our diuisioÌ„ being spokeÌ„ of It followeth 1 the diuision touching the kindes sortes of Consciences thirdly to intreate of the kindes and sortes of Consciences in special first of the Conscience of the regenerate and of all Gods children secondly of that of the wicked For as to Conscience generally 2 it is eyther good or bad and a good Conscience is that which rightly and according to Gods word excuseth and comforteth ConscieÌ„ce is either good or bap the excelâ—eÌ„cie thereof consisteth in excuwng So that the excellencie of Conscience standeth in excusing not in accusing by reason that when we commit any sin we giue then occasion immediatly therafter to our Conscience to accuse and condemne vs wherby we doe wound hurt the same as testifieth the Apostle saying 1. Cor. 8.9.12 that the Corinthians did wound the Consciences of their weake brethren when they vsed their liberty as an occasion of offence to them And againe hee calleth a good Conscience a conscience without offence or accusing of them that haue it Act. 24.16 Againe a good Conscience is of two sorts 3 Good conscience of two sortes by creatioÌ„ and regeneration to wit eyther good by creation or else by regeneration The conscience of our first pareÌ„ts before their fal was good onely by creation therfore could not but excuse them before God in all that they did in the estate of their innocency A good Conscience regenerat is that which being corrupt by nature is renued and purged by faith in the bloud of Christe 4 in all such there is a conuersion or change needefull by grace because by nature all mens consciences through sinne are euill and therfore become good onely by grace in Christ The instrumentall cause seruing to make this change is faith 5 Two cause of a good conscience which purifieth the hearts and the meritorious cause is the bloud of Christ which doth purge consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God A regenerat conscience hath two properties and stayes To wit 6 Two properties or stayes of a regenerat conscience Christian liberty and certaintie of saluation at all times when she excuseth Because that these two propertis haue not their place in the outward man but in the heart spirit or conscience I call Christian liberty 7 Christian liberty what Gal 5.1 the holie and spiritual freedome purchased vnto vs by Christ wherin the Apostle commandeth vs to Standfast and not to bee entangled againe with the yoake of bondage c. It hath three partes 8 Christian liberty hath three parts As freedome from the iustification of the morrall law and the fulfilling thereof For hee who is a member of Christe is not bound in Conscience to bringe the perfite righteousnes of the law in his owne person for his iustification before God but Chritss 9 He also who is a Christian is free from the curse and condemnation of the law for to such as are in Christ There is no condemnation Gal. 3 13. because he hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law 10 The second is
of the great and small shal be opened 21 A stirring consciēce hath foure degrees 1 Accuseth for euil doing Lastly a stirring euil Conscience doth eyther accuse or excuse it hath foure seuerall degrees or differences The first that accuseth a man for doing euill is an euill conscience albeit by occasion or accident it serueth to bee a preparation to grace by the goodnes of God As the needle that draweth the thred through the cloath by making a hole in the cloath serueth to sowe it also For to accuse is euer a defect and was not in man by creation And therefore is one of the foure degrees of an euill conscience 22 2. accuseth for well doing 23 3. Excuseth euill doing The second is that which accuseth for well doing and is in Idolaters as not to say or goe to Masse accuseth a Papist The third is that which excuseth euil doing is found likewise in Idolaters who when they slay and burne the Godly their eroneous conscience excuseth them 24 4 Excuseth wel doing in vnregenerate persons The fourth and last excuseth well doing in carnal and vnregenerate persons Example in Abimeleck not committing adulterie with Abrahams wife which was a thing morallie good in it selfe but not in the vnregenerate person whose ciuill good workes are nothing else but glistering sinnes and this Conscience is but Carnall and not regenerate Ro 14 14 For as to the cleane by faith al things are cleane So to the vncleane that want faith nothing is cleane nor acceptable in Gods sight how good soeuer otherwaies the same be morally because the persō who lacketh faith in Christ is vncleane and therefore cannot please God Let vs therfore drawe neere vnto our God with true and penitent hearts 25 in assurance of faith as saith the Apostle being voyde of an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water For it is by faith that the iuste doe liue Heb 10 22 Act. 15.9 Heb 10 38 39 the which wee must follow vnto the conseruation of our soule that all our workes may be acceptable to our God through Christ our Lord. The Fourth parte FOr as much as hytherto wee haue shewed both what consciēce is 1 what the troubles thereof are As likewise what are both the actions and the kinds thereof It remaineth fourthly lastlie to shew what is mans duety concerning Conscience how hee may preuent the troubles thereof and being troubled in his