name of a person of an euill Conscience prefixed before a booke of good Conscience I desired a Patron sutable to my subiect I presume the very subiect shall make the Treatise welcome to you Be you pleased to affoord your acceptaÌ„ce as I will affoord you my poore prayers that the Lord who hath already set vpon your head the crowne of the elders Childrens Children Prou. 17. 6. and one crowne of glory here Pro. 16. 31. on earth Age found in the wayes of righteousnes would also in his due time giue you that incorruptible crowne of righteousnesse and eternall glory in the heavens which that righteous Iudge shall giue to you and to all those that in the waies of a good Conscience waite for the blessed appearance of the Lord Iesus Your Worships in all Christian observance IER DYKE The Contents of this TREATISE The Text containes three Maine heads 1. Maine head Pauls Protestation of a good Conscience where fiue things considered 1. What Conscience is 2. What a good Conscience is It is good with a two-fold goodnesse 1. With the goodnesse of Integritie this Integritie is threefold 1. When being rightly principled by the Word it sincerely iudges and determines of good evill 2. When it doth excuse for good and accuse for evill 3. When it vrges to good and restraines from evill 2. With the goodnes of Tranquilitie Peace Here three sorts of Conscience discouered not to be good viz. 1. The Ignorant Conscience 2. The Secure Conscience 3. The Seared Conscience 3. The meanes of getting and keeping a good Conscience 1. To get and keepe the Conscience good peaceably or with the goodnesse of peace three things required 1. Faith in Christs bloud 2. Repentance from dead works 3. The Conscionable exercise of Prayer 2. To get and keepe the Conscience Good with the goodnesse of Integritie and to haue it vprightly good fiue things required viz. 1. Walking before God 2. Framing ones Course by the Rule of the Word 3. Frequent examination of the Conscience 4. Hearkning to the voice of ConscieÌ„ce 5. In cases of questionable nature to take the surest and the safest side 4. The markes and notes of a good Conscience and they be seauen 1. To make Conscience of all sinnes and duties 2. To make Conscience of small sinnes and duties 3. To affect a Ministry that speakes to the Conscience 4. To doe dutie and avoide sinne for Conscience sake 5. Holy Boldnesse 6. To suffer for Conscience 7. Constancie and Perseuerance in Good 5. The Motiues to a good Conscience and they are fiue 1. The incomparable Comfort and Benefit of it in all such Times and Cases as all other Comforts fayle a man and wherein a man stands most in neede of Comfort These Cases or Times are fiâ—e 1. The Time and Case of Disgrace and Reproach 2. The Time of Common feare and Common Calamitie 3. The Time of Sickenesse or other crosses 4. The Time of Death 5. The Time and day of Iudgement 2. That a good Conscience is 1. A Feast for 1. Contentment and satisfaction 2. Ioy and Mirth 3. Societie 2. Better then a feast for 1. The Continuance 2. Independencie 3. Vniuersalitie 3. Without a good Conscience all our best duties are naught 4. It is the Ship and Arke of Faith 5. The misery of an euill one 1. In this world in respect of 1. Feare 2. Perplexity 3. Torment 2. In the world to come 2. Maine Head Ananias his insolent Iniunction Whereout is observed 1. What is the respect a good Conscience findes in the world 2. The impetuous Iniustice of the enemies of good Conscience 3. Who commonly be the bitterest Enemies of good Conscience 4. That Vsurpers are Smiters 5. What is a said forerunner of a Nations Ruine 3. Maine Head Pauls Answer and Contestation Whereout is observed 1. That Christian Patience muzzles not a good Conscience from pleading it own Innocency 2. The severitie of Gods Iudgements vpon the enemies and smiters of good Conscience 3. The equitie of Gods administration in his execution of Justice A Table of the severall Chapters of this Treatise Chapter I. The Introduction to the Discourse following Folio 1 Chapter II. Conscience Described 10 Chapter III. A good Conscience what it is False ones discouered 24 Chapter IV. Peace of Conscience how gotten 43 Chapter V. Integrity of Conscience how procured 56 Chapter VI. Two further meanes to procure Integritie of Conscience 69 Chapter VII Two markes of a good Conscience 86 Chapter VIII Three other Notes of a good Conscience 106 Chapter IX The two last Notes of a good Conscience 121 Chapter X. The comfort and benefit of a good Conscience in the case of Disgrace and Reproach 150 Chapter XI The comfort and benefit of a good Conscience in the times of common feares and calamities and in the times of sickenesse and other personall evils 171 Chapter XII The comfort and benefit of a good Conscience at the dayes of Death and Iudgement 192 Chapter XIII A second Motiue to a good conscience That is a continuall Feast 210 Chapter XIV A third and fourth Motiue to a good Conscience 235 Chapter XV. The last Motiue to a good Conscience viz. The miserie of an euill one 250 Chapter XVI The portion and respect that a good Conscience findes in the world 272 Chapter XVII The impetuous Iniustice and malice of the Aduersaries of a good Conscience 286 Chapter XVIII The severitie of Gods Iustice vpon the enemies of good Conscience and the vsuall equitie of Gods Administration in his executions of Iustice 299 GOOD CONSCIENCE ACTS 23. 1. And Paul earnestly beholding the Councell said Men and brethren I haue liued in all good Conscience vntill this day 2 And the high Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth 3. Then said Paul vnto him God shall smite thee thou whited wall CHAP. I. The Introduction to the Discourse following THere is no complaint so general as this that the world is Naught His experience is short and slender which will not iustifie the truth of this Complaint And what thinke we may the Cause be of the generall wickednes of our Times Surely nothing makes Ill Times but Ill men and nothing makes Hâ—minum sunt ista noÌ„ Temporum Senec. ep 98 Ill Men but Ill Consciences Ill Conscience is the source the fountaine froÌ„ whence come all Iniquities which make Times heere so ill How well should he deserue that could amend Ill times There is a course if it would be taken that would doe the deed and so cease the common Complaint Elishaes course must be taken in the healing of the waters of Iericho They say of their waters as wee of our Times The water is naught and the ground barren 2. King 2. 19. What course now takes Elisha for the healing of the waters He went out vnto the spring of the waters and cast the Salt in there ver 21. So the waters were healed vers 22.
qui iudicarent qui puniret consc quippe est accusatrix memoria testis ratio Iudex timor carnifex Ber. hom de villi iniq 22. Or else it lookes at the good or euill of things past present to come If thngs past or present seeme good it excuses if euill it accuses and bites Rom. 2. 15. If things to bee done seeme good it excites vrges and bindes to the doing thereof If euill it vrges and bindes there from Now according to these seuerall acts there follow in vs diuers affections ioy hope feare grief and the like The whole processe of the worke of Conscience falls within the frame of a practicall Syllogisme as for example Euery one that sinnes in betraying innocent ConscieÌ„tia Synteresis est qua victi voluptatib vel furore ipsaque interdum rationis decepti similitudine nos peccare sentimus Hieronym in Eccl. cap. 1. blood is worthy of Gods wrath But I saith Iudas haue sinned in betraying innocent blood therefore I am worthy of Gods wrath Here the Maior is knowledge practicall the rule and law by which Conscience keepes her Court This is Synteresis The Minor that is Syneidefis the proper Synteresis est promptuarium principâ—oruÌ„ seu regularum practicarum eius officiuÌ„ est regulas legis diuinae proferre coÌ„scien subministrare vt illarum ope possit censorem agere de propriis actionib Alsted Theol. Cas cap. 2. worke of conscience applying that knowledge and generall rule for a mans particular estate or action Here Conscience witnesses concerning the fact iudges of the quallity of it and accordingly accuses or excuses The Conclusion is the sentence of Conscience absoluing or condemning and accordingly cheering or stinging comforting or tormenting a man CHAP III. A good Conscience what it is false ones discouered VVHat Conscience is wee haue seene The second thing considerable is what a good Conscience is The Conscience that is good must bee good with a double goodnesse 1. With the goodnesse of Integrity 2. With the goodnes of Tranquility Vprightnesse and Peace these two are required to the constitution of a good Conscience First it is good with the goodnes of Integrity when it is an vpright conscience This is that which Paul cals A pure Conscience 2 Tim. 1. 3. which phrase a man would almost thinke in his conscience that the holy Ghost vsed on set purpose to stop the mouth of the iniquity of the later times that should seeke to disgrace all good Conscience with the sarcasme of puritie Now the Conscience is good with this goodnesse of Integritie and puritie three wayes 1. When it being informed rightly principled by the word of God the only rule and binder of Conscience it doth truly sincerely Iudge and determine euill to be euill and good to be good As contrarily the conscience is sinfully euill when it doth not determine that to be euill which is euill nor that to be good which is good but cals euill good and good euill Such as are the Consciences of Ignorant persons who wanting the knowledge of Gods word and hauing their consciences blinded through ignorance are not able to iudge of good and euill nor to discerne determine which is which So that knowledge is necessarily required to the goodnesse of Conscience Rom. 15. 14. Ye also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge The conscience cannot be good where the soule is naught and that the soule bee without knowledge it is not good Prov. 19. 2. 2. When it doth excuse for that which is good and accuse for that which is euill being sanctified by the spirit of grace for the accusation of conscience though it follow vpon sin yet it is not sinfull and euill in it selfe but onely painefull and troublesome and so opposed to the goodnesse of peace not to the goodnes of vprightnes according to that trite distinction of Bernard of a good conscience and not quiet and a quiet conscience and not good It is the propertie of a Conscience vprightly good to accuse vpon any sinne committed As contrarily the conscience is sinfully euill when it doth not excuse for good nor accuse for euill The superstitious person omitting his fopperies should be excused by his conscience whereas he rather receiues blame from his conscience therefore his conscience is sinfully euill The secure persons conscience is naught because he hauing committed sinne his Conscience is silent lets him alone and brings in no accusation against him therefore it is sinfully euill It is a witnesse that hath seene and knowne euill and doth not vtter it therefore it shall beare its iniquitie Levit. 