way vnto his first sinfull motions Lastly a principall imployment of holy wisedome in guarding the thoughts is spent in giuing a wise and humble entertainement vnto the good motions of Gods blessed spirit and in furnishing and supplying the mind with store of profitable and godly meditations For as vnregenerate men giue commonly easie passage to pleasing worldly thoughts but suppresse gratious stirrings inclinations to godly sorrow repentance sincerity as though they were tentations to precisenes so contrarily Gods child labours by all meanes to stoppe the way to the first sinfull sensuall thoughts but alwaies desires with speciall humilitie and reuerence to imbrace all the motions of Gods spirit warranted and grounded in his word Hee deerely and highly esteemes them cherisheth and feeds them with spirituall ioy and thankfulnesse of heart with prayer meditation and practise For if a man begin once to be neglectiue of godly motions by little and little he grieues the spirit at length he quencheth it at last he is in danger of despighting it if not by profession and directly yet in his practise and by an indirect opposition in slandering and persecuting spirituall graces in Gods children Besides this worthie care of entertaining and nourishing good motions hee is prouident to gather and treasure vp store of good matter and heauenly businesses for the continuall exercise of his mind left that noble power of his soule should be taken vp with trisles and vanitie feede vpon earth or weare and wast it selfe with barren and lumpish melancholie Hee is much grieued and vexed if he find at any time his heart caried away with transitorie delights carnall and vnprofitable thoughts or his mind musing impertinently and gazing vpon the painted and vanishing glory of the world Especially sith there is such plentifull and pretious choice of best meditations obuious to euery Christian able to fill with endlesse contentment all the vnderstandings of men and Angels for euer As the incomprehensible gloriousnesse of God in the infinite beauty of his owne immediate Maiesty and sacred attributes in his word and workes in his iudgements and mercies in his Church and Sacraments The miraculousnesse of our redemption and all the comfortable and glorious passages thereof The great mysterie of godlinesse the power of grace trade of Christianity and course of sanctification matter of sweetest contemplation Concerning our selues there is to be thought vpon all the affaires of our calling the particulars perplexities and cases of conscience incident vnto them Our present vilenesse and fearefull infirmities the miseries and frailtie of this life the traines of Satan the terrors of hell that great iudgement euen at hand In our spirituall state how to preserue our first loue escape relapses grow in grace keepe a good conscience come to heauen And when the â—ie of our vnderstanding is dazled with those higher considerations or wearied with these inferiour it might refresh it selfe with the speculatiue fruition of many inuisible comforts with variety of heauenly things concerning the immortality of our soules the large promises of euerlasting blessednesse the glorious rising againe of our bodies the ioyes and rest of Gods saints aboue and that which is the crowne and conclusion of all our owne most certaine blissefull state of happinesse and eternity in the second world If men had grace and comfort to enlarge their harts to such meditations as these what roome would there be for earthli-mindednes vanities and impertinencies much lesse for proud ambitious couetous lustfull enuious and reuengefull thoughts Thus far of the care and conscience of the true Christian in watching ouer and guiding his thoughts which is a speciall marke of difference from all states of vnregeneration for the regenerate onely keepe the last commandement which rectifies the inward motions of the heart Now lastly in a fourth place and in a word Gods child is distinguished from the formall hypocrite in respect of the issue of his thoughts The most comfortable and sanctified soule is neuer in such perpetuall serenitie but that it is sometimes as it were ouerclouded with dumps of heauinesse and inwardly disquieted with it owne motions or the suggestions of Satan While this flesh is vpon it it shall be sorrowfull and while it is in this vale of teares it must mourne There is not an heart so sweetely and resoluedly composed for heauen but is sometimes dissetled with thoughts of indignation And that especially as appeareth by Dauid Psalm 37. and 73. When follie is set in great excellencie when men neither of worth conscience or ingenuitie are aduanced to high roomes domineere in the world and imperiously insult ouer sincerity when the wicked prosper and spread themselues in fresh pleasures and honours like greene Bay-trees when those haue their eyes standing out for fatnes and more then heart can wish to whom pride and