doo many notorious iniuries and abuses to their conscience by resisting the motions of conscience not knowing what to make of them and by smothering the scruples of conscience and by deading the conscience or else by vexing them and many other waies Thirdly God hath giuen men a great charge about the keeping of their consciences which he placed in their soules as a great treasure and God would haue it respected and looked to with as much care as any thing hee hath giuen vs 1. Tim. 1.19 Fourthly God doth require that men should get grace and goodnes into their consciences as well as into their hearts or words or liues which they can neuer doo if they be not taught Fiftly God's Word in all the directions and precepts of it doth binde oblige mens consciences to see to the obedience of them now what can conscience doo if men knowe not what belongs to their consciences and the natures and works of conscience But aboue all things it should awaken men to study the knowledge of conscience yea of their owne consciences if they consider that the conscience of euery man is one of the principall books shall bee opened at the last Day for euidence before the Tribunall Seat of Christ and therefore men were best to look about them in this world to see to it what is written in this book for it is indeleble and will stand vpon record either for them or against them at that Day Now concerning conscience diuers things are to bee considered First what conscence is Secondly what the work of conscience is Thirdly what the prerogatiues of conscience are Fourthly the kindes or sorts of consciences Last of all what it is that bindes the conscience which is to bee inquired into because men are inioyned to suffer wrongs patiently for conscience sake euen seruants from their Masters For the first To know what conscience is we must looke both to the Etymology of the word and to the definition of the thing The word conscience imports a knowledge with another Conscientia quasicum alia scientia Conscience that is science conioyned and the reason is because conscience is a thing in vs that knowes what wee haue done and therein ioynes with some other thing that knows it too Some of our actions conscience sees within and the Angels and men see them without but for our secret thoughts conscience is onely ioyned with God or with our owne mindes as they are ioyned with God Cōscience is a thing within vs which God hath plac't there of purpose to be his witnes or spy to discouer all wee think or do as it is ioyned with the mind of man it is the knowledge of what we know or the thinking of what we think To think of other things is the vnderstanding or mind but to think what wee think is the conscience of a man Or else conscience may bee called so because it is a concluding science Conscientia quasi concludens scientia and the reason of the tearme in that sense may bee thus because looke what discourse conscience hath with God or the minde of man it vttreth it by way of a Syllogisme which they call a practicall Syllogisme As for instance If the conscience speak within to a murtherer it speaketh by Syllogisme thus Euery murtherer is in a fearfull case but thou art a murtherer therefore thou art in a fearefull case Now that that reason which concludes thus in him is his conscience is most apparant For the mind giues onely the first part of the Syllogisme which is that a murtherer is in a fearefull case or that the mind sees either by the naturall principles planted in it or by the Scriptures The other branch the conscience takes out of the memory that is that thou hast committed murther now the concluding of both and applying them to the murtherer is the proper work of conscience and conscience is that within vs that so concludes vpon our actions Now for the definition of conscience omitting the diuersity of frames giuen by diuers men I expresse that which I take to bee the cleerer and fullest to shew vs what it is Conscience is a diuine facultie in the soule of all reasonable creatures applying the principles or propositions of their mind in their particular actions either with them or against them I say it is a faculty to note that it is more then the act or the habit of the minde iudging or determining For acts and habits may be lost but conscience cannot Besides the Scriptures shew that conscience doth act as it excuseth or accuseth and therfore must be a faculty it selfe and not the act of a faculty I say a faculty in the soule because I dare not assigne it or confine it to any part of the soule as they doe that make it a part of the vnderstanding for the vnderstanding hath no parts properly and to make it a part Analogically is not to bee borne in a definition as Logicians know I say moreouer it is in all reasonable creatures to note that beasts that haue onely a sensitiue soule haue no conscience And whereas God also is no creature therefore hee hath not conscience For God beeing holines it selfe needes no faculties to gouern himselfe by nor any conscience to witnes or prompt him And I say it is in all that none might imagine that some men haue a conscience and some haue none For euery man hath a conscience either good or bad Secondly the proper work of conscience is imported in the other words of the definition viz. applying the principles of the mind For the vnderstanding whereof wee must know that there are certaine notions or frames of truth planted in the mindes of all men being infused by God as a naturall Law in their minds shewing what is good or euill and those principles are increased in the mindes of such as haue the benefit of the Scripture more or lesse according to the degree of their knowledge Now that which conscience doth is this It repaires to these formes of truth or light in the minde and takes such of them as concerne the busines in hand and with the force of them either comforts or affrights men according as the occasion is Note that I say it is a diuine faculty I wanted a fit term to express my meaning for that I would vtter I say that it is a wonderful special faculty in vs It is a most celestiall gift conscience is so of God in man that it is a kind of middle thing between God and man lesse then God and yet aboue man So then Conscience concludes about a mans owne actions For if Conscience trouble it selfe about other mens actions it is either the weaknes or the error of cōscience I adde particular actions because Conscience neuer imployes it selfe properly about generals and lastly I adde for the successe or end It is either with a man or against him to note that
that such as doe euill should bee dispraised and this may be considered of either in the case of priuat persons or in the case of Magistrates For priuat persons they are bound to the good behauiour in respect of the euill of others many waies First till their euils are knowne not to mistrust or condemn others Secondly when their euils are knowne if they bee secret they must not bee reuealed if they bee open and the persons bee good men they must doe what they can to couer them and if they bee euill men they must not speak of their dispraises without a great respect of glorifying God by it and besides they must not venture so far to iudge of the finall estate of any man for any euils till the end come In the case of superiours it is true they may vse dispraise but it must bee as a medicine which must bee applied with many cautions and the ingredients must bee Gods words and not their owne Verse 15. For so is the will of God that with welldoing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men IN these words is contayned the second argument taken from the will of God God is specially desirous that Christians should doe all the good they can and in particular should bee carefull to obey the Magistrates because by that meanes they may confute such ill-minded men as are apt to speake euil of religion so that the words containe a choice rule prescribed vnto Christians to bee carefully obserued In which rule consider First the authority of it So is the will of God Secondly the matter of it well-doing Thirdly the end which is the silencing of wicked men For. This word For seems to giue a reason not of what went next before in the former verse but of the exhortation to Christians as they are subiects shewing the happy effect of well-dooing in generall and in particular of their submission to Magistrates and how orderly and profitably their life should bee as they are good Subiects and seruiceable to the Common-wealth For so is the will of God The will of God is diuersly accepted in Scriptures for though God's will indeed bee but one yet for our infirmities sake it is considered of with distinction and so it is either personall or essentiall There is a will of God that is personall restrained to some of the persons so the Father wils the obedience and death of the Sonne and Christ obeies that will of his Father Iohn 6.38 39 40. Mat. 26.39 42. But it is the essentiall will of God heer meant the former is the will of God ad intra and this the will of God ad extra as they say in schools The essentiall will of God is taken sometimes for the faculty of willing sometimes for the act of willing sometimes for the thing willed and sometimes for the signe by which that will is declared as his Word is his will So heer by his essentiall will God wils both good and euill Good is the obiect of God's will properly and of it self Euill is the obiect of the will of God but onely vnder some respect of good Euill is either of puâ—nishment or of sinne Euill of punishment GOD wils and is the Author of Psalm 115.3 as the iust Iudge of the world and punishment of it self is a good thing as it is a work of iustice Euill of sinne God onely wils to permit Acts 14.16 but it is not God's willing of euill is heer meant As the will of GOD concerns vs in matter of good it may bee considered either euangelically or legally Euangelically his wil giues order what shall be done with vs and so he wils the saluation of his Elect Eph. 1.11 Iohn 6.40 Legally his will giues order what shall bee done by vs and so hee wils our sanctification in all the rules of it and in euery part Col. 1.10 By the will of God in this place then he meanes the Word of God as it contains the reuelation of what God would haue done by his seruants in the cases specified in this Text. Many things may bee obserued out of these words Doct. 1. First wee may take notice of the two onely Springs of all things to be knowne in Religion in these words viz. God and his will GOD and the Word of God God is principium essendi the Author of their Being and the Will or Word of God is principium cognoscendi the Fountaine of the knowledge of them Doct. 2. God doth will all that which is to bee done by his seruants in any part of their obedience or in any case of their liues as heere the course they are to take either toward the Magistrate or toward their enemies God wils it that is hee doth in himself approoue or determine or appoint and by his Word he doth warrant and require it And the same is true of all the well-dooings of godly men God wils them which I obserue for these vses Vses First it may be a great comfort to a Christian when he knowes he hath done what GOD would haue him to doo for then he may be sure God will not forget his labour and work of loue and obedience Heb. 6.8 The Hebrew that signifieth will signifies pleasure and delight and when it is giuen to God it notes that what hee wils hee takes pleasure in as in Esay 62.4 Hophzibah My will is in her or My delight is in him God takes great delight when wee doo his will Euery carefull Christian is his Hophzibah And besides if God doo will we should doo so God will defend and protect vs in our waies That may support vs against all the crosses or oppositions that may bee like to befall vs. And that made the Apostles place in euery Epistle that They were Apostles by the will of God And so such godly Christians as obey the humane ordinances of men in these times of quarrell and contention must comfort themselues with this that Thus was the will of God that they should so obey and that must support them against the contrary wils of men otherwise minded how well soeuer reputed of and make them bring their owne hearts into obedience to that which God would haue them to doo c. Doct. 3. The Word of God is the willing of God and so called here and God's Word may be said to be his will in two respects eyther because of the form or in respect of the matter In respect of the form it may be cald his will because it is digested in forme of a Testament and Christ the Wisdome of God hath set it in such forme as if it were his last Will and Testament as in some respects it is Or else chiefely because what God doth expresse or require in the Scriptures is agreeable to the very Nature and will of God hee doth in himselfe will it as well as in his Word promise or require it which shewes a great difference between the lawes of
