Christian See to Thy Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 35
CHAP. 35. Of the ſuperſtitious Conſcience.
THe next difference of the ſtirring ill Conſcience is the ſuperſtitious Conſcience. This is the Conſcience exerciſed about vaine imaginations, ſuperſtitious worſhip, and falſe feares.
Section 1. In whom it is.
THis is the Conſcience of ſuch as be awed by Spirits and Diuels, byIer. 10. 2. ſignes in the Heauens, as the heathen be; of all idolaters, fooliſh ceremonious will-worſhippers, as were the Athenians, and nowAct. 17. 22 Papiſts: Of all ſuch as worſhip God in much ſeruile feare and not willingly, as many ſottiſh people yet among vsus doe: Of all witches, Wizzards Aſtrologers, Charmers, obſeruers of times, good and bad daies, fortune-caſters, and all that rable of rake-hels: Laſtly it is the conſcience of all timorous natures, giuen to obſerue that which they call luck and chance.
Section 2. Of ſuch things as about which this Conſcience is exerciſed.
THis ſuperſtitious Conſcience is exerciſed about two things, about will worſhip, and opinions of ſome workes of Gods prouidence. Firſt, about will worſhip, a ſeruice intended to God, but taken vp of a mans owne head, an humane inuention, Mar. 7. 4. by humane authoritie impoſed, Col. 1. 22. and onelyonly by cuſtome confirmed, and therefore a vaine worſhip, Mat. 15. 9. for this ſuperſtitious Conſcience herein puts religion where none is, in places, in meates, in habits, in times, in externallLuk. 11. 39 Mark. 7. 4. Mat. 15. 2. purifyings and waſhings, as Scribes and Phariſees did, and Papiſts now do.
Section 3. The cauſes hereof.
THis ſuperſtitious Conſcience commeth by the iudgment deceiued through Satans ſuggeſtions, and beguilings of men Col. 2. 18. ſo as the Conſcience becommeth bound needleſly: and that by theſe meanes. Firſt, By philoſophicall vaine deceits according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Chriſt: for worldly wiſedome cannot inſtruct vsus in the ſauing knowledge of God. 1. Cor. 1. 21. Secondly, by humane traditions, made equall with or preferred before Gods commandements, as they were by the Scribes and Phariſies Mat. 15. 2. 6. the following whereof is called by Saint Peter a vaine conuerſation, which Chriſt by his bloud came to deliuer vsus from, 1. Pet. 1. 18. Thirdly, By the precepts and commandements of men, Mat. 15. 9. Col. 2. 20. 22. Fourthly, By cuſtome, which becomes as a law to the ruder ſort to bind their Conſciences. Fifthly, By the ſhew of wiſdome, and ſhadow of great humilitie in ſuch a voluntary worſhip, Col. 2. 18. 23. Sixthly, By examples of Forefathers and Elders, which ſtrike a great ſtroak in many, as formerly it hath done with ſuch ſuperſtitious hipocrits, as Chriſt calls them, Mar. 7. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Section 4. Of the remedie.
TO remoue this ſuperſtition from Conſcience, and to acquit it from ſuch ſlauiſh feare and bondage, is to ſettle iudgement in fiue things. Firſt, wee muſt know, that the doctrines and commandements of men binde not conſcience of themſelues; but as they be grounded on Gods Word. Secondly, elſe the Scripture condemneth them: Matth. 15. Mark. 7. Col. 2. 20. 21. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 18. as vaine worſhip and vaine conuerſation. Thirdly, That we muſt know our Chriſtian libertie, purchaſed by Chriſts blood, from theſe yoakes of bondage, 1. Pet. 1. 18. and that wee muſt ſtand faſt in this libertie, Gal. 5. 1. Fourthly, we are to be reſolued in this point that all will worſhip, though neuer ſo wiſely contriued by man, and though it carry neuer ſo faire a ſhew, is condemned of God, as the forenamed ſcriptures doe ſhew. Laſtly, we muſt be well aſſured that where God giueth no law himſelfe, there is no tranſgreſſion, Rom. 4. 15. and 5. 13. and ſo no bond to tye Conſcience.
Section 5. Of the ſecond thing about which the ſuperſtitions Conſcience is exerciſed.
THe other thing about which the Conſcience of the ſuperſtitious is troubled, is about ſome works of Gods prouidence, which men, though falſly, take to be Gods forwarnings, and forbiddings, and as ſignes and tokens frō him of ſome good or of ſome ill to befall them, as a hare to croſſe in a morning, to ſtumble in going out, ſalt falling, burning of the right or left cheek or eare, finding of ſiluer, gold, or old iron, ſudden bleeding at the noſe, and many ſuch obſeruations of ſuperſtitious people.
Section 6. Of the cauſes hereof.
THe cauſes of this feare in this ſuperſtitious conſcience, and the awing of it in reſpect of this prouidence, are theſe. Firſt, a ſtrong conceit that there is here in a will of God, forewarning people; wherupon the conſcience becomes bound, and the heart made fearefull. Secondly, the obſeruing of the euent, which hapneth according to the conceited opinion, to the more confirming therof, and the further binding of the ſuperſtitious to credit the ſame.
Section 7. Of the remedy.
TO heale this, and to free the Conſcience from ſuch a ſuperſtitious bond, and the heart from this idle feare, note theſe things.
1. That God neither by his word foretels, nor by his prouidence doth prognoſticate either good or ill in the falling out of ſuch things.
2. That albeit ſuch things happen according to mens vaine imaginations, yet no credit is to bee giuen thereto, nor any conſcience to be made thereof. Firſt, becauſe the opinion in theſe things is Heatheniſh, and from pagans, which Chriſtians are therefore toIer. 10. 1. 2. deteſt, and not feare their feare. Secondly, becauſe Satan workes herein, and ſeekes to weaken our faith in God. Thirdly, becauſe theſe ſometime hauehave been found falſe, by religious mens true obſeruations; who contemne theſe fooleries. Fourthly, becauſe, if they proue true ſometime, thats but to try vsus, whether we wil be wiſe, or become vaine and ſuperſtitious. Laſtly, becauſe it is well obſerued, that the more naturall men be, and ignorant of the Goſpell, the more fooliſhly ſuperſtitious are they, the more fearefull and vaine in ſuch obſeruations, and the more inthraled in their minds to ſuch vanities. On the contrary, the more people increaſe in knowledge of the Goſpell, faith in Chriſt, and be renewed in the inward man, the leſſe they regard, yea, the more they contemne theſe things, and are leſſe troubled with them, as held altogether idle and vaine. And thus much for the ſuperſtitious Conſcience.