TWO SERMONS: THE ONE PREACHED BEFORE THE Iudges of ASSIZE at OXFORD. THE OTHER TO the university. By ROBERT HARRIS. printer's device of John Bartlet senior, featuring a burning heart within a wreath (McKerrow 392 - not associated with Bartlet) LONDON, Printed for I. Bartlet, and are to be sold at his Shop in Cheap-side, at the sign of the gilded Cup. 1628. SAINT Paul's Exercise. A SERMON PREACHED before the Iudges of Assize at OXFORD. By ROBERT HARRIS. printer's device of John Bartlet senior, featuring a burning heart within a wreath (McKerrow 392 - not associated with Bartlet) LONDON. Printed for I. Bartlet, and are to be sold at his Shop in Cheap-side, at the sign of the gilded Cup. 1628. To the READER. I Haue been long pressed to contrive many Sermons( of Conscience) into one discourse, and to annex thereto some Cases for an Essay. I haue thought a little of the motion; but finding myself partly prevented by my betters, partly intercepted by more pressing occasions, I give up; onely thus far I haue yielded, namely, That my rude notes should bee scanned; and in case they shall be deemed of any use, then to bee published vntranscribed. Some of them haue passed( it seems) the censure, and are now under view; touching which, understand thus much; First, that these two elder were preached in the university, and addressed to the then Auditory and occasion. Secondly, that I haue underhand,( vpon the same and other texts) other Sermeas, which( haply) may more comply with thine estate and temper, if so, it is at thy liberty to leave these, and to whit those, wherein I shall haply express more fully what in the Assize Sermon time and importunity made me forbear. Thirdly, that I haue no conveniency of writing much at home, or of seeing any thing printed abroad, and therefore if things be not all out to thy mind, divide the blame betwixt the Printer and importunity. I haue no more to say but this; Compare Iudas and Paul together, mark the ones misery, the others confidence, and accordingly make thy conclusion. Thine in Christ, R. HARRIS. TO THE RIGHT worshipful Sir THOMAS CREW, &c. All happiness. SIR: MEn, that can speak, would hear much in few. It is not much that I can do this way, and therefore it is but little that I will say. Only to three Quaerees( viz.) why( of many) these Sermons were thus, First, Preached: Secondly, Printed: Thirdly, Dedicated? I answer To the first thus: As in Feasts, so in Sermons we respect the company, not ourselves. These two were preached in Athens, 1 Cor. 9.22.& 10.33. and there Saint Paul( whose Rule in these middle things is Omnia omnibus) somewhat varies his style, and speaks thick, Act. 17. To the second thus: these were most and first desired, and we carry Sermons to the press, as seruants bring drink to the table, only when it is called for. To the third thus: First, A cuius later nunquam discessi quin, &c. for my own private, I owe very much to your love, for many most kind favours, most faithful counsels, most fruitful instructions. Secondly, I am willing to pay what I am able, and to commend the rest to the prayers of my Executors and assigns. And secondly for the public, not only I, but all the Churches give you thanks, partly for relieving so many poor members and bowels, partly for adorning Religion with real performances, whilst others talk, and with attending the main, whilst too many languish in lifeless disputes. go on( Good Sir) you are in a good way, and you serve a good Master. I know not whom the Lord hath blessed beyond yourself, in person, condition, profession, relation, succession, every way: should not you be very thankful, who should? Now the Lord give you to abound yet and yet, more and more, Philip. 1.9. In his vltin. is& pessunis temporibus, &c. as Paul speaks: and he grant, that in these last& worst daies( as Bernard yokes them) we all may keep our faith, truth, innocency, revel. 16.19. conscience, and the rest of out garments clean& close about vs. Amen. From my Study, Decemb. 20. Your Worships much bound, ROBERT HARRIS SAINT Paul's Exercise. A SERMON PREACHED before the Iudges at ASSIZE. ACTS 24.16. And herein do I exercise myself, to haue always a conscience, voided of offence, toward God, and toward men. IN this Chapter we haue a very great trial: the sitting is at one of the Caesareaes; the judge,( under Claudius) Foelix; the Emperors advocate, Tertullus; plaintiffs, the Iewes; Defendant, Saint Paul; the inditement, schism and heresy; the evidence, thousands of testimonies, The Defendant is now vpon his answer, who having marred the Lawyers set starched speech, tenders the judge an abridgement of his faith before, of his life here. And here( for time denies discourse) is considerable an act, termed, Exercise: the subject of it, Pauls self: the object of it, Pauls conscience: the end of it, voided of offence, and that at all times, in all points; towards God, in the first; towards man, in the second table. In the attorneys speech you cannot So Melanthus of Diogenes his tragedy. Plut. see matter for words; in Saint Pauls, scarce words for matter: every term is stuffed if wee had time; but generals once observed, particulars shall be saluted as we pass. Thus much you already see, that there is no cause so bad, but some will pled it; no man so good, but some will slander him; no case so clear, but some will question it; no thing so false, but some will swear it. Iudges then had need to do as V. Causabon in Sueton. l. 2. their ancients did; first sacrifice, then sentence, and to be as david was, wise like an angel of God. Thus the Context; for the Text, this abridgement must yet bee abridged, and all shut up in this one conclusion: Doct. 1 Propound. every man must chiefly look to this, that his conscience bee not offended: men, be they pleased or not pleased, conscience must not bee displeased. This is the main: and for our briefer dispatch of this point, this order will be taken; First, the terms must bee vnsolded; next, the proposition confirmed, and then applied. My coming hither was to satisfy others, not myself; being come, my care shall bee, to satisfy myself( in point of conscience) not others: for the wise, I am secure in their loues; for the country, I am much grieved that I haue not learning enough to bee plain enough, in that explication which we now set vpon. In Saint Pauls Action, and our Proposition, three things come to be considered; 2 Expounded. The subject, object, End. For the first, no more but this; Wee infer from Pauls exercise, cach mans duty: because this quatenùs, and respect of this reaches to all. It is true, he was a Preacher, but he is not now considered as a Preacher, but as a man; and in my Text, his life is mentioned, not his faith, or function. For the second, it is ( Conscience) a word of great latitude and infinite dispute. It is taken sometime properly, sometime generally; if we will speak distinctly of it, wee must find out its nature, place, office,( so we purposely term the genus, subject, and final cause of conscience) which by order must concur to its definition. 1 For the first, I take Conscience to bee both a faculty, and a distinct faculty too of the soul: the V. Aquin. in sum.& in quaest. disputat. schools reject that; others this; but besides reason, the written Word bends most that way: 1 Tim. 15. 