Eyes behind intimating that tender Christians should have and in some measure indeed have an eye as we use to speak of very watchful and accuratly observing persons in their neck looking to what sticks and cleaveth to their heels as it were when they have past any Action or Duty as the word is Psal. 49. 5. Where the Psalmist speaketh of the iniquity of his heels compassing him about As knowing well that in every step of his way he leaveth some â—oul vestige or print behind him and therefore looketh back on it This then we propose as a piece and a special piece of a tender walk viz. That Christians not only deliberat before they do and look to Conscience while they are adoing but that also they reflect and look back upon the Action when it is done and past To clear this a little further there are Three main things that a Believer is called to in reference to what is past 1. Examination of himself and his way 2. Laying of himself and his way to and before his Conscience informed by the Word 3. Judging of himself according as he find eth his way to be when he hath laid it before his Conscience We need not curiously and nicely difference these for they go alwayes together when a man is right His examination of himself and of his way the examination of his way by his Conscience and his self-judging yet they may be some way differenced self-examination is more large and extensive taking in the whole that a man is concerned in his â—ecklenesse and his need as well as his sinfulnesse but reflecting on Conscience considereth a mans way as sinful or not sinful only self-examination is a gathering as it were of things together but reflecting on Conscience is a laying of them to the Rule a putting of them to the touch-stone self-examination is the mids Conscience-reflection is the end And if any should offer to divide them the gathering of things together by self-examination will not signifie much except they be tryed by Conscience self-examination is antecedent to the Sentence of the Judge self-judging is subsequent as a Ratification of that which Conscience hath said when we have examined and found out things and when Conscience hath on reflection agreeably to the Rule given it's Sense and Sentence Our judging of our selves is our homologating or owning applying and taking home to us the Sentence that Conscience hath past as it were from our own mouth somewhat like that word Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God In our self examination and judging we are active but in Conscience it's passing Sentence we are passive as being therein 〈◊〉 before the Judge and when Conscience hath said we say however we put them together and have marked it for this reason because oft-times when we examine and take a look of our selves and of our way we are disposed to think that we have done enough and as soon as the Iâ—ditement is read we run away from the Bar and do not abide and stay for Conscience it's decision as if we knew what it will say before hand again some-times we are disposed to Judge our selves and to passe or leap over both examination and consciences Sentence being thus precipitant and preposterous to prevent any trouble and apprehended horrour that may attend the Sentence of Conscience and are ready to say that we know not what it will say before it be put to the â—ryal And this is a reason why many will take with a conviction but it hath no weight with them nor 〈◊〉 to them because it is their own as it were and not Conscience it's Sentence Therefore ye would by all means joyn together these Three use Self-examination Judge and passe Sentence on your selves as we are willed 1 Cor. 11. 28. 31. But miss not this cupâ—e viz Reflecting upon and observing of what Conscience hath to â—ay for this 〈◊〉 the first and the last together and if they be noâ— thus knit they will fall assunder and come to nothing The 2d Use is for tryal take it then for an evidence and mark of a tender Christian thus to reflect on a persons walk and actions when he hath done them The tender Christian will thus reflect on his way and actions done though it were for many years past and will judge impartially according to what Conscience hath to say of them They here behave like unto faithful Ambassadors or Messengers who being Commissionat in some bussinesse and having gone about it will sist themselves before these that gave them the Commission to hear their Judgement and Sentence of their management of the bussinesse committed to them 〈◊〉 they are unfaithful that receive such a Commission and never give an accompt of their discharge of it nor wait for the Sentence of it's giverâ— even so tender Christians will not only consult with and take direction from Conscience what and how to do but will also turn back and see iâ— Conscience doth approve of what they have done and of their manner of doing Now when we speak of this we do not say that it is always the mark of a tender Christian that the man hath Conscience speaking for him for Conscience may be misled and it's Testimony in that case signifies little But this we say that it is a mark of a tender Christian to be always singly trying whether it be for him or against him and it will be found in the experience of all tender Christians Whereas these that walk at random without all circumspection look not thus to Conscience yea even Believers theâ—selves when in an untender frame desire not much to come in Conscience it's sight to speak â—o The reason is because as it is Ioh. 3. v. 20 21. Every one that doth evil hateth the light least his deeds should be reproved but he that doth truth cometh to the light to the light of the Word and of his Conscience informed by the Word that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God It 's no â—mal part I say of this Light even Conscience it 's Testimony And it sayes that the sincer man desireth to know if he be right or wrong and that he likes not to entertain the thoughts of any practice or deed of his to be right when it is not so in truth and that withall he allowes not himself to judge of his deeds meerly by himself but to submit them to the Sentence of his Conscience according to the Word To clear this a little we shall point at some Characters of a person that is suitably serious and tender in reflecting on his Conscience and that 1. In respect of it's extent and then 2ly In respect of the effects of it First then as to the Extent 1. He reflecteth on and tryeth all his Actions even the whole tract and current of his Life as Paul doth here his conversation in the World
externally profitable to us but mainly as pleasing to God and for his honour as conducing to the advancing of 〈◊〉 with him or Conformity to him It 's most divine The Use teacheth us to lay more weight on Conscience as spiritual and as that which taketh up things better and is a far better diâ—cerner and judge of things then we ouâ— selves are 3ly Observâ— That the attesting of Conscience is a most grave important and solemn thing â— buâ—ines of highest concernment and such as ought to be 〈◊〉 great weight with others It 's so mide use of here yea â—t's Testimony is some way to have weight with us and to be respected as the Testimony of Christ himself and of the Holy Ghost Therefore it 's here joyned with them in its Testimony and it cannot be otherwayes God being as was said before the immediat Master of it and it being so divine a thing none can attest Conscience but they must needs attest God with it The Use is To teach us to be more warry in attesting Conscience in a light and trivial way It 's in Scripture Language an attesting Christ and the Holy Ghost and when ever we dar not appeal to them as Witnesses we would beware of appealing to or of attesting Conscience or taking it to be a Witnes 4ly Observe That there is a great difference among Consciences for these words My conscience beareth me witnes in the holy Ghost imports two things 1. His attesting his Conscience not simply but as it 's sanctified by the Spirit 2ly It not only imports Sanctification in the habit of it but in it's exercise also for he knew that a mans attesting of his meer natural Conscience is not of such value it being a thing that may be easily deluded and go wrong but sayeth he I attest my conscience in the holy Ghost and as acted by him There is a difference betwixt a renewed and unrenewed Conscience and a difference betwixt a pure Conscience and a defiled one To the pure sayeth the Apostle Tit. 1. 15. all things are pure but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Pauls appealing his Conscience is as it 's opposit to such a Conscience There is also an evil and a good Conscience as these words lately spoken of 1 Pet. 3. 21 The answer of a good conscience toward God clear There is likewise a cauterized Conscience and a tender Conscience yea there is some difference of Consciences among Believers themselves some Consciences are weak some strong some are sleepy some waking some are secure some in the lively exercise of the Grace of God and acted by the Spirit according to the will of God and this is the Conscience meant here Use This Difference would be well observed for it will not be the Testimony of every Conscience that will bear a man throughâ— it must be the Testimony of a Conscience sanctified and in that particular acted by the Holy Ghost 5ly Observe That there is no Testimony of a Conscience that can be satisfying but the Testimony of a Conscience sanctified and in a sanctified frame therefore he thinks it not enough to say My conscience beareth me witnes but he addeth in the Holy Ghost And in that passage 1 Pet. 3. 21. It 's not the answer of Conscience simply but the answer of a good conscience of a waking tender spiritual and well enlightned Conscience that satisfieth Use Therefore ere men lay much weight on the testimony of their Conscience they would first put it â—o proof and see that it be the Testimony of a sanctified Conscience and in a sanctified frame if a man be not of some credit his Testimony will not be of much weight in any matter it is even so with Conscience as to it's Testimony 6ly Observe That sometimes and in some Cases Believers may very warrantably attest their Conscience and appeal to it's Testimony some Believers in the old Testament and some in the new have done it Tho as we said before the attesting of Conscience be a very grave and solemn thing and would not be used at all times and in all cases yet at some times and in some cases it may be warrantably used when rightly gone about I shall name Three or Four Considerations or Cases from the Text for clearing of it 1. Conscience may be attested when the matter that we assert requireth such a solemn attesting of it And these things concur here to clear that the matter wherein he attesteth his Conscience is such For 1. It is a thing that concerneth Gods Glory not a little that his Servant and Messenger is not walking according to the flesh 2. It tendeth to the edification of others for if he had not removed the prejudice that the Iews had at him it might have marred their receiving the Truth from his mouth 3. It tendeth to his own vindication in as far as it tendeth to the former two ends and he will not suffer any blot to ly here 4. That which he asserteth is a thing not obvious and could not well be otherwayes made out and in this so great and grave a matter he spares not to attest God and his own Conscience 2. Consider the manner of his proceeding It 's spoken in the sight of God gravely and soberly I speak the truth in Christ and lie not my conscience bearing me witnes in the holy ghost He doth not rashly and abruptly break out in it as many do 3ly Consider that he is most clear in the thing ere he attest his Conscience he was sure that it was no lie and that he had no mixture of untruth in it yea he is so clear that he dar swear it and take Christ and the Holy Ghost to witnes in it When men dar not attest God in a matter they should not attest their own Conscience in it except they think that God will say one thing and their Conscience another which is contrary to the nature of Conscience Men will say many things lightly supposing them to be true that they will be loath to attest their Conscience in till they be very clear and sure that they are true 4ly Add this Consideration that it is done when he is in a holy spiritual and lively frame My conscience sayeth he bearing me witnes in the holy Ghost To attest Conscience in a carnal frame is as unsuitable as to rush in rashly and unmannerly before a grave Judge to crave a Sentence from him If our frame be not right Conscience will never speak out an approving Testimony to us in that particular which we assert and attest it in For though as to the matter it be true and no lie yet as to our circumstantiated attesting of it in so ill a frame it will not approve us 7ly In the general Observe That Conscience it's Testimony when warrantably made use of is a thing very useful refreshing and comfortable to a Believer
