other text is 1. Pet. 3.21 The answer of 〈◊〉 good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Where the Apostle first giveth this title to a renewed conscience to be called a good conscience Secondly he nameth the cause that maketh it to be good the power of Christs resurrection When the resurrection of Christ Jesus is powerfulâ— upon us then conscience becometh good 5. The fifth is quietnesse By nature â—othing is so fierce and violent if it be â—nce awaked as conscience is O it is â—nspeakably furious Thus is consciâ—nce by nature and therefore it can neâ—er be good untill we get it appeased with the assurance of the pardon of our â—innes and so true peace and comfort â—stablished in it This is the reason why â—he Scripture joyneth a good consciâ—nce and faith so often together as â— Tim. 3.9 Holding the mysterie of faith â—n a pure conscience It cannot be a pure or good conscience if faith be not held â—n it As long as the conscience is not â—nderpropped by faith the conscience must needs be in a wildernesse Perhaps my sinnes are imputed unto me perhaps â—hey are pardoned Perhaps they are coverâ—d perhaps not As long as the conscience lieth under these uncertainties it cannot be firm and foundly good indeed therefore we must labour for assurance of pardon by faith Thus much of a good renewed conscience that is perfectly and soundly renewed An infirm conscience II. Secondly There is a good conscience renewed but not soundly renewed very much as yet defective and imperfect The former conscience is called conscientia firma a firm conscience This is called conscientia infirma an infirm conscience Rom. 15.1 We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak This infirm conscience is a good conscience too and renewed but cumbred with sundry imperfections which in processe of time by growth in grace are for the most part conquered in the godly True faith is required unto this For the Apostle calleth such an one a brother in Christ one that hath this infirm conscience Rom. 14.21 It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth And we must not set such an one at nought Tush what care I for him I know I may lawfully do thus and this is my Christian liberty and shall I lose it for him because of his conscience Nay saith the Apostle Rom. 14.10 Why dost thou set at nought thy brother Mark The Apostle counteth such an one a Christian brother and not to be set at nought and therefore this is a good conscience too differing as much as white from black from such consciences as are weak through superstition of mind and through pride of heart because they will not be otherwise or through affected ignorance because they love not to be better informed These weak consciences are wicked I speak not of these I speak of a good conscience a conscience renewed but renewed imperfectly having yet sundry defects and imperfections The imperfections of it are 1. Imperfection of knowledge It doth not yet soundly and clearly understand what is lawfull and what is pure and what is by Christian liberty indifferent Paul saith Rom. 14.14 I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean He speaketh of things that are indifferent The Apostle had knowledge but there were others who did not know this O I may not eat this meat I may not play at bowls or use any other recreation I should sinne if I should c. This is one weaknesse in this kind of conscience weaknesse of knowledge 2. The second imperfection is to be grieved where it needeth not be grieved As when it seeth other do that which it self through mistake doth judge to be evil it is apt to be grieved and troubled to see it Rom. 14.15 If thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably It may be thou thinkest it lawfull to eat such meat but he thinketh otherwise and so is grieved to see thee eat This is another imperfection in this conscience to be grieved and offended without just cause 3. A third imperfection is in judgement It is apt to judge and condemn another mans liberty 1. Cor. 10.29 Why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience He speaketh of a weak conscience It is apt to be judging and condemning my liberty saith he but why so This is a fault and an imperfection indeed O such an one sinneth he doeth so and so yet it may be the thing is not unlawfull but a weak conscience is apt so to judge it and to condemn him that doeth it Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth Rom. 14.3 4. A fourth imperfection is this A weak conscience is apt to be misled So the Apostle intimateth Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block unto them that are weak for if any man see thee who hast knowledge sit at meat in the idoles temple shall not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to idoles and through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died 1. Cor. 8.9 10 11. Where ye see that weak consciences are apt to be misled The reason is this Because when they see others whom they know to be more learned and judicious then themselves to do so and so that may soon tempt them to do it though their conscience be against it Vse 1 The first use is this If any have weak consciences let them labour to strengthen them Ye see what imperfections are in a weak conscience how apt it is to be offended and to judge other mens liberty how prone to misleading therefore let every good soul labour to be strengthened Vse 2 The second use is this Those that be strong must be carefull that they offend not the weak Though they do believe such and such Christian liberties they have yet if they know the use of them will offend their weak brother they should be carefull to abstein Rom. 14.13 Let no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Vse 3 Thirdly if it be such a sinne to sinne against the conscience of the weak then what a sinne is it to sinne against the conscience of all that are godly whether weak ones or strong ones Ye who walk after the flesh and can have disorders in your families and vanity in your mouths and apparent corruptions in your lives Ye who can drink and be drunken and keep company and prophane the Lords dayes ye offend the consciences of all that are godly it is a grief to their souls to see it Let me tell you It is a sinne to be wicked