yeers together and vpward I haue heard it credibly reported that fifteen yeers before his death he was by a skilfull Chirurgion searched and that vpon that search there was a stone found to bee in his bladder whereupon hee vsed such meanes as were prescribed to him for his ease and found such help thereby as he thought that either the Chirurgion which searcht him was deceiued or that the meanes which hee vsed had dissolued the stone But time which manifesteth all things shewed that neither his Chirurgion was deceiued nor yet his stone dissolued for it continued to growe bigger and bigger till at length it came to bee of an incredible greatnes After his death hee was opened and the stone taken out and being weighed found to be 33 ounces and more in waight and in measure about the edge fifteen inches and a halfe about the length aboue 13 inches about the breadth almost thirteen inches it was of a solid substance to look vpon like to a flint There are many eie-witnesses besides my self who can iustifie the truth heerof A wonderfull work of God it was that he should bee able to carry such a stone in his bladder and withall to doo the things which he did He was a close Student witnes the many Treatises which time after time he published in print He was also a diligent Preacher for constantly hee preached twice on the Lords Daies and in Summer when many of the Gentry and City came to his Parish at Isle-worth and dwelt there he spent an houre on Wednesday and another on Friday week after week in expounding the Scripture in his Church very seldome was he hindred by the forementioned stone in his bladder This course he kept till about fiue weeks before his death when the paine came so violently vpon him as it wasted his vitall vigor yet did it no way weaken his faith but as the outward perished so was the inward man renewed in him He earnestly praid that the extremity of the pain might not make him vtter or doo any thing vnbeseeming his vocation and profession but withall he aduised his friends to consider that he was but as other men and thereupon to iudge charitably of his carriage in that case Many heauenly meditations issued from him in that time of his visitation vnto the last period thereof Quietly meekly and patiently he endured till that surest Chirurgion of all Death had eased him of all his pain In his soule he euer liueth and in his name he will continue to liue so long as the Church enioyeth his Works more lasting than Marble Monuments Now O blessed Sauiour and Head of thy Church as thou transplantest some of thy Plants out of thy Nurcery the Church militant plant others wee beseech thee in their rooms that thy Church may neuer be vnfurnished of able painfull faithfull and powerfull Ministers WILLIAM GOVGE AN EXPOSITION of the Second Chapter of the first Epistle generall of PETER 1. Pet. 2.1.2.3 1. Wherfore laying aside all maliciousnes and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and euill speakings 2. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may growe thereby 3. If so be ye haue tasted that the Lord is bountifull FRom the thirteenth verse of the 1. Chapt. to the eightth verse of the third chapter is contained matter of exhortation and the exhortation is either generall or speciall The generall exhortatioÌ„ concernes all men Chap. 1.13 to Chap. 2 13 The speciall exhortation concernes onely some men as subiects seruants wiues husbands from chap. 2.13 to chap. 3.8 The generall exhortation stands of two parts first the one concernes the matter of holiness secondly and the other the meanes of holiness Of the matter of holiness in the later part of the former chapter In these wordes and those that follow to the thirteenth verse is contained an exhortation to the right vse of the meanes by which wee might growe vp in all holiness and acceptation with God In the exhortation two things must be distinguished first the substance of the exhortation secondly the conclusion of it The substance is contained from verse the first to the eleuenth the conclusion in the eleuenth and twelfth verse For the first there are two things in which if wee be rightly ordered it cannot bee but wee must grow wonderfully in grace and holiness first The one is the word secondly The other is Christ. To a right order of ourselues in respect of the word he exhorts verses 1.2.3 To a right order of our selues in respect of Christ hee exhortes verse 4. to 11. The part of the exhortation that concernes the word hath three things First what wee must auoid we must lay aside Malice Guile Hipocrisie c. secondly what we must doe wee must desire the word as the child doth the brest thirdly Why so where diuers reasons are imported First wee are babes Secondly we are but as new born babes Thirdly the word is sincere milke Fourthly it will make vs growe fiftly haue wee not already tasted of the sweetnes of it verse the third That part of the the exhortation that concerns Christ hath likewise three things in it which I will heer but touch First what we must do verse 4. Secondly how wee must doe it verse 5. Thirdly why so viz. for two reasons First the one taken from the testimonie of Scripture which is alledged verse the sixt and expounded verse 7.8 Secondly the other taken from the conâ—iderati-of our prerogatiues we inioy in Christ which are set down first positiuely verse 9. Secondly and comparatiuely verse 10. And this is the breef order of the whole first part of this chapter The first thing then in the exhortation is about the word and therein the first thing is about the things which must be auoided if we would profit by the word of which in the first verse THere are fiue things we should lay aside and be sure wee be free from when wee come into gods presence to heare his word or to bee exercised in it viz. Malice Guile Hypocrisie Enuy and euill speaking Two things distinctly must bee considered in verse first the sinnes to be auoided viz. those fiue before named Secondly the manner of auoiding them imported in the metaphoricall tearme laying aside In generall diuerse things may be noted First that it is exceeding profitable to gather speciall catalogues of our sins which we should auoid to single out such sinnes as we would specially striue against and doo more specially hurt vs and hinder good things from vs I mean not of all sinnes so much as of special certain choice euils that yet remain in greatest force in vs. We may obserue a great wisdome of the holy Ghost in many places of Scripture drawing such catalogues according to the state of the people to whom they are giuen and so it were of excellent vse if we did gather catalogues of the duties which specially concern vs or of
men or wicked men Godly Christians that are weak may be offended or hindred in Religion diuers waies as either by reason of the persecution and oppression of the godly or by the Heresies or dissensions of men in the Church or by the flourishing estate and prosperity of the wicked as also by the liberty some of the godly take in things indifferent for the aduancing of the Gospel in case of necessity As when Paul for the gaining of the Gentiles neglected Moses Law This was an offence to many beleeuing Iewes et contra c. Wicked men also take offence as heere in this text is manifest Now the offence which they call Diabolicall is that when men wilfully and peruersly will prouoke themselues to sin freely because of the examples of the vices of Godly men as when the drunkennes of Noah the incest of Lot the adultery and murther of Dauid the periury of Peter or the like is alledged to maintaine themselues in a liberty of sinning It is the scandall of wicked men which is here meant Now wicked men make themselues miserable in this case of scandal both waies By giuing offence and by taking offence By giuing offence and so Christ curseth them for offending his little ones Wicked men offend them either by the subtilty of false and corrupt Doctrine or by prouocation and inticement or by euill example or by discouraging them with reproches threats or oppositions or the like but this kind of offence is not meant here It is offence takē which is noted heer as a greeuous curse vpon them and amongst offences takē this is their misery that they gather offence from what should haue bin the cause of their holines and happines euen from Christ. Quest. Might some one say What should men bee offended at in Christ The Iews were offended 1. At the vilenesse of his person or his mean cōditiō 2. At the pouerty and simplicity of his disciples 3. At the obscurity of his Kingdome being without worldly pompe and glory 4. At his conuersation because he kept cōpany with sinners 5. At his doctrine partly because he reproued their superstition and hypocrisie and the traditions of their fathers and partly because hee taught that Iustification could not bee had by Moses Law but must bee sought by beleeuing in him as also by other particular directions as that man must eat of his flesh that he was the Sonne of God that hee was older then Abraham c. Lastly at his miracles for they thought hee did it by some Diuell Thus in our times the Papists they take offence at the newnes of our Religion as they pretend at the freeness of the people that profess it at the doctrine of Iustification by faith alone c. Thus also wicked men in the Church are offended at the smal number of such as are sincere at the plainnesse of the preaching of the Gospell or such like Quest. 