7. Exercise your selves to have always a good Conscience So Paul Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.16 Conscience will not be ensured or preserved without consideration exercise and pains 1. Co-united endeavours there must be as respects the subject Herein do I exercise my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is his study his labour his work his business which took up his outward specially his inward man Of so large an import is that word Here is matter enough to take up the whole Man Mind Memory Will Affections Members which had need be all imployed either for informing of or conforming to Conscience 2 Continued endeavours they must be as respects the circumstances Herein do I exercise my self always Let the times frown or favour the good Conscience let Conscience smite or smile whether you are under the arrests of Judgment or the happy liberties of mercy whether men speak well or ill whether the Candle of the Lord shine upon you on the one hand or the calumnies of men like so many arrows stick fast in you on the other whatever business be before you this business must not be behind or be neglected by you and herein use an holy constancy as you would maintain an holy Conscience and be able to say with Paul I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day 1 Pet. 3.15 Job 27.6 3 Comprehensive endeavours they must be both as respects the state of Conscience that it be void of offence and the objects it regardeth likewise both toward God and toward man Keep the Conscience inoffensive if you would keep it entire and Evangelically good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is sometimes passively taken Phil. 1.10 Sometimes actively 1 Cor. 10.32 that Conscience neither give nor take offence either offend or be offended Eye Conscience in both kinds and herein exercise your selves constantly nor only as respects God nor only as respects man but as respects both God and Man first as respects God then as respects Man Let Religion toward God and Righteteousness toward Man be your continued exercise and you will neither impair the tranquillity nor injure the tenderness of your Conscience Job 2.3 Psal 15. Isa 33.15 16. Conscience hath both Tables of the Law committed originally to it The Conscience again committeth them as Josiah did to the other Powers as its inferior Officers when these bring Conscience word as Shaphan brought the King back word again saying All that was committed to thy servants they do it Then we have both a sincere and inoffending and also a secure and inoffended Conscience 2 Chr. 34.15 16. 8. Exercise Conscience oftner if you would have it always good The weal of Conscience lyes much-what within the walls of conscience If you vvould keep conscience vvell you must keep conscience at vvork sloth vvill beget sickness beget sin and incense justice to take away your talent Mat. 25.28 2. 1 Be frequent in examining Conscience ask how the case stands the frequent'st trier is usually the forward'st thriver in the School of Christ and of Conscience as well as of humane Literature The more you prove and examine Conscience the more you provoke and engage it for after-times and improve the experiences antecedent Psal 77.6 c. 2 Be forward in exciting Conscience Is it incident to drowsiness distempers deadness call upon it the oftener rouse it up by awakening Considerations thy Conscience is keeper of the Vineyards the other faculties and thine own Vineyard hast thou not kept Put it in remembrance of its duty and thy danger Provoke it by arguments of mercy and alarums of justice that if thou must say with the Spouse I sleep yet thou may'st say with her my heart waketh Psal 108.2 Cant. 1.6 c. 5.2 3 Be faithful in exonerating Conscience Whatever Conscience directed by the Word of God dictateth fail not to do it whatever it forbids thee forbear it else thou teachest Conscience to forbear thee limiting Conscience and not listning to Conscience are a ready way to the losing of Conscience 'T is miserable when men are churlish with Conscience and it must be said of you as Nabal's servants said of him He is such a son of Belial that Conscience cannot speak to him 1 Sam. 25.17 Listen to Conscience then and be led by it so shalt thou live in all good Conscience As God said to Abraham so say I to thee In all that Sarah in all that Conscience shall say unto thee hearken unto her voice If you would hold a good Conscience obey a good Conscience if it may not be heard it will away If it may command thee it will continue with thee Act. 23.1 Gen. 21.12 2 Tim. 1.3 1 Tim. 3.9 9. Exercise the good that is in and with your Conscience Actuate and imploy your implanted habits of Grace and these will grow into greater increases Keep up the lively exercise of Faith Love and Repentance and you keep up the exercise and enjoyment of a good Conscience These say to Conscience as David sometime did to Abiatbar Abide with us fear not he that seeketh thy life seeketh our life With us thou shalt be in safety Prov. 4.18 1 Sam. 22.23 Rinse Conscience upon every fall thou catchest from the filth which thou contractest in the waters of repentance The more tears of Contrition the more tenderness of Conscience and transcendent comfort Psal 51. Job 11.14 15. Raise and quicken Faith this will subdue enemies without sanctifie Conscience within sprinkle the blood of Jesus on it and suck continued virtue from his blessed promises 1 Joh. 5.4 5. Act. 26. Heb. 10.22 23. Repeat and continue the dear and delicious acts of Love which will facilitate the Commandments to you free Conscience in you and fits you to whatever capacity Christ shall call you 1 Joh. 5.3 1 Cor. 13.4 8. CHAP. III. Of the Pure and Defiled Conscience Q. 1. Whether the Conscience in man be naturally pure or defiled Touching this I must return you to what hath been already spoken Chap. 2. Quest 2. and 3. Q. 2. Whether a pure Conscience be attainable by man in this life THere is a double purity of the Conscience 1. Exact and legal as fully answers to what the Law asks 2. Evangelical and more large as fitly agrees with what the Gospel allows That excludes all degrees of pollution and includes all degrees of perfection this allows no degree of pollution and aspires after the highest degree of perfection 1. That legal and exact purity of the Conscience neither can nor ever was attained since the Fall by any meer man in this life 1. Who was ever priviledged in this life from the pollution of Conscience Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Who can understand his errors Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean as man is not one There is not a just man upon the earth
come from the spirit do not quash them as thou wouldst not quench the spirit or wouldst consult thy Salvation Joh. 16.8 Gen. 6.3 Hos 4.4 5. See 1 Thou do not stifle or suppress them They held the truth down in unrighteousness and liked not to retain God in their knowledg Rom. 1. What became of it Therefore God gave them over to a reprobate mind And now farewell Convictions farewell Conscience till they feel the effect of such a constupration happily in eternal condemnation they are filled with all manner of unrighteousness and are fatting for eternal ruin ver 18 21 24 28 29 c. This is the hazard thou runnest especially upon iterated acts of rebellion Prov. 1.24 33. Psal 81.11 12. Mat. 13.14 15. Prov. 29.1 And though justice may not take this advantage against thee yet every stifled Conviction will now add to the hardning of thy Conscience and to the augmenting of thy shame sorrow and self-confusion when God shall awaken Conscience Zeph. 7.11 12. Rom. 2.4 5. Jer. 31.19 2 Thou do not sit down or sit still under them Is Conscience convinced how canst thou be quiet Are these chains to sleep in What! condemned of thy self and yet sit quiet What if God should condemn thee too Methinks we should hear thee crying out with the Jaylor and those Jews Men and Brethren what shall we do Sirs what must I do to be saved And like the two blind men the more others are complaining the more should you be crying Tit. 3.11 1 Joh. 3.20 Act. 2.37 c. 16.29 30. Mat. 20.30 31. I say therefore to you as the Lepers said among themselves Why sit you here until you die Arise and be doing if Conscience kill you you can but die 2 King 7.3 4. 3 See thou do not shift them off They were convicted by their own Conscience Joh. 8. but it came to no good they stealing away from Christ and shifting away from Conscience every one to his course of life Cain baffles Conscience with building Cities and a crowd of secular businesses Saul is melancholy happily Convictions might be upon him from the Lord though this was not all and he must have the Ministrel the musick Joh. 8.9 Gen. 4.15 17. 1 Sam. 16.23 See thou be not diverted from thy Convictions by any company especially which is sinful or by any secular contrivance and that thou do not dismiss them as Felix did his till another convenience whose Conscience as far as appears did ever after contract more guilt and filthiness Act. 24.25 26 27. To day therefore while it is called to day hear Gods voice and do not harden your hearts lest to your voluntary hardning and aversation from Conviction God add a judicial hardning and afford you no more Convictions Hebr. 3.7 16.4 7. II. Speak to Conscience and suffer that to speak to unto you commune often with it and ask it What have I done and as the Lord asked Cain What hast thou done As ever you would have Conscience throughly salved you must throughly search let your probe go to the bottom of its ulcerated nature let thy spirit make diligent search Psal 4.4 Jer. 8.6 Gen. 4.10 Psal 77.6 Having searched it speak to it tell it of its sick sad perilous and pitiful estate tell it of its rottenness and Gods revenging justice Shew it its extensive diseases and the eternal death that will ensue without its effectual change Speak to it of the searcher of hearts and that he seeth all its sins and shifts God often imputeth the sinfulness of mens hearts to this that they say not in their hearts they set not to their heart and particularly that they say heart not to their Heb. that I remember all their wickedness Jer. 5.24 Isa 44.19 Hos 7.2 Marg. Yea and suffer Conscience to speak to you while it tells you of your sins or of its sinfulness The knowledg of your case is a fair step towards your cure Do not silence or suspend Conscience or shut its mouth or thy ears against its clamors Conscience calls to you as Jotham to the men of Shechem Hearken unto me that God may hearken unto you and if you will not hear and if you will not lay it to heart be sure the end will be full of hazard Wrath is like to come upon you to the uttermost who charge Conscience as the Jews sometimes did the Ministers of Christ That they teach no more in this Name Or are ready to chide Conscience as Amaziah sometime quipped the Prophets confidence Art thou made of the Kings counsel forbear why shouldst thou be smitten Judg. 9. Mal. 2.2 1 Thes 2.16 Act. 4.18 2 Chr. 25.16 17. III. Stir up and strengthen consideration The badness of Conscience grows out of your backwardness to consider Israel doth not know my people doth not consider What cometh of it Ah sinful Nation a people laden with iniquity c. Isa 1.34 They considered not in their heart thence were they so corrupt both in their hearts and actions Hos 7.1 2 c. When God would have men rectifie their Conscience he would therefore have them to recall and consider with themselves Psal 50.21 22. Isa 44.19 c. 41.20 Hearken then Oh careless sinner and consider 1 If Conscience be bad your Conversations are bad if not in the account of man yet in the account of God who seeth not as man seeth Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart 1 Sam. 16.7 Can the salt-spring yield fresh streams or will the sharp thorn bring forth sweet grapes Every tree saith our Saviour is known by his own fruit For of thorns men do not gather figs nor of a bramble-bush gather they grapes He applies it to the case in hand An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things Let Conscience be evil and thy Conversation thy Communication is not like to be good For these things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile the man And this know though thy conversation be bad thy Conscience is worse Here is the treasures 't is out of the abundance of the heart Jam. 3.11 12. Luk. 6.44 45. Mat. 15.18 19. 2 Is Conscience evil your callings are evil though not in themselves yet to your selves If this be depraved there is nothing pure to you your tables become a snare and your trading becomes a sin Is Conscience corrupt the Farm the Oxen the Wife will keep you from Christ which should carry you to him and your plowing yea your praying is sin Tit. 1.15 Psal 69.22 Luk. 14.18 19 20. Prov. 21.4 Psal 109.8 3 Is Conscience evil your comforts are evil Inward comforts are but ensnaring cheats and the illusions and cousenliges of the evil one For all true and gracious comforts arise from the testimony of a good Conscience otherwise while you bless God doth curse Job 8.19 2 Cor. 1.12 Deut. 29.19 20. Your outward comforts are overgrown with
