which see 1 Cor. 8.7 10 12. Rom. 15.1 As Conscience 1 apprehends and dictates laws duly and aright or defectively and amiss So far as to this Conscience is either due right and good Here is the true Conscience Or 2. defective wrong and evil Here is the false Conscience between which as participating sometimes of this sometimes of that extream stands the 3d. probable Conscience 1. If Conscience dictates laws duly and aright these laws it dictateth are either imprinted and drawn forth upon the mind within and so are known by the light of natural reason Or 2. imparted by divine manifestation from without and so are known only by a star of greater magnitude the light of supra-natural revelation With accord to this there is 1 the natural Conscience and 2 the enlightned Conscience And we find the Apostle sometimes appealing that and sometimes this 1 Cor. 6.2 3 9 15 16 19. Know ye not c. i.e. Do not your Consciences tell ye as much 2. If Conscience dictates laws defectively and amiss then it is either 1. through the darkness and ignorance thereof or 2. through the delusion and error or through the doubtfulness and hesitancy thereof Agreeably there is 1 the ignorant or blind Conscience as some phrase it though improperly enough 2 and the erroneous Conscience 3 and the hesitating or doubtful Conscience Eph. 4.18 Jam. 1.13 cum 16. Mat. 14.30 31. But in that these doubts may be and often are of various and different degrees therefore the doubtful Conscience may be and is variously distinguished There is 1 the opining 2 the scrupulous and 3 the doubtful Conscience strictly so called which are in brief thus differenced The doubtful Conscience entertains not either part of the matter in question before it so as either to affirm or deny it but hesitates and hangs as it were between both The scrupulous and opining Conscience do both close with one or other part either affirming on the one hand or denying on the other The opining doth this but feebly the scrupulous doth it vexatiously The scrupulous Conscience is by this eminently differenced from the opining that its close with one part or other is still conjoyn'd with some anxious suspicion of and sollicitation to the other part As Conscience 2 applys and draws down matters of law to the matter of fact before it for judgment either 1 aright or 2 amiss well or ill so the Conscience as to this is either 1 aright and good or 2 amiss and bad This application is not perfected but in and by several acts some whereof respect our good others our evil actions According to these different acts of which Q. 7. Conscience is by some distributed and so there is the accusing the excusing Conscience c. But this I purposly omit And in that Conscience is denominated either good or evil as to this respect according to its discharge of these acts and offices I shall therefore distribute it rather with relation had 1 to the manner 2. and to the measure of its discharge of these acts 1. If we consider the manner Conscience proceeds in these acts and offices either 1 entirely and uprightly or 2 hypocritically Either 1 faithfully or 2 unfaithfully Either 1 inoffensively or 2. offensively And thus there is 1 the entire Heart or Conscience Psal 78.72 And 2 the hypocritical Jer. 42.20 1 The faithful Conscience 2 Chron. 19.9 2 And the unfaithful Psal 5.9 1 The inoffensive Conscience Act. 24.16 2 And the offensive 1 Cor. 8.7 10. Hereof the first in each pair is an evil Conscience the second in each pair is a good Conscience 2. As concerns the measure of this application these acts are either 1 by and according to the just standard and so far the Conscience whose acts these are is good Or 2. below the just standard and measure in the defect Or 3. above and beyond it in the excess And so far the Conscience that thus applys is bad With respect to the former extream in the defect there is a double vice of Conscience There is 1 the sluggishness and oscitancy thereof which respects principally the imployment of Conscience 2. The senselesness and obduracy thereof which respects principally the impressions on Conscience Opposite to the former is the sedulity of Conscience in its transactions and operations Opposite to the latter is the softness and tenderness of Conscience with respect to its object So that here are 1 the sluggish Conscience Luk. 24.25 And 2 the senseless Conscience Eph. 4.18 19. on the one hand which are evil And the 1 stirring Conscience Exod. 35.21 And 2 the soft or tender Conscience 2 Chron. 34.27 on the other hand which are good I shall only add that as with respect to the former vices which are of different degrees the evil Conscience may be distinguished into that which 1 is sleepy Rom. 11.8 2. and that which is stupified Isa 6.10 3. and that which is seared 1 Tim. 4.2 So with respect to the latter virtues the good Conscience may be also differently distinguished according to those different degrees And so there is 1 the awakened Conscience Cant. 5.2 2 the attentive Conscience Deut. 32.46 3 The attrite or eminently tender Conscience Psal 51.17 With respect to the latter extream in the excess there is a twofold evil of Conscience 1. There is the dread and terrors of Conscience flying and declining Gods presence Gen. 3.10 2 There is the despair and horrors of Conscience accompanied with a fearful looking for of punishment and judgment Mat. 27.3 4 5. Heb. 10.27 So that there is 1 the distracting and troubled Conscience Prov. 15.13 2 The despairing and tormenting Conscience Gen. 4.13 14. Opposite hereunto there is a twofold good of Conscience There is 1 the acquiescence and rest of Conscience Mat. 11.29 2 The assurance and rejoycing of Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 Agreeably whereunto there is 1 the appeased and quiet Conscience Psal 116.7 2 The assured and comforted Conscience Heb. 10.22 Prov. 15.15 These things will require and receive aâ— fuller enquiry into and explication of them in the ensuing tract This Corollary shall conclude the present question Since the good and the evil Conscience are so manifold the greater is your work and should be your watchfulness for the obtaining and ordering of a good Conscience and for the preventing and purging out of an evil Conscience CHAP. II. Of the good and evil Conscience according to their stated habitude Q. 1. Whether we are to look upon our Consciences as such that are by nature evil THat we may prevent mistakes some distinctions must be premised of this term by nature It may be and sometimes is understood for 1. That which is by and according to the constitution of Mans nature as when we say Man doth by nature consist of a true body and a reasonable soul Thus whatsoever is a principle or part of Mans nature is said to be natural to him 2. For that which is by and
come from the spirit do not quash them as thou wouldst not quench the spirit or wouldst consult thy Salvation Joh. 16.8 Gen. 6.3 Hos 4.4 5. See 1 Thou do not stifle or suppress them They held the truth down in unrighteousness and liked not to retain God in their knowledg Rom. 1. What became of it Therefore God gave them over to a reprobate mind And now farewell Convictions farewell Conscience till they feel the effect of such a constupration happily in eternal condemnation they are filled with all manner of unrighteousness and are fatting for eternal ruin ver 18 21 24 28 29 c. This is the hazard thou runnest especially upon iterated acts of rebellion Prov. 1.24 33. Psal 81.11 12. Mat. 13.14 15. Prov. 29.1 And though justice may not take this advantage against thee yet every stifled Conviction will now add to the hardning of thy Conscience and to the augmenting of thy shame sorrow and self-confusion when God shall awaken Conscience Zeph. 7.11 12. Rom. 2.4 5. Jer. 31.19 2 Thou do not sit down or sit still under them Is Conscience convinced how canst thou be quiet Are these chains to sleep in What! condemned of thy self and yet sit quiet What if God should condemn thee too Methinks we should hear thee crying out with the Jaylor and those Jews Men and Brethren what shall we do Sirs what must I do to be saved And like the two blind men the more others are complaining the more should you be crying Tit. 3.11 1 Joh. 3.20 Act. 2.37 c. 16.29 30. Mat. 20.30 31. I say therefore to you as the Lepers said among themselves Why sit you here until you die Arise and be doing if Conscience kill you you can but die 2 King 7.3 4. 3 See thou do not shift them off They were convicted by their own Conscience Joh. 8. but it came to no good they stealing away from Christ and shifting away from Conscience every one to his course of life Cain baffles Conscience with building Cities and a crowd of secular businesses Saul is melancholy happily Convictions might be upon him from the Lord though this was not all and he must have the Ministrel the musick Joh. 8.9 Gen. 4.15 17. 1 Sam. 16.23 See thou be not diverted from thy Convictions by any company especially which is sinful or by any secular contrivance and that thou do not dismiss them as Felix did his till another convenience whose Conscience as far as appears did ever after contract more guilt and filthiness Act. 24.25 26 27. To day therefore while it is called to day hear Gods voice and do not harden your hearts lest to your voluntary hardning and aversation from Conviction God add a judicial hardning and afford you no more Convictions Hebr. 3.7 16.4 7. II. Speak to Conscience and suffer that to speak to unto you commune often with it and ask it What have I done and as the Lord asked Cain What hast thou done As ever you would have Conscience throughly salved you must throughly search let your probe go to the bottom of its ulcerated nature let thy spirit make diligent search Psal 4.4 Jer. 8.6 Gen. 4.10 Psal 77.6 Having searched it speak to it tell it of its sick sad perilous and pitiful estate tell it of its rottenness and Gods revenging justice Shew it its extensive diseases and the eternal death that will ensue without its effectual change Speak to it of the searcher of hearts and that he seeth all its sins and shifts God often imputeth the sinfulness of mens hearts to this that they say not in their hearts they set not to their heart and particularly that they say heart not to their Heb. that I remember all their wickedness Jer. 5.24 Isa 44.19 Hos 7.2 Marg. Yea and suffer Conscience to speak to you while it tells you of your sins or of its sinfulness The knowledg of your case is a fair step towards your cure Do not silence or suspend Conscience or shut its mouth or thy ears against its clamors Conscience calls to you as Jotham to the men of Shechem Hearken unto me that God may hearken unto you and if you will not hear and if you will not lay it to heart be sure the end will be full of hazard Wrath is like to come upon you to the uttermost who charge Conscience as the Jews sometimes did the Ministers of Christ That they teach no more in this Name Or are ready to chide Conscience as Amaziah sometime quipped the Prophets confidence Art thou made of the Kings counsel forbear why shouldst thou be smitten Judg. 9. Mal. 2.2 1 Thes 2.16 Act. 4.18 2 Chr. 25.16 17. III. Stir up and strengthen consideration The badness of Conscience grows out of your backwardness to consider Israel doth not know my people doth not consider What cometh of it Ah sinful Nation a people laden with iniquity c. Isa 1.34 They considered not in their heart thence were they so corrupt both in their hearts and actions Hos 7.1 2 c. When God would have men rectifie their Conscience he would therefore have them to recall and consider with themselves Psal 50.21 22. Isa 44.19 c. 41.20 Hearken then Oh careless sinner and consider 1 If Conscience be bad your Conversations are bad if not in the account of man yet in the account of God who seeth not as man seeth Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart 1 Sam. 16.7 Can the salt-spring yield fresh streams or will the sharp thorn bring forth sweet grapes Every tree saith our Saviour is known by his own fruit For of thorns men do not gather figs nor of a bramble-bush gather they grapes He applies it to the case in hand An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things Let Conscience be evil and thy Conversation thy Communication is not like to be good For these things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile the man And this know though thy conversation be bad thy Conscience is worse Here is the treasures 't is out of the abundance of the heart Jam. 3.11 12. Luk. 6.44 45. Mat. 15.18 19. 2 Is Conscience evil your callings are evil though not in themselves yet to your selves If this be depraved there is nothing pure to you your tables become a snare and your trading becomes a sin Is Conscience corrupt the Farm the Oxen the Wife will keep you from Christ which should carry you to him and your plowing yea your praying is sin Tit. 1.15 Psal 69.22 Luk. 14.18 19 20. Prov. 21.4 Psal 109.8 3 Is Conscience evil your comforts are evil Inward comforts are but ensnaring cheats and the illusions and cousenliges of the evil one For all true and gracious comforts arise from the testimony of a good Conscience otherwise while you bless God doth curse Job 8.19 2 Cor. 1.12 Deut. 29.19 20. Your outward comforts are overgrown with
curses your rich estates will be the ruin of your souls your eminent pleasures will end in perdition and the greater is your confluence the greater will be your confusion if guilt shall still abide upon your Conscience If ye will not lay it to heart saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to heart Deut. 28.15 ad finem Eccles 7.13 Jam. 5.3 6. Rev. 18.7 Mal. 2.2 4 Is Conscience evil you have no interest in Christ An interest in Christ and an evil Conscience are things inconsistent who doth always purge their Conscience whom he proprietateth in his choice benefits True it is the priviledges by Christ are large but as Peter told Simou Magus so must I tell thee upon the same reason Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God Heb. 9.14 c. 10.22 Act. 8.21 5 Is Conscience evil your choicest endeavours are also evil because you frustrate the end of the Commandment which is to free you from an evil Conscience and are not framed to that entireness which the Commandment enjoyneth and expecteth unless your hearts are sprinkled from an evil Conscience you have no access to God nor can hope for acceptance much less can you have assurance your prayers are turned into sins and provocations So long as Conscience was statedly sinful God accounted the most costly Sacrifices of the Jews wherewith went supplications also but as so many splendid mockeries and they were so far from receiving acceptation that they were reckoned abomination 1 Tim. 1.5 Jam. 4.8 Heb. 10.22 Psal 109.8 Isa 66.3 4. Prov. 21.27 6 Is Conscience evil be sure the consequence will be evil if you continue this evil So long as Conscience is bad no one capacity or faculty can be good which are all under the empire and influence of Conscience If thine eye be evil the whole body is full of darkness and if the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6.23 But this is not all mind the place of Conscience miserable must be the issue of an evil and polluted Conscience Corruptio optimi pessima You that are fearless of its sin now shall feel its sting hereafter and shriek and roar with the corrodings of that worm which you would not here attempt to kill or cure It s evil of sin will issue in extreamest and eternal sufferings if not timely salved Cure it or it will kill and condemn you and you will contract condemnation from God unto you Mar. 9.44 Isa 66.24 1 Joh. 3.20 IV. Speed your â—onversion from sin your Conscience must needs be sinful so long as your sin continueth If you continue in a sinful state the state of Conscience must needs be sinful If you are defiled this is defiled If you are after the flesh so is this also Tit. 1.15 Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. If you would heal Conscience then hasten your conversion do not only try your ways but turn to the Lord who will bind up that which is broken Lam. 3.40 Hos 6.1 The change of your condition includeth the change of Conscience Turn you at Gods reproof and he will pour out his spirit upon you and then you are no more in the flesh but in the spirit the motions and mindings of Conscience shall be no more so fleshly Prov. 1.27 Rom. 8.9 c. 7.5 6. V. Strike in with Christ The stain of Conscience is such that none but the sprinklings of Christs blood upon it can purge it from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 10.22 c. 9.14 The evil of Conscience came in originally by the first Adam and is only healed by the second Adam Hasten to him by an active faith This is that bunch of Hysop which sprinkleth this blood upon you and so the Conscience becomes clean in the sight of God Psal 51.7 Would you have Conscience cured from its evil state close with Christ by a sound faith He dwelleth in the heart by faith Eph. 3.17 VI. Search and put the