of this faithfull servant of God by making this book a means to bring thy soul to those heavenly joyes which are at Gods right hand for evermore which are joyes unspeakable and glorious so great that * Tanta est dulcedo coelestis gaudii ut si una guttula difflueret in infernum totam amaritudinem inferni absorberet as S. Augustine saith If one drop of the joyes of heaven should fall into hell it would swallow up all the bitternesse of Hell And that God would make you heirs of this joy is the prayer of your soul-friend Edm. C. An Enquiry after a mans estate before God Coloss 4.8 WHat a mans estate before God is pag. 1 Ministers are to enquire after the estate of their people pag. 4 Every man is either in an estate of grace or sinne pag. 11 This estate may be known pag. 16 Why every man ought to enquire after his own estate pag. 20 Means whereby a man may come to know what estate he is in pag. 23 Impediments which hinder this knowledge pag. 27 Motives to be diligent in this enquirie pag. 29 2. A treatise of Conscience Rom. 2.15 WHat conscience is pag. 31 I. Proposition There is in every man a conscience pag. 33 Why the Lord did plant a conscience in every man pag. 36 II. Proposition The light that conscience acts by is knowledge 1. of Gods law 2. of our selves pag. 41 The great necessity of knowledge pag. 43 III. Proposition The office of conscience is to bear witnesse accusing or excusing pag. 49 1. Foure properties of this witnesse-bearing It is 1. Supreme pag. 51 2. Impartiall pag. 52 3. Faithfull pag. 53 4. Privie pag. 55 2. The parts of this witnesse-bearing I. It s single witnessing 1. What we have done pag. 57 2. What we intend to do pag. 58 3. What is the bent of our hearts ibid. II. It s judiciall bearing witnesse pag. 64 1. About things to be done or omitted Where are considered 1. It s Office 1. To judge pag. 68 2. To counsel pag. 69 2. Its Adjuncts It is either 1. Illightned pag. 76 2. Erroneous pag. 78 3. Doubting pag. 85 4. Scrupulous pag. 88 5. Faithfull pag. 95. or 6. Vnfaithfull pag. 104 2. About things alreadie done or omitted and here also 1. It s Office is 1. To approve pag. 116 2. To absolve pag. 117 3. To mislike pag. 119 4. To condemne pag. 121 2. Its Affections It is either 1. Tender pag. 125 2. Sleepie pag. 126 3. Benumbed pag. 127. or 4. Seared pag. 128 From all these proceed two other Adjuncts I. A quiet conscience concerning which is considered 1. What it is pag. 132 2. How that in the godly differeth from that in the wicked pag. 137 3. How to know whether we have it or no pag. 152 Where is handled Whether a child of God may fear death and how farre pag. 159 Whether a wicked man may be desirous to die and in what cases pag. 164 The great benefit of peace of conscience pag. 167 II. An unquiet conscience What it is and the causes of it pag. 173 The degrees of it pag. 178 The difference of it in the godly and in the wicked pag. 184 How a man may keep peace of conscience pag. 200 How it dependeth upon obedience pag. 205 What manner of obedience that is which peace of conscience dependeth upon pag. 211 What a man must do to be freed from a burdened and troubled conscience pag. 215 As conscience beareth witnesse of our actions so of our persons pag. 222 It can and doth inform every man what estate he is in pag. 223 How it doth this pag. 229 When it doth this pag. 232 Why many neverthelesse are deluded about their estate pag. 239 What a good conscience soundly renewed is pag. 247 What a weak and infirm good conscience is pag. 256 IV. Proposition The bond of conscience is the law of God pag. 267 1. The Primarie and supreme is Gods word pag. 270 Gods law bindeth the consciences of the regenerate pag. 281 2. The Secondarie and relative others or ourselves pag. 296 1. Others may bind our consciences as Magistrates Superiours and how farre pag. 297 2. We may bind our own consciences by lawfull vows and promises pag. 314 What vows are unlawfull and not binding pag. 315 Of the vow made to God in baptisme how great it is and how much to be regarded pag. 318 An Enquiry after a mans estate before God COLOSS. 4.8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he may know your estate and comfort your hearts THE estate of a man before God is the relation that he standeth in unto God What a mans estate before God is as God is the free fountain of spirituall life and salvation and the â—terminer of mens everlasting condiâ—ons either in heaven or hell So that â—en we question about a mans estate 〈◊〉 question Whether he be in Christ 〈◊〉 not Whether he have true grace 〈◊〉 or no Whether he be one of Gods â—ldren or no or whether he be yet 〈◊〉 better then a reprobate There be three things to be considered in this definition of every man estate First it is a relation unto God not as a man is in himself it may bâ— rich it may be poore in the world buâ— I speak here as he is in relation toward God Whether he be rich toward God yea or no. I do not speak as man is in regard of others it may bâ— he is a father or a sonne a master oâ— a servant a king or a subject but iâ— relation to God Whether Gods servant or no Rom. 16.10 Gods child or no. Saluâ— Apelles saith Paul and he telleth us iâ— what estate Apelles was in before Goâ— namely in an estate of approbatioâ— approved in Christ And the same Apostle speaketh on the contrary of thâ— unconverted Gentiles that they werâ— strangers from the life of God Ephes 4 18. Ephes 4.18 Secondly As it is a relation untâ— God so it is a standing relation Thaâ— wherein he standeth towards God thaâ— is a mans estate before God There a difference between one that doth 〈◊〉 and one that is in the state of sin 〈◊〉 child of God may sinne but he is nâ—â— in a state of sinne you cannot call hiâ— a wicked man So also there is difference between one that doeth some good actions and one that is in a good estate A carnall man may do some good â—hings but he is not in a good estate The estate of a man is a standing thing it is the relation that he standeth in towards God Thirdly It is the relation that a man standeth in towards God as he is the free fountain of spirituall life and salvation It is not every standing relation towards God For a man may be considered in relation to God as a Creatour and so the heavens and the earth and the very brute beasts stand in relation to God as they are his
he hath given us consciences to guide us so also he would give our guides eyes that they may be able to direct us aright The truth is it is God onely that can soundly illighten our consciences and therefore let us pray unto him to do it All our studying and reading and hearing and conferring will never be able to do it it is onely in the power of him who made us to do it Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments He who made our consciences he onely can give them this heavenly light of â—rue knowledge and right understanding and therefore let us seek earnestly to him for it 2. We must seek it in humility alwayes suspecting our own knowledge We are not too confidently and presumptuously to trust to our â—wn judgement and despise or neglect â—he judgement of others Psal 25.9 The humble â—od will teach Pride and self-conceitedâ—esse blindeth exceedingly 3. We must â—eek with sobriety alwayes contenting â—ur selves with that knowledge which â—s most necessarie and not be curious aâ—out vain and idle-braind questions or solicitous to answer every objection ty offendeth conscience and conscience will keep a grudge a long time and will give many a secret wound deading the heart to duty making faith and confidence in God dull we cannot pray with courage nor come before God with boldnesse If our hearts condemn us not we have confidence saith John 1. John 3.21 An erroneous conscience will defile you a doubting conscience distract you a scrupulous conscience unsettle you but above all other an illightened conscience if it have any thing against you will exceedingly disable you this stabbeth at the heart your confidence towards God Go then and labour to purge conscience else conscience will hinder you whether you pray or heare or receive the Sacrament c. it will deprive you of comfort Matth 5.23 If thou bring thâ— gift to the altar and there remembrest thaâ— thy brother hath ought against thee leavâ— there thy gift before the altar first go anâ— be