insolencie are as a chaine and who are couered with prophanenesse and crueltie as with a garment But here marke the diffâ—â—ence Discontentfull discourses in the mind of the formall hypocrite either breake out into desperate conclusions and fearefull horrour although this be but seldome for commonly this kind of vnregenerate man liues flourishingly and dies fairely in the eye of the world exemplarie and irrecouerable despaire in this life doth oftnest befall either the notorious sinner the meere ciuill honest man or especially the grosse hypocriâ—e therefore I would rather say that in him such discontentfull debatements are either appeased by some opposite conceit of stronger worldly comfort abandoned by entertainment of outward mirth diuerted by companie pleasures and ioyfull accidents composed by worldly wisedome or the like But heauie-hearted thoughts in Gods child though for a while not vtterly without some aspersion of distrust fretting and discontent yet commonly at length being mingled with faith and managed with spirituall wisedom by the grace of God breake out into fairer lightening of comfort greater heate of zeale more liuely exercise of faith gratious speeches and many blessed resolutions I will but onely giue one instance and that in Dauid a man of singular experience in spirituall affaires Looke the beginnings of the 62. and 73. Psalmes And you shall find Dauid to haue beene in a heauie dumpe and sore conflict in his owne heart with strong tentations vnto impatiencie He recounts the issue of the dispute with himselfe in the beginnings of these Psalmes Yet saith he in the 73. for all this God is good vnto Israel euen to the pure in heart In the 62. Yet let diuels and men rage and combine yet my soule keepeth silence vnto God of him commeth my saluation c. His many wrongs vexations and indignities together with the implacable malice and impotent insultations of his aduersaries had no doubt a little before much run in his mind Let vs conceiue such as these to haue beene his thoughts and that thus or in the like maner hee communed and confered with his royall selfe Lord thinks he with himselfe I haue with lowest humilitie and
I speake the truth I vse no Hyperbole the Spirit of all comfort and consciences of all true Christians bearing me witnesse Good Sir let me humbly entreate you with a proportionable zeale and feruencie to encline and enlarge your affections to the pursuit and practise of so excellent and glorious an happinesse Which that you may doe I will continuallie prostrate and powre out my soule in prayer before the throne of Grace and mercie And rest Your Worships to be commanded euer in the Lord Iesus Robert Bolton AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER CHristian This Discourse which now stands so close together was deliuered in fiue seuerall sermons but all to a most iudicious and intelligent auditorie therfore there is a continuance of matter coherence and stile I must entreat thee out of thine â—ngenuous discretion to distinguish the places where they were preacht as thou shalt find the direction of my speech and some particular applications more naturally and necessarilie with indiuiduall reference appropriated thereunto The reasons why I spent the most of my meditations and sticke so long in descrying and desciphering the state of formall hypocrisie for therein I haue trod a something vncouth and vnusuall path are these First I considered that in this full light of the Gospell a great number of men applâ—â—d and content themselues with a superficiall glistering of a formall profession outward conformitie to the Ministrie of the word and some false flashes of an vnsound persuasion that they are in the ready and right way to heauen when as indeed it hath not inwardly illightned their vnderstandings with sauing knowledge heated their affections with true zeale subdued their sinfull thoughts and noisome lusts with the power of grace nor softned and sanctifiâ—d their hearts to yeeld a cheerfull sincere and vniuersall obedience thereunto And so after a few miserable daies spent in a prosperous securitie they fall into the iawes of hell before they mistrust any such matter and the pit of destruction shuts her mouth vpon them before they know and acknowledge their broken and bankrout state in spirituall things I therefore desire and endeauour to awake them out of their golden dreame of imaginarie future happines that with open eyes they may see their present spirituall pouerty and so betimes preuent the anger to come I hope in the Lord and wish hartily that by a dispassionate and thorow perusall of this Treatise they may take some scantling of their owne estate with God and entring a serious and impartiall search and examination of their consciences discouer and reueale themselues vnto themselues and so if they belong vnto the euerlasting couenant of grace sâ—ep forward into the state of grace the paradise of true