to the adult Jews who were then Circumcised and not till then with the Circumcision of the Heart * See Fords pract use of Infant-â—aptis Rom. 6.3 4. Act. 22.16 1 Pet. 3.21 Phil. 3.11 12 13. 2. The waters of sorrow or sincere repentance Contrition will cleanse thy Conscience Evangelical tears will expunge these tinctures No dirt will fix where these drops fall witness David Repentance will blot out these stains from thy Soul and thy sins also before God Smite thy rocky Heart then with the Rod of God and the Waters will gush out Draw Water and pour it out before God Repentance is called the washing of the Heart from wickedness Ezek. 18.30 31. Jer. 31.18 19. Psal 51. Act. 3.19 Exod. 17.6 1 Sam. 7.6 Jer. 4.14 3. The Waters of the Spirit sanctifying and regenerating the Spirit is not only compared to Water as quenching the drought of the Soul but as cleansing the defilements of the Soul Joh. 7.37 38 39. Ezek. 36.25 Conscience will continue sinful till he comes and cleanses its filth is not to be washed off by any work of flesh but by the effectual work of God's Spirit 'T is God's Spirit must sanctifie our Spirits or we stick in the sink and mud of our sin and uncleanness Isa 4.4 Rom. 15.16 1 Pet. 1.2 Resist not the Spirit then but receive those influences he sheds abroad Listen not to the flesh look within the vail of the Covenant where God hath promised to put his Spirit within you yea and to pour out his Spirit on you and plead his Promise in your Prayers Ezek. 11.19 Isa 44.3 Psal 51.12 143.10 3 Blood The Bath for Conscience is the Blood of Christ Here is the Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness this cleanseth from all sin and there is not any sin which doth not need this cleansing or any power of the Soul Both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministry were to be purged by Blood Moses sprinkled therewith both the Book and all the People Consider Conscience then in any capacity it needs this cleansing as a Book as a Witness as a Judg as it 's the Mansion of God and as it ministers to and in Man Zach. 13.1 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 19. 23. Sprinkle then this Blood of Jesus upon thy Conscience The People were to sprinkle the Blood with a bunch of Hysop dipt therein as well as the Priests Exod. 12.22 Lev. 16.14 To note there must be an Application of Christ's blood made by us as well as an Application made to us of this Blood by Christ and thus have we our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience as by the Spirit on his part sprinkling it on us so by Faith on our part which sprinkleth us with it Faith is that bunch of Hysop which being dipt in this Blood purifieth the Heart Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean saith the Psalmist Purifying their hearts through faith saith Peter Heb. 10.22 1 Pet. 1.2 Psal 51.7 Act. 15.9 Believe then in the Lord Jesus Faith is not only effectual through the Blood of Christ to purge the Conscience from the guilt of sin to the justification of thy person but also from the filth of sin to the Sanctification of thy Nature Rom. 5.1 Act. 26.18 4. Behold the noted excellency of a pure Conence and be assiduous For at 1 Mind the noted place of Conscience it 's the upmost part of the Soul next under God and above all that is in Man A pure Conscience is of Angelical perfection Purity is the Gem and Diamond in the Crown both of the clear and pure Conscience this renders it like the New Hierusalem a City of pure Gold 2 The noted power of this Conscience The pure Conscience hath a power of converting even the basest Mettals like the Philosopher's Stone into pure Gold afflictions into advantages To the pure Conscience all things are pure like that Perfume which the Lord prescribeth Moses whatever they are asunder being tempered together they are pure and holy 1 Pet. 2.19 c. Tit. 1.15 Exod. 30.35 3 The noted price of this Conscience What cost it no less rate than the precious Blood of the pure and immaculate Lamb of God What print carrieth it no lower than the resemblance of the purest Essence and Excellency of God Of what preciousness and pleasance doth God account it Of no less than his Habitation his Throne his Resting-place Heb. 9.14 cum 1 Pet. 1.19 1 Joh. 3.3 Isa 57.15 4 The noted Priviledges of this Conscience How great here boldness in prayer the blessing of peace the beauties of God's Presence c. Heb. 10.22 Phil. 4.7 Psal 18.26 But how glorious hereafter in a pure and perfect state most pure and beatifick sights Psal 24.3 4. Mat. 5.8 But consider this and you cannot be careless God Glory Christ Comfort do all severally bespeak Conscience as Christ sometime did Peter If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me But wash this and thou art clean every whit Joh. 13.8 10. Q. 6. How may we preserve our Conscience pure Though I must remit you for fuller satisfaction to what hath been already spoken Chap. 2. Q. 6. Yet I shall not refuse to subjoyn something more in this place 1. Continue at your work Conscience is clean but not all therefore is neither all your work done for its cleansing till hope pass into enjoyment ye ought to be purifying both the Promises hoped for and the principle of hope put upon and perswade unto it 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Joh. 3.3 Neglect not any of the means already prescribed you Qu. 5. Direct 3. The same word and work of Faith Hope c. which made thy Conscience pure will maintain its purity 2. Keep Conscience to its work Keep it doing and you keep it from defiling The pure Gold never rusts or cankers till it rests or is coffered up Paul kept it on employment and so kept it pure 2 Tim. 1.3 Act. 24.16 Conscience hath its work within door upon it self and upon the whole Soul and Spirit and without door upon the Sense and their Objects and Organs If it rests like a standing Pool it putrifieth and gathers stench If it runs like a living Fountain it purifieth it self and whatever is put into it 3. Keep Conscience upon its watch Consciscience is the Centinel to watch over and for it self and the whole Soul beside Watch therefore in all things He that would be clean must be circumspect 2 Tim. 4.5 Psal 119.9 1 Watch against Sinners These will be throwing forth and throwing on of dirt Press not unnecessarily into their Society Be not partakers with their sin keep thy self pure Isa 57.20 Ephes 5.7 11. 1 Tim. 5.22 Yea in the very Society of the Saints be yet still upon thy Watch looking diligently One defection hath defiled many and the more weak thou art the more watchful be thou A weak Conscience is defiled quickly Heb. 12.15 1 Cor. 8.7 2 Watch
of thy estate How is the most fine Gold changed Consternation fills my heart the crown is fallen from my head the joy of my heart ceaseth But especially thou must deplore the signalness of thy sins Wo unto me that I have sinned I will be sorry for my sin My sin is ever before me Against thee thee only have I sinned c. Lam. 4.1 c. 5.15 16 17. Psal 38.18 51.3 4. 'T is not sorrow simply but sorrow for sin which is the salve for a wounded spirit Yea this is not only a salve to heal but a sacrifice to expiate Psal 41.4 51.17 So that were thy heart more broken for sin it would be less burdened with sighing For this would interest God in thy case The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Nay this would engage him in the cure He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds He undertaketh to cordial and revive them yea to come down and dwell in them Psal 34.18 147.3 Isa 57.15 3 Return from thy sins unto the Lord in conversion Whence are all thy maladies but from turning to them from him And what remedy is there without returning to him from them Lo this is God's own prescription who is the great Physician and hath his promise of a cure sealed up with it and the Saints probatum est subscribed to it Hear how he calls encourageth cheareth quickeneth thee Hos 14.1 7. Jer. 3.1 12 13 14 22. Return ye back-sliding children and I will heal your back-slidings When will you speak back to him Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God who alone hast right in us and art alone able to give rest to us The misery is men turn into themselves or unto second causes with Ephraim to be healed of their wound and then cry out with Jeremy Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed And thence complain and fly out even against God's faithfulness Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyar and as waters that fail To such strange heights of diffidence do such diversions sometimes drive them But alas they disoblige God from comforting them by these courses of theirs and open a way for severer corrections while they decline him and deifie others Hos 5.13 14 15. Jer. 15.18 19. Psal 13.1 2 3. 77.7 11. Come then and let us return unto the Lord. There is no recovery of our peace out of his presence 'T is he woundeth and his hands make whole Return we hither and we are sure to recover He hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up We have his promise for it Hos 6.1 2. Zach. 1.3 Job 5.18 Deut. 4.29 30 31. Direct 5. Take the Balsome that is in the blood of Christ Is there no balm in Gilead Is there no Physician there Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered Though there were none there that could heal their civil wounds Isa 8.22 c. 46.11 yet there is enough here to cure thy spiritual wounds For the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin cureth and redeemeth from all iniquity 1 Joh. 1.7 Tit. 2.14 His blood is the most sovereign confection and 〈◊〉 blessed self the most skilful Chirurgeon and Physitian No sore no sickness ever came amiss to him He hath healed infirmities of eighteen yea of eight and thirty years standing Isa 53.5 Mar. 2.17 Luk. 13.11 12. Joh. 5.5 c. Yea he is not only the Physiâ—ian but the Physick as one saith * D. Reynolds on Hos 14. Serm. 4. and gives himself his own flesh his own blood for a purgative a cordial a plaister to the Soul of his patient There is no balm for Conscience like the blood of Christ § 14 It both cleanseth and comforteth It purgeth her from dead works and pacifieth her with the living God and like the tree of life it is both for meat and for medicine Heb. 9.14 c. 10.19 22. Eph. 2.13 14. Ezek. 47.12 See then that you apply this blood to you and see him applying it for you 1 See that you apply his blood to you The best Balsoms become ineffectual without a befitting application Conscience is the part affected apply this plaister close to it You are not come to blackness and darkness but to the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.18 24. Think it not enough that Christ's blood might be shed for you but it must be sprinkled on and by you The remission of your sins both in it self and in the sense of it doth immediately flow from this not that We have sinned and so God is provoked This is the burden and matter of pain to Conscience Christ is the propitiation for our sins this breatheth forth peace to Conscience But how is he the propitiation for our sins Through faith in his blood So that without an intervening act and application of faith Conscience is not blessed with peace notwithstanding the blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Rom. 3.25 Come then and apply this choice and happy Balsom the precious blood as Peter calls it of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.19 Apply and bring down the vertue of it to thine own case and condition Oh the advantages of an holy application which Christ assures us of under the metaphor of drinking his blood Joh. 6.54 55 56. Accept it then from the hands of thy dear Physician who to save thy blood hath shed his own and hath washed us from our sins in his own blood Appropriate it especially to the ulcerous and diseased part Take it for thine own 'T is no presumption while the Physician tenders it to thee and that freely and tells thee thou must not so much as dream of life without drinking his blood i.e. without applying and appropriating it Act. 20.28 Rev. 5.9 c. 1.5 c. 22.17 Joh. 7.37 c. 6.53 I allow that there is a difference between the act of the Will in chosing and accepting of Christ for mine and the act of the Conscience whereby I know and am assured that he is mine and I am his And though the latter be only immediately productive of this peace yet the former is eminently preparative thereunto and doth beget an initial and inchoative peace at least it will baffle many troubles Go then as far with Conscience as you can in it in answering her pleas from hence if you cannot accord all in peace Doth Conscience suggest the foulness of thy sins speak back again to Conscience His blood was shed for many for the remission of sins yea and of my sins if I am but throughly willing to take him for my Lord and Saviour Doth Conscience tell thee of thy several forfeitures and spiritual vassallage to Divine justice Tell Conscience his blood hath obtained eternal Redemption yea there is redemption for me through his blood if I can receive