reconciled to thy brother and then comâ— and offer thy gift The case is greater anâ— more dangerous when conscience hatâ— something against us there is no offering will be accepted untill conscience be satisfied If thou shouldest be about to pray and conscience should stand up against thee as an adversary and tell thee thou hast been vain and loose and carnall all this day thou hast not set thy self to keep close to God this day thou hast fallen into this and that sinne this day thou art not fit to pray till thou hast reconciled thy self to conscience Alas thy conscience will secretly undermine all thy praying First â—herefore reconcile conscience by humâ—ling thy self and breaking thy heart and resolving I have sinned I will do no more When conscience can say thy sorrow and repentance and resolution for new obedience is sincere then thou â—â—rt fit to pray but not before So whatâ—ver other duty thou goest about be â—ure to reconcile conscience else all will miscarry V. A faithfull conscience THus I have expounded the adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of its duty every motion and inclination to evil it is awake to see when evil is conceived to tell us of it to oppose it and to disswade us from it like a watchman on the top of a tower alwayes awake to see when any danger approcheth It is Gods minister with eyes on every side to espie seasons of good and stirre up to make use of them and of evil and give warning to avoid them 2. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull so also it is rigid and severe 2. It is severe In every cause it delivereth its judgement nothing can escape its sentence it will not favour our lusts in any particular If there be any opportunity of duty to God or man it maketh us to heare of it though it be such a duty as none other will call upon us for or it may be dare not put us in mind of as of love and care and help towards inferiours yet conscience will It titheth mint and cumine and will tell us of the least duty And so on the other side it will not swallow the least sinne As it will not swallow a camel Luke 16.10 so it will strain at â—gnat A faithfull conscience is faithfull in the least If David sinne but in the lap of a garment conscience smiteth him for it It made Abraham so precise to a thread or a shoe-latchet he would not take so much as that of the king of Sodom It made Moses strict to a very hoof It made Paul find fault with the Corinthians about their hair It made Augustine condemn himself for an apple 3. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull and severe so also it is importunate 3. It is importunate 〈◊〉 all its counsels It doth not onely deliver its judgement but doth with importunitie urge the following of its counsel It will have no nay but will be obeyed It leadeth us bound in the Spirit to do it as Paul said Acts 20.22 I go bound 〈◊〉 the spirit See how importunate this â—â—ithfull conscience was with the Psalâ—ist I will not give sleep to mine eyes Psal 132.4 nor â—â—mber to mine eye-lids untill I find out a â—â—ace for the Lord. It will not take any â—â—y say we what we will say we be â—â—epie say we be busie say we be loth â—â—d full of excuses it will be importuâ—â—te and that with vehemencie It will omitting good or committing evil will not let thee slumber and sleep in securitie but continually joggeth and awaketh thee Hath he given thee a severe a precise conscience that will not favour thee in the least evil It is a most comfortable signe that the Lord meaneth well unto thy soul Vse 3 III. Labour to be a friend unto conscience that it may continue faithfull unto thee True friends will deal faithfully and plainly one with another and will be importunate to do one anotheâ— good Conscience will not deal thus with thee unlesse thou be a friend unto conscience Now then are we friends unto conscience when we do what conscience requireth As our Saviour said to the Disciples John 15.14 Ye are my friends if yâ—â— do whatever I command you So I may say of conscience For conscience if iâ— be truly illightened will command nothing but what Christ commandeth Iâ— we deal so in our constant course with conscience be willing to hearken to it and be ruled by it then if we be out oâ— the way now and then conscience will be true to us and be importunate with us for our good Vse 4 IV. Be sure thou stand not out aâ—ainst conscience when once it is imâ—ortunate It is a great sinne to stand â—ut against conscience though it be not â—mportunate but it is a sinne a thousand â—â—mes greater to
Ahab â—d a quiet conscience but onely when â—icaiah did preach Felix had a quiâ—conscience no doubt yet he tremâ—d to heare Paul preach of death and 〈◊〉 judgement Acts 24.25 One would we thought that Paul a prisoner â—ould rather have been afraid but â—ul had true peace of conscience and â—erefore he could think and speak of â—ath with great comfort and of judgeâ—ent with joy So could not Felix Beloved this is a strong signe of a saâ— peace when some points of Gods woâ— lay us flat and bereave us of our holâ— Ye shall have many say O they haâ— such peace and they have such a good coâ—science as quiet as can be and as heaâ— whole as can be By and by a souâ— searching point cometh and ransackeâ— them to the quick and they are goâ— I confesse they go and get some unteâ—pered morter or other and dawb 〈◊〉 their consciences again but they 〈◊〉 gone for the time This is a stroâ—â— signe of a rotten peace But a child â— God can heare any point heare â— death of judgement of any thing coâ—teined in the word with delight aâ— comfort It is true he may be aâ—zed thereat but he is glad at heart tâ—â— he heareth it and will make use ofâ— be it mercy or judgement Sweet 〈◊〉 bitter points all are welcome to hiâ— even the bitterest points are sweet 〈◊〉 him because God and he are at peaceâ— and therefore he knoweth there is 〈◊〉 news from God but it is good IV. If our peace of conscience 〈◊〉 good it will heal that base fearfulnesse â—hich is in many who dare not be in â—e dark dare not go through a â—urch-yard in the night Some will â—ake at the very shaking of a leaf as â—e wicked in Job Job 15.21 which is nothing â—t a guiltie conscience I grant this â—rfulnesse is naturall to some yet I 〈◊〉 the true peace of conscience will â—re it I do not say this is a reciproâ—ll signe of true peace of conscience â—r many wicked men may be bold â—ough but I say true peace of conâ—ence will cure this immoderate fearâ—nesse in the godly But here two questions are to be askâ— I. Whether every true child of â—od that hath true peace of conscience â—n think of death with comfort and 〈◊〉 desirous to die Answ 1. Peace of conscience doth â—t take away naturall fear It is the â—ture of every living creature to be veâ— fearfull of death The Philosopher â—lleth death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fearâ—llest thing of all fearfull things Bildad â—lleth it the king of terrours Job 18.14 Nature loveth its own preservation and thereforâ— feareth the destruction of it Peace oâ— conscience doth not take away all thâ— fear 2. Besides peace of conscienâ—â— doth not take away alwayes all degreâ— of slavish fear of death The reason iâ— because peace of conscience may 〈◊〉 weak mixed with much troubles 〈◊〉 conscience For as faith may