5 1. 3. When it doth incite and vrge vs to doe good and doth stay and hinder from euill It is vprightly good when it spurs to good bridles from euill Heb. 13. 18. For wee are assured that wee haue a good Conscience viz. A Conscience that is neither silent to perswade to that which is good or diswade from that which is euill If a man goe about or bee ready to yeeld to any thing that is sinfull how will it muster vp legions of Arguments how will it wrestle and struggle with a man It will say as Abner to Ioab 2 Sam 2 26. Knowest thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter end or as Abigail to Dauid 1 Sam. 25. 31. It shall be no griefe nor offence of heart vnto thee another time not to haue done this euill If a man be negligeÌ„t or carelesse and drowsie in good duties it comes to him with that voyce Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest or with that Isa 30. 21. This is the way walke in it When it doth thus it is vprightly good Contrarily it is sinfully euill when it doth not incite vs to that which is good nor hinder vs from doing euill This is a dead and a seared conscience 1 Tim. 4. 2. Hauing their consciences seared with an hot yron 2. It is good with the goodnesse of Tranquility And that is when the conscience is at Peace and doth not accuse vs because it hath not wherewith to accuse vs either because not guilty of such or such a particular fact 1 Cor. 4. 4 I know nothing by my selfe or else because it is assured of pardon in the blood of Christ by which we come to haue no more Conscience of sins Heb. 10. 2 That is no more Conscience to accuse or condemne for sinne it being done away in the bloud of Christ And this is the purged Conscience Heb. 9. 14. which brings Hope Ioy Comfort and Confidence with it 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our reioycing the testimony of our Conscience Then is the Conscience good when it is peaceable As contrarily then is it euill painefully euill when it is turbulent and troublesome in the accusations thereof and binds ouer to Iudgement and so leaues vs in shame feare perplexity and griefe 1 Ioh. 3. 20. If our heart coÌ„demne vs. This is a wounded a troubled
portans quod in ea posui siue bonum siue maluÌ„ seruat vino restituet defuncto de positum quod seruandum aâ—cepit Ber. medit de vot c. 13. most of all at the last day the day of iudgement when it shall be more solemnly called in to giue in euidence Rom. 2. 15. 16. Their conscience bearing witnesse c. In the day when God shall iudge secrets of men At that day it shal especially witnes either for or against a man if our life and actions haue been good it will then doe like the true witnesse Pro. 14. 25. A true witnesse deliuers soules If wicked vngodly it wil deale with it as Iob complaines God did with him Iob. 10. 17. Thou renewest thy witnesses against me It will testifie according to euery mans deeds And this testimony of conscience is without all exception for in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall stand and conscience as our common saying is is a thousand witnesses for it is an ey-witnesse of all our actions yea a pen-witnesse bringing testimony from the authentique Records Registers of the Court of Conscience Concerning this testifying office of conscience that place is worth the noting Isa 59. 12. For our transgressions are multiplyed before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs for our transgressions are with vs and as for our iniquities we know them By which place wee may know the meaning of the word Conscience Conscience is a knowledge together How together First a knowledge together with another person namely with God when God and a mans heart know a thing there is Conscience knowledge together Rom. 9. 1. My Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-witnessing witnessing together How together God knowes it witnesses my conscience together with him knows witnesses SecoÌ„dly a knowledge ioyned together with another knowledge for there is a double act of the vnderstanding First that whereby wee thinke or know a thing Secondly there is a reflecting act of the soule whereby wee thinke what we thinke and know what we know and this is the action of the Conscience and this ioyning of this second knowledge to the first giues it the name of Conscience As here in this place As for our iniquities we know them that is wee know that wee haue had euill thoughts our knowledge tels vs and witnesses to vs that we haue done so This agrees with Bernards definition that Conscientia est cordis scientia Conscience is the knowledge of the heart namely passiuely It is the knowing of what the heart knowes which others in better tearmes haue expressed thus Conscience is the recoyling of the soule vpon it selfe Sutable to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing but my selfe As if hee had said I know not any thing that I know against my selfe my Conscience doth not witnesse against me And this second office of Conscience in bearing witnesse is also in the memory And accordingly accusing or excusing absoluing or condemning These acts of Conscience we finde Rom. 2. 15. Their thoughts accusing or excusing one another Rom. 14. 22. Happy is he that condemneth not himselfe in that which he allowes The ground of these Acts is this conscience before actions are to be done determines of their lawfulnes and vnlawfulnesse iudges of them whether they be good or euill And if it iudge them good it inuites stirres vp vrges bindes to the doing of them Rom. 13. 5. Yee must be subiect for Conscience sake that is because conscience determines it to be good vrges and binds thereunto Hence that phrase in common speech my conscience vrgeth me to it or he was vrged in conscience to do it and I am bound in conscience to doe it Certainely if it iudge and determine actions to be euill and vnlawfull then it binds from them So much that speech implyes 1 Cor. 10. 27. Eate asking no question for Conscience sake So that Conscience hath a power to binde to and to binde from Now then when a man in his particular actions doth follow the Prescriptions Dictates Iniunctions Prohibitions Determinations of conscience and hearkens to the incitements thereof then coÌ„science excuses him acquits and absolues him But if in his actions he goe against any of these then conscience accuses him of offence and condemnes him for that offence The accusation of conscience hath respect vnto a mans guilt the condemnation of it vnto a mans punishment Accusation is an act of Conscience passing sentence vpon a mans action as when conscience tels him This was ill done this action was sinfull Condemnation is an act of conscience passing sentence not only vpon a mans action but vpon a mans person as when it tels him Thou deseruest Gods wrath for this sin Conscience in accusing shewes what is the quality in condemning what is the desert of a mans action And these actions of Conscience are in the mind and vnderstanding part of the soule The act of Conscience in the memory determines de facto and tels vs what wee haue done or not done The act of Conscience in the vnderstanding determines de iure and tells vs whether we haue done well or ill and so accordingly either excuses or accuses acquits or condemnes Comforting or tormenting the same these be the last acts of conscience following the former If Conscience determining prescribing and inciting to good be hearkened vnto then it excuses acquits and thereupon followes comfort ioy hope 2 Cor. 11. 2. This is our reioycing the testimony of our conscience Contrarily if the dictates of conscience be not regarded it accuses and coÌ„demnes then torments with feare griefe despaire and violent perturbations in all which is that Worme Mar. 9. 44. And these actions of the Conscience are in the will and in the affections And thus according to the diuers parts of the soule the acts and office of Conscience are diuers In the Sic sic in do mo propria a propria famâ—lia habeo accusatores testes iudices tortores Accusat me conscien testis est memoria voluÌ„tas carcer timor tortor ablectameÌ„tum tormeÌ„tum Ber. med de vot c. 13. memory it hath the office of a Notary Register and witnesse In the vnderstanding it hath the office of a Iudge and an Accuser of a Felix and a Tertullus In the affections either of a Comforter or a Tormenter The summe of all may be thus knit vp CoÌ„science containes three things 1. Knowledge practicall 2. ApplicatioÌ„ of that knowledge to our particular estates and actions 3. Those affections which arise thereupon Now the speciall worke of Conscience consists in the second in the applying our knowledge to our estates and actions Now in this application it lookes on things past or present simply as things and so it witnesses of them to be done or not done Eccles 7. Super nos etiam posuit ad custodiendum si deliquissent qui accusarent qui testificareÌ„tur
