NOr to trouble you with any tedious Preface:The summe and scope of the Text. this Scripture being giuen by inspiration (as all diuine Scripture is,) and written for our learning, doth [Page 2] comprehend in it a Iudiciall act of Diuine prouidence, in bringing to iudgement that same mischieuous fact committed by ten of Iacobs sonnes, against Ioseph their inno­cent, and harmelesse brother.

The divi­sion.In which act (as it ordinarily falles out in Iudiciall cases,) two circumstances offer themselues to our consideration.

1. The accusers at this Barre.

2. The accusation it selfe.

The first is laide downe in the beginning of the verse. And they said one to another. The second in the clause of the verse, we are veri­ly guiltie concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soule, when he besought vs, and we would not heare, therefore is this distresse come vpon vs.

The first part subdi­vided and interpre­ted.Touching the first (which wee must first handle) we may note two particulars. First the occasion that [Page 3] mooued the accusers to come in: Secondly, the persons, who these accusers were.

1 The occasion is gathered out of the precedent verses, and coupled to the text by this particle, so that in this one word AND, the occasi­on is intimated, which stands thus.

A great dearth in Iacobs dayes, raigneth in all the lands about E­gypt: And (as it is the lot of Gods dearest seruants, to be common sharers with other in common ca­lamities) that good old father with his whole family was pinched with it, as well as other places. At which pinch, hearing of a great Corne-master in Egypt (little thin­king it had beene his sonne Ioseph, for whom he had laide aside his mourning weede so long agoe) he calles his ten sonnes vnto him, commands them to hasten into E­gypt, to this man: to buy and [Page 4] bring home some foode for his houshold. At his command, thi­ther they speede themselues; whi­ther, no sooner were they come, but this Gouernour (their brother Ioseph, whom they had once mis-used, though neuer dreaming it should be hee) seemes (in an holy policie to vse them harshly,Verse 9. char­geth them to be Spies, would not accept of theVers. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Apologie they made for themselues, putteth them into Ward three dayes,Vers. 17. would not suffer them to goe home with corne (for which they came; but on condition, that one of them should remaine his prisoner, vntill the rest went home and fetcht their brother Beniamin, (whom they had spoke off) to bring him to himVers. 15.19.20..

These brethren meeting with this harsh and vnexpected enter­tainment, begin to be somewhat [Page 5] troubled in their mindes, and each one by his countenance (as it is likely) coniecturing, and guessing at the disturbed motions in ano­thers minde, by reason of these straights, fall to that parley a­mongst themselues, which is recor­ded in the present text.The sense of the word And. Now then if any shall aske, wherefore this word [And] serues in the begin­ning of the text, when as there is no sentence before, to be fitly ioy­ned to this speech. I answer, though it doth not ioyne words and sentences, or sentence and sen­tence together: yet it coupleth minde and mouth, fore-going thoughts, and follow words, im­plying that such thoughts as arose in their minds about Iosephs vsage of them, gaue the occasion, and produced those words of accusati­on which the text hath in it. So is the occasion: The parties who [Page 6] brought in the accusation (in these words, 2 They said one to another,) you vnderstand already, to be the tenne sonnes of Iacob, Iudah, Simeon, Leui, Dan and the rest, each ones proper conscience by this occasi­on, bringing in a seuerall indite­ment against himselfe, for the wrong formerly offered vnto Io­seph.

Hence then we haue two lessons to take forth.

1. That afflictions are of notable vse to awake the conscience, and make a man confesse his faults.

2. That an euill conscience is an accusing conscience.

Doct. 1 For the first, it is as plaine in the text, as you would wish.

Distresse doth occa­sion many times touch of Consci­ence, and confession of sinnes.These brethren of Ioseph, ha­uing dealt most vnnaturally with him their brother, lay a sleepe in that sinne of theirs, so long as the day of prosperitie lasted, without [Page 7] any compunction of conscience for it, without making any confes­sion of it: But now when they see themselues in great distresse, pin­ched with penury at home, vsed hardly abroad, where they hoped for the supply of their wants, thrust into prison, charged falsely to bee spies, could not (in their own thin­king) be beleeued, when they de­fend themselues; now I say that they perceiue themselues in these straits, they begin to buckle, the conscience is pricked, and the fault is confessed mutually a­mongst themselues; which before (as it is like) they were more ready to laugh at, then grieue for. Put a malefactor deseruedly vpon the racke,A simile. and you shall get that from him in confession, which other­wise he purposed neuer to haue re­uealed. So let but afflictions racke the body many times, sinne will [Page 8] racke the soule, and the tongue will confesse the guiltinesse of the heart. Examples, both of Elect, and Reprobate, may be produced for the proofe of this.

First, concerning the Elect, how afflictions haue thus wrought with them, the example of Ionah doth declare. So long as he was let alone, he disobeyed the voyce of God, fled from the face of God, and slept spiritually in the bottome of his sinne, as corporally in the bottome of the shippe, but when the Lord shook the shippe wherein he was, with the violence of the winde; threatned present destru­ction to him, and all those that were with him in the shippe; then he could cry out, and confesse, for my sake, for my sinne, this great tem­pest is vpon you Ion. 1.12.. Memorable and not vnknowne, is the story of Ma­nasseh: 2. Chron. 33. from the 1. verse to the 14. Who in the time of his [Page 9] prosperity, raigning in his pompe, rebelled against the God of hea­uen, reared vp the Altars of Baal, made groues to worship the whole Host of heauen, sacrificed his children to Moloch, obserued times, vsed inchant­ments, followed witch-craft, dealt with familiar spirits, wrought much euill himselfe in the sight of the Lord, made his subiects to erre, and to doe worse then the heathen; And so long as his peace lasted, wee doe not reade that euer he confessed one of his abhominations to God, or to man, in token of any remorse for the same. But when the Lord brought the Captaines of the Host of the King of Assyria vpon him, who tooke him among the thornes, bound him with fetters, carried him into Babylon, and when he was thus in affliction, then he could beseech the Lord, humble him­selfe before the God of his fathers, and pray vnto him; and so by consequent [Page 10] make confession of his sinnes be­fore him. Dauids mouth shall also teach this truth.Psal. 32. Psal. 32. Day and night (saith hee in the 4. verse) thy hand was heauy vpon mee; and marke what followeth in the 5. verse. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee, mine iniquitie did I not hide. Yea, affliction will mooue the mindes, and extort confession from the mouthes of Reprobates also. The the thunder and haile, and iudge­ment of locusts vpon Egypt, can make Pharaoh himselfe to confesse, and say, I haue sinned this time, the Lord is righteous; I and my people are wic­ked Exod. 9.27.. I haue sinned against the Lord your God, and against you Cha. 10.16.. The ve­ry newes and tydings of affliction to come, vpon Ahab, his wife, and posterity, can make Ahab, (though he were one, that sold himselfe to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord) yet euen to rend his cloathes, put sacke­cloath [Page] vpon his flesh, fast and goe soft­ly, 1. King. 21 from the 21. vers. to the 28. and confesse his iniquitie: Inso­much, that we may truly say of a great many, that their dayes of af­fliction are theirBeat. Rhen. an. in Tert. l. de patien. p. 2. Natales agnitiones. birth-dayes of con­fession.

Reason 1 And good reason for it; for why afflictions in themselues are fruits of sinne: had not sinne entred in­to the world, neither could disea­ses, disgraces, pouerties, captiuity, crosses, and losses, haue befallen mortall man, but sinne ouer-sprea­ding all, and so afflictions, as fruits of sinne, being incident vnto all; when men are vnder affliction, they will acknowledge their trans­gressions, as the cause of the same.

Reason 2 Secondly, afflictions, as one calles them, are a practicall lawParaeus in Gen. Col. 2029. Affli­ctiones sunt lex practica.. Now without the law, Sinne is dead, not perceiued, as the Apostle spea­keth,Rom. 7.9. But when the law commeth, is when a sense of Gods wrath is [Page 12] stirred vp in vs, not onely by the preaching of the law, but also by afflictions, then sinne reuiueth, as the same Apostle sheweth, is felt and called to minde, which being recorded, is also confessed. For though the confession of sin doth not alwayes follow the remem­brance of it, yet the remembrance of it, doth alwaies goe before the acknowledgement of it.

Vse 1 What occasion to complaine, doth this point offer vs,Reproofe of those that are senselesse of sinne in the time of affliction. of the senselesnesse and stupidity of those who lye vnder the burthen of affli­ctions, hauing the hand of God vpon them most grieuously, some in their bodies, some in their name, some in their estate, some­times positiuely exercised with the presence of iudgements, some­times priuatiuely visited with the depriuation of outward benefits, and yet all will not auaile to worke [Page 13] vpon their consciences, and to make them confesse their sinnes, acknowledge their abhominati­ons before the Maiestie of heauen; Nay, they will rather iustifie them­selues, as if they were wronged by God, and had not deserued such se­uerity of punishment. How, or how doth affliction loose its force in them? how vnusefull is the day of aduersitie, to such senselesse ones? it is a signe that that man is of a desperate disposition, and in a desperate condition, whom troubles and crosses, which are ma­ny for the number, weightie in measure, not light in qualitie, not small in quantitie, can worke no contrition; can, wring no con­fession from. This is that which made the Lord, so pathetically in the mouth of one of his Prophets, expostulate with the hard-hearted and rebellious Israelites. Why should [Page 14] yee be stricken any more? yet the more I smite you, the more you sinne against mee: as farre as I can see; as bene­fits cannot draw you to contriti­on, no more can my rod bring you to confession. In another Prophet, thus he speakes. In vaine haue I smitten your children, they receiued no correstion Ierm. 2.30.. What an heauy case is this, that this, euen this, brings God into such controuersie with his owne people, whom by exter­nall priuiledges, hee had visibly married vnto himselfe? What? not in aduersitie seeke the LordHos. 5.15.? what? in distresse (with Ahaz) yet more and more 2. Chron. 28.22. trespasse and tres­passe against him? well might one say oh vnhappy persons, whom stripes mol­lifie not Sult. in Is. c. 1. p. 33. In felices autem qui nec vir­beribus mo­lescunt.. Well may I say; Not hap­py they whom troubles mooue not to lay open their sinnes, in the sight of the Almightie.Vse 2. Exhortati­on to bee toucht, for to make confession of sinne in time of af­fliction. Farre oh farre be it from Vs (Beloued) to be [Page 15] so stupid. Personall afflictions vp­on some of vs: Generall vpon most of vs: The streame of our coyne we complaine runnes low, our corne growes deare, markets bad, the earth denies her foizon vnto vs, & more eminent plagues then these (by all probabilities) are imminent ouer vs, and like to vexe vs, and shall none of these, not all of these worke vpon vs, and pre­uaile with vs, to confesse to God what is the cause of these tragicall prologues, these beginning of sor­rowes? prouoke we our selues to this duty? learne wee as the Pro­phet aduiseth vs, to take words vnto our selues Hos. 14.2., and say, Lord wee haue sinned against thee, and fallen from thee by our iniquitie. Oh let not Pharaoh rise vp in iudgement a­gainst vs: Propound we the pat­terne of these brethren my text speakes off, vnto our selues. As [Page 16] distresse mooued them, so let di­stresse mooue vs to acknowledge, how dishonourably we haue dealt with the Lord, how iniuriously with our brethren, how strangely wee haue neglected the day and meanes of saluation, how strong­ly we haue affected the way and meanes of damnation. When we taste of the bitternesse and sharpe­nesse of the fruite, looke we to the bitter tree whereon it growes with watry eyes, and sorrowfull spirits; Mourne not so much for the crosse, as the cause of it: talke not so much of the trouble, as the ground of it, which are thy sinnes and thy transgressions. If afflicti­ons worke not vpon thy consci­ence to make thee contrite, in soule, and willing to confesse thy sinnes to God? what will: whatso­euer therefore the distresse be, ei­ther for the quality, degree or time [Page 17] of it that thou lyest vnder, make but this wholesome vse of it to thy soule, at length to mourne for thy sinnes at last, to acknowledge thy abhominations without any more adoe, let a word preuaile with thee, and the Lord blesse it that it may. As mans necessity is Gods oportu­nity to shew mercy: So thy aduer­sitie, is thy opportunitie, to con­fesse thine iniquity and deplore thy misery, which if thou doest neglect, what knowest thou whi­ther euer thou shalt haue the like call, the like occasion againe. Wherefore I trow it is best hum­bling a mans selfe, when he is best fitted for it, and neuer fitter is hee, then in time of aduersitie.

Vse 3 Thirdly, hence we see one rea­son, why the Lord afflicts his owne children, it workes contrition in them, it workes confession from them, two things wherewith the [Page 18] Lord is greatly delighted. Where­fore when yee see Christians bare and needy, and to want those things which others haue in great abundance otherwise visited, cease to marueile at it, the Lord loues to haue their consciences kept wa­king, and their tongue kept wal­king against their owne sinnes be­fore him; and he knowes prospe­ritie to be a great entrance to ei­ther of these, and very dangerous to lull conscience, and tye vp the tongue, and therefore hee giues them a Michaiahs portion, feedes them with 1. King. 22.27. bread of affliction, and water of aduersitie: and blessed be God that by any dealing of his (how tedious soeuer to the flesh) they may be kept with remorsefull hearts, and ready tongues to ac­knowledge their daily infirmities before his Maiestie.

Vse 4 Fourthly, doe afflictions worke [Page 19] vpon the conscience, and produce confession, euen sometimes in the wicked themselues, then we may see that the Lord will haue glory from the wicked, he can make an Ahab, a Pharaoh, &c. to giue vnto him the praise of his owne iustice, and to confesse that he is righte­ous and they wicked, and that there is no iniustice in him, deale he neuer so rigorously with them.