that have this good Conscience Psal 19.12 13. 4 'T is good as concerns all our capacities § 10 The good Conscience goeth the whole compass of a Christian of Christianity and of his calling For the Christian the good Conscience will have him good without and good within 'T is for inward renovation as well as outward reformation for washing the heart the affections as well as whiting the appearances the actions It 's taken up most about the inward and hidden man calls first for truth in the inward parts the transforming of the Understanding into divine Truths and turning in of the Will unto and determining it upon the Divine goodness And you shall ever find a good Conscience followed with a good Conversation Ephes 4.23 24. Jer. 4.14 1 Pet. 3.4 Psal 51.6 Rom. 12.2 Deut. 26.17 1 Pet. 3.16 For Christianity the good Conscience will forgo none and is found good in all the doctrines and duties and graces both of faith and charity 'T is not only almost but altogether perswaded to be a Christian From the heart hath this Soul obeyed the form of Christian doctrine This Conscience is as were it cast into it and cometh from it as the vessel from the mould into which it was melted * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.5 Act. 26.28 29. Rom. 6.17 For our callings the good Conscience will be good in our particular Callings and relations as well as good in our general and as concerns Religion Good as a Subject as well as good as a Saint Innocency was found in me before God and also before thee O King I have done no hurt saith Daniel Chap. 6.22 Good as a Minister of a flock not seeking his own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved Good as a Master of a Family He and his house will serve the Lord He will walk within his house with a perfect heart 1 Cor. 10.33 Josh 24.15 Psal 101.2 In short the good Conscience considers the business as well as the benefit of the relation and calling Conscience directs the business that it be done in the Lord and as he hath limited discusses the business whether it be done or not and calls over the carriage of it and asks the son servant c. as Samuel did Saul What hast thou done And in a word dictates that all businesses be done for the Lord and for Conscience sake Ephes 5.22 chap. 6.10 1 Sam. 13.11 Jer. 8.6 Rom. 13.5 1 Pet. 2.18 19. How is it with you then let Conscience speak an evil Conversation doth loudly proclaim an evil Conscience Or is the outside clean but the inside mean while corrupt You name the name of Christ but are your natures still unchang'd and carnal You are good at the doctrine of Christianity but are you bad at the duties Good at the Temple and in Gods house but bad at your Trades and in your own Houses Good at the Bible with Judas but bad at the Bag Good at your general profession of Religion but bad in your particular places and relations You have then but an evil Conscience Mat. 23.25 28. 2 Tim. 2.19 21. Tit. 1.16 Jer. 7.4 13. Joh. 12.6 Luk. 16.10 11. But as for you whose Consciences run all points of the Compass respects all parts of your callings you into whose conversations Conscience like Christs coat is woven from the top throughout You that are willing in a◠things to live honestly to wear the comfort of a good Conscience as Paul did and Peter directs tacitely Heb. 13.10 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Pet. 3.16 5 'T is good in its whole Compass § 11 The Conscience that is truly good is throughly good This goodness is not at the list only but runs throughout the whole piece 'T is often called the perfect heart 2 Chron. 25.2 1 King 11.4 c. 15.3.14 There is no piece or part of the Conscience but is renewed with Grace though it be renewed but in part 'T is good at the rule in the first Proposition It hath learnt not only the truth of Jesus but the truth as 't is in Jesus Good at the reflection it is to make and the report it is to manifest in the second Proposition Good at the result from both in the third Proposition 'T is good as a rule good as a witness good as a judg So that the Christian is habitually disposed to do what it enjoyneth and endure what is imposed for Conscience sake 1 Pet. 2.19 Rom. 13.5 Is Conscience then sanctified throughout Hath the leaven of special grace leavened the whole lump Is your heart not only studied but sound in Gods statutes Then shall you not be ashamed 1 Thes 5.23 Psal 119.80 6 'T is good for continuance § 12 and in all conditions The good Conscience is good as concerns all times as well as all things I do exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence saith Paul Act. 24.16 Though the good Conscience be not always in exercise yet the good man doth exercise himself to have always a good Conscience A good Conscience saith one holds out constantly in a good cause without deflection and in a good course without defection * Dykes Good Cons c. 8. p. 113 Particular failings thereof cannot but be confessed but this is the prevailing frame and ordinary constitution of it Let the times frown or favour be times of prosperity to or persecution of the Church and cause of God yet the good Conscience whether it rain or shine holds on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 He may sometimes go out of his way but never will give it over This Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to Gods Testimonies at all times and hath respect unto his Statutes continually his heart may turn aside but is not turned back and though it may sometimes deal foolishly and most times feebly yet dealeth not falsly in Gods Covenant Psal 119.20 117. c. 44.17 18. Let Satan tempt Job the Sabeans trouble c. his Cattel his Corn his Sheep his Servants his Children and all are taken from him but this good Conscience still tarrieth with him He could hold fast none of that great confluence but still he holdeth fast this good Conscience as God himself is witness and Satan doth not withstand it Job 1.13 20. cum 2.3 Still he holdeth fast his Integrity Put it upon the enquiry then in your own spirits What! like Reuben unstable as waters Doth Conscience shift as the winds of worldly profit or preferment sit Now for the Word and now for the World with Demas Would you fain have saved Christ and his concernments as Pilat would from the cruelty of the Jews even now and do you by and by sentence him to death when others would else say you were no friends to Caesar What! good only while Jehojadah your Tutor or Minister c. lived and now grown evil Good only till Balak offers the wages of unrighteousness to
there are good things found in thee in that thou hast prepared thine heart to seek God 2 Chron. 19.2 3. 2 My conversation will be good Conscience hath the ducture of it the dominion over it as it goeth well or ill in Conscience within so it will be in thy Conversation without See Q. 4. Make the Tree good and his Fruit is good * Non erit fructus bonus nisi arboris bonae muta Cor mutabitur opus Aug. de verb. Dom. Ser. 12. Make the Tree corrupt and his Fruit is corrupt Mat. 12.33 34. Rehoboam's course of life was bad in that his Conscience was bad Because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. Ezra's on the contrary was good in that his Conscience was good Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord 2 Chron. 12.14 Ezra 7.10 See 1 Pet. 3.16 3 My Capacities will be good These are regulated by the Conscience and are renewed with the Conscience 1. Your receptive Capacities whereby you receive from God will be enlarged and enabled to take in more from him both of his truth and goodness Natural Conscience cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God but the Renewed can receive them and that with all readiness and in much riches Grace for Grace from Christ the Word joy and gladness from and with the Word of Christ the Spirit of Adoption sweet and full assurance c. 1 Cor. 2.12 14. Act. 17.11 Col. 2.2 Joh. 1.16 1 Thes 1.6 Rom. 8.15 Heb. 10.22 2. Your active Capacities whereby you return to God and work out your everlasting good Have you a good Conscience you will be willing in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 The evil Conscience contracts and straitens the good Conscience dilates and wâ—â—ens the Capacity of Man here is true largâ—ess of Heart the fetters of Sin now fall off the Mind will be enlarged to know and consider the Will to elect and embrace the Lord and his Laws the Memory to record and recall and the very Members to run the way of his Testimonies 1 King 4.29 Prov. 2.10 11 12. Psal 119.32 4 Then and not else are others Commendations good As the fining-pot for silver and the furnace for gold so is a man to his praise Prov. 27.21 The sense is variously given this seems to me most full and consonant if ch 17.3 be compared where the same comparison is used So is a man to the trial of his Praise Others Commendations are to be case into the fining-pot of our own Consciences If these convince that we are dross what are we the better though they cry us up for Gold Let thy Conscience be good or their Commendatio will not do good but hurt * Non ideo bona est Conscientia quia vos illam laudatis Quid enim laudatis quod non videtis Aug. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 49. 'T is not whom Man commendeth but whom God commends and Conscience commends in and under God that is approved 2 Cor. 10.18 1 Joh. 3.20 5 My Comforts will be great Who knoweth the great Comforts of a good Conscience Of which hereafter 'T is acknowledged that Comfort doth immediately grow rather out of the Testimony of a good Conscience than out of its truth of goodness But this is the root and fountain-head of it that the Conscience is truly good and this streams shame and consternation to accusers support and comfort to such as have this good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Pet. 3.16 Let the fountains of the deep be broken up this will be an Ark of safety from the Deluge and a continual feast in the days of affliction and distress 1 Pet. 3.21 Prov. 15.15 6 My Crown will be glorious Assure the Conscience good here and I dare assure you the Crown of Glory hereafter The good Conscience hath its record on high and is assured of its reward on high Its Witness is in Heaven and it ensureth a welfare in Heaven also There is a great recompense of reward if you keep your Conscience and cast not away your confidence No sooner shall you have discharged your Consciences but God will deliver you the Crown I have fought a good fight saith Paul I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing Job 16.19 Heb. 10.35 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 2ly Argue it with Conscience Direct 2 Self-reasoning conduceth much to self-reformation arguing with Conscience to the amendment of Conscience Psal 42.5 11. 43.5 1. Argue from its preferring honour by this it is that I am difference from and dignified beyond the bruits and shall my glory descend in shame and my best honour in a worse than brutish obstinacy shall their brutish goodness out-brave mine who have the principles of a man and bear the profession of a Christian shall they know and I not consider shall their knowledg be according to its kind good and my Conscience continue bad Let mens credit be never so great if their Conscience be not therewith good they are accounted no better than beasts in the sight of God Isa 1.3 Jer. 8.7 Psal 49.20 2. From the place it holds 1. In Man Conscience is not placed in the lower sensitive and earthly but in the higher intellectual and heavenly part of Man shall my best be evil my light darkness my heaven-born power but as an earthen pitcher If I be not good in this where should where shall I be good 2. Over Man God hath given it dominion over the whole man and 't is to have the ducture in all matters and shall not my Conscience be good whose command is so great shall that abide yet further evil whose authority is of so vast extent 3. Under God He hath made it a god to thee as Moses sometimes was to Pharaoh Exod. 7.1 It is God's Vicegerent in thee who is and doth good and shall not this be good that holds next under God 3. From the perfections it had How choice were they as Conscience was created and came off from the workmanship of God! Eccles 7.29 Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 And doth not every Creature even to the crawling worm contend toward the recovery of its lost perfection and proper good Shall man then or shall I only who am endowed with an intelligent and immortal Spirit sit down at rest in the evil lost by me and not reach after the good that lieth before me and is tendered to me 4. From the power it hath It can as one saith * Annesly Lect. Ep. 5. do any thing but make evil good Let Conscience be bad and it maketh not only an indifferent but a good action bad as before Let Conscience be good and it maketh an indifferent Action good and though it doth not alter the nature yet it abateth the malignity of an Action that is in