1 Tim. 1. it is distinguished from the will: Titus the 1. vers. 15. from the mind: and if we mark it, Conscience is so far from being one of both, or both in one, as that there is between them, first a iealousy, then an open faction: the other powers of the soul, taking Conscience to be but a spy, do what they can, first to hid themselves from it, next to deceive it, after to oppose it, and lastly, to depose it; Conscience( on the other side) laboureth to hold it own, and( till it be blinded, or bribed) proceeds in its office, in despite of all oppositions, it cites all the powers of nature, sits vpon them, examines, witnesseth, iudges, executes: hereof come those {αβγδ}, self conferences, or reasonings, Rom. 2. as Paul terms them; thence those mutual Apologies, and exceptions amongst themselves, when conscience sits. romans 2. I know the words are otherwise carried: but( {αβγδ}) will hardly brook any other bias that is set vpon them. For the second, the common subject of Conscience, is the reasonable soul: there is some shadow of this in a beast, as there is of reason, but it is a shadow. The proper seat is( I think) the highest part thereof; it is usually referred( you know) to the practical understanding, because it is busied about actions, and drives all its works to issue by discourse. But as that ground is too weak( for neither is every discourse conscience, nor every act of conscience a discourse) so is that room too strait: wee had rather therfore place conscience somewhat higher, under God, but over all in man, distinct from other faculties, yet still sheathed in the body( as Daniel speaks of the whole spirit) and( as I think) is that which Origen meant by his Paedagogus, and others by their Genius. Dan. 7. The third thing is its end and office; tis set in man to make known to man, in what terms he stands with God, thence its name; therefore fitly termed, the souls glass, the understandings light. Conscience therefore is a prime faculty of the reasonable soul, Damasc. there set to give notice of its spiritual estate, in what terms it stands with God. understand me thus; The soul( I suppose) is ranked into three parts; and those into as many courts and offices: the sensitive part hath its court of Common pleas; the intellectual, of the Kings Bench; the spiritual( so to speak) a Chancery; in this court all causes are handled, but still with special reference to God: here sits the Conscience as Lord Chancellor, the Synteresis as master of the rolls: to this court all the powers of man owe and pay service, till the judge be either willingly feed, or unwillingly resisted. And this of conscience, strictly taken. Now secondly, V. Heming. de l●geratur. 'tis taken sometime more generally, sometime for the whole court and proceedings of conscience, by the fathers: sometime for the whole soul of man, either stooping to conscience, or reflecting vpon itself: so the Hebrews ever; you never find that term ( Conscience) with them, but ( heart, spirit.) So John( who most abounds with Hebraismes) If our heart condemn, or condemn us not. Thus here the word may be used, though not necessary,&( to speak popularly) Pauls heart, soul, conscience shal be the same thing. And thus of the second term. The third followeth ( without offence) it is the conscience that carries the soul, as the foot the body, through all ways and weather: therefore Saint Paul would be as chary of this, as the travelers of that; Conscience should not be offended, lest it should offend. Conscience, as the foot( for that is the allusion) is then offended, when the welfare of it is impeached: the welfare of it stands in its fit constitution, and working, or managing of its proper actions: which as Paul delivers them, are; 1 Knowing. 2 Witnessing. 3 Comforting. And now( accidentally) since the fall, accusing and tormenting. And for its constitution, it stands in clearness, tenderness, quietness, and when it is either so blinded or dazzled, seared, lame, that it cannot do its office, then it is said to be offended. The degrees and means of this offence may not( for hast) be here inserted; as time will give leave, wee will touch vpon some anon: in the mean we now put together, what all this while we haue been spelling, and resume our point, thus explained. every Christian must be carefully watchful, that his soul, spirit, or conscience bee no way grieved by sins. And this for explication: for the time, enough; for the thing, too little. Now follows the proof, 3. proved. and that is most easy: First, from Precept; above all keepings, keep thy heart, saith Salomon, Prou. 4.23. Next, from Example; wee haue a cloud of witnesses, Prophets, Apostles, Martyres, who would hazard themselves vpon the angry Seas, lions, Flames, rather then vpon a displeased conscience. Thirdly, from Reason; First, for Gods cause we should make much of conscience, that being his officer, and therein standing the chiefest of his image, and mans excellency: the perfection of man is his knowledge; the perfection of knowledge, is 1 King. 2.44. the knowledge therof, which is conscience. Secondly, for our peace sake, conscience being( as Austen often) like a wife, Aug. in Psal. the best of comforts, if good: the worst of naughts, if bad: for first, deal friendly with conscience, and it proves the best of friends, next God; first, the truest, that will never flatter, but make thee know thyself; secondly, the surest, that will never start, it lies with thee, it sits with thee, it rides with thee, it sleeps with thee, it wakes with thee, it walks with thee, in every place, beyond all times. Thirdly, it is the sweetest friend in the world: if natural cheerfulness bee so good a house keeper to a good man, that it feasts daily( as Salomon saith) O then what be the banquets of conscience, sanctified and purified? what joys those which will carry a man above Quasivolitare te facit recti Consc. Chrys. de neq. &c. Tom. 5. ground,& make him forget the best of natures comforts? what comforts those which will make one sing under the whip, in the stocks, at the stake in despite of the fire? what the strength of conscience, that can sooner tyre the Tyrant than the Martyr? and can carry weak strength( as weak as water, as it were) in triumph through a world of bonds, rods, swords, racks, wheels, flames, strappadoes, and whatsoever else? These joys be impregnable and unspeakable indeed, this peace is unconceivable, this friend unmatchable; and shall such a one, so true, so fast, so good, bee slighted or offended? Secondly, offend conscience, and it will prove as the inmost, so the utmost enemy. First, vnauoidable, do what thou canst thou canst not shake it off; when thou goest, it goes; when thou fliest, it runs; still it cries and raises the country against thee, it meets thee in the dark, and makes thee leap; it meets thee in the day, and makes thee quake; it meets thee in thy dreams, and makes thee start; in every corner, and makes thee think every bush to bee a man, V. Pausan. in Plut. de sera vind. et Flacchum in Philo ludaeo. every man a devill, every devill a messenger sent to carry thee quick to hell: thou comest to thy chamber, there conscience frights thee; thou comest to the field, there it turns thee; thou turnest again, it crosses the way vpon thee again; thou turnest, it turns; thou criest, it cries; thou darest not call, if thou didst, conscience fears not company. Secondly, unsufferable, V. Aug. de catechi. rudibus. it strips one of all comforts at one time: if a sick stomach will make one weary of chairs, beds, meats, drinks, friends, all, Oh what will a sick conscience do? Next, it puts one to intolerable pains, it racks the memory, and makes it run backward twenty yeeres, as Iosephs brethren, De sera vindicta. and Aristocrates in Plutarch, yea, it twinges for sins of youth, as job complains, it racks the understanding, and carries it forward beyond the grave, and makes it feel the very bitterness of death and hell, before it sees them; it racks the phantasy, and makes it see ghosts in men, lions in children, as it is storied of some, it troubles the eye, Procopius de bello Gothic. l. 1. Plut. ubi supra. and makes a murdering Theodericke see the face of a man in the mouth of a Fish: it troubles the ear, and makes a Bessus hear the cry of murder in the chattering of birds: it racks all the senses quiter out of joint, and makes a Saunders run over Irish mountaines out of his wits: In short, it so oppresses, V. Instit. britain. that it causes the sweeting soul to cry with david, Psal. 51. Psal. 90. O my bones are broken; and with Moses, Who knows the power of thy wrath? And to join with Salomon, A wounded conscience who can bear? Pron. 18. what man? what angel? who under Christ? Nay, this stroke vpon the soul( separate from all sin) drew from the LORD of life those sad cries, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? That which thousand taunts, ten thousand racks could not haue done, this one alone apprehended, and felt, wrested from him: and shall such a thing as this, so near, so great a neighbour be offended? Wee haue done with proofs, wee now apply. Wherein first, shall we chide or weep, to see the wickedness of these times, and the infinite distance twixt Paul and us? O Paul, thou art almost alone; thou studiedst conscience, wee of this age craft: thou didst gauge thine own, wee other mens: thy care was to please conscience, wee the times: thine to walk evenly before God and man, ours to serve ourselves on both: thou every where wast for conscience, wee