A Golden Chain — William Perkins

A Golden Chain · William Perkins

CHAP. II. Of the duties of Conscience.

§1. Of the testimonie of con…ci…ce.THe proper actions or duties of conscience are twofold, to giuegive testimony or to giuegive iudgement. Rom. 2.15.

Conscience giues testimonie by determining that a thing was done or it was not done, Rom. 2.15. Their conscience also bearing witnesse. 2. Cor. 1.12. Our reioycing is the testimonie of our conscience, that in, &c.

Here we must consider three things: I. of what things conscience beares witnes: II. in what manner: III. how long.

For the first, conscience beares witnesse of our thoughts, of our affections, of our outward actions.

That it beares witnesse of our secret thoughts, it appeares by the solemne protestation which at some time men vse; In my conscience I neuer thought it: whereby they signifie that they thinke something, or they thinke it not, and that their consciences can tell what they think. Neither must this seeme strāge. For there be two actions of the vnderstanding, the one is simple, which barely conceiueth or thinketh this or that: the other is a reflecting or doubling of the former, whereby a man conceiues or thinks with himselfe what he thinks. And this action properly pertaines to the conscience. The minde thinkes a thought, now conscience goes beyond the minde, and knowes what the mind thinkes; so as if a man would goe about to hide his sinfull thoughts frō God, his conscience as it were another person within him, shall discouer all. By meanes of this second action conscience may beare witnes euen of thoughts, and from hence also it seemes to borrow his name,Conscientia i. scientia cū alia scientia. because conscience is a science or knowledge ioyned with an other knowledge: for by it I conceiue and knowe what I knowe.

Againe, conscience beares witnesse what the wills an affections of men bee in eueryevery matter, Rom. 9.1. I say the trueth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witnes by the holy Ghost, that I hauehave great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart: for I could wish my selfe to be seperate from Christ for my brethren.

Lastly, it witnesseth what be mens actions. Eccl. 7.24. Oftentimes also thine heart knoweth, (that is, conscience witnesseth) that thou likewise hast cursed others.

The maner that conscience vseth in giuing testimony, stands in two things. First, it obserues and takes notice of all things that wee doe: secondly, it doeth inwardly and secretly within the heart, tell vsus of them al. In this respect it may fitly be compared to a Notarie, or a Register that hath alwaies the penne in his hand, to note and record whatsoeuer is said or done: who also because hee keepes the rolles and recordes of the court, can tell what hath beene said or done many hundred yeares past.

Touching the third point. Howelong conscience beares witnes, it doeth it continually; not for a minut, or a day, or a monethmonth, or a yeare, but for euer: when a man dies, conscience dieth not; when the bodie is rotting in the graue, conscience liueth and is safe and sound; and when we shall rise againe, conscience shall come with vsus to the barre of Gods iudgement, either to accuse or excuse vsus before God, Rom. 2.15,16. Their conscience bearing witnes at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ.

By this first dutie of conscience, we are to learne three things. The first, that there is a god: and we may be led to the sight of this euen by common reason. For conscience beares witnes; Of what? Of thy particular doings. But against whome or with whome doth it giuegive testimonie? thou maiest feele in thy heart that it doth it either with thee or against thee. And to whome is it a witnesse? to men or angels? that cannot be, for they cānot heare the voice of conscience, they cannot receiue consciences testimonie, nay they cannot see what is in the heart of man. It remaines therefore that there is a spirituall substance, most wise, most holy, most mightie, that sees all things to whome conscience beares record; and that is God himselfe. Let Atheists barke against this as long as they will: they hauehave that in them that will conuince them of the trueth of the godhead, will they nill they, either in life or death.

Secondly we learne, that God doth watch ouer all men by a speciall prouidence. The master of a prison is knowne by this to hauehave care ouer his prisoners, if he send keepers with them to watch them and to bring them home againe in time conuenient: and so Gods care to man is manifest in this, that whē he created man and placed him in the worlde, he gaue him conscience to bee his keeper to follow him alwaies at his heeles, and to dogge him (as we say) & to prie into his actions, and to beare witnesse of them all.

Thirdly, hence we may obserue Gods goodnesse and louelove to man. If hee doe any thing amisse, he sets his conscience first of all to tell him of it secretly: if then he amend, God forgiues it: if not, then afterward conscience must openly accuse him for it at the barre of Gods iudgement before all the Saints and angels in heauen.

The second worke of conscience is to giuegive iudgement of things done.

§2. Of consciences iudgement.To giuegive iudgement is to determine, that a thing is well done or ill done. Herein conscience is like to a Iudge that holdeth an assise, and takes notice of inditements, and causeth the most notorious malefactour that is, to hold vp his hand at the barre of his iudgement. Nay it is (as it were) a little God sitting in the middle of mens hearts, arraigning them in this life as they shall be arraigned for their offences at the tribunal seat of the euerliuing God in the day of iudgement. Wherefore the temporarie iudgement that is giuen by the conscience is nothing els but a beginning or a fore-runner of the last iudgement.

Hence we are admonished to take speciall heede that nothing past lie heauie vponupon vsus, and that we charge not our conscience in time to come with any matter. For if our conscience accuse vsus, God will much more condemne vsus, saith S. Iohn. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. because he seeth all our actions more clearely, and iudgeth them more seuerely then conscience can. It shall bee good therefore for all men to labour that they may say with Paul, 2. Cor. 4. I knowe nothing by my selfe, that they may stand before God without blame for euer.

Here we must consider two things: first, the cause that makes conscience giuegive iudgement: secondly, the manner howe.

§3. Of the Binding of the conscience.The cause is the Binder of the conscience. The binder is that thing whatsoeuer, which hath power and authoritie ouer conscience to order it.

To bind, is to vrge, cause, and constraine it in eueryevery action either to accuse for sinne, or to excuse for well doing: or to say, this may be done, or it may not be done.

That we may knowe what this phrase meaneth (to be bound in conscience) we must in minde consider conscience a part by it selfe from the binding power power of Gods commandement. For then it hath libertie and is not bound either to accuse or excuse, but is apt to doe either of them indifferently: but whē the binding power is set once ouer the conscience, then in eueryevery action it must needes either accuse or excuse: euen as a man in a citie or towne hauing his libertie, may goe vp and downe or not goe, where and when he will: but if his bodie be attached by the magistrate and imprisoned, then his former libertie is restrained, he is bound and can goe vp and downe but within the prison, or some other allowed place.

The binder of conscience, is either proper or improper. Proper is that thing, which hath absolute and soueraigne power in it selfe to binde the conscience. And that is the word of God, written in the book of the old and new Testament. Reason I. He which is the Lord of conscience, by his word and lawes binds conscience: but God is the onelyonly Lord of conscience; because he once created it, and he alone gouernes it: and none but he knowes it: therefore his word and lawes onelyonly binde conscience properly. II. He which hath power to saue or destroy the soule for the keeping or breaking of his lawes, hath absolute power to bind the soule and conscience by the same lawes: but the first is true of God alone, Iam. 3. 12. There is one Lawgiuer which is able to saue and destroy. Esa. 33.22. The Lord is our iudge, the Lord is our lawgiuer, the Lord is our King, and he will saue vsus. Therefore the word of God alone by an absolute and soueraigne power binds conscience. Because this point is cleare of it selfe, further proofe is needlesse.

Hence we are taught sundrie points of instruction. I. Such as are ignorant among vsus must labour to get knowledge of Gods word, because it binds conscience. Neither will the plea of ignorance serue for excuse: because, whether we know Gods lawes or know them not, they stil bind vsus, And we are bound not onelyonly to doe them, but when we know them not, we are further bound not to be ignorant of them, but to seeke to know them. If we had no more sinnes, our ignorance were sufficient to condemne vsus. II. Gods word is to be obeyed, though we should offend all men, yea loose all mens fauour, and suffer the greatest domage that may be, euen the losse of our liues. And the reason is at hand; because Gods word hath this prerogatiue to bridle, binde, and restraine the conscience. III. Whatsoeuer we enterprise or take in hand, we must first search whether God giuegive vsus libertie in conscience, and warrant to doe it. For if we doe otherwise, conscience is bound presently to charge vsus of sinne before God. Lastly, we doe here see how daungerous the case is of all Time-seruers that will liue as they list, and be of no certen religion till differences and dissentions therein be ended, and they hauehave the determination of a generall Councill: for whether these things compasse or no, certen it is that they are bound in conscience to receiue and beleeue the auncient, Propheticall, and Apostolicall doctrine touching the true worship of God and the way to life euerlasting, which is the true religion. The same is to be said of all drowsie Protestants, and luke-warme gospellers, that vse religion not with that care and conscience they ought, but onelyonly then and so farre forth as it serues for their turnes, commonly neglecting or despising the assemblies where the word is preached: and seldome frequenting the Lords table vnlesse it be at Easter. Like silly wretches they neither see nor feele the constraining power, that Gods word hath in their consciences.

Gods word is either Law, or Gospell. The Law is a part of Gods word of things to be done, or to be left vndone. And it is threefolde: Morall, Iudiciall, Ceremoniall.

§4. Of the moral law binding.Morall lawe concernes duties of louelove, partly to God and partly towards our neighbour: it is contained in the Decalogue or ten commandements: and it is the very law of nature written in all mens hearts (for substance though not for the manner of propounding) in the creation of man: and therefore it bindes the consciences of all men at all times, euen of blind and ignorant persons that neither knowe the most of it nor care to knowe it. Yet here must be remembred three exceptions or cautions. I. When two commandements of the morall law are opposite in respect of vsus; so as we cannot doe them both at the same time: then the lesser commandement giues place to the greater, and doth not binde or constraine for aThe morall law i. vnchangeable in respect of that eternall iustice which it prescribeth, yet it is changeable as it is applied to some particular actions and cases, and in that respect it admits a dispensation, and no otherwise.that instant. Example. I. God commaunds one thing, and the magistrate commands the flat contrarie; in this case which of these two commandements is to be obeyed, b1. Com.Honour God, or, c5. Com.Honour the Magistrate? the answer is, that the latter must giuegive place to the former, and the former alone in this case must be obeyed. Act. 4.19. Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God, iudge ye. II. The fourth commandement prescribes rest on the Sabbath day: now it falls out that at the same time a whole towne is set on fire, and the sixt commandement requires our help in sauing our neighbours life and goods. Nowe of these two commandements which must be obeied? for both cannot. The answer is, that the fourth commandement at this time is to giuegive place, and the sixt commandement alone bindes the conscience: so as then (if neede should require) a man might labour all the day without offence to God. Math. 9.13. I will hauehave merciemercy and not sacrifice. And the rule must not be omitted, That charitie towards our neighbour is subordinate to the LoueLove of God, and therefore must giuegive place to it. For this cause the commandement concerning charitie must giuegive place to the cō mandement concerning louelove to God: and when the case so falls out, that wee must either offend our neighbour or God, we must rather offend our neighbour then God.

II. Caution. When God giues some particular commandement to his people, therein dispensing with some other commandement of the moral law: for that time it bindes not. For euen the morall commandements must be cō ceiued with this condition, Except God command otherwise. Example. I. The sixt commandement is, Thou shalt not kill: but God giues a particular commandement to Abraham. Abraham offer thy sonne Isaac in sacrifice to me. And this latter commandement at that instant did binde Abraham: and he is therefore commended for his obedience to it. II. And when God commanded the children of Israel to compasse Ierico seuen daies and therefore on the Sabbath, the fourth commaundement prescribing the sanctifying of rest on the Sabbath, for that instant and in that action did not bind conscience.

III. Caution. One and the same commandement in some things binds the conscience more straitly, and in doing some other things lesse, Gal. 6.10. Doe good to all men, but specially to them which are of the houshold of faith. Hence it ariseth, that though all sinnes be mortall and deserue eternal death, yet all are not equall, but some more grieuous then others.

