all the Angels in heaven should come and bear witnesse their witnesse is not so uncontrollable as conscience is There is no appealing from the witnesse of conscience we must be tried by it If conscience do accuse and condemn us the Lord onely is greater then our conscience 1. John 3.20 and will give judgement with it when it doth its office And if our conscience do not and commend us and applaud us when we are naught and call us good men and good women when we are nothing so but this will tell us plainly how vile and sinfull we are and if we say we are good when we are not it will tell us plainly we lie 1. John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar Mark though he say it yet his conscience giveth him the lie It is faithfull again in excusing It beareth witnesse of every good dutie we perform and of whatsoever good is in us Though all Jobs friends spake evil of him and God himself by his outward judgements seemed to condemn him for a wicked man yet still his conscience like a faithfull witnesse did not forsake him nay it offered to reason with God himself Job 13.3 I would reason with God I know I shall be justified and I will never forsake mine innocency till I die Still his conscience stood for him and excused him Thus on both sides conscience is a faithfull and sincere witnesse it will not be corrupted to speak otherwise then it knoweth the matter is 4. It is most privy to what it doth witnesse It is more privy to what we have done then all the world It can say more for us or against us then all the world Thou knowest all the wickednesse that thy heart is privy unto saith Solomon to Shimei 1. Kings 2.44 The use of all this is Vse Seeing conscience is so supreme so impartiall so faithfull so privy we should take heed â—ow we do any thing that might give â—t advantage against us If we were to â—ppear before an earthly judge to anâ—wer for our behaviour and should have a companion present continually with us marking every thing in us telâ—ing us of every fault and witnessing it â—gainst us unto the judge how carefull would we be of doing any thing that might give him advantage against us Lo we have conscience as a continuall watch-man espying out all our wayes â—etting down what-ever we do amisse â—hecking us for it for the present and one day accusing us before God and â—etting all things in order before our faces Oh how should we then labour it two years after Gen. 41.9 I remember my faults this day saith his conscience Adonibezek had forgot his cruelty but his conscience brought it to his mind As I have done so God hath requited me Judg. 1.7 saith his conscience 2. Conscience beareth witnesse of what we intend and purpose to do whether against God or man It will testifie every purpose and project of the heart though it be never acted though it die in the heart and never come to light Men little think of this Tush saith one I never did such a thing though I once intended it or had some thoughts about it Mark those very thoughts will conscience bring forth and testifie what they were Heare the Apostle Rom. 2.16 in that day God shall judge the secrets of men c. The most hidden things conscience shall bring to light and Christ shall judge them 3. Conscience beareth witnesse of the bent and frame of our hearts what we affect most and love most and rejoyce and delight in most and desire most and grieve for most what our affections runne upon most whether upon God or the world whether upon heaven or the things of this life Conscience bare witnesse to David Psal 119.77 that his delight was in the law of the Lord that God was his portion that Gods statutes were his counsellers Conscience bare witnesse to the false teachers in Christs time that they affected vain-glory and the prayse of men more then the prayse of God Conscience bare witnesse to Demas that notwithstanding his fair profession his heart was set upon the world Conscience bare witnesse to Jehu that for all his seeming zeal his heart was not upright But it may be objected Obj. 1. Jer. 17.9 How can this be The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it Who can know it That is Answ Who else can know it but a man himself None under God can know the heart of man but a mans own conscience the spirit of man that is in him I confesse a man may be ignorant of some secret and particular deceit in his heart but who knoweth not the generall standing of God small and so we are deceived noâ— seeing the radicall power of this love of God which in regard of its vertue is stronger then the other As a fool if he should feel hot water would conclude that there is no cold at all in it whereas there is radicall cold in that water such as will expell all that heat in a little space Or else this ariseth from anguish of spirit which so disturbeth the mind that it cannot see its own condition nor be capable of the comforts belonging unto it as it was with the Israelites Exod. 6.9 otherwise doubtlesse we may know our own hearts and when our conscience beareth witnesse its witnesse is right Vse 1 I. Use of reproof to those who stand out against the witnesse of their conscience and like hard-hearted felons plead still Not guiltie though never so much evidence come against them though conscience oft tell them this they have done thus they do such they are Oh stop not your eares against conscience stand not out against it but believe its testimony and make use of it to repent of the evil it accuâ—â—â—h of while mercy may be had before â—od himself cometh and joyneth with conscience to condemne for ever Vse 2 II. It serveth for singular encouragement to all to abound in good works Conscience will bear witnesse of them all to our unspeakable comfort in the time of afflictions yea at death and judgement Job felt it a sweet thing to have conscience give in testimony of his integrity and uprightnesse When his friends proved miserable comforters and God himself seemed to write bitter â—hings against him yet his conscience witnessed that he had been eyes to the â—lind and feet to the lame he had fed â—he hungry and clothed the naked and comforted the fatherlesse There is not â— good thing that ever we do but conscience will afford us the sweetnesse and comfort of it in our troubles Isai 38.3 Rememâ—er O Lord saith Hezekiah that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart We have spoken of consciences single bearing witnesse Now followeth its now onely of those who drown their consciences in their cups and fear
he hath given us consciences to guide us so also he would give our guides eyes that they may be able to direct us aright The truth is it is God onely that can soundly illighten our consciences and therefore let us pray unto him to do it All our studying and reading and hearing and conferring will never be able to do it it is onely in the power of him who made us to do it Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments He who made our consciences he onely can give them this heavenly light of â—rue knowledge and right understanding and therefore let us seek earnestly to him for it 2. We must seek it in humility alwayes suspecting our own knowledge We are not too confidently and presumptuously to trust to our â—wn judgement and despise or neglect â—he judgement of others Psal 25.9 The humble â—od will teach Pride and self-conceitedâ—esse blindeth exceedingly 3. We must â—eek with sobriety alwayes contenting â—ur selves with that knowledge which â—s most necessarie and not be curious aâ—out vain and idle-braind questions or solicitous to answer every objection ty offendeth conscience and conscience will keep a grudge a long time and will give many a secret wound deading the heart to duty making faith and confidence in God dull we cannot pray with courage nor come before God with boldnesse If our hearts condemn us not we have confidence saith John 1. John 3.21 An erroneous conscience will defile you a doubting conscience distract you a scrupulous conscience unsettle you but above all other an illightened conscience if it have any thing against you will exceedingly disable you this stabbeth at the heart your confidence towards God Go then and labour to purge conscience else conscience will hinder you whether you pray or heare or receive the Sacrament c. it will deprive you of comfort Matth 5.23 If thou bring thâ— gift to the altar and there remembrest thaâ— thy brother hath ought against thee leavâ— there thy gift before the altar first go anâ— be reconciled to thy brother and then comâ— and offer thy gift The case is greater anâ— more dangerous when conscience hatâ— something against us there is no offering will be accepted untill conscience be satisfied If thou shouldest be about to pray and conscience should stand up against thee as an adversary and tell thee thou hast been vain and loose and carnall all this day thou hast not set thy self to keep close to God this day thou hast fallen into this and that sinne this day thou art not fit to pray till thou hast reconciled thy self to conscience Alas thy conscience will secretly undermine all thy praying First â—herefore reconcile conscience by humâ—ling thy self and breaking thy heart and resolving I have sinned I will do no more When conscience can say thy sorrow and repentance and resolution for new obedience is sincere then thou â—â—rt fit to pray but not before So whatâ—ver other duty thou goest about be â—ure to reconcile conscience else all will miscarry V. A faithfull conscience THus I have expounded the adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of its duty every motion and inclination to evil it is awake to see when evil is conceived to tell us of it to oppose it and to disswade us from it like a watchman on the top of a tower alwayes awake to see when any danger approcheth It is Gods minister with eyes on every side to espie seasons of good and stirre up to make use of them and of evil and give warning to avoid them 2. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull so also it is rigid and severe 2. It is severe In every cause it delivereth its judgement nothing can escape its sentence it will not favour our lusts in any particular If there be any opportunity of duty to God or man it maketh us to heare of it though it be such a duty as none other will call upon us for or it may be dare not put us in mind of as of love and care and help towards inferiours yet conscience will It titheth mint and cumine and will tell us of the least duty And so on the other side it will not swallow the least sinne As it will not swallow a camel Luke 16.10 so it will strain at â—gnat A faithfull conscience is faithfull in the least If David sinne but in the lap of a garment conscience smiteth him for it It made Abraham so precise to a thread or a shoe-latchet he would not take so much as that of the king of Sodom It made Moses strict to a very hoof It made Paul find fault with the Corinthians about their hair It made Augustine condemn himself for an apple 3. As a faithfull conscience is watchfull and severe so also it is importunate 3. It is importunate 〈◊〉 all its counsels It doth not onely deliver its judgement but doth with importunitie urge the following of its counsel It will have no nay but will be obeyed It leadeth us bound in the Spirit to do it as Paul said Acts 20.22 I go bound 〈◊〉 the spirit See how importunate this â—â—ithfull conscience was with the Psalâ—ist I will not give sleep to mine eyes Psal 132.4 nor â—â—mber to mine eye-lids untill I find out a â—â—ace for the Lord. It will not take any â—â—y say we what we will say we be â—â—epie say we be busie say we be loth â—â—d full of excuses it will be importuâ—â—te and that with vehemencie It will omitting good or committing evil will not let thee slumber and sleep in securitie but continually joggeth and awaketh thee Hath he given thee a severe a precise conscience that will not favour thee in the least evil It is a most comfortable signe that the Lord meaneth well unto thy soul Vse 3 III. Labour to be a friend unto conscience that it may continue faithfull unto thee True friends will deal faithfully and plainly one with another and will be importunate to do one anotheâ— good Conscience will not deal thus with thee unlesse thou be a friend unto conscience Now then are we friends unto conscience when we do what conscience requireth As our Saviour said to the Disciples John 15.14 Ye are my friends if yâ—â— do whatever I command you So I may say of conscience For conscience if iâ— be truly illightened will command nothing but what Christ commandeth Iâ— we deal so in our constant course with conscience be willing to hearken to it and be ruled by it then if we be out oâ— the way now and then conscience will be true to us and be importunate with us for our good Vse 4 IV. Be sure thou stand not out aâ—ainst conscience when once it is imâ—ortunate It is a great sinne to stand â—ut against conscience though it be not â—mportunate but it is a sinne a thousand â—â—mes greater to
foure 1. A tender conscience 2. A sleepie conscience 3. A benumbed conscience 4. A seared conscience First a tender conscience 1. A tender conscience that is a conscience touched with the least sin â—nd checking us for the least sinne as for vain thoughts exorbitant passions â—dle words and the like 1. Sam. 24 5. Such was Davids conscience which smote him for â—utting off the lap of Sauls garment Such was Zaccheus his conscience which troubled him for supposed sins â—f I have wronged any man saith he He â—id not know but his conscience was so â—ender that it made him carefull of Ifs. This tender conscience is a singular blessing of God And if we desire to â—ttein unto it we must labour to see the â—diousnesse of sinne yea the malignity â—nd exceeding evil there is in the least â—inne this will make us tender of it Secondly we must labour to mourn for very sinne though it seem little this â—lso will keep our consciences tender And we have great cause to prise a tender conscience What got the Bethshemites by not being tender in conscience They looked into the Ark and because they durst venture upon it thâ— Lord smote fifty thousand of them aâ— once 1. Sam. 6.19 Numb 15.32 36. What got the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath for not being tender in conscience He was stoned tâ— death Conscience should tender thâ— least commandment of God and so bâ— tender of the committing the least sinâ— This conscience is a great blessing The second affection of consciencâ— is sleepinesse A sleepy conscience 2. A sleepy conscience iâ— not so quick in smiting us as it ought either it checks not or else with sucâ— faintnesse that it worketh not upon us it maketh us never the more watchfulâ— against sinne This we see by many whâ— can commit such sinnes without trouble or disquiet as would bring others on their knees and make theâ— walk heavily long after This sleepâ— conscience is very dangerous it maketh men as ready to fall into the same sinneâ— tomorrow as to day and next day as tomorrow it letteth them see their faults but amendeth none because this is such a conscience as doth not cause men to feel the burden of their sinnes A man can never come to Christ as long as he hath a sleepy conscience because it doth not cause sinne to be burdenâ—ome They who have this conscience â—an sleep for all it and eat and drink and â—e merry for all it Now a man can neâ—er come to Christ that is not burdenâ—d with his sinne that he cannot bear 〈◊〉 cannot be quiet for it cannot sleep â—or it then Christ calleth him Come unâ—o me Matth. 