Covenant into suit follow him that did create and can alone cure the Conscience with iterated prayers and with the instance and pressing of his promises Peruse his Promises I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh c. Ezek. 11.19 20. c. 36.26 27. Deut. 30.6 Plead them in your petitions He will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel Ezek. 36.37 Unfold the pravity of your Hearts and Consciences Lord I acknowledg my Conscience is miserably corrupted far departed from thy first Creation and foully depraved both by the fall of Adam and my own voluntary dâ—fections Behold I bring thee an old and obdurate Heart Lord renew and mollifie it a diseased and defiled Heart Lord repair and purge it an Heart of stone and adamant inflexible to thy ducture impenetrable by thy displeasure c. Lord remove it and renew me Urge him with his Promises to do it and thine own heart there-with also to deliberate and draw from them Lord hast thou not said A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you I will â—ake away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh O make good â—hy word to thy poor creature who can no â—ore cure this heart of stone than I can â—reate another world Create in me a clean heart 〈◊〉 God and renew a right spirit within me So David Psal 51.10 See further helps hereâ—â—ter Q. 4. How may we know whether our Consciences are Evangelically good or bad Be plain with Conscience § 1 and let it be â—ain with thee But in regard our Conâ—â—ience may and doth put a paralogism upon 〈◊〉 and its argumentation is oft-times sophiâ—â—cal and fallacious through the depravedness of our natures of which hereafter and so men deceive their own selves Jam. 1 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It therefore requireth the stricter care and caution in your part and circumspection on mine how we manage thiâ— work To which end before I propound marks * See Dik Good Conscience ch 7 8 9. p. 73. ad 128. Sheffield Good Conscience ch 24. Bald wins cas Conscience ch 12. I would promise this brief animadversioâ— for preventing mistakes * See Sheffields Good Conscience ch 18 2â— that you may 〈◊〉 conclude the goodness of your Conscienâ—â— either from their past or present 1 scrupulosâ—â— 2 smart or trouble on the one hand 3 stillâ—â— or quiet on the other without further aâ— fuller evidence Which I shall put upon a 〈◊〉 deliberate enquiry hereafter The stated habitude of your Conscienâ—â— may be discerned by these five things Tâ—â— adjuncts the acts the absoluteness the aspeâ— the answer of the Conscience First § 2 By the Adjuncts of Conscience aâ— your Consciences Evangelically pure or defiled Evangelically at peace or disquieted
to accuse and condemn Rom. 2.15 Their Conscience also bearing them witness and their thoughts the mean while excusing or else accusing one another 1. If the estate and actions be or have been good Conscience is accordingly to acquit and clear This it doth 1. to and before God as its superior in judgment whom it doth 1. sometime appeal as the supream Judg. Judg me O Lord according to my righteousness and according to mine integrity that is in me Psal 7.8.26 1. And 2. sometimes it apologizeth and excuseth us to him not by extenuating our sin * Excusatio enim hic non strictiore sensu accipitur quo diminutionem vel attenuationem culpae designat sed illo quo plenam culpae reatus amotionem notat Ames but by insisting on our sincerity Lord saith Abimelech in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Hezekiah Gen. 20.5 6. Isa 38.3 This it doth also 2. from God as his substitute in the judgment from whence Conscience is by office to approve and absolve 1. To approve the good and so our hearts are assured before and we have confidence toward God 1 Joh. 3.19 21. I have finished my course saith Paul I have kept the faith Conscience approves it and so assures him Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me c. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 2. To absolve from evil 1. from evils threatned by Gods laws the evil of divine indignation 1 Joh. 3.21 22 Nay saith Conscience whatever be the charges laid against him or crosses lay before him Who is he that condemneth it is God that justifieth In all these things I am more than a conquerour through him that loved me Rom. 8.31 to the end 2. â—â—rom evils thrown upon him by mens lusts the evils of humane imputations and hard censures Amidst all calumnies Conscience acquits Job and asserts his integrity Let his adversaries write a book against him he can bind their censures as a crown unto him Let them reproach him of hypocrisie Yet saith he till I die I will not remove my integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job 31.5 to the end 27.5 6. 2. If the estate or actions be or have been bad Conscience is by office judicially to accuse and condemn I say judicially to accuse because it 's accusation per modum testis as a witness appertaineth to the second Proposition Thus it likewise doth 1. As to and before God to and before whom it accuseth us and causeth us to acknowledg our guilt Thus Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done c. 2 Sam. 24.10 And after he had gone in to Bathsheba Against thee thee only I have sinned and done this evil in thy sight c. Psal 51.4 2. As from and under God who is greater than the Conscience So Conscience is by office 1. To convict the sinner and doth conclude it as to the sinful state and actions for which it stands arraigned before it Witness those Jews Joh. 8.9 Who were convicted by their own Consciences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convincere causam eò deducere ut obijci enti praetexi nihil amplius queat Hyperius So shut up by arguments and by the authority of this Judg that they could not start from it 2. To censure and set a brand and mark of infamy upon the sin So David in the Text before 2 Sam. 24.10 I have done very foolishly And elsewhere So foolish was I and ignorant I was a beast before thee Psal 73.22 Here the least Conscience as a Judg can do is dislike and displicence with the sin and with it self for sin The evil which I do I allow not saith Paul Rom. 7.15 3. To condemn 1 Joh. 3.20 i.e. to pronounce the sentence which is a sentence of condemnation to the sinner where the estate is bad whereof is no reversal but upon repentance Act. 2.37 38. Tit. 3.11 A sentence of castigation and to contrition where the estate is good Jer. 31.19 and is still a sentence of condemnation to the sin and for the crucifying of the same whether the estate be good or bad Lam. 3.39 40 41. Secondly as it respects time future and what is to be Thus Conscience is by office in particular not only 1. to tell us or hold forth what is right and what is wrong what is good and what is evil to us in particular agreeable to the general law in the first Proposition But 2. to tye and oblige us respectively to that evil and to this good agreeably still to the same law in the same proposition And 3. to thrust forward excite or impell us for the avoiding of that evil and for the attaining or doing of this good with accord still to that general light or law In relation to these Offices the holy Scriptures speaks of the Conscientious man as one stirred as one bound as one pressed in his own spirit Act. 17.16 18.5.20 22. He is not only a debtor Rom. 1.14 But there is a necessity upon him as from Gods command so from his own Conscience He is constrained and cannot chuse unless he should offer violence to his own Conscience but do what his Conscience dictates 1 Cor. 9 16. 2 Cor. 5.14 Act. 4.20 I am not ignorant that these three last Offices of Conscience are commonly placed elsewhere and conceived to appertain rather to the first Proposition But in that Conscience doth therein dictate but the general right or law and these acts do evidently include a particular respect and application to a mans own estate or action and this conclusive as to his estate and action As the operation of Conscience aforesaid doth obviously witness I do therefore rather chuse to place them here Not that I blame others for the liberty which they please to take nor shall bind up my self strictly this order in the progress of this Discourse Q. 7. How may and should we so order our Conscience in relation to the first Proposition that they offer us true and right Laws and Rules and none but such concerning our estates * See Q. 3. Direct 1. in Chap. 3. and actions To this end it is necessary that you 1. Direct 1 Store your Conscience that she have a stock and treasury of knowledg a bank and habit of all necessary laws and rules of practice that as a scribe instructed to the Kingdom she may bring forth out of her treasury things both new and old as any occasion offers For how shall she be able to give rules if she hath them not or teach you if her self be untaught
or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which speaks back what they should have been or now should be So that Conscience in her reflection is both to consult her own records and to compare the concern before her wherein she is to witness with those holy rules I advise then that you 1. Direct 1 Send your Conscience to search her own Records Here her actions are all bookt as before Q. 9. let her reflect hither remember and read them over without which you cannot now reach the end or reap the benefit of their being so reposited Remember this how they are enrolled and why Call it again to mind O ye transgressors to use the words of the Prophet Isa 46.8 Now that you may consult these records aright and have Conscience to reflect It s requisite that there be 1 Self-denial without which this work will not be done at all or not aright but Conscience like the unjust Steward will be writing fifty for an hundred For be sure your wills and affections yea Conscience it self through the corruption that cleaves to it will be drawing back from such a difficult and flesh-displeasing work or at most will not dwell long upon it And therefore the Apostle doubleth the charge Examine your selves prove your own selves as knowing how hardly we are brought to it and how the heart hangs back from it Luk. 16.6 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Serious deliberation lest you misread and misunderstand her records and the result be a mistake and misrepresentation of your case which will minister nothing but matter for repentance as it did unto David I said in my haste c. Psal 31.22 and 116.11 3 A steady diligence My spirit made diligent search Psal 77.6 1. In rubbing up and ransacking the memory where these records lie as in their most proper repository For many of our actions lie there rather as so much rubbish which we have swept out of sight then as so many records that are orderly shelv'd up for a surveigh 2. In reiterating this method our actions many times lie so far off and so many things interpose between them and the eye of Conscience that there must be a raised and repeated diligence yea and giving all diligence to remove other matters and to reduce them again to our minds 'T is therefore called a bringing back to the heart 2 Pet. 1.10 1 King 8.47 Isa 46.8 3. In the reception and right nicking of the means The court of records stands not always open and 't is ill slipping the first season Now diligence would be doing e're the doors are shut and the draught by Conscience is yet fresh and unsullied As David sometimes immediately reflected upon the cutting off of Sauls garment and upon his numbring the people But at another time when he yields to his own sloth and falls not in with the first season Vriah is murdered and his Wife constuprated by him c. and he never casts a reflex upon either of these prodigious acts yea notwithstanding the Parable came so pat and plain upon him till the Prophet was fain to put himself in the place of Conscience and tell him Thou art the man and you know what this negligence cost him 1 Sam. 24.5 2 Sam. 24.10 Chap. 11 and 12. Psal 51. 2. Direct 2 Set Conscience by those holy rules whereon she must reflect The rule is of necessary reflection on and of as needful resolution in witness-bearing For how shall Conscience witness or reflect on this as good or on that as good but by comparing this and that with the rule which can alone resolve her what is good and what is bad Now as Gods revealed will is the only rule and measure of all moral good and evil so the reflection of Conscience connoteth a respect to this rule For Conscience doth not cast back an enquiry after the physical being of an action as whether I have eat or drunk but after the moral being of that action as whether I have eat or drunk to Gods glory c. as his law enjoyns me or else to excess c. as his law inhibits me Mic. 6.8 1 Joh. 3.4 1 Cor. 10.31 Eph. 5.18 Now hereunto these three things are requisite which though they are not of that obvious necessity and distinct use in those sudden and transient reflections which Conscience often maketh yet are they of very needful observation and useful distinctness in her more solemn and abiding reflections in the more serious returns we are to make upon our selves as before the Sacrament c. or when we undertake the solemn examination of our selves 1. Set the rule before thy Conscience in its spiritual power purity and in the several parts of it On this she is to reflect and by this she must be regulated 'T is not enough that you have them lying in habit with the sunteresis but they should be now actually educed and brought forth to view For in that you are now to search your selves by them you must take an actual surveigh of them David therefore did not satisfie himself that the laws of God were ever with him but he did expose and lay them before him Thy judgments have I laid before me Psal 119.30 cum 98. And without this the course you are now taking will be much-what ineffectual and can never be fully commensurate with your design this duty or Gods demand who bids you take heed to your ways according to his word Psal 119.9 2. Sift your Conscience and therewith your lives and actions by the rules compare her and them with this Examine your selves prove your own selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as men try metals by bringing them to their proper measure as Gold and Silver to the touch-stone 2 Cor. 13.5 Self-discussion by the divine standard is of singular advantage both for the discovery of your sins as David and Paul found it and for the drawing out a discovery of your sincerity as Job Ps 19.11 12. Rom. 7.8 9 c. Job 23.10 11. Will you but cast an eye on this glass you should see more of the nature and number of your sins the nature necessity and beauty of Gods service and continuing therein should contract his blessing on your selves Jam. 1.25 But in your solemn examinations let me advise you to call forth the laws of God and rules of godliness successively and distinctly and so to compare the several periods of your lives with them both in the matter and manner of your actions Hath the matter of my life born accord to this that and the other precepts or hath there not been an attempt on and violation of both this and that and the other prohibition For the manner of my actions have they been done upon that account and with those aimes affections c. that these rules prescribe me and whereupon they promise a blessing to me By this course Conscience will be 1. Less complicated in her work through the artifices of sin or Satan They usually hide their