Iudiciall lawes of Moses are all such as prescribe order for the executiō of iustice and iudgement in the common wealth.§5. Of Iudicialls binding. They were specially giuen by God, and directed to the Iewes: who for this very cause were bound in conscience to keepe them all: and if the common wealth of the Iewes were nowe standing in the old estate, no doubt they should cōtinue stil to bind as before.

But touching other nations and specially Christian common wealths in these daies, the case is otherwise. Some are of opinion, that the whole iudiciall lawe is wholly abolished: and some againe runne to the other extreame, holding that iudiciall lawes bind Christians as straightly as Iewes: but no doubt they are both wide: and the safest course is to keepe the meane between both. Therefore the iudiciall lawes of Moses according to the substance and scope thereof must be distinguished; in which respect they aIuris particularis.are of two sorts. Some of them are lawes of particular equitie, some of bIuris communis.common equitie. Lawes of particular equitie, are such as prescribe iustice according to the particular estate and condition of the Iewes common wealth and to the circumstances thereof: time, place, persons, things, actions. Of this kind was the law, that the brother should raise vp seed to his brother, and many such like: and none of them bind vsus, because they were framed and tempered to a particular people.

Iudicialls of common equitie are such as are made according to the lawe or instinct of nature cōmon to all men: & these, in respect of their substance, bind the consciences not onelyonly of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles: for they were not giuen to the Iewes as they are Iewes, that is, a people receiued into the Couenant aboue all other nations, brought from Egypt to the land of Canaan, of whome the Messias according to the flesh was to come: but they were giuen to them as they were mortall men subiect to the order and lawes of nature as all other nations are. Againe iudiciall lawes, so farre forth as they hauehave in them the generall or common equitie of the law of nature are moral; and therefore binding in conscience, as the morall lawe.

A iudiciall lawe may be known to be a law of common equitie, if either of these two things be found in it. First, if wise men not onelyonly among the Iewes, but also in other nations hauehave by naturall reason and conscience iudged the same to be equall, iust, and necessarie: and withall, hauehave iustified their iudgement by enacting laws for their common wealths, the same in substance with sundrie of the iudicial lawes giuen to the Iewes: and the Romane Emperours among the rest, hauehave done this most excellently, as will appeare by conferring their lawes with the lawes of God. Secondly a Iudicial hath common equitie, if it serue directly to explane and confirme any of the ten precepts of the Decalogue: or, if it serue directly to maintaine and vpholde any of the three estates of the family, the common wealth, the Church. And whether this be so or no, it will appeare, if we doe but consider the matter of the law, and the reasons or considerations vponupon which the Lord was mooued to giuegive the same vntounto the Iewes. Nowe to make the point in hand more plaine, take an example or two. It is a iudiciall lawe of God that murderers must bee put to death: now the question is, whether this lawe for substance be the common equitie of nature binding consciences of Christians or no? & the answer is, that without further doubting it is so. For first of all, this lawe hath beene by common consent of wise law-giuers enacted in many countries and kingdomes beside the Iewes. It was the lawe of the Egyptians and aEurip. in Hecuba. Theodos. & Arcad l. 3. c. de Epis…. audien.olde Grecians, of Draco, of Numa, and of many of the Romane Emperours. Secondly this lawe serues directly to maintaine obedience to the sixt commandement: and the consideration vponupon which the lawe was made is so weightie, that without it a commonwealth cannot stand. The murderers blood must bee shedde (saith the Lord, Num. 35.33.34.) because the whole land is defiled with blood, and remaineth vncle…sed till his blood be shed. Againe it was a iudiciall law among the Iewes, that the adulterer and adulteresse should die the death; nowe let the question be whether this lawe concerne other nations as being deriued from the common lawe of nature: and it seemes to bee so. For first wise men by the light of reason and naturall conscience hauehave iudged this punishment equall and iust. Iudah before this iudiciall lawe was giuen by Moses,Gen. …4. 28. appointed Tamar his daughter in law to be burnt to death for playing the whore. Nabuchadnezar burnt Echad and Zedechias because they committed adulterie with their neighbours wiues.Ier. 29. 23. Inst. ss. Item lex Iulian. publ. iudic. By Dracoes lawe among the Grecians this sin was death, and also by the law of the Romanes. Againe, this law serues directly to maintaine necessarie obedience to the seuenth commandement: and the considerations vponupon which this lawe was giuen are perpetuall, and serue to vphold the common wealth. Lev. 20.22. Ye (saith the Lord) shall keepe all mine ordinances and my iudgements (the law of adulterie being one of them.) Nowe marke the reasons. 1. Least the lād spue you out. 2. for the same sins I hauehave abhorred the natiōs.

…. Of the ceremoniall l…w bin…ing.The Ceremoniall lawe is that which prescribes rites and orders in the outward worship of God.

August. epist. 19. ad Hier.It must be considered in three times. The first is time before the comming and death of Christ: the second, the time of publishing the gospell by the Apostles: the third, the time after the publishing of the gospell.

In the first, it did binde the conscience of the Iewes, and the obedience of it was the true worship of God. But it did not then bind the consciences of the Gentiles: for it was the partition wall between them and the Iewes. And it did continue to bind the Iewes till the very death and ascension of Christ. For thē the hand writing of ordinances which was against vsus was nailed on the crosse and cancelled. And when Christ saith that the lawe and the Prophett indured til Iohn, Luk. 16.16. his meaning is not, that the ceremoniall law ended then: but that things foretold by the Prophets, & obscurely prefigured by the ceremoniall law, began then more plainely to be preached and made manifest.

The second time was from the ascension of Christ, til about the time of the destruction of the Temple and the Citie; in which, ceremonies ceased to bind conscience and remained indifferent. Hereupon Paul circumcised Timothie: the Apostles after Christs ascension, as occasion was offered were present in the Temple, Act. 3.1. And the Council of Hierusalem tendering the weaknes of some beleeuers, decreed that the Church for a time should abstaine from strangled and blood. And there was good reason of this, because the Church of the Iewes was not yet sufficiently conuicted that an end was put to the ceremoniall law by the death of Christ.

In the third time, which was after the publishing of the gospel, ceremonies of the Iewes Church became vnlawfull, and so shall continue to the worldes ende.

By this it appeares, what a monstrous and miserable religion the church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth; which standes wholly in ceremonies, partly heathenish and partly Iewish.

As for the Gospel, I take it for the part of the word of God which promiseth righteousnes and life euerlasting to all that beleeue in Christ,‖7. Of the gospel binding. and withall commandeth this faith.

That we may the better knowe, howe the gospell bindes conscience, two points must be considered; one touching the persons bound, the other touching the manner of binding.

Persons are of two sorts; some be called, some be vncalled. Persons called are all such to whome God in merciemercy hath offered the meanes of saluation, and hath reuealed the doctrine of the Gospell in some measure more or lesse by meanes either ordinarie or extraordinarie. All such I thinke are straightly bound in conscience to beleeue and obey the gospel. For that word of God whereby men shall be iudged in the day of iudgement, must first of all binde their consciences in this life, considering absolution and condemnation is according to that which is done in this life: but by the gospell, all men that hauehave beene called, shall be iudged as Paul saith, Rom. 2.16. God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ, according to my Gospell. And our Sauiour Christ saith, He that beleeueth hath life euerlasting, hee which beleeueth not is alreadie condemned. It remaines therefore, that the gospell bindes the consciences of such men in this life. By this very point we are all put in minde not to content our selues with this, that we hauehave a liking to the gospell, and doe beleeue it to bee true (though many protestants in these our daies thinke it sufficient both in life and death, if they hold that they are to be saued by faith alone in Christ without the merit of mans workes) but wee must goe yet further, and enter into a practise of the doctrine of the Gospel as wel as of the precepts of the morall lawe; knowing that the gospel doeth as well bind conscience as the law, and if it be not obeied will as well condemne.

Men vncalled, are such as neuer heard of Christ by reason the gospell was neuer reuealed vntounto them, nor meanes of reuelation offered. That there hauehave bin such in former ages, I make manifest thus. The worlde since the creation may be distinguished into foure ages. The first, frō the creation to the flood; the second, from the flood to the giuing of the Law: the third, from the giuing of the Lawe to the death of Christ: the fourth, from the death of Christ to the last iudgement. Nowe in the three former ages, there was a distinction of the world into two sorts of men, wherof one was a people of God, the other no-people. In the first age in the families of Seth, Noe, &c. were the sonnes of God; in all other families the sonnes of men, Gen. 6.2. In the second age were the sonnes of the flesh and the sonnes of the promise, Rom. 9.7. In the third, Iewes and Gentiles; the Iewes beeing the Church of God, all nations beside no-church. But in the last age this distinction was taken away when the Apostles had a commission giuen them that was neuer giuen before to any, namely, to goe teach not onelyonly the Iewes, but all nations. Now this distinction arose of this, that the Gospel was not reuealed to the world before the comming of Christ, as the Scriptures witnes. The prophet Esai saith, 52.14. that kings shall shut their mouthes at Christ, because that which had not bin told them they shal see, and that which they had not heard shall they vnderstand. And 55. 5. that a nation that knew him not shall runne vntounto him. Paul saith to the Ephesians that in former times they were without God, and without Christ, strangers from the couenāt, Eph. 2.12. And to the Athenians he saith, that the times before the comming of Christ were times of ignorance, Act. 17.30. And that it may not be thought that this ignorance was affected, Paul saith further that God in times past suffered the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies, Act. 14. 16. and that the mysterie of the Gospell was kept secret from the beginning of the world, and is now in the last age reuealed to the whole world, Rom. 16.25. Some alleadge that the Iewes beeing the church of God, had traffique with all nations, and by this means spred some little knowledge of the Messias through the whole world: I answer again that the conference and speach of Iewish marchants with forrainers was no sufficient means to publish the promise of saluation by Christ to the whol world: first because the Iewes for the most part hauehave alwaies bin more readie to receiue any new and false religion, then to teach their owne: secondly, because the very Iewes themselues, though they were well acquainted with the ceremonies of their religion, yet the substance thereof which was Christ figured by externall ceremonies, they knew not: and hereupon the Pharises when they made a Proselyte, they made him tenne times more the child of the deuill then themselues. Thirdly, because men are seldome or neuer suffered to professe or make any speach of their religion in forraine countries. Againe, if it be alleadged that the doctrine is set downe in the bookes of the old Testament, which men through the whole world might hauehave read, searched, and knowne if they would; I answer that the keeping of the bookes of the old Testament, was committed to the Iewes alone, Rom. 3.2. and therefore they were not giuen to the whole world, as also the Psalmist testifieth, He sheweth his word vntounto Iacob, Psal. 147.8.his statutes and his iudgements vntounto Israel: he hath not dealt so with eueryevery nation, neither hauehave they knowne his iudgements.

Now touching such persons as hauehave not so much as heard of Christ, though they are apt and fitte to be bound in conscience by the Gospell in as much as they are the creatures of God, yet are they not indeed actually bound till such time as the Gospel be reuealed or at the least meanes of reuelation offered. Reasons hereof may be these: I. Whatsoeuer doctrine or law doth bind conscience, must in some part be knowne by nature or by grace or by both: the vnderstanding must first of all conceiue, or at the least hauehave meanes of conceiuing, before conscience can constraine: because it bindeth by vertue of known cōclusions in the mind. Therfore things that are altogether vnknown and vnconceiued of the vnderstanding, doe not bind in conscience: now, the Gospel is altogether vnknowne and vnconceiued of many, as I hauehave alreadie prooued, and therefore it binds not them in conscience. II. Paul saith, Rom. 2.12. They which sinne without the law [written] shalbe condemned without the law: therefore they which sinne without the Gospel, shalbe condemned without the Gospel: and such as shalbe condemned without the Gospel after this life, were not bound by it in this life. Augustine the most iudiciall Diuine of all the auncient fathers vponupon these wordes of Christ,Ioh. 15.20. Aug. tract. 89. in Ioh. but now they hauehave no excuse for their sinne, saith on this manner: A doubt may be mooued whether they to whome Christ hath not come, neither hath spoken vntounto them, hauehave an excuse for their sinne. For if they hauehave it not, why is it said that these (namely the Iewes) hauehave no excuse because he came and spake to them? and if they hauehave it, whether it be that their punishment may be taken away quite, or in part lessened. To these demands to my capacitie as the Lord shall inable me I answer, that they to whome Christ came not, neither hath spoken vntounto them, hauehave an excuse not of eueryevery sinne but of this sinne, that they hauehave not beleeued in Christ. Againe, It remaines to inquire whether those, who before Christ came in his Church to the Gentiles, and before they heard his Gospell, hauehave bin or are preuented by death, may vse this excuse? Doubtles they may, but they shall not therefore escape damnation. For whosoeuer hauehave sinned without the law, shall perish without the law.

