conversation And Hezekiah when he was upon his death bed as he thought his conscience gave him a testimoniall that commended him to God better then all the men in the world could that he walked before the Lord in truth and in a perfect heart and did that which was right in his sight Is 38.3 This sweet peace of a good Conscience flowes from a certaine inexpressible assurance that we are the sons of God a certaine secret manifestatiō that God hath receiv'd us put away our sins 2. Neither good nor quiet When the heart is as full of sin as hell of darknesse and lies under a serious apprehension of Gods wrath and a certaine looking for of vengeance and fiery indignation to devoure Heb. 10.27 and is in a forlorn condition not knowing where to go for help but God is to him as the burning fire to the withered stubble and as the scorching flame to the melted wax Thus the cause stood with Judas who after he had committed that cursed fact of betraying his Master he was so gnawed by the worme conscience that nothing but an halter could ease him he hang'd himselfe And certainly had not Hell gaped for him he had got by the bargaine This made Cain go in continuall feare of killing and the persecuting Tyrant to cast up his bowels towards heaven and say vicisti Galilaee thou hast overcome O Galilean 3. Quiet but not good This is common to the best of men and they blesse themselves in it that they never had a bad word from conscience all their daies it doth not trouble nor terrify them certainly such a Conscience is seared with an hot iron and who ever is thus stigmatiz'd is marked for a Rebbell against God They sleep in their sins like Jonah in the storme though they are in greatest danger to be cast into the gulfe and sea of Gods everlasting wrath 4. Good but not quiet And such doubtlesse a child of God may have Examples are many as in Job chap. 6. 4. The Arrowes of the Lord are within me Rev. 2.3 the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of the Lord do set themselves in array against me So David thine arrowes stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Job 6.4 there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither any rest in my bones because of my sin Conscientia bona turbata Bern For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Thus Ezekiah and others But at such times though they have a good conscience yet do they faile in Assurance Ps 38.2 3 4. they have Paul's conscience but not Pauls confidence it is the latter not the former that makes it quiet and inoffensive and such was Pauls conscience not only good but quiet and inoffensive Christians have somtimes Cleare Sunshini dayes and sometimes darke cloudy daies sometimes they are under a cloud and the light of Gods countenance doth not shine on them sometimes they behold the face of God in righteousnesse and his favour is better to them then life Sometimes like Hannah they are in the bitternesse of their soules Conscientia honestè bona pacatè bona Ames and drinke of the bitter waters of Marah which makes them go mourning all their daies so then it may stand with a child of God to have a disquiet troubled Conscience 1. Use for Tryall whether we be of that some that have a good Conscience he that will not try wants it he that tries superficially hath cause to doubt it but he that is exact and sincere may safely conclude I am assured I have a good Conscience therefore search your selves as with Candles and Torches whether you can find this precious Jewell of a good conscience treasurd up within you yea or no. And the better to incite you to a true and diligent Triall take these 2 Motives 1. The neer resemblance between a Naturall and Spirituall Conscience Motives to a diligent Triall and that in divers respects They both have their conflicts both their loathing of sin they both seeme to turne a broad-side against sin and to complaine against it The Naturall conscience saith I see the better but I follow the worse The Spirituall conscience saith the good which I would do I do not but the evill which I would not do that do I. See here the difference in the latter there is a will striving against sin but in the former no will no striving at all 2. The Naturall conscience is principled only by some generall grounds of Nature acting and making conscience so far as his rules and principles will carry him and so deceiveth the Naturall man making him to boast of what he hath not namely a good conscience Whereas the spirituall Conscience rightly principled by Gods word and sanctified by his Spirit makes the person to have a good Conscience in all things Heb. 13.18 making conscience of all that God commands or forbids Ps 119.6.101 Be therefore carefull in trying your selves 2 Cor. 13.5 And that you may not be deceived take these 5 markes 1. He that hath a good conscience Notes of a good Conscience can truly say