2 Might some one say What if wicked men be offended is that such a great misery Ans. Yes for it is many times the occasion of their ruine for wee see many men keepe these obiections in their hearts till their death by which they are hardned from all care of saluation by Christ at the best it is a notable hindrance for the time it frustrates them of the Gospel and of the communion of Saints c. Vse The vse may bee first for information We may hence see what an infectious sorceresse vnbeleefe is It can make things exceeding good to proue exceeding euill to them it can make God the Word the Sacraments Christ himselfe all good to be occasions of extreme euill to him Wicked men are like spiders that can suck poison out of the sweetest flowers Secondly this should serue for great humiliation vnto all wicked men that find themselues stopped or hindred or cast out of the way by receiuing scandall into their hearts They should heere take notice of it that it is a singular curse of God when God leaues a man to the liberty of admitting poisonfull obiections and thereby to bee hardned against the care for his owne soule in matters of Religion Men little thinke of the fearefulnes of such mens cases which must needes be extremely euill either if they looke vpward to see that God doth expose them to this offence as a way of singular punishment or if they look to the effect whatsoeuer they can say yet their poore soules in the meane time are left destitute of mercy or the profit and power of it Might some one say How can they help it seeing Christ is a stone of stumbling vnto them It seemes they cannot auoid it Christ is a stone of stumbling not actiuely but passiuely hee doth not make them stumble but they through their ignorance walking in darknes or through their precipitation running headlong in things or through the poison of some beloued sinne which hath altogether corrupted their taste doe fall at the Doctrine of Christ or turne the precious things of Christ into poison by reason of the venome lying in themselues Thirdly such taking offence is a iudgement Weake Christians should bee warned and temper themselues so as to refraine that weaknes of being so apt to bee offended at the liberty of strong Christians and to this end they should take heed of doubtfull disputations or ensnaring themselues about the vse of indifferent things For though God pities them yet they are much plagued by their opinions and intanglements heerein For first they sinne against their brethren by rash censure and despising them and secondly they wrong their owne soules for sometimes they are hindred in the Word and sometimes lose the benefit of the Sacraments by their ignorant scruples and sometimes they draw much trouble and molestation vpon them and lastly they many times open the mouthes of wicked men to reuile them and exasperate them against the good way of God To conclude therefore this vse Since offence is the rod of the wicked let not godly men suffer it to rest on their lot Fourthly since wicked men by the iudgement of God and their owne frowardnes are so apt to receiue offence it should teach the godly to order themselues so towards them that they giue no offence vnto them I say giue no offence so as the fault should bee in the godly but rather they should striue to ouercome this frowardnes of wicked men by all possible care both to put them to silence and by keeping them silent Now because there be some things wherein regard must not be had of the offence of wicked men I will open this point distinctly and shew First in what things the offence of wicked men is not to bee regarded Secondly in what things wee must take heed wee giue them not offence or in what things wee may bee guilty of giuing offence to them Thirdly what rules may bee obserued in our cariage which may silence wicked men or compell respect and
the laying of the foundation of the earth Now it is euident that those two things hee did of himself of nothing without any means Lastly that place in Hebr. 12.9 is most cleer The words are these Wee haue had the fathers of our flesh which chastised vs and we reuerenced them how much more should wee bee subiect to the Father of our spirits and liue Where is a manifest antithesis between the flesh and the Spirit and the fathers of our flesh and God the Father of our spirit wee had our flesh from our parents and our spirit from God I might adde the reason taken from the manner of giuing of the soule of Christ for he was made in all things like to vs sin onely excepted Now it is euident that Christ's soule was not begot by carnall propagation and therefore it was created of God Obiect Now against this is strongly obiected that if the soule be created immediately of God then it is created either pure or sinfull if pure then how is it that the soule is guilty of originall sinne if impure then how can it be auoided but that God must be the Author of sin Answer This reason draue diuerse of the Fathers in the time of Hierome especially the Western Fathers to beleeue that the soule was propagated from the parents and Saint Augustine is doubtfull which opinion to take to the inconueniences of each opinion seemed so great But other Diuines answer this obiection in this manner First that the soule is created of God pure but ioined to a body conceiued in sinne which is no iniustice in God because hee deliuers the soule but into such an estate as man had cast himself into by his owne wilfull sinne bringing this corruption not onely vpon himself but vpon all his posterity who fell in him Hee by agreement with GOD being as the common sort of mankinde was with him to stand or fall in that generall respect Nor may it be doubted but that the body may work vpon the soule as we see by experience when the body is full of cholerick humours it inclines the soule to anger and so when the body is burdened with melancholy humours it euidently makes sadnes euen in the very minde c. Another answer may be this God creates the soule pure but yet that soule is guilty of owing though not of dooing debendi though not agendi it is charged with the debt of Adam as children may be charged with their fathers debts Now this is one part of originall sinne As for the other of corrupt inclination it is to answer modestly if we say we vnderstand not being assured of two things The one that God is the Father of spirits and the other that all men are infected with sinne from the womb Both are to bee beleeued though in this life we cannot explicate it and what hurt is it if wee bee ignorant how sinne entred into our natures seeing it concerns vs to knowe it is there and to learn how to get our natures recouered Obiection 2. Other liuing creatures beget the like to themselues both in body and in soule too and therefore by this doctrine men should bee more vnable and vnperfect than any liuing creature For if hee doo begette but onely the body he doth not beget one in specie like to himself Answer Though GOD create the soule yet it followes not but that it may bee truely said that man begets a man and that hee is not more vnperfect in generation than any other creature for First the Virgin Mary did bear Christ man in her womb and Christ man is said to bee of the seed of the Virgin and yet his soule was created of God as hath been shewed before Secondly though there bee some dissimilitude in the generation of man and of a beast yet it doth not follow that man is more vnperfect As for instance The beast begettes his young and brings him forth strong couered with a hide able to feed himselfe presently full of leaping and other actions But man brings foorth an Infant weak crying naked vnable to feede it selfe What is man therefore more vnperfect No. For the perfection of generation doth not consist of these things or in these things For heere man excels all other liuing creatures in the world in generation because hee is Gods instrument for the begetting of a body fit to be vnited to such a soule God also doth heereby commend the generation of man and dignify it that hee is pleased so to work in mans generation as he doth not in any other creature vouchsafing to giue vnto mans generation such an admirable soule to his body For therefore was the creation of the first man more excellent then the creation of other creatures because God hauing framed his body of the dust of the earth did infuse such a soule into him Obiect It is a peeuish obiection that some make thus If God create the soule in all men then when any is born of Adulterie God should cooperate with the adulterer and so be either the Author or the approuer of the sin that will giue the soule to such a wicked generation Solut. Some answer thus that God is not the author or approuer because out of euill he onely workes good for his owne glory Others answer That God onely cooperates with the action not with the sinne of the action or the euill of the action or the euill which is in the will of the agents But the best answer is theirs that answer by a similitude thus The earth hath receiued her nature and vigour from God to nourish and bring foorth the seed that is cast into it without difference whether the seed bee lawfully taken out of the barne or stolne by fraud The stolne graine doth not cease to growe in the earth nor is it to bee expected that nature should cast out such seed and yet the earth doth not iustifie the action of him that stole the grain so is it with God that works according to the grounds of nature and his owne decree and prouidence He is not to be blamed for the euill of the action when he works according to the rules of nature and will glorifie himselfe by raising a frame of good out of that which by men was ill done Obiect 4. Wee see that children resemble the vertues or vices of their parents and therefore as from the bodies of their parents they receiue a likenes to them in body so is it that from their soules they receiue this similitude of their vertues or vices Solut. Experience shewes that this is not alwaies true For many children haue no resemblance in them of their parents qualities Secondly where this is true it is not because their soules are deriued from the soules of their parents but they haue it from the bodies of their parents For the soule after suffers from the sympathy with the body as by reason of certaine humours in the bodies of parents that incite
things in it I answer two things First that the sense can receiue onely the images of a few things that is only of such things as haue colour sound tast smell or touchable qualities but the minde can beget the images of all things Secondly that those images in the senses are dull and dark and confused in comparison of the likenes of things in the minde 12. In that he hath a will in choosing or refusing things good or euill that cannot bee compelled The liberty of the will is inseparable to it in what it chooseth or refuseth for it implies a contradiction that the will should be cōstraind 13. In that it hath in it that diuine thing which we call conscience which is giuen to the soule as a guardian as it were to attend it from God the effects whereof are admirable in vs for it testifies to our actions it accuseth or excuseth it comforts when wee haue well done aboue all outward comforts and it terrifieth and scourgeth the soule with vnexpressible afflictions many times for sin it is a Iudge witnes and executioner many times in vs. Now if the soule bee thus admirable in any estate for all these things are true of the reasonable soule euen in the estate of corruption then how excellent was the estate of man in respect of his soule before the Fall and how doth it excell in the godly who haue their soules enlightned with the light of faith and garnished with sauing graces but especially how shall it exceed in glory when it shall bee presented before God in the Kingdome of heauen So that as the whole man made in God's Image is as it were the visible God in this great world so the soule is as it were a little God in the lesser world which is the body of man And thus much of the faculties of the soule Now the end of al this follows The Lord made the soul endowed it with so excellēt a being