Pauls Confidence, Sermon
S. PAƲLS CONFIDENCE DELIVERED IN A SERMON before the IVDGES of ASSISE.
By Robert Harris.
LONDON, Printed for IOHN BARTLET, at the gilt Cupin Cheape-ſide, 1628.
S. PAƲLS CONFIDENCE.
ACTS 24.16.
And herein doe I exerciſe my ſelfe to hauehave alwaies a Conſcience voyde of offence toward God, and toward men.
THe words read were vttered by Paul; the place where, was 1. Caeſarea, 2. the iudgement hall: the time when, when Tertull us the Orator had made a bitter inuectiue againſt him; the manner how, by way of Apologie and Defence, being deepely ſlandered. The order of them is thus: 1. hee wipes away the Lawyers aſperſions in particular, 2. giues account of his life in the generall. And here (for here lyes our buſineſſe at this time) he doth two things, 1. he giues vsus a ſumme of his Faith, verſe 14.15. 2. of his Life, 16. In point of Faith and Profeſſion Paul and wee agree, in Life & Practice we are far wide; & therefore we will dwell vponupon that this houre. This verſe then containes the briefe and map of Pauls life; where firſt note his action (exerciſe) Secondly, the ſubiect of it, Pauls ſelfe. Thirdly, the obiect of in his conſcience. Fourthly, the end of it, to hauehave it voyde of offence in all caſes, towards all perſons.
For the Firſt, Pàul doth, as Salomon bids him, ſet his bones to worke, and all his ſtrength. Time hee neither idles nor ſleights, but vſes both diligence, skill and conſtancy together;foreign for all theſe are wrapt vp in his word.
For the Second, He thought it beſt husbandry to till his owne ground, beſt policie to bee wiſe for himſelfe, and to keepe home; and therefore he takes himſelfe to taske, and becomes his owne Phyſitian.
And in the third place; becauſe tis as good doe nothing as nothing to the purpoſe, he makes choyce of a good ſubiect to worke vponupon (conſcience.) Conſcience is a thing much talked of, but little knowne, and yet leſſe practiſed than vnderſtood. I meane not a ſchoole Lecture, or Philoſophicall Diſcourſe; yet muſt I expound my Text. Conſcience is conſidered two wayes; one way by Philoſophers, another way by Diuines. Philoſophy and naturall Learning bring vsus thus farre acquainted with the nature of Conſcience: i. the Maſters hereof (for the moſt part of them) make the ſoule a building conſiſting of many roomes; ſome higher, ſome lower; whereof the higheſt is the vnderſtanding. This vnderſtanding is either ſpeculatiue, containing ſome generall notions and principles of truth; or practicall, containing the like principles and axiomes of good things: for at the firſt there were (nay ſtill there are) ſome generall principles, belonging partly to knowledge, partly to practice, left in the ſoule of man. Now to this latter, belongs (in their iudgement) Conſcience, whoſe office is to reaſon and diſcourſe; and therfore belongs to the vnderſtanding: And its worke lyes about that which is good or bad, at leaſt doable; and therefore belongs to that part or reſpect of the vnderſtanding which is termed practicall.
In this, there is conſiderable, 1. the nature, 2. the working of Conſcience. The nature; ſo they conceit of it, as of a naturall facultie in the vnderſtanding onelyonly or chiefly. For the working, it accompliſhes its owne operations, and driues them to an iſſue by diſcourſe, thus; That which I would not hauehave done to mee, I muſt not doe to others: I would not hauehave wrong done to mee; therefore &c. This concluſion, is a concluſion of Conſcience; & for the premiſſes they hauehave in their diſtinct diſcourſes ſeuerall termes: but of them enough.
