folly which it highly concerns us to be Cured of In the prosecution of this point I shall first declare what a good Conscience is Secondly I shall shew how the acts of a good Conscience and the Acts of the good Spirit of God are to be distinguished Thirdly produce some reasons why it does so highly concern every man to have a good Conscience Lastly Make Application In the first place I am to open what a good Conscience is and before I speak to this it will not be amiss to premise these particulars 1. Conscience was good very good in Adam when he was first made and so continued while he remained in the state of innocency Oh the Light and Grace and Peace that was in Adams Soul when he was newly come out of his Creators hand There was a far sweeter Paradise within than that Eden in which he was placed When the Lord was about to form Man he said Let us make Man in our Image after our Likeness Gen. 1. 26. and ver 27. it follows so God created Man in his own Image nay 't is doubled in the Image of God created he him As Man did ressemble God in Holiness and Righteousnesse so he did resemble him in Peace and Blessedness Man was made upright there was nothing in him that either God or Conscience did disapprove of His Purity was without spot his Righteousness without any mixture of sin his joy was without grief or remorse his peace calm without the least storm or trouble 2. The Conscience of Man was defiled and wounded by his fall Sin did throw the Apostate Angels quite to Hell the chains of Darknesse in which those evil Spirits are may well be interpreted partly to be their guilty and tormenting Consciences which they can never be freed from but will keep them trembling till the great day And truly sin did throw Man down to the very brink of Hell Who can conceive that horrour which was in Adams Soul till the promised Seed was spoken of till he had an intimation of the Messiah VVe are not chiefly to take notice of the act of eating the forbidden fruit but Adams Mind in Eating How great was his Pride he would have been as God how cursed his unbelief he makes God a Lyar and credits the Father of Lies before him Nay since this Tree was appointed for trial whether man would continue good or become evil his Eating of it shewed a contempt of that Covenant and promise of Life which God had made with him By all this how was his Conscience polluted Adam where art thou says God Gen. 3. 9. Thou wert neer me once but whither art thou run away I placed thee in an happy state but whither art thou fallen into what depths of misery hast thou plunged thy self 3. The Conscience of every natural Man in the World is Evil. Since all are conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity it follows that the nature of Man is corrupted there is no part or power in man but the contagion of sin has reached In me that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing sayes the Apostle Rom. 7. 18. Now our Lord calls all natural men Flesh That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh John 3. 6. And if in the Flesh there dwels no good thing Surely a good Conscience is not to be found in any carnal man breathing I affirmed before that Conscience has scaped best of any Faculty in the Fall and yet it must needs be acknowledged that this has been bruised this has been Wounded The Light which Conscience now has if compared with what it had before the Fall is no more than the light of a Candle compared with the Sun 't is Night still though the Candle burns and onely the Sun can make it Day Something of God and of his Will natural Conscience knows but how insufficient is that knowledge Conscience urges Men to Duty but 't is Natural to it to permit them to place a confidence in what they do as if by their Obedience some amends were made for their transgressions and this is a great fault in it and a very grand Impediment unto the receiving of the Gospel which informs us that we must Rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3. How dull and sluggish is Conscience Naturally in the Executing of its Office As Eli spake something to his Sons but faintly and therefore he is blamed exceedingly that his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not So the ungodly make themselves vile and Conscience does not restrain them 't is not so peremptory in its prohibitions and commands so fierce in its accusations neither does it Judge with such Authority as it ought 4. 'T is possible and usual for a Conscience to appear good when 't is stark naught Though all Gold glisters yet all is not Gold that glisters All Grace shines yet all is not Grace that shines There is a Conscience that is so mistaken as to call good evil and evil good as to put darkness for light and light for darkness Isa 5. 20. And if evil be called good and darkness light how eagerly and resolutely will evil be Acted and the Works of Darkness be engaged in The Jews when they Persecuted the Son of God thought they did God good Service Here was a Conscience that seemed Zealous for God but was indeed against him Mens Consciences in many cases entertain high self-conceits where there is no ground Prov. 30. 12. There is a Generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness So Laodicea did say I am Rich and increased with Goods and have need of nothing But this was the Ignorance and unfaithfulness of their Conscience Christ says to them Thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. 5. 'T is necessary that the Spirit work a saving change before the Conscience of any can be truly good this is to be found onely in them that are New Creatures None can be said to have good Consciences that are under the Power of Satan that serve divers Lusts and Pleasures that walk after the Flesh that are workers of Iniquity but such are all who never were regenerated by the Spirit 'T is the Blood of Christ must purge the Conscience from dead works But none can be said to be in Christ nor to have a purged Conscience but they who have been New created 2 Cor. 5. 17. Therefore if any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Old things are past away behold all things are become New I grant that Conscience may be awakened in many unregenerate sinners but the bare awakening of it is not sufficient to prove it good for then in Hell there would be Excellent Consciences for all there are awakened throughly Notwithstanding awakenings Conscience in the ungodly continues evil as long as the guilt of sin remains unremoved
