feare arising out of the remembrance of a life lewdly wickedly led This ground by these descriptions thus laide I draw out these directions for the getting of a good and ridding of an euill conscience 1. Remedy of an euill conscience The first is the spirit of discerning a iudgement to discerne of things that differ For it is requisite that a good conscience should be informed vpon a good ground true principles now how can that be except a man hath iudgement to try and discerne the ground whither it be sound or false It is the office of conscience either to allow or disallow but how can it allow of what is good or disallow that which is euill except the party hath knowledge both of good and euil that is what is good and what is euill A right vnderstanding heart and a good conscience a blinde minde and a bad conscience are ordinarily yoaked together If Papists did not make ignorance the mother of deuotion If our generation of vnwise and carnall ones did not like to liue in blindnesse of heart without sauing knowledge both the one and the other would haue better consciences then they haue My counsell therefore to thee is this to get those chaines of darkenes wherewithall thy heart is fettered pulled off and those mists of ignorance with which thy vnderstanding is darkened remooued away that thou maiest be able to discerne of things that differ that so the right information of thy minde may prooue to be a meane of the sound reformation of thy conscience and so that goodnesse may be restored to it which by nature thou art quite bereaued and depriued off 2. Remedy Secondly when thou hast attained vnto a sound iudgement and canst put a difference betwixt good and euill then it shall bee good for thee to approoue of the one to disallow the other For when men against the light of their own knowledge shal like Iulian q Socr. hist lib. 3. cap. 1. Ecebolius r Id ibid. c. 11. disallow of that which is good and like the Scribes and Pharisees approoue of that which is euill is it possible for them so long as they so remaine to be remedied and cured of their euill consciences Paul praies on the behalfe of the brethren at Philippi that they might approoue of things that are excellent Å¿ Phil. 1.10 which prayer hee would haue neuer made had not he seene it a matter very vsefull and needfull against an euill and for a good and honest conscience to approue of things honest according to the excellency of the same Wee see men and women to dislike of hearing of Sermons in publike assemblies of offering vp sacrifice in their priuate families of making profession of religion and they like better of beeing present at stage-playes the very theaters of lust t For so Tertullian cals it lib. de Spectaculis 694. Theatrum veneris Of ryoting in Tauernes and tap-houses being as they are abused the very schooles of the deuill they approoue better of allowing inordinate courses And hence it comes to passe that their consciences are so vile and euill as they are Deale plainly with me now doest thou in good earnest desire a good conscience like of that which is good as most worthy to be loued dislike of that which is euill as most worthy to be hated and in time thou shall finde thy loue so strongly inflamed towards the one thy hatred so soundly sharpened against the other that thy conscience shall be cleere before God and honest towards men 3. Remedy Thirdly hearken to the chekes of conscience be willing to heare conscience speake and to take a carefull view of those articles which it presenteth vnto thee and bringeth in against thee Seneca Epist lib. 1. Epistola 43. ad calcem O te miserum si contemnis hunc testem O miserable man that thou art could the heathen say if thou contemnest this witnesse When thy conscience sets vpon thee as Nathan did vpon Dauid thou art the man or thou art the woman that hast failed in this duty fallen into this iniquity omitted that good committed that euill thinke in thy heart it is verily true and say in thy selfe as Dauid to Nathan I haue sinned In the fourth place 4. Remedy sorrow thou after a godly manner for those euils which thy conscience being rightly informed chargeth thee withall imitate Saint Peters conuerts who no sooner were accused in their consciences by occasion of his Sermon of that crime of crucifying Christ but they were pricked touched with remorse and sorrow for the same Oh if as often as thy conscience smites thee thou hadst but the grace with Ephraim to smite thy thigh and say 5. Remedy what haue I done thou wouldst grow to haue a great deale better conscience then thou hast Fifthly Faith is helpefull and necessary in this worke For he that is wholly diseased with vnbeleefe saith one u Iodoch Willich in 1. Tim. 1.19 Qui in fidelitatis morbo laborat huius non potest esse bona conscientia his conscience cannot bee good This is plainly intimated by Saint Paul to the Hebrewes in a comparison which there hee vseth * Heb. 9.13 14. If the blood of Buls and Goates and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifieth to the purifiing of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God In which words by an analogie betwixt the type and the antitype the Apostle prooueth the efficacy of Christs