fellowship with him that we endeavour to do that which is good in his sight And as we would escape his anger and his smoaking jealousie which will utterly consume us that we beware of that which is worst of evils sinning against him 2. Consider the Power of Conscience if we take Power for Authority God has given great Authority unto the Conscience And a Man must rather disobey Kings and Emperours then disobey Conscience Nebuchadnezzar commanded the three Children to Worship the Golden Image that he had set up Conscience commanded them to refuse to Worship it They obey Conscience and rather than Conscience should fly in their faces for idolatry they venture to be cast into a fiery furnace Dan. 3. If we take Power for Ability Conscience is a thing of greater force and strength If it be good how can it sweeten any condition though in it self never so calamitous but if Conscience be bad 't is sufficient to put gall and bitternesse into all your Comforts 3. If you heed Conscience 't is the way to have you and your Consciences agree together Conscience will dwell with you and you cannot help it Oh therefore hearken to it and satisfie it for this will be much for your own peace and satisfaction There is a twofold Peace which it highly concerns us to look after Peace above and Peace within Peace above with God we should be sollicitous about there is no contending with Him that is Almighty Let the Potsherds strive with the Potsherds of the Earth but wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Esa 45. 9. How earnest then should we be that being justified by Faith we may have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ And next unto peace with God we should endeavour after peace within even peace of Conscience and if we hearken and do what an enlightned Conscience commands and walk before God in Truth Conscience will speak Peace and that peace it will be true 4. Consider That in the hour of distresse and especially at the time of your dissolution the good Word of Conscience will do more good to you than all the World A cleer Conscience makes a triumphant Saint before he does expire Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is Peace Psal 37. 37. How many have lookt death in the face undaunted because Conscience has born witnesse to their sincerity * Melch. Adamus in vitâ Lutheri pag. 154 155. When Luther was sick of his last distemper and grew towards his end he waked at midnight and perceiving his Earthly Tabernacle was falling to the ground he brake forth into Thanksgiving to God for revealing Christ to him whom he believed whom he professed whom he loved whom he celebrated and whom the Pope with the Company of the wicked did persecute Then he prayed to his Heavenly Father to receive his spirit and added though I must now lay down this Body yet I know most certainly that I shall ever be with the Lord and none shall pluck me out of his hand Here was a Conscience cleer a Death without Fear and an abundant entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom 5. Heed Conscience for 't will go with you to the bar of God (t) Quando Deus judex erit alius testis quà m Conscientia tua non erit Inter Judicem justum Conscientiam tuam noli timere nisi causam tuam Augustin Enarrat in Psal 37. pag. mihi 323. and certainly 't will be sad to be followed to that Tribunal by a guilty Conscience crying out against you If Conscience excuse you and plead for you before your Judge how sweet and comfortable will that be if it produce sincere obedience and the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith to cover all your guilt and make up all your imperfections this will make you lift up your heads with joy and confidence But if Conscience does accuse you of impenitency in sin all your days though it often warned you to mourn and turn these accusations as they cannot be evaded so they will be unconceivably terrifying and confounding to you 6. Heed Conscience for 't will remain in you forever 't will be Eternally with the Saints in Glory After a Believer has fought the good fight has finished his course has kept the Faith has been acquitted at the judgement seat and has received the Crown of Righteousness then Conscience will be fully at rest Work is now done danger is now past and the possession of the inheritance is secured Rev. 3. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out Conscience also will be eternally with the reprobates in misery And as Job's Messengers did tell him that his Cattel were destroyed and his Substance taken away and they only were left alone to tell him So Conscience will speak after the same manner unto the damned O you self-destroying Sinners your consolation is all received your good things are come to an end your profits and Pleasures are quite fled away and gone And I only am left alone to tell you To tell you of your madness in loving sin in idolizing a vain World in slighting Salvation and bringing your selves notwithstanding all warnings into Eternal misery I have done with the first Doctrine That God has placed a Conscience in Man Doct. 2. The second Doctrine is this To have a good Conscience should be every one 's greatest care This is one end of the Commandement not onely that there may be Love a pure Heart and Faith unfeigned but also a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. so 1 Pet. 3. 16. Sanctifie the Lord God in your Hearts having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of Evil doers they may be ashamed who falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ 'T is the observation of Augustine (u) Ecce quid prodest plena bonis arca inanis Conscientia Bona vis habere bonus non vis esse Non vides te erubescere debere de bonis tuis si domus tua plena est bonis te habet malum Quid enim est quod velis habere malum Nihil omnino non uxorem non filium non filiam non servum non ancillam non villam non tunicam postremò non caligam tamen vis habere malam vitam August De verbis Domini Serm. 12. pagin mihi 57. Tom. 10. that Men are willing to have all things else good but their Consciences are bad and they themselves are Evil. There is no man but desires his Wife should be good his Children good his Servants good the House that he dwells in good the An he lives in good the Food he eats good the Clothes he wares good he does not care to have any thing bad about him How comes it to passe that he is too well content to have a bad Conscience within him This is our natural
a tendency either to stupifie the Conscience cast it into a deep sleep or to terrifie the Conscience and to make it even distracted with the sense of the Lords Anger There is a strong inclination to a Lethargy in every Natural Mans Conscience and this Disease does grow more and more upon him But in a good Conscience this Disease is in a good measure healed and great care is taken lest there be a relapse into this sleepy sickness How often are we called upon in Scripture to Watch Mark 13. ult What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Christ had before urged this Duty of Watching upon his Disciples Here he repeats it and extends it unto all But watch we cannot unless our Eyes are open unless our Consciences are awake Now this wakefulness and attentiveness of Conscience discovers it self in these particulars 1. The attentive Conscience eyes the Rule (b) In Sacris Scripturis inveniuntur illa omnià quae continent fidem moresque vivendi Aug. de doc Christ l. 2. c. 9. What was said of Apollos may be affirmed of a good Conscience that 't is mighty in the Scriptures What is the meaning of that injunction laid upon the Children of Israel That they should bind the words and Commands of God for a sign upon their hands and that they should be as frontlets between their eyes and that they should write them upon the Posts of their Houses and upon their Gates Deut. 6. 8. 9. The meaning is this that their Consciences should always remember and have a regard unto the Word of God when they sat in their Houses when they walked by the way when they did lye down and when they rose up Be ye not unwise says the Apostle but understanding what the Will of the Lord is Eph. 5. 17. Conscience regards not what is for our Carnal Interest what is for our Credit and Reputation among the generality of Men what is for our ease and the way to sleep in a whole skin but it 's inquisitive what it is that is pleasing to God and agreeing to his Will and nothing that is so can really be to our prejudice 2. The attentive Conscience Observes the Person in whom it is that he may not swerve from but square both Heart and Life according to that Rule which is given to him A good Conscience has a very good Eye and a very quick sight it has an inspection upon the whole Man It Observes what comes in at the Doors of the External Senses and whether there be a Covenant made with the Eye and the Ear be deaf to Vanity and especially to all manner of sollicitations to evil It observes how the Members are Employed that Sin and Satan may not abuse them and turn them into Weapons of unrighteousness for then our own Members will be Weapons to destroy us Nay it Observes our very Hearts Those motus primò primi those very first stirrings of Corruption in the Heart will not be long unespied by a watchful Conscience It looks with a very jealous eye upon our hearts because they are so treacherous and their Natural deceitfulness is but in part Cured And its care is that nothing may steal away our Affections from that God who does infinitely best deserve them and that we may not be biassed by any base carnal low ends in any of our Actions but that God may be Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end Rev. 1. 8. 3. The attentive Conscience takes notice of the wiles and devices of the evil One. It very well remembers how the Serpent beguiled our first Parents through its subtilty and therefore keeps a strict Guard against that Adversary It furnishes us with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God whereby we may repell Satan in his Assaults Does he tempt to Pride Conscience says It 's Written God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace to the Humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. Does he tempt to Covetousness Conscience says 't is written Covetousness is Idolatry and for this things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the Children of Disobedience Col. 3. 