according to a consecution or emanation from Mans nature As when we say Man is by nature endowed with an Understanding Will c. Thus the powers and properties of Mans nature are said to be natural to him 3. Or for that which is by and according to a connexion with Mans nature as Paul saith We were by nature children of wrath Eph. 2.3 This condition was connexed with our nature we were subject to the revenging justice of God as soon as we received the nature of man Thus the pravity and pollution of Mans nature is said to be natural to him The import of this question is not Whether the Conscience be evil either in regard of its natural constitution or essence In this sense it must needs be good because it is by the special efficience and gift of God Job 32.8 Chap. 20.7 Or 2. in regard of any natural consecution or emanation from its nature Thus it cannot be bad but good for the same reason because it cometh from the blessed God whose work is perfect Deut 32.4 But 3. in regard of a natural connexion i.e. Whether Conscience in man by and according to the condition which is connexed with his nature be morally evil or sinful yea or no That every mans Conscience is by nature sinful in the sense last mentioned appears First From the notorious defilement of every man by nature These propositions are of Apostolical proof That all have sinned and that they are all under sin That all the world is become guilty before God And that they are all by nature children of wrath Rom. 3.9 19 23. Ephes 2.3 What is man that he should be clean and that which is born of a woman that he should be righteous saith Eliphaz All persons and all the parts of man are impure and defiled Job 15.14 15 16. Rom. 3.9 19. And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean To them that are defiled is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Job 14.4 Tit. 1.15 The leaven of sin hath over-spread the whole lump The leprosie of sin hath left no faculty untainted The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint It reacheth from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot So that the Conscience is corrupt as well as the corporeal part 1 Cor. 5.6 Isa 1.4 5 6. Secondly From the notable declarations in the Covenant of Grace What on Gods part is therein more clearly proposed than this I will put a new spirit within you I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh I will circumcise your hearts I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. Ezek. 11.19 20. Chap. 36.26 Jer. 31.33 Deut. 30.6 And what can on mans part then be more clearly supposed than this That the heart of man is of a stony adamantine and uncircumcised temper without the sculpture of any saving truth e're grace takes him within the Covenant And surely by nature the sons of men are all strangers from the Covenants of Promise Zach. 7.12 Jer. 9.26 27. 2 Cor. 3.3 Eph. 2.12 cum 3. Thirdly From the known design of the Commandments and conveyance of Grace A good Conscience is the end of Gods Commandments 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Pet. 3.16 If Conscience were good by nature how should the goodness thereof be the end and effect of the Gospel of Grace A good Conscience was not found by the Gospel in the regions where it came but was the fruit of the Gospel The Gospel was sent amongst them not as supposing their Conscience already good but to set them right and leave them good whom it found bad Act. 26.18 20. 1 Cor. 14.24 25 Heb. 4.12 A good Conscience is the effect of the grace of faith in Christ God purifying mens hearts by faith Act. 15.9 Heb. 10.22 Before the coming of faith then the Conscience is defiled To the unbeliever nothing 〈◊〉 pure And manifest enough it is that faith it Christ never grew in the garden of nature when most pure from the weeds of sin which the Fall hath brought in but is an eflux of divine grace and an especial gift of God Tit. 1.15 Heb. 11.6 Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.29 Fourthly From the necessary diffusion of sanctifying grace throughout the whole nature of Man The God of peace sanctifie you wholly the whole then was sinful And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless c. The upper region of Mans soul then and which is rational as well as the lower region and which is more sensitive were stained and culpable The Conscience therefore cannot but be corrupted 1 Thes 5.23 The Conscience could neither require nor receive the renovation of grace if it were righteous by nature But renovation passeth through all the parts and powers Behold all things are become new This is to put on the new man and to put off the old man Sin did and Sanctification now doth extend it self over all the man especially the mind To be renewed is eminently in the spirit of our mind 2 Cor. 5.17 Eph. 4.22 23 24. Fifthly From the noted derivation of a good Conscience to us by means of Christ Till his blood be sprinkled on us the Conscience is not sanctified in us as is implied Heb. 9.14 'T is the blood of Christ Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God which purgeth your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Hebr. 9.14 Conscience is impure then till Christ purgeth it 'T is he freeth it from sin and fitteth it for Gods service But by nature we are all without Christ alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works Men do not come by nature but are called by grace unto the fellowship of the Son Jesus Christ Eph. 2.12 cum 3. Col. 1.21 1 Cor. 1.9 Sixthly From the notable defilement of Conscience in the discharge of its acts and offices Now laesae actiones laesas facultates indicant It must needs be a maimed and diseased power that puts forth such maimed and diseased performances These I shall briefly instance in the next Question and judg needful to pluck down the pride of Man and to preserve you from the dangerous precipices of many who cry up Conscience and its conduct for Salvation instead of calling men to Christ and to the conduct of the Scriptures Q. 2. What are the evils of Mans Conscience naturally which we should be heedful of and and humbled under Though I cannot fully open that sink of sin which lieth here a work that is more accurately done by an acute and able hand * Anth. Burgess Orig. sin par 3. c. 2. §. 1 8. and though a further manifestation hereof must follow in our ventilation of the several sorts of an evil Conscience of which hereafter yet something shall be done for the discovery of this evil and putrefaction Conscience may
〈◊〉 lightned or still in darkness are they sinceâ—â— and upright or but hollow and hypocriticâ—â— soft and tender or but hardened and obduraâ—â— These things will be put upon a distinct tâ—â—â— hereafter Secondly § 3 By the acts of your Conscienâ—â— acts speak the powers and habits wheâ— they are good acts speak them good 〈◊〉 acts speak them evil you shall know them their fruits a good tree cannot bring foâ— evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Mat. 7.16 17 18. Thus the acts of Conscience naturally good bespeak a good natural Conscience the acts of Conscience which are morally good bespeak a good moral Conscience and the acts of Conscience which are Evangelically good bespeak a good Evangelical Conscience Of this is the enquiry Q. May we conclude our Consciences are good because their acts are good I answer 1. § 4 Though you may not conclude it from a few occasional acts for even a bad Conscience may call and keep you to that which is good for a fit as long as the force of such an occasion or inducement lasts witness Saul Simon Magus and those Psal 78.34 38. 1 Sam. 24.16 c. 26.21 c. Act. 3.13 Yet when such acts become fixed and ordinary when though there may be some diversions as were in Job and Paul yet the main stream and current of its acts are carried in an Evangelical channel from sin to righteousness you may now conclude the goodness of your Conscience Job 27.3 4. cum 5. Rom. 7.25 cum praeced 2. Though the good acts of Conscience materially considered will not â—rgue the goodness of Conscience for there have been acts for their matter very good where the heart and mind have been very â—ad Joh. 8.9 Rom. 2.15 Psal 78.34 35 â—6 yet its good acts formally considered as â—e take in with the matter of these acts the â—anner also wherein and motives whereupon they are put forth do argue a good Conscience for such grapes cannot grow upon thistles nor can a salt fountain yield such sweet water We may argue from the effect to the cause from holy and good operations to a good and holy Origine as Paul doth in this case Heb. 13.18 Act. 24.16 What are the acts of your Conscience then what ordinarily doth it thence you may conclude its habitude and how 't is ordinarily disposed There are the elicit and imperate acts of Conscience how are these discharged is it from Evangelical motives and in an Evangelical manner Conscience is 1. to dictate truth and doth it dictate Gospel-truths and duties Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ To deny your selves and take up your cross To love your enemies and bless them that hate you To endure grief suffering wrongfully and overcome evâ—â— with good c. Act. 20.21 Mar. 8.34 Mat. 5.44 1 Pet. 2.19 Rom. 12.21 Are the Consciences not only enlightned in but engaged bâ— these commands But more particularly doth the Conscience dictate these Gospel-truths to be done upon Gospel-terms To be done 1 to and for Christ as your head and ruler And can your Conscience say in sincerity The Lord is oâ— Judg the Lord is our King the Lord is our Law-giver And that you esteem all but loss foâ— the excellency of the knowledg of Jesus Chriâ—â— your Lord Isa 33.22 Phil. 3.8 2. To be done in and through Christ as your Intercessour and Redeemer To do all in the name of our Lord Jesus with the rejecting of your own righteousness and resting upon the grace of God in him alone for your reward and acceptance Col. 3.17 Phil. 3.9 Dan. 9.18 1 Pet. 2.5 And doth not thy Conscience only dictate this in the Theory but descends to the Praxis And doth it not only inform this in the notion but doth it infer and induce it in the ordinary course of thy Conversation Thou hast then a good Conscience 2. Conscience is to deliver its testimony How doth your Conscience testifie Doth it testifie to and for the Gospel to the authority thereof above all laws over you to the amiableness thereof above all doctrines to you to the sin-subduing and soul-saving efficacy thereof upon you and to the singular and surpassing excellency thereof unto you Act. 4.19 20. Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 1.5 6. Psal 119.72 Doth Conscience testifie with and according to the Gospel Are you wont to pray for the especial teachings of the spirit in prevention of a false testimony To put your selves as in his sight and presence that it may produce a good and true testimony And do you prize and prefer the Spirits testimony before that of your spirits and are prevailingly steered by his witness with your Conscience and can provoke and call in with Peter his all-seeing knowledg Lord thou knowest all things and thou knowest that I love thee Job 34.32 Psal 139.23 24. 2 Cor. 2.17 Rom. 8.16 Joh. 21.17 This is a good Conscience I forbear to instance further Thirdly § 5 By the absoluteness and universality of the good Conscience that Conscience is not good at all that is not good in all Paul trusts he had a good Conscience but whence appeared it In all things he was willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 Q. May we argue the goodness of our Conscience by and from their Vniversality and Absoluteness I answer you may and should as Paul doth § 6 but must attentively consider that the Universality by which you prove it is not to be an Universality in the degrees of goodness which is reserved for glory but an Universality as to the parts of goodness which is inseparable from grace 1 King 9.4 Luk. 1.6 1 Chron. 29.19 So then the Conscience that is unfeignedly good is universally good as it respects all the parts though it cannot here reach all the perfection and degrees of goodness I. § 7 'T is good as to all concernments good at first Table and good at second-Table-duties Willing in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 'T is not good at matters of holiness and bad at matters of honesty or good at matters of honesty and bad at matters of holiness but good both as to holiness and as to honesty whereof the good Conscience ever makes a good conjunction 1 Tim. 2.2 Luk. 8.15 Let the formal hypocrite be for inoffensiveness to God while he indulgeth himself in his offensiveness to man let the civil Justiciary be for inoffensiveness to man while be indulgeth his inobedience and offensiveness to God But the great exercise and endeavour of the good Conscience is to preserve it self void of offence both towards God the object of all those religious dues required in the first table and towards men the object of all that righteousness required in the second Table Act. 24.16 It provides for honest things not only in the sight of the Lord but in the sight of men 2 Cor. 8.21 Your Consciences are evil who are careless of either Table She that was for dividing the Child
that have this good Conscience Psal 19.12 13. 4 'T is good as concerns all our capacities § 10 The good Conscience goeth the whole compass of a Christian of Christianity and of his calling For the Christian the good Conscience will have him good without and good within 'T is for inward renovation as well as outward reformation for washing the heart the affections as well as whiting the appearances the actions It 's taken up most about the inward and hidden man calls first for truth in the inward parts the transforming of the Understanding into divine Truths and turning in of the Will unto and determining it upon the Divine goodness And you shall ever find a good Conscience followed with a good Conversation Ephes 4.23 24. Jer. 4.14 1 Pet. 3.4 Psal 51.6 Rom. 12.2 Deut. 26.17 1 Pet. 3.16 For Christianity the good Conscience will forgo none and is found good in all the doctrines and duties and graces both of faith and charity 'T is not only almost but altogether perswaded to be a Christian From the heart hath this Soul obeyed the form of Christian doctrine This Conscience is as were it cast into it and cometh from it as the vessel from the mould into which it was melted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.5 Act. 26.28 29. Rom. 6.17 For our callings the good Conscience will be good in our particular Callings and relations as well as good in our general and as concerns Religion Good as a Subject as well as good as a Saint Innocency was found in me before God and also before thee O King I have done no hurt saith Daniel Chap. 6.22 Good as a Minister of a flock not seeking his own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved Good as a Master of a Family He and his house will serve the Lord He will walk within his house with a perfect heart 1 Cor. 10.33 Josh 24.15 Psal 101.2 In short the good Conscience considers the business as well as the benefit of the relation and calling Conscience directs the business that it be done in the Lord and as he hath limited discusses the business whether it be done or not and calls over the carriage of it and asks the son servant c. as Samuel did Saul What hast thou done And in a word dictates that all businesses be done for the Lord and for Conscience sake Ephes 5.22 chap. 6.10 1 Sam. 13.11 Jer. 8.6 Rom. 13.5 1 Pet. 2.18 19. How is it with you then let Conscience speak an evil Conversation doth loudly proclaim an evil Conscience Or is the outside clean but the inside mean while corrupt You name the name of Christ but are your natures still unchang'd and carnal You are good at the doctrine of Christianity but are you bad at the duties Good at the Temple and in Gods house but bad at your Trades and in your own Houses Good at the Bible with Judas but bad at the Bag Good at your general profession of Religion but bad in your particular places and relations You have then but an evil Conscience Mat. 23.25 28. 2 Tim. 2.19 21. Tit. 1.16 Jer. 7.4 13. Joh. 12.6 Luk. 16.10 11. But as for you whose Consciences run all points of the Compass respects all parts of your callings you into whose conversations Conscience like Christs coat is woven from the top throughout You that are willing in a◠things to live honestly to wear the comfort of a good Conscience as Paul did and Peter directs tacitely Heb. 13.10 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Pet. 3.16 5 'T is good in its whole Compass § 11 The Conscience that is truly good is throughly good This goodness is not at the list only but runs throughout the whole piece 'T is often called the perfect heart 2 Chron. 25.2 1 King 11.4 c. 15.3.14 There is no piece or part of the Conscience but is renewed with Grace though it be renewed but in part 'T is good at the rule in the first Proposition It hath learnt not only the truth of Jesus but the truth as 't is in Jesus Good at the reflection it is to make and the report it is to manifest in the second Proposition Good at the result from both in the third Proposition 'T is good as a rule good as a witness good as a judg So that the Christian is habitually disposed to do what it enjoyneth and endure what is imposed for Conscience sake 1 Pet. 2.19 Rom. 13.5 Is Conscience then sanctified throughout Hath the leaven of special grace leavened the whole lump Is your heart not only studied but sound in Gods statutes Then shall you not be ashamed 1 Thes 5.23 Psal 119.80 6 'T is good for continuance § 12 and in all conditions The good Conscience is good as concerns all times as well as all things I do exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence saith Paul Act. 24.16 Though the good Conscience be not always in exercise yet the good man doth exercise himself to have always a good Conscience A good Conscience saith one holds out constantly in a good cause without deflection and in a good course without defection * Dykes Good Cons c. 8. p. 113 Particular failings thereof cannot but be confessed but this is the prevailing frame and ordinary constitution of it Let the times frown or favour be times of prosperity to or persecution of the Church and cause of God yet the good Conscience whether it rain or shine holds on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 He may sometimes go out of his way but never will give it over This Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to Gods Testimonies at all times and hath respect unto his Statutes continually his heart may turn aside but is not turned back and though it may sometimes deal foolishly and most times feebly yet dealeth not falsly in Gods Covenant Psal 119.20 117. c. 44.17 18. Let Satan tempt Job the Sabeans trouble c. his Cattel his Corn his Sheep his Servants his Children and all are taken from him but this good Conscience still tarrieth with him He could hold fast none of that great confluence but still he holdeth fast this good Conscience as God himself is witness and Satan doth not withstand it Job 1.13 20. cum 2.3 Still he holdeth fast his Integrity Put it upon the enquiry then in your own spirits What! like Reuben unstable as waters Doth Conscience shift as the winds of worldly profit or preferment sit Now for the Word and now for the World with Demas Would you fain have saved Christ and his concernments as Pilat would from the cruelty of the Jews even now and do you by and by sentence him to death when others would else say you were no friends to Caesar What! good only while Jehojadah your Tutor or Minister c. lived and now grown evil Good only till Balak offers the wages of unrighteousness to