Christianitie and practise of holinesse that their deare and pretious soules may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesâ—s Secondly I did conceiue that there is a threefold cord three maine and capitall causes that violently hale downe vpon vs from heauen many both corporall and spirituall plagues and bind them fast to the bowels and principall parts of this kingdome and doe daily more and more ripen the iust wrath of God for the powring out of his last vengeance vpon this sinfull nation They are those 1. The ouerflowing torrent and vnbridledrage of many crying sinnes fearefull abominations and desperate prophanenes 2. A sensible declination from their first loue and decay of zeale euen in Christians 3. A luke-warmenes and want of thorownes and sinceritie in formall professors As for the first By our horrible sins and hatefull ingratitude for mercies without measure and miraculous deliuerances wee grow so heauie vpon the Lord that we presse him and the bowels of his tenderest compassions as a caâ—t is pressed that is full of sheaues so that it is impossible but that shortly without great humiliation and generall repâ—ntance wee should wrest out of his hands the vials of his last wrath and force him to come against vs with the beesome of vtter desolation It is to bee feared so grieuous and endlesse is the impietie and impâ—nitencie of this land that his forbearance in the meane time is not for any hope he hath of vs for what good hath a durable and extraordinarie plague done vpon vs but onely by reason of the cruell and implacable insolencie of our enemies because â—ee is loth to make vs a prey to the Wolues of Rome and matter of triumph to such a mercilesse and murderous generation Who knowes but that the Match had reached vnto the Powder had not the Lord out of the bottomlesse depth of his vnlimited mercies laid hold vpon his owne argument Deut. 32.26.27 I haue said I would scatter them abrode I would make their remembrance to cease from amongst men saue that I feared the furie of the enemy lest their aduersaries should waxe proud Left his and our aduersaries those breathing diuels the Gunpowder Papists should too proudly and barbarously haue insulted in the ruines of his people and the banishment of his glorious Gospell The Lord giue vs vnderstanding hearts to consider these things in time lest he come vpon vs with his wrath neuer more to bee appeased and teare vs in peâ—ces when there is none to hâ—lpe May any man driue away an hungry Lion in the wood or quench the fire in stubble when it hath once begun to burne may one turne againe the arrow that is shot of a strong archer If the Lord once whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on iudgement with purpose to roote out a sinfull and rebellious nation there is no power or policie no multitude of men or magnificence of State no armour of the mightie or arme of flesh shall euer bee able to giue any succour reliefe or deliuerance Concerning the second Certaine it is that our blessings of peace and strength of State breed by accident much abatement of forwardnesse and zeale in godlines secret indeuotion and coldnes euen in many true Professours carelesnes in obseruing their waies wearinesse and vncheerefulnesse in doing good and performing holy duties vnpreparednesse in comming to diuine seruices religious exercises and the Lords Table sleightnesse and vnprofitablenesse in prayer meditation Christian conference and dailie examination of their consciences neglect of opportunitie in winning their brethren vnto the feare of God and of working vpon and preuailing with their kindred acquaintance familiars and families Thus wickedly and vnthankefully turne we the mercies of God into occasions of sinne and suffer our temporall happinesse to wast and consume our spirituall blessings And the more we are secured in our outward state the more heartlesse we are in the seruice of God and the affaires of the life to come But let vs looke vnto it for as the louder and crying sinnes of this land are the great and strong cartropes so vndoubtedly these as lesser cords haue their part and some power in drawing vpon vs heauie iudgements and in preparing further vengeance except wee amend and returne to