so admirable faculties that so the Lord might in this visible world haue a creature that would know him and serue him rightly The creatures without sense are Gods workman-ship but discerne nothing of God or themselues or other things The creatures with sense discern other things by sense but know nothing of God Now God made man as the abridgement of all hee had made and gaue him this soule of purpose that hee might discerne God aright and serue and worship and praise him Vse 1. The consideration of the excellency of the soule and of the end why it was created should stirre vs vp to make conscience of the seruice and knowledge of God It is as if wee had neuer beene if wee answer not this end Wee should bee fired to the obseruation and praise of God and of his loue to man And withall it should make vs wonderfull carefull of our soules since wee see they are such excellent creatures Our soule is more worth then all this visible world besides Especially it should fire vs to a care of things that concerne the blessed Immortality of our soules wee should bee forced to all possible care of all such things as might bee prouision for the eternall well-being of our soules And in particular the excellency of the soule should disswade vs from fleshly lusts and all inward impurity by which the soule is defiled or wounded Hitherto of the description of the soule The war against the soule is now to be considered of Concerning which I propound these things to bee handled First who are the combatants Secondly by what waies and means the soule is assaulted and opposed Thirdly why God would suffer the soule to bee thus assaulted Fourthly what reason Christians haue to bee carefull of themselues and prouide against this warre Fiftly by what meanes wee must resist and defend the soule Sixtly what hope there is of victory Seuenthly how many waies wee may obtaine victory Eightthly by what signes we may knowe that wee are not ouercome And then the vse of the whole For the first there are foure kinds of warre waged against the soule as it is encountered by foure sorts of aduersaries For both God and the world and he diuell and the flesh warre against the soule of man briefely of the three first God warres against the soule either in earnest and in deed or in show and appearance and not as an aduersary in deed In earnest God fights against the soule by the threatnings and rebukes of his Word when hee smites and beates men downe by the word of his mouth Esay 11. and also by torments of conscience powred out vpon the wicked men and so hee fought against Cain and Iudas Sometimes God is but a putatiue aduersarie and doth but seeme to fight against them and so hee warreth against his owne seruants either by outward crosses or by disertion or by feare and terrour and thus hee fought against Iob And in this case God is like a Captaine trayning his souldiers or like a Fencer teaching his scholler to fight The world wars against the soule two waies by the inticements of profits pleasures honours euill counsell or example and by persecution either of the tongue or hand The diuell warres against the soule by euill doctrine or temptations or illusions But none of these three are principally intended heere it is the flesh that maketh warre against the soule that is heere meant By the flesh is meant the corruption that is in the nature of man called the old man and the Lawe of the members By the soule is heere meant the spirit or regenerate man the new man the grace of Christ in the soule Thus of the first point who are the combatants the flesh is the assaylant the Spirit the defendant For the second point the flesh incounters and warres against the soule diuerse waies and by strange kindes of fights as 1. By mists of ignorance it casts mists before the eies of the soule that it might bee blinded for there is a manifest combate between the naturall vnderstanding and the regenerate minde carnall reason and sauing knowledge often fight it out within a man 2. By doubtings and distractions and so the flesh casts out such questions as these as so many darts into the soule Whether there bee a God or the Scripture be the Word of GOD Whether Christ be the Sonne of God and our Mediator Whether it be the true Church wee are in or whether our sinnes be forgiuen or wee bee in the state of grace whether there shall bee any resurrection or heauen or hell or immortall Being of the soule Against all these the soule is driuen to make often defenses and driues them out with hard conflicts 3. By rebellious deniall of obedience to the law of the minde exalting it self against the obedience enjoyned by Christ to the soule Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 10. and casting out resolutions of deniall thoughts that say they ought not or wil not obey 4. By hindring the work
occasion and ability to the loue of God and the true Religion Sixtly we should cleaue the faster to the society of the Godly and striue together and contend for the faith seeing that we are alwaies in the midst of our enemies Lastly it may bee a great comfort to such as can quiet themselues well towards wicked men that can keepe their way and be still vpright and vndefiled that can also keepe peace and winne loue from their very enemies that can doe valiantly in the winning men to the liking of Religion for their sakes To bee good among the good is not singular but to bee euill among the good is abominable and so is it an admirable prayse to be good among the euill Doct. 3. That in some cases the conuersation of a Christian may extend it selfe euen to wicked men Some one will say We are forbidden conuersation with them how then can wee conuerse with them Ans. First our conuersation may reach vnto them by fame or report so the Christians conuersed among the Gentiles in that what they did was discoursed of among the Gentiles But this is not all for in some cases we may goe among them lawfully euen into their presence and company as First in case of negotiation in things of necessitie as trade publike seruice or the like Secondly in case of naturall or ciuill obligation to them as children wiues seruants subiects may not withdraw their attendance or seruice from them but may and must conuerse with them Thirdly in case of Religion men that intend to admonish confute perswade or winne them to the loue of Religion may for that end conuerse with them but then two cautions must be obserued First that the party that would so conuerse with them must be able to admonish or confute c. Secondly such an end must not bee made a pretence onely to couer needelesse society with them Lastly a difference must be put betweene the open enemies of God and such as giue some hope of inclination to Religion though yet they be not manifestly Religious There are some persons that are inoffensiue so as they are not guilty of any grosse and open crime and seeme to fauor Religion and the exercises thereof and doe desire the society of the godly and take no pleasure in euill company now we must beware that we iudge not rashly of these to account them as Gentiles and such as are without and with these wee may hold more sure society Doct. 4. It may be lastly hence obserued that to conuince or winne the Gentiles honesty of conuersation is chiefly to be respected honesty I say not Religion To shew the practice of religious duties before them is a way to irritate them they must bee beaten with their owne weapons and ouercome in the things they professe to bee good The way to amaze them that are without is to shew that religion formes in vs such things as they confesse to be good yet cannot come to or not in such a manner or degree such as are faithfulnes chastity meekenes wisedome taciturnity mercy or the like The vse should bee therefore to teach godly christiās in the places where they liue to looke to this poynt not onely to liue without offence but to striue to excell in the vertues that concerne outward honesty of life And to this end it were excellent if Christians would marke in in what things the men of the world where they liue doe striue to excell and not rest satisfied till they can make all sorts of men discerne that Religion hath made them euen in those things to goe beyond them And thus they should not suffer themselues to bee put downe by Papists or any carnall persons in workes of mercy or truth in their words and promises or quietnes of disposition or magnanimity or the like and the rather because their praise is of God whereas carnall men haue onely the praise of men And besides the true Christian shall haue a recompence of reward in heauen Ephes. 6.8 whereas the Pharise hath his reward onely in this life And further we should bee more carefull to winne praise to our God the true Religion then they are to get applause to themselues or a strange god And wee are in the light they are in darknes it were a shame they should do their work better in the darke then wee in the light Rom. 13. Thus of the first reason The second reason why they should bee carefull of their conuersation is because the Gentiles are apt to speake euill of the Christians as euill doers That whereas they speake euill of you as of euill doers From hence three things may bee obserued First that it hath beene the lot of godly men to bee euill spoken of and traduced As wee see the Christians Churches in the primitiue times were exposed to the infamous reports of the Gentiles Two things would be heer explained First that it hath alwaies beene so And then the causes of it For the first that it hath alwaies beene so is cleare by instances of all times before the Law vnder the Law and in the time of the Gospell 1. Before the Law Ismael scoffes at Isaac and Iosephs brethren scorne and reuile him Iob was accused as an Hypocrite by his owne friends and scorned by the basest of the people Iob 30.1 So was it with Moses and the Israelites Heb. 11.26 2. Vnder the Law Dauid was slandered by many Psal. 31.12 The abiects teare his name and ceased not Psal. 35.15 The drunkards sang of him Psa. 69.13 he was a reproach of men a by word a prouerb c. So in the Prophet Esays time Esay 8.18 and 59.16 and 51.8 Ieremy complains that they consulted how to deuise deuices against him and to smite him with the tongue 3. Vnder the Gospell 1. Looke to the Author and finisher of our faith Christ Iesus he was charged with gluttonie Mat. 11.18 blasphemy Mat. 26.65 madnes Ioh. 10.20 to bee a deceiuer Ioh. 7.22 and to haue a diuel and work by the prince of diuels 2. The Apostles were made a spectacle to men and Angels and accounted as the off-scowring of all things 1. Cor. 4.9 10 13. 3. Yea it is foretold to be the case of all Christians Math. 5.12 Gal. 4.29 The causes of those reproaches follow First in wicked men it is their naturall hatred of the truth and goodnes 1. Ioh. 2. and 3. Secondly in the diuell it is his policy heere by 1. To keepe men from embracing a religion that is so traduced Acts 28. 2. To discourage and hinder the weake Christian and to make him fearefull in the way of God 3. To pull back certaine men which were going towards the Kingdome of God Thirdly in Gods will heereby to trie the constancy of his seruants and to make them liue more watchfully Fourthly in Christians themselues it is Sometimes long of hypocrites that breake out into scandalous courses and so make the way of God