'T is for praise to the advancement and glorifying of God which it principally reckons of and finally refers unto The good Conscience is for celebrating God and his Glory in which it ultimately terminates the discharge of its Offices and the debts and obligations it inferreth on us this is Gods end in renewing the Conscience and the great end of Conscience renewed that he might be glorified Isa 43.7 21. c. 60.21 1 Tim. 1.17 This it chargeth most upon it self Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O my soul c. Awake up my Glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early This also comforteth it self most in and he is not ashamed but can cheerfully acquiesce whatsoever he doth or endureth for Conscience sake toward God while Christ is magnified in his body and while on his part God is glorified Psal 103.1 2. c. 57.8 Phil. 1.20 1 Pet. 2.19.4.14 This is the great matter which he purposeth with himself and to which he provoketh other Souls I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart and I will glorifie thy Name for evermore I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth My soul shall make her boast in God O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together Yea let all such as love thy Salvation say continually the Lord be magnified Psal 86.12 c. 34.1 2 3. 70.4 Let Conscience answer then Do not you like to retain God in your knowledg you know God but are you careless of glorifying him as God And say what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Or do you scoff at your Brethren which you may have cast out with those in Isaiah saying Let the Lord be glorified O miserable Consciences Rom. 1.21 28. Job 21.14 Isa 66.5 cum ch 5.19 Or while you pretend to Gods glory do you prefer your own Are your acts of piety your almes or acts of charity done principally that you may have glory of men unto whom ye would outwardly appear righteous Verily you have your reward and still remain with rotten and unsound Consciences Mat. 6.2 1 Thes 2.6 Mat. 23.27 28. But you that vail your own glory to Gods the bias and bent of whose good works which men behold is to this mark that they may glorifie not so much you as God in and for you in the day of Visitation you that can venture and forgo all for Gods glory when he calls for it and count of nothing so high as his honour you whose fruits of righteousness are with this final respect that your Father may be glorified and you may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light You that have glorified him and are resolved you will glorifie him again Go eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy work He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousness is in him Joh. 8.50 1 Pet. 2.12 Mat. 5.16 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Phil. 1.11 1 Pet. 2.9 Eccles 9.7 Joh. 7.18 Fifthly § 21 By the answer of a good Conscience which if Peter be consulted is towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 Quest Whether we may argue the goodness of our Conscience from their answer towards God I answer you may But then 't is not so much from your present earnestness therein as from the powerful efficacy and proportionate extent thereof that you must take your evidence for you shall find bad Consciences furnished with quick and ready answers as if they would not abridge God of the least he calls for Deut. 5.27 28 29. Jer. 42.5 6. You are concerned to discuss the deliberateness of the answer and its due extent The good Conscience answers to Gods Call § 22 Commands c. 1 To Gods Call No sooner is the Conscience effectually convinced or hath Christ effectually called but you have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle phrases it of the good Conscience Conscience answers with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth and with David Lo I come I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart 1 Sam. 3.10 Psal 40.7 8. Yea Conscience asks with Saul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth Vnite my heart to fear thy name Conscience sets him upon the Tower with Habakkuk and will watch to see what God will say unto him and what he shall answer when he is convinced or argued with Act. 9.6 Psal 86.11 Hab. 2.1 How is it then hath God called but ye would not answer Hath he spoken but ye would not hear Have you set at nought his counsel and despised his reproof Have you chosen your own ways and doth your Soul delight it self in your abominations You have then sinful and stupid Consciences Prov. 1.24 25. Isa 65.12 c. 66.3 4. But you whose Ears are bored to hear and your Hearts are brought to embrace the Calls of Grace You that with Simon and Andrew his Brother with James the Son of Zebedee and John his Brother at the Call of Christ can quit all when he once said Come ye after me You that attend the saving motions of his Spirit and addict your selves to this mystery of Godliness whose Hearts are determined upon God in Christ and to whom no Calls are so acceptable as are the Calls from sin and to his service you may comfortably reflect and repose your selves in the witness of a good Conscience Mar. 1.16 21. 1 Cor. 16.15 Job 22.21 22. ch 27.6 2 To Gods Commands § 32 The good Conscience corresponds to Gods Commandments not only as it conserves and apprehends Law Here is a Copy and Transcript within of the Command and Truths without The Law of God is in his Heart the Spirit of the living God hath written it in these fleshly Tables Psal 37.31 Jer. 31.33 2 Cor. 3.3 But as it comes and applies Law hath God said Seek ye my face Conscience speaks back My Heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Hath God commanded us to keep his Precepts diligently Conscience corresponds and crys out O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes Doth God require that we do his will I delight to do thy wiâ—â— saith Conscience Psal 27.8 c. 119.4 5. c. 40.7 8. Try then what agreement find you between his Commands and your Consciences Are you afraid of the restraint of God's Laws and would break these bands from you and can you not bear these cords Do you hate him that rebuketh in the Gate and abhor the Ministry that speaks uprightly and searcheth the inward parts of the belly as Ahab did Micajah for saith he He
the Lord our God but the mercies which he gave to humble and to prove you you abuse to pride and luxury c. Oh sinful and sensless Consciences Isa 42.25 Jer. 8.7 Hos 7.2 Jer. 5.24 Deut. 8.16 17. Or do you answer his administrations of justice with trying your ways and turning to the Lord Do you labour to see his mind in them and to learn more skill in his Statutes through them And doth Conscience call upon you Come and let us return to the Lord our God and by sound Conversion to seek a cure for them In administrations of Mercy doth Conscience ordinarily attend abett and argue from thence to duty And when it hath put the question What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me Doth it proceed to the Psalmist's conclusive resolution I will take the 〈◊〉 of Salvation and call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vows unto the Lord I will wâ—â— before the Lord in the land of the living c. Iâ— short is Conscience wont to answer the dispensations of mercy with more dearness foâ— God and his glory and with more degrees 〈◊〉 humility as it did in Jacob and in David theâ— is yours a good Conscience Psal 103. through out Ezra 9.13 14. Gen. 32.10 2 Sam. 7.18 19. 6 To the Copy of God § 27 The Conscience which is statedly good setteth the Christian upon Conformity to God he abhorreth sauciness with God as blasphemous and aspireth after similitude to God as his eminent business He knoweth that God is righteous and thence concludeth to be a doer of righteousness God is pure and as his hope is in him so he purifieth himself in Conformity to him God hath made it an argument Be ye boly for I am holy Conscience bearing his Authority brings the same argument also and Christ binds it upon the Conscience 1 Joh. 2.29 c. 3.3 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Mat. 5.48 Little Children let no man deceive you if God hath not drawn out his resemblance upon you if you are not doers of Righteousness as God is righteous If Conscience can permit you to walk in darkness while you profess to that God who is a pure light whatever be your pleas that your Consciences are good they are but pretensions not proofs your Consciences are still bad You that are ordinarily looking at and labouring to come as nigh as you may unto your Copy That are followers of God as dear Children that are created after God in righteousness and true holiâ—ess and whose care it is to be as immutable â—ntensive and extensive as you can in goodâ—ess You are the Children of God our Father who hath given to you a good Conscience 〈◊〉 Joh. 3.7 9. c. 1.5 6 7. 1 Pet. 1.14 Eph. 5.1 c. 4. â—4 Mat. 5.45 I have used a greater length and liberty of Speech in this Question than I have in former or shall in future Cases the importance thereof enforced me If Conscience be good your condition is good if Conscience be naught your condition is naught too as will be seen hereafter Be therefore the more thorough and serious in the trial of your selves still remembring this just Limit in all thy helps for knowledg hereof given you That your ordinary or usual tendency and habitude must be attended 'T is not what your Conscience is for a fit or in some sudden flash either as to good or as to evil but what your common frame and general or most usual temper is must be consulted Q. 5. Whether we may know that our Consciences be statedly and Evangelically good Though your Consciences are lockt up from the knowledg of others and are comprehensively and fully known only by God himself for who can understand his errors Psal 19.12 Yet every man may know what the stated habitude of his Conscience is if he will but deliberately discuss and carefully commune with and impartially attend and improve the judgment of his own Conscience As seems evident 1 By the description of its Nature 'T is the candle of the Lord searching not some but all not only the outward parts of the body but the inward parts of the belly i.e. the inwards acts and thoughts and therefore the the habitude and temper of the Heart elsewhere expressed by the Belly Prov. 20.7 cum Job 15.2 35. c. 32.18 19. The Spirit of Man i.e. the Conscience of Man knoweth the things of Man and within Man The Heart i.e. the Conscience knoweth its own bitterness and therefore may know its own blessedness 1 Cor. 2.11 Prov. 14.10 2 By the demands from and for it in Scripture Know ye not your selves i.e. your Consciences and so what your and their state and condition is whether you be in the faith whether Christ be in you 2 Cor. 13.5 Let every man prove his work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself which springs from the Testimony of a good Conscience Gal. 6.4 2 Cor. 1.12 3 By the declared sense hereof we find among the Saints Job's record is on high and in his own heart Job 16.19 c. 27.5 6. David and Hezekiah can and do confidently appeal the all-knowing God in it Psal 26.2 3. 17.3 Isa 38.3 Hear Paul We trust we have a good Conscience 'T is not we think or we hope but we trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are perswaded are confident of it which confidence we may raise upon the same foundation that he did In all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 Q. 6. How may we get or obtain a good Conscience The Premises in answer to the former Question are of place and pertinent use here also as likewise whatsoever shall be prescribed hereafter for obtaining a pure peaceable upright faithful Conscience c. Here I advise you these few things * See Perkin's Tom. 1. Treat of Conscience c. 4. p. 551. Sheffield's good Conscience ch 25. Dyke's good Consc c. 5 6. That you Direct 1 1 Act Consideration * See Motives in Dyke's good Cons c. 10. ad finem Consideration is the next step to the Conversion of thy self the change of thy estate and the setting of thy Conscience right in the sight of God Psal 119.59 60. 45.10 11. 50.21 22. See Q. 4. Direct 3. Consider therefore in thy Heart Deut. 4.39 c. 8.5 If my Conscience shall be good Then 1 My Condition will be good secure Conscience for the main and thou securest thy Condition for the main Thy Condition is as thy Conscience is good or bad as this is good or bad in the sight of God Amaziah's Condition was bad though the current of his Actions was materially good because his Conscience was bad he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart nor like his father David 2 Chron. 25.2 2 King 14.3 Jehoshaphat's Condition was good though he were chargeable with some things that were signally bad because his Conscience was good Nevertheless
there are good things found in thee in that thou hast prepared thine heart to seek God 2 Chron. 19.2 3. 2 My conversation will be good Conscience hath the ducture of it the dominion over it as it goeth well or ill in Conscience within so it will be in thy Conversation without See Q. 4. Make the Tree good and his Fruit is good * Non erit fructus bonus nisi arboris bonae muta Cor mutabitur opus Aug. de verb. Dom. Ser. 12. Make the Tree corrupt and his Fruit is corrupt Mat. 12.33 34. Rehoboam's course of life was bad in that his Conscience was bad Because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Ezra's on the contrary was good in that his Conscience was good Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord 2 Chron. 12.14 Ezra 7.10 See 1 Pet. 3.16 3 My Capacities will be good These are regulated by the Conscience and are renewed with the Conscience 1. Your receptive Capacities whereby you receive from God will be enlarged and enabled to take in more from him both of his truth and goodness Natural Conscience cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God but the Renewed can receive them and that with all readiness and in much riches Grace for Grace from Christ the Word joy and gladness from and with the Word of Christ the Spirit of Adoption sweet and full assurance c. 1 Cor. 2.12 14. Act. 17.11 Col. 2.2 Joh. 1.16 1 Thes 1.6 Rom. 8.15 Heb. 10.22 2. Your active Capacities whereby you return to God and work out your everlasting good Have you a good Conscience you will be willing in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 The evil Conscience contracts and straitens the good Conscience dilates and wâ—â—ens the Capacity of Man here is true largâ—ess of Heart the fetters of Sin now fall off the Mind will be enlarged to know and consider the Will to elect and embrace the Lord and his Laws the Memory to record and recall and the very Members to run the way of his Testimonies 1 King 4.29 Prov. 2.10 11 12. Psal 119.32 4 Then and not else are others Commendations good As the fining-pot for silver and the furnace for gold so is a man to his praise Prov. 27.21 The sense is variously given this seems to me most full and consonant if ch 17.3 be compared where the same comparison is used So is a man to the trial of his Praise Others Commendations are to be case into the fining-pot of our own Consciences If these convince that we are dross what are we the better though they cry us up for Gold Let thy Conscience be good or their Commendatio will not do good but hurt * Non ideo bona est Conscientia quia vos illam laudatis Quid enim laudatis quod non videtis Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 49. 