all men and more especially of Believers to walk so as they may always keep a Conscience void of offence yea it is not only a duty but we may look on it as an excellent mean for advancing of Holiness The sixth is Where men honestly aim to keep a Conscience always void of offence it will be an exercising and uptaking thing The seventh is Where this exercise is neglected and not seriously carried on the Conscience is left to stumble at and to abound with offences As for the first That there are many kinds of offences which People are subject to toward God and Men It is a thing uncontroverted by all and we need say little of it only first There are sins against the first Table which are offences toward God being immediatly against him And there are sins against the second Table which although they be against God yet immediatly they touch and reflect on men 2. There are sins against God that are secret which God only is witness to and there are open sins which scandalize men Paul endeavoured to eschew all these for all are â—ins against the Law of God and wounding of the Conscience The second is That there is a Conscience within every man which takes notice of every peice of his carriage and is accordingly affected with it and affects him for it This is the ground of all that follows and had need to be more particularly spoken unto This truth then contains these three things 1. That there is a Conscience in every man that takes notice of every peice of his way and walk hence it is said to bear witness 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Conscience c. and it is also said to accuse or excuse Rom. 2. 15. it witnesses for men and excuses and comforts them when they do well and witnesseth against them accuseth and reproveth them when they do evil and so is to them as a Check Captor or Censor The Apostles aim to have a Conscience void of offence suppons that he and every man has a Conscience and that it takes notice of every thing and will take offence if it be a thing that thwarts with it We shall not in this place stand to debate what Conscience is whether it be a power or a faculty an habit or an act which as it would not be much for your edification so it would transcend the reach of many of you only in the general we may call it a power wherewith God hath indued the soul of man to take notice of all his thoughts words and actions 2. We say â—ts accordingly affected with every thing when the man does right it is pleased and when he does wrong its offended and wounded as we may see 1 Cor. 8. 10 11. so 1 Sam. 24. 5. It s said Davids heart smote him and Prov. 18. 14. this is called a wounded spirit 3. As it is affected so it affects the person when a man has done well it excuses and clears him and when he has done evil and wronged it it challenges and accuses him in which respect Conscience is called a Iudge pronouncing sentence by absolving or condemning men Scripture and the experience of all sorts of people and times clear and prove this 1. The Scripture says of Heathens Rom. 2. 15. That their conscience bears them witness and their thoughts the mean while accuse or excuse one another it holds out this to have been in Adam who immediatly after the fall Gen. 3. 10. says I heard thy voice and was afraid terror seized on him it mentions this also to have been in Iosephs brethren who Gen. 42. 21. say we are verily guilâ—y concerning our brother and in David in that forecited 1 of Sam. 24. 5. where its said that his heart smote him it 's clearly also supposed 1 Iohn 3. 19 20 21. where the Apostle says If our heart condemn us God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God where we would take notice that what is here and sometimes in the Old Testament called the Heart is in the Text and else-were called the Conscience which supposeth this to be in every man It is further clear from the daily experience of all in all times for sometimes it is pousing to duty sometimes it is challenging for the omission of duty or for commission of the contrary evil sometimes it is speaking peace sometimes it is marring peace and denouncing war as it were all which plainly evidence that there is such a thing in men so Herod when he heard of Christs Miracles his Conscience puts him in mind of Iohn the Baptist whom he had beheaded and disquiets him with fears that Iohn might have been raised from the dead something of it appears likewise in Achab when it puts him to put on Sack-cloth all which I say plainly evidence that there is such a thing in men and beside full Scripture-proof there are none but if they observe they will find their thoughts the mean while either accusing or else excusing them For further clearing of this we shall speak a little first To what this Conscience is if it be possible satisfyingly to explain it 2. To the use and ends of it and why God hath placed this in man where we shall shew the several sorts of Consciences that are in men good and evil For the first to wit What Conscience is we may for coming at the understanding of it consider the name Conscience which signifies a co-knowledge or a knowledge going along with our knowledge which we may consider First As looking to Gods knowledge going alongst with ours and ours going alongst with his and thus it implyes as his knowledge of all our thoughts words and ways so our knowledge together with his of these or our taking notice of them with respect to his knowledge 2. We may consider it as reflex-knowledge joyned with a direct knowledge as for instance when a man hath a direct knowledge of Prayer as his duty and a reflex knowledge going along with the practise or exercise of the duty whereby he sees and discerns himself either to behave suitably in it or to be faulty in this respect Conscience is a practical knowledge taking notice by a reflex act of a mans ways 3. We may consider it as comprehending a knowledge of Gods Law and then it signifies a knowledge of our selves compared with the Law it hath knowledge of the rule and so of what is duty and what is sin and withall it hath in it the knowledge of our selves and of our conformity or disconformity to the rule Conscience then in this respect is a mans knowledge of Gods will and of himself as compared with it 4. We may consider this co knowledge as it supposeth beside the knowledge of our selves the knowledge of something taking notice of us or of something deputed in us by God to keep a record
natural Conscience and not only doing things sinful but taking pleasure in them that did them therefore they are given up to do greatest things without check or challenge Hence it is thus in part at least with many Professors within the visible Church for thwarting with Conscience and indeed a silent and dumb Conscience is a great plague for if it cease to be a reprover and speak not men nay even godly men may and will sleep on as David after the going over the belly of his light and blunting the edge of his Conscience slept long enough till Conscience at last roused him up Hence also the Apostle speaketh of some Consciences which were seared with an hot iron which is not so to be understood as if Conscience were flesh or of a fleshly substance only he maketh the comparison that as a mans flesh is sensible of and affected with the prick of a pin so is Conscience with Sin while tender But as the flesh of a Man or Beast when it is seared or burnt a considerable thurst will not much if at all affect it So is Conscience when stupified and made sensless by multiplied Sins against light it groweth so cauterized and seared that hardly any Sin or challenge for Sin is felt 3. Men want not a Conscience though they hear it not always speaking for Conscience may often be speaking when they take not head to it As is abundantly clear in David and Iosephs brethren for that which is the Death evil of a natural man may sometimes be the sore and dangerous sickness and distemper of a child of God And though Conscience may speak but softly for a time yet thereafter it will speak louder and make it known that it spoke when it was not listened unto The day cometh when the Books will be opened and Conscience will speak plainly smartly and home and it concerns you all to know that Conscience is not absent when it is quiet but that it will speak and speak to purpose in due time and that as a party with whom there is no Trysting till it come before the great Judge and then it will give in what it hath to say and it will then be evidently known that there was a Conscience in the prophanest person who most cauterized it by going over the belly of it's Light and Suggestions The 2. Use speaketh to you that live at randome taking great Liberty and Latitude to your selves beside the Rule O! do you believe and remember that there is a Conscience within you and that it will call you to a Reckoning sure if ye did in good earnest ye would be other manner of men It 's generally granted that there is a Conscience in all and the prophanest will have Conscience often in their mouth and indeed their Conscience is little worth when they stand in no aw of it but rather trample on it Let me tell you the greater Light ye have and the moe means and warnings ye are priviledged with the greater will be the aggravation of your guilt and the more dreadful will be your Ditty and Doom from God and from your own Conscience If Conscience will be an impartial Witness and severe Judge against all even Heathens who never heard the Gospel O then what access will it have terribly to reprove condemn smite and gnaw you that live under the Gospel and hear the word dayly Many of you have some stickling and stirring of Conscience within you but alace ye know not what it meaneth and would be quite of it but from this Word be exhorted to know who hath appointed it and for what end it is appointed and make use of it's warnings 〈◊〉 for others that know it and go on sleeping securely in your Sin I must say this to you that the more knowledge ye have of it it will certainly make you to have the more dreadful wakening When all the kindreds of the earth shall houl at the seeing of the son of man and stand trembling at his presence O! what a scrich and cry will Conscience have in that day louder I conceive in some respect then the Trumpet it self setting home the Truth of Challenges bearing witness of the fact and representing the horrour terror and torment abiding them therefore think on it O! think on it all ye who continue in Sin and will not be reclaimed who mock at all Warnings and break all Bonds and will not be subject to Discipline ye shall not be able to shake off the Boâ—d of Conscience but it shall bind you as the Colar of your Coat and keep you bound till ye be â—isted before the Judgement Seat of God Use 3. Seing ye have a Conscience let it not be silent idle and usleâ— but put it to speak and do you hear what it saith and take you warning from it it will not be Bribed Budded nor Boasted It 's a sore matter to have a Conscience and never to take notice of it nor of what it sayeth I shall now only seing there are some good and some evil Consciences as they are or are not informed beseech you to study to have a well informed Conscience especially since where it is well informed it cannot easily be budded nor soon prevailed with to suffer things to come under debate and controversie wherein it is clear a just regard too and the right use-making of Conscience would notably promove Holiness and nothing readily doth more obstruct it then the not taking heed to Conscience and not laying due weight on what it sayes Though many of you do now look on it as nothing or a thing of little moment yet ye will find it to be a greatly momentanious thing O! that God who hath given us Consciences may be graciously pleased to give the right use of them SERMON II. ACTS 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men IF we take a view of and look through Christians and professors of Religion that may have the Root of the matter in them and may in charity be supposed to be effectually called there will be found as great a graduall difference amongst them as amongst men of any other calling whatsoever And if we will compare them generally with the Apostle as to the constant vigorous driving of this notable and noble design there will be found great in-equality and much lamentable un-likness Herein saith he do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men This was his great Work and it is indeed a sweet Work yea a short sum and compend of a Christians Life When we discoursed last from this Text and had drawn some general Doctrines from it for clearing the words we spoke more particularly to this Doctrine viz. That there is in all men and women a conscience that taketh notice of every piece of their carriage and is accordingly affected with and affecteth men for it Some thing
suspicious-like when the Conscience is overwell pleased and when Conscience and mens humours are both pleased together and when corruption doth not side and take part against it this I say is a shrewd evidence that Conscience is erring for when a man is going aright about his duty corruption will be against him but when all is silent it is no good token when Paul is a delighting himself in the law of God there is a law in his Members rebelling against the law of his Mind and leading him captive to the law of Sin in his Members 2. It may be known by this when Conscience hath more contentment and peace and greater delight and fainness in such or such a particular supposed duty then in all other duties as for instance when a man thinketh nothing of but undervalueth Infant-Baptism and must needs be baptized over again and when he is re-baptized he hath more satisfaction and as he thinks more comfort in that Duty and Ordinance then in all other duties he goeth about though his rebaptizing be indeed no duty called for from him that is an evidence of an erring Conscience for if it were the peace comfort and satisfaction of a well informed Conscience he would have comfort if not alike comfort in all Duties and Ordinances so when some men have more delight in making others to become Antinomians or Separatists or Quakers they being of such a Judgment Porswasion and Sect themselves then in gaining men fre◠Popery to be Protestants or it may be from being meerly natural men to be in good earnest exercised to Godliness and like the Pharisees will compass Sea and Land for that end not to make them children of God but to proselyte them to their own Sect That is a shrewd token that it's mens particular Interest and Humour that swayeth them more then Conscience doeth or if Conscience have influence here it is an erroneous and mistaken one 3. It may be known by a mans more common and ordinary frame and way it is hard to say that Conscience putteth a man to such or such a thing and to change his way in such or such a particular indeed to the better when yet it doeth not set him on endeavours in the strength of Grace to change his way and life in the general tract of it for as true Grace is uniform so a well informed and truely good Conscience makes a man endeavour an universal and uniform change in his way and without all doubt it is as clear a duty to pray to search his Conscience to walk without giving offence to hear the Word to meditate thereon to injure no man c. and yet he will be strick in such a particular but prayeth no more waiteth no more upon Ordinances no better then he had wont to do c. this looketh very like an erring Conscience for as I said just now Conscience maketh not a man to change in one thing only but it puts him to endeavour also a change in all Therefore beware of such deceit◠for Conscience is much abused in this time it is indeed an excellent thing to keep a good Conscience and void of offence but it 's a desperate thing to make a Shoe-horn or Stalking-horss of Conscience to make it subserve our own humour and the carrying on of our own particular Interest or to leave the Word and to pretend Conscience and to be swayed by Interest under pretext of Conscience There is great need then to look well to the Word and to have the Word and Conscience going hand in hand together to keep near God and to walk in holy fear that Conscience have not any thing wherewith it may charge us justly SERMON III. ACTS 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men THere are many sad mistakes about a Christian life and the serious and zealous following of Holiness for men either diminish from Holiness as to the extent of it or dispense with and take a liberty and latitude to themselves in the following of it In this Text we have a short and sweet sum of Pauls life an excellent copy and pattern of a Christian walk and conversation wherein he giveth us a view of these two 1. Of his aim and design to walk so as he may have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men and that in an universal extent always or at all times and in all things 2. Of his manner of prosecuting it Herein saith he do I exercise my self he is seriously taken up with it it is his great business his one thing as he calls it Phil. 3. 