2 For Diuines; We may diſtinguiſh them into two fourmes: i. ſome are pen men of holy Writ, ſome only of priuate bookes. Theſe latter are not ſo attentiue to the terme as to the thing; and therfore they call ſometimes the power of ſo reaſoning, ſomtimes the whole reaſon and ſyllogiſme, ſometimes each propoſition apart, ſometime the effect and conſequent following ſuch an application and concluſion, by the name of Conſcience. But now come to the inſpired Prophets and Apoſtles, and there the word is vſed(as other words of like nature in like caſes are) two waies; 1. more ſtrictly and properly, when it is ioyned with other faculties of the ſoule,Cic. pro Cluen. dixit conſcientiam mentis noſtrae &c. as Tit. 1.15. 1 Tim. 1.5. In the firſt it is differenced from the minde, in the latter from the will. 2. More largely, when tis put alone; and ſo it ſtands for the whole heart, ſoule and ſpirit working inwardly vponupon it ſelfe by way of reflexe. So the Hebrewes generally ſpake, making heart, ſpirit, ſoule, conſcience, all one, eſpecially the two former. So Iohn ſpeakes in his firſt Epiſtle. Thus the word is here vſed, being referred both to God and man. Pauls conſcience, heart, and ſpirit, ſound one and the ſame thing in this place; the difference at the moſt is but in the manner of conſidering.
Well, what would Paul with his conſcience? he would hauehave it voyde of offence: he would goe an end in the waies of God, without halting, without ſtumbling; for thats his alluſion. A wiſe Traueller, in a rough way, is loth to offend his foot, leſt that offend him: Paul is the ſame for his conſcience; by no meanes would hee wound that, leſt that ſhould wound him. Hence his ſtudie to keepe his Conſcience voyde of offence: Offence 1 ſay, firſt paſſiue: whereby his ſpirit might be grieued; ſecondly, actiue: whereby his ſpirit might grieue either himſelfe or others vnſeaſonably. This was his ſtudy, & thus inoffenſiue & ſtraight hee would bee with all perſons (God and Man) ſo that his Conſcience ſhould not bee vponupon him for faltring with either, and (in all caſes, by all means, or at all times) as his words may indifferently bee conſtrued.foreign Thus liued Paul at laſt, who was ſo wilde at firſt: why ſhould we deſpaire, hauing the ſame Chirurgian? But of the Words ſo much. Now for Inſtructions: your ſelues ſee many, let me commend the maine vntounto you, and binde vp all in this one.
Doct. Chriſtians muſt hauehave a ſpeciall care of themſelues, that they doe not in any thing offend their owne conſciences. To keepe the conſcience from offence and hurt, muſt be the taske of euerie Saint. Looke how charie a proude woman is of her beautie, a wiſe man of his eye, a weake man of his ſtomacke; ſo (and much more than ſo) ſhould a Chriſtian man be carefull of his conſcience, of his heart. Will you precept for this? Solomon ſpeakes home, Pro. 4.23. Above all watchings watch the heart &c. That's the tower that commands, and Conſcience is one of the Iewels thats there lodged. Will you example? One Paul is ſufficient: Hee was once averſe enough, but after conuerſion (in point of faith) hee was all for Chriſt, (in point of life) all for conſcience, c. 23. Heb. 13.18.Acts 23.1. & 2 Cor. 8.28. Will you reaſons? There are enow both for the one and the other, namely, for heeding, the conſcience firſt; and each man his owne next. For the firſt, we will out of manie cull but two reaſons.
Reaſ. 1. GiueGive the conſcience content and reſt, and it will pay thee a hundred fold, and proue to thee, (next to God its Maſter) the greateſt friend in the world: .i. the trucſt friend; whereas others are ſometimes too ſhort in reproofes, ſometime in comforts; mutter and will not ſpeake out, but thinke more than theyle ſay, and ſay more to others than to thy face; this friend Conſcience (if thou deale friendly with it) will deale friendly with thee. This will round thee in the eare, and ſay, This is well, howeuer it be taken; & therfore be not diſcouraged: this is naught, howeuer applauded or painted; it is ſtark ſtaring naught, pride, hypocriſie, &c. therefore amend. Ah (brethren!) as no friend lyes ſo neere vsus, and can ſound vsus ſo well as couſcience, ſo none will deale ſo plainely with vsus, if we doe not offend it.
2. Conſcience is the faſteſt friend in the world. Others goe and come, and ſtand afarre off, now at hand, now I know not where; but conſcience is no ſtarter, its neuer from our fides, out of our boſomes: in rides with vsus, it ſits with vsus, it lyes with vsus, it ſleeps, it wakes with vsus: & as it can ſay much from God and of vsus, ſo it will if not offended.