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
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
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
7. Exercise your selves to have always a good Conscience So Paul Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.16 Conscience will not be ensured or preserved without consideration exercise and pains 1. Co-united endeavours there must be as respects the subject Herein do I exercise my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is his study his labour his work his business which took up his outward specially his inward man Of so large an import is that word Here is matter enough to take up the whole Man Mind Memory Will Affections Members which had need be all imployed either for informing of or conforming to Conscience 2 Continued endeavours they must be as respects the circumstances Herein do I exercise my self always Let the times frown or favour the good Conscience let Conscience smite or smile whether you are under the arrests of Judgment or the happy liberties of mercy whether men speak well or ill whether the Candle of the Lord shine upon you on the one hand or the calumnies of men like so many arrows stick fast in you on the other whatever business be before you this business must not be behind or be neglected by you and herein use an holy constancy as you would maintain an holy Conscience and be able to say with Paul I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day 1 Pet. 3.15 Job 27.6 3 Comprehensive endeavours they must be both as respects the state of Conscience that it be void of offence and the objects it regardeth likewise both toward God and toward man Keep the Conscience inoffensive if you would keep it entire and Evangelically good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sometimes passively taken Phil. 1.10 Sometimes actively 1 Cor. 10.32 that Conscience neither give nor take offence either offend or be offended Eye Conscience in both kinds and herein exercise your selves constantly nor only as respects God nor only as respects man but as respects both God and Man first as respects God then as respects Man Let Religion toward God and Righteteousness toward Man be your continued exercise and you will neither impair the tranquillity nor injure the tenderness of your Conscience Job 2.3 Psal 15. Isa 33.15 16. Conscience hath both Tables of the Law committed originally to it The Conscience again committeth them as Josiah did to the other Powers as its inferior Officers when these bring Conscience word as Shaphan brought the King back word again saying All that was committed to thy servants they do it Then we have both a sincere and inoffending and also a secure and inoffended Conscience 2 Chr. 34.15 16. 8. Exercise Conscience oftner if you would have it always good The weal of Conscience lyes much-what within the walls of conscience If you vvould keep conscience vvell you must keep conscience at vvork sloth vvill beget sickness beget sin and incense justice to take away your talent Mat. 25.28 2. 1 Be frequent in examining Conscience ask how the case stands the frequent'st trier is usually the forward'st thriver in the School of Christ and of Conscience as well as of humane Literature The more you prove and examine Conscience the more you provoke and engage it for after-times and improve the experiences antecedent Psal 77.6 c. 2 Be forward in exciting Conscience Is it incident to drowsiness distempers deadness call upon it the oftener rouse it up by awakening Considerations thy Conscience is keeper of the Vineyards the other faculties and thine own Vineyard hast thou not kept Put it in remembrance of its duty and thy danger Provoke it by arguments of mercy and alarums of justice that if thou must say with the Spouse I sleep yet thou may'st say with her my heart waketh Psal 108.2 Cant. 1.6 c. 5.2 3 Be faithful in exonerating Conscience Whatever Conscience directed by the Word of God dictateth fail not to do it whatever it forbids thee forbear it else thou teachest Conscience to forbear thee limiting Conscience and not listning to Conscience are a ready way to the losing of Conscience 'T is miserable when men are churlish with Conscience and it must be said of you as Nabal's servants said of him He is such a son of Belial that Conscience cannot speak to him 1 Sam. 25.17 Listen to Conscience then and be led by it so shalt thou live in all good Conscience As God said to Abraham so say I to thee In all that Sarah in all that Conscience shall say unto thee hearken unto her voice If you would hold a good Conscience obey a good Conscience if it may not be heard it will away If it may command thee it will continue with thee Act. 23.1 Gen. 21.12 2 Tim. 1.3 1 Tim. 3.9 9. Exercise the good that is in and with your Conscience Actuate and imploy your implanted habits of Grace and these will grow into greater increases Keep up the lively exercise of Faith Love and Repentance and you keep up the exercise and enjoyment of a good Conscience These say to Conscience as David sometime did to Abiatbar Abide with us fear not he that seeketh thy life seeketh our life With us thou shalt be in safety Prov. 4.18 1 Sam. 22.23 Rinse Conscience upon every fall thou catchest from the filth which thou contractest in the waters of repentance The more tears of Contrition the more tenderness of Conscience and transcendent comfort Psal 51. Job 11.14 15. Raise and quicken Faith this will subdue enemies without sanctifie Conscience within sprinkle the blood of Jesus on it and suck continued virtue from his blessed promises 1 Joh. 5.4 5. Act. 26. Heb. 10.22 23. Repeat and continue the dear and delicious acts of Love which will facilitate the Commandments to you free Conscience in you and fits you to whatever capacity Christ shall call you 1 Joh. 5.3 1 Cor. 13.4 8. CHAP. III. Of the Pure and Defiled Conscience Q. 1. Whether the Conscience in man be naturally pure or defiled Touching this I must return you to what hath been already spoken Chap. 2. Quest 2. and 3. Q. 2. Whether a pure Conscience be attainable by man in this life THere is a double purity of the Conscience 1. Exact and legal as fully answers to what the Law asks 2. Evangelical and more large as fitly agrees with what the Gospel allows That excludes all degrees of pollution and includes all degrees of perfection this allows no degree of pollution and aspires after the highest degree of perfection 1. That legal and exact purity of the Conscience neither can nor ever was attained since the Fall by any meer man in this life 1. Who was ever priviledged in this life from the pollution of Conscience Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Who can understand his errors Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean as man is not one There is not a just man upon the earth
we get or obtain a pure Conscience Answ This enquiry is not how we may get it pure from some new actual tincture of which see Q. 7. but from its old habitual taint and pollution for which take these Directions 1. Behold the necessity of a pure Conscience and be awakened 1. Without this there is no Society with God He is of purer eyes than to entertain you in your habitual impurity There is no having nor so much as hoping Communion with or a propriety in him unless Conscience be purified in you Hab. 1.13 Psal 18.26 1 Joh. 3.3 Jam. 4.8 2 Without this there is no Salvation by God Wash thine Heart as ever thou wouldst to Heaven There is nothing entereth which is unclean that happy place is reserved only for the pure in heart Jer. 4.14 Rev. 21.27 Psal 24.3 4. A polluted Conscience is neither fit for the business nor blessedness of that pure and perfect condition 3 Without this there is no serving of God at least with acceptance to him or with advantage to you The Heart must be purified that would attempt his Presence Josh 24.19 Heb. 9.14 c. 10.22 Jam. 4.8 Till Conscience be purified the pure God will not endure thy presence nor will thy impure Conscience easily bear his Presence 4 Without this there is no sincerity in thee Clean or pure acts will never put ye beyond an hypocrite without a clean or pure Heart 'T is not a pure Conversation but a pure Conscience that speaks thy condition prosperous and secures from the condemnation of Pharisees Psal 73.1 2 Tim. 1.3 Mat. 23.25 29. 5 Without this there is no security for thee thy condition can never be safe till Conscience be sanctified All that God secures Conscience is but on this condition If thou be pure and upright And for the security of Conscience 't is grounded upon the sincerity of Conscience 't is first pure then peaceable as David points us in his prayer and 't is the pure in Heart are first pronounced Blessed by our Saviour 1 Thes 5.23 Job 8.6 Jam. 3.17 Ps 51.7 8. Mat. 5.8 2. Behold the nature of an impure Conscience and be ashamed Thou art not so pure in thine own eyes but thou art as impure and vile in God's eyes Be convinced of this and thou wilt be cleansing that and begging him to cleanse thee Prov. 30.12 Isa 65.5 Mich. 6.11 13. Job 40.4 1 Think what is defiled Conscience that choice that curious piece that so dignifieth Man next the Angels and differenceth him from the Brutes Conscience that is God's Tabernacle in Man and maketh Man the Temple of God Conscience that is chief among the faculties and is under God to command the whole frame of our Hearts and Lives What Conscience that by Creation was like the Nazarites purer than Snow whiter than Milk more ruddy than Rubies whose polishing was of Saphire should be now blacker than a coal and she that was clothed in Scarlet should embrace Dunghils That thy Gold should become thus dim and the most fine Gold be changed into dirt This cannot but procure a Lamentation especially when thou shalt consider that this thou hast contracted upon thy self who knowest how great a crime it is if through thy means the Conscience but of a weak brother should be desiled Prov. 20.27 1 Cor. 3.17 Lam. 4.1 9. 