13. We spoke of these two generals 1. That there is in all Men and Women a Conscience that taketh notice of their actions and is ready to be offended with their miscarriages 2. That Men and Women and more especially Believers ought so to live and if tender will aim so to live as they may be friends with their Conscience and that there may be good terms and a good understanding betwixt them and their Conscience that their Conscience may have no challenge against them in any thing of their walk either toward God or toward Men This is clearly and convincingly holden out in Pauls practice here whose great aim design and endeavour was to walk so as his Conscience might have nothing to say against him in duties relating either to God or to Men in secret in private or in publick This we prosecuted a little and shewed you that there is a tye and obligation lying on men so to walk and to follow not an erring and deluded Conscience but Conscience rightly informed pousing accusing or excusing according to the Word for it is Conscience so qualified that is the rule subordinate to the infallibly regulating rule of the Word The Uses of the Doctrine as we shew are four the 1. For Instruction The 2. For Tryal The 3. For Conviction or Reproof The 4. For Exhortation We spoke a little to the Use of Instruction the last day to which now we add that if men should so walk as their Conscience may have nothing to charge them with nor to cast up to them wherein they have thwarted with it then every mans design in his Christian walk ought to be as extensive as his Conscience is in its office either in directing or in accusing or excusing otherways he cannot have peace in his way if he disperise with himself in any thing which his Conscience doth not dispense with him in and it will be impossible to have solid peace if he do otherways so then the walk of a Christian ought to be equally and exactly extended no less then is the Conscience according to the rule of the Word Beside what we said on this before anent having clearness from the Word in the Judgment and hearkening to the voice of Conscience rightly informed We shall instance the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a
and were fond on them A 5th Character is That a deluded Conscience iâ— ordinarily bitter and cruel in the effects of it as it is proud and vain so it will persecute to the death them it differeth from hence were the Persecutions of the Apostles and of Paul especially and we have seen it in poor deluded souls who have thought themselves oblidged to slay all that were against them or differed from them in these their delusions some what of this bitterspirit accompanied the delusion of the Galatians Therefore the Apostle sayeth to them chap. 5. 15. If ye bite and devour one another c. And Iames speaketh to the same purpose of such persons chap. 3. 14. If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lye not against the truth this wisdom descendeth not from above Bitter zeal and strife is an evil token and a bitter Conscience is readily no good Conscience when a man supposing himself to be in the right is carried on with a spirit of bitterness though in other cases bitterness through the power of corruption may kyth yet it is native to delusion It floweth from pride in such persons exalting themselves above all others Therefore as soon as they are deluded go wrong they must have a Church by themselves and will joyn with no other persons in Christian communion but such as are of their mistaken opinion But a Third Question ariseth here on occasion of the former viz. whether Believers in Christ need to be afraid of a deluded Conscience And whether they may not be perswaded and that with a sort of delight and satisfaction that they are right when yet they are wrong the latter branch of the Question necessarily supposeth the former which needeth not therefore to be particularly spoken to We Answer with a distinction that a Believer may be mistaken and deluded in a particular but cannot be deluded as to his gracious state because being indeed a Believer it s a most true and certain conclusion which he draws concerning his being in a gracious state though possibly as to some of the grounds whence he deduceth it he may be mistaken or he may draw it from wrong grounds yet I say in some particulars he may be deluded as in taking such or such an error to be a truth and so the first Three grounds and rises of a deluded Conscience which we form erly assigned may agree to him As he may lay too much weight on carnal reason and on common Gifts as some of the Galaians did and the Apostles themselves were in hazard to do and therefore our Lord saith to them Luke 10. 20. Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject to you but that your names are written in heaven he may also lay too much weight on sense or comfort and the reason may be because when God graciously condescendeth to give them now and then some proof that he loveth them they being in so far deserted draw a conclusion quite cross to the design and end of that manifestation as if he approved them in that particular wherein they are mistaken for as a Believer when he is right may think himself to be wrong because of the want of sense so by the rule of contraries he may think himself to be right because he hath much sense when yet he may be wrong I shall for further clearing instance it in five or six cases As 1. When a Believer hath been in some tender frame praying to God sincerely and hath gotten a hearing and when some smiling providence meeteth him and inviteth him to side with such or such a thing he is ready to think that God calleth him to that thing or it may be the Christian after Prayer meets with a Scripture that holdeth out that thing which he hath been praying for whence he rashly draweth the conclusion that he will obtain it and is ready to think that therein he walks according to reason if the thing look rational like to him and suit the matter of his Prayer we may see something of this or very like it in Samuel if we compare the 15. and 16. Chapters of the first Book of Samuel together in the end of the 15. Chapter he hath very probably been praying when he mourned and chap. 16. v. 1. he is sent by God to Bethlehem to anoint one of Iesses sons to be king and when vers 6. he looketh on Eliah he presently and somewhat rashly yet very confidently saith Surely the Lord's anointed is before him he having been praying and the thing looking so rational and purpose-like was perswaded that he was right but the Lord reproveth him and saith to him Look not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not â—s man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart How oâ—t may a tryst of Providence be mistaken I was in Prayer and such a word met me and such a Providence occurred to me and did cast the ballance A â— d. Case is when a thing representeth it self to the Believer not only as lawful and honest but as conducing much to Gods glory and to the good of his work and he meaneth well in it how ready is he hence to conclude that he is certainly called to such a thing and that it is his duty when yet it is not so we may see something of this in David who 2 Sam. 7. 1 2 3 and 4. having a purpose to build a house to God proposeth the matter to Nathan the Prophet who without consulting God off-hand saith to him Go do all that is in thine heart for the Lord is with thee and yet notwithstanding though God loved the thing and approved of it in its self as a duty yet it was not Gods mind that David should perform it nor that Nathan should have so positively encouraged him to it hence when a thing considered in it self is pleasing to God and may be for his honour some good people may think it to be their duty whom yet God never called to such a thing as for instance to aim to be a Minister of the Gospel is a good thing in it self and one may have a sort of impulse to it who yet may not be called to it A 3d. Case is when Believers inclinations and affections are exceeding much towards such or such a thing very readily there-from they will come to have a sort of perswasion in their Conscience anent that thing as for instance when they love one sort of life beyond another which is not simply unlawful or one Child beyond another as we may see in Isaac his strong inclination to bless Esau Gen. 27. we conceive the good man went not against the light of his own Conscience in the matter but he loved him excessively which made him take the less heed to what otherways Gods promise and way of dealing with his sons
Religious men in some things that they may get a Dispensation to themselves in other things But none of these will be found Law-byding when God cometh to reckon 6ly People in a sort bargain with their Conscience like these spoken of Isa. 28. 15. They make a Covenant with death and are at agreement with hell and like Naaman if that was indeed his meaning they will yeeld Conscience such or such a thing but no more They must have a Dispensation in and a liberty of making Reservations and Exceptions of some one or moe things Though this may not always be done distinctly formaly and explicitly yet it is so on the matter implicitly and interpretatively But that Covenant with death however made directly or indirectly shall be broken and that agreement with hell shall not stand and the hail of Gods wrath will sweep away the refuge of lies and Conscience will speak at last but not with or under such covers of fig-leaves that men now wrap themselves in Therefore I beseech you dally not with Conscience for it 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of it when it is wakened as it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who acteth in and by that Conscience The 4th and last Use Is an Use of Exhortation seing it is the duty of all men and more especially of Believers to walk so as in nothing they offend their Conscience we exhort you in the name of the Lord that ye would order your Conversation so as in nothing your Conscience may have a challenge against you ye will all readily think that this is very reasonable and indeed if we prevail not in this wherein can we expect to prevail with you We seek no more of you but that ye would so walk as that living and dying your Conscience may not flee in your face but may give you this Testimony that ye have aimed to keep a good conscience in all things and to live â—onestly Ye may possibly think that this is a fair general and that he is a very gross and profane man that will deny it and yet we would think that many of you were come a great length in Religion if we could prevail with you but this far as that in all things living and dying as we said ye might study to have a good Conscience And this being no contraverted nor debeatable thing we may with the more confidence press it upon you especially seing it is the very Soul and Life of Religion and where that is not there is nothing of truth in Religion That this exhortation may be the more clear and cogent we shall speak a word to these Three 1. To what this is to keep a good Conscience in your walk 2. To some motives to stir you up to it 3. To some helps to it For the 1. It includeth these Four which should go along in your walk 1. That ye commit no known Sin for there will be no good Conscience if that be adventured on Ye who know that ye should not take liberty in drinking drunk in swearing in profane or idle speaking c. Walk so as ye may not thwart your Knowledge 2ly It taketh in this That as ye would commit no known Sin so ye would ommit no known duty because though every sin doth wrong the Conscience yet the sin that we know and yet commit and the duty that we know and yet omit doth more directly strick against Conscience ye who know that the Sabbath should be kept holy that ye should pray in secret and in your families that ye should not offend one another c. Beware of hazarding on these contrary to your light 3ly It takes in and supposeth that ye do nothing doubtingly for Rom. 14. He that doubteth and doth is damned he is sentenced and judged as to that particular 4ly It includeth this to endeavour to be right in the manner oâ— performing all duties and to have a single end It is not enough to pray or to be in the practice of any other commanded duty that will not quiet the Conscience if ye study not to be right in the manner and to do it for the right end The want of these requisit qualifications of acceptable Duties will make such things as are lawful on the matter turn to be grounds of challenge from the Conscience But somewhat to this purpose hath been spoke of before therefore it hath now been but touched 2dly For Motives 1. There is nothing that is a more clear duty It is written in the hearts of all by nature Heathens have it engraven on their hearts as we see Rom. 2. 15. Their conscience beareth them witness and their thoughts excuse or accuse one another and they have called it a brazen wall to have a good Conscience as to a sound walk in their moral sense 2dly there are many and great advantages attending it As namely 1. It giveth a man much boldness in approaching to God 1 Iohn 3. 20. If our hearts condemn us not then have we boldness towards God when we go to pray 2. It giveth ground also to expect ane hearing 1 Iohn 3. 22. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do these things that are pleasing in his sight and cross not our light and Conscience in neglecting any of them 3ly It keepeth a man from much sin and is that think ye little advantage to have little comparatively at least on a mans score to reckon for 4thly It maketh a mans life cheerful so Prov. 15. 15. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast Which is nothing else but a heart cheerful in God from the testimony of a good Conscience And this is it on the matter which guardeth the the heart and mind so that no cares can considerably disquiet it as we have it Phil. 4. 7. The heart is guarded yea garisoned as the word is with peace that there is no storming nor intaking of it by outward troubles It is the joy that strangers inter medle not with 5thly It is a sweet and strong cordial in affliction when Christians are persecuted by Strangers or by false Brethren are in Sickness in Prison in Perrils by Sea or Land c. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience sayeth the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 12. in the midst of afflictions 6thly And more particularly It is a sweet and soveraign Cordial when death approacheth Hezekiah can say then Remember Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart It putteth the Soul in a posture of dying somewhat like old Simeon and giveth some ground to say with him Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation The Necessity of it will yet further appear if on the other side we look to the disadvantages that wait the want of it though men could be content to live a heartless life
