wildernesse of Kadesh doth tremble when he speaks terror who can give peace His word is as fire in the Bones He sendeth his word the Snow is scattered like woll It s like morsels who can stand before his cold There is a winter and trembling in the conscience But he sendeth Psal 147. 17. 18. forth his word againe and melteth them All the mighty workes wrought upon the soule are by meanes of the word of Christ By this word Act. 10. 36. Christ commeth to the Mar. 4 50 Luk. 24. 38 soule Preaching Peace He saith why are ye fearefull oh ye of little faith why are ye troubled why doe thoughts arise in your heart By his word he coms into the sad solitary soule as Jo. 20. 19. he did to the Disciples all doores being shut and saith Peace be unto you Yea ordinarily that you may waite on the word for tydings of Peace The Peace which Christ doth create is the fruit of the lips of his Ministers Isa 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips Peace Peace to him that is farre off and to him that is neere saith the Lord and I will heale him The Ministers Feet bring Peace by Preaching the word of Peace Isa 52. 7. And the feet of Beleevers are said to be shod with Peace to walk in waies of Peace through the preparation and Eph. 6. 15 preaching of the Gospell of Peace When the minister comes to a place or people Preaching Peace if there be a Son and Heire of Peace there his Peace shall remaine upon that Person Luk. 10. 6. 2. By the Blood of Christ This is the Procuring cause of all our Peace Col. 1. 20. Having By the blood of Christ made Peace by the blood of his Cross The Peace of our Conscience is the meer issue of that blessed Personall Treaty made between the Father and the Son in behalf of undone and Ruined man the blood of Christ being the whole price of it and all the satisfaction to be made Rom. 3. 23 24 25. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of all sins past c. The blood of the Paschall Lamb upon the door post was the peace and security of Israel against the destroyer Exo. 12. 23 and the blood of Christ upon the soul is the consciences security alone against all remaining guilt and corruption of sin rage of Satan and danger of Gods displeasure This blood gives the soul all boldnesse to enter into Heb. 10. 19 the holyest by a new and living way and gives us assurance before God 3. By the Spirit of Christ This is the Procreating 3. By the spirit of Christ and Producing cause of Peace in us as the blood of Christ was the Procuring cause of Peace for us For this reason Christ and the Holy Ghost are called by one and the same name because their end and businesse is the same to procure Peace to the soul Christ is an Advocate or Paraclete 1 Joh. 2. 1. The holy Ghost is an Advocate or Paraclete Joh 14. 16. The word is the same in the Originall But here is the difference Christ is our Advocate the holy Ghost is Gods Advocate Christ is our Advocate with the Father procuring peace the holy Ghost is an Advocate or Paraclete from the Father producing peace Christ is our Advocate to God prevailing with him for granting peace The Spirit is Gods Advocate Jo. 15. 26 14. 16 26 Gen. 8. 11 to us prevailing with us to entertain peace This is the Dove with the Olive branch which goes and returns till the waters are asswaged dry land appear and danger be over This applyes the word and promise which proclaims our peace this applyes the blood of Christ which procures our peace this hath the last hand and consummating stroke in our peace making Therefore this joy and peace of conscience is denominated from the Spirit joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. The fruit of the Spirit is joy Peace Gal. 5. 22. CHAP. IV. The Offices of Conscience III. IN our definition of a good conscience Chap 4. The Offices of conscience I said it was that conscience which being purifyed and pacified doth regularly perform all his Offices Conscience is absolutely the greatest Officer under Heaven and is without contradiction the greatest Representative in all the world it is Gods immediate Vice-gerent hath a delegation from God Whence we commonly say vox Conscientiae vox Dei The voice of God is in the voice of Conscience And the Acts of Conscience are the Acts of God what conscience doth binde or loose on earth in foro suo God doth ratifie in heaven in foro suo 1 Joh. 3. 20 21. So that what the Canonists impudently and blasphemously assert of the Pope we may in a safe and modest sense apply to conscience Deus Papa say they unum habent Consistorium a bold and impious saying Deus conscientia unum habent Consistorium A true saying God and the Pope have but one Consistory or Judicatory say they God and Conscience say we Prov. 20. 27. The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. Pluralist respectu Officiorum non Beneficiorum Conscience hath four Offices Now conscience is a Licensed and allowed Pluralist hath four distinct Offices 1. Propheticall or Ministeriall 2. Regal or Magistratual 3. Testimoniall or witnesse bearing 4. Judiciall or sentence passing Consciences Ministeriall Office 1. Consciences first office is Ministeriall or Propheticall that is to do the Office of a Minister Watchman or Seer to give warning from God from whom it hath his Commission Ordination and Station all Jure Divino To warn inform direct reprove admonish charge See you refuse not him that speaketh within you This is your Domestick Chaplain to whom as Jotham said to the men of Shechem you must hearken that God may hearken Judg. 9. 7. unto you We dislike that a Minister should be dumb in his charge or a Watchman should sleep on the Sentery take heed of maintaining a Conscience or silencing a speaking conscience In Libera Civitate Linguas liberas esse oportet Augustus was wont to say Say thou among Freemen conscience should have his freedom preserved at least as to his own charge Give thy conscience all freedom to inform propound yea reprove and smite This Liberty of Conscience none will question all will contend for There is some other Liberty of Conscience the world cries out for I dare not plead for that But give conscience leave to be bold with thee it will give thee boldness another day that thou shalt assure thy heart before God We called it Tyrannicall and Antichristian dealing when the Prelates outed suspended and deprived the godly and
shallows and simplicities I will lay upon you no other burthen but what you have already hold fast till I come Rev. 2. 24 25. The truth is Heaven and Glory are not for the learned Scribe and the Scholler-like Disputant for Seraphical parts and Serpentine pates but for the poor and simple the Babes and children who attend the knowledge of God and Conscience and are Ignoramusses in the Worlds Sciences and grand Mysteries He that receiveth not the Kingdome of God as a little child shall not enter therein These times of ours have been too fruitful in disputes and controversies in dealing with which as there is no end so in the end no satisfaction at all or benefit To which therefore that of the wise man may be applyed Better is the End than the Beginning though Both are Vanity and better than them both is a total abstinence from them and an harmlesse nescience of them But how barren are we and unfruitfull in the right knowledge of God and faith in Jesus Christ and that conscientiousnesse which doth adorn the Christian. Never was there more Knowledge in the World and never lesse Never so many Saints never so few Never so much of Conscience in the world and never so little Notionall Knowledge never more Substantiall and Obedientiall never lesse Titular Saints never so many their number as the sand of the Sea their nature as the stones or myre in the streets Reall Saints never so few their nature as the Stars in the Skie but their number lesse than of the most precious Stones and Rubies fewer than the gates of Jerusalem or the precious Stones in Aarons Brest-plate for each Tribe one Never so much of Conscience heard never so little of it seen Every man propounding doubtful Queries about it but one plain man in a family or two in a Tribe busying themselves about the exercise of it But as Austin very excellently said of the Poor Gardiner who hath an excellent Fruit-tree in his Orchyard whereof he is the undoubted Owner he gathers and eats the Fruit he tastes the sweetnesse this man saith he hath much more benefit by this Tree though he be a mean Scholler can neither write or read nor can he tell you the name of his Tree in Greeke or Latine nor doth hee know any thing of the Antiquity of it or the Original roote whence it came He is no such Artist as to take the height of it nor ever busied he himselfe to measure the compasse and thicknesse of his Tree much lesse to tell the Twigs and number the Apples on it But he is sure he is the owner of it and it is all his with all Appurtenances He lookes to the fencing pruning dressing dunging of his Tree and gathering of the fruit He I say hath far more good by this Tree than he that can learnedly in any language discourse of it and tell you the Physical nature of the fruit and can exactly tell you his Age Descent and to an Inch give you his Thicknesse and Height and tell you how many Twigs and Leaves there are upon it and how much fruit to an Apple but all this while it is none of his So surely he is much the happier man who though he fall short in matter of parts yet is he the man that lookes to his Conscience and minds that Conscience is the summe of the whole matter it is the Totum Dei and the Totum Hominis too First it is the Totum Dei the whole charge of God and his chief Agent Conscience next to the Son and Spirit and Word of God is invested with the greatest Authority and by Divine Institution his Head is lifted above all his Fellowes and his Throne as Jehoiakims in the day of his Enlargement above all other Thrones and earthly Judicatories It is Gods greatest Officer and Vice-gerent set by him to be as it were thy Angell Keeper Monitor Remembrancer King Prophet Witnesse Examiner Judge yea thy lower Heaven Submit to Conscience it must command thee Be ruled by it it will not wrong thee Be not shie of it it will not betray or deceive thee Againe I say Beware of it provoke it not as the Lord said of his Angel Obey his voice for he will not spare thee If thou slight or flie it it is as the Angel in the way against Balaam to resist thee with a sword in his hand It will be an Adversarie to thee and an Informer against thee an Accuser Witnesse Judge Jaylor Tormentor a Worme Rack Dungeon to thee yea thy upper Hell Secondly Conscience is totum Hominis It is the worlds great Charge Art thou a Minister All that thou hast to doe is onely to look well to Conscience Tota cura animarum absolvitur in solâ curâ Conscientiarum Art thou a Christian this is thy Charge like his 1 King 20. 