break the Rock so does the Word the the Heart though never so hard and senseless 't is compared also to fire because like fire it does both give light and refine and purifie the Conscience Yeare Clean sayes Christ but how through the word that I have spoken unto you John 15 3. Let the Word of Christ therefore dwell in you richly 't will be an Excellent and effectual Antidote against sin and temptation when your Hearts stand in awe of the Word of God as David's did how will it preserve you from defilement 2. Affliction is like a Furnace to refine That Conscience may be pure Affliction is to be improved The Rod of Affliction though it seem to be dry and withered yet like Aaron's 't will bud and blossom and bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness unto them that are Exercised thereby And before the Apostle informs us that 't is God's design in Afflicting to refine and purifie v. 9 10. We have had Fathers of our Flesh who Corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live For they verily for a few days chastened 〈◊〉 after their own pleasure but He for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness The smart of Affliction does help very much to awaken Conscience and to discover the evil and danger of sin and then sin is found to be ten thousand times more bitter when we reflect upon it than ever was fansied to be sweet in the time of Temptation We may indeed with submission pray against Affliction and intreat that gentler ways may be used to sanctifie us and we may take the more comfort and our sincerity will be the more Evident when milder Methods are effectual One of our English Poets speaks Excellently to this purpose (*) Herbert Discipline pag. 173 174. Throw away thy Rod Throw away thy Wrath. O my God Take the gentle path For my hearts desire Vnto thine is bent I aspire To a full consent Not a word or look I affect to own But thy Book And thy Book alone Though I fail I weep Though I halt in pace Yet I creep To the Throne of Grace Then let wrath remove Love will do the deed For with Love Stony hearts will bleed Love is swift of foot Love's a Man of War And can shoot And can hit from far Who can scape his bow That which wrought on thee Brought thee low Needs must work on me Throw away thy Rod Though Man frailties hath Thou art God Throw away thy Wrath. But if the Father of Spirits sees it meet and needful to use the Discipline of the Rod it concerns us to hear the Voice of it and understand the meaning and this it always speaks and that very plainly that our Consciences and indeed all within us should be more clean and Holy 3. The Blood of Christ purges the Conscience from dead works This is the Fountain which in the Gospel is set open for Sâ—n and for Uncleanness 'T is He who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 5. So Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit Offered up himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the Living God Though our Lord aimed at our Justification and the Remission of sin when he shed his Blood and Sacrificed himself for us yet he had our sanctification and cleansing also in his eye Upon this Account the Apostle Peter tells us That he bear our sins in his own Body on the Tree that we being dead unto sins might live unto Righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 24. And we read Eph. 5. 25 26 27. that Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might Sanctifie and cleanse it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blemish Apply this Blood unto your selves be perswaded that it has a sanctifying vertue and pray for purity as that which is a great part of Christ's purchase as well as your own Perfection 4. If you would have Conscience pure you must not resist but yield unto the Spirit of Christ 'T is his Work not onely to shew sin but to slay it he convinces of sin and also Mortifies the deeds of the Body Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do Mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live The Power of sin is great and this Power is strengthned by the Principalities and Powers of Darkness who do endeavour to keep up sins Dominion So that if the Spirit of the Lord did not shew the exceeding greatness of his Power our Hearts and Consciences would still remain defiled we should never have our Fruit unto Holiness nor the end everlasting Life I have done with that sixth particular The goodness of Conscience lies in the purity of it 7. The goodness of Conscience lies in the calmness and peace of it What the Apostle speaks concerning the wisdom which is from above That 't is first pure and then peaceable may be applied unto a good Conscience first 't is pure then peacable there may indeed be purity without peace but there cannot be true peace without purity There is a false peace which is too commonly found in the ungodly and the Hypocrite this peace sin does not disturb but increase and by this peace the strong man armed does keep possession But true peace is peculiar unto them that are sanctified and when once they have attained unto it they are brought as it were within the Suburbs of Heaven and see the dawning of that Light which is everlasting That you may the better discern this true peace of Conscience I shall set it forth in these particulars 1. True peace of Conscience is founded upon the Blood of God So Christs Blood is called for as he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh so he is expresly affirmed to be over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. There could be no remission of sin without shedding of blood and no other blood would serve the turn the blood of Bulls and goats would not take away sin Heb. 10. 4. Nay supposing that Mans blood had been shed for us it would not have been expiatory Shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my Soul Mic. 6. 7. Nothing but what satisfies the justice of God will satisfie and pacifie the Conscience and bring it to a well-grounded tranquillity but 't is the blood of Christ alone that satisfies divine justice Conscience therefore can have no true rest till that blood be applied Luthers Conscience
be so unfaithful as seldom to admonish yet at length 't will awake and then 't will be found that it knowes and remembers all misdoings The Regenerate likewise have a Conscience which is enlightned and purged and renewed by the Blood and VVord and Spirit of our Lord Jesus 3. As 't is clear from Scripture that there is a Conscience in Man so 't is evident by experience And here I shall make an appeal unto every ones sense and observation in three following questions 1. What is it that speaks to you when (*) Nemo minus solus quam cum solus alone and tells you that there is an All-seeing God but Conscience (l) NOTE Whenever Conscience performs its office aright t is inlightned and acted by the Spirit of God The Spirit therefore is to be acknowledged for without him Conscience would have no light or life or power or feeling 'T is this which brings to your remembrance that the Lord who is so holy is alwayes present that no darkness or retired corner can hide you from him but he compasses your path and your lying down and is acquainted with all your ways 2. What is it but Conscience that forbids the yeilding to temptations even unto the most secret sins Secret places can hide the Sinner from the eye of man and there are some Sins namely heart wickednesses which man can take no cognizance of and yet we are checkt when we are giving way to these which shewes there is a Conscience as well as a God privy to them When Satan and a deceitful Heart do plead for Sin and perswade to it by this argument that never any are likely to know it yet even then conscience declares against it and cryes out Oh do not that abominable thing which God hates 'T was well said by one of the Ancients to the Gentiles Vos conscios timetis nos conscientiam You are afraid lest others should be conscious to what you do we fear even our own Consciences 3. What is it but Conscience that impresses a fear of a Judgment which is to come (m) Beatus erit quisquis non sine memoriâ divini judicii omnia gesserit Hillar in Psal 118. Rythm Bernard Expavesco miser multùm Judicis severi vultum Quem latebit nil occultum Nec manebit quid inultum Et quis nostrûm non timebit Quando Judex apparebit Ante quem ignis ardebit Peccatores qui delebit It many times with a great deal of Power does mind us of such Scriptures God has appointed a day wherein he will Judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17. 