pleasingly to themselues and more plausiblie to the world compasse their ends and desires No maruell then though they haue the wicked world at will The third reason of the flourishing of the wicked is because they are men of this world and therefore they haue onely their portion and full felicitie here Their heauen is vpon earth their pleasures in their life time with the rich man in the Gospell For as the euerlasting couenant of inward peace grace and glory is peculiarly confirmed to the children of the spirit so many times in great measure the temporall promises of outward happinesses are performed vpon the children of the flesh When God had established vpon Isaak the euerlasting promises of loue mercy and blessednesse yet he was content to make Ismael a great man vpon earth Concerning Ismael saith he to Abraham I haue heard thee loe I haue blessed him and will make him fruitfull and will multiplie him exceedingly Twelue Princes shall hee beget and I will make a great nation of him Fourthly and lastly the prosperitie of the wicked makes them more inexcusable and their damnation more iust before the Tribunall of God For it is iust with him to bring a greater measure of tribulation and anguish vpon them in whom his many fauors aâ—d louing kindnesses haue brought forth vnthankfulnes rebellion that wrath is most iustly returned vpon their heads which by despising the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance leading them to repentance they haue heapt vp as a treasure vnto themselues against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God You haue heard the reasons of the happinesse of the wicked in this life but it is not so with Gods children For they must mourn in this vale of teares while the world reioyceth And as the wicked are fild and fatted with worldly happinesse and plentie against the day of wrath so Gods children must bee prepared and fitted with afflictions for the glory which shall be reuealed They are shortly to become inhabitants of that great and glorious city whose foundations are pretious stones whose gates are Margarites whose streets are pure gold as the shining glasse they must bee companions of the blessed Angels and stand in the presence of that great and sacred Maiesty and therefore in this life they must be cast into the Lords furnace that in the fire of affliction they may be more and more purified from earthlines and corruption and so with holinesse and humilitie prepared for that high perfection of heauenly beautie glory and blisse Let euery godly man then with comfort and benefit vndergoe those crosses which the Lord layeth vpon him for they are vnto him as looking glasses wherein God sees his faith and dependance vpon his prouidence the world his patiâ—nce and constancie himselfe the spots of his soule his decayes of grace the breaches of his conscience his neglect of the duties of his calling his coldnes in religigious seruices his fall from his first loue So that by them God is pleased and glorified others edified and instructed himselfe humbled recouered by repentance and more sanctified I haue staied long vpon the third reason of the formall hypocrites false persuasion of being in state of grace The reason is because ciuill honesty performance of outward duties of religion and worldly prosperitie meeting together in an vnregenerate man many times breed a very strong conceit of his being the child of God and an obstinate impatiencie of hearkning stepping forward to grace or any further perfection I come now to the fourth reason wherby the formall hypocrite doth falsly persuade himselfe to be in the state of true happinesse and saluation and that is A misconceit of Gods iustice and a straining and racking of his mercy beyond his truth and promise so making the way to heauen broder then the Scripture hath made it and himselfe more blessed then he is indeed Mans heart is naturally empoysoned with pride and hypocrisie and therefore is hardly drawne hartily to acknowledge the horrible vglinesse of his sin or that Gods proceeding against it with such waight of vengeance is equall Hence comes much indulgence and partiall censuring of our owne sinnes transferring them vpon allurements occasions circumstances necessitie and the like much lessening and impairing Gods iustice but amplifying his mercies euen to the securing of vnwarrantable courses Adam immediately after his fall shifteth off his sin vpon his wife nay he is so blind in spirituall iudgement of diuine purity that rather then hee will crie guiltie he will fasten the fault by consequent vpon God himselfe The woman saith hee which thou gauest to bee with mee shee gaue mee of the tree and I did eate So gladly would sensuall men persuade themselues that either their sinnes deserue not so strict account and great iudgements or that God doth exercise too much rigour in inflicting them For out of their worldly wisedome they measure and esteeme the vnspotted and infinite Ocean of the iustice of God by the finite muddie and imperfect streame of humane iustice Lawes and constitutions of states and kingdomes are bridles to curbe and moderate our corruption that we become sociable and peaceable but they cut off only from the Body politique by finall execution those that are of notorious and desperate condition such as are Theeues Murtherers Traitors and the like A verie proportionable conceit I am persuaded of diuine iustice and comminations in the law of God lurkes in the hearts of many they thinke that those sinnes that arise ineuitably out of our corrupt nature or that are committed by strong temptation or that are lesse pernicious are I know