3 The ſweeteſt friend in the world. A good cheerfull heart (ſaith Solomon) is a continuall feaſt. Oh then a ſatisfied and pacified conſcience, what is that? what ioyes be thoſe which will carrie a man out of the earth, and make him ſay, Though I hauehave wife, children, friends, wealth, houſe, health, eaſe, honour, &c. after my owne heart, yet theſe are nothing to my contentments within? What ioies thoſe that will make one, ſing vnderunder the Whippe, at the Stake, in the Flames a Oh Conſcience, thou haſt a ſpeciall gift in comforting, that canſt make the patient laugh when the ſpectators weepe; and carrie fraile fleſh ſinging and reioycing through a world of bonds, rods, ſwords, racks, wheeles, flames, ſtrappado's! theſe ioyes be ſtrong, vnſpeakcable indeed, this peace paſsing mans vnderſtanding &c. Phil. 4.
4 The ſureſt friend in the world. Other friends louelove not to come to a ſicke mans bedde ſide, or if ſo, they cannot abide to heare his grones, to ſee a dead man, at the moſt they can but follow one to the graue: but Conſcience will make ones bed in ſickneſſe, and cauſe him to lye the ſofter; will ſtand by him when he groanes, and doe him comfort; will hearten him vponupon death, when its comming; and ſay, Thy Redeemer lineth; will whiſper to him when departing; and ſay, Thy warfare is accompliſhed; will lodge the bodre in graue as in a bed; manne the ſoule to heauen, and make him able to looke God in the face without any terrour: So faſt a friend is this, that when riches, husband, parents, friends, breath, life; nay, patience, hope, faith, hauehave left vsus, in ſome meaſure, this will not leaue vsus. And would not ſuch a friend, a friend ſo true, firme, kinde, ſure, be much made of; ſhall ſuch a one be offended.
Reaſ. 2. The conſcience offended becomes the ſoreſt enemie. The greateſt friends are bittereſt foes when once diuided: no wars to ciuill, to domeſticall warres. The neerer the worſe: and the conſcience is neereſt; and therefore (if an enemy) the heauieſt.
For this enemy is, 1. vhauoydable. Others may be kept off with ſtrength, or put off with skill: but ſo will not conſcience; no barres, no bolts, no bulwarkes, can keepe that from thy table, thy bed.Dan. 5.5. Belſhazzer may ſooner keepe out ten thouſand Medes, than one conſcience: That will paſſe through all his Officers to his Preſence; and in the face of his Nobles and Concubines arrelt him, and ſhake him in deſpight of his ſecuritie. Nor will this watchfull. Officer be bobd with a bundle of diſtinctions and cuaſions. When God ſets it on worke, it marcheth furiouſly like Iohn, and will take thee vp with his anſwer; What peace ſo long as thy whoredom and ſins remain: As thers no reſpondens like conſcience, ſo no obiector like to that. A man may make a ſhift with a wrangling Sophiſter, with the Diuell himſelfe, better than with his conſcience. For no Diuell knowes that by me, which I doe by my ſelfe: And the conſcience ſhall hauehave hearing when the Dinel ſhall not; for conſcience is the Kings Sollicitor, and ſpeakes for the great King.
2. This enemie is vnſufferable: it ſtrips vsus at one ſtroke of all other comfort. A ſicke ſtomack makes one wearie of his bed, chaire, chamber, houſe, meats, drinks; yea, that meate that before much pleaſed, now encreaſeth his ſickneſſe. So doth a ſicke conſcience; it takes away the relliſh of all naturall comforts, of all ſpirituall exerciſes and ordinances; and makes one a burthen and terrour to himſelfe. 2. it fils one full of horrours and vnhappineſſe. A wounded ſpirit who can beare? the Stone, Goute, Strangury, who can beare? Yes, &c. But when the pillars are ſhaken, that which ſhould beare vp all is wounded, when the heauen's fight againſt a man, and a poure creature muſt wreſtle with infinite inſtice, power, &c. oh how hard is this? The wrath of a King is terrible, the rage of Seas, of Fires, of Lyons, but ſtill here is creature againſt creature, weake to weake; but who knowes the power of Gods anger, Pſul. 90? Who can ſtand before that conſuming fire? not Men, not Mountaines, not Angels. The terrours of God and anguiſh of ſpirit caſts the Diuell himſelfe into a frenzic, and makes him mad; nay, a wounded ſpirit made the Heire of all things vtter his griefes in theſe ſad termes (My God, my God, &c.) That which a thouſand mockes, tenne thouſand priſons and perſecutions could not hauehave done; this one alone, when nothing elſe ailed him, was able to effect: and therefore good reaſon hauehave we to guard this part, and to giuegive our ſpirits no occaſion of griefe. And for the firſt, theſe Reaſons ſhall ſerue the turne.
