Ghost otherwayes distinguished but by generation and procession and if the Sonne be the Wisdom and Knowledge of the Father and the Holy Ghost the love of both he must doubtlesse proceed from the Sonne because Love proceeds of Knowledge 18 Wee must beleeve that there is one Church universall in respect of time place and person which neither hath erred nor can erre in things fundamentall and absolutely necessary and that the head of this Church is Christ only both in respect of eminencie dominion efficacie and perfection as containeing al those graces of spirituall sense motion life and other good things which he imparts to his members and the Church of Rome is not this Catholick Church but a mishapen and lame member therof and that neither her antiquity nor multitudes nor succession nor miracles nor continuance nor unity nor outward splendor c. are true markes of a true Church 19 Wee are bound in Conscience to beleeve that there is a Communion and Fellowship of the Saints among themselves here on earth consisting in their mutuall loves in imparting spirituall gifts and supporting each other with their mutuall helps as also with the Saints in Heaven they praying for us and we earnestly desireing to be with them and with Christ also as the branches with the root builders with the foundation the wife with the husband the members with the head he imparting to us his righteousnesse merits and prerogatives and we imparting againe to him our sins punishments and infirmities 20 We are in Conscience to beleeve that God doth forgive sins and that he alone hath this power the Minister only pronounceth the pardon and that all sins are pardonable though not actually pardoned by reason of impenitency unbeleife that our sins are pardoned not for our merits but for Christs obedience 21 So we are to beleeve the resurrection of bodies because otherwayes the members cannot be conformable to their head nor can God bee the God of the living but of the dead Christ rose in vaine our faith is vaine we are of al men most miserable and this resurrection must be of al because al must be rewarded or punished but this resurection shal not be the work of nature because naturaly from the privation to the habit ther can be no regresse and though there may be a natural disposition in the matter to bee reunited to its forme yet there is no active power in nature to cause this union and though there is an inclination in the soule to bee united againe to its body yet in the dust there can bee no naturall inclination to the soule of man 22 We are also to beleeeve that besides this life of Nature and of Grace here there is a life of Glory hereafter eternall in the Heavens which in Scripture is called Peace a refreshing a rest our Masters joy our Fathers house the Kingdome of Heaven Abrahams bosome Paradise the new Ierusalem this life must be Eternall because God is Eternall the soule is immortall and we that suffer for Christ without it must be of all men most miserable the testimony of Scripture the translation of Henoch the rapture of Eliah and the ascension of Christ doe confirme the truth of this doctrine 23. Our Conscience also bindes us to believe the truth of Gods Word and that the Scripture which we cal Canonical are the dictates of the Holy Ghost if either wee consider the majestie of the stile or the efficacy of the phrase in working upon the heart like a sharp two edged sword deviding betweene the soule and the spirit the joynts and the marrow or if we looke upon the Antiquity of the Scripture or upon Gods providence in the miraculous preserving and divulging of them against all opposition or if upon the inveterate hatred of Satan and of the world in persecuting and labouring to falsifie them if they could or if upon the fearefull and horrid ends of those men who have hated and persecuted the Scripture or again if wee take notice of the divine matter which is contained in them of the truth of their predictions and accomplishment of their Prophesies of the wonderfull harmony and consent of doctrine through all the parts thereof of the generall consent of the Church through all the world maintaining and preserving the Scripture of the transcendent miracles recorded in them of the Constancy of the Martyrs in suffering all kind of tortures for maintaining thetruth of them if lastly we consider the miraculous calling the selfe insufficiency and yet the extraordinary abilities of the men that penned them our Conscience wil assure us that the Scripture were indicted by Gods Spirit Wee must are beleeve that there are ministring spirits which in Scripture are called Angels Gods Sonnes of God morning Starres Seraphim Cherubim men of God c. These wait upon the Throne of God are imployed by him to comfort instruct defend and deliver from danger the children of God to carry their soules into Abrahams bosome to gather their bones together in the last day to pnnish the wicked here and to separate these Goates from the Sheep hereafter these were created in the beginning all good some of which persevered in their integrity partly by the goodnesse of their owne will partly by Gods decree before time and by his assisting grace in time and partly by