almost no where: thou wouldst see conscience take no wrong, now wit out-reasons it, wealth out-faces it, money out-buies it, might ouer-matches it, all vnder-value it. Its a wonderful thing, that so rich a pearl should bee so cheap, so rare a thing, so commonly sold: surely markets are wondrous dead for conscience, every man is readier to sell than to buy, and to put off vpon any rates; for sixpence a man will lie, for sixpence he will steal, for sixpence he will swear: yea, in some causes and halls you may haue twelve consciences for one dinner. O Conscience, keep not silence at this, know thy place, do thy office; cry, now thou art among Schollers, Tradesinen, Iurers, Lawyers, Patrons, Landlords, Iudges; cry against those houses which discommon thee, against those shops which sell thee, those Patrons which keep out thee, those Pleaders which purse thee, those Iurers which stretch and rack thee, those Iudges that disgrace and hang thee. If any of any fort name be now within kenning, thou knowest him, go, attach him, shake him, bind him over to Christs Assizes; if not, yet sand word by these to such a one, that thou wilt haue him alive or dead before thy master. As for those which doubt of Conscience, as the Cymmerians did of the Sun,& scorn all religion as if it were but superstition; arise, O conscience, vpon them, thunder, lighten, flash flames, and whole hells into their eyes and hearts, till they cry, O Conscience, hold thy hand. As for you present, be entreated to two things; First, talk with your hearts alone, and in case conscience be angry with you once, agree, else never safe; nor field, nor town, nor bed, nor board, nor life, nor death, nor depth, nor grave can render you secure. Conscience speaks not still indeed, but still it writes, and when it sees its time, twill red its bills; Item, such a time a lie, from such a man a bribe, with such a one adultery, &c. O prevent these reckonings thus; First, confess thy debts, thy sin, and reverse thine own doings, with some Martyrs. Secondly, sprinkle the blood of Christ vpon thy conscience, hid thy sin in his wounds, the onely place exempt from this Officer. O but my debts sink me. O but if Christ be thy Surety, he can pay more than thou canstowe. V. Greg. in Eze. hom. 9. O but I dare not see his face, Conscience doth so cry. Ay but the blood of Christ speaks better than the blood of Abel: that cries, The blood of a Brother is shed, Vengeance: Christs, The blood of a saviour is shed, Pardon. O but you little think how monstrous my sins bee. Yea, but I know that if wee confess with broken hearts, the blood of Christ shall cleanse from all sin, 1 joh. 1. V. Cypria. de caen. dom. and calm the Conscience, as jonah did the Seas. Secondly, be of Pauls mind; First, set conscience at a high price, consider what it will bee worth in the day of trouble, of death, of iudgement; weigh what the price of Conscience would be in hell, if men might buy their peace, and thereafter rate it; and resolve to beg, starve, burn, die over a thousand deaths to save Consciences life. Next, use Pauls means, look to God, and man. For God; First( with Paul) wee must beleeue what is written; Faith and Conscience are embarked in the same ship, 1 Tim. 1.5.& 3.9. heresy is a self condemning sin. Secondly, wee must profess what is believed; concealments and aequiuocations before a judge, will shake for the time, a Bilney or Cranmer; V. Preface to Diasius his story. but will make a Spyra or Hoffme to roar. Thirdly, wee must practise whats professed, conscience cannot abide either halfing, or halting. Secondly, for man; If we haue given our voice or hand against the innocent( with Saint Paul) wee must retract it, and though we haue wronged a Martyr( as he Saint Stephen) repentance will procure a pardon. Secondly, hereafter, our life( with his) must be, first, faire; secondly, fruitful: and when wee thus procure things honest before God and man, man cannot, conscience must not, God will not once condemn vs. This the general. Now we haue some special errands yet to deliver; First, to you of lower rank; do you stand in the face of iudgment this day, with Pauls conscience. In private, you would seem sick of the country; you sigh at miscarriages, that the common horse is no better saddled: make good these private whisperings by public verdicts and enditements, else I shall hold you slanderers. You know your charge: is any thing amiss in ways, fields, towns, tenants, landlords, Recusants, officers of any sort? now speak, now commence it, spare none. What? Shall I indite my friend? No, nor foe neither, unless conscience bind thee; if, present him what ever he be: What, a neighbour? a neighbour, a kinsman? a kinsman, a Iustice? a Iustice, my Landlord? thy Landlord. Nay, Ile rather lose my Issues. O baseness, what said the heathen to such a dastard? Zeno in Plut. of bashfulness. Is not he afraid to appear in a bad cause? Demosih. and fearest thou in a good? And again, if thou thus fear a lamp, how wilt thou stand before the Sun? Ay, but I dwell in his house: What then? resolve as the Cantabrians to Augustus, Plut. ubi supra. Though my house& land be yours, yet whilst I breath, I will be none but mine own, and Gods. But I cannot live without him; but thou canst die without him: and tis better to die a thousand deaths, than to stab one Conscience. No more to you, but Eliahs farewell to Naaman, who had the like thorn in his foot; what ever becomes of your places, or estates, so walk, so go, as may be for your peace: for so I think the words may truly be red, the original having ל not כ: though these I grant be often confounded. Next, to you of higher rank I haue a double svit; First, that you will haue some mercy on other mens consciences; next, on your own. For the first, my meaning is, not to pled for the conscience of any, either Familist, or Separatist, least of all for Hannoes faction, which will not bee tamed, I mean the Papists, these cry out( I know) of money-lawes, V. Epistle of English persecutions. of bloody-lawes, bloody Iudges, bloody Preachers, bloody proceedings against poor consciences. But what( I wonder) hath ignorance, idolatry, wilfulness, treachery to do with Conscience? Had I time, I think I could prove, that Popery hath been the sorest enemy that ever conscience met withall in the Christian world: whether doctrines, or dispensations, or medicines, or practices be considered. But howsoever, an erroneous conscience ever binds: So Bellarmine delivers it as an axiom, but better Schollers than Bellarmine will not bee so general, so confident; they distinguish, and indeed, needs must; I cannot now dispute: for our purpose this may suffice. First, ignorance is not conscience, which ever implies science. Secondly, Conscience hath no power to bind of itself, but what it derives from some word; and where the word binds me( for the purpose) to come to Church, Conscience cannot bind to the contrary. Thirdly, there is no word that makes conscience the rule of faith, and life simply, but as it is well informed. It is somewhat thats said in the schools, an erroneous conscience may suffice to sin, but not to virtue: and well it may be, that it may entangle like a common Barrettor, but in proper speech it cannot bind, especially when a third waylies open, V. Aug. epist. 50. and wilfulness will not take it, as it is in some Recusants. Touching these I wish they might bee first privately convinced; next, publicly compelled, ad media fidei;& so leaving them, I come to those of whom I was speaking amongst ourselves. There bee of Pauls faith, who haue not Pauls conscience; some so wicked, Cic. pro Milone. that for a need theyle swear that their friend or foe was at Rome, and Interamna, both at once: Sucton. l. 6. some so weak, that for a great Claudius theil first dream, and then swear their dreams be true. Of these( if known) the one sort would be affrighted from an oath, the other heartened to performances. Let it bee Antichrists sin, to sit even in this walking temple also( Conscience) and so to terrify men, Throgmor, in Euerards Britannokom. that they dare not live, nay die( as it is said of one) without leave: do not any of you meance before hand, or frown after, when a Iurer, witness, Constable, officer, hath said or done but conscience: if he do, conscience mark him, frown vpon him, pursue him as fiercely, as he doth his poor brother cruelly. Lastly( with S. Paul) be favourable to your own consciences. And here, as you must keep the Philosophers diet: to fast from sin; so chiefly from these three; first, from sinning against your places of trust: secondly, against your oaths taken: thirdly, against humanity, especially a multitude: all which being against the laws of the land, of nations, of nature, of God, cannot choose but be most wrongful to conscience. And here is that which toucheth all our freeholds: I will begin at home, lest I seem partial. 