Conscience with the Power and Cases Thereof, Title page – To the reader
CONSCIENCE WITH THE POWER AND CASES THEREOF. Devided into V. Bookes.
WRITTEN BY THE GODLY AND Learned, WILLIAM A…, Doctor, and Professor of Divinity, in the famous Vniversity of … in Friesland.
TRANSLATED OVT OF LATINE into English, for more publique benefit.
Io… ▪ 34. 29.
When he giues quietnes▪ who can make trouble? when he hides … ▪ who can behold him?
Acts 24. 16.
And herein doe I exercise my selfe, to hauehave alwaies a Conscience voide of offence toward God▪ and toward men.
Jmprinted, Anno MDCXXXIX.
TO THE ILLVSTRIOVS AND MIGHTIE LORDS, THE STAES of Zeland.
I Purpose not (Honourable LORDS) to insinuate my selfe, or my endevours into your Favour, by fine words, and feined commendations of your Vertues. For I doe not thinke it wil be acceptable unto wise mē, who both suspect that Art, and account it base; Though of my selfe I am not apt to flatter, yet the very name of Conscience that is set before this Treatise, chargeth me to avoid it. Many indifferent good Bookes are in the very beginning disgraced by it. I will onelyonly shew the true cause, by which I was perswaded (though my name perhaps be more obscure, then to be knowne unto you) to set downe your Name in the forefront of this Treatise.
It is reported over all places neere hand, that the Doctrine according to Godlinesse, is both more Practically Preached by the Pastors, and more put in practise by the Hearers in your Churches, then yet hath beene marked in many others, though they hold the same Doctrine.
That worthy Servant of the Lord, Master WILLIAM TEELING, who was by this meanes in great admiration, and famous throughout all the Low-Countrey Churches, (to say nothing of others, that both hauehave, and doe take the same course) tooke such painfull paines this way, both publikely and privately, by word and writing, that it may be truely said, The zeale of Gods house hath eaten him up: whereby also (Envy the follower of such a Vertue, being now overcome) he hath obtained that Crowne, which God hath prepared for those that hauehave instructed many unto righteousnesse.
Because I hope this Treatise will more excite to this kind of study, it being also desired by many, who were not to be neglected. Its fittest it should be sent, where it may finde those running this race, who will be easily put on, and where others also may take example of that course that is taught heere.
This being the true cause of the Dedication, giues me cause to hope, that this intention and service will not bee unacceptable unto you. This onelyonly remaineth (Noble Lords) The good and great God in Christ, vouchsafe to blesse you more and more, and your Churches, with a true faith, a good Conscience, and perfect Happinesse.
Your Honours most addicted W. Ames.
TO THE READER.
I Gladly call to minde the time, when being yong, I heard, worthy Master PERKINS, so Preach in a great Assembly of Students, that he instructed them soundly in the Truth, stirred them up effectually to seeke after Godlinesse, made them fit for the kingdome of God; and by his owne example shewed them, what things they should chiefely intend, that they might promote true Religion, in the power of it, unto Gods glory, and others salvation:
And amongst other things which he Preached profitably, hee began at length to Teach, How with the tongue of the Learned one might speake a word in due season to him that is weary, out of Esai. 50. 4. by untying and explaining diligently, CASES OF CONSCIENCE (as they are called.) And the LORD found him so doing like a faithfull Servant. Yet left he many behinde him affected with that study; who by their godly Sermons (through Gods assistance) made it to runne, encrease, and be glorifyed throughout England.
My heart hath ever since been so set upon that Study, that I hauehave thought it worthy to be followed with all care, by all men. Since also (Gods good providence so disposing it) that I lived out of mine owne Countrey, I did obserue that in divers Churches, pure both for Doctrine and Order, this Practicall teaching was much wanting, and that this want was one of the chiefe causes of the great neglect, or carelessenesse in some duties which neerely concerne Godlinesse, and a Christian life. My minde was set on, as it were by violence, to try at least in private, whether I were able to prevaile with some young men that purpose the Ministry, more to apply their mindes to this kinde of handling of Divinity; whence no small fruit was to bee hoped for. Being afterwards called to a publike charge of Teaching in the Vniversitie, I esteemed nothing better, or more excellent, then to goe before those that were Students for the Ministrie, in this manner of teaching.