reason of the excellent knowledge they have of God both naturall experimentall and supernaturall or revealed and some of them fell by pride and envy affecting equality with God and maligning mans felicity for which cause they were thrust out of Heaven and strucke with blindnesse in their mindes and perversenesse in their wils yet much knowledge they have both naturall experimentall and revealed and much strength also by which they worke upon the bodayes the minde and senses of men yet they know not our thoughts nor things to come except by revelation or conjecture We are bound also to believe that God made man after his own Image which consisted in righteousnesse holinesse and immortality which Image being lost by sinne was restored againe by Christ and that mans body was made of earth but his soule of nothing and not of the Heaven or the fire or the ayre or the divine substance And that there is not one soule of all men nor a transmigration of soules out of one body into another nor that the soules were created before the world or that they are mortall being they are simple and uncompounded substances and not made of matter or contrary Elements besides that the Word of God the Consciences of men the excelency of the soul the inorganicall faculties thereof and the consent of all ages and nations do prove its immortality therefore it is not educed out of the matter as other formes are but introduced and infused by God immediatly who breathed into Adam the breath of life and albeit the Soule is infused pure by God yet no sooner enters it into the body but is
Bonosius who affirmed that Christ was only Gods adopted Sonne the Priscillianists who subjected Christ to the fates and starres affirming that he did al his works by fatall necessities 6. Concerning Christs Nativitie wee are bound to reject Saturnius Basilides Marcion Cerdon and others who have denyed the humanity of Christ affirming that he only appeared in the shape of man Valentinus who sayd that Christ brought his flesh downe from Heaven and passed through Mary as water through a Channell Apelles who affirmed that Christ made to himselfe a body of aire which vanished into the Elements at his Ascension Apollinaris who thought that Christ tooke our flesh but without the soule the Armenians and others who denyed that the substance of Christs body was al one with ours but incorruptible impatible heavenly 7. Concerning Christs two natures we are bound to reject Samosatenus who said that God was no other wayes in Christ then he was in other Prophets Eutiches who taught that there was in Christ but one nature which was made up of the comixture of his flesh divinity as water mixt with wine The Monophysits Monothelits Acephali who affirmed there was in Christ but one nature one will and one operation 8. Concerning Maries virginitie wee are bound to reject Cerinthus Carpocrates and others who taught that Christ was conceived and borne of Ioseph and Mary and after the manner of other men Julian the Apostate Iovinian and Paulitians who said that Mary lost her virginity and had other children besids Christ The Helvidians and Antidicomarianits who believed that Ioseph had other children of Mary after Christs birth called the brethren of our Lord too many of these are tolerated in Poland and elswhere 9 Concerning the unitie of Christs person wee are bound to reject Nestorius who would give him too personalities because he had two natures and therefore denyed Mary to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or the Mother of God 10. Concerning Christs death and passion wee are bound to reject Simonians Saturninians Basilidians Cerdonians Marcionites Docets Apellites Manichees who affirme that Christ suffered and dyed only in shew not really so the Eutychians Theopaschites Severits Armenians who teach that the Divinity suffered The Noetians Sabellians Patrispassians who held that the Father suffered Pelagians and Celestinians who deny death to bee the wages of sinne Pontificians who are dayly sacrificing Christ in the Masse and by their indulgences purgatory and merits annihilate the death of Christ 11. Concerning the indissoluble union of the two natures in Christ wee are bound to reject Nestorians Cerinthians Gnostics Christolyts who part Christ into two persons as the Valentinians into three so the Eutychians Armenians Iacobites who teach that the humane nature was swallowed up by the divinity so the Acephali and Severits who though they grant that the two natures remaine yet they confound the properties which is indeed to destroy the natures for tollens proprietates tollit natur as 12 Concerning CHRISTS Resurrection we are bound to reject Iewes and Cerinthians who deny the Resurrection the Manichees who teach that Christ had no scarrs of the wounds after his resurrection the Eutychians who say the humane nature was converted into the divine nature after Christ rose the Vbiquitaries who give to Christan uncircumscribed and omnipresent body the Gnostics who would perswade us that Christ remained 18. months here one earth after his resurrection 13 Concerning his Ascension we are bound to reject the Christolyts who say that Christs divinity ascended only