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truth_n	holy_a	spirit_n	worship_v	3,077	5	9.0447	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09365	The whole treatise of the cases of conscience distinguished into three bookes: the first whereof is revised and corrected in sundrie places, and the other two annexed. Taught and deliuered by M. W. Perkins in his holy-day lectures, carefully examined by his owne briefes, and now published together for the common good, by T. Pickering Bachelour of Diuinitie. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one of the heads and number of the questions propounded and resolued; another of the principall texts of Scripture vvhich are either explaned, or vindicated from corrupt interpretation.; Cases of conscience	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Pickering, Thomas, d. 1625.	1606 (1606)	STC 19669; ESTC S114066	314,224	686

vpon defect of memory and vtterance c. vse a set forme of prayer Sect. 2. The second Circumstance is the Gesture Concerning which it is demanded what kind of gesture is to be vsed in praier whether kneeling standing sitting or the holding vp the hands or head to heauen or bowing the body to the earth Answ. God in his word hath not prescribed any particular gesture of the body and therfore our consciences are not bound to any in particular Besides that Religion stands not properly in bodily actions and gestures Yet touching gesture the word of God giues certaine generall rules to be obserued in prayers both publicke and priuate In Publicke praier these rules of Gesture are prescribed First when publicke praier is made in the congregation our gesture must alwaies be comely modest decent Secōdly all gesture vsed publickely must serue to expresse as much as may be the inward humility of the hart without hypocrisie Now these kinds are manifold Some concern the whole body as the bowing thereof the casting of it downe vpon the ground some againe concerne the parts of the body as lifting vp of the head the eies the hands bowing the knees c. Touching these the scripture hath not bound vs to any particulars but in them all we must haue regard that they serue alway to expresse the humilitie of our hearts before God Thus haue the Holy men of God behaued themselues yea the Holy Angels standing before the Arke doe couer their faces in token of reuerēce of the maiestie of God Esay 6. 2. Thirdly we must in publicke praier content our selues to followe the laudable fashion and custome of that particular Church where we are For to decline from customes of particular Churches in such cases often causeth scisme and dissensions In priuate praier done in priuate and secret places there is more liberty For in it we may vse any gesture so it be comely and decent and serue to expresse the inward humility of our hearts An auncient writer is of opinion that it is an vnreuerent and vnlawfull thing to pray sitting But both the learned before in and after his time haue iudged his opinion superstitious specially considering that Religion stands not in the outward gesture of the body and it skills not much what that is so the inward humility of a syncere heart be expressed therby Sect. 3. The third Circumstance is the place Where Question is made In what place we must pray Answ. In regard of conscience holines and religion all places are equal and alike in the New Testament since the comming of Christ. The house or the field is as holy as the Church And if we pray in either of them our prayer is as acceptable to God as that which is made in the Church For now the daies are come that were foretold by the Prophet wherein a cleane offering should be offered to God in euery place Mal. 1. 11. which Paul expo●…ds 1. Tim. 2. 8. of pure and holy praier offened to God in euery place To this purpose Christ said to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 25. that the tyme should come when they 〈◊〉 not worship in Ierusalem or in Samaria but the true worshippers of God should worship him in spirit and in truth wheresoeuer it be Yet neuerthelesse for order decency and quietnes sake publicke prayer must be made in publicke places as Churches and Chappels appointed for that vse And priuate praier in priuate houses and clozets Mat. 6. 5. Now the opinion of the Papist is otherwise For he thinkes that in the new Testamēt hallowed Churches are more holy then other places are or can be and doe make the prayers offered to God in them more acceptable to him then in any other and herevpon they teach that priuate men must pray in Churches and priuate prayers must be made in Churches if they will haue them heard For proofe hereof they alleadge the practise of some particular persons in the Scriptures Of Anna who praied priuately in the temple Luk. 2. 37. Of Dauid who in his exile desired greatly to haue recourse vnto the temple And of Daniel who is saide to looke out at the window toward the temple and pray Dan. 6. 10. Answ. These places are abused by the Popish Church For there is great difference betweene the temple at Ierusalem in the old Testament and our Churches in the new That was built by particular commandemēt from God so were not our Churches That was a type of the very body and manhood of Christ. Heb. 9. 11. And of his misticall bodie Col. 2. 