39. Look well to this see thy eye be never off it Let it not break loose and make escape from thee thy life shall go for it if it do To call Conscience a Grace is too little it is as Hegai the Kings Chamberlaine the Est 2. 3. Keeper of all the Royal Virgins those daughters of Beauty to whose charge they were committed he was to Minister to them all necessaryes he to furnish them with Vestments and Odours to purifie them Conscience is the Keeper of the Graces in whose Chamber they ly and from whose hand they receive whatever is requisite that they may be fit to appear in the presence of the King of Heaven To call Conscience a Duty is too little it is the Summe and Epitome of all duty it is not a Star but a Constellation of many stars It is like the via lactea in the Heavens all beset with stars it is like the Gates and Streets of the new Jerusalem Re. 21. 21. the one all Pearls the other all Gold In a word what ever thou art and what ever is thy work Conscience must be thy Charge and thy work Art thou a Merchant this is the Pearl thou must Trade and lay out for Art thou a Marriner Conscience is the Ship thou must sail in and except thou abide in this ship as Paul said to his Companions thou canst not be saved Art thou a Souldier a Garrison Souldier Conscience is thy Fort to fly to which thou must manfully defend and make good A Field-Souldier Conscience must be thy Word if the enemy get this from thee and thou once fight against Conscience thou shalt be certainly routed and ruined Art thou a Husbandman this thy field to till and Garden to dresse A Tradesman this must be thy Shop to worke in and attend upon A Chapman this thy weight and measure to buy and sell by Art thou a Scholler Conscience must be thy Library at least thy Vade mecum A Divine this must be thy Text or Doctrine at least thy Application must be to Conscience Art thou a Lawyer Conscience must be thy Principall Client
knowledge 2. It implies a knowing together not a common single abstracted Theoretick knowledge but a double or multiplied knowledge it must be Hence the learned say Conscientia est Aqninas Ri vet alij cum alijs scientia In this sence it intends a four-fold knowledge Conscire 1. cum Deo to know together 1. with God 2. cum seipsis 2. with our selves 3. cum alijs 3. with others 4. cum rebus ipsis 4. with things themselves In all which Idem est conscire consentire The Conscientious man is ever a Consentientious man 1. Cum Deo scire Conscience is first to know Conscientia est notitia vel sensus internus judicij proprij vel alieni praecipue Dei de nostris bene vel male factis Paraeus in Ro. 13. together or consent together with God whence commonly Divines say Conscientia is cum deo scientia When we have the same Idaea apprehension and esteeme of things in our minde that is in Gods when we allow or disallow thinke speake doe according to the rule of Gods word when wee are not swayed by mans judgement or the wisedom of the world But what God commendeth is approved what God commandeth is obeyed what he promiseth is beleeved what hee threatneth is avoyded what ever God propoundeth is regarded and received this is conscience when we light our Candle at the Lampes of the Sanctuary Hence we say Vox conscientiae is vox dei The voyce of a right enlightned Conscience is the voyce of God so saith Solomon Prâ—v 20. 27. The spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord Lumen ex ipsius Prov. 20. 27. lumine lighted at his Word then searching the inner parts of the Belly and the secrets of the heart and is become a discoverer of the secret thoughts nothing being hid from the view of these two heart-searchers What is Conscience other then the hewing and squaring our Tables according to the Tables delivered to us from the hand of God Mr. Burroughs Moses selfe denyall p. 39 As it is reported of Boleslaus King of Poland who used to weare the Picture of his Father in a plate of Gold hanging about his neck and whensoever he was to do or speake any thing of importance he would take his Picture and kissing it say Deare Father I wish I may not do any thing remissely unworthy of thy name c. So Conscience still hath a remembrance of God before his eyes and when any thing is to be done saith Lord Col. 1. 10. Give me to walke worthy of God to all Pleasing fruitfull in every good worke This is to have our works to be wrought in God Jo. 3. 21. And as in the sight of God 2 Cor. 2. ult 2 Conscire is cum seipso scire aut consentire Conscience is the knowing of a man with himselfe Cor quando se novit appellatur conscientia quando praeter se alia scientia Bern. Conscience maketh an identity in the same man throughout Hence it is that Bernard often calls Conscientia Cordis Scientia When the head and heart are agreed Knowledg in the head alone is barely Science oft so falsely called Knowledge in the heart too is then Conscience rightly so called In this respect I may say Ecl. 10. 2 Let thy right hand know whatsoever thy left hand doth Thy heart must lye at thy right hand yea and lye neare thy mouth too That is to say to Weigh Trye Examine Observe Order all that thy mouth speaketh or hand acteth or thought intendeth Caleb spake as it was in his heart Joshu 14. 7. And in the next verse he saith I fully followed the Lord. Here is nothing but Conscience in both these expressions His heart followed the Lord there is cum Deo Scire And he fully followed his heart There is cum seipso scire Psal 15. 2. The Godly man speaketh his Conscience he speaketh the truth in his heart So the Apostle Ro. 9. 1. I speake the truth in Christ and lye not there is cum Deo scientia My conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost There is the other Cordis Scientia There is conscience when these two meet happy is the man who condemneth not himselfe in his heart for what he alloweth approveth in practise Hic murus ahaeneus esto Nil conscire sibi That little quantity of Ayre which wee breath in at our nostrils which goes into the man even to the heart and which thereafter is breathed out thence againe is more to a man it is indeed his life then all the three regions of Ayre which fill up that vast space between Earth and Heaven However Philosophers conceive there is purer Aire in the highest Region Certainely that lesser proportion of Knowledge of Divine truths which we take downe and sucke into the heart and after draw out and deliver thence is more to a Christians life and Comfort then all your refâ—ned speculations even of the third and highest Region 3. Conscire cum alijs To know together with others and consent with them This is Conscience to put our Soules into their Soules Iob. 16. 4. stead as Job speaketh Then to doe to others as wee would they should do to us Mat. 7. 12. To know the heart of a stranger Ex. 23. 9. that thou doe not oppresse him Cognoscit justus Animam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jumenti sui Prov. 12. 10. The righteous man is Arias Montan Conscientia est notitia sensus internus judicij proprij alieni c. Paraeus ubi supra mercifull to his Beast Because hee considereth the heart and condition of the poore dumb Creature with Sympathy much more doth he know and consider the case of the poore of the oppressed in the Gate of the Orphan of the widdow when as Job said of himselfe Job 31. 18. they were still with him either in his presence to releeve and support them or in his Bowels to commiscrate and condole with them The conscientious man saith who is weake and I am not weake who offended and I burne not How can I wound my Brothers conscience and sinne against him but I wound my 2 Cor. 11. 29. 1 Cor. 8. 12 selfe and sinne against Christ O what a worthy speech was that of Hadrian a heathen Emp. Emperatorem Erga unum Cent. Mag. Cent. 2. Cap. 3. quemque debere esse talem qualem si privatus esset sibi vellet esse imperatorem The Emperour should so carry himselfe to every private person as he would desire were he in that poore mans case the Emperour should deale with him This is to approve our selves to every good mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. This is cum alijs scire Be ye as I am I am as you are Gal. 4. 12. This is to provide things honest Not onely in our owne sight or in Gods Bernard lib. 2. de consc sight in seeret
but openly in the sight of all men Felix conscientia nec sibi in aliquo conscia nec proprium veretur judicium nec alienum de se Bernard That is The sound conscience feares no censure from himselfe or from any other man He doth ever examine himselfe and his owne actions and is not afraid that any other man should examine them and know all his heart and his manner of Dealings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jo. 7. 24. By outward appearance Vulgar opinion worlds Thes 5. 21 4 Cum rebus ipsis conscire aut consentire To judge of things not esteem or custome but to judge righteous judgement Conscience is to trye all things holding fast only what is good to weigh all in the Ballance of the Sanctuary Such a one was upright Caleb in all respects he did 1. cum deo scire he fully followed the Lord 2. cum seipso scire he spake as it was in his heart and so here he did cum rebus ipsis scire he made his report as hee found things were indeed But here the unâ—ust Steward shewed his dishonesty who to get a new master or friend cozened his old Master and altered his Books brought in a false account for one summe of 100. he set downe fourscore for another he set downe fifty here was neither honesty nor Conscience In all these foure considerations Conscience may be called the godly mans Counterpane answering and conforming to foure other Patterns 1. Gods minde 2. Our owne 3. Other mens 4. And to things themselves And it is the constant and continuall practise of that Art lately spoken of if there be at least any such invention viz. Of writing severall Copies at once with one and the same hand Conscience is resembled in nothing better then in that vision Ezek. 1. 5. 10. Where were foure living Creatures all alike each having foure severall faces all went every one the same way v. 12. They had one uniforme motion and were acted by one and the same spirit Or to the foure wheeles v. 16. That were of one likenesse yet had foure distinct faces each of them And all foure were of one forme and appeareance yet were so involved that they seemed to be a Wheele in a Wheele all had one motion and one spirit went together stopt together rose up together and staid together for the living spirit was in these Wheeles You will observe this most lively and clearely in a good conscience Gods minde is the first Coppy and Prototype my conscience must be the exact counterpane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Antitype of the minde and will of God Then my words actions and Dealings with others must be commensurate unto and the counterpane of my owne conscience Lastly my actions Dealings and conscience too must be cut even with things themselves As the ten Curtaines of the Tabernacle were all of one measure and did one meet with the other and were coupled together Exod. 26. 