31. We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. And Conscience knowing these Terrors of the Lord perswade Men to Repentance and to labour that whether present or absent they may be accepted of him 'T was a saying of Tertullian Conscientia est prae-judicium extremi judicii Conscience is a Judging before the last Judgment but still it tells of and referrs to the last Judgment that hereby the Heart may be over-awed 4. What is it but Conscience which urges unto secret Duties the Omission of which the World can take no notice of There is a Monitor within us which tells us that our Father is and sees in secret and will reward openly such as secretly and sincerely seek him Mat. 6. When our Hearts the desperate wickedness whereof is not quite cured in the best of us draw back from Prayer in the Closet Conscience then presses to it and pleads the Command the Advantage what an Evidence 't is of uprightness to be often with God alone This same Monitor likewise puts us upon the searching into and study of the Scripture for 't is the Character and property of the Blessed Man to have his Delight in the Law of the Lord and in that Law to Meditate Day and Night Psal 1. 2. 5. What is it but Conscience that applies Truths particularly which are more generally delivered in the Ministry of the Gospel I grant indeed that this application is the Work of the Spirit of God but the Conscience of Man is made use of herein by the Holy Spirit The Preacher shoots a great many Arrows The Spirit does direct them to particular Persons and Conscience takes notice where the Arrow sticks The same Language which was in the Prophet Nathan's Mouth to David after his so foul a fall is in the Mouth of Conscience The Word speaks in the general The Soul that sins shall dye the Wages of Sin is Death But then Conscience crys out Thou art the man that hast sinned and therefore Death and Destruction will quickly over-take thee unless there be a coming by Faith unto a Saviour and a turning out of thy Destructive ways 6. What is it but Conscience which does comment upon Afflictions Folly is bound up in thy heart says Conscience therefore thou feelest the Rod to drive it far from thee Thou art Worldly-minded therefore thou meetest with Losses to wean thee from that which if still doated on will both deceive and ruine thee Thou art too much like a slothful Servant therefore says Conscience Affliction is sent to make thee mend thy pace and follow them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises (n) Tempestuous times Amaze poor mortals and object their crimes Herbert When Joseph's Brethren were all put into Ward in Egypt their Consciences commented upon their Restraint and brought their injurious handling of their Brother to remembrance Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us 7. What is it but Conscience that traces us in all our Actions Conscience takes notice what Principles we are Acted by what Ends we aim at it Observes both the Matter and the Manner of our Actions Conscience Examines whether Love to the Lord constrain us to his Work whether the pleasing honouring and enjoying of God be our great Design whether our Hearts and Affections be in our Services After thy Praying and Hearing and Receiving are ended doest thou not find something within thee running over all thy performances and calling thee to Account whether thou hast Prayed with Faith and Fervency whether thou hast heard believingly and with attention whether thou hast received worthily This is Conscience 8. What is it but Conscience which haunts us upon miscarriages It s Mouth is full of Reproaches and these Reproaches are unanswerable After sins especially presumptuous ones have been committed there is a secret gnawing within and that is the Worm of Conscience (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch De his qui sero à Numine puniuntur pag. mihi 554. Plutarch compares the pleasure of sin which is
blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3. 19. The Gospel also does command a sinner to come to Christ to believe in him 1 John 3. 23. This is his commandment that we believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ That is that we receive him as Lord and Saviour and accept those benefits of pardon Grace and Glory which he has purchased and freely proffers to us And thus by this command Conscience is obliged to do that as a Duty which is one of the greatest Priviledges imaginable You see what bindes the Conscience namely the will of God discovered partly by the Light of Nature but principally by the Law and Gospel (f) Constat synteresis latiore sensu partim ex principiis moralibus in natis cum eorum conclusionibus partim ex iis quae Deus insuper homini praescripsit sed utramque partem constituit voluntas Dei revelata quâ homo intelligit fibi suum officium praescriptum esse Hinc lex Dei sola obligat conscientiam per legem autem intelligigimus volunt atem Dei revelatam ità ut contineat etiam illa quae in Evangelio praescribuntur Amas l. 1. De Consc c. 2. p. 5. All these Discoveries of the will of God are to be kept safe in the Conscience one part of which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to keep because practical Truths are to be Treasured up there we must be acquainted what is the will of God and do that will as well as understand it The adequate Rule of Conscience is the will of God and of this will in his Word there is the fullest Revelation here mans Duty is prescribed and shewn and so far as the Word commands Conscience is obliged and no further As God alone knows the Conscience and has power to punish it so he alone can bind it I acknowledge that for Conscience sake we are bound to obey the just commands of Men that are in Authority over us but the Obligation upon Conscience to do this comes not from them but from Gods command that we should be Subject to them and to be ready unto every good Work Tit. 3. 1. 3. As Conscience implies a knowledge of the will of God so 't is the Office of Conscience to impell us to comply with his will which is made known to us The Prophet speaking concerning the Spirit bringing the Word to remembrance tells the Children of Israel Isa 30. 