11.28 all ye that are weary and heavy laâ—en and I will ease you A benumbed conscience that is 3. A benumbed conscience â—â—ch a conscience as is in a deep sleep This differs from the former in degree You know there is a lesse sleep and â—ere is a greater sleep There is a lesse â—eep when onely the outward senses â—â—e bound and there is a sleep when â—â—e inward senses are bound too Now benumbed conscience is a conscience â—hat is in a deep sleep Preach to it it â—ourneth not cry to it it listeneth not This is a benumbed conscience Nor the greatnesse of sinne nor the wrath of God denounced against it can move it Men can know themselves guilty of such and such sinnes and yet not lay them to heart conscience never telleth them about it Thus the Apostle speaketh of those who knew thâ— judgement of God Rom. 1.32 that they which commiâ— such things are worthy of death yet noâ— onely do the same but have pleasure iâ— them that do them Their conscienceâ— though informed and in some measure knowing the evil of their courses and the severitie of Gods judgement yet leâ— them go on still and not onely commiâ— the evil themselves but delight to seâ— others as bad as themselves Such arâ— our swearers and drunkards and company-keepers c. This is a verâ— wretched conscience the Lord deliveâ— us from it 4. A seared conscience Fourthly a seared conscience thaâ— is such a conscience as speaketh not 〈◊〉 jote seared with a hot iron as the Apostles phrase is 1. Tim. 4.2 a sense lesse conscience a past-feeling conscience when men can swallow down sinne like drink oathes contempt of God his word and worship mockage of Gods servants hating to be reformed such as sin without any remorse This kind of conscience is in foure sorts of men 1. In dissolute and profligate persons who like common strumpets have their souls lie open to every sinne that cometh by 2. In obstinate sinners such as like Ahab have sold themselves to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. 3. In scoffers and jeerers who speak evil of them who runne not in the same excesse of riot with themselves and nickname the godly 4. In Apostates and backsliders who speak lies through hypocrisie and have fallen from the profession of the truth All these men have a conscience seared with a red-hot iron This is a great judgement of God greater then this there cannot â—e No outward judgement that can fall upon us is like unto it not the plague nor shame nor beggery no nor any curse besides hell it self is equall to it By this the onely means under God of repentance is taken away Such may come to repent but it is a thousand to one if ever they do It is like a grave-stone lying upon their consciences which keepeth them under untill the day of judgement at which time God will awaken their consciences and then they will be more furious in tormenting then the very devils themselves Vse Ye that are not yet fallen upon this wretched conscience I beseech you take heed that ye never do But ye will aske me How may we avoid it Avoid it alas ye may avoid it if ye be carefull for conscience never seareth it self If ever it be seared it is ye your selves that do fear it Indeed the mind of man may blind its own self and the heart of man may corrupt its ownself and the affections of man may defile their own selves but conscience never corrupteth it self never seareth it self But you will say What must I do to avoid this searing of conscience First listen to conscience well that whatever it saith to thee from God thou maist do it This was the course of the Psalmist I will hearken what the Lord God will say in me so some translate it Heare then and listen what the Lord God will say in thee what thy conscience illightened saith in thee and do it Secondly whenever this conscience is quick follow it Nothing more seareth conscience then suffering quickneings to die Blow the coles if they do but smoke As the Apostle saith quench not the Spirit so quench not conscience I have hitherto shewed you that every man hath a conscience and the
reasons why God hath given us a conscience the light that it acteth by the offices of it and the affections of it Now from all these proceed two other adjuncts of conscience 1. A quiet conscience 2. An unquiet conscience A quiet conscience COncerning a quiet conscience three things are to be considered 1. What a quiet conscience is 2. How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked 3. The examination whether we have this quiet conscience or no. I. For the first What a quiet conscience is It is that which neither doth nor can accuse us but giveth an honourable testimony of us in the course of our lives and conversations ever since we were regenerate I put that in too for 1. we do not begin to live till we be regenerate and 2. we can never have a true quiet conscience till then Such a quiet conscience had good Obadiah 1. Kings 18.12 I fear the Lord from my youth saith his conscience This was a very honourable testimony that his conscience gave him Such a quiet conscience had Enoch Heb. 11.5 Before his translation he received this testimony that he pleased God Dicente scripturâ inquit ille Haymo saith this testimony was the testimony of scripture Gen. 5.24 where it is said that he walked with God This is true but this is not all The text saith not there was such a testimony given of him but he had it and that before his translation but the testimony of Moses was after his translation Therefore it was the testimony of his conscience that bore witnesse within that he pleased God So that this is a quiet conscience which neither doth nor can accuse us but giveth an honourable testimony of us in the whole course of our life and conversation Now to such a quiet conscience there be three things necessary 1. Uprightnesse 2. Puritie 3. Assurance of Gods love and favour First uprightnesse is when a man is obedient indeed Many will be obedient but they are not obedient indeed not humbled indeed not reformed indeed What it is to be obedient indeed ye may see Exod. 23.22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voyce and do all that I shall speak c. Mark that is obedience indeed when we do all that God speaketh and are obedient in all things This is an upright conscience when the heart is bent to obedience in all things An example we meet with in Paul Acts 23.1 I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day His conscience could not accuse him of any root of wickednesse and corruption allowed and cherished in him That is an upright conscience Hast thou such a conscience as this My conscience can truly bear witnesse there is no sinne I favour my self in allow my self in but condemne all strive against all Thus David proveth that his conscience was upright If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer The regarding of any iniquity will not stand with uprightnesse A second thing required to a true quiet conscience is puritie Though ouâ— heart be upright and stand generally bent to do the Lords will yet if we be guiltie of some particular sinne this will hinder the quiet of our conscience Therefore saith Paul 1. Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my self that is no thing to acoâ— me no corruption no root of unbeliâ—â— reigning in him Infirmities he haâ— many and frailties he had many and hâ— knew them but he knew nothing 〈◊〉 accuse him Whatever was amisse iâ— him his conscience told him he useâ— all holy means against it If thy conscience can truly say thus also of thee then hast thou a truly quiet conscience Thirdly Assurance of Gods love favour and pardon Though we have fallen into great sinnes yet our consciences may have quiet if we can be truly assured of Gods love and favour in the pardon of them Heb. 10.2 The Apostle proveth that the sacrifices of the law could not purge away sinne but onely Christs bloud can do it His argument to prove it is this Because those sacrifices could not free a man from having conscience of sinne they could not purge the conscience but Christs bloud can After assurance of pardon in Christs bloud conscience can no more condemne for sinne how many or how great soever the sinnes were which have been committed These are the three things required to a true quiet conscience Furthermore a quiet conscience implieth two things 1. A calmnesse of spirit 2. A chearfull merry and comfortable heart These two I mean when I speak of a quiet conscience 1. A calmnesse of spirit or a quietnesse of mind not troubled with the burden of sinne nor the wrath of God nor terrified with the judgements due unto sinne This quietnesse and calmnesse of spirit is promised to all them that truly hearken unto Christ and obey him Prov. 1.33 Whoso hearkeneth to me shall be quiet from fear of evil 2. A chearfull merry and joyfull heart When our conscience giveth a comfortable testimonie of us it cannot but make our hearts joyfull 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimonie of our conscience saith Paul The comfortable testimonie which his conscience gave of him made him to rejoyce A wicked man cannot truly rejoyce no though he be merrie and joviall and laugh yet his carnall estate is a snare he can have no true joy but the righteous sing and rejoyce Prov. 29.6 No mirth like the mirth of a good conscience All other joy is but outside painted seeming joy That is onely true joy that is rooted in the comfortable testimonie of an upright good conscience which telleth a man his peace is made with God and that whether he be in sicknesse or in health God loveth him whether he live or die he is the Lords Thus ye see what a quiet conscience is How a quiet conscience in the godly differeth from the quiet conscience that is in the wicked THe second thing propounded to be considered about a quiet conscience is How it differeth from that quiet conscience which is in the wicked 1. I confesse that the wicked seem to have a very quiet conscience Many thousands of carnall people seem to live and the in quiet Look into alehouses lewd houses into all places who so merrie and brisk and heart-whole as they say as they who have no saving grace Job 21.23 Yet 2. this quiet conscience in them must needs differ from the quiet conscience of the children of God Certainly the Lord will not give the childrens bread unto dogs neither will he smile upon their souls neither doth he pardon the sinnes nor accept the persons of the ungodly And therefore if they have a quiet conscience it must needs differ from that iâ— the godly Must not copper needs differ from gold And we who are the Lords messengers must teach you the difference Ezek. 44.23 They shall teach my people thâ—
and then in discontent and in hatred and then in hardnesse of heart the Lord rebuked him and yet his heart was so hard that still he went on in evil then he murdered his brother and lastly he despaireth Gen. 4.13 My sinnes are greater saith his conscience then can be forgiven He thought God could not find in his heart to forgive him So when men sinne and sinne and the Lord doth rebuke them and yet they do sinne and their consciences do check them and yet they go on at last they come to have secret despairs in their heart that God now will not look towards them whereas if yet they had a mind to stoop to Jesus Christ they might be forgiven 2. A second cause of despairing is multitude of temptations Indeed the godly should not be so apt to think themselves forsaken of God by reason of temptations as sometimes they are they should rather count it joy as James speaketh chap. 1.2 But yet many of the wicked despair finally by this means Because they do so often fall into temptations therefore they conclude they are forsaken of God 3. Ignorance of Gods word When the guiltinesse of sin meeteth with minds not instructed in the doctrine of free grace and reconciliation by Christ this is a cause of despair 4. So also inured custome of sinning is another cause When men are often quickned and grow dead again then quickned again for a fit and then hardned again in the end they fall to despair These and the like are the causes of despairing consciences And thus I have shewed also the second thing propounded to be handled namely the sundry degrees of troubled consciences III. The third thing is the difference between the troubled conscience in the godly and in the wicked The consciences of Gods children may be troubled and are many times and the consciences of the wicked they are troubled too now the question is How do they differ I answer 1. That trouble in the conscience of wicked men is accompanied with impenitency and sometimes with blasphemy I would I were able to resist God saith Francis Spira like those in the Revelation who blasphemed God because of their torments Sometimes it is accompanied with cursings as Isai 8.21 sometimes with infinite murmuring But in Gods children it is not so When their conscience is troubled they justifie God and clear God and give him the glory of all and submit under his hand and subdue their hearts unto him as David in his trouble did not fret and murmure against God but saith he If God have no pleasure in me lo 2. Sam. 15.26 here I am let him do with me what seemeth him good So that the trouble of conscience in the children of God and in the wicked doth much differ in this first respect 2. The trouble of conscience in the wicked ariseth onely from the apprehension of Gods wrath and fear of judgement for sinne not for the sinne it self and from the love of holinesse But that in Gods children ariseth chiefly for sinne and the want of the apprehension of Gods love unto them How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Psal 13.1 Mark whence the trouble of the Psalmist came This was his trouble that God did hide his face 3. Trouble of conscience in the wicked never maketh them part with sinne never breedeth a hatred of sin in them but that in Gods children doth True it is that a wicked mans troubled conscience may make him vomit up his sin like a dog that vomiteth up his troublesome meat but he doth not vomit up his stomach to that meat for when the trouble is over he returneth to his vomit again So a carnall man returneth to his deadnesse of heart again and to his securitie again when the trouble is over Pharaoh whilest his conscience was troubled at the sense of Gods judgements O then saith he I have sinned I pray Moses let me have your prayers and I will let you go If the children of Israel could have packed up and departed while this trouble had lasted they might have been gone But when he saw there was respite Exod. 8.15 he hardned his heart again Mark His trouble of conscience did not make him part with his sinne But that in Gods children doth 4. That in the wicked driveth them from God They have little heart to come unto him They see nothing but wrath and they rather go about to seek ease in other things then to seek his favour as Saul sought ease in musick and Cain in building castles and cities and Judas in a desperate course Their trouble fetcheth them not to God But the trouble in Gods children worketh otherwise In the midst of trouble of conscience they rest upon God as Heman crieth Psal 88.1 O Lord God of my salvation in the midst of the troubles of his soul The eyes of Gods children are still towards heaven they think still they should have some help from God They pray and cry and though God seemeth to neglect them yet they cannot give over They will not be beaten off from waiting on God when he will speak comfort to them 5. That trouble that is in the wicked maketh their heart sullen but that in the godly melteth their heart My soul is like melting wax saith David in his troubles of conscience His soul melted before God and was even poured out before him Psal 22.13 This is a kindly working Thus ye see the difference Vses Vse 1 1. BY this we see what a miserable thing it is to have such a troubled conscience It is the greatest misery that can be it is even a hell to men here upon earth it is like a dismall ghost to terrifie the soul it is like a burning furnace in the bosome it maketh the life bitter In a word the spirit of man is not able to bear it The spirit of man will sustein its infirmities Prov. 18.14 but â—a wounded spirit who can bear As long as a mans spirit is sound it will bear any thing Some have born agues fevers stones colicks convulsions rackings torturings as long as a mans spirit is sound he is able to bear any of them all of them but a wounded spirit who can bear Never was there man that was able to bear a wounded spirit We may see by many of Gods children how heavy it is David rored with the anguish of it a strange phrase He man was ready even to runne out of his wits with it While I suffer thy terrours saith â—he I am distracted Psal 88.15 Moses putteth himself into the number We are even consumed by thine anger Psal 90.7 Ethan complaineth that it was like a burning fever How long O Lord wilt thou hide thy face for ever shall thy wrath burn like fire Psal 89.46 If it be thus with Gods children what may we think of the wicked If we could search into the bosomes