Conscience is asleep and therefore quiet but here it 's awake and at work and therefore are they comforted yea filled oft-times with comfort under variety of crosses They are not only not vexed not frighted or only fed by Conscience but find a continual feast in the peace of their Conscience 2 Cor. 1.1 2. c. 7.4 Prov. 15.15 3 In point of transcendency That soon evaporates into airy imaginations and intoxicates affections But this peace is both serious and superlative The Soul feels what the other never found or can fathom Nay he feels more than himself can utter or indeed comprehenlively understand This peace passeth all understanding not only others but his own Rev. 2.17 Phil. 4.7 4 In the principle transfering it Peace I leave with you saith Christ my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Joh. 14.27 5 In the proper treasury of it These things have I spoken saith he that in me ye might have peace Joh. 16.33 This is not a peace then of the world's giving nor of our own getting We neither get it of our selves nor get it out of our selves 'T is a peace of Christs giving the Christian goeth to him for it in the purity of peace and glorieth in him as the procurer and peculiar object of his peace He is our peace say Believers Rom. 5.1 c. 2.7 Ephes 2.14 2. In the extent of Evangelical peace See 1 from what it extendeth it self 1. From the indwelling of Satan He like a strong man armed keeps the other's heart as his house and so its peace while his possession is undisturbed Being willing captives in whom he works effectually he suffers them to walk at ease and quiet Luk. 11.21 2 Tim. 2.26 Ephes 2.2 But this peace alway presupposeth his dispossession and devestment from power the binding of him for you and the bruising of him under you the taking of his armor from him and treading of him under the feet of you The God of peace shall bruise or tread satan under your feet shortly Luk. ibid. 22. Col. 1.13 Rom. 16.20 2. From the dominion of sin The security of the evil Conscience is in that sin hath the entire command and suffers not conviction to embroil Conscience Rom. 1.21 c. 7.9 Amos 6.1 3 c. But Evangelical security is founded upon the excussion of sin and extrusion thereof out of command and authority in the Soul While sin reigns there is no sound rest To be carnally minded is death to be spiritually minded is life and peace Psal 19.13 Rom. 2.8 9 10. c. 7.9 10 11. c. 8.6 3. From the displeasure of God The tranquillity of evil Consciences is taken up mostly either from God's seeming silence at their sins and suspending of his severities or from their insensibleness of what he threatens and shifting it from themselves to others or from the smiles of his providence upon them in common enjoyments and blessings When yet all this while he reserves his anger and it shall smoke against such sinners Psal 50.21 22. Eccles 8.11 Deut. 29.19 20. Mal. 2.2 But Evangelical peace extends it self beyond God's not punishing or not threatning or not being provoked and beyond God's prospering and preserving His comforts are that God is his portion God is pleased his person justified and his works accepted His cares are how he may please God and walk worthy of his good pleasure and never is he so cheery as in the Conscience of this that he pleaseth God which trieth our hearts Psal 4.8 Rom. 5.1 Eccles 9.7 1 Cor. 7.32 Col. 1.10 Heb. 11.5 1 Thes 2.4 In examining then the truth of this peace let these be some of thy principal enquiries Whether Satan was ever disturbed and dethroned and thy Soul delivered from under his power in the dominion of the Prince of Peace and to do and endure his pleasure Whether sin be dead in thee and thou to sin and thy Soul desireth as well peace from sin and power against sin as to be preserved from smart and anguish Whether God be pleased with thee and thy greatest care be to please him and to commend thy Conscience and Conversation to his sight and approbation 2 See what this Evangelical Peace extendeth it self unto 1. To all the subject the whole Conscience yea the whole Christian to comfort keep confirm him in his Communion with God But especially it shall keep your hearts and minds and these in believing your inward powers in the inward power of godliness Phil. 4.7 Rom. 15.13 2. To all Circumstances for the enjoyment of it self under them and the improvement of it self by them While he senseth this peace he can swallow any persecution nor only rejoyce in hope of the glory of God but glory in tribulation also c. Rom. 5.1 2 3. 3 To all the Causes Supream subordinate Supream Oh! how it extendeth it self to the God of Peace Father Son and Holy Ghost in an enriching Communion with them an exact Conformity to them and a most endearing Complacency in and with them while the God of Love and Peace is with these Rev. 1.4 5. Phil. 4.9 Heb. 13.20 21. Subordinate How are their own feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace and how beautiful are others feet to them that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring the glad tydings of these good things Ephes 6.15 Rom. 10.15 Wouldst try the truth of thy Peace turn in hither and examine the extent of it by these particulars that false peace falls short and though like those Locusts St. John mentioneth which had the faces of men Rev. 9.7 10. it may have some appearance of and approaches toward this peace yet as they were fierce and far from the nature of men so it is utterly alien from and adverse unto it in these particulars 3. In the efficient matter form and end of this Evangelical Peace These kinds of peace are widely different when the causes are so wide and different 'T is called the Peace of God Phil. 4.7 This is a peace that cometh from God he is the maker of it 2. In Communion with God here is the principal matter of it 3. Conformable to God here is the mould and form of it 4. Carried after and concludeth in and with God he is the ultimate end of it 1 Enquire then into the efficient of your peace The Principal Came it from the God of Peace That other peace is of our own or others coyning but this is of God's creating 'T is he that fills with peace in believing Isa 57.19 Rom. 15.13 If it came from God it carrieth thee to and keeps thee with God Hither doth this Soul turn alone for peace On him he trusts for peace and with him he tarries till he shall speak peace Hos 6.1 Isa 26.3 Psal 85.8 The Procatarctick Came it through and by the blood of Christ Peace of Conscience is of Christ's procuring He got it for you by the merit of Redemption He
CASES OF Conscience Practically Resolved By the Reverend and Learned JOHN NORMAN late Minister of Bridgwater LONDON Printed by A. M. for Edw. Brewster at at the Sign of the Crane in St. Paul's Churchyard 1673. THE PREFACE THe reverent Author of this ensuing Treatise Mr. John Norman some few years since deceased is by that state secured both from flattery or obloquy why then should we light a candle of Praise behind his back In short the sole motive to these few lines was this Some dear Relations and Friends of his desirous that his name and worth might be made known to such as knew him not as it was in the Orb wherein he both moved and shined have importuned this unfeigned character and testimony of him What therefore we have seen and heard we testifie While he lived in the Ministry he shined as an eminent light in this world holding forth the word of life His Race while he was in his work was not long yet did he run his race with great diligence and patience out-stripping many A workman that needed not to be ashamed adorning his talent and province and fulfilling I had almost said the Apostles character 2 Cor. 6.4 5 c. And thus when his Lord came and called him off he found him doing Thus he shined in all his motions and trials following the Lamb where ever he led him For the time of my intimacy with him I found him a man of a choice spirit He was relatively godly as a Pastor Husband Father God endowed him with rare natural Parts blessed with no small acquests both of grace and learning he was acute clear and solid in his reasonings and in his converse grave condescending communicative and of an amicable sweetness True to his own light yet not Magisterially imposing it as a rule to others No superstitious admirer or adorer oâ— his own notions and sentiments especially in small and disputablâ— matters no supercilious censor of another mans liberty or latitude as ready to borrow light as to â—end it accounting it a character of little souls to be too nice in little things and yet not refusing the â—earch of any thing by others judged material Among all other his arâ—ainments he had a Scholastical â—exterity able to tye and untye Gordian knots and no mean caâ—uistical faculty wherein it were to â—e wisht more of our Nation beâ—â—des Mr. Perkins and Ames had â—udied to excell Hereof this enâ—ing piece is some taste intended â—y him but as an Essay in this part â—f Theology Which thou hast Christian Reader presented to thee without correction or alteration wherein if any defect appear his own Revisal prevented by death would have supplied accept and peruse it now as it is A Treatise of Conscience requires a conscientious Author which this had and a conscientious Reader which it calls for This is needful in every age and state of the Church and perhaps principally in ours both to point our judgments rectifie mistakes reduce strayers heal divisions settle unstableness and steer our course For it is a subject practical and hath influence into the very vitals of Religion and though it is a duty and withal some difficulty to observe a rule yet much more to give a rule this requires a Master-workman though we are cast into an age critical curious too much quarrelous which God heal yet be thou rather in thy study conscientious practical and peaceable this time as well as this Treatise calls for it I have purposed with my self to intermix nothing of mine as to the Rhetorick part of this subject or the praxis This Torch is set before thee singly by it self shining in its own lustre walk while thou hast the light lest darkness come upon thee If thou I by such helps as these rise up to this blessed frame attain this inestimable Jewel a good conscience which is my prayer thou hast thy advantage and he his aim who is thine in the Lord William Cooper CASES OF Conscience CHAP. I. Of Conscience in General Quest 1. Whether there be such a thing as Conscience in Man A CASE of Conscience is any such Practical Question as falls under the Judgment or if you will under the disquisition and determination of Conscience Having propounded to my self in so great a defect and in so general a desire of Casuistical Tractates in our English Tongue to contribute whatever my poor abilities can afford to a work of so important a nature and of so eminent need I think it very agreeable to your expectation and my employment in my entrance upon this work The an sit and quid sit as also the quotuplex be put upon the enquiry And so what some arrogant Scepticks foolishly start and Atheistical sinners would fain shake off is the subject of this preliminary Question * See Baldw. Cas Cons l. 1. c. 1. Fenner Treat of Cons p. 33 ad 41. Binchi Mellif Theol. par 2. p. 121. The question is not whether there be the same Conscience in all men the same it is in genere naturae though not morum But whether there be found such a thing as is Conscience in all men Which I affirm In this 1. Will you consult the Scriptures Lo These suppose a Conscience in all 1 Cor. 10.29 1 Cor. 10.19 2 Cor. 4.2 2. Send all to consult with their own Consciences Ps 4.4 1 Cor. 11.13 3. Set all upon cleansing and keeping of their Consciences with the utmost diligence Prov. 4.23 1 Tim. 1.5 4. Shew you a Cloud of Witnesses not only among the Pious but the Profane the Pagans in the exercise of Conscience Act. 24.16 Gen. 42.21 22. Rom. 2.15 5. And speak the kinds the keeping the comforts concussions acts authority c. of Conscience of which hereafter So that though the Scriptures never attempt to prove that there is a Conscience as being a proposition of clear evidence in Nature and of confessed evidence among all Nations yet do they abundantly proclaim that there is a spirit a Conscience in Man and that the inspiration of the Almighty hath given him understanding Job 32.8 2. Will you but commune with your own selves Whence are those seeds and dictats of such religious dues from you to God of righteousness to men and of sobriety in your selves which so frequently put forth within you What or whence those suggestions for refraining sin and for rouzing up your selves to and in the service of the eternal God and for securing your everlasting good which are so often prompted to and pressed upon you What or whence those silent reasonings and motions within your own breasts and the several returns you make into your own bosoms or hearts What or whence those searchings and self-reflections upon what you are and act And secret rebukes when you are or act amiss though no eye seeth it As also those sweet refreshments you inwardly feel in consciousness of your own innocency when others unjustly censure you or injuriously
frighted Prov. 20.27 4. Behold Mans Dignity If every man hath a Conscience than is Mankind advanced in dignity next the very Angels Some of the Creatures have being only and no life others have being and life but no sense these again have being life and sense but no reason But man was created and is continued with being life sense and reason likewise Let your condition as creatures be considered and you are but little lower than the Angels Ps 8.4 c. The noblest of brute and inanimate Creatures have no principle of Reason no power for self-reflection they have neither science nor conscience You have both of them Be thankful for be tender of improve and justifie this Dignity Mind it maintain it otherwise this Dignity will but heighten your damnation and you will be worse than the beasts that perish who while men injure and abuse their Conscience imploy and improve their brutish knowledg Rom. 1.18 ad finem Ps 49.12 14 20. Isa 1.2 3 4. 5. Behold his duty If every man hath a Conscience then no man is left to a sinful license without a check or restraint upon him or to his self-lusts without a command to rule him without a Controller to reprove him a Conscience to curb and reprehend him What duties are delineated and drawn out upon every mans Conscience I shall not discuss or enquire though I doubt not to say that there is since the fall at least a minute-draught left of the Moral law of God upon her So that he that will not shut the eyes of his Conscience must needs see that he is under a law and debt of religion toward God of righteousness toward man and of temperance and sobriety to his own self The Gentiles which have not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witness c. Rom. 2.14 15. Q. 4. But what duties hath every man to look to in that he is not left without Conscience I answer in that every man hath a Conscience he is engaged thereby to look well to the whole compass of his duty and in all things to live honestly Heb. 13.18 For therefore is Conscience bestowed upon him for the better knowledg of his duties for binding and keeping him to his duties and for his better conduct in and throughout his duties But more particularly * See Eenners Treat oâ— Consc p. 38 c. there are duties incumbent on you both 1 in regard that you have a Conscience and in 2. regard of the Conscience that you have 1. In that you have a Conscience 1. Be less sensual Sensuality is for Brutes that are led by sense and imagination But there is a spirit in man an internal principle of knowledg and Conscience which no sensible object is suitable to or can satisfie Ps 49.6 ad finem the wisdom wills ways that are earthly and sensual are below a man are brutish yea devilish Jam. 3.15 Jam. 73.22 Compared with the former uses 2. Be more Spiritual both in the offices you perform and in the objects you pitch upon There is a Conscience in every one of you which knoweth the things not only without but within man the interior motions of the mind as well as the exterior of the members 1 Cor. 2.11 See there be truth then in the inward and hidden parts and slubber not over outward religious actions without inward religious acts and affections Let there be a proportion within to your practice without which is not only requisite in that you have a Conscience but it will richly assure your heart and Conscience before God 1 Joh. 3.18 19. 