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spirit_n	faith_n	holy_a	receive_v	7,630	5	5.5906	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08989	Christian see to thy conscience or a treatise of the nature, the kinds and manifold differences of conscience, all very briefly, and yet more fully laid open then hitherto by Richard Bernard, parson of Batcombe in Somerset-Shire. Anno 1630.	Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.	1631 (1631)	STC 1928; ESTC S113805	87,184	494

is a better intelligencer then the morall conscience hath for the moralist hath not his mind renewed as the regenerat man hath who knoweth what that good acceptable and perfect will of Rom. 12. 2 God is 3. This Conscience is informed by the renewed mind in the sauing knowledge of Gods will according to the law written anew in the mind and heart Heb. 8. 10. 4. This works sincere obedience so that in simplicity godly sincerity the regenerate haue their conuersation in the World 2. Cor. 1. 12. Lastly this obedience is performed both to the law and Gospell For the regenerat mans Conscience is bound as well by the Gospell as by the law vnto all holy obedience and the mind renewed propounds the precepts of the one as well as of the other vnto Conscience to worke obedience Section 2. In whom it is THis Conscience regenerate is in all the Elect of God called by the Gospell of Iesus Christ such as be borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost Ioh. 3. 5. and are made new Creatures in Christ 2. Cor. 5. 17. hauing Gods image repaired in them in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. whereby they do wholy entirely resigne vp themselues in obedience and humility to be guided by such a Conscience without restriction or euasion in respect of pleasure profit or preferment thoroughout the whole course of their liues Section 3. Of the causes hereof THis regenerat Conscience is wrought by Gods Spirit which reneweth vs Tit. 3. 5. The instrumentall meanes is the Gospel called the ministration of the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 8. because the spirit is receiued by it Gal. 3. Section 4. Of the excellencie of it THis Conscience so regenerate First hath acquaintance with Gods spirit Rom. 9. 1. 2. Secondly vpon this holy acquaintance they ioyne together to beare the regenerat man witnesse that hee is the Child of God Rom. 8. 16. that hee is desirous of others saluation and grieued for their obstinacy and blindnesse Rom. 9. 1. 2. Thirdly Farther vpon this acquaintance the Regenerat man hath now a kind of holy familiarity with God yet so as it is with all reuerence and humility Hee can now heare Gods law laid open without terrour He now can poure out his soule before God lay open all his sinnes in the sight of God with hope of remission which before he durst not though neuer so morally honest Fourthly This Conscience through such spirituall acquaintance is alwaies accompanied with spirituall graces with vnfaigned faith a pure heart Christian charity 1. Tim. 1. 5. with willingnesse to liue honestly Heb. 13. 18. with simplicity and godly sincerity 2. Cor. 1. 12. Section 5. Of the effects hereof SO as the effects of it cannot but bee admirable For first it exacts of vs attendance to Gods seruice and herein it cannot endure dead workes from which it is purged Heb. 9. 14. so as it puts life in vs and cannot endure to haue vs heare read pray sing nor preach coldly drowsily deadly nor to rest vpon the worke wrought Secondly it requireth vniuersall obedience for matter in all things for time alwaies Heb. 13. 18. Act. 23. 1. Thirdly it discouereth vnto our selues the most secret and intricate closet of the heart whatsoeuer is ill it pursueth it till it worke in the heart detestation Fourthly it lets not the regenerat man slip without a caueat and remurmuration and if he fall it lets him not rest but pincheth and nippeth him till hee take knowledge of his sinne till he see it sorrowes for it and returneth It cannot endure to haue him sinke vnder sinne nor sleep securely till he hath sought reconciliation with God Fifthly If it find him to grow slack in good duties it will euer be telling him of it it lets him not wax remisse and carelesse but by stinging instigations pricks him forward to his due obedience And therefore should we striue to get this Conscience and hauing it to make much of it as that which will guide vs well worke vs peace and neuer leaue vs but will be our comfort in aduersity in temptation in death and at Christs appearing CHAP. 43. Of the Gospell binding the Conscience of the Regenerate THe regenerate mans Conscience is not onely tyed by naturall Principles as all mens be nor by the Law of Moses as moralists in the Church be but also by the authority and power of the Gospell Section 1. That the Gospell hath a binding power FIrst for the Gospell is a Law 1. Chr. 16. 17. Psal 105. 10. and called the Law of faith Rom. 3. 17. now it is the nature of the Law to bind according to the authority of the Law-giuer God himselfe whose power is not lesse in the Law of faith and his will in the Gospell then in that morall law Secondly the Gospell doth not onely promise but also commandeth and requireth obedience to it It commands faith 1. Ioh. 3. 