1 2. 3. Or as the ten Bases in Solomons Temple 1. Kings 7. 37. They had all one casting one measure and one size So is conscience in these his fourefold acts The man then whom we seeke is he whose judgement is conforme to truth his conscience conforming to his judgement then his will stooping to his conscience his affections bowing to such a will his expressions auswering his affections and his actions suiting with his expressions This is the man of conscience whose works are wrought in God Hence flow four Corollaries 4 Corollaries Corol. 1. Not to act according to Gods minde and the nature of the things themselves argues an erroneous conscience Corol. 2. Not to act according to a mans owne minde and others minde argues a very corrupt conscience Corol. 3. To conceive and judge according to all foure is the right intellectuall conscience and un-erring conscience Corol. 4. To act according to such a fourefold judgement is the right practicall and unoffensive conscience In summe thus it is The good Christian must be competently scientious and grounded in principles of knowledge then the understandingly scientious must be cordially conscientious The cordially conscientious must be universally con-sentientious and the thus scientious con-scientiou and con-sentientious Christian is made up of unanimity and uniformity 1. Vniformity in his apprehensions with God himselfe others and things themselves in their own nature 2. Vniformity in his actions when his thoughts words actions dealings are of the same measure stamp and fashion with his minde and his minde with Gods minde c. This man hath now no more an heart and an heart or one heart and another hand but one heart one hand and one way Eusebius Lib. 6. cap. 2 saith of Origen This was the Testimony given of him As he taught so hee lived As he lived so he taught So should it be Vt vixit dixit ut dix it vixit the Christians Motto As he meant he spake As he spake he did and as he spake and did so he meant and thought It was the honour of our Saviour that his doing and teaching went together Act. 1. 1. And that he was alike mighty in words and deeds Luk. 24. 19. The good conscience then remember is a multiplied knowledge and fourfold it is like a Quadripartite instrument containing foure Copies of the same tenor and inscription every of which must exactly answer the other as their counterpane And the man of conscience is like a perfect square quadrangular Building whose length and bredth and height and depth are all alike and uniforme Such it is observed were the three holiest peices and places of worship in the old Testament viz. The Sanctum Sanctorum 1 King 6 20. Ezek 41. 4. compared with 2 Chron. 3. 8. in Moses Tabernacle and in Solomons and Ezekiels Temples and also in the holy City mentioned in the new Testament that were all uniforme Their height and bredth and length were equall Revel 21. 16. So must it be with the true Christian the living and spirituall temples and Cities for God to dwell and walke in They must be four-square their length bredth height and depth are equall Their science must bee no longer then their 1 Cor. 6. 16. conscience their conscience no larger then their science their words no higher then their actions their actions no lower then their words And this is conscience And thus much to shew what the word Conscience doth import and signifie The second thing I have to doe is to shew what the thing Conscience is having opened Ames de consc lib 1. cap. 1. conscientia est judicium hominis de seipso pro ut subijcitur judicio dei what the word imports sundry Definitions are given of it by sundry men and each may be good It is saith Dr. Ames The judgement of a man concerning himselfe and his owne waies in reference and subordination to the judgement of God It is the Soule recoyling on it selfe say others more briefly Warde
Leah instead of an imagined Rachel It climbes the Tree of Knowledge and cuts down the Tree of Life It taketh and chuseth a Barabbas but renounceth and condemneth Christ Jesus It Mar. 7. 8. 11. 12. will make a Pharisee set more by an old Tradiâ—ion then a divine Precept and a Pharisees diâ—ciple Acts 16. 9. Gal. 1. 13. 14. Psal 3. 6. Mat. 23. 15 look more after the Corban then his duâ—y to his aged and indigent Parents This set Paul blindfold to persecute and blaspheme Christ onely that he might shew his zeal to God This makes others compasse both sea â—nd land to make one their Proselyte who when all is done is but a double childe of hell Oh the wofull work erroneous Conscience hath made in all Times in the past Ages of the Church And this my story of iniquity worketh hitherto and is still working more mischief amidst our sad and dismall distractions This is one part of the spirituall wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heavenly things or places Ephes 6. 12 13. Against which must be taken the whole armour of God This like Saul hath slain his thousands not of Philistines but Israelites This like that wood which in a bloody day devoured more by erring disordering and intangling them then the sword devoured 2 Sam. 18. 8 This destroys more then ignorance or superstition or prophanesse This lets go Scripture duties upon more credit given to Revelations Upon this mistake a true Prophet once contrary to expresse commands of God gave up his faith obedience and withall his conscience upon a report of a later revelation and an Angelicall apparition to the old Prophets bare but false asseveration of a newer and cleerer light 1. King 13. 18. I am also a prophet as thou art and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord saying Bring him back with thee to eat bread and drink water but he lied unto him This above all other is the evil conscience intended in this place It was nothing but erring conscience at first that caused Hymenaeus and Alexander to relinquish their former Profession and having put pure conscience out of doors they come to make a fearfull shipwrack of their faith totally and oâ— their souls finally Enlightened conscience feareth and departeth from evil this fool rageth and is confident Prov. 14. 16. Englightened conscience hath his eyes open and seeth the angel in the way erroneous conscience like the seduced false Prophet rusheth forward into the midst of danger Erroneous conscience is he whose deceived heart turns him aside who feedeth on ashes as the Prophet saith Esay 44. 20. hath a lie in his right hand so that he cannot deliver his soul This is he whose plague is in his head Levit. 13. 44. This is the man whom ye may bray in a mortar with a pestell among wheat yet will not his folly depart from him Prov. 27. 22. There is more hope of a fool then of this man because he is wiser commonly in his own conceit then seven men that can render a reason Prov. 26. 12 16. Erroneous conscience is the eye that puts darknesse for light and light for darknesse It is the mouth that puts bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter It is the traveller that leaveth the ancient paths and the good way to walk in new wayes wayes not of Gods casting up and Scriptures chalking out Jer. 18. 15 A good Conscience must therefore be purified from Errour Thirdly It must be purified from naturall From deadnesse or hardnes deadnesse or hardnesse which is as bad a disease as either ignorance or errour So that although thou mayest escape the fear of ignorance by the instructions of Wisdom and-the snare of errour by the light of the Gospel yet if thou be taken in the Pit of deadnesse and naturall hardnesse thou art never the neerer thou hast not yet a good conscience Heb. 9. 14. The conscience must be purged from dead works that it may serve the living God A dead conscience is not for a living God One may be a knowing hypocrite or an orthodox nonconvert but what is he neerer to salvation while in this deadnesse There is a generation pure in their own eyes yet not cleansed Pro. 30. 12 as to conscience from their own deadnesse God I thank thee I am no Papist say they no Anabaptist Antinomian Sectary I am a catholike Christian I am an old Protestant but an unsanctified Christian and the common carnall Protestant is no better then they He is blinde and cannot see afar off and forgets that he is not yet cleansed from his old sins 2. Pet. 1. 9. Except you be regenerate and raised from naturall deadnesse you cannot see the kingdom of God Al that are not seducers as Jesuits false Teachers or seduced as common Papists Antinomians Libertines Anti-scripturists prophane Atheists and Socinians are not therefore necessarily saved There is a plague in the heart that every one must see and bewail and get cured of or else it is as pernicious to the 1 Kin. 8. 38 soul and sends more certainly to hell then any plague or leprosie in the head Levit. 13. 44. We call not that Arm or Leg good which is onely not bruised wounded out of joynt when it is benummed or paralytick It hath no pain indeed but what use is there of it So what though conscience be not bruised raging and tormenting and out of joynt by errour if it be benummed stupified or dead There is no use of such a conscience Conscience must therefore be purged from deadnesse Secondly There be three things which Conscience must be Purified by which are 1 The Three things conscience is purified by 1. The word of Christ word 2. Blood 3. Spirit of Christ First The word of Christ is the Great heart Searcher and Conscience Purifier Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is quick and Powerfull and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart c This is the Fanne with which Christ doth purge his Floore Canscience John 15. 3. Now are you clean through the word which I have spoken to you saith Christ to his Disciples and for them he prayes Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is that sanctifying truth This removes those before named discases of conscience 1. This is that which removes ignorance Psal 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths What can the best eye see without a light of Sun or candle What can we know concerning God and his will without his word This written word is a more sure discovery of the minde of God then all apparitions or the most famous particular revelations 2 Pet. 1. 19. To which we must take heed and have recourse as to a light shining in a dark place This giveth knowledge to the simple Psal 119. 130. This is sufficient to remove all ignorance and uncertainty in divine things 2.