not how naturally pardonable and that if they bee of the ciuiller sort if they bee outwardly conformable in their liues and harbour good meanings and intentions in matters of religion though they neuer trouble themselues with more strictnesse and a course of sanctification yet they thinke that God will bee mercifull in the end and that it will goe well enough with them and that onely fellowes of infamous note such as are swearers liers vsurers adulterers and the like shall be excluded finally out of heauen But I would haue these men know that though the sea of Gods mercie be bottomlesse though the promises of grace be many and pretious yet not one drop of all that great sea not one iot of all those gracious promises belongs to any saue onely vnto him that groanes and sighs vnder the heauie waight and burthen of his sins that is of a broken and contrite hart that trembles at his word that vndissembledly sorrowes and repents for al his sins forsakes them and resignes vp himselfe in holy obedience to all his commandements I would haue them know that he is as infinitely iust as hee is infinitely mercifull and will as certainelie powre all the plagues and curses in his booke vpon the impenitent sinner as he will performe all his promises of grace to
and setledly resolued vpon this point sith hee had so long preached vnto them by his Prophets as he hath done vnto this land and it would doe no good that he bids the Prophet meddle no more for he would neuer heare him againe Therefore saith he thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie or prayer for them neither intreat mee for I will not heare thee The iudgements vpon this land haue beene many and fearefull I doubt not but we haue seene with our eyes euen those which are very neere fore-runners of that great and terrible day of the Lord. Wee haue seene strange and prodigious apparitions in the aire we haue had vnheard of plots and practises against our State Our land hath long and extraordinarily groaned vnder a sore and durable plague which hath stucke close to the bowels of this City The sea hath broke out of her bounds and swept away many as righteous as our selues we haue felt such extremity of heate and cold of which I thinke these parts of the world are not naturally capable so certaine is it that the finger of God hath beene in them The poore of the land euen now grieuously sigh and pine with a present famine Let vs then examine our selues in this point Haue wee laid all these iudgements vnto our hearts haue we beene truely humbled by them haue we by a diligent search taken notice of our sinnes and grieued for them and abandoned them haue we mourned and cried for all the abominations that are done amongst vs Why then blessed is our case our state is the state of grace we shall be sure to be marked and sealed in the foreheads by the Angell of God for his seruants before the vials of final desolation be powred vpon this kingdome But if otherwise which is rather to be feared if hee hath smitten vs and we haue not sorrowed if he hath corrected vs for amendment and we are not bettered but rather worse and worse we may assure ourselues we yet want a gracious marke and effect of the power of true godlines and marke what will be the end both of vs and our whole land it can be no other then that of his owne people And thus he dealt with them by his iudgements euen as a Physition with his patient A Physition while there is any hope of recouerie in his patient he vseth the benefit of all the rules of art all variety of meanes prescribing diet letting blood ministring pils and potions but when he once perceiues the naturall heate to bâ— so decayed and strength of nature spent that his physicke will worke no more good vpon him but rather hasten his ruine then his recouerie hee then leaues him to the pangs of death and dissolution of soule and body Euen so deales God with his people while there is any hope of repentance he visits them by all kind of castigations all maner of punishments But when all sense of religion all heate of zeale and life of grace haue so vtterly forsaken the hearts of men that they are rather broken then bowed rather hardened then humbled by his iudgements hee giues them ouer to their owne iust confusion He leaues them finally neuer more to bee intreated to lamentations mournings and woe to the feare to the pit and to the snare to the Lion the Wolfe and the Leopard Thou hast stricken them saith Ieremie but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to recâ—iue correction they haue made their faces harder then a stone and haue refused to returne Wherefore a Lion out of the forrest shall stay them and a Wolfe of the wilderness shall destroy them a Leopard shall watch ouer their Cities euery one that goeth out thenâ—â— shall be torne in peeces because their trespasses are many and their rebellions are encreased This course of Gods proceeding in his iudgements we may see