be veâ— imperfect so peace of conscience mâ— be in some very imperfect Good oâ— Hilarion was very fearfull to die Hâ— cried out to his soul when he lay on hâ— death-bed O my soul hast thou servâ— Christ these fourescore years and art thâ— now afraid to die Again a mans loâ— may be very imperfect 1. John 4.18 Perfect love iâ—deed casteth out fear but imperfeâ—â— love doth not Hezekiah had peaâ— of conscience Remember Lord saith 〈◊〉 I have walked before thee in truth 2. Kings 20.3 〈◊〉 with a perfect heart Mark He had tâ— peace of a good conscience his coâ—science told him he had a sincere heaâ— and that his wayes pleased God yâ— he was afraid to die I do not thinkâ— was onely because he had no issuâ— though that might be some reason of it â— When a child of God is afraid to â—ie it is not so much for love of this â—ife as out of a desire to be better prepaâ—ed This made David cry out O â—pare me that I may recover strength Psal 39.13 beâ—ore I go hence and be no more And so â—ob Let me alone Job 10.20 21. that I may take comâ—ort a little before I go whence I shall not â—eturn These good men were then â—omething unwilling to die They â—ight have many reasons most likely â—is was one That they might be betâ—er prepared and more fit and ready for â—eir departure 4. Some of Gods â—eople as these Job and David at â—ther times I say some of Gods peoâ—â—e have such marvellous peace with â—od as that if it were Gods will they â—ad much rather die then live Phil. 1.23 I desire 〈◊〉 be dissolved saith Paul and to be with â—hrist which is farre better It may be â— regard of the church or the care of â—eir children and charge God hath laid â—n them they could be content to reâ—ain still in the body neverthelesse â—hey account their state after death much better and were it put to them whether to die or to live longer here they would choose death rather of the twain 1. Kings 19.4 Nay Elias requested for himselâ— that he might die It is enough Lordâ— take away my life Not that they lovâ— death it self for death is evil in its owâ— nature contrary to nature a badge oâ— sinne but for the love they have to anâ— the assurance they have of eternall lifâ— after death 5. Nay there is no chilâ— of God but may truly be said to lovâ— death and to love the day of judgement and the appearing of Christ Jesus Divines use to put this as a signe of Godâ— children Nay the Apostle maketh thiâ— as a propertie of Gods children to lovâ— Christs appearing I have fought a gooâ— fight saith Paul I have finished mâ— course There he telleth us of his owâ— peace and then he telleth us of his reward 2. Tim. 4.8 From henceforth is laid up for 〈◊〉 a crown of righteousnesse which the Lorâ— the righteous Judge shall give me in thâ—â— day and not to me onely but to them also that love his appearing that is to alâ— his children For all the children oâ— God love the appearing of Jesus Christ to judgement Though all do not desire it with the same strength of faith â—et all desire it with faith They beâ—ieve that Christ hath destroyed him that â—ath the power of death Heb. 2.14 which is the deâ—il they believe Christ hath taken â—way deaths sting which is sinne 1. Cor. 15.56 57. and 〈◊〉 allowed death up in victory and may â—l say Thanks be unto God who hath giâ—en us victory through our Lord Jesus â—hrist Neither do they so much queâ—on this as their faith to believe it â—ying Lord help our unbelief 6. Gods â—ildren have good reason to do so â—d to check their own hearts whenâ—er they do otherwise Whenever any â—strust cometh they should check it â—wn again whenever any fear ariâ—h they should say What I fear â—â—th which is a thing so precious Psal 116.15 Preâ—us in the sight of the
abroad do disquiet us how comfortable is it to have something at home to chear us so when troubles and afflictions without turmoil and vex us and adde sorrow to sorrow then to have peace within the peace of conscience to allay all and quiet all what a happinesse is this When sicknesse and death cometh what will a good conscience be worth then Sure more then all the world besides If one had all the world he would then give it for a peaceable conscience Nay what think ye of judgement and the tribunal of Christ Do but think what a good conscience will be worth then When Paul was accused and hardly thought of by some of the Corinthians this was his comfort I know nothing by my self 1. Cor. 4.3 4. saith his conscience I count it a very small thing to be judged of you Nay he goeth further His conscience telleth him he hath the Lord Jesus who justifieth him to judge him he hath a sweeter Judge then his own conscience even his Saviour to judge him O there is no created comfort in the world like the comfort of a peaceable conscience The heathen Menander could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience is a little pettie god We may not give it such a big title but this is most certain The conscience is Gods echo of peace to the soul in life in death in judgement it is unspeakable comfort Is there any then that want this Exhortation Let them above all things labour to get it It is more worth then all things else Whatever we neglect let us not neglect this It is safer to neglect bodie health means maintenance friends and all that ever we have in the world then to neglect this The more we have the worse it is for us if we have not this Had we all this worlds good it is like a stone in a serpents head or a toads head or a pearl in an oyster not our perfection but our disease Again you who have a peaceable conscience 1. Labour to maintein it Be often in communion with God be not strangers to him the light of whose countenance is the peace of your souls It is the walking with God that breedeth true peace and preserveth it It is said of Levi Mal. 2.6 that he walked with God in peace O let us stirre up our selves to walk close with God that so we may have peace No sweet peace but in so doing 2. We must take heed we do not trouble nor disquiet it that we do not resist it or offer violence unto it by committing sinne against the peace of it but endeavour to maintein the peace of it by obeying the voyce of it Get the fear of God which is wisdome and to depart from evil which is true understanding All her paths are peace Prov. 3.17 We cannot walk in any one path of true wisedome but we shall find in it peace There is peace in humilitie and peace in charity and peace in godlinesse and peace in obedience c. Break any of these things and ye break the peace Ye heare what an admirable thing the peace of conscience is O then if ye have it make much of it nay if ye have it ye will for certain make much of it The very having of it will teach you the worth of it and learn you to prise it and make you above all things unwilling to leave it And thus much of the first viz. a quiet conscience An unquiet conscience I Have already handled a quiet conscience I come now to speak of a troubled and unquiet conscience Concerning which I shall shew you three things 1. What it is 2. The degrees of it 3. The difference of the trouble that may be in a good and that may be in a bad conscience I. What a troubled conscience is What it is It is a conscience accusing for sinne and affrighting with apprehensions of Gods wrath And here I would have you consider two things 