5 6. Does he tempt to injustice Conscience says 't is written Let no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such 1 Thes 4. 6. Does he tempt to Uncleanness Conscience says 't is written Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge and no Whoremonger nor unclean Person hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Eph. 5. 5. An attentive Conscience meets Satan at every turn and is a very great Defence against him for it directs us to God in whom our strength lies and to the Armour of God which being put on we shall stand against the wiles of the Devil Eph. 6. 11. 4. The attentive Conscience heeds the Spirit of the Lord in his Holy Motions and Suggestions There are two ways whereby the Spirit of God may be known He glorifies Christ and he leads to Holiness He glorifies Christ John 16. 14. He that is the Spirit of Truth shall glorifie me says Christ for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Those that talk of the Spirit and trample Christ under foot and count his Blood a common thing certainly are guided by a false Spirit the Holy Ghost always glorifies Christ Teaches that he is the onely Redeemer and Mediator by whom we have access to God and that we could never have had admission into the Holiest of all but by his Blood and whatever Benefits we receive they are the Fruit of his purchase And as the Spirit Glorifies Christ so he leads to Holiness therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 4. When the Spirit accompanies Ordinances or Providences and we find in our selves more than Ordinary strivings to purge us from what does pollute us and strong endeavours used to perswade us unto a thorow-Sanctification Conscience takes Notice of the Spirits Operation and bids us to yield to him and by no means to thwart and grieve him If now you demand how Conscience may be made thus attentive I Answer 1. Deafen your Ears against perswasions to evil Adam hearkned to Satan we have been the more apt to hearken to him ere since and not to regard our own Consciences If you heed not Conscience Conscience may at length not heed you if your Ears are open to the Tempter and deaf to Conscience Conscience may at length be dumb to you and suffer you to go your own way 2. Cumber not your selves about many things (c) Foelix qui potuit boni Fontem visere lucidum Foelix qui potuit gravis Terrae solvere vincula Boetius de Consolat Philos met 12. pag. 1. 6. While Marth was cumbred about much Serving Conscience was not so attentive as it should have been to the Word of Christ therefore Christ prefers Mary before Martha for she sat at his Feet and
enim inde cùm inde pellitur à seipso pellitur ecce hostem suum invenit quo confugeret Seipsum quo fugiturus est Quocunque suger it se talem trahit post se quocunque talem traxerit se cruciat se A seipso sunt tribulationes quae inveniunt hominem nimis acerbiores enim non sunt at tanto sunt acerbiores quanto sunt interiores Augustin Enarrat in Psal 45. Tom. 8. pag. mihi 419. Observes and more inward they are they are the more bitter But now he whose Conscience is good as Solomon speaks is satisfied from himself (*) Fragilibus innititur qui adventio laesus est exibit gaudium quod intravit at illud ex se ortum fidele firmumque est cascit ad extremum â—sque prosequitur Seneca Epist 98. He has Meat to eat which the World knows not of his sincere endeavour to do the will of God satisfies him better than the choicest Fare and Delicates Luther whose Conscience was clear who Preached Christ purely and Loved Christ sincerely has one strange Expression Miser sit qui possit ego nonpossum Let him be miserable that can be miserable I for my part cannot be miserable His God and his Conscience were such a Feast and Joy and Satisfaction to him that he knew 't was not in the Power of Earth or Hell to daunt or hurt him Oh what unutterable contentation is there in the Heart that upon reflection and search finds it self the Temple of the Spirit the Habitation where the Father and the Son do make their abode That finds it self Clothed with white Rayment Christ's Righteousness Enriched with that Gold tried in the Fire Rev. 3. 18. made partaker of the Divine Nature Adorned with the Image of God filled with the Graces of the Spirit and thereby sees it fitting for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light 3. He that has a good Conscience can look downward and see himself secured Never any one with a good Conscience went to the place of Torment but onely those who refused to have a good Conscience or made ship-wrack of it Though Hell be prepared for the Devil yet he has not the Keys of that place but they hang at Christ's Girdle Rev. 1 18. I am he that Liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of Hell and of Death And certainly since Christ has the Keys of Hell no Believers whose Consciences are truly good shall be flung in thither for these are the Members of his Body and the Head loves his Members too well to suffer them to be thrown into Everlasting fire A good Conscience by the eye of Faith looks down and takes Notice of the Damned in their Misery sees them groaning under the fierceness of the Almighty's wrath sees them fed upon by the VVorm that dies not and tormented in that flame which shall never be extinguished and bound fast in those Chains of Darkness which shall never be unloosed and then rejoyces to see it self safe under the wing of the Lord Jesus rejoyces in that Deliverance and Salvation from future wrath whereof Christ is the Author 4. He that has a good Conscience can look upon his outward comforts and take comfort in them What he has is not a Snare to him but attended with a blessing upon this score the Psalmist sayes a little that a Righteous man has is better than the Riches of many wicked Psal 37. 16. A good Conscience does in a great measure cure that vanity and vexation of Spirit that is in the Creature for when these outward enjoyments are given with the Divine Blessing then as Solomon speaks no sorrow is added with them The upright man does taste the love of God in the Food he eats and though it be but a dinner of Herbs yet this love makes it better than a stalled Ox with the Lords Curse and Hatred He feels the love of God in the Clothes he wears and though of coarser cloth yet they are better than the Purple and fine Linnen and costly array of that rich man that received all his good things in this present world and after was turned into Hell poor and naked All the gifts he receive are indeed blessings to one that 's Righteous for he has the Giver with them and is brought still nearer unto the Giver by them 5. He that has a good Conscience can look upon adversity without dread When the Apostle was pressed out of measure even above strength yet a good Conscience was his rejoycing Bias the Philosopher being asked what was difficult answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (y) Diogen Laert. in vitâ Biantis p. mihi 60. To bear with fortitude a change in our condition for the worse Now a clear Conscience will be very helpful unto such Fortitude and Patience Job is of a sudden stript of his glory rob'd of his vast estate and though a Prince before made poor to a Proverb and yet Conscience bears him up and makes him able to say The Lord has given and the Lord has taken blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1. 21. Sir Henry Wotton has a very good description of an happy life wherein he shews that a good Conscience is the best armour and the safest retreat whatever happens How happy is he born and Taught That serveth not anothers will Whose armour is his honest Thought And simple Truth his utmost skill Whose passions not his masters are Whose Soul is still prepar'd for death Untied unto the World by care Of publick fame or private breath Who envies none that chance does raise Nor Vice hath ever understood How deepest wounds are given by praise Nor rules of State but rules of Good Who hath his Life from rumors freed Whose Conscience is his strong retreat Whose state can neither flatt'rers feed Nor ruine make oppressors great Who God doth late and early pray More of his Grace than Gifts to lend And entertains the harmless day With a Religious book or Friend This man is freed from servile bands Of hope to rise or fear to fall Lord of himself though not of Lands And having nothing yet hath all A good Conscience will tend very much to fix the Heart so as that evil tidings shall not be so terrifying and dismaying Hark what the Psalmist sayes Vnto the upright there ariseth light in obscurity surely he shall not be moved for ever he shall not be afraid (†) Justum tenacem propositi virum Si fractis illabatur orbis Impavidum ferient ruinae of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112. 467. 6. He that hath a good Conscience can look upon all the baits of the Tempter and despise them Satan is not able to compell and force us to sin neither has he power to determine the will of man to that which is evil as the Lord has to determine it unto that which is good for then sin