good yet their consciences are far short of goodnes because they are not good before God the Iudge of conscience Whilest conscience is made only of the Capitals of the second Table or of the externals ceremonials of the first which duty is not done out of obedience to God his Commandements but a mans selfe either in his gaine or in his prayse is sought base ends are the first mouers to good duties here the conscience what euer applause it hath from or before men for it goodnesse yet of God shall not be so esteemed For that is not a good conscience which is one outwardly but which is one inwardly whose prayse is not of men but of God And that hath its prayse of God which is before God 4. From his continuance constancie vntill this day To begin a good life and course and to liue in all good conscience that before God are excellent things but yet one thing is wanting to make vp this goodnesse compleate To bee so for a day or some dayes will not serue but when a man can say at his last day I haue liued in al good conscience vntill this day that man may bee safely iudged to haue a good conscience indeed Thus in these foure particulars doth the goodnes of Pauls conscience appeare It is not my purpose to confine my selfe to keepe me within these bounds alone but to take a larger latitude within the compasse whereof I will bring both those forenamed and all other materiall points which this protestation doth afford CHAP. II. Conscience described THe maine subiect of this protestation and the ayme of this following discourse being concerning a good conscience for the more orderly handling thereof consider these specialls 1. What Conscience is 2. What a good Conscience is 3. How a good conscience may bee gotten and kept The meanes of it 4. How a good conscience may bee knowne The markes of it 5. The motiues to get and keepe a good conscience 1. What conscience is It may be thus described Conscience is a power and faculty of the soule taking knowledge and bearing witnesse of all a mans thoughts words actions accordingly excusing or accusing absoluing or condemning comforting or tormenting the same I know there be other definitions giuen by others more succinct and neat but I rather chuse this though it may bee not altogether so formall to the rules of Art The rules of â—oue and profit many times may make bold to dispence with rules of Art So I may be profitable I care the lesse to bee artificiall It may suffice that this description is answerable to that Auditory for whose sake it was first intended A plaine familiar description agrees well enough with such a people For the better conceiuing of it let it be taken in pieces and euery parcell viewed seuerally It is a faculty or power of the soule It is therefore called the Heart 1. Iohn 3. 20. If our heart condemne vs. Eccl. 7. 22. Thine owne heart knowes that thou thy selfe likewise hast cursed others that is thine own conscience knowes It is also called the spirit of man 1. Cor. 2. 11. For what man knowes the things of a man saue the spirit of man which is in him And Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it selfe beares witnesse with our spirit that is with our coÌ„science Not that conscience is a spirit distinct from the substance of the soule as Origen mistooke but because it is a faculty of the soule therefore the name that is oft giuen to the soule is giuen to it If it bee asked in what part of the soule this faculty is placed wee must know that Conscience is not confined to any one part of the soule It is not in the vnderstanding alone not in the memory will or affections alone but it hath place in all the parts of the soule according to the seuerall parts thereof hath seuerall Offices or Acts. Taking knowledge Eccle. 7. 22. Thine owne heart knowes Conscience is placed in the soule as Gods spy mans superiour and ouerseer an inseperable companion that is with a man at all times and in all places so that there is not a thought word or worke that it knowes not and takes not notice of So that that which Dauid speakes of God himselfe Psal 139. 3. 4. Thou compassest my heart my lying downe and art acquainted with all my wayes for there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it altogether Whither shall I goe from thy spirit If I ascend vp to heauen c. The same may bee also said of conscience Gods deputy it is acquainted with all our waies not a motion in the minde not a syllable in the mouth to which it is not priuy yea it is thus inseperably present with vs not only to see but also to set downe to register to put downe vpon Record all our thoughts words and workes Conscience Nam quocunque me verto vitia mea me sâ— quuntur vbicuÌ„que vado conscientia mea menon deserit se praesens adsistit quicquid facio scribit Idcirco quanquam humana subterfugiaÌ„ iudicia iudicium propriae consc fugere non valeâ— Et si hominiê° celo qucd egi mihi tameÌ„ qui noui maluÌ„ quod gessi celare nequeo Ber. de Inter. Dom. c. 31. is Gods Notary and there is nothing passes vs in our whole life good or ill which coÌ„science notes not down with an indeleble character which nothing can raze out but Christs blood Conscience doth in this kinde as Iob wishes in another Iob 19. 23. 24. Oh that my words were now written Oh that they were printed in a booke That they were grauen with an iron pen and laid in the rocke for euer Conscience prints and writes so surely so indelebly yea it writes mens sins as Iudah his sin was with a pen of Iron with the poynt of a diamond and they are grauen vpon the Table of their hearts Ierem. 17. 1. Conscience doth in our pilgrimage as trauellers in their iourney it keepes a Diary or a iournall of euery thing that passes in our whole course it keepes a booke in which it hath a mans whole life pend In regard of this office conscience is placed in the memory is the Register and Recorder of the soule And bearing witnesse This wee finde Rom. 2. 15. their conscience also bearing witnesse Rom. 9. 1. My conscience also bearing me witnesse 2. Cor. 1. 12. The testimony of our conscience And this the end of the former office of the conscience For therefore is it exact punctuall in setting downe the particulars of a mans whole life that it may bee a faithfull witnesse either for him or against him For a faithfull witnes cannot lye Pro. 14. 5. This office it is ready to doe at all times of tryall affliction and Peccatâ— mea celare non possum quoniaÌ„ quocuÌ„que vado consc mea mecum est secum
Nurces count them good children which though they are ready to cry at euery turne yet are easily quieted with some toy But this conscience is as farre from a good Conscience as Security is from Integritie Sin indeede sleepes but yet it sleepes but dog-sleepe yea though it sleepe soundly yet it cannot sleepe long Gen. 4. 7. Sinne lies at the doore Sin lies a sleepe in the conscience as a Mastife lyes at the doore A place where a dog cannot sleepe long The doore is the common passage into out of the house euery one is passing to and fro that way and keepe such a clattering with the opening and shutting of the doore that there can be no sound or at least no long sleepe No better is the sleepe of secure consciences which at length like mad ban-dogs and fell Mastifes will fly in the face of the sinner ready to plucke out the very throat and heart of him The secure Conscience can bee no good conscience because it hath neyther vprightnes nor peace both which were before required to the temper of a good one Vprightnes hath it none for it is not faithfull in its office it doth not witnesse it doth not accuse as it becomes an honest vpright conscience to doe Peace it hath none There is a great difference betweene a peace and a truce In peace there is a totall deposition both of Armes and Enmitie all hostile affections are put of In a truce there is but a suspension and a cessation of Armes for a season so as during the same there is still prouision of more Forces and a preparation of greater strength A truce is but a breathing time to fit for fiercer impressions The truce being ended the assaults are rather fiercer thē they were before The secure consciences are quiet not because there is peace for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isa 57. 21. Quomodo tranquilla cum mundi huius prosperitus alludit illudit cum laudatur peccator in desideriis animae suae Bernard de Consc But because there is some truce the world smiles vpon them they haue outward hearts ease and this brings them asleepe but if any affliction crosse or sicknesse come then they see how farre they are from peace Conscience is sometime at truce with secure sinners but during this truce conscience is preparing Armes and Ammunition against them is leuying of fresh Forces against them and assoone as the truce is ended be it sooner or be it later haue at them with more violence fury and fiercenesse then euer before And the truce once ended it will easily appeare what a wide breadth of difference there is betweene a secure a good conscience 3. A Seared conscience That which Paul speakes of 1 Tim. 4. 2. A cauterized Conscience That is as Beza translates and expounds it A conscience cut off as it were with a Chirurgions Instrument An arme or a leg cut off from the body stab it gash it chop it into gobbets doe what you will with it it is insensible it feeles it not Or else as our translation hath it Hauing their consciences seared with an hot yron A comparison borrowed from Chirurgerie When a lim is cut off Chirurgions vse to seare that part of the body from whence the other is taken with an hot yron and sometimes they doe cures by searing the affected parts with hot yrons Now these parts vpon their searing haue a kinde of crusty brawninesse which is vtterly insensible which though it be cut or pricked it neither bleeds nor feeles Thus is it with many mens Consciences cōmit they whatsoeuer sinnes they will yet their hearts are so hardened through long custome in sin that they seele no gripings pinches or bitings at all but are growne to that dead and dedolent disposition Ephe. 4. 19. who being past feeling c. It is with such mens consciences as with labouring mens hands which through much labour haue a brawny hardnes growing vpon them which is without any feeling One may thrust pins into it pare it with a knife and yet without any trouble or griefe at all Such callous Consciences haue many that though they bee wounded and gashed with neuer such foule sins yet their consciences shrinke not feele not a whit Their Consciences are like Gally-slaues backes so be brawned ouer with often lashing that an ordinary lash will not make them so much as once shucke in their shoulders You haue many that can sweare not only your more ciuill oathes of faith and troth but those ruffianly and bloody oathes of blood and wounds and it neuer wounds their hearts a whit You haue many that can commit foule sins with lesse touch then others can heare of them You shall haue black-Smithes that are vsed to the frequent and daily handling of hot yron hold an hot fire-coale in their hands and langh whilst another would roare out There bee those that can be drunk day after day that consecrate whole Sabbaths to Venus and Bacchus can giue themselues vp to foule villanies and yet not one twitch at the heart not a snib not a crosse word from their Consciences Estrich-like they can concoct yron put it off as easily as another weake stomacke can doe gelly They haue brought their hearts to that passe the drunkards body is in Pro. 25. 35. They haue stricken mee and I was not sicke they haue beaten me and I felt it not Their seared Consciences haue no more feeling then our sotted Drunkards haue in their drunkennesse who though they haue many a knocke and sore bruise yet feele it not To this fearefull condition and senslesse and seared stupidity of Conscience many grow when they haue thus crusted and brawned the same then they haue their Consciences at a good passe because they heare them not brawling within them Alas how farre are such from goodnes of Conscience In some sense those haue worse Consciences then the Diuell himselfe who beleeues and trembles whose Conscience yet is not so seared but it trembles at the thoughts of his deserued damnation And howsoever these seared consciences are quiet yet there will come a day that this seared crustinesse shall be scaled off and those consciences which were not sensible of sinne shal be most sensible of pain though they were past feeling in the committing of sinne yet they shall be all feeling in suffering punishment for sinne God will pare off that brawninesse from their consciences and will pare them so to the quick that they shall feele and most sensibly feele that which here they would not feele Tremble therefore at the hauing of such a conscience in which there is neither vprightnesse nor peace neither integrity nor tranquillitie but a senslesse feareful stupiditie Thus we haue seene what a good conscience is CHAP. IV. Peace of Conscience how gotten IT followes now to knowe how a man may get and keepe a good one which is the third point which was propounded