As for the reasons which some of the schoolemen hauehave alleadged to the contrarie, they are answered all by aTho. 22. q. 10. art. 1.men of the same order, and I will briefly touch the principall. First it is obiected, that the holy Gho…t shall iudge the world of sinne, because they hauehave not beleeued in Christ, Ioh. 16.9. I answer, that by the world we must not vnderstand all and eueryevery man since the creation, but all nations and kingdomes in the last age of the world, to whome the Gospel was reuealed. Thus hath Paul expounded this word, Rom. 11.12. The fall of them is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them is the riches of the Gentiles. v. 15. The casting of them away is the reconciling of the world. Secondly it is obiected, that the law binds all men in conscience, though the greatest part of it be vnknowne to them. Answ. The law was once giuen to Adam and imprinted in his heart in his first creation, and in him as beeing the roote of all mankind, it was giuen to all men: and as when he sinned all men sinned in him, so when he was enlightened all were enlightned in him, and consequently when his conscience was bound by the law, all were bound in him. And though this knowledge be lost by mans default, yet the bond remaines still on Gods part. Now the case is otherwise with the Gospel, which was neuer written in mans nature, but was giuen after the fall, and is aboue nature. Here a further replie is, made, that the couenant made with Adam, The seede of the woman shal bruise the serpents head, was also made with his seede which is all mankind, and was afterward continued with Abraham to all nations. I answer again, that Adam was a root of mankind onelyonly in respect of mans nature with the gifts and sinnes thereof: he was no roote in respect of grace which is aboue nature, but Christ the second Adam. And therefore when God gaue the promise vntounto him and faith to beleeue the promise, he did not in him giuegive them both to all mankinde: neither, if Adam had afterward fallen from faith in the Messias, should all mankind againe hauehave fallen in him. Moreouer that the promise of grace was not made to Adams seede vniuersally but indefinitely it appeares; because when God did afterward renew the couenant, he restrained it to the familie of Noe and Abraham… and in Abrahams familie it was restrained to Isaac, In Isaac (saith the Lord) shall thy seede be called: yea in the very tenour of the couenant there is a distinction made of the seede of the woman and the seede of the serpent; which seede of the serpent is a a1. Ioh. 3.8.part of mankind, and it is excluded from the couenant. And whereas the Lord promised to Abraham that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed, the promise must not be vnderstood of all men in eueryevery age, but of all nations in the last age of the world. And thus Paul hath cleared the text, Gal. 3. 8. The Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles through faith (which was done after Christs ascension) he preached before the Gospel to Abraham, In thee shall nations be blessed. Lastly, it may be obiected, that if any man be ignorant of the doctrine of saluation by Christ, it is through his owne fault: it is true indeede that all ignorance of the doctrine of saluation comes through mans fault & sinne: but sinne must be distinguished; it is either personall, or the sinne of mans nature. Now in them that neuer heard of Christ, their ignorance in this point proceedes not of any personall sinne in them, but onelyonly from the sinne of mans nature, that is, the first sinne of Adam common to all mankinde, which sinne is punished when God leaues men wholly to themselues. Now many things there be in men proceeding from this sinne, which neuerthelesse are no sinnes, as the manifold miseries of this life: and so I take the ignorance of things aboue mans nature altogether vnreuealed, to be no sinne but a punishment of originall sinne.

Thus much of the persons which are bound by the Gospel: now let vsus see how farre forth they are bound by it.

God in the Gospell generally reueales two points vntounto vsus: the first, that there is perfect righteousnes and life euerlasting to be obtained by Christ: the second, that the instrument to obtaine righteousnes and life eternall is faith in Christ. Moreouer when this Gospel is dispensed and preached vntounto vsus, God reueales vntounto vsus two points more: the first, that he will make vsus particularly to be partakers of true righteousnes and life euerlasting by Christ: the seco…d, that he will hauehave vsus without doubting to beleeue thus much of our selues. And for this cause eueryevery man to whome the Gospel is reuealed, is bound to beleeue his owne election, iustification, sanctification, and glorification in and by Christ. The reasons and grounds of this point out of the word of God are these: I. 1. Ioh. 3.23. This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ, and louelove one another as he gaué vsus commandement. Now to beleeue in Christ, is not confusedly to beleeue, that he is a Redeemer of mankind, but withall to beleeue that he is my Sauiour, and that I am elected, iustified, sanctified, and shall be glorified by him. This is graunted of all men, yea of the Papists themselues, which otherwise are enemies of this doctrine. For Lumberd saith,Lumb. lib. 3. dist. 23. To beleeue in God is by beleeuing to louelove, and as it were to goe into God: by beleeuing to cleaue vntounto him, and as it were to be incorporate into his members. II. Paul, Gal. 2. 16. …irst of all propounds a generall sentence, That a man is not iustified by the workes of the law, but by the faith of Christ. Afterward he addes a speciall application, Euen we (namely Iewes) hauehave beleeued in Iesus Christ, that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ: and in v. 20. he descends more specially to applie the Gospel to himselfe, I liue (saith he) by the faith of the Sonne of God, who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me. And in this kinde of application there is nothing peculiar to Paul, for in this very action of his, he auoucheth himselfe to be an example vntounto vsus, 1. Tim. 1. 16. For this cause (saith he) was I receiued to merciemercy, that Iesus Christ should shew first on me all long suffering vntounto the ensample of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him to eternall life. Againe, Philip. 3.8. he saith, I thinke all things but losse, that I might winne Christ, and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes, but that which is through the faith of Christ, that I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection: & afterward he addeth, v. 15. Let vsus as many as be perfect be thus minded. III. Whatsoeuer we pray for according to Gods will, we are bound to beleeue that it shall be giuen vntounto vsus, Mark. 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye desire when ye pray, beleeue that ye shall hauehave it, and it shall be done vntounto you. But we pray for the pardon of our sinnes, and for life euerlasting by Christ; and that according to the will of God. Therefore we are bound in conscience to beleeue the pardon of our sinnes and life euerlasting. IV. If God should speake particularly to any man, and say vntounto him, Cornelius, or Peter, beleeue thou in Christ, and thou shalt be saued; this commandement should bind him particularly. Now when the Minister lawfully called, in the name and stead of God publisheth the Gospel to the congregation, that is as much as if God himselfe had spoken to them particularly, calling each of them by their names and promising vntounto them life euerlasting in Christ. 2. Cor. 5.20. We as ambassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you through vsus, pray you in Christs stead, that ye be reconciled to God.

It may be and is obiected, that if eueryevery man be bound in conscience to beleeue his owne Election and saluation by Christ, then some men are bound to beleeue that which is false, because some there be euen in the middest of the Church, which in the counsell of God were neuer chosen to saluation. I answer, that this reason were good, if men were bound absolutely to beleeue their saluation without further respect or condition: but the bond is conditionall, according to the tenour of the couenant of grace: for we are bound to beleeue in Christ, if we would come to life euerlasting, or if we would be in the fauour of God, or if we would be good disciples and members of Christ. I answer againe, that whatsoeuer a man is bound to beleeue, is true: yet not alwaies in the euent, but true in the intention of God that bindeth. Now the commaundement of beleeuing and applying the Gospell is by God giuen to all within the Church; but not in the same manner to all. It is giuen to the Elect, that by beleeuing they might indeede be saued; God inabling them to doe that which he commands. To the rest, whome God in iustice will refuse, the same commandement is giuen not for the same cause, but to another end, that they might see how they could not beleeue, and by this meanes be bereft of all excuse in the day of iudgement. God doth not alwaies giuegive commandements simply that they might be done, but sometimes for other respects, that they might be meanes of triall, as the commaundement giuen to Abraham of killing Isaac: againe that they might serue to keepe men at the least in outward obedience in this life, and stop their mouthes before the tribunall seat of God.

In that we are bound in conscience on this manner to beleeue the promises of the Gospel, with an application of the benefits thereof to our selues, sundry necessarie and profitable points of instruction may be learned. The first, that the Popish Doctours abolish a great part of the Gospel, when they teach that men are bound to beleeue the Gospel onelyonly by a Catholike faith, which they make to be nothing els but a gift of God, or illumination of the mind, whereby assent is giuen to the word of God that it is true; and more specially that Iesus is Christ, that is, an all-sufficient Sauiour of mankind. All which the damned spirits beleeue: whereas the Gospel for the comfort and saluation of mens soules, hath a further reach, namely to enioyne men to beleeue that the promise of saluation is not onelyonly true in it selfe, but also true in the very person of the beleeuer, as appeares euidently by the Sacraments which are as it were a visible Gospel, in which Christ with all his benefits is offered and applied to the particular persons of men: to this ende, no doubt, that they might beleeue the accomplishment of the promise in themselues.

Secondly, we learne that it is not presumption for any man to beleeue the remission of his owne sinnes: for to doe the wil of God to which we are boūd, is not to presume: now it is the will of God to which he hath bound vsus in conscience, to beleeue the remission of our owne sinnes: and therefore rather not doe it, is presumptuous disobedience.

Thirdly, we are here to marke and to remember with care, the foundation of the vnfallible certentie of mans saluation. For if man be bound in conscience first to giuegive assent to the Gospel, and secondly to applie it to himselfe by true faith, then without doubt a man by faith may be certenly perswaded of his owne Election and saluation in this life without any extraordinarie reuelation: Gods commandements beeing in this and the like cases possible. For commandements are either Legal or Euangelical. Legall shew vsus our disease, but giuegive vsus no remedie: and the perfect doing of them according to the intent of the Lawgiuer, by reason of mans weaknes and through mans default, is impossible in this world. As for Euangelical commandements, they hauehave this priuiledge, that they may and can be performed according to the intent of the Lawgiuer in this life: because with the commandement is ioyned the inward operation of the spirit in the elect, to inable them to effect the dutie cō maunded: and the will of God is not to require absolute perfection at our hands in the Gospel as in the law, but rather to qualifie the rigour of the law by the satisfaction of a Mediatour in our stead; and of vsus (we being in Christ) to accept the vpright will and indeauour for the deede; as the will to repent, and the will to beleeue, for repentance and true faith indeede. Now then, if things required in the Gospell, be both ordinarie and possible, then for a man to hauehave an vnfallible certentie of his owne saluation, is both ordinarie and possible. But more of this point afterward.

Lastly, all such persons as are troubled with doubtings, distrustings, vnbeleefe, despaire of Gods merciemercy, are to learne & consider that God by his word bindes them in conscience to beleeue the pardon of their owne sinnes be they neuer so grieuous or many, and to beleeue their owne election to saluation whereof they doubt. Men that are but ciuill hauehave care to auoid robbing and killing, because God giues commandements against stealing and killing: why then should not we much more striue against our manifold doubtings and distrustings of Gods louelove in Christ, hauing a commaundement of God that calls vponupon vsus and binds vsus to so.

Thus we see how Gods word bindes conscience: now conscience beeing thus bound, againe bindes the man in whome it is.