end A good Conscience will make us pass the time of our Sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. It will not allow any time to sin though indeed sin will be apt to steal time away It will not allow the VVorld to ingrosse all our time but 't will be Liberal of time that the Soul and Eternity may be provided for 5. A good Cnoscience has an influence upon our Natural Actions as Eating Drinking Sleeping c. It takes care that there be not excess in these If we Eat to Gluttony and Drink to Drunkenness we are rather Beasts than Men and surely far from being Saints And if we sleep too much we seem to lie buried all that while and while too much in our Beds we are but unprofitable Burthens of the Earth And as Excesse in these Actions is avoided by a good Conscience so the glory of God is the End unto which they are Directed 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink or whatever you do do all to the Glory of God 6. A good Conscience has an Influence upon your Recreations You must not says Conscience be Prodigal of your Estates nor of your time in these You must not needlesly torment and be cruel to the Creatures which groan sufficiently already under the sin of Man you must take heed of Passion in your Recreations A good Conscience will put us in mind that we must Recreate our selves that we may be more fit for business if therefore Recreations justle out Duty or indispose us to it the End of them is not obtained I might also add that a good Conscience will take Notice of our garb and if you will but hearken to it it will tell you plainly That Men and Women Professing Godliness should not go in such kind of gay Attire as the Rogues and Ranters and Whores of the Town wear 7. A good Conscience will have an Influence upon your Carriage in your Relations All Relations call for Duty and unless we do our Duty and are good in our Relations we cannot be said to be good in reality The great Fundamental Relation is between Man and Wife A good Conscience therefore will take care that these Yoke-fellows come together in an Holy manner it will not allow of Incest or Marrying within forbidden degrees no force must be used nor marrying contrary to the consent of Parents nor must a Believer be unequally Yoaked with one that 's none 2 Cor. 6. 14. For if the Family at first be not piously erected God may be so much provoked that it may Labour and Travel under the Burthen of his Anger ever after A good Conscience will make the Husband Loving Careful Tender of his Wives Person and especially of her Soul A good Conscience will make the Wife Affectionate Faithful to Reverence her Husband and to be Subject to him in every thing A good Conscience will make Parents to bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and 't will make Children to Honour and to Obey their Parents and to be a support and a Comfort to them A good Conscience will make Masters to give unto their Servants that which is Just and Equal considering they have a Master in Heaven with whom there is no respect of Persons and 't will make Servants with good will to do Service as unto the Lord and not unto Men it will stop their mouths when about to Answer again it will make them diligent and to shew all good Fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things 8. A good Conscience has an Influence upon your Behaviour both in Prosperity and Adversity In Prosperity 't will make you take heed of forgetting God Idolizing the Gifts and lightly esteeming the Giver 't will make you take heed of being high minded and trusting in uncertain Riches You have little Reason to be puft up because you have more thick Clay than others and to look upon them therefore with scorn and contempt you should contemn your own Riches but not your poor Brother who may perhaps be much Richer towards God than you These Riches because uncertain are not to be trusted in 't is easier for a Camel to enter into the Eye of a Needle than for them who trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God In Adversity a good Conscience will make you to beware of Impatience under the Rod Incorrigibleness by it and of Inconstancy and drawing back from God after the Rod is taken off from you 9. A good Conscience will have an Influence upon you in reference to your Company It will make you to shun Erroneous Company lest you be led away with their Errors and embrace divers and strange Doctrines and to flee from Profane Society for if these are not avoided you will never keep the Commands of God to any purpose and if you love them and will not leave them you are likely to go to Hell for Company along with them 10. A good Conscience will make you Vseful in your Generations 't will make you Merciful to the Bodies of others giving them what is needful to your Power and not barely saying Depart in Peace be ye Warmed and Filled James 2. And not onely Merciful to the Bodies but especially to the Souls of others and how much good may you do to Souls by being Publick Spirited much in Prayer for them giving Counsel and Reproof to them and being exemplary in all Holy conversation and godliness before their Eyes 11. A good Conscience will make you daily to walk with God and to die daily that day that you do not walk with God but neglect him and his Service and venture to sin against him you have Reason to cry out with that Roman Emperour Diem perdidi I have lost a day You should every day also consider your latter end Live as Strangers and Pilgrims (h) Quid in mundo stabile quid firmum Quale istud bonum quod semper timeas amittere quod vel auferendum abs te metuas vel à te relinquendum scias Quis illius volupt at is fructus qui statim ut cessaverit videbitur tibi non fuisse Age jam transactum vitae tuae tempus animo revolve Nonne tibi umbra videtur instar somnii tenuis c. Quod si haec possumus hic dicere ubi quamvis brevis tamen quia praesens est vita ista magni penditur Quid in futuro dicturi sumus ubi majori aetatis scientiâ transactum omne pro nihilo est Augustin Epist. 142. A good Conscience by putting you in mind of Death and Judgment which will follow after Death will make you to walk every day with an Holy Circumspection and to be diligent that you may be found of God in Peace and that your latter end may be Peace I come now to the Application VSE I. Of Information If a good Conscience has such an Influence upon the Life and Conversation
then Learn if the Conversation be bad Conscience must needs be bad also If wickedness be Ordinarily practised in the Life 't is a sign either that Conscience is stupid and takes little notice of what is done or if it does observe yet 't is without power to restrain and hinder it 2. Learn what an Happiness 't is to a Nation to have much of a Good Conscience among them This will hinder Warres and Fightings and Confusion this will hinder Injustice and Oppression and Uncleanness This would cause Unity and Peace turning our Swords into Plough-shares and our Spears into Pruning-hooks and prevent our hurting and destroying one another any more Isa 11. 6 7 8 9. Those are Enemies to the common Good who endeavour to debauch the Consciences of men for they go the ready way to fill the places where they live with all Impiety and Unrighteousness VSE II. Of Advice which shall be in the words of the Psalmist Shew that you have indeed a good Conscience by departing from Evil and by doing Good Psal 37. 27. 1. Depart from Evil. There cannot possibly be a greater Evil than Sin this is the procuring Cause of all other evils there had never been any such thing as Sickness Pain Death Hell if Sin had never been Sin dos alienate from God Col. 1. 21. 'T is a most base Employment we cannot be engaged in fouler and filthier work than in working of Iniquity and is there any good that comes of it No no the works of Darkness are Unfruitfull Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those works whereof ye are now ashamed All will repent of these evil works sooner or later the sooner the better for to repent in Hell will be too late Mind therefore your Consciences bidding you cease to do Evil else Evil will be extremely aggravated But if Evil be forsaken the great Bar to Mercy is removed and God is ready to pardon and be at peace with you Isa 55. 7. 2. Learn to do well Conscience will be pleased if God be pleased God is a Gracious Lord compare Him and Sin together Him and Satan together His Commands are not grievous he is ready to help you to do whatever he requires and to work all your works in you and for you Isa 26. 12. Your work if truely good will be wages because of that Peace and Joy at present to be found in the way of Righteousness for by good works it appears that Faith is of the right kind is the Faith of Gods Elect. Finally you must be judged according to your VVorks Rev. 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be As you would stand at that day up and be doing the work of the Lord now I have done with that fourth Doctrine A good Conscience has a great and lasting Influence upon the Life and all the Actions Doct. 5. The fifth Doctrine is this A good Conscience steels a mans Heart with courage and makes him fearless before his Enemies Paul earnestly beheld the Councel He was not afraid to face them because his Conscience was clear Nay we read that Foelix the Judge trembled while Paul the Prisoner was confident the reason was because the Judge had a bad Conscience which flew in his face when he heard of Righteousness Temperance and Judgement to come Act. 24. 25. but the Prisoner being acquitted by a good Conscience did not tremble but rejoyce at the thoughts of Judgement to come VVhen Bradford was brought before the Chancellour he thought to brow-beat him but could not Bradford look'd him steadfastly in the Face and out-look'd him and then look'd up to Heaven I do not wonder that he did not fear the the Look of a Popish Bishop who was not afraid as it appeared afterwards of a fiery Faggot Now the grounds why those that have a good Conscience are Fearless be these 1. The Strength of God who is engaged for them is everlasting Isa 26. 4. In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength 2. As his Strength so his Covenant and Kindness are also everlasting Isa 54. 10. For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my Kindness shall not depart from thee nor the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy upon thee Nothing shall be able to separate Believers from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. ult 3. Let the weakness of Enemies be considered Why should he that has a good Conscience be afraid of a Man that shall die and of the Son of man that shall be made as Grass 4. As Enemies are weak so they are limited they are absolutely under Gods Power they are as a staffe in his hand and cannot move or strike but as he pleases Let not the Axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith Isa 10. 15. Why should a good Conscience be afraid of the Axe since the Lord in whose hand the Axe is is so sure and great a Friend 5. There is an excellent Promise That what Men do mean for Evil shall turn to Good Nay all all things shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. God does admirably over-rule the Sins of men and does make these subservient to his own Glory and the Good of his people (i) Bonum est ut mala sint aliter non sineret Deus ut mala essent non sinit autem nolens utique sed volens Augustin The Selling of Joseph was the Preservation of Israel the Persecuting of the Christians the Enlargement of the Church the Killing and Death of Christ the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind VSE I. Of Encouragement to the Saints the Lord takes care to secure them from Fear as well as Harm His Spirit dwells in them to comfort them and Conscience is commanded to speak Peace unto the Sons of Peace in the Lords Name (k) Injustè torqueris quid nunc diceres si juste nullum nempe tormentum conscientia majus est illâ incolumi externâ haec despicito intra te est consolatur tuus Quosdam career ad insignem gloriam alios ad eximiam fortunam multos ad coelum misit ad sepulchrum omnes nullum cepit quem non redderet Petrarch VSE II. Of Caution Take heed of wounding Conscience for that will make you exceeding timerous If you comply a little in a sinfull way and use any unlawfull Means for securing of your selves this will spoyl your Peace and your Confidence and you must expect greater straits to make you see the folly of the Course you have taken And 't will be very sad to have a Storm without and a Tempest within at the same time VSE III. Of Terrour to Believers Adversaries There is very good reason why Fear should seize upon them they are engaged in bad work they have a bad Conscience and their End if they go on in this way