praise as well as such as do euill dispraise Vse 2. Secondly it may much condemne the corruption of heart which appeares in many men in this point in sinning against the iust praises of others either by speaking euill of them and blemishing their good names which is to steale their riches from them or by withhoulding due praise which is to withhold the good from the owner thereof It should much affright such as are guilty of this fault that our Sauiour Christ measures our loue to God by our readines to praise for the Works of God done by another Iohn 5.41 42. It is a signe that men loue not God when they loue not goodnes in others which sure they doe not if they commend it not Doct. 5. Weldoing ought to be esteemed whersoeuer it is found in a subiect as well as a Prince in a seruant as well as a Master in all estates and conditions of men For God doth so as may appear Ephes. 6.7 8. and grace and goodnes is alike precious wheresoeuer it is in the like degree which serues to rebuke that secret corruption in the natures of men that are apt to obserue and praise good things in greater persons but withhold the incouragement is due to other men onely because they are poore and because they are worser Iames 2.1 2 3. You may now by this doctrine try whether they be good themselues For it is a signe of goodnes to obserue and loue goodnes wheresoeuer he seeth it in a seruant as well as in a frend and in a poore Christian as well as a rich Doct. 6. It may bee yet further obserued that if men would bee praysed they must doe well praise is onely due to weldoing Rom. 2.10 2. Tim. 2.20 21 1. Thes. 4.4 Rom. 13.5 And therefore it is a poore praise that men raise to thēselues for other things all that fame which is raised for any thing but weldoing is externall vain and therefore they are greatly deceiued that rest in the report that is raysed from their wit or beauty or birth or preferment or sumptuous buildings or the like Those may cause a great fame but onely well-doing can cause a good fame Secondly it shewes that hypocrites that haue gotten reputation onely because they are thought to bee good haue but built in the sands For when in time it shall appear that their owne works doe not praise them they shall find that the praise of men will not last It is not saying well that works a durable good name but doing wel It is but complementing at the best to professe and promise great care of practice and praising and yet bee barren and vnfruitfull Vse 3. Thirdly this shewes the great corruption of their nature that so vnquietly seek after praise and complain how much they be neglected and yet their own consciences know how idle and vnprofitable they are and which is worse that they not onely doe not well but manifestly doe euill and sin daily in pride and enuy in passion and wilfulnes or other open transgressions This thirst after respect aboue others is a signe of a great strength of hypocrisy when they are more desirous to be thought good then indeed to be so and more carefull of the praise of men then of God Fourthly they sinne shamefully that praise the wicked and iustify him that God condemneth but Salomon hath set a note vpon those persons that they are naught themselues For hee saith that they that break the law praise the wicked Prou. 28.4 and 24 25. Psal. 10.3 Fiftly they are yet worse that glory in their shame that seek praise for the excesse of wickednes committed by them either against God or men as they doe that would bee commended for their cost bestowed on Idols or for their worshipping of Saints or Angels or for their reuenges and wrongs done to men or for their mightinesse to hold out in drinking wine or for their filthy acts of any kinde or for their excesses in strange apparell or for the raysing of themselues by vnlawfull meanes or for their deliciousnes in their fare or the like As those glory in their shame so their end is damnation Phil. 3.18 Lastly this doctrine should beget in men a great desire to liue profitably and to doe good and in a speciall manner to apply themselues to such works as are most praise-worthy Quest. Heere then ariseth a question What things in particular doe most aduantage a mans iust praises Ans. The answer is that there are diuers things will make a man to bee much praised as First to honour God hee hath promised to honour those that honour him Prou. 8.17 Now to honour God is to seek his Kingdom first and to confesse his name before men though it bee in euill times Secondly humility and a lowely carriage with meekenes For the humble shall bee exalted and the proud brought low Luke 1.14 20. Thirdly mercy to the poore This made the Macedonians famous in the Churches especially to shew it liberally and readily 2. Cor. 8. Fourthly diligence and exact carefulnes to discharge the labours of our particular calling with all faithfulnes this made the good woman famous mentioned Prou. 31.27 28 29 30 31. especially if wisdome and prouidence bee ioyned with diligence Fiftly to liue in peace and stand to bee quiet and meddle with our owne busines and to be a peace-maker winnes a great deal of praise 1. Thes. 4.11 Math. 5.9 Sixtly to bee exactly iust in mens dealings and true in his words and contracts this wil make men abound with blessings The word is praises as it is in other places translated Prou. 28.20 Seuenthly to bee courteous is to bee amiable so as it bee done without affectation and not directed for thy owne ends and not done with dissimulation Eightthly to doe good to our enemies to bee not onely ready to forgiue but to pray for them forbeare to wrong when it might be executed and to shew all willingnes to ouercome their euill with goodnes Rom. 12.20 21. Ninthly a care in all things strictly to submit our selues to the iust Laws of men auoiding transgression for conscience sake as the coherence in this place shewes And thus of the sixt doctrine Doct. 7. It may yet further bee obserued from hence that God doth require Magistrates in a speciall manner to looke vnto it that they doe all they can to praise and incourage Godly men and such as do good in the countries where they liue Rom. 13.5 This is the end of their calling Iob 29.25 This wil proue heauy one day for those prophane Magistrates that in the places of their abode disgrace men more then such as are godly and countenance none more then such as are most dissolute and lewd of life The iudgements of the Lord wil be terrible against these vnrighteous men Lastly the Antithesis is heere to be noted For when hee saith that such as doe well should be praised he doth not say
for vs in all places 3. Because if a man vndertake to answere them by words he is in danger to be prouoked to speak vnaduisedly and so may prooue like those fools whom he reproues Pro. 26.5 4. Because the naturall conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conuersation and will struggle and resist within the wicked man so as hee cannot so securely vent his reproaches 5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones owne heart If he deale with them by words his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good works 6. Because it is the surest way of reuenge to ouercome their euill with goodnes especially if thou canst get but the aduantages to doo good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18 19. Vse The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in vs that ouer-eager desire of answering such as wrong vs by bitter words or works of reuenge yea it should compell vpon vs a consultation whether it bee best to deale with them at all by words God's way is by works and thou must get a great deal of temperance and wisdome if thou think thy self able to confute them throughly by words It is true also that in some cases wee may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse vs but yet still this counsell of God that bids vs silence them by well-dooing should intimate that other courses must bee vsed with much caution and without rashnes or confidence in them Secondly this may reprooue that vnquietnes and impatience which is found in some Christians when they are reproached and wronged they are much vexed at the indignities offred to them and think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names whereas perhaps if they examine themselues they may finde that they haue not vsed the meanes to still them they haue not muzzled these dogs and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too and muzzled we see heer they will not bee but by their good workes And therefore if they bee barren and vnfruitfull they must take notice of the fault in themselues There are other things that may be noted out of these words but I will onely touch them as Doct. 7. That onely foolish men doo reproach godly men Such as reuile and censure many are vsually either openly carnall men as they were drunkeards that reproached Dauid and Abiects Psalm 35.15 and 69.13 They were either fools or the children of fools but viler they were than the earth that had Iob in derision Iob 30.1 8. men that ranne into excesse of riot as the Apostle writeth 1. Pet. 4.5 or else hypocrites that haue nothing in them but words and empty shewes Or if at any time there bee a sinne found in godly men it is in such as are but babes and look like carnall men and haue a great deal of their naturall folly and madnes vnsubdued in them 1. Cor. 3.1 2 3. But for the most part it is a fault found onely in wicked men Doct. 8. That it is a great pain to a wicked man to bee restrained from reproaches hee is as much vexed when hee cannot or dare not speak euill of godly men as a dogge or an oxe is when hee is muzzled Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men and yet not make them leaue their wickednes hee doth not say that by well-doing they may winne ignorant and foolish men It is true that sometimes a good conuersation may winne them as 1. Pet. 3.1 2. and before verse 12. Yet ordinarily they will doo wickedly euen in the Land of vprightnes Esay 26.10 Verse 16. As free and not vsing your liberty for a cloke of malitiousnes but as the seruants of God IN the two former verses he confirms the exhortation by reasons in this he answers an obiection The obiection seems to be that Christians are made free by Christ and therefore are not to bee tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subiection to men The Apostle answereth that it is true that Christians are made free-men but so as they must not vse their freedome as a cloak of malitiousnes and the liberty of sinning either against God or men for they are still God's seruants and bound to doo what he would haue them to do and so consequently to obey Magistrates since GOD requires them so to doo So that in this verse hee intreats of Christian liberty And so first hee grants the vse of it or the right of it in these words As free Secondly he remoues the abuse of it in these words Not vsing your liberty as a cloke of malitiousnes And thirdly he giues a reason of his remoueall Because they are the seruants of God still In the first part you must consider what he granteth viz that they are free Secondly how far he grants it viz. that they are as free Free Freedome is either ciuill or spirituall Ciuill freedom is when a seruant is manumitted or made free that was an apprentise or bond-slaue before and so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City or a Common-wealth or the like The spirituall freedome is that estate which Christians do enioy by God's fauour in Christ after their calling It is a spirituall manumission or freedom that is heer meant and this is called Christian liberty partly because it is a freedome that we haue onely by Christ and partly because it is a freedome now onely enioyed by Christians and no other men in the world Christian liberty is one of the great gifts or endowments bestowed vpon the Church by Christ. It is not amisse to reckon vp all the gifts in order that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appear The gifts then that Christ hath bestowed vpon Christians are these First their ransome paid vnto God for their redemption Secondly their vocation by the Gospell calling them out of the world into the Church Thirdly the holy Ghost which hee sends into their hearts Fourthly their iustification imputing his owne righteousnes and procuring forgiuenesse of all their sins Fiftly their sanctification by which hee giues them new natures Sixtly their adoption by which they are made the sons of God Seuenthly their Christian liberty by which they are freed from all former bondage and enioy great priuiledges this is a fruit of their adoption Eightthly consolation refreshing their hearts in all estates especially by the comforts of his Word Ninthly the gift of perseuerance by which tey are kept from falling away Lastly an immortall and vndefiled inheritance in heauen after they are dead Christian liberty is either the liberty of grace in this life or the liberty of glory after this life The liberty of glory concerns either the soule or the body The glory or liberty of the soule is the freeing of it from all