'T is not whom Man commendeth but whom God commends and Conscience commends in and under God that is approved 2 Cor. 10.18 1 Joh. 3.20 5 My Comforts will be great Who knoweth the great Comforts of a good Conscience Of which hereafter 'T is acknowledged that Comfort doth immediately grow rather out of the Testimony of a good Conscience than out of its truth of goodness But this is the root and fountain-head of it that the Conscience is truly good and this streams shame and consternation to accusers support and comfort to such as have this good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Pet. 3.16 Let the fountains of the deep be broken up this will be an Ark of safety from the Deluge and a continual feast in the days of affliction and distress 1 Pet. 3.21 Prov. 15.15 6 My Crown will be glorious Assure the Conscience good here and I dare assure you the Crown of Glory hereafter The good Conscience hath its record on high and is assured of its reward on high Its Witness is in Heaven and it ensureth a welfare in Heaven also There is a great recompense of reward if you keep your Conscience and cast not away your confidence No sooner shall you have discharged your Consciences but God will deliver you the Crown I have fought a good fight saith Paul I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing Job 16.19 Heb. 10.35 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 2ly Argue it with Conscience Direct 2 Self-reasoning conduceth much to self-reformation arguing with Conscience to the amendment of Conscience Psal 42.5 11. 43.5 1. Argue from its preferring honour by this it is that I am difference from and dignified beyond the bruits and shall my glory descend in shame and my best honour in a worse than brutish obstinacy shall their brutish goodness out-brave mine who have the principles of a man and bear the profession of a Christian shall they know and I not consider shall their knowledg be according to its kind good and my Conscience continue bad Let mens credit be never so great if their Conscience be not therewith good they are accounted no better than beasts in the sight of God Isa 1.3 Jer. 8.7 Psal 49.20 2. From the place it holds 1. In Man Conscience is not placed in the lower sensitive and earthly but in the higher intellectual and heavenly part of Man shall my best be evil my light darkness my heaven-born power but as an earthen pitcher If I be not good in this where should where shall I be good 2. Over Man God hath given it dominion over the whole man and 't is to have the ducture in all matters and shall not my Conscience be good whose command is so great shall that abide yet further evil whose authority is of so vast extent 3. Under God He hath made it a god to thee as Moses sometimes was to Pharaoh Exod. 7.1 It is God's Vicegerent in thee who is and doth good and shall not this be good that holds next under God 3. From the perfections it had How choice were they as Conscience was created and came off from the workmanship of God! Eccles 7.29 Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 And doth not every Creature even to the crawling worm contend toward the recovery of its lost perfection and proper good Shall man then or shall I only who am endowed with an intelligent and immortal Spirit sit down at rest in the evil lost by me and not reach after the good that lieth before me and is tendered to me 4. From the power it hath It can as one saith * Annesly Lect. Ep. 5. do any thing but make evil good Let Conscience be bad and it maketh not only an indifferent but a good action bad as before Let Conscience be good and it maketh an indifferent Action good and though it doth not alter the nature yet it abateth the malignity of an Action that is in
it self evil as in the Polygamy of the Patriarchs And should not this power be good whose power is so great both for evil and for good 5. From the Principles it owneth 1. In Nature Doth not even Nature it self teach me that my Conscience be good whatsoever pains it cost me or whatever be the persecutions from men wherewith it may be consequenced The very Heathens have therefore prescribed means and pressed motives 2. In Grace how much more am I taught to exercise my self herein and engage my self hereunto by all the principles of godliness and by all the Promises of the Gospel 6. From the Offices it is to perform Can my Conscience do well if it be evil do not its Offices for God require that it be holy and good Conscience hath the office of 1. A Minister and is therefore obliged to be good a bad Minister being the worst of Men there is little hopes of its ministring good unless it be a good Minister 2. Of a Magistrate who should be most eminently and exemplarily good and a Minister to thee for good 3. Of a Witness 4. And of a Judg which must be good or they will do evil do evil themselves and not deliver Souls from extremity and injustice 3ly Direct 3 Apply you to the Causes of a good Conscience The Causes improved the effect will ensue These are principal or less principal 1 The Principal is God Every good and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of Lights The good Conscience is from the God of Conscience The God that made thy Conscience can alone make thy Conscience good Acknowledg him then in all thy ways and he shall direct thy paths Ask of him by prayer and strong crys as David did Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes Incline my heart to thy Testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes Create in me a clean heart O God Jam. 1.17 Psal 119.36 68 80. 1. It proceedeth from the good-will of the Father The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding 'T is He that putteth Wisdom in the inward parts and giveth Understanding to the Heart Press thy Heart to consider it and plead with him in Supplication who delights to be urged with the liberousness of his own acts of Grace and giveth liberally to him that asketh Job 32.8 c. 38.36 Jam. 1.5 2. It is procured by the great worth of the Son who was made sin for us to take sin from us and in the likeness of sinful flesh by a sacrifice for sin hath condemned sin in the flesh and so brings us to God 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Joh. 3.5 Rom. 8.3 marg 1 Pet. 3.18 The good Conscience costs no less price than the Blood of God the Blood of Christ was shed that the besmeared Conscience might be sprinkled and purged for the peculiar service of God Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 10.22 c. 9.4 Apply then the meritorious and medicinal vertue that is in the Blood of Christ for cure of those maladies and bruises that are in thy Conscience Apply it by an hand of Faith make it thine Put thou on the Lord Jesus Christ Bring it down to thy case let this Blood be sprinkled on thy Conscience apply it in ardent prayer come unto God by him present his Merit with thy malignity to Divine mercy Plead his worthiness in thy unworthiness his stripes for thy healing the righteousness of Christ for the renovation of thy Conscience Pursue thy petitions upon the price he hath paid 3. It is produced by the gracious work of the Spirit If Conscience be spiritual and gracious it comes from the spirit of Grace if pure if holy 't is by the power of the Holy Ghost 'T is carnal till the Spirit comes never spiritual till born of the Spirit It is the spirit of life which sets it free from the law of sin and death Joh. 3.5 Rom. 15.13 16. Rom. 8.2 What Evangelical Truths are imprinted on the good Conscience they are of the Spirit 's writing 2 Cor. 3.3 What Evangelical Testimony is imparted by the good Conscience 't is of the Spirit 's working of his working for us who also witnesseth therewith in us Rom. 8.15 c. 9.1 Put not off the Spirit then in its motions and essays upon you which he maketh ply to him with all diligence and dearness put him not off with delays much less shouldst thou provoke him with a denial Let Steven speak why the Jews were uncircumcised in heart Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost Act. 7.51 Rather pray in the Spirit which God hath promised to pour out And who knows but Beggars may be blest in that branch of the Promises of his Grace I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Prov. 1.23 Luk. 11.13 Ezek. 36.27 2 The less principal Causes are 1. an operative faith and love within you 2. the ordinances for faith and love without you 1. Let there be an operative faith and love within you These like Judah and Simeon his Brother come up into each others lots to subdue the Canaanites and set right the Conscience Let there be Charity out of a pure heart and Faith unfeigned and thou canst not be left without a good Conscience which the Apostle lodgeth in the midst of these as the Tabernacle of the Congregation was in the midst of the Camp Judg. 1.3 1 Tim. 1.5 Numb 2.17 Both of them have a blessed operation and tendency first to purifie then to pacifie the Conscience Of which hereafter 2. Live in the Ordinances for Faith and Love Be much in Praying Hearing Reading Meditation Conference the end of all these Commandments of God is to make thy Conscience good Cry after him and continue in them for this end make God's end thy errand to them and your heart shall live that seek God 1 Tim. 1.5 Psal 69.32 You wrong your own Souls that wave the Ordinances of our Saviour How many an evil Conscience hath been healed and cured by them How many a bad Conscience have been made good and how many a good Conscience have been made better The way is as open to you as it was to them follow God in them forsake not the ways of his Gospel you shall know if you follow on to know the Lord. Continue at the gates of Wisdom come for Wisdom to her gates and thou shalt not come off a loser yea if thou criest after knowledg and liftest up thy voice for understanding If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Prov. 8.33 ad finem Hos 6.3 Prov. 2.1 6. 4. Attend Conscience throughout Direct 4 If Conscience be not good throughly 't is not good truly See that this goodness go throughout Conscience To this is requisite 1. a right apprehension of
Tell him with Job Behold I am vile and with Agur Surely I am more brutish than any man I have not the understanding of a man Prov. 28.13 Psal 32.5 6. Job 40.4 Prov. 30.2 3 Abhor thy self in the sense of it A prostrate self-abhorrence will surely purge thy Conscience and blot that consciousness of sin thou hast contracted both out of God's debt-book and thy own day-book Whereof Job and David are plain and pregnant instances Job 42.6 Psal 51. This Medicament is a sure preventive and safe purgative of a putrified Conscience it includeth these two as the principal ingredients 1. Self-displicence in sorrow and indignation with thy self as David Oh! that I should be such a fool such a sot such a beast 2 Cor. 7.11 Psal 73.21 22. 2. Self-defiance in shaming and judging thy own self renouncing thy righteousness and ripping up thy follies and filthiness and loathing thy self in thy own sight O Lord righteousness belongeth to thee but to me shame and confusion of face O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face c. Ezek. 6.9 c. 16.63 Dan. 9.7 8. Ezra 9.6 3. Rev. 2.5 Renew Do over the first works for thy former washing The door of Mercy stands as open as heretofore Thy duty to use the means and the efficacy of the means upon a due use of them is as observable as heretofore Then thou wert without strength and couldst not co-operate with divine Grace nor any more cleanse thy sin than the Ethiopian can change his skin In that first work thou wert meerly passive Rom. 5.6 Jer. 13.23 Job 14.4 * See Saryl ad loc But now the case is altered the least Saint is not without a little strength Grace is communicated and doth expect thy co-operation with it self that a man purge himself Rev. 3.8 2 Tim. 2.21 2 Cor. 7.1 Renew then 1 the advised provision Q. 5. Dir. 3. Particularly 2 the application of the Promises this is not only an excellent congruity and an evident connexion between the Promises of Christ and the purging of our Conscience but they exhibit a Copy how we should purge and effectually conveigh a power whereby ye shall purge the Conscience and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Pet. 1.4 3 Renew the ardour of thy Prayers these will engage and sanctifie all other endeavours engage Heaven and thy own Heart follow thy work close here and with much constancy Double the duty and thy diligence therein Remember the Psalmist how he reiterated this Petition Wash me purge me cleanse me create a clean heart in me Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51.2.7 10. 4 Renew the Acts of these holy Principles in thee Faith Hope and Love as they were of past so are they of present and perpetual efficacy so the expressions intimate Act. 15.9 1 Joh. 3.3 Purifying 't is not said having purified their Hearts by Faith He that hath this hope purifieth himself c. Send Faith afresh then to the Blood of Christ and the blessed Covenant of Grace for cleansing and let this stir up and streng then the other implanted Habits to their several imployments Shew Hope a further sight of those pure and perfect Glories which God hath prepared and promised The more this glorious Purity becomes the matter of thy Hope for hereafter the more will a gracious Purity become the matter of thy attempts and aspirings here And to besure the more thou lovest pureness of heart the more wilt thou apply thy self for and shalt attain of heart-purity CHAP. IV. Of the Peaceable and Disquiet Conscience Q. 1. Whether the Conscience that is not Evangelically good or pure may yet enjoy great peace and so whether a Man may safely conclude his Conscience is pure because 't is quiet and at peace I. Prop. 1 IF you understand peace of Conscience in the most proper precise and strict notion thereof then can there be no peace of Conscience where there is no purity 'T is first pure then peaceable There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Others may sing a Requiem to them Peace peace and they may bless themselves in their own hearts saying I shall have peace but my God saith there is no peace Jam. 3.17 Jer. 6.14 Deut. 29.19 Isa 57.21 The quiet of such Consciences some please to call a Truce but cannot allow it the name of peace If that here is only a temporary suspension of arms no total cessation * See Dyk good Cons p. 31 32. the quarrel is not taken up Conscience is but taking more time to right it self and revenge their stubbornness Peace of Conscience if we understand it strictly imports more than an immunity from inward Concertations and Concussions it implieth also an enjoyment of it self with a victorious serenity in the felicitating smiles of God's Countenance and in viewing the spoils of Sin and Satan its vanquished adversaries Rom. 15.13 Phil. 4.7 Joh. 14.27 It presupposeth peace with God as its prime basis upon which it rests and into which it is resolved as its principal cause Peace of Conscience being originally but the reflex of this that God is reconciled and at peace with us Rom. 5.1 2. Job 22.21 Men of impure Consciences are upon terms of enmity not of peace with God they are against him and he against them Ephes 2.16 Psal 18.26 2. It presupposes a propriety in Christ who is our Peace whose death for us is the sole price of our reconciliation and peace with God and whose Union with us and the communion with and conformity to him is the signal evidence thereof But the impure Conscience hath no interest in Christ he is not only without Christ but at war and enmity with Christ Ephes 2.14 Rom. 5.1 10. 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Fph. 2.12 Col. 1.21 3. It is produced by Faith Faith Evangelical giveth us peace with God and God giveth us peace in and by the exercise of faith Faith unites us with God in Christ and so 't is peace in Heaven here is its direct act and then Faith unfolds and reviews this Union and so 't is peace in the Heart here is its reflex act Now the impure Conscience hath no saving Faith which doth still first purifie then pacifie the Conscience Rom. 5.1 c. 15.13 Ephes 3.17 18 19. 1 Joh. 5.11 12 13. Joh. 5.44 Act. 15.9 4. Besides this peace is made the priviledg the incommunicable priviledg of the Church and Kingdom of Christ who are said to be clean through his word Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you c. i. e. to you not only eminently above others but exclusively to you and not to any others Rom. 14.17 Joh. 14.27 cum 15.3 II. Prop. 2 But if you understand peace of Conscience in a larger and less proper sense in the vulgar notion and latitude of this expression as it imports the quietness thereof from inward arrests