Vse 5 Lastly, this point ought to be of vse to arme vs, against murmuring in the time of affliction, and to teach vs with all patience to vn­dergoe those troubles, which the Lord in his wisedome doth lay vp­on vs. Shall wee grudge at that which may bring such gaine vnto the soule? which (by Gods bles­sing) may be of vse to awake our drowsie consciences, and stirre our lame tongues to that confession whichBeat Rhe­nan. in Ter­tull 469. Magistram virtutis du­cem saluta­ris itineris. one calles the mistresse of [Page 20] vertue, a guide in the way to felicity, without which (as Salomon shew­eth) a man cannot finde mercie at the hands of God? God forbid we should be impatient for this, fall out with Gods prouidence for thisIn quo igi­tur sapiens & bonus vir à malis, & in sipien­tibus differt, visi quod habet invi­ctam Pati­entiam qua stulti carent. Lactan. De vero cultu. lib. 6. ca. 18.. Wherein I pray, doth a wise and good man differ from wicked men and fooles, but onely in this, that hee hath that patience which a foole wants. We finde (in Scripture) that the Patriarchs, Prophets, and all the iust ones, which were types and fi­gures of Christ, did keepe nothing more to the praise of their vertues, then this, they had learned patience Cypr. de bono patien. fol. 105. In­uenimus de­nique & patri ar­chas, &c.. As, therefore (beloued) we pray, thy will be done, so let vs resolue, we will patiently submit vnto it, knowing that if we possesse our soules in pa­tience, much good will redound vnto vs.

Doct. 2 An euill conscience is an accu­ser.I leaue the first point, and come vnto the second. That an euill con­science [Page 21] hath an accusing office. This truth hath its ground thus. These ten sonnes of Iacob had an euill conscience, guiltie of wrong done to their brother Ioseph, and now (vpon occasion of some distresse) it accuseth them, it articleth a­gainst them. What meaneth the trembling of Adam at Gods voice in the garden after hee had eaten the forbidden fruiteGen. 3.10? What meant the quaking of Foelix at Paules Ser­mon of Temperance and iustice, and the iudgement to come Act. 24.16., after he had beene incontinent with Orusilla, and plaide the tyrant ouer his sub­iectsGualt. in Act. Hom. 105. p. 265. 266.? What meaneth the per­plexitie of Herod Ascalonites, So Euseb. calles him. Eccles. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 7. after he heard of the birth of Christ, who (as he thought) was like to put him beside his throne? what meanes the feare which Herod the foxe had, that Iohn the Baptist was risen from the dead, after he had [Page 22] vniustly taken his head away from himMark. 6.16.? what meane (I say) all these, and the like examples if it were not the property, of an ill consci­ence to accuse a man of the sinnes that he committeth. Hence it is that Eliphaz saith to Iob. The wic­ked man feareth all his daies, the sound of trembling is alwaies in his eares Iob. 15.20.. And doth not the Apostle speake of an accusing property which the conscience hath, in the second chapter of the Romanes at the 15. verse?

Reason. And the ground of this do­ctrine I take to be laide downe in the beginning of that verse, where it is said that euen the Gentiles haue the worke of the Law writ­ten in their hearts.

Now of the Law, there is a two-fold worke) (asIn Epist. ad Rom. p. 227. 228. Legis duplex est opus, Impletiones, Notitiae. Brentius obser­ueth,) The worke of fulfilling it, the worke of knowledge, the latter [Page 23] of which two the Apostle mea­neth in that place. Now this worke of knowledge, is to distinguish be­twixt good and bad, things honest and dishonest, which worke euen the wickedest haue by nature in­grauen in their hearts: for in some measure they know what is honest and to be done, what is dishonest and not to be done, when they then shall leaue that which they know they must doe, and perpe­trate that which they know they must not doe, must not their con­science needes accuse them, and condemne them?

Obiect. Peraduenture against this truth some will obiect the experience of our times, that we see for the most part, the lewdest and vngodliest persons haue the least heart-smart, the most quiet. Therefore, an euill conscience is not in all, an accu­sing conscience. Vnto which I [Page 24] answer: Answ. 1 first, with Bernards distin­ctionCited by Hemingius Syntag. 161 162. Mala & tranquilla, mala & tur­bata. that there is a two fold euill conscience

• Quiet, and
• Vnquiet.

An euill conscience and vnquiet, is without all question of an accu­sing nature: none denies it. As for an euill conscience and quiet, that is, when a man is swallowed vp in the depth of sinne, that hee doth not so much, as entertaine one thing about repentance, but blind-folded is lead from one wic­kednesse to another: and them that haue such a conscience, the A­postle calles [...]. past feeling, Eph. 4.19. yet such as haue lost all iudgement, or com­punction of heart, giuen ouer to a reprobate sence. Now this kinde of euill conscience, though it doth not alwaies execute the acts of ex­cusing, yet still it hath the habite, the quality of accusing: and when [Page 25] it comes to be awakened, it will not onely accuse, but also torment most grieuously, most intollerably. And as for those that haue such a conscience, they cannot be said to be quiet, or at peace properly (as you take peace for the tranquility of the minde) but rather to be se­cure, seared, obdurate and harde­ned: then which nothing can be worse, nothing more miserable. So then when we see the wickedest li­uers, to haue (as the word dee­meth, the merriest liues; it is not from peace of conscience, but from a seared conscience, it is not because their conscience hath no accusing power, but because it doth not alwaies execute its accusing office, for it neuer wants matter to accuse. * For besides, Answ. though wee see such to liue quietly, and (to our thinking) to be at peace, yet secret­ly they may haue a sting within [Page 26] them, which doth vexe, and mo­lest them most grieuously, inso­much that Salomons saying may be verified of them: in the middest of laughter, the heart is heauy.

Before I come to the vse: I must answer a question. Quest. And this it is, Whither an accusing conscience be alwaies an euill conscience? Answ. To which I must giue satisfaction by distinguishing of the accusing power of the conscience: And that is to be considered in a two-fold respect: first, in regard of the ground of accusing: secondly, in regard of the consequents of it.

First, for the ground: the con­science doth accuse either vpon a good ground or a false: vpon a good ground it accuseth, when be­ing informed truly, either by the light of nature, or the light of grace, of things to be done or left vndone, it telleth a man of his [Page 27] fault, in the neglect of the one, in the practise of the other, as for example: Dauid knew by the light of nature, that he should doe to o­thers, as he would they should doe to him; and that as he would not haue any man wrong him, either in his wife or life; so no more should hee wrong his brother in the same kinde: he knew also by the Law of God, that neither mur­ther nor adultery were to be com­mitted, heere is the ground: Now vpon this ground his heart smites him, when Nathan comes to him, his conscience telles him, that he, euen he had sinned in wronging his brother, both in his life, and his wife: in committing murther against the one, adultery with the other. Thus did Iosephs brethrens conscience accuse them heere, for doubtlesse they had learned, that cruelty was not to be exercised a­gainst [Page 28] a naturall brother, the word and nature had taught them this: and therefore after they had wron­ged him, their conscience accuse them.

Secondly, vpon a bad ground, the consciencc accuseth, when an erroneous principle is laid; as for a Masse-priest to bee accused and troubled in his minde, for negle­cting his Masse and Popish deuoti­ons, or a Lay-papist for perusing the Scriptures, when as it is not a­gainst the word of God, either to neglect the one, or peruse the o­ther.

Secondly, for the consequents that doe follow the accusing of the conscience, they are these. First, sorrow for the offence accused of, whither it be omissiue or commis­siue, or for the punishment which the conscience telles the delin­quent he is lyable vnto. Secondly, [Page 29] feare either to commit the like of­fence againe, or to vndergoe the punishment due for that transgres­sion. Thirdly, securitie arising ei­ther from the right appeasement of the conscience, or from the per­uerse stopping of the checkes of conscience. Now for the direct an­swering of the question out of these premises, this is that which I haue to say, that alwaies an accu­sing conscience is not an euill con­science. And this I can make good out of the premised distinctions. That conscience that accuseth vpon a good ground, and telles the offender, hee hath directly transgressed the Law of God, and withall produceth the best of these consequent effects before spoken off. That conscience which stir­reth vp feare to fall into the like sinne againe, that worketh godly sorrow for the sinne committed, [Page 30] that breedeth security in assurance of reconciliation: that conscience, though it accuseth, yet cannot properly be termed euill, but ra­ther tender, and full of remorse: on the contrary, if the conscience bee terrified vpon Popish grounds, if after the accusing office of the conscience; yea, vpon a good ground also the partie sorrowes more for the punishment deserued, then the sinne committed; if hee feareth rather the falling of the punishment vpon his head, then dashing himselfe againe vpon the rocke of the same or the like sinne: And lastly, if he groweth secure by stopping the mouth, and negle­cting the checkes of conscience, these are true signes that the con­science is euill which accuseth, but if otherwise the conscience may possibly accuse and yet not be euill nor vncleane. This I thought [Page 31] good to answer it comming ne­cessarily in our way. I will deteine you no longer from the vses which which are: For reproofe, comfort, terrour, and duty. The three for­mer concerne some, with some dif­ference definitely, the latter re­spects all without difference inde­finitely.

Vse 1 First (I say) heere is a ground of reproofe vnto those, who haue al­waies matter, and nothing else but matter of accusation against them­selues, within themselues; and yet they will stand vpon it, that they haue good consciences; one hath matter of accusation within him for his ryot, another for lust, ano­ther for vsury, for bribery, for op­pression, for other wrongs done to his neighbour, another for bearing malice, another for lying, false wit­nesse bearing, priuie slandering, horrible cruelty, shop-theeuery, [Page 32] whose consciences can tell them, that thus and thus, they deceiued such and such, so and so they haue deceiued others, at such a time they committed such a villany: in such a place, such impiety: heere they wrought filthinesse, there vn­righteousnesse, &c. neither were they so much as euer mooued for this sinne, they neuer relented for it, neuer repented of it, and yet (I say) they are of opinion (and will not be beaten from it) that they haue good and very good consciences; when as alas: how can it be, this being true that an e­uill conscience, is an accusing conscience, and so on the other side, an accusing conscience, for the most part an euill conscience. What doest thou man talke of a good conscience, when it is al­waies like the troubled waters ca­sting vp dirt and filthinesse in thine [Page 34] owne face; when as it is continu­ally ringing a peale of thine abho­minations in thy eares? thou a good conscience; when thou swea­rest, lyest, cheatest, playest the vn­mercifull, incontinent, intempe­rate beast, slanderest thy neigh­bour; sittest and speakest against thine owne mothers sonne, brea­kest Gods Sabbaths, despisest Gods ordinances: It goes against thy conscience (as thou rudely profes­sest) to regard a Preacher, or re­spect a professor, or walke accor­ding to an holy profession; thou a good conscience I say? No no; If indeede, (thy conscience smiting thee vpon good ground) thou wert but drawne to heartie sorrow for thy offences, to an holy feare not to commit them againe, it were something; then thou mightest be beleeued, when thou boastest of thy selfe as free from an euill [Page 34] conscience? but otherwise, thou art to be reprooued for vaine-glo­rious bragging. Obiect. But I thanke God I am at quiet in my conscience? Answ. Art thou so, and yet liuest in thy sinnes? so much the more feare­full is thy condition; no iudge­ment to a reprobate sense; Oh to be past feeling, this is most pitti­full. Sayest thou, thou art at quiet? nay thou deceiuest thy selfe, thy conscience is seared; neither is thy quiet from hence, because thy con­science hath no crime, to lay to thy charge, but because thou wilt not heare thy conscience speake when it doth accuse thee. It may be, because thou wouldest make men beleeue thou art not guiltie of those euils, which happily at some times thou art stung for within thy selfe, therefore thou settest a good face vpon the matter (as some that lye a dying, say they [Page 35] feare not death) when as indeede they feare nothing more: Or put case thou sayest true (as I said) when thou affirmest, thy minde is not crazed: the more horror re­maineth for thee against the time of thine awaking; insomuch, that as Dauid said, he should be satisfied with the light of Gods counte­nance shining vpon him after his rising, thou art like on the other side to be terrified with the goades of thine owne conscience spea­king against thee, at the time of thy rowsing, vnlesse the Lord bee the more gracious vnto thee. I conclude therefore, it is a great folly (most worthy of reproofe) in thee, to thinke thou hast not an e­uill conscience, when thy conuer­sation is vncleane, abounding with noysome euils, as matter of iust accusation against thee.

