spirituall goodnesse left in the other faculties of the soul so neither in conscience But the naturall goodnesse which I mean is nothing else but the veracity of conscience whereby it is inforced according to the knowledge it hath to tell the truth Thus every wicked man hath a good conscience Their conscience is good in that sense their conscience hath this naturall goodnesse that it telleth them the truth how it is with them Nay it is essentiall to conscience to be good in this sense It is the essentiall property of conscience to speak according to its knowledge It is the best faculty a wicked man hath it is better then his mind or heart or will There is more goodnesse in a wicked mans conscience then in any other of the powers of his soul His conscience speaketh more for God then himself doth and standeth more for God then himself will Not but that as all the powers of the soul are desperately corrupted by sinne so conscience is desperately corrupted as well as any of them but I speak of the essentiall goodnesse of it which can never be lost The deâ—ls in hell have not lost the goodnesse â— their essence Nay their essence is â—etter then the essence of Gods Saints â—â—eir essence must be good because that â— God 's creature nay better then any â—ans essence because the Lord made â—â—em a degree above man And as man â— a degree above beasts so angels are degree above man so conscience is a â—egree above other powers of the soul â— its naturall goodnesse That consciâ—ce hath such a naturall goodnesse in it â—e it in those cursed Scribes and Phariâ—es hypocrites who brought the woâ—an taken in adultery to Christ Their â—onscience was good John 8.9 they were convictâ—â— of their consciences their conscienâ—es dealt honestly with them and told â—hem the truth that they were wicked â—â—nners themselves This is the naturall â—oodnesse in conscience 2. A renewed good conscience I â—ll it a renewed good conscience beâ—ause when a man is renewed all the â—an is renewed all his mind and the â—pirit of it is renewed Ephes 4.23 That ye may be renewed in the spirit of you mind If the man be renewed all thâ— mind must be renewed and therefoâ—â— the conscience must be renewed too for the mind and the conscience ever gâ— together nay conscience is mainly seated in the mind and therefore if thâ— mind be renewed so is the conscience and if the mind be defiled so is the conscience Tit. 1.15 To them that are defiled is nothing pure but their minds aâ— consciences are defiled Mark When theâ— are defiled they are defiled together so when they are washed and renewed they are washed and renewed together Now this renewed conscience is eitheâ— perfect or defective 1. Perfect I meaâ— not perfect in every degree of goodnesse For so no mans conscience in thâ— world is perfect But I mean perfect iâ— every part and condition of goodnesse 2. A defective good renewed conscience is that which faileth in some conditions of goodnesse We call it a weâ— conscience which is apt to be polluteâ— and defiled again 1. Cor. 8.7 Their conscience being weak is defiled This is a defective good conscience a conscience â—ewed but imperfectly renewed I. To a good conscience A firm conscience that is â—ndly renewed five things are necesâ—â—â—y â— Knowledge of Gods will and â—t which doth follow the true knowâ—â—â—ge of his will namely true humiliaâ— and fear By nature the conscience â—lind and sturdy and venturous and â—â—â—refore it is necessary that it should be â—ghtened to understand the will of â—d and to presse it and again it is neâ—â—â—sary that the heart should be humâ—d or else it will not stoop to Gods â—l and it is necessary also that this â—y fear should fall upon the heart â—t it may not dare to transgresse Stâ—â—â—ter being to speak of a good consciâ—â—ce premiseth all these as necessarie â—â—â—reunto First he adviseth that Chriâ—â—â—â—ns have knowledge to be able to give â—â—ason of the hope that is in them and â—n that they should have meeknesse and 〈◊〉 for to do it 1. Pet. 3.15 16. with meeknesse and â— saith he having a good conscience â—â—rk Knowledge and meeknesse and fear are required to make a good conscience without them the consciencâ— cannot be good By nature we are alâ— blind and stubborn and fearlesse of sinning and therefore till we be cured oâ— these evils our consciences cannot be good 2. The second thing is a watchfulnesse and warfare against sinne Thiâ— is required too to a renewed good conscience By nature we are drowsie and carelesse and secure and do not stand upon our guard to wage warre against our lusts and the desires of our flesh and so long our consciences can never be good and therefore this spirituall watchfulnesse and mainteining warre against sinne is required to the having a good conscience That thou maist warre a good warrefare saith Paul to Timothie having faith and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1.18 19. Some who seemed to have a good conscience because they did not maintein this holy warfare against sinne and the flesh they have lost it Therefore this is another requisite required to a good conscience 3. The third is tendernesse of conscience By nature our hearts are seared â—nd dead and unclean and therefore we must get us tender and pure hearts â—f we would have good renewed consciences The end of the commandment is â—ove out of a pure heart and good conscience â—nd faith unfeigned 1. Tim. 1.5 See â—ow the Apostle compoundeth them â—ogether a pure heart and a good consciâ—nce We must get our hearts purged â—nd quickened that they may be sensible of the least evil and then our consciences will be good and be as a bridle to hold us from evil A hard heart and a good conscience can never stand together 4. The fourth is the cleannesse of conscience by the washing of Christs bloud This is the main and the principall of all Yea indeed the bloud of Christ is the sole and onely cause of a good conscience I would not be mistaken I named indeed other causes Knowledge and Humbling and a holy Fear a Combat against sinne and Tendernesse but I do not mean as though a good conscience were part beholding to them and partly to Chriâ—â— bloud For it is wholly and onely bâ—holding to Christs bloud for its gooâ—nesse his bloud is the onely price of â— But my meaning is this That thougâ— Christs bloud be the one onely cause â— redemption yet in the application of râ—demption the Lord useth all those foâ—â— named graces while he applieth it â— the conscience Therefore this now 〈◊〉 adde The washing of Christs blouâ— this is chiefly required to the goodnesâ—â— of conscience We have two places oâ— Scripture to prove it The one Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the bloud â— Christ purge your consciences from deaâ— works It is that onely can do it Thâ—
abroad do disquiet us how comfortable is it to have something at home to chear us so when troubles and afflictions without turmoil and vex us and adde sorrow to sorrow then to have peace within the peace of conscience to allay all and quiet all what a happinesse is this When sicknesse and death cometh what will a good conscience be worth then Sure more then all the world besides If one had all the world he would then give it for a peaceable conscience Nay what think ye of judgement and the tribunal of Christ Do but think what a good conscience will be worth then When Paul was accused and hardly thought of by some of the Corinthians this was his comfort I know nothing by my self 1. Cor. 4.3 4. saith his conscience I count it a very small thing to be judged of you Nay he goeth further His conscience telleth him he hath the Lord Jesus who justifieth him to judge him he hath a sweeter Judge then his own conscience even his Saviour to judge him O there is no created comfort in the world like the comfort of a peaceable conscience The heathen Menander could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience is a little pettie god We may not give it such a big title but this is most certain The conscience is Gods echo of peace to the soul in life in death in judgement it is unspeakable comfort Is there any then that want this Exhortation Let them above all things