own estate before God I do not mean Whether he be in the state of election or reprobation but he may know Whether he be in the state of salvation or damnation that is Whether he be in the way that leadeth to heaven oâ— hell Whether he be in such a case thaâ— if he die now he shall be saved or noâ— saved Every man may thus know in what estate he is Reasons I 1. Because the word of God sheweth a man this 1. John 3.8 As for example He thaâ— committeth sinne is of the devil Mark the Apostle telleth us what estate that man is in that liveth in sinne in a very bad estate 1. John 3.3 So on the contrary He that hath this hope purgeth himself Mark the Apostle telleth us what estate that man is in who purgeth himself he is in very good estate in a state of true hope in Christ And so 1. Cor. 6.10 the Apostle nameth divers who are not â—n the state of salvation but of damnaâ—ion if they die in such case they canâ—ot inherit the kingdome of heaven So â—hat if a man will but search the word â—nd believe that God doth say true he may know his estate Reasons II 2. Without this knowledge a man â—annot have an accusing or an excusing â—onscience in respect of his estate but â—en may have yea many men have a â—onscience accusing them of being in a â—ery bad estate and many men have â—n excusing conscience that plainly â—oth witnesse that they are in a very â—ood and gracious estate Exod. 9.27 I and my peoâ—le are wicked saith Pharaoh His conâ—cience did accuse him of being in a bad â—tate I am holy saith David Psal 86.2 I am thy â—rvant His conscience told him he â—as in the state of grace So that ye â—eed not go farre to know what estate â—ou are in there is that in your boâ—ome that can decide the matter Reasons III 3. Men cannot desire nor flie from an unknown estate But men are commanded to flie from a bad estate and seek out a good one Therefore they may know the one and the other Matth. 3.7 8. O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flie from the wrath to come Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance saith John to the Pharisees He supposeth these men might easily know that they were in a very bad estate or else how could he say thus unto them Before I come to the Uses let us consider these three things 1. That every man living is born in a very bad estate We all know it well but oh that we would consider it Eph. 2.3 We are all by nature children of wrath Now here lieth the question When did we change our estates We are in the same state of damnation wherein we were born except we are come out of it I say here lieth the question Whether we are come ouâ— of it or no whether we have mended our estate 2. Consider that the greatest part oâ— the world never mend their estates But as they were born in a cursed estate â—o they live and die in it And I speak â—ot this of heathen onely but alas â—ow many in the visible church do so â—ow many were there in the church of Philippi whom the Apostle could not â—hink of without weeping when he â—onsidered in what estate they were Phil. 3.17 So â—n the church of Corinth 1. Cor. 1.26 not many wise not many rich not many noble â—alled but commonly the meanest in â—he eye of the world were in the best eâ—â—ate towards God Nay more then so Many of them who seek to get into a â—ood estate misse of it and perish See â—uke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait â—te Mark it 's a strait gate and letteth â—ut few in for many shall seek to enter in â—ad shall not be able Here and there a few â—en where the constant ministery is 3. Consider that it is a marvellous â—â—rd thing to passe from state unto â—â—ate from a bad to a good estate There 〈◊〉 a very vast gulf between the state of â—nne and the state of grace and it is â—arvellous hard to passe it These â—hings premised the uses follow estate they were in a state of justification from the knowledge thereof they had peace We are bound to get truâ— peace to our consciences Oh what â— lamentable maze are we in till our consciences have peace and this they cannot have untill we are fully acquainteâ— in what case we stand before God Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace 3. Thirdly we can never be fit foâ— any duty of Gods worship as long aâ— we know not what estate we are inâ— We can never be fit for any holy duty to heare pray receive the sacrament Let a man examine himself 1. Cor. 11.28 and so let him eat c. First he must examine in whaâ— estate he is before he can be fit for thaâ— high service Lam. 3.40 So for repentance Leâ— us search and try our wayes and turne gain to the Lord first find our selves iâ— an ill estate and then return So foâ— joy It is a duty to rejoyce in thâ— Lord But we are never fit for rejoycing till we have proved what estate wâ— are in Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his ouâ— work so shall he have rejoycing We caâ— never be fit for any duty until we know â—n what estate we are in because every duty varieth according as the estate of every man is To instance in prayer He that is not in the state of grace must â—ray one way and he that is in the â—tate of salvation must pray another way the one that he may be converted and brought home to God the other that he may be strengthened and encreased in grace And so for the duty of hearing c. The second use is for direction Vse 2. Of Direction Means to know what estate we are in to let us understand by what means we may know what estate we are in There be foure means to know this 1. By our outward and inward actions I do not say by our outward actions For a man may be in the state of hypocrisie and yet his outward actions may be good Neither do I say by our inward actions alone For a man may be in the state of self-deceit and yet say his heart is good and his meaning and mind good But I say by them both put together Our Saviour setteth it out by a tree Matth. 7.17 Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth corrupt fruit So if the hearâ— bringeth forth the fruit of righteousnesse joy in good things patience meeknesse gentlenesse love obedience godly conversation c. these evidence a good estate but if the heart bringeth forth deadnesse earthlinesse impatience evil conversation c. these are corrupt fruits and signes of a very bad estate 2. Ye
is immortall so conscience also is immortall Vse 2 Secondly this condemneth such a go about to suppresse conscience Theâ— conscience maketh them melancholicâ— and lumpish now and then and they gâ— about to shake it off Alas why do yâ— go about that which is utterly impossible Ye may suppresse it for a while and gagge it for a while but ye can never shake it off Conscience sticketh sâ— close that a man may as soon shake oâ— himself as his conscience And indeeâ— his conscience is himself 1. Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself that is his conscience Judge in your selves verse 13. that is Judge iâ— your consciences Vse 3 Thirdly this confuteth that drunke opinion That conscience is nothing â—ut a present fit of melancholy No It causeth it may be the present melancholick fit but it is not it Conscience 〈◊〉 a standing power in a man that is eâ—ermore with him and will evermore â—dge him and condemn him if he be â—uiltie before God It will be with him when his dumpish fit is over Let him laugh and be merry yet conscience lies 〈◊〉 the bottome of all and will spoyl all the mirth Prov. 14.13 Let the drunkard be neâ—er so joviall I will not believe but â—onscience in the midst of that drunken mirth causeth some sadnesse within and telleth him this is a very wicked life Let the carnall hypocrite daub up the matter with good duties and good prayers and good hopes I cannot believe but â—here is a conscience lieth at the botâ—ome and telleth him he is rotten for all â—his You may see this in Cain Gen. 4.5 He had â—een at a good duty sacrificing to the Lord but his countenance fell when â—e had done conscience did lie at the bottome and did tell him God did not accept him Conscience is with evil men at church at sermon at sacrament and telleth them secretly that they anâ— not the persons to whom the blessinâ— of these ordinances belong Vse 4 Lastly this may be for exhortatioâ— to the godly That they would consider this that they have ever a conscience within them and that thereforâ— they would labour alwayes to keep iâ— void of offense which was Pauls exercise Acts 24.16 Take heed you offencâ— not your consciences in duties of piety towards God in your prayings hearings c. no nor in your callings eatings drinkings liberties recreations Look alwayes to your consciences that yoâ— offend them not because they are eveâ— with you When two live ever together they had need not offend one another else there will be no quiet You and your consciences must ever live together if ye offend them ye are like to have very ill lives Better live with a curst scold then live with an offended conscience ye had better offend the whole world then offend conscience There are none whom ye are alwayes to live with but conscience ye are alwayes to live with Ye are not alwayes to live with your husbands â—r alwayes with your wives nor alâ—ayes with your parents or masters â—ere is a time when you must part but â—onscience and you will never part â—herefore labour to keep it void of ofâ—nse And thus much of the first proposition There is in every man a consciâ—nce Proposition II. The light that conscience acteth by is knowledge THis knowledge is twofold II. Proposition 1. Of Gods law 2. Of our selves 1. The knowledge of Gods law To know Gods will what is good what is â—ad what God coÌ„mandeth what he forbiddeth Every man under heaven hath this law of God in some measure writ in his conscience I confesse Gods children onely know Gods law to purpose â—as it is a light to guide them in the way of salvation but all the world have some measure of knowledge whereby they may gather that there is a Goâ— and that he ought to be worshipped aâ— obeyed and that he hath power ovâ— life and death All the world haâ— knowledge in some measure what 〈◊〉 good and what is not what is to bâ— done and what not what is accordinâ— to conscience and what not All thâ— world have this knowledge in somâ— measure I do not say enough for salvation but enough to make them inexcusable before God for not following that light and not living according to that knowledge which they have Iâ— there were not some light in this behalf some knowledge of the law oâ— God in every man conscience could doâ— nothing 2. Knowledge of our selves This also is the light that conscience acteth by There is in every man some measure of knowledge of himself according to the measure of knowledge that he hath of Gods law Our consciences look backward and forward forward to Gods law and backward on our selves Whether we be such as Gods law requireth yea or no. First ye may find this in good men This light did the conscieâ—â—e of David go by Psal 18.23 I was upright beâ—e God saith his conscience and I kept 〈◊〉 self from mine own iniquitie His â—â—nscience had a light whereby he â—ew what he did Secondly ye shall â—d this in wicked men This light the conscience of Achan went by Josh 7.20 I have â—ed against the Lord God of Israel and â—us and thus have I done These are the two lights that every â—ans conscience goes by It hath light in some measure to know the law of God what he should do and what he should not do and it hath light in some measure to know himself what he hath done or not done whether he hath done â—s he should yea or no. Now these two â—ights are necessary as thus I prove First the knowledge of Gods law is necessary For else conscience cannot work A drunkard might be drunk every day in the year and yet conscience could not trouble him nor condemn him of sinne unlesse he knew the law That God hath forbid drunkennesse And so the swearer And so evil woâ— and bad thoughts conscience cannot aâ—cuse for unlesse there be so much ligâ— as to know they are forbidden Aâ— therefore Divines do all say that thâ— Synteresis is necessary to the exercise 〈◊〉 conscience The Synteresis is this Wheâ— a man keeps in his mind the knowledgâ— of the things conteined in Gods law namely That we must obey God honour our parents not commit adultery not kill not steal not lie not covet c Unlesse the knowledge of these be kepâ— in mind conscience cannot work And therefore when we would stirre a manâ— conscience we appeal to his knowledge 1. Cor. 6.9 Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God As if he had said Your own consciences may condemn you to the pit of hell if ye be unrighteous because your Synteresis can tell you that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God This is the reason why we say that there is a naturall conscience and there is an illuminated conscience because some have no
their consciences by their grosse sinnes but of those who would seem godly and perform good duties but with hypocriticall hearts and carnall minds O that they would heare but conscience argue a little in this manner To be carnally minded is death that is is an evident signe of a man that is in the state of death and damnation But saith conscience I am carnally minded or we are carnally minded Therefore we have an argument about us of death and damnation And so also for all other sinnes There is not a wicked man under heaven but he may argue out of his own miserable estate by his conscience or he might if it were awaked as one day it will be Vse 3 Thirdly this may serve for instruction No matter what opinions meâ— have of us in the world The questioâ— is What is the judgement of our owâ— consciences upon us It may be thou art taken for a man of great knowledge and a forward man in godlinesse it may bâ— the godly dare not judge otherwise oâ— thee but the question is What is tâ—â— judgement of conscience Doth nor thy conscience tell thee thou art but a proud fool conceited of thy knowledge and â—ovest to heare thy self talk And so for thy performance of good duties what testimony doth conscience give of the manner of doing of them The testimoniall of conscience is above all testimonials in the world 2. Cor. 1.12 all the good opinions of the world are not worth a â—ush without this If conscience can â—ay that in our wayes we seek to please God and allow not our selves in any â—vil way this testimony is full and saâ—isfactory and onely this Yet further concerning this judiciall witnesse of conscience It is either about â—hings to be done or omitted or things â—lready done or omitted The judiciall witnesse of conscience about things to â—e done or omitted is double 1. To â—dge out of Gods law whether it be â—ood or evil 2 To counsel out of â—ur own judgements either to do it or â—orbear it according as the nature of the â—ction is If it be good conscience will so on the contrary if it be evil conscience will counsel us to forbear yea bring arguments to disswade O do it not it will tend to the dishonour of God and be offensive to others and wound our souls c. It was conscience that withheld David from killing Saul and prest him from it by a strong argument 1. Sam. 24 10. O he is the Lords anointed It was conscience that withheld Joseph from yielding to the enticings of his mistres and yielded him an argument to disswade him from it How shall I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God It was conscience that disswaded Nehemiah from flying Neh. 6.11 Should such a man as I flie And if one argument will not serve conscience will use more Vse 1 The use of this may be first for Instruction Hence we learn that naturall men may have a conscience urging to good and restraining from evil There is no man so evil or ignorant but he hath naturally some light with him by which conscience is set on work to advise and to counsel and to say This is very good do it This is very sinfull forbear it This therefore is no signe of grace in any man to have his conscience calling upon him to do good or â—isswading him from evil The very heathen had so