most cleerely in the 4. of Amos. He first gaue them cleannâ—sse of teeth in all their Cities and scarcenes of bread in all their places and yet they returned not vnto him He withheld the raine from them when there were yet three moneths to the haruest so that two or three Cities wandred vnto one Citie to drinke water but they were not satisfied and yet they returned not vnto him He smote them with blasting mildew their gardens and their vineyards their figtrees and their oliue trees did the Palmer worme deuoure and yet they returned not vnto him Pestilence he sent amongst them after the maner of Egypt and yet they returned not vnto him Therfore saith the Lord thus will I doe vnto thee O Israel He speakes after the manner of a man in whom iust indignation stops passage vnto speech and who wants words to expresse the horriblenesse of the punishments hee purposes to inflict Therefore thus and thus will I doe vnto thee O Israel euen so as he threatned in the beginning of the Chapter The daies shall come vpon you that you shall be taken away with thornes and your posterity with fish-hookes As if he should haue said I will make no more triall by iudgements I will now doe a thing in Israel whereof whosoeuer shall heare his two eares shall tingle yea and all his heartstrings shall tremble I will now sweepe you all away with the beesome of vtter destruction This is certainely now iust our case For to crie peace peace where there is no peace towards is wicked and to no purpose to bring conceits and smoothings to this place will neuer serue the turne either for the discharge of our consciences or the sauing of your soules I say this is iust our case we are euen already come to this last point and period By our many impieties and impenitency wee haue brought our gracious God to that question in the 1 of Isa. VVherefore should ye be smitten any more for ye fall away more and more Or rather to this conclusion in the 4. of Amos therefore thus will I do vnto thee O nation not worthie to be loued He hath made triall by so many iudgements and so many times and all in vaine that the very next iudgement we may iustly feare and expect without true and timely repentance will euen be the beesome-of-vtter desolation As the iudgements vpon this land haue beene great and fearefull so many and wonderfull haue beene his mercies vpon vs and such I am persuaded as greater the sun neuer saw 〈◊〉 of men enioyed I will onely name two whâ—ch cannot 〈◊〉 â—ee fresh in â—uery mans memorie The contrâ—uing of our peace at the death of our late Soueraign of euer glorious memorie And our deliuerance from the Guâ—powder Treason Of which two when first euery man heard me thinks hee should haue beene afraid lest hee had beene in a dreame as it is said of the Israelites Psalm 1â—6 VVhen the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sâ—on we were like them that dreame Both that and these our
repentance and humiliation for some former sinne not thorowly repented of or in part resumed is to be renewed Perhaps the Lord hath thereby an holy purpose to reueale vnto him the omission of some duties in his calling or some smaller faults yet scandalous whereof before he was not sensible Or it may be to preuent some sinne to come either that with which he is falsly charged or some other to which his fraile nature is more inclining Or lastly by this experience to prepare him with courage and furnish him with wisdome to comfort others in the like case or to glorifie his name by patience in some more publicke and notorious disgrace and vexation to bee indured in this kind Hereupon the child of God doth presently make a priuie search into his soule doth narrowly fift the state of his conscience and after due and impartiall examination feelingly and faithfully addresse himself to prayer practise of these considerations and reformation of what he finds amisse Secondly this outward crosse vpon his good name by false surmises and suspicions makes him retire into himselfe and more fruitfully and cheerefully to enjoy all his inward comforts his hope and delight in heauenly things the assurance that his name is written in the booke of life which no malice of men or policie of hell is euer able to blot out It makes him with more feruent and greedy attention to listen for the trumpet of that last and fearefull day more longingly and with fixed eies to wait for the Lord Iesus in the cloudes who as he will punish all prophane Opposites to holinesse with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power so vndoubtedly with the brightnesse of his comming hee will then at the furthest before men and Angels bring forth his righteousnesse as the light and his iudgement as the nooneday Thirdly by the mercies of God for any such wretched and lying slander he is not so cast downe with worldly sorrow he doth not so farre gratifie Satan and malicious men as to ioyne hands with them for the afflicting of his owne