Now touching the ſecond. EueryEvery man muſt keepe his own vine, and pleaſe his owne conſcience. Why; Hold ſtill whileſt I poure in theſe? Reaſons, becauſe I am in haſte. 1. Tis fit that eueryevery one ſhould be beft ſeene in his owne Booke: and tis a thouſand pities, that in this bookth age, this Book of Conſcience is leaſt ſtudied. 2. This is a meare-ſtone that diuides the Chriſtian and the Hypocrite. The Hypocrites knowledge runnes outward and fromward, the Chriſtians lookes inward and reflects vponupon is ſalfe: the ones is ſcience, the others conſcience, the one leues to be doing with other mens conſciences, the other with his owne. 3. Heres the triall of a mans wiſdome. He thats wiſe, ſaith Solomon, will be wiſe for himſelf, and, The righteous hath care of his owne ſoule. 4. This watching at home, keepes out pride, iudging in buſineſſes abroad, makes one quiet with others, tame in himſelfe, low and baſe before God in his owne eyes. But wee muſt away. 5. He will bee a ſorry Phyſician to others that hath neuer practiſed vponupon himſelfe in this kinde, &c.
Vſe. 1. Heres matter of complaint and chiding. I told you at firſt, that weare of Pauls Faith, not of his Life. Tis true in this ſenſe: Paul profeſſed the truth of Chriſt, ſo doe we; hee called vponupon Gods Name, ſo we; he gaue aſſent to the Word written ſo we; hee apprehended a life to come and reſurrection, ſo wee: But now Paul dwels, non in proteſtations and ſpeculations; but hee comes to practicew to conſcianee: here we leaue him. In this age, conſciecce is vſed as louelove is; We ſpend all in words, and ſend it away in complements; we keep none our ſehues; we hauehave (our. exerciſes) now; but they are exerciſes of bodie, of eſtate, of wit, of memorie, of learning, they hee not exerciſes of conſcience. No ſooner can you name the thing before ſome kinde of Scholers, but they are preſently diſputing, What think your. Is conſcience, an act, an babit, or a facultie, or the whole ſoule with its eyes inward? or what is it: They ſpend the time in defining it, rather than, in reſining, and reforming of it. Here of comes it, that when they are ſent for to a ſicke patient, page missing reat; they be as farre to ſeeke, as that Phyſician who hath read much, but practiſed nothing: and for the many; once mention conſcience, and they will quickly put you by with a rude Prouerb, That conſcience was hanged a great while agoe. Thus the terme is now growne odious, the thing it ſelfe a meere ſtranger. Certainely, tis few mens exerciſe to ſtudy conſcience; their (owne) conſcience. Indeede Flyes are buſie about others ſores, & ſo is the world about others conſciences. EueryEvery one now is a maſter, nay one man is many maſters.law. 3.1. He will ſit and keepe Court in the conſcience of a thouſand; Lord it ouer his brethren, his betters; iudging all callings, all profeſſions, all conſciences, but his owne. I will dot ſpend breath vponupon ſuch as barke at all good, becauſe they would hauehave none in the world. I wiſh that all the paines of ſome Profeſſors were not ſpeat in this; euen in rifling others conſciences, rather than their owne. Religion, religion is ſomething elſe than a iudging of other men. After meare, the heate ſhould repayne homeward; not flye as farre off from the heart and ſtomacke, as the body will beare it: and when we hauehave heard a Sermon of conſcience, we ſhould recoyle vponupon our ſelues, with, What hauehave I done? or, What ſhall I doe? not looke vponupon another, and carue all to him; much leſſe flye vponupon them who ſtand as farre off vsus, as the King hath land. Oh men vnwiſe, who are more troubled with others diſeaſes than their owne; and more deſirous of peace in their neighbours houſes than at home. Well, Paul would hauehave beene ſorry to ſee his neighbour ſuffer ſhipwracke: but yet hee is moſt chary of his owne veſſell, leſt that ſhould daſh and receine ſome bruiſe: by no meanes would he hauehave his conſcience offended. But out vponupon ſuch Chriſtians as this age brings forth; feare of man, hope of gain, louelove of honour, of caſe, of fauour, will make them run ouer their conſcience and all Gods mounds. Rather than the man will endure the frownes of his Maſter, the wiſe of her husband, the tenant of his Landlord, hee will