Vse 2 Secondly, heere is comfort to [Page 36] those that haue good consciences; their happinesse is vnspeakeable, their condition most peaceable; for if so be an euill conscience bee al­waies of an accusing qualitie, then their good conscience is alwaies of an excusing property. Excusing property (I say) or quality, for I denie not but a good conscience may and doth exercise many a time accusing actions. The heart of Dauid may smite him, for taking away Vriahs life, for defiling Vri­ahs wife2. Sam. 12.13. for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment1. Sam. 24.4., for numbring his people contrary to Gods com­mandement2. Sam. 24, I know Peters con­science did article against him, for denying and forswearing his Lord and MasterMath. 26.75. ▪ and there is neuer a Christian but can witnesse with mee, that his owne conscience tels him daily of his daily faylings; yet I say, his conscience is not an habi­tuall [Page 37] accuser, as to doe nothing else but accuse him, or as though it had nothing else in it selfe, but iust matter of accusation against him: this (I say) he is freed from, which an euill man is not. And rather it hath an accusing power: now for a mans conscience to haue an excusing habite and quali­tie, what a sweete and comforta­ble thing is it? What? free from the terrours of a tormenting soule? free from the wounds of spirit, which mortall strength cannot beare? what man can but admire this? what heart will not exalt and reioyce to feele this? Obiect. Oh but I am tormented, I am terrified will (the poore Christian say,)For in­deede of all others, they are most troubled. I cannot be so at peace in my selfe, as I faine would be, my conscience is euer and anone about my eares? Answ. Very like, if it bee tender, it cannot choose but so it must bee. Perad­uenture, [Page 38] thou hast not yet attained vnto that spirit of adoption, to witnesse to thy spirit in that full measure that thou art the childe of God, happily thou art but yet in the way to attaine vnto it. It may be thou woundest thy consci­ence, by beeing something too ventrous vpon that which thou hast no warrant for, If it be so; then I doe not much meruaile that thou canst not haue that quiet thou doest desire; and well will it proue for thee at the last, that thy con­science doth so smite thee. But what of this? hast thou no cause therefore to reioyce in the good­nesse of thy conscience? Thy con­science accuseth thee vpon a good ground, doth it? thou fearest the sinne more then the punishment, thou sorrowest for the offence done, more then for the scourge due, doest thou not? thou art wil­ling [Page 39] to heare thy conscience speak, and thou sayest? Conscience doe thine office, by the grace of God I will not checke thee, nor stoppe vp mine eares against thee; thou art carefull to haue thy conscience pacified by the right meane, euen by the assu­rance that through Christ his blood, thou art purged from the sinne which thy conscience smi­teth thee for, art thou not? If yea; then know thou to thy comfort, that though thy conscience (when there is reason for it) doth execute some accusing acts against thee, yet habitually it will prooue to bee an excuser of thee. Wherefore doe not thou by this cauill cheate thy selfe of the comfort that belongs vnto thee. If thy conscience be at ods with thee vpon some good ground, giue all diligence to get it appeased with the assurance of Gods loue, and cast not downe thy [Page 40] selfe out of measure, as if thy cōsci­ence had nothing else but matter to accuse thee off. And to encrease thy comfort vpon this ground, meditate thou of the benefits of an excusing conscience: as name­ly,The bene­fits of an excusing conscience. Quaenam summa boni? meus quae sibi conscia recti, Auson. first an excusing conscience will answer and out-weigh all the ac­cusations for sinne, and such and such acts of sin as can be brought in to molest the soule, for such a conscience is purified by the blood of Christ, freed from the guilt of sinne, hath to obiect Christs me­rits against its owne de-merits, the obiecting of which vpon good ground, will answer all the spitefull cauils of the malicious tempter. Secondly,2. Benefi. an excusing conscience will be a rocke of comfort in the time of distresse, when thou lyest vpon thy sicke bed it will accheere thee, as Ezekiah did, when he said,Isa. 38.3. Lord remember how I haue walked [Page 41] before thee in truth, with a perfect heart, &c. When the world takes her wings and flyes away from thee, when thy earthly friends for­sake thee, and dispute against thee, and all humane helpes faile thee, this will be a cordiall and consola­tion vnto thee.3. Benefi. And which is last of all, and yet best of all, it will goe with thee to the iudgement seate of Christ, defie the deuill to his face, acquit thee and absolue thee of all the crimes which euer thou wert, either iustly by the accusing acts of it, or vniustly by the spite of Satan and his wicked instru­ments charged withall. Loe this is the good, the gaine heere; heere­after, that an excusing conscience doth and will bring thee; and yet thy good conscience hath this ex­cusing quality. Why art thou then so deiected thou Christian, and why is thy soule so sad within thee; [Page 42] the Lord comfort thee vpon this ground, the Lord (with this) speak peaceably vnto thy soule.

Vse 3 Thirdly, heere is terrour vnto thee that hast an euill conscience, knowest thou man what it is? if thou beest ignorant, heare the point in hand telling thee what it is an accusing conscience. And though peraduenture thou maiest be secure, haue it lie a sleepe a long time together,Mat. 27.5. yet like a mastiffe curre at last it will awake and be a­bout thy eares; and when it awa­keth, who can stoppe the voyce, who can allay the fury of it? thy witte cannot doe it, take Achi­tophel 2. Sam. 17 for witnesse; Thy wealth cannot doe it, take Iudas for ex­ample. Thy authority can not do it, take Iulian for thy proofe. ThyNeque ci­bus volup­tatem prae­bet, neque a­micorum colloquia ta­lem refocilla­re, vel libe­rare, ab vr­gente anxie­tate possunt. Chrysost. in Gen. hom. 19. sweete bitte and iouiall compa­nie cannot doe it, takeDan. 5. Obiect. Balshazzar for warrant. But what if my consci­ence [Page 43] doth accuse mee? what of that? is it any great matter? Thou shalt know that when thou tryest it. And in the meane time (for what I can answer thee in this im­pudent demand) this I say to thee. To haue an accusing conscience, habitually is not onely to be de­priued of the sweete benefits of an excusing conscience, which I spake off in the former vse, but also in stead of them, to meete with the contrary inconueniences. First, thine accusing conscience will out-weigh all the good deeds that euer thou hast done, thy prayers, almes, temperate, ciuill, neighbour-like carriage and behauiour, and the like: It shall little auaile thee to alleadge any of these things to thy comfort, when thy euill con­science is vp in armes against thee;A simile. Let a man be iustly accused at some temporall barre for rape, incest, [Page 44] murthering of the innocent, or any fellony that deserues death, what will it boote him to pleade his gentility, his hospitality, and that he hath beene a good friend to the common-wealth, &c. if so be his accuser comes in strongly a­gainst him, and resolues to prose­cute him to the very death? Alas, what would it haue aduantaged Iudas to haue alleadged his prea­ching, his doing of miracles, his ca­sting out of deuils: Achitophel his policy, & prouidence for the State & common-wealth, when as their euil cōsciences did torment them, the one for betraying his innocent Master, the other for plotting trea­son against his lawfull Soueraigne? I tell thee when conscience is a do­ing its accusing office, it will nei­ther heare of thy honesty, nor ciui­litie, nor liberalitie, nor any thing else good in it selfe, that hath been [Page 45] done by thee for corrupt ends, but it will take them all, as if they had neuer beene done: yea accuse thee for failing in the manner.

Secondly,Conscientia mala bene sperare non potest. Aug. in Psal. 31. it will deny thee com­fort in time of distresse: when thy body is tormented with corporall diseases, and thou lye tossing and tumbling from one side of the bed to the other, and faine wouldest haue ease. When thy corne, cattell, substance, goods are taken away from thee and thou brought to pouertie, when scarcitie pincheth thee, when friends leaue thee, and enemies set against thee, to haue content and quiet within, it were some comfort, but (oh miserable person) that is not to be had, thy conscience is buffeting thee, and vexing thee within, dealing with thee as the consciences of these brethren, with them suggesting matter of terrour vnto them in the [Page 46] time of their outward extreami­tie.

And lastly, whē thy accusing cōsci­ēce comes at the bar with thee after this life, it will be a co-partner with thatApoc. 12.10. accuser of the brethren Sa­tan against thee, to the vtter ouer­throw, and euerlasting confusion. Now go to thou seared sinner, thou stiffe-necked offender, aske in scof­fing wise, what matter it is if thy conscience doe accuse thee. Loe, thou seest what a matter it is; And were it not that I wanted a tongue to expresse, and then an eye to be­hold, an heart to consider the fearefulnesse of thy condition, it could not choose but be like the sight of the figures that Balshazzar saw vpon the wall, or else like the sound of the Sermon that the Iewes heard Saint Peter preachAct. 2., euen an occasion to make thy loynes shake and thy ioynts trem­ble, [Page 47] thy heart soft, and thy soule humble, what? no comfort to be reaped by thee, in the best actions thou performest? In likelihood to be left like a desolate forlorne and comfortlesse creature in the time of distresse? in ieopardie to haue the sting of conscience per­suing of thee to Gods iudgement barre, the worme of conscience, gnawing on thee, for euermore after thy few and euill dayes be en­ded? what can be more terrible, more woefull? Verily, if the thought of these things preuaile not to humble thee, these terrours are as like to ouertake thee as death it selfe, then which nothing is more sure, more certaine. The Lord therefore mooue thy heart with this, if it bee his holy will. Amen.

Vse 4 Lastly, heere is indefinite exhor­tation to all without difference, [Page 48] that they would giue all diligence both to attaine and reteine consci­ences that are good, both to bee freed of and preserued from con­sciences that are euill. The exer­cise of this two-fold duty, tooke vp a great deale of Saint Paules care, as appeareth in sundry pro­testations (of his diligence in this kinde) in the seuerall Epistles which he writeth vnto the Chur­ches. Now if the worthy example of that worthy Apostle be to bee followed by vs in any thing that e­uer he did, it is to be imitated and followed in this; and that so much the rather, because of the ground to perswade to, and the motiue to enforce the duty, which the do­ctrine in hand affordeth; telling vs that an euill conscience is an accu­sing, a vexing, a tormenting consci­ence. Now tell mee who would be willing to bee pestered with a [Page 49] tormenting conscience? who takes any pleasure to haue the darts of the Almighty dagging at the heart; or the arrowes of the Al­mightie drinking vp of the spirit? Quiet of soule and tranquillity of minde is that that All doe natural­ly desire. The vngodly themselues wish for peace, and rather then they would be without it, they will content themselues with a false peace, with carnall securitie. And there is none that liueth vnto whom terrours and tortures inter­nall and inward are not tedious and irkesome, would we then be freed and preserued from such ter­rours, such wounds, such daggers? would we haue true peace, and sound tranquilitie indeede? then let (as I saide) endeauour to get good consciences if we want them, & to keepe them if we haue them, or when we shal attaine vnto them.

And for better furtherance in so weighty a duty as this is, I will commend to Gods blessing and thine vse, two rankes or sorts of rules. In the first whereof I will prescribe remedies to cure the ma­lady of an euill conscience, or set downe meanes to bring thee to a good conscience. In the second I will prescribe antidotes to keepe thee from falling into the same disease of an euill conscience a­gaine, or acquaint thee with helps to keepe thy conscience sound and good if it bee so already. In both of which before thou goest any further, I desire at thy hands a resolution to vse both, so neither I in writing this, nor thou in rea­ding shall loose our labour.

Remedies to cure an euill, or meanes to get a good conscience.For the first, I minde to lay a ground out of which to draw the rules, or some of the rules at least, and that ground shall be the defini­tion [Page 51] or description of a good con­science and a bad.

Pisca. in 1. Tim. 1. Obs. 24. What a good con­science is.Some define a good consci­ence thus.

A good conscience, is the iudge­ment of our minde approouing that which we doe, as pleasing to good, be­cause that we our selues please God through Christ, and because we study to please him, with a serious purpose of walking according to his will.

Others more briefely thus.

A good conscience, is a ioy, Heming. Syntag. 161. sprin­ging out of the remembrance of a life holily and honestly led, or a confidence of sinne remitted.

As for a bad conscience, I take it to be contrary to the good, and may bee defined either, first thus.

A bad conscience is the censure of the minde, What a bad conscience is. disallowing that which we doe as displeasing to God, insomuch as neither our persons doe please him through Christ, nor (as our consci­ences [Page 52] tell vs) we studie to please him in our liues with a stedfast purpose of heart to conforme vnto his will.

Or secondly thus: An euill con­science, is a trembling and feare ari­sing out of the remembrance of a life lewdly & wickedly led. This ground by these descriptions thus laide, I draw out these directions, for the getting of a good, and ridding of an euill conscience.

1. Remedy of an euill conscience.The first is the spirit of discer­ning, a iudgement to discerne of things that differ. For it is requi­site that a good conscience should be informed vpon a good ground, true principles, now how can that be, except a man hath iudgement to try and discerne the ground, whither it be sound or false? It is the office of conscience, either to allow or disallow, but how can it allow of what is good, or disallow that which is euill, except the party [Page 53] hath knowledge both of good and euil, that is, what is good, and what is euill. A right vnderstanding heart, and a good conscience; a blinde minde, and a bad consci­ence; are ordinarily yoaked toge­ther. If Papists did not make ig­norance the mother of deuotion. If our generation of vnwise and carnall ones did not like to liue in blindnesse of heart without sauing knowledge, both the one and the other would haue better consci­ences then they haue. My counsell therefore to thee, is this, to get those chaines of darkenes where­withall thy heart is fettered, pulled off, and those mists of ignorance, with which thy vnderstanding is darkened remooued away, that thou maiest be able to discerne of things that differ, that so the right information of thy minde, may prooue to be a meane of the sound [Page 54] reformation of thy conscience, and so that goodnesse may be restored to it, which by nature thou art quite bereaued and depriued off.

2. Remedy.Secondly, when thou hast attai­ned vnto a sound iudgement, and canst put a difference betwixt good and euill, then it shall bee good for thee to approoue of, the one to disallow the other. For when men against the light of their own knowledge, shal like Iulian Socr. hist. lib. 3. cap. 1. & Ecebolius Id ibid. c. 11. disallow of that which is good, and like the Scribes and Pharisees approoue of that which is euill, is it possible for them, so long as they so remaine, to be re­medied and cured of their euill consciences?

Paul praies on the behalfe of the brethren at Philippi, that they might approoue of things that are ex­cellent Phil. 1.10., which prayer hee would haue neuer made, had not he seene [Page 55] it, a matter very vsefull and need­full against an euill, and for a good and honest conscience, to approue of things honest according to the excellency of the same: Wee see men and women, to dislike of hea­ring of Sermons in publike assem­blies, of offering vp sacrifice in their priuate families, of making profession of religion; and they like better of beeing present at stage-playes, the very theaters of lust:For so Ter­tullian cals it. lib. de Spectaculis. 694. Thea­trum vene­ris. Of ryoting in Tauernes, and tap-houses, being (as they are abu­sed) the very schooles of the deuill: they approoue better of allowing inordinate courses. And hence it comes to passe that their consci­ences are so vile and euill as they are. Deale plainly with me now, doest thou in good earnest desire a good conscience; like of that which is good, as most worthy to be loued, dislike of that which is [Page 56] euill, as most worthy to be hated, and in time thou shall finde thy loue so strongly inflamed towards the one; thy hatred so soundly sharpened against the other; that thy conscience shall be cleere be­fore God, and honest towards men.

3. Remedy.Thirdly, hearken to the chekes of conscience; be willing to heare conscience speake, and to take a carefull view of those articles, which it presenteth vnto thee, and bringeth in against thee.

Seneca E­pist. lib. 1. Epistola 43. ad calcem. O te mise­rum si con­temnis hunc testem. O miserable man that thou art, (could the heathen say) if thou con­temnest this witnesse. When thy conscience sets vpon thee, as Na­than did vpon Dauid, thou art the man; or thou art the woman that hast failed in this duty, fallen into this iniquity, omitted that good, committed that euill; thinke in thy heart it is verily true, and say in [Page 57] thy selfe, as Dauid to Nathan: I haue sinned.