labour to get it It is more worth then all things else Whatever we neglect let us not neglect this It is safer to neglect bodie health means maintenance friends and all that ever we have in the world then to neglect this The more we have the worse it is for us if we have not this Had we all this worlds good it is like a stone in a serpents head or a toads head or a pearl in an oyster not our perfection but our disease Again you who have a peaceable conscience 1. Labour to maintein it Be often in communion with God be not strangers to him the light of whose countenance is the peace of your souls It is the walking with God that breedeth true peace and preserveth it It is said of Levi Mal. 2.6 that he walked with God in peace O let us stirre up our selves to walk close with God that so we may have peace No sweet peace but in so doing 2. We must take heed we do not trouble nor disquiet it that we do not resist it or offer violence unto it by committing sinne against the peace of it but endeavour to maintein the peace of it by obeying the voyce of it Get the fear of God which is wisdome and to depart from evil which is true understanding All her paths are peace Prov. 3.17 We cannot walk in any one path of true wisedome but we shall find in it peace There is peace in humilitie and peace in charity and peace in godlinesse and peace in obedience c. Break any of these things and ye break the peace Ye heare what an admirable thing the peace of conscience is O then if ye have it make much of it nay if ye have it ye will for certain make much of it The very having of it will teach you the worth of it and learn you to prise it and make you above all things unwilling to leave it And thus much of the first viz. a quiet conscience An unquiet conscience I Have already handled a quiet conscience I come now to speak of a troubled and unquiet conscience Concerning which I shall shew you three things 1. What it is 2. The degrees of it 3. The difference of the trouble that may be in a good and that may be in a bad conscience I. What a troubled conscience is What it is It is a conscience accusing for sinne and affrighting with apprehensions of Gods wrath And here I would have you consider two things 1. What are the causes of it 2. Wherein it consisteth First The causes of it are these five 1. The guilt of sinne When a man hath done evil and his conscience doth know it then doth the conscience crie guiltie Lev. 5.4 when he knoweth it saith the text then he shall be guilty This is it which woundeth and pierceth conscience this is the sad voyce of conscience Like Judas I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Like Cain My sinne is greater then can be forgiven So the brethren of Joseph Gen. 42.21 We are guilty say they concerning our brother It is like the head of an arrow sticking in the flesh or like a dreadfull object continually presenting it self before our eyes My sinne is ever before me Psal 51.3 saith David When we have transgressed Gods law and our conscience can cry guiltie when the guilt of sinne lieth upon conscience this is one cause of the trouble of it 2. Another cause is the apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne When knowing that we have sinned and offended God we apprehend his wrath in our minds and behold the revenging eye of his justice against us This is a very grievous thing so terrible that no man or angel is able to abide it As we see the kings and potentates the mighty men of the earth call for the mountains â—o fall upon them and the hills to cover â—hem from the wrath of God Rev. 6.15 16. When we have incurred Gods displeasure and our consciences see it when his anger resteth upon us and our â—onsciences feel it this is another cause of the trouble of conscience 3. A third cause of the trouble of â—onscience is the fear of death and of â—ell When we know we have offended Gods law and we know also what our sinnes do deserve namely death and â—udgement and damnation for ever â—his doth most trouble and disquiet conscience when it fastneth on the apprehension of it The Apostle calleth â—t a fearfull looking for of judgement When conscience looketh for nothing else but for hell and damnation this must needs trouble conscience 4. Another cause is privative want of supportance when God doth withhold from conscience the help of his Spirit Ye know the Spirit can inable conscience to undergo all its troubles the Spirit can prompt it with mercies and the promises of God and hold it up but when the Lord bereaveth the conscience of this help and doth noâ— at all support it this must needs also trouble conscience V. When God doth fasten on the conscience such thoughts as may affright and terrifie it as thus God doth not love me Christ will not own me 〈◊〉 have sinned I am a reprobate past hope c. When such thoughts as these fasten oâ— the conscience it cannot choose then but be troubled Thus I have shewed you what are the causes of the trouble of conscience Secondly This trouble of conscience consisteth in two things First in want of comfort It cannot apply to
it self neither the promises of this life nor of that which is to come Conscience crieth This belongeth not to me This mercy this comfort is not my portion Secondly In a terrour and anguish of mind from these three heads 1. From the guilt of sin 2. From the apprehension of Gods wrath 3. From fear of death and of judgement This is the three-stringed whip wherewith conscience is lashed These ye shall find upon the conscience of Adam and Eve when they had sinned against God Their conscience was whipped 1. With the guilt of sinne they saw they were naked Gen. 3.7 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath they hid themselves from the presence of God verse 8. 3. With the fear of some vengeance which they began to look for I was afraid saith Adam verse 10. This three-stringed whip ye may see also was upon the conscience of Cain after he had slain his brother His conscience was whipt 1. With the guilt of sinne My sinne is greater â—hen can be forgiven 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath From thy face O Lord am I hid 3. With the expectation of death and of judgement It shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me Thus I have shewed you what a troubled conscience is The degrees of a troubled conscience II. THe next thing I promised to shew is the degrees of a troubled conscience A troubled conscience hath divers degrees For some conscience are more troubled then other some 1. The first degree is such a degree as may be in Gods children and this ariseth not so much from the apprehension of Gods wrath as from the guilt of sinne Their consciences grieve anâ— are troubled to think that they have sinned and offended the Lord God Thuâ— we see David could not be at quiet Although Nathan had told him from Goâ— that his sinne was forgiven yet his conscience still troubled him Psal 51.4 Against the onely have I sinned and done this evil iâ— thy sight saith he I grant the consciences of Gods children are troubled aâ— the apprehension of Gods anger but then it is his fatherly anger not the anger of an enemy Though for a sâ—â— they may seem to apprehend that too yet mostly it is for that they have provoked their loving Father to anger against them A father may be angry with his child out of love and so the Lord may be with his dear children The Lord was angry with me too saith Moses Deut. 1.37 O let not my Lord be angry saith Abraham the father of the faithfull O God of hosts Psal 80.4 how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth saith the Psalmist Sometimes â—he Lord is angry with the prayers of his people but it is in love because he would have them pray better and obey better and look to their standing â—etter Now the consciences of Gods â—eople are very much troubled when â—he Lord is thus angry with them 2. The second degree of trouble of â—onscience is such as is in the wicked â—nd yet not altogether without hope The conscience is troubled but yet so â—s it conceiveth hope God is merciâ—ull and Christ died for poore sinners â—c Thus many a wicked man is trouâ—led and affrighted in conscience not â—or sinne