heart and spirit how he may releeue his conscience and exoner the same of all the troubles and wounds wherewith it may be grieued in this life 2 Mans duetie is two fould concerning conscience Mans first duetie is in this behalfe to purchase and get a good conscience for by nature seeing we are all the children of wrath we haue it not And his second duetie is to keepe it well when he hath gotten it 3 three thing are needefull For the getting of a good conscience three things are needefull to wit a preparation to it Secondly the application of the remedy and thirdly prepared the reformation of it 6 Gal. 3.10 Preparation what The preparation to it requireth the knowledge of the law that thereby wee may vnderstand what is good or euill 2. The iudiciall sentence therof which telleth vs that the curse of God is deue to all men for euery sinne 3. An earnest examination of our Conscience by the law that thereby wee may perceaue and vnderstand what is our estate before God and vpon this duety the Prophets doe stand very much For heereby it is that we come to the knowledge of our wretchednes miserable estate before our God Wherefore Lamen 3.40 Ieremie saith Let vs search and trye our waies and turne againe vnto the lord Zephaniah Zepha 2 1 Gather your selues euen gather you O nation not worthy to be loued before the decree come forth and yee bee as chaffe which passeth in a day and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come vpon you c. For the law is a yoake saith the Apostle That neither we nor our fathers we are able to beare Act. 15.10 Hereby all men and women may easily see 5 that by nature we are most miserable because we are vnable in our own defaulte to doe the works of the Law fulfill that obedience which we owe of duetie to our God and that therefore we abid naturallie accursed This our miserable estate when wee know it by the law it bringeth forth in vs a sorrow and griefe in respect of the knowledge of the punishment for sin arysing of the knowledge of our dueties towards God conteined in the lawe of our inability to performe the same And thus much concerning our preparation to obtaine and get a good Conscience 6 The application of the remedy 2 The application or applying of the remedy whereby to heale our sorrow griefe conceiued of our wretched estate by the knowledge of the law which is onely the bloud and merites of Christe who for vs in his Conscience felte Gods wrath and the punishments of all our sinnes requireth two things that is the preaching of the gospell and faith For the gospel is the hand of God the father offering vnto vs grace mercy in christ Rom 3.20 Rom 10 4 1 Cor 1 3 Gal. 3.24 And faith is our hand whereby wee lay holde on him and receaue him with all his benefits For as by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne so is the righteousnes of God by faith in Iesus Christe made manifest without the law vnto al and vpon all that beleeue For hee is the ende of the Law for righteousnes to euery one that beleeueth and the ende of the law is to iustifie them that obserue it Wherefore Christ hauing fulfilled it for vs is made our righteousnes wisedome sanctification redemption This much of the application of the remedy against the sorrow desperation arysing of the knowledge of our miserable estate by nature when wee doe beholde the same in the and mirrour of the law Where wee haue to learne 7 two things needefull to apprehende and keepe Christ that two things are most needefull for vs who desire truly to enioy and possesse this remedy The first is seriously to humble our selues before God for all our wants and especially for such as lye open in our Cōscience accusing and condemning of our selues before his holie maiestie For so shall we put Conscience out of office performe that work our selues in this life which Conscience would performe to our eternal damnatiō in the life to come For if we iudge our selues saith the Apostle we shal not be iudged 2. We must oftē with grones and earnest prayers humblie beseech the Lord for Christs sake to forgiue vs our sins that so wee may be sure of his fauour and forgiuenes of them all And because that this humiliation standing in these two poyntes there are
GOD shall iudge the secreits of men by Iesus Christ 5 Three thinges to be learned Of this duety of conscience we learne three things first that there is a God for seeing it beareth witnesse of all our thoghts vnto the which neither man nor Angell is priuie It must needs therefore be that it is to God alone who seeth knoweth all things to whome our Conscience beareth witnesse and record And therefore let Athiests godles persones barke against this as long as they list yet haue they that within them to wit their conscience the which will conuince and conuict them of the trueth of the Godhead will they or nill they eyther in life or in death and that he hath store of torments and of infernall spirits to punnish them in the ende For many Examples heereof one shal serue A certaine Skoffer and filthie gester who this way gate for the moste parte all his liuing was in a Tauerne where manie were drinking and there to play thee sporter did mock the immortalitie of the soule and offered to sell his soule if any he had to them that would giue him an kanne of wine for it The which when one of them that were