7. Againe the Arke in the temple was a pledge and signification of the couenant a signe of gods presence a pledge of his mercie and that by his owne appointment for it was his will there to answere his people but the like cannot be shewed of our Churches or Chappell 's It will be saide that the Sacrament is a signe of Gods presence for in it God is present after a sort Ans. It is true Christ is present in the Sacrament but when not alwaies but then onely when the Sacrament is administred And the Administration beeing once ended Christ is no more present in the Elements of bread and wine And in the very act of celebration he is not carnally but spiritually present Sect. 4. The fourth Circumstance is the Time Quest. What are the times in which men are to make prayers vnto God For answer to this question it is first to be considered that there is a twofold manner of praying and consequently two kindes of prayer The first is the secret and sudden lifting vp of the heart to God vpon the present occasion The second is set or solemne prayer The first sort of praiers haue of auncient time beene called Eiaculations or the darts of the heart And the time of this kind of prayer is not determined but is and may be vsed at any time without exception This point I make plaine by these reasons The first is the commandement of God 1. Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Eph. 6. 18. Pray alwaies with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance for all Saints In both these places by praier and supplications Paul vnderstandeth the sudden lifting vp of the heart vnto God Secondly whatsoeuer we speake thinke or doe we must doe all to the glorie of God Now God is glorified when we doe in all things from our hearts acknowledge his power wisdome iustice mercie prouidence and goodnes And these we doe acknowledge when we daily and howerly lift vp our hearts to him in petition for some blessings and in thanksgiuing for his mercies Thirdly we are subiect to innumerable infirmities frailties and wants so as we cannot of our selues so much as thinke one good thought therefore we are euery day and hower to lift vp our hearts to God partly in praier partly in giuing of thankes that he would

man is ingrafted into Christ and thereby becomes one with Christ and Christ one with him Eph 3. 17. Now whosoeuer is by faith vnited vnto Christ the same is elected called iustified and sanctified The reason is manifest For in a chaine the two extremes are knit togither by the middle linkes and in the order of causes of happinesse and saluation faith hath a middle place and by it hath the child of God assured hold of his election and effectuall vocation and consequently of his glorification in the kingdome of heauen To this purpose saith S. Iohn c. 3. v. 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And c. 5. v. 24. He that beleeues in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life This is the Ground Now for answer to the Question diuerse places of Scripture are to be skanned wherein this case of Conscience is fully answered and resolued Sect. 1. The first place is Rom. 8. 16. And the spirit of God testifieth together with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God In these words are two testimonies of our adoption set downe The first is the Spirit of God dwelling in vs and testifying vnto vs that we are Gods childrē But some will happily demaund How Gods spirit giues witnesse seeing now there are no reuelations Answ. Extraordinarie reuelations are ceased and yet the holy Ghost in and by the word reuealeth some things vnto men for which cause he is called truly the Spirit of Reuelation Eph. 3. 5. Againe the holy Ghost giues testimonie by applying the promise of remission of sinnes and life euerlasting by Christ particularly to the heart of man when the same is generally propounded in the Ministerie of the word And because many are readie presumptuously to say they are the children of God when they are not and that they haue the witnesse of Gods Spirit when in truth they want it therefore we are to put a difference between this carnall conceit and the true testimonie of the Spirit Now there be two things whereby they may be discerned one from the other The first is by the meanes For the true testimonie of the holy ghost is wrought ordinarily by the preaching reading and meditation of the word of God as also by praier and the right vse of the Sacraments But the presumptuous testimonie ariseth in the heart and is framed in the braine out of the vse of these meanes or though in the vse yet with want of the blessing of God concurring with the meanes The second is by the effects and fruits of the Spirit For it stirrs vp the heart to praier and inuocation of the name of God Zach. 12. 10. yea it causeth a man to crie and call earnestly vnto God in the time of distresse with a sense and feeling of his owne miseries and with deepe sighes and groanes which cannot be vttered to cra●e mercie and grace at his hands as of a louing father Rom. 8. 26. Thus did Moses crie vnto heauen in his heart when he was in distresse at the red sea Exod. 14. 15. And this gift of praier is an vnfallible testimonie of Gods Spirit which cannot stand with carnall presumption The second Testimonie of our Adoption is our Spirit that is our conscience sanctified and renewed by the Holy Ghost And this also is knowne and discerned first by the greefe of the heart for offending God called Godly sorrow 1. Cor. 7. 