21. Thine Ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left These words may very aptly be applied unto Conscience which is as a Voice within us saying concerning forbidden paths These are not the way and therefore turn out of them but concerning commanded Duties These are the way and therefore practise them When Joseph was sollicited by his Mistress to commit folly and the temptation was strong considering the circumstances which he was in It was Conscience that minded him of his Obligation to his Master which he ought not to requite by defiling of his Bed and especially how evil and hainous such a deed would be in the Lords eyes and he comes to a fixed resolution not to yield not to go contrary to his Conscience and Duty How says he shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Conscience is not onely a witness to testifie concerning us nor onely a Judge to pass Sentence upon us but also a Law commanding and stirring us up unto our Duty and when it does thus excite us to Obedience First it uses Gods Name and Authority Secondly it charges under the greatest penalties Thirdly it sets before us the Lords great goodness 1. Conscience to impell us to Obedience uses Gods own Name and Authority Thus saith the Lord says Conscience These commands are the commands of God they are enacted by Him who is the supream Law-giver who hath power to save and to destroy James 4. 12. The Thessalonians when they received the Word of God which they heard of the Apostles they received it not as the word of Men but as it is in Truth the word of God which worketh effectually in them that believe 1 Thes 2. 13. Conscience charged them to receive the Gospel because the Gospel of God and they did receive it though hereupon they were exposed to never so great Afflictions and Tribulations Conscience looks beyond Instruments which are but Earthen Vessels Men of like passions with our selves and eyes that God who employs and sends them In the Publishing of a Proclamation who says Thus saith the Town-Clerk No every one concludes Thus saith the King This is really the will of God says Conscience and therefore do not dare to be obstinate against it It uses the same Language which the Apostle Paul does to Timothy after it has urged unto Duty and to take heed of sin I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall Judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Here is such a Name and Authority used as may well make us to stand in awe 2. Conscience charges us under the greatest penalties It tells us indeed of temporal plagues and Spiritual Judgments and how much sin may cost us in this present World but that 's not all nor the worst of all it also makes Hell naked before us and takes off that covering which is upon Destruction and bids us look down and then asks this Question How will you be able to dwell with devouring fire How will you be able to inhabit everlasting burnings Is it good says Conscience to Live without God in this World and with a curse to depart for ever from him in the next Isit good to enjoy the pleasures of sin which are but for a season and then to be tormented in those Flames which never can be quenched To run into sin is to rush into a Battel against that God against whom none ever hardned themselves and prospered To run into sin is a mad venturing to leap into Hell think of this when tempted Oh how slender are the penalties wherewith Humane Laws are backed Those Statutes which were made by severe Draco which are said to be writ with Blood because he punished every fault with Death had not such a dreadful penalty annexed to them as the Laws of God For what is the Death of the Body if compared with the Damnation of the Body and Soul for ever Luke 12. 4 5. 3. Conscience that it may perswade us to Obedience sets before us the Lords great goodness bids us behold his goodness as well as his severity Rom. 11. 22. It tells us that if we depart from God we forsake our own Mercies we leave our Rock and Fortress and betray our selves into the hands of Enemies It uses the cords of Love to
and their Feet are swift in running to evil Their Wills are exceeding obstinate and perverse they are resolved to burn in Hell before they will turn from sin Why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. They will not be perswaded to Repent though one should rise from the Dead and tell them of those unquenchable and furious Flames in which the damned are tormented Luke 16. ult Their Affections are strong and vehement for Sin and Vanity they love sin better than themselves and a vain perishing World before an infinitely better and enduring Substance Thus all in Man conspires unto his overthrow onely Conscience opposes and warns him of his danger and urges him not to be a Devil to himself nor in the worst sence to be a self-murtherer that is to say a Soul murtherer 5. You have reason to be thankful for Conscience for this helps to make the World habitable There would be no Living upon Earth if Conscience were altogether Banished Every Man as one says would be a Cain to his Brother an Amnon to his Sister an Absalom to his Father a Judas to his Master a Saul to himself if Conscience did not help to lay some restraint The goodness of God towards the World is to be admired in that he has given a Conscience among Men all things else would quickly run to Confusion Wickedness would grow high so as to become intolerable and Men would be nothing else but Plagues and Tormentors one to another Vse III. Here is great encouragement unto Ministers that there is a Conscience in Man The Lusts of Men are against us because we strike at them their Humours are against us unless we sinfully endeavour to comply and please them But their Consciences are for us and so much the more for us by how much more faithfully we discharge our Duty The sharpest rebukes Conscience will say are needful and will tell the sinner that he that hates Reproof is Brutish Prov. 12. 1. And when we denounce the most dreadful threatnings when sinners come home Conscience will denounce them over again and bid them to cast away those Transgressions which are threatned so terribly We read indeed of a Rebellious People Lying Children Children that would not hear the Law of the Lord they said to the Seers see not and to the Prophets Prophesie not to us right things speak unto us smooth things Prophesie deceits get ye out of the way turn aside out of the Path cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us But all this was the Language of their Corruption and not of their Consciences Hark what Solomon says Prov. 28. 23. He that Rebuketh a Man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his Tongue The reason is because in cool Blood and when he comes seriously to consider Conscience will tell him that sin deserved Rebuke and that Rebuke was an Argument of the Love of him that gave it Vse IV. Since God has placed a Conscience in Man let me give you this Caution Do not think that you are able to extirpate Conscience You may be weary of it but you cannot be rid of it This Witness this Judge will be ever with you whether you will or no. Augustine has an Excellent passage to our present purpose (s) Ad quem locum tutus fugio ad quem montem ad quam speluncam ad quae tecta munita quam arcem teneam quibus muris ambiar Quocunque iero sequor Me. Quicquid enim vis potes fugere Homo praeter conscientiam Augustin Enarrat in Psalm 39. pag. mihi 164. To what place shall I flie for safety To what Mountain To what Cave To what Tower or Fortress Within what Walls may I be secure Where-ever I go I must needs follow and be with my self O Man thou mayst flie other things but not thy own Conscience Aquinas does Argue very unreasonably that Conscientia est actus quia potest deponi Conscience is not a Power or Habit but an Act because it may be lost for the contrary unto this is most certainly true I grant indeed that you may drown the Voice of Conscience so that it may speak to little purpose I grant further that you may stupifie and silence it that it may not speak at all nay you may sear it as with an hot Iron but yet these four things must be added 1. Conscience remains still and may awake of a sudden Some Providence or other some remarkable Judgment Personal or National may startle it or the approach of Death may rouze it out of that dead sleep in which before it lay 2. All Excuses for sin will then appear to be vain Those Reasons which you thought so strong for sin and against the ways of God when an awakened Conscience weighs them in the Ballance of the Sanctuary Tekel may be writ upon them how light and wanting will they be found Therefore that Challenge is made Isa 41. 