1 Tutors, you haue a great charge, and withall a great advantage, a whole parish, lordship, country, diocese contracted into a few youths; keep a good conscience towards God and man in discharging your trust, and fitting your charge for both. Secondly, we in the ministry are in places of trust, the gospel is committed to us, as to S. Paul; O happy wee, if wee can say after him, We preach not as pleasing men, but God which tries the heart: wee are men of conscience, let conscience rule and master us: haue we charges? when they pay for their diet after a hundred a year, let Conscience tell us, that five a year in conscience will bee too little. Are wee in the Pulpit? bring Conscience thither, and lose it not there; let Conscience choose the Text, pen the Sermon; and if( with Chrysostome) wee haue once been carried with applause, now let us delight in their repenting, and our own conscience. Thirdly, Patrons, you are far entrusted with the Churches goods, her portion lies in your hands; Landlords ye bee, but not Churchlords; you are but executors, nay seoffees only in trust; if you must haue a fee for paying a due legacy, it is not an apocryphal competency that will stop conscience mouth: Be not deceived( saith Saint Paul) in this case, God is not mocked; Gal. 6. mens souls were bought with blood, they will not be sold better cheap: let not the price of blood come into your common treasury; set not souls and scholars on crying, we cannot live for want of teaching, nor wee teach for want of living, this will not prove comfort one day. Fourthly, Lieutenants, you bee in places of trust, turn theatres into Artillery yards with Pyrrhus, and when you muster, make not Ioabs muster, by halves. Fiftly, as for you much reverenced and honoured Fathers, Sheriffes, Iustices, Iudges, besides trust, you haue taken an oath for the common good; if ever( as I trust ever) you make conscieuce of any thing, you will of an oath; good Fathers, make conscience Porter at all your gates, let none come in or out without this Porters leave: let Conscience led you thorough all chambers to the hall, and tell you, these rooms were built, these commons ordained, these places given to the poor, to the honest, to the learned, not to sons of worship, of honour, not: I know you are importuned with letters, but would you sand Conscience to the Court with a supplication, I doubt not but that you should receive that order that Antiochus once made, Plut. in Apotheg. saith it was Antigonus. That if Letters came from him or his Nobles, to the prejudice of the Common good, his subiects should pocket them as unwittingly written. 6 As for you that now are, and others that hereafter shall be Sheriffes, I beseech you know your place, your oath; look to under-officers that they abuse not poor men with exactions, and executions; the country with talesses and other exorbitances; look to yonder Castle( your charge for the time) see what order is there kept, which corrupts( if same lie not) more than corrects: look vpon those poor souls, which usually be as unfit to die as to live, for want of instruction; and let Conscience persuade you to take some public and settled course for them amongst yourselves. Souenthly, and touching you( much honoured Iustices and Gentlemen) no more but so, till I come to a Iudges duty; you are sworn men, I beseech you peruse your oath: and if you heed not a Plutarch or a Pliny, which cry shane vpon those Magistrates that will sit by the fire, or bee in the field with reapers, when they should be on the bench,& cast more to end the Sessions, than to amend faults; yet fear that double cannon which Gods word discharges vpon the negligent, Curse ye Merosh, judge. 5. which will not come to help the Lord against the mighty; jer. 48. and cursed bee he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, and with-holds the sword. Generally, all ye that are more public and eminent, remember you are Christians, you are men: say as good Nehemiah touching your poor tenants, brethren, underlings, Neh. 5. they are our flesh and our brethren; if you stiffen yourselves against their cries, when they lye at your foot as joseph at his brethrens, Obrother judah, help; why, brother levi; why, brother Zebulon, all or some pitty me; know that a time shall come, when Conscience shall cry vpon you, and you vpon God, but all in vain. Eightly, I end with you, reverend Iudges: God speaks Law by you, Conscience by us; in both, he, and he alone must be acknowledged. Your persons I neither know, nor touch: with your Conscience my business is this, To mind them, that they may mind you of, first, your places, and secondly, your oaths. For the first, your place( in sum) is very public, and your reverend selves must be wholly public; you eat not your own bread, possess not your own seat, swallow not your own air; you may not here know your own friends, own your own words, thoughts, breath, but lose yourselves in the common cause, as riuers their names in the main Ocean. Particularly, the Lord honours you with these titles. Hos. 4.18. Psal. 47. First, you are termed Shields, your place is to stand between God and the people; and by timely censuring known sins, Deut. 21. and sacrificing for unknown, to keep public plagues and the land apart; your office is to pluck the spoil out of the teeth of the mighty, as job did; and to bestride your poor brother, when he is strike down. Alas, Iustice will fall in the streets, and swoon at the bar, if you do not support her; a poor man cannot be a constant Tearmer, and retain half a dozen Lawyers at once: he can buy beggary with as little cost, and less pains at home, and therefore heeds his people; Husband( saith the wife) father( saith the child) let all go, let us live together tho wee starve together: did you but see the tears that are shed in some families at the beginning and ending of terms, by occasion of tedious suits, your hearts would bleed. Next, judge. 18.7. you are termed Heires of restraint; stand for your inheritance, and( what you may) restrain multitudes of suits, delays in suits frown vpon those Athenians, who will never hear of peace, till they bee( as he said) clothed with black; judge. 11. vpon those quarreling Ammonites, that rak amongst the moths( as one speaks) for a title that was rotten three hundred years before: frown vpon those Tertullusses, who care not what the cause bee, so the fee bee good: frown vpon the drunkards, swearers, and other Belialists of this age, and botches of the state; and as your place is, judge. 18. put them to shane. Thirdly, you are called Healers: Esa. 3. would God you would go to the quick, and heal our breaches in the causes thereof. The country is sick of superstition, idleness, uncleanness, thefts, and the like: but whence the disease? that would be thought vpon: the idle is whipped, but who sets him on work? the unclean seruant is punished, but who pities him for marriage? the ignorant is censured, but who teaches him? the wanderer is paid for roving, but who pulled down his house? poor men indicted for eating of sheep, but who endites sheep for eating of men? the law takes order for all( you will say) wee red it enacted, would we could see it executed. Next, as you must begin at the cause, so proceed in order: heal the greatest breaches. Ile name but one in the State, two in the Church; and I would you were as able, as I presume you are willing to make them up. The first is a decay, not of husbandry, but of husbandmen: V. Sir W. Ral. story. twas once the saying, That the Husbandry and Yeomanry of England were the freest men in the world: but if all payments and employments be rolled vpon them, whilst Landlords encroche& usurers go tole-free, the whole body will be lean, when the belly is so lank. For the Church there be two maims, which would my blood could cure. The first is, the misplacing of Church livings: which once made improper, run too often into Papists hands, who haue wit enough