to bee handled A point wel worth our enquiring after A good Conscience is the most precious thing that a ChristiaÌ„ can haue a thing of that esteeme that where it is wanting we account a man without a conscience So of a man that hath an ill CoÌ„science we vse to say he is a man of no CoÌ„science Not that he hath no Conscience the Diuels themselues haue a Conscience and happy it were for them they had none but when a man hath not a good one we esteeme of him as hauing none at all There is no greater good we can seeke after then a good conscience Let vs enquire then how we may get and keepe this so great a good A good Conscience then consisting in Peace and Integrity these two being gotten and kept we shall get and keepe a good Conscience First then to make the Conscience peaceably good these things are required 1. Faith in Christ and his blood The Conscience cannot be at peace til it be purged from its guilt An impure Conscience cannot but be an vnquiet Conscience and every guilty Conscience is impure Guilt is the same to the conscience that the winds are to the seas Isa 27. 20. 21. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt There is no peace to the wicked Now that which makes the Sea so troublesome and ragingly restlesse is the violence of the blustering winds that trouble and tosse it to and fro The winds are not so troublesome to the sea as guilt is to the Conscience Therfore as the way to calme the Sea is to calme the windes so the way to quiet and calme the Conscience is to purge and take away the guilt Guilt is in the Conscience as Ionas in the Ship out with him and Sea and ship are both quiet But how then shall the guilt be purged out of the Conscience That we find Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our coÌ„sciences froÌ„ dead works We cannot haue a good conscience till we be freed from an euill one The way to be freed from an euill conscience is to haue our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Heb. 10. 22. But what is that wherwith the CoÌ„science must be sprinckled to be made good with peace quietnes The same which we finde 1 Pet. 1. 2. The sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ and Heb. 12. 24. The blood of sprinkling which speakes better things then that of Abel So then the Conscience sprinckled with Christs blood ceases to be evill becomes good and peaceable The same Christ that calmed the rage of the Sea by stilling the winds Mark 4. 39. He arose rebuked the wind said vnto the Sea Peace be stil and the wind ceased and there was a great calme The same Christ it is that stils the rage of the conscience by taking and purging away the guilt therof with the sprinkling on of his blood His blood speakes Heb. 12. 24. And speakes not onely to God but speaks to the conscience The voyce which it speakes is Peace and be still the same voyce which to his Disciples after his resurrection Peace be with you then follows a great calme and peace makes the conscience good But here the conscience will inquire how it may come to get this blood sprinkled vpoÌ„ it to make it thus peaceably good and what is it that applies this calming blood of Christ I answer therefore That it is the grace of faith therefore it was sayd before that faith in Christs blood makes peace in the coÌ„science Faith is the hand of the soule and as the hyssop sprinckle by which Christs blood is sprinkled vpon our coÌ„sciences Heb. 10. 22. Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience And being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God Rom. 5. 1. Hence that coniunction of faith and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1. 5. of a good conscience of faith vnfained v. 19. Holding faith and a good conscience For faith it is that makes a good coÌ„science by making a quiet conscience Faith is not only a purifying grace Act. 15. 9. but it is also a pacifying grace Rom. 5. 1 It not onely purges our corruption by applying the efficacy of Christs blood but specially purges out guilt by applying the merit of his blood So that no faith no peace no peace no good conscience A defiled conscience can be no good conscience and what defiles the conscience See Tit. 1. 15. Vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but even their minde and conscience is defiled They that be defiled haue their consciences defiled but how come they and their consciences so To them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Therefore an vnbeleeuing conscience is a defiled conscience a defiled conscience is no good coÌ„science because it can haue no peace so long as it is clogged with defiling guilt But contrarily faith purifying not onely from corruption but from guilt by the application of Christs blood makes the conscience pure and peaceable both There can be no peace of conscience but where there is the righteousnâ—sse of the person There is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. 21. as if he should say an evil vnrighteous person caÌ„not haue a good conscience where the person is evill there the conscience cannot bee good Now faith in Christs blood makes a mans person good and so the coÌ„science becomes good It makes the person righteous and the person being righteous the conscience is at peace for the worke of righteousnes is peace and the effect of righteousnes quietnes and assurance for ever Isa 32. 17. with which that of the Apostle sweetly sutes Reu. 7. 2. First King of righteousnes and after that King of peace Our persoÌ„s must first find Christ a King of righteousnes by iustifying them from their guilt before our consciences can finde him King of Salem pacifying them from their vnquietnes Our persons once iustified by Christs blood froÌ„ their guilt and vnrighteousnes our consciences are pacified and freed from their vnquietnesse Wouldst thou then haue a good conscience Get the peace of Conscience Wouldst thou haue peace in thy conscience Get faith in thy soule Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and get thy soule sprinkled with his blood and then Heb. 10. 2. Thou shalt haue no more conscience of sin thy conscience shall be at quiet no more accusing thee nor threatning thee condemnation for thy sinne 2. Repentance from dead workes Though Christs blood be that which purges the conscience froÌ„ dead works and so workes peace yet that peace is not wrought in our apprehension neither do we get the feeling of this faith without some further thing Therefore to our faith must be ioyned our repentance though not in the making of our peace yet for the feeling of it Many are ready to catch at Christs
blood if that will make a good conscience they are then fafe enough But as thou must haue Christs blood so Christ wil haue thine heart also bleed by repentance ere he will vouchsafe the sense of peace A conscience therefore that would be a coÌ„science in hauing peace must not onely be a beleeuing but a repenting conscience Mat. 3. 2. Repent ye for the kingdome of heauen is at hand the kingdome of heauen shall be yours if you will repent ye shall haue it immediately vpon your repentance But wherein stands this kingdome offered to repentant consciences The kingdom of God stands in peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Repent and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Act. 3. 38. And what may that gift be The fruits of the spirit are loue ioy peace Gal. 5. 22. Which though it be to be vnderstood of peace between man man yet also that peace which is between God and man is the fruit of the Spirit the loue of God shed abroad into our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. is the gift of the holy Ghost which he giues to all that by repentance seeke to get a good conscience Blessed are they that mourn that is which repent for they shal be comforted Mat. 5. they shall haue the peace of a good Conscience which is the greatest and sweetest comfort in the world Many doe trust all to their supposed faith as a short cut and a compendious way to a good coÌ„science but he whose faith doth not as well purifie the heart as pacifie it hath neither faith nor a good conscience It is idle to hope for peace by faith whilst thou livest impenitently in a sinfull course Thou canst haue no peace of conscience so long as thou hast peace with thy sinnes Peace with conscience will be had by warre with sin in the daily practise of repentance It is but a dreame to thinke of a good Conscience in peace whilest a man makes no conscience of sin They that haue a good coÌ„science by Christs blood may be indeed sayd to haue no Conscience of sinne as Hâ—b 10. 2. But yet there is a great difference between having no Conscience and making no Conscience of sinne To haue no Conscience of sinne is to haue a peaceable good conscience not accusing for sin being sprinkled with Christs blood To make no Conscience of sin is for a man impenitently to liue lye in any sin Now let any iudge whether these two can stand together that a man may liue as he list and make no Conscience of any sinne and yet haue such peace by faith as that he hath no Conscience of sin It is an vnconscionable thing in this sense to lay all vpon Christ an vnconscionable request to haue him take away our guiltines and yet wee would wallow in our filthines still How shall faith remooue the sting when repentance remooues not the sinne MeÌ„ seeking peace by faith in Christs blood and yet liuing and lying in their sinnes without repentance God will giue them Iehues answere to Iehoram 2 King 9. 