3. Be more strict in secret You cannot look Conscience out of your Closets or Counting-houses Here is a spy and centinel from God upon you yea in you wheresoever you are and whatsoever you are about The most secret omission or commission can never escape the privy search of Conscience or its judicial censure It searcheth all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 4. Be more circumspect Ponder the paths of your feet look well to your estates and actions Walk circumspectly Hazard not a breach with Conscience for these bitter-sweet comforts or thy Salvation for Secular vanities Adventure not upon sin or the snares that induce to or intangle in sin Remember Conscience is with thee yea within thee a strict Notary to write a sure Observer to witness and a severe Judg to punish thy precipitate especially thy preconsulted iniquities II. In regard of the Conscience you have Have you a Conscience Then 1. Act Conscience All habits and all powers are for action And the more eminent they are the more for exercise You imploy the sensitive and brutish part why should the Rational and Angelical part as Conscience is lie idle The more inactivity the more you contract of inability here and the more will be compensate for this injury hereafter Rom. 1.21 c. 2. Attend Conscience Its orders offices obligation all the items intimations and instructions which thou hast from it Whatsoever it saith especially that it self be safe here is the main guard if Sin or Satan seiseth this what is safe Keep thy heart which includeth the Conscience with all diligence above all keeping for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4.23 3. Acquaint your selves with Conscience You seek correspondence abroad and should you be strangers to Conscience at home which dwells under the same roof with your self and is expressed to you by your very selves in the Scripture Judg in your selves 1 Cor. 11.13 18. i.e. Judg in your Consciences Let a man examine himself i.e. Let him examine his Conscience 1 Cor. 11.28 Knâ—w ye not your own selves So large acquaintance with others and so little with thy own self Go commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be still 2 Cor. 13.5 Psal 4.4 4. Assure Conscience Here is an intestine friend or enemy and therefore the best friend or worst enemy 'T is a general office and of greatest over-sight Oh the happy consequence of assuring Conscience you assure the God of conscience who will acquit and accept you and therewith confidence toward God not only of access to but of audience by him in whatsoever you ask of him 1 Joh. 3.19 23. Q. 5. What is Conscience in Man What Conscience in Angels is comes not within the compass of this Question nor much concerns our knowledg 'T is true we find Conscience at work both in the Angels that kept their first estate Rev. 19.10 and in those that kept it not Mat. 8.29 But this is eccentrick to our design which is to discuss Conscience in man wherein I may not apply my self to feed the itch of a Polemical School-querist but as may best fit the intention of a sober practical Casuist The An sit hath been spoken to the Quid sit is the subject now before us And in that the nature of
c. Mal. 1.13 Job 21.15 Chap. 35.3 Amos 8.5 Exod. 5.2 2. Sometimes 't is outs in the measure generally it is in one extream or other either over or under Conscience accused Cain as also Judas but to that extremity as ended in despair and horrour It accused Ahab and Felix but not as might infer the hatred of their sins or alteration of their states Gen. 4.13 c. Mat. 27.3 4 5. 1 King 21.29 cum Chap. 22. Act. 24.25 26 27. 3. Most times 't is out in the method and circumstance of time Conscience should be checking and curbing in the first motion of sin within but concupiscence ordinarily conceiveth and bringeth forth e're Conscience checketh it or censureth the sinner Conscience should have anticipated that act of pride and carnal confidence in Davids numbring the people at least should have been accusing while that act was a consummating But nine months and twenty days are run out e're Conscience gives him a rebuke And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people Conscience condemned the sin of Judas but not till he saw the condemning of Jesus 2 Sam. 24.8 10. Mat. 27.3 4. At all times 't is out in the manner if God should be severe and weigh it in the scales of his Justice Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin That his Conscience hath discharged its office with that freedom and faithfulness with that openess and holiness with that sincerity and self-denial c. as is due from us Who can understand his errors Prov. 20.9 Eccles 7.20 Psal 19.12 2. With relation to future things and tims Conscience is authoritatively to direct and determine 1. Subordinately under God and as from God as the chief Governour 2. Supreamly to and for God as the chief good and end But alas how sinful is it here likewise 1. How little doth it attend insomuch as God complains None saith restore and calls out Who will hearken and hear for the time to come Isa 42.23 How few are there that with Mary ponder those things in their hearts which concern the after-times and their eternal peace But how many that hold fast deceit that refuse to return and set their heart on their iniquity rather than to seek out their duty And because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Luk. 2.19 Jer. 8.5 Chap. 5.3 Hos 4.8 Eccles 8.11 2. How lost is its authority Conscience hath much-what left its subordination to God and his word Lo they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them Jer. 8.9 Chap. 6.10 The Commandments of Men are received and the Commandments of God are rejected by the Pharisees and Conscience is pretended and pleaded Mat. 15.1 10. Mar. 7.1 14. Conscience hath much what lost also its superiority over the Will and Affections which it should over-rule and order God calls and Conscience calls Return ye every one from his evil way and make your ways and your doings good And they said There is no hope but we will walk aster our own devices and we will do every one the imagination of his evil heart And so Conscience is often enslaved though it cannot be wholly extinguished by corrupt affections Jer. 18.11 12. Chap. 2.24 25. Rom. 1.18 21 c. 3. How low is its aspect Conscience should order every business to be done as for and as before God and should hold back from sin as that which displeaseth dishonoureth and is contrary to God But alas how far distant are mens counsels which abundantly speak the defilement of Conscience Ahab humbleth himself but 't is to anticipate the sufferings denounced from God not in abhorrence of the sin done against God Jehu reforms but 't is to ensure the Government not to exalt Godliness Conscience calls the Pharisees to prayer and almes-deeds but 't is to be seen of men rather than serve God Calls the People and the Priests to fasting at some times to feasting at others But keeps them within themselves carrieth them not up to God as their end in either 1 King 21.21 ad finem 2 King 10.28 cum 31. Mat. 6.2 c. Zach. 7.5 6. 4. How languid are its acts Conscience is 1. to inform and dictate what we are to do what to decline but this it doth many times falsly most times ineffectually calling evil good and good evil putting darkness for light and light for darkness Or if it presenteth our duty right yet not so as to prevail to the doing thereof regularly Isa 5.20 Rom. 1.21 2. Conscience is to engage and bind us from iniquity to duty But this it doth either very feebly or forbears and lets fall its bonds in an affliction happily these bonds seem fast and firm but the heart is not right with God nor remains stedfast with him and they soon fall of again And as for the word spoken to them in the name of the Lord when the rod is over they are ready to say We will not hearken to thee but we will certainly do whatsoever seems good in our own eyes c. Hos 5.15 chap. 4.6 Ps 78.34 37. Jer. 44.16 17. 3. Conscience is to impell and instigate but alas how faintly doth it this or else forbears it insomuch as the Prophet complains There is none that stireth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 64.7 And the best of Believers have sound frequent cause of awakening and alaruming their Conscience Psal 57.8 chap. 103.1 2. 4. Yea Conscience is ready to engage against all this so corrupt it is as to be angry with the strict and searching Truths of God and with Ahab to quarel with Gods Elijahs Hast thou found me O mine enemy And to conclude with him against the messengers of God as he touching Micajah He never prophesieth good concerning me but evil Yea to hate the good and love the evil to hate him that rebuketh in the gate to hate the light and will not come to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 1 King 21.20 ch 22.8 Mich. 3.2 Amos 5.10 Joh. 3.19 20. How extream then is the evil of Conscience further than it is purged by the blood of Christ What cause have we then of continual humiliation and of highest circumspection How careful should we be to get Conscience cleansed and cured which leads us to the next Question Q. 3. How may we be cured of an evil Conscience The cure of the several evils or sicknesses of Conscience as also the cure of the several sorts of an evil Conscience must be expected by you and will be endeavoured by me more particularly hereafter The cure of the evil state of the Conscience is the concernment I have now before me I suppose you sensible that the state thereof is bad In order to the setting right of it I advise that I. You submit to your Convictions These Convictions
principles so that you must get Conscience well-principled for which God calls upon you My Son keep my words and lay up my Commandments with thee Let thine heart retain my words Prov. 7.1 c. 4.4 2. A right application of these principles both as a witness and as a judg to which purpose as I shall particularly direct hereafter so you must endeavour the right purifying and the right pacifying of your Consciences and get Conscience both well-purified and well pacified of which I shall speak distinctly in the Questions that ensue to which I must here dismiss you Q. 7. How may we keep a good Conscience This Question supposeth you in the possession of a good Conscience and is subjoynfor the preservation of your Conscience good * See Perkins T. 1. Treat of Conscience c. 4. §. 2. pag. 553. Sheff good Cons c. 25. with the goodness of Evangelical purity immediately and with the goodness of Evangelical peace mediately and remotely of which more afterwards In order hereunto there are some things to be declined and taken heed of and others to be done and taken heed unto First There are some things in order hereunto to be declined viz. 1. An itch after curious questions frothy speculations fabulous and vain bablings in and about the matters of Religion which will eat as a canker effeminate the Conscience and will encrease unto more ungodliness from these withdraw And let the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness take up your deliberations and discourses the end whereof is a good Conscience 2 Tim. 4.3 4. c. 2.16 17. 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. c. 1.4 5. 2. Ill Companions These corrupt both the Conversations and Consciences of each other witness Hymeneus and Alexander Hymeneus and Philetus Phygellus and Hermogenes 1 Tim. 1.19 20. 2 Tim. 2.17 c. 1.15 As you would preserve your Conscience partake not with their company unnecessarily Can a man take fire in his bosom and his Clothes not be burnt Can one go upon hot coals and his Feet not be burnt See how Ahab's Company and Solomon's Concubines debauched his and Jehoshaphat's Conscience and drew upon them God's displeasure Ephes 5.7 11. Prov. 6.27 28. 2 Chron. 