to defeat law, and to present a clerk that is blind and poor enough. The second is the paring of other Church livings. Men may speak their pleasure of the pride and idleness of the clergy( neither of which, where either is found, shall by me be defended) but this I am sure of, by reason that now and then( it is but now and then) a piece of gold is put into my hands to give a scholar: some men who can be charged with neither, haue scarce any books in the study, any bread in the cubboord: and( that which is worse) there is scarce a country Preacher that hereafter will breed his child a scholar; partly because he cannot, poverty itself is now so dear: partly because he sees no living can be had without the loss of two the dearest things, liberty and conscience: the world hath found a remedy to help all this: first, let them not mary: secondly, let them teach school. hear O ye heauens, and blushy at these answers: that which is granted( to wit, maintenance and marriage) to every painful Tailor, Tapster, cobbler, thats denied to Christs Ambassador, because he is an Ambassador: he must not live, unless he will piece two such callings together as will break a back of steel. Fourthly, you are termed Fathers: 2 King. 5. Et passim ne sis Deo magis misericors. direct you must, correct you may, but all in love. A heathen man could say, that mercy must be shown to a beast in his death, much more to a man in a Christian state. Tis true, when God bids slay, tis not mercy but hypocrisy to spare; but yet mercy must bee in the heart, when iustice is in the hand, and a judge must smite a sinner, as Ioshua did Achan, as a father his child, with a weeping eye and feeling heart. Lastly, you are rearmed gods: Chrysost. in act. 24. Psal. 82. God hath set you in his chair, lent you his name; and when we come to the Hall, wee come to see and hear the Lord in you: Oh remember whose person you sustain, so walk that you may honour him and yourselves both in one. When the rude Soldiers saw the Senators at Rome sit gravely in their Robes, they held them gods: but so soon as one grew waspish, and discovered himself, they took them for men, despised, spoiled them. It will bee so with all Magistrates, so long as they hold themselves to gravity, iustice, equity, they will bee honoured as gods; but if once they discover the fears, passions, partialities of men, they grow into contempt even with their friends, as Tacitus notes of Tiberius his flatterers: mans heart knows not how to reverence any thing but Gods image; where this is darkened, mens tongues and pens will be bold with the greatest. Thus the story speaks of Claudius, V. Sucton.& Dion. a very moderate and painful Iustice; but then his wife and seruants turned him round: of Vespasian, a worthy judge, that could in iudgement forget private offences; but then he was too covetous: of Alexander, a great man, of great parts; but then a kinswoman could make him partial: and again, he was still in hast; Plut. and if david himself give sentence rather running than sitting, a hundred to one he miscaries in the matter of Mephibosheth: yea, this wee see in Pilate himself, a man willing to haue all well, but too timorous; when once that thunderclap came, You are not Caesars friend, down falls the judge, and for the keeping of one, lost three friends, God, Conscience, and Caesar too. It is then a disgrace to the judge, not to sample his Lord; but to God himself an infinite dishonour, when his excellencies shall be concealed, and himself presented to the world, a passionate, fearful, corrupt, vnright judge. It is( you know my Lords, a great sin to bely a man in public; but to corrupt Gods records, to pervert his words, to make Gods mouth on the Bench to condemn the innocent, to commend the wicked, or Gods hand to act injustice, this will make Conscience cry. Now then( O ye visible Gods) receive your charge from jehosaphat his mouth, Take heed, 2 Chron. 19.7. the iudgement is Gods, not mans; he respects no persons, receives no gifts. God is the substance, you but lines and the superficies, which moves onely as the body moves them: you must receive your charge from him; what God saith, you must say; what he doth, you must do; what he abhors, you must shun: he respects none, nor rich, nor poor, nor friend, nor foe; no more must you: he receiveth no gift, by himself, nor his man Elijah, nor his mans man Gehesie, without distaste; no more must you. look vpon him your judge, vpon your age,( your confidence as well as Solons:) vpon your oath, which is so strict: look vpon your Conscience, and let the peace thereof be your friend, gold, silver, all, as Austen speaks. And so if you do, In Psal. 36. we proclaim another assizes, and do you to understand for your encouragement, that if you can say with Saint Paul, I labour( still labour) to keep conscience( my own Conscience) voided of offence,( all offence) towards all persons, in all causes; you shall haue Pauls boldness before men, his comfort in death, his honour after with men, ever with God, before, at, after that his assizes to be held by his Son, before two worlds of men, and millions of Angels. Now, O thou who art the God of gods, and judge of men, fasten that in our hearts, which thou hast spoken to our ears: and give Iudges, Iustices, Iurers, Preachers, Tutors, all, grace to practise what thou hast taught; that so having Pauls Conscience in life, wee may haue Pauls comfort in death, &c. FINIS. S. PAULS CONFIDENCE DELIVERED IN A SERMON before the IVDGES of assize. By Robert Harris. printer's device of John Bartlet senior, featuring an altar (McKerrow 405) FIDE IVSTVS VIVET deus PROVIDEBIT יהוה R·Y LONDON, Printed for John BARTLET, at the gilded Cup in cheapside, 1628. S. PAULS CONFIDENCE. ACTS 24.16. And herein do I exercise myself to haue always a Conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. THe words red were uttered by Paul; the place where, was 1. Caesarea, 2. the iudgement hall: the time when, when Tertullus the Orator had made a bitter invective against him; the manner how, by way of apology and Defence, being deeply slandered. The order of them is thus: 1. he wipes away the Lawyers aspersions in particular, 2. gives account of his life in the general. And here( for here lies our business at this time) he doth two things, 1. he gives us a sum of his Faith, verse 14.15. 2. of his Life, 16. In point of Faith and Profession Paul and wee agree, in Life& practise we are far wide;& therefore we will dwell vpon that this hour. This verse then contains the brief and map of Pauls life; where first note his action ( exercise) Secondly, the subject of it, Pauls self. Thirdly, the object of it, his conscience. Fourthly, the end of it, to haue it void of offence in all cases, towards all persons. For the First, Paul doth, as Salomon bids him, set his bones to work, and all his strength. Time he neither idles nor sleights, {αβγδ} but uses both diligence, skill and constancy together; for all these are wrapped up in his word. For the Second, He thought it best husbandry to till his own ground, best policy to bee wise for himself, and to keep home; and therefore he takes himself to task, and becomes his own physician. And in the third place, because tis as good do nothing as nothing to the purpose, he makes choice of a good subject to work vpon ( conscience.) Conscience is a thing much talked of, but little known, and yet less practised than understood. I mean not a school Lecture, or philosophical Discourse; yet must I expound my Text. Conscience is considered two ways; one way by Philosophers, another way by divines. Philosophy and natural Learning bring us thus far acquainted with the nature of Conscience: i. the Masters hereof( for the most part of them) make the soul a building consisting of many rooms, some higher, some lower; whereof the highest is the understanding. This understanding is either speculative, containing some general notions and principles of truth; or practical, containing the like principles and axioms of good things: for at the first there were( nay still there are) some general principles, belonging partly to knowledge, partly to practise, left in the soul of man. Now to this latter, be longs( in their iudgement) Conscience, whose office is to reason and discourse; and therfore belongs to the understanding: And its work lies about that which is good or bad, at least doable; and therefore belongs to that part or respect of the understanding which is termed practical. In this, there is considerable, 1. the nature, 2. the working of Conscience. The nature; so they conceit of it, as of a natural faculty in the understanding onely or chiefly. For the working, it accomplishes its own operations, and drives them to an issue by discourse, thus; That which I would not haue done to me, I must not do to others: I would not haue wrong done to me; therefore &c. This conclusion, is a conclusion of Conscience;& for the premises they haue in their distinct discourses several terms: but of them enough. 