22. What peace so long as the whoredomes of thy mother lezebel her witchcrafts are so many So what peace of Conscience so long as thine oaths Sabbath-breaches whordomes drunkennes c. do remaine remaine vnrepented of and vnreformed It is true of all sinne which is spoken of Romish Idolatry Apoc. 14. 11. They haue no rest day nor night that is no peace of Conscience to any of that religion so of all that liue in any sinne they haue no true rest day or night that is as Isaiah interprets it There is no peace to the wicked Peace and wickednes liue not together vnder one roofe Wouldst thou then haue a peaceable heart Get an humbled a mourning and a repentant heart for sin The lesse peace with sin the more peace with God and our own Consciences 3. The constant and conscionable exercise of prayer An excellent means to helpe vs to the sense of that peace which makes the Conscience good He that hath a good Conscience wil make Conscience of prayer And prayer will helpe to make a good Conscience better Philip. 4. 7. In euery thing by prayer supplication with thanksgiuing let your requests be made knowne vnto God and marke what shall be the fruite thereof And the peace of God that passes al vnderstanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ See Iob 33. 26. Hee shall pray vnto God and he will be fauourable vnto him he shall see his face with ioy It is many times with mens Consciences as it was with Saul he was vexed and disquieted with an euill spirit but Davids Harpe gaue him ease Praier is a Davids Harpe the musicke whereof sweetly calmes composes a distempered and disquieted Conscience and puts it into frame againe As in other disquiets of the heart after prayer David bids his soule returne vnto her rest Psal 116. 4. 7. So may we in these disqâ—iets of Conscience doe no lesse The way to get a good peaceable conscience is to haue acquaintance with God and when we haue acquaintance with him then shall wee haue peace Iob 22. 21. Acquaint thy selfe now with him and be at peace Now acquaintance is gotten with God by prayer Zech. 13. 9. They shall call on my Name and I will heare them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God Loe how in prayer acquaintance is bred betweene God and his people and acquaintance breedes lone and peace and peace a good conscience Iudge then what pitious Consciences they must needs haue that make so little Conscience of seeking God in this duty of wicked ones the Psalm speaks They call not vpon God Psal 14. as much as Isaiah sayes There is no peace to the wicked they are vtterly voyd of good Conscience CHAP. V. Integritie of Conscience how procured ANd thus wee haue seene how the Conscience may bee good for peace It followes to consider how it may become vprightly good with the goodnes of Integritie The goodnesse of Integrity is gotten and kept by doing fiue things 1. Walke and liue as Paul in this text Before God Set thy selfe euer in all thy wayes as in the sight and presence of God who is the Iudge Lord of conscience Of Moses it is sayd that he saw him that was inuisible Heb. 11. 27. Therfore it is that men walk with such loose and evill Consciences because they thinke they walke invisibly And they thinke that God sees not them because they see not God An vpright Conscience is a good conscience and this is the way to get an vpright one Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright To haue God alwaies in our eye wil make vs walke with vpright hearts So Psal 119. 168 I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies that is in effect I haue kept a good conscience but how came hee to
the fourth place Deale with thy Conscience as God would haue Abraham doe by Sarah Gen. 21. 12. In all that Sarah shal say vnto thee hearken vnto her voice So here If we would get and keepe a good Conscience in all that it shall say vnto vs being enlightened and directed by the Word hearken vnto it Conscience being enlightened hath a voyce and no man but some time or other shal heare this voice of conscieÌ„ce Conscience is Gods Monitor to speak to men when others caÌ„not or dare not speake Sometimes men cannot speake as not being privie to other mens necessities failings Sometimes they may not be suffered to speake as Ahab will not endure Micaiah to speake to him Sometime if a man speak he may haue rough and angry answers as the Prophet had from Amaziah 2. Chro. 25. 16 Art thou made of the Kings Counsell forbeare why shouldest thou be smitten God hath therefore provided every man even great men which may not bee spoken to he hath provided them a bosom Chaplein that will round them in the eare and will talke roundly to them one that will be of their counsell in despight of them one that feares no fists dreads no smiting yea one that feares not to smite the greatest 2 Sam. 24. 10. And Dauids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people It may bee many there were about Dauid that had not the hearts to smite Dauid with a graue reprofe though he giues leaue to the righteous to doe so Psal 141. Let the righteous smite me but yet whilest others it may be are fearefull and timorous to doe him that good office conscience is at no demurre vpon the poynt that feares not but smites Dauid for his sinne Gods Ministers are oft slighted and light set by Preachers cannot be regarded but God hath giuen men a Preacher in their own bosome this Preacher wil make many a curtaine Sermon will take men to taske vpon their pillow and will bee Preaching ouer our Sermons againe to them And though many will not be brought to repetitions of Sermons in their Families yet they haue a Repeater in their bosome that will be at priuate repetitions with them in spite of them will tel them This is not according to that you haue bin taught you haue bin taught otherwise you haue bin reproved for and convinced of this sinne in the publike Ministerie c. Why doe you not hearken reforme Thus then conscience having a voyce and doing the office of a Preacher vnto vs if wee would haue conscience good then in all things that conscience enlightened shall say vnto vs hearken vnto it More distinctly Conscience hath a two-fold voyce 1. A voyce of Direction telling vs what is good or evill what is lawful vnlawfull Isa 30. 21. And thine eares shall heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way walk ye in it That is vnderstood Ita enim desuper in sileÌ„to sonat quiddaÌ„ non auribus sed mentibus August in Psal 42. of the voyce of Gods spirit in the secret suggestions therof such is the voice also of conscience within vs dictating to vs and directing vs what duties are to be done what courses to be avoyded How many times doth conscience presse vs to repentance and reformation of our wayes how often doth it call vpon vs to settle to such such good courses and so with Dauid Psal 16. 7. Our raynes doe teach it in the night season 2. A voyce of correction and accufation checking and chiding taking vp and snibbing vs when we do amisse So Psal 42. 5 11. and Psal 43. 5. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me And Psal 77. 10. whilst in the foregoing verses he was complaining and vsing some speeches that might savour of some diffidence see how conscience doth her office by a correcting voyce And I said This is my infirmity as if he had said whilst I was vsing such diffident expostulatioÌ„s mine owne conscience told me I did not doe well ConscieÌ„ce so speakes vnto vs as the Lord to Ionah Iona. 4. 4. 9. Doest thou well to be angry So saies conscience oft Doest thou well to be thus earthly thus eager vpoÌ„ the world thus negligent and formall in holy duties Thus conscience giues her privie nips and her secret checks This is that of which Iob speaks Iob 27. 6. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I liue Implying that conscience after sinne hath a reproaching voice as when it befooles a man as foole that thou art to do this to lose thy peace with God for a base sinfull pleasure Thus Davids Conscience reproached him 2 Sam. 24. 10. I haue done very foolishly yea Psal 37. 22. it puts the foole and the beast both vpon him So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a heast before thee This is the smiting of the conscience 2 Sam. 24. 10. Conscience first points with the finger and giues direction if that be neglected it smites with the fist and giues correction Now then that which I ayme at is this If we would get and keepe a good Conscience then neglect not nor despise Conscience when it speaketh Doth thy Conscience presse thee to any workes of pietie to the care of family worship and priuate devotion to the reading of the Scriptures sanctification on the Sabbath c. In any case be so wise as to hearken to the counsels to the vrgings and to the Iniunctions which come out of the Court of Conscience Hearken in any case to this Preacher whom thou canst not suspect of partialitie malice ill will as thou dost others thereby giving way to Satans policie that hereby stops vp the passages of thine heart that the Word may not enter Here can bee no such suspitious Conscience cannot be susspected to be set on by others though Ieremy be charged to be set on by Baruch Ier. 43. 3. Therefore hearken to the voyce of this Preacher and this will helpe thee to a good Conscience Againe doth thy conscience rebuke thee doth it chide and checke thee doth thy heart reproach thee for thy wayes Doth it say doest thou well to liue in such and such sinnes Doth it punctually reprove thee for thine evils Ideo quantum potes teipsum coargue inquire in te accusatoris primuÌ„ partibus fungere deinde Iudiciis novissime deprecatoris aliquando offende te Senec. epâ—st 28. Doe not answere Conscience as Ionas answered God frowardly Yea I doe well but even close with Conscience and do thou accuse thy selfe as fast as it accuses acknowledge thy folly yeeld promise and couenant with thy conscience a present and speedy reformation This if it were done how happy should men be in getting and keeping a good Conscience But alas how few regard the voyce of Conscience and once hearken to it and the very want of this dutie is it which breeds so much ill conscience in the world Men