Iustice without vs. For in mens Courts they proceed secundum allegata probata according to allegation and proofs but God hath appointed another Iudgement in the heart of man there God iudgeth not according to allegation and proofes but according to Conscience and hath associated to euery man a notary of his owne and a witnesse of his owne which hee produceth out of his very bosome so as man shall be made to confesse what hee hath done though all the world excuse him and shall haue comfortable testimony in himselfe though all the world beside accuse him The glory of the power of Conscience appears by the third point and that is the prerogatiues properties of Conscience in a man for 1. It keeps Court in the heart of a man without limitation of time it will call a man to answer and hear Iudgement at any time it is not limited to any terms nor can the Sentence be delaied it hath power to examine testifie and giue Sentence at any time of the yeer at pleasure nor will it admit any appeal to any creature 2. It is subiect properly onely to God no earthly Prince can command the Conscience of a man as will more appeare afterwards 3. It keeps continuall residence in the heart of man it is alwaies with him at home abroad it obserueth and watcheth him in all places in the Church at his table in his bed day and night it neuer leaues him 4. God hath subiected man to the obedience of Conscience if it command erroneously if it be in things indifferent as in the case of meats and daies in the Apostles time if the Conscience doubted or forbade the vse of them which yet in themselues might be vsed the man was bound to follow his Conscience though the Conscience erred and so sinned in doubting or forbidding Rom. 14.14 23. 5. Yea so much honour doth God giue vnto the Conscience that he suffers his owne most holy Spirit to bring-in euidence in the Court of conscience for so we reade that the Spirit of Adoption doth beare witnes before our spirits that is before the Conscience that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.15 6. It is a great prerogatiue that GOD hath granted Immortality vnto Conscience Conscience neuer dies no not when we die Euery mans Conscience shall bee found a lier at the day of Iudgement and in so great request with Christ as that dreadful Iudgement shall be guided according to the euidence and verdict of Conscience Rom. 2.15 16. For the fourth point Conscience is not all of a sort in all men some haue good Consciences and some haue ill Consciences and both these kindes of Consciences must be considered of Conscience considered as good comes to be so either by creation or by renouation By creation Adam had his Conscience good but by the first sinne Conscience became euill in him and all his posterity so as all men naturally haue euill Consciences and no men haue their consciences good but as they are renued The difference between a good Conscience by creation and renouation is this that by creation Conscience was perfectly good from the first moment it was infused till the Fall and did discouer it self by excusing and comforting alwaies for Adam's Conscience till his Fall could accuse him of nothing But by renouation Conscience is good for the time of this life but imperfectly and increaseth in good men by degrees and so because man is renued but in part it is a part of the goodnes of the Conscience to accuse for sinne especially if it be presumptuous after Calling as well as to excuse from faults while the man keeps his vprightnes That a good Conscience should onely excuse is true in this world onely of Conscience as it was good by creation Now concerning the goodnes or badnesse of Conscience these seuen things are to bee considered of First that all mens Consciences by nature are euill Secondly the difference of euill in mens Consciences Thirdly the signes of an euill Conscience Fourthly the hurt of an euill Conscience Fiftly the meanes how euill Consciences may bee made good Sixtly the signes of a good Conscience Seuenthly the great happines of the man that hath a good Conscience For the first that all mens Consciences are by nature euill is manifest because all haue sinned in Adam and lost their originall righteousnes in all the faculties of the soule and so euery man in his naturall condition is in euery point vncleane and to the impure all things are impure euen their Consciences are polluted saith the Apostle Titus 1.15 For the second euill is not in the same degree in all mens Consciences but after a different manner in diuers men for First in most men we see that Conscience is so feeble and works so little that it seemes to be but a small spark or like a bubble which riseth now and then and presently vanisheth Now the reason why Conscience stirs so little in the most men is not to bee taken from the nature of Conscience for that can work all works mentioned before but from diuers things in man For first Adams sin as it depriued all mens Consciences of originall righteousnes which was the life of the Conscience so it brought such a deprauation and euill disease vpon the Conscience that it was neuer healed nor cured in the naturall man to this day but the weaknes arising from the infection holds him downe still Secondly the generall ignorance and darknes which is in the world is one great cause why Conscience lieth so miserably weak and neglected For it cannot work for want of light For in the minde it findes onely a few naturall principles or some generall truthes of religiō which are altogether insufficient to direct in the particular occasions of mens liues Thirdly besides the Law of nature is corrupted in man and so those principles are very muddy and vncertaine and the generals of Religion are poysoned with secret Obiections gathered from the controuersies of so many false religions Fourthly further it is manifest that the cares and pleasures of life oppress conscience in many in them Conscience stirs not not because it cannot stir but because there is no leasure to heare what it saith men are so violently carried to the pleasures and busines of this world As a man that runs in a race many times runs with such violence that hee cannot heare what is said vnto him by some that he passeth by though it were counsell that might direct him in the right way of the race So is it with men that haste to be rich Conscience often calls to them to take heed of going out of the way by deceit or lying or oppression or the like But they pursue riches so violently that they cannot heare the voice of Conscience And so is it with the voluptuous person and with the most men that liue in any habituall gainfull sinne Fiftly yea this weaknes comes vpon
the Conscience of some by custome of sinnes that are not sinnes of gaine or pleasure as the sinnes of negligence slothfulnes passion or the like in which men are wilfully confirmed and will not regard the checks of their owne conscience Finally one great reason why the most of vs feele so little of Conscience is the euill hearing of the Word of God for the Word of God powerfully preached would awake the Conscience but that most men set themselues to neglect it by a willing and wilfull intertaynment of distractions and in voluntary forgetting of what they haue heard and so hood-winking themselues it is no wonder they cannot see Secondly some mens Conscience is stark dead it stirs not at all The Conscience is compared to a part of the body that is not onely without sense and rotten but is seared with a hot iron and this is the case onely of some notorious either Hereticks or malefactors that haue liued a long time willfully in some monstrous wickednesse either knowne or secret 1. Timothy 4. verse 2. This seared Conscience is either ioyned with a greedines to commit speciall wickednes or with a reprobate mind that is so horrible stupid that it iudgeth euill to bee good or at the best not dangerously hurtfull Ephes. 4.18 Rom. 1.28 Thirdly in some men the euill of Conscience lieth in this that it is ouer-busy and sins too much and so in two sorts of men first the superstitious or secondly the desperate The superstitious person is many times disquieted by his Conscience in doing well or when hee doth that which is not vnlawfull as the Popish priest is troubled for comming to our Churches or the Christian that is carried with preposterous zeale is troubled for obeying the Magistrate in vsing his liberty in things indifferent in the desperate the euill of Conscience is the horrible tormenting of them beyond the bounds of the offence of Conscience and that in two things First in that it presents the wrath of God to them without the hope of mercy in Christ as did the Conscience of Cain Secondly in that it driues them to doe that against themselues which is desperately wicked as to make away themselues as the desperat Conscience of Iudas and Achitophel did Fourthly in some men there was a temporary goodnes in the Conscience of which they made shipwrack and so vtterly lost the goodnes they had for a time And thus many hypocrites doe that for a time get the forme of Religion euen into their Consciences but afterward falling into the immoderate loue of the world or the lust of some particular sinne fall cleane away from Religion and so lose the goodnes which they had 1. Tim. Chap. 1. verse 19. Thus of the differences of euill in the Consciences of diuers men the signes of an euill Conscience follow But before I giue the signes wee must take notice of a distinction and that is that the Conscience may haue euill in it and not bee an euill Conscience Conscience in this life in men regenerate is renewed and restored but in part and so may erre sometimes and in some cases and yet bee no euill Conscience As for instance in certaine weak Christians in the Primitiue Church who yet were godly men the Apostle shewes Romans 14. that some Christians for Conscience sake did refuse certaine meates and daies the Conscience erred in iudging those meates and daies to bee vnlawfull to be obserued and vsed and yet hee calls them that were so led by an erring Conscience hee calles them I say brethren But when wee speak of an euill Conscience we meane