18.3 c. 19.2 1 King 11.4 c. Beware of the communion of evil men as you would not blemish Conscience in the eye of God Psal 26.4 5. c. 119.63 Prov. 13.20 c. 14.7 3. An idle corrupt and soothing Ministry that lull Conscience asleep in sin or lash the Conscience of strictness These are the pests of any people My Son cease to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledg Hearken not unto the Prophets that make you vain and speak a vision out of their own heart crying peace peace when there is no peace Prov. 19.27 Jer. 23.16 21. c. 6.14 Ezek. 13.10 c. Attend rather the most strict and soul-searching Ministry enquire and take counsel from the Seer whose Sermons are most sharp and searching even to the thoughts and intents of thy heart follow these and account of their correptions as an acceptable kindness Heb. 13.17 1 Sam. 9.9 10 18. Heb. 4.12 1 Cor. 14.25 Ps 141.5 4. Intemperance of all kinds and toward any creature-Creature-comforts or Secular contentments Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be overcharged with any of them be crucified to the World and let the World be crucified to you or Conscience will be captivated by the World the rational Will to the sensitive or brutish appetite If you are set upon it that you will be rich you shall be snared and enslaved by it and shall not be innocent Luk. 21.34 Gal. 6.14 1 Tim. 6.9 Prov. 28.20 5. Indulgence of any one corruption which speaks Conscience already defective in its Office and steals off its tenderness c. by degrees Sin is never at a stay if Conscience let alone Concupiscence it will soon conceive quicken and bring forth first sin then death Jam. 1.15 Psal 1.1 You must exercise a good Conscience if you would eschew sin and eschew sin every sin if you would exercise a good Conscience specially eye the beginnings and entrance of sin that you be not hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Principiis obsta Corruption gaineth by steps Peter first casts off fear then closes with falshood then curses and forswears His faint denial at first time fetcheth out a dreadful Oath at second time and a most daring imprecation the third Heb. 3.13 Mat. 26.69 75. Conscience looseth by steps also Sin happily hath been unportable now it may be it is heavy take up betimes within a while it will become portable next time pleasant to thee and perhaps within a while thou mayst plead for it To such extremities some have arrived gradually as Bernard observeth * Primò importabile processu temporis grave Pauló post leve postea placet dulce est Ad extremum quod erat impossibile ad faciendum est impossibile ad continendum Bern. de Cons c. 3. Beware of secret sins these are a moth that eat out its integrity beware of smaller sins these make way for greater and do as surely though not as suddenly sink the vessel of Conscience as greater leaks or the springing of a plank doth Beware of the shews and seeds and inducements to sin come not nigh her corner these contract carelesness upon Conscience admit not so much as thread or shoo-latchet beware especially of staring and scandalous sins which are like the wild Boar of the Forrest to root up rend and devour Refrain thy foot from every evil way Psal 19.12 17. Eccles 10.1 Jude 23. Psal 51. 119.101 6. Idling away the checks and convictions of Conscience Observe its sayings as Jacob did Joseph's whilst others do as Joseph's Brethren did envy it or them If thou wilt be deaf to Conscience now Conscience within a while may be dumb to thee David doth not hear Conscience but hastens into Bathsheba and how long was it e're he heard from Conscience and when he doth 't is such a voice as maketh his ears to tingle and his heart to tremble Gen. 37.11 2 Sam. 11. 12. cum Psal 51. 7. Indispositions and evils of Conscience What these are hath been premised how these are best healed and cured will be prescribed hereafter Beware of its sleepiness searedness c. every disease hath a tendency toward a dissolution as in Nature so also in Grace 8. Inforcing and violating Conscience Sins against Conscience are of saddest consequence and do of all others most wound and wast the Conscience One sin deliberately committed against the Dictates of Conscience doth more to the corrupting and defilement thereof than many others contracted through weakness David's sin against the light of Conscience lost him the sense and savour of a good Conscience Men that force Conscience do at length flight Conscience and 't is just with God while these put away the good Conscience which they seemed
we get or obtain a pure Conscience Answ This enquiry is not how we may get it pure from some new actual tincture of which see Q. 7. but from its old habitual taint and pollution for which take these Directions 1. Behold the necessity of a pure Conscience and be awakened 1. Without this there is no Society with God He is of purer eyes than to entertain you in your habitual impurity There is no having nor so much as hoping Communion with or a propriety in him unless Conscience be purified in you Hab. 1.13 Psal 18.26 1 Joh. 3.3 Jam. 4.8 2 Without this there is no Salvation by God Wash thine Heart as ever thou wouldst to Heaven There is nothing entereth which is unclean that happy place is reserved only for the pure in heart Jer. 4.14 Rev. 21.27 Psal 24.3 4. A polluted Conscience is neither fit for the business nor blessedness of that pure and perfect condition 3 Without this there is no serving of God at least with acceptance to him or with advantage to you The Heart must be purified that would attempt his Presence Josh 24.19 Heb. 9.14 c. 10.22 Jam. 4.8 Till Conscience be purified the pure God will not endure thy presence nor will thy impure Conscience easily bear his Presence 4 Without this there is no sincerity in thee Clean or pure acts will never put ye beyond an hypocrite without a clean or pure Heart 'T is not a pure Conversation but a pure Conscience that speaks thy condition prosperous and secures from the condemnation of Pharisees Psal 73.1 2 Tim. 1.3 Mat. 23.25 29. 5 Without this there is no security for thee thy condition can never be safe till Conscience be sanctified All that God secures Conscience is but on this condition If thou be pure and upright And for the security of Conscience 't is grounded upon the sincerity of Conscience 't is first pure then peaceable as David points us in his prayer and 't is the pure in Heart are first pronounced Blessed by our Saviour 1 Thes 5.23 Job 8.6 Jam. 3.17 Ps 51.7 8. Mat. 5.8 2. Behold the nature of an impure Conscience and be ashamed Thou art not so pure in thine own eyes but thou art as impure and vile in God's eyes Be convinced of this and thou wilt be cleansing that and begging him to cleanse thee Prov. 30.12 Isa 65.5 Mich. 6.11 13. Job 40.4 1 Think what is defiled Conscience that choice that curious piece that so dignifieth Man next the Angels and differenceth him from the Brutes Conscience that is God's Tabernacle in Man and maketh Man the Temple of God Conscience that is chief among the faculties and is under God to command the whole frame of our Hearts and Lives What Conscience that by Creation was like the Nazarites purer than Snow whiter than Milk more ruddy than Rubies whose polishing was of Saphire should be now blacker than a coal and she that was clothed in Scarlet should embrace Dunghils That thy Gold should become thus dim and the most fine Gold be changed into dirt This cannot but procure a Lamentation especially when thou shalt consider that this thou hast contracted upon thy self who knowest how great a crime it is if through thy means the Conscience but of a weak brother should be desiled Prov. 20.27 1 Cor. 3.17 Lam. 4.1 9. 1 Cor. 8.7 2 Think what it doth defile A defiled Conscience 1. defiles all of thee it defiles the Man the whole Man the Spirit Soul and Body are defiled even the Mind the most pure and precious part is defiled wheresoever the Conscience is defiled Mat. 15.18 1 Thes 5.23 Tit. 1.15 2. It defiles all to thee there is nothing pure to thee The taking of God's Covenant into thy mouth thy very table-Table-comforts thy Meat become a sin and snare to thee Conscience being unclean whatever it toucheth doth become unclean likewise Tit. 1.15 Psal 50.16 17. 69.22 Lev. 5.2.3 It defiles all that comes from or is done by thee It streams sin upon every service Thy Civil actions thy very plowing is sin and thy sacred actions thy very praying is sin likewise For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Mat. 15.18 Prov. 21.4 c. 28.9 Job 14.4 3. Betake ye to the known provision which God hath made for purifying the Conscience and be active The pure Conscience is from God as the principal Cause 't is he that purifieth and he that pacifieth the Conscience He that cureth its diseases and cleanseth it from defilements He creates and so the Heart is clean 1 Thes 5.23 Ezek. 36.25 Psal 51.7 10. But though it be his work principally 't is our work partly too as himself presseth it Wash ye make you clean c. Isa 1.16 'T is his work to bless the means unto purifying and our work to be in the use of those means whereby he purifieth Asking the mercy of him and applying the means to us 1 Then ask this mercy from him with the greatest ardour thou may'st acknowledging thy pollution with shame and sorrow aggravating it also in his presence abhorring thy self and acknowledg with thy impotency his power as who alone can purifie thee So David Psal 51.2 11. His promises of it do not preclude but should provoke rather thy prayers for it Ezek. 36.25 cum 37. 2 Apply thee to the means and the means to thee with the greatest activity thou can'st These are the Word Water and Blood * See Sheffield's good Cons c. 2. p 33. c. 1 The Word Ye are clean through the Word saith Christ Job 15.3 This is not only pure in it self but purifying the Soul that attendeth the preaching of it Psal 19.8 Joh. 17.17 Ephes 5.26 Submit thy Conscience to the Commands of it Purity is the end of them and will be the effect in thee 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.22 If you obey Then 2. Skill thy Conscience in the Promises of it Every Promise is both a motive to and means for cleansing as of the flesh so likewise of the Spirit But there is an especial Promise in God's absolute Covenant I will sprinkle clean water on you and ye shall be clean Which you may urge upon your self in secret and urge God with in supplication 2. Cor. 7.1 Jer. 33.8 Ezek. 3.6.25 cum 37. 2 Water Ezek. ibid. Ephes 5.26 The Sacrament of Water should not only be remembred by thee but re-inforced on thee by due and doubled consideration Though I cannot say to thee as Ananias said unto Saul Arise and be Baptised and wash away thy sins if thou wert baptized in thy infancy yet I must counsel thee to apply thy Baptism by fetching arguments from thence and by eying the ability and efficacy of the Blood and Spirit of Christ thereby exhibited till thou findest the answer thereunto of a good Conscience toward God And then thy Infant-baptism will be as effectual to the washing away of thy sins in thy adult estate as the Circumcision of the Hands was
to the adult Jews who were then Circumcised and not till then with the Circumcision of the Heart * See Fords pract use of Infant-â—aptis Rom. 6.3 4. Act. 22.16 1 Pet. 3.21 Phil. 3.11 12 13. 2. The waters of sorrow or sincere repentance Contrition will cleanse thy Conscience Evangelical tears will expunge these tinctures No dirt will fix where these drops fall witness David Repentance will blot out these stains from thy Soul and thy sins also before God Smite thy rocky Heart then with the Rod of God and the Waters will gush out Draw Water and pour it out before God Repentance is called the washing of the Heart from wickedness Ezek. 18.30 31. Jer. 31.18 19. Psal 51. Act. 3.19 Exod. 17.6 1 Sam. 7.6 Jer. 4.14 3. The Waters of the Spirit sanctifying and regenerating the Spirit is not only compared to Water as quenching the drought of the Soul but as cleansing the defilements of the Soul Joh. 7.37 38 39. Ezek. 36.25 Conscience will continue sinful till he comes and cleanses its filth is not to be washed off by any work of flesh but by the effectual work of God's Spirit 'T is God's Spirit must sanctifie our Spirits or we stick in the sink and mud of our sin and uncleanness Isa 4.4 Rom. 15.16 1 Pet. 1.2 Resist not the Spirit then but receive those influences he sheds abroad Listen not to the flesh look within the vail of the Covenant where God hath promised to put his Spirit within you yea and to pour out his Spirit on you and plead his Promise in your Prayers Ezek. 11.19 Isa 44.3 Psal 51.12 143.10 3 Blood The Bath for Conscience is the Blood of Christ Here is the Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness this cleanseth from all sin and there is not any sin which doth not need this cleansing or any power of the Soul Both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministry were to be purged by Blood Moses sprinkled therewith both the Book and all the People Consider Conscience then in any capacity it needs this cleansing as a Book as a Witness as a Judg as it 's the Mansion of God and as it ministers to and in Man Zach. 13.1 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 19. 