qualitate depositi Sic sic in domo propriâ à propriâ familiâ habeo accusatores testes judices tortores Bernard Meditat. devot cap. 13. pag. mihi 1060. My sins I am not able to conceal because where ever I go my Conscience is continually with me and carries with it what I have put in it whether it be good or evil It keeps for me living it will restore to me dying what I have delivered to be kept by it If I do evil Conscience is present if I seem to do good and am lifted up with Pride Conscience is present It accompanies me all my Life long 't will follow me after Death and will be my inseparable either Glory or Confusion according to the Quality of what it has Observed in me Thus thus in my own House in my own Soul I have Accusers Witnesses Judges Tormentors if I dare to give way unto Iniquity 4. Though Conscience may seem to be quite banished and for the present does no more its Office than if there were no such thing yet this Exiled and Banished thing will at last return or to speak more properly this Conscience that was imagined to be in a dead sleep or altogether careless will shew that it has been too much present with the guilty all along These six particulars are here to be Observed 1. Some great Affliction may awaken Conscience When the Widow with whom Elijah sojourned her Son fell sick and his sickness was so sore that there was no breath left in him her Conscience was exceedingly startled and she said to Elijah What have I to do with thee O thou Man of God art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my Son 1 Kings 17. 17 18. The Locusts which were so very grievous that came over all the Land of Egypt extorted a Confession from Pharaoh's Conscience though his Heart was before hardned He called for Moses and Aaron in haste and said I have sinned against the Lord and against you now therefore forgive I pray thee my sin this once and intreat the Lord your God that he may take away from me this Death onely Exod. 10. 16 17. How does Affliction give new Eyes and make sin appear in other colours than before it seemed to have When the Body of a sinner is first struck with a Disease and the mind apprehends this Sickness may prove deadly and that now being Arrested the sinner must quickly appear before the Judgment-seat Ohthen what a commotion is there in the Soul and how fierce and clamourous is the Conscience which before was deeply silent 2. Conscience may awake after a fall into some scandalous sin When the long covered Hypocrisie is detected and the sly sinner which waxed worse and worse and yet was secure at length does commit some sin that the World crys shame on Oh then Conscience may joyn in with the VVorlds clamors (r) Non aurem solam percutit iracundia criminantis verùm etiam conscientiam mordet veritas criminis August l. 3. contra lit Petilian Tom. 7. and tell him that now his sin has found him out and that Heaven has revealed his iniquity and that because he has despised God he has been suffered to do that which has made himself to be lightly esteemed 3. Conscience may awake at the hearing of a powerful Sermon The messengers of the Lord are commanded to lift up their Voices like a Trumpet and the design is to startle Conscience and that sinners may be made sensible of and to know their Transgressions Isaiah 58. 1. God speaks thus to the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 6. 11. Smite with thine hand and stamp with thy foot and say Alas for all the evil abominations of the House of Israel These gestures this earnestness and crying out of abominations is used to affect the Hearts which before were stupid And truly the VVord of God has oftentimes taken impression even upon those whose Souls were more than ordinarily senseless The Apostles hearers were mockers and yet the VVord being set home they were prickt at the Heart and said Men and Brethren what shall we do Act. 2. 37. Now when the VVord does awaken the Conscience there is more ground to hope that God has a design to work a saving change and that the troubles of Spirit are but as it were the pangs which fore-run the new Birth 4. Conscience may awake when Death is within view I grant indeed that 't is too common for the ungodly to dy stupid and that there may be no bands in their death Psal 73. but yet experience shews that the approach of death does also fill many ungodly ones with horrour and amazement What made Balaam to cry out let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23. 10. Surely he had pre-apprehensions how terrible a thing 't is for the ungodly to dye When nature is almost spent and the earthly Tabernacle is tottering and falling to the ground when Physicians are at a losse and friends stand by weeping and 't is whispered in the room Alas he cannot live many hours to an end Ah then Conscience may wake in terrible fright and the sinner may be confounded and as death comes with its sting so it may prove indeed the King of terrours 5. To be sure at judgment Conscience will be awaked thoroughly though sinners possibly may look death yet they cannot look the Judge in the face without being daunted He will strike terrour into the Hearts of those sinners that were most obstinate and unbelieving VVe read that at the great day the Books will be opened Rev. 20. 12. The Book of Scripture will be opened for by that every one must be judged The Word that I have spoken sayes Christ the same shall judge at the last day The book of Conscience will also be opened and what things are found written there will be taken notice of and must be answered for No Conscience at that day can be stupid The Heavens passing away with a great noise and the Elements melting with fervent heat and the Earth and the works therein being all in a flame every unjustified and unsanctified sinners Heart will smite him and as the Judge will condemn him so he will be condemned by his own Conscience Chrysostome (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Epist ad Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 advises every one to look into his own Conscience presently and to be strict in self-searching that he may not be condemned with the world for 't is a dreadful Tribunal which all must appear before and the trial of every one will be thorow and impartial 6. Conscience will be with the ungodly in Hell to all Eternity Could we go down indeed to the gates of Hell and have some discourse with the damned there and ask them concerning their Consciences they would answer that a great part of Hell lyes there and that they feel within
persons Conscience has no more reason to fear the greatest than the poorest Can the greatest man punish his Conscience for being plain with him He may indeed wound it more and more but this will in the end onely increase his own smart and anguish Prophets and Ministers have not accesse unto some nor an opportunity to tell them of their misdoings and if they have and do discharge their duty they may suffer for it John the Baptist was sent to Prison for reproving Herod and afterwards his life was taken away But though Herod was no more troubled and rebuked by John yet his own Conscience does fearlesly and impartially deal with him and therefore when he heard of the fame of Jesus he cries out John is risen from the Dead which shews that his Conscience flew in his face about him 3. Conscience accuses of high matters of such crimes the least of which deserves damnation There is nothing which Conscience does accuse of but sin and sin is the Transgression of a Law and that Law is the Law of God and this God is an infinite Majesty and therefore sin does merit an infinite punishment Though Papists call some sins venial and make but light of them yet a serious Conscience looks upon every sin as justly deserving Eternal condemnation the Apostle speaks indefinitely concerning sin without excepting any The Wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6. ult and by Death he means Eternal Death for 't is opposed unto the gift of God which is Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Among Men there are indeed some petty faults which a Malefactor is not so afraid when accused of but how pale does he look when Felony or Murther or Treason is laid to his charge alas the Gallows the Gibbet Hanging Drawing Quartering he now fears Conscience brings in an indictement against the sinner for nothing but what is damnable for every sin against the great God is so in its own Nature And if every sin makes the Soul liable to the vengeance of Eternal fire how may the sinner be amazed when all his iniquities are set in order before him 4. Conscience accuses a man to himself Luther tells us concerning a certain Cardinal that was wont to say Conscientia est mala bestia quae facit hominem stare contra seipsum Conscience is an evil Beast for it makes a man to stand against himself When Conscience is our accuser our accuser is within us and we can go no where without this accuser A man by this means becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-punisher These self accusations do break a mans spirit they imbitter all Temporal comforts and Oh! how bitter then do they make affliction 5. Conscience in its accusations lets us understand that God understands better then it self what it layes to our charge The Apostle tells us that God is greater than our Hearts and knows all things 1 John 3 20. This Text plainly informs us that God knows by us more than we know Many sins slip out of Our memories but none out of Gods Hos 7. 