but for the wrath of God against it yet he conceiveth for the present that the sinne is pardonable and may be forgiven Christ may forgive God may pardon It is indeed but a poore ground of hope comfort upon possibilities but yet this lightneth the trouble in the mean time and it may be within a while shaketh it quite off Like the wicked Jews Isa 57.10 who were worried and wearied most grievously yet they said not There is no hope There may be much horrour and disquiet in these consciences for a time but there is a higher degree yet a worse troubled conscience then this 3. The third degree of a troubled conscience is when it is for the present altogether hopelesse such a conscience as is swallowed up in despair when men thinking of their manifold sinnes of the direfull wrath of God of the dreadfull torments of hell for everâ— their consciences make them despair of all hope or possibilitie of avoyding this bringing such thoughts as these Whaâ— a deal of time have I spent in sinne wherein I might have made my peace with God anâ— have prevented all this What a great and omnipotent God have I offended What an infinite Judge have I provoked who is able to revenge himself on me and who will be my foe to eternitie conscience also bringing in thoughts of the torments and unsufferable pains to be endured in hell and such swallow up in despair without all hope for the present or the future Like the wicked man which Eliphaz speaketh of Desperatio est homicida animae Aug. He believeth not that he shall return out of darknesse Job 15.22 So these have no hope of escaping expect to perish as Spira O saith he I envy Cain and Judas I vvould I vvere in their cases They are damned but I shall be vvorse for evermore Now though to these all hopes be gone for the present yet some of these troubled consciences scramble up again with vain hopes and some do not Cain got â—p again it should seem but Judas did not Those that never get up again eiâ—her 1. they live in intolerable horrour and vexation of spirit Desperare est in infernum descendere Isid as if they had a devil in them to put them to anguish and often being weary of their lives do make away themselves and so leap quick into hell or else 2. they runne desperately into all abominable courses Their consciences telling them there is nothing to be expected but damnation they give themselves desperately to commit sinne with greedinesse saying with them in Jeremie There is no hope therefore we will wall after our owne devises Jer. 18.12 Or else 3. they grow senselesse of it They see they are wrong but they are not sensible of it It may be they pray and reade and heare but their consciences secretly whisper All is to no purpose Conscience eateth and eateth like a worm and they pine away in their iniquities Ezek. 4.23 as thâ— prophet speaketh A kind of sorroâ— they have but they cannot mourn â— kind of sad dolour but they cannoâ— weep Ye shall not mone nor weep bâ—â— pine away in your sinnes saith the text I confesse there be more presumers iâ— the world who promise themselves that all shall be well with them but yet there be despairers too and very many whose consciences are troubled with secret despair though it may be not apparently to others Now the causes of these despairing consciences are these 1. The greatnesse of sinne when the heart thinketh secretly thus Certainly the Lord cannot find in his heart to forgive me As it was with Cain When he had lived in earthly-mindednesse and then in formality
peace also If we know once that God loveth us then we may set our hearts at rest As long as we doubt of his love our conscience can never have true peace And therefore if we would maintein true peace of conscience let us labour to be assured of Gods love Answ 3 Thirdly We must use the exercise of faith in applying the bloud of Christ we must labour to purge and cleanse our consciences with it If we find that we have sinned we must runne presently to the bloud of Christ to wash away our sinne We must not let the wound fester or exulcerate but presently get it healed As there is a fountain of sinne â—n us so there is a fountain of mercie â—n Christ Zech. 13.1 set open for Judah and Jerusalem and for every poore soul to wash â—n As we sinne dayly so he justifieth dayly and we must dayly go to him for â—t As every day we runne into new debts so the Lords prayer teacheth us every day to beg forgivenesse We must every day eye the brazen serpent Justification is an ever-running fountain and therefore we cannot look to have all the water at once A fountain ever runneth anew so justification ever floweth anew and we must go to it Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec O let us sue out every day a dayly pardon of course Let us not sleep one night without a new pardon Better sleep in a house full of adders and venemous beasts then sleep in one sin O then be sure with the day to clear the sinnes of the day Then shall our conscience have true peace Object But how if I have relapsed what shall I do then Sol. I answer Every man that falleth doth not fall on all foure as we use to say he doth not fall quite There be degrees of falling As in a sick man though he be ill yet he is not by and by dead some life remaineth still which will look out towards health again so there is so much life in justification as to recover thee again Be constant therefore in this course Ever go to Christ ever wash in this fountain ever bring thy soul hither to be cleansed and then thy conscience ever shall have peace Answ 4 Fourthly If we would maintein our peace then let us labour to be constant in obedience to Jesus Christ Whosoever keepeth his word in him verily is the word of God perfected and hereby know we that we are in him 1. John 2.5 Mark Hereby our conscience may tell us that we are right and speak peace to us if we keep his word II. Question How the peace of our conscience doth depend upon our care and our obedience The reason why I raise this question is this Because as our justification is onely in Christ so our peace is onely in him how then doth the peace of our conscience depend on obedience The place of scripture that occasioneth the doubt is 1. Pet. 3.21 The answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ It is by Christ how dependeth it then on our obedience Answ 1. A good conscience doth not depend upon our obedience as the principall cause of it but upon justification which we have by Christ if we be in him Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Ye see then that our peace is grounded upon our justification as the principall cause of it If we should seek for peace from our works and obedience alas they are sinfull and defective there is no peace to be found in them Our conscience would be troubled at our best duties at our weaknesse in prayer our frailties in hearing our slips in every holy service There is nothing we do but our conscience might find fault with it and pick a hole in it and therefore we had need to flie unto Christ for true peace No wonder then that Papists have not true peace but professedly say that every man must doubt and no man can be sure of his salvation They must needs doubt indeed who trust to their own works which can never bring true peace The conscience must ever be quarrelling and finding of fault and be without peace if we trust to the best works So that this is the first answer All true peace dependeth upon justification by faith in Christ as the principall cause Secondly We answer That our peace dependeth upon our obedience in this sort that we can have no peace except we be given to obedience Those men that can sinne and yet be at peace were never justified in their lives A child of God when he sinneth as for example if he should be tempted to lie or to omit a good dutie which he knoweth he is bound to perform yet this would much trouble his conscience his soul would be ashamed his heart perplexed he would not know how to look the Lord in the face I have sinned what shall I do unto hee O thou preserver of men When David had sinned against God Psal 38.6 I am troubled saith he and I go mourning all the day long And therefore peace of conscience doth