the Manichees and Seleucians who teaeh that Christs body ascended no higher then the Sun where it remaines the Carpocratians who affirme that only Christs soule ascended the Vbiquitaries which make Christs ascension nothing else but his invisible and gloryfied condition after his resurrection and heaven to bee only a spirituall place diffused every where lasty the Apellits who make Christs ascention a dissolution into the foure Elements 14 Concerning Christs sitting at Gods right-hand we are bound to reject the Pontificians who make Saints and Angels our patrons and mediators the Seleucians Proclianits and Hermians who deny that Christ in the flesh sits at his Fathers right-hand the Vbiquitaries who make the sitting of Christ at Gods right hand to be nothing else but the Majesty and omnipresence of CHRISTS body 15 Concerning Christs comeing to judge the World we are bound to reject Iudiciall Astrologers Euthusiasts and Circumcellians who take upon them to poynt out the determinat day of Christs coming the Millenaries who say that Christ will raigne here on earth a 1000 yeares the Originists who will have all both men and Angels to be saved after those 1000 yeares are expired lastly all profane scoffers who laugh at the doctrine of the last judgement and aske where is the promise of his coming 16 Concerning the Holy Ghost we are bound to reject Macedonians Servetians Arians Originists Acatians Aetians who affirme the Holy Ghost to be a creature Simonians who say the Holy Ghost is only the power of God in the world some Anabaptists who teach that the Holy Ghost had his beginning after Christs resurrection the Hierachits who would have the Holy Ghost to be Melchisedec Manes who called himselfe the Holy Ghost so did Simon Magus and Montanus the Helcesaits who called the Holy Ghost CHRISTS sister the Sadduces who deny the Holy Ghost Theodoret Damscen Rusticus Diaconus and the rest of the Greeke Church who deny that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne 18 Concerning the Catholick Church we are bound to reject Papists Pepusians Donatists who confine her to one place being diffused every where Schismaticks Hereticks who disturbe her peace and breake her union Hypocrits Tyrants who openly or secretly wrong her Profane livers who vex and scandal her Novatians Audians Donatists Anabaptists who require absolute purity and perfection in her the Luciferians who confined the Church to their own sect alone the Eunomians Severians Aetians who allowed all sort of impurity in her 19 Concerning the Communion of the Saints we are bound to reject the Nicolaitans who would have wives common among Christians as also the Anabaptists who would have all mens goods and estates in common 20 Concerning Remission of sinnes we are bound to reject the Donatists Novatians Catharists Meletians Quartraâ—cimans and Apostolicks who deny remission of sinne to those that fall the Pelagians and Celestinians who deny originall sinne the Iovinians who make all sinnes equall The Messanians and Euchyts who taught that sinnes were pardoned onely for good workes and prayers The Priscillianists who adscribe our sinne to the starres and fates The Monkes who deny concupiscence to be sinne that Originall sin deserves not death and that Mary and Iohn Baptist were conceived and borne without originall sinne the Manichees and Acatians who make sinne the very substance and nature of man and not an accident 21. Concerning the resurrection of the flesh wee are bound to reject the Menandrians Hymeneus and Philetus
THE PICTVRE OF The CONSCIENCE drawne to the Life by the PENCELL of Divine Truth VVherein are set out 1. Its Nature 2. Infirmities 3. Remedies 4. Its Duties Consisting first in the truths to be beleived 2. The vertues to be practised 2. The Vices to bee avoyded 4. The Heresies to bee rejected All seasonable for these distracted times By Alexander Rosse London Printed by Tho Badger for M. M. and Gabriel Bedeil and are to be sold at their Shop neere Temple-Bar at the middle Temple Gate 164â— To the Right Honorable the Lord Scudamore Viscount Sligo My Lord WHen the orbe of learning is illustrat by the irradiation and benigne aspect of Princes favours then all things in a Kingdome are conspicuous and beautifull but when the great Luminaries and Patrons of knowledge are eclipsed the orbe must needs bee obscured and every thing within its circumference darkned hence as in the darknesse of the aire men are troubled with strange and mishapen apparitions which they veryly beleeve are reall visions whereas indeed they are but phantomes and imaginations of our brains which upon the introduction of a candle are easily dissipated even so in the intellectuall darknesse men are troubled with uncoth and hideous opinions beleeving and embracing them as reall truths whereas indeed they are but illusions Morte obita quales fama est volitare figuras Aut quae sopitas deludunt somnia sensus Which upon the approach of the light of Scripture and Truth do vanish into nothing In this time when darknesse hath overwhelmed the minds of many men who are molested with strange fancies which they call new lights whereas indeed they are but the glating of rotten wood