This rectifies errour being as a voyce behinde us Esay 30. 21. Thine ear shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left This ends all controversies Esay 8. 26. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them This resolves all doubts How is it written in the law how readest thou Luke 10. 26. 3. This removes deadnesse of conscience and hardnesse Is not this word an hammer to soften the heart and is not this the immortall seed by which we Jer. 23. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 23 Psal 119. 25. are begotten again Therefore David finding his conscience in a dead frame prayed My soul cleaveth to the dust quicken me according to thy word Again verse 50. It is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me So verse 93. I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me The word is the first thing by which conscience is purified and set right This makes the man of God perfect and thorowly furnished to every good work 2 Tim. 3. 17. Secondly By the blood of Christ is the conscience 2. By the blood of Christ further purified we must not rest in the word alone without this blood which cleanseth both the book of Conscience and is sprinkled on the book of Scripture to give vertue to it Heb. 9. 14. Shall not the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God This is it that purgeth the defiled and guilty conscience from all his diseases and filthinesse Christs spittle opened the eyes of two blinde men once His blood openeth the eye of Mark 8. 23 Joh. 9. 6. blinde conscience ever This is the blood of sprinckling which alone purifies the heart from an evil conscience Heb. 10. 22. So that the soul may now draw nigh to God with boldnesse and much assurance Other blood and observances Read the 9. and 10. chap. to the Hebr. might serve to make an Israelite under the Law legally pure as to the flesh Onely this blood of Christ typified by the purification water the hyssop scarlet blood of bulls and goats can make a Christian Evangelically pure before God and Internally in the court of Conscience The book and people and all things pertaining to the Tabernacle were consecrated with blood Heb. 9. 22. And almost all things by the Law were purged with blood And without shedding of blood there is no remission To teach us what is more plainly expressed 1 Joh. 1. 7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Wash me O Lord with this hyssâ—p and I shall Psal 51. 7. be clean Purge me with this blood and I shall be whiter then the snow Thirdly Conscience is purged by the Sperit 3 By the spirit of Christ of Christ together with the word and blood without there be a concurrence of all three the work is not done not the word alone without the blood and spirit can effect it noâ— the blood without the word and spirit nor yet the spirit without both the former The word is sprinkled on the Conscience to inform satisfie and purifie it The blood of Christ is sprinkled on the word as Exod 24. 8. compared with Heb. 9. 20. which it was not sufficient to have read but sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant to give vertue to it And the blood it self must be applyed by the spirit that the vertue of it may be brought home to the conscience The blood of Christ without the spirit is no better then his flesh without the spirit The flesh profits nothing It is the Spirit that quickeneth The principall Jo. 6. 63. part of the work of purifying Conscience belongs to the Spirit It was that eternal Spirit whereby Christ offered his Blood Heb. 9. 14. which did commend our conscience to God And this Spirit applying the blood offered doth commend and seal Gods Covenant to our Consciences Thus the spirit heals those three diseases It properly removes Ignorance being the Spirit of Illumination Eph. 1. 17 This rectifyes Errour being the spirit of Truth Joh 14. 17. This removes Deadness being the spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. This is the great Purifyer this the Refiners fire this the Fullers soape Malach 3. 2. whereby Christ doth refine and purifie the sons of Jacob. This the Spirit of Judgement and Spirit of burning wherewith God hath promised to wash away the filth of the daughter of Zion Esay 4. 4. CHAP. III. Of the Conscience rightly pacifyed Conscience rightly pacified II. A Right pacifyed Conscience This is the second property and part of the good Conscience laid down in the Definition Purity indeed is the more excellent kinde of goodnesse it being essentiall to the very being of good Conscience Peace is but an additional and a secondary part of that goodness and conduceth more to the bene esse then to the bare esse of good conscience It is a spirituall good but of a temporary nature not standing and immovable Peace is so far good as that the Conscience is not perfectly well without it but right Peace it must be or it is not good at all which that it may enjoy There are three things which Conscience must be 1. Pacifyed from 2. Pacifyed by Three things it must be pacified from 1. The three things Conscience must be pacifyed from are 1. The Reign of Sin 2. The rage of Satan 3. The displeasure of God 1 It must be at peace from the dominion of sin So long as Adonijah Reigneth Solomon is in danger while Sin is in his Power and Throne 1 From the raigne of sinne Conscience cannot be in safety Our Peace therefore which we should seek is not such a Peace as we are born unto or are possessed of while the strong man is Armed but is a recovered Peace regained by deposing the Usurper Like Israels Peace after the seditious commotion 2 Sam. 20. 22. was quietly setled when Shebahs head was off No peace to conscience while a Sheba up in Armes There is a Peace indeed when Sin and Satan are strongly armed and keep the house Luk. 11. 21. This is no good Peace this is the peace of a sleepy not an awakened conscience No war so miserable as Pax est sed Bello pax ea deterior such a peace when the soul is at ease in it self at peace with Sin at peace with Satan at agreement with Hell but at war and enmity with God Conscientia pacatè optima may be vitiosè pessima In tali pace amaritudo mea amarissima as Bernard or Ad pacem advenit Amara mihi Amaritudo as Junius reads that of Hezekiah in Is 38. 17. Wo to these that â—laugh now they
shall lament Wo to them that are at ease Luk. 6. 25 in Zion and put far from them the evil day when they cause violence to draw near If he adde drunkenness to thirst and walk in the imaginaon Am 6. 1. 3. of his heart and bless himself saying I have peace and I shall have peace God will not spare such a one but his anger and jealousie Deut. 29. 18 19. shall smoak against that man It is the case of the godly oftentimes to cry fear fear where no fear and danger is And the wicked usually cry peace peace where no safety and peace is Thus yet do many sleep and live and die in peace when Jonah-like there Jonah 1. 4 5. is the greatest storm of Divine Displeasure pursuing them and the Destroyer is ready to swallow them up They slumber and sleep but their judgement all the while lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not For there 2 Pet. 2. 3. is no Peace from God to the wicked Isa 57. ult 2 It is pacifyed from the rage of Satan After 2. From the rage of Satan conscience hath been delivered from the paws of the ravening Bear the reign of sin It must next seek to be delivered from the jaws of the roaring Lyon the rage of Satan This latter is usually more terrible the former more dangerous When Sin is dethroned the first and greatest wo is past When Adonijah flies Solomon presently succeeds and is established 1 Kin 1. 50. in the throne Sin once put to flight the King of Peace reigns in the throne of Conscience This is that happy peace and security promised to the Beleever Mat. 16. 18. Upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it This is the sum of that other promise Rom. 16. 20. The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly shewing manifestly our securest peace is when God doth not only restrain but ruine Satan not binde but bruise him not chain him up but tread him down The like Prayer 1 Thes 5. 23. The very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly This peace from Satans rage the godly man may for so me time want who yet hath a good and pure conscience Such a want may stand with a perfect good conscience though not with a perfectly well conscience Conscientia honestè bona may be molestè mala Ames The Philistines often rushed upon Sampson and gave him many alarums hee still Iudg. 16. 9. 12. 15. 14 came off with honour and victory They come â—ut one way and fly seven waies The trouble was his the losse was theirs Yet thus is many a poore beleever often encountered some for longer time some for shorter some even al their life time are kept in bondage through Heb. 2. 15. feare of death and him that hath the power of Death the Devill They mourne they feare they pray they cry they are weary with waiting for the salvation of God When will the redeemer come out of Zion When Rom. 11. 26 Mal. 4. 2. will the Angell of the Covenant of peace come with Healing under his wings Paul had not this Peace sometimes 2 Cor. 7. 5. we had no rest but were troubled on every sâ—de without were fightings within were feares yet at another time could say 2 Cor. 2. 14. Thanks be to God who alwaies causeth us to Triumph in Christ And Rom. 8. 31 33. ad finem If God be for us who can be against us What shall separate us from the love of God shall Tribulation or Distresse or Persecution or Temptation c. Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerers through him that hath loved us yea I am perswaded that neither the Temptation nor the Tempter nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Life nor Death nor Height nor Depth nor any Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. In this condition Conscience saith to the Soule Returne to thy Rest O my Soule for the Lord hath beene Beneficiall unto Psal 116. 7 thee This is that Peace which Christ hath Purchased and Bequeathed to the Beleever Peace I leave with you my Peace I give to you Jo. 14. 27. b. e. not Peace onely with God and with selfe and with men in midst of a Raging unquiet world but Peace in Despight of Hell Gates and Sathans Darts Of this Peace we may say as Gideon of his Altar Judg. 6. 34 Jehovah Shalom the Lord is God of this Peace or this Peace is the Peace of God Thirdly The third thing Conscience From the displeasure of God Rightly Pacified is at Peace and Delivered from is the Displeasure of God This is the Highest Step of Solomons throne the best part of our Peace above both the former when we can say being justified by faith we have Peace with God through Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. This a blessed Peace when not with man or selfe or sin or Sathan but with God Reconciled through Christ This that Peace Christ promised which the world cannot Give Nor Devill take away Jo. 14. 27. The peace of which the Apostle speaketh so magnificently calling it Phil 4. 7. the Peace of God which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praesidio erit Beza passeth all understanding which shall guard and engarison your hearts and mindes through Jesus Christ This Guards the Soule and Conscience from all the feares and assaults of Law sin guilt death hell and Satan In this condition the Soule lyeth downe in Peace and riseth in Peace and saith to the Godly â—ustified Person in Solomons words Eccle. 9. 7. Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy Psal 3. 5. 4. 8. and drinke thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works Secondly There are 3 things which Conscience must be Pacified by and those the Conscience is pacified by 3 things same three by which before it was Purified what ever tendes to Purity Tendes to Peace viz. 1. The word 2. The bloud 3. The Spirit of Christ First By the word of Christ Conscience is Pacified and restored to Peace The word By the word of Christ especially the Gospell is therefore cald the word of Peace Tydings of Peace Gospell of Peace Word and ministery of Reconciliation Act. 10. 36 Ro. 10. 15. 2 Cor. 5. 18 The Gospel is the Instrumentum Pacis Christianae Gods Proclamation and our Charter of Peace containing the largest concessions of Grace It is an Act of Oblivion Passed in Heaven God not imputing our sinnes to us and further giving us an Act of Indemnity against all charges and impeachments of law sinne Conscience or Sathan This word we must produce for our security It is by the Mar. 4. 39. 41. Job 34 29 Jer. 20. 9. word of Christ that the winds and stormes are laid in the conscience and a calme made Christ utttereth his voyce and the