Lord in eating with the blood Hee would haue the people make Conscience of eating with the blood and indeed it was a thing to bee made Conscience of I but he that makes Conscience of eating the flesh of Sheepe and Oxen with the blood like a bloody hearted tyrant as he was he makes no Conscience of sucking and shedding the blood of fourescore and fiue of Gods Priests Iust the conscience of his blood-hound Doeg 1. Sam. 21. 7. Doeg was there that day deteyned before the Lord. How deteyned eyther out of a religious Conscience of the Sabbaths or by occasion of a vow the man made conscience of going before the Sabbath were ended or the dayes of his vow finisht A thing indeed to be made conscience of men ought not to depart from Gods house till holy seruices be finisht a dutie that even the Prince must make conscience of Ezek. 46. 10. Who therefore would not iudge this Edomite a conscionable Proselyte I but why then makes hee no conscience of lying Psa 25. Why no conscience of being instrumentall to Sauls Iniustice in that barbarous villany of slaying not onely innocent men but innocent Priests of the Lord Such were the consciences of the chiefe Priests Mat. 27. 6. How like honest conscionable men they speake It is not lawfull for to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood Sure it is great conscience ought to be made of bringing the price of blood into the Temple treasure Are they not then men of good Conscience It is not lawfull ye see they will not doe that which is not lawfull It is well but tell me is it not lawful to take the price of blood and is it lawfull to giue a price for blood Ought there not a conscience Qualis haec innocentiae simulatio pecuniam sanguinis non mittere in Arcam ipsum sanguinem mittere in Conscientiam August to be made of blood as well as of the price of blood They make a Conscience of receiuing the price of blood into the treasury they make no Conscience of receiuing the guilt of blood into their Consciences Iust such consciences as they had Ioh. 18. 28. They would not goe into the Iudgement hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eate the Passeouer Indeed a man should make great conscience of preparation to the Sacrament and take great heed that he come not thither defiled But see their naughtie conscience They make conscience of being defiled by going into the Iudgement hall but make no conscience of being defiled with the blood of an Innocent Such was the conscience of the Iewes Ioh. 19. 31. they make Conscience of the body of Christ hanging vpon the Crosse on the Sabbath but with what Conscience haue they hanged it on the Crosse at all This was iust like to those that Socrates speakes of who made great conscience of keeping holy-dayes yet made no conscience of vncleanenesse that was but an indifferent thing with them As if Conscience were not rather to bee made of keeping our vessells in holines our bodies then dayes holy Remarkeable in this kinde is that dealing of the Iewes with Paul 2 Cor. 11. 24. Of the Iewes fiue times receiued I fortie stripes saue one If we looke into the Law Deut. 25. 1. 2. 3. it runs thus If there be a Controversie c. and it shall be if the wicked man be worthy to bee beaten the Iudge shall cause him to lie downe and to bee beaten before his face according to his fault by a certaine number fortie stripes hee may giue him and not exceed Now see the good conscience of these Iewes they might giue forty stripes but not beyond that number might they goe Now they make so much conscience of exceeding the number of fortie that they giue Paul but nine and thirtie Thus they make Conscience of the number but no conscience of the fact They make conscience of giuing about fortie but with what conscience doe they giue him any at all The text not onely prescribes the number of stripes but the condition of the person namely that he be worthy to be beaten and he must be punished according to his fault Now see these men make Conscience of the law for the number but make no conscience of the law that will haue only wicked men and such as are worthy to be beaten to bee so vsed These be the good consciences of wicked men they make seeme of making conscience in some one thing but make no conscience of ten others it may be of farre greater weight and necessitie and herein discover they the naughtines of their consciences The conscience therfore is not to be iudged good for one or some good actions Ioab turned not after Absolom but he turned after Adoniah 1 King 2. 28. Whereas a good conscience that turnes neither to the right hand nor to the left would haue turned neither after Adoniah noâ— Absolom A good conscience and a good conversation must goe together 1 Pet. 3. 16. Having a good conscience that they may be ashamed that falscly accuse your good conversation One good action makes not a good conversation nor a good Conscience but then a mans conversation may be said to bee good when in his whole course hee is carefull to doe all good duties and to avoyd all sins and such a good conversation is a signe of a good Conscience To doe some good things not all Nune autem in hoc maior offensa est quod partem sententiae sacrae pro commodorum nostrorum vtilitate deligimus partem pro dei iniuria praeterimuâ— â—t maxime cuÌ„ terrestres domini nequa quam aequo animo tolerandum putent si iussiones suas servi ex parte audiant ex parte contemnant Si enim pro arbitrio suo servi dominis obtemperant ne in iis quidem in quibus obtemperaverint obsequuntur c. Salvian de provid 2. Note of a good conscience Conscience of small Duties is no more a signe of a good conscience then to doe some things onely which his master requires and to neglect other some is no sign of a good servant A good servants commendation is to doe all his masters busines he enioynes him Wee would hold him but an holy-day servant and an idle companion that when his master hath set him his severall workes to doe he will doe which him pleases and leaue the other vndone This were not to doe his masters but to doe his owne will and to serue his own turne rather then his masters So for a man to make choyce of duties and to picke out some particulars wherein hee will yeeld obedience to God and to passe by others as not standing with his profits pleasures and lusts this will neuer gaine a man the commendation of a good Conscience whose goodnesse must be knowne by making conscience of all things Then haue Gods servants good Consciences when it can be
all hope of re-entry Thus many profane Apostatizing back-sliders cannot be content to lose good conscience vnlesse Ammon-like they may put it away with violence expell it And how can they haue good Conscience that haue put it away He hath not his wife that hath put her away and giuen her a bill of divorse In the dayes of Popery and darkenes the Divell it seemed walked very familiarly amongst them and hence we haue so many stories of fayries of children taken out of cradles and others layde in their roomes whom they called changelings Since the light of the Gospell these Divels and Fairies haue not been seene amongst vs but yet we are still troubled with changelings Some Priests and Iesuites haue changed some the world hath changed some goodfellowship and the Ale-house hath changed These haue plaid the fayries haue taken and stolne away goodly forward and fervent Christians and haue layd in their roomes Earthlings Worldlings Popelings Swearers Drunkards malicious scorners of all goodnesse Thus haue these fayries in stead of fayre and comely children brought in these lame blinde deformed and wrizzled faced changelings that any one may easily see them to be rather the birthes of some hobgoblins then the children of God If therefore wee would evidence our Consciences good labour to hold to the last and rest not in a youth but labour to haue age found in the way of righteousnesse This is a crowne of glory and this is right good Conscience to liue therein vntill our dying day All the former sixe are nothing without this last CHAP. X. The comfort and benefit of a good Conscience in the case of Disgrace and Reproach WE are now come to the fift and last point which was propounded The motiues to perswade vs to get good Consciences The motiues therevnto may bee many I will keepe my selfe within the compasse of fiue 1. Motiue The incomparable and 1. Motiue to a good CoÌ„science vnspeakeable comfort and benefit thereof in such cases and times as all other comforts faile a man and wherin a man stands most in need of comfort These Cases or times are fiue 1. The Time and Case of Disgrace and Reproach 2. The Time of Common feare and Common calamity 3. The Time of Sicknesse or outward crosses in a mans goods 4. The Time of Death 5. The Time Day of Iudgement In all these or in any of these times Interim elige socium qui cum â—mnia subtracta fuerint fidem servat dilectoribus suis me recedit in tempore angustiae Ber. de Consc it is good to haue such a friend or companion that will sticke to a man and be faithfull to him when all other things faile him Such a friend such a companion is a good Conscience A friend loues at all times and a brother is borne for adversity Prov. 17. 17. But in some of these cases a brother and a friend may be false and will not or may bee weake and cannot helpe nor pleasure a man but a good Conscience is better then all friends and brethren whatsoever when they will not or cannot or may not yet then will a good Conscience sticke close to a man and bee a sure friend to him Let vs see in the particulars the truth of it 1. In the Time and Case of Disgrace The comfort of a good Conscience in case of disgrace and reproach Infamie Reproach and wrongs of that kinde the comfort and benefit of a good Conscience is vnspeakeable When a man shall be traduced slandered falsely accused and condemned then in such wrongs will a good Conscience doe the office of a faithfull friend will sticke to stand by a man and will comfort and hearten him against all such iniuries Paul is here coÌ„vented before the Councell as a malefactor he hath an whole CouÌ„cel bent against him What now is his comfort and his defence against such an heape of accusers as doe affront him This it is Men and brethren I haue liued in all good Conscience As if he had said Impeach traduce accuse and condemne me as you please yet be it knowne vnto you that I haue a good Conscience and this my good conscience is it which shall comfort and vphold me against all your iniurious and vnequall proceedings You may bring forth false witnesses against mee but my Conscience doth and will witnesse for me you may condemne mee yet my conscience acquits and absolues me And thus doth Paul shelter himselfe vnder his good Conscience The like wee may see in the next Chapter Ananias and the Elders come and bring Tertullus and he is feed to be Pauls accuser and he layes heauy and hainous things to Pauls charge vers 5. We haue found this man a pestilent fellow and a moover of sedition among all the Iewes thrâ—ughout the world a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarens c. Here be foule things what will Paul be able to say to all this Will not this be enough to sinke him downe vtterly to see so many banded together and such great ones combined to countenance such an accusation How will he be able to subsist Now then behold the benefit and comfort of a good Conscience He holds vp his former buckler and smites Ananias and the rest with his former weapon vers 16. Herein doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwayes a Conscience voide of offence towards God and to wards men Ananias and the Elders haue a mercenary Tertullus to accuse him Paul hath no man dares bee seene to plead for him none will be reteined in his cause but yet now Conscience steps out and stops the foule mouth of this slanderous Oratour and puts spirit and heart into Paul to plead his owne Cause against them all Conscience seemes on this manner to animate him Feare not Paul the accusations of this Tertullus I witnes for thee thine Innocency I iustifie it to the teeth of Tertullus that he is one whose malice and Covetousnesse hath made him set his Conscience to sale Stand vp therefore and speake boldly for thy selfe dread them not Well fare a good conscience yet that will speake comfort to Paul and make Paul speake with courage when none else dare bee seene in his Cause It was an ill case Dauid was in Psal 69. 