In the fourth place,4. Remedy. sorrow thou after a godly manner, for those e­uils which thy conscience (being rightly informed) chargeth thee withall; imitate Saint Peters con­uerts; who no sooner were accu­sed in their consciences by occasi­on of his Sermon, of that crime of crucifying Christ, but they were pricked, touched with remorse and sorrow for the same. Oh if as of­ten as thy conscience smites thee, thou hadst but the grace with E­phraim to smite thy thigh and say,5. Remedy. what haue I done, thou wouldst grow to haue a great deale better conscience then thou hast.

Fifthly, Faith is helpefull and necessary in this worke: For he that is wholly diseased with vnbeleefe (saith oneIodoch. Willich. in 1. Tim. 1.19. Qui in fide­litatis mor­bo laborat, huius non potest esse bona consci­entia.) his conscience cannot bee good. This is plainly intimated by [Page 58] Saint Paul to the Hebrewes, in a comparison which there hee v­sethHeb. 9.13, 14.. If the blood of Buls and Goates, and the ashes of an Heifer, sprinkling the vncleane, sanctifieth to the purifi­ing of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe with­out spot to God, purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God? In which words by an ana­logie betwixt the type and the an­titype, the Apostle prooueth the efficacy of Christs cleansing; which cleansing he calles the purifying of the conscience from dead workes, yea from sin which bringeth death, and is liued in, by men that are spiritually dead. Now if the con­science cannot bee cleansed from sinne but by the blood of Christ, then it cannot become good, but by faith which apprehendeth the blood of Christ to our purging. [Page 59] And besides, if so be a good con­science be, (as is expressed in the first definitionPage 66.,) the iudgement of the minde, approouing of that which we doe as pleasing to God, because our persons please God, or else (as is shew­ed in the second definition) a confi­dence of sinne remitted, what doth this argue but a necessity of faith, to get a good conscience, by which faith (as it apprehends the righte­ousnesse of Christ) both our persons come to please God, and our soules are confident of the pardon of our sinnes? Well then wouldst thou be purged from an euill conscience? doe this; when thy conscience (be­ing rightly informed) hath accused thee as guilty of such and such sinnes, and thou beest heartily sor­ry and truly humbled for the same, get thee by faith to the foun­taine of Christs blood, bathe thee in it, seeke to haue thy conscience [Page 60] appeased by the assurance of the pardon of thy sinnes through Christ Iesus alone, make this thy maine drift of giuing attendance vpon Gods ordinances, and thy e­uill conscience will be as effectual­ly cleansed from those euils that make it bee, as by the legall clean­sings in the ceremoniall law, flesh was wont to be purged from lepro­sie, pestilence, or any such like fil­thy contagion.

6. Remedie.Lastly, the study and practise of a godly life, breedeth and brin­geth a good conscience; And this helpe the last clause in the first de­finition of a good conscience af­fordeth, where is prooued that therefore a good conscience doth approoue of what we doe as good, as well because wee haue an earnest studie and serious purpose of walking according to Gods will, as because we know our persons pleasing to God [Page 61] through faith in Christ. And Saint Peter makes it good, in his first E­pistle third chapter, 15, and 16. verses, where speaking of a good conscience, he ioynes withall, both a sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts, that is, a study and serious purpose to serue him, and also a good conuersation in Christ, to stop the mouthes of those that are rea­dy to accuse vs as euill doers, that is a practise of the workes of righ­teousnesse, giuing vs to vnder­stand that it is impossible to haue a good conscience, except we lead & purpose & study to lead a godly life.

These are the rules I thought good to lay downe for thy furthe­rance in getting a good consci­ence; If hauing vsed the same heretofore thou hast found it al­ready, or by Gods blessing shalt obtaine it afterward; to the end thou mayest keepe it, marke a word [Page 62] or two more: and then I will bring thee out of this point, wher­in I haue held thee longer then I thought at the first.

How to keepe a good con­science.And to this purpose, I will lay downe one generall caution, out of which I will draw the whole direction, and that is, it shall bee good for thee, to take heed of offe­ring any wrong or violence there­unto:Simile. If it be as wee commonly vse to say, it is great pitty to in­force an entire friend to inconue­niences against his will; it is much more pitty to enforce a good con­science, (whereunto no earthly friend is comparable, both in re­gard of the good that it doth vs in the time of prosperitie, and the comfort it brings vs in the day of aduersitie? Now the conscience is enforced, or hath violence offered vnto it two waies, either when we would haue it more large then it [Page 63] should be, or more streight then it neede be.

First, the conscience is made more large then it should be, pre­suming, or venturing further in the omission of some duty, or in the giuing place to some infirmi­tie, then there is warrant. Vnto which presumption there are these fiue steppes or degrees.

Degree. 1 First, a secret wish that such a thing might be done,1. How the by-consci­ence is made too large. Degrees to presumpti­on, which tend to make the conscience too large. which wee know to bee vnlawfull, that such a duty were not required, which we know to bee strictly enioyned.

Degree. 2 Secondly, vpon this wish an ex­postulation with our selues, whi­ther it may bee no way lawfull to commit that vice, to neglect that duty, so making that now questio­nable, which before we knew to be absolute euery way vnlawfull.

Degree. 3 Thirdly, a strong imagination [Page 64] vpon this question, that it may be very gainefull and commodious, if we doe take some liberty to our selues in this kinde.

Degree. 4 The fourth degree, is to pro­pound vnto our selues the infirmi­ties of the Saints for our patterne, reasoning thus, as good Christians as I am, better men then I am, haue done thus and thus, haue neglected this and this, and therefore I may be bold without any great danger, &c.

Degree. 5 And the fift is a carelesse con­clusion, that if it bee but once or twice done, or seldome neglected, it cannot bee hurtfull, God is mer­cifull, wee are in his fauour, his loue cannot alter, and I know not what. And so by consequent from all this premises, a presumptuous perpetrating of the offence. By these degrees, wee come to pre­sume, and to stretch conscience (to [Page 65] the wounding of it,) beyond its bounds, which is one kinde of enforcing of it.

Secondly, the Conscience comes to bee streightened three manner of wayes:2. How the consci­ence is made too streight. first by ignorance in the nature of the obligation, and subiection of the conscience▪ se­condly, by yeelding vnto doub­tings: thirdly, by a kinde of tem­porary despaire, either of Gods prouidence to releeue vs in our temporall wants and dangers, or of his readinesse to accheere vs in our spirituall desertions.

That the first of these euils doth streighten the conscience, it is plaine by this argument. What­soeuer doth cause scrupulous di­straction or distracting scruple, doth bring the conscience into streights. But ignorance in the nature of the binding and subiecting of the con­science [Page 66] doth cause scrupulous distra­ction. Therefore such an ignorance streightens the conscience. For when the Christian knows not through­ly what things binde the consci­ence. Wherein conscience is to be subiect, how farre forth things binde, nor how or in what cases, with what conditions conscience is to submit, must it not needes bring him into a world of distra­ctions? How can it otherwise bee?

Secondly, that yeelding to doubtings, doe straighten the conscience, it is cleere, because doubtings are enemies to the peace of the conscience, which peace is theCordis de­lectatio est cordis dila­tatio. August. consciences sweete enlargement. Vnto this peace al­so despaire of Gods prouidence, either ouer the outward man in the time of affliction, or ouer the [Page 67] soule, in the time of desertion, is an aduersary; therefore thirdly despaire must needs also distresse the conscience.

Well then, wouldst thou keepe a good conscience, as a continu­all feast, obserue in generall, two rules. Allow no larger bounds to thy conscience, then with warrant thou maiest by vaine presumpti­on. Bring thy conscience into no more thraldome and bondage then thou needest.

To helpe thee in the first,Subordi­nate helpes, to the ob­seruing of the first ge­nerall rule. that thou maiest not presume: marke these particulars.

First, doe not wish in thy heart any vnlawfull thing to bee law­full, that thou might'st the safe­lier commit it, nor any necessary duty indifferent, that thou mightst not be tyed vnto it.

Secondly, if thou beest well in­formed [Page 68] of the vnlawfulnesse of a­ny euill, of the necessitie of any duty, abiure the court of facul­ties in thy conscience, enquire not after a dispensation for thy selfe in speciall, expostulate not whither thou mayest, or mayest not, commit it, or neglect it.

3. Be not of conceite that neglect of any holy or necessary duty, or the committing of any sinne can be gainefull and aduantageable to thy outward state. For it is a silly gaine that is purchased with a wound to the spirit, and a cracke to the conscience.

4. Set not the infirmities of belee­uers before thine eyes for imitati­on, but for caution, not to embol­den thee, to doe as they did, but to make thee the more obseruant of thine owne waies, least that thou shouldest doe as they did. For [Page 69] euery fatte stands vpon its owne bottome; and little peace wilt thou haue to imitate any mortall man, in that which is offensiue to thy God.

5. Conclude not that thou wilt but doe the deede once, or twice, or seldome; For sinne is like a serpent, if it gets but in the head, it will get in the whole body, and it is a clinging and encroaching guest, whereof thou canst not be so soone rid as thou listest, after thou hast giuen entertainment vn­to it: neither thinkest thou maiest be the bolder, because thou art in Gods fauour, which can neuer change nor alter: thou art not so sure of heauen, but that the de­uill (though he cannot robbe thee of it) yet can make thee question it to the perplexing of thy soule. Take heede (I say) that by these [Page 70] steps thou climbest not vp the lad­der of presumption, for then that there is no greater enemie, to an holy and blamelesse life, the maintaining of which holy life, is the greatest preseruatiue to a good conscience that can be.

Secondly, as thus by presuming, thou must not stretch thy consci­ence.Subordi­nate helpes to the se­cond gene­rall rule. So to the end thou mayest not streighten conscience, thou must doe three things.

1 First, get a sound knowledge and right vnderstanding of the binding, and subiection of the conscience, to wit, whereby and how it is bound, wherein and how it is to be subiect.

Now for thy better informati­on in this, know that some things binde the conscience immediately or properly;What binds the consci­ence imme­diately viz. Law, Gos­pell. some things, mediate­ly or improperly. First immedi­ately, [Page 71] that doth binde the consci­ence, which hath most absolute power and authoritie in it selfe o­uer the conscience, and thus the Law and Gospell bindes the con­science; or the word of God com­prehended in the bookes of the Old and New Testament. First, for the Law.

That is three-fold, morall, iu­diciall, ceremoniall.1. Law, and that ei­ther as mo­rall, iudici­all, ceremo­niall.

The morall Law respecteth the duties of loue which wee owe to God and our neighbour, com­prised in the first and second table, now to know how this binds con­science,1. How the morall Law bindes the conscience. these two rules must bee obserued. Rule. 1 First, That the second ta­ble must giue place to the first, inso­much that if two duties come in oppo­sition one to the other, and the first ta­ble binds the conscience to the one, Two rules to show how the morall law bindes the conscience. the second to the other, simply by it selfe, [Page 72] that duty which is inioyned in the first, must be performed rather then that which is prescribed in the second.

The rule amplified.To amplifie it. The second ta­ble binds me to performe all testi­monies of loue to my neighbour; the first to execute all offices of pietie towards God; Such and such a testimony of loue to my neighbour, may in some case not stand with my piety towards God: in this case my conscience must submit it selfe, rather to the plea­sing of God, then pleasing of man. Albeit, in some case we are to neg­lect some duties to God, that wee may releeue the present necessitie of our brother, which is warranted by that rule of Christ; I will haue mercy and not sacrifice.

Rule. 2 The second rule is this; That the generall Law must giue way to the speciall. Take an example, or two. [Page 73] Thou shalt doe no murther:The rule examplifi­ed.Thou shalt not steale are generall lawes. Abraham take thy sonne, thine onely sonne Isaac, and offer him vp in sacri­fice Gen. 22.22.. Euery woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that soiour­neth in the house, iewels of siluer, and iewels of gold, and yee shall spoile the Egyptians Exod. 3, 22., were speciall comman­dements. Both of these, euen ge­nerall and speciall, doe binde the conscience: In this case, which must Abraham and the Israelites chiefely submit vnto? To the spe­ciall; he must attempt to sacrifice, his sonne, notwithstanding this, Thou shalt doe no murther. They must rob the Egyptians of their iewels and treasures, notwithstan­ding that precept; Thou shalt not steale. Why? because the speciall had at that time more power ouer the consciences of Abraham, and the Israelites then the generall.

2. How the iudiciall law bindes the consci­ence.From the morall to come to the Iudiciall law; which was of vse to prescribe the Mosaicall forme of ciuill gouernment, con­cerning the order offices of Magi­strates and Magistracie, iudge­ments, punishments, contracts, dif­ference of gouernment, to the end that publike iustice might bee maintained, peace continued, and the contempt of Gods law reuen­ged.

This Law so farre bindeth the conscience now, as it is euer duely grounded vpon the morall, and where the same reason holdeth thus, as it did in them and other nations by the light of nature pra­ctised in the same manner.

3. How the ceremoniall law bindes conscience.Thirdly, the ceremoniall Law (which treateth of rites and ceremo­nies enioyned in the Old Testament, to be obserued about the outward wor­ship of God) is to bee reduced to [Page 75] three distinct times, according to which times, three rules may bee giuen to shew how farre forth con­science is subiect to that.

Rule. 1 The first rule is this. Before the death of Christ, the ceremoniall law did binde the consciences of the Iewes, and the Iewes onely, not of the Gen­tiles. For betwixt Iewes and Gen­tiles, there was a wall of separa­tion.

Rule. 2 The second this. From the death of Christ, to the ouerthrow of the Iewish gouernment, the ceremoniall law lost the force of binding, and be­came an indifferent thing, either to be vsed or not to be vsed. Hence it was that Paul circumcised Timothy, but would not circumcise Titus. And theAct. 15. councell at Ierusalem, decreed that the Church should abstaine for a time from things strangled, and from blood; the cause of which decree was the weakenesse of some [Page 76] who of Iewes were made Christi­ans. As yet they did not fully vn­derstand the libertie of the new Testament, therfore for their weak­nesse sake, it was granted that they might vse some Iewish ceremonies for a time.