and the best resolver of all our doubts Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies rather an Interrogation or demand as Beza saith well upon the place though our translation render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro respondere testificari vix putem satis aptè usurpari posse Beza 1 Pet. 3. 21 Jud. 13. 12. an answer Conscience hath many questions to put and it is still the nature of conscientious men to be enquiring as Manoahs wife when she had the Angell to resolve her now tell us how shall we order the Childe What shall we doe unto him All that came unto Iohn wrought upon by his ministery came with this question Luk. 3. 10 12 14. The most proper and pertinent question And what shall we do What shall we doe said the Publicans and People and Souldiers So is conscience still inquisitive desiring to goe upon safe grounds It inquires at the mouth of God 1. By Prayer as David Lord shall I goe 1 Sam. 30. 8 Joh. 34. 32. Luk. 10. 26 Isa 8. 20. as Job That which I see not teach thou me 2. By the word How is it written How readest thou is consciences question And to the Law and Testimony is consciences resolution 3. Conscience enquires at the Priests lips and seekes the law at his mouth Mal. 2. 7. Comes unto him for private Conference and satisfaction 4. Conscience puts cases in writing and propounds his doubts and scruples and desires resolution As the Corinthians had written to Paul in a certain case which did much perplex them desiring his resolution 1 Cor. 7. 1. Lastly Conscience hath many questions to put home to a mans selfe He must commune with his own heart and cause his spirit to make a diligent search in himselfe as the Psalmist saith he sometimes did Psal 77. 6. From whence it is that you see still young Converts they have many questions to make and cases to put they dare not walke at a venture as the word is Levit. 26. 21 23 27. for that is indeed to walke contrary to God as it there rendred CHAP. XI Of the honest dealing Conscience GOod Conscience must not onely be Good Of the honest dealing conscience at seeing and good at saying but as good at doing therefore I adde after the well-sighted and well spoken Conscience The well-dealing This which we call the honest Conscience a conscience of absolute necessity in a Christian so much of honesty before men so much of good Conscience before God want common honesty and all that is left is but hypocrisie Say not this is morallity and it is to be found among Heathens It is Divinity also and must be found among Christians religion teacheth to honour it though not to rest in it And the Christians care must be not to despise it but exceed it Of this good conscience Paul glorieth while he saith Heb. 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience in al things willing to live honestly To live honestly in all things is an honor to an Apostle and an undeniable argument of a good Conscience Visibility and Vniversality are Popish markes of a right Church but they are Protestant marks of a good Conscience and a right Christian We have a good Conscience The word translated Good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also honest of this the adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived translated honestly It might as well have been read Wee have an honest Conscience and in all things desirous to live honestly where all good Conscience is to bee seen Act. 23. 1. there all Honestie is to bee seen So 1 Pet. 3. 16. Peter exhorts to this Good Conscience Having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may bee ashamed when they falsly accuse your good Conversation A good Conversation without will proclaim to all the world a good Conscience within And a good Conscience ever bindes us to our good behaviour towards men The Apostles Rule is Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever are lovely and whatsoever of good report those seek and do as well as whatsoever things are true are pure are holy And 2 Cor. 8. 21. Providing things honest not onely in the sight of God but in the sight of all men Good Conscience must have Jacobs hands as well as Jacobs voice must as well deal fairly as speak fairly Good Conscience must look to a Thread and to a Shoo-latchet as Abraham did And must bee able Gen. 14. 23. to say in the sight of all the world as Moses Num. 16. 15 and Samuel Testifie against mee whose ox or whose ass have I taken whose gold or silver or apparel have I purloined or coveted 1 Sam. 12. 3 Act. 20. 23 2 Cor. 7. 2. whom have I defrauded or whom have I circumvented in bargaining The good ground in the Parable which maketh best use of the Word is expounded by our Saviour to bee the good and honest heart Luke 8. 15. And the man who is to bee admitted into Gods holy place must bee such an one as hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24. 4. Godliness and honestie are joyned together 1 Tim. 2. 2. as being inseparable The life of Godliness is bound up in the bundle of Honestie They are mother and daughter as Naomi and Ruth and cannot part companie Where Ruth 1. 16 17. thou goest I will go saith Ruth where thou dwellest I will dwell where thou diest I will die and bee buried with thee Thy God is my God so these go together stay together live together die together for they both serve one and the same God Pietie without Honestie is but seeming Pietie and really Pharisaical Hypocrisie and all Honestie without true Pietie is but Semi-honestie and at best but Philosophical Paganish moralitie Each of them parted make but halfe of a man Both together make a compleat Christian The Good Conscience must ever consider what may stand with Honestie When carnall Reason and worldly Policie bid thee run with Gehazi and say This thou maist do and that thou maist get here is an Opportunitie neglect it not Good Conscience saith to them as Abner to Asahel Turn aside from following mee for how shall I then hold up 2 Sam. 2. 22. my head before Joab How shall I answer this another day Therefore no more Gain then what will stand with Godliness What I may take with Honestie that I will take what I can keep with Honestie that I will keep what is offered upon Terms of dishonestie I may not I will not receive what is received in way of dishonestie I must and I will restore as did Zacheus Better Salvation should Luke 19. 8. come to my house when I am restoring then damnation to my soul and a curse into my house and upon my Posteritie when I am receiving God shake every man out of his house and
uncleanness 11. And lastly this insatiableness leads into the midst of Hell which is delightfulness in sin and there it leaves him to commit all uncleanness with greediness what can be worse in a Devil Thus have we shewed you the eleven steps of Satans Ladder That reacheth from the Top of sin to the Bottome of Hell and tels us by what degrees a man is transformed into a beast at first and into a Devil at the last And thus do you see the second kinde of hardness of Conscience following upon the former Thus it is said of Pharaoh that Pharaoh hardened his own heart Exo. 9. 15 32. Adding to naturall hardness voluntary attracted and augmented 3. Then is there left nothing but Judiciall 3. Judicial hardness by Seducers 2 Thess 2. 10. hardnesse such are all the foure following kindes As that then is the Conscience or heart further hardened by Impostors and Seducers Thus it is said further that Pharaoh's heart was hardened by the Magicians Exodus 7. 22. The Magicians turned the waters into blood by their Inchantments and Pharaoh 's heart was hardened c. God gave them over to worke their lying wonders and gave him over to believe their lies and to be hardened by them God doth still the same in his just Judgement to this day giving men over to strong delusions to believe a lie who had cast off the love to the truth whereby they should have been saved In this respect it is that God is said to lay a stumbling-block before the Apostate Ezek. 3. 20. to deceive the false prophet Ezek. 14. 9. And to have put a lying spirit into the mouth of all Ahab 's Prophets c. 1 King 22. 23. This is a Judiciall and fearfull hardness following upon the voluntary and attracted 4. Then is there a Ministeriall hardening 4. Ministeriall hardning God lets men injoy the Gospel and the means of Grace but they having added to naturall hardness of heart voluntary and to contempt of truth their love of errour God sends leannesse into their soules under fatness of Ordinances barrenness under fruitfull Ordinances Go tell this People saith he Psal 106. 15. to Isaiah the most Evangelical Preacher under the old Testament Isa 6. 9 10. Hear ye indeed but understand not and see but perceive not make the heart of this People fat and their ears heavy and shut their eyes c. Then doth the preaching of the Apostles themselves prove but a savour of death to death 2 Cor. 2. 16. Then doth the best Gospel Preacher become but a hardening preacher hard he found them harder he leaves them asleep he found them asleep leaves them deceived he found them and he cannot undeceive them Thus Moses also hardened Pharaoh's heart viz. accidentally and occasionally Pharaoh grew worse and worse by every precept by every reproof by every sign by every plague by every deliverance and by every mercie 5. Besides these there is a most dreadfull 5. Divine hardning hardening of God's part a Divine hardening a Poenal hardening by Divine Vengeance This God calls the sending of all his plagues upon the heart Exod. 9. 14. A heart hardened by the curse of God is an Epitome of all plagues in the world yea all the plagues of Exo. 10. 1. 20. 27. hell are in it Thus is God said often to have hardened Pharaoh's heart which what it doth particularly implie I shall not here enquire How far God doth act in the Judiciall hardening of a sinner to sin yet is not the Authour or approver of the sin It cannot be meant that God doth infundere malitiam but that he doth not infundere mollitiem Thus is God said to lay stumbling-blocks before men Eze. 3. 20. as was said before to blinde their eyes to harden their heart that they should not be converted c. Joh. 12. 40. To send strong delusions upon men 2 Thess 2. 10. To give men over to vile affections and to a reprobate minde Rom. 1. 28. All these five forementioned Consciences may be quiet and still Consciences but are wretched and unhappy in their quietness Lastly none will make question but there 6. Satannicall hardning is another who had a prime hand in hardening Pharaoh's heart viz. Satan though it be never said expresly that Satan hardened Pharaoh's heart But certain it is that Satan hath his first or second hand in every sinfull act and had a hand in the first hardening to the last He brought in the first naturall hardness he brings on from that to voluntary hardness he subornes Deceivers to harden further he steals away the Word when the Gospel preached Mat. 13. 