cleansing which cleansing he calles the purifying of the conscience from dead workes yea from sin which bringeth death and is liued in by men that are spiritually dead Now if the conscience cannot bee cleansed from sinne but by the blood of Christ then it cannot become good but by faith which apprehendeth the blood of Christ to our purging And besides if so be a good conscience be as is expressed in the first definition * Page 66. the iudgement of the minde approouing of that which we doe as pleasing to God because our persons please God or else as is shewed in the second definition a confidence of sinne remitted what doth this argue but a necessity of faith to get a good conscience by which faith as it apprehends the righteousnesse of Christ both our persons come to please God and our soules are confident of the pardon of our sinnes Well then wouldst thou be purged from an euill conscience doe this when thy conscience being rightly informed hath accused thee as guilty of such and such sinnes and thou beest heartily sorry and truly humbled for the same get thee by faith to the fountaine of Christs blood bathe thee in it seeke to haue thy conscience appeased by the assurance of the pardon of thy sinnes through Christ Iesus alone make this thy
Excusing property I say or quality for I denie not but a good conscience may and doth exercise many a time accusing actions The heart of Dauid may smite him for taking away Vriahs life for defiling Vriahs wife e 2. Sam. 12.13 for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment f 1. Sam. 24.4 for numbring his people contrary to Gods commandement g 2. Sam. 24 I know Peters conscience did article against him for denying and forswearing his Lord and Master h Math. 26.75 and there is neuer a Christian but can witnesse with mee that his owne conscience tels him daily of his daily faylings yet I say his conscience is not an habituall accuser as to doe nothing else but accuse him or as though it had nothing else in it selfe but iust matter of accusation against him this I say he is freed from which an euill man is not And rather it hath an accusing power now for a mans conscience to haue an excusing habite and qualitie what a sweete and comfortable thing is it What free from the terrours of a tormenting soule free from the wounds of spirit which mortall strength cannot beare what man can but admire this what heart will not exalt and reioyce to feele this Obiect Oh but I am tormented I am terrified will the poore Christian say * For indeede of all others they are most troubled I cannot be so at peace in my selfe as I faine would be my conscience is euer and anone about my eares Answ Very like if it bee tender it cannot choose but so it must bee Peraduenture thou hast not yet attained vnto that spirit of adoption to witnesse to thy spirit in that full measure that thou art the childe of God happily thou art but yet in the way to attaine vnto it It may be thou woundest thy conscience by beeing something too ventrous vpon that which thou hast no warrant for If it be so then I doe not much meruaile that thou canst not haue that quiet thou doest desire and well will it proue for thee at the last that thy conscience doth so smite thee But what of this hast thou no cause therefore to reioyce in the goodnesse of thy conscience Thy conscience accuseth thee vpon a good ground doth it thou fearest the sinne more then the punishment thou sorrowest for the offence done more then for the scourge due doest thou not thou art willing to heare thy conscience speak and thou sayest Conscience doe thine office by the grace of God I will not checke thee nor stoppe vp mine eares against thee thou art carefull to haue thy conscience pacified by the right meane euen by the assurance that through Christ his blood thou art purged from the sinne which thy conscience smiteth thee for art thou not If yea then know thou to thy comfort that though thy conscience when there is reason for it doth execute some accusing acts against thee yet habitually it will prooue to bee an excuser of thee Wherefore doe not thou by this cauill cheate thy selfe of the comfort that belongs vnto thee If thy conscience be at ods with thee vpon some good ground giue all diligence to get it appeased with the assurance of Gods loue and cast not downe thy selfe out of measure as if thy cōscience had nothing else but matter to accuse thee off And to encrease thy comfort vpon this ground meditate thou of the benefits of an excusing conscience as namely The benefits of an excusing conscience Quaenam summa boni meus quae sibi conscia recti Auson first an excusing conscience will answer and out-weigh all the accusations for sinne and such and such acts of sin as can be brought in to molest the soule for such a conscience is purified by the blood of Christ freed from the guilt of sinne hath to obiect Christs merits against its owne de-merits the obiecting of which vpon good ground will answer all the spitefull cauils of the malicious tempter Secondly 2. Benefi an excusing conscience will be a rocke of comfort in the time of distresse when thou lyest vpon thy sicke bed it will accheere thee as Ezekiah did when he said i Isa 38.3 Lord remember how I haue