21. Produce your Cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong Reasons saith the King of Jacob. 3. All Endeavours to stop the mouth of Conscience may then prove to no purpose When thou thinkest of the Blood of Christ it may reply thou hast trampled it under Foot when thou thinkest of the mercy of God it may reply that thou hast abused and turned his Grace into wantonness thus it may thrust away all the Encouragements of the Gospel 4. There may be such horror in thy Conscience as may be greater than the greatest torments All thy pleasures then will shrink and dye away 'T was a saying of Luther Vna guttula malae Conscientiae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet One little drop of an evil Conscience can swallow up a whole Sea of Worldly Joy Vse V. Be exhorted to heed Conscience As every one should have an Ear to hear what the Spirit of God says so also what his own Spirit his own Conscience says to him 1. Heed Conscience in its Admonitions as to things that are to be done dare not to go contrary to the dictates of it If Conscience say go go if come come if do this do it 2. Heed Conscience in its censure of things already done If Conscience Observe any fault Oh go and bewail it desire the pardon of it and that Power may presently be given to thee that thou mayst for the future abstain from it Now the motives to prevail with you to heed your own Consciences are these 1. Conscience speaks from God to you When it bids you to depart from evil and do good and dwell for ever more Psal 37. 27. This is not the voice of Conscience only but really of God himself This duty says Conscience I command this sin I forbid yet not I but the Lord. Conscience is Gods Officer and presses whatever it presses still in Gods Name It sets the Lord before us and charges us as we value his loving kindnesse which is better than Life as we value
could never be quieted with Popish pennance and severities but when he came to understand that great Article of Christianity Faith in the Blood of Jesus (l) In corde meo iste unus regnat articulus scilicet Fides Christi ex quo per quem in quem omnes meae diu noctuque fluunt refluuntque theolicae cogitationes Luther in Epist ad Gal. praefat Oh then the storm was laid by applying this blood of Christ he was able to joy in God through the Lord Jesus by whom he had received the atonement Where the Blood of Christ is not known and trusted there cannot possibly be true peace 2. True peace of Conscience supposes reconciliation with God As long as there is no peace above with God there can be no true peace within Where this is the covenant of peace has been taken hold of and the terms of reconciliation have been submitted to The Apostle tells us that God is in Christ reconcileing the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses to them Nay though himself be the party injured by sin though he be unsought to though he has no need at all of the sinner and be so infinitely high above him yet he stoops so low as to beseech him to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. and he does assure transgressors though never so great that if they rely upon Christ for pardon and are broken for sin and consent to turn from all their wicked wayes and thoughts he will multiply forgiveness and will have mercy upon them Now when these terms are consented to and Faith and Repentance are wrought in the heart God is now no longer a Foe but a Father All this is supposed in peace of Conscience 't is consequent upon peace with God and cannot go before it We must be the Sons of God before we can know we are so and rejoyce in our Adoption 3. True peace of Conscience is alwayes joyned with Righteousness just as the stars of the same Constellation part not but rise and set and keep together The Holy Ghost has joyned Righteousness and Peace Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Righteousness is put first to shew that all Peace and Joy is false without it There must be the Righteousness of Christ imputed and there must be Holiness and Righteousness imparted where true peace is The fruits of Righteousness are called peaceable in Scripture because Conscience is so well satisfied in reflecting upon them If any known wickedness be practised in the life or so much as loved and regarded in the heart as it will be a barr to communion with God so 't will be an effectual impediment unto peace of Conscience Isa 57. 20 21. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God unto the wicked 4. True peace of Conscience is not without a Scripture-ground to warrant it Upon this account it is called the fruit of the Lips Isa 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace because 't is built upon that word which the Lord has spoken The good Conscience does argue from Scripture-premises and drawes both a sweet and a safe conclusion There are indeed a great many paralogisms or false wayes of arguing as when we argue our state to be good because Members of the visible Church and Professors of Religion because we engage in ordinances and have a name that we live But a good Conscience uses other Mediums It observes what are the Characters of Believers which are not to be found in any Hypocrite in the world and finding these in the Heart it does justly conclude a man to be a right Believer From our prizing Christ above all it argues we have Faith in him From our loving of God and desiring after him it argues that we were first loved of him 1 Pet. 2. 7. 1 Joh. 4. 19. From our Repentance and Hatred of Sin it argues that Iniquity shall not be our Ruine From our being Spiritually Hungry it argues we shall be filed with good things From our Hearts being in Heaven it argues our Treasure is there and that there is a place preparing for us Such things as these are sound evidences of a good state and that peace that is thus warranted is highly Rational and though the Rain descend and the Floods come and the VVinds blow and beat never so vehemently they will not be able to disturb it 5. True peace of Conscience is spoken by the Spirit of God therefore it is called the peace of God Phil 4. 