according to their light yea and in many of them it was forcible to restrain them from many sinnes which they were inclined unto And so may many men be put upon many good duties not for any love or liking of that which is good but because they would please and satisfie conscience which otherwise will not suffer them to be quiet It was conscience that kept Abimelech from defiling Sarah and yet a carnall man Here then a question may be asked Obj. Whether a mere naturall man can avoid sinne for conscience sake I answer Answ That this expression for conscience sake may be taken two wayes either 1. for conscience of the commandment of God and love to it and so none but Gods children do obey for conscience sake and so it is meant when Paul speaketh of being subject for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 1. Pet. 2.19 and Peter speaketh of suffering science may not reproch him all his dayes for not following it Whereas it is otherwise with the wicked Vse 3 3. The third use is this Seeing conscience is appointed by God to be our guide and our counsellour it should be our practice in every thing we do to ask counsel of conscience whether we were best do it or no. I say that conscience is Gods oracle Whatsoever we are to do we should as David enquire of Gods oracle 1. Sam. 23.2 May I go this way to work or shall I take an other course Heare counsel and receive instruction Prov. 19.20 saith Salomon that thou mayst be wise at thy latter end Conscience is a faithfull counsellour heare it It is the great mercie of God that thou hast such a privie counsel Thou canst go nowhere but it is about thee to advise thee Therefore as Rehoboam said to his green heads What counsel give you so say thou to thy conscience What advise givest thou Conscience in this case my carnall friends counsel me thus and thus mine own carnall heart and lusts would have me go this way but Conscience what counsell givest thou Vse 4 4. The fourth use is to reprove â—he custome of most men who with Ahab refuse the counsel of that one â—rue wholesome prophet have foure â—undred other counsellours who will â—ive counsel as they would have it They regard not this good Michaiah â—hey slight the counsel of conscience â—heir lusts and their carnall reason and â—â—esh and bloud are their counsellours The counsel of conscience they say is not â—ood at this time as he said of Achitoâ—hels They will heare conscience at â—nother time but not now But take â—eed for if you reject the counsel of â—onscience it is because the Lord hath â— purpose to destroy you The Adjuncts of conscience which shew themselves in the discharge of this dutie of judging and counselling THe adjuncts are of two sorts The adjuncts of conscience 1. such as respect consciences abilitie to â—ischarge its duty 2. such as accompanie conscience in the discharge thereof darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth John 12.35 O labour therefore to get a conscience illightened It is true a man may have an illightened conscience and yet go to hell but this is most certain without an illightened conscience a man cannot go to heaven And if thy conscience be something illightened yet labour for more light It will prevent many a stumble save thee from many a knock Thou knowest not what case thou mayest be in what difficult straits thou mayest be put unto if thou hast not light in thy conscience to direct
thee what wilt thou do II. An erroneous conscience SEcondly an erroneous conscience is 2. An erroneous conscience when conscience not understanding Gods law or misapplying it doth judge amisse and direct amisse So Josephs conscience for a while was in an errour when Mary was found with child Matth. 1.19 His conscience informed him that he must either make her a publick example or put her away privily Here his conscience erred about this particular untill the Angel had better informâ—d him There is a question Quest here raiâ—ed by Divines and it is Whether we â—ught to follow conscience erring or â—o A question very necessary to be â—andled partly because of mens ignoâ—â—nce in this kind and partly because of â—â—e frequency of the case I answer â—â—us Ans 1 First we must not obey conscience â—â—ing or counselling to that which is â—â—l For our errour of conscience doth â—t make the transgression of the law 〈◊〉 be no sinne though an erroneous â—â—nscience lead us to transgresse it Because the law of God is above conscience and therefore the comâ—andment of Gods law standeth in full â—â—rce though conscience command â—â—ntrary to it Suppose a man should â—â—ink in his conscience he might not â—â—ke an oath though never so lawfully â—â—lled thereunto by the magistrate and 〈◊〉 never so necessary a case when as the â—ord of God commandeth us to swear 〈◊〉 truth in righteousnesse and in judgeâ—ent I must follow the commandment different to do or not to do which yet is not indifferent but absolutely commanded then it is alwayes a sinne not to do it but it is no sinne to do it The third proposition is this If conscience hold a thing necessarie which God hath left indifferent as if a man in conscience thought that he ought to pray foure times a day which thing yet God hath left indifferent in this he is bound to obey conscience though it erre And it is no sinne to obey conscience thus erring though it be a sinne in conscience thus to erre Vse 1 The use of this is I. to let us see what a sacred sovereigne thing a mans conscience is It is alwayes a sinne to disobey conscience whether it erre or no as it is alwayes a sinne to disobey God A man can never go against his conscience but he sinneth 1. Because conscience is our guide It is our inward and our inseparable guide we can never come by any direction but by conscience we can never let in the commandment of God but onely by conscience and therefore the Lord hath made it a very sovereigne thing 2. Because we break a commandment through the loyns of a sinne when we go against conscience Ajax light upon a beast and slew it his conscience thought verily it was a man Kill it not saith conscience it is a man he goeth against his conscience and killeth it His conscience here was in an errour yet he as truly guilty of murder before God as if he had indeed slain a man because he slew a man through the loyns of this beast His bloudy mind looked at a man and smote at a man and slew a man So when conscience is erroneous and thinketh this is a commandment of God it is not so but he thinketh it so in his conscience if he do contrary he breaketh a commandment though it be none because the errour of his conscience made it one to him Was not Herod truly guilty of the murder of Christ He thought in his conscience that Christ had been among the infants slain at Bethlehem Thus conscience is a sovereigne thing It is alwayes a sinne to go against it erre or not erre and if it be a sinne to go against one doubteth of the lawfulnesse of playing at cards and dice he is sure it is no sinne not to play but whether he may lawfully play he doubteth in this case he is bound not to play So when one doubteth whether it be a sinne not to call his familie together every day to prayer Gods ministers tell him he must or he sinneth I doubt of that saith he Do you so but you are sure it is no sinne to do it Therefore you are bound to do it because you are bound to decline the doubtfull part and take that which is certain And so of all other the like particulars Rule 2 2. When conscience doubteth on both sides which is the sinne and which not then a man ought to do that which is most void of offense As for example Say an Anabaptist amongst us doubteth whether it be a sinne in him to bring his child to church to be baptized or a sinne to refuse here his rule is That that which is most void of offense and most agreeable to brotherly unity and concord is to be taken the balance hanging otherwise even and the arguments to urge both the one or the other seeming of like weight then this must be put into the scale and resolve the doubt Rule 3 3. It is lawfull to do some things when yet our conscience doubteth of the lawfulnesse of them For we must consider there are two kinds of doubting there is a speculative doubting and there is a practicall doubting Speculative doubting is to doubt of the lawfulnesse of the thing it self to be done Practicall doubting is to doubt of the lawfulnesse of the doing of it Now this latter is not alwayes a sinne but the other is As for example If a servant be commanded of his master to attend on him on the Lords day he knoweth not what his businesse should be and perhaps doubteth it is not of such moment as to be done on that day yet he hath no reason to deny his attendance in this case though he doubt of the lawfulnesse of the thing done yet he need not doubt of the doing of it because he knoweth not what the businesse is and hath no reason whereby he is able to doubts and scruples whether he is right or no especially in matters of greatest moment It is a great misery to have our consciences blind which should be our guides and which it is a sinne to disobey This is the reason why St Paul doth so often speak I would not have you ignorant 1. Cor. 10.1 and 11.3 It is a very great misery that ones conscience should be ignorant what to do what to hold what to follow I say it is a lamentable miserie that many who have followed the directions of conscience should by it be led to death and damnation to do things contrary to Gods word What a misery was it for the Jews to have zeal and not according to knowledge c. Vse 2 II. This should teach us to use the means truly to inform conscience Without knowledge the heart is not good Prov. 29.1 that is it is most profane There be three means to get knowledge Means to get knowledge 1. Let us pray unto God that he would opeâ— our understandings that as
stand out against it when it is importunate Maxima violatio conscientiae est maximè peccatum The greatest standing out against conscience is the greatest sinne it is a sinne which cometh nearest that against the holy â—host which accompanied with some other adjuncts is the greatest standing out against conscience There is no sinne that doth more harden the heart then to do evil when conscience is importuâ—ate to disswade from it This sinne â—as the cause why Saul was rejected of â—od I forced my self saith he 1. Sam. 13.12 He forâ—â—d his conscience his conscience was â—â—portunate to have him stay accordâ—â—g to the commandment of God but 〈◊〉 forced himself to the contrary I â—â—nfesse if conscience be importunate â—o the utmost as it is with Gods chilâ—â—en men cannot with any force put it zealous in Gods cause against the house of Ahab and the priests of Baal 2. Kings 10.29 but it suffered him to maintein the high places which Jeroboam had set up Thus Gamaliel's conscience made him speak well for Paul and yet continue it seemeth in much other evil This conscience will restrain from great staring sinnes or from such sinnes as the man hath no naturall propensity unto but others which seem of a lower nature or which are suitable to a mans particular desires these conscience will swallow without remorse As civil people that cannot swallow down couzenage and injustice and yet neglect of prayer and other religious duties never troubleth them And so some professours who cannot omit hearing sermons and talking of religion and yet can rest without the power thereof 3. It is remisse 3. It is remisse that is though it doth counsel and direct yet it doth it with such coldnesse remissenesse that it is easily answered and put off Thus it was with David It cannot be thought but his conscience said Plot not against Vriah's life But he would and so conscience let him do it This conscience will be answered with every slight and â—dle excuse As when conscience telâ—eth one Your wayes are not good I wish you to repent and make your peace with God it may be the man answereth Yea so I mean to do but I cannot yet intend it when I have dispatched such and such businesse then I will do it If conscience speak again Yea but you were best to do it now True saith he I know it I know it If God would give me repentance I would repent It is his gift of my self I cannot do it Or when it telleth him of family-duties it may be he answereth I have no leisure so long as I go to God by my self I hope it will serve turn Or when it telleth him of his wickednesse â—t may be he answereth Many worse then I have found mercy and I hope so shall I. This is the conscience that letteth a mans heart say I shall have peace Deut. 29.19 Now â—onscience being remisse and cold it is â—asily put off and answered with these idle and foolish excuses or with some other pretenses like these and so letteth the man go and live as before This conscience is like Eli which said Ye do not well my sonnes but exercised no severity to cause them to do otherwise Vse By this we see the dangerous estate of those men who have such a conscience There be many who live in many sinnes in carnall courses some in company-keeping and drunkennesse some in hatred and variance some in chambering and wantonnesse some in covetousnesse love of this present worldâ— your consciences no question can say Ye should do well to be more godly to look more after Christ and after heaven and ye should do well to get the truth of saving grace yet it may be they say nothing or nothing to the purpose in this behalf Therefore is these mens case so dangerous because their consciences are so silent and so remisse They have lost the most sovereigne remedy namely conscience Conscience is the most sovereigne means under God and his holy Spirit to work repentance in men that can be and is it not dangerous to have it prove traiterous and unfaithful What good can the ministerie of the word do unto you when every idle and false excuse or pretense which the wisdome of the flesh can devise can stop â—he mouth of your conscience when it â—alleth upon you to do what the word â—equireth It must needs be dangerous â—nd so much the more because it is so pleasing unto you ye take delight in such silent and large and remisse unfaithfull consciences ye love not to have your consciences too busie with â—ou ye like not that your consciences â—hould be too clamourous and importunate with you ye would have them not too rigid and vehement against your sinnes It fareth with you as with many young men who have sold themselves unto folly and think none their friends but parasites that flatter them or those who connive and wink at their folly but such friends will soon prove foes and so will such moderate and quiet consciences It is a dangerous â—hing to have such a silent conscience to want the chief means under God of doing a man good It was conscience that told the lepers 2. Kings 7.9 We do not well to hold our peace It was conscience that never would let the prodigall sonne be quiet till he returned to his father and said unto him I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne It is conscience that is the most powerfull means under God to quicken a man upâ—â— to repentance and obedience and therefore they are in a miserable case that want this great help Quest But what are the causes why mens consciences be so evil and unfaithfull Answ The causes hereof are chiefly these foure 1. Ignorance is one cause why a mans conscience is unfaithfull when we do not labour to have conscience throughly illightened and informed Who are more carelesse and negligent of their duties both to God and man who can with more freedome lye steal covet sinne c. then those that are ignorant of the law of God They know not that they do so much hurt to their own souls as they do An ignorant mind hath alwayes an evil conscience â—t is impossible conscience should be â—â—ithfull where it is not illightened and â—ence it cometh to passe that conscience iâ— so negligent and unfaithfull because â—e have been so carelesse of informing 〈◊〉 Thy conscience must needs be silent 〈◊〉 long as thou art ignorant 1. Pet. 2.15 Ignorance 〈◊〉 soon put to silence 2. A second cause is often slighting of conscience It may be conscience speaketh not or but coldly and remissely because when it hath advised and câ—unselled and admonished thou hast neglected it and disregarded it from time to time Though it judge and counsel yet thou wilt not listen Like Cassandra the prophetesse who though her predictions were