1 Cor. 8.7 2 Think what it doth defile A defiled Conscience 1. defiles all of thee it defiles the Man the whole Man the Spirit Soul and Body are defiled even the Mind the most pure and precious part is defiled wheresoever the Conscience is defiled Mat. 15.18 1 Thes 5.23 Tit. 1.15 2. It defiles all to thee there is nothing pure to thee The taking of God's Covenant into thy mouth thy very Table-comforts thy Meat become a sin and snare to thee Conscience being unclean whatever it toucheth doth become unclean likewise Tit. 1.15 Psal 50.16 17. 69.22 Lev. 5.2.3 It defiles all that comes from or is done by thee It streams sin upon every service Thy Civil actions thy very plowing is sin and thy sacred actions thy very praying is sin likewise For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Mat. 15.18 Prov. 21.4 c. 28.9 Job 14.4 3. Betake ye to the known provision which God hath made for purifying the Conscience and be active The pure Conscience is from God as the principal Cause 't is he that purifieth and he that pacifieth the Conscience He that cureth its diseases and cleanseth it from defilements He creates and so the Heart is clean 1 Thes 5.23 Ezek. 36.25 Psal 51.7 10. But though it be his work principally 't is our work partly too as himself presseth it Wash ye make you clean c. Isa 1.16 'T is his work to bless the means unto purifying and our work to be in the use of those means whereby he purifieth Asking the mercy of him and applying the means to us 1 Then ask this mercy from him with the greatest ardour thou may'st acknowledging thy pollution with shame and sorrow aggravating it also in his presence abhorring thy self and acknowledg with thy impotency his power as who alone can purifie thee So David Psal 51.2 11. His promises of it do not preclude but should provoke rather thy prayers for it Ezek. 36.25 cum 37. 2 Apply thee to the means and the means to thee with the greatest activity thou can'st These are the Word Water and Blood * See Sheffield's good Cons c. 2. p 33. c. 1 The Word Ye are clean through the Word saith Christ Job 15.3 This is not only pure in it self but purifying the Soul that attendeth the preaching of it Psal 19.8 Joh. 17.17 Ephes 5.26 Submit thy Conscience to the Commands of it Purity is the end of them and will be the effect in thee 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.22 If you obey Then 2. Skill thy Conscience in the Promises of it Every Promise is both a motive to and means for cleansing as of the flesh so likewise of the Spirit But there is an especial Promise in God's absolute Covenant I will sprinkle clean water on you and ye shall be clean Which you may urge upon your self in secret and urge God with in supplication 2. Cor. 7.1 Jer. 33.8 Ezek. 3.6.25 cum 37. 2 Water Ezek. ibid. Ephes 5.26 The Sacrament of Water should not only be remembred by thee but re-inforced on thee by due and doubled consideration Though I cannot say to thee as Ananias said unto Saul Arise and be Baptised and wash away thy sins if thou wert baptized in thy infancy yet I must counsel thee to apply thy Baptism by fetching arguments from thence and by eying the ability and efficacy of the Blood and Spirit of Christ thereby exhibited till thou findest the answer thereunto of a good Conscience toward God And then thy Infant-baptism will be as effectual to the washing away of thy sins in thy adult estate as the Circumcision of the Hands was
able to stand against all the wiles of the Devil If he drives on peace he designs your perdition by it Be sure his peace is with the extremest drudgery of the exceedingst danger and will surely end in damnation 2 Cor. 2.11 Ephes 6.11 2 Thes 2.9 13. 2. Daubing Priests and Dough-baked Professors which say Peace peace and there is no peace The overflowing showers of Divine displeasure will consume both these and them together the deceived and deceivers Ezek. 13.10 16. Jer. 6.14 Some there are who can or will see nothing but Visions of peace for their people lest when they denounce War from Heaven against others they should hear the eccho and reflex thereof in their own hearts or others should be ready to recriminate Physitian heal thy self Ezek. 13.16 c. Luk. 4.23 Others it may be will be soothing you up in a false peace though you walk in the imagination of your own hearts amongst fire-balls and deaths and will be promising you life while you persist in your lusts A fearful and horrible thing if God himself may be witness Jer. 23.14 17. Ezek. 13.22 Others will be smoothing and salving up the matter upon the least pain or prick of Conscience These heal the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saith the Lord. They skin over the sores of their fond and foolish Patients without searching or probing them or drawing out the putrid matter and core which is at the bottom of them that addeth to their peril and will augment their future pain They are healing their Souls while they should be hewing at their sins and laying the ax at the very root For this God will surely and severely visit Jer. 6.14 15. c. 8.11 12. Hos 6.5 9. Take heed then and turn thine ear especially thy heart from all such for they speak a Vision of their own heart They see vain and foolish things for thee not discovering thine iniquity One Micajah though he sound the Trumpet of War against thy sins would be more prosperously attended and peaceably accompanied than four hundred false Prophets that will sing a requiem to thy Soul while thou remainest in thy sinful state Jer. 23.16 17. Lam. 2.14 1 King 22.6 c. 3. Divine Justice is another cause which giveth men over to such strong delusions blinding the eyes and hardening the hearts c. of such obdurate sinners 2 Thes 2.11 Joh. 12.40 Only remember he is rather a deficient then an efficient cause For he cannot be the author to speak properly of what he is the avenger He doth not give in this peace but by with-drawing his grace he giveth up men for their sin to sink in and giveth them over to sit down in this false peace Rom. 1.24 26 28. But be it remembred also that he giveth not up any judicially who give not up themselves actually and voluntarily So that here your great care and concern is that you provoke not justice hereunto by your own self-pleasedness and stubborn perversness Hearken to him and you are assured that you shall dwell safely and be quiet from the fear of so great an evil Psal 81.11 12. Rom. ibid. Prov. 1.30 ad finem II. Within the Conscience This false peace ariseth either from the vicious qualities or from the vicious carriage of the Conscience 1. The vicious qualities of the Conscience are many I shall mind you of these six only from whence it taketh its spring and rise As 〈◊〉 from its sortishness or ignorance either of the God of Peace and the purity of his nature or of the peace of God and its pure and powerful effects upon our natures Or of what the Scriptures demâ—nd as antecedaneous or in order to â—ound peace or of what themselves are or do in observance and obedience of the terms of peace Psal 50.20 Eph. 4.18 Rom. 1.21 c. 7.9 Zeph. 1.12 2 From its sensuality and enslavedness to the sensual appetite and those secular objects which it affects When the brutish appetite through mens laziness or listlesness once supercedes and commands the rational a cheap liberty will content the Conscience which now lies captivated in its chains Now God's judgments are far above out of his sight And while sense and fancy have their fill Conscience is easily flattered and he saith in his heart I shall never be moved Soul take thine ease saith he Why shouldst thou feed upon gall and hemlock who hast goods laid up for many years Psal 10.5 6. Luk. 12.19 3 From its supiness and self-indulgence whereby men take it for granted that their estate is good enough already especially if there be the Imprimatur of any eminent Professor and therefore think it a needless and supererogatory piece to undertake such a sowre and self-displeasing work as to put their condition upon such severe inquiâ—ies and so strict an inquisition as their Preachers would perswade to Whence it is that the commands are so much iterated and ingeminated for examining our selves considering our ways c. Jer. 5.24 2 Cor. 13.5 Hag. 1.5 7. Gal. 6.4 4 From its sleepiness and inanimadvertency Happily the notion and necessity of self-examining sticks upon men after a Sermen or in a Sickness But 't is not so powerfully and prevailingly as to put them upon the work presently But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they dismiss so difficult a work till another and then another season It 's requisite they have yet a little more sleep a little more slumber And God hearkens and hears and there is not so much as a question put to their hearts Well happily he renews his calls and repeats his knocks by some smarter providence or severer preaching and yet through a sleepy deadness Conscience is prone to reply as he did in the Gospel Trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are in bed with me I cannot yet rise and give thee Eph. 5.14 Jer. 8.6 Luk. 11.7 5 From its searedness and insensibleness whereby the awakening woes and alarums of wrath which are sounded in his word and resounded in his works make no impression upon it or upon the affections A small prick is soon sensed by a sound part but pierce press cut knock c. a seared part and there is no sense of pain This Conscience is seared as with an hot iron it is past feeling Let the two-edged Sword be bathing it self in blood and slaughter let it be dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and dissecting even to the joints and marrow of him that sits with him in the same seat yet this seared Conscience neither feels nor fears it Nay though his own doings have beset him round about he will neither say to his heart nor suffer his heart to speak to him in what an estate he standeth 1 Tim. 4.2 Eph. 4.19 Hos 7.2 Mal. 2.2 6 From its stubbornness and indurateness whereby it will not be beaten out nor brought off its old customary pretensions for peace and quiet self-possession Could we flash in some of
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