lye, couſin, ſweare, runne, ride, doe anie thing on the Sabbath: nay, for one pound, ſhilling, groat, penny, you may hyre a man to gaſh his conſcience; ſo little care hauehave men of giuing it offence. But how farre ſtretches Pauls care? To all caſes, to all perſons. To all: To all certainly, at all times: firſt, towards God, ſecondly, towards man. Towards God: Marke this all yee Ciuilians, that cry out as Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. of diſorder, ſo yee of Conſcience, What conſcience, what conſcience? when you are worſt your ſelues. A good conſcience muſt begin with God; you neyther begin nor end there. A mecre carnall ciuill man is all for man, nothing for God: he payes men their owne, liues quietly and fairely to the world-ward, and therefore thinks himſelfe a man of conſcience. But what conſcience is in this, to deale wel with the ſubiect and not with the Prince? What conſcience in breaking the firſt article of agreement betweene God and man, which is, to know him? What conſcience, to dwell in Gods houſe and pay him no rent; to enter into bonds, and neuer thinke of payment; to ſmite God with oathes for mans oft fences; to ſteale away time from God, when hee hath giuen vsus much? Shew mee a meere carnall ciuill man that makes conſcience of the firſt, ſecond, third, or fourth Commandement; of gerting knowledge; of ſetting vp God in his houſe; of forbearing an oath; of keeping the Sabbath, &c. Verily, where there is no God, there can be no confidence: And ſuch a man is without God in the world.
For the ſecond, Pauls conſcience reacht to men alſo. Let all Profeſſors (as they wilbe called) note this, A good conſcience begins with God, but ends in Man. A conſcionable man, as he muſt be a profeſſor, hearer, louer of the Word, a keeper of the Sabbath, a zealous obſeruer of the firſt Table: ſo muſt he be a peaceable, iuſt, ſober, free, kinde, honeſt man, and deale ſquarely with all men. Thus it ſhould be: But O times, O manners! now Profeſſion is become loathſome, and, to ſay the truth, the behauiour of many is ſuch, that it would make an vnſettled man call into queſtion all Profeſſion, all Religion, all Conſcience almoſt. We talke of Conſcience, but where is it: who makes conſcience of his words? who of his bargaines? who of his place or promiſe: EueryEvery man cries out of other: but who diſcharges his owne part? Wee hauehave a ſaying in Gods Book, He that prouides not for his kindred, is worſe than an Infidell. What cares the rich if his poore kinſman ſtarue? We hauehave a precept, Husbands louelove your wiues: What conſcience is made of this? We hauehave a commandement Speak not euill of the ruler: Wee hauehave a charge, Doe good againſt euill: A charge, Toyle not to bee rich, Defraud not, Whiſper not, &c. A command, Be rich in good workes: Faſhion not your ſelues to the world: What ſhall's ſay to theſe things? Is there a conſcience at all: Any ceraintie in the Word at all? Any heauen, any hell? What doe we mean thus to ſlubber ouer matters: If we belecue nothing, meane nothing in good earneſt, why doe wee diſſemble: why forbeare wee any thing? If we be in earneſt in one comandement, why not in all? If in one thing, why not in eueryevery thing, as Paul was? He was ſtill like himſelfe, at all times, in all caſes. We hauehave our reſerued caſes. One wilbe a Chriſtian, and a man of conſcience: but hee hath his infirmitie; hee doth nor louelove his wife. Another will be your hearer: but hee muſt liue by his trade. A third will be your conuert, ſo you will helpe him to aboue ten in the hundred: the iuſt rate he likes not, it ſounds like. Vſurie; but as much aboue as you can, with a good conſcience. A fourth will gine ſomthing to a Preacher, vponupon condition he may bear the Preachers purſe, and bee his Farmor. A fifth will ride with you from morning to night; ſo hee may hold his finger ſtill in other mens ſores. Away, Hypocrites, away, make no mote profeſſion, talke no more of it, till you meane to be honeſter men; either ſhew vsus Pauls conſcience, or none. If you cannot reach this here; yet you muſt that there, Heb. 13.18. Defire to liue, &c. elſe there is no truth in you, no comfort for you, no heed to betaken of you, downe you will when a little preſt, like a hollow wall.