23. Sprinkle then this Blood of Jesus upon thy Conscience The People were to sprinkle the Blood with a bunch of Hysop dipt therein as well as the Priests Exod. 12.22 Lev. 16.14 To note there must be an Application of Christ's blood made by us as well as an Application made to us of this Blood by Christ and thus have we our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience as by the Spirit on his part sprinkling it on us so by Faith on our part which sprinkleth us with it Faith is that bunch of Hysop which being dipt in this Blood purifieth the Heart Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean saith the Psalmist Purifying their hearts through faith saith Peter Heb. 10.22 1 Pet. 1.2 Psal 51.7 Act. 15.9 Believe then in the Lord Jesus Faith is not only effectual through the Blood of Christ to purge the Conscience from the guilt of sin to the justification of thy person but also from the filth of sin to the Sanctification of thy Nature Rom. 5.1 Act. 26.18 4. Behold the noted excellency of a pure Conence and be assiduous For at 1 Mind the noted place of Conscience it 's the upmost part of the Soul next under God and above all that is in Man A pure Conscience is of Angelical perfection Purity is the Gem and Diamond in the Crown both of the clear and pure Conscience this renders it like the New Hierusalem a City of pure Gold 2 The noted power of this Conscience The pure Conscience hath a power of converting even the basest Mettals like the Philosopher's Stone into pure Gold afflictions into advantages To the pure Conscience all things are pure like that Perfume which the Lord prescribeth Moses whatever they are asunder being tempered together they are pure and holy 1 Pet. 2.19 c. Tit. 1.15 Exod. 30.35 3 The noted price of this Conscience What cost it no less rate than the precious Blood of the pure and immaculate Lamb of God What print carrieth it no lower than the resemblance of the purest Essence and Excellency of God Of what preciousness and pleasance doth God account it Of no less than his Habitation his Throne his Resting-place Heb. 9.14 cum 1 Pet. 1.19 1 Joh. 3.3 Isa 57.15 4 The noted Priviledges of this Conscience How great here boldness in prayer the blessing of peace the beauties of God's Presence c. Heb. 10.22 Phil. 4.7 Psal 18.26 But how glorious hereafter in a pure and perfect state most pure and beatifick sights Psal 24.3 4. Mat. 5.8 But consider this and you cannot be careless God Glory Christ Comfort do all severally bespeak Conscience as Christ sometime did Peter If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me But wash this and thou art clean every whit Joh. 13.8 10. Q. 6. How may we preserve our Conscience pure Though I must remit you for fuller satisfaction to what hath been already spoken Chap. 2. Q. 6. Yet I shall not refuse to subjoyn something more in this place 1. Continue at your work Conscience is clean but not all therefore is neither all your work done for its cleansing till hope pass into enjoyment ye ought to be purifying both the Promises hoped for and the principle of hope put upon and perswade unto it 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Joh. 3.3 Neglect not any of the means already prescribed you Qu. 5. Direct 3. The same word and work of Faith Hope c. which made thy Conscience pure will maintain its purity 2. Keep Conscience to its work Keep it doing and you keep it from defiling The pure Gold never rusts or cankers till it rests or is coffered up Paul kept it on employment and so kept it pure 2 Tim. 1.3 Act. 24.16 Conscience hath its work within door upon it self and upon the whole Soul and Spirit and without door upon the Sense and their Objects and Organs If it rests like a standing Pool it putrifieth and gathers stench If it runs like a living Fountain it purifieth it self and whatever is put into it 3. Keep Conscience upon its watch Consciscience is the Centinel to watch over and for it self and the whole Soul beside Watch therefore in all things He that would be clean must be circumspect 2 Tim. 4.5 Psal 119.9 1 Watch against Sinners These will be throwing forth and throwing on of dirt Press not unnecessarily into their Society Be not partakers with their sin keep thy self pure Isa 57.20 Ephes 5.7 11. 1 Tim. 5.22 Yea in the very Society of the Saints be yet still upon thy Watch looking diligently One defection hath defiled many and the more weak thou art the more watchful be thou A weak Conscience is defiled quickly Heb. 12.15 1 Cor. 8.7 2 Watch
anguish accusations agonies or affrights yea or as it implies some security and satisfaction thereof in the present condition wherein they now stand there may not only be no sting but some suavities of Conscience now and then there may be and often is great peace of Conscience where there is no goodness no purity of the Conscience The Scriptures abound with instances of this kind from whence I shall infer that you may have such a peace of Conscience 1. Though you rest in a state of sin and corruption for so had Paul before his Conversion Conscience was quiet and cheery till the Commandment came so had the young man ere he converseth with Christ Conscience doth not trouble him ere Christ talketh with him Rom. 7.9 Mat. 19.22 2. Though you resolve upon sin against knowledg and after conviction the contumacy of the Will may so far muzzle the mouth of Conscience Judas is resolved upon betraying Jesus a crime of whose horrour he could not but be convinced by many and clear notices yet till they had condemned Jesus Conscience never condemneth Judas Mat. 27.3 They resolve to perpetuate their sin yet say in their hearts We shall have peace Deut. 29.19 3. Though you run on in sins of the highest consideration They that gave themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness felt no lash of Conscience Ephes 4.19 Yea such as were filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy as to man and haters of God Covenant-breakers c. did not find the least regret or remorse of Conscience Rom. 1.28 31. 4. Though you are rushing upon the Sword of God's Justice to your own confusion with Balaam whose madness the dumb Ass rebuked before Conscience delivereth in the least reproof or maketh the smallest impression upon him When vindictive Justice hath been pursuing them to the heels some there have been that never did so much as put this question to their hearts What have I done but run on with boldness as the Horse rusheth into the battel and sung this Syren-song to their own Conscience Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Numb 22.23 c. Jer. 8.6 Mich. 3.11 5. Though you may remind ever and anon what will be the sequel and consequence of such courses which you live in Such accounts are either carelesly intended He heareth the words of the Curse Yet blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace Deut. 29.19 Or contumaciously inverted Let us eat and drink say they for to morrow we shall die If there be so much danger let us make the best of our deck while we may Art thou come to torment us before the time Isa 22.13 c. 56.12 Mat. 8.29 6. Though you are under the arrest of some present judgment Conscience did not awake nor did they consider in their heart no not now when their own doings had beset them about Hos 7.2 O Lord saith the Prophet thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved Jer. 5.3 7. You may reckon your peace safest when perdition is speediest When they shall say peace peace i.e. assured abundant peace then sudden destruction like the throws of a travailing Woman shall sieze upon them and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 The greater their security and the more voluntary their calamity will be the more sudden and without remedy Prov. 29.1 8. In short your Conscience may remain quiet yet unclean even at the approaches of death and under the agonies of sickness Nabal is sick ten days yet Conscience speaks not any troubles or distress to him his Heart died within him and he became as a stone so stupid was it and insensible 1 Sam. 25.37 38. 9. Yea unto and in their removal by death in the very last congress with the King of Terrours Soul take thine ease saith the rich man even to the very night that his Soul was required of him Job tells you that the houses of the wicked are of times safe Heb. peace from fear They spend their days in wealth or mirth and in a moment go down to the Grave One dieth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet There are no bands in their death saith the Psalmist Dives finds no terrours of Conscience till he falls into Hell-torments Luk. 12.19 20. Job 21.9 13 23. Psal 73.4 Luk. 16.22 23 25. You may then live cheerfully and die quietly yet with defiled Conscience Nor may you think that this false peace is only fallen into by the prophane world 10. Nay Professors and some of the highest rank and reputation have perished through this false peace witness Ananias and Sapphira nor may we forget Laodicea The foolish Virgins who had the company the commendation of the wise are not convinced of the want of grace or unsoundness of their peace till they hear the Proclamation Behold the Bridegroom cometh And now the door is shut against them Act. 5.2 c. Rev. 3.17 Mat. 25.6 c. III. Prop. 3 There is no concluding then from the peace and quietness of thy Conscience to the purity and goodness of thy Conscience For 1. there is many a peaceable or quiet Conscience that was never pure or clean The ignorant the secure the seared Conscience as one Modern largely sheweth * Dyke's â—ood Cons â— 24 ad â—5 The ignorant the unawakened the deluded the hardened Conscience as another * Sheffield's â—od Cons â— 18 pag. â—48 ad â—56 Nay 2. that Conscience which is least pure least clean is most peaceable and quiet usually As the seared or cauterized Conscience which is past feeling but plunged in all manner of filthiness 1 Tim. 4.2 cum 1.3 Ephes 4.19 Consider 3. Peace of Conscience is no mark of a pious Christian singly and of it self nor do we find it simply insisted upon by them as such I never find any Saint in the whole Scripture pleading it as the signal evidence much less as the sole evidence of his justification and change from death to life When they would clear their being in and blessedness by Christ they do not attempt the proof of it by their peaceable and quiet enjoyments of themselves or of him but by their pious intercourse with and conformity to him in the crucifying of their sins and quickning of their Souls Rom. 8.1 2 c. 1 Joh. 2.3 c. c. 3.19 c. Paul's rejoycing was the testimony of his Conscience That in simplicity and godly sincerity not that in serenity and grateful suavities he had had his conversation in Christ 2 Cor. 1.12 4. A polluted Conscience may enjoy more peace such as it is than doth many a pure Conscience What tasts have many such of the Heavenly gift and of the good Word of God yea and of the Powers of the World to come who yet have not arrived to the things that accompany Salvation Whereas others are chastened every morning have sorrow in their heart daily For
peace have great bitterness and are afflicted from their youth up Heb. 6.4 5. cum 9. Psal 73.14 Psal 13.2 Isa 38.17 Psal 88.15 IV. Prop. 4. If you would conclude the goodness of your Conscience you should rather argue forward from purity to peace than backward from peace to purity Begin first at the Kingdom of God which is first righteousness than peace as the wisdom which is from above is first pure than peaceable Mat. 6.33 Rom. 14.17 Jam. 3.17 Remember 1. It is purity of Conscience is the principle of peace of Conscience I mean of sound and saving peace This excellent rest is the effect of righteousness Peace followeth Grace in all the Apostolical Salutations and floweth from it To be spiritually-minded is life and peace Isa 32.17 Rom. 1.7 c. 8.6 2. Peace is but a priviledg and a separable priviledg of purity and grace So that it is neither proper nor prudent to prove grace by peace Into what a labyrinth of perplexing and amazing fears may you involve your selves while you limit your arguments and proceed by peace Especially there being so many evidences of much grace where there was no peace in Job David Heman and others 3. Your peace will never prove your purity simply and by it self There is that nearness and similitude between the false and sophisticated peace of sinners on the one hand and the sound and saving peace of Saints on the other hand if they are materially considered Doth this Saint feel no sting of Conscience neither doth that Sinner Hath this Saint suavities of Conscience so that Sinner You must proceed further therefore in your Enquiries Doth my peace result from the enjoyment of my self in the God of Peace as my supream end and soveraign good from the enervating of Sin and Satan the grand enemies of Peace which war against my Soul From the entire subjection of my whole Man to the Prince of Peace in my quiet and chearful compliance with his Government c. These things prove indeed the truth of your Peace but they take in Grace with it and are but an intermediate proof of your Peace viz. as they are the immediate effects and evidence of your Grace 4. Prove your Purity and it will prove your Peace then If the Lord Jesus be a King of Righteousness to you he will be after that a King of Peace also Heb. 7.2 But truth is peace of Conscience without purity is both defiling Vnto them that are defiled is nothing pure yea and damning it accelerateth Mens destruction Though false peace like those Locusts in the Revelation hath the appearance of Evangelical Peace as they had the Faces of Men yet their power is like theirs only to hurt Men who do the more irreclaimedly thereby go on in sin like â—he Ox to the slaughter not knowing that it 〈◊〉 for their life till the dart strike thorough â—heir liver and they are inextricably involâ—ed in the snare of death and destruction â—it 1.15 1 Thes 5.3 Rev. 9.7 10. Prov. 7. â—2 23. Q. 2. Whence or from what Causes is it that the false Peace of Conscience ariseth that we may avoid such fearful pits and quick-sands The Causes are many without within the Conscience * See Shepherd sinc Conv pag 133. ad 142. I. Without the Conscience as 1. The Devil who to promote his designs and preserve his Dominion cheateth Souls into and keeps them in this false peace beguiling them with his artifices and guarding them against foreign impressions with his arms And no marvel for it is his interest to keep all here in quietness When the strong man armed keeps the Palace all his goods are in peace 2 Cor. 11.3 Luk. 11.21 He binds carnal persons in his Chains and being his Captives Conscience it self is much-what at his command and pleasure 2 Tim. 2.25.26 Ephes 2.2 He blazons the case if Conscience takes distaste at any time and overlays it with his paint and colours varnishing over our unrighteousness with other appearances according to his deceitful arts Doth Eve startle at his suggestion We may not do it leâ—â— we die Nay saith he ye shall not surely die Ye shall live the sublimest life ye shall be aâ— Gods 2 Thess 2.9 19. Gen. 3.4 5. He blindâ— the Conscience and bars up the doors and windows of the Soul against the light of knowledg lest his deeds and our dismall state should be discovered as well perceiving what a mâ—nifestation of us to our selves this would sooâ— make 2 Cor. 4.4 Joh. 3.20 Ephes 5.13 He baffleth Convictions if at any time they begin upon the Conscience and begets a disbelief of the divine threatnings God hath said Ye shall not eat of it lest ye die saith Eves Conscience No saith Satan God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened c. God pronounceth the furies of War to Ahab and his fall in and by it Satan perswadeth him there is no such matter but he shall reap peace and victory Gen. 3.3 4 5. 1 King 22.22 He bears off commotions whatsoever may disturb the quiet and peace of Conscience which he useth as his Quarters and Palace If a spark of Conviction be let fall in a sickness or some other strait he hath his earth to smother and stifle it or his water to cool and quench it If any seed shall be dropt at a Sermon he like the fowls of the air cometh and catcheth away that which was sown in the heart Luk. 11.21 Mat. 13.19 He bribes the Conscience if it be at any time clamorous or is prone to quarrel Sometimes with the divertisements of sinful or sensual pleasures that the noise of these may out-voice and their musick charm the Conscience Sometimes with the devotions of a stricter profession The drunken rounds and debaucheries of riot will no longer quiet but rather cut and wound the Conscience He is content that Ananias and Sapphira and Simon Magus shall change their company and work too as Judas did so they cleave to him as their Master He knoweth how to put on the appearance of an Angel of Light Sometimes by the delicious sweets of a promise which he either halves or otherwise abuseth The heart happily is at no peace for lack of a promise The babe must have the breast Satan who ever attends his advantage can transform himself into a minister of righteousness and draws out the breast of the Promise as he did unto Christ He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee But he omits the principal part of it and with a purpose of overthrowing him by the security of the Promise when he could not overcome by the sword and spear of his power Ephes 2.2 3. 2 Pet. 2.19 Act. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 11.14 15. c. 2.11 Mat. 4.6 cum Psal 91.11 Well then beware of Satan you have seen his arts be not ensnared by them Be not ignorant of his devices Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be