1. What are the causes of it 2. Wherein it consisteth First The causes of it are these five 1. The guilt of sinne When a man hath done evil and his conscience doth know it then doth the conscience crie guiltie Lev. 5.4 when he knoweth it saith the text then he shall be guilty This is it which woundeth and pierceth conscience this is the sad voyce of conscience Like Judas I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Like Cain My sinne is greater then can be forgiven So the brethren of Joseph Gen. 42.21 We are guilty say they concerning our brother It is like the head of an arrow sticking in the flesh or like a dreadfull object continually presenting it self before our eyes My sinne is ever before me Psal 51.3 saith David When we have transgressed Gods law and our conscience can cry guiltie when the guilt of sinne lieth upon conscience this is one cause of the trouble of it 2. Another cause is the apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne When knowing that we have sinned and offended God we apprehend his wrath in our minds and behold the revenging eye of his justice against us This is a very grievous thing so terrible that no man or angel is able to abide it As we see the kings and potentates the mighty men of the earth call for the mountains â—o fall upon them and the hills to cover â—hem from the wrath of God Rev. 6.15 16. When we have incurred Gods displeasure and our consciences see it when his anger resteth upon us and our â—onsciences feel it this is another cause of the trouble of conscience 3. A third cause of the trouble of â—onscience is the fear of death and of â—ell When we know we have offended Gods law and we know also what our sinnes do deserve namely death and â—udgement and damnation for ever â—his doth most trouble and disquiet conscience when it fastneth on the apprehension of it The Apostle calleth â—t a fearfull looking for of judgement When conscience looketh for nothing else but for hell and damnation this must needs trouble conscience 4. Another cause is privative want of supportance when God doth withhold from conscience the help of his Spirit Ye know the Spirit can inable conscience to undergo all its troubles the Spirit can prompt it with mercies and the promises of God and hold it up but when the Lord bereaveth the conscience of this help and doth noâ— at all support it this must needs also trouble conscience V. When God doth fasten on the conscience such thoughts as may affright and terrifie it as thus God doth not love me Christ will not own me 〈◊〉 have sinned I am a reprobate past hope c. When such thoughts as these fasten oâ— the conscience it cannot choose then but be troubled Thus I have shewed you what are the causes of the trouble of conscience Secondly This trouble of conscience consisteth in two things First in want of comfort It cannot apply to
it self neither the promises of this life nor of that which is to come Conscience crieth This belongeth not to me This mercy this comfort is not my portion Secondly In a terrour and anguish of mind from these three heads 1. From the guilt of sin 2. From the apprehension of Gods wrath 3. From fear of death and of judgement This is the three-stringed whip wherewith conscience is lashed These ye shall find upon the conscience of Adam and Eve when they had sinned against God Their conscience was whipped 1. With the guilt of sinne they saw they were naked Gen. 3.7 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath they hid themselves from the presence of God verse 8. 3. With the fear of some vengeance which they began to look for I was afraid saith Adam verse 10. This three-stringed whip ye may see also was upon the conscience of Cain after he had slain his brother His conscience was whipt 1. With the guilt of sinne My sinne is greater â—hen can be forgiven 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath From thy face O Lord am I hid 3. With the expectation of death and of judgement It shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me Thus I have shewed you what a troubled conscience is The degrees of a troubled conscience II. THe next thing I promised to shew is the degrees of a troubled conscience A troubled conscience hath divers degrees For some conscience are more troubled then other some 1. The first degree is such a degree as may be in Gods children and this ariseth not so much from the apprehension of Gods wrath as from the guilt of sinne Their consciences grieve anâ— are troubled to think that they have sinned and offended the Lord God Thuâ— we see David could not be at quiet Although Nathan had told him from Goâ— that his sinne was forgiven yet his conscience still troubled him Psal 51.4 Against the onely have I sinned and done this evil iâ— thy sight saith he I grant the consciences of Gods children are troubled aâ— the apprehension of Gods anger but then it is his fatherly anger not the anger of an enemy Though for a sâ—â— they may seem to apprehend that too yet mostly it is for that they have provoked their loving Father to anger against them A father may be angry with his child out of love and so the Lord may be with his dear children The Lord was angry with me too saith Moses Deut. 1.37 O let not my Lord be angry saith Abraham the father of the faithfull O God of hosts Psal 80.4 how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth saith the Psalmist Sometimes â—he Lord is angry with the prayers of his people but it is in love because he would have them pray better and obey better and look to their standing â—etter Now the consciences of Gods â—eople are very much troubled when â—he Lord is thus angry with them 2. The second degree of trouble of â—onscience is such as is in the wicked â—nd yet not altogether without hope The conscience is troubled but yet so â—s it conceiveth hope God is merciâ—ull and Christ died for poore sinners â—c Thus many a wicked man is trouâ—led and affrighted in conscience not â—or sinne but for the wrath of God against it yet he conceiveth for the present that the sinne is pardonable and may be forgiven Christ may forgive God may pardon It is indeed but a poore ground of hope comfort upon possibilities but yet this lightneth the trouble in the mean time and it may be within a while shaketh it quite off Like the wicked Jews Isa 57.10 who were worried and wearied most grievously yet they said not There is no hope There may be much horrour and disquiet in these consciences for a time but there is a higher degree yet a worse troubled conscience then this 3. The third degree of a troubled conscience is when it is for the present altogether hopelesse such a conscience as is swallowed up in despair when men thinking of their manifold sinnes of the direfull wrath of God of the dreadfull torments of hell for everâ— their consciences make them despair of all hope or possibilitie of avoyding this bringing such thoughts as these Whaâ— a deal of time have I spent in sinne wherein I might have made my peace with God anâ— have prevented all this What a great and omnipotent God have I offended What an infinite Judge have I provoked who is able to revenge himself on me and who will be my foe to eternitie conscience also bringing in thoughts of the torments and unsufferable pains to be endured in hell and such