anguish accusations agonies or affrights yea or as it implies some security and satisfaction thereof in the present condition wherein they now stand there may not only be no sting but some suavities of Conscience now and then there may be and often is great peace of Conscience where there is no goodness no purity of the Conscience The Scriptures abound with instances of this kind from whence I shall infer that you may have such a peace of Conscience 1. Though you rest in a state of sin and corruption for so had Paul before his Conversion Conscience was quiet and cheery till the Commandment came so had the young man ere he converseth with Christ Conscience doth not trouble him ere Christ talketh with him Rom. 7.9 Mat. 19.22 2. Though you resolve upon sin against knowledg and after conviction the contumacy of the Will may so far muzzle the mouth of Conscience Judas is resolved upon betraying Jesus a crime of whose horrour he could not but be convinced by many and clear notices yet till they had condemned Jesus Conscience never condemneth Judas Mat. 27.3 They resolve to perpetuate their sin yet say in their hearts We shall have peace Deut. 29.19 3. Though you run on in sins of the highest consideration They that gave themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness felt no lash of Conscience Ephes 4.19 Yea such as were filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy as to man and haters of God Covenant-breakers c. did not find the least regret or remorse of Conscience Rom. 1.28 31. 4. Though you are rushing upon the Sword of God's Justice to your own confusion with Balaam whose madness the dumb Ass rebuked before Conscience delivereth in the least reproof or maketh the smallest impression upon him When vindictive Justice hath been pursuing them to the heels some there have been that never did so much as put this question to their hearts What have I done but run on with boldness as the Horse rusheth into the battel and sung this Syren-song to their own Conscience Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Numb 22.23 c. Jer. 8.6 Mich. 3.11 5. Though you may remind ever and anon what will be the sequel and consequence of such courses which you live in Such accounts are either carelesly intended He heareth the words of the Curse Yet blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace Deut. 29.19 Or contumaciously inverted Let us eat and drink say they for to morrow we shall die If there be so much danger let us make the best of our deck while we may Art thou come to torment us before the time Isa 22.13 c. 56.12 Mat. 8.29 6. Though you are under the arrest of some present judgment Conscience did not awake nor did they consider in their heart no not now when their own doings had beset them about Hos 7.2 O Lord saith the Prophet thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved Jer. 5.3 7. You may reckon your peace safest when perdition is speediest When they shall say peace peace i.e. assured abundant peace then sudden destruction like the throws of a travailing Woman shall sieze upon them and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 The greater their security and the more voluntary their calamity will be the more sudden and without remedy Prov. 29.1 8. In short your Conscience may remain quiet yet unclean even at the approaches of death and under the agonies of sickness Nabal is sick ten days yet Conscience speaks not any troubles or distress to him his Heart died within him and he became as a stone so stupid was it and insensible 1 Sam. 25.37 38. 9. Yea unto and in their removal by death in the very last congress with the King of Terrours Soul take thine ease saith the rich man even to the very night that his Soul was required of him Job tells you that the houses of the wicked are of times safe Heb. peace from fear They spend their days in wealth or mirth and in a moment go down to the Grave One dieth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet There are no bands in their death saith the Psalmist Dives finds no terrours of Conscience till he falls into Hell-torments Luk. 12.19 20. Job 21.9 13 23. Psal 73.4 Luk. 16.22 23 25. You may then live cheerfully and die quietly yet with defiled Conscience Nor may you think that this false peace is only fallen into by the prophane world 10. Nay Professors and some of the highest rank and reputation have perished through this false peace witness Ananias and Sapphira nor may we forget Laodicea The foolish Virgins who had the company the commendation of the wise are not convinced of the want of grace or unsoundness of their peace till they hear the Proclamation Behold the Bridegroom cometh And now the door is shut against them Act. 5.2 c. Rev. 3.17 Mat. 25.6 c. III. Prop. 3 There is no concluding then from the peace and quietness of thy Conscience to the purity and goodness of thy Conscience For 1. there is many a peaceable or quiet Conscience that was never pure or clean The ignorant the secure the seared Conscience as one Modern largely sheweth * Dyke's â—ood Cons â— 24 ad â—5 The ignorant the unawakened the deluded the hardened Conscience as another * Sheffield's â—od Cons â— 18 pag. â—48 ad â—56 Nay 2. that Conscience which is least pure least clean is most peaceable and quiet usually As the seared or cauterized Conscience which is past feeling but plunged in all manner of filthiness 1 Tim. 4.2 cum 1.3 Ephes 4.19 Consider 3. Peace of Conscience is no mark of a pious Christian singly and of it self nor do we find it simply insisted upon by them as such I never find any Saint in the whole Scripture pleading it as the signal evidence much less as the sole evidence of his justification and change from death to life When they would clear their being in and blessedness by Christ they do not attempt the proof of it by their peaceable and quiet enjoyments of themselves or of him but by their pious intercourse with and conformity to him in the crucifying of their sins and quickning of their Souls Rom. 8.1 2 c. 1 Joh. 2.3 c. c. 3.19 c. Paul's rejoycing was the testimony of his Conscience That in simplicity and godly sincerity not that in serenity and grateful suavities he had had his conversation in Christ 2 Cor. 1.12 4. A polluted Conscience may enjoy more peace such as it is than doth many a pure Conscience What tasts have many such of the Heavenly gift and of the good Word of God yea and of the Powers of the World to come who yet have not arrived to the things that accompany Salvation Whereas others are chastened every morning have sorrow in their heart daily For
peace have great bitterness and are afflicted from their youth up Heb. 6.4 5. cum 9. Psal 73.14 Psal 13.2 Isa 38.17 Psal 88.15 IV. Prop. 4. If you would conclude the goodness of your Conscience you should rather argue forward from purity to peace than backward from peace to purity Begin first at the Kingdom of God which is first righteousness than peace as the wisdom which is from above is first pure than peaceable Mat. 6.33 Rom. 14.17 Jam. 3.17 Remember 1. It is purity of Conscience is the principle of peace of Conscience I mean of sound and saving peace This excellent rest is the effect of righteousness Peace followeth Grace in all the Apostolical Salutations and floweth from it To be spiritually-minded is life and peace Isa 32.17 Rom. 1.7 c. 8.6 2. Peace is but a priviledg and a separable priviledg of purity and grace So that it is neither proper nor prudent to prove grace by peace Into what a labyrinth of perplexing and amazing fears may you involve your selves while you limit your arguments and proceed by peace Especially there being so many evidences of much grace where there was no peace in Job David Heman and others 3. Your peace will never prove your purity simply and by it self There is that nearness and similitude between the false and sophisticated peace of sinners on the one hand and the sound and saving peace of Saints on the other hand if they are materially considered Doth this Saint feel no sting of Conscience neither doth that Sinner Hath this Saint suavities of Conscience so that Sinner You must proceed further therefore in your Enquiries Doth my peace result from the enjoyment of my self in the God of Peace as my supream end and soveraign good from the enervating of Sin and Satan the grand enemies of Peace which war against my Soul From the entire subjection of my whole Man to the Prince of Peace in my quiet and chearful compliance with his Government c. These things prove indeed the truth of your Peace but they take in Grace with it and are but an intermediate proof of your Peace viz. as they are the immediate effects and evidence of your Grace 4. Prove your Purity and it will prove your Peace then If the Lord Jesus be a King of Righteousness to you he will be after that a King of Peace also Heb. 7.2 But truth is peace of Conscience without purity is both defiling Vnto them that are defiled is nothing pure yea and damning it accelerateth Mens destruction Though false peace like those Locusts in the Revelation hath the appearance of Evangelical Peace as they had the Faces of Men yet their power is like theirs only to hurt Men who do the more irreclaimedly thereby go on in sin like â—he Ox to the slaughter not knowing that it 〈◊〉 for their life till the dart strike thorough â—heir liver and they are inextricably involâ—ed in the snare of death and destruction â—it 1.15 1 Thes 5.3 Rev. 9.7 10. Prov. 7. â—2 23. Q. 2. Whence or from what Causes is it that the false Peace of Conscience ariseth that we may avoid such fearful pits and quick-sands The Causes are many without within the Conscience * See Shepherd sinc Conv pag 133. ad 142. I. Without the Conscience as 1. The Devil who to promote his designs and preserve his Dominion cheateth Souls into and keeps them in this false peace beguiling them with his artifices and guarding them against foreign impressions with his arms And no marvel for it is his interest to keep all here in quietness When the strong man armed keeps the Palace all his goods are in peace 2 Cor. 11.3 Luk. 11.21 He binds carnal persons in his Chains and being his Captives Conscience it self is much-what at his command and pleasure 2 Tim. 2.25.26 Ephes 2.2 He blazons the case if Conscience takes distaste at any time and overlays it with his paint and colours varnishing over our unrighteousness with other appearances according to his deceitful arts Doth Eve startle at his suggestion We may not do it leâ—â— we die Nay saith he ye shall not surely die Ye shall live the sublimest life ye shall be aâ— Gods 2 Thess 2.9 19. Gen. 3.4 5. He blindâ— the Conscience and bars up the doors and windows of the Soul against the light of knowledg lest his deeds and our dismall state should be discovered as well perceiving what a mâ—nifestation of us to our selves this would sooâ— make 2 Cor. 4.4 Joh. 3.20 Ephes 5.13 He baffleth Convictions if at any time they begin upon the Conscience and begets a disbelief of the divine threatnings God hath said Ye shall not eat of it lest ye die saith Eves Conscience No saith Satan God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened c. God pronounceth the furies of War to Ahab and his fall in and by it Satan perswadeth him there is no such matter but he shall reap peace and victory Gen. 3.3 4 5. 1 King 22.22 He bears off commotions whatsoever may disturb the quiet and peace of Conscience which he useth as his Quarters and Palace If a spark of Conviction be let fall in a sickness or some other strait he hath his earth to smother and stifle it or his water to cool and quench it If any seed shall be dropt at a Sermon he like the fowls of the air cometh and catcheth away that which was sown in the heart Luk. 11.21 Mat. 13.19 He bribes the Conscience if it be at any time clamorous or is prone to quarrel Sometimes with the divertisements of sinful or sensual pleasures that the noise of these may out-voice and their musick charm the Conscience Sometimes with the devotions of a stricter profession The drunken rounds and debaucheries of riot will no longer quiet but rather cut and wound the Conscience He is content that Ananias and Sapphira and Simon Magus shall change their company and work too as Judas did so they cleave to him as their Master He knoweth how to put on the appearance of an Angel of Light Sometimes by the delicious sweets of a promise which he either halves or otherwise abuseth The heart happily is at no peace for lack of a promise The babe must have the breast Satan who ever attends his advantage can transform himself into a minister of righteousness and draws out the breast of the Promise as he did unto Christ He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee But he omits the principal part of it and with a purpose of overthrowing him by the security of the Promise when he could not overcome by the sword and spear of his power Ephes 2.2 3. 2 Pet. 2.19 Act. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 11.14 15. c. 2.11 Mat. 4.6 cum Psal 91.11 Well then beware of Satan you have seen his arts be not ensnared by them Be not ignorant of his devices Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be
both clear and quick or expeditious in the judgment Thou needst not call for Law-books or foreign Witnesses With thee is a treasury of Laws and thou art more than a thousand Witnesses 3. If Conscience yet suspends judgment cite her before the supream Judg. Behold Conscience the Judg standeth before the door He is greater than the Conscience to him thou must accompt Thou mayst apologize to me but how wilt thou answer it to him who made thee his deputy and substituted thee upon this very design And hath said to Conscience as Jehoshaphat to his Judges Take heed what ye do for ye judg not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment Wherefore take heed and do it Jam. 5.9 1 Joh. 30.20 2 Chron. 19.5 6 7. 2 See that Conscience pronounce the sentence fully and clearly upon thee An half-sentence can give but half-satisfaction If the sentence be dubious thy Soul will still be in the dark Why all this pains Not for airy hopes but for assurance of the heart before God 1 Joh. 3.19 To this end 1. Be full and clear with Conscience in exposing all thou art and dost to her sentence without any of the restraints of self-love without any reserve for any secret lusts Self-love will be putting in for her immunities A clear and impartial sentence will shake all her foundations hitherto of quiet and self-ease And therefore importuneth Conscience as David sometime did his chief Commanders Deal gently for my sake yea and for thy own sake for thou must sustain the effects of such a sentence 2 Tim. 3.2 cum 5. 2 Sam. 18.5 Secret lusts will be putting in for an indemnity which it may be Conscience hath cockered or at least hitherto connived at Wherefore should we be slain Have not we took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in company c. But Conscience must quit them ere it can clear thec 'T will be a partial sentence if she parteth not with these sins Or if she speak peace it will be but the shew and paint of it so long as ye will walk after the imagination of your own hearts Psal 19.12 13. 18.23 Deut. 29.19 Bring all then before the Bar of Conscience and that Bar without any vails or coverts and tell her as Cornelius told Peter we are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10.33 2. Be free yet close with Conscience You may remember her there will be another audit and what will attend if she shall give a loose or partial judgment Cursed be he that perverteth judgment But remember her withal that therefore this thy appearance is made before her throne of Judicature and thou demandest it as thy right not as a matter of courtesie from her but as of debt and duty As of old it was ordained Thou shalt come to the Judg and enquire and he shall shew thee the sentence of judgment Deut. 27.19 c. 17.9 See thou do not see her by any carnal indulgence for a gift blindeth the eyes of the wise and perverteth the words of righteousness and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery Deut. 16.19 Job 15.34 Nor flatter her by any corrupt inducements The flattering mouth worketh ruin Psal 36.2 Prov. 26.28 Be plain with Conscience Lo I have now put my self my state my salvation upon thy sentence 'T is thy work to condemn or clear me thy eternal wo or weal is concerned in it I require thee as before the supream and all-seeing Judg to judg righteously I do not sollicite for favour but seek justice at thy mouth How long shall I take counsel in my soul When wilt thou bring it to a conclusion that I may know my estate what I am Follow her with arguments and importunities till she answereth thee in the words of the Psalmist I will judg uprightly Psal 75.2 Q. 4. How may we difference the Peace of a good and of an evil Conscience and so discern that ours is a sound and an Evangelical Peace Doubtless there is a difference * See Fenner's Treat of Consc p. 137. to 167. Robinsons Christ all in all p. 187 188 Collin's right way to true peace p. 51. ad 62. or our Saviour had not delivered it as he doth Joh. 14.27 cum 22. But he that would drive this nail to the head for the discovery of his own peace whether it be true or false should discuss it thorowly with his own Conscience how it came to take up this peace The peace that an evil Conscience bears groweth usually out of one of these two roots 1. Either out of the sluggishness of Conscience that puts not the estate upon trial 2. Or from the shifts and unfaithfulness of Conscience if it proceed to trial 1. Fither in the Proposition 2. Or in the Assumption 3. Or in the Conclusion as hath been shewed You should dig to the very bottom in this business Whether this peace be the product of pains prayers and of proving your hearts and states once and again What pains did Conscience take in it What proceed did Conscience make in it Did it give full and infallible marks for the trial of your estates Did it give a faithful and impartial testimony in the trial And did it give a free and unbiassed judgment upon the trial of your estates Produce and prove thy Evidences That your enmity against godliness is turned into peace and therewith amity That you are as earnest for holiness as you were for sin or are for happiness and as great a friend to the purity as to the peace of Conscience Prove that the spirit of peace hath renewed and sanctified you That the Prince of Peace Christ Jesus ruleth in and hath the Soveraignty over you That the God of peace is related as a Father to you and is that supream good and end to whom you finally refer your selves in point of felicity and duty and then your peace which is gathered from these Premisses is proved therewith to be true pious and Evangelical But to give you the difference enquired after though every thing I herewith offer doth not serve to discover it effectually in such a practical inquiry without some further reference The Evangelical peace of the good Conscience and the quiet or peace of an evil Conscience are different 1. In the eminency of this Evangelical Peace 1. In point of truth That other is but the shadow and semblance of peace but this is solid substantial peace 'T is peace peace Isa 26.3 c. 57.19 not only the resemblance or appearance of peace but real rich assured abundant peace But there is no peace saith my God unto the wicked ver 21. Isa 48.22 Let men call it by the title of peace yet God accounts it to be in truth no peace 2 In point of tranquillity That other is mostly but negative a freedom from storms but this is positive a fulness of serenity There