walked before thee in truth with a perfect heart c. When the world takes her wings and flyes away from thee when thy earthly friends forsake thee and dispute against thee and all humane helpes faile thee this will be a cordiall and consolation vnto thee 3. Benefi And which is last of all and yet best of all it will goe with thee to the iudgement seate of Christ defie the deuill to his face acquit thee and absolue thee of all the crimes which euer thou wert either iustly by the accusing acts of it or vniustly by the spite of Satan and his wicked instruments charged withall Loe this is the good the gaine heere heereafter that an excusing conscience doth and will bring thee and yet thy good conscience hath this excusing quality Why art thou then so deiected thou Christian and why is thy soule so sad within thee the Lord comfort thee vpon this ground the Lord with this speak peaceably vnto thy soule Vse 3 Thirdly heere is terrour vnto thee that hast an euill conscience knowest thou man what it is if thou beest ignorant heare the point in hand telling thee what it is an accusing conscience And though peraduenture thou maiest be secure haue it lie a sleepe a long time together l Mat. 27.5 yet like a mastiffe curre at last it will awake and be about thy eares and when it awaketh who can stoppe the voyce who can allay the fury of it thy witte cannot doe it take Achitophel k 2. Sam. 17 for witnesse Thy wealth cannot doe it take Iudas for example Thy authority can not do it take Iulian for thy proofe Thy * Neque cibus voluptatem praebet neque amicorum colloquia talem refocillare vel liberare ab vrgente anxietate possunt Chrysost in Gen. hom 19. sweete bitte and iouiall companie cannot doe it take n Dan. 5. Obiect Balshazzar for warrant But what if my conscience doth accuse mee what of that is it any great matter Thou shalt know that when thou tryest it And in the meane time for what I can answer thee in this impudent demand this I say to thee To haue an accusing conscience habitually is not onely to be depriued of the sweete benefits of an excusing conscience which I spake off in the former vse but also in stead of them to meete with the contrary inconueniences First thine accusing conscience will out-weigh all the good deeds that euer thou hast done thy prayers almes temperate ciuill neighbour-like carriage and behauiour and the like It shall little auaile thee to alleadge any of these things to thy comfort when thy euill conscience is vp in armes against thee A simile Let a man be iustly accused at some temporall
be marueiled that their consciences could so faithfully report vnto them their owne innocency and integritie Truly no more to be wondered at then if a man should set downe some true exploite done by some other in a note booke when hee hath a faithfull informer to acquaint him with what the exploite was who the person was that did it when the time of the doing of it was and what reward he had for his labour after he had done it Vse 1 To sundry endes and vses serueth the meditation of this point The first is the glory of God If the heauens declare the glory of God as Dauid sheweth Psal 19.1 the firmament shew forth his handy worke vndoubtedly the conscience of man can do no lesse The one is the booke of nature as well as the other It is true there is some difference betwixt them for the one is internall written on the inside the other externall written on the outside yet heerein they agree that both of them containe in them Lectures of the Makers praises Is his wisedome magnified in the booke of the creatures And is it not as well in the booke of the conscience Is his goodnes manifest in the one and not conspicuous in the other Doth the one shew forth the praise of his power and not the other declare the glory of his greatnesse Wonderfull is the Lord in all workes m Mirandum sane opificium Dei in hominibus est conscientia Heming Synt. p. 156. wonderfull also in this one of his workes His wisedome wonderfull his mercy wonderfull his power wonderfull I may adde also his iustice wonderfull His wisedome I say for all the Art of man cannot inuent so exquisite a thing cannot pen so faithfull a record as conscience is Prognosticators that fetch their wisedome from the Persians who were once accounted the great Sophists of the world * Diogen Laert Vit. Phylosoph l. 1. p. 12. Historians that fetch their knowledge either by the eye from that which they behold or by the eare from that which they heare may compose Kalenders pen Volumes yet may faile in many things they set down and deceiue themselues and their readers but in this volume of mans conscience whatsoeuer the Lord of the conscience sets downe be it good or euill it is most infallibly and vndoubtedly true 2. His n Quod ipsum diuinae misericordiae est quae hominem generi concessit vt vnicuique nostrum nisi tum esset in deprauabile iudicium conscientiae c. Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 4. mercy is wonderfull in that he giues a man so faithfull a recorder to set downe all the good acts that for Gods glory he vndertaketh and performeth and to suggest vnto his thoughts all his failings that hee may quickly turne vnto the Lord from them and recouer 3. His power is wonderfull in that he can rule the conscience in despite of Satan to excuse a man with the register of his integritie let Satan tempt him to despaire to accuse a man with the recordes of his iniquities let the deuill labour what hee can to make him secure Lastly his iustice is wonderfull in that he hath made this conscience as a continuall witnesse in the wicked mans heart to challenge him without failing for euery thing wherein he is guiltie wherefore good Reader whensoeuer thou thinkest vpon the faithfulnesse of conscience in keeping of recordes be not forgetfull to giue the Lord the due glory of these his attributes appearing and shewing forth themselues in this wonderfull and admirable worke of the conscience Vse 2 Secondly doth conscience keep a faithfull register then be we admonished in the feare of God to take heede of committing sinne in secret For conscience will record it and set it downe that is most certaine The twy-light will little auaile the adulterer to take his fill of lust in the night will little profit the swaggerer to be drunke in the darke shoppe will little aduantage the deceiuer to cheate in The wiping of the mouth the cleansing of the out side of the cuppe the new moones the spreading abroad of the hands c. will little auaile the hypocrite to deuoure widdowes houses withall to couer his iniustice the malice in his heart the blood in his hands withall Conscience hath such piercing eyes that it can see in the darke it is such an excellent Scriuener it can write in the darke Goe thou about the deeds of darknesse after the darkest manner that can be it takes notice of all it will pen down euery iot tittle and circumstance in all I tell thee in the Court of thy Conscience the Law is written that thy faults may abound in thy remembrance and that it may bring o Vt vetera latentia de licta in lucem pro ducat Brent in Rom. 1343. both thy olde and secret sinnes to light beware therefore in any case not onely of open and grosse sinnes but also of secret and close sinnes It was well said of a p Tertull. de Idololat p. 735. cur enim lateas cum ignorantia alterius tuam conscientiam contamines Diuine Why keepest thou close when as with the ignorance of another thou defilest thine owne conscience It was well said by an q Senec. l. 1. ep 43. ad calcem Si turpiae quid refert neminem scire cum tu scias Heathen If the thing bee dishonest which thou doest what wil it auaile though no man know it if thou thy selfe be priuie to it Yea what will it profite thee though all men should praise thee if thine owne conscience doth accuse thee r Gregor in Ezek hom 9. Quid enim prodest si omnos laudent conscientia accusat Mihi sufficit conscientia mea Aug. ad fr. Her 5.53 Therefore I say auoide that which is abhominable in Gods sight let not the most secret place encourage thee to any sinfull practise alwaies remembring this that thy secretest euils are not onely set before the sight of Gods countenance but also noted downe in the booke of thine owne conscience which one day shall be opened to thine eternall shame without serious and speedie repentance Vse 3 Thirdly here is comfort to all Christians against those euill surmises that are vniustly conceiued against them against those contumelious speeches that are wrongfully vttered of them Some charge thee peraduenture with this thing to disgrace thee others with that to take away thy name from thee as the Iewes charged Christ to be a coniurer Å¿ Math. 12.24 Iohn Baptist a Demoniacke t Math. 11.18 Paul a seducer u Act. 19.26 Chap. 24.5 Steuen a Blasphemer * Act. 6.23 But haue thou recourse to thy conscience That same inward witnesse and iudge that I say hath taken a faithfull record of what thou art and hast beene and if that defends thee what hurt can it be to thee though all should disgrace thee x Quid poterit
That by how much the stronger the bondes be By offering wrong to breake the bonds of vnion is an aggrauation of the hearts horrour whereby men are tyed to one another by so much the sorer the torment is like to be in the conscience for the wrongs they offer to one another It was the breach of the bond of brother-hood that no doubt encreased the horror of these brethren in this their distresse doth not their speech bewray as much We are verily guilty concerning OVR BROTHER this same BROTHER stucke much in their stomacke It was the wronging of his Father his louing Father who had giuen him his patrimonie affected him deerely showne kindnesse to him continually which made the inward gripes the stronger and the outward cries the louder of the yong prodigall e Luke 15.18.21 It was the betraying of his Master his kinde Master who had called him to an Apostleship betrusted him with the Stewardship whom he was so bound vnto that if neede had required he should rather haue beene prodigall of his owne blood for his sake then haue betrayed his innocent blood that encreased the horrour the heart-smart of Iudas f Math. 27.3 It was no doubt the spoiling of the life the defiling of the wife of his Seruant his trusty and faithfull seruant Vriah who lay watching and warring in the open fields for Dauids sake whom Dauid was beholding vnto for his loue and seruice that did augment the trouble of Dauids conscience when the Lord in mercy awaked him g 2. Sam. 12.13 Psal 51. Did you neuer reade nor heare of Nero how that the murther of his mother whom nature bound him to and the slaughter of his kindred whom the same bond tyed him to did so vexe and torment him that neither day nor night could hee be quiet but still he thought his mothers ghost did appeare vnto him and the furies of hell were ready at hand to torment him h Sueton. in vit Neronis c. 34. 