or of glowwormes or those skipping lights which wee call jack in the candle I have adventured to bring in this little tract as a peice of waxe candle after so many bright torches that men may be undeceived and that the true abjects both of faith and practice may be manifested to which small peice J have prefixed your Lordships name as being bound in the obligation of duty and affection to Your goodnesse and eminent parts in generall whose knowledge judgment conscience and sincerity are such and so well known both at home and abroad as they need not the help of any pen so likewise J am tyed by this small mite to expresse my gratitude in particular for your Lordships favorable aspect on respect to me which I cannot better testifie then by acknowledging my selfe Your Lordships humble Servant to command ALEXANDER ROSS The Contents of the diseases and cures of the Conscience 1. COnscience what it is 2. An erring Conscience how farre it bindes 3. The Conscience how ruled by opinion 4. The doubtfull Conscience not to bee followed 5. The scrupulous Conscience both a punishment and a tryall 6. Six causes of a scrupulous conscience 7. Tenne remedies against the diseases of the Conscience The Contents of what we must believe 8. Our Conscience bindes us to beleeve 1 There is a God 2. That he is one 3. Immutable 4. Eternall 5. Omnipresent 6. Omnipotent 7. Infinite 8. The chiefe good 9. Most perfect 10. Most simple 11. Incomprehensible 12. Invisible 13. Truth it selfe 14. Ever-living 15. The Trinity and the reasons why 9. Our conscience binds us to beleeve 1. the Creation 2 Christs Incarnation 3. That in him were the Passions of fear anger and sorrow and how 4. That in him were two wills 5. That his Mother was a perpetuall Virgin 6. And the Mother of God 7. And that Christ was accessary to his owne death how 8 And that in his death the divinity was not separate from his body 9. And that hee rose the third day with the scarres of his woundes 10. And that he ascended above all heaven 11. And that he sits at his Fathers right hand 12. And that he is Judge of the quick and dead 10. Our Consicence bindes us to believe that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Son as well as from the Father 11. Wee are bound to beleeve the unitie and universalitie of the Church 12. And the communion of the Saluts with Christ and among themselves 13. And that God only forgives sins 14. And that our bodies shall rise againe 15. And that there is an Eternall life of glory after this of Nature and Grace 16. Our Conscience bindes us to beleeve the truth and authority of Scripture 17. We are bound to beleeve that there are An gels 18. And that God created man whose body he made of earth and infused his soule which soule is immortall and not by traduction and how infected with originall sinne 19. We are bound to believe the doctrine of predestination 20. Our Conscience bindes us to beleeve that wee are justified by Christs Righteousnesse or by his active and passive obedience 21. And we are bound to beleive that the good and evill things of this life come to passe by Gods providence Contents of what we must practise 1. Our Conscience bindes us to feare love and obey God 2. To call upon God when where and how but not to use imprecations 3. Wee are not strictly bound to certaine houres places and gestures 4. We are bound sometimes to fast 5. And to make confession of our faith 6. And to detest openly Idolatry and sin 7. And to flye when we are persecuted 8. And to heare Gods Word how 9. And to heare profane Ministers and to receive from them the Sacraments when there is no other meanes 10. Parents are bound in Conscience to bring their Children to Baptisme 11. God-Fathers also are bound in Conscience to see there God-sons performe what they promise in Baptisme 12. What in conscience wee are bound to performe who have beene baptised 13. We are bound in conscience to receive the Lords Supper when and how 14. The Minister is bound to give and the people to receive the Cup 15. Wee are bound in conscience to love one another 16. And to worship God onely not Angels Saints or Christs humanity 17. We are bound to sweare only by God and not by the creatures 18. Christians may sweare with a safe conscience why and how 19. We are bound in conscience to keepe our oathes though to our prejudice 20. We must not falsifie the oath which we sweare by the creatures 21. What oathes are not to bee required 22. Vnlawsull oathes must not bee kept 23. Nor oathes made to our Neighbours prejudice 24. Nor oathes made by them who are not of their owne power 25. Equivocation in oathes unlawfull 26. What oathes must be kept that are forced 27. What erroneous oathes must bee kept 28. We must not make one sweare a falshood though he think it to be true 29. A second oath contrary to the former that was lawfull must not be kept 30. The oath must bee kept whose forme remaines 31. The oath ex officio unlawfull 32. The oath to conceale a Thiefe must be broken 33. What vowes we must make and keep