The bond of conscience is called guiltines. Guiltines is nothing else but a worke of the conscience, binding eueryevery sinner to the punishment of euerlasting death, before God for this or that sinne.

Thus much of the proper binder of the conscience: now followes the improper.

The improper binder is that which hath no power at all or vertue in it selfe to binde conscience: but doth it onelyonly by the authoritie and vertue of Gods word or some part thereof. It is threefold, Humane lawes, an Oath, a Promise.

Touching humane lawes, the speciall point to be considered is, In what manner they binde.§8. Of humane lawes binding. That this may in part be cleared, I will stand a while to examine and confute the opinion, that the very pillars of the Popish Church at this day maintaine; namely, that Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction hauehave a coactiue power in the conscience, and that the lawes made thereby doe as truly and properly binde (as they speake) to mortall and veniall sinne, as Gods law it selfe. The arguments which they commonly vse are these.

Argum. 1. Deut. 17. That man that will doe presumptuously, and not obey the aImperia.authoritie of the Priest, or Iudge, shall die: and thou shalt take away euill from Israel. Here (say they) the precepts of the high Priest arebprincely commandements. Imperia, not admonitions or exhortations, & they bind in conscience; otherwise the transgressours therof should not hauehave bin punished so seuerely. Ans. The intent of this law (as a very child may perceiue) is to establish the authoritie and right of the highest appeales for all matters of controuersie in the Synedrium or great court at Ierusalem. Therefore the words alleadged, doe not giuegive vntounto the Priest a soueraigne power of making laws, but a power of giuing iudgemēt of controuersies, & that according to laws alreadie made by God himself: frō which iudgemēt there might be no appeale. Now this power of determining doth not cō straine conscience, but the outward man to maintain order & peace. For what reason is there, that, that sentence, which might be either a gainsaying of Gods law, or a mistaking of it, should bind the conscience to a sinne Again, not eueryevery one that refused to subiect themselues to the sentence of this court, were straightway guiltie of sinne,Ier. 26.11, 15. (for this did Ieremie the Prophet, and Christ our Sauiour, when the Iewes condēned them for wicked persons) but he that presumptuously despised the sentence, and by consequent the authoritie it selfe, which was the ordinance of God, was guiltie. Lastly, the seueritie of the punishment, which is temporall death, doth not argue any power in the iudge of binding conscience:Lib. de vita Spirit. sect. 4 this they might hauehave learned of their owne Doctor Gerson, who holdeth that they that bind any man to mortall sinne, must be able to punish him with answerable punishment, which is eternall death.

Arg. 2. Matth. 16. Whatsoeuer ye shall bind in earth, shall be bound in heaven. Here (say they) to binde, is to make lawes constraining conscience according to Matth. 23.4. They binde heauie burdens, and lay them on mens shoulders. Ans. The soueraigne power of binding and loosing, is not belonging to any creature, but is proper to Christ, who hath the keyes of heauen and hell: he openeth and no man shutteth, he shutteth and no man openeth, Reuel. 3.5. As for the power of the Church, it is nothing but a ministerie or seruice whereby men publish and pronounce that Christ bindeth or looseth. Againe, this binding stands not in the power of making lawes, but in remitting and retaining of mens sinnes, as the words going before declare, v. 18. If thy brother sinne against thee, &c. and Christ sheweth his owne meaning when he saith, Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted, and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained, Ioh. 20. 23. hauing before in the person of Peter promised them this honour, in this forme of words, Math. 16. I will giuegive vntounto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vponupon earth, shall be bound in heauen. This which I say, is approoued by consent of auncient Diuines. August. Psal. 101. serm. 2. Remission of sinne (saith he) is loosing: therefore by the law of contraries, binding is to hold sinne vnpardoned. Hilar. vponupon Matth. cap. 18. Whome they binde on earth, that is (saith he) leaue vntied of the knottes of their sinnes. Lumberd the popish master of sentences,… The Lord, saith he, hath giuen to Priests power of binding and loosing, that is, of making manifest that men are bound or loosed. Againe both Origen, a… 18Augustine, andb… Ioh. Theophylact attribute the power of binding to all Christians, and therefore they for their parts, neuer dreamed that the power of binding should be an authoritie to make lawes. Lastly, the place Matth. 23.4. ouerturnes the argument, for there the Scribes and Pharises are condemned, because they laid vponupon mens shoulders the burdens of their traditions, as meanes of Gods worship and things binding conscience.

Argum. 3. Act. 15. It seemes good vntounto vsus and the holy Ghost, to lay no more burden on you then these necessarie things, that ye abstaine from things offered to idols, and blood, and that which is strangled, and fornication. Here (say they) the Apostles by the instinct of the holy Ghost make a new law not for this or that respect, but simply to bind consciences of the Gentiles, that they might be exercised in obedience. And this is prooued because the Apostles call this law a burden, and call the things prescribed necessarie, and S. Luke tearmes them, the commandements of the Apostles: and Chrysostome calls the Epistle sent to the Church, Imperium, that is, a lordly charge. To this they adde, the testimonies of Tertullian, Origen, Augustine. Ans. Though all be graunted that the law is a burden imposed, a precept of the Apostles, a charge; againe, that things required therein are necessarie: yet will it not follow by good consequent, that the law simply bindes conscience; because it was giuen with a reseruation of Christian libertie, so as out of the case of scandall, that is, if no offence were giuen to the weake Iewes, it might freely be omitted. And that will appeare by these reasons. First of all Peter saith, that it is a tempting of God, to impose vponupon the Gentiles the yoke of Iewish ceremonies: he therefore must needs be contrarie to himselfe, if he intend to binde mens consciences to abstinence from strangled, blood, and things offered to idols. A replie is made, that this abstinence is prescribed not by the auncient law of Moses, but by a new Ecclesiasticall or Apostolicall authoritie. I answer againe, that a Mosaicall ceremonie is still the same thing, though it be stablished by a new authoritie. And whereas Christ by his death put an ende to the ceremoniall lawe, it is absurd to thinke that the Apostles by their authoritie reuiued some part of it againe, & bound mens consciences thereto. Secondly the Church of God in all places suffered this commandement to cease, which the faithfull seruants of God would neuer hauehave done, if they had beene perswaded that this law had bound conscience simply. It is aunswered, that this lawe ceased not because the giuing of offence vntounto the Iewes ceased, but because it ceased vniuersally: yea but it could not hauehave ceased vniuersally, if it had bound conscience, specially considering it was propounded to the Church without any mention or limitation of time. Thirdly Paul was present in this counsell: and knew the intent of the law very well, and therefore no doubt hee did not in any of his Epistles gaine-say the fame. This beeing graunted, it cannot bee, that this lawe should bind conscience out of the case of offence.1. Cor. 8.9 For hee teacheth Corinthians that things offered to idols may be eaten, so be it the weake brother be not offended. Here it is answered, that when Paul writ his first Epistle to the Corinthians, this commandement of the Apostles touching things strangled & blood was not come vntounto them. Wel, to grant all this, which can not be prooued, let it be answered, why Paul did not nowe deliuer it, and why he deliuereth a doctrine cōtrarie to that which he had decreed at Ierusalem, which was that the Gentiles should absolutely abstaine from things offered to idolls. As for the testimonie of the fathers they are abused.Apol. c. 9. l. de pudicitia. Contra. Cels. lib. 8. Indeed Tertullian saith plainly, that Christians in his daies abstained from eating of blood, and he perswades men to continue in so doing, because he is of opinion (beeing indeede farre decei…ued) that this very lawe of the Apostles must last to the ende of the world: which cōceit if the Papists hold not, what mean they to build vpō him. Origē saith, that this law was very necessarie in his daies… and no maruell. For by Idolithytes he vnderstandes, not things that hauehave beene offered to idols, and are afterward brought to priuat houses or to the market as other common meats; but hee vnderstandes things that remaine consecrated to idols, and are no where else vsed but in their temples, which we graunt with him must for euer be auoided as meanes and instruments of Idolatrie. Whereas the lawe of the Apostles speakes onelyonly of the first kind. As for things strangled and blood, he takes them to be the deuils foode: and for this cause hee approoues abstinence from them. And whereas Augustine saith,Epist. 154. ad Publicolam. that it is a good thing to abstaine from things offered to idols, though it be in necessitie; hee must bee vnderstood of the first kind of Idolithytes which are yet remaining in the idol-temples still consecrated vntounto them, and not of the second, of which the Apostles law (as I hauehave said) must be vnderstood.

Argum. 4. Ioh. 21. Christ saith to Peter, (foreign) feed my sheep: that is, (as the word importeth) feed and rule my sheepe. Ans. This feeding and ruling stands not in making newe lawes, but in teaching and gouerning the Church of god according to the doctrine which they had receiued from Christ. And this action of feeding is ascribed to all Christians Reuel. 3.27. Who cannot therevpon chalenge a power of making lawes to the conscience.

Argum. 5. Ioh. 20. As my father sent me, so I send you: but Christ was sent of his father not onelyonly with power of preaching and ministring the Sacraments, but also with authoritie of commanding and giuing iudgement. Answ. If this kind of reasoning may stand, all the Apostles shall be made redeemers; for they were all sent as Christ was: and hee was sent not onelyonly to preach the redemption of mankind, but also to effect and work the same. If this be absurd, then it is a flat abusing of Scripture to gather from this saying of Christ, that the Apostles had power of binding conscience because he had so. It is true indeede that there is a similitude or analogie betweene the calling of Christ and his Apostles; but it wholly standes in these points. Christ was ordained to his office before all worldes, and so were the Apostles: Christ was called of his father immediatly, and so were they of Christ: Christ was sent to the whole world, and so were they: Christ receiued all power in heauen and earth as beeing necessarie for a Mediatour: and they receiued an extraordinarie authority from him with such a plentifull measure of the spirit as was necessarie for the Apostilicall function. Lastly Christ was sent euen as he was man to bee a teacher of the Iewes: and therefore hee is called the minister of circumcision, Rom. 15.8. and so the Apostles are sent by him to teach the Gentiles. Thus farre is the comparison to bee enlarged, and no further. And that no man might imagine that some part of this resemblance standes in a power of binding conscience, Christ hath put a speciall exception, when he saith, Go teach all nations, teaching them to obserue all things that I hauehave commanded you, and not commandements of your owne.

Argum. 6. Rom. 13. Whosoeuer resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and, they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement: and, ye must be subiect not onelyonly for wrath, but also for conscience sake. Ans. Magistracie indeede is an ordinance of God to which we owe subiection, but how farre subiection is due there is the question. For bodie and goods and outward conuersation, I grant all: but a subiection of conscience to mens laws, I denie. And between these two there is a great difference; to be subiect to authoritie in conscience, & to be subiect to it for conscience, as will be manifest if wee doe but consider the phrase of the Apostle, the meaning whereof is… that wee must performe obedience not onelyonly for anger, that is, for the auoiding of punishment, but also for the auoiding of sinne, and so by consequent for auoiding a breach in conscience. Now this breach is not properly made because mans law is neglected, but because Gods lawe is broken which ordaineth magistracie, and withall bindes mens consciences to obey their lawefull commandements. And the damnation that is due vntounto men for resisting the ordinance of god, comes not by the single breach of magistrats commandement, but by a transgression of the lawe of God which appointeth magistrates and their authoritie. To this answer Papists replie nothing that is of moment. Therefore I proceed.

