A T:eatije ofCoifcience. atlions of ca<1ull men. When Abimelechhad A I The f<cond thing required, is the kz;owledge takenSar.l> from .Abraham, God f11d vnto ofthe iudidall femence ofthe law, which rehim in a drc:ame, I k._now that tho1e diddeft this folutcly pronounceth rh:.~.t acur[e isdue to man I wit ban vprigbtminde, Gen. :o. 6. T~!is.rnay be for euery (in,Gat.3.·10, .Very few are refi)[ued 2 Mor.ili. rcarrned ~ good con{cience , but ts mdee~e of t~e truth of this ~omt, and very fewdoe tcrbJna~ lotherwife. For though it doe truly cxcufem vnfamcdly beleeue tt, bccaufe mens mir.ds l l(d in I 011e particularall-ion, yet becaufe theman in arepoffttfed with a ~ontr~ri~ opinion, th.-.t " 0 " re. whom it is may be vnregenerate and as yet though they finne agamll God, yet they fhall r"" m•· outofCbrifr and becaufe it cloth "cufe in maefcape death and damnation. 'lJauid fair!> ,The '· I ny other ma;ters; therefore it is no good conwickEdman(that is,euery m a nat•.Jrally)b!cffirh fcience. Ifall the verrues of natural! men are hunfelfe, Pf 1 o.3.&he makJth •leaguermhhcH b 5 len. indeed but certaineb beautifiiii.fins, and th~ir andde~th, EfoJ' 28· I 5. This appeareth alfo by d'/,. irighteoufne{fe but a carnall rtgbteoufnefle; expett<nCc. Let the mmtirersoftheGofpell ,;t:.P' then rhe confcience alfo of a 'carnall man, I reproouefin, anddenOunce Gods iudge:nenrs though itexcufe him for well doing, is but a I againll itaccordit;gto the rule ofGods word, carnallconfcience. B yet men wtll not .care: fiones will almoflas CHAP. I{ I I. foonemoouein thewals,and thepillars ofour lf1.ans dHti~ touching conftienc~.. I Churches, as the Aintie hearts of men. And 5 a ·MAns dutie concermng confcience is thereafon hereof is, becaufetheirminds are ,:,n~fi;ll two-fold. The li:ll is, tfwe want good foreltalled with this abfurd concett, thztthey dutie to I confclence aboue all t111;1gs to labour eo ob- 1 are nor mdangerofth: ~r~th ofGod,though get good raine it: for it is not gwen by nature toany they off=nd. And theoptmonof our common con(ci· .man butcomes by grace. people is hereunto anfwerabie, who thinke ence. ' Fdrcheobtainiog ofgood confcience,_ three thatifthey haue agood_meani;:'lg, and doe no thiugsmu{t bee procured; a preparation to man any hurt, God wlll haue thcmexcufed ooodconfcience: the applying of the remeboth in thi< life and in the day ofiodgelliem. die; the reformarionofconfcience. \ The third, igaiJtftandftriom examintftionof Ii!theprep·ltati6,fourethingsarc required. theconfciencebythc law, that wee may fee · The firll,is the knowledge ofthe law,and the what ts oureflate before God. AP.d this is a particular commandements thereof, whereby dutie vpon which the Prophets lland very we are taught what isgood,whatis bad;what I much. Lli. 3• 40· M•nfojfererhf"· hisftn:/ctvr may be done, andwhat may not bedone. C ,fearchandtrieo~tr htarts, andt~trneagaine to the The men ofour daies, that they may haue L:ard.2!_eph.z.J. Fanneyoutfe!ues/anyou,O narheright knowledgeofthe ~aw,mtlfl: !ay alide tt9n,not worthy toberb~loued. In mlking c::xarr.imany erronious and foolifi1 opinions> which nation wee mult fpecially t.1ke notice of that they hold flat againll the true meaning ofthe which dOth now lie or may hereafter lie vpon law ofGod; othenvife they canncuerbe abl~ th~ confciencc. And 3fi:er due examination to,di(cerue betweene 1in an:i no finne. Their hath bin made, aman comes to akaowled!!c fpeciall & commonopinion> are thcfe: I. That ofhis fin in particular,andofhiswrerched a~d th~y can loue God withal theirhearts,& their 1 mifc:~ab!eclhte;wheoneentersintohis r.oufe netghbors as thcmfclues; thatthey feare God I a.t mtdmght,he findsor fees nothing outoforaboue all,and trult in him alone; & that they d•r: but let him come in the day time when cuerdidfo. 1 I. That to rehcarfe the Lords theSunfhinoth, and then hefhallefpiemany prayer, the bclcefe, andtencomma.udemems, faults mthe houfe,and the very rnotesthatBie (without vnderltanding of the words , and • vp and downe: fo let aman fearch hisheart in without affc<lio) is the true& whole worfhip I the ignorance and blindnclfe ofhis minde, hee of Ood.II !.That a man may fecko to wizards will Iiraightway thiukeall is wetl: but let him &footh-Jayers without offence, becaufe God D once begin to fearch himfelfe with the light & hat!> promded a falue for euery fore, IV.That I lanternc ofthe law,& he 01all find many toule to fweare by good things and in the way of corners in hisheart, & heaps offins in his life. truth,is not a fin. V. That a man going about The fourth, is afomm in rcfpelt ofthe puhis ordinary affaires athomeorabroad onthe nifhment of finne: arifingofthe three former Sabbath day, may as well f<rue God M they actions. And though this farrow be no grace which heare allthe fermons inthe world. VI. for itbefalsas we! the wickedas the godly:ye; Thatreligion & the prachfe therof,is nothi11g may it be anoccafion ofgrace, becaufe by the Lntan atf:<led precifenelfe: that couetouh1es a~prehenfioll ofGods anger, we come to the the rooteofeuill,is nothing but wgrldlineffe: apprehenfion of his mercy. And it is better I that prid< is nothing but a care of honellyand that confcience fhould grieue and \vour.d vs cleaneli~cs : th~t fingle fornication is nothing and doe his wQrll againlt vs !n this life,while I buttbetuckeof you!h:that fwearm!!and blafremedy may be had, then aft<rthts life when pheming argue the couragious mmcle of a remedy ispall. ' branegentleman. V I I. That aman may doe Thus nmch of preparation: now follo1ves ~ith hts own what hewil,& make as much of the remedy,& the•pplicatiiiofit.T~e remedy is ttashe can; Hence anfe all the frandsand bad nothmg elfe but the bl9od or ments ofChrilt prachfes in trafficke betweeue man and man. who fpedally in confcience felt the wrath ----~-----------------------------=------~A~a~a,3 ofl
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