2. All ye of Pauls Profeſſion, vſe this exerciſe, ceaſe from others; beginne with your ſelues; trauell not ſo much for good houſes, good liuings, good faces, good heads, as for good conſciences; ſeeke not ſo much the fauour of the world, the countenance of Princes, as of your owne conſcience. Here ſtudie, here ſweat, here labour to be throughout blameleſſe. Oh the peace of a quiet and well pleaſed conſcience is great! the boldneſſe of him that hath it, is great; he eats well, ſleepes well, dwels well, liues well, hee is in much ſafety, hee can hold vp his face ioyfully before a world of accuſers. So is not the vnconſcionable: EueryEvery buſh is a man, eueryevery man an enemie, eueryevery leafe an executioner. A ſound of feare is in his eares, and the noyſe of troubles makes him aske, Who can ſtand before a continuall burning? As for libertie, thats loſt: he muſt not ſpeak againſt others, leſt they ſtop his mouth: he muſt bee a ſeruant to eueryevery one, of whom hee would borrow a good word. For the purpoſe: Say a man be couetous; how muſt hee crouch to eueryevery one for his word? how many apologies and excuſes muſt he drop at eueryevery doore? wheras a good conſcience concludes, I hauehave done my beſt; and now let them ſay their worſt, I will weare it as a Crowne. Well then, ſith ſo many ſweet things be bound vp in conſcience; peace, comfort, courage, libertie; eſteeme it highly, & reſolue with Paul, I had rather dye than loſe my reioycing this way. Loſe it if you will not, take vp his exerciſe, and keep it from offence. Which that you may doe, I will ſhew you theſe things.
1. What it is to offend the conſcience: 2. what be the degrees of this offence: 3. what the means whereby: 4. what the remedies: 5. what the letts in the vſe of theſe remedies.
Firſt, to offend the conſcience, is to trouble the welfare of it. The foot is then offended, when the health of it is impeached, and the exerciſe of it hindered, that either it cannot ſtir at all, or not ſtraightly, and with any eaſe. Thinke the ſame of conſcience: the health of it ſtands in three; 1. in the cleareneſſe of it: 2. in the goodneſſe of it: 3. in the liuelineſſe and ſenſibleneſſe of it; as tis in the eye: the clearneſſe of it is double, 1. oppeſed to ignorance and deluſion: 2. to hypocriſie and falſeneſſe. The goodneſſe of it ſtands in the quietneſſe and peace of it: And thereto is oppoſed, 1. a troubled conſcience, and, 2. a benummed conſcience. The tenderneſſe of the conſcience, is its quickneſſe in apprehending its owne eſtate, and iudging of its owne doings: Whereto is oppoſed 1. a ſleepy, 2. a dead and ſeared conſcience. When any thing is done or left vndone, whereby the cleareneſſe, quietneſſe, or working of the conſcience is any way impeached, then conſcience is offended.
Secondly, the degrees of theſe offences are diuers, as a man may more or leſſe wound his foot againſt a ſtone.V. notes on Pron. 18. 1. there is a tempting of the conſcience: when a man vnreſolued of the lawfulneſſe of a thing, venters vponupon it as vponupon meat neuer tried before: 2. a wounding of the conſcience: when a man for feare, hope, &c. doth a thing againſt knowledge: 3. a killing of it: when he trades in knowne ſins, of purpoſe to paue and brawne his conſcience.
3. The meanes, whereby the conſcience comes to be offended, is double: 1. when we are wanting to it: 2. when wrongfull to it. Wanting, when we doe not watch and ſaue the conſcience, as we doe the eye from duſt. 2. When we do not ſpeedily looke to wounds, if any. If any thing breed in the eye, it may ſoone be loſt: The conſcience is a veſſell that muſt bee waſht daily (as dimme eyes bee) and that by Repentance and Faith.