Conscience vnregenerate As a man may haue sinne in him and yet bee a good man so may Conscience haue blindnes in it and yet bee a good Conscience The signes of an vnregenerate Conscience may bee gathered from the differences of euill Consciences The signes then of an vnregenerate still Conscience are these First when it is quiet in the committing and after the committing of knowne sinne whether open or secret For open sins as for drunkennes swearing lying prophanation of the Sabbath and the like the Conscience cannot bee good when these or the like open wickednesses are cōmitted and so when it is quiet notwithstanding secret whoredome or filthines of any kinde or continuall wickednes in the thoughts or desires that Conscience that can abide a foule hart is a wicked Conscience Secondly when it excuseth for doing notorious euils and so they haue euill Consciences that could trouble and persecute euen to the death godly men and yet think they did God good seruice Iohn 16.2 The signes of an vnregenerate stirring Conscience are these First when the Conscience serues onely to tell ill newes when it serues to tell a man onely of his losse by Adam or the Law but neuer comforteth him by bringing-in any euidence of God's fauour in Christ. That Conscience that terrifies without Christ that is without mixing any of the comforts of the Gospell in Christ is an euill Conscience the speciall property of a good Conscience is to excuse and comfort and therefore that Conscience that doth onely accuse is an euill Conscience Secondly when the Conscience flees from the presence of God as did Adam's Conscience after the Fall and this the Conscience discouers when it dares not stand before the discouery of the Law of God nor dares abide a powerfull Minister that speaks to the Conscience of the hearers and ransacks them Thirdly when the Conscience languisheth about questions that tend not to edification and raiseth the strength of zeal and all the power of it about things that are lesse necessary either vnto faith or practice And this was the case of the Pharises Conscience that spent all their zeale about lesse matters and neglected the waightier things of the Law And this is the case of all such Christians that are zealous with a fiery zeal about circumstances or the estates and businesses of others and neglect the main things of substance that concern their owne sanctification assurance or saluation Fourthly when the Conscience is for men and not for God when the motiue that raiseth and incourageth it is the praise of men and not the praise of God This also was the case of the Consciences of the Pharises for the Conscience in them was busie and did require good duties but the respect was still the praise of men whereas a good Conscience is for God aboue all Fiftly when it will accuse onely for grosse euils and those knowne to others and not for lesse and secret sins to be repented of Sixtly when it will accuse onely in the time of aduersity as in the case of Ioseph's brethren Thus of the signes of an euill Conscience The misery that the men haue that haue an euill Conscience follows and they are miserable whether they haue a waking or a sleeping Conscience The misery that comes from a waking Conscience is euill and may bee two waies discerned First
good Conscience and the other is that a man runnes onely blindefolded so long till death and hell may seaze vpon him Thus of the effects of an euill Conscience The meanes how Conscience may bee made good follow That an euill Conscience may bee made good two things must bee looked into First that wee get a right medicine to heale it Secondly that we take a right course in application of the medicine First the medicine for the curing of an ill Conscience is onely the blood of Christ the disease of Conscience is of so high a nature as all the medicines in the world are insufficient nothing but sprinkling it with blood will serue the turne and it must bee no other blood then the blood of the immaculate Lambe of God as the Apostle shews Heb. 9.14 The reason of this is because Conscience will neuer bee quiet till it see a way how GODs anger may bee pacified and sinne abolished which cannot be done any way but by the blood of Christ which was powred out as a sacrifice for sinne Now vnto the right application of this medicine foure things are requisite First the light of knowledge Secondly the washing of regeneration Thirdly the assurance of Faith Fourthly the warmth of loue First knowledge a man must haue both Legall and Euangelicall For they must knowe by the Law what sinnes lie vpon the Conscience and trouble it and they must knowe by the Gospel what a propitiation is made by Christ for sinnes And for the second an euill Conscience will neuer bee gotten off vnlesse our harts bee sprinkled and washed from the filth and power of the sinnes which did lie vpon the Conscience Heb. 10.22 1. Tim. 1.5 Now vnto such remouing of such sinnes from the hart two things are requisite First that by particular confession wee doe as it were scratch off the filth of those sinnes that foule the heart and trouble the Conscience Secondly and then that wee wash our harts and dayly rinse them with the teares of true repentance and humiliation before God for those sinnes Thirdly assurance of faith is necessary to the cure of an ill Conscience because faith is the hand that laies on the medicine A man must apply the sufferings of Christ to himselfe and beleeue that Christ did satisfy for those sinnes that lie vpon the conscience and must accordingly all to besprinkle the conscience with that blood of Christ and then of an euill Conscience it will presently become good but men must looke to one thing and that is that their faith be vnfayned For Conscience will not be satisfied with the profession of faith they must beleeue indeed and with their harts and with sound application of the promises of the Gospell concerning the bloud of Christ or else Conscience will not bee answered Heb. 10.22 1. Tim. 1.5 Fourthly the heate of loue must bee added a man must so apply the blood of Christ as that his owne blood bee heated in him with affection both towards God and Christ and Christians Christian loue doth put as it were naturall heat into the Conscience and makes it now receiuing life by faith to bestir it selfe in all the works either of seruice to God or duty to men 1. Tim. 1.5 Heb. 9.24 Knowledge bringing it light Mortification making it cleane Faith curing it and putting life into it by sprinkling it with the blood of Christ and loue infusing or rather inflaming it with the heate of life All these things are requisite though I stand not vpon the precise order of the working of euery one of these Thus how conscience may bee made good Now I might adde a direction or two how Conscience may doe her worke aright that is a good Conscience and not doe ill offices in the soule Two things I say are of great vse for the guiding of a good Conscience First that in all her proceedings shee must follow the warrant of Gods word Secondly that shee doe not mistake in iudging of particular actions she must bee sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty For vnlesse the conscience discern that we are freed from the malediction of the Law and from the rigorous perfection of obedience and haue restored vnto vs a free vse of all things indifferent and the like shee may bee ouer-busy and troublesome disquieting the hart and restrayning the ioyes should refresh and support a man Thus of the meanes how Conscience may bee made good the signes of a good cōscience follow First by the opposition it makes against the remainders of sinne in the godly It maintains a constant combating against the law of the members hauing at command the law of the minde It doth not onely resist grosse euils but euen the most secret corruptions in the heart of man This Paul discerned in himself Rom. 7. of doing God seruice Secondly by the manner of exacting of obedience for a good Conscience First doth incline a man to doo good duties not by compulsion but a man shall finde that he doth them by force of an internall principle in himself Secondly it cannot abide dead works a good Conscience abhorres all cold and careless or luke-warm or counterfet seruing of God it puts life into all good duties it exacteth attendance vpon God in doing them Heb. 9.14 Thirdly it more respecteth GOD than all the world or the man himself and therefore wil compell a man to obey against profit and pleasure and liking of the world 2. Cor. 1.12 Fourthly it requires an vniuersall obedience it would haue all God's commandements respected and therefore Paul saith I desired in all things to liue honestly Heb. 13.18 The allowing of one sinne shewes the deprauation of the Conscience if it be a knowne sinne and still tolerated As one dead flie will spoyle a boxe of pretious oyntment I say one dead flie tho many liuing flies may light vpon a boxe of oyntment and doe it no great hurt So a godly man may haue many infirmities and yet his Conscience bee sound but if ther be one corruption that liues and dies there that is such a corruption as is known and allowed and doth by custome continue there it will destroy the soundnesse of the best Conscience of the World and doth vsually argue a Conscience that is not good Fiftly a good Conscience doth require obedience alwayes Thus Paul pleades I haue serued God till this day It doth not command for God by fits but constantly Act. 23.1 A third signe is that a good Conscience is alwaies toward God it still desires to bee before God it seekes God's presence it reckons that day to be lost and that it did not liue as it were when it found not the Lord or had no fellowship or conuersation with God A good Conscience is like a good Angell it is alwaies looking into the face of God Act. 23.1 Thus of the signes The benefits of a good Conscience are many and great for First it is the best