Rule. 3 But thirdly, after the euersion of the Iewish gouernment, and the pro­mulgation of the Gospell, more largely and cleerely the ceremoniall law alto­gether ceased. For from that time, the libertie of Christians and free­dome from Iewish ceremonies, was so conspicuous that none of the godly could alleadge their ig­norance heerein. Wherefore very well say the Schooles, Leges cere­moniales iam sunt mor­tuae, & mor­tiferae. Ceremoniall lawes are now dead and deadly. Thus we see the nature of the lawes, au­thority ouer the conscience.

2. How the Gospell bindes.Now we will see how the Gos­pell bindes the conscience. For the better vnderstanding of which, we [Page 77] must know that the Gospell doth not binde the consciences of those that are not called, but onely of them that are called. That it doth not binde the vncalled, it is plaine. Because as they which sinne without the Law, shall perish without the Law Rom. 2.12.; so they which sinne with­out the Gospell, shall perish with­out the Gospell, but they which perish without the Gospell, are not bound by the Gospell; therefore the vncalled are not bound by the Gospell. Secondly, that it bindes these that are called, I meane sepa­rated from Pagans and Infidels, it is manifest also by this reason. All those that are called, shall be iudged at the last day by the Gospell, as is to be seene, Rom. 2.16. Ioh. 3.15.18. But it is necessary that that same thing, by which men shall be iud­ged after this life, should binde their consciences in this life: there­fore [Page 78] the Gospell bindes the consci­ences of the called. Quest. But what doth it binde them vnto? Answ. To be­leeue the promises of iustification, saluation, speciall prouidence, and loue.

Obiect. Yea but hypocrites are called into the Church, and if they be bound to beleeue their saluation, they are bound to beleeue that which is false, for the promises of the Gos­pell, concerning the fauour of God, pardon of sinne, &c. belong not to them. I answer, Answ. That they which are called into the Church, are not absolutely bound to be­leeue their owne saluation, but on this condition, (according to the tenour of the couenant) that they desire truly to be in the number of Christs true Disciples. But to bee the true schollers and Disciples of Christ, to learne of him, to follow him, hypocrites doe not seriously [Page 79] desire: therefore their consciences are not absolutely bound to be­leeue their owne saluation.

Thus thou vnderstandest how conscience is to be subiect to things that doe immediately binde it.

Now as touching the things that doe binde it mediately, Things mediate to to oblige conscience. (that is, not of themselues, but by vertue of that obligatory power, that they haue from the word of God) they are foure: first, the lawes of man: se­condly, oathes: thirdly, vowes: fourthly, promises.

Concerning the first, how farre forth conscience is to submit to humane lawes, thou shalt know if thou markest these foure rules fol­lowing.

Concerning the first, how hu­mane lawes doe binde wee shall know,Rules to vnderstand the subiecti­on of con­science to Mans laws. if wee ponder these foure Rules.

Lawes of men, whither they bee [Page 82] Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall, doe binde the conscience so farre forth as they are agreeable to Gods Law. 2. As they conserue order, or keepe from confusion and doe not take away Chri­stian libertie. 3. For if they haue these conditions, they are obliga­torie, and binding by vertue of the fift commandement. Honour, thy father, and particular precept giuen by Saint Paul; Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power Rom. 13.1.. But if it so fall out, that these lawes constituted by men, be not about things indifferent, but good in themselues, that is to say comman­ded of God, then they are not pro­perly humane but diuine: and there­fore doe altogether binde the con­science. Lastly, if those lawes doe prescribe things that are euill, they are so farre from hauing any pow­er ouer the conscience, that the conscience is most strictly bound [Page 81] not to obey themAct 4.19. Conscientijs velle domi­nari est ar­cem coeli in­uadere.. Wherefore we plainly affirme against the opi­nion of the Papists, that neither Ci­uill nor Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction, hath any CONSTRAINING or compulsiue power immediately and directly ouer the conscience: so that it was well said of Maximilian the Emperour, to seeke to domineere o­uer the conscience, is impudently to in­uade the tower of heauen; And ofCited by Alstedius in Theol. Cas. c. 2 p. 10. Tria sunt homini im­possibilia, &c. Psychoty­ranno plus­quam Pha­raonicam, & Phalaricam. Stephanus King of Polonia, Three things are impossible to man, to make something of nothing, to know things to come, and to rule or Lord it ouer the conscience. That same Psycho­tyranny, therefore of the Papist which is most cruell, most Pharoni­call, doe we detest and abhorre.

Rule. 2, Secondly, the POLITIKE lawes of man haue so farre an obligatory power in the conscience, that the vio­lating of them, especially if it be ioy­ned either with the offence of their [Page 82] brethren or contempt of authoritie, it is iustly to be accounted for a sinne a­gainst God, though not immedi­ately.

Rule. 3 Thirdly, the ECCLESIASTI­CALL lawes of men, are either of things necessarie without which an or­der, and decorum cannot be kept in the Church, or else of things indifferent. Those that are of things necessary, doe binde by the force of that di­uine law written by Paul, Let all things be done decently and in good order Cor.. They that are of things meerely indifferent doe not binde so strictly, except the neglect of the same, occasioneth offence to the weake, or be with contempt of Ecclesiasticall authoritie.

This for information about the mediate binding of conscience, by humane lawes.

Secondly, An oath bindes con­science,How an oath binde conscience. if it hath these foure condi­tions. [Page 83] First, if (for the matter of it) it be of things certaine and possible. Se­condly, if (for manner) it be made or taken without guile, sincerely and honestly. Thirdly, if (for the end) it be to Gods glory, or the publike good. Fourthly, if (for the author) it bee taken by those who haue power so to binde themselues. Therefore Herods oath did not binde his conscience, because it did not tend to Gods glory, and was of a thing beyond his commission, with warrant to performe. But if an oath hath (I say) those conditions, it bindeth by the vertue of that commandement which Moses layes downe. Numb. 30.2. If a man sweare an oath, to binde his soule with a bond, he shall not breake his word, he shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Now in the third place, for the subiection of conscience to vowes. 3. How vowes binde con­science. We must vnderstand that vowes [Page 84] are of three sorts, morall, ceremoni­all, and free. A morall vow, is that promise of morall obedience to the law of God made in Baptisme, renued in the Lords Supper. And this bindes all Christians at all times. A ceremoniall vow, is a pro­mise of ceremoniall obedience in the Old Testament, such as was the vow of the NazaritesLeu. 27.. And this did onely binde those who made it. A free vow, is a promise of performing some outward thing, vndertaken for the cause of exercising pietie, as vowes of fasting or the like, for furtherance in the exercise of prayer, of repentance, &c. And this is of a binding pow­er, if there be in it; first, a congrui­tie with the word of God; second­ly, no repugnancie with our cal­ling; thirdly, if it be no spoyler of Christian libertie; and finally, be not made out of an opinion of any [Page 85] meriting thereby. If (I say) it be thus qualified and limited, it binds conscience by the power of that diuine precept; which is in Eccles. 5.4, 5. When thou vowest a vow to God, deferre not to pay it; Better it is thou shouldest not vow, then that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Lastly, that thou maiest know how promises doe binde the consci­ence; 4. How promises binde con­science. thou must obserue this rule. That a simple promise (I meane di­stinguished from a promise, mixt and bound with an oath, it doth ob­lige and binde the conscience at the will of him, to whom it is made, so that if he to whom thou makest it, will release thee from the performance of it, thou art freeSee pro­mises are debts.: if he require it, thou art bound in conscience to make it good; if so be it hath these requisites.

If it be first not against Gods word: secondly, not against honesty: thirdly, [Page 86] if thou beest such an one as hast power to binde thy selfe by such a promise: fourthly, if he whom thou hast made it vnto, did not circumuent, and get thee in by guile and deceit to make it: fiftly, if the performance of it remaine possible and lawfull. If it hath these conditions; it bindes by vertue of the ninth commandement. Thus of these things considerable about the binding and subiection of con­science, must thou get knowledge and information of, if thou wouldest not streighten consci­ence, and so wouldest preserue the goodnesse of it.

2. Helpe against straighte­ning con­science.Secondly, thou must take heede of yeelding to doubtings; of yeel­ding I say, For tempted to doubt thou shalt be, be thy conscience neuer so good, but yeeld not to the same; hold Satan worke at the staues end, and when he shall shoote his darts in this kinde against thee, [Page 87] telling thee, God is thy enemie, thou art not his childe, heauen shall not bee opened vnto thee, hell fire is prepared for thee: (notwithstanding, all thy professing and paines taking) beare them off with the shield of faith. If thou let goe the soundnesse of thy confidence, thou wilt shrewdly di­minish the goodnesse of thy con­science. The keeping of faith and a good conscience are ioyned to­gether, they that make hauocke of the one, will easily make ship­wracke of the other; take heede therefore of dashing thy faith vp­on the rocke of doubtings by yeel­ding vnto them.3. Subor­dinate help. And to con­clude, take heede also of rushing vpon the rocke of despaire; when the Lord layes his hand in wise­dome vpon thee, and thou art tempted to despaire of euer obtai­ning any helpe from him. When (for reasons best knowne to him­selfe) [Page 88] he shall withdraw the light of his countenance, which with ioy thou wert once wont to be­hold, and thou shalt then be temp­ted to thinke, he will neuer visite thee with his fauour againe: yeeld not to these temptations, be not out of hope; but nourish, cherish, and maintaine thy hope still how­soeuer. For there can be no better way to keepe thy conscience good and sound, then to maintaine thy faith against doubtings, and thy hope against temptations tending to despaire. Thus at length I haue found an end of this point, the suc­cesse whereof I commit to God, the vse whereof I commend to thee; hastening now to the second part of the text. Which is

The second part of the Text.The accusation it selfe, which these accusers brought in against themselues, in these words.

WHEREIN we haue to note,The second part sub-di­uided, and the words interpreted promiscu­ously. both the forme and the matter of the accusation.

1. The forme in these words [We are verily guilty] that is, euen we Iudah, Since Leui, and the rest of vs brethren, are most certainly, truly without all flattery guiltie. 2. The matter in the residue of the verse, which is a case of iniury or wrong; where we are to consi­der: first, the obiect: secondly, the subiect: thirdly, the effect of the wrong. 1. The obiect was Ioseph, he was the man to whom they had done the wrong, which they ac­cuse themselues off heere, and him they call brother [concerning our [Page 90] brother] for so he was indeede, by fathers side, though not by mo­thers side. 2. The subiect of the wrong or the wrong it self, (which they had offered that their bro­ther) they doe aggrauate against themselues by two phrases; first, [wee saw the anguish of his soule,] that is to say: wee wretches after we had first cast him into the pit, and then sold him to the Midia­nites, we could looke vpon his di­stresse and perplexitie, with drie eyes without teares, and so our eyes were vnmercifull vnto him: secondly, [when he besought vs, wee would not heare] yea, whereas it had behooued vs vpon the very sight of his anguish, to haue decea­sed from our cruelty; he did be­seech vs, entreat vs to spare him, & let him alone, yet we were so hard-hearted, that we would not conde­scend vnto his entreaty, and so [Page 91] our hearts and eares were vnmer­cifull vnto him. Thirdly, the effect of the wrong following, in these words: [therefore is this distresse come vpon vs] yea, therefore we are now serued like for like, this di­stresse of vs being charged for spies, clapped vp in prison, cannot be heard to pleade and apologize for our selues, one of vs must now bee laide vp in chaines, and God knowes how cru­elly he shall be vsed ere we come a­gaine: this distresse is come vpon vs. If we ioyne these branches toge­ther in a paraphrase, we may ima­gine these brethren to bring in this accusation against themselues in these termes.

Come brethren come, The para­phrase. why stand we pausing with our selues, what this hard-ship meaneth, whence it com­meth? Wee euen wee are most cer­tainly without any dissembling or flat­tery, guiltie of offering great wrong to [Page 92] our owne brother, the sonne of our a­ged father, wee cast him into the pit, we sold him into the hands of Barba­rous Merchants, wee looked vpon him and laughed at him, when wee saw the dreamer in perplexitie, he en­treated vs by the bond of fraternitie with teares to spare him, not to deale so hardly with him, and we stopt our eares against his cry, we regarded not his request, would show no kindnesse to him, haue no compassion on him, there­fore are we brought into this misery. Now loe we, we are paide home to the full, we are recompenced like for like; This gouernour of the land lookes vp­on the anguish of our soule, we entreate him, he will not vouchsafe to heare vs, nor beleeue vs. This is the summe, heere is the sence.

The conclusions follow, and are fiue.

1. Confession of sinne must bee ingenuous.

[Page 93]2. Conscience keepes a true re­gister.

3. By how much neerer bonds we are tyed to one another, by so much sorer torment are we like to feele in our consciences for the wrongs we doe them.

4. God requites like for like to the wrong doer.

5. They that are pittilesse to their brethren in the time of their distresse, shall finde others pittilesse to themselues in their distresse.

Doct. 3 To begin with the first. In the confessing of faults, we must be inge­nuous, Confession of sinnes must be in­genuous. that is, we must deale truly without hypocrisie, throughly without secrecy or hiding any of our euils; so dealt these brethren of Ioseph heere, charging them­selues to be verily guiltie, without fayning or doubting, or laying the fault vpon one another; and eue­ry particular in the wrong, doe [Page 94] they without hiding confesse and acknowledge, as first how they had looked vpon and laughed at his distresse: secondly, how they had stopped their eares against his cry. This ingenuity wee finde in Dauid, who when he was found guilty by Nathans sermon; he con­fessed his whole sinne. I haue sin­ned against the Lord. 2. Sam. 12.13. Marke, hee doth not say, I haue committed adultery alone, or I am guiltie of murther onely, but he saith, I haue sinned. I am truly guiltie of all that thou hast charged mee withall. Neither saith he, I haue sinned a­gainst Bathsheba, against Vriah onely, but against the Lord, as well as they; Iust so deales he in confession, after hee had sinned in numbring the people; where he confesseth that he had not simply sinned, but sin­ned greatly in that which hee had done 2. Sam. 24.10.. This is euident in Nehemiahs [Page 95] prayerNehem. 1.6, 7., where making confession, he doth not onely cōfesse his own sinnes, but the sinnes of the peo­ple, wherein hee acknowledged himselfe to haue a share, neither doth he onely confesse their sinnes of commission, in saying, we haue dealt very corruptly against thee, but also of omission, saying, we haue not kept the commandements, nor the statutes, nor the iudgements which thou commandest thy seruant Moses. The very like we haue in Daniels prayer, and confession. We haue sin­ned, and haue committed iniquitie, and haue done wickedly, and haue re­belled, &c. Neither haue we hearke­ned to thy seruants, the Prophets, which spake in thy name, Dan. 9.5, 6. &c.