2. They consider not in their Hearts that I remember all their wickedness now their own doings have beset them round they are all before my face When Conscience is awakened and we are beset round with our own doings this causes the perplexity that they are all before Gods face he remembers all though we are not able to number half of them Moses cryes out We are consumed by thine anger by thy wrath are we troubled Thou hast set our inquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy Countenance Psal 90. 7. 8. 6. Conscience is many times incessant and not to be silenced in its accusations Augustine (h) Qui malas habent uxores domus suas intrare nolunt ad forum exeunt gaudent coepit hora esse quâ intraturi sunt ad domum suam contristantur Intraturi sunt ad taedia ad murmura ad amaritudines ad eversiones Si ergo miseri sunt qui cùm redeunt ad parietes suos timent quantò miseriores qui ad conscientiam redire nolunt ne litibus peccatorum evertantur Vt possis libens redire ad cor tuum illud munda Aufer cupiditatem sordes aufer labem avaritiae malas cogitationes odia non dico adversus amicum sed etiam adversus inimicum aufer ista omnia Intra cor tuum gaudebis Aug. in Enarrat in Psal 33. pag. mihi 237 238. compares a clamorous Conscience to a brawling Woman whose Tongue being set on fire of Hell never lies still but is continually shooting forth bitter words Now Solomon tells us 'T is better to dwell in the corner of a house top than with such a Woman in a wide house Prov. 25. 24. nay 'T is better to dwell in the Wilderness than with a contentious and angry Woman Prov. 21. 19. But how much more intolerable are the reproaches of an enraged Conscience Flashes of Hell fire do issue as it were out of the mouth of it it is continually bringing guilt unto remembrance and speaking of those Flames unto which this guilt does render the Soul that sins obnoxious and liable Thus the witness of Conscience is an accusation upon doing evil and such an accusation as may very much be dreaded 2. The witnesse of Conscience is an Apology upon doing well It will bear witnesse for those that are sincere when they walk before God in Truth and with a perfect Heart It must indeed be granted that in many things all even the very best do offend Jam. 3. 2. But conscience takes notice of the bent and desire of the Soul to please the Lord and how burthensome and bewailed infirmities are Conscience will excuse and defend if there be a will to do good though evil at the same time be present as it was with the Apostle himself Rom. 7. 21. Conscience having looked into the Gospel understands that God does not deal with Believers according to the terms of the Covenant of Works which had a promise of Life only upon condition of perfect obedience but Death was threatned upon the least transgression No no they are not now under the Law but under Grace and in the new Covenant sincerity is accounted and accepted as our perfection before God through Christ Jesus Now Consciences excusing or defending is of great force and weight 'T is not to be checkt by the reproaches of men nor by the accuser of the Brethren 1. Conscience excusing us is not to be checkt by the reproaches of Men. How eager as I hinted before were Jobs friends in their censures and accusations They thought his Religion was but a meer shew and that he had used the Form of Godliness onely as a cover for his wickedness and injustice Heark how he speaks to them Job 19. 2 3. How long will ye vex my Soul and break me in pieces with words these ten times have ye reproached me you are not ashamed
shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the Knowledge of God As the Scripture contains such a full discovery of the Will of God so there are several promises made that it shall be a guide unto the Conscience and direct us in a safe way Prov. 6. 22 23. When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou awakest it shall talk with thee for the Commandement is a lamp and the Law is Light and the Reproofs of Instruction are the Way of Life So Prov. 4. 12. 13. Take fast hold of Instruction let her not go for she is thy Life when thou goest thy steps shall not be straitned and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble 2. That Conscience may be well informed The Spirit of God must be begged for Conscience does very much imitate the Spirit Does the Spirit reprove for sin so does Conscience Does the Spirit Comfort so does Conscience Does the Spirit move us unto our duty so does Conscience And indeed 't is by the aid and Grace of the Spirit that Conscience does all this And as Conscience is a weak thing So also a dark thing without the Spirit Hark to the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty but we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit in the glass of the Gospel does give the Mind and Conscience such a sight of the Beauty of Holiness as that there is a change wrought in the very Heart the Image of God which does consist in Righteousness and True Holiness is instamped upon it We should with great earnestness ask the Spirit for as he is the Spirit of Holiness so also the Spirit of Truth of Wisdom and Revelation who alone can open the Eyes of the Vnderstanding Eph. 1. 17. 18 And besides our Heavenly Father has promised to give the Spirit unto them that ask him with much more willingness than Earthly Parents will give bread to their own Children 3. That Conscience may be well informed We must walk with the wise that 's the way to be wise our selves Prov. 13. 20. He that walketh with the Wise shall be Wise but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed There is a destructive infection in Sin error therefore those cautions of our Lord. Take heed what you Hear and Take heed whom you Hear And the Apostle tells us that the Words of false Teachers will Eat like a canker or like a Gangreen Gangreens spread strangely and the gangren'd member is cut of for the preservation of the Body On the other side there is a kind of sanative or healing contagion iâ— Wisdome by conversing with Saints and Spiritual guides that are humble and holy and well instructed in the things of God by degrees we shall come to have our senses better exercised to discern both Good and Evil. 4. Let this be your design in desiring that Conscience may be informed well that you may do well according to that information When Christ asked the blind man that had had sight miraculously given to him Dost thou Believe on the Son of God he answers Who is he Lord that I might Believe on him Joh. 9. 35 36. He askes who he was as being very ready to Believe on him So should we inquire Lord what is thy will that we may do it what are thy Commands that we may yeild obedience to them What is the reason why the Lord will teach the humble 't is because these desire to know that they may Do what is required they have submitted themselves unto God and he sees that if they are entrusted with the Talent of Knowledge they will Trade with it 5. Beware exceedingly of false Lights If a false Light get into the Conscience what sad work will it make there When men take a lye to be truth how zealous are they in a bad matter T is a high piece of cursed art in the Devil to winde himself into the Consciences of men he gets into their wills and into their affections more easily He layes before them his ordinary baits of pleasures and profits and preferments And in all this he is no other than the God of this world here is no need of any great Metamorphosis for he knows that these things will easily take with the foolish and corrupt hearts of sinners But that he may get into the Conscience he acts more subtilly He transforms himself into an Angel of light and he transforms his instruments too so that they seem to be the Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11. 14 15. he puts sheeps cloathing upon the ravening Wolves that they may more easily prey upon the flock of Christ Surely the cunning of this enemy especially since we are warned should make us wary But since every light doth pretend to be true how shall we know which is false Certainly we must try the Spirits by the written Word Esa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word 't is because there is no Light in them The VVord is of Divine Authority whoever rejects it has no understanding whoever does wrest it that is does make some passages of it to speak against it self and the whole design of it he does it to his own destruction nay though an Angel from Heaven should Preach a Doctrine contrary to it we must stiffly oppose him and boldly say He is accursed Gal. 1. 8. 2. As the goodness of Conscience lies in its illumination and being rightly informed So in the due exercise of its Authority and Power The force of Conscience is very great when 't is exerted so that good men have lookt upon themselves as Debtors and not to have paid their debts unless they have done their duty Rom. 1. 14. I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise so as much as in me is I am ready to Preach the Gospel to you that be at Rome also they have lookt upon themselves as bound in Spirit Act. 20. 22. And now behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there and being thus bound in Spirit he could not give himself a latitude and dispensation though the Holy Ghost did witnesse in every City that Bonds and Afflictions did abide him Conscience has made good men to conclude themselves under a necessity to obey and they have professed they could not do otherwise 1 Cor. 9. 16. Necessity is laid upon me yea woe is unto me if I Preach not the Gospel and so Act. 4. 20. We cannot but speak the things which we have Seen and Heard Now what that Power and Authority is which a good Conscience exercises I shall shew you 1. Conscience has Authority and Power to
