Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
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A09400
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A discourse of conscience wherein is set downe the nature, properties, and differences thereof: as also the way to get and keepe good conscience.
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Perkins, William, 1558-1602.
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1596
(1596)
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STC 19696; ESTC S110415
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85,171
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182
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55. 5. that a natioÌ„ that knew him not shall runne vnto him Paul saith of the Ephesians that in former times they were without God and without Christ strangers from the â—â—venant Eph. 2. 12. And to the Atheniâ—â—s he saith 〈◊〉 the times before the coâ—…ing of Christ were times of ignorance Act. 17. 30. And that it may not be thought that this ignorance was affected Paul â—aith further that God in tiâ—eâ— past suffered the Gentiles to walke in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14. 16. and that thâ— mysterâ—e of the Gospel was kept secret from the beginning of the world â—â—dâ—s now in the last age râ—…led to the whole world Rom. 16. 25. Some alleadge that the Iewes beeing the Church of God had trâ—…cke with all nations and by this meanes spâ—â—d some little knowledge of the Messiaâ— thorough the whole world I answer againe that the conference and speach of Iewish marchants with forrainers was no sufficient means to publish the promise of saluation by Christ to the whole world first because the Iewes for the most part haue alwaies bin more readie to receiue â—â—y new and false religion then to teach their owne secondly because the very Iewes themsâ—… though they were well acquainted with the â—…es of their religion yet the sâ—â—stance thereof which was Christ figured by exâ—…ll ceremonies they knew not and hereupon the Pharisies when they made a Prosolyte they made him ten times more the childe of the dâ—…ll then themselues Thirdly because men are â—â—â—ome or neuer suffered to professe or make any speach of their religion in forraine countries Againe if it bâ— alleadged that the doctrine of the Gospel is set downe in the books of the old Testament which men through the whole world might haue read searched and knowne if they would I answer that the keeping of the bookes of the old Testament was committed to the Iewes alone Rom. 3. 2. and therefore they were not giuen to the whole world as also the Psalmist testifieth Hâ— sâ—…th his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israâ—l he hath not dealt so with euery nation neither haue they kâ—… his iudgements Psal. 147. 8. Now touching such persons as haue not so much as heard of Christ though they are apt fit to be bound in conscience by the Gospel in as much as they are the creatures of God yet are they not indeede actually bound till such time as the Gospel be reuealed or at the least 〈◊〉 of reuelation offered Reasons herof may be these I. Whatsoeuer doctrine or law doth 〈◊〉 conscience must in some part be knowâ—…by 〈◊〉 or by grace or by both the vnderstanding must first of all conceiue or at the least haue meanes of concâ—…ing before conscience can constraine because it bâ—â—deth by vertue of knowne conâ—… in the minde Therefore things that are altogether vnknowne and vnconceiued of the vnderstanding doe not binde in conscience now the Gospel is altogether vnknowne and vnâ—…d of many as I haue alreadie prooued and therefore it binds not them in conscience II. Paul saith Rom. 2. 12. They vvhich sâ—…e vvithout the law written shall be condeÌ„ned without the law therefore they which sinne without the Gospel shall be condemned without the Gospel and such as shall be condemned without the Gospel after this life were not bound by it in this life Augustine the most iudiciall Divâ—â—â— of all the â—…ent fâ—â—hers vpon these words of Christ but now they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 saith on this manner A doubt may be â—…d vvhether they to whome Christ hath not coâ—â— neither hath spoken vnto them 〈◊〉 aâ— excuse for their sâ—…e For if they have 〈◊〉 nâ—t vvhy is it said that these namely the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excuse because he came spâ—ke to thâ—… 〈◊〉 and if they haue it whether it be that their pâ—…t may be taken aâ—…y quite or in part lâ—…d To these demâ—…des according to my capacitiâ— as the Lord 〈◊〉 iâ—… me I answer that they to whome Câ—… 〈◊〉 not neither hath spoken vnto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of euery sâ—…e but of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y have not beleeued in Christ. Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inquire whether those who before Christ 〈◊〉 in his Church to the â—â—â—tilâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—eard his Gospel haue bi◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death may vse this excuse Dâ—… 〈◊〉 but they shall not therefore esâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoeuer haue sâ—…ed without thâ—… 〈◊〉 perish without the Law As for the reasons which some of the schoolmen haue alleadged to the contraâ—… they are answered all by men of the same order and I will briefly touch the principall First i◠〈◊〉 obiected that the holy Ghost shall iudge the worlâ—â— of 〈◊〉 because they haue 〈◊〉 beleâ—ved in Christ Ioh. 16. 9. I answer that by the world we must not vnderstand 〈◊〉 and â—…y man sâ—…e the creation but all nations and kingdomes in the last age of the world to whome the Gospel was â—…ed Thus hath Paul expounded this word Rom. 11. 12. The fall of them is the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles v. 15. The casting of them away is the reconciling of the world Secondly it is obiected that the law binds all men in conscience though the greatest part of it â—e vnknowne to them Ansâ— The low was once giuen to Adam and imprinted in his heart 〈◊〉 his first creation and in him as bâ—â—ing the roote of all mankinâ—… it was giuen to all men and as when he â—…ed 〈◊〉 men â—…ed in him so when he was inlighteâ—…d all were inlightened in him and coÌ„sequently when his conscience was bound by the lâ—w all were bound in him And though this knowledge be lost by mans default yet the bond râ—…s still on Gods part Nowe the case iâ— otherwise with the Gospel which was neuer written in mans nature but was gâ—…n after the fall and is aboue nature Here a further reply is made that the covenant made with Adam The seede of the 〈◊〉 shall brâ—…se the serpeâ—â—s â—ead was also made with his seede which is all mankinde and was afterward conâ—…d with Abraham to all nations I answer againe that Adam was a â—â—oâ—e of mankinde onely in respect of mens 〈◊〉 with the gifts and 〈◊〉 thereoâ—… was no root in respect of grace which is aboue nature but Christ the second Adam And therefore when God gaue the promise vnto him and faith to beleeue the promise he did not in him giue 〈◊〉 both to all mankind neither if Adam had afterward fallen froÌ„ faith in the Mâ—… should all â—…inde agaiâ—◠〈…〉 â—f grace wâ—… 〈◊〉 â—o Adâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it appeares bâ—â—â—â—se 〈◊〉 God did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the covâ—…t bâ—… 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 of Nâ—â— and Abrâ—… 〈…〉 it wâ—â— resâ—…ed to Isaac 〈◊〉 Isaac saith the Lord 〈…〉 â—hy sâ—â—â—â— be 〈◊〉 yea in the very 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a distinction made of the seâ—dâ— of the wâ—mâ—n and the seâ—â— of the serpeâ—… which â—eedâ— of the
not see what is in the heart of man It remaines therefore that there is a spirituall substance most wise most holy most mighty that sees a I things to whom conscience beares record and that is God himselfe Let Atheists barke against this as long as they will they haue that in them which will convince them of the truth of the godhead will they nill they either in life or death Secondly we learne that God doth watch ouer all men by a speciall prouidence The master of a prison is knowen by this to haue care ouer his prisoners if hee send keepers with them to watch them and to bring them home againe in time convenient and so Gods care to man is manifest in this that when he created man and placed him in the worlde he gaue him conscience to be his keeper to follow him alwaies at the heeles to dogge him as we say to pry into his actions to beare witnesse of them all Thirdly hence we may obserue Gods goodnesse and loue to man If he do any thing amisse he sets his conscience first of all to tell him of it secâ—edy if then he amende God forgives it if not then afterward conscience must openly accuse him for it at the barre of Gods iudgement before all the saints and angels in heauen The second worke of conscience is to giue iudgement of things done To giue iudgemeÌ„t is to determine that a thing is well done or ill done Herein conscience is like to a Iudge that holdeth an assize and takes notice of inditements and causeth the most notorious malefactour that is to hold up his hand at the barre of his iudgement Nay it is as it were a little god sitting in the middle of mens hearts arraigning them in this life as they shall be arraigned for their offences at the tribunall seate of the euerliuing god in the day of iudgement Wherfore the temporary iudgement that is giuen by the conscience is nothing els but a beginning or a fore-â—unner of the last iudgement Hence we are admonished to take special heed that nothing past lie heavy upon vs that we charge not our coÌ„sciences in time to come with any matter For if our conscience accuse us god will much more condemne vs saith S. Iohn 1. Ioâ— 3. 