depend thus farre on obedience as that a man cannot have peace â—nlesse he be obedient and take heed of sinne and labour in all things to be upâ—ight before God Now if you ask me But how doth our peace depend upon our obedience I answer Dub. Sol. It dependeth upon obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which would hinder our peace Sinne would interrupt our peace now obedience removeth sinne To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 1. John 3.18 19. My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth For hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before God Hereby we shall assure our consciences that we are in him if we take heed of hypocrisie If we love in truth and be obedient in truth we shall thereby remove all our doubts and our fears our troubles and perplexities of conscience So that peace doth depend on obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which otherwise would hinder peace This is the first Again our peace of conscience dependeth upon our obedience as the witnessing cause of it Obedience is one of the witnesses of true peace it witnesseth that we have peace with God 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing even the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie we have had our conversation in the world See here it is the witnessing cause of it Paul had peace of conscience his conscience was able to make him rejoyce How Because it gave testimony that his conversation was godly and simple and gracious Though we be in Christ yet we can have no peace unlesse holy obedience doth witnesse the same Obedience is not the cause of the peace of our consciences before God
he hath given us consciences to guide us so also he would give our guides eyes that they may be able to direct us aright The truth is it is God onely that can soundly illighten our consciences and therefore let us pray unto him to do it All our studying and reading and hearing and conferring will never be able to do it it is onely in the power of him who made us to do it Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments He who made our consciences he onely can give them this heavenly light of â—rue knowledge and right understanding and therefore let us seek earnestly to him for it 2. We must seek it in humility alwayes suspecting our own knowledge We are not too confidently and presumptuously to trust to our â—wn judgement and despise or neglect â—he judgement of others Psal 25.9 The humble â—od will teach Pride and self-conceitedâ—esse blindeth exceedingly 3. We must â—eek with sobriety alwayes contenting â—ur selves with that knowledge which â—s most necessarie and not be curious aâ—out vain and idle-braind questions or solicitous to answer every objection ty offendeth conscience and conscience will keep a grudge a long time and will give many a secret wound deading the heart to duty making faith and confidence in God dull we cannot pray with courage nor come before God with boldnesse If our hearts condemn us not we have confidence saith John 1. John 3.21 An erroneous conscience will defile you a doubting conscience distract you a scrupulous conscience unsettle you but above all other an illightened conscience if it have any thing against you will exceedingly disable you this stabbeth at the heart your confidence towards God Go then and labour to purge conscience else conscience will hinder you whether you pray or heare or receive the Sacrament c. it will deprive you of comfort Matth 5.23 If thou bring thâ— gift to the altar and there remembrest thaâ— thy brother hath ought against thee leavâ— there thy gift before the altar first go anâ— be reconciled to thy brother and then comâ— and offer thy gift The case is greater anâ— more dangerous when conscience hatâ— something against us there is no offering will be accepted untill conscience be satisfied If thou shouldest be about to pray and conscience should stand up against thee as an adversary and tell thee thou hast been vain and loose and carnall all this day thou hast not set thy self to keep close to God this day thou hast fallen into this and that sinne this day thou art not fit to pray till thou hast reconciled thy self to conscience Alas thy conscience will secretly undermine all thy praying First â—herefore reconcile conscience by humâ—ling thy self and breaking thy heart and resolving I have sinned I will do no more When conscience can say thy sorrow and repentance and resolution for new obedience is sincere then thou â—â—rt fit to pray but not before So whatâ—ver other duty thou goest about be â—ure to reconcile conscience else all will miscarry V. A faithfull conscience THus I have expounded the adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of its duty every motion and inclination to evil it is awake to see when evil is conceived to tell us of it to oppose it and to disswade us from it like a watchman on the top of a tower alwayes awake to see when any danger approcheth It is Gods minister with eyes on every side to espie seasons of good and stirre up to make use of them and of evil and give warning to avoid them 2. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull so also it is rigid and severe 2. It is severe In every cause it delivereth its judgement nothing can escape its sentence it will not favour our lusts in any particular If there be any opportunity of duty to God or man it maketh us to heare of it though it be such a duty as none other will call upon us for or it may be dare not put us in mind of as of love and care and help towards inferiours yet conscience will It titheth mint and cumine and will tell us of the least duty And so on the other side it will not swallow the least sinne As it will not swallow a camel Luke 16.10 so it will strain at â—gnat A faithfull conscience is faithfull in the least If David sinne but in the lap of a garment conscience smiteth him for it It made Abraham so precise to a thread or a shoe-latchet he would not take so much as that of the king of Sodom It made Moses strict to a very hoof It made Paul find fault with the Corinthians about their hair It made Augustine condemn himself for an apple 3. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull and severe so also it is importunate 3. It is importunate 〈◊〉 all its counsels It doth not onely deliver its judgement but doth with importunitie urge the following of its counsel It will have no nay but will be obeyed It leadeth us bound in the Spirit to do it as Paul said Acts 20.22 I go bound 〈◊〉 the spirit See how importunate this â—â—ithfull conscience was with the Psalâ—ist I will not give sleep to mine eyes Psal 132.4 nor â—â—mber to mine eye-lids untill I find out a â—â—ace for the Lord. It will not take any â—â—y say we what we will say we be â—â—epie say we be busie say we be loth â—â—d full of excuses it will be importuâ—â—te and that with vehemencie It will omitting good or committing evil will not let thee slumber and sleep in securitie but continually joggeth and awaketh thee Hath he given thee a severe a precise conscience that will not favour thee in the least evil It is a most comfortable signe that the Lord meaneth well unto thy soul Vse 3 III. Labour to be a friend unto conscience that it may continue faithfull unto thee True friends will deal faithfully and plainly one with another and will be importunate to do one anotheâ— good Conscience will not deal thus with thee unlesse thou be a friend unto conscience Now then are we friends unto conscience when we do what conscience requireth As our Saviour said to the Disciples John 15.14 Ye are my friends if yâ—â— do whatever I command you So I may say of conscience For conscience if iâ— be truly illightened will command nothing but what Christ commandeth Iâ— we deal so in our constant course with conscience be willing to hearken to it and be ruled by it then if we be out oâ— the way now and then conscience will be true to us and be importunate with us for our good Vse 4 IV. Be sure thou stand not out aâ—ainst conscience when once it is imâ—ortunate It is a great sinne to stand â—ut against conscience though it be not â—mportunate but it is a sinne a thousand â—â—mes greater to