our faith patience constancy and other vertues may be the more exercised and that wee may the more abhorre our sins and withall wee should call to mind how that the best of Gods Saints even Christ Himselfe have for a time beene deserted 46. Against the feare of death wee are bound to comfort our selves that Christ hath taken away the sting of death that neither death nor life can seperate us from the love of God in Christ that death is a gate to future happines that the death of the Saints is precious in the sight of the Lord that death frees us from sinne from temptations from the inticements of the flesh and of the world from all the miseries of this life and the vanities of the world that Christ will raise us againe in the last day by the vertue of his Resurrection let us therefore in consideration of this keepe a good Conscience waite with patience our appointed time till our change come let us therfore strive to the newnesse of life and to the contempt of the world 47 We are bound to comfort our selves in our infirmities in that we have a high Priest who is sensible of our infirmities in that we have a Father who will take pittie of our infirmities in that wee have the holy Spirit who helpeth our infirmities in that the best of Gods servants have been subject to diverse infirmities 48. VVee are bound to obey Gods commands because wee are tied to him in many Obligations he is our Father our Lord Redeemer and preserver because of his supreame authority and absolute power hee hath to punish the disobedient because hee promiseth many blessings to those who obey his will because God reapes no benefit by our Obedience but we our selves because wee have the example of Christ Himselfe who was in all things obedient to his Father even to the death of the Crosse 49. VVee are bound to carry our selves humbly and lowly considering the vilenesse of our nature the greatnesse and Majestie of God the benefits which we receive by humility for it is the way to glory it makes us capable of Grace of VVisdome and other vertues by it wee are fitted as houses for God to dwell in for God to looke upon for God to exalt out of the mire and to set us with Princes and it is a powerfull meanes to avert his anger and judgments 50. We are bound to labour for the true knowledge of God in Christ without which wee cannot have life Eternall without which the people perish without which all our knowledge is but ignorance our wisdome but foolishnesse and our light but darknesse this key of knowledge will open Heaven gates to us this is that knowledge which will truely open our eyes that we may see and be like unto God it is the true foode of the soule without which wee shall never grow fat and well likeing in heavenly things 51 We must conscionably labour for sinceritie in all our actions because God hateth hypocrisie and delighteth in sincerity and in the inward man for he knoweth the heart and searcheth the reines because there can be no peace and security but in sincerity wch consisteth not so much in outward ceremony as in inward truth and integrity not so much in service of the eye as of the heart looking rather to Gods approbation then mans performing not only the greatest but the the least duties looking not for reward from men but from God serving him as well in private as in publique as well in adversitie as in prospiritie as well when he punisheth as when he rewardeth abstaining not only from evill but from all appearance of evill and that not only in the light but in the darknesse also 52 We are bound in Conscience to speake the truth every man to his neighbour for God is truth it selfe and the Devill is the father of lyes which are an abomination to God a lye is a part of the old man which we should put off and mortifie a lye is so hatefull to man that stands upon poynt of honor that it cannot be expiated without a stab lying takes all credit away from the lyar that he is not beleeved when he speakes truth it breakes off all societe and communion betweene man and man which is grounded on truth a lyar is injurious to God the author of truth to his neighbour to whom he ought to speake truth and to his speech which ought to be consonant to his mind 53 We are not bound at all times to speake all the truth or any part thereof when neither justice Charity nor Piety do require it yet we must beware of Iesuiticall equivocation or mentall reservation which is indeed plaine lying they utter that which is false and this is a materiall lye and that which they knew to be false and this is a formall lye 54 When we are commanded by our superior or Iudge to confesse the truth we are bound in Conscience to do it for otherwayes we fall into the sin of disobedience and by our silence we wrong both God the Iudge our selves and our neighbour and the State wherein we live for God is honored by our confession and dishonored by our silence by our confession also sinne shall be restrained justice advanced and the delinquent either totally cut off or amended 55 The Iudge is bound in Conscience to make diligent inquiry before he pronounce the sentence to judge righteously to bewarre of partialitie and acception of persons to beware of delayes and demurrs by which justice may be put off and to beware of corruption and bribery whereby justice is perverted to informe the witnesses of their duty that they must bewarre of lying