Argum. 7.1. Cor. 4. What will you that I come vntounto you with a rod, or in the spirit of meekenes? Nowe this rod is a iudiciall power of punishing sinners. Answ. For the regiment and protection of Gods Church, there bee two rods mentioned in Scripture: the rod of Christ, and the Apostolicall rodde. The rod of Christ is tearmed a rod of yron, or, the rod of his mouth; and it signifies that absolute and soueraigne power which Christ hath ouer his creatures, whereby he is able to conuert and saue them, or to forsake and destroy them. And it is a peculiar priuiledge of this rod, to smite and wound the conscience. The Apostolicall rod was a certaine extraordinarie power whereby God inabled to plague and punish rebellious offenders with grieuous iudgements, not in their soules but in their bodies alone. With this rod Paul smote Elimas blinde, and Peter smote Ananias and Saphira with bodily death. And it may bee that Paul by his power did giuegive vp the incestuous man, when hee was excommunicate, to be vexed in his bodie and tormented by the deuil: but that by this rod the Apostles could smite conscience, it can not be prooued.

Argum. 8.1. Tim. 3. Paul made a lawe that none hauing two wiues should be ordained a bishop: nowe this lawe is positiue and Ecclesiasticall and binds conscience. Answer. Paul is not the maker of this lawe, but God himselfe, who ordained that in marriage not three but two alone should be one flesh: & that they which serue at the altar of the Lord, should be holy. And to graunt that this lawe were a new law beside the written word of God, yet doth it not follow that Paul was the maker of it: because he vsed not to deliuer any doctrine to the Churches but which he receiued of the Lord.

Argum. 9. Luk. 10. He which heareth you, heareth me. Ans. These words properly concerne the Apostles, and doe not in like manner belong to the Pastours and teachers of the Church. And the end of these words is not to confirme any Apostolicall authoritie in making lawes to the conscience; but to signifie the priuiledge which hee had vouchsafed them aboue all others, that he would so farre forth assist them with his spirit, that they should not erre or be deceiued in teaching and publishing the doctrine of saluation, though otherwise they were sinfull men: according to Math. 10. It is not you that speake, but the spirit of my father which speaketh in you. And the promise to be lead into all trueth, was directed vntounto them.

Argum. 10.1. Cor. 11. I praise you that you keepe my commandements. Answ. Paul deliuered nothing of his owne concerning the substance of the doctrine of saluation and the worship of God, but that which he receiued from Christ. The precepts here meant are nothing els but rules of decency and comely order in the congregation: and though they were not to be obeyed, yet Pauls meaning was not to bind any mans conscience therewith. For of greater matters he saith, This I speake for your commoditie, & not to intangle you in a snare. 1. Cor. 7.35.

Argum. 11. Councels of auncient fathers when they commaund or forbid any thing, doe it with threatning of a curse to the offenders. Ans. The Church in former time vsed to annexe vntounto her Canons the curse anathema, because things decreed by them were indeede, or at the le…st thought to be the will & worde of God: and they had respect in the saying of Paul, If any teach otherwise though hee bee an angel from heauen, let him bee accursed. Therefore Councels in this action were no more but instruments of God to accurse those, whome he first had accursed.

Argum. 12. An act indifferent if i… be commanded, is made necessarie: and the keeping of it is the practise of vertue, therefore eueryevery lawe bindes conscience to a sinne. Ans. An act in it selfe indifferent being commanded by mans law, it is not made simply necessarie, for that is as much as Gods law doeth or can doe, but onelyonly in some part, that is, so farre forth as the saide act or action tends to maintaine and preserue the good ende for which the lawe is made. And though the action be in this regard necessarie; yet doeth it still remaine indifferent, as it is considered in it selfe out of the ende of the lawe: so as if peace, the common good, and comely order may bee maintained and all offence auoided by any other meanes, the act may be done or not done without sinne before God. For whereas God himselfe hath giuen libertie and feedom in the vse of things indif…erent, the lawe of man doeth not take away the same but onelyonly moderate and order the ouercommon vse of it for the common good.

Argum. 13. The fast of lent stands by a lawe and commandement of men… and this law binds conscience simply: for the auncient fathers hauehave called it a Tradition Apostolicall, and make the keeping of it to bee necessarie, and the not keeping of it a sinne, and punish the offenders with excommunication. Ans. It is plaine to him that will not be obstinate, that Lent fast was not commanded in the primitiue Church, but was freely at mens pleasures, and in seuerall Churches diuersly both in regard of space of time, as also in respect of diuersitie of meates. Ireneus in his epistle to Victor cited by Eusebius saith,Eus. l. 5.26. Sozom. l. 7. cap. 19. Some hauehave thought that they must fast one daie, some two daies, some more, some 40. houres daie and night, which diuersitie of fasting commendeth the vnitie of faith. Spiridion a good man did eate flesh in Lent, and caused his guest to doe the same, and this he did vponupon iudgement, because he was perswaded out of gods word, that to the cleane all things were cleane. And Eusebius recordes, that Montanus the hereticke was the first that prescribed solemne and set lawes of fasting. And whereas this fast is called Apostolicall tradition, it is no great matter, for it was the manner of the auncient Church in former times to tearme rites and orders Ecclesi…sticall not set downe in Scriptures Apostolicall orders, that by this meanes they might commend them to the people: as Ierome testifieth,Hier. epist 118. ad Luc. Serm. de Temp. 62. Epist. … 6… Chrys. on Math. hom. 47. EueryEvery prouince (saith he) may thinke the constitutions of the Ancestours to be Apostolicall lawes. And whereas it is said to be a sinne not to fast in Lent (as Augus…ine speaketh) it is not by reason of any commandement binding conscience, for Augustine saith plainely, that neither Christ nor his Apostles appointed any set time of fasting: and Chrysostome, that Christ neuer commanded vsus to followe his fast; but the true reason hereof is borrowed from the ende. For the Primitiue Church vsed not the Popish fast, which is to eate whitmeate alone, but an abstinence from all meates vsed specially to mortifie the flesh and to prepare men before hand to a worthie receiuing of the Eucharist. And in regard of this good end was the offence. And wheras it is said that auncient fathers taught a necessitie of keeping this fast, euen Hierome whome they alleadge to this purpose saith the contrarie. For confuting the errour of Montanus who had his set time of fast to be kept of necessitie, he saith,Hieron. ad Marcel. de …ror, Mo… we fast in Lent according to the Apostles tradition as in a time meete for vsus: and we do it not, as though it were not lawfull for vsus to fast in the rest of the yere except Pentecost: but it is one thing to doe a thing of necessitie, & an other to offer a gift of free will. Lastly, excommunication was for open contempt of this order taken vp in the Church, which was, that men should fast before Easter for their further humiliation and preparation to the sacrament. So the 29. canon of the Councill of Gangres must be vnderstood. As for the Canons of the Apostles (so falsly called) and the 8. Councill of Toledo, I much respect not, what they say in this case.

Arg. 14. Gods authoritie binds conscience: magistrates authoritie is Gods authoritie: therefore magistrates authoritie binds conscience properly. Ans. Gods authority may be taken two waies: first for that soueraigne and absolute power which he vseth ouer all his creatures: secondly for that finit and limited power which he hath ordained that men should exercise ouer men. If the minor, namely that magistrates authoritie is Gods authoritie, be taken in the first sense, it is false: for the soueraigne power of God is incommunicable. If it be taken in the second sense, the proposition is false. For there be sundrie authorities ordained of God, as the authoritie of the father ouer a child, of the master ouer the seruant, the authority of the master ouer his scholler, which doe bind in conscience as the authoritie of Gods lawes doth.

By these arguments which I hauehave now answered, and by many other beeing but lightly skanned, it will appeare that necessarie obedience is to be performed both to ciuill and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction: but that they hauehave a constraining power to bind conscience and that properly as Gods laws doe, it is not yet prooued, neither can be; as I will make manifest by other arguments.

Arg. 1. He that makes a law binding conscience to mortall sinne, hath power, if not to saue, yet to destroy: because by sinne; which followes vponupon the transgression of his law, comes death and damnation. But God is the onelyonly Lawgiuer that hath this priuiledge; which is, after he hath giuen his law, vponupon the breaking or keeping thereof, to saue or destroy, Iam. 4. 12. There is one Lawgiuer that can saue or destroy. Therefore God alone makes lawes binding conscience properly, and no creature can doe the like. Answer is made that S. Iames speakes of the principall Lawgiuer, that by his owne proper authoritie makes laws, and doth in such manner saue and destroy, that he neede not feare to be destroied of any: and that he speakes not of secondarie lawgiuers that are deputies of God, & make laws in his name. I say againe that this answer stands not with the text… For S. Iames speakes simply without distinction, limitation, or exception: and the effect of his reason is this. No man at all must slaunder his brother, because no man must be iudge of the law: and no man can be iudge of the law, because no man can be a lawgiuer to saue or destroy. Now then where be those persons that shall make lawes to the soules of men, and bind them vntounto punishment of mortall sinne; considering that God alone is the sauing and destroying Lawgiuer.

Argum. 2. He that can make lawes as truly binding conscience as Gods lawes, can also prescribe rules of Gods worship: because to binde the conscience is nothing else but to cause it to excuse for things that are well done, and therefore truly please God; and to accuse for sinne whereby God is dishonoured: but no man can prescribe rules of Gods worship; and humane lawes as they are humane lawes, appoint not the seruice of God. Esa. 29. 13. Their feare towards me was taught by the precept of men. Mat. 15.6. They worship me in vaine teaching doctrines which are the commandements of men. Papists here make answer, that by lawes of men we must vnderstand such lawes as be vnlawfull or vnprofitable beeing made without the authoritie of God, or instinct of his spirit. It is true indeed that these commandements of men were vnlaweful: but the cause must be considered; they were vnlawfull not because they commanded that which was vnlawefull and against the wil of God, but because things in themselues lawefull were commanded as parts of Gods worship. To wash the outward part of the cup or platter, and to wash handes before meate, are things in respect of ciuil vse very lawfull, and yet are these blamed by Christ, and no other reason can be rendred but this; that they were prescribed not as things indifferent or ciuil, but as matters pertaining to Gods worship. It is not against Gods word in some politicke regards to make distinction of meates, and drinkes, and times: yet Paul calls these things doctrines of deuills, because they were commaunded as thinges wherein God should be worshipped.

Arg. 3. God hath now in the new Testament giuen a libertie to the conscience, whereby it is freed from all lawes of his owne whatsoeuer, excepting such lawes and doctrines as are necessarie to saluation, Col. 2. 10. If ye be dead with Christ, ye are free from the elements of the world. Gal. 5.1. Stand yee in the libertie wherewith Christ hath freed you, and be not againe intangled with the yoke of bondage. Now, if humane lawes made after the graunt of this libertie, binde conscience of themselues, thē must they either take away the foresaid liberty, or diminish the same; but that they cannot doe: for that which is graunted by an higher authoritie, namely God himselfe, cannot be reuoked or repealed by the inferiour authoritie of any man. It is answered, that this freedome is onelyonly from the bondage of sinne, from the curse of the morall lawe, from the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of Moses, and not from the lawes of our superiours. And I answer againe, that it is absurb to thinke that God giues vsus liberty in conscience from any of his owne lawes, and yet will hauehave our consciences still to remaine in subiection, to the lawes of sinnefull men.

Argum. 4. Whosoeuer bindes conscience, commandes conscience. For… the bond is made by a commandement vrging conscience to doe his dutie, which is to accuse or excuse for euill or well doing. Now Gods lawes command cō science in as much as they are spirituall, commanding bodie and spirit, with al the thoughts, will, affections, desires, and faculties, and requiring obedience of them all according to their kind. As for the lawes of men, they want power to command conscience. Indeed if it were possible for our gouernours by lawe to command mens thoughts and affections, then also might they command conscience: but the first is not possible, for their lawes can reach no further then the outward man, that is, to body and goods, with the speeches and deedes thereof: and the end of them all, is not to maintaine spirituall peace of conscience, which is betweene man and God, but onelyonly that externall and ciuill peace which is betweene man and man. And it were not meete that men should command conscience, which cannot see conscience and iudge of all her actions, which appeare not outwardly, and whereof there be no witnesses, but God and the conscience of the doer. Lastly, men are not fitte commaunders of conscience, because they are no Lordes of it, but God himselfe alone.