23. repentance Ma. 1. 15. Loue Ioh. 13. 34. and 18. 12. Charitie and bowels of mercy kindnesse humility of mind meeknesse Col. 3. 12. to deny our selues Mar. 8. 34. to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Col. 3. 5. to seeke the Kingdome of God and the ritheousnesse thereof Mar. 6. 33. to haue our conuersation in Heauen Phil. 3. 20. and to waite with loue for the appearing of the Lord Iesus Luk. 12. 35. 36. Mar. 13. 33. 34. 2. Tim. 4. These and many moe precepts doth the Gospell command which the moralist neuer thinks of nor euer can attaine vnto Thirdly The Gospell condemneth vnbeliefe Ioh. 16. 9. 1. Ioh. 5. 10. and other sinnes Fourthly it denounceth vengeance against the contempt of it and more seuere wrath then against the transgressours of the law 2. Th. 1. 8. Heb. 10. 29. Lastly men shall be iudged by the Gospell Rom. 2. 16. Therfore it is of a binding power For the renewed mind being acquainted with the Gospell propounds Euangelicall precepts to the regenerate Conscience which it vseth and applyeth to enforce the Regenerate man to a true and sincere obedience according to the Gospell Section 2. Whom it bindeth THe Gospell hath not so large an extent as the Law which is in nature and so binds all mankind but the Gospell bindeth such as do receiue it for the receiuing argueth two things first the enlightening of the vnderstanding to conceiue the doctrine of the Gospell and then faith to embrace it which two together bind conscience to the obedience of that which the Gospell commandeth Thus it bindeth all professors of it but most powerfully the regenerate to whom it is most effectuall by the speciall operation of Gods Spirit Section 3. To what it bindeth vs THe Gospell doth bind vnto the precepts which it prescribeth such are those before mentioned to beleeue to repent to loue the brethren to receiue the holy Sacraments with the rest of the Commandements of the Gospell It bindeth also vnto the law to make it a rule of

see the forenamed booke and the first Fol. 409. volume of Master Perkins touching consolations to a troubled Conscience 6. And lastly is their ignorance of the true remedies or inability to apply thsm rightly Section 4. Of the effects of Conscience afflicted THe sorrowfull effects of a wounded spirit are not a few as a deiection of spirit without cheerefulnesse in religious exercises as in hearing the word praying receiuing the Sacrament Christian conference and the like Terrours and feare beset them sometime and they are troubled with terrifying dreames sorrow of heart also oppresseth their spirits Hence is it that they neglect their callings lay aside the duties therof are carelesse of their verie necessarie worldly businesse and much addicted to solitarinesse and to sit musing in a dump Their soule is vexed and finds no rest Dauids soule was Psal 6. 3. 6. 31. 10. troubled within him hee was full of griefe sighes wearied with groanes and washed his couch with teares This was it that made Peter to goe out Matth. 27. and weepe bitterly This weakeneth the bodie yea Dauid telleth vs that his Ps 31. 10. strength failed him and his bones were consumed by reason of his sinne for a broken spirit dryeth th● Pro. 17. 22. bones It will make a man weary of his life and to vtter sometimes very vncomfortable words such as Psal 77. 7. 8. 9. these will the Lord cast off for euer will he be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgot to bee gracious and hath he in anger shut vp his tender mercies Yea hee will cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken Psal 22. 1. mee These other such like bee the lamentable effects of the wounded soule and therefore let vs beware of wounding it and if it be wounded labour the curing of it Now for the curing of it note two things the preparatiues and the Remedie Section 5. Of the preparatiues to the curing of the wound THere are excellent preparatiues which help to make way to the remedy and they be these 1. Resist the Diuell and that in three things neuer dispute with him beleeue him in nothing hee saith and cast backe his secret blasphemous suggestions vpon himselfe when hee would make them thine thus resisting he will flie Iames 4. from thee 2. Beware of all causelesse feares and groundlesse suspicions of Gods fauour and loue 3. Do not deny Gods graces in thee extenuate them not nor vnderualue any of his gifts whereby thou shouldest falsely mistake thy selfe and iudge of thy selfe worse then thou hast cause to do 4. Know and beleeue that it is not sinning but the not repenting of sinne that damneth man For the best haue sinned and note also a difference betweene the regenerate and vnregenerate in sinning for in the one the man sinneth in the other it is not hee that doth it but sinne that dwelleth in him Rom. 7. 20. 5. Vnderstand that weaknesse and imperfection of graces and heauenly gifts makes not a nullity therof not that therefore they are not true graces in them 6. Conceiue thus much that the least degree and measure of Gods graces are true graces are a testimonie of Gods good fauour and aduanceth a man aboue his naturall condition and state 7. Take heed of making sense and feeling the Iudge of thy spirituall estate with God whilst thou art in affliction of Conscience and in perplexity of spirit for Cant. 3. 