malice calumnie that they must discharge their Conscience by speaking the truth that so GOD may be honored the party accused may be either cleare or condemned the Law executed so justice and peace maintained which cannot be better performed then by punishing him who out of purpose and malice beares false witnesse according to the Law of retaliation 56 We are all bound to be zealous of Gods glory and of good works for without true zeale God cannot be honored nor sinne suppressed nor Gods judgements averted nor our true love to God witnessed nor true comfort of Conscience or life eternall obtained but let our zeale be according to knowledge out of true indignation against sinne and true love to Gods glory with true sorrow for dishonoring God let it also be joyned with constancy fervency in Gods cause and mildnesse in our own as we see in Moses and Christ 57 In what condition soever we are we ought to be content if we consider Gods providence in ordering all things according to his pleasure if the shortnesse of this life if the estate of the richest and greatest men how little satisfaction or comfort they reape even out of their greatest plenty if the fullnesse of content and happynesse reserved for us in heaven if the true
who taught that the resurrection was already past the Originists and them who say that our bodies shall arise heavenly and spirituall substances The Atheists Sadduces Gentiles Saturninians Simonians Carpocratians Basilidians Valentinians Marcionits Cerdonians and many others who deny the resurrection The Arabians and Psyehopannychits who say the soules of the dead sleepe in the Grave till the Resurrection and then are raised The Saracins and Mahumitans who assigne corporall pleasures to men after the resurrection The Tertullianists who say that wicked mens soules shall in the resurrection be turned to Devills The Pythagoreans Basilidians Carpocratians Manichees Originists Marcionits who dreame of a transanimation and lastly the Manichees who in the Resurrection give new bodies to men but not the very same that fell 22. Concerning life Eternall we are bound to reject Millinaries Cerinthians Nepotians and Mahumetans who place it in corporeall pleasures Atheists Epicures Democritus Plinie Galen who deny any life after this The Peputians who say that life Eternall is in this world Pope Iohn the twentieth who taught that the blessed soules see not Gods presence till the Resurrection 23. Concerning the Scriptures wee are bound to reject the Marcionits Manichees Valentinians Tatians Cerdonians Simonians and others who deny the Old Testament to bee Gods VVord The Guostics and Priscillianists who counted the Prophets mad men The Saducees and Samaritans who acknowledge the five bookes of Moses onely for Gods Word Papists Eucratits Manithees who equall there traditions to the written word Montanists Donatists Enthusiasts Monkes Anabaptists who obtrude their dreames and revelations to us instead of Gods word Those that reject the book of Iob Ecclesiastes and the Canticles and lastly the Papists who subject the Scriptures authority to the Church who account Apocryphall bookes as Canonicall and forbid the people to reade the Scripture shutting it up in an unknowne tongue 24. Concerning Angels wee are bound to reject Sadducees and Samakitans who taught that there were no Angels or Spirits Plato Tertullian and Origen who held that Angels were corporeall substances Basilides and Proclus the Philosopher who taught that the Angells begot one another The Manichees who affirme that God begot the Angells of his owne substance Mahumet who held that the Angels were created of fire and that they were mortall The Sethians who taught that the Angells had carnall commerce with woemen and of them begot man the Nicolaitans who said that the Angels were begot of light and darknesse Basilidians Archontics Gnostics who held that the wisdom of God was the mother of the Angels the Manichees and Priscillianists who said that the evill Angels were created so lastly the Originists who taught that the evill Angels should at last be saved 25 Concerning mans creation we are bound to reject the Rabbins who held that the Angels assisted God in the making of man the Manichees who denyed that Adam and Eve were made by God the Patricians who will not have God the creator of mans body the Pelagians and Celestinians who taught that Adam should have died though he had not sinned the Eunomians and Paterninians who sayd that mans lower parts were made by the Devill lastly Aristole who held that man had no beginning 26 Concerning Mans soule we are bound to reject Epicures and Sadduces who deny the immortality of the soule Themestius and Averrois who thought that all men had but one soule Apollinaris who said that one soule begetts another the Originists who taught that the soules were long in heaven before the bodies were created Platonics Mannichees Gnostics and Priscillianists who would have the soule a part of divine substance the Pythagorians who held transanimation the Nazarreans who will have the soules of men and of beasts to be of the same nature the Arabians who will have the soules of men and of beasts to sleepe or dye with their