3 When wee doe not eſtabliſh the heart and conſcience. A weake childe ſoone ſtumbles, vnleſſe vpheld; ſo conſcience. This muſt be vpheld firſt, by grace, ſecondly, by conference &c.
2 Wrongfull to it; 1. when wee hinder the worke of it: for eueryevery thing delights in acting its owne operations: 2. when we force ſinne vponupon it againſt light of nature or grace, eſpecially groſſe ſinnes.
4 The remedies: 1. Pacifie it; not by dawbing &c. but by Gods meanes. 1. The ſinne offending muſt be reuerſed; as meate that will not be digeſted: it ſticks as an arrow in the fleſh, that muſt be pluckt out by repentance and ſatisfaction. 2. Chriſts bloud applyed, the onelyonly ſalue for a ſicke ſoule. 2. When reconciled, peace muſt be maintained. Here take theſe rules: 1. do nothing wilfully againſt conſcience; 2. nothing doubtingly when reſolution may be had; 3. nothing blindely: for meat vnwittingly taken, may after trouble.
5 Thus you ſee directions. To the end that you may practiſe, remoue 1. letts; which are of two heads: 1. want of will, 2. want of skill. The firſt ariſes from three wants; 1. of faith, as if the courſe were vnprofitable, 2. of louelove to Gods truth, man, &c. 3 of truth and vprightneſſe: wee had rather be hypocrites than otherwiſe &c. See all, 1. Tim. 1.5. 2. Want of skill; which ariſes 1. from want of vnderſtanding the Word, 2. want of experience, 3. want of exerciſe &c.
Then ſith in this veſſell (Conſcience) lyes all our treaſure, faith, life it ſelfe, &c. therefore preſerue it well, get ouer all difficulties, helpe faith, louelove, truth &c. vſe all meanes &c. follow Paul till thou canſt ſay with him, I deſire to keepe a good Conſcience.
3 Apology for ſuch as ſtand vponupon Conſcience. Theſe are the worlds fooles; but tis no matter, they are Gods iewels and delight: and when they ſtand, as Paul, before the iudgement feat of man, nay of God, they ſhall finde a good conſcience a better breſt-plate and buckler than a world of wealth. OnelyOnly be ſure of this; 1. that tis conſcience. There be two things in the world that look a little like it, but are not conſcience: 1. Cuſtome, which breedes in blinde men, Popiſh perſons, and moſt vnregenerate men, who hauehave had good breeding, a kinde of trouble and regret; which is no more conſcience than the aking of the ſtomacke when it wants its ſet meales. 2. Preiudice and conceit, when a man vponupon ſome preſumptions and probabilities hath pitcht vponupon a concluſion, (eyther for or againſt a thing) and will not be remoued. True Conſcience differs from both theſe: For firſt, that knowes it ground; ſecondly, that ground is ſome Scripture: which becauſe it may bee haply miſtaken, therefore conſcience is euer teachable, as willing to heare as to ſpeake, to lay downe as to take vp an opinion. Not ſo the other: they are violent if oppoſed, and eueryevery man that thinks not as they thinke, wants iudgement, or truth, or both. 2. This conſcience muſt bee cleere towards God and man, and hauehave both it eyes. What hath the hypocrite to doe with conſcience? A man of conſcience muſt and vſually will be ſuteable and throughout orderly; though I doubt not, but that there is a partiall hypocriſie, as well as ignorance in ſome men at all times, and in all men, euen in Saints, at ſome times. 3. It muſt be our owne conſcience, as Paul here ſpeaks: and fourthly, to make an end, a good conſcience muſt bee qualified as is heauenly wiſedome (for this is a great part of it,) How is that? St. Iames ſhewes it, chap. 3.17. 1. pure in it ſelfe, 2. peace, towards others and it ſelfe, 3. moderate, and not exacting extremities, 4. teachable and eaſie to be perſwaded, 5. pitifull and helpefull eueryevery way. And as it muſt hauehave theſe excellencies, ſo muſt it bee voyde of partialitie in cauſes and perſons; and of hypocriſie betweene God and it ſelfe. And hee that hath ſuch a conſcience, or labours for ſuch with Pauls exerciſes, ſhall hold out his profeſsion, and hold vp his face, when a thouſand others ſhall blaſt and wither.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Harris, Pauls Confidence (1628)