And the rather must wee deale thus ingenuously in the confessi­on of sinne, because we must for­sake all sinne, and sorrow for all sinne in good earnest, now if all [Page 96] sinne must bee sorrowed for, and that without all hypocrisie, if all sinne must be abandoned, and in good earnest abandoned, then it must as generally as seriously bee confessed and acknowledged.

Vse 1 Doe not they then much trans­gresse this rule,Reproofe. who are so farre from confessing all their sinnes, that they will confesse none of them, like the proud Pharisee iusti­fying themselues, when as Publi­canes and harlots, who amongst the Iewes were accounted com­monly the worst of the people, are like to enter into the kingdome of heauen as soone as they? Doe not they also offend this rule, who wil confesse some of their sinnes, but not all of them? if they be noted for swearing, drunkennesse, or some other profane acts they haue committed, happily they will con­fesse them vnto God, vnto men, but [Page 97] for their more secret euils, which man cannot directly charge them withall, these they confesse not, these they acknowledge not, nei­ther to God who is able to pardon them, nor to men who are fit to pray for them, to giue direction vnto them, how to be freed from the same.

Against both these sorts, I may vrge not onely the present exam­ple in my text for their reproofe; but also the words of an holy fa­ther of the Church.Aug. in lib. 50. hom. 12. circa finem. Tu fecisti, tu reus es, si autem dicas non ego fec [...], vbicunque verba excu­sa re volue­ris, pecca­tum tuum manet in te, &c. Thou hast sin­ned, thou art guiltie. If therefore thou shalt say, I HAVE NOT SINNED, excuse those words how thou wilt, thy sinne remaineth in thee, of sinne thou art guiltie, and not onely of that sinne, which thou diddest lately commit (& wilt not confesse) but also of pride, because thou wilt not confesse. And doth it indeede ap­peare by that father that not to [Page 98] confesse sinne, is an addition to sinne, an argument of pride and want of humilitie? then thinke thou what little wrong I doe thee, to reprooue thee, who either scor­nest to confesse thy sinnes at all, or refusest so ingenuously to open them all to the Lord, as thou oughtest, which tell mee, thou wouldest obtaine pardon for all, wouldest thou not? thou wouldest not be condemned for any, woul­dest thou? I tell thee, except thou doestA speech often vsed by S Au­gustine. agnoscere, God will not ig­noscere, without confession no re­mission. For the acknowledging of our faults, is the abolishing of our faults Confessio enim pecca­torum, abo­litio delicto­rum Chry­sost. in Gen. Hom. 19.. Oh folly then that it is for thee whosoeuer thou beest, to make thy soule lyable to confusi­on heereafter, for want of a sincere and ingenuous confession of thy sinnes in this life. I would I could perswade thee to the contrary, oh [Page 99] that the Lord would be pleased to make me an instrument of tea­ching thee better wisedome.Exhorta­tion. Vse 2 Get thee I pray thee, get thee into some secret place, sift the corners of thy soule, deale ingenuously and plain­ly with the Lord; thinke it not enough to confesse some of thy sinnes, but all of them, not onely the lesse but also the greater, and the lesse as well as the greater, bring before him all the circum­stances, the manner how, the time when, the occasions where­on, the meanes by which the mer­cies against which thou hast com­mitted the same.A caution. I perswade thee not to auriculer confession as the Church of Rome enioynes her penitents; but to that which Da­uid, and Peter, and Paul haue vsed; to confesse to God, and in case of necessitie to some faithfull Mini­ster, to some Christian brother: [Page 100] when as otherwise thy conscience cannot bee setled and satisfied.Plurimum enim ad pec­catae emen­danda valet confessio. Chrysost. in Gen Hom. 9. Alas, what will it auaile thee to hide any of thy sinnes, when as the Lord knowes all thy sinnes. And how canst thou truly amend any one, when as thou wilt not ac­knowledge euery one. How high­ly doth one of theAug. ad fra. in Here­mo. Hom. 30. 2. Dissipatrix vitiorum, restaura­trix virtu­tum, &c. Ancients ex­toll this duty, calling it, the dispel­ler of vices, the restorer of vertues, the oppugner of Deuils. Oh holy and ad­mirable confession, thou stoppest vp the mouth of hell, thou openest the gates of heauen. Nothing shall remaine in iudgement against them, who are by this purged from their sinnes. I might vse many arguments to perswade to this, but time would faile mee, neither doth the text in hand re­quire it of mee; The treatises of repentance haue done it for mee, onely that which I wish thee vnto, is ingenuitie in confessing to ab­horre [Page 101] hypocrisie and doe it sin­cerely, to auoyde partiality, and doe it throughly, as well concer­ning sinnes of omission as commissi­on, of failing in the manner of good duties, as neglecting the mat­ter; plaine dealing is alwaies the best, and is that which will bring most rest vnto thy soule. Hoping that this shal suffice to mooue thee, I leaue this doctrine and proceede to the next which is this.

Doct. 4 That the conscience keepes a faith­full register. Conscience is a faith­full recor­der. See heere what a true record of that wrong offered to Io­seph, the consciences of these bre­thren tooke, and kept.

It had set downe euery circum­stance in the same, how they had beene pittilesse vnto him, stopt vp their eares against him, yea (as it is very probable) how they had gul­led their aged father concerning him, making him beleeue that [Page 102] some euill beast had deuoured him; Conscience had not lost one whit of the cruelty, the villany they had committed against him, but had set downe euery iot and title of the same. Such an infalli­ble register of Iobs deedes, did the conscience of Iob take, the parti­culars whereof, it presents vnto him in the time of his extreamitie, as is euident in sundry places of his booke. In one place remembring his perseuerance in grace, his loue to the word. My feete hath held his steppes, his waies haue I kept, and not declined. Neither haue I gone backe from the commandement of his lippes: I haue esteemed the words of his mouth more then mine appointed foode Iob 23.11, 12.. In another place presenting his iu­stice and righteousnesse, his charitie and mercifulnesse to the pooreChap. 29.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.. I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse and him that had none to [Page 103] helpe him; The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon mee, I caused the widdowes heart to sing for ioy. I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed mee, my iudgement was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blinde, and feete to the lame. I was a father to the poore, &c. In another place remembring his obedience: I made a couenant with mine eyes, that I would not looke vpon a maide to lust after her. I haue not walked with vanitie, neither hath my foote hasted to deceit, that whole 31. chapter being nothing else but a register of his obedience, which his consci­ence had set downe before for his comfort against that time of need; What shall I speake of Dauid, Eze­kiah and the rest, whose goodnesse was recorded in their owne con­sciences, whatsoeuer the wicked did goe about to accuse, and op­pose them withall. What a faith­full [Page 104] register of Pharaohs iniuries a­gainst the IsraelitesExod. 10.16., of the Israe­lites against Samuel 1. Sam. 12.14., of Saules a­gainst Dauid Chap. 24.17., of Ananias and Sa­phira against the Primitiue Church Act. 5.2., all their consciences had taken, the word of God doth record, and some of their owne mouthes did report. Hence it is that conscience is compared to a booke; For looke as in a booke, men set downe things which they would haue faithfully remembred, so the con­science takes notice of those things which man must and shall remember. Hence is that vsuall prouerbe amongst vs. The consci­ence is a thousand witnesses. Why so?

Reason 1 First, God is the Lord of the conscience, now the Lord is the God of truth, cannot deceiue, and therefore whatsoeuer he sets down in the conscience must needs bee true, what euer he that commands [Page 105] the conscience, will haue the con­science keepe, must bee faithfull, and hence it is, that it takes and keepes so infallible a bill and ac­counts.

Reason 2 Secondly, the conscience goes not slightly and carelesly to work, in taking an account of things, but solidely and substantially, it maketh sure worke: For in the minde (which sence make the seate of conscience) there are three faculties, which are as it were the parts of conscience. 1. There is in­telligence either

• contemplatiue,
• or practicall.

2. There is election. 3. There is iudgement or the facultie of iudi­catory. Now each of these per­formeth a seuerall office. First, In­telligence contemplatiue, hath an office [...] out, [...] principles [Page 106] and grounds for information; In­telligence practicall, to make or draw out practicall minors, for practicall syllogismes, from those principles which contemplation findes out, or, if you will more plainly, it is of office to shew tru­ly what we haue done, or what we haue not done for our owne parti­cular. Secondly, Election is of vse to ioyne maiors to those minors, that is to shew vs that that is good or not good, euill or not euill which wee haue done. Thirdly, iudgement or the iudiciall facultie (as I said) is exercised in pronoun­cing the reward, or the punish­ment due for what we haue done. Now then if conscience be busied about true grounds for informati­on, if secondly vpon these grounds it shewes vs directly what particu­lar things We haue done, nor not done, if thirdly, it showes the qua­litie [Page 107] of the things that wee haue done, and that they be either such as ought to be done, or ought not to be done; if finally it pronounces truly the reward due, or the pu­nishment due, must it not needes take a faithfull account, and be a faithfull recorder of our deedes? I can see nothing to the contrary. If Iob or Dauid, &c. haue the gift of generall vnderstanding in the word, of particular or practicall vnderstanding of themselues and their owne actions, if they can con­clude from that word that such things ought to be auoided or per­formed, and that they in iustice and equitie are so and so to be re­warded, is it much to be maruei­led, that their consciences could so faithfully report vnto them their owne innocency and integritie; Truly no more to be wondered at, then if a man should set downe [Page 108] some true exploite done by some other in a note booke, when hee hath a faithfull informer, to ac­quaint him, with what the exploite was, who the person was that did it, when the time of the doing of it was; and what reward he had for his labour after he had done it.

Vse 1 To sundry endes and vses ser­ueth the meditation of this point.

The first is the glory of God. If the heauens declare the glory of God as Dauid sheweth,Psal. 19.1. & the firma­ment shew forth his handy worke, vndoubtedly the conscience of man can do no lesse. The one is the booke of nature as well as the o­ther, It is true, there is some dif­ference betwixt them, for the one is internall written on the inside, the other externall written on the outside; yet heerein they agree, that both of them containe in them Lectures of the Makers [Page 109] praises. Is his wisedome magnifi­ed in the booke of the creatures? And is it not as well in the booke of the conscience? Is his goodnes manifest in the one, and not con­spicuous in the other? Doth the one shew forth the praise of his power, and not the other declare the glory of his greatnesse? Won­derfull is the Lord in all workesMiran­dum sane o­pificium Dei in homini­bus est con­scientia. Heming Synt. p. 156.? wonderfull also in this one of his workes: His wisedome wonder­full, his mercy wonderfull, his power wonderfull, I may adde also his iustice wonderfull. His wise­dome (I say) for all the Art of man cannot inuent so exquisite a thing, cannot pen so faithfull a record as conscience is. Prognosticators that fetch their wisedome from the Persians, who were once accoun­ted the great Sophists of the worldDiogen. Laert Vit. Phylosoph. l. 1. p. 12.; Historians that fetch their knowledge, either by the eye from [Page 110] that which they behold, or by the eare from that which they heare may compose Kalenders, pen Vo­lumes, yet may faile in many things they set down, and deceiue themselues and their readers? but in this volume of mans consci­ence, whatsoeuer the Lord of the conscience sets downe, be it good or euill, it is most infallibly and vn­doubtedly true. 2. HisQuod & ipsum diui­nae miseri­cordiae est, quae homi­nem generi concessit, vt vnicuique nostrum nisi tum esset in deprauabile iudicium conscientiae &c. Chrysost. in Gen. Hom. 4. mercy is wonderfull, in that he giues a man so faithfull a recorder, to set downe all the good acts that for Gods glory he vndertaketh and perfor­meth; and to suggest vnto his thoughts all his failings, that hee may quickly turne vnto the Lord from them and recouer. 3. His power is wonderfull in that he can rule the conscience in despite of Satan, to excuse a man with the register of his integritie, let Satan tempt him to despaire, to accuse a man with [Page 111] the recordes of his iniquities, let the deuill labour what hee can to make him secure. Lastly, his iu­stice is wonderfull, in that he hath made this conscience as a continu­all witnesse in the wicked mans heart, to challenge him without failing for euery thing wherein he is guiltie; wherefore (good Rea­der) whensoeuer thou thinkest vp­on the faithfulnesse of conscience in keeping of recordes, be not for­getfull to giue the Lord the due glory of these his attributes, ap­pearing and shewing forth them­selues in this wonderfull and ad­mirable worke of the conscience.