1. 5. 6. the Spouse may seeke her beloued and not find him for a while hee may withdraw himselfe for a space and not bee found nor answer And consider withall that it is one thing to haue graces and an other to feele them liuelie at the present Graces in their working are sometimes weak it ebbes and flowes waxeth waineth is more strong liuely at one time and lesse at an other so that a good Christian prayeth not beleeues not heares not ioyeth not loueth not goodnesse nor good men euer a like For he that faith he is alwaies the same in all holy duties did neuer any such duty well and much deceiueth himselfe 8. Thou must know a comfortable lesson which is this that a Christian mans obedience to the law is not legall now but Euangelicall performed vnder the Couenant of grace and not from the Couenant of of works which lieth not vpon any in Iesus Christ 9. When any comfortlesse or desperate thoughts molest thee checke thy selfe with Dauid and say Ps 77. 10. It is my infirmity I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most Highest call to mind thy former comforts thy foretaste of Gods fauour and experience of his loue and meditate and stay on that 10. And lastly in what anguish soeuer thou be yet cease not neglect not to pray to cry and call to cast vp eiaculations from thy Psal 77. 2. heart vnto God for Dauid sought God when his soule was without comfort yea in the sorrowes of death and paines of Hell euen then he prayed Ps 116. 4. and said O Lord I beseech thee deliuer my soule By these preparatiues the Medicine for the soule will worke Section 6. Of the soueraigne salue to cure the wound THe afflicted and sicke Patient hauing receiued these ten preparatiues the Medicine will worke well In the ministring whereof note first what it is secondly who must administer the Physicke thirdly what is the instrumentall meanes for it fourthly after the receipt what bee the Cordials for comfort The remedy for curing fully the wound is onely one and that is the sauing knowledge of Iesus Christ with faith in him For if wee bee truly informed in these things first what Christ is in his person secondly what hee was ordained to be for vs thirdly what here he hath done for vs fourthly what hee now doth for vs and fifthly what he will doe for vs hereafter at his second comming Then knowing first what wee by him are freed from secondly what wee are made by him thirdly what we haue here attained vnto by him fourthly and what in the end we shall be by him By the knowledge of all these things distinctly marked and vnderstood our faith will wholly rest vpon him our Conscience will be greatly comforted and all the obiections met with and fully answered which may bee made by Satan or by man himselfe and so the wound perfectly cured Section 7. By whom to be administred THe Physitian to administer the Medicine is inward and outward The inward and principal is Gods holy Spirit who begets faith confirmeth it makes man to take hold on Christ and giueth him spirituall comfort this is hee that is called the Comforter without whom no comfort spirituall we must therefore pray for this holy Spirit because God hath promised him Luk. 11. 13. The outward is Gods 2. Sam. 12. Act. 2. 37. 38. 16. 2.

leaue vndone at his owne pleasure Sixthly this will make 1. Cor. 8. 13 a Paul auoid offence in things indifferent not to eate flesh all his life rather then scandalize an other Seuenthly it makes a man peaceable easily to be intreated to heare wholsome counsell repoofes and to be glad to bee preuented in euill as Dauid was when Abigail met him Lastly it makes him Luk. 1. liue like a Zachary and an Elizabeth and as Paul exhorteth blamelesly and Phil. 2. 15. harmelesly among others Section 3. Meanes to get and keepe it THis rare and most singular blessing of God may through the Lords grace and helpe be gotten First by daily encreasing our knowledge in euery particular duty distinctly Secondly by continually remembring what wee are to doe Thirdly by examining euery day before we take our rest wherein we haue failed in any duty not onely for substance but also for circumstance Fourthly by not letting slip any of our faults nor sleightly passing them by till wee feele sorrow of heart for them and till we find in vs a holy resolution to amend the same Thus shall we come in time vnto a tender conscience now as thus we may get it so by the same means and practise we may keepe it Here these foure questions may fitly be propounded Section 4. Of the first question WHether a tender Conscience may not sometime he ouerbusie with a man and in something scrupulously trouble him Answ Yes verily and that first through feare of sinning vpon iealousie and suspicion not knowing Christian libertie in things indifferent Rom. 14. 1. Secondly through doubtfull disputations none able at the present to determine and decide the question of which disputes the Apostle in that fourteenth of the Romanes forwarneth Thirdly through false teachers seeking to entangle to insnare and beguile simple soules and tender hearts These brought the Galathians to the obseruing of daies and moneths and times and yeeres Gal. 4. 