a while instead of finding peace grow past feeling Exod. 8.8 cum 15 28. cum 32. Dan. 5.60.29 30. Act. 24.25 cum 27. And will you call this peace of Conscience which is a proeme rather of eternal condemnation This is not the spirit of peace but a spirit of slumber * See Perkins vol. 1. p. 368. 5. Prop. 5 Eminent troubles of Conscience now past cannot then infer the truth of your present peace as neither can that ease and tranquility which you now possess of which Q. 1. But that those exigencing perplexities â—ay issue in Evangelical peace there is enjoyned the intercurrence of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 which these troubles are intended as disâ—ositive and preparatory and without which â—ere is no enjoyment of this Divine peace The Jews were pricked in their heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The nail was driven to the very â—â—d The iron entred into their very souls The Jaylor is filled with perplexing troubles he trembles and falls prostrate before Paul and Silas Both he and they cry out for direction What shall we do The Apostles who well knew there might be a spirit of bondage which is never consequenced with a spirit of Adoption never advise them these agonies are enough you may sit down in peace but press upon them the necessity and use of faith and repentance as prerequisities to their salvation and peace Act. 2.37 38. c. 16.29 30 31. Rom. 8.15 6. Prop. 6 Examine then how thou camest out of these perplexing troubles and how thou camest by this tranquility and peace 1. Didst thou arrive hereto in the Gospel method What hast thou found or now findest of the Gospel-prerequisites to peace faith in Christ and repentance from dead works What hast thou felt or now feelest of the Gospel-power or efficacy in order to peace The Gospel first proclaims war in the Soul against Sin the World and Satan then publisheth peace in dethroning these usurpers upon God's Soveraign Prerogative and the powers of our Souls The Gospel first preacheth the grace of God to us and in us and then peace with God unto us First purifying the Conscience by the graces of his Spirit and then pacifying it in the grace of his favour The Gospel first carries back the Soul to the God of Peace in an Evangelical conversion then chears the Soul with this peace of God in Evangelical consolations First hints the Soul unto Christ in all his offices of peace for us unto all obedience then quiets the Soul in the peace that he hath obtained for us and ordereth out unto us by his holy Spirit In short the Gospel first changeth the Soul into the resemblance and image of God then and not till then comforteth it by a review of its interest in God and of God's in him Rom. 8.5 6 7. c. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 Hos 6.1 Isa 9.6 7. 1 Thes 5.23 Psal 4.8 2 Is it accompanied with a Gospel-mould With an unfeigned and universal change of thy heart and life into the likeness of the Gospel of peace 'T is one great branch of the Covenant of Grace which God hath also called the Covenant of his Peace that he will write his law in our hearts and put it in our inward parts Isa 34.10 Ezek. 34.25 c. 37.26 Jer. 31.33 So that if thine be a Gospel-peace thou art transformed into the Gospel-pattern There is a change not only of some actions but of thy estate relative in thy Justification real in thy Sanctification True peace of Conscience taketh its rise from a pious sense of this change 2 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 5.1 1 Joh. 5.18 19 20. Q. 5. What should convinced Sinners do in distress of Conscience as are conscious to themselves that they are now in a sinful and damnable condition A Question long since ask'd and answer'd Act. 2.37 c. c. 16.30 c. Yet let it not seem amiss if I offer a few advises or directions which shall especially refer unto those two instances Direct 1. Accept of your Convictions and do not either put them off or put them out or press them down They were pricked in their heart Act. 3. But they abide the pain are not angry with Peter nor do they pluck out and throw away the arrow The Jaylor trembleth in such an agony was he of Conscience yet he attempts not either to break prison from Conscience or abuse the Preachers who were now his Prisoners or to precipitate his Comforts To this end 1. Remember whence they come from thy Spirit immediately but mediately and originally from God's holy Spirit which is first a spirit of bondage then a spirit of adoption first convinceth then comforteth the Conscience Rom. 8.15 Joh. 16.8 Will you break his bands asunder Take heed he will make them stronger if you continue to resist But â—o sweetness safety if you close and submit Isa 28.22 Job 36.8 12. If you will not accept either he 'l away on the one hand and then oh the hardness of your heart Or else add amazement to your anguish on the other hand Gen. 6.3 Isa 63.10 2. Remember their concern and whither they tend These setters are not like those of Pharaoh's Baker in order to your perdition but like those of his Butler or of Joseph's rather in order to his preferment Every pang and throw is preparatory to the new Birth to that conversion without which thou canst not see the Kingdom of God and so to those consolations which are wont to ensue upon Christ's being formed in the heart If the Spirit breaks 't is in order to binding up if he prick and launce the heart 't is in order to the health and ease of his Patient He is making way by these afflictive severities for the sweets of Adoption Hos 6.1 Act. 2.37 38. Rom. 8.15 3. Remember the consequence If you accept you are half-way over this deep ford While the Heart the Will which commands the other faculties is so far won the work is like to continue and frame well to your ease and God's ends who is ready to meet you as the Father in the Parable did his prodigal Son when he was yet a great way off Mic. 6.9 Levit. 26.41 c. Luk. 15.20 And as your business will succeed the better so your burden will sit much the lighter the more you wince the more you weaken and sin wounds you cut off advantages from Satan and are more capable of improving sound advise and the Spirit 's assistance If you do not accept see what attends Happily a great dedolence and stupidity of Conscience which is a dreadful instance of Divine justice Rom. 1.28 Prov. 1.30 But beyond a perhaps there will be greater dolor either here in the approaching arrests of an abased Conscience to repentance or hereafter in the anger astonishment and continued gnawing of an accusing Conscience to eternal ruin Hos 6.5 Prov. 5.22 23. Direct 2. Avoid those courses which will defeat thee of
of the design of this present dispensation He hath me in the furnace of affliction but it may be not to consume me but to cleanse and purifie me to cast me into the precious mould of his pure and holy mind and will which in his word is revealed to me He breaketh up the fallow ground of my heart but 't is to sow me with the seeds of righteousness And were there no plowing and harrowing I could expect no harvest But of this before Direction 1. Direct 9. Attend thy Cure with patience and do not too hastily press after comfort Thou art in the hands of a most wise and gracious Physician who knoweth how to time his Cordials to thy constitution and temper and will do it Do not limit his Eternity to thy time his infiniteness to thy measure Those Act. 2. 16. enquire what course they would prescribe them to take not what comfort they could presently tender them And the Apostles let them know that Conscience must first attend the duties of repentance and faith ere it could arrive to a delicious rejoycing in God's favour This is thy time to be getting of grace let God take his time for giving of peace The effect of righteousness will be peace Ply thy work and wait patiently He is a God of judgment that knows best when and how to order out his blessings Blessed are all they that wait for him You never knew that it went ill with any such as waited on him Isa 32.17 c. 30.18 Psal 33.20 21. 40.1 I do not blame the seeking of peace and comfort so it be submissive and ordinate But would have you 1. Stay God's time for it The fruit of the lips peace peace must have time to ripen It will but beget crudities if if you eat it raw Early joys are none of the safest enjoyments Those hearers that anon received Word with joy were by and by offended when the heat of tribulation did once arise for the Word's sake 'T is good to hear till God shall speak peace Hâ—b 6.4 5. Mat. 13.20 21. Psal 85.8 2. And to set grace above and seek grace beyond it This is of absolute necessity to you to your very being that is necessary but to your better being God hath never said he will not save you without peace but he will not cannot save you with accord to his honour his holiness without grace Heb. 12.14 1 Cor. 6.9 Besides it will argue better for you Natural Conscience will put you upon endeavors for peace 'T is an enlightned Conscience that puts you upon endeavours for grace And 't is an home at least an hopeful evidence of saving illumination when you do prefer grace in your endeavours to peace and that you love it for its own comeliness and not only in order to your quiet 3. To stay the galling anxieties and vexations anhilations of your hearts for and after it Cutting and corroding cares even for this are faulty You should make known your case to God in prayer and cast these cares into the lap of his Providence continuing in the means which he hath prescribed you and so peace will come in his appointed time which is the most acceptable and advantageous time Phil. 4.6 7. Hab. 2.3 Othervvise you expose your self to the artifices of Satan vvho vvill soon abuse your eagerness to his ends either dravving you off from your vvork in the failer and vvant of peace or dravving you into his vviles in a false and ungrounded peace Q. 6. How may we obtain a peaceable or sound peace of Conscience The Premisses Quest 5. are of pertinent consideration Here likewise I only add Direct 1. Affect thy heart not only with the possibility of peace after all these perplexities of which before but with the preciousness of this peace * See Jenkins on Jude vers 2. This will excite and engage endeavours 'T is a peace that the world cannot give nor would the Soul that senseth it give it for the whole world 'T is the peace of God a peace in Christ the peace of Christ 'T is for the truth and transcendency of it called peace peace Joh. 14.27 Phil. 4.7 Joh. 16.33 Isa 57.19 Of what an excellency must this Peace needs be which is produced by no lower power than the blessed God he creats it is procured by no lower price than the blood of God who was crucified for it is proclaimed by no lower persons than the Blessed Angels they celebrate it Isa 57.19 Col. 1.20 Luk. 2.14 What a peace that can grasp Heaven into the heart of him that hath it and make an Heaven upon earth and in any place can behold a Paradise and God his portion Psal 16.5 c. Joh. 16.22 Why should thy Soul sit down in sadness Here is a feast a continual feast * See Dykes good Conscience c. 13 p 18. to p. 201. Thou mayst come with the Wedding-garment on and welcome Prov. 15.15 Here mayst thou eat of the hidden manna and have given thee the white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what is here prepared This peace passeth all understanding 'T is so sweet so signal so surpassing Rev. 2.17 1 Cor. 2.9 Phil. 4.7 Wert thou but possest of this peace thou might'st look on Satan as not only disarm'd but destroy'd on Sin not only as disabled but destroyed on Sufferings not only as not harmful but advantageous and helpful on the sentence of the law and severities of God not only as satisfied for thee but as sweetned to thee Eph. 2.15 Rom. 6.16 c. 8.33 to the end Thou might look on death and not be discouraged Thou shalt depart in peace Look on the grave and hell and not be dismayed Thou shalt enter into peace Look up to Heaven and there see nothing but rest and peace rest from work at least from weariness as well as rest from wars Luk. 2.29 Isa 57.2 Luk. 19.38 Rev. 14.13 Direct 2. Hasten thy best attempts for the prerequisite of Peace Purity Conscience is first pure then peaceable as hath been said The goodness of Security is founded upon the goodness of Sincerity 'T is true Conscience may be Evangelically purified yet not pacified But 't is as true never was Conscience Evangelically pacified but it was first Evangelically purified Of this before An impure Soul must expect the same return from Conscience to all his messengers enquiries for peace which Jehn returned Joram's messengers Turn thee behind me what hast thou to do with peace 2 King 9.17 18 19. Direct 3. Abandon all those ways and means which made and maintained the war between God and thy Soul Conscience is God's Officer The war it maketh and manageth is by his commission and in his cause to revenge thine injuries done him to return thee to thy duty to him and in both to right him