Conscience is asleep and therefore quiet but here it 's awake and at work and therefore are they comforted yea filled oft-times with comfort under variety of crosses They are not only not vexed not frighted or only fed by Conscience but find a continual feast in the peace of their Conscience 2 Cor. 1.1 2. c. 7.4 Prov. 15.15 3 In point of transcendency That soon evaporates into airy imaginations and intoxicates affections But this peace is both serious and superlative The Soul feels what the other never found or can fathom Nay he feels more than himself can utter or indeed comprehenlively understand This peace passeth all understanding not only others but his own Rev. 2.17 Phil. 4.7 4 In the principle transfering it Peace I leave with you saith Christ my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Joh. 14.27 5 In the proper treasury of it These things have I spoken saith he that in me ye might have peace Joh. 16.33 This is not a peace then of the world's giving nor of our own getting We neither get it of our selves nor get it out of our selves 'T is a peace of Christs giving the Christian goeth to him for it in the purity of peace and glorieth in him as the procurer and peculiar object of his peace He is our peace say Believers Rom. 5.1 c. 2.7 Ephes 2.14 2. In the extent of Evangelical peace See 1 from what it extendeth it self 1. From the indwelling of Satan He like a strong man armed keeps the other's heart as his house and so its peace while his possession is undisturbed Being willing captives in whom he works effectually he suffers them to walk at ease and quiet Luk. 11.21 2 Tim. 2.26 Ephes 2.2 But this peace alway presupposeth his dispossession and devestment from power the binding of him for you and the bruising of him under you the taking of his armor from him and treading of him under the feet of you The God of peace shall bruise or tread satan under your feet shortly Luk. ibid. 22. Col. 1.13 Rom. 16.20 2. From the dominion of sin The security of the evil Conscience is in that sin hath the entire command and suffers not conviction to embroil Conscience Rom. 1.21 c. 7.9 Amos 6.1 3 c. But Evangelical security is founded upon the excussion of sin and extrusion thereof out of command and authority in the Soul While sin reigns there is no sound rest To be carnally minded is death to be spiritually minded is life and peace Psal 19.13 Rom. 2.8 9 10. c. 7.9 10 11. c. 8.6 3. From the displeasure of God The tranquillity of evil Consciences is taken up mostly either from God's seeming silence at their sins and suspending of his severities or from their insensibleness of what he threatens and shifting it from themselves to others or from the smiles of his providence upon them in common enjoyments and blessings When yet all this while he reserves his anger and it shall smoke against such sinners Psal 50.21 22. Eccles 8.11 Deut. 29.19 20. Mal. 2.2 But Evangelical peace extends it self beyond God's not punishing or not threatning or not being provoked and beyond God's prospering and preserving His comforts are that God is his portion God is pleased his person justified and his works accepted His cares are how he may please God and walk worthy of his good pleasure and never is he so cheery as in the Conscience of this that he pleaseth God which trieth our hearts Psal 4.8 Rom. 5.1 Eccles 9.7 1 Cor. 7.32 Col. 1.10 Heb. 11.5 1 Thes 2.4 In examining then the truth of this peace let these be some of thy principal enquiries Whether Satan was ever disturbed and dethroned and thy Soul delivered from under his power in the dominion of the Prince of Peace and to do and endure his pleasure Whether sin be dead in thee and thou to sin and thy Soul desireth as well peace from sin and power against sin as to be preserved from smart and anguish Whether God be pleased with thee and thy greatest care be to please him and to commend thy Conscience and Conversation to his sight and approbation 2 See what this Evangelical Peace extendeth it self unto 1. To all the subject the whole Conscience yea the whole Christian to comfort keep confirm him in his Communion with God But especially it shall keep your hearts and minds and these in believing your inward powers in the inward power of godliness Phil. 4.7 Rom. 15.13 2. To all Circumstances for the enjoyment of it self under them and the improvement of it self by them While he senseth this peace he can swallow any persecution nor only rejoyce in hope of the glory of God but glory in tribulation also c. Rom. 5.1 2 3. 3 To all the Causes Supream subordinate Supream Oh! how it extendeth it self to the God of Peace Father Son and Holy Ghost in an enriching Communion with them an exact Conformity to them and a most endearing Complacency in and with them while the God of Love and Peace is with these Rev. 1.4 5. Phil. 4.9 Heb. 13.20 21. Subordinate How are their own feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace and how beautiful are others feet to them that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring the glad tydings of these good things Ephes 6.15 Rom. 10.15 Wouldst try the truth of thy Peace turn in hither and examine the extent of it by these particulars that false peace falls short and though like those Locusts St. John mentioneth which had the faces of men Rev. 9.7 10. it may have some appearance of and approaches toward this peace yet as they were fierce and far from the nature of men so it is utterly alien from and adverse unto it in these particulars 3. In the efficient matter form and end of this Evangelical Peace These kinds of peace are widely different when the causes are so wide and different 'T is called the Peace of God Phil. 4.7 This is a peace that cometh from God he is the maker of it 2. In Communion with God here is the principal matter of it 3. Conformable to God here is the mould and form of it 4. Carried after and concludeth in and with God he is the ultimate end of it 1 Enquire then into the efficient of your peace The Principal Came it from the God of Peace That other peace is of our own or others coyning but this is of God's creating 'T is he that fills with peace in believing Isa 57.19 Rom. 15.13 If it came from God it carrieth thee to and keeps thee with God Hither doth this Soul turn alone for peace On him he trusts for peace and with him he tarries till he shall speak peace Hos 6.1 Isa 26.3 Psal 85.8 The Procatarctick Came it through and by the blood of Christ Peace of Conscience is of Christ's procuring He got it for you by the merit of Redemption He
then make you draw off your guards and centinels or make you more diligent and circumspect 2 Greater fortitude of spirit forbearing troubles breaking thorow tentations and baffling all the assaults of flesh and blood upon the sanctified habits and faculties The peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall keep it as with a garrison as that word is elsewhere used Joh. 16.33 Phil. 4.7 cum 2 Cor. 11.32 It shall fit you for resistance fill you with resolution and free you from those returns of fraud and force which make others become their prisoners * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Scho. Doth this peace then cool and slacken your resolutions for duty especially in case of discouragements and difficulty or doth it quicken and add spurs and wings to it 3 Greater vigors of obedience A formal peace is the best effect usually of that Pharisaical peace But this Evangelical peace is not without an Evangelical power upon the heart within and in the acts without Rom. 14.17 cum 1 Cor. 4.20 2 Tim. 1.3 cum 6. This Soul not only maintains a course or track in spiritual matters but manageth them with a spiritual mind His spiritual peace begets a spiritual plenty and now he can easily step over what heretofore stumbled him No offence is so great to him as that his obedience is no greater He not only liveth up to Gods testimonies but he loves him exceedingly Rom. 8.6 Psal 119.165 169. Doth your peace then make you more slight and formal in duty or more spiritual and vigorous Are they not only more bulky but more strong and sincere fuller of the sap of love and of the spirit of life 4 Greater vivacity of Holiness Evangelical peace is ever prospered to Evangelical grace and growth See how it fructifieth and clusters Rom. 5.1 6. Gal. 5.22 23. Let the day of that false peace be as the harvest-time to the formal hypocrite His righteousness is now all gathered into barn But 't is as the seed-time to the faithful soul The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace Jam. 3.18 Now is this Soul's time to be distributing the seeds of righteousness for God and among men and by the oyl of gladness to make increase likewise of the oyl of grace This holy peace puts him upon perfecting holiness in himself and provoking others Souls to take and taste thereof likewise Heb. 13.20 21. Psal 66.16 34.8 51.12 13. Q. 3. May not the Soul that enjoys ease and tranquility after eminent troubles of Conscience infer that his is Evangelical peace In no wise * See Sheffield's good Cons c. 18. pag. 263 c. Though a good Conscience may prove greatly troublesom after great tranquility yet the greatest tranquility after the greatest troubles cannot simply and by it self prove Conscience good Because the Devil turns in men hither and a deceitful heart often taketh up here I have felt the terrors of the Lord but now find tranquility and taste of his love as they did Heb. 6.4 5 6. cum 9. Hear me therefore a few things 1. Prop. 2 Every trouble is not a trouble of Conscience that may be so called 1. There is a trouble of carnal policy Herod is troubled and all Hierusalem with him but 't is that Christ is born who might shake his Secular Kingdom not that he was born without Christ or seeth no title to an eternal Kingdom So is the King of Assyria sore troubled But 't is for the defeating of his Counsels not for destroying his corruptions Mat. 2.3 2 King 6.11 2. There is a trouble of Concupiscence and iniquity Ahab is so troubled as he taketh his bed upon it not for want of faith in or forgiveness from God but for want of the Vineyard So is Amnon not that his lust may be subdued but that it may be satisfied upon his Sister Tamar 1 King 21.4 2 Sam. 13.2 3. There is a trouble that is but corporeal and bodily through excess of Melancholy c. which is sometimes mixt sometimes meerly such This disordereth the imagination or fancy This again distempereth the passions these discompose the natural spirits these again drive to and fro and agitate the humours of the body and so all is in a commotion nothing is quiet And now happily a mans own spirit falls upon him within and an evil spirit from the Lord also from without And then terrour taketh hold of him on every side as it did upon Saul But what are these troubles Rather of sickness than for sin from the oppression of nature rather than in order to grace at least originally if not only 1 Sam. 16.14 I presume you will not call it peace of Conscience to have a period or conclusion put to any or all of these 2. Eminent troubles of Conscience there may be Prop. 2 and often are which are neither preparatory to nor productive of peace but rather a providential fulfilling of God's threatnings and a preface sometimes to greater torments as they were to Cain and Judas Will you read his threatning The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind and thou shalt fear day and night In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear Deut. 29.65 67. Lev. 26.36 Isa 8.21 22. God may remit then or remove such troubles as he doth other temporal judgments without renovation of the person or the blessing of a religious peace 3. Prop. 3 Eminent troubles of Conscience may and have ended in a still and sapless formality without sincerity or sanctifying the Conscience The Pharisees are a clear and confessed instance Conscience arrests the Jews with fears and conscernation Away they betake them to a course of prayer and fasting but in both formal And so Conscience is at rest but as the Psalmist observeth was not right in them Isa 58.2 c. Psal 78.33 37. Ananias and Sapphira seem pricked in their heart but were not purified in their heart Formality drew out that prick but drew on their perdition Conscience takes hold on Magus on Ahab and others and they are troubled But wherein ended their pangs of Conscience In a sound peace No but in a spiritless profession and practice of some external duties without any saving change upon them Act. 2.37 cum 5.1 c. 8.13 c. 1 King 21.27 cum c. 22. This amounts to no more than a silencing of such troubles not the sanctifying of them Formality is as bad an evidence of the truth of our peace as it is of the truth of our grace 4. Prop. 4 Eminent troubles and distresses of Conscience may and have ended in stupidity and dedolence The smiting reproving Conscience may become a seared remorsless Conscience witness Pharaoah Felix Belshazzar What pangs of Conscience might you have sometime found them in who within