Argum. 5. Men in making lawes are subiect to ignorance and errour: and therefore when they hauehave made a lawe (as neere as possibly they can) agreeable to the equitie of Gods lawe, yet can they not assure themselues and others that they hauehave failed in no point or circumstance. Therefore it is against reason that humane lawes beeing subiect to defects, faults, errours, and manifold imperfections, should truely bind conscience, as Gods lawes doe, which are the rule of righteousnes. All gouernours in the world, (by reason that to their old lawes, they are constrained to put restrictions, ampliations, and modifications of all kinds, with new readings and interpretations) vponupon their daily experience see and acknowledge this to bee true which I say, sauing the Bishop of Rome (so falsly tearmed) which perswades himselfe to hauehave when he is in his consistorie, such an infallible assistance of the spirit, that he cannot possibly erre in iudgement.

Argum. 6. If mens lawes by inward vertue bindes conscience properly as Gods lawes, then our dutie is to learne, studie, and remember them as well as Gods laws, yea ministers must be diligent to preach them, as they are diligent in preaching the doctrine of the gospell: because eueryevery one of them bindes to mortall sinne, as the Papists teach. But that they should be taught and learned as Gods lawes, it is most absurd in the iudgement of all men, Papists thēselues not excepted.

Argum. 7. Inferiour authoritie cannot bind the superiour: nowe the courts of men and their authority are vnderunder conscience. For God in the heart of eueryevery man hath erected a tribunall seate, and in his stead hee hath placed neither Saint nor Angell, nor any other creature whatsoeuer, but conscience it selfe, who therefore is the highest Iudge that is or can be vnderunder God; by whose direction also courts are kept, and lawes are made.

Thus much of the Popish opinion: by which it appeares that one of the principall notes of Antichrist agrees fittely to the Pope of Rome. Paul, 2. Thess. 2. makes it a speciall propertie of Antichrist to exalt himselfe against or aboue all that is called God, or worshipped. Now what doth the Pope els, when he takes vponupon him authoritie to make such lawes as shall bind the cō science, as properly and truely as Gods lawes? and what doth he els when hee ascribes to himselfe power to free mens consciences frō the bond of such laws of God, as are vnchangeable; as may appeare in a Canon of the Councill of Trent: the words are these,Sess. 24. can. 3. If any shal say, that those degrees of consanguinitie that be expressed in L…uiticus, doe onelyonly hinder matrimonie to be made, and breake it being made, and that the Church cannot dispense with some of them, or appoint that more degrees may hinder or breake marriage, let him be accursed. O sacrilegious impietie! considering the lawes of affinitie and consanguinitie, Leuiticus 18. are not ceremoniall, or iudiciall lawes peculiar to the Iewes, but the very laws of nature. What is this Canon else, but a publike proclamation to the world, that the pope & church of Rome do sit as lords, or rather idols in the hearts & consciēces of men. This wil yet more fully appeare to any man, if we read popish bookes of practicall or Case-diuinitie, in which the common manner is, to binde conscience where God looseth it, and to loose where he binds: but a declaration of this, requires long time.

Now I come (as neere as possibly I can) to set down the true manner, how mens lawes by the common iudgement of Diuines may be said to binde conscience. That this point may be cleared, two things must be handled. By what meanes they binde, and How farre forth.

Touching the meanes, I set downe this rule. Wholesome lawes of men, made of things indifferent, so farre forth bind conscience by vertne of the generall commā dement of God, which ordaineth the Magistrates authoritie: that whoso…uer shall wittingly and willingly, with a disloyall minde, either breake or omit such lawes, is guiltie of sinne before.

By wholesome lawes, I vnderstand such positiue constitutions, as are not against the lawe of God, and withall tend to maintaine the peaceable estate and common good of men.

Furthermore I adde this clause, made of things indifferent, to note the peculiar matter whereof humane lawes properly intreat: namely such things as are neither expressely commanded or forbidden by God.

Now such kind of laws hauehave no vertue or power in thēselues to constraine conscience, but they binde onelyonly by vertue of an higher commandement. Let eueryevery soule be subiect to the higher powers, Rom. 13.1. or, Honour father and mother, Exod. 20. which commandements binds vsus in conscience to performe obedience to the goodlawes of men. As S. Peter saith, Submit your selues to eueryevery humane ordinance for the Lord. 1. Pet. 2.13. that is, for conscience of God, as he sayeth afterward, v. 19. whereby he signifieth two things: first that God hath ordained the authoritie of gouernours, secondly that he hath appointed in his word, and thereby bound men in conscience to obey their gouernours lawful commandements.

If the case fall out otherwise, as commonly it doeth, that humane lawes bee not inacted of things indifferēt, but of things that be good in themselues, that is, commanded by God, then are they not humane properly but diuine lawes. Mens lawes intreating of things that are morally good, and the parts of Gods worship, are the same with Gods lawes: and therefore bind conscience, not because they were inacted by men, but because they were first made by God: mē beeing no more but instruments and ministers in his name to reuiue, renewe, and to put in exequution such precepts and lawes as prescribe the worship of God, standing in the practise of true religion and vertue. Of this kinde are all positiue lawes touching articles of faith, and the duties of the morall law. And the man that breakes such lawes sinnes two waies, first because he breaks that which is in conscience a lawe of God, secondly because in disobeying his lawfull Magistrate, he disobeyes the generall commandement of God touching magistracie.

But if it shall fall out that mens lawes bee made of things that are euill and forbidden by God, then is there no bond of conscience at al; but contrariwise men are bound in conscience not to obey, Act. 4.19. And hereupon the three children are commended for not obeying Nabuchadnezzar, when he gaue a particular commandement vntounto them to fall downe and worship the golden image, Dan. 3.

Moreouer, in that mans law bindes not but by the authoritie of Gods law, hence it followes, that Gods law alone hath this priuiledge, that the breach of it should be a sinne. S. Iohn saith 1. epist. 3. Sinne is the anomie, or, transgression of the law, vnderstanding Gods law. When Dauid by adulterie and murder had offended many men, and that many waies, he saith Psal. 51. Against thee, against thee hauehave I sinned. And Augustine defined sinne to be some thing said, done, or desired against the lawe of God. Some man may say, if this bee so, belike then we may breake mens laws without sinne. I answer, that men in breaking humane lawes, both may and doe sinne; but yet not simply, because they break them, but because in breaking them, they doe also breake the lawe of God. The breach of a law must bee considered two waies. Frst as it is a trespasse, hinderance, iniurie, damage; and in this respect it is committed against mens lawes: secondly the breach of a lawe must be considered as it is finne, and so it is onelyonly against Gods lawe, which appoints obedience to the Magistrate.

The second point, namely, Howe farre forth mens lawes bind conscience, I explane on this maner. It is all that the lawes of God do or can doe, to binde conscience simply and absolutely. Therefore humane lawes binde not simply of themselues, but so farreforth as they are agreeable to Gods word, serue for the common good, stand with good order, and hinder not the libertie of cō science. The necessitie of the law ariseth of the necessitie of the good end therof. And as the ende is good and profitable more or lesse, so is the lawe it selfe necessarie more or lesse. Mens lawes are like their testimonies, which neither prooue nor disprooue of themselues, but borrow all the strength which they hauehave to constraine, from the trueth, wisdome, and fidelitie of them that beare witnesse.

Hence it followeth that a man may doe any thing beside humane lawes and constitutions without breach of conscience. For if we shall omit the doing of any law, I. without hinderence of the ende and particular considerations, for which the lawe was made: II. without offence giuing, as much as in vsus lieth: III. without contempt of him that made the lawe, wee are not to be accused of sinne. Example. In time of warre, the magistrate of a cittie commands that no man shall open the gates: the ende is, that the cittie & eueryevery member thereof may be in safetie. Now it falls out that certaine cittizens, beeing vponupon occasion without the cittie, are pursued by the enemie and in danger of their liues. Hereupon some man without any more adoe openeth the gate to reskue thē. The question is, whether he hauehave sinned or no. And the truth is, he hath not: because he did not hinder the ende of the lawe, but rather further it, and that without scandal to men, or contempt to the magistrate.

And this stands euen by the equitie of Gods word. God made a lawe, that the priests onelyonly should eate of the shewbread: now Dauid beeing no priest, did vponupon vrgent occasion eate of it without sinne. If this be true in Gods law, then it may also be true in the lawes of men, that they may in some cases be omitted without sinne against God.

Neither must this seeme straunge. For as there is a keeping of a law, and a breaking of the same; so there is a middle or meane action betweene them both, which is, to doe a thing aFacere aliquid praeter legem, non contratamē.beside the law, and that without sinne.

To proceede further, mens lawes be either Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall. Ciuill laws are for their substance determinations of necessarie and profitable circumstances, tending to vphold and maintaine the commandements of the second table. More specially they prescribe what is to be done, and what is to be left vndone, touching actions both ciuill and criminall, touching offices and bargaines of all sorts, &c. yea they conclude, inioyne, and command not onelyonly such affaires as be of small importance; but also things and actions of great waight, tending to maintaine common peace, ciuill societie, and the very state of the common wealth. Now such lawes bind so farre forth, that, albeit they be omitted without any apparant scandall or contempt, yet the breach of them is a sinne before God. Take this example. A subiect in this land vponupon pouertie, or vponupon a couetous minde, against the good law of the land, coynes money, which afterward by a sleight of his witte, is cunningly conueied abroad into the hands of men, and is not espied. Here is no euident offence giuen to any man, nor open contempt shewed to the lawgiuer: and yet in this action he hath sinned, in that closely otherwise then he ought to hauehave done, he hath hindred the good of the commonwealth; and robbed the soueraigne Prince of her right.

Ecclesiasticall lawes, are certaine necessarie and profitable determinations of circumstances of the commandements of the first table. I say here circumstances, because all doctrines pertaining to the foundation and good estate of the Church, as also the whole worship of God, are set downe and commaunded in the written word of God, and can not be prescribed and concluded otherwise by all the Churches in the world. As for the Creedes and Conf…ssions of particular Churches, they are in substance Gods word, and they bind not in conscience by any power the Church hath, but because they are the word of God.

The lawes then which the Church in proper speach is said to make, are decrees concerning outward order and comelines in the administration of the word and Sacraments, in the meetings of the congregation, &c. and such laws made according to the generall rules of Gods word, (which requires that all things be done to edification, in comelines, for the auoiding of offence) are necessarie to be obserued, and the word of God binds all men to them so farre forth as the keeping of them maintaines decent order, and preuents open offence. Yet if a law concerning some externall ri…e or thing indifferent, be at sometime or vponupon some occasion omitted; no offence giuen, nor contempt shewed to Ecclesiastical authoritie, there is no breach made in the conscience: and that appeares by the example before handled. The Apostles guided by the holy Ghost, made a decree for the auoiding of offence, necessarie to be obserued, namely that the Gentiles should abstaine from strangled & blood & Idolithytes: and yet Paul out of the case of scandall and contempt, permits the Corinthians to doe otherwise, 1. Cor. 8. and 9. which he would not hauehave done, if to doe otherwise out of the case of scandall and contempt, had bin sin.

Againe, laws are either mixt or meerely penall. Mixt, are such lawes as are of waightie matters, and are propounded in commaunding or forbidding tearmes: and they according to the good intention of the Lawgiuer, bind men first of all to obedience, for the necessarie good of humane societies; and secondly to a punishment, if they obey not, that a supplie may be made of the hindrance of the common good. In the breach of this kind of lawes, though a man be neuer so willing to suffer the punishment, yet that will not discharge his conscience before God, when he offends. If a man coyne money with this mind to be willing to die when he is conuicted, yet that wil not free him from a sinne in the action, because Gods law bindes vsus not onelyonly to subjection in bearing of punishments, but also to obedience of his bare commandement, it beeing lawfull; though he should set downe no punishment.