Vse 2 Secondly, doth conscience keep a faithfull register? then be we ad­monished in the feare of God, to take heede of committing sinne in secret. For conscience will record it, and set it downe, that is most cer­taine. The twy-light will little [Page 112] auaile the adulterer to take his fill of lust in; the night will little profit the swaggerer to be drunke in; the darke shoppe will little ad­uantage the deceiuer to cheate in; The wiping of the mouth, the cleansing of the out side of the cuppe, the new moones, the sprea­ding abroad of the hands, &c. will little auaile the hypocrite, to de­uoure widdowes houses withall, to couer his iniustice, the malice in his heart, the blood in his hands withall. Conscience hath such piercing eyes, that it can see in the darke, it is such an excel­lent Scriuener, it can write in the darke. Goe thou about the deeds of darknesse after the darkest man­ner that can be, it takes notice of all, it will pen down euery iot, tit­tle, and circumstance in all. I tell thee in the Court of thy Consci­ence the Law is written, that thy [Page 113] faults may abound, in thy remem­brance, and that it may bringVt & ve­tera & la­tentia de li­cta in lucem pro ducat. Brent. in Rom. 1343. both thy olde and secret sinnes to light; beware therefore in any case, not onely of open and grosse sinnes, but also of secret and close sinnes. It was well said of aTertull. de Idololat. p. 735. cur enim & la­teas, cum ig­norantia al­terius tuam conscientiam contamines. Di­uine. Why keepest thou close, when as with the ignorance of another thou defilest thine owne conscience. It was well said by anSenec. l. 1. ep. 43. ad calcem. Si turpiae quid refert neminem sci­re, cum tu scias. Heathen. If the thing bee dishonest which thou doest, what wil it auaile, though no man know it, if thou thy selfe be priuie to it. Yea what will it profite thee, though all men should praise thee, if thine owne conscience doth accuse thee Gregor. in Ezek hom. 9. Quid enim prodest si om­nos laudent, & conscientia accusat. Mihi sufficit conscientia mea. Aug. ad fr. Her. 5.53.. There­fore (I say) auoide that which is ab­hominable in Gods sight: let not the most secret place encourage thee to any sinfull practise, alwaies remembring this, that thy secretest [Page 114] euils are not onely set before the sight of Gods countenance, but al­so noted downe in the booke of thine owne conscience, which one day shall be opened to thine eternall shame, without serious and speedie repentance.

Vse 3 Thirdly, here is comfort to all Christians against those euill sur­mises that are vniustly conceiued against them, against those contu­melious speeches that are wrong­fully vttered of them. Some charge thee peraduenture with this thing to disgrace thee, others with that, to take away thy name from thee, as the Iewes charged Christ, to be a coniurer,Math. 12.24. Iohn Baptist a De­moniacke,Math. 11.18. Paul a seducerAct. 19.26. Chap. 24.5 Steuen a Blasphemer Act. 6.23.; But haue thou re­course to thy conscience. That same inward witnesse and iudge, that (I say) hath taken a faithfull record of what thou art and hast [Page 115] beene, and if that defends thee, what hurt can it be to thee though all should disgrace theeQuid pote­rit obesse, fi omnes dero­gent & sola conscientia defendat. Gregor. in Ezek. hom. 9.. For looke as the Sicophants false praises cannot heale an euill conscience, no more can the Slaunderers con­tumelious speeches, wound a good conscience. Doe others ac­cuse thee of drunkennesse, and thine owne conscience testifie thy sobrietie, others charge thee with fellony, and thy owne conscience witnesse the contrary? doe others raile on thee for hypocrisie, and thy owne conscience witnesse thy sinceritie? &c. Beleeue thy con­science, which is a faithfull testi­monie, and cannot deceiue thee against all those lying obloquies, wherewith euill mouthes goe a­bout to depraue thee. TheOuid. Fa­stor. lib. 4. Consciamens recti fama mendacia ridet. Hea­then could say, that A minde consci­ous of its owne honestie, laughes to scorne lying infamie. Be then the re­ports [Page 116] that are maliciously and falsely raised of thee, what they can be, let the innocencie of thy conscience be aMurus a heneus esto nil conscire sibi, &c. Horat. Epist. l. 1. Epist. ad Maecenaten. Ambros. de offic Bene sibi conscius falsis non de­bet moueri conuitijs, nec aestimare plus ponderis in alieno esse conuitio quam in suo testimonio. brazen wall vnto thee to beare and beate of those discomforts which by that meane may be occasioned in thy soule. For (as Ambrose saies worthily. Hee that hath a cleere conscience ought not to be troubled, at false slaunders, neither must he esteeme another mans reproachfull tale against him, of more weight then his owne priuate testimo­nie within him. Looke thou poore Christian, more to thy conscience then fame, for Falli nam­que saepe po­terit fama, conscientia nunquam. Senec. Epist. 72. fame may oftentimes be deceiued, but conscience neuer in the things which it recordeth.

Vse 4 Last of all, doth conscience keepe a faithfull register. How carefull then ought wee to be, to commit the best things we can to its custody. How happy will it be for vs, in distresse at death, and the [Page 117] day of iudgement, to haue our consciences produce to our com­comfort, and our glory, our holy thoughts and meditations, our de­uout prayers and ciaculations, our vertues of louing, fearing, depen­ding on, seruing, honouring the God of heauen, our teares and sighes for our owne sinnes, and the sinnes of the times, our ardent wi­shes, conscionable endeauours for Sions wel-fare, our denials of our selues, our workes of charitie to­wards the soules, persons, states and names of others, our goodly counsels, Christian instructions, holy examples, giuen to them that are yoaked with vs, that are vnder our gouernment, that dwell by vs, that are acquainted with vs? Oh how sweete, how comfortable a a thing (I say) will it be vnto vs, to finde a bedrole, a catalogue of such things as these are, when these [Page 118] sealed bookes (sealed to the world-ward) of our consciences come to be opened and vnclas­ped? Oh (beloued) if we would haue conscience faithfully relate these things then, let vs carefully labour to haue our share in these vertues, let vs conscionably pra­ctise these things now, that consci­ence may record them, and keepe them, against such aftertimes; For whatsoeuer we commit to it, it is an infallible, and trusty keeper of it. It is (asHugo de Anima. l. 2. c. 9. Aure­um Reclina­torium, Ar­ca foederis, Thesauris Regis. one calles it) a golden closet, the Arke of the couenant, the Kings store-house: intimating thus much, that like as in a closet a wo­man layes vp her best Iewels, like as in his treasurie, a King stores vp his richest treasures, against the time and neede of vse, like as in the Arke were reserued the rod of Aa­ron, and pot of Manna, for a me­moriall to the Israelites: So in a [Page 119] good conscience the precious gemmes of inward graces, the heauenly treasures, the budding rod of outward vertues, are reser­ued and kept in store, for the Christian that hath them, to be v­sed by him, when time serueth, when neede requireth, to be re­membred of him to his priuate comfort, and to his glory amongst others, when there is neede of the memoriall. Not one teare shed for thy sinnes, by way of hearty re­pentance, not one prayer made to Gods Maiestie out of a deuout and contrite spirit, not one dutie performed in a conscionable obe­dience to Gods will, not a cup of cold water giuen to a disciple, in the name of a Disciple, but as God sees it, so conscience notes it: how frequent, how abundant then in these and the like yeares, in these and the like duties oughtest thou [Page 120] to be, that this faithfull notary of thy conscience may bee stuffed with good things for thy comfort, not with euill for thy terrour. What neede of pressing hath this dutie, in regard of the desperate carelesnesse of most people? who regard not how emptie of grace, how full of sinne their hearts be, how voyde of good fruits, how a­bounding with euill fruits, their liues be? They care not what I­tems for murther, for theft, for wantonnesse, for vsurie, briberie, blasphemie, hypocrisie, cosenage, pride, malice, neglect of the works of pietie to God, of mercy to­wards their neighbour, they com­mit to the booke of their consci­ence, as though it were a booke neuer to be opened; as though the doctrine in hand were an vn­truth, and conscience an vn­faithfull parchment, either full of [Page 121] blancks, or lyes? In stead of pray­ing, they will sweare, in stead of blessing, they curse, in stead of fea­ring God, they dare him, of lo­uing him, they hate him, of tru­sting in him, they murmure against him, of frequenting his house, they frequent the stewes, the tauerne, the play-house, in stead of a righteous carriage towards man, their conuersation is vnrigh­teous, in stead of a sober carriage in regard of themselues, they are most intemperate, vnruly, neither can reason, nor religion, bridle their affections. Poore CON­SCIENCE hath nothing but THESE things to record, for the time present, to report, to bring forth in time to come; which is a most lamentable thing to consider. I would these desperate creatures, would goe to^c Nature to schoole. An euill conscience (saith that) may [Page 122] oftentimes be safe, yet it is neuer se­cure, that is to say, although an e­uill mans conscience bee many times without present terrour, yet it is neuer so carelesse, but it is a recorder, in taking account of thoughts, words, and deedes, it is neuer idle. There's Natures posi­tion: what is the vse shee makes of it? Marke what followes. Therefore thou shalt commit nothing to conscience, Itaque ni­hil ei com­miseris nisi quod amico comittere possis. but what thou maiest commit to a friend. And what that is, euery one almost knowes; To friends secrets are committed, and if our secretest deedes bee good, conscience will be our friend to blaze them forth to our comfort and renowne, and that most faith­fully, vndeceiueably, though the world takes no knowledge, makes no acknowledgement of the same.

Doct. 5 I passe on now to the 3. point in the second part of my text.

That by how much the stronger the bondes be, By offering wrong to breake the bonds of vnion, is an aggraua­tion of the hearts hor­rour. whereby men are tyed to one another, by so much the sorer the torment is like to be in the conscience, for the wrongs they offer to one ano­ther. It was the breach of the bond of brother-hood that (no doubt) encreased the horror of these bre­thren in this their distresse, doth not their speech bewray as much? We are verily guilty concerning OVR BROTHER; this same BRO­THER, stucke much in their sto­macke. It was the wronging of his Father, his louing Father, who had giuen him his patrimonie, affected him deerely, showne kindnesse to him continually, which made the inward gripes the stronger, and the outward cries the louder, of the yong prodigallLuke 15.18.21.. It was the be­traying of his Master, his kinde Master (who had called him to an Apostleship, betrusted him with [Page 124] the Stewardship (whom he was so bound vnto, that if neede had re­quired, he should rather haue beene prodigall of his owne blood for his sake, then haue betrayed his innocent blood,) that encrea­sed the horrour, the heart-smart of Iudas Math. 27.3.. It was no doubt the spoi­ling of the life, the defiling of the wife of his Seruant, his trusty and faithfull seruant Vriah, (who lay watching and warring in the open fields for Dauids sake, whom Da­uid was beholding vnto for his loue and seruice,) that did aug­ment the trouble of Dauids consci­ence, when the Lord in mercy a­waked him2. Sam. 12.13. Psal. 51.. Did you neuer reade nor heare of Nero, how that the murther of his mother, (whom nature bound him to) and the slaughter of his kindred, (whom the same bond tyed him to) did so vexe and torment him, that neither [Page 125] day nor night could hee be quiet, but still he thought his mothers ghost did appeare vnto him, and the furies of hell were ready at hand to torment himSueton. in vit. Nero­nis. c. 34. 35.? The like is storied of Alexander, who ha­uing slaine a deere friend of his named Clytus, who had in loue showne his readinesse to haue died for Alexander Curt. lib. 8. p. 119. si moriendum est pro te, Clytus est primus., was so terrified in his minde, that hee would haue killed himselfe with that weapon wherewith hee slew Clytus, if his guard had not preuented him, he lay groueling vpon the earth, fil­led the whole court with misera­ble howling and out-cries, asked those that stood by him, whither they could suffer such a wretch as himselfe was to liue, cloistered vp himselfe in his tent, and would haue pined himselfe to death, if his seruants had not by strong hand compelled him to take [Page 126] meate, still this being his pitti­full songEt ego ser­uatorum meorum la­tro reuertar in patriam. Curt. lib. ci­tat. pag. 120. 121. 122., I shall returne into my owne countrey a murtherer of my SAVERS, (my Sauers,) this ag­grauated his horror, this (questi­onlesse) added to his terrour, that hee should so wrong one, that had rather beene his sauer then his enemie, whose loue hee was bound (as the light of nature taught him) to haue rewarded in a better kinde. Thus we see the truth of the point, how that the strength of bonds, to tie vs to one another, doth encrease the per­plexitie of the conscience for those iniuries we doe or shall offer to one another.

Vse. Heare this, all you, whom no bonds (no not of nature, of blood it selfe) can keepe within the compasse of loue, of equitie, whose hearts are malignant, whose tongues are virulent, whose cour­ses [Page 127] are violent against your owne kinred, the father rising vp against the sonne, the sonne against the father, the mother against the daughter, the daughter against the mother, husband against wife, wife against husband, brother against brother, sister against sister: a mans enemies being not onely of his owne house, but also of his owne blood; Heare you I say, this word of the Lord, take it in by the eare, and apply it to the heart. Poore wretches, what wrong doe you of­fer your owne consciences? you pile vp horror for them, you trea­sure vp terror against them. The stronger the knots be to binde you to vnity, the sorer shall your an­guish be for your fruits of enmitie. Achitophel stood but in a ciuill re­lation to Dauid, as a subiect to his Prince, yet hee was terrified for giuing euill counsell against [Page 128] him2. Sam. 17.23., They Iaylor but in a dome­sticall relation to Paul and Silas, as a Iaylor to his prisoners, yet hee was affrighted for laying bolts vp­on themAct. 16.24.30.. And doe you thinke that you may offer vnnaturall vio­lence, to those; betwixt whom and you there is naturall refe­rence, and your consciences will neuer accuse you? as sure as can be you are deceiued. Let but bre­thren in the same Ecclesiasticall function, fellow Magistrates in the same temporall vocation, fellow seruants in the same family, fellow neighbours in the same countrey, offer wrong to one another. I can­not warrant THEM securitie from stings of conscience. But to deale cruelly with thine owne yoake-fellow, to hate, to reuile, to abuse thy parents, whom thou oughtest to loue, honour, and obey, to be with out naturall affection to thine [Page 129] owne children, who are thine owne bowels, to deale doggedly with thy neere kinred, and vn­kindly with those of whose kind­nesse thou hast so bountifully ta­sted, is a thing so horrible, so iniu­rious, that I dare warrant thee will cost stings intollerable, yea (without repentance,) wounds of conscience incurable. For if it be Illa est vera inno­centia, quae nec inimico­nocet. August. in Psal. true innocencie, not to hurt a deadly foe, then it must needs be iniurie in graine to wrong a deere friend; and the greatest sinnes must haue the greatest punishments, of which punishments torture of consci­ence is one, yea the greatest in this life, if it produceth despaire, as it many times doth. If therefore it bee thy hap to heare or reade this, who art at enmity with those to whom thou art tyed by the bonds of nature or kindnesse, let [Page 130] mee entreate this at thy hands, that thou wouldest labour with the serious meditation of this, vp­on thine inordinate and violent affections, that it may cause thee to relent, for thy former enmitie, and breake in sunder those barres of contention, whereby thy heart hath beene bolted vp against thy brother so long a time.