Ignorance that may and will make us mistake Conscience when it answereth clearly And this cometh to passe when through Ignorance we know not nor can take up the voice of Conscience as different from that of our Affections or Inclinations nor the grounds by which Conscience doth evidence it's Answer as young Samuel took Gods voice at first for the voice of old Eli Thus men may have an impulse and some exercise of Conscience aâ— out a thing and it may be telling it's mind to them and yet through their Ignorance and Inadvertancy noâ— discerning and taking up what it sayeth their exercise may continue and they remain in the dark anent the particular A 2d Case wherein folks may remain unclear or mistaken where Conscience answereth clearly is when their Inclinations or Affection swey to one side and Conscience sweyeth to another Then readily the Affections make such a noise and clamour and Inclination and Tentation so swey and drive to the contrary that the voice of Conscience is not taken up yea scarcely heard Even as when a Case is proposed to a Judge and he speaketh soberly in determining the same the unsatisfied party raiseth such a clamour and noise that his determination is not understood noâ— it may be so much as heard so it is when men are byassed with their own Inclinations and Affections though Conscience speak yet these will speak out answers to convince and perswade to the contrary As it was with Balaam who would not understand as it were nor take the answer which he got but went again and again for another Or as the People of the Iews did often when the Prophet told them clearly the mind of the Lord yet they would needs contradict him as we see they did Ier. 43. 2 and say It was not the Word of the Lord but he was set on by some other to speak so their Inclination and Affection being sweyed to such a side A third Case is when mens own particular interest lyeth one way and the answer of Conscience sweyeth another way as suppose gain to be on this side and Conscience speaketh Duty to be on the other Interest will say that such a place calling or station should be taken and ingadged in because it hath gain and preferment with it but Conscience sayeth it should be forborn And here Interest sustaineth the Dispute and carieth it on toughly and pertinaciously against Conscience with plausible Arguments that side and sute well with and much please and gratifie our flesh which yet might be very easily refuted if Interest had not the great hand in proposing and managing them Hence the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 5. Speaketh of some perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth who suppose gain to be godliness For when gain presenteth it self as easie to be found and come by in such a way it will readily passe for godlinesse This is very dangerous and maketh the answer of Conscience to be either mistaken or â—asten and rejected A 4th Case more readily incident to the people of God though it may be also in others is when fear and unbelief thwart Conscience pressing to such a Duty As suppose it be a Duty that hath many difficulties attending it as hazard of Life or of State of Confinment or of Banishment Fear and Unbellef will come in and dispute that such and such a thing cannot be Duty though Conscience say the contrary So it was with Achaz Isa. 7. 12. I will not saith he ask neither will I tempt the Lord In his Fear and Unbelief he will not wait the answer of Conscience neither â—an he abide to take Gods Word and Direction But this did not only prevail with wicked never do-well Achaz but it was in a measure in eminently godly Moses Exod. 6. 12. Who in his Fear and Unbelief disputeth against Gods clear call and sayeth Will Pharaoh hear me As also in Ieremiah Who chap. 1. v. 6. alleadgeth against Gods clear call that he was but a child And the like of such excuses and shifts as these being made to Gods own calls and answers much more may they be made to the answers of Conscience And so much for the first Question The 2d Question is Seing Conscience may be silent or though it answer may not be taken up nor understood what is to be done in this and the like Cases Answer 1. We should aim to know if our unclearnesse in such a particular proceed from the silence of Conscience or from some Tentation or distemper of Spirit in us 2dly Whither it flow from a sinful Cause on our part or from Gods Soveraignity 3dly We should learn how to apply our selves aright to take up these causes 4thly What it is that we should do when none of these are discerned 5thly What it is that we should do if our unclearnesse and darknesse continue or what general grounds may warrand us in our choice or how we ought to make use of these general grounds when we cannot take up Particulars For the 1. Direction in such a Case we say when men have unclearnesse they should inquire 〈◊〉 it be ane unclearnesse from a silence in the Conscience or from a Tentation or Distemper in themselves And if this once be known the Cause is in a manner win for if it be known to be a Tentation or a sinful Distemper it is not to be stood on though what we are called to thwart our own Inclination and Affection and speak out matter of Fear and Hazard As we see in the Case of Moses and Ieremiah when God maketh the man to put his hand into his bosome as it were as if the result were to be had there that cleareth him and he yeeldeth And if it flow not from any Tentation or Distemper we should look forward and inquire from what Cause it cometh But it may be Asked here How shall People know whither their unclearnesse doth proceed from a sinful Distemper in themselves or from the silence of Conscience not speaking at all Answer To find out this will be a piece of Christian exercâ—e and will need much humility and self-denial an heavenly frame and much serious Prayer to God And thoug◠〈◊〉 be difficult to condescend on particular Rules in 〈◊〉 Cases yet we shall give some general considerations that will help how to find it out And 1. See iâ— ye be indifferent in the thing if it be so in it 's own nature for if it be a Tentation or sinful Distemper that prevaileth ye will not be indifferent but fixed resolute and peremptory Inclination Affection or Interest will swey you to one side and hold you there And therefore your great work should be to see if ye be single and unbyassed And for this end consider 1. If ye had your choice what it would be And if the heart confidently adventure to make the choice and if ye be inclined more to the one side then to the other it 's presumption
lying to bring about some good to or to divert some notable evil from themselves or others and lying in sport to make others merry and all â—emerarious rash lying through customary loosâ—ess and 〈◊〉 called it seems in the Scripture the way of lying And the more that men abhor lying and love to speak the truth they are in so fâ—r the 〈◊〉 like God and the more unlike the Devil who abode not in the truth beâ—ause there is no truth in him and who when be speaks a liâ— speaks it of his own it's 〈◊〉 and solelâ— his own and none of Gods for he is a liâ—r and the father of it We would therefore watchfully guard against all lying under whatsoever pretext and look well that we alwayes speak truth especially when we interpose Conscience and yet more especially when we appeal to God as witness of the truth of what we say or affirm According to the practice oâ— the Apostle here who being one that exercised himself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men no doubt made conscience alwayes to speak truth more especially when he had used any more than ordinary solemn proteâ—ation or attestation as he doth in these words The scope whereof is to roll away all ground oâ— stumbling from his Countrey-men the Iews and from any others who might think because of some of his discourses concerning them that he regarded them not and that he was very indifferent whether they were saved or perished and to conciliaâ— their affection and respect to the Doctrine of the Gospel and to his person for the Gospels and theiâ— own souls sake In which words we have 1. His assertion concerning the heavineâ—s and sorrow of his heart for them his brethren according to the flesh Which he sets down first positively I speak the truth Then negatively I lie not 2dly The confirmation of the truth of his assertion which to make it the more solemn weighty and convincing and if it might be the more gaining of the Iews is threefold 1. It 's in Christ insinuating thereby that he is a believer in Christ that asserts this truth and one that draws strength from Châ—ist to enable him to what he asserts and referreth to the honour of Christ as his main end in it and withall expects Gods acceptation of him therein on Christs account and for his sake The 2. is My Conscience an upright impartial and tender thing when right bearing me wittness as to the truth of what I assert The 3. is in the Holy Ghost That is it is affirmed by one who haâ—h an illightned and habitually sanctified Conscience by the Holy Ghost by one who is acted by him and in a sanctified frame for the present Nay by one infallibly guided and inspired by the Holy Ghost as his Pen-man in writing this as a piece and passage of Divine Scripture I shall not here speak particularly to all the points of Doctrine that might be deduced from these words but to such only as make for cleaâ—ing the purpose that we have in hand and that is the particular influence that Conscience hath on a man in the time of his acting and the particular respect that he ought to have to his Conscience in carrying it along with him in his actions Yet we shall passingly point at and little more than name some general Observations and then come to the particulars that we mainly aim at And 1. We Observe this That a mans Conscience is some way different from himself as in some respect to speak so another Partie I speak the truth in Christ I lie not my Conscience also bearing me witness I and me is one thing and Conscience as it were another and the Holy Ghost a third all which he joyns together yet so as he makes them different Parties Conscience I say considered as Conscience and more especially as it 's renewed well informed and tender in the exercise of its duty differs from the man himself 1. In respect of it's place of more direct and immediat subjection to God himself as it 's Master to receive iâ—'s orders from him whereas the man is more directly and immediatly subject to Conscience by which as his Deputy God rules him 2ly In respect of it's Office viz. To dictat to man what he should do and what he should not do and that according to the light that it hath from God in his revealed Will and Word Whereas man is not to dictat to his Conscience but to obey it's dictats in â—o far as they agree with Gods revealed Will and Word 3ly In that by it's Office also it is to tell the man that he should direct all his actions to the right end viz. The glory of God For it 's Office is not only to dictat our way but to injoyn to us our end Man hath not a power or liberty allowed to him to propose to himself what end he pleaseth such as Profit Pleasure or Credit as his main end but is oblidged to eye the Glory of God as such Which Conscience by vertue of it's Office and acting iâ—'s part aright though alace it often proves defective therein being corrupted and defiled by sin injoyns him to do 4ly In respect of the different considerations and sense of things it will often he displeased accuse and condemn when the man himself will be well pleased It will judge a thing unworthy to be intertained which the man will judge worthy 〈◊〉 eâ—tertaining And so Conscience is to be considered though having it's 〈◊〉 in man yet in many respects as some way different from him and 〈◊〉 as it were to him and set over him as 〈◊〉 hinted before to be a Guardian witness 〈◊〉 or sensor to take notice oâ— him in all his actions and carriage Let no man then as the Use of iâ— think that ever he is or can be alone so long as he hath a Conscience within him for he hath still something to testify for or against him to reprove him for what is wrong and to commend him for that which is right And though many poor wretches are readie to think and 〈◊〉 to fancy themselves to be quiet and well when they bliâ— or câ—erize or bribe theiâ— Conscience yet it will be found to be still waiting on them and watching them is all they do 2ly Observe That Conscience is a most divine thing therefore Paul taketh it to be more impartial then himself and joyns it with the Holy Ghost in testifying if it were not in some respect a more divine thing thâ— the man himself such weight would not be laid on it and it's Testimony And if we look to these things hinted at in the foregoing Observation viz. to the immediat Master of it God to the Rulâ— that it walketh by his Will revealed in his Word to the end it directs to or enjoyns the honour of God and to the whole way of of it's considering and judging of things not only as pleasant or