19. should soften And when God hath tried all means and finds men desperately wicked having pleasure in unrighteousness he gives over striving any longer then comes Satan with full Commission of power and efficacie of lies and errors to perswade and prevail also 1 Kin. 22. 22. The like expressions the Scripture also useth as touching the spirituall blindness of minde 1. We are said to be born blinde blinde we are naturally in spirituall things 2. Then to close our eyes wilfully Matth. 13. 15. 3. To have our eyes closed Ministerially Isa 6. 9. 4. To be led blindfold by Seducers The Mat. 15. 14 blinde leading the blinde those blinde whose eyes God hath put out leading such blinde whose eyes themselves have put out 5. Then doth God close mens eyes Judicially Joh. 12. 40. Rom. 11. 8. And lastly Satan is said to close the eyes of them to whom the Gospel is hid 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. Now to end this Discourse the world is full of Consciences that are bardened either by naturall or voluntary or Judiciall hardness Judicially I say either by godly Ministers accidentally or by wicked Seducers purposely or by Satans instigation or by Divine indignation But howsoever it comes all these are quiet Consciences and the more hard the more quiet the less trouble and noise is in the Conscience the less life and soundness ordinarily This Conscience is quiet till the worse again We all complain the world is hard and that times were never more hard and less quiet and never more full of troubles Thus all complain But God complaineth men and Consciences were never so hard though never more quiet and less troubled for sin under Gods wrath fearfull judgements mighty signs wonders temptations deliverances confusions and the hewing of his Prophets and Deut. 29. 3 4. Hos 6. 5. his own slaying us by the word of his mouth and melting us under Mercies Ordinances and offers of his Grace and intreaties of his Ministers yet do we as our stiff-necked and uncircumcised-hearted Acts 7. 51. Fathers alway resist his Grace and Spirit till there is almost no remedie Therefore 2 Chro. 36. 16. no wonder for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Isa 9. ult Yet there is a quiet Conscience that is
he not be able to finde it out 3. It prefers a supposed fictitious Revelation before written and clear Revelations as did the deceived prophet 1 King 13. Now all Divine Revelations coming from the Spirit of Truth ever are consonant to the word of truth which is the Rule to trie all Revelations by 2 Pet. 1. 19. 4. It prefers a strong impulsion from his own thoughts before Gods own thoughts Jer. 7. 31. God said what they did never came into his minde to approve it yet would they do it because it was their Conscience and it came into their minde But the strongest impulsion of our spirits though gracious Spirits can be no Rule David had a very strong impression once to build God a house he consults with Nathan a Prophet he hath the 2 Sam. 7. 2 3. same apprehension of the work Go on for God is with thee yet was it not therefore good in Gods eyes because good in both theirs David had another vehement and impetuous Motion to be avenged on Nabal for his inhumanitie 1 Sam. 25. 22. and uncivilities towards his servants sent in his name he backs that motion with an Oath yet upon Abigails submission he changeth his minde blessing both ver 33. God and her and the counsell given to stay him from proceeding so fiercely according to the wilde light of an erring Conscience God did appoint his people under the Law Numb 15. 39. to wear fringes on their garments that they might remember Gods written Commandments and not seek after their own heart after which they were apt to go a whoring He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool the wise man Pro. 28. 26 saith And Job gives a serious Item in this case Let not him that is deceived trust in vanitie for vanitie shall be his recompense Job 15. 31. 5. Erroneous Conscience interprets difficulties and discouragements as a discharge from dutie The time is not come say they to build the House of God nor is it any more our dutie because the Kings of Persia forbad and the adversaries hindered it Hag. 1. 2. But this is the sluggards Conscience when he seeth a lion in the way Prov. 26. 13. 6. It conceives a fair intention or a good end may legitimate an unwarrantable action Now though true it is That the goodness of the end propounded hath a great influence upon an action to make it theologically good yet can no good end alter the nature of an action that is materially bad to mend it To do the greatest good to an evil end as to pray to be seen of men and to do the least evil to attain the best end as to lie for God are Job 13. 7. alike abomination Our Rule from the Scripture is not to do the least evil to gain the greatest beneficiall good or to avoid the greatest penall evil Rom. 3. 8. 7. Lastly this fool so rageth and is so confident that he dare appeal to God to patronize his exorbitancies Jo. 16. 3. They think they did God greatest service when they did the Church the greatest dis-service in killing the Apostles So did Pauls erring Conscience once stimulate him Out of zeal persecuting the Church Phil. 3. 6. Jehu could not look upon it as any other then true zeal to God when he saw himself so violent in rooting out Ahabs house and Baals priests Come see my zeal for the Lord saith he And were there not fourty zealously enraged against Paul who had made a religious vow not to eat again unless they had killed Paul Act. 23. 12. Quantum Religio poterit suadere malorum what so evil that erroneous Conscience will not call good It puts bitter for sweet and darkness for light familiarly 7. The next mistake is of them who mistake a scrupulous Conscience for a good Conscience whenas all their scruples are about minute and triviall matters about indifferent or impertinent things overlooking things of greater consequence they stand upon Tythe Mint Annise and Cummin and neglect the weightie matters of the Law Mercie Justice Faith Strain at a gnat swallow a camel stick at joyning with a Christian Congregation in the commanded duties of publike worship and Communion but never stick at joining with scorners in sinful communion or in conforming to the fashions of the world Surely we may say as Paul to his Ephesians But ye have not so learned Christ Ephes 4. 20 21. if ye have heard him and have been taught by him c. These make ado about washing pots and cups and outsides when the heart is brim full of pride hypocrisie malice censoriousness rapine and all iniquitie scruple rubbing ears of corn when hungrie but not swallowing a poor widows house The high Priests were troubled in Conscience and rent their clothes when Christ said he was the Son of God but when themselves blasphemed Christ and resisted the holy Ghost there was then no rending hearts nor renting garments When Judas brought back the money and threw it down they would not once touch it and into their Corban it must not come it was the Price of blood now but when they drove the bargain with Judas and told him out that very money then it was not the price of blood out of Corban it might lawfully come but into Corban again it must not go Oh painted sepulchres and whited walls 8. Such again on the other side who think that scruples and strictness and tenderness are the onely arguments of an ill Conscience and that Libertie and bold adventurousness are the best arguments of a good Conscience And so all the world is of a sudden become very Conscientious and our Reformation brought unto perfection All men crying Conscience Conscience Libertie Libertie But shall we go down and see whether they have done altogether according to this crie Gen. 18. 21. Is this the onely good Conscience that the world hath left Must wee needs leave Jordan and go wash in Abano and Pharpar that we may be clean Must we beat down one altar and set up many altars going the clean contrarie way to Hezekiahs Reformation to make sure that our Reformation shall not be Legall must we say that uniformitie is the onely slaverie That one heart one waie one faith one Baptisme and one Table of the Lord is too little under the Gospel That Jerusalem is not the place it is too much to meet all in one place Dan and Bethel may do as well private places are as good as publike The meanest of the people as fit as the most learned Well we see the one part the worse part of that prophecie fulfilled Micah 4. 5. for all people will walk every one in the Name of his God when shall we see the other and better part fulfilled which followes And we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever Shall this serpent Libertie eat up all our other Rods Must all the legitimate sons of Gideon be slain
cannot say though he have the better Sword but his enemy may have the better Cause that the other cause may after carry it Fourthly The Conqueror may pay so dear for his victory that he doth not greatly joy in it Ezek. 32. 27. Fifthly The Conqueror may when all is done go down to Hell with his sword by his side and his weapons of war under his head though he was the terror of the mighty in the land of the living and then his iniquity shall lie heavie on his bones But we are more than Conquerours we have overcome to day and shall to morrow our cause is a victorious cause carries not Fortunam Caesaris but Honorem Christi therefore shall go forth conquering and to conquer and let Satan and all his Confederates unite their forces Principalities Powers height depth we fear them not all we are secure of victory and safety O glorious and happy condition when a man hath lost all he is as if he had gained all the world when killed all the day long as if he was triumphing all the day long I suffer and am bound saith the Apostle but the word of God is not bound my Cause is not bound my Conscience Dr. Stoughton in his Sermon before K. James is not bound a man takes no hurt while Conscience is safe Excellently Dr. Stoughton to this purpose Job was more happy when he fate upon the dung-hill than Adam when he sinned in Paradise because though his body were dissolved into worms and every worm acted by a Devill as Origen would have it to increase his torment yet he had not eaten the forbidden fruit which bred this worm of Conscience and made him fly from God The Bride that hath good Chear within and good musick and a good Bridegroome with her may be merry though the hail chance to rattle upon the tyles without upon her wedding-day Though the world should rattle about his ears a man may sit merry that sits at the Feast of a good Conscience Nay the Child of God by virtue of this in the midst of the waves of affliction is as secure as that child which in a Shipwrack was upon a plank in his mothers lap till she awaked him securely sleeping and then with his pretty countenance sweetly smiling and by and by sportingly asking a stroke to beat the naughty waves and at last when they continued boystrous for all that sharply chiding them as though they had been but his play-fellowes O the innocency O the comfort of Peace O the tranquility of a spotlesse mind There is no Heaven so clear as a good Conscience So that learned Doctor Good Conscience is to a man his closest and dearest friend that like Baruch to Jeremy will visit him in prison and will keep his Evidences safe for him in a time of common conflagration and calamity Jer. 32. 