A law meerely penall is that, which beeing made of matters of lesse importance, and not vttered precisely in commanding tearmes, doth onelyonly declare and shew what is to be done, or conditionally require this or that with respect to the punishment, on this manner. If any person doe this or that, then he shall forfeit thus or thus. This kind of law bindes especially to the punishment, and that in the very intent of the lawgiuer, and he that is readie in omitting the law to pay the fine or punishment, is not to be charged with sinne before God: the penaltie beeing answerable to the losse that comes by the neglect of the law. Here a question may be demanded; whether a man that hath taken his oath to keepe all the laws or orders of any towne or corporation, and yet afterward omits the doing of some of them, be periured or no. The answer may be this, that the lawes of eueryevery societie and corporation must be distinguished. Some are very weightie (as I hauehave said) beeing of the very foundation and state of a bodie; so as it can not well stand without them: and whosoeuer wittingly and willingly breakes any of these (they beeing good and lawfull,) can not be freed from periurie. Againe there be lawes of lesser importance, that tend onelyonly to maintaine decent order and comelines in the societies of men; and they are of that nature that the estate of the corporation or towne may stand without them: and whosoeuer vponupon occasion omits the doing of any of these, is not therefore periured, so be it he carrie a loyall mind and be content to pay the fine or penaltie. For such kind of orders and constitutions, require first of all obedience; and if that be omitted, they require a mulct or fine; which, if it be willingly paied, the law is satisfied.

Thus we see how farre forth mens lawes bind conscience. The vse of this point is this: I. Hence we learne that the immunitie of the Popish cleargie, whereby they take themselues exempted from ciuill courts and from ciuill authoritie in criminall causes, hath no warrant: because Gods cōmandements binds eueryevery man whatsoeuer, to be subiect to the magistrate, Rom. 13.1. Let eueryevery soule be subiect to the higher powers. II. Hence we see also, what notorious rebells those are, that beeing borne subiects of this land, yet choose rather to die then to acknowledge (as they are bound in conscience) the Queenes; Maiestie to be supreame gouernour vnderunder God in all causes & ouer all persons. III. Lastly we are taught hereby to be willing to giuegive subiection, obedience, reuerence, and all other duties to Magistrates, whether they be superiour or inferiour: yea with chearefulnes to pay taxes and subsidies, and all such lawfull charges as are appointed by them. GiueGive to Cesar that which is Cesars, & to God that which is Gods. GiueGive to all men their duties: tribute to whom tribute: custome to whome custome. Rom. 13.7.

§9. Of an oath binding.Now follows the Oath, which is either assertorie, or promissorie. Assertorie, by which a man auoucheth that a thing was done or not done. Promissorie, by which a man promiseth to doe a thing or not to doe it. Of both these I meane to speake, but specially of the second. And here two points must be considered, the first by whāt meanes an oath bindeth, the second when it bindeth.

An oath bindeth by vertue of such particular commandements, as require the keeping of othes lawfully taken. Num. 30.3. Whosoeuer sweareth an oath to binde his soule by a bond, he shall not breake his word, but shall doe according to all that proceede out of his mouth.

This beeing so, a question may be made, whether the oathes of Infidels bind conscience, and by what vertue, cōsidering they neither know the Scriptures nor the true God. Ans. TheyaThus saith August. epist. 154. ad Publicolam. & Lumb. sent. l. 3. dist. 93. doe bind in conscience. For example: Iacob and Laban make a couenant confirmed by oath. Iacob sweares by the true God, Laban by the gods of Nachor, that is, by his idols. Now Iacob, though he approoue not the forme of this oath, yet he accepts it for a ciuill bond of the couenant: and no doubt, though Laban beleeued not Gods word reuealed to the Patriarkes, yet he was bound in conscience to keepe this oath euen by the law of nature: and though he knew not the true God, yet he reputed the false god of Nachor to be the true God. Gen. 31.53.

Againe, if a lawfull oath by vertue of Gods commandements bind conscience, then it must needes be that the Romane Church hath long erred, in that shee teacheth and maintaineth that gouernours,Tho. 2.2. q. 89. as namely the Pope and other inferiour Bishops, hauehave power to giuegive relaxations and dispensations, not onelyonly for oathes vnlawfull (from which the word of God doth sufficiently free vsus, though they should neuer giuegive absolution) but from a true and lawfull oath made wittingly and willingly without error or deceit, of a thing honest and possible; as when the Pope frees the subiects of this land, as occasion is offered, from their sworne allegiance and loyaltie to which they are bound, not onelyonly by the law of nature, but also by a solemne and particular oath to the Supremacie, which none euer deemed vnlawfull but such as carrie traytours hearts. Now this erronious diuinitie would easily be reuoked, if men did but consider the nature of an oath, one part whereof is Inuocation, in which we pray vntounto God, first that he would become a witnes vntounto vsus that we speake the truth and purpose not to deceiue: secondly if we faile and breake our promise, that he would take reuenge vponupon vsus: and in both these petitions we bind our selues immediatly to God himselfe: and God againe who is the ordainer of the oath, accepts this bond and knits it by his commandement, till it be accomplished. Hence it follows, that no creature can hauehave power to vntie the bond of an oath that is truly and lawfully an oath, vnlesse we will exalt the creatures aboue God himselfe. And the Iewish teachers gaue better counsell when they commanded the people to performe their oathes to the Lord, for the preuenting of periurie, and our Sauiour Christ in that gainesaies them not. Math. 5.33.

Next let vsus consider the time when an oath bindeth or bindeth not.

An oath bindeth then, when it is made of things certen and possible, in truth, iustice, iudgement, for the glorie of God & the good of our neighbour.

Quest. I. Whether doth an oath bind conscience if by the keeping of it there follow losses and hindrances? Ans. If it be of a thing that is lawfull, and the damages be priuate to him that sweareth, then doth it bind conscience. For example: A man makes a purchase of land at the sea side: his bargaine is confirmed onelyonly by oath: and it falls out that before he doe enter possession, the sea breakes in and drownes a part of that purchase. Now he is in conscience to stand to his bargaine, because the thing is lawfull, and the damage is priuate, and great reuerence must be had of the name of God, which hath bin vsed in the bargaine making. Dauid makes it the propertie of a good man, to sweare to his owne hindrance and not to change, Psal. 15.4.

Quest. II. Whether the oath which a man hath taken, beeing induced therto by fraud and guile, doth bind conscience. Ans. If it be still of a thing lawfull, and bring nothing but priuate losses, it is to be kept. When the Gibeonites had by a fraud brought Iosua to make a league with them, and to bind it with an oath; he and the Princes of the people answer them thus: We hauehave sworne vntounto them by the Lord God of Israel, now therefore we may not touch them, Ios. 9. 19. And 300. yeares after, when Saul slue certaine of the Gibeonites against this oath, the plague was vponupon the people of Israel three yeares, and was not staied till certaine persons of Sauls familie for a recompence were put to death. 2. Sam. 21.7.

Quest. III. Whether an oath made by feare or compulsion bind in conscience. For example: A thiefe disappointed of the bootie which he looked for, bindes the true man by solemne oath vponupon paine of present death to fetch and deliuer vntounto him some portion of money, as one 100. or 200. crownes for the redeeming of his life. Well, the oath is taken, and the question is; whether it bind him or not to performe his promise. An answer may be this: some aP. Mart. class. 2. loc. 13. n. 21. Melanct. in E…h. quaest. de iuram.Protestant diuines thinke it doth bind: some againe thinkebCalv. vponupon Psal. 15. no: but I take it the safest course to hold the meane betweene both, on this manner. The oath seemes to binde, and is to be performed: neither is it against the good of the common-wealth (for then it were vnlawfull) but it is rather a furtherance in that a member thereof is preserued: and the losses which follow are onelyonly priuate to the man, rather to be endured then losse of life. Yet that a remedie may be had of this priuate iniurie, and that a publike mischiefe may be preuented, the partie is to reueale the matter to the Magistrate, whose office it is to punish robbers and to order all things according to equitie for the common good. But if the case fal out, that the man through exceeding feare doe further sweare to keepe silence, I see not how his oath may be kept, except he be sure that nothing will ensue thereof, but a priuate domage to himselfe. For otherwise perpetuall silence seemes to be a secret consenting to the robber, and an occasion that others fall into the like danger and hazard of their liues.

Againe, in sixe cases an oath bindes nothing at all. I. If it be made of a thing that is flat against the word of God. For all the power of binding which it hath is by the word of God: and therefore when it is against Gods will, it hath no power to constraine. And it is an old receiued rule, that an oath must not be a bond of iniquitie. Hereupon Dauid when he made a rash oath to kill Nabal and all his houshold, reioyced when he had occasion offered by Abigail to breake the same, 1. Sam. 23.32. And though he sware to Shemi, that he would saue his life, 2. Sam. 19. 23. yet afterward vponupon better consideration (as it may seeme) he commaunded his sonne Salomon to put him to death, as one that had long ago deserued the same. 1. King. 2.9. And Herod was farre deceiued, that thought he was bound by his oath to giuegive to the damsell Iohn Baptists head in a platter, Matth. 14.7. II. If it be against the good and wholesome laws of any kingdome or countrey, whereof a man is a member, it bindes not at all: because on the contrarie Gods commandement bindes vsus to keepe the good laws of men. III. If it be made by such persons as want sufficient reason and discretion, as young children, fooles, madde men. For the conscience can not indeede be bound where the vnderstanding can not discerne what is done. IV. If it be made of such as hauehave no power to bind themselues, it binds not: because it is made against the law of nature, which is, thataQui sui iuris n… est obligare se non potest. he which is not in his owne power can not binde himselfe. Hence it follows, that Papists erre grossely when they teach, that a childbBellar. lib. 2. de Mon. cap. 36. may enter into any rule or order of religion, yea binde himselfe thereto by oath, and the oath to be good, flat against his parents consent. Num. 30.4. If a woman vow vntounto the Lord, and binde her selfe by a hond, beeing in her fathers house in the time of her youth, &c. v. 6. If her father disallow her the same day that he heareth all her vowes and bonds, they shall not be of value. And an ancient Council decreed that all children that vponupon pretence of Gods worship should depart from their parents, Conci. Gang. cap. 16.and not doe them due reuerence, should be accursed. Secondly they erre in that they teach that the promise made priuately by a child in way of marriage, without and against consent of wise and careful parents, binds them: whereas indeed if this promise were further bound by an oth, it could not stand: because children vnderunder gouernment and tuition of parents, can not giuegive themselues. V. It bindes not if it be made of a thing that is out of a mans power, as if a man sweare to his friend to giuegive him an other mans goods. VI. If at the first it were lawfull, and afterward by some meanes become either impossible or vnlawfull, it binds not conscience. For when it becomes impossible, then we may safely thinke that God from heauen frees a man from his oath. And when it begins to be vnlawfull, then it ceaseth to bind, because the binding vertue is onelyonly in and from the word of God. For example: A king bindes himselfe by oath to a forraine Christian Prince to find him men and money to defend his people against all enemies. This oath is lawfull. Well, afterward the Prince becomes a professed enemie to him, his religion, and people: and then the kings oath becomes vnlawful & binds him not: because the word forbids that there should be any league of amitie with Gods enemies: though there may be leagues of concord with thē.