stand out against it when it is importunate Maxima violatio conscientiae est maximè peccatum The greatest standing out against conscience is the greatest sinne it is a sinne which cometh nearest that against the holy â—host which accompanied with some other adjuncts is the greatest standing out against conscience There is no sinne that doth more harden the heart then to do evil when conscience is importuâ—ate to disswade from it This sinne â—as the cause why Saul was rejected of â—od I forced my self saith he 1. Sam. 13.12 He forâ—â—d his conscience his conscience was â—â—portunate to have him stay accordâ—â—g to the commandment of God but 〈◊〉 forced himself to the contrary I â—â—nfesse if conscience be importunate â—o the utmost as it is with Gods chilâ—â—en men cannot with any force put it zealous in Gods cause against the house of Ahab and the priests of Baal 2. Kings 10.29 but it suffered him to maintein the high places which Jeroboam had set up Thus Gamaliel's conscience made him speak well for Paul and yet continue it seemeth in much other evil This conscience will restrain from great staring sinnes or from such sinnes as the man hath no naturall propensity unto but others which seem of a lower nature or which are suitable to a mans particular desires these conscience will swallow without remorse As civil people that cannot swallow down couzenage and injustice and yet neglect of prayer and other religious duties never troubleth them And so some professours who cannot omit hearing sermons and talking of religion and yet can rest without the power thereof 3. It is remisse 3. It is remisse that is though it doth counsel and direct yet it doth it with such coldnesse remissenesse that it is easily answered and put off Thus it was with David It cannot be thought but his conscience said Plot not against Vriah's life But he would and so conscience let him do it This conscience will be answered with every slight and â—dle excuse As when conscience telâ—eth one Your wayes are not good I wish you to repent and make your peace with God it may be the man answereth Yea so I mean to do but I cannot yet intend it when I have dispatched such and such businesse then I will do it If conscience speak again Yea but you were best to do it now True saith he I know it I know it If God would give me repentance I would repent It is his gift of my self I cannot do it Or when it telleth him of family-duties it may be he answereth I have no leisure so long as I go to God by my self I hope it will serve turn Or when it telleth him of his wickednesse â—t may be he answereth Many worse then I have found mercy and I hope so shall I. This is the conscience that letteth a mans heart say I shall have peace Deut. 29.19 Now â—onscience being remisse and cold it is â—asily put off and answered with these idle and foolish excuses or with some other pretenses like these and so letteth the man go and live as before This conscience is like Eli which said Ye do not well my sonnes but exercised no severity to cause them to do otherwise Vse By this we see the dangerous estate of those men who have such a conscience There be many who live in many sinnes in carnall courses some in company-keeping and drunkennesse some in hatred and variance some in chambering and wantonnesse some in covetousnesse love of this present worldâ— your consciences no question can say Ye should do well to be more godly to look more after Christ and after heaven and ye should do well to get the truth of saving grace yet it may be they say nothing or nothing to the purpose in this behalf Therefore is these mens case so dangerous because their consciences are so silent and so remisse They have lost the most sovereigne remedy namely conscience Conscience is the most sovereigne means under God and his holy Spirit to work repentance in men that can be and is it not dangerous to have it prove traiterous and unfaithful What good can the ministerie of the word do unto you when every idle and false excuse or pretense which the wisdome of the flesh can devise can stop â—he mouth of your conscience when it â—alleth upon you to do what the word â—equireth It must needs be dangerous â—nd so much the more because it is so pleasing unto you ye take delight in such silent and large and remisse unfaithfull consciences ye love not to have your consciences too busie with â—ou ye like not that your consciences â—hould be too clamourous and importunate with you ye would have them not too rigid and vehement against your sinnes It fareth with you as with many young men who have sold themselves unto folly and think none their friends but parasites that flatter them or those who connive and wink at their folly but such friends will soon prove foes and so will such moderate and quiet consciences It is a dangerous â—hing to have such a silent conscience to want the chief means under God of doing a man good It was conscience that told the lepers 2. Kings 7.9 We do not well to hold our peace It was conscience that never would let the prodigall sonne be quiet till he returned to his father and said unto him I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne It is conscience that is the most powerfull means under God to quicken a man upâ—â— to repentance and obedience and therefore they are in a miserable case that want this great help Quest But what are the causes why mens consciences be so evil and unfaithfull Answ The causes hereof are chiefly these foure 1. Ignorance is one cause why a mans conscience is unfaithfull when we do not labour to have conscience throughly illightened and informed Who are more carelesse and negligent of their duties both to God and man who can with more freedome lye steal covet sinne c. then those that are ignorant of the law of God They know not that they do so much hurt to their own souls as they do An ignorant mind hath alwayes an evil conscience â—t is impossible conscience should be â—â—ithfull where it is not illightened and â—ence it cometh to passe that conscience iâ— so negligent and unfaithfull because â—e have been so carelesse of informing 〈◊〉 Thy conscience must needs be silent 〈◊〉 long as thou art ignorant 1. Pet. 2.15 Ignorance 〈◊〉 soon put to silence 2. A second cause is often slighting of conscience It may be conscience speaketh not or but coldly and remissely because when it hath advised and câ—unselled and admonished thou hast neglected it and disregarded it from time to time Though it judge and counsel yet thou wilt not listen Like Cassandra the prophetesse who though her predictions were
foure 1. A tender conscience 2. A sleepie conscience 3. A benumbed conscience 4. A seared conscience First a tender conscience 1. A tender conscience that is a conscience touched with the least sin â—nd checking us for the least sinne as for vain thoughts exorbitant passions â—dle words and the like 1. Sam. 24 5. Such was Davids conscience which smote him for â—utting off the lap of Sauls garment Such was Zaccheus his conscience which troubled him for supposed sins â—f I have wronged any man saith he He â—id not know but his conscience was so â—ender that it made him carefull of Ifs. This tender conscience is a singular blessing of God And if we desire to â—ttein unto it we must labour to see the â—diousnesse of sinne yea the malignity â—nd exceeding evil there is in the least â—inne this will make us tender of it Secondly we must labour to mourn for very sinne though it seem little this â—lso will keep our consciences tender And we have great cause to prise a tender conscience What got the Bethshemites by not being tender in conscience They looked into the Ark and because they durst venture upon it thâ— Lord smote fifty thousand of them aâ— once 1. Sam. 6.19 Numb 15.32 36. What got the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath for not being tender in conscience He was stoned tâ— death Conscience should tender thâ— least commandment of God and so bâ— tender of the committing the least sinâ— This conscience is a great blessing The second affection of consciencâ— is sleepinesse A sleepy conscience 2. A sleepy conscience iâ— not so quick in smiting us as it ought either it checks not or else with sucâ— faintnesse that it worketh not upon us it maketh us never the more watchfulâ— against sinne This we see by many whâ— can commit such sinnes without trouble or disquiet as would bring others on their knees and make theâ— walk heavily long after This sleepâ— conscience is very dangerous it maketh men as ready to fall into the same sinneâ— tomorrow as to day and next day as tomorrow it letteth them see their faults but amendeth none because this is such a conscience as doth not cause men to feel the burden of their sinnes A man can never come to Christ as long as he hath a sleepy conscience because it doth not cause sinne to be burdenâ—ome They who have this conscience â—an sleep for all it and eat and drink and â—e merry for all it Now a man can neâ—er come to Christ that is not burdenâ—d with his sinne that he cannot bear 〈◊〉 cannot be quiet for it cannot sleep â—or it then Christ calleth him Come unâ—o me Matth. 