11 14. Or rather it is that Earthen vessel wherein alone our Evidences of our heavenly state are put and preserved from being corrupted both our Evidences our sealed Evidence and our open Evidence for a Christian must have two the sealed Evidence of Justification and the open Evidence of Sanctification are kept in this Vrne as Baruch was commanded to put both Jeremies Evidences of his purchase the sealed and the open in an Earthen vessel Yea good Conscience is not onely the Non est utilius remedium nec certius testimonium futerae beatitudinis bonâ Conscientiâ Bern. de in t domo preserver of Assurance but is a part of it for what is Assurance of Salvation but in the originall an Act of Grace passed in favour of a poor repenting and beleeving sinner in the Court of Heaven entred and ingrossed in the Book of Life which because procured by the Price of Bloud is written out in the precious Blood of Christ signed and sealed by the impresse of the Spirit of promise which is the Fathers and the Sons Agent on this behalf and attested by good Conscience as that which sets to his his seal next God and is then delivered into the hand of Faith as Gods Act and Deed for the sole Use and Benefit of a rightly purified Conscience Or Assurance is a Transcript taken out of the book of life that sealed book sealed in the bosome and counsell of the Father now unclasped by the hand of the Lamb written fair out in his Bloud attested by the Spirit of God within and endorsed without with the graces and fruits of the Spirit and at last passed in the Court and entred in the Office of good Conscience This this is the Assurance of the Saints when Gods Spirit attests to our Spirit and again our Spirit doth withal consent with the Spirit of God The other benefit of good Conscience 2 At Death here is at death when as it enables and directs ad benè beatèque moriendum an undertaking that all Philosophy could never make good nor did attempt but did onely promise the way ad benè beatèque vivendum yet fell short of that Conscience is the way to well-living it is the onely way to well-dying This gives rejoycing as the Apostle saith to him that is under the sentence and stroke of death and is now despairing altogether of this life 2 Cor. 1. 9. Good Conscience as it is sweeter than life so it is stronger than death and the good man and his Conscience are like Saul and Jonathan lovely in their life and which is above all in death they are not divided Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent Prideaux History pag. 247 The goods embarqued in good Conscience are the onely goods which will be saved when there is any shipwrack of State or Life And those are the goods we should get said the Emperour Lewes of Bavyer which in a shipwrack can swim out as well as thy self A saying also which Q. Mary is said to have Englished and much delighted in These are two great Benefits in this Life here But there are two greater for hereafter Conscience helping Ad tutò intrepidèque comparendum Ad Gloriosè aeternèque triumphandum 3 At judgment Conscience hath two other kindnesses which it will doe for the Soule beyond those two fore-named in life and death It will stand a man in stead when he is to make his appearance before the Tribunal of God Where Courage dares not shew his face nor Eloquence open his mouth where Majestie hath no respect and Greatnesse no favour and as the Martyr said Where money bears no mastery There good Conscience is known and befriended there it dares appear thither it doth appeal when the King and the Captain and the Great man and the Mighty man and the Chief Commander and the Rich and the Bond and the Free cry to the mountains to hide them and to the rocks to fall Rev. 6. 15. 16. on them that they may not appear Then doth good Conscience lift up
But Conscience must not challenge an Arbitrary and illimited power to act or determine any thing without advice with his great Councel the Law and the Prophets The last of those means to be used is Prayer which is a great friend to good Conscience The good Conscience makes many a good Prayer There is the particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and demand of a good Conscience spoken of 1 Pet. 3. 21. which learned Beza understands of prayer Quo fit ut bona Conscientia interroget Deum he renders it The good Conscience never undertakes any thing saith he without prayer and asking counsel at the mouth of God Good Conscience hath ever one eye Conscientia sanctificata ab uno Deo pendet illum invocat nihil nisi eo consulto et ore ipsius interrogato aggreditur Beza in 1 Pet. 3. 21. Act. 10. 2. Job 27. 10 upon God to observe his precepts and the other to beg his direction Conscience cannot be kept sweet but in this perfume of Prayer Observe and you will find the man frequent in prayer ordinarily a man of Conscience But the man of Conscience ever a man of Prayer This was the Testimony given of Cornelius that he was a Devout man fearing God with all his house gave much alms to the People and prayed to God alwaies But the Hypocrites saith Job doth not delight himself in the Almighty nor pray alway to God There can no Conscience be made of any thing where Conscience is not made of Prayer They call not upon God saith David what is Psalm 14. he then lesse than a practical Athiest And Job again makes the highest pitch of impiety this to say to God depart from us we desire Job 21. 14 15. not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him Dost thou then desire a good Conscience Pray with Salomon O Lord give me above 1 Kin. 3. 9. all givings a wise and understanding heart that I may know how to go in and out before thee And with David Lord Create in me Psal 51. a new and a clean heart and renew in me a right spirit Lord be thou still searching and keeping this my heart it is too much for me to keep it is too deep for me to search it is too subtil slippery and deceitfull for me to know Lord try my reins Lord make me know my self O Lord keep me and my Conscience with all keeping keep me as thou wouldest keep the apple of thine eye that thou keeping my Conscience my Conscience may keep faith that faith may keep Christ that Christ may keep my soul in perfect peace Without peace what is life worth Without Christ I can have no peace without faith no Christ without Conscience no faith and without thy keeping no Conscience and without prayer no hope of thy keeping O Lord set thy Angel with his flaming drawn two-edged sword turning every way before the door of my Conscience to keep and guard it from being either forced or defiled Prayer and Conscience make such another association as Judah and Simeon did Help me Jud. 1. 3. good Prayer saith Conscience to drive out the Canaanites out of my Coasts to expell Erroneousnesse deadnesse and hardnesse the three sons of Anak out of my Lot and Territory and I will help thee Prayer to drive out fear distrust and despondency out of thy Lot As those six already mentioned are to be practised to the getting or keeping of the Seven things to be avoided good Conscience so there be seven other things to be avoided 1. Beware even of committing smallest Non solum gravia sed et levia peccata sunt sins and of many things which go for lawfull Wink not at small faults in thy self for so saith Piety In others thou must often so commandeth Charity The least spark may consume the greatest house the least leak vitanda Bern. sink the greatest ship One unclean spirit makes way for seven worse Call not Faith and Troth small Oaths they are more then yea and nay Refrain idle words rash anger vain mirth foolish jeasting yea to say so much as Racha to thy brother that is saith Spanhemius Chrysostomus et illius abreviator Bulgaâ—orum Episcopus statuerunt Raca designare idem quod TU per contemptum Spanhem in Dub. Bern. to say so much as Thou to him in contempt Conscience must beware not onely of telling a malicious lie but of the officious also not onely the pernicious lie to be detested but even the joculatory to lie in jest to please thy companion to excuse thy friend to save thy self is to be refrained Every kind of lying is sinfull because no lie is of the truth Abhor not onely to calumniate and back-bite thy worst enemy but to flatter and sooth thy best friend The greatest spoil made in Conscience had at first but small beginnings Qui otiosum verbum non reprimit ad noxia citò transit et vanus sermo est vanae Conscientiae index Davids carelesse glance and roving eye corrupts his heart there the fire begins he is drawn away presently after and enticed then lust conceives and brings forth sin sin shortly becomes perfect and bringeth forth death A dart striketh through his liver death seizeth on his souls vitals and so low is he brought by this Consumption as to the dust of death Principiis obsta is a good rule How soon were all Peters good purposes promises Protestations forgotten and laid aside he being once ingaged among ill company They all speak against Christ he resolveth not to stand up one against so many to speak in his defence They deny him he denies him they swear he swears they curse he curseth as fast How soon doth the thief in the candle consume it How fast do lesse sins not thrown out vastare Conscientiam and make it flare out presently Peters faint denial first time fetcheth out an Oath next time to back it then he that hath once pawned his Faith to hell by a false oath may now sell his Master for nothing and himself for nought Pèter casts off fear he cuts off his own legs drinketh dammage Lie Swear Curse Lord it is time for the Cock to crow and for thee to look and for Peter to be gone Oh look to beginnings cast out as Pharaoh did the young Children motions to Exo. 1. 16 sin when they are first born Shun occasions Come not nigh unto her corner Stick at a thread and a latchet There are more ill husbands undone as I said before by losse of time neglecting their callings by a little sleep and a little slumber by slight expences now a penny and then a penny then by a hundred pound at a clap these sink suddenly none pittying them the other fall at length but by degrees none observing them Bernard tels us how insensibly by degrees sin grows