2 For divines; We may distinguish them into two forms: i. some are pen men of holy Writ, some only of private books. These latter are not so attentive to the term as to the thing; and therfore they call sometimes the power of so reasoning, sometimes the whole reason and syllogism, sometimes each proposition apart, sometime the effect and consequent following such an application and conclusion, by the name of Conscience. But now come to the inspired Prophets and Apostles, and there the word is used( as other words of like nature in like cases are) two ways; 1. more strictly and properly, when itis joined with other faculties of the soul, Cic. pro Cluen. dixit conscientiam mentis nostrae &c. as Tit. 1.15. 1 Tim. 1.5. In the first it is differenced from the mind, in the latter from the will. 2. More largely, when tis put alone; and so it stands for the whole heart, soul and spirit working inwardly vpon itself by way of reflex. So the Hebrewes generally spake, making heart, spirit, soul, conscience, all one, especially the two former. So John speaks in his first Epistle. Thus the word is here used, being referred both to God and man. Pauls conscience, heart, and spirit, sound one and the same thing in this place; the difference at the most is but in the manner of considering. Well, what would Paul with his conscience? he would haue it void of offence: he would go an end in the ways of God, without halting, without stumbling; for thats his allufion. A wise traveler, in a rough way, is loth to offend his foot, lest that offend him: Paul is the same for his conscience; by no means would he wound that, lest that should wound him. Hence his study to keep his Conscience void of offence: Offence I say, first passive: whereby his spirit might be grieved; secondly, active: whereby his spirit might grieve either himself or others unseasonably. This was his study,& thus inoffensive& strait he would bee with all persons ( God and Man) so that his Conscience should not bee vpon him for faltring with either, and( in all cases, by all means, {αβγδ}. or at all times) as his words may indifferently bee construed. Thus lived Paul at last, who was so wild at first: why should we despair, having the same chirurgeon? But of the Words so much. Now for Instructions: yourselves see many, let me commend the main unto you, and bind up all in this one. Doct. Christians must haue a special care of themselves, that they do not in any thing offend their own consciences. To keep the conscience from offence and hurt, must be the task of every Saint. look how chary a proud woman is of her beauty, a wise man of his eye, a weak man of his stomach; so( and much more than so) should a Christian man be careful of his conscience, of his heart. Will you precept for this? Solomon speaks home, Pro. 4.23. above all watchings watch the heart &c. That's the tower that commands, and Conscience is one of the jewels thats there lodged. Will you example? One Paul is sufficient: he was once averse enough, but after conversion( in point of faith) he was all for Christ,( in point of life) all for conscience, c. 23. Heb. Acts 23.1.& 2 Cor. 8.21 13.18. Will you reasons? There are enough both for the one and the other, namely, for heeding, the conscience first; and each man his own next. For the first, we will out of many cull but two reasons. Reas. 1. give the conscience content and rest, and it will pay thee a hundred fold, and prove to thee,( next to God its Master) the greatest friend in the world: .i. the truest friend; whereas others are sometimes too short in reproofs, sometime in comforts, mutter and will not speak out, but think more than theyle say, and say more to others than to thy face; this friend Conscience( if thou deal friendly with it) will deal friendly with thee. This will round thee in the ear, and say, This is well, however it be taken;& therfore be not discouraged: this is nought, however applauded or painted; it is stark staring nought, pride, hypocrisy, &c. therefore amend. Ah( brethren!) as no friend lies so near us, and can sound us so well as conscience, so none will deal so plainly with us, if we do not offend it. 2 Conscience is the fastest friend in the world. Others go and come, and stand afar off, now at hand, now I know not where; but conscience is no starter, its never from our sides, out of our bosoms: it rides with us, it sits with us, it lies with us, it sleeps, it wakes with us:& as it can say much from God and of us, so it will if not offended. 3 The sweetest friend in the world. A good cheerful heart( saith Solomon) is a continual feast. Oh then a satisfied and pacified conscience, what is that? what joys be those which will carry a man out of the earth, and make him say, Though I haue wife, children, friends, wealth, house, health, ease, honour, &c. after my own heart, yet these are nothing to my contentments within? What joys those that will make one fing under the whip, at the Stake, in the Flames? Oh Conscience, thou hast a special gift in comforting, that canst make the patient laugh when the spectators weep; and carry frail flesh singing and rejoicing through a world of bonds, rods, swords, racks, wheels, flames, strappado's! these joys be strong, unspeakable indeed, this peace passing mans understanding &c. Phil. 4. 4 The surest friend in the world. Other friends love not to come to a sick mans bed side, or if so, they cannot abide to hear his groans, to see a dead man; at the most they can but follow one to the grave: but Conscience will make ones bed in sickness, and cause him to lie the softer; will stand by him when he groans, and do him comfort; will hearten him vpon death, when its coming; and say, Thy Redeemer liveth; will whisper to him when departing; and say, Thy warfare is accomplished; will lodge the body in grave as in a bed; man the soul to heaven, and make him able to look God in the face without any terror: So fast a friend is this, that when riches, husband, parents, friends, breath, life; nay, patience, hope, faith, haue left us, in some measure, this will not leave vs. And would not such a friend, a friend so true, firm, kind, sure, be much made of? shall such a one be offended? Reas. 2. The conscience offended becomes the sorest enemy. The greatest friends are bitterest foes when once divided: no wars to civil, to domestical warres. The nearer the worse: and the conscience is nearest; and therefore( if an enemy) the heaviest. For this enemy is, 1. vnauoydable. Others may be kept off with strength, or put off with skill: but so will not conscience; no bars, no bolts, no bulwarks, can keep that from thy table, thy bed. Dan. 5.5. Belshazzar may sooner keep out ten thousand Medes, than one conscience: That will pass through all his Officers to his Presence; and in the face of his Nobles and Concubines arrest him, and shake him in despite of his security. Nor will this watchful Officer be bobd with a bundle of distinctions and cuasions. When God sets it on work, it marcheth furiously like Iehn, and will take thee up with his answer, What peace so long as thy whoredom and sins remain? As thers no respondent like conscience, so no obiector like to that. A man may make a shift with a wrangling Sophister, with the divell himself, better than with his conscience. For no divell knows that by me, which I do by myself: And the conscience shall haue hearing when the devil shall not; for conscience is the Kings solicitor, and speaks for the great King. 2. This enemy is unsufferable: it strips us at one stroke of all other comfort. A sick stomach makes one weary of his bed, chair, chamber, house, meats, drinks; yea, that meate that before much pleased, now increaseth his sickness: So doth a sick conscience; it takes away the relish of all natural comforts, of all spiritual exercises and ordinances; and makes one a burden and terror to himself. 