11.28 all ye that are weary and heavy laâ—en and I will ease you A benumbed conscience that is 3. A benumbed conscience â—â—ch a conscience as is in a deep sleep This differs from the former in degree You know there is a lesse sleep and â—ere is a greater sleep There is a lesse â—eep when onely the outward senses â—â—e bound and there is a sleep when â—â—e inward senses are bound too Now benumbed conscience is a conscience â—hat is in a deep sleep Preach to it it â—ourneth not cry to it it listeneth not This is a benumbed conscience Nor the greatnesse of sinne nor the wrath of God denounced against it can move it Men can know themselves guilty of such and such sinnes and yet not lay them to heart conscience never telleth them about it Thus the Apostle speaketh of those who knew thâ— judgement of God Rom. 1.32 that they which commiâ— such things are worthy of death yet noâ— onely do the same but have pleasure iâ— them that do them Their conscienceâ— though informed and in some measure knowing the evil of their courses and the severitie of Gods judgement yet leâ— them go on still and not onely commiâ— the evil themselves but delight to seâ— others as bad as themselves Such arâ— our swearers and drunkards and company-keepers c. This is a verâ— wretched conscience the Lord deliveâ— us from it 4. A seared conscience Fourthly a seared conscience thaâ— is such a conscience as speaketh not 〈◊〉 jote seared with a hot iron as the Apostles phrase is 1. Tim. 4.2 a sense lesse conscience a past-feeling conscience when men can swallow down sinne like drink oathes contempt of God his word and worship mockage of Gods servants hating to be reformed such as sin without any remorse This kind of conscience is in foure sorts of men 1. In dissolute and profligate persons who like common strumpets have their souls lie open to every sinne that cometh by 2. In obstinate sinners such as like Ahab have sold themselves to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. 3. In scoffers and jeerers who speak evil of them who runne not in the same excesse of riot with themselves and nickname the godly 4. In Apostates and backsliders who speak lies through hypocrisie and have fallen from the profession of the truth All these men have a conscience seared with a red-hot iron This is a great judgement of God greater then this there cannot â—e No outward judgement that can fall upon us is like unto it not the plague nor shame nor beggery no nor any curse besides hell it self is equall to it By this the onely means under God of repentance is taken away Such may come to repent but it is a thousand to one if ever they do It is like a grave-stone lying upon their consciences which keepeth them under untill the day of judgement at which time God will awaken their consciences and then they will be more furious in tormenting then the very devils themselves Vse Ye that are not yet fallen upon this wretched conscience I beseech you take heed that ye never do But ye will aske me How may we avoid it Avoid it alas ye may avoid it if ye be carefull for conscience never seareth it self If ever it be seared it is ye your selves that do fear it Indeed the mind of man may blind its own self and the heart of man may corrupt its ownself and the affections of man may defile their own selves but conscience never corrupteth it self never seareth it self But you will say What must I do to avoid this searing of conscience First listen to conscience well that whatever it saith to thee from God thou maist do it This was the course of the Psalmist I will hearken what the Lord God will say in me so some translate it Heare then and listen what the Lord God will say in thee what thy conscience illightened saith in thee and do it Secondly whenever this conscience is quick follow it Nothing more seareth conscience then suffering quickneings to die Blow the coles if they do but smoke As the Apostle saith quench not the Spirit so quench not conscience I have hitherto shewed you that every man hath a conscience and the
difference between the holy and the profane Now the question is this Where in lieth the difference between the quiâ— conscience of the righteous and thâ— quiet conscience of the wicked Answ The difference between them lieth iâ— foure things 1. In the thing it self 2. In the cause 3. In the effect 4. Iâ— the continuance I. In the thing it self The quiet conscience in the godly is double not onely apparentiall and nominall but reaâ— and substantiall It is quiet and quiâ— too Isai 57.19 peace and peace too I create tâ— fruit of the lips peace peace Marâ— peace and peace too peace in appearance and peace in truth and substance also But the peace and quiet of consciencâ— which the wicked have is not such peace It is peace and no peace peace â—n appearance but no peace in truth Their god is the god of this world â—nd he perswadeth them they have peace But my God saith the prophet â—peaketh otherwise vers 21. There is no peace to â—he wicked saith my God They talk of a good conscience sometimes and boast they have a good conscience but the â—ruth is they cannot have true peace within for saith the prophet the wickâ—d is like the troubled sea which cannot â—est whose waters cast up mire and dirt So doth a wicked mans conscience seâ—retly cast up mire and dirt in his face His peace can onely be outward and apparentiall II. There is a difference in the cause The quiet of a good conscience ariseth â—rom one cause and the quiet of a bad â—onscience ariseth from another 1. The quiet of a good conscience â—riseth from a distinct knowledge of the word of God and of the precepts and promises conteined in it But the quiet of an evil conscience ariseth from ignorance When men know not Goâ— nor his holy word which should binâ— conscience they fear nothing becausâ— they see nothing they know not thâ— danger of sinne Like a blind maâ— standing before the mouth of a cannon he feareth no danger because hâ— seeth none so carnall men fear not because they know not what cause theâ— have to fear Their very prayers thâ— they make are an abomination to Goâ— and they know it not their good duties they do are all like cockatrices egâ— and they know it not they know noâ— that they are in the bond of iniquitie iâ— the snare of the devil Their conscienceâ— are quiet because they know not whaâ— cause they have to be otherwise Thiâ— is one difference The quiet and peacâ— of a good conscience ariseth from lighâ— and from knowledge the quiet anâ— peace of an evil conscience from darknesse and ignorance Heb. 10.22 2. The quiet of a good consciencâ— ariseth from a due examination of ouâ—selves by the word and purging of ouâ— consciences Conscience never can beâ— good without purging and sprinkling â—o nor without a due examination the â—uiet of a good conscience ariseth from â—is Whereas the quiet of a wicked â—ans conscience ariseth from want of â—is He never examineth his consciâ—ce but letteth it sleep till God awake â— with horrour I say a wicked mans â—onscience sleepeth and that maketh it â—uiet and he is not troubled nor moâ—sted with it Like a baillif or sergeant â—â—llen asleep by the way the desperate â—btour whom he lieth