18. because he seeth all our actions more clearely and iudgeth them more seuerely then conscience can It shall be good therfore for all men to labour that they may say with Paul 2. Cor. 4. I knovv nothing by my selfe that they â—ay stand before God without blame for euer Hâ—â—st we must consider two things first the câ—â—se that makes conscience giue iudgement secondly the manner how The câ—use is the Binder of the conscience The Binder is that thing whatsoeuer which hath power authority ouer conscience to order it To bind is to vrge cause and constraine it in euery action either to accuse for sinne or to excuse for well doing or to say this may be done or it may not be done Conscience is said to be bound as it is considered a part by it selfe from the binding power of gods coÌ„mandement For then it hath liberty is not bound either to accuse or excuse but is apt to do either of them indifferently but when the binding power is set once ouer the coÌ„scieÌ„ce theÌ„ in euery actioÌ„ it must needs either accuse or excuse eueÌ„ as a man in a city or town hauing his liberty may go vp down or not go where when he will but if his body be attached by the magistrate imprisoned theÌ„ his former liberty is restrained he can go up and downe but within the prison or some other allowed place The binder of conscience is either proper or improper Proper is that thing which hath absolute and soueraigne power in it selfe to bind the conscience And that is the worde of God writteÌ„ in the books of the old new TestameÌ„â— Reason I. He which is the Lord of 〈◊〉 by his word and lawes bindes conâ—… but God is the only Lorde of conscience becâ—â—se he once created it and he alone gouerâ—… 〈◊〉 none but he knowes it Therfore his word and lawes only bind conscience properly II. 〈◊〉 which hath power to sâ—â—e or destroy the 〈◊〉 for the keeping or breaking of his lawes â—ath absolute power to bind the soul and consâ—â—ence by the same lawes but the first is true of God alone Iam. 3. 12. There is 〈◊〉 lawgiver which is able to save and destroy Isaâ— 33. 22. The Lorde is our Iudge the Lord is our lavvginer the Lorde is our King and he will save vs. Therefore the worde of God alone by an absolute and soueraigne power binds conscience Because this point is cleare of it selfe further proofe is needlesse HeÌ„ce we are taught sundry points of instruction I. Such as are ignoraÌ„t amoÌ„g us must labor to get knowledge of gods worde because it binds coÌ„science Neither wil the plea of ignoraÌ„â—e serue for excuse because whether we know gods laws or know them not they stil bind us And we are bound not only to do them but wheÌ„ we know them not we are further bound not to be ignorant of them but to seeke to know them If we had no more sinnes our ignorance were sufficient to condemne vs. II. Gods word is to be obeyed though we should offend all men yea loose all mens fauour and suffer the greatest domage that may be euen the losse of our liues And the reason is at hand because gods worde hath this prerogatiue to bridle bind restraine the conscience III. Whatsoeuer we enterâ—…se or take in hand we must first search whether God giue vs liberty in conscience and warraâ—â— to do it For if we do otherwise conscience 〈◊〉 boâ—nd presently to charge vs of sinne before god Lastly we do here see how dangerous the case is of all time-seruers that will liue as they list and be of no certen religion till differences and dissentions therein be ended and they haue the determination of a generall counsell for whether these things come to passe or no certen iâ— is that they are bound in conscience to receiue and beleeue the ancient Propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine touching the true worship of god and the way to 〈◊〉 euerlasting which is the true religion The same is to be said of all drowsie protestants and lukewarme-gospellers that use religion not with that care and conscience they ought but only then and so far forth as it serues for their turnes commonly neglecting or despising the assemblies where the word is preached and seldome frequenting the Lords table vnles it be at Easter Like silly wretches they neither see nor feele the constraining power that gods word hath in their coÌ„sciences Gods word is either Law or Gospel The law is a part of Gods word of things to be done oâ— to be left vndone And it is threefoldâ— morall iudiciall ceremoniall Morall law concernes