2. it fills one full of horrors and unhappiness. A wounded spirit who can bear? the ston, gout, Strangury, who can bear? Yes, &c. But when the pillars are shaken, that which should bear up all is wounded; when the heauens fight against a man, and a poor creature must wrestle with infinite iustice, power, &c. oh how hard is this? The wrath of a King is terrible, the rage of Seas, of Fires, of lions; but still here is creature against creature, weak to weak: but who knows the power of Gods anger, Psal. 90? Who can stand before that consuming fire? not Men, not Mountaines, not Angels. The terrors of God and anguish of spirit casts the divell himself into a frenzy, and makes him mad; nay, a wounded spirit made the heir of all things utter his griefs in these sad terms( My God, my God, &c.) That which a thousand mocks, ten thousand prisons and persecutions could not haue done; this one alone, when nothing else ailed him, was able to effect: and therefore good reason haue we to guard this part, and to give our spirits no occasion of grief. And for the first, these Reasons shall serve the turn. Now touching the second. every man must keep his own vine, and please his own conscience. Why? Hold still whilst I poure in these Reasons, because I am in hast. 1. Tis fit that every one should be best scene in his own book: and tis a thousand pities, that in this bookish age, this Book of Conscience is least studied. 2. This is a meare-stone that divides the Christian and the Hypocrite. The Hypocrites knowledge runs outward and fromward, the Christians looks inward and reflects vpon itself: the ones is science, the others conscience; the one loues to be doing with other mens consciences, the other with his own. 3. Heres the trial of a mans wisdom. He thats wise( saith Salomon) will be wise for himself; and, The righteous hath care of his own soul. 4. This watching at home, keeps out pride, judging in businesses abroad, makes one quiet with others, tame in himself, low and base before God in his own eyes. But wee must away. 5. He will bee a sorry Physician to others that hath never practised vpon himself in this kind, &c. use 1. Heres matter of complaint and chiding. I told you at first, that we are of Pauls Faith, not of his Life. Tis true in this sense: Paul professed the truth of Christ, so do we; he called vpon Gods Name, so we; he gave assent to the Word written, so we; he apprehended a life to come and resurrection, so wee: But now Paul dwells not in protestations and speculations; but he comes to practise, to conscience: here we leave him. In this age, conscience is used as love is: We spend all in words, and sand it away in compliments; we keep none ourselves. we haue( our exercises) now; but they are exercises of body, of estate, of wit, of memory, of learning, they bee not exercises of conscience. No sooner can you name the thing before some kind of scholars, but they are presently disputing, What think you? Is conscience an act, an habit, or a faculty, or the whole soul with its eyes inward? or what is it? They spend the time in defining it, rather than in refining and reforming of it. Hereof comes it, that when they are sent for to a sick patient, they be as far to seek, as that Physician who hath red much, but practised nothing: and for the many; once mention conscience, and they will quickly put you by with a rude proverb, That conscience was hanged a great while ago. Thus the torme is now grown odious, the thing itself a mere stranger. certainly, tis few mens exercise to study conscience; their( own) conscience. indeed flies are busy about others sores,& so is the world about others consciences. every one now is a master, nay one man is many masters. Iam. 3.1. He will sit and keep Court in the conscience of a thousand; Lord it over his brethren, his betters; judging all callings, all professions, all consciences, but his own. I will not spend breath vpon such as bark at all good, because they would haue none in the world. I wish that all the pains of some Professors were not spent in this; even in rifling others consciences, rather than their own. Religion, religion is something else than a judging of other men. After meate, the heat should repair homeward; not fly as far off from the heart and stomach, as the body will bear it: and when we haue heard a Sermon of conscience, we should recoil vpon ourselves, with, What haue I done? or, What shall I do? not look vpon another, and carve all to him; much less fly vpon them who stand as far off us, as the King hath land. Oh men unwise, who are more troubled with others diseases than their own; and more desirous of peace in their neighbours houses than at home. Well, Paul would haue been sorry to see his neighbour suffer shipwreck: but yet he is most chary of his own vessel, lest that should dash and receive some bruise: by no means would he haue his conscience offended. But out vpon such Christians as this age brings forth; fear of man, hope of gain, love of honour, of ease, of favour, will make them run over their conscience and all Gods mounds. Rather than the man will endure the frowns of his Master, the wife of her husband, the tenant of his Landlord, he will lie, cousin, swear, run, ride, do any thing on the Sabbath: nay, for one pound, shilling, groat, penny, you may hire a man to gash his conscience; so little care haue men of giuing it offence. But how far stretches Pauls care? To all cases, to all persons. To all? To all certainly, at all times: first, towards God, secondly, towards man. Towards God: mark this all ye civilians, that cry out as nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. of disorder, so ye of Conscience, What conscience, what conscience? when you are worst yourselves. A good conscience must begin with God; you neither begin nor end there. A mere carnal civil man is all for man, nothing for God: he pays men their own, lives quietly and fairly to the world-ward, and therefore thinks himself a man of conscience. But what conscience is in this, to deal well with the subject and not with the Prince? What conscience in breaking the first article of agreement between God and man, which is, to know him? What conscience, to dwell in Gods house and pay him no rent; to enter into bonds, and never think of payment; to smite God with oaths for mans offences; to steal away time from God, when he hath given us much? show me a mere carnal civil man that makes conscience of the first, second, third, or fourth Commandement; of getting knowledge; of setting up God in his house; of forbearing an oath; of keeping the Sabbath, &c. Verily, where there is no God, there can be no confidence: And such a man is without God in the world. For the second, Pauls conscience reached to men also. Let all Professors( as they willbe called) note this, A good conscience begins with God, but ends in Man. A conscionable man, as he must be a professor, hearer, lover of the Word, a keeper of the Sabbath, a zealous observer of the first Table: so must he be a peaceable, just, sober, free, kind, honest man, and deal squarely withall men. Thus it should be: But O times, O manners! now Profession is become loathsome; and, to say the truth, the behaviour of many is such, that it would make an unsettled man call into question all Profession, all Religion, all Conscience almost. We talk of Conscience; but where is it? who makes conscience of his words? who of his bargains? who of his place or promise? every man cries out of other: but who discharges his own part? Wee haue a saying in Gods Book, He that provides not for his kindred, is worse than an infidel. What cares the rich if his poor kinsman starve? We haue a precept, Husbands love your wives: What conscience is made of this? We haue a commandement, Speak not evil of the ruler: Wee haue a charge, do good against evil: A charge, toil not to bee rich, Defraud not, Whisper not, &c. A command, Be rich in good works: Fashion not yourselves to the world: What shall's say to these things? Is there a conscience at all? Any certainty in the Word at all? Any heaven, any hell? What do we mean thus to slubber over matters? If we beleeue nothing, mean nothing in good earnest, why do wee dissemble? why forbear wee any thing? If we be in earnest in one commandement, why not in all? If in one thing, why not in every thing, as Paul was? He was still like himself, at all times, in all cases. We haue our