not onely absolve him from thâ— guilt of those sinnes which he neveâ— committed but also from the guilt oâ— those sinnes which he hath committeâ— against God or against man It can telâ— him he hath truly repented and trulâ— been humbled and truly got pardon Ye know David had committed diveâ— sinnes yet when he had humbled 〈◊〉 soul before God and obteined pardoâ— his conscience telleth him as much anâ— absolveth him Psal 103.3 Blesse tâ—â— Lord O my soul c. who forgiveth 〈◊〉 thy sinnes Nay though a child of Goâ— have many infirmities dayly and houâ—ly yet his conscience doth absolâ—â— him It is no more I that do it saith 〈◊〉 conscience but sinne that dwelleth in 〈◊〉 If I distrust it is no more I for I fight â—gainst it if I be overtaken by any weakâ—esse it is no more I for I laboured against 〈◊〉 and do bewail it III. A misliking conscience THe third part of consciences office in things done is to mislike if we â—ave done ill There be imperfections in the best obedience of Gods dearest servants What I do I allow not Rom. 7.15 saith â—aul His conscience misliked some â—â—ing done by him But that mislike of â—onscience which now I speak of is of â—â—ings that are ill done that is not done in truth and sinceritie Thus it is 〈◊〉 all that are not renewed by the holy Ghost The office of their conscience â—â—deed is to mislike what they do When they have prayed their consciâ—â—ce can mislike it and say I have not â—ayed with a heavenly mind a holy heart When they have been at a Sacrament â—onscience can truly mislike it and say â— have not been a fit guest at Christs taâ—â—e c. When they are crossed and â—empted their consciences truly mislike their carriage and say I do not fight and resist but readily and willingly yield tâ— every invitation to evil Do ye noâ— think that Jeroboams conscience misliked his altering Gods worship hiâ— innovating religion his making Israeâ— to sinne do not ye think his consciencâ— misliked him for these things Do noâ— ye think that Nabals conscience misliked his griping and Doegs conscience misliked his slandering and Pashurs conscience misliked his opposinâ— and misusing Jeremie and the old prophets conscience misliked his lying Who would have thought but Balaaâ— said well Whatsoever the Lord saith unto me that will I speak and I cannoâ— go beyond the commandment of the Lorâ— to do lesse or more no not for Balaâ—â— house full of gold who would havâ— thought but that this was well said yet his own conscience could noâ— choose but mislike it being not spokeâ— in sinceritie Many a man hath gooâ— for a Christian twentie or thirtie years and every one liketh him and yet iâ— may be his conscience hath disliked him all the while IV. A condemning conscience THe fourth part of consciences office in this behalf is to condemne â—f we have done evil and contrarie to Gods law Conscience hath an office â—ot onely to mislike us but also to conâ—emne us nay it will hasten more to â—ondemne us then God We see it in Adam Gen. 3.7 When Adam had sinned his â—onscience condemned him before God did he knew he was naked that 〈◊〉 had made his soul shamefully naked â—â—s conscience condemned him for an â—â—ostate before the Lord came to passe â—â—ntence upon him Nay it condemnâ—th us oftner then God God will condemne a sinner but once for all viz. 〈◊〉 the last day but conscience conâ—â—mneth him many thousand times beâ—â—re that Many men and women who 〈◊〉 seem godly in the worlds eyes God â—â—oweth how many of them have conâ—â—mning consciences in their bosomes 〈◊〉 all their civilities and formalities â—â—d crying God mercie and patchedâ—â— hopes many who would say that man were uncharitable who should condemn them for such and such who it may be find conscience within so uncharitable and saying plainly Ye are so like the conscience of Pauls heretick Tit. 3.11 who is said to be condemned of himself Vse 1 I. This serveth for the praise of the justice of God That he may be just when he judgeth the Lord needeth no other witnesse against us but our own consciences they make way for the just judgement of God Ye may see this in this portion of Scripture which we have in hand Rom. 2.15 wherein is shewed both that God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world vers 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men according to my Gospel and then in the verse going before the Apostle sheweth that now in the mean while every mans conscience maketh way for this just judgement of God their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or excusing one another At the last day every man shall be judged according to his conscience a child of God according to his a carnall man according to his The Lord shall absolve all his children and their own consciences shall absolve them The Lord shall condemn all the rest and their own consciences shall condemn them This is the book that every mans life is set down in Every passage of conversation both of the godly and the wicked is recorded dayly in this book And according to what is written therein will the Lord judge every soul at the last day as Rev. 20.12 The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the book according to their works The Apostle there speaketh prophetically and putteth the past time for the future they were judged that is they shall be judged So that ye see that by the judgement of conscience way is made for the just judgement of God Vse 2 II. This should be a means to keep us from sinne and to keep us in a holy life for according to our works so will be the evidences of our consciences whether they be good or evil We had need to take heed what we write in our consciences for according to what is written there so shall we be judged Therefore if any sinne standeth upon record in our consciences we had need get it blotted out by the bloud of Christ Repent be humbled beg for pardon rest not till thou seest this debt-book conscience crossed and thy sinnes stand there cancelled and discharged THus I have shewed you the offices of conscience about things heretofore done Now let me shew you the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices Ye have heard that conscience hath foure offices in things heretofore done 1. an office to approve 2. an office to absolve 3. an office to dislike 4. an office to condemne The two former when we have done well and lived well then the office of conscience is to approve and absolve The two latter when we have done ill and lived ill then the office of conscience is to mislike and to condemne Now followeth the affections of conscience in the discharge of these offices and they are
lose our minds in the things of this life but this peace doth keep them upon God we should lose our hearts upon our profits and pleasures and affairs in the world but the peace of conscience doth keep them upon heaven Phil. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds This doth the peace and quiet of a good conscience but the quiet of a wicked mans conscience doth not do thus it keepeth not his mind in this manner but it is upon earthly things for all that IV. They differ in respect of duration and continuauce The quiet of a good conscience is settled and grounded in the godly it never faileth them nor forsaketh them the other peace is fading Let a feeling sermon come and rifle carnall men it taketh away their peace from them their consciences then flie in their faces and then they see they are not right Let losse of outward things come light upon them or any other affliction it taketh their peace from them conscience then breaketh out upon them and sheweth them how they have deceived them selves with false peace especially at their death then an evil conscience that hath been quiet before in stead of comforting will affright and amaze them But if we have the quiet of a good conscience it will make us heare the word with comfort and not be troubled and disquieted by a searching sermon or the threatnings of Gods judgements Nay if we be in trouble this will quiet us if in affliction this will comfort us It will endure all ouâ— life and be present at our death then especially it will shew it self a friend unto us in standing by us to chear and refresh us Psal 119.165 Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offeâ—â— them saith David nothing shall offend them or take away their peace it is anâ— eternall and everlasting peace Thâ— you have seen how the true and false peace of conscience differ But here cometh a question to 〈◊〉 answered and it is this Have all God children this peace of conscience I dare say some of you look for this question and long to have it answered I answer therefore No they have it not alwayes Job seemed one while not to have it I have sinned Job 7.20 saith his conscience what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men David seemed one while not to have it Mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavie burden they are too heavie for me Psal 38.4 His sinnes lay heavie upon his conscience for a fit Hezekiah one while seemed not to have it Behold for peace I had great bitternesse And therefore I say the children of God have it not alwayes But let me tell you They might have it alwayes 1. It is possible they should have it alwayes Their sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie do not break the peace of their consciences cannot for if they could then no man should have true peace of conscience at any time Nothing but willing and witting sins sinnes against conscience can break the peace of conscience as it is possible for the children of God to live without these so it is possible for them alwaies to have peace yea they may have dayly more and more peace 2. As it is possible for the children of God alwayes to have peace so they are commanded to keep their peace alwayes and it is their own fault if at any time they lose it Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace saith Eliphas Col. 3.15 So Let the peace of God rule in your hearts unto which ye are called We are not onely commanded to have peace in our hearts but also that it may rule there that no corruption perk over it to hinder it we are called to this peace and commanded to have it and therefore as it is a sinne in the common-wealth when one breaketh the peace so it is a sinne in the spirit to break the peace of conscience we are all bound to the peace 3. If the children of God have it not alwayes then they feel the want of it and in the want of that comfort nothing else will comfort them It is not all the peace and prosperitie of the world that can comfort their hearts as long as they have not this peace not all the mirth in the world can content them untill they enjoy this peace again the peace and quiet of a good conscience they faint for it and long after it they can have no strength without it Psal 29.11 The Lord will give strength unto his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace It is not so with corrupt hearts they can be without peace and yet never faint they can eat and drink for all that and sleep and be merry for all that yea and go about their profits and their earthly businesses as roundly as ever for all that But the children of God if they want the peace of conscience they have no strength to do any thing almost they faint till they have it again 4. The godly alwayes have the seeds of it in them Light is sown for the righteous Psal 97.11 and gladnesse for the upright in heart Mark it is sown in their hearts and it will spring up at one time or other to chear them and to comfort them As it is with the wicked they may seem now and then to have true peace but they have the seeds of horrour alwayes in them which will sprout forth at last and then they shall find the worm of an evil conscience again so on the contrarie side the godly may seem now and then to have no peace but yet they have alwayes the seeds of true peace in them which will in time shew themselves and solace their souls for ever 5. They never want peace as the wicked do want it The wicked want it and have no possibilitie of having it they go in such paths as wherein they shall never know peace Isai 59.8 such paths as will never lead them unto it still their conscience is able to say they are not right they are carnall and not spirituall they know no true peace of conscience neither can they But the children of God walk in such wayes as will bring them to true peace of conscience ere they have done By this ye see what a good and quiet conscience is It cannot be but that all must like it and wish O that we had it Beloved let us labour to get it and the assurance of it No blessing under heaven is like it It is a heaven upon earth Happie are they who can shew they have it and miserable are they who have it not Dulce nomen pacis Sweet and pleasant is the very name of peace especially of the peace of a good conscience If ye have it no misery can make you miserable and if ye have it not no happinesse can make
Lord is the death â—his Saints Is death precious and shall I â—so vain as to fear it Thus ye see 〈◊〉 answer to the first question Wheâ—er every child of God that hath true â—ace of conscience can be desirous to â—e II. Quest Whether a wicked man that hath no peace of conscience may not be desirous to die too Answ 1. The horrour of conscience man make a wicked man desirous to die Hâ— may have so much horrour of conscience as that he may think certainly heâ— cannot be worse Hell is infinitelâ— worse but he may not think so Thâ— Judas was desirous to die Matth. 27.5 when he weâ— and hanged himself Thus many in dâ—spair do make away themselves I coâ—fesse some in despair may be fearfuâ— to die as Cain was fearfull to die â— was fear of death made him speaâ— thus unto God It shall come to passe thâ— every one that findeth me shall slay mâ— Gen. 4.14 The reason was becausâ— though he were in despair yet he wâ— not so sensible of his horrour as Judâ—â— was for Cain could go and build 〈◊〉 all this and train up his children 〈◊〉 musick and the like for all this bâ— Judas was in a case more sensible of hâ— misery 2. Dolour of pain may maâ— a wicked man desire to die Thus â— was with Saul Saul had received bâ— deaths wound and was in most grieâ—ous pain he could not die presently â—either could he live but lying in very â—reat pain between both desired the Amalekite to stand upon him and slay â—im 2. Sam. 10.9 though Osiander â—hink the Amalekite lyed unto David â—o curry favour with him but Joseâ—hus and others think he spake the â—ruth Sure it is that many wicked â—retches having no peace of consciâ—nce to sweeten and allay their torâ—ents have been desirous to die nay â—ome have hastened their own death â— Malecontentednesse and shame and â—isappointment of their aims may also â—ake wicked men desirous to die and 〈◊〉 death come not soon enough of it â—elf to dispatch away themselves with â—ruel self-murder Thus it was with Aâ—hitophel 2. Sam. 17 23. when he saw his counsel was was not followed he haltered himself He had no peace of conscience to comâ—ort him against all his dumps and disâ—ontents and therefore he was desiâ—ous to die 4. Wicked men being â—exed at something for the present may seem to be desirous to die and yeâ— if death should come indeed they would be of another mind and be content death should be further off Nay Jonas that strange man of a good manâ— O for a fit he would be dying yea thaâ— he would Jon. 4.3 Lord take my life from meâ— for it is better for me to die then to live â— suppose if God had taken him at hiâ— word he could have wished his wordâ— had been in again But thus it is ofteâ— in the mouthes of wicked people â— would I were dead and I would I were oâ— of the world not for any peace of conscience they have nor for any desire oâ— death but onely for a momentany pangâ— If they were to die indeed they would be loth enough to it Like the man iâ— the Fable who being wearied with his burden of sticks lay down and called for Death but when Death came indeed to take him and said What shalâ— I do man thou