not in the least encourage or allow of How unreasonable 't is to take offence at the Gospel of Christ because of the Crosse since the Crosse is so needful is so much sweetned and the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with that glory that is to be revealed Rom. 8. 18. 2. Let your Love be stronger and stronger this will lift you up above and carry you over all difficulties and stumbling blocks They that Love the Law of the Lord the Psalmist tells us that nothing shall Offend them Psal 119. 165. Jacob's Love towards Rachel hindred him from taking offence at any thing his Wages are changed he must serve fourteen years yet Love made all to be swallowed Love to God and to his Word will make you content with any thing you will know how to want and how to abound how to go through Honour and Dishonour good Report and evil Report Love will break through all difficulties and make you follow hard after God 3. Consider the Happiness of those that are not Offended Mat. 11. 6. Blessed is he whosoever shall not be Offended in me When Discouragements are mighty and Temptations are strong to make us forsake our Lord and yet we cleave to him he takes it the more kindly and we shall in no wise be losers But Secondly Would you give no Offence Then 1. Seriously think of the danger of scandal thou that dost harden a sinner or grieve a Saint 't were better a Millstone were hanged about thy Neck and thou cast into the depth of the Sea Mat. 18. 6. Scandal does mightily Heighten Transgression and the punishment hereafter will be proportionable 2. Be encouraged with this That scandal is possible to be avoided You may Live so as to be Blessings in the places where you Live and justly an Offence to none I do not say you may Live wholly free from sin but you may be kept from grosse and scandalous sins altogether (o) Sanctorum vitam inveniri posse dicimus sine crimine sâ—â— peccato autem qui se vivere existimar non id agit ut peccatum 〈◊〉 habeat sed ut veniam non accipiat Augustin Samuel had carried himself so that the Israelites could not charge him with any miscarriage I have walked before you from my Child hood unto this day behold here I am bear witness against me before the Lord and before his Anointed Whose Ox have I taken Whose Asse have I taken Whom have I defrauded Whom have I Oppressed Or of whose hand have I received any Bribe to blind my Eyes therewith 1 Sam. 12. 2 3. So the Apostles 1 Thes 2. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how Holily and Justly and unbalmeably we behaved our selves among you that Believe that is You that were most Acquainted with us and did most Observe us could spye nothing scandalous or blame-worthy in us He that writes the Life of Mr. Robert Bolton tells us that he walked so with God that he could not be taxed with any grosse or scandalous sin from his Conversion to his Dissolution which was about thirty Years Be encouraged by such Examples and the same Grace which wrought such effects in them can work the same in thee 3 Plead the Honour of Religion and Gods own Name as an Argument to prevail with him to preserve you from scandalous Iniquities Tell him you desire to be kept without Rebuke that his Name may be secured from Blasphemy and that his Doctrine may in all things be Adorned Thus have I at large Discoursed concerning the first thing which I proposed I have told you wherein the goodness of Conscience lies and how it may be attained In the Second place I am to tell you wherein the Acts of a good Conscience and the Acts of the good Spirit of God are to be distinguished the one from the other And before I shew the difference between them I shall lay down these ensuing Propositions 1. All that good whether Light or Grace or Peace that is in the Conscience is wrought by the Spirit of God As Gifts are from the Spirit so is Grace most certainly from the same Spirit and all that comfort which has any Reason or Foundation proceeds from this Comforter Whatever means have been effectual to the bettering of the Heart and Conscience 't is from the Spirit they have had their Efficacy Whatever then we discern in our selves that is truly good we must eye the Spirit as the Efficient of it and without his working it would never have been in us at all 1 Cor. 12. 11. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing unto every Man severally as he will 2. When ever Conscience does its Duty and Acts as is ought 't is certainly Acted by the Spirit As the Spirit does insuse the Habits of Grace so 't is he that does produce them into Act and Exercise as he does cast the Seed of God into the Heart so he makes that Seed to grow and to bring forth Fruit. I Laboured says the Apostle yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15. 10. If in a Natural sence we are said to Live in God and move in him also Surely the Spirit of God is the Author of all spiritual Life and of all spiritual and Holy Motions 3. Conscienâ—e though never so good must arrogate nothing to it self but all praise is due unto the Lord. For it is he that makes the difference between the best and the worst Conscience and the best would be the worst if he did not make a difference A good Conscience is said to bear witness in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9. 1. And as it bears witness in the Holy Ghost so it move to Duty checks from Sin encourages upon Welldoing and all this it does in the Holy Ghost by his illumination and assistance 4. 'T is true that the Spirit of God does make use of Conscience very much in his dealing with us He deals with us as those which have such a power as Conscience and that are in a capacity of reviewing our selves and applying what is spoken either by way of Terrour or by way of Consolation and if the Spirit aid us we shall review and apply to some purpose Having laid down these things I distinguish between the Acts of the Spirit and the Acts of a good Conscience thus 1. The Spirit of God is the Principal Agent the good Conscience Acts under him As in the work of Conversion the Act of the Minister and the Act of the Spirit are vastly different The Minister is a worker together with God that is he is honoured so far as to be employed as an instrument to good but what 's his Words or Arguments to raise the dead in trespasses and sins 't is the Spirit that causes Life to enter into the dead dry bones He that plants is nothing and he that waters is nothing so truly unless the Spirit did
of this Judge at that day be Every mouth shall be stopt and every sinner speechlesse Oh then the Evil of sin will be made Manifest and how Righteous 't is for the Lord to Sentence the Wicked unto Everlasting Fire Whom He Condemns every one will Condemn and they shall not choose but Condemn themselves 4. After the Judge has past Sentence he will be inexorable no Cryes no Tears will prevail with him to Repeal it Those that then are Condemned can never be Justified can never be saved Oh what is that Misery which is Extream as to the Measure and as to the Duration of it Everlasting 5. Thou in Particular must give Account of thy self unto this Judge All must appear before the Judgement seat of Christ and that All includes thee Every one of us must give account of himself to God Rom. 14. 12. And Oh secure sinner if all must be judged according to their Works begin now to tremble that thy works have been all so bad what kind of Sentence is likely to be past upon thee Is thy Worldliness and Uncleanness and neglect of God and Christ and Duty and thy stupidness of Conscience notwithstanding all this likely to be rewarded with Heaven No no that which is thy due and thy due shall be given thee is everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power 10. Take some encouragement that 't is not too late to awake as yet though Conscience hitherto has slept securely Thy Glasse is not yet run thy Sun is not yet set thy Day is not yet ended there may be possibly an Inch of thy Span of time remaining Oh sleep no longer but up and be doing thy main business When the ship was drowning the Marriners come to Jonah with a just rebuke What meanest thou O sleeper Jon. 1. 6. When Souls are sinking and when sinners are damning there is much more reason to say to Conscience what meanest Oh Sleeper Awake before it be quite too late Call upon God to awaken you throughly he can make the sleepy nay the dead to hear his voice Joh. 5. 25. Verily verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live So much be spoken and Lord make what has been spoken Effectual to awaken secure Consciences In the second place I am to shew how wounded and awakened Consciences may be Cured and Comforted And here it will be needfull first to shew you some mistakes about trouble of Conscience which are very common Secondly to discover when Conscience is troubled after a right manner Thirdly how Comfort is to be applied in that trouble For the first of these namely the mistakes about trouble of Conscience they are these following 1. That is not right trouble of Conscience which is onely the product of and lasts no longer than Affliction When Pharoah was under the smart of the Rod he cryed out I have sinned but this was not real trouble for sin for as soon as ever the Rod is taken off Pharoah is as resolved to sin as ever The mettal while the Fire burns is Liquid and you may cast it into any form but take away the Fire and it becomes hard as ever Such kind of mettall are many hearts while in the Furnace of Affliction how melted and tender do they seem but when taken out of that Furnace then they quickly cool and become perhaps more obdurate than before Who would have thought though so indeed it was that the Israelites who when God slew them did seek him and returned and enquired early after him and remembred that he was their Redeemer and their Rock should all this while onely flatter him with their Lips and that their Hearts should not be right with him nor stedfast in his Covenant 2. That is not right trouble of Conscience which is onely sorrow after the world (*) Tristitia mundi est quum propter terrenas afflictiones animos despondent luctu opprimuntur tristitia autem secundum Deum quae Deum respicit dum unicam miseriam ducunt excidisse à Dei gratiâ ac timore judicii ejus perculsi peccata sua lugent Calvin this kind of sorrow is so far from having a promise of life made to it that the Apostle affirms it works death 2 Cor. 7. 10. There is a great sorrow in thy Heart and it appears in thy very looks but what is the cause of it If hard times trouble thee but an hard Heart is no affliction if crosses and losses in the World perplex thee but the losse of thy Soul is not at all feared neither is there any care taken to prevent it if thy poverty in the World do grieve thee but thou dost not sorrow at all because destitute of the true Riches how canst thou call any of this a right trouble The Israelites did weep and Howl but the cause was they wanted Corn and Wine and so they had but these things in Plenty they could be well contented to live without God Hos 7. 