and rest upon him Doth Conscience terrifie thee with being an enemy to God and God's being an enemy to thee Tell her the blood of his Cross hath made reconciliation for the sins of his people And for me if I renounce my enmity and return unto him Mat. 26.28 Rom. 3.25 26. Heb. 9.12 Col. 1.14 20. Heb. 2.17 Oh if Conscience could but lay a clear claim to this blood farewell such cramps and convulsions quickly Could she but say The blood of our Lord Jesus was shed for me I have redemption through his blood Now there would be a most ample serenity Well Conscience cannot yet put forth an act of assurance after it yet may she and should put forth an hand of acceptance towards it and of an holy acquiescence on it as knowing sin cannot write so bitter things against us but this blood of sprinkling speaks better things for us 1 Tim. 1.15 Isa 26.3 Heb. 12.24 2 See Christ applying his blood for you presenting the merit of it to his Father and thereby pleading for mercy to the faithful in his Intercession He is not gone into the Holiest of all as the high Priest with the blood of goats and calves was wont which he offered for himself as well as others But by his own blood he is entered into the holy place and this not for himself but to appear in the presence of God for us And if that blood sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall this blood sprinkled in the Conscience purge it from dead works Heb. 9.7 15 24. c. 7.25 Direct 6. Try the Breasts of the Church you may suck and be satisfied These are breasts of Consolation Breasts for beauty and benefit fair and full of milk and nutritive vertue As the clusters of the Vine as clusters of grapes full of vinous spirits succulency and sweetness Isa 66.11 Caut. 7.7 8. You that are athirst i.e. in distress and desirous of relief may come freely Christ invites you encourages injoyns you to come away Isa 55.1 2. Joh. 7.37 Rev. 21.6 Mat. 11.28 1 Try the Breasts of the Promises Do not put them from you they are full of affecting delicacies and as it were ake for want of drawing In them is not only sure but strong consolation For he is faithful who hath promised Lay but the mouth of faith to the promise as Sara and Abraham did and the fears you plead from the improbabilities and seeming impossibilities of peace will melt away and vanish Isa 55.3 Heb. 6.18 c. 10.23 c. 11.11 Rom. 4.19 20 21. Sayest thou I see no peace of Conscience within nothing but puzling calamities without me But the Promises shew that there is peace in Christ for thee In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace Joh. 16.33 Object Alas for peace I have great bitterness Answ Yet hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace to his people he will bless his people with peace Psal 85.8 29.11 Object What! I have peace Alas I have not deserved the least peace but the greatest punishments 'T is not all the world can give me peace Ans But in the Promises you have to do with the God of peace They ask not for deserts accept desires and afford all of free gift Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid Joh. 14.27 Obj. But alas I see no cause no foundation of peace Matter of provocation God may find enough and too much in me but no matter of peace whence he may educe this blessing for me Ans The Promises exhibit peace as not only of God's causing but of God's creating And creation is out of no pre-existing or no predisposed matter I create the fruits of the lips peace peace I create Hierusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy Isa 57.19 c. 65.18 Ply these and the like promises as Phil. 4.7 Isa 26.3 c. 27.5 c. 54.10 c. 57.16 17 18. c. 55.12 c. 66.12 c. with the strongest desires of their goodness and with your steadiest dependance on their truth Who ever went to God in the promises for peace that went away without the peace of God 2 Try the Breasts of the publick and solemn Ordinances These are full of milk and marrow and fatness not for support only but to abundantly satisfie us Let thine heart preserve them and they will add peace to and preserve thee Psal 36.8 65.4 Prov. 3.2 17.1 Essay the Sacraments which some will have to be those two Breasts Cant. 4.5 Certain it is that Christ who is our peace is the internal substance of them And he doth not only outwardly signifie but inwardly seal righteousness and therefore peace by them Ephes 2.14 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Rom. 4.11 c. 14.17 Reflect on thy Baptism It ministreth powerful arguments not only for the killing of sin but for the quieting of the soul as being baptized into Christ and under the bond and therefore having the benefits of the Covenant thereby confirmed and sealed This is another Ark against the deluge of wrath as Noah's was against the deluge of waters Rom. 6.3 4. Gal. 3.26 27. 1 Pet. 3.20 21. Renew thy presence often at and participation in the Supper of the Lord. Here is Bread to strengthen and Wine also that maketh glad the heart of man the Communion both of the Body and of the Blood of our Lord Christ Lo here is both a peace-offering for thee and an offer of peace to thee under the broad-seal of the God of peace How many Souls have unloaded all their pressures and soul-distresses at this port and have gone away loaden under full sail with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost O let not thy weaknesses so much deter thee hence as thy wants drive thee hither and Christ's willingness to communicate himself to his weak believers draw thee even to those who are filled with troubles of heart Psal 104.15 1 Cor. 10.16 Eph. 5.2 Cant. 2.3 4 5. Joh. 14.1 27. c. 16.6 22. cum c. 13. Cant. 5.1 2. Essay Sermons The Lord will speak peace But he is not wont to speak it immediately by himself but through the ministry of his own Ordinances and offices who must therefore preach the Gospel of peace Yea he creates peace but so as the word preached is of place and use in this Creation as the word of his power was in the first Creation I create the fruit of the lips peace peace The Priests lips are to be a storehouse of comfort as well as of knowledg God hath committed to them the Ministry of Reconciliation Nor doth the word they preach only propound the matter of peace but their preaching of the Word is a powerful and oft-times a present means of peace thorough his benediction Psal 85.8 Rom. 10.15 Mal. 2.5 6 7. Isa 57.19 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Isa
testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy statutes Psal 119.10 35 36.80 6. Direct 6 Spend more of your time in consideration This will concoct what you already know and convert it into blood and spirits It improveth both the quickness and clearness of Conscience while truths are revolved upon the heart and it runs them over again with fresh attention and intention of the several faculties The most considerate Christian is the most knowing and best thriveth in his Conscience Her miscarriages are the issue of inconsiderateness Psal 1.1 2.64.9 Ecles 5.1 The iterated acts of meditation will 1. habituate the principles which you already know 't will root them deeper and rivet them faster upon the mind and memory And Conscience will be ever and anon calling them into counsel Psal 119.15 16 23 24. 2. They 'l affect and pour in oyl upon the flames of love delight and desire toward these and such other principles O how love I thy law saith David What was it that kindled and caused it to burn up to such an height It is my meditation all the day Psal 119.15 16 48 97. 3. They 'l advance these principles to an higher progress and proficiency in knowledg Meditation will not only be dilating on them but deducing inferences from them and drawing on the judgment and conscience from one field of truth to another for the delicious views of the full harvest of divine verities having drunk in so much sweetness already from a few sheaves of it This was it inlarged Davids understanding beyond his teachers and above the ancients as well as above his enemies Thy testimonies are my meditation Psal 119.98 99 100. Lastly Direct 7 Sin not against your Conscience but render your selves conformable to what rules she giveth Some men sin against her rules till they have sinned away her rules till God and Conscience give them over to their own lusts instead of giving them out his laws That as they loved to restrain the truth in unrighteousness and liked not to retain God in their knowledg they shall run where they lift for a time with a reprobate and remorsless Conscience Psal 81.11 12. Isa 6.9 10 11. Rom. 1.18 21 24 28. But Sirs if you would have Conscience true in giving rules to you you must be true to the rules which Conscience gives you you encourage Conscience when you exemplifie her laws in your lives and conversations But if you turn not her directions into duties you tempt her to deal at most but by halves with you as you do at best with her The doers of the Commandments have the most discerning Conscience and dwell most in comforts If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them He that doth what he knoweth is most likely to know what to do He is secured by promise If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine and God will manifest himself to him Ps 111.10 Joh. 13.17.7.17.14.21 Q. 8. How should we so order our Conscience in relation to the second Proposition that she may give us a true and right testimony and none but such concerning our estates * See Chap. 3. Q. 3. Dir. 2. and actions To this end it is necessary That you 1. Ply your Conscience with arguments Direct 1 The influence of rational inducements with her cannot be small in that her seat and fixation is in the very highest orb of reason So that the more reasons you offer the more ready must she be caeteris paribus to her office and the more regular in her operations You may urge her 1 from her ability Thou and thou only under God canst fully and clearly testifie For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him God hath set thee up as a shining lamp for surveying all the several periods and acts of my life and thou searchest all the inward parts of the heart metaphorically expressed by the belly 1 Cor. 2.11 Prov. 2.27 2. From her authority For this art thou constituted by God in and over me And this is his command upon thee to testifie what is my consonancy to or dissonancy from those laws he hath imposed on or engraven in me Thou hast his warrant and 't is thy work to witness a work approved by him in Scripture and agreeable to thy nature Who can exempt or what shall excuse thee Rom. 2.15 3. From her avail Thy single testimony alone doth supercede the witness of the whole world besides I can appeal from them to thee but from thee I can appeal to none but God Next under his thy witness is of highest weight both with him and me Job 23.10 11 12. Rom. 9. â— 4. From her acts Why didst thou dictate truths and laws to me if thou wilt deny thy testimony to my life By those I know what God appointeth and demandeth of me but 't is by this alone I can know what I am and what is done by me Should I know his statutes only or should I not also know my own self 2 Cor. 13.5 Besides how canst thou otherwise descend to judgment who passeth sentence without some previous evidence And if this be unsound that cannot be safe So that deny or deprave thy witness and thou undoest thy whole work 5. From her advantage Witness thou must and shalt Now it may be done with less smart and more security then if thou shouldst defer it till the cords of distress or fetters of death and judgment do constrain thee 6. From her account An account thou must render at Gods Bar shortly He will then open the book of Conscience and every line of thy heart and life shall be read over distinctly He now observeth what reflections and reports Conscience maketh of what hath been done by thee and hath eminently marked out her silence as a sore evil in thee Jer. 8.6 Eccles 4.8 7 From what attends Why O my Conscience my work and welfare both as to time and eternity do all turn upon this one hinge How can I repent either from or for my past or present sins or state if sinful on the one hand Or how can I rejoyce in or be thankful for my past or present sincerity and Gods salvation on the other if thy silence or partiality in giving witness shall leave me still under the thick and dark vail of ignorance 2. Press her by and before authority Direct 2 Subpoena her to appear at Gods Bar and there argue with her Psal 50.22 Jer. 12.3 Art thou not 1 to witness from him hath not he substituted and sent thee How wilt thou answer it to him then whom thou abusest infinitely if thou adventure either to suspend thy testimony or to speak untruly 2 Art thou not to witness for him i.e. in his cause and concern as well as on his commission Durst thou so slight his honour and therewith thine obligations as either to speak wickedly for him or to be speechless or