in wait for may â—sse by him then and find him very â—iet and not to offer to arrest him â—r like a curst dog fallen asleep a â—anger may passe by him then and not 〈◊〉 meddled with Such like is this quiet â—il conscience 3. The quiet of a good conscience â—iseth from a good ground from the â—ork of Gods Spirit from true saving â—ace from righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 â—e reade of righteousnesse and peace â—rue peace of conscience ariseth from â—ghteousnesse Whereas the false peace â—f the wicked ariseth onely from vain hopes and conceits They are not guilâ— of such and such great sinnes or Thâ— are not so bad as some others As the Phâ—risee's conscience was quiet why â— God I thank thee I am not as other mâ—â— are no drunkard extortioner nor liâ— this publicane Or perhaps from thiâ— ground their peace ariseth The Lorâ— is very mercifull and The Lord Jesâ—â— died for sinners Or perhaps this iâ— their plea They are good comers to churcâ— They have prayers in their families Thâ— have been professours of Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 many yeares From hence they dreaâ— of peace upon false grounds when â— the way of peace they have not knowâ— When conscience shall be awaked theâ— it will tell them how they have by flatery deceived their own souls and thaâ— having no true righteousnesse they could have no true peace 4. The quiet of a good consciencâ— ariseth from tendernesse and from life Therefore the Apostle joyneth together life and peace Rom. 8.6 Truâ— peace of conscience ariseth from life â— whereas the quiet of a wicked conscience ariseth from searednesse and beâ—mbednesse and deadnesse when men â—eing past feeling of sinne are not trouâ—ed at the committing of it Thus ye â—e the second thing wherein the diffeâ—nce lieth namely in the cause III. They differ in the effect First â—he effect of the quiet of a good conâ—cience is comfort and rejoycing Rom. 5.1 Beâ—â—g justified by faith we have peace with â—od through our Lord Jesus Christ What followeth By whom we have acâ—sse by faith rejoycing c. Mark The â—eace of conscience bringeth forth reâ—ycing And so in other places peace â—nd joy are joyned together Rom. 15.13 Gal. 5.22 But the â—vil conscience though quiet wanteth his rejoycing If carnall men had no â—ore mirth then what the quiet and â—eace of their consciences doth help â—hem to they would not be so merrie â—s most of them be Secondly Anoâ—her effect of true peace of conscience â— It sanctifieth the soul it purgeth the â—eart purifieth the life and reformeth â—he whole man It is the instrument whereby God sanctifieth his people more and more 1. Thess 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you wholly Observe the title which the Apostle there giveth unto God when he sanctifieth his people he calleth him the God of peace he sanctifieth his people by peace It maketh them think thus We must not do thus or thus as others do we shall lose the peace of our conscience if we do This maketh them strive against sinne denie their own wills and carnall appetites If I should not do so I should have no peace This peace sanctifieth But the peace which carnall men seem to have doth not sanctifie the soul they are never the more holy for the same Again another effect of the peace of a good conscience is to put life into us in the performance of good duties it maketh us with gladnesse and delight perform the duties of our generall and particular callings But the false peace of an evil conscience suffereth the wicked to be dead and dull to good duties The true peace keepeth our hearts and our minds We should
other text is 1. Pet. 3.21 The answer of 〈◊〉 good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Where the Apostle first giveth this title to a renewed conscience to be called a good conscience Secondly he nameth the cause that maketh it to be good the power of Christs resurrection When the resurrection of Christ Jesus is powerfulâ— upon us then conscience becometh good 5. The fifth is quietnesse By nature â—othing is so fierce and violent if it be â—nce awaked as conscience is O it is â—nspeakably furious Thus is consciâ—nce by nature and therefore it can neâ—er be good untill we get it appeased with the assurance of the pardon of our â—innes and so true peace and comfort â—stablished in it This is the reason why â—he Scripture joyneth a good consciâ—nce and faith so often together as â— Tim. 3.9 Holding the mysterie of faith â—n a pure conscience It cannot be a pure or good conscience if faith be not held â—n it As long as the conscience is not â—nderpropped by faith the conscience must needs be in a wildernesse Perhaps my sinnes are imputed unto me perhaps â—hey are pardoned Perhaps they are coverâ—d perhaps not As long as the conscience lieth under these uncertainties it cannot be firm and foundly good indeed therefore we must labour for assurance of pardon by faith Thus much of a good renewed conscience that is perfectly and soundly renewed An infirm conscience II. Secondly There is a good conscience renewed but not soundly renewed very much as yet defective and imperfect The former conscience is called conscientia firma a firm conscience This is called conscientia infirma an infirm conscience Rom. 15.1 We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak This infirm conscience is a good conscience too and renewed but cumbred with sundry imperfections which in processe of time by growth in grace are for the most part conquered in the godly True faith is required unto this For the Apostle calleth such an one a brother in Christ one that hath this infirm conscience Rom. 14.21 It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth And we must not set such an one at nought Tush what care I for him I know I may lawfully do thus and this is my Christian liberty and shall I lose it for him because of his conscience Nay saith the Apostle Rom. 14.10 Why dost thou set at nought thy brother Mark The Apostle counteth such an one a Christian brother and not to be set at nought and therefore this is a good conscience too differing as much as white from black from such consciences as are weak through superstition of mind and through pride of heart because they will not be otherwise or through affected ignorance because they love not to be better informed These weak consciences are wicked I speak not of these I speak of a good conscience a conscience renewed but renewed imperfectly having yet sundry defects and imperfections The imperfections of it are 1. Imperfection of knowledge It doth not yet soundly and clearly understand what is lawfull and what is pure and what is by Christian liberty indifferent Paul saith Rom. 14.14 I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean He speaketh of things that are indifferent The Apostle had knowledge but there were others who did not know this O I may not eat this meat I may not play at bowls or use any other recreation I should sinne if I should c. This is one weaknesse in this kind of conscience weaknesse of knowledge 2. The second imperfection is to be grieved where it needeth not be grieved As when it seeth other do that which it self through mistake doth judge to be evil it is apt to be grieved and troubled to see it Rom. 14.15 If thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably It may be thou thinkest it lawfull to eat such meat but he thinketh otherwise and so is grieved to see thee eat This is another imperfection in this conscience to be grieved and offended without just cause 3. A third imperfection is in judgement It is apt to judge and condemn another mans liberty 1. Cor. 10.29 Why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience He speaketh of a weak conscience It is apt to be judging and condemning my liberty saith he but why so This is a fault and an imperfection indeed O such an one sinneth he doeth so and so yet it may be the thing is not unlawfull but a weak conscience is apt so to judge it and to condemn him that doeth it Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth Rom. 14.3 4. A fourth imperfection is this A weak conscience is apt to be misled So the Apostle