13 14. Every pensive sinner is not penitent nor fit to be comforted their very pensiveness is a very great sin as long as sin is not but only worldly crosses the cause of it 3. That is not right trouble of Conscience where there is onely a slavish fear of punishment but love to sin does still remain in strength Where there is slavish fear and no more there is an hatred of God and a secret wish to get from under his Power the slave you know hates his Master and wishes he might be at liberty and never see or serve him more there is also an hatred of the Commands of God and a repining and murmuring at the strictness of them Sin is dear as ever a grief there is because of those threats which terrifie and hinder the free commission of it If such a Soul might have its wish It should not be Oh that I might be turned to God and that my wayes were directed to keep his Statutes but it should be Oh that I might have liberty to do as I list and that there were no such thing as the Word and Will of God to be observed where such a Spirit is which the Heart-searching God perfectly understands abstaining from the outward act of sin signifies not much The Merchant in a Storm cannot be said to hate his goods because he flings them overboard he is sorry because driven to such a strait and when he comes ashore wishes as much for his goods as ever 4. That is not right trouble of Conscience which Sinners being impatient under do fly for Comfort to the Creatures If thou art indeed wounded the same hand that gave the wound must bind it up I wound and I heal says God Deut. 32. 39. If sensual delights if Sports and Pastimes if carnal Company if immersing thy self in worldly business can divert
and by degrees chase away thy trouble 't is a sign 't was never true Right sorrow is not asswaged but by Spiritual means 'T was a wise course and resolution of those Hos 6. 1. Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up 5. That is not right trouble of Conscience where there is an utter despair of Mercy Cain was troubled and so was Judas and the trouble of both especially of the latter was unconceivably great but despair spoyl'd it I grant indeed that souls truly penitent may have Temptations and very strong ones to despair but there is an unseen hand in their greatest Terrors and Dejections which keeps them from being swallowed up in that gulph quite though sometimes they are upon the brink of it Cranmer in his last Prayer cryes out I have sinned more than Tongue is able to express but shall I despair God forbid Thou art a Gracious Lord and thy Mercy does thrust away none who ask for a Remedy of sin and comfort in their misery Despair does thwart the design of the Gospel which is to extoll the Riches of Divine Grace as super abounding where sin has most abounded and to set forth Christ as a Saviour to the uttermost When the Spirit does give a sight of sin he opens a door of hope and lets in a beam of Light whereby e In Coelum terramque plusquam fando exprimi possit offendi Desperabo igitur Absit Tu â—lemenâ— naturâ Deus cujus neminem aversatur misericordia qui abs te peccati remedium ac solatium miseriae aerumnarum petit Mel. Adamus in vitâ Cranmeri the possibility of Mercy is discovered The trembling Gaoler did not say I am sure I shall be damned but what shall I do that I may be saved Act. 16. 30. this very inquiry shews that some possibility of Salvation was conceived Satan indeed endeavours to shut the door of hope and to overwhelm the Soul but he is not to be harkned to Satan put it into the Heart of Judas to betray Christ and afterwards he put it into his Heart to despair and how effectual was his despair to his destruction By no means therefore entertain despairing thoughts for they come from Hell and lead thither 6. That is not right trouble of Conscience which is onely the effect of prevailing Melancholy This humour prevails exceedingly at this day and those who never had experience of it cannot imagine the torment that is in it Burton speaks feelingly No torture of Body like unto it strappadoes hot Irons Phalaris Bulls are not comparable All Fears Griefs Suspitions Discontents as so many small brooks are swallowed up and drown'd in this Euripus this Irish Sea this Ocean of misery This is the Quintessence of humane Adversity all other Diseases whatsoever are but flea-bitings to Melancholy in extent 't is the pith of them all A Melancholy man is that true Prometheus which is bound to Caucasus the true Tityus whose Bowells are still devoured by a Vulture for he is fed upon by Anxieties and Griping cares continually But though Melancholy be so tormenting it very much differs from trouble of Conscience and is not so intollerable You will ask me how Melancholy and Spiritual trouble differ before I tell you how I would lay down two things 1. 'T is an Argument of an Ignorant and Profane Spirit to say that all trouble of Conscience is nothing else but Melancholy Such who are of this mind do make a mock of sin and of the Convictions of the Spirit and of the terrors of the Lord and slight the great Physitian of Souls for if all trouble be from Humours in the Body other Physitians may serve the turn 2. Melancholy and trouble of Conscience are sometimes joyned together and they may be mutually the Occasion of each others increase If the Conscience be wounded and the Body Distempered with this black Humour at the same time Satan has the greater Advantage The soul will not easily admit of Comfort but is more inclined to meditate terror and the wounds of Conscience will be the more smarting and longer before Cured I shall now shew the difference between trouble of Conscience and Melancholy in these particulars 1. In Melancholy the Body may plainly be perceived to be out of Order either no sleep at all or a perpetual drousiness the Spleen swelled or pained a sourness in the stomach and a Cloud seems to dwell in the Brain But trouble of Conscience may be and is found in those who are of the most excellent Constitution and even in the time of the firmest Health The Goalor 't is very likely had a strong Body and no Distemper that we read of upon him yet his Conscience is wounded and how sollicitous is he to escape Hell 2. In Melancholy there is great Confusion no rational account can be given of trouble The Soul is like one in the dark or that is blind-fold and is exceedingly buffeted but knows neither the Hand nor the Instrument from whence his smart comes But a troubled Conscience can easily assign a cause of its trouble Ask the Apostle Paul the reason of his trouble he will Answer I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and Injurious Demand of the Corinthians what Afflicted them They will Answer they had been Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Effeminate Abusers of themselves with Mankind c. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Troubled souls do understand their Guilt and Plagues 3. In Melancholy the great thing desired is ease and quiet that the horrible darkness may be dispelled and the former serenity may return But in right trouble of Conscience not onely Peace but Peace upon a good ground is longed for the present trouble is preferred before security in wickedness that was formerly Ay and Grace as well as Peace is begged Troubled David does not onely cry out Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and make me to hear Joy and Gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may Rejoyce but also Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew aright Spirit within me Ps 51. 8 10 12. 4. In Melancholy Trouble does often come by Fits when Fumes ascend unto the Head which by the heat of them may sometimes be perceived and do disorder the Fancy and Imagination (f) Melancholia est imaginationis depravatio à phantasmate-melancholico exorta quo detentus uni cogitationi absque surore sebre cum tristitiâ metu inhaeret Ejus origo dependet à certâ quidam Spirituum animalium dispositione ex humoris melancholici permissione producta ad quam sequitur phantasma tenebricosum dictum quod intellectus postea objecta obversans hoc delirium animi angorem excitat then there is some stinging and perplexing thought which renders Life and all the enjoyments of it bitter and uncomfortable But trouble of Conscience is more without intermission it does not depend upon the
him is to be enjoyed 'T was said of Persecuting Saul as soon as the Lord had struck him to the ground and he was prickt in his heart Behold he Prayeth Acts 9. 11. When the Waters that is troubles came into David's Soul when he was sinking in the deep Mire where there was no standing how earnestly does he cry out Save me O God! Nay he did cry till his Throat was dryed and though his eyes failed yet he waited for the Lord Psal 69. 1 2 3. Having thus spoken of the mistakes about trouble of Conscience I am in the Second place to discover when Conscience is troubled after a right manner so as that it may be proper to apply Comfort from the Gospel This right trouble I shall set forth in these particulars 1. Some special sin perhaps more hainous than Ordinary is usually at first Discovered and charged home by the Spirit upon the Conscience The Apostle Paul before his Conversion was Riding to Damascus but the Lord met him in the way and the first sin he was charged with was that of Persecuting the Church of Christ Acts 9. 3 4. As he journied and came near Damascus suddenly their shined round about him a Light from Heaven and he fell to the Earth and heard a Voice saying unto him Saul Saul why Persecutest thou me Those Jews that were awakened by Peter's Sermon were charged with taking Christ and Crucifying and slaying him with wicked hands Acts 2. 23. Thus the Woman of Samaria who had had five Husbands is told of her Living in Whoredome with a man that was not her Husband John 4. 18. Thus commonly the work begins some more grosse sin as lying swearing drunkenness self-pollution or the like is discovered and that is like a dart shot in the Conscience causing a great deal of trouble and cannot easily be shaken off (i) Haeret lateri lethalis arundo Virgil. Aeâ—ead 4. 2. After one sin is discovered and Conscience begins to be perplexed innumerable other transgressions are brought to remembrance Just as when a debtor is arrested by one Creditor all the others are ready to come upon him The Eye of Conscience being truly opened to see one sin presently is able to discern thousands David after his being awakened by the Prophet Nathan looks first upon his filthiness and blood guiltiness but a great many other sins also stared him in the Face Therefore as a man beset by all together he cryes out for the pardon of all Psal 51. 