See thou do not baffle with or break from him Quench none of his motions be they never so strict or seem they never so severe They all tend to grace they all end in peace And though he be as yet a spirit of bondage to fear it is not to exulcerate Conscience more sharply but to heal it the more soundly and that he may be a spirit of adoption to thee whereby thou maist cry Abba father 1 Thes 5.19 Isa 61.1 Rom. 8.15 2 Attend his ways before thee not only his ways in the Sanctuary without thee in the means of grace as praying hearing c. but his ways that are more spiritual within thee in the motions of grace and minding of Spiritual and gracious matters The less spiritual-mindedness the less serenity of mind What blustrings are there here beneath But above 't is all in an happy tranquility There are no tempests or thundrings in the upper region Call up thy Conscience and its Colleagues thither and keep them conversant about spiritual and heavenly Objects and thou shalt then soon know what is the communion of the Spirit and what these suavities of Conscience are To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually is life and peace Phil. 3.20 21. cum 18 19. Col. 1.9 10. Rom. 8.5 6. 3 Attend the witness of the Spirit in and with thee It is the Spirit that beareth witness saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 5.6 Which he doth not only externally in the Scriptures but internally to and with our spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.16 A single witness under the law was of no moment But at the mouth of two witnesses shall the matter be established Deut. 19.15 Jo. 8.17 Lo two witnesses are tendered upon the case to clear it God's spirit and our spirit both of them needful and useful to testifie the things of God and the things of man For what man knoweth the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 3.11 The spirit witnesseth to and with our spirit or Conscience in and throughout its whole argumentation and progress whereupon it concludeth its peace E. g. All those that with child-like appretiation affiance and affections can cry Abba father are the children of God But I can with a child-like appretiation affiance and affections cry Abba father Therefore I am a child of God Rom. 8.15 16. The Spirit witnesseth with my Spirit 1. To the truth of the Proposition by an internal manitestation or revelation of that truth to the mind whereof he hath already made an outward revelation in the Scriptures Joh. 14.26 Psal 119.18 2. To the truth of the Assumption by irradiating the Conscience and enabling her in and upon the reflections she maketh to apprehend feel and descry such appretiations and affections in me or whatsoever other mark or medium I am making use of to clear up my estate thereby Eph. 1.17 18. 1 Cor. 2.12 14. 3. To the truth of the Conclusion not only by strengthning her to conclude my state and condition from such appretiations and affections but by shedding abroad such beams of joy and comfort as confirm me therein and seal it up unto my soul 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Rom. 5.5 Eph. 1.13 c. 4.30 Though you must not attend for an external audible testimony from the Spirit * See Hollingw Hol. Ghost on the bench p. 74 75. Ball 's Lif of Faith p. 79. which was never promised and hardly if ever pattern'd Yet you may and must attend for the internal and effectual testimony of the Spirit in effecting exciting heightning and evidencing of his own graces to and in you and in the effusion of the love of God and of his joy upon you which is called the joy in and of the Holy Ghost and is the companion of peace of Conscience Rom. 14.17 1 Thes 1.5 6. Let me only add Thou must not expect as if the Spirit would or could witness peace to thee before it hath wrought grace in thee For its testifying peace to the Conscience is by testifying the truth of thy grace and closing with Christ Thou must first set thy scal to the truth of God in the reception of his testimony by faith in his Son ere the Spirit of truth will seal thee up to the day of redemption Joh. 3.33 cum Eph. 4.30 2 Cor. 1.22 In whom after that ye believed * Quasi dicat non citiùs nec ante sed post sidem in Christum Zanch. ad loc ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 Thus appealing Conscience into and adjuring her by the divine presence will be of notable advantage It will not only awaken and engage Conscience but will awe her from extreams to which Sin and Satan may otherwise incline her and put the more authority and undeniableness into her testimony and sentence as being given not only upon God's commission but with God's contestation and comprobation and so will be the more powerful to arrest and stay scruples to anticipate or answer Satan and ascertain the Soul in the sweetest and steadiest affiance while the testimony and judgment of Conscience to a mans righteousness and reconciliation c. is after such severities and as in the sight of God And her language to the Soul is like that of Eliphaz to Job Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good Psal 17.2 3. 7.3 9 10. 26.1 2 3. Job 13.15 16. c. 23.10 c. 27.2 5 6. c. 5.27 Q. 7. How may we keep Peace of Conscience when once gotten The former Directions C. 2. Q. 7. and those even now given you Q. 7. are of useful review here likewise * See Fenners Treat of Consc p. 200 c. But I shall be particular Direct 1. Keep out sin This is THE make-bate and like a mad man it casteth firebrands arrows and death Her entrance and first embraces its true may promise a mellifluous sweetness But her end is bitter as wormwood sharp as a two-edged sword that pierceth even to the Conscience And if anothers abuse of his liberty may wound your Conscience much more will the ardour of your own lusts Prov. 26.19 c. 3 4. Rom. 6.21 1 Cor. 8.12 Psal 38.3 5. Keep out especially 1 Scandalous sins These fly at God and his glory His name is blasphemed through them and shall you be blessed in them Had Zimri peace who slew his master Though David was the darling of Divine Providence yet farewell his peace when he once fell into such a provocation 2 Sam. 12.14 2 King 9.31 Psal 51.8 11. 2 Self-condemned sins Think not to sin against Conscience and yet sin in quiet Such sins are a daring of Conscience to do its worst and do implicitely condemn her as she doth explicitely condemn them And how can she in such a circumstance acquit and clear Remember what it
comforts though he will not break his Covenant 1 Pet. 5.10 2 Cor. 1.3 Jer. 32.39 40. Isa 59.21 Psal 89.31 35. 2. Besides their tendency or respect is different Grace appertaineth to the being of a Saint Peace to his well-being A man cannot be a Saint without that but he may be a Saint though sad without this A man doth not cease to be because he ceaseth to be well Sickness doth not unman us though it unmirths us 2. Neither may we measure the strength of grace by our sweets of peace David Job Asaph Heman were most signal instances of the life of piety as well as of the loss of peace They were not so much below others in this but they were as much above them in that The Scriptures do sufficiently furnish us with examples of the greatest works of grace in the greatest want of peace Job 13.15 Hab. 3.17 18. Psal 44.17 25. But of this more hereafter Q. 10. How may we recover Peace of Conscience which we have now lost especially our Souls lying in so much distress and perplexity Direct 1. Take up betimes and suffer not these sores to root deeper in thee or run any longer upon thee I say to thee as Jonathan to his lad Make speed haste stay not And as the voice to Paul Make haste and get thee quickly out of Hierusalem out of this dark and deplorable condition Hasten thy escape from the fearfulness and tremblings those windy storms and tempests that now overwhelm thee 1 Sam. 20.38 Act. 22.18 Psal 55.4 9. 1 To this end read over thy losses and let this give life to renewed labours Hast thou not lost the sight of thy God the sweets of thy grace the suavities of Scriptures and Ordinances and the securities and soul-satisfactions which thou wert wont to take in thy secret and solemn offices and in the delicious views of thy sanctified habits and faculties And canst thou lie still under such sore losses Job 9.11 Lam. 3.17 18. Psal 119.81 82. 2 Ruminate on thy condition and let this quicken thee Is it a condition only of loss of thy dear peace Nay but a condition of lamentable and deep perplexity While it may be friends are bewailing enemies are boasting or blaspheming Satan is tempting sin is troubling and the thoughts of God are a terrour to thee And is this a condition to be rested in from day to day Job 19.21 Psal 69.20 26. 2 Cor. 2.11 Psal 38.3 6. Job 30.15 16. 3 Reflect on thy case yet more distinctly and let this disabuse and excite thee In all other troubles thou hast thy self to befriend thee But in this case when Conscience is smiting and accusing thy self will be engaged against thee thine own Soul will disquiet and perhaps distract thee Conscience will call in all against thee the Affections to awaken and arm their fears cares sorrows c. the Memory to account and sum up thy transgressions which trifled away thy joys both in themselves and in their circumstances thy Understanding to aggravate both thy transgressions and troubles and to answer whatsoever is tendered to reduce her to tranquility Job 30.15 16. Psal 42.5 55.4 5. 40.12 22.14 c. 4 Reckon with thy self what it will come to if thou continue thus and thereby call forth and raise up endeavour Thou art going down-hill apace and must expect without an early anticipation to degenerate from bad to worse from one sorrow to another from casting down to disquiet and from thence to distraction from troubles of Conscience to terrours and from terrours to horrours yea and from one sin to another from oscitancy to obduracy and from thence to obstinacy from despondence to diffidence and from thence happily to despair Psal 42.11 88.15 16. 55.3 Heb. 3.12 13. Psal 73.13 c. 5 Recall thy past comforts and let these constrain thee to mend thy pace Canst thou forget those halcyon days and happy discoveries of divine grace to and in thee when thou heard'st nothing but the sweet sounds of peace either from within or without thee like that of Amasai to David Peace peace be unto thee and peace be to thine helpers How canst thou but cast back a wish with Job thither and quicken thee to thy work O that I were as in months past as in the days when God preserved me when his candle shined upon my head and by his light I walked through darkness and his secret was upon my tabernacle 1 Chron. 12.18 Job 29.2 7. Direct 2. Try over thy condition by an even ballance 'T is possible you may have mistaken your case and thence miss your comforts as the Psalmist did a further trial may set the former right Psal 77.10 71.22 Prov. 13.7 1 Try the cause Whatever be the causes from which to be sure sin is the cause for which these sad concussions are fallen upon thee God afflicteth not willingly 'T is our iniquity doth in a sort inforce him to it Hast thou not procured this unto thy self Yea thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart Psal 38.3 4. Lam. 3.33 Jer. 30.14 c. 2.17 19. c. 4.18 Seek out the Jonah that special sin for which this storm is sent let it not lie sleeping by the sides of the Ship while you are ready to sink or split Know and see wherein hath been this sin this day This is not a time so much for whining over thy losses as for winnowing off thy lusts not so much for sighing out thy complaints as for searching out thy corruptions The Church is not for sitting down and telling over her woes but for searching and trying of her ways in such a condition as this 1 Sam. 14.38 Psal 77.6 Lam. 3.39 40. Yea beg God to search thee and shew thee that sin which hath made so sad a breach Leave thy complaint upon thy self with Job charge not God foolishly Crave his discovery Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Make me to know my transgression and my sin Psal 139.23 Job 10.1 2. c. 13.23 2 The life of Grace is an hidden life hidden not only in Christ but oft-times from the Conscience But then like the treasure which the Gospel tells you of 't is hidden for your search though it be hidden from your sight Col. 3.3 1 Pet. 3.4 Mat. 13.41 Prov. 2.4 Would you dig to the bottom who knoweth but you might descry this treasure and defeat the tentation that is now upon you I acknowledg that it is none of the happiest seasons for trial of the truth of your Sanctification but diligence herein may overcome the difficulties hereof My spirit made diligent search saith Asaph when his state was as arduous and afflicted as yours Psal 77.6 You may find enough to support hope if not to satisfie your heart And though you see little smoke and sensless heat and warmth of grace yet a strict search may discover
in them And where canst thou devolve them better than on him with whom is the multitude of tender mercies and who careth for thee Were thy strength the strength of stones or thy flesh of brass thou art not able to stand up under them But with him is omnipotence he is able to keep that which thou committest to him And in the day of thy calamity will be thy stay Psal 51.1 1 Pet. 5.7 2 Tim. 1.12 Psal 18.18 2. The door stands open to thee Thou hast free liberty to unload all thy burdens here as the Saints have done I poured out my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble Yea thou maist leave thy burdens with him and lean thy whole business and blessedness upon him Trust in him at all times ye people pour out your heart before him God is a refuge for us Selah Nay they that know his name will put their trust in him I will trust and not be afraid saith one Prophet At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee saith another Psal 142.2 55.22 62.8 Isa 12.2 Psal 56.3 3. 'T is thy duty and that God now demands of thee Who is among you that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Behold 't is not only thy liberty thou maist do it therefore no presumption but 't is his law thou must do it or thou sinest against his prescription both here and elsewhere Come then if thou tremblest at sin turn in hither and trust in him Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield You that cannot reflect on him as yours with comfort yet may and should rest in and roll your ways upon him with much composedness such is God's all-sufficience in your insufficience his everlasting strength in your temporary weakness Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 50.10 c. 10.20 Psal 4.5 115.11 37.3 5. Isaiah 26.4 Q. 13. What if a Pious Soul after all his self-examinings and sedulous endeavours cannot only not gather up any present grounds for peace but gives over all his past evidences of grace and peace as unsound and false what shall he do to attain Peace The Premisses in answer to the former Question are of proper and pertinent application hereunto But I add Direct 1. Quicken thy dull heart to a present acceptance of Jesus Christ as thy only Mediator and of God as thy only portion and principal good Happily you might with more ease and less expence by this time have reared up a new fabrick of comfort by falling in with Christ than you have been at for repairing the old frame in which you find so many leaks and cracks However a present close will clear all the suits that are brought against your former tenure For if God be once yours and Christ yours which is the inseparable effect of a present faith then peace is yours too for he is the God of Peace and Christ is the Prince of Peace Isa 26.3 Eph. 2.12 13 14. Rom. 5.1 c. 15.33 Isa 9.6 I grant there is a good and great use of reviewing old evidences and reviving old experiences of which before but in this circumstance when Conscience damns them all as alien or absolete 't is best to fall in with the most present and most proper way to diver the impending extremity and to draw the difference to an immediate head which I apprehend is not so expeditiously done by discussing what is past whether you have sincerely believed or not as by determining the present that you put all out of doubt by a present faith God directs you hereto by his command in case of darkness when you have no light you cannot see him c. The godly have drawn it down into practice also David reflects inwardly and there is nothing but disquiet he therefore resolves to sit poring no longer for pillars of hope within him but by a present trust and hope in God to put his case into more clearness and the result is praise to him and peace to himself Isa 50.10 Job 35.14 Psal 42.11 13.5 cum 3. Let it be supposed then that thy former securities have been unsound yet the door is open by which thou maist enter into peace and live for ever Consult the Directions Quest 6. Art thou not weary and heavy laden lo Christ calls thee Come unto me and I will give you rest You shall find rest for your Souls God quickens and encourageth thee Hast thou played the harlot with many lovers and dealt treacherously with him Yet return again to me saith the Lord. Return and I will heal thy back-slidings c. Mat. 11.28 29. Jer. 3.1 12 14 20 22. Direct 2. Be quiet under this hard dispensation Be still and know that he is God who cannot be conquered must not be complained of Murmurings and complaints as if he were rigorous can never cure thee of thy wounds Well may they cut them wider and pierce them deeper and make them smart with more anguish and bleed in more abundance 'T is quietness under the hands of thy Surgeon and confessing his righteousness and thy rebellion that doth dispose thee to a cure Witness Job's case and Elihus counsel Psal 46.10 Job 6.33 34. 35. 36. Doth God pervert judgment or doth the Almighty pervert justice shall not the judg of all the earth do right How long did he forbear you How much hath he given if not forgiven you If desert be urged he might have lain you ere this in the lowest hell and lodged you in eternal flames for the wages of every sin is no less than eternal death So that his punishment is in no proportion to your desert but far less far below it Rather say God is righteous but I have rebelled Righteousness belongeth to him but to me confusion of face as at this day Job 8.3 Gen. 18.25 Rom. 6.23 Ezra 9.13 Lam. 1.18 Dan. 9.7 Quietness I mean from murmuring aggravations not from matter of action is the most proper and pleasant way to peace with God and peace of Conscience Yea quietness is not without some peace and sedateness from unruly commotions as its inseparable companion And now God doth by Souls as he doth by Ships He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them unto their desired haven Psal 107.29 30. Q. 14. What Considerations are there to quiet the heart in such agonies and distress of Conscience There are many many ways I shall present you some of them and but some which you may gather up from others and from the ordinary effects ends and operation of such troubles on the pious First From others 1 What is there yea what is there not in God which may quiet your hearts If all-sufficience can do it here it