upon the soul A man well bred at first looks upon sin as importable once overtaken sin is not now importable but onely Primo importabile processu temporis grave paulo post leve postea placet dulce est Ad extremum quod erat impossibile ad faciendum est impossibile ad continendum Bern. de cons c. 3. Ex voluntate perversa facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas Aug. Conf. l. 8. heavy next time sin is not heavy at all but easie a while after not easie onely but light next time sweet and pleasant afterwards custome becomes another nature and what was importable at first to be committed is impossible at last to be avoided And Austin tels us a story of his mother who by sipping a little wine at first when she filled the cup came by degrees to be a tipling Gossip and to take her whole cups at last Qui modica spernit paulatim decidit he saith upon it Despise small sins and thou art gone Ad illum modicum quotidiana modica addendo in eam consuetudinem lapsa erat ut propè iam plenos mero caliculos inhianter hauriret Conf. lib. 9. 2. Take heed again of adventuring upon one greater sinfull act I say any one sinfull act deliberately presuming upon Gods Remission and thy own Repentance saying I shall have peace though I do this Such one act may for ever shut Conscience out of doors taking away the life and sense of it and ever after shut thee out of Consciences doors taking from thee its former peace It was but one deliberate act of sin that threw the Angels to all Eternity out of Heaven and chained them up in everlasting chains of darknesse That one sin deliberately committed by our first Parents against an expresse Precept cast them out of Paradise and caused the Cherubim and flaming sword to be set at the gate for ever denying any recovery re-entry See what became of Judas when he had once projected in his heart that prodigious act of murder and treason and was resolved to make good his bloudy engagement to the Priests He is now at present with Christ and his Disciples yet intendeth anon to be with the High-Priests He takes the Sop from Christ now and resolves the same hand shall take the High-Priests money too He hath a bag that can hold all that Christ can give and Satan offer Oh Lucifer how art thou fallen Oh Judas how art thou running headlong to destruction Judas what if Christ should disclaim thee for ever as he did for a son of perdition All those which thou gavest me have Joh. 17. I kept hut that one which is lost Judas what if thou shouldest be given over to Satan that thou shalt never repent Judas what if God should give thee over that though thou repent thou shalt not be received to mercy that thou and thy money and thy repentance perish together and God swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his Rest The like you may see in Ananias and Sapphira who having deliberately concluded to try the Spirit of God in the Apostles never were called to Repentance after But when Peter had rebuked them with their sin Why hath Satan filled your heart they died in their sin 3. Take heed of living under or following after a loose and cold man-pleasing Ministery which preacheth liberty not strictnesse of Conscience which soweth pillows under thine Arm-holes and layeth feather-beds under thy feet to tread upon cries Peace Peace so that none departeth from his sinfull way The voice of a faithfull Preacher Esa 40. 3. Esa 58. 1. Ecc. 12. 11. is the voice of a Cryer His sound the sound of a Trumpet his words like sharp nails and piercing Goads his preaching is heart-pricking his dividing the Text and Doctrine the Heb. 4. 12 13. dividing of the Spirit and Marrow and cutting down the Back-bone and he layes all open This is the best Ministery that which is sharper than the two-edged sword and discovers the thoughts of the heart and makes the man quake and tremble and fall down before the word and cry out God is here of a truth Our blessed Saviour who had the Tongue of the learned to speak the word Esay 50. 4. Esa 49. 2. Psal 45. 2. Rev. 1. 14. Mal. 3. 2. Es 11. 4. in season to him that was weary was also as a polished shaft and his mouth as a sharp sword He who had grace poured into his lips and spake so as never man did his eyes were as a flame of fire and his comming into his Temple none was able to abide He was as a Refiners fire and the Fullers soap and with the breath of his lips he did slay the wicked The Prophets of old the Apostles in their time and all Godly Ministers since have been sons of Thunder their work hath been to fall roundly upon Conscience They have applyed all their engines to batter downe or take in this strong hold for Christ They have laid siege to the disobedient and refractory Conscience sought to Block it up to take away all provisions from it to force it to yeeld and call out for mercy They have surrounded Jericho's high walls day after day sounding with their Trumpets till they have fallen downe flat to the ground that Joshuah might enter as a Conqueror They still sought by loud and uncessant Alarums to startle the secure Conscience to awaken the sleepy to burne the seared to terrifie the obdurate And the only care they had was to comfort the afflicted to Josh 6 22. Heb. 11 31 quiet the troubled to strengthen the weake Conscience And to rescue one beleeving Rahab from perishing among thousands of them that beleeved not These were the weapons of the old ministeriall Warfare These the Stratagemes of Christ and his servants to undermine and blow up Satans Kingdom and to pressemen into the Kingdome of Heaven But this Age will not endure this kinde of preaching no more then the Israelites could indure the shrill sound of the Trumpet sounding loudder and louder and that terrible fire and Heb. 12. 19 20 that voice of words which they desired they might heare no more off We must have no legall teaching we Soft and Effaeminate Rehoboam must have young and complying Counsellors of his owne humour The Samaritan must not come with his Wine to search and cleanse and wash but onely with his gentle Oyle to heale and comfort Physitians of no value Say not this is to preach Christ Jesus free Grace the Kingdome of Heaven Gospell Promises Priviledges Is the Son of peace there Are thy hearers Loaden Weary Luk. 4. 18 Pricked Wounded Bruised Sick When the Gospell Commission was first opened the instructions were to preach the Gospel Es 61. 1. 2. to the poore to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives recovering of sight to the blind to
deluded and inchanted with Endoxius an Arrian Bishop he soon cooled in his affections and so staggered in his judgement that they could not tell what to make of him he was neither Fish nor Flesh neither Arrian not Christian But after he fell wholly from his Religion and gave toleration to all manner of Religions to every Nation his own Religion Judaism Paganism all Idolatrous and whatsoever wicked practises were permitted freely onely to preach and professe the Apostolick doctrine prohibited a bitter Persecutor he proved and at last renouncing God to the Oracle he went to enquire of the Devil who should be his Successor 2. To draw to an end The other part of the Exhortation concerns the Minister particularly The Text being a charge or exhortation from a Minister to a Minister from Paul to Timothy to hold Faith and a good Conscience Which the Minister must make good 1. Personally 2. Doctrinally He must be a man of Conscience for his person a man for Conscience in his doctrine 1. In his personal carriage he must be Conscientious that he may be an exemplary pattern to his flock If he be thus a Burning light he shall also be a Shining light to others The Minister must strive to excel others in every spiritual gift in this especially A City set on a hill cannot be hid He must so walk that they may see the law in his steps as well as in his lips He is to be as the Sun the light of the inferiour world is therefore to move regularly steadily uniformly that the Dials and Clocks below may be set right when they go along with this Sun It is said that nothing cuts the Diamond but the Diamond I am sure none is so fit to work upon the Conscience of a man as the man of Conscience The ministers lips then must disperse knowledge to the People but his heart must retain Conscience to himself This little volume Conscience he must be exactly read in whatsoever other volumes he be a stranger to whatsoever language he be defective in he must be well acquainted with that of Conscience It was an excellent speech that of Jerome Discamus in terra quorum Ad Paulin. scientiá nobis perseveret in Caelo Those things are worth learning on Earth the knowledge whereof will be of use in Heaven A saying which famous Paraeus ever had in his mouth and caused to be written in the publike Schooles where he read his Divinity Lectures Learned Beza tels us what was Calvins counsell Cum te 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non vulgari donatum esse videam quâ saepe ad moximos decipiendos viros abusus est Satanas velim te diligenter cavere nè te ullis inanibus arguti is irretias usually to younger Divines in whom he saw any pregnancy of parts to take heed of abstruse Questions and unnecessary controversies lest they should be catched and insnared in the Toyles of wit and so prove unhappy instruments of Satan to pervert others And he further reports he had given the same counsell to himself which he had observed to his dying day and did exceedingly blesse God for The want of observing this counsel was the utter undoing of that Conradus Vorstius a man otherwise of much acumen who carried away with the fleetnesse of his wit and the nicenesse of his spirit after he had read Socinus and such other corrupt writings became a pernicious corrupter of the younger Students who were his hearers and an occasion of much mischief to the Church And since that I am speaking to the Minister I desire to speak two words apart to two sorts of persons that are now in the Ministery The first is to our younger Timothies who as they are to be the Successors of our 1 A particular Exhortation to Timothy elder Pauls when they die so are they their hopes and delights while they are alive To these we can say nothing but good Watch you in all things stand fast quit you like men be strong despise afflictions for the Gospel Look well to the Charge of God the Charge of Faith and of a good Conscience Take heed to your selves and your doctrine Avoid prophane jangling vain bablings oppositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. 21. 1 Pet. 2. ult 1 Pet. 5. 4. of science Pseudo science Study to shew your selves men of God approved workmen that need not to be ashamed Your work and charge is great but your promised assistance greater your reward and crown is greatest I mean not from men but from the hand of the Arch-bishop and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is called in the day of his great visitation Remember that famous Apophthegm of Mr. Perkins which he wrote in the frontis-piece of all his books Minister verbi es hoc age Thou art a Minister of the word mind thy businesse well Be sure to hold fast the form of sound words as being wel nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine wherin you have made so great a pro-proficiency Read over over your Directory Pauls Epistles to Timothy and Titus It is the Jesuites instruction to their younger Preachers when they have to do with some persons as Princes and great ones to instill Principles into them quae liberiorem reddunt Conscientiam Abominate ye such policie and compliance as greatest impiety In freer and looser times let your principles be the stricter not the slacker It is the reproach of some Lawyers that it may be said of them they have venalem linguam a tongue to set to sale Take heed that it be not said of any Divine that he hath linguam mercinariam animam venalem a tongue to be hired and a soul to be sold Though you may be younger men for Cum ad edificium arbusta succidimus ut prius viriditatis humor exsiccari debeat expectamus ne si eis recentibus fabricae pondus imponatur ea ipsa curvarentur confracta citius corruant quae immaturè in altum levata videbantur Cur non in hominibus ad animarum curas admitiendis custoditur quod in Lignis Greg. l. 4. ep 95. yeares seek to grow past Neophytes and younger plants which may be easily plucked up by the roots from the ground they stand upon or be bent and bowed by any hand as they stand Gregory very elegantly warneth concerning such as are young and tender Plants That they be not like green unseasoned Timber which if put into a piece of building will warp and bow and break that no weight may be laid upon them Secondly here I must crave leave to give 2. To Hymenaeus and Alexander an Item to Hymenaeus and Alexander who of late Disciples are now become all on the sudden above their Masters more than ordinary Ministers who not sent yet run not being called yet they go and having Jer. 23. 21. left the Anvile and the Forge have taken the sacred Hammer in hand Is