that what he doth he doth it for Conscience sake Cōscience stirrs him up unto the duty and he cannot satisfy conscience if he neglect it He subjects himselfe to God and he subjects himselfe to man and this not for wrath but conscience See well therefore to this and the rather Rom. 13.5 because Many there are whose Actions are very specious and yet without any regard to conscience Salomon describing a good man saith he is one that feareth an oath he doth not say that he is one that sweareth not but one that feareth an oath possible it is that a man may not sweare and why because he hath been well educated or he standeth in awe of his Parents or Governours or feareth some mulct from the Magistrate this is no testimony of a good Conscience But if a man sweare not because he feareth an Oath this argueth that the man feareth the commandement and to feare the commandement is a sure note of a good conscience Prov. 13.13 The least haire makes the eye weep so the least sin makes the heart smite Now as in avoiding of sin so in practising piety a man reads the Scripture at home heareth the word preached in publick performes duties in his family But why doth he thus if to satisfy conscience in obedience unto God t is well but if base and sinister ends to please and satisfy his owne carnall desire this is base and far from a good Conscience We find the Shechemites grosse hypocrites in this they will joine with Gods people and doe as they doe be circumcised as they are had this been done out of conscience it would have rejoyced the hearts of all godly ones but here is no such thing they will be circumcised indeed but
not to please God but to please Hamor and Shechem their Rulers and to enrich themselves shall not their goods and their cattell be ours Ge. 34.23 Thus many now adaies amongst us will make some shew of religion performe holy duties both publikely and privately not out of conscience but out of carnall policy They have learned Matchiavels maxime to seem religious is a credit but to be neligious is a cumber It s only a forme without power a shew without substance They set not God before their eyes neither do they with Moses see him that is invisible they look only unto men and all their ayme is how they may please men and advantage themselves in earthly things Therefore if you will be sure your Conscience is good do what you do for Conscience sake not because man thinks it fit and you think it profitable or honourable but because God commands it 2. Note If you have a good conscience then will you suffer what you suffer for Conscience sake yea to satisfy Conscience This is praise worthy saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 2.19 1 Pet. 2.19 when a man for conscience towards God endures greife suffers wrong and as his precept so his practice had rather be punished for doing well then praised for doing evill See this in Daniel he will suffer hunger feed upon Pulse rather then defile his conscience Dan. 1.8 The three Children will chuse rather to have their bodies burned in schorching flames then to have them bowed to a base Idol And Paul had rather that Ananias should smite him then that his conscience should smite him Try thy selfe therefore by this Note doest thou suffer and doest thou so suffer as to satisfy conscience patiently bearing it because God will have it so as David in the railing of Shimei he curseth me because God hath said unto him curse David Not that God said so much by word but by a command of providence so ordering and disposing of Shimei his malice as to make it a rod to correct and chastise David for his sin 2 Sam. 16.20 but as a Scorpion to Shimei to sting him to death and destruction Thus did Job in all his troubles beare with them with wonderfull patience Job 1.21 he will not charge God foolishly but saith the Lord giveth the Lord taketh away praised be the name of the Lord. But alas how many now amongst us would be accounted men of a good conscience and yet will suffer nothing for conscience They will suffer no greife no paine no losse for it See this in Amaziah King of Judah he hires an Army of an 100000 men of valour out of Israel 2 Chr. 25.6 for an hundred Talents of silver but God dislikes his hired men and sends a Prophet unto Amaziah to dismisse them The King tells the Prophet what shall I do for the 100 Talents as if he should have said I have disbursed a great summe of monyes shall I now loose all You may see how loath he is to loose his money 100 Talents of silver a great summe But alas what is 100 Talents to a good conscience yet look abroad in the world and you may then descend from Talents to pounds from pounds to pence and from pence to farthings and find some yea a multitude that if a farthing and a good conscience stand in competition they will loose their Conscience to save their farthing Heare this you Tradesmen Typlers Retailers