10. secondly by a resolute purpose of the heart and endeauour of the whole man in all things to obey God thirdly by sauouring the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. that is by doing the workes of the Spirit with ioy and chearefulnesse of heart as in the presence of God and as his children and seruants Now put the case that the testimonie of the Spirit be wanting then I answer that the other testimonie the sanctification of the heart will suffice to assure vs. We knowe it sufficiently to be true and not painted fire if there be heate though there be no flame Put the case againe that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting and our sanctification be vncertaine vnto vs how then may we be assured The answer is that we must thē haue recourse to the first beginnings and motions of sanctificatiō which are these First to feele our inward corruptions Secondly to be displeased with our selues for them Thirdly to beginne to hate sinne Fourthly to grieue so oft as we fal and offend God Fiftly to auoid the occasions of sinne Sixtly to endeauour to doe our dutie and to vse good meanes Seuenthly to desire to sinne no more And lastly to pray to God for his grace Where these and the like motions are there is the spirit of God whence they proceed and sanctification is begun One apple is sufficient to manifest the life of the tree and one good and constant motion of grace is sufficient to manifest sanctification Againe it may be demanded what must be done if both be wanting Answ. Men must not dispaire but vse good meanes and in time they shall be assured Sect. 2. The Second place is the 15. Psalme In the first verse whereof this question is propounded namely Who of all the members of the Church shall haue his habitation in heauen The answer is made in the verses following and in the second verse he sets downe three generall notes of the said person One is to walke vprightly in sincerity approuing his heart and life to God the second is to deale iustly in al his doings the third is for speech to speake the truth from the heart without guile or flatterie And because we are easily deceiued in generall sinnes in the 3 4 and 5. verses there are set downe seauen more euident and sensible notes of sinceritie iustice and trueth One is in speech not to take vp or carrie abroad false reports and slanders The second is in our dealings not to doe wrong to our neighbour more then to our selues The third is in our companie to contemne wicked persons worthy to be contemned The fourth is in our estimation we haue of others that is to honour them that feare God The fift is in our words to sweare and not to change that is to make conscience of our word and promise especially if if it be confirmed by oath The sixt is in taking of gaine not to giue money to vsurie that is not to take increase for bare lending but to lend freely to the poore The last is to giue testimonie without briberie or partialitie In the fift verse is added a reason of the answer he that in his indeauour doth al these things shall neuer be mooued that is cut off from the Church as an hypocrite Sect. 3. The third place of Scripture is the first Epistle of Iohn the principall scope wherof is to giue a full resolution to the conscience of man touching the certainty of his

Aphorismes Instructions Determinations c. for direction of their Confessours in Case-points that our Protestant Diuines for the most part haue been so sparing and silent in speaking or vvriting of this Argument Hovvbeit the Lord in his most vvise prouidence hath not vvholly denied this benefit vnto our Church For notvvithstanding so great silence and forbearance in matter of Deuotion as touching the rectifying of the Coscience there hath beene of late yeares trained vp to this ende a speciall Instrument of his glorie vvho beeing in time throughly grounded in the principles of one part of the Coses by many graue Counsells and comfortable directions fetched from the vvord and gathered by long obseruation hath cured the vvounds of many a distressed soule And those diuine Tracta●es of his novv gathered together since his death and communicated to the Church of God are full of heauenly meditations to that purpose And as himselfe desired to leaue vnto posteritie some memorie of his knovvledge in that kind so the talent he receiued vvas not buried in his graue but againe reuiued in the person of that faithfull Minister of Christ the Author of this Booke a man both for learning and pi●tie deseruedly reuerenced and renovv●…ed in the iudgements of all those that loue and embrace the Truth VVho happily attempting the same course and referring the vvhole bodie of his labours in preaching and vvriting thereunto principally proceeded vvith much aduantage added vnto the Cases of Distresse other Heads of Questions and in his latter time reduced them into such a Frame and Order a● might best serue for an Introduction of Case-diuinitie for the helpe and incouragement of others The first Part of vvhich Frame being formerly commended by me to your Hon. I haue againe emboldened my selfe to present you vvith the rest that so the vvhole may haue the freer passage from you to the common vse of others VVherein I haue taken vp no nevv ●●shion but kept my self● to the commendable custome of vvriters in auncient●r ti●es vvho haue betrusted the Church of God vvith the fruits of their indeavours vnder the patronage of Honourable and vertuous Nobilitie 〈◊〉 namely of that renounned Phisitian of Antioche and of S. 