This part of Prophecie hath hitherto beene lesse practised in the Schooles of the Prophets, because our Captaines were necessarily inforced to fight alwaies in the front against the enemies to defend the Faith, and to purge the floore of the Church; So that they could not plant and water the Fields and Vineyards as they desired; as it useth to fall out in time of hotte warres. They thought with themselues in the meane while (as one of some note writes) If we hauehave that single and cleare eye of the Gospel if in the house of our Heart the candle of pure Faith be set upon a Candlesticke, these small matters might easily be discussed. But experience hath taught at length, that through neglect of this husbandry, a famine of Godlinesse hath followed in many places, and out of that famine a grievous spirituall plague; insomuch that the counsell of Nehemiah had need be practised; namely, that every man should labour in this worke with one hand, holding in the other a Speare or a Dart, whereby he may repell the violence of the enemies. The same Experience hath likewise taught, that these small matters (if so be that so necessary things may bee so called) are despised with no lesse madnesse, then if one would suffer the fingers and toes of his hands and feete to bee cut off, as some small things, without which he hoped to walke and use his hands well enough. All things therfore being rightly weighed, I hauehave taken in hand (God also liking it, as J am perswaded) these instructions touching the power of Conscience. Not that I hope that any perfect thing, in this kinde, can come from me: (for there are more kinds of things this way, then that certaine answers can be given (by me at least) to every one) but that I might doe something, whereby the unlearned, and such as are destitute of better helpe, might somewhat be helped; and that the more learned might bee excited to set forth some more perfect and exact thing. Of which duty the godly, learned, graue ancient Preachers are properly the Debtors, whose dayly labour it is to deale with the Consciences of men; who through their experience hauehave learned much better, what those questions are, in which the Conscience useth most to doubt, and out of what grounds they may be best unfolded; then can easily be vnderstood by one that liues privately in an Academicall profession. And indeede, if such things were handled in the meetings of Preachers, according to the variety of Cases that fall out; and the more remarkeable decisions set downe in writing; the children of Israel should not neede to goe downe to the Philistims (that is, our Sutdents to Popish Authors) to sharpen every man his Share, his Mattocke, or his Axe, or his weeding Hooke, as it fell out in the extreame necessity of Gods people, 1 Sam. 13. 20.
Furthermore if such as are addicted to the Ministry, were first instructed in these things, and were seriously tried in them at the Examination, before they were ordained, one might well hope, to hauehave as well Preachers as Churches, more according to Gods heart and Christs, then now we hauehave.
The Papists hauehave laboured much this way, to instruct their Confessors: and in a great deale of earth and dirt of Superstitions, they hauehave some veines of Silver: out of which, I suppose, I hauehave drawne some things that are not to be despised. But they are without the life of this Doctrine: and death is in their pot. The thing it selfe requires, that by others, other things bee taught, and the same things, after another manner. I hauehave gone about to performe this in part: and others I make no question, will indeavour it.
I follow here the same methode, that I did in my Marrow of Divinity. Of the second part whereof, theMed…la Theologi…. three last of these Bookes are a full Exposition: which perhaps, those did expect that desired importunatly, as it were by dayly reproaches, that the publishing of this Treatise might bee hastened. But (to make an end at length of my Preface) I will conclude many things in few words, and that in the words of G. Parisiensis, Concerning these things, many things we hauehave not written for unskilfulnes, many for other necessary businesse, many for dulnesse, many through feare of being tedious, many more because of our sinnes, which most of all hinder both us and others in such things. We doubt not, but we are subject to the danger of slanderous Backbiters; But by doing what we may, we have given some fit occasion unto wise men; and we hauehave set foorth, not a dry sandy ground of fruitlesse Disputations, but a most profitable and healthfull place for Wits to exercise themselues in.
W. AMES.