swallow up in despair without all hope for the present or the future Like the wicked man which Eliphaz speaketh of Desperatio est homicida animae Aug. He believeth not that he shall return out of darknesse Job 15.22 So these have no hope of escaping expect to perish as Spira O saith he I envy Cain and Judas I vvould I vvere in their cases They are damned but I shall be vvorse for evermore Now though to these all hopes be gone for the present yet some of these troubled consciences scramble up again with vain hopes and some do not Cain got â—p again it should seem but Judas did not Those that never get up again eiâ—her 1. they live in intolerable horrour and vexation of spirit Desperare est in infernum descendere Isid as if they had a devil in them to put them to anguish and often being weary of their lives do make away themselves and so leap quick into hell or else 2. they runne desperately into all abominable courses Their consciences telling them there is nothing to be expected but damnation they give themselves desperately to commit sinne with greedinesse saying with them in Jeremie There is no hope therefore we will wall after our owne devises Jer. 18.12 Or else 3. they grow senselesse of it They see they are wrong but they are not sensible of it It may be they pray and reade and heare but their consciences secretly whisper All is to no purpose Conscience eateth and eateth like a worm and they pine away in their iniquities Ezek. 4.23 as thâ— prophet speaketh A kind of sorroâ— they have but they cannot mourn â— kind of sad dolour but they cannoâ— weep Ye shall not mone nor weep bâ—â— pine away in your sinnes saith the text I confesse there be more presumers iâ— the world who promise themselves that all shall be well with them but yet there be despairers too and very many whose consciences are troubled with secret despair though it may be not apparently to others Now the causes of these despairing consciences are these 1. The greatnesse of sinne when the heart thinketh secretly thus Certainly the Lord cannot find in his heart to forgive me As it was with Cain When he had lived in earthly-mindednesse and then in formality
and then in discontent and in hatred and then in hardnesse of heart the Lord rebuked him and yet his heart was so hard that still he went on in evil then he murdered his brother and lastly he despaireth Gen. 4.13 My sinnes are greater saith his conscience then can be forgiven He thought God could not find in his heart to forgive him So when men sinne and sinne and the Lord doth rebuke them and yet they do sinne and their consciences do check them and yet they go on at last they come to have secret despairs in their heart that God now will not look towards them whereas if yet they had a mind to stoop to Jesus Christ they might be forgiven 2. A second cause of despairing is multitude of temptations Indeed the godly should not be so apt to think themselves forsaken of God by reason of temptations as sometimes they are they should rather count it joy as James speaketh chap. 1.2 But yet many of the wicked despair finally by this means Because they do so often fall into temptations therefore they conclude they are forsaken of God 3. Ignorance of Gods word When the guiltinesse of sin meeteth with minds not instructed in the doctrine of free grace and reconciliation by Christ this is a cause of despair 4. So also inured custome of sinning is another cause When men are often quickned and grow dead again then quickned again for a fit and then hardned again in the end they fall to despair These and the like are the causes of despairing consciences And thus I have shewed also the second thing propounded to be handled namely the sundry degrees of troubled consciences III. The third thing is the difference between the troubled conscience in the godly and in the wicked The consciences of Gods children may be troubled and are many times and the consciences of the wicked they are troubled too now the question is How do they differ I answer 1. That trouble in the conscience of wicked men is accompanied with impenitency and sometimes with blasphemy I would I were able to resist God saith Francis Spira like those in the Revelation who blasphemed God because of their torments Sometimes it is accompanied with cursings as Isai 8.21 sometimes with infinite murmuring But in Gods children it is not so When their conscience is troubled they justifie God and clear God and give him the glory of all and submit under his hand and subdue their hearts unto him as David in his trouble did not fret and murmure against God but saith he If God have no pleasure in me lo 2. Sam. 15.26 here I am let him do with me what seemeth him good So that the trouble of conscience in the children of God and in the wicked doth much differ in this first respect 2. The trouble of conscience in the wicked ariseth onely from the apprehension of Gods wrath and fear of judgement for sinne not for the sinne it self and from the love of holinesse But that in Gods children ariseth chiefly for sinne and the want of the apprehension of Gods love unto them How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Psal 13.1 Mark whence the trouble of the Psalmist came This was his trouble that God did hide his face 3. Trouble of conscience in the wicked never maketh them part with sinne never breedeth a hatred of sin in them but that in Gods children doth True it is that a wicked mans troubled conscience may make him vomit up his sin like a dog that vomiteth up his troublesome meat but he doth not vomit up his stomach to that meat for when the trouble is over he returneth to his vomit again So a carnall man returneth to his deadnesse of heart again and to his securitie again when the trouble is over Pharaoh whilest his conscience was troubled at the sense of Gods judgements O then saith he I have sinned I pray Moses let me have your prayers and I will let you go If the children of Israel could have packed up and departed while this trouble had lasted they might have been gone But when he saw there was respite Exod. 8.15 he hardned his heart again Mark His trouble of conscience did not make him part with his sinne But that in Gods children doth 4. That in the wicked driveth them from God They have little heart to come unto him They see nothing but wrath and they rather go about to seek ease in other things then to seek his favour as Saul sought ease in musick and Cain in building castles and cities and Judas in a desperate course Their trouble fetcheth them not to God But the trouble in Gods children worketh otherwise In the midst of trouble of conscience they rest upon God as Heman crieth Psal 88.1 O Lord God of my salvation in the midst of the troubles of his soul The eyes of Gods children are still towards heaven they think still they should have some help from God They pray and cry and though God seemeth to neglect them yet they cannot give over They will not be beaten off from waiting on God when he will speak comfort to them 5. That trouble that is in the wicked maketh their heart sullen but that in the godly melteth their heart My soul is like melting wax saith David in his troubles of conscience His soul melted before God and was even poured out before him Psal 22.13 This is a kindly working Thus ye