10. being tenderly affected at the first to the truth Vers 15. These it may seeme sought by vaine Phylosophy and Traditions to trouble the Colossians with superstition in worshipping Angels in a will-worship with touch not taste not handle not after the commandements of men Col. 2. Fourthly through weakenesse of iudgement to see and discerne betweene things lawfull and vnlawfull lawfull 1. Cor. 10. 23. and conuenient which differences not well obserued the tender conscience is troubled with some serupulousnesse Section 5. Of the second question WHat difference there is betweene tendernes of Conscience and scrupulositie of Conscience Answ Betweene these two there is great difference in many things 1. In the causes for tendernesse is wrought by the grace of Gods Spirit thorow the binding power of Gods Word Scrupulositie ariseth vpon an ouer-inquisitiuenesse of naturall wit inuenting of vnneces sary questions and busily putting troublesome cases to intangle conscience The tender Conscience is from a settled mind vpon truths soberly receiued and vpon mature deliberation Scrupulositie is from ficklenesse of spirit vpon various conceptions of a mans owne brarne ouer-hastily approued or vpon other mens opinions rashly beleeued and settled 2. They differ in the subiect matter about which they are exercised A tender Conscience if it bee troubled it is about necessary duties to God or Man of concerning themselues Scrupulositie is busied about trifles vnnecessarie matters and more concerning others then themselues The tender Conscience if it be vnquiet it is by reason of some faire probabilities conceiued in the vnderstanding and the case very disputable Scrupulositie is disquieted by coniectures loose imaginations bare opinions of others in matters which might easily bee decided The tender Conscience keepes within the bounds of a mans owne Calling and seeth that all bee right there Scrupulositie is ranging abroad makes a busie body and an Intermedler without warrant while much is amisse at home 3. They differ in their concomitants Tendernesse of Conscience is euer accompanied with humilitie meekenesse peaceablenesse with sinceritie and with charity towards their opposites Scrupulosity is high-minded fierce impatient at opposition wanting loue to Opposites and is often tainted with hypocrisie 4. They differ in their effects for the tender Conscience makes a man to loue peace to auoide vaine disputations and casting forth vnnecessary doubts it hateth also singularitie and cannot abide to be censorious Scrupulositie is contentious factious it is fed with disputes it delighteth in doubtfull cases affecteth singularity is troublesome and ouer-censorious 5. They differ in the end a tender conscience aimeth at the pleasing of God Rom. 14. 6. and quiet liuing Heb. 12. 14 with others as much as is possible in holinesse being euer loth to trouble others or to be troublesome to it selfe Scrupulositie seeketh it owne satisfaction and applieth it selfe to side with others to make a faction Thus they differ Section 6. Of the third Question HOw the tender Conscience may be preserued against scrupulositie Answ To preuent this scrupulositie first auoide the causes of a scrupulous Conscience of which before in the 35. Chapter and also in answer to the first of these questions in this Chapter Sect. 4. Secondly labour to haue the Heb. 5. 14. vnderstanding exercised to discerne both good and euill and to approue by knowledge the things that Phil. 1. 9. 10. are different Thirdly cleaue close to resolued cases and be not carried away with euery winde of Eph. 4. 14. doctrine So shalt thou preuent this scrupulositie Section 7. Of the fourth question BVt if a tender Conscience haue a scruple how may it be freed from it Answ 1. Vse the remedies before prescribed to cure the scrupulous Conscience Chap. 35. Sect. 4. Secondly let not any scruple settle it selfe in the tender Conscience but goe forth with to some godly and learned Diuine that can and will remoue it Thirdly in seeking resolution obiect freely but so as there bee an honest desire to receiue satisfaction of Conscience Fourthly meditate afterwards much and more of the answers giuen then still how to inuent more obiections and beware of cauilling against the answers but rather presse Conscience daily with them and vse them as weapons against such scruples arising and against other which seeke to vphold the scruple And thus much of the tender Conscience CHAP. 45. Of the wounded Conscience THis wounded Conscience is that affliction of spirit which man cannot beare Prou. 18. 14. This may happen to good and holy men as to a Iob Chap. 6. 4. in whom the arrowes of the Almighty stucke the poyson wherof dranke vp his spirit and the terrours of God set themselues in aray against him It may befall a Dauid as we may reade in Psal 38. 1. 5. and 102. 1. 10. and 88. 7. 15. Section 1. Of the Causes THis wound of Conscience ariseth of sinne against Conscience 1. Cor. 8. 12. such was Dauids great 2. Sam. 12. Psal 51. sinnes of adultery and murther or for breach of