candle of the Lord. 1 Joh. 5.9 Prov. 20.27 Be sure 1. you dâ— not menace her from giving testimony aâ— Amariah did the Prophet Art thou of the Kingâ— counsel forbear why shouldst thou be smitten Lest she forbear indeed as the Prophet did to his destruction 2 Chron. 25.16 2. Noâ— smite her for giving testimony as Balaam diâ— his Asse when she rebuked his madness leâ— the Angel of the Lord slay thee for smiting heâ— as he was like to have slain him Nor as Abâ—â— and Zedekiah did by Micajah and died miseâ—ably Numb 22.22 34. 1 King 22.15 38. 3. Nor mince the testimony she giveth lest thouâ— become odious to Conscience a Hanan to David while thou cut'st off hâ—â— testimony as Hanan did his Messengers gaâ—ments in the midst hard by their Buttocks anâ— she revenge this shame upon thee as Daviâ— did that with blood and slaughter 1 Chroâ— 19.4 16. 6. Direct 6 Put her upon action and proceed wiâ—â— her throughout this whole action with thâ— most provident attention and circumspectioâ— There are three offices which appertain to Conscience as hath been proved Q. 6. that you aâ— strictly to attend as you would have her wiâ—â—ness aright and truly viz. she is to record 〈◊〉 reflect to report The report of Conscienâ—â— which is the consummation of her office iâ— witnessing is raised upon and results froâ— the two former acts which include the iâ— choation and progress of her witnessing Hâ— witness is resting as in habit with her if we respect the first office and is now a reducing into act by her with respect to the second So that as ever you would have Conscience report or finish her testimony aright whether as concerns your past estate or actions your eminent care is required in and touching the two former wherein I shall more particularly direct you and in the next Question which you should premise I say past because in the testimony of Conscience touching things present this gradual passage from one act to another is not so observable Q. 9. What course should we take touching the recording of things by our Conscience in order to their giving a right witness To this I can say but little here for the consulting and review of her Records belongs to the next Question Direct 1. Touching the due compiling of them I shall only offer two things in the case 1. What she doth do as a motive to incite you 2. What you should do as that which may instruct you 1. Remember what she doth She doth Direct 1 and cannot but record thy actions though thou carest not happily to reflect on or attend to it Such is her relation unto God as being his register and notary So that they are all written before him yea laid up in store with him and sealed up among his treasures Isa 65.6 Deut. 32.34 And such is her relation withal to thee Conscience is one of those books the Scripture speaks of and thou shalt be judged out of those things which are written in this Book according to thy works Dan. 7.10 Rev. 20.12 She books down thy actions then and that truly and thorowly And though through the darkness of mists without and of the mind within thou canst not now discern all her prints and characters yet in the light of some grievous distress or self-discussion thou mayst discover some of them as Josephs Brethren and David did Gen. 42.21 Psal 77.6 and in the light of that great day they will all be discovered And those Letters on it which now seem invisible and illegible like Letters written with the juice of a Lemon will be then clear when it is brought to the fire of Gods judgment 1 Cor. 4.5 Yea as she records them 1. impartially so likewise 2. indelibly Her records are written with a pen of iron and with the point of a Diamond they are graven upon the table of thine heart so that there is no obliterating or razing them out Jer. 17.1 2. Direct 2 Remember what you should do 1. Take care that Conscience record things as legibly as she can whereby when you reflect you shall read them over with less aversation and more attention To this end 1. Circumspection is requisite on your part not only as to the matter of her records but as to the manner also that you may not lose the end of this act or work by the intricacy of her hand-writing In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect Exod. 23.13 Psal 119.9 2. Knowledg and confidence are requisite on her part wherewith it should be your care to furnish her knowledg lest she record virtue for vice as Abimelech Gen. 20.5 6. or vice for virtue as those Prov. 16.25 Isa 5.20 Confidence for if she writes with a trembling and palsie-hand she is like to write if truly yet illegibly and less accurately If you menace her you do but make her write in Characters which you cannot understand without a key to them Record she will but so as you shall not read them who attempt to rend them as we have clear instance Rom. 1.18 to the end Give her confidence and you shall not go away without a good accompt She never records with more clearness to us than when she is treated with most confidence by us Heb. 10 22 23. 2 Take care to keep these records as legible as you can Men are but too prone to blur and sully them either through sensuality they themselves contract blots and filth upon them or through supiness they suffer others to cloud and blemish them And so when Conscience should be reporting them men are to seek how they should read them Some let the dust of secular vanities cover them So did Pharaohs Butler for some years as if the records of his Conscience were to rest there rather as in a grave then as in a Court of Record Gen. 41.1 cum 9. Others let the copperas and gall-nuts or ink of sin to continue on and canker them 〈◊〉 did David for near an whole year together till Nathan revives their legibleness and reads them over to him 2 Sam. 2.13 15. Others let the worms and moths of Satans temptations corrupt them as did those Ephes 2.2 3. Your care then should be 1. to lock them up in a safe repository 2. To look after them so as neither the defilements of sin or dusts of sense or devices of Satan may reach at least rest upon them 3. To look that they be always in readiness that they be not to seek when you should be surveighing them Q. 10. What course should we take in and about the reflections of our Conscience that they may give us a true and right witness In the reflection which Conscience maketh at least of actions past she casteth back an eye upon two things upon her own records which are reposited with the memory which speaks back what our actions either be or have been and upon those holy rules which are reposited with the mind
the wounds of such a friend than in the kisses of such as flatter For by this thou dost encourage her now and invite her for hereafter and shalt henceforth enjoy more of thy self and of her society He that heareth reproof getteth understanding Heb. possesseth an heart Prov. 15.32 Be not of those that can reflect on a mote in their brother's eye but not on a beam if in their own eye The more censorious abroad the more blind or at best blear-eyed will Conscience be at â—ome The kind treatments of a self-reflecting Conscience will produce most circumspection in her and most compassion towards others Mat. 7.3 4. Gal. 6.1 3. Welcome her reflections there is not so much vinegar as oyl in them If she chideth reproveth 't is but like Jeremy to keep thee from ruin Therefore do not smite her and put her in prison as Pashur did by that Prophet She may so forbear reflecting and for a while fall to remorslesness But assure thy self if she forbears thee now 't is to fetch a greater blow at thee hereafter Jer. 20.2 Rom. 1.28 5. Direct 5 Stir up thy Conscience if she be remiss speak to her if she be silent towards thee 1. There are some speaking providences that invite her to reflect and do suggest matter suffer her not to break from these Who knoweth but they may be as prosperous to you as they were to Joseph's Brethren and Pharaoh's Butler Gen. 42.21 cum 7. c. 41.9 cum 8. 2. There are some speaking portions of Scriptures and Sermons that enlighten her for reflecting and are a special means Do not baffle with these For how knoweth thou but there may be the same spiritual and saving effect obtained oâ— thee as hath been on others Heb. 4.12 1 Cor. 14.24 25. 3. There be many speaking perswasives to enduce and engage thee to reflect and serve for motives do not baulk these I have set many before you already and shall only subjoyn these 1. God seeth whether thou dallyest in it and his revenge wiâ—â— be severe if thou dost not reflect in season Psal 50.21 22. Jer. 8.6 c. Hos 7.2 2. 'T is a grievous sin to decline it thou dost not act like a man thou art brutish in thy knowledg yea below the brutes 't is not only vanity but a sore travel Isa 1.3 Eccles 4.8 3. What good success mayst thou arrive to by diligence Davids reflection ended in his reformation Pauls in eminent rejoycing the Jews in the reception of their prapers remission and pardon of their sins and restoring of them into signal favour both with God and man Psal 119.59 2 Cor. 1.12 1 King 8.47 51. Q. 11. How manifold is Conscience The definition of Conscience being dispatcht the distribution regularly follows to be next enquired into Herein I may not be too nice or acurate but attending the design of a practical Casuist I shall accordingly guide my self in the distribution hereof Thus more generally as both common experience and clear Scripture evidence instruct us There is 1 the good Conscience Heb. 13.18 1 Pet. 3.16 21. 2 The evil Conscience Heb. 10.22 The good and evil conscience may be considered and distributed either 1 according to the stated habitude Or 2 according to the several acts of mens Consciences First if we consider the state or according to the stated habitude of mens Consciences so the Conscience may be called good or evil either 1 in an ethical and moral Or 2 in an Evangelical and Spiritual sense 1. Ethically good or good upon a common account so is the Conscience which from a principle of moral righteousness is habitually disposed toward and actually dischargeth its offices according to Ethical or Moral principles In this sense many Pagans had and Paul before his Conversion was not without a good Conscience Act. 23.1 I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day i.e. I have lived up to the light of my Conscience Or as the Dutch Annotators * Ad locum I have served God uprightly i.e. without hypocrisie according to the knowledg I had 2. Evangelically good or good upon the Christian account so only is that Conscience which from a spiritual principle of renovation is habitually disposed toward and actually dischargeth its offices according to evangelical principles Paul therefore incloseth this between charity out of a pure heart and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 Let me add that the same Conscience as that of Paul before his effectual calling and as is commonly found in Moral persons which we may and do call good sensu ethico in an ethick sense we must call an evil Conscience sensu Evangelico in an Evangelical sense For so still it is an evil Conscience till it be purged from dead works by the blood of Christ to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 10 22. There is a double goodness found with the Conscience