There is nothing readily that more comforts him in a strait it 's a singularly good back-friend Therefore when Paul hath few other friends he maketh use of this and findeth much peace and comfort from it And hence he sayth 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience c. To clear this in a word further it is in these Three Cases exceeding useful 1. In the Case of Reproach I have sayeth Paul Acts 23. 1. lived in all good conscience before God untill this day And 2 Tim 1. 3. I thank God whom I serve with pure conscience from my fore-fathers 2ly In the case of some notable Cross when Christians are brought very low in a great measure outwardly afflicted or under great persecution This is sayes the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 19 20. thank worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully for what glory is it if when ye are buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it and take it patiently this is acceptable with God 3ly It 's useful and comfortable as to our own peace in the case of Challenges for guilt it silenceth and shoulders out all Challenges and giveth holy boldness If our hearts or Consciences condemn us not sayes Iohn 1. Ep. Chap 3. v. 21. then have we confidence towards God The Use serves to teach us to be much in love with such a way as we may have the Testimony of a good Conscience in it and to be much in love with such a Conscience as may give us such a comfortable Testimony in all our straits and difficulties More particularly we shall speak to that which we mainly aim at in these Four or Five Observations Consider then first What Paul is about here he is asserting a truth viz. That he was in great beavines for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh And he attests his Conscience that it was so and that he was honest and sincere in asserting it Whence Observe That there is no action of a mans Life but Conscience hath a concern in it and hath something to say to him concerning it if it were but the speaking of a word let be the doing of any bussiness Conscience hath alwayes something to say for him or against him So that we may confidently say there is no action of so little moment in thought word or deed as whither a man be called to do or forbear to speak or to be silent but in all these Conscience hath a sense and consideration of it and a Testimony to give for or against the man about it I am not now speaking of things sinful or unlawful on the matter but of such things as on the matter are lawful As when a man speaketh truth whither he speaketh it truly and with an honest intention or not Therefore when Paul is speaking a truth here he looks to his Conscience and hearkens what it sayeth Put these Four together and ye will find it clear that a sanctified Conscience in a sanctified and good Frame will alwayes have something to say for or against a man in every thing that he goes about I say a sanctified Conscience in a sanctified Frame because that is the Conscience we are speaking of and the Conscience that most compleatly dischargeth it's duty 1 If we consider this That there is no humane action but God hath given man a Rule directing how it shall be ordered how he shall eat and how he shall drink how he shall plow pray hear read confer how he shall walk in Company and out of Company how he shall go about the Duties of his Calling and it prescribes the manner of doing these things as well as the matter Therefore 1 Tim. 3. 16 1â— It 's said All Scripture is given by divine inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for instruction in righteousness and for correction that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work It furnishes him with light and direction not only in the matter as â— said but in the manner of doing 2. 〈◊〉 That a man in all his actions is either walking according and agreeably to tâ—at rule or not his action is eiâ—her conform or disconform to the Rule there is not a mids He either doth according to it or he doth not according to it If he do the action as the word prescribeth Conscience hath something to say for him if noâ— it hath something to say against him 3. 〈◊〉 that in all actions as they are â—one or performed and as 〈◊〉 God is either pleased or displeased If the action be done according to his will he is pleased if it be not done according to his will he is displeased 4. Conâ—ider That a sanctified Conscience taketh up a mans actions and considereth him in them not according to the matter only buâ— also as they are agreeable to the Rule for the manner principle motive and end and â—estifieth of them accordingly So that if God have an interest in all a mans actions a sanctified Conscience hath also an interest in them I say a sanctified Conscience because it most singly pleaâ—eth Gods interest This is true also of a natural Conscience according to its light for even such a Conscience as it is said Rom. 2. 5. beareth witness and the Gentiles show the works of the Law written in their heatâ—s their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another And there is no natural man if he take heed to his Conscience in the doing of any action but will find Conscience according to its light speaking either for him or against him either acâ—using or else exâ—using him but this is much more to be found is a sanctified Câ—nscience because it hath much more light and much more tenderness to act according â—o that light and therefore it will find it self much more concerned in the actions of a believer The first Use is for information and instruction in a maâ—n practical point of Religion relating to mens conversation Most men 〈◊〉 think that Conscience is not concerned except in some great things some paâ—pably sinâ—ul things or some things immediatly relating to Religion and that in all other things they may live as they like without taking notice of Conscience But â— sâ—y and have cleared it that Conscienâ—e hath â—n 〈◊〉 and concern in every action not only as to putting men to undertake it whereof we spoke before but also as to their manner of performing the same It not only puts a man to think speak or do but it 's concerned in the manner of his thinking speaking and doing Conscience in every one of these hath somewhat to say viz. That we are either right or wrong The reason is because all a Christian mans actions may be taken up in a two-fold respect or under a two-fold consideration 1.
In respect of the external action it self or the matter of it even though we consider them as indifferent as whether a man stay at home or go abroad eat now or for bear eating c. 2. As these actions are Christian in which respect men are not only to look on the action â—t self materâ—ally considered but they are also to look to the rules given to direct them how to walk Christianly in that action for there are many actions good in themselves or in the first respect that will not be found to be Christianly and religiously good or good in this second respect The Christian should love God with all his heart soul strength and mind Mat. 22. 37. He is not his own he is bought with a price and therefore should glorifie Goâ— in his body and spirit which are Gods 1 Cor. 6. 20. â—hether he eat or drink or whatever he do he should do al to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 30. Which three general precepts shew that we are not to level our actions as meerly natural mâ—n do but as it becomes Christians to level them at his glory as the great end and scope of them that to us to live may be Christ that we may live to him and glorifie him who hath bought us and that from a principle of love to him who hath loved us Now Conscience cometh not in formally to deal on the first account that is as the action is good in it self or on the matter There reason and judgement come in rather and tell when a man doth that which is good or 〈◊〉 on the matter But Conscience comes in on the second accounâ— and telleth him when his action is done Christianly 〈◊〉 wiâ— in due manner from a right principle and to a right 〈◊〉 To make this out it will be needful that we shortly speak a word to these two 1. We shall shew what maketh an action truly Christian and Relâ—gious 2. We shall show that in all these things that make an action such Conscience hath something to say to men whether â—t be so with them As for the First I speak noâ— of the matter of the action or what maketh it good in that respect as that it be warâ—antable and in nothing sinful as to the matter such as are â—aring drinking hearing reading praying c. Beside this there are these Four which must be present and carefully carried along in every action by the man that would act Christianly and glorifie God therein The want of which or oâ— any of these will make Conscience to have some-thing to say against him as ground of Challenge as the having of them will make Conscience to â—ay for him and approve him The 1. of these is That a mans action be levelled at an higher end then himself and that is Gods honour and the â—fication of others As for instance men even in their eating and drinking are not to satisfie themselves or to gratifie their appetite only but they are to make their eating and drinking a mean to proâ—ove the honour of God as the great and ultimat end sitting down on an â—our end will furnish a ground of Challenge to the Conscience against the persons The 2d is That it be from a cleanly motive that not only it be a lawful and good thing which we do but that it be done out of Conscience to God and as service to him for a man may do a good action and not do it as such As for instance one man may give alms and sin in the doing of it and another in giving may offâ—r an acceptable sacrifice to God Therefore Christ sayeth Math. 10. 42 and Mark 9. 41. Whosoever giveth to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water in the name as a disciple viz. Considering him as such and giving it to him as such a one or in the name of and because he â—elongs to 〈◊〉 on that account and under that consideration and being sweyed by that as his motive verily he shall in no wayes loss his reward This two men may suffer both a like unjustly from a churlish Master or Superiour The one of whom may have no thanks nor peace in his sufferings when the other suffering Christianly out of Conscience to God and in obedience to his Command that calleth him to it is accepted and hath peace This is thank worthy sayeth the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 19. If a man for conscience sake indure grief and suffer wrongfully So in the love of a Husband to his Wife and of a Parent to his or her Child it 's one thing to love on a meer natural account and another thing to love such a Relation Christianly and out of Conscience to God though the former is not condemned yet it 's this latter that maketh it to be a consciencious and acceptable love before God The 3 is That the action be gone about in the right manner as such a particular action or duty is commanded to be done As for instance if it be a word of Instruction or Admonition given by us to another that it be given prudently lovingly and tenderly or what ever the action be in reference to others that our manner of going about it be such as may adorn the Doctrine of Christ and make the action to shine the more convincingly to others because of our suitable way of discharging it that we may have a Testimony in their Conscience and may gain them or further gain them to the love of God and of godlinesse But this cannot be so well instanced in particulars because several duties require their own suitable way of performing of them The 4th thing that must go along with every Action is That it be mixed with Faith Heb. 4. 2. Not only the Faith of such an Action being good and lawful in it self for that is alwayes presupposed but these two things here are further requisit 1. That the Action or Duty be gone about in the strength of Jesus Christ so that it may have a Superiour Spiritual principle to wit Gods strength acting in it and not our own simply that croud of witnesses chronicled Heb. 11. are said to do all they did this way viz. By faith That is not only by Faith exercised on Christ for accepting of them but also by Faith exercised on the strength of Christ to be born through in the doing of what they did 2. That not only Faith be exercised for divine strength in doing and that the doers be denyed to their own strength but that there be also a resting on Christ for the acceptation of their Persons and performances and this is alâ—e requisit as any of the former because though a Person do that which is good in it self and have all the other requisits to the Action yet if there be a falling in this Conscience will not speak peace By faith It 's said Heb. 11. 4 5. That Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain
it not except ye think that there are some parts of your life that should not at all be religious but that you are left in them to live as you list It 's oft-times our fault that we limit Conscience to this and that particular action that is of some considerable concernment and some way shut it out as having no concern in these of lesser moment And many alace shoulder it out from the tract of their life and current of their actions O! let this by any means be amended SERMON II. ROM 9. 1. I say the truth in Christ I lie not my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost CHristians who have such a vigilant and constant attendant as Conscience waiting on them had much need of watchfulness that they may be kept in some suitableness of frame for intertaining that companion Conscience its work is not only to be advising and deliberating what is to be done but also to be waiting on when it comes to the acting and performing of what it hath been advising to and it is indeed no less practique to carry Conscience along in the performing of duty then it is in taking some pains to consult it and advise with it at the undertaking thereof so as we may be answerable to Conscience as to both oft-times some pains will be taken in deliberating and advising with Conscience what and when we should do when we will exceedingly relent in taking it along with us in the performance Whence it frequently comes to pass that we lose the peace we gained in advising with Conscience at our undertaking the action by not carrying it along with us in performing This is the thing which we proposed to be spoken to from this verse viz. The influence that Conscience hath on mens acting and the respect that they ought to have to it not only before they undertake any action but in and along the performing of it The last Doctrine we spoke to from it was that there is not any action of a mans life but Conscience is concerned in it and hath something to say concerning it for or against him If it were but the speaking of a word or the asserting of any truth as we see in this instance of Paul his Conscience beareth him witness it hath some-thing to say to him anent his doing it We cleared this in several yea rather in all sorts of actions that men have to perform There being none of them of so little moment so extrinsick or so indifferent but in the performing of them Conscience ought to be carried along as having some-what to say for or against the performer We shall now add some four or five Observations more from the words And the first which we may either take as an Use of the former or as a distinct Observation by it self is this That men in the time of their going about any thing would advert and take heed to that sense which Conscience hath of their actions And seing it hath some-thing to say they would be lending to their ear all along the time of their performing the action and hear what it saith As before they undertake they would advise with Conscience that they be right so in the time of performance there would be a reflecting on Conscience to know its sense of our doing Paul is now speaking and asserting somewhat and he reflecteth on his Conscience to hear what it will say and that he may get its testimony that he is speaking sincerely he is not now advising with Conscience to know what he should do nor to get its censure of what he hath done but in the very time of his doing he reflecteth and taketh notice what it saith He asserteth that he is speaking truth and taketh a look into his Conscience to see if it be not so that he is indeed speaking the truth and truly Or we may take the Doctrine thus it is a main piece of a tender walk in a Christian not only to deliberate with Conscience before he do any thing and when he hath done it to take its censure if it be rightly done but also to reflect upon his Conscience in the very time of his doing of it and to hear what it will say of that which he is now a-doing and of himself in the doing of it And we conceive that this is one of the main things meant by the testimony of Conscience When Conscience is put to it in the performance of a duty to know what it will say concerning the man and his action for if so be that Conscience hath something to say concerning every duty for or against the man as it is Rom. 2. 15 Their Conscience bearing them witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Then it will clearly follow that it is a main piece of a Christians duty to keep fair with his Conscience here and to take good heed what it saith in the very interim and mean time of his performing every action Yea it is not only a main piece of a Christians walk but a main evidence of a tender walk in a Christian viz. When he doth not only aim to be clear in undertaking a duty but to carry Conscience along with him and to know what it saith in following forth the duty Take these two or three words for clearing it First Consider that the right performance of our actions and duties or the making of them such as they should be dependeth very much on the nick of our discharging them so that though a man should deliberat never so well before if he be in a carnal frame or have a selfie end â—o the time of performance he will be at a loss of his peace and much miss his mark as the Apostle hath the word Philip. 3. 13. I press toward the mark In his aiming at holiness and a good conscience he levelleth all his actions at that mark the prize of the high calling of God I shall make use of this similitude for illustrating it let a man with a Bow or Musquet levell never so well or take never so just a visie if his hand waver in the instant of shooting he cannot readily hit the mark Even so though a man as I said deliberat and advise never so well with his Conscience before he do a thing if in the time of doing he take not heed tenderly and steddily to it but fall carnal and selfie in it he cannot have peace as to the performance of that action 2dly Consider that we are so very tickle in our frame as the duties of holiness are some way in themselves and our hearts so unstable light and frothy that though we should levell them right just now yet they will be ready quickly to start aside as a deceitful how upon out hand It cannot therefore be sufficient ground for the testimony of a good Conscience to deliberat in undertaking except a man observe and reflect on his
Conscience and study to carry it along with him in the very time of his acting Our hearts are like to a distempered Clock or Watch which being just now set never so right ere we are aware it will go wrong it will point the hour aright now and within a little it 's quite out of course because there is some defect or fault within the Wheels not being evenly or the Ballance not justly poised or some other such cause Even so though our heart were in a suitable frame just now presently and ere we turn us about as it were it 's out of frame so that we cannot well take our aim from it It is so very deceitful that it abides not in frame 3dly Consider that unless this reflecting on Conscience in the time of performing the action or duty be a man will be at a loss of one of these two He will either be at a loss as to his â—ober composed and holy frame and turn carnal which is frequently and readily incident even to believers or he will be at a loss as to the confidence boldness and peace that he might otherwise have in the performance of such an action or duty for suppose a person to be in a good frame after he hath resolved on a duty let it be for instance speaking to edification going about Prayer or the making of some lawful Bargain or the like and he hath abundant light and clearness in his call to the thing yet if he look not to and reflect not on Conscience in the discharge of that duty when a challenge cometh on the back of it as if he had been wrong he cannot well answer nor repell it his being right being to him in that case in some respect little or no better then if he had been wrong because he observed not Conscience in the time of the action And this is one great reason no doubt why believers have so little positive peace when they have done a good turn because they do not advert what Conscience sayes to them in their going about it They are hereby also greatly at a lose as to many sweet experiences of Gods kindnesse and condescending in assisting them and of their own singlenesse win at through Grace in the performing of Duties and we think also that Christians living so much by a negative peace to speak so flows much from this ground viz. Their little reflecting in the time of their doing Duty if once they be clear in the thing whither they be suitably serious and sincere in it and so letting the opportunity go by they are not so throughly clear in these things that are evidences of a positive peace in doing of such a duty rightly as they might otherwayes be The First Use Serves to give you an evidence and mark of a tender walk and of a man that is tender in his walk he is such a man that will not only ask his Conscience ere he begin an Action but when he is a doing of it what it thinketh of it There are Three things that a tender Christian will reflect upon in the time of his doing an Action or Duty 1. He will reflect upon his manner of performing it whither it be a natural Action such as Eating and Drinking a civil Action such as Buying and Selling a Religious Action such as Praying or hearing c. He will look that in them all he be single that his Eating and Drinking be to fit him to serve God That in his Buying and Selling he seek not only his own things but the good of his Neighbour as well as his own good That in his Praying or Hearing he be sincere that it be in Faith and according to the will of God c. 2ly He will reflect on himself in the performing of his Actions that he be in a right frame that he be tender and sincere that some awe of God and of a good Conscience be on him that his Spirit be sober and composed that a carnal frame steal not in upon him in the time of his doing a warrantable Action or a commanded Duty because that will marr it 3dly He will reflect upon his Conscience that he may hear what it sayes of the Action He will not as it were take his Testimony from himself but Conscience being as a distinct thing some way from himself he will hear what it sayeth As Paul doth here it is truth which he speaketh and he speaketh it in the right manner and yet he taketh a look of his Conscience if he be doing so in very deed to wit sincerely as in the sight of God yea more he taketh the Testimony of his Conscience if it be not so And thus here he looketh not to nor reflecteth on his Conscience to alter any piece of his way but to have it's sense of that piece of it He gathers that the Action is good from the Word and he inquires if he be and collects that he is right in the performance from his Conscience testifying according to the Word so that he will not trust himself but goeth to Conscience as being more impartial to take it's Testimony The reason then as I said before why few Christians have solid peace is this if the matter of their Actions be good and if they can answer their light therein they reflect but little on their Conscience in the performing thereof and therefore want much of the peace and consolation that might otherwise accompany them in their Actions and when they are done and over and this evidence of tendernesse kythes rather when a man is in the Act then either before or after for fear or awe may make a man seek Light before an Action and a challenge may put him to reflect and examine when he hath done But here mainly lyeth the evidence of sincerity and tendernesse when in every step all along the Action or Duty so far as is requisit and humane infirmity will admit he taketh heed what he is doing and as we said the other day That it was an evidence of a tender Conscience to be alwayes medling in every thing that a man doth So we say now that it is an evidence of a tender man to listen and hear what censure his Conscience passeth on him in performing his Actions The 2d Use is for reproof Ah! may we not find but by overly reflections if we did advise with Conscience at our undertaking of such a work or Duty that yet in the time of doing it there was but little reflecting on our Conscience if it did bear us witnesse of our sincerity in going about it How many times will Men and Women be found Eating Drinking Buying Selling Going or Riding a lawful Journey speaking of a Sermon c. And yet in these Actions but seldom or never looking in if they have the Testimony of their Conscience that they are right in their going about of these things Can this I pray speak a tender frame that is so
neglective of Conscience It is certainly an evidence of ane untender Frame in Believers and where ever it is habitual and regnant it is an evidence of an evil state For if one be a tender Christian when should his Conscience be tender if not in the nick of the performance of an Action For that is the time when he will or should be levelling least he miss the mark and knowing how fickle and unconstant he is and that he hath a heart like an unsteady hand how should he guard against it's levity and unstablenesse The 3d. Use Is of Exhortation to advert more to this Testimony of Conscience in performing Duties O! Learn to reflect on your selves in every thing and to ask your selves what ye are doing that ye may know if ye be right or wrong if wrong that ye may take with it and be humbled for it if right that ye may be comforted in it We conceive this would be a notable guard to tendernesse and keeping communion with God and a soveraign help to prevent many sins and much hipocrisie in our way of doing things even to be taking exact notice if we be indeed doing that which we professe to be doing if we be speaking to Edification if we be praying in earnest when we pretend to be praying c. 2ly Observe That when Conscience is well satisfied in a particular Action or Duty it can signifie it's sense thereof to the man that performeth it and speaketh a good word for him This is the thing that Pauls Con science doth here he is sincere in the thing that he asserts and it beareth him witnes of his sincerity when he adverteth to it First I say Conscience can signify it's mind and sense of a particular Action or Duty if it be well pleased and can speak a good word for the man it can signify it's mind at any time but when it is well pleaâ—ed it signifies it by testifying for the man And 2ly I say That not only does it testifie it's satisfaction with the Action but with every thing in it when there is a right end a right motive and a right manner of performance when Christ is duely respected in it and made use of for strength and acceptance And 3ly I add this If men advert to it and if it be asked because it hath something to say alwayes yet men will not hear nor know what it sayeth except they advert well and reflect and take good heed to it 3ly Observe That it is very strengthning confirming comforting refreshing and satisfying to a man in a particular Action to have the Testimony of his Conscience for him This beareth Paul through here amidst all challenges that might have been raised from seeking of himself or from following revenge in what he asserts There is no such thing saith he my Conscience beareth me witnes of the contrary It 's not a mans Action simply that will give him boldnesse confidence and comfort for several persons may concur in one and the self same good Action on the matter and yet some may have a good 〈◊〉 others an evil Conscience in it were it but as to a mans thought and opinion of himself For it 's not he that commends himself but he whom God commends that is approven When Conscience I say beareth witnes for a man It is a very strengthning confirming and satisfying thing The Reasons are 1. Because Conscience is the more single and impartial Judge and witnes and therefore a man may lay the more weight on it 2ly Because Conscience speaketh and beareth witnes with respect to God and when it testifieth on solid grounds it is Gods Testimony Now when a Debate ariseth in a man about any of his Actions the man himself is the partie arraigned the Challenge or Tentation is the party accusing and Conscience is as the Witnes or Judge that decideth and being un-byassed it beareth Witnes and passeth the Sentence truly and impartially It as it were sayeth it 's true he said such and such a thing and that sincerely and I know that his thoughts and intentions were honest and thus Conscience decides the Debate in his favours if so be he hath it on his side and so confirms and comforts him The Use is To exhort you to lay more weight on Conscience and on it's Testimony and less weight on any other thing for it will not be your good meaning nor good hopes as ye use to speak but a sanctified Conscience in a sanctified Frame that will be found fittest to decide in any Action 4ly Observe That the Testimony of Conscience speak ing for a man and his performing of a good Action on the matter are separable That is a man may do that which is good in it self and yet not have a positive and approbative Testimony from his Conscience concerning it otherwayes Paul needed not to have attested his Conscience if he had not known that Conscience it's Testimony might have been separat from what he speaks It 's well enough known that he was saying his heart was grieved for the rejection of the Iews but the question was if he had said it honestly and sincerely and he asserts that he hath Conscience it's Testimony for that as a distinct thing There are but too many proofs of the truth of this Doctrine are there not many who speak good words and do good deeds on the matter who yet have not a good Conscience in the speaking and doing of them As it 's said of Amaziah 2 Chroâ— 25. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart So it may be said of many others that they do that which is good for the matter but they want the Testimony of a good Conscience in the performance of it This will be further clear if we consider these two things 1. That there are many things that concur to make an Action Truly and Christianly good such as we spoke of the other day many care for no more but that the Action be good for the Matter but it 's moreover requisit that it be good as to the manner of performance that it be from a right motive to a right end done in Faith by strength drawn from Christ and with an eye to acceptance on his account a corrupt end in Prayer in coming to the Church to hear in reading the Word or in any other Duty will spoil the Action 2ly That there are different Rules to try these by there is one Rule to regulat us in the matter of our Actions and another to regulat our manner of going about them and a good Conscience looketh to both these Rules And if anyof the requisit qualifications to the suitable and acceptable performance of them be absent and wanting in so far Conscience will withhold it's positive approving Testimony a good Conscience it's Testimony is like the harmony of a well tuned Instrument It 's one thing to have all the strings on
now is and of that which is to come That the greatest difficulties should not fright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor faint us in the vigorous constant and closse pursuit of it We shall not deny but that this piece of godlinesse in particular that lyes in the conscientiously tender ordering and disposal of all our actions in order to wining at the joyful Testimony of our Conscience concerning them hath much difficulty in it as being contrary to the natural levity wavering and instability of our hearts and mightily opposed by Satan as gready prejudicial to his interest in the Soul yet it is so very excellent and so exceeding useful and profitable to the Christian as we made appear from our last discourse on these words that all the difficulty of it may be the more easily digested It hath as the other duties of Religion have when rightly gone about its reward in the bosome thereof O! what sweet peace what strong consolation and what unspeakable joy hath the Apostle here from the Testimony of his Conscience after discovering his actions to be so ordered by this serious Self-reflection and examination whereof special notice would be taken We shall therefore now proceed to Observe some things more particularly from the Text to this purpose First then Observe That when Conscience is well pleased with a mans way it will give a Testimony for him or when Conscience hath put a mans way to proof it will not only in the general speak its sense but when his way is well ordered and squared according to the Rule and he in his design is found straight and to have taken his aim right Conscience will after Examination excuse and bear him witnes to his joy Thus is Paul dealt with here by his Conscience This is our rejoycing saith he the testimony of our conscience Which is not simply Conscience speaking but Conscience speaking for vindicating him from these aspersions that were cast upon him or excusing him as the word is Rom. 2. 15. And testifying that he was not the man that some men counted him to be He had this Testimony That in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God he had his conversation in the world and more abundantly toward them in Corinth Which after search he found to be so That which we spoke of the nature of Conscience makes this out for Conscience when right speaks of things as they indeed are and holds forth the mind of God and gives sentence according to it when he is well pleased to declare and pronounce pardon and peace and when he is displeased to declare anger and as it were to denunce War Whereof we would make this Use Even to learn not only to study to know take up and discern the work 〈◊〉 Conscience in challenging and accusing which for â—ost part it doth having so much ground to do so but â—so its work in absolving excusing and giving a good Testimony 2ly Observe That the Testimony of Conscience or its bearing witnes for a man after reflecting upon and searching of his way is exceeding refreshful comfortable and joyous This is our rejoycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our conscience There is nothing more heartsome refreshing and cheering to a tender walker neither can there readily be any thing on this side heaven more solacious and joyous to him then when he hath examined his Conscience to find it testify for him This is the great ground of Pauls joy and rejoycing though he lived in the midst of manifold temptations and tribulations and was accounted to be the most contemptible of men Even as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things Yet he had solid peace and joy on this ground that when he looked back on his way in the discharge of his Ministry his Conscience bare him witnes that he had been single and faithful therein And as it was thus with Paul so it hath been with many of the Lords people who have humbly boasted and rejoyced in this Testimony of their Conscience within when men have spoken evil of them reproached and reviled them without For further clearing of this point we would consider a little 1. Some particular Cases wherein this Testimony of Conscience proves in a special manner refreshing and rejoycing 2ly We would consider the particular grounds and attendants of this refreshing and joy whereby we will easily see that this Testimony of Conscience for a man upon the search of his way is a singularly good thing for before a man search his way he cannot solidly acquiesce in the Testimony that Conscience gives of it nor can look on it as well grounded because he is not nor can be sure whether there be any ground and warrand for it or not whereas when he hath suitably searched for the ground and warrand where they are they will readily discover themselves to him As to the particular Cases wherein this Testimony proves singularly refreshing and joyous they are these and the like 1. In a Case of external crosses and troubles in the World none of these much move a man that hath this Testimony of his Conscience it gives him sweet peace amidst them all We see what mighty troubles Paul was under Chap. 11. v. 25 26 27. Yet he can and doth rejoyce in the midst of them 2. When external crosses and losses have sad aggravations attending them such as the contempt and reproach of the men of the World when he is calumniously represented as one that turns the world up side down and who is deservedly so dealt with Conscience its Testimony in that case gives him peace quietness and joy which is the very case wherein the Apostle here rejoyceth on this account A 3d. Case is When inward challenges and temptations accompany outward afflictions when these are mustered up before and make an assault on the poor afflicted man and when there are some fearful apprehensions of Gods displeasure born in upon him Then O! then Consciences Testimony gives wonderful quietnesse as we may see it doth to holy Iob who sayeth in this case Chap. 27. v. 6. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live So Chap. 31. throughout and sure it must be solid and well-grounded quietnesse rest and repose of Soul that calms a man in this case 4ly When the person draws near unto death and when this King of Terrours formidably musters all his Forces and when there is no escaping out of his hand and when all comforts fail and stand by as so many muts not having one word to say for the dying mans relief or ease this Testimony doth then readily come forth in its strength toward the quieting refreshing and rejoycing of his heart and makes him boldly and withou◠〈◊〉 fear encounter death as the experience of Hezekiah and many others of the Saints recorded in the Scriptures maketh clear 2ly Consider whence this joy comes or the grounds and attendants of the joy which this
wherewith he is surprised against which he fights and wrestles seeking after and longing for Victory over them and with which he admits of no truce even when they prevail as for other â—ins they will very readily mar the Believers Peace and Tranquillity The Doctrine being thus qualified and guarded on all hands we shall now at length proceed to the Confirmation of it which is that wherever there is a sincere willingness to be universally honest in our Life and Conversation there is good ground for peace and calmness of Conscience or it is an evidence of a good Conscience and a companion of it It may be confirmed from these grounds 1. Either we must say that no Believer has ever had Tranquillity and calmness of Conscience which were absurd or we must say that these who had it did attain to perfect holiness and needed no Repentance which the forenamed Instances of most eminent Saints as of David and Peter will confute or if we can say none of these two we must needs assert the third viz. That a Believer on his sincere design to live honestly in all things though he come not up the full length he should be at may have Peace 2. That which hath quieted many Believers before us may be a ground of calmness and quietness to us for as the ground and cause is common the effect must also be common But on this ground many Believers have been quieted before us Therefore we may likewise on it quiet our selves If we look thorow the Scriptures we will find the Saints thus quieting and comforting themselves What is the ground that David comforts himself on Psal. 18. 21 22 23. Is it not on this I have keeped the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God This sure is not absolute perfection that he means of for we know he had many defects and failings but sincerity for says he All his Iudgements were before me he had honestly designed the keeping of them all I did not put away his Statutes from me he balked none of Gods Statutes I was also upright before him and I keeped my self from mine iniquity The strain of his way was honest and his slips and failings were hitherto its like of infirmity and therefore he has Peace We may see that it was thus also with Hezekiah Isa. 38. with Iob chap. 31. and with Paul Phil. 3. Who was not perfect already but pressing hard towards it A 3. ground of Confirmation is drawn from the Scriptures giving such Characters and Descriptions of Believers and affirming such qualifications of them on account of which they have a testimony from God and ground of holy boldness in their pleadings with him all which look to their honest willingness and sincere endeavour after perfection and not to their attainment of it as we see in Nehemiah who thus speaks to God chap. 1. Let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy Servant and of thy Servants who desire to fear thy Name Where we have the asserting of an interest in God and of a kindly relation to him with holy boldness And yet they plead not a perfection in the fear of God but a desire to fear him Their desire design resolution and endeavour was to fear him So Matth 5. vers 6. They are pronounced by the Lord to be blessed who hunger and thirst after righteousness Which speaks plainly no absolute perfection And say they Psal. 44. All this is come upon us yet have we not forsaken thee nor dealt falsly in thy Covenant Though they had many infirmities and failings which they did not deny but take with yet they humbly avouch adherence to God and to his Covenant so as they did not forsake him nor deal treacherously in it they assert their sincerity in cleaving to him notwithstanding of all that came upon them This ground is frequently made use of Psal. 119. and particularly vers 6. Where the Psalmist sayes Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments as if he had said my Conscience shall not blush nor be confounded but have confidence and quietness though there be not a perfect up coming in obedience to all things commanded if I have a respect to all and an honest design and purpose to be at all 4. it cannot be otherwise if we consider that Conscience will and must be calm and quiet when God accepts of a mans way Now though there be not absolute perfection yet if there be reality and sincerity and no short-coming allowe approven nor consented to but wrestled against and opposed God will accept of our way It s said 2 Cor. 8. vers 9 10. That God accepts of a willing mind according to that which a man hath and not according to that which he hath not If a man improve well seriously and sincerely the outward things given him though there be some providential obstruction to the performance yet on account of his honestly willing mind he is graciously accepted Which holds proportionably in other points and parts of obedience Thus the Lord says Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them as a man spares his Son that serveth him and Psal. 103. 13. Like as a Father pitieth his Children so doth the Lord these that fear him The force of the comparison shews that things are not at perfection in them for then there were no need of sparing or pity but as there is such compassion in a Father that though his Son cannot perform things commanded him exactly and perfectly yet if he be readily and honestly doing what he dow he will spare and pity him and he would be an unnatural Father that should do otherwise So will I do says the Lord with my Sons that serve me and in this respect the ground of a mans peace and calmness is not any absolute perfection in himself but Gods Covenant and free grace and his way of dealing with his own Children who will in some cases say nothing against them and Conscience is not allowed to say any thing where he says nothing Now if it be Asked how this comes to pass We Answer that there are three things that accompany real willingness that contribute to and give ground of peace even though there be failings 1. A real hatred and abhorrence of the sin Psal. 119. 128. I hate every false way There is a keeping at a distance with Conscience wasting sins so that the man not only abstains from acting them but out of Conscience towards God from Filial aw and reverence from love and respect to him hates that which he hates Do not not I says Davia Psal. 139. hate them that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred 2ly Real willingness keeps off Conscience wasting-aggravations so that Believers fall not in sins of infirmity with full deliberation Neither do they allow or suffer themselves to ly still in them Now it s such as these that especially wound the Conscience and