drinking there had bought from him giuen to him the said Kan of wine Sathan in mans likenes adioyning himselfe to the Table with them that were in the Tauerne and desired to haue the soule of this gester of the same price of him that had bought it The partie who first bought it granted therevnto and deliuered it vnto him as hee had it for another Kanne of wine The which when hee had deliuered hee tooke him from the Table both body and soule See more of this historie and of the like in Historia tragica The prouidence of God ouer all men whose consience will not suffer them to hide any thing from them 2 We learne heerby that God doth watch ouer all men by a speciall prouidence in that he giueth to euery man a particular Conscience to bee his watchman keeper who in this poynte is like vnto a master of prison who giueth to his prisoners keepers to watch thē to bring them home againe into the prison if at anie time they purchase his licence to goe abroad for their particular turns Euen so haue all men and women Consciences to follow them alwaies as at the heeles and to dog them and to trye all their thoughts words works and affections and to beare recorde and true witnes thereof to God and vnto their owne hearts In such sorte that although we may hide our turnes from men yet is it certaine that our Conscience will shew them all before God Therefore we ought to stand aboue al things to do vprightly and to follow the word of God in all that we doe or leaue vndone which is the onely square and rule of our Conscience that the same may excuse vs and not accuse vs before our God for if our heart accuse vs to our God God is farre greater then our harts to condemne vs but if not then we may haue bouldnes towards him Thirdly The goodnes of god in setting our conscience to tell vs what to doe vnder wha◠paines 1 Cor. 12.13 we obserue heere the goodnes and loue of God toward vs who setteth our Conscience to tell vs secretly when we doe amisse to the ende that we should presently repente vs thereof and amend that he may forgiue vs but if not that then oppenly it should accuse vs thereof before God and at the barre of his iudgement seate before al his Angels and saints in heauen Wherefore wee should accuse and condemne our selues heere that we be not accused and condemned there if we desire to be saued in that great day of the Lord. For if we accuse and convict our selues when we doe amisse with repentance amendemēt neither shall our conscience accuse vs to our God nor he condemne vs for the euill which we haue committed And thus much touching the first duety of Conscience which standeth in witnes-bearing to God in accusing or excusing vs. 6 The iudgement of Consciēce what As to the second action or worke of Conscience it is to giue iudgement of things which we haue done and so it is like a iudge causing malefactours to be arraigned at the barre of his iudgement seate and there to suffer for their demerites yea rather it is like a little God sitting in the middle of mans heart araigning and iudging him in this life as hee shal be arraigned and iudged for his offences at the tribunall seate of the Lord God in the day of iudgement So that that iudgement giuen in this life by conscience is nothing else but a certaine and sure fore-runner of the last iudgement to come 7 We are admonished of two thinges 1. Iob 3.20 We are admonished heereby to take heede that nothing past lye vpon vs and that we charge not our Consciences in time comming with any matter whereof they may accuse vs. For if our conscience shall accuse vs much more shall God condemne vs. Because he both seeth all our doings more clearely then doe our Consciences iudgeth more sincerely and secretly then they can do vnto vs. Therefore wee ought to endeuour our selues with Paull to say alwaies 2. Cor. 4.4.18 that we knowe nothing by our selues in our life that wee may euer stand in our Conscience without blame before him Heere we must consider two thinges 8 Two thinges to be considered First the cause that maketh Conscience to giue iudgement and secondly the maner how it giueth i◠The cause is the onely binder of Conscience which is eyther proper or improper The proper binder of Conscience is Gods law 9 Acts. 4. Rom. 13. and the improper the lawes of Princes hauing their authority of God to make such lawes for the good of their subiects as ar agreeable with his law or otherwaies they cānot binde Consciēce Wher we learne that gods word is euer to be obeyed 10 Gods worde euer to be obeyed albeit thereby we shoulde offend all men and also loose our owne liues Because wee are bound and oblished thereto in Conscience Secondly wee must take heede 11 What wee ought to take heede vnto that that which we take in hand to doe haue a warrant in our Conscience out of the word to doe it such like that which we leaue vndone if we may leaue it vndone without the wound of conscience or not As for example The knowledge of God and his worde bindeth vs to learne it in Conscience albeit the knowledge of humaine science doth not the like c. For all persons are bound in Conscience to know God aright We are bounde chiefely in conscience to know two things 12 as he hath reuealed himselfe to the world in his word and especially these two things First that all perfite righteousnes and life euerlasting is to be obtained