bodyes the Tertullianists who say that mens soules are corporall and that wicked mens soules after death are turned into devills and that all soules are by traduction 27 Concerning Gods Image in man we are bound to reject the Saturninians who by Gods Image understand celestiall light the Anthropomorphits and Manichees who will have this Image to consist in some corporeall shape making God himselfe corporeall Flaccus Illyricus who taught that the righteousnesse and holines wherein Gods image consisted to be the very essence of the soule 28 Concerning Originall sin wee are bound to reject the Armenians who deny that there is any originall pollution the Carpocratians and Catharists who bragged of their own purity and that they were by nature the sonnes in God the Manichees who will have concupisence to be a substance and not an originall infirmity the Pelagians who deny that originall sinne is derived by propagation but contracted by example and imitation and teach that Adams sinne was hurtfull to none but to himselfe and that he should have dyed though he had not sinned 29 Concerning Predestination we are bound to reject the Celestinians and Pelagians who deny predestination the Priscillianists who attribute it to the starrs and to the fates the Pelagians and Semipelagians who teach that there is no election but that the cause of mans salvation is in himselfe the Libertins who thinke they shall be saved or damned without the meanes therefore do what they list Pontificians and others who attribute the cause of election to foreseene workes and merits so did the Basilidians and Pelagians of old 30 Concerning Iustification we are bound to rejectthe Papists who teach we are justified by workes and by the Sacraments that CHRIST satisfied for our sinnes only not for our punishments the Libertins who thinke that a justified man may do what he list Osiander who taught wee are justified by the essentiall righteousnesse or essence of God and all such as confound justification with sanctification lastly Epicures who reject good workes as needlesse because wee are justified by Christs righteousnesse 31 Concerning Gods Providence wee are bound to reject the Epicures who held the world to be guided by chance or fortune the Stoics and Priscillianists who taught that destiny inevitable fate did rule all things even God himselfe the Astrologians who will have the starrs to rule all sublunary things the Simonians Carpocratians Severians Marcits Manichees Menandrians who held that the inferior world was guided by the Devill therfore gave themselves to the study of Magick lastly all such as make God either carelesse of inferiour things or so imployed that he is not at leasure or sostately as that he will not abase himselfe to behold the things that are here below Thus have I breifly set down what every man is bound in conscience to beleeve what to practice and what errors concerning matter of faith he is bound to avoyd it remaines that I should also shew what is to be avoyded in matter of practice but because I have already spoke of some of them which are most remarkable and rectum est index sui obliqui he that knowes what he is bound to do cannot be ignorant of what he is bound to avoyd therefore what wee have already set down may suffice to pacifie a mans conscience and to make him a perfect Christian in these unhapy times of ours we see christianity was never more professed conscience never more pretended but alas truth never lesse beleeved goodnes never lesse practised and consequently the conscience never more cheated so that in name we are Christians but in many doctrinall poynts plaine Hereticks and in our practice very Pagans or rather Atheists God grant we may indeavour to be what we would seeme to be and lay aside our Hypocriticall Vizards by which wee deceive the eyes of men but the peircing rays of that all seeing eye who sees us in the darke and knowes of our down sitting and up-rising and our thoughts long before we cannot delude our consciences are seared with a hot iron or fast asleepe if they can content themselves with a mouthfull of Scripture phrasses having our eyes full of wantonnesse our hearts full of malice and our hands full of blood be not deceived the Conscience of a Turk or Pagan will not be thus satisfied St. Pauls conscience was voyd of offence towards God and towards men and he shewes that a good conscience is still accompanyed with charity a pure heart and with faith unfained neither can that conscience be good which is not purged from dead works to serve the living GOD FINIS Septem. the 14th 1646. I have perused this judicious and learned Treatise intitled The picture of a Christian mans Conscience and finding it to be very profitable and seasonable I adjudge it worthy to be printed and published Io. Downame ERRATA PAg. 27. l. 5. read Oneserus for Onefurious pag. 41. l. 1. read We must also beleeve that there are ministring spirits pag. 114. l. 12. for heart read hare pag. 133. l. 7. read temeritie pag. 145. l. 21. put out off pag. 146. l. 1. read refuse pag. 160. l. 12. read Carpocrates pag. 161. l. 5. read Saturninus pag. 163. l. 17. read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}