see the difference Vses Vse 1 1. BY this we see what a miserable thing it is to have such a troubled conscience It is the greatest misery that can be it is even a hell to men here upon earth it is like a dismall ghost to terrifie the soul it is like a burning furnace in the bosome it maketh the life bitter In a word the spirit of man is not able to bear it The spirit of man will sustein its infirmities Prov. 18.14 but â—a wounded spirit who can bear As long as a mans spirit is sound it will bear any thing Some have born agues fevers stones colicks convulsions rackings torturings as long as a mans spirit is sound he is able to bear any of them all of them but a wounded spirit who can bear Never was there man that was able to bear a wounded spirit We may see by many of Gods children how heavy it is David rored with the anguish of it a strange phrase He man was ready even to runne out of his wits with it While I suffer thy terrours saith â—he I am distracted Psal 88.15 Moses putteth himself into the number We are even consumed by thine anger Psal 90.7 Ethan complaineth that it was like a burning fever How long O Lord wilt thou hide thy face for ever shall thy wrath burn like fire Psal 89.46 If it be thus with Gods children what may we think of the wicked If we could search into the bosomes
spirituall goodnesse left in the other faculties of the soul so neither in conscience But the naturall goodnesse which I mean is nothing else but the veracity of conscience whereby it is inforced according to the knowledge it hath to tell the truth Thus every wicked man hath a good conscience Their conscience is good in that sense their conscience hath this naturall goodnesse that it telleth them the truth how it is with them Nay it is essentiall to conscience to be good in this sense It is the essentiall property of conscience to speak according to its knowledge It is the best faculty a wicked man hath it is better then his mind or heart or will There is more goodnesse in a wicked mans conscience then in any other of the powers of his soul His conscience speaketh more for God then himself doth and standeth more for God then himself will Not but that as all the powers of the soul are desperately corrupted by sinne so conscience is desperately corrupted as well as any of them but I speak of the essentiall goodnesse of it which can never be lost The deâ—ls in hell have not lost the goodnesse â— their essence Nay their essence is â—etter then the essence of Gods Saints â—â—eir essence must be good because that â— God 's creature nay better then any â—ans essence because the Lord made â—â—em a degree above man And as man â— a degree above beasts so angels are degree above man so conscience is a â—egree above other powers of the soul â— its naturall goodnesse That consciâ—ce hath such a naturall goodnesse in it â—e it in those cursed Scribes and Phariâ—es hypocrites who brought the woâ—an taken in adultery to Christ Their â—onscience was good John 8.9 they were convictâ—â— of their consciences their conscienâ—es dealt honestly with them and told â—hem the truth that they were wicked â—â—nners themselves This is the naturall â—oodnesse in conscience 2. A renewed good conscience I â—ll it a renewed good conscience beâ—ause when a man is renewed all the â—an is renewed all his mind and the â—pirit of it is renewed Ephes 4.23 That ye may be renewed in the spirit of you mind If the man be renewed all thâ— mind must be renewed and therefoâ—â— the conscience must be renewed too for the mind and the conscience ever gâ— together nay conscience is mainly seated in the mind and therefore if thâ— mind be renewed so is the conscience and if the mind be defiled so is the conscience Tit. 1.15 To them that are defiled is nothing pure but their minds aâ— consciences are defiled Mark When theâ— are defiled they are defiled together so when they are washed and renewed they are washed and renewed together Now this renewed conscience is eitheâ— perfect or defective 1. Perfect I meaâ— not perfect in every degree of goodnesse For so no mans conscience in thâ— world is perfect But I mean perfect iâ— every part and condition of goodnesse 2. A defective good renewed conscience is that which faileth in some conditions of goodnesse We call it a weâ— conscience which is apt to be polluteâ— and defiled again 1. Cor. 8.7 Their conscience being weak is defiled This is a defective good conscience a conscience â—ewed but imperfectly renewed I. To a good conscience A firm conscience that is â—ndly renewed five things are necesâ—â—â—y â— Knowledge of Gods will and â—t which doth follow the true knowâ—â—â—ge of his will namely true humiliaâ— and fear By nature the conscience â—lind and sturdy and venturous and â—â—â—refore it is necessary that it should be â—ghtened to understand the will of â—d and to presse it and again it is neâ—â—â—sary that the heart should be humâ—d or else it will not stoop to Gods â—l and it is necessary also that this â—y fear should fall upon the heart â—t it may not dare to transgresse Stâ—â—â—ter being to speak of a good consciâ—â—ce premiseth all these as necessarie â—â—â—reunto First he adviseth that Chriâ—â—â—â—ns have knowledge to be able to give â—â—ason of the hope that is in them and â—n that they should have meeknesse and 〈◊〉 for to do it 1. Pet. 3.15 16. with meeknesse and â— saith he having a good conscience â—â—rk Knowledge and meeknesse and fear are required to make a good conscience without them the consciencâ— cannot be good By nature we are alâ— blind and stubborn and fearlesse of sinning and therefore till we be cured oâ— these evils our consciences cannot be good 2. The second thing is a watchfulnesse and warfare against sinne Thiâ— is required too to a renewed good conscience By nature we are drowsie and carelesse and secure and do not stand upon our guard to wage warre against our lusts and the desires of our flesh and so long our consciences can never be good and therefore this spirituall watchfulnesse and mainteining warre against sinne is required to the having a good conscience That thou maist warre a good warrefare saith Paul to Timothie having faith and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1.18 19. Some who seemed to have a good conscience because they did not maintein this holy warfare against sinne and the flesh they have lost it Therefore this is another requisite required to a good conscience 3. The third is tendernesse of conscience By nature our hearts are seared â—nd dead and unclean and therefore we must get us tender and pure hearts â—f we would have good renewed consciences The end of the commandment is â—ove out of a pure heart and good conscience â—nd faith unfeigned 1. Tim. 1.5 See â—ow the Apostle compoundeth them â—ogether a pure heart and a good consciâ—nce We must get our hearts purged â—nd quickened that they may be sensible of the least evil and then our consciences will be good and be as a bridle to hold us from evil A hard heart and a good conscience can never stand together 4. The fourth is the cleannesse of conscience by the washing of Christs bloud This is the main and the principall of all Yea indeed the bloud of Christ is the sole and onely cause of a good conscience I would not be mistaken I named indeed other causes Knowledge and Humbling and a holy Fear a Combat against sinne and Tendernesse but I do not mean as though a good conscience were part beholding to them and partly to Chriâ—â— bloud For it is wholly and onely bâ—holding to Christs bloud for its gooâ—nesse his bloud is the onely price of â— But my meaning is this That thougâ— Christs bloud be the one onely cause â— redemption yet in the application of râ—demption the Lord useth all those foâ—â— named graces while he applieth it â— the conscience Therefore this now 〈◊〉 adde The washing of Christs blouâ— this is chiefly required to the goodnesâ—â— of conscience We have two places oâ— Scripture to prove it The one Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the bloud â— Christ purge your consciences from deaâ— works It is that onely can do it Thâ—