reserved cases. One will be a Christian, and a man of conscience: but he hath his infirmity; he doth not love his wife. Another will be your hearer: but he must live by his trade. A third will be your convert, so you will help him to above ten in the hundred: the just rate he likes not, it sounds like usury; but as much above as you can, with a good conscience. A fourth will give something to a Preacher, vpon condition he may bear the Preachers purse, and bee his Farmor. A fifth will ride with you from morning to night; so he may hold his finger still in other mens sores. Away, Hypocrites, away, make no more profession, talk no more of it, till you mean to be honester men; either show us Pauls conscience, or none. If you cannot reach this here; yet you must that there, Heb. 13.18. Desire to live, &c. else there is no truth in you, no comfort for you, no heed to be taken of you; down you will when a little prest, like a hollow wall. 2. All ye of Pauls Profession, use this exercise, cease from others; begin with yourselves; travell not so much for good houses, good livings, good faces, good heads, as for good consciences; seek not so much the favour of the world, the countenance of Princes, as of your own conscience. Here study, here sweat, here labour to be throughout blameless. Oh the peace of a quiet and well pleased conscience is great! the boldness of him that hath it, is great; he eats well, sleeps well, dwells well, lives well, he is in much safety, he can hold up his face joyfully before a world of accusers. So is not the unconscionable: every bush is a man, every man an enemy, every leaf an executioner. A sound of fear is in his ears, and the noise of troubles makes him ask, Who can stand before a continual burning? As for liberty, thats lost: he must not speak against others, lest they stop his mouth: he must bee a seruant to every one, of whom he would borrow a good word. For the purpose: Say a man be covetous; how must he crouch to every one for his word? how many apologies and excuses must he drop at every door? whereas a good conscience concludes, I haue done my best; and now let them say their worst, I will wear it as a crown. Well then, sith so many sweet things be bound up in conscience, peace, comfort, courage, liberty; esteem it highly,& resolve with Paul, I had rather die than lose my rejoicing this way. Lose it if you will not, take up his exercise, and keep it from offence. Which that you may do, I will show you these things. 1. What it is to offend the conscience: 2. what be the degrees of this offence: 3. what the means whereby: 4. what the remedies: 5. what the lets in the use of these remedies. First, to offend the conscience, is to trouble the welfare of it. The foot is then offended, when the health of it is impeached, and the exercise of it hindered, that either it cannot stir at all, or not straightly, and with any ease. think the same of conscience: the health of it stands in three; 1. in the clearness of it: 2. in the goodness of it: 3. in the liveliness and sensibleness of it; as tis in the eye: the clearness of it is double, 1. opposed to ignorance and delusion: 2. to hypocrisy and falseness. The goodness of it stands in the quietness and peace of it: And thereto is opposed, 1. a troubled conscience, and, 2. a benumbed conscience. The tenderness of the conscience, is its quickness in apprehending its own estate, and judging of its own doings: Whereto is opposed 1. a sleepy, 2. a dead and seared conscience. When any thing is done or left undone, whereby the clearness, quietness, or working of the conscience is any way impeached, then conscience is offended. Secondly, the degrees of these offences are diuers, as a man may more or less wound his foot against a ston. V. notes on Prou. 18. 1. there is a tempting of the conscience: when a man vnresolued of the lawfulness of a thing, venters vpon it as vpon meat never tried before: 2. a wounding of the conscience: when a man for fear, hope, &c. doth a thing against knowledge: 3. a killing of it: when he trades in known sins, of purpose to pave and brawn his conscience. 3. The means, whereby the conscience comes to be offended, is double: 1. when we are wanting to it: 2. when wrongful to it. Wanting, when we do not watch and save the conscience, as we do the eye from dust. 2. When we do not speedily look to wounds, if any. If any thing breed in the eye, it may soon be lost: The conscience is a vessel that must bee washed daily( as dim eyes bee) and that by Repentance and Faith. 3 When wee do not establish the heart and conscience. A weak child soon stumbles, unless upheld; so conscience. This must be upheld first, by grace, secondly, by conference &c. 2 wrongful to it; 1. when wee hinder the work of it: for every thing delights in acting its own operations: 2. when we force sin vpon it against light of nature or grace, especially gross sins. 4 The remedies: 1. pacify it; not by daubing &c. but by Gods means. 1. The sin offending must be reversed; as meate that will not be digested: it sticks as an arrow in the flesh, that must be plucked out by repentance and satisfaction. 2. Christs blood applied, the onely salve for a ficke soul. 2. When reconciled, peace must be maintained. Here take these rules: 1. do nothing wilfully against conscience; 2. nothing doubtingly when resolution may be had; 3. nothing blindly: for meat unwittingly taken, may after trouble. 5 Thus you see directions. To the end that you may practise, remove 1. lets; which are of two heads: 1. want of will, 2. want of skill. The first arises from three wants; 1. of faith, as if the course were unprofitable, 2. of love to Gods truth, man, &c. 3 of truth and uprightness: wee had rather be hypocrites than otherwise &c. See all, 1. Tim. 1.5. 2. Want of skill; which arises 1. from want of understanding the Word, 2. want of experience, 3. want of exercise &c. Then sith in this vessel( Conscience) lies all our treasure, faith, life itself, &c. therefore preserve it well, get over all difficulties, help faith, love, truth &c. use all means &c. follow Paul till thou canst say with him, I desire to keep a good Conscience. 3 Apology for such as stand vpon Conscience. These are the worlds fools; but tis no matter, they are Gods jewels and delight: and when they stand, as Paul, before the iudgement seat of man, nay of God, they shall find a good conscience a better breastplate and buckler than a world of wealth. Onely be sure of this; 1. that tis conscience. There be two things in the world that look a little like it, but are not conscience: 1. custom, which breeds in blind men, Popish persons, and most unregenerate men, who haue had good breeding, a kind of trouble and regret; which is no more conscience than the aching of the stomach when it wants its set meales. 2. prejudice and conceit, when a man vpon some presumptions and probabilities hath pitched vpon a conclusion,( either for or against a thing) and will not be removed. True Conscience differs from both these: For first, that knows it ground; secondly, that ground is some Scripture: which because it may bee haply mistaken, therefore conscience is ever teachable, as willing to hear as to speak, to lay down as to take up an opinion. Not so the other: they are violent if opposed, and every man that thinks not as they think, wants iudgement, or truth, or both. 2. This conscience must bee clear towards God and man, and haue both it eyes. What hath the hypocrite to do with conscience? A man of conscience must and usually will be suitable and throughout orderly; though I doubt not, but that there is a partial hypocrisy, as well as ignorance in some men at all times, and in all men, even in Saints, at some times. 3. It must be our own conscience, as Paul here speaks: and fourthly, to make an end, a good conscience must bee qualified as is heavenly wisdom( for this is a great part of it,) How is that? St. james shows it, chap. 3.17. 1. pure in itself, 2. peace, towards others and itself, 3. moderate, and not exacting extremities, 4. teachable and easy to be persuaded, 5. pitiful and helpful every way. And as it must haue these excellencies, so must it bee void of partiality in causes and persons; and of hypocrisy between God and itself. And he that hath such a conscience, or labours for such with Pauls exercises, shall hold out his profession, and hold up his face, when a thousand others shall blast and whither. FINIS.