-"------ -=-=--of [onftience. 5191 not, then afterward confcienCJ' muO: openly. A ence: becaufe heoncecreated it, and he alone accufe him for it 3t the barre of Gods mdgegouernes it:and none but he knowes it: theremen! beforeall th,eSaints & A-ngels in heauen. fore his word & !awes only binde coofcience · The fecond workeof con!cienceis to giuc: properly.JI. He which hath power to f1ue or iudgementof£hiqg done. , , ddlroy the foule for the keeping and brea01 . 1o giue iudgcm.ent is to determine, thata kingofhislawes,hath abfolure power to bind !~~fcien- thing is wel done or ill done· Herein confct- 1 the foule andconfdence by the fan.1e !awes: ce• iulg- enceislikc to aindge rhatholderh an afSlfe',& ' but thefirO:is true ofGod alone, lames 4·12· mem. rakes notke ofindirements, and caufeth the I ThereU one Law...giuerwhich iJ able to[am&de· rnoflnotoriousmalefaelorthat is, to hold vp f/roy. Efa-3>·2l· The Lord uour iudge,theIArd his hand at the barre ofhis iudgement. Nay it i4ourlawginer,the Lord i4ourking,andhe wilfaue Sett.J.. Of the binding of the con(ci.. cnce. is(as ir were)alitle God fettiiJg in the middle vs. Therefore the word of God alone by an ofmens hearrs, arraigning them inthis life as •I abfolute ~nd foueraignc power binds confcithey lh.ll be arraigned fortheiroffences at the1 ence. Becaufe this point is cleare of it felfe, Tribunalfeat ofthe euerliuing God in the day funher proofe is needldfe. of indgement. W herefore the temporarie B Hence we are taught fundrie points ofiniudgement that is giuenby the confcienceis . lhui:lion. J. Such as are ignorant among vs nothingels but abegin:ning, or afore.runner mull labour to get knowledge ofGods \YOrd, ofthe Iafl iudgement. . becaufe it binds confcience. Neither will the Hence we arc admoni!hed to rake fpeciall plea ofignorance ferue for cxcufe·: becaufe, heed tharnothingpa!l:lie heauie vpon vs, and whether weknow God'slawes or know them that we charge not our confcience in the time not,they !l:ill bindevs. And we are bound not to come with anymatter.For ifourcofcience only to do them,bur whe we know them not, accufe vs, God will much more condemne we are further bound not to bee ignorant of vs,faith S. lohn.r.7•h·>· >o.becanfe hee feeth them,butto feeke to know them. Ifwe had no all our aaions moll: clearely, and iudgcth more Mnnes, our ignorance were fuffident to them more feuerely then confcience can. It condemnevs.II. Gods wordisto be obeyed, /hall bee good therefore for all mento labour though wee lhould offend all men, yea lofe all thatthey may fay withPaul.r. Cor.4. 4.1~ow mens fauour, and fuffor the greateO: domage fiiJthingbymyfelfe, that they may O:and before that may be, euen thdolfe ofonr liues. And God withoutblame for euer. thereafon is at hand;becanfe Gods wordhath Here we mufl conliderrwo things: firO:,the C this prerogatiue to bridle,binde, and retlraine caufe that makes confcience giue iudgement: theconfcience.III.Whatfoeuer we enterprife fecondly,the manner how. ortake in hand, we muO: lirfl fearch whether The caufe isthe binderoftheciifcience. The God giue vs libertie in confcience,and warant binder is tharrhing whatfoeuer, which hath todoe it.For ifwe do otherwife,confcience is power& authority ouerciifcience to orderit. bouud prefently to charge vs of linne before To bind, is to vrge,caufe, and conflraine it God. Laltly, wedoe here fee how dangerous in eu"y actiO!> either to accufefor linne,or to thecafe is ofall Time-feruers that will liue as excufe for well doing: orto fay, this may be theyliO:,and be ofnocerten religion till dilfedone,or it may not be done. rences and dilfentionstherein be ended, and That wemay know whatthis phrafe meathey haue the determination of a general! neth (to be boun.tinconfcience) we mufl in mind Councell : for whether thefe things come to coniider confcience apart by it felfe from the palfe or no, certen it isthatthey are bound in .binding power ofGods commandement. For confcience to receiue and beleeue the ancienr, thenit hath liberty and is not bound either to Propheticall, and ApoO:olicall doctrine touaccufenor cxcufe, but is apt to doe either of ~hingthe true worlhip ofGod,and rhc way to them indifferently: but when the binding po- D life enerlafring,which is the true religion.The weris fer onceouer thec6fcience,thenin cue· fame isto be faid ofal drow'fie ProteO:ants,aod ry actio it mull: needs either accufe or excufe: luke-warme gofpellers, that vfe religion not euenasamanina city ortowne hauing his liwith that care and confcience they ought, but bertie , may goe vp and downe or not goe, onely then and fo farre forth as it fc:rues for where and when he will;but ifhis body beattheir turnes, commonly neglecting or dcfpitached by the magiflrate and imptifoned,then ling the affernblies where the word is preahis former libertie is reO:rained, het is bound ched: & feldome frequenting the Lords table and can goe vp and downe but within theprivnles it be at EaO:er. Like filly wretches they fon ,or fome otherallowed place.· neither fee nor feele the conO:raining power Thebinder of co~fcience, is either proper thatGods word bath in their confciences. ' or improper. Proper isthat thing,whi_chhath Gods word is either Law,or Gofpel. The abfolute and foueraigne power in it felfe to Law is a part of Gods word of things to bee binde the confcience. And that is the word of done, or to be left vndone. And it is threeGod,written in the bookeofthe old and new fold;Morall,Iudiciall, Ceremonial!. efla·nent. Rea(on,I. He which is the Lordof MoraU law concernes duties of loue,partly 5[tli,~· confcience, by his word and !awes binds con. :o God and ~artly towards our neighbour: it ~0~,1i fc_ience: but God is the ondy Lord ofconfciIs contamcdmthe Decalogueor ten comman- binding. ------ demcnts,
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