20. 21. Reproach hath brâ—aken mine heart and I am full of heavines and I looked for some to take pittie but there was none and for comforters but I found none They gaue mee also gall for my meate and in my thirst they gaue mee vineger to drinke A very hard case indeed Where was now Davids familiar friend his acquaintance with whom he was wont to take sweet counsell what was become of him now Possibly some of his acquaintance were at this time like a broken tooth a foote out of ioynt Prov. 25. 19. Confidence in an vnfaithfull man is like a broken tooth and a foot out of ioynt Others it may be that had profest him
what your censures are what sentēce you passe vpon me but know ye that I no whit at all regard the same I make no reckoning therof at all Why might the Corinthians say do ye count vs so silly so iniudicious Nay sayes Paul I speak it not as if you were sillier then others with me it is a small thing to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement let them be the most wise iudicious that are in the world or of mans Day though by men convened in solemne maner for iudgement I passe not what their censure is I regard not their mis-iudgings of me I but what makes Paul thus slight mens iudgement of him That in the fourth verse I know nothing by my selfe mine owne Conscience iudges me not nor sentenses me that layes no such thing to my charge and therefore so long as my Conscience is on my side I regard not a whit what the world iudges Now then see what a motiue this is to get and keepe a good Conscience As we would be glad to haue comfort and confidence against the malice of opprobrious tongues as wee would haue a counter-poyson against their venome so get a good Conscience Here is that which may make vs in loue with a good Conscience Reproach must full often be the portion of Gods deare children Israelites shall bee for ever an abomination to Egyptians And though the Egyptian dogges moued not their tongues against Israel Exodus 11. 7. yet dogged Egyptians will moue their tongues and their teeth too The Apostles must be counted the filth of the world and the off-scowrings of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. The Lord Iesus himselfe dranke of this cup Psal 22. 6. 7. I am a worme and no man a reproach of men and dispised of the people All they that see me laugh me to scorne c. The way to heauen is a narrow way and this narrow way is beset with snakes spitting adders barking and biting and mad dogs and a man must passe to heauen through good and euill report 2. Cor. 6. 8. Well then it being so hard a passage Currentem attrites super aspidas basiliseos declinare senem vipera non poterit prosp dc Aug. Conscia mens recti famae mendaci◠ridet Sed no◠in vitiūm credula treba famus Ovid. how may a man get himselfe so armed that hee may passe cheerfully through all these get a good Conscience and thou shalt regard these snakes serpents vipers and dogs no more then a straw vnder thy foot If thou haue a good Conscience thou shalt laugh at the reproaches of enemies as Eliphaz speaks of destruction Iob 5. A good conscience will say vnto thee Goe on cheerily in the wayes of God what euer discouragements the diuell rayses by reproaches and slanders feare them not Behold I acquit and excuse thee I will beare thee out I will witnesse at Gods tribunall for thee Lo I giue thee balme against their poyson a buckler against their swords Let them curse yet I will blesse thee let thē reproach yet I will 〈…〉 for t let them condemn fame thee yet I will be thy compurgator let them cast dirt in thy face yet I will wash it off let them disquiet yet behold I am ready to cheere thee Oh the sweet and vnconceivable comfort that a good Conscience will speake even in the middst of the cruell speakings of vngodly men Iude 15. that will speake comfortably when they speake cruelly and most comfortably when they speake most cruelly Such is the benefit of a good Conscience in case of reproach and disgrace CHAP. IX The comfort and benefit of a good Conscience in the times of common feares and calamities and in the times of personall evils as sicknesse and afflictions for Conscience sake IN the second place let vs see what the benefite and comfort of a good 〈◊〉 Common calamities When the 2 fort of a good Conscience in the times of cōmon feares and calamities world is full of scares and dangers and calamities breake in how fares it then with an evil conscience in what taking are they that want a good conscience They are absorpt with feares and the very tydings puts them to much perplexitie Isa 7. 2. Aha◠is told of a confedracy between Syria Ephraim and see in what feares hee and his people were His heart was moved the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind So deepely do reports and evill tydings affect them the trees in the wood are not so shakē with the blustering windes as evill Consciences are with evill tydings When ill newes and ill Consciences meet there is no small feare The signes that prognosticate sorrowfull times see how deepely they affect evill Consciences Luke 21. 25. There shall be signes in the sun and the moone and in the stars and vpon the earth distresse of Nations with perplexity mens hearts failing them for feare and for looking after those things which are comming on the earth But when calamity indeed comes and not ill newes but ill times and ill consciences meete how are they then They are then either in the case the Egyptians were in the famine Gen. 47. 13. They were at their wits end or as those in a storme at Sea Psa 107. 26. 27. Their soule is melted because of trouble They reele too and fro and stagger like a drunken man and all their wisdome is swallowed vp Excesse of feare puts them into as great distempers as excesse of wine it vtterly stupifies them and they by feare are as much bereft of the vse of their senses wit and wisdom as a drunkard is in his drunkennesse Yea their feares make them not onely drunk but starke madde Deut. 28. 34. Thou shalt be oppressed and cursed alway so that thou shalt bee madde for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see The perplexities of an euill conscience in evill times are vnspeakably grievous Isay doth exceeding lively describe them Isa 13. 7. 8. 9. Therfore shall all hands bee faint and every mans heart shall melt And they shall bee afraid pangs and sorrowes shall take hold of them they shall be in pain as a woman that travells they shall be a mazed one at another their faces shall be as flames c. Hence that same strange question of the Prophets Ier. 36. 6. Aske ye now and see whether a man doth travell with childe A strange question what should make the Prophet aske it Because he foresaw such strange behaviour amongst them carrying themselues in the same fashion in the day of calamitie that women vse to doe in the extremity of the pangs of child-birth Wherefore doe I see every man with his hands on his loynes as a woman in trauell and all faces are turned into palenesse Alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is euen the time of Iacobs trouble When such wofull dayes befall a man all
truth It iâ— not meet that we should leaue the Word of God and serue Tables Act. 6. 2. But now this feast without any doubt may bee on the Sabbath yea it is the special festivall high day of the weeke wherin this feast is best kept Againe there bee times wherein God calles to solemne fasting and humiliation as when the Church is either in danger or distresse but this feast is not hindred by fasting it will stand well with it and many a speciall dainty dish is serued into this feast from a fast 4. Suppose a man could and might feast alwayes yet were it a brutish thing and hog-like alwaies for a man to be cramming and crowding in belly cheere alwayes to bee paunching and gutting It is that for which the rich Glutton is taxed Luk. 16. that he fared deliciously euery day But here to feast at this Table every day is that which makes a man euery whit as Angel-like as belly-feasting euery day makes a man swine-like Here it is a mans happinesse to be an holy Epicure 2. It is better then other feasts in regard Nunquam credideris faeilcem qui adventitio laetus est exibit gaudium quod intravit Senec. ep 99. of the Independencie of this feast vpon any other outward thing This feast is able to maintaine it selfe of it selfe within it selfe A man that hath a good conscience hath a feast though he haue nothing else but it A good Conscience though it haue nothing but browne bread and water yet this hard fare marres not the feast For this feast stands not in meats and drinks but in righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Quietnesse and a dry morsell is better then an house full of good cheare with strife Pro. 17. 1. Though it be but outward quietnes when a man is free from vniust vexations the molestations of froward and contentious dispositions even such quietnes makes a dry morsell good cheere makes a feast of a crust But when there is inward quietnesse of a good Conscience and a mans heart is at quiet from his peace with his God what excellent cheere is a dry morsell then Though a man have ever so good fare yet to haue it sawced with the bitternesse of contention and to live in a continuall wrangling with peevish people what poore content would a wel furnisht Table affoord such a man And what poore cheere especially would all the feasts in the world make where there is brawling contention from the coÌ„science Here then is the excelleÌ„cy of this feast above all other feasts This feast is able to subsist and to maintaine it selfe without other feasting other feasting is nothing without this of a good conscience Other feasting often hurts and hinders this feast whilest men by their vaine licentious carriage therein Feasting without al feare Iude 12. do make the Conscience fast and sterue and whilest their Quailes are betweene â—heir teeth leannesse enters into their soule Psalm 106. 