soule with needlesse discomforts or discouraging himselfe in his calling but rather he raiseth matter of comfort encouragement and reioycing For thereby he is made more like and conformable to his head Christ Iesus who endured the crosse and such speaking against of sinners and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him Hee hath thereby more waight and degrees added to his blessednesse more massines and brightnesse to his crowne of immortalitie Blessed are ye faith Christ when men reuile you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falslie reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen And therfore in despite of malice and falshood he runnes on ioyfully in his race and hauing the attestation of a cleare conscience the acclamations of Saints and Angels hee little cares for the barking of dogs by the way bu◠followes hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Such as these are the thoughts and behauiour spirituall wisdome acquaints the child of God with when his good name is wronged wounded with slanders false reports I conclude the whole point The knowledge and practicall wisdome about heauenly matters in the formall hypocrite are dull cold plodding formall seruiceable and subordinate to his worldly happinesse His knowledge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of knowledge Rom. 2.20 His practise is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3.5 All is forme and outwardnesse they are not deeply and soundly rooted in them by sanctifying grace nor inwardly inspired with supernaturall and spirituall life But diuine knowledge in the child of God is called the Spirit of reuelation Ephes. 1.17 his practicall wisdome is spirituall Colos. 1.9 that is quick actiue feruent zealous stirring not into irregularities and exorbitancies as worldly wisdom many times misconstrues but against the corruptions of the times and working out of all actions occasions and occurrents euen out of miseries slanders and infirmities some glory vnto God some good vnto his children some comfort vnto his owne soule I now proceed to tell you that the word of God is not rooted in the conscience of the formall hypocrite which is the hearer resembled vnto the stony ground The whole and entire worke of conscience as you well know out of the Schooles consisteth in a practicall syllogisine The proposition ariseth out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an habit of practicall principles and generall fountaines of our actions The assumption is properlie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscientia an actuall application of our knowledge to this or that particular act or obiect Whence followes the immediate and necessarie issue and office of conscience to testifie in respect of things simplie done or not done In respect of things to bee done either to excite and encourage or to restraine and bridle In respect of things done well o◠wickedly to excuse and comfort or accuse and terrific For example The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as it were a treasurie of rules and lessons for direction in our actions proposeth the iniquitie of a lie euen out of nature Aristotle condemnes it Eth. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A lie is starke naught and discommendable The sounder Schoolemen demonstrate euery lie though it be officious for a greater good to be against nature and indispensable Natures purpose is frustrated and her law transgrest when speech and words which she intends to be euer the true messengers of the conceits and apprehensions of the mind are abused to falshood and equiuocation But this practicall principle of not lying howsoeuer it be cleere in nature yet it receiues further illustration from the booke of God Therefore the proposition may be thus framed Euery liar shall be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord Psalm 15. and shall be barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore Reuel 22.15 The conscience of the liar doth assume and tell him But I haue thus and thus lied for aduantage and greater good Then it followes Therefore I must be banished from the holy mountaine of the Lord and barred out of the new Ierusalem for euermore A conclusion of condemnation and terror Such is the arguing of conscience for things past But thus it worketh about things to be done Let vs imagine a man to deliberate with himselfe whether he should be Non-resident or no. His habit of practicall principles if he will deale faithfully with his owne soule especially by the helpe of the honester Casists may yeeld him matter enough out of nature against Non-residencie as might easilie appeare if the point were incident But sith the case is cleere Ezech. 33. he may thus frame his practicall syllogisme The Non-resident must answere for the blood of those soules which by his vnconscionable and vnwarrantable absence negligence in his charge haue perished