evangelically good a goodness of purity and a goodness of peace or a goodness of sincerity and of security as a practical Writer of ours speaketh * Sheffield Good Cons c. â— p. 26. Or a goodness of integrity and of tranquillity as another * Dykes Good Cons p. 20. See Ames de Consc l. 1. c. 12. Hence there is 1 the purified or pure Conscience instanced 2 Tim. 1.3 And 2 the pacified or peaceable Conscience intimated Phil. 4.7 Opposite to this double goodness of Conscience there is a double evil of defilement to sin habitual and allowed and 2. of distress to sorrow and anguish of heart Accordingly there is 1 the defiled Conscience propounded Tit. 1.15 And 2 the disquiet Conscience pointed at Prov. 12.25 It must be herewith remembred that neither this twofold evil nor that twofold goodness do always co-exist in the same Conscience There may be purity yet no peace and peace of Conscience such as it is yet no purity There may be an habitually impure or defiled Conscience which yet is not distressed And there may be a distressed Conscience which is not habitually impure or defiled as will be seen in the further progress of this discourse Oh happy conjunction when both goodnesses of peace and of purity of sincerity and of security do meet in the fame Conscience * Faelix conscientiâ— in qua osculatae sunt pax justitia Bern. de inter dom Happy when both evils of defilement and of distress of transgression and of trouble are cast out and kept out of the doors of Confcience together Secondly the good and evil Conscience may be distributed according to the several acts of Conscience viz. Either 1. as it apprehends and dictates matters of law or right where by it cometh to an issue in judgment Or 2. as it applys and draws them down to the matter before it for judgment Both which it doth either firmly and strongly or but feebly and weakly Agreeable whereunto there is 1 the weak and infirm Conscience And 2 the well-inabled firm or strong Conscience Of
c. Mal. 1.13 Job 21.15 Chap. 35.3 Amos 8.5 Exod. 5.2 2. Sometimes 't is outs in the measure generally it is in one extream or other either over or under Conscience accused Cain as also Judas but to that extremity as ended in despair and horrour It accused Ahab and Felix but not as might infer the hatred of their sins or alteration of their states Gen. 4.13 c. Mat. 27.3 4 5. 1 King 21.29 cum Chap. 22. Act. 24.25 26 27. 3. Most times 't is out in the method and circumstance of time Conscience should be checking and curbing in the first motion of sin within but concupiscence ordinarily conceiveth and bringeth forth e're Conscience checketh it or censureth the sinner Conscience should have anticipated that act of pride and carnal confidence in Davids numbring the people at least should have been accusing while that act was a consummating But nine months and twenty days are run out e're Conscience gives him a rebuke And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people Conscience condemned the sin of Judas but not till he saw the condemning of Jesus 2 Sam. 24.8 10. Mat. 27.3 4. At all times 't is out in the manner if God should be severe and weigh it in the scales of his Justice Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin That his Conscience hath discharged its office with that freedom and faithfulness with that openess and holiness with that sincerity and self-denial c. as is due from us Who can understand his errors Prov. 20.9 Eccles 7.20 Psal 19.12 2. With relation to future things and tims Conscience is authoritatively to direct and determine 1. Subordinately under God and as from God as the chief Governour 2. Supreamly to and for God as the chief good and end But alas how sinful is it here likewise 1. How little doth it attend insomuch as God complains None saith restore and calls out Who will hearken and hear for the time to come Isa 42.23 How few are there that with Mary ponder those things in their hearts which concern the after-times and their eternal peace But how many that hold fast deceit that refuse to return and set their heart on their iniquity rather than to seek out their duty And because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Luk. 2.19 Jer. 8.5 Chap. 5.3 Hos 4.8 Eccles 8.11 2. How lost is its authority Conscience hath much-what left its subordination to God and his word Lo they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them Jer. 8.9 Chap. 6.10 The Commandments of Men are received and the Commandments of God are rejected by the Pharisees and Conscience is pretended and pleaded Mat. 15.1 10. Mar. 7.1 14. Conscience hath much what lost also its superiority over the Will and Affections which it should over-rule and order God calls and Conscience calls Return ye every one from his evil way and make your ways and your doings good And they said There is no hope but we will walk aster our own devices and we will do every one the imagination of his evil heart And so Conscience is often enslaved though it cannot be wholly extinguished by corrupt affections Jer. 18.11 12. Chap. 2.24 25. Rom. 1.18 21 c. 3. How low is its aspect Conscience should order every business to be done as for and as before God and should hold back from sin as that which displeaseth dishonoureth and is contrary to God But alas how far distant are mens counsels which abundantly speak the defilement of Conscience Ahab humbleth himself but 't is to anticipate the sufferings denounced from God not in abhorrence of the sin done against God Jehu reforms but 't is to ensure the Government not to exalt Godliness Conscience calls the Pharisees to prayer and almes-deeds but 't is to be seen of men rather than serve God Calls the People and the Priests to fasting at some times to feasting at others But keeps them within themselves carrieth them not up to God as their end in either 1 King 21.21 ad finem 2 King 10.28 cum 31. Mat. 6.2 c. Zach. 7.5 6. 4. How languid are its acts Conscience is 1. to inform and dictate what we are to do what to decline but this it doth many times falsly most times ineffectually calling evil good and good evil putting darkness for light and light for darkness Or if it presenteth our duty right yet not so as to prevail to the doing thereof regularly Isa 5.20 Rom. 1.21 2. Conscience is to engage and bind us from iniquity to duty But this it doth either very feebly or forbears and lets fall its bonds in an affliction happily these bonds seem fast and firm but the heart is not right with God nor remains stedfast with him and they soon fall of again And as for the word spoken to them in the name of the Lord when the rod is over they are ready to say We will not hearken to thee but we will certainly do whatsoever seems good in our own eyes c. Hos 5.15 chap. 4.6 Ps 78.34 37. Jer. 44.16 17. 3. Conscience is to impell and instigate but alas how faintly doth it this or else forbears it insomuch as the Prophet complains There is none that stireth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 64.7 And the best of Believers have sound frequent cause of awakening and alaruming their Conscience Psal 57.8 chap. 103.1 2. 4. Yea Conscience is ready to engage against all this so corrupt it is as to be angry with the strict and searching Truths of God and with Ahab to quarel with Gods Elijahs Hast thou found me O mine enemy And to conclude with him against the messengers of God as he touching Micajah He never prophesieth good concerning me but evil Yea to hate the good and love the evil to hate him that rebuketh in the gate to hate the light and will not come to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 1 King 21.20 ch 22.8 Mich. 3.2 Amos 5.10 Joh. 3.19 20. How extream then is the evil of Conscience further than it is purged by the blood of Christ What cause have we then of continual humiliation and of highest circumspection How careful should we be to get Conscience cleansed and cured which leads us to the next Question Q. 3. How may we be cured of an evil Conscience The cure of the several evils or sicknesses of Conscience as also the cure of the several sorts of an evil Conscience must be expected by you and will be endeavoured by me more particularly hereafter The cure of the evil state of the Conscience is the concernment I have now before me I suppose you sensible that the state thereof is bad In order to the setting right of it I advise that I. You submit to your Convictions These Convictions
that doth good and sinneth not Prov. 20.9 Psal 19.12 Job 14.4 Eccles 7.20 2. Who was ever possessed in this life with the perfection of Conscience Conscience is never perfected till the Christian is perfected and the body of sin and this sinful body be put off fully 1 Cor. 13.10 c. Phil. 3.12 c. What is man that he should be clean His Conscience is miserably polluted and seared who durst pretend to perfection in the sight of God and wretchedly deceiveth himself and denieth the Scriptures of God Job 15.14 15 16. c. 25.4 5 6. c. 11.4 5. 1 Joh. 1.1 8 10. 2ly This Evangelical purity of the Conscience is attainable in this life and should be attained 't is possible we may and God's pleasure that that we do and must endeavour for and ensure it Lo 1. Man is admonished and called upon for it Purifie your hearts ye double minded Wash your hearts from your wickedness Have them sprinkled from an evil Conscience Purge your selves cleanse your selves from all filthiness of the spirit Hold the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience which implicitely requireth that you have a pure Conscience wherein to hold it In short the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience Jam. 4.8 Jer. 4.14 Heb. 10.22 2 Tim. 2.21 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Tim. 3.9 c. 1.5 2. Means are afforded and communicated for it Without us the Word and Ordinances within us Faith Hope c. Above us the Blood and Spirit of Christ whereby the Conscience may be purged from dead works Of which some things have been premised and more will be subjoyned hereafter Q. 5. If this mercy were not to be attained wherefore are these means they were as to this in vain and to no purpose appointed 3. Many have attained it Paul thanks God whom he served from his forefathers with a pure Conscience The Deacons held the mystery of faith in a pure Conscience Wherefore should I multiply instances in whomsoever there was or is a living faith and lively hope it did and doth purifie the Heart and Conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 1 Tim. 3.9 Act. 15.9 1 Joh. 3.3 In short whosoever believeth is pure hath all things pure to himself and his Mind and Conscience purified in him Tit. 1.15 Q. 3. Whether a Man's Conscience may be habitually impure and defiled and he not apprehensive of it Though all the Sons of Men may know de facto and should know de jure Whether their Consciences are pure or polluted yet many a man's Conscience is habitually impure and polluted and he knoweth it not 1. Witness Scriptures There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes yet is not washed from their filthiness Prov. 30.12 Laodicea saith I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knoweth not that she is wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Instances would be endless Luk. 18.11 12. Isa 65.5 2. What else is the work of the Spirit of the Scriptures and of the servants of God by office but to convince of sin and shut up the Conscience of sinners in the sense of their sinful condition to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light that they that see not may see the defiled and deplorable state in which they have been and yet are and be at length convicted as those Pharisees were by their own Conscience Joh. 16.8 9. Act. 26.18 Psâ—l 19.8 Joh. 9.39 c. 8.9 Shall I point you whence it ariseth 1. Partly from want of self discussion Conscience is seldom or never put to the question by them or they by Conscience They consider not in their hearts Heb. They say not to their hearts Hos 7.2 How could those loose and wicked wretches so insolently insist upon it We are wise and the law of the Lord is with us But that they held fast deceit and no man said in his heart what have I done Jer. 8.5 6. cum 9.2 Principally from a wretched self-indulgence Self-love flatters men into a fond opinion of themselves and pride inflames them into a foolish ostentation and both render them averse to the knowledg of the worst by themselves afraid that Conscience do its work with much strictness and arms them also against â—orreign arguments and convictions with deâ—ensive pleas and pretensions lâ—t him hear the words of the Curse Yet he blesseth himself in â—is own heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart c. Deut. 29.19 Q. 4. How may we know whether our Consciences are habitually pure or defiled Put Conscience to it press home upon your hearts as in the presence of the most high God these three Questions which I here present and tender you First What is thy Conscience purified in If Conscience be purified at all 't is purified in all in every orb every office every part and proper officine of the Conscience 't is frequently called the perfect heart 1 King 15.14 1 Chron. 