calledst me I pray thee said he help me up with my burden of sticks When he was to die indeed then he would rather have his own wearisome burden It is but a fable but this is the fashion of many 5. When wicked men are desirous to die indeed â—ometimes not out of discontent or â—ny such like reason yet it cannot be out of any true peace of conscience They may go away like lambs as we â—ay but it is in a fools paradise It may be whilest they lived they thought â—o go to heaven but when they die then â—ll their thoughts perish as the Psalmist â—peaketh in another case To return therefore where we left O beloved is there any of you that want the peace of a good conscience â—nd do ye know what you want what â— great benefit and blessing That ye may see this and fully know it and by â—nowing it earnestly desire it conâ—ider First That it is the very head of all â—omforts A worthie Divine calleth it Abrahams bosome to the soul Ye know what a blessing it was unto Lazarus to be taken from his sores into Abrahams bosome The peace of a good conscience is like this bosome of Abraham Who would not gladly lie in it Such a man who hath it can never look upon another mans comfort but a good conscience will say Yea and I have my comfort too When Paul was commending of Timothie see how his own conscience spake of himself at the same time 1. Cor. 16.10 He worketh the work of the Lord as I also do Mark his conscience would be putting in comfort for himself Doth Timothie work the Lords work yea and so do I too saith his conscience It is Musculus his observation upon the place Secondly A quiet conscience maketh a man to tast the sweetnesse oâ— things heavenly and spirituall It maketh the word to be to him as to David Sweeter then hony yea then the hony-combe I have not departed from thy judgements O Lord saith he thus saith his conscience now what followeth next Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter then hony unto my mouth A good conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in prayer when his conscience telleth him he prayeth aright It maketh him tast sweetnesse in a Sabbath when his conscience telleth him he sanctifieth it aright so also in the sacrament when his conscience can witnesse he receiveth aright What is the reason so few of you tast sweetnesse in these things The reason is this Because ye have not the peace of a good conscience It would find sweetnesse in every good dutie in every good word and work Thirdly A good quiet conscience maketh a man tast sweetnesse in all outward things in meat in drink in sleep in the companie of friends it putteth a Better upon a very morsel Prov. 17.1 Brown bread and a good conscience there is a Better upon it then upon all the costly fare of the wealthie without it Bernard calleth a good conscience a soft pillow An other calleth it a dear bosome-friend Solomon calleth it a continuall feast It maketh a man tast sweetnesse in every outward thing The healthy man onely can take pleasure in recreations walks meats sports and the like they yield no comfort to those that are bedrid or sick or half-dead But when the conscience is at peace the soul is all in good health and so all things are enjoyed with sweetnesse and comfort Fourthly It sweetneth evils to a man as troubles crosses sorrows afflictions If a man have true peace in his conscience it comforteth him in them all When things
abroad do disquiet us how comfortable is it to have something at home to chear us so when troubles and afflictions without turmoil and vex us and adde sorrow to sorrow then to have peace within the peace of conscience to allay all and quiet all what a happinesse is this When sicknesse and death cometh what will a good conscience be worth then Sure more then all the world besides If one had all the world he would then give it for a peaceable conscience Nay what think ye of judgement and the tribunal of Christ Do but think what a good conscience will be worth then When Paul was accused and hardly thought of by some of the Corinthians this was his comfort I know nothing by my self 1. Cor. 4.3 4. saith his conscience I count it a very small thing to be judged of you Nay he goeth further His conscience telleth him he hath the Lord Jesus who justifieth him to judge him he hath a sweeter Judge then his own conscience even his Saviour to judge him O there is no created comfort in the world like the comfort of a peaceable conscience The heathen Menander could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience is a little pettie god We may not give it such a big title but this is most certain The conscience is Gods echo of peace to the soul in life in death in judgement it is unspeakable comfort Is there any then that want this Exhortation Let them above all things labour to get it It is more worth then all things else Whatever we neglect let us not neglect this It is safer to neglect bodie health means maintenance friends and all that ever we have in the world then to neglect this The more we have the worse it is for us if we have not this Had we all this worlds good it is like a stone in a serpents head or a toads head or a pearl in an oyster not our perfection but our disease Again you who have a peaceable conscience 1. Labour to maintein it Be often in communion with God be not strangers to him the light of whose countenance is the peace of your souls It is the walking with God that breedeth true peace and preserveth it It is said of Levi Mal. 2.6 that he walked with God in peace O let us stirre up our selves to walk close with God that so we may have peace No sweet peace but in so doing 2. We must take heed we do not trouble nor disquiet it that we do not resist it or offer violence unto it by committing sinne against the peace of it but endeavour to maintein the peace of it by obeying the voyce of it Get the fear of God which is wisdome and to depart from evil which is true understanding All her paths are peace Prov. 3.17 We cannot walk in any one path of true wisedome but we shall find in it peace There is peace in humilitie and peace in charity and peace in godlinesse and peace in obedience c. Break any of these things and ye break the peace Ye heare what an admirable thing the peace of conscience is O then if ye have it make much of it nay if ye have it ye will for certain make much of it The very having of it will teach you the worth of it and learn you to prise it and make you above all things unwilling to leave it And thus much of the first viz. a quiet conscience An unquiet conscience I Have already handled a quiet conscience I come now to speak of a troubled and unquiet conscience Concerning which I shall shew you three things 1. What it is 2. The degrees of it 3. The difference of the trouble that may be in a good and that may be in a bad conscience I. What a troubled conscience is What it is It is a conscience accusing for sinne and affrighting with apprehensions of Gods wrath And here I would have you consider two things 1. What are the causes of it 2. Wherein it consisteth First The causes of it are these five 1. The guilt of sinne When a man hath done evil and his conscience doth know it then doth the conscience crie guiltie Lev. 5.4 when he knoweth it saith the text then he shall be guilty This is it which woundeth and pierceth conscience this is the sad voyce of conscience Like Judas I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Like Cain My sinne is greater then can be forgiven So the brethren of Joseph Gen. 42.21 We are guilty say they concerning our brother It is like the head of an arrow sticking in the flesh or like a dreadfull object continually presenting it self before our eyes My sinne is ever before me Psal 51.3 saith David When we have transgressed Gods law and our conscience can cry guiltie when the guilt of sinne lieth upon conscience this is one cause of the trouble of it 2. Another cause is the apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne When knowing that we have sinned and offended God we apprehend his wrath in our minds and behold the revenging eye of his justice against us This is a very grievous thing so terrible that no man or angel is able to abide it As we see the kings and potentates the mighty men of the earth call for the mountains â—o fall upon them and the hills to cover â—hem from the wrath of God Rev. 6.15 16. When we have incurred Gods displeasure and our consciences see it when his anger resteth upon us and our â—onsciences feel it this is another cause of the trouble of conscience 3. A third cause of the trouble of â—onscience is the fear of death and of â—ell When we know we have offended Gods law and we know also what our sinnes do deserve namely death and â—udgement and damnation for ever â—his doth most trouble and disquiet conscience when it fastneth on the apprehension of it The Apostle calleth â—t a fearfull looking for of judgement When conscience looketh for nothing else but for hell and damnation this must needs trouble conscience 4. Another cause is privative want of supportance when God doth withhold from conscience the help of his Spirit Ye know the Spirit can inable conscience to undergo all its troubles the Spirit can prompt it with mercies and the promises of God and hold it up but when the Lord bereaveth the conscience of this help and doth noâ— at all support it this must needs also trouble conscience V. When God doth fasten on the conscience such thoughts as may affright and terrifie it as thus God doth not love me Christ will not own me 〈◊〉 have sinned I am a reprobate past hope c. When such thoughts as these fasten oâ— the conscience it cannot choose then but be troubled Thus I have shewed you what are the causes of the trouble of conscience Secondly This trouble of conscience consisteth in two things First in want of comfort It cannot apply to
it self neither the promises of this life nor of that which is to come Conscience crieth This belongeth not to me This mercy this comfort is not my portion Secondly In a terrour and anguish of mind from these three heads 1. From the guilt of sin 2. From the apprehension of Gods wrath 3. From fear of death and of judgement This is the three-stringed whip wherewith conscience is lashed These ye shall find upon the conscience of Adam and Eve when they had sinned against God Their conscience was whipped 1. With the guilt of sinne they saw they were naked Gen. 3.7 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath they hid themselves from the presence of God verse 8. 3. With the fear of some vengeance which they began to look for I was afraid saith Adam verse 10. This three-stringed whip ye may see also was upon the conscience of Cain after he had slain his brother His conscience was whipt 1. With the guilt of sinne My sinne is greater â—hen can be forgiven 2. With the apprehension of Gods wrath From thy face O Lord am I hid 3. With the expectation of death and of judgement It shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me Thus I have shewed you what a troubled conscience is The degrees of a troubled conscience II. THe next thing I promised to shew is the degrees of a troubled conscience A troubled conscience hath divers degrees For some conscience are more troubled then other some 1. The first degree is such a degree as may be in Gods children and this ariseth not so much from the apprehension of Gods wrath as from the guilt of sinne Their consciences grieve anâ— are troubled to think that they have sinned and offended the Lord God Thuâ— we see David could not be at quiet Although Nathan had told him from Goâ— that his sinne was forgiven yet his conscience still troubled him Psal 51.4 Against the onely have I sinned and done this evil iâ— thy sight saith he I grant the consciences of Gods children are troubled aâ— the apprehension of Gods anger but then it is his fatherly anger not the anger of an enemy Though for a sâ—â— they may seem to apprehend that too yet mostly it is for that they have provoked their loving Father to anger against them A father may be angry with his child out of love and so the Lord may be with his dear children The Lord was angry with me too saith Moses Deut. 1.37 O let not my Lord be angry saith Abraham the father of the faithfull O God of hosts Psal 80.4 how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth saith the Psalmist Sometimes â—he Lord is angry with the prayers of his people but it is in love because he would have them pray better and obey better and look to their standing â—etter Now the consciences of Gods â—eople are very much troubled when â—he Lord is thus angry with them 2. The second degree of trouble of â—onscience is such as is in the wicked â—nd yet not altogether without hope The conscience is troubled but yet so â—s it conceiveth hope God is merciâ—ull and Christ died for poore sinners â—c Thus many a wicked man is trouâ—led and affrighted in conscience not â—or sinne but for the wrath of God against it yet he conceiveth for the present that the sinne is pardonable and may be forgiven Christ may forgive God may pardon It is indeed but a poore ground of hope comfort upon possibilities but yet this lightneth the trouble in the mean time and it may be within a while shaketh it quite off Like the wicked Jews Isa 57.10 who were worried and wearied most grievously yet they said not There is no hope There may be much horrour and disquiet in these consciences for a time but there is a higher degree yet a worse troubled conscience then this 3. The third degree of a troubled conscience is when it is for the present altogether hopelesse such a conscience as is swallowed up in despair when men thinking of their manifold sinnes of the direfull wrath of God of the dreadfull torments of hell for everâ— their consciences make them despair of all hope or possibilitie of avoyding this bringing such thoughts as these Whaâ— a deal of time have I spent in sinne wherein I might have made my peace with God anâ— have prevented all this What a great and omnipotent God have I offended What an infinite Judge have I provoked who is able to revenge himself on me and who will be my foe to eternitie conscience also bringing in thoughts of the torments and unsufferable pains to be endured in hell and such swallow up in despair without all hope for the present or the future Like the wicked man which Eliphaz speaketh of Desperatio est homicida animae Aug. He believeth not that he shall return out of darknesse Job 15.22 So these have no hope of escaping expect to perish as Spira O saith he I envy Cain and Judas I vvould I vvere in their cases They are damned but I shall be vvorse for evermore Now though to these all hopes be gone for the present yet some of these troubled consciences scramble up again with vain hopes and some do not Cain got â—p again it should seem but Judas did not Those that never get up again eiâ—her 1. they live in intolerable horrour and vexation of spirit Desperare est in infernum descendere Isid as if they had a devil in them to put them to anguish and often being weary of their lives do make away themselves and so leap quick into hell or else 2. they runne desperately into all abominable courses Their consciences telling them there is nothing to be expected but damnation they give themselves desperately to commit sinne with greedinesse saying with them in Jeremie There is no hope therefore we will wall after our owne devises Jer. 18.12 Or else 3. they grow senselesse of it They see they are wrong but they are not sensible of it It may be they pray and reade and heare but their consciences secretly whisper All is to no purpose Conscience eateth and eateth like a worm and they pine away in their iniquities Ezek. 4.23 as thâ— prophet speaketh A kind of sorroâ— they have but they cannot mourn â— kind of sad dolour but they cannoâ— weep Ye shall not mone nor weep bâ—â— pine away in your sinnes saith the text I confesse there be more presumers iâ— the world who promise themselves that all shall be well with them but yet there be despairers too and very many whose consciences are troubled with secret despair though it may be not apparently to others Now the causes of these despairing consciences are these 1. The greatnesse of sinne when the heart thinketh secretly thus Certainly the Lord cannot find in his heart to forgive me As it was with Cain When he had lived in earthly-mindednesse and then in formality
