Christian See to Thy Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 36 – Chapter 37
CHAP. 36. Of the ſcrupulous Conſcience.
THis ſcrupulous Conſcience is the ſtirring ill Conſcience about vncertainties, of which the iudgment is vnreſolued, and paſſeth neither this way nor that way.
Section 1. In whom.
THis is the Conſcience of the Ignorant, eſpecially in particulars: Of ſuch as be Queſtioniſts, in and about commonly things indifferent, or diſputable, not neceſſary to life and ſaluation: of ſuch as be like Scribes and Phariſies ſtraining at Gnats, and ſwallowingMat. 23. 24 Eccl. 7. 16. Camels: Of ſuch as will be ouer righteous, iuſt ouermuch; ſtraining duties beyond the rule, or making ſomethings, which be indifferent, neceſſary to be either done or left vndone. Theſe are troublers both of themſelues, and of others too, very often.
Section 2. The cauſes hereof.
THe Conſcience of a godly man may hauehave ſometime a ſcruple in it, through ignorance or errour in ſome particular; but his Conſcience, for a ſcruple, is not to be called a ſcrupulous Conſcience; for that which is ſcrupulous, is commonly, and for the moſt part ſo.
This happeneth, firſt, through the iudgment very vnſetled, vnreſolued, ambiguous, wauering this way and that way, ſuſpicious, hauing no certaine ground to ſettle upon but onelyonly running vponupon coniectures, diſputing too and fro, with and againſt; ſo as Conſcience is much troubled.
2. This happeneth by miſapplying generall rules about things indifferent, according as they conceit, to particular actions: as to ſuppoſe, that they edifie not, that they be offenſiue, not decent, not to Gods glory: deciding within themſelues, ſometimes poſitiuely, that which an other makes diſputable, by conference with whom their former concluſion is ſhaken, and ſo ſtand vnreſolued in their iudgement.
3. This ſcruple happeneth, when a thing indifferent is needleſly queſtioned vponupon, which the Apoſtle laboured to preuent among the Corinthians, ſaying, aske no queſtion for Conſcience ſake. 1. Cor. 10. 27. For in truth there is nothing that more breedeth ſcruple, than idle queſtioning of matters, which might bee well paſſed ouer.
4. By ſtretching a thing, for want of knowledge, beyond the nature of a thing indifferent, & ſo taking it to be worſe than it is, through ſome ſhew of euill in his apprehenſion, as ſome did among the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 8. 7.
5. By vncharitably expounding ſuch things as be eſtabliſhed and onelyonly propoſed as indifferent by authoritie, beyond the intent of the Church.
Laſtly, by giuing way to doubts, and to trouble themſelues needleſly with vnprofitable diſputations of things vndetermined. Such peruerſe diſputes the Apoſtle liked not. 1. Tim. 6. 5.
Section 3. Of the effects.
FRom this ſcrupuloſitie ariſeth inward trouble, feare, heart burning, vncharitable cenſuring and iudging one an other, and outward diuiſion, ſects, vnwarrantable courſes, oppoſitions, forcible impoſitions, and much euil eueryevery way, for want of peaceableneſſe both on the one hand, as alſo on the other.
Section 4. The Remedies.
TO take away this ſcrupuloſity, and to reforme the ſcrupulous Conſcience; Firſt, be ſtored with principles and grounds of truth for help to diſcerne betweene one thing and an other. Secondly, to be ſtudied well in caſes of Conſcience, or to ſeeke help of ſuch as be. Thirdly, To know the Rules of indifference before named, andChap. 13. withall to vnderſtand how to apply them aptly. Fourthly, to auoid needleſſe queſtions about things indifferent. Fifthly, To hold this firme, that what God neither commands nor forbids, thats indifferent; and being no law, there is no tranſgreſſion; ſo the Conſcience is free. Sixthly, To know that the Kingdome of God ſtands not in things indifferent; Rom. 15. 17. 18. neither in the doing, nor in leauing of ſuch things vndone: but in matters of an higher nature. Seuenthly and laſtly, beware of needleſſe ſuſpicions of euill, of nice diſtinctions, of weake concluſions from ſound premiſes, and ſo auoid what may worke ſcruple, and inſnare Conſcience.
CHAP. 37. Of the terrifying Conſcience.
THe Conſcience terrifying, is the ill-ſtirring Conſcience forcibly accuſing for the time with much feare.
Section 1. In whom.
THis was the Conſcience of Cain, of Felix, which made him tremble; and of Belſhazzar, making his ioynts to looſe, and his knees to knock together.
Section 2. Of the Cauſes.
THis terrifying Conſcience commeth by ſome hainous ſinnes committed, and wherof a man knowes himſelfe guilty, vponupon the preaching of iudgement for ſuch ſinnes, as wee may ſee in Felix, Act. 24. Secondly, by apprehending ſome extraordinary ſigne of Gods wrath, as Belſhazzar did, Dan. 5. 6. Thirdly, ſome fearefull worke of God ſuddenly done, as ſhaking of the earth, which made the Gaoler tremble, Act. 16. Fourthly, the beliefe of the truth of Gods threats, with an apprehenſion of deſerued damnation, will make Conſcience to worke vponupon Diuels, to make them tremble.
Section 3. Of the effects.
THis terrifying Conſcience workes feare, a dreadfull ſound is in his eare, Iob 15. 21. He feareth ill newes, as Adonijah and his Gueſts did, 1. King 1. 49. 50. Secondly, hee feareth mans power comming out againſt him, when his Conſcience tells him of his euils done. So did Saul the hoſt of the Philiſtims, after hee had beene with the Witch, 1. Sam. 28. Thirdly, hee feareth death, to him as a terrible Meſſenger, as Cain did. Fourthly, hee feareth the laſt Iudgement Day, as Felix did. Hee will feare ſometime where no feare is, Prou. 28. 1. for God giueth the wicked and hypocrites a trembling heart, Deut. 28. 65. It filleth him with troubled thoughts, as it did Belſhazzar, and Nero, after he had cauſed Agrippina his Mother to be murthered; and Alexander to bee tormented, when hee had ſlaine his friend Clytus. It makes that hee cannot endure Gods preſence, but will flie from it, as did Adam and Eue; nor to endure a powerfull Miniſtery; Felix could not ſuffer Pauls preaching, he trembled ſo thereat.
Section 4. Of the remedies.
THe meanes to cure this terrour of Conſcience, is, as Paul exhorted the Gaoler, to beleeue in the Lord Ieſus, Act. 16. 31. to repent, as Peter exhorted thoſe in Acts, Chap. 2. 38. to pray for the ſpirit of adoption, which puts away ſeruile feare, the ſpirit of bondage, and witneſſeth with our Spirit and Conſcience that wee are the children of God, Rom. 8. 15.