the Instrument and another thing to have them all in tune when it is not rightly tuned though it have on all the strings it cannot give a sweet nor harmonious sound so is it with the Conscience The Use is For exhortation to watchful advertance in every thing to Conscience it 's Testimony Seing there are many that do good on the matter who yet want it's Testimony it becomes us to be the more watchful to keep a good Conscience and seing that Conscience it's speaking for a man and giving him it's approbative Testimony and his doing that which is good on the matter are not only separable but are often actually separated the one from the other not only in natural but even in regenerat men as frâ—quent experience puts beyond debate We had need I say to be the more watchful both as to the matter and manner of our doing least we be at a lose of the Testimony of Conscience for us And none would think it to be as easie a bussinesse to keep a good Conscience as to the manner of performing of Duty as it is to do so â—s to the matter of it How many come to the Church but without due preparation and without having a heart ready to hear what God will say to them and meddle with with other Duties without regarding the due manner of performing them We â—ight instance it in all these Six Sorts of Actions we spoke of the other day in all which there is a propensnes iâ— us naturally to degenerat and go beside the Rule As namely 1. In natural Actions of Eating and Drinking or of loving Husband or Wife or Children men may be very carnal degenerat and become like very Beasts 2. In civil Actions as Buying and Barganing wherein men maâ— turn basely covetous selfie and seeking their own things and not the honour of God noâ— the good and advantage of others 3ly In Moral Actions as speaking truth dealing fairly and honestly wherein men may turn legal proud and vain and seek to establish a self-righteousnesse thereby to themselves 4. In external Religious Actions as hearing the Word Praying c. Wherein men may turn hypocritical and formal having a shew without substance and a form of godliness without the power of it 5. In inward Duties as repentance contentment c. Wherein men may turn worldly and carnal therefore a worldly repentance from fear of punishment or of shame in the World or worldly sorrow that causeth death is spoken of 2 Cor. 7. v. 10. So theâ—e is a worldly contentment 6. In passive actions or sufferings some may suffer from inevitable necessity and have no thanks for it as it is 1 Pet. 2. 20. We may from the unstraightnesse of the end to which from the unsoundnesse of the principle from which from the unsuitablenesse of the motive by which duties are done and several otherwayes prejudge our selves of the approving Testimony of our Conscience which we would carefully advert to that we divide not betwixt a good Conscience and a good Turn Action or Duty But it may be Asked here What is the reason that it is so difficult to keep a good Conscience and to carry it along with us in the very interim mean time and nick of performing the Action above and beyond what it is either to deliberat and advise with it before we do or to reflect after we have done I Answer And give these Two or Three Reasons of it The First whereof is drawn from the necessary concurrence of so many things that must go together in the performance of an Action Which makes it easier to resolve before doing or to reflect after doing then to perform The 2d is Because there is such a ticklenesse in the frame ol our hearts that they are unstable as water stable in nothing There are Three distempers of heart that we are subject to which all hold forth this difficulty 1. A declining humour to say so or distemper whereby we are given to backslide or turn aside like a deceitful bow that keeps bensel while the arrow is a drawing and when it is at or in the very letting off starteth aside 2ly A levity and unsetlednesse even such that the weather cock is not sooner and more easily whirled about by the least wind then we are by the least breathing of the air of Tentation So that were we just now in a good and suitable frame for Duty ere we be aware we fall off and a good Conscience requireth a composednesse and stayednesse of Frame 3ly A rashnesse and hastinesse or precipitance which makes us that so soon as we are clear in the thing to rush forward and to think all is done that is requisit so that we wait not to carry Conscience along with us in our performances which rash precipitant and hasty humour or distemper maketh us often miscarry As David sayes of himself Psal. 116 I said in my haste that all men are liars and I said in my haste that I am cut off from thy presence Psal. 31. So Believers often marr the composednesse of their own frame by their hâ—steing and not taking heed to what Conscience sayeth while they are in performing Duty Thus many post as it were through their Prayers speaking of many good things in them from light but not endeavouring to carry Conscience its testimony along with them of their sincerity they spoil and marr that which was well intended and begun by them A 4th ground reason or cause of this is the great difficulty that there is to maintain and keep up a right frame of heart for any considerable time and a man will never keep a good Conscience along particular duties if he maintain not a right frame of heart though a thing good in it self were never so fairly floored to speak so and its ground never so well taken up yet the least byass or rub easily puts it by and makes it go out All which should in reason make us study the more watchfulness 5thly Observe which will help to the Use of the former and is of some affinity with the first particular Observation That persons would endeavour to walk in every particular duty or action so as they may not only advert to what Conscience sayes of it but may also carry it along with them in it and have the positive approving testimony thereof all alongst the doing of it which may be though there be not reflecting on it every moment That is not only would they before they undertake any thing be clear that it is a warrantable duty as was marked before but further when they have done this they would so carry Conscience along with them in it as they may have its testimony that they go about it conscienciously Therefore Paul asketh not only what Conscience sayes of the action as to its matter and as to his sincerity in undertaking it but he bringeth it out speaking for him while he is doing it My conscience saith he
beareth me witness The reason of the Doctrine is because it is not enough to hear what Conscience saith for it may accuse as well as excuse but we would endeavour to carry so as we may have a good testimony from it Which it will not give nor speak peace to us if we study not to take it with us all along the action This is a notable way to curb sin to mortify lusts to make us accurate in duties to keep us from posting to speak so through our prayers from scuâ—ching through a Chapter of the Bible and from trifling in other duties Why because we have our Conscience to answer to and its good testimony to wait for This is that which giveth holy boldness to a Christian when 1. He knoweth that what he doth is right for the matter 2. When he taketh good heed to what Conscience faith And 3. When he hath its good and approbative testimony And we think that this is much of what that Text Act 24. v. 16. aims at and is the main thing a Christian should exercise himself in even to have the testimony of his Conscience for him in this and that and the other duty nay in every duty to have its good testimony when he beginneth when he goeth on in it or in the time of it and when he hath closed it This is it as I have often said which furnisheth him with holy boldness and confidence and giveth him much sweet peace and serenity in his mind that who ever and what ever speak against him he is at a point that he is right having the well grounded testimony of his Conscience for it But it may be questioned here How is it possible for a man to carry a testimony of his Conscience along with him in every action Can he alwayes be reflecting on every word he speaketh and on every action he putteth his hand unto For Answer we would first distinguish betwixt an explicite and actual inquiring at and reflecting on Conscience and an implicite and habitual inquiring at and reflecting on it and betwixt an explicite and actual and an implicite and habitual testimony of the Conscience And then apply it to the particular answer that then is an explicite testimony of Conscience when it doth actually expressly and down-right speak its mind and that is an actual and explicite reflecting on Conscience when a man doth indeed expresly and down-right put himself to it to inquire Consciences sense of his action An implicite and habitual testimony of Conscience is when Conscience is not alwayes actually observably and expressly speaking by a positive approbation Yet it is so indirectly virtually and on the matter and is ready actually to do so when put to it And an implicite and habitual reflecting on Conscience is when men are not alwayes actually and expresly asking their Conscience what it saith When yet they do it implicitely virtually and on the matter and are in a readiness to do it actually when put to it Which may be illustrated by the similitude made use of before The habitual and explicite testimony of Conscience and reflecting on it is like the putting of an Instrument of Musick in a right Tune and then we say it 's in Tune though none be playing on it because it is ready to give a distinct and harmonious sound having all the Strings right in tune an explicite and actual testimony and reflecting is like a mans striking or playing on the well tuned Instrument and bringing out actually the just Musical sound that was habitually in the tuned Instrument before Now to apply this particularly in answer to the question We say 1. That in three cases an actual and explicite testimony of Conscience and reflecting on it is necessary 1. As to a mans undertaking of any action or duty that he be clear in it that it is a duty 2 In reference to the thing when done because it is that which giveth him peace for a mans reflecting on Conscience and its testimony here is like playing on the Instrument 3. It 's necessary as to a mans stare But 2. We say an explicite testimony and actual inquiring at Conscience is not simply necessary alwayes along the action or duty or it is not simply necessary that a man actually reflect and have a testimony from his Conscience alwayes or in all difference of time along the action though habitually and implicitely he ought for the keeping of a good Conscience is like to that general Precept spoken of before anent doing what ever we do to the glory of God at the principal end of all our actions and that is founded on this Where it is not necessary that all along the action or duty in all difference of time or in every moment as I just now said we should have actual and explicite thoughts of this end viz. Gods glory but if this end be intended in the whole current of our life habitually and actually in the entry of every particular action or duty though there be not actual and explicite thoughts of it alwayes along the action we may warrantably expect on Christs account Gods approbation as doing to his glory So is it here As when a man undertakes a journey to such a place It 's sufficient before he set out he actually and explicitely mind that place and that he do so now and then by the way and especially if he observe any turning off or hazard of going out of the way or if he hath not often gone that way before though he have not actual thoughts of it all along everystep of the way But to clear this in a word or two further we conceive that these three particularly are necessary for keeping a good Conscience 1. The habitual Testimony of Conscience that is that a mans Conicience be alwayes in a readiness to give him a good testimony Which imports three things 1. That he be right in the matter of his practice that it be nothing sinful that he is about 2. That he be right in the frame of his spirit spiritual stayed and composed 3. That he be carefully watchful to prevent what ever may maâ— his peace and to guard against what may distemper and discompose his spirit and that withal he be studious to keep his Conscience in a good temper or tune to speak so that it may be in readiness to give him a testimony when he calls for it These three are necessary I say in every particular action for keeping of a good Conscience that a man be in a thing that for the matter is right that he be in a composed and suitable frame and that he be watchful against any thing that may hinder or distemper him in prosecuting that action 2. Though an explicite and actual testimony and reflecting be not alwayes or in all difference of time necessary yet it would be frequent and the more frequent readily the better Though for instance in every word of Prayer one cannot actually