peace also If we know once that God loveth us then we may set our hearts at rest As long as we doubt of his love our conscience can never have true peace And therefore if we would maintein true peace of conscience let us labour to be assured of Gods love Answ 3 Thirdly We must use the exercise of faith in applying the bloud of Christ we must labour to purge and cleanse our consciences with it If we find that we have sinned we must runne presently to the bloud of Christ to wash away our sinne We must not let the wound fester or exulcerate but presently get it healed As there is a fountain of sinne â—n us so there is a fountain of mercie â—n Christ Zech. 13.1 set open for Judah and Jerusalem and for every poore soul to wash â—n As we sinne dayly so he justifieth dayly and we must dayly go to him for â—t As every day we runne into new debts so the Lords prayer teacheth us every day to beg forgivenesse We must every day eye the brazen serpent Justification is an ever-running fountain and therefore we cannot look to have all the water at once A fountain ever runneth anew so justification ever floweth anew and we must go to it Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec O let us sue out every day a dayly pardon of course Let us not sleep one night without a new pardon Better sleep in a house full of adders and venemous beasts then sleep in one sin O then be sure with the day to clear the sinnes of the day Then shall our conscience have true peace Object But how if I have relapsed what shall I do then Sol. I answer Every man that falleth doth not fall on all foure as we use to say he doth not fall quite There be degrees of falling As in a sick man though he be ill yet he is not by and by dead some life remaineth still which will look out towards health again so there is so much life in justification as to recover thee again Be constant therefore in this course Ever go to Christ ever wash in this fountain ever bring thy soul hither to be cleansed and then thy conscience ever shall have peace Answ 4 Fourthly If we would maintein our peace then let us labour to be constant in obedience to Jesus Christ Whosoever keepeth his word in him verily is the word of God perfected and hereby know we that we are in him 1. John 2.5 Mark Hereby our conscience may tell us that we are right and speak peace to us if we keep his word II. Question How the peace of our conscience doth depend upon our care and our obedience The reason why I raise this question is this Because as our justification is onely in Christ so our peace is onely in him how then doth the peace of our conscience depend on obedience The place of scripture that occasioneth the doubt is 1. Pet. 3.21 The answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ It is by Christ how dependeth it then on our obedience Answ 1. A good conscience doth not depend upon our obedience as the principall cause of it but upon justification which we have by Christ if we be in him Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Ye see then that our peace is grounded upon our justification as the principall cause of it If we should seek for peace from our works and obedience alas they are sinfull and defective there is no peace to be found in them Our conscience would be troubled at our best duties at our weaknesse in prayer our frailties in hearing our slips in every holy service There is nothing we do but our conscience might find fault with it and pick a hole in it and therefore we had need to flie unto Christ for true peace No wonder then that Papists have not true peace but professedly say that every man must doubt and no man can be sure of his salvation They must needs doubt indeed who trust to their own works which can never bring true peace The conscience must ever be quarrelling and finding of fault and be without peace if we trust to the best works So that this is the first answer All true peace dependeth upon justification by faith in Christ as the principall cause Secondly We answer That our peace dependeth upon our obedience in this sort that we can have no peace except we be given to obedience Those men that can sinne and yet be at peace were never justified in their lives A child of God when he sinneth as for example if he should be tempted to lie or to omit a good dutie which he knoweth he is bound to perform yet this would much trouble his conscience his soul would be ashamed his heart perplexed he would not know how to look the Lord in the face I have sinned what shall I do unto hee O thou preserver of men When David had sinned against God Psal 38.6 I am troubled saith he and I go mourning all the day long And therefore peace of conscience doth depend thus farre on obedience as that a man cannot have peace â—nlesse he be obedient and take heed of sinne and labour in all things to be upâ—ight before God Now if you ask me But how doth our peace depend upon our obedience I answer Dub. Sol. It dependeth upon obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which would hinder our peace Sinne would interrupt our peace now obedience removeth sinne To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 1. John 3.18 19. My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth For hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before God Hereby we shall assure our consciences that we are in him if we take heed of hypocrisie If we love in truth and be obedient in truth we shall thereby remove all our doubts and our fears our troubles and perplexities of conscience So that peace doth depend on obedience as the removing cause It removeth that which otherwise would hinder peace This is the first Again our peace of conscience dependeth upon our obedience as the witnessing cause of it Obedience is one of the witnesses of true peace it witnesseth that we have peace with God 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing even the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie we have had our conversation in the world See here it is the witnessing cause of it Paul had peace of conscience his conscience was able to make him rejoyce How Because it gave testimony that his conversation was godly and simple and gracious Though we be in Christ yet we can have no peace unlesse holy obedience doth witnesse the same Obedience is not the cause of the peace of our consciences before God
upon God to comfort it If thou goest and daubest up the matter thy self and criest Peace peace to thy self thou dost not wait upon God Thus I have answered the last question How if a man have a burdened and troubled conscience what must such a man do to be freed from it And hitherto we have spoken of the two last adjuncts of conscience a Quiet conscience and an Unquiet conscience What they be and How they differ and we have resolved and answered the questions and difficulties about them Conscience beareth witnesse of our persons COncerning the witnesse of conscience I told you that conscience beareth witnesse of two things 1. It beareth witnesse of our actions 2. It beareth witnesse of our persons The former hath been declared unto you at large I come now to the latter Conscience beareth witnesse also of our persons whether we be good or evil whether in Christ or in sinne And here I will shew you foure things 1. That every mans conscience may inform him what state he is in whether of salvation or damnation whether of grace or of nature 2. How conscience doth it 3. When conscience doth it 4. How it cometh to passe then that so many thousands mistake and are ignorant and deluded about their estates I. For the first That every mans conscience may inform him what estate he is in 1. Everie mans conscience may inform him in what state he is whether good or bad I speak especially of such as live under the light of the Gospel of Christ There are two rules the one is Gods word which pointeth out both estates and the other is every mans conscience which is privy to the frame and standing of every mans own heart and which of these estates his estate is conscience is privy â—o this I will instance in some sorts of men 1. The Jews who contented â—hemselves with formality they sacrificed they offered they payed their tithes they did that which Moses commanded them for the letter of it now ye shall see their conscience could tell them that they were not perfect nor upright with God All their duties and formalities and gifts and sacrifices could not make them that did the service perfect as perteining to the conscience Heb. 9.9 Mark Their consciences could say they were not upright for all this As they were not upright so their consciences could tell them they were not upright 2. Another instance we have in the Scribes and Pharisees When they would have condemned the woman taken in adultery their own conscience was privy that they were sinners themselves John 18.9 So also it is with a child of God His conscience is able to inform him that he is a child of God and that he doth truly serve God 2. Tim. 1.3 I thank God saith Paul whom I serve with a pure conscience His conscience told him he was a true servant of God and that he was Gods whose I am saith he So Davids conscience I am thine save me for I have sought thy commandments So the church My beloved is mine and I am his Ye see then how conscience can inform and tell us what estate we are in whether we be godly or carnall whether our conversation be in heaven or on earth whether we be in Christ or out of him The spirit of man knoweth what is in him It is easie to know what our great thoughts of heart are upon what our greatest purposes and projects and studies be whether about God or the world the spirit of a man must needs know it And therefore every man may draw out from conscience a â—rue conclusion how it is with him The â—easons are these 1. The first is taken from the nature â—f conscience The nature of consciâ—nce is such that it must needs be able â—o know what is with a man Now his welldoings or his illdoings are with â—im he was with himself when he did â—hem When thou art proud or impaâ—ient or carelesse in any duty thou art with thy self when thou art so All thy illdoings are with thee and therefore thy conscience must needs know what thou art Isai 59.12 Our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them Take a curser and as Solomon saith Thine own heart knoweth that thou hast used to curse others Eccles 7.22 So it is with a godly soul Thine obedience is with thee and thy self-deniall is with thee and thy care to walk before God all is with thee and therefore thou must needs know it This is the nature of conscience It is privy to what is with one 2. The second reason is taken from the equity of Gods judgements on the wicked The Lord he will judge none to hell but his conscience shall confesse he was one that walked in the way to hell and death Ye may reade it in the man that had not on the wedding-garment When Christ did charge him with his not having on a wedding-garment and did condemn him to utter darknesse the text saith Matth. 22.12 he was speechlesse that is his conscience confessed that Christs judgement was just I have not on a wedding-garment saith his conscience and it is my fault that I have none and I am rightly condemned Thus his conscience did know it otherwise he could not have been speechlesse in his own defense As Festus told Agrippa that he answered the Priests Acts 25.16 It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliver any man to dye before that he who is accused have his accusers face to face and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him So may I say that the great Judge of quick and dead will not judge any man to hell but he will have his accusers face to face and if he can answer for himself he may Now if conscience be not privy to what estate soever a wicked man is in his conscience could never accuse him face to face at the last day nor justifie the Lord Jesus and make the sinner stand speechlesse before God He might answer Lord I do not know any such thing as is laid to my charge I am not convinced that the case is thus and thus with me that I am in such an estate as I am accused of No wicked man shall be able to say thus Therefore conscience can inform a man in what estate he is 3. The third reason is taken from the Lords manner of judging the godly He will judge them and absolve them secundùm allegata probata as we say according to the word and their own consciences Ye may see the true form of judgement which the Lord will go by Matth 25. Where the Lord convinceth the whole world who were righteous and who not who to be judged to punishment and who to life for ever at last he concludeth The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall As if he had said Your consciences
Whosoever calleth upon the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 Hence the wicked may falseâ—y conclude I call upon the Lord and I pray unto him therefore I shall be saved And so on the contrarie a weak Christian who findeth not in himself those degrees of grace which some places of Scripture seem to require concludeth from thence against himself Therefore I have no grace at all This is a second â—cause of mistaking Reas 3 3. A third cause is the not trying â—nd examining our own hearts Some â—re loth to trouble themselves about it They are loth to think so bad of themselves as that they are in such a course as wherein God will not love them Nay they cannot endure that others should discover their hearts unto them They had as lieve they should shew them the pit of hell as shew them themselves They look to some common gifts and graces that are in them such gifts and graces as may be in a reprobate but they will not think so as illumination knowledge the gift of prayer of temperance c. These they look to and these they speak of though they have reigning lusts within in their hearts As Jehu Come see my zeal saith he 2. Kings 10.16 He doth not say Come see my pride and hypocrisie but my zeal Jehu looked at his zeal and so thought he was right So on the contrarie weak Christians may sometimes look onely at their sinnes and infirmities and take no notice of Gods graces that are in them and so may mistake their own selves and conclude amisse of their estates Thus I have shewed you the reasons why men are mistaken about their estates Now I will shew you the reasons why men are mistaken though conscience do tell them 1. Because the speeches of conscience in the wicked many times yea most times are low speeches The gnawings of conscience whereby they are told they are in a bad and a damned estate are like the gnawings of a very little worm that a man can hardly feel Where their worm dieth not Isa 66.24 The word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a very little worm that breedeth in scarlet that a man can very hardly see or perceive so men sometimes do hardly see or perceive the condemning and gnawing of conscience Again conscience biteth suddenly as I told you it giveth a little nip and away Like a sparrow that flieth by it flieth so fast by a mans eye that he can scarce tell whether it be a sparrow or no So it is not easily perceived whether it be a condemning conscience or no it giveth such sudden nips and away that men seldome take notice Beloved there is never a wicked man under heaven unlesse he be delivered up absolutely to a reprobate sense but hath a thousand of these sudden momentany nips every day in the yeare Had he the heart to observe them but he hath not he might see his wretched estate to trouble him and provoke him to Christ and to be converted that God might heal him I say had he a heart he might see it but these nips are so secret and sudden that he doth not So likewise it is with the godly in regard of true comfort Their conscience suddenly flasheth in comfort and they many times do not observe it As Job speaketh of God Lo Job 9.11 he goeth by me and I see him not he passeth on also and I perceive him not So doth the Lord go by his children in the sudden flashes