28.9 c. 29.19 2 Chron. 25.2 Understand it of an integral perfection there is no part of Conscience but is purified 1. Conscience is pure as a law it conserveth pure and holy laws and because they are very pure therefore doth this soul love them Psal 19.8 c. 119.140 2. Conscience is pure as it applyeth this law as for the pure his work is right that which this Conscience eyes is purity both in it self and in what is subordinated to it by all the acts generally it puts forth Prov. 21.8 Heb. 10.22 'T is an heart after God's own heart and therefore with the pure will shew himself pure and preserves the mysteries of faith in a pure mind and Conscience 1 Sanâ— 13.14 Psal 18.26 1 Tim. 3.9 Call Conscience then before thee commune with thâ— own heart Hath the water of purifying passeâ— upon the whole Conscience Is every veâ—â— thereof like those in Solomon's house of pure Gold Do you love pureness of heart Would you approve your selves in all things by pureness as the servants of God And whatsoever things are pure do you think on them and that with best complacence and most contentation Then are your Consciences purified Psal 4.4 1 King 10.21 Prov. 22.11 2 Cor. 6.4 6. Phil. 4.8 Secondly What is my Conscience purified from The pure Conscience in Scripture stands opposed not only to that which is defiled Tit. 1.15 but to that which is double Purifie your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4.8 Let me ask then and thy heart answer 1. Is thy Conscience purified from its doubleness This is specially when Conscience will be making or maintaining a coalition and compounding of interests uniting and contempering of gain and godliness God and the World or as the Samaritans Fearing the Lord and serving their own Gods 1 Tim. 6.5 Jam. 4.4 2 King 17.33 Enquire then 1. into the object whereto it doth or should determine thee Is not thy heart divided between God and Mammon If so thou
art verily faulty But is it united to fear God's name There is none that Conscience bids thee pursue by desire like him or binds thee to please in and by thy duties like him or to promote his designs of glory equal with him Psal 86.11 c. 73.25 1 Thes 2.4 2. Enquire into the offices whereunto it directs thee Dost thou renounce the hidden things of dishonesty durst you not walk in craftiness or handle the Word of God deceitfully by contempering flesh and spirit in thy work as Vintners do in their Wines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But wouldst thou every office thou presentest shouldst be a pure offering every prayer a pure prayer And that which thou principally covetest therein is that thou mayst call on the Lord out of a pure heart 2 Cor. 4.2 Mal. 1.11 Job 16.17 2 Tim. 2.22 3. Enquire into the openness simplicity and unguilful disposition of thy Conscience What hast thou an heart and an heart as those Psal 12.2 marg one for God another for Baal for the world Miserable the pure Conscience is a plain Conscience 't is clothed with simplicity and godly sincerity 't is a spirit in which is no guile Durst you not double then in the matters of Conscience nor dissemble in the matters of corruption Art willing God should see the worst of thee and shew thee the very worst of thy self Dost thou expose all to his search and wouldst approve all in his sight and not so much as have thy heart secretly enticed from himself This is a pure Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal 32.2 1 Chron. 12.33 Psal 119.23 24. Job 31.27 2. Is thy Conscience purified from its defilement I know you are not purified from all degrees of sin are you from all the kinds of sin You are not purified from the actual stain of them but are you from the habitual state in them this is God's promise and the Gospel-purity of the Conscience I will cleause you from all your filthiness Ezek. 36.25 26 33. c. 37.23 I know none can say and speak truly his Heart is clean from all adhesion of sin to him or from activity of sin in him But can you say my heart is clean from the approbation of any sin by it and from the allowance of any sin in it 1 What say you to an habitual course in sin I know there are wicked works found with you but is there no wicked way found in you Do you refrain your feet from every evil way Though you fall into the mire with the sheep do not you wallow in the mire with the Swine Do you wash off the repeated spots of your sins by the renewed streams of godly sorrow to repentance else never call it a pure Conscience Psal 139.24 Psal 119.101 2 Pet. 2.22 Mich. 6.11 2 What say you to the authority and command of sin Doth Conscience woo and welcome it or witness and war against it and wash it self afresh in the blood of Christ and waters of Contrition when it hath contracted guilt and filth by the power or policies of it Is Conscience pure from its reign though she cannot preserve you from its rage Sin may pollute your Conscience and for present captivate it But doth not Conscience give up her self to the commands thereof but grieves rather that she should so be contaminated And when captivated doth Conscience raise complaints in and recollect the other powers of the Soul And doth she run to Christ renew the quarrel and reinforce her strength for another combate and resolve never to quit the field till she carrieth the victory and the Crown be fixed upon the head of Christ This is a pure Conscience Rom. 6.12 23. c. 7.15 ult 3 What say you to the hearts closing with sin Are you pure from the indulgence of sin though you cannot be from the in-dwelling of sin Do you hate all false ways Is there never an Herodias that your Hearts hug and cherish Are you for taking away all iniquity Is thy Conscience afraid of all abhorrent from all arms against all Secret as well as open Such as serve the interest of the flesh as well as such as straiten it And would you keep your selves unspotted from the world unspotted from the flesh as well as unswallowed uâ— by the world or by the flesh This speakâ—â— you to have a pure Conscience Psal 119.104 128. Hos 14.2 Psal 19.12 13. Jam. 1.27 Jude 23. Thirdly What is thy Conscience purified unto 1 To what as thy employment The pure Conscience is for the purest carrlage after the purest Copy 1 Job 3.3 This is the Temple of God the very floor of whose house as was that of Solomon's is over-laid with pure Gold both within and without 1 Cor. 3.17 1 King 6.30 Search the acts and offices of Conscience then is Godliness the greatest employment which it commands the other powers of the Soul and wherein it most congratulates it self If it be purified from sin 't is for the service of God if from dead works 't is to serve the living God 2 Tim. 1.3 Tit. 2.14 Heb. 9.14 2 To what as thy enjoyment The pure Conscience is for the purest comforts not so much for those which run out of the muddy Cisterns of Creatures but for such as rise out of the unmixed springs of Communication with God in Christ and the intimate sense of his quickning and conserving influences Nor doth it ever enjoy it self with that serenity as in the evidence of God's grace to him or in the exercise of his grace in and by him This is its rejoycing this its rest Psal 65.4 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal 116.7 Enquire then what are those enjoyments wherein Conscience giveth thee the greatest content and complacency Are they the impurer objects and operations of Sense or the purer acts and objects of the spirit of Faith Here is that pure river of the water of life wherein the pure Conscience doth most bath and bless it self Phil. 4.7 Rom. 15.13 Rev. 22.1 3 To what as thy end The pure Conscience puts forth its acts both imperate and elicite upon the purest accompt and for the purest ends with pure Conscience The Intentions to which it determineth the Will are not as the Feet in Nebuchadnezar's Image part of Iron and part of Clay but like that Image's Head of fine Gold 'T is a Conscience toward God 2 Tim. 1.3 Dan. 2.32 33. 1 Pet. 2.19 Enquire then whether the praise of God be that principal end which you prefer in and above all that Conscience carrieth you out to enterprize whether you do not mingle your glory with his or make his glory serve yours If God hath purified thy Conscience it is peculiarly for himself as the sole supream end and object of it And the Apostle offers us this observation That whatsoever is done heartily i.e. of pure Conscience is done unto the Lord and not unto men Phil. 1.20 Joh. 5.44 c. 12.43 Tit. 2.14 Col. 3.23 Ephes 6.6 7. Q. 5. How may