7. The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and mindes through Christ Jesus God is said to speak peace to his people and he does it by his Spirit Psal 85. I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace to his People and to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly (m) Est haec salutatio Gratia Pax c. nova inaudita mundo ante praedicationem Evangelii haec duo vocabula universum comprehendunt Christianismum Gratia remittit peccatum pax tranquillam reddit conscientiam Duo diaboli nostri qui nos excruciant sunt peccatum conscientia Sed haec duo monstra Christus â—icit conculcavit in hoc saeculo suturo Luther in Epist. ad Gal. c. 1. God speaks peace in that he promises good things to his Saints and in that he assures them they are Saints and that these promises belong to them If the Holy Ghost did not help the Conscience when 't is looking into us and prying after Grace and the Evidences of the new Creature we should never be able to discover any thing Satan and our own hearts together would so confound us that our doubts would be invincible and we must needs be strangers to peace Saints in Scripture have begged of the Lord to examine and to prove them and not without reason 't is from him we have eye-salve to discern our condition that we may not on the one hand say we are rich and increased with Goods when we are Empty and Miserable nor on the other hand say we are Empty when we are partakers of the unsearchable Riches of Christ 6. True peace of Conscience is ever accompanied with a Spiritual combat in which the Spirit does lust against the Flesh to be at peace with the Flesh and the Lusts of it is in effect to make a Covenant with death and to be at agreement with Hell The Apostle therefore tells us that in all true Believers the Flesh is opposed by its contrary the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these two are contrary the one to the other By Spirit here we are to understand the spiritual and regenerate part in the Saints That which is born of
no enjoying of God at all Where there is no true Holiness sinners are without God in the World they spend their Mony for that which is not Bread and their labour for that which satisfies not Isa 55. 2. They only have recourse to broken Cisterns that can hold no water but they neglect and by their iniquities are kept at a distance from the Fountain of living Waters Thus that which is the Hell of Hell they undergo on Earth and yet such is their stupidness they are little if at all concerned 2. Without a good Conscience no service that we perform can be acceptable A bad Conscience is like the dead Flie in the Apothecaries Oyntment that spoils the whole This was it that made the Lord to speak thus to Israel of old Isa 1. 11 12 13. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me I am full of Burnt-Offerings and the fat of fed Beasts and I delight not in the Blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-Goats When ye come to appear before me who hath required at your hands to tread my Courts Bring no more vain Oblations incense is an Abomination to me the Sabbaths and calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is Iniquity even the solemn meeting When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not Hear And the reason of all this was because their Consciences were defiled with Blood with injustice with unmercifulness with oppression Thus also Isa 66. 3. because their Consciences were defiled by chusing their own way and their souls delighted in their abominations the Lord says He that kills an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrifices a Lamb is as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offers an Oblation as if he offered Swines Blood he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol Two things are absolutely necessary unto the acceptation of our services one is the Mediation of our Lord Jesus and therefore our sacrifices though never so spiritual are said to be acceptable through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. and the other the cleansing of Conscience from all known and allowed sin for iniquity will separate between us and our God and make him hide his face from us 3. Without a good Conscience there can be no quiet or Peace but will prove exceedingly to our prejudice (p) Malâ tranquillâ conscientiâ sicut nihil pejus ita nihil iâ—foelicius haec est illa quae nec Deum timet nec hominem reveretur Bern. De Conscien cap. 3. pag. 1109. The mirth of distracted and phrantick persons makes us ready to weep because we know how little reason there is for it and thus unreasonable is security and peace where there is an evil Conscience Sin is such a Master as none of its Servants have cause to be very jocund When Death and Hell which is the wages of sin is paid then I am sure 't will be sad day with sinners and all their jollity will be turned into the height of anguish and tribulation Art thou without a good Conscience and yet art quiet thy quietness is thy Disease As there is a Natural Lethargy whereby Bodies sleep unto natural Death so there is a Spiritual Lethargy whereby Souls sleep unto Eternal Death and they wake not till the sight of an angry God upon the Judgment-seat and the feeling of the unquenchable flames of Hell awake them He had a bad Conscience that said Soul take thine ease and so had he that fared sumptuously every day but their ease did them harm and was a means to bring them unto these torments where no ease is to be looked for Ah woe unto sinners that are at ease the ease of the simple does slay them and the prosperity of Fools destroyes them Prov. 1. 32. 4. Without a good Conscience 't is impossible that we should be truly good our selves If Conscience be bad all things else within us are likely to be a great deal worse If this which should restrain from sin connive at sin how will iniquity abound if this which should be urging unto duty does not it self do its Duty how will duty be cast off there will quickly be a saying unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes what is the Almighty that we should serve him Job 21. 14 15. To say that a man has no Conscience is as much as to say that a man has no goodness When a sinner is indeed turned unto God one of the first things that is wrought upon in him is his Conscience and the more Holy he is still his Conscience does become more Pure and wakeful and tender When a sinner that is almost perswaded to be a Christian falls back again and becomes as vile nay viler than ever his Conscience rings him many a sad peal to prevent his relapse and 't is sometimes a great while before his Conscience can be charmed But if once this is laid into a Dead sleep the lusts of the Heart will grow impetuous and strong the affections will be vile and at length there may be a running out to all excesse of Riot in the Conversation Certainly if Conscience be bad the whole man is defiled if Conscience does exercise no Authority for God sinners will fulfill the desires of the Flesh and of the Mind and will walk according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit which worketh in the Children of Disobedience 5. Without a good Conscience as nothing is good in us so nothing is good or pure to us The Apostlet ells us that unto the pure all things are pure but to them whose Minds Consciences are defiled there is nothing pure Tit. 1. 15. A bad Conscience defiles every thing A man that is Conscious to himself of loved and regining sin whatever Creatures he uses he abuses his Food his Estate his Health his Strength are all impure to him because his Corruptions are served with all these his blessings are turned into Curses because he makes a sinful and Cursed use of them Nay not only things secular but also things sacred even the Ordinances of God are prophaned and polluted by an evil Conscience Prayer is turned into an Abomination and the Lord calls it Howling Hos 7. 14. They have not cryed unto me with their Hearts when they howled upon their beds The word becomes a savour of Death unto Death the Eyes being shut and the Ears closed and the Heart being more hardened under it Receiving the Lords Supper is turned into a being guilty of the Body blood of the Lord and Eating and Drinking Damnation to our selves 1 Cor. 11. Thus a bad Conscience which suffers sin to rule without any considerable disturbance spoyls all we do turns good into Evil and the better things are in themselves makes them so much the worse to us