of Gods law things commanded now the law is nothing else but a catalogue of those things that God hath commanded us When ye have done all these things saith our Saviour know it is your dutie Here ye see the law hath power to say to the conscience This is your dutie But ye will object We are under faith and do ye tell us of law I answer as Chrysostome answereth out of Paul Rom. 3.31 Do we then make void the law through faith God forbid Yea we establish the law See how the Apostle doth abhorre this thought God forbid saith he As if he had said Farre be it from me to teach such an abominable doctrine No no we establish the law Heare what Christ saith himself Think not that I am come to destroy the law I am not come to destroy but to fulfill it O thought some If we believe in Christ then we hope we shall have done with the law No no saith Christ ye shall as soon pull the heavens and the earth out of their place as disannull one tittle of the law Arg. 2 Secondly That which hath this authoritie that the breach of it is a sinne bindeth conscience but the law hath this authoritie that neither regenerate nor unregenerate can transgresse it but they sinne therefore the law bindeth their consciences For the regenerate and all are bound in conscience to take heed of sinne 1. John 3.4 Whosoever committeth sinne transgresseth also the law David was a regenerate man yet when he had defiled Bathsheba I have sinned saith he Joseph was a regenerate man yet confesseth if he should transgresse the Lords commandment he should sinne How shall I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God But ye will object This is old testament What of that I hope you will not take up the old damned heresie again of the Cerdonians and Cainites and Apellites and Manichees and Severians and other such cursed hereticks condemned by the Church of God Their heresie was To hedge out the regenerate from the old testament And St Augustine proved it against them That the morall law of God was ever the rule of obedience and shall so continue with the gospel to the end of the world and every transgression thereof is sinne The breach of the ceremoniall law was a sinne once but now it is not because once it bound the conscience now it doth not But the breach of the morall law is still sinne therefore still it bindeth the conscience Do ye not remember what St James saith now under the Gospel he presseth it yet on mens consciences He that said Jam. 2.11 Do not commit adultery said also Do not kill Now though thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressour of the law And though ye may call it a law of liberty in what sense ye please yet he telleth you Ye had best look to your words and deeds for ye must be judged by this law of liberty So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty Arg. 3 Thirdly That which being observed doth cause the conscience of the regenerate to excuse and being transgressed to accuse that bindeth their conscience For what else do you make binding of conscience but this But the law of God being observed doth cause the conscience to excuse being transgressed to accuse In many things we sinne all saith the Apostle Mark Our consciences do accuse us as we do sinne in many things so our consciences do accuse us when we do so I am a sinfull man saith St Peter Luke 5.8 His conscience did accuse him of sinne Arg. 4 Fourthly That which is the condition of Gods covenant of grace bindeth the conscience yea of the regenerate but sincere obedience to Gods law is a condition of Gods covenant of grace See Luke 1.72 To remember his holy covenant and the oath that he sware that he would give us That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies we might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Mark Sincere and universall obedience is a condition of the covenant of grace not onely for a manifestation to our selves that we are truly justified as these upstart patritians do hold but it is the condition of the covenant of grace Every covenant hath its conditions annexed and therefore it is called the book of the covenant Exod. 24.7 the words of the covenant Exod. 34.28 the tables of the covenant Deut. 9.11 The reason is this Because when a covenant is made the conditions are put into a book or a table and expressed in words Onely here is the difference between the first covenant of works and the second covenant of grace Both have conditions but here I say is the difference In the one grace giveth the covenant and grace giveth the condition of the covenant but a condition is annexed though Now hence we may argue and none but enemies to the Gospel can denie it If the covenant of grace do bind a mans conscience then certainly the condition of the covenant bindeth a mans conscience too But the covenant of grace bindeth the conscience of the regenerate and therefore the condition of it bindeth If you ask What is this to obedience the answer is That obedience is the condition of the covenant of grace as the forenamed Scripture expresseth Luke 〈◊〉 72. Thus ye see the law of God bindeth the conscience of all the regenerate This is the third use Vse 4 4. Hath the word of God supreme power to bind conscience Then hence we may learn that no creature can dispense with it nor free conscience from guilt when a man transgresseth the word What a damned usurpation is it in the Pope to offer to dispense The Canonists say he may dispense de praceptis veteris novi testamenti They are their own words he may dispense with the commandments of the old and new testament He dispensed with king Henry the eighth and undertook to free his conscience from guilt though he married his own brothers wife Azorius the Jesuite reports it Gregorie the second undertook to free subjects from being bound in their consciences to keep their oathes of allegeance to Leo the Emperour O these are damned aspirings and they plainly declare him to be Antichrist who exalteth himself in this manner The word of God is the supreme binder of conscience And therefore not all the Angels in heaven can dispense with one idle word Psal 119.89 For ever O Lord thy word is settled in heaven Gods word is settled for ever in heaven and therefore ye may assoon remove the heaven from its place as one tittle of the word from binding conscience Doth the word say thus or thus thou hadst best do it If thou wilt not all the whole world cannot help thee thy conscience will condemne thee at the day of judgement without remedie Hath the word