3.10 c. 2.17 'T is he that hath reveal'd and opened this hidden mystery how God might be fully righted and manfully yet freely reconciled in his Gospel which is therefore called the Gospel of peace Act. 10.36 Rom. 16.25 26. c. 10.15 See then that you apply your self to and attend on him in the conscionable reading and hearing of his Gospel wherein he hath given forth both the Covenant and Conditions of Peace But remember that you sit not down with this that he hath therein opened these things to your understandings but be a restless solicitor till he hath opened your understandings also to these things and given you an inward sense and taste of the Truths spoken to Luk. 24.45 cum 32. Phil. 1.9 For Christ is anointed with ability and authority not only as other Prophets to preach peace to you but as being the great Prophet to preach peace into you Or if you will rather to preach you into a state of peace and that you may have peace in him the Preacher and his peace in you Isa 61.1 Luk. 4.18 Joh. 16.33 c. 15.11 2 'T is of his merit and procurement The chastisement or punishment as the Dutch render it of our peace was upon him Isa 53.5 It would not consist with the sovereign pleasure and perfections to make peace with us without some punishment or propitiation from or for us There must be a price some compensation or there could be no peace no reconciliation Now Christ undertaketh to recompence God and reconcile man And lo he hath born the punishment laid down the price and so bought out peace by the Blood of his Cross for all that shall believe in him that he may bring them nigh to God and God unto them Dan. 9.24 Rom. 3.25 Eph. 2.13 17. Col. 1.20 21. 1 Pet. 2.24 c. 3.18 And now what is behind but faith in his blood An active faith on thy part whereby thou maist accept and appropriate himself for thine and apply the blood of his Cross to thee would alleviate thy troubles and afford tranquility Rom. 3.25 c. 1 9 10. c. 8.34 You have the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than the blood of Abel better things to God for you and better things from God to you But remember 't is the hand of faith must sprinkle this blood on the Conscience According to your faith so will it be to you either peace or perplexity 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 12.24 c. 10.22 Mat. 9.29 Get you but faith to dip in this blood and strike the lintels of Conscience therewith as the Jews did the lintels and side-posts of their houses there 's no fear of the destroyer Faith in his blood gives a full quietus est from the fears that generate bondage and gives you boldness to enter into the holiest Exod. 12.22 23. Rom. 8.15 Heb. 10.19 3 'T is of his making and applying too 'T is 1. of his free donation as being the Prince of Peace and that hath the key of David who openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Joh. 14.27 Isa 9.6 Rev. 3.7 And 2. by vertue of his Dominion There is no peace with God or Conscience while you persist in your contumacy and continue under the power of Sin and Satan These must be dethroned in and for you and you must be delivered from their power and must deliver up your selves to be his people ere God can without injury to his honour his holiness declare himself to be at peace with you Isa 59.8 Rev. 2.17 Psal 85.8 Now 't is Christ that must save you out of the hands of your enemies slay the enmity in your hearts and subdue your stubborn wills to the subjection and will of God by the strong but sweet ducture of his omnipotent grace Luk. 1.69 71. Rom. 8.7 cum 9. Isa 55.5 Cant. 1.4 As ever you would come at peace then you must by faith close with him as your Prince Peace is annexed to his Principality Isa 9.6 7. Let him govern and be your Prince and it will not be long ere he give you peace His Kingdom consists in righteousness and peace Only remember 'tis first righteousness then peace First King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace He first frameth the hearts of his Subjects to Piety then to Peace Rom. 14.17 Heb. 7.2 Direct 6. Acquaint thy self with the God of Peace Hitherto thou hast been alienated and an enemy in thy mind to him by wicked works and thou canst not expect he should be otherwise to thee till thou return and art reconciled Col. 1.21 Rom. 5.10 'T is high time to be upon better terms with God or thou wilt be upon worse terms ere long with Conscience Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace Now is the accepted time if you will yet delay or dally Conscience will use a rougher dialect and this thy day of peace will end in the darkness of amazing pangs and gripes of Conscience Job 22.21 2 Cor. 6.2 Luk. 19.41 42. Seest thou not how willing God is to an accord or he would not invite thee to this acquaintance and so solemnly swear it that he hath no pleasure in thy death and even pray thee out of this distance and project such means that his banished may not be expelled from him Ezek. 33.11 2 Sam. 14.14 If God be so willing why shouldst thou be so wayward Draw nigh to him and he will draw nigh to thee He is as willing to be friends as you are or can be Jam. 4.8 Do you ask me how shall we get acquaintance I answer 1 You must be habituated for such an high converse You may never look for acquaintance with God so long as you are alienated from the life of God Sense doth not capacitate the brute Creatures for converse with men nor will reason simply capacitate men for converse with God Reason fits for converse with men but 't is Religion must fit us for converse with God Without his image there is no intercourse Adam had no sooner lost that but he lost this also The godly hath he set apart for himself Ephes 4.18 Isa 28.12 2 Cor. 3.18 Gen. 3.8 c. Psal 4.3 2 You must accord all controversies For how can you be acquainted while you are not yet agreed Am. 3.3 To this end you must not only cease provoking but sue out your pardon submit to his Propositions and solicite him by prayer Exod. 34.9 Psal 81.15 Job 33.26 27 28. 3 You must apply your selves to his company in the use of those appointments or ordinances whereto he hath annexed the promise of his own presence There is no acquaintance with him without approaching to him Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.1 2 3. There must be no hiding then through guilt among the trees of the garden No turning away back now that God hath opened thine ear Thou must be like those in the Prophet They shall
go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord c. Gen. 3.8 Isa 50.5 Jer. 50.4 5. Who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. He requires it Seek ye my face and you must resolve upon it thy face Lord I must and I will seek 'T is good for you and God hath annexed his special promise to to it Jer. 30.21 Psal 27.8 73.28 4 There must be an hearty conjunction with him For of what avail is acquaintance as long as the heart hangs loose in our converses Your heart must be knit and cleave unto him as Jonathan's did unto David Psal 86.11 Act. 11.23 1 Sam. 18.1 What acquaintance with omniscience while your hearts stand off and God is near in your mouth but far from your reins Behold he desireth truth in the inward parts He searcheth the heart and trieth the reins And if thy heart be not right with him thy other applications will be reckoned flattery not friendship Jer. 12.2 3. Psal 51.6 Jer. 17.10 Psal 78.7 36 37. 1 Chron. 28.9 5 Be actually and often communicating thy self to him If you will hide your heart from him what hopes of acquaintance with him He that intends acquaintance should be emptying and unbosoming his heart to him and making him partaker of his secrets Pour out your heart before him then especially in Prayers and Supplications Present him your particular cases and concernments Hide nothing from him from whom indeed nothing is hidden Let all thy pangs of sorrow have vent like Hannahs in the pouring out of thy Soul It may be when thou art pouring out thy case he may be pouring in his comforts Psal 62.8 32.5 38.9 1 Sam. 1.15 Prayer hath the promise of his Presence and indeed of peace In every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God And the peace of God shall keep your hearts c. Psal 145.18 Job 33.26 Phil. 4.6 7. 6 Add to all this an affectionate correspondence and communion with him Acquaintance doth not barely note an interest in another but intimacy but endearedness at least intercourse with that other I would have you secure an interest in him that thou be able with Thomas to say My Lord and my God This will serve thee in with choice peace in that this God is the God of peace Psal 16.2 Joh. 20.28 1 Thes 5.23 But I would not have you think it enough to have obtain'd an interest in him but you should maintain an holy open intercourse with him for herein lieth the crop and confluence of Evangelical peace and it is the end for which one whole Epistle was written 1 Joh. 1.3 4. Oh! what a calm and serenity of Conscience do such holy converses of faith love c. breathe forth What a conflux of joy are they blessed with Who ever came down from this Mount but his face shone with the irradiations of Divine love Or did not say of being on this Mount as Peter of being on that Mat. 17. 'T is good for us to be here let us build Tabernacles c. Isa 26.3 Exod. 34.29 30. Psal 65.4 36.7 8.9 Mat. 17.4 Direct 7. Argue this state and ascertain it to Conscience if thou wouldst arrive to peace Adjure her throughout all her proceedings or argumentations and articulate converses about it to be plain and full with thee as ever thou wouldst attain to a sound and well-setled peace Peace of Conscience is not the birth of rash and precipitate conjectures at an adventure but of rational and pondering self-converses and arguings by comparing a mans self with the signs or marks which the Scriptures give him for judging his estate and condition Hereby know we that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts * Inde fit ut pacatam conscientiam habeamâ—â— Bez. 〈◊〉 not ad 〈◊〉 or as the Syriack make our hearts quiet before him Hereby we know that we know him viz. to be our advocate with the father and that he is the propitiation for our sins and therefore our peace if we keep his commandments 1 Joh. 3.18 19. c. 2.1 2 3. Call Conscience to attend its office for clearing thy estate and charge it to be open and down-right with thee in the discharge of every part as it proceedeth in way of ratiocination and discourse It proceeds as I have said in a practical Syllogism As thus To be spiritually minded is life and peace But I am spiritually mind do mind spiritual Objects first and fullest Ergo I have life and peace Adjure hereby the living God to tell thee nothing but the truth in all the parts of her discourse Let artificial Logick be found only among Scholars yet is there natural Logick in every mans Conscience as one * Fenners Treat of Conscienc p. 231 232. well observeth Charge her before God and the Lord Jesus Christ to be clear and impartial with thee throughout In the first Proposition adjure her not to give thee unsound marks on the one hand as a very hypocrite may have nor unsafe marks on the other hand as are only to be had where there is height or growth in grace and are therefore improper in the present case which concerns only the truth of grace In the second Proposition adjure her to be full and faithful with thee in her testimony Wilt thou say this before the all-seeing God for me Wilt thou speak it to thy superiour as well as to my self Canst thou say Behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high Psal 139.1 23 24. Joh. 21.17 Job 16.19 In the third Proposition urge her to speak home and speak out as she will answer it to God the supream Judg. Give her no rest if she either suspends her sentence or is short in it till she saith Shibboleth plainly and roundly that ye may bring things to some certainty as they did Job 16.30 2 Tim. 1.12 1 Joh. 2.5 See this fully prosecuted Q. 3. Direct 8. Attend the spirit of peace Spiritual peace is an effect of pouring out the spirit upon us Isa 32.15 16 17. Not as if it did exclude the efficiency of Father or Son 'T is both from him and them Rev. 1.4 5. It was through the eternal Spirit that Christ offered his spotless blood to purge and therewith pacifie the Conscience from dead works It is the same eternal Spirit that mouldeth us into the mystical union with Christ maketh application of his blood to the Conscience and manifests the same to its peace and comfort Heb. 9.14 1 Cor. 12.13 Tit. 3.5 6 7. Abuse not the Spirit then but attend his work upon thee his ways before thee and his witness in and with thee 1 Attend his work upon thee What he is doing what he is demanding and with what designes * See Fords spir of bond c. 10 11.