〈◊〉 vvho dedicated their sacred vvritings the one to the Noble Theophilus the other to the elect Lady and her children And that vvhich mooued these holy penmen of Scripture to this practise hath also incouraged 〈◊〉 vpon the same respects to offer this Treatise to your Honourable fauour First because your Lordship hath beene long acquainted vvith th● person life and labours of this man and vvell grounded in t●● truth of Religion the maine subiect of all his discourses Secondly the Lord hath inlarged your heart by his grace to yeeld entertainment to that truth vvhich he did teach and vvrite and the manifestation of your vvilling minde to accept of any Treatise compiled by him giueth sufficient proofe of this point ●uen i● mine ovvne knovvledge Thirdly you haue not contented your selfe to be barely informed in the knovvledge of the truth but haue further desired confirmation and assurance in the same One instance hereof I must needes remember in this place Tha● sundrie yeares since it pleased you to set him a speciall Taske the interpretation of that golden Text touching the Gaine of the greatest commoditie in the vvorld Phil. 3. 8. for your further vnderstanding of the same as himselfe reporteth to your great commendation And great reason you should tast both of his former and Latter fruits who by your motion vvas incouraged to take the paines and no doubt revvarded for his labour by a plentifull measure of your loue Vpon these motiues I haue novv at length exhibited vnto your Lordship the remainder of this present Introduction my debt by bond of promise and your due by speciall right of patronage If I be haply challenged of slacke payment thereof to this time I desire to be holden excused First for that the totall Summe vvhich remained behinde vnpaied vvas the greatest part and therevpon required further respite that it might be more easily collected and more fully defraied For though it be but one intir● heape yet it consisteth of sundry particulars all vvhich vvere to be throughly examined that vpon the Account there might be a mutuall agreement of the vvhole and the parts And further it vvas my desire that seeing the debt must needes be discharged and that to an Honourable person it might be tendred in pure and Currant Coyne vvhich might beare the triall of the touch-stone A thing necessarie in these times vvherein so much corrupt stuffe in this kind passeth abroad from hand to hand And thus heartily vvishing that these holy Rules of Religion and vertue may be perused at your Lordships best leysure and entertained in practise for your daily comfort and direction cra●ing also your Honourable acceptation of my carefull indeauour in publishing them to the common veivve of the vvorld I most humbly take my leaue Beseeching the Almightie vvho hath alreadie graced you vvith the true revvards of Uertue Honour and Nobilitie to establish the same both in your person and issue in this vvorld and after this life ended to giue you that eternall inheritance of honour and happinesse in the kingdome of glorie From Eman. Coll. in Cambridge Novemb. 20. 1606. Your Honours in all Christian dutie to be commanded Thomas Pickering THE SECOND BOOKE of the Cases of Conscience concerning Man as he stands in relation to God CHAP. I. Of the order of the Questions HItherto I haue spoken touching the first sort of Questions of the Conscience which concerne Man simply considered in himselfe as he is a man In the next place come to be handled and resolued the Questions concerning Man as he stands in relation Now man standing in a two-fold relation either to God or to man according to this relation the Questions come to be considered in their seuerall places And first we are to treat of the Questions of Conscience touching man standing in relation to God to wit as he is a Christian. All which for order sake may be reduced to foure heads I. Concerning the Godhead II. Concerning the Scriptures III. Concerning religion or the worship that is due vnto God IV. Concerning the time of the worship of God namely the Saboth CHAP. II. Of the Godhead Touching the Godhead there are two maine Questions I. Question Whether there be a God BEfore we come to answer the Question this one caueat must be remembered that it is a maine Ground and Principle in all Religions whatsoeuer not to be doubted of or called into question That there is a God Heb. 11. 6. He that commeth to God must beleeue that God is As for those that are commonly tearmed Atheists which denie that there is a God they are to be punished with death as not worthie to liue in humane societie and the greatest torment that can be deuised by the witte

his expresse will refuse the meanes offered but vse them rather till God reueale the contrarie Obiect III. To flie in persecution is a kinde of deniall of Christ and against confession he therefore that flies seemes to make no confession but rather to denie Christ. Ans. Christian confession is double open or implicit Open confession is when a man boldly confesseth his faith before the Aduersarie euen to the death This is the greatest and highest degree of confession and in it the holy Martyrs in former times continued euen to the losse of their liues vndergoing the punishment of death inflicted vpon them by the Aduersaries of Christ Iesus for the maintenance of the truth Implicit is when a man to keepe his Religion is content to forsake his countrey friends and goods This is a second degree inferiour to the former and yet it is a true Confession acceptable to God And vnder this kind comes Flight in persecution Whence it appeareth that lawfull flight in times of danger is no deniall of Christ nor yet against Confession For sometimes it pleaseth God to call men to professe his name and truth openly by suffering sometimes againe not openly by suffering but by flying this latter way though it be not so high a degree as is the former yet it is indeede and in truth in the measure a true profession of Christ and pleasing vnto God Obiect IV. Our Sauiour Christ commands vs Feare not them that can kill the bodie Matth. 