would principally lye at Satans door as all the Glory of that good which is done by us is to be ascribed unto God The Devil did not thrust the forbidden fruit into Eve's Mouth whether she would or no but only did cunningly and strongly perswade her to eat of it In like manner he deals with us he layes his baits (z) Vnam esse omnium rem pulcherrimam eoque pulchriorem si vacet populo neque plausum captans se tantum ipsa delectet Quinetiam mihi quidem laudabilior a videntur omnia quae sine venditatione sine populo teste fiunt non quo fugiendus sit omnia enim bene facta in luce se collocari volunt sed tamen nullum the atrum virtuti conscientiâ majus est Cicero Tuscul Quaestion l. 3. pag. mihi 146. before us and endeavours our ruine by offering what does please us But a good Conscience is deaf unto the Devil and scorns his offers for his offers are to the losse of the Righteous man What are the riches of the World which Satan talks so much of compared with the unsearchable Riches of Christ what are the pleasures of sin compared with peace of Conscience what are all Earthly advantages and preferments compared with Communion with God and the Light of his Countenance A good Conscience is firmly perswaded that 't is good for us to draw near to God Psal 73. ult to be near to Him is for our Honour Interest Safety Delight and satisfaction and hereupon the Believer rejects Satan with an Holy contempt and indignation for he see◠'t is folly as well as wickedness to leave his Fathers House where there is bread enough and to spare and to go feed upon busks in the farr Country 7. He that hath a good Conscience can look upon death with desire which is so exceeding terrible unto others The Believer may indeed be willing to live that he may serve his generation according to the will of God and that he may do that for Christ on Earth which he cannot do when he comes to heaven but his Conscience being pure and peaceable having an assurance what a kindness death will do him He does with the Apostle desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 23. There is profit pleasure and honor in a Believers departing no wonder if he desires to depart There is profit in it to dye is gain says the Apostle he gains more grace in the instant of his dissolution than he got all his dayes before for upon death his Spirit is made perfect in Holiness There is pleasure in death for sometimes 't is sweetned with ravishing transports of Spirit and it is the Porter to open the gate into full and Everlasting joyes having put an end both to sin and sorrow Finally there is honour in Death for the Believer having fought a good Fight and finished his course and kept the Faith he goes to receive the Crown of Righteousness 8. He that hath a good Conscience can look into Eternity and be filled with joy unspeakable and glorious That is one of the Richest jewels in the Crown of Life that it fades not away The good Conscience looks up to Heaven fixes its eye upon God sees that bosom in which the sanctified Soul must lye and (a) Da Pater omnipotens menti conscendere sedem Da fontem lustrare boni da luce repertâ In te conspicuos animi defigere visus Disjice terrenas nebulas ponder a molis Atque tuo splendore mica Tu namque serenum Tu requies tranquilla piis Te cernere finis Principium vector dux semita terminus idem Boetius de Consolat Phil. l. 3. met 9. pag. mihi 88. rest forever After millions of years are spent praise will be continued delight will be as green and fresh as ever there will be no loathing of that heavenly Manna after so many thousands of ages as there have been minutes since the Creation Joy in heaven will be as far from an end as it was when first of all it did begin Mortality and change are the disgrace of all temporal delights and pleasures but a good Conscience rejoyces and well it may do so in a better and enduring substance it sees how sure how near Eternal Life is and upon this follow raptures of pleasure Cyprian (b) Exultabunt Sancti in gloriâ videbunt Deum gaudebunt Ibi non gustabunt quam suavis sit Dominus sed implebuntur satiabuntur dulcdinemirificâ nihil eis deerit nihil oberit omne desiderium eorum Christus praeens implebit Non senescent non abescent non putrescent ampliùs perpetua sanitas foelix Eternitas be atitudnis illius sufficientiam confirmabunt Non erit concupiscentia in membris non ultra exurget rebellio carnis sed totus hominis status pudicus pacificus sana ex integro Natura sine omni maculâ rugâ deinceps permanebit Erit denique Deus omnia in omnibus illius praesentia omne animae corporis implebit appetitus Cyprian Serm. de Christ. Ascens does excellently set forth this full and Everlasting happiness of the Saints in Heaven They says he shall see God and Rejoyce and be Delighted they shall Enjoy that Glory and be swallowed up in that Joy for Ever-more There they shall not only taste how sweet the Lord is but shall be filled and satisfied with his wonderful sweetness nothing shall be wanting nothing shall be hurtful Christ being present will satiate all their longing They shall not grow old or weak or dye any more There will not be Concupisence in the Members nor Rebellion in the Flesh against the Spirit but Mans Nature will be fully restored and Sanctified and Healed and so will remain without any spot or wrinkle Everlastingly Finally God will be all in all and his immediate and glorious presence will so abundantly fill the Saints that they shall not be able to desire more You see now in several respects how desirable 't is to have good Conscience wheresoever such a Conscience looks upwards downwards inwards forwards still there is peace and Consolation Oh look into your Consciences and see what they are whether good or bad and oh that all bad Consciences may be utterly restless till they are made good ones VSE IV. Of Advice unto them whose Consciences are good which have been cleansed and quieted by the blood of Christ and by the VVord and Spirit of Grace My Advice is in these particulars 1. Be very thankfull for this unspeakable Gift of a good Conscience The largest Empire in the VVorld a Crown of pure Gold upon the Head is nothing near so great a Blessing as a pure and peaceable Conscience I may use the Angels Salutation to the Virgin Mary unto every Saint that has such a Conscience Hail thou that art highly Favoured The Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among the Sons of Men.