some spark or other in so many embers which you should do well to scarch for and stir up Psal 119.81 Luk. 24.16 cum 22.2 Cor. 13.5 2 Tim. 1.6 Let me ask you or come answer these few questions in this afflicted condition 1. What are your greatest desires are they not to the name of God and to the remembrance of him Oh if God would lift up the light of his Countenance If I might have but some glimpses of his loving-kindness c. Must not all Comforts all Creatures stand by in comparison of this Is not this the one thing thou desirest afore and above all the rest Must thou not say My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God Isa 26.8 Psal 4.6 cum 8.73.25 cum 21. 27.4 42.2 2. What is your greatest displicence Is it not that God hideth his face and holds thee for his enemy either that he is displeased with thee or that he is departed from thee Is not this the gall and the wormwood that most embitters this cup to thee that the Lord hath forsaken thee thy God hath forgotten thee thy beloved hath withdrawn himself and is gone from thee Oh the felicities I have found in his favour the overcoming sweetness that hath overflown me in his service c. When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me and my tears are my meat while they say unto me where is thy God Job 13.24 Psal 88.7 14. Lam. 3.17 18 19. Isa 49.14 Cant. 5.6 Psal 42.3 4. 3. What are your greatest deliberations Are they not how you may return into friendship with God and God may renew his favour to you How you may be restored into acquaintance with him and be reconciled to and accepted of him Oh that I knew where or how I might find him whom though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Judg. Oh that I were as in months past when the Almighty was yet with me and the secret of God was upon my tabernacle Lam. 5.21 2 Cor. 5.9 Job 23.3 c. 9.15 c. 29.2 4 5. 4. What are your greatest determinations Are they not for God the living God That thou wilt continue endeavours for him whatever it cost thee That thy Soul still follow hard after him though he seems to fly farther from thee That thou wilt never give over thy work or his word though thou shouldst go weeping from day to day and duty to duty That whatever work sit this shall not for thou settest a value on him above all the world O God thou art my God early will I seek thee My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee c. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from me From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee yea in the way of thy judgments O Lord have I waited for thee and will wait upon thee Psal 42.2 63.8 Lam. 2.18 19. c. 3.48 49 50. Psal 63.1 61.2 Isa 8.17 c. 26.8 9. What doth Conscience answer to these questions Must they not answer in the affirmative Is not the language of your spirits the same much-what with this that is now suggested to you If so how should you cheer your drooping hearts and command off these disquiets and anguish For these are just evidences that God is yours and you are his that the grace of his Spirit is in you though the grace of his favour doth not shine with its wonted light and warmth upon you as the Scriptures mentioned do manifest yea these things speak thy appretiation and esteem of God as the highest good and thy affections for and intention of him as the highest end and do therefore more infallibly conclude the safety of thy condition than do many other marks So that thou maist well renew the Psalmists charge My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him Psal 62.5 Direct 3. Tack about to the cause that hath thus bereft thee of thy comforts Pursue it with all the strength thou canst make Draw up every squadron of thy Soul like the Stars in their courses to fight against Sisera the sin that hath invaded and spoil'd thy peace Let thy Understanding discharge its arguments against it and aggravations of it Let Conscience arraign accuse condemn it and all the other powers under the subjection of Conscience execute and exterminate it Yea call in Prayer Promises Providences and whatever else may powerfully help thee in the combate or to its conquest And be sure thou give it constant chase till thou hast subdued or sunk it till thou hast drawn the nail of sin out of thy heart and driven the nail of sorrow and mortification into its head Thus did holy David Psal 51.1 15. Judg. 5.20 26. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me If I have done iniquity I will do no more Job 34.31 32. Direct 4. Try the bath of Repentance No Bath is more effectual for an ulcerous body than this is for an ulcerated spirit Repentance is a panacea the Christians all-heal Who ever repented that was not remedied No sooner had Job repented but he was restored recovered Repentance removeth the cause and then God undertaketh to renew our comfort He will repent of the evil of punishing if once we repent of the evil of provoking Let Ephraim repent and she is forthwith remembred received reconciled and God reneweth the sweets of her old relation Is Ephraim my dear Son Is he a pleasant Child c. Isa 6.10 c. 57.18 19. Job 42.6 c. Jer. 26 3 13. c. 18.8 c. 31.19 20. 1 Here rip up thy sins in confession that have made these sad ruins in Conscience Thy sorrows are continually before thee Call thy sins before thee also and declare thine iniquity The more you cover them the more they will corrode and like a cancer gnaw and feed on you The sooner you confess them the speedier and safer too will be your cure and Gods comfort Psal 38.17 18. Prov. 28.13 1 Joh. 1.9 David's heart was heavy in him and God's hand was heavy on him And what doth he I acknowledged my sin saith he c. And God by and by acknowledgeth his Soul and anticipateth his supplication I said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin And he sets a Selah on it for your attention and observation Psal 32.4 5 6. 2 Rinse thy Soul in Contrition Break up the fountains of Evangelical sorrow and bathe thy Soul in them How should thine eyes run down with penitential tears and thy head with rivers of pious sorrow and that heart bleed for thy manifold transgressions which is broken with such manifold tribulations Lam. 1.16 cum 18. c. 3.48 49 51. cum 42. I deny not but thou maist deplore the sadness
curses your rich estates will be the ruin of your souls your eminent pleasures will end in perdition and the greater is your confluence the greater will be your confusion if guilt shall still abide upon your Conscience If ye will not lay it to heart saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to heart Deut. 28.15 ad finem Eccles 7.13 Jam. 5.3 6. Rev. 18.7 Mal. 2.2 4 Is Conscience evil you have no interest in Christ An interest in Christ and an evil Conscience are things inconsistent who doth always purge their Conscience whom he proprietateth in his choice benefits True it is the priviledges by Christ are large but as Peter told Simou Magus so must I tell thee upon the same reason Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God Heb. 9.14 c. 10.22 Act. 8.21 5 Is Conscience evil your choicest endeavours are also evil because you frustrate the end of the Commandment which is to free you from an evil Conscience and are not framed to that entireness which the Commandment enjoyneth and expecteth unless your hearts are sprinkled from an evil Conscience you have no access to God nor can hope for acceptance much less can you have assurance your prayers are turned into sins and provocations So long as Conscience was statedly sinful God accounted the most costly Sacrifices of the Jews wherewith went supplications also but as so many splendid mockeries and they were so far from receiving acceptation that they were reckoned abomination 1 Tim. 1.5 Jam. 4.8 Heb. 10.22 Psal 109.8 Isa 66.3 4. Prov. 21.27 6 Is Conscience evil be sure the consequence will be evil if you continue this evil So long as Conscience is bad no one capacity or faculty can be good which are all under the empire and influence of Conscience If thine eye be evil the whole body is full of darkness and if the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6.23 But this is not all mind the place of Conscience miserable must be the issue of an evil and polluted Conscience Corruptio optimi pessima You that are fearless of its sin now shall feel its sting hereafter and shriek and roar with the corrodings of that worm which you would not here attempt to kill or cure It s evil of sin will issue in extreamest and eternal sufferings if not timely salved Cure it or it will kill and condemn you and you will contract condemnation from God unto you Mar. 9.44 Isa 66.24 1 Joh. 3.20 IV. Speed your â—onversion from sin your Conscience must needs be sinful so long as your sin continueth If you continue in a sinful state the state of Conscience must needs be sinful If you are defiled this is defiled If you are after the flesh so is this also Tit. 1.15 Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. If you would heal Conscience then hasten your conversion do not only try your ways but turn to the Lord who will bind up that which is broken Lam. 3.40 Hos 6.1 The change of your condition includeth the change of Conscience Turn you at Gods reproof and he will pour out his spirit upon you and then you are no more in the flesh but in the spirit the motions and mindings of Conscience shall be no more so fleshly Prov. 1.27 Rom. 8.9 c. 7.5 6. V. Strike in with Christ The stain of Conscience is such that none but the sprinklings of Christs blood upon it can purge it from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 10.22 c. 9.14 The evil of Conscience came in originally by the first Adam and is only healed by the second Adam Hasten to him by an active faith This is that bunch of Hysop which sprinkleth this blood upon you and so the Conscience becomes clean in the sight of God Psal 51.7 Would you have Conscience cured from its evil state close with Christ by a sound faith He dwelleth in the heart by faith Eph. 3.17 VI. Search and put the Covenant into suit follow him that did create and can alone cure the Conscience with iterated prayers and with the instance and pressing of his promises Peruse his Promises I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh c. Ezek. 11.19 20. c. 36.26 27. Deut. 30.6 Plead them in your petitions He will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel Ezek. 36.37 Unfold the pravity of your Hearts and Consciences Lord I acknowledg my Conscience is miserably corrupted far departed from thy first Creation and foully depraved both by the fall of Adam and my own voluntary dâ—fections Behold I bring thee an old and obdurate Heart Lord renew and mollifie it a diseased and defiled Heart Lord repair and purge it an Heart of stone and adamant inflexible to thy ducture impenetrable by thy displeasure c. Lord remove it and renew me Urge him with his Promises to do it and thine own heart there-with also to deliberate and draw from them Lord hast thou not said A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you I will â—ake away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh O make good â—hy word to thy poor creature who can no â—ore cure this heart of stone than I can â—reate another world Create in me a clean heart 〈◊〉 God and renew a right spirit within me So David Psal 51.10 See further helps hereâ—â—ter Q. 4. How may we know whether our Consciences are Evangelically good or bad Be plain with Conscience § 1 and let it be â—ain with thee But in regard our Conâ—â—ience may and doth put a paralogism upon 〈◊〉 and its argumentation is oft-times sophiâ—â—cal and fallacious through the depravedness of our natures of which hereafter and so men deceive their own selves Jam. 1 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It therefore requireth the stricter care and caution in your part and circumspection on mine how we manage thiâ— work To which end before I propound marks * See Dik Good Conscience ch 7 8 9. p. 73. ad 128. Sheffield Good Conscience ch 24. Bald wins cas Conscience ch 12. I would promise this brief animadversioâ— for preventing mistakes * See Sheffields Good Conscience ch 18 2â— that you may 〈◊〉 conclude the goodness of your Conscienâ—â— either from their past or present 1 scrupulosâ—â— 2 smart or trouble on the one hand 3 stillâ—â— or quiet on the other without further aâ— fuller evidence Which I shall put upon a 〈◊〉 deliberate enquiry hereafter The stated habitude of your Conscienâ—â— may be discerned by these five things Tâ—â— adjuncts the acts the absoluteness the aspeâ— the answer of the Conscience First § 2 By the Adjuncts of Conscience aâ— your Consciences Evangelically pure or defiled Evangelically at peace or disquieted