10. 28. Now if a man must not feare them then he must not flie Ans. The text speaketh not of all feare but of such feare as tendeth to Apostasie and causeth men to renounce faith and good conscience Againe it speakes of that feare whereby man feareth man more then God Thirdly it speakes of such feare as by which a man is vrged to tempt God by doing some thing that is repugnant to his will and that out of his calling Now when the Question is of Flight in persecution we vnderstand not such a flight as tendeth to Apostasie or argueth the feare of man more then of God or that is repugnant to Gods will but that alone whereby we vse the meanes offered according to his appointment least we should seeme to tempt him and bring vpon our selues vnnecessarie danger And thus the first part of the Question is answered Sect. 2. The second is concerning the Time when a man may flie Minister or other And for better resolution thereof we are to remember that there be eight Conditions required in Christian Flight especially that which pertaines to the Minister The first is if there be no hope of doing good by his abode in that place where the persecution is But while he conceiues any hope of doing good by teaching preaching or otherwise he may not flie This the Minister shall easily discerne in Christian wisedome To this purpose Paul Act. 18. 10. hauing a while preached at Corinth and finding that the Iewes detested him and his ministerie intended a present departure thence But the Lord appearing vnto him by night in a vision warned him to stay for saith he I haue much people in this citie that is many that are to be conuerted and brought vnto the faith Euery Minister in his place must haue a speciall care of furthering Gods kingdome whether it be by flying or not flying The second Condition Consideration must be had whether the persecution be personall or publique Personall is that which is directed against this or that mans person Publique which is raised against the whole Church If it be directed against the person of the Pastor he may vse his libertie For it may be that his flight will bring peace to the Ch●… But what if the people will not suffer him to flie Ans. They should be so farre from hindering of him in this case that they ought rather to succour and releeue him Thus when Demetrius had raised a tumult against Paul vnder pretence of Diana he would haue presented himselfe vnto the people in the common place the Disciples suffered him not Act. 19. 30. And what care they had of his preseruation the same ought the people to haue of their Pastor in case of like perill But if the persecution be common to the whole Church then he is not to flie For it is necessarie at such times especially that those which are strong should support and confirme the weake The third Condition If there be in the Pastor a moderation of minde For he must take heede of these two extremities that he be neither ouercome with excessiue feare nor through ouermuch confidence runne headlong into apparent danger And that he may auoide these extremities he must first pray vnto God for wisdome courage and constancie and secondly vse the consent and aduise of the Church for his direction in this behalfe that all things may be done in wisdome The fourth Condition of lawfull flight is that the Minister withdraw himselfe onely for a time not vtterly forsake his charge and calling Yea if he be principally aymed at in the persecution he may lawfully goe apart and it is the dutie of the Church also to see him conuaied away in safetie till the persecution be ouer And thus doing he neither forsakes the Church nor his calling but onely vseth the meanes of his preseruation for the keeping of faith and a good conscience This warrant our Sauiour giues to his Apostles Matth. 10. 23. When they persecute you in one citie flie into another The ende of that commandement was that the Apostles might preserue themselues in safetie till they had preached the Gospel to all the cities of Israel as the next wordes doe declare The fift Condition If after due triall and examination he finde not himselfe sufficiently armed with strength to resist or beare the extremitie For then he may retire himselfe into some place of safetie where he may liue to the glorie of God keeping faith and a good conscience The sixt Condition is If he be expelled or banished by the Magistrate though the cause be vniuft For subiection is simply to be yeelded to the punishments and corrections of Magistrates though we doe not alwaies tender Obedience to their commandements The seauenth is If God offer a lawfull meanes and way of escape and doth as it were open a doore and giue iust opportunitie to flie In this Case not to flie especially if he haue not strength sufficient to stand out is a tempting of God The eight condition If the danger be not only suspected surmised and seene a farre off but certaine and present Otherwise the Pastor falles into the sinne of Ionah who fore-casted dangers in his calling and therefore preuented them by flying to Tarsus These conditions being obserued it may be lawfull both for Pastor and people to flie in times of persecution Sect. 3. In the next place it may be demaunded When a Pastor or other may not flie For answer herevnto the Signes