Doct. 6 That Re­taliation is Gods Law.The fourth point followeth:

That the Lord requites like for like to the wrong doer. Iust as these brethren had dealt with Ioseph, so (so in their owne apprehension at least) are they dealt withall them­selues; Therefore is this distresse come vpon vs. As we sowed, so we reape, as we measured, so is it mea­sured to vs againe. We looked vpon Iosephs distresse, this man lookes vp­on our, wee would not heare our bro­ther speaking for himselfe, this man [Page 131] now will not heare vs, we carryed home to our father a false tale of Io­sephs death, now (will we, will wee) we shall be compelled to carry him too true newes of the bonds of one of our brethren. If this were not a truth, wherefore was that law of giuing life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foote for foote, bur­ning for burning, wound for wound, Exod. 21.24, 25, 26. Deut. 2.4. Chap. 19, 20. Deut. 19.21. &c. It was the decree of the Lord against the Babylonians, that the Medes and Persians, should deale with them, as they had dealt with the Israelites, as appeareth in the booke of Ieremie. I will re­compence them according to their deedes, and according to the workes of their owne hands Iere. 25.14.. Put your selues in aray against Babylon, all yee that bend the bow, &c. take vengeance vpon her as shee hath done, so doe vnto her Iere. 50.14, 15.. As Babylon hath caused the [Page 132] slaine of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slaine of all the earth Ier. 5.49.. Much to this effect is that of Eze­kiel: As I liue (saith the Lord) I will doe according to thine anger, and ac­cording to the enuy which thou hast vsed out of thy hatred against them Ezek. 35.11.. Where he threatneth to deale cru­elly with the Edomites, as he had dealt vnmercifully with the Israe­lites. The very same is repeated by Obediah in the 15. and 16. verses of his prophesie. As thou hast done, it shall bee done to thee, thy reward shall returne vpon thine owne head, for as ye haue drunke vpon mine holy mountaine, so shall all the heathen drinke continually. It is not vn­knowne what Samuel said, and did to Agag King of Amaleck. As thy sword made women childlesse, so shall thy mother bee childlesse among wo­men. And Samuel hewed Agag in [Page 133] pieces, before the Lord in Gilgal 1. Sam. 15.30.. Reason. The ground of this, I take to be the di­stributiue iustice of God, which is to reward euery man according to his workes, according to that of Iob, For the worke of a man shall he render vnto him, and cause euery man to finde according to his waies Iob 34.11.. Now if it be the office of that iustice, to deale with men according to their workes, must not that man that offereth wrong to his neighbour, looke to meete with the like at the hand of another?Preoccu­patio. Vnlesse hu­miliation, and restitution preuent it, he may vndoubtedly looke for it, or else for some heauier pu­nishment in the stead thereof, ei­ther heere, or heereafter.

Vse 1 What a bridle to curbe our in­iurious hearts, what a chaine to binde our iniurious hands, what a locke to barre vp the doore of our [Page 134] lips from vniust thoughts, words, and deedes against one another; May the serious consideration of this point bee? I perswade my selfe, there is none of vs would be content to haue iniurie offered our selues by others: Why, oh why then shall wee delight to offer wrong to others, our selues? woul­dest thou not loose the life of thy childe? take not away then the life of thy seruant, another mans childe. For Absolons blood did pay for Vriahs 2. Sam. 18.14.. Wouldest thou not haue the adulterer enter into thy bed? defile not thou the mar­riage bed of thy neighbour, for Dauids adulterie committed with Bathsheba, was requited with the defiling of his owne concubines by his owne sonne2. Sam. 16.22.. Wouldest thou not haue others disdaine and disregard thee? disdaine thou not, [Page 135] disregard thou not other men? for if Ismaels hand be against euery man, euery mans hand shall be against him Gen. 16.12.. Wouldest thou not haue others set traps for thee? spread thou no nets, digge thou no pits for another: for if Haman seekes the ruine of the Iewes, Esther shall plotte his ouerthrowCompare Esther 3. with Chap. 7.6.. Woul­dest thou not haue anothers wise­dome worke the confusion? vse not thy wit for anothers harme: For if Achitophels wit bee against the Lords Anoynted, Hushais wise­dome shall confound his2. Sam. 17.7, 8.. Woul­dest thou not be slandered? slan­der not; wouldest thou not bee cosened? deceiue not: wouldest thou not be oppressed? oppresse not: wouldest thou not haue an­other man encrease his reuenues vpon thy ruine, stuffe not thine owne bagges with the beggering [Page 136] of others: wouldest thou not leaue thy wife, thy children, a prey to the extortioners, oppressours and cormorants gullet, to haue the state that thou bequeathest them, the inheritance thou leauest them, deuoured by him, consumed of him, after thou art dead and gone? robbe not the orphane of his in­heritance, deceiue not the widdow of her maintenance, while thou liuest; for if thou doest, their wrongs will cry for vengeance, and neuer lin vntill either in thy selfe, or thy seede, thou be payed home in the like kinde: wouldest thou not haue thy children (if thou hast or shalt haue any) rob thee of the honour they owe thee? cut not thou thy parents short of that dutie thou owest them: If thou beest vnder their charge, show thy dutie by obeying their command. [Page 137] If God hath blessed thee with the worlds good aboue them, show thy thankfulnesse, by releeuing their wants. If thou beeft aduan­ced to places of honour aboue them, show thy respect by reue­rencing their persons, as Salomon did Bathshebas 1. King. 2.19.. If they happe to slippe and fall (as the best doe) show thy loue by couering their frailties, as Sem and Iaphet did No­ahs nakednesse Gen. 9.23.. Otherwise, looke for irreuerence, vnnaturall affe­ction, disobedience, blazing thy faults, from thy children as a iust recompence returned vnto thee. Lastly, wouldest thou not haue thy seruants vndutifull, vnfaithfull to thee? when thou shalt come to haue any vnder thee? deale thou then neither vndutifully nor vn­faithfully with thy master. In a word, what we would not that o­thers [Page 138] should doe to vs, let vs not doe to them. For euill shall be to the euill doer; and the distribu­tiue Iustice of the Almightie doth measure out the like portion to man, that man measureth to his brother.

Vse 2 Secondly, when wrongs are of­fered vs in any kinde by others; this should teach vs to examine and try, whither we be not guiltie of offering the like to others. Thou complainest peraduenture; No man so deceiued as I am: but hast thou not beene a deceiuer thy selfe? thou criest out, none so slan­dered, so disgraced, oppressed vniust­ly, iniuried as I haue beene; but hast not thou slandered, disgraced, op­pressed, wronged others? Thou makest thy mone, that thou hast a crosse yoake-fellow ouer thou hadst before, before a louing hus­band, [Page 139] now a cruell one, before a kinde curteous wife, now an vn­kinde and kirst one. But how didst thou vse thy former yoake-fellow, how dealtest thou with her, how behaued'st thou thy selfe towards him? it may be currishly, crab­bedly. Thou complainest of the disobedience of thy children, how that they will not be conformable to thee, will not be ruled by thee, they are prodigall against thy will, marry without thy consent, and thou canst not keepe them within compasse: Thou complainest of the idlenesse, and vntrustinesse of thy seruants; except thy eye be al­waies on them, thou canst haue no worke done by them, thou darest not trust them, they are so lime-fingred, thou darest scarce speake to them, they are so saucy tongued. It may be when thou wert in the [Page 140] condition of a childe, thou wert as disobedient to thy parents, it may be thou hast beene out nights and daies in base company a­gainst their liking, it may be thou hast bin stubborne at their threats, disobedient to their voyce, it may be (without all respect of pietie and honestie) thou didst match thy selfe against their liking. Per­aduenture, when thou wert a ser­uant, thou wert vnruly, vntrusty, idle, saucy thy selfe. When these and the like wrongs cause thee to complaine; Pause a little with thy selfe, and say; Haue not I done thus and thus with others, as others do with mee: The Lord (thou seest) doth requite wrong for wrong, into the bosome of the wrong doer; And it may be vpon examination, thou maiest finde thy selfe guiltie of the same offence; If thou doest, then [Page 141] giue vnto God the glory of his di­stributiue iustice, and say as Ado­nibezek did, when his thumbes and great toes were cut off. As I haue done, so God hath requited me Iudg. 1.7.. And if thou hast not yet repented, or so soundly repented as thou shouldest, repent at length and cease to doe euill in that kinde. But if so bee vpon examination, thou finde thine owne innocency, or hauing beene so guiltie hast re­pented, and yet art thus and thus wronged still, beare thy crosse with patience, beseech God to san­ctifie it vnto thee, to humble thee by it, and make it a preseruatiue for thee, against doing the like wrongs thy selfe, though thou shouldest haue neuer so fit occasi­ons, neuer so strong temptations to the same. So much for that do­ctrine.

Doct. 7 They that are pitti­lesse to o­thers in their mise­ry, others shall as lit­tle pittie them in theirs.The next and last thus. That they shall finde little pittie at the hands of others in their distresse, who haue beene without pittie to their brethren, in the time of their di­stresse. This could these brethren confesse heere. That Iosephs pitti­lesse carriage, (as they receiued it at that time) towards them, was caused by their owne want of pit­tie towards him in the time of his misery. The comparing of the 137. Psalme, with the thirteenth of Isaiah, verse 18. will make this good. Out of the former place, wee may gather how pittilesse to the captiue Iewes, the Babyloni­ans were flouting and gibering at them (Psal. 137.3. Sing vs one of the songs of Sion:) And in theIsa. 13.18 latter, we finde how pittilesse and Medes and Per­sians should be to THEM, beeing called vpon by God, by a prophe­ticall [Page 143] Apostrophe, to dash their yong men to pieces before their eyes, to haue no pittie on the fruits of their wombe, neither should their eye spare their little children. This particular, hath some witnesse, from Iames his generallIam. 2.13.; Hee shall haue iudgement without mer­cie, that hath shewed no mercie. Because thou hast spoiled many na­tions (saith Habakuck speaking to the cruell Chaldeans) that is pit­tilessely vsed many people, there­fore the remnant of the people shall spoile thee Hab. 2.8., yea deale pittilessely with thee. For when men fall to the spoile, then they rage like wilde beasts with little pittie, if with any at all.

Vse 1 A point making much to the terrour of all mercilesse and pitti­lesse persons, who pitty not the wants of them that are in pouer­tie, [Page 144] who minde not the griefes of them that are in misery: who threw their brethren into the pit, the prison for small trifles, and will not bee perswaded to release them: who haue the cry of the poore at their gates, at their doores, and will not be mooued to releeue them: who heare the newes of the troubles of Gods people at this day, sounding in their eares, and yet are not pro­uoked to regard them. Is it pro­probable that these men shall haue mercie showne them in the time of their misery? Probable? no, not possible, except repentance change them, and compassion cloath them to make them better. For if they be blessed that are full of mercie Mat. 5.7., their happinesse part­ly consisting in this, that they shall obtaine mercie, then they are wret­ched [Page 145] who are voyde of pittie, and this is one piece of their wret­chednesse, that they finde little pittie at the hands either of God or man. Tell mee (Naball) if the Lord should euer strip thee of thy abundance (as hee can doe it in a moment, for hee that gaue all can take all at his pleasure) who thinkest thou should succour thee, when thou refusest to heare the poore mans crie? Tell me thou that forgettest Ierusalem, if the Lord in his iust iustice should suffer those hellish fire-brands the Iesui­ticall faction, to set our land on fire, to stirre vp ciuill dissention amongst vs (as they haue at this day done in France) if hee should send a fierce nation against vs, let in the enemie vpon vs, vnto which and more then which the abho­minations of the land haue ope­ned [Page 146] a wide gap already; what eye (thinkest thou) would pittie thee, what hand would spare thee, when as neither thy heart yearneth, nor eye watreth at the desolation of Gods pleasant portion Ierem. 12.10., at the great affliction of the Lords heritage in our neighbour nations? Tell me thou malicious one (who seemest to be made all of Reuenge) that throwest thy brother into prison, (as these my text speakes off did Ioseph into a pit) for a dreame, a trifle, that threatnest to haue his skinne, swearest not to leaue him worth a groate, trouncest him vp and downe, from post to pillar, from court to court, from assize to to assize, for little or nothing al­most, tell me (I say) how lookest thou to escape the like measure? Is there neuer a prison, neuer a bench, neuer a barre, no like ex­treamitie, [Page 147] and rigour of law for thee? Are there not as mercilesse ones, as pittilesse ones, to vexe, spoile and vndoe thee, vpon as slight an occasion as thou mole­stest thy brother, if thou doe but giue it? In a word, whoeuer thou beest, who puttest of all pitie, and cloathest thy selfe with crueltie, is it impossible thinkest thou, for thee to bee vnmercifully dealt withall thy selfe, if thou doest, thou art much mistaken. For (as theSenec. de Clemen. l. 1. cap. 25. Nam talem vtrums, a tergo sequi­tur eversio, odia venena, gladij. Heathen could tell vs,) ruine, ha­tred, poysons, swords doe follow such an one at the hard heeles.

Vse 2 To adde therefore a word of exhortation and so conclude; let vs bee perswaded to cloath our selues with the robes of pittie, to­wards them that are in distresse: Heare wee others make their moane to vs, others will heare vs [Page 148] make our moane to them. Re­leeue we the wants of others, o­thers will releeue ours; Mourne for others troubles, others will mourne for ours; Comfort we o­thers in their sorrowes, others will comfort vs in ours. If according to the heauenly patterne wee bee mercifull; our heauenly Father will take such order, that pit­tie shall be showne vs in middest of our aduersitie.