15. So farre is bodily feasting from helping that it hinders this feasting rather Conscience can haue mirth enough without a feast but little is the comfort and content that a feast can giue where the Conscience is not good Men may set a Sed non est ista hilaritas long a observa videbis eosdeÌ„ intra exiguum teÌ„ pus acerrime ridere et acerrime rudere Senec ep 29. a face vpon it and bragge laugh and be iolly in their feasting but yet in the middest of that laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the ende of that mirth is heauinesse Prov. 14. 13. Conscience awakened even in the middest of the greatest iollitie giues men many a bitter twitch at the heart and in the middest of all their revillings gives them Vineger and Gall to drinke A good Conscience is it that sweetens and seasons all the dishes of a feast that is the sawce that makes meate savoury the sugar that sweetens Wine that is the musicke that makes a mans heart daunce But let a man goe to the most sumptuous and delicious feastes without a good conscience and how is it with him then Iust as with Belshazzar Dan. 5. where the hand-writing on the wall marred all his mirth or else it is in such a case as it was with Haman The foole brags that he alone is invited to Esthers banquet with the King Esth 5. 12. Oh how happy a man was he vnder how fortunate a Planet was he borne to be the King and Queenes Favourite both But see what little reason hee had to brag Chap. 7 2. Even at the banquet of Wine Esther giues him a cup of gall at the banquet of Wine Doth she accuse Haman to the King Oh! how many glory in their banquetting their feasting but how often do their Consciences put Easthers tricke vpon them euen accuse them to God and gall and girde them in the middst of their wine Conscience serues many as Absoloms villainies serued Ammon when his heart was merry at Absoloms feast then they stabd him to the heart Conscience deales with them as the Isralites were dealt withall in their Quayle feast They had their Quailes and their daynties but a man would rather want their good cheere then haue their sawce Their sweet meat had shrape sawce Whilest the flesh was betweene their teeth Gods anger brake in vpon them So whilest many are chewing their dainties conscience fills their mouth with gravell and so sawces and spices their dishes that they finde but little content therein So miserable are all feasts and merryments of this world when a man wants the imdependent feast of a good Conscience So happy also are they that haue the feast of a good Conscience although they neuer taste bitt of other feast whilst they liue although they be denied the crummes that fall vnder the feasting Gluttons Table 3. It is better in regard of the Vniuersalitie of it As for belly-feasts it stands not with euery mans condition and purse to make them It belongs onely to the richer abler sort to feast Feasting is a matter of charge cost and so is out of the reach of the poorer sort But here is the excellency of this feast The poorest that is may make it and the poore haue as good priviledge to make it as the rich the poore in this respect may keepe as good an house as the best Nobleman yea for the most part the poorer sort keep this feast best Nabal makes a feast like a King but wretched man in the meane time what feast keepes his Conscience It may be many a poore Carmelite neighbour of his that went in a poore russet coate and liued in a poore thatcht cottage kept that feast abundantly and richly whilest he poore sot had not the crums that fell from their Tables Lazarus could not haue the crummes that fell from the gluttons table but how happie had it beene with the glutton if in stead of his
delicious fare hee might haue had but the reversions of Lazarus boord Lazarus may not come to his feast no nor yet to his fragments neither will Lazarus condition permit him to feast it as the glutton did but yet this feast of a good Conscience Lazarus may make as well as he and can and doth keepe it whilest the glutton feeles many an hunger-biting gripe What an excellent feast is this aboue all other feasts wherein the russet hath as much priviledge as the velvet the begger as the King the poore tenant as the rich Landlord The rich Landlord often so feedes vpon and eates vp his poore tenant by oppression that the tenant is kept low enough for feasting It is well with him if he haue food he had not need thinke of feasting But loe now the excellent feast of a good Conscience Here may the tenant keepe as good cheere as the Landlord yea and it may be may feast whilest the rich Landlord is readie to sterue for want of this provision Now then all this considered what a Motiue should it be to make vs in loue with a good Conscience How powerfully should this perswade vs thereto When God would perswade men to come to the ioyes of heaven he vses no other argument then this to invite them to a feast as in that Parable Luk. 14. Behold here is the same argument â—o mooue you to bee in loue with a gooâ— Conscience behold the Lord invites you â—o a feast and to a feast where â—e shal haue sufficiency without want or loathing where ye shall haue wine â—â—rth musick and good Company to â—he full The twelue dayes feast of the Nativitie how is it longed for before hand and how welcommed when it is come And what may the reason be But onely because it is a feasting time This is counted a blessed good Time And why a blessed good Time As Christ was a blessed good man and the Prophet that should come into the world and therefore should be made a King because he had fed filled their bellies Ioh. 6. So the most make that a blessed time not for the memoriall of Christs Incarnation but because of the loaues Christ shall be a King and because of the feast the Time is blessed Well then is the world so desirous and so glad of feasting Are feasting Times such blessed Times Loe then I invite you to a feast to a blessed good feast indeed that will make you blessed and truly happy Not to a feast of twelue dayes but to a feast thâ—t lasts all the twelue moneths of the yeere to a continuing and a continuall feast How glad are many when they may goe to a feast Loe a way to make feasts for your selues What a credit is it counted in the world for a man to keepe a good and a great house to keep feasting and open house for all commers during the Feastivitie of the twelue dayes Would we haue this credit of good house-keeping not for twelue dayes but for all the yeere long Get good Consciences keepe good Consciences There is no such good houfe-keeper as is the good Conscience-keeper for a good Conscience is a feast a continuall feast There is nothing that men desire more then to liue merrily and how many stumble at Religion and keeping of a good Conscience vnder an idle conceit that it is the way to marre all their mirth and to make a man lumpish melancholly Doe not beleeue the divell do not beleeue his lying agents It is a profane Proverbe that Spiritus Calviniaâ—us est spiritus melancholicus A good Conscience is a feast a feast with all dainties musicke and wine Can a man be melancholly at a feast at so ioyfull and so sweet a feast Doth feasting make men melancholly or make men merry Make men weepe or laugh If a man should cry downe feasting with this argument That it makes men melancholly would not all men laugh him to scorne And why then should a man feare melancholly more from a good Conscience then from a feast There is none liues so merry a life as he that keepes a good Conscience he is every day at a feast he is alwayes banquetting Yea the worst dishes of this feast even those at the lower end of the Table are better then the most choyce rarities of other feasts The very teares that a good coÌ„science sheds haue more ioy and pleasure in them then the worlds greatest ioyes And if the teares of a good conscience be such what is the mirth laughter of it If weeping be so sweet what is singing If the courser dishes be so daintie what are the best services Would we then liue merrily and passe our dayes Iocundly indeed Get a good Conscience and thou keepest a continuall feast that continuall feast will keepe thee in coutinuall mirth and continuall ioy Yea though thou be in affliction and vnder crosses so as thy dayes vnto the world may seeme exceedingly evill yet shalt thou liue merrily as at a feast Yea this is the scope of that Scripture All the dayes of the afflicted are evill namely in the eye and iudgement of the world but a good Conscience namely to the afflicted is a continuall feast A good conscience feasts then and turnes fasting dayes into feasting dayes A good conscience feasts a man in his poverty in his sicknesse in the prison and cheeres vp a man with many a dainty bit The wine of this feast makes them forget all their sorrow Now then that we would be so wise as to hearken to Gods invitation to this feast Let vs keepe the feast with the bread of sincerity and truth 1 Cor. 5. 8. Take heed now that we put not off God as these did Luk. 14. invited to the feast with the excuses of Farmes Oxen and the like So doe many vrge them to the keeping of a good Conscience their answer is If they should be so precise how shall they liue they shall haue but poore takings if they take such a course I pray haue mee excused I must liue Thus they answer as many good husbands when invited to frequent feastings doe No beleeue me it will not hold out if I goe every day a feasting I may go one day a begging I must follow my businesse and let feasting goe And so say men here But take heed of putting off God thus The time will come that thou wouldest giue all thine Oxen to haue but the scraps crums of this feast and thou shalt not haue them God will serue thee as he did them Luk. 14. 24. None of those men which were bidden shâ—ll taste of my supper Those that care not to kepe the feast of a good Conscience shall never come to Gods feast in heauen If you refuse to come to this feast now God will at the last day thrust you our of doores when you will bee pressing and crowding in and shall say to you Get you hence yee despisers of a good Conscience