35. The like is storied of Alexander who hauing slaine a deere friend of his named Clytus who had in loue showne his readinesse to haue died for Alexander i Curt. lib. 8. p. 119. si moriendum est pro te Clytus est primus was so terrified in his minde that hee would haue killed himselfe with that weapon wherewith hee slew Clytus if his guard had not preuented him he lay groueling vpon the earth filled the whole court with miserable howling and out-cries asked those that stood by him whither they could suffer such a wretch as himselfe was to liue cloistered vp himselfe in his tent and would haue pined himselfe to death if his seruants had not by strong hand compelled him to take meate still this being his pittifull song k Et ego seruatorum meorum latro reuertar in patriam Curt. lib. citat pag. 120. 121. 122. I shall returne into my owne countrey a murtherer of my SAVERS my Sauers this aggrauated his horror this questionlesse added to his terrour that hee should so wrong one that had rather beene his sauer then his enemie whose loue hee was bound as the light of nature taught him to haue rewarded in a better kinde Thus we see the truth of the point how that the strength of bonds to tie vs to one another doth encrease the perplexitie of the conscience for those iniuries we doe or shall offer to one another Vse Heare this all you whom no bonds no not of nature of blood it selfe can keepe within the compasse of loue of equitie whose hearts are malignant whose tongues are virulent whose courses are violent against your owne kinred the father rising vp against the sonne the sonne against the father the mother against the daughter the daughter against the mother husband against wife wife against husband brother against brother sister against sister a mans enemies being not onely of his owne house but also of his owne blood Heare you I say this word of the Lord take it in by the eare and apply it to the heart Poore wretches what wrong doe you offer your owne consciences you pile vp horror for them you treasure vp terror against them The stronger the knots be to binde you to vnity the sorer shall your anguish be for your fruits of enmitie Achitophel stood but in a ciuill relation to Dauid as a subiect to his Prince yet hee was terrified for giuing euill counsell against him l 2. Sam. 17.23 They Iaylor but in a domesticall relation to Paul and Silas as a Iaylor to his prisoners yet hee was affrighted for laying bolts vpon them m Act. 16.24.30 And doe you thinke that you may offer vnnaturall violence to those betwixt whom and you there is naturall reference and your consciences will neuer accuse you as sure as can be you are deceiued Let but brethren in the same Ecclesiasticall function fellow Magistrates in the same temporall vocation fellow seruants in the same family fellow neighbours in the same countrey offer wrong to one another I cannot warrant THEM securitie from stings of conscience But to deale cruelly with thine owne yoake-fellow to hate to reuile to abuse thy parents whom thou oughtest to loue honour and obey to be with out naturall affection to thine owne children who are thine owne bowels to deale doggedly with thy neere kinred and vnkindly with those of whose kindnesse thou hast so bountifully tasted is a thing so horrible so iniurious that I dare warrant thee will cost stings intollerable yea without repentance wounds of conscience incurable For if it be n Illa est vera innocentia quae nec inimiconocet August in Psal true innocencie not to hurt a deadly foe then it must needs be iniurie in graine to wrong a deere friend and the greatest sinnes must haue the greatest punishments of which punishments torture of conscience is one yea the greatest in this life if it produceth despaire as it many times doth If therefore it bee thy hap to heare or reade this who art at enmity with those to whom thou art tyed by the bonds of nature or kindnesse let mee entreate this at thy hands that thou wouldest labour with the serious meditation of this vpon thine inordinate and violent affections that it may cause thee to relent for thy former enmitie and breake in sunder those barres of contention whereby thy heart hath beene bolted vp against thy brother so long a time Doct. 6 That Retaliation is Gods Law The fourth point followeth That the Lord requites like for like to the wrong doer Iust as these brethren had dealt with Ioseph so so in their owne apprehension at least are they dealt withall themselues Therefore is this distresse come vpon vs. As we sowed so we reape as we measured so is it measured to vs againe We looked vpon Iosephs distresse this man lookes vpon our wee would not heare our brother speaking for himselfe this man now will not heare vs we carryed home