intimateth Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block unto them that are weak for if any man see thee who hast knowledge sit at meat in the idoles temple shall not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to idoles and through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died 1. Cor. 8.9 10 11. Where ye see that weak consciences are apt to be misled The reason is this Because when they see others whom they know to be more learned and judicious then themselves to do so and so that may soon tempt them to do it though their conscience be against it Vse 1 The first use is this If any have weak consciences let them labour to strengthen them Ye see what imperfections are in a weak conscience how apt it is to be offended and to judge other mens liberty how prone to misleading therefore let every good soul labour to be strengthened Vse 2 The second use is this Those that be strong must be carefull that they offend not the weak Though they do believe such and such Christian liberties they have yet if they know the use of them will offend their weak brother they should be carefull to abstein Rom. 14.13 Let no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Vse 3 Thirdly if it be such a sinne to sinne against the conscience of the weak then what a sinne is it to sinne against the conscience of all that are godly whether weak ones or strong ones Ye who walk after the flesh and can have disorders in your families and vanity in your mouths and apparent corruptions in your lives Ye who can drink and be drunken and keep company and prophane the Lords dayes ye offend the consciences of all that are godly it is a grief to their souls to see it Let me tell you It is a sinne to be wicked
of Gods law things commanded now the law is nothing else but a catalogue of those things that God hath commanded us When ye have done all these things saith our Saviour know it is your dutie Here ye see the law hath power to say to the conscience This is your dutie But ye will object We are under faith and do ye tell us of law I answer as Chrysostome answereth out of Paul Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the law through faith God forbid Yea we establish the law See how the Apostle doth abhorre this thought God forbid saith he As if he had said Farre be it from me to teach such an abominable doctrine No no we establish the law Heare what Christ saith himself Think not that I am come to destroy the law I am not come to destroy but to fulfill it O thought some If we believe in Christ then we hope we shall have done with the law No no saith Christ ye shall as soon pull the heavens and the earth out of their place as disannull one tittle of the law Arg. 2 Secondly That which hath this authoritie that the breach of it is a sinne bindeth conscience but the law hath this authoritie that neither regenerate nor unregenerate can transgresse it but they sinne therefore the law bindeth their consciences For the regenerate and all are bound in conscience to take heed of sinne 1. John 3.4 Whosoever committeth sinne transgresseth also the law David was a regenerate man yet when he had defiled Bathsheba I have sinned saith he Joseph was a regenerate man yet confesseth if he should transgresse the Lords commandment he should sinne How shall I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God But ye will object This is old testament What of that I hope you will not take up the old damned heresie again of the Cerdonians and Cainites and Apellites and Manichees and Severians and other such cursed hereticks condemned by the Church of God Their heresie was To hedge out the regenerate from the old testament And St Augustine proved it against them That the morall law of God was ever the rule of obedience and shall so continue with the gospel to the end of the world and every transgression thereof is sinne The breach of the ceremoniall law was a sinne once but now it is not because once it bound the conscience now it doth not But the breach of the morall law is still sinne therefore still it bindeth the conscience Do ye not remember what St James saith now under the Gospel he presseth it yet on mens consciences He that said Jam. 2.11 Do not commit adultery said also Do not kill Now though thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressour of the law And though ye may call it a law of liberty in what sense ye please yet he telleth you Ye had best look to your words and deeds for ye must be judged by this law of liberty So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty Arg. 3 Thirdly That which being observed doth cause the conscience of the regenerate to excuse and being transgressed to accuse that bindeth their conscience For what else do you make binding of conscience but this But the law of God being observed doth cause the conscience to excuse being transgressed to accuse In many things we sinne all saith the Apostle Mark Our consciences do accuse us as we do sinne in many things so our consciences do accuse us when we do so I am a sinfull man saith St Peter Luke 5.8 His conscience did accuse him of sinne Arg. 4 Fourthly That which is the condition of Gods covenant of grace bindeth the conscience yea of the regenerate but sincere obedience to Gods law is a condition of Gods covenant of grace See Luke 1.72 To remember his holy covenant and the oath that he sware that he would give us That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Mark Sincere and universall obedience is a condition of the covenant of grace not onely for a manifestation to our selves that we are truly justified as these upstart patritians do hold but it is the condition of the covenant of grace Every covenant hath its conditions annexed and therefore it is called the book of the covenant Exod. 24.7 the words of the covenant Exod. 34.28 the tables of the covenant Deut. 9.11 The reason is this Because when a covenant is made the conditions are put into a book or a table and expressed in words Onely here is the difference between the first covenant of works and the second covenant of grace Both have conditions but here I say is the difference In the one grace giveth the covenant and grace giveth the condition of the covenant but a condition is annexed though Now hence we may argue and none but enemies to the Gospel can denie it If the covenant of grace do bind a mans conscience then certainly the condition of the covenant bindeth a mans conscience too But the covenant of grace bindeth the conscience of the regenerate and therefore the condition of it bindeth If you ask What is this to obedience the answer is That obedience is the condition of the covenant of grace as the forenamed Scripture expresseth Luke 〈◊〉 72. Thus ye see the law of God bindeth the conscience of all the regenerate This is the third use Vse 4 4. Hath the word of God supreme power to bind conscience Then hence we may learn that no creature can dispense with it nor free conscience from guilt when a man transgresseth the word What a damned usurpation is it in the Pope to offer to dispense The Canonists say he may dispense de praceptis veteris novi testamenti They are their own words he may dispense with the commandments of the old and new testament He dispensed with king Henry the eighth and undertook to free his conscience from guilt though he married his own brothers wife Azorius the Jesuite reports it Gregorie the second undertook to free subjects from being bound in their consciences to keep their oathes of allegeance to Leo the Emperour O these are damned aspirings and they plainly declare him to be Antichrist who exalteth himself in this manner The word of God is the supreme binder of conscience And therefore not all the Angels in heaven can dispense with one idle word Psal 119.89 For ever O Lord thy word is settled in heaven Gods word is settled for ever in heaven and therefore ye may assoon remove the heaven from its place as one tittle of the word from binding conscience Doth the word say thus or thus thou hadst best do it If thou wilt not all the whole world cannot help thee thy conscience will condemne thee at the day of judgement without remedie Hath the word