9. Hide thy face from my sins blot out all my Transgressions Oh how did his iniquities swarm about him and sting him when he said Psal 40. 12. Innumerable evils have compassed me about my iniquities have taken hold upon me that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my Head therefore my Heart faileth me 3. Where right trouble of Conscience is the impure streams are traced up to the fountain and the Corruption of Nature is acknowledged and bewailed Contrite David lookt thus farr Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And the Apostle Paul took notice of that evil which was present with him which was so great an impediment unto his doing of good Rom. 7. How can we be rightly humbled till this Corruption of Nature be seen but when we perceive that Satan is not principally to be blamed for our wickednesses but our own selves and that what does defile us does not come from below but from within this will make us to be filled with the greater self abhorrency Every man is Tempted says the Apostle James when he is drawn away of his own Lust and inticed chap. 1. 14. Evil Thoughts Adulteries Murthers and such like Abominations Christ tells us proceed out of our own Hearts Math. 15. 19. Oh this does exceedingly afflict the Soul which is rightly troubled that all those thousands of sins which have been committed are but the offspring of a corrupted Heart and Nature and not one is to be laid at any other door 4. The Conscience when rightly troubled is convinced of that sin of Vnbelief and the great Evil that is in it 'T is the work of the Spirit to convince the World of Sin and Unbelief is especially discovered John 16. 8 9. When the Comforter is come he will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment of Sin because they Believe not on Me. Not believing in Christ is a great sin in it self and it binds all the sinners other iniquities fast upon him (k) Hoc peccatum non crediderunt in me quasi solum sit praecaeteris posuit quia hoc manente caetera detinentur hoc discedente caetera remittuntur Augustin Tract 95. in Johan pag. mihi 474. Tom. 9. for there is no other way to receive Remission of sins but by Believing in the Lord Jesus Him only hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. 'T is a damning thing to transgresse the Law but to be deaf to the Gospel and to reject Christ is a great deal worse for this is to sin against a Remedy and to slight an offer of Life and Peace How Glorious is God in his dear Son how does his Wisdome and Power and Grace and Love and Righteousness and Truth shine forth in him now notwithstanding all this to be offended at Christ not to Reverence the Son not to receive him though he offers benefits of inestimable value this must needs encrease guilt and heighten wrath exceedingly If a Prince should after his subjects had played the Rebels and he had them at his Mercy offer a pardon to them and they should refuse it and chuse rather to continue rebels still their not accepting the Princes Clemency would incense him more to their destruction than their forgoing Rebellion We are ready to pity Tantalus l who as Homer sayes was thus punished he stood in a lake with Water up to his chin but when ever he stoopt to quench his thirst with the water it presently sunk away from him Brave Fruit also is said to grow just over his Head but when he stretched out his hand to take it the Wind did carry it away from him But now let us suppose that the water might have been drunk and Tantalus would not have stoopt a little for it and that Fruit might have been eaten but though it grew within his reach he would not have been at the pains to have stretched forth his hand to pluckt it Who would have pitied i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odys 11. pag. mihi 321. Tantalus then every one would have blamed his folly in not taking what was brought so neer to him This is the case of the Unbeliever the Word is nigh him Rom. 10. 8. Christ is
will our Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit unto them that ask him Luke 11. 13. This Scripture does give sufficient warrant unto any breathing to go unto God for his Spirit to enlighten to convince to renew and change and at last to comfort them with as much confidence as Children go for Necessaries unto the most tender Earthly Fathers 2. These consolations of the Spirit especially belong unto those who are troubled as you are The broken Vessel is fit for the Oyl of Joy and Gladness to be poured into it Isa 61. 1 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath Annointed me to Preach good tidings to the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to Proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound to Proclaim the Acceptable Year of the Lord to Comfort all that mourn The Spirit does delight to comfort them that are cast down for these will not take up with other Comforts they prize the Spirits Consolations they cry Grace Grace when they receive them and walk humbly and warily afterward being afraid to lose such precious things by fresh Trangressions 7. For the Comforting of a troubled Conscience Behold and Wonder at Gods condescention in that he does intreat sinners to be Reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be Reconciled unto God You cannot imagine that He who has been so bitterly provoked by you should be so ready to forgive you and so willing to be Friends with you but you would do well to observe that after the Lord had promised Mercy and abundant Pardon to sinners willing to forsake their evil ways and thoughts he presently adds that his Mercy shall be extended to them though they were not able to conceive it My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. That is you must not measure my Mercy by yours nor think that I am able and willing to put up and forgive no more than you You are easily provoked but I am slow to Anger you are hardly Reconciled but I am ready to forgive I am willing to remit the greatest wrongs and to receive the wrong-doers into favour if they do but sincerely return to me and are willing for the future to please and serve me As the Heavens are high above the Earth so are my ways of Kindness and Compassion higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isa 55. 8 9. When there is a difference between any the Inferior commonly intreats the Superiour to be Reconciled but here the Lord who is infinitely above us intreats Us to be Friends that are infinitely below him He that does the wrong commonly intreats him whom he has wronged but here the Lord who has been Injured and Affronted and Offended and can most easily be Revenged does intreat them that have done the Injury He that is at the Mercy of another commonly intreats him at whose Mercy he lies but here the Lord who has absolute Power to do what he will with Offenders and can Glorifie himself in their Eternal Destruction does intreat them to be at Peace and to Repent that they may be saved Finally he that is the depending Person commonly does intreat him upon whom he has such dependance but here the Lord who has no dependance at all upon sinners nor any need at all of them does yet intreat them to come to him who have such intire dependance upon him that they cannot live or move or be without him and cannot be happy but in the enjoyment of him Oh what manner of Grace and Kindness is this and how may drooping spirits be revived and encouraged to hope in such a God read the parable of the prodigal see him by necessity driven home to his Fathers house behold his Father running to him embracing him though he had spent all among Harlots and in Riotous living and then give a ghesse how much more willing the Lord is to receive returning sinners 8. For the right comforting of a troubled Conscience Study well the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of works is not to be laid hold upon by any of the fallen Children of Adam this promises life indeed but 't is upon condition of perfect and perpetual conformity both of Heart and Life unto the Law of God But the Covenant of Grace is vastly different from that first Covenant Sinners may lay hold on this new Covenant and they cannot please the Lord better than by so doing and therefore chusing the things that please him talking hold on his Covenant are join'd together Isa 56. 4. If sinners being convinced of their lost estate by their iniquities are willing to receive Christ to be their Prince and Saviour and to turn and give themselves to God he has ingaged in this Covenant to be their God and Father to give them Grace and at last Glory and in the mean while to withhold no good thing from them In this Covenant of Grace observe these four things all which may be helpful unto your Consolation 1. This Covenant is well ordered 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure this is all my Salvation this is all my desire 'T is admirably suited unto the state and desires and wants of those that are taken into Covenant They have no righteousness or works of their own that they may rest upon but here is a perfect Righteousness provided even the Righteousnesse of Christ made theirs as their sins were made his by imputation The Apostle Paul speaks plainly of the Blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without works Rom. 4. 6. and 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousnesse of God in him As they have no Righteousness so they are sick of Spiritual Plagues but in this Covenant God has promised to cure them Isa 57. 18. I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comfort unto him and his mourners They need cleansing because of their manifold defilements But God promises that he will sprinkle clean water upon them and make them clean and from all their filthiness and from all their Idols he will cleanse them They are weak and unable to do their duty and persevere in wel-doing but God promises to renew their strength so that they shall run and not be weary and walk and not faint Isa 40. ult 2. This Covenant is sure 'T is confirmed by the Sacraments which are the Seals of this Covenant 't is confirmed by the oath of God Heb. 6. 17. 18. s Quà m impossibile est ut Christus in suâ justitiâ non placeat tam impossibile ut nos fide nostrâ quâ illi inhaeâ—emus