be under obedience and as this obedience must be yeilded to God without delay so we must be sure to stick unto his testimonies and persevere unto the end If ye continue in my word says Christ then are ye my Disciples indeed John 8. 31. But after we have done our best and most we must humbly and believingly look unto Jesus for the covering of our imperfections and that we and our performances may be accepted 7. A good Conscience looks to the End of our obedience and that the design of our actions be as it ought And our end should be not onely the obtaining of a reward but the Glory of God John 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples we should aim also at the credit and adorning of the Gospel and the good of men Good living is for the benefit of others in more regards than one Men are benefited by our good works of Justice and Mercy and such like and our doing of these works may help to convince them that there is an excellency and efficacy in the Gospel which brings forth Fruits that be so excellent You see how a good Conscience is concerned in the Conversation In the second place I am to instance in several kinds of actions which a good Conscience has an influence upon 1. A good Conscience has an influence upon our holy duties It is not satisfied unless we begin the day with these God should have our first thoughts and our affections and praises should be our morning sacrifice In the morning we should direct our prayer unto him and look up Ps 5. 1 2 3. The Scriptures are to be searched that our Hearts may be instructed quickened purified strengthned and revived by this word of Grace A good Conscience will not suffer holy duties to be done negligently it knows how treacherous the heart is and therefore watches over it that it may engage in the Lords service and not start aside like a deceitful bow (f) Non venitur ad bonam conscientiam nisi per cordis custodiam Cor ad vitam se vertit aut ad mortem velle peccare malum peccare pejus in peccato persever are pessimum nolle poenitere mortale Bernard de Interior dom cap. 24. Conscience will not be put off with words that are good or with a bended knee or a lifted up Eye or a sigh now and then but looks that Holy desires be strong and stirring that Faith be acted upon the promises of God who is so ready to be found of them that seek him with their whole Heart Deut. 4. 29. A good Conscience looks upon holy duties as things of grand concernment if these are well done it will be well with us if ill done it will be ill with us for ever In your Trades you are getting a livelihood but in your duties you are or should be minding a better and enduring substance What does deserve your pains and time and serious endeavours if the favour of God and the fulness of Christ and an Heavenly Kingdom do not what manner of duties should ours be since we aim at such things in the doing of them 2. A good Conscience has an influence upon the works of our Callings It will not allow of an unlawful Calling and that is to be styled an unlawful Calling in which a livelihood is gotten by serving and gratifying the lusts of men The Harlots way is unlawful and Stage-players is little better 'T is a wicked thing to live by the sins of others and by helping to undo and ruine them for ever And as the Calling must be Lawful so it must be Lawfully managed A good Conscience will take care that there be not an over eagerness after wealth which is of a perishing Nature for the time is short and therefore they that Buy must be as though they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing of it for the Fashion of this World passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. And as for unjust and dishonest gain a good Conscience can by no means allow it Do Justly is a Law so deeply engraven in the heart of Men by Nature and so often required in the Scripture that where injustice is we may conclude there is no goodness or tenderness in the Conscience (f) Bona conscientia est si habet in corde puritatem in ore veritatem in actione rectitudinem Bernard De Conscien cap. 4. pag. mihi 1099. VVhen this is indeed awakened though other sins do flie in the sinners face yet if any thing has been gotten wrongfully this in a special manner is a burthen neither is there any rest till Restitution be made either to the Person wronged or if he cannot be found unto the poor That Scripture should ever be Ringing in our ears in all Trading and Business 1 Thes 4. 6. That no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such And not onely Injustice but Idleness in the Calling is to be shunned for this Idleness is the way to cloath a Man with Rags and exposes to innumerable temptations (g) T is a good answer to the tempter Non licet non vacat 'T is not lawfull neither am I at leisure to do what thou wouldst have me 3. A good Conscience has an Influence upon our Words and Discourses for a great part of Pure and Vndefiled Religion does lie in brideling of the Tongue James 1. 26. Our Communication should be such as may administer Grace unto the Hearers A good Conscience will not admit of Impiety in our Discourse and certainly Oaths and Curses are very impious Lesser Oaths are not to be sworn but greater as by the God of Heaven the Blood and wounds of the Lord Jesus argue sinners to be daring and how fearful is it to hear them calling upon God to damn them Such things Argue that there is no good Conscience Neither will this admit of Impurity in our Communication for filthy and foolish talking is condemned Eph. 5. and is a sign of a corrupt and unrenewed heart out of the abundance of which the mouth speaketh Finally a good Conscience will not suffer us to be Injurious to any in our Discourses by Defaming by Back-biting by Slandering of them Those that take up Reproaches against their Neighbours and spread them their own mouths condemn them and plainly prove that they are not Citizens of Zion Psal 15. 1 2 3. 4. A good Conscience has an Influence upon our Time that it may be well and wisely Husbanded This is more precious than Gold that perishes and if the Goldsmith does look upon all gold as worth saving surely every moment of Time is worth Redeeming That which makes other things of less value namely the shortness of their continuance makes Time of greater value 'T is the more to be prized because 't will so quickly be at an