and all that have any commerce in buying and selling witnesse this truth with me how often have you and that upon the Lords day preferred your owne houses before Gods house your tâ—pling guests and prophane Customers before Gods ministers and servants chusing rather to gaine a Trisle at home then to gaine salvation abroad in attending on Gods holy ordinances Yea let me say yet more unto you how often hath your conscience blamed you for so doing and you whereas you should have hearkened unto conscience voice have stopt your eares and blamed conscience for too much strictnesse too much tendernesse what mean these words of yours If I should be so strict in my dealings as Preachers would have me to be I might soon pluck down my signe shut up my shop sit still and do nothing Let me tell such these words savour not of a good but an evill Conscience God puts none of his into such streights as that they cannot live except they live unholily unjustly Believe it as there is no calling be it never so high that must call thee from God so there is no calling be it never so low that must give thee a dispensation to dishonour God And as in the greatest calling men may live both fully and faithfully so in the meanest calling if men use diligence with conscience they may live honestly and yet comfortably Oh therefore my Beloved cast off such gaine as filthy lucre such customers as your great enimies and take up this holy resolution never to make hast for wealth nor to use any unlawfull meanes for this transitory Trash but say if I begg I begg if I starve I starve I will loose all rather then loose a good conscience 3. Note of a good Conscience is boldnesse for God and in Gods cause The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 Prov. 28.1 When the conscience is good the courage is great it will make a man to have a Lions heart and an Angels face such an heart had Paul when he looked on the Councell Act. 23.1 such a face had Stephen the Proto-Martyr Act. 23.21 15.6 Act. 6.15 All that sate in the Councell looking stedfastly on him saw his face as if it had been the face of an Angel This good conscience will make a mans face as a flint against such as rebell against God Ez. 3.8 9. Ezek. 3.8 9. Let but God call upon such Is 41.10 13.14 saying feare not worme Jacob for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God or let him stand by them Act. 23.11 as he did by Paul and bid him be of good cheer They presently take such courage unto them that having God for them they feare not who are against them Ps 3.6 David will not feare an hoast of men Athanasius a world of men and * Fox in the story of Martin Luther p. 849. Luther will not feare a multitude of Divels were they in number as many as there were Tiles upon the houses of Wormes But alas where are these valiant ones become we have many very couragious for themselves and in what makes for their owne interest but as for God and in his cause they are very Cowards They are bold for sin but bashfull for sanctity they can plead for Baal but not for God And yet such would be accounted men of a good conscience But let me tell such they do much deceive themselves as they have not Pauls courage so neither Pauls conscience and as
his owne but in many other Parishes adjacent So that not only the Practice but even the Name of these sinfull Vanities is almost forgotten Againe as he was a strong Curb to prophanesse so was he as sharp a spurr unto holinesse Witnesse his great cost and paines in getting a faithfull Teacher to instruct the people Very carefull abroad to warne the unruly to comfort the feeble minded 1 Thes 5.14 and to support the weake And at home in his Family in repeating Sermons reading opening and applying Scriptures unto such as were under him constantly praying for a Blessing on them and as carefull in returning Praise to God for every Blessing both publick and private But at last when the evill dayes came on him so that the Keepers of the house began to tremble Eccle. 14.3 4. the strong man to bow the grinders to cease and the windowes to be darkened he was willing for a Desolution very ready to goe hence often saying It is time for mee to be gone my Master hath no more worke for me to do here upon earth Now shall we forget such a worthy servant of God by no meanes Let his memory be ever blessed and his Name as precious oyntment powred forth And let us honour his remembrance in an holy imitation of his vertues But should we forget him yet his God would not forget his place his person his zeale his labour of love The Lord shall count when he writeth up his people that this man was borne there Ps 87.6 even in the family of Wrey within the Parish of Morton and in the County of Devon Now you having such an excellent Patterne and President let it be your earnest desire and endeavour to run on and not be weary walke on and not