of comfort in their conscience but many times they see him not perceive him not 2. Because the devil blindeth mens eyes therefore they do not see what their consciences do shew them Ye may reade this of the wicked people in Corinth 2. Cor. 4.2 St Paul saith he commended himself and the Gospel to every mans conscience in the sight of God that is He did so preach and so live that every mans conscience could not choose but say Certainly Paul preacheth the truth and Paul liveth right and we must live as he speaketh and doeth He made their consciences say thus and to tell them they were not right if they did not But mark what followeth Some did not see this Why The god of this world saith he hath blinded their eyes So the god of this world blindeth the eyes of the wicked that what their consciences shew them they do not see it nor observe it So for Gods people Though they be in a good and a blessed estate and their consciences can say it yet Satan oftentimes hindreth them that they do not perceive their own comfort 3. Men do not love conscience We should love conscience better then the dearest friend we have under heaven We would do much for a friends sake but we should do a thousand times more for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 Obey Magistrates for conscience sake suffer disgrace reproches any thing for conscience sake It is better then all the friends in the world But the wicked they do not love conscience let conscience speak they care not to heare it They will heare friends but they will not heare conscience Let their lusts call and their profits and pleasures call for this and that thing they heare all but they love not to heare conscience Nay many wicked men are angry to heare talk of it When Paul had made mention of conscience Ananias commanded he should be smitten Acts 23.1 Men and brethren saith Paul I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day Smite him on the mouth saith the high Priest Ananias He was angry to heare him talk of a good conscience This is most certain men do not love conscience nor to be curbed by conscience nor informed by conscience They had as lieve see the devil as that their consciences should inform them of their estates and tell them thus and thus they are They are told rightly and yet they are mistaken because they do not love to heare conscience of that theme Of a good and bad conscience YE have heard concerning the witnesse-bearing of conscience about our estates The next thing to be spoken of is that welknown distinction of â— Good and a Bad conscience This diâ—tinction we reade of in Scripture Concerning a good conscience see Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good conscience Concerning a bad conscience see Heb. â—0 22 Having our hearts sprinkled from â—n evil conscience There be both the members Of the distinction of them both briefly and in order and first of a good conscience The goodnesse of conscience is two-fold naturall and renewed Concerning a good conscience 1. The naturall goodnesse of conscience consisteth in those reliques of goodnesse which it reteineth since the creation Ye know man depraved and corrupted his conscience by his fall yet there be some reliques left as reason and knowledge and reflexion I do not mean reliques of any spiritual goodnesse in conscience For as there is no
convinced thee of thy sinnes and made thy conscience say I am a sinner and am guiltie before God I tell thee then Thy conscience is bound and all the world cannot loose it But hast thou been humbled and emptied of thy self and doth the word pronounce pardon of thy sinnes in Christs name that thy conscience can say The Lord speaketh peace to my soul I tell thee Thou art loosed and nor hell nor devil nor sinne nor flesh nor any thing can bind thee Ye may see the power of Gods word in that speech of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven Matth. 18.18 That is My word which ye preach is of that nature that if that loose your conscience it is loosed indeed and nothing can bind it if that do bind it it is bound soundly indeed and nothing can loose it O this is a terrour to the wicked Doth the word of God say Prov. 29.1 He that hardneth his neck being often rebuked shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured O fear and tremble ye that harden your necks against the reproofs of the Almightie his word bindeth over your consciences to Christs barre Doth the word say Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge If thou beest such an one thy conscience is bound with this word and it will apply it to the soul before the tribunal-seat of Christ Doth the word crie out against any of thy courses thy conscience is bound as with chains and it is not all thy vain hopes and excuses can loose thee Again this is comfort to the godly Gods word is the supreme binder of conscience O ye blessed of the Lord the word of God tieth such a fast knot to your comforts that all hell cannot open it with their teeth The word of the Lord Jesus is with your who hath the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Yea but sayest thou My sinnes are against me What then mark what the word saith We have an Advocate with the Father Thy conscience is bound to believe that Yea but I have a very naughtie heart and I cannot tell what to do with it Mark what the word saith Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved This bindeth thy conscience But I offend dayly Mark still what the word saith Christ bringeth in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 If thou beest unworthy to day there is righteousnesse for thee to day if unworthy to morrow there is righteousnesse for thee to morrow if unworthy for ever there is righteousnesse for thee for ever This is Gods word and thy portion this bindeth thy conscience to lay hold on it But I have abundantly sinned What saith Christs word I will abundantly pardon O what comfort is this to every poore soul which the Lord Jesus hath humbled His word is the supreme binder of conscience above the law above justice above threatnings above all the world besides His promising word is the supreme binder of thy conscience if thou beest one of Christs And therefore fear not onely believe and be thankfull and give glory to God This is the childrens bread no stranger can intermeddle with it The secondary bond of conscience YE have heard that the bonds of conscience are of two sorts First there is a supreme bond of conscience and that is Gods word of which I have already spoken Secondly there is a relative bond of conscience which bindeth conscience indeed but it is onely in relation to Gods word because Gods word putteth authority upon it And this latter is also of two sorts 1. Others may bind conscience 2. We our selves may bind our own consciences I. Others may bind our consciences I. Others may bind our consciences namely when they have authority conferred upon them from God so their laws and commands receive vigour and force from Gods laws Thus the laws and commands of Magistrates bind the conscience of People of Parents bind the conscience of Children of Masters bind the conscience of Servants For though they do not bind conscience as they are the commandments of men yet having Gods seal and authority upon them they do I will set down some conclusions whereby ye may know how farre the laws and commandments of others bind or not bind conscience 1. Conclusion 1. Magistrates have power to command us Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 That chapter doth most clearly prove this conclusion unto us Out of the first part of the chapter we learn 1. That Magistrates have power and authority to make laws and to establish orders among men and therefore they are called powers 2. We learn that these laws of Magistrates receive strength and force from the law of God For the powers that be are ordained of God saith the text 3. Those laws made by the Magistrate and confirmed by God have power to bind conscience vers 5. Wherefore we must be subject not onely because of wrath but also for conscience sake And the violating of them is sinne When their authority is confirmed by God we cannot resist them but we resist the ordinance of God saith the Apostle nay we may pull condemnation upon us if we do They that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation vers 2. So that this first conclusion telleth us what laws of men are to be obeyed viz. 1. Such as do virtually flow from Gods word though not expressely commanded in it 2. Such as are good and wholesome and profitable for the common-wealth These though they are not particularly commanded in Gods word yet are they by virtue of it injoyned and therefore to neglect them and be disobedient unto them is to neglect and be disobedient to God Again so farre onely are they to be obeyed so farre onely I say as they virtually do flow from Gods word for so farre onely they receive force from Gods law This is the first conclusion 2. Conclusion 2. The commandments of Magistrates and those that are in authoritie lose their power of binding the conscience in foure cases 1. When they command that which though in it self it be not simply and absolutely sinfull and unlawfull yet it doth put us upon a necessity of sinning As for example If a Magistrate command single life to all Ministers this thing is not in it self simply unlawfull for it is lawfull to marry and it is lawfull not to marry yet this commandment is unlawfull because it would put Ministers upon a necessity of sinning The reason is because all have not this power And therefore such a commandment as this would not bind conscience For the conscience cannot be bound to impurity or an apparent danger of impurity and therefore though the thing be not simply unlawfull yet the commandment is simply unlawfull and doth not bind conscience The Apostle maketh such a commandment to
when they are alone and their consciences at counsel within themselves then they conclude Indeed they do well Thus their consciences give a good evidence of us and accuse them for not doing the like And thus much shall suffice to be spoken of other mens binding of conscience II. We may bind our own consciences II. We our selves may bind our own consciences And that is by those vows and promises which we make to God of any thing lawfull and in our power Those vows and promises which we make unto God according to the warrant of his word they do bind our conscience They are our own before we have made them as Ananias and Sapphira their gift was their own before they vowed it to the church While it remained was it not thine own and when it was sold was it not in thine own power Acts 5.4 We need not vow unlesse we will but after we have vowed our vows are Gods bonds and do bind the conscience to the performance of them Nay we lie unto God as the text saith they did if we do not stand to the performance of them But it may be demanded What vows are they which are unlawfull and do not bind conscience I answer 1. Such as we make of things impossible and beyond our power These are unlawfull and do not bind conscience 2. Such as we make of things unlawfull when we vow to do that which is contrarie to Gods law such as Davids was when he vowed the destruction of Nabals familie 1. Sam. 25.22 This doth not bind conscience nay we are bound in conscience to break it 3. Such as though they be of things lawfull and possible yet we want freedome in the performance of them as for a wife or a servant or a child to make a vow when their relation to such as are over them will not suffer them to perform it Numb 30.3 This bindeth not conscience Nothing bindeth conscience but that which hath Gods seal upon it but this hath not Gods seal on it and therefore it doth not bind conscience indeed it bindeth us in conscience to repent of it 4. Such as though they be lawfull and profitable and in our own freedome yet if there fall a greater consequence before the time of performance we are not bound in conscience to perform them as if a man upon the receit of some mercie should in testimonie of his thankfulnesse vow a hundred pounds to good uses in the mean time his estate so decayeth as that he shall undo himself and his familie if he perform it this is so great a consequence and contingently hapned that it freeth his conscience from performing what he had vowed Or if a man should promise marriage to a woman and before the time of nuptials she be found unchast this is a farre greater consequence and he is not bound in conscience to marry her These kinds of vows do not bind in conscience But all other do bind us 1. Vse We may learn from hence never to vow but with good judgement and counsel For either we must keep our promise or not If we must that is a signe it is good and therefore had need of deliberation If we must not keep it then it is a signe of rashnesse and inconsideratenesse and besides it may prove scandalous and offensive to them to whom we make it and also to them that shall heare of it And therefore it requireth good judgement and advise to vow What a rash vow was that of good Jephthah Judges 11.30 If thou wilt deliver Ammon into my hand whatsoever meeteth me I will offer it for a burnt-offering How if a dog had first met him what a sin had it been How if his daughter what a thing had that been And indeed it proved to be his daughter Vows without judgement do but increase our sinnes and aggravate our transgressions against God 2. Vse This teacheth us to keep our good vows whatsoever they be that we make Indeed it is hard to keep a good yea it is hard to make a good vow in that manner as we should It requireth a great deal of faith and self-deniall and humilitie and strength of resolution But when we have made it our sinne is the greater if we do not then keep it â—cles 5.5 Better it is not to vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay Hast thou vowed a vow then deferre not to pay it God hath no pleasure in fools As if the holy Ghost had said It is the part of a fool to vow before he consider and be absolutely resolved to perform to be off and on with the Lord God of hosts The Lord hath no pleasure in fools Therefore pay all thy good vows and be humbled for thy rash vows But we are fallen into bad times when truth and equitie is perished from among men Every one is a deceitfull bow yea the best almost is a briar Nothing so common as vows and promises but few make conscience of performing them Nay men are carelesse of their grand vow which they have made unto God in their baptisme â—aptisme O this is a very fearfull sinne Ye have all made a vow unto God in your baptisme that ye would live otherwise then ye do and ye make no conscience to keep it Baptisme is a very weightie thing If there were no other thing to bind you to holinesse and obedience and faith but onely the vow ye entred into in your baptisme did ye consider what a vow it is it would move you alone It is said of Apollos that he was fervent in spirit though he knew nothing but the baptisme of John Acts 18.25 Apollos considered what a vow he had made unto God in his baptisme that though he knew nothing else it made him zealous for God Baptisme is a very great binder of conscience It bindeth a man to believe and to go out of himself and to submit to Jesus Christ The wicked Pharisees saw this to be true Matth. 21.25 If we shall say that Johns baptisme was from heaven he will say Why did ye not then believe Beloved was not your baptisme from heaven was it not an ordinance of God and did ye not solemnly then vow unto God Why then do ye not believe why do ye not denie your selves your works your wayes and take up Christs crosse As Christ saith of John Baptist Among them that are born of women there hath not been a greater then John the Baptist Matth. 11.11 so may I say of bonds and of vows and covenants Among all the vows and covenants that ever were made there hath not been a greater then this of Baptisme And therefore ye had best look to the performing of what ye then vowed If ye do not ye are grievous breakers of covenant with God which sinne will surely stand against you for evil It is most certain that Baptisme doth greatly bind us in conscience to walk answerably to