Seeing a lawfull oath must bind conscience, though a man be deceiued & great losses follow, it shewes in how great reuerence we should hauehave Gods name, and with what care and consideration take an oath. And by this we must be aduertised to take heede of customable swearing in our cōmon talke, whether our oathes be great or small. We must thinke of an oath as a part of Gods worshippe: nay the holy Ghost often puts it for the whole worship of God. Esa. 19.18. In that day shall fiue cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and shall sweare by the Lord of hostes, that is, acknowledge and worship him. Ierem. 12.16. If they will learne the waies of my people, to sweare by my name, The Lord liueth, then shall they bee built in the middest of my people. This serues to shewe vntounto vsus, that such as giuegive themselues to swearing, want religion and good conscience: and that those families in which there is rifenesse of oathes, abandon all care of religion, and banish God out of their houses. And indeede it is a very hard thing for the common swearer to auoide common periurie. If we see a man hold vp his hand at the barre of an earthly iudge, wee pitie him and are sorrie for him: oh then why doe we not pittie blasphemers and common swearers. For with God they are no better then rebels, that hold vp their hands at the barre of his iudgement seat as guiltie malefactours. Exod. 20.7. Augustine saith well, They that worship stocks & stones feare to sweare fasly by stones, Serm. 30. de verbis Apostand doest thou not feare God that is present, God that liueth, God that knoweth, God that taketh reuenge of contemners? but of bad custome when thou art beleeued, thou swearest: when none requires it, thou swearest: and when men cannot abide it, thou swearest.

Thus much of an Oath: nowe followes a promise, which is either to God, or man: the first is called a vowe, the second a single promise.

A vowe is taken three waies. First generally for a promise of morall obedience; and this vowe is first made in Baptisme and continued in the Lords supper,§ 10. Of a vowe binding. as also in the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance. It is called of Peter 1. epist. 3.21. the stipulation which a good conscience makes to God.

This kinde of vowe bindes all and eueryevery member of the Church of God. And the not keeping of it is the common sinne of the world: for most men make not conscience to performe that which they hauehave promised to God in Baptisme: and therefore their Baptisme is become vntounto them the sacrifice of fooles, Eccl. 4.17. But considering we are bound in conscience by this vow, let vsus hereafter indeauour to be as good as our word; and that shall bee, when we begin to die to our sinnes and rise to newnesse of life. There is no man almost but will seeme to hauehave care to keepe touch with men; what a shame is it then for vsus not to keepe couenant with God.

Againe, a vowe is taken for a promise of ceremoniall obedience, whereof read Num. 6. and 30. and Leuit. 27. This vow is peculiar to the old testament, and did not bind all men, but onelyonly such as had peculiar occasion to vow, and thereupon bound themselues: as the Nazarites, and others.

Thirdly, a vowe is taken for the performance of some outward and bodily exercises taken vp of a mans owne accord, as beeing things in a mans owne libertie, without any commandement of god: as the keeping of set times of fast, of praying or reading, the performance of set taskes, almes giuing, abstinence from certaine meates and drinkes, in the vse whereof through our own weaknesse, we feare any occasion of sinne. And this kind of vowe is more peculiar to the new testament.

page missing dieth, but alwaies lies gnawing and grabbling, and pulling at the heart of man, Mark. 9.24. & causeth more paine and anguish, then any disease in the world can doe.

The time when conscience performes these actions, is not before the sinne or in the act of sinning, but especially after the sinne is done and past. Reason I. Before a man sinneth, the deuill doth extenuate the fault and make sinne to be no sinne. II. Corrupt affections doe for a time so blind and ouercast iudgment, that it doeth not see or at the least consider what is good or badde, till afterward.

Neither doth conscience accuse and condemne onelyonly for time present, but also long after a thing is done. The consciences of Iosephs brethren accused them 2…. yeares after they had sold him into Egypt, Gen. 42.21.

The effect of the accusing and condemning conscience, is to stirre vp sundrie passions and motions in the heart, but specially these fiue.

The first is shame, which is an affection of the heart, whereby a man is grieued and displeased with himselfe, that he hath done any euill: and this shame sheweth it selfe by the rising of the blood from the heart to the face.

Yet wee must here remember that euen such as hauehave the pardon of their sinnes, and are not guiltie, may be ashamed and blush, Rom. 6. 21. What fruite had ye in those things, whereat yee nowe blush, or, hee ashamed. Yet for all this, euen those which are most guiltie, may be without all shame, Ier. 6.15. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, nay; (they were not ashamed, neither could they hauehave any shame: because they are growne to some great height in sinne. Eph 4.18.

The second passion is sadnes and sorrowe: which is commonly thought to be nothing else but melancholie: but betweene them twaine, there is great difference. Sorrow, that comes by melancholy, ariseth only of that humour annoying the bodie: but this other sorrow ariseth of a mans sinnes, for which his cō science accuseth him. Melancholly may be cured by physicke: this sorrow can not be cured by any thing but by the blood of Christ.

The third is feare: in causing whereof conscience is very forcible. If a man had all the delights and pleasures that heart can wish, they can not doe him any good, if conscience be guiltie. Belshazzar when hee was in the middest of all his delights, and sawe the hand writing vponupon the wall, his countenance changed, his thoughts troubled him, his ioynts loosed, and his knees smote togither, Dan. 5.9. Yea the guiltie conscience will make a man afraid, if hee see but a worme peepe out of the ground: or a silly creature to goe crosse his way: or if hee see but his owne shadow on a suddain: or if he doe but forecast an euil with himselfe. Prou. 28.1. The wicked flieth when no man pursueth him.

Terrours of conscience, when they are more vehement cause other passions in the body, as exceeding heate, like that which is in the fitte of an ague, the rising of the entralls towardes the mouth: and souning: as experience hath often shewed. And the writer of the booke of wisdome saith truely, cap. 17.10. It is a fearefull thing when malice is condemned by her owne testimony: and a conscience that is touched, doeth euer forecast cruell things. For feare … nothing else, but the betraying of the succours, that reason offereth, &c. they that did endure the athe darknesse of Egypt.might that was intollerable, &c. sometimes were troubled with monstrous visions, and sometimes they swouned, as though their owne soules should betray them: for a sudden feare not looked for, came vponupon them.

The fourth is desperation, whereby a man through the vehement and constant accusation of his conscience, comes to be out of all hope of the pardon of his sinnes. This made Saul, Achitophel, and Iudas, to hang themselues: this makes many in these daies to doe the like: as appeareth by the declarations of such as hauehave beene preuented, when they were about to hang or drowne thē selues, or to cut their owne throates.

The last is a perturbation or disquietnesse of the whole man: whereby all the powers and faculties of the whole man are forth of order. Esa. 57.20. The wicked are like the raging of the sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast vp mire and dirt.

Thus much of the two first actions of conscience, which are to accuse and condemne: the second followeth to excuse and absolue.

To excuse, is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done.

To absolue, is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free and cleare from fault and so from punishment.

From these two actions arise some speciall affections: I. boldnes and confidence, Prou. 28.1. The righteous are bold as a lyon. II. Ioy and reioycing, 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testimonie of my conscience, that in all simplicitie and godly purenes I hauehave had my conuersation in the world. Hence it is said, that a good conscience is a continuall feast.

Hitherto I hauehave spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past: now followeth hir iudgement of things to be done.

Conscience giues iudgement of things to come, by foretelling, and (as it were) saying inwardly in the heart, that the thing may be well done. Of this kind of iudgement eueryevery man may hauehave experience in himselfe, when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or bad.

By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men. If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney, should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way, and all the turnings thereof, he could not but take it for a point of curtesie. Well, we are pilgrimes in this world, our life is our iourney: God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide, to shew vsus what course we may take and what we may not.

And here it must be noted, that in all things to be done, conscience is of great force and beares a great stroke. For, this is the beginning of a good worke, that the conscience first of all giuegive her iudgement truly, that the thing may be done, and is acceptable to God. Rom. 14.23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith, that is, whatsoeuer is not done of a setled perswasion in iudgement & conscience out of Gods word, howsoeuer men iudge of it, is sinne. Againe, God regards not the outward pompe of the action of the doer, but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart: therfore vnles the cōscience first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will,Well inso…ed. it can be nothing els but a sinne. And he that shall doe a thing, because it is good in his owne eyes, not knowing that God doth allowe of it, preferres himselfe before God, & disobeies as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will.

From this former rule arise three other: the first, whatsoeuer is done with a doubting conscience is a sinne. For example: some beleeuers in the Primitiue Church held, that still after the ascension of Christ there remained a differēce betweene meate and meate, and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kind of meates: now put the case, that by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh, or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden; this done, there is no question but they hauehave sinned, as Paul prooueth, Rom. 14. 14. I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe: but vntounto him t…at iudgeth any thing vncleane, it is vncleane: and v. 23. He that doubteth, is condemned, if he eate, because he eateth not of faith.

The second, whatsoeuer thing is done in, or with an erronious conscience, it is a sinne. For example: in the Primitiue Church diuers of the gentiles held this errour, that fornication was a thing indifferent, and therefore conscience tolde them that they might doe it: and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinne, because conscience erred in her iudgement. And euill remaines euill, though conscience say the contrarie a thousand times.

The third, what is done aErronious cons…ience bin. …eth so far forth, that if a m…n iudge a thing to be euill, though falsely, and yet afterward doe it, he hath sinned & dishonoured God as ma…h as in him lieth.against conscience though it erre and bee deceiued, it is sin in the doer. Example. An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawful to sweare, is brought before a magistrate; and vrged either through feare or some like cause, takes an oath and that against his owne conscience: nowe the question is, whether he hath sinned or no? Ans. Hee hath indeede sinned; not so much because hee hath taken an oath, for that is the ordinance of God: but because hee hath taken an oath in a bad manner, that is, against his conscience, & therfore not in faith.

Thus it is manifest that conscience beares a great stroke in all things that are to be said or done. And hereby we are aduertised of many things. First, if a thing done without good direction of conscience bee a sinne, then much more that which is done without good direction of Gods word is a flat sinne: for without direction of Gods word, conscience can giuegive no good direction. And if God will hold that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word, then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer: so as if a man be but to receiue a morsel of bread into his mouth, it can so farre forth direct him, that in doing of it, hee shall be able to please God. If this were not true, mās case were most miserable. For then we should sinne in manifold actions, and that without remedie. And hereby the Word, I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and newe testament, which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all actions. As for the lawe of nature, though it affoard indeede some direction; yet is it corrupt, imperfect, vncerten: & whatsoeuer is right and good therein, is contained in the written word of god. And as for the best vnwritten traditions, let all the Papists in the world answer if they can, howe I may in conscience be perswaded that they are the word of God. If they say that the auncient fathers of the Primitiue Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions, I aunswer againe, howe shall I knowe and be certaine in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour, in saying so, hauehave not erred.

Againe we learne hence, that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good work, vnles withall conscience giuegive iudgement that God doth approue the action. This shewes the ignorance of our people, that when as, in their dealings they runne vponupon a good meaning, then alwaies they thinke they do well and please God.

Thirdly, hence it appeares that all things deuised by man for the worship of God, are flat sinnes; because conscience cannot say of them that they please God, Esay 29.13. Mar. 7.7.

Lastly we learne here that ignorance of Gods will and word, is a dangerous thing, and makes the life of man to abound, yea to flowe with a sea of offences against God. Men commonly thinke that if they keepe themselues frō periurie, blasphemie, murder, theft, whoredome, all is well with them: but the trueth is, that so long as they liue in ignorance, they want right and true direction of conscience out of Gods worde, and therefore their best actions are sinnes, euen their eating and drinking, their sleeping and waking, their buying and selling, their speech and silence, yea their praying and seruing of god. For they do these actions either of custome, or example, or necessitie, as beasts doe, and not of faith: because they know not Gods will touching things to be done or left vndone. The consideration of this point should make eueryevery man most carefull to seeke for knowledge of Gods word, and daily to increase in it, that hee may in all his affaires hauehave Gods lawes to bee the men of his counsell, Psal. 116. 24. that hee may giuegive heede to them as to the light shining in a darke place, 2. Pet. 1.19. that he may say with Peter, when Christ commanded him to launch forth into the deepe, and to cast forth his nette: Lord we hauehave bin all night, and hauehave catched nothing: yet in thy word will I let downe my nette, Luk. 5.5.

A Golden Chain, Chapter 2

p. 832CHAP. II. Of the duties of Conscience.

CHAP. II. Of the duties of Conscience.