be faint in those waies paved i th holinesse in which he hath walked that so your end may be everlasting life To conclude looke on this small Tract as a Dowry which your dying Pastor hath bequeathed unto you whom he loves in the Lord. Receive this provision which he hath made for you of wholsome meat not caring for concealed Cookery or the vaine enticing words of mans wisdome As it was intended for your Instruction delivered to your Attention so let it be digested by your Meditation and practised in your Conversation So both Pastor and People shall behold each others face with joy at the Barr of Christ and have a most happy admission into his most glorious presence where there is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Amen Your most affectionate though unworthy Teacher FRANCIS WHIDDON To the READER Christian Reader HEre is presented unto thine eye a little small Tract which in it's front doth promise great things as precious Stones and Jewels Possibly if thou with an humble heart shalt call and cry seek and search thou mayest find that which will be better theÌ„ Gold more excellent then refined Silver namely a good Conscience Let not any prejudice of person or partes cause thee to cast it aside as not worthy thy view neither cry thou Tush what is this Pamphlet unto those many large and learned Volumes of those able and holy men that have forâ—erly written upon this subject I doe ingenuously confesse it is very meane my vintage lesse then others gleanings But what of that if thou be an humble Christian thou wilt acknowledge that Paul and Apollos are but iustruments and can do nothing without their principall Efficient also we find by dayly experience that the lesse of man the more of God he can worke as well by the weakest as ablest instrument draw as strongly with an hair as with a Cable rope I must acknowledge the discourse is very short and very plaine and both very needfull in these full and surfeiting times who seeth not that great volumes are little regarded large discourses are easily laid aside men find much reading to be wearisome to the flesh I therefore affect brevity with perspicuity Should I be long in my discourse I am confident thou wouldest not read it over But in so much as it is very short an houres labour or so I may have hopes that thou wilt read it over and over and the oftner the better As for plainenesse of the stile I would have thee to know the Author is a very plaine man and hath written it for a very plaine people in his owne Congregation This was never intended to go abroad into the world but to be confined to the place and people where it was first preached a people that desire the plaine evidence of the Spirit not the vaine enticing words of mans wisdome Therefore if thy Braine run over with vain speculations high notions frothy expressions and wilt be wise above what is written 1 Cor. 4.6 remember that of Austin Multi propter arborem scientiae amittunt arborem vitae Many with Adam so eagerly strive for the tree of knowledge that they lose the tree of life A good caveat for such as are all for new discoveries new lights but not new lives To you therefore that with the Athenian cry quid novi what new thing I must answer nec nova nec novè Theophilus here is nothing new but vetus veritas iisdem verbis iisdeÌ„ syllabis The old truth in its owne words and syllables If this do not like you then lay it gently aside and it will not harme you But unto you that heartily desire to have and to hold to use and exercise alwaies in all things and to all persons a Conscience void of offence if you want better helps take this for present And because this little Book must with little Benjamin Gen. 43.14 be sent into Egypt I shall with old Jacob desire that it may find favour where it comes If others desire the like with mee I hope that neither they in Reading nor I in Writing shall lose our labour Thine as thou art Christ's F.W. June 11. 1656. Imprimatur GERARD LANGBAINE Pro-Vicecan OXON The TOPAZ HEB. 13.18 For we trust we have a good Conscience Willing in all things to live honestly I Find it reported of Saint Austin long since that a great desire possessed him of hearing Paul to Preach Another like affected with him seconds his desire with this of his own which was that his Theam or Text might be Conscience Doubtlesse these good men were friends to Conscience they saw how the Cause stood with her namely that she was in a languishing condition and ready to die what their thoughts were we can onely guesse but in these dayes of ours these last and worst dayes if we ponder the wayes and workes the opinions and practises of the most we have just cause to complaine that Conscience is not onely sick and dying but dead and buried in the grave of habituall sin with the stone of hardnesse rolled on the grave and that she hath laid so long in the dust of oblivion