to wickednes And thus swearers and vsurers and such like make sin Thirdly when a man commits such a sinne as other men condemn by the very light of nature though he do it by corrupt inclination or though it bee sinne which others commit so to make sin is to bee a malefactor or one that is guilty of any grosse sinne Fourthly when a man studies mischiefe and sinnes not suddenly but imagins and deuiseth and forecasts and plots how to compasse his sinne and thus all wicked men make sinne because they sinne not suddenly or by meere frailty but doe study iniquity euery wicked man is a great student Psal. 36.4 Fiftly when a man causeth others to sinne by euill counsell or example or compulsion Thus Tyrants made sinne that forced men to deny the faith and thus they make sinne that make their neighbours drunke and thus Stage-plaiers and Minstrels make sinne that call and prouoke others to licentiousnes and wantonnesse and thus superiours make sinne when by their euill example or negligence in not punishing offences they tempt others to sinne Sixtly when a man makes a trade of sinning and thus men are said in Scripture to bee workers of iniquity which is a Periphrasis of wicked men Now hee that is said to make a trade of sinne or to bee a worker of iniquity first is one that makes it his dayly custome to follow his sinfull course of life or that followes sinne as the trades-man doth his trade Secondly that cannot liue without his sinne that accounts his sinne the life of his life that had as liefe be dead as restrayned of his sinne as the trades-man accounts himselfe vndone if his trade bee destroyed Seuenthly when a man calles good euill and euill good when a man makes that to bee a sinne which is no sinne Thus they make sinne that call those things sinne which GOD by his Law neuer called sinne And thus men make sinne both out of superstition on the left hand and out of rash zeale on the right hand Thus also prophane persons make godlines and a holy conuersation to bee Schismes and truth to bee Heresy Thus the Iewes called Pauls religious course Heresy when hee by that way which they called Heresy worshipped the God of his fathers and the Professors of Christian Religion they called a sect Acts 28. Esay 5.20 Thus Lawyers many times make sinnes when they make a good cause bad and a bad cause good Eightly when a man by slander casts foule aspersions vpon other men that are innocent speaking euill with any manner of euill report of such as liue religiously And this art of making sinne the slanderer learned of the deuill that accuser of the brethren Thus many godly persons are many times by wicked reports made grosse offenders in the common acceptation of the world and in the rumours spred abroad of them in many places Thus they made Christ and the Apostles grieuous sinners and a spectacle to men and Angels Ninthly when a man in aduersity deuiseth vnlawfull shifts and courses to get out of trouble or deliuer himselfe from the crosse is layd vpon him And this sence may in some sort be applied to the case of our Sauiour who neuer vsed ill meanes to deliuer himself though he suffred extreme things Lastly in a generall sense Euery man that is guilty of sinne may bee said to make sinne And so it is commonly by way of remouall said of Christ that hee made no sinne that is that hee was neuer guilty of any offence against God or man Thus of the sense of the words Diuers doctrines may bee gathered out of these words but because one is principall I will but touch the rest Doct. 1. Mens sinnes are of mens making man made sinne God made none Doct. 2. It is a hatefull thing to bee a maker of sinne Ast was most glorious for God to make a world of creatures so it is most ignominious for man to make a world of sinnes Doct. 3. Christ made no sinne This is the chief doctrine and plaine in the text Hee was not onely free from the first and worst kinds of making of sinne mentioned before but hee was free from all sinne in all estates of his life he knew no sinne he did none iniquity He was that iust One by an excellencie Quest. But how came it to passe that the man Iesus had no sinne seeing all other men bring sin with them into the world and daily sinne Ans. Hee was sanctified from the wombe being conceiued by the holy Ghost which no other are so as both originall sinne was stopped from flowing in vpon him in his cōception and besides hee was qualified with perfect holines from the wombe and therefore is called that holy thing borne of the Virgin Luke 1.35 And it was necessary his humane nature should bee so holy and that hee should doe no sinne because his humane nature was to bee a tabernacle for the Deity to dwell in Colos. 2.9 and besides from his very humane nature as well as from his Deity must flow vnto vs life and all good things and therefore hee must needes be vndefiled The man-hood of Christ is as the conduit and the God-head as the spring of grace vnto vs. Besides his sufferings could not bee auayleable if he were not innocent himselfe The vses follow and so Vses First wee see the difference betweene the two Adams the first made sinne and infected all the world with it The other made no sinne but redeemed all the world from it The first Adam as he had power not to sin so he had power to sinne but the second Adam had not onely a power not to sinne but also no power to sinne not onely as they say in Schooles posse non peccare but also non posse peccare Secondly wee may hence see in what a wofull damnity against goodnes the world stands when this most innocent Man that neuer did any sinne that neuer offended God or man in all his life when he I say comes into the world how is hee despised and reiected of men Who looked after him vnlesse it were for his miracles Few honored him for his holines How is the world set on wickednes that it should account him without forme or hand-somnes that shone before God and Angels in such a spotlesse innocency Oh what wit had the rulers of this world that condemned him as a malefactor that had no spot in him from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot that neuer did man wrong or sinned against God Esay 49.7 and 53.2 3 4. Thirdly wee may hence see cause to wonder at the loue of Christ to vs. Oh how is it that hee bare the imputation of such a world of sinnes that yet himselfe neuer knew sinne What hart of man can sufficiently admire his loue vnto vs that can abase himselfe to bee made sinne for vs that neuer did sinne himselfe Fourthly is it not hence also most manifest that
impenitent sinners shall not bee spared or pitied of God Did not God spare his owne Sonne that neuer offended in all his life and shall hee spare them that neuer left offending of him Oh what madnes hath besotted men so as with stubborn wilfulnesse still to trust vpon an vnknowne mercy in God yea such a mercy as God could neuer conceiue in the case of his Sonne that was not to him as they are in any respect Were these men but throughly beaten from this sinfull plea of mercy in God they would repent of their sinnes in time and seeke true mercy from God which neuer is withheld from penitent sinners Lastly Did our Sauiour Christ suffer so patiently such extreme things that neuer deserued any euill in himself What a shame is it for vs to be so vnquiet and deiected or so froward or so vnsettled when any crosses or affliction fall vpon vs who yet haue deserued at Gods hands to suffer a thousand times more and worse things then those that doe befall vs In his mouth was found no guile Wee read in the Scripture of guile in the spirit when wee haue false hearts and guile in the hands by false weights and ballances and guile in the mouth in deceitfull words Guile in words is committed many waies First by lying when men speake what they thinke not Secondly by flattering when men praise others after a corrupt manner or for corrupt ends Thirdly by backbiting when men censure others behind their backs of malice or whisper euill against others Psal. 41.7 Fourthly by wresting the words of others to their hurt Psal. 56.11 and 52.1 2. Fiftly by withholding the iust praises of others or Apologie Sixtly by fearfulnes in euill times when men will not stand for the truth or speake against their consciences Seuenthly by disgracefull iests Ephes. 5.4 Eightthly by telling the truth of malice 1. Sam. 22.9 10. Ninthly by boasting of a false gift Pro. 27.1 Tenthly by hypocrisy and dissimulation and that diuers waies as 1. When men speake faire to mens faces but reproach them behind their backs or flatter them meerely to catch them and intangle them in their talke as the Pharises often tempted Christ. 2. That reproueth sinne in others and yet commits it himselfe Rom. 2.19 3. That colours sinne vnder pretence of Religion Marke 12.40 4. That professeth Religion in words and yet denieth it in his heart 5. That hideth his sinne by deniall or excuses to auoid shame and punishment 6. That giues good words to men in affliction but relieues them not 1 Ioh. 3.17 18. None of these nor any other waies of guile were found in Christ though they called him a deceiuer and sought all occasions against him Thus of the sense the doctrines follow Doct. 1. Guile in words is a vice that wonderfully dishonours a man It was a fault would giue great aduantage to the enemies of the truth As it is a sinne which is in a speciall manner hatefull to God Psal. 5.7 so it is shamefull amongst men and therefore as any man would enioy good daies let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lips that they speake no guile Psal. 34.13 Doct. 2. When hee saith that They found no guile in his mouth it importes that they sought it And so wee learne that the godly are so hated of the wicked that they seeke occasion against them when they see not or heare not of any faults in them they search and inquire and lie in waite to see if they can catch their foot-slippings at any time yea they mark their words to see whether they can finde any falshood or hurt in them And therefore Christians should watch themselues and their words the more carefully and striue so much the more to shew themselues plaine men in their words and dealing that they may speake what they think at all times Doct. 3. The third doctrine which falls in this text is that in Christ was found no guile he could neuer bee taken in the sinne of flattering lying coozening backbiting or any dissimulation or hypocriticall or deceitfull speeches and therefore the vse may bee Vse 1. First to shew the fearefull estate of such as vse lying and deceit and hypocriticall courses in the dealings with men in their trades or other occasions of life There was no guile in Christ and therefore it is probable they are not true Christians because they are not heerein made like vnto Christ yea deceit and guile is made a signe of a wicked man Psal. 36.1 3. And therefore such as are giuen to the sins of deceit and hypocriticall dealing are in a miserable case especially such as couer their deceit with smooth words Ier. 9.8 Pro. 26.24 c. 2. And such as make a trade of it giue their tongues to euill and frame deceit and binde their tongues to lies and teach their tongues to speak euill lies Iere. 9.5 3. And such as wil deceiue their neighbours their brethren or such as are harmelesse Ierem. 9.5 Psalm 35.20 Vse 2. Againe this pattern in Christ may comfort the plaine-dealing and plaine-meaning man and plaine-speaking Christian that hath no tricks methods and subtilty in his words or carriage but is a plaine man like Iacob this is made a signe of a godly man Zeph. 3.13 of a happy man Psal. 15.2 of a true Israelite Iohn 1.47 Being reuiled Hitherto hath beene shewed that Christ suffered without sinne now the Apostle shewes that hee suffered without reuiling or threatning which praise is increased in this that hee reuiled not when hee was reuiled nor threatned at the very time when hee suffered extreme iniuries Reuiling is a sinne condemned in the sixt commandement and is committed by bitter and disgracefull words against any other without desire of doing good And so men reuile when they disgrace others by false accusations as when they called Christ a deceiuer and said hee had a diuell or was a glutton or an enemy to Caesar or a blasphemer or the like Againe It is reuiling when the very tearmes vsed are base ignominious if they be vsed onely out of passion as to call men made after the image of God by the names of beasts or the like Againe when wee vpbraid others with such deformities or infirmities as God hath laid vpon them as to mock a man for his deafenes or lameness or ill sight or the like Leu. 19.14 Besides whē men reproch others with such words for any thing they faile in as expresse more disgrace then the fault deserues as for some mistaking to call a man foole Math. 5. yea it is reuiling when the faults of others are charged vpon them without a calling or desire of their amendment And so it is reuiling to vpbraid any with the sins they haue repented of And thus what reuiling is Doct. 1. Reuiling is a hatefull sinne That appeares from hence that it is accounted a great suffring to suffer reuiling And our Sauiour accounts it murther